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
ALPHA PARTHE.I decided to pay Alpha Jalar a visit. Today seemed like a fine day for that. I arrived at the edges of his territory, and I could barely contain my rage.My patience had worn thin, and today would be the last time I allowed this to fester. Tervan, Griff, and Urik flanked me silently.Alpha Jalar wasn't one to be underestimated. He was in his early fifties but still possessed the rugged strength of a much younger man.His face was marked by a deep scar running across his jawline, and sometimes, I sincerely wish I was the one who had left that scar on his face. He had his scanty black hair tied in a ponytail.Jalar stood waiting outside his pack house; his arms crossed over his chest as if this confrontation was little more than a bothersome chore.I had no intention of drawing this out."Alpha Parthe," Jalar greeted, his tone condescending, as if we were old friends catching up rather than enemies standing on contested ground. "What brings you all the way out here? Surely
LUXURIA.I have been waiting all afternoon to see the Alpha. I heard he went out of the pack. My heart raced. This was what I wanted, but the idea of Shikta threatening me with the wrong impression she got from last night unnerved me.I had informed Rorden about Shikta's threats. Although he wasn't bothered about it, he encouraged me to give the Alpha an excuse, saying I was doing this for our own benefit and not because of Shikta's threats.It was already sundown, and I was certain the Alpha was back. It wouldn't hurt to go and check.Just as I prepared to leave my chamber, a knock startled me.No. Not now. This wasn't time for an interruption. I couldn't let anyone in.I made sure I was ready to leave, so as soon as I opened the door, I'd dismiss whoever was there.When I opened it, I was surprised to see Gamma Urik standing there. He had a serious expression on his face that made me uncomfortable.We've never really spoken since I came into the pack. He seemed like a reserved perso
He leaned down slightly, his breath hot against my ear as he whispered, "You don't want to disappoint me, do you, Luxuria?"I shook my head, my voice lost somewhere between my dry throat and the tightening knot of anticipation inside me. His thumb brushed over my trembling lips, parting them slightly, his touch rough yet deliberate. The heat from his skin seared me, making my pulse race faster."Good," he murmured, his tone softer but no less commanding. "Now, open your mouth for me."I hesitated for a fraction of a second, but the pressure of his grip on my hair reminded me that this wasn't an option—it was a command. Slowly, I parted my lips, my heart thudding loudly in my chest as I forced myself to relax.He guided his cock toward my mouth, pressing the tip against my lips. His salty, musky taste filled my senses as he pushed forward, sliding past my parted lips. I gagged slightly at the intrusion, but his hold on me tightened, preventing any retreat."Take it all," he ordered, hi
LUXURIA.I had to come up with something. For whatever reason, the Alpha had decided to leave me behind. I was grateful, but keeping me confined to his chambers wouldn't help with my plans.Rorden would be waiting for me right now. And I hoped Shikta was able to go with the Alpha in my stead because, as it stands, I could boldly say I kept to my words."What do we do?" I asked my wolf, Xurie."I don't know. Maybe we could get help from someone on the outside," She replied, "but... I don't feel right about this. If the Alpha finds out...""He won't find out. We'll be quick about it." I retorted.Suddenly, an idea popped in.I opened the door and spoke to the guard again, "I need to see Dashi." I said, hoping they'd let me through."Forgive me, but we have strict instructions not to let you leave." One of the guards explained again."But we can bring her to you." The second guard said, and it was a bit relieving."Okay. Please bring her to me."Shortly after I went back into the room, t
LUXURIA.I was overly weak but kept moving. My body still ached, and I felt sore all over.Rorden knew all the nooks and crannies of the pack, and somehow, we were able to sneak past the guards. And even when we encountered two guards at the pack's Eastern exit, Rorden was able to go past them.They seemed very familiar with each other. Plus, I wasn't entirely popular among the Wild Wolf pack. So it was easy telling them a lie or two about me, and they let us pass.The sun was almost up, and I couldn't say I wasn't nervous. I willed for the horses to go faster than how they moved, but it was only a wish.The Wild Wolf pack was very enormous. To get to each border, one had to be intentional about it. The borders were quite far from the pack, especially the Eastern border.Rorden's men were more specific about where Amelia was spotted around the Eastern side of our border. She was somewhere around the Dolcanian mountains. Quite the hideout.It was a quiet trip. Rorden barely said a word
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
ALPHA PARTHE.I had become a shadow of myself lately. Nothing interests me anymore. Life itself became nothing but a chore to me.Where had she gone? She couldn't have just fled into thin air without a trace. I beat myself up for ever passing such cruel judgment on her in the first place, even if it was the best thing to do.But... Maybe I should have sent my men to go after her much sooner than I did. Maybe I wasted too much time before sending them after her.What if Urik was right? He had made a valid point when we spoke yesterday. I mean, even though I didn't want to believe anything else Urik had to say, his point made a lot of sense – what if Luxuria had been captured by one of my enemies?The only reason I haven't raided the packs of all those I consider enemies was that one thing was holding me back – if she had been taken by one of them, they would have tried to reach out to me already, demanding ransoms and trying to reach certain ridiculous agreements by now.She was an ass
LUXURIA.My eyes felt heavy and sore. My whole body hurt with a strange kind of ache. I winced, forcing my heavy eyes open."Ah..." A small cry left my lips when a splitting headache tore through my head.I jolted up immediately when I recalled all that had happened that led to the way I was feeling. The entire room spun with the force, and I held my forehead at the impact I felt."Easy, child," I heard a familiar voice from beside me, hands wrapping around me.I turned to see Nevada with a small cloth in her hands and a bowl of something that looked like herbs on the floor beside her. My body felt wet. She must have been cleaning me up with the herbs."What... What are you doing?" I asked, searching around frantically, "Where is Rorden? What about my child? What happened to my child?" My breathing became erratic at once.I looked down at my stomach, shifting and trying to stand up to see if I'd be able to tell whether or not my child was okay, but Nevada held me by my shoulders."Rel
RORDEN.No.The word pulsed in my skull, violent and deafening.No. No. No.It couldn't be.She couldn't be.My breathing turned ragged, my entire body locking up, the truth solidifying in my mind as my magic confirmed what my soul refused to accept. Luxuria was pregnant. And not with my child.A guttural sound ripped from my throat. My magic surged violently, reacting to my fury, to my devastation. The air around us crackled. The walls trembled.Luxuria's eyes widened in terror. "Rorden—! What are you doing?" She shrieked.But I was already moving.My hand clamped around her wrist, yanking her up so fast she cried out; her other hand flew instinctively to her stomach, cradling the life growing inside her.His child.Parthe.That cursed bastard.The realization sliced through me deeper than any blade ever could. It burned.My fingers dug into her skin, my entire body trembling as I stared at her, at this woman who had dared to do this to me."Why?" My voice cracked, something jagged a
LUXURIA."I knew you were going to try something crafty," Rorden seethed as he pulled me, "Didn't you think it was a little too convenient?" His breath was hot against my face. "No guards, No barrier. Did you really think you were that Iucky, Luxuria?"Before I could answer, his hand shot out, fingers wrapping around my throat as he slammed me against the wall. The impact sent a sharp shock of pain rattling down my spine, and I gasped, clawing at his wrist.His eyes, wild and seething, locked onto me, and I Knew. I knew I had pushed him too far.I couldn't look into his eyes, not when they burned with something darker than fury – something that made my stomach twist violently. My silence only seemed to fuel him further. His fingers tightened just slightly, forcing my chin up and me to meet his gaze.We were all alone in the chamber he called mine, and I was scared for my life.I'd always known Rorden to be a man of little temper but experiencing it was on a whole new level. Since he a
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