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
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
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 I 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
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
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 "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
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 All eight of them suffer through it. All except Elder Thomas. The ancient man stands to the side, hunched over his gnarled walking stick, his knuckles white where they grip the wood. His face is the color of spoiled milk, his breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. He looks like a strong breeze could snap him in half. Dominicus doesn’t touch him. But from the way Elder Thomas trembles, his rheumy eyes darting between his fellow Elders as they moan and writhe, it’s clear he’s suffering just as much. Occasionally, Dominicus pauses. “Are you the traitor?” he’ll ask, voice deceptively mild. “No!” they gasp, voices cracking. And he continues. Hours pass. Then a full day. The Elders grow delirious, their fear turning them feral. They start accusing each other, voices rising in panic. “It’s you!” Elder Gideon snarls at Elder Fendel, spittle flying. “You’ve always been too forward, too authoritative—!” “Liar!” Fendel snaps back, his usual composure shattered. “You
Diana Dominicus continues, voice dropping lower. "So here’s your choice. You tell me the truth, and only the traitor dies. Or you lie, you hesitate, you waste my time—" His fingers tap once against his arm. "—and I treat you all as the traitor. Then it’s not just one Elder dead. It’s all of you. And really, would it be so hard to believe the mysterious enemy that has been plaguing the werewolf world for decades- an enemy who is able to waltz in and out of any pack unseen and unimpeded massacred the entire Council in one fell swoop?" The silence is suffocating. Elder Thomas, grips his walking stick like it’s the only thing keeping him upright. His voice is a rasp. "You—you would announce the existence of witches to the entire werewolf world?" Dominicus doesn’t blink. "Obviously." A murmur of disapproval ripples through the Elders. Dom exhales, impatient. "The rule that only Alphas and Elders can know about the existence of witches has always been stupid. There’s an ene
Diana "And?" Dom prompts, showing no reaction to this revelation. Fendel swallows thickly again, looking to his fellow Elders for support before turning back to Dom. "Well, we assumed that the Zervos Alpha was talking about the agreement we had with him before the trial. And as for the mate bond, I have no idea what gave him that impression or who told him that, but it was in alignment with our goals... so... so we went along with it." "What did you say to him?" Dom's question cuts through Fendel's stammering. "We assured him that of course, all he had to do was get Alpha Diana to go to his pack, and we would take care of the rest." Fendel's voice drops as he continues. "We said we would send the army to the Amadeus territory to..." He pauses, licks his lips nervously. "And then, naturally, the bond would grow back." Dom shakes his head slowly, his calm more terrifying than any display of rage could be. "But the Zervos Alpha says the Council approached him first. That you gu
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
Apollo 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