A rogue is brought into the hall covered in blood and bruises with his head bowed but not broken spirit. Marco leans against the opposite wall of the room, and his arms are folded, and a quiet anger shows in his eyes. His warriors surround him; all looking anxious and anticipating a flurry of anger. “Get his ass up,” Marco growls. His voice is low, guttural, and sends a chill through everyone present. Two warriors yank the rogue to his feet, his legs wobbling beneath him. The rogue spits blood onto the floor and flashes Marco a cocky grin. “Alpha Marco,” he sneers, his tone mocking. “Didn’t think you’d stoop to interrogating rogues yourself. Must be desperate.” Marco takes slow, deliberate steps toward him, each one echoing in the silence. “You’re real fucking brave for a dead man,” he says, his voice like ice. He stops just inches from the rogue, tilting his head as if studying him. “But I’m not in the mood for games. Tell me what I want to know, or I’ll make your last mome
The hum of low voices carries through the hallway, laughter and hushed murmurs bouncing off the walls. Marco stops mid-step, his sharp hearing picking up on words that make his blood run hot.“Without Lowell in his grasp, Marco’s grip is slipping. You hear about the rogue saying he’s all bark now? Packs are getting bolder by the day,” one voice says, followed by a snicker.“Maybe he should concentrate more on mending the shit and less on breaking tables,” another one remarks with conceit.Marco stands stiff and angry, his fists tightening into balls that are pressing against his palms. He doesn’t need to see them to know who’s speaking—two low-ranking fighters, the sort to chime in only when they believe they have the opportunity to do so in secret.His boots echo on the hardwood as he strides forward, turning the corner just as their laughter dies. The two men freeze, their eyes widening when they see him.“Alpha,” one of them stammers, straightening up like a guilty child caught ste
“Hello ma’am,” Nana mutters, entering the healer’s chambers, carrying a tray of herbs. Her palms are cold, she is panting. She realized she had been tired for some days now; the previous night was even worse. Her sheets were wet with sweat, and there’s an odd sensation that was tingling in her lower belly which made her restless all night.“Are you sick?” the healer asks, her sharp eyes narrowing at Nana as she places the tray on the wooden table.“No,” Nana mutters, trying to sound convincing, though her voice lacks any strength. She feels weak, her legs wobbling as she stands.The healer clicks her tongue and walks closer, her gray hair tied back into a bun that doesn’t soften her stern demeanor. “You look like hell,” she says bluntly. “Pale as a corpse and shaking like a leaf. Sit down before you collapse.”Nana hesitates but obeys, dropping into the wooden chair by the fireplace. The warmth from the embers does little to ease the strange chill running through her body.“Are you ea
Nana is in her bedroom, in front of the tiny cracked mirror, clutching her scarf across her neck. Her reflection looks tired—puffy eyes, circles under them, glistening forehead. The indentation of his bite still evident beneath her dress seems to sear her skin, painfully reminding her of the Lycan Prince who had claimed her.“He may have gone far after the last time we saw but I’m tormented by his traces every fucking day” she mutters.She anxiously pats the scarf down her arms and fixes it on for the third time. She runs her fingers over the boldly visible line and jerks her hand away as it tingles, sending strikes of pleasure through her. “Get it together,” she whispers in protest to herself.In fact, for weeks, she has been putting anything she could lay her hands on to cover the smell of Lowell. Lavender scents, herbs, going as far as exfoliating her skin until it becomes raw. “It was perfectly fine—no one has raised an issue up until this moment. But this heat…this cursed heat…I
“The Alpha has requested for you” A maid says to Nana which made her stiff, it’s been long Marco called her in because Melissa has been around all this time. The hallway leading to Marco’s room feels endless. Nana grips the edges of her scarf tightly, her palms slick with sweat. The mark Lowell left on her neck burns beneath the fabric, as if mocking her attempts to keep it hidden. The faint scent of her heat clings to her despite the layers of perfume she’s doused herself in. It’s not working. Nothing seems to work anymore. She pauses at the door, heart pounding. Marco’s deep voice cuts through the heavy silence. “Come in already. I don’t have all night.” Her stomach twists. Squaring her shoulders, she pushes the door open and steps inside. Marco stands by the window, his back to her, the sharp lines of his shoulders and back visible through his shirt. The air feels heavier around him, a presence that demands attention without effort. “You wanted to see me?” Her voice is stead
“Hey, Nana! Bring those drinks over here!” one of the pack members calls out, waving his hand in her direction.Nana forces a smile, nodding as she balances the tray loaded with glasses of sparkling wine. Her movements are slow, calculated, her body betraying her with every step. The heat is unbearable, crawling under her skin, making her feel like she’s about to combust.The celebration is loud, laughter and clinking glasses filling the air. The pack is celebrating a collaboration with the neighboring pack, and the dining hall is packed with people. Marco sits near the head of the long table, his sharp eyes scanning the room. Beside him, Melissa perches like a queen, her smug expression making Nana’s stomach churn.As she approaches, Marco’s gaze lands on her. Nana freezes, her pulse hammering in her ears. The heat flares up again, and she knows—she fucking knows—her scent is slipping through the layers of perfume.“Nana,” Marco says, his tone low but commanding. “Come here.”Shit. S
Lowell’s footsteps crunch against the dry leaves, every sound amplified by the oppressive silence of the woods. He moves carefully, his ears straining for any hint of pursuit. Marco’s men aren’t far—he can hear the faint voices and the occasional bark of orders. He doesn’t dare stop.Nana’s last words echo in his head like a haunting melody: “Run, Lowell. Don’t look back. Find peace.”Peace? He thinks bitterly. There’s no peace for a man like him. Not now, not when everything feels so fucking wrong, well he’s life has been a mess since the betrayal of his uncle.The clothes Nana gave him scratch against his skin. They don’t fit right—too loose in some places, too tight in others—but he’s grateful for them. They’re the only thing keeping him from being recognized outright. His Lycan form would give him away in a heartbeat, and even in his human form, Marco and Stephen know his face. He tugs the hood lower over his eyes, cursing under his breath.“Damn it, Nana,” he mutters. “Why’d you
The air in the woods feels thicker tonight. Lowell moves cautiously, keeping his footsteps silent against the crunch of dried leaves. Every sound seems louder, every shadow a threat. He’s too familiar with this game of cat and mouse, and Marco never plays fair.But then it hits him.A scent. Soft at first, like a whisper in the breeze. But it grows stronger, weaving through the air like an invisible thread, wrapping around him, pulling him in.“What the hell…” Lowell stops dead, his chest tightening.It’s her. Nana.He knows it instantly, the scent as unmistakable as her voice. Sweet, warm, with that subtle hint of wildness he’s always associated with her. But there’s something different now, something more… potent.And then it clicks.Heat.“Fuck,” Lowell mutters, his fists clenching. His body reacts before his mind can catch up, a surge of raw, primal need coursing through him. His heart races, his blood feels like fire in his veins. He knows he should move, should keep going, but h
Lowell prowls through the dense forest, his sharp claws digging into the damp soil with every step. His senses are on edge, his entire body taut with a restless energy he can’t shake. For three days, the sweet, maddening scent has clung to him like a second skin, invading every thought, every breath. It’s Nana—her heat—reaching him through their bond, pulling at his primal instincts like a fucking leash.“Fuck,” he growls, slamming his fist into a tree trunk. The bark shatters under the impact, scattering shards of wood everywhere. He’s losing it. The beast inside him claws at his control, demanding he follow the scent, find her, claim her.But he can’t.“She told you to stay the fuck away,” he mutters to himself, pacing like a caged animal. “You’re not gonna ruin her life more than it already is.”His nose twitches, catching the faintest trace of her again. It’s faint but enough to stir a fire deep in his gut. Lowell growls low in his throat, shaking his head like it’ll help him bloc
The air in the woods feels thicker tonight. Lowell moves cautiously, keeping his footsteps silent against the crunch of dried leaves. Every sound seems louder, every shadow a threat. He’s too familiar with this game of cat and mouse, and Marco never plays fair.But then it hits him.A scent. Soft at first, like a whisper in the breeze. But it grows stronger, weaving through the air like an invisible thread, wrapping around him, pulling him in.“What the hell…” Lowell stops dead, his chest tightening.It’s her. Nana.He knows it instantly, the scent as unmistakable as her voice. Sweet, warm, with that subtle hint of wildness he’s always associated with her. But there’s something different now, something more… potent.And then it clicks.Heat.“Fuck,” Lowell mutters, his fists clenching. His body reacts before his mind can catch up, a surge of raw, primal need coursing through him. His heart races, his blood feels like fire in his veins. He knows he should move, should keep going, but h
Lowell’s footsteps crunch against the dry leaves, every sound amplified by the oppressive silence of the woods. He moves carefully, his ears straining for any hint of pursuit. Marco’s men aren’t far—he can hear the faint voices and the occasional bark of orders. He doesn’t dare stop.Nana’s last words echo in his head like a haunting melody: “Run, Lowell. Don’t look back. Find peace.”Peace? He thinks bitterly. There’s no peace for a man like him. Not now, not when everything feels so fucking wrong, well he’s life has been a mess since the betrayal of his uncle.The clothes Nana gave him scratch against his skin. They don’t fit right—too loose in some places, too tight in others—but he’s grateful for them. They’re the only thing keeping him from being recognized outright. His Lycan form would give him away in a heartbeat, and even in his human form, Marco and Stephen know his face. He tugs the hood lower over his eyes, cursing under his breath.“Damn it, Nana,” he mutters. “Why’d you
“Hey, Nana! Bring those drinks over here!” one of the pack members calls out, waving his hand in her direction.Nana forces a smile, nodding as she balances the tray loaded with glasses of sparkling wine. Her movements are slow, calculated, her body betraying her with every step. The heat is unbearable, crawling under her skin, making her feel like she’s about to combust.The celebration is loud, laughter and clinking glasses filling the air. The pack is celebrating a collaboration with the neighboring pack, and the dining hall is packed with people. Marco sits near the head of the long table, his sharp eyes scanning the room. Beside him, Melissa perches like a queen, her smug expression making Nana’s stomach churn.As she approaches, Marco’s gaze lands on her. Nana freezes, her pulse hammering in her ears. The heat flares up again, and she knows—she fucking knows—her scent is slipping through the layers of perfume.“Nana,” Marco says, his tone low but commanding. “Come here.”Shit. S
“The Alpha has requested for you” A maid says to Nana which made her stiff, it’s been long Marco called her in because Melissa has been around all this time. The hallway leading to Marco’s room feels endless. Nana grips the edges of her scarf tightly, her palms slick with sweat. The mark Lowell left on her neck burns beneath the fabric, as if mocking her attempts to keep it hidden. The faint scent of her heat clings to her despite the layers of perfume she’s doused herself in. It’s not working. Nothing seems to work anymore. She pauses at the door, heart pounding. Marco’s deep voice cuts through the heavy silence. “Come in already. I don’t have all night.” Her stomach twists. Squaring her shoulders, she pushes the door open and steps inside. Marco stands by the window, his back to her, the sharp lines of his shoulders and back visible through his shirt. The air feels heavier around him, a presence that demands attention without effort. “You wanted to see me?” Her voice is stead
Nana is in her bedroom, in front of the tiny cracked mirror, clutching her scarf across her neck. Her reflection looks tired—puffy eyes, circles under them, glistening forehead. The indentation of his bite still evident beneath her dress seems to sear her skin, painfully reminding her of the Lycan Prince who had claimed her.“He may have gone far after the last time we saw but I’m tormented by his traces every fucking day” she mutters.She anxiously pats the scarf down her arms and fixes it on for the third time. She runs her fingers over the boldly visible line and jerks her hand away as it tingles, sending strikes of pleasure through her. “Get it together,” she whispers in protest to herself.In fact, for weeks, she has been putting anything she could lay her hands on to cover the smell of Lowell. Lavender scents, herbs, going as far as exfoliating her skin until it becomes raw. “It was perfectly fine—no one has raised an issue up until this moment. But this heat…this cursed heat…I
“Hello ma’am,” Nana mutters, entering the healer’s chambers, carrying a tray of herbs. Her palms are cold, she is panting. She realized she had been tired for some days now; the previous night was even worse. Her sheets were wet with sweat, and there’s an odd sensation that was tingling in her lower belly which made her restless all night.“Are you sick?” the healer asks, her sharp eyes narrowing at Nana as she places the tray on the wooden table.“No,” Nana mutters, trying to sound convincing, though her voice lacks any strength. She feels weak, her legs wobbling as she stands.The healer clicks her tongue and walks closer, her gray hair tied back into a bun that doesn’t soften her stern demeanor. “You look like hell,” she says bluntly. “Pale as a corpse and shaking like a leaf. Sit down before you collapse.”Nana hesitates but obeys, dropping into the wooden chair by the fireplace. The warmth from the embers does little to ease the strange chill running through her body.“Are you ea
The hum of low voices carries through the hallway, laughter and hushed murmurs bouncing off the walls. Marco stops mid-step, his sharp hearing picking up on words that make his blood run hot.“Without Lowell in his grasp, Marco’s grip is slipping. You hear about the rogue saying he’s all bark now? Packs are getting bolder by the day,” one voice says, followed by a snicker.“Maybe he should concentrate more on mending the shit and less on breaking tables,” another one remarks with conceit.Marco stands stiff and angry, his fists tightening into balls that are pressing against his palms. He doesn’t need to see them to know who’s speaking—two low-ranking fighters, the sort to chime in only when they believe they have the opportunity to do so in secret.His boots echo on the hardwood as he strides forward, turning the corner just as their laughter dies. The two men freeze, their eyes widening when they see him.“Alpha,” one of them stammers, straightening up like a guilty child caught ste
A rogue is brought into the hall covered in blood and bruises with his head bowed but not broken spirit. Marco leans against the opposite wall of the room, and his arms are folded, and a quiet anger shows in his eyes. His warriors surround him; all looking anxious and anticipating a flurry of anger. “Get his ass up,” Marco growls. His voice is low, guttural, and sends a chill through everyone present. Two warriors yank the rogue to his feet, his legs wobbling beneath him. The rogue spits blood onto the floor and flashes Marco a cocky grin. “Alpha Marco,” he sneers, his tone mocking. “Didn’t think you’d stoop to interrogating rogues yourself. Must be desperate.” Marco takes slow, deliberate steps toward him, each one echoing in the silence. “You’re real fucking brave for a dead man,” he says, his voice like ice. He stops just inches from the rogue, tilting his head as if studying him. “But I’m not in the mood for games. Tell me what I want to know, or I’ll make your last mome