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
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
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
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
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
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
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
NAIAI grunt aloud at the ridiculous request my brother—also the Alpha—just made."What was that?" Lorein, his mate, asks, stepping forward to slap me. I close my eyes, preparing for the impact, but it never comes."I said no bruises. She needs to be well and ready for the King." Luke stops, his tone final.What King? Is he going to sell me?I swallow, my voice cracking with disbelief. "What King?" It's not fear in my voice—at least, not yet. But I’d rather be dead than show even an ounce of fear to my asshole of a brother or his idiotic mate."You know, you really make it hard not to slap you, sissy," Luke sneers, and I roll my eyes, utterly disgusted."Just go and clean the damn toilets in the assembly room," Lorein orders, dismissing me with a wave of her hand.I turn and head to the assembly room, clutching the toothbrush she gave me to clean the toilet.I don’t even get paid for this.As I scrub away in the grimy space, the sound of voices entering the room catches my attention. I
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’