Lianna: My hands trembled as we made our way out of my room. Edward was waiting outside, by his car, and he was dressed impeccably. My breath hitched when he raised his head to look at me and I saw that his hair e fell to the side of his face. His hooded gaze grazed my skin and I found myself taking a step back and almost falling into Ingrid who burst into laughter. "Don't tell me you're staring at our future Alpha King like you want to devour him in one sitting." I glared at her. "You're starting to become a nuisance." She giggled and stood behind me. Over the few hours that we were together, I slowly started to like her and now, I knew I had made a new friend. It was such a rare thing to happen in my life because girls never liked me. I was always seen a competition and I never understood why they saw me that way. It was either they called me a slut for forcing myself on Ethan which wasn't in any way true, or they decided I was just a woman who wanted him for his money.
Lianna: While Ingrid spoke on the phone with Edward, I sat there quietly, trying not to listen to whatever they had to say. Of course, I was sad. Sad that he had left without acknowledging me or even being there for support. Once again, I felt like I was being neglected. Once again, I felt like I didn't matter and hell, it made me want to cry really badly. Well, I wasn't going to. I was going to be strong and I wasn't going to let my past experience with Ethan dictate my emotions. We finally arrived at the hotel. I said my goodbyes to Ingrid and went into the hotel. According to her, Edward was back. I trudged my way in, nervous that something I didn't like was going to happen. Was he going to yell at me for doing something wrong? Was he going to treat me his Ethan treated me, or even worse? I stopped at the door, heaved a few deep breaths before I pushed the door open and walked in. And standing there, in a dimly lit room, was Edward. He held a bunch of roses
Edward: I remained calm, watching as Ethan paced from one end of the room to the other. I could sense his tension and I knew why. He had been too ashamed to come out yesterday, while Lianna and I addressed the crowd, probably because he didn't want to hear the people talk about both of them. But I couldn't care less. And since he was still Alpha King for the next seven days or less, I considered that and honoured his invitation when he asked me to visit him. "Why?" He stopped abruptly. "Are you doing this to spite me in any way? Because it makes no absolute sense why you would do this to me!" I cocked my head to the side, feigning confusion. "What are you talking about? What did I do to you?" He gave me a stern look, obviously upset that I was pretending not to know what he was talking about. "Are you being real right now?" I shrugged. "If you don't tell me why you're upset, there's no way I am going to know. You know that, right?" "She was here yesterday to ad
Ethan: And yet again, I was destroying my room because I couldn't stand the fact that my brother had walked in here to insult me. Who did he think he was to speak to me in such a manner? I'd spent the past few years, ruling in his stead and making sure things went well. Did he think it was that easy to rule people like these? They were fucking ingrates who couldn't see that it was hard to rule when all the odds were against you. And to spite me in the face, he was getting married to Lianna? Was this some sort of jinx or something? Because it made no sense no matter how I tried to think about it. "Where's my wife?" I asked as soon as I walked out of my chambers. Since yesterday, I hadn't seen or spoken to her. She was still mad at me for what happened that night, but I couldn't care less. I needed her. The door swung open and she stepped out of her designated chamber, looking better than I'd ever seen. She had a full face of makeup and was dressed like she was atte
Lianna: Ingrid and I decided to take a tour of the Pack today. This was to help me get used to the stares and the gossip. So far, it was going quite well. Although the talks were there and people kept whispering negative things towards me, Ingrid was there to help. It wasn't exactly a comfortable encounter, but what could I do? Nothing. All I could do was get used to it. "You'll be coming out on your own really soon," she said as we made our way back to the hotel. "You'll have to be going out on your own really soon and honestly, it's going to be the best because you're going to go from hating it to not caring, then to enjoying it." I heaved a dreadful sigh. I really had nothing to say to her right now, but I really hoped she was right. It was almost dusk and people on the roads were becoming scantier. They had all retired back to their homes and I was quite glad as I didn't have to face anyone. Ingrid had a few other errands to attend to so she left just when we
Lianna: "I am here, Lianna," his voice came, soft and reassuring. "Don't be scared. Nothing is going to happen to you. I am here." I held onto him, breathing heavily and literally sobbing against his arms. He held me tight against him, but I didn't stop shaking until after a while. I finally calmed down, but the fear still remained. It was already midnight and it even scared me more. I stared across the room, at the light switch, where Ethan stood and I looked behind me, where Freya sat, but it was Edward holding onto me. "It felt so real," I began to sob softly. "I thought they were going to kill me. I couldn't move. I couldn't save myself. Oh, it's a dream. Nothing but a dream. But it felt so real. So real to the point where all I wanted to do was fucking run." "Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked, his voice soft and filled with worry. He tipped my chin towards his gaze, his lips parted slightly. Before I could even think, I reached up to him and pressed my
Lianna: The words carried a weight that went beyond their meaning. Safe. Was that what I felt? With him beside me, the shadows in the corners of the room seemed less menacing. The lingering fear from the nightmare began to ebb, replaced by a quiet warmth that spread through my chest. I shifted closer to him, unable to help myself. “Edward... thank you.” His lips quirked into a faint smile. “You don’t have to thank me. You’ve been through enough.” The silence that followed was comfortable, punctuated only by the sound of our breathing. “What was it about?” he asked softly, breaking the quiet. “The nightmare?” My voice wavered. “I don’t know. It was... I felt trapped. Like I couldn’t move or breathe. And there were people—faces I recognized, but they weren’t themselves. They wanted to hurt me. I tried to scream, but no sound came out.” I wanted to tell him really bayd that those faces belonged to Freya and Ethan. But it would only make things worse, so I kept silent
Lianna: The door clicked softly behind Edward as he left, and the quiet that followed felt heavy. Ingrid’s gaze lingered on the door for a moment before she turned to face me. Her expression softened, and there was an unspoken apology in her eyes. "I owe you an apology," she said, her voice quieter than usual. I furrowed my brow, confused. "What for?" She sighed and stepped closer, her hands clasped in front of her. "Yesterday. I... I should’ve stayed with you when we got to the hotel. I shouldn’t have left you alone to face all of that. I’m sorry." I shook my head, trying to brush it off. "It’s fine, Ingrid. I’m used to it. Besides, you had to go back home." "I should’ve stayed, Lianna," she insisted, her voice tinged with regret. "I’m your friend, and it wasn’t right to leave you when you were already feeling vulnerable. I’m truly sorry." I met her gaze and could see the sincerity in her eyes. "I understand. It’s not your fault, really." She nodded, but I cou
Lianna: Pain. Sharp, searing and unrelenting moved through me as Mariel targeted my solar plexus. My body was screaming, every inch bruised. Blood spilled from my nose, staining my lips with its metallic taste. But I didn’t care. I had felt worse. The blows Mariel landed on me were nothing compared to the fire burning in my chest, the sheer fury fueling my every breath. She thought she was winning. She thought she had me down. Fool. I could hear the gasps, the shifting of feet, the numerous worried eyes on me, but they were background noise. Even Ingrid’s worried face barely registered in my mind. Edward stood at the sidelines, arms crossed, his jaw locked so tight I thought his teeth might snap. But he wasn’t stopping this. He couldn’t. Mariel smirked, her lips split at the corner, blood smeared along her cheek. “Look at you,” she sneered, rolling her shoulders, preparing for another round. “Flat on your back. You should be used to that by now.” I tasted i
Lianna: I woke tangled in Edward’s arms, and if it were another day, I would have gone back to sleep and enjoyed the comfort of his arms. But I’d had enough of lying still, enough of waiting for someone else to make the first move. I wasn’t going to be the woman who watched things happen to her anymore. Not today. Careful not to wake him, I eased out of his grasp. His hand slid down my side before falling away completely. I held my breath, pausing to be sure he stayed asleep. For a man who carried entire kingdoms on his shoulders, he looked annoyingly peaceful. I slipped out of bed, feet silent on the cold floor. The chill bit at my skin as I pulled on my training clothes—black leggings, a snug sleeveless top, and bandages wound tight around my wrists and knuckles. My boots were next, worn leather creaking softly as I laced them. I dragged my hair into a braid, tying it off with a sharp tug, and then slid out of the room without a sound. The hallway was empty. Eve
Lianna: I woke up to silence, the kind that draped over everything like a heavy wool blanket. Imogen’s soft snores were gone. She must have retreated to her room a while ago. Good for her. She had the sense to sleep through this misery. I, on the other hand, had the misfortune of being conscious. And thirsty. So damn thirsty. I swiped my palm across my face, grimacing at the stickiness on my skin from dried tears. No glass of water on the nightstand. Of course. No maid hovering about with one either. Why would they? I was supposed to be the Luna. Supposed to be cared for, respected. But it sure as hell didn’t feel like that tonight. With a muttered curse, I swung my legs over the bed, my bare feet hitting the cold marble floor. The chill bit into my skin, but I welcomed it. Pain was better than… this hollow ache inside. Wrapping my arms around myself, I padded toward the door. It creaked slightly as I eased it open and slipped out into the dim corridor. The palace
Edward: The moment Lianna’s breathing evened out, I rose from the edge of the bed and straightened. Her back was to me, her shoulders tight even in sleep, like she was bracing for another blow that wouldn’t come. Carefully, I pulled the covers higher over her bare shoulder. I stood there for a long minute, watching the gentle rise and fall of her back. My jaw clenched tight. None of this should’ve happened. Mariel never should’ve stepped foot in this house. And now, because I hadn’t dealt with her the moment she crossed my gates, Lianna was in this bed trying to convince herself I wasn’t another mistake. That wasn’t going to happen again. I shoved my hand through my hair, flexing my fingers to shake off the restless itch under my skin. I walked out, shutting the door behind me with a controlled click. Ingrid straightened from where she stood outside, but I waved her off before she could speak. “Stay here,” I ordered, and she nodded without protest. The cor
Ethan: The moment Edward stormed out of the room, I exhaled slowly and leaned back in my chair. My fingers tapped lazily on the stem of my wine glass as I watched Mariel standing there like she’d just been gutted. Honestly, I’d never loved a moment more. She blinked fast, like she was fighting tears but too damn proud to let them fall. That alone made me sit up straighter, lifting my glass to my lips as if I were toasting the disaster that had just unfolded. Mariel’s gaze slid to me, burning with something between frustration and grief. “Don’t say anything, Ethan,” she bit out, her voice tight, like it scraped her throat just getting the words out. “I swear, I can’t take it from you right now.” I smiled slowly. “Relax. I’ve got absolutely nothing to say.” I tilted my head, studying her with an idle curiosity I didn’t bother masking. “Just… wondering why it ended the way it did. Edward’s never exactly been chatty about you. Or anything, really. Guy’s tighter-lipped
Edward: My glare found Mariel like a blade finding its mark, and I didn’t bother softening it. She just sat there, calm as you please, fingers lazily tracing the rim of her wine glass. Like she was toying with the idea of slitting someone’s throat. Probably mine. “You’re pushing it,” I said. Ethan snorted from across the table. “Relax, Edward. You’re acting like it’s the end of the world.” I snapped my head toward him. “And you’re acting like you’ve got a death wish. Don’t test me.” He just lifted his hands in mock surrender. I turned back to Mariel, ignoring the slight tilt of her mouth. Amusement. She always was a master of pretending she held all the cards. “Why the hell are you here?” I ground out. She shrugged, that infuriatingly delicate lift of her shoulders she used to make men stumble over themselves. Not anymore. “I told you I’d be visiting during the Lycan Confederate meeting,” she said lightly. “Did I agree to that?” My voice was
Lianna: I'd never been so enraged and uncomfortable at the same time. I didn't know exactly what to feel because there was a lot happening in my head. The clink of my fork against the porcelain plate was sharper than I intended. I felt the scrape of metal teeth grinding into the delicate glaze, and my fingers curled tighter around the handle. Across the table, Mariel’s perfectly arched brows lifted as she made a small, overly theatrical gasp. “Oh dear,” she said, her voice dipped in a sweetness that tasted like poison. “Are you alright, Lianna? You stabbed that turkey like it owed you money.” I glanced at the offending piece of meat on my plate. Sure enough, I’d nearly shredded it into an unrecognizable heap of fibers, juices pooling in the grooves of my knife work. I forced a slow breath through my nose, the scent of roasted garlic and thyme doing little to soothe the sudden wave of irritation clawing at my chest. “I’m fine,” I replied, dragging the words out
Lianna: The sky outside was a muted grey, thick clouds sagging low, the kind that promised a long, lazy rain. It made everything inside feel warmer. Safer. Wrapped in a cocoon of blankets that smelled faintly of cedar and the soap Edward used, I let my head fall against his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart under my ear. We’d spent the entire afternoon tangled in sheets, trading slow kisses and breathless laughter, bodies molded together as time passed. And now, after all that, we stayed close, his arms looped around me like he was afraid I’d vanish if he let go. “A penny for your thoughts?” Edward murmured. I sighed, twisting the thin golden ring on my index finger. “I’m thinking about Ethan.” His body tensed beneath me. Subtle, but noticeable. Like his breath had paused. “I know he’s up to something,” I went on, keeping my tone casual, though the truth of it gnawed at me. “He keeps saying he’s going to win me back. Like I’m some sort of p
Freya: The road stretched ahead of us in lazy curves, the kind of quiet stretch that made the world feel smaller. Trees lined both sides, their skeletal branches clawing at the dull sky like desperate hands, and the hum of the tires on the old asphalt was the only real sound between us for a while. I shifted in my seat, arms crossed, eyes flicking toward him with a scowl that refused to sit still on my face. Ethan looked annoyingly relaxed, one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gearshift, his fingers tapping a slow, absent rhythm that grated on my nerves. “Why are we driving out of the Pack?” I asked, suspicion. My voice was flat, but I knew he’d hear the edge beneath it. He glanced at me, one brow arching like he couldn’t believe I was questioning him. “I just want to be somewhere quiet. Outside. Where people aren’t staring.” I sucked in a slow breath, rolling the words around in my head before I let them settle in my chest like a stone. Right. Of course