Ryker’s POVThe chariot rumbled beneath me as we neared Terran’s territory. His land was doing well, his warriors strong and disciplined - stronger than mine.I gritted my teeth, curled my hand into fists on my lap. It sickened me.His pack was not always like this. Now, he is the one with the greater pack, the greater warriors, the greater everything. All greater than mine. And now, here I was, forced to seek his help like some weakling who couldn’t defend his own territory.A sour taste filled my mouth. This wasn't just annoying - it was embarrassing. It hurt my pride. But I had to do it.My pack was crumbling under the weight of intruders and unseen threats, and if I didn’t act now, I might lose everything. I wished the Moon Goddess had given me a stronger partner. Someone worthy of being with me. But instead, I got Zephyrine. Just thinking of her made my blood boil. A wolf-less mate. An insult to my very existence as an Alpha.Rejecting her was the easiest decision of my life. She
Zeph POV“I’m sorry? Do I know you?” I asked him in confusion. His face was priceless, shocked at my remark. I ignored him and led the servant to serve their food. “You want to act like you don’t know me?” He chuckled as he spoke with arrogance. I wish I could have punched his face, but I held myself.“I think you are confusing me for someone else, sir.”I met his gaze with a blank stare. **Hours before Ryker arrived, Terran told me the bad news.I felt scared. Not that I was scared of Ryker, but fear of my past coming back to me.“I know your former pack didn’t treat you well. Which is why I am telling you this. You can hide yourself till he is gone,” Terran replied.That sounds like a great idea. I would rather deal with Karex’s father and her, then deal with them and Ryker at the same time. “There is something I didn’t tell you,” I said to him.He tilted his head, waiting for me to continue.“Ryker was my second chance mate.”“Your second chance, mate?”I nodded as I swallowed
When breakfast was served the next morning, Ryker sat at the dining table and drummed absently with his fingers on the wooden surface.Zephyrine.No matter how hard he tried to forget her, her face kept popping back - the bold look in her eyes, the way she looked at him like they had never met.A loud clatter of silverware brought him out of his thoughts. Camille sat across from him, cutting her fruit with care, but her eyes burned with quiet anger.She had bombarded him with questions last night. Why was he so spaced out during the meeting? Why couldn't he stop staring at her? He had shut her down, dodging every question, refusing to feed her jealousy.Camille placed her fork down, her voice deceptively sweet. “Are you ready to answer me now?”“What are you talking about?” he said, chewing on his food.“You want to act oblivious now? "The way you kept looking at that woman isn’t something I can ignore.“I told you; she is my rejected mate. "And what business is yours when I look at s
Ryker PovExcuse me?”“You heard me,” he remarked. “You have proved yourself to be worthy of me. You will follow me back to the pack.”Zephyrine laughed. A soft, breathy laugh at first, then a full, dissing laugh that filled the air between them. Ryker's eyes hardened and he tensed. "What is so funny?" She tilted her head and crossed her arms. "Your audacity." There was a coldness beneath the amusement that lit up her eyes. "I do not know who you think you are, but I do not know you at all."" Do not play games with me, Zephyrine." “Who’s playing?” She took another step forward, looking at his stance stiffening. “I truly am unfamiliar with you. I wouldn't waste any more time on you, even if I did." “You are talking to an Alpha. Show your respect. I can get rid of you from where you stand.” “You can’t even if you try. "I’m not that weak, wolf-less girl you rejected anymore.”He took a step closer, looming over her. His presence was meant to be intimidating, but Zephyrine didn’t eve
Zeph’s POVI have never felt more satisfaction as I walked down the corridor. The image of Ryker bowing to me will be engraved in my memory. Is this how superior beings feel? I will savor this moment for a long time. Those years of being treated like I had no identity, no value, no purpose. I was always reminded of how useless I was because I had no wolf and didn’t have any abilities. But that shouldn’t justify it. Ever.As I turned a corner, some whispering voices pulled me from my thoughts.“I heard the prophesied raven has been seen around a territory close to ours and even our territory.” one servant whispered, scrubbing at the marble floors with deliberate strokes.“Not just that,” another chimed in, glancing around cautiously. “Word is, whoever they are, they’re after power—power strong enough to rule the world. "They don’t just want to control it… they want to enslave everyone beneath them.”I slowed my steps, my sharp ears catching every word.“That’s not all I heard,” a thir
Ryker bent down beside her, a smile playing on his face. "You look really helpless," he said softly, making fun of me. He reached out to gently touch her jaw with his finger. “No power. No strength. This poison is very effective.”Zeph's body shook with effort, trying to move or feel any strength, but it was no use. The poison was too strong. She glared up at him, breathing weakly.Ryker laughed and traced his fingers down the curve of her neck. "Oh, looking at me like that just turns me on more", he said. "Zephyrine, this was expected. Do you think you could humiliate me or defy me? That is now over."With a dark, lustful gaze, he traced his hand over her body, making her stomach turn in disgust. “HEL-!”With speed, he reached into his pocket and stuffed a piece of cloth into her mouth. He leaned close to her, whispering, “Shh,” so she could feel his breath against her skin.“No one is coming to save you. "You are all mine to break to my will.” He took her in his arms and grinned. Z
Zeph’s breath hitched as she stared at the identical mark on Ashral’s shoulder. Her mind raced with questions.“You are from the starlight pack,” she finally said, her voice hoarse from the lingering effects of the poison.Ashral nodded. “So are you.” “So, not all were wiped out?”“Not entirely,” Ashral murmured. Some of us survived, scattered across different territories. Hiding.”“From who?”“Our enemies”“Don’t you know who they are?”“I don’t. "How did you end up in this situation where Ryker wanted to brainwash you?”Zeph exhaled, her body still weak but recovering. “It’s a long story.”Ashral gave her a pointed look. “I think we have time.”Zeph let out a breath, her body still heavy and useless against the cold stone beneath her.“Ryker rejected me as his mate because I was a powerless omega with no wolf, and he later found out about my powers, and apparently, he’s really interested in them.”Ashral clicked her tongue, shaking her head. “. Power-hungry fool.”Zeph would’ve shr
Terran sat at his desk, scanning over reports and handling pack affairs, but something gnawed at the back of his mind. The day had nearly passed, and he hadn’t seen Zeph. Not even once.His wolf stirred uneasily.Where is she?It wasn’t unusual for her to disappear for a few hours, but an entire day? That was unlike her. His jaw tightened as he pushed away from his desk, striding out of his office. He needed to check on her.When he arrived at her door, he was surprised to see Vixxen already standing there, arms crossed, his usual smirk replaced with a deep frown.“What are you doing here?”“I should be asking you that “Wait, you haven’t her?”“No. Not once since this morning.”That was all the confirmation he needed. Something was wrong. Without hesitation, he pushed open the door—only to be met with an empty room.A cold wave of dread washed over him. The scent of the space told him everything he needed to know. It was faint, but there.Ryker.A deep growl rumbled in his chest, his
Zeph's POVMy entire body went rigid, and my fingers fumbled at the knot binding our legs together as if untying it fast enough would sever whatever connection Sage was talking about.“You don’t know what you’re saying,” i muttered, keeping my eyes locked on the rope.“I do,” Sage said, his voice firm. “You feel it too.”I scoffed, finally freeing herself. I took a step back, but even without the rope binding them, i still felt connected to him in a way i couldn’t explain.No. I refused to accept this.“I don’t feel anything,” i lied, brushing off my gown. “And I’m done playing games.”Sage studied me carefully, like he could see straight through me. “Running won’t change the truth.”“I’m not running,” i snapped, spinning on my heel. “I’m walking away.”Without another word, i strode off into the festival, ignoring the way my heart clenched with every step I took. Why did it hurt?Why did rejecting the idea of being his mate feel like i had just lost something important?“I think I a
Her stomach dropped. “Where did she go?”Petra’s heart clenched. After coming so far, to hear that Zeph was gone was a cruel twist of fate.Terran must have noticed her reaction because he leaned forward slightly. “You can stay here for a while. My men can help look for her.”She hesitated. There was no reason to trust this man—yet, what choice did she have? The only lead she had was now out of reach.Slowly, she nodded. “Alright.”Terran’s lips curled slightly. “Good. She’s a good person, you know.”Hearing that made Terresa’s chest tighten. “She always had a good heart,” she whispered, emotion threatening to spill over.With a final nod, she turned and left the meeting hall, her mind clouded with thoughts.The moment the door closed behind her, the warmth in Terran’s expression vanished, replaced by something cold and calculating.Terran leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood of the table. His expression remained neutral, but his mind was al
Zeph looked at the book he was holding. She held her own book tightly. "Where did you get it?" she asked."Someone from the Starlight pack left it here a long time ago."Her pulse quickened. "Who?"He leaned his head a little to the side, looking like he wasn't sure if he should tell her. Then he sighed. "She looked… a lot like you."It clicked.It had to be her.“You met my mother,” she said, excitement and nervousness filled her voice."Your mother?"She nodded, trying hard not to show her feelings. "If she looked like me and came from the Starlight pack, then it must be her."Sage exhaled slowly, glancing down at the book before meeting her gaze again. "She never mentioned having a daughter. But… she did say her child was separated from her at birth."A sharp inhale caught in her throat. That lined up exactly with what Ashral had told me.Her hands shook a little as she held the book tightly to her chest. "Do you know her?" she asked, nervous about the answer.He gave a short nod.
Zeph’s POVIn a dreamI saw myself covered in blood. I heard people screaming all around me. I didn't know what was happening, but I saw that I was moving. I suddenly ripped out someone’s heart from their chest. Wait…what’s going on? Why am I doing that? I tried to stop myself, but it was as if my body had a mind of its own.But I felt everything. The weight of the heart in my palm. The way my fingers wrapped around it, and how it beat just once before going still. My body moved again, stepping over lifeless figures as if I belonged to this carnage.The bodies… they weren’t just strangers.Terran. Ashral. People from my pack.Dead.A strangled scream tore from my lips as I reached for them, but my body didn’t follow my will. Instead, I turned away, as if they were nothing.No. No, no, no!This isn't me! I tried to speak, to demand answers, but my body only let out a cruel, twisted laugh, one that didn’t belong to me.Then everything went black.I woke up suddenly with a loud gasp. My
Before I could even react, a sudden gust of another powder rippled through the air, sweeping over the poisoned one. The dark powder dispersed instantly, dissolving into nothing as if it had never been there.I sucked in a breath, my lungs relieved by the impending threat. My eyes darted around, searching for where it came from. and then I saw him.A man stood a few feet away, his presence stood out effortlessly. He had dark brown hair that framed his sharp handsome features and warm honey-colored eyes that looked around the battlefield. It was annoyingly perfect and he didn’t come alone.Behind him, warriors clad in dark, intricate armor moved swiftly, their movements precise as they restrained the Kota fighters. The Kota warriors were quickly tied up with strange, glowing chains that pulsed with energy. I narrowed my eyes at the man as he walked towards me in a causal manner. He stopped close enough that I could feel his strong presence. He tilted his head slightly and smiled slight
The morning air was crisp as Zeph, Terran, Ashral, and a group of warriors set out toward the territory Terran had chosen for her. The warriors carried her luggage, something she never imagined needing.Zeph chuckled, glancing at the bags. "I entered your pack with nothing, not even a pair of clothes, and now I step out with full luggage set. Who would’ve thought?"Terran smirked. "It all belongs to you, Zeph. You’re still a member of my pack, no matter what. If I had my way, I would’ve packed even more, but I know you wouldn’t accept it."She rolled her eyes playfully. "Damn right, I wouldn’t. I’m leaving for just a little while, not relocating like some noble woman."She turned to Ashral. “Why did you decide to follow me though?”Ashral huffed. "If you must know, I’m coming because I want to protect my sister’s daughter with everything I have." Her tone softened just slightly before she added, "And, who knows? I might meet other Starlight pack members in that territory."Zeph glance
In the meeting room, the elders sat in their usual seats, looking serious and unhappy. Some looked angry, while others seemed pleased with themselves. The room buzzed with quiet complaints as they talked about what happened the day before. “This was bound to happen,” one elder said, sounding dismissive. “I knew keeping that girl here would bring nothing but trouble.”“She’s dangerous,” another agreed. “We should never have let her stay in the first place." And now, look—our pack was attacked because of her.The room was filled with quiet agreement. Some people nodded, looking pleased, while others looked serious. Then, an elder said, "Let's vote on it. For the safety of the pack, Zeph must be sent away. This isn’t up for debate, and even Terran cannot overrule us on this.”Terran sat at the head of the table, tapping his fingers at a steady beat on the table, and his face gave away nothing. Just as he was about to talk, the doors burst open.Zeph strode in.The murmurs stopped instan
When Zeph, Vixxen, Ashral, and the others arrived in the Terran's territory, they felt very upset. What they saw was terrible. Buildings were broken, a strong smell of blood filled the air, and many injured warriors were on the ground. Some were getting help, but others were too weak to move. The battlefield was quiet and still, which was scary.Zeph barely took in the destruction. Her mind was on one person."Where's Terran?" Zeph yelled, running past the hurt warriors. "Where is he?" Some of them shook their heads, showing their pain. "We don't know," one of them finally said.“He fought their leader—someone powerful. "And then…” He winced, gripping his side. Then the enemy just… stopped fighting. They left.”Left? Just like that?Zeph’s heart pounded. That didn’t make sense. If their goal was destruction, they would have fought to the last man.Unless… unless they had already gotten what they wanted.Her stomach twisted."Help the injured," she told Vixxen and Ashral."I'm going to
Zeph raised her hand again, and the air around them felt darker and more threatening. The shadows grew longer and twisted in weird ways. Everything became quiet and still. An unseen power came from her and hit Ryker like a strong blast of air. His smug smile faltered, and his eyes went wide. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Then, he gasped. He stumbled back, his body becoming stiff as if invisible chains were wrapping around his mind. His vision blurred, and everything looked strange. The battlefield disappeared, replaced by a heavy darkness. A soft, whispery voice echoed in his ears.Then he heard it."You're worthless," a voice sneered. Ryker turned, gasping for breath. His own face looked back at him, twisted in disgust and disappointment. "You have all this power, but what do you have to show for it?" Ryker clenched his fists. "This isn't real." The other Ryker smirked. “Oh, it’s real enough, isn’t it? Real enough for you to feel how worthless you truly are.” Breathing became