OLIVIA POVThe warmth of the water lingered on my skin as I stepped out of the bathroom, wrapping a towel snugly around me. Steam clouded the mirror above the sink, obscuring my reflection, but I could feel the lightness of my mood. Tonight was mine—my little rebellion. My little escape for the night to be with my number one rebel partner, Ben. I padded across the room toward my dresser, opening a jar of lotion. The subtle scent of vanilla filled the air as I trailed my fingers over my arms, rubbing the cream in absentmindedly. My gaze landed on the small mirror propped on the corner of the dresser, catching a glimpse of the intricate tattoo curling along my collarbone. The mark. My mark. With a soft smile, I turned to face the mirror more fully, letting the towel slip just enough to reveal the dark, swirling design etched into my skin. I traced the lines with my fingertip, marveling at how something so permanent could appear so delicate.“Two mates,” I murmured to myself, my lips
DAIKI POVDamon stepped into the house, the echo of his polished shoes against the marble floor carrying a restless rhythm. The sound faded abruptly as he bent down near the door, brushing specks of dust off his sleek black shoes and muttering something under his breath. I stood quietly by the hallway, observing him as he kicked off the shoes and slid into his usual dark flip-flops.It was rare to see Damon looking anything but composed. Tonight, though, his normally pristine appearance was disrupted—a faint wrinkle in his shirt, his tie loosened and hanging carelessly around his neck. His hair, typically styled to perfection, was slightly disheveled, and there was a tension in his shoulders that made him seem heavier than usual, Luke he was carrying the weight of the world on his back. “Rough night?” I asked, stepping out of the shadows.Damon glanced up at me, the sharpness in his gray eyes softening momentarily before he shrugged off his suit jacket and handed it to me without a w
LUCIENThe living room was quiet except for the occasional crackle of the fireplace. I sat on the edge of the couch, staring at the flames as they danced and licked the charred wood, their golden hues oddly soothing. But my mind was far from calm. It circled back, again and again, to the Luna mark that had appeared on Olivia after our kiss.Why now? I asked myself for the hundredth time, tracing the rim of the glass of whiskey in my hand.“Because she’s yours, idiot,” my wolf snarled in my head, his voice rough and biting as always. “Stop overthinking it.”“It doesn’t make sense,” I countered, leaning back against the couch. “She has another mate, and the bond with Damon is still intact.”“And yet,” he sneered, “the mark is there. On her. Because of you. What does that tell you?”I didn’t respond immediately, the weight of his words pressing down on me.“It tells me nothing, except that it complicates things even further,” I finally muttered. My wolf growled, the sound vibrating in m
OLIVIA POVI woke to the sound of dripping water echoing in the darkness. My head throbbed as though someone had driven spikes through my temples, and my limbs felt as heavy as lead. The sharp sting of wolfsbane coursed through my veins, dulling every connection I had to Aria.“Where am I?”The air was damp, carrying the scent of mildew, rust, and something metallic—blood. I blinked, trying to adjust to the faint light seeping through the cracks of a door. Chains rattled as I shifted, and my heart sank when I realized my wrists were bound above my head.“Aria?” I whispered, desperate for any sign of her. But the silence in my mind was deafening.The memories hit me in fragments: Ben’s knock on the window, the figures in the shadows, their hands grabbing me, the sharp sting of the injection. I remembered fighting, my wolf surging forward, but it hadn’t been enough. A sharp clinking sound pulled me from my thoughts. The door creaked open, and I instinctively tensed. Two men stepped in,
LUCIEN POVWe’ve arrived at the clearing, my heart beating with fear and panic. The area smelled of chaos. Damon’s pacing filled the space with sharp, deliberate movements, his boots scuffing against the floor with each step. Ben stood by the window, his hands gripping the still so tightly I thought he’d snap in two. And me? I could barely breathe. My heart was a ticking time bomb in my chest, threatening to explode with every passing second. The bond between Olivia and me wasn’t severed, but it was faint—so faint I could barely feel her presence. It was like staring at a star that was slowly disappearing into the void.“Stop pacing,” I growled, my voice rough, strained: Damon froze, his piercing gaze locking onto me. “Then do something!” he snapped. “Because right now, all I see is a weakling sitting there while your mate is out there with Vladimir of all villains.”The words cut deeper than any blade. “You think I don’t know that?” I walked to him, the sound of my boot scraping a
OLIVIA POVThe sound of footsteps echoed outside the door, faint at first but growing louder with each step. My pulse quickened. I froze, my breathing shallow as I strained to listen.Hurry, Olivia. Just a little more.The footsteps stopped, and I heard the faint creak of the door as it began to open.Not yet. Not yet.I pushed my toes forward, brushing against the jagged shard on the floor. My muscles burned as I stretched further, hooking it with the tips of my toes. Slowly, carefully, I pulled it closer.The door swung open, and I snapped my head up. Another man stood there, his frame filling the doorway, a cruel smirk twisting his features. His dark eyes scanned me like a predator sizing up his prey.It felt like he was superior to the first bald man that walked in earlier with that nasty smirk on his face. As if reading his body language the bald man nodded leaving the room.“Well, I see you’re not trying to be comfortable,” he said, stepping inside. “Still trying to play games,
DAMON POVThe door creaked as Lucien pushed it open, the faint scent of blood and decay hitting us like a freight train. I stepped in behind him, my senses sharpening as the suffocating air wrapped around us. The darkness inside the cabin was thick, almost alive, and I could feel it gnawing at the edges of my control.We had walked into a trap.The flicker of movement in the shadows confirmed my suspicions. Rogues—filthy, desperate wolves—emerged from the corners of the room, their twisted forms barely resembling the once-proud wolves they might have been. Their snarls filled the space, low and menacing, but I wasn’t intimidated.Lucien stepped forward, his broad shoulders tense, his fists clenched at his sides. His presence was commanding, his Lycan aura a storm of power that made the rogues hesitate for a fraction of a second. But then, like the rabid creatures they were, they lunged.The room exploded into chaos.Lucien shifted first, his bones cracking and reshaping as his wolf er
VLADIMIR POVThe night’s chill bit at my skin as I fled through the dense forest, the crunch of dead leaves beneath my boots masking the sound of my labored breaths. The moon, full and luminous, mocked me from above. Her light spilled through the canopy like the sneer of a silent enemy.They had ruined everything.I leapt over a fallen log, my muscles burning from the exertion. My body screamed at me to stop, to rest, but I couldn’t afford the luxury of weakness. Not now. Not when my enemies had already proven they were more relentless than I had anticipated. My hand shot out to grip a low-hanging branch for balance, but I miscalculated. A sharp splinter jabbed into my palm, and I hissed, more out of frustration than pain. Blood welled from the wound, dripping onto the forest floor, but I didn’t stop.Not until I was far enough away.The memory of their interference burned in my mind. Lucien, the Alpha and a Lycan—a beast born of power and wrath. Damon, the Alpha, with sharp instinct
LUCIEN’S POV The water was still, the air thick with the scent of chlorine. I leaned against the edge of the pool, my head tilted back, eyes closed, letting the silence wrap around me.It had been this way since dawn.I had woken up feeling… heavy. The weight of three days ago, of him pressing against my chest like a stone.My younger brother.I had seen him.For years, I had buried that part of my life, convinced myself that whatever had been left of my human past had long withered away. But that image of three days ago in the woods had proven that fate had once again ripped open my broken heart again like an unhealed wound. Did my parents ever see me in his eyes? Did they ever look at him and wonder if I was still out there, alive, breathing? Or had they given up? Had they accepted that I was lost to them forever?A bitter exhale left my lips, my fingers gripping the pool’s edge. I had wanted to go back, to find them, to let them know I was alive. But for years. I couldn’t.Fir
OLIVIA’S POVThe morning sun streamed through the windows, casting golden light across the bedroom. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly at my packed bag, my mind a whirlwind of emotions.I had to leave. Not for good though. The weekend was over. My time in Damon’s house had come to an end.And yet, my body still burned with the memory of last night.I cursed under my breath, rubbing my hands over my face. But I can’t resist you. I need you, Damon. I had said that. Out loud. To him.I had lost control, let myself slip, let myself be vulnerable. And for what? A moment of weakness? A moment of undeniable, addicting desire? Goddess, I was so stupid.So stupid that I left his room last night in shame. How did hell did I get so addicted to him that I became so shameless? My hands curled into fists on my lap.I had betrayed Lucien—again. Not just physically, but emotionally. It wasn’t just about sex at this point. It was about the way Damon consumed me, the way he made me fo
DAMON’S POV The world was drenched in blood. I stood frozen, my breath coming in ragged gasps as I stared at the body before me. Olivia. Her lifeless eyes stared at the sky, her throat slashed open, her body limp on the cold, stone ground. Blood pooled around her, dark and endless, the scent of it thick in the air.My hands trembled. My knees buckled.“No… no, no, no—” A slow, mocking chuckle echoed around me. I forced myself to look up. Alaric stood there, his hands stained red, his golden eyes glinting with satisfaction. He smirked as he tilted his head, admiring his work. “Isn’t this what you deserve, big brother?” His voice was smooth, almost amused. He stepped over Olivia’s body like she was nothing but discarded trash. I couldn’t move. My legs felt like lead, my lungs burning with the effort to breathe. “You took everything from me,” Alaric continued, circling me like a predator playing with its prey. “Did you really think you’d get to keep something for yourself?” H
OLIVIA’S POVThe ride home from Blackbeard Pack was painfully silent. Damon drove, his hands firm on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched as if lost in thought. I sat beside him, staring out the window, letting the passing trees blur together. My mind was still stuck on everything that had happened back there—the tension, the revelations, the way Lucien had barely even looked at me before storming off. I hated that look in his eyes.Disappointment. Anger. Possession. He hadn’t even given me the chance to explain, but then again, what was there to explain? He knew what happened. He saw the mark, the change in my tattoo. There was no justifying what had already been done. And worst of all, I couldn’t even bring myself to regret it. That was the worst part—the part that made me feel like the lowest kind of person. I wasn’t supposed to crave Damon. I wasn’t supposed to have wanted him the way I did. But last night, every rational thought had melted away the moment he touched me.N
LUCIEN’S POVThe drive home was a blur. My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white, and my jaw was clenched hard enough to crack my teeth. The streetlights flickered past, but I barely noticed them. All I could see—all I could think about—was Olivia.And him. Damon.I exhaled sharply, forcing my breathing to stay even. It didn’t work. The rage coiled inside me like a living thing, twisting and tightening in my chest, threatening to suffocate me.She had been mine. She was mine. For three years, she had been my wife. Three years of shared nights, of whispered secrets, of tangled sheets, soft gasps in the dark and loud moans in the kitchen. And now, after just four months apart, another man had touched her. Another man had claimed her. I shook my head, trying to push the thought away. It didn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. But Zephyr, my lycan, had other ideas. “You’re a fool if you think you can forget.” I gritted my teeth. I don’t want to talk
DAMON’S POVThe evening air was thick with tension, the weight of everything that had transpired pressing down on me like a boulder. I could still hear Olivia’s soft cries in the distance, muffled but persistent, curling through the air like a ghost refusing to leave. But I didn’t turn around. Not yet. I made my way toward Daiki, his expression neutral, but I could tell by the way his arms were crossed and the way his jaw tightened that he had questions. And I knew exactly what they were. The moment I stepped beside him, he wasted no time.“How did you know?” he asked, his voice low but firm.I let out a slow breath, glancing around to ensure no one was too close before answering. “Because I know Alaric.”Daiki narrowed his eyes. “And that means?” I turned my gaze to him, watching the way his brows furrowed, the way his stance shifted slightly—he was skeptical, and I didn’t blame him. “Alaric doesn’t like his operations to be messy,” I said, tucking my hands into my pockets. “He d
OLIVIA’S POVLucien was leaving. He was really leaving me behind to be here with Damon. My breath hitched as I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders tense, his strides full of purpose—full of pain. I could feel it, radiating off him like a storm waiting to break. My heart pounded in my chest, my legs trembling as I took a step forward, instinctively reaching out for him. I had to stop him.I had to explain to him that whatever he thinks happened between Damon and me last night was caused by loneliness. I surged forward, but before I could take another step, a strong hand wrapped around my arm, yanking me back with force.“Let me go!” I hissed, twisting against the grip, my voice filled with desperation.Damon. He held me effortlessly, his fingers firm yet unbothered, as if my struggle meant nothing to him. His golden eyes gleamed with something unreadable, something sharp that sliced into me like a dagger. “There’s no need to run after him,” he said, his voice infuriatingly
LUCIEN’S POVThe noon air was sharp against my skin, biting, relentless. But I welcomed the sting. Anything to distract me from the fury clawing its way through my chest.I gripped the stone railing of the balcony, my knuckles whitening as I stared out into the vast stretch of land beyond Blackbeard Pack. The sky was dull, heavy with thick clouds that threatened a storm. Fitting. Because inside me, a storm was already raging. Zephyr, my Lycan, was restless. It paced in my mind, snarling, barely contained beneath my skin. The beast had been pushing against the edges of my control since I stepped into this cursed castle, and after what had just happened with Damien, it was closer to breaking free than ever.I exhaled sharply, trying to steady myself.Damien knew something. He always did. He was too calm, too composed. And now, after all that talk of Olivia being in danger, he was suddenly claiming she was safe? What did he mean by that? Did he know who was going to attack?It didn’t s
DAMON’S POVThe grand hall was filled with a heavy silence after Olivia’s question, her wide eyes darting between us, searching for answers we weren’t willing to give. She wanted to know why she was here, why I had taken her, why no one would explain anything.Too bad for her.I leaned back against the edge of the table, watching her with an impassive stare, arms crossed over my chest. The truth she wanted so desperately would never pass my lips. I wasn’t about to expose my brother’s existence, not when I had spent years ensuring the world believed he was dead.Daiki shifted beside me, shooting me a questioning glance, as if asking if I was really going to ignore her completely. I was, but I didn’t have to. Because the moment Olivia opened her mouth to demand answers again, a voice shattered through the hall.“Olivia!”The raw desperation in that voice made my jaw twitch.Lucien.The sound of his boots pounding against the floor echoed through the castle as he ran toward the room, hi