ROSANNEIt'd been a full week and Mikhail's new rule was starting to suffocate me. We slept together each day, but we spent most of the time arguing. He wanted me caged—his own way of keeping me safe—but I wanted freedom. And he didn't just want me safe, he wanted to own me, to make me understand the fact that I belonged to him alone. He wasn't in the room during this peaceful morning, but his scent still lingered in the air. On my skin. Everywhere. I was sure his guards were outside, eagerly waiting for me to try to come up with an excuse to leave again. Mikhail didn't just restrict me from going to the training field, he restricted me from going anywhere. Sitting in this same room for the past week was starting to drive me insane. Pushing the comforter aside, I hurried towards the door. As soon as I pressed down the doorknob, about four strong men filled my vision. The same men that'd been guarding me for the past week. I sank my nails into my flesh and tried to walk outside, bu
LANDONI walked into the war room for a normal meeting with the elders, but Rosanne was there, sitting quietly next to Mikhail. She wasn't staring around, not speaking, she was just there—like a piece of furniture. It was the first time Mikhail brought her to a meeting. What the hell was going on? The warriors and the elders were tense, each of them staring at the porcelain beauty sitting right next to him. It was probably because they were used to Rosanne being locked away, but now, she was here, just sitting. I settled into a leather chair and kept my eyes fixed on Rosanne. I'd tried not to react each time I saw her, but I couldn't control it. Mikhail started the meeting like nothing unusual was going on, but elders kept staring at him, the warriors included. And Rosanne? She began to scan the war room like she was searching for some sort of exit.I'd been away for only a few days and a lot had changed? “Rogues are starting to cross the line.” Mikhail began, his monotone voic
ROSANNE‘I can't understand him anymore. Sometimes he's warm, other times he's utterly cold, it hurts my chest.’I knew he wasn't just doing this to keep me safe. He was toxic. And it was starting to suffocate me. He was too afraid I'd leave, get down with Landon instead, but he was only making it worse. The dining hall was eerily quiet, I literally heard my heartbeat in my own ears. The only sounds were the constant clinking of cutlery and the scraping of chairs against the ground. Sitting right in the middle of Mikhail and Landon made my skin prickle with unease, the urge to bury myself in this seat burning against my chest. Landon hadn't said a word since Mikhail invited him for dinner. I didn't say any either. But Mikhail was composed. Infact, his posture was so relaxed, you'd think we were a peaceful couple having a wonderful dinner—it was far from the truth. I hadn't touched my spoon for the past few minutes, but Mikhail kept placing small pieces of meatball on my plate
LANDONThe dimly lit bar was filled with the soft murmurs of conversations, clinking of glasses and loud music blasting through the speakers. It'd never been my kind of place, but I needed a distraction. Anything to get my mind off her.Rosanne.Staring down at my untouched whiskey in a transparent glass, a soft sigh escaped my lips. I should be anywhere but here. But at least here, I didn’t have to see her sitting between me and Mikhail, looking like she wanted to disappear.I brought the glass to my lips, letting the burn coat my throat. It didn’t help. Never did. "You look like you need a distraction ."I turned to my side, my gaze locking onto the woman who had slid onto the stool beside me. She was a blonde with pale blue eyes and soft curves. She smelled exotic, expensive, like someone who had always used her beauty to get everything she ever wanted. The opposite of her. I smirked, tilting my head, "And you look like someone who enjoys giving them."She leaned in slightly, th
MIKHAIL“You're going to love it.” I tilted my head slightly, one arm around the steering wheel as I gazed at her, “I promise.” Rosanne exhaled softly, tightening her grip on the seatbelt like I never fulfilled my promises—like she'd rather be in hell than go out with me—like I never gave her the chance to make a choice. “Okay.” She didn't argue, didn't refuse. She just nodded like an obedient cat desperate to survive the harsh weather.The streets bustled with life as usual. Loud horns kept blaring across the streets, the sidewalk was packed with pedestrians, and a few students kept staring at me through the windows with amusement in their eyes. Great. I turned to Rosanne—who looked like she had a rainy cloud hovering above her—and pressed my lips tightly, “You’ve never said a full sentence to me for the past week, Rosanne.” “Taking me out isn't going to change anything. You're keeping me caged—like an animal.” She gestured, placing a palm over her neck. “It's suffocating, I can
ROSANNEThe truth sank deeper like a knife twisting my insides. “Even death can't snatch you away from me.” I wiped my tears harshly, slamming the door on the statue like men guarding Mikhail's room. I sank into the plush couch and wept, scratching my polished nails on my own skin. Nothing would get me away from here. Even in death, Mikhail would definitely drag me back. He'd try his best to make sure I'm still alive and show me hell over and over again. I wiped my tears again, taking slow strides towards the balcony. From there, I could see Landon fighting without a shirt—as usual. He overpowered all the men there, his attacks sharp and brutal, but it wasn't to the point of causing damage. He even helped a warrior when he could barely stand. Landon was different. A different kind of different. He made my heart skip a beat effortlessly, something Mikhail achieved by enslaving me. I'd always wanted to sit and have a talk with him. A long conversation that'd settle everything, ou
MIKHAILI stepped out of the shower with a towel around my waist, eyes trailing over the woman packing up her things. Her hair was in a messy bun, her big tee making me want to pin her against the bed and fuck her hard. It'd been a few days since my encounter with Landon, he was out of my hair, out of the pack house, out of Rosanne's life. Rosanne stopped resisting. She managed to smile at me a few minutes ago, but it still seemed forced—like right now. She puffed out a breath and shoved her underwear into the traveling bag. “We're only spending three days there, right?” Alpha Zayne had invited me for his daughter's wedding week. He was a friend of my father before his death, an Alpha who indulged in women just like me. But strangely, after meeting Rosanne, I didn't want anyone else. I only wanted her. All of her. Alpha Zayne wanted me to show up at the wedding because his daughter and I were childhood friends. He wanted to surprise her, but I was only in on this deal because Ros
ROSANNEEarlier, a maid had brought me into a large and spacious room where Mikhail and I would be staying. I'd been here for a few hours, but Mikhail hadn't barged into the room to check on me.He didn't place some guards outside the door to keep me from walking around, and he also didn't bugg my phone with incessant texts to check how I was doing. As much as I felt uneasy here, I'd never felt so free in my whole life. The air was different, the room was different, the whole space was different. I stood before the sink and wiped my mouth with some water, inhaling a deep breath to calm myself. For some reason, I was glad I didn't have an episode when Mikhail was close to me. He'd probably realize I was pregnant and lock me up forever—which I definitely wasn't allowing to happen. My stomach was starting to budge. It was just a small raise, but my tummy wasn't completely flat anymore. I was starting to gain some fat as well. How long was I going to plan my escape? There was pract
MIKHAILThe hall was filled with Alpha after Alpha. Some stood with arms crossed, waiting to hear what I had to say. Others shifted uncomfortably, their eyes flickering with fear. None of them dared speak first.I stood before them, hands clenched at my sides, rage boiling just beneath the surface."She is a traitor," I said, my voice sharp like broken glass. "Rosanne. My mate. My wife."Murmurs stirred among them."She ran from me," I continued. "She took my child with her. And any of you who dare to shelter her will suffer the wrath of the crown."I threw the bounty file down on the long table, the signature of me, the Lycan King pressed scrambled boldly. "Find her, bring her back. Alive."The words tasted like poison.Somewhere inside, I hoped she would be dragged in, bloodied and breathing, just so I could see her again. I wanted to shake her. I wanted to hold her. I wanted to demand why she left me—and maybe, if she cried enough, I'd even forgive her.But none of that mattered he
ROSANNEBy dawn, Anita suddenly started burning up. Axel had barged into our room to get our attention.While Yvonne and I checked her out, we realized her breathing was shallow, and her pulse? It felt weak. “She has a fever.” Yvonne whispered slowly, her palm resting on Anita's temple. “She just needs to rest, it's nothing serious.” “What if it's the wolfsbane?” Axel asked, his lips pressed together in a tight line. “What if the wolfsbane in her system did this to her?” “Then—”“She needs some herbs.” Axel’s voice rang out. He was leaning on the slightly cracked wall, his brows furrowed with worry. “Tyland herbs, right?”Axel nodded. “I'll go get it, it shouldn't be far off.” Yvonne looked up, her expression tired but. “They’re checking out women now. The patrols are getting smarter, they’re sniffing out pregnant females, checking faces. If you step out of here, you might risk more than your own life. You might risk hers too.” She nodded toward the bed, where Anita shifted sli
CHAPTER 72 MIKHAILThe silence in the hall was maddening.It wasn’t peaceful, it wasn't calming. It was slowly killing me, slowly driving me insane—more like the walls were closing in on me, the silence creeping into my bones. It felt like I could hear her voice in it, like her laugh was somewhere in the still air and I could almost taste her. But she wasn’t here.Rosanne.“You’re losing yourself,” Hudson muttered from the other end of the room.I turned, slowly. “Have they returned?”“No.”Of course they hadn’t.Only one of the scouts I sent to the borders had returned, but I'd heard nothing from the three spies I sent to the nearby rogue territories. From a source, I figured out that Anita and the girl she escaped with were rouges. It was why I kept checking through rouge territories, and if those scouts didn’t return soon, I’d burn those fucking forests to the ground myself.Rosanne was out there, somewhere, with that damn pack warrior and his mate. “Bring him in,” I said col
Chapter 71ROSANNEThe scent of roasted meat and firewood lingered in the air, soft rays of morning light seeping through the lacy curtains we'd washed last night. It wasn’t much, but it felt… peaceful. Too peaceful, almost. The kind of peace that makes your stomach tighten because you know it won’t last long.I sat on one side of the small wooden table with Yvonne beside me. Anita hadn’t joined us yet, probably still curled under a blanket she found comfortable. Axel sat across from me, half-smiling like he always did when things were calm. A loaf of bread sat between us, torn into uneven pieces, and the meat tasted like heaven compared to the crap we’d been eating in the woods.“I can’t believe you actually went to the market,” Yvonne said, chewing thoughtfully. “That’s got to be the fastest trip in history.”Axel smirked, licking a bit of grease from his thumb. “Didn’t go to the market.”We both paused.“What?” I asked, brows furrowed.“It was still dark, the pack market wasn’t
ROSANNESince there were two rooms in the abandoned house, Yvonne and I shared a room, while Axel and Anita took the other. Last night, we'd spent the whole time cleaning up the whole place—the underground layer, the basement and the rooms. Strangely, I found out about a small library just a few meters away from the basement. Who placed a library next to a basement? I'd been awake for the last hour, but I just sat there, on the bed, watching the large trees keeping the house a bit hidden. It was still quite early, still dawn, it was why Yvonne slept quietly next to me, but I couldn't bring myself to lay back on that bed. Not when Mikhail appeared in my dreams. Not when he threatened to bring me back no matter what. It felt so real, like he was carefully watching me, waiting for the time I'd slip and expose myself. It was a nightmare, the most terrifying I'd ever had. My mind travelled to the day I had the wedding, our wedding, how perfect he looked with the heart of a demon. M
ROSANNEI didn’t move, none of us did. The air was thick with the weight of Leonard’s confession.“You are the reason I’m living like this!” he spat again, his voice shaky but loud, almost like he needed us to hear it—needed to hurt Axel with those words.Axel stood still, eyes fixed on Leonard. I saw his jaw clench, his hand curl into a fist. But he said nothing.It was too much.My heart ached for him, but I couldn't say anything either.Yvonne's hand still held the dagger near Leonard’s face, but now her expression had changed. The anger was still there, but something else slipped in—confusion maybe. “You’re blaming him,” she said slowly, lowering the blade just a little, “for something he had no control over?”Leonard looked away.There was silence again. Then a soft voice broke through the tension. It was weak, barely above a whisper. “…Rosanne?”I turned sharply, my breath caught in my throat. Anita.She was standing at the top of the stairs, one hand gripping the wooden rail
ROSANNE Last night, after much persuasion, the old man—Leonard—eventually gave us the wolfsbane for Anita's treatment. Axel had stayed with her throughout the night to make sure she was okay, since the wolfsbane could be quite harmful as well. I hadn't seen Leonard today, but I was sure he'd be carefully thinking of other ways to drag me back to the Bloodmoon pack. “Axel, are you there?“ I knocked on a wooden door, patiently waiting outside with a small bowl of warm soup. Yvonne and I woke up quite early to prepare this delicacy for Anita, just so she'd feel a little strengthened. It took a few minutes before Axel opened up the door, looking in a brighter mood. “Hey,” he smiled. My lips curled up, “she's awake?“ His eyes trailed over the small bowl of soup I held. He reached and collected it. “Thanks Rosanne.“ He sighed, holding it carefully. “She's not awake, but her wounds are healed. She should be awake soon.“ “Okay.“ I wrapped my warm hands around myself, taking a step back
MIKHAIL“I don't think putting a bounty on her head is the right idea, Lycan King Mikhail.” My Beta, Hudson, walked after me, his heavy footsteps pounding in my ears. As days passed by in a blur, I'd thought of several ways to get Rosanne back, and that seemed like the perfect way to drag her back here. Alive. “It's the right idea.” I said quietly, taking a turn towards the courtroom for the daily meetings. Last night, I spent a few hours in Rosanne's room—just inhaling her scent. With each day that passed by, it was getting harder to live without her. Sometimes, I'd close my eyes and see her staring at me. Other times, her voice would echo like she was here, but she wasn't. It was more like being haunted by a ghost, a really pretty one. Placing a bounty on her head wasn't really the best idea, but it was all I had. Wherever she was, she'd be dragged here just because of the enormous price. Soon enough. “She'll hate you, King Mikhail.” Hudson's voice dropped to a quiet whisper, li
ROSANNE “We're here.” Axel whispered, staring at a small building a few meters away. We'd walked through the woods for a few more hours before we crossed the pack border. Right now, Anita's breathing was getting shallow, she was getting weak, and it'd freak the hell out of us if she didn't make it. Axel inhaled a deep breath, his arm tightly wrapped around Anita. With his hood covering most of his features, he took a step forward. “I'll go in first. Whatever happens, don't come out until I get in.” “Doesn't he recognize you?” “We're not on good terms.” He limped, his arm tightly securing Anita next to him. She'd lost consciousness, but her heart was still beating. She was pale, so pale you'd think she was already dead. Yvonne and I watched as Axel stood outside the small building. He knocked, ever so gently, like he was afraid of confronting whoever was in there. And when there was no response, he knocked heavily, pounding hard due to the urgency of the entire situation. “Do you