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
Arden's POVSylvia looked like life was drained from her. She looked pale and utterly confused. Her mind must be running a double shift trying to figure out what to say to either cover it up or lie, but she knows she can't do that with me. I knew she did it, and like a cornered cat, she had no choice but to accept her fate."Arden, listen, I didn't mean to…""The answer, Sylvia, not excuses," I said in a low growl."Yes, it was me. I did it." She admitted.I looked at her in awe but mostly in anger. How could she do such an awful thing to her? Even if I mistreated Serena, she had no right to treat her this way."Why? Did you realise if she missed, I would be the one hurt and in the hospital right now?" I growled.I was losing my temper, and I don't know how long I could keep holding my anger. I felt my heart pumping so hard, but I tried to look calm on the outside."Yes, I do, and I was banking on the fact that Serena would never let anything bad happen to you. She would protect you n
Serena's POVAfter days of being monitored in the hospital, it was time for me to be discharged, and I couldn't be happier. I was not too fond of the idea of everyone coming to see me in the hospital every single day. I am grateful for what they do, but the attention shift was massive, and I don't know what I can do to repay them.If anything was shocking, it was Arden coming to visit every day. He would stay here with me and Rachel, and at other times, he would ask her to return to the palace. Even more surprising was how he wasn't trying to be intimate with me. He was just here to look out for me.I want to feel some security, but that hasn't worked in my favor the last few times it happened. So I'll take it as a working relationship, a King worried for the safety of his guard. Nothing more nor less.Rachel came with Arden to get me, and he made sure that the doctors double-checked if I was fit to go back to the palace. I appreciate this concern, but as I said, work relationships."
Serena's POVAfter resting after returning from the hospital the previous day, I felt energized. I looked out my window, and even if it was still morning, the sun was almost entirely out. It is going to be a beautiful day today. I can sense it.I went to freshen up, and I dressed in light clothing. I had breakfast, and I went back to my room because, according to Rachel, I hadn't rested enough, and to my annoyance, Arden and Alpha Zone agreed with her.I understand their point, but I have one major issue with it. I'm bored. There's nothing to do in the palace. I can read, but there's nothing like going outdoors and taking a pleasant, relaxing stroll.That's it.I ran to Rachel's room, and she was seated on the couch with her legs folded in a yoga style. Her hair was up, and she was in light clothes. She had a book in her hand, and everyone knew better not to disturb Rachel while she read."Rachel, can I ask you something?""If it involves training or getting work done, you know my ans
Serena's POVRachel stood there completely immobile staring at her newly found mate. I sense how fast her heart was beating and how heavy her breathing was. I am not surprised she felt this way. I'm surprised that Rachel, who is rarely dumbfounded, has absolutely no reaction nor nothing to say.I looked at her mate and he looked familiar. He is the Beta King. This was absolutely perfect. Two Betas. I'm so glad Rachel won't run into the problem both Alpha Zone and I ran into.He walked up to her and he stretched out his hand. "Hello." He said softly and sweetly to her. I could literally feel how swoon Rachel was. I knew I could be swoon."Hi." She could barely say out loud.He pointed to her. "I know who you are. I heard about you when you had to complete your task before your graduation.""You did?" She squealed and she immediately covered her mouth. "I'm sorry, I'm a little nervous." She said,"It's alright. It's an honor to finally meet you." He said."Well, thank you and likewise b
Serena's POVI was seated in my room trying to read but in all honesty, I was waiting for Rachel to come back from her date for her to give me all the details.She was so excited earlier as she got ready for it and I was excited for her too. He picked her up in his car and he looked even dashing than when he met him earlier.Ever since Rachel left I have been so restless. I wanted her to come back so she could give me every single detail because I know it won't in any way be a boring date.I heard heels on the tiled floor and I knew for a fact that it was Rachel. She opened the door and she looked like she was flooding in clouds. Her happiness was very infectious because I too was so happy for her."Looks like someone had fun tonight." I teased her."Fun does not begin to explain what I felt tonight," She sat on my bed and took off her shoes. "It was magical. He was a gentleman and he is so sweet to talk to and he listens and takes in every single detail." She said excitedly.She thre
Serena's POVI looked at Sylvia in great shock. Doesn't she realize the gravity of her words? I know I enjoyed making Sylvia miserable by not accepting her apology, but this is something else. She's offering to do anything to prove that she's sorry. But here's the problem: I don't trust that she's sad and just doing this because of Arden.I looked at Rachel, and she shook her head subtly, indicating that I shouldn't listen to anything she said, and she was right. I don't trust her, and I won't play into whatever it is that she's doing."I don't think there's anything Sylvia," I muttered, but she spoke almost immediately."Come on, Serena. I've wronged you so many times. Isn't there at least one thing that comes to your mind now that you can get back at me?" She asked."Unlike you, she isn't petty and cruel. Sylvia, haven't you done enough already? Just get out. Get out." Rachel snapped.I eyed with so much anger. She was right. She had done a lot of things to offend me. Also, Rachel i
Serena's POVI paced back and forth in anxiety. Why did I agree to that stupid suggestion? I should have just sent her away and told Arden I wouldn't accept her half-baked apology, but I didn't. I let my dark thoughts win. I shouldn't have let my revenge get to me. Why did I do this to myself?"Serena, you'll wear out the rug if you keep pacing," Rachel said.She sat on my bed with her legs crossed so beautifully. She seemed to be taking it a lot calmer than I'd expected. Because she's the one who has an eye for these things, but she's not even bothered about it."Why are you so calm?" I asked exasperatedly."Because it isn't necessarily like Sylvia to act that way." She replied."That's exactly why you shouldn't be calm, and I am losing my mind. I wonder what she's scheming." I said."I have a feeling that's not Sylvia," Rachel said, and I stopped pacing.I narrowed my eyes at her. "What do you mean 'that's not Sylvia'? She's the same mean, vicious, cold person who has been tormentin
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