LOGINShare
Twenty three
Last Updated:
2025-03-01 00:54:40
Related chapters
Mates Deception Twenty four
Sierra’s povI felt tired at the exercise I had just gone through. chopping wood for hours and right now I felt tired. My arms were heavy as they felt like lead. I could even feel my legs creaking when I walked. I was too tired to do anything.I dropped the ax to the ground and sank to the ground in pain.Even breathing felt like work.I was too tired to move. Too tired to even complain.Kieran stood over me, his gaze down inscrutable as ever. “You tried,” he said as I scoffed Was that… praise? Coming from him?I would have laughed if I wasn’t exhausted . Instead, I just sighed. “I’m pretty sure I’m dying.”“You’re not.”I groaned. “It sure feels like it.”He didn’t answer. He just got up and walked away, leaving me there.I closed my eyes for a moment with the pain pulsing through me. My bones hurt and my muscles ached so bad that it ate at me, but—it wasn’t only that.I lifted my hands and looked at them. There were little, red sore places, where I had clutched the handle of the ax
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Mates Deception Twenty five
Sierra’s povHow was I supposed to seduce and eventually kill Damian? How was I supposed to do that so soon?I wasn’t ready. I knew that. I couldn’t do that it and I didn’t really like the idea of it— at all. I didn’t want to hurt anybody, especially not kill them. But… there had been no choice in the matter; father had made sure of that: A mission… was a mission.I was alone in my room after that call and for minutes I had been staring at the wall but now I couldn’t stand it any longer. The walls were closing in on me. I had to get some air.He was waiting outside the door, sitting on the grass when I opened it.“Are you alright?” he called, not bothering to look back.I didn’t answer right away. How could I? What was I supposed to say? That I was scared? That I didn’t want to do it? I couldn’t say that. Kieran would never get it.“I-I don’t know what to do.” I finally manage to speak, my voice barely above a whisper.At first he doesn’t say anything, but I can tell he turned to loo
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Mates Deception Twenty six
Sirella’s POV“Kieran, where are we going?”I asked the question again as I stepped out of the bathroom, drying my hair with a towel. I had been wondering since he told me to get dressed. He stood near the door, leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest, looking like he had all the time in the world.When he didn’t answer, I huffed. “Kieran.”He glanced at me, his dark eyes which I could never read. Then, instead of answering, he just asked, “Are you done?”I narrowed my eyes. “Yes.”“Good. Let’s go.”I wanted to argue, but I knew it wouldn’t get me anywhere. He wasn’t the type to explain things just because I asked. He liked keeping me in the dark for as long as possible, and it was starting to get on my nerves.I quickly put on my sandals and followed him outside.The air felt fresh, the sky was clear.the sun was warm against my skin. At first, it felt nice and peaceful even. But after what felt like an hour of walking through trees, stepping over roots, and climbing o
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Mates Deception Twenty seven
Sirella's POV I should have known Kieran had something crazy planned. After hours of hiking, my legs ached, my throat was dry, and my patience had run out. But when we finally stopped, I almost wished we hadn’t.A giant house was at the top of the hill, towering over the trees like something out of an old movie. It wasn’t a normal house—it was too big, too dark, too… intense. The walls were made of stone, and the windows were tall with thick curtains that barely let any light through.I hesitated, shifting from foot to foot. “Where are we?”Kieran didn’t answer.Of course, he didn’t. He just pushed open the tall iron gate, which groaned loudly, like it hadn’t been moved in years. Without looking back, he walked inside.I sighed, rubbing my face before following.Inside, the air felt different. The floors were covered in thick red carpets that silenced our footsteps. Golden candle holders lined their walls, their flames flickering just enough to cast shadows. The scent of roses mixed
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Mates Deception Twenty eight
A place where women were taught how to seduce, how to manipulate, how to use their presence like a weapon.And Kieran had brought me here.I stopped walking.Kieran took two more steps before realizing I wasn’t beside him. With a sigh, he turned.“What?” he asked, as if I was the one acting strange.I pointed around us. “This. All of this. What the hell is this?”He studied me for a moment, then—of course—gave the most unhelpful answer ever.“You’ll find out.”I nearly screamed.I clenched my fists. My body felt tense, like I had walked straight into a trap."You'll find out?" I repeated, voice sharp. "Kieran, are you serious right now?"His face was blank, unreadable, just like always. He had that same nonchalant look, like he didn’t care that he had dragged me all the way up a hill into a place that looked like something out of a book."Kieran," I tried again, lowering my voice. "You need to tell me what this place is."His eyes flicked past me. "You'll know soon enough."I inhaled
Last Updated : 2025-03-01Mates Deception Twenty Nine
SIRELLA’S POV I opened my mouth, then closed it. I didn’t even know what to say. The Matron rose from her seat, moving with slow, deliberate grace. "Tell me, child, do you know what power truly is?" I clenched my jaw. "Strength?." She smiled. "Wrong." My hands curled into fists. "Power," she continued, "is not about brute strength. It is about influence. Control. Power is walking into a room and having every eye turn to you, not because you demand it, but because they cannot help it." I swallowed hard. "You, my dear," she said, stepping closer, "you have this raw energy. Untamed. Unpolished. But with the right training, you could become unstoppable." A shiver ran down my spine. I looked at Kieran. "And you think I need this?" He nodded. "Yes." My chest tightened. I thought about all the times I had been underestimated. All the times I had felt powerless. "How long does this… training take?" I asked cautiously. The Matron smiled. "As long as it needs to.
Last Updated : 2025-03-02Mates Deception Thirty
KIERAN'S POVIt had been two days since Sirella left for the women’s school in the hills.The morning was quiet. Peaceful. Just the way I liked it.The air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth But I felt restless , my mind was elsewhere.I wondered if she would make it. If she would survive the training or learn anything useful at all.The school wasn’t a place for the weak. It broke people before it built them up. Sirella needed that. If she wanted to complete her Moonbane mission—and eventually face me, she had to learn.The first time I saw her, my wolf had stirred. Not just because of her, but because of what she was.Her lineage made things unclear. I couldn’t tell if the mate bond I felt toward her was real or if it was just the Moonbane marking me as a threat to her life, something she had to destroy.The thought almost made me laugh.The Moonbane, in her?She wasn’t ready for that. If she stood against any of the women here, they’d take her down in seconds.I thought a
Last Updated : 2025-03-03Mates Deception Thirty one
Sirella’s POVThe classroom was dim, and the air thick with perfume and candle smoke. The woman in front of me—Madame Celeste—tilted her head, watching me the way a cat watches a bird. She was beautiful, the kind of beauty that made people stop and stare. Dark hair, smooth skin, red lips that never seemed to lose their color. When she spoke, her voice wrapped around you, soft but sharp, like a silk ribbon hiding a blade.“Tell me, Sirella,” she said, “when was your first time?”I blinked, heat rushing to my face. “What?”She smiled, amused. “The first time you had sex.”The blush spread down my neck. My hands clenched into fists on my lap. “It’s been a while.”Her smile widened, like she had expected that answer. “Good. Then you have no bad habits to break.” She circled me slowly, her heels clicking on the polished floor. “Remember, never look down unless you are creating an illusion—sirens lower their eyes, but only to make someone want to lift their chin.”I forced myself to keep m
Last Updated : 2025-03-05
Latest chapter
Mates Deception 111
Sirella’s povThe days blurred together in Donovan's pack. Wake up. Eat. Work. Sleep. Repeat. It felt like I was being used in this place but what could I do except obey whatever order I was given.Every morning, I'd step outside to find maids "accidentally" passing by my door. Guards always seemed to be sharpening weapons nearby. Why they did it in front of my door and not elsewhere bothered me but I knew they didn’t trust me. I could see their eyes following me everywhere I would go. Today was no different. I walked toward the kitchen, the autumn wind biting through my thin shirt. Two warriors leaned against the hallway walls, pretending not to watch me. "Morning, traitor," one muttered as I passed. I kept walking as I ignored them. They were not worth my time.The warm kitchen smelled of bread and herbs. Cooks moved around each other in a practiced dance, but the rhythm broke when I entered. "Need more bandages for the soldiers in the next camp," I said to the head cook. “Wo
Mates Deception 110
Sirella’s povI woke up, my heart pounding as I stared at the ceiling for a while. Sunlight streamed through the thin curtains of my room in Donovan’s packhouse. The sheets were tangled around my legs, damp with sweat.Why was Donovan asking so many questions yesterday? Or was he catching onto my plan with kieran?I sat up and ran my hand through my disheveled hair, the alpha’s sharp eagle eyes had been on me too much during our meeting in his throne room, each answer I gave had seemed to raise his suspicion higher. Before I could think even more, there was a knock on the door.The sound made me jump, and it took a deep breath to steady my racing heart before I got up to go and open the door. One of Donovan's guards stood stiffly to attention outside. "Prince Damien requires your presence in the courtyard," he said without looking me in the eye. Shall I tell him you’ll be arriving shortly?”“Yeah,” I smiled awkwardly as he nodded and walked off.I entered my room and grabbed my too
Mates Deception 109
kieran’s POVI woke up to the sound of men and women shouting in the courtyard as I winced at the sun brimming in from the open curtains.“Fuck,” I muttered as I sat up and wondered what time it was. I had overslept. I needed to be out there and dealing with the way the alpha sees me. If he saw me as someone he could trust, this would make my job a whole lot easier.I got up and went to stand before the mirror as I removed my shirt and stood half naked. I smiled as I missed her touch and her kiss around my chest.Everything reminded me of her.The scars on my chest were familiar - the jagged one across my ribs from the Frost Valley battle, the claw marks on my shoulder from the bear attack last winter. But the eyes... those were different. Harder. Colder. No wonder I had scared her the first time we had met.Will it be easy to kill him?That I did not know.I flexed my hands, watching the muscles ripple in the mirror. Salvatore was an aging alpha, but still strong as a young alpha. I
Mates Deception 108
Sirella’s Pov My assigned room was better than I expected. Thick rug, clean blanket and sheet, a vase and wild flowers. All lies as I knew that this place had been given to me so it would be easy to spy on me.I checked the window and found it locked.The door had no lock so it was easy for anyone to come in and find me here. I sat on the bed, counting shadows under the door. One… two… three in ten minutes.That was a new record.I waited for a while on the bed before deciding to go out and take a meal for myself, but before I could do that there was a knock on the door and a maid coming in with a tray in hand.“Lunch, miss.”She kept avoiding my eyes as she laid it out."Thank you,” I said in a sweet tone. I had not seen her before so I decided to ask about her. “What's your name?" She cringed. "M-Mira, miss." And then she scurries off without waiting for any other questions I might have for her.I raised the lid of the platter. Roast meat, fresh bread, spiced wine… all my favorit
Mates Deception 107
Sirella's POVI tried to fold my shirt but all I could think about was him. How I missed Kieran’s and how the hut still smelled like bim I saw a towel in the corner and picked it up before I could stop myself.“One last sniff,” I thought as I let his scent fill my nose. “Fuck I miss him already.”I hated this weakness. Hated how my heart ached like a fresh wound.We did not have to make the decision. But to attain peace and stop my father we had to do this.With a sigh, I carried my box and headed for the door.The door creaked as I stepped outside. Dawn lit the sky with pinks and golds, too pretty for a day so ugly.Frost crunched beneath my boots as I crossed through our clearing.Where Kieran had pinned me during our first real fight.In the night sky where we had star gazed so many times after long training days. I shut my eyes tight. “Focus.” The pack lay to the southwest. It was going to take me a few hours to get there but I had all the time in the world to take.My fingers
Mates Deception 106
Sirella’s POVThe ceiling was made of wood and had cracks across it and it was what I admired anytime I was in his room. Three long ones by the window, one which looked like a lightning above the bed. I counted them more for the hundredth time while Kieran's finger did circles in my bare shoulder. "You okay?" He asked with a voice of concern. I swallowed hard. As much as I wanted to pour out my heart and complain, I knew I had to stop myself from doing that. “Just thinking.”His chest vibrated with a quiet chuckle against my body. “Dangerous habit.”The fire had faded to coals and the room lay dim. A desolate owl's cry filled the night air, melodious and drawn-out. Kieran held me closer. “I'll miss this home.”My throat closed up as I knew what he meant and it hurt to think of the inevitable. “Don’t say that.”“I miss the poison training,” he said, like I hadn’t spoken. His breath warmed my neck. “Me screaming at you when you get the antidotes wrong.”It hurt to hear him say that a
Mates Deception 105
Damien’s POVThe fire crackled in my father's study as we pored over the alliance scrolls. Names, territories, promises made—all written in ink that felt like blood on parchment. I didn’t like the way things were going. It looked too… too easy. Almost like my father was playing right into their traps but he was too blind to see it.As much as I believe he was powerful enough to defend himself… at least I wanted some sort of proof that this would not backfire on us. I hated the fact that I was feeling this way. If he got a whiff of this, he could lose his mind and call me a child for thinking this way.I looked at him as he pored through the books. He wasn’t one for wasting time especially when it came to his territory. "Goran of Greyfang," Father said, tapping one entry. "Hagar of Shadowpaw. These are the only alphas who have joined us against Salvatore. Little I know but powerful enough to show that I’m no pushover.” I nodded, rolling a dagger between my fingers. "The wolves we me
Mates Deception 104
Authors POVDamien reached the packhouse as he blitzed in and skidded his horse to a stop in the courtyard. Behind his horse, frozen dirt flew into the air as he jumped down and saw a stable boy coming to him.“Fetch the war council,” he said. “Now.”The boy nodded and ran off as Damien made his way to the packhouse, his boots thudding against the wooden steps. Inside, the great hall was deserted minus a few servants cleaning up. The fire in the hearth had burned almost completely out leaving long shadows on the stone floor.Within moments council members began filing into the chamber. Elder James came first, weighed down by years and a walking stick. Next came Commander Vex, battle scars etched deep in his face. A dozen others took their seat at the long oak table before him."Well?" James rasped. "What news from the Greyfangs?"Damien remained standing at the head of the table. "Alpha Goran has agreed to join us. His warriors will march at dawn."A murmur ran through the council. V
Mates Deception 103
Authors POVDamien sighed sitting back in his chair as the stacks of papers drew a shadow over him. He hated paperwork but since he was here now he could at least go ahead and do what he wanted to do.Just as he was about to get up from his desk, a knock came at his door.The sudden rapping at his door made Damien look up from the papers in front of him. He put them down, crossed to the door and pulled it open. His father's guard was standing there, straight backed with his fist over his chest. "Sir Damien," the guard said nodding his head, "Your father requests you meet him in the stables. Immediately."Damien frowned. "This late?" The guard didn't move, staring at a spot past Damien's left shoulder. "He said to wake you if you were sleeping as it is urgent."Damien sighed but nodded. “I’ll be there with him soon.”The guard bowed before leaving.Damien closed the door and looked into his room as he wondered what his father wanted him for. He grabbed his jacket and wore it as he
