MAXIMUSWhat Gabriel had said before he took his last breath all came pouring through my memories. I thought it was just a bluff, but could he have been telling the truth? Could he really not be working alone? Did he have another offspring we didn’t know about? Because the person in the pack at the moment had to be in their bloodline for the candle to have lit up.I mindlinked all the pack warriors. “Warriors. Look around the pack for any outsider. Now!”“Is the pack under attack again?” one of them asked.I sighed, thinking for a moment before replying. “No.”I didn’t want to alarm them and spark unnecessary panic in the pack.“Move. Now.” I added.My gaze returned to my mate. “I will go and join them in the search.”“Me too.” She quickly said.I wanted her to remain inside, safe. But knowing the mate that I had, I knew trying to stop her was pointless. She would want to take part in protecting the pack.“Okay.” I nodded, exhaling sharply. “Make sure to stay by my side at all times.
MAXIMUSA scalding fury consumed me. Just when we thought it was over, we hadn’t realised it was only the beginning. Maybe I should’ve listened to what Gabriel had tried to say instead of letting Lucius kill him. I never imagined there’d come a day when I’d regret Gabriel’s death.“Warriors, prepare yourselves,” I commanded through the mind link as I unsheathed my sword. “The Invisibles are here. Gather all the salt you can find.”Glancing at Starlette, I muttered, “Go inside. Take Amelia with you.”“No!” she snapped defiantly, her face set with determination. “I’m not going anywhere. We fight together—side by side. This is my pack too, and I want to protect them as much as you do.”This wasn’t the time for this argument.“You don’t even have a sword, Starlette,” I sighed, exasperated.Without missing a beat, she walked over to a nearby warrior and grabbed his sword. Turning back to me, she lifted it, her gaze unyielding. “I have one now.”I shook my head. Stubborn woman.After tellin
STARLETTE“Lauren is missing.” Maximus announced, and I snapped my gaze to him, my eyes widening in disbelief.“What?” I exclaimed as I tried to wrap my head around how that could be possible. She had guards by her door. At all times. Or, maybe… the guards left there to join in the fight against the invisibles? Nevertheless, she had to be found, if not for anything, but because she was one of the very few people who could give us information on Gabriel’s supposed partner. Whoever the witch who appeared to us was, she looked powerful and capable of burning down the north. They had to be stopped at all costs before another attack was launched.“Listen, warriors. Somehow, Lauren had managed to escape. I want every one of you to search thoroughly for her. She has to be found.” Max passed an urgent SOS to the warriors through the mind link.“I could try casting a location spell on her.” Amelia offered.“That would be well appreciated.” Max said.And so, we all rushed to Lauren’s room becau
STARLETTEThe man struggled beneath me, attempting to break free, but I delivered a sharp blow to his head. He let out a pained scream, clutching his skull with trembling hands.I mind-linked Maximus immediately. “There’s an intruder in your office. Get here now.”“What? Who is it?” His voice was sharp with worry.“I don’t know. Just hurry!”“Stay away from him but don’t let him out of your sight. I’m on my way.” He said before ending the mindlink.Moments later, the door flung open and Maximus barged in, fury burning in his eyes as he took in the sight of the man under me. Only then did I finally lift myself up off him, allowing Maximus to grab him by his collar and yank him up to his feet.The alpha king glared at him, the intimidating look causing the man to shiver.“A warrior.” Max snarled. “What were you doing in my office?”He shook his head vigorously, his lips trembling with fear. “Nothing. Nothing. I didn’t come here to do anything.”“Who sent you?!” Max growled, tightening h
STARLETTEMy reason for going to Maximus’s office was to work, but thanks to the intruder and the scorching moment between me and Maximus, no work was accomplished. The next day, however, my office was fully set up, and I was ready to begin my official duties as Luna.I took a moment to admire the space. It was beautiful—just the right size, not too big or too small. The walls were painted white, but the furniture and décor showcased a harmonious blend of white, ash, and red. Just the way I wanted.“So…” Bella clapped her hands together, her eyes scanning the office. “Shall we begin?”I had asked her to be my assistant, knowing she could empathise with the maids' struggles and provide valuable insight into what could help them the most.“Yes,” I said with a tight smile, nodding as I picked up a pen and notepad. I settled behind my desk, ready to jot down our ideas.Bella sat across from me, her expression thoughtful. “What will happen to the maids once the system is abolished? Will th
STARLETTE The next day, I journeyed to my former pack—the Star Claw. I hadn’t set foot there since I left for the Royal Crest, and honestly, I didn’t miss it. It was a place filled with painful memories I’d rather forget. Maximus insisted on coming with me, determined to protect me. But I knew how disastrous that would be, given how much he despised my father. After much pleading and persuasion, he reluctantly agreed to stay behind and manage the pack’s affairs. As for Bella, she had fallen unexpectedly ill with a high fever—a rare occurrence for werewolves but not entirely impossible. That left me with no choice but to travel alone, accompanied by fifteen guards assigned to ensure my safety. When we arrived at Star Claw, James, one of the border guards, insisted on escorting me and my entourage to the pack house even though I very much remembered the way. “So, how has life been at the royal crest?” He tried to begin small talk, but I wasn’t in for that. I was anxious to meet my
MAXIMUSIt was past midnight, and Starlette still hadn’t returned. Star Claw wasn’t far from Royal Crest—it should have been a short trip. I kept checking the time and glancing toward the pack’s entrance, hoping to see the cars she’d left with. But there was nothing. I didn’t want her to go to that place alone, but she insisted. Now, I was regretting giving in to her demands. I should’ve insisted on following her.I didn’t know, but a nagging feeling weighed on me, a deep suspicion that something might have gone wrong. But I tried to wave that feeling off, hoping it was just my paranoia that was causing it.Kade tried to mind link me, and I let him through.“Yes?” I asked gruffly, the frustration of not having my mate with me eating deep.“One of the prisoners wants to talk.” He said.“Where are you?” I asked.“By the circle.”“Alright. I am coming.” I said before cutting off the mind link.Without wasting time, I headed there. Kade was standing in front of the circle, with the guards
STARLETTEThe bed felt incredibly soft and comforting against my skin. I wished I could remain like this forever, as it felt like heaven. But sadly, I had to wake up. Stretching my arm towards Maximus, I was met with emptiness. I sighed. He must have left early for work again today, like always, I thought. I had to get up too because I also had work to do. So, opening my eyes, I felt an unusual heaviness, and I had to shut them close. Groaning softly, I made another attempt, this time slowly. The room around me looked strange—very strange. This wasn’t our bedroom. Panic surged through me as I bolted upright. A sharp, throbbing pain exploded in my head, like a drumbeat pounding relentlessly. Whimpering, I cradled my aching head while scanning my unfamiliar surroundings. Where was I? I wondered. And just as I asked myself that question, memories came pouring in, and my heart began to beat dangerously against my ribcage. I could remember rogues attacking us and being injected with som
VIOLETMy whole being was consumed by fear. Fear of losing my father to that battle, fear of losing my wolf, fear of being trapped in here forever with no way of getting out. I had long since stopped trying to find an exit since it seemed like I was running through the same path over and over again. “Onyx,” I called my wolf again, hoping that miraculously, she would respond this time. But I was met with the same silence. I lay on my back, shutting my eyes as I tried to sleep my devastating reality away. I did sleep, but I didn’t know for how long before I suddenly felt the scorching heat of the sun hitting my face. I snapped my eyes open to see that the white walls surrounding me had been replaced by a garden of beautiful flowers. I quickly sat up, scanning my surroundings. And then I saw a white door at the far end of the garden. Without thinking twice, I picked myself up and ran with everything in me toward the white door and yanked it open. I woke up in a hospital. Disorien
VIOLETBeep. Beep. Beep. A repetitive beeping sound jolted me awake. My eyes fluttered open, and I found myself lying in a narrow passage, surrounded by tall white walls stretching endlessly in both directions. My breath hitched as I took in what I was wearing—a flowing white maxi dress. Where was I? Panic set in as I tried to reach out to my wolf, Onyx, but she wasn’t responding. Not because she didn’t want to, but because she just wasn’t there. My heart began to beat rapidly against my chest as I quickly picked myself up. The last thing I remembered, I was swimming in the lake when I was attacked by a wolf. A sickening thought crossed my mind, and my stomach tightened. Was I dead? Without hesitation, I began to run down the passageway, desperate to find an exit. But as I reached the end, I turned a corner, only to find another identical hallway stretching before me. The tall white walls—everything was the same. I kept running, taking turn after turn, hoping to find an esca
AXELAlthough Orion didn’t want to admit it, every ounce of my body felt the mate bond. How was this possible? How could I have two mates? I grabbed Indie’s hand and pulled her outside with me to give us more privacy. “But I already have a mate. Violet.” I said once we were outside. Staring into her eyes made my body burn with desire, and I wanted nothing more than to kiss her and every part of her body at that moment. Without thinking twice, I caged my arm around her and leaned in for a rough, desperate kiss. She hesitated at first, but she eventually gave in, kissing me in return. “I want to mark you. I want all of you,” I growled lowly as I plastered kisses all over her neck. “I want you too, Axel. I want you so much!” she moaned, pressing her body into mine. My cock was rock hard, eager to push every inch into her. Pulling away, I looked into her eyes again, admiring her. “I never knew you were this beautiful, Indie. How did I not see this?” “I don’t know,” she s
AXEL“Hi, Dad,” I said into the phone as I picked up. “What’s the update?” “I spoke with Silas, but he doesn’t know where she is, so...” “What has Silas got to do with this Lila witch?” I interrupted. He sighed. “She used to be under his wings, sort of his personal witch,” he explained. Violet had mentioned something like that earlier. “What’s the way forward now? Do you trust him not to know her whereabouts?” I asked. “Yes. Your aunt Amelia confirmed that. And she also plans to perform a location spell for Lila together with her father, the witches’ clan elder,” he said. “The girls are cloaked, so I’m sure she’s cloaked herself too,” I pointed out. “We know that. Amelia plans to break through that cloak.” “What?!” I exclaimed, shocked. “She could lose control of her magic if she attempts a spell that powerful!” “I am also worried about her, but she insists on doing it before more girls get abducted,” he told me. Before I could respond, a muffled sound caught my
VIOLETMy eyes widened in surprise as I tried to process what he had just said. He couldn’t read my mind? “What?” I blinked, confused. He sighed deeply and looked away from me. “Not you. I meant... Emily. She’s blocking me out of her mind. I guess Alpha Richard finally taught her how to do that.” “Then why am I the one against the wall when the person who is frustrating you is over there?” I glanced in Emily’s direction to see her staring daggers at me. Alpha Richard also looked like he was about to explode with anger. “I—uhm—” He pressed his lips together and pulled away from me. “I am sorry.” “I think you are in trouble,” I said when I saw Alpha Richard approaching in long, angry strides. He turned around just in time as Alpha Richard reached where we stood. “Hi, Principal. That was great advice back there.” Axel laughed awkwardly. “Axel Northwood!” He growled. “You have been warned several times against using your powers, and now you are hurting your fellow students
AXELEver since Alpha Richard’s distressed voice boomed over the intercom, I couldn’t stop wondering what had gone wrong. I could only hope that this assembly wasn’t about any of our students going missing. We all gathered in the assembly hall, with Violet seated beside me. Orion wouldn’t stop rumbling excitedly after realizing we had completely misunderstood our mate and that she wasn’t with Emmett. Once the students had settled, Alpha Richard stepped behind the podium, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room. “Good evening, everyone,” he began. “I have called you all here to discuss something important. I’m sure you’ve heard about the recent disappearances of several girls. Because of this, we have tightened security within the school to ensure the safety of our students, especially our girls. Now, I want to implore each of you to remain within the school premises and not sneak out.” He shifted his gaze toward me, staring intently. That last part was definitely directed at
VIOLETAxel had been avoiding me ever since he saw me with Emmett and my father. I had no idea how I was going to explain things to him in a way that he would believe, how I would make him understand that there was nothing going on between me and Emmett. Today, in the locker room, I planned to get him to talk to me before lacrosse practice began. “Isn’t that job tiring? It’s not like you are even getting paid,” Daisy said as she watched me get dressed. “That’s why it’s called volunteer work. I am not doing it for money,” I said as I slipped my hands into my jacket. At first, I had accepted the job just to prove Axel wrong, but I had to admit, I was actually enjoying it now. Getting to watch them play every day made it all worth it. “Or...” She wiggled her brows, sitting up from her bed. “Are you doing this because he’s on the team?” “Who?” A blush crept onto my face, knowing exactly who she was talking about. “Him. You know?” She wiggled her brows again. “I have no ide
ALPHA KING MAXIMUSEvening arrived, and as promised, Silas came to the pack, accompanied by a few of his soldiers. He requested that the meeting be held in an open space, and his request was granted. We stood face to face, each of us with our soldiers behind us, ready to attack if things took a turn for the worse. “So, what did you want to talk about?” he asked with a hard frown on his face. My expression mirrored his. “Lila.” His brows furrowed. “What about Lila?” “Where is she?” I groaned out. “How is Lila connected to the missing girls? That’s what you said you wanted to talk about,” he retorted. “And that is exactly what I am talking about.” “What?” he asked, confused. “Oh, don’t play dumb, Silas. At least be a man who owns up to his actions,” I groaned. His forehead creased. “If I am correct, you are trying to accuse me and Lila of the kidnappings.” “Am I wrong?” I asked, my eyes turning a darker shade. “I never knew I came here to waste my time.” Fury bla
MAXIMUS (THE NORTHERN ALPHA KING)Several years ago, I happened to meet a powerful red-haired witch while searching for a solution to the doom looming over my pack—the Invisibles. They attacked in their cloaked forms, making it incredibly difficult to fight back. But despite the challenges, we always triumphed. However, no matter how many of them we killed in each attack, more would appear the next time. Though we managed to fend them off, I was losing my men, and I knew I had to find a way to stop the attacks once and for all. That was when Silas offered to help, claiming he had a powerful witch under his wing, one who could foresee both the past and future of a person simply by touching them. Her name was Lila. At first, I was skeptical, but desperation drove me to agree to have my past and future read. The visions she provided led us to clues that helped us catch the one behind the Invisibles. He was captured and executed. Only later did we discover the shocking truth. Gabriel,