Derek stood still in the shadow of the stony balcony with his two hands placed at his back and his gaze focused on the courtyard below. His broad shoulders were tense, and his jaw was tightened so hard that it was astonishing he hadn't broken a tooth.
He has been there the whole time, positioned behind one of the massive pillars, watching everything. He witnessed the slap. He saw how Diva defended herself. He witnessed the flames in her eyes when she resisted. However, what disturbed him the most was not the confrontation itself. It was that Diva had left the mansion without informing him. Without inquiring of him. She had ventured into a realm beyond his influence, igniting a fierce rage deep within him. He wanted to walked over to her, seize her and pull her back inside where she would be secure. But he remained in his spot, concealed, his feelings churning like a tempest within him. He couldn’t just tell if it was anger or attraction he felt in his chest, or maybe a combination of both. Diva then raised her head and turned and her gaze moved across the courtyard. For a fleeting instant, their gazes locked. Derek experienced the connection as if it were a blow to the chest. Her look was neither tender nor fearful. It was powerful. Intense. She had transformed—and he noticed it. He quickly changed his expression immediately shaping his face into a stern grimace. As she began to walk toward the mansion gate, he emerged from the shadows to meet her partway. "What you did was really impressive, I mean standing up for yourself when your being bullied is the right thing to do and I'm happy you did not play weak," Derek remarked, his tone deep and weighted with significance. "Caleb is really doing a good job." Diva halted a short distance from him, raising her chin confidently. However, Derek's expression changed , and his eyes became narrowed. "I'm mad at you," he replied, his tone was crisp and icy. "Why did you leave the mansion without my consent?" Did you forget that you belong to me? "That I am responsible for your safety?" He moved a bit closer, his boots echoing against the stony surface. His presence was enormous and weighty, like a tempest poised to unleash. "This must not happen again," Derek stated in a tone that allowed no debate. "Are you listening to me, Diva?" Diva's hands formed fists at her sides, yet she did not retreat. She locked her gaze onto his with a fiery look. "I just took a stroll," she retorted. "And besides I was accompanied by some guards" "So why are you treating me as if I'm a captive?" Derek’s gaze became more intense. He moved closer to her till she had to lean her head back to gaze at him. He moved so close to Diva that she could feel his anger all over her. "Diva you have no right whatsoever to ask me any question when I give you an order," he said with a deep tone. "You live in my mansion now so you live by my rules. Diva wanted to say something, but was interrupted by Derek. "I do not want to listen to anything you have to say, your opinion doesn't matter to me" he said. He then shifted his focus to the two guards standing by her side.. "From this point forward, do not allow her to leave the mansion without my permission." If she attempts to defy, prevent her. No allowances. "Do you understand?" The guards stood up straight, their expressions tense with anxiety, and nodded swiftly. Derek faced Diva once more, his face impassive as stone. "Take her back inside," he commanded. Diva’s heart raced within her chest. "This isn't right!" she yelled, fighting as the guards approached her. "I am not a kid!" "You can't just order my movement the way you like!" The guards seized her arms securely but gently, attempting to lead her back to the mansion. "Leave me alone, you fool!" Diva shouted, struggling against their grip. "I only wanted to some fresh air!" "Is anything wrong with that?" Derek just stood still staring at her. He remained there, his expression icy, observing her as if she were merely a defiant wolf requiring correction. "Move her in now!" he shouted at the guards when they paused. They waited no more. They guided Diva softly yet resolutely towards the grand entrance of the mansion. Diva struggled in their hold, attempting to escape, but she realized it was futile. The guards were powerful. She turned and glanced at Derek one final time before she give in to them. Derek stood still at the spot, his silhouette shadowy against the gloomy dusk sky, his expression unreadable. A painful sensation twisted in Diva’s chest as the door closed between them. She no longer felt merely anger. It was something more profound. Something more challenging. Derek was more than just a powerful man. He was a person who thought he possessed everything he came into contact with. And if she intended to live in this place, Diva was certain of one thing: She needed to find a way to handle a man like him.The door slammed behind Diva shaking the stones like a final warning.Derek just remained still at a spot with his jaw tightened hard and his eyes narrowed to slits as he stared at the space where the she-wolf had disappeared. His claws itched beneath the surface of his skin and his beast raced fast, pondering hard inside his chest. The scent she left behind clung to the air-defiance laced with tamed fire. It was nothing like the scent she used to carry.Diva had changed.No- something has been unleashed.She wasn’t the trembling omega they all whispered about around the bonfire. The one who avoided eye contact and barely held her ground during pack calls. The pack had always spoken of her as weak—spirit broken, aura barely flickering. A she-wolf not worth a second glance.But what Derek had seen tonight?She had looked him in the eye—held his gaze—and for a flicker of a moment, her presence had rattled him. The Alpha. The heir to bloodlines soaked in dominance and war.That wasn’t no
The weakest member of the pack, Diva Crest was used to being overlooked. No one had hopes of her—not for leadership, not for power, and certainly not for a legacy that would be remembered. Tonight would be no different. The year's werewolf convention was well underway, the big room full of conversation, but to Diva, cold. Never exciting. Always boring," she muttered to herself into the room. But smiled on and trudged over to the Silverfangs' section of the pack. "Hi, everyone," she said, her voice ringing with forced cheer. No one replied. Some gave her a half-glance, indifferent, and went back to talking. She inhaled. "Why even bother?" The air in the room changed. A shiver ran over the crowd. Whispering ceased. Chatter fell silent. The Soothsayer had appeared. The older lady, in her flowing robes, and older than the rest of them, appeared on to the stage. People were whispering at her approach, but her eyes, which were watchful, hard eyes, were making Diva we
"Want to see a challenge emerge from me?" Derek asked, voice lowered despite the undercurrent pounding in his words. Diva scoffed. "I'm a master at beating challenges." "See if you make it here without taking orders from me," he said, smooth. She knit her brow. "I'm sure that you're going to be beat." Derek laughed loudly and menacingly. He pushed the door open and out, shaking the walls as he closed the door with such force. "Do you want to knock down the door?” "It's me—the maid," replied someone. Diva sighed. "What do you want?" "Alpha Derek has requested to meet with you at breakfast." Her gut knotted. She had hardly had time to acclimate to her new existence and Derek was already summoning her? But to decline was to miss out on food, and she was not going to let hunger win. "I did not invite you to sit," Derek's deep voice growled. Her jaw clenched. "I'm not your prisoner." Derek slowly came around to her, his chilly gray eyes expressionless. "You're a visitor in m
Night walked Diva across the house's corridors, sleep never in a daydreaming mood around her. Silence that was not broken was present, and creaks of old wood floorboards to punctuate every now and then. She stayed immobilized in one position when she was touched by low, mournful music that reached her on the horizon. It was a faraway place, miles even distant, but with a tremble which swept through her spine. She looked over at her. The disturbance made her realize that she was in front of a door that she had never seen before. It was cold alongside it, and fear crept into the space of her heart. She backed away slowly from the door by entering a dusty one that was full of memories. The room was luxuriously equipped, but everything seemed to have been so little as touched, as if time itself had ignored the room. Across the wall from her was this absurdly large painting. It was a picture of a really amazingly beautiful woman with blue eyes and blonde hair. Her eyes seemed calm, bu
"Diva," Derek growled, his voice trapped between gritted teeth. "Whatever comes after that, don't run." All of her, however, was screaming at her to do the precise opposite of what Derek said. Derek flung himself at the shadow, paws outstretched, and slashed at it. But as he stepped forward to tear the shadow apart, it burst into oblivion—trapping Diva and Derek where they stood. "What would that be?" Diva asked. "I don't know," Derek growled in anger. "Go to your room, and don't even consider going out onto the grounds again," he commanded her. Diva zombie-like stumbled back to her bedroom. The morning following the occurrence down the hallway, Diva awoke to a dangerously quiet mansion. Her body still shook at remembrance of the red glowing eyes and fear that appeared to come from darkness. Derek hadn't said a word to her, not even a sorry, before he was gone for the rest of the night. Bedridden, reality was overwhelming her. Bedridden, in a rogue Alpha that she wa
"Who was Lillian, anyway?" Diva asked herself. "Was it maybe Lillian, or maybe whoever said my name?" She barely slept, with so many questions whirling around in her head she had no idea of answers to. Who was Lillian? And why did she think that she remained there? The house was cold, bare, and tight by day. Every creak of every wood floorboard was the whimper of a crying baby, and every shift of the shadows in the corner gave her the shivers all over again. Something was wrong this morning. That could happen to me," Diva snarled between clenched teeth as she zoomed down the hall. She swerved to the left and almost collided with Derek, who stood one step ahead of her. She instinctively dropped into a crouch and attempted to leap off on frog-fashion, and found herself running into an immovable object—Derek's knee. "Oh—shh!!" she blasphemously uttered. "Where on earth do you think you're going, little thing?" Derek snarled sullenly. "Wanna what?" "Noth—" He dropped dow
Diva stood by the window, with her arms tightly crossed over her chest. The room's walls, although impressive and beautiful still felt more like a jail than a refuge to her. She had lost count of the time she’d spent in the mansion since reaching Derek’s home. She was no longer able to distinguish between day and night. In alone, time came together to become a single thing. She gazed down at the lovely courtyard while her fingers gripped the edge of the crimson velvet curtain. Beyond the gates lay a world not her own, inhabited by people who, even before they knew her name, most likely hated her without cause. She was startled by a sound coming from the door. She looked around, expecting to see Derek, but nobody entered. The only sound coming from behind the door was the voice of a guard. A noise from the door surprised her. She turned, anticipating to see Derek —but no one came in. Only a guard's voice heard from behind the door. “You are not allowed to leave the mission with
The crisp noise of the slap lingered in the atmosphere. For a moment, Diva stood still at the same spot trying to process what just happened, her cheek till flushed and her heart raced so fast that she could hear it loud in her ears. She could taste blood where her tongue had touched the inside of her mouth. The two guards by the mansion entrance shifted as if prepared to charge at them, their hands already fidgeting to punish Elsie for daring to touch her. But Diva raised a hand abruptly, halting them before they could move. "Stop," she stated decisively, her tone slicing through the charged courtyard atmosphere. "I will take care of this on my own." The guards hesitated, sharing hesitant looks, yet complied. They remained at their position, observing attentively while obeying her instruction. Diva redirected her complete focus to Elsie, sensing a powerful feeling awaken within her—a strength she was unaware she possessed. It raced through her bloodstream like flames, consu
The door slammed behind Diva shaking the stones like a final warning.Derek just remained still at a spot with his jaw tightened hard and his eyes narrowed to slits as he stared at the space where the she-wolf had disappeared. His claws itched beneath the surface of his skin and his beast raced fast, pondering hard inside his chest. The scent she left behind clung to the air-defiance laced with tamed fire. It was nothing like the scent she used to carry.Diva had changed.No- something has been unleashed.She wasn’t the trembling omega they all whispered about around the bonfire. The one who avoided eye contact and barely held her ground during pack calls. The pack had always spoken of her as weak—spirit broken, aura barely flickering. A she-wolf not worth a second glance.But what Derek had seen tonight?She had looked him in the eye—held his gaze—and for a flicker of a moment, her presence had rattled him. The Alpha. The heir to bloodlines soaked in dominance and war.That wasn’t no
Derek stood still in the shadow of the stony balcony with his two hands placed at his back and his gaze focused on the courtyard below. His broad shoulders were tense, and his jaw was tightened so hard that it was astonishing he hadn't broken a tooth. He has been there the whole time, positioned behind one of the massive pillars, watching everything. He witnessed the slap. He saw how Diva defended herself. He witnessed the flames in her eyes when she resisted. However, what disturbed him the most was not the confrontation itself. It was that Diva had left the mansion without informing him. Without inquiring of him. She had ventured into a realm beyond his influence, igniting a fierce rage deep within him. He wanted to walked over to her, seize her and pull her back inside where she would be secure. But he remained in his spot, concealed, his feelings churning like a tempest within him. He couldn’t just tell if it was anger or attraction he felt in his chest, or maybe a combina
The crisp noise of the slap lingered in the atmosphere. For a moment, Diva stood still at the same spot trying to process what just happened, her cheek till flushed and her heart raced so fast that she could hear it loud in her ears. She could taste blood where her tongue had touched the inside of her mouth. The two guards by the mansion entrance shifted as if prepared to charge at them, their hands already fidgeting to punish Elsie for daring to touch her. But Diva raised a hand abruptly, halting them before they could move. "Stop," she stated decisively, her tone slicing through the charged courtyard atmosphere. "I will take care of this on my own." The guards hesitated, sharing hesitant looks, yet complied. They remained at their position, observing attentively while obeying her instruction. Diva redirected her complete focus to Elsie, sensing a powerful feeling awaken within her—a strength she was unaware she possessed. It raced through her bloodstream like flames, consu
Diva stood by the window, with her arms tightly crossed over her chest. The room's walls, although impressive and beautiful still felt more like a jail than a refuge to her. She had lost count of the time she’d spent in the mansion since reaching Derek’s home. She was no longer able to distinguish between day and night. In alone, time came together to become a single thing. She gazed down at the lovely courtyard while her fingers gripped the edge of the crimson velvet curtain. Beyond the gates lay a world not her own, inhabited by people who, even before they knew her name, most likely hated her without cause. She was startled by a sound coming from the door. She looked around, expecting to see Derek, but nobody entered. The only sound coming from behind the door was the voice of a guard. A noise from the door surprised her. She turned, anticipating to see Derek —but no one came in. Only a guard's voice heard from behind the door. “You are not allowed to leave the mission with
"Who was Lillian, anyway?" Diva asked herself. "Was it maybe Lillian, or maybe whoever said my name?" She barely slept, with so many questions whirling around in her head she had no idea of answers to. Who was Lillian? And why did she think that she remained there? The house was cold, bare, and tight by day. Every creak of every wood floorboard was the whimper of a crying baby, and every shift of the shadows in the corner gave her the shivers all over again. Something was wrong this morning. That could happen to me," Diva snarled between clenched teeth as she zoomed down the hall. She swerved to the left and almost collided with Derek, who stood one step ahead of her. She instinctively dropped into a crouch and attempted to leap off on frog-fashion, and found herself running into an immovable object—Derek's knee. "Oh—shh!!" she blasphemously uttered. "Where on earth do you think you're going, little thing?" Derek snarled sullenly. "Wanna what?" "Noth—" He dropped dow
"Diva," Derek growled, his voice trapped between gritted teeth. "Whatever comes after that, don't run." All of her, however, was screaming at her to do the precise opposite of what Derek said. Derek flung himself at the shadow, paws outstretched, and slashed at it. But as he stepped forward to tear the shadow apart, it burst into oblivion—trapping Diva and Derek where they stood. "What would that be?" Diva asked. "I don't know," Derek growled in anger. "Go to your room, and don't even consider going out onto the grounds again," he commanded her. Diva zombie-like stumbled back to her bedroom. The morning following the occurrence down the hallway, Diva awoke to a dangerously quiet mansion. Her body still shook at remembrance of the red glowing eyes and fear that appeared to come from darkness. Derek hadn't said a word to her, not even a sorry, before he was gone for the rest of the night. Bedridden, reality was overwhelming her. Bedridden, in a rogue Alpha that she wa
Night walked Diva across the house's corridors, sleep never in a daydreaming mood around her. Silence that was not broken was present, and creaks of old wood floorboards to punctuate every now and then. She stayed immobilized in one position when she was touched by low, mournful music that reached her on the horizon. It was a faraway place, miles even distant, but with a tremble which swept through her spine. She looked over at her. The disturbance made her realize that she was in front of a door that she had never seen before. It was cold alongside it, and fear crept into the space of her heart. She backed away slowly from the door by entering a dusty one that was full of memories. The room was luxuriously equipped, but everything seemed to have been so little as touched, as if time itself had ignored the room. Across the wall from her was this absurdly large painting. It was a picture of a really amazingly beautiful woman with blue eyes and blonde hair. Her eyes seemed calm, bu
"Want to see a challenge emerge from me?" Derek asked, voice lowered despite the undercurrent pounding in his words. Diva scoffed. "I'm a master at beating challenges." "See if you make it here without taking orders from me," he said, smooth. She knit her brow. "I'm sure that you're going to be beat." Derek laughed loudly and menacingly. He pushed the door open and out, shaking the walls as he closed the door with such force. "Do you want to knock down the door?” "It's me—the maid," replied someone. Diva sighed. "What do you want?" "Alpha Derek has requested to meet with you at breakfast." Her gut knotted. She had hardly had time to acclimate to her new existence and Derek was already summoning her? But to decline was to miss out on food, and she was not going to let hunger win. "I did not invite you to sit," Derek's deep voice growled. Her jaw clenched. "I'm not your prisoner." Derek slowly came around to her, his chilly gray eyes expressionless. "You're a visitor in m
The weakest member of the pack, Diva Crest was used to being overlooked. No one had hopes of her—not for leadership, not for power, and certainly not for a legacy that would be remembered. Tonight would be no different. The year's werewolf convention was well underway, the big room full of conversation, but to Diva, cold. Never exciting. Always boring," she muttered to herself into the room. But smiled on and trudged over to the Silverfangs' section of the pack. "Hi, everyone," she said, her voice ringing with forced cheer. No one replied. Some gave her a half-glance, indifferent, and went back to talking. She inhaled. "Why even bother?" The air in the room changed. A shiver ran over the crowd. Whispering ceased. Chatter fell silent. The Soothsayer had appeared. The older lady, in her flowing robes, and older than the rest of them, appeared on to the stage. People were whispering at her approach, but her eyes, which were watchful, hard eyes, were making Diva we