Hii guys! First time dropping an author’s note. I hope you’re enjoying this story so far? Let me know your thoughts by leaving your comments. Ps: what are your takes so far in the whole Kaiden&Calantha love dynamic? Who is your favorite character so far? I’d loveee to hear your thoughts! See you all in the next chapter 🥰
CALANTHA“M-Mr. Grant…” I stammered as he strode toward me. He stopped just a few feet away, his hands clasped behind his back, with an unsettling smile stretching across his lips. A smile that never quite reached his cold, mischievous eyes.This was the first time Mr. Grant had ever smiled at me. The first time he had ever approached me alone.And that only made me more wary.What does he want from me?“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said, his tone almost too casual. “I came to visit the Lycan King and thought I might as well wait around. See if I could bump into you.” His dark eyes gleamed with something unreadable. “And as luck would have it, here you are.”I swallowed hard, tension coiling in my stomach. I already knew that this was about Isadora.He wasn’t here for small talk. He wasn’t here to simply ‘bump into me.’ If there was one thing I knew about the Grants, it was that they never ‘talked’ to me about anything.They beat me.They kicked me, threw me around like I was nothin
KAIDEN I paced the length of my chamber, restless and impatient, my mind spiraling with questions I had no answers to.Where the fuck was Tara?I had sent for her immediately after my encounter with Calantha, and every second that passed without her presence only fueled my frustration.I needed answers.Calantha had been right. Our bond was fake. It was nothing more than a fabricated connection. And even though I had marked her as mine, there were limits and restrictions that set us apart from true fated mates.One of those restrictions was that I wasn’t supposed to be able to feel her emotions.And yet, I had.I could still remember it vividly. The panic that had slammed into me, the suffocating fear that had wrapped around my chest like a steel vice. It wasn’t just a suspicion or some fleeting thought. I had felt it.Like those emotions were mine.And that was impossible.Unless…No.I clenched my jaw, forcing the thought out of my head just as a knock echoed through the room.My
CALANTHAKaiden was attending the academy with me today, now that he was feeling better.I kept my body angled away from him in the car as the chauffeur drove us toward the academy, my gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside the window. I wasn’t looking at anything in particular —just avoiding him. Avoiding his gaze, his presence, and any conversation that might start between us.I had promised myself I would keep my distance.I had to. I was a slave. A girl like me had no right to be anywhere near a Lycan King like him.I was here because of a contract, a deal that bound me to his world temporarily. And when it was over, I would disappear from his life as if I had never existed.Nothing more. Nothing less."Did you have breakfast this morning?"His voice came beside me, cutting through the silence. I still kept my eyes on the window, not relying him. "I didn’t see you at the dining table.” He added when I didn’t respond."I had breakfast in my room," I answered simply, my voice d
CALANTHAIn class, I tried my best not to look at Kaiden. But it was hard because every time my eyes so much as flickered in his direction, I caught him staring. Or rather, glaring.And each time, I immediately looked away.Focusing on the lesson was the only thing keeping me sane."So now, we will be doing a little practical," Ms. Thea, our teacher, announced. "You will be paired into groups of three, and each of you will test the potency of honey bee venom."As she spoke, she moved around the room, assigning partners. When she reached me, I listened intently, hoping I wouldn’t end up with someone insufferable."Luna Calantha, you will be paired with Olivia." Ms. Thea said, pointing to a chubby brunette sitting a few seats away.Olivia smiled and gave me a small wave. I was just about to smile back when Ms. Thea added…"And the third person in your group is Ryker Slade."I froze.My breath hitched as my eyes darted toward Ryker. He sat lazily in his chair, his lips curled in a smug,
CALANTHAI walked fast, my heart hammering in my chest and my breathing shallow. The image of Kaiden with Isadora burned into my mind. The last thing I had expected to see today or anytime, was the image of Isadora on her knees pleasuring Kaiden.Somehow, it made me very jealous. Although there was nothing going on between Kaiden and I, I felt this anger that the same way he had touched me and made me feel him was the same way he was allowing another girl to do that. I swallowed hard, pushing down the strange feeling in my stomach. Why was I even feeling this way? This was nothing more than so dumb, stupid feeling. Before I could take another step, I heard Kaiden’s voice behind me and his strong hand grabbed my wrist. "Calantha, wait. It’s not what you think.”His voice made the anger I was trying to push down, to rise again. I took a deep breath to steady my bereaved before turning around to face him with a fake, small smile on my face. “Hi, Kaiden.” I flashed him a smile ev
CALANTHA After school hours, Eloise and Nyx invited me to go shopping with them, and without a second thought, I agreed. I was still mad at Kaiden, so I didn’t bother telling him where I was going. If he cared, he could figure it out himself.As we wandered through the high-end boutiques, my phone buzzed repeatedly in my pocket. I didn’t need to check to know it was Kaiden calling. He was persistent, trying to reach me not just by phone but through the mind link as well. But each time he tried to connect, I shut him out.I knew I was playing with fire. Kaiden wasn’t the type to be ignored, and there would be hell to pay when I got back. But for the first time, I allowed myself to be reckless. To push aside all thoughts of duty and just have fun.After we finished shopping, we stopped at a cozy café to unwind. Over steaming cups of coffee, we discussed our business plans again, this time with more clarity and excitement.For the first time, I felt what it was like to be surrounded by
KAIDENIt was all my fault.If I hadn’t disconnected the mind link the first time she tried to reach out to me, none of this would have happened. I would have gotten to her before that bastard even laid his filthy hands on her.The guilt ate at me as I carried Calantha’s unconscious body into my room. Her weight felt too light in my arms, her body limp. She was always so full of life, always so damn stubborn. But now, she looked fragile. Too fragile.My mother rushed in behind me, her eyes filled with worry. She had seen me enter with Calantha and had followed without hesitation."I’ve called the physicians. They’re on their way," she said, and I could hear the slight tremor in her voice."She needs first aid treatment now," I replied, lowering Calantha onto the bed. I carefully removed the leather jacket I had wrapped around her. "Prepare what she needs, Mother."Without another word, my mother turned and hurried out of the room.Alone with Calantha, I let out a slow, shaky breath be
CALANTHA When I finally woke up the next morning, a dull, pounding headache made it hard to open my eyes. I groaned softly, shifting on the bed as my vision adjusted. The walls around me were unfamiliar. This wasn’t my room.A small frown creased my forehead, but before I could process where I was, a voice spoke from beside me.“My Luna. You’re awake. Thank the Moon Goddess.”I turned my head slowly, careful not to make the headache worse. An older man stood beside me, arranging syringes and bottles of medicine on the table. He smiled warmly at me.“You’ve been unconscious since last night,” he continued, his tone gentle. “How do you feel now?”How did I feel? My head throbbed, and my body ached like I had just been run over by a truck.“Awful.” I muttered.The man chuckled. “Your body has an incredible healing ability, my Luna. With the injections and herbs I’ve given you, you’ll be back on your feet in no time.”As he spoke, memories from last night came rushing back.Waving at El
KAIDEN As my eyes slowly peeled open as I woke up, my arm instinctively reached for the other side of the bed, as if expecting to find someone there. As if someone should be there. But the space beside me was empty. Still, it felt warm and a strange feeling lingered, like someone had been there just moments ago. Like my body wasn’t wrong to expect their presence. Maybe it was because of the dream I had where I was holding Calantha close all night, feeling her warmth against me, and feeling my hardness rub against her soft ass and thighs. It was a strange dream that was almost too real. A sudden knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts, followed by Bradley’s voice. “May I come in, my king?” I groaned sleepily, finally forcing myself to sit up as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. A sharp throbbing pain shot through my head, making me wince. I brought my fingers to my temples, trying to ease it. A hangover. That explained why I had blacked out last night. “Come in.” I muttered
BRADLEYWhenever Hana called for an urgent talk, it was always one of two things. Either it was about the pack’s security, or it was something personal about us.And judging by how cold she had been acting at the ball tonight, I knew it was personal.She didn’t say a word as we walked into the hallway. Then, she stopped, turned around, and crossed her arms over her chest, her sharp gaze locking onto mine.I sighed, already exhausted. “What is it now?”“If you’re not in the mood to talk, you don’t have to.” Her tone was clipped, but the way she narrowed her eyes told me she was challenging me.I clenched my jaw. Really? She had practically dragged me out here when I told her I needed to help the Lycan King, and now she was acting like she didn’t want to talk?I ran a hand down my face, trying to keep my patience. “I’m here, Hana. Say what you need to say.”She hesitated for a moment, then spoke. “The girl I saw you talking to on the balcony at the ball… Who was she?”Her question ca
CALANTHAJust as I had expected, by the time the ball was over, Kaiden was completely wasted. He had told Bradley not to bother him tonight, which meant I was the one stuck with the impossible task of getting him out of the hall. With one of his heavy arms slung over my shoulder, I struggled to steady him as we made our way out of the hall. He was so heavy that I kept stumbling under his weight, muttering curses under my breath. I wished Bradley or even my friends were here to help me.But they weren’t.Eloise and Nyx had left earlier after we settled things with the maid— aka Ryker’s little spy. Honestly, I wasn’t even that surprised when she admitted he was the one behind it all. Ryker was insane and capable of the most ridiculous, childish things.To make sure Kaiden knew the real truth about what had happened, I had asked Nyx to record the maid’s confession on my phone. When I showed it to him later, he would finally see that I wasn’t careless with the necklace and that it had be
RYKERMOMENTS LATER: AT RYKER’S RESIDENCE I clenched my jaw as I keyed in the password and shoved the door open, my eyes immediately scanning the room for Cross. When I spotted him by the wine cellar, casually pouring himself a drink, my blood boiled even more. I stormed toward him.Before he knew what was happening, I snatched the bottle from his hand and slammed it onto the counter, shooting him a murderous glare. But Cross looked completely unfazed. If anything, there was amusement in his eyes as he took a slow sip from his glass, never breaking eye contact.That smug expression only fueled my anger. Unsatisfied, I grabbed the glass from him and smashed it onto the floor, red wine splattering across the tiles. Cross still didn’t flinch. He just kept watching me like I was some kind of comedy show.“You sick bastard! What the hell was that stunt at the ball?!” I snapped, my voice rough with rage.Cross simply raised an eyebrow, arms crossing over his chest. “What stunt?”His indi
CALANTHA“Oh my God, El! Where have you been? We’ve been looking everywhere for you!” Nyx rushed toward Eloise the second we spotted her back at the party.The ball was back in full swing, and Kaiden had already ordered Cross to leave, but the uneasy feeling from earlier still clung to me. No matter how much I tried to shake it off, it wouldn’t go away.As for Kaiden, he was beyond pissed. I could see him at the bar, drowning himself in drink after drink, his back turned to us as he threw back another shot. At this rate, he would be completely wasted by the time the night was over.“Why? Did something happen?” Eloise asked, concern flashing across her face as she looked between Nyx and me, waiting for an answer.I couldn’t even bring myself to speak. Instead, my gaze drifted back to Kaiden, watching as he gripped his glass tightly. This was all my fault, and the guilt was eating me alive.“You bet something happened.” Nyx finally broke the silence, lowering her voice like she was afra
ELOISE I took a deep breath and took another sip straight from the wine bottle in my hand. Standing by the balcony, I stared into space. I had come with Nyx, but that traitor had ditched me the second Jameson asked her for a dance. I was happy for her, I really was. But I wouldn’t lie, I felt alone. It reminded me of my father’s words, ones he had repeated far too often: “Eloise, if you don’t find someone to like or a potential mate soon, it’ll be hard for you to secure a reputable match later on. And if that happens, I’ll have no choice but to send you to your mother’s in Elvira!” I flinched at the thought. Elvira was one of the poorest packs in the realm, my mother’s homeland and the place my mother had returned to after the divorce. She couldn’t stay here because of her heartbreak after the divorce. Maybe that was why I had never fallen for anyone before. Not even a simple crush. Maybe I was afraid of ending up like her; alone, abandoned, and carrying the weight of a broken b
CALANTHAMoments later, Kaiden and I arrived at the ball, where two grand thrones awaited us at the center of the hall. As he held my hand and guided me toward my seat, my breath caught in my throat. This was the first time a throne had been prepared for me, and the sight of it sent a jolt of reality through me. I was no longer just an outsider trying to fit in. I was stepping fully into my role as Luna. As Queen.The moment we sat down, the crowd began to form a line, each person waiting their turn to bow before Kaiden. And before me.The hall was breathtaking, glittering under the golden chandeliers. Every guest was dressed in extravagant gowns and finely tailored suits. I was relieved that my own dress held its ground among the sea of elegance. Good to know I hadn’t miscalculated my choice. Yet, despite my outward confidence, something in me still felt... off.No matter how beautifully I was dressed, how gracefully I held myself, deep down, I felt like an imposter. Like I didn’t
CALANTHA The Lunar Mask Ball was finally here. I stood before the full-length mirror in my room, as the maids fastened the final clasps of my dress. The gown was a masterpiece. Deep crimson and sculpted from silk that clung to every curve of my body. The plunging neckline left little to the imagination, teasing a generous view of my cleavage, while intricate beading cascaded down the bodice. The slit ran dangerously high, promising stolen glimpses of skin. It was bold and sinful. Perfect for a night like this. My auburn hair was styled into an elegant updo, with soft curls framing my face while the rest was twisted into a voluminous, intricate braid that fell over one shoulder. Delicate golden pins, shaped like crescent moons, gleamed within the strands, adding a touch of celestial charm. My makeup was just as daring. Smokey eyeshadow that made my olive green eyes stand out even more. A hint of blush on my high cheekbones. And lips painted a sultry shade of blood red. Since
BRADLEYI took a step back, scanning the room with a satisfied nod. The bed was neatly made, scattered with soft rose petals, and the air smelled warm and inviting from the diffuser I had lit. On a small tray near the bed, I had set out two empty wine flutes alongside a bottle of red wine.Everything was perfect.Hana was finally coming home.After weeks of guarding the borders with her squad, Kaiden had finally granted her a well-deserved break— the one we had both been waiting for all year. As Gamma of the pack, she was hardly ever around. She spent most of her time overseeing security, training warriors, or preparing for battles we hadn’t faced in years. It was rare to have her here, and now that she was back, I wasn’t about to waste a second.Just as I was admiring my work, a soft knock echoed at my door and I already knew who it was.In excitement and anticipation, I rushed to open it, and the moment I saw Hana standing there, I pulled her into a tight hug. She laughed, trying t