LUXURIA.I drew my shawl tighter around my shoulders, shivering against the bite of the cold that seeped into our chamber. Parthe hadn't returned since that argument with his Beta.That clash had rattled something deep within him. It was quite intense, and I felt terrible for the Alpha. He's being judged by so many people, even those who are meant to be the closest to him. They all misunderstood him—their perception, their resentments were shallow judgments against a man burdened with far more than anyone knew.I had to see Rorden. I didn't feel like myself, either. A strange weight pressed down on me, an aching emptiness that seemed to twist through my bones, unsettling and exhausting. It was almost as if I was living the life of someone else.My entire body ached, and my emotions have been unstable for no reason.I felt anger, frustration, hurt, depression, just name it. And I have no reason to feel that way.I also craved to see the Alpha like he is an addiction. I felt an insatiab
LUXURIA.I didn't know how and when I left Rorden's chamber, but I found myself walking straight into the woods.It was already dark, thankfully.I changed into my wolf and ran a great distance, trying to clear my head. I had to think but couldn't. My brain refused to process a single thought.What do I do?I was doomed.Amelia was the only one who had answers to my questions. She was the only solution I had.By the time I returned to the fortress, it was really late. I didn't know how I had made it back. My mind was a fog of grief, memories and thoughts swirling.I barely even noticed Parthe as I entered the room, his pacing form a blur until he stopped and strode toward me. "Luxuria. Are you alright?" He asked, his eyes scanning my body as if checking to see if I was hurt.I didn't meet his gaze. "I'm fine, Alpha," I replied, walking past him, but he gently pulled me back."Wait," he murmured, "I… I shouldn't have spoken to you that way earlier. I know I was… too harsh. That wasn't
ALPHA PARTHE.We walked into the fortress gate. Everyone with me was as quiet as they ought to be. My men and I had to put Alpha Jalar in his place. He was already beginning to bite more than he could handle.Urik was with me. I could feel the tension between us, but I did not pay any attention to him. Whatever was making him angry was no concern to me.I should be the one angry here. I was so close to ending Jalar's miserable life, but Urik stopped me.This was one of the reasons I wished Tervan was done mourning his mate. If he was there with me, he would have gladly allowed me to kill that slob."Alpha?" Urik called, coming to a halt just as we entered the fortress.Here we go. The short-tempered Urik was about to spit out his displeasure.I sincerely hoped he wouldn't anger me while at it."What is it, Urik?" I replied, turning to face him. "What was that back there? You acted too rashly, and it's becoming too frequent lately. Should we be worried?" He said, and I only arched a b
LUXURIA."I'll be going to see Tarin tonight," Dashi whispered like a happy teenager into my ears as we made our way out of the garden.Since I started keeping the Alpha busy, she had been able to make time to sneak out to see Tarin, the love of her life from her former pack. I was happy for her. She seemed happier these days."That's fine. I hope you have fun," I teased and she squealed."Thank you for being a true friend to me. I never believed I'd find true friendship here in this pack. Everyone is all about themselves, always. But you...?" She placed a hand on my shoulder, "You are different, Luxuria."I smiled back at her, "Thank you for also being more than a friend to me. I will never forget that."We hurriedly left the garden. The Alpha would be waiting for me by now. It had taken longer than anticipated. Being with Dashi is always like this. We always had something to talk about... Always."I'll see you later. I have to go to the local market. There are things I need to get,"
LUXURIA.I was terrified. My hands trembled. Tears flooded my vision.How do I explain this? What did I just do? Oh, Selene!“What have you done, Luxuria?!” I heard the familiar voice ask with terror from behind me.I turned around immediately, my heart drumming in my chest. I took a step forward, but she took three frightened steps backward, her body trembling with terror.“I… I can explain. Please,” I choked.“No! Stay back! Stay away from me!” Dashi cried, placing her palm over her mouth as she took in the gory sight before her. “Kensa…” She whispered.“Please, Dashi, hear me out,” I pleaded desperately.“What in Selene’s name are you? Why did you… What did she do to deserve this?” She asked as more tears flooded her vision.She made to run, but I ran after her, blocking her path. “Please, Dashi. You have to listen to me. I am still that friend you think I am. Nothing has changed.”“No. You are not. And you are nothing like us. You are not our kind. You are a monster!” She spat wit
ALPHA PARTHE."I saw my old friend, Thaddeus. Remember him?" Elder Geth asked, sinking into the chair across from me, a small sigh escaping his lips.I barely glanced up from the parchment in my hand. "The name rings a bell," I replied, keeping my tone flat, uninterested. I had other pressing issues to handle at the moment."The one who told me about Eldora and Alpha Odren. I had mentioned him during our last conversation," He explained, leaning back slightly.The mention of Eldora caught my attention. I set the parchment down, meeting his gaze. "Ah, yes. I recall. What about him?""He’s a refugee in our pack. Imagine my shock when I saw him among the others today."That caught my full interest. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the edge of the table. "And? What did he say? Did you ask him about Eldora? About the child?""I didn't have the time to do so. They were being taken out by the warriors for their daily tasks. But I told him I had something crucial to talk to him about, a
LUXURIAI couldn’t breathe. It felt like I was drowning underwater.I’d been indoors almost all day, the thought of the little distance between me and my mate for the past few days troubling my peace.I thought about ways I could make things better and decided the first step to take was to visit him in his courtroom, and probably spend some quality, alone time there with him while creating some memories we could laugh about whenever we were bored.I had taken a hot bath, worn the scent he once said he loved, the one that made him bury his face in my neck and whisper things that left me breathless.I even wore something I knew he’d like, and my hair cascaded down my back in soft curls—just the way he liked, the way he would grab it when things turned… intimate.I imagined everything naughty and nasty going down between me and him in his courtroom. But nothing—nothing—could have prepared me for the heartbreak I had just experienced.I knew he had a lot of women. But he promised. Didn’t
LUXURIA."What the fuck is going on here?" I heard him from behind us, and just as I expected, Shikta didn't fail to put on a show. She crumbled into a heap of theatrics, sobbing so hard I feared her tears might drown us all.I took a step back, with no remorse whatsoever for what I had done. If given the chance, I'll do it over again.I braced myself, expecting what Parthe would do to me for hitting his pregnant mistress."Parthe! I didn't... I just wanted to talk to her, and she hit me..." Shikta managed through hard sobs, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes with a scoff.Parthe was silent as if waiting for me to defend myself, but I wasn't prepared to say a word.He put out his hand toward Shikta, helping her stand to her feet. She did, wiping the tears off her face."You may leave," he said in a calm tone.My head snapped in his direction in surprise. Did he just dismiss Shikta?"What? I should..." Shikta paused, staring between me and the Alpha. "She just hit me. Won't you say s
LUXURIA."I told you the time will come faster than you even imagine..." Rorden traced a lazy path along my cheek, "The time when you'd stand by my side as mine... The time is already upon us, dear Luxuria."My restrained hands twitched, aching to curl into fists, to drive my knuckles into his jaw and watch his smug mouth spill blood.Instead, I did the only thing I could. I spat in his face."You will never succeed in this evil you plan," I hissed, watching as the glob of spit trailed down his cheek. "The goddess will never accept the abomination you just committed in the name of rituals."Rorden didn't flinch. He simply exhaled through his nose, dragging a thumb across his cheek, wiping the spit away with an infuriating calmness.I scoffed, shaking my head. "How could you even harness such thoughts against your own brother?"My eyes scanned the large field, taking in the fearful-looking men who were being fortified with Rorden's blood mixed with some kind of powerful herbs and subst
ALPHA PARTHE."It took you long enough, Urik," I said when I saw him striding into my courtroom like a man walking towards his own execution. "Finally got some nerves to face me?"Bharon and Kefas had the perfect look of displeasure on their faces as their gazes rested on Urik.Like everyone else, they had been disappointed—furious—with the way things had turned out two days ago, and Urik made sure to stay away from everyone's eyes. I hadn't seen him since the day of the false alarm.He had vanished the moment things went south, leaving me to clean up his mess.Coward.Tervan kept on asking me what really happened and how we got the information about an attack that never happened. He was also curious as to what pack was going to attack us and all, but I never gave him any reasonable explanation.Because what was I supposed to say? That I had suspected my own right-hand man of treason? And that we had gone to such lengths to actually catch him in the act... In an act that he was never
ALPHA PARTHE."Fifty men to the East entrance!" Kefas commanded.The warriors moved, their armor glinting under the early light, boots thudding against the earth as they marched to their positions. Some carried shields, others had double-bladed axes, and a few had bows slung over their backs.The entire camp was a storm of movement.Blacksmiths pounded metal against metal, forging last-minute weapons. Stable hands hurried to saddle warhorses, the beasts stamping their hooves impatiently. Runners darted between squadrons, delivering orders.Over three thousand men. Positioned strategically. Ready for war.And yet, I stood there, watching, my gut twisted into knots.What if we were wrong? This would all seem and feel stupid. But there was no time to second-guess. I had already given the command."Parthe?" A familiar voice called me, and I stilled.Tervan.I turned slowly, my face betraying nothing, though my insides recoiled. He was covered in dust, his tunic streaked with sweat. He had
ALPHA PARTHE."The warriors await your orders, Alpha,"Kefas's voice barely registered. My mind was elsewhere.Once again, I was thinking about Luxuria. No matter how hard I tried to push her from my mind, she always found a way back in.I tried offering sacrifices to the goddess, but it seemed she had also forsaken me. I didn't want to believe Urik's theory, as well as the theories of others who thought she had run away with Rorden.Rorden was always good at hiding. Whenever he left the pack back in those days, no one ever found him until he was ready to be found or until he returned to the pack. Maybe he had taken her to one of those hideouts of his, and they were probably living their best lives."Alpha?" Bharon called, and I lifted my gaze to meet their curious ones. But before I'd say a word to them, the doors to my courtroom banged open, and Urik strode in with urgency on his face."Alpha, I have gotten her to tell me everything she knows. We have to act fast. They are coming. I
LUXURIA'S POV.Nevada stilled at the sight of the monster standing before us. His aura had become ten times darker and more terrifying than before that was certain I didn't want to be in the same space with him.His eyes held promises that scared me... I wasn't safe with him... My pups aren't safe either. What if he tries to get rid of them again?"Alpha?" She greeted with a nervous how before hurrying out of the chamber, leaving me at his mercy.He barely even acknowledged her.His eyes rested on the scroll in my hands before trailing up to meet my tearfilled gaze. He moved without sound, his robes flowing around him like liquid darkness, swallowing every trace of warmth from the room. The door groaned as he pushed it shut, making me jolt in fear.A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he took slow steps forward."My little Luxuria," he murmured with amusement. "Why are you holding my scroll?"I took a step back instinctively, my heart slamming against my ribs. My hands tre
LUXURIA.I paced the room, my nails scraping against my lips as I chewed on them anxiously, my heart hammering against my ribs. Fear coiled tight in my stomach, but at least my babies were safe. For now.I was able to learn from Nevada that Rorden had gone for some kind of fortification or ritual of some sort, but she refused to tell me why. And that bothered me. Deep in my bones, something felt off. Something was definitely wrong.Rorden had instructed that I'd be taken to his chamber after recovering yesterday. The entire place reeked of him, and my stomach churned with disgust. I didn't want to be anywhere near him, let alone trapped in a space that belonged to him.My mind wandered in Parthe's direction again, and as usual, I was helpless... I couldn't stop myself from thinking about him and Shikta.Shikta's dreams would have come true... Her dreams of becoming Luna.Parthe must have moved on with his life. I knew that... Otherwise, he should have been looking for me already. Rord
PARTHE.Did I care that I lost a child?Not really.Did that make me a bad person? Maybe.But who cared?I exhaled, stretching my fingers before curling them into fists again, feeling the sharp sting of my own strength pressing into my palms.I should have cared. I should have felt something other than this quiet, creeping satisfaction that coiled inside me.But I didn't.A twisted, irrational sense of relief seeped into my bones at the thought of Shikta losing that child. I couldn't even explain why. Perhaps it was because I never wanted a child from her. Perhaps because I never wanted anything to bind me to her in the first place.Or maybe it was because fate had already taken everything from me. My mate. My peace. My patience. And now, it had stripped away something I was supposed to mourn—but couldn't.I had always wanted my heir to come from a woman I love... My mate... But fate ruined everything and is still ruining my efforts!I slammed my fist on the wooden table before me in
SHIKTA.I jolted upright, my breath ragged, my heart hammering so hard I thought it might tear through my ribs. My hands clutched at the sheets, damp with sweat, as my frantic gaze darted around the dimly lit chamber.Where was I?For a brief, foolish moment, I hoped I had woken up at the very moment the darkness swallowed me whole and that I hadn't blacked out for too long. Or that it had all been a nightmare, nothing more. But it was only a wish.A splitting headache welcomed me, as well as a terrifying dizziness that almost sent me back to the bed I had just woken up from.I swayed, barely able to keep myself upright, my stomach churning like a stormy sea."You need to rest, Shikta." I heard the Alpha's voice from somewhere around the room.I looked around immediately to see him standing in a dark corner of the room."Parthe... Parthe..." I called, too in a hurry to stand up, meet him, and explain all that Tervan tried to do, that I didn't notice the sharp pain that was plaguing my
SHIKTA."What took you so long, you pathetic little thing? How long does it take to get a simple tea done?" I snapped at the lazy maid whose thin shoulders were shivering before me.I watched her struggle to form a response, her lips quivering as she opened her mouth—only to fail miserably.How utterly pathetic.She looked far too weak, too fragile, and it was satisfying.I leaned back in my chair, allowing myself the pleasure of her misery.When I became Luna, I had turned most of Parthe's former mistresses into my slaves. He had no problem with that, and I was thankful for it. And this one—this wretched, simpering girl—had once warmed my Alpha's bed.The very thought of it filled me with rage that I wanted to maltreat the life out of her!If it weren't for the child growing inside me, I might have thrown something at her just for the satisfaction of seeing her cower."When I ask for tea, I expect it before my patience runs out," I said slowly, letting the words slither into her bone