*** Liliana's POVI practically lose it when Eamon asks me for a safe word. All thoughts, worries, and questions about what’s led up to this moment tonight vanish. It’s just him and me, and our bond, pulsing with an intensity that makes everything else disappear.As I lay back on the bed, I can’t help but notice how small it feels with Eamon standing at the end of it. His presence is overwhelming, a mix of dominance and something deeper—something that pulls me to him in ways I can’t explain. His eyes are dark, contemplating, filled with a seriousness that sends shivers down my spine.Then I see it—something in his hand. A rope? No, it’s the belt from my bathrobe. When did he get that?“Physical extremes can force our wolves forward, Liliana,” Eamon says, his tone playful yet edged with seriousness. “As much as I would love to simply fuck you straight into tomorrow, or let Fenri do it,” he adds with a smirk, “we both agree that you would benefit from a lesson in… control.”He pauses, l
*** Eamon’s POVThe tension in the room was palpable, a mix of anticipation and the ever-present pull of the mating bond between us. I could feel Liliana’s energy, the raw need to surrender to the sensations coursing through her body. But tonight wasn’t just about pleasure—it was about teaching her control, guiding her through the storm that was threatening to consume her.“Liliana,” I murmured, my voice low and steady as I ran my fingers along the smooth skin of her back. She shivered under my touch, her breath hitching.“This isn’t just about pleasure tonight. It’s about control—learning how to hold on, even when everything in you wants to let go.”If she were a warrior, I’d start this training with endless rounds of drills followed by combat exercises against multiple opponents. Make her push through the pain and weariness to ensure she survived and could overcome whatever odds were against her.But she wasn’t a warrior, not yet.She nodded, her eyes wide and trusting, but I could
(Flashback)*** POV Unknown 1"Still alive... fuck." The thought flitted through my mind the moment I realized I was conscious. I didn’t dare move. My senses stretched to their limits, I tried to keep my heartbeat steady, listening intently, trying to detect any signs of life around me. Was I alone? Or were they still here, waiting?Slowly, I became aware of my surroundings. I wasn’t cold or wet, and, to my surprise, I wasn’t naked. The tips of my fingers brushed against something soft beneath me, smooth but with a slight graininess. Cotton linen? The realization jarred me; this wasn’t the damp, filthy floor of my cell.The room was dark. The blackness behind my eyelids told me as much. But the air... it smelled different. Gone was the stench of infection and rot that had been my constant companion. Instead, I detected something medicinal—eucalyptus? But there was something else, something bitter and ominous... Wolfsbane. The faint smell of burnt flesh and the metallic tang of blood h
*** POV Unknown 1I slam into the ground, the impact knocking the wind out of me instantly. Before I can even register the pain, I'm tumbling, rolling down an embankment, the world spinning around me in a blur of dark shadows and cold earth. Every bump, every jolt sends a shockwave of agony through my body, but I have to keep going, have to fight through the disorientation, the pain. The wolfsbane is coursing through my veins, dragging me toward unconsciousness, and I know if I give in now, it's over.When I finally come to a stop at the bottom of the embankment, I’m gasping for breath, the cold air burning in my lungs. I can feel the darkness creeping in at the edges of my vision, threatening to pull me under. But I can’t let it. I force myself to stand, my body screaming in protest. Every muscle, every bone feels like it’s on fire, but I can’t stop. I have to keep moving.No one seems to be coming after me yet. Maybe they didn’t see me go over the wall, or maybe they think I’m alrea
*** POV Unknown 2There are perks to using a galley as a war room. Not the least of which is the smell. My mother had always said the scent of good food alone was better than most healing herbs.But for some reason, in this moment, the aroma that usually brought comfort and focus was doing the opposite. I felt… a huge sense of unease. Quickly, I scanned the room, my gaze landing on the spits being turned slowly by a steward. A surge of anger welled up in me, completely out of proportion to the scene before me.“What the fuck…” I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief. Why am I getting all worked up over roast beast?And then it hit me. “Ah,” I sighed, a grim understanding settling over me. “She’s awake.”I stood up and walked toward the door and stairwell that would take me down toward the infirmary and wards, my steps quickening with purpose.Just before I reached it, my gamma, Raven, appeared in the doorway, his expression conflicted.“Their Luna,” he began, hesitating as if searchin
*** POV Unknown 1How could I be so lucky to find a river so close—a shallow one at that? I nearly fell into it, crawling out into the water with the last of my strength. I flipped onto my side, lying fully in the shallow stream. With a trembling hand, I skimmed through the pebbles along the bottom. Lovely colors glistened up at me from the water—quartz, jasper, pyrite—all so beautiful, but none nearly as precious as the deep black hematite stones that came up in my first handful. Thank the goddess.Yelling in the distance— I could hear it. Not wasting a moment, I swallowed the whole handful of pebbles I’d scooped up. I wasn’t sure how much hematite I needed to counter the wolfsbane, but hopefully, this would do.I didn’t have the strength left to get back up, but I did have the strength to crawl and float. As quietly as I could, I scooched farther out into the stream and started making my way on my belly downstream. After a short distance, the water began to get deeper quickly, and t
*** Alpha Eamon's POV"Clever," Fenri whispered in my mind, his tone a mix of admiration and caution.“If she’s that clever, how’d they ever capture her to begin with?” I retorted, my eyes narrowing as I scanned the area where she had been just moments before."Lout," Fenri huffed, clearly unimpressed with my doubt, before retreating to the back of my mind, leaving me alone with my thoughts.I watched her float down the river from upstream, keeping myself downwind so as not to alert her to my presence. I’d stayed ahead, observing her movements, ready to intervene if necessary.But she was managing far better than I’d expected, and her littl
*** Unknown POV 1I was almost asleep when I heard it—the sound of nothing. Winter sounds are limited, but there’s always the slight hum of nightlife, even in the dungeons. The scurrying and scampering of small creatures, the distant rustle of leaves. But the sound of silence? That always woke me up—it usually meant they were close.I felt that familiar sense of dread creeping up on me now. Peeking out from my hiding place under the evergreens, I saw that the moonlight had revealed the start of snowfall. Such luck; it could cover my tracks.Tentatively, I slipped out from under the branches, testing the strength in my legs. Surprisingly, I had some. Hematite might just be my new favorite “jewel.” Testing my legs further, I crouched and began to take wide steps, keeping my movements as quiet as possible. Luckily, I have small feet, and at the rate the snow is falling, I imagine it’ll only take about te