Diana The heavy oak doors groan on their hinges as they open, revealing a room that feels like it belongs in another world. I step inside, hand in hand with Dominicus, trying to steel myself against the wave of oppressive energy that rolls over me. Every inch of this place screams authority, judgment, and power. Brodik walks ahead of us, his steps measured and deliberate. He pauses just past the threshold and announces, “Elders, Alpha Dominicus Amadeus and Miss Diana Castellanos have arrived.” His voice is calm and emotionless, as he bows toward the table that commands the center of the chamber. A soft voice answers, “Thank you, Brodik.” The room is vast, its high vaulted ceilings supported by beams of dark wood carved with intricate designs that look like ancient lupine totems. The stone walls are adorned with tapestries, their colors faded but still vibrant enough to depict scenes of werewolf history—glorious hunts, battles under full moons, and solemn gatherings of Alphas. T
DianaI blink, startled. Chief Warrior? I glance at Brodik again, standing impassively by the door, and feel a wave of surprise ripple through me. I knew he held rank, but I hadn’t realized it was the highest among the Council’s warriors.“Yes,” I manage to say. “He treated us well.”The Elder’s smile is almost too kind, and I can’t shake the feeling that it’s all part of some performance.Before he can continue, the massive man beside him—Elder Rothgar, interrupts. His voice is a low, rumbling growl. “Fendel, we are not here for pleasantries. This is a hearing for murder.”I stiffen, my grip on Dominicus’s hand tightening. He in turn, pats the back of my hand with his other palm soothingly.Elder Fendel raises a hand as if to calm him. “Now, now, Rothgar,” he says lightly. “There’s no harm in putting the girl at ease. How can she defend herself if she’s too frightened to speak?”Rothgar’s scowl deepens, and his presence feels even larger. “This is a serious matter,” he growls, his
Diana The heavy silence following Elder Lyra’s announcement is interrupted only by the sound of my breathing. It’s steady, though my heart pounds against my ribs. But with Dominicus beside me, his strong, reassuring hand in mine, fear has no room to grow. His presence is an impenetrable wall, and the warmth of his palm is like an anchor. The anger and hatred churning in my chest as I glance at Beta Marcus further extinguishes what nerves might linger. He doesn’t deserve that power over me anymore. I look up at the table… none of them do. Dominicus is relaxed at my side, but I know him well enough to sense the storm beneath his calm. His eyes sweep across the room lazily, his posture deceptively casual. The faintest smirk tugs at his lips—a lion watching mice scurry about, clueless in their plans to harm him. His gaze flickers to Marcus and the Elders, and I can practically feel his amusement radiating off him. Yet, there’s anger too. It’s subtle, restrained, but it’s there in
Diana Dominicus’s hand tightens around mine slightly, and I glance up at him. His expression hasn’t changed, but I can feel it—the bristle of his emotions, the faint but unmistakable ripple of his power. The air stills, a moment so brief it could almost be missed, yet it’s enough to make every hair on my body stand on end. The room reacts instantly. Marcus’s already pale complexion turns paper white as he shrinks back several steps, his shoulders hunched. Even the formidable Elder Rothgar fidgets uncomfortably, his scowl faltering ever so slightly. The guards standing along the walls straighten as though anticipating an invisible attack, eyes darting nervously our way. Alpha Darius stiffens, his face contorted in confusion. Unlike the others, he doesn’t seem to understand what’s happening. Yet the color drains from his face, and his breathing grows labored. He doesn’t know the source of the pressure, but he feels it—an unspoken promise of death should he misstep. Dominicus exhal
Diana The witnesses are members of the Zervos Pack—Omegas. Their heads are bowed, their movements timid, their fear written across every line of their bodies. My stomach twists as I watch them approach the center of the room, their eyes darting nervously between the Elders and Marcus. I recognize them. Their hunched shoulders, trembling hands, and nervous eyes tell me everything I need to know. They’ve been coerced, forced into this farce by Marcus. A fresh wave of fury crashes over me, threatening to blind me. My nails dig into my palms as I clench my fists tighter. How dare he? How dare he use them— Memories of my time in the Zervos Pack flash through my mind as the Omegas shuffle into the room, their eyes fixed on the ground. Weak. Powerless. Completely at the mercy of stronger wolves. I know what that feels like. I had been one of them. Even though I was lower than an Omega—a wolfless wolf—I had survived because I had Billy. He was washed up, dismissed by most
Diana The silence after Alpha Darius speaks is unbearable. “Burned,” he says again, his voice thick with grief, barely above a whisper. The weight of his words presses down on the room, suffocating in its intensity. I stand frozen, unable to tear my eyes away from him. His grief is raw, a living, breathing thing that fills the chamber and crawls under my skin. I can almost feel the pain he carries—the unimaginable loss of his only child. In the center of the room, Billy stands alone. His shoulders slump, and his face is as pale as I’ve ever seen it. His hands shake at his sides, and I can hear his breathing—shallow, uneven, almost labored. He looks like he’s about to collapse, and my heart aches for him. Across from us, on the other side of the room, standing right beside Alpha Darius, Marcus is a stark contrast. He looks… proud. He stands tall, his lips curling into a faint smirk. The triumph in his eyes makes my stomach churn. He thinks he’s won. Beside me, Dominicus has
Diana I clench my fists, my nails biting into my palms as Elder Lyra’s voice cuts through the room. “Do you swear that the words you spoke before this Council are the truth?” she asks, eyes trained on the two Omegas, her tone clipped and icy, though an unmistakeable undertone of satisfaction weaves through her words. The Omegas exchange nervous glances, their hands twisting together anxiously. The young man, his hollowed eyes darting toward Marcus as if seeking permission or reassurance, finally stammers, “Y-yes… I swear.” The others follow in halting voices, echoing his claim. Their testimonies, vague and riddled with half-truths, seem intentionally crafted to sound plausible. Every word is designed to nudge the narrative closer to a damning conclusion. But I know they’re lies. Every. Single. Word. I glance at Marcus. He still stands stiffly, his pale face damp with sweat, but his eyes gleam with the triumph of someone who thinks they’ve won. My fury deepens. The coward thinks
Diana The room goes silent. The Elders freeze in place and some look quite discomforted. Out the corner of my eye, I see the Omega’s faces drain of color, their mouths opening and closing, but no words come out. With cold satisfaction, I watch as Beta Marcus pales, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, his eyes dart around the room as if searching for an escape route. His leg begins to shake, in a telltale sign of his unraveling nerves. His smug confidence has shattered, and now, desperation oozes from him. But it is Alpha Darius who holds my attention. His stern, grief-lined face had hardened as my words echo in the room. His eyes narrow, glinting with suspicion, and his gaze shifts from me to Marcus. The shift is subtle at first, but then it sharpens. His focus on Marcus is no longer casual; it’s the weighty, burning stare of an Alpha seething with rage. Marcus visibly recoils under that stare. It’s as though Alpha Darius’s fury has physical form, pressing down on him like a cr
Diana “Remember those Omega? They could barely hold on in that room with all the Alpha aura contained in it”. I nod in a daze. That’s true. It wasn’t just the fear that made them tremble. The auras in that room also unsettled them. My mind races back to my time at the Zervos pack. I think of the Omega wolves-the ones who were always subservient, always fearful. Whenever they were near high-ranking wolves, their fear wasn't just psychological; it was physiological. It was in their blood, in their very essence. The Omega wolf's instinct is to cower in the presence of someone more powerful. It was a reflex, deeply ingrained into their nature. But my reaction had always been slightly different. I’d never felt that same primal urge to submit when in the presence of a powerful wolf. Instead, there was just... unease. A vague discomfort, but not the bone-deep terror that the Omegas displayed. I had always attributed this to my wolflessness. I had no wolf of my own, and though
Diana His gaze locks onto me, and the sheer force of it sends a shiver down my spine. It’s primal, unrelenting, and utterly consuming. I feel pinned in place by those glowing eyes, my body frozen as heat coils low in my stomach. My breathes come out heavy as I clench my thighs tight. Liquid heat drenching my panties. The rest of the plane fades away. My fear of flying—the anxiety that usually clawed at me earlier during takeoff—doesn’t even cross my mind. I’m too consumed by him, by the sheer magnetic pull between us. My heartbeat thunders in my ears, my skin burning under his gaze. By the time we’re in the air, I can hardly think straight. The entirety of the plane ride is torture. He doesn’t make any effort to touch me but the heat of his gaze and his scent in the enclosed chamber serve to drive me absolute crazy. We finally arrive back home and walk into our cabin. The moment the front door to our cabin clicks shut behind us, the air turns positively electric. He walks i
Diana Billy chuckles softly, his shoulders shrugging slightly. “See? Told ya nothin’s gonna happen.” I let out a reluctant sigh, finally nodding. “I’ll be waiting for you,” I say quietly, my voice thick with emotion. “Promise me you’ll come.” He smiles, ruffling my hair one last time. “Promise,” he says. Dominicus gives Billy a brief nod before gently steering me toward the exit. As we walk, the room stays silent, all eyes on us. It isn’t until I see the Elders standing awkwardly by their seats that I remember where we are. Their gazes flit nervously between Dominicus and me, as though unsure what to do or say. I glance away, unwilling to engage with them any further. Just as we reach the doorway, however, a figure steps in front of us, blocking our path. “Diana,” Alpha Magnus says, his voice heavy with emotion. “Come here”, holding his hand out to me, “Come to me.” I stop in my tracks, staring at him blankly. His face is pale, his eyes wide and desperate. “Get away from
Diana “Are you really going to do this?!” The sharp edge of Alpha Magnus’s voice cuts through the room like a blade, shattering the fragile peace that had finally settled over me. For a moment, I consider looking at him, but his words don’t deserve my attention. So i ignore him. Instead, I cling tighter to Billy, burying my face into his shoulder for one last comforting moment. His embrace feels like home—a steady anchor after years of storms. But I know I can’t stay like this forever. Slowly, reluctantly, I pull back, meeting his gentle, weathered eyes. “You have to come with me,” I say quickly, the words spilling out before I can stop them. My voice is still thick with emotion, but the urgency behind it is undeniable. “Back to Dominicus’ territory. You’ll be safe there.” He looks at me, his lips twitching into a small, bittersweet smile. For a moment, he doesn’t say anything, and my heart starts to race. I glance over my shoulder at Dominicus, silently pleading for his a
Diana The moment his embrace closes around me, I feel an overwhelming flood of relief—so intense it nearly steals my breath. His arms are strong and solid, grounding me in a way I didn’t know I needed. It’s not just about the comfort of his presence; it’s the fact that he’s alive. That he’s here. After everything he’s been through—after everything I’ve put him through—he’s still standing. The guilt I’ve carried since the moment I learned of his capture crashes over me like a tidal wave. I squeeze my eyes shut, burying my face against his shoulder as fresh tears spill out. My hands clutch at the fabric of his shirt like it’s the only thing tethering me to reality. I can feel his warmth, hear the steady beat of his heart beneath my ear, and it only makes the guilt hit harder. I don’t deserve this—don’t deserve him. Not after all he’s endured because of me. He was tortured. Beaten. Left to suffer unspeakable pain, all because he chose to help me. Because he chose to protect me.
Diana Time seems to stop. Shock ripples through the room. For a moment, the room is silent, and then the Elders’ expressions shift, their relief evaporating as horror takes its place. The Elders, who had just been breathing sighs of relief, now look as though they’re about to pass out. Rothgar grips the edge of the table as though it’s the only thing keeping him upright, and Fendel’s face blanches with horror. Even Billy looks stunned, his jaw slack and his wide eyes darting between Magnus and Dominicus. I know I have quite a bit of explaining to do later. And me? I stare at Magnus, unable to comprehend what I’ve just heard. My mouth opens, but no words come out. Too stunned at the audacity. Dominicus, however, is anything but speechless. His eyes narrow to deadly slits, his body going utterly still in a way that sends a chill down my spine. His hand tightens slightly around the back of my neck—not enough to hurt, but enough to remind me that he’s there. “What did you ju
Diana The instant his fangs pierce my neck, I feel everything. Dominicus’ teeth sink into my skin, and a heat floods through me that is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s intense, all-consuming—a primal connection that binds us together in a way words could never capture. The room breaths in shock. My hands grip his shoulders as he claims me, my head tilting further to offer him more, and a gasp escapes my lips. The intensity of the moment is overwhelming, and I feel utterly consumed by him. By us. But just as the world narrows to Dominicus and the mark he’s leaving on my skin- and my soul- a scream shatters the moment. “No!” Magnus’ voice rises, raw and agonized. “No, no, no! Stop it! Get away from her! Get away from her! No!” Dominicus doesn’t stop. Instead, he pulls me in even closer. He sinks his fangs deeper, completing the mark with an unhurried precision, and then his tongue flicks over the spot, sealing it. A shiver races down my spine at the sensation, a pri
Diana Dominicus, unsurprisingly, does not share Marcus' perspective. His snarl deepens, and with a single, deliberate step, he closes the distance between them. "No, no, no!" Marcus cries, scrambling frantically. "Stay away! Please, I'm sorry! I swear, I'll never-" Dominicus reaches him. And then, the bloodshed begins. It's brutal. It's relentless. And it's slow. Dominicus doesn't simply strike him down —he takes his time, ensuring every moment is filled with agony. His fist connects with Marcus' arm first, the sickening crunch of bone breaking echoing through the chamber. There’s a sickening squelch of flesh tearing as Dominicus’ elongated razor sharp nails tear through his flesh at the same time. Marcus screams, a sound so raw and guttural it sends shivers down my spine. But I can't look away. Logically, I should be horrified. On some level, I am. But more than that, l'm mesmerized. Each blow is calculated, deliberate. Dominicus methodically breaks every limb, which tear
Diana The sound of creaking hinges breaks the suffocating silence, and the main doors to the chamber swing open. I barely register the figure that steps inside until his voice cuts through the tension. “Diana.” Alpha Magnus. He says my name like it’s a prayer, his voice thick with emotion. But I don’t look at him. I can’t. My entire focus is on Dominicus, on the way he looks like he’s barely holding himself together. I take another step toward him, my heart pounding painfully in my chest. “Dom,” I call softly, my voice trembling. He doesn’t seem to hear me. Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision. I don’t care about Magnus. I don’t care about the Elders. All I care about is him. Why does it hurt so much to see him like this? Why does his pain feel so much worse than my own? I bite my lip, trying to steady myself. I was the one who went through it. I was the one who suffered. But watching Dominicus break because of me… it’s unbearable. It’s so much worse. “Dom?