Edward: The Lycan Confederate was a large castle of old stone and wood, soaked in centuries of blood and sweat. Even now, with the hall scrubbed spotless and banners from every allied Pack hanging high, there was no mistaking it for anything but a fortress. Its bones creaked with ancient power, and despite myself, I could feel it under my skin. Like it was sizing me up. I flexed my hand against the polished oak table, tapping my thumb once, slow and deliberate, against the grain. The sound echoed through the low murmuring of the gathered Alpha Kings. Every one of them sat tall, dressed in ceremonial black, silver crests glinting on broad chests. Some had beards like they’d walked out of an old legend. Others wore their scars like crowns. And all of them were older than me. Wiser? They’d say yes. I had other opinions. “Alpha Edward,” one of them said, in a voice so thin and cold. Osric of the Winterfang Pack. His Pack ruled the northern territories. Brutal lands. Brutal
Lianna: Edward was coming back today. I smoothed my palms over the front of my gown, the burgundy silk sliding cool and weightless against my skin. The morning sun streaked through the tall windows of my chambers, catching the fine embroidery near my waist, making the threads shimmer like liquid gold. I stood there, absently watching the glinting design while my heart thudded too fast in my chest. I should have felt calm, but instead, there was this jittery buzz beneath my skin, crawling up my throat like I was about to say something, scream something. Instead, I drew in a slow breath. “Ingrid,” I said, staring at my reflection in the gilded mirror. “If you make another joke about Ethan, I swear to the Goddess, I’ll drown you in the bath.” Ingrid chuckled behind me. I could hear her fiddling with my papers on the desk. “Dramatic,” she said. “But fine. I’ll keep my impeccable sense of humor to myself, your majesty.” I arched a brow at her reflection. “You’d bett
Lianna: I stood on my balcony, the stone balustrade cool beneath my palms, leaning slightly forward as though the extra inch might bring him closer. Below, the gardens were already draped in dusk, the lanterns flickering to life in delicate pools of amber. I heard it before I saw it—the distinct rumble of engines, heavy tires crunching against the gravel. Three cars, maybe four, but it was the second one that made my heart sprint. He was here. “Finally,” I breathed, straightening so quickly my head spun. “Ingrid!” Behind me, there was a thud and an irritated grunt. “What?” Ingrid snapped as she jerked upright from where she’d been dozing on the chaise. Her hair was a bird’s nest, she looked sleep-fogged and annoyed. “I was dreaming I was on a beach with—” “Save it,” I cut in, already making my way inside. My pulse was a thrum in my ears, matching the quick rhythm of my feet on the marble floors. “Edward’s back.” That woke her up. Completely. She was on her
Lianna: The second I crossed the threshold into our chambers, I felt him. Heat. Presence. Edward. Before I could even turn, his arms snaked around my waist, and in one swift, effortless motion, I was off the ground. My feet left the cold marble with a surprised gasp, but he didn’t give me a second to catch it. His mouth was on mine, devouring and hungry, as if the taste of me had been haunting him for days. Maybe it had. His tongue swept in with a demand I couldn’t deny, and I clutched his shoulders as his body pressed me hard against the door. I was already melting. “What…” I started to say, breathless, but he groaned low and deep into my mouth before dragging his lips down my throat. “What are you—” “You know exactly what,” he growled. “You did that on purpose.” I smirked, threading my fingers into his thick, dark hair as he licked a hot line along my jaw. “Did what?” His hands cupped my ass through the thin silk of my dress and squeezed hard enough to ma
Freya: The sky was unusually clear. The kind of cloudless blue that made the edges of everything seem more real than they ought to be. I wiped the back of my wrist across my damp forehead and sighed. I pushed the old mower across the brittle grass with a grunt, feeling the rhythmic thud of its wheels catching on stones, the faint metallic squeal each time the blades hit something tough. I didn’t mind the noise. It drowned out my thoughts. Then I heard something else. Tires crunching over gravel. I straightened immediately. No one we knew drove a car that sounded that refined. Certainly not out here. My fingers slackened on the mower handle, and it gave a rusty groan as it tipped slightly forward. I didn’t have to ask who it was. My bones knew before my mind could accept it. The black car eased to a stop, sunlight gleaming hard against the polished surface. I didn’t breathe. Not when the door swung open with a low thunk, not when his long legs appeared beneath the d
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
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
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: 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
Freya: The sky was unusually clear. The kind of cloudless blue that made the edges of everything seem more real than they ought to be. I wiped the back of my wrist across my damp forehead and sighed. I pushed the old mower across the brittle grass with a grunt, feeling the rhythmic thud of its wheels catching on stones, the faint metallic squeal each time the blades hit something tough. I didn’t mind the noise. It drowned out my thoughts. Then I heard something else. Tires crunching over gravel. I straightened immediately. No one we knew drove a car that sounded that refined. Certainly not out here. My fingers slackened on the mower handle, and it gave a rusty groan as it tipped slightly forward. I didn’t have to ask who it was. My bones knew before my mind could accept it. The black car eased to a stop, sunlight gleaming hard against the polished surface. I didn’t breathe. Not when the door swung open with a low thunk, not when his long legs appeared beneath the d
Lianna: The second I crossed the threshold into our chambers, I felt him. Heat. Presence. Edward. Before I could even turn, his arms snaked around my waist, and in one swift, effortless motion, I was off the ground. My feet left the cold marble with a surprised gasp, but he didn’t give me a second to catch it. His mouth was on mine, devouring and hungry, as if the taste of me had been haunting him for days. Maybe it had. His tongue swept in with a demand I couldn’t deny, and I clutched his shoulders as his body pressed me hard against the door. I was already melting. “What…” I started to say, breathless, but he groaned low and deep into my mouth before dragging his lips down my throat. “What are you—” “You know exactly what,” he growled. “You did that on purpose.” I smirked, threading my fingers into his thick, dark hair as he licked a hot line along my jaw. “Did what?” His hands cupped my ass through the thin silk of my dress and squeezed hard enough to ma
Lianna: I stood on my balcony, the stone balustrade cool beneath my palms, leaning slightly forward as though the extra inch might bring him closer. Below, the gardens were already draped in dusk, the lanterns flickering to life in delicate pools of amber. I heard it before I saw it—the distinct rumble of engines, heavy tires crunching against the gravel. Three cars, maybe four, but it was the second one that made my heart sprint. He was here. “Finally,” I breathed, straightening so quickly my head spun. “Ingrid!” Behind me, there was a thud and an irritated grunt. “What?” Ingrid snapped as she jerked upright from where she’d been dozing on the chaise. Her hair was a bird’s nest, she looked sleep-fogged and annoyed. “I was dreaming I was on a beach with—” “Save it,” I cut in, already making my way inside. My pulse was a thrum in my ears, matching the quick rhythm of my feet on the marble floors. “Edward’s back.” That woke her up. Completely. She was on her
Lianna: Edward was coming back today. I smoothed my palms over the front of my gown, the burgundy silk sliding cool and weightless against my skin. The morning sun streaked through the tall windows of my chambers, catching the fine embroidery near my waist, making the threads shimmer like liquid gold. I stood there, absently watching the glinting design while my heart thudded too fast in my chest. I should have felt calm, but instead, there was this jittery buzz beneath my skin, crawling up my throat like I was about to say something, scream something. Instead, I drew in a slow breath. “Ingrid,” I said, staring at my reflection in the gilded mirror. “If you make another joke about Ethan, I swear to the Goddess, I’ll drown you in the bath.” Ingrid chuckled behind me. I could hear her fiddling with my papers on the desk. “Dramatic,” she said. “But fine. I’ll keep my impeccable sense of humor to myself, your majesty.” I arched a brow at her reflection. “You’d bett
Edward: The Lycan Confederate was a large castle of old stone and wood, soaked in centuries of blood and sweat. Even now, with the hall scrubbed spotless and banners from every allied Pack hanging high, there was no mistaking it for anything but a fortress. Its bones creaked with ancient power, and despite myself, I could feel it under my skin. Like it was sizing me up. I flexed my hand against the polished oak table, tapping my thumb once, slow and deliberate, against the grain. The sound echoed through the low murmuring of the gathered Alpha Kings. Every one of them sat tall, dressed in ceremonial black, silver crests glinting on broad chests. Some had beards like they’d walked out of an old legend. Others wore their scars like crowns. And all of them were older than me. Wiser? They’d say yes. I had other opinions. “Alpha Edward,” one of them said, in a voice so thin and cold. Osric of the Winterfang Pack. His Pack ruled the northern territories. Brutal lands. Brutal
Freya: I lay sprawled across my bed, one leg dangling off the side, staring blankly at my phone screen as if it owed me answers. My thumb scrolled lazily, pausing on Ethan’s name again and again, even though I knew it was pointless. Blocked. As if I was something filthy he needed to scrub off his hands. A stain. I scoffed under my breath, tossing the phone beside me on the bed, the device landing with a soft thud against the mattress. The ceiling above me was cracked in one corner, like someone had once punched it out of rage and never bothered to fix it. I could relate. The whole house smelled like polished wood and stale flowers—artificial freshness masking something rotting underneath. Two days. Two days back in this house, and my mother still hadn’t looked me in the eye unless it was to glare or scoff. Two days of silence broken only by the sound of her disapproving sighs as she floated through the halls like some bitter ghost. When I walked through the doors two n
Lianna: I tugged at the collar of my tunic as I walked alongside Ethan, every nerve in my body protesting the decision to follow him. His strides were leisurely, like he hadn’t just crawled out of a dungeon a few days ago. Like people didn't go hush or whisper every time he walked into a room. We stopped at the base of the gazebo. The wood creaked faintly beneath our feet as we climbed the steps. His boots scuffed against the weather-worn planks, while my lighter shoes made soft thuds that sounded far too loud. I didn't like it. The quiet. The absence of people pretending they weren’t watching. The way my pulse thumped behind my ears. Halfway up, I halted, my fingers flexing at my sides. “Alright,” I said, sharper than I meant to. “What exactly do you want, Ethan?” He stopped too, two steps above me. The corner of his mouth twitched—maybe a smile, maybe a grimace. It was hard to tell with him these days. “Scared to be around me?” he asked, turning to face me fully.