«CLARA» After my response, low murmurs start to brew in the atmosphere in the council hall."This was a mistake.""She doesn't belong here.""I heard she's an omega rogue, doesn't even have her wolf.""This is an insult to the council.""A cursed rogue sitting in that chair... ridiculous."Ah. There it is.I cross my legs slowly, placing my hands on my lap, my expression impassive even as my blood simmers beneath my skin.They aren’t just questioning me as Queen.They still believe I am the cursed wolf.I tilt my head, pretending to be bored as I let them talk. Let them get it out of their systems.Then, Lusaka’s voice cuts through the noise with loud authority. "Enough!"His blue eyes sweep across the room, daring anyone to challenge him.Silence falls instantly."I assume there was a reason for summoning me and my queen here," the rogue King continues, his voice calm but hard. "Elder Oswin, you may speak…" "Forgive my bluntness, my King," Elder Oswin, who happened to be Shantel’s
«ADRIAN»Tension fills the atmosphere like a thick, suffocating fog, so heavy it’s hard to breathe.The courthouse is crowded, including, pack members, the council of elders, and high-ranked wolves. Their hushed, panicked voices fill the space, their faces pale with worry.The Dark Howl Pack, my pack, has been suffering for weeks now. Pups fall sick. Crops and livestock die, and even the strongest wolves begin to weaken.It’s not just our pack. Other packs deal with similar disasters, and rumors spread like wildfire.One could feel the tension in the atmosphere. Some of the women held their children tightly, whispering prayers to the Moon Goddess. Others cast wary glances at the council of elders, as if expecting them to magically fix everything.Uncle Marcus sits among the elders on the long table, his face grim.Sitting at the head of the large table, my arms crossed, and my face unreadable. But Inside, though, frustration builds. Why is this happening? And more importantly, why no
«ADRIAN» “She is so weak, Adrian,” Tiara sighs heavily, her voice cracking with emotion, tears flowing down her cheeks. She looks every bit the image of a mother worried for her daughter. “She locked herself away in her room, alone. You haven’t gone to see her. Ophelia thinks… she thinks you have abandoned her.” A wave of unease twists in my chest. “She’s the Luna, she gave everything for this pack,” she continued, her voice rising. “And now, when she is in pain when she needs you her Alpha the most, you ignore her?” Her lower lip quivers. “Does she mean so little to you?” A few elders shoot me disapproving looks, and I feel the weight of their silent judgment pressing down on me. The people around us now look at me with cold eyes, their disappointment clear, for abandoning Ophelia as Tiara put it. My lips twitched, I was battling inside, trying to control myself, and after a moment of silence. I force out, "I will check on her,” my voice flat. Tiara’s face immediately
«THIRD POV»"It's the rogues attacking us, Alpha," Orlen moved uneasily on his spot, his voice cutting through the silence in the air. A hushed murmur spread through the courtroom. Orlen’s words carried a heavy weight. The rogues were attacking them? An attack from the rogues was unexpected, especially now, when the pack was already dealing with enough trouble.Seated on his throne, Adrian stilled. His fingers, which had been tapping on the armrest, froze. His dark eyes narrowed. "The rogues?" "He repeated, almost as if testing the words. A second later, a faint chuckle escaped his lips. "Lusaka finally grew some backbone to challenge me?"His words dripped with mockery, but beneath the amusement, there was something more, something dangerous. Adrian’s aura flared, suffocating the air in the room. The warriors standing nearby stiffened, and even some of the elders and the pack members exchanged uneasy glances."The Dark Howl pack pack has no conflict with the rogues," Ryan pointe
«ADRIAN’S POV»When me and my men reached the pack border, the battlefield was filled with the sounds of clashing swords and painful cries. Blood stained the ground, and seas of dead bodies of warriors—both mine and the rogues—lay scattered everywhere. But I didn't care about any of it.I marched forward, my amber eyes cold, my body tense with anticipation. This was no ordinary battle. This was a challenge; one meant to mock me, to test me. And I would not stand for it! My fingertips clenched as I continued to walk forward, my steps slow but firm. I wasn’t here for a fight. I was here for the person leading this attack. The one who dared to challenge me.I wanted to see the face of the woman who dared to lead this war against me! As soon as my warriors and the rogues saw me, everything changed. The fighting stopped. The warriors lowered their weapons. The rogues backed away. Their eyes filled with unease. A heavy silence fell over. A deep, suffocating silence.I kept walking, my
«CLARA POV»Adrian stopped instantly on his track upon the hear of my voice, but he didn't turn back to look at me. The battlefield was a mess. Bodies of warriors—both rogues and Dark Howl pack members lay scattered across the blood-stained ground. The air smelled of sweat, blood, and death. The fight had gone on for hours and had been brutal, but I knew the truth. Adrian had the upper hand. His pack was stronger. His warriors were still plentiful and well-trained. If he had wanted to, he could have crushed us completely.So why?Why didn’t he fight me? But he didn’t.And that enraged me.I took a step forward, my chest rising and falling with deep, angry breaths. My eyes locked on hunched back as I shouted, “What’s the matter, Alpha Adrian?! Are you truly scared of me?”Adrian didn't turn and didn't show any sign of reaction. He remained steady, unaffected.That only fueled my bitterness.I wanted him to fight me. I wanted him to hate me enough to strike me down, to show me I wa
«ADRIAN POV»The Dark Howl Pack was quiet now. My warriors had pulled back, and the rogues had begun retreating as well. But I remained frozen in place in the building where I hid, I hadn't fully left, and my red eyes centered on Clara’s fading figure.My mate… my beautiful mate. I could have fought her. I could have taken her down. But I didn’t.Not because of guilt. Not because of pain.But because of what I smelled.It was faint, mixed with the the the stench of blood and cinnamon, but unmistakable.She was pregnant.I clenched my hands, my chest tightened painfully.Clara was pregnant with Pups.She was carrying someone else’s children.I couldn’t breathe for a moment. The realization hit me harder than any blow ever had.I had spent months drowning in regret, believing the Moon Goddess had punished me by taking my mate away. I had thought Clara was dead, and that I killed her.But she didn't die.She was alive. Thriving. She'd moved on. And now, she carried another man’s pups.
«CLARA POV»Everything is happening so fast.One moment, I am in the car, struggling to breathe through the sharp pain in my belly. The next, I am being wheeled into the Rogue Hospital, my vision blurring from the sweat dripping down my face. My body trembles uncontrollably.Pain rips through me, making it impossible to think clearly. My clothes cling to my skin, soaked in sweat.I barely notice the rogue nurses around me as they wheel me through the hospital wards. My stomach cramps painfully, and I let out a sharp cry, my hand gripping Brandon’s arm tightly.“Clara, just hold on a little longer,” Brandon says, his voice filled with worry.I want to answer him, but I can’t. The pain is too much. It feels like my body is being torn apart.Brandon bites his lips, and then he says with struggle, as if he can't bear to leave me alone, “I will be right back, Clara. I just need you to keep holding on.”Before I can muster a word, he is already marching out of the ward. The nurses bow and g
«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