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
ALPHA PARTHE.I had tried every method I knew of to see the last moments of both Geth and Thaddeus, but it was almost as if their memories were wiped off by magic.There were literally no last memories.The dream I had been having for some time now came back in a rush. It was getting clearer. There is an enemy within.I had thought no one from my pack would ever turn out to be disloyal and a traitor. I thought I had trustworthy pack members. But I was wrong.I barged into Tervan’s chamber where he lay hopelessly on the floor, oblivious to all that was going on outside."Tervan!" I yelled at him, but he barely even acknowledged my presence. He had become a shadow of himself, drinking himself to stupor."You can't mourn forever! The pack is in jeopardy and the Beta is nowhere to be seen! Get yourself together! The pack needs you!" I bent down, seizing him by his collar, and pulled him up to a sitting position. "The pack can go a few more days without me, Alpha," he said lazily, almost
ALPHA PARTHE.A whimper caught my attention, and I shifted my gaze to Luxuria.She was pale. Too pale.The sight of her, so fragile and bound, weakened by their cruelty, made something in me twist. For a moment—just a moment—I faltered. The need to rip her away from these bastards ate at my insides like a beast clawing to get free."Luxuria..." I was only able to take two steps forward before the rope around her tightened, violently yanking her backward.She stumbled, her breath hitching, before crashing against the chest of that halfwit, Alpha Jalar. His thick, dirty fingers dug into her shoulder as he held her in place. His grip was both possessive and triumphant."Aha..." He exhaled, amusement curling at the edges of his voice. "Not that fast, Monster."My muscles coiled, every inch of my body screaming to lunge at him, to carve the satisfaction from his bones.He smirked, tightening his hold on her. "I told you, didn't I? That one day, I'd take her from you?" His lips curled wider.
ALPHA PARTHE.The atmosphere was thick with smoke and the scent of blood—metallic, raw, suffocating. It clung to my tongue, burned in my throat, and stung my eyes.Agonizing screams could be heard through the battlefield, mixed with the clash of steel and the snarls of shifting wolves.But I had no time to process all of that. They'd only distract me because those were my people being slaughtered.I lifted my eyes and saw Kira and the other witches running into the heart of battle. They were barely even up to thirty in total. The rest of them had gone to Valor Shield for the war.I was a bit more fucked than I ever wanted to admit.Men rushed toward me in a frenzied charge with their weapons glinting under the flames that burned through my very own pack. Their faces were twisted in a blind rage, but I saw no honor in their fight. No cause. Just slaughter.I didn't wait. I lunged while I made my way toward Rorden.I wanted to talk to him. Wanted to ask him questions...Questions like, '
ALPHA PARTHE.I moved quickly through the corridors, my boots slamming against the floor as I made my way back to my chamber. Chaos reigned outside—screams, war cries, the crackling of flames eating through wood and stone. The scent of blood was thick in the atmosphere, mingling with the acrid burn of smoke.As I entered my chamber, my gaze landed on the weapon mounted on the wall.A black-handled axe, the blade forged from dark steel, its edges still gleaming with the polish I had given it weeks ago.It was my father's axe, which was passed down to me. It was a weapon that had tasted war, that had been passed down through generations of Wild Wolf Alphas.I reached for it, my fingers curling tightly around the worn grip. The second it was in my hand, a strange sense of steadiness settled in my chest.But who the fuck was attacking us? And for what reason? We weren't weak. We had made no foolish moves that would warrant such an invasion. So why—My thoughts cut short as I turned toward
LUXURIA.It all happened like a bad dream.The kind where you're paralyzed, screaming with no sound, running but never moving—trapped in a nightmare that only tightens its grip the more you struggle.But this wasn't a dream. This was real.And I was forced to watch it unfold.The scent of blood clung to my tongue, my skin, my very soul.I saw those I once called my people being slaughtered like animals.Screams filled my ears from all sides as we took the Wild Wolf pack warriors guarding the gates by surprise. They never stood a chance against these vile men.A sharp pulse tore through my veins, curling up my spine like a searing brand.I sucked in a breath, my fingers twitching against the restraints as the sensation slithered through my blood.No. No, not now.The chaos was awakening something dangerous in me - my curse.The beast in me seemed to enjoy the sight before us, but I fought it back.For the past few days, Xurie had gone totally silent. I couldn't tell if it was because 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