Liana POV Darius took a deep breath and turned his face away. A muscle ticked in his jaw. He sat across from me, his back resting against the rough stone wall while I sat leaning against the headrest. “You don’t want to know,” he said in a low voice. The lines of tension etched on his face. It made me want to reach out and smooth them away, but instead, I repeated the question that had been burning in my mind.“I really want to know. Why are Rowan and Alpha Victor your enemies?” I just couldn’t contain my curiosity at this point. Darius’s blue eyes met mine, flickering with a mix of hesitation and pain. For a moment, I thought he might not answer my question, but instead, he let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his dark hair. “It’s a long and ugly story,” he said. “Something I keep buried in my past.”“Please Darius,” I said. “I just want to know why you are helping me against my father.” There had to be something more than his instincts conjured because of the witch bond be
Chapter 33Liana POV Darius returned half an hour later. Concern was etched on his face. He ran his fingers in his hair as he came to sit at the edge of the bed. “Everything okay?” I asked, sensing his worry through the witch bond. He shook his head. “The traitor has run away. My warriors chased him till the edge of my pack’s territory, but after that he disappeared in the deep forest.” “He?” I asked, bewildered because all the while I thought it was Elara who had betrayed us. He raised his eyebrow as he nodded tightly. “Why?” I shook my head. Who was I to accuse Elara of something as massive as this when I didn’t have any evidence. “I— It’s just… nothing.” Darius didn’t push me further. “I want you to stay here for two more days, just to be sure that everything is okay before we return.” “But do you think Rowan is going to stop after this?” “No,” he sighed. “His warriors have retreated for now, but I’m sure that he will come with even a bigger force along with his mentor nex
Liana POV I took a step toward her and in a firm voice said, “I need you to leave, Elara. And I’m done with your bullshit.” She shook her head like a stubborn ass. “I know where your confidence has come from. Just because Alpha Darius has invited you to stay in his room, don’t think that you can stay here forever. This is my place and I will be the owner of his bed.” “Oh, so now you are saying that he invited me?” I chuckled. “Earlier you said that I forced myself in. Decide, Elara, decide,” I replied with sweetness. She seethed. “Fuck you!” “No. Fuck you! Don’t come back to speak with me ever again because I feel—” I assessed my words. “No. Because I know that you somehow tipped Rowan about my presence in the Midnight Claw pack.” Elara’s lips thinned into a straight line. For a moment, it seemed like she might lash out, but she sneered. “You’re bold for someone who will leave soon,” she said. “How dare you accuse me of something this big without evidence? I am a loyal pack memb
Liana POV In the evening when I was looking at the map on which several pack territories were marked, I couldn’t help but feel an unease rising inside me. It was like something was about to happen. Maybe it was my anxiety and how Rowan called Darius, but my wolf was practically growling inside me, feeling restless. She wanted to come out and run to spend her energy. I couldn’t blame her. She was an alpha wolf. Darius had gone to meet some warriors who were patrolling the borders. After the attack from Rowan, he had increased patrolling. He returned an hour later, and I discussed with him the points on the map which I felt were vulnerable. Just as we were in the midst of a strategic discussion, Kaden stepped inside, his expression grim. “Alpha Darius, we have a situation,” he said.“What is it?” Darius asked, in a clipped voice.Kaden glanced at me before answering. “Rowan’s sent a group of warriors. They’re outside the northern border. And they are demanding Liana’s return.”My hear
Liana POVThe loud boom shook the pack grounds, making my heart leap to my throat. I stumbled, clutching Darius for support, as the walls shook.“What was that?” I gasped, rushing inside the pack’s gate. Kaden ran before us, and so did the warriors. A few of them formed a circle around us for protection. “It’s Nero’s house!” Kaden shouted, looking at a message on his phone. “The explosion took place in his house!” A chill ran down my spine. How did Nero’s house explode? When we neared his house, we noticed how smoke billowed from his house. People screamed, running in all directions. My chest tightened in fear as I scanned the chaos.“Liana!” Darius’s voice boomed behind me. I turned to see him striding toward me. His eyes were sharp and filled with urgency.“An explosion,” I said, pointing to the thick cloud of smoke. “Who could’ve done this?” He nodded grimly. “I want you to go back home. It is just too dangerous here.” “What? No!” I retorted. “I will stay here and help.” A l
Liana POV “Father,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. He called me after so many days and this was how he started the conversation. He was such a cold-hearted, cruel wolf, who knew how to make his near and dear ones feel unwanted. “How are you?” I asked, my voice trembling despite my effort to sound strong. “My daughter defied my order and ran to my enemy. What do you expect, Liana?” he scoffed. “No one sane would let their daughter be marked by that demon!” I retorted. “You knew he had killed she-wolves for his entertainment, and yet you forced me to be marked by him. So dear Alpha Victor, tell me, what do you want?” I asked as rage bubbled inside me, replacing my fear. After a pause, he chuckled, a cold, menacing sound. “It’s simple, really. Return to Rowan’s pack, or face the consequences.”My stomach twisted into knots, and I glanced at Darius, who was watching me intently. “I’m not going back,” I said, my voice firm. “Do you realize I am the only person who is blood re
Liana POVI found Elara in her room, sitting propped up on the pillows on her bed. She was reading a letter, and she flinched when I stepped inside, immediately hiding the letter behind her. “Elara?” I said cautiously.Her gaze snapped to mine, filled with anger and something else—fear? “What do you want?” she snapped in a sharp voice. “I just wanted to see if you’re okay,” I replied, trying to keep my tone gentle.“If you’ve come to show me your fake concern, then I don’t need your pity,” she spat. “Infact, by coming here, you can't hide what you are doing. I know what you’re doing.”I frowned. “What are you talking about?”Her eyes narrowed. “Don’t play dumb, Liana. This explosion? It’s all too convenient. You’ve been here for weeks, stirring up trouble. Maybe this was your way of taking over the pack.”“What the fuck do you mean?” I asked, rage bubbling in my chest. Why did I come to see her? “I mean, isn’t it clear that it was you behind the explosion.”My jaw dropped. “You th
Liana POVKaden’s words hung in the air like a heavy storm cloud.When Darius disconnected the call, I couldn’t help but stare at the phone. “A case?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. My heart thudded in my chest as panic settled in my bones.Darius’s jaw tightened as he glanced at me. “Yes,” he said in a low voice, taking a step away from me. He stabbed his fingers in his hair and I could feel his frustration through the bond.“This is absurd,” I blurted, pushing myself off the door. “How can Rowan claim I’m being held against my will? I mean just yesterday his gamma came to meet us. Did he give him an unfavorable report? And the Council is listening to him?!”“It’s Rowan,” Darius replied grimly. “He knows how to twist the truth to suit his needs. He’s trying to make me look like the villain.”I clenched my fists, my anger bubbling over. “Maybe I should talk to my father. He might—”“No,” Darius cut in sharply, his eyes blazing. “You won’t contact him.”“Why not?” I asked
Liana POVI looked at Darius who stood up and said, “The trust and power you have entrusted in me is overwhelming.” He looked at me, his eyes softening. “I will take care of my Luna and make sure that I measure up to her standards, not just for her pack, but also mine. Thank you, Liana, for entrusting me with this opportunity.” Another round of cheers erupted and somehow on the inside I knew that this was the best decision I took. As the council members dispersed, I could sense a pulse of excitement amongst them. There were a lot of changes that had to be made, and I knew that under the able leadership of my husband, everything was going to turn out beautifully. With Rowan gone and Victor behind the bars, I felt like the dark era ended. Once the members were gone, we talked to Kaden and Kaycee for long, giving them proper instructions on what to do next. Both of them were to remain Betas of the united pack. “We will be leaving as soon as the overtaking ceremony is done,” Darius an
Liana POVRowan grunted in pain, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he struggled against Darius’s grip but Darius was unrelenting.“This is for everything you’ve done,” Darius snarled, and his voice carried a promise.Rowan looked at Darius, his eyes bloodshot and blood covering half his face. In a barely audible voice, between shallow breaths, he said, “How was it to mark the woman who was given to me? How was it to see my mark on her?” He let out a manic laughter even in his state. “You bastard!” Darius shouted, squeezing his throat. “Liana was never yours! She is my mate.” He laughed again, his shoulders bouncing. He grabbed Darius’s wrists in his hands. “Her father gave her to me, and you plundered what belonged to me.” “Are you fucking nuts?” Darius said through gritted teeth. “Elara is your mate. She is fucking pregnant with your pup.” “That bitch didn’t deserve me. Yeah, she was a good fuck!” “Rowan!” Nero yelled. “You crossed your line.” He scoffed. “Not me. Go say tha
Liana POV Darius and Nero had come last night and after Darius heard everything from me, he was sure that it was the only way to find him, to finally put an end to this nightmare. “We are going to attack him as soon as possible,” he said. “Do you think Teri can help us?” After that I talked to her and she agreed. She was hesitant at first but when I told her how Rowan affected so many of us, she was determined to track him down for us. Teri walked ahead of us in the forest. Despite the terror Teri was feeling, she led us back to the place where she had last seen Rowan. There was a team of over fifty warriors following us. As she walked through the woods, Kaden and Kaycee were behind her like shadows. Her hands trembled slightly, but she didn’t turn back. Occasionally, Kaden would hold her hand and as if on an instinct, she would stop trembling. As a human she couldn’t feel the bond so much, but it was just a matter of time. Darius had wanted me to stay behind. He had argued that
Liana POV Suddenly, I felt strange.For the past few days, I had been feeling… different. It was just exhaustion from the attack. My body was still healing, and the stress of everything made sense.Next day, I woke up feeling dizzy. The moment I sat up, the room spun for a second before settling. I placed a hand on my forehead and took deep breaths.Darius got up and held me in his arms. “You okay?”I forced a small smile. “Yeah. Just tired.”His golden eyes studied me carefully. “You didn’t eat much last night.”“I wasn’t hungry.” That wasn’t completely true. The smell of the food had made my stomach twist in the worst way. I didn’t tell him that, though.Darius leaned down to brush his lips against my forehead. “You should rest more.”“I will,” I lied. I was feeling like vomiting every other hour. “When you're back, we are going to the doctor and show you,” he insisted. Only when I agreed, he allowed me to go to the Silver Moon pack. I asked Darius to send a driver with me. Dariu
Liana POV It had been two days since the attack from the rogues. Darius and his wolves were trying to track the rogues but whenever they hit their hiding point, the rogues had already gone from there. It was like they were chasing ghosts. I was getting uncomfortable by the day. There had to be a time when they came to keep a vigilance on us. What was that time of the day? Darius had increased the patrolling along the borders and given orders to kill them at sight. On the second day, as Darius had gone to train his wolves, I decided to go to the west border to check the patrolling party. I had already circled the perimeter but it was in the west that I felt there was some loophole. Like it was gaping at me. The warriors bowed to me as soon as they saw me parking my car. “Have you checked the entire perimeter for security?” I asked as I got down. “Yes Luna,” the leader replied. “There isn’t anything untoward.” Not feeling comfortable, I started walking along the west border, my eye
Liana POV That night Darius had to go for an urgent meeting with the council members because they had spotted rogues on the outskirts of the pack’s territory. A doubt crept in my mind—what if these were Rowan’s friends? After all, he was a rogue before my father made him the Alpha of the Crimson Howl pack. I sat on the edge of the bed, gripping my phone tightly, wondering if I should call Kaden or not. My hands felt a little clammy, and my heart was still racing from everything that had happened today. I dialed his number, and after a few rings, he picked up."Luna Liana?" he said, his voice full of exhaustion."Kaden, how are things on your end?" I asked, trying to sound calm. Honestly, I wanted to know about the human girl. There was a pause before he let out a heavy sigh. "Complicated. Kaycee and I… we’re struggling to figure things out with Teri… that human girl."So her name was Teri. "Did something happen?" I asked. "She doesn’t trust me," Kaycee’s voice cut in suddenly. It
Liana POVI walked through the hallways of the packhouse. My heart felt strangely heavy after my interaction with my father and Elara. I remembered how I saw a flicker of regret in my father’s eyes, but then was it genuine? As for Elara, she was absolutely a gone case. I took a deep breath. Darius had sent Nero to call me for lunch. He followed me through the hallway to the main dining room. When I saw the council members and Elder Cornelius, I knew this wasn’t just any meal. There was something serious about it. After everything that had happened in the dungeons, my mind was still a mess.Darius was already seated at the head of the table. He looked composed with a calm, strong demeanor, but I could sense his tension through our mate bond. His sharp green eyes met mine, and for a second, I hesitated. He pointed toward the chair on his right and gestured for me to sit. Elder Cornelius was sitting to Darius’s left, his severe gaze fixed on me as if he was inspecting me, trying to rea
Liana POV I knew that voice. I knew that laughter. It was the bane of my existence. Elara. The woman who did everything in her own twisted way to keep me away from my mate while she enjoyed her mate. And even became pregnant with his pup. A shudder ran down my spine when I remembered how she pegged it on Darius. Gritting my teeth, I followed the sound, stepping deeper into the dungeon. When I reached her cell, I found her lounging against the wall, her hair disheveled, his clothes tattered and her face gaunt. She looked like a ghost from the past. Her cell was stinking with rot and mold and uneaten food. With my heart hammering in my chest, I went to stand in front of her prison just to tell her that this was her karma. But some people never learn, do they? “Elara,” I smirked. “You look perfect here.” "How cruel of you, Liana," she purred, her voice dripping with venom and helplessness. "To throw a pregnant woman into the dungeons. The Luna of the Midnight Claw Pack, no less. Wha
Liana POV “Liana?” Darius’s sleepy voice reached my ears. “What’s up, love? Come back,” he murmured and pulled me back in his arms. His hard cock pressed against my belly’s side and I knew that my husband was already seeking to get inside me. Without another word, he rolled me on my back with him on the top, pressing me on the mattress. As soon as I opened my legs, he was inside me in one thrust. He groaned, his eyes flashing golden as if his wolf wanted to come out. “Fuck,” he muttered. “I could live all my life inside you.” Saying that he began to thrust at a punishing speed, making me whimper. His balls slapped against my pussy and the only sound in the room was that of our sex slapping each other. He buried his face in the crook of my neck and licked his mark. The action was enough to send shivers of lust down my body. My pussy clenched so tightly that stars burst in my vision and orgasm hit me in waves. I cried his name as he increased his pace, and within a few seconds, he fo