I hope you are enjoying the story so far. I am putting an extra chapter, possibly two out this week, so expect another chapter on Thursday evening, New Zealand time.
Adriana's Point of View Daemon and I walked out into the forest to do my first shift. The idea was that we would strip our clothes and shift into our wolf forms. Having never shifted, I needed to figure out how to do it. When I mentioned that to Daemon, he said, "Don't worry, your wolf will know what to do." "Yes, I do," responded Calliope. "Will anyone be able to see us naked?" I asked Daemon. "No. No one will come near," he answered. "I told my guards to keep everyone out of this area." That was something. I knew that most shifters weren't worried about nudity because everyone had to strip before changing. Still, I had been brought up to believe I was an Omega and therefore didn't have a wolf. I would have to get used to not only being a shifter but also being something more. Two somethings more, to be specific. At least I wasn't a part vampire. That would be too much. Life was different for Omegas that didn't shift. They still had the shifter gene, but only in human form.
Adriana's Point of View I spent the following day in the office with Daemon, still learning all I could about the pack's finances. It was an exhaustive process going through everything. Still, I think I was getting better at it and understanding exactly where all the money came from and what it was spent on. The skills I was learning would be invaluable in working out all of my own finances with the money that my mother left me. The next day, it was time to head over to Lexi's store to be fitted for my gown. It wouldn't be finished for another week, but she wanted to fit me a few times to ensure it was perfect. Alana and two of my guards would be going with me. Today it was Carlisle and Wilson again. They were most likely to be rostered during the day. "Morning, Luna," Wilson said, opening the car door for me. "Morning, Wilson, and you too, Carlisle. Let's get Alana and head to the shop," I answered. Carlisle was driving us today while Wilson sat in the passenger seat. We picked u
Adriana's Point of View When Kree exited the vehicle, I quickly mind-linked Daemon, "We are under attack!" Looking out of the back window, I gave as many details as I could to Daemon on our whereabouts and who we were going up against, including that a younger version of Alpha Brandon was with her. There were also three other men I had never seen before. However, one of them had some similarities to Kree and might possibly be her father. I decided to call him Daddy Witch and Brandon's son, Junior. The other two were most likely shifters, as they had that certain look. They were possibly his Beta and Gamma. "Stay in the car if you can," he replied. "I am contacting Perry and Delilah as we speak. Tyler and James are on their way with extra men." With Daemon's order to stay in the car, my only viable option was to sit back, watch and hope. Alana grabbed my hand, telling me, "They'll get here in time. I am sure they will. Just stay inside the car. It has a reinforced body and bulletpr
Adriana's Point of View With Daemon being five to ten minutes away from us, I took stock of the situation. One shifter and a witch were dead, thanks to both Carlisle and Wilson. Kree and Junior were still alive and unhurt, along with one other shifter who was currently in wolf form and fighting Wilson. There were three of them remaining, and one of them was a formidable enemy. I wasn't sure about the other two and was not entirely confident we would get out of this unscathed. Looking at both wolves fighting, whatever rank the shifter had, he was no match for Wilson. I felt a lot better about that fight. Although, he wasn't totally outclassed because Wilson was bleeding from a few bites. There was a lot of growling going on, and then suddenly, a whiny yelping sound as Wilson bit down on his opponent's neck. That was the end of shifter number two as he lay unmoving. Shifter number one was still on the ground writhing in pain from the stun gun, so not going anywhere fast. This left Kre
Daemon's Point of View When Adriana mind-linked me and told me that she was under attack, and it was from Kree and possibly the son of ex-Alpha Brandon, I was more than worried. The fear I had felt when Adriana was abducted last time came crashing back down, threatening to overwhelm me. Not only was Adriana in danger, but so was my mother. If anything happened to them, my father and I would be devastated. The first thing I did was mind-link Tyler and Adam to get one of the pack vehicles. It had toughened glass windows and a strengthened chassis. I wasn't the type of Alpha who wanted to conquer other packs just to make mine bigger. The pack was big enough, and I wasn't greedy. Besides, it was one of the largest packs anyway, if not the biggest. I also wasn't the type of Alpha who would shy away from fighting to defend my pack if need be. No greedy Alpha was going to attack my pack and get away with it. "Stay in the car if you can," I told her. "I am contacting Perry and Delilah as we
Adriana's Point of View I knew why Daemon was determined to take me to see Doctor Samuel. In fact, he was adamant that I would be going for a check-up, whether I liked it or not. Even though I insisted that both the pups and I were fine, I could understand why he wanted to make sure. He loved me. It was as simple as that. He loved our unborn children and me so much that he had to ensure we were alright. I was okay with that. On the trip back to the pack lands, Daemon held me the entire way. I could sense the stress and tension he felt as it flowed through our mating bond. It was how he had managed to feel how frightened I had been before. As the stress and tension dissipated, I sensed a new feeling from Daemon... anger. I put my hand up to stroke Daemon's cheek, and the feeling of anger subsided a little, but it didn't go away entirely. While Daemon was not the type of Alpha to go off and attack another pack willy-nilly, I thought I could sense his need to destroy Brandon Junior's p
Adriana's Point of View Once Tyler, Adam, Daemon and I had finished our lunch, Adam went off to arrange a more intensive Luna guard. I could no longer wander anywhere alone, which wasn't too much of an imposition as I didn't anyway. It was just the implications of the danger I would always be in. Despite worrying about what my future might look like with having to have a constant guard, I just wanted to get up to our bedroom. I needed a little time to process everything that had gone on, and I wanted to be away from everyone except Daemon. After lunch, I excused myself to Daemon and Tyler and headed towards the stairs. I told them I needed to freshen up. "There's something I want to show you," said Daemon as he jogged over and grabbed my hand. "It is a surprise, but I think you'll like it." "What surprise?" I asked. "If I told you, then it wouldn't be a surprise," he explained. Even though I had plans to hide away for a little while, I went with him. I wasn't a person who liked
Daemon's Point of View I got the feeling that pregnancy was making Adriana hornier than usual, and I had no problem with that at all. Add the redecorated music room and new piano; it was an afternoon of making love with multiple orgasms. After our shower together, we lay on the bed, cuddling. I liked this side of Adriana too. There was something settling about lying here with her in my arms. I didn't want to go back to work at all. "What do you want to do this afternoon?" I asked. "What about work?" she replied. “After today, we deserve some time to spend together. A rest," I answered. "I could have lost you to that damned blood witch and Brandon's pack," I continued. "Later today, I will contact Perry and find out what will happen. I have the basics, but I need more details, so we can go forward without worrying about safety." Adriana nodded thoughtfully before answering, "Will they find out if anyone else was behind this? What about the rest of his pack? Who else was involved?
Elizabeth's Point of ViewI found Beatrice sitting stiffly on the edge of the packhouse couch, her friends scattered around her, gossiping to distract her from Lucienne's latest insult. But the fury that simmered in Beatrice's eyes told me their words weren't making a dent. The humiliation Lucienne had dealt her still festered, a wound no soothing words could heal. And if I had my way, it would fuel the fire I intended to stoke."Leave us," I ordered her friends with a pointed glare. They glanced uneasily at each other before retreating, understanding enough to avoid my temper.I liked that everyone obeyed me. Everyone, that is, except Duncan and his sons. I could feel my face scowling, and I couldn't have that. Scowling made faces wrinkle and look old.Once we were alone, I assessed her carefully. Her chin was down, her posture defensive—pathetic. This wouldn't do. I needed her sharp, cold, and controlled."Don't let that stupid bitch win," I snapped, refusing to let any hint of symp
Elizabeth's Point of ViewI watched the pack's eyes trail after Lucienne as she entered, their gazes fixed on her like moths to a flame. It grated on my nerves—the fawning admiration, the way they seemed captivated by her every movement. This outsider had barely set foot into our world, yet she now commanded the attention of everyone, especially my stepsons, Marc and Cole. She had them under her spell, bewitched by her so-called strength and honour, all wrapped up in that carefully composed grace that seemed to draw people in without her lifting a finger.It was disgraceful, really. The way she carried herself, the way she flaunted her so-called strength as if it were some prize for them to chase. I'd seen how some of her own warriors looked at her, their eyes lingering just a second too long, betraying the kind of desire she seemed to stoke so effortlessly. And Lucienne, with that loose, careless smile, surely didn't mind. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if she finds her way into mo
Marc's Point of ViewShe came! Our mate came with the Royals, and we claimed her in public in front of the pack members present. I took it as a good sign that she didn't reject our advances. The King announced Lucienne as the future Gamma to the King. That was surprising. She was the one who would be evaluating our warriors.Gamma Ellis wasn't going to like that one bit, and there was nothing he could do about it. Lucienne was the Gamma of Gammas, undeniably the best warrior in our generation. To get that position, she would have needed to battle multiple opponents in the arena, some of them Alphas from other packs. Rumour had it that she was better than the King and Crown Prince.The King introduced the other members of their entourage and holy shit! Most of them were royalty of different species. Neither Cole nor I knew that Danielle was friends with such people. I reckoned that Beatrice wouldn't have been such a bitch to Danielle if she had realised.When we sat down for lunch, the
Duncan's Point of ViewThe moment the King and Queen stepped onto our pack lands, I sensed their raw and undeniable power. I had anticipated strength, of course. They were royalty, chosen by the Moon Goddess herself, then transformed into Lycans, much like the human movies portrayed—half beast, half human.Their reputation as a formidable pair was well known. But this? This was beyond anything I had imagined. Their presence wasn't just commanding; it was like an energy that pulsed through the air, seeping into the earth beneath our feet. Every wolf on our territory felt it, an instinctual recognition of the true power standing among us.The King's aura radiated a steady, unyielding strength, his gaze sharp and all-knowing. Beside him, the Queen was equally powerful, if not more, yet hers was a strength layered with grace—a silent but dangerous force, much like the calm before the storm. Together, they were a sight to behold, embodying everything a pack could desire in its leaders. As
Marc's' Point of ViewAfter training, I followed up on my mind link to Cole and gathered the younger members, including those who had looked hopeful during Cole's speech. Since none were warriors, I had to mind-link them to return to meet me in the training hall.When they arrived, the hall buzzed with nervous energy as they exchanged glances. It took patience and a lot of careful words, but eventually, they opened up. Beatrice and her posse left a lasting mark on this group, which was mainly composed of young teenage females. I could see the instilled fear and self-doubt. Many shifted uncomfortably, casting wary glances around as they finally shared their stories, revealing the extent of Beatrice's manipulation and cruelty."It's true," one of the younger females, Mallory, said, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes darted around the group before landing on me with a mix of fear and relief. "Beatrice and Michaela… they make life difficult for anyone they disapprove of, especially
Cole's Point of ViewFirst thing in the morning, we sought out Danielle's mother, Stephanie. "We found our mate last night, and she is friends with Danielle," said Marc."Congratulations," she answered. "Danielle stayed with her friends last night. Which one of her friends is your mate?""Her name is Lucienne," I gushed.Raising her left eyebrow, she warned, "You will have a strong Luna indeed. Be prepared for changes. She is not one to mince words, and there are some things that happen around here she will not like. She has a high moral compass."Good. I wasn't worried because things needed to change around here.After breakfast, as the warriors and many other pack members who were training with them gathered for a routine training session, I took the opportunity to address them. The non-warrior pack members would also include many females, although it wasn't compulsory for them to train, as it was for the men.The decision to integrate females into training had been our idea and had
Marc's Point of ViewAs I watched Lucienne stride out of the club, her every step brimming with authority, I felt like a force of nature had passed through. She was fierce, with a powerful presence that was impossible to ignore. The way she stood up to us, unyielding—that kind of strength was rare. And beneath it all, she was breathtaking, her beauty undeniable even as her words cut sharp.Cole stood beside me, his gaze fixed on the empty doorway Lucienne had just walked through. His jaw was tense as if he were trying to hold back the swell of emotion that had overtaken him. He swallowed, a flicker of something like awe passing over his features, and then he finally spoke, his voice low and almost reverent. "Our mate… she's incredible." He ran a hand over his face as if trying to piece together what he'd just witnessed. "I mean, I always imagined my mate would be strong, but Lucienne… she's beyond anything I could've pictured."He turned to me, his eyes searching mine as if hoping I'd
Lucienne's Point of ViewOur parents had finally arrived. They were staying on the same floor but in a different suite further down the hallway. No doubt, members of their entourage would be either in the same suite or next door.Cedric and I left Aaron with Danielle in case she woke up and wanted to know where we were. I could hear the soft rustle of her breathing, gentle and rhythmic, with an occasional deeper inhalation. Her heart resonated faintly, a steady thrum. Listening to someone sleeping was like tuning in to a delicate symphony of subtle noises. As we stepped into the suite, I could see it was set out and decorated like ours. The living area was spacious, featuring an oversized sectional couch adorned with plush pillows, perfectly arranged around a glass coffee table gleaming under a stylish chandelier's light. I could see my parents, Queen Adriana and King Daemon, seated together on one of the sofas, their regal presence commanding the room. My mother radiated grace, her
Lucienne's Point of View"Enough!" I bellowed. The room went silent as I let my Alpha aura ripple out, filling the space. The banshee's sneer disappeared, replaced by shock and fear as she and Eric fell to their knees under the weight of my command.My Alpha aura was so intense that it made my mother and father bow down under its weight. This was one of the reasons my brother offered me the crown. At a young age, I accepted that Cedric, as the firstborn, would be the Lycan King. I was happy with that. I might have been stronger and faster, but I loved him so much that I would protect him."I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but I don't. Tolerate. Bullies," I said coldly, my voice sharp and steady. "Don't you ever touch anyone I care about again!""Her name is Beatrice," Danielle said quietly. "She is the daughter of Luna Elizabeth."I don't give a fuck who she is," I answered. "As I said… I don't tolerate bullies, especially when they hurt someone who is like family to me and