Kiara: I can’t sleep all day because all I can think about is what Zane might do to me. I am an Alpha female, and there’s no way I will bow to a human convert like him. Apologize? That’s foreign to my nature, and he’s not my Blake. The mention of Blake brings tears to my eyes, and I end up crying myself to sleep. “Ma’am, wake up,” someone says, touching and poking my body. My body wakes up, and the chill from the concrete floor where I lie rushes up my body faster than a lightning bolt. This causes me to open my eyes at once to see Ariana crouched beside me. “It’s morning and I’m here to give you your breakfast,” she says, and I groan, refusing to sit up. I have fought so hard to keep going, but life is becoming unbearable. The thoughts of Blake still cloud my mind and I feel an ache in it, as I wonder what he could be doing with Veronica at the moment. “Ma’am, please eat. Mr. Malibu will be here in a few minutes to bring you out to the entire house, and he plans to…” “Show me
Kiara: The next time I open my eyes, the first thing I notice is my decaying arm. That’s the power of Argentum. It’s not just any stake, but the most dreaded stake by werewolves. I might wonder how Zane got a hold of it, but he loathes wolves and hunts them down. Even with the pain I’m going through, I get out of bed. This is when I note my environment. This isn’t the dungeon or the mansion, because the bed is rather small, and the furniture looks old and weird. “You are awake.” His voice sends chills down my spine. I shoot him a glance, and then back to my decaying arm, which hurts as much as a thousand bricks being placed on my body. “Contrary to what you wanted, well I am,” I say to him, and a frown etches his face, which I don’t care about. He stares at my hand weirdly before he walks away, slamming the door. At this moment, I don’t have the strength to fight because I’m barely standing on my feet. Everything hurts and my legs are wobbly. I try to reach for the door, but h
Kiara: “Ah! Mr. Malibu!” Ariana exclaims, leaping to her feet as I cough up a dreadful amount of blood. “Damn!” Zane groans in my mind. He’s getting hurt too, and it’s satisfying to see that my suffering isn’t much fun for him. She dashes towards the door, but Zane opens it before she can reach for the handle. His eyes widen at the sight before him, and he immediately backs away, rushing out and slamming the door. Ariana paces around the room, her hands shaking terribly. She hurries to get a glass of water from the table while I sit numbly, bloodied. It’s supposed to hurt a lot, but a part of me doesn’t want it to end because I want my life to end. Even if everyone else turns their backs on me, I didn’t expect my father to do the same, so I feel alone in the world, and it’s becoming burdensome. “Take this,” Ariana says, handing me the glass of water. But when I take a sip, my throat burns terribly. “Make it stop.” I hurl the glass towards the door, and I look up to see Zane sta
Zane: This is probably the hundredth time I complain about hating myself ever since Kiara walks into my life, but truthfully, I do. I hate to see her in pain because I share her pain. Having to pretend I’m not in pain the whole day is the worst thing I ever do. Now I need comfort and all I can do is drown myself with a bottle of whisky. Normally, it would have worked, but it feels like my soul is detached from my body. “There is more to what you see on the surface and I warned you, but you wouldn’t listen. Werewolves aren’t humans and you shouldn’t joke with a lot. We have hurt Kiara and Bailey, and…” “Oh, shut up!” I groan at my wolf, gulping down the entire content which burns my throat. I try to act like I’m fine in this club filled with people, but I’m not. “You know what? I need a good girl,” I say to my wolf, standing up from the bar stool. I look around the bar through the neon lights that glow. There are many women in it, but none of them is Kiara and at the moment, she
Zane:“What the hell are you doing here, Gia?” I yell, yanking the sheets to cover the only piece of my dignity left. “I could ask you the same, Zane,” she says, sitting up with the duvet across her chest. “Aren’t you supposed to be in the city, running my father’s business like you’re the actual firstborn son of this family and not Yusuf?”Her words sting, but I don’t hold on to them because I hurt her, and I’m truly sorry.I feel twice as terrible as I did initially because dreaming of sex with Kiara is much better than actually doing it with Gia. She’s my sister, and even though we aren’t related by blood, I hate the fact I’m betraying my father.“Did Kiara throw you out of the house? You’ve been quite a pussy lately, and I can’t believe someone like her has so much power over you,” she says, and I curl my hand into a fist. “I can’t believe I was in love with you,” she scoffs.“Gia, what is wrong with you? You know I was drunk and…”“Don’t come at me with that, Zane. This was a con
Kiara:I gulp when I hear him say that. How could he want to lock me up in this place forever? This is beyond cruel.“Why don’t you just kill me for real?” I question, and he chuckles.“What fun would that be? I’ve kept you this far and every single moment, I come up with ideas on how we can keep having fun,” he says, and I scoff.He caresses my cheek gently while I stare at him, wishing I could chop his hand off.“Where is Ariana?” I ask.“On a brief trip to the airport with my men, and the loving doctor who helped you. Did I tell you I’m a philanthropist and he will be getting a room at the mansion?”The sarcasm in his voice is irritating.“Yes, if that’s another word for murderer,” I say to him, and he laughs.“I like your sense of humor, but that will get you nowhere, my love,” he says, tapping my nose gently before standing up.“Even if I tried to be nice, you do not deserve it. I hate you and the day you die will be my happiest,” I spit.“Everyone has what they wish for. Like me,
Kiara:The musty scent of the room hits my nostrils as I stand before it. Doubt gnaws at me, but I have no choice—this might be my only shot at getting healed since Zane won’t give me the cure.Taking a deep breath, I mumble a quick prayer to the moon goddess, then reach for the flashlight on the table. The weight of it feels strangely reassuring in my hand.I step into the hallway, the flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. My fingers graze the rough concrete walls, pricking my delicate skin. Suddenly, something drops onto my shoulder. My heart skips a beat as I aim the torch upward, revealing a cluster of bats. The light startles them, and they scatter, hitting the walls erratically. I crouch, shielding myself, my pulse racing.Eventually, I find myself in front of a door. I push it open and step into an old, cobweb-covered room. The air is thick with the scent of herbs and earth, a bizarre comfort amidst the unease.I fumble for a light switch, finding one and flicking it. T
Zane:It’s been three days since I left Kiara at the cottage, and life has been anything but easy. Her memory haunts me, infiltrating my dreams and daily life. I can’t shake the guilt of sleeping with Gia, thinking she was Kiara—a foolish mistake born from a desire I was supposed to despise.I wish I had the damn cure. I would have given it to her, but my pride got in the way, and now I’m paying for it. I didn’t even like Natalie that much; I was just trying to spite Kiara. I went too far. What is this whirlwind of emotions? I push myself out of bed, needing a breath of fresh air. I haven’t left the house in three days.As my feet touch the ground, my legs wobble, barely able to support my weight. I steady myself against the wall, gripping my chest, trying to catch my breath.“Sir,” Rufus calls out, placing a hand on my shoulder. I glare at him through sleep-deprived eyes, sweat trickling down my face. “Food is ready. I advise you eat something since you haven’t eaten since yesterday,
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