Ember sat by Kaya’s side in the pack clinic, running her fingers through her short blond hair. Kaya had never spoken about it outright, but Ember knew how attached she had been to her hair. It was the one thing that made Kaya feel unique in a world of fantasy and powerful beings, it had made her feel special and distinguished. Long and thick enough to turn heads, it shone in the sun like it had a life of its own.And Darius had ruthlessly taken it from her. Ember scowled at the thought of him, barely containing her anger. She couldn’t wait to witness his end. He was going to pay for his crimes against her family, people like him always got their karma in the end.Kaya’s fingers twitched slightly, drawing Ember closer to the bed.“I’m here. You’re okay,” Ember whispered, tracing the side of her face. “Wake up soon so you can recover and become a wolf like your parents always wanted.”Ember thought about what the nurse had said and couldn’t understand why Kaya, or anyone, for that matte
Caden stealthily moved through the darkness, his footsteps light against the damp earth. The towering walls of Thorne’s estate loomed ahead, but he didn’t slow down. He had one goal, to put an end to the monster who had taken his mother captive.Matteo’s words rang in his head, “Thorne has her. If you want to save her, you know what to do.”His fingers curled into fists as he lept, gripping the rough stone of the wall. It wasn’t easy, but years of training made it possible. He scaled it swiftly, dropping onto the other side without a sound. The mansion was ahead, bathed in soft moonlight, and he could see the large balcony that led straight to Thorne’s bedroom.Caden took his time getting there, making sure no guards were in sight. When he reached the balcony, he tested the glass door. It was locked.No problem.He pulled a small blade from his pocket, he wedged it into the gap between the door and the frame, twisting until he heard a soft click. The lock gave wa
Ember sat on her vanity, running a brush through her hair when she felt it, a sudden feeling of high alert. She peered around the room as though someone was hiding in the shadows, watching her.Before she could react to the sinking feeling in her chest, she heard a loud crash. It sounded like it came from Thorne’s wing. Maybe he was having a tantrum, who knew what had angered him this time. She was about to continue preparing for bed when she heard muffled snarls and more crashing.She stood up immediately, moving to her window. Some guards in the courtyard were racing into the mansion amidst the growling and crashing coming from Thorne’s room.The mate bond tugged at her, and before she knew it, she found herself running out of her room toward Thorne’s wing, her heart pounding, different scenarios playing in her head. What if they were under attack?Before she reached his door, more than five guards rushed ahead of her, storming inside to the sounds of shifting bodies, more growlin
Ember stared at Thorne defiantly, her chest rising and falling with pemt up rage. She had already checked out mentally, and being forced to stay in a place she didn’t want to be in was going to be hell.Thorne met her gaze with the same intensity, then he said something that stunned her.“If you leave this territory, make sure you never come back. My guards will tear you apart if you so much as step a foot in.” His voice was icy. He meant it.Ember was at a loss for words. She had been ready to fight for her right to leave, not for him to cut her off completely. Before she could respond, Thorne waved a hand at his guards. They released Caden immediately, the chains clattering to the floor as he stood up, glaring at Thorne.“Let’s go get our mother, Ember,” Caden said, grabbing her arm and leading her out the door. Her gaze locked with Thorne’s until they stepped into the hallway, the mate bond thumping in her chest.Caden walked briskly, like he already knew where their mother was, he
The night wind was cold, biting into Ember’s skin as she rode in the back of the carriage with Kaya, Luna Zyrah, and Raphael, while Caden sat at the front. They had taken blankets along, draping them over the sleeping women to protect them from the harsh cold.Ember was silent, trying her best to ignore the ache of the mate bond. It took every bit of her self-control not to shift into her wolf form and run back into Thorne’s arms. She had thought she was ready to leave him, but her wolf wanted otherwise. She whined and pawed at the edges of Ember’s mind, resurfacing every time Ember pushed her back into her subconscious.Raphael noticed. He contemplated asking her about it but wasn’t sure she would want to talk, especially with her brother at the front, who was obviously annoyed with the arrangement. Then, seeing her discomfort, he asked anyway.“Are you okay?” Raphael peered at her with concern.“Yeah,” Ember responded softly, her eyes never leaving the direction of Thorne’s mansio
Ember was taken aback.Did he just say… mate? To who?Her wolf snarled violently at the silver wolf as he took a tentative step toward her. Her sneer meant ‘watch it.’But the silver wolf did not stop, he kept moving forward in slow, deliberate steps, sniffing the air like it intoxicated him. When he came within biting distance, Ember snapped her jaws at him in warning, but with lightning fast speed, he struck her muzzle with his huge paw. Ember recovered immediately and latched onto his leg, biting down with force until she tasted blood.Anger flashed in the silver wolf’s red eyes, and he barked, swiping at her again, this time with more force, sending her rolling away from the carriage.As Ember stood up, she saw him sniffing the back of the carriage where Kaya and her mother lay unconscious. The moment she rushed at him, his voice came into her head again, assertive, with a hint of warning.‘Mate.’Ember approached the carriage cautiously, her wolf still bristling. The silver wol
TWO YEARS AGO Ember’s POV I held my brother tightly against my chest, his fifteen year old body trembling against my eighteen year old one. “I’m so cold, Ember,” Caden said to me, his teeth were chattering violently. “I know,” I whispered, even though my voice trembled more than I wanted it to. “Mum will be back soon, okay? Just hold on.” I ruffled his hair and rubbed his back, hoping the small gestures would bring him comfort, or at least distract him. The truth was, I was worried. Mum had left us to hunt hours ago, long before the rain started pouring. She had no hat, no umbrella, nothing to shield her from this storm. My eyes kept darting to the tent’s entrance, half expecting her to appear, soaked but safe. The tent flapped wildly in the wind, its thin fabric offering us little protection. Every so often, the entrance slit would fly open, letting in cold rain and streaks of mud. I had tried to secure it, but the pin was too weak against the force of the wind. Caden’s arms ti
Ember’s POV Living in Alpha Thorne’s territory has its advantages. It was so big that I rarely had to worry about crossing paths with him, and It was my intention to keep it that way. The last thing I needed was for him to discover I was the daughter of his old rival. If he ever figured that out, I had no doubt my days would end in misery, or worse. My duties here are simple, cleaning the servants quarters and attending to the decorative flowers and trees scattered across the estate. The gardens were beautiful, a harsh contrast to the tough reality of life in this place. They reminded me of home, though that memory was fading faster than I cared to admit to myself. Kaya, of course, never left my side and I suspected her loyalty wasn’t entirely selfless. As a human among wolves, she counted on me for protection. The other werewolves in the servants camp could be brutal, and my presence kept them at bay. Not that I minded though, having someone to talk to kept the loneliness from swal
Ember was taken aback.Did he just say… mate? To who?Her wolf snarled violently at the silver wolf as he took a tentative step toward her. Her sneer meant ‘watch it.’But the silver wolf did not stop, he kept moving forward in slow, deliberate steps, sniffing the air like it intoxicated him. When he came within biting distance, Ember snapped her jaws at him in warning, but with lightning fast speed, he struck her muzzle with his huge paw. Ember recovered immediately and latched onto his leg, biting down with force until she tasted blood.Anger flashed in the silver wolf’s red eyes, and he barked, swiping at her again, this time with more force, sending her rolling away from the carriage.As Ember stood up, she saw him sniffing the back of the carriage where Kaya and her mother lay unconscious. The moment she rushed at him, his voice came into her head again, assertive, with a hint of warning.‘Mate.’Ember approached the carriage cautiously, her wolf still bristling. The silver wol
The night wind was cold, biting into Ember’s skin as she rode in the back of the carriage with Kaya, Luna Zyrah, and Raphael, while Caden sat at the front. They had taken blankets along, draping them over the sleeping women to protect them from the harsh cold.Ember was silent, trying her best to ignore the ache of the mate bond. It took every bit of her self-control not to shift into her wolf form and run back into Thorne’s arms. She had thought she was ready to leave him, but her wolf wanted otherwise. She whined and pawed at the edges of Ember’s mind, resurfacing every time Ember pushed her back into her subconscious.Raphael noticed. He contemplated asking her about it but wasn’t sure she would want to talk, especially with her brother at the front, who was obviously annoyed with the arrangement. Then, seeing her discomfort, he asked anyway.“Are you okay?” Raphael peered at her with concern.“Yeah,” Ember responded softly, her eyes never leaving the direction of Thorne’s mansio
Ember stared at Thorne defiantly, her chest rising and falling with pemt up rage. She had already checked out mentally, and being forced to stay in a place she didn’t want to be in was going to be hell.Thorne met her gaze with the same intensity, then he said something that stunned her.“If you leave this territory, make sure you never come back. My guards will tear you apart if you so much as step a foot in.” His voice was icy. He meant it.Ember was at a loss for words. She had been ready to fight for her right to leave, not for him to cut her off completely. Before she could respond, Thorne waved a hand at his guards. They released Caden immediately, the chains clattering to the floor as he stood up, glaring at Thorne.“Let’s go get our mother, Ember,” Caden said, grabbing her arm and leading her out the door. Her gaze locked with Thorne’s until they stepped into the hallway, the mate bond thumping in her chest.Caden walked briskly, like he already knew where their mother was, he
Ember sat on her vanity, running a brush through her hair when she felt it, a sudden feeling of high alert. She peered around the room as though someone was hiding in the shadows, watching her.Before she could react to the sinking feeling in her chest, she heard a loud crash. It sounded like it came from Thorne’s wing. Maybe he was having a tantrum, who knew what had angered him this time. She was about to continue preparing for bed when she heard muffled snarls and more crashing.She stood up immediately, moving to her window. Some guards in the courtyard were racing into the mansion amidst the growling and crashing coming from Thorne’s room.The mate bond tugged at her, and before she knew it, she found herself running out of her room toward Thorne’s wing, her heart pounding, different scenarios playing in her head. What if they were under attack?Before she reached his door, more than five guards rushed ahead of her, storming inside to the sounds of shifting bodies, more growlin
Caden stealthily moved through the darkness, his footsteps light against the damp earth. The towering walls of Thorne’s estate loomed ahead, but he didn’t slow down. He had one goal, to put an end to the monster who had taken his mother captive.Matteo’s words rang in his head, “Thorne has her. If you want to save her, you know what to do.”His fingers curled into fists as he lept, gripping the rough stone of the wall. It wasn’t easy, but years of training made it possible. He scaled it swiftly, dropping onto the other side without a sound. The mansion was ahead, bathed in soft moonlight, and he could see the large balcony that led straight to Thorne’s bedroom.Caden took his time getting there, making sure no guards were in sight. When he reached the balcony, he tested the glass door. It was locked.No problem.He pulled a small blade from his pocket, he wedged it into the gap between the door and the frame, twisting until he heard a soft click. The lock gave wa
Ember sat by Kaya’s side in the pack clinic, running her fingers through her short blond hair. Kaya had never spoken about it outright, but Ember knew how attached she had been to her hair. It was the one thing that made Kaya feel unique in a world of fantasy and powerful beings, it had made her feel special and distinguished. Long and thick enough to turn heads, it shone in the sun like it had a life of its own.And Darius had ruthlessly taken it from her. Ember scowled at the thought of him, barely containing her anger. She couldn’t wait to witness his end. He was going to pay for his crimes against her family, people like him always got their karma in the end.Kaya’s fingers twitched slightly, drawing Ember closer to the bed.“I’m here. You’re okay,” Ember whispered, tracing the side of her face. “Wake up soon so you can recover and become a wolf like your parents always wanted.”Ember thought about what the nurse had said and couldn’t understand why Kaya, or anyone, for that matte
Caden walked into Alpha Matteo’s office. The space was grand, filled with sculptures and plaques, reflecting Matteo’s obsession with making an impression. He had been training relentlessly every day, honing his stealth and fighting skills, waiting for the day Matteo would summon him with the news he so desperately wanted to hear, the mission on Thorne. Although he itched to march down to Thorne’s territory and engage him in battle to avenge his father, he respected Matteo’s decision to observe the coast first. Matteo was seated in his black, plush office chair, a thick, lit cigar in hand. As he heard Caden enter, he turned his head to regard him but burst into a coughing fit, the smoke evidently getting into his lungs. “Alpha,” Caden said, bowing in respect. “Caden, boy,” Matteo rasped in the middle of his coughing fit. Caden waited patiently as Matteo grabbed his cup of whiskey, downing it in one loud gulp to soothe his throat. “I’ve seen you training tirelessly, boy,” Matteo sai
Warning: This content contains mature themes and material intended for adult audiences. Viewer/reader discretion is advised. “Where the hell have you been?” Serene asked, her voice barely containing her anger. “You left me all alone in this wretched place for three days!” Darius didn’t respond. He walked into the inn room, brushing past Serene, who was holding the door open. “Well?!” she yelled again, following him with her arms crossed over her chest. “You’re disgusted by me, aren’t you? So I thought to give you some space. And I needed the air,” Darius said flatly. He took off his shirt, the fabric soiled with grime and mud. “You were taking air for three days?!” Darius ignored her. He walked into the bathroom and shut the door. Serene stomped over and tried to open it, but he had bolted it from inside. “Open the damned door, Darius!” she screamed, pounding her fists against the wood. “Ugh!” she yelled in frustration. Inside the bathroom, Darius sighed as he washed himself. W
Thorne drafted out the notice in his office. It was to be delivered to the soldiers quarters concerning his need for a new beta. A date would be set, and all the interested wolves would attend, sparring against each other until the winners from each group competed for a chance to be trained personally by him. Then he would choose a beta from them within a month after judging their skills in combat and delegated leadership. After penning down the last sentence and stamping the document, he sighed, having accomplished that task. “Jameson,” he called, and his office door opened as one of his guards answered. The guard marched toward his outstretched hand and bowed sharply before taking the envelope. “Deliver this to the Captain of the Guard. I expect the preparations to commence as soon as possible.” “Yes, Alpha,” Jameson said, bowing again before leaving the office. Thorne sighed again. There was only one name on his mind. Ember. But he wasn’t ready. Not yet. He wasn’t ready for