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 days went on, but the strange feeling in Lily’s chest only grew stronger. Maya had noticed her being distracted in school. “Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked for the third time that week, sitting next to Lily in the courtyard during lunch.Lily nodded her head to answer.“Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired" She replied.“Tired from what? It’s not like you’re pulling all-nighters for school,” Maya teased, but her eyes were filled with concern. “Look, I know things have been tough with the twins, but something feels off. You’ve been acting weird.”Lily sighed, leaning back against the tree they sat under. “It’s not just them,” she admitted. “There’s… something else.”Maya frowned.“What do you mean?” she asked almost immediately.Lily hesitated, unsure if she should even bring it up. She didn’t want to sound paranoid, but the feeling of fear had been in her mind for days. Finally, she decided to tell Maya about the person she’d seen outside her window.“I think someone’s been watchin
The Moon Goddess Festival arrived faster than Lily expected. All around her, the pack buzzed with anticipation. Decorations hung from the trees and houses, and people seemed to be enjoying the evening's grand celebration. The festival had always been a massive event for the pack, a tradition going back centuries. It was meant to honor the Moon Goddess and her guidance over the wolves, particularly in matters of mates.But for Lily, tonight held a much darker significance. It was time for her escape, the day she had been counting down to for years, the day she would finally leave. No one in the pack had cared about her birthday; no one even acknowledged it, they probably didn't remember. All they cared was the Alpha twins mate ritual. But that didn’t matter. She didn’t need their well wishes. What she needed was freedom.She clenched her fists at the thought of Lucas and Liam. All these years, they had tormented her relentlessly, making her life a living hell. And now, they were
Lily stood in complete silence, the weight of the Moon Goddess's choice pressing down on her heavily.It felt surreal to be named the mate of Lucas and Liam, the very twins who had turned her life into a living nightmare. A rush of anger filled her veins and judging from the cold expression on both their faces, it was obvious they hated the idea of being tied to her too.“This can’t be real,” she muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. “You’re both sick for even thinking I would accept this.”Liam stepped forward, arms crossed as he rolled his eyes. He felt she was being too dramatic. Every girl would kill to be chosen as their mate but Lily was behaving like she hasn't just won a lottery.“But the Goddess has chosen you, Lily. You don’t get to decide. This is destiny” He replied.“Destiny?” Lily spat, her voice rising. “Destiny is not being forced into a relationship with two bullies! You think I would ever want to be with you after everything you’ve done?”“Look, Lily,” Lucas sai
The cool night air hit Lily’s face as Lucas and Liam dragged her back to the city square. She was already boiling, her mind filled with anger and frustration. The town square was full, all eyes turning as the twins brought her into the center. A loud gasp rose from the crowd, and whispers went through the pack as people recognized her.“Isn’t that Lily? What’s happening?” someone murmured.“She tried to run, didn’t she?” another voice said, obviously with hate.“Traitor,” someone added, and soon enough, the crowd’s murmur turned into a loud series of sneers and insults.Lily clenched her jaw, refusing to let their words wound her. They had called her every name possible over the years; what was one more insult? She kept her gaze ahead, narrowing her eyes as she spotted Alpha Dean, Lucas and Liam’s father, standing at the front of the gathering. He held his head high, a look of both anger and disappointment plastered into his face as he looked at her.“She tried to cross the bounda
Lily froze as Graham’s cold stare bore down on her. Her heart raced, and her palms began to sweat, but she forced herself to stay calm. She has seen him around in school and she knew exactly how ruthless he was whenever he suspected someone of going against his masters.“Graham,” she said, forcing a small, nervous smile. “I... I just got a bit lost. This place is so huge, you know? I was just trying to find my way back to my room.”Graham raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. He obviously did not believe anything she had to say.“Lost?” he repeated, his voice sharp with disbelief. “You expect me to believe that?”Lily’s heart sank. His eyes were too keen, too piercing, as if he could see straight through her. She swallowed sliver, choosing to stick fiercely to her story. “Yes, lost,” she insisted, trying to keep her voice steady. “It’s not like I’ve spent much time in the mansion, this is actually my first time since I was a child. It’s easy to take a wrong turn. I mean, you should know t
Lily’s mother hummed softly to herself as she carefully applied a fresh layer of lipstick, then dabbed powder onto her face, her eyes bright with excitement. She was finally getting what she had hoped for all these years; recognition and respect.She glanced over at Lily, who sat with a sad expression on her face on a chair across the room, her tear-streaked face hidden by her hands.She couldn't believe her own mother would betray her in such an undignified way.“Oh, darling,” her mother said, not bothering to hide the excitement in her voice, “you have no idea how amazing this is going to be for us. Once you’re officially made Luna, we’ll be one of the most important families in the pack. People will respect us. They’ll look up to us!”Lily’s stomach got sick as she listened to her mother’s words. She felt trapped, like she was drowning and no one was there to pull her up. Each word her mother spoke felt like another weight dragging her down. Of all the people who understood what
The hum of the engine filled the silence as Alex’s car sped down the long road that was beginning to stretch as far as Lily’s eyes could see.Lily sat stiffly in the back seat, her wrists still bound and her heart pounding in her chest. Her eyes looked out the window, searching for any recognizable things that could indicate they were getting near the agreed meeting place.But the farther they drove, the more her anxiety grew. The scenery was all wrong—nothing matched the vague directions she had overheard Lucas and Liam discussing.Alex’s profile was calm, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly. His eyes were focused on the road ahead, his jaw set in a way that told her he was deep in thought. She took a deep breath, summoning the courage to speak.“You missed the turn,” she said, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade.Alex didn’t respond, his expression unchanging.“You’re not going to the meeting place,” Lily pressed, her voice rising slightly. “Where are you
The forest clearing was eerily quiet, bathed in the dim light of the setting sun. The trees around them swayed gently, their branches casting long shadows that danced across the ground. Lucas’s car came to a stop on the edge of the clearing, the engine humming softly before being cut off. For a moment, silence enveloped them, broken only by the distant rustling of leaves.Lucas stepped out first, his eyes scanning the area with a calculating gaze. His muscles were taut, his every sense on high alert. Behind him, Liam exited the passenger seat, his expression just as tense. Graham and Lucian followed suit, both of them watching the treeline warily. In the center of the clearing was a car, parked, its doors shut but its presence glaringly obvious.Lucas narrowed his eyes, his hand instinctively hovering near the dagger strapped to his side. “That’s Alex’s car,” he said, his voice low and steady, but there was an edge to it—a tension that hinted at the storm brewing beneath the surfa
The car sped along the empty road, its engine humming steadily as Lucas gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white. The calm expression he wore was a mask—a poorly constructed one—because beneath it was a storm of emotions threatening to break free. Fear, anger, and guilt churned inside him, all tied to one thought: Lily.Beside him in the passenger seat, Liam stared out of the window, his jaw clenched. He hadn’t spoken much since they’d left, but the tension in his body told Lucas that his brother was feeling the same torment. Their bond as twins was unspoken, but Lucas could sense the mixture of rage and terror simmering beneath Liam’s exterior.In the backseat, Graham and Lucian were silent too, though the air around them was no less heavy. Lucian, ever perceptive, finally broke the quiet, his voice low and filled with remorse.“I need to say something,” he began, his gaze fixed on the floor. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry that Alex has caused so much pain in your pack. If I
The sound of the car engine hummed steadily as Alex drove down the desolate, winding road. The sun was beginning its descent, casting a fiery orange glow over the horizon. The inside of the car was tense and suffocating, a battlefield of unspoken anger and defiance. Lily sat in the back seat, her wrists bound loosely, but not tightly enough to stop her from scheming. Her sharp gaze flicked to Alex’s phone, carelessly placed in his back pocket before he’d started driving. A sliver of hope glimmered in her mind. If she could just get her hands on it, maybe she could warn Lucas and Liam about the trap Alex had set for them.She leaned back, feigning an air of indifference, though her heart was racing. "You know," she began, her voice dripping with disdain, "for someone who thinks he’s such a mastermind, you’re really just a coward."Alex’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, but he didn’t respond immediately. He glanced at her through the rearview mirror, his expression calm but hi
The dim light of dawn filtered through the tall windows of the study, casting long shadows across the room where Lucas, Liam, Graham, and Lucian were seated around a large wooden table. The tension in the air was palpable, each of them deep in thought as they prepared for the confrontation with Alex. They had spent the last hour brainstorming, debating, and dissecting every possible scenario, and now, the final pieces of their plan were beginning to fall into place.Lucas leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table and his hands clasped tightly. "The priority is getting Lily out safely," he said, his voice firm. "Nothing else matters if we can't protect her. We can’t afford to make any mistakes."Liam nodded, his jaw clenched. "Agreed. But we also can’t let Alex walk away from this unscathed. He’s crossed too many lines. If we don’t stop him now, he’ll only come back stronger."Lucian tapped a pen against the table, his sharp gaze fixed on the map they had spread out before th
Descent into DangerThe air in the room was suffocating as Lily paced back and forth, her mind racing. Every second that went by felt like an eternity. The thought of Alex’s plan against Lucas and Liam gnawed at her insides. She had to warn them—there was no time to waste. Her heart pounded as she glanced at the locked door for the hundredth time, knowing it was no use. If she wanted to escape, there was only one way out—the window.Lily pulled the curtains aside, her stomach flipping as she looked down. The house stood high off the ground, its position on a steep hill making the drop seem even more perilous. The window led to a slanted roof that extended a few feet outward before it dropped into the rocky terrain below. It was dangerous, but it was her only option.Taking a deep breath, Lily steeled herself. I can do this. I have to do this. For Lucas and Liam. She pushed open the window, the crisp night air biting her skin. Climbing onto the windowsill, she clung to the frame,
Lily woke up to the faint sound of muffled voices outside the door of her room. The walls were thick, but her heightened senses could pick up some parts of the conversation. She groaned softly, rubbing her eyes and stretching her stiff muscles. The room was dimly lit, a stark contrast to the lavish décor that surrounded her. The bed she had slept on was outrageously comfortable, but the sight of the silk sheets and expensive furnishings only made her angrier.It was all a gilded cage.Lily forced herself to sit up, brushing her tangled hair out of her face. She hated everything about this place—the elegant drapes, the polished floors, the tasteful art on the walls. It all screamed of Alex’s arrogance, of his belief that he could buy his way into power and control everyone around him.Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door unlocking. It creaked open slowly, revealing Alex standing there, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. He carried himself with the same irrita
Lucas paced the length of the room, his phone clutched tightly in his hand. His jaw was clenched, and his steps were heavy, the frustration and anger radiating off him like a storm. Liam sat on the edge of the couch, his elbows resting on his knees, fingers steepled in front of him. The tension in the room was palpable, as though the air itself had thickened with the weight of the impending call.Maya, Graham, Lucian, and Lexa sat nearby, each wearing varying expressions of concern, anger, and apprehension. They had all heard Alex’s threats, seen Lucas’s reaction, and felt the helplessness that came with being cornered.Lucas stopped pacing and glanced at Liam, his icy blue eyes reflecting his inner turmoil. “Are you ready for this?”Liam nodded, though his expression was grim. “We don’t have a choice. Let’s get this over with.”Lucas hesitated for a brief moment before dialing the number. The phone rang twice before it was picked up, and Alex’s smooth, mocking voice came through
The first thing Lily noticed as she woke up was the faint, sweet aroma of bacon and eggs. The curtains were drawn tightly, blocking out any light, but a soft, warm glow from a nearby lamp illuminated the space.Her heart sank as the memories of the previous day came flooding back. Alex. The kidnapping. The struggle. Her pulse quickened as she sat up, her head moving around to take in her surroundings. The room was tastefully furnished, the walls painted a calming shade of gray, and there was no sign of chains or bars, but the locked door she had tested the night before told her everything she needed to know—she was a prisoner.Her stomach growled loudly, betraying her hunger, but Lily forced herself to ignore it. She didn’t trust Alex, and she certainly didn’t trust anything he offered, even food. The scent of breakfast, however, was relentless, tugging at her resolve.She swung her legs over the side of the bed, the cold floor sending a shiver up her spine. Slowly, she moved towa