Sheera never thought it was possible to feel her heart seize beating, but in that moment, she did. The world around her seemed to stop.For a full minute, she couldn't breath, couldn't think, and simply stared at Keegan like he held her very life in his hands.Her freedom...It was the one thing she's always craved. If he could truly free her, she and her family could go away to a place where her kind was accepted. She could finally live the life she's always wanted.Yet...why did it hurt so much thinking about it? How could she leave him now?But how could she also stay? He couldn't be serious about wanting to accept her. Gods, no...Tears welled up in her eyes.Oh, if only it wasn't so complicated! She'd have said yes to him without blinking. But how could she now, when she was different? When he'd kill her if he
Coating her hand with his, he gently lowered it from his shoulder. "You should get some sleep."Just as he released her hand the door burst open. His scent wafted through her nose even before she laid eyes on him, and her throat ran dry in an instant.Her hands instinctively moved behind her back as she stepped away, her heart begining to hammer in her chest.Keegan took his time entering the room, his eyes fixed on Ulric. He wore no heavy regalia, appearing as he often did when preparing for bed. It was a simpler look, and in truth, it was the one Sheera loved most on him."Alpha," Ulric dipped his head.Keegan was silent, his demeanor more guarded than usual. Sheera noticed he didn't just look cold, but quiet. He seemed different tonight.Praying he stays quiet, Ulric nodded at Sheera before leaving.As the door closed behind Ulric, Sheera's heart sank into the pit of her stomach. She kept her gaze glued to the floor, until she heard him walk toward her.A small gasp slipped from he
Sheera never expected a visit from Kalaril the following day.When he appeared at her door, she assumed he was there to summon her to Keegan's chambers, not until he requested to come in."Is there something you need, Beta?" She asked, clearing the table of her books, trying to make the room look less clustered.Kalaril was strikingly similar to Keegan - Sheera thought. Broad-shouldered, strong, handsome, and cold, with a gaze that could pierce through steel.He took his time, scanning the room, as though searching for something hidden before fixing his eyes on her."I only have a question," he leaned casually against the table. "I am aware you're fated mates with the Alpha. What I do not understand is why you're rejecting him."Sheera's heart stuttered, her gaze falling to the floor. Had the Alpha confided in him?"He didn't need to say it directly for me to know you rejected him," he said the words like he could read her mind.He picked up a small figurine from the table, turning it
True to his words, Sheera's life was never the same after the rejection.She was evicted from her room and sent to live in the servants' quarters. Now, she worked tirelessly with the servants, eating only when they were supposed to.Unlike before when she'd get bored being in her room all day, she barely had the time to take a rest now.The mate bond was gone. The constant pull to be near him, the sexual urge, the connection that one pulsed through her veins - they were no longer there. All that remained was a hollow gnawing pain that festered deep within her, accompanied by an overwhelming sadness that weighed on her every step.Her life had become a shadow of its formal self, and it was pathetic.Sheera suspected the Alpha had ordered the Head maid to make her life as miserable as possible. Because by the second day, she was swamped with endless tasks. From working the fields, doing the laundry, scrubbing the floors and serving meals, there was no end to the chores assigned to her,
Sheera was pouring wine into a goblet when, compelled by some ill-fated urge, she glanced at Keegan. It turned out to be the biggest mistake she made that day.The moment she found his silver eyes locked on hers, a sharp current jolted through uer, electrifying the air between them. Her hands quivered, and the wine spilled over, staining the tablecloth crimson."What in Hades!? Are you blind!?" The offended council member barked, pushing his chair back in anger.Sheera gasped, immediately scrambling to wipe the spill."I am so sorry. Please, pardon me." She pleaded, her voice edged with panic.The man continued to curse until Sheera was done wiping it.Her heart drumming in her chest, she turned to leave with the others."Get me the head maid," Keegan's voice cut through the room like a whip, freezing everyone.He spoke to the servants, but none in particular.With their heads lowered, the servants whirled around to him.His tone devoid of warmth, he continued. "One of you isn't suppo
It was well past midnight. Sheera had an extremely busy day and was deep asleep when a continuous rap on her door awoken her. She grumbled, wondering if the head maid had another errand for her at such your. Pulling herself together, she forced herself to the door and found another maid when she opened it."Prince Ulric demands to see you. He's waiting at the entrance of the quarters," the lady announced before swiftly leaving. Sheera rubbed her knuckles against her eyes, wiping off the remnant of sleep. As she made her way to the entrance of the quarters, her mind hovered over the reasons Ulric would want to see her at that hour. It was strange.She found him pacing restlessly. He seemed desperate. Scared. Worried. He rushed over to meet her."Ulric, is there---""I'm scared, Sheera. Something bad is about to happen," the words came out in a rush. Ulric had not been able to sleep at all. Each passing minute reminded him of the fact that Keegan was getting closer to his death. I
Sheera concealed herself behind the tree, her heart racing painfully, with a deep soul-wrenching hurt. Tears flooded her cheeks as she watched Keegan being carried onto the horse. Even the air was heavy with a foul sense of foreboding, and it seemed to choke her. She wanted to scream, to cry out, but she bit down on her lip, tasting blood, forcing herself into silence. She didn't make it in time. She wasn't fast enough to save him. By the time she arrived, Keegan was already down on the ground. He was... dead? She resolved to hiding behind the tree as she didn't want the others to see her and think she had something to do with the attack. They'd have to question her to know why she was there at that time. So, despite how difficult it was, she had to stay back and watch. ****While they rode on their horses, Sheera ran in her wolf form. They didn't stop for even a second to eat or catch any rest. They reached the Fortress in a day. "Summon Elke, Seraphine, Wulf... Every healer
Elke ran back to the room. "How is...""It didn't work," she cut Sheera off, rushing to prepare another remedy. It was as if time had frozen, and Sheree's heart had paused it's steady beat for a few seconds. "It didn't... Why? Why won't it?" Her words tumbled out in hurried, ragged breaths. Elke ignored her as she got her items ready. "Cheek for the shadowbind spell," she instructed. That day, they tried several spells for hours, but none of them worked on Keegan. By nightfall, Elke had given up hope."What do we do!? We can't just give up, he's dying!" Sheera cried. For the first time, she saw Elke shed tears. "Our hands are tied at this point, Sheera. We are going to lose him."****†Malkar could barely contain his joy. He never thought a day would come when fate would smile so generously on him. He felt fulfilled. That night, he shared a drink with his mother. She was the only one aside Ulric that knew of the plan, and unlike his pesky brother, his mother didn't criticize h
The revelation was a blow Keegan had never anticipated. It struck him so fiercely in the heart, he felt as though the very air had been stolen from his lungs.Releasing his grip on Kalaril, he stumbled backward, his hands clenching into fists beside him, needing to hold tightly to something. His horse stood nearby, and he gripped its saddle tightly, his knuckles white, as if it could somehow anchor him in the swirling storm of confusion. The images form that night came flooding his mind - Sheera bleeding from the eyes and nose. It never was a dream. Every bit of it had been real. Sheera was a witch. ......Sheera knew she was running out of time. She was still bleeding, and while she could easily heal herself with a spell, she decided to cast a spell that could buy her some more time. Living amongst wolves as a witch had sharpened her instincts to a razor's edge, leading her into countless researches and study. Using the blood that dripped from her arm, she recited a spell under
The horses thundered beneath them, kicking up dirt as they raced through the dimming evening light. Keegan, Kalaril, Zandov, and four Keepers pushed their mounts to the limit, Zandov riding ahead with an almost reckless determination. Keegan's heart burnt with fresh rage as he thought about catching the witch. It was likely the same witch that had killed Sebastian's son, the same witch that had been wrecking havoc in his Pack. He was already thinking of the many ways he would make her suffer, make her yearn for death - which he'd gladly give in the end. He understood that Zandov enjoyed killing witches, but on this one, he'd have to let it go. As they rode through the darkening landscape, something gnawed at Keegan's mind. It was a thought that made him freeze momentarily, provoking an abrupt thump in his chest. His brows gathered together in a frown as Zandov's words from earlier replayed in his head. 'I can smell her. Whatever guise she had on is gone.'His mind went to the nec
"Have you been relieved of your duties?" Those were the words she heard that jerked her around to see him striding towards them. Her eyes widened like saucers as she regarded him. Kalaril followed closely behind him. Sheera's heart resumed it's usual drama. Seeing him made her weak in the legs, in a way she couldn't explain.His long gold hair wasn't in braids today but fell freely on his shoulders. His silver eyes had her frozen in place. How could a man be so unnaturally handsome? Sheera would never stop to wonder. "Welcome, Alpha," she lowered her head, thankful her voice didn't crack under the weight of his presence.Keegan's eyes bore the cold, hard edge of steel. "I believe I asked a question," he said in a tone that was hard enough to cut through rock. It effortlessly caused Sheera to shiver. "N...Not exactly. I've been...""I asked her to join me," Ulric interrupted, stepping forward. "I plan to inform Livia about it later."Keegan's eyes, hard as ice, never left Sheer
The room was thick with the sound of impassioned moans. Laboured breath mingling with the sound of flesh meeting fresh filled every corner of the room. When their bodies were well spent, Morshella climbed down from the man's body, laying next to him with her head on his chest. "I must confess, Wystan, you do not act your age at all," she was still breathing heavily, drawing an invisible line on his chest. He laughed with satisfaction. "Well, what can I say? Your body is very tempting, Morshella.""And it's going to be yours for a long time. As long as you please, actually."A moment passed. "Do not get me wrong, but I'm afraid you'll have to leave now. My mate only wanted to roam round the woods for a short time. I think she'll be back soon," he said, but Morshella made no move."You know, if only you'd taken my suggestion and agreed to go somewhere far with me, we'd have spent this night together, undisturbed. But you insisted we did it here," he added. Smiling, she lifted her h
The first light of dawn crept into the room, casting a gentle glow on Sheera's face. The warmth of the sun stirred her from sleep. Her forehead crinkled with perplexity. Something didn't feel right. She sat up, touching her face. The dream from the previous night surged back into her mind with startling clarity.Keegan had been with her. His touch lingered on her skin like a shadow, his kiss as vivid as the breath she now drew.Gods, it felt so real...She left the bed and crossed the room, her thoughts a tangled mess of confusion. She sought out Elke who she found in the second room, busy at work with a mortar and pestle, grinding herbs into a paste."Oh. You're awake. How're you feeling, girl?" Elke swept her eyes over her. "I feel better," Sheera replied, though her back still hurt a lot, it wasn't as severe as before.Sheera knew what she was about to ask was silly, but she didn't have a choice. "Um... Did someone visit me at any point, Elke?" Elke paused, her hand stilling ov
"Release her," his voice was low and taut as he gave the command. "Take her to Elke." He turned to Odessa, his gaze as cold and sharp as ice. "With me." Odessa swallowed hard, the fear of what awaited her eclipsing her rage at seeing Sheera set free. She hesitated but then hurried after him, her cheeks burning with shame under the watchful eyes of the gathered crowd. Once inside his room, Keegan moved with binding speed. He seized her throat, and with a force that knocked the breath out of her, he slammed her against the wall. The impact rattled through her bones, and a strangled gasp died in her throat, her eyes widening in shock and pain. His grip tightened, iron-hard fingers digging into her delicate skin. She struggled to breathe. Her lips parted, wanting to plead for his mercy, but no words escaped—only the faintest, pitiful wheeze. "How dare you?" He gritted through clenched teeth, his face inches from hers. "How dare you do that to her?" Odessa wa
Her vision blurred with red, and she felt herself teetering on the edge of something dark and dangerous. She wasn't sure what she might do next if not for the sudden interruption. "Greetings, Mistress Odessa," the maid bowed in respect as the imposing figure of Odessa stormed in, flanked by several stern-faced Keepers.Only then did Sheera snap out of her illusion. She sucked in a painful breath as if emerging from deep waters. Good Hades! What was wrong with her!? What had she almost done!?She was breathing heavily, fear prickling her skin. Something wasn't right. The last time she'd felt that way was when that Keeper had tried to force himself on her months ago, in his room. Back then, she concluded she'd been triggered, but now, she didn't even know what to think anymore. She was so lost in her frantic thoughts that she didn't notice Odessa striding towards her, fury blazing in her eyes. She only snapped back to awareness when a sharp slap struck her cheek, sending her reeling
Otis led Zarek through the winding hall, the scent of damp stone and the faint aroma of meat wafting from the chamber ahead. As they approached, the murmur of low voices ceased. Otis pushed open the door, revealing a room and a table untouched food and goblets of wine. Albany Sebastian and Cyrus Rose on their feet as the two Alphas entered. When news of what had transpired during the Peace Treaty reached Zarek's ears, he sent a letter to Sebastian, seeking a team up. He couldn't see a more befitting partner than a man who was as hurt as he was. Their pleasantries were brief, their formalities clipped and hollow, before they shifted the conversation to what truly mattered. "I should have listened to Laycoan when he warned me not to go for the Peace Treaty," Sebastian began, his jaw tight with the bitterness of hindsight. "Now, he mocks me for my blindness, and I think I deserve it. Keegan took something very dear to me - my most precious possession. He never intended to make peac
Sheera was equally surprised when the Alpha took her to his chambers. She'd expected somewhere far worse, somewhere terrifying. As soon as she stepped into the room, her muscles twitched involuntarily. This room... Being away from it for so long made her realize it was her favourite place. It felt as if her lungs forgot to breath as her eyes darted around on their own. Everything was just like she remembered. The air was thick with his rugged, earthy scent, the very scent she's missed.She was lost, staring at the room and wasn't prepared for being hurled against the wall with such force that her head spun. Her eyes squeezed shut from the impact, and pain shot through her bones. When she opened them again, Keegan stood before her, towering over her like a dark tempest ready to consume her whole. His hand was clamped around her throat - unyielding and merciless.She closed her eyes again, the grunts of pain and protest stifled in her throat. She rekt the walls of her lungs constrict,