SILAS"What do you want, you fuck?" I hiss into the phone, my grip tightening around it.Kaius.The name alone makes my blood boil.I had left Naia abruptly when I saw his call, and if this bastard thinks he can take what’s mine—if he thinks he has any right to be near my mate—he's dead wrong."You know what? I won’t even—" Kaius starts, but then he exhales, as if talking to me is a chore. "Anyway, come to the palace gates. Let’s talk."His voice sounds bored. Like I’m a damn child."How the fuck did those idiots even let you inside the pack?" I growl, my tone dripping with resentment as I storm out of the palace.Kaius chuckles, a low, amused sound. "It’s funny how things go your way when you have an aura powerful enough to demand respect. And, of course, I have Duncan. My mighty warrior."Duncan. That traitorI spot Kaius standing just beyond the gate, his posture too damn relaxed for my liking."Oh, I see you now, big brother," he muses, eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "Yo
SILAS"I wasn’t even surprised," Kaius says, his gaze locked on Naia. "Of course, we’d share the same beautiful mate." His lips curl into a smirk as he shifts his attention to me. "Now, big bro, open the gates. I need to touch my mate. I’m itching for it."The rage inside me boils over, my vision clouding red. What the fuck does he think he is?"You’re not touching her, you bastard," I hiss, my whole body shaking with fury. My fingers twitch with the urge to throw punches, to make him regret ever speaking.Naia stirs in my arms, pushing lightly against my hold. "Silas," she says softly, spinning to face me when I finally let her go. "I want to touch my mate too."She turns, flashing a playful grin. "I mean, I have two hot, powerful, rich men as my mates. Imagine all the fun." Her eyes sparkle mischievously as she looks at Carl, giving him a pleading stare.My jaw tightens. "Naia, how could you want that thing as your mate?" I ask, keeping my voice low, controlled—though laced with ve
NAIANAIA"Rejects us?" Kaius asks, his voice sharp with disbelief."Well, I didn't run away to be caught in a somewhat complicated situation," I say with a teasing smile, though the words taste bittersweet. I ran away because...I pause.I haven’t really thought about where I would go or what I would do. Maybe I’d go live with humans, blend in, pretend to be one of them. Maybe they were kinder. Maybe they didn't have bonds that chained people together, forcing emotions before love could even take root."But you can’t leave us," Silas murmurs, his voice low and firm as he steps closer, sandwiching me between them. "The mate bond is much stronger than that."I smirk, tilting my head up at him. "It’s just a bond, Silas. And bonds can be broken. And to be for real, it’s just a connection, not love or—"Before I can finish, Kaius moves behind me, his arms sliding around my waist. A shiver runs through me as his warmth seeps into my skin, his touch sending tingles up my spine. His lips gho
NAIASilas tilts his head, his smirk deepening. "Oh, love, we are walking. Just… in our own way."Kaius chuckles against my ear, his grip firm but teasing. "What’s wrong, little wolf? You seemed so confident a moment ago."I squirm, my pulse racing. This is unfair."You’re flustered," Silas states, sounding way too satisfied.I scoff, finally twisting free and taking several steps away, pressing a hand to my burning face. "You two are insufferable."Kaius grins. "And yet, you like us."I huff, crossing my arms. "I like cupcakes." I nod toward the maid still passing by. "Not whatever this is."Silas steps closer, his golden eyes gleaming. "You love us," he corrects.I roll my eyes. "I tolerate you."Kaius smirks, shaking his head. "We’ll see how long that lasts."I open my mouth to argue, but Silas suddenly takes my hand, lacing our fingers together. Kaius does the same on my other side, and just like that, we continue walking—like nothing happened.Except now, I’m hyper-aware of them.
NAIAI forgot.I forgot what I was going to say.They told me not to worry about their relationship, said they’d fix it for my sake. That I didn’t need to be caught in the middle of their unresolved grudges.But the silence between us feels thick. Unmovable.We sit in the green fields, gazing at the castle in the distance. The air is warm, the scent of earth and grass fresh after the morning dew. I sit in the middle—Kaius on my right, Silas on my left. Behind us, the thick, endless stretch of the forest looms. Birds flutter somewhere in the canopy, unseen but heard.Yet none of us speak. I don’t even know what to talk about.Then a crazy thought hits me. Something stupid. Something reckless."Can you shift?" I turn to Kaius, my lips quirking into a playful smirk.He frowns slightly. "Why?""I met Silas while he was in his Lycan form." My eyes flicker to Silas for a moment before shifting back to Kaius. "Are you also a Lycan?"He scoffs, like the question itself is ridiculous. "Of cour
NAIAThen he shifts back—his human form replacing the beast as he leans down, capturing my lips with his.I freeze.His mouth moves over mine, slow and deliberate, releasing soft, desperate sounds between our kiss. He grips my thigh, his fingers digging into my skin. His tongue brushes against my lips, demanding entry—But before I can even process what’s happening—Silas kicks him off me.Only this time, I go rolling with him.When we stop, I find myself on top of Kaius.His hands rest on my hips, his eyes locked onto me—but not my eyes. Lower.I glance down, and my face erupts in heat.He’s staring at my bare chest.Shamelessly.Oh my Gosh.I swallow, turning my head toward Silas, who now walks toward me, his Lycan form long gone. But his gaze—his dark, smoldering gaze—is no better than Kaius’s.His lips curl, a smirk tugging at the edges."You don’t talk much when you’re being exposed, do you?"Kaius chuckles low, his voice thick with amusement as his hands slide up my sides, rough
NAIAThe cool grass beneath me contrasts sharply with the heat spreading through my body. My senses are overwhelmed—Silas’s mouth, Kaius’s touch, the way they move together as if they’ve done this a hundred times before.I pause. Wait—no. That was the wrong analogy.Frustration flares inside me, hot and sharp. Why did I even think that? It makes me mad, the thought settling like a heavy stone in my stomach. Have they done this before—together—with someone else? Have they shared these same glances, spoken these same words, traced these same paths on another woman’s skin?I'm just being paranoid, That can't be possible, They weren't even on good terms for a long time.Kaius watches me with a satisfied smirk, fingers tracing slow, teasing circles along my stomach. His touch is light, deliberate, sending small ripples of anticipation through me. Erasing all those earlier thoughts out. “You’re so responsive,” he murmurs, his voice thick with amusement and something darker. “I love watching
SILASBeautiful. Our mate is beautiful.And yes, I said our.I guess sharing has its perks.I watch as she stirs beneath us, her body responding instinctively to our touch. Soft whimpers slip past her parted lips, and every little sound she makes sets my blood on fire. She doesn’t say much, but she doesn’t need to. Her body speaks for her—arch after arch, shiver after shiver.I’ve been coordinating with Kaius this whole time, making sure no part of her is left untouched, making sure she feels us both. She is ours, and we take care of what is ours.My dick is hard as a rock, but I can't make her come here and her first time isn't going to be with our hands.Gosh, I want to keep going. To ruin her in the best way possible. But Kaius is right—we’re out in the open. I don’t need to be reminded of the fact that some poor bastard could walk by and see her like this. See our mate like this. I’d rip their throat out before they even had a chance to blink.Even though, I told my beta and Gamma
KAIUSI can't find Naia!I searched the whole fucking ground for her, but fucking nothing."Duncan, how are things on your side?" I ask through the mind link."Nothing, Boss. No sight of her. I triple-checked the underground safe bunk. Also, my men are searching the other parts of the kingdom. Other packs, but nothing." He sighs, "What if she was burnt by the fire too?"The thought hits me like a punch to the gut. I try to ignore it, but it's there, gnawing at the edge of my mind. I can’t afford to lose her. Not like this."Don't say that." My voice cracks despite my attempt to remain calm. "She's alive, Duncan. She has to be. Keep searching."I close my eyes, trying to block out the overwhelming panic that threatens to take over. I need to stay focused, but my thoughts keep spiraling. Naia could be anywhere—could be in danger. I think back to when I saw her last, before everything turned to chaos. The soft warmth of her hand in mine, the way her eyes lit up when we spoke...I can’t l
NAIAFor some reason, as the daughter of an Alpha, I was taught from a young age what to do if I were ever kidnapped. It wasn’t a lesson wrapped in fairy tales or gentle warnings. It was brutal. Cold. Necessary. My father made sure of that. And David—my teacher, my mentor—he drilled it into me like it was survival itself. Because it was.So, I did everything he taught me.I counted the hours.I tracked every turn the van took.I memorized every word the women in the front whispered to each other, even the ones they thought were too quiet for me to hear.I traced patterns through the smudged glass of the van's window, marking trees, buildings, even the way sunlight hit the roads. Anything. Anything that could help.And I tried talking to Kyra. Goddess, I tried.But she’s still... off. Distant. Unreachable. Irresponsible.She won't respond. Not even a whisper in my mind. I wanted—no, needed—her to mindlink someone. Kai, Silas, anyone. I didn’t care who. I just needed her to do something
NAIAI sat curled against the cold, damp stone wall, holding two small pups tightly to my chest. Their tiny hands clung to my shirt like I was the only anchor they had left in a world unraveling around them. Their little bodies trembled, and I didn’t know if it was from fear or the cold. Maybe both. I wrapped my arms around them tighter.I wonder if their parents are here… or if they’re outside. My stomach churned at the thought. If they’re outside, they’re probably already—“Don’t think negatively, Naia,” Kyra, my wolf, warned gently in my head, her voice soft but firm, like a mother scolding a child without anger.“Sorry,” I whispered back. My throat burned.My heart pounded so loudly it echoed in my ears, but I forced myself to stay calm—for them. I needed to be strong, even if I was falling apart inside. I kept telling myself that Silas would come back. That Kaius would keep his promise. That we were underground, and the worst was above us. That here, we were safe.“Luna?”I looke
SILAS"Shit."The pack is in ruins. Smoke chokes the air. Flames devour the homes we built with blood and loyalty. The cries of the wounded echo through what’s left of the streets. Too many bodies. Too much loss. Warriors—some barely more than boys—have fallen into despair.The dragons are dead now. Illusions. Illusions that breathed real fire and burned real people. That kind of magic... it’s far beyond anything we’ve seen. Witches. It has to be witches.But what kind of witches leave their scent behind?It reeks of rosemary—fresh, sharp, deliberate. Not careless. A message.This was a trap.But I don’t care. Not anymore. I need vengeance. For the fallen. For the children who won't go home tonight. For the mothers and fathers who died screaming.I made a treaty. I begged for peace. I gave them land, gold, power. And this is how they answer?They will pay.“Group One, start collecting the corpses. Get them away from the fires.” My voice is hoarse as I speak to the warriors assigned to
KAIUS"Start the operation." I command Duncan through the mindlink.Moments later, I can still hear my brother's voice rumbling through the room—low and steady. But that peace doesn’t last.BANG. BANG.A loud knock slams against the door, sharp and hurried.“Come in,” Silas says, already rising from his seat.A warrior bursts into the room, panting heavily. Blond hair clings to his sweat-slicked forehead, and his blue eyes are wide with panic. He bows briefly, catching his breath.“Sire… they—there are dragons attacking the kingdom.” His voice cracks, fear raw in his tone.We both shoot to our feet. The air shifts. Even Silas is silent, stunned."Dragons?" Silas echoes, probably thinking what the hell freaking dragons would be doing here.My chest tightens. “Kael… how the hell did you bribe dragons?” I snap, voice rising with the weight of dread. My thoughts immediately flash to the kingdom… and to Naia.Kael doesn’t answer.Silas steps forward. “How many dragons?” he asks the trembli
KAIUSRemember when I said Naia was my savior? The only hope?Yeah, I meant it. She’s the only thing that’s ever made this darkness feel less like a curse and more like something I could live through, when I knew that I had a mate. The first time I touched her, I felt warmth. Not the kind that burns. The kind that heals. But today... something shifted.When we provoked her earlier, when we toyed with her, I realized something else.I didn’t want to share.The way she responded—the way her eyes fluttered, the soft gasp from her lips, the way her scent changed—it stirred something violent in me.The more Silas stayed silent, the more I hated it. That silence echoed like betrayal.And Kael... my wolf, my other self... he thrives to persuade me in that silence. He lives for it.“We won’t regret it,” Kael whispers inside me. His voice is steady, low, vibrating with certainty."So that’s why you told Duncan to bring armed men here?" I ask, my tone casual—but my heart is pounding.“Yes. We n
SILASOh wow.What was that?I stand there frozen for a second, staring at Naia as she bolts upstairs like she was running from something—or someone. Probably herself. Probably us. Her scent lingers behind like a tease, but her mood? That was something else.I exhale slowly, dragging a hand through my hair, letting the reality settle. I’ll tell the head of the house to check on her. Maybe bring her something warm. She needs space, but she also needs comfort. I want to be both, and yet right now... I can’t.Instead, I turn and prepare myself for the hellstorm that is my brother.I pivot toward him, expecting him glaring at me—but he’s... munching a cookie?"Where did you get that?" I ask dryly, already walking toward my office. I don’t bother to wait or tell him to follow. He will. He always does."You’ve become more rude indeed." Kaius mutters from behind me.I don’t answer. I open the door to my office, step inside, and shut it with a soft thud that still sounds like finality.As I m
NAIAWhen we make our way back to the palace, the three of us walk in silence.Not the uncomfortable kind.It’s the kind of silence that feels full, like we’re all lost in our own thoughts but still tethered to each other.I reach out, slipping my hands into theirs.Their fingers tighten around mine instantly, like they’d been waiting for me to do it. Their warmth seeps into my skin, grounding me, reminding me that this—whatever this is between us—is real.They don’t say anything.Neither do I.But I feel them."Many amazing things happened today." Kyra’s voice is soft, almost reverent.I nod absently, my mind trailing back to everything that just went down. The way they touched me. The way Silas ripped my shirt off without hesitation—well, his shirt. How the intensity in their eyes made me shiver, made my blood rush in ways I’d never felt before.I felt alive.I felt wanted.I felt… loved.Between all of that, between the teasing and the pleasure, I might have, kind of, glanced down
KAIUSI knew Naia couldn't shift.It was the first thing that bastard of a brother mentioned when I told him I wanted her. He smirked, like it was some kind of joke, like it was something to be ashamed of. Like it would make me want her any less.Fool.But looking at her now—seeing her face light up, seeing the way her fingers tremble as she flexes them, her claws retracting and extending—I know she’s feeling something she never has before.Hope.It makes my heart flip with happiness, a strange warmth spreading through my chest. I want her to feel this way always. I want to see this look on her face every time she discovers something new about herself.And Gosh, I want to do whatever it takes to make her shift completely.I lean on my elbow, watching her as she makes tiny, excited expressions while talking to her wolf. It’s adorable. She keeps pressing her lips together, like she’s trying not to smile too hard, but I can see it—she’s happy.Kaius: 1. Naia’s shitty past: 0.Then, Kael’