LOGINSAGE Today was the day. The fight. The final one. The last piece before things go downhill.I sat on the edge of the low cot inside my tent, staring at the glimmering surface of the water bowl before me. My reflection looked composed, calm even—but that was a lie. Beneath the surface, I was vibrating. Not from fear, but from the pulse of something electric. Anticipation.The tent smelled faintly of oils and incense—the kind Isla swore would "soothe the soul." I didn't need soothing. I needed the opposite. I needed chaos, the sound of magic splitting the air, the thrill of someone trying to hit me and failing spectacularly.I needed to spar with someone that wouldn't make me think twice of the power in my arsenal. Someone, I could go all out with. And already, I was sure that Darius was that."You're smiling again," Isla's voice came from the corner.I turned slightly. She was leaning against one of the tent poles, arms crossed, that faint line between her brows deepening. "That smile
ADAMThe meeting had left a strange weight in my chest—like a knot I couldn't quite untangle. Even now, as I sat at the long dining table with my family, the echoes of Sage's voice lingered in my head. The confidence in her tone, the way her eyes had met mine—steady, unyielding. It had been years since anyone dared to look at me like that.And then there was Darius.The way those two had exchanged glances and laughed as if they shared an old secret—it gnawed at me. I couldn't decide what irritated me more: their ease with each other or the fact that she had laughed at all. Laughed, in my presence, when every other soul in that room could barely breathe under the tension.Now, the table buzzed with conversation. Everyone had something to say about her."She's a spy," my father said bluntly, his voice cutting through the murmurs. "No woman that unpredictable can be trusted. She's hiding something."He wasn't wrong. I'd thought the same more than once. Sage didn't just walk into a room
SAGEBut the royal family was more stunned by Darius and I's seemingly good relationship, more than my smart mouth. Very evident, when I smirked at my next contestant and winked at him in the same vein, when he laughed and leaned toward me as if wanting to whisper.Nothing was whispered, but the royals wouldn't know it. They were probably thinking we were clothing our words from their ears with magic.If I had known our little greeting would stir the entire royal family into silence, I might have done it sooner. The looks on their faces now—shock, disbelief, and a pinch of fear—were almost too delicious to resist. I leaned back slightly, watching them through lowered lashes, my lips curving into the faintest smile. They didn't know what to make of me and Darius laughing like old friends. Perfect. Let them stew in their confusion.Too bad that same Darius and I were supposed to kill each other in two days—or maybe not. Who knows? Fate could be unpredictable. Maybe we'd both live long
SAGEI left a message for Isla before following Catel.It was either that or risk having the girl tear through the entire quarters thinking I'd been abducted.When I saw him waiting at the door, expression carved from granite, I knew whatever was brewing had gone beyond petty irritation. The Beta himself, Claire's brother had come to fetch me.I should have been worried. Instead, my pulse fluttered in excitement."Lead the way, Beta," I said, falling into step beside him.He didn't reply, of course. Men like Catel had no taste for conversation—or humor. His silence only made me want to ruffle his feathers."So," I began, glancing sideways at him, "tell me, Beta Catel, do all of Adam's men come with that same permanent scowl? Or is it just a family trait?"His jaw flexed. "It's called professionalism.""Oh, of course," I said lightly. "The great Beta who never smiles. Do you ever relax, or would that make the muscles in your face disintegrate?"He ignored me, and that was just too temp
ADAMDaniel's temper snapped before anyone could stop him.The sharp clatter of porcelain against marble shattered the quiet like a gunshot. The teacup hit the floor and rolled, spilling amber liquid across the tiles."What does she mean by she's busy?" Daniel barked, half-rising from his chair. The veins on his neck strained with fury, his fists trembling where they rested against the table.We were in the royal dining room. Lunch had just ended, and the maids had barely cleared the plates. Sunlight filtered weakly through the stained-glass windows, scattering colors over the long table, but the air was thick with tension instead of warmth.Daniel's outburst didn't surprise me. His admiration for Sage had turned to bitterness since the day she had insulted us all after we hosted her. His pride was bleeding, and he was the kind of man who'd rather burn than let it heal."She said she's busy?" Noah repeated, voice colder than Daniel's. His scowl deepened as he leaned back in his chair,
SAGEThe curfew made the pack feel like a caged beast.Every night, as the bell tolled at five, the streets emptied like blood draining from a vein. Doors locked. Windows shuttered. The air itself seemed to hold its breath. And though no one said it aloud, fear had become the kingdom's heartbeat.It reminded me too much of my last days in the witches' community—when I had been Dora. When the queen had released the beasts to patrol the borders, their glowing eyes slicing through fog and darkness, promising safety through terror. Back then, the people had believed those creatures could keep the monsters away.Here, there were no magic beasts. No guardian spells etched into the walls. Just mortal werewolves, pretending their patrols would be enough against things that fed on souls.And, as the whispers in the pack kept proving, they weren't. Not their fault really. The vampires were terribly cunning. There had been stories of attacks—not open ones, but quiet, clever infiltrations. "Brea







