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.As I stepped through the arched doorway, my eyes scanned the room, noting the seated elders whose faces were twisted in a frown.My gaze stopped on Shikta. She was seated to the side, her hands folded over her stomach.She looked up at me with a carefully crafted expression of hurt, her lips trembling just enough to sway any observer."Bloody fools," I muttered under my breath."Parthe," the First Elder began as I took my seat, "we'll get straight to the point. Why do you insist on crowning Luxuria as Luna when Shikta carries your child?""Because Luxuria is my mate," I said coldly.Shikta flinched, her lips parting as if she were about to object, but she held back. The elders exchanged uneasy glances before the Second Elder spoke."This decision will divide the pack, Alpha. It undermines tradition. The child Shikta bears—your child—will secure the future of this pack's bloodline. That child is your first and can't be treated like an outcast. Shikta must be Luna.”"I didn
NOTE!!! This chapter contains contents that might be sensitive to some readers. If you aren't into non-con, kindly skip it.RORDEN.I am losing my mind. My focus. My control.The fire within me burned hotter with each passing day like a relentless inferno that refused to be extinguished.This wasn't just mere desire—it was need, raw and maddening, that clawed at the edges of my sanity.She consumed my thoughts. Always her.I never intended to fall in love with my cousin's mate. But right now, I could do just anything to make her mine.It's becoming an obsession and eating deep into my soul.I had tried so many ways to get her off my mind, but all to no avail. I've slept with a lot of women, but I still hunger for her. I've traveled far away, trying to keep my distance, but it didn't help quench my burning hunger.The hunger I felt for her was not one I could cage.Fuck. I needed a taste of her. A feel of her. I wanted to touch her. I wanted to claim her in ways that no other man, not e
LUXURIA. My body felt unnaturally heavy as if I carried the weight of stones beneath my skin. Every inch of me ached—My limbs, head, joints, and... the sharp soreness between my thighs. I snapped my eyes open, heart hammering against my ribs. The room around me swam into view: deep, shadowed corners bathed in faint candlelight, the rich mahogany of furniture I knew all too well, and the unmistakable scent of him—smoke, cedarwood, and something darker, uniquely Parthe. I was in Parthe's chamber - our chamber. How did I get here? Fragments of memory floated just out of reach. The last thing I remembered was the heated argument with Parthe. I had stormed off to find Dashi, who had reminded me—again—that she was going to see Tarin and made me promise her, as usual, that I would keep it between us. I always kept her secret. And then… nothing. Oh, Selene. My memory loss was getting out of hand, and it scared me to death. The fear coiled tight in my chest, threatening to choke me. I s
LUXURIA.I made my way to Rorden's chamber as fast as I could. Thankfully, it was quiet and empty as usual. Everyone had gone out to their daily activities.I knocked urgently in panic. It took a little while before he opened the door, revealing his disheveled figure. He was still asleep. That was very unlike Rorden."Luxuria," he said, his voice rough with fatigue. His gaze swept over me, his brow furrowing. "What are you doing here so early?"I couldn't answer immediately. My thoughts were jumbled, my emotions a storm I couldn't contain. Instead of replying, I stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, pacing the length of his chamber.He closed the door behind him with a sigh, moving toward his table and gathering the scattered scrolls and notes that littered its surface.I couldn't care less to see what they were. He'd been working on those for so long now."Luxuria," he said again, his tone firmer this time, "what's wrong?"I stopped pacing and turned to face him. My hands
LUXURIA.I barged into our chamber, ready to confront Parthe. He had crossed the line this time. I felt lost. Empty. Confused.I wasn't myself. It was as if I had lost a piece of myself last night because I woke up feeling incomplete this morning.Losing a friend wasn't something I'd like to endure right now. I needed Dashi now more than ever. I couldn't afford to lose her.His head snapped up at the intrusion, his coal-black eyes narrowing."What the fuck?" He muttered at the force at which I had flung the door open."How could you?" I spat, my voice trembling with fury and something else I couldn't quite name—grief, maybe, or betrayal. My chest heaved, my breaths coming in short, ragged bursts as I charged toward him, stopping just short of his towering figure.My chest heaved, and my breaths came out in short rasps."What are you talking about?" He raised a brow, looking at me as if he truly didn't know what I was talking about."Don't lie to me, Parthe!" My fists clenched at my si
LUXURIA.I'd been restless all day. No matter how hard I tried, I felt uneasy and I knew it wasn't because of the coronation which was happening in a few hours. It was something else... Something else I just couldn't place.I had a bad feeling... Almost as if something bad was going to happen.I put on my cloak, ready to go and see Dashi. Parthe told me he'd spoken with her, and she now believes I didn't spill her secret. But who did?It was biting cold outside and quiet, too. Almost everyone had retired to bed. Tomorrow is the grand event.I reached her door and hesitated, the unease prickling at the back of my neck. I raised my hand to knock when a voice startled me."Greetings, Luna," I heard a voice from behind me just as I was about to knock, and when I turned, it was Kara, one of the pack's midwives.Her warm smile and deep bow momentarily eased my nerves."Greetings, Kara. How are you faring?" I smiled at her."Very well, Luna. Congratulations on your coronation tomorrow. We ar
ALPHA PARTHE.Rage. Desperation. Fear. It all crashed into me like a wave.I shook, my vision blurring with red – the kind of red that wanted me to spill the blood of just one man... Rorden.My hands clenched into fists so tight my claws punctured my palms when he strode lazily toward me with a smug smile on his face.Like this was all some cruel fucking joke.Like this wasn't the end of my fucking world.I snapped my head up, my vision tunneling to where he stood, amusement dripping from every inch of his face."I will kill you." I gritted out."You should be thankful I didn't kill them, Parthe. I had the chance to." He shrugged, his voice dripping with arrogance. "But at least I got a taste of her so many times that my cock still juices up at the thought of it…"My breath hitched. My vision blurred."Well, even if it was without her consent…" A slow smirk twisted his lips as he lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "You know how we, AshBloods, are… We take even the things p
ALPHA PARTHE.Rorden had seen it, too, because the smugness on his face slipped. His head snapped towards the gates, his eyes narrowing as he took in the approaching army.For the first time since this bloodbath started, panic flickered across his features.Good.Because he hadn't seen this coming either. And if Urik was also here to betray me, I sure as hell knew that he'd be attacking Rorden's warriors, too.A battle horn sounded from the gates, and Urik raised his sword high and muttered, "Finish them all!"And his warriors crashed into the enemy like a hurricane.These weren't just any soldiers.They knew exactly where to strike. How to strike.And their weapons—they were designed to kill Rorden's men.How?I barely had time to process it before Urik reached me. His horse skidded to a halt, kicking up dust and blood-soaked dirt.I waited and braced myself for the betraying words he would drop to my face, but to my surprise, he jumped down and hurried in my direction with his sword
ALPHA PARTHE.The battlefield was chaos.A brutal, blood-soaked chaos that should have fueled me, should have ignited the monster within and sent me storming through the carnage like the wrath of the gods themselves.But my mind—my fucking mind—was splintering.Rorden was cutting down my warriors, hacking through them like they were nothing. The bastard was laughing, reveling in the destruction he was causing.And I was stuck.Torn between the bitter truth he had shoved down my throat and the beast snarling before me—my mate.Luxuria.I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that my mate was actually the cure to my curse, as well as that of Rorden's.If I didn't act—if I kept standing here like a fucking fool, trying to grasp what had already unraveled before my eyes—she would rip me apart.And the worst part?I wouldn't even fight back.Not against her.Not against my own damnation.She moved too fast.One second, she was snarling, her monstrous form rippling with barely contained fur
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