I sat with Jake in our usual garden, the secluded spot on the school grounds where we always snuck to. The place where, for a little while, the world didn’t exist.
I wanted to be happy to see him. I really did. But my mind was too clouded, and my heart too heavy.
And I guess I wasn’t doing a good job hiding it because he caught on immediately.
“Kasmine,” he said softly, his warm brown eyes scanning my face, “Is everything okay?”
I sighed, forcing a smile that I knew didn’t reach my eyes. I’m fine, Jake. Sorry. I’m just.. “My voice trailed off, lost somewhere between frustration and exhaustion.
“Is this about Karina? About the problems she’s stirring upon the pack?” He asked, and I looked at him in confusion.
What was he talking about?
I blinked, my head tilting slightly. “What?” My brows knitted together. “Who Is Karina?”
The name sounded familiar, but I sincerely couldn’t tell where I had heard it, but definitely not in recent times.
Jake’s expression shifted, his brows rising slightly. “Karina Your stepsister. Or, well, your brother’s stepsister, I guess.” His tone was the kind that said, Come on, isn’t this obvious? 1
But my confusion only deepened.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Jake.” My curiosity piqued, and for some reason, my heart began to hammer in my chest.
A pit started forming in my stomach while dread curled around my insides.
“If you don’t know, then maybe you should ask your parents. Or Kester.” He leaned back slightly, studying my reaction. “They’ll explain it better.” He said, and before I could protest, he had brought out something from his pocket.
It was a box.
Beautiful. Elegant. The kind of thing that looked both expensive and carefully chosen.
“What’s in there?” I asked, my curiosity spiking, pushing aside the dread lingering at the edges of my mind.
I swallowed hard, my fingers twitching slightly as I stared at the small, elegant box in Jake’s hands.
My heart was already on edge from our previous conversation, but now it pounded for an entirely different reason.
“Jake…” I breathed, my eyes flicking between the box and his face.
He gave me a small, nervous smile-one that barely masked the anticipation in his gaze.
“I was going to wait,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck, a habit of his when he was unsure of himself. “I planned to do this on your birthday, make it special, you know? But-” He exhaled, his shoulders rising and falling. “I can’t wait anymore, Kasmine. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
A shiver ran through me at the way the world suddenly seemed to shrink down to just him and me.
Slowly, he lifted the lid of the box, revealing a delicate silver bracelet. Simple, yet stunning. A small charm in the shape of a crescent moon dangled from it, catching the light.
I stared at it, my throat tightening.
“You know how I suck at expressing things with words,” he said, his voice lower now, “but this…” He gestured slightly with the box. “This is me saying I want you, Kasmine. Us. No more waiting for the right time, no more excuses. Just us.”
I sucked in a sharp breath.
“Jake…” My voice wavered as emotion surged inside me.
“I know,” he cut in gently as if he could already hear the turmoil in my head “I know your brother is a problem. I know you’re technically supposed to wait until you’re twenty one to make your own choices.” His jaw clenched briefly. “Screw that. I don’t care if we have to keep this a sebet until then. I’ll wait. I’ll wait as long as I have to.”
My heart clenched painfully.
“And what if…”I hesitated, licking my lips. “What If I find my mate on my birthday?”
“Then we’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” he said duply.
The certainty in his tone-his absolute faith in us-made my throat tighten.
I know I should have thought about this longer. I should be cautious and careful about the decision I was about to make. But the truth was, nothing had ever felt as right as Jake did.
Not Alpha Jaden.
Not even Kester. No matter what I thought I might be feeling for Kester, it would never end well. We were stepsiblings. Our little forbidden relationship would always remain behind closed doors.
And he was already in the process of getting married to Jung, even though I don’t know when. He hadn’t even said anything about it recently.
I also had to enjoy my life. I couldn’t let Kester tie me down in the manner he wanted to. He wasn’t willing to let me be with another man, yet we couldn’t be together.
It was all messy.
I inhaled deeply, making my choice.
And then, with my heart hammering, I held out my wrist.
“Put it on,” I whispered.
Jake’s eyes widened, his lips parting slightly, but he recovered fast. A slow, breathtaking smile spread across his face, one that made my stomach flip.
He took the bracelet out carefully, his fingers grazing my skin as he clasped it around my wrist. A spark ignited where he touched me, sending warmth through my veins.
My fingers brushed over the charm, my heart swelling.
“Is that a yes?” he asked. His voice was quiet but filled with raw vulnerability.
I looked up at him, at the boy who had been my friend for years. The boy I had secretly loved for just as long
And I gave him the answer we had both been waiting for.
“Yes, Jake.”
His breath caught.
Then, with a soft chuckle that was filled with relief, happiness, and love, he pulled me into his arms.
And for the first time in days, I felt like I could breathe again.
KASMINE
I sat in front of the mirror, staring at my gorgeous reflection… I looked stunning tonight. Except it was for the wrong mang
My little black dress hugged my curves in the right proportion. The fabric stretched over the swell of my hips, traced the dip of my waist, and framed my breasts with a deep V-cut that ran deeper than the turmoil I felt inside me, exposing my cleavages, which were full and firm.
Mum had made sure every detail was perfect, down to how my hair had been styled
She made sure to tell the maids the exact hairstyle I should wear that would compliment my light makeup and dress style.
They had gathered my curls into a loose updo, full and elegant as if the strands had been caught mid-motion and pinned in place by the wind itself.
Soft tendrils slipped free, lazily framing my face, their curls brushing against my skin in delicate spirals. At the nape of my neck, wisps of hair teased my bare shoulders, adding softness to the otherwise sultry look.
It looked effortless like it had just fallen into place on its own-except it had taken them almost an hour to get just right.
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