LUXURIA.I did all I could to steady my racing heart, but it was all to no avail. My heart drummed hard against my ribs.The door slammed open, rattling on its hinges, and Parthe walked in with someone else.Wait. Who was it?"Where is she?" I heard Parthe ask angrily.Rorden seemed calm... Too calm. "Who are you talking about?""Don't play dumb with me, Rorden. You know exactly who I'm talking about. Luxuria. Where is she?""Do I now keep your mate?" Rorden asked in a tone that sounded so mocking.I heard Parthe take some steps forward before he came to a halt. There was silence.What were they doing? Why wasn't anyone speaking?"I will search every corner of this chamber until I find her," Parthe said, and my heart jumped out of my chest."You will do no such thing," Rorden challenged him, "Have you become so insensitive to details that you can't even take a moment to sniff around? Do you perceive her anywhere in my chamber?"What? Why would Rorden make such a statement?Of course,
THE NIGHTSHADE PACK.ALPHA ZEGAN (The Dark Alpha).The Blood Alpha was highly pleased with all we had achieved so far. Everything was falling into place already, and in just a few more days, the last piece of the plan will be with us. Luxuria."So, tell me, Nevada..." The Blood Alpha began, his back still turned against the woman kneeling before him, "Or should I call you Eldora?"The woman trembled with both hands clasped in front of her, "Call me Nevada," she managed."Ah..." The Blood Alpha sighed, "I prefer to call you Eldora. And, I have told you before... You have nothing to be scared about. You are fine and well-protected here. We brought you in to keep you safe."I know the woman didn't believe a word that came out of his mouth. She was too scared to. And he looked too frightening to give such assurances.Nevada nodded either way."So, tell me. Who was Zendaya? And why is she of so much importance to Parthe, so much that he regrets killing her?" He asked the woman, who looked
ALPHA PARTHE.I've been bothered for days now. There was something definitely going on with my mate.Has she been hiding something from me?The other day, she passed out in the woods. I know it was too brief to mean anything, but I thought I saw a faint red glow in her eyes. I wasn't mistaken."I still think there is another way out of this, Alpha. We just haven't found it yet." Urik spoke, making me aware of my surroundings.Again, I had been lost in my thoughts."When you find one, let me know," I replied.Urik was always against most of the decisions I've ever made. What did he take me for? A foolish leader who can't be trusted with his choices?If not for the level of trust I had for him, I would have thought he was against me and the progress of the pack."Taking the life of an innocent girl isn't the best thing to do. Where is your conscience?" He whispered, as if scared someone might hear him."My conscience has been long dead, Urik, and you know that," I pulled out a book from
LUXURIA."Tell me... How does it feel?"I froze. My hand tightened around the stem of the herb I was holding.I didn't need to look to know who it was. That voice, dripping with venom, was unmistakable.I turned to face her, exhaling deeply, my eyes narrowing. "Shikta, what do you want this time other than to cause trouble?" I could feel the frustration rising in me.I promised to brew some herbs for Parthe today. He'd complained about an ache in his heart through the night, and I knew just the right herbs he needed.The sun struggled to peep through the dark clouds in the sky. It sure was going to be a rainy morning today."You know, you have some nerves," She began condescendingly, sauntering toward me, arms folded, her posture smug, and I couldn't help but wonder what new trouble she was here to cause, "Coming here and thinking you can dominate!" She scoffed, the expression on her face one of pure disdain.I gritted my teeth, letting out a mock laugh. "I only came here by fate. Wha
ALPHA PARTHE.What the fuck?Something was deeply wrong, and now I was sure of it. This confirmed it all.I looked at my mate's almost unconscious body, and she looked so peaceful in her sleep that I'd do just anything to know what was going on in her head.I'd been tempted to use my powers to pry into her head to see what was happening in there, to know what she was going through. But I advised myself against it. I didn't want to do anything that would upset her.The coronation was in two days. Two fucking days. There was no room for error, no time for mistakes. I couldn't afford to have anything go wrong.This coronation meant a lot to me, and I didn't want anything to jeopardize it.I love this woman so much that it hurts. The sight of her like this made my heart ache. She was everything to me. If anything ever happened to her, it'd kill me.It was time to check on Shikta again, as promised, but I couldn't leave. I needed to be here when she woke up. I needed to see her eyes, to to
LUXURIA.My body trembled with rage as I glared at him, my heart pounding so fiercely that I thought it might shatter. His words, his excuses—they only stoked the fire burning within me.How dare he? How dare he stand there, acting as if his lies could soothe the storm in my chest?"Stop with the lies! And get out of my way!" I snarled, trying to push past him. His hand shot out, grabbing my arm and pulling me back with a force that only reminded me of how trapped I was."Luxuria, stop this madness!" he growled, his voice a mixture of anger and desperation. "You don't understand—"My fingers brushed against the cool steel hidden in the folds of my gown, and without hesitation, I drew the dagger.My skin burned where his hand had been, and I stepped back, putting as much space between us as I could. My breath came in ragged gasps, my chest heaving as the sting of his betrayal pierced me harder.I wouldn't let him touch me again. Not after everything I had just discovered."Don't touch
PARTHE.My cock still felt sore from pushing it above it's limit. It made me wonder how my mate was faring.She had fallen into a deep sleep for hours, and all I could do was watch her sleep. She looked so beautiful when she slept."Are you certain I should go with you?" She asked from my side as we walked out of my chamber to the next - Shikta's chamber."It was bad. The least you could do is apologize," I said with a smile.We had talked when she woke up. I had been able to convince her that all Shikta had told her were lies. Thankfully, she believed me, and we were fine.I pushed the door open without knocking, pulling Luxuria in behind me.Shikta was perched on the edge of her bed, a blanket draped over her legs. A servant stood beside her, spooning hot soup to her lips. Her gaze snapped to us the moment we entered, her expression souring as she registered the sight of our intertwined hands."Well," she sneered, pushing the servant's hand away. "Are you two done fucking and distur
LUXURIA.I swung the training blade hard, the dull thud of its impact against the tree satisfying but not enough to quell the restless fire burning inside me. Sweat trickled down my temples, dampening the loose strands of my hair that clung to my face. The woods were quiet, save for the rhythmic sound of my strikes and the occasional chirp of a bird overhead."I truly am sorry, Luxuria," Rorden's voice broke the stillness again. He stood a few paces behind me, "I already apologized for making you angry."I didn't respond. My focus remained on the training post I'd fashioned from a sturdy tree, my strikes coming faster, harder, as if I could drive the memory of his actions out of my mind.I decided to train in the woods today. Since the death of Vixtin, I hadn't gotten a new trainer yet to take over from where he stopped. I'd been doing it all by myself.He stepped closer, his boots crunching against the forest floor. "Are you even listening to me?""No," I muttered, raising the blade
ALPHA PARTHE."How do you feel?" I asked my wolf, but he was too weak to reply.We had been bound to the beast for so long that, in many ways, we had become one. And now, with that darkness torn from us, the absence felt unsettling.I exhaled slowly, feeling the exhaustion settle into my bones. I felt uncharacteristically weak. My limbs were heavier than I had ever known them to be, my mind sluggish, but I couldn't linger in weakness. I had to see this through. Luxuria's ritual was meant to happen immediately.There was no time. Mine had taken up to half an hour.I raised my hand to stop the cheering crowd."Bring him," I said to Urik who stood beside me and he bowed slightly before walking toward the dungeon.I watched him go, a strange emotion settling in my chest.I'd been thinking of ways to thank him but none seemed enough to show how thankful I truly am to have him by my side.Apart from Luxuria, Urik was the one person I doubted a lot for years. I always picked Tervan's side ov
ALPHA PARTHE."Let's begin," Kalaril said before leading the way to the large chamber that had been prepared for the rituals.The chamber was a vast, dimly lit expanse with air so thick with the scent of burning herbs and potent ancient power.The witches stood in a circle, their dark robes pooling around them like ink seeping into the floor. They hummed low chants that resonated through the chamber, carrying a tide of old magic.Kalaril stood in the middle of the circle, and for the first time since I had known him, he looked entirely in his element—an AshBlood wizard in his full, terrifying glory.The crowd waited outside.They weren't meant to witness what was about to happen. This moment belonged to the witches, to Kalaril, to Luxuria, to Sibile—and to me.Sibile lay on the cold altar, barely breathing, her face waxy and drenched in sweat. The gaping wound on her neck had turned an ugly shade, the blood flowing sluggishly. Her body was losing its battle against time.Too much time
LUXURIA.I ran breathlessly into our chamber and couldn't hold back the torrent of emotions threatening to consume me.He was still the same selfish man I had known. The same ruthless creature who saw lives as mere tools for his own survival.Why should I trust all he had said to me earlier? He only thinks about himself and no one else.I clawed at my arms as if trying to hold myself together, but the anger, the grief, and the sheer disbelief were too much.How could he even consider this?Why would he even think of using the poor girl for this purpose?Sibile had lived her entire life running, fighting to survive, and carrying a burden she never asked for. And now, at the very end, she was to be nothing more than a sacrifice?A broken sob burned my throat, but I forced it down. My hands trembled as I wiped at the tears that streaked my cheeks, furious at myself for even shedding them.Then the door creaked open behind me.I stiffened, knowing exactly who it was before I even turned.
LUXURIA.I woke up feeling better than I felt when I regained consciousness yesterday.I had woken to warmth. A steady, familiar heat pressed against my back, the feel of a strong arm draped over my waist, holding me close. The scent of cinnamon and musk surrounded me—Parthe.For a moment, I simply breathed him in, relishing the security of his embrace. It felt surreal, almost fragile, as if one wrong move would shatter the moment like delicate glass. But this was real. He was real.A soft clatter had drawn my attention to the bedside table. A tray of steaming food awaited me, the rich aroma wafting through the air. My stomach twisted with the overwhelming realization of how much had changed within the last few hours.I was here. Safe.But not everyone had been so fortunate.My heart ached for Rorden, I must say... The good side of Rorden.He was my friend and confidant at one of the most crucial points in my life. And I couldn't take that for granted.A single tear slipped down my ch
LUXURIA.The world felt unsteady. My head was light, my body weightless, as though I were drifting between reality and something far less tangible.My eyes fluttered open, struggling to adjust to the soft glow of the room. Everything around me was familiar—the scent of embers and musk, the dark tapestries, the heavy warmth of the space.Parthe's chamber.Our chamber.A tremor ran through my chest. I was home.And if the figure sitting in front of me was truly who I thought he was…My throat tightened, my vision blurring as I stared at him.My heart leaped, but not out of fear. I was finally safe. Away from Rorden. Because, if this was truly Parthe sitting in front of me, it meant one thing – He had saved me from Rorden.I couldn't remember anything about how I ended up in Parthe's pack or chamber, but I was grateful I did."Luxuria..." Parthe called in that voice I had been longing to hear for so long now.It seemed like a dream to me.A sob slipped past my lips. My chest ached with t
ALPHA PARTHE.I stood over her, afraid to breathe. Afraid to even move.Luxuria lay motionless on the bed, her body so still that for a terrifying moment, I thought I had already lost her. The weak rise and fall of her chest was the only thing tethering her to this world.It felt as though the air had been sucked from the room. As if the gods themselves were holding their breath, waiting for me to break.It seemed like the life she was holding onto would slip away if I even as much as shifted.Gods. How did I ever let myself be this blinded by the ones around me?The people I had called my confidants—the ones I had believed would never betray me—had been the very ones who tormented her. And I had let them.I had believed their lies over the truth that was in front of me.I had doubted her every single time.And now, she was caught in some silent battle between life and death while I could do nothing but watch.I clenched my fists, my nails biting into my palm.Fuck.I didn't deserve L
ALPHA PARTHE.Rorden's body trembled around my claws, his life ebbing from him in slow, uneven breaths. His blood coated my hand, and it was slick and hot, its coppery scent filling my nostrils.His trembling fingers still clung to my wrist as if he wanted to hold on.His lips parted, with the blood pooling there, spilling over, trailing down his chin in dark rivulets."Parthe…" His voice was weak and fractured. His body convulsed against mine, the last vestiges of strength slipping from him. But his eyes… his eyes burned, filled with something I had never seen in him before. Something… broken.I clenched my jaw, willing myself to finish this and end it. But my fingers hesitated around the fragile organ still beating weakly in my palm."Say it," I rasped, my voice thick and my jaw locked. "Say you regret it."A faint, blood-tinged smile touched his lips. "I don't," he whispered. "I never… regretted… trying to take back… what should have been mine."I exhaled sharply, my grip tightenin
ALPHA PARTHE.I snarled and took a step forward, but he stepped back, pressing the sword even harder on her delicate throat."You fucking coward," I growled, a scoff escaping my lips."We both know I am not a coward, Parthe. I am more of a man than you'd ever be. Everything I have had to endure only made me stronger and carved me into the man I am now," he said.The girl made a choked noise, but Rorden didn't react.He wasn't really here.His mind—his soul—was somewhere else."Do you even know what it's like, Parthe? To survive on your own like a real man should?""To be the unwanted son?" His voice cracked. "To know that no matter what you do, no matter how hard you fight—your own father will never fucking look at you the way you want him to?"I clenched my fists, my claws biting into my palms. "Our father was..." I was saying when he cut me off."No." His smile was thin. "Your father. Not mine. Never mine."His grip on the girl tightened."You were the golden child, Parthe. The heir
ALPHA PARTHE.Rorden's men fell. Like dead flies, their bodies littered my land, soaking the earth with their blood.And there was nothing more satisfying than that.Rorden was bleeding from every wound I had given him.So was I.But mine were worse. Especially the cuts my mate had inflicted on me. I wasn't healing.I had lost too much blood. And the only remedy I had was deep inside my chamber. I couldn't leave the war zone to go get it.I had to hold on a little longer."You're losing, brother," I taunted, my voice rough with exhaustion.Rorden barely had time to react before my fist collided with his jaw.Bone cracked. His head snapped to the side.And still, the bastard grinned."Never learned to give up?" I asked, driving my fist into his face in yet another punch. The impact sent blood flying from his lips. But he only laughed before spitting a mouthful of red onto the ground."Today is the day you'd breathe your last, Rorden," I recited a spell under my breath. My fingers burne