***************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 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 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 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 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 62~Damon’s POV~The night was restless.Arianna had barely spoken a word since we left the party, and I didn’t push her. Her mind was spinning, full of doubt, fear, and frustration. I could feel it.But we didn’t have time for doubts.I had given my word to the Council, to Sterling, to everyone in that damn room. And if Arianna didn’t shift in two weeks, the consequences would be more than just humiliation.They would strip me of my position. Take away my power. And Arianna—she wouldn’t survive it.I wouldn't let that happen. So, there was only one solution. Find the witch.The same witch who had stared at Arianna too long when she first arrived. The one who had looked into her eyes and muttered something under her breath before disappearing into the shadows.Iris.She knew something. And now, I was going to make her talk once I found her again. We arrived home, and Arianna immediately dashed off to her room, ignoring me. I couldn’t blame her but I knew I h
*****************CHAPTER 63~Arianna’s POV~I did not bother arguing when Damon said we should train. All I wanted was a way to survive two weeks from now. If whatever he had planned for me could do it. Then, so be it. Damon led me down a long hallway, past some offices and through a heavy steel door at the back of the penthouse.The moment we stepped inside, my breath hitched.The room was massive—a full-blown training facility. Dim overhead lights cast long shadows over the walls, filled with rows of weapons. Silver daggers. Guns with silver bullets. Chains, cuffs, throwing stars, and even an entire wall of swords.I swallowed hard. This wasn’t just a training room.This felt like a war zone.Damon strode toward the center without a second glance at the weapons. “Your gear,” he said, tossing something at me.I caught it clumsily, looking down to find a pair of black leather trousers, a bralette, a tank top, and a simple hair tie.I arched a brow. “Seriously?”Damon smirked. “You’l
*****************CHAPTER 64~Damon’s POV~I watched Arianna disappear down the hallway, her footsteps quick and uneven, like she was running from herself and not just me or the fact that she took me down.My hands curled into fists.She had done it—for a split second, her wolf surfaced. But not through instinct, not through control—through rage.I wasn’t sure whether to be proud or frustrated. I had to go with the latter. Frustration was my meal today. She couldn’t use rage to summon her wolf against Sterling. He was impeccably good as he was annoying. If he sensed it, he could negate that rage and make her fool herself. Then fooling herself would be our least worry but saving her.She had power. That much was clear. But power without control was dangerous. If I kept pushing her through anger, it might work—but at what cost?Arianna was not like us. She had never known what it was like to feel a wolf’s presence beneath her skin, guiding her, protecting her.I would not let her first
***************~Damon’s POV~Damon didn’t move, didn’t flinch, as I closed the distance between us. My heart pounded, each beat a whisper of hesitation, of something I didn’t fully understand.“C-Can I?” I asked softly, barely above a whisper. My hand hovered in the space between us, close but not touching.He didn’t respond right away. His dark eyes locked onto mine, searching—maybe for my intent, maybe for something else. Then, after what felt like forever, he gave a small nod.I exhaled shakily and reached out. My fingertips grazed his skin, featherlight as they brushed over the bruise on his ribs. Damon tensed under my touch but didn’t pull away.Gently, I traced the edges of each mark, my fingers gliding over the discolored patches of skin on his abdomen, the faint scars on his chest. My touch was careful, reverent, as if I could erase the pain they carried by simply being soft with him."Do they still hurt?" I murmured.Damon shook his head. “Physically, no,” he admitted. His v
*****************CHAPTER 68~Damon’s POV~I swallowed past the lump in my throat, my fingers twitching at my sides. My anger had burned out like a candle in the wind, leaving only this—raw, aching silence between us.Slowly, almost hesitantly, I took a step forward. Then another.Damon didn’t move, didn’t flinch, as I closed the distance between us. My heart pounded, each beat a whisper of hesitation, of something I didn’t fully understand.“C-Can I?” I asked softly, barely above a whisper. My hand hovered in the space between us, close but not touching.He didn’t respond right away. His dark eyes locked onto mine, searching—maybe for my intent, maybe for something else. Then, after what felt like forever, he gave a small nod.I exhaled shakily and reached out. My fingertips grazed his skin, featherlight as they brushed over the bruise on his ribs. Damon tensed under my touch but didn’t pull away.Gently, I traced the edges of each mark, my fingers gliding over the discolored patches
*****************CHAPTER 67~Arianna’s POV~I followed Damon through the dense trees, my legs aching with every step. My body was still weak from the brutal training, but curiosity kept me moving.“Where’s this place?” I asked, scanning the area as we emerged into a clearing.The air here was heavier, filled with something unspoken. The ground was packed dirt, uneven and scarred, as if countless battles had taken place here. Wooden dummies, worn and splintered, stood in a jagged row. Rusted chains dangled from a thick iron post, the metal stained a dark crimson. Against the farthest wall, an array of weapons hung—knives, whips, staffs, and even crude spiked bats.“This was where I used to train when I was young…” Damon’s voice was quiet, almost distant. “With my father.”I froze. Damon barely talked about his father. Hearing him mention the man so casually made my stomach twist. I turned to look at him, but he wasn’t looking at me. His gaze was fixed on something only he could see—s
*****************CHAPTER 67~Arianna’s POV~I followed Damon through the dense trees, my legs aching with every step. My body was still weak from the brutal training, but curiosity kept me moving.“Where’s this place?” I asked, scanning the area as we emerged into a clearing.The air here was heavier, filled with something unspoken. The ground was packed dirt, uneven and scarred, as if countless battles had taken place here. Wooden dummies, worn and splintered, stood in a jagged row. Rusted chains dangled from a thick iron post, the metal stained a dark crimson. Against the farthest wall, an array of weapons hung—knives, whips, staffs, and even crude spiked bats.“This was where I used to train when I was young…” Damon’s voice was quiet, almost distant. “With my father.”I froze. Damon barely talked about his father. Hearing him mention the man so casually made my stomach twist. I turned to look at him, but he wasn’t looking at me. His gaze was fixed on something only he could see—s
*****************CHAPTER 66~Sterling’s POV~The dimly lit room reeked of aged wood and power—a private lounge reserved only for the elites of the werewolf world. I leaned back in the leather armchair, swirling a glass of blood-red wine in my hand, my lips curving into a slow smile.“Your little stunt worked perfectly,” I said, glancing at the woman across from me.Trisha Don Mars.She sat on the edge of the couch, her legs crossed, looking every bit the picture of confidence and poise. Her lips curled into that signature smirk of hers, one that dripped with malice and self-satisfaction.She was beautiful in her own selfish way, and I loved her for it. Most ladies hid under his naive look while masking their true colours but Trisha showed them. She was not afraid to be seen as selfish, wicked, and all that. I mean, it was all in us and the greed of men was insatiable. At least with this kind of ally, you know what drives them and makes them who they are, and if you can work with t
*****************The dimly lit room reeked of aged wood and power—a private lounge reserved only for the elites of the werewolf world. I leaned back in the leather armchair, swirling a glass of blood-red wine in my hand, my lips curving into a slow smile.“Your little stunt worked perfectly,” I said, glancing at the woman across from me.Trisha Don Mars.She sat on the edge of the couch, her legs crossed, looking every bit the picture of confidence and poise. Her lips curled into that signature smirk of hers, one that dripped with malice and self-satisfaction.“Of course it worked,” she replied, taking a sip of her own drink. “Arianna’s cracking, isn’t she?”I chuckled. “She’s human—what did you expect? Damon’s pushing her to the edge, and even he knows she won’t survive the Luna Trials. It’s just a matter of time before she breaks.”“And when she does,” Trisha said, her voice soft but venomous, “Damon will finally realize what a mistake it was to choose her.”Her fingers traced the
**************CHAPTER 73~Kaia’s POV~The house was quiet, eerily so. Blaze had left for work early in the morning, telling me to stay behind since his grandmother was still here. I had spent most of the morning in the living room, flipping through magazines and trying to keep my thoughts from drifting to the events of the past few days, especially this morning in the bathroom with him. Just that already brought thoughts of our intense fucking. Umm, well, lovemaking and even though Blaze could act like it was nothing or it didn’t happen. It did for me and might I say, it was the best I ever had.I sighed, my shoulders slouching. No matter how hard I tried, my curiosity kept tugging at me, leading me to one place: the room, Blaze’s secret room.I stood up and walked away. First to the kitchen and then to the swimming pool and then… I was so deep in my thoughts that I didn’t even realise where I was walking to.It wasn’t intentional, or so I told myself. My feet moved on their own,
*****************CHAPTER 63~Arianna’s POV~I did not bother arguing when Damon said we should train. All I wanted was a way to survive two weeks from now. If whatever he had planned for me could do it. Then, so be it. Damon led me down a long hallway, past some offices and through a heavy steel door at the back of the penthouse.The moment we stepped inside, my breath hitched.The room was massive—a full-blown training facility. Dim overhead lights cast long shadows over the walls, filled with rows of weapons. Silver daggers. Guns with silver bullets. Chains, cuffs, throwing stars, and even an entire wall of swords.I swallowed hard. This wasn’t just a training room.This felt like a war zone.Damon strode toward the center without a second glance at the weapons. “Your gear,” he said, tossing something at me.I caught it clumsily, looking down to find a pair of black leather trousers, a bralette, a tank top, and a simple hair tie.I arched a brow. “Seriously?”Damon smirked. “You’l
*****************CHAPTER 63~Arianna’s POV~I did not bother arguing when Damon said we should train. All I wanted was a way to survive two weeks from now. If whatever he had planned for me could do it. Then, so be it. Damon led me down a long hallway, past some offices and through a heavy steel door at the back of the penthouse.The moment we stepped inside, my breath hitched.The room was massive—a full-blown training facility. Dim overhead lights cast long shadows over the walls, filled with rows of weapons. Silver daggers. Guns with silver bullets. Chains, cuffs, throwing stars, and even an entire wall of swords.I swallowed hard. This wasn’t just a training room.This felt like a war zone.Damon strode toward the center without a second glance at the weapons. “Your gear,” he said, tossing something at me.I caught it clumsily, looking down to find a pair of black leather trousers, a bralette, a tank top, and a simple hair tie.I arched a brow. “Seriously?”Damon smirked. “You’l