VESTA'S POVA soft knock shattered the peaceful rhythm of my sleep. Yawning, I stretched beneath the silk sheets, the luxurious surroundings starkly contrasting with the place I use to call home."Luna Vesta," a handmaiden announced, her voice soft yet firm. "The King has summoned you."My eyes snapped open, a flicker of amusement dancing in their depths. Lucius was playing his little games, was he? He wanted a reaction, a fight. But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.He could dangle his alpha title all he wanted, but I wouldn't be his puppet anymore. My mind was made up, a plan simmering beneath the surface.The handmaidens bustled around me, transforming me from a sleepy mess into a vision in a flowing emerald gown. I allowed them their ministrations, and I am playing the part of the docile Luna for now.Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I was ushered into a sleek black car. The ride to the main palace was a blur, my thoughts consumed by the coming encounter.My heart h
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POVDisbelief clawed at me as Marcus delivered the news. Ayra, dead? The infuriating, rebellious she-wolf who had dared to poison her alpha? The woman who'd been replaced so easily in my mind by the fiery defiance of my true mate, Vesta?"Autopsy," I barked, the word a growl in the sterile silence of my office. Dead was dead, but the cause… suspicion gnawed at me. Marcus, bless his ever-observant soul, suspected foul play.Ayra, despite her defiance, had been a pawn in this game. A pawn I didn't mourn, but a loose end nonetheless.With a curt nod of dismissal, I left Marcus to his grim task. My steps were heavier than usual as I headed for the holding cell where Dom remained a captive. The news of Ayra's death wouldn't affect him, not directly. But it might be a useful tool.The scent of stale sweat and fear hit me as I entered the small, sparsely furnished room. Dom, his back turned to me, was pacing like a caged wolf. A growl rumbled in my chest, a visceral reaction to
VESTA'S POVDespair settled over me like a suffocating fog as I surveyed my new, gilded cage. No longer confined to the bleak halls on the palace outskirts, I was now a resident of a luxurious wing, strategically placed just a floor below Lucius' own chambers.The absurdity of it all gnawed at me. Fine furnishings, expensive artwork, a balcony overlooking pristine gardens – all designed to appease the captive mate. He'd learned his lesson once, allowing me to slip through his grasp. This time, his control was absolute. No more handmaidens who could be swayed to my cause, no more whispers of escape plans behind tightly closed doors.I wasn't naive enough to believe this was some act of benevolence. He knew I wouldn't willingly remain here. He was simply tightening the noose, ensuring I wasn't going anywhere.A bitter laugh escaped my lips. Running away was a fool's errand. Every attempt had only resulted in more pain, more suffering for innocent bystanders.The heavy oak door creaked op
VESTA'S POV Lucius hadn't shown his face since the bewildering apology and the even more baffling bouquet of lilies.I refused to give him the satisfaction of my worry. He wouldn't see me crumble, wouldn't witness the fear gnawing at my insides. Instead, I adopted a façade of aloof indifference, immersing myself in books and trivial pursuits.One particularly tedious afternoon, as I was attempting to lose myself in a historical romance novel (anything to distract myself from the reality of my situation), the door creaked open. I glanced up, fully expecting a maid with a tray of untouched delicacies.Instead, Lucius stood there, his face an unreadable mask. My stomach clenched, a primal reaction I couldn't control."Vesta," he began, his voice devoid of warmth. "May I come in?"I raised an eyebrow, skepticism lacing my voice. "May you? Isn't this your palace? Isn't this your wing? By all means, Alpha King, make yourself comfortable."He ignored the sarcasm, entering the room and closin
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV I paced back and forth in the dimly lit room. Dom. Vesta's new flame. The poor fool didn't know what he'd gotten himself into. But then again, none of them ever did.Nana, my trusted advisor, stood by the door, her arms crossed over her chest. "Lucius, you need to let him go," she urged, her voice a mixture of concern and frustration. "This isn't going to end well for any of us."I stopped my pacing and turned to face her, my gaze cold and unyielding. "I'll decide what's best for my pack, Nana. And right now, what's best is for Vesta to come back to where she belongs."Nana shook her head, her expression grave. "But forcing her hand like this? You think she'll just forgive you for kidnapping her lover?"I scoffed, the sound sharp in the silence of the room. "Vesta knows how this works. She knows the consequences of defying me.""She also knows how much you've changed," Nana countered, her voice softening slightly. "She loved you once, Lucius. But now? Now she's afra
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV I adjourned to the dining room to have my breakfast before I left for the meeting I was having later today. I got to the dining and it was already set with the maids standing at the corner to serve me. I was hoping to meet her there but she wasn’t there and it was like she was avoiding him for some reason, it wasn't like I didn’t know what it was. Last night she also didn’t show up for dinner and I was begging to be worried. She was ready to push everything aside as long as it would result in her not seeing me. I sat down and loosened the button of my shirt and sat down with an impatient aura lingering around. After the maid was done serving my food, she was about to turn to leave when I called her back. “Serve that plate too.” I gestured at the side of the table where Vesta was supposed to be seated. The maid hesitated for some reason and I was pissed. “Didn’t you hear what I said? I said you should serve that plate! Are you trying to go against me?” I sna
VESTA'S POV I stirred from my slumber, blinking groggily as I tried to make sense of the figure standing in the dimly lit room. Lucius. My heart skipped a beat as I sat up, my mind racing with a thousand questions. Why was he here? And why did he look so serious?"Lucius?" I asked, my voice still thick with sleep. "What are you doing here?"He didn't answer immediately, instead fixing me with a piercing gaze that made my skin prickle with unease. "Vesta," he said, his voice low and measured. "Do you want to say goodbye to Dom?"My heart lurched at the mention of Dom's name, a pang of guilt washing over me. I hadn't seen him since Lucius had taken him captive, and the thought of him leaving without so much as a farewell filled me with a sense of sadness I couldn't quite shake."I-I don't know," I stammered, torn between wanting to see Dom one last time and dreading the inevitable confrontation with Lucius.Lucius nodded, as if he had expected my response. "He's leaving tonight," he sa
VESTA'S POVA bony hand clamped over my mouth, stifling the scream that threatened to erupt from my throat. The world swam into focus, revealing Nana looming over me, her usually bright eyes narrowed with a strange intensity. "Luna," she rasped, her voice barely a whisper. "Silence." I blinked, disoriented. Sleep clung to me like cobwebs, remnants of a dream both vivid and unsettling. Nana, the palace sage, hadn't visited me since I… since Lucius… The memory sent a fresh wave of nausea rolling through me. "Nana?" I croaked, my voice hoarse. "What are you doing?" She removed her hand, her gaze unwavering. "Get dressed, Luna. We have a walk to take." I stared at her, my initial panic ebbing into a dull ache. What did she want? What walk? I hadn't the energy, or the will, to argue. The fight had been slowly draining out of me with each passing sunrise, replaced by a weary acceptance of my fate. Lucius might be a brute, a barbaric alpha who'd claimed me with more force than finesse, b