DARIUS’ POV☆☆☆★☆☆☆Emmeline was curled up in my arms, her head resting right over my heart. I could feel her breath soft against my chest, and it was the most calming feeling in the world. I just kept stroking her hair, letting my fingers run through the soft strands. Oh my… she felt good in my arms. Like she belonged there. Like she was always meant to be there.After a while, she shifted a little, her eyes finding mine. They were so damn beautiful, those eyes. Full of fire and softness all at once.“Darius?” she whispered, her voice a little husky.“Yeah, love?” I replied, my thumb tracing the curve of her cheek.“Have you… have you ever thought about taking a wife again?” she asked, her gaze searching mine. “After… after Lydia?”The question hit me like a punch to the gut, even though I knew it was coming eventually. Lydia. My mate. Gone too soon. It had been years, but the pain still lingered, a dull ache in my soul. I hadn’t even considered another woman. Not even for a second.
EMMELINE’S POV☆☆☆☆★☆☆☆☆The meeting hall was packed. Like, ridiculously packed. High-ranking officials, warriors I’d never seen before, and what felt like a million Betas and Gammas all crammed into the space. They’d all come because Darius had sent out the call, looking for replacements for those dead Alphas. Honestly, when he told me his plan – basically ordering everyone who thought they were hot stuff to come and audition – I didn’t think half of them would actually show up.But here they were. Lining the walls, standing in neat rows, each one eager to step forward and declare their interest. It was kind of surreal. All these powerful people, ready to pledge their loyalty. To us.I sat beside Darius at the head of the hall, on this ridiculously ornate chair that felt way too big for me. He looked every bit the powerful Alpha, his gaze sharp as he watched each one of them step forward, state their name, their pack, and their qualifications. It was like some kind of traditional job
EMMELINE’S POV♧♣︎♧♧♣︎♧♣︎♧♧♣︎♧Okay, this was officially the most awkward silence of my entire life. I sat in one of the leather chairs in Darius’s office, my gaze fixed on the intricate patterns in the rug. Anything was better than looking at him right now. I could feel his eyes on me, heavy and intense, and I knew he was just as messed up in the head about all this as I was.So many thoughts were swirling around in my brain, it felt like a damn tornado. Kaelen. My… other mate? How was that even possible? And what the hell were we supposed to do about it?“You won’t entertain this,” Darius finally said, his voice low and firm, cutting through the silence.I finally looked up, meeting his gaze. His eyes were dark, possessive, and a little bit scared, if I was being honest. “You’re mine, Emmeline.” It wasn’t a question. It was a statement, a declaration.I exhaled slowly. “I know, Darius.” Of course I knew. He had marked me. We were bonded. We were having a baby together. There was no
DARIUS☆☆♣︎☆☆"He's been a busy little bee, hasn't he?" I drawled, leaning back in my ridiculously comfortable chair. Dawson stood fidgeting by the door, his usual calm demeanor a bit ruffled. He’d just finished telling me about Kaelen, that snake in the grass, and his clandestine meetings."Yeah, Alpha," Dawson replied, his voice tight. "We've been tracking him for the past few days. He's been moving around, meeting with different groups.""And who are these ‘groups’?" I asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear him say it."Mostly men who look like they could be elected as Alphas, Darius. Strong, capable… the kind who usually have their own little packs sniffing around them."I scoffed, waving my hand dismissively. "Let him. It's all just a waste of his time. He can’t just conjure up followers out of thin air. I’m the one who decides who gets to lead, remember? He's barking up the wrong damn tree." Honestly, the audacity of the guy still surprised me. Did he really think
EMMELINE☆☆♣︎☆☆Kaelen sat across the small table from me, his eyes calm, almost too calm, as he took a slow sip of his coffee. Me? My hands were sweating, even in this chilly little place he’d chosen for our… meeting. I’d finally tracked him down, cornered him even, and now that I was here, my tongue felt like it was glued to the roof of my mouth.“Well?” I finally blurted out, the silence stretching on for way too long. “I came here to talk, Kaelen. And you’re just… sitting there.”He finally lowered his mug, his gaze meeting mine. There was a weariness in his eyes, a kind of tired resignation that I hadn’t seen before. It made my stomach clench.“And what exactly is there to talk about, Emmeline?” His voice was quiet, almost a whisper. “I’ve tried talking to you plenty of times. You weren’t exactly receptive.”My jaw tightened. He wasn’t wrong. Every time he’d tried to approach me, I’d brushed him off, told him to leave me alone. But things were different now. Everything was differ
DARIUS☆☆♣︎☆☆“He’s gone, Alpha.”Dawson’s voice was his usual steady tone, but there was a hint of finality in it that made me pause as I straightened the lapels of my suit. “Gone where?” I asked, though I had a pretty good idea.“Left the pack. Yesterday. Packed up his meager belongings and just… left.”I nodded slowly, a smug little smile creeping onto my face. Good riddance to bad rubbish. “Well, well, well. Looks like the little snake finally realized he couldn’t bite the hand that feeds him.”Today was the day. The official appointment of the new Alphas. And with Kaelen gone, slinking away with his tail between his legs, there was nothing to stand in my way. Everything would go off without a hitch. And more importantly, Emmeline was safe. That little stunt he pulled, trying to get her on his side… pathetic. The sheer audacity of the guy still pissed me off a little. An ordinary beta from some no-name, weak-ass pack thinking he could challenge *me* for Emmeline? The thought was a
EMMELINE☆☆♣︎☆☆I was in Darius’s study, trying to lose myself in a book. Honestly, with all the weirdness lately, it was hard to concentrate on anything. Kaelen’s creepy words kept replaying in my head like a broken record. What the hell was he up to?Suddenly, a sharp, ear-splitting shriek ripped through the air—the alarm had gone off.My heart leaped into my throat. What was happening? I flinched, dropping the book like it was burning my hands. My breath hitched, and a cold wave of fear washed over me.Every muscle in my body tensed as I shot to my feet. Something was wrong.Terribly wrong.Before I could even process what was going on, the study door burst open, and one of Sylas’s men stumbled in, his face pale and covered in sweat.“Emmeline! We’re under attack!” he yelled. “I’m here to get you to safety!”Safety? What the fuck was going on? My mind was racing, trying to make sense of it. Attack? Who would attack the Estate?But before the guard could even take a step towards me,
EMMELINE♧♧♧♣︎♣︎♣︎They hauled me through the corridors of the Estate like a sack of potatoes, my feet dragging on the plush carpets. I tried to dig in my heels, to resist, but their grip was like iron. Fear, cold and sharp, clawed at my throat. Where were they taking me? What did they want?Then they shoved me through the double doors of the main meeting hall, the very place where Darius held court, made his decisions, the heart of his power. My breath hitched in my chest, and my blood ran cold. Standing at the head of the long table, looking entirely too comfortable, was Kaelen.So, it was him. That slimy, manipulative bastard. He was behind this. The realization hit me like a physical blow, and a raw, animalistic scream tore from my throat.“KAELEN! You son of a bitch! Why are you doing this?!” Tears streamed down my face, hot and angry. My body trembled, partly from fear, partly from pure, unadulterated rage. How could he? After everything? After I’d told him…The men holding me,
★DARIUS’ POV★The whispers hadn't stopped, not entirely. Even after the council meeting, even after Sylas and Lena started their 'educational talks,' I could still feel the undercurrent of unease in the pack. It was like a low-grade fever, always present. And it was all centered around the baby. My baby.Emmeline was trying to be strong, I knew she was. But I saw the way she'd sometimes flinch when a maid was a little too quiet, or how she'd touch her stomach protectively when someone looked at her a little too long. The incident with Clara and the shoes, and how her anger had triggered the baby's kicks... it only confirmed my fears. This wasn't just a normal pregnancy. This child was... reacting. Responding. And that kind of connection, that kind of power, was exactly what the pack was afraid of.I needed more than Elara's observations, as good as she was. I needed someone who understood the truly ‘unusual’. Someone who specialized in the weird, the rare, the supernatural pregnancies
★EMMELINE’S POV★Things were getting weirder. Not just the Alpha visits, which were still a thing, but the baby. My baby. Elara said it was unique, strong, and yeah, I was starting to feel exactly what she meant.It wasn't just random kicks anymore. It felt... connected. Like my emotions were having a direct line to the little person inside me.Yesterday, for example. I was trying to get ready for another stupid Alpha tea with another set of Alphas who were scheduled for that day, and one of the maids, a girl named Clara, brought me the wrong shoes. Again. It was the third time she'd messed up a simple errand that morning. I was already stressed about meeting another stranger who might be secretly judging me or my baby, and this just... tipped me."Clara," I said, trying to keep my voice even, but I could feel the annoyance bubbling up. "These aren't the shoes I asked for. These are the ones from Tuesday. I need the black ones with the silver buckle."She just stood there, looking flu
★DARIUS’ POV★Something was off. I could feel it in the air, a subtle shift in the pack's energy. It wasn't fear like when we were under attack, not that sharp, immediate terror. This was... quieter. More insidious. It was whispers. Hushed tones that stopped the moment I walked into a room. Eyes that flicked away too quickly.At first, I thought it was just the usual pack gossip, maybe about the Alpha visits or the new security measures. But the feeling persisted, a low hum of unease that seemed to follow me. I started paying closer attention, listening in on conversations I usually wouldn't bother with.And then I heard it. Bits and pieces."...the Luna's baby...""...so early, and so strong...""...a pure hybrid... like the old stories...""...what if it's too much?"Too much. That was the phrase that kept coming up. Too much power. Too much difference. Too much... unknown.I knew exactly what they were afraid of. Hybrids weren't unheard of, not entirely. I had Lycan blood myself, a
★EMMELINE’S POV★Well, so things were getting... interesting. Not just with the Alpha visits, which were still happening and still mostly weird, but with the baby. My baby.I was sitting on the window seat in my room, just like I did most afternoons now. The sun felt warm on my skin, and I had my hand resting on my stomach.Elara, the new midwife, was amazing. She was older, with kind eyes and hands that felt like they knew exactly what they were doing. She came by regularly to check on me, give me advice. Most of it made sense, even the weird bits about not eating undercooked meat or raw milk, which, ew, why would I anyway? But she explained it all patiently.Today, she was checking my belly, pressing gently here and there. I was relaxed, used to it by now."How are you feeling today, Luna?" she asked, her voice soft."Pretty good, Elara," I said, smiling a little. "Just tired sometimes. And hungry. Always hungry."She chuckled. "That is normal. The little one is taking much energy t
★EMMELINE’S POV★Okay, so today was the day scheduled for the Alphas coming to visit. Great. As if being Luna wasn't enough pressure after the ceremony do-over, now I had to sit here and entertain powerful strangers. Darius said it was important, that they wanted to 'formally greet' the new Luna. I just thought it sounded tiring.I smoothed down the front of my dress, the same one I wore for the ceremony. It felt a bit like a costume, but Darius seemed to like it. He was already in the receiving room when I got there, standing by the large window, looking out with that intense gaze he had. Sylas was there too, smart and vigilant as always."Feeling okay?" Darius turned as I entered, his expression softening slightly when he looked at me."As okay as I can be," I mumbled, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Just... don't really know what to expect."He walked over and gently took my hand. "Just be yourself. You're my Luna. They are here to show respect. Nothing more."I nodded
★DARIUS★Sylas nodded and left, leaving me alone with my thoughts again. The idea of other Alphas, other males, wanting to see Emmeline, to assess her, made my skin crawl. She was mine. Our mate bond was sacred, our child even more so. They had no right to intrude on our lives, on our fragile peace. But Sylas was right. Ignoring them could be worse. It was a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation. All I could do was control what I could – the security, the vetting, and making sure Emmeline was protected at all costs.Hours later, the sun had set, and a quiet had settled over the compound. Sylas returned, looking tired, but with a sense of completion about him."Alpha," he said, entering my study. I was still there, staring out the window at the moon rising."Sylas," I turned. "The list?"He held up a single scroll. "Vetted. Every name checked, every pack investigated as thoroughly as possible in the time we had.""And?" I prompted, my heart hammering a little in my chest."Su
★DARIUS’ POV★Sleep didn't come easy, not since... well, not since everything. But especially not now. Not with Emmeline carrying our child. Every shadow outside her window felt like a threat, every creak of the old house sounded like an intruder. It was a constant, low thrum of anxiety under my skin. Seeing her today, looking a little less pale after Elara's visit, helped, but it didn't erase the feeling that the world was just waiting to snatch away the few good things I had.I was in my study, the maps and reports on my desk blurring into meaningless lines. I needed to do something. Sitting here, waiting, felt like a betrayal.I slammed a fist lightly on the desk. Enough.I got up and went straight to the guards stationed outside my wing. "Increase the perimeter," I ordered the guard. "Double the patrols around the Luna's wing. I want eyes on every approach, every hour."The guard l nodded. He knew the score. "Consider it done, Alpha.""And," I added, running a hand through my hair
★★EMMELINE★★◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇The door creaked open, and I looked up from where I was propped up on the pillows. It wasn't the usual hesitant young woman who'd been checking in. This time, a woman who looked like she'd seen more sunrises than I'd seen rainy days walked in. She was older, her face etched with lines that somehow made her look both tired and incredibly kind. She had a presence, you know? Like the quiet strength of an old tree.She introduced herself as Elara, the new midwife. Her voice was low and calm. "Luna," she said, giving me a small smile. "I'm here to check on you and the little one."I just nodded, feeling a bit shy. The other midwives had been nice enough, but they always seemed a bit... nervous around me. Elara didn't have that. She just felt... solid.She came closer to the bed, her movements slow and deliberate. She didn't rush anything. She sat down on the edge of the bed gently and reached for my wrist to check my pulse. Her hand felt warm and steady."How are
★DARIUS’ POV★●●●●●●●●●●●●●●The noise of the banquet hall faded behind us as I guided Emmeline towards our room. My hand rested on the small of her back, feeling the warmth of her through the thin fabric of her dress. Every step felt like walking on air, not just because of the wine, but because she was beside me. My Luna. The words still felt new, shiny, perfect.We got to the door, and I paused, turning her gently to face me. Her eyes, bright and sparkling from the evening, met mine. Oh moon goddess, she was beautiful. Not just in that dress, which looked incredible on her, but the way she was her. The way she smiled, the little crinkle at the corner of her eyes, the way she bit her lip when she was thinking. All of it."Finally," I murmured, my voice a little rougher than I intended. I reached up, cupping her face in my hands. "Finally, we're alone."She leaned into my touch, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "It was a wonderful banquet, Darius. Truly.""It was," I agreed, my thumbs