Sheera was deep asleep when she felt a pair of hands on her legs. It was her last night in the Alpha's room. Throughout the day, she had tried to force herself to feel happy about the prospect of regaining her freedom, of returning to her own room. Yet, no matter how hard she tried, a part of her was saddened by the thought being away from Keegan.
Her sleepy eyes fluttered open as the hands moved, their touch dragging her from her dreams. She gasped when she discovered it was the Alpha.
Her eyes widened in shock. Since the previous day, after the attack, he had barely paid her any mind. Now, there he was, in the dead of the night, undressing her.
He was shirtless, the power rippling through his muscles stealing all the breath from Sheera's lungs.
In that instant, she understood it didn't matter whether she wanted this or not, whether she was tired or asleep. Keegan owned her and wou
Sheera flinched at the sudden discomfort, feeling the strange liquid soaking through her skirts. Ayita gasped, her eyes, and quickly lowered her head. "Oh, my! Such clumsiness! Please, forgive me, Sheera. I did not mean to," she apologized "Oh, it's fine. Thank the moon it wasn't hot," Sheera chuckled. She patted her on the shoulder before continuing on her way. Ayita glared at her as she left. She hadn't reacted to the Moly. So... she wasn't a witch?She returned to Odessa to report her findings. "Are you certain she wasn't merely concealing it?" Odessa asked."No witch is strong enough to endure the pain of Moly, Mistress. The pain would have been strong enough to bring her to the ground."Odessa's mind churned with thoughts. So, she wasn't a witch. Why did she feel there was something else, tho? Hidden beneath the surface?****†****†Kalaril escorted Keegan to his chambers as they discussed the imminent arrival of the Alphas of the West which would be happening in two days.
"What is your name?" He asked."Tabitha, my prince.""Hm. Beautiful enough."While she stayed still, he circled her, taking in her form. Then, he wrapped his hand around her waist."I have gold, enough to make your life easier. Behave, and you shall have some of it."Tabitha's cheeks flushed with both embarrassment and anger. What in Hades? She jerked away, straightening her dress."You can't do that, my prince," a frown was etched on her face.Bara huffed. "Why not? You are not mated to anyone, are you? This is an offer you should jump on.""But I do not want to. If you'd excuse me."She stepped back toward the door. Before she could escape, Bara reached out to her, tugging her backSpinning her around to face him, the crack of his palm against her che
Displeasure darkened his eyes."I want to pleasure you, Alpha," her voice dripped with pure eroticism. "I want to have you deep in me, taking me as you wish it. Please.... Just come with me." Her eyes, gleaming with tears, were glassy with desperation. She spoke as if intoxicated, her words slurred with the fervor of her longing.Keegan knew there was no ending to the drama."I'll handle it," he said to Kalaril before he roll Sheera by the arm and led her away.He took her to his chambers and the whole time, she continuously moaned as she rubbed against her abdomen.As soon as they were alone in the confines of his room, Sheera threw herself on him , wanting to kiss him. But Keegan caught her shoulders and pushed her back, keeping her at bay."Oh! Why am I acting crazy? Why won't it stop?" She hissed, her hands tearing at the laces of her gown in a frenzied haste. Within moments, the fabric fell to the floor, and she stood before him, her skin flushed and glistening.Keegan watched he
At dawn, Keegan and the visiting Alphas went hunting. The Festival was happening the next day, and the air was already thick with the spirit of celebration.Keegan thought it'd be nice exploring the woods with them. And they did have fun.By the time they returned to the Fortress at midday, they'd amassed a bounty of six games in total.It was noon by the time they returned to the Fortress. They'd been able to get over six games in total. The Alphas of the West chatted blissfully about it."The woods surrounding my Pack have nearly withered away. I might have to move in here with you, Keegan," Sebastian jested."Do not be such a betrayer, Sebastian. I already have that plan in mind," Cyrus added with a grin, adjusting hjs leather braces.Keegan was a man that was hardly humoured by others, but he allowed himself the briefest of smiles at their remarks, his us
When Ulric returned to his room that night - after spending some time with Sheera - he was caught off guard to find Malkar already inside.Although, his brother paying him visits wasn't entirely strange, it was peculiar for him to wait around in his absence. Stranger still, Malkar stood right in front of Ulric's dresser, his back turned."Brother?" Ulric called, trying to mask his surprise. Malkar didn't move."Do you need..." his words faltered as Malkar finally turned around, revealing what he was holding.Ulric's eyes dilated when he recognized what Malkar held. No... By the good moon, it couldn't be.Calmly, Malkar looked at the bracelet in his hand, the one Ulric had foolishly left on his dresser before leaving."What is this?" Malkar questioned, his voice thick and stern.Ulric forced himself to maintain composure. No one knew it was gifted to him by Zytha. And no one had to know. To everyone else, it was just a simple bracelet, nothing more.He plastered on a smile. "It's a bra
A storm of panic crackled through the Fortress. Heart-wrenching cries ripped through the air, Bara's family being inconsolable.The festive drums had sputtered and died. Where laughters had danced on the breeze, only howling echoes remained.They were gathered in Bara's room where his corpse laid, already ashen and stenchy. His mother rolled and wailed on him, willing him to come back. His father, tho not shedding a tear, boiled with grief and rage.Keegan's heart ached from the sight before him. It was the first time in decades that something had truly shaken him to the core."Who did this!?" Alpha Sebastian turned on Keegan, his eyes blazing with fury. "My son went to bed a healthy man, Keegan. What is this madness!?"Keegan remained still, but his face exposed the deep pain he felt.His eyes studied the body ok the floor
Keegan rubbed his brow. Zandov wasn't giving him what he'd hoped for. Nothing was working to his advantage. "Do you think it's possible to miss a scent?" Kalaril asked, his eyes trained on Zandov. A frown marred the witch hunter's face. "Do you think it's possible you can walk past a corpse and not smell its rot? Would you fail to sense death when it stands before you? There - you have your answer." His voice was laced with scorn, as if insulted by the mere suggestion of failure. "Recall the last time I spoke to you," he continued, turning to Keegan. "I told you I had caught a whiff, but it vanished as quickly as it came. This time, I sensed nothing. So, if this witch possesses something that shields her from me, she didn't need to rid herself of it to use her powers."Keegan's jaw tightened. "Now, how is it possible? Is there something strong enough to render a witch completely invisible to you, Zandov?""I wish I had answers. But something serious is at work here.""Do you think
Malkar and Ulric reached the woods a day after they set out on the journey. While Ulric was completely disturbed by Malkar's plan, he didn't have a choice. And neither did his brother care.He blew the rhythmic whistle, but she didn't step out. Ulric knew she was around but was still in hiding after seeing Malkar."She won't come out. Not when she's seen you," he turned to Malkar and said, frustration lining his voice.Malkar grinned. He knew he needed to be careful around her. It was just one of him, so it'd be easier for her to harm him if she wanted."Hello, witch. You can come out, I mean no harm. I simply want us to talk." He announced.Suddenly, the ground stirred beneath his feet. It took him by surprise, making him frown. But it only lasted for some seconds."Okay... message received," he lifted his hand in mock surrender. "I know you are angry. But h
Keegan looked at her with shock, and something akin to disappointment. Betrayal. Only then did the weight to Sheera's actions settle in on her. Her breath lodged in her throat, her mind reeling with images of the Luna being stabbed by her. The people, the places she'd set on fire.The Luna!Her hands trembled, the blade clattering to the ground.The look in Keegan's eyes - it wasn't of anger or hatred, but of pain. Hurt. He looked at her as though, she had wounded him.Two keepers approached, carrying the Luna. Sheera dropped to her knees when she saw that it wasn't just the Luna but her corpse. She had killed her!"No..." A sob rose in her throat, her entire body wracked with guilt. The world seemed to blur around her.Keegan's mother. She killed her! She killed her!She buried her face in her palms, crying profusely. She was a monster.
Sheera regained consciousness, not knowing how long had passed. At first glance, she discovered she was in a dim, cramped room that smelled of stale air and dust. Rough stone walls surrounded her, and cold, uneven floors pressed against her palms.Her head throbbed with the ache of fresh wounds. She felt... different."You!" Someone growled behind her. Sheera turned swiftly to find Luna Valkyrie on the floor, mere steps away. Her eyes flared in shock, her mind reeling. The Luna was hurt, her neck bleeding. "Explain this! What are we doing here?"Valkyrie barked. Sheera was as confused as the Luna, but she was more terrified of the blood running from her neck. Ohgods. Ohgods. Ohgods. She couldn't be here. She couldn't be here. She scrambled to her feet, running to the door, but it wouldn't open. And without her wolf strength, she couldn't break it open. She turned to the Luna, breathing heavily. "You... We need to break the door. You need to get out of here."Valkyrie rose slowly,
It's been three days since the war. The air at Howling Ridge was still thick with grief, but the bodies had already been cleared and burnt—although it had taken a lot of effort. Keegan's Ravagers had long been returned to their cave. Ulric had managed to get out of the Pack without being caught. Malkar, serving his banishment, had left already. Things should be back to normal, but they weren't. Their loss still lingered in the air. In addition, Sheera missed her best friend, Ulric. She wished things had turned out differently. The Fortress didn't seem the same anymore. As she left her chambers, her head was lowered as if weighed down by her thoughts. She froze when she felt a familiar chilling presence loom before her. Lifting her gaze, her heart seemed to shift from its original position when she discovered it was Zandov. She stopped walking. The man was dressed heavily, like someone ready for a battle. He had his gaze pinned on Sheera as he took slow steps. Sheera was unset
Zandov narrated what had happened with Ulric to Keegan. He told him how the Prince had reacted when he killed the witch. He was certain they knew each other.Keegan was shocked that Ulric had a relationship with a witch. Since the witch was in the pack, he figured she had been with the enemies and meant no good. So, he gave Zandov the go-ahead to search for Ulric. Retiring to his chambers, he met Sheera who tearfully explained what had happened during the fight—the urge that had consumed her when blood touched her. She was so scared, telling him she had tried sticking to his a mental picture of his face, but it didn't work. Keegan pulled her in an embrace, comforting her. That was all he could do as himself couldn't understand why that had happened. Their moment was interrupted by Thessaly who made her way into the room. "Oh, Alpha! You're well!" She breathed in relief, running over to meet him. She put a hand on his, her expression softening. "You cannot begin to imagine how ver
"Please..." he begged, his voice hoarse and fading. "Please."Keegan cocked his head, as if evaluating Malkar's crumpled form. "Now, who's fault is it that this became a fight to the death?" His voice was low and mocking.Morshella finally forced her way in. She dropped to her knees, shielding Malkar with her body."Please, stop this!" Tears streamed down her face. "Please, you can't do this! You can't..."Keegan looked amused. "If you think shielding him will stop me from killing him, you probably don't know how long I've been waiting to kill you."Morshella's gaze shot up, wide with fear. "I beg of you, Keegan. He is your brother! I... I understand you never go back on your word, but this once, this once," she sobbed, holding Malkar's hand tight. "You share the same blood. How can you possibly take the life of your own blood? What to you think your father would thin
Her vision clouded with red as she ran, climbing down from the rooftop. Once she was on the ground, she mixed into the crowd, killing everyone that stood in her way. And that was the problem—she didn't even know who was in her way. Was it a friend? Or a foe?She didn't stop running until she was far away from the battlefield, far away from the people she desperately wanted to kill. .........The battle raged on for what felt like an eternity. At some point, the tide shifted completely. Soldiers on the opposing side began to retreat, fear overtaking them. The Alphas had tried to fight but soon discovered they'd lost the battle. Their forces were being decimated, and their numbers dwindled rapidly. Realizing the battle was beyond saving, the Alphas attempted to flee. But when they reached the gates, they found them locked. Trapped. Panic set in as their soldiers crowded around them, also seeking escape.Merilyn, who was with them, tried desperately to use her powers to unlock the g
By the time Keegan, Kalaril and the Ravagers reached the Fortress, the war had already been brought in.His people had been fighting, doing their best, although he saw some lying lifeless among the chaos."Kalaril, make sure the gates remain shut," he ordered coldly, his anger simmering to a boil.The Ravagers growled hungrily behind him, awaiting his command. When the enemies saw him with the wolves, they knew instantly they were no ordinary wolves.The Ravagers looked different from normal wolves. Their furs were a mix of black and silver, and their eyes always glowed gold."After them!" Keegan's voice was like a whip crack.They set out, lunging at the men without the red ribbons.The men almost showed fear and tried to retreat, but they held onto the promises of the Alphas that the Ravagers would be
The Pack Members who had survived the attack from the outskirts found their way into the Fortress, making the Fortress crowded and chaotic. The Keepers didn't try to stop them. One of the people that had made their way in was Zytha. She had been at her usual spot when she spotted the soldiers marching. She knew it was war, and the only person she could think of was Ulric. So, she ran there, determined to find him and keep him safe.Locating him would take considerable effort, considering the crowd, but she didn't stop looking........Outside the Fortress, the five Alphas and the witch stood together, behind the men. They were at the very last row and hadn't taken part in the war yet. But now, they were about to. "I knew this would be a success," Alpha Laycoan sneered. "I knew with our combined strength, it'd be inevitable!""This is the final phase," Zarek said. "We've pushed them to the Fortress as planned. The fight ends here.""This is where we win," Sebastian chipped in. "We m
Keegan and Kalaril returned outside where the horses and warrior Hounds were already waiting. The Hounds were above two hundred in number, but those were the numbers he liked to take for the first time. The horses couldn't be enough. So, him, Kalaril and a few other Keepers mounted the horses while the others followed on foot.The people around stopped and watched, whispering amongst themselves. They knew something was wrong. Keegan led the way, riding out of the gates. They others followed in their numbers. ....They hadn't yet reached the mountains when the sounds of battle carried on the wind. It came from the outskirts of the Fortress. The moment Keegan saw the smoke rising, his heart twisted in fury.They rushed toward the commotion, only to find their people already engaged in a brutal skirmish. The attackers were not as much as the Keepers had warned, which meant these were only the vanguard. The rest were coming.Keegan's rage boiled over. His people had done a good job def