EmmelineThe ride back was silent. Too silent.Morning light spilled through the car windows, casting soft shadows over Darius’s face, but I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t.Not after what I’d heard at the ball.He had a mistress. An official mistress.Not just some random woman—a chosen mistress, selected by the pack's council.And yet, I’d never heard of her. Not once. No mention, no rumors, not even a passing comment.Why?What happened to her?Is she still around? Did she fall down a well? Spontaneously combust from the sheer drama of it all?I wanted to ask. To demand answers. To rip them out of him if I had to.But I didn’t. It wasn’t the right time. My body was exhausted, my mind too drained to argue. What was the point? Another fight? I’d save my energy. For now.So I sat there, staring out the window, pretending I wasn’t screaming inside.Darius didn’t say a word either. Soon, we arrived back at the estate.The moment we stepped out of the car, the crisp morning air hitting m
DARIUSThe knock on my door came just as I took my first sip of coffee.I exhaled slowly, already bracing myself for whatever nonsense is about to unfold. “Come in.”The door creaked open, and the moment I saw Lydia stepped inside, I suppressed the urge to groan.Ah. Right. Lydia.In the heat of everything, I had completely forgotten about her.She had gone home to visit her sick brother, and I hadn’t thought about her once since she left. Now, she was back, standing in front of me with her arms folded over her chest, her expression tight.She bowed stiffly. “Alpha.”I took another sip of my coffee and leaned back. “What do you want, Lydia?”She sniffled. Then, without warning, her eyes welled up with tears.“I thought… I thought you would miss me.” Her voice wobbled, and she blinked rapidly as if forcing herself to look pitiful. “I thought—”I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I hate tears. Especially the pathetic kind.“Get to the point,” I said flatly.She swallowed, then straight
EMMELINEI let out a slow breath as I poured water over the bed of roses, watching the droplets slide off the petals. The garden was supposed to be peaceful. A place to clear my mind. But my thoughts are tangled in knots, frustration bubbling under my skin like a volcano about to erupt.Darius has a mistress.Not just any mistress. A mistress he forgot to mention.I gripped the watering can tighter, trying to focus on anything except the burning anger in my chest. Of course, he didn’t tell me. Why would he? That would require a level of honesty I should have never expected from him in the first place.And the maids… oh, the maids knew. That much was clear from their judgmental little stares and whispered conversations. I had walked into that house thinking I was just dealing with Darius. Turns out, I was walking straight into a pit of fucking vipers.I took a deep breath, forcing my hands to steady.I knew something was off when i first arrived. The maids wouldn’t meet my eyes. They w
DARIUSA sharp knock at the door interrupted the quiet hum of my thoughts. “Come in,” I called out, my voice a little rougher than usual.I had been staring at the same patterns on the bedsheets for over an hour, the swirls and shapes slowly losing their meaning. No matter how much I tried to focus, my thoughts kept wandering. The soft sheets felt heavy, almost like they were holding me down, trapping me in a silence I couldn’t break.My mind was elsewhere, replaying the scene with Emmeline earlier. Her hurt, her anger...The door opened, and Lydia stepped in. She was wearing a thick, plush robe, the kind usually reserved for after a bath. It struck me as odd. Even odder was the heavy makeup she’d applied – her lips were a vibrant, almost aggressive red.What the hell was she playing at?She bent her knees and bowed slightly, her eyes fixed on the floor. “I’ve come to serve you, Alpha Darius.”My eyebrows shot up. “Serve me?” I echoed, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach.The
EMMELINEThey are never going to find the bodies of the men I killed on the day of my mating ceremony.Neither would they find me. My name is Emmeline Carrington, and I am King Carrington's daughter and the last female Lycan. Six Months EarlierAs I stood before Jonas, my fated mate, our hands intertwined and our smiles beaming, I couldn't think of a more perfect day. It was the day of our mating ceremony, and to say that I was still in awe of everything playing out would be a sheer understatement. I just couldn't believe a day like this had finally come, that something this good, this perfect, would ever happen to a girl like me.Several times today, I'd paused and waited with bated breath, half expecting to awaken from whatever dream this was. But it wasn't a dream. I was getting mated to Jonas Sharpe! For the first time in my life, it didn't feel like I had been cursed. To be bound to a man like Jonas as a mate was the greatest blessing of all. He was a top-ranking warrior in
EMMELINEFearful screams arose from every corner of the hall as everyone present flew into a frenzy. My heart felt like it was about to leap out of my chest as I staggered backwards from a mix of confusion and fear.Because everything had happened so fast, I barely had time to process anything. One second my father was officiating my mating ceremony, and the next he had flown to the center of the madness, fighting off the werewolves that were storming into our estate. WE WERE TRULY UNDER ATTACK!ON THE DAY OF MY MATING CEREMONY!All around the hall, combat had ensued with Lycans being cut down mercilessly and killed brutally. It was a bloodbath. I had never felt so much horror. Blood rushed through my ears as I looked around for Jonas, barely escaping the people zooming past me and causing a stampede. "Jonas!!" I screamed helplessly, fighting my way through the crowd and simultaneously struggling to avoid the silver bullets whizzing left and right. I couldn't believe that the best d
EMMELINE (MARY)Present Day“Hurry up with the drink, bartender! I don't have all bloody day!” A man seated at one of the tables in the small bar yelled at me. I nearly jumped out of my skin, slightly dizzy from the suddenness of it all. I realized then that I had zoned out. Again. As fast as my legs could carry me, I rushed out from behind the counter, balancing his order in one hand as I made for his table. I managed to get there without spilling anything. "Y-Your drink, s-sir…" I stuttered, keeping my eyes down apologetically lest I get into more trouble. "Give me that!" He barked, snatching it from me and shooting me a glare sharp. Shuddering, I headed back to my position behind the counter. It had been four months since I was employed at this bar, and still the job hadn't gotten easier. My life hadn't gotten any easier. That seemed like a more fitting conclusion. I still felt heavy and hollow, the hole in the chest never closing up completely. After the death of my family, I
EMMELINEI was locked up in the back of the van on it’s way to the slave house. Tears streamed down my cheeks as my new reality dawned on me. It was over for me. What could possibly become of my life once I started living in the slave house? That was, if such a life could be considered living.I wanted to scream my lungs out in desperation. The guards had made sure I had no means of escape by binding both my arms and legs tightly so that it was impossible to even move. Tears of frustration formed in my eyes again as I trembled in the back of the van. Things were by no means perfect, but at least I'd had some sense of stability. A job, a roof over my head, and plans to relocate as soon as possible. There were just a few months left. And now everything had been turned upside down. All my plans had crumbled into one meaningless blob of nothing. Perhaps I was cursed. Maybe happiness just wasn't something meant for me. Every time it seemed within reach, something happened that would bring
DARIUSA sharp knock at the door interrupted the quiet hum of my thoughts. “Come in,” I called out, my voice a little rougher than usual.I had been staring at the same patterns on the bedsheets for over an hour, the swirls and shapes slowly losing their meaning. No matter how much I tried to focus, my thoughts kept wandering. The soft sheets felt heavy, almost like they were holding me down, trapping me in a silence I couldn’t break.My mind was elsewhere, replaying the scene with Emmeline earlier. Her hurt, her anger...The door opened, and Lydia stepped in. She was wearing a thick, plush robe, the kind usually reserved for after a bath. It struck me as odd. Even odder was the heavy makeup she’d applied – her lips were a vibrant, almost aggressive red.What the hell was she playing at?She bent her knees and bowed slightly, her eyes fixed on the floor. “I’ve come to serve you, Alpha Darius.”My eyebrows shot up. “Serve me?” I echoed, a knot of unease tightening in my stomach.The
EMMELINEI let out a slow breath as I poured water over the bed of roses, watching the droplets slide off the petals. The garden was supposed to be peaceful. A place to clear my mind. But my thoughts are tangled in knots, frustration bubbling under my skin like a volcano about to erupt.Darius has a mistress.Not just any mistress. A mistress he forgot to mention.I gripped the watering can tighter, trying to focus on anything except the burning anger in my chest. Of course, he didn’t tell me. Why would he? That would require a level of honesty I should have never expected from him in the first place.And the maids… oh, the maids knew. That much was clear from their judgmental little stares and whispered conversations. I had walked into that house thinking I was just dealing with Darius. Turns out, I was walking straight into a pit of fucking vipers.I took a deep breath, forcing my hands to steady.I knew something was off when i first arrived. The maids wouldn’t meet my eyes. They w
DARIUSThe knock on my door came just as I took my first sip of coffee.I exhaled slowly, already bracing myself for whatever nonsense is about to unfold. “Come in.”The door creaked open, and the moment I saw Lydia stepped inside, I suppressed the urge to groan.Ah. Right. Lydia.In the heat of everything, I had completely forgotten about her.She had gone home to visit her sick brother, and I hadn’t thought about her once since she left. Now, she was back, standing in front of me with her arms folded over her chest, her expression tight.She bowed stiffly. “Alpha.”I took another sip of my coffee and leaned back. “What do you want, Lydia?”She sniffled. Then, without warning, her eyes welled up with tears.“I thought… I thought you would miss me.” Her voice wobbled, and she blinked rapidly as if forcing herself to look pitiful. “I thought—”I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I hate tears. Especially the pathetic kind.“Get to the point,” I said flatly.She swallowed, then straight
EmmelineThe ride back was silent. Too silent.Morning light spilled through the car windows, casting soft shadows over Darius’s face, but I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t.Not after what I’d heard at the ball.He had a mistress. An official mistress.Not just some random woman—a chosen mistress, selected by the pack's council.And yet, I’d never heard of her. Not once. No mention, no rumors, not even a passing comment.Why?What happened to her?Is she still around? Did she fall down a well? Spontaneously combust from the sheer drama of it all?I wanted to ask. To demand answers. To rip them out of him if I had to.But I didn’t. It wasn’t the right time. My body was exhausted, my mind too drained to argue. What was the point? Another fight? I’d save my energy. For now.So I sat there, staring out the window, pretending I wasn’t screaming inside.Darius didn’t say a word either. Soon, we arrived back at the estate.The moment we stepped out of the car, the crisp morning air hitting m
EMMELINEMy hand clung to Darius’s arm like a lifeline as we entered the grand hall, my fingers digging into the fabric of his sleeve. This was a mistake.My eyes darted around the room, taking in the sheer number of people. Powerful people. And holy moly, the women! So many of them, all dolled up and radiating an aura of confidence that made me feel like a stray kitten in a dog show.Then, across the room, The Alpha of the Greyfield Pack spotted us. And instead of waiting for Darius to approach, the man rushed toward us.Wasn’t it supposed to be the other way around?“Darius,” he greeted, a wide grin on his face as he extended a hand.Darius clasped it firmly, nodding. “Alpha Gregor.”“I didn’t think you would make it!” Gregor boomed, shaking Darius’s hand excitedly. “Thank you for coming.” Darius gave him a nod and a curt, “It’s good to see you again Gregor,” he said, smiling. Gregor’s eyes immediately flicked to me, curiosity flashing in them.“And who is this beauty?”“Oh!” The
EMMELINEWaking up tangled in Darius’s arms was… well, it was new and kind of awkward. My first thought was to hide under the blankets, like I could just vanish or something. Goddess, I was being such a dork.“What are you doing?” Darius chuckled sleepily.“Nothing,” I mumbled into the pillow. “Just… admiring the blanket.”He scoffed. “You’re weird.”I peeked out at him, my cheeks burning. “I’m shy, okay? Cut me some slack.”He just grinned, pulling me closer. “Shy? After last night?” He raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes.I smacked his chest playfully. “Shut up.” Just then, the door opened and a couple of maids came in carrying trays stacked with food. The smell of tea and several other dishes made my stomach rumble. We ate in comfortable silence, the awkwardness from earlier slowly dissipating. But deep down, my mind was racing. Now that I knew the truth, now that I had Darius by my side, there was only one thing on my mind: revenge.“I want to make them pay, Dariu
EMMELINEMy mind was racing wildly. Dead. The trackers were dead. Murdered. Just like that. I sat on Darius’s bed, picking at a loose thread on the duvet. I tried to convince myself that Darius had nothing to do with it and it was all just a big coincidence. But if he didn't, who could have done it? And why?The door creaked open and Darius walked in. His eyes turned dark and stormy the second they landed on me."Were you listening?" he asked.I hesitated for a second, but my guilt churned in my stomach. "Yeah," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.He sighed, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Molly, that's dangerous. What if someone saw you?"I leaned forward. "I can handle myself, Darius."He just shook his head and walked over to a cabinet, pulling out a bottle of wine and a glass. He poured himself a generous amount, the red liquid swirling in the glass. He took a long swig, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Did you kill them?" The question burst out of me be
EmmelineDinner was surprisingly… normal.Well, as normal as it could get when you were sitting across from a man who might have murdered your family.Darius and I ate without saying a word, the only sound coming from our silverware scraping against the plates. He looked completely at ease, focused on his meal, while my thoughts were all over the place. By now, I should have been used to sitting across from him, but something about tonight felt… off.Something didn’t sit right with me. It was like the air around us was heavy and charged with something unseen, as if something was about to happen but hadn’t yet. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe I was just overthinking. Maybe I was being paranoid. Or maybe—A knock at the door made me jump.Darius, however, didn’t even flinch. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, taking his damn time before speaking. “Come in.”The door opened, and a guard stepped inside, bowing his head slightly. “Alpha, you have visitors. Alpha Crock, Alpha Matthias, and Alpha
EmmelineI’d been trying to keep my mind blank as I watered the flowers, but it wasn’t working. It never worked. My thoughts always wandered back to him, no matter how much I didn’t want them to.I was crouched over a cluster of daisies, the watering can dangling loosely in my hand, when I heard the sound of hurried footsteps. Two maids rushed past me, their chatter breaking the stillness of the garden.“Alpha Darius is back,” one of them said, her voice laced with both relief and excitement.I froze, the watering can slipping from my fingers and splashing water onto the soil. I picked it up almost immediately. He was back? My pulse quickened, but I couldn’t tell if it was from anger, nerves, or something else entirely.I stood there for a moment, staring at the flowers as if they could give me answers. Why the hell did I care that he was back? I set the can down, my heart pounding for reasons I didn’t want to examine. I told myself I was only curious—no, annoyed. That’s all. But bef