Diana Time seems to stand still as I find myself perched on Alpha Dominicus's lap, our faces mere inches apart. His arm around my waist is firm yet gentle, holding me securely against him. I can feel the heat of his body through our clothes, and his scent. My heart pounds so loudly I'm sure he must hear it. I'm frozen, caught between the urge to flee and the desire to stay right where I am. His eyes, those mesmerizing orbs, hold mine captive, and I find myself unable to look away. "Diana," he murmurs, his voice a low rumble that I feel more than hear. I open my mouth to respond, but no words come out. I'm frozen, caught between the urge to flee and the desire to lean in closer. Alpha Dominicus doesn't seem to share my indecision. His hand comes up, cupping the side of my neck. It’s the first time we’re having direct skin to skin contact and tingles erupt at true point. The touch sends shivers down my spine, and I can't help but lean into it slightly. His thumb traces a gentle
DianaThe world around me blurs, reality distorting as memories and present collide in a devastating maelstrom. Alpha Dominicus stands before me, but all I can see is Magnus, his lips curled in that cruel smirk as he tore my world apart."I wanted to know what it felt like to kiss my mate," Magnus' voice echoes in my head, the words as sharp and painful as the day they were uttered. "Unfortunately no, it's not worth forever being mated to a liability."My breath comes in short, painful gasps. The room seems to close in on me, the walls pressing closer, threatening to crush me. I can feel the phantom pain of that first rejection coursing through my veins, burning like acid.But worse than the memory is the fear of what's to come. Because after those cruel words, Magnus had delivered the final blow:"I, Magnus Aldridge, reject you Diana Castellanos as my mate. By my will and my word, I sever the bond and fate that exists between us."The memory of that soul-tearing pain makes me shake m
DianaMy fingers wrap around the cool metal of the cutting comb, the touch of it sending a jolt through my system. Without hesitation, I stumble backwards, putting distance between myself and Alpha Dominicus. My hand trembles as I raise the comb, its pointed tip aimed at my neck. In this moment, I'm acutely aware of how easy it would be for me to die. As a wolfless Were, my life hangs by a thread at the best of times.His eyes widen in horror as he realizes what I'm about to do. But it's too late. Before he can react, I plunge the comb towards my neck, feeling the sharp sting as it pierces my skin. A trickle of warmth runs down my throat - blood."NO!" He roars, his voice filled with panic. He lunges forward, faster than I thought possible, and wrenches the comb from my grasp. He tosses it away, the metal clattering against the far wall.His hands are on me in an instant, tilting my head to examine my neck. His touch is gentle, but I flinch away, scrambling backwards until my back hit
DominicusI pace back and forth outside Diana's window, my eyes constantly darting up to check on her. My wolf is restless, pacing and growling within me, urging me to go to our mate. But I can't. Not now. Not when she's in so much pain and doesn’t want to see me.Someone had hurt her. Hurt her severely. The pieces I've managed to glean from her hysterical outburst paint a grim picture. She had a mate, and he rejected her. The thought makes my blood boil."How?" I mutter to myself, my voice rough with suppressed emotion. "How could anyone reject such a beautiful angel?"My fists clench at my sides, nails digging into my palms. The pain is a welcome distraction from the ache in my chest.How could anyone even entertain the thought of hurting her?But it's not just that. Her words echo in my mind: "We all want her to die." The implications of that simple phrase send a chill down my spine. It's not just her mate who hurt her. There's more to her story than what she's told me before.I re
Diana The world slowly comes into focus as I open my eyes, blinking against the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. For a moment, I feel as though I'm swimming through molasses, my brain foggy and disconnected. The off-white ceiling above me blurs and sharpens in alternating waves as I try to make sense of my surroundings. I shut my eyes tightly, counting to three before opening them again. The room stops spinning, but the heavy weight in my chest remains. As I attempt to sit up, a groan escapes my lips. Every muscle in my body screams in protest, and I realize with a start that I've spent the night on the hard wooden floor. Staggering to my feet, I shuffle towards the bathroom, my movements slow and uncoordinated. The face that greets me in the mirror is almost unrecognizable. Puffy, bloodshot eyes stare back at me, rimmed by dark circles that I thought had disappeared weeks ago. My skin is pale and drawn, making me look more like a ghost than a living person. As I
Diana The full weight of my actions last night crashes down on me. I had completely lost control, screaming accusations at Alpha Dominicus, attempting to harm myself... My cheeks burn with shame as I recall the things I said, the way I acted. And the bond – oh goddess, the mate bond. How could something that’s a blessing for everyone turn out to be a curse to me? Does it come as a bundle with the curse of being wolfless? And it is a curse isn’t it? Of course it is! He is going to reject me too. I’m sure of it… But what if he doesn’t? What if as he tried to say yesterday, he truly does want me as his mate? But with the way I reacted… My mind races, conjuring up worst-case scenarios. What if Alpha Dominicus decides I'm too unstable, too damaged to be his mate? What if he rejects me after all, not because of my lack of a wolf, but because of my emotional outburst? The thought sends a fresh wave of pain through my chest. And what about the pack? If word gets out about what happened, a
DianaAs I reach the bottom of the stairs, I hear movement near the kitchen door. Pierre, the cook, emerges with one foot already out the door, clearly in a rush."Oh Diana! Hey!" he exclaims, his round face lighting up with a smile. "I'm running right now. I noticed that you didn't come down to eat with us so I kept yours in the fridge!" His words tumble out in a rush, his French accent more pronounced in his haste. "Just pop it in the microwave and heat it up! Gotta go!"Before I can even process his words, he's gone, the door swinging shut behind him. A small part of me is relieved that he was too preoccupied to notice my disheveled state. I'm not sure I could have mustered the energy to speak or explain myself.I shuffle to the refrigerator, my movements slow and mechanical. Opening the door, I spot the plastic container Pierre mentioned. I pull it out without bothering to check its contents. Food is food, and I can't bring myself to care about what it might be.The microwave hums
Diana I clamp my hands over my ears, whimpering pitifully. "Stop... please stop," I beg, trying desperately to block out the voice. But it's fruitless. The voice is in my head, and there's no escaping it.It laughs in malicious glee, its cruelty seemingly knowing no bounds. The laughter echoes in my mind, growing louder and more insistent with each passing moment.And then, abruptly, the voice changes tack, its tone becoming conspiratorial: "But maybe you're right... maybe he does like you. Maybe he is willing to take you as you are..."My heart beats faster, a glimmer of hope starting to bloom despite my best efforts to squash it. But the voice isn't finished:"But why should you do that to him? Why should you punish this good man with a mate like you? You cannot contribute anything and will only be a burden to him and his pack. You cannot rule beside him."Each word feels like a truth I've always known but tried to deny. The voice presses on, relentless in its assault:"Why would yo
Diana Murder?! Me?! They think I killed someone?! And that too a child?!! What the actual fuck?!! My mind reels, unable to process what I'm hearing. Wait no no no, they said ‘aiding and abetting’, so they don’t necessarily believe that I did it directly. More like I HELPED someone do it. An unshifted pup… Werewolves shift at the age of eight… meaning at the oldest the child couldn’t have been more that seven years old… That’s a baby!! I hear a loud and obnoxious ringing in my ears and I take an involuntary step back, as though my body subconsciously tries to physically distance itself from the accusation. Who could do such a thing?! Who could kill such a small and innocent child?! And why are they trying to connect me to it?! Nigel looks at me over the deliberately aged paper, his eyes lighting up with satisfaction at finally eliciting a reaction. "Whose murder?" I ask, my voice high-pitched with shock. "The son of the Alpha of the Plena Luna pack," Nigel replies, clea
Diana Taking my hand, we leisurely walk until we break through the trees. I worry my bottom lip between my teeth but force myself to push down the nerves. I square my shoulders and stand up straight. I'm with Dominicus; I must not shame him by showing weakness. As we emerge from the forest, I see a delegation of wolves turned in our direction, likely alerted by our footsteps. There are at least ten werewolves in attendance, and my eyes widen as I take them in. At first glance, I can tell that over half of them are warriors, but I've never seen pack warriors like this before. Not even Zervos pack warriors measure up. They stand strong, each equipped in black soft armor with sheathed weapons strapped to either their backs or sides. As we approach, the warriors collectively incline their heads in a respectful bow towards us - though I know the gesture is meant for Dominicus - before looking forward again, their gazes fixed on some point in the distance. Their faces are stoic, betrayi
DianaI'm curled up on the plush sofa in Dominicus' study, a book cradled in my hands. The room is bathed in the warm glow of the afternoon sun, filtering through the large windows and casting long shadows across the polished wooden floor. The only sounds are the occasional rustle of pages as I turn them and the soft scratching of Dominicus' pen as he works at his desk.It's a peaceful moment, but I find myself stealing glances at Dominicus over the top of my book, admiring the way the sunlight catches in his dark hair, turning it to burnished gold at the edges.Suddenly, the air in the room shifts. It's subtle, barely perceptible, but I feel it like a change in pressure before a storm. I look up from my book to find him sitting ramrod straight in his chair, his body tense as a coiled spring. His face, usually so relaxed around me, has hardened into a mask of seriousness, his eyes narrowed as he stares at something I can't see.Concern floods through me, chasing away the peaceful leth
Brodik Elder Rothgar's booming voice cuts through the chatter like a knife. "We need to act quickly. If we can bring this monster under our control, imagine the power we could wield." Elder Fendel nods, a sly smile playing at his lips. In that moment, he looks less like a dignified Elder and more like a sneaky wolf eyeing its prey. "Yes, but how do we approach such a creature? We can't simply extend an invitation." "We could offer him more territory," Elder Thomas suggests, his eyes gleaming with a hunger that belies his age. “Thats useless! As it stands, the Amadeus Pack lands is the largest territory by land mass already. In addition to the human town, all the forestry around it spanning thousands of miles belong to him! How would that tempt him?!” someone argues. "How about a seat on the Council, then! Afterall, all past Amadeus Alphas sat on the council. That might work!” “All Amadeus Alphas are nominal Council Elders already! If he wants a seat, how do you stop him?!”
12 hours ago… Brodik The Council chamber, a vast and imposing space, breathes with the weight of centuries. I stand motionless against its far wall, my face an impassive mask as I observe the unfolding drama before me. The room itself is a testament to the longevity and power of our kind, its very air thick with the scent of old leather, polished wood. Ornate tapestries adorn the walls, their rich hues muted by time and the flickering light of antique chandeliers. These woven histories depict epic werewolf battles and hunts, silent witnesses to the countless decisions that have shaped our world. The golden glow from the chandeliers dances across the scarred surface of the massive oak table dominating the chamber's center, its wood polished to a soft sheen by centuries of use and heated debates. Around this table sit the five of the most powerful werewolves in our world, Council Elders. Their faces, etched with the lines of age and weighted with hard-earned wisdom, are a canvas
Diana I take a deep breath, memories of Billy flooding my mind. "He's been there for me since I was eight," I begin, my voice soft with fondness. "When I was kicked out of the Pack orphanage for failing to shift, Billy was the one who stepped up..." “…He made a few Omega men help him clean out a small shack for me. They didn’t want to, but he made them." Dominicus's eyebrows raise slightly, but he doesn't interrupt. "No one else wanted anything to do with me," I continue, a hint of old pain in my voice. "But Billy... he got furniture for me, fixed it up. He made sure I was fed and clothed. He even homeschooled me." I pause, overwhelmed by the memories. "Without him, I wouldn't have survived. A wolfless orphan at eight... I wouldn't have stood a chance." Dominicus's hand finds mine, squeezing gently. "He sounds like a good man," he says softly. I nod, tears pricking at my eyes. "He is. He even moved to a smaller, more rundown house closer to mine, just to be near me. He... he wa
DianaI take a deep breath, inhaling the fresh forest air that surrounds us. The scent of pine and earth fills my lungs, momentarily calming my frayed nerves. But the weight of what I need to say presses down on me. Steeling myself, I turn to face Dominicus, my heart pounding in my chest."Dom?" I call out, my voice barely above a whisper, almost lost in the gentle rustling of leaves around us. "There's something I need to tell you... about yesterday."I feel him tense briefly before relaxing, his muscles shifting beneath his skin like a predator preparing for action. His arms tighten around me, a gesture of silent support that speaks volumes in the quiet of the forest."What is it?" he asks, his tone gentle but concerned. His eyes, those mesmerizing brown orbs, search my face intently.I nod, swallowing hard. The memory of yesterday's ordeal sends a chill down my spine. But there's no time to waste. We need to act, and for that, Dominicus needs to know everything."It's... it's not g
DianaI feel my hands clench into fists. The fury inside me is not just anger – it's determination, it's resolve, it's a fierce protectiveness for the man before me.As I look up at Dominicus, my eyes blazing, I see a flicker of surprise cross his face. He pauses in his narration, studying me intently.How dare they?!How dare those bastards do that to him?!The weight of Dominicus's words, the pain that was etched in every line of his face as he told the story, fuels my anger. I feel it burning in my chest, threatening to consume me."They must pay," I declare, my voice trembling with rage. "Those people must pay for all they've done. Dominicus. I'm going to help you find them. We'll get revenge!"To my surprise, Dominicus's response is a soft smile. He leans down, pressing a gentle kiss to my nose. "Thank you, dulcis," he murmurs, his voice warm with affection.His reaction throws me off balance. The smile, the tenderness – it feels incongruous with the gravity of what we've just d
DianaThe words hang in the air, heavy and ominous. My tears stop as shock takes over, leaving me feeling numb and disoriented.“Dark… Magic?” I echo, stutteringly.“Wha-“ "It... it actually exists?" I whisper, my voice barely audible.Dominicus's face is grave, his eyes dark with a chilling menace."Yes”, his jaw clenched tight.My eyes are round as my jaw goes slack with shock. A frown creeps across Dominicus's face. "Tell me," he says carefully, "what do you know about the supernatural world?""Well, it's made up of werewolves-," I begin but then I trail off, uncertainty creeping in. Something about the way he asked the question makes me pause and reconsider.I think back to the books I've read, remembering inconsistencies I'd previously overlooked. "In the books I've studied," I say slowly, piecing my thoughts together, "sometimes they refer to the 'supernatural world' and other times to the 'werewolf world.' I never really thought about it before, but... if they mean the same t