Kiara:Zane lifts me in his arms, but this time, he doesn’t carry me roughly. This time, it’s gentle and unexpected. He cradles me bridal style, my arms instinctively wrapping around his neck as my face rests against his chest. As he walks, I shut my eyes tightly, praying he doesn’t notice I’m faking.After a while, he stops, and I hear a door open. He places me gently on a seat, and I expect him to leave, but instead, he surprises me. He moves closer, lifting my head and placing it on his lap. My heart races, wondering if he has discovered I’m faking.The door shuts, and soon the seat vibrates as we start moving. Zane gently pats my hair, revealing the spot on my neck where he marked me. I can feel his gaze on me, but how would I know for sure?After a while, I feel his belly contract. Is he tense? I wonder. His hands run down my hair, and I take a deep breath, praying he doesn’t reach my belly where the book is hidden. My heart races faster than his hands move lower, but he stops at
Zane:“You’re breathing so hard,” I whisper to Kiara as we inch closer, my breath rising too, anticipation building as our lips nearly meet.“I’ve waited for this moment, Mr. Malibu,” she replies, her voice barely a whisper. I grab her waist, pulling her closer so that her breasts press against my chest.“Call me Zane,” I say, and then our lips finally meet. I want to be gentle with her, but the intensity of my feelings takes over. My heart races wildly, and our kiss turns fierce and passionate. I bite her lower lip, eliciting a soft moan from her.“Zane,” she gasps, tugging hard on my body.I lift her up, wrapping her legs around my waist, and I carry her to the bed. My lips trail down her neck to her chest, and as I unbutton her shirt, revealing her bosom, my phone rings, jolting me awake. Sweat trickles down my body as I sit up in bed, realizing it was all a dream. She’s now haunting my sleep, goddamn!Anger surges through me as I grab my phone from the nightstand, ready to lash ou
Kiara:My morning is marked by a fresh bouquet, and paper bags scattered around my room. It should feel like a grand occasion, but something about the flowers and bags makes me think otherwise.Making assumptions isn’t my forte, so I choose to ignore everything and carry on with my day.“Have you tried your dress?” Zane’s voice comes from behind me just as I get out of bed. I turn around to see him already dressed in his suit, standing by my door.I shake my head and face him squarely. “But I wonder, did the godfather ask that you get me some flowers as well?” I question, and he keeps a straight face.“Try your dress on, then come down for breakfast,” he says before leaving, shutting the door behind him.Ariana walks in shortly after. We try on the dress, and it fits perfectly, flowing down to my legs with a little opening at the back. Afterward, I rush downstairs for breakfast with Zane.**The event comes faster than expected, and in a few hours, I’m standing in front of the mirror,
Kiara:For a moment, I stand frozen in time, trying to process what has just happened. Zane is shot, and masked men in black who bundle the godfather while Yusuf stands in front raided the room. I understand he was upset about the ceremony, but this is no way to exert power. I want to act, but my wolf is hurt, pulling me back to reality as I look at Zane groaning on the ground, his blood slowly turning black.“Argentum!” I gasp.“You will not get away with this, Yusuf!” Boris yells. Yusuf glances at his father, walking towards him. He grabs his jaw and digs his hand deep into it, causing the old man to scream in pain.Family members back away in fear. Yusuf takes a step away from his father, then faces the crowd, running a hand through his hair to keep it sleek.“Family!” he begins with his arms wide open. “I do not mean to scare you, but I am here to give you a better life. A life that cannot be obtained under something filthy as that,” he points at Zane, who is growling on the groun
Kiara:As soon as the car comes to a halt, I jump out, grabbing the keys from Rufus. My hands tremble, nearly causing the grimoire to slip from my grip. He hurt me, but why am I so afraid to lose him? I get that he’s my mate, even if it was forced, but here I am doing what he could never do.“Take him to the bedroom!” I order, pushing the door wide open as Rufus rushes into the house with Zane slung over his shoulder.I grab Ariana’s hand, pulling her to the living area where I move the lamp aside.“Kiara, what are you going to do to him?” Boris asks, but before I can answer, the secret passage opens, causing his jaw to drop. “Where does that lead to?” he questions, and I step up to him, dipping my hands into his pockets.“There’s no time for questions, sir. This will take some time, and I just need you to trust me.”I hold out his phone, turning the torch on, then make my way down the passage with Ariana following closely.“What am I supposed to do?” Boris yells, and I sigh.“Make su
Zane:The next time my eyes open, I find myself in the familiar room at Mindy’s cottage. Mindy was an ex of mine. I inherited the cottage from her mother, who left it to me instead of her daughter after we broke up.I ended things with Mindy because she was unstable, hurting innocent people with her powers, unlike her mother. I’ve never shied away from hurting people, but only for revenge. Mindy, on the other hand, was a murder machine.I scan the room and see Kiara slumped in a chair, her head thrown back, a blanket wrapped around her. She’s asleep. The events of yesterday flood my mind, and I quickly check my body, realizing the wounds have healed perfectly. Guilt washes over me as I recall all the pain I’ve inflicted on her throughout our lives.I made her life a living hell, yet she chose to save me. Why? This is something I can’t understand, something I wish she would explain. I get to my feet and approach her, lifting her gently in my arms. I carry her to the bed and place her d
Third person pov:As Boris walks into the room to check on his son, Kiara stands behind him, gripping the handle of the door, trying to catch her breath as her eyes lock onto Zane’s. Zane forces himself to keep a straight face.“How do you feel?” Boris asks. Zane, unable to tear his gaze away from Kiara, hesitates before speaking.“F-fine. I... feel better.”He stutters again, wondering how much power she holds over him. No one has ever affected him like this, but she does, and it makes him feel strange.“I must say, you have one smart woman around you,” Boris says to Zane before turning to Kiara. “Where did you learn to do that?” he asks. Kiara glances at Zane, who subtly shakes his head.Was the godfather not aware of how he had tortured her? She wonders.“We are taught a lot of things at a young age back home, and this was one of the few I picked,” she replies humbly.“Beauty with brains. Hard to come by nowadays,” Boris remarks, and she forces a smile.Grabbing the handle, Kiara o
Kiara:After I say those words to him, he tries to speak, but then he passes out against me, crushing me with his weight as my chest rises with each breath, a lump growing in my throat. I feel a mix of relief and confusion, wondering what might have happened if he hadn’t passed out, or if I hadn’t stopped him. Would we have had sex? Would he even remember it?The thoughts swirl in my head, and I push him away, standing up and grabbing a robe from my closet, throwing it over my body. I leave the room and head down the stairs to the hallway that leads to the servants’ quarters.I can’t remember which room belongs to Ariana, so I trust my instincts and walk down the hall to the last room. Just as I’m about to open it, I hear her call out to me. I turn to see her standing in front of the second room at the beginning of the hallway.Relief floods my heart as I rush back to her, grabbing her hand and pushing open her door to reveal a tiny room with a small bed that could barely fit two peop
Zane:It’s been five months since the passing of my father. It hasn’t been easy coping without him, and it made me realize that you never really grow up, and you will always need your parents, regardless. But thank God I found Kiara. I have never been more grateful for the day we met. She has been nothing short of supportive.Nothing beats having the sexiest and smartest woman you know as your support system. Given all the events of the past, we both enrolled in therapy to work through the trauma we’ve experienced. We made the vow that our children would never know what this feels like.“You’re still working?” I hear Kiara say, and I lift my head to see her standing by the door of the study.I sigh, and she walks into the room. Pushing my seat back from the table, I make space for her to sit on my lap, and then she throws her arms around my neck.“If you keep working like this, then we will never have time for each other,” she says as she cups my cheek. “I know building from scratch i
Kiara:The past few days have been trying for everyone around us with the passing of Boris and Rufus’s injury. Rufus got better after a few days, but he is still at the hospital. Zane transferred him to a hospital in Efla.Today is Boris’s funeral, and Zane has been mute the entire day. We are back at Boris’s place with the entire family present.“You are doing just fine,” I say to Zane, who has been sitting for hours without a word. The thoughts of my pack members going into exile hurt, but I have learned to let go.I have lost once, and it is easier letting go instead of hurting yourself.“Kiara,” Zane calls out to me, and I place a hand on his shoulder.He tilts his head a bit, resting it in my hands. Then I caress his other cheek with my free hand. We remain like that until he lets out a forced gasp, straightening his head. His eyes are reddened, and it hurts.“The ceremony is in half an hour, and you need to get yourself together, please.” I sit close to him, sliding my hands to
Kiara:“Rufus!” Zane yells the moment Mindy’s bullet hits him.I crash to the ground at once, pulling Rufus’ head onto my lap. I rip a piece of my dress, applying pressure on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. He has a smile on his face, but his eyes are slowly shutting.“Rufus, stay with me,” I say, tapping his face. “You cannot die on me, not now, you idiot! Stop smiling!” I yell at him.Without giving it a second thought, Zane rushes towards Mindy, digging his hand into her chest. Blood trickles down his hands, then he pulls out her heart, and I watch Mindy crash to the ground.“Zane.” His name is the last thing she mutters before she dies.My body feels weak, but I manage to hold on to Rufus as I keep tapping on him. Zane tosses Mindy’s heart away, and he walks up to us, then he takes off his shirt completely.Preparing a potion for Rufus wasn’t the best idea at the moment, because he was human, and he couldn’t wait that long. Plus, the entire mansion is in ruins, so the herb
THIRD PERSON POV:Zane storms through the gates of the Lunar Shadow Pack with Yusuf’s werewolf warriors at his back. The early morning air fills with growls, gunfire, and the clash of weapons. The pack’s warriors are caught off guard, scrambling to respond to the ruthless assault. Yusuf’s mutants tear through the defenders like a storm. Everything is going according to Zane’s plan, and they have taken the pack unaware.Zane moves like a shadow—swift and merciless—cutting down anyone who dares to stand in his way. His wolf, desperate to reunite with its mate, takes sole control of Zane, feeding him with power he doesn’t even know he possesses.Blake stands in the midst of his warriors, overlooking the chaos.“How did they breach the gates?” he barks at his men, who are as confused as he is.“We don’t know, Alpha!” one guard shouts back, dodging as a mutant slashes through another warrior beside him. “They came out of nowhere!”Blake’s mind races as he calculates his options. He knows Z
Kiara:Those words from Isabella’s lips bring relief to my chest, but I’m not quite satisfied. I want to see for myself if it is truly true. If Mindy is really dead.“You do not look happy,” Isabella says as she notices my face hasn’t lit up with a victory smile.“Because Mindy is very cunning, and I have to see for myself.” I yank my hands off hers. “Where is she?” I ask, moving forward until I get to the stairs to see the living area swarmed with servants.The murmur in the room starts to die off as they notice my presence, and soon, they slip away bit by bit. But then I spot James.“What is going on here, James?” I call out to him from where I am standing on the landing of the stairs. He is about to answer when Blake walks into the room, and the moment he spots me, his countenance changes.“Why is the queen in a nightdress?” he questions, but I notice his gaze is on Isabella and not on me. “Do you not know how to do your duties anymore, or do you want me to demote you?” His tone co
Kiara:Messing with a Luna is one thing, but messing with a Luna in her own pack is another. It isn’t just a regular misstep, and Mindy’s judgment is probably clouded by her desires to get Zane, forgetting that I can end her life before she even dreams of waking tomorrow. I don’t know what Zane is up to, but after successfully keeping him out, I know I can act as I please before he decides to wage war against me. Mindy’s audacity truly needs to be studied because her witch powers should be bright enough to warn her that I’ve been in and out of her mother’s lair.“Prepare some baskets and umbrellas,” I say to Isabella, who stares at me in confusion. “We have some fruits to pick.” I wink at her, and she bows slightly, making her way out of my room.I walk to my closet to pick out an outfit and put on one of my best Luna dresses. By the time I’m done dressing, Isabella is back with the baskets and an enormous umbrella.“Let’s go.”We leave the room, making our way to the front yard, wher
KIARA:It is unbelievable that I have to wake up in this pack again. I want to claw at my skin and rip it open, but that would be to the fun of Mindy. As I lie in bed, I beg the Moon Goddess to allow us to cross paths. The amount of hate brewing in my heart feels strong enough to torch down an entire continent, and I plan to channel that energy into Mindy. The only good thing about being in this pack is that it makes me feel powerful again, and power can be either good or bad.“Ma’am,” I hear Isabella’s voice from the hallway before she places a light knock on the door.Isabella has been my faithful servant, just like Ariana, so I am trying my best to be gentle with her since she hasn’t done anything wrong.“Come in,” I say, and she opens the door, walking in. She shuts it and gives me a bow.“You do not need to do that every time,” I tell her. She stands straight as soon as I say this.“Alpha Blake asked me to help prepare you,” she says, and my brow scrunches at her words.“Prepare
Kiara:The ride was bumpy, and sitting in the back of the car with Blake didn’t feel the same anymore. My heart is heavy and aching as memories of Zane flood in. I don’t know what the Moon Goddess plans to do, but I silently pray to her to make things right. It’s hard to believe she made Zane and me cross paths just for things to go sour.“You’ve been awfully quiet,” Blake says, sliding his hand onto my thigh, jolting me back to reality. All I feel from his touch is coldness.I reach for his hand, placing it on the space between us on the seat. Then I turn my face toward the window, taking in the scenery before us. We’re currently at the location of the Elysian Whisper Hill—the road where I ran into Zane when he pretended to be a delivery man. I shut my eyes, taking deep breaths, hoping to wake up from this nightmare. The thought of Blake and me never finding love scares me, but what scares me more is the impending war. I don’t want anyone to die—not now, never.“We’re here, darling,”
Zane’s POV:Yusuf grabs my shoulder as he continues to laugh.“Your offer is enticing, brother, but isn’t that a little too much?” he asks, and I try to maintain my cool. “Have you forgotten where you came from? A lonely wolf boy who came into my father’s home to steal my birthright.”Those words hit me like a punch to my gut, but I keep my mind focused by thinking of Kiara. All I want is to rescue her and hold her in my arms once more. I should have listened and stayed back because maybe we would be at our new place now, where Mindy would never know. They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and I want to hold on to that. But I don’t know if this will be the thing that ends me.When I don’t react to his taunts, his face straightens, his eyes locking on mine.“I will give you half of the money. Then I’ll keep half, take the empire, and you can borrow my men—whom you will return.” When he says this, I don’t think twice.“We have a deal,” I say, and the corner of his lips lifts