Axel leaned back, swirling the whiskey in his glass, watching me carefully. "I saw Johnathan go into the brothel. Met with Eve."I didn’t react, just took another slow sip of my drink, waiting for him to get to the part that mattered.Axel smirked. "They got real comfortable with each other," he continued. "Then disappeared into one of the rooms."That didn’t surprise me.Johnathan had no sense of control. Loyalty wasn’t in his vocabulary.I tapped a finger against my glass, thinking. "Eve doesn’t work there."Axel nodded. "Yeah, I figured."But Henry? He’d use his daughter however it suited him. Same way he’d use his son. Same way he’d use anyone. The man didn’t have lines… he only had goals.And I knew exactly what his goal was.Dethrone me.I exhaled sharply through my nose, rubbing a hand over my jaw.Johnathan fucking someone wasn’t a move. It wasn’t strategy. It was just another indulgence, something he could replace with a snap of his fingers.But Henry? Henry didn’t waste time
Alina's pov:The sun sat high in the sky, its bright rays streaming through the trees' leaves. The air was still wet and cool from the night, mixing with the pine scent. The woods were quiet. The kind of quiet that made it easy to get lost in your thoughts, to think about everything that was going on. Something I needed right now.Josh and Liam had finally called a truce, though it was more like Josh letting Liam win and Liam pretending he didn’t notice. He’d never say it outright, but Josh knew better than to bruise the ego of the Alpha’s son. Liam needed to feel strong. He needed to believe in himself. And Josh? He played along.Even with the tension gone, I needed space... a moment to think. I think Josh realized that. I think he knew a lot more about what was going on than he let on. I could see it in his eyes, in the way he understood my need for a break, for just two minutes alone.So, I left.I trailed my fingers over the rough bark of a tree as I walked, the slight breeze r
I remmember eves face as he gripped my chin. "Hello alina. Not feeling so good?" she mocked. So openly and loudly that even my dazed self could see that. "yeah aconite does that to wolves." was the last words i heard before i fell back into the darkness.When i woke up again. The Pain burned through my body, sharp and unrelenting I looked down at my waist which already had some claw marks torn into it. My wrists ached from the cold metal shackles cutting into my skin. My limbs heavy from the exhaustion and poisoning of aconite. The air was thick with dampness, the scent of blood, mold, and something stale clinging to the walls. The scent was so strong and dominant that it was hard to smell past it.There were no windows. No way to tell how much time had passed.But I knew where I was.A pack’s prison.The question was which one.Then the answer hit me, clear as day.Crimson Pack.Eve’s pack.I let out a slow breath, trying to ignore the throbbing in my ribs. Of course, it would b
Eli’s eyes were locked onto me, like he expected the answers to his questions to be labeled on my clothes or swirling in my eyes. “Ever since I saw you in the woods five years ago, I knew something didn’t make sense,” he said, his voice steady but laced with something deeper. Curiosity, maybe even doubt. He took slow steps toward me. “I’ve followed the pattern of every recorded healer wolf,” he continued as he leaned on the cell bars near me. “At first, it seems random, like there’s no correlation between dates or bloodlines. But then I found something. Every sixth generation produces a healer wolf.” My fingers twitched slightly, the only outward sign of my nerves. Eli crouched down until we were eye level, his face only inches from mine. His presence filled the space between us, heavy with unspoken questions. I turned my head, breaking eye contact, but his fingers caught my chin, forcing me to face him again. “By that calculation,” he said, his grip firm but not painful, “
Days passed. Or maybe just a few hours. It was hard to tell. Time no longer existed in this place. Pain, exhaustion, and heavy aconite drugging left me with everything blurred together. Which turned my mind into a haze of half thoughts and flickering shadows threatening to swallow me whole.I could barely lift my head at this point.My throat was raw and completely scorched from thirst. My lips cracked. My body weak and trembling from the endless torment I had endured for hours on end. The cold stone beneath me felt like an extension of my own bones. Grounding me in my suffering.The cell door creaked open slowly.The sound barely registered at first. My body no longer reacting at the sound of approaching footsteps. I had lost count of how many times that door had opened. Bearing the gifts of pain and suffering whilst also bringing her.But these weren’t the sharp and taunting clicks of Eve’s heels.These steps were slower. Heavier. More deliberate. Somewhat fearfulI forced my
I didn’t plan this.One moment, I was standing outside her cell, staring at the girl who should have been my sister my whole damn life. The next, I was unlocking her chains, hauling her onto my back, and running.I didn’t have a strategy. No careful calculations. No escape route.I just acted.And I couldn’t even pinpoint why. Maybe...Because I couldn’t sit in that fortress of lies any longer.Because I had spent enough time on the wrong side of this war.Because I had let this happen to her. I had betrayed her.And I couldn’t live with myself if I let it continue.I owed her. I had to make things up to her.Even if it cost me everything.The weight on my back wasn’t what crushed me.No, not her weight.She was light... far too light. As if Eve had drained every ounce of strength from her. Her fingers trembled against my fur, barely clinging on. Her breathing was shallow and uneven. But she was still here. Still fighting. She definitely inherited our fighting spirit.No, it wasn’t he
We walked into his office, the heavy silence between us thick enough to drown in. The door clicked shut behind us. Sealing me in with a man barely keeping his wolf at bay.I didn’t think I’d ever see it.Andrew the Alpha King, barely holding himself together. But there it was. A single tear glistening at the edge of his eye before he quickly wiped it away, turning his burning gaze on me.And in that moment, I knew.I wasn’t safe here.He wanted blood.Maybe mine.Maybe Henry’s.Maybe Johnathan’s.But someone was going to die. And not in a pretty way.His wolf was raging inside him, clawing to get out.To tear apart whoever had done this to Alina. As well as who ever allowed it to happen And that list was a long one.Starting with me.I swallowed the lump in my throat, but it only doubled in size, threatening to suffocate me.“Tell me what happened.”His voice was deadly quiet.“Every detail. Every part. I want to know everything.”I exhaled, shaking, and took a seat across from him
"Good."Andrew’s voice was firm and unwavering. As if though he had already decided my loyalty before I even spoke it into existence."Me and my mate are one. So your loyalty to her is a loyalty to me."His words left no room for argument, but there was no need for one. He brushed off what I had just said like it was a given, like he expected it."This war doesn’t have to break out," he continued."We can spare lives on both sides."I nodded agreeing with him. War was ugly. And if we could avoid it ... why not?."The reason for this movement. As Johnathan is calling it. is because Alpha Henry saved me all those years ago." His lips curled slightly at the word saved. "And in return, I vowed to take his daughter as my Luna."I nodded again, replaying the events of that night in my mind.The blood bath. The kings dead body splayed over the throne. Andrew being shivering from fear in his wolf form. His first shift. I had only seen him display heavy emotions like that twice in my life tim
Sometime in the night, exhaustion had finally won. I had cried myself into a restless sleep, only to wake up feeling just as drained, just as hollow as before.The ache in my chest hadn’t faded. The weight of last night still pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe, hard to think.I sank lower into the bath, hoping the warm water would do something—anything—to cleanse me of everything that had happened. To soak away my guilt. To wash away my betrayal.To drown the war raging inside me.Maybe if I stayed in here long enough, I would step out as someone new. Someone who deserved to be queen.Because today wasn’t just any day.Today, I had to stand before the entire kingdom and make my promise. My vow to be their Luna, their queen.But how could I swear my loyalty to an entire kingdom when I couldn’t even control my own heart?I let out a long sigh, closing my eyes for just a moment before finally forcing myself to stand.An omega was already waiting for me when I stepped back into
I knew I was no match for Andrew. His family had that stupid strength ability. The one that made them nearly invincible in battle. It gave them an advantage over any other alpha, and right now.I was experiencing that disadvantage firsthand.His grip around my throat was tight, but not suffocating. He was giving me a chance. A small, razor-thin chance to explain myself before he crushed my windpipe."Woah, woah, woah," I rasped. "I thought it was innocent until proven guilty?"The second the words left my mouth, I could see his expression shift. It wasn’t what he expected me to say. His grip loosened ever so slightly, and his brows pulled together in confusion."So, you deny kissing your queen?" His voice was sharp."MY mate," he snarled.I let out a slow breath, rubbing my throat once he finally let go."I never said that," I admitted, sitting up slightly. "But I didn’t do it as some sort of power play against you. I didn’t do it to dethrone you. Whether you want to know this or
"I can't," I whispered, my voice barely escaping my lips.Andrew’s fist slammed down onto the bedside table with such force that the entire thing shattered beneath his strength.The loud crack echoed through the room, a perfect reflection of the breaking pieces inside me."Did you even try?" he asked, his voice struggling to remain gentle even when his entire being trembled with frustration.I squeezed my eyes shut. I wished I had an answer that wouldn’t tear him apart. But I didn’t."I did," I admitted. "But… part of me couldn’t even bring myself to say the words."Silence.The kind of silence that stretches too long. The kind that stripped the air of all oxygen.When I finally looked at him, his eyes were filled with pain and betrayal."Do you even want to reject him?"His question slammed into me, hitting a part of my soul I hadn’t even realized existed.Just the thought alone was too painful to entertain.The idea of forcing Jeremiah away, of severing whatever bond existed betwe
"I'm so sorry, Andrew. I didn't mean to," I whispered. My voice broke under the immense weight of my guilt.I could feel his body go rigid beneath me, his muscles turning to stone.Slowly, hesitantly, I lifted my gaze, my tear-streaked face tilting up toward his.His eyes were locked on mine. Searching for answers to the million questions filling his mind.He cupped my cheeks. Protective and possessive yet there was a slight warmth mixed in."What happened?" he asked again, his voice deep and controlled.Tears kept falling. I couldn't stop them now even if I wanted to."I… I… went f-for a… w-walk in the… f-forest," I stuttered, barely able to get the words out.Andrew just listened, waiting patiently."J-Jeremiah was t-there," I continued, and his entire body tensed.His hands twitched against my skin. His fingers gripped slightly tighter, almost like he was ready to crush something...or someone.His jaw clenched.His aura shifted."I swear, if he hurt you…" His voice was more of a gr
“I’ve got to go,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper as I stood up.I needed to get out of here. I needed space to breathe. Space to think.But before I could take a single step, Jeremiah’s hand wrapped around my wrist.The movement was swift and it threw me off balance.My feet stumbled causing me to fall right into his chest.My breath hitched as his arms instinctively wrapped around me, steadying me against his warmth. His scent wrapped around me like a cocoon, seeping into my skin. Tempting me even further. putting me in a haze.I tilted my head up, meeting his gaze.His eyes locked onto mine, swirling with something unspoken.Maybe Awe.Maybe Longing.Maybe Love.In a split second.His lips crashed into mine.It was not a hesitant kiss. It was not unsure.It was the kind of kiss that spoke of lifetimes.Of familiarity.Of .... I missed you.And for a moment, I let myself melt into it.I let myself drown in the way his lips molded to mine, how perfectly they fit together, lik
I stared at him, completely taken aback by his words.He thinks I’m his mate?A sharp jolt of shock shot through me, followed almost immediately by confusion.That wasn’t possible.Was it?I let out a small, breathless laugh, nudging his shoulder lightly. “Funny joke, Alpha Jeremiah.”But he didn’t laugh.His eyes didn’t waver, his lips didn’t curl into that usual cocky smirk.Instead, he looked dead serious.His deep brown eyes locked onto mine, burning with something I couldn’t quite place.Something… certain.“It’s not a joke, Alina,” he murmured, his voice low and smooth.And the way my name rolled off his tongue...Goddess help me.I swallowed, shaking my head. “I’m sure I would’ve felt it if you were.”Wouldn’t I?That’s how the mate bond worked.The pull. The connection. The raw, undeniable force that tied two souls together.But Jeremiah didn’t back down.Instead, his hand reached up, his fingers brushing against the strands of my hair, lifting them gently to expose my mark.H
“You scared the shit out of me, Jeremiah.”My heart was still hammering against my ribs, wild and erratic like an African drum.I sucked in a breath, trying to steady myself, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins refused to settle. My entire body was on high alert, still shaken from the attack that wasn’t really an attack at all.Jeremiah, on the other hand?Completely unfazed.The bastard had the audacity to look amused as he stood there in all his glory.And by all… I mean all.My gaze trailed over him before my brain could catch up.The moonlight kissed every inch of his perfectly sculpted body, highlighting the taut muscles of his chest, the sharp ridges of his abs, the strong lines of his arms.Everything about him was raw, untamed strength.Dangerous and far too tempting.Then my eyes dipped lower...Oh, shit.Heat exploded across my face as I ripped my gaze away, turning my back to him so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash.Goddess help me.Jeremiah chuckled, a low, deep
The kingdom was safe.For the first time, there were no whispers of war, no threats lurking beyond the borders. No traitors plotting in secret.Eve was gone.Cast out, rejected by every pack, left to wander alone with no power and no allies. It was the cruelest fate a wolf could face, but even that felt like too light of a punishment for her.Jonathan had been given a choice. Swear his loyalty to the crown or be stripped of his title and turned rogue. He had practically begged to sign the contract, choosing survival over whatever false sense of duty he had to Henry.As for the rest of Henry’s allied packs?They had been let off with a warning. A very serious warning.Now, they tripped over themselves trying to prove their allegiance, going above and beyond in their duties, sending gifts, wealth, even warriors to fight in Andrew’s name. Desperate to erase their betrayal from our memory.The kingdom had won.Andrew had won.But I?I had lost something far more important.Every time I pa
The door shut behind us with a quiet click. The weight of the afternoon still clung to my skin. I just wanted to wash it all away. To feel clean again. To remove any traces of henry left on me.I stepped into the shower the warm spray of the water cascading down my back. Soothing the musscles before they even got the chance to ache. My body still felt the aftershocks of everything that had happened. The fight and the adrenaline.More so the anger that was beneath it all. But at least now I could breathe.Or so I thought.Because when I looked up, Andrew was standing there at the entrance of the shower. Leaning against the wall.His arms were crossed and his jaw tight. But this wasn’t his usual confident stance he liked so much. No... this was different.His eyes weren’t filled with that lust and hunger i loved so much. They weren’t watching me the way they usually did when we were alone.No, this was something else entirely.And i already had a feeling where this would go.“What hap