CassiusI stayed by his side, clutching my father’s hand like I could will strength back into his body. His skin felt papery, cool. Nothing like the man I’d grown up fearing—and respecting.Alpha Corbin Blackwood was no ordinary wolf. He was a legend. My benchmark. The reason I trained until I bled and clawed for every ounce of dominance I had.And now he looked… breakable.“I’m not ready to let you go,” I whispered under my breath.Before I could say more, Julian’s voice cut in from the doorway.“You should let him rest, Cassius. His vitals are unstable. Every second counts.”I didn’t even look back. “And if he dies while resting? Will that make you feel better?”Julian’s jaw ticked. “That’s not what I meant.”My father’s voice, gravelly and low, beat both of ours.“No.” He coughed harshly, crimson streaking the corner of his mouth. “I need to speak with my son. Now.”Julian opened his mouth again, likely to insist otherwise, but I beat him to it.“He said he wants to speak to me. Al
I regretted snapping at Alpha Matthias the moment the words left my mouth.“You could have told me from the beginning,” I had said, sharper than I meant to. “Instead, you let me stay here not knowing—what you really are.”Now I stood there, stiff, arms crossed in front of me like a barrier, as if I could protect myself with posture alone.Matthias didn’t react like I expected. No growl. No barked command to bow my head. He just studied me, head tilted slightly, like I was some kind of puzzle he hadn’t quite figured out yet.“I didn’t lie to you,” he said at last. His voice was calm. Measured. But there was a tension there. A warning hidden between syllables. “I told you this was a place for wolves who wanted a new chance. I never said it would be easy.”I swallowed hard. “A mafia?”“We protect our own. We don’t follow weak laws made by alphas who’ve forgotten what it means to have teeth.” His gaze darkened. “But we’re not monsters, Lorien. You haven’t been dragged into some nightmare.
LorienI froze. My breath caught in my throat as the guard stepped into my path.Had he heard? The conversation I’d just had with the doctor… the words we’d exchanged, the secret that had clung to the air like smoke—had he been listening?My heart began to pound wildly. The overwhelming rush of panic took hold, and I felt the sudden chill of dread seeping into my bones. My mind spiraled through every sentence I’d spoken inside that room. The plans. The vulnerability. The weight of the information that only a few, like the doctor, knew. And now, this guard. My pulse quickened as he tilted his head, his sneer cutting through the air like a blade. "I’m talking to you, idiot!"I flinched. His voice cracked through me like a whip, shattering the fragile stillness around us.My chest tightened, an unbearable pressure building in my throat. For a split second, I wasn’t standing here, outside the hospital, facing this guard. No, I was somewhere else. Somewhere much darker. Blood Fang Pack.
Cassius’s POVThe scent of stone, incense, and soil clung to my skin long after I’d left the tomb.I stumbled out of the dark crypt like a man drunk, barely hearing the elders behind me as they whispered their condolences. I didn’t want their words. I didn’t want their hands on my shoulder. I didn’t want anything except to be left alone.The walk back to the packhouse was a blur. Every breath of cold morning air stung like ice on my lungs, but it didn’t chase the heat building under my skin. My fingers trembled. My teeth clenched. I felt unsteady—as if my body was no longer my own.Because the dream hadn’t left me.Because his voice still echoed in my head.I slammed the door of my bedroom behind me and headed straight for the shower. Steam filled the space quickly, fogging up the mirrors and wrapping around me like a ghost I couldn’t escape.The water was scalding, but it didn’t burn enough.Lorien. Again. In my damn dreams.I had woken up hard—so hard it made me sick. My fists clenc
CassiusI stormed down the corridor, my mind still buzzing with frustration. But no matter how fast I moved, Julian’s face wouldn’t leave me. His expression, tight-lipped and strained, followed me like a shadow.“Cassius… Your grip.”I froze in my tracks, the memory of his voice echoing in my head. I could still feel it—his wrist beneath my fingers, the way I had gripped it too tightly. I could still see the flash of discomfort in his eyes, and I knew in that instant I had hurt him.I cursed under my breath.Shit, Julian...I could almost feel my fingers on his skin again, the way they had dug into him without warning, the pressure too harsh, too sharp. I hadn’t meant to hurt him. I hadn’t meant to do any of this. But I had been so goddamn angry, so overwhelmed by everything crashing around me. I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t control myself.I remembered how quickly I had released him, like my hands had been burned. The guilt twisted in my gut the moment I realized what I had done.
LorienThe night was suffocatingly quiet, save for the soft rustle of the trees outside and the gentle hum of the wind. I lay still in my bed, staring out the window at the pitch-black sky. The room was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon that was hidden behind the clouds. My thoughts drifted as I listened to the sounds of the night—the occasional rustle of leaves, the distant howl of a wolf. But something else broke the stillness.A strange, almost imperceptible sound.I froze, my heart skipping a beat. It came again—faint but deliberate, like a low scraping noise, the kind you only hear when something is moving just outside your reach. My senses immediately heightened, and a wave of unease crawled up my spine.I stood up quietly, careful not to disturb Kieran who was sleeping nearby, his rhythmic breathing the only sign of life beside me. I glanced back at him briefly, my chest tightening. I hated disturbing him. After everything we had been through together,
LorienI had never been so terrified in my life.I sat there, heart racing, looking at Matthias who seemed to have just dropped a bombshell that I couldn’t quite process. His eyes were dark, unreadable, but there was a flicker of something there, something that both terrified and confused me. “How long, Lorien?” he asked, his voice low, but somehow unwavering. “How long have you been hiding it?”I could barely breathe. The word pregnant echoed in my mind, rattling around, refusing to settle. Pregnant? How could that even be possible? I shook my head, trying to clear the fog in my brain.“Pregnant?” I let out a nervous laugh, trying to keep my voice steady. "A man can’t get pregnant."The tension in the room thickened immediately, the air going still. My nervous chuckle faltered as I saw the expression on Matthias’s face shift. His lips pressed into a thin line, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing up and crossing the space between us. I didn’t even have time to react before he
CassiusI couldn’t shake the irritation clawing at me as I stood outside the pack hospital room. Something wasn’t right, and I knew it. Isabella—a woman who was supposed to be as strong as the Alpha blood coursing through her veins—had supposedly fallen down the stairs and hit her head? That didn’t sit well with me. A woman like her didn’t just “trip.” If she was truly an Alpha’s daughter, she was supposed to be made of tougher stuff. But here I was, pacing the hallway like a fool, still not believing the doctor’s words.Julian stepped up beside me, his usual smirk in place. “What’s going through your head?” he asked, leaning casually against the wall.I didn’t even look at him. “I don’t buy it,” I muttered. “An Alpha’s daughter doesn’t fall down the stairs. That’s weak, Julian.”He didn’t argue with me, just tilted his head slightly, as if to remind me he could see right through me. “You’re right. But that’s not what’s bothering you, is it?”I shot him a glance, annoyed that he was
CassiusI couldn’t shake the irritation clawing at me as I stood outside the pack hospital room. Something wasn’t right, and I knew it. Isabella—a woman who was supposed to be as strong as the Alpha blood coursing through her veins—had supposedly fallen down the stairs and hit her head? That didn’t sit well with me. A woman like her didn’t just “trip.” If she was truly an Alpha’s daughter, she was supposed to be made of tougher stuff. But here I was, pacing the hallway like a fool, still not believing the doctor’s words.Julian stepped up beside me, his usual smirk in place. “What’s going through your head?” he asked, leaning casually against the wall.I didn’t even look at him. “I don’t buy it,” I muttered. “An Alpha’s daughter doesn’t fall down the stairs. That’s weak, Julian.”He didn’t argue with me, just tilted his head slightly, as if to remind me he could see right through me. “You’re right. But that’s not what’s bothering you, is it?”I shot him a glance, annoyed that he was
LorienI had never been so terrified in my life.I sat there, heart racing, looking at Matthias who seemed to have just dropped a bombshell that I couldn’t quite process. His eyes were dark, unreadable, but there was a flicker of something there, something that both terrified and confused me. “How long, Lorien?” he asked, his voice low, but somehow unwavering. “How long have you been hiding it?”I could barely breathe. The word pregnant echoed in my mind, rattling around, refusing to settle. Pregnant? How could that even be possible? I shook my head, trying to clear the fog in my brain.“Pregnant?” I let out a nervous laugh, trying to keep my voice steady. "A man can’t get pregnant."The tension in the room thickened immediately, the air going still. My nervous chuckle faltered as I saw the expression on Matthias’s face shift. His lips pressed into a thin line, and in the blink of an eye, he was standing up and crossing the space between us. I didn’t even have time to react before he
LorienThe night was suffocatingly quiet, save for the soft rustle of the trees outside and the gentle hum of the wind. I lay still in my bed, staring out the window at the pitch-black sky. The room was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon that was hidden behind the clouds. My thoughts drifted as I listened to the sounds of the night—the occasional rustle of leaves, the distant howl of a wolf. But something else broke the stillness.A strange, almost imperceptible sound.I froze, my heart skipping a beat. It came again—faint but deliberate, like a low scraping noise, the kind you only hear when something is moving just outside your reach. My senses immediately heightened, and a wave of unease crawled up my spine.I stood up quietly, careful not to disturb Kieran who was sleeping nearby, his rhythmic breathing the only sign of life beside me. I glanced back at him briefly, my chest tightening. I hated disturbing him. After everything we had been through together,
CassiusI stormed down the corridor, my mind still buzzing with frustration. But no matter how fast I moved, Julian’s face wouldn’t leave me. His expression, tight-lipped and strained, followed me like a shadow.“Cassius… Your grip.”I froze in my tracks, the memory of his voice echoing in my head. I could still feel it—his wrist beneath my fingers, the way I had gripped it too tightly. I could still see the flash of discomfort in his eyes, and I knew in that instant I had hurt him.I cursed under my breath.Shit, Julian...I could almost feel my fingers on his skin again, the way they had dug into him without warning, the pressure too harsh, too sharp. I hadn’t meant to hurt him. I hadn’t meant to do any of this. But I had been so goddamn angry, so overwhelmed by everything crashing around me. I couldn’t control it. I couldn’t control myself.I remembered how quickly I had released him, like my hands had been burned. The guilt twisted in my gut the moment I realized what I had done.
Cassius’s POVThe scent of stone, incense, and soil clung to my skin long after I’d left the tomb.I stumbled out of the dark crypt like a man drunk, barely hearing the elders behind me as they whispered their condolences. I didn’t want their words. I didn’t want their hands on my shoulder. I didn’t want anything except to be left alone.The walk back to the packhouse was a blur. Every breath of cold morning air stung like ice on my lungs, but it didn’t chase the heat building under my skin. My fingers trembled. My teeth clenched. I felt unsteady—as if my body was no longer my own.Because the dream hadn’t left me.Because his voice still echoed in my head.I slammed the door of my bedroom behind me and headed straight for the shower. Steam filled the space quickly, fogging up the mirrors and wrapping around me like a ghost I couldn’t escape.The water was scalding, but it didn’t burn enough.Lorien. Again. In my damn dreams.I had woken up hard—so hard it made me sick. My fists clenc
LorienI froze. My breath caught in my throat as the guard stepped into my path.Had he heard? The conversation I’d just had with the doctor… the words we’d exchanged, the secret that had clung to the air like smoke—had he been listening?My heart began to pound wildly. The overwhelming rush of panic took hold, and I felt the sudden chill of dread seeping into my bones. My mind spiraled through every sentence I’d spoken inside that room. The plans. The vulnerability. The weight of the information that only a few, like the doctor, knew. And now, this guard. My pulse quickened as he tilted his head, his sneer cutting through the air like a blade. "I’m talking to you, idiot!"I flinched. His voice cracked through me like a whip, shattering the fragile stillness around us.My chest tightened, an unbearable pressure building in my throat. For a split second, I wasn’t standing here, outside the hospital, facing this guard. No, I was somewhere else. Somewhere much darker. Blood Fang Pack.
I regretted snapping at Alpha Matthias the moment the words left my mouth.“You could have told me from the beginning,” I had said, sharper than I meant to. “Instead, you let me stay here not knowing—what you really are.”Now I stood there, stiff, arms crossed in front of me like a barrier, as if I could protect myself with posture alone.Matthias didn’t react like I expected. No growl. No barked command to bow my head. He just studied me, head tilted slightly, like I was some kind of puzzle he hadn’t quite figured out yet.“I didn’t lie to you,” he said at last. His voice was calm. Measured. But there was a tension there. A warning hidden between syllables. “I told you this was a place for wolves who wanted a new chance. I never said it would be easy.”I swallowed hard. “A mafia?”“We protect our own. We don’t follow weak laws made by alphas who’ve forgotten what it means to have teeth.” His gaze darkened. “But we’re not monsters, Lorien. You haven’t been dragged into some nightmare.
CassiusI stayed by his side, clutching my father’s hand like I could will strength back into his body. His skin felt papery, cool. Nothing like the man I’d grown up fearing—and respecting.Alpha Corbin Blackwood was no ordinary wolf. He was a legend. My benchmark. The reason I trained until I bled and clawed for every ounce of dominance I had.And now he looked… breakable.“I’m not ready to let you go,” I whispered under my breath.Before I could say more, Julian’s voice cut in from the doorway.“You should let him rest, Cassius. His vitals are unstable. Every second counts.”I didn’t even look back. “And if he dies while resting? Will that make you feel better?”Julian’s jaw ticked. “That’s not what I meant.”My father’s voice, gravelly and low, beat both of ours.“No.” He coughed harshly, crimson streaking the corner of his mouth. “I need to speak with my son. Now.”Julian opened his mouth again, likely to insist otherwise, but I beat him to it.“He said he wants to speak to me. Al
CassiusI was on my throne and he was on his knees.Lorien—gods, it was him. His mouth was stretched around my cock, eyes glassy, cheeks flushed, his hands digging into my thighs like he was starving and I was the only thing he’d ever craved. My hand tangled in his hair, yanking his head back just to see that look of devotion—of complete surrender.But then—Click.A gun was pressed to his temple.His eyes widened. He whispered my name, mouth trembling.And I—I froze.******I woke up with a ragged gasp, bolting upright in bed, drenched in sweat and breathing like I’d run a damn marathon.“What the f—”I rubbed a hand down my face, clenching my jaw so tightly I thought it might crack.“Ridiculous,” I growled to myself, throwing the covers off.What kind of fucked up dream was that? And why the hell was it him?Lorien Vale.The one I rejected. The one I crushed.The one I—No.I wasn’t going there. Not again.But still… my heart wouldn’t slow. That dream—it had felt real. Too real. The