Leah's POV"I've been everywhere in the world. Foreign boarding schools. Military dispatch..." Darren's voice sounded a bit playful."You don't come across like a soldier to me, but you do come across like a naughty boy at school.""I was trained to be a commanding officer, but I did have a troubled childhood." He squinted and scratched his head. I realized that was his way of being shy.He's so adorable. How can someone be so adorable? I have to stop drinking before this whole thing goes really, really wrong. Lucas is right. He didn't sign the divorce papers, so I'm still legally married to him. But at the same time, the magical encounter with Darren feels so right. I would really want to see where it's going. "A bad boy suits up and becomes a commanding officer. You need to tell me more about it," I tittered under the influence of alcohol. Damn. He must look so hot in an army uniform."I will tell you everything about me, Miss Lewyn. I'm an open book." He replied with a genuine smil
Leah's POV"Are you still buying it?" I looked at Lucas and asked."Whenever you meet, she's the one who gets injured. I don't understand," Lucas said. Even in his drenched state, he exuded an air of confidence and authority.My heart sank."So, you're still buying it. I can't even. Anyway, forget about it. I don't want to have anything to do with you two." I turned and wanted to walk away.A pair of strong hands reached out and pulled me.Looking up, I saw my very angry and offended ex-husband."Don't you think you should explain what happened to me?" Lucas' blue eyes glared at me with fiery intensity. His veins bulged on his forehead as he struggled to control his seething anger."What do you want me to explain?" I asked in a calm voice. His hand was gripping hard on my arm so tightly that it turned red.Lucas was incensed by my nonchalance and raised his voice, "If you were wronged in the past, why didn't you ever explain anything to me? Explain it to me.""So, I don't want to expla
Leah's POVStood on the balcony, I leaned forward to the handrail, looking at the crowd in the yard.I saw Darren, who was accompanied by an attractive young woman in an elegant satin dress, sipping champagne while talking to Alpha Kyle, the Chairman of the Derby Committee.I didn't blame him for not bringing me that glass of champagne after witnessing what happened just now.He was still young. He didn't need to be involved in a divorced woman's family farce. I understood. Plus, the woman leaning against him looked much younger and happier than me. She looked like the younger version of me, when my heart hadn't been broken by my ex-mate.When I was still unrejected.I stretched out my arm to fetch the wine glass behind me, but the glass turned out to be empty.I lifted up my head and sighed, staring out into the night sky.The stars twinkled above me, but my mind was clouded with a deep sense of melancholy.I couldn't shake off the fact that I had just come face to face with my ex-hu
Lucas' POV"Did you lie to me?" I put down my mobile and asked Josephine in the car.On the screen of my phone, there was a video clip reeling. I saw it clearly. Josephine jumped into the swimming pool by herself. Leah didn't push her.This piece of video was posted on Twitter by a man named Darren_S. Apparently, this Darren guy witnessed the whole process of the farce and videotaped it before posting the entire uncutted version online.Josephine sat next to me in my car. Her once-beautiful features twisted with despair when she took a glance at the video clip online.People swarmed at this video and cursed Josephine in all kinds of languages.Being a low profiled person, I hated exposure like this."Are you accusing me of lying?" She played innocent again. But I no longer believed her."Did you?" I asked. My voice was stern and unforgiving.Josephine was speechless, turning her head away from me to avoid eye contact."How could you do this?" I asked. My voice was dripping with anger.
Leah's POVA few days later, I went to my brother's company UniHealer. His Beta Jalin had prepared a room on the top floor to be my new office.After stepping out of the private elevator, I saw the entire landscape of our city in front of me through the giant top-to-floor window."Welcome back, Leah," Beta Jalin, who had been waiting for me next to the elevator door, said with a big smile on his face."Jalin! I miss you so much!" I wrapped my arms around his neck and said.He was three years older than Lucian and he used to babysit me all the time when I was a child. Later, he became my mentor and best friend."So, do you like it?" He showed me around my office.I ran around in the spacious office like a little lark and said, "This is beautiful! When Lucian told me that you'd prepared me a room, I thought it was a cubicle. I hadn't expected an entire floor!""Great!" Jalin caught me like he was catching a rabbit and put me in the chair. "Now stop bouncing around and get to business. I'
Leah's POVLucian stared at Clara with a cold stare and said, "Mind your words, Miss Farrow. There's a surveillance camera in this room. I know you're drunk, but you're threatening my guest in front of my face. The Royal Court will prosecute you for being disrespectful to the Lycans."Clara immediately flinched and mumbled, "Sorry, Your Highness... It's just that I know this woman. She's an Omega and she's a liar! She posted my video online to get attention! She's a shameless bit..."She couldn't continue her speech, because the look on my brother's face was frightening.I slapped her hand away from my face and said, "If I had wanted to get people's attention, I would have posted another video clip online. The part shows a policeman dragging you on the floor. You weren't wearing any pants. I only posted your gambling video online because I wanted to prove my innocence. I didn't steal your mother's jewelry. You did. Anyway, I'm done talking to you. Now it's the time for you to leave."
Leah's POV"Lucian, please, it's hard enough for Mr. Farrow to admit his sister's challenging mental condition in front of us. I guess it's wise to pardon her this time. And I'm sure there won't be another incident like this happening in the future," I said.I was, even though I hate to admit it, born and raised to be benevolent and kind. I noticed that Clara was mentally challenged when I met her for the first time. She bashed a hot burning kettle at me. I didn't really take it personally at that time.When I called Lucian affectionately by his name, referring to him and me as "us", Lucas' face turned even darker.Now that he had more confirmation that there was something going on between Lucian and me.He clenched his fists and stared at me.I knew there were thousands of words he wanted to say to me, but he just didn't have a chance."Alpha Lucas, may I ask why are you staring at Miss Lewyn like that?" Lucian asked. He obviously didn't like his sister being stared at by anyone."I'
Leah's POVWhen he spread my legs and wrapped my legs around his waist, I suddenly realized that he was literally going to take me into this dark, narrow back alley of the restaurant.The shadow of buildings consumed both of us and so did our desperation.No, this isn't happening. It's not fair. I can't be taken by my ex-husband like this. No matter how badly he wants and how hot he is.My last stray of dignity was evoked and I started to struggle against him, trying to push him away."Lucas, stop..." I begged. My voice was trembling with fear and uncertainty.He ignored my plea and leaned in, capturing my lips with his in a hot, passionate kiss. It seemed that he wanted to soothe me. I could feel his longing for me, but I couldn't give in.My heart was pounding in my chest as I tried to resist the overwhelming desire to kiss him back. I wanted him, needed him, but I also knew that it was wrong."Lucas, don't..." I tried to push him again as his hands roamed over my body, tracing the
Finn's POVThe studio gates loomed like iron teeth. I stepped through, the scent of fake blood and sweat slapping me harder than the California heat. Outside, the Hills smoldered, ash staining the sky. Inside, they’d built a pantomime of apocalypse - extras in matted fur howling at a green screen, their plastic fangs glinting under klieg lights.A director barked into a headset. "Action!"A truck flipped, screeching on cables. A blonde actress spilled out, naked and screaming. From the rafters, a man in denim descended, Gatling gun roaring blanks. Extras dropped, melodramatic, as he scooped her up. Their kiss was all teeth, a parody of passion."Cut!" The director rubbed his temples.Complaints about the heat erupted - especially from the actress, who snatched a robe and cursed the air conditioner's death."Lycidas, could you try to use your tounge this time?" the director shouted.The cowboy - Lycidas - flashed a grin, all wolf
Lucas' POVThe girl looked nervous as I hauled her into the Mediland's golden throat. The mall's fluorescence carved the girl into something spectral. She hovered between racks of silk and chiffon, fingers brushing fabric like she expected it to bite. The salesgirls' laughter hung sharp in the air - hyenas circling a limping doe.To my surprise, my hearing was back. I could clearly hear what they were mumbling behind the racks. "Look at her. Poor little rat. How could someone like her end up with Alpha Lucas?" a girl whispered."Gold digger. Social climber. Boot licker...""And cock sucker!"They giggled.I silently sighed and ignored them.I looked at the girl. She looked overwhelmed. I knew she must have heard what they'd said. She lowered her head and stood there, looking lost.I walked to her."Pick something," I said."I don't need anything..." the girl looked horrified at the price tags. "Could
Lucas' POVThe girl's boots dragged against the restaurant's marble steps, scuffing gloss into dust. Her coat hung loose, threadbare at the elbows—a thrift-store relic in a kingdom of gold trim and crystal. I didn't blame the hostess for curling her lip.This is the human quarter of Mediland. A high-end steakhouse in the human world is supposed to be stunk of judgment."No reservations?"The hostess flicked her gaze over the girl's messy cropped hair, the grease and blood clots crusted on her hem. Her voice was polished ice. "We're full. Try the soup kitchen down the block."The girl didn't flinch. Just stared at the chandelier, jaw working like she was chewing the light itself. I leaned against the podium, leather gloves creaking. "Tell Danny I'm here.""The manager?" A laugh, sharp as broken stemware. "I'm sorry, Sir. You look like a decent gentleman, but he doesn't entertain strays."Then the doors swung open, and the scent hit me -
Leah's POVThe moment I crossed Alpha Finn’s threshold, his pets slithered in behind me. Annet and Donna - branded vipers with just enough leash to sink fangs into weaker girls.The door clicked like a trapspring. I kept scrubbing, gouging filth from floorboards until my knuckles split. Soapwater turned pink. They circled, lacquered claws glinting. Donna’s stiletto cracked across my hand."Lookit this guttermouse playing vixen," Annet crooned. "Sneaking into Alpha Lucas' chambers all night - think we're blind?" "Maybe she's graduated to bootlicker," Donna trilled. Her heel ground deeper. "C'mon, whore. Demonstrate your special talents." Blood bloomed beneath her stiletto. I bit through my lip - iron tang kept the scream caged. "Cat got your tongue?" Annet's slap snapped my head sideways. "You yowled plenty for Lucas. Think Finn’ll enjoy hearing how you serviced his brother?" "Alpha Lucas wasn't—" "Liar!" The backhand left my ears ringing. I spat crimson, kept scouring wo
Lucas' POVThe girl's hands danced. Apron strings became a lover's knot at her waist. Eggs cracked one-handed, yolks bobbing like liquid suns. I watched, transfected, as she transformed slaughter into sacrament—French toast glazed in maple, coffee dark as a sinner's heart."How did you do it?" I gestured at the golden crust.She flipped a pancake. "Alpha Finn liked his girls versatile."The first bite dissolved on my tongue—cinnamon, nutmeg, vengeance."Why do you rub your neck like that?" the girl asked."I don't know. I slept on the couch and woke up like this..."Before I finished, she circled behind me, palms hovering above my neck."May I?""Well..." I mumbled.Her touch was wildfire. Knuckles pressed the base of my skull, thumbs working knots from muscle. I groaned."Quiet," she chided, but her fingers lingered. "You're worse than dogs."I lifted up my head and howled to the ceiling
Lucas' POVDim light bled through the cracks in the door, striping the girl's face as she scrambled backward, her boots kicking over jars of pickled things that rolled like severed heads. Her eyes were wild - a rabbit's stare, all whites and panic."Don't," I hissed, slamming the door shut behind us. The lock clicked, too loud.She lunged for a rusted shovel leaning against the wall. "Stay back!" The blade trembled in her grip, but her voice didn't. "Alpha Finn's already got me cleaning piss-pots. You think I'll let his whore add to the list?"The word stung, though it shouldn't have. I'd been called worse."I'm not here to hurt you," I said, edging closer. The room was a cage, shelves cluttered with burlap sacks and broken tools. A single bulb swung above, casting jagged shadows."Right. You dragged me in here to chat?" Her gaze dropped to my chest. "Take off your shirt. I want to see your branding."I froze. I didn't have any brandi
Lucas' POVThe following day brought no respite from the chaos swirling in my mind.More slaves were sent back by Finn. No one really knew what kind of shithole he pulled them out from and no one bothered to ask. The slaves were screaming and crying in at least 20 different languages. Soldiers were mad and barking at everything. Some knuckleheads got into a fight after drinking. No one tried to stop them, but everyone was naturally betting on who the winner was. Things went south and everyone lost, which led to more rows, more fist fights, and more bets. Besides, the Huffner Bridge was, again, paralyzed because some kids set it on fire by last night's fireworks. The Commisioner of Transportation and Domestic Affairs of the Court called in one after another and pressed me if I was intentionally sabotaging the connection between the Kingdom and Mediland, which was still "hanging on a thread". Then, more slaves came in, followed by more screaming, crying, and barking.
Lucas' POVLeo's work had been meticulous, his notes filled with promises of strength and clarity. If I could find him, if I could convince him to perform the procedure, maybe—just maybe—I could reclaim what I'd lost... The connection between me and my precious Leah.But how? Finn had control over everyone, including Leo. The thought of reaching out to him felt impossible, a bridge too far.Yet, the Moon Goddess' words echoed in my mind. What you already have. What did I have? Nothing, it seemed. Except for this gnawing determination to save Leah, to protect her no matter the cost.The next morning, I found myself drawn to the Grove, the section of Mediland where Finn's maids lived. It was an unusual impulse, one that surprised even me. As I approached the small house nestled among the trees, memories flickered at the edges of my consciousness—fragments of a life I couldn't quite grasp.Through the window, I spotted the girl I met
Lucas' POV"No," I replied, feeling confused. "Why?""She's a rogue," Dr. Jafar stated flatly. "Found by soldiers in the garbage dump. No name, no memory. Just… nothing. Alpha Finn wanted me to restore her memory, but it's so damaged that it's beyond repair. And to be honest, for girls like her, sometimes it's just better off being broken than mended."I closed my eyes briefly. Of course. Another lost soul in this forsaken place."Why does he abuse her?" I asked, though I already knew the answer.Jafar shrugged, his expression distant. "In Mediland, kindness requires a reason. Cruelty doesn't. He abuses her simply because he feels like doing it."His words hung in the air like a curse. I thought of all the times I'd been beaten and degraded by Jalin in the prison. And now the girl was enduring the same fate."She's just a child," I whispered.Jafar's gaze softened slightly, though it was fleeting. "We all have our ordeal