Silo stared at King Draven in disbelief. He couldn't comprehend what he had just heard. The vampire king was planning to make contact with a werewolf—an act that directly violated long-standing laws."I'm sorry to say this, King Draven, but you're breaking the rule. Vampires are forbidden from associating with werewolves," Silo said, his voice laced with concern. He wondered if the king had lost his mind.Draven's eyes darkened as he fixed Silo with a piercing glare. "I am the king. I make the rules. Do you understand me?"Silo immediately lowered his head in submission. "Yes, King Draven. I apologize."Draven studied him for a moment before shifting his attention to the second letter that had been delivered to him. His fingers traced the wax seal before he carefully broke it open. As his eyes scanned the parchment, he realized the letter bore no address—no sign of its sender."What is this?" he muttered, his curiosity quickly turning to dread as he read its contents.A letter for the
The black market was no place for the weak. It was a dangerous and unpredictable territory where vampires sought rare and forbidden goods—things they would never find in ordinary markets. Only the strongest and most ruthless vampires were granted entry, and now, his mother had brought his mate to a place as perilous as this.King Draven clenched his jaw, his fury simmering beneath the surface as he scanned the marketplace. It wasn’t difficult to locate Carlos. Three black SUVs idled in the center of the market, waiting for his arrival.As Draven moved through the crowd, the other vampires instinctively bowed their heads in submission. It was rare—almost unheard of—to see the Vampire King in a black market. His presence alone was enough to demand respect.Lilith, his mother, shivered beneath his gaze. He could tell she was terrified. Draven was dangerously close to losing control, his anger boiling just beneath the surface. Every fiber of his being wanted to rip her apart for what she
The cunning voice echoed through the dimly lit chamber, dripping with mockery.Aurora felt herself freeze at the words. Her mistakes were catching up to her, returning with twice the force. This was something the king should never hear from someone else."What? Wow! So, I was right, then? Your second mate has no idea you once had a first mate? This is absolutely insane! Well, don’t worry. I’ll do you a favor and let King Draven know myself."Aurora’s heart pounded against her ribs. A chill ran down her spine."Please, no! I beg you—don’t tell him!" she pleaded desperately. She had planned to tell the king herself—if she ever made it out of this miserable hole she was tied up in.Laughter erupted from the unseen figure, sharp and cruel."Hahaha! Why? You don’t want the king to think you’re disgusting? You don’t want him to see you as filthy, unworthy?" The voice grew more venomous. "Well, I do. I want him to despise you. I want him to look at you with nothing but hatred. And that’s why
It was going to be difficult—almost impossible—to find the particular observatory she was being held in. Definitely difficult. The only way to track her down was to use his powers, and right now, he was already weak to the core. But he had no other option.Closing his eyes, Draven took a deep breath. He needed to focus, to listen—to pick up the faintest sound of her breathing. His head throbbed with exhaustion, but he pushed through the pain.Then, he heard it.A noise. Slow and melodic.A heartbeat.Light but quick, the rhythm pounded in his head, guiding him like a beacon. The sound was coming from an observatory not far from where he stood."Draven!"A tiny voice whispered into his mind, weak but familiar. His eyes snapped open. Without hesitation, he turned left. There it was—the observatory. It was the weakest structure among the surrounding buildings, its walls barely holding together.Summoning what little strength he had left, he shot forward, his vampire speed propelling him
A knock resounded on the door. King Draven, instantly recognizing the doctor’s scent, moved quickly to cover his mate. No one had the right to see her bare body without her permission — no one but him. He wouldn’t dare let anyone lay eyes on her vulnerable form.“The door is open,” Draven said, his voice low and steady, though tension rippled beneath the surface.The door creaked open, revealing an older man with graying hair and a cautious expression.“Vampire King, what happened to her?” Doctor Roberts asked, his voice hesitant.Draven didn’t move an inch from his spot beside his mate. His hand never left her, as though his touch alone could tether her to life.“She was attacked by my enemies,” Draven said, his voice rougher than he intended. “She’s badly wounded. I don’t know how long it’ll take for her to heal — or if she even can.”He didn’t mention Aurora. He refused to call that backstabbing woman, not even to save his mate. He wouldn’t let that bitch anywhere near her.“Alrigh
It had been six long, agonizing days — six unbearable days since he last heard her voice, since he last gazed into those beautiful eyes of hers. Time seemed to crawl, each second stretching endlessly, the world outside his chambers becoming dull and meaningless. He barely noticed it anymore.Draven sat by Aurora’s side, his eyes never leaving her face. He stared at her closed eyelids, silently begging for them to flutter open — even for just a moment. If she could open her eyes, even for a second, and close them again, it would be enough to give him hope. Just one sign that she was still in there, fighting.He had summoned Doctor Roberts the moment the fourth day passed without her waking. The doctor confirmed that she was still alive — her heartbeat strong, her body slowly adapting to his blood. That knowledge allowed him to breathe, but only for a moment. The reassurance wasn’t enough. She wasn’t awake, and that fact alone gnawed at his soul.Carlos had been helping Vuk manage the p
King Draven looked around the council members. Their faces were unreadable, but the tension was thick. It felt like they were simply waiting for the right moment to strike — to eliminate their new rival swiftly and without mercy.The large oak doors burst open, revealing Silo, panting heavily as if he had run for miles. His chest heaved with each breath."Why are you running like a pack of wild wolves is on your tail?" Draven’s voice was low and sharp, his gaze piercing.Silo rolled his eyes, unfazed by the king's biting tone. He strode forward, leaning down to whisper into Draven’s ear. The words were quick and urgent. Draven’s eyes widened, the stoic mask he usually wore cracked with rare, visible shock. Without a word, he bolted from the room.Carlos, his loyal Beta, didn’t hesitate. He followed Draven, his mind racing with questions. What could Silo have possibly said to make the king, who never showed fear, panic like that?Meanwhile, Vuk stood by the bedside of Aurora — Draven’s
"You told me not to read any letters that concern you. Also, I haven't been in the office since you’ve been unconscious. There are stacks of letters waiting for me to handle," Draven said, staring at Aurora, wondering what was going on in her mind."When I got kidnapped, the kidnapper seemed to know a lot about me — things even you don’t know. The woman...""Woman?" Draven cut in sharply, his brows knitting together. What could a woman possibly have to do with his mate’s abduction?"Yes, a woman," Aurora nodded. "She locked me up in the observatory. Her voice was distorted, like it was altered somehow. I couldn’t recognize who she was."Draven’s eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening. A woman. He hadn’t expected that."The mysterious woman promised she'd tell you everything that happened to me in my previous pack. I’ve been terrified ever since. I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else — I’d sound like a joke to you," Aurora confessed, her voice trembling as she adjusted herself on t
Carlos and Aurora emerged from the tunnel, the hidden panel sliding shut behind them. The passage had left streaks of ash and blood on their clothes, but there was no time to rest—not while the scent of betrayal still lingered in the air.“Where now?” Aurora asked, eyes scanning the dim corridor. Her body remained tense, alert, even as her breath slowed.Carlos narrowed his gaze, nostrils flaring. “Back to the dungeons,” he said. “If Kael and Elizabeth were released from there, someone had to break the lock—or use a key.”They moved swiftly through the lower levels of the castle, avoiding the main hallways where patrolling guards could be seen in the distance. Carlos kept to the shadows, Aurora moving beside him with the grace of a predator. The halls beneath the palace had always felt heavy with secrets, but tonight, the air seemed denser. Something foul lingered in every breath.As they neared the entrance to the dungeon wing, Carlos halted, raising a hand.“You smell that?” he aske
The castle loomed in uneasy silence as dawn's first light crept across the sky. The air inside the stone corridors was still, heavy with tension. Carlos, still wearing his bloodstained armor, paced the length of the war room. His mind reeled from the ambush, from Kael’s venomous words… and from the gnawing sense of danger he couldn’t shake.Aurora.Draven’s mate hadn’t been seen since the king left. And now, with the chaos outside and betrayal within, Carlos could no longer assume she was safe. He had sent messengers to every wing of the castle, ordered every guard to sweep the halls—but no sign of her.He returned to her chamber personally, pushing open the heavy door, calling her name. Silence greeted him.The bed was neatly made. Her crimson cloak was gone. But something caught his attention.A strange scent.Carlos's sharp vampire senses caught it immediately—something not quite vampire, not quite werewolf. He inhaled deeper. It was faint, but recent.His eyes scanned the room. Th
The war room buzzed with tension, lit by the dull glow of enchanted magical lanterns. Maps of the Eastern vampire territories were spread across the grand table, red ink marking the fallen clans. King Draven stood at the head, his arms crossed over his broad chest, crimson eyes burning with barely contained fury. Around him, his council whispered nervously, exchanging fearful glances."We must respond swiftly," said Carlos, Draven's loyal assistant. He pointed to the affected regions. "They've struck seven clans already. We can't risk losing the Eastern front."Elder Eric slammed his hand on the table, drawing all attention. "We should not involve the other vampire clans in this, Your Majesty. This is a werewolf conflict. Bringing in outsiders will only sow discord."Draven's jaw tightened. "Seven of our own have fallen, Elder. They were not outsiders. They were family.""And seeking help makes us look weak," Eric hissed. "We are Vampires. We do not beg."Draven’s gaze snapped to him
The dungeon was cold, echoing with the anguished cries of those who had defied King Draven. A torch flickered on the stone wall, casting sharp shadows over Delilah’s bruised face. She was shackled to a post, her knees scraped and bleeding. Aurora stood nearby, her hands trembling as she clung to Draven’s arm. Kael and Elizabeth were locked in the adjoining cells, silent for once, their eyes avoiding Aurora’s gaze.Draven stood tall, his piercing crimson eyes narrowed on Delilah. "Tell me why Aurora has no wolf," he demanded, his voice cold, commanding, and echoing with authority.Delilah winced, her lips dry and cracked. A beat of silence passed before she finally spoke. "It was an order from the late Alpha Rowan," she croaked, shame dripping from every word. "He... he wanted to dull her wolf, to sever her bond with the beast within. So... so she wouldn't fight back. So she wouldn't claim what was rightfully hers."Aurora flinched. Her heart twisted as the weight of betrayal pressed a
As the tension in the hall settled, the scent of Alpha Rowan's blood lingering in the air, King Draven stood tall amid the chaos. His crimson eyes swept over the crowd of shivering wolves and subdued vampires. With a single flick of his hand, his guards closed in on the three figures trying to escape into the shadows—Delilah, Elizabeth, and Kael."Seize them," Draven commanded, his voice calm yet thunderous, echoing with a power that could not be denied.The guards obeyed immediately, shackling the trio with enchanted chains that shimmered faintly under the moonlight. The crowd parted as they were dragged through the assembly, their heads lowered in shame. Aurora stood still, her fists clenched, the truth clawing at the edges of her mind. Something inside her told her she was on the brink of unraveling a past that had been stolen from her.Draven followed his prisoners into the dungeon below the castle, a place built to break the strongest of wills. The stone corridors were damp, lit
Draven’s voice echoed like thunder across the ballroom, silencing every murmur. “Bring him in,” he commanded, his tone sharp and absolute.All eyes turned toward the massive doors as they creaked open. Every person brought in through that entrance so far had unraveled secrets buried deep in blood and betrayal. This one was no different.Kael’s eyes widened the moment he saw who had been dragged into the hall. His shock quickly morphed into fury, his body vibrating with rage.“How dare you bring my father here!” Kael snarled. “You attacked Red Moon Pack? You invaded our home!”He took a step forward, but Draven’s guards moved swiftly, blocking his path with unflinching precision.Draven's expression remained cold. “Your father stole the Alpha title from my mate’s father,” he said, his voice low but heavy with truth. “He murdered him in cold blood and claimed the title that never belonged to him.”The crowd gasped, whispers rippling like wildfire. The shame of the Red Moon Pack was unra
Elizabeth turned sharply, her eyes locking on the people clapping their hands, mocking the tension in the air."How dare you deceive us?!" she screamed, her voice rising above the murmurs of the crowd.The room fell into complete silence. Kael turned to look at Elizabeth, his eyes begging her to stop. He slowly shook his head, trying to urge her into silence. But Elizabeth was past reasoning. Rage, betrayal, and a seething jealousy frothed within her.She couldn't believe Aurora was not only alive but thriving—standing proud in the very place she had once been humiliated."You came to my pack to deceive me," Elizabeth spat. "And now you have the audacity to insult me? You slut!"Before the final word even landed, Draven had moved. In the blink of an eye, he had Elizabeth pinned to the wall, one hand wrapped around her throat, lifting her off the ground with terrifying strength."Don’t you ever call my mate a slut again," he snarled, his crimson eyes glowing with fury. "If you do, I wi
As Draven was about to walk toward the werewolves, who were already laughing heartily and sipping one of the finest imported wines, a hand gently touched his shoulder.“Son.”Queen Lilith’s voice was soft, but it held a weight of emotions buried under centuries of silence. Slowly, King Draven turned to face his mother. He had only agreed to invite her to his mate celebration because Aurora had insisted. She missed the queen and wanted her there. Draven had relented, not because of sentiment, but to make Aurora happy.“I told you not to cross my path,” Draven said coldly, his gaze dropping to the elegant black and silver dress he had specifically chosen for her to wear.“You can’t hold this grudge forever, you know,” Lilith replied, her tone calm but weary. “I even wore this dress just to please you. You know I never wear what you pick for me.”She reached out to touch his shoulder again, a fragile attempt at reconciliation, but Draven shifted away before her fingers could graze him.“
Warning, Matured context.“First thing first, the child does not belong to Kael,” Aurora said, picking up a pen and flipping through a book. She was deep in thought, formulating the perfect plan.“Which child?” Draven asked, now sitting up. His mate was like a machine—a calculating force with a clear mission, and he couldn’t help but feel drawn to her intensity.“The child that Elizabeth bore doesn’t belong to Kael,” Aurora replied, her voice steady and confident. “The child belongs to her true mate, who was previously her ex-boyfriend, Ronald. I know Ronald—I always caught them sneaking out of her room. Even in broad daylight, I would hear their moans and screams. But suddenly, Ronald disappeared from the pack. No one knew where he went. Soon enough, he was forgotten.” Aurora stated the hard facts as if they were nothing but simple truths.Draven stared at her in shock, trying to process her words. “How did you find out about this?” His voice was tinged with disbelief. How had she un