KANEOh my! Her lips were softer than I imagined. Damn! Her taste alone was intoxicating. I could feel her resistance slowly melting by me as her body yielded to the pull between us. My hands slid to the back of her neck, drawing her closer, deepening the kiss.Catherine’s breath came in shallow gasps, and I felt her fingers tighten in my shirt as if she was torn between pulling me closer and pushing me away. I moved my lips to her neck, trailing slow, deliberate kisses down her throat. She shivered under my touch. In fact, her pulse quickened beneath my lips.“Kane...” she whispered in a shaky tone.There was no need to tell me. It was obvious that she was torn between the anger she had tried to hold onto and the desire she couldn’t suppress at that moment.I smirked against her skin, knowing I had shattered her defenses, at least for the moment. “Do you still think you won’t respond to me?” I murmured, brushing my lips over her collarbone.Her breath hitched, but instead of answe
KANEI was really angry and soon began to feel antsy, kudos to the beast. Every ounce of control I had left was burning away and I tore at the curtains in the room, ripping the fabric from its rods with a furious growl. The cloth fell around me in shreds, but it wasn’t enough. Nothing would be enough to quell this anger.My mother’s interference. Catherine being pulled from me. Everything was spinning out of control. My muscles tensed and my beast clawed at the surface, desperate to be unleashed.I clenched my fists, trembling as the urge to let go overwhelmed me. The beast wanted blood, wanted destruction, and I was close to giving in. My breaths came out in harsh growls as I stormed around the room with my fists aching to hit something or someone.Then I saw it.Her shawl.It had slipped from her shoulders during our kiss and now lying discarded on the floor. Without thinking, I reached down and grabbed it, my hands trembling as I lifted it to my face.Her scent. Sweet, soft and
CATHERINE Damon stood by the door, unmoving, like a shadow cast in the dim light of the corridor. His arms were crossed over his chest and eyes were narrowed as he stared at the floor. I didn’t care for whatever mood he was in, not after the day I had. I heaved a sigh and made to walk past him, determined to ignore whatever drama he was about to start."Are you okay?" His gruff voice broke the silence.I froze for a moment, then shook my head and continued toward the door. "It's none of your business."He stepped in front of me, blocking my path. "I'm not asking for pleasantries. I want to know if you're unhurt."I shot him a cold look, my patience running thin. "And why would you care? Do you usually stand guard for the women your King drags into his chambers?"His jaw tightened. "If you’re trying to provoke me, it’s not going to work." I scoffed, stepping closer, not backing down. "Then stop pretending you care. I can handle myself.""Handle yourself?" he muttered under his bre
CATHERINEThe next morning, I woke to the sound of soft knocking on my door. The nightmare from last night still clung to my mind, but I pushed it aside as Zelda entered my room with a bright smile.“Good morning, darling,” she said warmly, gesturing for me to rise. “It’s time I show you around the castle. You should get familiar with your new home.”I forced a smile and nodded, though the thought of calling this place “home” unsettled me. There was something off here, something I couldn’t quite place. Zelda led me through the long, ornate hallways, pointing out rooms, introducing me to the staff. The castle was larger than I’d imagined. The workers and maids she introduced me to bowed low, their faces carefully neutral.“This is your future Queen Luna,” Zelda announced proudly at every introduction, her hand resting lightly on my back. “You’ll show her the respect she deserves.”Some nodded, others mumbled greetings under their breath, but many simply averted their eyes, too afraid
KANEI stood in the shadows, watching as Catherine sat with my mother. I watched how her delicate fingers scribbled something on parchment. They were outside in the garden, surrounded by vibrant flowers. My mate was here, just within reach, yet something gnawed at me. A primal need to claim her, to keep her close, warred with the fear that I could destroy her.I clenched my fists, willing myself to stay calm. My mother’s voice floated over to me, cheerful and full of excitement as she guided Catherine through the process of sending invitations to dignitaries across the realm. Invitations for a mating ceremony she really wanted to happen.Catherine’s head was bent over her work and the sunlight shined on her golden hair in such a way that it took my breath away. She was so beautiful, so fragile. And yet, here she was, preparing for a ceremony as if everything between us was settled. As if she wasn’t trapped in this.Unable to stay back any longer, I strode toward them, to join in wha
Catherine's POV“Dearly beloved, it is with great pain and sorrow that we are gathered here today, to mourn the death of Alpha Darryl and Luna Alice,” I stared blankly at the priestess who stood on the podium addressing the great crowd. On both sides of her were two coffins. My parents' coffins. “I can't believe they're gone,” Camille, my elder sister, clutched my hand, weeping into my neck. And me, I just stared. There was no explanation for how my parents died. Werewolves were not simple creatures. And my father was not weak. He was an Alpha who had protected his pack for many generations. Yet, three days ago, my sister and I walked in to see them dead on our living room floor. No strangling marks, no silver in their blood, no cut or injuries. Just dead. “You will forever live in our hearts,” the priestess announced, lowering her head in a bow. Everyone else followed suit. I remained standing. Whoever did this, I would find them. I would hunt them down until the last o
Cathy's POVI woke up with a dull headache. My stomach felt queasy and it hurt to open my eyes. I was being carried, I think. Something rumbled in the distance and it took me a while to recognize the sound as thunder. My eyes flashed open when another boom hit the skies. The roof of a car stared down at me. I sat up quickly, gripping the seat with all my strength, so I wouldn't fall off. “What's going on?” I croaked. “And you're awake. Good,” I knew that voice. The Messenger. He sat in the passenger’s seat while the man driving looked ahead. Rain poured down the windshield, and there was the cracking of lightning across the sky in the distance. It revealed a tall huge castle up ahead. “Where's Camille?” I glanced around, trying to find out what was going on. Where was my sister? Why was I in the messenger's car? What had happened last night. Images flashed through my head. Camille giving me a drink. The stranger. I could hear his gravelly voice loud and clear. Hello
Catherine's POV I staggered, stepping back in disbelief, stroking my fingers over the bite marks. I had been marked. That would explain why I could hear the voice in my head. He had marked me. When? What sort of crazy person marked a woman without her consent?! My head throbbed heavily and I clutched at it, trying to breathe easy. None of this made sense. Nothing made sense. Come. My back straightened at the order. It was hard to ignore. I wanted to turn around, dump myself in my bed, but my wolf couldn't ignore the clear command that had been placed in my mind. Come to me. A scent, musky and delicious, pulled at me. It was faint, so faint, almost barely there. I found my legs carrying me towards the door in a trance. I grabbed a robe and shrugged it on , walking out of the room. There were a handful of servants around the hallway. I ignored their bows and followed the scent. I walked past the throne room, up to the north wing and then down a flight of stairs that led