I’m not sure how I know this, but I know Braden is going to come see me today. Okay, I do know. Right before he slipped my mask back on last time, I planted a few ideas in his head. They fit perfectly with his twisted fantasies, but instead of starring someone else, I had them slowly morph into me. Knowing that Claudia has no intention of ever letting Braden touch her again makes it easier to predict his next move. So, I wait. And I wait.When I finally hear the snap of the trapdoor he uses to access this loft space, a smirk tugs at my lips. Blue balls really do leave men desperate, and Braden is getting desperate. He isn’t built to lead, and now that his head is finally on the chopping block, he’s making mistake after mistake. His biggest one? He wants to do everything himself, afraid someone might challenge him like he once planned to do with Ansel. What he doesn’t realize is that it leaves him isolated. Alone. And that’s where Claudia and I come in.His two queens, circling, ready
Braden leads me to one of the bedrooms on the third floor, as far away as possible from where I might cross paths with Claudia—at least until he can unveil his grand surprise that I’ve returned. The thought of stepping into my old bedroom tomorrow sends a ripple of discomfort through me, but I shove it aside. Instead, I focus on settling into this temporary space, taking in the soft furnishings, the thick velvet curtains, and the plush bed that looks far too inviting for what I have planned.Without my mask, I feel freer, lighter, though not entirely unburdened. Braden didn’t exactly trust me with nothing, so he left the iron bangle on my wrist—or what he thinks is an iron bangle. It’s amusing how much focus a man loses when his trousers are around his ankles. Oh well.“Thank you,” I murmur, because anything is better than the attic, and it’s expected of me to show some measure of gratitude. I smile, demure and sweet, letting my magic unfurl like a soft, silken blanket, slipping unnoti
I wake to find Braden hovering above my face, his grin wide and gleaming — the kind of excited smile a child wears on Christmas morning. Only this isn’t joyful, it’s terrifying.“Morning, baby. How did you sleep?” he coos, handing me a steaming mug of herbal tea as I shuffle upright. The floral scent wafts up, but it turns my stomach. I give him a brief smile, forcing my lips to curve as I take the cup, though a part of me doesn’t want to drink it. Who knows what’s in it?“You’re very excited this morning,” I say, keeping my voice light, masking the subtle tremor in my hand as I lift the cup.“The doctor is on the way, and I’ve found the perfect person to join our union.” His grin stretches impossibly wider as I arch a brow, trying to hide the surge of panic inside me.The doctor. Here.Oh fuck.I’m about to be caught in a lie, and then... I swallow hard. Deal with it when it happens, Claudia. Maybe I could beg him to let me go in on my own, make some excuse that I lost the baby? No,
Of course, I don’t rest.Braden tells me what room we’ll be in tonight, like he’s already planned every detail. I tell him I want to rest there ahead of time — make myself comfortable. He barely glances at me, waving a dismissive hand as if I’m just being a silly little girl. “Do whatever you need to do,” he says, bored and smug.I smile, small and tight, because all I have to do is survive the next few hours. Then this nightmare ends.He turns toward his office, but when he catches me pulling a knife from the kitchen block, his posture stiffens. His eyes flicker with suspicion, narrowing like a predator sensing a shift.“What’s that for?” His voice sharpens just slightly, the edges curling with warning.I soften my face instantly, slipping on the mask I’ve worn so well. I bat my lashes, making sure my smile touches my eyes. “The initiation. You wanted us to be marked together…” I trail off, lowering my voice to a whisper.His pupils dilate. His grin is slow, wolfish, laced with hunge
We both wait in the bathroom, dressed and ready. Our hair is teased to towering heights, lips painted in bold crimson, and the sheer robes clinging to us feel like spiderwebs draped over our skin. The harnesses underneath bite into our flesh with every slight movement. The heels — tall, thin, cruel — make my ankles wobble with each shift of weight. The marble floor beneath us is icy, amplifying the chill crawling up my spine. I can't shake the certainty that I'll break something before this night is over.Gaia primps her hair, eyes sharp in the mirror, then casually slips the gold bangle from her wrist, revealing a pale mark underneath where it pressed too tightly.“What’s that for?” I ask, voice thinner than I’d like.She smirks. “To suppress my magic.”My brows shoot up. I suddenly forget to breathe as she giggles. “It’s meant to be iron, and that’s what Braden thinks it is. Now remember — we start with his plan. I’ll give you a wink when he’s fully under my control. Then... we have
We slip quickly into the clothes Gaia had told Braden to have the maid bring. Relief floods me as I strip away the harness how it dug into my skin painfully, pulling on leggings and a plain t-shirt, trading the image of a gilded whore for something human again. The cotton feels rough against my clammy skin, but I welcome it.“We move to phase two,” Gaia says, voice sharp, almost gleeful, as she shoves her hair into a messy ponytail and laces her worn trainers. I nod, mechanically following. The air tastes like stale perfume and old wood, heavy with the scent of Braden’s depravity.Gaia has found one of the guards — Harry — who, let’s just say, has an unhealthy fondness for Braden. Harry waits for us outside the bedroom. We hear Braden through the door before we even open it. His grunts, the manic creak of the bed frame, the wet slap of skin on plastic as he continues to defile the mannequin. My stomach clenches. Harry leans casually against the wall, expressionless, as though he’s wa
Gaia types furiously, fingers pounding the keyboard like she's driving nails into Braden’s coffin.“Where did you get those?” I whisper, throat tightening as medical records flicker onto the screen. My medical records. Each highlighted word exposes what Braden did to me, like wounds torn open for everyone to see.“Don’t hate me,” Gaia murmurs, voice small but determined. Without hesitation, she writes cruel, unfiltered truths about Braden and calls for a pack-wide vote on who should challenge him.My stomach twists. They need to know — gods, they need to know — but now every pack knows. Every Alpha, every warrior, every elder. My shame, my pain, sprawled across the screen.“They need to know, Claudie,” Gaia says, voice steady but her eyes glisten with restrained emotion. “If they don’t, they’ll never believe it. This is depraved, yes, but does it proves he isn’t fit to lead?: Her eyes flick to the screen. "We have to bury him completely. If anyone stays loyal, they’ll challenge us the
“Claudie?” Gaia chokes, her voice raw as she kneels in front of Braden, wheezing. I press the knife tighter against his neck, but he thrashes beneath me, trying to scramble free. I hadn’t fully believed it until now — that Braden would sink so low — but the feeling gnaws at me.The feeling I would get when holding the whip was unsettling. Deep inside, I know. The truth hits me with a cold finality. Even Leon looked disgusted when he saw it, like he recognized it for what it is. The whipe, his spine still carries the faint scent of my father — distant, but unmistakable — clinging to the metal like a ghost. How had I not noticed it before? I used his bones to carve up my mate all for a man who made me think he loved me. “Do you deny it?” I snarl, pressing the blade harder, my jaw aching from how tight I’m clenching it. Braden, weak and bloodied, just chuckles. The sound curdles in my stomach. He hasn't suffered enough. We’ve been far too lenient. The shock freezes me for a second, enou
Epliogue Part 2Thirty Years LaterToday is the day Grey finally moves out of the castle. My youngest is ready to explore the world on his own. None of the other kids have moved far, not really. But this feels different. This is him leaving. He won’t be under our roof anymore. And even though we have centuries together, it doesn’t make this any easier. My heart still aches at the thought of his absence echoing through the halls.What doesn’t help is the fact that Gaia and I both believe his mate is her daughter, Summer. Which means he’ll be hours away from us, living at the New Moon Pack. Gaia and Reid are thrilled at the idea. Honestly, I sometimes suspect Gaia’s been nudging fate with her magic… except her spells have no effect on Summer, and Grey never seems to react to any of Gaia’s not-so-subtle hints that they should mark each other.Summer and Grey have been inseparable since they were little. Every year, we’d spend the summers with the New Moon Pack, or Gaia, Reid, and Summer w
Epilogue Ten Years LaterThose years with Braden feel like nothing more than a distant memory. There was a time I couldn’t imagine being happy or free like I am now. That’s not to say the nightmares don’t still come—those nights I jolt awake in a cold sweat, heart racing, lungs gasping for air as if I’m still trapped in that hell. But all it takes is a glance into the storm-grey eyes of my mate, and the past fades like smoke. I’m here. I’m safe. It’s over.The last ten years pass in a blur. It’s only when our son arrives that I truly feel the weight of all the children I lost. Pregnancy, as joyful as it is, terrifies me. I dread something going wrong, haunted by the possibility that Braden’s poisons still lurk in my blood, waiting to strike. That's really when the nightmares came once again. The birth is… intense. I’d like to say it went smoothly. But Leo, on the other hand? I see clumps of his thick dark hair littering the hospital floor by the time the nurse is telling me to push.
Things are finally settling down and becoming normal again. Leo and I work hard, but we play hard too. It’s exactly how I always pictured my life would be when I was younger—only now, it’s my reality.“There you are, baby. I’ve been looking for you.”I’d know that voice anywhere. Every hair on my arms and along my neck prickles to attention. My stomach drops.“No… no, you’re dead.” I whisper because it's the only thing that makes sense. I spin around, heart thundering in my chest. He stands there—Braden—his dark blue eyes gleaming with a sinister glint, his wolfish grin carved across his face like a predator who’s already won. I know that look too well now. Nothing good comes from that look. He strolls toward me, each step slow, measured, powerful. I stumble backward until the wall presses into my spine. My breath stutters. It doesn’t make sense. He’s dead.He stops just in front of me, reaching out to toy with a strand of my hair. His fingers are deceptively gentle until they tight
I feel a squeeze on my hand as silence creeps in, thick and heavy like a storm about to break. Even Erin glances our way, her eyes narrowing as if she can see straight through me—like there’s a neon sign on my forehead flashing the word Lycan.The crowd shifts subtly, a ripple through the mass of bodies. I follow it with my eyes until I see him—a man at the back moving with unnatural smoothness, like a shadow cutting through the haze of murmurs and hushed breathing. One of the guards. I recognize him; he usually works the front gate, stopping intruders from ever getting this far.He’s coming closer. Step by step.My pulse thunders in my ears.Should I pull Claudia behind me? Should I shift? Should I fight?I count the seconds, heart pounding, my beast snarling just under the surface. Claudia’s grip tightens on my hand—iron strong. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to.The man climbs the stairs to stand before us. My beast pushes forward, hackles rising, claws itching to tear through
We’ve called a pack meeting, and nerves twist in my gut like a coiled serpent. Claudia told me to come clean—about who I really am. It’s not that I don’t want to. This has been my pack for years; it’s my home. I know these people. I trust them. They’ve had my back through everything. But knowing I’m a lycan means other packs might come for us. They always do. No one likes someone stronger, faster, who heals quicker than the rest. Envy breeds discontent, and I don’t want to paint a target on my back—not when we’ve finally found peace. Not when we are about to have a family. At the same time, we need to explain what’s happened—why Gaia and Reid have left the Blood Moon pack, and why we’ve both been missing for the last few weeks. I’m getting ready now, trying to tame my hair from where Claudia’s fingers pulled at it through the night. I smooth down my shirt, ensuring it’s pressed just right before tightening my belt.Claudia appears in the doorway, her long, dark hair cascading like in
She sucks me deep, taking me into her throat with a moan that vibrates through my entire body. Her tongue swirls around the sensitive head, lapping up the precum already leaking from me. Her hand works in perfect rhythm with her mouth, pumping and twisting as she sucks me off like it’s the only thing she’s ever wanted to do.“Fuck, love,” I growl, my hands tangling in her hair as I thrust into her mouth, fucking her face with a desperation that matches her own. She gags slightly but doesn’t pull away, taking every inch of me like a fucking champion. The heat of her throat squeezes me, and the pressure coils tight in my gut, my balls heavy and aching.But she’s not done yet.She pulls off my cock with a wet pop, her lips swollen and shining with spit as she crawls up my body. Her tits brush against my chest, soft and maddening, leaving streaks of heat on my skin. She kisses me deep, and I taste myself on her tongue—salty, musky, and so fucking her. She reaches between us, guiding my co
We make it back to the Blood Moon pack in record time. Claudia falls asleep early into the car journey, with Erin joining her shortly after. Erin snores the entire way home, the sound sharp and grating, but it keeps me awake.It may have taken us a long time to get here, but I know now—nothing is going to come between us again. We are having a pup. Something I hadn’t dared to dream of, especially so soon. After everything Claudia has been through—every miscarriage, every tear, every ounce of pain—I had no expectations. I was happy just having the two of us for a while. But now? Now, everything is different.It does put a slight hitch in my plans, though. I need to check the library to see if it’s still possible. I want to change Claudia into a lycan. It’s a grueling process and there are risks, but after the time I spent away from her—after how Braden altered her mind so she no longer recognized me—I can’t risk anything like that happening again. More than anything, I want time with h
The BBQ goes well — the pack loves Gaia, and maybe they always have. She’s been here from the beginning, after all. She is one of them. With Reid by her side, I know that whatever lingering trauma she carries, he will be there to catch her if she stumbles. The two of them are annoyingly cute together.Leo’s arms are wrapped around me as the five of us settle into the quieter part of the garden, drinks in hand, our bellies full — probably more than full. I swear we’ve eaten twice our body weight. The smell of smoked herbs and charred vegetables still hangs in the air, making my mouth water despite the feast. And I’m eating for two now, so there’s always room. At least that is my excuse.“I think I’m going to like it here,” Reid muses, scratching his chin. Gaia is draped lazily across his lap, gazing at him like he’s hung the moon itself. He toys with her wild hair, curling it around his fingers, and the two of them look so achingly content it almost feels like we’re intruding.“I guess
There is a pack BBQ being set up in the garden of the Alpha mansion. The intricate bushes, towering trees, blooming flowers, and the gentle trickle of the pond all add to the loveliness of the day, but there is a hum beneath it, something stirring beneath the surface. To my surprise, Gaia is already in the thick of it, directing where the marquee and BBQ station are to be placed. She even has a few guards digging up part of the garden for a hog roast, their shovels biting into the earth with sharp, rhythmic thuds. There’s a pep in her step as she waltzes through the preparations, her eyes scanning every detail to make sure the decorations are just to her liking.I can’t help but wonder if everyone in the pack is secretly relieved now that Braden is gone — or if Gaia is using her persuasion magic to ease them into the transition. I can’t be sure. The energy feels too smooth, too compliant. But perhaps I am overthining it. When she spots me walking across the lawn, she runs toward me,