CHAPTER TWENTY ONE RYKER I had tried to dismiss Selina's account of Roxanne as a hallucination. My sister's fear could sometimes cloud her perception, but my beta's confirmation of her observations made it impossible to ignore. Roxanne's situation was far from normal — her nails were damaged, her body had marks like she had been tearing herself and she had scrawled the name ‘Lilith’ all over her cell, both on the walls and the floor.It was a mystery that consumed my thoughts. Roxanne's health was failing and her condition was alarming. Yet despite all this, I still had to serve justice. The Weight of my duty as an Alpha pressed heavily on me.As I wrestled with the situation, Selina entered my room. Her demeanour was serious, a stark contrast to her usual cheerful self.“You know it's not so hard to knock at the door right?” I asked.“I've been hearing rumours circulating among the pack,” She said, ignoring my statement.I shrugged dismissively. “I'm not interested in hearsay, Seli
CHAPTER TWENTY TWOROXANNE If this was death, I didn't want to be restored. Rather, I should have been dead a long time ago.I was at Lunar Peak. I didn't remember how I got there and everything seemed strange yet familiar. I was healthy again and my skin was robust and my red hair was plaited back. I wore a beautiful and shiny white strapless dress, the skirt was made of peacock feathers. The whole scene was serene and the air charged with vibrant energy and power.The whole of Lunar Peak was lively and harmonious. Children picked flowers, women wove baskets and men fished.When did I miss this?I walked among them but no one spared me a glance. They were engrossed in lively chatter and were just doing their thing. As I observed their happy faces it was then it occurred to me that I was the only redhead among them. Now it made sense. They weren't complete. This was a gathering of the white moon and blue Moon packs — Red Moon had not been invited. This felt like a celebration I wa
CHAPTER TWENTY THREEKARAI gripped the doorknob, shutting it lightly behind me. To be Frank, I wanted to slam the damn door, remove the hinges and smash the Alpha’s face with it. How could he hurt Roxanne? I just didn't get it. Why did he bring her in if all he wanted to do was hurt her? And selina… she’s been murmuring about how she wanted roxanne out of the pack. As I approached her bed, tears welled up in my eyes. She looked terrible. I placed the warm glass of milk on the coaster and sat at her bedside.“Good morning ma'am,” I whispered as I brushed her hair from her face.Her eyelids slowly fluttered open, her Hazel eyes were vibrant and full of life but her body wasn't. She smiled weakly at me. “Hi kara.”“How do you feel, ma'am?” I inquired, trying to steady my voice.She scoffed. “Hurts like hell but still maintaining beauty.”I giggled as I helped her sit up. Weeks had gone by and Roxanne's condition worsened. I was scared she was never going to heal but I couldn't tell tha
CHAPTER TWENTY FOURRYKER“I swear if she dies, I will rip your brain out with my bare hands,” I warned, anger rising in my voice.“I'm sorry Alpha,” Kara sobbed as she fell on her knees before me.“I didn't know she was suicidal.”I slammed my hand on my table, furious at her excuses. “Do not tell me that kara! You didn't know she was suicidal but you did know she wasn't getting any better didn't you?”She went pale in the face as tears streamed down her face. “I was going to tell you.”“When she dies, yeah? You were relaxed about it. Since when did you make the decisions here?” I demanded.“I… I…” she stuttered, “I can't save her Alpha. She's not getting any better.”I pushed back my hair from my face, anger boiling in my veins. I hadn't expected Roxanne to attempt suicide. What If I had come in a little late? I would have found her dead.How would I live with myself? My wolf would never forgive me and this was all my fault. I had been very hard on her ever since she came here. But n
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVEKARAI needed proof—hard, irrefutable proof. That was the only way anyone would believe me. My disappointment and anger toward Selina felt like a crushing weight. She was the reason Roxanne remained sick, yet I was the one locked up because of Selina's crime.Why had Selina been poisoning Roxanne? I still couldn't wrap my head around it, but I was determined to find out. If I approached the Alpha without evidence, I could be branded a rogue and face severe consequences.I poured the poisoned tea down the drain and prepared a fresh cup myself, which I took to Chantel.“You're a bit late,” she said, a slight frown creasing her forehead.I sighed, “I had to make another cup. I mistakenly poured the first. I'm sorry.”She nodded at me and took the saucer and teacup"Please, just let me see Roxanne," I begged her.Chantel shook her head. "I can't do that, Kara. There are eyes everywhere.”If there were eyes everywhere, then how did no one see Selina poisoning Roxanne? T
CHAPTER TWENTY SIXSELINAJust a few more weeks and she would be gone, I smirked to myself as I stirred her tea. I would never let a woman make me unloved by my only family. When she's out of the picture, then I'll be all he needs again.“Since when do you make lady Roxanne's tea, Ma'am Selina?” Kara asked as she strode into the kitchen, a foreign glint dancing in her eyes.I jumped away from the tea, almost spilling it in the process. “W...h…What do you mean by that?”She smirked and dipped her finger into the tea, swirling it as she locked eyes with me, “I've been at the door for about ten minutes now. Your wolf didn't pick up my scent? Or are you so consumed by evil that when you're at it, you drift into another realm?”A commoner demanding questions from an Alpha’s sister was the most audacious thing.“And what makes you think I will give you answers to your questions? I owe nobody an explanation,” I pointed out, my voice unsteady.She stood close to me, too close I felt irritated
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN RYKER “If you want to be suicidal you can be it everywhere else but here,” I said as I held her down tightly.“Alpha you have to believe me. She was here… I swear she was here,” Roxanne stuttered in fear as she searched my face then she sobbed. “You don't believe me.”“Roxanne,” I started.She shook her head, “No it's fine. You don't believe me. I see it in your eyes. It's crazy Roxy. Why should I believe her,” she whispered, hurt etched on her face.Selina stared at her with pity. “I told you she was possessed.”“Hold her down,” I said to the guards, “strap her in. Else she would try to jump off the roof of this building.She had tried it before.Roxanne sobbed. She tried to fight the guards away but their energy was unmatched. They pinned her down and cuffed her hands and legs to the bed.She would've injured herself or done something worse if I had come late. I couldn't bear it anymore. I was stuck with a mate who was psycho and perilous. “Everyone excuse me
TWENTY EIGHTRYKERThe room charged with apprehension and unspoken hatred lingered in the air creating an unsettling aura. Alpha Zane and I locked eyes for what seemed to be an eternity.Never would I have thought I would do this. But I had to keep my pride at bay, just so I could do this. It was more like a bargain with dante.For Roxanne.“I don't have all day. If you're just going to spend it staring at me then you could leave,” Alpha Zane spat, a frown forming on his forehead.“You think I'd journey for so long just to gaze at you? Wow, narcissist,” I muttered.He frowned in utmost annoyance.“Then what?”“I’m just wondering how your mate is able to look into that disgusting face of yours. The sight of it makes me question the substance you were made of.” I said.“Yet you can't get your eyes off me,” he said. “You could tell me if you're obsessed or in love with me.”“Firstly I'm no bi and secondly I'm amused at how much your low IQ radiates in this room.”He charged at me, “I swea
EPILOGUE (THE END)ROXANNE A YEAR LATER.It’s shocking how a year has passed, yet the souls of the dead remain with us, their memories fresh and haunting. The pain, the struggles, the healing—none of it has come easy. Losing someone you knew is like losing a part of yourself. It leaves a hole in your life, a constant ache that never truly fades. Each day feels like a battle to keep your sanity, to remember who you are without them.I walked slowly, each step heavy with sorrow, to the graves of Lilith and Kara. The ground was soft beneath my feet, the scent of damp earth mingling with the fresh aroma of the carnations and lilies I carried. After much contemplation, we decided to bury Lilith in Red Moon, beside her dead mate. Tears slipped down my cheeks, but I brushed them away quickly. Ryker mustn't see me cry.As I laid the flowers on the graves, memories of Lilith’s fierce spirit and Kara’s gentle smile flooded my mind. The pain of their loss was still raw, a wound that had not yet
CHAPTER SEVENTY FOURROXANNE Anger boiled inside me, hot and relentless. I didn’t like Lilith, but she was still my sister. War had been declared, and now swords clashed against swords, claws ripped into flesh. The three packs—White Moon and Red Moon—united against Blue Moon, turning the battlefield into a bloody nightmare.I watched as Colin joined Beta Miles, their ruthlessness clear. We clashed, our bodies moving in deadly grace. The anger and betrayal fueled my every move and for the first time I felt the extent of my powers. I fought with a strength I never knew I had.Miles plunged a knife into Ryker’s stomach, igniting a fury within me that I couldn’t contain. I wolfed out, throwing myself at Miles, my claws tearing at his flesh, my teeth sinking deep.Gasps echoed around me as everyone saw the size of my wolf form. But Miles was fast. He grabbed a knife and stabbed me, forcing me to morph back. Blood poured from my wound, but it wasn’t mine. It was his. Smiling through the pa
CHAPTER SEVENTY THREEROXANNEI'll let Beta Miles continue his side of the story but first let me tell you how we connected,” Lilith said and beamed at me. “Kara was a chatterbox and she couldn't keep secrets to herself. So she got so happy one day and told Beta Miles that she knew the prophecy, not caring that it could put me at risk. She told him it was Roxanne and me and they were faraway.”She sounded disappointed. “Beta Miles got interested and wanted to work for me so I could get what I wanted and he could get what he wanted. All of us wanted something and we burned for it. For me, it was revenge, for Kara it was peace.” Lilith touched my shoulder but I shrugged her hands off. “I knew kara was going to fail me someday. She stopped writing to me after receiving my letter, then one day, she said she couldn't kill you because she liked you and you were nice.”Tears slipped down my eyes. Kara… she had always told me she would never hurt me. It wasn't a promise, it was the truth. Sh
CHAPTER SEVENTY TWO LILITHWe all gasped back to reality and took indrawn gasps while the necromancer removed the needles from our foreheads. Roxanne and Zane stared at me like they were seeing a ghost and I motioned for the necromancer to stay with me and not leave yet.“Mom– oh my God,” Roxanne whispered in disbelief as she placed a hand over her head.Zane stared at me with pity. An expression I loathed with my being.“I know it's hard to decipher,” the necromancer said. “It's also overwhelming. Your mother sacrificed Lilith’s life to save you because you were a powerful child, Roxanne. You were the prophecy blue moon had years ago and I knew I had to seal your powers. Your mother was in so much pain that day but she had to do what she needed to do.”Roxanne shook her head as tears slipped down her face. “She had a choice.”“But she still had to make a choice from both,” the necromancer said. “You were chosen, Roxanne. Sealing your powers away was what made you weak. You were neve
CHAPTER SEVENTY ONEROXANNE What do you do when you're face to face with the demons that have been lurking in the dark, hurting you, whispering fear and terror in your dreams? What do you do when the secrets of the past, the secrets you've longed to know, are finally before you? Do you turn away because you know it won't end well, or do you stay because you've been kept in the dark for too long?My eyes darted to a corner, and there he was—Ryker, bound with chains. Just like my vision had revealed. He looked exhausted and in pain, his clothes stained with blood, and wounds covering his skin. A raw gasp escaped my lips, and my heart clenched.The girl smiled and approached me. My heart thumped loudly in my chest, as I watched her movement. There was something hauntingly familiar about her.It scared me that we looked exactly alike. It was as if I was staring at a reflection of myself, except this reflection had blue eyes while mine were hazel."What's going on?" Zane demanded, his voi
CHAPTER SEVENTY ROXANNE Selina briefed me on the plan as we moved quickly towards the area where Ryker was.She told me that she could trace the way they went since Beta Miles was her mate, but I couldn't scent Ryker since he had rejected me. If my wolf had surfaced earlier, I would have been able to sense that he was in danger, but now I couldn't. My heart pounded loudly as I thought about the battle. I was unsure about myself. I had no idea if I could defeat Beta Miles.We headed towards Blue Moon. Confusion sprawled on my face as I wondered what had brought the Beta and Alpha here. It must be his way of reuniting the three packs so they could turn against me. After all, I was a threat.As we neared the location, the air grew tense. The sound of battle echoed through the trees.“Stay close,” Selina whispered, her eyes scanning the area. “We need to find Ryker and get him out of here.”I nodded, my senses heightened. The scent of blood and fear filled the air , and I could feel th
CHAPTER SIXTY NINEROXANNE As I traipsed through the unfamiliar terrain, everything began to make sense. The reason for everything that had happened. The clues were there from the beginning but they had been ignored.Of course, no one paid attention to things that didn't involve them, just like I hadn't.The paths where wolves once danced, the willow tree, the freedom in your hands. It was all in the book. Ryker's mom had known it would happen someday, and that's why she wrote, hoping it would reach the person who truly needed to see it.The key to freedom in your hands wasn't what I had thought it was. Back then in the dungeon, I had thought the key to freedom was an actual key that could take me out of the dark place and out of Red Moon. But it wasn't. It was about realising who I was and accessing my powers. The willow tree at the cliff was what I needed to find first, for everything to make sense.And I guess it found me. And the prophecy… I still didn't know how I was the chosen
CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT ROXANNE I plunged deep into the sea, the icy water turning crimson around me. The stab of betrayal cut deep, the cold blade intent on ending my life. I couldn't fight the water, couldn't fight death. I struggled, but every gasp drew more water into my lungs. My heart slowed, each beat fainter than the last, ticking away my final moments.As the cold seeped into my bones, I thought about when I was thirteen. Yet again I was living my nightmare and facing my worst fear. Zane, Ryker, and Beta Miles. The people I loved. The people I trusted. How did it all come to this?Desperate for survival, I kicked towards the surface. My vision blurred, but I could see a faint shimmer of light above. I had to reach it, had to see the sky one last time before darkness consumed me. With a burst of strength, I pulled the knife from my throat, the blade slick with my blood, and clutched it in trembling hands.But the sea seemed intent on claiming me. The more I fought to stay afloa
CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN ROXANNE I was stupefied, staring at Ryker in utter confusion. Anger, sadness, and pain engulfed me as I tried to understand what was going on, but I couldn't make sense of it. Ryker was my mate? How? Memories flooded back—how he lashed out at me when we first met, telling me I had no wolf. Subconsciously, I touched my neck. Was that why he kept touching it, searching for my wolf mark? Was that why he brought me to the Red Moon pack? It dawned on me then—I had just been rejected.Since I had no wolf, I couldn't feel the mate bond or the pain of rejection. But Ryker could. He groaned in agony, placing a hand on his chest. Selina squealed in delight, clapping her hands together."Finally, I won't have a mentally deranged woman for a sister-in-law," she jeered.Anguish washed over me. This was Selina's endgame. She had set me up so I would be rejected and chased away. But I didn't utter a word. Instead, I turned to Ryker."If that's the situation, why didn't you tel