ALPHA PARTHE.Two thousand warriors drew their swords for a battle they knew they'd lose either way.Fools. Lesser men always are so foolish.The battleground was charged with the kind of energy I liked. Fear. Panic. Terror. It poured from Lucius's men like a pungent stench, feeding the darker corners of my soul.Even though Lucius was too much of a coward to admit his wrong and decided to keep up with his pride, his men were obviously aware of what they were up against.I watched them with detached emotion. They looked pathetic.The image of my sleeping mate kept replaying in my head. She was so beautiful when she slept. Especially when in a deep slumber like the one I had just put her in.She'd thought I'd abandon this war? She thought wrong. I had to use my powers to put her in a slumber to be able to leave."You're sure about this?" I heard Urik ask from beside me."What? You think you need to leave?" I asked in a menacing tone without even looking at him.Urik had been against th
FLASH FORWARDLUXURIA'S POVThe chill wind whipped through the stone archways of the Ash Mountain pack, filtering into the large chamber where I sat.The chilling wind was nothing compared to the icy dread in my heart.Outside, in the courtyard, the ceremony was prepared. Not a marriage ceremony, as my lineage demanded, but a mating ceremony.I would be the first in my lineage to be mated without a proper marriage ceremony.Tonight was the night of the full moon.Tonight, I am to be joined, not to a man of my choosing. Not to the man I have always loved. Not even to the man close to my dream man. But to the beast who ruled the neighboring lands with an iron paw. The Alpha Of The North.I clutched the silver locket at my throat. A gift that had been given to me by the man I would do anything to spend the rest of my life with, the Beta of my father's pack, Beta Kahel. He was my secret lover. But fate was so cruel to have torn us apart.Kahel had vowed to challenge the Alpha of the North,
LUXURIA'S POV.The smell of dew made my eyes flutter open. I stirred lazily on whatever surface I was lying on.I blinked, disoriented, as my eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering through the misty woods.Then, everything snapped into focus.I bolted upright, my breath catching in my throat as I took in my surroundings.My eyes darted around the misty woods before resting on the figure lying beside me - naked.My heart pounded wildly as fragments of the previous night came crashing back into my mind.I gasped, pressing a trembling hand to my mouth as I realized what had happened. "Oh, Goddess. What did I do?" I whispered, my voice shaking as I stared at him - the monster lay peacefully beside me. The man I had feared, and yet...Is he really a monster?No. He lay there, still as death, but there was nothing monstrous about him now. His features were sharp, chiseled, and devastatingly handsome.His short, black hair fell over his forehead, covering a part of the scar at the right sid
LUXURIA'S POVIt's been five days now, and I have been living a normal life... Or, so I had forced myself to believe.Although the memories of the monstrous Alpha kept plaguing me. His touch, his scent, the overwhelming intensity with which he made love to me—it all made my core quake with a terrifying mixture of dread and desire each time I thought about it. Just like now.My center still ached sorely after my encounter with him. He wasn't exactly the kind I'd pick for a girl like me who was still a virgin.I had been using some herbs to help me heal, but I still felt sore. I could hardly walk properly.Even though the whole night was almost a blur, I still remember fragments of it.As I scrubbed the floor of the fortress for the second time today, a task my stepmother seemed to find endlessly amusing to assign me, I bit my bottom lip to stifle the moan that threatened to escape at the mere memory of him.My stepmother had made sure I never had a moment of rest. I never knew what rest
ALPHA PARTHE'S POVI stared at the disturbing sight before me. That dimwit was standing close to my mate.The nerves.But I'd let it slide. I'll count it as ignorance on his part.If he had known whose possession he was in close proximity, he wouldn't have dared to stand even a breath close to her.I never expected to have a mate. I am thirty-one already, without a mate. Not that any sane woman would agree to be mated to me. Who would want to be mated to a death god?The idea of being mated to Luxuria didn't particularly thrill me. I had seen a lot of women. She doesn't come close to what I'd like to have, but that didn't change the fact that whatever is mine is mine. It doesn't matter what I think about it... Her.I had imagined what use she would be in my pack. The Wild Wolf pack wasn't known to have idle members. Even the women who have been gifted me by numerous Alphas who sought favor had their duties aside pleasing me.Luxuria was overly beautiful, and I couldn't deny that. And s
LUXURIA'S POVThe chill wind whipped through the stone archways of the Ash Mountain pack, filtering into the large chamber where I sat.The chilling wind was nothing compared to the icy dread in my heart.Outside, in the courtyard, the ceremony was prepared. Not a marriage ceremony, as my lineage demanded, but a mating ceremony, as requested by Alpha Parthe.I would be the first in my lineage to be mated without a proper marriage ceremony. That is how ashamed my people were of me.Tonight, I am to be joined, not to a man of my choosing. Not to the man I have always loved. Not even to the man close to my dream man. But to the beast who ruled the neighboring lands with an iron paw.The Alpha Of The North.Tonight was the night of the full moon. The day Alpha Parthe had picked.Didn't they say the full moon was when his demons were unleashed? What is his plan?Although the full moon isn't until a few more hours, I hope, above everything earthly, that the ceremony will be concluded before
ALPHA PARTHE'S POVMy gaze remained fixed on the entrance to the large hall where a few people gathered. I'm not offended. I am not one who appreciates crowds.The Ash Mountain pack isn't particularly excited about sending their daughter off with me. I understand that perfectly, also.I didn't care about all that. One can call me selfish.The hall was quiet. Everyone eating and drinking as quietly as possible. Who cares? I'm a sadist, after all.I was losing my patience. What's taking so long? It was almost time for the full moon. I had only come with my Beta, Tarven, and three trained warriors.I didn't need a crowd to escort my new mate to our territory.I had come out with just a few people who could handle whatever came up if the full moon arose before we reached the Wild Wolf pack.To the best of her ability, Shita made sure we had partial control of the situation. I did not like straining my powers for such trivial matters. I reserved them for more pressing issues. So, I let her
LUXURIA'S POV.I never imagined a mating ceremony could be over in the blink of an eye. It ended so fast that I barely had time to catch my breath, let alone my thoughts.We were already halfway across the Ash Mountain borders. Realization slowly crept in. I was leaving everything behind. Including Kahel.A tear trickled down my cheek, but I wiped it off.The ride was quiet. I straddled a beautiful white horse. As if that was meant to make me feel any special.It was so close to the full moon already. Why weren't they in a hurry? Why didn't they straddle faster? Was I the only one worried about it? Or, were the rumors about the Wild Wolf pack lies? Or does his AshBlood powers help keep him in check?This fact is something I also dread. Not only is this man cursed. He is one of the most deadly kinds of dark witch ever to live.What did I ever do to the goddess to deserve such cruelty?Alpha Parthe remained silent, not a word spared for his men, and I knew better than to speak first. Hi
ALPHA PARTHE.Two thousand warriors drew their swords for a battle they knew they'd lose either way.Fools. Lesser men always are so foolish.The battleground was charged with the kind of energy I liked. Fear. Panic. Terror. It poured from Lucius's men like a pungent stench, feeding the darker corners of my soul.Even though Lucius was too much of a coward to admit his wrong and decided to keep up with his pride, his men were obviously aware of what they were up against.I watched them with detached emotion. They looked pathetic.The image of my sleeping mate kept replaying in my head. She was so beautiful when she slept. Especially when in a deep slumber like the one I had just put her in.She'd thought I'd abandon this war? She thought wrong. I had to use my powers to put her in a slumber to be able to leave."You're sure about this?" I heard Urik ask from beside me."What? You think you need to leave?" I asked in a menacing tone without even looking at him.Urik had been against th
LUXURIA.Parthe has been too adamant about this war, and I have a bad feeling about it. That's why I did what I had to do."The men are ready, Alpha," Vixtin said, adjusting his armor. His pregnant mate was almost due for delivery. Why would Parthe put him in harm's way just at the peak of his life?"Tell the warriors securing the entrances of the pack to get more weapons if need be. We wouldn't want any surprises while we are out there," Parthe said, not lifting his head from the map he was studying.I gathered the courage I needed and entered his courtroom, "Parthe?" I called while approaching him."How much longer did you intend to stand there?" He asked so casually.Of course, what did I expect? He'd smelt me from where I was hiding and contemplating if I should talk to him or not.I cleared my throat, "Please don't go for this war. I have a bad feeling about it and... And..." I trailed off, my voice choking with restrained sobs.Even though we've both not been the best of mates,
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