Axel POV The hall was filled with the hum of chatter,and muffled rustling of people all interested in what was happening here now but for me, every sound faded to a distant echo the moment I saw her. LunetteShe stood at the far end of the grand hall, a vision of beauty draped in that dress that seemed to shimmer in the soft light, her hair delicately braided everything made to enhance her beauty and not detract from it. I clenched my fists at my sides, my chest tightening with each step she took closer to the altar where our father waited. The air was thick with tension and every sound in the engagement hall grated on my nerves or maybe that was just us but I couldn't help it not with my fists clenched at my sides as I watched Lunette standing beside my father– our father her head slightly bowed, her hands trembling in his grasp as he slid the ring onto her finger.She looked breathtaking, as she always did, but the light in her eyes that made her who she was—the fierce, defia
Lunette POV The voices screaming all around me were deafening, blending into a chaotic hum, every word sharp and biting, clawing at my already frayed nerves. I stood there in the center of the engagement hall, frozen as Axel, Zarek, and Alpha Cormac stood together, locked in an argument that was spiraling out of all our controls.The pack’s murmurs buzzed in the background, all their eyes on me, judging, watching, waiting for me to fall apart. My body kept fidgeting; I felt cold as they each tossed words at each other, each of them sharp and cutting, each one aimed at hurting the other. It was all a chaotic mess of anger and tension, suffocating me all at once. Their voices blurred into one overwhelming noise, drowning out everything else except the racing of my heart in my chest, my breathing uneven. I tried to hold on, to stay composed, but the air was too tight to breathe, and it was like I was suffocating all over again. “Stop!” I mumbled quietly, but no one said anything. “
Lunette POV The air in the palace had changed after the engagement was called off. The moment I stepped out of my room, I felt it—a shift in the air, eyes boring into me from every corner of the palace, whispers of venomous words. Alpha Cormac had done it almost immediately, so I had not said anything, but I had felt the chill almost immediately.It was like a mirror of what had happened not so long ago that I almost was tempted to break down.Every breath I took felt heavier than the last, and the unspoken words and biting glares did little to help. This time, though, I kept my head high as I walked down the hallways, refusing to let the weight of their disdain press on me.“Look at her,” someone hissed as I passed. “The whore who tore the royal family apart,” another murmured. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms. Their words stung, each one a dagger in my already wounded heart. I’d expected this, of course. Alpha Cormac was loved among his people, and so were hi
Lunette POV Alpha Cormac had stopped speaking to me after that day, where he had been attentive and a caring constant in my life. Even if our engagement was nothing more than a political maneuver, he was now an estranged person to me.He had never truly abandoned me. Until now. And the emptiness was unbearable. Every day that passed without a word from him or a glance of him in the first place was like another stone added to the weight in my chest. I told myself his distance was a relief, a reprieve of sorts, but as the days turned into weeks, his absence became even more disturbing.He didn’t call for me, didn’t summon me to speak about the engagement or its fallout. Wherever I went, he tried not to be there, and if by chance we managed to cross paths, he ignored me, his gaze sliding right past me, as if I were no more significant than the air he breathed. He didn’t speak to me, didn’t look at me. It was as if I had ceased to exist in his world. But the palace wasn’t that silent
Alpha Cormac POV I had not thought the engagement would end like that—so public, especially not when I was making an impression on the pack I had spent years building the alliance with."I look forward to our alliance," Alpha Garrett muttered, grabbing my hand in a stiff handshake that I immediately returned."Thank you." "I am also very sorry about such dismal nuptials; perhaps they will be good news soon," he continued, and I offered him a slight grin; he was trying to poke at my wound, but I wouldn't let him see that. Once our goodbyes were made, I watched them go. The sound of the Creek Pack’s transportation fading into the distance was a relief, and it did little to quell the storm raging inside me. I was not a man prone to feeling shame; it was not an emotion that was not conducive to a leader, but on occasions I felt a stab of disappointment and pain, and that was what I felt the most after the engagement ceremony that was supposed to cement an alliance and show the other pa
Lunette POV The summons was unexpected, in that I was in my bedroom hiding away from everyone and doing an exceptional job at it.Someone knocked on my door, and I stilled on the bed, not sure if I wanted to answer it at all, but it was insistent, and so I stood up from my bed, walked to it, and opened the door. One of the guards stood there; he looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here.He handed me a note. “Alpha Cormac wishes to see you in his rooms immediately.” he muttered, I didn't get to ask any more questions before he turned on me and left. My stomach twisted on itself, my mind coming up with a thousand scenarios running at top speed, each one worse than the last. I had barely seen him since the engagement ceremony; he hadn't wanted to talk to me, and I didn't want to force him to. The silence between us had been both a blessing and a curse. What could he possibly want now? When I arrived at his door, I hesitated. My hand hovering just above the metal knob, my palms
Axel POV I wasn’t one for grand romantic gestures; I made them but never wholeheartedly. Zarek had always been the charming one, especially if he put his mind to it; he was the one with an easy smile and a way with words. I was better at action—solving problems, leading when I had to, protecting what mattered most. But this time, words and action wouldn’t be enough. Lunette kept slipping away from us with every passing day, and no matter how many times Zarek and I tried to talk to her, she shut us out.She was angry and hurt in ways I wasn’t sure we could fix. But I couldn’t just stand by and watch her drift away either. We needed her, and so we just had to put in the work, but Zarek was frustrated with me and my idea to take it slowly, and he was off somewhere sulking.Which was why I found myself alone, standing on the rooftop of the west wing, watching over the finishing touches for a dinner I had no idea how to pull off. The rooftop offered a breathtaking view of the surroundi
Lunette POV When I saw Axel at my door, I was a little stunned and a bit flustered. I had barely gotten back into my room when a firm knock echoed through the door. I hadn't had any visitors in days, so I was definitely surprised when I opened it to find Axel standing there, dressed in a tailored black shirt and slacks that clung to his tall, lean frame.His usual cold demeanor was absent, replaced with an almost nervous smile that had my chest clenching. Axel was never nervous. “Axel?” I blinked, gripping the doorframe. “What do you want, Axel?” I asked, keeping my tone sharp and as unwelcoming as I could manage—I hoped anyway.He took a deeper breath, ready to speak, his piercing blue eyes meeting mine. “I’m—dinner.” He stuttered under his breath. I stared at him, unsure if I’d heard him correctly. I wanted to ask if he was certain when he swallowed again."I need you to come with me. Please.” I frowned.“Why?” “It’s a surprise,” he said, forcing a small smile, my brows narr
Lunette POV The moment that Varda fired that bolt I had been sure it would hit Axel. So sure in fact that the world had slowed around me, my breath caught in my throat as I braced for the worst. But then Lorraine had stepped in. While she quarreled with her mother all I could feel was relief—until Varda struck again, until I saw the bright red blood spreading across her clothes as she crumpled to the floor. Varda had tried to kill her own daughter. For a second, all I could do was stare. I stood frozen, watching in horror as Axel caught Lorraine before she hit the dirt. Lorraine’s body trembled, her hands pressing against the wound, her lips parted in shock. Varda turned back to Axel but before I could react, Zarek moved. A low, guttural growl ripped from his throat as his body twisted and grew, his Lycan form bursting free. He lunged at Varda, his teeth bared in a snarl. Varda barely had time to turn before his fangs sank deep into her neck. Her scream was cut off as he tor
Zarek POV They attacked us first, or they tried to anyway, after our escape we made plans to draw them out, it would be the best way to even our playing field and she was pissed when she discovered we were missing. She had brought her men in immediately,"Kill them all!" She roared and the battle that followed afterwards was pure chaos. Snarls and screams filled the night air as blood soaked the dirt beneath my feet. My muscles burned, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not until Varda was dead. The Lycan curse poured through my veins like fire, pain following it and pushing me past my limits. My body twisted, the monstrous power within me taking over. My claws lengthened, my teeth sharpened, and a guttural roar tore from my throat. Varda’s men hesitated at the sight of me. Good. They should be afraid. With a single leap, I tore into the nearest warrior, my claws ripping through armor and flesh like paper. The scent of blood thickened in the air as another wolf lunged at me his
Axel POV The weight of Curtis’s death still hung heavy in the air, but we had no time to grieve. The dungeon might have been cold and suffocating, but the fire of rage burning inside me made it bearable.We had to escape, and we had to bring Varda down. Zarek sat against the wall, arms crossed, jaw clenched. He hadn’t spoken much since Curtis died. I could see the storm brewing inside him, the need for vengeance, for blood. I felt it too, and it wasn't just the curse, to know that our mother had died at the hands of such a man. But Lunette—Lunette was different. She stood between us, but she didn’t cry anymore, the tears from earlier seemed to have dried up. "We have to kill her." Zarek hissed and shook his head "No." “We have to be smart,” he continued, voice steady. “We can’t just rush into a fight. Varda is dangerous. If we attack without a plan, we’ll lose.” “She killed our mother,” he growled, his voice raw. "She killed our father. She has to pay for it.” Lunette,
Lunette POV I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe. To have Varda standing before me, tall and proud no hint of remorse in her eyes, her golden hair catching the flickering light of the candle in the cabin we had run to, and her eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she looked down at me, at all of us. "You look surprised, darling." She purred, stepping closer, the scent of death clung to her, or was that Curtis blood pooling over the floor making my stomach churn. "Surely, you knew this day would come." I shook my head, willing myself to speak, but nothing came out. “Where’s Alpha Slade?” Axel asked, his voice low and dangerous. His hands curled into fists at his sides, barely restrained fury radiating off him. "He has to know that this won't end well for him." Varda sighed dramatically. “He's outlived his usefulness honestly it was such a burden waiting for him to kick the bucket" My father… dead? My legs nearly gave out, and I staggered back. “No,” I whispered, my voice ba
Axel’s POVThe council chambers were suffocating me, and Lorraine standing beside me was not doing me any favors to be honest, her face composed but I saw the glint in her eyes. She had me wrapped around her fingers and the council was helping her squeeze. They had all but declared, Lunette, Curtis and Zarek traitors to the pack. “We cannot allow them to run free,” Lorraine said, her voice dripping with false concern."If Zarek and Lunette are left unchecked, they’ll bring ruin to Grey Moon. We have to act before it’s too late.” I clenched my fists at my sides, barely containing my anger because I knew she didn’t care about the pack, only her own ambitions but her performance was flawless and the council bought it, murmuring their agreement,“Alpha Axel,” elder Fred addressed me. "You must send your soldiers to apprehend them. For the good of the pack.” I had gotten used to those words over the last few days, even more than I had gotten used to my own father's death. Maybe it wa
Varda POV I heard the news about Alpha Cormac's deathly injury, while I was cleaning up my new room, it had been one of the best news I had in a very long while.I knew it was time.When I had sent the assassins to finish off Lunette, it had never occured to me that I would catch bigger fish in my endeavor.The alpha Cormac, the biggest alpha om our coast and the most respected, it was a coup. A storm of satisfaction had spread through me, filling me, this was good. I needed this chance now, cold determination settled over me as I leaned back in the ornate chair in Slade's–my study now. The Grey Moon pack was vulnerable. Their leadership in shambles this was the time for me to get more than I had wanted with the chaos that was no doubt already starting to spread. I had my opening.And while Lunette wasn't dead yet, that wasn't something I couldn't solve later.Lunette. The name was a bitter taste on my tongue, that little brat was a thorn in my side. She was a loose thread, the la
Zarek POV "Have you lost your mind?” I snarled, at my brother my voice low and dangerous.“You think locking Lunette up is going to solve anything? She didn’t kill Father, Axel.” The tension in the room was suffocating and I really didn't need to be pissed, Axel stood at the head of his table, his arms crossed over his chest, his jaw set tight, I stood across from him bracing my hands on the surface of the table, it was barely enough to keep myself from reaching across and shaking some sense into him. “I didn’t say she did. But until we know for sure who’s behind this, I can’t take any chances.” “Chances?” I barked, slamming my fist on the table.“You’re not just taking a chance, you’re condemning her. The council will see this as an admission of guilt. Do you understand what you’re doing?” Axel’s lips pressed into a thin line. “What I understand is that the council is already breathing down my neck. If I don’t handle this carefully, we risk losing everything.” “Losing wha
Lunette POV My whole body ached from hours of training with Zarek, each and every muscle group screamed in protest as I settled into the chair beside Alpha Cormac’s bed. With the room dimly lit, the only light coming from the faint glow of the monitors tracking his vitals.The steady beeping was oddly comforting, I could at least hold on to the fact he was still with us. I watched him breath in and out guilt gnawing at my insides. He looked a bit better today, not so pale, maybe soon he would wake up. He had nearly died protecting me. He shouldn’t have risked himself for someone like me. I slumped into the chair by Alpha Cormac’s bed and I told myself I’d only rest my eyes for a moment, just long enough to catch my breath. “I’ll make it right,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “I’ll find a way to fix this, to protect your pack... your family.” But the steady rhythm of the machines and the quiet hum of the room lulled me into sleep.I didn’t even realize when my eyes closed,
Lorraine’s POVIt was dark outside and quiet wrapped around the pack house like a shroud, it had never been this quiet in a long time the stillness was broken only by the occasional creak of the old walls or the distant howl of a wolf. This was a perfect time for what I had to do, it was the perfect cover.I slipped through the hallways, keeping my footsteps as silent against the wooden floors as possible, my heart pounded in my chest, but it was not from fear. No, this wasn’t fear. This was anticipation. Alpha Cormac’s injury had given me the perfect opening because now with him bedridden and Zarek too preoccupied with training that brat girl Lunette, Axel was the only one fit to step up as acting Alpha. And if Axel became Alpha, well... I would ensure that I was by his side as Luna. It was time to act. Time to turn the chaos to my advantage, meaning there was no room for error tonight. I tightened my grip on the small syringe hidden in my sleeve. The attack had been... unex