Davina’s POV“Davina!”I stopped cleaning and turned toward the sound of the voice. Eva gently took my hand, pulling the rag from my grip. Though I couldn’t see her, I knew she was smiling. It had been a week since I arrived here, and I had grown close to Eva. She was the one who made this place feel a bit more comfortable—and she was my… friend.“Davina, let’s go into town,” she said, and I tilted my head in confusion.“Can we go out?” I asked, feeling her grip tighten on my hand. She’d told me before that we couldn’t leave because of the upcoming hunting games.“Of course, we can’t go near the boundaries surrounding the pack, but we can still go into town. There’s so much to do outside—it’s far livelier than staying cooped up in the palace. Emmanuel already gave us permission. Since the king isn’t around, he said we’re allowed to go, but he warned us to stay out of trouble.” She scoffed.I hadn’t seen the Lycan King for a week straight after what happened in his room. Eva said the k
Evangeline POV“You said what?!” My hand froze as I spun around to glare at the two useless girls in front of me. They didn't respond, didn’t even meet my eyes, cowering in fear—and that only fueled my anger. I forced myself to take a deep breath, reminding myself to stay composed. Daddy always said that ladies shouldn’t raise their voices. They should be elegant, calm, and beautiful—the qualities of a future queen. And I have those qualities.“Now repeat what you just said, Stella.” I opened my eyes and spoke through a forced smile, but they both seemed to shiver, glancing at each other nervously.“M-my lady, what I meant was that… the Lycan King bought a new slave a week ago, and she spent the night with him. I also heard she’s now serving directly under him,” Stella stammered.Marie added, “We tried to get her into trouble by giving her the late Queen’s dress, but we were suspended for it and only just resumed today.”My eye twitched, and before I could stop myself, I screamed, thr
Davina’s POV“How am I supposed to train if I can't see?” I complained, reaching to remove the black blindfold covering my eyes, only for my hand to be swatted away by a fan.“Dad!” I pouted, hearing Sebastian laugh from the back. I wanted to glare at him, but since he couldn’t see it, I settled for flipping him off instead.Sebastian only laughed harder, his amusement echoing. I heard Father’s disapproving sigh before he spoke again.“You need to learn how to fight without sight, kiddo. It’s essential,” Father said firmly, though the mental image of him fanning himself as he lectured didn’t quite inspire the seriousness he was aiming for.“But how am I supposed to know when–” I yelped mid-sentence, cut off by another swift tap of the fan on my head. “Dad! That hurts!”“Listen to the sound, Davina.” A third strike landed on my shoulder, forcing me to focus. “You can’t use your sight right now, but let your other senses sharpen.”I sighed but turned serious, trying to concentrate. Anot
Hades POVThe town bustled with noise and excitement outside the window. Though faint, the sounds reached my ears, but I tried to focus on something more important—something worth my time. Running a hand through my hair, I scanned the file in my other hand as I sat in the restaurant.“King, here is the document you requested," Draven said, handing me another file. I took them and opened the first page, flipping through the contents. As I read, my frown deepened."The last pack to fall under attack is in the North?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Draven nodded."Yes, King. The rogues have stopped attacking the West and South and are now heading North."His words darkened my mood further. I clenched the file tighter, my eyes narrowing. "They have guts, attacking the North where my kingdom is based. Do they no longer fear the consequences?"Draven lowered his head, his posture shifting as the edge of my Alpha’s voice slipped out unintentionally.I just returned from a week-long trip to the
Evangeline POVMy eyes widened in surprise when I saw her kick the big man. How could she fight? I thought they said she was wolfless.I turned my glare towards Stella and Marie, who stopped eating and shrank back in fear, their hands trembling as they held their spoons, trying to avoid my gaze.I had told Liam to call for the strongest and most feared thugs. I would pay them twenty silver if they could bully the blind girl, or even better, drag her to a corner or ditch and do whatever they liked with her.I liked the latter idea better; then the king wouldn't care to invite her to his room again if he found out she had already been sullied by other men. I would pay them thirty silver if they did that.Now I didn't expect her to be strong! But as I watched, my smile returned when one of the hooligans held her against him and demanded compensation. If she didn't pay, she would have to pay with her body.“Good, a commoner like her wouldn't have silvers,” I smirked, but suddenly somethin
Davina’s POVHe dragged me despite my resistance. I tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t budge. His grip was so strong that I whimpered slightly in pain. I could feel eyes on me as we walked and I heard two sets of footsteps behind me and guessed that Eva was trailing behind, probably with Draven.I wanted to ask if she was okay but Hades wouldn't release his tight grip on me. Wasn’t he worried about what people would say? The way he held my hand was bound to spark gossip.I hadn’t expected the king to suddenly show up, let alone save me when no one else did. At first, I was relieved to sense his presence, but now, all I wanted was to run far away from this man. I had mixed feelings about him, I couldn't help wanting him near me because of the mate bond and I also wanted to be far away from him.“See that no one bothers me,” Hades commanded abruptly, and I heard Draven respond in agreement. I had assumed he would leave me behind, but to my utter horror and disbelief, he dragged me alon
Hades POVI burst into my office, my strides long but light against the marble floor. My heart pounded in my chest, and despite the calm expression I wore, a storm brewed deep within me.I had lost control—it was too late, and I wasn’t in my right mind. It wasn’t Cyrus who had done that to her. It was me. Perhaps partly due to Cyrus’s urging, but I did it because, at that moment, I couldn’t stop the urge to claim her in that way, to make her know she was only mine—even though I didn’t want her.“You didn’t go further,” Cyrus’s voice resounded in my head, but I didn’t reply. I simply stared into space, drumming my fingers—a habit I always had when my mind was clouded with thoughts.I wasn’t one to feel sexual urges toward a woman. Sure, I had slept with women, but it was always just a way to relieve stress, nothing more. But this time, I did what I did because I wanted her to feel pleasure because of me. It was a sick, twisted thought.“King,” Draven knocked on the door before entering
Davina’s POV“Davina…”A soft voice broke through the haze of my dream, and my eyes fluttered open briefly as Eva called out to me. I groaned, turning away. My breath came out ragged, and my chest heaved with each pant.“Davina, wake up,” she urged again, this time accompanied by a gentle tap on my shoulder. Startled, I jolted upright, my heart racing and my cheeks flushed red. "Are you okay, Davina?" Eva patted me gently on the shoulder. You must have dreamt about yesterday. It was so scary—I couldn’t sleep at all."Heat crept up my cheeks as I shook my head quickly. "No, I didn’t have any dream. I’m fine," I lied, forcing my voice to sound steady.The truth was, I did have a dream, but it wasn’t about what she was talking about. Instead, it was about what happened when Hades...I shook my head to get rid of the thoughts. I still couldn't believe what had happened last night. After Hades left the room, I wasn't able to get up for a few minutes; I just lay there, trying to process wh
Hades povI closed the file with a frustrated sigh, dropping it onto the table. Running a hand through my hair, I struggled to keep my thoughts in check, but with each passing second, my focus slipped further away.“Cyrus,” I called out, but silence greeted me.Again.A mocking sneer spread across my lips, and I scoffed, reaching for the glass of whiskey. I drowned it in seconds, feeling the burning taste in my throat.Cyrus, that bastard, had been ignoring me since yesterday. No matter how hard I tried to connect with him, he remained silent, completely cutting off our bond. I knew he was angry, but I didn't care. He would get over it eventually.He was a fool—one filled with useless emotions that held no importance. He was upset about what I had done to Davina last night, but he should be grateful I chose not to kill her. That should have been her punishment, yet I held back solely because of Cyrus. Killing my mate with my own hands would affect me me one way or the other and I was
Thorne POV“This is it. I’ve finally figured it out,” I muttered under my breath with a twisted smile, my gaze fixed on the boy before me. “After years of trying, I’ve finally created a wolfsbane strong enough to kill a Lycan King!”Kian's eyes widened at my statement as he stared at the bottle in front of him, disbelief etched across his face.A dark chuckle escaped my lips as I tilted my head to the side, a teasing smile curling at the edges. I raised my brows and set the glass of wine down on the table.I knew exactly why he found it hard to believe—why wouldn't I? I had spent years trying to create a wolfsbane potent enough to kill Hades. That bastard was practically unkillable. Whether it was because the Moon Goddess had personally chosen or blessed him, I didn't know. But he was not only ridiculously strong—he was immune to every version of wolfsbane I had concocted.“I've tried for years, Kian. Years and years to create a wolfsbane powerful enough to kill Hades,” I muttered, my
Kian POV“Where are you, Sebastian?”I opened my eyes, a frown forming on my lips as I stared into the distance for a brief moment, trying to control my racing heart. But no matter how hard I tried, the unease lingered.“What was that?” I muttered under my breath, my brow furrowing. It wasn’t one of those blurry nightmares I usually had. No, this time it was different — like a desperate voice whispering to me. And for some reason, it left me restless, and made my heart ache inexplicably.“Boss.” Liam’s voice snapped me back to the present, and I raised a brow, glancing to my right. He was crouched on a branch beside me, his expression cold as he bowed slightly.Running a hand through my hair, I sat up straighter on the tree branch, taking my time to yawn. "What is it this time? This better be important because you know I don’t like being disturbed during my break." My gaze locked onto his, a slow smirk tugging at the corner of my lips. "You know what happens if it isn't, right?" My to
Davina povI groaned, my body aching so much it felt as if I could barely move. A whimper escaped my lips as I tried to sit up, but the pain was overwhelming, making every movement excruciating. My head swam, and I fought to steady myself, gripping the bedframe for support. The world around me seemed to spin, and I couldn't help but close my eyes, hoping the pain would subside.I clutched my head and tried to remember what happened last night. Everything seemed fuzzy, and I couldn't think straight.“What do you think you are doing with my mate?“King, please stop…”“Do you love that bastard? Is that why you were so eager to act like a whore for him? Or is it that you don’t give a damn who it is—so long as they’re willing to fuck you”I gasped as memories from last night flooded my mind. Every word, every thrust, every cry of pleasure and pain echoed in my ears, and my body trembled as I recalled what Hades had done. I remembered the harsh words he had thrown at me, and yet, despite i
Hades pov“Please stop.” Those two words froze me in place. Before I knew it, my fist had halted just inches away from her head, the air thick with tension.My eyes narrowed, and my frown deepened as I watched her stand in front of that bastard, her arms spread out and her eyes closed, as if she was willing to take the hit for him. A growl rumbled from deep within me, my lips curling into a wicked smirk before I even realized it.Without thinking, I gripped her hand and yanked her toward me, her body crashing against mine, startling her in the process.“Hades...” she blurted out in shock, hissing as my grip on her tightened.“You must really have a death wish, don't you?” I asked, my voice surprisingly calm despite the storm raging within me. I held her firmly against me. “First, you betray me, and then you shield him. What is it? Do you love him? Do you wish he was your mate instead?” I added with a cold chuckle, our faces only inches apart.Damn it, I was barely holding myself toge
Davina pov“What. Do. You. Think. You. Are. Doing. With. My. Mate?”Before I knew what was happening, Draven was yanked away from me, and the sound of fists meeting flesh echoed through the room. I gasped, landing on the ground with a soft thud, my head turning toward the commotion.“How dare you! How dare you touch her, you bastard!” Hades roared, the sickening crack of bones shattering slicing through the tense air.My shaky hands moved to my ears in a desperate attempt to block out the sounds, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't escape them. My body felt unnaturally hot—burning, unbearable, and the crystal tattoo on my chest flared with heat, as if reacting to whatever was happening to me.What was happening to me? The drink... It must have been the drink. I clutched my chest in pain, gasping for air, struggling to think clearly through the haze clouding my mind.“King, please stop…” My voice barely rose above a whisper as I called out, but he didn’t hear me. The sound of H
Hades pov “Do you remember that girl from the past, the one we found hanging from the tree when you sneaked out?” Cyrus suddenly asked, snapping me out of my thoughts as I held the glass of wine near my lips. I didn’t answer right away, my gaze sharpening on some invisible point as I blocked out the surrounding noise, the music fading into the background. The girl hanging from the tree—the little monkey. I remembered her, how could I forget? I had nearly lost my life trying to protect her. I met her years ago, the day I had snuck away from the ongoing hunting games, desperate for a break from everything and everyone. That day, she had offered me a kind of comfort, though she hadn’t even realized it. She was not like anyone else— she was unique and, most importantly, she didn't fawn over me or cower in fear like the others. She was… different. She was something I desperately needed that day and that was what intrigued me about her. But she was already dead. She had died the sam
Draven pov “Beta Draven,” a voice interrupted the conversation I was having, breaking my train of thought. I turned my head toward the sound and saw Marie standing before me, her head bowed in submission. My lips tugged into a frown as I watched her closely. This girl, along with another, had always bullied Davina. They were also the same ones caught spying on her that day. The only reason I let them walk away alive then was to avoid creating any unnecessary drama that might draw the king’s attention. And now, as I stood here, a reminder of my reckless moment with Davina haunted me. Almost kissing the king’s woman was a crime, one that could easily lead to my death if discovered. “What do you want? I hope you know this better be important for you to interrupt me—otherwise...” I asked coldly, my voice void of patience as her mere presence seemed to irritate me. “B-Beta Draven, it’s about the madam, I saw—” Her words faltered as I narrowed my eyes, stepping closer. “You saw what
Davina povSomething was horribly wrong.I couldn't pinpoint when it started, or how it all began, but I knew something was off. It started when a maid had approached Eva. She mentioned that her brother, Emmanuel, was looking for her. Eva had hesitated, reluctant to leave me alone, but Rylie assured her he would stay by my side. That was until he received an emergency call from the pack’s clinic and had to rush out.He didn’t want to leave, but I reassured him. I wasn’t a child. I could stay right where I was. After that, everything became a blur. Someone—no, Stella—had come up to me with a tray, offering a drink. I didn’t want to take anything from her, not especially after she had bullied me, but she insisted, saying that the king had noticed I hadn’t been drinking and asked her to bring me orange juice. Reluctantly, I took the drink, trusting that it was harmless.But only a few minutes after drinking it, my body began to react. A heat spread through me, intense and burning, as if