Jalin's POV
Blood 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.
Leah's POVI couldn't answer. I didn’t know how to respond. My body betrayed me, growing wet under his touch.Suddenly, he grew angry. He grasped my neck, squeezing hard. "I'm talking to you, you fucking slut.""Sir... Please don’t do this to me..."A sadistic glint ignited in his eyes. He rubbed my loins harder, lifting my waist and arching my back. Blood surged through my legs, and I realized, Did I just... feel my legs?Just before I could climax, he abruptly stopped. He stood up straight, leaving me on the bed. For a brief moment, he did nothing but stare into my eyes.I felt ashamed of my body's reaction and didn't dare move. Then, he walked away and returned with a sizzling hot iron bar.Panic surged through me, and I screamed as he mounted on top of me. His weight pressed down, nearly breaking my ribs."What? Did you think I was going to fuck you?" His eyes gleamed with cruelty and disgust, matching the glowi
Leah's POVAlpha Finn injected the entire syringe into my vein. Almost immediately, I felt control over my limbs slip away. My body went limp, collapsing onto the sofa like a rag doll. Though my physical struggles ceased, my mind was still very much awake, and fear clung to me like a second skin.Tossing the used syringe into the trash, he lifted himself off me. Then, he sat beside me on the sofa, his fingers weaving into my hair."Whether you like it or not, that's the new face I gave you," he murmured while gently combing through my hair. Suddenly, he yanked it viciously, his voice turning deadly. "If you dare tell anyone about this, I will peel off your skin while you're conscious. Do you understand?""Yes... Sir..." I whispered, knowing he wasn’t bluffing.His hands traced a path from my nape down to my chest. As his long, slender fingers brushed the tips of my nipples, I flinched involuntarily. He peeled my buttoned blouse open, his gaze
Finn's POV"If the rogues are messing with your trade routes, go deal with the rogues," I said, fixing him with a cold stare. "I already have full control of Mediland and the North. I don't need anyone offering me things I already possess. Now, I think it's time for you to leave."I stood and began to walk away, but he stopped me."Alpha Finn, if I may, I'd like to remind you that Lucas Farrow is still in our custody."Before he could finish, I grabbed his collar."Don't you dare mention that name in my presence!" I roared."Come on, Alpha Finn," the old vulture raised his hands in surrender. "As I said, this is nothing personal. But His Majesty can easily make it personal if he wants to.""I don't care if he's dead or alive!" I snapped. "I'm surprised you've kept him this long, to be honest...""Are you sure?" he narrowed his eyes. "He's the only namesake you have. He's your father's son. Are you prepared to tell your father,
Leah's POVAfter that night, Alpha Finn disappeared for several days.I spent most of my time confined to bed, with the doctor visiting every morning to administer medication. Each time he left, I felt heavily sedated, barely able to move my arms and legs. I only dared to attempt movement when no one was around. On one occasion, I managed to push myself up and sit upright.The nightmares had ceased, but the memory of the little boy from my dream lingered, causing my heart to ache whenever I thought of him. Was it just a dream? If so, why did it feel so real?One morning, the maids came early."Alpha is back and he wants to see you now," one of them announced.My heart sank. Every time he summoned me, it ended in torment. What did he want this time?The maids dressed me up like a doll before placing me in a wheelchair. Soldiers then escorted me to a vast door. As it swung open, the sight before me left me stunned.Alpha Finn was surrounded by six young, naked women, all vying for his a
Lucian's POVThe car smelt like leather and Jalin’s cologne - sickly sweet, like rotting roses. I stared at my reflection in the tinted window. The suit he had stuffed me into was too tight around the throat. A king’s attire for a king’s corpse."Sit straight," Jalin said. His gloved finger prods my spine, a mockery of tenderness. "You look like a stray."I slumped further. Let him rage. Let him break. It’s all the same now.The car hit a pothole, jostling us. Jalin’s hand clamped my thigh. "You’ll ruin everything," he hissed. His breath is hot against my ear, the way it always is before he peels me open. "Fix your face. Now."I didn't move.He sighed, that familiar blend of irritation and hunger. Then his hand fisted my hair, slamming my forehead into the window. Pain exploded behind my eyes. "Better," he murmured. "A little color in those dead cheeks."The divider between us and the driver was up. Jalin liked privacy for his lessons.He unclasped his belt buckle slowly, the sound me
Leah's POVLiam stared. "What the hell are you?"I wiped my hands on his jacket. "Hungry."He laughed then, wild and unhinged. "You're crazy.""Crazy enough to fix your problems. If you obey.""Obey?" He raised an eyebrow. "That's kinky."I stared at him. "You want to save your grandmother? Stop playing gangster. You're a joke."His smile died. "Yeah? And what's your deal? Some kinda runaway mob wife?""Like you can't even imagine." I released him.Silence.He rubbed his neck. "Fine. What's the plan, boss?"I glanced at the photo. The old woman's eyes glared back, unyielding. "First, we get some money.""From where?"-Vinny's nightclub reminded me of Sheridan Club. It was a cacophony of neon lights and pounding bass, the kind of place where secrets were buried under the weight of too much noise and too many bodies.I walked in with Liam trailing behind me, his face still bruised
Leah's POVThe first thing I remembered was the cold. Not winter's bite, but the slick, oily chill of concrete against bare skin. My knees were scraped raw. My breath came in ragged bursts, fogging the air like gun smoke. I pressed my palms flat against the alley wall, felt the grime cling to my fingertips.Naked. The word slithered through my skull, venomous. Not just my body - my pride flayed open, left to rot beside dumpsters reeking of stale beer and regret.What the hell has happened to me? I remembered stabbing Lucas in the chest and walking into the flames.Now here I am. Naked in some sort of back alley.Voices slithered from the street."Lookie here... fresh meat. Yummy..." a man slurred. Three shadows lurched into the alley, their laughter wet and jagged. One held a bottle by its neck; the glass caught the neon buzz of the bar sign above. Red Rabbit Tavern. The letters bled crimson down the brick.Is this... human world?
Lycidas' POVLucian shook his head, his eyes closing as if the effort of speaking was too much.Late afternoon light slashed through barred windows, gilding dust motes that swirled like trapped spirits above Lucian's bed. My brother's once-indomitable frame now sank into feather pillows as if the mattress conspired to swallow him whole. His labored breaths syncopated with the grandfather clock's metronome tick-tock, tick-tockfrom the western wall - a sound that had scored every pivotal moment of our cursed lineage. I counted them as one counts heartbeats before execution: thirty-seven ticks since he'd last spoken. Seventy-three since I'd entered this tomb disguised as a king's quarters.When Lucian finally stirred, his eyelids lifted like rusted portcullises. Sunlight caught the silver threads in his black beard - premature aging, or the Moon Goddess' fingerprints? "Lycidas," he exhaled, the name disintegrating into a wet cough. I watched his thro
Lucian's POVJalin seized my chin, wrenching my face back to the mirror. "Are you waiting for me to dress you, Your Majesty?" His hands slid down, slow and possessive, unbuttoning my shirt with deliberate malice. The fabric parted, exposing my sunken chest, and his gloved fingers lingered, tracing the jut of my ribs. I grabbed his wrists, my frail grip trembling. "I'm tired," I whispered, voice a broken thread. "I don't want to see anyone today."Jalin sneered and tore the shirt from my shoulders, seams splitting like skin. He shoved me from the wheelchair, and I crashed to the floor, legs limp, a puppet with slashed strings. "Your brother's coming," he hissed, looming over me. "If you greet him like this - pathetic, lifeless - he'll think I've neglected my duties." His eyes burned with that familiar madness, a sadistic gleam that promised torment.I shrank back, breath shallow, rasping, "Jalin, please don't…" But he didn't pause. His hand fisted my hair,
Lycidas' POVI looked down at him, my jaw tight. "If you want the thing between us to work," I said, my voice low and dangerous, "you need to know some ground rules. The first and most important one is that you stay the fuckout of my family business. Do you understand?"He met my gaze, his eyes calm, unflinching. "Yes, Your Highness, I understand. But the thing is, since you entered the Kingdom, all your actions have been under the control of the Court. They reported your arrival to His Majesty, who summoned me last night..." I grabbed him by the throat, slamming him against the mirror. The glass cracked under the force, shards raining down around us. His face was scratched, blood trickling down his cheek, but he didn't struggle."Did you go and see my brother last night?! Did he fuck you?!" I roared.He whispered, "Your Highness, Lucian is sick now. He didn't...""If you mention my brother's name again," I snarled, "I'
Lycidas' POVI woke to the sting of sunlight slicing through the heavy drapes, the kind of light that felt like a mockery after the night I’d had. My head throbbed, a dull ache that seemed to echo the chaos of my thoughts. I rubbed my eyes, squinting at the room around me. It was obscenely luxurious, every surface polished to a blinding sheen, every piece of furniture carved with ornate, gaudy details. I sat up, the silk sheets slipping off my bare skin, and let out a bitter laugh. Finn's bedroom?The place reeked of excess, of a desperate attempt to mask something hollow. I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my feet sinking into the plush carpet. The air smelled faintly of cedar and something metallic—blood, maybe, or the ghost of it. I stood, stretching the stiffness from my limbs, and made my way to the bathroom. The shower was scalding, the water slamming into my skin like punishment. I leaned against the tiled wall, let
Finn's POVLycidas didn't buy it. His clawed hand seized my hair, wrenching my head back so hard my neck screamed, and I gasped, the pretense slipping as pain flared."Fucking slut, is that all they'd taught you?!" he spat, raking his claws down my spine, tearing skin, spilling blood. I whimpered - half act, half truth—and he sneered, pressing his heat against me, his cock a brutal threat between my thighs. "You're a fucking disgrace. A whimpering slut who'd spread for any cock that paid."I clenched my jaw, nodding like I hated it, but the words sank into me, heavy and hot. "Yes, Your Highness. But now, I am yours..." I choked out, still clinging to the lie of reluctance, but then he slammed me face-first into the hardwood floor, his hands pinning my neck, and the air left me. He thrust in, no warning, no mercy, and the pain - fuck, the familiar, thrilling pain - was a jagged blade splitting me open. I screamed, the sound raw and real, my mask shattering
Finn's POVThe air in Mediland was thick with the stench of desperation and decay, a familiar reek that clung to the walls of the slave market like a second skin. I stepped through the rusted gates, my boots crunching over gravel and broken glass. The place was still a cesspool of misery, still a monument to the cruelty of the worst of the worst. But this time, I didn't feel the usual weight of despair pressing down on my chest. No, this time, I felt… light. My plan was going on smoothly.Lycidas, the fucking Lycan Prince, was here. In my territory. In my office. The thought almost made me smile. He'd spent years parading around the human world, basking in the adoration of his fans, untouchable. But now, he was mine. The fire in Los Angeles had been a stroke of luck - or perhaps fate. The paparazzi had scattered, and for the first time in years, Lycidas was vulnerable. Cole met me at the entrance, his face grim. "His Highness Lycidas
Lucas' POV"Alpha Lucas!" Dr. Jafar exclaimed, rushing to my bedside. "I saw the changes in your vitals on the screen and came as soon as I could. This is a miracle! You woke up!" I dismissed Jorah with a nod, and he left reluctantly, his eyes lingering on me as if afraid I'd vanish. "Dr. Jafar," I said, my voice low and urgent. "Did you perform the disguise surgery on Leah?"He hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. It was Finn's order, but it was my work. We had to change her appearance - everyone was hunting her...""What exactly did you do to her?" I asked.The doctor looked hesitant, but eventually he said, "We had to apply bionic skin, but her body rejected it at first. We had to keep injecting her with suppressants. And we… we reduced her height with bone surgery. It was painful, but necessary. Alpha Lucas, I felt so guilty about what I had done. That was why I was trying to remind you of her presence. I tried so hard to p