DaneThe scent of sex and sweat still lingered in the air, mixing with the rich aroma of whiskey as I leaned back in my chair, savoring the burn of my last sip. But no amount of alcohol could quench the heat still coursing through my veins—not when my eyes were locked on the laptop screen before me.Lusia.She stood beneath the cascading water, steam curling around her delicate frame like a lover’s embrace. Her skin glistened, covered in a soapy lather that slid down the curves of her body, tracing the scars that marred her flesh. Those scars—each one a testament to the suffering she had endured—should have repulsed me. But instead, they fascinated me. They were proof of her resilience, of the fire that burned within her despite everything she had been through.There were also scars she had gotten from me. Scars that indicated how cruelly I had handled her. I was mad at myself and I couldn’t understand why. I enjoyed every moment of it then. But they seemed to irk me now. There was no
LusiaThe air in the room was thick with tension, the scent of gunpowder still hanging in the air. My chest rose and fell in sharp, uneven breaths, my fingers stiff and sweaty around the gun’s grip. My ears rang with the echo of the gunshot, but it wasn’t the sound that made my heart pound violently in my chest. It was the look in his eyes.Kiara stood frozen before me, her brown eyes wide with shock, her body trembling. Her lips were parted, but for once, no words came out. The laugh that had once spilled from her mouth so easily had died, leaving nothing but silence between us.I was still pointing the gun at her. We were at a standstill and I was waiting to see what her next move would be. The silence was deafening but it was comfortable to me. I wanted to say something—something sharp, something cruel, something to make her understand that I was no longer the weak little wolf she could toy with. But my actions had already demonstrated that to her. I wasn’t going to keep up with
LusiaCold. That was the first thing I felt when my consciousness began to return. A biting chill seeped into my skin, pricking at my nerves like tiny needles. My body ached, my limbs stiff as if I had been lying in one position for too long. A dull, throbbing pain pulsed at the back of my skull, making it hard to focus.I forced my eyes open.The sky stretched endlessly above me, a canvas of deep gray tinged with fading streaks of orange. It was twilight. The air smelled of damp earth and grass, fresh yet foreign. The ground beneath me was hard and uneven, the cold dirt pressing into my palms as I slowly pushed myself up.Something was wrong.My heartbeat quickened as I glanced around, my vision still hazy from whatever had knocked me unconscious. I was in the middle of a vast, open field—tall, unkempt grass swaying in the wind, stretching far into the horizon. No walls. No buildings. No familiar landmarks.Panic coiled in my chest like a living thing.Where was I?My mind scrambled
LusiaThe gunshot rang out like a crack of thunder, ripping through the silence. The sound of the gunshot made the birds flap their wings as they escaped from their nests. I felt the shockwave more than heard it, my body flinching as my back hit the cold, damp earth beneath me. My breath came in erratic gasps, my heart hammering wildly in my chest. My fingers clenched around the gun, my knuckles turning white, but I didn’t pull the trigger.I waited for the pain to come. I waited for the sting of metal ripping through my flesh. But it never came. I was confused. I had heard the gunshot. I thought I would be hit. But I didn’t feel any pain. I couldn’t smell my blood either. The strong, putrid metallic smell didn’t fill the air around me. My eyes went to the figure which had pulled the trigger. I was surprised that he had fired at me. He had mentioned knowing about my parents’ death and who the murderer was. I wondered if that was the only reason he had brought me out here. I mean. W
DaneLusia was missing.I had searched the castle, my fury growing with every passing second. I had questioned the guards, my voice tight, barely restrained. No one had seen her leave, no one knew where she had gone.But I knew she had left.And I knew someone had taken her. I could smell the presence of a stranger. That had been the second time an intruder had come into the castle. I was surprised at the amount of invaders that had come into the castle. For the last fifteen years, we have never been breached even once. But in less than two weeks, we had been breached twice. I was certain that the first attack had been orchestrated by Kiara herself. I had seen her leave the courtroom that night and a few hours later, Lusia had been in danger. I had been there to save her, but that wasn’t enough. Agatha had died that night. She had been mauled by the wolves before I came around. Her death stung because she was my responsibility. Every maid and guard in this castle were. And I failed h
LusiaMy hands clenched so tightly at my sides that my nails bit into my palms, the sharp sting grounding me as I glared at King Dane’s broad, retreating. He didn’t look at me. He didn’t acknowledge me. As if I wasn’t even here.It was over at least. After watching that man kill himself after refusing to answer Dane’s question, I knew something was off. One of them had claimed that they knew about my parent's death. He had claimed that he knew the murderer. And they weren’t just one like I thought it was. They were two. Did this mean that King Dane didn’t murder my parents or that he had an accomplice? I was confused. I couldn't ask him any longer, because he had fled with the lucky bunch that had escaped the wrath of King Dane’s terrifying Lycan. They had been all terrified at the sight of it. Who wouldn’t? His huge black fur and his huge fangs left me frozen whenever I stared at him. He was terrifying, that was for sure. I understood now why he barely shapeshifted. Now, he looked
DaneI searched her face, scanning every inch for deceit, but all I found was raw emotion; anger, confusion, and something else she tried desperately to hide.She meant it.Luisa truly believed there was a chance I had something to do with her parents’ deaths.That realization settled into my chest like a slow-burning poison, tightening around my ribs.For a fleeting second, my mind spun out of control. How had she come to this conclusion? Who had planted that idea in her head?Then, a far more dangerous thought struck me. Did Kiara tell her something?The possibility ignited my rage like gasoline to a flame.Kiara wasn’t supposed to know anything.But I knew her manipulative ways.If she had gone behind my back if she had twisted the truth just enough to make Luisa question me. She had just made the biggest mistake of her life.My hands curled into fists, my claws threatening to break through my skin. A muscle ticked in my jaw as my breathing deepened, my chest rising and falling w
LuisaThe shift in King Dane was so sudden, and surprising, that it left me drowning in confusion.A moment ago, he had been stiff, his face unreadable, his body rigid with emotions I couldn’t quite place. But now, as his dark eyes softened upon meeting mine, it was as if something inside him had snapped back into place—calm, composed, caring.It made me confused. I couldn't tell what was happening when he walked towards me. My heart was thumping hard against my chest and I feared that he was going to hurt me. But he didn’t. But instead, he scooped me into his arms. I was surprised that I didn’t resist when he stepped toward me, scooping me into his arms as though I weighed nothing. His grip was firm yet careful, his warmth enveloping me as he carried me effortlessly.“Dane, I—”“Shh,” he murmured, his voice low and commanding, as if he needed me to let him take control.And I did.Because I didn’t know what else to do.Because, despite everything, it felt good to be in his arms.He
DaneI threw her on the bed as we arrived at my room and she landed on it with a smile. The evening sun washed into the room, bathing it with its golden light. The moment felt immaculate and ethereal. I didn’t want this to end. I never realized that I missed her this much. She was mine, and I was going to make sure that she didn’t forget that. But for how long could I keep this up? I couldn't stop her if her mate came looking for her. She longed for someone to love her and I was afraid I couldn't give her that kind of love. If she did find her mate, she was going to leave me for him. And there was nothing I could do that was going to stop her. The only thing I could do now was enjoy the night we were about to spend together. “Come on, Your Highness. Show me what you got,” she teased with a smile. I laughed and climbed the bed slowly, moving towards her. The evening sun’s golden light bathed the bed making it warm. I stared at her, our faces barely apart. She looked gorgeous. I could
LusiaThe air around the room was awkward. King Dane’s words hung in the air. The council that was still in the room seemed to be waiting for something to happen. I could tell from how dense the air in the room had become. Dane was waiting for me to answer his questions. I could see the emotions glittering in his eyes. He was indeed happy to see me. But I didn’t know how to answer the question. I had missed him for so long. I had waited so long for this moment to see him. The moment to graze in his presence once more. I was tired of being alone. There was only one person who made my heart thump this way, and it was King Dane. I was happy to be home. “I am doing well, Your Majesty. All thanks to you,” I finally replied. King Dane smiled at me and gave me a nod. Then, he turned to the council who were watching us in silence and his smile disappeared. His brows barrows and his lips bent into a frown. He seemed agitated by their presence. “Leave. All of you,” he ordered, his voice as
LusiaFive months later. The castle loomed ahead as we drove through the woods. I could feel a churning sensation in my stomach. I was back here. Back at where I had left a few months ago. It was almost unrecognizable. I had been away for so long that nothing felt real. Beside me at the backseat of the SUV, was Florence. She was quietly watching me as I gazed at the castle wondering if it was the right thing to return here. She has helped me a lot during the last five months. It was because of her I found the redemption I had been seeking strongly since I left the Silvermoon pack. I had followed King Dane here in search of freedom and redemption. And I had finally found both of them. And not only that, I was now stronger than before. I was a changed person. I was certain that I was going to surprise King Dane. King Dane. My stomach churned again as I remembered his face. I had been in uncontrollable pain while I had been away from him. Every single day was torture without him.
Dane“Come in,” I ordered. The door swung open and a guard stepped into the room. I recognized him. He was the one I had sent out earlier this morning to go find me another healer. I was surprised that he had returned so soon. Maybe time had flown by more than I expected. “Your majesty,” the guard said with a bow. “You sent me on a mission and I had returned with good news. I found another healer, an experienced one at the coast of the Nightlight Pack. He is here and waiting for you in the throne room.”I smiled at that. I was happy that he had been able to do his job impeccably. He didn’t waste much time than I expected. I nodded at that. “Thank you. Tell him I shall see him shortly,” I said. The guard nodded and bowed after that, leaving the room. When the door closed behind me, Lusia finally let go of me. I turned to her and she was standing by herself, her eyes facing the floor. She was feeling too timid to look at me. “Your healer is here,” I announced. “We should go and se
DaneI stared at her in shock. The question has thrown me off my feet. It wasn’t something I expected. Moreover, I thought that she would forget about that since I didn’t give her an answer then. But she looked hellbent on finding out what she meant to me. I had been here before and I didn’t like it. It was the first time she had told me. I was shocked just like I am now, and still, I didn’t have the right words to convey to her. I was somewhat infuriated by this. Why would she bring up something like that now? Or was it because of the way I treated her since she woke up? I had bathed and clothed her, making sure that she was comfortable. I knew that she had suffered under the hands of her brother while I had been kept busy purposely by Kiara’s plan. I was trying to make it up to her by giving her this luxury. And now she felt like I was doing this for something as disgusting as love. I felt insulted by this, but I also felt a churn in my stomach. The one that appeared every single
Dane My heart was thumping hard against my chest after I fed her the last spoon of the porridge. She had permitted me to show her. There was no greater feeling than that. I missed touching her skin while I scrubbed it slowly. I kissed the feeling of how soft they could be. Now she was awake, I got to do that again. And she, of course, had gladly accepted. I wasted no time in making my move. After placing the tray aside, I slid my arms beneath her, one under her knees, the other cradling her back, and lifted her from the chair. She was light, lighter than I’d expected, though I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised. She had barely eaten before tonight. Her head tilted against my chest, and I could feel the warmth of her breath against my chest, soft and steady. The fire crackled in the hearth behind us as I turned toward the door, her body settling into mine like she belonged there. I didn’t rush. No point in it. The castle was quiet this time of night, and I wanted her to feel
LusiaThis was the worst time for something like this to happen. There was no way that this was happening. I was getting into my heat. I could feel the churning sensation in my stomach and warmth beginning to spread across my thighs. I had just woken up, and already I was in heat. That feeling was so bizarre. Maybe it was because I was with King Dane. He looked gorgeous as he sat beside the bed. His jet-black hair was ruffled and a caterer across his forehead. His usual icy blue eyes were warm with emotions as he held my hand. This was a beautiful feeling. One that I didn’t want to end. His hand gave me warmth. It was nothing like I had felt in a long time. It made me realize that I missed him so much. I was interrupted by the trembling of my legs. It was getting intense. I had to do something about it but what? It would be insane to ask King Dane to help me. But I had no choice. He was the only one who could help me. And he was the only one that my body was feening for. “What is w
DaneThe door creaked open behind me and the guards walked into the room. I smiled as I stared at the healer. When her eyes drifted to the men behind me, she realized what was going on. I was going to lock her away and make sure that she paid for what she did to Lusia. There was nobody that was going to escape my wrath. I was the Lycan king. The king of this castle, and nobody had the right to touch what was mine. The room went dead quiet except for the healer’s shaky gasps as she knelt there, clutching her throat. My hands were still trembling from the rage coursing through me, and I could feel my pulse hammering in my ears. The guards barged in, their boots thudding against the stone floor. I was infuriated that they had taken so long to get here, but it didn’t matter now. It was soon going to be over. I was going to make sure that she suffered for what she did. The same way Kiara and Keon suffered. “Your majesty,” the guards greeted in unison behind me. “You summoned us.”I poi
DaneI dropped the weight on the marble floor and sat back on the bench. My hands were trembling, and my skin was damp with sweat. My breathing was heavy as I stared at the marble floor. I was exhausted from lifting weights. It had been a while since I came to the gym. I needed to get my mind off her. That was why I was here. But I gave up too soon. My muscles were crying out and aching in pain. They weren’t used to this level of stress. My whole body was drenched with sweat as I sat on the bench. I was thinking. Thinking about her. She should have woken up by now. But I didn’t want to go and see her. I was scared of being disappointed. Disappointed that she would still be unconscious. It had been three days since the healer told me that she would see what she could do to help Lusia awaken her wolf. The concoction should be ready by now. The only thing left was for Lusia to wake up. But that seemed like a bigger task than I originally thought. I picked up the towel that sat beside