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
Content Warning: Contains intimate R-18 scenes.Diana“Perfect" he murmurs against the racing pulse in my neck. "So perfect for me. Beautiful. Mine”.Each possessive word is punctuated with a kiss or bite that has me squirming, but his grip on my hips holds me steady. When I try to rush him, to pull him closer, he nips sharply at my collarbone in warning."Patience," he growls, the word dark velvet wrapped around steel. "I'm going to take my time with you, dulcis. Going to make you forget everything but my name."Those tortuous lips slowly place a trail of wet kisses down to my neck, goosebumps exploding over every spot his lips came in contact with. I don't realize my buttons have at some point been ripped open until I feel a cool draft on my chest. My eyes snap open and I flush, subconsciously trying to cover myself with my hands. But with a warning growl, he grabs them and forces them back to the edges of the counter.“I thought I told you not to let go”.His tone though admonishi
Diana The Elders exchange fearful glances before Elder Gideon takes a trembling step forward, his thin frame seeming to shrink even further. He swallows hard, rubbing his palms together. "Alpha Dominicus, perhaps we started off on the wrong foot. Why don't we—" Dom's eyes shift to him, and his voice dies in his throat. "Why don't we what?" Dom's voice is soft, carrying an undercurrent of menace that sends chills down everyone's spine. Elder Gideon quickly shuffles back, his brief moment of courage evaporating. I take a bite of my chocolate chip cookie, watching with interest. Dominicus sighs. “I am a fair man,” he says slowly. “If you have any reasonable explanation for everything you’ve done, now’s the time to speak.” The room falls deathly silent. The Elders visibly shudder at the thought of speaking, and Diana can see the sweat beading on their foreheads. The threat in Dom’s voice hangs like a dark cloud. They don’t dare lie. Something tells them that if they do, they
Diana Three days later, we pull up in front of the massive and imposing Council Headquarters building. This time, it’s Arran, the redhead warrior, who’s driving. With the pack construction in full swing, Brodik has been left behind. An Amadeus wolf opens the door for Dominicus, and he steps out, then turns to help me out. I look around at the place. The wolves I see roaming here are all Amadeus wolves, and I take in the sight with a quiet satisfaction. I turn my gaze up at the large platinum insignia glinting on the building, my heart hammering in my chest. Last time I was here, I was under trial by the Council Elders. But today… today, it’s the Council Elders who will be tried by us. Oh, how the tables have turned. “Clyde,” Dominicus calls out, and a blonde-haired, blue-eyed warrior steps forward. “Alpha,” he says respectfully. “Report,” Dom orders. Clyde doesn’t hesitate. “The Elders are all inside. They’ve been under 24-hour surveillance since their arrival.” Dom no
Diana I pace the room, nearly threading the carpet bare. I watched as Diana’s car disappeared around the corner, the tires kicking up dust as the car sped away. Minutes later, all the Council- no, Amadeus wolves, were gone too. My heart pounds in my chest, the panic gnawing at me. I had caught a glimpse of her just before she left. She didn’t see me, did she? I quickly ducked behind the building when I noticed her eyes scanning the area. The last thing I needed was for her to catch sight of me, especially after everything that happened. I shudder just thinking about it. The last time I saw Diana, I had been watching through the cracked door of Beta Marcus’s office, my breath caught in my throat as I saw him pin her down. She was crying, begging me to help her. Fury was the first thing I felt. How dare he do that to her? To my sister? But then, just as quickly, fear overtook me. I wasn’t strong enough to fight him. What would happen if I did try to intervene? The consequences
Diana My eyes sting with unshed tears. My throat chokes up, and I press my lips together and shake my head, trying to keep my emotions in check. Brodik glances at the door again. The house is silent. Not even the sound of movement comes from within. “And please,” he adds softly, “help us tell the Alpha thank you. Thank you for letting us come home. We promise we won’t let him down.” Then, as one, the warriors bow again. Not to me this time. To him. To their Alpha. A big smile spreads across my face, and I shake my head. “Don’t mention it, Brodik,” I say softly. “I’ve never truly had a pack in the true sense either, so I think I understand how you feel.” I glance at all of them, my smile widening. “I’m really happy that you’re here.” Then, clearing my throat, I raise my voice slightly, adding teasingly, “And don’t mind the grumpy Alpha. I’m sure he’s happy you’re here too.” A deep, unmistakable snort comes from inside the house. I bite back a laugh as mirth fills
Diana The moment the cars pull into the clearing, my eyes lock onto the figure standing on the porch, arms folded across his chest, watching us. A grin splits my lips, and before the car even comes to a full stop, I’m throwing the door open and launching myself out. A squeal escapes me as I practically fly across the grass, up the steps, and straight into his arms. Dominicus chuckles, his deep, rumbling laughter sending warmth through my entire body. He opens his arms just in time to catch me as I leap, wrapping his arms tightly around me and lifting me off the ground. My legs automatically wrap around his waist, and I press myself against him as tight as I can, burying my face in his neck, inhaling his scent. Mate. Home. He pulls back slightly, just enough to capture my lips with his. The kiss is fierce, filled with weeks of longing and unsaid words. I meet him with equal intensity, pouring every emotion into the way our lips move together. When we finally pull away,
Diana As the car pulls away from the pack house, movement catches my eye- a figure hastily darts away and disappears behind a building. I nonchalantly look away, my expression remaining unchanged. The car continues along the winding road, and as we cross the border of the pack territory, I silently promise myself to never set foot in this place again. This is the last time. Silence fills the car as they drive. Soon, the Zervos territory fades from view, becoming nothing more than a distant memory behind them. Billy clears his throat, breaking the heavy quiet. Billy is the first to break the silence. He clears his throat, his voice unsteady. “Kid… my mate, my Myra… she wouldn’t do that.” His fingers twitch against his knee. “She was no dark witch. She was a light witch.” I turn to look at him, watching the way his brows pinch together, the way his jaw tightens with something like desperation. “I know I said she was mysterious,” he continues, “and that I didn’t know much about her
Diana Everyone's eyes judge him silently. He desecrated the most sacred gift the Goddess gave us—desecrated the the most sacred bond. I don't move. Don't flinch. Just stay steady and cold. "And by the way," I continue, my voice eerily calm, "that's disregarding the fact that you knew I was your mate six years before I found out." I take a small, deliberate breath. "You didn't acknowledge me. You knew exactly what kind of life I was living, and you just turned a blind eye. A single word from you, a single order, could have changed everything for me. But you didn't because I wasn't worth the trouble. Why was that again?" I tilt my head slightly. "Right—because I was 'a walking burden.'" The silence stretches between us, thick enough to cut. I don't wait for him to find his voice. "I got assaulted inside the pack house, just steps away from your office, and you didn't even know." He sways on his feet, looking like he is about to faint. "Did you even try to stop it when Marc
Diana Billy rises from his seat. "We should go. There's nothing more we can learn here." Disappointment and frustration course through me, and I have to bite back a string of curses. Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I nod. "Okay. Let's get out of here." Billy's hand lands on my shoulder, warm and reassuring. "Don't worry, kid. We'll catch that bastard." His lips quirk up in a small smile. "They can't run forever." He's right. The Elders are already on their way back to the Council, where they'll be under house arrest until we arrive with Dominicus. There's nowhere for that person to hide. We leave the room without another word, Brodik holding the door open as we pass through. He and the other warrior fall into step behind us, our footsteps echoing in the empty hallway. None of us spare a backward glance at Magnus—he's not worth the effort. Outside, the scene is exactly as we left it. Both Amadeus and Zervos pack members stand in loose groups, tension thick in the air
Diana Magnus turns his glare to Billy again, his voice coming out heavy, “And how could it be a coincidence that a witch was living at the Zervos pack at the time? At the same time your mother was cursed to death- at the same time your wolf was also cursed?” I turn my head slowly, my eyes meeting Billy’s. His face has drained of color, his eyes wide with horror. He shakes his head in disbelief, and he sways slightly, as though the ground beneath him is no longer solid. He shakes again, even more vehemently now. “No… that...” “Diana…” Magnus says, “the reason you had such a horrible life. Why you lived life as an existence lower than an Omega, instead of having the high status of the Alpha you truly are, is all because of her. Everything that has happened to you wouldn’t have happened if you had your wolf. It’s all because of her. She destroyed your life.” he spits. I lower my head and look down at my hands in my lap- my face expressionless even as my thoughts race."Kid, I'm sure