As though the weight of the world didn't bother him, Ryan Myers entered the room with a chilly, uninterested expression. I kept a careful eye on him, attempting to hide the rage seething in me. He was a few steps from me, and in the dim light of the room, his towering figure was a shadow. He fixed his emotionless gaze on mine."Derek," he uttered, his tone steady but threatening. "Queen Annalise should be avoided. You'll escape any... unpleasant repercussions if you follow instructions.”I said nothing at all and continued to stare at him intently, searching for any hints. The air was different today, even though Ryan had always been one of the more erratic ones. It wasn't your typical bluster. No, it seemed like a far darker event was about to happen.He stepped forward, and I smelt his aroma, a subtle blend of iron and leather. He had no intention of negotiating. He had an ultimatum to deliver."Insubordination is not tolerated by the Luna," he continued, maintaining his cold tone.
DEREK'S POV:With a snarl that echoed around the room, Bowlser sprang out of the shadows. He looked horrific, a hideous hybrid of beast and man. His enormous frame seemed to throb with unadulterated, animalistic strength, and he was at least eight feet tall. His muscles bulged and rippled with each movement, and his skin was a mottled grey. There was a wicked thirst burning in his red-glowing eyes. Sharp fangs glinted in the low light, and clawed claws flexed as if ready to tear flesh.My entire body tensed in anticipation as I tightened my fists. My blood was getting hotter, and I could feel the adrenaline rushing through my veins. As Bowlser stepped closer, his heavy feet making the floor tremble, the room around us seemed to contract, the walls pressing in. I heard nothing but the thunderous pounding of my own heartbeat for a while, and then he suddenly charged.For something so big, his speed was astounding. In a matter of seconds, he was on me, swinging his huge arm in my directi
I woke up with a nagging discomfort that spread across my entire body and the acute sting of an IV in my arm. The sick bay smelt of antiseptic mixed with something metallic, and the chamber was cold and sterile. I tried to concentrate on the ceiling, but my vision became blurry. Eventually, the fight, the pandemonium, and the pain all returned to me. A nurse was adjusting something on the IV stand while the middle-aged, graying-haired doctor fussed over the machines.I attempted to move, but the tubing—no, the restraints—held me in place, and my arms felt like lead. I wanted to talk, but it took a minute to get any sound out of my throat, which felt like sandpaper."Where am I?"The doctor gave me a quick look before turning back to the screen of the electrocardiogram that bleeped incessantly. “Derek, you're in the sick bay at the castle. You were severely beaten.I blinked many times in an attempt to clear my mind of the haze. "What happened?"With a gentle tone, the nurse remarked,
VERA’S POV:I gazed out at the wide undulating hills beyond the castle walls through the high slots in my cell. The grey tint of the sky, which mirrored the weight in my chest, served as a continual reminder of my captivity. Days had passed since the fight, since Sylvester had lashed out at me and called me a traitor, and I had been left to ruminate.I thought of ways to get out, but suddenly there was just doubt. My musings were cut short by a crisp, authoritative knock. Before I could react, the door sprang open, and two guards entered, their expressions expressionless and nearly impersonal."King Sylvester has called for you," one of them replied in an emotionless tone.Despite my refusal to display fear, I could feel the blood draining from my face. I nodded and straightened my shoulders as I followed them through the castle's chilly stone hallways. Each stride reverberated, a hollow sound reflecting the void I experienced inside. What on earth could Sylvester want now? His intent
I observed the shadows created by the dim light flickering along the stone walls. Even though I still had scrapes and bruises from the fight, the pain got better every day, and I started to feel stronger than I had anticipated. I could feel it swelling inside of me, coiling like a snake waiting to strike, but at first it was gradual, like a trickle. It was this increasing intensity that kept me up at night. My body was recuperating more quickly than it should have, with flesh repairing and bones knitting.It was more than simply the physical recovery, though. There was another stirring, something primordial, something perilous.I listened to the distant echo of footsteps while lying on the bed and gazing up at the ceiling. There was a lot of noise in the castle, including whispering and power plays. Vera, like myself, was stranded somewhere in the middle of it all. With every thought of her, the veins in my arms throbbed, and I tightened my fists. I needed to reach her.The door opene
Derek’s POVThe air was thick and damp, a cold that clung to my bones and gnawed at my skin, reminding me every second of where I was. The dungeon. It reeked of mildew and rusted metal, a place long forgotten by most and designed to break the strongest of men. But I wasn't just any man.The guards dragged me in, their grip firm but wary. They’d seen the way my wounds were healing, faster than they expected, and it made them nervous. I could see it in their stiff movements, the way their hands clenched tighter around their weapons every time I so much as twitched. Good. They should be nervous. Because no matter how deep they tried to bury me, I’d claw my way out.One of the guards shoved me, hard enough to make me stumble. I caught myself, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing me fall."Think you're something special, don’t you?” he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Well, let's see how special you are down here. No light, no one to hear you scream."I met his gaze, r
Vera’s POVThe cold stung my skin, seeping into every bone, every muscle, until even breathing felt like a reminder of where I was, and what I’d become. I’d lost track of the days—how many of them had been spent alone in this dark, forgotten cell with no sound but the occasional drip of water and my own shallow breaths? Even when I strained to listen, I couldn’t make out any footsteps, any voices. Only silence, creeping in and swallowing every last piece of warmth left in me.I knew that I wasn’t just here because of my ties to Derek. They wanted to break me, to make an example out of someone they saw as dangerous, defiant. Sylvester was supposed to protect me, but I hadn’t seen his face, heard his voice, or felt any semblance of his presence. He’d turned his back, just like the rest of them.My fingers curled into fists as the rage simmered just below the surface. Every bruise, every ache that pulsed through my body, only reminded me of what they wanted me to feel—small, helpless. Bu
*Vera’s POV**“You useless Omega bitch!” My stepfather Derek roared, yanking a fistful of my hair.“No! Father, please!” I screamed, tears filling my eyes as pain shot through my scalp. He tore at my hair, but I knew he wasn’t going to let go. “Shut up, you foolish little slut! You deserve far worse than this. How dare you steal from me?” He spat at me, his voice dripping with venom.“I didn’t steal from you, sir! I’m not a thief!” I cried, but my words fell on deaf ears. He shoved me to the ground, his boot connecting with my stomach. I screamed in pain, but deep down, I knew it was pointless—no one was coming to save me.“No, you’re far worse than a thief. You’re a shameless, lying Omega slut who killed her own mother!” he hissed.“Please, sir, it wasn’t me,” I begged, trying to make him see reason. “Then who was it? Who stole my money?” he demanded.“It—it was Amanda. I saw her going through your drawers while you were sleeping,” I stammered, instantly regretting it. We both knew