DARIUS“Alpha, she is not in her room,” the guard said, his voice shaking as if he knew how much trouble this news would bring him.I set my glass of whiskey down, my fingers tightening around it until I thought it might shatter. “What do you mean, she's not in her room?” I growled.“No one has seen her, Alpha,” he stammered. “We’ve checked the immediate quarters. She’s… gone.”For a moment, I just stared at him, my mind working overtime to process what he’d just said. Gone? How the hell had she managed to pull that off?“Get the rest of the guards,” I ordered, my voice cold and clipped. “Search the estate. Every hallway, every damn corner. Don’t come back to me unless you’ve found her.”He nodded quickly and practically sprinted out of the room like his life depends on it—which, honestly, it might. I was left alone with my thoughts.Fifteen minutes later, the same guard came back with a group of others. Their faces were pale, and they looked like they’d rather be anywhere but here.
EMMELINEI woke up to the softest thing I’d ever felt beneath me. It wasn’t the hard, scratchy mattress in my room. No, this was something entirely different—softer, warmer.My eyes snapped open, and I sat up, gasping.The room around me was massive, decorated in dark tones with sleek furniture and thick curtains. It carried a faint scent of cedar mixed with something… something undeniably masculine.Oh no.I was in Darius’ room.I started to panic, and it got even worse when I noticed something strange—my clothes had been changed. The ripped dress I had been wearing was gone. Instead, I was in a loose, clean shirt and soft pants. My heart raced as I tried to figure out who could have done it and when.What the hell?Did he…?Before my thoughts could completely spiral out of control, the door creaked open.And there he was.Darius.He walked in with a calmness that sent a chill down my spine—it was the kind of calm that made you feel like he was ten steps ahead. Behind him, two maids
DARIUSDawson kept talking about trade deals, alliances, and some shipment plans, but I wasn’t paying attention. I sat in my chair, staring at the papers on my desk without really seeing them. Every now and then, I’d nod like I was following along, but honestly, I wasn’t. My head was somewhere else entirely.It was on her.Molly.The girl who had tried to kill me twice. The girl who somehow survived things most people wouldn’t. And now, she was here—alive, bold as ever, and still looking at me like she wanted me dead."Alpha?" Dawson’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts."What?" I blinked, realizing I had no idea what he’d just said.He frowned. "I was asking if you wanted to approve the shipment for the southern border.""Yeah, sure. Do whatever you think is best," I muttered, waving him off.He raised an eyebrow. "Is something wrong? You seem... distracted."I sighed, leaning back in my chair. "I’m deliberating on something. I think it's best if you come back later."Dawson paused
EMMELINEI stood outside the grand door of the new overly spacious room Darius had just shown me. His excitement was almost like that of a child, like he expected me to leap for joy or shower him with gratitude. I wasn’t about to do either.I couldn’t help but wonder what on earth was wrong with him.First, he saved me.Then, he had the audacity to try and kiss me.Oh, the kiss.How had I not stepped back? How had I stood there, frozen, letting the moment linger far longer than it should have?I’d sworn to myself that I would never let it happen again. Never.And yet, if we hadn’t been interrupted yesterday, I might have kissed him back.My heart clenched at the thought, and I frowned.Maybe it wasn’t him.Maybe I was the problem.“This is your new room,” he said, smiling like he’d done something extraordinary. His hands were tucked in his pockets, and his tone was so smug it made my skin crawl. “Take a look. I’m sure you’ll love it.”Love it? That word didn’t exist in my vocabulary w
EMMELINEI wiped my face with the back of my hand. My eyes were puffy, my throat sore from crying. Hours had passed since the mess in the garden, but the tightness in my chest hadn’t let up. I hated this place. I hated Darius. And I hated myself for being here.But damn, I was starving.I should go check the kitchen for some snacks. It was almost midnight.Grumbling, I slipped out of my room. The Estate was dead quiet, the kind of silence that would make your footsteps sound like thunder. I crept toward the kitchen, hugging the walls like some thief in the night.When I got to the door, I heard voices.“Have you noticed how strange the Alpha’s been acting lately?” one voice whispered.“Oh, absolutely. That girl must’ve done something to him,” another replied. “She’s not just some regular slave. She’s probably a witch and must have charmed him.”My blood boiled instantly. A witch? Really?“Think about it,” the first woman said, her voice dripping with disdain. “Why else would he give h
EMMELINEThe clinking of forks and knives against plates was the only sound in the room. I sat across from Darius at the long dining table, picking at the eggs on my plate. The silence was suffocating, the kind that wrapped around your throat and squeezed the air out of you.Darius sat with perfect posture, his piercing gaze locked on his food. He hadn’t said a word since I walked in. It was like we were strangers, but after everything that had happened last night, I couldn’t just ignore him.I stabbed a piece of sausage, chewed, and swallowed. Then, finally, I dared to look at him.He was already staring at me.My breath hitched, and I quickly looked away, focusing on the plate like it was the most fascinating thing in the world.I couldn’t take it anymore. “Why did you give me a special room?”His eyes narrowed slightly. He leaned back in his chair, his fork resting on the edge of his plate. “Because you asked for it.”“That’s not my real question,” I blurted out, my voice sharper t
EMMELINEMy legs felt heavy as I made my way to Darius’ meeting room. His guards had told me he wanted to see me, and the whole time I walked there, I couldn’t stop wondering why.Was it to apologize for what happened last night? An apology? Did I even need one?My head had been a mess all day. I kept replaying everything in my mind, trying to figure out what went wrong. Was it because I touched that strange mark on his chest? What was that mark, anyway?I let out a frustrated sigh. If he wanted to apologize, why wait until nighttime to call me? Why not come to me in the morning, like any normal person would? It didn’t make sense, and the more I thought about it, the more irritated I felt.When I reached the door, it was open just enough for me to see him inside. Darius stood near a massive wooden table, leaning forward with his hands braced on the surface, his head slightly bowed. He looked… distracted.I walked in quietly, and the moment Darius noticed me, he straightened up. His ey
DariusThey found out so easily.The thought wouldn’t leave my head. How the hell did they find out so fast? How could the news have traveled this quickly, and why was it so damn easy for them to trace her? I paced back and forth, my mind racing with possibilities, each one worse than the last. I felt like I was suffocating.One of the Alphas, Crock—the same one who had always been the most eager for blood—spoke up. “What do you plan to do now, Darius? It’s important that the girl dies. We can’t have this turning into a mess.”I didn’t have the patience for this. I clenched my fists. “Once she’s caught, I’ll kill her myself,” I said, trying to sound calm, like I had control of the situation. But inside, my blood was boiling. They couldn’t know about her. They couldn’t.Crock nodded, the smallest hint of approval in his eyes. “Good. We’ll handle the trackers. They’re already on her trail. Three of our best are on the job as we speak.”I ran a hand through my hair, trying to keep my com
EMMELINE★☆★☆★☆The rough hands of the lycan guards practically threw me inside. I landed hard on the cold stone floor, the air knocked right out of my lungs. I gasped, trying to suck in some air, my chest heaving like I’d run a marathon. Which, technically, I kind of had.“Emmeline! What the hell happened?” Sylas was instantly beside me, his strong hands gripping my shoulders, pulling me upright. His face was etched with worry, his eyes searching mine.It took a few ragged breaths, but I finally managed to choke out the words. “Michael… that son of a bitch… he exposed me. They know. They’re coming.” The last part came out in a shaky whisper, the reality of it all crashing down on me.Sylas’s grip tightened for a second, and his expression went dark, like a storm cloud rolling in. He lifted me as if I weighed nothing, despite the adrenaline still coursing through me, and gently placed me on a nearby chair. My legs felt like jelly, and I was still trembling.“I knew this day would come
EMMELINE★☆★☆★☆This night had gone straight to hell. One moment, I was in a grand banquet hall, surrounded by laughter and music, and the next? I was running for my damn life through the dark forest, my lungs burning and my heart hammering against my ribs like a war drum.I had no shoes on now, no time to think, just raw survival instincts screaming at me to move faster. My dress was torn, catching on branches as I pushed through, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t."FIND HER!" a voice roared behind me. "DON’T LET HER ESCAPE, DAMN IT!"Escape. That was the only thing on my mind. The forest was a maze of trees and shadows, every direction, every turn looking exactly like the last. I had no freaking clue where I was going, just a blind, desperate hope that I’d stumble across the Lycans estate before they caught me.I had to make it to the estate, not just to save myself but to also warn them. Sylas would know what to do. He had to. If I didn’t make it there… I don’t even want to imagine wha
EMMELINE’S POV★★★★★★★★★Ugh, all that fancy food and forced smiles were starting to give me a stomach ache…I needed a quick escape to the ladies' room before I painted the pristine white tablecloth with my dinner. I told Darius I needed to pee – a totally believable excuse, right? – and slipped out of the banquet hall. The bathroom was down the hall, and I was just heading back, feeling a little bit better, when I noticed the music had stopped. Weird. Then I heard voices coming from a side room. Something felt… off. Like a really bad vibe was radiating from behind that closed door. My feet just stopped. I knew that voice. Michael’s. That slimy bastard.My heart started hammering against my ribs. How in the actual hell did he find out? I crept closer, my hands shaking. Peeking through the slightly ajar door, I saw a bunch of Alphas crammed in there, including those two absolute digusting devils, Alpha Crock and Alpha Mathias. Darius was standing tall in the middle of them, facing Mic
DARIUS☆☆☆☆☆☆Man, I couldn't stop the stupid grin plastered on my face if I tried. Sitting here in the meeting room with Dawson my beta, going over this damn invitation list for the banquet, every name we ticked off just made me feel lighter. Like a weight I didn't even know I was carrying had finally been lifted.“Think we’ve got everyone important, boss?” Dawson asked, his pen hovering over the last few names. He looked up at me, a small smile playing on his lips. He knew how happy I was. Everyone did. It was probably radiating off me like heat from a damn furnace.“Yeah, man, looks good,” I said, leaning back in my chair. “Anyone we missed, they can just… well, they can kick themselves later for not being on the list for the party of the century.” I chuckled, and Dawson joined in. It felt good, this easy laughter. It felt right.“Party of the century, huh?” Dawson repeated, shaking his head with a grin. “You’re really going all out, aren’t you?”“Damn right, I am!” I exclaimed, my
EMMELINE☆☆☆☆☆Ugh, I woke up feeling like a truck had run me over. My eyes felt heavy, and my body just wanted to stay glued to the mattress. I reached out my hand, but the other side of the bed was cold. Darius was already gone for his meeting. Of course, Mr. Important always had somewhere to be. I dragged myself out of bed and headed for the bathroom. A long, hot bath sounded like the only thing that could possibly make me feel human again.After my bath, I went to the dining room, and breakfast was already waiting for me. The usual spread – fruits, some toast, and that fancy tea Darius insisted on. I wasn’t really hungry, but I managed to eat a little something. I was feeling restless, cooped up in the house. So, I decided to take a short stroll in the gardens. The flowers were blooming, and the air was fresh. It was actually quite nice for a bit.But then, halfway through my walk, a wave of nausea hit me like a punch to the gut. I suddenly felt this urge to throw up, and before I
EMMELINE☆☆☆☆☆☆I had to see Sylas. Like, really needed to. After everything that went down, him helping find me and all, it just felt right to go over to his Estate. Plus, you know, gotta keep things moving, right? Can’t just sit around feeling rescued all day.So I headed over to the other Estate. It's not like it's a huge ride or anything. And when I got there, Sylas was, well, Sylas.He turned to me, and there was this look in his eyes – kinda serious, but also…relieved? “Emmeline,” he said, that deep voice of his, “Good to see you again.”“Hey,” I replied, stepping inside. “Thanks again for, you know… finding me. Seriously. Thank you.” I wanted to make sure he knew how much it meant. It wasn't just about being found, it was him, Sylas, who had played a big role in it.He just gave a slight nod, that kind that tells you he’s not one for big speeches. “It is my duty. To protect all lycans. Especially you, Emmeline. Of course, I would do it again. It is my job, after all.”Okay, th
EMMELINE☆☆☆☆☆☆When my eyes finally fluttered open, the first thing that hit me wasn't the light, or any pain, but the complete and utter silence. It was… different. Not like that silence, you know? The kind that used to press down on me, suffocate me while I was trapped in Michael’s dungeon. Nope, this was a peaceful quiet. A quiet that whispered, “It’s over, Em. The crazy is done.” The war… yeah, the war was really done. It still felt kinda unreal, like I was waiting for the other shoe to drop, for some new nightmare to start. But for now, just quiet.I shifted a little under the soft sheets, and my body groaned in protest. Man, I was still so damn sore. Felt like I’d been run over by a cartload of bricks, not just, you know, everything. But even with the aches, it wasn’t a bad sore. It was like… my body was just tired from fighting, from surviving. A strong arm suddenly snaked around my waist, pulling me back against a warm, solid chest. Darius. Of course.“You’re awake,” he mur
EMMELINE’S POV☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆Oh Moon Goddess, this is getting seriously messed up. I scrambled back, doing this weird crab walk thing as I crawled away from Darius and Michael who were going at it like wild dogs. My heart was hammering in my chest like a damn drum solo. Dust and dirt were flying everywhere, and I could hear the grunts and the clangs of their blades. I felt useless, just huddled there while they were practically trying to kill each other.My eyes darted around, searching for… I don't know, anything? Something to help? My fingers brushed against something hard and sharp on the ground. Yes! My hand closed around a rock, jagged and rough. It wasn't much, but it was better than freaking nothing. My hand was shaking so bad I almost dropped the damn thing. "Come on, Emmeline, get it together," I whispered to myself, even though I felt like I was about to lose my lunch right then and there.Then, bam! Michael, that psycho, he slammed Darius down. My breath hitched. Darius wa
EMMELINE’S POV☆☆☆BANG! BANG! BANG!My eyes snapped open so fast I thought my neck might crack. Gunfire. Holy shit. My heart pounded, wild and frantic, like a trapped bird. What the hell was happening now?For a second, confusion clouded my mind…had I imagined it? But then another shot rang out, followed by shouting.Michael cursed under his breath. The slimy bastard jumped to his feet and rushed to the door. “Stay here,” he ordered, though it was clear he meant it for his gorilla-sized guards, not me.But even through the fear, something else struck me like a jolt of lightning. Darius. It had to be him. Who else would be crazy enough…or brave enough, to come barging in here with guns blazing?My breath hitched. Darius was here.A spark of hope ignited in my chest. Hope, mixed with an exhausted but undeniable, ‘Are you kidding me?’“Do not take your eyes off her,” Michael barked before slipping out, slamming the door behind him.He thought I wouldn’t try to escape?He underestimated