Chosen as the Cursed Alpha's Seventh Bride

Tiffany’s POV

I clutched the key Sebastian had shoved into my hand that morning and practically skipped into the Simons Imperial Group building. My heart did a little flip as the elevator carried me up to Fynn’s office. I’d had a crush on him since I was old enough to know what a crush was, and any excuse to see him was a good one.

When I pushed his office door open, Fynn looked up from his desk, surprise crossing his handsome features. "Tiffany, what are you doing here?"

I dangled the key in front of him with a grin. "Here. This is what my brother wanted me to give you."

Fynn stood, taking the key from my hand. "Where’s your brother, then?"

"He went to find Emilia."

His eyebrows shot up. "Where is she?"

"She ran away from home." I tried to sound casual, but even I had to admit the whole thing was kind of dramatic.

Fynn’s eyes widened. "When did this happen?"

"This morning."

"Did they get into a fight? Those two."

I shrugged. "Who knows. I could never figure out those two and their complicated thing." Honestly, watching Sebastian and Emilia dance around their feelings was like watching some overwrought soap opera.

Then I perked up, letting the gloom slide right off my face. I smiled and grabbed Fynn’s arm, looking up at him hopefully. "Fynn, can we have dinner together tonight? We haven’t in forever."

Fynn looked uncomfortable, and my stomach dropped a little. "I can’t tonight. I’ve got somewhere I need to be."

"Where?"

"A business thing."

"No way, what a coincidence, because I really wanted to have dinner with you." I tried not to sound whiny, but come on. Was I really that easy to turn down?

"I know, but it really is a bad time. With your brother out of the company, I’ve had to take on everything myself."

I was disappointed, but I wasn’t about to let him see it. I let go of his arm and waved him off. "Forget it. Just call me whenever you’re free."

"Yeah, okay."

The moment I left the building, I called a few friends and told them we were going to the club tonight.

[Emergency girls’ night. Who’s in?]

Within seconds the replies flooded in. At least my friends never let me down.

The next day Sebastian called to say he’d found Emilia. Thank the Moon Goddess. The whole family could finally breathe again.

But something Emilia had said a while back stuck with me. I’d watched her cook for Sebastian, watched the way his eyes softened when he ate her food, and I’d thought about how nice it must be to cook for someone you loved. Emilia and Sebastian had that fated mate bond, that beautiful, unbreakable connection. I caught myself wishing I could find my own fated mate too.

When I’d come of age, I’d secretly hoped it would be Fynn. I’d been so excited, so hopeful. But when I finally shifted for the first time and looked at him, there was nothing. No bond. No pull. Just the same feelings I’d always had for him.

It had been a letdown, sure, but it didn’t stop me from liking him. Fated mates were rare anyway. Most wolves chose their partners and built their own bonds. If I couldn’t be Fynn’s fated mate, maybe I could be his chosen one. That would be enough, wouldn’t it?

So I made up my mind. I’d get up at five every morning and learn to cook from the house servants. If cooking brought Emilia and Sebastian closer, maybe it could work for Fynn and me.

I spent two mornings learning to make a decent breakfast. After that I felt pretty confident, so I moved on to dinner. One attempt in, I figured I had this cooking thing down. Easy.

Armed with way too much confidence and a huge bag of groceries, I showed up at Fynn’s apartment, ready to surprise him with a home-cooked meal.

I pressed the doorbell excitedly, bouncing on my heels. After a moment, the door swung open.

A beautiful woman stood there.

I froze. "Who are you?"

"Who are you looking for?" She tilted her head, clearly confused.

She was obviously at home here. Casual clothes, an apron tied around her waist, like she belonged in this apartment. Her eyes, warm and curious, stayed on me.

Something cold settled in my stomach. "Where’s Fynn?"

"Fynn? He’s in the shower. What’s this about?"

"Who are you?" I demanded again, my grip tightening on the grocery bag.

"I’m his girlfriend. My name’s Willow York. And you?"

Girlfriend.

The word turned my whole world upside down.

"Nonsense! I’m Fynn’s girlfriend!"

I shoved past Willow and hurled the bag of groceries at her. Vegetables and packaged meat scattered across the floor.

"Tiffany!"

Fynn appeared in a flash, hair still damp from the shower, and rushed to Willow. He put himself between us, and the look he gave me was nothing like the warm, easy looks I was used to.

"Tiffany, what are you doing? You’re being so rude!"

Rude? He was calling me rude?

"Fynn, tell me." My voice shook. "She’s lying, isn’t she?"

"Lying about what?"

"That she’s your girlfriend. She’s making it up, isn’t she?"

Please say yes. Please tell me this is some horrible misunderstanding.

Fynn looked pained. He let out a quiet sigh. "Tiffany, she’s not lying. We’ve been together two years."

Two years.

Two. Years.

The words echoed in my head. I felt dizzy, like the ground had dropped out from under me. Two years. He’d been with her for two years and I’d had no idea. I was the biggest fool in the world.

"That’s impossible. Completely impossible..."

I staggered back, shaking my head. "It’s not possible... I don’t believe it..."

"Tiffany."

Fynn reached for me, pity in his eyes, and somehow that was worse than everything else. I didn’t want his pity.

I shook off his hand and ran.