LUXURIA.There was silence. My heart pounded so loudly that I wondered if Rorden could hear it. His hazel eyes were piercing, studying me so intensely that it made my skin prickle with unease.We had come into my chamber, and I wondered what he had in mind. He wasn't saying anything."Rorden..." My voice came out in a shaky whisper, barely able to form his name. But he didn't respond. He just kept staring, those sharp eyes of his raking over me like he was trying to decipher some unsolvable puzzle."When did you notice this?" He finally spoke, and I was thankful he did.I swallowed hard, hesitating. How could I even begin to explain this to him? I didn't fully understand it myself. But I had to open up to him because he already knew my secret either way. There was no need to hide it any further.I only prayed the Alpha would believe me when I told him I had considered telling him before I bumped into Rorden."A few weeks ago..." I replied.He didn't move. His gaze didn't soften. Inste
ALPHA PARTHE.I just rounded up a hectic day, and all I desired was a hot bath and some sleep. The Harlem brothers almost made me lose control over their dispute.Sometimes, I wonder why I still let them stay in my pack. They always brought more trouble than peace to those around them.Thankfully, I was able to settle the dispute without having to rip their heads off.A knock sounded on my door, and I grunted before answering it."Shikta," I called when she walked into my chamber, "what do you want?" I asked in displeasure. I was too exhausted to entertain anyone right now."Alpha. Sorry to barge into you at this time. I know you must be very exhausted," She said, hurrying over to where I stood as she helped me undress.She always knew what to do at every point. One of the reasons I liked her alot."Yes. And I want to have some rest," I replied tiredly."Of course. How about a massage to help you rest better?" She asked, pulling me into the bathroom.Knowing that she intended to help
SHIKTA.I eagerly walked into my chamber, my curiosity getting the best of me. I lifted my dress and brought out the small vial I had taken from the Alpha's chamber.I had been able to put him to sleep, and just as I was about to leave, the vial caught my attention. It was lying carelessly under his study table.Something told me this was the answer to my questions regarding why I had been unable to bear him an heir.The vial looked unfamiliar. I had never prepared any potion for the Alpha that looked like this one.I had to study it properly to know what potion it contained and what to do if it was what I was thinking.And if this potion was what I suspected, if this was the reason I hadn't borne Alpha Parthe an heir, then everything was about to change.As soon as I finish my research, bearing an heir for the Alpha will be inevitable."Shikta?" I heard someone call me, and my wolf almost leaped out of my body."Selene! Zendaya! Why would you sneak up on me in that manner?" I asked,
LUXURIA.It was dawn. Thankfully.No strange occurrences through the night. I woke up on my bed and not on the floor. No blood on my body.Ha! What a relief!Recently, I go to bed scared because I really can't tell what happens when I black out. But now that I know what is at play, it scared me even more. I hope I wasn't killing people just like the Alpha.I still pondered over why I had seen Nevada in my memory. That memory has haunted me since that night. It was a younger version of herself I saw and... I don't know what to make of it, but it has sincerely bothered me.She had a smile on her face in that memory... Was I beginning to see visions? But I wasn't a witch.I contemplated telling Rorden about it since he has decided to be of help to me.Some might call me foolish or desperate for confiding in someone I just met a few days ago but I had no choice. I had been dying in silence for so long, and he seemed to understand what was wrong with me.Without him, I probably would have
ALPHA PARTHE.My fury knew no bounds. My knuckles cracked as they collided countlessly with the stone wall of my chamber, the sharp sting grounding me in my hot fury.My hand bled profusely, but I welcomed the pain. It was nothing compared to the rage burning inside me—nothing compared to the jealousy that ate away at my insides, tearing at the hollow pit where my heart should have been.I willed it all to go away. The anger. The jealousy. The hurt I felt inside.She thought I didn't know?I sensed her the very moment she crouched behind that window, listening to our conversation, caring about that pathetic excuse of a Beta.Every breath she took, every beat of her heart... I felt it all.I felt her every emotion. She still cared about that rat. She was hurt knowing that he was dying.I heard her soft sniffles. I could almost taste her tears, and it made me mad with rage.She was suffering, but not for me. For him.That thought... the very notion of her shedding even a single tear for
LUXURIAMy back pressed hard against the cold stone wall, my wrists pinned above my head. Alpha Parthe's touch was bruising, his body a storm of tension and anger.I felt his fury like a living thing—surging, consuming. His eyes blazed with a darkness that stole my breath.I had expected this. I knew he would punish me for what I'd come to ask. I had prepared for the roughness, the pain.I had come ready to sacrifice anything to save Kahel. But as I stared into those dark, storm-filled eyes, something twisted inside me—a desperate need to appease him, to soothe the rage I had caused. I wanted him to stop hating me.But as his lips claimed mine again, hard and demanding, I felt it—his anger... softening. His kiss was brutal, yes, but beneath that, something else was simmering.I gasped into his mouth, expecting more cruelty, but then something changed. It was as if a storm had suddenly passed, leaving behind a quiet calm.His touch began to shift. His hands, which had once held me with
UNKNOWN POV.It was getting late, and I was becoming impatient. She was always like this. Keeping me waiting. I wonder what joy she derived from doing this.The rustling of dried leaves caught my attention, and I knew she was the one. No one else knew this spot except both of us."It took you long enough," I said with a deep frown. She knew I was displeased."I'm sorry. I had to make sure no one was watching. You wouldn't want us to get caught, would you?" She asked with a familiar smile."What have you found out about the vial?" I asked, and she heaved a sigh."Nothing yet. I'll tell you as soon as I do." She replied."Shikta. There isn't much time to waste. There is every possibility that he'd crown Luxuria the Luna. I feel it in my guts. We have to act fast." I said in an urgent tone, and I saw the shift in her demeanor.She detested bitter truths."Don't say that. I'm already taking care of Luxuria, and you know that. She'd be dead even before she has the opportunity to wear that
ALPHA PARTHE.I became interested. But I had to keep my expression neutral. I won't give him the opportunity to think he was doing me a favor."What about the curse?" I asked, leaning back in my seat."From my time as a traveler, I was able to gather some vital knowledge about the deal Alpha Xanda made with the Moon Witch," He began, and I became even more interested, "there is a solution. One that might seem a bit difficult. But if you wish to live above your designated death time, you might want to consider it."My gaze darted to Urik before resting on Rorden again.Urik shifted beside me, curiosity sparking in his eyes, but I remained cautious."What solution do you speak of? And why should I trust you?" I asked with a smirk. "You must think me a fool."Rorden's jaw tightened. "You don't have to trust me, Alpha. But I wouldn't risk my life telling you this if it wasn't important."I scoffed, pinching the bridge of my nose, irritation bubbling beneath my skin. "Important? More like
SHIKTA.I was done for. The tears refused to stop flowing as I kept begging him to stop. But he didn't care. This felt more intentional than just mere pleasure."Tervan. Please," I cried as he slammed into me with a force that left me dizzy and breathless.He pulled me closer, parting my legs even wider with his strong hands, holding them firmly apart to give him better access. His erection was harder than ever, his monstrous size suddenly seeming a bit too much for me.I was helpless. He had secured my wrists against the headboard of his bed, leaving me completely at his mercy."Didn't I tell you to stay quiet and take what I have to offer? Huh?" He slammed into me, "Can't take what you asked for?" His hand grabbed my throat, stealing the air from my lungs.Since I started cheating on Parthe with Tervan, we never had the opportunity to fuck in such a secluded space without the fear of anyone - his mate - interrupting. Hence, I'd never seen this side of him. We always met in the woods
SHIKTA."Aren't you even ashamed? What manner of a man are you?" I asked the fool sitting before me, totally unmoved by what I had just told him.He sat at his desk, his broad back to me, head bent over a scroll that seemed far more deserving of his attention than I ever was. My heart twisted at the indifference he displayed and the casual way he dismissed my very existence without a glance."Tervan," I called, my voice laced with frustration as I approached him. He didn't flinch, didn't even lift his head."Tervan!" I repeated, slamming a hand down on the table. Finally, he leaned back in his chair, the wooden frame creaking under his weight. He tilted his head to look at me, his expression unreadable, his eyes lazily dragging over my face."What is it now, Shikta?" he drawled, the faintest trace of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Come to cry about something again?"My nails bit into my palms as I clenched my fists. "The Alpha tried to pry into my memories today," I snapp
LUXURIA.I barged into the chamber where I stay - I forbid to ever call it my chamber because I don't belong here.The door slammed shut behind me, and I leaned heavily against it, my chest rising and falling with frantic, uneven breaths. The air in the room was thick, suffocating, as if the walls themselves had conspired to close in on me.How could he? Why would he go to such lengths?My hands trembled as I pushed myself off the door and moved toward the window. My gaze drifted to the familiar stretch of thick, green foliage outside, the trees swaying ever so slightly in the breeze. It was the same lifeless view I had grown sick of.Nobody walked there. Nobody dared to. Rorden had made sure of that.It was almost sundown. I had to prepare for my escape tonight. I couldn't stay here anymore.On my way out of Nevada's chamber, I took note of the escape route I had seen, just to be sure I etched it in my memory.It was worth the risk, even though I didn't know where that door led. The
LUXURIA."Nevada?" I called, wishing someone would wake me up from this dream."Surprised, Luxuria? I thought you'd help to see a familiar face," Rorden said with smug satisfaction, lacing his tone.My fists clenched at my side as I fought to ignore him.What was she doing here? Did this mean she was working with Rorden? Even while at the pack? My thoughts raced like wildfire, desperate to piece together an explanation.Her face softened as her teary eyes found mine. "Luxuria," she whispered, her voice trembling with an emotion I couldn't quite place. "My child."Her words hit me like a thunderclap. My child? I froze as she reached for me, her arms outstretched. My muscles tensed, every fiber of my being telling me to step back, but I stayed rooted. When her arms wrapped around me in a warm embrace, I felt a foreign comfort, like stepping into sunlight after years of shadow.It was jarring. Disorienting.I didn't know exactly how to respond to this. Nevada had never been nice to me si
RORDEN.Her palm cracked against my cheek in a stinging slap."I never chose you, and I never will! Parthe is my mate—the only man I will ever love! There is no room in my heart for a monster like you!"Her words cut deeper than they should have."You never should have done that, Luxuria," I growled, my eyes shining a bright shade of red. My wolf, Ryker, was partly in charge. My wolf, as unforgiving as I was, detested defiance with everything in him. And so did I.I let myself loose as I seized her arm, dragging her roughly back onto the bed. Her soft cries filled my ears as I pressed her down."No! Rorden!" she gasped, struggling against me, but her strength was no match for mine.Before she could process what I was trying to do, I was already on top of her, my fingers wrapping around her delicate neck as I squeezed.Her wide, tear-filled eyes locked onto mine, a blend of fear and fury swirling within them."Listen carefully, Luxuria," I hissed through clenched teeth. "The next time y
RORDEN.It was almost time.The moment I had been waiting for—the culmination of every plan, every move, every drop of blood spilled—was finally upon me. The end was here.For all my power, for all I had achieved as an AshBlood wizard, nothing compared to this. Nothing compared to the thought of Parthe kneeling before me, stripped of his pride, his strength, his so-called invincibility, begging for mercy he would never receive.I could almost taste it.He always fancied himself untouchable—powerful, fearless, the unbeatable Alpha of the North. But he had yet to meet me. Truly meet me. I was everything he was not and could never hope to be.Growing up alone in the wilds, surrounded by predators—both human and beast—had forged me into the man I am.In the brutal law of survival, I thrived. Kill or be killed, dominate or be destroyed. There was no middle ground. Everyone who had ever crossed paths with Alpha Rorden, the Blood Alpha, had come to understand this truth. They feared me, and r
ALPHA PARTHE.It was the hardest thing to do. Pretending to care when, in the real sense, I don't. Even though I had no mate anymore, I still felt like I was betraying the bond that I once had with my mate by allowing this woman to lay on my bed... The bed which I had promised my mate never to let any other woman lay on.I stared down at the woman in my arms, who was sleeping like she didn't have any care in the world.It looked like she was actually in need of this attention so much that as soon as I held her in my arms, it only took a few pats on her back to get her to fall into a deep slumber."Shikta?" I called softly, but her soft mumble was incoherent, a slurred response from a mind far too deep in slumber to process my call. I glanced at her face, slack and unguarded in sleep. The vulnerability of it—the complete lack of awareness—was almost laughable. This woman, who so boldly challenged my patience earlier, now rested in my arms as though she belonged there.But she didn't.I
ALPHA PARTHE."You should count yourself lucky we've come a long way, Urik," I growled, my anger simmering, barely contained, as I stared him down. "You've disappointed me more than I thought possible. I feel like I've betrayed my friend because of your paranoia."Urik stood before me, his lips parted, but no sound came out at first. He was scrambling for an argument, something to redeem himself.Finally, he found his voice. "You need to look beyond all this, Alpha," he urged, "What if he knew you were following him? What if he diverted his path just to throw you off?"He wasn't going to give up on this, was he?My glare darkened, and I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration, shaking my head in disbelief as I tried to shake off the obvious doubt his words stirred. "I was as careful as a hunter stalking prey, Urik. You should know better than anyone—there's no chance he saw me."There was silence. He knew the truth of my words. I was the shadow in the dark, the predator no one h
ALPHA PARTHE.Urik's words had refused to fade away since I had that triggering conversation with him. I wanted to dismiss it, but I couldn't.Just as much as I know he and Tervan hated each other, I never thought Urik would stoop so low as to make up such stories about Tervan.How could he ever suggest that Tervan might be up to something fishy against the pack? He also suggested, although without proof or enough conviction, that Tervan might know Luxuria's whereabouts.It made me laugh so hard, even though a tiny part of me was trying to betray the friendship I had shared with Tervan to believe what Urik was trying to say.Wearing this black cloak on this cold night, preparing to secretly follow Tervan, my trusted friend and Beta, to see if he was trying to betray me, seemed like a betrayal in itself. But Urik had insisted, and in order to prove him and a part of myself wrong, I agreed to trail Tervan tonight."Alpha, he's on the move." Urik mind-linked me, and I straightened up imm