For a split second, my heart stopped.Did he just say that?I felt my stomach twist, heat creeping up my neck. He knew.Of course, he did. He could smell it. My arousal.I had forgotten that was even a thing.But shouldn’t the water have masked it? Shouldn’t it have dulled the intensity?Panic clawed at my chest, urging me to run, to disappear into the shadows before I embarrassed myself even further. First, I had foolishly admitted my crush, and now my body was betraying me in the worst way.I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my thighs pressed together beneath the water. My dress clung to me, torn and ragged, the delicate sleeves hanging uselessly at my sides.I must look desperate. Hungry.Weak.I turned, intending to take a step back, to put some distance between us, but Dalton moved too fast.I froze.His presence was a force, surrounding me, owning the space between us. I dropped my gaze, unable to meet his piercing stare.“Zee.” His voice was softer than I expected, but
The warmth of his lips vanished too soon, leaving my skin cold and aching in their absence. My heart hammered against my ribs, protesting the sudden loss. One second, I was lost in the heat of Dalton’s touch, melting under the pressure of his mouth. The next, he pulled away, his focus shifting elsewhere.I should have been used to his unpredictability by now. But stopping—in the middle of this—was a new level of frustrating.I had barely caught my breath when his hands seized my waist, lifting me effortlessly. A startled gasp left my lips as he pulled me up, settling me onto his lap with ease. My bare skin pressed against him, but he didn’t resume kissing me. He didn’t even move.I tried twisting to see what had caught his attention, but his palm came down lightly on my thigh—a silent order to stay put.A shiver ran down my spine. Obediently, I propped myself up on my elbows, my chest pressing against the damp ground, waiting.His thumb ghosted over the sensitive skin of my mark, send
Being the daughter of an alpha isn’t some glamorous, fairy-tale life. It’s hell. Or at least it is for me. I’m Olivia Archer, the only child of Alpha Drake Archer of the Nightfall Pack. Sounds impressive, right? Like I should be the spoiled princess of the pack, adored and respected by everyone. But reality doesn’t care about what should be. My father doesn’t see me as his legacy or his daughter. To him, I’m nothing but a mistake—a problem he can’t wait to forget. My mom was different. She was my safe place, my light in the suffocating darkness of my father’s cold indifference. She used to tell me that I was her world, that I’d grow up to be someone incredible despite everything. She loved me with her whole heart, even though I could see the pain in her eyes every time my father ignored her. She wasn’t his fated mate, you see. She was his chosen mate, who stood by him when his fated mate rejected him. That should have meant something. It should have been enough. But it wasn’t. T
Being me means surviving one day at a time, hoping today isn’t the one that breaks me. The morning sun filtered through the trees, golden light dappling the forest floor as I stood before Luna Celeste. Her sharp eyes pinned me in place, her smile a thing of venom wrapped in silk. "In two days, we’ll have guests. Important ones," she said, her tone dripping with a menace she didn’t bother to hide. "Make sure the packhouse is spotless. Not a speck of dust, Olivia. You know the consequences." I clenched my fists to keep them from shaking. "Yes, Luna." Her lips curled into a smirk, satisfaction oozing from her perfect features. Without another word, she turned and jogged into the woods, her athletic form disappearing among the towering trees. Only when I was sure she was gone did I let out the breath I’d been holding, my chest heaving as I fought to calm the frantic rhythm of my heart. For now, I’d dodged her threats, but the weight of her words pressed heavy on my shoulders. Coll
The morning light sliced through the towering windows of my study, casting fractured reflections across the polished floor. I stood at the edge of the room, one hand gripping the cold sill, my eyes trained on the sprawling grounds outside. The sight of it—a kingdom built from blood, sweat, and unwavering dominance—should have brought satisfaction. Today, it didn’t. Behind me, the soft shuffle of footsteps broke the silence. I didn’t have to turn to know it was Drusilla. Her presence was like the faint brush of wind: gentle, yet impossible to ignore. “What do you see?” My voice came out sharper than I intended, but the impatience was real. She hesitated, as she always did. "It doesn’t work like that, my king,” she replied, her words slow and deliberate. “Make it work,” I snapped, turning just enough to catch her eyes—pale, stormy gray that seemed to pierce through me. Drusilla sighed, stepping closer until she stood beside me. She peered out the window, though I doubted she s
It started like any other day—until the dean’s announcement turned it on its head. Lessons were canceled early, and while most students celebrated their unexpected freedom, I trudged toward the gates, feeling the weight of dread settle over me. A part of me wanted to savor the towering trees and vibrant flowers lining the academy grounds—normally my solace from the suffocating confines of the packhouse—but even their beauty felt mocking today, carefree and untethered to the worries plaguing me. “Catch you tomorrow, Zenny!” Cole called out with a wave, his boyish grin a little too bright. I forced a smile, lifting my hand in a half-hearted farewell. "Yeah, see you." As soon as he was out of sight, my mask slipped. My pace slowed, and I sighed. The idea of going home hours earlier than usual wasn’t a relief; it was a punishment. Five extra hours at the packhouse meant five extra hours avoiding Sid. My stepbrother never needed a reason to torment me, and if he caught me before dinn
The sting of Sid’s words still lingered in my chest as I crouched behind the shrubs outside the packhouse, my heart thudding like a drum. My father’s face filled my mind—a man I’d once idolized, now etched with disdain. My nails dug into the dirt, grounding me against the betrayal unfolding just feet away. I should have burst into the room, exposed Sid for the liar he was. But when I imagined my father’s reaction, the fury in his eyes, I froze. Would he even believe me? The answer came too soon. “She’s nothing but a disgrace,” Celeste’s voice cut through the stillness like a blade. “A shameless little brat who has no honor or decency.” For a fleeting moment, I held onto hope that my father—my Alpha—would defend me. But his reply shattered it. “To think my blood runs in her veins…” His words dripped with loathing. “I cannot believe I birthed something so foul and petty. I should never have chosen a mate. I should’ve waited for you, Celeste. I feel nothing but shame.” My bre
The memory hit me with the force of a freight train, dragging me back into that night—so sharp and vivid it could have been happening all over again.---I was on my knees, the biting cold of the stone floor seeping into my skin, but I didn’t feel it. My body was numb, my mind fractured, and my soul weighed down by a crushing despair I couldn’t escape. The air around me was thick, saturated with the chill of something unnatural, as if the very atmosphere itself rejected the warmth of life. Above, the blood-red moon loomed, casting grotesque shadows across the barren landscape, the light twisted and wrong, as though the heavens themselves had turned their gaze away from me.And before me stood her. The woman in the hood. Her presence rippled through the air like a force of nature, suffocating and commanding. In her hand, she gripped a staff carved with ancient runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. It pulsed with an ominous rhythm, a heartbeat that felt like it was in time with my
The warmth of his lips vanished too soon, leaving my skin cold and aching in their absence. My heart hammered against my ribs, protesting the sudden loss. One second, I was lost in the heat of Dalton’s touch, melting under the pressure of his mouth. The next, he pulled away, his focus shifting elsewhere.I should have been used to his unpredictability by now. But stopping—in the middle of this—was a new level of frustrating.I had barely caught my breath when his hands seized my waist, lifting me effortlessly. A startled gasp left my lips as he pulled me up, settling me onto his lap with ease. My bare skin pressed against him, but he didn’t resume kissing me. He didn’t even move.I tried twisting to see what had caught his attention, but his palm came down lightly on my thigh—a silent order to stay put.A shiver ran down my spine. Obediently, I propped myself up on my elbows, my chest pressing against the damp ground, waiting.His thumb ghosted over the sensitive skin of my mark, send
For a split second, my heart stopped.Did he just say that?I felt my stomach twist, heat creeping up my neck. He knew.Of course, he did. He could smell it. My arousal.I had forgotten that was even a thing.But shouldn’t the water have masked it? Shouldn’t it have dulled the intensity?Panic clawed at my chest, urging me to run, to disappear into the shadows before I embarrassed myself even further. First, I had foolishly admitted my crush, and now my body was betraying me in the worst way.I swallowed hard, trying to ignore the way my thighs pressed together beneath the water. My dress clung to me, torn and ragged, the delicate sleeves hanging uselessly at my sides.I must look desperate. Hungry.Weak.I turned, intending to take a step back, to put some distance between us, but Dalton moved too fast.I froze.His presence was a force, surrounding me, owning the space between us. I dropped my gaze, unable to meet his piercing stare.“Zee.” His voice was softer than I expected, but
“I… I felt something,” I whispered, gripping Dalton’s wrist without realizing it. He let me, his body steady and unmoving as I nearly stumbled into his chest.His lips curved slightly. “That’s good. Close your eyes and try again. Focus on that feeling—let it guide you.”Encouraged by his words, I nodded and squeezed my eyes shut. My breath was slow and measured as I searched for that pull—the strange tug deep in my stomach, like an invisible thread connecting me to something unknown.But nothing happened.The sensation had vanished, leaving behind an empty void.Panic surged through me. My eyes flew open, desperation lacing my voice. “It’s gone. I can’t feel anything—I can’t—”A firm finger pressed against my lips, cutting off my anxious rambling.“Shh.” Dalton’s voice was calm, his touch light but commanding.A shudder ran down my spine. It wasn’t just his words; it was the way he looked at me, unwavering and composed, as if he truly believed I could do this.“It will come to you,” h
The ride to the lake felt agonizingly slow, stretched thin by the heavy silence between us. The small space of the car seemed to shrink, making it impossible to escape the tension that had taken root in the air.Dalton was focused on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned pale. His sharp jaw was clenched, the veins in his throat subtly protruding as if he were restraining something—anger, frustration, or something else entirely.I fidgeted with my fingers, my mind still replaying my foolish confession from earlier. I had blurted out my fascination with him so thoughtlessly, without a drop of alcohol to blame for my lack of restraint. What had I been thinking?If he was merely toying with me, leading me to a dead end where my feelings would be left shattered and bleeding, I had nowhere else to turn.Would he do that?The question burned in my chest, but I forced myself to look away, my gaze drifting outside the car window. The night was deep
I had spent too long suppressing my emotions, tangled in my own confusion. But tonight, there was no running from the truth. No more pretending.The ache that had settled deep in my chest, gnawing at my very soul every time he wasn’t around, had become unbearable. I had tried to ignore it, push it aside, convince myself it was nothing. But the moment Dalton was near, my resolve shattered like fragile glass. The pull toward him was undeniable. My body craved his touch, my lips yearned for his kiss.And tonight, I would awaken my wolf. I could feel it in my bones, humming beneath my skin, restless and impatient.There was no one else I wanted by my side but him.Dalton had been my guide, my tormentor, my salvation—training me relentlessly, pushing me past my limits, never letting me give up even when I wanted to. He had never treated me as weak, never doubted my potential. And tonight, I wanted to thank him. In the most intimate way possible.I wanted his eyes on me, only me. Those gold
Oliver was going to be the death of me.Every time I tried to distance myself, something inside me rebelled. It wasn’t just my body—my heart ached for her in a way I couldn’t control.She was too pure, too naive, and too damn brave for her own good. The day I brought her home, I had only intended to make amends for my past sins, not entangle her in the darkness that surrounded me.But she stayed. Even when I was cold, even when I tried to shove her away, she never left. And I hated how much that relieved me.I could feel the weight of her gaze now, studying me, waiting—always waiting for something more. I should have ignored it. Should have walked away. Instead, words slipped past my lips before I could stop them.Oliver frowned. "What did you just say?"Damn it."Nothing," I exhaled sharply, dragging a hand through my hair.She took a step forward, unrelenting. "No, you said something. Tell me."I should lie. I should say anything to make her drop it. But the way she was looking at m
A few minutes ago, I had been happy. Genuinely happy.Today was supposed to be one of the most important days of my life. The day everything changed.For over a month, I had trained relentlessly. I had followed every order Dalton had given me, endured every grueling challenge, and pushed my body beyond its limits. All of it was for this night—the night of the full moon, the night my wolf would awaken.For the first time in my life, I had dared to dream.I had even dressed up for the occasion.Sure, I had worn elegant gowns before—at the ball, at that party with Harry—but this was different. This wasn’t about impressing others. This was about me. About reclaiming my worth.I had imagined walking among the alphas with my head held high. No longer an outcast, no longer a weakling—just a strong, capable woman worthy of respect.But reality had a cruel way of reminding me who I was.I hadn’t even planned to attend this meeting. My only intention was to pray—to offer a silent plea to the Mo
The grand doors creaked open, and the room fell into an eerie silence. Every conversation, every whispered discussion about rogue attacks and war strategies came to an abrupt halt. And it was because of her.Oliver stepped inside with slow, deliberate steps, her head held high even as her hands clenched at her sides. The confidence she tried to portray didn’t fully mask the nervous energy radiating from her, but that didn’t matter—not when she looked like that.My breath stalled in my throat as my gaze traced her figure from head to toe.The dark blue gown she wore clung to her body like a second skin, accentuating every curve in a way that had my jaw tightening. A slit ran up one side, stopping just high enough to tempt, to make my fingers twitch with the desire to reach out and feel the warmth of her skin beneath my touch.I had seen Oliver in all sorts of clothing—loose dresses, gym wear, simple pajamas. The only time she had worn something even remotely revealing was that night by
Dread settled in my bones, growing heavier with every breath. The thought of finally meeting my wolf—of standing before all those powerful Alphas—sent a wave of anxiety crashing through me.What if my wolf never awakened?What if I stood there, waiting, only to be met with silence?I wouldn’t be able to show my face after that. It would be the ultimate humiliation. The whispers would start, the judgmental stares would follow, and the realization that I was nothing—just a girl without a wolf—would suffocate me.I would rather lock myself in my room forever than endure that shame.Drusilla sat across from me, watching me with an unreadable expression. I could tell she was hesitating, weighing her words before speaking. That only made me more nervous.Finally, she sighed. “I just hope your wolf awakens soon.”My heart clenched at her words.“I do too,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “But that’s not all you wanted to say, is it? You’re hiding something.”Drusilla pressed her