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
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.”
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
MAXIMUSKaelin waved the others out of the room, and they silently filed out. The men hesitated to leave, but Kaelin assured them that everything was fine, and that was when they finally left—not before staring at us warily, though. But they weren’t my problem at the moment.I stepped forward, fixing my gaze on the girl. “Nina,” I called firmly.She flicked her gaze at me, her wide, terrified eyes meeting mine. “Where is he?” My voice was sharp and demanding. I didn’t have the patience for games.“Who?” She feigned ignorance.My gaze darkened, my eyes blazing with fury at her audacity. “Would you like to be tortured before we get the answer out of you? Answer now and save yourself unnecessary suffering. You aren’t my target.”“We can’t make conclusions just.” Kaelin said as he stretched his hands towards Amelia, who was now holding a bowl and knife, collecting the items. “Although the magic pulled her towards me, I’ll have to make confirmation. Only then can we be completely sure tha
STARLETTEGabriel was very powerful, and using his daughter as bait to capture him wouldn’t be simple. I vividly recalled how he had trapped Amelia in an invisible web when he attacked Lucius. She had been utterly helpless, unable to break free or stop him. The same scenario could repeat itself if we didn’t devise an impeccable plan. Gabriel might outmanoeuvre us, snatch Nina, and leave us back at square one. But if caught off guard, everything could go smoothly. So we had to seize the full extent of this opportunity and set a trap that would actually catch him. They were all staring at me now, anticipation etched on their faces, waiting for me to share my thoughts.Clearing my throat, I began. “We could transfer Nina to a dungeon in the Royal Crest Pack. Both of you—” I gestured between Amelia and Kaelin, “—would remain in the dungeon with her, but cloaked. When he approaches her, you’d use the element of surprise to subdue him before he has a chance to react.”Kaelin raised a brow.
MAXIMUS Oblivious to the fact that Gabriel had also been spying on Dorcas, I had inadvertently revealed our plans. Now, he was aware of the trap we’d set. The element of surprise, our one key advantage, was now out of it. An intense rage tightened my chest, the heat of the fury radiating to my stomach. Of all the things I was angry about, I was angriest at myself. How could I have messed things up like this? I mind-linked Tom. “Gabriel now knows our plan. He knows that we set a trap in the dungeon. But he doesn’t know what exactly the trap is.” “What? How?” Tom asked in perplexity. “I’ll explain everything later. Just pass the message to the witches.” I told him before cutting off the mind-link. I turned to Lauren, my frown deepening. “And you. You also work for Gabriel now?” “Ga—Gabriel?” She stammered, shaking her head vigorously. “No. I would never. I am loyal to this pack. To you. I would never betray you. Never.” Her voice grated on my ears, filled with the desper
MAXIMUSThe walls seemed to close in around me, my lungs straining for air as panic clawed at my chest. Thoughts of what he might do to Starlette swirled in my mind, each one more terrifying than the last, threatening to drive me to the edge of madness.I quickly mind-linked Tom. “Starlette has been taken. Gabriel has her.”“I know,” came his shocking reply. His tone was tense. “I was about to tell you. He’s here with her now, slowly walking her toward the cell with a knife pressed to her neck.”“I am on my way.” I told him before cutting off the mind link and rushing to the dungeon. My heart was beating rapidly, a deep sense of fear creeping through me. I had to save Starlette. I couldn’t lose her—not now, not ever.When I reached the dungeon, the sight before me froze the air in my lungs. Gabriel was there, standing behind Starlette as Tom had said. His grip on her was firm, the blade pressed dangerously against her throat.“Release her. Now,” I growled, my voice low and menacing as
MAXIMUSFinally! The one man who had been terrorising my pack, the one who seemed impossible to get hold of, had been caught. I couldn’t be more excited. The joy that ripped through me as I watched him try over and over again to free himself but failed each time was immeasurable. The ever-powerful Gabriel had been rendered powerless. Great. So great.“Kaelin.” Gabriel growled, his gaze fixed on his brother. “Undo this spell. Now.”Kaelin narrowed his eyes as he stared at Gabriel. “How are you so delusional? Do you think I am still that little boy you used to boss around?”“To me, you’ll always be a little pathetic boy.” He growled.Kaelin folded his arms across his chest, a smirk spreading across his lips. “At least it’s not the pathetic little boy who is behind the bars.”Gabriel's eyes flickered with confusion, his frustration mounting. “I am more powerful than you! How could you cast a spell that I can’t break?”“With the help of my daughter, Amelia, nothing is impossible.” Kaelin
VIOLET“Who are you?” I asked the voice in my head. “I am Onyx. Your wolf. I’m glad to finally meet you,” she responded warmly. I was about to ask more questions when Axel jumped off the car hood, interrupting me. “So, met your wolf yet?” “No,” I blurted out. Suddenly, he seemed even more handsome, more attractive than ever. His scent—the combination of cedarwood and sandalwood—was much more intense and now had a touch of damp earth to it. The heavenly scent intoxicated me so much that all the restraint I had been holding onto for so long finally snapped. Before I could even stop myself, I closed the distance between us, wrapped my arms around his neck, and jammed my lips against his. I didn’t know what I was doing—I couldn’t control myself. The only thing ringing in my head was that I wanted him. He reciprocated with an equal amount of need, pressing my body to his and kissing me as if he was never going to let go. I allowed myself to get lost in his arms, yearning for
VIOLETNo doubt, I was attracted to Axel, but he was forbidden to me. I kept repeating that mantra in my head the entire way to the South. Sitting beside him in such close proximity made it really difficult for me to control my desire. It took everything in me not to throw myself at him. I asked him to park the car before we got to the pack’s border because I didn’t want my father knowing that Axel was the one who drove me here. “I’ll be right back,” I told him as I opened the door and jumped out of the car. “And I’ll be right here,” he replied with a grin. I walked towards the pack border, and the guards at the gate were surprised to see me. “We weren’t expecting you, Princess,” one of them said. “It’s an impromptu visit. I’ll be leaving soon. I believe the king is around, yes?” I asked. He nodded. “Yes, and welcome.” I made my way to the pack house afterward, going straight to my mother’s bedroom since she was the reason I was there. But she wasn’t there. Just as I
VIOLET Ring ring ring. The sound of my phone ringing woke me up from my deep sleep. I groggily reached for it from the nightstand, and without even glancing at the caller ID, I picked it up and placed the phone to my ear. “Hello…” my voice dragged into the phone. “Violet, dear, did I wake you up from sleep?” A familiar voice sounded from the other end of the line. “Mom?” I called. “I will call you back when—“ “No, it’s okay,” I said, wiping my eyes with the back of my hand and sitting up. “I’m up already.” “Happy birthday, darling!” she exclaimed enthusiastically. “Wishing you a long life and prosperity.” A smile curled on my lips as realization dawned on me. It was my birthday. “Thank you, Mom,” I replied with a smile on my face. “Are you sure you don’t want us to throw a party for you? If you change your mind—“ “Mom—“ I interjected. “You know how I am with parties. I hate them.” My parents had proposed throwing a birthday party for me here at school, and I ha
VIOLETThree hours of detention seemed like an eternity. Just when I thought I couldn’t possibly hate this school more, I found myself trapped in yet another unbearable situation. I needed to get out of here, but that was just wishful thinking. My father wouldn’t let me leave until he accomplished whatever mysterious goal had led him to send me here in the first place.After we left the principal’s office, I quickly pulled out my phone and sent Zara a text, letting her know I wouldn’t be able to make it to practice. With a sigh, I shoved my phone back into my pocket and made my way to the library, where the other three were already seated around a single table.Axel sat directly across from me, making it nearly impossible not to look at him. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and for a long while, no one spoke until Emily broke the silence.“Axel,” she called, staring at him. “I’m sorry about the… inconvenience.”Axel didn’t even bother to lift his head, let alone respond to her,
. VIOLETAxel’s eyes blazed with fury as he lunged toward the boy and pushed him hard on the chest until he stumbled backward.“You are so dead!” the boy yelled, aiming to push Axel in return, but he dodged. Swinging around, Axel hooked his leg around the boy’s and knocked him to the floor.Just when Axel was about to jump on him, the boy sprang up and charged at Axel, wrapping his arm around his waist and pushing him down with him. But Axel was quick to react, rolling over until he was on top.“Wow!” A loud clap suddenly echoed, and I turned to see the trainer slowly walking into the middle of the circle that had already been formed by students. “That was a great demonstration of what you were taught. Excellent!”The crowd erupted in cheers, but it was obvious that Axel and whoever the boy was weren’t having it as they continued glaring at each other.“Enough!” the professor growled, gesturing for silence. The noise quickly died down, and he continued, “But that behavior isn’t allow
AXEL“Axel?” Aunt Amelia crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side.“Uhm…” I scratched the back of my head, thinking of what to say. “I— Uhm— was just serving justice.”“Elaborate,” Uncle Lucius chimed in.“Why are you guys here?” I quickly changed the subject.“Hmm-hmm.” Aunt Amelia shook her head. “You can’t do that here. Don’t change the subject.” She turned her attention to Mason. “Mason? I believe you’re a good boy, and you’ll talk.”Mason and I made eye contact, and we burst out laughing, knowing that Mason was way more stubborn than I was.“The thing is—Uhmm—” I scratched the bridge of my nose, deciding to tell them what happened. “Those boys did something terrible. They terribly assaulted one of my classmates, and because Emily was involved—”“Emily?” She cut me off, raising a brow. “The Eastern Princess?”“Yes.” I nodded before continuing. “Because she was involved, they were only suspended when they should have been expelled.”“Who’s this girl that was
AXELMason met me at the school gate, and after catching up on everything that had been happening in our lives and discussing my plans for those boys, we proceeded toward the school gate. Of course, the guards there stopped us from leaving."I was also suspended for one week and asked to go back home. And I’d like to leave with my friend here," I told them, hooking my arm around Mason’s shoulders."We were informed," one of them said, unmoving. "There are only three students who were asked to leave today with their parents. And you aren’t one of them.""There is something I must do. Can you just let us pass? We will be back before you know it," I pressed."Control their minds already. Why are you wasting time when there’s an easy way out?" Mason mind-linked me, his voice impatient."I like playing games, you know," I replied. But I had to do what I needed to do now before the boys’ parents started taking them out of the school. They were around already.Straightening my shoulders, I c
AXELWhen I arrived at the library, I spotted Emily browsing the tall shelves, her fingers trailing across the spines of the books.“Emily!” I called out, my voice booming as I strode toward her.“Oh, Axel,” she said, turning to face me with a wide, almost mischievous smile.“What did you do in Violet’s dorm room?” I growled, keeping my voice low but firm.“Oops,” she gasped dramatically, her hand flying to her chest as if she were truly shocked. “I got caught?”“Don’t play games with me, Emily. What did you do there?” I demanded, my patience wearing thin.“Axel.” Her expression suddenly turned serious. “What is it about her? She’s not prettier than me. Why do you seem to be so interested in her?”I raised my brow. “And who told you I was interested in her?”Confusion crossed her face. “I thought you were—”“What if I was?” I cut her off quickly.“I am just jealous,” she admitted. “When we were together, you never defined our relationship. It never even went public. You just kept me h
AXEL“What was she doing there?” I asked Daisy as I began descending the stairs to leave the arena.“I don’t know. I walked in, and her scent was everywhere,” she replied.“Alright. Do something to mask the scent before Violet gets back. I don’t want her panicking. I’ll deal with Emily myself,” I told Daisy before cutting off the mind-link.“Axel!” Indie called from behind, hurrying after me. “What happened? Where are you rushing off to?”I had almost forgotten I didn’t come here alone. Turning back, I stepped closer to her, planting an apologetic kiss on her cheek. “I’m sorry, Indie, but I have to go. Something’s come up.”“What’s going on?” she asked, her brows furrowed in confusion.“Bye,” I promptly said, intentionally ignoring her question, before turning around and whisking out of the arena.It seemed Emily wasn’t satisfied with getting away unscathed after what she did to Violet. Unlike the boys she hired, who I had ensured endured excruciating pain, Emily had walked away witho