(Diane)Clubs aren’t really my scene, but listening to my girlfriends gush over Alpha Darius’ long-lost son as if he were some celebrity heartthrob was almost entertaining enough to make me forget my worries. Victor, my fiancé, had ghosted me for a whole day now, that never happened before.Victor is not my mate, but I couldn’t care less. My parents aren’t fated mates either and they are the happiest couple I knew. Victor came into my life three years ago and made me as happy as my Alpha father made my Luna mother. That’s all that matters to me.“…Lucian’s here tonight! They say he’s drop-dead gorgeous. Like, way hotter than any guy from our pack.” My friend Maya said, practically bouncing in her seat.“Gorgeous and mysterious,” chimed in Lila, swirling her drink. “You know the rumors, right? His mom was Alpha Darius’s true mate, and she died protecting him from his stepmother.” She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a dramatic whisper. “They say Luna Celeste tried to have both
(Diane)So this is how the mate bond feels. A rush of energy, a pull like gravity tightening around us, and an almost maddening awareness of him. But I wasn’t about to let it sway me. Sure, he was ridiculously perfect, but I wasn’t some love-struck fool who’d drop everything at the first spark of fate. I had a life, plans, and a fiancé waiting for me upstairs. This bond? It could wait.Lucian’s gaze held mine, his lips curling into a small, knowing smirk. He held out a room key, his hand brushing mine as he offered it. Sparks shot up my arm at the contact, making me pull back instinctively.“You’re my mate,” he said, his voice low but full of certainty. I raised an eyebrow, forcing myself to stay calm even as my heart raced. “Take a number and get in line, sweetheart,” I said coolly, flashing the engagement ring on my finger in front of his gray eyes. “I’m otherwise occupied right now.” I let the key slip from my hand, letting it fall to the floor between us before stepping p
(Diane)I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my palms to keep from lunging at Savannah. I wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of seeing me lose control. Instead, I straightened my spine, forcing myself to meet Victor’s gaze.“So this is who you are,” I said coldly, my voice steadier than I thought it would be. “A liar. A cheat. A coward.”Victor just stares at me, his expression unreadable, his silence louder than any excuse or justification he could have mustered. My chest burns, anger and betrayal clawing at me, but before I can say another word, a familiar, sharp tug pulls at my mind. The mind-link. My father. “What is it, Dad?” I respond, forcing my voice to sound light, chipper even. I can’t let him hear the strain in my tone. He’s been under so much pressure lately, dealing with setbacks in the pack’s business dealings. Victor, has been helping him, but the weight of it all has been wearing him down. The last thing I want is to add to his burden with… whate
(Diane)My heart twists painfully at the words. My mother—my strong, unshakable mother—had never looked so broken, so utterly lost. Her grief has consumed her, leaving no room for reason or recognition. I take a cautious step closer, keeping my hands visible and my movements slow. “Mom, please,” I pleaded. “Her snarl turns into a growl, her whole body trembling as though she’s on the verge of shifting. She looks at me like I’m an enemy, and Nina growls softly in the back of my mind, urging caution. I stop moving, swallowing hard as I look down at my father’s lifeless form. My chest tightens painfully, and a lump forms in my throat. This can’t be happening.Tears blur my vision as I try to think, try to figure out how to reach her, how to bring her back from this. But her eyes… they’re filled with too much pain, too much loss. And I know—this moment has broken something in her that can never be fixed.I swallow my sobs, forcing the lump in my throat down as I turn away from my m
(Diane)The room tilted for a moment, my head swimming with rage and disbelief. I gritted my teeth, forcing myself to focus on his face, to memorize every line and curve of the man who had just declared war on everything I held dear. “You won’t get away with this,” I said, my voice low and venomous. He laughed—a short, mocking sound that grated against my frayed nerves. “Oh, sweet girl,” he said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the desk. “I already have.”Tears sting my eyes, hot and relentless, but I refuse to let them fall. My gaze locks on Victor's face, cold and unyielding, unwilling to show him even a shred of weakness. My father’s voice echoes faintly in my mind, urging me to be strong. He leans back in the chair, his smug expression twisting into something darker, something vile. “Listen carefully to what will happen now, my dear fiancée.” The word drips with mockery, as though he relishes twisting the knife deeper into my heart. “You and your mother…” He pau
(Diane)With a violent shove, he threw me to the ground, my back slamming against the cold, hard floor. Pain radiated through me, but I barely had time to register it before Victor was on me, pinning me down with his weight. His hands clamped around my wrists, forcing them above my head as I thrashed beneath him.I tried to fight back, but he was too strong. Nina howled in fury, her energy surging through me, but Victor was relentless, his strength far beyond anything I could match.“Stop struggling,” he hissed, his face inches from mine, his breath hot and sharp. “You think you’re the victim here? You have no idea what it feels like to be cast aside, to be nothing while someone else gets to live your life.”I glared up at him, tears of frustration burning my eyes. “That’s not my fault!” I choked out. “Whatever happened between your mother and my father—that has nothing to do with me!”Victor’s expression twisted with hatred, his lips curling into a snarl. “It has everything to do wi
(Diane)The day of my release dawns cold and bleak, but the chill outside is nothing compared to the ice in my veins. Five years—that’s how long I’ve been locked away for taking out my ex-fiancé’s left eye. Or, more accurately, my half-brother’s eye. The memory of that moment still burns in my mind. The shock on his face. The rush of rage that overtook me. The sickening clarity of realizing the man I once loved—over my fated mate, no less—was my sibling.Every time I think back to that moment, it feels like my chest is being crushed. Was it worth it? Yes. But it cost me everything—my freedom, my family, and even my wolf.The first day in prison, they poisoned me with wolfsbane—brutal, unrelenting doses that stripped away my connection to Nina. I screamed for hours, begged her to stay, but the bond broke. Losing her was worse than the bars, worse than the jeers and stares of the other inmates. It was like losing a limb, a part of my soul.For the first few years, life was a nightma
(Diane)Lucian remained motionless, his piercing gaze boring into me with a cold detachment that sent shivers down my spine. He leaned back against the leather couch, the casualness of the gesture at odds with the intensity in his eyes. His arms rested lazily on the backrest, but there was nothing relaxed about him. His body was coiled tight, like a predator ready to pounce, and the air between us crackled with tension.I, however, swayed on my feet, clutching the doorframe for support as the drug continued its relentless assault on my body. “You are my one last chance. My life is in your hands.” My voice was barely audible, cracked and trembling. My vision wavered, and my breaths came shallow and quick, desperation clinging to every word.Five years have passed, but the bond between mates is impossible to forget. His gaze flickers over me, and I see a mix of emotions—anger, betrayal, and something deeper, something he tries to hide.I try to speak, but my throat feels dry. The drug’s
(Diane)Freeing my mum was almost too easy—almost as if there were no restrictions, no defiant forces left to stand in our way. As we drove back, the cool night air pressed in on me, and memories began to surge like a long-forgotten tide. I couldn’t help but remember those days when I was 16 or 17, when everything was raw and unfiltered. Back then, life had been simpler, even if it was filled with its own share of heartache. I recalled the laughter and the closeness we once shared, the innocent promises made under starlit skies. It was during that time that I realized I’d known Lucian longer than I ever truly admitted—even if we weren’t as close as we are now, there was a bond there, pure and unadulterated.I leaned back in the driver’s seat, my eyes tracing the dark outlines of the trees passing by. Memories of our younger days flooded my mind—the way Lucian used to tease me relentlessly about my quiet nature, the moments we shared when nothing else seemed to matter. We were diff
(Lucian)I waited. Arms crossed, patience wearing thin, watching the darkness beyond the clearing. The unity charm—an old, unbreakable ward—hummed softly around me, its ancient magic holding strong. Victor and Savannah were coming, and they’d be pissed. Good. Let them rage.I smirked as I imagined Victor’s face when he realized he couldn’t step a single foot inside this place. That alone was going to be worth the wait.And then, finally, they arrived.Victor stormed into view first, looking like an angry CEO who just found out his assistant accidentally deleted his entire empire. His expression? A mix of frustration, rage, and just a dash of arrogance—because of course he still thought he could win.Savannah followed closely behind, though something was different. Her usual confidence was still there, but there was a tension in her movements, a hesitation that hadn’t been there before. I filed that observation away for later.Victor glared at the unseen barrier keeping him out. He ra
(Diane)I scrambled backward as he closed in. His movements were lightning-fast—like he’d been trained in every form of combat. I ducked just in time as his fist grazed where Lucian had been standing. Lucian recovered quickly, his eyes burning with fierce determination as he pulled me to safety behind a large, ornate pillar.“Diane, run!” he shouted, but I knew I couldn’t just leave him to fight alone.He attacked again, launching a series of precise strikes. I could hear the smack of flesh and the grunts of exertion as Lucian met his blows. My heart pounded like a drum as I tried to find my footing in the dimly lit hallway. I caught sight of a heavy, metal lamp lying on a side table—if I could reach it, I might have a chance to defend myself.The attacker moved with the grace and lethality of a predator, his eyes never leaving mine as he advanced. I raised the lamp, swinging it with all the strength I had. The lamp connected with a dull thud against his forearm, sending a jolt of pai
(Diane)I barely had time to catch my breath after my long, tearful call with Selene when my phone buzzed again. It was Lucian. I hesitated for a moment, then answered.“Diane,” his voice was softer this time—almost apologetic. “I’m sorry about earlier. I never meant to hurt you.”I closed my eyes, feeling the raw ache of our last encounter resurface. “I know,” I whispered, though a part of me still throbbed with betrayal. “You really need to explain what happened, Lucian.”There was a pause, and then he continued, “Can I come to your place? I… I want to explain everything face-to-face. It’s important.”I glanced around my quiet apartment, the remnants of last night’s turmoil still echoing in the silence. As much as I dreaded reopening that wound, I also knew I needed answers. “Yes,” I replied, voice tentative. “Come over.”Within minutes, his familiar car pulled up outside, and I opened the door to find him standing there—his eyes searching mine with a mixture of regret and urgency.
(Diane)I stared at Lucian, shock and fury colliding in my mind. It was as if the ground had shifted beneath my feet—everything I thought I knew about us, about our past, came crashing down. Before I could react properly, my emotions exploded.“You don’t get to decide what I can handle!” I shouted, my voice raw with anger and hurt. My words were a mix of frustration and betrayal, a plea for him to understand that I wasn’t just some fragile doll to be saved at his whim.The tension between us was electric, charged with every unspoken word we’d held back for too long—anger, longing, and a deep-seated pain that neither of us could fully articulate. For a long, agonizing moment, neither of us moved. I felt a storm building within, a mix of regret and defiance, as though every secret, every whispered lie, was finally boiling over.But then, as if unable to bear the intensity any longer, I turned on my heel and stormed away. I didn’t care if Savannah had caught us or if Lucian was left stan
(Diane)When we reached Lucian’s house, the weight of the night’s secrets pressed down on me. Inside his modest but secure home, I sank onto an overstuffed sofa while Lucian spread out a digital layout of Savannah’s sprawling estate on a cluttered dining table. The room was littered with maps, security diagrams, and scribbled notes—our own little war room where every detail mattered.“Diane,” Lucian said, his voice steady yet urgent, “we know Savannah’s locked up her fated mate. That rumor—if it’s true—could be the key to unraveling everything. We need to find out who she’s hiding and why.”I listened, trying to set aside the nagging memories of lost time and the chaos that haunted me. “So what’s our move?” I asked, forcing a smile despite the storm inside me.Lucian pointed to a marked spot on the digital map. “Savannah’s main house is heavily guarded, but there’s a little-used service entrance at the back. My tech friend can disable the alarms for about five minutes. That should giv
(Lucian)I’d been watching Diane all night—from the club’s neon chaos to the quiet street outside where she finally slipped away. I stood in the darkness, hidden in the lingering glow of a streetlamp, feeling a cocktail of relief and irritation churn inside me. It wasn’t that I didn’t care; I cared more than anything—but I couldn’t help but think, she should have carried me along. Now she was leaving me behind, and it felt like she was putting all the blame on me for not being there for her.I mean, really, isn’t it my job to be by her side? I was always there, silently watching her navigate this mess, protecting her from all the chaos—even when she pretended not to need me. But tonight, as I emerged from the shadows and watched her disappear into the cool night air, I couldn’t shake the thought that this wasn’t how things were supposed to work.I shook my head, trying to clear the swirl of thoughts. It wasn’t the time for sulking. I’d made a decision long ago that we’d do everythin
(Diane)I wasn’t surprised when, a few days later, I found myself dragged back into the party scene—an old habit I’d never really managed to shake. Despite everything, I’d learned to mask my pain with distractions. And tonight, I was at yet another club event in which Victor happened to be there as well. I pretended to be fine, laughing along with the crowd, letting the music and neon lights drown out the restless questions that kept gnawing at me.Inside the club, everything was pulsating with energy. Basslines thumped so hard that I could feel them in my bones, and the strobe lights made everyone’s features blur into an indistinguishable sea of glitter and smoke. I sat close to Victor, who was in his element—charming, arrogant, and entirely oblivious to the internal war raging in me.I forced a smile and sipped my drink, letting my eyes wander around the club as if I were just another face in the crowd. But beneath the surface, I had a mission: I needed to know more about Victor’s
(Diane)The ride home had been mostly silent, except for the occasional sound of the engine humming beneath us. I sat stiffly in the passenger seat, my arms crossed, still gripping that damn paper like it was the only thing keeping me grounded. The weight of what I’d read pressed down on me, but the real weight—the one I couldn’t shake—was the presence of Lucian beside me.He hadn’t said much, and I wasn’t sure if that was better or worse. His hands gripped the wheel firmly, his jaw tight, eyes fixed on the road ahead like he was avoiding looking at me altogether. He hadn’t denied what I’d accused him of. He hadn’t even tried to explain.Typical Lucian. Always keeping his cards so damn close to his chest.The city lights blurred past us, casting long shadows inside the car. The streets were quieter at this hour, and yet, my mind was anything but. I wanted to push him, to force him to talk, but something about the way he sat, rigid and unreadable, made me pause. He wasn’t just hiding