The grand ballroom was alive with the murmur of conversations, laughter, and the soft strains of music floating from the live orchestra. Lucas and Liam stood near the center of the room, deep in conversation with a group of dignified guests, their expressions polite but distracted. Though they were putting on the facade of charm and engagement, their thoughts were elsewhere—mainly on Lily and how she was managing the ball. Liam leaned slightly toward Lucas as another guest began a lengthy anecdote about her pack’s historical alliances. “She’s doing great, isn’t she?” he murmured under his breath, his eyes scanning the room. Lucas nodded, his jaw tightening. “She is, but she shouldn’t have to worry about this alone. We should be with her” Lucas said. Before Liam could respond, Breca appeared, her face pale and eyes wide with alarm. She hesitated only for a second before stepping forward and whispering urgently, “Alpha Lucas, Alpha Liam, there’s a problem. Alex... he’s in the ki
The ball had ended in a glittering success, much to Lily’s relief. The grand ballroom was now empty, the laughter, clinking glasses, and lively music just a memory lingering in the air. Lily felt the exhaustion of the night settling into her bones as she went up the stairs to her room, Maya by her side. Despite the calm exterior of the night, her mind was anything but peaceful.“Thank the stars no one noticed Alex’s arrival,” Lily murmured, breaking the silence as they reached her door. “I was terrified something would go wrong, but it seems the guests were none the wiser.”“Except us,” Maya replied, her tone dark with unspoken concern. “And that’s bad enough.”Lily nodded, unlocking the door and stepping into her room. It was dimly lit, with soft, golden light emanating from the bedside lamps. Maya followed her in, closing the door behind them.Lily sank onto the edge of her bed, kicking off her heels and rubbing her temples. “What does Alex want, Maya? Why now? He’s always been..
The air was tense as the car sped down the darkened road leading to Lucian’s mansion. Lily sat between Lucas and Liam in the backseat, her hands clutched tightly in her lap. Maya sat in the passenger seat, her face illuminated by the faint glow of her phone screen as she absentmindedly scrolled, though it was clear her mind was elsewhere.No one had spoken much since they decided to confront Lucian and Lexa. The weight of Alex’s cryptic warning about Lucian’s true identity hung heavy over them, thickening the silence in the car.They didn’t trust his words, but they had a feeling that if they don’t find out the truth, they might regret it later. Lucas finally broke the quiet. “Are we sure this is the right move? Confronting Lucian like this?”“We don’t have a choice,” Liam replied, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “If Alex knows something we don’t, we can’t just sit back and do nothing. We need answers.”“But what if we’re walking into something we’re not prepared for?”
The air in the room was suffocating, filled with disbelief, tension, and an almost audible crackle of shock. Everyone stared at Lucian as if waiting for him to say he had been joking, that Alex’s accusations were just a cruel manipulation. But Lucian remained composed, his face unreadable, as his confession settled heavily among them.Lexa stood motionless beside him, her lips pressed into a tight line. The silence stretched unbearably until Lucas finally broke it.“What the hell do you mean, Alex wasn’t lying?” Lucas growled, his fists clenched at his sides. “What game are you playing, Lucian? What have you been holding back?”Lucian’s eyes flickered, but he maintained his calm demeanor. “It’s not a game, Lucas. It’s the truth. And you deserve to hear it" Lucian said as his eyes moved from Lucas and moved around to the sea of faces that were watching him.Maya crossed her arms, her brows furrowed. “So start talking. Because right now, none of us trust you.”“Nor should you,” Liam
The school courtyard buzzed with life as students moved to and fro, chatting in groups or heading to their classes. Lily and Maya walked side by side, their voices low as they went into the startling revelation Lucian—or rather, Alpha Derek—had made the previous night.“I still can’t believe it,” Maya said, her voice filled with disbelief as she clutched her books tightly against her chest. “Lucian, or Derek, or whatever we’re calling him now, was Alex’s Alpha? And Alex nearly killed him?” She shook her head. “It’s like something out of a bad soap opera.”Lily sighed, her expression thoughtful. “I know. It’s a lot to take in. The fact that he lied to us about his identity all this time—it’s hard to just accept his story at face value. What if there’s more he’s not telling us?”Maya nodded, her brows furrowed. “Exactly. If he lied about something as big as his name and his history, who’s to say he’s not lying about other things? I mean, he could be hiding even more secrets.”Lily st
The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the neighborhood as Lily made her way to Maya's house. The beautiful cream-colored home stood nestled between two sprawling maple trees, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. She admired the charming flower boxes under the windows, each bursting with bright colours and a magnetic scent, a testament to Maya's mother's love for gardening.When Lily knocked on the door, it opened almost immediately, revealing Maya’s mother, Mrs. Hudson. She was a warm, cheerful woman in her mid-forties, with kind eyes and an apron tied snugly around her waist. The scent of freshly baked cookies moved from inside the house and Lily was happy she had come.“Lily, dear! It’s so good to see you,” Mrs. Hudson greeted with a bright smile. “Come in, come in. Maya’s upstairs in her room.”“Thank you, Mrs. Hudson,” Lily said, stepping inside. The inside of the house was as cozy as the way it suggested on the outside, with soft lighting and family photos li
The bell rang, signaling the start of another day of torture for Lily Winters. She sighed and put her books in her backpack. As much as she tried to pretend each day was just another step toward her freedom, it never got easier. She was seventeen years old, and was treated like trash by everyone in her pack. And it wasn’t because of something she’d done, no, it was because of her family.Her father had been exiled from the pack years ago for breaking some unspoken rule she was too young to understand at the time. Her mother had barely held it together after that, taking odd jobs and struggling to keep the family afloat. Ever since her father’s disgrace, the pack treated Lily like she carried his shame. She could still remember the day the bullying started, when she was just ten years old. And the worst of it came from the Alpha twins.“Hey, Wolf Trash!” a mocking voice shouted from behind her. She immediately picked up her pace. Without looking back, she already knew whose voic
The days until her eighteenth birthday felt like they were moving slowly, each one dragging her through the same hellish routine at school. Every morning, Lily counted down the hours, telling herself that soon, it would all be over. Freedom was so close, she could almost taste it. She had spent a lot of time thinking carefully about her escape, and now, only days remained. But as her birthday approached, a feeling of unease had started to enter into her thoughts.“Lily, you’re sure about this?” her best friend, Maya, asked as they sat under a large tree at the edge of the school courtyard during lunch. It was the only place people didn't throw their food at her, unlike in the cafeteria where they constantly poured insults and various things on her body.At least she was with Maya, the only person in the entire pack who treated her with any kindness. She had been there since they were kids, standing by Lily even when the bullying became unbearable. Lily looked at her sandwich. Her
The late afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the neighborhood as Lily made her way to Maya's house. The beautiful cream-colored home stood nestled between two sprawling maple trees, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze. She admired the charming flower boxes under the windows, each bursting with bright colours and a magnetic scent, a testament to Maya's mother's love for gardening.When Lily knocked on the door, it opened almost immediately, revealing Maya’s mother, Mrs. Hudson. She was a warm, cheerful woman in her mid-forties, with kind eyes and an apron tied snugly around her waist. The scent of freshly baked cookies moved from inside the house and Lily was happy she had come.“Lily, dear! It’s so good to see you,” Mrs. Hudson greeted with a bright smile. “Come in, come in. Maya’s upstairs in her room.”“Thank you, Mrs. Hudson,” Lily said, stepping inside. The inside of the house was as cozy as the way it suggested on the outside, with soft lighting and family photos li
The school courtyard buzzed with life as students moved to and fro, chatting in groups or heading to their classes. Lily and Maya walked side by side, their voices low as they went into the startling revelation Lucian—or rather, Alpha Derek—had made the previous night.“I still can’t believe it,” Maya said, her voice filled with disbelief as she clutched her books tightly against her chest. “Lucian, or Derek, or whatever we’re calling him now, was Alex’s Alpha? And Alex nearly killed him?” She shook her head. “It’s like something out of a bad soap opera.”Lily sighed, her expression thoughtful. “I know. It’s a lot to take in. The fact that he lied to us about his identity all this time—it’s hard to just accept his story at face value. What if there’s more he’s not telling us?”Maya nodded, her brows furrowed. “Exactly. If he lied about something as big as his name and his history, who’s to say he’s not lying about other things? I mean, he could be hiding even more secrets.”Lily st
The air in the room was suffocating, filled with disbelief, tension, and an almost audible crackle of shock. Everyone stared at Lucian as if waiting for him to say he had been joking, that Alex’s accusations were just a cruel manipulation. But Lucian remained composed, his face unreadable, as his confession settled heavily among them.Lexa stood motionless beside him, her lips pressed into a tight line. The silence stretched unbearably until Lucas finally broke it.“What the hell do you mean, Alex wasn’t lying?” Lucas growled, his fists clenched at his sides. “What game are you playing, Lucian? What have you been holding back?”Lucian’s eyes flickered, but he maintained his calm demeanor. “It’s not a game, Lucas. It’s the truth. And you deserve to hear it" Lucian said as his eyes moved from Lucas and moved around to the sea of faces that were watching him.Maya crossed her arms, her brows furrowed. “So start talking. Because right now, none of us trust you.”“Nor should you,” Liam
The air was tense as the car sped down the darkened road leading to Lucian’s mansion. Lily sat between Lucas and Liam in the backseat, her hands clutched tightly in her lap. Maya sat in the passenger seat, her face illuminated by the faint glow of her phone screen as she absentmindedly scrolled, though it was clear her mind was elsewhere.No one had spoken much since they decided to confront Lucian and Lexa. The weight of Alex’s cryptic warning about Lucian’s true identity hung heavy over them, thickening the silence in the car.They didn’t trust his words, but they had a feeling that if they don’t find out the truth, they might regret it later. Lucas finally broke the quiet. “Are we sure this is the right move? Confronting Lucian like this?”“We don’t have a choice,” Liam replied, his hands tightening on the steering wheel. “If Alex knows something we don’t, we can’t just sit back and do nothing. We need answers.”“But what if we’re walking into something we’re not prepared for?”
The ball had ended in a glittering success, much to Lily’s relief. The grand ballroom was now empty, the laughter, clinking glasses, and lively music just a memory lingering in the air. Lily felt the exhaustion of the night settling into her bones as she went up the stairs to her room, Maya by her side. Despite the calm exterior of the night, her mind was anything but peaceful.“Thank the stars no one noticed Alex’s arrival,” Lily murmured, breaking the silence as they reached her door. “I was terrified something would go wrong, but it seems the guests were none the wiser.”“Except us,” Maya replied, her tone dark with unspoken concern. “And that’s bad enough.”Lily nodded, unlocking the door and stepping into her room. It was dimly lit, with soft, golden light emanating from the bedside lamps. Maya followed her in, closing the door behind them.Lily sank onto the edge of her bed, kicking off her heels and rubbing her temples. “What does Alex want, Maya? Why now? He’s always been..
The grand ballroom was alive with the murmur of conversations, laughter, and the soft strains of music floating from the live orchestra. Lucas and Liam stood near the center of the room, deep in conversation with a group of dignified guests, their expressions polite but distracted. Though they were putting on the facade of charm and engagement, their thoughts were elsewhere—mainly on Lily and how she was managing the ball. Liam leaned slightly toward Lucas as another guest began a lengthy anecdote about her pack’s historical alliances. “She’s doing great, isn’t she?” he murmured under his breath, his eyes scanning the room. Lucas nodded, his jaw tightening. “She is, but she shouldn’t have to worry about this alone. We should be with her” Lucas said. Before Liam could respond, Breca appeared, her face pale and eyes wide with alarm. She hesitated only for a second before stepping forward and whispering urgently, “Alpha Lucas, Alpha Liam, there’s a problem. Alex... he’s in the ki
The ball was in full swing, a dazzling display of grandeur and elegance. Chandeliers sparkled above the crowd in the great ballroom, their light catching on the sequins and jewels of gowns and tuxedos. Music swirled in the air, an enchanting melody that made everyone feel like they were in a fairy tale. Maya stood at the edge of the room, her breath catching as she took it all in. This was the first time she was invited to a ball such as grand as this and she was enjoying the experience. She couldn’t help but admire the sheer beauty and meticulous planning that had gone into the event. From the intricately arranged floral centerpieces to the perfectly curated music, it was clear Lily had outdone herself. She was so proud that her best friend was able to pull off an event that would surely be the talk of the pack and she couldn't help but smile as the feelings of admiration came over her. “This is... stunning,” Maya whispered, smiling at a passing couple. She couldn’t wait to fi
The air in the kitchen felt heavy, as if the tension had entered into the very walls. Lily’s breaths came fast and shallow, her pulse racing as Alex’s dark presence loomed. The maids who had been diligently assisting her moments ago now stood frozen, their eyes darting nervously between Alex and Lily. “Leave us,” Alex commanded, his tone smooth but laced with steel. The maids exchanged anxious glances, clearly torn between obeying him and staying to protect Lily. One of them, a small woman named Breca, stepped forward, her hands trembling but her chin lifted defiantly. “No, sir,” Breca said, her voice quivering but resolute. “We can’t leave Luna Lily alone with you.” Alex’s expression remained calm, but the flicker of menace in his eyes was unmistakable. “I won’t repeat myself" Alex said, his voice stern and his eyes filled with power. Lily placed a gentle hand on Breca’s arm, drawing her attention. “Breca, it’s okay,” she said softly, trying to keep her voice steady despite
The great ballroom of the mansion sparkled like a dream, lit by cascading chandeliers that seemed to dance with the elegance of a thousand twinkling stars. Guests moved gracefully across the polished marble floor, their laughter and conversation blending harmoniously with the soft strains of classical music played by the live orchestra. Lily stood near the towering double doors, her palms lightly damp as she welcomed each guest with Lucas and Liam on either side of her, Alpha Dean and Luna Ariel just a few steps away. The weight of her position bore down on her like never before. Her dress, a flowing emerald-green gown that perfectly complemented her luminous skin, felt heavier than it had earlier, as if the expectations of the night were stitched into the fabric. “Welcome, Alpha Drake,” she said warmly, her voice steady despite the nerves knotting in her stomach. “We’re so honored to have you here tonight.” The broad-shouldered alpha nodded politely, his mate giving her an appr