Selene slowly comes out of her lethargy. She opens her eyes gradually and can see Rouse, her parents, and Connor talking a few meters from the bed. Her face still burns, and her arm tingles as if something is digging into her bones.Gathering the little strength she has left, she tries to sit up slightly. Alpha Connor notices the movement and walks over to her."Sister..." Rouse calls, but Ragnar takes her hand to stop her, allowing her mate to assist Selene."Rou..." Selene's jaw is tense, and her tongue feels heavy. She's dizzy, but she immediately recognizes the touch of Alpha Connor."She needs the doctor," says a voice she can't fully recognize. "Her wound needs to be healed.""The doctor is treating Inés," that grave voice could only belong to her mother-in-law. Hearing it sends shivers down her spine. All of this could only be the work of that woman. Connor’s growl is his only response."Calm down, stay calm, everything will be fine," says Alpha Connor, but the first thing Sele
Selene is crying, and Connor is hurting as he watches her. All the fury he felt earlier about what happened has faded into the background. Now, he feels the need to comfort and protect her."Peace? Really?" She doesn’t know whether to laugh or keep crying. How does he expect her to have peace with his mother and that young woman constantly harassing her?"Yes, believe it or not, that’s what I want most, Selene. To live in peace with you." He manages to reach her and take her into his arms, but she is so angry that she doesn't hesitate to vent by slapping him.Connor watches her closely. His face stings where their skin made contact; he has to admit she’s not as weak as she appears—no wonder Inés’s face is so messed up."This isn’t the way," he says, trying to gently brush his fingers against her cheek, but Selene lands another blow, this time with a closed fist directly to his nose. How dare he touch her after what he just said? After blaming her like always? Does he think she’s his p
The strange noises coming from the bathroom make Connor quite nervous. His temples are throbbing, and his breathing is so heavy that he struggles to stay calm. Does she really prefer to pleasure herself rather than be with him?"Open the door, right now," the alpha demands, pressing his forehead against the thick wood, but Selene doesn’t even bother to respond. "Seleneeee! You can’t do this!"Selene holds back a laugh at his comment. Connor has said the same thing about ten times since she locked herself in the bathroom."Why?" she asks with a stifled gasp. "Is it forbidden to pleasure oneself?""You know what I’m talking about," Connor growls. "You have no idea what you’re provoking. If Sorem comes out, he’ll break down that door, and you probably won’t like what’s going to happen.""Oh, I think I might," Selene finally opens the door, her body completely wet and wrapped in a towel as she walks to the closet. "I think I might like what he does to me, but since I’m punished, he and yo
"No!" Inés grabs Carla's hand, and she turns to look at her with eyes filled with malice. "We need to come up with something; I can't lose Connor. We need the heir."Carla manages to stabilize her temper, but her blood courses through her veins, threatening to burn her flesh. She’s fed up with that young intruder. She can’t keep failing like this, or she’ll end up pregnant with Connor's child, and that would be a disaster. She needs a plan, a perfect and meticulous one, so that this time, she’ll be gone for good."Her family is there," Inés says again when Carla chooses not to speak. "We can't act impulsively again, or it will be too suspicious. You told me once, and you were right; we need to handle this calmly. Connor already saw her attack me, which was what we wanted. We’ll plan everything well so that next time, there will be no doubt that she's guilty, and he'll kill her.""She won't succeed; she won't stay with the pack," Carla says, leaving the room. But once in the hallway, s
"Have you lost your mind?!" Carla raises her voice in protest at what the alpha has just announced. Connor growls as she stands up and confronts him. "How long does she plan to question your authority?" "No counselor will accept such a thing. Inés can't leave the pack; her birthday is in two weeks. This is unacceptable!""I'm not asking for your opinion, Mother, I'm decreeing her punishment. What is unacceptable is that she tried to poison my mate, her Luna, the night before, and today, she entered our room to attack her, which ended in that brawl between them. I won't allow that to happen again.""Inés came out more hurt than Selene, and there's no evidence of any of the accusations you're making," the elder responds. All the elder women begin to murmur among themselves, something the alpha dislikes greatly. He knows about his mother's influence over those women and that they prefer to do as she says, making it not easy to convince them. However, he promised his mate something he int
"Luna..." Clarisse sits beside Selene on the bench. "My brother told me I could find you here. I came to see if you needed anything.""You don't have to call me Luna, Selene is fine," Selene replies, her gaze fixed on the field where a group of three children are playing. There's a fourth child watching the game from a few meters behind, sitting on the grass. He looks pale and downcast, his expression quite lifeless."My brother is the alpha, and you're his mate, my Luna. I can't call you anything else.""Formalities aren't necessary between us, Clarisse. I consider you like a sister. Besides, you're one of the few people who’ve treated me well since I arrived here," Selene responds.Selene's eyes don’t leave that little boy. He looks about eight years old. She saw him in one of the photographs in the mansion and recognized him quickly when she took this seat half an hour ago, although, to be honest, all those children look quite similar.A middle-aged woman walks up to the boy and gr
The days pass with excruciating slowness in Redwood Wolves. Connor has spent most of the week working with Jackson and Beltrán, while Selene has been helping with administrative tasks at the clinic and the daycare.She hasn't heard anything from Inés since the last time she left that note in the bush, and Selene still hasn't told the alpha about it. She’s not sure if she should go to that place or not. It could be a trap, but it could also be the truth, and it’s gnawing at her mind."We should tell your grandfather," Saya says in her mind, but Selene disagrees. The last time they spoke, two days ago, he was very agitated, even worried about something she didn't know. Burdening him with this seems unnecessary.Selene walks through the training field, heading toward the border. Some of the guardians glance at her, but they don't say anything or stop her. Taking care of the children at the clinic has been her main task these days, and fighting with the doctor and nurses, who think they'r
"I don’t know what happened. I just got here and went into the water for a few seconds, and then you arrived," Selene explains, her brow furrowed. She’s confused too. Falling asleep underwater isn’t an option, especially not for so long, or she would have drowned. So what happened during all those hours she’s been here?"I’m sorry..." she whispers softly, seeing the distressed look on Connor’s face. He can’t resist her scent and kisses her. He kisses her so passionately that Selene moans at the urgency of her mate. Within seconds, the space between them disappears, giving way to an erotic and romantic dance under the beautiful and brilliant moonlight. Since their wedding night, there hasn’t been a single day they haven’t given themselves to each other. But today… now, it feels different. It’s as if every part of this nature is joining them both.Back at the mansion, they both head to the shower, much calmer. It’s almost dawn. After a shower full of kisses, they go to bed together to s
Deep in the forest, as dawn begins to break on the horizon, Connor climbs down from the tree, ready to return to the hotel. But the moment he sets foot on the ground, he is surrounded by several wolves—at least twenty of them.The deadly growl of a massive gray wolf fills his ears. A few seconds later, another one, also gray but with white ears and tail, lunges forward, growling menacingly at him. Sorem tries to take control and shift, but Connor doesn’t allow it.He takes two steps back, realizing he is at a clear disadvantage, yet with no intention of running away. He will face this like a man—the man he should have been from the very beginning.“How dare you set foot on my land?!” Ethan shifts in front of him, his voice filled with hatred. “How dare you come here after what you did to my sister?! Are you that eager to die?!”The growls of the other wolves grow louder, preventing Connor from responding. They inch closer, ready to attack, but the first to strike is Remus, Ragnar’s gr
The days fly by, except for Alpha Connor, who feels every second of the day like a dead weight on his back.Fortunately, the pups are evolving quite well. Doctor Moreira is doing an excellent job alongside Ayanell. The reports they deliver to the alpha every day are encouraging. The treatment is truly effective, and although they will all be latent wolves, they will be able to live normal lives, according to the doctor himself.The pack’s renovations are progressing on time and as planned. Jackson personally oversees all the work, and the results are good. One piece of good news amid so much chaos is that the beta’s mate is expecting their first pup. She’s only a short way into the pregnancy, but everyone is happy for them since they had been trying to conceive for a long time.King Kaelan and Clarisse are leaving for the Highlands this afternoon, and Connor has mixed feelings about it. On one hand, he is pleased to see his sister happier than she has ever been before, but on the othe
That same night, Inés is taken to the place where she will serve her sentence—a remote and sinister location that has remained untouched for far too long. The dungeon's whereabouts are known only to the alphas, passed down from generation to generation. It is guarded by Terrakais, making it far easier to enter than to leave. No prisoner has ever escaped, and those who have dared to try met their end within mere meters, buried beneath mountains of sand and tangled vines. Her face and reaction upon seeing the place are unforgettable. Her screams of desperation and horror are swallowed by the forest. The following morning, the entire pack feels different, as if a new energy has settled over them. They begin moving early. After training, Jackson and the others start organizing the repairs. Clarisse continues helping at the clinic, while Connor immerses himself in the administrative matters he has neglected for far too long. His goal is to have everything cleaned up and in order by t
"Bring the prisoner!" The alpha’s voice startles Doctor Mirna, who shifts uneasily in her seat. A few minutes later, Inés’s screams echo throughout the place. Her appearance is deplorable—she is dirty, emaciated, and covered in half-healed wounds. "Connor, please!" she cries between sobs. "You don’t have to do this. Please, please, please..." The guards escorting her shove her toward the center. She falls to the ground. "Inés Emberclaw, omega of the Redwood Wolves pack, you are here tonight to be judged for the crimes of criminal association, betrayal of your pack, accessory to murder, and many other offenses." One of the elders stands and addresses her after the alpha gives the order. "How do you plead?" "I’m inno...cent, I swear," she responds between choked sobs. Connor watches her with no trace of emotion on his face. The trial continues for several hours. Nearly all those involved come forward to give their statements. At one point, Maya turns to her side and realiz
Somewhere in the Highlands…Lilith walks slowly, carrying a tray of food in her hands. It’s likely that Selene won’t touch it, just like she hasn’t in the past few days, but she still tries to get her to change her mind. She opens the door and enters with a broad smile."Good morning," she greets her. "How are you feeling this morning?""Good morning," Selene responds in a low, slightly hoarse voice. "I feel much better, Aunt. The wound barely hurts anymore.""That concoction I made never fails. I knew it would help with your injury, but that’s not what I’m asking about, Selene." Lilith places the tray on the small terrace table before returning to sit beside her on the bed. "I mean this." She points at Selene’s chest. "How is that heart feeling today?"Selene averts her gaze without answering. There’s no need to be a mind reader to know what’s going through her head right now. In the days she has been here, Lilith has learned to read her well—she knows she’s suffering deeply, but lea
Alpha Connor runs toward the training field. Just before reaching the massive stone wall, he shifts into Sorem, deliberately slamming his body against it with all his strength.He does it over and over again. The wall begins to crack and crumble little by little, while blood gushes from his forehead.His sister’s screams from behind him do nothing to quell his frustration, his pain, or his rage. The only way to stay alive without Selene is to push his body to the limit, to remind himself every day that he deserves this punishment, that he deserves to suffer and feel pain for what he did."Connor, please, stop. You’re hurting yourself," his sister pleads, trying to reach him, but Sorem growls at her, forcing her to step back.This scene repeats itself every single day since Selene disappeared. The female guards surround him, attempting to stop him, but they know they won’t be able to—not until he has had enough.A few minutes later, much of the wall has collapsed, becoming just another
One week later…Limping, Kaelan walks through the clinic’s hallways until he reaches one of the rooms. He opens the door, and his smile widens at the sight of the red-haired woman busily tending to the children."You shouldn’t be wandering around here, King Kaelan," Clarisse says, still with her back to him. "As far as I know, the doctor hasn’t discharged you yet.""If Muhammad won’t go to the mountain, then the mountain must go to Muhammad," he replies, stepping closer to her. His mere proximity makes the hairs on her body stand on end."I’m busy," Clarisse points toward the room. Fortunately, all the pups are recovering well, and it seems they’ll be discharged soon. "And you’re still injured. Go back to your room, please."Kaelan moves even closer. His nose brushes against her neck, and she shudders instantly."I needed to smell your scent," he says, inhaling deeply. "I’d heal faster if you visited me more often. I’m your mate."Clarisse swallows hard, trying to loosen the knot in h
Eisheth smiles, her eyes fixed on Selene's. Inés keeps crying, which irritates her immensely. She can't believe that this runt managed to capture her and, on top of that, is threatening her with her own dagger. What a complete failure!"Come get her, monster," Selene urges, a smile also on her face as she presses the dagger a little harder until tiny drops of blood become visible on Eisheth’s skin. She doesn’t intend to harm her, but if she’s going to use her as bait, it has to be convincing.Eisheth readies herself and strides toward her in a menacing manner, but in the end, she recites a few phrases in an unknown language, and all the wolves of her own pack begin to surround her, growling."You think I’m going to face you when I have them to do it for me?" Eisheth gestures toward them. "I won’t kill you. He will do it for me."She beckons to Connor with her index finger, and he starts moving toward her, menacing, baring his fangs. Both Uriel and Kaelan step forward to intervene, but
Saya watches the events unfold from a distance. Her aura is intensifying rapidly as she sees the members of her pack attacking her grandfather and the others. They are all obeying Carla—or rather, the monster that is now revealing its true face. Her blood boils within her veins, unable to tolerate what is happening. However, she remains out of sight, waiting until she has a clear objective. Dr. Moreira is right—she must be cautious and move carefully to avoid endangering her pup. Charging in without a plan is, in fact, a very bad plan.From her position, her gaze remains locked on the monster responsible for all this chaos. Her fury grows, and with a low growl, the lowest branches of the sequoias begin to spiral and tremble, alerting Eisheth. A portion of the dark mist disperses for a few seconds before settling back into place. The Terrakai begin to grow uneasy. No one understands what is happening—except the spirits of the earth, who can sense their goddess, gifted by the moon, near