The fire crackles in front of me; flames licking at the sky as Andrei’s pyre burns. The scent of smoke fills the air, and the heat from the blaze is so intense that it almost feels like it’s burning me from the inside out. I stand there, frozen in place, clutching the fabric of my black dress as if it can somehow ground me, somehow stop the spinning inside my head. It doesn’t. Nothing does.Tears blur my vision and I blink them away, refusing to let myself fall apart in front of the pack. I’m their Luna, their leader now, and I can’t show weakness, not even when the man I loved more than anything is nothing but ash and memory. But it’s impossible to hide the way my body trembles, the way every breath feels like I’m suffocating under the weight of the grief crushing my chest.I look up, and there’s Andrei’s face, still so vivid in my mind. His laugh, the way his eyes crinkled at the edges when he smiled. How he would rest his hand on my belly, even before I told him I was pregnant. I
Three weeks of building anger, of restless nights, and waking up to an empty bed that should still belong to Andrei. Three weeks of watching the pack try to move on, while I can’t seem to move past the moment I lost him. Every breath I take feels tainted by the fact that the man responsible for his death is still alive, breathing the same air as the rest of us. But today, that changes.Today, the Rogue filth dies.I stand at the front of the clearing, my heart pounding in my chest as I watch the pack gather, their faces filled with cold satisfaction and pure anger. They want blood, justice for their Alpha, and I want it more than anyone.Every nerve in my body is taut with fury. My hands shake at my sides, but not from fear. From rage. The kind of rage that’s settled into my bones, burning hotter with every passing day. How dare he live while Andrei’s body is ash? How dare he get to breathe even for a second longer?Tomas approaches, his face set in a grim line. “It’s time.”I nod,
RuslanThe second I lock eyes with her, my chest tightens, and something snaps deep inside me. No. No fucking way. This can’t be real, it has to be some sick joke. There’s no fucking way the Goddess would curse me like this—mate me to the Luna of the bastard who took everything from me and made me watch.I can feel the bond pulling at me, stronger than anything I’ve ever felt in my life. It claws at my insides, trying to drag me toward her, as if my body doesn’t even belong to me anymore. I grit my teeth, my muscles tensing, and fight the urge to give in. It’s not possible. It’s not fucking possible.Her scent hits me again—fucking peaches and honey— it’s something that stirs parts of me I’ve buried for a long time. But I don’t want it. I don’t want her. My mind rebels against the very idea. I look at her, the way her face is twisted in shock, her lips parted, and her hand gripping her chest like she’s trying to stop her heart from breaking out. She’s just as confused as I am, but
KatyaI pace back and forth in Andrei’s office, the one place I used to feel safe, where everything felt secure, and now it feels like a prison. My heart pounds in my chest, my breaths coming in uneven, angry bursts. I’m furious. Not just at Ruslan, though he’s a big part of it, but at myself.How could I let this happen? How could I let that Rogue get under my skin like that? The way he looked at me, the way he spoke to me like I was nothing. Like I didn’t matter at all. The nerve of him, sneering at me, laughing like the bond was some kind of joke. I grip the edge of the desk, my knuckles white, trying to steady myself. But nothing helps. I want to scream. I want to tear something apart. I can still see his face, the way his cold silver eyes locked onto mine, that damn smirk on his lips. He acted like he didn’t care about any of it—about me, about the bond. Like he’s above it all. What’s worse is the way my body responded to him, like it was out of my control. The bond hit me li
The chains bite into my wrists, burning like fire as the silver seeps into my skin. My arms feel like dead weight, hanging uselessly above me, held up only by the restraints that have become a part of me now. I don’t know how long I’ve been here. Days? Weeks? Time doesn’t exist in this cell. There’s only the darkness, the endless ache in my body, and the gnawing emptiness where food and water used to be.I try to remember when I last ate, but the memory slips away, lost in the fog of pain. My mouth is dry, my throat raw, but even the need for water has faded into something dull and distant. It doesn’t matter anymore. Nothing does. The only thing I can feel now is the burn of the silver and the weight of my past pressing down on me.I close my eyes, letting the darkness swallow me. Maybe if I concentrate hard enough, I can disappear. But even in the dark, the memories come.Mina. Mila.I see their faces so clearly, so full of life and laughter. The way Mina would chase Mila around th
I step into the dimly lit cell, the cold stone walls making it feel more like a tomb than a prison. The scent of damp air and blood hits me immediately, and I pause at the threshold, my stomach twisting. I shouldn’t be here. I know that. But I need to face him. I need to tell him the verdict and make this right.But as soon as I see him, hanging there by his wrists, half-dead, my breath catches in my throat. He’s broken. His silver hair, matted and tangled, clings to his sweat-slick skin, and his bare chest is covered in fresh and old scars. His wrists are raw, the silver chains biting deep into his flesh, burning him. There’s blood, so much blood, but that’s not what hits me hardest. It’s the look on his face, the way he’s staring at me with a distant, haunted expression, his eyes glassy, lost in some memory I can’t reach.For a moment, I hesitate. I was prepared for anger, for defiance, for that cold indifference he always wears like armour. But this… this is something else. He lo
When I wake up, everything hurts. My head’s pounding, my throat feels like it’s been scraped raw, and my wrists sting with a familiar burn from the silver chains. But the softness beneath me is all wrong. I’m not hanging from the cold, unforgiving ceiling of the cell anymore. No, this... this is a bed. A pristine, clean bed.I blink, my vision blurry, trying to get my bearings. No stone walls, no damp smell, no distant sounds of guards or prisoners. Just silence. My arms are still chained, but they’re lying at my sides now, the cuffs digging into my skin and attached to a long chain. My muscles ache, screaming from the strain of being bound for so long. I want to move, to shift, but I’m too weak. Too drained.Where the hell am I? How did I get here?I try to sit up, but my body protests, the pain shooting through me like fire. Before I can even try again, the door creaks open, and she walks in.Katya.The moment I see her, my blood starts to boil. Her sweet scent hits me first—peaches
I rush out of the room, the door slamming behind me and my breath coming in short, uneven bursts. My chest feels tight, and I can’t shake the feeling that I’m suffocating. The hallway seems too narrow, the air too thick, and I feel like I’m on the verge of falling apart. Every step away from Ruslan makes it harder to hold it together.His words, sharp and cutting, still echo in my mind. The way he looked at me, the way he hated me—it’s everything I expected, but somehow, it still hurts. More than I thought it would. I shouldn’t care. I should be stronger than this. But being close to him, being trapped in the same room as him, it’s getting harder. Harder to stay angry. Harder to push back the pull of the bond. Harder to pretend his words don’t hurt.I can still feel the bond thrumming inside me, alive and constant, tying me to him whether I like it or not. My body reacts to him even when my mind screams for distance. Every time I walk away, the bond tugs at me, like it doesn’t want
The drive to the pack lands feels like a blur. My mind is still caught somewhere between the memories of our little cabin and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Leaving it behind wasn’t easy, but I know it was the right choice. For me, for the baby, for us. Ruslan’s hand rests on mine as he drives, a steady presence that calms my nerves, but I can feel the tension in him too. This is a big change, for both of us.As we pull into the main driveway leading to the pack house, I take a deep breath, trying to steel myself. The place is huge, much larger than anything I’ve ever known. The sprawling pack lands seem endless, with thick forests surrounding the area and a large, imposing house sitting at the heart of it all. There’s something both intimidating and comforting about it.Ruslan parks the SUV, and as we step out, I spot Anatoly standing in front of the house, waiting for us with a broad grin on his face. He’s flanked by three men, all of them tall and built like warriors. His Gam
Katya arches her back from the bed as I work my tongue around her sensitive clit and curling two fingers inside of her. She’s panting; her grip tightening in my hair as I devour her pussy and needing her to come for me again.Our last night in our piece of heaven, and I need to make it count. She gasps. “Ruslan… I don’t think I can—”“You can and you will, Malyshka,” I growl and flick my tongue faster. Her moans climbing the closer she gets to her orgasm, and when she finally breaks, it’s fucking beautiful.Before she can catch her breath, I slam inside of her and start thrusting. Gods, I can still feel the slivers of her orgasm clenching around my cock and I can’t help but groan at the feel of it.I slip my hand behind her head and she opens her eyes to look at me. Holding her gaze, I move slowly against her; savouring everything I’m feeling at this moment. Her eyes soften as she looks at me, and my heart does this annoying squeeze it always does.“I love you, Katya,” I murmur and I
Sitting on the porch, the cool night air brushing against my skin, I feel the weight of everything pressing down on me. Anatoly’s offer echoes in my mind, repeating over and over. Beta. Joining a pack again. Becoming part of something bigger than just me and Katya.I stare out at the darkened tree line, the quiet hum of the night surrounding me. It’s tempting, I won’t lie. Being in a pack again means protection, stability, a sense of belonging I haven’t had in years. I was an Alpha once, before everything was taken from me. Before Andrei. The pull of pack life, the need to lead, to protect—it’s still in my blood. It’s something I can’t just shake off, no matter how far I’ve run.But the other side of it... It’s not so simple.Katya and I have carved out a fragile peace here in the mountains, away from everything and everyone. No pack politics, no eyes watching our every move, no expectations to meet or traditions to uphold. We’ve been left to figure things out on our own, and someho
The wind carries the scent of pine and earth as I stand on the porch and watch Ruslan and Anatoly move through the clearing, their heads bent close together as they talk in low, serious voices. They’ve been at it for hours, scouring the area for any sign of the bounty hunters, and inspecting the bodies of the bounty hunters that Ruslan took down last night, trying to figure out who they were working for. Anatoly brought a small army with him—at least a dozen warriors, all loyal to his pack and all on high alert. I’m grateful, but there’s a part of me that’s still uneasy.Watching Ruslan move with such ease, taking command alongside Anatoly, reminds me of what he was before all of this. Before he became a rogue. He was an Alpha. He was strong, a leader, and despite everything, I can still see that in him now.I lean against the porch railing, watching as they talk quietly, their movements efficient, trained. Anatoly gestures for Ruslan to come over to him. I can’t hear what they’re s
Katya moves quickly, her hands shaking as she packs up our things, and I can feel the fear radiating off her in waves. It cuts through me like a knife, but I can’t let it slow us down. We don’t have time; whoever sent those bounty hunters won’t stop. This isn’t the kind of job you can just walk away from.I grab what little we have, throwing the bags into the back of the SUV. Katya’s hands tremble as she climbs into the passenger seat, her face pale and her breaths uneven. I hate seeing her like this—scared, uncertain. I reach out and squeeze her hand as I start the engine, the rumble of the SUV breaking the tense silence between us.“It’ll be okay,” I murmur, trying to keep my voice calm, even though the tension is coiling tight in my chest. “We’ll figure this out.”She nods, but I can see the doubt in her eyes. She’s not just scared—she’s exhausted. Her body has been through so much, and now with the baby... I can’t let this go on. She needs rest. She needs safety. And right now, I’
The second I step outside, the cold air hits my face, and I smell them. Wolves. Not just any wolves—trained killers. My muscles tense, my body going on autopilot as I scan the darkness. They think they’re being quiet, that they’re sneaking up on me, but I know better.I slip through the shadows, my senses sharp, my wolf just beneath the surface. I’ve been in enough of these situations to know what’s coming. These men, whoever sent them, came here to take something from me. They’re going to regret that.The first one lunges from the shadows, teeth bared, aiming straight for my throat. I dodge quickly, spinning to the side and bringing my elbow down on the back of his neck with a sickening crunch. He drops like a rock, barely making a sound as he hits the ground.One down.There’s no time to think—another one charges at me from the left, but I’m ready. I grab him by the throat, slamming him into the nearest tree. His claws tear at my arm, but I ignore the pain. I’ve dealt with worse. He
The early morning air is crisp as Ruslan and I drive into town. We’re heading there to stock up on supplies for the week and to get a few things for the nursery. It’s a routine we’ve fallen into since we came to this cottage—one that’s become surprisingly comfortable. I glance at him as he drives, his strong hands gripping the steering wheel, his eyes focused on the road ahead. Usually, he’s calm on these drives, the tension from his rogue days slipping away as we spend more time in this quiet little town. But today, something feels off.His jaw is clenched, and the way his eyes dart around, scanning every inch of the road, makes my stomach twist with unease. I know Ruslan. He doesn’t get rattled easily, and for him to look like this? It’s enough to put me on edge.I don’t say anything at first, not wanting to disturb whatever thoughts are running through his head. Instead, I lean back in my seat and try to enjoy the ride, but the longer we drive, the more I can’t shake the feeling
I wake up to the warmth of Katya’s body pressed against mine, her soft breath fanning out across my chest. For a moment, I don’t move. I just lie there, letting the reality of last night settle in. She’s here, in my arms, tangled up in the sheets with me, and everything we’ve been fighting against for so long ... it’s all fallen away.I still can’t believe Katya feels the same about me. She’s not running, not pushing me away. Last night, she let it all go, let us be, and for the first time, I felt like we were on the same page. That we weren’t just bound by the bond, but by something real, something we chose.I let out a quiet sigh, brushing a few strands of her tousled hair away from her face. Her lips are slightly parted, her body relaxed, and I can’t help but smile. She stirs in my arms, and I feel the weight of her body shift against mine. Her hair is a mess, falling in wild waves across her shoulders, and when she presses back into me, I feel her pregnant belly pushing against
The words hang in the air, and for a moment, I think he’s going to pull away, that he’s going to tell me to go back inside and forget this ever happened. But then his lips crash against mine, and everything else fades away.The kiss is desperate, raw, like we’ve both been holding back for too long, and now there’s no stopping it. His hands tighten in my hair, pulling me closer as his body pressed against mine, and I feel the bond between us explode, igniting everything inside me.He picks me up like I weigh nothing and grinds against my core. I wrap my legs around his waist and link my arms around his neck. He growls against my lips when he feels my wet centre against his cock, then he breaks off the kiss.It feels like he can see right through me, and his eyes never leave mine. He lowers me to the ground, all mention of the cold air forgotten, then he rips the silk dress from my body and throws the ruined fabric to the side.“Mine,” he growls as his gaze roves over my body and he dra