DARIUS POVDarius paced restlessly around the room, his hands on his waist as he waited for Lady Delilah’s arrival.He needed to clear the air, and he needed to know what training Brielle had received that had her underperforming. He didn't care that it was late; the mansion was still buzzing, and he knew Delilah would also be awake. Furthermore, whenever he had sessions with new submissives, Delilah would always stay at the mansion because she would check on them afterward to see if they had done well. But tonight would be different because he was filled with rage that he couldn't even describe. The images of Eve kept flashing through his mind, only to be replaced by Brielle repeatedly, and it disgusted him. Her moans and sobs rang in his ears, and the sight of her trembling naked figure on his bed made him curse aloud. “Fuck!” As he continued to pace his chambers, he twisted his neck and cracked his knuckles. He had put on his trousers after the embarrassing moment, his hard
BRIELLE’S POV Brielle slid to the ground, tears pouring out of her eyes in waves as she began to sob, shutting the door of her room instantly. She buried her face in her thighs, hands folded around her legs, clutching what was left of her tattered robe, not caring that her makeup was already smeared across her hands. She couldn't keep it in any longer, and the thought of Lady Delilah coming to scold her made everything worse. Her entire body ached, her heart had been shattered, and her wolf was extremely disappointed in her. She could hear its howls and her subconscious telling her countless times that she had messed up horribly and that all she had to do now was wait for her nemesis to catch up with her. She knew that tonight's events would spread like wildfire throughout the mansion. She had heard murmurs from the guards and maids as she walked to her room, head bowed in shame and half-stricken. Aside from that, she could feel their gazes bore a hole in her back, and she was
BRIELLE’S POVBrielle was still reeling from the humiliation of being thrown out of Lord Darius' room the night before, and she couldn't handle the scorn that greeted her the next morning when she went to the public dressing area. News, they said, traveled like wind, and it seemed to have had a blissful journey.Brielle wished she was still in bed, and when she remembered Madeline's visit last night, she felt slightly relieved.While she walked, she noticed the maids pointing at her, the submissives looking at her with scorn and disappointment, and the guards curling their lips in a demeaning smirk. She would break down soon, that she knew, but still, Brielle had to face them all today because she couldn’t be in hiding forever.She should've been resting. If she had done her duties well last night, then she would have still been in bed, recuperating, making up, and recovering lost energy, but she had failed, and Lady Delilah had sent for her. Brielle dared to think about what woul
DARIUS POV"Leave her alone." Darius's voice echoed throughout the room, and he knew it because all eyes were on him, and amidst the stunned expressions on everyone's faces, his gaze was drawn to Brielle, who was trembling on the floor. He'd arrived at the submissive training room earlier, eager to learn what Delilah had in store for Brielle. He'd heard the maids whispering about it as he walked through the mansion grounds with Rocky, and with curiosity nagging at him, he swiveled around to the room, only to be met with a sight he didn't like at all. He had entered the room quietly, and lucky enough, no one had noticed him because everyone's attention was on Brielle and Delilah, who appeared to be putting on a show. His eyes widened when he saw Delilah grab one of the toughest whips, and he proceeded to observe everything that was going on. He overheard Delilah saying she would severely punish Brielle, and then he watched as she did so. The cold bucket of water to be poured on
DARIUS POV"What made you decide to burden me last night?" As he stood behind Brielle, his breath fanned the hair on her shoulders, and he leaned in slowly, with his hands pleated at his back. He heard her hitch of breath as he asked her this question, knowing that he was affecting her, but she said nothing. She was trembling and shaking so badly that Darius wanted to wrap his arms around her and comfort her, but everyone in the room was watching them. Not that he cared about their opinion or that they could do anything to him, but he didn’t want to cause more rumors between the maids, submissive and guards.After the little scene earlier, where he had stopped Lady Delilah from punishing her, Darius had decided to question her behavior from last night because he needed an explanation.He'd fucking apologized to her, which was unusual for him. He had no idea what had happened to him, but he was spilling out the five-lettered apology words from his lips, and she seemed to accept the
BRIELLE’S POVThe stunned expressions on the maids' faces in the room were similar to Lady Delilah's and mirrored Brielle's. Her mouth dropped open in shock, her eyes widened, and her hand trembled as she replayed the words in her head. Lord Darius was removing any hold Lady Delilah had on him, and he would now be in charge of her training. She had no idea if this was something good, and the thought sent shivers down her spine. Her feet taped blindly on the tiled floor, her teeth chattering, and Lord Darius still had time to lean close to her ear and say amidst the small murmurs that seemed to have broken out in the group, "Be calm. You'll be fine.”First, he had apologized to her for last night, and now this, and she was just bewildered.Why was this so?What was he trying to do, and did he have any hidden motive?Many thoughts raced through her mind, questions she couldn't even begin to answer. Brielle said nothing to him, her head bowed in fear, as she was afraid to look up ag
FOUR DAYS LATER BRIELLE’S POV The days that followed Lord Darius taking over Brielle's submissive training role flew by. Her mornings were filled with the same routine: waking up, bathing, and pumping herself up in the public dressing room amid murmurs, stares, and pointing fingers. Brielle spent her afternoons in her room, sleeping or sitting alone or with Madeline, who now visited her room regularly, and she couldn't deny that she enjoyed her frenemy's company. It seemed strange, the last thing she would have expected, that Madeline, who had looked at her with such disgust and hatred the first few days in the mansion, was now her friend, but she liked it. When she wasn't talking to Madeline or sleeping, she would spend her afternoons staring out the window and into space. Brielle was relieved and a bit happy with Lady Delilah's strange absence these past few days. She had no idea where the mansion's mistress had gone too, but Brielle couldn't deny that her absence made every
DARIUS POV"Brielle, let go of your reins. You're doing it willingly." Darius said softly, his gaze fixed on the leather-clad beauty in front of him. He could see her trembling in the dim blue lighting where they both stood feet apart, and he could even smell her fear. She had been standing by the entrance since the maids had brought her to the room, unmoving, and while he liked her shyness, he would have preferred her to be a little bolder. If she messed this up, he wouldn't put up with it tonight. He wouldn't take it lightly, and he wasn't making empty threats. He gritted his teeth as his gaze roved over her body, noting that she looked insanely beautiful and hot, just as he had envisioned when getting the clothes for her earlier. The leather clung like a second skin to her pale creamy skin and curves, and he was envious of the brittle material. "Brielle, please come here." He gave the order, lifting his finger in a demonstration, and watched her walk slowly towards him until
BRIELLE'S POVHer heart fluttered like a flower picked from a peaceful garden. Brielle searched for words to convey how she felt as Darius hoisted her up the floor. Euphoria. Joy. Thrill. Delight. Excitement. Surprise. Yes. These words clearly defined the situation, but there was more going on. Something deeper. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Perhaps she didn't know what word to use, but it wasn't happiness. It was more than that. "My love. Mine, all mine..." Darius repeated in her ears as he twirled her around. After a few minutes, he dropped her back onto her feet.Brielle remained still for a moment, attempting to regain her breath. Her mind buzzed with so many different thoughts, and she felt dizzy and possibly lightheaded from all the dancing, but that didn't stop her from stretching her toes and kissing Darius on the cheek."How are you feeling?" Darius asked, and she replied. “I feel on top of the world. Or maybe I'm already flying through it; I have no idea
A MONTH LATERDARIUS' POVThe banquet went better than Darius had anticipated.He had hoped for a low-key and personal ceremony in which he could deliver the glad news to his people and seal the everlasting union with his partner, but the event planners had other ideas. They'd gone over and aboard, and he surprisingly approved. Every area of the castle was artistically ornamented with gold and scarlet decorations. Everything was stunning, from the beautiful wall tapestries to the intricate floral arrangements, and the crystal chandelier glowed like a light in the hall's center. It was ethereal. Just like the woman for whom this entire charade was intended. Darius smiled as he continued to glance around. His gaze swept through the guests in the room, mingling, drinking, and speaking in groups. He also watched the servants rushing around carrying platters, refilling drinks, and doing almost anything to keep the party going. Finally, his wandering attention was interrupted by the mo
BRIELLE’S POVThere wasn’t a force more powerful in the universe than love. At least, that was what Brielle was thinking as she watched Darius dress in front of the mirror.Her lips watered as he flexed his muscles to remove the white shirt that hugged his body's curves.They had both healed, and all that remained were the scars. Though as memories converged in her head, she nearly let out a whimper. She’d gone through a lot, and damn! Anytime she remembered the whippings, electric shocks, cold water dousing, and even days she went without food, tears streamed down her cheeks. It wasn't easy to forget what had happened, but with Darius, it was becoming easier than she had expected. He was at her side throughout the recovery process, and she couldn't have asked for anything more. "Like what you see?" Darius smirked, interrupting Brielle's thoughts.He was looking at her through the mirror, and when their eyes met, her cheeks flushed. She looked away."Umm." She murmured and said n
DARIUS POV Darius walked carefully down the corridor with his guards in tow. He’d woke up a few hours earlier, and all he could think about was seeing Brielle. The dream from the day before continued to torment him, keeping him half-awake all night. Now, all he wanted was to see and hug her tightly. Then he’d apologize for how he had neglected her—the anguish he'd caused her by not being present when she needed him most. And maybe she'd forgive him. But would she? The inexplicable torture she went through in Draken Havix's hands, as well as his irresponsible choice to send her out into the wild, was nothing short of horrific. It was unforgivable, and Brielle deserved much better. She deserved more than to be with a man like that. He was a coward and an idiot who couldn’t even admit that she had transformed him from who he used to be to a better person. But then, he was also a selfish fool, so he wouldn’t let her go. Not in this lifetime or the next. Regardless of these thought
SOME DAYS LATERBRIELLE'S POV Her eyelids fluttered slowly, and Brielle groaned softly as a dull pain throbbed through her temples. It took a few more attempts before she could open them properly, and eventually, they slid wide enough for her to see where she was.Brielle had to squint a little until her eyes adjusted to the light, which was in stark contrast to what she was used to - dim lighting, quiet, and empty space. 'Where was she?' She frowned and pondered, 'How did she get here?'.She tried to push herself up into a sitting position but froze when a sharp pain shot through her skull again."Damn it." She muttered quietly, lifting a hand to her forehead, only to discover that it was attached to something, and she could not move it. "Fuck! Where am I?" She cursed aloud and, with her eyes roaming, began taking inventory of the room. And that's when she noticed it. The familiar curtains dangling from the windows. The dark red couches facing one another, and gold-plated side ta
BRIELLE'S POVBrielle's eyes opened and shut as she slipped into and out of consciousness.Her entire body hurt; her head ached, and her chest was on fire. Her eyes were open, but she couldn't see anything, and her eyesight was fuzzy.She could only hear noises, low whispering voices that appeared to come from all directions simultaneously. She could also feel soft wisps of cool breeze on her skin, confirming that she was outside.She wasn't in that terrible cell anymore, being tortured by those evil men.But if she wasn't present, where was she? She remembered sprinting through the palace hallways, looking for a way out, but then...She slowly began to recollect what happened after that. Her memories were returning slowly. Brielle had planned to flee once the guards left, with the cell door open and the key having fallen out of their pocket by accident. She remembered scanning left and right to ensure she didn't knock into anyone. It seemed strange how empty the hallways were.She
DARIUS POVDarius fought with all of his strength. He hit and punched, channeling his inner strength until Draken was a bloody mess.Earlier, when Draken had transformed into a wolf and leaped at him, Darius had been prepared for it. His fangs and claws had sharpened, and he’d transformed into his lycanthrope wolf form. He rarely shifted, but when he did, he wasted no time. As a Lycan, he would always be faster than his opponent and better equipped to catch his prey. So when the man attacked, Darius didn't even think about what he could do. His beast form had switched to autopilot, and its instincts took over. He'd scarcely noticed anything when he attacked. He only felt the pain of the punches and strikes, which weren't too severe because he wasn't on the receiving end of them. Draken, on the other hand, was severely beaten. His hairy face was matted with blood, and there were several large gashes all over his body. At this point, he wasn't even fighting back, just squirming and
BRIELLE'S POV"What is happening?" Brielle overheard the question, as many guards entered the cell with troubled expressions."There is a very big problem." One of them spoke, and despite her weakness, Brielle managed to stretch her ears enough to hear what they were saying. "Which is? Can someone fucking talk to me?" Another guard inquired, and the whip in his hand tumbled to the floor. It fell with a resounding thud, and the sound echoed off the cell walls.The air seemed to cool even more. The room was silent for a long time until one of the guards spoke up again. "Master Draken and Lord Darius are…"Brielle's heart sank when she heard Darius's name."Goodness gracious please, let nothing happen to him…" The words came out of her mouth unexpectedly, almost in prayer, and a stray tear streamed down her left cheek. The guards resumed discussing, but this time in quiet tones, as if frightened Brielle would hear them. It irritated her, and she wanted to yell. She wanted to question t
BRIELLE'S POV "Please…" Brielle begged and screamed at the top of her lungs, but the guards did not stop. The more she pleaded, the more the torture increased, and they continued to whip her body with their batons.But she understood why this was happening. Darius was here again. He'd arrived yesterday, and while she hadn't seen him, the rate at which her torture had risen was clear evidence of this. Her agonizing yells were intended to convey a message to Darius. Draken was using it as a tactic to demonstrate that he still had the upper hand and leverage. Brielle's heart wrenched painfully as she thought of the wicked older man who held her captive. A shiver ran down Brielle's spine as she remembered their talk from last night.He'd informed her that Darius still loved her, and despite her misery, she couldn't deny that his words had given her hope. Even when he made insulting jokes about her and Darius's deaths, a small part of her brain ignored the unpleasant words and focused