Kael's POV The stone floors of the palace echoed under my boots as I marched through the hallway like a storm gathering strength. Rage churned in my chest, pulsing with each step. Every servant who saw me ducked out of my way, sensing the fury that licked around me like fire. My destination was clear—Lyria’s cell.But right now, all I could think of was Hood. What in the hell had he been thinking?My jaw clenched so hard I heard a faint crack in my own ears. Hood had no right. No permission. I hadn’t told him to let her out. I hadn’t even thought of it, not after everything. What if she’d escaped? What if she’d disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only questions and the sting of betrayal?I spotted him just ahead, leaning near the corridor that led to the cells. He straightened the moment he saw me, but there was something off about him—his usually neat appearance was frayed around the edges, like he’d just come out of a whirlwind. Hair disheveled. Shirt slightly rumpled. But
Kael’s POVI was done for. I knew it. The very moment my willpower began to crumble and my wolf clawed his way to the surface with an urgency I hadn’t felt in years—I knew I was cooked. Completely and utterly doomed.There was no logic left in me. No reasoning. No command. I wasn’t thinking anymore, only reacting.One moment I was frozen in place, the next I was lunging forward, propelled by something far greater than me. A pull so strong it felt cosmic. Lyria made a startled sound and staggered back, her chains clinking, halting her motion. She couldn’t escape. She didn’t even try to scream. She just stared at me with those eyes—those damn haunting eyes that seemed to see every broken shard in me.In the blink of an eye, I covered the little gap between us. The only little preamble was me brushing my lips against hers. The moment she parted those lips for me whether against her will or not, my tongue swept against her in a passionate kiss. This wasn't a kiss I could call gentle, tes
Lyria's POVIf someone had told me just a few hours ago that I would be smiling after a moment with Kael, I would have laughed in their face. I would have argued, tooth and nail. Maybe even bitten. Yet here I was, the afterglow of what had just happened clinging to my skin like dew on grass.I sat slumped against the cold stone wall, knees pulled to my chest, lips tugged into a stupid, giddy smile I couldn’t wipe off even if I tried. My fingers traced absentmindedly over the marks his hands had left on me—ghosts of touches that still buzzed beneath my skin, like tiny sparks dancing in my bloodstream.Normally, I wouldn't have let it happen. Goodness, I wouldn’t have. Mira had told me that neither of us would be able to resist each other. I had dismissed her words in my head, believing that my willpower not to have anything to do with him will be dominant. She had been right, hadn't she?No matter how much I despised Kael, how much bitterness I had stacked against him like stones in
Lyria's POV For a moment, I just sat on the floor, frozen, the stone floor biting into my skin, yet I couldn’t feel it. I couldn’t feel anything except the raw, thunderous pounding of my heart in my ears. Ivy’s words hung heavy in the air, ugly and twisted, and I couldn’t seem to breathe past the knot of shock wedged in my throat.“What made you think you could go on with him?” Ivy snarled, her voice sharp as broken glass. “Because you’re mates? Bullshit, Lyria. Bullshit!”I flinched like she’d struck me already. My eyes widened, staring at her, searching desperately for any sign that I’d misunderstood—that the Ivy standing before me wasn’t real. That somehow, somehow, this was all a cruel illusion.But there was no kindness left in her. No warmth. Only bitter hatred, contorting her face into something grotesque and unfamiliar.“Ivy…” I croaked, my voice a brittle whisper.She snapped forward like a whip. “Don’t you Ivy me!” she spat. For someone who was no more than just a chef in t
Lyria's POVFor a moment, I sat frozen on the floor, the sting on my cheek blazing like fire. I blinked once. Twice. Maybe thrice.But the hot burn spreading across my face was proof enough. The slap wasn't just a pigment of my imagination. Ivy had really struck me.Only then did my senses kick back in.I caught the sound of her hissing under her breath as she turned sharply on her heel, stomping toward the cell door, her shoulders high with pride, as though she'd just won some twisted battle between us. She thought I'd be too stunned to retaliate, too weakened to move. Foolish girl.Silent as a shadow, I rose from the floor, every muscle in my body tight with fury. My steps were swift but soundless as I followed her, my bare feet gliding over the cold stone. She was just a few feet from the exit when I caught up with her. Without hesitation, I grabbed the back of her dress, yanking her so hard she stumbled backward with a gasp.She whirled around, and before she could say a word, I
Kael's POV The moment Garrick stormed into the cell with the alarm of rogue wolves, I remained composed on the outside. I merely nodded, barked a few orders, and headed out with my sword strapped to my back. But inside me, a different storm raged—wild, violent, and relentless.Each step I took toward the woods was heavier than the last. Not because I feared battle—no. Battle was the language I spoke most fluently, the song my heart had long since memorized. I lived and breathed for it. It was in my blood, stitched into the very fabric of my being.But tonight... tonight was different.Lyria.The seer’s words clawed at the back of my mind like a feral beast, refusing to be silenced. She is the storm, connected to your death.What a maddening riddle. An itch beneath the skin I could neither scratch nor ignore.And even more maddening was the way the seer had smiled at me afterward, an eerie, knowing smile that still haunted me in the quiet moments. She had leaned close, her voice barel
Kael's POV Perched atop a withered, dying tree stood a rogue wolf. His fur was matted, dirty, and his body carried the pungent scent of decay, but it wasn’t his grotesque appearance that snatched my attention—it was the gleaming object clutched tightly in his hand.A gun.And not just any gun. Even from a distance, I could smell the metallic sting of wolfsbane lacing its barrel. A weapon designed for one purpose: to kill my kind.But that wasn’t all.Tied cruelly against the thick trunk of the tree was a woman—limp, her head bowed in unconsciousness, her face masked by a piece of cloth. The second my eyes fell on her, my heart stumbled.The hair.The shape of her body.Even from this distance, something about her screamed familiarity.Lyria?No. No, it couldn't be. I had left Lyria safely at home, wrapped in the comfort of thick walls and protection. It was impossible.My jaw tightened. I couldn't let myself think recklessly.Stepping forward, I barked, “Who are you? What do you want
Kael's POV I barely registered the sharp, searing pain of the second round of wolfsbane bullets tearing into my stomach. Garrick’s second arrow had sunk deep into the rogue’s belly, but the bastard had been true to his word—two more bullets were now lodged inside me, making four. The heat radiating from the wounds mingled with the firestorm burning around us, and the world around me began to tilt and blur at the edges, slowing in a haze of agony and despair.Was this it? Was this how it would end for me?Would Lyria’s name be the last thing that slipped from my dying lips?A guttural voice dragged me out of the dark haze consuming my mind."I said it before, but I’ll say it again," the rogue grunted, blood pouring down his side as he struggled to yank the arrow free from his belly. His face twisted into a gruesome smile, stained red. "I’m just a messenger of death... my master's faithful hound." His voice rang hoarse against the backdrop of crackling flames. "My fate was always to d
Lyria’s POVI sat still on the chair, trembling and broken. The only sound that filled the oppressive room was the soft, helpless sobs slipping from my lips. The blindfold was beginning to feel like a second skin, damp from my tears, pressing down on my eyelids like a cruel hand. My wrists throbbed where the ropes dug into my skin, my ankles raw from the futile struggles I had made earlier.I was beginning to drift into a haze of hopelessness when I heard it—the faint creak of a door opening.A gust of air whooshed into the room, carrying the scent of leather, iron, and something fouler—something that reeked of wickedness. My muscles tensed instinctively. I strained my ears, listening. The heavy boots stomped closer, echoing off the walls."Boss said to kill her," came a gruff voice, unmistakably belonging to one of the men who had mocked me earlier.Panic flooded my veins, icy and wild.I heard the unmistakable sound of a blade being unsheathed—a cold metallic scrape that sliced thr
Lyria's POVI woke to a world drowned in darkness.At first, confusion gripped me like icy fingers. I blinked rapidly, expecting my vision to adjust — but nothing changed. I couldn’t see a thing. Darkness coated everything, so thick and absolute it was as if I had been swallowed whole.My heart thudded painfully against my ribs, faster with each passing second. I tried to move, but something rough and unforgiving scraped against my skin.It didn't take me too long to realize it was rope. Tight. Coarse. Digging into my wrists and ankles with cruel persistence.Panic exploded in my chest as I jerked against the bonds, the wooden chair beneath me creaking ominously with the sudden movement. The more I struggled, the more the ropes bit deeper, burning my skin, but I couldn’t stop. Instinct screamed at me to fight.A soft whimper broke from my throat.Where am I?What happened to me?I struggled harder, twisting my arms in a desperate bid for freedom, but whoever tied me had done a thoroug
Kael's POV The moment Hood and Garrick returned to me again after the second search in the elders chambers, their faces grim and dust-streaked, my heart plunged into an abyss so deep I could barely stand.“No sign of her, my King,” Hood rasped, his voice heavy with regret. “We searched every elder’s chamber. Every hidden corner.”Garrick shook his head solemnly beside him. “No trace of Lyria. Nothing.”I staggered where I stood, my knees weakening against the onslaught of despair crashing through me. I didn’t care anymore that I stood before the very people I ruled, didn’t care about the several curious, half-mocking eyes watching me. The weight in my chest was too much. My legs buckled, and I almost sank to the ground like a broken man.But before I could fall, strong hands gripped my arms — Garrick on one side, Hood on the other.“My King—!” Hood hissed urgently under his breath, steadying me. “Don’t do this—don't show them weakness.”“Please, sire,” Garrick whispered, his voice th
Lyria's POVA soft breeze brushed against my face as I walked, carrying with it the scents of old stone, burnt wood, and something faintly metallic—a scent I could never quite forget.The elders' quarters loomed ahead, a series of worn, moss-covered buildings that had been my cage for as long as I could remember. Even before my feet fully crossed onto the grounds, a heavy wave of nostalgia slammed into me, stealing my breath.How many mornings had I woken to the sharp crack of a whip against stone? How many nights had I cried silently, scrubbing bloodstains from the elders’ dining hall floors, my own tears mixing with the grime?I drew a slow, steadying breath, lifting my chin as I approached. That was another life. Another Lyria.The soft patter of footsteps broke the heavy quiet, and I spotted some of the elders bustling about. Their eyes caught mine. For the first few seconds, none of them said a word—none spat curses or threw stones like they used to.Their silence was louder than
Lyria's POVThe soft, steady beat of Kael’s heart was the first thing I heard when I slowly drifted back into consciousness. His arms were wrapped securely around my waist, his body pressed against my back, anchoring me to him as if even in sleep he feared letting me go.The memory of last night rolled over me in heated waves, painting my cheeks pink as I slowly sat up, careful not to wake him. A moan slipped from my lips before I could stop it—half from the soreness between my thighs, half from the sweet, aching memory of him claiming every part of me so tenderly, so passionately, as if I were the air he breathed.My fingers brushed against my lips, remembering how he kissed me—how he whispered that I was his whole world between each breathless caress. I hadn’t known it could feel like that...like every part of my soul had been set ablaze.Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t realize Kael was now awake until I felt his lips on the crook of my neck which reminded me of his promise to me last
Kael's POVI stormed through the palace gates, my heart hammering wildly against my ribs as though trying to break free from my chest. Hood and Garrick hurried after me, neither daring to speak a word, perhaps because they could already sense the brewing storm inside me. I was walking so fast that by the time I reached the outer walls, a sheen of sweat had broken across my brow, but I didn’t care.Lyria was missing. And to me, nothing else mattered.We reached the open fields that led toward the Elders’ quarters and the adjoining market. My boots crushed the grass beneath me, my strides long and brutal. The air smelled of damp earth and the faint sweetness of ripe fruits carried from the market stalls beyond, but even the familiar scents only irritated me further. Every breath I took was heavy with regret and anger.I should have insisted she take a guard. I should have marked her last night, sealed our bond in blood and spirit. I should have—"Kael," Hood said, panting lightly besi
Kael’s POVThe crumbling of the sacred fountain had weighed heavily on me since I learnt of its desecration. I thought its destruction would spell doom for me, for the pack, for everything I was sworn to protect. But as I stepped out of my room now, my heart hammering against my ribs and mind spiraling into chaos, I realized something far worse had taken root in my soul.It wasn’t the fountain. It wasn’t the looming threat against the pack.It was Lyria.Lyria was in danger, and worse, I couldn’t feel her because I didn't get to mark her yet.Panic, raw and unfamiliar, churned inside me as I moved through the palace halls. Regret gnawed at my insides like a feral beast. I cursed myself over and over with every heavy step I took.Why had I listened to her when she said she didn’t need a guard?Why had I held back last night when my instincts had screamed at me to mark her?If I had marked her, I would have felt her through the bond — the tether that would have connected our souls no ma
Kael's POV The soft crackle of the fireplace filled the silence around me, a low, constant reminder of how long I had been sitting here... waiting. My eyes drifted again toward the window, scanning the narrow path that twisted away toward the market square, though I already knew I would find it empty.Still no sign of her.I drummed my fingers restlessly against the armrest of the chair, listening to the old wood groan beneath my touch."Come on, Lyria..." I muttered under my breath. "How long does it take to get a few things from the market?"But even as I said it, I forced myself to lean back and exhale slowly. The market could be crowded today. It wasn't uncommon for traders to clog the narrow lanes with their carts and stubborn donkeys. Maybe she had been delayed haggling with one of those greedy merchants who always tried to cheat the young and unsuspecting.My lips quirked slightly, despite myself. Lyria... naive at times, but never a fool. She would never let herself be cheate
Lyria's POV The moment Kael’s lips brushed against mine, a shiver of longing rippled through me. I didn't even let his touch linger too lightly. Instinctively, my lips parted, granting him entrance, and he seized it without hesitation. His mouth explored mine with a fervor that left no part untouched, his tongue sweeping against mine like two acrobatic dancers lost in an endless, mesmerizing rhythm.My fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, tugging him closer until there was no space left between us. The heat of his body enveloped me, and his scent — wild, masculine, entirely Kael — clouded my senses, leaving me drunk with desire.His hands roamed my back with slow, possessive strokes, as though mapping every inch of me into memory. Every caress was both reverent and demanding, awakening every nerve under my skin. He kissed me deeper, as if trying to etch his soul into mine, and my knees buckled slightly under the weight of the passion building between us.Kael groaned against