Kael's POVI clenched my fists, my jaw tight as I glared at Dorian, every word from his mouth igniting a new flame of fury inside me. My pulse thudded in my ears, but I wasn’t going to let him see how much his words stung. He was good at this, I’ll give him that—poking at everything I held close, like he knew exactly where to press.I moved closer, my feet silent on the polished floor, and I could almost feel the heat radiating off me, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me lose control. Not yet. Not when he still had that cocky grin on his face, like he had nothing to fear."Don’t try to stir up trouble, Dorian. It won’t end well for you." My voice was low, but every word was coated in the venom I was holding back. My anger tasted like bitter metal on my tongue, and I wanted to scream. Wanted to make him see exactly how much his carelessness was affecting me.A sudden knock on the door interrupted the charged silence that followed. Both Dorian and I turned in unison, o
Arianna's POVThe wind howled through the trees, its mournful cry echoing the hollow pit in my chest. I stood at the edge of the circle, staring at the elders, their faces set in stone, their eyes glittering with something ancient. Something unyielding. My heart thudded in my ears, but I couldn’t afford to flinch. The moment had arrived. The hour. The time.The moon hung high above, swollen and heavy, its pale light a reminder of the power of the night. The wind carried the scent of pine and earth, but it couldn’t mask the underlying tang of blood that had stained this place for centuries. This was not a place of salvation. It was a place of endings. And I was the one chosen for the end.I inhaled deeply, tasting the bitter air. The weight of what I was about to do pressed against my ribs, but there was no turning back."Step forward, Arianna," a voice called from within the circle. Elder Myrha’s voice—cold, unfeeling. Her eyes, like sharp stones, fixed on me as she spoke.I moved. Ev
Kael’s POV “Alpha,” Elder Myrha warned, her voice dripping with venom. “This will come at a cost.” “I’m willing to pay it,” I growled, my eyes never leaving Arianna, the fire crackling between us. “No, Kael, you can't take the risk of stopping the sacrifice.” Arianna’s voice came soft but insistent, filled with fear as she grabbed my wrist. “You’re not thinking clearly.” Her fingers trembled around my arm, her touch a whisper of a plea, as if she knew what I was about to do would fracture everything. But her words barely pierced the storm building inside me. The ritual had gone too far. The elders had gone too far. And I wasn’t going to stand by and let her be consumed by their damn flames. “You don’t understand,” I said, shaking my head, my voice low, but there was no mistaking the force behind it. “I won’t let them take you.” Arianna tried to step back, her grip loosening as if she feared the storm rising within me. Her gaze flickered to the elders, then to the flames, and
Kael’s POVI paced back and forth in my room, the silence of the space doing nothing to quell the storm building inside me. My hands were trembling, my chest tight with the weight of what had happened, what was still to come. The moonlight streamed through the window, casting long, cold shadows across the floor, but it didn’t help. Nothing helped. Not the quiet of the night, not the pulse of the ritual still lingering in the air. Not the bitter taste of betrayal that still clung to my mouth.I had never felt like this before—this out-of-control surge of emotion. It was a relentless current pulling me under.I stopped pacing and ran my hands through my hair, gripping the strands in frustration. What the hell was I supposed to do now? I had defied my pack, my father, the elders—everything I had ever been taught, everything I had ever believed. And for what? Arianna. But was it enough?My eyes flickered to the door, and without thinking, I moved toward it. I needed to lock it. To ensure
Arianna's POV The coldness of the floor beneath me seeped through the thin fabric of my clothes, but I didn’t care. It was the only thing that kept me grounded. I curled tighter, my arms wrapped around my knees as I sobbed, the tears flowing freely down my face like an endless river. I wanted to scream, to yell at the world for being so unfair. But no sound escaped my lips. Instead, I let the heavy silence surround me, a stark contrast to the storm raging inside. The ritual had been everything. Everything I had been waiting for, everything I had worked for. And now... now it was gone. It was as if someone had stolen the very ground I stood on, and I was left with nothing but this aching emptiness. Alpha Kael had canceled the ritual, and for what? To keep his precious little secret intact, to keep his own hidden fears and insecurities safe. But that wasn’t the worst part. No, the worst part was the lie. The lie someone had spread about me being sick—sick enough to not be able to com
I stood in front of Alpha Kael's door, my breath steady but my pulse quickening. My fingers curled tightly around the brass knocker, and I gave the door a firm rap, each knock echoing through the silence of the hallway. A small smile tugged at my lips as I waited, the anticipation building like a sweet poison in my veins.Kael, I know you're in there.I didn’t have to be here, not like this. But after everything—after all the times he rejected me, chose Arianna, I could feel something inside me shift. He needed to understand. He needed to know who really held the power in this pack. Who he had overlooked.I knocked again, harder this time. The door was unyielding, but I was used to obstacles. I didn’t back down from them. Not anymore.For a brief moment, I wondered what was taking him so long. Was he in there drinking? Getting lost in his own frustration? Maybe I would find him exactly how I imagined—disheveled, disoriented, and, finally, vulnerable.Just when I thought I might break
Kael’s POVThe door slammed shut behind her with a finality that echoed through the room. I didn’t move, didn’t breathe. My mind was still reeling, struggling to process what had just happened—what she had just said. I could still feel her fingers on my chest, her breath in my ear, and worse, the taste of her lips on mine.What the hell was wrong with me?She’d come in like a storm, twisting everything in her wake, pushing me to the brink. I should’ve pushed her away. I should’ve thrown her out and told her to get lost. But instead, I stood there, letting her take the whiskey from my hands, letting her manipulate me like I was some helpless fool.But the worst part? The worst part was that I wanted her.She had said everything she knew would hurt the most—every word calculated to break me, to twist the knife deeper. And damn it, it worked. Arianna kissing Dorian? The thought alone made my stomach churn. I had seen the way she looked at him, the way their gazes lingered longer than the
Arianna's POV“Stop talking, please!” The words were choked, bitter, and barely a whisper, but they held the weight of every tear I had been holding in for hours. My fingers curled into fists, nails biting into my palm as I stood frozen at the doorpost, my heart hammering in my chest. The air was thick with the stench of betrayal, and I could taste it on the back of my throat. I wanted to scream, to throw something, anything at him, but how could I when I saw how broken Kael looked? His jaw clenched in fury, his face twisted in ways I had never seen before, and yet, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even speak.His eyes were cold—dead—when they met mine. They had always been so warm, so full of fire.“You betrayed me, Arianna,” he muttered, voice low but dripping with venom. “I would’ve let them sacrifice you. You’re just like every other woman—entitled, selfish, always seeking the next thing without understanding the consequences.” His voice broke, and I saw the anger twist into something
I stormed out of the castle, the cool night air hitting me like a slap in the face. The darkness seemed to match my mood, and I felt a sense of liberation as I walked away from the oppressive walls. I didn't know where I was going, but I needed to get away from the castle, from Kael, and from the suffocating expectations.As I walked through the quiet streets, I felt a sense of clarity wash over me. I realized that I had been living in a state of denial, pretending that everything was fine when it wasn't. Kael's infidelity was just a symptom of a larger problem - our relationship was a sham, a duty-bound obligation rather than a love match.I thought about my conversation with my father, and the sacrifice that was to come. Was I truly doing it for the kingdom's sake, or was it a desperate attempt to hurt Kael and Arianna? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my motivations were mixed. But one thing was certain - I would see this through, no matter the cost.As I turne
Arianna povI stood before the king, my heart heavy with the weight of my decision. I had come to offer myself as the key to Alpha Kael's survival, but also to ensure his departure from our lives. The king's piercing gaze met mine, and I steeled myself for the conversation ahead."Your Majesty," I began, my voice steady. "I've come to tell you that I'm willing to proceed with the ritual. Let's begin the preparations."The king's expression turned calculating, and he nodded thoughtfully. "Very well, Arianna. I'll summon the elder and the necessary materials. But are you certain you're prepared for what's to come?"I nodded resolutely, pushing aside the doubts that threatened to creep in. "I'm ready, Your Majesty. For Alpha Kael's sake, and for mine."The king's gaze lingered on me, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of curiosity. "Very well, Arianna. We'll begin the preparations immediately. The ritual will take place at sundown."I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over
Kael pov As I leaned against the wall, a weight pressed down on my shoulder, and I swallowed hard against the pain. It felt like a thousand needles were piercing my skin, and something was crawling under my flesh. My heart ached as I tried to rise from the couch, but my legs buckled beneath me. I fell hard onto the floor, the impact jolting through my body. Powers long dormant began to stir within me, like a beast awakening from a deep slumber. I could feel it coursing through my veins, burning like wildfire. My alpha instincts were rising to the surface, and I was powerless to stop it. The room around me began to blur, and I felt like I was being consumed by a force beyond my control. The pain was intense, like my body was being torn apart and put back together again. I gritted my teeth, trying to ride out the wave of agony, but it only seemed to intensify. Sweat dripped from my brow, and my vision began to tunnel. I was losing myself to the power, and I knew I had to fight back.
Elaine’s POV I clenched my fist so hard I felt the sting of my nails biting into my palm. The room was cold—silent—but inside, I was burning. They were doing this in the open now. Flaunting it. Kael, the Alpha—the one I was meant to stand beside—choosing a rogue-blooded stray over me? Over everything we’d built? The alliance. The power. The future. And her—that girl, walking around with his scent, wrapped around her like a trophy, like she belonged here? She didn’t. Arianna didn’t understand what it meant to be part of this pack, this legacy. She wasn’t raised for it. She wasn’t trained. She was chaos wrapped in temptation, with eyes that made even the strongest men forget their purpose. But not me. I didn’t forget. I remembered everything. The years spent preparing. The sacrifices. The smile Kael used to wear when we were younger—carefree, before duty sharpened him into steel. Before she came along and made him soft. And now? Now, the council was slipping through
Kael’s POV The rain was still whispering against the windows when I stepped back into my quarters, the scent of her still hanging in the air—wild rain, warm skin, and something else. Something of mine. She was sitting by the fire, wrapped in a blanket, legs tucked beneath her. Her head turned at the sound of the door, and for a moment, the world just... stopped. Arianna. Goddess, I didn’t know how she did it. How she made me feel like the ground beneath my feet was shaking and solid all at once. One look from her could settle my wolf or drive him into a frenzy. The patrol had been dealt with—quick and clean. A couple of rogues testing the borders, nothing serious. But the entire time I’d been out there, all I could think about was her. The fire in her eyes. The vulnerability in her voice. The way she had looked at me before I left, as if handing me a piece of her and daring me not to drop it. I hadn’t. I wouldn’t. “Did you win?” she asked, eyes glinting with tired amusement.
Arianna’s POVThe sky wore a veil of thick gray clouds, the kind that whispered secrets of a coming storm. The air buzzed with anticipation, a low hum only a wolf could hear. I could feel it in my bones—the first rain in months. The land had dried to a brittle crisp, and the trees stood still like they too were holding their breath.With one look up, I peeled the shirt from my skin, casting it aside with little ceremony. My skin tingled with every gust of wind, every shiver racing across my spine. My heart drummed with something more than excitement. It was freedom. Finally.I stepped outside barefoot, letting the cool earth kiss my soles. The first drop landed on my collarbone, slow and sweet, then another, and another until the heavens cracked open. Rain. Real, cold, blessed rain.I laughed—loud and shameless—as I tilted my head back and let it pour over me. It was cleansing, wild, like the Goddess herself was pouring life down onto us again. My skin was slick, my hair curling and c
Kael’s POVThe shrill clang of the pack bell shattered the night like glass under boot.Kael jerked upright in bed, heart thrumming so hard it echoed in his ears. For a heartbeat, he thought it was a dream—his room still cloaked in darkness, the silence before broken sleep hanging thick in the air. But then the bell tolled again, three sharp strikes that vibrated through bone and soul.Not a drill.It's not a training exercise.Not in the last six years.The bell was only rung when the pack was under siege. When something real came crawling through the shadows with blood on its teeth.“Shit.”Kael threw off the covers, bare feet hitting the cold floor as instinct took over. He didn’t even think to reach for a shirt, grabbing only the shorts he wore to sleep. His chest was bare, marred with faded scars, and the fresh lines of muscle earned through years of training—yet in that moment. He felt more naked than he ever had before.Half running, half leaping down the stone hallway, Kael’s
Arianna’s POV Water. Ice cold. A shockwave slicing through my dreamless sleep. It splashed across my face like a slap from the gods themselves, soaking into my matted hair and the threadbare fabric of the slave pallet beneath me. I gasped, sputtering as I jolted awake, heart racing, fists already clenched. My body stiffened, every muscle on edge. For one blinding second, I thought we were under attack—another punishment, another training gone wrong. My survival instincts screamed fight. But when my vision cleared and the haze of sleep faded… There she was. Elaine. Standing above me with the smugness of a she-devil dressed in silk. The silver pitcher still dangled from her perfectly manicured hand, droplets sliding down its side like the poison she spit from her mouth every time she spoke. “What the hell, Elaine?” I snapped, wiping my soaked face, shivering in the cold morning air that clawed at my bones like a ghost. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said with a syrupy smile that di
Kael POv “I love you.” “Stop kissing me, Kael! My goodness, you’re hurting my lips.” Arianna squirmed beneath me, her voice sharp and full of heat, but I couldn’t stop. My hands tightened around her waist as if letting go would mean drowning. I held her like she was the only anchor keeping me sane, and maybe she was. “Arianna,” I whispered against her lips, “stop trying to break free. I love you.” She gasped. Not the delicate kind. It was ragged, raw—like my confession tore something loose inside her. Her palms pushed at my chest, but her eyes… gods, her eyes trembled. Still, her mouth parted, softening, until— SLAP! Pain exploded across my cheek, and I reeled back, blinking. The world cracked like shattered glass and spun around me, bright and disorienting. Suddenly, it was gone. Darkness. And then— My eyes shot open to the dull glow of moonlight bleeding through my bedroom curtains. My face throbbed. What the—? I groaned and turned my head toward the nightstand, rubbing