Liliana’s POVI look across the bathroom and there Kaden stands. His gaze is dark and his gaze is fixed onto my naked body just where my hands are.Oh shit. I flush scarlet and quickly shut my eyes, lowering myself into the water, just deep enough for my breasts to be covered. I can feel the heat from his stare even with my eyes shut.I hear his footsteps but he is not coming towards me. Oh, is he leaving? I do not know whether to feel relieved or disappointed. I crack open an eyelid to see him walk towards the bathroom door. He shuts it…and he locks it. Oh my.I close my eyes once more and sink my body further into the water.“Turn and face me, Liliana,” Kaden orders. Nervous, I do as I am told and he begins to undress before my very eyes. There is a wicked grin on his face when he sees my reaction.“Do you like what you see, L
Liliana’s POVI stand amongst a sea of pack members dressed in various shades of grey and black. Both the Azure pack, dad’s lineage, and the Woodlands pack from mom’s family, have come to pay their last respects. The air is heavy with grief and the sky mourns with us in ash grey. Everyone stands in mournful silence as mom’s casket is lowered into the ground.She was the daughter of the Alpha of the Woodlands pack and was admired by everyone who knew her. Her strength, compassion, and wisdom were qualities that earned her the highest regard.As I look around at the tear-streaked faces, I see the genuine grief etched into every pair of eyes, knowing that they were not going to meet this beautiful soul again.An elder from the Woodlands pack steps forward, his voice trembling with emotion. "She was a leader who united us all, a daughter of the Woodlands who brought honour to our name. Her legacy will foreve
Liliana’s POV"Who's there?!" dad bellows in a hopeless drunken stupor, his voice laced with confusion and anger.Dad…I stand, stupefied and in shock as he staggers over step by step, his stumpy movements heavy and unsteady. But I cannot move. It is as if my whole body has been paralysed.I do not understand. How can this be? How can dad betray mom like that? And isn’t this incest?!I taste blood in my mouth and realize that I have bitten my tongue in a bid to silence myself.I watch in horror as dad moves from the corner of the room and trips over my mum's clothes pile. He falls face down with a sickening thud.“Fuck….” A burp which follows a guttural groan escapes his lips. I do not know how much he drank but the alcohol has left him disoriented and vulnerable, making it impossible fo
Liliana’s POVIt is Ava.Her strong grip keeps me from lashing out in anger, and she quietly pulls me away from the confrontation I was about to put up. She drags me to the lakeside far away from the town hall.“Let go of me!” I growl and shake off her hands when we are a safe distance away from anyone’s ears. I am consumed by a desire for blood."Liliana, revenge won't change what has happened. It will only put you in danger," Ava's voice is hushed but calm and steady. She shakes her head.“What do you know?” I gnash my teeth at her. “Do you even know what happened? Do you even realize what they did?! I want to tear into the deceitful perpetrators and make them pay for the betrayal. I want them to burn!”“Liliana, please. Hear me out.”I do not
Liliana’s POVThe man whom I called dad pulls me up from the ground. He gives me a fatherly pat on my hands, his fingers feel like claws. And indeed they are claws, the claws of a deceitful wolf in sheep’s clothing. And it is at this exact moment that I realize how good an actor he is.I will call him Antonio from now on. The name ‘dad’ is no longer befitting for him, not after all that he has done. Antonio lets go of my clenched fists and steps forward with his hands raised.The shouts and yells of the town hall die down to a resounding silence, so much so you can hear a pin drop. “Azuerians,” he addresses the pack members gathered around and I cannot help but trace a sinister glint in his eyes. Something I never noticed before either. How could I have been so blind?"Azureians," he repeats himself, "I come before you w
Liliana’s POVI awaken in a dark, damp cellar, the air heavy with the scent of earth and mildew. They fill the air with a depressing foul stench. I squint my eyes and shake my head, allowing recent memories to flood my thoughts.Then I remember. The crowd, Antonio, the sorceress, Bella, Ava and the syringe.I try to move only to find that I am bound to the cellar wall by chains. A test of the chains’ strength tells me that they have silver embedded in them. Damn. The silver elements are a wolf’s worst nightmare; they weaken us.But I cannot be here!Desperation fills me, and I struggle against the chains, attempting to break free. What effort I make, is deemed with no progress. I still am bound.Amidst my struggle, I hear a deep chuckle and my head snaps forward. It is Bella. She enters the cellar wearing a sexy black dress
Before Liliana's TortureLight fills the eastern sky, I stand by the open window and look out towards the land that I own, the Northlands and a bitter chuckle escapes my lips.I, Landon Frost, Alpha King of the Northlands, leader of the Frostbite pack have everything his heart desires. Power, Money, Longevity….I have everything except for one thing. My mate.Devastation fills me to the core. It feels as if all the world around me has lost its colour, with only grey hues of despair replacing it. I once read a discussion about which was the worst pain; severe emotional or severe physical pain. The article had come to no conclusions. Now I see why. One always brought the other. I actually feel as if I have been knifed through the heart. I feel the urge to shout, to run away, but I cannot. I have lands to conquer, an empire to run, I have a future to build, even if it is a future without
Liliana's POVI wake up to a whirlwind of thoughts. Confusion overcomes my mind and the pain from the torture still claws at my skin. I take a deep breath and let out a raspy cough before slowly feeling my healing factor kick in. The wounds start to close and my skin starts to mend, albeit strangely slow. I shudder to think what would have happened if I did not have my healing faction.I could have died.But I am not dead. I am alive, and for that I am grateful. Now all I need to do is get out of here and find my way back to Kaden, find the pack doctor and…”Aieeee!”A hand clamps over my mouth. “Shhh…they’ll hear us!”It is Marcus, Kaden’s Beta.I swat his hand away and hiss, “Marcus, what are you doing here?”He leans back and looks waril
Liliana’s POV“Alpha, your mate is here to see you.”My heart skips a beat at Jonathan’s words and I quickly stand from my desk to smooth my dress.“How do I look?” I ask.Jonathan makes a face. “Do you really want to know?”I should never have asked him. Crumpling a paper in my hand, I throw it at him but another hand catches it and we both cock our heads to see the person materializing from behind Jonathan.“Landon, you’re early.” I break into a smile.Landon tips his head and strides in, his presence shifting the entire atmosphere. He reaches me and places a gentle kiss on my forehead and around us, the council members share chuckles, breaking the seriousness of the meeting.“Alpha Liliana, would you like us to step out of the meeting room and give you some space?” one of the elders asks, covering the smile on his lips with the palm of his hand.I look at him and feel my cheeks flush red. “No, no, we are fine. Landon, can you wait for me in the study and I will come –““Oh that won
Liliana’s POVKaden.He is alive!My heart feels like it has been given a second chance.I reach out to touch his face, my hands trembling with a mixture of emotions."Kaden," I whisper, my voice shaky yet filled with joy. In that moment, everything else fades away, and it is just him and me.His gaze meets mine, and I see the flicker of recognition. There is a warmth in his eyes, a reassurance that we have weathered a storm together."Liliana," he says, the sound of my name on his lips balms my soul. The relief in his eyes mirrors my own.A smile forms on my lips through the tears. “I thought I had lost you."His hand finds mine, fingers intertwining, and I feel the strength in his touch. "You didn't lose me. I'm here."It is then that I know, deep within my heart, that I love him more than I realized. The air around us seems lighter and In this moment, amidst the fragility of life, the truth becomes crystal clear — he is the one my heart bleeds for, the one I cannot imagine a future
Kaden’s POVI open my eyes to a meadow, a serene landscape painted with the soft hues of wildflowers. The gentle breeze whispers through the grass, and the air carries the sweet fragrance of nature. It is a tranquil haven, the view of it contrasting the chaotic world I left behind.But what is this place? Heaven? Or hell?I push myself up and rise from the flowers to find the warmth of the sunlight casting a golden glow over the meadow. Butterflies dance in the air and a distant murmur of a babbling brook complements the soothing ambiance.Okay….this definitely cannot be hell.My hand touches the grass beneath men they are soft and soothing to touch and I take in a deep breath. It is a moment of calm, a pause in the relentless storm that has marked my recent journey.My eyes roam the place meadow and settle on a woman by the stream. She is playing with the water, gently sploshing her hand back and forth in the stream. There seems to be no one else but her.I get up on my feet, noting
Liliana’s POVThe moment I step into the force field, an intense burning sensation sears through my skin, a fiery onslaught that feels like the very essence of my being is aflame.My muscles convulse, and I grit my teeth against the searing torment. The healing factor, ordinarily a beacon of resilience, now struggles to mend the wounds inflicted by the force field's malevolent energy. Each attempt at recovery is met with an unyielding force, pushing against my limits.It is as if every cell in my body rebels against the intrusion, fighting to resist the fatal grip of this hellish force field and it takes all my might to stop myself from fainting.Outside the castle, the atmosphere rumbles. Lightning rends the sky with its jagged fingers, illuminating the darkened clouds. Thunder roars in symphony with the raging storm, echoing the tempest I navigate. The forces of nature seem to mirror the celestial conflict within, an ominous backdrop to the struggle for survival playing out within t
Liliana’s POVThe frantic pace of our footsteps reverberates through the palace corridors as we hasten our come back. Each hurried step feels like a silent plea for Kaden's safety.I glance at Landon, the tension etched on his face mirroring the apprehension growing within me. He is speaking urgently into the phon, barking orders to Marcus. I catch fragments of his conversation—evacuate everyone, check on Kaden.My heart quickens, a foreboding shadow casting its chill. Evander silently squeezes my shoulder.We finally reach the palace after what feels like an eternity but Landon stops in his track. He spreads both hands out to stop us as well."Something's not right," he says, his voice low.A shiver runs down my spine, and the opulence of the palace loses its lustre.My fingers clench, betraying my rising fear. A bad feeling claws at the edges of my consciousness. The warmth of Kaden's embrace, the safety we shared, now feels fragile, slipping away like grains of sand. What if I...wh
Liliana’s POV “Let me go!” I scream, desperately pushing the hand away. But the bastard’s hold is firm. “Liliana, calm down!” Calm down my foot. Screaming once more, I flip around and lash out a leg only to have my foot caught by two strong hands, hands that had once held mine before, hands that have given me nothing but love and care. Landon’s hands. Amidst the chaos of the storm, my eyes widen in disbelief as I see Landon materialize by my side. His familiar presence frays my nerves. In an instant, he picks me up, his strong arms wrapping around me protectively. I am safe. Landon holds me close, a silent reassurance that echoes louder than words. "We've got you," he whispers, his voice steady. I bury my face in his chest and let out a stifled sob. I am safe. Another hand lands on my shoulder but this time I do not scream. "You're safe now," Evander’s voice rings out in the cave and I lift my head up see his face staring back at mine. Ever so gently, he cups my cheek in his
Liliana’s POVI hang from the cave ceiling, cold chains biting into my fur. The cave is dark and damp, hewn from rough stone. The air is heavy with the smell of dampness and ancient stone, and a chill breeze rushes through the cavern.Stalactites loom above, and below me, sitting on the uneven ground of rocks is a glass chalice.Drip, drip, drip my blood goes into the glass, creating a tiny swirl of dark red liquid. The irony of it, I am staring at my life force draining away, pooling into the glass below. "You are the key to my great plans," the Sorceress says, a dark silhouette against the dim cave backdrop. Her words echo off the cave walls.What does she think she is, a vampire?The Sorceress chuckles as she emerges from the shadows and stops right in front of the glass chalice. He bends over ever so slightly and picks it up, holding it nearer to my gaping wound.Her eyes glint with an unsettling mix of power and malevolence as she looks into the glass. "Every drop of your blood
Evander’s POVMy eyes sweep the surroundings, the wind ruffling my dark hair. The cliff's edge looms, daring me to leap.I estimate it to be nearly twenty storeys down. No human would survive the leap. But I am not a mere human. I am a wolf.My regenerative system is miraculous, if you believe in miracles-- which I do not. I can be stabbed in the arm with a knife and heal within minutes without scarring. But if I were to jump off this cliff and accidentally have some stump fo a tree pierce my heart while landing, then maybe I would die.But both Landon and Kaden had taken the leap before. And they survived."This can't be that bad," I say to myself taking in a deep breath. I prepare for the jump. Digging the soles of my right foot into the ground, I shove myself off the rocky surface with such force that I become airborne.Midair, limbs spread, I feel the gust of wind against my face. The world blurs around me as I plummet towards the ground. Adrenaline courses through my veins, every
Landon’s POVSometime before Kaden’s entrapmentI walk toward the exit of Kaden’s study, intending to go after him. The concerning thoughts for Liliana and the unsettling revelation unfolding in Venice's chamber ring in my ears. Something is wrong, very wrong.With three short strides, I reach the door but before I can reach for the doorknob, Evander intervenes, his hand outstretched to stop me.His grip is firm. He tilts his head slightly, a silent query etched on his face. Our eyes lock, a silent exchange laden with unspoken questions."Where do you think you're going?" Evander asks.I take a deep breath. "I need to go back to the cave. I think we missed something there." The words escape in a rush. My gaze remains fixed on Evander, seeking understanding in the depths of his eyes.“The cave?”“Yes, the one where Liliana met the Sorceress.”Evander frowns a little before his expression shifts, registering a blend of understanding and shared worry. He nods in acknowledgment, releasing