THIRD PERSON POV:Seeing Blake in that condition makes me feel terrible. I ignore the look of victory on Mindy’s face and look away, causing the guard to roll up the window. Then I turn to Rufus.“Open the gate.” He opens his mouth to speak, but I do not allow him. “Now!” My order comes out harsh, so he walks through the side gate, then he draws the gate open.I walk into the compound as the cars drive in. When Rufus shuts the gate, he turns to me.“I hope you know what you are doing,” he says, and I shake my head, causing his eyes to widen.“Rufus, they are were—people. Not one, but six of them, and they are guards. Warriors, if you want me to put it in a much scarier term. I am supposedly their Luna now, though I don’t know what is going on, but I hope to find out. If you stand in their way, they will kill you, and they don’t even need a gun to do that.”“I understand that, but Mr. Malibu will kill me either way. I am supposed to protect you with my life, and that isn’t going too we
KIARA:Throughout the night, I barely get any sleep. I mean, who gets enough rest when the devil is among them? The entire time, I keep one eye open. I can’t sleep in my room because Blake is there, so I stay in Treasure’s room. When I’m fully awake around six in the morning, I open my eyes to see Rufus sitting in front of the room, causing me to scream.I bring my hands to my lips at once.“What the hell?” I ask, and he gets to his feet with a smirk on his face. “I could have been naked. Did you even get any sleep last night?”“Better than letting Mindy kill you in your sleep. How long do I need to wait before I call Mr. Malibu? because I’m losing my patience,” he asks, and I sigh.“You don’t have to, because I’m going to put an end to this madness soon. I told you to trust me,” I say to him, then get to my feet at once, making my way out of the room.I walk to my room, then see Treasure walking out of it.“Good morning, ma’am,” she says, and I flash her a smile before opening the do
Kiara:“What?” I ask, staring at Blake with my brows creased.He closes the space between us.“James has already informed the citizens of Lunar Shadow that their queen has been found. They expect their queen back, especially the beta.” His gaze doesn’t leave mine when he mentions my father.“Manipulative bastard!” I yell, attempting to slap him, but he grabs my hand, pulling it back.Rufus takes a step forward.“I’d stay back if I were you, human!” Blake growls at him, then turns to me. “I know you would rather live among humans and maintain this fantasy you’ve created for yourself, but your kingdom needs you. A Luna must be on the throne unless she is dead, so you have to come back,” he says.“I am rogue to the people of Lunar Shadow, and—”“A witch has been arranged to undo that. I do not care what it takes; you will return as the queen. This is not a request, but an order!”With my hands pressing against his chest, I push him backward. As I stare into his eyes, I realize what Mindy
Zane:As the paramedics wheel Boris into the ambulance, I trail behind, my legs heavy and my thoughts tangled in guilt and fear. My father lies pale and almost lifeless on the stretcher. The sight claws at my insides. This is my fault—my father’s life hangs by a thread because of me, and my fiancée is in danger, yet I have no idea what I am doing. I am utterly useless.“We’ll do everything we can to stabilize him,” a female paramedic says, but her voice is distant, drowned out by the chaos inside my head. I barely register her words as everything in my background blurs, except for the paramedics at the back of the ambulance. One presses the defibrillator paddles against Boris’s chest, calling out instructions to the others.For a moment, nothing happens. The beeping from the ECG is flat, giving a single, piercing tone that feels like a countdown to the inevitable. Then, suddenly, a faint rhythm flickers to life on the monitor. A series of steady beeps follows, growing stronger. The pa
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
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,”
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: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
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