*****Henry****"I am not annoucing our relationship as mates, but rather my upcoming wedding to someone else," Xavier clarified, his eyes filled with regret and sadness."What?" Did I hear him right ? My mind reeled with shock and disbelief at his unexpected revelation. "I don't think I heard you correctly. You're getting mated to someone else?" My heart sank as the reality of the situation began to sink in.Xavier hides his face from me, unable to meet my gaze. "Look at me, Xavier," I pleaded, feeling a mix of emotions swirling inside me. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible as he finally looked up to meet my eyes, filled with unspoken apologies.Sorry, it's just what he can say, but his actions spoke louder than words. The weight of his betrayal settled heavily on my shoulders, crushing me with a sense of loss and heartbreak. "You are never to be tortured," I said, my voice trembling with hurt and anger. "The kiss, the sweet words, the care everything was a lie, wasn'
“How is he now?” I asked my beta about Henry. My beta replied, “He’s doing much better now. But the cut on Nick is deeper than we thought; Henry is a wolf, or it might have been life-threatening.”I sighed and nodded my head, wanting to punch my face for being the reason Henry suffered so much.“Take care of him for me,” I said to my beta before turning and walking away, tears stinging my eyes.Why are all these happening? I was so happy; he was so happy, then why did things turn out like this? It’s like a nightmare I can’t wake up from.I walked to the gym and started punching the punching bag, trying to release some of the frustration and guilt building up inside me. Henry is my mate, my other half, and seeing him in pain is unbearable. I need to reject him when he never wanted to. I needed to cause him so much when he put his trust in me and opened up his heart.“Why?” I shouted, punching harder and harder, feeling the weight of my decision heavy on my chest. The sound of my fists
I jumped out of the window and changed into my wolf, running towards the healer's den. My mind focused on the safety of my pack and my mate . The urgency of the situation propelled me forward, my instincts as Alpha kicking in to ensure the protection of my pack at all costs. As I raced towards the healer's den, my heart pounded with determination and concern for those under my care.When I reached there with my Beta, there weren't any rougues around , but the healer was tending to a few injured pack members. I immediately shifted back into human form and walked towards my Gamma Raymord, who has his arm bleeding heavily. "What happened?" I asked, my voice filled with worry as I inspected the wound. Raymord grimaced in pain. "The Rogues entered the barders; no one knows how they have been so inside our territory for so long without being detected," he explained while applying pressure to his wound. "And where are Rogues now?" I asked, taking a first aid kit and beginning to clean and dr
“I am mating someone else,” Xavier echoes in my mind as I stare at empty ceiling tiles. The weight of his words sinks in, leaving me feeling lost and alone in a sea of uncertainty.I sad smile creeps onto my face as I realize that our relationship was never truly meant to last. It was my mistake to trust him in the first face, and now I am the only one who is suffering the pain of his betrayal.I take a deep breath as I hear the hustle and bustle outside my bedroom. I mean, why wouldn’t it be? Today is the alpha’s mating ceremony with someone who is not me. I try to push away the feelings of rejection and hurt, knowing that I deserve better than someone who could so easily discard me. As I listen to the sounds of celebration outside, my wolf howls in pain and anger, longing for the mate that was supposed to be mine.I touched my neck while the bandage was still wrapped tightly around the cut that gave me freedom from Xavier, but somehow the ache is nothing compared to the ache in my h
****Xavier*****“Do you understand? What am I trying to say?” I sat staring at Ruby, who was sitting in front of me with a puzzled expression on her face. I could tell she was struggling to grasp the concept I was explaining.“You want me to act as your mate?” She asks, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.I nodded my head in agreement, realizing that I needed to find a different way to explain the situation to her in order for her to fully comprehend my request. “Yes, exactly. I need you to play the role of my mate in front of all the pack members.”Ruby’s eyes widened in surprise, and she took a moment to process my words before responding. “But I don’t understand why you want me to act as your mate, Alpha.” She questioned, clearly still puzzled by my command.I took a deep breath as Henry’s face came to mind, his smile flashing before me. All this to protect him.“You shouldn’t bother with the details, Ruby. Do as I say, and I will help find your brother.” I said, brushing off the q
****Henry***I step out of the bathroom, take a long, hot shower, and feel refreshed and relaxed as I dress myself in the tuxedo Cody has given me to wear.I stare at myself in the mirror and can’t help but feel a surge of confidence as I adjust my tie and smooth out any wrinkles in the fabric. I am only wearing a shirt, and the pants are perfectly tailored to my body, making me feel both comfortable and stylish. But the bow tie seems to hassle me every time I try to put it on but fail after each try.“Are you done?” Cody’s voice came from outside the bathroom, interrupting my struggle with the bow tie. I take a deep breath and finally manage to secure it in place before responding, “Almost there, just one more minute.”“Leave it. I don’t want to wear a bow tie today.” I quickly remove the bow tie and head out of the bathroom, feeling relieved to have one less thing to worry about.Stepping out, I can feel eyes staring at me from top to bottom. I wiped my palm on my pants, which seeme
My worst fear has been confirmed: he is here.“Xavier,” a voice annoyed, called out from across the room, causing me to tense up even more. I sighed, trying to put my best smile forward, walking towards the woman who soon was going to be my mate, but only in front of the world, not in my heart. As I approached her, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the pit of my stomach.I don’t want to do this when he is here, but I have no other choice. I need to show the world that Ruby is my mate and that I am committed to this union, even if my heart is elsewhere. Taking a deep breath, I plastered on a fake smile and extended my hand to Ruby, hoping that Henry wouldn’t see through the facade.“You are looking beautiful,” I said, knowing that my ears were listening to every word that came out of my mouth.“Oh, thank you so much...” Ruby did her part, smiling as she wrapped her around mine, her eyes shining with excitement. I sighed in relief seeing Ruby act her part well with
*****Henry****“Leave...” Xavier said, staring at Cody, his voice filled with determination. I watch Cody nod his head as he leaves, but before turning his face to get one last look at me, a flicker of regret is evident in his eyes.I sighed seeing. Xavier cleans his jaw, clearly holding back his emotions. “I don’t want you,” I said, trying to get up, but Xavier placed a firm hand on my shoulder, stopping me. “It’s for the best,” he said softly, his eyes reflecting a mixture of sadness and relief.“It’s okay, Henry. I’m here to help.” Xavier’s voice came soft and reassuring, his gaze unwavering as he wrapped his arm around my leg and back, carrying my body effortlessly. I relaxed into his touch, feeling a sense of comfort and safety wash over me at that moment. But I know all emotions are just vain attempts to distract me from the pain of rejection.“Leave me…” I whispered weakly, not having the strength to push him away. Xavier held me tighter, his warmth seeping into my bones as he
The weight of Xavier’s words hung in the air, thick and undeniable. The Guardian. A name whispered in old legends, a force that had once stood against the darkness and lived to tell the tale. If anyone could help Henry, it was them.Diego’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening. “That’s impossible,” he said. “The Guardian disappeared years ago. No one has seen them since.”“But they’re real,” Xavier insisted. “And they’re our only hope.”Diego exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over his face. He had spent years searching for answers, for a way to keep his son safe. The darkness had stolen too much already. If the Guardian was still out there, they had to find them.Henry stirred, his fingers twitching against Xavier’s arm. He was still too weak to stand, his breathing uneven. "We... we don’t have time,” he rasped.Xavier’s grip on him tightened. “We’ll make time.”Determination set in Diego’s eyes as he turned toward the door. “Then we leave now.”***The journey through the dense fore
The silence in Henry’s room was suffocating, a heavy, oppressive weight that seemed to press down on his chest with every labored breath. His surroundings were shrouded in darkness, yet the air felt thick, as if the shadows themselves were alive, watching him. Henry was awake, but the world around him was a hazy, half-formed nightmare, its grip on him unyielding. His fingers, sticky with the remnants of blood, curled and uncurled in confusion. Was it his own blood? Or someone else’s?A whisper slithered through the darkness, curling around his senses like icy fingers grazing his skin. A shiver raced down his spine, though the room itself was uncomfortably warm. His breath hitched, the faint taste of iron—a coppery tang that could only be blood—clinging to the back of his throat. Was it his? Or someone else’s?"You feel it, don’t you?” Lyra’s voice hissed through the shadows, the words curling around him like a cold wind. “The hunger, the thirst gnawing at your very soul? You’re alread
Xavier***Diego stood motionless, his fists clenched so tight I feared his knuckles would burst. His body trembled, but whether it was from rage or the fear of facing Fiona’s impossible return, I couldn’t tell. I could see it in his eyes—a father’s anguish, a mate’s despair. The ghosts of the past had clawed their way back into the present, threatening to swallow us whole."“How?” Diego finally managed, his voice hoarse. “How is that possible?”Cody’s eyes darkened as he stepped further into the room. “She was sucked into darkness, and I stood there, helpless, as she was torn away from me.” His voice cracked, betraying the weight of the memory.“You think she’s been... alive all this time?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, unsure of the enormity of what we were discussing."Not alive—not in the way we know it," Cody answered grimly. "She was caught in the fold between life and death, a soul trapped in darkness, manipulated by something far more ancient than anything we've eve
Xavier***The flickering candlelight cast restless shadows across the wooden walls, the air thick with unspoken tension. Dust hung heavy, stirred only by the occasional shift as I turned another brittle page. The weight of our task pressed down like a storm cloud ready to break.My fingers traced the ancient ink, my mind racing with the implications of what I had read. But no matter how many times I reread it, the answer remained the same: to save Henry, I would have to make the ultimate sacrifice. The truth of my family’s dark history loomed large, and I knew that to protect Henry, I had to make a choice that could change everything.“We need to be sure,” Diego murmured, breaking the silence. His deep voice held a rare edge of hesitation, a side of him I seldom saw. “There has to be another way. We can’t rush into this without exhausting every possibility.”I exhaled sharply, frustration tightening my jaw. “I don’t have time, Diego. Henry doesn’t have time. The darkness is consuming
Henry****My body trembles, my breath ragged as I strain against the restraints holding me down. My wrists are bound to this cold, unforgiving chair, the ropes digging into my skin, but it’s the pain inside my head that’s worse. The darkness has seeped into me, suffocating me from the inside, and now it’s coming for me, trying to consume everything I’ve ever been.The room around me is dim, the air thick and heavy, pressing down with each breath I take. But it’s the shadows that get to me the most. They claw at me, whispering from the corners where the light never reaches. I can feel their cold fingers creeping into my mind, wrapping around my thoughts, twisting them into grotesque shapes.Give in, Henry. There is nothing left for you but me.The words are soft at first, like a murmur in the back of my mind, but they’re getting louder, growing louder with every second. I grit my teeth, trying to shut them out, but it’s no use. They won’t stop.You’re nothing without me. You were alway
The room closed in on Xavier, the air thick with a suffocating weight. Shadows clung to the corners, twisting and warping in a dance of mocking whispers, echoing his deepest failures and fears. The journal lay on the table before him, its presence a cold reminder of the sins that had brought him to this point. His fingers hovered over the worn leather, but he could not bear to open it. The vision of the altar—the blood, the hollow, accusing eyes of his mother—replayed in his mind like a tormenting nightmare. He had been born of violence, of rejection, forged in the darkness of his father’s cruel design. And Henry… his mate, his salvation, now stood as nothing more than a pawn in that same twisted game of shadows."You don’t get to say that, Xavier," Diego snapped, his voice raw, full of unspent anger. "You didn’t choose this. You didn’t choose him." His frustration rippled through the space, but beneath the edge of it, Xavier heard something else—something softer, more understanding.
The journal felt heavier in Xavier’s hands, its leather cover cool and damp, as if it had absorbed the decay of time itself. The scent of aged parchment and faded ink hung thick in the air, dust swirling like a specter, choking the space between them. His fingers trembled as they hovered over the pages, each turn more agonizing than the last.Diego stood beside him, his silence more piercing than any words. A steady presence in the growing storm of revelations, his watchful gaze never leaving Xavier’s face.The ink on the brittle pages pulsed, shifting like something alive, whispering secrets long buried in the abyss. Xavier’s breath hitched, his chest tightening as he turned to the next page.“The Ritual of Darkmoon is not meant for mortals to wield. But I had no choice. Power is not given—it is taken, demanded from the abyss itself. And so, I made the sacrifice.”Xavier's hands shook violently. The words twisted inside his chest like a rusted dagger, leaving a trail of ice in their
Xavier****The words hung between us like a death sentence—heavy and unyielding. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of the choice I faced. Diego stood before me, his jaw clenched, eyes burning with determination, but I could see the flicker of pain beneath his resolve. It mirrored my own, twisting in my gut, tightening my throat.Lyra’s gaze flicked between us, her expression unreadable. "One soul," she said softly, her voice almost lost in the deafening rush of blood in my ears. "Only one of you can make the sacrifice."A bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it. "So, we fight over who gets to die?" The absurdity of it all made my head spin. I had spent so long trying to save Henry, and now... now it came down to this.Diego exhaled sharply. "It won’t be you, Xavier." His voice was unwavering, the finality in it leaving no room for argument. "I won't let you."My throat tightened, words threatening to choke me. "You can’t ask me to stand by and watch you do
Xavier****The grip around my neck tightened, and panic surged through me like wildfire. Henry’s hands, once a source of warmth and protection, had become a vice, his fingers pressing into my skin with an unnatural strength. His eyes—golden and wild—held no trace of the mate I had fought for, the mate I had desperately tried to save. The demons that plagued his mind had claimed him completely, twisting him into something unrecognizable.I gasped for breath, my heart hammering against my chest as I struggled to free myself. "Henry, stop!" I croaked, my voice hoarse from the pressure in my throat. But the man in front of me—if it could even be called that—did not respond. He only smirked, his lips curling into a grotesque smile that sent an icy chill down my spine."You always think you can save everyone, Xavier," he whispered, his voice low and laced with venomous sweetness. "But you can't even save yourself."His grip tightened further, cutting off my air supply. I could feel my stren