STARLETTE“How did you know about all these?” Maximus asked, narrowing his eyes. “I read a lot. I read it in a book a long time ago.” I told him. He folded his arms across his chest. “What book? Tell me more.” “I can’t recall the exact book. And I’m afraid that’s all I know.”“I’m also afraid you’ll have to think hard to remember where you read that from. We need more information.” That sounded more like a threat than a request. “I didn’t pay much attention while reading it. It was a very old book. A witch grimore.” I answered truthfully.The frown on his face deepened. “You really can’t remember anything else? How do I get to the witch? Where are the so-called invisibles located?”I shook my head. “It wasn’t stated in the book.” “No hint at all?”“I think we already have the information we need. Hopefully, if the salt trick works, we’d be able to capture and question them directly.” Tom chimed in. The Alpha King sighed. “I wonder if the witches are trying to start a war or if o
STARLETTEWithin seconds, the maid's yard was almost empty. I knew I had to make a run for it, but I couldn’t leave Bella there. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if anything happened to her.“How do I get this rope off?” I panicked as I tried to look for the knot to loosen.“Starlette. There’s no time; just go. Save yourself.” She said weakly. The fear in her voice was evident, and I wasn’t leaving her alone. “I’m not leaving you here.”I found the knot and quickly untied her. I wrapped her arm around my shoulders to support her, as she was too weak to walk on her own. “Where is your room?” I asked her. She pointed at a particular door, and we headed towards the room, but when we got there, the room was locked. “Linda, Sarah, please open the door.” She called on her roommates, but there was no response. “Please!” I pleaded, banging on the door. I could hear the rouges drawing near, and fear saturated my whole being. If we didn’t find a place to hide, we’d be dead in minute
STARLETTEThe next time I opened my eyes, I was in Maximus’s arms, laying on his laps. Startled, I gasped and tried to jump off him, but he held me in place. “Shhhh.” He said. “You're still weak.”The knife the rogue used to stab me must have been laced with a concentrated amount of wolfsbane, which was what weakened me to the extent of passing out.“Where‘s Bella?” I quickly asked when she crossed my mind.“Bella is fine.”“The rogues didn’t attack her?” I asked.“They didn’t.” He assured me, and I sighed in relief.I was relieved about Bella, but still tensed because I was in his arms. I hated him, but what I hated the most was how my body reacted to him. I hated that this devil had to be my mate.But, thinking about it, he wasn’t that much of a devil. My life had already flashed before my eyes, but he saved me. Not only did he save me, he chose to save me instead of Lauren. I still hated him regardless, but I was grateful. “What are you thinking about?” His words cut through my
MAXIMUS I didn’t know how much Starlette meant to me until I almost lost her today. I had always known that I cared about her; she was fated for me anyway. I just hated that she had to be an omega. I thought she wasn’t fit to be Luna and wouldn’t add any value to me. Lauren, on the other hand, was smart and strong. But lately, she seemed to irk me, and I was growing into Starlette. And also lately, Starlette was starting to prove to me that she was smarter than I thought.We got to Pack Square, where we entrapped one of the invisibles by pouring a trail of salt around him, as Starlette had told us. I was surprised that it really did work. He stood there in the circle, the fearless look on his face slightly worrisome. I had expected him to be on his knees, begging for mercy; that way, it would be easier to get information from him in exchange for his life. But that wasn’t the case. I knew at once that he would be a tough one. “Take him to the dungeon; I’ll question him there.” I in
STARLETTE I didn’t even know when I held him. I didn’t want him to go. Tingles jolted through my body in his presence—a satisfactory feeling I wasn’t quite ready to let go of. “Starlette.” He mumbled. “I have to go.” Of, course. I was the only one affected by the mate bond. He didn’t feel the same way. My cheeks burned in embarrassment at that realization. Starlette. What were you thinking? I mentally scolded myself. I cleared my throat. “Iris surfaced for a second. She wanted you to stay. Not me.” He raised a brow. “Iris?” “Yes, that’s my wolf’s name.” “Oh..” He nodded. “My wolf’s name is Nile. And…” He suddenly joined me in bed, laying next to me. “Nile also wants to stay with his mate. So I guess I’ll stay. For their sake.” I gulped down a huge chunk of saliva and nodded. “For their sake.” “We should allow them to run in the woods sometime.” He suggested. “You would trust us to run in the woods?” I asked, surprised. “You can't get away from me. I am so much faster and s
STARLETTEI still couldn’t fathom why and how Maximus suddenly changed. He treated me like a rag when I came to the pack, and now he wouldn’t stop trying to please me. I believed he had an ulterior motive, but that motive I didn’t quite know. The cat would be let out of the bag soon enough. But until then, I wouldn’t fall for his pretence.“Soon enough, you'll get better than me.” Tom teased.“Soon.” I laughed.We were on the training ground, practicing. I had advanced, and we were using real swords now.“How are things with you and the Alpha now? I noticed that he had been giving that crazy head cold shoulders. I’m glad he’s finally seeing the light after being with her for years. I don’t know why he ever liked her anyway.” He scoffed.“You speak as if you don’t like her.” I observed.He made a disgusted face. “Why would anyone like that psychopath?”A laugh escaped my throat. “I know, right?”“So, how are things with you and him?” He asked again.“I don’t know. I don’t trust his sud
STARLETTEA crowd formed within seconds, most of them gazing at Lauren with horror and a couple of them pointing fingers at me.I knew immediately that it was a trap. I was set up, and I fell for it.I was still trying to process everything when Maximus showed up.“What happened here?” He asked no one in particular.A girl pointed at me. “She gave her a cup of lemonade to drink, and she suddenly started foaming. She was poisoned.”Maximus glanced at me, and my heart rate accelerated. Returning his gaze to Lauren, who was still foaming on the floor, convulsing, he ordered his warriors. “Take her to the doctor immediately.”“Yes, Alpha.” Two warriors chorused and immediately carried Lauren in their arms.After they left, Maximus took a second before finally returning his gaze to me. I couldn’t read the expression on his face, and that killed me. Was he angry? Disappointed? Hateful? I just hope he won’t believe the allegations. I could be killed if I was not proven innocent. The thought
LUCIUS Starlette didn’t poison the crazy head, that I know for sure. Why would anyone even believe that? That girl had a pure and innocent heart. I liked her the very first time I interacted with her. And I barely like people.I couldn’t stand watching her get accused for what she didn’t do. Seeing her desperate eyes as she pleaded not guilty, hoping she’d be believed, broke my heart.Her mate, my brother, who was supposed to stand by her and defend her, forsook her. Instead, he ordered for her to be taken back to the dungeon. I wasn’t surprised anyway; it was who he was—a heartless and self-centred beast. After the interrogation had ended, I marched to the hospital, with rage, to interrogate Lauren, since no one seemed to be smart enough to do so. I had to find a way to reveal her scheme. I wouldn’t let Starlette die, no matter what it took.“Lucius.” Lauren flashed the most fake smile I had ever seen at me as I walked towards her bedside. “So kind of you to come check up on me.”“
STARLETTE“You’re so unbelievably sexy. I can’t emphasize it enough,” Maximus whispered in my ear, his deep voice sending a shiver down my spine. His strong hand curled gently around my throat as he sought my lips, kissing me ever so passionately as water cascaded down our bodies. We were under the shower and had gone two rounds now, not able to get enough of each other. I could never get enough of him.“Should we go again?” He asked after he pulled away from me, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth.As much as I would love that, we both had a lot of work to do for the pack, and we couldn’t spend the rest of the day making love with each other.I pressed my lips to his. “I wish I could say yes, but...”“Then say yes.” He cut me off, grinning.“No,” I said with mock sternness, laughing softly.“Such a pity,” he murmured. Before I could respond, he lifted me effortlessly by my thighs, his strong arms holding me steady. Turning off the shower with one hand, he stepped out and carried m
71| Golden Lights.AMELIAI blinked repeatedly, trying to make sense of what Father had just said. “What do you mean?”He looked away, facing the window again as he began. “When you were born, we realized how powerful you are. As a newborn who didn’t even know the world yet, you almost set the entire house on fire. It took the efforts of me and five other elders to stop you.”I gasped in shock. He glanced at me briefly and nodded. “Yes, that’s how powerful you were. We knew the destruction such power could bring if left unchecked. So, we decided to take most of it away and leave you with only a fraction.”“Where is that power now?” I whispered, still trying to process what he had just told me.“It is hidden in plain sight. You wouldn’t even know.” He finally moved away from the window, and I trailed behind him as he walked to my bed, picking up the pink teddy bear I had owned since I was a child. I grew so attached to the teddy bear that it was the only one I frequently played with,
AMELIAThe moment I got home, I grabbed my grandmother’s grimoire and began to comb through it with fervor. There had to be something in there—some ancient spell that could free Lucius. The more I searched, the more frustration gnawed at me. No matter how many pages I flipped through, I couldn’t find a single spell for releasing a human form trapped within its wolf. The only related spell I came across was the one I already knew—the one designed to free a wolf bound within its human form. The frustration ripping through me filled to its brim, and I flung the grimoire across the room, groaning in my hands. I hated this!The door to my room creaked open, and my father stepped inside. “Ah, I was right. I sensed my princess’ presence and decided to—” He froze mid-sentence, the color on his face draining the moment he saw my state. What’s wrong?” he asked, his tone laced with concern as he strode over to me. “I need help!” I exhaled shakily, running my fingers through my hair, frustrati
STARLETTEI stirred in bed, reaching out instinctively to cuddle with Maximus, but my hand met only the cool sheets. The empty space beside me made my heart sink for a moment, and I snapped my eyes open, scanning the room. He was nowhere to be found. Stretching, I yawned and mind-linked him. “Working already?”His voice came through immediately, warm and teasing. “She’s awake—my sleeping beauty.”My lips curled into a smile. “I wanted to have you all to myself today.”"Well, I could drop everything and come to you right now. All you need to do is ask."I giggled, shaking my head even though he couldn’t see me. “As tempting as that sounds, I know you have to work. Someone has to keep the pack running smoothly, and these are my people now too. I care about them. So, I’ll see you later.” He chuckled. “I love you.”“I love you too.” I replied before cutting off the mind link. Sliding out of bed, I grabbed a robe and wrapped it around my body. I felt no need to change into a proper outf
STARLETTEWithout a second thought, I asked Iris to take over, my chest squeezing so tightly that I could barely breathe.“Max. What happened?” I quickly asked.“What do you mean?” He asked, confusion lacing his tone.“You’re—you’re—” I stammered, trailing off as I realized I was overthinking. The trauma of witnessing Lucius being trapped seemed to have taken deeper root than I had anticipated. I shook my head and forced a smile. “Nothing. I just didn’t expect to see you shift.” He took careful steps forward, his wolf nuzzling affectionately against Iris. “Nile wants to run.”“Me too!” Iris howled excitedly before spinning around and darting off. “Catch me if you can!” she called after them. “Piece of cake.” Nile yelled back as he began chasing after us. Iris glanced behind her and realizing he was gaining on her, pushed herself harder. She sprinted faster than ever, taking sharp turns to outmaneuver Nile. Her speed and agility were impressive, her joy infectious as she danced thr
MAXIMUSSomehow, I was worried about Lucius, and helping him had become one of my priorities. Even though our relationship was far from perfect, he was still my blood. Starlette stared at Amelia, curiosity in her eyes. “What do you plan to say when we get there?”“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I just want to say something that would make him feel even a fraction of the pain I’m feeling right now.”I suddenly felt something weird within me—pity. The more I looked at Amelia, the more I understood the pain she was passing through. I didn’t need a special announcement to know that Starlette’s theory was indeed correct—she was Lucius’ mate. And having one’s mate go through such a difficult situation takes a toll on the other. If anything ever happened to Starlette, I would lose my mind.Sighing heavily, I took a step closer to Amelia. “I get how hurt you are,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “But it’s best to avoid doing anything rash. If we let him know that we’re aware, it could co
STARLETTEThe moment Gabriel vanished, Amelia was released, and she collapsed to the ground, letting out a rapid succession of coughs. After catching her breath, she looked up, her eyes widening in horror as she sprinted over to Lucius. Tears poured down her cheeks as she hugged his form.“No!” She let out a screeching scream.I stood frozen, unable to process everything that had happened. It felt like a dream—a dark, twisted dream that I desperately wanted to wake up from. I shook my head repeatedly, hoping to shake away the horror, but the reality only became sharper. Lucius had truly been trapped in his wolf form.A tremor coursed through my body, and my first instinct was to go to the only person who could bring me comfort."Max..." I mind-linked him, my fear pouring through my voice. "Where are you?" His voice echoed in my mind, laced with urgency. He could sense the terror in my voice. "You’re mind-linking the whole pack. Try to focus only on me when you answer."I pressed my
STARLETTEThe moment Maximus reached us, he pulled me to his side, his arm tightening around my waist with a possessive grip. His gaze held a steely edge as he glared at Silas, who only smirked in response, as if he hadn’t just been shamelessly flirting with me.“Good evening, Alpha,” Silas greeted, sounding almost amused.“Good evening,” Maximus replied, his voice strained and his jaw muscles visibly tensed. “I thought you weren’t going to make it.”Silas gave a casual shrug. “I encountered some unexpected delays.” He spread his arms wide in a grand gesture. “But here I am. I knew how important this meeting was, so I had to make sure I attended.” He glanced at me, “Would you keep my Luna company while I discuss with him?”Just then, a red-haired woman appeared by Silas’s side. Freckles dotted her face, giving her a delicate look. I raised an eyebrow as I took in the scene. Silas had dared to flirt with me while his own Luna was nearby. The audacity was astounding.“Good evening,” she
MAXIMUS My gaze darted back at Starlette, and I leaned close to her ear. “I’ll be right back.”Her eyes widened, curiousity coursing through them, but she didn’t question me. “Okay.”With that, I quickly stepped away and headed toward Amelia.“Gabriel.” Amelia breathed once I was standing in front of her, and my stomach tightened. I cast a wary look around, noting the people nearby. I couldn’t engage in a conversation with her here; else people would think their Alpha had gone crazy.“Follow me.” I said as I began to walk. I didn’t stop until I got to a secluded area, far from the ceremony.“What happened?” I quickly asked, searching her face for answers.“He was here. I felt his presence. Briefly. I can’t feel it anymore, though. But he was here, Maximus.”“That bastard!” My jaw clenched. “What about the spy you were looking for? Any leads?”She shook her head. “No leads at all.”Frustration bit at my insides. “Then search harder! If truly you saw someone, they have to be here. Eve