SophiaAlexei shows me to my room in the pack house. It's a simple room with a bed, a dresser, and a small window that overlooks the pack's ground. It’s not much, but it’s more than I had back home.If I am being honest, this room is nothing but luxury for me.I stand awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of what to do or say.“This is where you’ll stay,” Alexei says, his voice gentle. “If you need anything, just let me know.”I nod, not trusting my voice to speak. My face still stings from the bruise, a constant reminder of my father’s anger. If I had my wolf, then it would have healed by now, but unfortunately, I don't even have my wolf.It will take overnight to heal because my father doesn't hold back when he hits, and neither does any of his warriors.I can’t believe he let me go so easily, but I shouldn’t be surprised. He never cared about me."You don't have to worry about anything; you will be okay." Alexei seems to sense my unease. "I don't know what rumors you have heard about ou
MikhailI make my way towards the outskirts of the pack towards the small cottage where Elder lives. She is an old woman, but she likes to live alone. Some people even believe she is a seer, but I know that she is extremely knowledgeable, and this has given her the ability to predict things that people don't.I raise my hand to feel the cottage door before I can knock.I knock on the door twice and wait for her to answer the door.My wolf and I are both antsy. I don't know what to expect, but I do know that I need to find a solution to my problem before it is too late."Alpha." I hear her voice as soon as she opens the door, "Please come inside." I carefully follow her inside, discreetly keeping my hand extended in front of me, making sure not to stumble into anything."Dominique, I come here to get answers." "I will try my best to be any of your help.""I found my mate." I tell her while my mind fills with the blurry image of Sophia, "My wolf wants to claim her, but I don't want
SophiaI wake up feeling startled and disoriented, and look around to find myself in a strange room. It took me a moment to realize that I am no longer in my pack.I don't know calling that pack mine is the right thing to do. Because Father banished me from the pack, just before I came to Mikhail's pack. I didn't tell this to Mikhail or Alexei because somewhere I was in denial that Father could be so cruel to throw me out of his pack and life, like I was nothing.I didn't felt anything at that moment, but now all I feel is lost. I don't have anyone who I can call mine... anyone but my mate. The mate who hasn't even checked up on me to see how I am doing. I know just like to me, all this must have come to him as shock. But still a part of me feels hurt because I want him to be with me... not as mate but someone who cares about me.Alexei has shown more concern about me than my mate.Suddenly, restlessness grips my chest and I feel suffocated. Something doesn't seem right, I don't know
MikhailLast night, before Layla left my room, I told her what I found out about severing the mate bond. She wasn't happy that I have to mark this girl and claim her, but she knew she had no say in what I did and my decisions. Alexei has told me that the pack is getting curious about this new girl's presence, as they have heard about their Alpha finding a mate. They are even anxious about the pack's future, as they don't know how things will work from now onwards, as now I have found my mate.But they don't have any reason to be worried, because the girl has nothing to do with them. Yes, she is my wolf's mate, but she is not their Luna.Running my hand through my hair, I close my useless eyes and lean my head back on my chair.Letting out a deep sigh, I mindlink Alexei to bring Sophia into my office.Even before I hear the soft knock, her smell reaches me and I feel surprised how it instantly calmed me. Especially, my wolf almost settle down as soon as he felt her presence."Leave."
SophiaYou don't have any right on me or my pack; you are just here because of my wolf.Don't forget you are just someone that my wolf wants because, for some reason, fate tied us together, and stay out of my way.His words keep ringing in my ears as I walk outside his room. When Alexei told me that Mikhail wanted to see me in his office, all I thought was that he was calling to reject me and our mate bond. But he didn't.He didn't reject the bond. Instead, he told me that his wolf wanted me.The pull for the mate bond is stronger for our wolves. They don't care who the person is; if they are their mate, then that's it for them.I don't know what to think about his words. But I can't overlook that for the first time in my life, someone wants me, even if it is his wolf.I will not lie and say that his words didn't hurt me, but I never let any hurt escape through me because I wanted to focus on the positive side. There's a tiny flicker of hope blooming inside me.Mikhail's words were
MikhailI might not see, but the moment I smelled her tears, I knew in my heart that something wasn't right.She is a virgin.And I was about to take her against the wall like the animal I am because my wolf took over the control.My wolf was driving me insane, and I nearly killed Layla because I wasn't able to keep my wolf in check. He demanded Sophia, so I ordered the warrior to bring Sophia to my room.I know I can't complete the mating bond with her until she allows me to mark her. I may be cruel, but marking her without her consent is something that even I can't do.But there is another thing that doesn't sit right with me. The way fear rolled off her in waves as she cowered herself away from me when I lifted my hand seemed strange.I was like she was bracing herself for an attack.Suddenly, realization dawns on me, and I can't stop the growl that rippled through me because my wolf's furious.It is clear that she was being abused in her pack. But what I don't understand is why Gr
SophiaPain courses through me as Mikhail’s teeth sink into my neck, but there’s a strange comfort in it. It’s the pain of the bond being sealed, the pain of finally belonging somewhere. The sharp sting turns into a wave of warmth that spreads through my body.As he holds me close, his teeth retracting and his tongue soothing the wound, I feel the bond snap into place. It’s overwhelming, this rush of energy and connection, but there’s also a deep sense of something that is settling somewhere deep inside my heart.His scent envelops me, grounding me in the present moment, and I find myself leaning into his touch, seeking comfort and solace in his strength.All my life, I have hoped that there would be someone in my life who would want me. For them, I wouldn't be a burden, an unwanted relation that has been forced into their life. It seems unreal that the Moon Goddess has finally answered my prayer and brought Mikhail into my life. For now, even if it is his wolf that wants me, I still
MikhailWhether it is a mate bond or whether it is something about her, she is addicting.It was like my wolf couldn't get enough of her.I had to literally drag myself away from Sophia in the morning before my crazy wolf took her again.Even though she submitted to me, it still had some kind of dominance in it. This underlying challenge should have triggered my wolf, but instead, it made him more attracted to her.Surely, this mate bond makes our wolf do crazy things.I have heard that newly mated wolves have difficulty being away from their mates, especially for the first few days. And with my wolf being an Alpha things are even complicated, as he doesn't want to let his mate out of his sight. He just wants his mate and is being possessive about her.After completing the tasks for today, I am about to leave my office to return to my house when Layla storms inside my office."You claimed her!" She sounds furious as she closes the door behind her.Leaning back in my chair, I sigh.Thi
MikhailSophia doesn’t even glance at Artemis. It’s like she’s not even there. But her eyes? They stay locked on mine, unblinking and intense. There’s no sense of recognition in them, no softness, no warmth. Just something cold and distant.Still, I feel her.Our mate bond doesn’t hum with the warmth it once had, but it’s there, faint and pulsing like a thread stretched too thin but refusing to snap completely. She doesn’t say a word, doesn’t make a move. Just keeps staring at me, her gaze drilling into mine like she’s waiting. Then I realize... she’s waiting for me to see her, to really see her. All of her. The darkness she carries, the evil she’s let in, it’s twisted and terrifying, but beneath all that, she’s still my mate. She’s still Sophia.And she needs me to accept that. She’s not looking for judgment or fear. She wants reassurance, a promise that I’m not going anywhere, no matter how deep her shadows run. She needs to know I’m still with her, that I won’t turn my back on he
MikhailSophia's smile falters just enough for me to notice. There’s a flicker in her gaze—unsure, almost fragile—and it hits me like a punch to the gut. My heart clenches as I watch her wrestle with whatever storm is brewing in her mind.“You don’t hate me,” she says, her voice so quiet it feels like a secret.The vulnerable side that wonders if she deserves to be loved.... that her darkness would make me not love her.Anger floods through me, hot and fierce, almost too much to hold back.Because this uncertainty I see flickering in Sophia’s eyes, that doubt gnawing at her, it didn’t just come out of nowhere.It’s him. Gregor. That worthless piece of filth lying broken on the ground. He’s the reason she even questions her worth. He’s the one who planted this poison in her head, making her feel like she can’t be loved, like she’s undeserving of it. Every insult, every cut he threw her way was meant to chip away at her, to leave her feeling unloved and worthless. I take a deep breath,
MikhailGregor’s cries fill the air, raw and broken, as he tries to get away from Sophia. He’s crawling like a beaten dog, dragging himself through his own blood. It smears across the ground, a trail of his pathetic attempt to escape.His hand clamps over the empty socket, but it doesn’t stop the blood. It pours down his face, dripping onto the ground, staining everything in his path. His body shakes like a leaf in a storm, and all the while, Sophia watches him with that same cold, detached look.He’s finally tasting his own medicine, and damn if it doesn’t feel satisfying to watch.All that fake power, that smug confidence he wore like armor, has crumbled. What’s left is the real Gregor: a coward who can’t handle the pain he’s dealt out to others for so long. It’s poetic, really.Sophia stands up slowly, her movements are steady, almost graceful, as she straightens herself. The blood on her claws glistens under the dim light, dark and sticky.Without a flicker of emotion, she wipes t
MikhailSophia somehow lifts Gregor even higher, her claws tearing the tendons of his neck even more.The raw strength in her is unreal. He’s gasping, his hands clawing at her wrist, but she doesn’t flinch. If anything, her expression hardens even more, her jaw set in cold determination.Gregor’s no small guy. He’s built like a damn boulder, broad shoulders, thick arms... he is Alpha even if he is illegitimate; he still has blood in him. Sophia, though? She’s barely half his size, slender and petite compared to him. Normally, anyone would assume she wouldn’t stand a chance against someone like him.But right now, none of that matters. Her strength is something else entirely, something that shouldn’t even be possible. She’s got him off the ground like he weighs nothing, her hand gripping him with ease. Gregor struggles, his muscles flexing as he tries to fight back, but it’s useless. He looks like a child in her grasp, completely powerless.And then, with a sudden force, she hurls him
MikhailSophia’s gaze shifts to me, and for a moment, the cold mask she’s been wearing cracks. Her eyes soften, and a flash of pain crosses her face. It’s so quick that I almost think I imagine it, but then she whispers, her voice trembling with something I can’t quite place."Leave."There’s regret in her tone, maybe even a hint of helplessness. Her eyes shine with unshed tears, and for a second, I forget the darkness radiating from her, the raw power she’s been wielding like a weapon."I am not going anywhere," I hold her gaze steadily.Her lips part, and there’s this flicker of vulnerability in her expression."You wouldn’t want to witness this," Her voice breaking slightly.Something about the way she says it makes my chest tighten. It’s not just the words—it’s the regret laced in them, the quiet plea for me to walk away.The tears glistening in her eyes are such a stark contrast to the ruthless strength she’s been showing. If it weren’t for Gregor dangling helplessly from her cla
MikhailGregor laughs, and then his eyes land on me. There’s a smugness in his gaze, a sick kind of satisfaction that makes my blood boil."It’s been so long since I’ve been with you," he says, his voice dripping with mockery as he shifts his attention back to Sophia. But I know his words are aimed at me. He’s trying to get a rise out of me to prove that he won."So long since I’ve properly held you," Gregor continues, his tone turning low and possessive like he has some kind of claim on her. "But now, my longing will finally end."My wolf growls inside me, but I give him a sharp warning to stay in control. However, it’s taking everything to hold him back because he is on the verge of taking control.This bastard is so twisted he doesn’t even care that the woman he’s drooling over is someone who used to call him father. It churns my stomach just thinking about it. The way he looks at her now, like she’s some prize he’s been waiting to claim, makes me want to rip him apart all over ag
MikhailColdness settles deep in my chest as the silence stretches after her words. I lock away every emotion clawing at me, burying them under a layer of ice. My eyes stay on her face, maybe searching for the glimpse of Sophia that I know.But I find none.Have I really lost her? No, it can't be because a part of me refuses to believe this, even when everything screams that she is gone.“I’ll take you to Gregor.” My voice is flat, my tone sharp as I curtly nod.“What the hell are you saying?” Caleb’s voice cuts through the tension like a whip, his outrage spilling into the air. “You’re gonna take her to that bastard? Are you out of your mind?”Out of the corner of my eye, I see Caleb step forward, his hands balled into fists, but I don’t move. I keep my gaze on Sophia.A small smirk lifts the corner of her lips as she raises an eyebrow like she’s enjoying the chaos her words have created. It’s not a smile I recognize. It’s taunting and cold.“Yes,” I say firmly, ignoring the way Cale
MikhailSophia’s hand lifts slowly, her fingers trembling for just a second as if she is recalling how to move them.Her body shifts, tilting forward in a way that seems unnatural like she’s being guided by something unseen. Then, with a grace that sends a shiver down my spine, her feet touch the ground.She stands.There’s something so different about her, something off. She looks like Sophia, but the way she holds herself, the way her presence feels—it’s like she’s someone else entirely.Like it’s her... but at the same time, she is not. I need something to hold on to... to comfort me, and unintentionally, I feel myself reaching out to our mate bond. Instantly, a wave of relief rushes through me, spreading warmth in my chest as I feel it—the bond. It flickers to life, like a spark reigniting a flame that I thought was dying.It’s there. I can feel it pulling at me, familiar and steady, like it always has been. The connection that ties us together that grounds me, that makes her
Mikhail The sight before me is horrifyingly familiar. Not long ago, I saw something just like this. A body, floating in the air, limbs limp and head tilted back. It looked unnatural, wrong, like some twisted force was holding it up as a sick display. But that time, it was Selena. A monster. A creature of pure evil that I had to destroy, no matter the cost. Now... now it’s Sophia. My Sophia. She isn’t a monster. She isn’t evil. She’s the light I never deserved, the reason I keep fighting, the anchor that’s held me steady through everything. My heart twists painfully in my chest as I stare at her, suspended in the air like she’s caught in some invisible grip. Her head tilts back, her arms hang lifelessly, and her hair flows like it’s caught in a wind only she can feel. What the hell is happening to her? I feel numb, my mind racing for answers I don’t have —just this crushing helplessness. My eyes dart around frantically, searching for someone, anyone, who knows what to do. A