Emma Spencer.
After witnessing that pathetic bastard who, unfortunately, is still my husband, fuck his secretary in my house, I got in the car and pressed the accelerator. I know I can’t go to my mother’s house. Not yet. I need to process everything I see.
Maddie can’t see me like this. God heavens! Maddie. How will I justify her daddy is a bastard? What will I tell her when she asks me why don’t we go back home? She may only be five years old, and Albert may not be the best of parents, but she doesn’t miss a beat. Sometimes I feel like talking to her is like talking to an adult, in a small way.
Fuck! I’m so shocked! And honestly, I’m too stubborn to cry.
Fury flows through my veins like thick, burning lava. While I’m arguing with my inner self about which path to take, my cell phone pulls me out of my thoughts.
I stop on the avenue and see who is calling, and it is none other than Albert-moron! I cut the call without wanting to listen to that insignificant worm and block his number.
I don’t have the heart or the head to deal with him, so I sigh as I squeeze my eyes shut. It seems like I'm about to experience a severe headache.
I don’t know if I’m in shock, but if I’m honest, it’s not pain I feel, it’s anger. The kind that makes you do stupid things. And I know myself. I’m capable of doing stupid things, like setting his car on fire. Hmm…actually, that’s not a bad idea.
Again, the sound of my cell phone takes me out of my internal dialogue. I saw the screen and the phone number; I don’t know who it is.
I frown and answer. “Hello?” A man surprised that I answer him speaks to me in a husky, velvety voice. “Dr. Spencer, I didn’t think you would answer me.” I think for a moment, remembering who he is. The truth? I don’t give it much effort and ask him. “Who is it?”
“I’m Peter… Bennett. We met at the conference a few hours ago.”
I sigh and say. “Mr. Bennett, how did you get my number?”
He answers me. “I have my ways.”
Annoyed, I tell him. “Oh yeah? Well, you are harassing me and invading my privacy. Are you used to being this way with people around you or with those you just met?”
There is an awkward silence on the other end of the line until he answers me. “I’m so sorry for bothering you, Dr. Spencer. I didn’t think you would get mad at calling you.”
“Well, guess what? Yes, it makes me angry, it makes me furies that all the men believe that someone will be thrilled with you invading her personal space. Well, no, Mr. Bennett. At least I’m not like that. Stop bothering me!”
And without realizing it, I’m yelling at him.
He just listens to me and says. “Are you okay? Is there anything I can help you with?”
And just like that, the tears that refused to come out begin to flow like waterfalls. Concern is heard in his voice when he demands. “Where are you? I will come for you.”
I cannot speak. Tears prevent me from speaking. Sue again. “Stay where you are. I will go for you. Don’t leave the avenue.”
That catches my attention. Without stopping crying, I asked him. “How do you know I’m on the avenue?”
He sighs and says. “I’ll tell you when I come for you and make sure you’re okay. Please. Wait for me. It will take me ten minutes to get there.”
I wanted to refute, but he cut the call. I stare at the screen for a moment, still lost and confused with everything that has happened. My tears now refuse to stop, and I hate myself for crying over that fake, stupid, conceited man named Albert.
True to his word, Mr. Bennett is outside my car in ten minutes. He opens the door, making me jump. He bends down and looks at my face, which is red and swollen from crying.
With a tender and compassionate voice, he frowns, sighs, and asks me. “Who was capable of harming you?”
I cover my face with my hands and cry again. He takes my chin with his big hand, and I feel sparks invade my entire body, sending shivers down my spine. What is this feeling? I wonder. I open my eyes wide, hold my breath, and unconsciously touch his hand. I tremble at his touch.
He smiles at me, pleased, and in a whisper says. “Mate!”
I frown and say. “What?”
I let go of his grip, coming to my senses, and told him. “What do you mean by that? Excuse me, Mr. Bennett. You didn’t have to bother coming here. I appreciate your concern.”
He frowns, his gaze darkens, and he says. “Don’t appreciate it. I’ll escort your home. I won’t let you drive in that state.”
I open my eyes wide and shout at him. “NO! Not to my house!”
A confused look crosses his handsome face, and he says. “Well, you tell me where you want me to take you, but I won’t leave you alone. And that is final.”
I sigh, resigned, as I change seats. He gets into the car, looks at me out of the corner of his eye, and says. “Where am I taking you, madame?”
I examined him and asked him. “Why are you here?”
He turns in his seat and looks at me with a penetrating gaze. His almond-colored eyes shine brightly as he says, “I’m here, Emma, because I’m unable to leave you alone.”
I should be furious about addressing me so casually, but I can’t help but blush at hearing his statement. My heart beats strongly, hearing how my name sounds on his appetizing lips and, without avoiding it, I find myself staring at them.
He smiles, amused, when he notices it and says. “Is there something you’re watching that you like?”
I shake off the thought, as I say. “What are you talking about?”
He smiles again as he says. “It doesn’t matter. Since you didn’t tell me where to go, I choose. Stay calm.”
I’m going to debate, but he’s already driving and deep down, I’m deeply grateful that he showed up and is pulling me out of this, taking control.
Peter drove for about half an hour and we arrived at a beautiful place. I look around, not recognizing where I am.
I asked him. “Peter, where are we?”
He smiles at me and says. “I’m so glad you call me by my name, Emma. I was honestly getting angry that you called me Mr. Bennett.”
I frown and say. “It wasn’t by choice. Since you called me by my name a while ago, I thought it was only fair I do the same.”
His smile widens as he says. “Whatever the reason, I’m happy. Now, regarding your question, we are at my house.”
I open my eyes wide and scream. “WHAT? NO! This is so bad! I am still a married woman, and my reputation must be impeccable if I want to remain in the university as a professor! Being unemployed is not an option for me. I can’t right now.”
He frowns and says. “Emma, what are you talking about? We’re not doing anything wrong, well. Not yet, anyway.”
I watch him laugh amusedly while I’m hyperventilating, panicking.
He tells me. “Hey! Eyes on me, Emma. I would never let you get into trouble because of me. When I tell you that everything is fine, you must trust that it is.”
“Easier said than done.” I tell him, linking my arms. “You don’t know what it’s like to be a woman in a man’s world, Peter. Just because you are a man, no one questions your position. However, just because I am a woman, I must justify my position to everyone. Everyone constantly questions my intelligence, my achievements, and findings. And let’s not even talk about whether you’re a pretty woman. Now that is a debate for a full day.”
He parks in front of the immense mansion, which is… amazing.
He hangs his head sideways and says. “I know I can never be in your position, since I was not born a woman. But there is not a day that I do not ensure that my workers have the same opportunities and that these biases, especially gender bias, do not occur. It’s true, it’s a titanic battle, Emma. But it starts somewhere. Now, I understand that you have a hard time trusting people, because of the same thing. But I want you to know that you can trust me. I will never deceive you.”
I sigh, defeated, as I say. “Only time will tell, Peter.”
“And I will prove to you every day that I am worthy of your trust, Emma.”
I look out the window, processing what he just told me, as I nod at his words.
Then, I hear him say cautiously. “What did you mean, just now, when you told me you are still a married woman? What did your husband do to you?”
I look at him nervously, bite my lip, sigh as I say, “I just saw him fucking his secretary at my house.”
Peter Bennett. Hearing her voice through the speakers caused me to freeze in my position, unable to move forward. My intention was never to attend the conference. Also, I had given up going, not because of the topic itself, but because my meeting with dean Smith was more relevant. Therefore, I had never expected to be in the auditorium. Apollo, my wolf, stirred inside my head, demanding to see her. He needed to know to whom belonged the melodious voice that spoke, whose speech was full of ingenious sentences and novel discoveries. I leave the dean talking alone and head on autopilot towards the auditorium. I stand at the door, watching the tiny figure behind the podium. My wolf jumps in my head, absolutely crazy screaming, “mate, mate, mate, mine, mine, mine!” giving me a big headache. I never got married, because I always believed that I would find the love of my life one day. I didn’t think that, at thirty-six years old, I would find her. Although it makes me wonder, why is sh
Emma Spencer. A roar comes from his enormous chest and without thinking, I get scared of hearing it and I move away from him. Peter, realizing that he scared me, apologizes, saying that I am too good for Albert. Of course, I know I am very good for Albert and that is precisely what makes me angry. The bastard was able to deceive me, me! I thought I knew what I was doing when I chose him as my husband. I thought he would be a good father to Maddie, but no. I was wrong and by God, how I hate being wrong. On paper, he was the right man, but in reality, he couldn’t be more opposite. I sigh, absolutely defeated, as I can’t help but blush that the strange man is able to see me. He gets out of the car and offers me his hand, which I accept. And there are again the sparks. I open my eyes wide, looking at him, while he just smiles at me. What is this? Why does this man give me these sensations which I have never felt with another man? Why do I feel like I’ve known him for years? Why do
Emma Spencer. I see how Peter frowns at what I told him and without thinking he asks me, “marriage of convenience? What are you talking about? Did your parents force you?” I feel my heart pounding at his questioning. I quickly told him, “My parents had nothing to do with my decision. In fact, they were against it. They never liked Albert, but I’m too stubborn to change my mind. The decision was based on what I thought was best for me.” “Forgive me, dear, but I still don’t understand.” I sigh and say, “You see, I wanted a family of my own. I always felt like something was missing. I always felt like a broken piece. I stopped feeling that feeling when Maddie was born. Not even when I got married. It was she who brought peace and that sense of belonging that I sought so much.” I see he is going to ask me something when we are interrupted by the sound of my cell phone. I take it out of my pocket and see that it is my mother. “Forgive me, Peter, but I must answer.” He gave me a hand m
Emma Spencer.Peter turns violently on me, grabs my shoulders against the wall and shouts, “Why can I smell my daughter in there?”I open my eyes wide, breathing heavily, not knowing how to respond to that. “Your daughter? What the hell are you talking about, Peter? It’s just Maddie in there. Let me go!”“So, she is my daughter, Emma. I can smell her! It is my blood that runs through her veins!”“What do you mean, you can smell her? We’re not animals, Peter. What the hell is wrong with you? If you keep yelling like that, you’ll scare everyone in there, including Maddie.”I watch as he tries to calm down as he tells me, “She is not Albert’s daughter, Emma. How did you conceive her? How did you get pregnant?”“How do you know she’s not his daughter?”“Answer the fucking question!”I feel as if an invisible power is hitting me, forcing me to respond truthfully. I breathe raggedly, trying to endure the pain that comes with it, while sweat appears on my forehead.I tell him, “By artificia
Peter Bennett.Maddie whispers to me, “Daddy, I know they’re not my grandparents.”My grip on both tightens. I examine them and know immediately who and where they are from.“What the hell is he doing here, the beta and his wife, from the royal pack of the north?” Apollo asks me, totally annoyed by what we are witnessing.“I don’t know, Apollo, but something tells me they were the ones who raised Emma as their own. The question is why? Maddie knows they’re not her grandparents, so why are they here?”“Isn’t it obvious? King Alexander had a Plan B… Emma.” I close my eyes, regretting what we just discovered.I quickly called William by mental link. “William, get everyone here now!” I don’t wait for his response.I take a deep breath, so as not to scare Maddie or Emma, as I say, “John, I haven’t seen you in a while. I thought you had died. What are you doing in the southern lands? You are very far from home.”I watched as his face and his wife completely break down. Emma says to me, “W
Emma Spencer. “For thirty years they have searched for you, because you are the rightful heir to the northern throne, hidden in the south's heart.” That phrase echoes incessantly in my mind. In the last twenty-four hours, my life has changed drastically without being able to go back. The security that I felt yesterday morning when I woke up no longer exists. Nothing in my life is true. It makes me question whether I have guided every decision I have made by invisible forces orchestrating against one. My belief that one forges one’s destiny has been completely destroyed. A million questions constantly invade me, but one is the one that stands out every time I think about this whole situation: why? After they took my parents away, Peter took us back to his house. Maddie couldn’t stop talking to Peter about what his life had been like away from her all these years. I just limited myself to observing this exchange. The trust that has been born between them seems extremely strange to
Peter Bennett. It hurts my heart to see my mate so sad. I totally understand why. Apollo doesn’t stop howling, given the emotions we feel, through the mate bond, which she does not know exists. I see the woman in front of me and I feel so blessed that she is mine. “Start, from the beginning, Peter. I want to know everything.” I swallow hard, as I watch my beautiful mate looking at me with her eyes wide open, waiting for what I have to say. I clear my throat and say, “There are different societies in this world. Humans are just one of them. Different creatures live among them, such as werewolves and Lycans.” I continued, “Our culture collaborates with humans, but we do not mix. This means that we can do business with them, work with them or for them, but we do not match with them. It is forbidden to be with a human being.” Emma interrupts me by asking, “What’s the difference between a werewolf and a Lycan?” “A werewolf can turn into a wolf when required. They are two entities sha
Parker Bennett.Dazed by the journey my brother forced me to undertake to the northern lands, I am glad it is over. I’ve been abroad for months and I just miss my bed and my space.It was a very hard time, where I could achieve what I wanted: information. Peter will be happy with everything I discovered about King Harry.I get off the plane and am pleased that William, Peter’s beta, is waiting for me.“Nice to see you, Prince Parker. I hope the flight was uneventful.”I smile at him, tired, as I say, “Thank you, William. Yes, it was a comfortable trip, despite the distance. Tell me, how is my grumpy brother?”I watch as William shares a nervous smile, as he says, “Our king, he has met his mate, my prince.”I stop dead. “What? How? When? Who is she?”To tell the truth, I always believed that I would find her first. I always tried to take comfort in the fact that, if I wasn’t king, I would at least have my fated mate. But I see that the goddesses laugh at me once again.As his twin, we