Willa’s POV “You’re up early,” he said, his voice steady but still had its edge. I stepped further into the study, catching his attention as he stood before his desk, the same clothes from last night still clinging to him. He looked worn—and stressed, his usual sharp features shadowed with faint fatigue. Hunter had already left, and from what I’d overheard, Nox had just demanded a council meeting. Whatever had gone down with the rogues last night had probably set off such demand. I folded my arms, meeting his gaze. “I am. Not that I slept much, seeing as someone decided to spring some new rules on me.” His face flickered, a tiny crack in that armor, though he smoothed it away. I didn’t give him the satisfaction of pretending I hadn’t noticed. “So here I am, checking in to see how your little rogue meeting went. Guess they were friendly enough?” He let out a short, low laugh, barely lifting one corner of his mouth. “Friendly? That’s hardly the word,” he replie
Willa’s POV The plan was shaky at best, a patchwork of intentions and half-spoken promises, but it would have to do. Nox had told me he’d handle his brother, deal with the rogues, though he’d given me nothing but vague assurances about his actual plan. Typical Nox, thinking he could keep his cards close to his chest without consequence. But if Eamon was now part of his scheme, that was enough for me. Bringing Eamon down meant bringing this nightmare to an end. And while Nox was tied up with his own games, I had my own shadows to face. “I need to see the priestess,” I said, watching him carefully, expecting resistance. Which I got. He shot me a questioning look, brow furrowing. “Why? I just told you your pack might be the force fueling this entire chaos, and you think now is a good time for—” he swallowed. I kept my tone steady. “Yes, I do. I don’t see how that could harm anyone. You’ll be with your council, right? I doubt I’ll be sitting in on that, so
Nox’s POV I’d spent more than half an hour soaking in the icy water, trying to wash off the heat of the night, the tension that had clung to me. Cold water, cold wine, and more than a few curses muttered under my breath as I tried to unwind. Needed it after the night I’d had. I knew what the rogue leader wanted—a test, to see if I’d stoop to bedding a rogue. And I’d given him exactly what he expected. Just enough scent and spectacle to play the part. A convincing ruse. Now, he thought he had me, held by a bargain that gave me just enough leverage over him. For now, I’d play his game. Before Willa, none of it mattered – pack, rogue, omega – they were all the same to me. Just another cog in the lust of heat. In the machine I controlled. But she? She wasn’t something to be controlled, couldn’t be. The goddess had finally thrown a mate my way, and it was someone like her – someone as defiant as a wildfire. The bond was maddening, gnawing at m
Nox’s POV Silence settled across the council table, heavy and tense. Eyes flicked from one face to another as Deacon sank into his seat, forced into compliance under the weight of my command. I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the table, and let a slow smile play across my lips. “I want to extend my apologies,” I began, voice smooth but with an edge sharp enough to draw blood, “for my words earlier. Maybe I was too direct. I didn’t mean to accuse anyone here of incompetence. That’s hardly the issue, is it?” I let my gaze linger. “But I do urge each of you to review your ministries. Find the traitor among us. Bring them to me—alive, preferably.” A few glances shifted nervously, and I noted every flicker, every quick inhale. They might not have realized it yet, but this was all part of it. I wanted to see who squirmed, who reacted. And I knew, when the meeting ended, someone would make a move. I’d set the bait, and now, it was just a matter of waiting.
Willa’s POV I was furious, seething in a way that had my skin practically buzzing. He couldn’t even answer me—couldn’t admit the truth. I should have seen it coming, yet part of me, the foolish part, wanted it to be real. I wanted him as my mate. I wanted to believe there was a chance, some version of a happy ending where I got my pack, my life, maybe even him. But Nox? Vad had said he’d softened, but I was starting to see who he really was. Damn it. "I guess the bargain was never part of this—your scheme," I said, my voice dripping with bitterness. Silence. His lack of response was all the answer I needed. I turned, determined to leave this mess behind, but he grabbed my arm. “Willa, wait.” I spun around, fury radiating from me. "What do you want, Nox? Tell me. You couldn’t even answer my questions, which tells me everything I need to know. So what is this about? What do you want?” “Because I care!” His voice boomed, catching me off guard.
Willa’s POV He slowly infixed his hand under my back against the table. His hard-on pressed against my contre and a gasp flew from me. My legs fell open, granting him access. Swiftly, he flipped me so that my back was to him and my face was against the table. He unfastened my zipper and tossed the dress from my body. “Nox—” “No one is coming,” he rasped. I felt his lips against my ass cheeks and my breath hitched. “Fuck!” He lifted me and made me bend against him. My ass to him whilst I leaned onto the table. He cupped my breast from behind and then slid his finger into me. A low cry escaped me and my knee bucked. He was fucking me with his finger with no restraint this time. I felt him descend and kiss my cunt then he added another finger followed by yet another cry. “Nox…. Nox!” My eyes widened when he added another finger. A low sound vibrated from his throat and I swallowed a moan. Leafing me over, his mouth collided with my own and I t
Willa’s POV I couldn't move. It wasn't just sex. It wasn't just the act itself—no, it was deeper than that. In a way, it broke through the hatred I had carried for what I’d become. Despite the stories and curses that had chased me, here I was, and none of it seemed to hold power over me with him. Maybe the goddess had a hand in this, or perhaps Nox was simply untouchable by fate. But whatever the reason, I’d done it with him. It was as far as I’d let myself admit. Too good. Too real. Nothing else would ever compare, yet I had no idea where this left us. Maybe there was no reason to worry about that now. I’d said it myself. No title. Nox lifted me off the table, cradling me in his arms. He’d managed to pull on his pants and slip me into his shirt. I couldn’t help but glance back at the table, a grimace forming as I pictured the council’s faces if they ever found out. How could I sit through another meeting, knowing what we had just done on that table?
Willa’s POV I awoke to the creak of old wood above me and the faint singing of birds filtering in from outside. Blinking away the haze, I took in my surroundings: a shabby, rusted ceiling and the faint smell of moss and fresh water. Soft white furs and worn woolen blankets covered the bed I lay on, oddly luxurious for such a run-down place. I sat up, a sharp ring echoing through my ears, making my head throb briefly. A sudden, shrill whistle sounded from outside, jolting me to full awareness. I swung my legs over the bed and stumbled to the door. Standing by the stream, Vad was calmly holding an eagle on his arm, his fingers brushing its feathers as he fed it a small fish before releasing it into the air. From this angle, he looked exactly like Nox. No sign of that smirk that now tells him aside. Bare-back, he wore only his pants and a pair of weathered boots stained mold at the edges. The moonlight caught on the sheen of sweat tracing his back, highlighting
Nox’s POV My body coiled tight, steel cables ready to snap, every sinew screaming to tear Eamon apart. Rage crackled deep in my chest like electricity—one heartbeat, two— I didn’t even realize I’d moved until Eamon’s voice stopped me cold. “Not. Another. Step." Eamon's voice was glacial. My claws ached to sink into his flesh, my wolf howling in frustration. Willa’s wide eyes met mine, and I saw the fear there—the fear I never wanted to see on her face again. But beneath it, there was anger too, a fire that hadn’t been extinguished. It made my chest tighten, a sick mixture of fury and helplessness. “Let her go,” I growled, my voice raw and guttural. Eamon smirked, his claws flexing against her skin. “Oh, I don’t think so. You make one wrong move, and I’ll slit her throat right here.” Willa winced as his grip tightened, and my entire body tensed, the mate bond hammering through me like a second heartbeat. My wolf pushed harder against my control, despe
Nox’s POV The night pressed down like a curse, sharp and unforgiving. The air was thick, heavy with ash, and carried the weight of a thousand untold stories. It reminded me of sharp fangs sinking deep into flesh—relentless, excruciating, and unyielding. Rest was a luxury we couldn’t afford, and complaints felt pointless now. Once this ends, Willa will learn the truth about what indeed happened to the second man she had been accused of killing. Draven was on it already, and I'm certain she would get the hang of it quickly. Maybe there was a bright end to this after all. My eyes swept across the maw of the mountain. The Ash Eyes Pack. Once, they were revered. Legends spoke of their lands—a paradise enriched by volcanic soil that made their harvests plentiful and their people untouchable. But that was all gone now, like ash falling from the sky and disappearing into the wind. No one spoke of what had happened. It was as if an unwritten rule had silenced their me
Willa’s POV The Blood Moon would be here soon, I thought, tightening my grip on the hilt of my dagger. If we survived this night, perhaps we'd celebrate it at last, instead of merely surviving under its light. Maybe this time, it would bring renewal, not more bloodshed. I tore my eyes from the heavens to face the land before me: Gerald’s Way. “What is this place?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, though the tension crackling through the air ensured everyone heard me. “This,” Nox replied, his voice smooth, almost indifferent, “is where it all started for Eamon.” Vad’s lips twisted into a smirk that made my wolf bristle. “This is his true home,” he said, gesturing grandly to the crumbling castle perched on the volcanic mountain. “Where he was born.” The small castle loomed, its jagged towers stretching into the ashen sky. Steam hissed from cracks in the earth, the very air heavy with heat and sulfur. “It’s massive,” I murmured, scanning the da
Astridl’s POV How did I end myself in this situation? I could just punch him and get this over before I regret my next action. But I couldn't bring myself to say the word, to act like I used to. His eyes were still on me, waiting. Gods, he was waiting, and the thought that his eyes were this focused on me, the thought of what my answer would do to my body made me nearly curse out. “Say it, Astrid.” Goddess, why can't he just… “Give me more.” I couldn't care about what we were doing—who he was. “I am at your service,” he grunted, and then he reached between us, his finger snagging the latch of my carry-on and he yanked them off. Metal met the floor. And then the one on my thigh. More daggers off. Then he reached for my pants. He pulled on them hard enough to lift my hips. Buttons popped free, tossing onto the floor. “Goodness,” I murmured. He barked out a short, harsh laugh as he shoved my pants down until one leg was completely free, and
Astrid’s POV Once this was over, my family could finally rest, knowing the man who destroyed their lives would breathe no more. A part of me dreamed of escaping with Asher, finding a home beyond the sea—somewhere far from this chaos. This wasn’t home. It never had been. But first, there was work to be done. Willa would get her pack back. That was why I’d joined the fight, after all. And if I wasn’t mistaken, her relationship with the Alpha might not end, not even when the war ended. I knew the dynamics shifting around me. Willa would likely become the Alpha's Luna, and the tension between Starfall and Moonviel might dissolve into an unexpected alliance. Maybe even merge. Packs up north had done it before. Not that it mattered to me. My focus was singular: kill Eamon and complete my revenge. Then I'd be gone. Everything else—the alliances, the titles, the futures of others—was irrelevant. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. I c
Willa’s POV Justin's lifeless body lay crumpled on the floor, a pool of crimson spreading beneath him. Astrid didn’t so much as glance at her handiwork as she secured the bloodied fabric back onto her hip—a lethal weapon I'd only just witnessed—gleamed with a deadly shimmer, the embedded daggers barely visible against the rich fabric. She stepped away from the mess, spitting outside the open window like it had been nothing more than a chore. I’d seen that fabric with her but never known it to be a weapon, or so. Vad, on the other hand, seemed invigorated, the gleam in his golden eyes unsettling. His gaze landed on the man who’d called Nox his cousin and that smirk of his grew. "The people you hoped would help you crawl onto the throne are nothing but weaklings," Vad snickered. He stepped over Justin’s corpse without hesitation, his boots smearing red across the floor. "You should’ve stayed in the shadows where you’ve been hiding all these years…” Vad turned.
Willa's POV The air, already heavy, seemed to grow denser as the council members filed in behind the Deacon whose face had gone several shades paler, his composure crumbling like wet paper. The unfamiliar man—their uncle, I guessed—looked utterly stunned, his disbelief written across every line of his face. My gaze flicked to Vad, who was watching him with that infuriating smirk, as if savoring the man’s discomfort. He looked like one who already regretted his move too late. But how will I know, judging that he was one of their bloodline, who knows what could exactly come off them? Only a few guards remained inside—Marcus and two others. I pulled at my sleeve. So, this had been the brothers’ plan all along? How? When? Was I kept in the dark again? Not that it mattered now. What a family dynamic. “What is the meaning of this?” The Deacon's voice cracked with indignation, like a man who'd just discovered he was nothing more than a puppet.
Willa’s POV It wasn’t that I was used to Vad’s presence—far from it. But recently, my wolf had stopped baring her teeth every time he was near. That shift meant something, though I wasn’t entirely sure what. The room felt charged, and I couldn’t tell if it was the tension or just Vad’s inherent ability to turn a space into a pressure cooker. I had come in looking for Nox, expecting a quiet moment. Instead, I found Sylvia, and to my surprise, Vad. Hunter had acted strange earlier, avoiding my gaze when he told me where to find Nox. But soon it made sense. Astrid’s expression gave it all away the moment I walked in on her. The rumor. Of course, there was always a rumor when it came to me, but this one didn’t sting. This one was different. My wolf purred at the thought, and I cursed myself as a flush crept up my neck. My sweater sleeve became an anchor as I pulled it over my palm, pretending to focus on something—anything—other than the weight of Nox’s gaze.
Nox’s POV "How do you know?" I prompted, my voice low and measured. Her lips curved—not quite a smile, more a razor's edge of knowing. "Because I can still feel that cold, shivering stare on me since I arrived. It's a sensation you don't forget.” “Unbelievable," Vad muttered, swirling the amber liquid in his glass before throwing a few into his mouth. “What?" Sylvia's eyebrow arched, a challenge wrapped in silk. "You find something amusing?" “No?” Vad drawled. “It’s always something with you. Ever so dramatic." I watched the interplay, my wolf prowling beneath my skin. Something was off. Vad's unusual calm wasn't lost on me. My twin had always been the type to unravel spectacularly when things didn't align with his vision—a mirror of my own younger self, only I'd learned to temper that rage into something more surgical. "Forgive my brother," I said dryly, rubbing my temple, feeling the beginnings of a headache. "He was dropped on his head enough tim