10 years agoDavina pov“Help! Help me!” I screamed, clutching the tree branch as if my life depended on it. And, well, if you think about it, it really did. Because once I let go of this branch, I'd either fall to my doom or take a nasty tumble that would probably involve some broken bones and a very bruised ego. My breath was coming in panicked gasps, my heart was beating a little faster than necessary, and I was starting to question how I ended up in such a ridiculous situation.“I hate you for luring me into this trap!” I hissed, glaring at the bird in my hand, which I had somehow named Shelly—yes, Shelly. I don’t know why, I just did. Shelly, the bird who led me up this towering tree that I was now precariously clinging to, barely holding on for dear life.How did I end up here? How did a ten-year-old even climb this tree without being completely ridiculous?Well, it all started innocently enough. I was walking along with the maids and my utterly annoying, spoiled four-year-old y
10 years agoHades povEverything was supposed to be boring today. That was why I had escaped from the hunting game to sneak in some sleep. But as I looked at the girl groaning while trying to sit up on the ground, I couldn’t help but feel amused—and a little intrigued.Usually, people would fawn over me and bend to my every whim, eager to please and let me have whatever I desired. At first, it was thrilling—having everything handed to me without question. But over time, it grew tiresome, predictable, and unbearably dull.Then, when I was named the next in line to be the Lycan King, it only got worse. Suddenly, the world’s eyes were on me, every move scrutinized, every word echoed back like gospel. It was suffocating, maddening—a constant pressure that left no room to breathe, let alone be myself."Are you crazy?!" the girl snapped, her eyes narrowing into a sharp glare as she shot up so quickly I could hear the sound of her bones cracking. She froze at the noise, her mouth opening an
Davina pov"The winner of today's match will now advance to the competition!" the announcer's voice boomed over the crowd. "All packs are invited to head to the palace. The king has graciously prepared a small celebration for everyone."The crowd erupted into cheers as people began making their way back to the palace, their excited chatter filling the air. I kept my head bowed, my face burning hot. If my cheeks got any redder, I might as well have been mistaken for a ripe tomato."Did you hear it last night?" someone whispered, their voice carrying just enough for me to catch."The screams? Oh, everyone heard it. Trust me," another replied, their tone laced with amusement."Turns out the Lycan King isn’t just a beast on the battlefield but in the bedroom too," they giggled as they passed by.Kill me. This day was already turning into a nightmare.“Davina, let’s go,” Eva whispered behind me, breaking me out of my thoughts. I nodded numbly, my feet dragging as we made our way toward th
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
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
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
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“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.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
Eva pov.My name is Eva. I am a slave, a lowborn who has spent her entire life working in the palace.Now, where did it all start?Where did the first chapter of my story truly begin?It wasn’t at my birth, nor in my childhood or teenage years. No, I would say it all began the moment I met him—Thorne, my mate.I had always despised my life as a servant, hated being the one who catered to others' needs. Deep down, I believed I was destined for more—that I was born to be a queen, to sit upon the throne.So I envied.I envied her late highness. I wished it had been me by the late king’s side, the one adorned in riches and power. I prayed desperately to the goddess, begged her to change my fate and make the king notice me. But the goddess never listened.She never did.Not even when I tried to seduce the late king.He never looked my way.He ignored the eighteen-year-old girl who was so much younger than his mate, the one who could have given him youth, devotion, and unwavering admiration
Evangelina pov.“How could this be!?” I screamed at Liam, who immediately dropped to his knees, bowing his head in submission. His face remained expressionless, his silence only fueling my rage. But I wasn’t going to calm down—not this time.This time, I had messed up—really bad.“I told you to hire someone to scare her a little, to create a scandal so they’d be seen together in the changing room—not for someone to assault her like that!”“Please forgive me, madam,” Liam apologized again.My eyes narrowed into a glare, and I fought the urge to pick up something and throw it straight at him.Ugh! This is bad.So bad that, for the first time, I felt fear creeping into my chest.Earlier at the boutique, I had come up with a simple plan—to ruin that blind girl’s reputation by hiring a thug to sneak in, making it seem like she had been caught cheating on the king again. That was it.He wasn’t supposed to hurt her. He wasn’t even supposed to touch her.I shivered as the image of her unconsc
Kian pov.I felt restless. Uneasy. And—damn it—I felt scared.Fuck! What the hell was wrong with me? No, it had to be Caleb. That dumb wolf had to be the reason I was feeling this way.“Kian! How dare you agree to this? How dare you, after I warned you not to harm her?!” Caleb’s furious growl echoed in my head, and I felt him fight for control. This time, he was serious—dead set on taking over. His force was relentless, making it harder for me to resist.I kept my expression blank as Evangelina, Ethan’s daughter, spoke, clearly trying to divert Theo’s and my attention.“I love the new collection this season. It’s so pretty! I’m going to buy a lot of clothes from you this time, Theo.”Theo, a man with long black hair, simply offered a polite bow.“I’d be honored to have you do that, Lady Evangelina,” he said, the corner of his lips tilting into a smile.Almost instantly, Evangelina’s two friends blushed at the sight of the strikingly handsome man.I frowned, my hands clenching at my si
Davina pov. Disclaimer: Attempted mention of assault. "Scream, and you die." My body went deadly still, my heart pounding so hard against my chest that I could hear it. The stranger’s hand covered my mouth—my nose. I could barely breathe, but what terrified me even more was something else entirely. Eva had been outside when the stranger entered. Which meant the thud I had heard earlier… Had been her body hitting the ground. Eva… Was she okay? “Fuck… you’re really something. Your body is to die for,” the stranger murmured, and my eyes widened as I felt his hand on me. That’s when I realized—I was naked, only in my underwear. Shit. Shit. This was bad. Really bad. I groaned as his filthy hands roamed over me, touching everywhere—my waist, my butt. He was practically seizing me, taking his time. “Mmm—” I struggled, trying to move, but it was useless. He was twice my size, his grip unyielding, his strength undeniable. I knew, just from the way he had lifted me into the air earl