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
UNKNOWN POV.I couldn't believe this was happening. This ruins it all. It changes it all."What's wrong? Why the urgency?" Shikta asked when she approached me. It was dark, but not everyone had gone to bed yet. But it was urgent, and we had to meet at our usual meeting point."We have a little bit of a problem, Shikta." I said, "A little bird told me something just a few moments ago.""Stop with the riddles. I am curious." She snapped impatiently."The Alpha is set to make Luxuria the next Luna of our pack. Our plans are falling apart." I said, frustration lacing my tone."You have to stay calm. We still have a hundred other options to make things work in our favor." Shikta said with a wry smile."What other options? Your poison seems to be taking longer than necessary to take effect." I said mockingly, and she gave me a glare."We eliminate her." She said, and I scoffed."Eliminate her?" I repeated, the words sour on my tongue. "You make it sound simple. But have you forgotten who we
LUXURIA.I could barely sleep all night. I was terrified. However, Rorden had told me not to worry about Shikta. He sounded so certain that she wasn't going to tell the Alpha what she had seen the previous night.I desperately wanted to believe him, but I couldn't. Shikta would do anything to get rid of me, and I knew it.Now, I am scared of facing the Alpha. What if she had already told him?Panic took over me, but I had to take the risk. I had to ask for his permission to step out of the pack. Hopefully, I might be fortunate and Shikta might not have told him anything yet.I wrapped my hair loosely and headed toward the Alpha's chamber. It was still very early, and he should still be in his chamber.Despite my fears, the memory of yesterday still lingered in my mind as I walked through the quiet hall.My feet moved silently over the floor, but my thoughts were loud—too loud. I shouldn't be thinking about it, about him.His touch was still fresh on my skin, the way he had claimed me,
LUXURIA.I stepped out of the bathroom, drying myself up, when my hands touched the familiar locket on my neck. I paused, caressing it.My mind drifted to how much time had gone since the day Kahel gifted me the locket and sang about his undying love for me.I had been a fool to have believed him.A lone tear slid down my cheeks at the thought of seeing him being intimate with Rella.I pulled the locket roughly, and it came off my neck with a snap. I tossed it into the trash, willing for the ache in my heart to go away.I heard a knock on my door, and I rushed to answer it. I hoped it was Rorden. Even though he said he'd see me later tonight, I hoped he had already come up with a solution.Seeing Amelia as soon as possible was paramount. The full moon is in a few days, and I know I have been trying to control the curse, but I can't tell what happens on the full moon. I am not the Alpha. I do not know how he manages his, and I wouldn't want to find out by the nature of destruction I mi
ALPHA PARTHE.I have been having this nagging feeling since Luxuria left my chamber this morning. Something tells me she wants to sneak out of the pack deliberately. Perhaps to see Kahel.The mere thought of it made me mad with rage. What was she thinking?"You are overreacting," Ravorn, my wolf, said with a hiss."Not now, Ravorn." I dismissed him.He's been this way ever since our passionate encounter with our mate. He was upset that we didn't get to mark her. I had my reasons for not marking her just yet. I'll do that when the time is right."If you had just marked her, you wouldn't be this insecure, you know?" He mocked me."What is your point, Rav?" I asked frustratedly."You are already falling in love with her. Why hide it?" He asked."You know the answer to that already. She doesn't feel the same way for us. Her heart still belongs to someone else," I replied."You are wrong. I feel it. She feels something for you, but she is scared. You've always wanted this... A fated mate.
LUXURIA.What would he think of me? He'd think I was truly up to no good in the pack. He always had that notion. And now, seeing me getting into a heated argument with Nevada would surely prove him right."Is there a problem here?" Tervan's voice was calm but laced with authority.I took a step back, my chest heaving with tense breaths.I opened my mouth to speak, but the words caught in my throat. All eyes were on me now.Why did they stare at me as if I was the problem? Hadn't they witnessed what Nevada did to me?The accusation in their gaze made my heart drop further."Beta Tervan..." Nevada called ever so calmly, a sly smile creeping onto her face. "It seems the Alpha's mate breeds trouble wherever she goes. This would be the second time she is trying so hard to get me into trouble with the Alpha." She said.I narrowed my brows to her words, disbelief coursing through me. "That’s not true—”“Just last week, she barged into the kitchen unannounced, yelling at the other maids, dema
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
ALPHA PARTHE."Fifty men to the East entrance!" Kefas commanded.The warriors moved, their armor glinting under the early light, boots thudding against the earth as they marched to their positions. Some carried shields, others had double-bladed axes, and a few had bows slung over their backs.The entire camp was a storm of movement.Blacksmiths pounded metal against metal, forging last-minute weapons. Stable hands hurried to saddle warhorses, the beasts stamping their hooves impatiently. Runners darted between squadrons, delivering orders.Over three thousand men. Positioned strategically. Ready for war.And yet, I stood there, watching, my gut twisted into knots.What if we were wrong? This would all seem and feel stupid. But there was no time to second-guess. I had already given the command."Parthe?" A familiar voice called me, and I stilled.Tervan.I turned slowly, my face betraying nothing, though my insides recoiled. He was covered in dust, his tunic streaked with sweat. He had
ALPHA PARTHE."The warriors await your orders, Alpha,"Kefas's voice barely registered. My mind was elsewhere.Once again, I was thinking about Luxuria. No matter how hard I tried to push her from my mind, she always found a way back in.I tried offering sacrifices to the goddess, but it seemed she had also forsaken me. I didn't want to believe Urik's theory, as well as the theories of others who thought she had run away with Rorden.Rorden was always good at hiding. Whenever he left the pack back in those days, no one ever found him until he was ready to be found or until he returned to the pack. Maybe he had taken her to one of those hideouts of his, and they were probably living their best lives."Alpha?" Bharon called, and I lifted my gaze to meet their curious ones. But before I'd say a word to them, the doors to my courtroom banged open, and Urik strode in with urgency on his face."Alpha, I have gotten her to tell me everything she knows. We have to act fast. They are coming. I
LUXURIA'S POV.Nevada stilled at the sight of the monster standing before us. His aura had become ten times darker and more terrifying than before that was certain I didn't want to be in the same space with him.His eyes held promises that scared me... I wasn't safe with him... My pups aren't safe either. What if he tries to get rid of them again?"Alpha?" She greeted with a nervous how before hurrying out of the chamber, leaving me at his mercy.He barely even acknowledged her.His eyes rested on the scroll in my hands before trailing up to meet my tearfilled gaze. He moved without sound, his robes flowing around him like liquid darkness, swallowing every trace of warmth from the room. The door groaned as he pushed it shut, making me jolt in fear.A slow smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he took slow steps forward."My little Luxuria," he murmured with amusement. "Why are you holding my scroll?"I took a step back instinctively, my heart slamming against my ribs. My hands tre
LUXURIA.I paced the room, my nails scraping against my lips as I chewed on them anxiously, my heart hammering against my ribs. Fear coiled tight in my stomach, but at least my babies were safe. For now.I was able to learn from Nevada that Rorden had gone for some kind of fortification or ritual of some sort, but she refused to tell me why. And that bothered me. Deep in my bones, something felt off. Something was definitely wrong.Rorden had instructed that I'd be taken to his chamber after recovering yesterday. The entire place reeked of him, and my stomach churned with disgust. I didn't want to be anywhere near him, let alone trapped in a space that belonged to him.My mind wandered in Parthe's direction again, and as usual, I was helpless... I couldn't stop myself from thinking about him and Shikta.Shikta's dreams would have come true... Her dreams of becoming Luna.Parthe must have moved on with his life. I knew that... Otherwise, he should have been looking for me already. Rord
PARTHE.Did I care that I lost a child?Not really.Did that make me a bad person? Maybe.But who cared?I exhaled, stretching my fingers before curling them into fists again, feeling the sharp sting of my own strength pressing into my palms.I should have cared. I should have felt something other than this quiet, creeping satisfaction that coiled inside me.But I didn't.A twisted, irrational sense of relief seeped into my bones at the thought of Shikta losing that child. I couldn't even explain why. Perhaps it was because I never wanted a child from her. Perhaps because I never wanted anything to bind me to her in the first place.Or maybe it was because fate had already taken everything from me. My mate. My peace. My patience. And now, it had stripped away something I was supposed to mourn—but couldn't.I had always wanted my heir to come from a woman I love... My mate... But fate ruined everything and is still ruining my efforts!I slammed my fist on the wooden table before me in
SHIKTA.I jolted upright, my breath ragged, my heart hammering so hard I thought it might tear through my ribs. My hands clutched at the sheets, damp with sweat, as my frantic gaze darted around the dimly lit chamber.Where was I?For a brief, foolish moment, I hoped I had woken up at the very moment the darkness swallowed me whole and that I hadn't blacked out for too long. Or that it had all been a nightmare, nothing more. But it was only a wish.A splitting headache welcomed me, as well as a terrifying dizziness that almost sent me back to the bed I had just woken up from.I swayed, barely able to keep myself upright, my stomach churning like a stormy sea."You need to rest, Shikta." I heard the Alpha's voice from somewhere around the room.I looked around immediately to see him standing in a dark corner of the room."Parthe... Parthe..." I called, too in a hurry to stand up, meet him, and explain all that Tervan tried to do, that I didn't notice the sharp pain that was plaguing my
SHIKTA."What took you so long, you pathetic little thing? How long does it take to get a simple tea done?" I snapped at the lazy maid whose thin shoulders were shivering before me.I watched her struggle to form a response, her lips quivering as she opened her mouth—only to fail miserably.How utterly pathetic.She looked far too weak, too fragile, and it was satisfying.I leaned back in my chair, allowing myself the pleasure of her misery.When I became Luna, I had turned most of Parthe's former mistresses into my slaves. He had no problem with that, and I was thankful for it. And this one—this wretched, simpering girl—had once warmed my Alpha's bed.The very thought of it filled me with rage that I wanted to maltreat the life out of her!If it weren't for the child growing inside me, I might have thrown something at her just for the satisfaction of seeing her cower."When I ask for tea, I expect it before my patience runs out," I said slowly, letting the words slither into her bone