CHAPTER 1

Utter bliss, euphoria, ecstasy, paradise, heaven, elation... Oh boy, it was everything. Before I get judged, I know all these words are just circles of repetitions of the same word, but how else do I describe how marvellous it was with him? How else do I describe my passionate desires?

Oh, how do I describe the pure ecstasy that I felt with him? It was a feeling that consumed me—a passion that burned so brightly that I thought my heart could burst through my chest.

Every moment with him was pure bliss, a taste of paradise that left me longing for more. In his arms, I was safest; I felt complete; I felt whole, and at that point, nothing else in the world mattered more than the sound of his heartbeat and the rising and falling of his hard, muscled chest. Nothing else mattered more than the two of us.

The way his cold hands felt against my skin, the way his soft kisses released an outburst of pleasure from my lips, the way he made me feel like I was the only woman in the universe. And in those moments of pure pleasure and euphoria, I knew that I was truly alive.

Time freezes still, and the world fades away as we become caught in each other's gaze and consumed by an insatiable passion. Every kiss, caress, and murmured phrase was pure enchantment, sparking a flame that grows hotter with each passing instant.

I felt a surge of sensation, a flash of ecstasy that left me gasping for air as my warmth was drowned out by the coldness of his body. It's the kind of pleasure that goes beyond the physical, the kind that connects with the spirit and transcends the body. The type that starts a fire that burns quicker and hotter than any flame and also makes you giggle in your pillow at 3 a.m.

"Nalani, we've arrived." The car's engine roars one last time before coming to a stop.

Staring out the window, I heaved a deep breath with numerous thoughts running through my head. I need to let go of the past and let it remain behind me. Thinking about my hot ex isn't the best thing to do when I have my arranged fiancé in the building before me.

The door sprung open as my chauffeur, Cane, stretched out his arms to support me while I alighted from the car.

The cool night air brushed against my skin, causing a shiver to run down my spine. I glanced up at the grand entrance of the building, feeling a mix of excitement and nervousness. It was time to face my future head-on and leave the laughter-filled nights with my pillow behind.

"Are you nervous?" He asked.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, but at the same time, I couldn't let him know that I was scared of this arranged marriage. I must get married to the next Alpha of the Black Land Pack. It is what is best for the members of my pack, and as their future Alpha, I need to put them first.

"No, I am the Alpha," I replied with my chin up, staring at the few steps I had to climb before opening the brown, elegant wooden door that would determine my fate and change my life forever.

"You've got this!" He encouraged me before driving the car off to the underground parking lot.

My pack, the Vault Pack, has been having some crises over the past few years because of a scandal that took place three years ago when the appointed CEO murdered an innocent high schooler in a hit-and-run case.

Since then, the pack has been struggling to regain its reputation and restore trust among its foreign investors. We've lost a lot of stock in our company and have been unable to solely revive it ourselves.

Different investors from packs across the world refused to invest in us despite the fact that we have branches in every country in the world as an airline company, Vault Space.

Recently, my family decided it was time we sought external aid, or else the company would be in ruins in no time and our pack would serve as prey to other packs who would want to extend their territory. In order to not let that happen, my father made a deal with the alpha of the Black Land pack.

A deal to fuse our companies together through me, the Black Land Pack, are the owners of most five-star hotels across the globe, and if our companies work hand in hand, Vault Space would find a way to bounce back through the upcoming summer vacation plan for people who love to travel during their only free time in a year.

"Welcome, Miss Nalani. The Cullen family awaits you." The door attendant said, gently taking my hands into his as he led me through the door of the huge restaurant owned by the Cullen family.

With no sight of wolves around, it was no surprise that the Cullen family would have specifically reserved the entire restaurant for the meeting with me.

As I entered the building, I couldn't help but be in awe of its grandeur. The opulent decor and luxurious ambiance were a testament to the success and prestige of the Black Land Pack. It was clear that this merger would not only benefit Vault Space but also elevate our company's reputation to new heights in the industry.

As I walked further into the restaurant, the elegant decor and the aroma of delicious food filled the air, creating an atmosphere of luxury and exclusivity, but there was something else to it. A faint, familiar scent wafted through the air, triggering memories that I fought to bury for the success of my pack.

A scent that has always lingered in my mind for years, a scent that I have always yearned for. A scent that belonged to Heath, my ex. It can't be.

"You must be Nalani." A woman walked up to me with excitement in her tone and a beaming smile that showed off her perfectly aligned white teeth.

"Emilia, it's nice to finally meet you," I said with a smile as she pulled me into a short but warm embrace.

"My son, Terran, and the rest of the family can't wait to see you." She smiled as she spoke, her arms intertwining with mine as she led me into the diner.

"Meet your future family, Nalani," she said, gesturing at the table containing the Cullen family, but the moment I scanned through the faces of the men seated around the table, I froze.

My eyes widened in awe as my chest rose and fell in bafflement. I couldn't bring myself to control the fear that oozed out of my body the moment my eyes fell on the one person I could never forget. The one person whose image of his face can never leave my head and the one person I ponder over every night.

It was him, Heath Cullen.