DARIUS“It’s not the same killer.” I kept my voice level, my face a mask. No way I was letting these two clowns see me sweat.Crock narrowed his eyes. “Is that so? And what makes you so sure, Darius?”“Evidence,” I said simply. “I’ve been investigating, like I promised. Turns out your trackers weren’t exactly saints.”Mathias scoffed. “Evidence? What evidence? Care to enlighten us?”“Gladly.” I snapped my fingers at one of my guards. “Go get the Beta. And tell him to bring the uh… guest.”The guard scurried off. I let the silence hang heavy, watching the two alphas fidget. It was almost amusing. Almost.My beta, Dawson, strode in a few minutes later, a skinny, nervous-looking man trailing behind him.“Here’s our evidence.” I gestured towards the pair. “Or rather, he is. We have more, but let's hear what our friend here has to say.”Dawson cleared his throat. “During our investigation, we discovered that the trackers… well, they’d made quite a few enemies. Especially in the Red Cave Pa
EMMELINEI was going to lose my damn mind.Heat had come early, and it was worse than I ever remembered. My skin felt too tight, my body on fire, and no matter how much I tossed and turned, nothing helped.Cara, my wolf, wasn’t making things any easier. Go to him. You need him. You want him.“No, I don’t,” I muttered, shoving my face into my pillow.Liar.I moaned, gripping the sheets as another wave of need hit me. Fuck. I was already burning up, and I hadn’t even touched myself yet. My body was betraying me, my mind drowning in nothing but thoughts of him.Darius.I squeezed my thighs together, but it only made it worse. My body craved him like an addict needing a fix. Cara kept clawing at me, desperate for his scent, his touch, him.I let out a strangled groan, kicking the blankets off. They felt suffocating, and yet without them, the cool air against my skin made it worse.I was so screwed.I tried to distract myself. Counting. Deep breathing. Thinking of the ugliest, most unsexy
EMMELINEI woke up nestled in Darius’s arms, warm and content. A blush crept up my neck and I felt shy. It wasn't like this was the first time we'd woken up like this, but still…For a moment, I let myself just exist there, tangled up with him, my body sore in all the best ways.Then I made the mistake of looking up.He was watching me. Smirking."Ugh," I groaned, burying my face against his chest. "You’re a creep. How long have you been awake?""Long enough to appreciate the view," he teased, his voice a low, lazy rumble.I swatted his arm. "That’s disturbing."His grin widened. "No, it’s not. It’s endearing.""Says the man literally watching me drool in my sleep.""You don’t drool," he murmured, brushing a finger along my jaw. "But you do make these little sighing noises when you’re dreaming. Kind of adorable.”"So you like watching me sleep?" I asked, peeking up at him through my lashes.He simply nodded, his expression turning serious.I narrowed my eyes at him. "You are way too i
DARIUSMy shoes clicked against the marble floor, each step echoing my growing unease. What the hell was Great Aunt Mildred doing here? The woman was a walking, talking disaster zone, and the last thing I needed was her anywhere near Emmeline.I rounded the corner into the foyer and there she was—she dressed like she’d raided a clown’s closet. And next to her… a girl. Young. Like, really young.“Darius!” Mildred shrieked, engulfing me in a hug that smelled strongly of lavender and mothballs. “My boy! It’s been such a long time!”Long time? We saw each other last year at Christmas. I swear, the woman’s memory is shorter than my… patience.“When I saw you last, you were just a boy!” she continued, squeezing me tighter. I could feel my ribs protesting.I peeled her off me, forcing a smile. "Aunt Mildred. This is… a surprise."She beamed, all wrinkles and rouge. "Isn't it? And this is Olivia, my granddaughter.”Olivia offered a shy smile and a small "Hello." She looked like she’d just
DARIUSI glared at Great Aunt Mildred across the dining table, feeling my patience thinning with every second.The old woman had insisted on this dinner, and now I was stuck here, watching her chew like she was savoring my suffering.I had no idea what Emmeline was up to, but I hoped she was enjoying her freedom while I was trapped here. The longer Mildred was here, the more my anxiousness would grow. "This will soon be a regular thing," Aunt Mildred announced, dabbing her lips with a napkin. "Family dinners. Just like the good old days."I coughed. "We were never a family that had dinners together.""Nonsense." She waved her hand dismissively. "And once you're married, you'll appreciate them even more."I set my fork down and met her gaze. "I'm not getting married."Silence.Mildred looked like I'd just told her I planned to live in a cave and survive on tree bark.Then came the voice I’d been trying to ignore all night."Then why do you have a concubine?"I snapped my head toward O
EMMELINEMy breath hitched. My blood ran cold. Darius’s great-aunt, that wrinkled prune of a woman, stared at me like I was a particularly interesting bug. “Something about her looks… different,” she croaked, her old hoarse. Different how? My heart raced. I’d masked my scent like usual. Had she sniffed me out, like that old doctor?Fear coiled in my gut. My heart hammered against my ribs. Was my Lycan secret about to blow up in my face?“Different? She looks exactly the same,” Darius snapped, stepping in front of me like a protective wall. Thank the Goddess for his quick retort. The old woman shook her head, her eyes still boring into me. She actually reached out a hand, trying to touch my face. I flinched back, disgust twisting my features. "Her features are… sharper,” the aunt insisted. “And she smells… peculiar."Seriously? Peculiar? What did Lycans smell like to these people anyway? Wet dog? Burnt toast? I desperately hoped I smelled more like the scent I had practical
EMMELINEUgh. This day started off on the wrong freakin' foot and just kept nosediving. I woke up starving, ready to demolish a stack of pancakes, only to find my breakfast…gone. Vanished. Poof.Either eaten or tossed in the trash. Nobody seemed to know, or care, which. The empty plate just sat there mocking me.My first suspect? Olivia, of course. That girl has been a thorn in my side since she arrived.I marched right up to her, not even bothering to put on a fake smile. “Did you have anything to do with my missing breakfast?”She gave me this condescending sneer, the kind that makes you want to punch a wall. “Please, Molly. You’re way too irrelevant for me to waste my time on.”The urge to slap that smirk off her face was strong. But I held back. For now. “Fine,” I muttered, heading to the kitchen. “More for me, then.” I told the cook to whip me up something else, trying to ignore the simmering rage in my belly.But things just escalated. Hours later, I went to grab my clothes
EMMELINEFinally. Good riddance to Olivia and her batty grandmother. Now that they were gone, Darius and I could finally get back to business.I knocked twice on Darius’s door before pushing it open. No point waiting—he was expecting me.He sat behind his massive desk, looking far more relaxed than he had in days. His dark hair was slightly tousled, and for the first time in a while, there was no tension in his shoulders. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was actually in a good mood."Sit," he said, gesturing toward the chair opposite him.I settled into the plush seat, crossing my legs as I studied him.“I’m happy they’re gone,” he admitted, a genuine smile playing on his lips.I let out a breath, nodding. “Me too. Your aunt was terrifying and I was so scared she’d figure out the truth.” His lips twitched in amusement. “She’s certainly something.”“She was a lot, but Olivia? Ugh. That girl could make a saint throw a punch.”Darius chuckled, a rare, low sound that sent an unfamilia
DARIUS’ POV★★★★★★Emmeline was pacing in our bedroom, her frustration practically radiating off her in waves. "I told you, Darius! She's lying through her teeth! That whole story about the embarrassing letter and the list? Bullshit!"I watched her, my own anger simmering beneath the surface. I knew she was probably right. My gut had been screaming at me since she first told me about the man in the garden. But I had to play it smart. Rushing in with accusations based on a hunch wasn't going to get us anywhere."I know it feels that way, Em," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "But we can't just throw her out. Not yet. We need to know what she knows, what she's up to.""Knowing what she knows has been going on for days now!" Emmeline exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "And you know what else? I feel… uncomfortable around her. She's been making these little comments, these subtle threats… I don't like it, Darius. I really don't."My jaw tightened. Threats against Emmel
DARIUS’ POV★★★★★★At last, Seraphine arrived, flanked by the guards. They informed me that Beta Dawson had come to see me, and I told them to ask him to wait until I was done with Seraphine. Seraphine looked surprised, her normally calm expression slightly marred with a hint of confusion. “Darius? What is it?”"Who was the man you were talking to in the garden this morning?" I asked, my voice tight, trying to keep my anger in check.She blinked, her eyes wide and innocent. "Oh, that was just an old friend…he's a former soldier from my father's pack. He was just passing through and wanted to say hello.""Passing through and just happened to find you in our garden?" I challenged, my skepticism thick in the air."Well, yes," she said, her voice calm, almost too calm. "He knew I was staying here with you.""Did he?" I pressed. "Because Emmeline here saw him too. And she didn't get the impression it was just a casual hello."Seraphine turned to Emmeline, a hint of annoyance flashing in he
EMMELINE★★★★★★That damn letter. It was burning a hole in my mind, and my head was practically screaming for me to tell Darius. But something held me back. What if it was nothing? Just some random piece of paper that Seraphine had picked up? I’d look like a right fool, constantly sniffing around her business for no reason. And honestly, the thought of Darius looking at me like I was being paranoid… nah, I couldn’t risk it. Not yet anyway.I needed more. Concrete proof. Something solid that would make Darius sit up and actually listen. So, Operation: Get the Dirt on Seraphine was officially underway. I spent the next couple of days keeping a low profile, trying to observe without being obvious. It was like trying to sneak past a bloody elephant – Seraphine was very slippery and careful, or so it seemed.Then, this morning, I finally caught a break. I was taking a slow walk around the garden – the doctor said light exercise was good for the baby, though honestly, some days just getting
DARIUS’ POV♤♤♤▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎♤♤♤This messenger's words… they’ve burrowed into my damn skull and won’t leave. Baseless, Sylas had suggested. Just some nobody trying to stir up trouble. But what if he wasn’t? What if, against all odds, someone actually did survive? The thought alone sent a cold shiver down my spine.Another sleepless night bled into a tense evening. I was in the meeting room with Sylas and Dawson, my Beta. The air was thick with unspoken anxieties.“Alright, let’s go over this again,” I started, rubbing the exhaustion from my eyes. “Every known enemy. Every single goddamn threat we’ve ever faced. Could any of them have slipped through the cracks?”Sylas leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “Alpha, we went over this a hundred times. Every last one of those sons of bitches was executed. Massively. My men personally checked the bodies. We made damn sure there were no survivors.”Dawson, usually quieter, nodded in agreement. “We left nothing to chance, Darius. It was a cle
DARIUS◆◆◇◆◆"Alpha, we got a situation at the south border." Dawson's voice was tight, his usual easygoing demeanor gone. He stood in the doorway of my office, his chest heaving slightly. "Someone tried to sneak in. Got a couple of our guys hurt."My blood went cold. An attempted breach? This close to everything that was happening? "How bad?" I asked, already moving towards the door."Nothing life-threatening, thankfully. Bruises, a nasty gash on Marco's arm. But they managed to take the guy down." Dawson fell into step beside me as we headed towards the border. "He put up a hell of a fight.""Who the hell was it?" I growled, my mind racing through possibilities. Kaelen testing our defenses? Some other rogue pack making a move?"Don't know yet. They've got him contained. He's not talking."We reached the border in record time. The air was thick with tension. I could see a small group of my guards gathered near the treeline, their faces grim. Marco sat on a nearby log, his arm wrapped
EMMELINE◆◆◆◇◆◆◆Okay, so after every talk that went down last night with Darius, a plan started forming in my head. Just being outright cold to Seraphine wasn't going to cut it. She was slippery, I could feel it. I needed to try a different approach, something that might make her drop her guard, even just for a second. I needed to bait her, see what kind of fish this was.So, this morning, I decided to invite her for tea. Yeah, tea. It felt ridiculously polite considering the suspicions swirling around her, but I figured it might throw her off. Plus, it would give me a chance to observe her up close, see if I could pick up on any tells.I asked one of the house staff to let her know I'd like her company in the sunroom around mid-morning. Then I went about my usual routine, trying to act as normal as possible, even though my insides were churning with unease.When Seraphine finally arrived, she looked a little surprised, maybe even a bit wary. I offered her a seat by the window, where
DARIUS◆◆◇◆◆This whole Seraphine situation was giving me a bad feeling in my gut, a real gnawing one. I called a small meeting, just the people I trusted most: Seraphine herself, my beta Dawson…the guy's got my back no matter what… and Sylas, our head of intel.Seraphine started laying it all out, talking about Kaelen's allies, these rogue packs that were itching for a fight. She named names and gave details about who was leading them. Honestly, she sounded convincing, like she knew her shit. But something about her… it just didn't sit right. Maybe it was Emmeline's words echoing in my head, planting seeds of doubt."So, these packs," I started, leaning forward on the table in my study. "You're sure about their involvement?"Seraphine nodded, her eyes earnest. "Absolutely, Alpha. These are the ones Kaelen has been grooming for years. They're loyal to him, waiting for his command… and now, they can't wait to take revenge for his death."Dawson, ever the logical thinker, chimed in. "An
EMMELINE■■□□□□■■Ugh. I swear, sometimes I just need to punch something. Or someone. Today, that someone was definitely Seraphine. I’d gone down to the training grounds hoping to catch Darius before he got too deep into whatever Alpha duties were hogging his time today. Instead, what did I find? That leech, Seraphine, perched on a rock like she owned the damn place, watching Darius go through his paces.He was looking good, I had to admit. Sweat was beading on his forehead, muscles bunching with every strike against the dummy. He was putting in the work, no doubt about it. But the sight of Seraphine just… grated on my nerves. She was clapping when he finally finished a set, her voice all sugary sweet as she called out, “Excellent work, Darius! You’re looking so strong.”My teeth practically ached from grinding them. Seriously? Strong? Like he needed her to tell him that. I could feel my blood starting to simmer. This was our territory, our pack. She was supposed to be an ally, someon
EMMELINE’S POV■■■■■□□□■■■■■The way Seraphine looked at him… it was subtle, almost imperceptible to anyone who wasn’t me. But I saw it. The slight tilt of her head, the lingering in her gaze just a fraction too long. And the way she spoke to him, her voice a little softer, a little more… sugary than it was when she addressed anyone else. It made my teeth grind.They were in the war room again, poring over maps spread across the large table. The dim light of the oil lamps cast long shadows, making the atmosphere feel even more secretive. I’d been trying to distract myself with needlepoint in the corner, but my fingers kept fumbling with the thread. Every now and then, a laugh would drift my way – Darius’s, usually, prompted by something Seraphine had said. It was a casual laugh, the kind he used with his friends, with his commanders. But it still felt like a punch to the gut.Jealous? Maybe. A little. Okay, maybe a lot. It wasn’t just about Darius, though. It was about the way she was