ALPHA PARTHE.The healers have been able to bring her out of danger while they prepare for the actual procedure needed to ensure the poison stops spreading.I asked them to make sure the potion was the most potent they could ever make. They said it was possible but they needed my blood for it - that's how much power I possess.No one can begin to imagine all the things my blood could do.I had given them more than enough. If they needed more, I'd drain the entire blood in my veins just for her. I'd bleed myself dry if it meant saving her.The potion should be ready before dawn.The assistant head witch, Dalia, was seeing to it since Shikta had been nowhere to be found all day.I stood over Luxuria, watching the gentle rise and fall of her chest, my hands resting at my sides as if I could steady the world around her by my sheer will alone.Watching her pale body lay almost lifeless on my bed made me feel something I hadn't felt in a long time - fear.The pale moonlight filtered through
ALPHA PARTHE.I jolted awake, gasping for breath, drenched in cold sweat. My heart pounded in my chest. I rubbed my face with trembling hands, struggling to shake off the nightmare, but it clung to me, suffocating me as always. The same guilt, the same horror.I gripped the edges of the stool, trying to ground myself in the present. My breaths were shallow, ragged, as if I'd run through the woods all over again.My muscles burned, and the bitter taste of bile clung to the back of my throat.I looked up, my gaze drawn to the bed where Luxuria lay. I saw the steady rise and fall of her chest, which reassured me that she was still breathing.But my heart clenched with a new kind of fear.The way Luxuria had started to make me feel scared me. It was a danger to her.I know she didn't love me yet. And at this point, I think she shouldn't.I was letting myself love and care for her, forgetting the danger I could be to the ones I love and care about.I had to make it stop.If I allowed her to
LUXURIA.My body didn't feel like mine. Every part of me ached, heavy and foreign, as if the weight of the world itself had collapsed onto my chest. I groaned softly, my eyelids fluttering open, barely able to adjust to the pale light filtering through the room. My vision blurred for a moment, and then slowly, shapes began to take form.Where was I?My breathing was shallow, each breath feeling like a burden. As the room came into focus, I recognized the familiar surroundings of my chamber.How did I end up here? What happened? I wondered.Then it hit me.The rogues. The chaos. The Blood.The sharp, ice-cold tendrils of fear wrapped around my chest as the memory surged back.I thought I was going to die. How was I alive?I tried to sit up, my mind swirling with a thousand questions, but my body betrayed me. Weakness clung to my limbs like chains, preventing me from even lifting a finger. I let out a frustrated breath, the sound more pitiful than I intended."You’re awake,” a voice sai
ALPHA PARTHE.I was eager to hear what Tervan had to say. I hadn't slept a wink all night. I put all my self-control to use. Otherwise, I'd have barged into Luxuria's chamber just to make sure she was fine.My wolf wasn't speaking to me anymore. He was pissed, but I hoped he understood that this was for the best."She is recovering well, Alpha," Tervan said when he sat on the seat across from me."And...?" I asked, hoping to hear more. There was nothing in particular I wanted to hear, but I just wished he had more to say."That's it. She is recovering. She was able to speak with us. Although she's still very weak, she'd live." He reported so casually, and it grated on my nerves."I expected a more detailed report, Tervan," I said, leaning back on my seat, my eyes closed and my left hand massaging my left temple.Tervan scoffed, "A more detailed report like how she stirred lazily before her eyes fluttered open? Or the entire conversation that had taken place?"He was pissed. I know. I
ALPHA PARTHE.Did I hear correctly? Me? A coward? My entire body went rigid, muscles tensing as I clenched my fists at my sides. The blood pounded in my ears, and a wildfire of anger ignited in my veins."Geth..." I growled his name through gritted teeth, barely containing the rage surging through me."Parthe, no matter what has happened in the past, we are still family," he continued, unbothered by my fury, his calm voice somehow more infuriating. "Your mother would curse me from the grave if I kept a solution from you. It doesn't matter if you don't like what I have to say." He added, almost as if he hadn't just called me a coward."Sit." He said, but I didn't make a move. "Sit down, Parthe!" His tone shifted from casual to commanding.I hesitated for a moment before dropping into the seat behind me, every nerve in my body still seething with anger."You are one of the greatest Alphas to ever live from your lineage. It would be a waste to let that legacy slip away out of foolishness
ALPHA PARTHE.I stiffened, my blood running cold as I slowly turned. Dashi stood there, her gaze locked onto mine, her brow furrowed in confusion.She had seen me peering into my mate's window like some lovesick fool. I could feel the heat of embarrassment creeping up my neck.For a moment, we stared at each other in silence. I could almost hear the questions forming in her mind, but she was too scared to ask.I knew she felt uncomfortable under my deathly glare.I glared at her as though she was the one invading my privacy and not me invading someone else's privacy.She cleared her throat and spoke, trembling slightly with confusion and panic, "I... I came to spend the night with her to make sure she's not alone and... And just in case she might need anything through the night." She paused, her eyes darting around, unable to meet my glare, "but I'll just head back to my chamber..." She said, turning to leave, but I stopped her with just one word."Stay."Then, without another word, I
LUXURIA.Dashi made sure not to leave me in the confines of my chamber. She had spent the night with me, and I was thankful. But I needed some more time alone.I felt better than yesterday. But I couldn't help the lingering weakness I felt... The weakness I had been feeling for some time now, even before the rogue attack. I couldn't tell what it was, but I had to talk to Rorden about it.He still wasn't back yet, and I worried. Had he left the pack again, just like before? I felt a slight pang of sadness at that thought.He wouldn't leave without saying a word to me. Not the Rorden I know.It was still very early in the morning, and just a few people were going about their duties. Dashi had insisted I go with her to her chamber to get ready for breakfast. Today, she was determined to drag me to breakfast with the rest of the pack, much to my dismay. She was tired of me keeping to myself."You can't keep on staying locked away," she scolded, though there was no real bite to her tone.I
LUXURIA.It's the night of the full moon. My breaths were shallow, each one laced with the anxiety creeping through my veins.My condition has worsened in the past few days. Rorden was still nowhere to be found. No one has seen nor heard a word about him yet.No Rorden, no potions.My potions stopped being effective, no matter how many times I tried to improve them.I grew from being worried to being angry. Why would he leave me at a point like this when I needed someone to talk to? Someone who really knows and understands my plight?He promised. He had promised to be by my side today.I trembled. It was getting dark, and soon, the full moon would appear in the sky.I had been avoiding Dashi since the symptoms returned. She got tired of my excuses and thought I was tired of her friendship. She was hurt, and it hurt me.Dashi has been nothing short of a good friend to me. But she wouldn't understand. It was for the best. I'll make things right as soon as I pass through this phase.I pe
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