Derek stormed down the hospital corridors, his footsteps echoing sharply off the polished floors. Every step tightened his resolve, the tension in his jaw like coiled steel. He had only just returned, barely setting foot inside the hospital, and already his worst fears had been confirmed—Ella was missing. The guards he’d stationed were either unconscious or in critical condition, and her ward was ominously empty. Each heartbeat drove home a fresh surge of rage as he struggled to keep his emotions under control. Derek’s footsteps thundered through the hospital corridors, each step radiating the fury coursing through him. The air around him crackled with barely contained rage as he stormed into the security room, barking orders at the bewildered hospital staff. “Who’s in charge here?” His voice, deadly calm, sent a shiver through the room. “Get me the CCTV footage of the past 24 hours.” The head of hospital security paled as he scrambled to check the camera footage. Derek's mind ra
Derek and his wolves moved swiftly and silently through the dense forest, their senses alert as they tracked Sara’s scent through the dense underbrush. the scent of pine and damp earth sharpening their senses. He could feel Leo, his wolf, thrumming with restless energy, urging him forward. He had barely taken a breath since discovering Ella’s abduction. Days of failed attempts to locate Ella had built a fury inside him that he was barely containing. He could feel her slipping further out of his reach with each passing moment—and Sara, the one person who could lead him to her is somewhere within the depths of this mountain. The wind shifted, bringing a faint scent to Derek’s nose. It was her. The trace was weak but enough to reignite his determination. He signaled his pack with a raised fist, and Alex, his Beta, nodded, gesturing for two wolves to fan out. “She's near,” Derek murmured. Alex, his loyal beta, matched his pace, scanning the surroundings with a sharp gaze. “The t
Derek approached the river, the eerie silence only heightening his unease. Raising his right hand, he motioned for his warriors to halt as his sharp eyes scanned the surroundings, every sense heightened to the subtle sounds and movements around him. From where he was standing,he could see the vampire's hideout that Sara described—a small, ancient structure carved from the rocky cliffs by the water, it was hidden partially by a dense cluster of trees and overgrowth. If you don't look closely, you wouldn't notice it. Shadows draped across the entrance, and Derek noticed remnants of crude barricades and the unmistakable stench of vampire lairs—Which further proves Sara's confession.But then, he caught it—a trace of Ella's scent, drifting faintly on the air. It wasn’t as strong as it should have been, which set his instincts on edge. Why was her scent so weak? Without wasting more time, he mindlinked his warriors, instructing them to fan out and proceed cautiously.The warriors bowed, t
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the landscape, Ella sat rigidly in the car beside Dorian. Despite her instincts urging her to remain calm, a cold dread prickled down her spine. She was in enemy territory now—a city that thrived under the cover of night, the very heart of vampire power. Everything about it was alien to her, from the scent of the air to the quiet, lethal tension that seemed to cling to every surface.Through the tinted window, she caught glimpses of Devil’s City as they drove. Tall, dark buildings rose like jagged shadows against the twilight sky, their sleek, blackened glass reflecting the faint light that remained. The architecture was both beautiful and foreboding, a blend of ancient stone and sharp, modern angles that mirrored the ruthlessness of the inhabitants. But it was the people that unnerved her most. Vampires lined the streets, their eyes following her as if they could sense her difference, her very scent marking her as—an i
As Ella stared into those eyes, a chill ran through her, yet she couldn’t look away, even as her heartbeat thundered in her ears."Oh, moon goddess, those crimson eyes," she thought, mesmerized and paralyzed at once. It was as if a magnetic force held her in place, pulling her in, even as every instinct screamed for her to flee. She didn’t know if that was his true eye color or if this was his vampire form.Her emotions were a chaotic mix of fear and something else, something dangerously close to longing. He was big. No—massive. His muscular frame radiated a restrained strength that made her feel both small and hot, an unfamiliar warmth coiling within her. She could barely understand what was happening or why her own body seemed to betray her with this strange, simmering heat. "What is this? What kind of power does he have?" she wondered.Before she could process the beautiful and lethal creature, his lips pulled back into a growl that sent a fresh surge of goosebumps along her skin.
A soul mate. A fucking soul mate! Valen gripped the edge of the table making deep grooves in the mahogany wood, as he watched Dorian lead the woman away from the study.As soon as she had stepped foot into his territory, he had felt it. A strange scent. A scent of life, of warmth, had seeped through the ice inside him. It was a strange feeling he couldn't comprehend.No. He must be imagining things. After being cold for so long, his mind was craving what he couldn't have. At his age, he might be close to losing his mind.But the feelings kept getting stronger and stronger, the scent irresistible. He had been thankful Dorian hadn't barged in like he sometimes does in times of emergencies. The little minutes he had used to announce his presence with the healer were enough for him to turn his back to the door and regain his composure. It took a lot of self-control to steel his voice and order for them to come in.As soon as she stepped into the room, her presence struck him like a ligh
Ella stood quietly in the doorway, her eyes sweeping over the room Dorian had led her to. It wasn’t grand or extravagant; its simplicity was striking. The walls were bare, painted in muted gray, and the single bed in the corner was dressed in plain white sheets. A modest wooden chair and a small table completed the sparse furnishings.She sighed, stepping inside and running her fingers over the edge of the table. It wasn’t much, but it was clean, far better than the damp, dark cell she'd been confined to at the hideout.Dorian, who stood just outside the door, cleared his throat. “You’ll be staying here for now. Someone will bring your meal shortly.” His tone was curt, almost hurried, as though he wanted to leave as soon as possible. Before she could respond, he turned on his heel and disappeared down the hallway, the sound of his boots fading into the distance.Ella closed the door with a soft click, leaning against it as a long breath escaped her lips. “Well,” she muttered to hersel
“This is more of a curse than a blessing” Valen muttered under his breath. Being mated to your enemy and, worst of all, the very kind you detest was so much to bear.He paced his study restlessly, the weight of it pressing down on him. How could fate be so cruel? To be cursed with a bond like this—it was unthinkable.The sharp sound of his door creaking open interrupted his thoughts. Valen glanced over to see his best friend Lucian staggering in, obviously drunk. He rolled his eyes as he watched him stagger to his desk with this familiar smile of “I just had the best sex of my life” plastered on his face. Valen was already used to it.But just as Lucian got to Valen's desk, he stopped on his track, the smile on his face disappeared immediately, replaced by wide-eyed shock, then an amused smirk.“You are Mated”. Lucian said, his silver-gray eyes glittering with humor.Valen stiffened. “I'm not mated; I just met her.” He growled defensively.Lucian laughed softly. “Don’t lie to me, Vale
Sebastian sat on a round table. By his side was Sandra, Alpha Kelvin, and other fallen powerful leaders from different clans and tribes.Sebastian isn't one to waste time.Sebastian had carefully selected each individual—a collection of those he feels have a devious heart like his, people that can go through any length just to achieve what they want, those that care solely about themselves and most of all, those that are filled with hatred and revenge.“Thank you all for honoring my invitation” Sebastian said, lifting a wine glass to his lips as his eyes moved and scanned everyone seated.Their eyes held hatred, their souls burned with a desire to reclaim what had been taken from them.They all followed suit and lifted their wine glasses.Alpha Kelvin leaned forward, his eyes narrowing. “So, we have all seen your plans and it's really not an easy one but I love it because it suits exactly to what I have in mind when my pack was destroyed and forcefully taken away from me, leaving me w
“Ella please can I speak to you privately?” Drake whispered to Ella, his tone low and pleading, his eyes looking desperate Ella nodded, stealing a glance at Derek and Valen, despite their intense gazes,she still led Drake to her room.Derek couldn't control his anger anymore, he stood up abruptly to follow, but Valen grabbed his hand, shaking his head to discourage him.Derek turned his frustration to Valen. “How could you be so calm? We don't even know that guys identity, we can't just leave him alone with her, we don't know his motives”Valen sighed. “I asked Dorian to confirm his identity and everything he said”“So?” Derek asked impatiently.“Everything he said checked out”Derek was momentarily stunned, he slowly sat down. “You are trying to tell me that guy is truly her brother?”“Possibly,” Valen said, shrugging.“Possibly?” Derek asked confused, running his hands through his hair in frustration “This wasn't a deep investigation, we need more time to know if he's actually her
Derek and Valen exchanged glances. Their murderous aura dissipated but the trace of disbelief and doubt was still in their eyes.They stared at Ella and Drake, back and forth, trying to see how it's even possible.“Aside from his hair color and eyes, he looks nothing like you” Derek blurted out, unable to contain his anger seeing Ella defend a stranger that way.A flash of irritation crossed across Ella's face. “And isn't that enough to prove he's my brother!?” Ella snapped, still protecting Drake.Derek's jaw clenched. “No!”Ella's eyes widened in anger, she was about to retort when Valen stepped in.He exhaled deeply, his voice calmer than Derek's, he knew something was wrong with Ella, but he couldn't place what it was. He arched his brow as he watched her closely.“You say he's your brother Ella?”“Yes Valen, I just found my long-lost brother. You should be happy for me shouldn't you?” Ella responded Derek scoffed loudly. “As if”Valen's eyes traveled to the young man standing be
“My brother?” Ella asked puzzled Her mind spuned as she tries to process the information. How's it possible she just found out about having another family and all of a sudden, a brother is here to see her? Do things work that fast? Did he also just find out about her too?A lot of thoughts ran through her mind as she stood there stunned.“Are you okay?” Dorian's voice brought her back to reality “Where's he?” She asked, her voice sharp with urgency.“He's here at the manor” Dorian said, pointing towards the hallway.Without waiting for him to say any other thing, she ran past him into the great hall.She stopped abruptly in her tracks when she saw him. There,at the center of the room, standing tall, was a handsome young man with brown hair and eyes just like hers.Her breath caught in her throat and her heart hammered loudly against her chest, she could hear it as she walked towards him.As she takes a step closer, he also takes a step closer to her as if he couldn't believe she was
As Ella exited the room, she found some stationed guards by her door and immediately they saw her leaving they followed from a safe distance. She doesn't like this arrangement but she knows it's for her own safety.She headed for the garden, aside from her room which was currently occupied by Derek and Valen, the garden is the next place she sees as her safe Zone.She needed space, she needed to think. A lot has been happening and a lot will still happen. Her feelings for Derek and Valen are still not sorted out and now she just learnt she had a family somewhere she doesn't know about.“You know you can always speak to me, I'm here” Lila said, jolting Ella from her thoughts.“You scared me Lila…don't ever do this again” Ella said softly “Do what? How else was I supposed to remind you I'm within you? I can hear your thoughts too and I can feel how troubled you are. This isn't your battle to fight alone, you can't bottle all of that emotions up “ Lila said.Ella sighed, sinking into a
Ella looked up to see the questioning gaze of both Derek and ValenShe took a deep breath, looking down at her hands on her laps.“Sandra mentioned… that I'm not related to their family in any way” she finally said, her voice quiet but steady.Derek exhaled as he took his seat. “Why am I not surprised?” he muttered, rubbing his temple.“Did she tell you anything about your biological parents?” Valen asked softly.Ella shook her head. “She didn't. Said something about her father dropping me off with her mother and asking her to run away with me and Sandra and to keep me safe”Silence fell in the room as everyone was lost in their own thoughts.Ella swallowed, forcing a bitter smile “Now I know she's not my biological mother, I can actually understand why she treated me like trash all these years. I guess… she blames me for the death of her husband” Ella said.Derek leaned forward, taking her hands in his. His grip was firm, reassuring. “No one should be comfortable with being treated l
Ella stood in the middle of a battlefield, the field was more like a blood-bath. The stench of blood and death filled the air. This wasn't a regular war; both werewolves and vampires teamed up to fight against a voracious beast and his merciless allies.But the more they fought, the more the beast was gaining ground. More vampires and werewolves dropped to the ground. Ella felt helpless as she watched in horror as the battle turned into a massacre.Suddenly there was a loud scream. Her body froze. Her breath ceased, her chest tightened and her eyes widened as she turned to see the claws of one of the beast's allies deeply embedded in the heart of Derek.Time seemed to stop.Her voice seemed lost as she tried to scream.Immediately a shadow fell above her, she raised her eyes to see the beast. His eyes were black like the abyss, his size bigger than anything she had ever seen, his hair was long and his face was very scary. The shocking thing was that there was not a single scratch o
Valen immediately summoned Dorian and both of them walked into his office.“There's an emergency,” Valen said, pacing around immediately as he entered his office. Dorian straightened up ready to carry out any order given. “What's the emergency my lord?”Valen stopped pacing, his hands curled into fist, his jaw tightened, his eyes narrowed as he stared into space. “You will need to summon the council, this matter can't be delayed” he said in a cold voice.Dorian could see Valen was fighting so hard to restrain himself from unleashing his dark aura. Whatever this emergency was, It has really touched a sensitive spot.Dorian nodded and tried making his way out when he was stopped.“There's something else I want you to do for me” Valen said as he beckoned Dorian to come closer. He whispered something in Dorian's ears.Dorian's expression changed to that of shock and then understanding “Where's Scottie?” Valen asked“She's trying to get medication for Ella, my lord” Dorian responded Val
“It's been three days,” Valen muttered, pacing around the room, while Derek sat across from him. The rivalry between them, momentarily forgotten, as they fight to see Ella survive. He stares at Ella who's lying still on the bed, aside from her shallow breath, there's no other consciousness.“She isn't dead now is a miracle. Wolfsbane is very dangerous to our kind” Derek replied, his eyes fixed on Ella's pale face. He turned his head immediately looking at Valen as if he suddenly remembered something.“Have you found the culprit?”“Not yet” Valen responded, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “Lucian said the culprit has an inside Intel for her to request to use the very private suite reserved mainly for secret and undisclosable meetings, hence the absence of CCTV cameras.“Her?” Derek questioned, narrowing his eyes.Valen blinked. “I don't understand”“You said ‘her’. The person who met with Ella.” Derek said raising his brow“Oh… right.” Valen exhaled. “Lucian questi