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“Those damn fucking royal guards,” Leila spews out the words in anger, wincing as she applies the herbal tincture Tatum had given to her to the wound. It’s been three days and she hasn’t yet healed fully but the wound isn’t the thing that bothers her the most. She hasn’t seen Tatum in two days and even if she doesn’t know exactly where he is, she knows exactly what he is going through and her heart aches for him. She heaves a deep sad sigh, her sullen eyes stare at the portrait of her and Amara in her room and it only amplifies sadness. She wonders how her daughter is faring at the North Star pack. She can only hope that she is doing well. She has to keep communication to a minimum to protect her. She grunts in pain of frustration. She cannot wait for all of this to be over. If only there was something she could do to help Tatum. Well…there is something she can actually do but Tatum won’t let her choose that, for some reason. “Leila, you in here?” Her mom pops her head into her
As Leila drives home, all she can think about is her conversation with Tatum’s parents. Becoming Tatum’s wife again. She doesn’t even know how to feel about it.Yes, she knows her old feelings for him have aroused, perhaps with some new ones but if she has learnt any lesson from her past experience, it’s that feelings are never enough.She knows that she and Tatum have missed each other’s company, each other’s bodies, touches and all of that and right now, their nerves may be hot but what happens if she gets married to him and in a few months, everything dies down.As much as she is getting crazy about him with each passing day, that insanity is not enough for her to just jump and make such an important decision.She is scared.There is a large part of her that welcomes this idea of being Tatum’s wife again. The goddess knows that it gladdens her heart and fills it with warmth but there’s no ignoring that tiny yet solid and potent part of that same heart that nibbles persistently at
Leila enters the pack hall the next afternoon, dressed in baggy jeans and a pair of hoodies as a disguise, also taking extra precaution to mask her scent. “Alpha, we paid full for the property when we bought it years ago, these are the documents,” an aged man that Leila tries hard to recognize but can’t is making a petition before Trent. Trent takes the outstretched documents from the hands of the man, skims through it and frowns. “This document is invalid,” he says with authority before he rips the document in half, “that property now belongs to the pack by my decree. You have forty eight hours to vacate the premises or the warriors will throw you out.” “No Alpha! Please, my family and I have nowhere else to go, that land is the only thing we own. Please, you cannot do this, I paid for it in full,” the old man protests, breaking into a sob. “Get him out of my sight,” Trent flicks his hand at the man with disdain on his face and one of the warriors comes forward to drag the protest
The next days do not present any easier opportunities for Leila. Not only can she never find Trent by himself but she can never also monitor his movements properly because of the number of guards he is always with.He always slips from her grasp at the last minute and she still doesn’t know where Tatum is being held or when Trent goes there.The few times Tatum came to say hi to her, she could not even ask him because she knows he will not agree to her plan and she knows she is only doing this because she cannot bring herself to decide if she wants to marry him or not.Something they are both clearly avoiding.However, one thing she notices is that Theo, Tatum’s beta also goes missing from the pack house whenever Tatum is nowhere to be found.Is it possible that he’s always with Tatum during his ordeals. They have both been friends even before they became Alpha and Beta, it won’t be odd at all that Theo is supporting Tatum through this.It is also possible that he has switched loyalti
Leila doesn’t waste another second as she hurriedly turns her car around and heads back to the pack. Theo freezes over at the gym, cursing under his breath. He had mistakenly mindlinked Leila when he was trying to block her. He glances at Tatum as Tatum groans, hit by the hard fist of a warrior that sends Tatum staggering. Will Leila come here? Now that she knows the location? He frowns when Tatum is tackled to the ground by one warrior while two more try to hit him with their spears but he quickly rolls away. There was a time where he would be in the thick of it with Tatum, loyal, by his side but right now, he’s standing behind Trent. When Trent became Alpha, he did not name another beta and he conveniently filled the role and he got no opposition from Trent either. His loyalty is now to his new Alpha. “Someone was mindlinking you, who was that?” Trent asks, turning back to glance at him with a peering as suspectful gaze. As if Tatum heard Trent, Tatum also looks over in their
Leila gets to the pack, parking her car quite a distance away from the old gym, her heart thudding slowly as she approaches the gym. She goes around the back, deciding not to use the main entrance to keep the element of surprise. The fence behind the gym stands meters above her and is almost fully covered in moss because of its abandoned state. Leila stares at it for a short moment, not allowing any doubtful or hesitant thoughts to enter her mind and she quickly takes a step back before leaping onto the fence, grabbing the top to hold her weight and pushing herself up with a silent grunt and she jumps over to the other side. She stays glued to the fence, closes her eyes and focuses her hearing for any kind of sound that may tell her exactly where she needs to go or where to avoid but surprisingly, she can barely hear anything. Did they leave already or is her hearing just bad? She frowns, cautiously tip-toeing from the fence to the main building itself and she presses her ear again
“They’re all gone, they think you left. Come with me,” Theo returns shortly after leaving to distract the guards. Leila feels grateful, taking his hand as he leads the way out of the kitchen. “Theo.” “Yeah.” “Nevermind,” she replies, holding herself back from asking how the men knew she was coming in the first place. They didn’t treat her like some intruder, they treated her like a target they had been waiting for and if anyone knew she was going to come, it was him but still, he was the one who saved her. She can’t jump into conclusions, it’s better to keep her speculations to herself. As she follows closely behind him, she wonders if Trent is here, what about Tatum? Just as she thinks about Tatum, she hears a loud and painful grunt, a sound that makes her wolf whimper, hearing the pain their mate is in. “Tatum!” She yelps, her heart slamming against her ribcage in terror of what could be happening to him and she runs towards the direction of the sound but just as she’s abou
Leila frowns as Trent approaches them, looking between Trent and Theo who has a stern expression on his face.Theo switched sides? He betrayed Tatum? Why? She understands Trent is the new Alpha but still, him and Tatum go way back.If she had to take a guess as to the men that would betray Tatum, she would have never put Theo on that list.She looks at him with pain in her eyes and heart as Trent closes the distance between them and says, “Theo’s my man now, my good beta, he does what I say, he’s loyal to me, right Theo?”“A beta must serve his Alpha wholeheartedly,” Theo replies in a clipped tone, that stern expression still etched on his face.Leila’s skin crawls at the way Theo easily dismissed Tatum as his Alpha. She can never understand the reason for his betrayal but she’ll have to worry about that later.Right now, all she needs to do is get Tatum out of this unnecessary torture they are making him suffer. The sound of his painful grunts and groans inside as he continues to fig
The palace glows under the Blood Moon, its light bathes the open-air pavilion where the ceremony unfolds in an ashen hue. It's a few months after the twins’ birth, and Tatum and Leila are hosting the sacred rite for mateless wolves to seek their fated bonds. Flames from torches dance, casting shadows on tables laden with roasted boar, honeyed fruits, and spiced wine. Wolves from every pack fraternize, their laughter and murmurs braid with the pulse of drums and fiddles. The air twinges with anticipation—some are here to seek love, others quest for destiny, all drawn by the moon’s primal pull. Banners of silver and red flutter above, embroidered with crescent moons, and the scent of pine and wildflowers lingers, a tribute to the wild heart of the kingdom. Amara perches on a stone bench near the dance floor, her eyes bright with mischief. Beside her, Amanda leans in, her auburn curls bouncing as she points at a Luna in a garish yellow gown. “Look at that,” Amanda whispers, smi
It is four years after the coronation, the palace murmurs with life, its stone corridors softened by laughter and sunlight. The scars of Antonio’s cruel reign has faded, replaced by scenic blooms of oaks and phoenix flames. In a sunlit hallway, Amara, now ten, sprints after a giggling three-year-old boy, her dark hair bouncing in a loose braid. The boy, Kael, is Kelvin and Tatiana’s son, visiting for the holiday with his parents. His tiny legs pump furiously, a mischievous grin lighting his face as he dodges Amara’s outstretched hands.“Get back here, you little tornado!” Amara calls, her voice equal parts exasperation and amusement. Kael squeals, darting around a corner, his curls bouncing. He’s fast for his age, but Amara’s longer strides close the gap. She lunges, and scoops him up before he dives into one of the many hiding places in the house behind a groove in the wall. Amara tosses him into the air with a flourish. Kael shrieks with delight, arms wide open like a bird, the
The palace of lies quiet, the firebrands dimmed after the coronation’s fervor the night before. Moonlight spills through the arched windows of the royal chambers, bathing the room in silver. A fire that's been running now smolders in the hearth, casting shadows that dance across the cloistered room. The revelry—cheers, music, oaths—has faded, leaving only Leila and Tatum, alone at last.Leila stands by the window, her sapphire gown replaced by a simple linen nightwear that flatters her generous hips and ample bosom, her hair loose in dark waves. The weight of the crown lingers, though it rests on a velvet cushion across the room. She gazes at the stars, their light a reminder of battles they've won and promises yet to keep. Tatum approaches her, his footsteps soft on the rug. He’s shed his regal mantle, wearing only a loose tunic and trousers, his silver-gray eyes warm in the firelight.“You’re quiet,” he says, his voice a mere whisper as he wraps his arms around her from behind.
The great hall of the palace is agog with a celebration. The marble pillars draped in banners of silver and gold. Weeks after Antonio’s fall, the kingdom gathers for a coronation. The air is alive with hope. Crystal chandeliers cast prisms across the mosaic floor, where roses—white for peace, red for sacrifice—form a path to the twin thrones. Nobles in velvet and commoners in their finest pack the hall, their faces bright with belief in a future minus Antonio and his tyranny. Musicians weave an orchestra of harps and flutes, and incense curls upward from holders, sweet and solemn. Today, Tatum and Leila are crowned regent king and queen, stewards of the throne until Amara, the destined Lycan Queen, comes of age. Leila stands radiant in a gown of sapphire silk, her dark hair woven with pearls, and the Phoenix Luna’s aura is a faint shimmer around her where she stands beside her husband. Tatum wears a mantle of black and silver, his presence steady as stone. Amara who is clad
The crowd's cries for Antonio’s death is a deafening roar. But Antonio rises, his crown askew, tilting to the side, a parody of its glory, his lycan blood burning in his veins. His eyes are wild with defiance, locked onto Tatum. “Enough!” he bellows, silencing the throng. “I demand a wolf duel, one on one, Tatum. To the death.” His voice tremors with menace. “If I win, you, Leila, Amara—all rebels—will die for treason. If I lose, well…” He smirks, baring bone-white, elongated canines. “I won’t.”As a lycan, Antonio towers even in human form, his bulging muscles are a testament to his legendary strength, his wolf form a beast of nightmare. The duel will favor him, for he is a predator born to crush his enemies with every fatal blow he delivers. Leo steps forward, knuckles clenched to cracking whiteness. “No,” he growls. “He’s cornered. We outnumber him, and without his magic, he’s done. Let’s end this now.” Ragna nods in agreement, the scars gleam on his knuckles, ready to charge o
The plaza hums with apprehension, both of the crowd and those of the faction that now rises against Antonio's tyranny. Alpha Leo’s words hang in the air, a challenge to King Antonio’s reign. The king’s face darkens, his crown glinting like a warning as everyone watches. “You dare betray me?” he snarls, turning to the other Alphas—towering figures clad in furs and steel, their eyes gleaming with lupine intensity. “You dare to defy me?” The crowd quiets, the air tight with impending violence. Antonio struts, eyes like firebrands, his shoes picking off prints from the blood left by Camela earlier. “Alphas, end Leo and Tatum. Now!” he commands again. Stillness descends in the crowd. But the Alphas—Ragna, Soren, and Veyra—stand unmoved, their faces look like they're carved from stone. Ragna, broadest of the three, steps beside Leo, his voice a low growl. “No, Antonio. Your tyranny ends here.” Soren and Veyra nod, their silence louder than any shout. The crowd murmurs, shock rip
The fall of Carmela lingers but a new dread takes root as Leila rushes through the crowd, hurling herself towards the stage where Amara stands, her small frame dwarfed by that of Antonio. Tatum follows behind her, his face red with fury, his eyes shot with pumping membranes. The crowd parts, clearing the way for the couple as sparks of whispers trail them. “Antonio!” Leila’s voice cuts through the silence, sharp as a blade. “You cannot marry our daughter!” Behind them, a flurry of murmurings animate the crowd, speculations fly, questions too. Tatum steps forward as guards inch around the king. “She's not yours to claim,” Tatum barks, “And you know why.” Antonio's eyes narrow with piercing sharpness at the couple. He knows. Leila feels it in her bones. He now knows. She is the Phoenix Luna. Amara, their daughter, carries the same fire, destined to rise as the kingdom’s next ruler. By binding her to him, Antonio seeks to snuff that destiny, to chain the Phoenix’s lineage to h
The Grand plaza glitters under the midday sun as Carmela steps out of a silken pavilion, a gorgeous sight that hushes even the worst cynics. Her gown, woven of lace and pearls and sequins, clings to her frame, before fanning into a train that drifts like mist behind her. A diamond studded veil shimmers over her face, and gold threads gleam in her hair. Arches swathed in white silk and roses tower over the wedding altar, where dozens of blossoms—crimson, ivory, gold—spill and waver like a fragrant tide, matching Carmela’s aura. The event that has had everyone wagging their tongues wagging across the kingdom for months is finally here. Cheers and applause erupt from the crowd as she glides with a queen's grace across the raised stage. As she floats down the steps, whispers trail her—some name her divine, the chosen queen. “Look at her,” Leila muses loud enough for Tatum to hear. “If I never saw a snake in a dress. I do now.” “Apt,” Tatum says through a smile as painful as Leila's
“No he’s not,” Leila snarls at him, her heart burning with rage, her eyes clothed with vengeance, “whatever you have done to him, undo it, now!” “Done to him? I said Tatum’s dead woman, nothing can be done to a dead man. This one here is just my faithful loyal guard dog,” Leo snaps his fingers twice and the man walks over to his side, silent and submissive. Leila’s heart boils with a fervent anger. She knows deep down in her heart that this is her husband, the man she has loved for years. Is he now completely under Leo’s control? Why is everything about him transformed with the exception of his face and voice and if he really is completely under Leo’s influence, then why did he save her, not once but twice. “Tatum, you’re not his dog,” tears stream out of Leila’s eyes, her heart clenching with unimaginable pain. “You’re the most powerful Alpha in the realm, Alpha of the Blood Oak pack, my Alpha, my husband…do you really not recognize your sweet pea anymore?” The man’s eyes snap to