The crowd turned silent, their eyes on me. Kylar slowly dropped his hands to his sides, blinking as if he tried to establish whether I was truly there, accepting his challenge. Others surely either wondered if I got here by accident or questioned my sanity. Caspian's hand landed on my shoulder, and he turned me toward him.“Are you sure about this?” There was no mockery in his tone, just a genuine concern.My lips formed a nervous smile. “This is why you brought me here, isn't it?”He mirrored my smile and nodded. “Yes… kind of… But I thought you'd let him beat someone else first. You know, let some other dickhead make him sweat before you jump in. Or better, let him fight five other warriors before you step into the ring.”My brows rose. “But wouldn't it feel like cheating then?”He rolled his eyes. “And do you seriously believe this will be a fair fight?”I shrugged. “He can't kill me here, right? The worst-case scenario is that I will have my ass handed to me. In the best-case scen
KAAN“You let her fight in the ring?!” The raging storm inside me devoured my senses. My claws came out at once, and I lunged at Caspian, ramming him down and sinking my claws an inch deep into his chest.“It was her choice!” he yelled hoarsely, grabbing my wrist as he tried to withdraw the blades piercing his flesh.“You were supposed to protect her!” I bellowed, curling my other hand around his neck.“She can… protect herself!” he rasped. “She's a… hell of a warrior!”My murderous urges pushed me to sink my claws into his throat, but one thought restored all my control. I thought about her. She wouldn't want me to do it.A grim chuckle rose in my throat. I had known Caspian since forever. He was the only one I could truly trust in this army, the army of savage fuckers. Never even once had I thought of punching Caspian, no matter how badly he pissed me off, but I would have ripped him apart now, and I was willing to do it because of her.Forcing a deep breath, I released his neck and
ASENAI slowly lifted myself to sit and shook my head. “But that's impossible... My wolf spirit is still asleep!”Kaan raised his brows. “Are you sure about that?”Frustration coiled within me. “Of course I'm sure! Don't you think I would have used my spirit to fight that asshole if there was even a sliver of chance that it was awake?”He shrugged. “Maybe it's waking up right now because I surely saw the wolf in your eyes.”My heart began to thunder. I sucked in a shaky breath and ran my trembling fingers through my hair. “You said that my eyes were red... I don't think it is possible.”He let out a slow exhale and narrowed his eyes at me. “You told me about your father, who used to be an unranked warrior, but you never told me about your mother.”I bit the inner side of my cheek for a moment, wondering what words I should use. “I… I've never met my mother,” I muttered as my lips twitched into a nervous half-smile. “I know her name was Sheya and that my father met her after one of the
My heart almost burst out of my chest. If only anyone from the resistance knew about his plans... Garren and others could even help him plan the attack or help him with whatever he was planning. Suddenly, I felt hopeful and relieved. If what Kaan said was true, perhaps I shouldn't feel guilty about wanting to stay with him…Curiosity flared up inside me, and I wanted to ask Kaan more about this curse, but he insisted we get some sleep. At first, I wanted to push him to talk, but eventually, I felt too tired to keep my eyes open.He woke me up right before dawn. We needed to pack and get on the road, and the noises outside our tent told me that the entire army was almost ready to depart. Kaan gave me a moment of privacy so I could refresh and dress in one of my ridiculously unfit-for-battles gowns. Less than half an hour later, I was leaning against Kaan's firm chest while sitting in the saddle with Kaan's one hand on my waist and the other holding Than's reins.We both stayed silent u
The boy stared at me with his wide green eyes filled with fear. His small chest heaved and fell with fast, shallow pants. I raised my hands and moved back. “I'm not going to hurt you,” I said.Rising to his hands and feet, he crawled back against the nearest tree, dropping his bow in the process. I snatched it and took a closer look. It was fine craftsmanship. The bow was light and was definitely created to fit small hands. I put the bow away and looked at the boy. “Are you from the Crescent Hills Pack?”He swallowed and nodded.I looked around and heard the sound of heavy footsteps. Shit. The warriors were getting closer. I drew a deep breath and locked my eyes on the scared child. “Did someone send you here?” I doubted that anyone would send a kid to a battle, but I needed to be sure.He shook his head again. “I… wanted to help.”I cursed under my breath. “You can't help anyone like this. Those few arrows you shot didn't even cause serious damage. You can only get yourself killed.”
The alarm bells went off inside my head, and I took a cautious step back, frowning. “How do I know you're not lying?”A sly smirk tugged at Dritan's lips. “I've just committed treason in front of your eyes. I've killed two of Alpha Khaos's warriors, and you still doubt that we're on the same side?”I had to admit that he sounded convincing, but a part of me needed stronger proof before I could trust him. “Well, this might also be a trap.”He snorted. “And what would I gain from it?”“I don't know.” My lips formed a thin line. “Maybe you want me to confess that I'm a member of the resistance?”He sighed. “Look, Asena. You're in deep trouble if we don't cover this up. I want to help you, so please, let me help you get out of here. I'll also mind-link someone who'll hide the bodies before other warriors find them.”I worked my jaw. He wasn't wrong, and I was definitely in no condition to take care of the bodies myself. I drew a deep breath and nodded. “Fine. Let's get out of here.”He gr
I knew I'd promised Kaan I wouldn't leave the room, but this odd feeling inside me told me I should go with Dritan. A few minutes later, I changed into the darkest clothes I could find—black leggings, a dark gray tunic, and a black, hooded cloak—and followed Dritan outside the inn. He led me through the back door and then through a narrow passage between the buildings.“Where are you taking me?” I asked in a hushed voice as we passed the empty streets wrapped in the darkness of the night.“We're going to the training grounds,” he said.I frowned. “Why? What do you want to show me there?”Dritan halted and turned my way. “What do you know about the Crescent Hills Pack?”I shook my head. “Nothing aside from the fact that they didn't want to pledge loyalty to Alpha Khaos.”He huffed out a dry laugh. “And even that small part of your knowledge is incorrect.”“What do you mean?”“When Alpha Korad, Alpha Kaan's father, was alive, he and the Alpha of the Crescent Hills Pack used to be friend
I stayed silent the entire way back to the inn. I could still hear the screams, the sounds of breaking bones and tearing flesh. I could still smell the coppery odor of blood blended with the muddy ground.I had heard it all before countless times on the battlefield, but never had I seen the deaths so brutal and pointless. Alpha Kaan had taken no part in the butchery. He had done something even worse… He'd observed and orchestrated the kills.“The emissaries seemed pleased by what they saw,” Dritan said dryly as we were approaching the inn. “Now they can report that Alpha Kaan is everything Alpha Khaos wanted him to be—a perfectly merciless killer.”Nausea rose up to my throat. There was something that terrified me more than Kaan's brutality or mercilessness. He seemed to savor every scream and every last breath. He enjoyed it. Out there, on those grounds, he truly was the monster everyone feared.Dritan grabbed my hand, pulling me to a halt as I was about to open the inn's back door.
ASENA Three Weeks Later A soft gasp escaped me as the wicked tension began to coil between my thighs. I bit my lip and drew a deep inhale. Citruses. Another gasp escaped me, one followed by a shudder that coursed through my body. I opened my eyes, chasing away the remains of sleep. I was lying on my back with my legs spread and my King between them. He lifted his head, and a sly grin spread across his face. “Now that you are awake, my little one, shall I stop or continue?” I tilted my head back and groaned. My skin was already feverish, and all my sensitive parts demanded immediate attention. My humidity grew. My chest rose and fell erratically as his fingers splayed on the inner side of my thighs, inches away from where I needed them. “Your choice, my Queen,” he purred. “Don't stop,” I murmured, pushing my hips toward him. He laughed before dipping his head and drawing his wicked tongue along my sensitive center. I cried as he teased every nerve within me, pulling me closer to t
KAAN‘Fucking Fates!’ Caspian shouted through the mind link, his voice laced with laughter. ‘Are you seeing what I'm seeing?’I surely did. I stepped back, lining up with my little one—my Luna and a future Queen. Undoubtedly, she already was the Queen in the eyes of those who bowed down before her.Asena smiled nervously, gesturing at them to rise. They looked as if they had woken up from a long, dreamless sleep, slowly acknowledging where they were and who they were. It was sort of tragic that the oath that was supposed to be the highest privilege had become their nightmare.Nathair chuffed, making a sound resembling a chuckle, as he looked around at the battlefield. What had just happened could only be described as a miracle. Asena managed to stop the bloodshed mere minutes after she entered the grounds. With all the enemy warriors either killed or switching sides, there was only one thing left to do…I motioned my chin, pointing at the hill. ‘Get her,’ I commanded, and several wolv
Aeron and I made it back to Inberville alive. Of course, we both needed a healer to patch us up, but we were going to recover in a matter of hours. Aeron barely talked to me from the moment I opened the hatch and entered the passage. I saw his relief when he made sure I wasn't severely wounded. Still, he was sulking because I didn't let him fight and protect me.When we returned to the city, it already resembled a huge war camp, with armed warriors running back and forth, securing every inch. Nathair was the first person who spotted us as we exited the passage. He ran toward us, and we briefly told him about everything that happened. He instantly passed the news of General Acyn's death to a few of his men so it could spread through the battlefield. Undoubtedly, Acyn's commanders and warriors had yet to be informed about the death of their leader, and the sooner they heard it, the faster their morale and will to fight would break.“I still cannot feel whether the blood spell worked or
I could barely keep my eyes open as Aeron all but dragged me deep into the forest. Arrows kept flying. A few missed us by an inch; two scratched Aeron's arm as he shielded me. I begged him to leave me and save himself, but he only growled in response.The good news was that the arrow hadn't pierced my heart. I knew that because I was still alive. The bad news was that it pierced through me and that it was coated with wolfsbane. The bleeding in my chest increased, and I knew I was about to reach my limit. I clenched my teeth, pushing through the pain, but I couldn't force my feet to move faster.“There's a rocky hill with a few caves ahead of us,” Aeron said as he tightened his grip on my waist. “We'll hide there.”I didn't argue. I had no strength to do so. Instead, I concentrated on running. The arrows stopped flying above our heads, but we didn't dare assume we were no longer being chased. I tried to hear the pounding footsteps somewhere behind us, but the wolfsbane weakened my sens
I convinced Nathair to include Zeno and Aeron in the emergency meeting in the war room. The three of us sat among the commanders of General Nathair's army. Surprisingly, none of them dared question our presence. There were no signs of disrespect or hostility, even though some of them must have already known that we were from the resistance or that I was Alpha Kaan's mate. Instead, their heads bowed before me, acknowledging my Luna status.Nathair shocked me even more when he decided to announce that I was Alpha Vardan's daughter. Again, no one asked me to prove my lineage; they believed their General as if his every word was sacred. I highly doubted that Jalissa could have counted on such loyalty from her warriors had the blood spell been broken.“We straightened every post from each side of our territory, General,” reported Zander, one of Nathair's commanders. “Still, I'm afraid that without a solid backup, the enemy will destroy our defenses in less than three days.”I glanced at Ze
I became more restless the closer we were to the Dark Lakes Pack's territory. I could no longer feel Kaan's emotions or mind link my mate, and this strange emptiness inside me filled me with an urge to turn back Atius and return to Alento. Only now did I fully understand why the mated couples could barely stand staying away from each other for more than a day. I felt as if I couldn't breathe a mere hour after we parted.Surely, I didn't mention anything about my emotional state to Aeron or Zeno. Aeron would have probably laughed his ass off, and Zeno would have most likely ignored everything I said. Letting out a quiet sigh, I shifted my focus to the road ahead, where Inberville's ramparts came into view.Aeron sucked in a sharp breath as we neared the massive gates with at least six guards protecting the city's entrance. “Are you sure that Nathair will let us into the Dark Lakes Pack's capital?”A nervous chuckle escaped me. “I guess we're about to find out.”A few heartbeats passed,
Fear turned out to be a better motivator than any logical argument we could have come up with. The icy terror satiated the air in the meeting hall. It took a few minutes for everyone gathered to realize that only we could give them what they truly wanted, and that was survival.Of course, some would rather hold on to their hatred even though they would risk the lives of their families that way. The insults and curses were still audible in the hall. I could sense that Kaan was at his limit. His urge to end those who spoke ill of us grew. His patience was about to run out, and I had to admit that so was mine. Surprisingly, it was Vidarr who spoke up first.“If you think that you can insult Luna Asena or Alpha Kaan just because they came here in peace, then I suggest you think again!” he growled. “You will show them respect, or we won't blame them for the bloodshed your stupid tongues caused!”Standing by my side, Kaan breathed out a chuckle. “I think I like him,” he whispered in my ear.
ASENAOne side of my lips curled up as I listened to Dritan's speech. I lined up with Kaan and smiled at my mate. He instantly grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers. My chest swelled, and I felt hot tears gathering in the back of my eyes. Kaan had blood on his hands. He had killed for Alpha Khaos, but he had also saved many lives. He had chosen to become a villain because it had seemed like the only way to gain leverage in this war. He had allowed others to hate him for years. It was time for those who hated him to know his reasons…Garren scratched his beard, processing Dritan's words. I knew that he was a reasonable man who would never be blinded by general beliefs. Unfortunately, the warriors around him still oozed hostility, and none of Dritan's words softened the anger written on their faces.“For now, I believe that you didn't come here for bloodshed,” Garren said, his eyes shifting from me to Kaan and back to me. “You need more than a few words to gain my trust, and you c
KAANI watched my amazing Luna pack her clothes into a leather bag. Mine was already packed, so I just sat on the bed, enjoying the view, while I talked through the link with Caspian.‘He regained consciousness mere hours ago, and now that idiot insists on coming with us,’ Caspian groaned.I blew out a breath. ‘I didn't tell Asena that you found him a few days ago. No one could tell whether or not he was going to wake up, so…’‘She'll understand, Kaan,’ Caspian assured. ‘She needed to cope with Delmira's betrayal and Lelah's death. It's understandable you didn't want to tell her about Dritan.’I breathed out a curse and dragged my fingers through my hair. ‘So where is that idiot now?’‘Most likely on the way to your chambers. Angus and Damien tried to stop him, but he threatened to punch them when they blocked his way.’I pinched the bridge of my nose. ‘Fuck… I guess I will need to let Asena know before this fucker parades inside our bedroom.’A rough chuckle came through the link. ‘G