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
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
EMMELINEI just wanted to eat. That was it. Just a quiet breakfast, a little peace before the day truly started. But, of course, peace and I weren’t exactly on speaking terms.The kitchen smelled like fresh bread and spiced meat, the kind of scents that made my stomach growl. I grabbed a plate and started piling food onto it, my focus entirely on the meal I was about to enjoy. For once, I was trying not to think about Darius, or Lydia, or the fact that I was surrounded by people who either hated me or barely tolerated my presence.I turned to leave, but the moment I stepped toward the door, I heard the sharp click of heels against the stone floor.Lydia.Of course.I sighed before I even turned to face her. She stood there, arms folded, eyes raking over me like I was something disgusting she’d just stepped on."You’re not supposed to be in here," she said, voice dripping with condescension.I rolled my eyes, already tired. "And yet, here I am."Her nostrils flared. "You’re getting too
DARIUSThe moment I heard what happened to Emmeline, I didn’t think. I just ran.By the time I reached the clinic, my heart was hammering against my ribs. My mind screamed at me to prepare for the worst, but when I saw her lying there—alive, breathing—I finally exhaled.The doctor, an old friend of my father’s, had treated her. He knew. Of course, he knew. But he was loyal, and I trusted him to keep her secret.I sighed, rubbing my temples. Lydia.What the fuck was she thinking?I didn’t have time to figure it out because the doors to the meeting room burst open, and there she was. Lydia, flanked by a guard, her face blotchy from crying.Crocodile tears.She staggered forward and dropped to her knees like some tragic heroine from a play.“Save the tears, Lydia,” I said, not in the mood for whatever act she was about to pull.“I—I don’t know what came over me,” she sobbed, lowering her head, voice trembling like she was actually sorry. “I lost control.”I folded my arms. “You stabbed h
EMMELINEAfter what Lydia did, I expected to be stuck in bed for weeks, maybe longer. But Lycans heal fast, and despite the pain, I was already moving around like nothing had happened. Still, I was cautious. Getting stabbed wasn’t exactly something I wanted to relive.Darius had been hovering around me more than usual, watching, making sure I didn’t push myself too hard. He hadn’t said much about Lydia since throwing her out, and honestly, I didn’t care. That bitch was lucky I hadn’t gotten my hands on her first.This morning, though, something was different. Darius seemed… excited?“Get dressed,” he had told me after breakfast, a rare smirk tugging at his lips. “We’re going somewhere.”“Where?” I asked, raising an eyebrow.“You’ll see.”“Why do I feel like you’re kidnapping me?”He just shook his head and chuckled. “You can thank me later.”So, here I was, sitting in the car next to him as he drove us to God knows where.“Are we almost there?” I asked after about ten minutes of silen
★DARIUS’ POV★Damn, that place was even worse than the stories. The Crying Woods… they weren’t kidding with the name. The air hung thick and heavy, clinging to my skin like a shroud. It reeked of stale blood, rot, and something else… despair, maybe? Twisted trees clawed at the perpetually grey sky, their branches like skeletal fingers. It was unnervingly quiet in some ways, but the silence was punctuated by sounds that made the hairs on my arms stand up – distant growls echoing through the suffocating woods, the rustle of unseen things in the undergrowth.And the eyes. Glowing pairs of them, tracking me from the deepest shadows. Yellow, green, cold pinpricks of hate watching my every step. The rogues. They said rogues were just mindless beasts, driven mad by isolation. Bullshit. Those bastards were smart, cunning. They were hunting me, I could feel it. Packs of them, flanking me, testing my path, waiting for an opening.Being alone sucked right then, made every shadow seem like a thre
★EMMELINE’S POV★I woke up slowly, the dull ache in my body a familiar companion now. But something else felt wrong. Deeper. Colder. I reached out instinctively, my hand searching the space beside me in the bed. Empty.Darius wasn’t there.That wasn’t unusual. He was the Alpha, always busy. But this felt different. The bond, the constant hum of his presence in the back of my mind, felt… distant. Like a faint whisper across a wide, empty space. Not gone, not broken, but stretched thin, strained.Panic, cold and sharp, pricked at me. I pushed myself up, ignoring the protest from my aching muscles. “Darius?” I called out, my voice raspy from sleep.No answer.I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my feet finding the floor. I pulled on a robe quickly, my hands fumbling with the tie. Where was he? Why did the bond feel so… far away?I opened the door to our chambers. A maid was outside, tidying the hall.“Where is the Alpha?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.She curtsied. “Good
★DARIUS’ POV★The morning after Finn died, the air in the pack house felt heavy, thick with grief and unspoken fear. Six of my men, gone. Just like that. Torn apart in those cursed woods. It should have made me stop. Made me rethink. Made me listen to the fear that was gripping the pack.But it didn’t.It only made me harder. More determined. If my best warriors couldn’t get those herbs, if the Crying Woods was too much for a trained team, then there was only one person left who could go. Me. The Alpha.I didn’t waste time. I called Sylas into my study first. He was the most skilled, the bravest of my advisors.He walked in, his face etched with the sorrow of the previous night. He knew why I’d called him. He could probably smell the grim resolve on me.“Alpha,” he said quietly.“Sylas,” I nodded, getting straight to the point. No need for pleasantries. Not now. “You know what happened last night.”He closed his eyes for a brief moment, a flicker of pain crossing his face. “Yes, Alpha
★DARIUS’ POV★I stood before them, my best warriors. Their faces were grim, expectant. They knew something was wrong. My mate was sick, and when the Alpha’s mate is sick, the pack feels it. The air in the room was thick with unspoken worry.“Listen up,” I began with a rough voice. “You know the situation with Luna Emmeline. The healer says there’s a way to help her, a tonic. But the herbs needed… they’re in the Crying Woods.”A ripple went through the group. The Crying Woods. Even the bravest among them shifted uncomfortably. They knew the stories. Everyone did.“Yeah, Alpha,” one of them spoke up. “The Crying Woods. That place is a shithole. Full of rogues.”“Exactly,” I confirmed, meeting each of their eyes. “Not just any rogues. These are the ones who lost their minds. Banished, twisted by rage and isolation. They live like animals in there. Savage. Violent. They kill anything that crosses their path.”I held up the parchment Anastasia had given me. “The healer gave me the descript
★DARIUS’ POV★“There has to be something.” My voice was low, a dangerous rumble I barely recognized. I stood over Anastasia, the healer, my fists clenched at my sides. Her face a roadmap of wrinkles, but her eyes held a weariness that wasn't just age. It was the look of someone who had seen too much, too many things go wrong.She sighed, a thin, reedy sound. “Alpha Darius, I understand your… distress. But I have told you. A hybrid pregnancy is… unnatural. The child grows too fast. It takes too much from the mother.”“Unnatural?” I scoffed, the sound sharp. “She’s carrying my child. There’s nothing unnatural about that.”Anastasia flinched slightly but held her ground. “With respect, Alpha, the mixing of bloodlines this strong… it creates complications. The child’s wolf nature is dominant, even in the womb. It draws on the mother’s life force to fuel its growth. It’s why… why hybrids are so rare now. The mothers…” She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the floor.“The mothers what?” I p
★EMMELINE’S POV★It was a quiet afternoon. One of the rare ones where I wasn't meeting anyone, or having Elara check on me, or listening to Darius go over security plans. I was just... alone in my room. The sun was streaming in through the window, warm and peaceful. I was sitting on the floor, leaning against the side of the bed, my hand resting on my stomach.The baby had been calm for a while, just little wiggles here and there. It felt nice. Peaceful. I closed my eyes, just enjoying the quiet, enjoying the feeling of this little life inside me.And then it happened.Not a wiggle. Not a kick.It felt like... like something exploding inside me. A sudden, violent lurch, so powerful it stole my breath. My eyes flew open, and I gasped, a sharp, painful sound."Whoa," I whispered, putting both hands on my belly, trying to brace myself. "Okay, little one, that was... that was a big one."But it didn't stop. It wasn't just one kick. It was a series of them, rapid and brutal. It felt like t
★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