(Evans)Ah! I sighed deeply, taking a brief break from the overwhelming preparations for Alpha Alaric’s upcoming birthday. Just as I was savoring the moment, Selina, an omega like myself, burst into my room.“What is it, Selina? You startled me,” I scolded, rubbing my sore toes. But I noticed the mischievous sparkle in her eyes.“I’ve got a prank I want to pull on one of the omegas,” she said, handing me a piece of paper. “She’s close to you, so could you write a note saying you’re stranded?”Furrowing my brows, I asked, “Who is it?”“Oh, I’m not telling you. That would ruin the surprise. Suspense!” She chuckled maniacally.I shook my head, writing on the paper and wondering what she was up to, but I didn't let myself get too involved. Playing tricks on each other was common among us omegas.“Do you see how Valerie is all over the place? Changing everything Luna Ivory is planning?” Selina scrunched her nose up, and I nodded, sharing her frustration. “It’s so unfair.”“And did you hear
(Evans)Letting my curiosity get the better of me, I asked, “What do you mean? Why did Alpha Alaric penalize her so quickly without looking into it? What if he judged wrongly?”I wasn’t sure I could truly trust Beta Kaiden. The same man who had dragged Ivory with no mercy yet still claimed to be her cousin. He couldn’t even show his pity, considering that he was privileged to be in the position of beta because of his relationship with her. It was all too painful to see. Ivory never deserved such treatment, no matter what. And even if the claims were right, she was still Luna, and she should’ve had a proper send-off; even a rogue didn’t deserve such harsh degrading. I wanted to dig into the case deeper, to get justice for her, but Alpha Alaric’s judgment was final, and no one dared question him. Only great petitions could sway his decisions. “But you have always known Ivory almost your whole life. You didn’t believe she could do it, even if the entire world believed otherwise… Or did
~IVORY~Resisting the urge to surrender to the darkness, I fought my hardest to remain conscious. Are you okay?” Berry, who noticed my discomfort, asked me with concern laced in her voice.I managed to flash her a small, tight smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. Could you please pass me the claw bowl?” She handed it over, and I concentrated on assembling Riley’s meal, forcing my hands to stay steady.Once ready, I picked up the tray and headed straight to the King’s room. I knocked softly, and he muttered a low “Come in, Maya.” My heart stumbled at the sound of his voice. How did he know it was me even without asking? Could he smell my presence, or had he merely been expecting Riley’s food?As I entered, my gaze fell upon him, he had changed his attire, now securing his cloak with practiced ease. I set the bowl on the bedside table next to Riley, who beamed up at me. “Here you go, Riley,” I said softly, and she chirped a cheeky “Thank you,” before diving into her food. Yet, my attention was dra
~ King Zeeb~ I was walking toward the fiesta grounds when the familiar scent of pine cones filled my senses. Before I could turn, she slipped out from the shadows, trailing her manicured fingers from my lips down to my chest. “What is this behavior, Aurora?” I asked, suppressing a wave of disgust and swatting her hand away. “This can’t go on. Stay within your boundaries. I was drunk! Don’t you get the memo?” She scoffed, an almost mocking smile twisting her lips. “Drunk? Twice, King? Come up with a better excuse. You can pretend all you want, but I know how good we made each other feel. That memory stays with me.” I clenched my jaw, barely holding back my anger. I’d only tolerated her because she was Heather’s best friend. A single reckless mistake, and now she thinks she has a claim on me. “I can’t believe this,” she spat, her voice slightly rising. “First you left me for Adeline, and now you want to do the same with Maya? I see it in your eyes that you want her. But don't you re
(Alpha Zeeb)“I belong to no one. Never will I, and that’s final,” her words echoed in my mind. I didn’t understand why she suddenly became so defensive from my statement, but I could see the fear in her eyes and it tugged at my heart. I wanted to reassure her, to tell her that as long as I was here, she had nothing to worry about and I would protect her with all my might, up till my last breath.Refusing to back down, I moved even closer, our breaths mingling. Softness abandoned my tone as I asked her seriously, “Tell me, Why are you here?”She blinked, nervous, looking everywhere but at me before clearing her throat. “I… I already told you, didn’t I?”Her words only fueled my curiosity, and I chuckled softly, leaning closer to brush my lips near her ear. Her body went rigid and I saw goosebumps appear all over her body. “You and I both know that Regina is not the only reason you’re here.”Her scent grew only stronger, and my hypersensitive ears caught the frantic racing of her he
~Ivory~The heat rising in my body was undeniable. His scent engulfed me, pulling me in. I wanted to feel him against me, I wanted him to mark me as his, to let the world know who I belonged to, but then Alaric’s face flashed in my eyes, flooding like disoriented lights.I wanted to move away from the King as far as I could, but there was something that kept sparking deep within me. My wolf, who had become almost dormant.I could sense her trying to awaken. Her desire was building up like blocks, but I didn’t want to feed on it.“Why did you come?” the King asked, his question unsettling me to the core. A sudden haze clouded my mind, and I found myself wondering how I’d even ended up in his territory. It was baffling, almost surreal the more I thought about it.I stammered, unsure of how to answer, my anxiety heightening as he asked who sent me. His presence suddenly felt overwhelming, his hot breath fanning against my earlobe. I shivered, goosebumps pricking my skin.His eyes darted
~Ivory~I blink a few times, trying to process his words. Deep down, I knew I wasn’t sent just for Regina’s missions, but there was something deeper at play, something only the unseen knew. There was so much I was hiding from him, and I feared he was slowly lifting the veil, unraveling me bit by bit.Trying to divert the conversation, I stroked the horse while asking, “Do you miss her?” The question had always lingered in my mind. I wondered what was going through his head every day—does he think moving on would feel like betrayal to the soul tie he once shared with her?I glanced at him; his eyes held so many emotions I couldn't read. As the breeze picked up, he undid his bun, letting his hair flow wildly. I expected him to shrug my question off, but to my surprise, he spoke after a brief pause.“My Adeline.” He chuckled softly, his gaze distant, and I found myself smiling with him, my mind drifting to Riley. “She was a singer, the daughter
~IVORY~I could feel his worry radiating through the room, very visible in the tightness of his shoulders and the hurried gestures he made as he spoke. I found myself genuinely concerned. I watched him from the corner of my eye, careful not to make my curiosity too obvious, yet I couldn’t take my gaze away.I tracked his movements as he finished speaking with the man across the room, hastily making his way toward his chambers. “Excuse me for a moment, Maya; I need to do something quick,” Heather said casually and walked away in a hurry. “I'm staying here.” Riley smiled at me, yanking my arms as I smiled back at her innocence. “It's ok, Riley. I'm right here with you.” I nodded to Heather as I watched her walk away. My curiosity deepened, pulling me like a magnet. I wanted to understand what troubled him so much. I wanted to help, to somehow shoulder the weight he was carrying, although I knew how dangerous that urge could be. Espe
~Alpha King Zeeb~“I’ll head in first,” Maya said, walking out of the balcony even before I could respond.As the balcony door closed behind her, I released a frustrated grunt and ran a hand through my hair, tussling the strands.She was pulling away, but not because of the kiss. No, the withdrawal that was evident on her face and in her scent wasn’t something that had just popped up. It had been there, brewing since the night we came to Father’s territory.What was going on?My wolf whined at the realization that I knew little about what was bothering our mate, and that, in turn, bothered me.I didn’t like Maya’s withdrawn demeanor, but could I really blame her? I wasn’t exactly sure what had been making her uncomfortable. So much had happened, and was still happening, and her attitude was… understandable.I had felt the frustration and stress radiating off her, but at the same time, the confusion in her scent and the way she tried so hard to put on a mask told me there was more.And
~Ivory~ I pulled away, shoving Zeeb in the chest to create some distance between us, my eyes wide as I turned toward the door. But… no one was there. We were alone, with the door slammed shut behind us as it had been when Zeeb first walked in. But that couldn’t be possible. I frowned, recalling vividly that Zeeb had indeed shut the door behind him when he entered. So, the only way the door could have opened was if someone else had come in. Which meant… An icy chill snaked down my spine as the possibility hit me that someone might’ve seen us kissing. I turned my gaze sharply to Zeeb. “Someone was here.” Zeeb frowned but didn’t respond immediately, as though he was trying to figure something out, most likely trying to detect who had been spying by the lingering scent in the air. But even for him, it seemed like a daunting task to tell, especially with so many guests at the party, scents flying around. But I wouldn’t deny the fact that he also had abilities far surpassin
~Ivory~My eyes flew open at the unexpected reveal.“R-Rendering them human?” I repeated, genuine surprise lacing my voice.Being a special Luna from the Legend was one thing, but possessing a power so unimaginable… that was something else entirely.My brows furrowed as I tried to digest the information I had just been given. I could feel their eyes—Zeeb’s, Vinita’s, even Dimitris’s—all fixed on me, watching closely, silently waiting.But for what?A reaction? A decision? A sign that I understood what this meant?Dimitris was the first to speak, breaking the silence that had stretched on longer than I would have liked.“This power… it changes everything,” he said quietly, his voice laced with both awe and caution. His eyes remained locked on mine. “You need to understand what you are now and what that means for all of us.”“What it means for all of us?” I asked. A second passed, and when no one answered, the silence became its own kind of response. Then, like a thread snapping loose i
~Ivory~ Confusion washed over me as I looked between Vinita and Zeeb, trying to understand what had prompted Vinita’s reaction and Zeeb’s words. The growing whispers in the room weren’t helping either. “Something special?” I asked, narrowing my eyes slightly. “What exactly are you talking about?” Zeeb’s smile remained, but from his eyes, I could tell even he was trying to wrap his head around the words he had just spoken. Nonetheless, he nodded and took a step forward, reaching out to touch me. It wasn’t intentional—more like an instinctive reaction to being thrown into the spotlight so suddenly. With all the watchful eyes on us, I instinctively took a step back, avoiding his touch. Zeeb’s face fell ever so slightly. It wasn’t a pleasant sight, and I felt the urge to apologize—to let him know I wasn’t avoiding his touch because I hated it but because I had been caught off guard, overwhelmed by all the eyes and whispers surrounding us. But there were more pressing matters
~Ivory~"We've heard so much about you. We're so glad to finally meet the famous Maya in person." A regal couple, whom Dimitris introduced as the Alpha and Luna of moonpack, extended their hands for a handshake, which I gladly took, accepting their greetings."Thank you very much for your kind words," I replied, still feeling awkward to be put under the spot. The Luna then proceeded to gush about my beauty."Everyone spoke of your beauty, but seeing you in person surpasses all expectations. You are indeed a catch." I gave a nervous chuckle as she continued, remarking on my pale skin and we fell into an easy conversation, the tension I felt earlier long forgotten. There was something about them that I found comforting. Another couple approached. I recognized the man from the assessment as a board member. Though we exchanged pleasantries, I sensed a subtle hostility in the way their eyes burned, the scrutiny, and the way they exchanged knowing glances between themselves, but I couldn't
~Ivory~I leaned into Zeeb’s touch. For a moment, I almost lost myself in his arms, everything fading into a blur around us—and that was what scared me. I was scared of losing myself yet again. I wanted to open up, to tell him about Mrs Nora and the visions I got, but I didn't know how. I didn't know where to start. So instead, I bottled it all up. “Please leave before anyone sees you here.” Instead, I pushed him away, afraid of confronting whatever this was. No matter the bridges I created between us, Zeeb always found a way to fill in the gaps.He was reluctant at first. I knew he wanted to oppose me, to challenge me, to say he didn’t care about being seen. It was right there, at the tip of his tongue, but he sighed, his shoulders slumping briefly before he nodded and placed a lingering kiss on my forehead.I watched him walk away. My wolf snarled at the back of my mind, crossed with me for ruining the moment with her wolf, but I couldn’t afford to entertain her shenanigans. Instea
~Alpha King Zeeb~ “So…” I trailed off, clearing my throat to gain Father’s attention. His normally hard features softened slightly, and I knew this was the perfect moment to finalize the discussion. No matter how difficult he was trying to be, I reminded myself that I was doing this for Heather. “About the mating ceremony…” His shoulders tensed instantly, a clear sign that this was a sore topic for him. He shook his head in disapproval before I could even finish. “We’ve been over this,” he said in a low, firm voice. This time, he fully turned toward me, his gaze sharp. “As far as I am concerned, no lineage of mine will be tied to bad blood, soiling our perfect generation. Derrick and Heather happening is out of the question, and that is final.” I clenched my fists, swallowing the fury bubbling inside me. Once again, Father was doing the same thing—dictating our lives under the guise of protection. I knew he had our best interests at heart, but his love came at a cost. I could
~Alpha King Zeeb~“Look who we have here.” Father’s voice carried the same quiet authority it always did, though his eyes never left the checkers board in front of him. He cleared his throat, tapping a red piece absentmindedly. “If it isn’t the almighty King himself.” He added, mumbling under him breath. I playfully rolled my eyes and exhaled, pulling my hands from my pockets. “Good day to you too, Father,” I said in a monotone voice, settling into the seat across from him.A ghost of a smirk played on his lips before disappearing just as quickly. Without looking up, he nudged a piece forward. “Your turn.”I rolled my sleeves up to my elbows, already recognizing the challenge in his voice. He was being his usual self—dictating the pace before I even agreed to play.He’d already decided we were playing before I even sat down.“I don’t recall agreeing to a game.” I grazed a piece, considering my next move. “…You always take the center first.” I completed, moving the pieces. Father smi
~Ivory~ What in the world is going on? I swallowed down my saliva hard, confusion twisting in my gut as I watched Mrs. Nora unravel completely before my eyes. “Nooo!!” she screamed loudly this time, her voice hoarse from sheer anguish, she pulled and tugged at her hair with frantic desperation, one which was unsettling. Her wide, unblinking eyes shimmered with terror as she twitched. “Bunch of liars… they are all a bunch of liars!” Her sudden outburst sent a shiver through me. Her wild gaze darted around the room as if looking for an escape before snapping to mine. For a moment, I swore she was looking right into my soul, searching for something, as if I were a piece of a puzzle she had long been trying to fit together. Something in the way she looked at me—like she knew me, as if she was seeing something beyond my flesh and bone. It sent ice through my veins. It was something more than just recognition. Almost like…. desperation, as if she were trying to reach me, to pull me into