*Dante de Gallo*My head is pounding, and I feel like I have a subscription to a jackhammer. My skull feels like it’s splitting. I groaned when I tried to move just enough to grab a mug of steaming tea. The clatter of dishes, the layers of conversations, and, above all, the mingling of smells were not helping me at all. I found myself breathing through my mouth and praying for mercy after yesterday's foolishness."I told you to stop at scotch; you insisted on that damn moonshine. Now suffer." Nanyou, my best friend and partner in crime, chirped, delighting in my misery. I looked at him through slightly swollen eyelids, and although I tried to give him a murderous glare, I suspected from his amused expression that I appeared as if I had suffered a stroke."Why didn't you stop me?" I asked, even as my breath still carried a stench of booze. I had overdone it. Yesterday, or rather this morning, I had gone too far. My father would scold me if he found out that his pride and joy had failed
*Poppy*I was fidgeting in the backseat, clutching my documents. Outside the window, the trees merged into a beautiful landscape of colors, from dark greens to browns, oranges, and reds. Autumn has come. I loved this time of year the most.Not only did nature spoil us with colors, but the air smelled different. Evening walks seemed more romantic. Morning runs gave me energy, and pumpkin dishes were one of my favorites. Not to mention autumn evenings with wine and reading by the warm fireplace.I sighed as I considered my romance novel collection, which decorated the living room bookcase. I also remembered the smell of a caramel candy apple latte on the table and the tender stroking of my partner sitting with me on the couch."We are approaching the gate. Prepare for inspection."My driver said over his shoulder as he turned onto a wide gravel road in the middle of a multicolored forest.My heart leaped into my throat, and my grip on the documents tightened. There was no turning back. I
*Poppy*The office was huge and elegantly decorated, but it was also intimidating. I nervously walked to one of the petitioners' chairs and waited for permission to sit down.The Queen gestured to a chair, and I quickly sat, watching as King Alexander walked over to his large oak desk and sat down in his giant leather chair, staring at me with a slightly offended expression. Queen Anastasia stood at his side and put her hand on his shoulder, pressuring him to behave."'How may I help you, Luna Hopkins?" the King asked, clasping his hands before him."Or should I say, Mrs. Hopkins? Because Luna isn't your title anymore." He added, slightly lowering his voice to a cold one.I gulped, glanced at the documents in my hands, and cleared my throat. I looked bravely into his eyes, placed the documents on his desk, and straightened up in my chair."I would like to request the opportunity to exercise Luna's Law." I sang loudly, almost shouting. I quickly corrected my tone and repeated it, quiet
*Poppy*I stood at the sink, washing the dishes after breakfast, looking out the window for my swift, agile little girl. She moved incredibly fast for a girl of almost five, rivaling an eight-year-old's strength.My pride and joy just flashed past my window like lightning bolts, and all I noticed was her blonde hair floating in the wind."Gem, please don't run so fast. And don't get too far away," I lectured my naughty daughter, laughing as I heard her groan in exasperation."But I'm training to outdo Trevor in the upcoming races." Gemma climbed onto the bench by the kitchen window and stuck out her sweet, chubby, wind-red face, piercing me with her big, intense blue eyes."Honey, Trevor is ten years old and Alpha's son." I reminded her, leaning down to look at her through the glass. "Besides, no one will allow you to compete in senior events. Your age group is not yet allowed to compete in official ranking events, and from what Ms. Coltrane told me, you have been suspended from the e
*Logan*I glanced at the road before me with an absentminded face. I looked at the navigation panel and sighed at the sight of another two hours of driving before I reached my destination. I've never wanted to tear Lex apart as much as I do now. Not only did he turn me into an errand boy, but he only gave me two days to do so."Who does he think he is? Almighty?" I drawled as I stepped on the gas.'He's a king, so technically he's almighty. He can even give orders to a pompous asshole like you.' Gunnar, my lycan, mocked.'Thanks for your support, pal. We'll see who's an asshole when you have to sleep with that red-headed witch.' I told him off.Gunnar was furious when we mentioned the pompous, cynical woman who gave us a headache. His distaste for Princess Margo mirrors my own for her human form, Matilde. Just the thought of this woman makes me want to vomit. Not that she's ugly or gross, but every meeting ends with arguments and destruction for some reason. We seem not to get along a
*Logan*I sat in the farthest corner of the tent with a baseball hat on my head, trying to hide from the prying eyes. This task bordered on a miracle because my aura, not only as a royal but as a Lycan, was more intense and noticeable. From the moment I parked the car, I attracted curious eyes. I only hoped they would mistake me for Mr. Bernard in disguise, not someone of royal blood.Albert explained everything to me, or at least what he knew, suggesting that much more was hidden beneath the top that needed to be revealed. I already know that the woman I am picking up is Poppy Hopkins, a former Luna or current one. She was a member of the Larch Grove Pack, who was allowed to use Luna's Law to bring justice and punish Alpha and his Luna for their wrongs against the pack members and his rightful Luna and heir.I must admit that I greatly admire a woman who decided to challenge the stronger one and intends to fight him for the sake of her daughter. Gunnar shuddered to hear that any Alph
*Logan*Albert promised to take me to Mrs. Hopkins right after his son's race, his first entry into the tournament for aspiring warriors this year. This custom originated many years ago and is celebrated in every pack. I remember taking part in them when I was ten years old.Each young member, regardless of gender or species, participated in a tournament in which their predispositions to later ranks were tested. From an early age, people checked whether they were fit to be warriors, trainers, trackers, scouts, or even the highest ranks, such as beta or alpha. Thanks to this annual competition, leaders can even be selected.I moved over three hundred yards away from the tent, perfectly hidden in the tree line with still perfect visibility of the event. Trevor lined up at the starting line with six other kids in his age group, ready to run. Trevor is a complete dad, not only in appearance but also in character. The boy loved jokes and pranks but stopped at nothing to defend those humili
*Poppy*I stared at the beautiful Audi's taillights, gripping the steering wheel. My heart was beating to the rhythm of the song coming from the radio, perfectly matching my situation to its lyrics. I just trusted a handsome stranger to help me win my battle."Mommy, will I be a princess if we live in a palace?" Gemma asked from the backseat, bored with repeatedly looking through her favorite book.I glanced in the rearview mirror at her smiling, hopeful face, "You'll always be a princess to me, honey, but you'd have to be a king's daughter or marry a prince to become one truly. And we won't live in the palace, honey. Mommy will be there training, so we will probably stay in a guest house." I explained to my dreamy daughter, who was already making a thoughtful face."And if you marry Logan, will I become a princess?" She asked, shocking me so much that I lost control of the steering wheel and veered slightly to the side of the road."Shit." I cursed and quickly returned to the road. "
*Dante de Gallo*My head is pounding, and I feel like I have a subscription to a jackhammer. My skull feels like it’s splitting. I groaned when I tried to move just enough to grab a mug of steaming tea. The clatter of dishes, the layers of conversations, and, above all, the mingling of smells were not helping me at all. I found myself breathing through my mouth and praying for mercy after yesterday's foolishness."I told you to stop at scotch; you insisted on that damn moonshine. Now suffer." Nanyou, my best friend and partner in crime, chirped, delighting in my misery. I looked at him through slightly swollen eyelids, and although I tried to give him a murderous glare, I suspected from his amused expression that I appeared as if I had suffered a stroke."Why didn't you stop me?" I asked, even as my breath still carried a stench of booze. I had overdone it. Yesterday, or rather this morning, I had gone too far. My father would scold me if he found out that his pride and joy had failed
*Dante de Gallo*"Listen to me, Allegra, and listen closely." I turned to my sister as our jet landed at the small airport, making our way toward the VIP hangar. Our relationship has always been complicated, filled with both protectiveness and frustration. "I’m here to investigate some ridiculous case and plan to do it as quickly as possible. Don't interfere, don't step in my way, and most importantly, don't go after that insufferable royal jerk. I don't have time to babysit you, and I have no intention of instigating a conflict with the Brantfords. Keep your hands to yourself, and don't think I don't know why you're here." I threatened her with my finger, even though Allegra looked at me as if I was unjustly accusing her. "You're still obsessed with him," I confronted her, and she momentarily widened her eyes. "You better stop this because once your lycan detects your mate, you don't want to break her heart by choosing an unworthy jerk over the blessed love sent to you by the Goddes
*Dante de Gallo*"You have to be kidding me, Dad," I growled, hearing his latest request. I turned suddenly, checking if the joke on his lips matched his equally smiling face, but it didn’t. Unfortunately, his sincere expression suggested I was not dealing with a joking father but a king giving an order."You want me to go to the States as a European royal representative because the Supreme Council called a meeting for a frivolous reason?" I asked, making sure that my reasoning included the entire situation. "Yes. And as the future King Dante, you must learn to keep your grudges tucked away and perform your duties respectfully and passionately." He scolded me, recalling my quarrel with one of the Brantford brothers. I narrowed my eyes at the old man but kept quiet and nodded before he dismissed me from the damn office. How the hell does he expect me to fulfill my duties with this jerk taunting me every chance he gets?'Fuck that princeling. Let's make our father proud and resolve the
*Logan*My eyes flew open, and the bright light of the fluorescent lamps made me wince. I quickly closed them again, but the groan that escaped my lips drew people's attention in the room. I heard footsteps, gasps, and murmurs of concern, but none sounded familiar."Let's dim the lights. Our prince appears to be sensitive to brightness." I heard a man chuckle, and irritation washed over me. My gut suggested I recognized the owner of the voice, but my mind felt blank."Logan, try again. It's almost dark in here, " the same voice said. I pried my eyes open slowly, and I saw a face that stirred something inside me. I wasn't sure if it was a positive or negative feeling."How are you feeling, Prince Logan? We’re glad to see you back," the face said, concern etched on it. I contemplated his words and focused on my body's reaction. There was no pain, burning, soreness, or anything alarming—just my weak Lycan, which seems to take a while to recuperate."I'm fine," I replied, attempting to si
*Logan*My brain felt melting, turning all my memories, thoughts, and desires into a gooey blend. Everything merged into a discolored mass, only to suddenly scatter into millions of separate images—each one incomplete or blurred. At one moment, I saw my parents; at another, I caught glimpses of my siblings. There were also fleeting images of women who had significance in my life—some more than others—but each had something that made me remember them.The pain that accompanied this, as I suppose, the resetting process was so terrible that I began to beg all the heavens for mercy. I felt nothing but a pulsating, pressing blow on my temples comparable to the blows of a jackhammer. My body vibrated and then squeezed as if I were a wrung-out rag. Even the heat that suddenly enveloped my body was almost scalding. I felt like a crab being cooked alive. Everything was unbearable, and I couldn't remember how I entered this state.Why do I have to endure this torture at all? I don't know; even m
*Poppy*I stood frozen, staring at the space where my mother had stood just a few milliseconds ago, asking, no, begging me not to accept anything my own old home had to offer. Her voice, gnawing with emotion, still echoes in my head, and her skeletal, crying posture replays like a looped image."What the fuck?" I asked in shock, but my stomach suddenly interrupted and forced me to act.I clamped my hand over my mouth and dashed towards the bathroom like fleeing a fire. I collapsed onto the icy tiles, and with alarming speed, I leaned over the toilet and began to retch. It was a relentless assault, each wave bringing with it shivers, tears, and a lump not in my stomach but in my throat. The most unbearable part was the strange aftertaste that lingered in my mouth after each expulsion.'What's going on here, Pops? I feel this strange taste and churning in my stomach, but I don't feel any other poisoning symptoms.' Iris, my she-wolf, began to analyze our bodies, trying to understand what
*Poppy*I sat there as if I was sentenced, feeling all the eyes on me. They weren't pleasant, but they didn't exude fear, but cold. I felt unwanted, unnecessary, and even out of place. What happened to them? Had Seamus manipulated them so much that they believed everything he said? I don't know, but something was odd here.Iris was silent, trying to ignore each one of them and not think that we had spent over twenty years of our lives with these people, laughing, having fun, and making mischief. It was pathetic that one man could turn over a hundred people against me."Let's go out of here. I feel like having breakfast outside. It stinks of rot in here." Easton threw his napkin on the table and stood up loudly.All eyes turned to him, and he gave them a challenging look. They didn't like the insult, but none dared to retort to the royal Lycan."You're right. Why poison yourself before a duel."I agreed, stood up ostentatiously from the table, and walked with Easton towards the buffet.
*Poppy*I didn't have time to look inside the pack house because I was exhausted. The whole day today, although short, was exhausting for me, and all I could think about was a hot shower, a nice dinner, and a warm, comfortable bed. Still holding me under my arm, Easton and I climbed up to the second floor, where the guest rooms were, and I went to the last door on the right, where there was an apartment with two separate bedrooms and bathrooms. On the way, we stopped by the master Omega's room and picked up both sets of keys. The woman's face was priceless because she instantly paled when she looked at me. She looked like she had seen a ghost, and she probably had. Who knows what nonsense Seamus had told them while I was gone? I knew her; she was one of the two deputies of the previous head omega who somehow managed to climb the ladder, and now they call her Luna. I am filled with rage every time I remember her betrayal. It hurt more than Seamus's. Amanda Slone, now twenty-eight yea
*Poppy*My smile was still etched when Eason swerved the car onto the road to the main entrance. Without waiting for the guards to open it, he sped up and forced it to open. I squealed and closed my eyes out of fear and excitement, but Easton only howled as he drove further into the land.Of course, as expected, our entry caused alarm and panic, which only made us laugh even more. We had just invaded the pack, and we knew there was nothing they could do to us for it. Easton sped up and turned on the music from his phone connected to the panel again, and the sounds of "Sabotage" exploded from the speakers again. Easton opened all the windows and treated our companions to our eccentric entrance. The way through the alleys flew by at a dizzying pace, and we shouted the lyrics from the bottom of our hearts, nodding our heads and getting into the rhythm. We were escorted by several giant werewolves in their animal form, growling at us warningly. Easton didn't dare stop. When the row of tre