Rykor's POVI stood there, feeling no regret about pouring my heart out to Nikita. I had to do it. I had to make her understand how deeply I felt for her. Every word had come from a place of truth. And when I saw that single tear slide down her cheek, it took everything in me not to reach out and wipe it away. It felt wrong, so painfully wrong, to stand there knowing I could never touch her. But I couldn’t just stand silently, pretending nothing was between us.I didn’t know what she was going to do next. She might run. She might order me out of her kingdom, or she may just reach out and end my life now without a second thought. But one thing I knew for certain was that I had to get my feelings out. I couldn’t keep them locked inside any longer. She had to know that I wasn’t going anywhere, even if it meant pain, even if it meant heartache.The silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. And after what felt like a lifetime, she finally looked up at me. Her eyes were still fil
Rykor's POVThe morning air was crisp as I made my way over to Nikita’s kingdom. The sun had barely risen, casting a soft glow over the landscape. I was up early, eager to see her. I found myself sitting at the dining table, waiting for her, my thoughts spinning.The soft creak of a door echoed through the quiet room, and I lifted my head to see her walking around the corner. A smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. She hadn’t noticed me yet. She was lost in her own little world, just like always. The way her long black hair cascaded down her back, the way her body moved with perfect grace—it was all so mesmerising. Everything about her, every inch of her, turned me on in a way I couldn’t explain.I stayed seated, just watching her, admiring the woman in front of me. The curve of her hips, the quiet confidence in her stride—she was stunning. But when she lifted her head, and her eyes slowly began to turn toward me, I could feel it. She could sense me, feel my presence. She ha
Nikita's POVRykor’s words hit me like a slap, each one piercing through the walls I had carefully constructed around myself. I had always known my pack feared me. It was something I accepted as part of the role I was forced into. But for him to say I needed to guide them, help them become stronger, to not have them shy away every time they saw me—it didn’t make sense. They were mine to control, mine to rule with the strength that my curse gave me. Fear was the only thing that kept them in line. Fear of me, just like they had feared my father.I stared at him, my expression cold, the mask I wore tightening in place. He was still watching me, studying every movement, every shift in my posture. And I couldn’t help but feel that judgment slicing through me like a blade.He continued to look around, taking in my pack’s village, the people who lived here, the ones who had given their loyalty—or their obedience—to me. I could feel the guilt start to creep in, gnawing at me. What had I creat
Nikita's POVI stood in front of the mirror, staring at the light blue dress I was wearing. It was nothing like what I was used to—flowy, light, and soft. It didn’t fit me. I didn’t fit it. The fabric itched against my skin, the colour unfamiliar and uncomfortable. I had become so accustomed to my black leather, the tight, harsh material symbolising the only life I knew. The life I had to build around my curse. The life that kept everyone at a distance.But this dress? It felt like a foreign world, one I didn’t belong in. I hated it.I pulled my gloves up higher, trying to shield my hands from the world. The black marks that covered my skin burned under the fabric, itching as if they were rejecting the softness of the dress, just like I was rejecting the idea of it.Rykor's voice broke through my thoughts. “What do you think?”I turned to look at him, nearly tripping over the long hem of the dress. “I hate it. I don’t understand what my clothes have to do with making my pack fear me l
Nikita's POVWhen I woke, the sun filtered through the curtains, and my mind was clouded with doubts. The events of yesterday still lingered in my thoughts—the promise I had made to my pack, the changes I was trying to bring about. But as the light streamed through the window, I couldn’t help but feel that maybe, just maybe, I had failed before I even began. Could I truly lead them to a better place? Were they too far gone, too set in their ways to ever change?I dragged myself out of bed, still feeling the weight of the world on my shoulders. I moved to the window, needing some fresh air and some clarity. But what I saw stopped me in my tracks.There were people at the training grounds—more people than I had ever seen there before. They were working together, cleaning up the space, fixing the worn-down equipment, and rebuilding what had been left to rot. I blinked, unsure if my eyes were deceiving me. This couldn’t be real. Had I really seen this?As if he sensed my gaze, Rykor turn
Rykor's POVNikita’s voice, weak and breathless, barely reached my ears as she stood before me, struggling against something I couldn’t understand. “It’s too much… why is it so hot?” Her words were ragged, filled with confusion and a desperate need for relief.I froze, my mind racing. Her skin was flushed, eyes wide and filled with panic, and I could feel the tension in the air as the temperature around her rose. My chest tightened, the scent of her hitting me like a wave, but it wasn’t her familiar scent—this was something different, something dangerous.She suddenly started to rip at her clothes, her fingers shaking as she tore at the fabric. “Nikita, stop!” I called, moving closer, my voice cracking with the urgency I felt in my chest. But she didn’t listen. She kept pulling, her clothes falling away in fragments, and I could see her growing more frantic, murmuring about how unbearably hot it was.“Nikita! What are you doing?” My voice was a low command, but it didn’t reach her. Sh
Rykor's POVI followed Thorne out of the palace, my mind whirling with confusion and desperation. What had he meant by "helping" me? Thorne had never been one to seek out magic. He tolerated it because it was what I wanted, but I knew he didn’t fully agree with the use of it.As we walked, I couldn’t help but glance over at him, my curiosity growing. He was quiet, but I could feel the tension in his shoulders, the discomfort in the air. When we reached the area where the pack practised magic, Thorne spoke to one of the other pack members, exchanging a few words before returning with two vials in his hands. He handed them to me, his expression guarded."I don’t agree with this," Thorne said, his voice low. "Or whatever it is that you have going on with her. I think it’s damaging to our pack." He paused for a moment, clearly conflicted. "But you are my Alpha and, more importantly, my friend. So here."I took the vials from his hands, my fingers brushing against his as I held them. “What
Rykors povWeightlessness wrapped around me as I blinked into consciousness. A soft, almost otherworldly light bathed the room, making everything feel surreal. For a moment, a shadow of confusion passed over me—had I crossed into the afterlife? But realisation anchored me as I recognised the surroundings as Nikita’s room. Her soft whimper cut through the haze, drawing my gaze to her huddled in the bath, face etched with pain.“Nikita,” I called, urgency as I rushed to her side. “Are you okay?”Her eyes fluttered open, thick with fear and exhaustion. "What's happening?" she whispered, voice barely above a breath.The heat coming from her was palpable, engulfing the steamy air around us. "I don't know," I replied, worry threading through my voice.“It hurts," she breathed, a plea hidden in her tone. "Please, make it stop."I reached out gently to brush the damp hair from her scorching forehead. She shied away from my hand, tears lingering in her eyes as she looked up at me. "You can't,"
Rykor's POVMy cries reverberated through the air, each scream a visceral wail of helplessness and fury. “Nikita!” The word tore from my throat, slicing through the cacophony of voices and chaos around me. But nothing seemed real, nothing tangible except the image of Nikita's unmoving form on the cold, harsh ground. Pain speared through me, raw and unforgiving, as if her injury was mirrored in my heart.I thrashed against the guards' hold, instincts screaming to reach her. Hands gripped my arms, pinning me back, their voices an incomprehensible roar in my ears. Nothing mattered but the need to see her breathe, a flicker of life that would extinguish the darkness threatening to consume me.“Help her! Somebody help her!” I bellowed, my voice cracking with desperation. The Elder's voice cut through, a barrier of authority I couldn't breach. "Enough! No one touches her!"Rage erupted within me like a wildfire, igniting violence in my veins. I fought with every ounce of strength, clawing
Nikitas PovI stood there, watching Yuri come rushing towards me, his sword ready to end my life. I didn't flinch or move; it was a decision I had made. If dying by his hand meant my pack would be safe from the chaos and destruction he course, then so be it. The bite of fear was absent, replaced instead by a serene acceptance of my fate.Yuri's scream echoed in the air as he made one final leap. Time seemed to slow, his approach taking eons. I closed my eyes, waiting for the cold kiss of steel and the subsequent void. The strike connected with a disturbingly soft sound, a sharp, searing pain slicing through my torso. Reflexively, I let out a gasping breath, opening my eyes to see the sword penetrating through me. It was surreal, like watching someone else succumb to their destiny.The blood that welled forth wasn't red but a deep, tar-like black. The curse. It seemed to mock every iota of ordinary life, even now. I glanced down, seeing Rykor pinning Yuri to the ground, fists raining d
Rykor's povI sat there listening to Iian speak with a conviction that pulled at the threads of my own heart. Every word he said resonated with the truth I'd come to understand about Nikita. Her curse was her burden, but she bore it with a grace most would never recognize. A light flickered within her despite the shadow of her curse, and it was that light I found myself drawn to.As Iian finished speaking, his loyalty unwavering and raw, I realised there was a shift in the room. The crowd, once baying for Nikita's blood, now murmured with confusion and uncertainty. The Elders, perched in their positions of power, leaned back, absorbing the weight of Iian's testimony. Yuri's mouth twisted into a sneer, a snake coiled and ready to strike, yet Iian didn't flinch."If you sentence my Alpha to death today," Iian started again, the weight of his words sinking into every corner of the room, "then you will need to do the same to me. Because I promise you, I will make you pay for this injustic
Nikita’s POV: "Very well then," his voice cut through the tension, rubbing the bridge of his nose with weariness. "Nikita Dalbullas, you have been called upon by the council to account for your actions and those of your fathers."I sat motionless, listening as he continued, the words like stones thrown into the quiet sea of the chamber."We have reviewed all your father's records," he said, anger shadowing his voice. “Alongside the documents presented today. There are reports from your own pack members listing the changes you have implemented. Yet…” He paused, looking directly at me, his eyes darkened with judgment. "The crimes you have committed are too severe to ignore. Despite the improvements in your leadership, you have continued to break our laws."The sudden creak of doors echoed through the room, and I turned instinctively. What I saw made my heart sink. Iian and other rogues I had welcomed into my pack were being forced into the room, iron shackles on their wrists, the clank
Nikita's POVThe iron cuffs, cold and unforgiving, chafed at my wrists as I sat in the dimly lit room. My eyes traced the intricate designs etched into the metal, memories of their purpose flooding my mind. The Elders’ guards had ushered Rykor away, putting him into another room. I wanted to ask him about the book he had given them; every journal besides the one that I had kept had already been given to the elders, so what was written in the one he had given them?Time crept forward like a burdensome fog, each second a haunting echo that seemed to stretch into eternity. The weight of my fate pressed heavily on me. I hated waiting, not knowing what was to become of me. Finally, after what felt like hours, the door creaked open, an Elder stepping forward. “Nikita,” his voice boomed. “We are ready for you now.”My heart raced as I stood and followed him down the corridor I wasn't scared, but I couldn't control it. Each step was a countdown to an uncertain destiny, the echoes in the hall
Rykors povAs I emerged from the carriage, the crisp coolness of Elder City enveloped me. My eyes immediately caught sight of another carriage, the insignia unmistakable. Nikita was already here. My heart sank. I had hoped to reach the Elders before her, to plead her case, to argue that her past did not define her future. Her father's sins should not be her shackles.Without wasting another moment, I strode towards her carriage. The driver, a grizzled man with weary eyes, acknowledged me with a nod. “Where is she?” I demanded, urgency slipping into my voice."In the council chamber," he replied. "Been there for hours. The Elders are not treating her well; it doesn’t bode well for her."My pulse quickened as I dashed up the stone steps, each one feeling like an eternity. When I burst through the heavy oak doors, my gaze immediately fell upon her. Nikita was seated on a rough wooden bench, her eyes cast downward, fixed on her cuffed hands. Her cloak covered her tremors of uncertainty, a
Nikitas pov I turned on my heel, and there he was—Yuri. His face had barely changed since the last time I saw him, the same predatory glint in his eyes, the same smirk poised to taunt. I felt my heart thud heavily against my chest, an instinctive response, a reminder of the hatred lying dormant but never forgotten."Yuri," I said, my voice carrying the chill of winter past. Just the sound of his name seemed to scrape against my soul, dredging up memories I'd fought to bury.He started toward me, his steps deliberate, eyes roving as though he were cataloguing every aspect of my discomfort. "This look suits you," he taunted, his gaze lingering on the iron kissed by the shadows of my cloak.A stirring of dread rippled through me, but I stood firm, defiance simmering beneath my skin. "I don't need my hands to kill you," I replied, each word tempered with steel.Instead of retreating, Yuri laughed, the sound echoing like shards of glass in the empty hall. "We've been here before, Nikita.
Nikitas pov As dawn began to drape the horizon with its gentle light, I found myself cloaked in solitude, nestled within the carriage that would escort me to the Elders' city. The rhythmic clatter of the wheels against the cobblestones was a soundtrack that matched the tumultuous cadence of my thoughts. I preferred to travel alone, with no guards, not even Iian by my side. This was a journey I had to undertake without them. After all, there was little sense in dragging others into the focal point of my fate—a fate heavy with the sins of my father.The outline of the Elders' city emerged intricately against the morning light. I clutched my father’s journal tightly under the folds of my cloak. Its presence was both a source of comfort and a haunting reminder of the legacy I had inherited. My father had managed to evade justice for the crimes he committed, shaping me into a creature burdened by the weight of his misdeeds. Yet, the irony remained—I would come to answer for his sins, to f
Nikitas pov I sat there, the journal trembling in my hands, as Rykor's presence hovered like a storm cloud ready to break. The air was thick with unspoken tension, a silent acknowledgment of the darkness that lingered within these stone walls. My father's last words echoed in my mind, unravelling decades of pain and regret that had been woven into the fabric of my existence."Nikita, are you ready for us to start taking the journals and having them loaded?" Iian's voice cut through the air, a gentle reminder that time was slipping away. I could see the worry etched in his face, a depth of concern that threatened to reach me through the steel-enforced walls I'd built around my heart.Before I could respond, Rykor's voice, full of urgency, interjected. "You can't let her do this, Nikita. The Elders will not be kind once they read all of this."The weight of Rykor’s plea pressed on me like a boulder teetering on the edge of a cliff. I met his gaze, holding my ground, not letting any sig