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
MAXIMUS I stretched my hand forward, reaching for my mate, but the bed beside me was empty. My eyes snapped open, scanning the room. But she wasn’t there. It was unusual for her to wake up before me and leave without a word. Maybe she went out for a walk, I thought. Yesterday, she seemed distant, lost in thoughts. I wished she would let me help her, allow me to be a shoulder she could lean on. But she still didn’t trust me, and that hurt. She wasn’t to be blamed, though. It was all my fault. And making amends was all I had been trying to do. To fix what I had broken. She hadn’t been treated well in her former pack—something I only realised when her father visited. I should have suspected it earlier when he sold her to me without a second thought. What kind of father does that? The way he belittled her in front of me... it took everything in me not to tear him apart.She deserved better. My goal was to make her feel more loved and cared for than ever before.Someone tried to mind-li
STARLETTE “Iris.” I called on my wolf as soon as I started driving. “Yes?” She replied and sighed in relief. I couldn’t imagine how I would have felt if I had lost my wolf forever. Imagine losing one’s wolf in the process of searching for how to free another person’s wolf. That would have been tragic. “I’m glad you’re still here.” I said. She groaned. “I hated being constrained. It was as if I was locked in a dark hole; I could hear everything but couldn’t do anything.”“I’m sorry I put you through that.” “Okay.” She simply replied before retreating to the back of my mind.My thoughts drifted to Lucius’ wolf, my heart filling up with pity for him. I wondered if that was how he had been feeling all his life. It was a torture no one should have to endure.“Check on your wolf.” I told Bella, and she snapped her head in my direction. “I did that the moment we left that place.” She replied. “Is she okay?” I asked. “Yes.”Suddenly, a couple of military vans appeared in front of us,
MAXIMUSStarlette had been moving really funny. I didn’t want to suspect my mate; I wanted to trust her, but she was making it really difficult. She went from disappearing inside the woods, smelling like my brother, to leaving the pack and lying about her whereabouts. What was she really up to? She made me really anxious. And adding to my growing anxiety was my recent discovery about my brother, Lucius. What did he plan to do now that he had gotten his wolf? Was he conspiring with Starlette to betray me? Was that why I smelt him on her? Damn, my mind was going crazy with infuriating thoughts. I desperately hoped it wasn’t true, because if it was, I didn’t know if I could survive the heartache.The door to the bedroom was pushed open, and Starlette walked in. I had been waiting for her.“Where did you go to?” I asked for the nth time, hoping I would get a different response this time. The truth.She took a deep breath as she approached me, sitting beside me on the bed. I refused to lo
STARLETTEI was feeling down, my spirits low. Maximus had returned to the bedroom late last night and left before I even woke up. It was clear he was avoiding me, and I couldn’t help but wonder what he thought of me now. Did he hate me? Did he consider me a traitor?A pain pulled on my chest at that thought. My mind was a crazy mess as I wandered around the pack, hoping to clear my head and ease my mind. But the more I thought about everything, the more my thoughts seemed to spiral out of control. Like hell, I hated this feeling. I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t know what to tell him. I had gone to great lengths and risked a lot in trying to help Lucius get his wolf back; I couldn’t back out now, and I certainly couldn’t tell Maximus either. He would ruin every plan. Lucius suddenly appeared before me, pulling me out of my stream of thoughts. Talk about the devil.A smirk played on his lips. “I heard you wanted to see me yesterday.”I sighed heavily. “But you refused.”“But I’m he
STARLETTEToday was the day. The day Lucius would finally be freed from the shackles binding his wolf. After today, I would stop hiding and tell Maximus everything, regardless of the consequences. I only hoped and prayed that he would trust me again. What gave me some comfort was the knowledge that Lucius had no desire for the throne. So, there wouldn’t be any conflict over the crown once his wolf was released.When it was ten minutes before the time we had agreed to meet Amelia in the woods, I grabbed the compass she had given me and asked Bella to mind-link Lucius, reminding him of our arrangement. Fortunately, this time, he didn’t shut her out like he had before.We met at the entrance to the woods and walked together in silence.“Where are you taking me?” Lucius asked, his tone curious. “What is it that you couldn’t say back at the pack house?”“You haven’t told him yet?” Bella asked, clearly surprised.“Shhh.” I put a finger to my lips, silencing her.I turned to Lucius and shrug
MAXIMUSAt 7 PM, I entered the control room to monitor the screen displaying the activities in the woods. It was the time Starlette and Lucius had agreed to meet."Good evening, Alpha," the men monitoring the computers greeted me with a bow.I gave a nod of acknowledgement, standing in front of the screens with my arms folded over my chest.Lucius, Starlette, and her maid, Bella, appeared on one of the screens, and I ordered the men to zoom in. I watched closely, not wanting to miss a thing. Starlette seemed to be following a compass, and I wondered what she was doing with it, where they were going to, and what the hell they were planning. The farther they ventured into the woods, the more my curiosity grew.The idea of Lucius having an affair with my mate briefly crossed my mind, causing irritation to flare up inside me. I quickly shook my head to dispel the thought. If that were true, I would kill Lucius without hesitation."Leave," I suddenly ordered the men in the room.If my susp
STARLETTEI patiently waited for Maximus in the room. No, impatiently. Because I wouldn’t stop pacing, terrified that he might harm Amelia. I was the one who brought her here, and I would never forgive myself if anything happened to her. I just hoped he would keep his promise not to hurt her.It had only been minutes, but it felt like hours, each second intensifying my anxiety. I couldn’t wait any longer. I needed to know if she was okay.I hurried toward the door, my hand just touching the doorknob, when Bella’s voice sounded from behind."Seems you don’t value my life."Blowing out a frustrated breath, I turned around. Anxiety clouded my mind so much that I had forgotten Maximus threatened to take Bella’s head if she let me leave. I didn’t believe he would actually do it, but it was safer not to dare him.“I’m scared,” I admitted, my voice trembling.“I warned you about the risks,” Bella muttered.I so much hated the ‘I told you’ moment. Pacing again, I hoped it might help ease my
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
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