Anna was leaving the library late one night when she noticed a movement to her left. Normally, she would have been alert, but she could tell it was Zero even before he stepped out of the shadows and into the light.“What are you doing here?” she asked as he walked towards her.“Waiting for you,” he told her.“Me?”He nodded. “I'll walk you back to your room.”“Were you waiting for long?” she asked him. “You could have come inside to get me.”“I did not want to distract you,” he told her. “You get really absorbed when you are reading.”Well, that was true, but she wouldn't have minded if he had gone inside for her. He was right, she would have been thoroughly distracted. But she wouldn't have minded it a bit.“I'm done now,” she said with a shy smile. They had been hanging out a lot lately, but she still got flustered when he was being all sweet.Stepping forward, Zero leaned down and gave her a short soft kiss to her lips. “I missed you,” he whispered when he pulled away.Anna's face
“Miss! Miss!”Crystal woke up to the sound of her frantic maidservant calling her name. She groaned as she opened her eyes, not appreciating the rude awakening.“What's all this racket in the morning?” she demanded, glaring at the female standing beside her bed.“We have been ambushed!” the maid cried, wringing her hands in front of her body.“What?” Crystal frowned and climbed from her bed. “What are you talking about?”“I don't know what's going on,” the maid said. “They rushed in and detained our guards, everybody is panicking!”Crystal rushed to the window and looked outside. In front of the mansion, she saw a line of Blacksword guards kneeling on the ground. Surrounding them was a group of guards in golden armour.Royal guards! What on earth were they doing at her pack?Crystal rushed to get dressed and hurried downstairs. When she got to the ground floor, she spied a group of royal guards escorting her father out of the house.“Father!” she called, running towards them as they l
“I'll kill them,” Crystal slurred as her hand tightened around the wine glass in her grip. “I'll kill them all!”She threw the glass across the room, shattering it against the wall. Her room was a mess following her outburst–beddings overturned, lamps broken, shards of glass all over the floor.Her father had been executed a few hours earlier. Not one person–not her relatives or the elders in the council–had tried to plead with the king to reconsider. They had all bowed their heads like a bunch of cowards and followed Julian’s every word.Now, her father was dead, her family was shamed, and their reputation was in tatters. A few weeks ago, she had thought that she would be the Luna Queen. It was a position that would have elevated her pack above everyone but the royal pack. Their pack had been envied by others for producing the future queen, something they had all sought for years. She could not believe how quickly everything had changed.Now, they were the laughing stock of the kingd
The revelation of Alpha Black's schemes sent the kingdom reeling. The packs that had lifted their voices against the royal pack retreated, claiming they had no idea that Alpha Black had ulterior motives.The royal pack’s reputation was restored, and the rumours regarding Julian's mismanagement and unfairness died. By uncovering Alpha Black's schemes with clear evidence, he had shown that he was capable of keeping the kingdom safe.Now, instead of slamming him for not marrying Crystal Black, everybody was saying he was lucky he hadn't. One of the new rumours going around was that Crystal had been sent by her father to assassinate the Lycan King.“They must have thought the king was stupid,” Lyra overheard one of the servants gossiping while two of them worked in the garden. Lyra was hidden behind a few of bushes, so they were unaware of her presence. “It turns out he had been steps ahead of them.”“I was so glad when she left the palace,” another one said. “She was already overbearing,
“According to the information we have received from the Red Moon Pack, the attack is so severe that Alpha Devon has been unable to deal with the rogues with his troops,” Asher informed everyone in the meeting room. “We need to send backup as soon as possible.”“We have enough to deal with already, we don't need this distraction. Let's deal with this as soon as possible so we can quickly get back to the issue with the corrupt wolves,” Julian instructed.“Who’ll lead the mission to the Red Moon Pack?” Asher asked. “All the security chiefs are either chasing leads concerning the tainted wolves or overseeing the situation in the rebelling packs. We'll have to relieve one of them to head to Red Moon.”Those inside the room agreed, and Lyra could see that none of them had any idea who to send to the Red Moon Pack. Since the security status of the kingdom was sensitive, it was not easy to simply pull one of the security chiefs from their stations and send them on an impromptu mission.The ro
Lyra pulled back and touched his face gently, brushing her fingers over his brows and temple and jaws.Julian reached up and took her hands in his. “Why are you looking at me like that?” he asked.She looked into his eyes. “Like what?”His throat moved as he swallowed. A slight furrow appeared between his brows. “This is not your plot to run away, is it?”“Do you really think that?” Lyra asked, smiling. She gave him a quick peck on the lips. “Of course it's not. I'll miss you.”“Then you should come back to me quickly,” he told her.“I will,” she promised.He held her hands to his chest as he swooped in and kissed her. He kissed her hard but slowly, savouring every stroke of their lips against each other.When they pulled back for air, Lyra placed a hand on his chest and pushed him towards the bed. Following her lead, he fell back into the bed, sitting up against the headboard.Lyra followed, getting on the bed on her knees but keeping some distance between them. Slowly, she began unb
Lyra, Zero, and Beryl were accompanied by a group of carefully selected warriors to the Red Moon Pack. They were all highly trained and had dealt with rogue invaders many times before, so the expectation was that they would quickly suppress the attackers in Devon's pack.The journey to the Red Moon Pack took hours. When they got to the border, they found all roads blocked, forcing them to leave their vehicles behind and go the rest of the way on foot.As they got deeper into Red Moon territory, all they could see were signs of destruction. Most of the homes were destroyed and there was no one around, as if everybody had run away.As they got closer to the Alpha's residence, they started coming across a few rogues fighting with pack members. These were easy to subdue. However, as they got closer to the residence, the number of rogues steadily increased.Many of Red Moon's warriors were injured and fatigued, barely able to put up a fight. The compound outside Devon's residence was litte
Lyra found herself outside the building as her body went through transformation. All fighting around her ceased as everyone, both rogues and warriors, turned to see where the thunderous howl had come from.Devon, however, was not fazed. He went after Lyra, his fangs extended and ready to strike. However, when he jumped towards her, an invisible force slammed into him, thrusting him into the air and against the wall. That force was Lyra's aura, the ripples of which everyone in the yard felt.As everyone watched in shock, Lyra transformed into a big white shewolf, dwarfing everyone around her. The air was equal parts full of uncertainty, fear, and awe.While Lyra came to her full size, Devon got up from the ground. The thrust from earlier and the knock against the wall must have hurt, but he did not appear to be compromised in any way. He came at Lyra's wolf again with the same aggressiveness and energy from before.Lyra swiped her front paw and hit him, sending him flying across the ya
Lyra left Nile’s side and went to stand beside Julian, which caused another stir among the guests.“Lyra, what are you doing?” Nile asked, pretending to be hurt and confused. “Who is he? What’s the meaning of this?”“It’s over, Nile,” Lyra said, calling him by his real name. “The real Lycan King is here.” Looking around, she addressed the guests. “That is the Rogue King who has been trying to take over the kingdom. He imprisoned His Majesty and forced me to work for him.”“How absurd!” Nile yelled. “Lyra, how could you do this to me? I trusted you despite what everyone said about you, and this is how you repay me? Have you been working for the rogues all this time?”“He could be right,” someone said. “Nobody knows anything about her background. Maybe she is a spy sent by the rogues.”“I knew something did not make sens
“Where have you been?” Nile asked when Lyra appeared at his side a while later. After separating with Julian, Lyra had gone to her room to freshen up to get rid of any scent that would give away the fact that she had been with Julian.“I went on a walk with some of the guests and we wandered around the palace,” she told him. “Was I gone for long?”“Yes,” he said, his voice tinged with displeasure. “Stay by my side from now on.”“Of course,” she agreed, giving him a smile.“There are some important guests you haven’t met,” he said, steering her towards a group of guests. “They are from the Northern Packs Alliance. You know what to do.”Lyra knew of the Northern Packs Alliance. It was a group of three packs–Sky, Northern, and Ferun. The northern part of the kingdom had once been overrun by rogues, but the three packs came together and defeated
“It worked,” Julian said in awe, lifting his hands in front of his face. He could feel his wolf’s power surging through him, potent and unrestricted.“Really?” Lyra asked, rising on her elbow. They were lying side by side on the examination table after a frantic lovemaking session that left their bodies slick with sweat and out of breath.“Yes,” Julian confirmed. “He is fully restored.”“Great!” Lyra exclaimed, feeling thrilled. Leaning towards him, she gave him a kiss. He sunk his hand into her hair and held her in place, deepening the kiss. When they pulled apart, there was an amused smile on Julian’s face.“What is it?” she asked him, curious.“Yuri is impatient to tear that bastard into pieces,” he revealed.Lyra nodded. “That makes four of us.”Rae was also excited and already urging Lyra to get out there and ruin Nile’s grand plan. With Yuri by her side, she felt invincible. Lyra felt the same way about having Julian with her, but she knew it was crucial to have a good plan befo
“Julian?” Lyra whispered, an overwhelming relief washing over her.Julian jumped down from the examination table and met her halfway. Their arms went around each other. When they pulled back, her eyes were shining with tears.She raised her hands to his face and cupped his cheeks, examining his face. It felt like it had been forever since she had last seen him. This was the same face that Nile was parading around, and yet, there was such a huge difference.This was Julian. Her Julian.“Are you okay?” she asked him, lowering her hand to his chest and moving his robe aside. There was a dark mark where he was stabbed, but the wound had healed up.“I’m fine,” he told her, taking her hand. “Almost.”Feeling relieved, Lyra embraced him again, resting her face on his chest.“What about you?” Julian asked, palming her hair.“I’m alright,” she told him. “Don’t worry abut me.”He pulled her back and looked at her with a concerned frown. “Are you eating well? Where are you staying?”“I’m staying
After confining Lyra in her room for a few days, Nile arrived with news of a royal banquet.“This is your chance to show me whose side you are on,” he told her after presenting her with the gown she was to wear for the occasion. “I have invited Alphas, Lunas, and Elders from all around the kingdom. The banquet is in your honour as the future queen, so I expect you to act the part. Will you have a problem with that?”“No,” she said, eyeing the gown. It was a red gown, embellished with glimmering gems. Alongside it was a beautiful diamond tiara which Lyra recognised as being one of the royal family’s heirlooms.“Good,” he said, holding her chin and lifting her face. “If you help me get through this banquet, you'll have done your job well, and I'll make sure Julian continues getting the best medical care. But if you make a mistake…” He trailed off, moving his hand to her throat and resting it there. “...you'll pay.”“I understand,” she told him. Such a gathering could go very wrong for h
“Approximately five hundred years ago, there was a tyrant Lycan King,” Nile started his narration when Lyra agreed to hear his version of the story. “He oppressed all other packs for the benefit of the royal pack, which amassed wealth and unmatched power at the expense of others. While the royal pack lived in luxury, the rest of the kingdom was barely getting by. The king forced them to send slaves and tributes, stripping the packs of their best talents and driving many werewolves to poverty and near starvation. Nobody was brave enough to stand up to the king, but one day, the Scarlet Alpha said enough was enough.”Lyras frowned, because she had never heard of a Scarlet Alpha or a Scarlet Pack for that matter. “The Scarlet Alpha? From which pack?”“The Scarlet Pack,” Nile replied. “You wouldn't know it. It has long gone extinct, and the royal family saw to it that it was wiped from history. After long enough, most werewolves forgot anything like it ever existed.”“Did the Scarlet Alph
“What's the meaning of this?” Crystal demanded as soon as the shop attendant left the room. “Why would you pay that much for her but refuse to pay mine?”“I invited her to go shopping,” Nile replied coolly, “but I don't remember inviting you. I also did not promise to pay for your stuff at any time.”“What?” Crystal screeched. “I am your partner! How can you treat me like this, especially in front of her? You did not even punish her for attacking me that day and locking me in the secret chamber. Aren't you supposed to be on my side?”“What does that have to do with this?” Nile asked, losing his cool. “I don't have to explain what I do to you.”Crystal scoffed. “So then, you are just going to humiliate me?”“Just because we work together does not mean you are in control of me,” Nile told her. “It's not in your place to tell m
Lyra sighed for the umpteenth time as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She reached for the hem of her skirt and tugged, but it had reached its full length, somewhere several inches above the middle of her thighs.She huffed in annoyance at the ridiculousness of the situation. Nile had come out of nowhere and announced that they were going shopping and took the liberty of choosing Lyra's outfit.He had chosen an extremely short skirt paired with a soft cashmere sweater. The outfit might have been perfect for a night out, but why on earth would she wear like this to go shopping? Forget a night out, the skirt was way too short for her liking, she felt like she would be flashing her bottom with every step she took.He had refused her attempts to choose a different outfit, so she was stuck with this. Slipping her feet into a pair of stilettos–yet another poor choice for the occasion–she left her room and went downstairs.She found Nile a
When Julian woke up, he found himself in a sterile room with white walls. It was filled with the stench of disinfectant and medicine.When he tried moving his body, he realised that his limbs were strapped to the bed, restricting his movements. He turned his head to look around, but the room was empty. He lifted his head to check his wound. His torso was wrapped with bandages, so he could not see anything.He lay back and tried to recall what had happened. The last thing he remembered was being in the dungeon with Nile and Lyra. When he recalled the deal Lyra had made with Nile, he shut his eyes in regret.A sudden sound made him open his eyes just in time to see someone walk into the room. Julian was surprised to see that it was the royal healer, Spencer.“You are finally awake,” Spencer said, moving to the bedside table and placing a metallic tray carrying various medical items there. “How are you feeling?”“Spencer?” Julian called his name in disbelief. “Do you know who you are wor