KANEI didn’t waste a second. What was Durmas doing here? He was the least person expected in Catherine's chambers.“What do you mean by that, Durmas?” I asked, all so serious.“The Luna must have seen something she wasn't supposed to see.”“What do you mean, she ‘saw something she wasn’t supposed to see’?” I demanded coldly and impatiently as I stepped toward Durmas. “I want a clear answer.”Durmas stood right there, on serving Catherine. “There are visions, King Kane. Some, only certain people can see. Catherine, it seems, had such an encounter. But it’s not the kind you’re thinking of.”I narrowed my eyes. “And how did you know this, Durmas?”His calm expression didn’t waver. “Because I am the priest, as you well know. And it is my duty to sense these things. When such disturbances occur in the realm between the spirit and the physical, I am alerted.”My patience was wearing thin. “So you sensed it,” I said through gritted teeth. “But I want details. What did she see? How did this
KANE “Lie down beside her, Your majesty. The connection must be strong, and for that, physical proximity is crucial.” Durmas turned to look at me.I moved to the bed without a word, lying next to Catherine, who looked even paler than before. If this was what it took, I’d do it a thousand times over.Durmas began to speak in an old language, in a low, rhythmic tone, but just then, Damon’s hand shot out, gripping Durmas’s shoulder. “Stop,” he said, glancing at me with full worry. “Kane, think this through. You’re not just stepping into a dream, you’re entering her nightmare, one you might not come back from. You need to consider...”“There’s nothing to consider, Damon.” I cut him off. “Catherine is trapped in a place where I can't reach her. If there’s even a chance I can get her out, then I’m going to take it. Besides,” I smirked, trying to lighten the heaviness pressing down on us, “when have I ever backed down from a fight?”Damon’s gaze didn’t waver. “This isn’t a fight you know ho
CATHERINE I stirred awake with my head pounding and a strange lightness making it hard to focus. Blinking, I took in the room. My gaze landed on Mia, who sat by my bedside, wringing her hands nervously.“Mia?” My voice came out hoarse and weak. I swallowed hard, trying to clear the dryness in my throat. “What… what happened?”Mia’s head snapped up, heaving a sigh with an eye roll. “Oh, thank the heavens, you’re awake, my lady!” She moved closer, adjusting the blanket around me. “You’ve been unconscious for hours. We were so worried.”I furrowed my brows, trying to piece together the foggy fragments in my mind. “Unconscious? What are you talking about? Why would I...” My voice trailed off as flashes of strange images hit me: the vast, white space, the wolf, the man, the beasts chasing me. My chest tightened. “Mia, what happened to me?”Mia hesitated, her hands fidgeting with the hem of her apron. “You suddenly screamed in your sleep, my lady. It was loud enough to wake half the wing
CATHERINE Frustration clawed at me like a relentless beast as I stood outside Kane’s quarters. The guards’ impassive expressions only added fuel to the fire. My heart was a riot of emotions; fear for what might have happened to him, anger at being kept in the dark, and an overwhelming determination to see him.“I need to see him,” I repeated for what felt like the hundredth time now. “It’s urgent.”The taller guard shook his head, his tone annoyingly calm. “The king’s orders stand, my lady. No one is to disturb him.”I clenched my fists, struggling to keep my composure. “Do you even know who I am?” I snapped. “I’m his—” I faltered, the words catching in my throat. What exactly was I to him? A reluctant bride? A pawn in his grand schemes? Whatever it was, it should have been enough. “I have the right to see him!”The other guard, a stockier man with a heavy brow, stepped forward. “We understand, my lady. But the king has given strict instructions. It’s for everyone’s safety.” he so
CATHERINE I rushed back to my chambers with my heart racing as if I had just run a great distance. The tension from Kane’s chambers clung to me, and I could still feel the suffocating weight of the guards' glares. Pushing the door open, I found Mia pacing about looking worried.“My lady!” she exclaimed, spinning around to face me. “You’re finally back. Did it work? Did… what I gave you help?”I paused, catching my breath as I leaned against the door. “Yes, Mia. It did,” I replied in a low tone.Her shoulders sagged in relief, and she crossed the room toward me. “Thank the heavens,” she said, her hands clasped together. “I was so worried. I’ve been here thinking the worst, that something might’ve gone wrong.”I nodded, sinking onto the bed. “It did work. But… he’s worse than I thought, Mia. Much worse.”FLASHBACKI paced my chambers, thinking about nobody but Kane. The memory of the maids leaving his chambers with basins of bloody water replayed in my mind. What had happened to h
CATHERINE “...what happened last night to cause you to shout so loudly?”Mia’s question hung in the air, as she stared at me so expectantly. I hesitated and my fingers fiddled with the fabric of my dress. Did I want to say it out loud? To admit the terrifying things I had felt and seen? It felt almost absurd, like a figment of a cruel imagination. But then, there must be a reason she was asking me that.I took a deep breath, trying to organize the jumbled mess of memories swirling in my mind. “I don’t even know where to begin,” I uttered softly, lowering my gaze to the floor. “It’s all so… unreal.”Mia moved closer, sitting beside me on the edge of the bed. “Start wherever you can, Luna.” she urged. “I just want to understand.”I nodded, drawing another deep breath. “It started as a dream, or at least, I thought it was a dream,” I began. “I was in this cold, wide spacs, completely alone. It was so dark, yet somehow, I could see far ahead of me. And then… I saw someone. A woman.”
CATHERINE I couldn’t stop pacing in my chambers after Mia’s revelation. Every nerve in my body was taut with frustration. They all knew something; Mia, the guards, even the maids who had whispered about the blood-soaked basins. And yet, I was the one left in the dark, again.I clenched my fists. Enough was enough.Without another thought, I stormed out of my chambers and headed straight for Durmas’ quarters. He might have been the priest of the castle, but I had no intention of letting him preach or dance around the truth this time.I pushed the heavy door open without knocking, the creak echoing through the sparsely lit room. Durmas was seated at his desk, poring over some ancient-looking texts. He looked up, his sharp eyes narrowing when he saw me.“Lady Catherine,” he greeted with a forced calm, standing to his feet. “What brings you here at this hour?”I slammed the door shut behind me, ignoring his question. “Don’t play coy with me, Durmas. I’m done with the secrecy.”He arched
CATHERINE Kane's hand wrapped gently but firmly around my wrist, halting my retreat. His touch sent a shiver down my spine as he pulled me back toward him.“Don’t go,” he said softly in a slightly hoarse tone.I turned to face him, my gaze locking onto his. His blue eyes held a depth of emotion that caught me off guard. So much unspoken, yet so much understood in that one look. We stayed like that, staring at each other in silence.“How are you feeling?” I finally managed to ask while I tried to keep my emotions in check.Kane gave me a faint smile, his usual confidence shining through even in his vulnerable state. “I’m alright now,” he said, reassuring me.But his words didn’t match the ache in my chest. Tears welled up in my eyes, and before I could stop myself, I threw my arms around him, burying my face in his chest. He stiffened for a moment, clearly caught off guard, but then his arms wrapped around me, pulling me closer.“Don’t be a crybaby,” he murmured.I pulled back slig
CATHERINE Kane walked forward, towards the men, and I couldn’t help but notice the way his presence instantly drew the attention of the two men.“I’m sorry, but I have a proposition for you both” he began calmly, the kind of tone that didn’t invite much argument.The men exchanged glances before the older one spoke. “Do I know you from somewhere?”My heart skipped a beat. Could it be that they recognized Kane? No! That mustn't happen. “I doubt you do.” Kane replied but the man's eyes remained squinted, trying to recall if he has seen Kane before.“But you do look familiar.” the second man supported but Kane shrugged his words off, not bothering to respond to him.“I would like it if you can assist us out of the borders, please.”“We’re already pushing our luck with these two,” the man gestured toward the woman and her daughter, “so whatever you’re proposing—”Kane cut him off, pulling something from his cloak with a deliberate motion. The glint of gold caught the dim light, and I ga
CATHERINE The sun was beginning to set when Kane and I finally emerged from the forest. My legs ached from the relentless pace, and every breath felt heavier than the last. We were now in the city and I was obviously relieved.We were closer to safety. But that relief evaporated as soon as we spotted the guards stationed near the border, inspecting every traveler with unnerving scrutiny.Kane tensed beside me, scanning the checkpoint. He grabbed my hand gently, pulling me toward a shaded alleyway where we wouldn’t be spotted. “We can’t go any further, I guess” he said, clearly frustrated.I leaned against the wall, taking a moment to catch my breath. “What now?” I asked, keeping my voice equally hushed. “Aren’t the people you wanted to contact nearby?”He shook his head. “No. They’re outside the city. Far beyond the borders.”“So, what do we do?” I pressed, though I knew he didn’t have an answer yet.Kane didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he leaned back against the wall.“Give m
CATHERINE “What now?” I whispered with urgency as my mind raced.Kane’s eyes flicked toward the entrance. “We have to leave,” he said in a tone that brooked no argument. “If Damon’s nearby, it’s only a matter of time before he finds us.”I frowned, glancing toward the entrance as though I might catch a glimpse of the man who had caused us so much pain. “Are you sure he didn’t trail you here?”Kane shook his head firmly. “No. I would’ve smelled him on the way.” He paused. “But it doesn’t matter how he found us. His scent is getting stronger, Catherine. We can’t stay here.”His words hit me like a punch to the gut. My mind raced with a million questions, but the one that came out was the most immediate. “Where are we going?”His lips pressed into a thin line, his gaze scanning the cave as though answers might materialize from the stone walls. “I don’t know yet,” he admitted. “But if we want to live, we have to leave.”My stomach twisted at his words. The raw seriousness in his voic
KANEThe moment I walked into the cave, Catherine’s eyes lit up. She sat up from the makeshift bed she had put together, her body language already radiating curiosity.“Kane,” she began with urgency, “what happened? What’s the outcome of your trip?”I shrugged my shoulders and sat down opposite her, trying to gather my thoughts. “I made it to the castle,” I said. “I encountered Durmas. He was the only one there, and he filled me in on everything.”Her brows knitted in confusion. “Durmas? What was he doing there? And what did he tell you?”I recounted the entire encounter in detail: Durmas's revelations about the council’s schemes, the kill order on my head, and the council’s plans to name Damon as Alpha Regent. As I spoke, Catherine listened intently, her gaze never leaving mine. She absorbed every word, her lips pressed into a thin line.When I finished, she sat back slightly, her eyes narrowing in thought. Then, after a long pause, she tilted her head and asked, “Do you trust Durma
KANEThe quiet steps of Durmas echoed faintly against the stone walls as I followed him deeper into the castle’s underbelly. My senses were on high alert, eyes scanning for anything out of place, but my focus was split. Why was he here? And why hadn’t he sounded the alarm to the guards or Damon’s minions? As we rounded another corner, I couldn’t hold my tongue any longer. "Durmas," I uttered. "What’s going on? Why are you here, and why aren’t you turning me in?"He stopped abruptly, his robes swaying slightly with the motion. Turning to face me, his expression was unreadable, but his eyes burned with intensity. "After the events of the mating ceremony," he began, carrying a voice that demanded attention, "a great many things unraveled in the aftermath."I crossed my arms and arched an eyebrow. "Such as?"Durmas let out a slow breath, his gaze drifting for a moment as if gathering his thoughts. Then, he began to recount everything that had transpired. "The council convened almo
KANEThe early morning air was crisp, the kind that bit at your skin and made every breath sharp in your lungs. I moved swiftly through the forest, the damp leaves crunching beneath my boots.I knew I shouldn’t have left so early, not in the state I was in, but I couldn’t stay idle any longer. Every fiber of my being demanded answers, even if it meant risking my life to get them. My destination was clear: the castle.As I made my way through the dense woods, my heightened senses picked up everything—the distant chirping of birds, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, even the faint sound of water flowing from a nearby stream. It was all background noise compared to the one sound I dreaded most: footsteps.The first sign of trouble came when I crossed the old stone bridge leading to the outskirts of the castle grounds. The scent hit me first, a group of Lycans. I took a moment to observe them and found out they were Damon’s minions.I crouched low, keeping to the shadows as I scanned the
KANEThe makeshift bed Catherine had arranged from the clothes she’d brought was a far cry from the luxury I was used to, but it served its purpose. She’d done what she could to make it comfortable, but the cramped space meant we had no choice but to share it. It wasn’t my type of thing, but I wasn’t going to complain—not when I knew how much she’d already sacrificed for me.We lay there, shoulder to shoulder and for a while, neither of us spoke. Finally, she broke the quiet. “Don’t you think I should call the doctor to check on you again?”I turned my head toward her, meeting her worried eyes. “I’m fine, Catherine,” I replied. “Now that I’m conscious and in a better state of mind, my healing abilities are kicking in. You don’t need to worry.”She frowned, her lips pressing into a thin line. “That doesn’t mean you’re completely okay,” she countered. “Just because you’re awake doesn’t mean the poison’s effects are gone. You might need—”I cut her off gently but firmly. “Catherine,
KANERoaming through the endless expanse of the forest, my legs felt like lead, dragging with every step. The ground beneath me was damp and uneven, but I hardly noticed anymore. My body was running on pure instinct, driven by a hollow ache in my chest that refused to subside. The world around me had become a blur of greens and browns.And then I caught it, a faint trace of her scent. Catherine.The smell was so faint, so fleeting, that for a moment I thought I’d imagined it. My breath hitched as the familiar odour sent different emotions crashing over me: longing, anger, and that deep, gut-wrenching hurt that seemed to have taken permanent residence inside me. But the scent was too weak, diluted with something unfamiliar. Someone else.I clenched my fists, claws digging into my palms. It wasn’t her. It couldn’t be. She wouldn’t be here, not after everything. And if she was... if she was, then why did her scent carry traces of someone else? The thought alone was enough to make my bl
CATHERINE Kane's face remained stoic, his piercing gaze fixed on me, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. He didn’t outright dismiss what I had said, yet I could tell he wasn’t ready to fully accept it either.When I opened my mouth to speak again, to plead with him to understand, he cut me off with a sharp shake of his head."I need to see it for myself," he said flatly, devoid of emotion."Kane, you can’t—"He raised a hand, silencing me. "I’m going to check things out," he stated firmly, leaving little room for argument.But he had underestimated me. I was no longer the timid woman afraid to speak her mind. My voice rose, tinged with frustration and desperation. "You’re not going anywhere, Kane!"His eyes widened slightly, more in surprise than anger. I didn’t care."Do you think I’ve been running around, risking my life for you to just throw it all away with your stubbornness?" I yelled, stepping closer to him, my chest heaving. "You’re not well! The doctor said you need time