Diana I take a deep breath, memories of Billy flooding my mind. "He's been there for me since I was eight," I begin, my voice soft with fondness. "When I was kicked out of the Pack orphanage for failing to shift, Billy was the one who stepped up..." “…He made a few Omega men help him clean out a small shack for me. They didn’t want to, but he made them." Dominicus's eyebrows raise slightly, but he doesn't interrupt. "No one else wanted anything to do with me," I continue, a hint of old pain in my voice. "But Billy... he got furniture for me, fixed it up. He made sure I was fed and clothed. He even homeschooled me." I pause, overwhelmed by the memories. "Without him, I wouldn't have survived. A wolfless orphan at eight... I wouldn't have stood a chance." Dominicus's hand finds mine, squeezing gently. "He sounds like a good man," he says softly. I nod, tears pricking at my eyes. "He is. He even moved to a smaller, more rundown house closer to mine, just to be near me. He... he wa
12 hours ago… Brodik The Council chamber, a vast and imposing space, breathes with the weight of centuries. I stand motionless against its far wall, my face an impassive mask as I observe the unfolding drama before me. The room itself is a testament to the longevity and power of our kind, its very air thick with the scent of old leather, polished wood. Ornate tapestries adorn the walls, their rich hues muted by time and the flickering light of antique chandeliers. These woven histories depict epic werewolf battles and hunts, silent witnesses to the countless decisions that have shaped our world. The golden glow from the chandeliers dances across the scarred surface of the massive oak table dominating the chamber's center, its wood polished to a soft sheen by centuries of use and heated debates. Around this table sit the five of the most powerful werewolves in our world, Council Elders. Their faces, etched with the lines of age and weighted with hard-earned wisdom, are a canvas
Brodik Elder Rothgar's booming voice cuts through the chatter like a knife. "We need to act quickly. If we can bring this monster under our control, imagine the power we could wield." Elder Fendel nods, a sly smile playing at his lips. In that moment, he looks less like a dignified Elder and more like a sneaky wolf eyeing its prey. "Yes, but how do we approach such a creature? We can't simply extend an invitation." "We could offer him more territory," Elder Thomas suggests, his eyes gleaming with a hunger that belies his age. “Thats useless! As it stands, the Amadeus Pack lands is the largest territory by land mass already. In addition to the human town, all the forestry around it spanning thousands of miles belong to him! How would that tempt him?!” someone argues. "How about a seat on the Council, then! Afterall, all past Amadeus Alphas sat on the council. That might work!” “All Amadeus Alphas are nominal Council Elders already! If he wants a seat, how do you stop him?!”
DianaI'm curled up on the plush sofa in Dominicus' study, a book cradled in my hands. The room is bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun, filtering through the large windows and casting long shadows across the polished wooden floor. The only sounds are the occasional rustle of pages as I turn them and the soft scratching of Dominicus' pen as he works at his desk.It's a peaceful moment, but I find myself stealing glances at Dominicus over the top of my book, admiring the way the sunlight catches in his dark hair, turning it to burnished gold at the edges.Suddenly, the air in the room shifts. It's subtle, barely perceptible, but I feel it like a change in pressure before a storm. I look up from my book to find him sitting ramrod straight in his chair, his body tense as a coiled spring. His face, usually so relaxed around me, has hardened into a mask of seriousness, his eyes narrowed as he stares at something I can't see.Concern floods through me, chasing away the peaceful leth
Diana Taking my hand, we leisurely walk until we break through the trees. I worry my bottom lip between my teeth but force myself to push down the nerves. I square my shoulders and stand up straight. I'm with Dominicus; I must not shame him by showing weakness. As we emerge from the forest, I see a delegation of wolves turned in our direction, likely alerted by our footsteps. There are at least ten werewolves in attendance, and my eyes widen as I take them in. At first glance, I can tell that over half of them are warriors, but I've never seen pack warriors like this before. Not even Zervos pack warriors measure up. They stand strong, each equipped in black soft armor with sheathed weapons strapped to either their backs or sides. As we approach, the warriors collectively incline their heads in a respectful bow towards us - though I know the gesture is meant for Dominicus - before looking forward again, their gazes fixed on some point in the distance. Their faces are stoic, betrayi
Diana Murder?! Me?! They think I killed someone?! And that too a child?!! What the actual fuck?!! My mind reels, unable to process what I'm hearing. Wait no no no, they said ‘aiding and abetting’, so they don’t necessarily believe that I did it directly. More like I HELPED someone do it. An unshifted pup… Werewolves shift at the age of eight… meaning at the oldest the child couldn’t have been more that seven years old… That’s a baby!! I hear a loud and obnoxious ringing in my ears and I take an involuntary step back, as though my body subconsciously tries to physically distance itself from the accusation. Who could do such a thing?! Who could kill such a small and innocent child?! And why are they trying to connect me to it?! Nigel looks at me over the deliberately aged paper, his eyes lighting up with satisfaction at finally eliciting a reaction. "Whose murder?" I ask, my voice high-pitched with shock. "The son of the Alpha of the Plena Luna pack," Nigel replies, clea
DianaThe journey back to the cabin is silent, the forest passing beneath us as I cling to Dominicus's black fur as he thunders through the forest. During the confrontation at the border, adrenaline had kept me steady, but now that we're away from those eyes, reality crashes down on me like a tidal wave.Billy is being accused of murdering a child. And I'm his supposed accomplice.My hands start to shake where they're twisted in Dominicus's fur. Billy, who has only ever protected me, who stood up for me when no one else would, is now facing execution because of me. First, he endured torture at Marcus's hands, and now this? The memory of his battered face flashes before my eyes, and my chest tightens painfully.When we arrive home, Dominicus crouches low to let me slide off his back. I barely register the movement, mechanically following him inside after he shifts back and slips into his clothes. The moment the door closes behind us, my composure crumbles completely. My breathing becom
Diana The kitchen island between us might as well be an ocean for all the distance it fails to create. Even across its polished expanse, Dominicus's presence fills every molecule of air, making each breath feel weighted with possibility. The crystal chandelier above casts honeyed light across his sharp features, turning his dark eyes to liquid amber as they fix on me with an intensity that makes my pulse quicken. At the back of my mind, a distant warning bell chimes—now isn't the time to be thinking about mating—but my rational thoughts scatter like autumn leaves in a storm, swept away by the raw heat of my response to him. My body flushes hot, then cold, then hot again as my chest heaves with each shallow breath. When my lips part involuntarily, I watch his gaze track the movement with predatory focus. "You... are mine." His words fall into the space between us like a stone thrown into still water, creating ripples that seem to touch every nerve ending in my body. The dual meaning
Diana My stomach clenches as I get a bad premonition. His voice drops. “First, I figured it was the meds, right? They’re painkillers. They’re supposed to make ya drowsy. But then the doc came every damn day to take my blood. Said it was for ‘tests.’” A sick feeling coils in my gut. He lets out another bitter laugh. “Somethin’ felt off. I started refusin’ to take the meds, thinkin’ maybe they were poisonin’ me. But if I refused to take it, they’d just force me to.” I can feel my heartbeat in my ears. “So I got smart,” he continues, his tone grim. “Started hidin’ the meds under my tongue, pretendin’ to swallow ‘em, spittin’ ‘em out after they left. But guess what? I was still gettin’ sleepy.” I shake my head. “The water?” He nods. “Stopped drinkin’ that too. Didn’t matter. Still happened.” His next words send ice through my veins. “Finally, I figured it out. It was the food.” My breath catches. His eyes darken. “Marcus came in when I stopped eatin’. Told me straight up—they’
Diana "Well, I attacked a young Gamma as well as the Pack Beta. Publicly. Seemingly unprovoked too." He scoffs. "I might as well have gift-wrapped Marcus the excuse he needed to lock me up." My fists clench. "And guess what?" Billy barks out a dry laugh. "He made Apollo my guard." I stiffen. "Told 'im if he did a good job, maybe he'd get a promotion." Billy shakes his head. "And that idiot actually agreed." A storm brews inside me. “That bastard Marcus probably thought it some sick joking having Apollo guard me- his own twisted sense of poetic justice." Billy shakes his head, “it was meant as an insult, anyone with half-a brain coulda figured it out. But your brother didn’t. Or maybe he did, but just didn’t care. He saw it as an opportunity to climb the social ladder, and he took it.” Apollo, I grit my teeth, mentally chewing out the name in rising fury. Billy meets my eyes, and then seems to catch himself. His voice is softer as he says, "I'm sorry, kid." I shake
DianaThe breakfast is lively, the three of us falling into an easy rhythm. The kitchen feels warm, filled with the rich smells of bacon, eggs, and freshly brewed coffee-everything Billy used to love.The sound of his laughter fills the space, making it feel almost like things are back to normal, like everything is how it should be.We talk. We joke. It's light-hearted, like the weight of everything that's happened can be set aside just for a little while. I show him around the cabin, and he awes in amazement. Telling me how beautiful it all is. Dominicus is quiet as he follows us, his presence a gentle comfort.After, we come back down to the living room downstairs and settle in on the comfortable couches and start to catch up. The atmosphere is light, and for a while, we just talk-about everything and nothing. I tell him about life here, the people I've met, how different things are from the Zervos pack.But then, after we've caught up, after we've shared those little moments that f
Diana I step around him, my feet carrying me toward the moss-covered structure, but before I can get any closer, his voice stops me. “He doesn’t want you to see him like this.” Dominicus’s words are quiet but firm, heavy with something unspoken. “He begged me not to let you.” I freeze mid-step. Dominicus doesn’t move, doesn’t try to pull me back—he just stands there, his presence solid and unwavering. “You say he’s your dad,” he continues, his voice gentler now, “but he also sees you as his daughter. And right now, he’s just a father who doesn’t want his little girl to see him like this. To always feel hurt because of him.” His next words are barely above a whisper, but they cut straight through me. “Could you… could you please let him keep this bit of pride?” I inhale sharply, my breath catching as a sharp pain blooms in my chest. Damn him. Because he’s right. I know Billy. He has always hated for me to see him weak. Even when he was drowning in alcohol, he stil
DianaI glance past him, back to the dark structure, my heart pounding. My breath catches in my throat. “Why?” I ask, my voice barely a whisper.He doesn’t answer. His lips are pressed into a thin line, his body standing rigid between me and the structure behind him.I search his eyes to see a clear panic in them, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides. Anxiety practically rolls off of him in waves. “Dom?” I try again, my voice subconsciously growing softer this time, taking a cautious step forward. “What is this place?”Still, no response.His lips part but he seems unable to make out the words. He shifts his weight from one foot to the other. He licks his lips and looks down. I close my eyes and inhale deeply again, my lungs expanding from the air and holding it in for a few seconds. Yes, that’s definitely Billy’s scent.Billy is in there. I’m sure of it.“Dom?” Opening my eyes, I step closer, feeling the pressure beginning to build in my chest. “Why can I smell Billy he
DianaI sit cross-legged in the center of the clearing, my breath steady, my eyes closed, lost in the rhythm of meditation. Dominicus’s voice rings in my mind, reminding me of the importance of focus. ‘Clear your mind. Feel the world around you, with all of your senses. Be one with it’. It’s a mantra, one I’ve struggled with, but now, after weeks of practice, I can actually feel it. The steady hum of the earth beneath me, the cool breeze against my skin, the distant rustle of leaves. It’s all becoming clearer, more vivid.I exhale slowly, centering myself in the stillness.The wind stirs around me, rustling through the leaves, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine. I let the sounds of the forest settle in my mind—the whisper of grass bending under the breeze, the faint scurry of tiny paws burrowing into the soil. Every breath I take grounds me further, drawing me deeper into this heightened awareness that Dominicus has been drilling into me for weeks now.A faint scent stirs on th
Diana “Ch-chasing you?” I stutter, my voice pitched in disbelief. “Yes,” Dominicus says smoothly, his calm tone doing nothing to settle my nerves. “Chase drills. To build speed, reflexes, and stamina.” The way he says it makes it sound so simple, but I know better. Nothing about training with Dominicus is ever simple. I groan audibly, muttering under my breath as I shift back into my wolf form. My muscles ache from the earlier sparring session, and now he wants me to race after his ridiculously fast wolf? Fantastic. Truly. “Do I get a head start?” I ask, clinging to a sliver of hope. “No,” he replies, his massive black wolf shifting into the clearing. Even in the dim light of the setting sun, his fur gleams, every movement exuding power and grace. His glowing blue eyes lock onto me, filled with challenge and something almost playful. I huff. “Figures.” “But,” he adds, his deep voice echoing through the mind-link, “I’ll lower my speed-ordinary Alpha level.” A flicker of relief
Diana“Training shall continue at 6 p.m,” Dominicus says, and I can’t help but groan. He gives me that signature no-nonsense look, the one that brooks no argument, and reminds me why we’re doing this.“You should be able to fight at night,” he says. “To use the cover of darkness to your advantage.”It’s logical, of course, but it doesn’t make it any less dreadful. I flop onto my back in human form, sprawled out on the grass like a fish out of water. My entire body feels like it’s been run over by a truck.The sound of footsteps draws closer, and before I can even think about protesting, I’m scooped up into the air. A squeak of surprise escapes me as Dominicus cradles me in his arms in a perfect princess-carry. I glance up at him, ready to grumble, but the warmth of his chest and the steady rhythm of his heartbeat immediately calm me. His strong arms hold me securely, and for a moment, I let myself relax, resting my head against him.“You did so good, dulcis,” he murmurs, his deep voic
DianaShifting feels as natural as breathing now—just a seamless fusion of woman and wolf. My body responds instantly, power surging through me as bones shift and reshape. Within seconds, I'm standing on four paws, my coppery-red fur rippling in the cool morning breeze.Across the field, Dominicus transforms. Despite having seen it several times now, the sight still leaves me breathless. His wolf form really is magnificent. But it's not just his size that's intimidating. I've always known that despite his massive bulk, he moves like a shadow. Silent. Lethal. But now, having him train me and experiencing it first hand, I understand that he is even stronger than anyone can imagine. By the time you hear him, it's already too late.And yet still, despite it all, I feel no fear or intimidation toward my mate. Instead, I’m filled with a sense of awe and fascination, my wolf humming with delight in the back of my mind. She always seems to push me to get closer to him, urging me to rub myself