Adriana's Point of View Alpha Brandon finally came back into the room. I don't know how long it had been since he left, but it seemed like hours. Even though there was no bed in the room, I managed to fall asleep lying on the wooden floor. I was starving and sore. The agonising throbbing in my neck was getting worse. To make matters worse, I had fallen in love with Daemon, and his betrayal left a void in my heart. "Here is some food," he sneered, dumping a tray on the floor next to me. "Enjoy it while you can." "And what do you mean by that?" I asked, absolutely sure that I didn't actually want the answer, but at the same time, some sick sense of wanting to know made me blurt it out. Brandon just laughed at me as if he were well aware of what I was thinking. I sighed, thinking he wasn't going to tell me what he had planned. Whatever it was, I was sure it would end in my death. Would that be such a bad thing? Wow! How had I gone from hoping for a chance to escape all the way to won
Daemon's Point of View The following two nights were hell. The nerve-wracking waiting for all the trackers to come back and report, hoping that at least one person had found Adriana. I knew it would take time for them to find her. A lot of preparation was needed for all the trackers to minimise their scent so they weren't putting themselves in danger. I totally understood this, but this was my mate and their Luna in trouble, and I was having difficulty reconciling priorities. Adam coordinated between the commanders, ready to put attack plans into action as soon as we had found her. Tyler spent his time organising the other work I would usually do. It was very remiss of me, but I couldn't concentrate on anything other than getting Adriana back. Tyler was also consoling me between jobs and ensuring Theo didn't take control and attack someone... anyone. "Alpha. Tyler. One of the trackers has come back. He thinks he's found her," Adam mind-linked us. "Meeting in my office now!" I order
Adriana's Point of View It had been two days that had passed since getting dragged off the bus. I was sure of it. At least Brandon is feeding me. I get two small meals daily, which consist of dry bread, some form of cooked meat and stale-tasting water. I was undoubtedly used to tastier food, but it is better than nothing. Prisoners can't be choosers. I know the saying was “beggars can't be choosers”, but I refuse to beg. My hands were still cuffed and causing welts. Despite this, I was not tied down in any other way, leaving me free to wander around the storage room. In one of the visits, Brandon gloated that the welts were caused by the silver handcuffs. I already knew this and told him so. He flipped his lid and had a massive meltdown. Easily riled piece of shit, although I might have used the word "doh!" while telling him. The look on his face when I laughed at him. At times, I thought my mum was nearby in spirit. Where I had felt like giving up before, I now felt like I would no
Daemon's Point of View We were in position. It had been torturous creeping up on the old packhouse like that, but we had managed it without getting detected. I only hoped we would be there in time, although if we had seen Brandon and his henchmen act, we would no longer have bothered creeping. With the full moon out, it was bright, and with our shifter senses, it might as well be daytime. So far, nothing had happened, but we still stayed in our positions, ready to attack. I took note of my surroundings in case there was someone else we hadn't accounted for. On one side, there was the large packhouse. Some other smaller buildings surrounded the open flat area on the other two sides. We were hidden on the fourth side, where there was long grass and some trees. All of the buildings were rundown, and it was noticeable that they hadn't been occupied for the last 18 years. It wasn't long before something happened. We watched Alpha Brandon enter the storage shed with the unknown woman, an
Adriana's Point of View "We are coming to rescue you." What? Moments ago, I had wished that Daemon was here to help rescue me, but I wasn't expecting it. So when he mind-linked me, I was shocked. For starters, the wolfbane compound I'd been given had finally worn off enough that I could hear him. Maybe, I could hear and talk to my wolf, though she still wasn't responding. Secondly, it was astounding that he was still trying to mind-link to me. Why on Earth would Daemon say that he was going to rescue me? I just couldn't comprehend why he would want to contact me or know that I needed rescuing, let alone come and rescue me. "Why?" was the only thing I could think of asking him. "Adriana, you are my mate. Of course, I would come and rescue you." I guess being fated mates wasn't something he could easily throw away, even if he wanted to. How would his new Luna feel about this? Surely it would have been better for them to let me go. Not that it mattered. There was no way I was going
Daemon's Point of View In our wolf forms, Adam and I raced towards Adriana, Alpha Brandon and the witch. Adam reached the witch before I got to Brandon and leapt at her. I could see she was fast, probably due to magic, and had managed to dodge his first attack. I was sure he would be fine, though, and I left him to it so I could focus all my attention on Brandon and Adriana. As I got into combat range, Adriana stopped kicking and hitting Brandon and turned partially to face me. I could see she was puffed and needed to catch her breath. It was not surprising because, with her hands cuffed in what looked like silver, she appeared to find it hard to keep the attacking momentum going. Not to mention, she was probably in pain from the silver touching her. Brandon had been clutching his throat the whole time I was coming at him, something that Adriana had done to him. Seeing that she had stopped attacking and had turned away from him, he fumbled with something on his right side. Suddenly,
Daemon's Point of View "Bring Doc over. Adriana has been stabbed with a silver blade. She isn't healing," I mind-linked to Tyler. "On our way!" he replied. Shit, shit, shit! There must have been something on the blade that is stopping her from healing. I held Adriana in my arms while trying to keep the wound closed. Adam came over and picked up the knife, smelling it. "Smells like wolfsbane," he said. "That'll be why Adriana can't heal. Her wolf will probably be dormant. Hopefully, it wasn't a large dose, but Doc will be able to tell." Fuck! Wolfsbane can be fatal to humans and wolves. If the dosage is large enough, it could kill not only her wolf but also her. If it is wolfsbane in her system, then there is no way she'll be able to use mind-link and shift into her wolf. Still, most importantly, she won't be able to heal as fast as was typical for shifters. She would only be able to recover like a fragile human. I continued to hold Adriana in my arms while we waited for Tyler and
Daemon's Point of View "Well, congratulations, Alpha. Your mate is pregnant." What? I couldn't believe my ears. Adriana was pregnant, and that meant she conceived during her first heat. I didn't know whether to be happy or sad. Given the way the doctor was congratulating me, I decided to at least act happy. "I need you to put a lid on this," I said to him. "I think Adriana and the family need to know before this becomes general knowledge. I will announce it at some stage soon. Doc nodded and left the room. I held Adriana's hand thinking about the news. The idea of having a pup wasn't horrible. It was just I was wondering what Adriana would think about it? Would she be happy or sad? We hadn't even discussed the Luna ceremony, and now a pup was on the way. Would Adriana even want a pup at this stage? We hardly knew each other and hadn't done much to cement our relationship. Correction... I hadn't done a lot to cement the relationship. If I had, Adriana wouldn't have run when she saw
Cole's Point of ViewLucienne's breath caught, her heartbeat quickening, but she didn't pull away. The world around them seemed to still, the quiet of the room amplifying the thrum of her pulse in her ears.Then, with an uncharacteristic yet wholly captivating hesitance, I leaned down. My lips met hers in a kiss so soft and unhurried that it felt like time had paused to savour the moment. The kiss was chaste, a gentle melding of lips that carried no urgency, only a silent promise.Lucienne moaned, her lips opening slightly. My cock harden, making my jeans tight. The moan nearly made me come in my pants. That was enough of an invitation for me to deepen the kiss—our tongues sparring.When I finally withdrew, my forehead rested lightly against hers, my breath mingling in the shared silence. I closed my eyes to focus on reducing my arousal. Lucienne's eyes fluttered open, her lips tingling from the ghost of my touch, and for a moment, all the chaos and uncertainty in her world faded away
Marc's Point of View"What's your relationship with the Royal Family?" I asked, leaning towards Lucienne. I took note of the rare colour of her eyes. How could I have not noticed the stunning colour? It was the same as the Royal Family, but I had also noticed that two others in their entourage had the same shade of purple. There was another who had a deeper, darker purple.Suddenly, her eyes glazed over, and she was obviously mind-linking someone. I wondered who. I was an Alpha Wolf, and we were possessive creatures at best, and I had seen how close she was with Prince Cedric. I really hoped she wasn't in a relationship with him. For all intents and purposes, he seemed to be a nice guy, but I would hate him if she were with him."There's something you should know. About who I am," Lucienne stated. "I am here with my parents and twin brother, Cedric.""Cedric. As in… Crown Prince Cedric?" asked Cole, to which Lucienne nodded. "That makes you. I mean… Your Highness?""Stop right there!"
Daemon's Point of ViewWatching Lucienne ascend the stairs with Marc and Cole, I felt a pang of bittersweet pride settle in my chest. My little girl—my eldest daughter—was nineteen and all grown up. She moved with the grace of a warrior and the quiet confidence of someone who knew her worth. It struck me how much she resembled her mother—the same striking features, the same fire in her eyes.Adriana, standing beside me, seemed to sense my thoughts. She slipped her hand into mine, her touch warm and grounding. "She's everything we hoped she would be," she said softly, her voice laced with emotion."She is," I replied, my eyes still on the staircase where Lucienne had disappeared moments before. "It feels like just yesterday she was running around the house, training with Cedric, declaring she'd never wear a dress."Adriana chuckled, her laugh like music to my ears. "And now she's wearing heels and dresses but still commanding armies and winning trials."I couldn't help but smile. "She'
Lucienne's Point of ViewMarc's expression softened. "Why did you decide to become a warrior?"I smiled, the memory warming me. "It started when I was about six. I used to watch the warriors train and try to mimic their movements. At the time, it looked like an exotic dance to me. By the age of ten, I was training daily."Cole grinned. "And now you're the best of the best?""I wouldn't say that," I said modestly, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "But I work hard."Marc and Cole were seated on either side of me on the sprawling leather couch, their focus unwavering. Their attention made me feel both seen and scrutinised, but I pressed on, knowing they genuinely wanted to know more about me."Two weeks before I came here, I competed in the warrior trials," I continued, my tone steady, though a flicker of pride crept into my voice. "It's an intense competition. This time, it was designed to find the next Royal Gamma."Marc's brows lifted, and Cole leaned forward, resting his elbow
Lucienne's Point of ViewWe were back in the twins' suite of rooms, and I took a moment to soak in the space. It was undeniably warm and inviting, with a balance of rustic masculinity and understated charm that spoke volumes about Marc and Cole's personalities. The fact that it fitted with mine just made it all the better.The walls were painted in a deep slate grey, accented with dark wood panelling that added a touch of elegance. Soft lighting from strategically placed lamps gave the space a cosy glow, and thick curtains in a rich, earthy tone framed the windows, offering both privacy and a sense of comfort.The sprawling couch in the centre of the living area immediately caught my attention. Its dark leather looked well-worn but not shabby as if it had seen its share of long conversations and quiet moments. A plush, woven throw was draped over one arm, and a few mismatched pillows gave it a more relaxed feel. The scent of cedarwood filled the air, mingling with something distinctly
Lucienne's Point of ViewStaying at the packhouse had been the right call. Alpha Duncan's suggestion, though somewhat unexpected, made sense now that I was here. Getting to know Marc and Cole better felt necessary, especially with how things had changed lately. After all, not had I found my mates—two of them; Danielle had confided in me earlier that Eric insisted on spending time with her after he had claimed her as his mate in public—in front of Beatrice even. It had been heartwarming to see her so happy.When I'd assessed the warriors earlier in the day, she had been there with Eric, quietly glowing in his presence. Later, she told me everything—that Eric had denied ever being involved with Beatrice. He said he couldn't stand her but tolerated her because she was Marc and Cole's step-sister. She'd always hung around and had come on to him. He thought she'd stop once she found her destined mate, but he didn't expect she would actually come between him and his mate.Danielle told me t
Duncan's Point of ViewI had never seen anything like her.As Lucienne stood tall, her wolf towering over the other warriors, I couldn't shake the feeling. It wasn't just her size or the raw power she exuded—though both were unlike anything I'd seen before in our pack. Her aura, a dominance that saturated the room and left every shifter in the space, including my sons, captivated and slightly awed.There was no denying it now. The white fur, the piercing amethyst eyes, and the sheer size of her wolf… she was a Lycan and the daughter of King Daemon and Queen Adriana. How could anyone think otherwise or not even make the connection?Given her bearing and strength, I'd already suspected as much, but witnessing her wolf was another thing entirely. This wasn't the kind of power that could be taught or inherited lightly. It felt like it was ancient, almost primal, a presence that made everyone else's wolves seem small.I chose to keep that startling revelation to myself, knowing that sharin
Lucienne's Point of ViewI took down the three warriors effortlessly, including their Gamma, who put up a decent fight but was ultimately no match for me. He would have been their top fighter, except maybe the Alphas, but he didn't have my training. It might have been a tad unfair since I wasn't a Wolf-Shifter like them, but they needed a reality check.As they rose to their feet, dusting themselves off, the humiliation was unmistakable in their expressions. Their eyes avoided mine, and their jaws clenched with the sting of defeat. The fact that a female had beaten them only deepened the shame and disgust written on their faces. Clearly, this wasn't something they'd soon forget—or forgive."Let me handle this," my father's calm yet commanding voice echoed through our mind-link. He had noticed the intense, uneasy look the warriors were casting in my direction—a mixture of shock, resentment, and bruised pride. His tone carried the subtle authority that had always made him such a respect
Cole's Point of ViewLucienne was here in our suite, changing her clothes. My wolf stirred restlessly, eager to claim her, to make her ours in every possible way. Marc and I had waited so long, dreaming of the day we'd finally have our mate at our side, leading our pack. But now that Lucienne was here, the reality was even more consuming than we'd ever imagined. Her strength, her loyalty, her fire… she was a perfect match for us in every sense.As if sensing my thoughts, Marc turned to me with a smirk. "You're as restless as I am," he murmured, his voice filled with anticipation."Can you blame me?" I replied, my gaze drifting to where Lucienne had stood only moments ago. "She's perfect. I don't know how we ever lived without her."Marc nodded, his expression softening. "Soon, brother," he promised. "When the time is right. We'll mark her together."The thought was both thrilling and humbling. We would be bound to her, our souls intertwined. And with Lucienne as our Luna, nothing could