Alora’s POVI sat there on the edge of the bed, my heart pounding in my chest. Every second felt like an eternity as I anxiously waited, my mind racing with the uncertainty of what Rune was going to do next. My hands fidgeted in my lap, my fingers tangling together as I tried to steady my breathing. But it was impossible. The tension in the air was suffocating, thick like smoke, and it choked me as I sat there, waiting for him to make his move.The door creaked open, and my breath hitched in my throat as Rune stepped inside. He didn’t say a word, just stood there, staring at me with that cold, unreadable expression on his face. His eyes zeroed in on my belly, the small but unmistakable bump, and I felt my stomach twist with fear. I could see the shift in his gaze, the way his eyes slowly darkened, turning red, the unmistakable sign of his wolf clawing to the surface.He leaned against the doorframe, his posture casual, but I could see the tension coiling beneath his skin. His muscle
Alora’s POV My wild gaze flickers between Rune’s vacant eyes and the belt looped around his hand. Why the hell does he have a belt in his hands? What the hell is going on? This can’t be right? He can’t be serious. But he is. Rune doesn’t joke —not about things like this. I’ve felt the sting of his handprints on my skin all day, a constant reminder of how he controls every inch of me. So, I know he isn’t bluffing now. He’s going to use that belt on me, and nothing I say will change his mind. “Please, don’t...” The words escape my lips before I can stop them, though I already know they’re useless. Rune doesn’t care about begging or tears. If anything, he thrives on them. The more I plead, the more he enjoys it. Just like he gets off on punishing me. He is a fucking sadist. But what comes next catches me completely off guard. His voice is calm, controlled, and yet it sends a chill down my spine. “What are you willing to do instead?” “Anything,” I blurt out, desperate to avoi
Alora’s POV“Are you ever satisfied? If I give you more, will that finally be enough? You’ve taken everything from me, absolutely everything. Why do you still demand more?”I can feel the heat of his body radiating against my back, even though he’s not touching me. That heat stirs something deep inside me, something that makes me press my thighs together in a vain attempt to suppress it.“I didn’t take everything from you, Alora. You just want to believe that because it’s easier to blame me for your mistakes. That doesn’t make it true.”“You dragged me here and ripped me away from my life.”“Correction: I saved you from it.”“First, you think you’re merciful, and now, you believe you’re my savior? You need a serious wake-up call.”His fingers slide over my collarbone, tracing upward until they reach my chin. I stiffen as he lifts it, his lips brushing my ear as he whispers darkly, “Maybe it’s you who needs one.”My chest burns, and I suddenly realize I’ve been holding my breath since
Alora’s POV“I need something. I don’t know what, but that orgasm wasn’t enough,” I mutter, still trembling from the aftermath. Rune's eyes, gleaming with that familiar, dark hunger, never leave mine. He undoes his pants, the fabric brushing roughly against my skin, and I freeze when his cock springs free. It’s bigger, angrier than I remembered, the veins throbbing along its length making my heart pound with something more twisted than fear. I should be terrified. But I’m not. Not only terrified, at least. Something far more dangerous is coiling in my chest. Knowing he got hard from ‘whipping’ me, from causing me pain, should be humiliating. It should repulse me. But it doesn’t. Rune’s jaw clenches, and he grips his cock with brutal force, fisting it like he’s angry… angry at me, at this, at whatever has bound us together in this sick dance. His muscles ripple under his skin, scars moving with each harsh jerk, and I can’t look away. A drop of pre-cum glistens, and I find myself bi
Rune’s POV The moment Ethan mentioned Sienna’s name, my blood boiled. She’s WHAT? Assembling the maids to punish them? For fucking what? I barely listened as he muttered the specifics about her fuming over Alora and me, but my body was already moving. Doesn’t she know that we don’t use that sort of barbaric ritual in this pack? I don’t keep slaves. These girls decided to be maids on their own either to earn money or just to serve their alpha. Why would I punish them? The walk to find her felt like a storm gathering inside me, each step more deliberate than the last. She knew I was back. Knew I wasn’t alone. And she is taking her fury in my maids. The fucking audacity. What does she think will happen after she forces my father and the Elders to let me mate her? I didn’t even fucking mark her and she thinks something is going to happen between us? She should be lucky I was not in my right mind then. She dared –dared– to play her little power games behind my back. I found her in
Alora’s POV Waking up the next morning, I reached out instinctively to the other side of the bed, half expecting Rune to be there, but when my fingers brushed only cold sheets, I wasn’t surprised. Of course, he wasn’t here. He never stayed. Not for me. Not for this. The hollow emptiness where his body should have been served as a cruel reminder of the distance between us, even when we were physically close. I slowly sat up, pushing the tangled blankets off me, but the sharp sting in my lower body made me wince. Fuck. My ass felt like it was on fire, a reminder of last night, of what he’d done, of what I had… enjoyed. Goddess, how depraved was I? The sting, though already healing, was still enough to make my breath hitch. He’d whipped me in the ass, and I’d loved every second of it. I was looking forward to the next belt on my reddened ass cheeks. I swallowed hard, the raw shame of my thoughts swirling with the heat that pooled in my stomach. Just thinking about it made me aro
Rune’s POV As I moved the washcloth over her skin, I saw it—the hurt in her eyes. She tried to hide it, turning her face slightly, but she couldn’t mask the emotions that flickered in her gaze. It wasn’t just the usual stubbornness or defiance that I’d come to expect from Alora. Why did she look at me like that? Like I had wounded her. Like she had the right to feel anything other than what I allowed her to. What right did she have to be hurt? I’d been harsh with her, yes, but that was necessary. I told her the truth, she was here because of the war, because of the danger she posed and the role she would play in preventing it. But still, there was that glimmer of hurt, like I had broken something inside her. Like she expected something more from me. She had no right to feel that way. Not after everything. Didn’t she allow herself to get pregnant by some pathetic fucker? A human, of all things. A weak, useless human who couldn’t even protect her when it mattered, who ran for
Alora’s POVI decided to leave the room the next morning, tired of being cooped up, tired of the weight pressing on my chest and the stillness that felt like it was suffocating me. The room smelled of Rune, of our shared tension, of something I couldn’t escape. I needed air, even if it meant facing the world outside of that suffocating space. Maybe some food would settle the churning in my stomach. I hadn’t eaten much since…well, everything. As I slipped into the hallway, I kept my eyes low, my body moving quietly, hoping to avoid anyone who might remind me of the mess I was in. But of course, fate had other plans. Just as I turned the corner near the dining hall, I bumped into someone. My heart dropped when I realized it was Mother.I froze, instinctively lowering my eyes. I couldn’t bear to look at her, not after everything. Her presence was like a reminder of the life I once had, the life I’d lost the moment the truth about my parentage was revealed. The moment I realized I was
Alora’s POVThe next morning I woke up to the scent of roasted meat that filled the cave. It was the fifth day in a row that food had mysteriously appeared, always placed at the edge of the cave far enough away that it seemed like whoever was delivering it didn’t want to intrude. It was always the same, roasted animal meat still warm, smelling so tempting that I couldn’t help but devour it the moment I woke up. It wasn’t elegant, it wasn’t pretty, but I ate like I hadn’t seen food in days because I hadn’t. For the first three days I’d survived on nothing but hope and desperation. The thought that Rune might come back had kept me going but now... now, I was just clinging to whatever kept my body strong enough to move. I need to feed my daughter with the little food I have in my tummy. The sixth day passed the same way food left at the entrance, hot and ready. I wondered if the woman from Rune’s pack was behind it, realizing Rune wasn’t coming back. It was a comfort to imagine that
Alora’s POVI woke up the next morning, the bed cold and empty beside me. Rune was gone. I blinked up at the dim cave ceiling, feeling the chill settle around me as I stretched my aching limbs. I smiled thinking about yesterday night and how Rune took what he wanted without reserve. My whole body was worn out sore in places I didn’t even know could ache. But it was a good kind of exhaustion, the kind that came after the best sleep I’ve had in forever. I hope we can do it again soon to forget all about our future problems. Pulling on my clothes I glanced at Nevaeh, still fast asleep in her crib. Relief hit me like a wave as I noticed her breathing was steady and calm, her tiny chest rising and falling like it should. She is alright. My eyes stung and I had to swallow back the emotion that swelled in my throat. I leaned over, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead feeling her soft warmth against my lips. I had almost given up almost thought I'd lose her, and now, here she was alive
Alora’s POV He has so much control this night. I don’t have it but he seem to have tons of it tonight. I tried to steady myself, hands pressing into the rough stone floor of the cave, but he reached out and gripped my wrists guiding them back to hold myself open for him. “Don’t let go,” he murmured, his voice low and commanding. The tone was laced with a hint of danger, one I’d grown both wary of and drawn to. Then, I felt the cool sensation of liquid against me. Is that his… saliva? My pulse quickened as he spread it over my most sensitive areas, each touch deliberate and torturously slow. Before I could even brace myself, Rune’s hands tightened on my hips, and in one swift, powerful thrust, he entered me. The force made me gasp, the shock of it going through me as his body claimed mine entirely. The sensation was overwhelming, his presence consuming, leaving me no room to breathe or think, only to feel. His breath was hot against my neck and his dark whisper sent a thri
Alora’s POVIn the dim light of the cave, the raw, primal need in Rune’s gaze felt like a live wire running through the air. He’d never looked at me like this before, with tensed lust, mixed with a fierce restraint that made the moment even more intoxicating. For me, every surge of arousal was fueled by my feelings for him. I wanted him more with each passing second, even as a flicker of nerves darted through me. “Turn around and walk to the bed,” he commanded, his voice gravelly.I turned slowly, letting my hips sway, feeling the weight of his gaze on me, heavy and searing. His need for control, for ownership, was almost palpable, and I knew he was savoring every inch of me.Nevaeh was in a crib by the fire to keep her warmer. I wonder how that strange woman knew but then I’m done questioning the reality I’m in now. “Get on your knees at the foot of it, face down, ass up” he said, voice low.I sucked in a breath, anticipation pooling in my core, and eased into the position, the ro
Alora’s POVHis tone held an edge that was unmistakable, and my pulse raced at the authority in his voice. This was different. This was the Rune that likes to play and doesn’t care we are in a cave right now with our daughter feet away. Rune had always been the one to reach for me first, to take charge by peeling away the layers himself, rough and impatient. But this... this felt like a test, like he wanted me to submit in every situation we were in. “Why…?” The word slipped out before I could stop it, but his expression hardened.“Don’t ask questions. When I tell you to strip, you strip. Now.” He said, his expression blank but heated. I flinched, my body reacting not out of fear but from the raw intensity in his voice. His gaze held me captive, and despite the ache of everything happening around us, the danger that loomed, this moment was our escape. My hands rose to the hem of my silk gown, trembling, anticipation curling in my stomach as I hesitated. The cave’s cool air prickl
Alora’s POVThe weight of everything we’d learned (the prophecies, the warnings, the strange woman with her cryptic knowledge) was too much. I felt like I was drowning under layers of secrets and mysteries, each one pulling me deeper. I couldn’t think straight, couldn’t focus. All I knew was that I needed relief, something to steady me, to quiet my mind and body. And I know where to get it. I know who would take away my worries and make me forget the last few weeks. I lay Nevaeh down gently on the plush bed, brushing a tender hand over her tiny arm, making sure she was safe and breathing steadily. But as I stepped back, my chest was tight, my nerves stretched so thin that I felt like I might snap. Yes, the cave has a little chamber with old stuff inside but very comfortable and warm. Like an old woman’s little haven. Turning, I found Rune’s gaze on me. His presence was a strange comfort in this overwhelming night. Without a word, I stepped toward him, closing the space between us
Alora’s POVHe tensed, a flicker of something crossing his eyes, worry, hesitation. His gaze drifted over to Nevaeh, then back to me. There was a weight to his expression, something more than the usual coldness.“I know what you’re thinking,” I said, my gaze softening at him. “If you’re worried about your pack, Rune, then go to them. I don’t need you to come with me. I just need my daughter safe. You can go back to them, to your responsibilities, if that’s what you want.”They also need him and I can’t keep dragging him down my problems. It seems like everything started with me not knowing my real parents then finding out they were the most powerful beings! He was silent, studying me, and for a moment, I saw the flicker of conflict behind his stoic exterior. But then, he shook his head, his resolve hardening. “I made a promise to you. And to her,” he murmured, reaching a hand out to brush his fingers across Nevaeh’s cheek. “I’ll see this through.”With a soft exhale, he drew me clos
Alora’s POV“The witches have been trying to stir war with the gods because their goddess was banished. They want revenge and they are coming for our mortal lineage.” “There’s more to this than you realize. My curse was not just for breaking a rule. It was to keep you hidden, safe. But I failed in that, and now they know.” “Your father… is a lycan. The last of its kind and that was what attracted me to him in the first place. The gods wanted him because he defied them to become a lycan. They know you carry his blood, a bloodline they thought was wiped out.” She paused, a moment of hesitation. “Your daughter’s life is in danger, but she also holds the key to a power they fear.” A cold dread settled over me. “What power?” She stepped closer, her form half in shadow. “The power to break the gods' own curses. She could free mortals from the chains the gods and will have more lycans in the mortal realm. She could shift the balance. They can’t afford to let that happen.” “So… they wo
Alora’s POVShortly after the Moon Goddess left, the hooded goddess entered. She moved with a quiet, steady grace over the floor. She approached silently, then held out two neatly folded sets of clothes.“Put these on,” she said, her voice soft but leaving no room for question.I exchanged a glance with Rune, and we both dressed quickly, the fabric strange but surprisingly comfortable. It felt odd, the simple act of wearing clothes again, and I sensed Rune’s protectiveness bristling under the surface. As soon as we finished, she gestured for us to follow her through the stone corridor, leading us to a dimly lit chamber. A table was set, two plates filled with food, and though my stomach was tight with tension, I realized how hungry I was. We sat down and ate, though Rune watched her carefully, his suspicion plain.Finally, she turned to him. “I need to speak to her alone.”Rune tensed, his hand drifting protectively toward mine. “If you think I’ll leave her here alone with you—”She