Sarah was silent in her reverie, thinking about Lucian's honesty as a werewolf. Ever since they first met, she had felt something odd about the man. But she had never witnessed his transformation as a werewolf."Is he a fantasy creature like what he said? Or is that just a lie? Werewolf? That sounds like a lie.""Enough thinking about your escape, Sarah," Lucian broke Sarah's reverie suddenly.Sarah was startled and looked Lucian straight in the eye, "I'm not thinking about anything, Mr. Lucian."However, with his piercing gaze, Lucian could detect the anxiety plaguing Sarah's mind. "Never mind, don't lie. You're not good at lying. We should talk about other matters," Lucian said seriously.Sarah nodded, waiting for Lucian to continue their conversation."Sarah, are you pregnant yet?"Sarah was surprised by the sudden question. She examined herself, looking for signs of pregnancy. "I don't know, Sir. I've never checked."Lucian grimly looked at Sarah, "You must confirm that immediatel
Lucian stepped slowly towards Sarah, his piercing gaze piercing the room. However, despite the tense aura that filled the air, Sarah remained resolute, not entirely put off by the intimidation displayed by the man.Sarah politely asked, "What do you wish to do now, Mr. Lucian?" Though it was clear, she held no fear on her face.Lucian approached even closer, almost touching their noses. In a low voice, he asked, "Who are you? How dare you talk and laugh with my guest?"Sarah tried to explain, "I just..."However, Lucian's hand almost slapped Sarah's cheek before her words were finished. Just then, there was a sudden knock on the door."Lucian? I have something important to tell you," said his friend outside the room.Lucian cast a scathing glance at Sarah in the darkened room before finally turning to meet his guest. With a cold hand, he locked the door to the room, confining Sarah inside."Sir, don't lock me up again!" cried Sarah, but Lucian just looked at her without responding."F
Carefully, Sarah opened the door to her room slightly, trying to see who was knocking. Lucian, with an angry expression on his face, entered the room without permission."Who were you peeping at?" demanded Lucian, his gaze piercing Sarah.Sarah tried to hold back fear, "I didn't mean to peek, Sir. I just wanted to know what was going on in the house.""Listen carefully, never again step outside your room without permission. You have no right to pry into other people's private affairs," Lucian warned sternly.Sarah nodded, feeling cornered in her little room. Lucian left her room with a firm step, but his expression hadn't completely subsided. Sarah sat on the edge of her bed, trying to ease the tension.Marco tried to calm down a visibly shaken Esme in the living room. "Calm down, Esme. Lucian is probably just surprised. We have to find a good way to solve this problem."Esme nodded, trying to hide her fear. "But what am I supposed to do? He doesn't even trust me."Marco gave an encou
Although the waiter's face reflected displeasure, as if fate played a role, his fear of sharp knives was real. With cautious steps, the servant asked, "What do you want?"Sarah gave strict instructions, "Disguise yourself as me. And you will be safe."The servant's brow furrowed, reflecting deep anxiety. She realized the tremendous risk she would face if Lucian learned of this plan. However, Sarah's threat to him could not be ignored."Hurry up!" snapped Sarah.Scared and hesitant, the servant spoke, "But, what if Lord Lucian finds out about all this? He will kill me."Sarah assured him, "I'll make sure that won't happen. Trust me!"Along with his doubts, the servant finally complied with Sarah's request. They changed their clothes. Sarah also put on a mask so her face would not be recognized."You just need to cover your whole body with a blanket. Stay away even if Lucian calls you. Understood?"She nodded. However, the inevitable worry still lurked in her eyes."Wait!" he said."Wh
Lucian approached Sarah with his sharp, probing eyes. However, Sarah's success in disguising herself as a maid was not enough to take Lucian's sharp attention off her. He stood before her, staring intently at Sarah."He doesn't know," Sarah muttered to herself, trying to maintain composure."Not feeling well, Deborah?" asked Lucian in a sarcastic tone, his smile containing disbelief.Sarah swallowed and tried to maintain her demeanour. "Yes, sir. A little dizzy and weak," she replied hoarsely.Lucian grinned as if enjoying the situation. "Rest for a while. Then get back to work."Sarah tried to contain her agitation. "Very well, sir. I apologize, sir. Maybe it's because the task is quite heavy today."Lucian left the kitchen, leaving a tense atmosphere behind him. When Lucian was out of sight, the other servants breathed a sigh of relief. Some of them gave Sarah a sympathetic look, recognizing how difficult her position was. However, some still looked at her with suspicion."Poor Deb
Aware of Sarah's presence in the doorway, Lucian invited her in with a firm, "Come in!"Sarah stepped in cautiously, carrying a bottle of beer in her hand. "Sir, I brought some beer from the cellar. I'm sure you'll like it.""I prefer the outfit you're wearing tonight, Sarah."Lucian took the beer from her hand, his gaze lingering on her long enough to make her cheeks flush. She wore a simple dress, one that modestly framed her figure. To her surprise, Lucian’s compliment was genuine, not dripping with the usual sarcasm she had come to expect."Thank you," she mumbled, eyes downcast. She wondered how a man who had her under lock and key could make her feel so vulnerable yet strangely seen.Lucian poured the beer into two glasses, sliding one across the table towards her. "Sit. Drink with me."Tentatively, Sarah took a seat, lifting the glass to her lips. The beer was cold and bitter, a stark contrast to the warmth spreading through her from Lucian's proximity. "Why do you keep me here
With trembling hands, Sarah replied, "I..."Lucian immediately snatched the phone from Sarah's hand, his expression full of anger. "Don't you ever do this again, understand?"Sarah, who was slumped on the floor, could only nod weakly. She felt increasingly squeezed into a predicament. Lucian pushed her away, pacing back and forth, trying to contain his fury."Why did you contact him?" he demanded, his voice shaking with a mix of rage and betrayal."I... I just wanted to understand why he did it," Sarah stammered, tears streaming down her face. "I wanted closure."Lucian's eyes softened momentarily, but the anger quickly returned. "You don't need closure from a man like Marcus. He's dangerous, Sarah. Reaching out to him puts you in jeopardy."Sarah wiped her tears, her voice barely a whisper. "I know. I’m sorry."Lucian sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He sat down beside her, his tone softer but still stern. "You have to trust me. Everything I do is to protect you."She
Marco felt darkness creep into his heart as he searched for Laura around the hallways of the hospital. Each step felt heavier, anxiety creeping into his mind. Laura, on the other hand, slipped between the corridors, her heart a mixture of disappointment and curiosity.Laura's steps out of the hospital were quick and purposeful. She needed air, space to think. The confrontation with Marco had been unexpected, and now she felt torn between her duty and her emotions. As she exited the hospital, she bumped into Esme, who was just arriving."Laura?" Esme's voice was filled with concern. "What happened? You look upset."Laura forced a smile, shaking her head. "It's nothing, Esme. Just a lot on my mind."Esme wasn't convinced. "Come on, let's go for a walk. You can tell me everything."The two women walked towards the nearby park, the evening air cool and refreshing. Laura remained silent, trying to gather her thoughts. Esme, sensing her friend's hesitation, decided to break the silence."I'
It's overLuciano turned to look at Talia who was standing at the door of the bathroom, and his eyebrows rose in approval.That oversized tank top covered Talia’s private parts, but it was also low on the chest, giving him a glimpse of Talia’s cleavage… high on the thighs, exposing her legs, and loose around arms… Luciano swallowed hard as the image of Talia’s side-boob flashed in his mind. Yup, he remembered that.He really wanted to suck her there. Everywhere.Talia squirmed under Luciano’s gaze. Why did he look at her like she was naked?Talia was about to tug the tank top and cover her legs more, but she held that urge back due to fear of how that will lower the opening at her neck and expose her girls, so she just pressed her legs together and folded her arms over her stomach in a feeble attempt to protect herself from Luciano’s x-ray vision.“Can I help you?”, Talia asked.Luciano tilted his head and smiled a little. “There is no need to be so cautious, wife. Do you remember me
Luciano was sitting in his office with a glass of whiskey in his hand and thinking about the talk he had with Caden and Maya after dinner.They discussed the upcoming festival and the issue of Katerina.The preparations for the festival were on schedule and increased security was already in effect, so they focused on discussing Katerina.They decided to work on delaying her visit.It was Maya’s plan.“Instead of telling her not to come, we will tell her WHEN to come.”Luciano didn’t like it, but he gestured to Maya to keep on talking.“Two weeks.”, Maya said. “We will tell Katerina that your schedule is packed and that you can’t entertain her now, but in two weeks she can come, and you will make it up to her.”“You think Katerina and Alpha Edward will accept this two-week delay?”, Luciano asked.“No.”, Maya said bluntly before elaborating, “This is not about getting two weeks, but about negotiating. I expect that they will ask for Katerina to come sooner. I believe that we can settle
Seeing that Luciano was looking at her grimly from the door of her room, Talia didn’t dare to provoke him.Talia didn’t have the faintest clue what caused his current mood (or what that mood was), but she decided to play it safe, and she lowered her head.“I apologize, Alpha Luciano.”, she said in a small voice.‘BAM!’Talia jolted when the door closed loudly, and she inhaled sharply at the realization that Luciano was only half a step away from her.It took him only a second to cross the distance between them.Luciano grabbed her chin with his index finger and thumb and forced her to lift her head and look at him.“What did you call me?”He was leaning above her, and his angry words splashed on her face. Talia blinked rapidly, unsure what he was getting at.Seeing the horror in her eyes, Luciano let go of her chin and put his palm on her cheek.“I told you to call me by my name. Luciano. Just Luciano. Say it.”His tone was much gentler, but his gaze was unwavering.“Luciano”, Talia s
Between sparring sessions, Luciano was contacting Maya through the mind-link, reminding her to take Talia shopping, but Maya told him that Talia was sleeping and that she shouldn’t be disturbed.‘Talia is sleeping. Considering her wounds, it’s important that she rests. We can shop tomorrow.’, Maya tried to reason with Luciano.‘No. Do it today.’, Luciano was not relenting.The truth is that he felt guilty.He knew that Talia left because of the incident in the kitchen, and he thought that if Maya takes her shopping, Talia will feel better and not try to leave again.The thought of Talia leaving was creating knots in his stomach.She nearly escaped, and next time, he might not be so lucky to find her sleeping in the forest.It was late afternoon when Luciano finished training and returned to the packhouse.His shorts was sticking to his body, and his bare chiseled chest and abs were glistening due to all the sweat and he was itching for a shower.Luciano heard Maya’s voice coming from
“Oh, before I forget…”, Maya stirred the conversation the other way. “Don’t tell anyone that you are from the Red Moon pack. The official story is that you grew up with your grandparents somewhere North and that after they passed, you came here with the goal to find a pack and we bumped into each other accidentally. Do you remember the gas station where Alpha Luciano went out to purchase snacks on his own? It’s the stop where you switched places with Caden.”Talia nodded.“That’s where we met. Feel free to fill in any gaps about your background.”, Maya said and observed Talia who was listening intently with a hint of confusion on her face. “Do you know why this is important?”Talia shook her head, indicating that she doesn’t.“If Alpha Edward suspects that we took you secretly, he might accuse us of kidnapping or stealing.”Talia’s eyes widened. “I agreed to come with you.”“You did, but Alpha Edward is not on friendly terms with Alpha Luciano, and he might use this incident to stir t
“AWOOOOO!”A sky-piercing howl shook all the windows in the packhouse of the Dark Howlers pack, threatening to shatter them. The powerful sound echoed far into the distance, stirring every pack member with the might their Alpha possesses.“Will Luciano be OK?”, Maya asked Caden while blinking at the dawn which cracked through the windows.They heard four rapid thumps when Luciano landed in the garden after jumping from his balcony on the third floor.“He will be fine.”, Caden assured Maya and pulled her closer to him. “The border patrol just notified Luciano that they found Talia.”Maya wanted to ask for more information, but Caden was snoring softly already, so she gave up.Normally, warriors and patrols can’t contact Luciano through the mind-link. That is reserved for Caden, Maya, and Stephanie, and even those three know not to disturb him unless it’s important.Warriors, scouts, and other pack members follow the chain of command which allows only a handful of people to contact Cade
In the kitchen…Luciano pried his arm free from Cassie’s hold and her eyes widened in surprise.Why did he back away? Why was he frowning? Things were going well, damn it!She composed herself and called sweetly, “Alpha Luciano, do you think I was out of line?”“Cassie, you accused a teenage girl of being a thief. Do you really think that my pack members have a need to come here and steal food?”Cassie pressed her lips into a line, feeling wronged. “But she was in the dark which is proof that she was up to no good. How could she see anything with the lights off?”Luciano took a moment to process what Cassie said, and he realized that Cassie was right: Talia was in the dark.The light in the kitchen was off and so was the one in the hallway. The visibility was close to nil.Werewolves have enhanced senses, proportional to the strength of their wolf.Cassie is a weak werewolf and the boost her wolf provides her is negligible when compared to other werewolves.However, Talia was able to
Seeing that Talia was not responding and that Luciano didn’t react, Cassie was emboldened.“Answer me!”, Cassie hissed at Talia and spoke to Luciano without removing her gaze from Talia. “Is this how your Omegas are acting? You really need a Luna to teach them some manners. Sneaking in the dark and stealing food, and then they even refuse to respond…”“That’s enough, Cassie!”, Maya said sternly from the door.Maya’s heart cracked when she saw Talia’s submissive stance. It’s not that Cassie had any aura, but Talia was a broken soul who needed supportive environment.Maya walked to Talia and asked softly, “Are you OK?”Talia nodded faintly, but Maya knew that Talia was lying.Maya narrowed her eyes at Luciano and spoke through the mind-link. ‘Is this why you brought her here? I thought you promised her protection and not another type of hell.’“Come, let’s get out of here…”, Maya said to Talia while wrapping her arm around Talia’s shoulders.“We are not done here”, Cassie said stiffly,
Talia blinked herself awake and the first thing she noticed was the darkness.It was definitely past dinner time, but Talia didn’t mind.She buried her head deeper into the pillow, indulging in the softness and warmth that came with the scent of the forest and dark chocolate.Talia paused and took a few sniffs to confirm that her nose is not playing tricks on her.Talia looked around to ascertain that she was on her own.She was confused. The room didn’t smell like Luciano before she fell asleep, but now it did.She liked his scent; it was a mix of her two favorite things: forest and a sweet treat. Talia wondered if Luciano came to check on her while she was sleeping.Talia shook that thought away. Why would a scary Alpha come to check on her?It’s more probable that Stephanie or Maya brought something that had Luciano’s scent on it. But she couldn’t see anything different.Talia decided to stop thinking about it. It doesn’t matter.She listened carefully, and there were no sounds she