"You asked a she-wolf to protect you? Shame on you," I paused, sneering, "Alpha Jeremy." Jeremy gritted his teeth and stepped forward, but the wolves guarding the arrogant Alpha blocked his path. They should've let Jeremy face or surrounded me—it didn't matter. My only priority was to get Delilah back. I didn't care if my body was crushed in the process as long as she stayed by my side. "King Elijah, please." Vincent looked at me, his whispered words distracting my attention. "We don't want to make things worse. We entered their territory without permission." "So?" "What we want is for Queen Delilah to return safely. Let's not make things worse." I had brought my best guards with me, not to hold back. They were ready to fight to the last drop of blood if necessary. Vincent's approach was too diplomatic. "I want Delilah back in my hands," I growled, frustrated. "Patience, my king. We don't want any unintended consequences. For now, please leave this to me." Vincent st
"I promise, Delilah."Elijah's firm words were all I needed. I turned to Jeremy and nodded."I have to go now," I whispered."Deli, don't do it!" Jeremy insisted.I moved forward, but Jeremy grabbed my arm. This wasn't what I wanted—if Elijah and Jeremy clashed again, everything would be ruined. If anything happened to Jeremy, it would lead to a full-blown war. The enemies of the royal pack, eager to overthrow Elijah, would take advantage of the chaos to claim the throne."I can't be with you, Jeremy," I whispered."Why do you have to follow his orders, Deli? I'll protect you. You don't have to be afraid.""I have to get back to Elijah." I looked into Jeremy's eyes. "Please understand my decision. It's what's best for all of us."Jeremy's expression hardened even as his grip loosened. His eyes reflected a mixture of sadness, disappointment, and anger. I knew my decision had hurt Jeremy's pride and his heart.But I couldn't leave Eli
It feels like I just blinked, and today is my coronation as Queen Luna. Eugenia had already done my makeup and dressed me in a beautiful light blue wedding dress. She said Elijah would also wear a soft, light blue suit to match my gown."You look stunning, Delilah. I'm getting goosebumps just looking at you," Eugenia said with a smile.Her words suddenly reminded me of what had happened a few months ago when I was about to be crowned as Luna. Back then, even when Jeremy and I truly loved each other, a tragic incident happened to me. This time? We were about to deceive everyone, including the Moon Goddess. Fear crept in—Elijah and I were about to pretend to be mates. Could anything go wrong?I took a deep breath. Hopefully, nothing bad would happen, and everything would go smoothly until Elijah found his true Luna."Delilah? Is something wrong? Why do you look so worried?" Eugenia asked, noticing the change in my expression.I swallowed hard. "My heart is racing, Eugenia. I'm not roya
I peered from behind Elijah's back, fear overwhelming me, but part of me wanted to fight. All I could do was stand there, trembling, unable to act. I should do something—anything—but what?"King Elijah, I—""Just be still, Delilah," Elijah cut me off.I could hear the royal wolves whispering about the daughter Camden had mentioned. A few alphas stepped forward, their faces hard with suspicion."What about the coronation? What happens now?" an Alpha asked from the crowd."Cancel it, of course!" Camden shouted, his sharp eyes on me."Get her down from there!" another voice demanded.This felt like a nightmare. As the Alphas approached, Elijah immediately went on high alert and threw punches at every Alpha who attacked."No one touches my Delilah!" Elijah growled.But the Alphas seemed deaf to his command. They surrounded us. One, twice Elijah's size, tackled him to the ground. Others grabbed me and pulled me away from him.
I was thrown into a small room with dim lighting. The only furniture was a bed and a shelf with some clothes. At least it was better than a cell. But still, was death better than being a slave?"Elijah won't just sit back, Deli," Lona's voice echoed again. "He'll find a way to get you out."I sat on the edge of the bed, and all the tears I'd been holding back poured out. It hurt so much to be separated from Elijah, especially when I knew he was my mate. Why were we meant to be one when things forced us apart?"Why are you coming to me now, Lona? Where have you been all this time?" I asked.If Lona had come earlier, back when I first shifted, this couldn't have happened. Perhaps I would have become Luna for Jeremy and wouldn't be living this nightmare now."I came when I was meant to. If not, I might never have come into your life," Lona replied cryptically.I wiped my face and dried my tears. "Still, there's nothing I can do now. I'll be a slave for the rest of my life.""Who said tha
When I arrived, Catherine's chamber door was slightly ajar. I took a deep breath, let it out quickly, then knocked quietly. I could hear whispering voices inside; they seemed unaware of my presence. I knocked again, harder this time, and the door opened.My eyes met Catherine's daughter, who blinked at me a few times without saying anything."Who is it?" Catherine's voice called from inside."The she-wolf."Why did her words cut so deeply?Maybe she had heard I was pretending to be her father's Luna. Unsurprisingly, she hated me instantly, especially considering the history between her mother and Elijah."Let her in," Catherine ordered.Catherine's daughter opened the door wider and walked over to her mother, sitting at a vanity while someone styled her hair."What's she doing here, Mom?" she asked, giving me another sharp look."I need to talk to her about something, Wanda," Catherine replied.So Elijah and Catherine's daughter was
As I was about to turn around, someone pushed me into the room so firmly that I almost stumbled forward. The door slammed shut, and I immediately spun around."King Elijah?" My voice caught in my throat.Without thinking, I leaped forward and wrapped him in a desperate embrace. The longing was suffocating; my chest felt tight. I feared something terrible had happened to him, though deep down, I knew no one would dare hurt Elijah.Still, I'd rather sacrifice myself for his safety than risk losing him. All I wanted was for Elijah to be safe and happy."Delilah," he murmured, his warm embrace enveloping me. His strong arms wrapped around me, and I inhaled his familiar scent, a soothing balm to my troubled heart. Tears trickled down my cheeks as emotions overwhelmed me. Was this what it felt like to have a mate? The pain of separation was like being torn apart."I've missed you, King Elijah," I whispered."You can't imagine the torment I've endured being away from you, Delilah." He press
I realized that Evelyn, Tracy, and Benson must have brainwashed the Camden pack, which explains why they hate me. My presence in Elijah's life must have caused chaos in the Camden pack. Now, I'm facing a double whammy, and there's no way to escape.I remained silent, my lips closed. It was all I could do."You've got some nerve hanging around my father, don't you?" Wanda sneered, her smile dripping with malice. "My father won't protect you anymore. So don't even think about trying to curry the slightest favor. I won't allow it!"Suddenly, Wanda stepped forward and pulled hard on my hair. The pain was unbearable, and as she dragged me, all I could do was struggle and try to break free. I couldn't even defend myself!I could hear Evelyn laughing, her expression one of smug satisfaction. I had always seen her as a mother figure, but now I could see her true colors."I won't tolerate your filthy body or your disgusting face wandering around the palace!" Wanda hissed. "Listen carefully, Om
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
"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
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
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 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
"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 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
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
I awoke with a dull ache all over my body, yet it felt strangely satisfying. My sleep had been deep, dreamless, and restful.And now I was fully aware I was in the King's chamber. Then, the memory of me trying to seduce Michael, only to end up with Elijah, hit me like a thunderbolt. Had I lost my mind?"Welcome home," Lona's voice echoed in my head. "You're finally awake.""What happened?""It seems Catherine tried to slip a stimulant into Elijah's tea. Next time, just throw it out. You never know—it could be poison.""That was an accident, Lona. I never meant to drink it myself if it hadn't stopped Cassie."I let out a small sigh and touched the empty spot beside me on the bed. Cold. Elijah was gone.Heat rushed to my face as flashes of last night came flooding back. Even though my consciousness had been hazy, I could still remember everything. Our bonding had been intense—pleasurable, even. I couldn't say it was beautiful, not under the influence of that cursed potion.But it had fe