His Wife Is My Sister, But I'm His Mate

Liora's POV

I was sitting in front of the cracked mirror in the dressing room, fixing my lipstick when Nina, one of the girls, popped her head inside.

"Liora," she said, chewing her gum like always. "Madam wants to see you. Now."

I blinked at her. "Madam?" I asked, confused. "Why? I'm up in twenty minutes. This is my solo. Biggest night of the year, remember?"

She just shrugged. "Don't ask me. She said it's urgent." Then she walked away, swinging her hips like she was already on stage.

My heart gave a nervous jump. Madam never called me before a performance, especially not tonight. I had worked for months to get this solo. A full house of hockey players who'd booked the entire floor just to watch me dance. If I were lucky, such tips could cover my rent for a whole year.

With a sigh and smoothing my sequined bra, I left out of the dressing room and proceeded toward Madam's office at the end of the hallway.

Madam looked up from her desk when I stepped inside. Her face softened before that familiar warmth climbed back into her eyes. To me, Madam was not just the owner of the strip club. She was more like mother: very strict and protective.

She said, "Liora, my girl," smiling. "Come in."

I closed the door behind me, leaning against it. "Why did you summon me Madam? Remember I have a big night ahead. Solo. Hockey Team. Tips. Rent. Need I say more?"

She dropped a pen on the desk. "There's a man. He's got two days left of bachelorhood, and he wants to spend it with a private performance. His last gift to himself before he ties the knot."

I blinked at her, unsure if I heard right. "Wait... he's getting married? And he wants a strip performance from me?"

Madam nodded.

"That's cheating," I blurted out before I could stop myself. "Isn't it? He's about to mate some woman, and this is how he spends his last days single? That's wrong."

Madam gave me that look-the one that always made me feel like a kid. "Liora. You're getting paid to dance. Not to worry about morals. Leave the right and wrong to councils and seers. You just do your job."

I bit my lip. My chest felt tight, but she wasn't wrong. Morals didn't pay rent.

"How much are we talking about?" I asked carefully.

She smirked. "Add a couple of zeroes behind your annual earnings."

My eyes widened. "What?"

She laughed at my expression. "That's right. Enough to cover more than just your rent. You could start fresh if you want to."

I sank into the chair opposite her desk, stunned. Who would pay that much for one dance? But then again, it wasn't my business to ask.

I forced a smile. "Thank you, Madam."

She leaned forward, her eyes sparkling. "Don't thank me yet. The man is already waiting in the VVIP room. Go change into your best outfit, and make sure you give him the performance of his life."

I swallowed hard and nodded.

I went into the dressing room, digging through costumes until I found what always earned me the most tips. No, it wasn't that lame bra that did nothing for me but get me feeling cocky. It was a real black lace number with a matching thong and a glittery sheer robe that clung to my hips when I moved. Put it on, touched up lipstick again, looked and stared at myself, squared shoulders and walked toward the VVIP room.

I pushed the heavy door open, and the room was lit by red and blue lights. The scent of costly perfume mixed with a whiff of cigarette smoke coming from a man seated on a leather couch. His presence hit me like a jolt-an unfamiliar heat stirring deep inside, like my hidden omega instincts awakening for the first time.

I cleared my throat. "Did you order a dancer?"

He raised his head slowly, and I saw his face.

"Goddam! This man is fine as fuck!" The voice in my head screamed.

"Are you here to dance or interview me?" He answered my question with his own. His grey eyes locked on mine, sending an electric mate spark through me that made my skin tingle.

Heat crept to my cheeks. I pressed play on the music so that the slow and sensual beat filled up the room. Without another word, I just started moving, body swaying with my hips, hands gliding on my body as I touched myself.

His gaze never left me.

Halfway through, he leaned forward, a little less easy. "Put the strip in strip dance."

I hesitated just a moment, and then slipped the robe from my shoulders. It fell to the floor. My body tightened, and I tried to move gracefully.

He stood up and walked towards me. The air seemed heavier. Just his presence made my pulse race. I told myself I had handled this before; men come close, men stare too much. I could deal with it.

But when his fingers brushed against my waist and he pulled the removed the hook of my bra, my breath caught. The mate pull surged, raw and magnetic, drawing me closer despite myself.

I pulled back, lifting my chin. "Touching isn't part of the deal."

He smirked, pulled out a blank chequebook from his jacket, and placed it on the table beside us. "Write any amount you want. Cash it tomorrow. Just keep me company tonight."

My heart skipped and I nodded slowly. "Fine."

That night, I gave in. I let him take me to the hotel upstairs, and I spent the night with him. I felt guilty, but with each lick of his tongue against my nipple, each flick of his thumb against my clit, each thrust of his cock against my swollen pussy, the guilt faded away, replaced by my moans and his groans. The mate bond sealed in that passion, binding us unknowingly.

When it was over, he went into the bathroom. I sat on the edge of the bed, my legs trembling, pussy still sore , pulling on my clothes in silence.

Then my phone rang.

It was my neighbor.

"Liora," she whispered urgently. "There's a man outside your place looking for you. Says he knows you. Been waiting for hours. I thought I should tell you."

My stomach tightened. I hadn't had visitors in years. Who could it be?

I stood up, and walked out of the room, heading straight for my house.

And sure enough, when I turned onto my street, I saw him. An old man standing by a black sedan, his hands clasped in front of him like he'd been waiting all night.

I froze. My neighbor was right.

The man looked straight at me, and his voice was steady when he called out-

"Liora Voss."

Liora's POV

I leaned against my doorframe, arms crossed, staring at the old man like he'd just crawled out of a time machine. "Okay... you know my full name. Great trick. Now, who the hell are you, and why are you waiting in front of my house like some creep?"

The man didn't flinch. His voice was calm, polite, annoyingly steady. "Miss Liora, perhaps we should sit. This is... a rather long conversation."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, of course. I always invite strange men in suits into my apartment at night. Sounds safe."

He actually smiled, which made me more suspicious. Nevertheless, I unlocked my door since I had a gut feeling he wasn't coming to rob or kill me. "All right, but just so you know, I'm a very good fighter , and if you try anything funny, I won't think twice about breaking your nose." I kicked off my shoes, turned on the lights, and gestured toward my couch inside. "Take a seat. Avoid touching anything that is bright. Hold on, I don't have anything bright."

As he made himself comfy, I made tea because, truly, if this was all a trick, I would at least need the tea to deal with it. That's when I saw a bit of an envelope from his pocket. A card for a wedding. My want to know more grew, but I let him speak first.

"So," I said, setting his cup down, "you're gonna tell me who you are before I call the cops, right?"

The man finally introduced himself. "My name is Elias, Miss. I am the butler of the Blackwood family."

I froze with my cup halfway to my lips. "Excuse me? Did you just say Blackwood? As in the Blackwoods? The alpha dynasty who own half the hotels, restaurants, and casinos on this planet?"

"Yes."

I snorted. "Right. Try again."

"I assure you, Miss Liora, I'm telling the truth."

"Uh-huh. Sure." I leaned back on the couch, squinting at him. "So what? Did I rack up a secret debt with one of their casinos? Because my luck at slot machines is bad, but not that bad."

He shook his head. "No, you're not in any trouble. In fact, quite the opposite. I am here on behalf of Miss Selene Blackwood. She wishes to invite you to her mating ceremony."

My jaw dropped. Then I laughed. Hard. "You mean Selene Blackwood-the princess of the golden empire, the woman who's probably never microwaved leftover beef in her life-wants me at her wedding? Okay, now I know you're smoking something expensive."

Elias didn't laugh. He calmly pulled another envelope from his jacket and slid it across the table. Inside were three things. A birth certificate, and two old photographs.

I frowned. Picked up the first photo. A baby. A baby with big round eyes. Me. Next to me was a toddler girl with dark hair and a face I didn't recognize.

The second photo was almost the same, except this time my father was in it too.

I stared at the pictures, my stomach doing cartwheels. "What the hell... Where did you get these?"

Elias folded his hands. "The little girl beside you is Selene Blackwood."

I blinked once. Twice. Then I burst out laughing again. "Okay, now you're killing me. Selene Blackwood, the same girl whose face is on magazine, was hanging out with me in diapers? Yeah, sure, buddy."

"The birth certificate belongs to you," Elias went on, completely unfazed by my sarcasm. "Your real name is Liora Blackwood. Your mother was a maid in the Blackwood household. Your father had an affair with her, which led to your birth. As a result, he rejected Ravenna Blackwood. He left the house months later, ruined."

I stared at him, waiting for the punchline. "So... let me get this straight. You're saying my dad went full soap opera, broke up a billionaire alpha, and somehow I'm the illegitimate child of the Blackwood dynasty? Hidden omega heiress to an alpha pack empire?"

"That is correct."

I slapped the table. "Well, damn. That explains why my dad was always broke. But you expect me to just... believe this? Some guy in a suit shows up with old pictures and suddenly I'm heiress to the Blackwood royal family?"

He didn't blink. "The photos and birth certificate are genuine. Miss Selene has been searching for you for months. Now that she has finally found you, she wishes to reconcile. What better way than at her wedding?"

I rubbed my temples. This was insane. Completely insane. And yet... I couldn't deny the familiarity of the photo. My dad had once shown me a similar picture, except my supposed sister's face had been scribbled out with ink. He'd told me I had a sister once, but never revealed who.

I forced a laugh. "You know, if you're lying, this is a really good story. Ten out of ten for creativity. Movie industries might call."

Elias didn't budge. He just placed the documents neatly on my coffee table and rose to his feet. "Whether you believe it or not, Miss Liora, Miss Selene Blackwood wishes to see you. I will return in the morning to escort you to her."

I opened my mouth, closed it, then shrugged. "Sure. Why not? Worst case scenario, this is some elaborate scam, and I end up in a Lifetime movie about kidnapped strippers."

He gave me a polite nod, like I hadn't just insulted him, and left.

I sat there staring at the photos and the birth certificate. My so-called birth certificate. "Liora Blackwood," I muttered. "Wow. Sounds fancy. Too bad it is not befitting for a stripper."

I grabbed the picture with Selene and squinted at her toddler face. "So you're supposed to be my sister, huh? Figures. You got the money and the glamour, I got the pole and late-night rent struggles. Life's a comedian."

When I finally crawled into bed, I tossed and turned. My brain refused to shut up. What if this was real? What if I was a Blackwood?

I pulled the blanket over my head and groaned. "Great. Just great. My life was already a mess, and now I might be the bastard child of an alpha family. Universe, you really need a new hobby."

Sleep finally claimed me, but not before I whispered one last sarcastic thought to the dark.

"Tomorrow, I find out if I'm royal ... or the punchline to the worst family reunion ever."

Liora's POV

My alarm rang before the sun came up, waking me from my hard earned sleep. I lay there for a bit, looking up, thinking if last night was just some weird dream. A butler at my place telling me I was part of the richest families out there? Yeah, right.

But those pictures, the birth certificate, and how Elias talked-it seemed too true to just think of as some horrible mistake or well thought of prank.

I got out of bed, headed to my bathroom to brush my teeth, and was spitting out water when the doorbell rang.

"Great. I knew who would come by so early." I said to myself as I dragged my feet to the answer the door.

When I swung the door open, Elias was there. He looked just like he did last night-sharp suit, looking like he just stepped out of a magazine for sugar-daddies. In contrast, I was a mess, like I'd battled against a rhinoceros, my hair disheveled like I just got exorcised.

"You're here early," I noted, leaning against the door. "Is there some rich guy's secret schedule you follow that we don't know about?"

A small smile showed on his face. "Sorry if I woke you."

I let him in with a casual shrug. "No worries. It's just, I'm not used to having guests. Or folks popping by to say I'm supposedly linked to some big family. Want some coffee?"

"No need to trouble yourself."

"Too late," I said, on my way to the kitchen. "If I'm going to walk into a big house with folks who say they're my kin, I need my coffee."

We sat down to scrambled eggs and toast-cheap, easy, the normal stuff. Elias ate it as if it was a grand meal, and for some reason, that made me warm up to him a bit more.

When I went to switch clothes, I picked a plain dress. Not showy, just tidy. Good enough so no one could say I didn't care, but also not so different that I'd feel fake.

"Ready?" Elias asked as I came back.

"As I'll ever be," I said low, taking my bag.

The car waiting outside was smooth, black, and too shiny for my area. I slid into the back seat with Elias and saw another man driving. He was quiet, a pro. The drive lasted almost an hour along quiet streets, my mind racing, until we slowed down.

When I looked out the window, I gasped.

Ahead stood the Blackwood mansion, like a scene from a fancy magazine. Big green lawns, tall stone walls, water fountains shooting up like glass. My heart squeezed. This was a place folks talked about in low voices, a house that got in the news-the heart of the Blackwood pack empire.

I swallowed hard. "This can't be real," I murmured. "People don't actually live in places like this. They film movies here."

Elias didn't comment. The driver pulled up to the front steps, and I followed Elias out, my nerves buzzing like electricity, amplified by the pull of hidden blood ties.

Inside, I expected chaos-stylists, wedding planners, a small army preparing for one of the biggest events of the year. Instead, the house was calm. Almost too calm.

And then I saw her.

Selene Blackwood.

She wasn't surrounded by a team of assistants. She wasn't dripping in diamonds. She was in a simple dress, hair pulled back, setting the dining table like an ordinary woman.

When she saw us, her face lit up. "Elias! You found her!"

Her eyes landed on me. Genuine warmth filled them. "You must be Liora."

I nodded stiffly. "That's me. Thanks for not having security throw me out."

Selene laughed softly. "I'm so glad you're here."

I wasn't sure how to take that. "Yeah... look, I still can't shake the feeling that I'm in a TV show. So, could you start over? Slow."

And she did. She went over everything Elias had said last night-the love, the split-up, when I was born, the noise around it. She spoke easy, her eyes fixed, but each word made me doubt even more, even as my omega senses warmed to her familiar presence.

After she stopped, I put my arms over my chest. "So you're saying my whole life is like a big news story? Sorry if I can't just... take that."

"I get it's a lot," Selene spoke quietly. "You don't have to take it all now. Give it some time."

"Good, because I plan to." I stepped back toward the door. "Thanks for the tea party invite, but I think I'll head home now before my brain explodes."

"Wait, please." Selene's tone shifted-gentle but urgent. "At least stay until after the wedding. Just a few days. Please. I also want you to meet my fiancé... today."

I hesitated, my hand on my bag, as millions of thoughts ran through my mind. Finally, I exhaled. "Fine. I'll meet him. But if he growls to mark dominance I'm out."

"Trust me he is not." Selene said and as if on cue the sound of footsteps came from behind me.

"Babe!" She screamed like a little kid.

I turned, expecting some lycan, with nine tails or at least someone intimidating and out of this world.

But it was neither of those things. It was him. The big fish. The man from last night. The one-night stand.

The words left my mouth before I could stop them.

"You.