a beacon luring in those desperate enough to gamble away what little they had left. The stench of desperation hit me the moment I stepped inside-thick and cloying, mixed with the acrid scent

acophony of sound and scent, each one a shar

and ruthlessness. A string of mysterious disappearances had led us to this very casino, whispers of dark dealings and sinister forces hiding beneath the surface. Rumors had circula

n felt, the occasional shout of triumph or groan of defeat-it all echoed off the marble floors, creating a discordant symphony of vice. My instincts were on high alert, every fiber of my being tuned to the slightest hint of

e

, hardened patrons. Her wide eyes betrayed her nerves as she handed over a wad of cash to the bartender, the bill clutched tightly in her trembling fingers. There was something almost ethereal

a

be so cruel, so merciless, as to pair me, a Lycan Alpha, with a weak, fragile human? My mate was supposed to be strong, capable of standing by m

. My anger flared, burning through my veins like wildfire. Humans were pathetic, fragile creatures-unworthy of the strength we possessed, unwort

e found my mate. But all I felt was anger-blistering, consuming anger. This slip of a girl couldn't possibly understand the world I lived in. She was soft, vulnerabl

ice cut through my thoughts, his gaze

rled, the words tastin

better than to question me when I was like this, when the rage was so close to the surface. He simply n

blood to ice. They were predators, drawn to her like vultures to a carcass, their intentions as clear as the fear that flickered across her face. My wolf bristled with rage, the pr

filthy hands on what was mine, sent a violent surge of possessiveness crashing through me. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. My mate wasn't supposed to be a human girl who co

hey wouldn't touch her. They wouldn't get the chance. She might be human, she