“You cannot be my mate— we are half-siblings,” I shook my head, my face pale and wan with desperation. “You will marry Yvette and let me go―”

“I want to. But you are my fated mate. You know it too,” Caius grabbed my arm, an expression of abject misery on his face. His wolf howled. “We are bound together. The Moon Goddess would not have made such a mistake. If you are my mate, then you are not my sister.” 

-

All Iris Claude wanted was one night where she wasn’t reminded of her status as the pack alpha’s illegitimate daughter. During the masquerade ball, she finds her mate— but there’s one little problem: he’s her half-brother, the boy who tormented her throughout her childhood. 

Desperate to hide the truth, she flees, only leaving a hair tie behind. She is content to remain in the shadows and watch her fated mate slip out of her hands, but somehow Caius is still constantly antagonizing her, refusing to leave her side, even as his wedding looms closer.  

Caius Wagner is desperate to find his fated mate after their chance encounter at the masquerade ball. But all he has to track her with is a hair tie, and her scent leads straight to the beta’s daughter, sweet Yvette. 

Everyone cheers at this perfect union, but Caius finds himself more drawn to his half-sister Iris Claude each passing day. 

Yet secrets cannot be kept forever. Once the pack finds out they are fated mates, nothing will ever be the same. 

-

[!!NO INCEST AT ALL!!]

When the whip first hit Iris, I nearly cracked a bone trying to wrestle Atlas back. He wanted to force me to transform so I could take Iris away from here, but how could I let him? Him doing so would cause everyone to ask too many questions I couldn't answer.


And then Beta Basil stripped Iris, revealing her upper body to everyone with eyes. With my enhanced hearing, I could not mistake the moans of pleasure that other men received from seeing my mate's naked breasts. Atlas was going ballistic inside me, wanting to rip apart these lecherous men who dared to lust after his mate. 


I could feel Iris's eyes land on me. A sheen of tears covered her eyes. Her lips began to move, mouthing words of plea.


My heart clenched in my chest, and I felt my body freeze. I could only bite down harder, forcefully locking Atlas in place. If Atlas managed to take control and I shifted here, everyone would know the truth.


Chapter 23 - Not An Inch Of Good Skin Left I