saltedpepper

She was an omega everyone could bully—a wolf without a wolf. In her pack, Penelope lived a life worse than a servant, clinging to the naive hope that some chivalrous savior would descend from the heavens. What she never realized was that her true protector had been beside her all along.

At her debut ball, fate dealt her a cruel joke: her destined Mate turned out to be the same man idolized by millions—a man whose touch promised ruin. Giddy with euphoria, she raced toward what she believed was her fairytale ending, only to plummet into an abyss of betrayal.

When courage finally spurred her to act, it cost her everything—even her memories. Years later, a man claiming to be her Mate reentered her life, his devotion unwavering… until her past resurfaced, revealing him as Austin, her stepbrother—a man who’d coveted her from the shadows.

Now torn between the dream lover who shattered her and the liar who remade her, Penelope faces an impossible choice:

Whose hand will she take?

***

[Excerpt]

"Penelope Woods."

"Ah... Yes?" My breath hitched as wetness pooled under his touch.

"Do you want to be my Luna?"

"...Yes..."

"Such a good girl." Zayn's lips brushed my ear as he whispered coldly, "But you don't have a wolf."

The contrast was jarring—our bodies so close, our movements so intimate, yet his words were like ice, draining all warmth from me in an instant. I was frozen, unable to move.

***

CONTENT WARNING: This experimental narrative contains graphic depictions of violence, bloodshed, and explicit sexual content. Viewer discretion is advised.

HER POSSESSIVE MATE

"Alpha, the serum has failed again." Elijah's voice carried the disappointments as he placed the latest lab report on my mahogany desk. My fingers tightened around the edges as I scanned the results, my frown deepening with each paragraph. The serum that had miraculously saved Elijah and Austin four years ago remained stubbornly ineffective on every subsequent test subject.

"Why?" The question slipped through my clenched teeth before I could stop it. The same formula, the same administration protocols - it made no scientific sense. "We've accounted for every variable. Age, weight, blood type, even lunar cycle exposure during treatment. What are we missing?"

Elijah shifted uncomfortably, his polished oxfords scuffing against the Persian rug. "Should I... initiate surveillance on Austin Woods again? Perhaps there's some physiological factor we overlooked—"

The wolf