BLAISE "You did what?" Richard asked, his voice filled with shock as he gazed at me, his eyes wide with disbelief. I gulped down another drink, the harsh liquid burning my throat, and remained silent, my gaze fixed on the amber depths of the bottle. The bar's dim lights cast long shadows, reflecting my turmoil. I was feeling worse than I had ever felt in my entire life. "Let me get this straight," Richard said, leaning in. "You struck her the other night simply because you suspected her? Then you roughed her up today?" "What else was I supposed to do?" I snapped back, refilling my glass with a shaky hand. My voice was tinged with anger and regret. "I was livid." Another swallow of the fiery drink. "And bitterly disappointed that she was aware of it all." "She only learned about it the day you caught Erick, and to be fair, she hadn't seen you for two days and couldn't reach you. How could you know if she intended to tell you or not?" Richard's tone was accus
NOTE: Sasha and Lykaina are the same person. Lykaina is her immortal name. AUTHOR'S P.O.V. "Lykaina should restrain her hound. I still don't understand why my ward doesn't have her wolf yet," Seraphina said through clenched teeth, frustration etched on her face. "You keep letting him get away with everything." She paced back and forth in front of the moon goddess and another male figure seated in the corner. The moon goddess simply smiled. "I'm not letting him get away with anything. They are a married couple, and they're allowed to have their share of problems." "Problems? Problems that involve violence? Did you witness how he treated her yesterday? How can they still be mates after that? Surely, there are kinder men who would treat her with the respect she deserves." "Like his brother?" the male seated in the corner chimed in, speaking for the first time. Seraphina shot him an icy glare. "Stay out of this, Lykos." "How can I when you intend to give my war
LILA The true threat here isn't Markus but the Ghost. You must uncover his identity... Erick's ominous words echoed relentlessly in my mind. Those haunting syllables reverberated throughout my day, and when night draped itself across the sky, sleep remained a distant elusion. Nestled under the blankets, I lay awake, my gaze fixed on the blankness of the ceiling. My thoughts whirled in a stormy dance, pondering the unfolding events until the early hours of morning, when slumber finally overtook me. Awakened by the distant hum of a car, I blinked into a world bathed in the vibrant shades of morning. The sun, a radiant orb, cast its golden glow through the window, and I glanced at the clock, realising it was almost noon. My eyes drifted to the empty space beside me on the bed, a pang of longing twisting in my chest. Blaise's absence left a cold void; his warmth was a memory now tinged with melancholy. But despite my yearning, I think neither of us wanted to be in each ot
BLAISE The office air was tense as I slammed a stack of photographs onto my desk with a thud. They were compromising images of Amanda and me, tangled in kisses and intimate embraces. Confusion clouded my mind—I couldn't recall any moment where Amanda and I had been so entwined. A wave of regret washed over me; I should have seen through her façade, a ploy to disarm and ensnare me. Leo, standing across from me, maintained a stoic silence before breaking it with a question that echoed my own dread. “So, what’s your plan for these pictures, Blaise? And the article that’s threatening to go public?” he asked, his voice laced with concern. I massaged my temples. The threats seemed to multiply by the day, pushing me ever closer to the edge. "I'm not sure, Leo," I admitted, my voice weary. "The person behind this won't stop here. They'll bleed me dry if I don't act." Leo shifted uncomfortably; his gaze locked on the photographs. “And what about Luna Lila? The article claim
LILA Several hours after my explosive outburst, I found refuge in a dimly lit bar, my identity concealed beneath a shroud of a scarf and dark shades. I had regained my composure, sitting in solitude, my fingers dancing over my phone, engrossed in the compromising photos that had arrived via an anonymous sender. With each passing moment, the truth etched itself deeper into my consciousness. Though my instinct screamed for Blaise to shoulder the blame, the images revealed unsettling loopholes. I zoomed in on a photo, the one capturing a moment between Amanda and Blaise. Their lips locked in what seemed like a forbidden kiss. Yet, as I delved deeper, the truth unfolded. Blaise's hands rested not possessively but, on her shoulders— a silent but forceful attempt to push her away. Another picture drew my attention. Amanda, scantily clad, positioned atop Blaise in a compromising embrace. But as I magnified the image, details emerged from the blur. Despite the blurry image upon zo
LILA "How did you come to know Aurora?" I inquired of Blaise; our bodies entwined in an intimate embrace. I lay with my head nestled peacefully on his chest. His arm was beneath me, cradling my form as his palm danced lightly across my shoulder, providing gentle caresses. I didn't want to tell him about anything until I was sure Erick was telling the truth. Blaise's response came with a gentle chuckle, a sound that reverberated warmly against my ear, resting against his chest. "It was quite the story. I met her through Leo," he began, his voice laced with a hint of amusement. "One fateful day at one of the VAWLA conferences, she accidentally collided with his car. Poor Leo was fuming, utterly oblivious to who she was." "Who was she?" My fingers traced delicate patterns on Blaise's chest. "She was none other than the daughter of Alpha Clem from the Water Side Pack." The name 'Water Side Pack' stirred a sense of puzzlement within me. I lifted my head, seeking
BLAISE In the dimly lit confines of my study, Agatha's voice, tinged with desperation, floated towards me. "Alpha, I'm certain he's not the culprit. He might have been threatened by Lila's brother. Have you considered the possibilities?" Her words were a plea, laced with concern and conviction. She had trailed me persistently, from the door of my room to the confines of my library. Her relentless determination to free Erick from prison perplexed me. She had been relentless in her pursuit, even going as far as to weep and threaten to die if I did not intervene. In her heart, she believed in Erick's innocence, that he posed no threat to our pack. Her room had become her self-imposed exile since Erick's capture, and she refused any replacement for her guard. But this was not time to be sentimental or time to please anyone, not even Agatha or Lila. I had witnessed the crumbling of everything I had worked tirelessly to build, consumed by the unforgiving flames of t
AUTHOR'S P.O.V. In the shrouded shadows of the night, a formidable black wolf, with fur as dark as the abyss, prowled stealthily through the underbrush. Its eyes, glowing with a fierce, infernal red, were fixed intently on the men stationed outside the building. Despite its lupine form, it exuded a commanding presence over the armed men in their human guise. The wolf, driven by a singular purpose, was here for one individual – a target it was resolutely determined to eliminate this very night. A guard, unwittingly standing closest to the lurking predator, began to twitch his nose as an unfamiliar scent permeated the air, tinged with the wild, primal aroma of the hidden wolf. His eyes, searching, eventually locked onto the ominous glow of the wolf's eyes, like crimson embers peering out from their leafy hideaway. “We're under attack!” he shouted, a note of panic in his voice. But his warning came too late. In a blur of shadow and fury, the massive black wolf burst from its cov