STARLETTEI wasn’t frightened by his sudden coldness. I was already used to his moods. “I haven’t seen you since that day,” I said, unafraid, as I took a spot beside him and sat down.“Yes.” He muttered, shifting his gaze back to the running stream. “You haven't answered my question, Starlette. What are you doing here?”His voice still held that cold edge.“I came to see you. Obviously.” I replied, rolling my eyes. “You should go back before your mate starts looking for you.” He picked up a stone and tossed it into the stream.“So you’re scared of the big bad Alpha.” I teased.He glanced at me, a smile finally tugging at his lips. “You wish.”“Of course I’m right.” I impulsively stood up and ran into the running stream, splashing my legs in the water. It was so warm and felt good against my skin.He rested both hands on his knees. “That’s not it.”I raised a brow. “Then what is?”“I’m just—“ He trailed off and sighed. “I don’t want you to disobey your mate.”“That’s nothing new.” I
STARLETTE“Sorry about your clothes.” I quickly told Lucius before giving Iris full control, my bones breaking, shredding his clothes into pieces. I ran into the woods and followed Maximus’s voice, who wouldn’t stop yelling my name, a hint of fear lacing his voice. I reached him in no time, and the relief that immediately masked his features when he saw me was palpable. “You scared me!" he exclaimed, placing a hand on his forehead and sighing. "Where have you been?"I was surprised to see that he was the only one searching for me, and a whole search party had not been deployed as I had expected. This was the moment I should have shifted back, but apparently, I had nothing to wear. I howled at him, hoping he would understand and get me something to wear.“Do you want to run with Nile?”What? No!“Yes!” Iris objected in my head.“Have you forgotten our justified anger towards them?” I reminded her. “We are angry at Maximus, not Nile, remember?”“They are the same.”“Nile is better.” S
STARLETTE“Luna?” The surprise in my father’s tone, equalling mine.“Yes, Luna.” Maximus affirmed. My father raised a questioning brow. “And why is that? She’s an Omega, remember?”“She’s my mate.” Maximus retorted, and Father displayed a great deal of shock. His expression shifted from shock to disbelief, finally settling on disdain. “How could you, the Alpha King, be mated to a mere worthless Omega like Starlette?" He repeatedly shook his head in disbelief. “They’ve got to be a mistake somewhere.”“There is no mistake. Starlette is perfect!” Maximus’s tone suggested he was starting to get annoyed. “She would ruin you! She’s no good!” My own father tried to diminish me. “I repeat—“ Maximus took an intimidating step forward, his jaw clenching. “She is perfect.”I still haven’t absorbed his sudden announcement of wanting to make me his Luna, but the way he stood up for me, spoke about me in front of my father, melted all the rage I harboured towards him. My heart warmed, elated tha
STARLETTEThe following morning, I woke up to see Maximus seated on the black leather couch in the room, his gaze fixed on me. “Good morning, Starlette.” He greeted, immediately standing up and walking towards me. “How did you sleep?”“Fine.” I rubbed the back of my hand against my eyes to clear the remaining sleep in them. “How long have you been watching me?”“Since I finished preparing breakfast.” He reached for the tray of food on the nightstand and placed it on the bed. The plates were all covered, so I couldn’t tell what was in them yet. “Ohhh….”“I prepared everything by myself.” He boasted, grinning from ear to ear. “That’s nice.” I said, pretending to be unimpressed as I sat up and dragged myself to the edge of the bed. “I need to pee.” I told him as I got to my feet. After taking a few steps, I suddenly felt nauseous and halted. “What is wrong?” Maximus was beside me in a second. “I feel nauseated." I told him, and what followed was a gut-wrenching retch.I ran, and I
STARLETTE“That bitch.” Bella hissed, her nose wrinkling with disgust. “I always knew She had something up her sleeves. But I didn’t think she’d be desperate and audacious enough to pin a pregnancy on the Alpha.”My eyes narrowed at Bella’s statement, and she rolled her eyes at me. “Don’t look at me like that. I know you are also having the same thoughts. She’s been with the Alpha for years and couldn’t conceive. It was even prophesied that you were the only one who could bear his child. Then suddenly, out of nowhere, she’s pregnant? It didn’t make sense to me at first, but now it does. The pup isn’t his.”“Don’t jump to conclusions yet.” I cautioned, clearing my throat. “We don’t have any evidence. Yet.”“If you say so.”“Let’s get back to what we came here for,” I said, steering the conversation back to the task at hand. That was my top priority at the moment.“Okay.” She shrugged, and as she spun around, my eyes caught the book she was holding. It looked very familiar. “Bella.”
STARLETTE“Pre—pre—pregnant?” My lips trembled with panic as I stared at Bella. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. “You’re pregnant!” She repeated as she pulled away from me, her face glowing with happiness. “Alpha would be so pleased to hear this!”“No.” I said quickly, shaking my head. My throat felt dry, and I swallowed to moisturize. I couldn’t fully grasp my emotions at that moment. I wasn’t happy, but I wasn’t sad either. I was just... there, not knowing how to feel. The smile on her face faded when she noticed my blank expression. “What happened?” She asked. “This is good news. You should be happy.“I should. But the feelings that stirred within me were deeper than I could explain. I wasn’t only feeling like this because I was carrying Maximus’s child. But also because… I was having a baby!“Please, don’t tell anyone yet. When I’m ready, I’ll tell him myself.” I pleaded, holding her hand. “I beg you.” She sighed, then nodded. “I don’t know your reason, but I’ll do wh
STARLETTEI quietly slipped out of the bedroom before Maximus could wake up and met up with Bella in front of the pack house, where she was already waiting for me. The land of the witches was far, and we couldn’t cover the distance even on our fours without burning out in exhaustion, so we opted to run our journey with a stolen car, Maximus’s. We got into his black Mustang and fastened our seatbelts like we owned it. I had managed to steal the key from him while he was sleeping, and thankfully, driving was one of the few useful skills my father had taught me, although it was mostly so I could run errands for him and my sisters. “So, what’s the plan?” Bella asked as I started the engine. “Do we even know where we are going?”I reached into my backpack, pulled out a piece of paper I had taken from Maximus’s office, and handed it to her.“A map that leads to our destination.” I told her. She unfolded it and studied it before glancing back at me. “This is absurd.” She hissed, her disa
STARLETTEBella let out a heavy sigh of relief, and I exhaled sharply, though still in shock. Never in my wildest dream did I imagine that the witch I came seeking for was the daughter of the elder. Emelia turned her gaze to me, a wide smile spreading across her lips as she pulled me into her arms. “It’s been so long. Thank you for accepting my invitation.”I pushed the shock in me to a hideous depth and replaced it with a cheerful demeanor. “It’s good to see you again.”“Come with me,” she said, helping Bella up and wrapping her arms around our shoulders as she led us out of the gloomy room.“Be careful, Amelia. These wolves are not to be trusted.” Her father called after her. “Don’t worry, Dad. I trust this one.” She assured him before we exited the room. We walked through the dark corridor in total silence, none of us addressing what just happened. My head was filled with billions of questions, my mind hoping she would agree to what we came here to ask.Stopping in front of a gi
MAXIMUSAmelia could have teleported us to the witches' lands to save time, but we had driven here and couldn’t simply abandon the car in the south. Hence, we had to make the ride all the way to the witches’ lands. It was at that moment I regretted not bringing a driver along. Although she didn’t have to, Amelia decided to ride with us, journeying with us through the night.Starlette had picked up a book to read, but she slept almost immediately, leaving me and Amelia to keep each other company—in silence.“Amelia.” I called when a thought popped in my head.“Yes?” She answered, lifting her head to look at me from the back seat. ““Lila. She seemed so powerful—maybe even more powerful than you. She could read people’s past and future and even sensed your presence, despite your cloak.“Amelia smirked faintly, her confidence shining through. “She is not as powerful as I am. I sensed her magic, and it doesn’t even come close to mine. I’m much stronger than you realize. But that’s a conve
STARLETTEA daughter? My eyes narrowed as I stared at Lila, who had just revealed that Gabriel had a daughter in the witches’ lands. I was sure we all had the same thoughts running through our minds—to find the girl and use her as leverage to get Gabriel. Although I hated that Maximus had to hand over all his secrets to the mysterious girl to obtain this information, it was a solid lead.“What else did you see? I need a name, description, or anything that could help identify her.” Maximus probed further. “I didn’t get her name, but I know she’s a brunette, has brown eyes, and is petite.” The witch told him. Maximus and I snapped our gazes towards Amelia simultaneously. “Do you think we can get her?” Maximus asked. Amelia sighed, pressing her lips together. “Working with a name would’ve been easier, but finding her isn’t impossible. As long as she’s in our lands.” “Forgive me for asking, but who are you exactly?” Silas asked Amelia, his brows raised. “The clan elder’s daughter.”
MAXIMUSI hadn’t been here in a very long while. But everything, everywhere, still looked the same. I was very skeptical about coming here, but I didn’t was to risk letting any opportunity that could help us in catching Gabriel slip through my fingers. He was getting out of hand, and he had to be stopped.Starlette and I were shown into a spacious living area, where we waited for Silas. Amelia who was cloaked, also quietly sat down in one of the couches. The room felt overly grand, its ornate furnishings clearly meant to impress rather than comfort.We didn’t have to wait for long before Silas showed up with a crown on his head, a face-splitting grin tearing his lips apart. My gaze subconsciously lingered on the crown heavily encrusted with diamonds, wondering if it wasn’t so heavy on his head for him to be wearing it so casually around his pack when there wasn’t an important event. I always used to avoid wearing mine unless it was utterly important. “A king must always wear his crow
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