Diana If he could grow wings, Marcus would have sprouted a pair right now and flown around the room. That’s how smug and ecstatic he looks, practically vibrating with delight as Elder Lyra speaks. I watch him with cold, steady eyes. My gaze turns back to the Elders table. “Finally,” Elder Lyra says, her voice low and deliberate, “we come to the most damning aspect of this case: the state of the boy’s body.” Her gaze hardens, and she staightens. “The boy’s body was burned. That much is undeniable. Burned to such an extent that no clear evidence of the perpetrator remains. But the timing, the location, and the desperation of such an act tell us everything we need to know.” Her eyes narrowing as she looks at me. “This was no accident, no moment of blind rage. This was a calculated attempt to destroy evidence—to hide the truth. And who, Miss Castellanos, would have the greatest motivation to do such a thing?” I hold her gaze, refusing to react. The weight of the accusation, th
Diana “Irrelevant details? You mean the glaring contradictions in your so-called evidence? The impossibilities in your timeline? The complete lack of logic in the witnesses’ story? Also-“ I glance at the huddling Omega before looking back at her, “how can you just willingly take the testimony of an Omega on behalf of someone else at face value?” I’m not trying to he discriminatory at all. But it’s also the truth that Omega, being the lowest class of wolves are at the complete mercy of the higher ranking wolves in the pack. It would be so easy to coerce them into give a false testimony- just as Marcus has done now. And a body as wise and knowledgable as the Council should be aware of this fact. “It’s obvious they’re being forced”, and the female Omega actually flinches when I say this, her head bowing even lower. Displeased as I am with them, I can’t find it in me to blame them. They are merely pawns in this game. Victims in their own right. As someone who has been in th
Diana The Elders rise from their seats, their robes brushing against the polished floors as they turn and disappear through a grand door behind their table. The heavy oak doors close with a resonant thud, and silence settles over the chamber. Billy stiffens beside me, his breath quick and shallow. He looks like a man waiting for the guillotine to drop, his fear practically radiating off him. Across from me, Marcus looks equally nervous, though he attempts to mask it with a smug tilt of his lips. His eyes dart toward the closed door, then to me, as if trying to gauge my reaction. But I don’t give him anything. Instead, I turn my attention to Dominicus. He hasn’t moved an inch, his posture as relaxed and commanding as it’s been since we walked into this farce of a hearing. His thumb brushes against my palm, a soothing rhythm that anchors me. Barely a few minutes pass before the doors creak open again, and the Elders file back into the chamber, their expressions unchanged. M
Diana The single word hangs in the air like a guillotine. The casual indifference in his voice stuns everyone into silence. “What does that have to do with me?” The room is deathly quiet, the Elders exchanging uneasy glances. Elder Fendel stares at him, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. Finally, Fendel sputters, his voice rises in indignation. “Alpha Dominicus, as an Amadeus, you may believe you are above the Council’s power, but Miss Castellanos is not. She is a member of the Zervos Pack and falls under our jurisdiction. We have every right—” “Oh? Didn’t you know?” Dominicus interrupts smoothly. He lifts my hand, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to the back of it, his gaze never leaving the Elders. His voice drops, cold and chilling. “She’s my mate.” His voice drops, taking on a chilling undertone. “You… want to take my mate away from me?” The Elders go pale, their eyes wide with shock and dawning horror. “M-Mate?” Elder Rothgar stammers. El
Beta MarcusAn Hour Ago I curse the Elders, every last one of them. But most of all, I curse that fucking Alpha Magnus. Especially him. This was never supposed to happen. I had planned everything. I was meticulous. Alpha Magnus was supposed to lodge the complaint, stand before the Elders, and bear the weight of the accusations. He’s the Alpha. He’s supposed to face them, not me. My plan was foolproof. I’d accompany him, of course, but I wasn’t going to step foot inside that room. The moment the doors closed, I was going to disappear. I even had my excuse prepared, one so perfect it couldn’t possibly be questioned. “I’m terribly sorry, Elders, but I was urgently called away for pack business.” Polite. Respectful. Believable. And most importantly, it would have kept me far away from him. None of them—neither the Elders nor Magnus—understand what that thing is capable of. But I do. I’ve seen it. I know exactly what it can do. The sleepless nights I’ve endured since that day ar
Beta Marcus“And on that note…” It’s his voice. Smooth, calm, and deadly.I don’t have to look to know who he’s talking about.Slowly, reluctantly, I lift my gaze.He’s turned to face me.Those eyes—those fucking eyes. They pin me in place, cold and unrelenting, like the icy grip of death itself.My heart plummets to my stomach, and I feel the blood drain from my face.Oh, gods.My breath comes in short, shallow gasps, and my knees threaten to buckle. Every instinct in my body screams at me to run, but I can’t move. I’m trapped, paralyzed under his gaze.“You,” Dominicus says, his voice low and measured. His cold, piercing eyes lock onto me, and my stomach drops. “You hurt my mate. Hunted her down. Tried to take her away from me.”I freeze.Every muscle in my body locks up, refusing to respond. It feels like the temperature in the room has plummeted, an icy chill seeping into my bones. His words echo in my ears, each syllable cutting through me like a blade.I can’t move.I can’t bre
Diana The moment his voice cuts through the chamber, the energy in the room shifts. “And on that note…” I barely register the words before Dominicus turns, his cold, unrelenting gaze settling on Beta Marcus. My breath catches in my throat, and I feel a ripple of anticipation shiver down my spine. Marcus freezes. He looks like he’s staring into the jaws of death itself, his face pale and drenched in sweat. I’ve never seen him look so small. The satisfaction that bubbles up within me is dark and vindictive, but I don’t care. For years, this man has made me exactly the same way. He tormented me with his presence, degraded me into feeling like nothing but an empty female body to be used as wanted, made me feel powerless. He turned my life into a waking nightmare. He had been the monster in my nightmares, and now… now my mate is his. I watch as Dominicus takes a slow, measured step toward him, and Marcus stumbles back, his eyes wide and frantic. My heart pounds, but not with
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?
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?