Serena's POVAfter having just four hours of sleep, I was up again and ready for the day's work. I looked in the mirror as I got ready and I realized I had dark eye circles and my hair was a little unruly. I styled it in a messy bun because I didn't have enough time to properly style my hair.I went downstairs and I quickly had breakfast. I wanted to avoid some of the maids as much as possible but I couldn't because Emma was there."Good morning," I said to her."Good morning" she replied back.I went back to my food but I noticed she was looking at me. Her eyes ran along my body trying to take in me in my guard uniform and I could tell what she was thinking.I drank a glass of water like my life depended on it."Thank you so much for the food. It was delicious." I said to her and turned to leave."Thank you," she said. After a bout of silence she spoke again"Congratulations." She said faintly but her voice sounded sincere.I gave her a small smile and thanked her.I went outside and
Serena's POVStill filled with excitement from standing up to Sylvia, I ran into the palace to find Rachel. I could feel my insides bubbling with excitement. I haven't been this excited in a long while and I can't keep this excitement to myself. I need to tell her what happened.I entered her room and she already wore her pants but not her shirt."Um, a little privacy here." She said flatly."Oh please, we shared the same locker room." I said."Because we had no choice." She whined."If you really wanted privacy, you would lock your door." I said factually.She rolled her eyes. "What do you want? I thought you were guarding His Royal Majesty, King Arden." She said mockingly.I don't blame her. I have been pretty annoying with how much I do my job. If I were her, I'd mock myself too."Shush. I have something to tell you." I said in excitement.She stared at me for a while before snapping, "Well, what is it?""I talked back to Sylvia and put her in her place."She furrowed her brows. "I
Serena's POVI felt my breathing hitch and my palms becoming clammy. I didn't think he would be here. He didn't answer when I knocked. Oh, why didn't he answer?"Serena." He said sweetly.I took a deep breath then turned to him. He had a towel hanging from his waist with water droplets running down his chest and his hair still damp. He looked absolutely irresistible."I'm sorry, I thought the room was empty." I said."As you can see, it's not." He joked.I chuckled dryly. "Right. Well, I have to go." I turned to leave but he stopped me."Hey, hey, what's the rush?" He asked with his voice laced with amusement."I have something to take care of." I turned and replied."No you don't. I assign your tasks to you and unless you're helping Rachel or Zone, which they can very much handle on their own, you are free at the moment." He said.I swallowed the lump in my throat and smiled. "Of course. What do you need?" I asked.He walked closer to me and I kept walking back until I got to the wal
Serena's POVI have felt pain before. In fact, I had learnt to deal and live with pain, but the greatest pain of all was watching my mate look at another woman like she was the one destined for him to be with.He seemed to have forgotten me and him wanting me because there was something that was better than me in front of him, and it was Princess Sylvia.He walked up to her and gave her a kiss, and I felt my chest burn even more. I wish I could get out of here. I wish I could disappear into thin air, but I can't. I have to stay and watch the entire thing from the sidelines.I watched as they mingled with the crowd. They were walking hand in hand, and I could hear Sylvia laughing at what someone said and Arden looking impressed. If I didn't know them, I'd think they were a perfect couple, but no one is perfect.After a while, Arden and Sylvia took to the stand for his speech. "Today marks the beginning of a new era, where two packs unite to become one. As I take Princess Sylvia as my b
Serena's POVWhile Alpha Zone checked the security cameras for how this person came in and got out, Rachel was tending to my wounds. I have taken plenty of hits over the years so this isn't a big deal.Arden angrily paced in front of us while Sylvia looked scared to death. "Zone had one job." He started."To secure a perimeter with hundreds of people? Come on Arden, it would be impossible for him to have noticed that person go in." Rachel said."And if not for Serena, I would have been dead." He added.Rachel sighed loudly. "Don't be so dramatic. I would heal you and the hospital would have finished the job and you'd be as good as new." She said,"Rachel, this isn't a joke. Someone tried to kill Arden. They most likely are rogues or paid assassins." Sylvia said.Before Rachel would say anything, Alpha Zone walked in. "We couldn't get clear footage of the person unfortunately.""Crap! I cannot believe you Zone." Arden yelled."Why are you yelling at me? How could I have known all the p
Serena's POVI woke up feeling more beat than how I was yesterday. My arm hurts more from the wound I got from being stabbed, and I intend to see a doctor today. Rachel helped with the healing, but there's so much she can do.I realised I slept in my uniform, and I needed to change out of them and freshen up. I got up from bed, and it felt like gravity acting on my arm worsened the pain.I sat on my bed and picked up my phone to call Rachel."Good morning. How are you?" Rachel asked. She sounded tired, which was out of character for her. No matter how busy, she tries to get a good amount of sleep."I'm okay," I said, but my voice said otherwise."Are you sure? You sound like you're in pain.""I'm good. I need new clothes, and I don't have any here…""I'll be in your room in five minutes with clean clothes." She said softly, then hung up.I took off my uniform, and I realised the wound I had looked dark and unhealthy, almost like it was infected.I heard the door open, and I turned to
Serena's POVAfter breakfast, I went to find Alpha Zone because we needed to walk. He has been acting weird around me and I can't take it anymore. I want to know if he's mad at me or if i did anything wrong.I saw him giving orders to other guards ,and I didn't want to interrupt him. As soon as he was done, he turned to me. He sighed and attempted to walk away from me."Hey?" I said as I followed him.He was walking a little faster than husual,and I had to pick up my pace. I maintained that pace stohconversewith him ,but I felt out of breath ,and it looked like I was practically running."Zone, why have you been cold to me?" I asked."I have just been busy." He said flatly."Really? I've been b, sy too ,but you don't see me acting like a jerk about it." I spat out.He stopped and turned to me. "There you have my attention. Say what you want so I can go back to work."I scoffed. "What is with you? You kept looking at me weirdly at the table.""When were you going to tell me about your
Arden's POVAfter seeing that Serena was well, I returned to the palace. I needed to find out who that way and why they would attack me.The zone was correct when he said he couldn't distinguish the person because there were so many others coming in, but I know for a fact that as long as it was by invitation, the person who came in had an invitation.I got into the palace, and I was greeted by a guard I tasked to investigate this issue."Any update?" I asked."Yes, sir, but I'm afraid you won't be pleased about it." He said anxiously.I stared at him with annoyance and impatience. "Well, get to it.""It was probably a servant." He said."Probably? So, you're not sure?" I asked."It was a servant, sir." He quickly corrected himself."Ask her to see me in my throne room. So as Alf." I said, then went into the throne room.I sat down and remembered how she saved my life. She could have said she couldn't get to me in time and let the dagger hurt me, but she didn't. And now, I will not res
I stood at outside the pack house. After everything, after Gloria, after Gilly—the eerie silence was unnatural. As if even the earth mourned. I wrapped my arms around myself, feeling the chill in the wind biting at my skin despite the sunlight that peeked through the tree branches. I knew it was coming—consequences always did.I went back into the pack house and just then, there was a soft knock on the pack house door. When I opened it, a witch stood before me. I recognised her type immediately. Though I didn’t know her name, she reeked of magic.I narrowed my eyes but stepped aside to let her enter. “Why are you here?” I said stiffly.The witch bowed her head. “To bring you news... and to seek forgiveness.”“Forgiveness? For what exactly?”She hesitated. “The witches’ coven is broken. Without Gloria, it... it crumbled,” she said softly. “Many of us were loyal to her out
The moment Gloria began chanting her dark spells, I knew we were running out of time. The woods vibrated with the pulse of her magic. Her magic coiled around Gilly like a snake. Gloria had broken Zone from the spell she had him in. Gilly lay limp in Zone’s arms, her breaths were shallow and weak, and her face was pale and barely recognisable as the girl I had fought so hard to save.I needed to act now. We had come this far not to just give up. I clenched my fists as I felt the power of being the wolf mother overcome me. It was raw and overwhelming.“Serena!” Ardan called.I didn’t respond. Instead, I planted my feet, inhaling deeply as I reached into the depths of my power. The ground beneath me trembled as the Wolf mother within me awoke fully.The spell Gloria had used to protect herself began faltering as my power collided with her dark magic. Gloria staggered back, snarling. “No!” she screeched.Zone seized
Where we were felt like a frozen nightmare, every breath I took was heavy. My teeth was bared and my claws were ready, as Ardan, Zone, and I stepped forward. Gilly knelt on the ground. Her pale form was trembling. Standing beside her was Gloria,And Roman—he stood at Gloria’s side, tall and unshaken with a cruel smirk tugging at his lips.“You should have stayed away,” Roman said. “But then again, I suppose you couldn’t help yourself, could you?”“Let her go for the last time,” I growled.Gloria chuckled softly. “Oh, the mighty Wolf mother has come to save her little pawn. How predictable.” Her eyes were fixed on me, sharp as a dagger. “You think you can stop me? You, with your fractured power and naïve ideals? You will fall, Serena. It’s only a matter of time.”“And the time is now.” Roman declared. He mumbled a spell and a rush of wind brought me
Serena’s PoVThe medical wing was quiet—too quiet. I expected to hear Gilly’s faint breathing or the sound of Draven’s footsteps, but instead, the silence felt odd. Sally knew something was off and as I stepped inside, the hair on the back of my neck stood.“Gilly?” I called softly with my voice echoing off the walls.There was no response. I quickened my pace as I moved to Gilly’s room. The door was slightly ajar. Something was definitely wrong.Pushing the door open, my heart dropped. The bed was empty. The chains that bound Gilly were now off and lying on the floor.“What the…” I whispered, barely looking around me frowning in confusion.A low grunt coming from the corner of the room made me turn my head. I gasped. Draven was sitting with his legs tied to the wall, his hands were also tied with pieces of his clothings. His mouth was gagged and I could see the anger and desperation in his eyes.“Draven!” I rushed to him, yanking the cloth from his mouth.“Serena,” he rasped. “You ne
Roman’s POVThe night air was cold as I stepped through the trees, holding Gilly captive. My steps were silent, careful as always, but my mind ran through memories that never left me. I couldn’t stop them, even now—especially now.I had always been an observer, even as a boy. I watched my parents, two forces of nature who couldn’t have been more different yet were somehow drawn together like moths to a flame. My father was a man with no sense of mercy. His ambitions were as grand as they were brutal. “Take what you want. Rule without apology.” Those were his words to me as soon as I was old enough to stand in his shadow.My mother… she was different. Controlled, cunning, with a mind so sharp it could cut you before you realised you were bleeding. A witch with power most would have called godlike, but to me, she was something more—something complicated. She loved me, and in her way, she was always there. She was like the constant in a chaotic world. But she wanted loyalty to her coven.
There were sounds of jingling chains coming from the medical wing as I approached it. I had managed to talk Ardan out of keeping Gilly chained up in the dungeon. Gilly sat slumped on the small cot with her wrists bound tightly chains. When her eyes went up to meet mine, the despair in them almost shattered me.“Serena…” she whispered.I moved toward the door slowly, swallowing my saliva. “Gilly, you’re awake.”She gave out a humourless chuckle, and wiped her tears with the back of her hand that was free. “Awake? I wish I wasn’t.” She looked at her swollen pupils in the mirror and also looked at her hands as they continued to shake as though they were still stained with blood. “I killed him, didn’t I?”I dropped to my knees beside the bed and grasped her hand through the iron bracelets. “No, Gilly. It wasn’t you. Gloria did this. She’s manipulating you, using you. This isn’t your fault.”She jerked at my words, shaking her head vehemently. “Serena, you don’t understand. As long as I’m
The sound of Zone’s boots echoed down the hallway as he stormed into the war room. I could see anger in his eyes. Ardan, Rachel, and I were huddled over maps and scouting reports, discussing strategies to secure the territory.“We have a problem,” Zone said as he tossed a worn scrap of fabric onto the table.I picked it up, frowning. The material was torn and dirty, reeking faintly of magic and rogue wolves.“What is this?” Ardan asked coldly as he straightened his back to face Zone.“I found it near the south border,” Zone replied, crossing his arms. “Tracks leading in and out of the pack’s territory. Someone’s sneaking around.”Rachel furrowed her brow as she leaned closer, inspecting the fabric. “It’s rogue,” she muttered, then paused. “But there’s something else here. A faint magical trace.”Ardan’s eyes turned to me. “Roman.”I sighed heavily, already knowing where this was going. “You can’t keep blaming Roman for every problem we have, Ardan. It’s starting to feel personal. I me
Ardan stood at one end of the war table with crossed arms and a dark face with suspicion written all over it. Zone paced near the fireplace, pacing up and down, clearly frustrated. Across from me, Roman leaned casually against the wall, with his usual composed expression giving away nothing, but I could see it—Ardan and Zone’s distrust was starting to chip away at his calm exterior.“Something’s not right,” Zone muttered for the third time, shooting Roman another glare. “We’re chasing leads, scrambling to keep Gilly safe, and every time something goes wrong, he’s around.”Roman let out a quiet sigh and rolled his eyes as he pushed himself off the wall. “You know, Zone, if you’re going to keep accusing me, you might as well bring some proof. I’ve done nothing but help you all since I arrived.”“You mean since you conveniently appeared,” Zone shot back. “No one knows where you came from. You don’t belong here.”“Enough!” I snapped, standing up from my seat and placing my hands on the ta
The sky was filled with grey clouds when I first saw him. A lone figure approached the gates of Ardan’s pack with his dark cloak whipping in the wind. There was something unsettling about his presence. The guards at the gate were already on edge and their hands hovered near their weapons.“Who is that?” I muttered, standing beside Ardan as we watched from the pack house steps.Ardan’s eyes narrowed. “Someone who doesn’t belong here.”We descended toward the gates just as the guards stopped the stranger. He raised his hands calmly with a small, disarming smile playing on his lips. “I come in peace,” he said smoothly. “I’ve heard whispers of a girl - witch touched by magic - and I think I can help.”Ardan growled softly. “And who exactly are you?”The stranger lowered his hood, revealing his face. He had a pale skin that was marked by faint scars which ran along his jaw. His hair was a mix of dark and silver strands which gave him an ageless quality. His eyes were green.“My name is Dra