Irwin's eyes clouded with memories of the council’s meeting few weeks back. The way they’d spoken about her in veiled tones as if she was not even anybody. The more she thought about it, the more she realized that accepting the council’s offer wasn’t really a choice at all. Refusing them would have only led to more trouble. And now, here she was, on the brink of a life she never asked for, destined to a man who didn’t even want her. A man who likely hated her for the simple fact that she wasn’t full-blooded.The weight of her thoughts pressed down on her chest as she reached the top of a small hill. From there, she could see the sprawling territory of Shadowclaw laid out before her. Tall trees surrounded the area, and within the clearing, several large buildings stood one of them, no doubt. Her hands tightened around the reins of her horse as she continued forward. ************As she rode closer to the gates, Irwin saw the guards stiffen. Their eyes followed her with suspicion
The soft click of her boots against the stone floor echoed through the wide hall as Irwin walked, her shoulders stiff, her heartbeat pounding in her chest. What if Dorian is back, how is she going to face him. The eyes of those around her still tracked her every move. This time, the whispers were louder, no longer hiding behind closed doors.Her skin prickled as she overheard snippets of conversations from passing slaves servants:"The little hybrid, that thinks she's more than us..."" But Why is she back, I thought she left?""Nobody knows? She's just so annoying"" Oh wow... Dorian is never back " she thought within herself as She swallowed hard, the words cutting sharper than usual. The bond she shared with Dorian, a bond that had yet to solidify, felt more fragile than ever. She pushed forward, ignoring the surge of emotions building inside her, fighting to keep her composure. Dorian wasn’t here, he’d left after their last encounter, leaving her to return to an empty packhouse,
Irwin lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Sleep didn’t come easily that night. Her mind was too full, her thoughts was too loud. Though weeks had passed since she and Dorian were mated, the bond between them still felt tenuous, like a fragile thread that neither of them had fully embraced. Dorian had kept his distance, never truly accepting the bond, and that lingering tension left Irwin in a state of constant uncertainty.The room felt cold, despite the warmth of the blankets draped over her. The weight of the unresolved connection with Dorian pressed heavily on her chest. She wondered if the bond between them would ever feel whole, or if she was destined to remain in the shadows of his reluctance forever.The door creaked open, pulling her from her thoughts. Maya re-entered the room, carrying a tray of food. "I thought you might be hungry, My Lady. I brought you something nice" she said with a kind smile, her voice soft but knowing. Irwin sat up, grateful for the distraction. "
Laughter filled Irwin's room as Maya kept her entertained with playful stories. "I swear, Lady Irwin, the little boy is always getting himself into trouble," Maya giggled, her hands moving deftly as she straightened the sheets.Irwin chuckled, appreciating the distraction from her otherwise heavy thoughts. "It sounds like he keeps you on your toes. You'll have to introduce me to him someday, Maya. He is quite interesting to be with."Maya beamed, a light blush creeping into her cheeks. "He would love that, seriously. He’s always asking me what it’s like to work in the castle. He thinks everyone here is like the heroes in his stories."Irwin smiled softly at the idea of a child imagining the castle’s residents as mythical heroes. She had once been that child, dreaming of larger than life figures. But reality had a way of dulling those fantasies. Just as Irwin was about to reply, a loud noise pierced the calm. The laughter died instantly, replaced by a stillness that was heavy in the
The air inside the grand hall was suffocating, the thick furs lining the walls doing little to ease the weight of the growing tension. Dorian’s massive frame rested heavily against the fur-covered throne, but his mind was far from at ease. His sharp eyes, void of warmth, stared blankly ahead as thoughts swirled in his mind each more frustrating than the last. Irwin.The name alone stirred a storm of anger or weakness in his chest. A hybrid her they forcefully bound to her as his mate. It felt like an insult, as though the council were testing his patience, mocking his legacy. She wasn’t strong. She wasn’t what he needed. How could they burden him with someone so weak when he had already rejected so many more worthy candidates? Dorian’s jaw tightened, his teeth grinding against each other as the weight of his thoughts pressed down. The faint sound of footsteps reached his ears, pulling him momentarily from his dark musings. Cain, his most trusted lieutenant, approached cautiously.
The sound of bone meeting flesh echoed through the great hall as Dorian’s boot connected with the messenger’s ribs. The force of the kick sent the man flying across the room, crashing into a wooden table that shattered under the impact. Papers, maps, and goblets spilled to the floor, but Dorian’s focus was fixed on the man crumpled in a heap against the wall.Blood trickled from the corner of the messenger’s mouth as he struggled to breathe, his face contorted in pain. He hadn’t even seen the blow coming, but Dorian wasn’t finished. He stalked toward the broken man, his eyes blazing with unrestrained fury.“Did you really think you could deliver his orders to me?” Dorian growled, his voice low and menacing. “Did my father send you here to mock me?”The messenger whimpered, trying to pull himself to his feet, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. His breaths were shallow and ragged. “M-my Lord,” he gasped. “I-I’m just—"“Silence!” Dorian snapped, kicking the man’s leg out from under him, se
Dorian felt Irwin’s touch like a shockwave, her grip firm yet strangely calming. His breathing was labored, his mind racing. "How did she calm me?" It didn’t make sense. Just moments ago, rage had consumed him, his anger at the hybrid messenger burning inside him. He had been ready to kill without a second thought. But with a single touch, Irwin had stopped him.He took a step back, eyes fixed on her, his body still tense. "What was happening?" Irwin, the weak mate, the one everyone dismissed, the one he never wanted, was now standing in front of him with a quiet authority he had never seen in her before. It wasn’t loud or forceful. She wasn’t commanding with power, but with something far more unsettling an invisible presence that radiated from her.The hybrid messenger, still crumpled on the ground, struggled to crawl out of the room, blood spilling from his lips. His eyes flicked between Irwin and Dorian, filled with fear and confusion. Dorian’s heart raced as he kept his distance,
Dorian locked himself in his chamber, pacing restlessly, his mind spinning with confusion. The scene with Irwin kept replaying in his head, and each time, it left him more unsettled. His hands trembled—not from fear of the message, not from the looming threats they faced, but from something far more troubling: Irwin.How did she hold me down?The memory of her touch haunted him. She hadn’t used force or any kind of magic he recognized, but with just one gentle touch, she had drained away the fury that had been burning inside him. He had been ready to kill, to unleash his anger on the hybrid messenger without hesitation, but then she had stopped him, and he had no idea how or why.Dorian clenched his fists, trying to shake off the feeling. He was the Alpha, feared and respected by all. No one could calm him when he was in that state—not even himself. But Irwin had. Dorian kept pacing, his heavy footsteps echoing in the silent room. Irwin was changing, that much was obvious. There was
"I thought if I pushed you hard enough, you’d leave," Dorian admitted quietly, the truth slipping out as if he hadn’t intended to reveal it. His gaze was distant, fixed on a point somewhere past her, as though looking at her would make it harder to continue. "Maybe you’d reject the bond yourself."His words hung heavily in the room, their meaning sinking into the space between them. Irwin felt a familiar ache stir in her chest, the old hurt of his rejection rising to the surface again. She had known, deep down, that Dorian had been trying to push her away, but hearing him admit it out loud was something else entirely.Irwin raised an eyebrow, masking the swirl of emotions inside her with a calm expression. "Oh....Well, you nearly got your wish."Dorian’s eyes flicked to hers at that, something unreadable passing over his face. He opened his mouth as if to respond, but then seemed to think better of it, his lips pressing into a thin line. The silence stretched on, heavy and uncomfortab
Dorian’s room felt colder as his words hung in the air. His gaze was distant, locked in memories that Irwin had never been part of, a time before they were bound together by fate. The weight of his confession pressed on her chest like a stone, making it hard to breathe."I was scared when I became the leader of the Shadowclaw pack." Dorian’s voice was low, almost as if he were speaking to himself. "I grew up believing I had to be stronger than my father, tougher than any of my ancestors. Failure wasn’t an option."He paused, his eyes flickering toward her for the briefest moment before he looked away again. "None of the she-wolves who pursued me ever caught my interest. Not because they weren’t strong. They were. Many of them were fierce, capable, everything you’d expect from a mate of the Alpha. But I couldn’t choose any of them." Irwin’s hands tightened on the armrests of her chair, her heart thudding in her chest as she listened. She had heard stories about Dorian’s many suitors,
The room was filled with a strange silence as Irwin stepped inside, her footsteps barely making a sound against the thick rug beneath her. The warmth of Dorian's room enveloped her, and she hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to do. It was a space so personal, so distinctly his, yet here she was, invited but still feeling like an outsider. Irwin quietly made her way to a chair set against the far side of the room. She sat down, her hands resting in her lap as she watched Dorian, waiting for some indication of what he wanted. There was an air of uncertainty between them, a tension that had yet to unravel, and Irwin couldn’t help but wonder what this night would bring.Dorian, however, didn’t look at her. He moved to the window, gazing out into the darkness beyond, the light from the moon casting soft shadows across his face. For a long moment, he stood there, his back to her, and the silence stretched on.Irwin shifted in her seat, her curiosity piqued. This wasn’t like him, to be
The night was very calm with no sound of the guards or the servants, but the tension in the air was palpable, a delicate balance between what was happening and what neither of them could admit. Irwin’s footsteps slowed as they neared her room. Her body, though physically tired, felt a strange kind of alertness. The mouth of Dorian was still fresh on her mouth, and the weight of Dorian’s touch and traces of kisses on her lips lingering longer than she anticipated.She instinctively veered toward her door, the familiar path pulling her closer to the solitude she was accustomed to. But just as she took a step toward the door, she felt a gentle, almost absent-minded tug on her wrist. It wasn’t forceful, but it was enough to stop her in her tracks.She turned, her eyes landing on Dorian, who hadn’t even realized what he had done. His fingers lingered on her wrist for a heartbeat longer before falling away, but the gesture didn’t go unnoticed. His face was unreadable, his eyes distant yet
The hallway was bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the narrow windows, as Irwin's face beamed in smile. The air between them felt thick, charged with something unspoken. Their footsteps, once in perfect rhythm, seemed to slow as the space between them diminished. Each step felt heavier, as if the distance that had once stretched far and wide between them was shrinking with every passing second.Dorian’s presence beside her was more noticeable than ever before. The tension in the air was not the kind that signaled a fight, but rather something more intimate, something that both of them had been avoiding for too long. His movements, usually so precise and controlled, felt almost hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure of what to do next. Without thinking, Dorian’s hand lightly brushed against Irwin’s shoulder, the contact so subtle that it could have been mistaken for an accident. But to Irwin, it wasn’t. The warmth of his touch spread through her like wildfire, stopping
The hallway stretched long before them, illuminated by the soft flicker of torchlight that danced along the stone walls. Their footsteps echoed in unison, the rhythmic sounds filling the otherwise quiet space as they moved side by side. Irwin glanced at Dorian from the corner of her eye, the tension between them for once muted. The silence that hung in the air was not strained, but peaceful—something that felt rare, almost fragile.As they walked, Irwin found herself lost in thought. She couldn’t remember the last time they had shared a moment like this, one without sharp words or cold glares. The memory of their recent fights seemed to linger at the edges of her mind, uninvited but ever-present. Each argument had left invisible scars, and each harsh exchange had added to the growing wall between them. It had become a pattern, one she had learned to expect from their strained bond. And yet tonight, there was something different.The softness in Dorian’s expression, the subtle way he w
When Dorian pulled away from the kiss, his eyes lingered on Irwin's, as though he were searching for something—reassurance, understanding, perhaps even a reflection of his own tumultuous emotions. His fingers, rough from battles and hardened by years of holding back, softened as they traced the curve of her lips. It was as though he couldn’t fully believe what had just happened, and neither could Irwin. Her heart raced, pounding against her ribs with a wild intensity that she had never felt before. Dorian had always been so distant, locked away behind walls of ice, but now, something inside him had melted. Something had shifted between them, and it was undeniable. Irwin stared up at him, still trying to process the moment. The tenderness of the kiss lingered, but it wasn’t just the kiss that had shaken her—it was the way Dorian had allowed himself to be vulnerable. It was the way he had let down his guard, even for just a brief moment. Without a word, Dorian moved. He took her by t
Dorian’s hand slid gently from her hair, tracing the side of her face with a tenderness that Irwin had never experienced from him before. His fingers moved delicately, brushing her cheek as though he were afraid she might disappear at any moment. The touch sent a shiver down her spine, but she chuckled softly, trying to ease the tension that hung between them, thick and heavy.“You’re beautiful,” Dorian said suddenly, his voice low but filled with conviction.The words hit her like a wave, knocking the air from her lungs. She had never expected to hear that from him—not from Dorian, who had always kept her at arm’s length. Her heart began to race, her breath catching in her throat as she stared up at him, stunned into silence. The sincerity in his eyes was undeniable, but it was so out of character, so unlike the guarded man she had come to know.Irwin blinked, trying to process the weight of what he had just said. All this time, she had believed Dorian saw her as a burden, someone he
Irwin’s gaze never wavered from Dorian’s face, her mind racing with questions she dared not voice. The weight of his silence pressed down on her, making the air between them feel thick and heavy. His hand, still nestled in her hair, moved with a gentleness that seemed almost foreign to the man she knew. It wasn’t the touch of a warrior or an Alpha; it was the touch of someone vulnerable, someone struggling with emotions he had long tried to bury.“Dorian,” Irwin whispered, her voice barely above a breath, “what’s bothering you?”Her question lingered in the air, unanswered, as Dorian’s eyes met hers. For a split second, she thought she saw something—a flicker of pain, regret, something deep and raw. But just as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, replaced by the guarded expression he always wore. His lips parted, as though he was going to respond, but instead, he simply murmured her name.“Irwin...”The way he said her name, the strain in his voice, made her heart tighten in her ches