DianaOur eyes meet, and I see it—the same grim conclusion reflected in his golden gaze.Only if they’re all dead.The words echo in my mind, cold and final. A shiver runs down my spine as the weight of that possibility presses against my chest.After all, isn’t that what happened to Dominicus’s pack?But the Amadeus pack… that had been a singular, devastating incident. Could there really be another pack that suffered the same fate of being wiped out completely?Dominicus doesn’t speak. His jaw clenches tightly, his expression unreadable. I know he’s thinking it too, even if he doesn’t say it out loud.Finally, the silence becomes too much. My voice is soft, but it trembles with conviction. “The only way… would be if they’re all gone.”He looks at me sharply, his eyes flickering with something unreadable. “We can’t be sure,” he says, his tone strained. “Maybe there’s some other… extenuating circumstance. Something we can’t imagine.”But even as he says the words, I can tell he doesn’t
DianaFor the next hour, I sit curled up in Dominicus’s lap, his arms wrapped around me, holding me securely against him. At some point, he lit a fire in the fireplace so the room is warm and toasty. The room is quiet, save for the soft sound of our breathing. The warmth of his chest against my back lulling me.I sluggishly replay his words over, trying to come to terms with everything I’ve just learned. My mother… brave and desperate, staggering into Zervos territory with two newborns in her arms. What were her thoughts during her last moments? Was she scared? Angry? I wonder what she looked like. Do I look like her or like my father. My father… what kind of person was he? What kind of Alpha was he? Castellanos… a name I never knew carried such weight. A pack that might not even exist anymore.My chest tightens as my thoughts shift, unbidden, to Apollo. My twin. My blood. The boy I once clung to for comfort. The boy who abandoned me time and time again.I blink back the sting of tea
Dominicus My footsteps are the only sound, crunching against the forest floor as I walk deeper into a place I rarely visit. I don't shift. There's no need. My steps are measured, deliberate, the journey giving me time to temper my thoughts. The ancient structure looms before me, old, nostalgic, and hauntingly beautiful- the ruins of my old home. The moonlight slipping through the dense canopy in silvery streaks cast a glow on the structure and I let myself take a moment to take it in. But this is not what I came for tonight. I turn and take another path to the right and walk deeper. The trees grow denser, the underbrush thicker, until the landscape opens to reveal a dark, moss-covered structure buried deep in the earth. The entrance is a jagged, weathered doorway that leads underground, the faint scent of damp stone and decay wafting up as I descend the narrow, winding steps. The Prison, or as the pack kids used to like calling it- the Dungeon- hasn't been used in nearly a centu
Dominicus As I stand in the dim cell, staring at the broken man before me, my jaw tightens. His disheveled appearance, the trembling in his limbs, the chains biting into his flesh —it all cements the truth of the phone call I received days ago. The words replay in my head, clear as day. Flashback "And who was it?" I demand, my voice sharp. "An acquaintance of yours. Billy Myricks." "Billy?" I repeat, the name echoing in my mind. My thoughts immediately go to the man I saw at the Council hearing-sturdy, protective, and kind-hearted. It makes sense. Somehow, it makes too much sense. "Find a way to get me in touch with him. Immediately," I order, my grip on the phone tightening. The response is calm, almost too calm. "I anticipated that, Alpha. That's why l've already reached out to Gamma Billy." My irritation flares. "You've overstepped. That wasn't your order." The reply is polite but edged with subtle amusement. "Wasn't that going to be your next order though
DominicusThe torch flickers again, casting long shadows across the cell. I turn my head slightly, my lips curling into a snarl.Marcus died too quickly. Too easily. I should have slowed it down, tortured him some more- I should have prolonged his suffering. I fucking went too easy on him!Rage wells up inside me, my eyes tinging blue as my wolf stirs, threatening to surface. My fists clench, and I force myself to breathe deeply, steadying the storm within.I lean back against the cells behind me. And wait.It isn’t until a full hour later that Billy’s episode subsides. The once-raging wolf now slumps limp against the cold, damp wall. His head hangs low, his breathing shallow but steady. For a moment, the only sounds in the prison are the faint drip of water in the distance and his labored breaths.I don’t say a word as I watch him. There’s no need. He needs this moment to gather himself, to pull whatever fragments of clarity he has left together. I remain where I am, leaning casuall
DianaI adjust the loose clothes Dominicus had me wear—perfect for movement, he’d said—and glance at him.He stands a few paces ahead, his eyes locked on mine, the seriousness in his gaze making my stomach tighten. There’s no teasing smirk or gentle humor in his expression today. This is all business.“Previously, you mastered how to control your strength,” he begins, his deep voice steady, filling the quiet field. “You’ve learned how to hold back so you don’t hurt yourself or others. That was step one.” He pauses, his gaze unwavering. “But now it’s time to move on.”I nod, swallowing hard. This is what I’ve been waiting for—what I need.Taking a slow step toward me, he continues,“you need to learn how to use your strength. Restraint is important, but strength without direction is useless. It can make you a liability—to yourself and others. Even an Alpha, no matter how strong, can be brought down by a weaker opponent if they have training and you don’t.”His words settle heavily in my
Alpha MagnusThe room is silent except for my ragged breathing. Shards of wood and splintered furniture litter the floor, a testament to yet another fit of rage I couldn’t contain. My office, once the picture of authority and control, looks like the aftermath of a hurricane. Papers lie scattered, walls bear the scars of thrown objects, and the desk I’ve destroyed for the fifth time is a heap of splinters.The anger and frustration gnaw at me, unrelenting, a beast I can’t cage. Ever since the Council hearing… no, ever since she walked away with him, I’ve been like this. Unstable. Volatile. A shadow of the Alpha I once was.The pack feels it, of course. They’re on edge, walking on eggshells around me. The silence in the halls is deafening, broken only by hurried whispers and the occasional sound of someone fleeing my vicinity. I’ve heard it in their voices, seen it in their eyes—they’re afraid of what I’ve become. The mighty Alpha Magnus, reduced to this.The plan was simple: deal with
Alpha Magnus I had just opened the car door when the pain struck. Not physical—something deeper, something primal that splintered through my very soul. The tiny link between Diana and me, that fragile thread that had stubbornly persisted despite my rejection, suddenly snapped. My wolf's agonized howl tore through my mind as we both felt it—the exact moment they completed the mate bond. The sound was raw, feral, a haunting cry of loss that echoed through every fiber of my being. He knew. We both knew. Dominicus was claiming what should have been ours. I didn't even make it into the car. My legs gave out and I collapsed by the roadside, curling into myself as wave after wave of soul-crushing pain washed over me. I couldn't scream. Couldn't move. Couldn't breathe. All I could do was lie there, trembling like a broken thing as the reality of what was happening tore me apart. "No," The word barely made it past my lips, a hoarse whisper of denial. "No! How could you?!" It felt like so
Diana My eyes slowly take in the room. The air shifts palpably, settling into something quieter, heavier. The earlier arrogance, the puffed-up posturing the Alphas had swaggered in with, is gone — snuffed out completely. Where there was once prideful tension, now there’s only subdued silence, a shared, unspoken understanding that the Amadeus wolves and the people affiliated with them are not to be underestimated. Around the table, shoulders lower, gazes soften or flick away, and even the boldest Alphas now sit with a touch more caution, their egos silently recalibrating in the face of hard reality. Dominicus slowly sweeps his gaze across the room — and I don’t miss the way the Alphas his eyes land on visibly flinch, their shoulders tightening. Except, of course, for Alpha Alaric. That one perks up, a grin spreading lazily across his face as he meets Dom’s gaze head-on, entirely unbothered. I can’t help the small smile tugging at my lips as I watch the brief, silent ex
Diana As Alpha Dennis sinks stiffly into his seat, his face still burning, he shoots venomous glares toward Alpha Stefan and Alpha Alaric. “I’ll remember this,” he hisses under his breath, his voice tight with fury. Alpha Stefan lets out a sneer. Alpha Alaric, on the other hand, only blinks at Dennis with wide, innocent eyes — the very picture of ‘who, me?’ — as though he has no idea what Dennis is talking about. Around the table, the other Alphas cast quick, sidelong glances at Dennis, their expressions ranging from mild pity to thinly veiled amusement. A few can’t quite hide the flicker of schadenfreude in their eyes, glad it wasn’t them on the floor. The Betas and Gammas present — sharp enough to read the room — keep their heads down, shoulders tight, doing their best to reduce their presence. Two Alphas had just been publicly humbled. No one here wants to catch the next wave of humiliation or become the target of any redirected wrath. Dominicus turns smoothly toward El
Diana At the front, Alpha Dennis narrows his eyes at Clyde. He sneers at the younger man’s expressionless face, his lips curling back. “I don’t like the look on your face,” he growls — and then he lunges. His body blurs forward, muscle and fury in motion, his fist arcing fast toward Clyde’s jaw. But Clyde moves. No — he disappears. One second, Dennis’s punch is cutting through the air; the next, Clyde has side-stepped so smoothly, so impossibly fast, it’s as if he was never there. His hand comes up, fingers curling — not into a full punch, no, but a sharp, decisive tap against Dennis’s shoulder, using the Alpha’s own momentum to shove him slightly off balance. Dennis snarls and spins, feet thudding hard against the polished floor. He throws another blow, this one a brutal hook aimed at Clyde’s ribs — —but Clyde catches his wrist mid-swing. The sound is a sharp snap of fingers tightening around bone, and Dennis’s eyes go wide as Clyde jerks his arm down and forward, s
Diana I feel the tension ripple faintly through the room again — a low, uneasy hum under the surface. Of course they’re nervous. Everyone here has heard the stories. The Amadeus warriors aren’t just strong — they’re something else entirely. For the longest time, everyone here knew them as the Council Army. And when they were the Council Army, they were revered, but as the Amadeus wolves, an element of fear is injected. They’re like a blade that has been buried for centuries finally unsheathed. When Alpha Dennis sees Clyde step forward, he warily studies the man — eyes narrowing just slightly, as if trying to assess what exactly he’s up against. Dominicus’s voice cuts smooth. “Clyde, introduce yourself — your wolf, your duties.” Without missing a beat, Clyde nods. “Yes, Alpha.” He turns calmly to face the room, his posture relaxed but sharp-edged. “My name is Clyde Faelan,” he says simply, voice steady. “I am a Gamma wolf and serve as Beta Brodik’s administrative se
DianaAlaric glances at Dominicus with a worried frown. “The present Amadeus pack used to be the Council Army, and if my information is right, then they should have only about the same headcount as my own Grimmholt pack.”His words are concerned, “It’s a fairly considerable number, but still… that is only the population of a single pack. There are even other packs with numbers higher than mine.”Dominicus gives a small nod, his face unreadable. “That’s true.”For a moment, the tension in the room seems to rise once more.“Will it really by okay? Won’t the Amadeus pack be overwhelmed?” he asks.It’s Eleanor who answers.Her soft, lilting voice fills the space. “Witches, as a whole, have never been a numerous race,” she explains quietly. “And after the war, our numbers were drastically reduced. Compared to the werewolf population, the ratio is roughly… ten to one.”A quiet murmur ripples through the room.Eleanor’s serene expression doesn’t change. “The gods maintain balance. The more p
Diana “Well then, if you’re sure, Alpha Stefan…then sit”. Dominicus’s voice cuts icy, and sharp. Stefan flinches. But then, like a death row prisoner who’s just been granted amnesty, he gives a jerky little nod, quickly dragging his chair over and dropping into it with almost comical urgency, as if afraid the offer might be snatched away if he hesitates. The two Alphas beside him shuffle back toward the table as well, their chairs rolling softly on the polished floor. Dominicus leans back slightly, his eyes cool as they sweep the room. “I believe,” he says smoothly, “that should have convinced you — all of you — just how grossly unmatched any of you would be against a dark witch. And, of course…” His gaze flicks lightly to Eleanor, who smiles pleasantly, “…that you are all sufficiently convinced of Eleanor’s competence.” A moment of strained silence — and then, the polite Alpha seated beside Stefan clears his throat. “Yes, Alpha,” he says quickly, his voice respectful but calm.
DianaEleanor’s smile is soft. Almost pleased. She lets him stew in his own sweat before she speaks.“Mmm… I think that should do.”Then, with a flick of her finger, the blade softens — the sharp crescent dissolves into formless wind, shimmering faintly as it coils around Stefan’s neck.I watch, breathless, thinking it will disappear — but instead, the condensed currents split, sliding smoothly along both sides of his throat, brushing the skin with the gentlest, most deliberate, and menacing caress, before they meet again behind his neck.There, in a heartbeat, the wind snaps back into form, reforming into a razor-fine blade.And then — faster than the eye can track — it whips across the room.CLANG.The windblade slices straight through a steel art sculpture standing by the far wall — a polished metal spiral about thirty centimeters wide — and cuts it clean in half.The halves clatter apart with a ringing sound, the edges gleaming sharp and fresh.The blade itself dissipates before i
Diana Inside, I sigh. He could’ve spared himself this trouble with a single question. One question and he would have been told that witches are masters of disguise and manipulators of perception. But no — this one has to bluster himself straight into a trap. And sure enough, Eleanor’s sweet smile only widens with every word. It’s a gentle, grandmotherly smile — the kind you’d expect from a woman who bakes cookies and knits sweaters — but the longer it lingers, the colder the air feels, until a faint, prickling thread of danger curls along my spine. Quietly, I inch a little closer to Dominicus. Eleanor’s been alive for thousands of years — and though she’s never told me exactly how old she is, one thing is certain: she isn’t the type to let this kind of disrespect slide. Finally, Eleanor tilts her head, her voice as soft as silk. “Would you like… a demonstration?” Alpha Stefan falls silent, his sneer sharpening, and makes a sweeping gesture with his arm — the smug, careless kind
Diana A low growl rumbles from Alpha Darius of the Plena Luna pack. His eyes glint with raw grief. “No. I will avenge my son. I’ll hunt down those bastards myself!” Dom’s sharp edge softens for the grieving father, though just slightly. His voice lowers, gentler, though still firm. “That won’t work, Darius. The best thing you can do — for your mate, for your pack — is live. The best thing you can do for your son is protect what’s left. If you rush out looking for a fight, you’ll only throw your life away. And that helps no one.” Alpha Darius’ eyes are red with rage and frustration. His trembling lips open and close for a moment before a strangled and pained sound is wrenched from him. Alpha Stefan however, is obviously not so easily convinced. He gives a sharp, sarcastic laugh. “You must be kidding me.” His eyes glitter with derision. “I’m not the kind of man who lets someone else decide his fate.” He sneers, gaze sweeping from me, to Dom, to Eleanor. “Especially not peopl