Secret Affairs With My Step-Father

Three

Phillipa POV

My hands shook vigorously as I took each bite of the food, the atmosphere in the room feeling extremely uncomfortable. I glanced over at Justin's mother, who remained poised and dignified while eating her meal. I lowered my head, trying to enjoy my food, but I couldn't shake the thought of how a nobody like me could possibly be mated to Alpha Lucien. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made.

Feeling suddenly thirsty, I reached for the glass of wine and took a sip. That’s when my eyes wandered to the Alpha, and to my shock, he was already staring directly at me. Our eyes locked, and I immediately choked on my wine, struggling to stifle a cough as I set the glass down on the table.

“Are you okay?” Justin asked with concern, his face showing genuine worry. I simply nodded in response, giving him a small smile before saying, “I am absolutely fine, there’s nothing to worry about.” He nodded in approval, and I tried to compose myself, returning to my meal despite the awkward atmosphere and the constant stirring of my wolf inside me.

“So, Phillipa,” Ruth finally said, catching my attention. She was focused on cutting a piece of steak as she asked, “What do your father and mother do for a living?” I glanced at Justin, noticing he suddenly looked slightly nervous.

I opened my mouth to answer, but Justin quickly said, “Her father is no longer with us. Her mother, on the other hand, is the main provider for the family.” Ruth nodded thoughtfully before asking again, “And what does your mother do that makes her the provider?”

The question made me even more nervous. I was about to answer when Justin cut in again, “She’s a businesswoman, often traveling here and there.” I clenched my fists, frustrated. He was misrepresenting me in front of his mother, and maintaining that false image was going to be difficult.

“Let her speak, Justin,” Ruth said firmly. “I believe the questions were directed at her.” Justin fell silent, sinking into his chair as he quietly resumed eating his dinner. Ruth turned her attention to me, setting her fork aside as she asked, “What kind of business does she run?”

I suddenly felt nervous, glancing at Justin, unsure of how to respond. Taking a deep breath, I faced Ruth and answered, “She’s not a large business woman like you might imagine. She runs a small online clothing business that sometimes requires her to travel. It makes enough money to support both of us.” Ruth’s expression remained unimpressed as she let out a small smirk and took a sip of her wine.

“I might have expected more,” she said, “but honestly, it’s not as if you two are getting married anyway.” I raised an eyebrow in confusion, trying to understand her words. She continued, “Temporary fun is temporary fun. But don’t expect it to lead to anything serious. Someone like you might not be good enough for my son's future.” I had heard tales of her bluntness, but I never imagined it would be this harsh.

“Mother…” Justin started, but she cut him off.

“What?” Ruth looked back at me, then said, “I’m just giving the poor girl a reality check. The sooner she accepts this, the better. She’s simply not what I would expect you to settle down with. What about Lara, the daughter of the beta? We both know she’s a more suitable match. Phillipa is beautiful, no doubt, but beyond that, what else does she offer? A future with her would be no different from ending up with one of our maids.” Tears began rolling down my cheeks as I lost my appetite.

I stood up, wiping my tears as I said, “May I quickly use the restroom, ma’am?” Ruth regarded me for a moment before responding, “You may ask the maids to escort you.”

I forced a smile, and Justin said, “I will escort you.” He took my hand and led me out of the mansion and into a nearby villa. He guided me to a room and said, “You can use the bathroom here.” I nodded and went inside, not really needing to use the restroom. Instead, I stared at myself in the mirror, reflecting on Ruth’s words. I promised myself to be strong mentally before emerging.

“You know, it’s really your fault for mentioning something about a small business. My mother is rich and powerful. What makes you think she would want her only son to end up with someone who runs a small business? She might have a heart attack if she finds out your mom is secretly a stripper. That’s just disgusting.”

“If you are that disgusted with my mother’s work, then why are you even with me?” I took a deep breath, trying to control my anger as I said, “I am leaving.” I started to walk away, but he grabbed my hand and pulled me back.

“Don’t you dare walk out on me,” he said angrily. His face was terrifying, but he quickly took a deep breath and tried to compose himself. “It’s just the two of us here, you know? I am sorry for being rude. Why don’t we have some fun?” He added, his tone changing. We were in a bedroom, and I should have known that was why he brought me here.

He leaned in, trying to kiss me, but I couldn’t stand it anymore. I gently pushed him away from my chest and said, “I am not feeling it tonight. Please excuse me.” He looked displeased and asked, “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I am just not in the mood tonight.” I tried to pull my hand from his grip and make my way to the door, but he grabbed me roughly, pulling me back and pushing me onto the bed. I was immediately scared and tried to get up, but he pushed me back down as he growled.

“Stay,” he said, starting to unbutton his shirt while tears glistened in my eyes.

“I know you heard everything that night, every single detail. I could literally smell you when you were eavesdropping, but I didn’t mind. Do you want to know why?” His sudden question shocked me as I struggled to process his words. “I knew there was nothing you could do about it because, no matter how things turn out, you are still at my mercy. I can easily ruin your life and crush your dreams if you make me mad.”

He pounced on me on the bed, and I let out a scream. He immediately muffled it by pressing his large, strong hand over my mouth and said, “Screaming isn’t going to help you. The sooner you realize that you are my property and that I can do whatever I want with you until I grow tired of you, the better.”

I could barely hold back tears, but I still struggled to break free from his grip. I landed a hard blow to his groin, which temporarily weakened him and made him groan in pain.

I quickly jumped to my feet and started running for the door. I wasn’t going to let myself be taken advantage of by that beast again. At that point, I didn’t care what he did to me. I didn’t care if he made my life terrible; I was determined to ensure that he no longer had any power over me. He was horrible.

I bolted out of the villa, almost barefoot, desperate to escape the toxic surroundings. As I ran, I glanced back and heard Justin’s angry voice calling for me, which only made me more anxious. I continued running until, by accident, I crashed into something solid in the garden.

I groaned in pain as I fell to the ground, rubbing my temple to soothe the ache. I looked up to see what I had collided with and quickly realized it was a “who,” as Alpha Lucien stood right in front of me, taking a drag from his cigarette as he stared down at me. His beautiful silvery eyes seemed to perfectly match the full moon above.

The aura he radiated screamed danger and authority, yet it somehow made him even more attractive to me in a twisted way. Was it his face or something else? How could I be drawn to the Alpha? How could the moon goddess make a nobody like me the mate of such a powerful being?

He slowly bent down in front of me, and I couldn’t help but wonder why. I gulped, overwhelmed by his attractiveness. I couldn’t fathom how anyone could be so perfect. Staring at him brought out desires within me that I didn’t even know I had. “Are you going to reject me?” I asked, curious. He looked at me with a cold gaze, as if he were trying to size me up.

“Why should I?” he said suddenly, his voice filled with a sensual tone that left me both confused and intrigued.

“Y…you…you are engaged,” I stammered, my words coming out in a jumbled mess as he simply stared at me, his gaze steady and intense.

“I told you already, Phillipa. This mate bond is something neither you nor I can escape from. It doesn’t matter what threatens to break it or who doesn't want it” he said. He gently reached for my face, causing me to flinch slightly. His fingers brushed my hair behind my ear, their touch lingering near the side of my lips. “This bond surpasses anything we know.”

What was he talking about? What did he mean he had already told me? I was initially confused, but suddenly, his words triggered a flood of memories, and every detail came rushing back.

I gasped, my eyes widening in shock. It couldn't be. Did I really do it? I must be imagining things. It couldn’t be real. I stared at the Alpha, struggling to process what was happening. Not only was I mated to my boyfriend's future stepfather and the Alpha of my pack, but I did that with him too? I slept with him? … There was no way. I must be imagining things. Yet, his next words only confirmed my fears.

“Why didn’t you call me, Phillipa?”