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"I... I don't know who or what you are talking about, Parthe," the halfwit protested, his eyes already bulging out of their sockets."Let me make this a little clearer, Nelfas," I circled him slowly, taking my time, "I see the panic in your eyes, Nelfas. That growing dread in your chest—tight, isn't it? Like an iron vice around your lungs," I said, my voice low and cold, "You feel it now, don't you? The numbness creeping up your legs, stealing your strength."He whimpered, a sound so pitiful it disgusted me. "I swear, Parthe, I—I don't know what you're talking about! Please, what's happening to me?"I stopped behind him, leaning close so my breath ghosted against his ear. "What's happening to you is precision," my tone was icy, "The poison coursing through your veins isn't something any run-of-the-mill alchemist could whip up in a dusty corner of their workshop. No, this is something special. Deadly enough to paralyze even the strongest of wolves, yet… merciful enough to
LUXURIA.I tried to steady the tremors in my hands and the rapid beating of my heart as I washed off the dirt on my body.I felt better after having a warm bath.I had been training with Vixtin all morning, and it was a great way of letting out some of the anxiety that was constantly plaguing me for no reason.Sometimes, when I let out some steam in the training process, it keeps me sane and tames the chaos that the voices in my head keep whispering to me.On several occasions, I've had to fight the urge to rip Vixtin into pieces for no reason. The urge to hurt people around me was becoming unbearable, but I didn't intend to give in to it.Not now. I wouldn't want to be executed.Last night was the night of the full moon, and I barely found any prey, save for a young rogue whom I regretted killing.The more I killed, the more I wanted to kill. It was intoxicating and it bothered me.I almost didn't need the full moon to crave blood anymore. I am totally scared because anyone could be
ALPHA PARTHE."Search everywhere! Send spies to every other pack. She couldn't have vanished from the face of the earth without any trace!" I yelled at my warriors who had returned with nothing but bad news.I'd put in every effort necessary to find Eldora but all to no avail. It was eating me up rapidly. I needed closure. I needed to know if Zendaya was truly the one.A part of me refused to believe that I had ruined my chances of living with my own hands. I just... I just needed something... Anything! Fuck it! I just needed to see Eldora!Nelfas' daughter was out of the question. She was underage and without her wolf. I couldn't even take her as a substitute. There has to be another way!I slammed my fist on the table before me, shattering it to pieces. My rage has been almost out of control lately.My body trembled and I needed a release. I needed to take out this anger. Perhaps, I could go for a hunt tonight.The full moon was just yesterday and the hunt was less satisfying. It w
ALPHA PARTHE“She needs you around, Alpha. It is a critical time for her. She’s weak and the unborn pup needs its father close always,” Dalia explained.She had found out. She fucking had.I wanted this to be a secret until I could figure out what to do but right now, more people were getting to know about it.I looked at Shikta’s almost unconscious form and I didn’t know what to feel—anger, hate, disgust?“Dalia. Not a word about this to anyone. Not even a soul,” I said and I saw the look of surprise that crossed her face.“As you wish, Alpha.” She bowed, “But she could grow weaker by the day and the pup is at risk of being unhealthy without the presence of its father. Please, make time out of your very busy schedule and spend around her. It will be beneficial to you both in the future.” She added.I only nodded casually and walked out without saying another word.I stood in front of Luxuria’s chamber, unsure if she’d want to see me. The realization of how I had spoken to her in the
LUXURIA.I was already coming to a decision. I had to. As painful as it seemed, I had to start accepting my fate—the cruel fate Selene had subjected me to.Perhaps I could swallow my pain and hatred and seek refuge with my father, Nelfas. Would he cast me away? I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. He never cared about my birth mother until she died at the hands of Odren. Odren’s pack was never an option. I’ll be more of a laughingstock now than ever. And Rella? She’d make sure to make my life hell than she used to, now that she finally had the one thing she could kill me for. Although the last time Niksha visited me, she told me Rella and Kahel’s union wasn’t as blossoming as it should be, but that they were getting better by the day and Kahel was learning to love and accept Rella really fast. My heart ached. Rella was finally having the last laugh. I thought I would find peace with my mate, instead, I lost the man I loved with my life, and now, my mate too. I wiped the tear that sl
LUXURIA.All eyes were on me expectantly. Every gaze felt like a weight pressing down on me, and the intensity of their expectations made my throat tighten.The hall was quiet. So quiet that the footsteps of a tiptoeing ant would be heard if there was any around.I swallowed hard, feeling the tremble in my hands. “I…” I began, my voice shaking slightly. My palms were damp against the smooth wood of the podium. My eyes darted to Parthe, his jaw clenched tight, his gaze like coal-black fire boring into me. I could feel his displeasure.Urik was disgusted. Tervan had a neutral expression.My eyes stung with tears. What’s going on? The last thing I remembered was standing outside with Rorden, wondering if I had actually seen Sibille or if it was just a figment of my imagination. How did I get on the stage? The speech I had diligently prepared and rehearsed for hours, all jumbled up in my head. I couldn’t even remember a line from it. “What is going on?” Parthe asked through the mind
LUXURIA.Of all people, I never thought I’d ever do anything to save the one woman who had always been my greatest problem in life. I was done sulking and feeling dejected when I decided to take an evening stroll—something I rarely do. I had gone to see Rorden but he was nowhere to be found. Just as I was making my way back to my chamber, I saw the commotion unfolding right in front of me. I didn’t hesitate to think twice before swinging into action and knocking the intruder off of Shikta. This might not be for Shikta. This might be for the greater good. I just want to believe so. Otherwise, this was a perfect opportunity to get rid of one of my problems on a platter of gold. “Speak!” The Beta’s fist collided with the man’s already bleeding jaw.The man knelt in the center of the dimly lit chamber, blood dripping from his nose, his face swollen and battered.He wasn’t healing. He’d been beaten with wolf’s bane long enough to weaken his healing ability.“Who sent you? What were yo
SHIKTA.I lay back on the bed, my hands resting on the swell of my belly, but the ache in my lower back made it impossible to find a comfortable position. Every shift of my body brought a sharp, jabbing pain, and my feet throbbed from swelling.I wanted to cry, but tears wouldn’t solve anything.I tried to talk with Parthe but he was enraged for reasons best known to him. I also went to spend some time with Tervan but he pushed me away. His words played over in my mind, his usual excuse for keeping me at arm’s length. “I need more time.” Time for what? I wasn’t asking him to love me. I wasn’t even asking for much—just his presence, his support, someone to lean on. I wasn’t the one who decided this pup would exist, yet here I was, facing the brunt of it alone.A lot of times, I need the father of my pup around… Or, at least, a man around. But I was mostly alone. The troubles of pregnancy weren’t something I ever envisaged bearing alone.It was a cool night, and taking my usual walk
LUXURIA.All eyes were on me expectantly. Every gaze felt like a weight pressing down on me, and the intensity of their expectations made my throat tighten.The hall was quiet. So quiet that the footsteps of a tiptoeing ant would be heard if there was any around.I swallowed hard, feeling the tremble in my hands. “I…” I began, my voice shaking slightly. My palms were damp against the smooth wood of the podium. My eyes darted to Parthe, his jaw clenched tight, his gaze like coal-black fire boring into me. I could feel his displeasure.Urik was disgusted. Tervan had a neutral expression.My eyes stung with tears. What’s going on? The last thing I remembered was standing outside with Rorden, wondering if I had actually seen Sibille or if it was just a figment of my imagination. How did I get on the stage? The speech I had diligently prepared and rehearsed for hours, all jumbled up in my head. I couldn’t even remember a line from it. “What is going on?” Parthe asked through the mind
LUXURIA.I was already coming to a decision. I had to. As painful as it seemed, I had to start accepting my fate—the cruel fate Selene had subjected me to.Perhaps I could swallow my pain and hatred and seek refuge with my father, Nelfas. Would he cast me away? I wouldn’t be surprised if he did. He never cared about my birth mother until she died at the hands of Odren. Odren’s pack was never an option. I’ll be more of a laughingstock now than ever. And Rella? She’d make sure to make my life hell than she used to, now that she finally had the one thing she could kill me for. Although the last time Niksha visited me, she told me Rella and Kahel’s union wasn’t as blossoming as it should be, but that they were getting better by the day and Kahel was learning to love and accept Rella really fast. My heart ached. Rella was finally having the last laugh. I thought I would find peace with my mate, instead, I lost the man I loved with my life, and now, my mate too. I wiped the tear that sl
ALPHA PARTHE“She needs you around, Alpha. It is a critical time for her. She’s weak and the unborn pup needs its father close always,” Dalia explained.She had found out. She fucking had.I wanted this to be a secret until I could figure out what to do but right now, more people were getting to know about it.I looked at Shikta’s almost unconscious form and I didn’t know what to feel—anger, hate, disgust?“Dalia. Not a word about this to anyone. Not even a soul,” I said and I saw the look of surprise that crossed her face.“As you wish, Alpha.” She bowed, “But she could grow weaker by the day and the pup is at risk of being unhealthy without the presence of its father. Please, make time out of your very busy schedule and spend around her. It will be beneficial to you both in the future.” She added.I only nodded casually and walked out without saying another word.I stood in front of Luxuria’s chamber, unsure if she’d want to see me. The realization of how I had spoken to her in the
ALPHA PARTHE."Search everywhere! Send spies to every other pack. She couldn't have vanished from the face of the earth without any trace!" I yelled at my warriors who had returned with nothing but bad news.I'd put in every effort necessary to find Eldora but all to no avail. It was eating me up rapidly. I needed closure. I needed to know if Zendaya was truly the one.A part of me refused to believe that I had ruined my chances of living with my own hands. I just... I just needed something... Anything! Fuck it! I just needed to see Eldora!Nelfas' daughter was out of the question. She was underage and without her wolf. I couldn't even take her as a substitute. There has to be another way!I slammed my fist on the table before me, shattering it to pieces. My rage has been almost out of control lately.My body trembled and I needed a release. I needed to take out this anger. Perhaps, I could go for a hunt tonight.The full moon was just yesterday and the hunt was less satisfying. It w
LUXURIA.I tried to steady the tremors in my hands and the rapid beating of my heart as I washed off the dirt on my body.I felt better after having a warm bath.I had been training with Vixtin all morning, and it was a great way of letting out some of the anxiety that was constantly plaguing me for no reason.Sometimes, when I let out some steam in the training process, it keeps me sane and tames the chaos that the voices in my head keep whispering to me.On several occasions, I've had to fight the urge to rip Vixtin into pieces for no reason. The urge to hurt people around me was becoming unbearable, but I didn't intend to give in to it.Not now. I wouldn't want to be executed.Last night was the night of the full moon, and I barely found any prey, save for a young rogue whom I regretted killing.The more I killed, the more I wanted to kill. It was intoxicating and it bothered me.I almost didn't need the full moon to crave blood anymore. I am totally scared because anyone could be
ALPHA PARTHE"I... I don't know who or what you are talking about, Parthe," the halfwit protested, his eyes already bulging out of their sockets."Let me make this a little clearer, Nelfas," I circled him slowly, taking my time, "I see the panic in your eyes, Nelfas. That growing dread in your chest—tight, isn't it? Like an iron vice around your lungs," I said, my voice low and cold, "You feel it now, don't you? The numbness creeping up your legs, stealing your strength."He whimpered, a sound so pitiful it disgusted me. "I swear, Parthe, I—I don't know what you're talking about! Please, what's happening to me?"I stopped behind him, leaning close so my breath ghosted against his ear. "What's happening to you is precision," my tone was icy, "The poison coursing through your veins isn't something any run-of-the-mill alchemist could whip up in a dusty corner of their workshop. No, this is something special. Deadly enough to paralyze even the strongest of wolves, yet… merciful enough to
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