The servants led me to my chambers as they closed the heavy oak doors behind me, the soft click echoing the finality of my confinement. I sank onto the bed as I sighed. I was losing my mind at this point and I really wonder how long I can continue to suffer confinement like this. The room, though luxurious, felt like a cage, each ornate detail a reminder of my isolation. Luka Lane was keeping me prisoner and he says I’m to be his bride. What sort of bride am I even?I gazed around the room, my eyes tracing the intricate patterns of the wallpaper, the delicate porcelain figurines on the side of the room, the shimmering golden silk drapes that framed the tall windows. It was a beautiful prison indeed, a place of comfort and opulence, but a cell room nonetheless and I wanted to get out.My thoughts drifted to the upcoming mating ceremony, it seemed scary to me, an event that filled me with a sense of dread. Luka Lane, the pack master, my supposed betrothed. The very idea of marrying hi
~ Leigh’s POV ~The world was a muffled, distorted echo. There was this constant rhythmic thumping hammering within the confines of my skull, like a relentless drumbeat that threatened to shatter the fragile remnants of my little consciousness. It was a dark and suffocating, a place where sound and sensation were twisted from reality. I was lost in unconsciousness and couldn’t seem to fight my way out of it as I kept floating without having any sensation except for pain that spread through my bones.I tried to grasp at the edges of my consciousness, to pull myself back from the abyss, but my efforts were futile. My eyelids were heavy as lead, refused to obey my commands. All I could see was an overwhelming darkness, a void that stretched endlessly before me. The thumping intensified in my brain, a relentless hammer against the inside of my skull, and I felt myself slipping further down and sinking deeper into the dark.A series of sounds began to penetrate the darkness. I heard muff
It’s been three days already. Three agonizing days since I had become conscious. Each breath I took still felt like I was dragging sandpaper across my lungs, and there was a constant pain all over my body. I could still feel how badly I was when Luka Lane clawed me down and leaving me in that lab for dead. If it hadn’t been for Clarisse who came quickly… She had dragged me back up the mountain to her pack. They used their ancient remedies that was gifted by the moon goddess to their ancestors. They used their concoction to help heal the deep wounds, combined with the surprisingly advanced technology tucked away in this secluded pack. It had pulled me back from the land of the dead. I was propped up against a mountain of soft hand stitched pillows, as a nurse offered me another spoonful of the bland but nourishing broth they had been feeding me for days. Across the room, Nicolas stood like a statue carved from worry as he stared at me ever so quietly. His usual easy going demeanour
“Nicolas,” I repeated, my voice rough, “What happened to Iris?” The silence that followed stretched longer than I thought necessary. It was so thick and suffocating, and this silence just seemed to amplify the frantic thumping of my heart.Nicolas shifted his weight uncomfortably, his gaze fixed on the hard cold floor. He finally sighed, a sound heavy with reluctance. “Leigh please. You need to focus on getting better. This isn’t something you should be worrying about right now.” He tried to reason. It was not a reasonable thing for him to say though. At least to me.I hissed harshly. The dismissive tone ignited a spark of fury within me, overriding the weakness that still clung to my limbs. I pushed myself up against the pillows, the sudden movement causing a sharp tug on the IV drip in my wrist, sending a jolt of pain through my arm and to my brain. “I cannot relax Nicolas! Iris is out there, in Luka Lane’s clutches. What do you think he wants with her? It’s not a good thing obvious
~ Iris POV ~From the moment I woke up, I felt uneasy. It was like there was something pressing against my chest. It was because I knew tomorrow was fast approaching. Tomorrow was the day I was supposed to become Luka Lane’s mate. The thought felt like air was being sucked out of my lungs. This morning, my gown had also arrived and I was made to come test it out. It was truly beautiful and a perfect fit. Perfect for my discomfort actually, because there is no way I would be happy wearing that knowing who my groom is.I got confined to my room afterwards, under the guise of pre wedding pampering, felt more like imprisonment, like they have been doing since I got here. On the brief walk back from the gown testing room, I saw how everyone was busy with activity. Servants scurried with floral arrangements, and trying to get things arranged. I sighed heavily as I jumped on my bed with a thud. My gaze drifted to the window, and I yearned to feel the cool night air on my face, to run until
This was supposed to be my escape, but it wasn’t anymore as there were about two dozens of imposing figures, their faces grim and unyielding, lined in the corridor, their presence suffocating the last grasp of hope Ethel had built in me. And Luka Lane just stood there watching us, his very stillness radiating an icy authority. His grey eyes were as sharp as shards of glass.Ethel, who had moments ago been very courageous was now visibly trembling beside me. Her breath hitched in her throat and her hand clutched my own tightly, her fingers digging into my skin. Luka’s lips peeled back into a slow, cruel sneer. “Well, well, well,” he drawled, his voice a violent threat that sent shivers and sweat running down my temples. “I guess you are playing hide and seek in the dead of night, my little runaway? And you, Ethel? Playing accomplice are you?” he sneered.Ethel’s voice, when she finally managed to speak, was full of tremor. “Father… we were just… she wasn’t feeling well. I was only ta
Sleep. That word felt foreign. After what I had heard from Ethel, how could I possibly fall asleep. The locked door was a solid testament to my captivity, and the high, narrow window offered no solace at all or a route of escape. I was trapped, and those guards were outside watching. I paced back and forth in the confines of the room. My mind was running like a hamster on a wheel with no way to stop. As I turned sharply, my foot caught on the edge of the bed, sending me sprawling on the ground hard. The back of my head slammed against the marble floor, as a sharp blinding pain shot through me. A loud groan escaped my lips, and for a dizzying moment, darkness threatened to take me again. But then, as the pain subsided, a torrent of memories, sharp and vivid, began to flood my consciousness wildly. The fragmented dreams, the unsettling whispers, the faces I couldn’t quite grasp, they all snapped into place with startling clarity. I could remember everything all of a sudden. I wasn’t
“What was that sound?” Archie demanded of the guards turned towards the door.They all looked confused as their eyes darted nervously around “We… do not know Alpha,” one stammered, “but it sounds… it sounds like someone is blowing the place up.”My heart leaped into my throat. Could it be? Could it possibly be him? A flicker of desperate hope ignited in me, chasing away the fear in my heart. Leigh was here. It had to be Leigh. He wouldn’t let them keep me here.Archie’s jaw tightened, his gaze locking onto mine, then a cruel smirk twisted on his lips. “Keep her contained,” he snarled at the servants who stood. “Do not let her escape. I will go and see what this… disturbance… is.” He shot me one last venomous look before turning and striding out of the room, the guards hurrying after him.My mind was a whirlwind of possibilities. Explosions? Fighting? It had to be Leigh. My eyes felt hot with unshed tears of relief and anticipation. He was here. He was really here to save me.“Come my
~ Iris POV ~Three years had passed since the blood and chaos of that night in Luka’s mansion, three years since I had looked into the cold, dead eyes of Luka Lane. In those three years, Leigh and I had built a life together, a sanctuary away from the shadows of the past. Our own mansion was where we lived now, far away from the main Troy mansion. Two years ago, under the glow of the full moon, we had finally become one, our souls bound together in a love forged in fire and tempered by time. He had made me his mate and we were blessed by the moon goddess. Leigh had sworn not to return to the old Troy mansion until the old Alpha breathed his last and he had kept to his words, it was a heart breaking but necessary severing of ties. We had found our own happiness, clinging to each other as we navigated our own future together.Today also, was a day for celebration. Nicolas and Clarisse were finally tying the knot. The air in our bedroom was thick with the pleasant chaos of getting rea
~ Leigh’s POV ~My lungs burned, each ragged breath shot pain through my entire body. But I knew I had to forget this pain I was feeling, I knew the ceremony was fast approaching, and Travis was unreachable this whole time too so we did not know whether he had arrived Lane’s pack or not. There was no time. No time to rest, no time to fully heal. Iris was in danger and I must save her.Every fibre of my being screamed at me to move faster, to bridge the impossible distance that separated us. Every mile felt like a lifetime, every rustle of leaves a potential delay. Clarisse was so worried. “I can’t reach Travis… we don’t know if he made it.” She said on the way. Nicolas’s updated us not too long after. “Travis just called… they encountered heavy resistance. It is clear that Luka anticipated them.” I clenched my jaw. That bastard. He is indeed an old weasel. “No matter what,” I snarled, “we break through and defeat him. We have to.”And we did. The fight was brutal. When we arrive
What I felt inside wasn’t just a power. It was an understanding. An understanding that made me feel ancient, yet utterly present, as if the moon goddess and I were two halves of a perfect whole. My vision were sharpened, and I could see everything. Every sin, every judgement. Every weakness and strength. I could see it all. With a roar that echoed through the hall, I launched myself at Luka, and flinged him far, sending him crashing against the wall. He hadn’t even fully regained his footing before I slammed into him again, sending his hulking form sprawling again once more. My eyes, I could feel, burned with an otherworldly light, fixed on Luka with an intensity that made him flinch.“Your opponent is me, Luka Lane!” I stated, my voice resonating with a newfound authority, a power that was both mine and something far more greater.Luka snarled, pushing himself up, his grey fur bristling. “So, the little moonflower has finally found her thorns, huh! Too bad for little one, you shoul
Travis’s strength was visibly slipping away but I could only watch. Each blow, each snarl, seemed to cost him more. Then, the unthinkable happened. Luka, with a brutal swiftness, plunged his massive claws deep into Travis’s chest. An agonizing shout ripped through the air, a sound that tore at my soul.Luka ripped his claws out, and Travis’s powerful wolf form faltered. He crashed to the ground, as a dark stain of blood spread rapidly under him. His gaze was filled with pain and exhaustion, flickered towards me. In his eyes, I saw a heart breaking message. “I’m tired. I tried.” That’s all I could see in his eyes. He was tired and I was powerless. Tears streamed down my face, blurring the horrific scene before me.Luka with his eyes gleaming with a cruel triumph, loomed over Travis. “Insect!” he sneered as he opened his massive jaws, ready to deliver the killing blow, aiming for Travis’s throat.“NO!” The shriek tore from my own throat, it was a desperate shout, hoping it could somehow
“What was that sound?” Archie demanded of the guards turned towards the door.They all looked confused as their eyes darted nervously around “We… do not know Alpha,” one stammered, “but it sounds… it sounds like someone is blowing the place up.”My heart leaped into my throat. Could it be? Could it possibly be him? A flicker of desperate hope ignited in me, chasing away the fear in my heart. Leigh was here. It had to be Leigh. He wouldn’t let them keep me here.Archie’s jaw tightened, his gaze locking onto mine, then a cruel smirk twisted on his lips. “Keep her contained,” he snarled at the servants who stood. “Do not let her escape. I will go and see what this… disturbance… is.” He shot me one last venomous look before turning and striding out of the room, the guards hurrying after him.My mind was a whirlwind of possibilities. Explosions? Fighting? It had to be Leigh. My eyes felt hot with unshed tears of relief and anticipation. He was here. He was really here to save me.“Come my
Sleep. That word felt foreign. After what I had heard from Ethel, how could I possibly fall asleep. The locked door was a solid testament to my captivity, and the high, narrow window offered no solace at all or a route of escape. I was trapped, and those guards were outside watching. I paced back and forth in the confines of the room. My mind was running like a hamster on a wheel with no way to stop. As I turned sharply, my foot caught on the edge of the bed, sending me sprawling on the ground hard. The back of my head slammed against the marble floor, as a sharp blinding pain shot through me. A loud groan escaped my lips, and for a dizzying moment, darkness threatened to take me again. But then, as the pain subsided, a torrent of memories, sharp and vivid, began to flood my consciousness wildly. The fragmented dreams, the unsettling whispers, the faces I couldn’t quite grasp, they all snapped into place with startling clarity. I could remember everything all of a sudden. I wasn’t
This was supposed to be my escape, but it wasn’t anymore as there were about two dozens of imposing figures, their faces grim and unyielding, lined in the corridor, their presence suffocating the last grasp of hope Ethel had built in me. And Luka Lane just stood there watching us, his very stillness radiating an icy authority. His grey eyes were as sharp as shards of glass.Ethel, who had moments ago been very courageous was now visibly trembling beside me. Her breath hitched in her throat and her hand clutched my own tightly, her fingers digging into my skin. Luka’s lips peeled back into a slow, cruel sneer. “Well, well, well,” he drawled, his voice a violent threat that sent shivers and sweat running down my temples. “I guess you are playing hide and seek in the dead of night, my little runaway? And you, Ethel? Playing accomplice are you?” he sneered.Ethel’s voice, when she finally managed to speak, was full of tremor. “Father… we were just… she wasn’t feeling well. I was only ta
~ Iris POV ~From the moment I woke up, I felt uneasy. It was like there was something pressing against my chest. It was because I knew tomorrow was fast approaching. Tomorrow was the day I was supposed to become Luka Lane’s mate. The thought felt like air was being sucked out of my lungs. This morning, my gown had also arrived and I was made to come test it out. It was truly beautiful and a perfect fit. Perfect for my discomfort actually, because there is no way I would be happy wearing that knowing who my groom is.I got confined to my room afterwards, under the guise of pre wedding pampering, felt more like imprisonment, like they have been doing since I got here. On the brief walk back from the gown testing room, I saw how everyone was busy with activity. Servants scurried with floral arrangements, and trying to get things arranged. I sighed heavily as I jumped on my bed with a thud. My gaze drifted to the window, and I yearned to feel the cool night air on my face, to run until
“Nicolas,” I repeated, my voice rough, “What happened to Iris?” The silence that followed stretched longer than I thought necessary. It was so thick and suffocating, and this silence just seemed to amplify the frantic thumping of my heart.Nicolas shifted his weight uncomfortably, his gaze fixed on the hard cold floor. He finally sighed, a sound heavy with reluctance. “Leigh please. You need to focus on getting better. This isn’t something you should be worrying about right now.” He tried to reason. It was not a reasonable thing for him to say though. At least to me.I hissed harshly. The dismissive tone ignited a spark of fury within me, overriding the weakness that still clung to my limbs. I pushed myself up against the pillows, the sudden movement causing a sharp tug on the IV drip in my wrist, sending a jolt of pain through my arm and to my brain. “I cannot relax Nicolas! Iris is out there, in Luka Lane’s clutches. What do you think he wants with her? It’s not a good thing obvious