ARIA
The man I had slept with was no longer there. I missed his warmth. I missed him. Was it strange? I didn't even know his name; I hadn't asked for it. I thought I was prepared for everything that came with a one-night stand. It went according to my plan. I was no longer a virgin. So why did it feel like there was a hole in my heart?
The time I spent in his arms was the most amazing moment of my life. No words could describe how I felt. I had been cherished and spoiled by the pleasure he had given me. It wasn't anything I expected; it was a thousand times better, but as he left, I felt incomplete.
"Snap out of it, Aria!" I scolded myself, slapping my cheeks. "He was just a hot guy! A human!"
I knew I had to get my head straight. I did it. I would not become the wife of some old man, and one day I would find my true mate and be happy. I giggled dreamily at that thought, but my laughter died quickly as I tried to get out of bed.
I found out the new meaning of the word "soreness." I couldn't get up. My legs were so weak I needed to roll out of the bed and crawl my way up while leaning against the wall. Once I stood up, my eyes shifted to the open window. Was that how he left the room?
I walked closer and leaned out. There were three stories down to jump before hitting a hard sidewalk. A werewolf would have survived that kind of stunt easily, but a human? Perhaps he had only opened the window, and then walked through the door...?
"Yes, that sounds more reasonable and much simpler." I laughed at myself for even thinking of something as irrational as a human jumping out of a window only to leave the room.
Truthfully, there was one more disturbing thing I couldn't get out of my head—he called me his mate... Or was it only a part of my dream? He couldn't truly say those words, could he?
I sighed heavily and tried to pick up my clothes and get the hell out of that pink room. I finished putting on my dress and threw the shreds of my panties in the trash bin. Suddenly, someone started banging on my door. I flinched. No one, aside from the club staff, knew that I was there. I bribed them with all the money I had to make sure they all kept their mouths shut.
"Aria, open the fucking door!" Blaze yelled through the door.
"Shit," I muttered under my breath as I turned to face the window. Any other day, I would jump down without hesitation, but my legs still needed an hour at the least to regenerate so I could even walk steadily.
A second later, Jack broke the door, and he, Blaze, and two other pack warriors barged inside. "What is the meaning of this?!" my brother roared as he scanned the pink suite.
I remained silent while he walked toward the bed. A few drops of my blood were clearly visible on the white sheets. He punched me in the face so hard that I fell to the floor. "What the fuck did you do?!" He grabbed my hair and pulled me up, nearly ripping it off my scalp. "Speak!"
I growled, fighting through the pain he had caused me. "I destroyed your little plan!" I snarled. "I'm no longer a virgin!"
He freed my hair from his grip and stepped back, throwing me a vicious glare. "You have no idea what you've done!"
I laughed humorlessly. "What did I do? I met my mate, and he is going to come back for me soon!" I lied. I didn't even know why I said such a thing, but I regretted it in an instant. For some reason, those words tasted achingly bitter...
Jack chuckled and looked me up and down. "I knew that she-wolves in this pack were mostly stupid, but you outdid them all. There is no way you would have known that someone is your mate without confirming it during the blood moon."
More lies squeezed through my teeth. "He is special, and he knew right away."
Certainly, my declaration made everyone burst into mocking laughter. Even I was aware of how ridiculous my statement sounded.
Blaze pointed at the two pack warriors that came with him and Jack. "Take her to the dungeon, the one under the factory."
"What?!" I cried out. "It's a place for the worst kinds of criminals! I've done nothing to deserve this!"
Blaze smirked coldly and grabbed my chin. "You will stay there and wait for the punishment Alpha Kestrel gives you. Don't worry though, you won't wait too long since he is already on his way to Silverville."
"Alpha Kestrel?" I muttered in panic. "But I'm no longer pure! I cannot become his wife!" My plan was supposed to save me from my misery. What else was I supposed to do to get out of this mess?!
Blaze chuckled icily. "Dear sister, the fact that you won't become his wife doesn't change the deal I made with his pack. You already belong to him. You are his for whatever he chooses to do with you."
Chills ran down my spine. This couldn't be true. I shook my head nervously. "No…" I muttered, regretting that I hadn't tried to jump down that window. Perhaps I would have broken some bones, but I would have had a chance to escape.
"Take her away." Blaze waved his hand, and the two warriors grabbed my arms.
"No! Brother, please!" I cried out, looking at Blaze as the warriors dragged me out of the room. He gave me a look of pure disdain before walking in the opposite direction, leaving me in the hands of his men.
At that moment, he killed the final ounce within me that believed he could ever treat me as his sister. His hatred won.
***
I was forced to put on some dirty old cloth. The prison guards tied my hands, and I was taken to the dungeons. Two guards led me through the massive steel door that led to the long row of dirty prison cells. I could see a few rogues being kept in there. They were covered in blood, barely moved, and made no sound except for letting out low painful groans. All of them were on the verge of death.
"What did they do to deserve to be tortured like this?" I asked, pointing at the cells.
One of my guards chuckled and shrugged. "They were trespassing."
"What?!" I burst out.
The other guard slapped me. "Don't raise your voice, bitch. You are no longer a pack's little princess. Know your place," he hissed.
A low growl escaped my throat. I did nothing to deserve this, any of this. I needed to find a way to escape this place. I no longer cared if I became a rogue. Every kind of life would be better than staying in this pack with an Alpha who hates me with all his heart.
The guard pushed me into the cell and locked it. There was nothing but dirt and a little pile of hay inside. The stone walls were covered by dried stains of blood from those who most likely died in that cell before me. Was I going to die here as well? I was terrified, but my fear mixed with the fury burning inside my veins. I started to walk around my cell. I climbed on one of the uneven stones in the wall, trying to reach the small crack between the wall and the ceiling, but I jumped down immediately as I heard the guards' voices. The two guards that brought me here stood just around the corner, and I was the main topic of their conversation.
"Do you think she'll survive here long?" one of them chuckled.
"Nah, princess, who never even got her hands dirty, has no chance in here. Besides, it's that Alpha Kestrel who'll serve her punishment. I doubt she'll survive," the other one said.
"Alpha Kestrel? Who is that guy anyway?" the first one asked.
"He's the Alpha of the Blood Shadow Pack, Kestrel De Ribera. He has an odd thing for women, especially virgins. He loves to torture them." A peal of wicked laughter tore his throat. "They say that he killed two of his wives already."
I exhaled in a rush and collapsed onto the stone ground. My brother had sold me to a sadist. Was he hoping that Alpha Kestrel would kill me?! Was he too much of a coward to kill me himself, and he finally found someone who would do it for him?! My eyes flashed in fiery red. My wolf was filled with rage, and so was I. I felt hurt, betrayed, and, for the first time in my life, my heart was full of hatred.
Suddenly, one of the guards came in front of my cell and opened it. "Let's go, little bitch."
"Go where?" I said, gritting my teeth.
"Your fiancé has arrived." He snorted before grabbing my arm and dragging me out.
As two more guards joined us, any thought of trying to escape disappeared from my mind. I fisted my hands as I walked out of the dungeons, surrounded by their snickering and disgusting comments about my body. They led me to the factory courtyard, which was now filled with people as if the entire pack gathered there. They were all standing in a huge circle in piercing silence. When I got closer, the crowd spread, leaving space for me and the guards. Only when we passed the crowd did I see the throne on one side of this circle with a hulk-like man in his late forties sitting on it. He was wearing a black suit and a dark-grey half-unbuttoned shirt, which partially exposed tribal tattoos going from his neck down his chest. He had black hair, thick black eyebrows, and a beard. His golden eyes turned red as soon as he saw me. I gulped. He had the aura of the deadliest predator I had ever met. My brother was standing by his throne as if he was this man's servant. I saw him flinch once this terrifying man glanced at him. Pathetic. Blaze didn't have the right to call himself Alpha.
"Aria!" he called out nervously. "Come here, quickly! This is Alpha—"
The huge man stood up and pushed Blaze aside, making him fall to the ground. As he stomped toward me, the guards who brought me here stepped back in fear. He smiled coldly as his eyes examined my body. "I think I should introduce myself," he said, a hint of mockery in his voice. "I'm Kestrel De Ribera. From now on, I am your master, and you are my slave."
*TRIGGER WARNING* To sensitive readers, please mind that this and the following chapter contain descriptions of violence, physical abuse, and humiliation.ARIAThe members of my pack were still standing in a circle, silently looking at Alpha Kestrel with fear in their eyes. It became obvious that most of them were forced to come here and watch my punishment, and it wasn't my brother who had given that command. Of course, the Blood Shadow Alpha didn't come alone. Kestrel took his own warriors, more than twenty of them. They stood in two lines on standby. I bet that each of those hulk-like men could take down more than twenty of ours. Let's face it, if Alpha Kestrel decided to skin me alive, no one would have the power to stop him. If Alpha Kestrel wanted to take over our pack, he would only have to snap his fingers.The man standing in front of me formed his mouth into a disgusting grin. His eyes, heavy-coated with madness, wandered up and down my body. I was standing before him barefo
ARIAIt had been a week, a week of endless suffering. All the rogue wolves in the prison cells had died, and I wasn't certain if I was still alive either. Perhaps I had died and entered the worst kind of hell, where my process of dying was locked up in a loop, and I was forced to relive it over and over again. I stopped caring about my nudity. I couldn't even imagine what vicious kind of pain my body would experience if the cuts on my back, arms, and shoulders were suddenly covered with a piece of dirty cloth.My wolf turned silent, and yet she kept lending me her healing powers, preparing me for the next day of torture even against my will. I want this to end. I knew that she was trying to keep me alive, fighting for both of us, but I had already surrendered.My brother stopped coming to watch me being tortured. Other pack members also decided to stay as far away as possible from Alpha Kestrel and his new favorite toy. I guess they figured that it wasn't their problem."She deserved
TYRIONI dreamed about her again. The past week had been a constant madness, and yet she could silence everything around me and fill my thoughts with nothing but her image. My mate. I had never wanted to have one. Having someone to care about felt bothersome, especially for an Alpha King. The very thought of love and all that crap was making me want to puke, but now I was genuinely considering claiming her—my silver-haired angel.This was all so fucked up. Only a week ago, my father was still alive and was as fucking annoying and useless as a king as usual. Now, I was about to become the next King and the Alpha of the Moon Blade Pack. I dreamed of this day. I was ready for it. But I had fucking never wanted to take over due to my father's being assassinated.Two weeks ago, I learned about Silver Blood Pack's drug business, but when I told my father about it, he refused to investigate it. I got seriously pissed. I took two of my men, Felix and Zane, and we went undercover to get eviden
ARIAI heard my heart beating. My chest heaved and fell, responding to every breath I pulled into my lungs. I was alive. I opened my eyes slowly and instantly met the blinding light. As my sight adjusted, I realized that it was the sun rays coming from the window. I was lying on the bed, half-covered in sheets with a familiar scent, Harriet's scent. Tears immediately filled my eyes. Did she save me? But how? I thought I was going to die. I thought there was no one in this world who would help me...I tried to lift myself, but the sudden pain in my back squeezed the groan out of my throat."Thank goodness! You're finally awake!" I heard Harriet's warm voice."Harriet..." There were no words to express my gratitude."Don't force yourself. Your body isn't completely healed yet," she said, seeing me struggle to lift myself up. She grabbed my hand to help me sit and then sat next to me on the bed."How long… I was unconscious?" I asked, wondering how long it took for my body to heal."Two
Five years later.TYRIONI was half-sitting on my bed with my bent elbows supporting my upper body and my feet touching the floor. A naked blonde kneeled between my legs. She smiled at me before taking my cock into her hands and started to lick the tip. I watched her attempts to satisfy me, but her slightest touch was already pissing me off. Finally, she opened her mouth and took the head, already finding my size uncomfortable. Her gagged expression painted a cold smirk on my face. I glared at her, and she hurriedly jerked her head toward me, trying to push my cock deeper into her throat. An inch. That bitch took merely an inch more, and I could already see tears in her eyes.I ran out of patience. I grabbed her hair at the back of her head and thrust myself deeper, making her choke. Her eyes went up, looking at me pleadingly, but I didn't give a damn. I stood up and started to pound inside her, positioning her the way she could finally take it all. She whimpered, and her body tremble
ARIAI took a deep breath and charged forward at Aziz. He smirked, his eyes blazing golden, and I could already predict his next move. He was expecting me to hit a cross punch with my left, so I hit with my right. He dodged it at the last second and blocked my kick. Damn it. I jumped back a bit and corrected my stance. It was his time to attack me. He went for my solar plexus, but I was faster. I grabbed his wrist and twisted his arm. He kicked me, freeing himself from my grip, but as he did, he needed to lower his guard. He was exposed for a split second. It was my moment to gain an advantage. I placed my foot between his two feet. A second later, I threw him over my shoulder. He landed on the mattress with a loud thud."It's not over yet!" he shouted before cutting my legs and making me join him on the floor.I rolled onto him in a flash, straddling him and pinning his strong arms down to the mattress. "I won. Again." I grinned, leaning over him and teasingly biting my lip.His eyes
TYRIONI could feel the adrenaline searing in my veins. My bloodlust was wide awake and couldn't wait until we faced those fucking rogues. My wolf was roaring within me, eager to come out and release all of the primal rawness in the fight. I decided on an immediate attack, and it appeared that luck was on our side. Alpha Maddox gave us a wonderful gift—two rogues who used to live in the Rogue King's lair. Those poor fuckers wanted to become the New Moon Pack's members, but they should be glad that we let them live. They would continue living if the information they had given us was correct.Felix studied every piece of intel those thieves had given, and he finally got excited that we were going to face those rogues. I only got the impression that his reasons for wanting to go there were slightly different from Zane's and mine…"This is amazing!" Felix exclaimed, staring at the map. "Those rogues built the whole town themselves, and they turned it into a fucking fortress!" He shot me a
ARIAI was at the mercy of the man who was about to kill me. It had been years since I felt as defenseless as I felt at that moment. He wasn't an ordinary wolf; I knew that because I had won against many even when they were twice my size. He overpowered me in every aspect, but the thing that made me gasp in shock was when he leaned over me, and I saw his face clearly...Confusion froze my movements for a moment as he lifted my hood. We stared into each other's eyes. He had the same pair of dark chocolate irises that I remembered from the night I lost my virginity. But how could that be?! He wasn't a human, but an extremely powerful wolf, and aside from his mouthwatering looks, everything about him seemed different. Was he some kind of doppelganger?! My fate must have played a dirty trick on me...He smelled like lavender and freshly cut wood, and for some reason, his scent made me clench my thighs even in the life-threatening situation that I was in. Unlike the human I remembered, thi
TYRION Four months later I loved waking up while feeling the warmth of Aria's magnificent naked body. I could never restrain my fingers from tracing her curves while we were lying like this. I always looked forward to the soft gasps that broke through her plush lips each time my touch pleased her. This time was no different. A low growl left my throat as she shifted in her sleep, instinctively pushing her curvy butt toward my erection. I grabbed her hips and rubbed my hard cock against the sensitive skin between her thighs. She moaned. Her heart started to race, and the delicious scent of her arousal filled the air of our bedroom. My hands wandered to her breasts, feeling her nipples harden underneath the feather-like touch of my fingertips. Another moan left her lips when one of my hands slipped between her legs to tease her clit. "You're so bad for waking your Queen like this…" she breathed. "You love me when I'm bad," I purred before biting her neck. She turned around and pushe
ARIA Once the Moon Blade pierced my mate's chest, Gadreel looked at me in shock. Pain and fury twisted his expression. He curled his fingers on the silver blade and used the remains of his strength to pull it out. Too late. I might have been crying my eyes out, but my grip stayed as strong as it was at the moment I thrust the sword, ripping the flesh of my loved one. Suddenly, his body began convulsing as if he had been electrocuted. He roared viciously as his blazing eyes turned into black smoke. The overwhelming stink of sulfur hit my nostrils, making me lean back as more smoke evaporated through Tyrion's skin. I felt as if I was being led by the Moon Blade itself. It told me to withdraw the blade, and I obeyed. Once I did, Tyrion's body fell to the ground, and the sword began to shine brighter than before. Then the blade started sucking in the smoke. I could hear the shrieks of the dying demon as his essence sank in the glow of the Moon Blade until everything turned silent. I coll
ARIAMy eyes widened in terror as I saw the dark smoke surrounding Tyrion surge into his body. The demonic essence filled him in seconds, and I could only scream while watching it happen. Hespera was slowly regaining her strength. She got up to her knees, pulled out the remaining red crystal from the pocket of her robe, and squeezed it in her hand. Then her eyes shifted to Tyrion, and she welcomed the sight of him becoming possessed by the demon with a dark grin spreading her mouth.I yanked the silver rings, trying to loosen their anchorage in the rocks. My wrists were bleeding, but I couldn't care less about the physical pain. The only ache that became unbearable was my heart breaking at the sight of Felix's bloodied corpse and my mate, who was about to become someone else...Tyrion proudly straightened up his naked body, his blood-dirtied chest heaved and fell, emphasizing his defined muscles. When his eyes opened, I knew that he wasn't the one in control of this body. Tears floode
TYRIONEight hours earlierI almost lost it when I heard that Harriet was Hespera's sister and could have located her. We could have used that spell months ago and traced that bitch before she had begun her killing spree! Harriet tried to explain that she only found out recently, but that didn't lessen my fury."Alpha Tyrion, I beg you. Try to understand that for many years I was convinced that my sister died in a fire. Not until I saw her in the coven's castle did I know for certain—""Harriet, you suspected who the dark witch might be, but you haven't told anyone about it, not even Aria. Now Aria is in grave danger, and we could have avoided it if we had caught Hespera sooner. If anything happens to Aria, I will forever blame you for it." My tone was as sharp as the finest sword, but she should still be grateful that I used words instead of my claws.She stepped back cautiously and frowned. "You know that I would never do anything to hurt Aria."I slowly exhaled my anger. "Let's hop
ARIAI felt as if my body had been run over by a truck at least five times. At the same time, someone had installed hammer drills inside my head, and I could feel them piercing through my skull. I think I hated wolfsbane more than silver poisoning. And now the pain caused by the poison, mixed with the heartache caused by the betrayal of someone whom I trusted...A painful groan left my throat as I opened my eyes, and I was strangely grateful for not being blinded by light once I did. The place where I was looked like a cave filled with lit candles. I was lying on the hard, stone ground. I was cuffed in silver, and each of my hands was chained by a separate chain to a wall. The length of those chains allowed me to either lay on the ground or sit against the wall. I kept wondering why I was brought here. Should I be grateful for being still alive?"I can see that you're awake, she-wolf." Hespera's voice echoed in the cave's empty space.I turned my aching head toward the sound and saw h
TYRIONI was waiting in the side room attached to the auditorium, waiting for the ceremony to begin. It was supposed to start fifteen minutes ago. The audience had already filled their seats, and everyone was waiting for my mate to walk in and dazzle them with her beauty. Nova and Nessa stood next to me, and I could see they were more nervous by the second, just like I was.‘Alpha Tyrion, come to your office. This is deadly urgent!’ Aziz's sharp-edged voice sounded through the mind link.‘Aziz, you were supposed to be here. My wedding is about to start,’ I said, irritated.‘Where is Felix? Is he somewhere near you?’ Now I could sense panic in his voice.I leaned outside to check if he or Aria showed up, but there was no sign of either of them. ‘No. Felix is with Aria now,’ I replied.‘We need to find him and arrest him!’ he shouted frantically.‘What the fuck are you talking about?!’ I roared.‘Alpha, I've just received the remastered footage with a clear picture. The one who killed t
ARIA I had an odd and disturbing dream. It was nothing like my terrifying vision of Tyrion and me, but it still left my heart wildly pounding and my body tense. In my dream, I was merely an observer. I saw two little, smiling girls, and somehow I knew that it was Harriet and her sister. Harriet had her brown hair tied in a cute ponytail while her red-haired sister's hair was braided. They both wore similar dark-gray dresses with long sleeves, resembling the long robes the coven witches had. They were running through a flowery meadow. Then, they stopped to spin around among the flowers. At one moment, a butterfly sat on Harriet's finger. Harmony tried to touch it, but the butterfly flew away. Harriet picked up a red poppy flower and handed it to Harmony. "Harmony, look! Isn't it pretty?" she said. Harmony narrowed her deep-green eyes, and the flower dried in her hands. Then she gave Harriet a cold stare. "Don't call me Harmony. There is nothing harmonious about me," she hissed. Harr
ARIA My whole body hurt, but the dumb smile didn't leave my face. Was it what people call happiness? If so, then the hot embodiment of my happiness was lying next to me. His upper arm served as my pillow while his forearm uncontrollably caressed my back. Tyrion's other hand was lazily lying on my waist, giving him easy access to my naked buttocks. From the second I opened my eyes, I could enjoy his amazing features in a deep, peaceful sleep. I could never get enough of him. He had the amazing ability to disarm my fears, build my confidence and strength, fire up my senses, and overfill me with pleasure. Still, I knew that each day I would wake up in his arms, I would only ask for more. He was the cause of my insatiable thirst. "You're doing it again, angel." His deep purr sent a direct signal between my thighs. "I'm not doing anything… yet," I said hoarsely. He chuckled and pulled me close so I could feel every rigid inch of him. "You're aroused," he whispered as his hand stroked th
TYRIONI didn't want to leave Aria. Seeing her cowering, crying, and reluctant to accept my touch was unbearable. She said that she was going to be fine, but it sounded more like she didn't want to talk about it. I respected her choice, yet the image of my shivering mate stayed in my mind for the rest of the day, filling me with anxiety.It was hard to focus on my duties, but I had to. I called the royal council meeting. It was time they stopped demanding and started helping like they were supposed to. After I got rid of the pests, Aldo Lefebre was appointed a natural council's leader. I couldn't be more glad of that choice. The mood in the council seemed to change as well. I could sense no stink of hostility or fear as I entered the audience hall to sit with the council."I came to inform you of the current situation, and I demand your assistance and guidance," I started. "A few days ago, my Luna fought against the dark witch. We now know that her name is Hespera. Hespera attacked he