CALANTHA THAT SAME NIGHTI had spent the entire day trying so hard to avoid Kaiden, because honestly, thinking about him, or even facing him made me feel… anger? Annoyance? Maybe… jealousy?After leaving the basketball court, where he had been all sweet and friendly with that Lysandra girl, things only got worse. He also invited her to ride in the same car with us.Lysandra had greeted me with a polite “hi” before immediately turning back to Kaiden, chattering away like I wasn’t even there. They talked about everything —laughing, whispering, acting like they were the only two people in the world. It irritated me to no end. So, I did the only thing I could; stared out the window and pretended they didn’t exist until we reached the packhouse.Yet, as if that wasn’t bad enough, Queen Adeline was even nicer to her. She invited her to dinner, and Kaiden insisted I join too. So, I sat there, silently stabbing my food while Lysandra basked in all their attention, talking and talking like
KAIDENWith Elder Kane and Timothy Grant now locked up in the packhouse cells, I wasted no time calling for a council meeting the next morning.When the elders arrived, they were met with an unexpected sight —two once-respected men, handcuffed and kneeling in the center of the gathering with their heads bowed in shame.Standing on either side of me were Bradley and Hana; my Gamma. It was Hana who had successfully captured these traitors. The night Calantha was attacked, I had reached out to her and assigned her to monitor the crime scene with her wolves, and to watch for any suspicious activity.That was the trap. And these two fools had walked right into it.Last night, I had spent the entire night restraining myself from storming into their cells and breaking every bone in their bodies. It wasn’t enough that they had plotted against me and my throne. Now, they had dared to go after Calantha too?!The council members were already whispering among themselves, confusion written all ove
KAIDENNearly an hour had passed since I had sent my guards to fetch the proof Timothy Grant claimed to have. The proof that he claimed would show his innocence and prove that Elder Kane was working with the rogue wolves.I was beyond frustrated. The fact that he was still trying to slip out of his crimes made my blood boil. But as the Lycan King, I had to follow due process. So, I let him fetch his so-called evidence.Beside him, Elder Kane knelt in silence, shooting daggers at Timothy Grant for his betrayal. But Timothy simply avoided his gaze, unfazed by the fact that he was sacrificing his accomplice to save himself.Hana, growing impatient, checked her wristwatch before turning to him with a sharp glare.“It’s been over an hour, Mr. Grant,” she said coldly. “Are you sure you’re not playing games with us?”“I would never do that,” Timothy Grant insisted, slipping on a pitiful expression. It might have worked on others, but not on me.As if on cue, the council chamber doors opened.
CALANTHA “Alright, everyone! You know the drill!” our supervisor called out, clapping his hands together.Around him, the other students stood motionless, their expressions dull and uninterested. Today was community service, and our task was to clean the pack’s beach. Dressed in simple sportswear, none of the students looked particularly excited about it.“Make sure the entire area is spotless,” he continued. “Every semester, our academy gives back to the pack by helping with sanitation. We can’t slack off now. Let’s make Redwood Pack proud!”He pumped a fist in the air, clearly hoping for some enthusiasm. Instead, the students muttered among themselves, their moods just as low as before.Awkwardly clearing his throat, he dropped his fist. “Your time starts now. You have two hours to finish up!”A wave of grumbles and sighs swept through the group as students split off into smaller clusters. I walked away with Eloise and Nyx, both of whom looked just as miserable as the others.“I h
CALANTHA TWO HOURS LATER As Lysandra animatedly recounted a childhood memory about Kaiden, I found myself grinning ear to ear, completely drawn in. “And then, you know what I said to him?” she continued, her eyes glinting with mischief. “I told him, ‘You’re as cold as a fish straight out of the ocean. We should stop being friends.’” I let out a chuckle. “And what did he say after that?” We were finishing up collecting trash, making our way toward the dumpster truck with Eloise and Nyx trailing behind us. Lysandra smiled as she reminisced. “He pulled me into this hug… so tight I thought he’d squeeze the life out of me. Then he said that from that moment on, he would never be cold toward me again… and that I would be the only one who gets to see his warm side.” “That’s… actually really sweet,” I admitted, laughing lightly. But deep down, a feeling of slight jealousy burned in my heart, no matter how hard I tried to stop it. I knew I had no reason to feel this way. I had only jus
CALANTHAThat evening at dinner, I couldn’t stop watching Kaiden as he ate at the center of the grand dining table. Queen Adeline and I sat on either side of him, but my mind was elsewhere.“Calantha… Lysandra and Kaiden dated two years ago.”Eloise’s words echoed in my head over and over, making it hard to focus on my food. My appetite had almost disappeared entirely.Jealousy. That was exactly what I was feeling. Strong, irrational jealousy, even though I had no right to.Lysandra and Kaiden had dated.The thought alone made my chest tighten. They were both perfect —attractive, elite, and from prestigious families. A flawless match, if you’d ask me. So why did they break up? What could have possibly gone wrong?As Kaiden calmly ate, my gaze drifted to his lips. More jealousy washed over me.Did they kiss? Of course, they did. Duh! They were a couple, after all.But… did they do more than that? Something like sex…"Calantha."Queen Adeline’s voice jolted me back to reality. I quickl
KAIDENMy eyes stayed locked on her, unblinking, as she hesitated before slowly slipping out of her clothes. Her movements were shy and almost uncertain, until she was left in nothing but a pink lacy bra and matching panties.My breath caught slightly at the sight of her. She was perfect —curves in all the right places, soft skin that begged to be touched. Medium sized breasts that would fit perfectly in my hands. A perky, round ass and hips that could drive any man insane.The only thing saving me from complete exposure was the water. It hid the thick hardness pressing against my briefs, which was an undeniable evidence of how much I wanted her.She wrapped her arms around herself as she stepped closer to the pool, clearly nervous. But that only made my blood burn hotter. Her innocence... fuck. It brought out something dark in me, something that wanted to claim her and devour her inch by inch.When she reached the edge, I took her hand and helped her into the water. “It’s so warm.
CALANTHA“Why is he taking so long to get here? He said he’d be here in thirty minutes, but it’s been almost an hour, and he…”Eloise’s voice faded into the background as I ran my fingers over my lips for what had to be the hundredth time. My cheeks felt warm and my stomach fluttered as last night’s events replayed in my mind.The kiss.Kaiden’s lips on mine. The way his mouth claimed me, his tongue pushing against mine, demanding entrance. The heat of it. The way he let me touch him and didn’t stop me. The way we moaned into each other’s mouths, completely lost in the moment…“Calantha. Calantha! Are you even listening?”Eloise’s once distant voice finally cut through my thoughts, snapping me back to reality.I blinked, quickly pulling my fingers away from my lips, only to find both Eloise and Nyx staring at me, their expressions filled with concern.I forced a small, apologetic smile. “Sorry, guys. I completely zoned out.”“No kidding.” Nyx frowned. “You’ve been zoning out for the p
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