DENARA’S POV I blinked awake, a dull ache pulsing through my head and radiating over my body. Panic surged as I tried to move, only to find myself firmly bound to a chair. The cold, hard surface pressed against my back, and my wrists felt raw from the silver-like ropes digging into my skin. Memories flooded back—the last thing I remembered was Bruno's face, twisted with anger before everything went dark.“Bruno,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. The betrayal cut deeper than the pain in my head. My heart ached not only from the physical torment but from the realization that I had been taken—kidnapped by someone I once trusted. The words he said echoed in my mind. Why would a person hate her own sister so much that she would perpetuate her and her husband’s murder? I shuddered at the thought, my heart racing. I had always believed family was supposed to protect one another, not destroy. “Sevyn?” I called out softly, hoping my wolf would respond. It felt as if a heavy fog
DenaraThe day was finally upon us, the day the whole pack except me of course was waiting for. It was the day our next alpha, alpha Tim’s only son, was coming back home from his five year study trip.So it only meant one thing for us: the packhouse maids. More work! Though other maids could see a positive side to this, I couldn’t because it meant more people would visit the packhouse and more people visiting the packhouse would mean more errands for us.Running more errands wasn’t exactly my problem, the problem was running errands around people. I dreaded being around people because the more people in my space, the smaller I felt.“You have been on that spot for how long now?” The familiar voice of Freya, my cousin, made me turn to know who else was with her.It was Magda, the chief of the maids. I didn’t know when they entered because I was lost in thoughts.“And you are still standing there looking at what?” Magda asked. I quickly turned and continued what I was doing, hoping they
DenaraDisbelief flooded through me as Freya's words sank in. My parents...traitors? It was almost impossible to comprehend.Random fragments of memories I had of them began to flood my mind. They seemed kind, so peaceful. My father and mother would never have done such a terrible thing - or even thought about it. They were killed because they tried to take over the alpha's position?"Your dad was the Beta?" Bruno asked, his eyes wide with realization and devastation.I stared at him, my own eyes surely reflecting the same mix of emotions. "I-I don't understand," I stammered, feeling unsteady on my feet. "This can't be true. My parents were good people. They would never..."My voice trailed off as the implications of Freya's revelation sank in. If what she was saying was true, then everything I thought I knew about my family was a lie.I felt dizzy, and the room around me began to spin. Overwhelmed, I took a step forward, reaching out towards Bruno, seeking his steadying presence. B
~Denera~….The thunderstorms had been going on for hours. It was cold and dark, the cottage's wooden walls creaked as the wind blew hard against it. I had my blanket to keep me company as I quietly drew on the sketch pad on my lap. Aunt Rosa and her family were settled at the main house. I initially used to feel bad about this but after sometime, I grew accustomed to it. Plus I would rather be alone in an old cottage than stay in a cosy house with the likes of them. I jerked up from my bed when I heard a loud bang against the door. At first, I assumed it was one of the calamities of the thunderstorm but then it rhythmically happened again. “Open up!” Someone yelled from outside, making me rush out of bed to check it was. Uncle?Abruptly I turned the knob open and he instantly shoved me aside before walking in. “You bastard! Haven’t I warned you to never lock the door? Look how damp I am now!” Uncle Austin growled. “I’m sorry sir.” I whimpered, wondering why he came here in the f
~Alpha Rockan~I didn’t need a mate, the moon goddess knew this and saved herself the stress of giving me one. All my life I hated a weakness or anything that would make me slow down and having a mate and a child would do that, but these elders won’t listen.I had one already, my brother Tyris, even though everyone in the world including him thought I didn’t give a fuck about him, I still did, but no one had to know how important he was to me so they wouldn’t want to use him against me.“Alpha, you might end up going feral just like the alpha of the red lake pack. We can’t afford to watch anything happen to you, you’re like a god to us, what am I even saying, you are our god and our lives are in your hands.” Timothy, one of the elders repeated what they had been saying over the years, but this time he added an example.I knew his name because of the name tag he had on his chest. I told all the elders to always come with a name tag so I could identify them because I didn’t have the lux
Denera..His trousers fell down his legs and my eyes widened in horror as different thoughts about what could be happening crossed my mind. Uncle Austin took his shirt off also and I almost believed he was trying to take the wet clothes off before he caught a cold. Aunt Rosa was spending the night at the pack house with Freya so I knew only he was at the main house. Memories of how he stared at me when I served him dinner earlier flashed through my mind and I couldn’t help but whimper. “Uncle, what are you doing here, sir?” My voice cracked as I tried to speak but he kept mute. He held a dark gaze at me making me cower. I knew one mistake and he would beat me till I could not move—so I remained quiet. “Take those clothes off your body,” he ordered and I felt my heart sink to my belly in sadness and disappointment. “I…” I trailed off, losing words as the reality of what was about to happen hit me. I should’ve seen the signs, I did see them but I chose to ignore them. He had alwa
~Denera~After they had finally left, a feeling of relief filled the room, giving me a short time to think.What would I do next? If I ran away, would they hunt me down?Naturally, my eyes looked around the room, trying to find anything that could help me escape. I thought the bathroom was the door Rockan had gone through since I could hear water running in the distance.The room had just one light on, and the curtains were closed. Standing up, I slowly moved towards the curtains, hoping there might be a window with a balcony I could jump from.As I got closer to the curtains, I felt both afraid and determined. If I could find a way out of here, maybe I could get away from the pack and start a new life, away from their threat.Carefully, I grabbed the edge of the curtain, took a deep breath, and pulled it aside. I waited anxiously, looking out the window, searching for a way to escape.As I pulled the curtain aside, I came in contact with the hard wall. There was a large frame hanging
Denera Even in my dizzy state, I finally managed to pay attention to his face. Although he had a mask on, it covered only half of his facial structure, leaving his lips and the left side of his jawline exposed. It reminded me of the musical, Phantom of the Opera. Maybe it was just the drink talking but I was heavily attracted to him like that for some reason. “You look kissable,” I smiled cheerfully, placing my palm on his chest as I stared into his dark eyes. For a moment I saw his gaze soften but it was only for a while and then I saw it turn to something like a glare once again. “Your dress is beginning to reveal a lot,” he pointed out, pushing me back a bit. Was I getting to him?He was sounding like one of those male leads from the dark romance novels I read. The few times I was privileged to read books or see videos on the internet were the most memorable times of my life.The thought of him wanting me only did more to turn me on at that point. So I slid the sleeves of my g
DENARA’S POV I blinked awake, a dull ache pulsing through my head and radiating over my body. Panic surged as I tried to move, only to find myself firmly bound to a chair. The cold, hard surface pressed against my back, and my wrists felt raw from the silver-like ropes digging into my skin. Memories flooded back—the last thing I remembered was Bruno's face, twisted with anger before everything went dark.“Bruno,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. The betrayal cut deeper than the pain in my head. My heart ached not only from the physical torment but from the realization that I had been taken—kidnapped by someone I once trusted. The words he said echoed in my mind. Why would a person hate her own sister so much that she would perpetuate her and her husband’s murder? I shuddered at the thought, my heart racing. I had always believed family was supposed to protect one another, not destroy. “Sevyn?” I called out softly, hoping my wolf would respond. It felt as if a heavy fog
Rockan’s POV The morning sun crept through the tall, arched windows of my castle, casting long shadows on the cold stone floor. I sat at the edge of my ornate seat in the council room, running a hand through my disheveled hair, exhaustion weighing heavily on me. Sleep had eluded me for far too long, and all I could think about was Denera.I summoned the council but they were yet to be here. “What is taking them so long?” I growled. Tyris leaned against the intricately carved door frame, arms crossed, concern etched across his face. “You need to eat something, Rockan. You can’t keep doing this to yourself,” he urged his voice a mix of worry and frustration.“I’m fine,” I snapped, irritation flaring. The anger simmering inside me was a volatile mix of guilt and fear.“Fine? You call this fine?” Tyris stepped closer, his tone softening. “This isn’t just about you. It’s about Denera. We need to find her.”Just hearing her name twisted my gut. I hadn’t stopped thinking about her since s
Bruno’s POV “You guys are monsters, all of you,” I blurted out, disbelief flooding my voice as I stared at my mother, my eyes wide with shock. The disappointment coursing through me was a heavy weight, suffocating and bitter.“We did what we had to do—” she continued, her voice trembling.“And you see how that’s affecting me now?” I shot back, my frustration boiling over. “Is Freya in on this too?” The thought twisted my stomach. If they were so hell-bent on me dating Freya, maybe she knew more than she let on.“No, you were all kids back then. I promise you that it’ll work out,” she insisted, tears brimming in her eyes. I groaned, my frustration reaching a breaking point. “For goodness’ sake, mother,” I snapped. I couldn’t stand there any longer. Pulling the emotional card and trying to gaslight me was even more irritating than the decisions they had made in the past. “I need air.”“Bruno, wait!” she called after me as I turned to leave, but I didn’t reply. Fortunately, she didn’t
BRUNO’S POV I walked out on her, the weight of my emotions crashing down like a tidal wave. Rage boiled inside me with every step I took, and all I could think about was Rockan. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to unleash the pent-up frustration that had been building since the moment I discovered Denera was pregnant with his child.The image of the mark on her neck haunted me, a permanent reminder of their reckless actions together. I had called the doctor just an hour ago to check on her—she was taking too long to wake up, and I got worried. Only to find out that she was carrying a child for the bastard who called himself head alpha. “Bruno!” The sound of my mother’s voice pulled me from my dark thoughts, and I groaned immediately upon recognizing it. “Oh goodness, yes, mother,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “Follow me,” she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument. I turned to look at her, and for a moment, my heart skipped a beat. Was it guilt I felt? Perhap
DENARA’S POV My eyes slowly fluttered open, a frown creasing my forehead as the world came into focus. A sharp wave of nausea rolled through me, and a debilitating headache throbbed at my temples, each pulse sending a jolt of pain through my skull. I groaned softly, regretting every sip of that wolfsbane alcohol. The memory of the night before was a hazy blur, filled with laughter that now felt bitter and mocking.As the fog of confusion began to lift, panic surged within me. Blinking rapidly, I tried to piece together what was happening, but reality hit me hard: I was seated on a rough wooden chair, and something cold and unyielding was strapped around my wrists and ankles. “How the fuck am I kidnapped?” I muttered, my voice hoarse and laced with disbelief. The weight of my situation settled in like a heavy shroud, suffocating me. In the dim light, I sensed another presence lurking in the shadows. My heart raced as I turned my head slightly, the familiar scent hitting me like a s
BrunoThe moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery light across the pack house as I paced my room, frustration boiling beneath the surface. I just settled into a restless state when a soft knock echoed through the door.“Bruno?” Freya’s voice drifted in, tentative but familiar.I clenched my jaw, irritation prickling at my skin. “What do you want, Freya?” “I need to talk to you,” she replied, her tone insistent. With a heavy sigh, I opened the door, bracing myself for yet another conversation that would lead nowhere. Freya stepped inside, her expression a mix of determination and something I couldn’t quite place. “Freya, it’s late,” I said, trying to sound more pissed than I felt. “You shouldn’t be here.”“I know,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. “But I couldn’t wait.”I leaned against the wall, arms crossed, and studied her. She looked different tonight—tense, almost fragile. “What is it?”Before she could respond, a familiar scent hit me—Denera’s scent, lingering o
FREYAAs I stepped back into the house, the familiar scent of wood and lingering dinner wafted through the air. My heart sank a little. The warmth of home felt suffocating tonight, like a heavy blanket draped over me. I closed the door quietly behind me, hoping to slip by unnoticed, but the moment I entered, my parents’ voices echoed from the living room.“Freya! There you are!” My mother’s voice cut through the stillness, sharp and demanding. I paused, taking a breath before turning to face them.“Where have you been?” my father asked, his brow furrowed with concern. “It’s late, and you know it’s not safe to be out alone.”“I was just… taking a walk,” I replied, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. “Needed some fresh air.”My mother’s gaze narrowed, as if she could see right through my facade. “You shouldn’t be wandering the night at this time. It’s dangerous, especially for a girl your age.”“I know, Mom,” I said, trying to sound more composed than I felt. “I’ll be careful
DENARA’S POV I had nowhere else to go now. The darkness enveloped me like a heavy blanket, and I could feel the chill of the night seeping into my bones. It was probably past midnight, a dangerous hour for anyone to be wandering alone, especially a woman. My heart raced with the thought of what could happen if I encountered the wrong person.But then a thought struck me like a beacon of hope. “The Smith’s bar,” I gasped, a wave of relief washing over me. It was always open through the night, a sanctuary amidst the chaos of my life.Mr. Smith had always been kind to me, a rare warmth in a world that often felt cold and unforgiving. He had given me shelter whenever my home became unbearable, always treating me like family. The memory of his reassuring smile filled me with a sense of safety as I quickened my pace, eager to reach the familiar haven.Each step felt both urgent and heavy, a mixture of gratitude and determination swirling within me. I could still hear Freya’s words echoin
DENARA’S POV “Denera,” I froze in my tracks, my breath catching in the back of my throat. My eyes widened as the reality of the situation hit me.Someone saw me.“Oh my goodness, it is you.” The voice was unmistakable, sending a chill down my spine. I turned slowly, hoping against hope that I was imagining things.“Freya,” I breathed, my heart racing as dread washed over me. A long pause stretched between us, her frown deepening as she struggled to comprehend my presence. At that moment, I felt exposed and vulnerable. The fear of being recognized and outed gripped me like a vice. “What’re you doing here?” she asked, suspicion lacing her words as her eyes roamed over me, assessing, searching for any sign of wrongdoing.She probably thought I had come to steal from them. The thought of that made my pulse quicken, and I stood frozen, my mind racing with the potential consequences. She might end up calling out to her parents, if Aunt Rosa and Uncle Austin found me here, I knew exactly