The McKinney Pack residence is well outside town, a quarter of a day's drive. I shared a car with Elijah and Vincent. Our car was part of a convoy with the other royal wolves leaving the castle.Bishop wasn't attending the event, but some of his sons represented his pack. One thing I noticed was that Elena wasn't coming to the hunt. When I arrived at the castle, she was nowhere to be seen."Why isn't Elena with us?" I asked, just to satisfy my curiosity."Elena doesn't have an Alpha, Delilah. She-wolves aren't allowed to join the hunt unless they're Lunas," Elijah explained."So this is like a competition for males to show off their strength and ego?" I teased.Elijah laughed heartily. "I'd rather not answer that. How about Vincent does instead?" he said between laughs."It's not about ego, my queen," Vincent smiled.It's more like a sporting event where the king can judge which pack can be a pillar of the kingdom's defense. That's why each pack competes to be the best, to earn the ki
I had no idea when Elijah came into the room, but by morning, he was beside me. My disappointment from yesterday still lingered because of what Blanche had said, but if I mentioned it to Elijah, it would ruin everything.I decided to shower quickly, get dressed, and lay Elijah’s clothes down before sneaking out of the room. The hallway was already crowded with Alpha wolves. They nodded respectfully as I passed.“Queen Delilah, you’re up early,” Orson, Blanche’s husband, greeted me.“I just wanted to see what the atmosphere was like here.”“How about Blanche joining you, my queen? She’ll be ready in a few minutes.”“Maybe later. I’d rather walk around alone right now.” I flashed a smile and quickly made my exit. “See you soon, Orson.”Half running, I went through the corridor until I reached the castle’s front yard. The maids were busy preparing breakfast for the royal wolves.“Good morning, Queen Delilah,” they greeted me in unison.“Good morning.” I cleared my throat quietly. “I want
I closed my eyes as I heard the Lunas gasp and the Alphas scream. When my eyes opened, Elijah still stood, but the apple had fallen from his head.I noticed Elijah was holding the arrow that had almost hit his eye, broken in two. Damn it! Why didn’t the arrow aim slightly higher and just hit the apple? I put Elijah in danger with my inaccurate shot. I felt the urge to run, but I was shaking so badly I could barely stand.“My king!” the royal alphas rushed over to Elijah.“Are you all right, my king?”Elijah threw the arrow to the ground, looking calm. I froze, once again guilty of a fatal mistake. Surely, Elijah would scold me.Elijah’s footsteps approached, and I panicked even more. Quickly, I bowed deeply to him.“Forgive me...” I choked out.“Good,” Elijah told me. He smiled. “I didn’t expect you to aim your arrow at such a vital spot.”I stood up again, confused. “But you told me to shoot the apple, my king.”“You don’t aim at the apple at a critical moment, Delilah.”The royal
“My queen,” Vincent called.I turned to face Vincent as I entered the great dining hall. He stood in the doorway, bowed slightly, and then approached me.“I’m so glad you decided to come down for dinner,” Vincent’s voice still carried a hint of concern. “What happened this afternoon? I promise it won’t happen again.”I smiled. “It was my fault, Vincent. I’m sorry; I was careless and caused an unpleasant situation.”“It is a lesson for me and the entire McKinney pack to be more careful, my queen. Thank you for your understanding.”“I’m glad it’s no longer an issue between us, Vincent.”Elijah cleared his throat quietly and shot me a sharp look. I couldn’t help but feel puzzled—what did I do wrong now? I had already apologized to Vincent, as Elijah wanted.Vincent quickly stepped forward to lead us both to our seats. I watched him as he began to instruct the maids on serving the food. Suddenly, Elijah leaned in close, his lips almost brushing against my ear.“Don’t be too familiar with
When I heard the shot, I instinctively covered my head. But the bullet pierced my stomach. I screamed in agony, the pain unbearable! “Arrghh!!” I screamed.The figure hurried away, his cold-blooded attitude apparent after shooting me.I curled up at the bottom of the pit, shaking from the pain. I couldn’t even call for help. I had to shift somehow, but I felt too weak.“Elijah...”Only his name gave me the strength to cling to consciousness, even as the pain threatened to drag me into the darkness. A bullet was lodged in my abdomen, and I pressed my hand against the wound, trying to stop the blood.“Elijah...” I whispered.A long howl echoed, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps approaching. I heard a growl from above the trap, and the great wolf began to transform into his human form.“Delilah?”Elijah’s voice made me burst into tears. “Help me!”Others appeared, looking panicked when they saw me trapped in the pit. Elijah quickly slid down and grabbed the bear trap.“Damn it!
“King Elijah! Wait!”I ignored Vincent’s call as I stormed out of the room. He tried to match my pace, his aura brimming with fear.Vincent took a deep breath. “King Elijah, please hear me out.”“I will not reason with you, Vincent!” I snapped back, my voice steely.“Please, my king. Control your anger. If you act like this, we’ll never catch the real culprit,” Vincent pleaded.“Silence!” I roared.Vincent collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain. I won’t let anyone who tried to harm Delilah go unpunished—I’ll kill every last one of them.I rushed down the corridor and out of the main castle building. The royal wolves had gathered in the courtyard, some standing, others sitting with nervous expressions.The moment they saw me, they felt the fury emanating from my soul. All the royal wolves knelt down, wincing in fear.“Who dares defy me?” I demanded, my eyes scanning the crowd.“Please, my king...”Fergus crawled forward, his face flushed and his hand trembling as he reached out.“For
My body still ached when I woke to find the bedroom empty. Elijah was gone, and I had no idea where he could be. The morning sunlight was dimmer than usual, muted by the gray clouds looming in the sky.I forced myself to sit up on the edge of the bed, wincing as the throbbing pain returned. It wasn’t as intense as last night, but it was still there. Slowly, I got to my feet and reached the door, opening it cautiously.Empty.The hallway was eerily quiet, every door shut tight. It was strange—had everyone left after what happened to me? Were they afraid of the shooting?“Where is everyone?” I whispered to myself.I forced my sore body to move and walked down the hall and the stairs. Soon, I could hear the voices of the royal Lunas on the floor below. I didn’t know what they were doing there, but I had no intention of joining them. Instead, I lingered quietly, curious to hear what they were discussing. Their voices had an undertone of unease.“I never thought it would happen again. Alm
A week had passed, and my wounds had healed entirely.I could return to my activities; I returned to the woods and hills behind the mansion. Once again, though, I avoided Elijah.Ever since the shooting incident, Elijah had barely been at the mansion. He spent most of his time at the castle. I didn't know what he was doing there, but he was probably tracking the guards to solve the problem.I came downstairs, intending to go to the kitchen, but I bumped into Kat in the hallway. She seemed overwhelmed with the bedsheets she was carrying."Queen Delilah," she greeted me cheerfully."Where did you come from, Kat?""I just finished changing the sheets in King Elijah's room, and luckily, just in time." She let out a sigh of relief. "King Elijah will return to the mansion soon, so I had to tidy his room quickly.""He's coming back?"I didn't feel pleased about it. Although I felt a sense of longing, I tried to suppress it. My dark side whispered: Why long for someone who doesn't even ackno
I woke up abruptly and looked around the room. Jeremy’s perfume filled the air. This was his room; I was sure of it. Even though he’d moved to a more spacious place, I knew his scent.But here, in my heart, I didn’t feel anything. Just emptiness.Instead, fear crept in. What about Elijah? Where was he now?I got out of bed quickly, even though my head still felt dizzy. I walked to the door, which was slightly ajar.“You’re awake, Deli?” Jeremy stood and looked at me.I stepped back carefully, my guard up. But Jeremy kept coming closer, trying to grab my hand. I slapped his hand away and stood defensively.“Why did you do that?” I yelled. “Why did you make me leave my King Alpha’s mansion?”“Deli? What did he do to you?” Jeremy’s face filled with worry. “You’re home now. You’re here with me, with all of us. Please, calm down.”Tears welled up and finally spilled over as I began to sob. This wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted everything to be as promised. If things stayed like this, there w
I forced a laugh because Elijah's statement made me feel semi-panic. I don't know if he notices my fake laugh, but this conversation needs to move on quickly. I lean over and kiss Elijah on the top of his head. It was a bold move, but what else could I do?Suddenly, Elijah looked up, pulled my neck, and locked his lips on mine. I didn't have to fake it. In fact, I was very sad that I couldn't help Elijah. My position only temporarily distracted him.Elijah got up without breaking our kiss. We walked hand in hand to the bed, and he carefully lowered me onto it. "I like the smell of your body," Elijah whispered after breaking the kiss. Elijah's finger traced the middle of my chest, and his eyes were still on me. I couldn't escape Elijah's power, like my body was following some buried instinctive desire. Elijah's hand moved to the bulging part of my body, squeezing and pinching. I bit my lower lip and felt the heat overflow. "All right, we're going to sleep now," Elijah said suddenly
Tension filled the air. Watching Elijah and Jeremy's confrontation made me panic. There was no pride in being fought over by two alphas like this—only the certainty of dire consequences. Why is this happening to me? "My king, please." I approached Elijah and shook my head weakly, trying to calm him. "Please, I don't want any trouble here." My eyes flicked to Jeremy, who looked disappointed I had chosen to stand by Elijah. I appreciated Jeremy, but there were more pressing matters to attend to. Jeremy should have understood; I had already explained everything to him. Jeremy had acted rashly, challenging Elijah and demanding to take me back to Pinecrest. But what I wanted was to resolve my issues with Elijah first. Only then could I return to my old pack. Now, instead of resolving the matter with Tracy, a new problem has arisen. "She's not your slave!" Jeremy declared firmly. "Let her go, now!" Elijah's anger flared. "Who said Delilah was my slave? I've said from the beginning that
My body trembled as my eyes locked with Tracy's. I shouldn't be afraid, but the pressure she exerted and the memories of her trying to kill me made my courage waver.Tracy grinned, probably thinking she could meet me and win."King Elijah! This woman doesn't deserve you!" Tracy shouted.Elijah remained calm, his eyes shifting between Tracy and me. Meanwhile, everyone else in the room was muttering, visibly uncomfortable for Jeremy, who stood with the same calm expression as Elijah."And who deserves me?" Elijah asked Tracy.Hearing his answer, Tracy was startled. "Obviously not her!""But Delilah is my mate," Elijah replied. "And you're out of line to accuse my Luna of being a traitor in your pack. Here she is the queen, and you will respect that!"Tracy stammered. "But... but I can explain! Everyone in the pack witnessed it - Delilah ran away because she cheated on Jeremy. She left with another man.""You mean me?" Elijah raised an eyebrow. "I didn't steal Delilah. The truth is much
I was incredibly nervous. Today, the outsider alphas came to the mansion precisely one week after I met Jeremy in Oak Valley. Riddick, along with other alphas from nearby towns—Pinecrest, perhaps—was on the guest list. I wasn’t sure if Jeremy would attend, but deep down, I knew he would show up.“I don’t think you should meet these alphas, Deli,” Aunt Disa said bluntly as she stood behind me and brushed my hair. “I have a bad feeling about it.”“Like what?”“Jeremy might show up.”Of course, Jeremy would be here. He promised to take care of things with the Davenport pack and then return to me.I hadn’t told Aunt Disa about my secret meeting with Jeremy. I just didn’t think she needed to know. She wouldn’t tell anyone, but her body language could give it away. If she seemed uncomfortable around Elijah, suspicions might arise.But maybe I should tell her now.“When Jeremy gets here, I think it’s the perfect time to tell the truth,” I said.Aunt Disa’s eyes widened in shock. “What? Are y
Why is Delilah acting like that? She was staring out the window, lost in thought, and I knew she was hiding something. I couldn’t be sure if she was hurt by my decision. Delilah’s demeanor was too calm. If she was still upset, her eyes would have shown a trace of resentment when I entered the room. But she didn’t. “Vincent?” I called quietly and knocked on the door. Vincent opened it for me, and after I entered and sat down on the daybed, he closed the door and stood nearby. “Delilah didn’t go to the spa, did she?” I asked. “Why do you ask, my king?” “Just answer me.” Vincent nodded. “She met with Alpha Jeremy of the Davenport pack.” Hearing this irritated me a little. How dare Delilah lie to me? Still, I couldn’t barge into her room and demand that she spill her tea. Yet, part of me was afraid that Delilah would reveal everything to that brat of an Alpha. When I saw the Jeremy boy enter the meeting hall, he boldly met my gaze. No wonder—he’d just met with Delilah. It was no
My mind went blank as I tried to explain to Jeremy, but he had already led me into a quiet alley. His breathing was heavy, and he growled softly, his intense gaze sharp and intimidating.“Why?” he asked again.I could have told him everything, but my tongue felt tied, and my body shook. I was in shock and didn’t know what to do. All I could do was hold back tears, but it was useless; my tears flowed freely.“Please, just let me go. I can’t explain right now,” I said.“Did you leave the pack because of another wolf?”“No!” I said firmly.Jeremy grabbed both my arms. “Whose scent is marking you? I can smell it.”“Stop, Jeremy. You don’t know what’s happening to me!”“Then tell me!” he snapped, frustrated. “Just tell me everything, Delilah! By the moon goddess, I’ve always loved you! I want to see you every day and every night!”My defenses crumbled, and I couldn’t stop myself from sobbing. Jeremy’s tight grip turned into a warm embrace. In his arms, I felt the comforting scent of the ho
As dinnertime approached, Elijah returned to the room and went straight to the shower before rushing to get dressed. I sat quietly on the edge of the bed, stealing glances at him. Even though he had already rejected me, watching him like this made my heart race uncontrollably."Is there something you want to tell me?" Elijah asked suddenly, looking at me with a slight smirk. "You've been stealing glances for a while now.""I-I..." Why was I stammering?"You must have something on your mind," he added.I cleared my throat quietly. "May I take a short ride outside the estate? Vincent will accompany me."Elijah nodded quickly. "Yes, sure.""Really?""I'll be attending a dinner with the Alphas soon," Elijah said, changing the subject. "Luna Rita might invite you to dinner as well. If you want to go out, just let her know.""Thank you, my king."Elijah hurried out of the room, leaving me alone. My heart raced at the thought of being invited to dinner. I had no idea what I would talk to R
Elijah seemed serious about his plan. A few days later, he took me to Oak Valley, a small town between Pinecrest and Alderwood.I couldn't understand why he insisted that I come with him. Although this matter had nothing to do with me, I refrained from protesting or questioning his motives.We arrived in Oak Valley, a quiet, peaceful town. Surprisingly, most of the stores were closed for lunch, so the streets seemed almost deserted. Unlike Alderwood, where noon was the busiest time in town, this place felt quiet yet eerily still.We soon reached a large estate in the center of town. From the outside, it was clear that the three-story building, with its classical design, radiated wealth. There was a large fountain in the front yard, and a line of maids stood at attention, waiting to greet us."Whose place is this?" I whispered.Elijah leaned in and whispered back, "A powerful Alpha in this town."The maids led us to a spacious living room in the mansion, where an elderly couple stood t