Diana I stand frozen, staring at the impressive facade of Claudia's home, my mind struggling to reconcile this grand house with my bubbly, down-to-earth friend who works alongside me at the diner. The question, ‘If you're rich, why are you working at the diner?’ almost tumbles out but I quickly stop it. What if just like I told Dominicus, she’s working because she enjoys it? The question is an instinctive reaction to what I’m used to. Back at the pack, you would never find high ranking wolves doing such menial jobs. It was beneath them. However, I remind myself that this is not my Pack. And Claudia is not an stuck up, arrogant higher ranking wolf. Claudia's usual effervescent demeanor falters for a moment. She looks away, a flicker of discomfort crossing her features before she meets my gaze again. "I'm not rich," she says, her voice uncharacteristically quiet. "My parents are." The weight in her tone tells me there's more to the story, but I can sense her reluctance to discuss
Diana As I step into the walk-in closet, my breath catches in my throat. The space before me is nothing short of magnificent, a room that could easily grace the pages of a high-end fashion magazine. The closet stretches out, seemingly endless, divided neatly into two sections - his and hers. My eyes roam over the rows of designer clothes, each piece more beautiful than the last. Silk blouses, tailored suits, flowing dresses in every color imaginable. The shoe collection alone is enough to make my head spin - elegant heels, comfortable flats, and sturdy boots, all arranged in perfect order. In the center of the room stands an island, its surface gleaming under the soft lighting. As I approach, I realize it's filled with jewelry - delicate necklaces, sparkling earrings, and watches that probably cost more than I've ever earned in my life. I pace slowly by the cabinets, my fingers trailing lightly over the fabric of the clothes. The textures are rich and varied - soft cashmere, crisp
Diana The drive to Deming is filled with a nervous excitement that bubbles in my chest. As we leave the familiar streets of Garnet City behind, I watch the landscape change through the car window. Deming, though only an hour away, feels like a different world entirely. Just like Garnet City, Deming is equally a purely human town. However, that’s where the similarities end. Where Garnet City is quaint and nestled in nature, Deming pulses with urban energy. Tall buildings reach for the sky, their glass facades reflecting the afternoon sun. The streets are busier, filled with a diverse mix of people hurrying about their day. As we navigate through the bustling streets, I can't help but marvel at the sights and sounds around us. Probably because of the college, there are a lot of students with backpacks slung over their shoulders hurry along the sidewalks, while suited professionals weave between them. Before long, we're pulling into the parking lot of Deming Community College. The ca
Diana "Let's go check out the campus. After all, you'll be spending quite a bit of time here. We should make sure you like the ambiance." I nod, a mixture of nervousness and anticipation swirling in my stomach. As we set off to explore the grounds, I can't help but feel a sense of wonder. Just this morning, returning to school had been a distant dream. Now, here I am, about to tour a college campus - possibly my college campus. The campus of Deming Community College unfolds before us like a miniature city. Dominicus and I stroll hand in hand, taking in the sights and sounds of academic life. The main quad bustles with activity - students lounging on the grass, buried in books or engaged in animated conversations. We pass by the library, an imposing brick building with wide steps leading to its entrance. Through the large windows, I catch glimpses of students hunched over computers or browsing towering shelves of books. The sight fills me with a mix of excitement and trepidation.
Beta Marcus The harsh buzz of my phone cuts through the silence of my office. I still when I notice the number. It's the rogue I'd contacted earlier, the one I'd tasked with getting the bitch from Garnet City but had refused. What the fuck does he want? I snatch it up, "Speak," I command, my voice tight with barely contained anger. "Good news," the man on the other end says, his voice languid. "The girl was spotted just outside Deming. One of our boys saw her, but... she wasn't alone." My grip on the phone tightens. "Go on." "She was with a strong wolf. Couldn't make out who it was, but they seemed... close. They got into a car together." I feel a growl building in my chest but force it down. "And?" "I've got a contact in traffic control. Used the street cameras to track the car. It drove straight into Garnet City." A savage grin spreads across my face. Finally, a solid lead. I can almost taste her fear, hear her pleas for mercy. But the rogue isn't finished. "Look, Marcus,
Beta Marcus As my eyes adjust to the dim light, a sense of twisted satisfaction washes over me. The bastard who had been a thorn in my side for so long, who dared to challenge my authority, again and again, now hangs before me, broken and defeated. The man is suspended from the ceiling, heavy chains made of silver shackling his wrists before piercing through them. The silver in his bloodstream stopping his shift. The restraints hold him just high enough that his toes barely brush the cold concrete floor, denying him even the small mercy of standing to relieve the tension in his arms. His face is a mess of dried blood and swollen flesh, his eyes forced shut by the bruising. Fresh scars crisscross his bare torso, a testament to the brutality he's endured. He seems to be unconscious, unaware of my presence as I enter his personal hell. I take my time, savoring the moment as I leisurely stroll to the side of the room where a tray of instruments awaits. My fingers brush over them gen
Beta Marcus In one corner, a group huddles around a table, exchanging money for small packets of powder. Nearby, a woman with hollow eyes and track marks on her arms performs a listless dance for leering onlookers. The bar is crowded with men and women drowning their sorrows in cheap alcohol, their faces etched with the hard lines of difficult lives. Looking closer at the women scattered throughout the bar, I can see the telltale signs of abuse and exploitation. Their eyes are vacant, movements mechanical. Most, if not all, have likely been trafficked here against their will. Good. It means this place is run by exactly the kind of people I'm looking for. I approach the bar, shouldering past a pair of men engaged in a heated argument. The bartender, a burly man with a scarred face, eyes me warily as I lean against the sticky counter. "I'm looking for someone," I say, my voice low and purposeful. I drop a name, watching his reaction carefully. The bartender's eyes narrow. "No one b
Diana I step into the spacious closet, my fingers trailing over the soft fabrics of the clothes hanging neatly in rows. It's strange to think that these items are meant for me, chosen with care by Dominicus. The thought sends a flutter through my stomach as I select a comfortable pajama set – silky shorts and a matching camisole top. Returning to the bedroom, I freeze in my tracks. The enormous bed dominates the space, piled high with fluffy pillows and covered in luxurious sheets. It looks impossibly inviting, but as I stare at it, the reality of the situation crashes over me like a wave. We're going to be sharing a room. Sharing that bed. Me and Dominicus, together in this intimate space. My heart begins to race, and I can feel warmth creeping up my neck and into my cheeks. The enormity of what this means – what it could lead to – leaves me feeling dizzy and overwhelmed. Lost in my spiraling thoughts, I don't hear his approach until he's right behind me. His presence, so l
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