Jasmine’s POVThe silence feels heavier than the fight that just ended. My breath comes in shallow bursts as I stare at the spot where the intruder’s body dissolved into ash. The acrid scent of magic and death lingers in the air, making my wolf growl uneasily. I wrap my arms around myself, willing my racing heart to slow down.Ramon stands before me, a shadowy figure against the dim light. His shoulders are tense, and his fists are still clenched, though the danger has passed. His face is unreadable, but I know him well enough to sense the storm brewing inside him.“They’re coming for me,” I whisper, my voice trembling. The weight of it all presses down on me, the fights, the danger, the fact that I’m the cause of it. “They won’t stop, Ramon.”He turns to me, his crimson eyes softening. “You’re not the cause of this, Jasmine,” he says firmly, as if reading my mind. He crosses the room in a flash, his hands cupping my face with a tenderness that makes my chest ache. “This isn’t your fa
Jasmine’s POVThe fireplace fills the room with warmth, but it’s Ramon’s presence that truly comforts me. He sits behind me on the bed, his strong arms wrapped around my waist as if he’s afraid to let go. His chin rests lightly on my shoulder, and his steady breath tickles my neck.For a moment, the world outside doesn’t exist. The battles, the dangers, the fractured pieces of who I am, all of it fades away in the quiet intimacy of this moment.“You’re awfully quiet, my Lord.” I murmur with a cheeky smile, tilting my head slightly to glance at him. Just trying to lighten the heavy mood. His crimson eyes meet mine, glowing faintly in the firelight. “I’m thinking,” he says, his voice a low rumble.“About?” I ask though I have an inkling what he's thinking about. “You,” he replies simply, a small smile tugging at his lips. “About how you’ve faced so much and yet you’re still here. Still fighting.”A lump forms in my throat at his words. “I don’t feel strong,” I admit softly. “Half the ti
Ryker’s POVThe wind howls through the desolate packhouse, its emptiness echoing louder than the voices in my head. Once, these halls bustled with life, wolves bowing their heads as I strode through, their Alpha, their strength. Now, silence reigns, and every shadow mocks me with her name. Jasmine.I slam my fist into the oak table in front of me, splintering it with a sickening crack. The shards fly, some embedding into my knuckles, but the pain is a distant whisper compared to the storm raging inside me. She chose him. That bloodsucking leech.I knew the bond between us had weakened, but I’d convinced myself there was still something left, some flicker of what we once were. I was wrong.The weight of that realization crushes me. She didn’t just reject me; she saw me for what I truly am. Weak. Cruel. Unworthy.I stagger to the window, looking out over the sprawling forest that surrounds the pack lands. My lands. My kingdom. Yet it feels so hollow now, as though her absence has stripp
Jasmine’s POVRamon’s study is filled with the scent of burning herbs and ancient magic. I sit cross-legged in the center of a circle drawn with shimmering runes, my heart pounding louder than the chants Ramon is whispering in an archaic tongue. The blood moon is close, I can feel it in the way my body aches, in the way my thoughts scatter, as if every part of me is struggling to stay tethered.Ramon kneels before me, his crimson eyes blazing with determination. “The ritual will take us to the Ailuranthrope’s Realm,” he says, his voice low and steady. “It’s a place your ancestors created, a sanctuary, but also a crucible. Only the worthy can claim its power.”I swallow hard, my throat dry. “And what happens if I’m not worthy?” His lips curve into a faint, reassuring smile. “You are, Jasmine. You’ve always been. But the realm may not make it easy for you to believe that.”Before I can respond, the air around us begins to hum, the runes glowing brighter. My skin tingles as a force I can
Unknown POV The night was unusually still, the air thick with an unexplainable energy. Jasmine stood on the balcony of Ramon’s mansion, her gaze locked on the horizon where the moon began to rise. But tonight, it wasn’t the familiar silvery glow she’d grown accustomed to. This moon was tinged with crimson, its ominous hue casting eerie shadows across the garden below.Her chest tightened as an ache bloomed deep within her, an ache that wasn’t physical but primal, ancient. Her fingers gripped the railing, knuckles whitening as waves of heat rippled through her body. “Jasmine?” Ramon’s voice broke through the haze.She turned to find him standing in the doorway, his dark eyes filled with concern. Even as a vampire lord, Ramon’s presence always exuded calm authority, but tonight, there was something raw in his gaze. “The moon,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “It’s... different.”Ramon stepped closer, his hands brushing her shoulders gently. “It’s the Bloodmoon,” he said. “A rare ce
Jasmine I don’t know how long I stand there, frozen between disbelief and fear. Their words hang heavy in the air, curling around me like invisible chains. Ailuranthrope. The word pulses in my mind, foreign and yet familiar, as though it’s been buried deep inside me all along, waiting for this moment to claw its way out.“I don’t trust you.” My voice is stronger than I expect, but my body feels like it’s unraveling. “Any of you.”Ramon’s hand brushes my arm, steadying me, and I glance at him. His crimson eyes flash with fury, but there’s something else there. Something softer, protective. He doesn’t speak, though. He lets me face them.Tharros smirks like he’s been expecting my reaction. “You don’t have to trust us, little queen. But that doesn’t change what you are or why we’re here.”“Don’t call me that,” I snap, my voice sharper than I intended. My hands clench at my sides, nails digging into my palms as I take a shaky step forward. “I’m not your queen, your savior, or whatever it
Ramon's POV The air feels wrong. I’ve been alive for over five centuries, seen horrors that would bring most beings to their knees, and faced creatures born of darkness and nightmares. Yet, standing here, watching those three ancients vanish into the night, I feel something I can barely stomach.Jealousy. It twists in my chest, a poison far worse than any I’ve endured, sharp and suffocating. They spoke as if Jasmine was already theirs, as if I was nothing but an inconvenience, a mere obstacle in their path to claim her. My mate.She’s mine. I’ve known it from the moment our bond began to form, fragile at first but growing stronger with every heartbeat, every touch, every glance. And now, these self-proclaimed "mates" have appeared out of nowhere, talking about bonds and destinies as if they have any right to her. The thought makes my fists clench so hard my nails cut into my palms.Jasmine’s scent, a mix of wildflowers and something uniquely her, lingers in the air, calming the storm
Ramon's POV The mansion is still heavy with the lingering presence of the three ancients. Tharros Blackfire, with his eyes like molten embers and an aura that reeked of brimstone; Arinthal Starweaver, whose very presence bent the light around him as if he were a living paradox; and Kaiden Nightwalker, the infamous rogue alpha whose power pulsated like the rhythm of a battle drum. They had stood there, claiming Jasmine. My mate.It’s been hours since they left, and yet my mind is still racing. I should be calm, and strategic but the rage bubbling inside me is hard to suppress. It’s not just the arrogance they radiated, or even the way their gazes lingered on Jasmine like they had a right to her. It’s the fear beneath my anger that’s eating away at me. Because for the first time in centuries, I don’t know if I’m enough.I’ve fought wars. I’ve defeated enemies far stronger than me, outmaneuvered the Council itself, and clawed my way to the top of the vampire hierarchy. But nothing has p
Six Months Later.....A celebration unlike any before, shook the Ailuranthrope realm as the cries of two newborns pierced the night. The twins of Jasmine and Ramon, the first of their kind, Ailuranthrope-Vampire hybrids, had arrived.The air was filled with the scent of blooming silvermoon flowers, their petals glowing under the celestial sky. The land, once known as the Obsidian Expanse, had flourished into a paradise, and now, it had heirs.Ramon stood by Jasmine’s side, gazing at their newborns, Zephriel and Selaphina. He had spent centuries believing he could never have children, that his undead nature had robbed him of that joy. But now…He was a father.Jasmine, cradling their daughter, looked at him with a soft, knowing smile. "You didn’t know, did you?" she whispered. Ramon exhaled a slow breath, shaking his head. "No. I never even thought it possible." His voice was hoarse, filled with awe.Jasmine laughed lightly, placing a gentle kiss on their son’s forehead. "The realm chose
Jasmine’s POVThe warm twilight bathes the realm, casting golden hues over the beautiful landscape. The once desolate Obsidian Expanse now breathes with life, a land reborn through our bond.As I absorb the sheer magnitude of what has happened, a disturbance stirs the air. A shift in energy, something familiar yet distinct. Then, I see them. Tharros. Arinthal. And Victor.The three figures emerge from the distance, their expressions unreadable. Yet, beneath their calm exteriors, I sense a change. Something profound is about to happen.The Ailuranthropes react before I even realize what’s going on. Gasps echo through the gathered pride. Some exchange knowing glances. Others stand still, eyes wide in recognition. Then, it happens.A pulse, a soft, golden glow, radiates between Tharros, Arinthal, and Victor. It travels through the space between them and three women standing among the Ailuranthropes. Women who, moments ago, were simply part of the crowd. But now… Their breaths hitch. Thei
Jasmine’s POVThe storm rages around us, wild and untamed, but I no longer fear it. The Obsidian Expanse trembles beneath our feet as darkness fights to reclaim its dominion. Shadows creep toward me, whispering, beckoning, and urging me to give in. I feel the pull, the intoxicating allure of the abyss, Kaiden’s will pressing against my own. He wants me to surrender, to embrace my darkness and become his perfect counterpart.But what he doesn’t understand is that I am not just darkness. I am light. And that light comes from the one beside me.Ramon’s presence is my anchor. His love, steady, fierce, and consuming, grounds me even as power surges within me. He is the calm in my storm, the unshakable force that refuses to let me drown. I turn to him, my heart hammering. His midnight-blue eyes burn with an intensity that sends shivers through me."Jasmine," he whispers, his voice thick with emotion, with need. I don’t hesitate. I choose him.Throwing caution to the wind, I step into his a
Jasmine’s POVThe storm within me rages, a tempest of magic and raw power that threatens to tear everything apart. I feel the wind whip around me, my heart beating in time with the chaos that I’ve unleashed. But beneath the ferocity of the storm, there is something else, something stronger. I can feel Ramon beside me, his presence like a steady anchor in the wild sea of my transformation.Despite the overwhelming power coursing through me, I’m not alone. The bond between us, the mate bond, is an anchor, holding me together even as I push the limits of what I thought was possible.I can feel it in the air, a hum of energy that connects us, like invisible threads weaving our fates tighter. Every heartbeat, every breath, I am more aware of him, of us. His strength, his warmth, it floods through me, calming the chaos that threatens to overtake me. His power complements mine in ways I never expected, creating a balance that grounds me in the face of the unknown.“Jasmine…” Ramon’s voice i
Jasmine’s POVI stand on the edge of the precipice, an electrifying energy building around me as if the very air itself is alive. Ramon is beside me, his presence grounding, but even his strength cannot silence the power swirling inside me. It has a life of its own, raw, untamed, and terrifying. I can feel it beneath my skin, thrumming through every fiber of my being. The storm inside me is not something I can ignore any longer. “Jasmine,” Ramon whispers, his voice tinged with worry. “Please, don’t do this. You don’t have to face this alone.”But I know better now. I can no longer pretend I don’t feel it, don’t feel him, the force that’s been clawing at the edges of my soul, trying to break through. Kaiden’s voice echoes in my mind, always present, like a shadow I can’t escape. "You will understand soon, Jasmine. The vampire is nothing. You are everything."I take a deep breath, clenching my fists as the power surges within me. It’s time to stop running. To stop pretending I’m just s
Kaiden's POVI'm observing from a distance. Watching the drama unfold before me. It's almost too easy. The vampire and his precious mate, trapped in a web they don't even understand. It's almost laughable how predictable their reactions are, how they cling to their fragile illusions.Ramon believes he can protect her, believes the bond they share is the anchor keeping her grounded. He doesn’t realize that the more he clings to her, the closer she gets to her true destiny. The inevitable.Jasmine's powers are untapped, dangerous and they are the key to unlocking a power so ancient that even the oldest of beings fear it. But she's still naive, still unaware of the gravity of the situation. She believes she can control it. But she can’t. None of them can.She was never meant to be just an omega. She was never meant to live a life of peace and safety. I know that now. And I’ll make her understand that soon enough.Ramon’s presence is a minor inconvenience. He has his uses, of course, keep
Ramon's POVEverything feels oppressive, as if the very walls are closing in on us. Jasmine’s presence beside me is a constant reminder of everything that’s at stake. I don’t know what Kaiden’s game is, but I can feel it in the pit of my stomach: this isn’t just a battle for Jasmine’s freedom. This is a war for everything.I take a steadying breath, my vampire instincts at war with the protectiveness swelling inside me. There’s something Kaiden hasn’t told us, something bigger than the power he’s trying to unleash. It gnaws at me.Jasmine’s grip tightens around my hand, and I can feel the subtle pulse of her power, faint but growing stronger, like an untamed force pushing against the walls she’s built around it.I have to act fast before that power consumes her. “Jasmine,” I say, my voice low, urgent. “We need to leave. We can’t fight him here. We need to find a way to sever this connection, before it’s too late.”Her eyes meet mine, and I can see the conflict warring inside her. She’
Jasmine’s POVThe air thrums with energy, a suffocating presence hanging between us like a storm about to break. Kaiden stands before us, grinning, his aura dark and almost tangible. Despite the weight of his words, I try to steady myself, pulling the remnants of my strength together. But it’s hard to focus with the disturbing reality of his intentions curling around my thoughts like a snake.He said I was meant to be a vessel. A key. The very idea of it makes my blood run cold. “Stop,” I breathe, my voice trembling. “You’re lying. I’m not...”“You’re not what, Jasmine?” Kaiden interrupts smoothly, his smile widening. “You’re not the weapon that will change the course of everything? You’re not the one meant to unleash what’s been locked away for millennia? Ah, I can see the doubt in your eyes, but it’s there. It’s already part of you.”His words sink into my chest like icy daggers, but I refuse to show weakness. I am not his puppet.Ramon’s hand tightens around mine, and I can feel t
Jasmine’s POVIt’s over. At least, that’s what I want to believe. But deep in my chest, a cold knot tells me otherwise. The darkness may have been sealed away, but there’s something else lurking just beyond the veil. I feel its presence. Like a shadow slipping through the cracks of the universe.Ramon senses it too. He stands beside me, his posture tense, every muscle coiled with readiness. His vampire nature thrums beneath his skin, and I can feel the ancient power he carries, a stark contrast to the energy now swirling around us.But for all the strength he exudes, his silver eyes flicker with concern when they meet mine. “Jasmine…” I glance up at him, trying to steady my breathing. “What is it, Ramon?”He shakes his head. “The abyss is sealed, yes, but Kaiden isn’t finished. He’s been playing a deeper game than we realized.”His words echo in the silence that follows, weighing on me. I know he’s right. The darkness is gone, but Kaiden—our enemy, the one who has manipulated and mani