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Chapter Forty

Penulis: Ella Wealth
last update Terakhir Diperbarui: 2025-03-29 02:18:17

The whispers in the crowd didn’t quiet right away. Some seemed intrigued, some wary and others downright skeptical, but none challenged me openly. I’d anticipated resistance, had steeled myself for that, but I felt like I faced something worse with the weight of their silence. It was the silence of a pack that didn’t know whether to welcome me or rip me to shreds. These wolves had followed Lucian for years, had fought for him, had trusted him with their lives. And now, just like that, I had been drawn into their universe as their Luna.

Lucian was by my side, steady and unyielding, the glimmer of humor still dancing behind those keen blue eyes. He had at least opened up the space for me to talk, although I knew better than to be under any illusions that that meant I had any real agency. He was counting on this, anticipating my reluctance, and now, he was just sitting back, waiting, watching what I was going to do now that he had put me in a situation like this. He fed on chaos, on unpr
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  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Forty-One

    Dawn came too soon. The stars were fading into the promise of morning as I stood in the training grounds, surrounded by the pack that wouldn’t make the decision whether I lived or died today. The cold slashed my skin but I hardly felt it, my body thrumming with adrenaline, my mind sharp, ready to do this. The atmosphere was charged with expectation and the weight of all the expectation pressing down on me like a physical thing. They wanted a fight, wanted to see what sort of Luna I’d make, whether I’d be worthy enough to stand at Lucian’s side, to survive.Lucian lingered at the perimeter of the circle, arms folded, the same inscrutable gaze fixed on me, as if he were wondering whether I might rise or fall. His presence felt like a tempest gathering on the outskirts, powerful, inescapable and entirely too familiar. He had set up this moment, had allowed me to demonstrate my worth, but it was also a test, and one I couldn’t afford to fail.Valeria was standing next to him, arms crossed

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-30
  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Forty-Two

    The celebration was at full blast.With the challenge behind us, the pack had fully accepted me as their Luna, and their former doubts and skepticism had been washed away in a surge of adrenaline. Warriors toasted to my name, bonfires roared and the energy around was thick with unspoken acceptance. I should have felt relieved. I should have felt triumphant. Instead, I felt trapped.Lucian was never far.Though he allowed the others to indulge, he stayed close, watching me with those keen, knowing eyes, like he could see every thought fighting in my head. He lingered -- a specter pacing next to me, the tether binding us thrumming with a consciousness that was impossible to ignore.I hated how he affected me.How I hated that my body had finally stopped fighting the pull, that a part of my wolf had settled with him as though she had waited her whole life for this moment. I wanted to deny it, to resent it, but each time I looked at him, my pulse was an unconfirmed traitor.And Lucian kne

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-31
  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Forty-Three

    The following morning arrived with a rap on my door. I had hardly slept, my mind knotted up with thoughts I didn’t want to have, my body getting used to the bond that I could no longer ignore. For hours, I had tossed and turned, cursing Lucian, cursing the mate bond, cursing myself for even daring to think what it would mean if I stopped fighting it.Then came the knock, this time more insistent.I sucked in my breath and dragged myself out of bed. “What?”Valeria’s cool voice penetrated the door. “Training in ten minutes. Don’t be late.”Training. Right.I rubbed a hand across my face, willing myself to shake off the feeling of tiredness. This was what I’d wanted, right? A chance to prove myself? To prove myself, to demonstrate I wasn’t just some Luna by name only?I threw on my training gear, tied my hair back and pushed open the door. Valeria stood there with crossed arms, her silver eyes taking me in with the same suspicion she had from the moment we met. She had never hidden that

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-01
  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Forty-Four

    I fully intended to ignore Lucian’s so-called “dinner invitation.” It wasn’t so much an invitation as it was a demand, entreating me with a self-satisfied smirk and the complete assumption that I wouldn’t say no. And that certainty was exactly why I wanted to deny it.However, as foretold, when the hour arrived, I stood before his chambers, gazing at the stout oak door as if it were the portal into some forbidden kingdom.I could turn around. I could walk away.But I knew deep down that I wouldn’t.Taking a deep breath I opened the door and entered.The flickering glow of a fireplace lit the room, casting shadows across the stone walls. The smell of roasted meat and seasoned veggies wafted through the air and my stomach betrayed me when it growled. I hated that Lucian had planned everything, even the fact that I was starving, having not eaten all day.Lucian was already sitting at the long wooden table, a glass of dark wine in his hand. He didn’t look up, not at first, twirling the li

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-02
  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Forty-Five

    The air beyond Lucian’s chambers was chillier than it would be otherwise, or perhaps that was simply the impact of the storm raging inside me. My heart was still hammering from that last moment, from the way his fingers had skimmed my skin, from the way his words had clung to me as if they belonged. I hated how quickly he unraveled me.I trudged down the dark hall, warding away the heaviness of our exchange, but it clung to me stubbornly and tenaciously. And he had stood there, completely still, completely unfazed, as though he knew I would return.That arrogance. That confidence.It made me want to scream.Or worse—turn back around.No. I needed space. I needed air.The halls were quiet, the majority of the pack already tucked in for the night. But I wasn’t ready for sleep. Not with the way my thoughts were spinning, crashing, won’t calm down. I found myself heading toward the training grounds, following the pull of muscle memory and a desperate need to move my body without thinking

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-03
  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Forty-Six

    The night air was thicker this time, pushing against my skin as I made my way back into the main hall, my heart pounding against my chest. The words of Killian echoed in my mind, an ominous drumbeat that wouldn’t go away.A public ceremony. To mark me.Lucian had orchestrated this without my knowledge. He’d made up his mind, as he always did, without checking in with me, without asking my permission. The sound of it, of being his in front of a crowd, in front of all of the pack, sent a shudder up my spine.And the worst part?I wasn’t so sure I hated the idea.I hated him, or I wanted to hate him. But the yearning, fierce magnetism between us was inescapable. The way his eyes darkened whenever I was near, the way his voice went low on the slightest dip when he spoke my name, the way I had no magical powers and my body rebelled any time he got near.And now? Now he was forcing my hand.I marched through the corridors without paying attention to the glances of the guards at night. Each 

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-04
  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Forty-Seven

    The morning arrived too soon.I had barely slept, the weight of Lucian’s words pressing down on me like a vice. You know this is bigger than just you and me. The worst part was that I did. I knew it. But that didn’t mean I had to like it.The thought of being marked in front of everyone, of becoming his in a way that was irreversible, sent a whirlwind of conflicting emotions spiraling inside me.And yet, there was a part of me that wasn’t just resisting out of principle. A part of me that was terrified—because once it happened, there would be no more denying what I already felt.I sat on the edge of the massive bed, staring at my hands. They were shaking.A knock at the door made me jump.I inhaled sharply before forcing my voice to remain steady. “Come in.”The door opened, and Killian stepped inside, his expression unreadable. He wasn’t in his usual uniform. Instead, he looked more relaxed—well, as relaxed as someone like Killian could ever look."You look like hell," he said, closi

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-05
  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Forty-Eight

    The room felt smaller after Lucian’s words, the air too thick to breathe. Enough to start a war. My mind raced, replaying every moment with Killian, every cryptic word he’d dropped like breadcrumbs I hadn’t bothered to follow. There might be another way. Had he meant betrayal all along? Or was this something else—something I couldn’t yet grasp?Lucian stood by the door, his broad frame taut with barely restrained fury. His hands flexed at his sides, like he was itching to hit something—or someone. I didn’t blame him. I felt it too, that restless burn under my skin, the kind that comes when you realize you’ve been blindsided by someone you thought you could trust.“What does he know?” I asked again, my voice sharper this time. I wasn’t letting it go.Lucian’s silver eyes flicked to me, hard and unyielding. “You don’t need to—”“Don’t,” I cut him off, stepping closer. “Don’t pull that ‘protecting me’ crap. If Killian’s gone to the Bloodfangs with something that could destroy us, I deser

    Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-04-06

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  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Sixty-One

    The Hollows glowed under the elders’ fires, their ancient faces carved with shock as we stumbled from the cavern’s mouth, battered and bleeding. My heart pounded, the bond with Lucian a frantic pulse—alive, urgent, but fraying under the weight of what we’d seen. The mirror’s reflection burned in my mind—my face, twisted, marked, hers. The man’s words—the breaking begins with you—clawed at me, a truth I couldn’t unhear. I gripped my blade, its weight the only thing keeping me from unraveling.Lucian’s hand stayed on my arm, his silver eyes searching mine, blood dripping from a fresh cut on his cheek. “You’re okay,” he said, more command than question, but his voice shook, betraying him.“Am I?” I whispered, my voice raw, the bond spiking with my fear. That reflection wasn’t just a trick—it felt real, like a piece of me I didn’t know existed.Killian staggered up, staff in hand, his face pale. “What the hell was that? A cult? Magic? And that mirror—” He cut off, glancing at me, like he

  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Sixty

    Her words clung to me like damp rot—you’re mine. They echoed as we pushed deeper into the Deadwood, the forest closing around us like a fist. My wounds throbbed—leg, arm, side—but I gritted my teeth, keeping pace with Lucian, the bond a taut thread pulling me forward. The dagger was back in its leather wrap, but its faint hum lingered in my bones, a reminder of the woman’s power, her claim. I didn’t know what she meant, but the way Lucian’s jaw stayed tight, his eyes scanning every shadow, told me he was as shaken as I was.Killian led the way, his staff probing the path, his usual banter replaced by a grim focus. Mara trailed behind, her knife out, her face set despite the bruises darkening her skin. The Deadwood was quieter now, the trees still, but it felt like a held breath, like the forest was waiting for us to slip.“We’re close,” Lucian said, his voice low, breaking the silence. “The Hollows should be just past the ridge.”“Should be,” Killian muttered, glancing back. “This pla

  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Fifty-Nine

    The dagger lay on the table in Lucian’s study, its etched symbols mocking us in the dim firelight. My wounds ached—leg stitched, arm bandaged—but the pain was a distant hum compared to the dread curling in my chest. That figure, its voice, the void-like arch—it wasn’t just a threat. It was a doorway, a glimpse into something far bigger than Bloodfangs or pack wars. The bond with Lucian thrummed, restless, urging action, but we had no map, no answers, only this cursed blade and a ticking clock.Lucian stood across from me, his hands braced on the table, his silver eyes fixed on the dagger like he could will it to speak. Killian leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his bruises stark under the flickering light. The pack was on edge outside, their murmurs filtering through the walls—fear, defiance, confusion. We’d survived the night, but at what cost?“We can’t stay here,” I said, breaking the silence. My voice was hoarse, but it carried. “Whoever—whatever—that was, they know where we a

  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Fifty-Eight

    The hall was a sanctuary of flickering firelight, but it couldn’t warm the chill that had settled in my bones. I lay on a cot near the hearth, the healers’ hands quick and steady as they stitched my leg, bandaged my arm, and pressed a bitter tonic to my lips. Pain throbbed with every heartbeat, but it was distant, drowned out by the storm in my head. The creature was dead, its pendant dark, but the questions it left behind were alive, clawing at me. Who sent it? Why us? And how much worse could this get?Lucian sat beside me, his own wounds patched but ignored, his silver eyes fixed on the pendant in his hand. It looked harmless now, just a carved stone, but the memory of its glow—of the creature it controlled—made my skin crawl. The bond between us hummed, taut with shared unease, tying us tighter than ever. I hated how much I needed it, needed *him*, to keep from spiraling.Killian slumped in a chair nearby, his face bruised but his grin stubborn. “Well, we’re not dead,” he said, hi

  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Fifty-Seven

    The hall was a hive of tension, the air thick with the scent of blood and antiseptic as healers darted between the wounded. My arm burned under the makeshift bandage, my side a constant throb, but I barely noticed. My eyes were glued to the pendant on the table, its spiraling symbols seeming to writhe in the firelight, whispering secrets we couldn’t yet decode. Lucian sat beside me, his shoulder pressed against mine, his silence heavier than the chaos around us. The bond pulsed—urgent, restless—like it knew something we didn’t.Killian paced nearby, his staff tapping the floor, his face a mask of frustration. “We’re sitting ducks,” he muttered, glancing at the pendant. “That thing’s a beacon, and we’re just… what? Waiting for the next monster to knock?”Lucian’s jaw tightened, but before he could answer, a scout burst through the doors, his face ashen, blood streaking his cheek. “Alpha!” he gasped, stumbling forward. “It’s here—another one. Bigger.”My heart stopped. The room went sil

  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Fifty-Six

    The creature’s roar shook the air, a sound that clawed at my nerves and made my teeth ache. It was massive—bigger than any wolf, its form a grotesque blend of muscle and shadow, with limbs that bent wrong and eyes like burning coals. My heart slammed against my ribs as I gripped my blade, the bond with Lucian screaming in my chest—stay, fight, protect. Running wasn’t an option, not with him facing this thing head-on.Lucian moved first, diving low to slash at its flank, his blade sparking against its hide like it was made of stone. The creature snarled, swiping with a claw that caught his shoulder, tearing through leather and drawing blood. He grunted but didn’t falter, rolling clear as Killian swung his staff, aiming for its head. The hit landed with a crack, but the beast barely flinched, its gaze locking onto me.“Angel, move!” Killian shouted, but I was already dodging as it lunged, its claws gouging the earth where I’d stood. I scrambled back, my side throbbing, blood seeping thr

  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Fifty-Five

    The clearing was a graveyard of chaos—torches guttering out, bodies strewn across the blood-soaked ground, the air thick with the metallic tang of death. My side burned where claws had torn through, each breath a sharp reminder of how close I’d come to not making it. Lucian’s arm stayed around me, steadying me as we staggered toward the hall, the pack trailing behind in a ragged, weary line. The bond between us pulsed, raw and insistent, grounding me even as my vision blurred at the edges.Killian limped ahead, barking orders to the trackers—secure the perimeter, check for stragglers. His voice was hoarse but firm, like he was holding himself together through sheer stubbornness. I knew the feeling. The adrenaline was gone, leaving only pain and a nagging sense that this wasn’t over, no matter how dead Veyra was.Inside the hall, the warmth hit like a slap, the fire roaring in the hearth. Pack members who hadn’t fought crowded in, their faces pale, questions tumbling out. Lucian raised

  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Fifty-Four

    The cheers of the pack still echoed in my ears as Lucian and I stepped off the platform, the cord still binding our hands, the bond thrumming like a live wire between us. The torchlight danced across his face, casting sharp shadows over his jaw, and for a moment, I let myself feel it—the weight of what we’d just done, the wild, unsteady rush of it. The pack pressed in, their voices a roar of celebration, but something gnawed at the edge of my senses, a prickling unease I couldn’t shake.Lucian felt it too. His grip on my hand tightened, his body shifting subtly, like a predator catching a scent. “Stay close,” he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear.I nodded, my free hand brushing the hilt of the blade at my hip. The ceremony was over, the mark sealed, but the night felt unfinished—too charged, too fragile. The crowd parted as we moved toward the main hall, Killian falling in beside us, his grin fading as he caught Lucian’s tension.“Trouble?” he asked, his voice casu

  • Fated Vengeance: A Mate's Reckoning    Chapter Fifty-Three

    The decision hung in the air like smoke after a fire—lingering, heavy, impossible to ignore. I’d said it, and Lucian had accepted it, but as I left his study, my stomach churned with a mix of resolve and dread. Together. It sounded solid, final, but it didn’t erase the questions clawing at me. What did this mean for us—for me? I’d spent so long fighting the pull of him, the pack, this life. Now I was stepping into it, eyes open, and it felt like jumping off a cliff without knowing how deep the drop was.The next morning, the compound buzzed with a different energy. Word had spread—whispers turning into murmurs, then full-on conversations. The ceremony was on, set for tomorrow night under the full moon. I caught the glances as I walked through the hall—some wary, some relieved, a few even warm. It was strange, being seen like this, not as the outsider or the fighter, but as something more. Lucian’s mate. The title still sat uneasy on my shoulders, like a coat that didn’t quite fit.I f

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