RYKERI pulled up in front of the towering, gothic mansion hidden deep in the woods. The night had settled in, just as I had calculated. I had wanted my visit to go unnoticed.Stepping out of the car, I let my gaze linger on the dark, ominous structure ahead. A deep breath steadied me before I took my first step forward. But just as I moved, the rustling of leaves and branches snapped my focus. My instincts flared, sensing danger before I even saw it.Right on cue, several wolves emerged from the shadows, surrounding me in a tight, hostile circle. Their bared fangs glistened under the moonlight as their bloodthirsty eyes locked on me. I clenched my jaw but couldn’t stop the smirk that curled on my lips.Of course, he had this place heavily guarded.Rolling up my sleeves, I braced myself. I had just bought this designer outfit last week, and now I would have to fight in it. Shifting would ruin my clothes completely, so I had no choice but to handle this in human form.Before I could dw
KAIDENCalantha was avoiding me. And I had no idea why.It had been a week since the incident with that brown-haired bastard, and ever since that night, she had kept her distance. She never brought it up, never spoke a word about what happened. It was as if she wanted to erase it from her mind. And I respected that. Everyone dealt with trauma in their own way. If ignoring it helped her cope, then I wouldn’t force her to relive it.But that didn’t mean I wasn’t worried about her.As for the bastard who laid his hands on her —Tate Ferguson— I had him locked in the dungeon the very night it happened. No food, no water. Just darkness and silence while I decided how best to make him suffer.I could have dragged him before the council, but that would have meant exposing what happened to Calantha. I wanted to protect her honor, to keep her name out of the gossip that would inevitably follow. So, instead, I did what I did best. I found dirt on his family.And there was plenty of it.His pare
KAIDENIn a few minutes, we arrived at Pier 29 Bistro restaurant and settled at a table. The place was lively, filled with the aroma of rich spices, wooden tables packed with people, some laughing loudly, others quietly enjoying their meals.Thankfully, no one paid me any attention. My disguise was simple —just a black leather jacket and trousers, with my hair falling over my face— but if anyone looked closely, they would know that it was me. Not that they would. No one expected the Lycan King to dine at a place like this.Truth be told, I had never eaten at a restaurant like this before. The only reason I had suggested it to Calantha twice was because it was on my personal bucket list. To eat something different in a place far from the formal dining halls of my packhouse.“Good day, Mr. and Miss.” A woman, clearly the owner, hurried over to us. Her kind smile deepened the wrinkles on her old face. “What can I get you?”I turned to Calantha, waiting for her to order since she was more
KAIDENAs the elders of my council took their seats, a low murmur spread across the room. Some of them leaned toward each other, whispering in confusion.“What’s going on? Why would the Lycan King call an urgent council meeting at this hour?”“Do you think the pack is under attack?”I remained seated on my throne, watching them in silence as their concerns grew. Beside me, Bradley looked just as puzzled, although he kept quiet.After a moment, I raised a single finger, and the room fell into complete silence.I took a deep breath, steadying myself for what I was about to say. The gods knew I would have done anything to avoid being in this position.“Our pack’s Lunar Masked Ball is only a week away.” My voice echoed through the chamber, and the elders nodded, waiting for the real reason behind this sudden meeting.“I have a message for you to deliver to your wives and daughters.”Immediately, their postures stiffened. Some exchanged glances and their concern deepened.Clenching my jaw,
[ Calantha] I exhaled deeply and adjusted my cheap dress for what felt like the hundredth time. My nerves were getting the best of me and making my hands fidgety as I stepped inside the mansion. The place was buzzing with the sound of laughter, loud music, and the heavy scent of alcohol and cigarettes hung in the air. At every corner of the mansion were young adults shamelessly making out. Some were half dressed and some were worse. I swallowed hard, forcing myself to focus as my eyes searched around the room carefully, mentally aware that I had limited time to be here. Mrs. Grant, my owner, had sent me on an errand and I had taken advantage of the opportunity to trace and find him. Ryker. The guy I had dated for three years but never met in person. And then, all of a sudden, he went ghost on me for the past two weeks. At first, I had been worried and feared that something bad had happened to him. But now that I was standing in this chaotic scene, surrounded by wild party vibe
[ Calantha ]THE NEXT DAY "Calantha! Where the hell is that useless slave?!" Mrs. Grant’s sharp voice rang out from outside, her impatient footsteps echoing closer. In the kitchen, I was scrambling to finish washing the dishes while keeping an eye on the food simmering on the stove. My heart raced as I shouted back. “I’m almost done!” I tried to move faster but in my rush, my hand bumped against an expensive ceramic plate. My stomach dropped as I watched it slip off the counter. Instinctively, I focused my mind, and just before it could shatter on the ground, the plate froze midair. Relief washed over me as I carefully picked it up and placed it back on the counter. I quickly returned to my work, pretending nothing had happened. My powers were my deepest secret and to be honest, I didn’t know how it got it either. From a young age, I discovered I could move things with my mind, heal injured animals, and even bring dying plants back to life. But my adoptive parents had warn
[ Calantha ]“You evil wrench!” Isadora’s hand slapped across my cheek, the sting sending me staggering into the kitchen table. Behind her, Mr. and Mrs. Grant stood, their furious eyes as sharp as hers.“You think you can steal the Lycan King from me? You? A worthless, stinking servant?!” She screamed, grabbing a fistful of my hair and yanking hard. Pain shot through my scalp, and tears burned in my eyes as I cried out.“Please, let me go! It wasn’t my fault!” I sobbed, trying to pry her hands away, but her grip was unrelenting. “Not your fault?” She screeched, leaning in closer. “Then whose fault is it? Huh? Tell me!” Her fingers tugged harder, and for a moment, I thought she might actually rip my hair out. “Mate? Mate?! No one else can be his mate but me! Never!”Then, she shoved me hard and I fell to the floor near her parents’ feet. As I struggled to get up, Mrs. Grant stepped on my hand with her sharp heel, pressing down so hard it felt like she was crushing my bones.“You neve
[ Calantha ]“Go get the head priestess. Tell her we’re here.”Kaiden ordered his guards and they immediately obeyed, disappearing into the head priestess’s house. I stood beside him, my heart pounding as I scanned my eerie surroundings. The air smelled of damp earth and something faintly herbal.A minute later, the guard returned, followed closely by an elderly woman with white long hair, and an air of mystery around her. She was the head priestess. I had only seen her only once or twice at the full moon festival.As soon as she reached us, she bowed deeply before Kaiden.“My King.”“Tara,” Kaiden acknowledged.Tara’s eyes flickered to me for a brief moment before returning to Kaiden. There seemed to be some kind of understanding in her eyes and it made me realize that she was in this plan too.“Let’s begin the mating ritual.” Kaiden said and without any hesitation, Tara turned and led us inside. The small wooden house had a cozy but peculiar atmosphere. Dried herbs hung from the c
KAIDENAs the elders of my council took their seats, a low murmur spread across the room. Some of them leaned toward each other, whispering in confusion.“What’s going on? Why would the Lycan King call an urgent council meeting at this hour?”“Do you think the pack is under attack?”I remained seated on my throne, watching them in silence as their concerns grew. Beside me, Bradley looked just as puzzled, although he kept quiet.After a moment, I raised a single finger, and the room fell into complete silence.I took a deep breath, steadying myself for what I was about to say. The gods knew I would have done anything to avoid being in this position.“Our pack’s Lunar Masked Ball is only a week away.” My voice echoed through the chamber, and the elders nodded, waiting for the real reason behind this sudden meeting.“I have a message for you to deliver to your wives and daughters.”Immediately, their postures stiffened. Some exchanged glances and their concern deepened.Clenching my jaw,
KAIDENIn a few minutes, we arrived at Pier 29 Bistro restaurant and settled at a table. The place was lively, filled with the aroma of rich spices, wooden tables packed with people, some laughing loudly, others quietly enjoying their meals.Thankfully, no one paid me any attention. My disguise was simple —just a black leather jacket and trousers, with my hair falling over my face— but if anyone looked closely, they would know that it was me. Not that they would. No one expected the Lycan King to dine at a place like this.Truth be told, I had never eaten at a restaurant like this before. The only reason I had suggested it to Calantha twice was because it was on my personal bucket list. To eat something different in a place far from the formal dining halls of my packhouse.“Good day, Mr. and Miss.” A woman, clearly the owner, hurried over to us. Her kind smile deepened the wrinkles on her old face. “What can I get you?”I turned to Calantha, waiting for her to order since she was more
KAIDENCalantha was avoiding me. And I had no idea why.It had been a week since the incident with that brown-haired bastard, and ever since that night, she had kept her distance. She never brought it up, never spoke a word about what happened. It was as if she wanted to erase it from her mind. And I respected that. Everyone dealt with trauma in their own way. If ignoring it helped her cope, then I wouldn’t force her to relive it.But that didn’t mean I wasn’t worried about her.As for the bastard who laid his hands on her —Tate Ferguson— I had him locked in the dungeon the very night it happened. No food, no water. Just darkness and silence while I decided how best to make him suffer.I could have dragged him before the council, but that would have meant exposing what happened to Calantha. I wanted to protect her honor, to keep her name out of the gossip that would inevitably follow. So, instead, I did what I did best. I found dirt on his family.And there was plenty of it.His pare
RYKERI pulled up in front of the towering, gothic mansion hidden deep in the woods. The night had settled in, just as I had calculated. I had wanted my visit to go unnoticed.Stepping out of the car, I let my gaze linger on the dark, ominous structure ahead. A deep breath steadied me before I took my first step forward. But just as I moved, the rustling of leaves and branches snapped my focus. My instincts flared, sensing danger before I even saw it.Right on cue, several wolves emerged from the shadows, surrounding me in a tight, hostile circle. Their bared fangs glistened under the moonlight as their bloodthirsty eyes locked on me. I clenched my jaw but couldn’t stop the smirk that curled on my lips.Of course, he had this place heavily guarded.Rolling up my sleeves, I braced myself. I had just bought this designer outfit last week, and now I would have to fight in it. Shifting would ruin my clothes completely, so I had no choice but to handle this in human form.Before I could dw
KAIDENI was able to trace Calantha’s bond, just like I had the night she was kidnapped. The pull led me to a sleek penthouse. My heart pounded harder as confusion crept into me.A luxury car was parked outside, and somehow, it looked familiar. I had seen it before. I was sure of it. But where? And why the hell was Calantha here?I clenched my jaw, scanning my surroundings. Calantha did not have friends from the alpha ranks, besides Eloise and Nyx, and neither of them lived in a damn penthouse. Did I trace her wrong?A part of me considered turning back. Maybe I was overreacting. Maybe she was back at the packhouse, sleeping peacefully.But I just couldn’t do that even though that was the most logical thing to do right now.That lingering pull in my chest and the unmistakable bond was still there. It was weaker than before, but still present and still calling to me.I was certain that she was here. Or at least, she had been.Setting my jaw, I strode toward the entrance, only to be m
KAIDEN “That’s enough, Lys. Stop.” I murmured against Lysandra’s lips, but she ignored me, her hands trailing down my torso toward my belt again as she continued to kiss me. I caught her wrist, stopping her before she could take it further. This time, I pushed her away —maybe a little rougher than I intended. Lysandra’s face fell with disappointment, but I didn’t care. I was already getting up from the bed, my head spinning slightly from the alcohol in my system. Blinking hard, I tried to steady my vision. I grabbed the clock on the bedside table, and the moment I saw the time, a sharp curse escaped my lips. “Shit.” It was already 11 PM. A sinking feeling clenched my chest as my thoughts immediately went to Calantha. She was going to be furious. Hell, she had every right to be. And it was my fault. I never intended for any of this to happen. At first, I had been caught up in an urgent council meeting which had started at 8 PM sharp, the exact time I was supposed to meet her. It
CALANTHA Trigger Warning: This chapter contains scenes of attempted assault and may be distressing for some readers. Please proceed with caution. —- “Welcome to my place.” Tate said as we stepped inside his penthouse. I glanced around, taking in the polished, minimalist design. The furniture was perfectly matched to the walls, and expensive artwork hung in just the right spots. Everything looked effortlessly luxurious. “You have a nice place.” I said, genuinely impressed. “Thanks.” Tate smiled as we reached the spacious living room. He gestured toward the plush couch. “Have a seat. My parents are successful merchants in the pack. They migrated here years ago, and even though they weren’t originally from this pack, they managed to build a name for themselves.” “That’s really impressive.” I said, settling onto the soft cushions. During the drive here, Tate had kept the conversation flowing, talking about movies, his favorite artists, and his hobbies. I knew he was doing it to dis
CALANTHA I took a shaky step back, my fingers slipping from the doorknob as a quiet, broken gasp left my lips. My chest tightened, like all the air had been sucked out of my lungs. Tears blurred my vision as I stared at the scene before me. A single tear slipped down my cheek, but neither Kaiden nor Lysandra noticed me. They were too caught up in their kiss, with Lysandra’s hand trailing lower on his body. Unable to watch anymore, I swallowed the lump in my throat and slowly shut the door. Wiping my tear away, I forced myself to keep it together despite the sharp, unbearable ache in my chest. I turned and walked away, my lips trembling and my eyes burning with unshed tears. A deep, seething rage boiled inside me. Kaiden. That bastard. He had stood me up, left me waiting for hours, just so he could be with her! I should have known better. I should’ve seen this coming from miles away. How could I be so stupid and blind? Grinding my teeth, I grabbed the necklace around my neck, y
CALANTHA7:00pmI sat cross-legged on my bed, staring at the wall clock.One hour until the time Kaiden said we would go on that dinner date.Even though I knew he was a man of his word, and that he always did exactly what he said he would, part of me still had doubts. Maybe because I never imagined he would want to take me out on a date.I wondered why. Was he starting to like me too?I shook my head, forcing the thought away. I couldn’t afford to get my hopes up. If I let myself believe in something that wasn’t real, I would only end up hurt. Again.Needing a distraction, I climbed off my bed and walked to my desk, grabbing a pen and opening my notebook. Maybe if I focused on my assignment, I could push him out of my mind.But it didn’t take long before I found myself glancing at the clock again.7:20pm.Was he serious about this, or was he just messing with me?But Kaiden never lied. He had hurt me, more times than I could count, but he never made empty promises. The only reason I