DOMINIC. TWO DAYS AGO “What are you doing?” my mother's voice calls from behind me and I have to literally force myself not to growl at her. “Did you hear me?” She asks as she walks up to me. “I said what the hell are you doing?!” Goddess help me, I am going to kill someone. “Dominic!” “What does it look like I am doing?!” I snap as I whirl around to face her. “It looks to me like you are making a fool out of yourself!” She snaps. “Are you seriously going there again? Has the insult not been enough for you.” “I am an alpha -” “And they don't care! And stop saying that, it is embarrassing. Anyone who has to continually repeat his social standing clearly has no confidence in himself!” “How da- I am her mate!” “Correction… was her mate. And from the looks of it, she had clearly moved on and has no regard for you. Are you not ashamed of yourself? Don't you have any sense of pride?! Chasing after a woman that you had rejected. A woman who wants nothing to do with you.” “She do
VIKTOR PRESENT DAY I watch as Calvin is being led into my study, his steps measured and controlled but with a hint of deference in them, some respect for where he is and who he is facing. That is good. At least, there is someone sane in that shit show of a pack. He is tall. About five feet 11, with a slim yet fit physique, suggesting he follows a regular workout routine, which means he is disciplined. His dark hair is neatly styled, framing his face without being distracting as he moves. A slight, polite smile highlights his strong nose and jawline, making his features look even sharper. He is wearing a simple light-colored T-shirt that fits well but isn’t too tight, showing off his toned arms and chest as he moves. His dark jeans are worn casually, giving him a relaxed look. A basic leather belt sits at his waist, and his feet are in scuffed but clean sneakers or loafers, making soft sounds as he walks. Overall, he radiates quiet confidence and self-assuranc
ROWAN “Do you miss me that much?” I ask with a smile as I collapse into my bed, my phone in my hands. “We talked a few hours ago and here you are calling me again.” “I missed you the moment you stepped out of my embrace and into the car. When are you coming back?” “Viktor, seriously?” “Fine. I have hot news for you. A lot of news.” “Oh?” “I just got off the phone with Kaylee,” he says, jumping straight to the point. “She told me about your request to find out things from the obsidian pack.” “I only mentioned it in passing, I didn't think she would take it to heart. What did she say?” I ask “She’s been keeping tabs on them,” he explains.“Says there’s a lot going on.” “How would she know that?” “ She’s got a spy in their pack.” I raise an eyebrow, even though he can’t see it. “A spy? In their pack? How did Kaylee manage that?” “She is resourceful. And vengeful, you know that,” he replies. “She is also very observant, especially when we are together. That’s how
VIKTOR Three days later, I am seated at my desk, bored out of my mind as the soft glow of my office lamp casts shadows across the papers strewn in front of me. The silence is thick, broken only by the faint ticking of the clock on the wall and I am completely lost in thought when a sharp knock breaks through the quiet. “Enter,” I call out Kael steps in, his eyes alert as he moves quickly to my desk. “Alpha, you have a message from Calvin,”he says without preamble, holding out a small folded piece of paper. I take it eagerly from him ,turning the note over in my hands, the paper crinkling under my fingers. “What is it?” I ask, more to myself than to Kael. “Did he say?” He shrugs. "Didn’t say much. Just that I should pass that to you at the earliest convenience.” I unfold the note, my eyes scanning the short, scribbled message. The message is simple and to the point. Meet me at the old mill. Midnight. Come alone. I sit back in my chair, my mind racing. Cou
DOMINIC.Traitors.Everyone around me are traitors Even the bastard that I am looking at right now.The night is thick, heavy dark clouds thanks to the approaching storm. Angry rolling stormsThe sky is a canvas of charcoal, only occasionally pierced by slivers of moonlight that creep through the clouds and thick canopy of tree branches. Without making a sound, I move after him, like a shadow within shadows with my steps deliberately soft, my breath controlled, blending seamlessly with the rustling of leaves. I stay a few paces behind him, my eyes locked on him, watching how his posture is stiff and his movements are hurried. He thinks he is alone. That he is smart.He thinks the shadows keep him safe, but he does not understand what it means to truly be a part of them. Like me.I am the god in this place.And nothing can evade me.My instincts have been screaming at me for weeks now, warning me that something is off with him. The way he avoids me, the way he keeps challengin
DOMINIC This is demeaning.I am a fucking alpha of a pack that has stood for over three centuries and here I am.Hiding in the dark, like some pathetic trading wolf I shouldn't be doing this It is beneath me.But what choice do I have when the wolves who are supposed to be doing this are below average?Should I just kill them all and start afresh?Hmm… now that is an idea. But for now…For now, I am here, lurking in the shadows just beyond the borders of Rowan’s settlement, waiting. Patience is something I have not perfected over the years, and tonight is no different. I can literally feel the tension coiled in my muscles, ready to spring into action at a moment’s notice, but for now, despite my desires, I remain still, my eyes scanning the scene before me. From my vantage point, the buildings are little more than shodows against the night sky, dark and silent like tombs.A sham compared to my pack’s buildings How can she want to remain here?A flash of anger burns through me
DOMINIC“I know about Louisa! I know about her… and her daughter!”The wolf’s words slam into me, freezing my blood in my veins. “Rowan and her daughter?”Rowan… Louisa?Louisa has a daughter?A child?“VIKTOR!”The growl rips out of my throat like a sudden thunder echoing across the sky.How dare he?!How dare he touch what is mine?!The bastards.They will pay for this!If it is true of course.I look down to see my grip still tightened on Martin's collar, the fabric bunching in my fist. He is trembling, I can feel it, the fear radiating off him like heat. But he is not lying. He is terrified, and that is when I know it is real. It has to be.“Daughter?” My voice is a low growl, barely restrained rage simmering underneath. “What the hell are you talking about?”He flinches but forces the words out, stumbling over them. “Louisa… she has a daughter… five years old. Looks just like her.”Five years old. I do the math in my head, quick and sharp. Viktor had only met her early thi
VIKTORI hear Calvin before I see him.His footsteps crunching rapidly against the dry leaves, faster than normal. Frantic Panicked.That can't be good.I look up just as he breaks into the clearing, and I immediately know something is wrong. His face is pale, his eyes wide and frantic, darting from side to side as if he is expecting Dominic to jump out from behind a tree at any moment. Sweat beads along his hairline, and he’s breathing hard like he is been running, though the spot isn’t that far from where he usually comes.I frown, standing as he approaches. “Calvin… you’re late.” My voice is sharp, but my concern overshadows the reprimand. He looks worse than last time, more unraveled, like a man haunted by shadows he can’t escape.He doesn’t respond right away. Instead, he collapses onto the wooden bench, his hands shaking as he wipes his forehead with a trembling hand. For a long moment, he just sits there, his breathing uneven, and I can't help but get more panicked.Whate
ROWAN“Mummy looks like a princess!”I laugh at the remark as I stand in front of the full-length mirror, fingers trailing over the delicate fabric of my mating dress. The soft white folds cling to my body like a second skin, flowing down in elegant waves to pool around my feet. The intricate gold embroidery along the bodice and hem catches the soft light, making it glimmer like stars across a night sky. The dress is modeled after ancient Greek designs, and yet it feels uniquely mine, as if it were made for this exact moment. Which it was.“You are right,” Lisa tells Jhenells as she adjusts the waist, while Rina’s fussing over my hair, placing small white flowers into the delicate braids. “But a queen instead. You are the princess.”Kaylee stands off to the side, smiling at me like she already knows what I am thinking.“You look... perfect, Rowan,” she says softly, her eyes filled with warmth. “Viktor won’t know what hit him.”I let out a small laugh, a nervous tremble in my chest
DOMINIC The world narrows down to just Viktor and me, as it was always going to be. This fight has been a long time comingHis eyes burn into mine from below, and I snarl down at him from the balcony. All the noise, all the chaos around us fades into nothing. Just him. Just me. My pulse thunders in my ears as I leap from the ledge, muscles coiling, ready to tear him apart.In mid-air, the change rips through me. Bones snap, skin stretches, and fur bursts from my skin. The transformation into my wolf form is savage, overwhelming. And in the space of a heartbeat, I am no longer a man but a beast. I barely register Viktor doing the same, his massive body surging upward to meet mine.We collide like thunder.Teeth flash, claws slash, fur and flesh tear. I drive him to the ground, snarling, biting, desperate to tear out his throat. But he fights back just as viciously, his teeth sinking into my shoulder with a brutal snap. The pain is white-hot, but I don’t feel it. Not really.
DOMINICThe fight surrounds me the moment I step into the clearing, chaos, mouse, bloodshed, everything swallowing up the night. Wolves… mone and outsiders…they are everywhere. It is impossible to tell who is who at first, just teeth, fur, and blood under the slivers of moonlight. They… Viktor and Rowan, they were ready for us. That much I expected, but what I didn’t count on was the sheer number of them.I should have been warned. I should have seen this coming. But no one told me. Not even Calvin.I can see Viktor and Rowan through the mayhem, cutting through my wolves like they knew every move we would make. Like someone had informed them of my protocols When I find who that fucking traitor is, he or she would wish their parents had never met.How the hell did they get so close? I wonder as my pulse quickens with anger, as I push through the bloodied mess to get to them.But then I see the others- Maxwell, Fin, Sven, Kaylee and her weakling husband, Donald. Traitors.Wha
DOMINIC“Let me out! I hate you!”Jhenelle’s voice rings out again, shrill and desperate, making the fragile peace I had hoped for, to be nothing more than a dream Her words slam into me, causing a visceral reaction that surprises even meHer small fists bang against the door, over and over, relentless. Each hit feels like a direct assault on my patience. She doesn’t understand. No.She refuses to understand. I stand just outside the door, my hands pressed against my temples, trying to drown out her cries. But no matter how hard I press, her voice breaks through, each shout like a blade carving away at my restraint. I have given her everything, more than Rowan ever could, more than anyone could. A life free from struggle, safety, power, a future in her rightful place by my side.As the future Alpha of the obsidian pack.What more could she possibly want?Why does she keep rejecting me? Why does she keep fighting me like this?“Jhenelle, stop!” I snap, but my voice is lost bene
ROWAN They say the truth always finds a way to come out.And that is better you let it come from your own mouth than anotherI just hope that is true.Especially now.The tension in the air is so thick, I can almost taste it. This the first time the settlement has been this packed, with wolves from all over have gathered, and it is like the entire place is holding its breath, waiting for an explosion. Their eyes are on me, waiting for answers. You can differentiate my wolves from the others.They are angry, confused, a little scared because of the foreign pack wolves but more than anything, they are restless. Dominic has crossed a line, touched their little wolf and they want blood.The other wolves are just curious about why they have been summoned and are waiting for an explanationIt is Kaylee that first steps forward first, her mate, Donald, right behind her.“What are we doing here, Rowan?” She asks, her voice cutting through the low murmurs of the other wolves. “You have e
ROWAN SLAM!The door to my study bursts open, crashing against the wall with a force that sends a shudder through the room, making me whirl around, heart racing only to see Alden dragging a trembling wolf behind him. A familiar wolf.Martin.One of the deserters.Oh, I knew it!I knew I shouldn't have accepted these scums into the Coalition Martin's face is ashen, his eyes wide with panic, darting around the room like a trapped animal. I stand abruptly, my chair scraping against the floor. "Alden, what is this?" My voice is steady, but there is a hint of rage that I can't hide.Alden says nothing at first, simply steps aside to let two others enter. A young woman and a young man, both wolves from the obsidian pack, step forward. Their faces are tense, their eyes locked on me.Lisa, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, rises to her feet, her eyes narrowing as she takes in the scene. Viktor, standing by the window, moves closer, his presence commanding the room while Rina
ROWANEverything is moving too fast, yet not fast enough. Wolves are running, voices are shouting, and I feel trapped in a slow-motion nightmare, each second dragging on while the urgency inside me screams for action. My heart is racing in my chest, fear gripping every part of me, and I know -I just know- that Jhenelle is no longer here. Dominic… he was here.He must have taken her out of the park.The bastard. "She is not here," I whisper, more to myself than to anyone else. But Viktor, standing close, hears me."Rowan, we are doing everything we can," he says firmly. His voice is calm, but I can see the tension in his eyes. He is scared too. But that fear, it is not enough. It will not bring her back. We have to do something. I have to do something. Sitting here, waiting for others to find her, is not an option. It just will not work."No," I say louder now, my throat tight as I turn to face him. "No, Viktor. You do not understand. She is not in the settlement. He would
DOMINICThe audacity!That fucking bitch!I can't help but seeth as I stand at the edge of the clearing, just beyond the flickering light of the bonfire, cloaked in shadow. The night air is heavy with the scent of pine and smoke, mingled with the sharp tang of burning wood. Wolves are scattered around the fire, their faces lit with joy and warmth. The air hums with celebration, laughter ringing out into the night as if they have nothing to fear.But they should fear me.I watch them, my eyes narrowing on the center of the celebration. There, in the glow of the fire, are Rowan and Victor, laughing together as if they have won. My chest tightens, a bitter taste rising in the back of my throat as I watch how her hair catches the light, gleaming like embers in the dark, her smile that should have been mine is now directed at that bastard, ViktorI clench my fists, nails digging into my palms. Louisa. How dare she get another mate after being rejected by me?How can the fucking goddess
DOMINICA DAY AGOThe crackling of the fireplace is the only sound in my study as I sit behind my desk, fingers drumming against the polished wood. The flickering flames cast long shadows across the room, but they do little to dispel the cold that has settled into my bones. It is taking too fucking long.How hard is it to get such simple Intel.This is what I get when I work with incompetents.My phone buzzes against the desk, bringing me out from my thoughts and I glance at the screen. It is Martin. It is about time.I bring the phone to my ear, answering in a curt manner “Speak,” I say, my voice calm but laced with the authority that makes sure nobody disobeys me.“Alpha,” Martin’s voice is quiet, like he is whispering, and there is an urgency behind it. “There has been a development.”“What is it?”“Alpha- Viktor Thorn is here. He arrived today. And then Ro- Louisa annoyed that there will be a bonfire party. They are holding it tomorrow night. Everyone’s going to be there.”I