DARIUS POVDarius' heart had stopped beating for a split second the moment she entered the room. His wolf jerked involuntarily, and even though he appeared motionless, his hand gently tapping on his lap as he sat in his king-sized chair, he couldn't deny that the frail-looking, red-haired goddess in front of him had an emotional and physical impact on him. His mate... the lady with the insanely voluminous curves who had called out to him at the auction ring back then.The same lady he had killed scores of men, all because he didn't want the rest of the world to know about her and because he was already feeling an insane and fierce desire to protect her. They were aware of Eve and the uncontrollable power she wielded over him, which gave them complete authority to carry out their actions. His heart had shattered the day she died, and not even this mysterious green-eyed beauty could revive it.With his gaze fixed on her, he couldn't help but notice how innocent she appeared, with he
BRIELLE’S POV"This is your room for the night, and you'll spend every other night here." Brielle nodded to the maid as they stood in front of a large wooden oak door. She began to thank the redhead lady for showing her where she would be staying during her stay, but before she could finish, the redhead lady was already walking away, down the corridor, with her feet clanging as she went. Brielle exhaled loudly, sighing deeply within herself, and looking down at her black dress, a flush crept up her cheeks at the realization of who she now was. He had called her a submissive and a sex slave, and the words had become ingrained in her mind. Her thoughts returned to the deeply personal questions he had posed, and a sweet shiver of something indescribable passed through her. He'd asked if she was a virgin and if she'd ever been touched, mated, or fucked by another man. She had squirmed at the coarse word, but when she told him she was still untouched, she saw the subtle glint of des
BRIELLE’S POVMorning flew by, and her privacy was quickly invaded by two maids who had entered her bedroom to accompany her to the public bathing session. Brielle had been taken aback when they led her out of her room and into a room full of naked blondes, looking in the mirror and prancing around with no shame. She was perplexed because she had only ever seen women in one state of nudity and had never even met one fully naked before today.Blinking her eyes twice, she had tried to get rid of the sight, even bending down shyly as she just couldn't stand the sight, but then a maid had whispered into her ears, "This is an induction, or should I say an introductory session. You and the other lady brought in yesterday will be introduced to the rest of the submissives, and you are all expected to get along well. "Does that make sense?" Her whispers of yes, didn’t stop her mind from wandering and thinking insane thoughts about what this was all about.When she looked up again, there the
DARIUS POVDarius felt soft feminine hands wrap around his back, a face on his back, and the subtle arch of her bosom pressing deep into his body. Delilah was naked and pliant around him, and he stiffened almost immediately. Darius couldn't just send her away, even though he wasn't used to her catching him off guard or interrupting his bathing session. He began to feel her soft, long, manicured fingers trailing the arch of his chest, past the hairy steam, down to his private chambers, until she was in close contact with his dick, which was already erect due to the cold water bath he was currently having. "It appears that someone missed me..." Delilah drawled seductively, her fake, almost Italian accent showing, but he remained silent, unable to find the words to tell her that he was not in the mood for anything she was thinking.She grabbed his dick and began to stroke slowly, and despite his manhood becoming more erect, Darius stood stiff and unmoving as she stroked him again, th
BRIELLE’S POV Today was the first day of their intensive one-week training as submissives, all under the supervision of Lady Delilah. Brielle had concluded that she didn't like the lady at all, not even a little bit after meeting her some days ago, but that didn't matter, did it? She was the head, and just as Madeline had warned her about stealing her Darius, this woman had done the same, and Brielle now knew she had two enemies in this mansion. Wasn't she too young for all of this? She was too young to be making enemies, let alone having two ladies fight to subdue her and the power she possessed as Lord Darius's mate. He didn't even seem to care about her. So what?It had been two or three days since she had seen him, and the situation had been rather awkward because he had interrupted their first interrogation with Lady Delilah. Lady Delilah had walked up to him, kissing him in front of the submissives, wanting to pass a message. Brielle had been struck by jealousy, her wolf
BRIELLE’S POVBrielle had trouble sleeping that night. She tossed and turned, her hands by her sides until she finally stopped moving her body compliantly as she faced the ceiling. The gold light that shone brightly from the bulb fixed up was the only lighting in her tiny little room, and she didn't want to turn it off because she wasn't ready to sleep yet. Brielle was also afraid of the dark, and as she stared, mesmerized by the golden flecks illuminating her tiny room, she knew she was going to sleep with the lights on. Perhaps her fear of the dark was not the only reason she had the lights on. She was only deceiving herself because she had other reasons for not turning off the lights. She refused to close her eyes and succumb to slumber even when it was calling to her because of another chilling reason; because of the memories that constantly flooded and plagued her mind.Memories of the training room, the rigorous coaching she had to endure over the last few days, and the ho
DARIUS POV"What are you doing here at this late hour?" Darius stood stiffly by the large steel door entrance that led to his room of naked paint collections, his hands folded at the side and his brow raised as he watched the small figure in the lit-up room. It was her, his mate, the beautiful and irresistible Brielle Warren.He'd been upstairs, by the corridor rather, sipping a glass of chilled wine when he noticed the figure waddling around the mansion, and then she'd entered this space, which was one of his privates and a part of the mansions he forbade his submissives from entering. Only the maid specially assigned to clean this part of the mansion and the guards who usually stood by every nook and cranny of the environs were allowed down this part. He was more than surprised when he stepped into the corridor that led straight to the room she had entered, and no single guard was by the corner. No guard seemed to be in sight, and cursing, his reflexes on high alert, he had caut
DARIUS POVDarius concentrated on the lavish meal before him, spoon clanging as he ate hurriedly. The maids who were here at his beck and call, as well as the guards who protected him as usual, surrounded him in the large dining room where he feasted alone. On a normal day, he would have eaten slowly, taking his time and enjoying the delicious dishes laid out for him, but today was different. Tonight was different. It was the night he would take the new submissives to his bed tonight. He couldn't wait to have them, no, Brielle, the lady who haunted his dreams, crawling under him and thrashing wildly while he fucked her. His mate... Even to his ears, the word sounded surreal, and now that he thought about it, he knew their time together would be more than magical and exactly what he desired. He was looking forward to his session with her, so he requested that she be the first woman to enter his chambers. He'd exhaust all his energy on her and reserve the rest for the next submis
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