BRITNEY POVHopelessnessI wish there were a word better to describe how I was feeling.My eyes wandered around the open field, and my hands tightened on a piece of my myrtle I had angrily torn from the bunch Slade gave me.The myrtle symbolizes love, good luck, and prosperity, but I had none. Maybe I had prosperity, but it was due to my father's affluence.I lacked what I needed the most.Love.Slade had promised me. He had promised to love me until death parted us. I guess I was delusional. Standing in the cathedral wasn't enough. It was not a binding power in the werewolf, and I believe Slade had refused to have a mating ceremony with me because he was sure he'd return to Winter.How stupid could I have been? Had he been laughing behind me all this while? Did he know all these would happen? I thought I could still have him.Even after seeing Winter for the first time, I thought Slade was mine, and it would remain that way forever!I had made a fool of myself.Fúcking stupid, Britney
SLADE POVLooking up from the paperwork before me, I slanted my head as Jude stumbled into the room. He clutched a large wooden box filled with only the goddess knows what.Sweat coated his forehead, and he panted.I rolled my eyes as he set the box down. Jude could be dramatic sometimes; I doubted the box weighed much more than he was making it.I was sure whatever was in it was for me, and he was making it a big deal since I sent him to do it.I couldn't remember the job; I didn't think it was the moonstone pack's business. I had not done an official handover to Jude because I was reading through what was in the files handed to me.It was my first time in the Pack's office, and I had only gotten access because I was now the Alpha King. Also, I had been trying to merge my former pack, the moon howler pack business, with the Moonstone pack.It was even more tedious than I had imagined.As Jude straightened, I gazed at him."Now, what is that? I hope you didn't bring dynamite to my off
SLADE POVMy eyes widened as I stared at Winter. I didn't know if she was joking, but with the expression on her face, I didn't think she was.Winter took a step away from me, and reflexively, I gripped her hand, pulling it towards me."Slade!" She tugged her hand, but my grip tightened."How dare you try to hurt yourself? How dare you not try to protect yourself?!" I shoved her into the wall ignoring the wince that escaped her lip."You're hurting me!" Winter shouted.It wasn't until I saw the tears brimming in her eyes that I let her go."Fúck it!" I groaned, kicking at the wall. I winced as my foot stung-I guess I had broken my toes due to the force- and I glanced back at Winter.She clutched her hand, rubbing at it."You're driving me insane for not doing what I ask of you. You are fucking making me go insane because right now, you want me to turn a rogue by purposing putting yourself in harm's way!"Winter glowered at me and tilted her hand in the air. I saw the pinkish slash in
SUMMER POVI smiled briefly while approaching the small hut. Pushing back the cloak hoodie from my head, I tapped on the door three times before walking in.I gasped as a hand closed over my neck, pushing me to the door.Impulsively, my leg collided with Damien's crotch as he pushed the sharp edge of a knife into my neck."Fúck, you bitch!" He grunted.The knife in his hand clattered to the ground, and he groped his crotch."You should know the way I knock by now. Why the fuck are you with a knife? Do you intend to kill me?!""I noticed a strange scent!" Damien groaned. "Don't ever do that again. What's if I can't procreate any longer?!"Damien scowled before straightening.I couldn't believe he was thinking of how to procreate out of all that was happening.Somehow, it was not weird because I knew he could be thoughtless."You barely have a mate, much less someone willing to lay with you."Damien's scowl deepened, but he said nothing.I sighed, rubbing my neck. Although I had succeed
WINTER POVI groaned for the umpteenth time. There was no denying Slade's presence was already making me uncomfortable, but I doubted he would leave.He had been watching me closely for the past twenty-four hours since I got the news about the plague. Although I didn't show signs of any infection, I couldn't say the same for him.Perhaps, he was already infected and wasn't showing any signs.I had tried getting him tested, but no amount of pleas from me made him succumb to my request.Jude walked in with a large tray, and Slade tilted his brows."I got it from one of the maids, so as per your instructions that you didn't want disturbance. So, I brought it myself." Jude explained."Eat," Slade grunted.I raised my brows as Jude took a piece of the toast.Jude shrugged and took a bite from it. He munched on it slowly and suddenly gasped.Jude clutched his throat with one hand while the other was on his chest, and he fell to the ground, wheezing.Slade jumped to his feet and growled. "Wh
CORONATIONWalking down the rocky path, my eyes strayed to the white rose, peonies, and Myrtle scattered on the ground. I clasped the flowers mentioned above that had been put in a bouquet while I dragged my feet slowly. Halting, I puffed out two breaths before letting my eyes wander away from the flowers. My palms were sweaty and shaky, and for some reason, I desired to run away. Far away from everyone.It was weird I had cold feet on my supposedly happy day.I wouldn't say I had cold feet entirely; within me, I was happy. I'd be with Slade soon, yet I wasn't pleased.The pack received information earlier about the intruders from yesterday, and Slade hadn't lied when he said they had come searching for me, but then there was more to it.Slade was targeted, too; not only he but the throne was also the utmost target. Although no one knew who was involved, not even the seer, it seemed as though the intruders had contacted an even more powerful seer to block ours from seeing their de
WINTER POVAs the Seer continued, she placed a large book-the same she had put in Slade's hand in mine and ordered me to kneel in the circle just like Slade had done.The powers that enveloped me the moment I did were dreadful. I shuddered and gasped as a cold hand gripped me from behind.Glancing around, I saw no one behind me except for the elders encompassing me.I gazed back at the seer and breathed in deeply, and puffed it out slowly.My heart thumped as the book weighed my hands down.I never knew it was as heavy as this. I gritted my teeth and tried to keep a straight face while ignoring the pain that had begun to unfurl in my wrists.Fuck, how had Slade done all these without freaking out?!Was it because he was already an Alpha and had undergone several challenges?!I couldn't tell, but it might be due to that.I made the mistake of staring at the crowd, and I saw my parents gazing at me.I saw the I told you so look on their faces before a false look of concern appeared on t
WINTER POVI thought I'd be able to resist the urge not to have naughty thoughts about Slade all night, but all I tried to do had proved futile.I had been fortunate enough that the ceremony had ended, and as soon as it did, Slade had yanked me away from the crowd and into the mansion.His mouth had closed on mine instantly, and I hadn't objected to it.I didn't want to stop.Even if I had the strength to push him away, I didn't want to stop him.I flushed as I sat on the bed after pacing the room.Slade had excused himself while things were getting heated. Someone had rung him up, and I didn't know where he had left.He had been away for almost an hour, and the desire he had flared inside me slowly dissipated.I thought we'd later do it tonight; I guess I was the only one thinking of such.My cheeks reddened as I thought of how I had behaved wantonly before him.He would think I was a whore!Grimacing, I covered my face with my hands before standing.My dress was beginning to suffoca
WINTER'S POVJoy erupted inside me as I glanced at Slade and Damien-who were now lifeless. For a brief moment, I had thought Slade would be the one in Damien's shoes. I had felt Damien would overpower Slade, considering his immense power, but I was glad it had turned out differently.Gloria screeched, "I'll never forgive you for taking my son from me!""You brought this upon yourself," I said. "You should surrender now that it seems you can't win!""No!" Gloria screamed, almost bursting my eardrums. "I'll never surrender. His death needs to be avenged!" Dark energy enveloped her, emanating an aura of animosity.Gloria's voice thundered through the forest, carrying a raw fury fueled by the essence of darkness. An ominous aura consumed her body; the air crackled with nervous energy.I watched in both awe and apprehension as Gloria underwent a grotesque transformation. Her eyes turned pitch black, and her once-elegant features contorted into a twisted visage of rage. Shadows danced aroun
Slade's POVI shifted uneasily, knowing I shouldn't be in this form. I couldn't help it, though. I didn't want to be the defenceless alpha who always relied on his Luna for help. Even though I had always fought my battles, I felt like most people saw me as weak, barely capable of doing anything.I locked eyes with Damien, and we exchanged growls. But deep down, I almost regretted it. My heart pounded, wildly beating against my rib cage. Being in wolf form made everything even more challenging for me.I turned my gaze towards Winter. Despite being held by Gloria, it seemed like she could free herself from the situation. She looked furious, and I knew most of that anger was directed at me, while the rest was aimed at her ex and his mother."You need to shift back," Winter snarled, her frustration evident. "She said you'll die!"Gloria only laughed in response. I wished I could wipe the grin off her face and make her pay for everything. Pay for killing Britney, especially, and taking my
WINTER POVI had always known that many things could go wrong in one night, but I never imagined it would be this same night. First, the forest became infested with reptiles, making the hunt scarier than I had anticipated. Despite thinking we could manage the situation, the hunters appeared, Slade, got bitten, and now Gloria and Damien had arrived.I never thought I would find myself in a situation like this, struggling in the death grip of the woman who was once my mother-in-law. The last time I saw her, after Slade's victory, she even tried to console my mother. I believed she had our best interests at heart. But learning that she had impersonated people to reach and kill me turned my stomach.I used to admire her and thought she was the perfect Luna, but the crazed look in her eyes just moments ago shattered that illusion. Gasping for breath, I felt her yank harder on my hair. I desperately tried to grip her hand and release her hold, but it only tightened."Fucking shift and kill
SLADE'S POV"What the hell?!" I yelled, glaring at the slime as he kissed Winter.Struggling to stand on my feet; the poison from the snake was making it increasingly difficult. I blinked back the haziness in my eyes, gritted my teeth, and summoned all the strength to confront him."Get your fucking hands and mouth off, my mate!" I bellowed.Winter gasped, her eyes shifting to mine as I hunched over. She approached me and reached out a hand to touch my back, but I shrugged her off."I'm fine," I said, narrowing my eyes. "Why the hell did you let him kiss you like that?!""I let him?" She asked, brows furrowing. As I nodded, she exclaimed, "You saw he forcefully kissed me! I never asked to be kissed, but he did it against my will. So, don't blame me for not reacting quickly—I was taken by surprise!"Of course, I wasn't blaming her, and I wasn't angry with her. I assumed she should have pushed him away at the first opportunity, but maybe I wasn't thinking straight.Winter hissed and att
WINTER'S POVDespite all that I said, Slade didn't budge. He stumbled away from me, running his hands through his hair. "I'm fine, Winter. Just watch where you're standing. We need to deal with this before we leave."I rolled my eyes and clenched my teeth, my gaze drifting up to the full moon. "The poison will spread faster when you shift, and you'll shift sooner than you think."Slade glanced at me and shook his head. "I'm not like the other werewolves, remember? I'm partly a lycan, so I can control my shifting to some extent until the hunt is over."I let out a frustrated breath. No matter what I said or would say, he remained stubborn. I supposed I needed to stay close to him to prevent impulsive actions. Just then, Jude burst into the clearing, growling, and lunged at the hunter's leader next to me before I could stop him.He landed several punches on the leader's face, only stopping to catch his breath."Jude!" I shouted, scanning the other hunters who seemed poised to attack him
WINTER POVI turned to Slade with wide eyes, and he mirrored my expression, staring back at me."What are you all, then?" I blurted out. "Are you not the ones after the pack's MoonStone? I mean, the group of Lycans who fought with the previous Alpha and led him to sacrifice himself?"He nodded grimly. "And we had our reasons for coming after the MoonStone gem." He added, "But we are not the same as those. We belong to a different faction, known as the Bwegbonyu speakers and night hunters. Lastly, we weren't the ones who originally attacked the previous alpha.""This isn't making any sense," Slade voiced my confusion, and I nodded to indicate my agreement."I think we need to explain further. But first, you must understand that we are not the Vordrak Lycans. They pose a threat to everyone in the werewolf world, as well as humans. They are incredibly powerful, second only to gods and goddesses," he explained."Vordrak Lycans?" I murmured, wracking my brain to recall where I might have h
WINTER'S POVI couldn't determine how long I had been peering over Slade's shoulder, but time seemed to crawl, and everything moved slowly. The hunters approached us with eerie smiles plastered across their faces as if they had cornered us exactly where they wanted us. I bit down on my lip, suppressing a groan, while Slade shielded me and prevented me from moving forward."Stay back," he murmured. "They appear formidable."Of course, I was aware of that! I wished I could scream it at him. I wanted to shout that these hunters before us were not the same ones we had encountered on previous occasions. They were doubly stronger, emitting a completely distinct scent, not to mention the crazed expression etched onto their faces."What should we do?" I asked, my fingers twitching and my palms growing clammy. I tightly gripped the hilt of my dagger, clenching my teeth as I contemplated the potential attacks I could launch, all of which could still go awry."We fight," Slade said slowly.Noddi
Winter's POV:We ran tirelessly through the seemingly endless forest, leaping over fallen logs and avoiding reptiles lurking beneath our feet. Although I couldn't see them clearly in the darkness, I could feel their presence as my combat boots brushed against their scaly skin, and their hisses filled the night air. The moonlight cast flickering shadows, making it difficult to discern between reality and imagination. Holding Slade's hand tightly, I relied on his guidance to navigate the treacherous terrain.My heart thumped in my chest, a constant reminder of the imminent danger surrounding us. Adrenaline surged through my veins, urging me to keep pushing forward. Each step I took was a battle against fear and instinct, tempting me to succumb to panic. But I couldn't afford to falter. Not now.As we reached the heart of the woods, Slade abruptly halted, pulling me back as I raced past him. I gasped for breath, my chest heaving, and approached a birch tree, but Slade's firm grip prevent
WINTER'S POVTWO DAYS LATERThe moon hung high in the night sky, casting an eerie glow over the surrounding forest. The anticipation among the Moonstone pack members present was palpable; their breaths came out in shallow huffs as they crouched low to the ground.It was hunting season, and today marked the Moonfest, as it was often called in the Moonstone pack. It was the Hunters Moon festival, and it was a time which happened every October after the harvest moon disappearance. The hunter's moon was the first full moon to have appeared this month, and the festival was a thrilling and transformative nighttime event that showcased the werewolves' connection to the moon and their hunting prowess. I didn't know how it was done in other packs, but Traditionally, only the Deltas and Etas, the warriors of our pack, were allowed to participate. However, Slade's arrival changed everything.Today, we were embarking on something different. Instead of limiting participation to the Deltas and Eta