*****************CHAPTER 61~Arianna’s POV~I barely registered the murmurs and laughter behind me as I stormed out of the event hall. My vision was blurred with frustration, my heart pounding so loudly it drowned out the music and chatter.Damon.I was going to kill him.How could he just stand there and declare to an entire room of wolves that I would shift in two weeks? Two freaking weeks?! I hadn’t even felt my wolf, let alone communicated with her properly. She was only out in times of extreme danger and… I shoved open the doors to the ballroom and stepped out into the cool night air. My heels clicked angrily against the pavement as I stalked toward the black car waiting for us.I needed to get out of here.“Arianna.”I ignored him.His footsteps were fast and before I could reach for the car door, a strong hand gripped my wrist and yanked me back.“Let me go, Damon,” I snapped, twisting my arm but to no avail; Damon would not let go. Fuck this!“No,” he said simply, turning m
**************Chapter 1: DesperationI rushed through the crowded streets, my heels clicking on the wet pavement. Another late night, another shift at the diner. My uncle's debt was suffocating us, and I was running out of options."Ari, you're late again," Martha, my coworker, said as I burst through the diner's door."Sorry, Martha. Traffic," I lied, grabbing my apron.The night blurred together—endless orders, tired smiles, and pocket change tips. As the clock struck midnight, I counted my meagre earnings. Not enough. Never enough.With no choice—there never was a choice, I walked home, the city's neon lights reflected off the rain-soaked streets like a twisted mirror. I quickened my pace, hoping to leave the deserted streets and get home.Not that it was any good, but it was a million times better than being caught in the street at odd hours.I shuddered, thinking of the criminal cases that have been heard of. Still, what choice does a girl have? Uncle Jackson’s words echoed in
**************Chapter 2My feet barely touched the ground as they dragged me out the door, my screams lost in the echoes of the night. They shoved me into the back of the sleek black car, slamming the door shut. Trapped between two men, I knew there wasn’t any escape. Furious tears stung my eyes as the engine roared to life, the car speeding off into the city’s darkened streets.I pressed myself against the front chair, every muscle tense. This couldn’t be happening. This was some kind of nightmare. But the cold leather beneath me and the steady hum of the engine made it real. Too real. I’d been sold—by my own flesh and blood.We pulled up to Arthdal Strike. From the outside, it looked like just another club, the kind you’d pass by with a second glance—big building, neon lights flickering, a line of expensive cars parked out front. But as they hauled me out and led me through the entrance, the truth of the place hit me.The inside was worse than I imagined. Dim red lights bathed the
*************Chapter 3~Ari's POV~The stage lights burned down on me, the leering eyes of the men beneath them making my skin crawl. I could feel their stares, the hunger and thirst for the fresh meat. The music blasted through the speakers, but my limbs refused to move. Who in their right mind would? Every nerve in my body screamed for me to run, but where would I go? I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe. Dance, they had said. But I wasn’t a dancer. My feet stayed rooted in place, and my mind frantically raced for a way out.Just as I managed a shaky step forward, someone grabbed my wrist, yanking me off the stage. My heart slammed against my chest as I stumbled, nearly tripping over my heels. I was face-to-face with an older-looking man with a disgusting look on his wrinkled face. "Go, Luca Tadeo, show that b*tch some manners and make her dance,” one of the patrons called out. Luca? As in Luca Tadeo—a name that carried weight in Thania, one of the most ruthless politic
*************Chapter 4“Everything?” I questioned back. Rather than answer, he circled me like a predator, his eyes fully roaming over me as his six-foot-3'-inches tall body towered over me. "You defied Luca in front of everyone.” I couldn’t read his tone. Was he angry, proud or was he just playing?I swallowed hard, my words catching in my throat. "I—I won’t be treated like some whore."His lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile, more like satisfaction. "You’re brave but also reckless. Luca won’t forget this."I inhaled deeply. “I will deal with Luca’s issue later but for now, I was concerned about what Damon Dark wanted from me. "What happens now? What do you mean by wanting everything from me?"Damon’s eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze darkening. "I’ll offer you a deal."I blinked. "What kind of deal?"He halted and then came to stand before me. His voice lowered, the words like ice as they slipped from his lips. "I’ll pay off your uncle’s debts. All of them.”“What
*************Chapter 4Scarface led me through the dim corridors of Arthdal Strike, till we made our way out for the club.Every step I took felt heavier than the last with Damon’s words replaying in my mind—You’ll be mine. Exclusively. The reality of what I had agreed to was beginning to sink in, nearly suffocating me.I averted my gaze, desperate to avoid meeting anyone’s eyes till we got into the same black car that brought me.The drive was silent. The car was spacious; now they believed I wouldn't run away. And truth be told, I crossed that thought out of my mind. Maybe in the past, but with Damon exclusively involved now, there was no hope. Not now, at least.My mind raced back to the office in the club and Damon. I held back my breath, feeling his presence loom over me as though he were still there.‘Breath, Ari, breath,’ I mentally chanted till we arrived at the grand estate sprawling across hectares of manicured landscape.I stood in awe immediately I alighted the car at t
**********Chapter 5~Ari~First of all, I learnt Scarface’s name. Secondly, Damon wasn’t kidding when he asked that I be locked up. The door slammed shut behind me, leaving me in complete darkness. My breath hitched, panic clawing at my throat. The cold seeped in almost immediately, biting into my skin through the thin, skimpy outfit I wore, but that wasn’t what made my heart race. That was a fraction. The issue was the dark, locked room—the walls closing in and the suffocating darkness pressing on all sides. I’m claustrophobic. It happened after my parents' death and since then… Oh well. My chest tightened, and my knees buckled beneath me. I couldn’t see a thing, couldn’t even hear my breathing over the sound of my racing heartbeat. I stumbled back, my fingers scraping against the cold stone wall, the only thing tethering me to reality. Within seconds, the memories flooded back—being trapped, helpless, after my parents’ car accident. The crushing weight of the wreckage, the end
**********Chapter 7I yawned, covering my lips with my hand, when Damon stared daggers in my direction. I had learned the hard way that Damon’s words were absolute.Why he had me awake by 6:30 was still a mystery to me as I stood there before a few maidservants, each having their head high, hands behind their back, and clothes neat.“Meet Ari,” Damon’s voice rang with authority as he waved his hand toward me, his eyes narrowing slightly. “She’ll be joining us for breakfast. After that, I’ll be taking her shopping.”Shopping? I blinked, almost certain I hadn’t heard him right. But before I could question it, Damon was already on the move, gesturing for me to follow him to the dining room.Left with little to no choice, I did and soon found myself seated before the best delicious meal I had ever seen in my life. My stomach churned in response, clearly happy with the appetizers staring at me.Breakfast was a quiet affair, mostly because Damon seemed entirely uninterested in making conve
*****************CHAPTER 61~Arianna’s POV~I barely registered the murmurs and laughter behind me as I stormed out of the event hall. My vision was blurred with frustration, my heart pounding so loudly it drowned out the music and chatter.Damon.I was going to kill him.How could he just stand there and declare to an entire room of wolves that I would shift in two weeks? Two freaking weeks?! I hadn’t even felt my wolf, let alone communicated with her properly. She was only out in times of extreme danger and… I shoved open the doors to the ballroom and stepped out into the cool night air. My heels clicked angrily against the pavement as I stalked toward the black car waiting for us.I needed to get out of here.“Arianna.”I ignored him.His footsteps were fast and before I could reach for the car door, a strong hand gripped my wrist and yanked me back.“Let me go, Damon,” I snapped, twisting my arm but to no avail; Damon would not let go. Fuck this!“No,” he said simply, turning m
*****************CHAPTER 60~Damon’s POV~”Then let her shift,” Sterling ordered. Arianna was frozen.Her breathing had turned shallow, her hands clenching at the fabric of her dress. I could feel the confusion radiating off her, the silent ‘What the hell did you just say?‘ burning behind those wide eyes.But there was no time to explain.The moment the words left my mouth, the room had shifted. Tension filled the air. Sharp expectant hunger filled eyes were all fixated on Arianna, waiting, anticipating.I knew these wolves. They smelled blood in the water. And everyone was ready to pounce. Everyone was ready to take my throne as ruling Alpha of Thania, from me.Sterling took a slow sip of his champagne, his amusement evident at our predicament. “Well, Lady Arianna?” he said smoothly. “You heard them. If you’re truly one of us, there should be no problem shifting.”Arianna swallowed hard. I saw the faint tremble in her fingers as she whispered under her breath, “Damon… what are you d
***************CHAPTER 59~Damon’s POV~That voice always seemed to haunt me at times when I wanted to avoid trouble. I turned my head slowly, my eyes locking onto Trisha.“No one asked for your input,” I informed her, keeping my voice cold and clipped.Trisha smiled, the type of smile that was meant to cut. She twirled the champagne in her glass lazily, her gaze locked onto Arianna like a predator savouring a wounded prey.“But Lord Sterling did,” she said sweetly, tilting her head. “And I was simply helping.”My jaw clenched.Lord Sterling’s sharp gaze shifted to Arianna, assessing, calculating. “I see. Lady Arianna, you are from which pack?”Arianna hesitated. I felt it—the way her breath caught slightly, the way her fingers twitched at her side.What Arianna does not know is that Lord Sterling is no ordinary noble—he is a representative of The High Council of Elders, the ruling body overseeing supernatural factions, including werewolves, vampires, and warlocks. His appearance si
****************CHAPTER 58~Arianna’s POV~The morning of the dinner came far too quickly.I barely had time to process everything from the past few days—learning I was adopted, Iris’s cryptic warning, Damon’s frustrating ability to kiss me speechless—before I was thrown into yet another event in his world.A world I still wasn’t sure I belonged to.Damon had been distant since last night. Not cold, but restrained, like he was holding something back. And for some reason, that annoyed me more than his usual arrogance.I was still angry at him. But even as I tried to hold onto that anger, it was slipping through my fingers.Damn him.I stood in my room, staring at the expensive gown laid out on my bed. It was a deep, shimmering navy blue with delicate lace sleeves—undeniably beautiful, undeniably expensive, and undoubtedly handpicked by Damon.A soft knock at my door snapped me from my thoughts.“Come in,” I called reluctantly.The door opened, and there he was. Why was I not surprised
***************CHAPTER 57~Trisha’s POV~Seated in the luxurious study of my father’s estate, I swirled the amber liquid in my glass, my eyes fixed on the documents spread across the mahogany desk. They were detailed profiles, each page carefully outlining Arianna’s background—or at least what little there was to know.I leaned back in the velvet chair, a slow smirk curling across my lips. Damon Dark’s pet project wasn’t as untouchable as she thought. Adopted. A mystery even to herself. A wolf that barely stirred. Arianna was as vulnerable as a deer in a den of wolves, and the thought sent a thrill of satisfaction through me.The sound of the door creaking open broke my concentration. My brother, Matteo, sauntered in in his impeccable. He raised an eyebrow at the mess of papers before settling into the chair opposite me.“You’re still obsessing over her,” he drawled, reaching for the decanter of whiskey on the table. “This Arianna girl.”I took a sip of my drink, the liquid burning
***************CHAPTER 56~Arianna’s POV~The knock on my door was sharp and insistent, jolting me out of my thoughts. I didn’t bother responding. I was in no mood for more confrontations, especially if it was Damon.But, of course, it was Damon.He didn’t wait for an invitation. The door swung open, and there he was, filling the doorway with his presence, his stormy gaze locking onto me.“Do you ever knock and wait for an answer?” I snapped, standing up from the edge of my bed where I’d been sitting.His eyes narrowed, and he stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. “We need to talk.”“Do we?” I folded my arms across my chest, trying to ignore the way my pulse quickened at his tone. “Because I’ve had enough revelations for one day, Damon. Unless you have another bombshell to drop, I’d really like to be left alone.”He didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he crossed the room in a few long strides, stopping just short of me. My heart skipped a beat, I must say. His gaze was intens
***************CHAPTER 55~Damon’s POV~The shooting range echoed with the sharp, rhythmic cracks of gunfire. I adjusted my stance, raised the handgun, and fired again, the recoil snapping against my grip. Another direct hit to the center of the target.But I didn’t feel any satisfaction.The truth was, my mind wasn’t on the target. It was on Arianna.No matter how many bullets I unloaded, I couldn’t shake the image of her—her fiery eyes, the way she glared at me, and the way her lips had trembled after our kiss. She was chaos wrapped in beauty, a storm I couldn’t control but couldn’t walk away from either.Mars growled in my mind, his voice gruff and impatient. “She’s ours. Stop playing around and claim her already.”“She doesn’t want to be claimed,” I muttered under my breath, ignoring the exasperation radiating from my wolf.“She doesn’t know what she wants,” Mars countered. “But she will.”I lowered the gun, rubbing the back of my neck. My thoughts swirled like a maelstrom, and I
***************CHAPTER 54~Arianna’s POV~The ride back to the penthouse was steeped in silence, the kind that felt loud and unbearable. My thoughts were a whirl of questions, fears, and anger. Damon didn’t say a word, his grip firm on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched tightly.As soon as the car pulled to a stop, I threw the door open and marched toward the elevator, barely waiting for him to catch up. The ride to the top floor was a blur, and the moment the doors slid open, I stormed straight to my room.“Arianna,” Damon called, his voice sharp as he followed me.I ignored him, my hand already on the door handle when he grabbed my arm and turned me to face him.“What?” I snapped, yanking my arm free.“You can’t just storm off like this,” he said, his tone calm but laced with frustration.“Why not?” I shot back, the anger bubbling over. “Everything I thought I knew about my life—about who I am—has been turned upside down in the span of a single day!”Damon took a step closer, h
***************CHAPTER 53~Arianna’s POV~Iris led us to her house, a quaint, ivy-covered building tucked away on the outskirts of the city. It had an air of mystery, with its creaking wooden door and the faint scent of herbs and magic lingering in the air.As we stepped inside, the interior was just as enigmatic as the exterior—shelves lined with jars of strange powders and liquids, books stacked haphazardly, and crystals glowing faintly in the dim light.“Sit,” Iris instructed, motioning to a round table in the center of the room. Damon and I exchanged a glance before obeying.Iris busied herself, gathering items from the shelves as if she already knew what she’d need. Finally, she turned to me, her piercing gaze locking onto mine.“Do you remember anything about where you come from? Your past?” she asked.I frowned, shaking my head. “No. I mean, I remember my childhood, but... nothing that stands out as unusual. Just... normal.”I glanced at Damon, who was sitting silently beside