Dedrick’s POV

I growled at her touch while she caressed me in my wolf form.

“Now do you believe me?” I asked, transforming back into my human self.

She looked speechless, her hands still around my amber fur. Her touch was so magical. But then she backed off sharply.

“He's an Alpha’s wolf,” I heard her thought. I could still read her mind.

“A well-endowed Alpha wolf,” her eyes trailed from my chest down to my legs.

She pulled her gaze away from me. I reached out and touched her body, her skin vibrated like electricity.

“I can read all your thoughts. And it’s okay to give in to your desires… because I am your mate,” I said, moving her hair behind her ear.

I leaned closer and whispered,

“I won’t mark you until you feel the same as I do—until you accept me as your mate.”

Her eyes shut slowly.

“I won’t mark you… not… until… you’re ready to be in love with a wolf,” I repeated once more

I smiled as she stepped back

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, Dedrick. It will never happen,” she said, then ran for the door.

“Hold on, Renda—” I tried to stop her, but the mark on my hand hurts so badly. I collapsed to my knees, growling from the pain, struggling to endure it.

My beta walked in just as Renda rushed out. He paused at the sight of me.

“Zaph… she’s the one,” I growled, looking at the fading mark on my hand.

“Dedrick,” he called, so disturbed.

“I haven’t seen you this far gone over a mate… not since, well… you know how that would end.” His words were harsh and raw.

I glazed at him, grabbing his shirt, dragging him closer to the window.

We both watched Renda disappear through the gate.

“She’s nothing like the others. She is my true mate—I can feel it.”

“But she’s a human, Dedrick,” he interrupted.

“The elders won’t like this… they won’t accept a human Luna,” he reminded me.

“Leading the pack with a human mate? You know how hard it’ll be to get the elders to bless your union.”

I ran my hand through my hair, frustration burying in my chest.

“I need to bring Renda into our world,” I muttered, already working on how to resolve it.

“We have to make the pack trust her first as one of them before she becomes our Luna.”

I looked at Zaph, determined. “But I need to break this curse. It’s killing me slowly… and with her, the pain fades.”

I gritted my teeth.

“That’s why I need Renda.”

Renda’s POV

I flung open the door to my apartment, to rest from the chaos of the past few days and refocus for work tomorrow—anything to forget about the encounter with the unknown Alpha.

But I paused for a while.

My ex-boyfriend was sitting comfortably in my living room, tossing an apple in the air like he owned the place.

I walked up to him,

“What the hell are you doing in my house? And where did you get my keys?”

He smiled, placing the apple back on the plate.

“I wanted to make things special… to make up with you. Well, Thelma gave me the keys,” he said, his voice lacking any remorse.

He stood up.

“She believes in us, Renda. She thinks we’re meant to be, the best couple in town.”

I stood there, confused and disgusted.

“Why would my best friend even think that after everything you did to me?”

“You manipulated her into doing this,” I said, but he remain silent.

“It’s too late. We’re done, Edward. Now leave!.” I pointed to the door.

“Get out!” I yelled.

“No. I’m staying. Let’s have dinner. We can work this out,” he said, his tone growing more forceful.

“You can’t throw away our two-year relationship just because of what you saw. Let me explain!”

“You must... be ....in...sane,” I stammered

“I can’t believe I fell for your stupid games all these years... but” I paused, taking a breath,

“I’m finally coming to my senses.”

I grabbed the apples and threw them at his face, smashing the plate in the floor.

“I said out!” I screamed.

He dragged my hair, slamming my back against the wall, dragging down my pants as his hand buried between my thighs.

“Oh shit,” he muttered, pulled his hand back when he realized.

I gasped for air, struggling to recover my breath.

“I’ll come back when you’re not on your period,” he said, heading for the door.

I held my neck.

“Don’t ever come back at all… asshole bastard.”

Then he grabbed a flower vase and threw it at me. I dudged just in time, but it left a scratch on my forehead and my left hand.

He seized my wrist tightly.

“Call me that again. I dare you,” he growled.

I smiled coldly, staring into his eyes.

“You heard me right… asshole bastard.”

Furiously, he pushed me to the floor—right onto the broken plates

“You women are all the same. Acting innocent… when you all little demons.”

He kissed me forcefully, dragging me across the broken pieces, blood spilled as he licked it.

“I know you want me now. I bet you’d love it rough and dirty—with blood,” he whispered slowly, leaving the blood stain on the floor

He pinned my wrists, quickly fastening his belt.

“Let me go!” I screamed.

He just laughed. "I’m going to give it to you… just like the first time you begged for it.”

He pulled down my pants, exposing my underwear.

“Let me go, asshole!” I cried, tears dropping down. He kissed my navel, admiring my skin.

Then I heard a heavy sound slamming into my ears, just inches away from where I laid