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 feLucian'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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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.
Liam's POVSeth caught it and sighed, theatrical as ever. "Look, we're pros here. Employers aren't people - they're NPCs in a game. Whenever I approach her, I get a new task alert. I walk up, get a quest, finish it, cash out. Done. Sure, late nights, when I'm beat, I might jerk off while looking at her before crashing - but it's all business. Nothing more, Liam."I blinked, thrown. "Wait, you jerk off over the survaillance video?"He shrugged, casual as if we were discussing the weather. "Who wouldn't? Look at her! She's a goddamn knockout. Any guy with a pulse would twitch. Doesn't mean I'd act on it."He scratched his head, squinting at the screen. "Come to think of it, I barely see her sleep. She's always on, like she doesn't need rest."That hit me like a spark. "That's exactly what I wanted to ask about," I said, leaning in, my voice low. "She's not normal, Seth. She took down two thugs with one hand - barely blinked. She's too confident, too
Leah's POVNow, that hunger roared back, fueled by loss and longing. We gave in, tearing at each other, a storm of despair and need. His hands roamed my scarred flesh, rough and reverent, and I arched into him, swaying my hips, dragging it out like a ritual. Pain laced every touch, every thrust - his breath ragged, my moans breaking into sobs. We fucked like we were clawing our way out of graves, desperate to feel something beyond the wreckage of our lives.Inside, my wolf snarled, "This man is dangerous. He's lost everything for you. You're all he has. He shows up when the world burns - destiny or curse? Plus, he killed your child!"I answered her, fierce and silent, as Darren moved inside me, "This man bled for me, broke for me. He's my shield, my fate, my fucking heart. I've crawled through hell, and you never spoke to me. Why now?"My wolf went quiet, retreating, and I surrendered to him - to the ache, the heat, the ruin of us. We collapsed, spent, ta
Leah's POVThe sky shattered above me, a jagged maw of chaos spitting debris like venom. But Darren was there, his arms clamping around me, fierce and unyielding, rolling me across the ground as the hulking ship model plummeted from the heavens. It crashed where we'd been, its splintered bulk clawing the earth, and I felt the tremor in my bones. Dust choked the air, a gritty veil, but all I knew was his body pressed against mine, hard and desperate, his heat searing through the cold dread coiling in my gut.When the world stilled, our eyes locked. His stare cut through the haze, sharp as a blade, stripping me raw. Memories clawed their way up—him looming over me, blood-smeared and feral, shielding me from death's jaws. Tears burned my eyes, spilling hot and relentless, carving tracks down my dust-caked face. I couldn't stop them, couldn't cage the ache ripping through me.But then I caught it - or didn't. The air around him was wrong, empty. No musk of wol
Leah's POVI nodded, keeping my face smooth, blank - a perfect little mirror for the director's pride. Inside, my blood roared. These bastards had turned on Liam's father the second his body was cold, carved up his legacy, and handed it to Al Cosa on a silver platter. Everything Liam should've had—stolen. But I kept my claws sheathed, my fangs hidden. Not yet.Dinner came next, the shift announced by a waiter's clipped voice. I'd spent the earlier hours letting the deputy mayor fleece me at cards, folding my hands with a shy smile while his stack of chips grew. By the time we sat down to eat, he was rosy-cheeked and beaming, drunk on victory and wine. He clapped a meaty hand on my shoulder, his breath sour. "Leah, you've got to come to the seafood charity dinner next weekend. Big fundraiser for the Pier 16 Free Trade Zone. It'll be a hell of a show."I smiled, soft and apologetic. "I'd love to, but I'm flying to California next week. My company's got an ev
Leah's POVHours bled into each other. The party grew loud, sloppy. I slipped away to the pool terrace, heels dangling from my fingers, the night air sticky with salt and regret. The water shimmered like broken glass.Josephine used to fling herself into a pool to play damsel on my wedding night to get Lucas' attention. And that happened like in my my last life. And Darren - my shadow, my sword, the man who'd bled for me in alleys and ballrooms alike. Where was he now? Dead, surely. He'd have torn the slave market apart otherwise.The champagne bubbled bitter on my tongue. A tear fell - weakness - but the night hid it."Mrs. Winters." The deputy police chief staggered over, tie undone. "You're missing the fun.""I was just admiring the view," I lied. "I was just thinking to myself, you must be very good at your job. So young for a deputy chief."His chest puffed. "Beginner's luck.""Luck favors the bold," I said, leaning clos
Finn's POVI let him paw at me, a doll in his grip, his anxious eyes boring into me. It stirred something - anger, maybe, or worse, something soft I couldn't stomach. I shoved him back, sharp and sudden. "I'm fine," I snarled, turning to walk away.The flowers hit the ground behind me, petals scattering like spilled guts."Pick them up," I ordered, my tone cold.He immediately obeyed, bending down to gather the mess, his muscles flexing beneath the suit. I watched him, my mind a battlefield of desire and disgust. He was mine, bought and owned, yet with every touch, every glance, I felt like I was the one being claimed.I stepped on his back. Hard.Kairo scrambled on all fours before me, fingers trembling as they snatched at scattered petals - crimson on stone, like the blood already smearing his split lip. His haste amused me. The way his breath hitched, the way his shoulders tensed when my shadow fell over him.I let him hope for a s
Finn's POVI hated clinics. It stank of antiseptic and rotting blood, a paradox that clung to my tongue like acid eating through rot. Dr. Jafar's shadow pooled beneath the flickering fluorescents as he blocked the hallway - a vulture in a stained lab coat, wings spread to guard carrion."His lungs collapse twice daily now," the doctor said, teeth yellow as old piano keys. "The machines breathe for him. You understand? No more speeches about sensative topics here."I stared at him with a blank face. "Move."The ward beyond was a cathedral of dying. Monitors chirped hymns. Tubes coiled like sacred serpents around my brother's skeletal frame. Lucas' chest rose in mechanical spasms - a marionette jerked by invisible strings. I'd seen livelier corpses in the slave pits.His hand felt paper-thin when I took it, veins mapping failures under cold skin. "Brother," I said, savoring the word's rancid sweetness.Eyelids peeled back like fresh wounds. Re
Finn's POVThe dungeon stank of piss and rot, the air so thick I could taste it - bitter, sour, like the inside of a grave. A slash of crimson moonlight cut through the wall, spilling over the stone like blood from a fresh wound. My scars itched, a map of every bastard who'd torn me open and left me hollow. I needed it tonight, that sharp, searing proof I wasn't just a ghost rattling in this fucked-up shell.He was there, the slave, strung up like some beast, chains gnashing at his wrists and throat. Wolf poison hissed on his skin, blistering it raw, but he didn’t flinch. Those eyes - wild, molten - locked on me, burning with a love so desperate it could choke us both. He lunged as I got close, chains screaming, his voice a ragged snarl. "Alpha!"I saw his skin searing as it touched the chain.I tilted my head to look at the guard standing next to me.He panicked and said, "Sorry, Alpha! He has broken so many chains... We have to dip th
Leah's POVLater, they dragged me to the monitoring room, a sterile cage of flickering screens and stale air. The video looped endlessly - Antonio's fall, a silent plunge into the dark sea, over and over like a sick ritual. I sat there, wrapped in a scratchy blanket, shivering for show, while Al Cosa perched across from me, an old vulture hunched over his prey. His eyes, sharp and unblinking, devoured the footage, and not a flicker of pain crossed that wrinkled mask. Ruthless bastard, I thought, savoring his son's last moments like a fine cigar, no tears, no cracks. Just cold, hard control.Johnny, his slick consigliere, loomed nearby, arms crossed, voice smooth as oil."Mrs. Winters," he said, "I've no intention of detaining you here. But as the sole witness before Tony's fall, you've got an obligation to tell me the truth. What happened?"I shrank into the blanket, letting my hands tremble, my breath hitch."He took me to the balcony," I mumbled,