Lucas' POVI was stunned. Completely paralyzed.When my deceased Beta, Basil, was alive, I had promised to look after his sister. If he were here now, he might be able to forgive me for the way I'd treated her.I rose, facing Josephine. "You're free to go now. Jorah will be in touch. Don't ever set foot in my pack again."Josephine lifted her head, defiant. "There won't be a next time, Alpha Lucas."After she left, I felt a gnawing unease settle deep within me. Why did Josephine's visit bother me so much? Perhaps it was because she was pregnant.I needed to be with Leah. The doctor's orders be damned—I had to go to her now.Just as I was about to leave, Gean Lee walked back in, casually wiping his hands with a handkerchief, as calm as ever."So?" I demanded."His Highness Leonard is asleep now," he said, placing a small, switch-like device on the table."And what's that?" I asked, frowning."It's a microchip. He had it implanted under his skin to communicate with his prototype soldier
Leah's POV"Take off your clothes," he commanded, his voice low, yet imbued with undeniable authority.Never in my life had I been forced to do anything, making his commanding tone both foreign and strangely tantalizing."You heard me, Leah," Finn repeated, his eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. "I want you. Right here, right now.""Finn, we need to talk," I said, my voice wavering.Finn roared, his hands gripping my shoulders with a fierce, almost desperate strength. "I don't want to talk," he snarled. "I want you to take off your clothes right now. Don’t make me do it for you. You're not the Lycan King's daughter to me. You're my woman. And I want my woman to obey..."I didn't wait for him to finish. With a deliberate, almost defiant motion, I tilted my head and slowly unbuttoned my blouse.Finn’s gaze fixated on my plump breasts and the swelling curve of my belly, his expression shifting to one of disbelief."I'm pregnant, Finn," I said, my vo
Leah's POVMy father? This was the second time someone had mentioned his involvement in the enhancement project. Yet, that still didn't validate Leo's outrageous claims."The lab was destroyed later," Sak continued."What happened?" I asked, my curiosity piqued."It was located at the far end of the old Huffner Bridge. When Mick set fire to the bridge, the lab caught fire and burned down."Mick Toussaint. He was just a teenager back then. He set the bridge ablaze and was later sent to rehab by his father, the late Alpha Dire. The past was a jumble of fragmented events, impossible to piece together fully."The next time I saw Finn was at the slave market," Sak went on. "I recognized him immediately because of the scars on his chest. I bought him and took him home, giving him food and shelter. I didn't want him working in the club, but the Blazebite Prowlers kept causing trouble. When you came to my club, I had to push Finn out to keep them away. With your influence, they wouldn't dare
Leah's POV"You're still in love with him. Love clouds your judgment. He's going to strangle you and your cub to death, but you still want to flee with him. I can't let this madness continue. It's time to put an end to it," my wolf said, her voice calm in my mind."If you let him out, I will hate you for the rest of my life!" I screamed."I don't care," her voice was unwavering. "You'll hate me for a while. But eventually, you'll make peace with it. Men come and go, but you're stuck with me.""You're impossible! He's the father of my baby!" I shouted. "You will make my baby fatherless!"At that moment, Finn shifted into human form. He picked up the clothes from the ground and put them on piece by piece.As he dressed, he said, "Leah, I know you're there. I know you can hear me. You deserve the truth, and now I'm telling you. My entire life, I've been used and exploited. My blood was altered, my muscles torn and reassembled. Sak forced me to stay with you, Jalin used Sak to make me ple
Gean's POVMy life is nothing short of tragic. I think that’s a fair assessment. Loving men is apparently a capital offense in our pack. They shunned me like I was a plague-ridden rat, disregarding every talent I had to offer.But I’m a problem solver. I work with diverse clients, providing them expert solutions. To truly excel, you need a personal touch and influential connections. And what could be more influential than a prodigal son from a Lycan family?I met Leo during his time in medical school. He was as queer as a three-dollar bill back then and convinced he had some mysterious ailment. He’d lock himself away in the lab for weeks, only to emerge with a new potion, claiming he’d discovered the cure. He’d down it and promptly pass out, only to wake up queerer than ever.It took a lot of persuading to convince him that there was nothing wrong with us. I can be very persuasive, if you catch my drift. One morning, he woke up in my arms and said, “Gean, I think I’ve found my solutio
Leah's POVI despise the darkness. Ever since I was a little girl, I've had a phobia of dark, narrow places.“Leah, are you okay?” Finn turned back, concern etched on his face."I... I don't know, Finn. Something's wrong," I whispered, feeling light-headed and disoriented."Can you walk? Do you need me to carry you?" he asked, already moving towards me. Before I could respond, he had scooped me up and slung me over his back.At that moment, the world spun chaotically around me."Hang in there," Finn urged, picking up his pace. "We’ll be there soon."Even as my head swam, my mind raced uncontrollably. Anxiety gripped me, and I couldn't shake it off. Was it because of the pregnancy? I didn't know. I had never felt anything like this before, but then again, I had never been in such a dire situation either.My breathing grew labored, and I clenched my fists. Finn noticed and reassured me, “We’re almost there, Leah. Stay with me.”I shut my eyes tightly. I had never felt so vulnerable and
Leah's POVFinn kept his silence, a rare occurrence that only deepened the enigma that surrounded him. The more time I spent with him, the more his mysteries unfolded, like shadows weaving around him. It was as if something dark and heavy, invisible to the eye, ensnared him. I desperately wanted to help lift that burden, but the 'how' eluded me, plunging me into sadness.Reaching out to grab his hand, he took a deliberate step back, evading my touch. "Finn, you know you can share anything with me,” I said softly, my heart pounding with every word.His face darkened, and his voice dropped to a whisper, "Leah, I don’t want to talk about it right now."“Finn, I understand, but the tattoo on your chest...” I whispered, my curiosity tipping the balance.He erupted in anger, his voice thunderous, "I’ve already told you. I don’t want to discuss it now!"His sudden outburst stunned me into silence. This was a side of Finn I had never seen before—maybe this was the real him, I thought. The rea
Leah's POV"I need you to perform for me, Miss Lewyn," Alpha Kyle stated firmly. "I saw your performance at His Majesty's birthday party recently. It was quite impressive.""Excuse me?" I frowned, taken aback."Alpha Mick is getting married and has invited all the other Alphas to Mediland. I was asked to put on a spectacular show to entertain them. The usual slave dances are so tedious. So, I thought I’d try something different...""I'm a fugitive on the run. You can't possibly think I could dance in front of a room full of Alphas who know my hus..." I hesitated, swallowing the word 'husband.'Finn clenched his fists angrily.Alpha Kyle continued with a lecherous smirk, "I should inform you that your husband will also be in the audience. He has already accepted Alpha Mick's invitation. But don't worry about it. The way I want you to dance doesn't emphasize your face but other parts of your body..."Before he could finish, Finn stood up, grabbing my arm and leading me away."Coming her
Leah's POVAfter that day, a doctor came three times daily to run all kinds of tests and scans on me. Every time he left, he would inject sedatives into my veins, forcing me into a deep sleep. I dreaded these forced slumbers. They were filled with terrifying nightmares, yet as soon as I woke up, the memories of those dreams slipped away like sand through my fingers.One day, while I was in a light doze, a sudden bang on the door jolted me awake. The door was flung open, and several soldiers marched into the cell. I stared at them, paralyzed with fear.“What… What are you going to do?” I whispered, my voice barely audible.None of them answered. One soldier stepped forward and unchained me. I collapsed to the ground, my legs and arms numb. Two men grabbed me, hoisting me up by the shoulders and dragging me out of the cell.“What are you doing?! Where are you taking me?!” I mustered all my strength to scream.
Lucas' POVMy heart lurched at his words. "What? How do you know?""Because my cousin Cole saw her," Rory explained. "She was unconscious, but she was still alive.""Who was with her?!" I asked. "She was escorted by a man from the Swanson family."Darren. Darren was with her!"Where is she now?!" I asked."Cole asked the man to go look for Finn," Rory continued. "Finn, who's now the Alpha of the Rogues in Mediland. He's the only one who can take Leah out of this kingdom."Shock rippled through me. Finn? The same Finn I had misgivings about? My voice trembled as I spoke. "Finn? Are you sure?"Rory nodded grimly.Fear knotted in my stomach. I didn't trust Finn, not with Leah's life. If there was one thing I was sure about my half-brother, it's that he hated Lycans more than anything.Panic surged through me, but so did determination. "You need to find out where she is, Rory. Please."Rory nodded
Finn's POVI hadn't seen Swanson in some time. "Swanson," I called out. "If I were you, I wouldn't reach for that gun."Darren's eyes locked onto mine, a statue in the dim light as my people crept from the shadows, encircling his car."What is this?" he demanded."It’s exactly what it looks like," I replied. "These are the slaves and rogues I freed from the market. They work for me now.""You?" Darren's face twisted with disdain. I could hear the hostility in his voice. "I'm not here for this nonsense. Leah isn't safe. Jalin’s people are hunting her. I need to take her to the North.""She’s safer with me," I said firmly. "You don’t have to worry. Step out of the car and walk away. Your job here is over.""You’ll have to fight me for her," Darren hissed."I'm not in the mood to fight a mortal werewolf," I scoffed."Mortal? You’ve got a lot to catch up on, stripper," he spat, before morp
Jalin's POVBlood trickled down his cheeks, but he didn't even bother wiping it away.He seemed more conscious now, yet he remained silent, sitting there quietly on the bed, his face devoid of emotion.His silence only fueled my rage.I yanked his hair and dragged him off the bed, slamming him against the floor.Shards of glass embedded into his flesh.He didn't seem to notice the pain at all.I despised the way he absorbed the pain as if it were nothing.He looked exactly like his father.That old bastard would torture me, then sit in a chair with the same expression, looking at me as if I were nothing.All those memories flooded back, and I unleashed my fury on him.He endured it without a sound, just as I had when the old king beat the life out of me.Whatever horrors that old fuck put me through, I would exact tenfold on his precious son.I poured myself a drink, then settled into a chair,
Darren's POV"What the hell are you doing? Get the cart over here!" a soldier barked at me.I complied, but one of them still kicked me in the back."Stupid rogue," he hissed.I could tell they were Moon Growlers.One came forward, lifted the sheet, and frowned. "What the heck is this? I need a second opinion."Another stepped up and exclaimed, "What the fuck happened to her face? And where are the rest of her legs?""I found her like this. Must’ve been some predators," I said."Shit! We’re screwed!" The one who kicked me looked genuinely terrified. "I told Jalin we had the girl. Now we have this… this mangled corpse. That psycho is going to tear me apart!""Stop panicking," another soldier tried to reassure him. "Look at her belly. She’s pregnant. About the same size as Her Highness Leah. This must be her.""Alright then, you tell him that and see how he reacts!""Well, sorry to in
Lucas' POVAs I trudged into the Court, the first thing I heard was the sorrowful voice of Lucian."With a heart burdened by profound sorrow and overwhelming conflict, I write the obituary of my father, the Lycan King. As his son, I, Lycan Prince Lucian, have been torn apart by his passing. Yet, in the name of truth and honor, I must recount his life in all its reverence and complexity..."What is he doing? Is he about to reveal the truth of the Lycan King's deeds at his own father's funeral?! Has he lost his mind?!Upon entering the ceremonial chamber, I saw Jalin Cleary standing beside Lucian.Why is that bastard still alive and why is he next to Lucian?!The moment he spotted me, Jalin's eyes narrowed.I recognized the smug grin on his face. It was the look he wore when he was up to something deceitful.My mind raced.Leah. He must have Leah. He must be using her to threaten Lucian.The instant Leah crossed my
Lucas' POV"Alpha, we’ve found a woman lurking around. She demands to see you. She claims she has something you really need to know," a soldier reported to me, his voice tight with urgency."Bring her in." I set the phone down and exhaled deeply. I had exhausted all my resources. Leah was nowhere to be found, and she wouldn’t respond to my mindlink. Time was slipping away with only ten hours left.I hadn’t slept in three days, and without Leah by my side, my focus was shattered."Alpha Lucas," a woman entered my office, cloaked in a voluminous medieval hood."Who are you, and why are you here?" I demanded, narrowing my eyes as I tried to pierce the shadows concealing her face. Despite the obscurity, she felt oddly familiar."Every werewolf knows my name. I have come to answer your call," she intoned, bowing slightly before throwing back her hood, revealing silver-white hair that glittered like stardust. Her skin shimmered l
Lucian's POVSurrounded by mournful faces, I felt completely isolated and helpless. My father had spent his life punishing, manipulating, or killing these very people. Yet, they were the only ones who showed up for his funeral."Where is your Beta? Jalin, is it? Such an admirable young man. I haven't seen him lately," Alpha Siluria of the Ocean Howler Pack leaned towards me and inquired.He was almost as old as time itself, having served three kings in a row. Now, he was about to serve me. I wondered if he would live to see my funeral."Alpha Siluria, it's always a pleasure to talk with a loyal subject like you," I responded curtly.Just then, chaos erupted in the crowd. People stepped back, revealing Alpha Mick striding into the graveyard, carrying a severely mutilated woman’s body in his arms. For a heart-stopping moment, I thought he was holding Leah, and I nearly leaped from my chair. But as Mick laid the body on the ground, the woman's head lolled
Lucian's POV“I am here to express our condolences to Your Highness on His Majesty’s passing…"“We are deeply sorry…"Their voices blurred and faded to a distant echo in my mind. I couldn’t focus on anything. The only thing consuming my thoughts was Leah.Where is she now? If Lucas’s plan had succeeded, she would be with Darren, fleeing to the north.The plan involved enhanced Darren killing Mick and secretly sending Leah to the north. Publicly, we’d claim that Leah, grief-stricken by my father’s death, had taken her own life. In this way, I’d eliminate Mick and seize the throne simultaneously.When Lucas first proposed the plan, I thought he was mad. No one had ever schemed like this before. No one had ever dared to deceive the Moon Goddess. Since yesterday, a troubling unease had crept over me. I didn’t like it one bit. It was the same bitter taste I’d fe