*CHAPTER 93* Lianna: The battlefield had settled into an eerie calm. Blood soaked the earth, the metallic scent thick in the air, but the war was over. Wolves and vampires stood together, dazed, some still gripping weapons they no longer had reason to use. I took a slow breath, my chest rising and falling with residual energy. The power that had erupted from me still hummed faintly beneath my skin, but its intensity had faded, leaving behind exhaustion and something else—peace. For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no need to fight. Turning to the gathered warriors, I lifted my voice so that all could hear. "There will be no more war," I declared. "No more bloodshed. We have been deceived, but that ends today. From this moment on, we will choose peace over destruction. No more grudges. No more senseless fighting. We end it now." For a moment, silence stretched across the battlefield, as if my words needed time to settle into their bones. Then, slowly, w
*CHAPTER 94* Lianna: The cheers were deafening as we returned to the palace. From the elders standing tall in their ceremonial robes to the youngest servants peeking from behind pillars, every soul was gathered, their faces painted with relief and gratitude. The air smelled of incense and wildflowers, a tribute to the victory they celebrated. I could hear the distant drums from the pack’s village, the rhythmic beats echoing joy. Edward walked ahead, his posture regal, his aura commanding. They called him the victor, the hero who ended the war. Their chants reverberated through the courtyard, praises flowing freely. But he lifted his hand, silencing them all. His eyes found mine, softening before he spoke. “It wasn’t me,” his voice rang clear, firm. “The one who stopped the war and saved countless lives is Lianna.” A hush fell over the crowd. I heard the whispers that began to grow within the crowd. Disbelief hung in the air like a heavy fog. An elder stepped forwar
Lianna was safe. Alive. The image of her standing amidst the crowd, her face a blend of shock and joy as they bowed to her, was seared into my mind. She was finally receiving the respect she deserved. My chest swelled, a warmth spreading through me, unlike anything I’d felt before. It was pride—raw, overwhelming pride for the woman who had been scorned and ridiculed yet still stood tall. My footsteps echoed through the grand hall as I made my way to the throne room. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of cedarwood and incense, lingering from the victory rites performed earlier. The sunlight poured through the stained-glass windows, casting hues of crimson and gold across the polished marble floor. I ran my fingers along the intricate carvings on the throne’s armrest before seating myself. It felt different this time. The weight of the crown didn’t feel as heavy as it usually did. The elders stood before me, their faces solemn, expectant. Their robes were pristine, e
*CHAPTER 96* Lianna: The maids hovered around me, their hands deftly fastening the golden clasps of my gown. The fabric was rich against my skin—soft, silken, and impossibly luxurious. It felt foreign, this regality, like I was playing a part I had yet to fully understand. The mirror reflected an image I barely recognized. My hair was woven into an intricate braid crowned with delicate gold pins that sparkled beneath the flickering candlelight. My gown flowed elegantly around me, the deep emerald fabric cascading in perfect waves to the floor. It was Edward’s favorite color on me. He hadn’t said it aloud, but I’d caught the way his eyes lingered whenever I wore it. “You look breathtaking, Luna Lianna,” Ingrid teased, her voice dripping with playfulness. Her eyes sparkled mischievously, the corners of her lips curled into a knowing smile. “Edward won’t be able to keep his hands off you tonight.” “You’re impossible,” I muttered, but the butterflies in my stomach dan
LIANNA POV The first time I thought about killing myself was the night of my mating ceremony. I married the Alpha of my pack, Ethan and I thought I had hit the jackpot. When we first found out we were mates, he was second in line and his brother Sebastian who happened to be my friend was to be the Alpha. Everyone congratulated me and told me how lucky I was to mate with a beta, but that didn’t matter to me, even if he was very poor, it wouldn’t have changed my love for him because his status didn’t matter to me. All I was after was his love. Lianna and Ethan, forever together. I couldn’t stop my tears as I closed my eyes reflecting on the past. I heard my wolf whimper and tried to comfort me. I was nineteen when I first met Ethan, he was studying abroad and had just graduated, and we quickly realized we were fated mates. Handsome and charming at 24 he instantly swept me off my feet, he was everything I dreamed of and my wolf and I couldn’t be happier. That night I thanked th
LIANNA'S POV Afterwards, I tearfully went back to my room to pack some clothes before Ethan sent me out with only the clothes on my back. As I shoved clothes into a duffel bag I came across a photograph taken of us at our mating ceremony. I picked it up and stared at it, I looked so happy with Ethan standing by my side not knowing what I was getting into. When I looked at Ethan's face it confirmed what I had always suspected, he never loved me at all, he was just pretending. While I was smiling at my new husband he was smiling at someone else, the waitress who appeared in the background of the picture. Tears began to gather in my eyes, even on our wedding day he would rather look at someone else and pretend I didn't exist. I put the picture aside and finished packing, I grabbed the duffel bag and went down the stairs where Ethan and his mistress were waiting for me. I kept my head down and tried to walk out the door but Ethan stopped me. "Come back here you cunt." I stilled
LIANNA’S POV "Lianna?" He was surprised to see me as well. We had been best friends since school even though he was several classes my senior and that was only because I had been doubly promoted several times. But we drifted apart when Ethan and I started dating. And then he just left with no goodbyes or explanations. "Oh my God." I smiled. "You look great." He had always been handsome but the past year had been good for him. His features were now more defined. His brown eyes looked almost dark now and his pink lips were fuller. His killer jaw was covered with a light stubble. His smile faded as he gave me a quick inspection with his eyes. Even before the man attacked me I already looked horrible. Dirty and tired and my eyes were likely swollen since I spent most of the day in tears now my clothes were in shambles and I had bruises all over my body "Let me take you home." He started toward his car parked on the other side of the road. "No no, you didn't have to, I'm sure you
LIANNA'S POV He started to pull away but I held him, I needed him right now. And I was scared of what he would do in his current state. Because at that moment, he looked like he was ready to kill Ethan for me. "No just stay with me. Stay and be my friend" And I felt him nod against my forehead. The next thing I remember I was waking up in the morning. I got up to pee and brush my teeth and when I checked the time it was 10:15 am. The feeling of sleeping in was a bit strange since Ethan always made me wake up at dawn to do house chores and cook and if there was nothing to do he would create things to do. As I turned on the tap, everything that happened yesterday came back rushing into my head and I had to press my fingers against my eyelids to stop myself from crying. I didn't want to give Sebastian any more reason to worry. Oh my God, how was I going to face him after yesterday? What would have happened if he hadn’t come along and saved me? I didn't want him to treat me
*CHAPTER 96* Lianna: The maids hovered around me, their hands deftly fastening the golden clasps of my gown. The fabric was rich against my skin—soft, silken, and impossibly luxurious. It felt foreign, this regality, like I was playing a part I had yet to fully understand. The mirror reflected an image I barely recognized. My hair was woven into an intricate braid crowned with delicate gold pins that sparkled beneath the flickering candlelight. My gown flowed elegantly around me, the deep emerald fabric cascading in perfect waves to the floor. It was Edward’s favorite color on me. He hadn’t said it aloud, but I’d caught the way his eyes lingered whenever I wore it. “You look breathtaking, Luna Lianna,” Ingrid teased, her voice dripping with playfulness. Her eyes sparkled mischievously, the corners of her lips curled into a knowing smile. “Edward won’t be able to keep his hands off you tonight.” “You’re impossible,” I muttered, but the butterflies in my stomach dan
Lianna was safe. Alive. The image of her standing amidst the crowd, her face a blend of shock and joy as they bowed to her, was seared into my mind. She was finally receiving the respect she deserved. My chest swelled, a warmth spreading through me, unlike anything I’d felt before. It was pride—raw, overwhelming pride for the woman who had been scorned and ridiculed yet still stood tall. My footsteps echoed through the grand hall as I made my way to the throne room. The air was cool, carrying the faint scent of cedarwood and incense, lingering from the victory rites performed earlier. The sunlight poured through the stained-glass windows, casting hues of crimson and gold across the polished marble floor. I ran my fingers along the intricate carvings on the throne’s armrest before seating myself. It felt different this time. The weight of the crown didn’t feel as heavy as it usually did. The elders stood before me, their faces solemn, expectant. Their robes were pristine, e
*CHAPTER 94* Lianna: The cheers were deafening as we returned to the palace. From the elders standing tall in their ceremonial robes to the youngest servants peeking from behind pillars, every soul was gathered, their faces painted with relief and gratitude. The air smelled of incense and wildflowers, a tribute to the victory they celebrated. I could hear the distant drums from the pack’s village, the rhythmic beats echoing joy. Edward walked ahead, his posture regal, his aura commanding. They called him the victor, the hero who ended the war. Their chants reverberated through the courtyard, praises flowing freely. But he lifted his hand, silencing them all. His eyes found mine, softening before he spoke. “It wasn’t me,” his voice rang clear, firm. “The one who stopped the war and saved countless lives is Lianna.” A hush fell over the crowd. I heard the whispers that began to grow within the crowd. Disbelief hung in the air like a heavy fog. An elder stepped forwar
*CHAPTER 93* Lianna: The battlefield had settled into an eerie calm. Blood soaked the earth, the metallic scent thick in the air, but the war was over. Wolves and vampires stood together, dazed, some still gripping weapons they no longer had reason to use. I took a slow breath, my chest rising and falling with residual energy. The power that had erupted from me still hummed faintly beneath my skin, but its intensity had faded, leaving behind exhaustion and something else—peace. For the first time in what felt like forever, there was no need to fight. Turning to the gathered warriors, I lifted my voice so that all could hear. "There will be no more war," I declared. "No more bloodshed. We have been deceived, but that ends today. From this moment on, we will choose peace over destruction. No more grudges. No more senseless fighting. We end it now." For a moment, silence stretched across the battlefield, as if my words needed time to settle into their bones. Then, slowly, w
*CHAPTER 92* Lianna: Darkness had a mentally draining side to it, one that could drive you to madness. It pressed down on me, cold and suffocating, curling around my limbs like shackles. I had stopped trying to fight it. What was the point? I was going to die here. The walls of the dungeon were damp, the stone beneath me rough and unforgiving. I had lost track of time—hours, days, maybe even weeks. It didn’t matter. My body was weak, my spirit drained. The first few days, I had tried to cling to hope, had told myself that Edward would come, that someone would find me. But now? Now, I just waited. For death. For anything that would end this torment. Because I knew no one was coming to save me and the earlier I embraced reality, the better for me. A faint sound echoed from the corridor, the slow, deliberate steps of someone approaching. I didn’t bother lifting my head. It was either food or another round of torment, and I didn’t have the strength to care.
*CHAPTER 91* Edward: The battlefield was drenched in blood, the air thick with the metallic scent of death. The distant howls of my warriors blended with the screeches of the dying vampires, but I barely heard them. My focus was unshakable. Each swing of my sword was precise, each kill executed without hesitation. I moved like a force of nature, my blade slashing through flesh and bone with ruthless efficiency. The warm spray of blood against my skin was insignificant. Nothing mattered except the path ahead—the path leading me straight to the vampire king. His death would end this war. A vampire lunged at me from the left, his fangs bared, eyes glowing crimson. Before he could land a strike, I sidestepped and drove my blade through his chest, twisting until his body went limp. Another enemy came at me from behind, claws aimed at my throat, but I grabbed his wrist, snapped it in one swift motion, and slit his throat without breaking stride. My movements were aut
*CHAPTER 90* Edward: The stench of blood clung to the air, thick and suffocating. The battlefield was littered with bodies-wolves and vampires alike, their lifeless forms trampled beneath the boots of soldiers who fought with reckless desperation. Metal clashed, swords singing a symphony of war, and the growls of my warriors blended with the guttural snarls of the enemy. The war died down as dawn neared. The vampires had retreated into their dark territory and the highlight of it all had to be me watching the ones that weren't able to get back in before sunrise, burning into ashes and fading out of existence. But none of it felt real. Not without her. Lianna's absence was a wound I couldn't ignore, no matter how many vampires I cut down, no matter how many victories we claimed. She was gone. The guards I had sent to find her had returned with nothing-no scent, no trace, no whisper of her existence and it annoyed the hell out of me. They had scoured ev
*CHAPTER 89* Edward: The battlefield was chaos. The stench of blood and death hung thick in the air, mingling with the acrid scent of burning wood from a village that had been set ablaze in the skirmish. Bodies-both wolves and vampires-littered the ground, some barely clinging to life, others long gone. The metallic tang of blood coated my tongue, my skin slick with sweat and grime as I cut down another enemy with a single, brutal strike. The vampire hissed as my claws tore through his chest, his crimson eyes widening in shock before his body disintegrated into dust. Another one lunged at me from the side, fangs bared, but I was faster. I spun, dodging his strike, and drove my hand straight through his ribcage, gripping his heart and crushing it in my fist. He let out a strangled gasp before turning to ash. "Behind you, Alpha!" My Beta, Harvey mind linked me, his blade slicing through an approaching vampire. His face was smeared with blood, his golden fur stain
*CHAPTER 88* Lianna: The guards dragged me through the stone corridors, their grip bruising my arms as I stumbled over the uneven ground. The scent of damp earth and blood clung to the air, thick and suffocating. Shadows flickered along the cold walls, the dim torchlight casting eerie shapes that danced like ghosts. The entire kingdom felt unnatural. The walls pulsed with an unsettling energy, as if the very stones had been soaked in centuries of darkness. The deeper we went, the colder it became, the warmth from the world above vanishing entirely. There were no windows, no glimpses of the outside world-only the unending descent into something sinister. A chill crawled up my spine as I heard distant whispers -low, guttural voices murmuring in a language I didn't understand. I couldn't tell if they belonged to the guards escorting me or to something else, something unseen lurking in the shadows. The path twisted and turned, narrowing into an oppressive tunne