In a softly lit room, I sat on a chair, my legs dangling off it, my mother standing behind me, gently combing through my long hair. The rhythmic sound of the brush gliding through strands filled the silence.
"Sweetheart," my mother began, her voice calm yet tinged with sadness, "I need to tell you something important. Your future is going to be incredible, but it won’t always be easy." I looked at my reflection, curious but trusting. "What do you mean?" My mother paused, gathering her thoughts. "You’ll face challenges, times when you feel alone. And I’m afraid I won’t always be there to help you through it." My brow furrowed, the weight of my mother’s words sinking in. "But… I don’t want you to go." "I know, my love," my mother replied, her voice thick with emotion. "And I’m so sorry for that. But you are stronger than you think. You’ll find a way to rise above it all." I nodded slowly. "IIt was dark in the cell, so I couldn't see Darius face where I sat. I stood up slowly and made my way to the front, all the while I felt his eyes on me and I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I stopped a few feets away from the door and what I saw made my breath hitch. His black hair, thick and glossy, cascaded in waves past his shoulders, framing a face that was both striking and enigmatic. His nose, perfectly straight and sculpted, added to the sharp angles of his features. A smirk played on his lips. But it wasn't his sculpted features that made me pause, it was his eyes. His eyes were a captivating contradiction, a mesmerizing blend of emerald and sapphire. His left eye, a vibrant green, held a depth that seemed to draw you in, while his right eye, a piercing blue, radiated an intensity that was both alluring and unsettling. Darius was ridiculously good looking. And he's soon tall! Like a human walking
RAVENNA POV I paced the small length of my cell, trying to figure out my next move. I had to find a way out of here, and soon. Goddess only knows what that monster has planned for me. So far he hasn't made any attempts to kill me and I haven't seen him since he showed himself yesterday. After he left I was brought food and water. I had been resistant at first to eat the food, fearing it might be poisoned, but Darius wouldn't just bring me here to kill me with poison. That would be too easy for him. And I needed my strength. So I ate the food. I used the remaining water to clean the blood out of my body. I had tried to talk to the servants when they came to take out the plates but they didn't respond. And that was yesterday. I hadn't gotten any visitors today. And now all I could do was think. Why did Darius bring me here? Why didn't he just kill me? What was he playing at? I had so many questions, and only the man could answer them. I just had to wait. He would come back aga
DARIUS POV "What are you doing, Darius?" Lucian asked as soon as we entered my office. "Hmm?" I murmured, pouring a drink. Sipping slowly, I watched Lucian's clenched jaw and fist. I relished his agitation. "What was that about?" he asked through clenched teeth. "A game? That is not a game, you stupid bastard. That is just stupid. You underestimated her once before and you're clearly doing it again. Kill her or don't, but just be done with her." "No," was all I said, and Lucian snapped. He walked to me, snatched my drink, hurling it against the wall. Liquor and shattered glass cascaded down. "You just wasted good liquor," I said. Lucian's chest was rising hard. Oh, he was pissed. "Did you see how she got a rise from you down there?" he asked, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. "You don't get pissed no matter what people say. But you were barely containing your anger back there. She will continue to get a rise out of you, and then one day you'll slip an
The sound of the door opening startled me awake. I hurried out of bed, making sure not to let the towel wrapped around me slip.It won't do well to fight naked. There was no weapon in the room, not even an object I could use as a weapon so I'll make do with my nails and teeth. It was completely dark in the room so I couldn't see who entered. I kept my feets quiet as I walked to the figure I could make out in the dark. The person looked small though. I was ready to leap at the intruder when the lights suddenly turned on. The brightness made me squint, and it took a moment for my eyes to adjust.When I finally could see, a petite middle-aged woman stood before me with her hands on her hips.She watched me with a scowl on her face. "What were you doing?" she asked, her voice harsher than she looks. I scratched the back of my head, my face burning with shame. "I ehn… I thought someone was going to attack me."
DARIUS POV She was beautiful. The darkness of the cell had hidden her, but now, bathed in light and cleansed of the blood, her beauty shone forth. Beautiful was too small a word to describe her: she was breathtaking. Her silver hair, now cleansed of the crimson stain, shimmered with an almost otherworldly radiance, each strand catching the light and reflecting it back with a brilliance that seemed to defy her age. Her olive skin, fresh and vibrant, glowed with a healthy luminescence, as if she had just emerged from a refreshing dip in a cool spring, the water leaving behind a dewy sheen. And her eyes... those piercing gray eyes, they burned with an intensity that was both captivating and unsettling, a fire that seemed to demand attention, a fire I found myself inexplicably drawn to, a fire I longed to quench. Her delicate features belied a strength I knew she possessed. The thought of her wielding a sword see
RAVENNA POV "How long have you been watching me?" I asked, my voice hard. "Not long enough," Lucian replied, his voice devoid of any emotion. "You're trying to learn my fighting methods and then what? Run off and tell your boss?" This new side of me was new. I usually don't taunt people like this. Hell, I don't even talk to people. But something about these people just gets on my nerves. Probably everything about them.A muscle on Lucian's jaw tick. "Why are you training alone?" he asked instead. I shrugged. "Nobody seems to even notice my presence here. I can't just walk up to someone and say 'Hey, let's spar." "You can actually," Lucian said, his face and voice expressionless. "This is a training session, and I’m the one in charge. While you’re part of this pack and want to train, you’ll answer to me. Clear?"I hated him. "Crystal." "You already know my name. Can I have yours?" S
RAVENNA POV "It's nothing to worry yourself about," Mia said as she resumed eating. "Of course it is," I said. "They just gave me a warning. I don't know you well but I'm already looking forward to hanging out with you." Mia finally raised her head and met my gaze, her face unreadable before she signed and put down her fork. "My father was a traitor to the pack," she began, her hand trembling slightly. "He made a deal with the Blood Moon Clan, promising them information about our territory in exchange for power. He thought he could outsmart everyone and elevate our family’s status."My heart sank. “What happened?”Mia’s gaze dropped back to her plate. "He was caught. The Alpha had no choice but to execute him in front of the entire pack. It was brutal. His betrayal weakened our defenses, and several of our members were killed as a result of his actions." My brow furrowed. "And now they blame you?""Exa
DARIUS POVI leaned against the doorframe of my office, my gaze fixed on the trees outside. A knock at my door pulled my focus away. "Enter," I called out. The door opened and Silver Wisp—I still didn't know her name—entered. She was a mess—covered in dirt and grime from her relentless training—but there was an undeniable beauty in her determination. Her gray eyes, sharp and defiant, reflected a spirit that intrigued me more than I cared to admit.She stood with her arms crossed and we held eye contact. To be honest, I didn't have a good reason for calling her to my office. I had been watching her train for days. Lucian had been doing the same. He reported that she wasn't as skilled as I thought, that I had underestimated her that day in the battlefield. But I doubted that. She was skilled. I knew that. I pushed myself away from the frame and stepped closer, my presence casting a s
They talked about the plan and what it entails. About the marriage and how the pack was going to take it. They concluded that if they didn't take it well and didn't agree to it, then the plan wouldn't continue. They would think of something else that would get them allies. “That's enough for today,” Ravenna said, standing up and the others followed. “We’ll discuss this with the pack tomorrow and after that, we’ll know the next course of action and what we’re going to do next.”The room nodded. Darius held out his hand and Ravenna took it. He drew her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her waist as he whispered, “You okay, baby?”Ravenna sighed, resting her head on his chest. “Honestly? No. I'm scared, Darius. Mia was right; inviting our enemies into our territory might not be a good idea. It… Something could happen.”“Hey, I was just saying,” Mia rushed to say. “And that was before I heard your plan. We’re going to work with protections and warding. Nothing could go wrong with
The room was silent, even the twins who were usually noisy knew better than to disrupt this silence. Mia looked down at her feet; Lucian stared out the window; Dalian at the wall. Then, “That's a good idea,” Dalian said, looking back at Darius and Ravenna, who had been tense. They both released breaths at the same time. “I honestly wanted to talk about it with both of them, but I didn't know the best way to approach it. It's a lovely idea.”Ravenna smiled at him. “Thank you, Dalian.”“I don't—” Mia cleared her throat and all eyes turned to her. “I don't want to be the negative one here, but… but how do you go about this peace? What do we propose? And inviting our enemies into our territory? That is a problem.”Darius nodded. “We know that, Mia. But nothing is ever easy. We’re willing to do anything if it means securing peace for our future and our children.” He looked over at Juniper and Jasper who were making shapes with their fingers and giggling. “And how are we going to propose
Dalian was quiet after the shower, when they got dressed and went downstairs. And he looked lost in his head, distant. Mia didn't know what to do or say, so she just held his hand even when the pack looked at them. She didn't care. And she even held him tighter when she saw some of the girls eying her with jealousy. She felt smug. Because she knew they wanted him, but she was the only one he had eyes on.“In your faces,” those were the ones she wanted so badly to say to them, but she stayed silent, though her eyes said it all. They were about to go get something to eat when they came across Lucian. He looked down at their hands before he looked back at them as he said, “Alpha and Luna want to see the both of you.”“Is everything okay?” Dalian asked, the first words he had spoken for a while, his eyebrows pinched in worry. Lucian just waved at him and he walked past them. “Everything’s fine, relax. You wouldn't be scolded for fucking.”“Idiot,” Mia scoffed as they followed Lucian.
They stayed like that for long minutes, wrapped in each other, breathing in each other’s scent, and saying nothing, just content with each other. Then Dalian shifted, kissing her cheeks as he whispered, “You’re dangerous, Mia.”She smiled, eyes closed. “And you’re danger.”He chuckled, low and soft, the sound rumbling against her lips as he continued to kiss her. Her scent was thick in the air, wrapping around him like a spell, and he wanted to breathe it in until it filled every dark corner within him. She smelled like lilies in bloom—fresh, delicate, and subtly sweet—and like the earth after the first rainfall, rich and grounding. It was a scent he hadn’t known he craved until now, and it was all her. Addictive. Enchanting.Every breath he took only pulled him deeper under, until he wasn’t sure where she ended and he began. She was sweetness and strength, softness and storm, and everything about her called to something primal in him—and it wasn't his wolf. No, it was something else
Oh, if Mia thought she knew pleasure before, it was nothing compared to this. This was a whole different experience, a different feeling and she didn't want it to stop. Dalian settled between her thighs like he belonged there, and dragged his tongue up her center, groaning deep as he tasted her. Mia cried out, her fingers tangling in the sheets as her back arched off the bed. He licked again, slower this time, swirling his tongue before sucking her clit into his mouth. Mia’s body jerked and she gasped out his name, “Dalian,” one hand flying to his hair. Dalian hummed against her flesh, his tongue licking and swirling, doing things to her. He licked her folds before his tongue entered her and Mia moaned loudly, her other hand joining the first and she held his hair tight. Dalian raised his eyes, they landed on hers and held, his eyes hooded with lust. He curled his tongue inside her, tasting her from the inside. And when he slipped two fingers in, Mia screamed so loud that she was
Mia stood up, grumbling under her breath from the pain that shot from her neck. She moved to open the door but paused. What if it was Dalian?She breathed in and tried to fix her hair, but she stopped. What was she doing? She sighed as she opened the door, but it was another twin that greeted her. Ravenna smiled, holding up a paper bag. “I brought you cake,” she said softly. “You barely touched your breakfast, so I figured you'd be hungry.”Mia smiled back, taking the bag from her. “You're the best.”Ravenna’s smile widened. “I know.” But the smile dimmed a little. “I would really love to stay with you, but I got to go to the twin. I'll see you later?”Mia nodded. “Sure.”Ravenna pulled her into a gentle hug before she turned and left. Mia took the bag inside her room and set it down, taking off her clothes. She entered the bathroom and spent a good twenty minutes in there. Just as she came out from the bathroom, with only a towel wrapped around her, a knock came at her door. Was Ra
“Can you–” Mia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose with her free hand. She didn't want to let go of Dalian’s hand. It felt like an… anchor. Even when members of the pack passed them and looked down on their joined hands, whispering behind their hands. If anything, she held his hand tighter. They could talk all they wanted, she didn't care. Pff, she cared. Goddamn it, she cared. She cares about what they think about her, how they see her. Because it hurts. Because they were supposed to be her family, but they're foes. She had done nothing except be a child of her father. And that was all they needed. Since she was a child of a betrayer, she was also a betrayer. But she wasn't. She loved this pack, even though they didn't love her back. And she wanted them to accept her. But she had stopped trying to gain their approval years ago. They hate her. Even when Darius had defended her all those years ago. She could still remember that day. He had just become alpha, and he was also fig
Dalian groaned so deep in his throat that anyone who passed by would think he was dying. Oh, if only they knew. He was in heaven. Mia swallowed his full length, her warm mouth like bliss around him. She stayed like that for a moment, breathing through her nose, her throat working around him. Then she swallowed and Dalian saw stars. “Fuck,” he groaned, his hands weaving themselves into her hair, but they just stayed there, giving her time. She started moving. She withdrew until only the tip remained in her mouth before she swallowed him again, hollowing her cheeks and swallowing. She did it slowly at first before she picked pace, her beautiful blue eyes never once looking away from him. He couldn't look away from her either. Looking at those eyes while watching his dick in her mouth was a sight he didn't want to miss. His hold tightened on her hair and he moved his hip slightly, wanting to thrust, but he stopped. He was going to take it at her own pace.But it seems Mia didn't mi
The kiss wasn't rough; it was slow, soft, and delicate, with only heat. Dalian kissed her like he was learning the language of her lips, like he was studying every inch of her mouth with his tongue, like he wanted them both to mesmerize it, like this wasn't about just lust anymore but every aching, torturing second they'd lost. Her hands slipped up his jacket and into his shirt, touching his bare smooth skin, up his back, fingers digging into his shoulders. He shivered against her, groaning into her mouth, and backed her up until her back was pressed against a tree, the bark rough against the fabric of her clothes. “I thought about you for three years,” he said against her lips. “And none of those thoughts were pure.”Mia grinned against his mouth. “Good.”He growled low in his throat, kissing her harder. His hand found the hem of her shirt, sliding under to feel the warmth of her skin. She arched her back, sighing his name. “I thought about how soft you felt,” he whispered as he b