35The bed beneath me felt like clouds, soft and inviting, cradling my body in warmth and comfort. I curled myself into a tight ball, my long hair spilling around me like a wild halo. Despite the vastness of the bed, I felt small and secure, cocooned in the soft sheets. It had always been my routine to wake up early, before dawn even had a chance to paint the sky. The cold showers, the chores, the quiet moments spent outside my cabin—all of it was familiar. But today, I could barely keep my eyes open, the faintest hint of sunlight streaming through the windowpanes. My body screamed for more sleep, yet my mind refused to let me drift back into the dreamlike haze.A yawn escaped me before I could stop it, wide and uncontrollable. Half of me wanted to stay wrapped in the warmth of the bed, to surrender to the exhaustion pulling at my limbs. But the other half—well, that part was already awake, tuned to every little sound and movement around me. Even the softest breeze felt like a gale,
I couldn’t help but feel a surge of frustration as I sat in the quiet of the garden, my mind spiraling through conflicting thoughts. If someone had told me just a few weeks ago that I would willingly submit to Dalton, the Lycan King, I would’ve laughed in their face. Yet, here I was, struggling to control the heat pulsing through my body. My wolf hadn’t fully awakened yet, leaving me in a state of uncertainty. The transformation process had begun, but it had been interrupted when my body collapsed, spiraling into a heat that forced Dalton to mark me.I was no closer to understanding why things had turned out this way. Dalton, a powerful and commanding figure, most likely wanted a strong mate by his side—a werewolf who had fully transformed. Not a girl whose wolf remained dormant. I had made a choice. I asked him to mark me, partly because I didn’t want to be labeled as a failure. The pressure to succeed in the transformation had weighed heavily on me. If anyone knew I had tried and fa
I could barely make out the figure in the dim light, but I could tell it was a curvy woman with long hair swishing as she moved. A surge of curiosity gnawed at me, and I felt an overwhelming need to see who it was. My heart raced as I cautiously advanced toward Dalton’s office, making sure to stay in the shadows. The last thing I wanted was to be noticed, especially when I had no idea what was happening inside.The office door was slightly ajar, just enough to let me hear faint whispers. But the words were unintelligible, leaving me even more restless. My mind was already on edge, and the soft rustling of papers inside told me that Dalton was deep in work, focused on something important. I chewed anxiously on my lower lip, my thoughts spiraling. I should’ve just gone to my room, but instead, I couldn’t tear myself away. I was just about to make a move toward the door when the sound of the elevator doors opening froze me in my tracks. My heart skipped a beat as I quickly ducked behind
I froze in my tracks, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I had thought Dalton hadn’t noticed me, but the deep, commanding sound of his voice shattered that illusion. Slowly, I turned around, locking eyes with him. His expression was stern, yet there was a flicker of curiosity in his gaze that made me feel like I was being scrutinized.My mind raced, scrambling for an excuse, for something, anything to say. But the words wouldn’t come. Panic surged within me, making my heart beat faster, as if it might leap out of my chest. “Come here,” Dalton’s voice sliced through the thick tension in the room. His command was simple, yet it carried an undeniable weight, and I could feel it in my bones. He was seated at his desk, still holding the marker, but his attention was already back on the file in front of him.I hesitated, but I couldn’t resist. With shaky steps, I reluctantly approached him. My eyes darted around the room, avoiding his gaze as I made my way to the chair opposite him. The
I couldn’t help but feel a surge of frustration as I sat in the quiet of the garden, my mind spiraling through conflicting thoughts. If someone had told me just a few weeks ago that I would willingly submit to Dalton, the Lycan King, I would have laughed in their face. Yet, here I was, struggling to control the heat pulsing through my body. My wolf had yet to fully awaken, leaving me in a state of uncertainty. The transformation process had begun, but it had been interrupted when my body collapsed, spiraling into a heat that Dalton had to mark me through.I had no idea why things had turned out this way. Dalton, a powerful and commanding figure, probably wanted a strong mate by his side—a werewolf who had fully transformed. Not a girl whose wolf remained dormant. I had made a choice, though, asking him to mark me, partly because I didn’t want to be labeled a failure. The pressure to succeed in the transformation had weighed heavily on me; if anyone knew I had tried and failed before
I couldn’t make out who it was, but I could clearly see the outline of a curvy figure and long hair swishing as she moved. A strange wave of curiosity tugged at me, urging me to get a better look. Without thinking, I slowly advanced towards his office, taking care to stay hidden in the shadows. The lights were off, which worked in my favor, allowing me to remain unseen. I peered around the edge of the dimly lit doorway, the blinds in his office only partially drawn. Through the slits, I could make out the faint glow of a desk lamp, and I could hear the rustling of fabric and the soft shuffle of papers. Dalton was busy with something important, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to find out what it was. I bit my lower lip, the gnawing uncertainty making it hard to focus. I didn’t know what I was doing—whether I should turn around and leave, or press forward and risk being caught. The office door was slightly ajar, just enough for me to hear murmurs inside, though I couldn’t understand the
I woke up with a singular goal in mind: I needed to awaken my wolf. The events of the previous night had left me tangled in a mess of conflicting emotions, but they had also reminded me of what I truly wanted. My first transformation had been a disaster—an uncontrollable mess of emotions that led me straight into Dalton’s arms during my heat. I couldn’t afford to let that happen again. Not after everything.I’d been seen as weak and worthless for far too long, and now, with my wolf finally making its presence known, I couldn’t miss my chance to rewrite that narrative. I wasn’t going to let myself be a pawn in someone else’s game again, especially not Dalton’s. I had watched my mother love my father with all her heart, only for him to discard her for his fated mate. The moment he cast her aside was the moment I vowed that I would never let myself end up in that position. The thought of a mate was intoxicating, but I knew that once Dalton’s curse was lifted, he’d find his fated mate. An
I froze in my tracks, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I had thought Dalton hadn’t noticed me, but the deep, commanding sound of his voice shattered that illusion. Slowly, I turned around, locking eyes with him. His expression was stern, but there was a flicker of curiosity in his gaze that made me feel as though he were scrutinizing every inch of me.My mind raced, scrambling for an excuse, for something—anything to say. But the words wouldn’t come. Panic surged within me, making my heart beat faster, as if it might leap out of my chest. I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I felt trapped under his gaze, helpless and exposed."Come here." His voice sliced through the thick tension in the room, the simple command carrying an undeniable weight. I felt it in my bones, an unspoken authority that I couldn’t ignore. He was seated at his desk, still holding the marker, but his focus was already on the file in front of him, his attention unwavering.I hesitated, unsure of how to mov
The room fell silent, all eyes shifting between me, Cynthia, and Aleksander. His expression revealed nothing as he considered my judgment."Mercy," he finally remarked, "can be mistaken for weakness.""True mercy requires greater strength than vengeance," I countered calmly. "To heal rather than destroy, to rebuild rather than discard—these are not the actions of the weak."Something flickered across his face—not quite approval, but perhaps reassessment. "The judgment seems... appropriate," he conceded. "Though I would add one condition."I raised an eyebrow, waiting."During her year of service, she will spend one month in my territory, assisting our healers with the spring birthing season. She will see firsthand how packs can differ yet still respect each other's ways."The proposal surprised me—it was both a punishment and an opportunity, a chance for Cynthia to expand her understanding beyond the narrow confines of her prejudice.I glanced at Dalton, who gave a subtle nod, then at
The formal welcoming ceremony for Aleksander's pack was a masterpiece of carefully orchestrated pageantry. Every detail had been planned to demonstrate our pack's strength while honoring our guests—a delicate balance struck between power and hospitality.I stood at Dalton's side before the great stone archway that marked the entrance to our central compound, dressed in ceremonial garments that blended traditional pack symbols with subtle elements that marked me as Dalton's mate. As promised, I wore no magical protection, though Dalton had insisted on having Eliza work subtle strengthening spells into the embroidery of my jacket—"Not protection," he'd argued when I'd raised an eyebrow, "just enhancement of your natural abilities. Even Aleksander can't object to that."The distant sound of drums announced the Winter's Edge pack's approach. They moved with military precision, Aleksander at their head, his tall figure imposing even at a distance. Behind him marched his highest-ranking pac
Victor's expression was stone. "Enough, Cynthia.""The matter will be settled according to both our packs' laws," I interjected, unwilling to see her executed despite everything she'd done. "As the wronged party, I'll have a say in her fate."Aleksander's eyebrows rose again. "Mercy from an omega. How... unexpected.""Justice," I corrected. "Not revenge. That's the difference between leadership and tyranny."Something flickered in his cold eyes—not warmth, exactly, but perhaps a reluctant reassessment. "We'll see if you maintain that philosophy after spending more time as an Alpha's mate." He gestured to his pack members. "We return to our camp. The formal meeting will proceed tomorrow as originally planned."As they turned to leave, Cynthia was firmly escorted between two of Aleksander's guards—clearly now his prisoner rather than his informant. She twisted to look back at me, her expression a complex mixture of hatred and fear."This isn't over," she hissed.I met her gaze steadily.
My stomach dropped at the sight of her. She looked different—her usual polished appearance replaced by something harder, her blonde hair pulled back severely, her posture rigid with purpose. Her eyes found mine immediately, a small, triumphant smile playing at the corners of her mouth.The two groups halted a respectful distance apart, the morning breeze carrying scents between us—the unfamiliar, pine-and-snow smell of the Winter's Edge pack mixing with our own forest-and-earth scent.Protocol dictated that as the junior Alpha's representative, I should speak first, acknowledging Aleksander's status and thanking him for agreeing to this meeting. But before I could open my mouth, Cynthia stepped forward."This is the one I told you about," she said to Aleksander, her voice carrying clearly across the clearing. "The omega who ensorcelled our Alpha."A ripple of tension went through my escort. Victor's hand twitched at his side, his expression unreadable as he watched his daughter.Aleks
As the room cleared, Dalton maintained his grip on me, silently indicating I should remain. Once we were alone, his carefully controlled expression cracked, revealing the turmoil beneath."You can't seriously be considering this," he said, his voice low and intense."It's our best option," I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "If I face him directly, on my terms—""He could kill you," Dalton cut in harshly. "Do you understand that? This isn't just pack politics, Oliver. Aleksander considers omega males an abomination. In his territory, they don't survive presentation."I swallowed hard. "I know. But that's exactly why this might work. He's expecting me to be weak, to hide. If I show strength—""He might respect it," Dalton acknowledged reluctantly. "Or he might see it as a challenge to his worldview that must be eliminated."I stepped closer, placing my free hand against his chest, feeling the strong, rapid beat of his heart. "Then we make sure elimination isn't an o
"Aleksander's pack approaches," Dalton began once we were seated, Dalton at the head of the table and me to his right. "And Cynthia has fled, likely to join them with false accusations against my mate.""False according to whom?" Victor challenged, his voice tight with barely controlled rage. "My daughter has served this pack loyally for years. She was raised to be your mate, to stand at your side as Alpha female. Instead, you publicly humiliate her for—" His eyes flicked dismissively toward me, "—this."A low growl rumbled from Dalton's chest, a sound that made the hairs on my neck stand on end. "Choose your next words carefully, Victor."The older wolf didn't back down. "The pack has a right to question your judgment in this matter. Aleksander certainly will.""My judgment is sound," Dalton replied, his voice dangerously even. "And your daughter attempted to kill my claimed mate. She's lucky exile is all she faces."Murmurs spread around the table at this. Exile was one of the harsh
Chapter"To check my injuries," I explained. "And to warn me about Aleksander."Dalton's expression darkened. "What exactly did she say?""That sometimes love isn't enough. That it takes strategy, too." I moved to the window, looking out at the pack grounds bathed in the day's fading light. Members were already moving with purpose, responding to what must have been Matteo's alerts. "She's right, Dalton. If we face Aleksander head-on about this, we risk everything—the alliance, the pack's safety, your authority.""What are you suggesting?" His voice was cautious.I turned back to him, an idea forming—one I wasn't sure I had the courage to voice. "What if... what if Aleksander doesn't see me as your mate when he arrives?"Dalton's eyes narrowed. "Absolutely not. I won't hide you, Oliver. I won't pretend our bond doesn't exist.""Not forever," I clarified quickly. "Just until the alliance is secured. Until we can find a way to introduce the idea more... gradually.""Deception isn't my wa
He turned to me, his golden eyes fierce. "Their opinions don't matter. I am the Alpha.""But their cooperation does matter," I pointed out gently. "Especially with the Northern Alliance meeting coming up."Dalton's expression darkened. "Matteo told you.""Cynthia did, actually," I corrected. "Right before she tried to cut my throat with a piece of broken glass."He winced, setting down the plate he'd been holding and moving closer to me. His hands came to rest on my shoulders, thumbs brushing against the fabric of my borrowed shirt."I should have told you," he admitted, his voice dropping. "I just... I didn't want to taint what we have with pack politics. Not yet."I leaned into his touch despite myself. "I need to know what we're facing, Dalton. All of it."He sighed, then nodded toward the dining table. "Let's eat. This conversation requires sustenance."We settled at the table, the domesticity of sharing a meal together still novel enough to send a ripple of warmth through me desp
I spent the rest of the day in a state of anxious anticipation. After cleaning up the broken glass and attending to my bruises—which were already fading thanks to my werewolf healing—Dalton had reluctantly left to deal with Cynthia and inform the pack council about the incident. He'd been hesitant to leave me alone again, but I insisted. I needed time to process everything that had happened.The Northern Alliance. The treaty negotiations. The fact that our relationship might trigger political consequences I hadn't even considered when I'd surrendered to the bliss of our claiming.I paced the length of Dalton's quarters—our quarters—trying to organize my thoughts. The initial euphoria of being chosen, of finally belonging, had been tempered by the harsh reality of what our union might cost the pack. Cost Dalton.A knock at the door interrupted my spiraling thoughts."Come in," I called, half-expecting it to be Dalton returning.Instead, Eliza—the pack's healer and one of the few who ha