Rose POVI stand at the front of my dressing mirror to look at myself. I am putting on a purple flowing gown with white embroidery designs. My hair is packed into a bun. My gown has sleeves so it covers the mark and pain.I smile at myself. That is how I am going to hide my pain until I find a way to get Luca out of wherever he has been placed and kill Russell. I can't imagine I am going to kill the father of my child.To succeed, I need a loyal circle. I need someone out there among the maids and guards who hear the gossip of the people.I need a loyal maid and since Sasha has decided to be against me. I decided tonight that it is either I give her out to an enemy or I kill her myself.I open the door and walk outside towards the stairs. Two guards follow me to my back.“My lady,” Sasha bows as she joins them, working beside me as a maid should do.“Step back” I order as I continue working fast.“What?” She asks, her face laced with confusion.“Walk behind me”She smiles. “I know we
Fear grips me. I stare at Sabrina and then at the door. I don't want her to get caught.“Go. I will find my way out” she says. The door song again and it opens. Russell barges in with his men. I stare at him with bulging eyes.“Where is she? ”he asks me.I look at my back and Sabrina is gone. I heaved a sigh.Russell's rough hand grabs my shoulder as he turns me around “Where is the lady you are talking to?” He asks glaring at me.I square my shoulders and swallow hard “I don't know. Let go of my hands!” I shout at him.He glared at me for a while, his alcoholic breath fanning my face, I cringed in disgust. He let go of me at once pushing me into the air. I stagger and try to get my balance for a while.“Look for her! ”he orders the guard to look for her.I rearrange my dress and storm out of the hall making my way towards the hall. I sit on my seat and watch as the dancers skillfully dance.Russell barges in later with his guards “You are associating with a sorcerer!” He shouts as
Rose POVWhat the hell is he doing here? How the hell did he get in here without their notice? I thought I told him to give me two weeks. I turn around to see Russell glaring at me. I return it with a smile. I look towards Finn's direction but he is nowhere to be found.I search around the crowd with my eyes, he is not there. Was I hallucinating?Goosebumps creep into my skin at the thought of our last encounter. How deep his voice was, how soft his hands were, or how clean his chest was.I shake my head and steady myself. I can't think of a Finn at this moment although he is my mate.Sooner than later they start playing classical songs in the background. I have always hated classical songs, they seemed too boring and too slow for me, and they came with a little melodrama between couples.For those who were in love, they would spend time professing feelings to one another for couples like me and Russell who would rather die than stay in the same room. It was torture, cruel torture.
Rose pov.Benedicta told me that the only person Russell feared was Luca. I thought it was a lie, a monster cannot be afraid of anyone until I saw the fear in Russell's eyes today when he threatened to do something stupid.I saw the fear in Russell's eyes. Even the monster can be afraid of his creator. I gave one last glance at Russell, whose face was laced with fear before I took Luca's hands.Still, the men decide to be foolish. As we approach the door they stop us in the hallway. Luca gives them one last glare.“Get out of my way before I send your skin to your beloved families” one of them trembles as he drops the sword, the other still pointing their gun towards us. And steadily, they increase in numbers, forming a circle around us.“What is the meaning of this?” He asks them.One of them clears their throat “Alpha Russell has announced that anyone who can kill you will get a higher promotion. He will be the second beta”I roll my eyes. Russell has always been a cunning man, but
Immediately I get to Luca's chamber, I knock on the door for a while. He opens it and steps aside for me to enter.My eyes widen as it scans through the room. The room is so huge and beautiful. What the hell does a man do with so much space?My eyes moved from his big spacious bed covered with expensive beddings to the sandstone table decorated with glass by the side. Different oil paintings hang on the wall by the side of a walk-in closet.Finally, my eyes land on Luca who is standing by the large glass window. He is shirtless; he is holding a glass of wine with his left hand, and his right hand is tucked into the pocket of his grey sweatpants, revealing his masculine physique.“Shut the door” he orders. His voice is cold and lacks emotion.I shut the door behind me and stand at a far distance. A heavy, awkward, uncomfortable silence exists between us. Tension fills the air.We stay in that position for about three whole minutes. I am tempted to ask him why he called me, but with how
Luca's POV.I knew I was done immediately. I set my eyes on Rose in the bar where she worked. She didn't know I existed back then. Nobody knew I was around, not even my uncle.After being sent away for five years I had managed to come back with my full power. To everybody, I was a rogue because when everyone was getting their wolf I was still weak. I was weak, but with the help of Sabrina, I was able to awaken my wolf. Turns out that I am a hybrid. My mother left me immediately after she gave birth to me because somebody had already found out that she was a vampire. She and my dad did not want another person to discover my secret.I got to know about this through Sabrina. Then I discovered that Jenny was my mate. She loved me regardless of who I was or my kind. She was the only one who took me for who I was. Then I woke up one morning to discover that she had been killed by one of our bodyguards. When I asked whose orders he said it was Russell Gosh! I wanted to murder him right t
Rose POVConsciousness slips into me slowly. I open my eyes to meet myself in a pitch-dark room. I try to move but my hands are tied to my back together with my legs. I try to move the rope but it is tightly tied. To make things worse, my mouth is tied, too. Therefore I can speak.I lay on the cold tiled floor for a while. Who could have decided to kidnap me? The only enemy I had was Sasha and I made sure I let go of her a long time ago.The door creaked open. Two huge masked men enter inside and turn on the light. The brightness of the light hit my eyes as I shut it.“She's awake,” one of the men said. The other white-haired one nodded. He narrowed his eyes to look at me. His eyes travelled from my legs and stopped at my laps which were exposed because of the way I was positioned. He licked his lips. His eyes finally left there and moved to the top.The other one hit him lightly, bringing him back from whatever previous thought was going on in his mind.“What do we do?” He asked.Th
Luca POVI sigh heavily as my heartbeat increases. Rose's face and laughter fill my head. I drive my punching gloves into the bag. I have been boxing for over an hour now. I am seriously meant to be exhausted but I am not. I increase my pace, punching and punching trying to drive every anger and feeling into the bag.An effort that fails miserably.I should never have started anything with Rose. I should have stayed clear from her and her son. Fuck! I shouted as I drove my hand into the punching bag. To think that she has been occupying my mind for the past few hours.A knock on the door stops me from my boxing session. “Come in” I ordered. The door opens slightly revealing a bodyguard. He bows his head “Sabrina is around” he informs me. I nod my head slightly. He walks away after bowing to me.I heaved a sigh of relief. I walk towards my chambers and change my clothes to the royal Alpha clothes with a smile on my face.I make my way towards the sitting room. Sabrina smiles immed
Luca's POVThe day had finally arrived. The day I had waited for, dreamed of and worked tirelessly to see come to fruition. My wedding day. As I stood at the altar in the grand cathedral, sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows, casting a kaleidoscope of colors onto the marble floor. The air was heavy with the scent of roses and lavender, a symbol of unity for our clans.Guests from both sides filled the pews, their once-hostile gazes now softened by the promise of peace. Today wasn’t just about Rose and me—it was about forging a bond that would unite two warring clans into one.And then, the doors opened, and there she was.Rose. My bride. My queen.She walked down the aisle with a grace that stole my breath. Her gown was exquisite, flowing like liquid light, and her eyes were locked on mine. At that moment, the world narrowed to just the two of us.When she reached me, I took her hands in mine, unable to suppress the smile tugging at my lips. “You’re breathtaking,” I whi
Alina’s POVThe hall was silent, the air heavy with tension as I sat at the head of the long table, my eyes locked on Russell. He stood before us, restrained by the pack sentinels, his once-confident demeanor reduced to a pale, trembling shadow of the man he used to be. He had no more lies to spin, no more manipulations to hide behind.The elders murmured amongst themselves, their voices a low hum in the background. I kept my gaze fixed on Russell, my emotions a whirlwind of anger, regret, and determination. This was justice—not just for Finn, but for Rose, for the pack, and myself.“Russell,” I began, my voice steady and commanding, “your actions have brought nothing but pain and destruction to this pack. You murdered Finn, framed Rose, and deceived me at every turn. Your betrayal runs deep, and for that, you must face the consequences of your actions.”He opened his mouth, perhaps to beg for mercy or spin another excuse, but I raised a hand to silence him. I couldn’t hear another wo
Jenny's POVBianca and I stood just outside Alina’s office door, our ears straining for any hint of what was happening inside. The confrontation we’d witnessed through the small crack in the door had left us both on edge. Russell had tied Alina up and left her helpless, and now we were ready to stop him before he could cause more harm.The door suddenly swung open, and Russell emerged, his expression a mix of panic and determination. He froze for a split second upon seeing us, then scowled.“Where are you off to in such a rush?” I asked, stepping into his path.Bianca crossed her arms, blocking his escape in the other direction.“Out of my way,” Russell growled, his voice low and threatening. “I don’t have time for this.”“Funny,” Bianca said, her tone sharp. “You didn’t seem to have time for anything else when you were tying up Alina a few minutes ago.”Russell’s face darkened, and he took a step forward, clearly ready to force his way through. But before he could make a move, the pa
Luca's POVThe sound of tires crunching gravel outside brought a wave of relief over me. My guys were back, and I had no doubt they’d completed the task. I walked to the window, watching as they stepped out of the van, one of them holding a small, padded case. A sense of accomplishment filled me.I opened the door before they even knocked, motioning for them to come in. The leader of the group, Matteo, handed me the case. “It’s done,” he said simply, his tone firm but respectful.“Good,” I replied, opening the case to inspect the contents. There it was—the gun Russell had so desperately tried to keep hidden. Its weight in my hand felt like the weight of victory.Matteo leaned closer. “What’s next, boss?”I placed the gun carefully on the table and turned to face him and the others. “Now we wait. Russell doesn’t know we’ve got the real weapon. For now, I want you all to lay low. No sudden movements. If Russell catches even a whiff of what we’re up to, he’ll disappear, and we can’t affo
Alina’s POVThe weight of responsibility bore down on me as I walked to my wardrobe and selected a long, formal gown in a deep shade of red. It was the color of power, of justice of finality. Today marked the end for Rose. Today, she would face judgment for her crime.Once dressed, I tied my hair back in a sleek bun and slipped on a pair of black heels. My reflection in the mirror stared back at me, fierce and composed, but inside, I felt a twinge of uncertainty. Shaking it off, I grabbed my phone and left my chambers.The dungeon was damp, the cold air biting against my skin as I walked down the dimly lit corridors. Rose sat in the far corner of her cell, her face pale but defiant. She didn’t look like someone who was about to face her end.“Get up,” I ordered, unlocking the cell door. My voice was clipped and firm.Rose stood slowly, her movements deliberate, as if mocking my authority. “So, it’s today,” she said, her voice calm.I ignored her tone, grabbing her arm and pulling her
Russell's POVThe moon hung high in the sky as I led Luca through the winding path behind my property. The forest was eerily silent, save for the crunch of leaves under our feet. My heart pounded in my chest, but my face betrayed none of my inner turmoil. This was all part of the plan, and I wasn’t about to let Luca suspect a thing.After a few minutes, I stopped abruptly. “It’s here,” I said, pointing to a spot on the ground.Luca stood back, arms crossed, his piercing gaze fixed on me. I ignored him and picked up the shovel I’d brought along, plunging it into the earth. The damp soil gave way easily as I dug, my muscles straining with each movement. Minutes felt like hours as the hole grew deeper until finally, the edge of a metal box came into view.I pulled it out, brushing the dirt off the surface before unlocking it. Inside was a gun—clean, shiny, and deliberately placed. I held it up for Luca to see.“Here it is,” I said, my voice even.Luca’s eyes narrowed as he stepped closer
Russell’s POVThe tension in the air was suffocating as I stormed into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. My mind was spinning, the weight of the picture Luca had sent me pressing heavily on my chest. How had things spiraled so far out of control? I didn’t know what Luca thought he was doing, but whatever it was, it wasn’t going to end well for him.I yanked open my closet, grabbed a crisp shirt, and threw it on, my movements sharp and deliberate. My hands trembled slightly, but I pushed the unease aside. I needed to focus. If Luca wanted to play games, I’d play. But I’d make sure he regretted it.Just as I fastened the last button on my shirt, there was a knock at the door. I froze for a second, letting out a frustrated sigh before opening it. Alina stood there, her arms crossed, her eyes narrowing at me.“And where are you heading off to in such a rush?” she asked, her voice carrying a note of suspicion.“I need to get out for a bit,” I said, keeping my tone neutral. “Clear
Benedicta’s POVI poured Merlin another glass of orange juice as he bit into his toast. His small hands fumbled to balance the slice, and I couldn’t help but smile. These quiet breakfasts with him had become my anchor amidst the storm that had engulfed our lives.“Mom’s taking too long to come back,” Merlin said, his voice tinged with the innocence of a child.I hesitated, setting my cup down. “She’ll be back soon,” I said softly, keeping my tone light. “She just had to travel for something important. But she’s coming back, Merlin. You’ll see her soon.”He nodded reluctantly, his little face pensive as he focused on his plate. Watching him like this made my chest tighten. He deserved none of this chaos, none of the lies or danger that had seeped into our home. I wanted so badly to protect him from all of it, but the secrets we kept were growing heavier by the day.Just as I reached for my coffee, the doorbell rang. My body stiffened instantly. Who could it be this early in the morning
Rose's POV The sound of the dungeon gate creaking open jolted me awake. My eyes snapped toward the iron bars, and I sat up on the cold, damp cot, my heart pounding. The rusted hinges screeched, echoing ominously in the silence of the room. A tall guard stepped in, followed by a maid clutching a tray of food.“Eat,” the maid said curtly, placing the tray on the ground with a loud thud. Her eyes were cold as they met mine. “You’ll need your strength for today. Lady Alina has plans for you.”My stomach twisted at her words, but I didn’t show it. I glared at her instead. “What plans?” I asked sharply.The maid smirked. “You’ll see soon enough,” she said. “After all, killers don’t deserve comfort.”“I didn’t kill anyone!” I shot back, the chains around my wrists clinking as I stood. My voice echoed in the small cell. “So, you better watch your mouth.”The maid laughed bitterly, her voice grating on my nerves. “Save your lies for someone who cares,” she said. “Everyone knows what you did.