Seven
903 Words
I pressed my body against the cold bathroom tiles, holding my breath until my chest ached.
Why did terrible things keep happening to me?
My mate was getting married to someone else
“Darling, you must decide on the seating for the top table before next week. Mommy wants the list,” Wendy’s voice drifted in, smooth and grating at the same time. ““And Daddy will be dreadfully upset if you’re late for dinner again tonight. He’s making such an effort for us.”
A low murmur from Justin followed, too faint for me to make out.
“Oh, do not be such a “Oh, don’t be such a bear,” Wendy cooed. “We can't afford to omit the important nobles. Our wedding must be perfect. The event of the year!” Fabric rustled. Her voice dropped to a sultry whisper. “One kiss.”
Silence.
Then, the soft sound of lips meeting.
My stomach twisted until I thought I’d be sick.
“I’ll see you tonight, my darling. Don't be late.”
“I won't,” I heard Justin say. The sharp click of Wendy's heels faded as the door closed.
I waited, counting to twenty, then fifty, before cracking the door open.
Empty. He’d left with her.
One thing was clear. Their relationship wasn’t love—it was strategy.
He needed Wendy, her influence, and her father’s power.
The bond that burned through my veins like fire was nothing to him. Nothing but an inconvenience to be ignored, crushed, and humiliated into silence.
Fuck.
I walked out, fury sharpening into bitter clarity. He wasn’t cruel for sport. He was calculated.
Dropping into the chair at the assistant’s desk, I pulled out my phone and opened ClanConnect.
IJustin’s public page was perfectly curated—photos of leadership, charity work, state dinners.
But the tagged photos told the truth.
Wendy on his arm. His hand on her waist.
Smiles for the cameras, a performance polished to perfection.
#JustinandWendyForever
Tens of thousands of likes.
Comments swooning over the “future King and Queen.”
Each picture drove the knife deeper.
This was what he chose. This was what he protected.
The door swung open.
Justin strode in, alone.
He stopped cold when he saw me. “I thought you’d have scampered back to your kennel by now, little wolf.” His tone was smooth, but there was steel under it.
I stood slowly. “Still waiting for you to assign me to where I truly belong.”
He moved closer, each step deliberate. “Is it now?”
“Yes. Or maybe I have to remind the Queen why she placed me here.” I lifted my chin. “Then I’ll request a transfer to Legal Counsel.”
He stopped inches away, heat radiating off him. His scent wrapped around me, sharp and intoxicating. His eyes raked over me, slow and shameless.
“Your mouth says one thing.” His voice dipped low, almost amused. “Your eyes say you want to f**k me. So why don’t we cut the games?”
My lips parted. A blatant challenge.
I stepped closer instead of retreating. My fingers toyed with the end of his tie.
“You think you know what I want,” I said, my voice calm, measured. “Prove you can say what you feel. Be an adult. Then maybe I’ll consider it.”
His smirk widened. He opened his mouth to reply—
The door burst open.
A woman swept in, tall and bold, with dark hair streaked pink and a wild energy that filled the room. Leather shorts under a sharp blazer, no trace of decorum.
Justin stiffened. Annoyance flickered across his face.
“Justine. What are you doing here?”
She froze when she saw me. Her face shifted from surprise to something stranger.
Her hand rose to her chest.
“Oh my God,” she whispered, eyes locked on me. She surged forward, nearly tripping over a chair.
“Justine!” Justin barked, but she didn’t stop.
Her gaze—so much like Justin’s, yet softer—searched my face desperately.
“Who are you?” she breathed.
My throat tightened.
“She’s Marissa,” Justin snapped. “My new assistant. What the hell’s wrong with you?”
Before I could react, she leaned in and inhaled near my neck.
I jerked back. “What the hell are you doing?”
She didn’t stop. Her nose brushed past my ear as she breathed in again, slow and deliberate, like she was tasting the air.
My pulse raced. “Seriously, what is this?”
She stepped back, eyes glowing with excitement and disbelief.
“You don’t feel that?” she whispered.
“Feel what?” My voice came out sharp, confused.
She reached out, tracing a line down my arm with trembling fingers. “This… whatever this is. It’s buzzing all around you.”
I stared. “Are you high?”
Justin stormed over and grabbed her hand. “Justine. Enough.”
She barely seemed to hear him, her voice rising. “Oh, this is perfect.”
Justin’s grip tightened, irritation etched across his face. “Excuse us,” he told me.
Before I could speak, he dragged her out and slammed the door.
Silence.
I stood frozen, my skin still tingling where she’d touched me.
Her strange words echoed in my head, impossible to shake.
- Writer
