Returning to the maids' quarters and celebrating this small victory felt satisfying. As I left the hall, I caught sight of Catherine's sour expression, and it felt so good to see her utterly defeated."You're asking for trouble," Nana said worriedly. "Queen Catherine could come after you, Delilah.""I only did what I had to do," I replied."You shouldn't have defended Gema."Of course, hearing Nana's words, Gema and Cassie immediately fell silent. Especially Gema, whose face turned red with suppressed anger."You're the one who caused the trouble, so you should take responsibility for it!" Nana accused. "Queen Catherine will be watching all of us now, and it's all because of you!""I had already accepted my fate when Queen Catherine ordered me to lie, Nana!" Gema snapped. "But Delilah stood up for me! Now I know who my true friends are and who aren't!""I'm not against you! But your actions have put us all in danger!"The tension between them escalated, and I quickly stepped between t
The following day, at dawn, I carried a basket of laundry from the Queen's chamber to the outer part of the palace.I passed through the gates that led to the Bishop's chamber and his family's residence and headed for the garden. His chamber faced the garden, and I tried to remember which window belonged to Michael's room."Which one is his room?" I murmured, scanning the row of windows."Try the one that's open," Lona suggested. "You could climb in.""Good idea.""In case you get caught and beheaded, maybe I should say farewell now," she added sarcastically."That won't happen."I set the basket down near the bushes and climbed up the ledge. It wasn't too tricky; I could do it.After a few minutes, I reached the open window and inhaled a familiar scent. Michael!I slipped inside and found Michael fast asleep on his bed. I hurried over to him."Michael," I whispered, shaking his shoulder.His eyes fluttered open, and our eyes locked for a moment before he jerked awake."Shit! What are
"Camden, Arlington, Fergus, and Orson."Michael said the names without hesitation. Regardless of whether his suspicions turned out to be true, he couldn't afford to voice them recklessly. He could lose his head for it if he accused someone without proof.And that was the problem—evidence. What kind of evidence did Michael have?The royal wolves had immense power. They could twist the truth to their advantage, and a young wolf like Michael could be easily disposed of."Do you have solid proof to accuse them?" I asked."Not yet. But I've pieced things together from the last decade's events." Michael rubbed his chin. "I do my homework, Deli."Did Michael seriously say that? I don't understand why he should bother thinking about the traitor. Was Bishop's discussing this with his youngest son? Until Michael was obsessed with it?"You're playing detective because your life is boring. Before you start making accusations, you should have something solid.""I will. It's just a matter of time."
The air duct seemed endless, narrow, and stifling. Sweat poured down my body, but curiosity overcame fear and exhaustion. I saw a speck of bright light ahead—it must be the end. I pushed open the air duct cover and crawled out.I found myself surrounded by a wood. This must be outside the palace walls. There was no visible path, but I noticed a patch of grass shorter than the rest. It looked trampled, probably the intruder's trail."Stop! We must return to the palace, or you'll be in trouble!" Lona warned."But this is my way out, isn't it? If I'm going to escape, now is the perfect time.""Don't be ridiculous! We don't know what lurks in these woods! Don't be reckless!"I took a deep breath. "Okay, okay..."There was no way I could wander through the woods like this, even in daylight. But at least I'd found the way of the intruders. No wonder they escaped so easily. Who would have thought there was a secret passage in the laundry room?I climbed back into the air duct and returned to
Dinner was ordered, and I, along with the other maids, promptly went to the dining room and set the dishes on the table. As we left the room, Elena walked past us, entering first, followed by Catherine and the Lunas on their way to the dining area.We maids lined up neatly to let them pass. The Lunas looked at me with disdain; they knew who I was, the fraud.How long will that label stick to me? If they knew the truth, these Lunas would bow down to me."Or maybe they'd try to eliminate you," Lona muttered. "You're a descendant of a pack that was destroyed. More like wiped out on purpose."I ignored Lona's words and followed the other maids back to the kitchen. Once there, I quickly searched for my bag and was relieved to find it still there. There was no way it could have been lost or stolen. I decided to leave it where it was."Hey, what's your name?" one of the maids called out."Delilah.""Come join us in the kitchen. We need a break, too," she invited warmly.I sat awkwardly in a
The guards took me out of the cell a few hours later. I didn't know precisely how long it had been, but the sky was dark when I looked out the window on the way to the hall. All the royal alphas, along with Wanda and Bishop, were already gathered there. I was ordered to kneel before the empty throne, my head bowed low.The doors to the hall opened again, and I caught Elijah's scent. A shiver ran down my spine as he passed me. I could feel his anger, though I couldn't tell who it was directed at. Elijah took a seat on the throne and stared at me intently."You poisoned Queen Catherine, I've heard. Delilah, how many more times are you going to cause trouble?" Elijah asked.I swallowed hard and shook my head. "Even if I protest my innocence, the accusation will stick to me. So, my king, I've accepted whatever sentence you decide."Wanda cleared her throat. "Just have her beheaded, father."What? Beheaded? If I were really to die, she and Catherine would be the first to come after me. An
"Yes, I did," Elena replied bluntly.I stood up, and anger immediately surged through me. "Are you too much of a coward to admit what you did, Beta Elena? That you had to blame me?"I should've brought a recorder so everyone would know that Elena was the one who poisoned Catherine. I was the only one hearing her confession, and it all felt pointless.My teeth clenched, and my hands balled into fists. If we weren't in this cell, I would have beaten her to a pulp. I never feared Elena, even though she was Elijah's sister."I could admit everything, but I'm not the one who needs to leave this place, Delilah. You're the one who needs to get out of this palace." Elena crossed her arms."You hate me that much?""I don't care about you. I care about my brother's position. Do you understand?"Elijah's position? What did she mean? Bishop once said that Elena always had her own agend
Right at midnight, I heard the faint sound of a wolf howling. Whether it was a sign from Bishop or Michael, I didn't know, but it immediately put me on high alert as I rushed to the cell door. There was no sign of anything, not even footsteps echoing down the narrow corridor. Just silence. Suddenly, more howling erupted, sending shivers down my spine. An attack—that's what I gathered from their warning cries. But why? Why would Michael and Bishop go to such lengths to stage an attack just to get me out of here? A faint smell of smoke reached my nose, followed by distant sounds of chaos that grew louder. What the hell was going on? I heard hurried footsteps entering the cell block, and then I saw Michael panting heavily. "This was your plan? To cause a riot?" I asked. Michael's face was as pale as the moon, and he shook his head frantically. "There's an attack by rogue wolves! They're attacking the palace!" he shouted. My eyes widened. "Rogue wolves
I took a deep breath as Eugenia finished dressing me. A satisfied smile spread across her face, and she looked absolutely thrilled."This time, I'm really dressing a queen. A real queen," Eugenia said, her voice trembling as if she were about to cry. "Oh, I'm so sentimental. But if Beta Vincent could see you now, I'm sure he'd give you his smile. Without saying a word.""His expression says it all."Ah, I wanted to cry too. I missed Vincent."Do not cry, my queen. Save your tears! For today is your day," Eugenia said hastily.There was a knock at the door, and Eugenia quickly opened it. Aunt Disa entered with Elijah, both of them stepping forward. Their faces showed the same stunned expression, completely mesmerized by me.
I looked for Elijah, but he had been missing for the past few days. Even the others didn't know where he had gone, so I began to wonder what was wrong with him.I still hadn't decided whether to rule the kingdom without an Alpha. But one thing was clear: Elijah was my mate. If I became his Luna, Elijah would retake the throne as King Alpha.And if not... our relationship would remain that of mates, nothing more.The uncertainty made me uneasy. What was I to do? I needed Elijah's advice.I wouldn't mind him ruling beside me, but doubt crept into my mind.What if Elijah felt overburdened? He would once again sit on a throne that wasn't rightfully his. I was sure that thought weighed heavily on his heart.
Catherine's body was carried by the royal alphas, treated with care and reverence despite her father's heinous deeds. Catherine was just a victim of Camden's greed. I watched as Camden's face turned pale at the sight of his only daughter lying lifeless. He howled in agony, mourning her departure.Regret never comes at the beginning.This was Camden's reality.Elijah stood and faced me. I could feel the restlessness in his aura, the uncertainty as our eyes locked."Why, Delilah?" There was disappointment in Elijah's voice. "So it's true? You were purposely raised as a secret weapon by the non-royal wolves?""Wow! Watch your mouth, Elijah," Jeremy scoffed."Stop! Both of you!" I sna
The plan had been carefully laid out, and everyone was already marching to the palace to destroy Wanda. Alderwood was eerily quiet, with no one outside. Even the shops were closed. In the human world, they only knew it as a gang war. Yes, that was the rumor that had been spread. And the police could not do anything about it. They were only guarding the perimeter near the residential areas. "What's going on, my king?" I asked as we passed the closed shops. "I just want to end this war. And repay a debt to someone." My eyebrows almost furrowed. "A debt?" "Yes." Elijah nodded. "If it weren't for him, I might not be with you now." Who was Elijah talking about? One of the royal alphas approached Elijah, interrupting our conversation. "At the last crossroads, we will all regroup and go to the palace together, my king," the Alpha said. "We'll wait for the others if they haven't arriv
Our conversation was interrupted by a knock at the door, and I quickly opened it. Eugenia and Michael stood on the threshold, and I immediately pulled them both into my arms."Eugenia, I'm so happy to see you!"It had been months since I had last seen Eugenia, and guilt was eating at me for not standing up for her when she was kidnapped.Eugenia wiped away tears. "I'm glad to see you too, Deli. I was so afraid something had happened to you.""I'm the one who was worried about you. Especially after you were taken. What happened after that?"Before Eugenia could answer, Elijah approached us and said a quick goodbye."I need to meet with the other alphas. There's something we need to discuss," Elijah said.I nodded. "Okay, my king.""See you at dinner." Elijah gave a small smile.After he left, Eugenia and Michael entered my room, and the three of us sat down to talk.Eugenia told me what had happened to her after she had been taken.
The news that Orson, Fergus, and Arlington had been taken down brought euphoria to the Davenport pack. I was grateful that there were no casualties, and most of the pack members from the three alphas decided to surrender.They had sworn allegiance to Elijah. I felt a tremendous sense of relief."We have already made plans to attack the palace in a few days. The rogue wolves have attempted small attacks several times, but we've been able to handle them," Jeremy reported over the phone."That's great. Thanks for the update, Jeremy.""Hold on, Deli. Elijah wants to talk to you."My excitement grew. Then I heard Elijah's deep, sexy throat clearing."Delilah?" he called.
The Arlington estate lay ahead—not too far, but I could see it was heavily guarded. Riddick stood beside me, glanced over, and nodded politely."In the end, we stand together against a common enemy. You once sought my help, and... here we are," Riddick chuckled softly. "Fate has led us in circles, only to bring us together again.""Thank you, Alpha Riddick. Especially in such a chaotic time, I did not expect you to offer your help.""This is for the good of all of us, King Elijah. Not just the interests of one side," Riddick said, patting me on the shoulder. "Let's get ready."When my palace was attacked, I fought back with everything I had to defend my territory. I had experience in war.But to attack another pack? That was another story.Maybe it was my mother's blood running through my veins, but I wasn't like Edison or Elena. They were raised to be superior royal wolves. Me? I was just a lost cub with Omega blood in my lineage.If I had E
The moment I saw the birthmark on my twins' shoulders, my head felt like it was going to explode. I had studied the kingdom's history from the beginning, and I knew that the Celestial Moon was cursed until their empire collapsed.And it was true—that was the symbol of the Celestial Moon Kingdom!Is this a joke? I denied it, thinking it must be a coincidence.So, in addition to Crescent Moon blood, do I also have Celestial Moon blood flowing through my veins? Why would this happen to my twins?"Deli, the she-wolves won't say a word! There's nothing to worry about. Besides, it's just a birthmark—it doesn't mean anything," Aunt Disa said."Do you really think so, Aunty? Even you can't lie to me. Your face says otherwise; you're worried, too!"Aunt Disa fell silent as if confirming my fears, which made me even more anxious.We were already in the middle of a war, and now this problem had to arise. What should I do?"We'
Upon returning to the Davenport Pack, Elijah immediately joined the other alphas in the back terrace area. A tent and chairs had already been set up for the royal alphas to sleep and have meetings with Jeremy.I was about to head back to my room to check on the twins when Jeremy approached me and stopped me for a moment."Deli, I need to talk to you about Elijah," Jeremy said bluntly.I didn't bring up his earlier statement about being willing to accept me anytime, as if it was a subtle threat to Elijah. Instead, I just nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed while Jeremy sat down on the sofa."What do you say about King Elijah? What about him?" I asked."We still haven't decided whether to tell him about you—about who you really are, Deli. We're afraid the royal wolves might turn on you... or worse, try to eliminate you.""We both know they are not as savage as the rogue wolves. They have honor and keep their promises, Jeremy."