Isabelle watched in shock as Violetta looked at Blake lovingly. All her life was a lie. She got betrayed by her friend too. Her heart. Her soul. Her entire body seemed to not be able to digest Blake's words. She held her towel close to her chest and bowed her head in defeat. She was just too sad to cry or utter any words right now. Too tired to stand up and ask the moon goddess if she was dreaming right now. Please wake me up," Isabelle muttered with a shaky voice while her lips quivered in shock. “Isabelle will be stripped of her title and will be given the best punishment for disgracing not only me but also the late Alpha and Luna." Blake's words cut through her flesh, cut through her heart in a slithering motion. It felt as if her heart would be ripped out of her body as her lips parted, but not a single word escaped from her lips. Her wolf was hurt. She was heartbroken too because she had missed the signals. “Serve her right." “I'm disappointed with her." A ta
Isabelle's heart accelerated in her chest when she saw the fearful Alpha beside her, sitting in the backseat with her. To add more to his fearsome reputation, he was rumored to be cursed, but no one knew what it was. What got her tongue-tied was the way his dark hair tousled back to adorn his beautiful face. Handsome was an understatement; he looked so unreal. More like a fictional character but that's not true. Women flock toward him and he is the dream guy of almost every young lady. His firm pink lips were pressed together and his chiseled, hard jaw was shaved clean. He tilted his head to look at Isabelle, and she averted her gaze instantly. His emerald green eyes caught her interest and she swallowed the lump in the back of her throat. “Drive the car to the pack," he commanded. The car engine was started and the car hit the tiled road. None of them talked with each other, but Isabelle knew Gabriel was disgusted with her. Right now, she just wishes to die. Just yes
Gabriel walked towards the field in his long strides. His eyes didn't give away any emotions but everyone knew he was pissed right now. But why? She is just a maid... So why? Why would the great Gabriel Phoenix be worried about a maid? A slave... The two girls began to search the field for Isabelle. They didn't even know Isabelle's name since she was new and this was why they couldn't call her. Gabriel stopped when he suddenly heard a faint breathing in the direction of the field. He halted in his movement and gazed around, and there she was... Lying on the field with no care if danger lurks in the castle but something is not right. Gabriel turned to the two guards beside him. “Wake her up," he declared and the maid stopped in their tracks when they heard the Alpha words. He has seen her. The guards went deeper into the field to wake the sleeping Isabelle up but she didn't budge. “Is she refusing to wake up?" Gabriel's voice thunders, slicing through the si
It was 7 a.m. in the castle. Isabella went ahead to join other maids at the room they were assembled in when the tower bell rang. Each time there is important information to pass across, the tower bell is rung so that everyone will be aware. Isabelle stood beside a brunette girl and adjusted her dress. ”I have important information to pass across to everyone concerning both the new and old maid.” Everyone listens attentively to the head maid. There was absolute silence in the room. “I heard two girls were caught trying to escape the walls of the palace and not only that, a girl was caught trying to seduce the Alpha,” the head maid said sternly, her voice laced with anger but none of the maids could talk. Isabelle could only scoff inwardly because she wondered why anyone would try to seduce the cruel Alpha King. She wasn't planning to escape but she will make sure she inflicts enough pain on the Alpha. “Now, I will assign everyone a new role. While some will still be given their
Isabelle turned the door knob and turned the bathroom door open. She was expecting a small restroom but what met her eyes was an extravagant bathroom that looked similar to a spa room. The toothbrush, toothpaste, and every other thing needed in a bathroom were arranged on a shelf with a large, long mirror. When she looked ahead of her to take a peek at the Alpha King, she was shocked to see the extravagant grand bathtub that looked similar to a swimming pool. Isabelle walked towards the grand bath, showing her feminine side. She bent down in a way that made her buttocks look so big and round, giving a curvy shape. Gabriel swallowed hard when he saw the slow movement and his rod twitched underneath the water. Isabelle raised her hand and began to rub Gabriel's chest with the soapy sponge. Gabriel wished he hadn't told her to come in because it felt as if he was torturing himself. Isabelle's hand trailed over the upper side of his body while he only remained inside the grand bath, un
Isabelle walked through the hallway and went downstairs to meet another maid. She was sure her tricks were working but why did the Alpha King suddenly chase her away from the room? However, Isabelle didn't expect the glare from the maids and it seems as if there is something someone is not telling her.Isabelle tried looking for the petite girl to see if she would be able to help her with the duties of the maid in the king's room. “I heard the Alpha King might chase her away,” Isabelle heard a short maid say and Isabelle strained her ears to hear their conversation. She wasn't the type to eavesdrop but it seemed the maid was going to talk about her.“Why, isn't she just a maid here?” The second girl said in a hushed tone, making sure Isabelle didn't hear them but Isabelle was a maid with good hearing ability.“No, I heard she is a heiress but got demoted to this low status overnight. She got betrayed by her fated mate.” “Ahh!” the short girl gasped in shock before schooling her exp
Gabriel relaxed into the plush cushion and listened to what the elders were going to say. He knew they were going to pressure him again about him not taking in a Luna but Gabriel was less concerned about that right now. The ministers begin to give out their complaints, while Gabriel pays little attention to what they are saying.“There has always been peace in the city since your reign, Alpha, but bringing in Luna will forever be a scar to this great pack. We know you are capable but don't delay it any longer, my king,” the bald headman among them said.Gabriel nodded his head softly because he predicted them well. Not in a single day have they ever let him have the rest of his mind without bringing out the mate issues. “I always encourage you that everything will be alright because I will do that soon. If there is nothing else to talk about, let's call it a day,” Gabriel said, waving his hand at the elders but one of them boldly raised his hand.“I heard a report about some werewol
“I d—don't understand. I am not doing anything, Alpha.” Isabelle stuttered, her lips quivering. Her back hit the wall and she could see she was at the mercy of Gabriel. She has stepped into the lion's den and the only thing she can think of right now is to either escape or become food for the beast.“Then why would you pick a dress for me to wear, or have you suddenly forgotten what happened to you?” Gabriel taunted her, cornering her against the wall. He tilted his head to the side, watching the way her lips parted while air escaped from them. Isabelle's demeanor changed and she felt a sudden ache in her chest. How could she forget the pain she passed through when the wound in her back hadn't healed yet? Isabelle chose not to say a word but what if Gabriel saw through her tricks? She knew she needed to say something.“I know what happened and the position I am in, Alpha but this is my duty as a maid in your home. This is what I'm supposed to do.” Isabelle said and paused. “My job”
Isabelle held steady beneath the oppressive weight of the betrayal bearing down upon her. The room was too small, the air thick with unspoken danger. Violetta, Caitlyn, and Blake—all of them gathered before her like phantoms of her own past, to eat her whole. Her fists balled at her sides, nails digging into her palms, grounding her. She had already been to hell and back. She had struggled free of shadows before. And if they thought she would crack now, they were mistaken. Caitlyn tilted her head, looking at her with sharp amusement. "I must admit, I'm impressed," she thought. "Despite everything, you're still here. Still so stubborn." She breathed dramatically. "You were always a stubborn little girl." Isabelle's jaw clamped. "And you were always a coward." Caitlyn's eyes flickered with something evil, but her smile never wavered. She turned instead to Violetta, waving her hand languidly in her direction. "Tell me, dear, does it hurt? Seeing her again?" Violetta's eyes narrowed
A new figure stepped out of the darkness, her high heels tapping against the cold stone ground.Isabelle's stomach twisted into a knot the instant she recognized the familiar mess of dark hair, the same icy eyes that had once been warm but now burned with something hard.Violetta.A woman who had been her best friend. The one she had chosen for a sister. The one she had trusted above everyone else.And the one who had betrayed her in the most heinous of ways."Surprised to see me, Isabelle?" Violetta's lips curled into a sneer as she approached.Isabelle's breath stalled, her entire body freezing at the memories that came crashing over her like a tidal wave.The allegations. The gossip. The way Blake's eyes had turned to ice that night he believed she had betrayed him. The way she screamed, begged him to believe her. The way her reputation as Luna had been taken from her, her pride shattered.And Violetta just stood there and watched and smiled as Isabelle had been purchased by Gabrie
The castle gates slammed open with a deafening roar. The cold night air swept inside, reeking of blood and steel. Isabelle barely had time to realize what was happening before the first attacker shoved forward.Gabriel moved like a specter, swift and certain. His sword was a slash of silver as he rushed to engage the invaders. Steel met steel, the clash of it ringing through the air, resonating through Isabelle's very marrow.She stepped back, her heart pounding. The slain guard still lay on the floor in front of her, his empty eyes staring into nothing.A gloved fist closed on her wrist.She whirled around, reflexes overriding her, but before she could strike, she was swept into the solid body of a chest. Gabriel."Stay behind me," he growled, shoving her back as another attacker swung. The knife whizzed inches from her nose, but Gabriel was already battling back, cutting the man down with vicious efficiency.The battle burst out around them.Gabriel's men stormed the hall, steel fl
The air inside Gabriel's castle was thick, weighed down with tension so sharp it could cut. The return ride had taken some time, but Isabelle barely noticed the passage of time. Her head was a whirlwind, revolving around the same question over and over.What now?Gabriel had saved her. He had fought for her. And yet she was smart enough not to conflate his behavior with something so transitory as love. This was survival. A kill-or-be-killed, power play, strategy game, and dominance.She was still a pawn on the board. The only question was: whose game?As she stepped into the grand halls of the castle, the weight of it all fell upon her breast. The torches flickered and threw dancing shadows on stone walls, but even the warmth of the fire could not thaw the ice in her heart.Behind her, Gabriel dismounted, his footsteps following hers like a silent demand. He had been watching her the entire way back, and now, she could feel the unspoken questions hanging between them."You’re awfully
The atmosphere was tense that evening, thick silence between Gabriel and Isabelle as they rode through the thick woods, their entourage riding steadily towards the castle. The rhythmic thud of hooves against the earth road failed to mask the unspoken words that hung between them.Gabriel gripped the reins tightly, his mind a battlefield of conflicting emotions. His entire life had been spent believing he could not love, that his heart had been forged hard by bloodshed, duty, and betrayal years ago. And yet, when he looked at Isabelle—her soft features shining in the light of the silver moon—he felt something shift inside of him.He'd been stupid to have rejected it for so long.She was under his skin, inside his head, in every gasp he breathed. The flame of her passion called to the shadows of his own, and however much he fought against it, he knew—he was hers.But he couldn't. He wouldn't.Gabriel gritted his jaw and willed his eyes straight ahead, trying to ignore the rapid beating
The tension from Caitlyn's visit lingered in the air like smoke.I paced the length of the room, curled fingers into tight fists, jaw clenched.I had dealt with jealous women before.I had dealt with enemies before.But Caitlyn?She wasn't angry.She was calculating.She wasn't going to attack me head-on.She was going to wear me down from the shadows, piece by piece, until there was nothing left.And I was not going to stand for that to happen.I took a deep, deliberate breath, forcing my body to relax its tension.Fine.If Caitlyn wanted a war, she would have one.---Later That Day – The Dining HallThe grand dining hall was packed full by the time I arrived.**Warriors, council members, high government officials—**all those persons who mattered in Gabriel's existence took their proper seats, voicing themselves quietly.And at the head of the long, shining table?Gabriel.His broad shoulders unstrained, his emerald green eyes calm but unreadable.And beside him—Caitlyn.She sat too
Gabriel's presence hung heavily in the room, pressing against my skin like the warning of a storm about to break.He was standing too close.The air between us was heavy, loaded with something unsaid, something undeniable.I should have stepped back.I should have said something cutting, something to remind him that I wasn't intimidated by him.But I didn't.Because I wasn't sure that I wanted to.His green eyes pierced mine, expressionless, intent. His breathing was measured, slow, but his fingers twitched at his sides, betraying the tension he fought to maintain.For an instant—no more than that—his eyes left mine and looked at my lips.A spiking, unwelcome fire shot through my spine.No.I was not going to do this.I was not going to let him into my head.I took a slow breath, tilting my chin."Was there a reason you burst into my room, or did you merely miss me?"His jaw tight.Then finally, he drew back—not very far, but far enough so I could regain my breath."Caitlyn," he spoke
There was an air that was too dense and heavy. Gabriel still hadn't moved. It was a source of offense for Isabelle to notice. She was displeased with the sudden awareness of how his large frame blocked the door, sharp angles in their jaws to each other's faces, and something dangerously close to his eyes. Something that she was hesitant to identify.' The first person to step back was her. The individual who first ceased eye contact. The first to walk away. But she didn't. And neither did he. Instead—they just stood there. Implied in a silent battle, the war was not won by either of them first. The gaze of the emerald was visibly burned into hers, both fiercely and clearly. Finally—he spoke. "You should rest. ". His voice was low, calm. Still there was a layer, something held back and broken.... Then Isabelle made a grimace. "That seemed like something to be done rather than supposed to.". The ghost of amusement was visible across Gabriel's face as he breathed deeply
The main wing's heavy doors were forced to open, opening the vast hallway to warm candlelight. ". With their walls lined with dark wood panelling, the aroma of old books and leather lingering was invigorating. The floors were polished and Isabelle walked inside as she trailed Gabriel. It was quiet. Too quiet. The woman had disappeared by then but the cold gaze of Caitlyn still pressed on her back. But the tension in the castle had changed.". From the moment Gabriel announced that she would be staying in the main wing, Isabelle had sensed it. Caitlyn's anger was barely hidden.. And Isabelle? She wasn't stupid. She was aware that this wouldn't be finished. If anything—it was just beginning. With a deliberate move, Gabriel advanced towards her and opened revolving doors at the door's end. He didn't say a word. Didn't explain. Holding the door open, waiting. With a slight hesitation, Isabelle entered. And then—she froze. The room was massive. The grandiose area is chara