A man clad in a perfectly tailored black suit strode purposefully through the dimly lit corridors of the prison, his polished shoes echoing ominously against the cold, stone floor. The scent of blood thickened the air, metallic and suffocating, as he neared the scene of carnage that awaited him.Three bodies lay sprawled across the ground, their lifeless forms contorted unnaturally. Blood painted the cracked walls in violent splashes, pooling in dark, sluggish rivers around them. The flickering fluorescent light overhead cast eerie shadows over the grim tableau, making the red stains appear even more sinister.The man in the suit exhaled sharply, his fingers raking through his neatly styled hair in irritation.“What a mess,” he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. His jaw tightened as his cold, calculating eyes assessed the aftermath of what had transpired. He hated unnecessary complications."Just as you instructed, I only intervened when there was no other choice," the young m
Beep.Beep.The rhythmic sound of medical machines filled the stark white hospital room, the only sign that life still clung to her fragile body. The soft glow of moonlight filtered through the large window, casting a pale luminescence over the sterile space.A gentle touch ghosted over Cassandra’s face—light, tentative, almost reverent. As if the person feared that any more pressure would shatter her completely.She lay unmoving, her chest rising and falling in shallow, measured breaths. But whether she continues to live is still uncertain.
One Week Later – Cassandra’s POVA week had passed since the night my world shattered—again.After being pumped full of painkillers, healing salves, and who knows what other concoctions, I was finally discharged from the Royal Infirmary. But instead of being taken back to familiar territory or even to my pack lands, I was delivered straight to the Royal Palace.Not just the audience chamber, where visitors are usually entertained. No, this time felt different. Permanent.I'd been to the Palace a handful of times before, always in the company of my father. He wanted me to be familiar with the place, saying, “It’s important for a future leader to be at ease where power resides.” Back then, I thought he was just showing me off—his proud Alpha daughter. Now I wondered if he had known more than he ever let on.Maybe that’s why Scott hated me with such intensity—why his resentment festered until it turned into something monstrous. He’d always known I was being prepared for something bigger,
I woke with the taste of metal on my tongue.The ceiling above me was familiar—golden trim lining smooth ivory panels, an elaborate chandelier glinting in soft morning light. Birdsong drifted through the open balcony doors, accompanied by the faint rustle of wind brushing against velvet curtains.It felt too serene. Too quiet.I blinked once. Then again. My limbs ached like I’d been trampled, but I was warm. Clean. Tucked into silk sheets that smelled faintly of lavender and something floral I couldn’t quite place. Was it… jasmine?I sat up slowly, wincing at the dull throb behind my eyes. My head felt foggy, like the aftermath of a deep fever dream.Was I sick? No—worse than that. I remembered…The cold stone beneath my knees. The limp of the woman who led me. The Lycan.My breath hitched. That creature had pinned me down like prey. I’d felt its weight, its power. I should’ve died. I should be dead.But here I was. In the Palace.As if nothing had happened.A knock tapped gently at t
I stood before the grand mirror in my chambers, eyes scanning my reflection, searching for something—anything—that would offer me a clue about what was happening. The stillness of the room, the haunting quiet of the Palace, all of it felt suffocating. My mind raced, but I couldn’t make sense of it. I could still hear Celeste’s words echoing in my head: “You’re a threat to me.”No, I thought firmly. I’m not a threat. Not to her. To him?I didn’t know why the thought of Lenox hurt more than the rest. He was the one who had brought me here, after all. He should’ve been by my side.A sudden knock broke through my thoughts, pulling me from the storm brewing inside me. The door opened, and a maid stepped inside, her face tense, and her gaze lowered.“Lady Cassandra,” she began hesitantly, “His Highness requests your presence in the Hall of Counsel.”My pulse quickened. Lenox.“Very well,” I replied, trying to keep the edge of urgency from my voice as I stepped past her.As I moved through t
My name is Cassandra White, the Alpha's daughter of the Red Moon Pack. I am 22 years old and still haven't found my mate. But that doesn't make me feel bad or lesser. To us werewolves, finding our mate is very important because it makes us feel whole and complete. But I am different—I am more than terrified to meet my fated partner.Today is the first day of school after summer break. I grabbed my car keys and left the house, dressed simply for school. Now in my fourth year of college, I have always been the top student."Cassy, here!" Joana called, waiting by the entrance.Joana is James's sister and my brother's mate, while James is my boyfriend.I waved at her and pointed to the parking lot. She nodded, understanding that I would be there after parking."What's up?" I asked as I walked over."I have some exciting news!" she squealed in excitement.Joana immediately grabbed my arms and lowered my head, tiptoeing since I was taller than her."A big shot is coming to our school, but he
"ARGHHH!!!!! NO, LET ME GO!!!!" I fought him with all my might and managed to push him away.Blood dripped from my neck onto my clothes. He was actually trying to mark me by force.Lenox was outraged. He grabbed my arm so fast that I couldn’t fight back. He spun me around, forcing my back against his chest, his other arm locking around my body. With both my hands trapped, I couldn't move.I struggled desperately to break free, but it was useless. His grip was so tight I felt like I was being crushed.And then—His free hand tilted my head to the side, exposing my neck. I gasped as I felt his sharp teeth against my skin, and without hesitation, he sank them deep into my flesh."Urghhh..." I groaned in pain.I stomped on his foot as hard as I could, but all it did was make him grunt—it wasn’t enough to make him let go. And then it hit me. A massive wave of electricity surged from my neck, traveling through my entire body, making me tremble uncontrollably.Tingles spread over every inch o
ONE MONTH LATERRING!!!RING!!!“The number you’ve dialed is unavailable. Please try again later.”“Ugh! I hate this!” Cassandra groaned, frustration etched on her face as she tossed her phone onto the bed. “It’s been a month since he left, and I still can’t reach him. So annoying!”Just then, a voice called from outside her room. “Knock, knock.”Cassandra turned toward the door and sighed when she saw who it was. “What are you doing here, Joana?”Joana raised a brow. “What? Don’t tell me you forgot—we’re going for a run.”Cassandra let out another sigh before running a hand through her hair. “Give me a minute. I’ll be right out.”“Sure thing!” Joana grinned before stepping back into the hallway.20 MINUTES LATER“Cassandra, slow down!” Joana shouted, panting as she struggled to keep up.Cassandra glanced back with a playful grin. “Oh, come on, Jo! You’re just too slow~” she teased, effortlessly picking up her pace.The two had been inseparable since childhood, growing up side by side
I stood before the grand mirror in my chambers, eyes scanning my reflection, searching for something—anything—that would offer me a clue about what was happening. The stillness of the room, the haunting quiet of the Palace, all of it felt suffocating. My mind raced, but I couldn’t make sense of it. I could still hear Celeste’s words echoing in my head: “You’re a threat to me.”No, I thought firmly. I’m not a threat. Not to her. To him?I didn’t know why the thought of Lenox hurt more than the rest. He was the one who had brought me here, after all. He should’ve been by my side.A sudden knock broke through my thoughts, pulling me from the storm brewing inside me. The door opened, and a maid stepped inside, her face tense, and her gaze lowered.“Lady Cassandra,” she began hesitantly, “His Highness requests your presence in the Hall of Counsel.”My pulse quickened. Lenox.“Very well,” I replied, trying to keep the edge of urgency from my voice as I stepped past her.As I moved through t
I woke with the taste of metal on my tongue.The ceiling above me was familiar—golden trim lining smooth ivory panels, an elaborate chandelier glinting in soft morning light. Birdsong drifted through the open balcony doors, accompanied by the faint rustle of wind brushing against velvet curtains.It felt too serene. Too quiet.I blinked once. Then again. My limbs ached like I’d been trampled, but I was warm. Clean. Tucked into silk sheets that smelled faintly of lavender and something floral I couldn’t quite place. Was it… jasmine?I sat up slowly, wincing at the dull throb behind my eyes. My head felt foggy, like the aftermath of a deep fever dream.Was I sick? No—worse than that. I remembered…The cold stone beneath my knees. The limp of the woman who led me. The Lycan.My breath hitched. That creature had pinned me down like prey. I’d felt its weight, its power. I should’ve died. I should be dead.But here I was. In the Palace.As if nothing had happened.A knock tapped gently at t
One Week Later – Cassandra’s POVA week had passed since the night my world shattered—again.After being pumped full of painkillers, healing salves, and who knows what other concoctions, I was finally discharged from the Royal Infirmary. But instead of being taken back to familiar territory or even to my pack lands, I was delivered straight to the Royal Palace.Not just the audience chamber, where visitors are usually entertained. No, this time felt different. Permanent.I'd been to the Palace a handful of times before, always in the company of my father. He wanted me to be familiar with the place, saying, “It’s important for a future leader to be at ease where power resides.” Back then, I thought he was just showing me off—his proud Alpha daughter. Now I wondered if he had known more than he ever let on.Maybe that’s why Scott hated me with such intensity—why his resentment festered until it turned into something monstrous. He’d always known I was being prepared for something bigger,
Beep.Beep.The rhythmic sound of medical machines filled the stark white hospital room, the only sign that life still clung to her fragile body. The soft glow of moonlight filtered through the large window, casting a pale luminescence over the sterile space.A gentle touch ghosted over Cassandra’s face—light, tentative, almost reverent. As if the person feared that any more pressure would shatter her completely.She lay unmoving, her chest rising and falling in shallow, measured breaths. But whether she continues to live is still uncertain.
A man clad in a perfectly tailored black suit strode purposefully through the dimly lit corridors of the prison, his polished shoes echoing ominously against the cold, stone floor. The scent of blood thickened the air, metallic and suffocating, as he neared the scene of carnage that awaited him.Three bodies lay sprawled across the ground, their lifeless forms contorted unnaturally. Blood painted the cracked walls in violent splashes, pooling in dark, sluggish rivers around them. The flickering fluorescent light overhead cast eerie shadows over the grim tableau, making the red stains appear even more sinister.The man in the suit exhaled sharply, his fingers raking through his neatly styled hair in irritation.“What a mess,” he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. His jaw tightened as his cold, calculating eyes assessed the aftermath of what had transpired. He hated unnecessary complications."Just as you instructed, I only intervened when there was no other choice," the young m
Woken by the scorching liquid splashing against her face, Cassandra’s eyes fluttered open. A slow turn of her head brought her face-to-face with a sight so horrific that her breath hitched, her pulse hammering in her ears.James.Lifeless. Unmoving.His body dangled like a ragdoll in Scott’s grasp, his neck still clenched in a vice-like grip. The dull gleam of a bloodied blade flashed with every brutal stab, the rhythmic squelching of flesh being torn apart filling the suffocating silence. Scott was relentless, as if draining James of every last drop of blood would somehow satisfy the madness consuming him.But it didn’t.With a sharp exhale, he let the knife clatter to the floor, its crimson-stained blade spinning before stilling in a puddle of blood.Scott’s shoulders heaved, his breaths ragged, but his hunger was far from sated. His fangs gleamed under the dim light, his irises glowing an unnatural red—depraved, deranged. Oblivious to Cassandra’s petrified gaze, he bared his teeth a
In the dimly lit room, a commanding yet elegant figure stood by the massive window, gazing out as if surveying his domain like a god overseeing his creation."How's everything going?" he asked, his voice laced with indifference as he took a slow drag from his tobacco."Things aren’t going exactly as planned," the other man replied, lounging on the sofa with his legs propped up on the table. His hands rested lazily behind his head, giving him an air of nonchalance. Despite his relaxed demeanor, the glint in his youthful eyes—barely fifteen years old—held an unsettling sharpness. "But the good news is, the way things are unfolding seems to be working in your favor."Though the man stood with his back to the young boy, the smirk on his face was unmistakable as he listened to the news. The boy shuddered involuntarily, unable to suppress the creeping dread that came with knowing just how cruel this man's methods could be.The young man knew better than to make a mistake and end up on his ba
"Are you hearing yourself, James?" Cassandra spat, her voice trembling with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Who in the world can manipulate a mate bond? A bond that is a sacred gift from the Moon Goddess herself?"Her bloodied fingers dug into the cold stone floor as she forced herself upright despite the searing pain in her body. "Do you expect me to believe that someone—anyone—could just tamper with something so divine? That they could force you into heat, make you mark her, make you..." Her voice wavered, but she pushed through, "...make you turn on me like I was nothing?"James swallowed hard, his expression unreadable. "I know how impossible it sounds," he admitted, his voice low. "But Cassy... I felt it. I felt the pull, but it wasn’t natural. It was—wrong."Cassandra let out a hollow laugh, shaking her head. "And yet, you still let it happen," she whispered. "You still let it destroy me.""It wasn't something I could control, Cassy!" James burst out, his voice raw with frustratio
Cassandra had no sense of time—no way of knowing how long she had been lost in the abyss of unconsciousness. But a faint, almost tender sensation pulled her back, a gentle caress against her bruised and bloodied face.Her body remained heavy, drained by the wolfsbane still coursing through her veins, but she forced her eyes to flutter open. The world around her was hazy, blurred by pain and exhaustion. And then, through the dim light, she saw them—those familiar eyes, the same ones she had loved for so many years.For a moment, she forgot the pain, the torment, the betrayal. All she could do was stare, her breath hitching in disbelief.The moment she registered his touch, a surge of anger and instinctual fear coursed through her. With the little strength she had left, she smacked his hand away and desperately scooted back, pressing herself against the cold, unforgiving wall as if it could shield her from him.Her bloodied lips parted, her voice rough but sharp as a blade. "What are you