Davina pov “No way! No way am I doing this!” I shook my head so hard, I was surprised it didn’t snap off with the amount of force I used. “You’re being dramatic, Davi. Just do it and stop acting like a coward,” Rylie chimed in, and I could practically feel the smug, mischievous grin stretching across his face. Eva clicked her tongue and I knew that she was shooting him a glare. “Stop talking to her like that! Don’t forget she’s now the king’s guest and—” “Yeah, yeah,” Rylie interrupted, “She’s the king’s guest, and I should be respectful. Blah, blah, blah. Can we drop the royal etiquette lesson and focus on what’s important here? Like convincing this drama queen to grow a spine.” Eva groaned. “You’re impossible.” “And you’re welcome.” Rylie gave her a mock bow, earning himself a swat on the back of the head. "Will you two stop arguing and listen to me for once?" I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. To my surprise, they actually stopped mid-bicker and turned their gazes to
Draven pov“Make sure everything is in order before the hunting game,” I instructed Felix, my eyes scanning the preparations being made around us. “Recheck the areas surrounding the boundaries, and ensure that all the guards are posted in their correct positions.” I glanced over at him, my tone unwavering. “And cross-check everyone's identity before they're allowed into the palace. The king's safety is important.”As we walked, my gaze locked onto the patrolling guards, making sure they were alert and doing their jobs. The air was tense since every detail mattered.I should pay attention because every detail mattered—it really did. But as I walked and examined things, my head was clouded with thoughts of her, distracting me from everything.Davina. I was thinking about the girl who belonged to the king. Damn it.These past few days, I had been trying to keep my focus, but it was becoming impossible. Every time I thought I had a handle on the situation, she slipped into my mind again.
Evangeline povSounds of grunts and heavy breathing filled the room. The air was thick with tension and something else—something far darker.Frustration.“Pull it tighter! I want my boobs to defy gravity, my stomach to disappear into another dimension, and my butt to look like it belongs in a museum!” I yelled, clutching the desk in front of me like my life depended on it as the exasperated attendants fumbled and yanked at the corset-like clasps on my dress.“Ugh! Ugh!" “Pull harder, harder, you useless lot! I need to look like the future queen! All eyes on me—do you hear? Unless you want your worthless heads rolling off your necks, PULL!” I tried to yell, but the words only came out as a breathless whisper. My bottom lip wobbled as I bit down on it, bracing myself and enduring the torture.Behind me, there were faint grunts and muttered complaints of “She’s going to split in half” and “Is she breathing?” but I didn’t care. Beauty required sacrifice, and apparently, so did my dignit
Hades povI closed the file and tossed it onto the table, rubbing the bridge of my nose in frustration.Leaning back in my seat, I shut my eyes in an attempt to relax, my fingers drumming rhythmically against the desk. The silence stretched endlessly, much like the pile of work that never seemed to stop growing.And the reason for this endless workload? The hunting game set to begin tomorrow. A competition where all the packs would showcase their strengths, tactics, and skills. It would stretch on for an entire week—seven days of utter stress, interruptions, and unwanted company.The three things I despised most.“Pfft, we have events like this every year! All the packs always show up. Why does Dad insist on going through all this trouble? I’m sure half of them don’t even want to be there!”The memory of those careless words I once said to him flashed through my mind, and my eyes narrowed into a dangerous glare. The air in the study thickened instantly, suffocating and heavy, as I un
Davina pov“Wake up, sleepyhead!” I groaned as Eva yanked the blanket off me, I could practically hear the happiness dripping from her voice as she shook me awake but all I wanted to do was bury myself back under the covers and drown out her annoyingly high-pitched voice, but her next words jolted me awake faster than a bucket of cold water.“Today is the hunting day, dearest madam, and guests from all the packs are already arriving!”The second those words left her mouth, I shot up so fast I nearly fell out of bed but Eva, ever the lifesaver, caught me before I hit the floor.Today is the hunting game! And I overslept.Panic surged through me as I whipped my head toward the spot where Hades had been sleeping last night, but the bed was empty. Of course, he’d gotten up early and left. This wasn’t the first time he’d come to my room, and it wasn’t the first time I’d overslept because of him.It was his scent—it lingered in my room and wrapped around me like a cocoon, chasing away the
Davina povThe silence seemed like it would stretch on for an eternity, but then, like the flick of a switch, the murmurs and hushed whispers began as I stood frozen in place, unable to move under his intense gaze."Is that the blind girl the king likes?" A woman's voice cut through the chatter, her tone low but loud enough for me to hear as her eyes sized me up like I was some strange exhibit at a zoo."I mean, it must be her. Who else have you seen with white hair and eyes like hers?" Another voice scoffed, and I could practically feel her eyes burning holes into me.What did the king even see in her? I heard she was a servant before this. She looks like a freak. And she’s blind, isn’t she?" The biting words from the women surrounded me, their judgment clear as daylight.Then came the men."Damn, she looks hot. Look at those curves in that dress," one male voice commented shamelessly, sparking a burst of laughter from the others."I can see why the king’s interested. She’s... unique
Hades povI watched as her eyes widened in horror, glancing toward my direction. For a moment, I couldn’t help but wonder if she could truly see, given how accurately she could pinpoint where someone was based on their gaze.The other alphas at the table exchanged glances between her and me, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and confusion. None of them dared to start eating—not yet, not until I took the first bite. They called it respect, but honestly, I couldn’t care less about their so-called etiquette. My attention was solely on her.Earlier, I had been curious about how she would react to the whispers and venomous words thrown her way. I thought it might be amusing to see her squirm under the weight of their stares, to watch her falter. But as each second passed, I realized how wrong I was. My restraint was slipping, and with every insult, my urge to silence those disrespectful fools grew stronger. I was close—so close—to having their heads roll off the ground until Draven
Davina povToday had been... something.Breakfast with the king had been weird, to say the least. And I’m not only talking about the Alpha seated beside me who couldn’t stop boasting about how powerful and wealthy he was. I maintained respect and control, nodding politely as he spoke. But at some point, when his hand slid under the table, grazing closer and closer to my inner thigh, that control began to slip.I froze, my breath hitching as I struggled to decide what to do. My throat felt tight, and no words came to mind. I thought I’d have to endure it, to sit there silently and take it, when suddenly, Hades’ laugh rang through the hall.It wasn’t the kind of laugh that brought joy or eased tension. No, it was dry, devoid of humor, and cold enough to send a shiver down my spine.I quickly realized something bad was about to happen. It always did when he laughed like that.What was going to happen."Goodnight, Davina," Eva said softly, her hand gently patting my head as she tucked me
Hades pov. “Moon Goddess.” The words slipped from my mouth before I could stop them, and I froze, my eyes locked onto the woman before me. She was exactly as I remembered— unchanged, untouched by time. The same presence that had left everyone speechless that day, the same piercing eyes that seemed to strip away all privacy, as if she could read every thought in my mind. And that same knowing smile, the one she wore when she named me king instead of Thorne. It was all there. “Hades, my child… my favorite child.” Her smile widened as she gazed at me, an unsettling warmth in her eyes. My expression remained unreadable as I bowed my head in respect. There was only one being in this world that a king could bow to— only one deity worthy of such reverence. Not a mere person, but the Moon Goddess herself. The mother of all werewolves. “Greetings to the goddess,” I said, my voice cold. Almost immediately, I heard a light, amused chuckle. She lowered herself gracefully and sat onto the f
Hades pov.“Alpha Watson will be here shortly, my king. He apologizes for the delay, he wasn’t aware you would be arriving,” the man before me bowed his head respectfully. I waved him off nonchalantly, too preoccupied with the words that girl had said earlier in the car."With his hands, my king."I frowned, my fingers instinctively drumming against the chair— an unconscious habit whenever I needed to think.A kid had broken a wall that had remained unbroken for years? I didn’t need to think too deeply to know this was the same child Thorne was using to kill my Alphas. This wasn’t the first time I had heard whispers about him from survivors."He was merciless. He killed without blinking, he tore through people like they were nothing to him. But… he saved me. I don’t know why. He killed everyone but spared me.""He didn’t touch me. He told me to run and never look back. He spared most of the children, like me.""He was cruel, a monster. I can still remember how he tore the Alpha’s head
Hades pov.Despite keeping my eyes shut, I could still sense her gaze on me— stealing glances before quickly looking away in fear.The rhythmic drumming of my fingers against the seat came to an abrupt stop as my frown deepened. I opened my eyes, staring into the distance before shifting my gaze to the slave I had bought at the auction house.Earlier, when I stepped into the car, I was surprised to find the little slave crouched to the side, trembling. That was when I remembered her. I had told her to leave, to return to her pack, making it clear that I had no intention of taking her with me. But instead of leaving, she had fallen to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded— insisting that she had offended me. The desperation in her voice had genuinely taken me by surprise.“Go home to your family, you’ve been released,” I had told her back then, but her response was,“No, my king. I have no family to return to, and if I leave, I’ll only be captured again and forced int
Draven pov.“Your dinner is ready! Look, I made your favorite meal, Draven. Remember how much you used to love it when I cooked for you?”My mate— no, the woman before me spoke with a bright smile, placing the freshly cooked porridge on the table, her eyes filled with eagerness for me to try it.I stared at the porridge for a moment, my gaze cold, a tired frown tugging at my lips. With a slow shake of my head, I pushed the bowl away, my eyes flickering back to her.“You’re not real,” I repeated, for what felt like the hundredth time. “You are not my mate. You are not here. And this… this isn’t real.”Her smile faltered for a split second before she quickly masked it, forcing a cheerful expression back onto her face."Draven, please…" she whispered, her voice trembling slightly, almost sounding rehearsed as she pushed the bowl back toward me. "Just try it. I made it just for you."I clenched my jaw, my fists tightening on my lap as I stared at her— at the woman who wore my mate's face,
Davina pov.I gasped, my eyes snapping open as I stared up at the stark white ceiling, my heart pounding wildly against my chest, sweat trickling down my face.The room was eerily silent, except for the steady ticking of the clock. Yet, with each passing second, the sound grew louder, almost deafening, as if it were counting down to something— something unknown, something inevitable."Where am I?" I murmured to myself, blinking as I tried to recall what had happened. But it felt like something was blocking the memory—so close yet just out of reach.Clank!The sound of something shattering on the ground snapped my head in that direction, and I froze when I saw my mother's stunned expression, her eyes widening as she stared at me."Mother…" I murmured under my breath, my voice hoarse.In the blink of an eye, she ran toward me, pulling me into a tight embrace."Oh my goddess, Davina! Davina, you’re awake! You've been unconscious for a week now, and everyone was worried. I’m so glad you’r
Davina pov. My father always used to say that when you are close to death, your life flashes before your eyes in the form of a dream—like watching a movie. But this one shows everything: your past, your present, and the illusion of the future you long for. The future you would do everything to have. Maybe that explained why I was here—why they were all here. “Haha! You should have seen her face when she thought she could land a strike on me, only to end up flat on the ground.” I turned to my right, watching as my father laughed, clapping his hands in amusement, his eyes glistening with mischief. “Really, Dalton? Do you have to make fun of your daughter after knocking her down?” My mother shook her head in disapproval, shooting him a glare. “Hey, ‘knocking her down’ is a strong phrase. I was merely… training her, dear.” My father smirked before turning his gaze back to me. “Davina needs to learn how to fight and control her powers. She’s twenty-four—she needs to step up her game
Hades pov."I—I don't know where Thorne is, Your Majesty. Please believe me," he pleaded, his voice trembling with emotion.“Do you expect me to believe that?” I asked, my tone bored and empty as I released the bastard, letting him collapse to the ground with a soft thud. Without sparing him another glance, I walked to my seat, reached for the glass of wine, and took a slow sip. Resting my head on my hand, I narrowed my gaze at him.“Do you expect me to believe that you have no idea where you supply the women? Don’t take me for a fool, Valen. Or perhaps… you fear Thorne too much to speak the truth, hm?” I drawled, lazily twirling the wine in my glass, a cold smirk curving my lips.“N-no, Your Majesty. That is not true—”“Or let me guess,” I cut him off, my voice turning sharp. “You’re one of those fools who worship Thorne. Who believe he is your true king, your savior, your rightful ruler. Is that it? Do you think the Moon Goddess made a mistake choosing me? That I stole my brother’s
Hades pov. “It is an honor to have an audience with the Majesty.” Valen bowed as he stepped into the private room, his head dipped low in respect. I frowned the moment I saw him, irritation bubbling within me. Why was I angry? Perhaps it was because of this auction house. The auctioning business had existed for generations—packs trading slaves to the highest bidder to strengthen their resources. But not just anyone could own an auction house. There were crucial rules to follow. First, one had to obtain permission from the king. Second, and most importantly, the slaves had to be acquired legally—no kidnappings, no forced captures. Valen had obtained permission for the auction house from my father, the late king, while he was still alive. Since taking the throne, I hadn’t granted anyone new permissions—I had been too preoccupied with searching for Thorne, with no time for matters that weren’t urgent. But now, as I sat here, I realized I may have overlooked something
Hades pov.“We have item twenty, a eighteen–year-old she-wolf, molded to be the ideal companion. Trained to obey without question, shaped to submit without hesitation—flawless, disciplined, and utterly shattered. What more could a man possibly desire? let's start the bidding at thirty silver!”."Forty silver!""Sixty silver!"I watched as the girl stood on stage, her eyes downcast, her frail body trembling as she was auctioned off like a piece of meat in the marketplace.Men eagerly raised their signs, their hungry gazes already stripping the girl of her clothes. Women whispered among themselves, their voices laced with jealousy and disdain.My eyes narrowed on the man standing on the stage, his expression brightening with greed as the bids climbed higher.Valen— that was the name Felix had mentioned.The owner of the Veil Auction House. The man who possessed Lunaria’s Grace, a healing elixir strong enough to save Draven.It had been two days since I left the palace in search of the