The respite didn’t last long. The faint light of dawn began to filter through the canopy of trees, and with it came the weight of what lay ahead. Dominic and I stood side by side, our gazes fixed on the horizon where the enemy's stronghold awaited.He adjusted the bandage on his arm, wincing slightly. “We need to move before they regroup. If they track us here, we’ll lose our advantage.”I nodded, though my mind lingered on the fleeting tenderness we had just shared. It felt fragile, like something that might shatter under the weight of our mission. Still, the memory of his kiss was a flame I carried with me, warming the cold edges of my resolve.As we made our way through the dense forest, the silence between us was heavy but not uncomfortable. Dominic’s presence beside m
The air in the cave grew impossibly heavy, every breath I took scraping like sandpaper against my lungs. The voice, low and chilling, reverberated in my ears. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the stranger who had stepped from the shadows.It was Caleb.He was supposed to be dead.Dominic’s flashlight beam fixed on him, the light reflecting off his pale, angular features. His once-kind eyes now glinted with something cruel and unfathomable. He wasn’t just alive—he was thriving in the darkness, as though the years had forged him into something colder, harder.“Caleb?” I whispered, barely able to believe it. “How—?”His lips curved into a thin smile. “Surprised to see me, Elise? I’d imagine you would be, considering you left me for dead.”“That’s not true!” I shot back, my voice breaking with shock and confusion. “We thought you were gone. We searched for you—”“Save your lies,” Caleb interrupted, his tone dripping with disdain. “You moved on. Just like that. And now, here you are, wrap
He stopped abruptly, turning to face me. The dim light of his flashlight illuminated the sharp angles of his face, his expression fierce and unyielding. “This is not your fault, Elise. Whatever happened to Caleb, whatever choices he made, they’re his responsibility. Don’t let him make you think otherwise.”I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. “But I—”“No,” Dominic interrupted, stepping closer. His free hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing away the tear that escaped. “You are not to blame for this. Do you hear me?”I nodded, unable to speak, and he leaned in, his forehead resting against mine. For a brief moment, the chaos around us seemed to fade, leaving only the sound of our breaths mingling in the confined space.“You’re not alone in this,” Dominic murmured, his voice softer now. “We’ll get through it together. I promise.”The moment lingered, his words settling over me like a warm blanket against the cold fear gnawing at my insides. But th
“Happy Birthday, my dearest Harold,” I whispered to myself, practicing the line I would say as I clutched the gift tighter. A luxury watch, engraved with my hubby’s name. Today was the birthday of my husband, Harold Gutcheri, the alpha of the Clawstone pack, a famous pack here in Nebraska. I remembered the time when I was told by my beta father that I would become the next Luna of the pack once Harold ascends the position of the Alpha.It was a quick wedding that took off between our families, and even our mating ceremony happened not before long. It was just that, every single time we make love, nothing passionate ever comes out of it. Harold always ends up reaching his climax quickly before I could even cum. There are moments when I question myself if I was even good enough for my husband, which was why right now, I want to try and persuade him to make love with me again after I give him his birthday gift.Elation came within me as I returned to our house with the small box in my
A day after I walked out of that house, leaving Harold and his bitch mistress in their elicit affair. The sting of Harold’s rejection still lingered within me, but the weight that had lifted from my chest was undeniable. I realized that I was finally free despite how the pain from his rejection still simmered just below the surface. And it was that kind of hurt that led me straight to my bestfriend’s place, Wella, with a bottle of vodka in my hand and I was all ready to drown my sorrows with the only person in the world who would certainly understand what I was going through.“He did fucking what?” Wella practically screeched as her eyes grew exaggeratingly wide. I could see the disbelief in her expression as I told her all about what I saw earlier. “I can’t believe that motherfucker was using you this whole time for his own gain?”I quickly nodded while I felt the burn of embarrassment crept up my cheek. "Yep, I was too naive to realize that earlier, Harold had just used me like a
As Wella went to take a morning shower, I was left at the living area having some headache on what I should do. My phone rested in my trembling hand, its screen black, as I paced the room while my heart kept pounding in my chest. The weight of Dominic’s last message hung over me like a dark cloud. ‘The lingerie looks good. Even more good if I show it to Alpha Harold.’My breath hitched at the memory of the message. I just made a terrible and most dumbest mistake—a drunken, foolish mistake to be exact—and now I was at the mercy of a beta who clearly knew how to exploit my fear with just one respond. Panic quickly clawed my throat, and the gnawing dread that my husband learn of what I did, of how I sent those pictures to Dominic by mistake made me scared to the bones. My thoughts raced, scrambling for a way out, but every option seemed to collapse under the weight of Dominic’s simple but dreadful threat.While I was deep in my thought, my phone suddenly rang, snapping me back to the r
The weight of the moment hung heavily in the air, as I was surprised to see him already standing before me when I turned around around.“I want an answer, Elisse. You can’t leave this room without agreeing with me.” Dominic replied.I tried to back away from him but he quickly curled his arms around my waist and blocking my attempt to keep some distance between us.“Why are you doing this? Huh? Why are you hitting on me, Dominic?” I pushed him away, feeling a mix of anger and confusion. “You know I’m Harold’s mate. Your alpha! What kind of loyalty is that?” I had to lie despite the fact that Harold had already rejected me.His lips twisted into a smirk, and I could see a challenge flicker in his eyes. “Loyalty? Is that what you call it? You think he deserves you?”I folded my arms, frustrated. “Harold has his flaws, but he’s still my mate.” I lied again.“Flaws? The Alpha’s a complete idiot to make you feel like you’re not wanted and compelled you to do such things,” Dominic shot back
DOMINIC’S POVOne day ago…The night wrapped around me like a comforting shroud as I retired to my room. The dim glow of the full moon spilled through the window, casting soft shadows across my bed. I sank into the cool sheets, ready to let the day’s exhaustion take over, damn that Alpha Harold had me taken care of meeting up with the elders again when it was supposed to be his business. And just as I was about to close my eyes, my phone buzzed incessantly on the bedside table.“What the hell could he want again?” I murmured, reaching for the device thinking it was Harold once more.The screen lit up, and my breath caught in my throat as I saw the flood of notifications. Suddenly, curiosity washed over me as most of the messages were from a person I least expect to message me—Luna Elisse.To my confusion, all of it were image attachment.And with a flick of my thumb, I opened the images. I was immediately met with a series of nude photos—of Elisse’s, my alpha’s mate, in nothing but s
He stopped abruptly, turning to face me. The dim light of his flashlight illuminated the sharp angles of his face, his expression fierce and unyielding. “This is not your fault, Elise. Whatever happened to Caleb, whatever choices he made, they’re his responsibility. Don’t let him make you think otherwise.”I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. “But I—”“No,” Dominic interrupted, stepping closer. His free hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing away the tear that escaped. “You are not to blame for this. Do you hear me?”I nodded, unable to speak, and he leaned in, his forehead resting against mine. For a brief moment, the chaos around us seemed to fade, leaving only the sound of our breaths mingling in the confined space.“You’re not alone in this,” Dominic murmured, his voice softer now. “We’ll get through it together. I promise.”The moment lingered, his words settling over me like a warm blanket against the cold fear gnawing at my insides. But th
The air in the cave grew impossibly heavy, every breath I took scraping like sandpaper against my lungs. The voice, low and chilling, reverberated in my ears. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the stranger who had stepped from the shadows.It was Caleb.He was supposed to be dead.Dominic’s flashlight beam fixed on him, the light reflecting off his pale, angular features. His once-kind eyes now glinted with something cruel and unfathomable. He wasn’t just alive—he was thriving in the darkness, as though the years had forged him into something colder, harder.“Caleb?” I whispered, barely able to believe it. “How—?”His lips curved into a thin smile. “Surprised to see me, Elise? I’d imagine you would be, considering you left me for dead.”“That’s not true!” I shot back, my voice breaking with shock and confusion. “We thought you were gone. We searched for you—”“Save your lies,” Caleb interrupted, his tone dripping with disdain. “You moved on. Just like that. And now, here you are, wrap
The respite didn’t last long. The faint light of dawn began to filter through the canopy of trees, and with it came the weight of what lay ahead. Dominic and I stood side by side, our gazes fixed on the horizon where the enemy's stronghold awaited.He adjusted the bandage on his arm, wincing slightly. “We need to move before they regroup. If they track us here, we’ll lose our advantage.”I nodded, though my mind lingered on the fleeting tenderness we had just shared. It felt fragile, like something that might shatter under the weight of our mission. Still, the memory of his kiss was a flame I carried with me, warming the cold edges of my resolve.As we made our way through the dense forest, the silence between us was heavy but not uncomfortable. Dominic’s presence beside m
The air hung thick with tension, the portal’s residual energy crackling like static around us. Dominic’s chest rose and fell in rapid breaths, his blade still glowing faintly as he scanned the shadows for any sign of further danger.“Who was that?” I whispered, my voice trembling.He turned to me, his jaw clenched, and hesitated before responding. “A harbinger. They’re messengers of the order, and their appearance means we’re out of time.”“Out of time for what?” I pressed, the weight of his words settling uncomfortably in my chest. “You need to stop keeping things from me, Dominic. I need to know what’s happening.”Dominic sheathed his blade with a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his hair, his usual calm facade cracking. “There’s a prophecy,” he admitted reluctantly. “One that speaks of a being with the power to tear down the veil between worlds—or strengthen it forever. That being... is you.”The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet. “Me?” I echoed, my voice barely audible. “
The tremors grew stronger, the rumbling sound deepening into a deafening roar. Dominic’s hand found mine, his grip firm and steady, but his face betrayed the turmoil beneath his calm exterior.“Elise, stay close to me,” he commanded, his voice sharp, cutting through the chaos. “No matter what happens, don’t let go.”Before I could respond, the ground beneath us cracked, a jagged fissure snaking its way toward us with unnatural speed. A gust of cold wind erupted from the rupture, carrying with it an eerie, otherworldly chill that made the hairs on my arms stand on end.Out of the shadows, figures began to emerge—tall, cloaked beings with glowing eyes that seemed to pierce straight through me. They moved silently, their presence heavy and suffocating, as though the air itself recoiled from their existence.“Dominic...” My voice was barely above a whisper, my chest tight with fear.“I see them,” he replied, his tone grim. He stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. “This is wh
The chamber trembled as the scenes began to take on a life of their own, flickering like a projection on unstable film. Dominic gripped my hand tighter, his knuckles white."Don't let go," he murmured, his voice steady despite the chaos around us.The image of Dominic in old-world attire shifted, and I realized the figure beside him—beside the other me—was a man I didn’t recognize. He was tall, dark, and imposing, his presence radiating an ominous energy.“Who is he?” I asked, unable to tear my eyes away.Dominic’s jaw clenched. “I don’t know,” he said, though his tone betrayed uncertainty.The mocking man stepped closer, his smirk widening. “Ah, but he does,” he said, his voice dripping with malice. “Don’t you, Dominic?”“I don’t play your games,” Dominic growled, his tone deadly.The figure chuckled, the sound echoing unnaturally. “Oh, but this isn’t a game. This is the truth you sought.”The scene shifted again, faster this time, flashes of moments I couldn’t place. A roaring fire.
The shadows closed in around me, suffocating and endless. My pulse thundered in my ears as the figure disappeared, leaving me in the void. My heart ached with the sudden absence of Dominic, the strength of his presence now replaced with a cold emptiness.“Dominic,” I whispered, my voice trembling.Just as panic threatened to consume me, the darkness gave way to a faint glow. It was dim at first, like a flicker of a candle, but it grew steadily brighter until I could make out my surroundings.I stood in a meadow bathed in soft, golden light. The air smelled of wildflowers, the breeze warm and comforting. And there, just a few steps away, stood Dominic.“Dominic!” I cried, rushing toward him.He turned at the sound of my voice, and relief washed over his face. Before I could reach him, he closed the distance between us, pulling me into his arms.“Elise,” he murmured, his voice raw with emotion. “You’re safe.”I clung to him, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt. “I thought I
Dominic instinctively stepped in front of me, his sword raised. The doppelgänger let out a low chuckle, her red eyes gleaming with a mix of mockery and malice.“Oh, Dominic,” she said, her voice eerily identical to mine but laced with venom. “Always so protective. But tell me—how will you protect her from herself?”I stared at her, my heart pounding. “Who are you?”She tilted her head, her gaze piercing. “I’m you, Elise. Or rather, the part of you you’ve been so desperate to deny.”“That’s not possible,” I whispered, though the crackling energy in the air told me otherwise.“Possible?” she sneered. “You’re standing in a realm where time bends, shadows walk, and your power defies reality—and you question what’s possible?”Dominic’s grip on his sword tightened. “Whatever game this is, it ends now.”The doppelgänger’s smile widened. “You’re welcome to try, knight.” She lifted a hand, and the air around us thickened. Shadows coalesced into twisted forms, circling us like predators closing
As we crossed the threshold into the chasm, a bone-deep chill seeped into my body. The air was thick and oppressive, carrying whispers that I couldn’t quite decipher. Each step forward felt heavier, as if the darkness itself was trying to hold us back.Dominic kept my hand firmly in his, his warmth a stark contrast to the cold that surrounded us. Celeste walked ahead, her staff glowing faintly with a protective light that pushed back the encroaching shadows.“This place is alive,” she murmured, her voice tense. “The shadow’s essence is everywhere. Stay close, and whatever you do, don’t listen to the whispers.”I glanced at Dominic, who gave me a reassuring nod. His grip tightened, silently promising that he wouldn’t let anything happen to me.The ground beneath us shifted, and the faint light from Celeste’s staff illuminated jagged rocks and veins of an eerie, pulsating red substance. The whispers grew louder, more insistent, like a thousand voices speaking at once. My head throbbed a