Diana84 years. The words hang in the air like smoke after gunfire. The room goes deathly still. Then— A raw, guttural scream tears from Elder Fendel's throat. "Eighty-four YEARS?!" Spittle flies from his lips as he lurches forward, his aged body trembling with rage. "You've been betraying us for decades—before any of us even joined the Council?!" The other Elders recoil, their faces slack with horror. Gasps echo off the stone walls. Fendel's knees hit the floor with a sickening crack. "How dare you..." His whisper is broken, his fingers clawing at the stone. "A century of lies..." But I don't look at them. My entire world narrows to Dominicus. His body has gone rigid, every muscle locked. The air around him warps, thick with the kind of energy that makes my wolf whimper in my chest. "Dom..." I reach for him, my voice barely audible. Lightning-fast, his hands snap out and seize Elder Thomas by the shoulders. The old man's bones creak under the force of his grip. "What did
DianaThe chase is a nightmare. Thomas moves like a ghost, slipping past Amadeus warriors with eerie precision. By the time I burst through the window after him, he’s already a shadow melting into the treeline. Impossible.Not even the Amadeus pack wolves are this fast, and high ranking Amadeus pack wolves are stronger than any normal Alpha.I push harder, my legs eating up the ground, but the distance between us doesn’t close. Behind me, the shouts of Amadeus wolves fade—they can’t keep up. We go deeper and deeper into the woods until the Council buildings as well as the shouts behind us disappear. Then, abruptly, Thomas stops. He stands perfectly still, his back to me. Slowly, he turns. "You shouldn’t have followed me." he sighs, like he’s chastising a disobedient child. "Now you’ll die here. Alone."His voice is different. Stronger. Younger.He still looks like an old man. But the way he holds himself—the coiled power in his stance—sets every instinct I have screaming. Danger
DianaI rub the back of my neck as I drag my exhausted body out the kitchen. Every single joint in my body aches. I have been on my feet since morning but thankfully, I am done with my duties for the afternoon. I have a few more hours till I have to come back to make dinner so I should be able to squeeze in a nap in the meantime…“Ahhh!”I scream as pain explodes on my shin- a force making my body fly forward. Next thing I know, I find myself sprawled face-first on the hard ground. The fall is a nasty one as sharp pain explodes in my nose. The attack had been so sudden that my flailing hands had done nothing to catch my fall. It also didn’t help that my reflexes are near non-existent. With a whimper, I scramble to my hunches, crouching on the balls of my feet as my hands instinctively come up to cup my face. A viscous red liquid stains my fingers. I feel it gush down my nostrils and drip down my chin and neck, before seeping into the front of my shirt, quickly staining the top of th
DianaMy house, if it could even be called that, is situated at the furthest reaches of the Omega District, slightly removed from the small identical houses making up the homes of the Omega. By the time I get to it, I am already out of breath and have to slow to a jog. Eyes trained to the ground, I ignore the perpetual looks of ridicule and schadenfreude thrown my way from the Omegas, and speed walk the rest of the way with my hand clutching the bloody tissue to my face.I hastily shut the door behind me, cutting off those sharp eyes. Ignoring the trembling that runs precariously throughout the entire house at the slight movement, I sag against the worn wood of the door and slide to the floor.With a painful sigh, I let the tissue fall soundlessly to the floor, the bleeding had finally stopped… I pull my knees up to my chest and wrap my arms around them. my head falls back against the door with my eyes fall shut. A single tear escapes, silently, out my closed lid, coming from the de
DianaComing back to the Pack House a few hours later, I jog up the wide marble stairs leading to the large oak door with stained glass panels serving as the front door. I grab the handle but don’t get to open it before a force swings the it inwards.I quickly step back, moving aside to let whomever it is pass. However, after seeing who it is, my body involuntarily stills. My eyes clash with honey brown eyes that extremely similar to mine. It takes only a second for the surprise wear off and I expressionlessly stare back at him.I watch as his eyes take in the darkened bruises on my face. An emotion akin to concern flickers through them but takes less than a second to disappear.After staring for a moment, his lips tighten but in the end, doesn’t say anything. He looks away, jams his hands in his pockets, and stalks off; his booted feet thumping on the staircase on his descent.I let out a humourless laugh, a sardonic smile spreading across my face. Typical.Refusing to let myself dwe
DianaAfter the unpleasant run-in with Beta Mason, I sprint out of the house and towards the Omega District as fast as my legs can carry me, completely forgetting to even pack myself some dinner before I leave. But I would rather go hungry than stay an extra second in that place, being nauseated by that monster…Today, when I wake, I do so with a big smile. Giggling, I jump down from my bed and stretch out with a big yawn. It is my birthday. Today is finally the day. Today is the day I meet my mate. My entire body thrums with energy as I practically skip to the bathroom to take a bath and brush my teeth. I take my time carefully detangling my hair before putting it up in a high puff, the hairstyle exposing my facial features. I slide in the only pretty hair clip I have- with tiny flower details on it- into the hair at my temple.In the bedroom, I rummage through my drawers until I find the best set of clothes I own. I take out a pair of skinny jeans; though still washed out, it has
DianaI nervously take a step towards him, my hand subconsciously reaching out towards him, but he coldly raises a palm towards me. I stop in my tracks as my heart gives a sharp twinge.“Yes I knew you were my mate a long time ago”, his voice flat.For a second, my brain is too muddled to understand what he is talking about until I realize that he had just answered my earlier question.“You were too young at the time so I had to wait until you were of age to be able to recognize it too”, he continues.“Then-“ my voice coming out shaky.“Now that you are, I can finally say what I wanted to”, he adds coldly. What he says next destroys whatever hope I had in me.“I cannot be with you. I am an Alpha. You’re a Wolfless wolf. There’s no way I can mate with you. As an Alpha, I need a mate who can stand tall by my side; not someone so weak she cannot even protect myself, much less of the pack if an attack ever came”.Every single word that leaves his lips feels like a knife being stabbed into
DianaI stumble out of the study blindly dragging myself along, my body swaying unsteadily; in too much pain to even notice which direction I am heading. My eyes are blurry with tears as I make my way down the hall. Everything hurts… All I want is to get as far away as I can- far, far away from this place of heartache and pain. I want to curl up in bed and cry my heart out, maybe then the stifling pressure in my chest would stop…but maybe it never will…In my dazed and disoriented state, I don’t notice the door that creaks open just ahead. A hand reaches out from within and roughly drags me in, grip tight with bruising intensity. The door is then slammed shut.Seeing who it is, I feel the blood drain from my face and a chill runs down my spine.What I find is the disturbing gaze of Beta Mason staring down at me, on his lips is the same twisted, perverted smirk he always seems to wear around me. But this time, there’s an additional evil undertone to it which sharply reminds me of the
DianaThe chase is a nightmare. Thomas moves like a ghost, slipping past Amadeus warriors with eerie precision. By the time I burst through the window after him, he’s already a shadow melting into the treeline. Impossible.Not even the Amadeus pack wolves are this fast, and high ranking Amadeus pack wolves are stronger than any normal Alpha.I push harder, my legs eating up the ground, but the distance between us doesn’t close. Behind me, the shouts of Amadeus wolves fade—they can’t keep up. We go deeper and deeper into the woods until the Council buildings as well as the shouts behind us disappear. Then, abruptly, Thomas stops. He stands perfectly still, his back to me. Slowly, he turns. "You shouldn’t have followed me." he sighs, like he’s chastising a disobedient child. "Now you’ll die here. Alone."His voice is different. Stronger. Younger.He still looks like an old man. But the way he holds himself—the coiled power in his stance—sets every instinct I have screaming. Danger
Diana84 years. The words hang in the air like smoke after gunfire. The room goes deathly still. Then— A raw, guttural scream tears from Elder Fendel's throat. "Eighty-four YEARS?!" Spittle flies from his lips as he lurches forward, his aged body trembling with rage. "You've been betraying us for decades—before any of us even joined the Council?!" The other Elders recoil, their faces slack with horror. Gasps echo off the stone walls. Fendel's knees hit the floor with a sickening crack. "How dare you..." His whisper is broken, his fingers clawing at the stone. "A century of lies..." But I don't look at them. My entire world narrows to Dominicus. His body has gone rigid, every muscle locked. The air around him warps, thick with the kind of energy that makes my wolf whimper in my chest. "Dom..." I reach for him, my voice barely audible. Lightning-fast, his hands snap out and seize Elder Thomas by the shoulders. The old man's bones creak under the force of his grip. "What did
DianaElder Thomas’s frail body shakes like a leaf in a storm, his milky eyes wide with desperation. "This—this is a mistake," he stammers, voice cracking. "I would never betray our kind. Never!" His gnarled hands clutch at his chest, fingers trembling. "Your Command did work on me. I’m just—just old. My mind isn’t as sharp. My body isn’t as quick. That’s all!" A tear slips down his wrinkled cheek, glistening in the torchlight. The other Elders watch, their expressions shifting from horror to doubt. Elder Fendel winces as he pushes himself up from the floor, his muscles protesting. His voice is hoarse, raw from screaming. "Perhaps... perhaps there’s been a misunderstanding." He glances at Dominicus, hesitant. "Elder Thomas has served longer than any of us. A hundred and twelve years. His loyalty—" Elder Thomas cuts in, his voice breaking with emotion. "I’ve given everything to our people. My youth. My soul. My blood." His chest heaves. "How could I betray the very wolves I’ve spen
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