Killian’s POV“You don't trust her, do you?” Logan’s voice reached my ears as he stepped into my office. “What do you mean?” I asked, looking up from the papers on the table. “Her. The new girl,” he continued. “Oh, that. When has anyone ever gained my trust that easily?” I replied. “You can never change. You keep answering every question with another question,” Logan complained. “Hmm,” I replied and relaxed on my chair. “Answer my question,” Logan pressed. I looked up, looking into his green eyes. “Not yet.”“Yet?” Logan asked. “Oh, I see. You're going to test her.”“Don't I ever?” I replied and he smiled. “At least let me test her,” Logan said, looking very enthusiastic.I smirked and answered. “Be my guest.”I watched him get his ass swapped the next day. Celeste was stubborn. I knew that the seconds she challenged Logan. But as I watched her now, something shifted inside me. Just a little.She had her arms crossed while watching the men train. Logan walked to my side, and
Celeste POVThe scent of blood hit me first.I froze. It was really Vanessa.It had been a year since I last saw her. A whole damn year since she disappeared without a trace. She didn't say goodbye.I had searched for her and earned Kaidën's punishment for a week. I grieved and cursed her for leaving me with them all alone.And now she was here, bruised and barely clinging to life.I moved before I could think straight, falling to my knees by her side.I shouldn't have, but I did, touching her with my shaking hands.
Killian’s POVCeleste wouldn't leave Vanessa's side. She looked sunken and skipped training for two days.I had enough.“Master, would you like anything else?” Flora asked.“No,” I answered, sipping my coffee. “Wait,” I said, stopping her.“Yes, Master Killian,” she answered.“Where's Celeste?” I asked.“She's taking care of her sick friend,” Flora answered.
Celeste’s POVThe voices wouldn't stop.They kept crawling into my head in whispers. I shut my eyes, closing my ears with my palms."Go away! Stop!" I yelled.My breath rushed in harsh, jagged gasps, pulse thudding against me. I fell backward, into the nightstand. A lamp crashed, shattering on the floor. I felt my vision blur, and my legs falter. The voices merged, into a single, ear-shattering roar inside of me.Then, suddenly...The door slammed wide with such force, causing the walls to shake.My
Celeste’s POVI woke up with the ghost of his touch on my forehead. Killian had been…gentle?He hadn't taken advantage, kissing me goodnight on my forehead and I wasn't ready for this side of him. Then, I remembered Vanessa. It felt unfair to think about my own happiness and let her be in that state. Without thinking, I got out of bed, wore my slippers, and ran out of the room. I stopped myself in time before I crashed on the maids carrying a vase.I barely made it two steps before I collided with a maid.“Watch it,” she snapped, shoving past me. Another scoffed, “Ugh, should’ve known she’d be in the way.”I clenched my jaw but kept walking. They weren't worth it. When I got there, she was awake looking around the room in confusion until she spotted me and smiled in relief. “Celeste,” she called and I rushed to her side. “Where are we? Where am I?” She asked, taking my hand. “A packhouse,” I answered, not wanting to scare her. She looked at me and pinched my hand. “Ouch,” I gro
Killian’s POVI walked into my room, shutting the door. Why did I run from her? I had left the kitchen doorway, hiding by the hallway when I heard Celeste and Flora talk. Had I really let my anger get the best out of me for the past years?My memory replayed the past. It has been three years. Flashbacks:Obsidian PackMy men and I arrived at the packhouse. I got out of the car. The stench of blood filled everywhere. One of my betas ran out towards me as he sighted me. “Alpha Killian!”“Fred, what's going on here?” I asked.“It's Sam. He's leading the rogue wolves. He wants to challenge you,” Fred answered. “How dare he?” I thundered and moved forward pulling out the gun from my waist. I got in, the men fighting, shooting against each other. Unlike my men, Sam's men had the numbers in their favour. I shot at them, taking them out. From the corner of my eyes, I spotted an enemy firing his gun. I pushed Fred away just in time. I had little to react when a huge rogue wolf appear
Killian’s POVI stepped out of my office, rolling my shoulders as I headed towards the large glass window. My body felt stiff from sitting for hours and I massaged my arm as I watched the pack's outdoor dining area from the window. It was lunchtime, and I always gave my men the freedom to eat anytime. They needed it. I was about to look away when Celeste and the maid entered with trays of food. I hadn't asked anyone to make her a maid. Flora was going to answer me. She served the food with the other maids and she looked nervous. That was the job for the maids, not her. The men talked loudly as they ate. A few were focused on her and I leaned closer to the glass, my finger curling into a fist. One of the men, Riker, let his hand drift too close to her waist. He dared!Celeste felt it and moved away. Riker laughed with his friends, saying something to each other. I watched Celeste's face turn pale. She tried to ignore him and served the next person when his hand gripped her wris
Killian’s POVI held her hand when she didn't move and led her out of the dining hall. I was pissed, pulling her as I walked, climbing the stairs, and swung the room’s door open. She stumbled in, and I closed the door, grabbing hold of both her hands. “What were you doing?” I asked, a little bit louder than I hoped. “What do you mean?” She replied. “Out there. With them?” Celeste batted her eyelashes and finally understood what I was saying. “Serving,” she answered. “Since when did I ever make you a maid?” I questioned. She pulled her hands, trying to get free. “I was just helping.”“Helping? I never asked you to. That's the maid's work!” I yelled. “I know, but…” she started. “I don't care. I don't want to see you there again,” my voice rocked coldly. Letting my grip loosen, she pulled back slightly. I watched her breath, her face turning red and she glared at me. “That's it!” She breathed. “I have had it with you, your stupid rules and dragging me down to hell!” She yelle
Celeste’s POVI gasped for breath, my chest heaving as I sat up straight. My hands grabbed at the sheets, soaked with sweat; my pulse thumped so hard it vibrated in my skull. Darkness surrounded me, it was close and suffocating. Quickly, I turned on the lamp by my bedside. Something was wrong with me. Every night I woke up sweating with blood on my palm sometimes. I never remembered what I did and was scared I had hurt someone. I balled my fingers into fists, my nails biting into my palms, searching for a tether on the ground. But the nightmare continued to cling to me, unwilling to set me free.Killian’s voice echoed in my head. It was bitter and cruel.“I was never, ever going to let you go, Celeste. You were mine to break."I pressed my eyes shut tight, but images sizzled and burned behind my eyelids. Every time Killian's bloodied hand would reach for me.I couldn't take this anymore. “Leave me alone. Go away!” I yelled, covering my ears as the eerie whispering voice continued
Selene’s POV: Celeste was slipping.I watched her from the mirror every day, fighting against the seed of doubt I had put in her mind. It made me furious to see she still had the spirit to refuse me. I needed her to be done with Killian as fast as possible. Only a great heartbreak could fully awaken her power, and since she was under my spell. I would have access to her powers and be rewarded with immortality.She was almost there. I just needed to add more flame. Something to make her act out and lose Killian's trust. Each time she defied my instructions, I increased the spell’s effect. Twice, she fell off the bed, and I felt my blood boil when Killian came to check up on her just when I started. I made her attack him in her sleep, and he pinned her down till the next morning. She was pathetic, as I expected. On the seventh day, I had completely invaded her mind and made her stay longer doing what I asked. I kept creating and heightening her father's death at the hands of Killi
Celeste’s POVThe darkness lay out before me, waiting still. They reeked of gunpowder and of gas, of memories of where I was and what sort of world this was that I was a captive in. Killian vanished into the dark alley. I had been observing him for days, building up his actions, waiting to get the timing perfect to reveal him for who he actually was.A murderer. The man who killed my father.The image burned my mind, pushing me on as I crept noiselessly down the manor corridors. I easily moved past the room leading to the doorway. The lower I descended, the more I felt smothered. I kept following him, and almost gave up when he walked into another hallway. I remained behind, resting against the courtyard wall as Killian stood beneath the faint illumination of the overhead light bulbs. He was not alone. There were other men around him, and they were standing too close. His tone was low, and each sentence softly commandingly declared. "The delivery will be made at dawn. Any hindra
Killian’s POVCeleste's body trembled in my arms, her breath turned irregular, her chest became cold. The moment I saved her back from falling, something within me twisted. It was the sick, disgusting awareness that I had nearly lost her.I had saved her from committing suicide, but that was not what unsettled me. When I pulled her away from the hug gradually, I noticed her eyes. They glowed…green.No normal wolf had eyes like that, and even if she weren't a normal wolf. I had first seen her eyes when her birthmark had glowed and they were blue.She floated in and out of consciousness from the second I drew her away from the edge of the stairs."Celeste," I whispered, shaking her lightly. But She gave no response.Her lashes fluttered, and her lips opened, but she was held by whatever nightmare pulled at her below.My jaw tightened as I dragged her back in. As her body tensed in my arms, a harsh whisper fell from her lips."Please…don't…kill him."Kill who?I was scared for her. She'd
Celeste’s POVI felt warm and safe. Killian’s steady breathing kept me at peace. His arm held me closer to him. I could stay like this forever. I felt it, the sudden movement of something creepy pressing against my chest. My mouth opened slightly as I tried to breathe in, and a gust of air moved in my nose and mouth. “Wake up,” the voice whispered. It wasn't mine and I couldn't ignore it. “Wake up,” it commanded. Its voice was stronger and I shivered. My eyelids opened, even when I felt sleepy. I got off the bed and slowly turned my gaze to Killian. He stirred in his sleep, turning a little bit to his right. I felt a silent war waged inside me. What was wrong with me? I couldn't control my body. “Killian is a liar.” The voice in my head spoke. It was confident and demanding. I listened to every one of its words and agreed with every one of them. “For myself,” I repeated calmly and glared at Killian with a murderous intent. Staring at him, the room changed into a different
Selene’s POV“Cumhacht mo chroí…” I chanted. “daingnigh mo lámha,...”The wind started and dropped. I was losing concentration. “Ugh,” I groaned. “What the hell?” I took a deep breath and started all over. “Cumhacht mo chroí, daingnigh mo lámha,Ceangail mo neart, stiúir mo bhrí.Le fuil agus anam, fan i gceart,Is mise an draoi, i gcothromaíocht sí.”Reciting the spell for control while I was losing control of my anger didn't do anything. I gave up and stood from the floor. “Hell, this is stupid!” I yelled and sat on my bed, fuming. My eyes went to the flickering candlelight on the bedside table. The flames mocked me. It had been days since Killian dared to ban me from training Celeste, and the rage inside me burned hotter than I remembered.Squeezing the sheets on the bed, my nail tore at the fabric. How dare he? How dare he stand between me and her? I hated his protectiveness. How was I supposed to mold her if I was locked out? Lord Malthus would not be pleased if he knew. I
Joan’s POVThe first bullet shot went past my ear, and I dodged. It embedded itself into the metal crate beside me. Then another came, hitting one of my men directly in the chest, causing his body to jerk before he hit the floor. “Sam! I'm going to kill you!” I yelled. All hell broke loose. A deafening barrage of gunfire filled the warehouse without any signs of stopping. “Not if I kill you first,” Sam responded and half his men transformed into werewolves. My men followed, and each group attacked, digging their claws and teeth into the otherSam and his men continued shooting, and I hid behind the stack of metal crates to reload my gun. I had fallen for his trap. “Keep them cornered! Don't let them regroup!” Lucas commanded his team. I gnawed. If only I could get my hands on him. I looked out from my hiding place and fired three shots quickly. Lucas barely dodged the first two, and the third bullet struck his shoulder, making him stagger backward. His eyes fell on mine and I
Sam’s POVJoan’s mouth was still partially open, her face frozen in surprise as I walked away from her. I allowed a smirk to hitch at the corner of my mouth and strode out of the office without another word. It was a fun reaction, but it paled in comparison to what came next.All I could hear in the corridor was the echo of my boots against the polished floor. Joan had ruled long enough. Her hesitation made her weak. And in this world, weakness was a killer’s sentence.I finally made it to my room and closed the door. Locking it was merely a formality, as one would ever dare enter without knocking. When I dragged my bed aside, I revealed what few people had known existed. A steel hatch set into the floor. I crouched, prying it open. The cool air blew up from below, bear
Joan’s POVThe floor-to-ceiling windows opened to a forest beyond, and the cold wind slapped my cheeks as I stared at all that surrounded me. A faint light above the rain-slick streets below.From this height, everything looked small and worthless. My men flittered about like ants, carrying some covered lids of wooden boxes. When they walked into the building with some iron boxes, I smiled.“The orders have come,” I mumbled, returning to my chair. Then, without delay, I poured myself a glass of whiskey.I sipped and felt the burn that it gave my throat.I swirled the whiskey around my glass, examining how the bright light caught the amber liquid. Opposite me, two of my men stood