The council chamber was silent as I stood before them with my heart heavy but resolute. Members of Derek’s pack sat in a semicircle with their eyes filled with worry and confusion. Tobias was beside me and his brow furrowed as he glanced my way. He didn’t know what I was about to say, but I had no doubt he suspected it wasn’t good.I took a deep breath, letting the weight of my decision settle over me. “Thank you all for coming,” I began with my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.The wolves murmured quietly, their unease was palpable.“I’ve come to a decision,” I continued, looking out over the gathered wolves. “The witches are targeting this pack because of me. Every attack, every loss—it's all because I’m here. They won’t stop until they get what they want.”Tobias shifted uncomfortably, but I pressed on before he could interrupt.“I can’t allow more innocent lives to be lost because of me,” I said with my voice growing firmer. “That’s why I’ve decided to leave. Tobias will
SERENA’S POVMoans, a pleasure driven cry echoing in a secret room. I was with him, Derek, my mate. But these sounds weren’t coming from me.He groaned from satisfaction, but I wasn’t touching him either. No, his pleasure came from Cora, his prostitute wolf. And I was forced to watch them.I was bound to a chair in the corner, watching them mate. Every thrust, every pleasured gasp from Derek, ached me. It was a violation, a reminder of my inability to do nothing, except watch.I watched as Cora sucked him out, deep throating him until she turned red. I watched how roughly Derek handled her. Pulling and grabbing her hair like she was a still object.I was unable to bear the pain of watching my mate mate with Cora, so I squeezed my eyes shut. Suddenly, the sounds ceased, replaced by a satisfied grunt from Derek.My heart raced as I scented Derek slowly approach me. He forcefully took me by the jaw and demanded that I opened my eyes.“Look at me, Omega," he sneered.I forced my eyes open
ARDAN’S POVTraining days with my Beta Thorne, usually excited me. My moves were laser sharp and I’d always won every practice round. But today, my movements were sloppy, sluggish and my focus was scattered.And because of that, it gave way for Thorne to land a blow on my arm, a feat that wouldn't have been possible on any other day.Thorne froze, his eyes widening in surprise. "My King, I—"I held up a hand, silencing him before he could launch into apologies. I was ashamed. "Leave me," I said.Thorne hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowed in concern. "Are you certain, Your Majesty? Perhaps you should—""Alone," I repeated, my voice firmer this time.With a silent bow, Thorne turned to leave, leaving me alone on the training grounds.I headed for the bathroom. When I got there, I stripped off my sweat-drenched training clothes. My reflection in the mirror showed a man sculpted for power - broad shoulders, a chiseled jaw, dark hair. Yet, beneath the facade of strength, anxiety had
SERENA’S POVA throbbing ache in my neck yanked me awake. I blinked open my eyes, the unfamiliar room coming into focus. Where was was I? I looked around the room before looking down at my body.I began to panic as I realized I was lying naked in a bed – a bed that wasn't mine. What the fuck….Glancing beside me, I found a muscular werewolf still asleep. Taking a deeper look I realized it was Joshua, a young member from Derek's pack who I had seen a few times before.My blood ran cold. If anyone came in I would a walking corpse. But I don’t remember how I ended up here. Had Derek… No, that couldn't be right."Joshua?" I croaked, my voice was hoarse.He bolted upright as if stung and his eyes widened with terror. "Serena! What…what happened?"I narrowed my gaze, my brows were furrowed, “I don’t know you tell me!” I yelled.But before he could offer any further explanation, the door to the room slammed open. Leading the surge was Derek, his face was masked with fake fury.Close behind h
ARDAN’S POVDerek did not fail to hide the confusion on his face. Why would the Lycan King, the most powerful shifter alive, intervene on a mere omega’s behalf? I ignored the stunned faces around me, focusing solely on the face sitting upright on the bed.“Put your clothes on," I commanded.My gaze then shifted to the wolf next to Serena on the bed, Joshua, I recalled. "And you," I said with a low snarl, "get out. Now."Joshua didn't need telling twice. He scrambled off the bed, hastily and fearfully. Still, Serena remained covered in the sheet, using it as a flimsy shield to hide her nakedness.Cora couldn't resist a disdainful snort. "Well, aren't you just the picture of grace," she said to Serena. "The Lycan King himself asks you to put some fucking clothes on, and here you are, clutching a sheet to your bare chest like a lost pup."My head snapped towards Cora. "If you don't want to end up as a decoration on the wall like your beta," I warned, "learn to control your fucking tongue
SERENA’S POVThe door slammed shut behind him, leaving me alone in the silence. Tears welled up in my eyes, I felt utterly powerless, trapped in a cage.I couldn’t let Derek break me. I would survive. And when I turned twenty, when I unlocked the secrets of the box, I would find a way to my freedom. A way to avenge my parents and escape the clutches of this monstrous man.It was a long shot, a desperate hope, but it was all I had. Until then, I would play the part of the meek servant, bide my time, and wait for my chance.I straightened the simple dress one last time, forcing myself to take a deep breath. Tears had left their mark on my cheeks, but I quickly wiped them away.Stepping out of the room, I made my way towards the conference room. My heart pounded as I walked only because I wanted to meet King Ardan with utmost composure.As I entered, my gaze met Ardan. He stood by the window with his back to me. He turned upon hearing the door open, wearing an indifferent look on his fac
“Ardan?” I asked, shock showing on my face.” what are you-”“Do Not speak.” he cut me off, enunciating every word. I shut my mouth quickly and drew back, attempting to close my legs, but he would not let me.He grabbed me by the ankles and pulled me forward until my core was nearly parallel with his nose, and he sniffed.He took long, deep breaths of my core and looked like he was fighting not to leap at it.What was he doing? I could only lay there, shaking in fear and arousal, wondering what he would do next.He finally moved, dragging his tongue across my core in one long, wet path. I gasped, immediately baking up and closing my legs.“We are not doing this, and we are not doing this,” I mumbled, scrambling further backward, but Ardan refused to give me any space, closing the gap as soon as I made one.Eventually, he backed me up against the wall. There was nowhere left to run. He grabbed me by the throat, caressing my neck softly.“Don’t run from this, Serena.” He murmured into my
My wolf seemed to have a better understanding of fate than I did.After comforting myself that I should calm down and allow time to prove that there is more to what appears shallow on the surface, I laid myself to rest in a deep slumber.Every new day comes with its hurdles. I was, and I was prepared for whatever might come my way again.I stepped out to begin my day, but the person I saw was a represented day.Someone was already standing outside the door, a tall brunette with a harsh face.Emma.She was the one who raised Ardan from childhood. “Here comes the wench! Aren't you just shameless?” She announced.Her lousy voice broke my thoughts. She was fond of mocking me like I was her sworn enemy in her past life, and she was determined to humiliate me at every given opportunity.“Wash it clean and have it ironed, too.” She tossed a maid dress to me. I picked it up, and I dare not object to her. “Why are you still standing?” She asked rudely.“I. I thought you wanted me to wash this
The council chamber was silent as I stood before them with my heart heavy but resolute. Members of Derek’s pack sat in a semicircle with their eyes filled with worry and confusion. Tobias was beside me and his brow furrowed as he glanced my way. He didn’t know what I was about to say, but I had no doubt he suspected it wasn’t good.I took a deep breath, letting the weight of my decision settle over me. “Thank you all for coming,” I began with my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me.The wolves murmured quietly, their unease was palpable.“I’ve come to a decision,” I continued, looking out over the gathered wolves. “The witches are targeting this pack because of me. Every attack, every loss—it's all because I’m here. They won’t stop until they get what they want.”Tobias shifted uncomfortably, but I pressed on before he could interrupt.“I can’t allow more innocent lives to be lost because of me,” I said with my voice growing firmer. “That’s why I’ve decided to leave. Tobias will
THE BREAKING POINTThe air in the library was suffocating and I all I could smell were the old books Rachel had managed to source. Rachel and I had spent hours combing through every tome, scroll, and scrap of parchment we could find, searching for something—anything—that might help wake Gilly from her coma.“Anything yet?” I asked tiredly.Rachel didn’t look up, her fingers just kept flipping through the brittle pages of an ancient book. “Nothing,” she muttered with her frustration evident.I sighed, leaning back in my chair and rubbing my temples. The silence of the library, which was usually comforting, now felt oppressive.“Keep looking,” I said, though my words felt hollow.Rachel glanced at me with her face pale and drawn. “Serena, we’ve been at this for hours. If there was something here, we would have found it by now.”“We can’t stop,” I said firmly. “There has to be an answer.”Rachel hesitated before nodding, though I could see the doubt in her eyes.The sound of something cr
Serena’s POVThe forest air was thick with the scent of damp earth and rotting leaves, a reminder of how far we were from any place of comfort or safety. The sun had long since disappeared behind a thick canopy of twisted branches, leaving only faint shafts of light to guide our way.My senses were sharper than ever. Every shift in the wind, every crack of a branch, every faint scent carried on the air seemed amplified, as though the forest itself was whispering to me.“She’s close,” I said with my voice steady but low.Zone tightened his grip on his weapon and his jaw clenched. “I hope so,” he muttered. “I’m tired of chasing shadows.”Ardan placed a reassuring hand on Zone’s shoulder with his steady presence a calming force. “If Serena says she’s close, she is,” he said simply.I nodded as my Wolf mother instincts guided me. This power was still new, its limits and purpose unclear, but I trusted it.“She’s been here for a while,” I said as my eyes scanned the forest. “There’s magic e
Gilly’s POVThe world around me was nothing but darkness, an endless expanse of shadows that stretched in every direction. Time didn’t exist here, nor did sound or sensation. I floated in the emptiness, a weightless figure adrift in an ocean of nothingness.I didn’t know how I’d gotten here, but I knew one thing: I was trapped.At first, I thought this was death—a bleak and silent afterlife where my thoughts were my only companions. But I still felt the faintest pull of something beyond this void. It was like a tether, thin and fragile, connecting me to something—or someone.“Serena.“Her name flickered in my mind, a faint light in the darkness. Memories of her surged forward unbidden: her fierce determination, her unyielding loyalty, the way she had fought for all of us, even when the odds were stacked against her.I tried to call out to her, but my voice didn’t carry. The void swallowed every word before it could form.The shadows shifted. Slowly at first, then faster, swirling arou
Serena’s POVThe palace halls were quiet when we arrived and the weight of our mission was still hanging over us. The antidote, carefully wrapped in protective leaves, felt like the most precious cargo I’d ever carried.Rachel led the way to the medical wing, where Zone lay pale and motionless. His breathing was shallow, his chest barely rising with each breath. My heart clenched at the sight of him. He’d always been so strong, so unyielding, and seeing him like this felt like a blow to the gut.“We need to act fast,” Rachel said with her voice clipped as she began preparing the antidote.Ardan stood beside her with his jaw tight as he watched her every move. “How long before we know if it works?” he asked.Rachel didn’t answer immediately, her focus on carefully grinding the petals into a paste. “It depends,” she said finally. “If the poison hasn’t spread too far, we should see improvement within a few hours. If it has…” She trailed off, not needing to finish the thought.I swallowed
Ardan’s PoVI was ten years old, running through the woods with my best friend, Ren. Ren and I were inseparable, always finding excuses to sneak away from our lessons and explore the forest that bordered our pack’s land.That day, we’d wandered farther than usual, chasing the echo of a distant waterfall. The sound was faint, teasing us with its mystery, and Ren was determined to find it.“Come on, Ardan!” he called with his grin wide as he darted ahead.“Slow down, Ren,” I shouted, laughing as I tried to keep up.We were so caught up in the thrill of the chase that we didn’t notice the stillness creeping into the air. The birds stopped singing, the rustle of leaves quieted, and the usual hum of the forest faded into an eerie silence.It wasn’t until Ren screamed that I realised something was wrong.I came to a stop with my laughter dying in my throat as I turned to see him frozen in place and his eyes wide with terror. At first, I didn’t understand what he was looking at—then I saw it
The air around us sparkled for a brief moment before settling into the damp, oppressive atmosphere of the swamp. Ardan and I staggered as our surroundings materialised in front of us: a vast expanse of muddy water, twisted trees, and a blanket of fog that shrouded our vision. The teleportation spell had brought us to the right place, but something felt wrong.Ardan ran a hand through his hair, trying to summon the magic that had served him so well before, but nothing came. His focus faltered, and he cursed under his breath."What is it?" I asked, sensing the shift in his mood."My magic…" Ardan began, looking around in confusion. "It’s not working here. I can’t feel the flow of energy."My brow furrowed. "But… we’re here, Ardan. The swamp. This is where the flower should be. I’m sure your magic will come back when we—"Ardan’s eyes were sharp, scanning the surrounding fog. "It’s not just that.
It was dawn and the sun’s ray casted long shadows across the ancient books scattered on the table. Rachel sat among them with her hands moving methodically as she flipped through pages and her brow was furrowed in concentration. The weight of the pack’s survival, of Gilly’s fate, and of Zone’s worsening condition, seemed to press down on all of us, but Rachel carried it with quiet determination.I stood near the door, pacing as I waited for her to find something—anything—that could guide us.“How much longer?” I asked, trying to keep the impatience from my voice.Rachel didn’t look up. “As long as it takes,” she said. “These books are ancient. If there’s an answer, it’s buried deep.”I sighed, turning to look out the window. Derek’s pack had grown quiet since the confrontation during the council meeting, but the silence wasn’t peaceful. It was heavy, unea
The air in Derek’s pack was heavy with tension, thick enough to choke on. I stood on the steps of the main hall, looking out over the courtyard as the wolves went about their duties. Their movements were stiff and their conversations were hushed. Even the young ones seemed subdued and their usual energy was dampened by the fear and uncertainty that hung over the pack.I was no stranger to pressure or doubt, but this felt different. The weight of Gloria’s warnings, Gilly’s erratic behaviour, Zone’s condition, and now Dominic’s cryptic words before his death—it all pressed down on me and it crushed me. For the first time after Ardan’s disappearance, I didn’t know what to do.“Serena,” Ardan’s voice called softly from behind me.I turned to see him standing in the doorway with a concerned expression. Beside him, Rachel and Tobias waited with their faces mirroring his unease.“We need to