I decided to frustrate Lucius with every effort. He'd grow tired of me, and I'd watch out for my escape. I couldn’t give up trying to get out of this hell hole; I couldn’t. For my parents, whose lives he brutally took, and for my own sake, giving up would mean I was a failure. It would mean I had failed them terribly. Since the last time he came and I didn't give him an audience, he hasn’t been in the room since then. My routine still hasn't changed, and Anika and the rest of the omegas still fuss over me. They draw my bath in the morning, I eat by the secluded balcony, and I return to bed, where I do nothing but stare into the ceiling or sleep. I had memorized every stroke of paint on the wall, every cell, and every damn decoration in this bloody room; there was no difference between here and being locked up in a dungeon. Maybe the tiny difference is being waited upon and eating on a balcony with a great view. When I returned from eating an early dinner, I was surprised to find L
Lucius entered the room, his presence heavy with tension. In his hand, he held a delicate necklace, a glimmering chain adorned with a small pendant."What's this?" I asked, eyeing the necklace warily. If he thought he would be able to buy me over with a stupid ass necklace, he has to think again. I wonder if he didn’t have a pack to run with the way he was always here, trying to get me to submit to him. I wish he knew that my mind was made up and there was no going back from this or anything else. "I thought it was yours," he replied, his voice tinged with uncertainty.I took the necklace from him, turning it over in my hands. I wasn’t really a big fan of jewelry, and something about this necklace felt familiar, and it was worn out, too. Like the owner had been wearing it for a while. Recognition dawned on me. "This belonged to Luna," I said slowly, I had a bad feeling about this, how did he get Luna’s necklace? The short time we spent together, she never took it off and I wonder how
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV I find myself seething with anger, the frustration boiling beneath the surface like molten lava. I shouldn't have let my emotions get the better of me, shouldn't have touched Vesta in anger. And telling her about Luna's death... that was a mistake. There's no way she would believe me if I told her the truth—that Luna poisoned her and they were trying to use her to get to me. The same thing I was trying to avoid. Since I met Vesta, I have been actings in ways that even I can’t explain. I would hate for her to be a weakness and I can’t keep lying to myself that I wasn’t approaching that point already. Locking her in the dungeon as punishment was necessary, but it gnaws at me. She refuses to listen, refuses to yield to me. The way she fights the mate bond, it's exhausting. Not like I ever wanted a mate too, but I couldn’t bear to see her reject me. It was messing with me and I hated it so much. I shouldn’t show emotions, I didn’t get to where I was by having em
I paced the confines of the dungeon, my hunger gnawing at my insides like a ravenous beast. I should have known that Lucius would see this through to the end. He didn’t earn his reputation as a monster for nothing, and I should have reminded myself of that before I reacted. Maybe I shouldn’t have slapped him that hard. It wasn’t my fault that he killed the only person who showed me kindness because she did. He didn’t have to kill her, but he did. To what end? Maybe it was an ego boost for himself, but there’s more to life than killing people for ego boosts and making everyone fear you. I guess the concept of being human was strange to my blind mate. I don’t blame him when all he has known all his life is how to be a fucking monster. Finally, a guard arrived with a food tray, setting it down on the cold stone floor. I scanned the contents hungrily, and my stomach grumbled in response. For a split second, I missed the monotonous life I was living on my secluded floor. I didn’t have
ALPHA LUCIUS’S POV The battle had gone the same way as every other one I have fought in my life. It ended with me clearing them up and reminding them why I was the alpha king and why they couldn’t go against me. It did serve as a temporary distraction from thinking about my unruly mate, but the moment it was over, I found myself going back to thinking about her. It was getting harder to convince myself that I didn’t care about her. Now, I truly believe what they usually say about mate bonds and how they make you feel the worst of things and still crave people no matter what they do to you. I needed more distraction, and I knew exactly how I would get it. Instead of going home, I discharged a few more of my men and left the most trusted ones, and we started our journey to the tiny village up the hills. With a good disguise, most people won’t know it's me. Rose awaited me there, my mistress, a secret I kept well-guarded from prying eyes. She was the only thing that made me sane in
VESTA’S POVThe oppressive heat of my mating cycle intensified, filling every fiber of my being with an unbearable fire. Lila, my wolf, was in a frenzy, her relentless howls echoing through my mind. She hungered for her mate, her desperation driving us both to the brink of madness. I should have known I would enter heat soon with everything between me and Lucius. I had yet to learn how I forgot this stage of the mate bond. Especially when I’ve always heard female wolves rave about it in my pack. Either way, it wasn’t looking good for me.This was the stage when you were utterly useless and all you wanted was to be marked. This was the stage when your body and wolf craved your mate. I retreated deeper into my consciousness, seeking refuge from the madness going on. Lila's instincts surged to the forefront, her primal urges guiding us with an iron grip. She was mainly in charge and I was becoming too weak to be in control. When the guard arrived with my usual meal, I recoiled from hi
I woke up to find myself in a room that smelled unmistakably of Lucius. The darkness enveloped me, pressing in from all sides, and I knew without a doubt that I was in his chambers. But where was he?Groggily, I pushed myself up from the bed, my muscles protesting from the restless night. Lucius was nowhere to be found, and that scared me and relaxed me at the same time. Why the hell did he let me go from the dungeon? I could barely remember the events of the nights before, which alone scared me. Thankfully, my heat period was over, and I wasn’t feeling the urge to jump his bones. Being in a room that smelled like our mate's made Lila feel even more at peace. Feeling a bit better than the previous night, I took a shower. The thought of washing away the lingering traces of captivity and despair filled me with renewed purpose. It was time to approach this from a different perspective, Lucius isn’t a fool. Stepping into the bathroom, I let the warm water cascade over me, washing away t
I took a deep breath as I stepped out onto Lucius' private patio. The cool night air brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. The table was set with a simple elegance that belied the tension simmering just beneath the surface.Lucius, seated at the head of the table, turned his head slightly as I approached. His unseeing eyes followed the sound of my footsteps, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips."Vesta," he greeted, his voice warm. "Thank you for joining me.""Of course," I replied, forcing a smile. "It’s... nice to have a change of scenery."He motioned for me to sit. "I thought it would be pleasant to dine out here tonight. The weather is perfect."I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me. "Yes, it is."We settled into our meal, the silence between us filled only by the clinking of cutlery and the distant sounds of the forest. I kept my gaze focused on my plate, struggling to tamp down the irritation bubbling inside me. Lucius broke the silence first.
LuciusI traced Vesta’s scent to a horrid looking place. But I couldn’t care less, all that was on my mind was where to find my Luna. I kept on following the trail of her scent and it lead me deeper into the unknown.As I pushed forward, the scent of my mate intensified, mingling with the odor of the unknown wolves. A low growl rumbled in my chest, a warning to any who dared stand in my path.Finally, the path opened into a vast underground chamber and in there, stood two figures. I recognized the unmistakable scent of Vesta clinging to them. But something was wrong. Their movements were jerky, and their eyes glowed with emerald light.“Vesta!" I roared. "Where is she?"The figures turned towards me, their heads snapping in unison. A guttural growl erupted from their throats. Their glowing eyes never left me. Their lack of response, their wolf appearance, sent fury coursing through me."Where is my mate?" I repeated. "What have you done to her?"Another guttural growl was their o
VESTA'S POV Even while I knew I and Elara were cooked, I was still defiant. I challenged him, I said all sorts of disdainful remarks towards him and for a moment, I saw fear. But he wouldn't let a naive pup like me unravel it all. "Don't be foolish, Vesta," he hissed. "I've worked too hard for my position. A few more lives, even yours, are a small price to pay for ultimate power." Darius didn't care about the pack, not truly. It was all a game of control, a desperate scramble to maintain a power he never rightfully earned. And if that meant silencing anyone who threatened to expose his treachery, then so be it. “You think fear will silence me?" I retorted, my voice laced with newfound steel. "You underestimate me, Uncle." Darius's smile vanished completely, replaced by a menacing scowl. "Perhaps," he said, taking a menacing step forward. "But underestimation can be a very effective tool." A signal was barked, and the two guards flanking him lunged forward. Before I could react, t
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV With I and Mayra in the same castle as Vesta, I knew Vesta was definitely going to observe my relationship with my sister. She had spoken to me about family and bonding. She made me understand that family is forever even if they can be dickheads. I was reluctant to have ‘that talk’ with my sister but Vesta had convinced me to do it. With a gentle nudge and a smile, she left us alone in the library, a silent encouragement to bridge the gap that separated us. Mayra, frail but determined, reached out a hand, her touch hesitant yet filled with longing. I clasped it in mine. "I'm so sorry, Lucius," she said, her voice cracked. "For everything." "There's nothing to apologize for, Mayra," I replied, my voice cracking as well. "We were just children, caught in the crossfire." A gentle smile touched her lips, in that moment I saw a glimpse of a vibrant young woman I remembered. "Do you remember the stories Mama used to tell us?" she asked. I nodded, I felt bitte
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV Everything going on with Vesta was unfortunate. As much as I wanted her to be with me in my castle so we could make love from dusk till dawn, I had to give her the time and space she needed to heal. I didn’t know much about what had happened back in her pack but I do know it had something to do with her uncle. One morning, Vesta walked up to me in the study. “Lucius, the night my parents died, do you have any idea what happened?” She asked me, she appeared almost lifeless. As though she had been troubled with something heavy. “I wasn’t there. I have little to no knowledge of what happened that night.” I confessed. “How can I trust you! Everyone has been lying to me, why are you any different?!” She yelled. Vesta's words hit me like a physical blow. The raw pain and accusation in her voice felt like a betrayal. But I could understand her pain. “Believe me, Vesta, I had nothing to do with your parents' death." "How can I believe you?" she cried, her voice
VESTA'S POV In the days that followed, I was conflicted by my emotions. I was uncertain, the truth was a constant torment in my mind. I couldn't shake the image of a dark figure, a glimpse from a night etched in blood and loss. Was it Lucius after all? Or was I clinging to a fabricated truth, a narrative constructed by years of resentment? Determined to uncover the truth, I embarked on a relentless quest for knowledge. Every spare moment found me looking through anything in hardcover the pack library. My fingers tracing the worn spines of ancient tomes. My frustration built with each dead-end. Until one dusty afternoon, buried beneath a pile of forgotten scrolls, my fingers brushed against a hidden compartment in an old leather-bound book. Inside, resting amongst brittle parchment and faded ink, lay a single, folded letter. My heart pounded in my chest as I carefully unfolded the yellowed paper, the words written upon it swimming before my eyes. It was a desperate plea, a despera
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV I wondered why she hated me. Every time I looked at Vesta, the raw pain in her eyes was a constant reminder of my own shortcomings. Two years. Two years I'd watched Vesta fight our bond with every fiber of her being. Two years of clenched jaws and strange stares, a constant reminder of the past I desperately wanted to amend. Vesta sat by the window, her back was rigid, her silence a wall I desperately wanted to breach. With a deep breath, I approached with a bouquet of wildflowers clutched tightly in my hand. “Vesta," I began. "May I come in?" I was greeted with silence. I was beginning to get frustrated but I forced it down. This wasn't about me. This was about making amends, however flimsy they might seem. I pushed the door open further, stepping into the room. "I brought you these," I stated, extending the bouquet towards her. They were violets and lilies, her favorites. It was a long shot, a gamble, but her reaction was worth the risk. Surprised crossed her
VESTA'S POV I practically skipped into the pack house, my heart humming a happy tune. Elara, who was by the window, looked up, her brows raised in amusement. "What's gotten into you?" she teased. "Elara, you won't believe it!" I gushed, practically bursting with the need to share. "Lucius and I… we went for a walk." "A walk?" Elara said, her voice laced with curiosity. "That's it?" I blushed furiously, but couldn't contain my excitement. "Well, it wasn't just any walk," I stammered. "We talked… for hours. And then…" I paused dramatically, unable to wipe the silly grin off my face. "He kissed me, Elara." A gasp escaped Elara's lips. "He kissed you?" Her eyes widened in surprise. "And… and you?" "I…" I confessed hesitantly, "I kissed him back." Elara's face broke into a wide smile. "Oh, Vesta!" she squealed, clapping her hands together in delight. "That's amazing! I knew there was something simmering there." The memory of the kiss sent a shiver down my spine. "It was… unexpected
VESTA'S POV All of a sudden, the outrage I felt towards Lucius seemed petty. After that gift, he was a powerful Alpha, sending me such a heartfelt gift, and all I could do was shut him out. Elara, who had watched me open the book again, spoke up softly, "It's beautiful, isn't it, Vesta?" I nodded, unable to speak past the lump in my throat. "He put a lot of effort into it," Elara added. "Maybe you should cut him some slack." Her words echoed in my mind. Perhaps she was right. Lucius had his flaws, his controlling tendencies were a constant source of irritation, but this… this was different. This was a man reaching out, trying to forge a connection. “Give him a chance?" I said, trying to mask my feelings. “Think about it," Elara urged. "Flowers from so far away? Jewelries, trinkets. A book, that obviously means something to you? He's clearly trying." Maybe, just maybe, it was time for me to reciprocate, to meet him halfway. Later that evening, as I sat by the fire with a steaming
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV I watched with satisfaction as the messengers I'd hired left the castle grounds, a precious package safely in their hands. Inside? Another token for Vesta – a stunning emerald bracelet this time, a subtle nod to her captivating eyes. A smile played on my lips. Perhaps, with this one, she'd finally relent, finally acknowledge the depth of my affection. "Alpha Lucius," Marcus barged into the room, his usual stoicism replaced by a flicker of urgency. "We have a situation." My smile faded. "What is it, Marcus?" "News from Vesta's pack," he replied, stepping closer. "Our scouts report… peculiar developments." Intrigued, I leaned forward. "Peculiar?" “Yes, Alpha. It seems the women and young girls… they've been seen wearing expensive jewelry. Gold, diamonds, even silver." A frown etched itself onto my face. Jewelry? I’ve been sending boxes of the finest jewelries to Vesta. Could news of my generosity have spread so quickly? Perhaps word of my extravagant gift had in