MARCELLUS’ POV.The sun had just begun to rise when I decided it was time to act. I couldn’t wait any longer. Everything felt heavy in my chest—Fiona’s injury, the attack, the pack’s state of unrest. I reached out through the mind link to Raymond, my beta. His voice answered right away, sharp and alert, as if he had been expecting my call. “Raymond,” I said firmly. “Call the council together. I need everyone in the meeting room as soon as possible. This is urgent.” “Understood, Alpha,” Raymond replied without hesitation. “I’ll send out the call now.” I ended the link and stood still for a moment, breathing deeply. My hands rested on my hips, and I looked out the window at the quiet morning sky. Everything looked so peaceful out there, but inside me, it was chaos. Before leaving for the council, I knew I had to make sure everything at the hospital was in order. Fiona was still resting, and even though I trusted Darla to stay with her, I needed to see things for
LENA'S POV.I sat in my room, staring at the mirror as I tried to make sense of everything that had happened. My mind felt like a storm, swirling with confusion and anger. How could Marcellus strip me of my title like that? All these years, I’d stood by him, supported him, and worked to be the perfect Luna. And now, he had thrown it all away for Fiona. The door to my room burst open, startling me. I turned to see Tasha and Thelma standing there, their faces full of fake concern. They were always together, whispering and gossiping like two crows picking at scraps. “Oh, Lena,” Tasha said, her voice dripping with pity that wasn’t real. “We just heard the news. Are you okay?” “Such a shock,” Thelma added, her tone laced with sarcasm. “I can’t believe Marcellus would do something like that to you. You must be devastated.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “What do you two want?” I snapped, my voice cold. Tasha gave a little gasp, her hand flying to her chest li
FIONA'S POV. I woke up to the faint sound of knocking at the door. My body was still aching, but the steady rhythm of the monitors and the faint hum of hospital air-conditioning reminded me I was safe. I glanced at the door just as Maya walked in, her usual bright demeanor somewhat subdued. “Good morning, Luna,” she said softly, a warm smile tugging at her lips. “Just Fiona,” I corrected gently, offering a weak smile. “You don’t have to call me that here.” Maya chuckled lightly, setting down a small bag of what looked like fruits and snacks. “Old habits, you know.” She pulled up a chair beside me, her eyes scanning me over with concern. “How are you feeling?” “Sore,” I admitted, shifting slightly to sit up. “But alive. That’s what matters.” Maya nodded, her expression growing serious. “Well, you’ve been through quite a lot, but I wanted to come by and check on you... and share something you should know.” I tilted my head, curious but wary. “What is it?” Maya hesitated
MARCELLUS’ POV.I stood outside the pack gates, watching as Darla’s belongings were loaded into the sleek black car that would take her away. The air was heavy, and so was my heart. I wasn’t sure how to feel—relieved, maybe, but also a little hollow. Darla stood a few feet away, her arms wrapped around herself as the cool breeze swept through. She didn’t look at me, her gaze fixed on the ground. I took a deep breath and walked over to her. “Darla,” I called softly. She lifted her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Marcellus,” she replied, her voice shaky. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched between us, filled with words we didn’t know how to say. Finally, I broke it. “I know this isn’t how you thought things would end,” I said, my voice steady but low. “It’s not how I thought it would be either.” Darla looked away, blinking quickly. “I just never thought I’d be leaving like this,” she murmured. “This was my home.” “And it always will be, i
MARCELLUS’ POV.The clock ticked louder than usual, or maybe it was just my nerves playing tricks on me. I paced back and forth in my study, running my hands through my hair. Raymond stood near the desk, arms crossed, watching me with an amused expression. “It’s just dinner, Marcellus,” he said, his voice steady and calm. “It’s not *just* a dinner, Raymond,” I snapped, stopping in my tracks to glare at him. “It’s *the* dinner. I’m going to propose to her tonight. Everything has to be perfect.” Raymond chuckled softly. “You’re acting like a pup preparing for his first hunt. You’ve faced battles, councils, and rogue attacks, but this—this has you losing your mind?” I shot him a look, but the corner of my mouth twitched. “This is different. This is Fiona. I can’t mess this up.” He walked over and patted my shoulder. “You won’t mess it up. The flowers are ready, the food is set, and the ring... well, let’s just say it’s going to make her heart stop.” I glanced at the small vel
Fiona's POVI'm the most unlucky person in the world. That was all I could think about as I knelt on the ground cleaning the bathroom floor with a toothbrush. That was my stepmother's way of punishing me for waking up late even though I was sick. “Make it sparkle! I want to see my face in those tiles when you're done” My stepsister mocked me as she passed by the guest bathroom. I ignored her as I'd grown accustomed to the insults and unfair treatment I received in my own house. My back was sore and aching when I finally finished after hours of cleaning. My fever had gone up but of course, no one cared about that. I joined the rest of the family in the living room and sat down for lunch when my father snapped at me.“What do you think you're doing?” His voice startled me.“I-I want to eat…” “Then go to the kitchen and wait for the leftovers. Don't be greedy” I still found it hard to believe just how terribly my own father treated me, especially since he married my stepmother.“But
Fiona’s POV“What?” I asked, clearly shocked before a sting of betrayal enveloped me.“He'll come for you soon so go make yourself look presentable” My father dismissed me like he hadn't just given me the biggest news of my life. How could he just sell me, like some property? What the heck is my life for then? Simply nothing. A thing to be discarded.My mind was spinning in all directions. I wanted to escape and run but in my current condition, I wouldn't get far before my father would drag me back into the house. “Go now!” His voice startled me and I forced my battered body to get up. I wore a baggy sweater over my clothes as my head continued to spin. I didn't know what to do and I didn't have enough time to think because there was soon a knock at our door. The blood drained from my face as I stood frozen in my room fearing my fate. My stepmother barged into my room with a mocking smile on her face. Then she grabbed me by my neck.“You're finally going to be out of our lives you l
Fiona’s POVI was in the back of the car for several hours until we reached a grand majestic building that closely resembled a castle. That was where Marcellus lived and it was miles away from home. I was fully in werewolf territory and a human. We met some guards along the way and they all bowed their heads in his presence. My eyes kept dancing around the place in awe of it all. “You must be tired but first, I'll introduce you to the others” Marcellus spoke before he continued walking. I rushed after him, struggling to keep up with his pace.What others was he talking about? As soon as we walked through the huge mahogany doors, I knew. There were about fifty other women all dressed in fine clothing. They definitely weren't maids unless he just happened to be so kind to his slaves. That was what I was going to be after all. The women were all so beautiful that I felt insignificant in their presence. “This is Fiona. I just got her and she'll be joining you ladies in court” His voi
MARCELLUS’ POV.The clock ticked louder than usual, or maybe it was just my nerves playing tricks on me. I paced back and forth in my study, running my hands through my hair. Raymond stood near the desk, arms crossed, watching me with an amused expression. “It’s just dinner, Marcellus,” he said, his voice steady and calm. “It’s not *just* a dinner, Raymond,” I snapped, stopping in my tracks to glare at him. “It’s *the* dinner. I’m going to propose to her tonight. Everything has to be perfect.” Raymond chuckled softly. “You’re acting like a pup preparing for his first hunt. You’ve faced battles, councils, and rogue attacks, but this—this has you losing your mind?” I shot him a look, but the corner of my mouth twitched. “This is different. This is Fiona. I can’t mess this up.” He walked over and patted my shoulder. “You won’t mess it up. The flowers are ready, the food is set, and the ring... well, let’s just say it’s going to make her heart stop.” I glanced at the small vel
MARCELLUS’ POV.I stood outside the pack gates, watching as Darla’s belongings were loaded into the sleek black car that would take her away. The air was heavy, and so was my heart. I wasn’t sure how to feel—relieved, maybe, but also a little hollow. Darla stood a few feet away, her arms wrapped around herself as the cool breeze swept through. She didn’t look at me, her gaze fixed on the ground. I took a deep breath and walked over to her. “Darla,” I called softly. She lifted her head, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “Marcellus,” she replied, her voice shaky. For a moment, neither of us spoke. The silence stretched between us, filled with words we didn’t know how to say. Finally, I broke it. “I know this isn’t how you thought things would end,” I said, my voice steady but low. “It’s not how I thought it would be either.” Darla looked away, blinking quickly. “I just never thought I’d be leaving like this,” she murmured. “This was my home.” “And it always will be, i
FIONA'S POV. I woke up to the faint sound of knocking at the door. My body was still aching, but the steady rhythm of the monitors and the faint hum of hospital air-conditioning reminded me I was safe. I glanced at the door just as Maya walked in, her usual bright demeanor somewhat subdued. “Good morning, Luna,” she said softly, a warm smile tugging at her lips. “Just Fiona,” I corrected gently, offering a weak smile. “You don’t have to call me that here.” Maya chuckled lightly, setting down a small bag of what looked like fruits and snacks. “Old habits, you know.” She pulled up a chair beside me, her eyes scanning me over with concern. “How are you feeling?” “Sore,” I admitted, shifting slightly to sit up. “But alive. That’s what matters.” Maya nodded, her expression growing serious. “Well, you’ve been through quite a lot, but I wanted to come by and check on you... and share something you should know.” I tilted my head, curious but wary. “What is it?” Maya hesitated
LENA'S POV.I sat in my room, staring at the mirror as I tried to make sense of everything that had happened. My mind felt like a storm, swirling with confusion and anger. How could Marcellus strip me of my title like that? All these years, I’d stood by him, supported him, and worked to be the perfect Luna. And now, he had thrown it all away for Fiona. The door to my room burst open, startling me. I turned to see Tasha and Thelma standing there, their faces full of fake concern. They were always together, whispering and gossiping like two crows picking at scraps. “Oh, Lena,” Tasha said, her voice dripping with pity that wasn’t real. “We just heard the news. Are you okay?” “Such a shock,” Thelma added, her tone laced with sarcasm. “I can’t believe Marcellus would do something like that to you. You must be devastated.” I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. “What do you two want?” I snapped, my voice cold. Tasha gave a little gasp, her hand flying to her chest li
MARCELLUS’ POV.The sun had just begun to rise when I decided it was time to act. I couldn’t wait any longer. Everything felt heavy in my chest—Fiona’s injury, the attack, the pack’s state of unrest. I reached out through the mind link to Raymond, my beta. His voice answered right away, sharp and alert, as if he had been expecting my call. “Raymond,” I said firmly. “Call the council together. I need everyone in the meeting room as soon as possible. This is urgent.” “Understood, Alpha,” Raymond replied without hesitation. “I’ll send out the call now.” I ended the link and stood still for a moment, breathing deeply. My hands rested on my hips, and I looked out the window at the quiet morning sky. Everything looked so peaceful out there, but inside me, it was chaos. Before leaving for the council, I knew I had to make sure everything at the hospital was in order. Fiona was still resting, and even though I trusted Darla to stay with her, I needed to see things for
FIONA'S POV.I was in a hospital room. My body ached everywhere, but there was a dull, burning pain in my side that stole most of my attention. I tried to move, but the effort made me wince. That’s when I saw her. “Darla?” I croaked, my voice barely above a whisper. She was seated in the chair by my bedside, her head resting on her hand as she dozed lightly. At the sound of my voice, she jolted awake, her wide eyes immediately locking onto mine. Relief washed over her face so quickly that it almost made me want to cry. “Fiona!” she gasped, leaning forward to grab my hand. “You’re awake! Thank the moon, you’re awake.” I managed a weak smile, though it hurt even to do that. “What… what happened?” Her grip on my hand tightened. “You were attacked, Fiona. There were robbers, and you…” Her voice wavered, and she paused, taking a deep breath. “You took a bullet. Marcellus brought you here just in time. The doctors said it was close, but you made it.” I stared at her, the memor
MARCELLUS’ POV.The world around me was chaotic. I held Fiona in my arms, her body limp and lifeless. Blood soaked my hands, her shirt, and the floor. My mind screamed at me to do something, to fix this, but for the first time in my life, I felt utterly powerless. “Get the car ready!” I barked at the couple, my voice trembling with urgency. The woman, pale and shaking, nodded and ran outside while her husband brought towels. “Press this against the wound!” he shouted, handing me a bundle of fabric. I did as he said, applying pressure to her side. Fiona’s blood seeped through the towel almost instantly. My chest tightened as I looked at her face. She was so pale, her breathing shallow. “Stay with me,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Don’t you dare leave me, Fiona. Don’t you dare.” The minutes felt like hours, but finally, the car screeched to a stop outside the house. I carried her out, cradling her as if she might shatter, and laid her gently in the back seat. “Drive!”
FIONA'S POV.The sun poured through the window, bathing the room in golden light. I stretched my arms above my head and smiled to myself. The past few days had been peaceful, almost like a dream. The couple who had taken me in were kind, their warm smiles and gentle voices making me feel safe. For the first time in a long while, I felt free. I busied myself organizing the small space they’d given me. The bed was neatly made, and my clothes were folded into the old wooden dresser by the corner. I glanced around the room, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Everything looked perfect. On the bedside table, a vase held a single sunflower. I had picked it from the garden that morning, and its bright yellow petals seemed to brighten the entire room. I hummed a tune as I moved about, wiping down surfaces and arranging the few belongings I had. My heart felt light, and I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so content. As I placed a book on the small shelf by the window, a sudden n
MARCELLUS’ POV.The early morning sun barely lit up the study when I slammed the report onto my desk. My head was pounding, my patience stretched thin. Days of searching and still no sign of Fiona. It was unacceptable. Made me feel more miserable.I barely slept a wink, it had begun taking its toll on me, I felt miserable, I was the alpha and yet I couldn't even find my mate, just one thing that finally belonged to me, one person with whom I shared my soul with was never to be foundMy incompetence mocked me, Raphael had searched around the mountains, and the woods, and extended his armies yet nothing had been found, and now it was draining me,I rubbed my temples, trying to make sense of the scattered leads my men had brought in. Each report felt like a dead end, a cruel reminder that she was slipping further out of my grasp. The thought of her out there alone, unprotected, drove me mad. A knock on the door broke my thoughts. “Enter,” I barked, my tone harsher than I intended. T