DARIUS’ POVMorning came too fast.The camp was silent, but not the peaceful kind. It was the heavy, suffocating quiet that followed bloodshed. The only sounds were the soft murmurs of men hauling away bodies and the occasional crackling of a dying fire. The scent of blood still lingered in the air, mixed with the sharp sting of burned wood.Sylas had made his orders clear—none of the attackers were to leave alive. Those who tried to retreat had been hunted down like animals. It was brutal, but necessary.I sat inside my tent, my fingers brushing against Emmeline’s arm as she leaned into me. She hadn’t said much since last night. Her body was still tense, but I could feel her slowly relaxing under my touch.I hated seeing her like this.“I’m fine,” she mumbled, though her voice lacked conviction.I exhaled, pressing a kiss against her temple. “You don’t have to be.”She didn’t respond, just curled in closer.The moment felt fragile, like something I needed to protect. But, of course,
EMMELINE’S POVI thought Sylas would take at least a day or two to think it over. Maybe argue some more, try to poke holes in the plan, or drag his feet just to be difficult. But barely two hours had passed when he called Darius and me into his tent.And when he said the words, I almost didn’t believe him.“We’re moving,” Sylas announced.I blinked. “Wait… what?”He exhaled, as if he couldn’t believe he was saying it either. “You heard me. We’re moving to the Estate.”I turned to Darius, half expecting him to laugh and say I was dreaming. But he just smirked like he’d seen this coming.“Sylas,” I started, my voice unsure, “are you… are you sure?”He folded his arms and gave me a look. “Do I look like I’m joking?”I grinned. “Not really, but—”“I’m not doing this because I suddenly like the idea,” he interrupted. “The raid proved that we’re vulnerable here. My job is to protect these people, and that means making tough choices. I don’t like relying on anyone outside of my command, but
EMMELINE’S POVThe night air was thick with tension as we began our journey. No one spoke above a whisper, and the only sounds were the rustling of fabric and the occasional creak of the supply truck’s wooden panels.Darius had planned this carefully, making sure everything went smoothly. He was in a separate car up ahead, making sure no one would stop or search the trucks. The Lycans—my people—were hidden in supply compartments, concealed beneath tarps and crates. Every precaution had been taken, but I still couldn’t shake the unease twisting in my gut.I sat in the back of one of the trucks, surrounded by women and children. The space was cramped, the air stifling, the scent of sweat and fear thick around us. Every time the truck hit a bump, someone gasped or clutched onto the person next to them.Sylas had insisted I ride with them—to keep them calm, to make sure no one panicked and did something reckless. He’d made it sound like a simple task, but now, sitting here, I realized jus
EMMELINE’S POVThe ride back was way too quiet.I sat there, staring out the window, my body heavy with exhaustion, but my mind wouldn’t shut off. The past few days had been a whirlwind—planning, moving, making sure no one got caught. Now that we were finally done, I expected relief to flood in. Instead, unease settled deep in my gut.Every single thing that had happened tonight was still rattling around in my head—the move, the tension, the risk. Even now, I kept wondering if we had made the right call. If something would come back to bite us.Darius sat behind the wheel, gripping it so tight his knuckles were white. His eyes were dull with fatigue. He hadn’t said a single word since we left. Not that I blamed him. I was too damn tired to talk, and I knew he was too. We both just wanted to get back, take a breath, maybe sleep for a few hours before we had to deal with anything else.But the second we pulled up to his home, I knew something was wrong.The Estate was too quiet.Not the
EMMELINE’S POVDarius didn’t let up.Michael was still pinned against the wall, his smirk faltering as Darius’s forearm pressed against his throat.“Listen carefully,” Darius growled, voice low and steady—the kind of dangerous calm that made my skin prickle. “If you ever try to take what’s mine again, I won’t be so fucking patient.”Michael let out a breathy chuckle, though I could tell he wasn’t as amused as he wanted to seem. “You really think threats are gonna scare me?”Darius’s grip tightened. “It’s not a threat. It’s a fucking promise.”Michael’s smirk twitched back into place, but there was something mischievous about it now. “I don’t have to take anything, cousin. Your own pack is already handing it over.”My stomach clenched.Darius didn’t move. His expression barely shifted. But I saw it—the flicker of barely contained rage in his eyes.“Bullshit,” he said.Michael hummed, tilting his head slightly. “You’ve been so busy, Darius. Distracted. And while you were gone, your peop
DARIUS’S POVI wanted to put my fist through a fucking wall.The moment Michael walked out of that room, I knew this wouldn’t just be a fight—it was a war waiting to happen. And if he already had people backing him, that meant this shit had been brewing for a while.I couldn’t afford to ignore it.So I did what I had to. I called a meeting.Within half an hour, my most trusted warriors filled the war room, their faces were tense, their eyes sharp. Dawson, my Beta, stood beside me with his arms crossed. Emmeline was there, too, sitting near the edge of the room, though her expression was quite unreadable. But I knew her well enough to see the gears turning in her head.I leaned forward, placing both hands on the heavy oak table. “Let’s not waste time,” I said. “You all saw what happened. Michael challenged me. Now I want to know how deep this shit runs.”There was silence. Then, finally, one of my warriors, Cade, spoke up. “Michael isn’t an idiot. He wouldn’t challenge you unless he t
EMMELINE'S POVI wasn’t trying to eavesdrop.Not really.But when two warriors started whispering about Michael and some deal right next to me, what was I supposed to do? Just walk away and pretend I didn’t hear it?Yeah, no chance in hell.When you live in a house full of dominant wolves plotting against each other, it’s hard not to pick up on things.And right now, standing at the corner of the hall just outside the training grounds, I was picking up on something bigSo I slowed my steps, pretending to fix the strap on my boot while keeping my head down. My heart pounded as I strained to hear every word.“…said he’s got it locked in,” one of them muttered. “An Alpha from outside. Big pack, strong. He’ll bring warriors in exchange for—”The other one shushed him sharply. “Not here, dumbass.”My stomach twisted into a tight knot.Michael was bringing in outside help?That wasn’t just a power move. That was a fucking declaration of war.I forced myself to keep walking, staying just far
EMMELINEI barely had time to react before the door shut behind him.Michael stood there, his sharp gaze locking onto me like a predator who had just found his prey. His lips curled into a slow, knowing smirk as he leaned against the doorframe, completely blocking my only exit.“Looking for something?” he drawled.My grip on the letter tightened behind my back, my mind racing. He knew. Maybe not exactly what I had found, but he knew I had been searching for something. And now, he had me cornered.I forced my expression to remain calm, lifting my chin slightly. “Just curious,” I said evenly.Michael chuckled. “Curiosity can be dangerous,” he murmured, stepping toward me. His eyes flickered with amusement, but there was something darker lurking beneath the surface—something cold and calculating. “Especially for someone like you.”I swallowed but held my ground. I couldn’t let him see me panic.He took another slow step forward, tilting his head as he studied me. “You’ve been spending a
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