«CLARA POV»The room was warm, the air filled with the dull crackle of the fireplace as Lusaka and Ravenna played chess in the corner. I sat curled up on the couch, wrapped in a thick blanket, pretending to listen as they discussed the latest pack affairs. I wasn't really paying attention. My mind was elsewhere— him. Adrian. After the battle in the Dark Howl pack with him, I returned to the rogue pack where I secretly put to birth. It's been days now and I had told Lusaka and everyone else that I needed time to recover, that I wasn’t feeling well. A white little lie. Only Brandon knew the truth. I had just given birth. And now, the guilt was eating me alive. My son. My baby. I had left him in the orphanage, far away from here, away from Adrian, away from everything that could tie me to my past with him. But every night, I thought about my baby. Every night, I fought the urge to go back, to hold him in my arms just once more. But I couldn’t. Lusaka was my husband. Th
«CLARA POV»My heart twists as I stand there, facing Adrian. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed or how much I have tried to move forward. But seeing him, here in front of me, still does something to me. And now, with the way he looks at me, the way his eyes cloud over with something unspoken, I feel myself drowning in emotions I don’t want to feel. I have built something strong with the rogues. I have made a home among them, created an empire that no one can take away from me. But my heart? It is still shattered, broken into too many pieces to ever be put back together. My bond with Adrian is a constant reminder of what I have lost in the past. And now, as I stand with Lusaka, I can see it. The jealousy in Adrian’s lustrous eyes. The way his perfect jawline tenses, how he clenches his fists at his sides. He tries to hide it, but I know him too well. He doesn’t like seeing me with Lusaka. I can feel Lusaka’s warmth beside me, his protective arm around my waist. But
«ADRIAN POV»I couldn’t move.I stood there, frozen, the weight of Clara’s words pressed down on me like a mountain. It echoed in my head, over and over again, like a cruel reminder of how badly I had failed her.She wasn’t the cursed wolf. I had already suspected it, but hearing her say it out loud… it still shocked me. A part of me wanted to deny it, to argue, to tell her she was wrong—but deep inside, I knew she wasn’t. The calamity had spread across the packs, destroying lives, tearing apart families. But the rogues? They remained untouched. How could that be, if Clara was truly cursed? I should have fought for her. I should have believed in her.Instead, I had let the world convince me she was the enemy.I had let her believe I hated her.Shock flickered across my face before I quickly masked it. I clenched my jaw and forced myself to speak. "That doesn't make sense," I muttered, though my voice lacked its usual strength and was barely strong enough to hold. "Of course
«CLARA POV»I slam the door behind me and drop to my knees.The room is quiet. Too quiet. The silence presses against me like a heavy weight. I don’t even make it to the bed. My legs give out and I just stay on the floor, hugging myself.And then… the tears come.I try to stop them—I really do. But it’s like a floodgate has opened inside me. Everything I’ve been holding in, everything I’ve shoved deep down… spills out like water breaking through a cracked dam.I cry.Goddess, I cry like I haven’t in months. My chest hurts. My throat burns. My heart feels like it’s been ripped open and handed back to me in pieces.I think I’m stronger than this.I’ve built an empire, haven’t I?I’ve led rogues, faced threats, survived betrayals, and stood tall through it all. But whenever Adrian stands in front of me… I fall apart. Every single time.His voice keeps echoing in my head.“I’m sorry.”“I regret.”Regret?What the hell am I supposed to do with that?Is it going to erase the shame, the hea
«CLARA POV»The woods are darker than I remember.The moonlight barely slips through the thick trees above, and every step I take echoes low over the damp earth. Twigs snap under my boots, but I don’t stop. My heart is thudding too loud, my breath fast and shallow. I call for Lusaka once. But my voice gets swallowed by the trees.Where the hell is he?When I continue walking, my eyes dart around my surroundings, suddenly… I hear it.A voice.Feminine. Low. Too familiar.I freeze in place.“Why do you keep protecting her?” the female says, low and seductive. “She clearly doesn’t deserve you.”My heart lurches. I know that voice.Jasmine.Another voice follows—his voice. Lusaka. But I can’t hear what he’s saying. My feet begin to move again, slowly now, careful. My fingers tremble as I push a branch aside and inch closer.Their scents hit me before I see them.And then, through a gap between two thick trees, I see them.I stop breathing.Jasmine is leaning into Lusaka, her slender body
«CLARA POV»Jasmine turns, her eyes flashing with rage. She opens her mouth, probably to scream at me, but before she can raise her hand to strike me back, Lusaka steps forward fast, a blur of motion, and grabs her wrist, holding it tightly. His eyes flash with something darker than I’ve ever seen before—something that sends a chill down my spine.He growls, a deep, low sound that rattles the air.“Don’t. Touch. A hair. On her.”His voice is cold, but there’s an edge to it. An edge I’ve never heard before.Jasmine freezes, her body stiff. She looks at him like she can’t believe what she’s hearing, her eyes wide with shock.Even I was surprised. “Lusaka, y-you—” she starts, but her words falter as she looks at him.Lusaka doesn’t loosen his grip. His gaze doesn’t leave her.“Don’t.” His voice is low and dangerous, like a warning.Jasmine flinches, her expression twisting into a mix of confusion and pain. She takes a step back, her mouth opening like she wants to say something, but no
«ADRIAN POV»I walk through the woods, slowly, alone while drowning in my thoughts. The moonlight filters through the trees above, casting shadows all around me. The wind is gentle, brushing against my face, but I don’t feel calm.Not tonight. Not after what I saw.I didn’t mean to see it. I wasn’t following her, I swear I wasn’t.But maybe I was. Maybe a part of me was hoping to see her one more time… even if I didn’t deserve to.And now I wish I hadn’t.Clara.In his arms.Laughing.Smiling.Kissing.My blood boiled.My vision went red.I wanted to burn the world to ash. To tear through trees, howl at the moon, and destroy everything that reminded me of him… of them. But no matter how angry I felt, there was another voice—one that whispered like poison in my ear…. ‘She doesn’t belong to you anymore.’ She chose him.He’s her king. Her husband. My chest felt tight, I couldn’t breathe.I know Clara saw me, I know she did. Her eyes widened just a little. Her body tensed.But she did
«THIRD POV»Ryan stepped out of the pack house, his hands in his pockets, trying to clear his head. It was fully morning and the sunlight spread the Dark Howl pack. If one looked closely, one would notice the dark circles in his eyes. He barely slept last night. He had been thinking a lot about Adrian lately. His best friend wasn’t the same. There was a pain in his voice that he tried to hide, but he felt it.Much worse, the enemies had taken over the ruling of the pack. He didn't know the future of the Dark Howl pack anymore. He missed those days when everything was in control when Adrian was still the Alpha. Everything had seemed perfect until now. Just as Ryan reached the stairs, a familiar voice of an elder stopped him.“Ryan,” Marcus said, standing behind him with a smug look on his face.Ryan stiffened but turned around slowly. “Alpha Marcus,” he greeted with forced respect.Marcus grinned wide like an old fox as he took a slow step toward him. “Where’s my lovely nephew?” he
«CLARA’S POV»It was a fresh morning, I sit in the garden for breakfast with Savanna, Ravenanna, and Brandon. Sweet roses smell in the air, but I still feel trapped in my chest. The last few days have been too much and worse, I keep remembering the image of Adrian and Jasmine kissing, and it hurts me.I hated it. I hated he always affected me this much. Why? Why can't I seem to forget this man? For a moment, the atmosphere suddenly turns quiet. Savanna and Brandon stop speaking, and I threw a look at them, raising my brow, silently asking them what’s wrong.But none could answer. They could only lower their eyes in unease and apprehension. Then Ravenanna leans forward, anger swimming on her face. “What is he doing here?! Don't tell you guys settled the scores last time?” She hisses.What? I frowned. What the hell is she saying? I was confused. So, I followed the directions behind my back where she was pointing. It was then I saw him. Adrian was walking toward us. He was in all
«THIRD POV»She stood still, her face slowly her smile slowly fading.The warm feeling in her chest turned cold and heavy. That was it?That’s why he grabbed her?Her hands shook a little as she stared down at Lusaka. Her heart beat fast, not with love, but with bitterness. She wanted to shout. She wanted to ask why it was always about Clara! But instead, she gave a fake smile, a cold and tight one that it almost hurt her cheek. “Of course,” she said, pretending to be calm. “It’ll be our little secret.”Even though deep inside, it made her blood boil.Lusaka looked at her, his eyes sharp and cold like ice. “Jasmine…” he said slowly, as if warning her.That made her snap.“What?! Huh?!” She yelled, her voice shaking with anger.She picked up the bowl beside the bed and threw it hard. It hit the floor and water splashed everywhere. But she didn’t care. She didn’t even look at it. Her eyes were only on him now, burning with pain and rage.“Lusaka told me to seduce Adrian!” she shouted
«THIRD POV»“Bastard!” Adrian roared, his voice dark and guttural, not entirely human anymore.Without hesitation, his form exploded into his massive black wolf, Magnus, fur shimmering like obsidian, eyes burning like molten gold. Lusaka, in his brown wolf form, lunged toward him in response, snarling ferociously.The clash was violent. Two powerful wolves with too much hatred, too much fury, and too much to lose. They collided with a sickening crash that sent vibrations through the ground, sharp claws slicing the air, fangs gnashing and tearing. The sounds of snarls, snapping jaws, and bone-jarring impacts filled the air, drowning out even Jasmine’s terrified cries. “S-stop!” She shrieked, scrambling backward, tripping over herself as blood sprayed across the floor. Both men pounced violently, wrestled, and slammed each other into the walls, the stones cracking beneath the weight of their savage bodies. Deep fissures split the walls as dust and debris fell like rain.Magnus w
«THIRD POV» After Clara stormed away, Savanna and Ravenanna hurried after her, worried about her. Ravenanna was calling her name frantically as she disappeared around the corner. “Clara, wait!” The tension left behind in the packhouse was suffocating, thick enough to choke the air from anyone who remained.Adrian stood rooted in place, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned bone-white, his chest rising and falling with ragged, furious breaths. His jaw clenched it hurt, his amber eyes burning with a dark rage as they settled on Jasmine.She was trembling now, her face pale and terrified under his lethal glare. Staggering, she took a cautious step back, her lips quivering as if she wanted to speak, to beg, but no words came. Her whole body shook visibly.“You just signed your death warrant!” Adrian snarled lowly, his voice like gravel, rough and sharp. Then he seized Jasmine’s arm roughly, yanking her forward with such force that she gasped aloud and eyes wide with fea
«CLARA’S POV»When I woke up in the hospital ward, the first thing I felt was pain. A dull, throbbing ache that seemed to pulse with every beat of my heart. My belly hurt the most, a sharp, stinging reminder of what Ophelia had done to me. I winced, my hand moving instinctively to the spot where she stabbed me. The bandages were tight, and the skin beneath it felt tender, raw.But thanks to whatever pain relief Brandon had given me, it was bearable. I could breathe without wanting to scream.The last thing I remembered was Adrian catching me just before everything went black. His arms around me, the sound of his voice–panicking, desperate, calling my name. It should’ve been Lusaka in my mind, but it wasn’t. It was Adrian. And when I opened my eyes, hoping—maybe even expecting—to see him sitting beside me, all I found was Lusaka.I don't know why but a wave of disappointment which I hadn't expected hit me. Meanwhile, Lusaka was smiling so wide, his eyes glistening with disbelief as
«ADRIAN’S POV»I was stunned when my eyes landed on Jasmine. She was standing at the doorway of the packhouse entrance, half-hidden in the shadows behind the elder woman like she wanted to disappear. But it was too late, our eyes met. And I saw it. That look. Fear. Guilt. Panic. She was terrified of me. What the hell is she doing here?! My gut twisted. It was then I realized she must be living here, in the rogue packhouse. Only the high ranking wolves gets to live in the packhouse. Does that mean she knows Clara? That was very much possible and I had this foreboding feeling building inside of me. Jasmine wasn’t just some ordinary she-wolf like I once assumed. Fuck! I should’ve known. I should’ve followed my instincts when I first sensed something off about her at the bar last night. But before I could even move toward her, a voice pulled my attention.“Alpha Adrian,” The older woman in front of me spoke, her voice familiar, it was soft and gentle. I took a step closer to her
«ADRIAN’S POV»“We have to stop them!” I growled low, my voice rough and frantic as I spoke into the phone. “Do anything, Ryan. I don’t care how, you have to stop Marcus! Delay him. Sabotage the damn trucks, blow their weapons stash, fake a threat, I don’t care!” “Adrian…” Ryan was hesitant. I knew he was scared of being caught. But I fucking don't care. I can't sit and watch Marcus and the rest of the alpha attack the rogues and take Clara. I would be damned if that should happen! “Ryan,” I sighed and spoke intensely into the phone. “The rogues aren’t prepared. Clara… Clara’s hospitalized.”There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. “What?!” Ryan’s voice cracked in shock and he blurted out. “Hospitalized? What happened to Clara?!”I sighed heavily again, dragging a hand down my face, the weight of everything crushing against my chest. “She’s currently injured, Ophelia attacked her.”There was a long, thick silence. I could hear Ryan’s breathing shift,
«ADRIAN’S POV»The first thing that hit me was the headache. A splitting pain that made me groan deeply, my hand instinctively going to my head. The bright ray of morning streamed through the car windows, making the space feel like it was spinning. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the harsh light, only to be greeted by a bare naked image that froze me in place. What the fuck?I was half-naked, sprawled across the front seat of my car, my hairy chest exposed and covered in sweat. Turning my neck beside me, a woman lay there, her hand resting boldly on my chest. A soft, content smile played on her lips as if we were some kind of lovers. I could barely breathe as my mind raced to understand what had happened… Fuck! The reality of the situation slammed into me like a freight train. What the hell was going on?“Hey!” I growled in disbelief, pushing her away with more force than I meant. Her body jerked as she fell to the other side of the car, a surprised cry escaping her
«ADRIAN’S POV»I glared at her. “Not interested, Jasmine.”She threw her head back and laughed, eyes twinkling as she rested her elbow on the bar, eyes never leaving mine.“Why Alpha Adrian?” She drawled, trying to act sexy enough to tempt me. I gave her a sharp glance, my voice flat. “How do you know me?”She shrugged, taking a sip. “Everyone knows who you are. The big bad Alpha. Killer of kings. Breaker of rules. Heard a lot about you.”I huffed, downing the rest of my drink. “Well… ‘they’ clearly don’t know shit.”Jasmine leaned in again flirtingly, her perfume too strong it gave me a headache. “I dunno… you look exactly like the stories say. All brooding, dark, and tragic.” She grinned playfully. “But… I see it in your eyes. You’re not as heartless as they think.”I scoffed, motioning at the bartender for another drink. “Don’t pretend you know me.”She raised a brow. “I don’t have to. It’s obvious. Men don’t drink like that for no reason.” She tipped her head at me with curious