PRISCILLA The air burned in my lungs as I pressed myself against the wall, my pulse pounding in my ears. My hands trembled, and I gripped the cold, uneven surface behind me to steady myself. My escape wasn’t working. Every hallway looked the same, every door leading to another dead end.I ran a hand through my tangled hair, letting out a shaky breath. No one was chasing me. No heavy footsteps, no snarls, no angry voices calling out to stop me. Yet the silence wasn’t comforting—it was suffocating.“How many damn rooms do I have to run through to find the exit?” I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper, though it echoed eerily in the stillness.I froze mid-step as the deep, gravelly voice I dreaded—and knew all too well—pierced the quiet like a blade.“You’re running in the wrong direction,” he said, the sound rolling through the empty hall like thunder. My heart dropped into my stomach, and I spun around, pressing my back harder against the wall.He stepped out from the shadows, hi
GABRIEL This human is an absolute headache.I muttered, my gaze glued to the live feed on my phone where she clung to the iron gate like a stubborn squirrel determined to escape, muttering curses as she tried to climb over it.I couldn’t help but chuckle, low and amused. “What the hell does she think she’s doing?” The question wasn’t really aimed at anyone but myself. Her audacity was something else entirely.With a swipe of my thumb, I flipped to the control panel and opened the gate. I watched as it slowly slid open, and, as expected, she lost her footing and fell. “Figures,” I murmured, shaking my head. I expected her to stay down, but she was back on her feet almost instantly.The next part was what caught me off guard. She glanced at the camera—right at me—and flipped me off, her expression defiant and unapologetic. Then she marched off down the road, her back rigid and her steps purposeful.I laughed, a deep rumble that filled the room. It wasn’t often that someone caught me of
GABRIEL The room was unnervingly quiet, save for the faint rustle of fabric as I pulled back the torn remnants of her shirt again, desperate to make sense of what I wasn’t seeing. Her skin was pristine, smooth as untouched marble. My brows furrowed in disbelief. “How is this possible?” I muttered under my breath, my voice barely audible over the weight of my thoughts. The bite should have been there—deep, unmistakable. The men I sent were precise, and obedient to the letter. There was no way they could have failed. I straightened, dragging a hand through my hair as I stepped back from the bed. My wolf stirred uneasily in the back of my mind, his presence pressing against the edges of my thoughts. “Gabriel, something’s off.”“No kidding,” I muttered aloud. I turned to leave, trying to distance myself from the inexplicable sight before me, but something tugged at me, an invisible thread pulling me back. I stopped mid-step, my jaw tightening. The logical part of me wanted to
PRISCILLA I had accepted my fate of being bossed around by him, but exposing my body in front of his people? That was too much. Without thinking, I yanked myself free, rose onto my toes, and slapped him—hard. The sharp crack of my palm against his cheek echoed through the room, louder than I expected. Silence fell. Everyone stared. And for a moment, even I was stunned by what I’d done.He didn’t flinch. He just stood there, staring at me with those cold, unblinking eyes, like he was daring me to do it again. My heart was racing, and my palms were sweating, but I refused to look away.“You shouldn’t have done that,” he said, his voice dangerously calm. “Don’t test me.”I wanted to say something, to throw his words back in his face, but the look in his eyes made my throat tighten. Finally, I found my voice, though it came out shaky. “Y-you can do anything else to me,” I stammered, my tone trembling as I tried to sound firm, “but don’t you ever humiliate me like that again. Don’t you e
PRISCILLA I gripped the steering wheel, my fingers tightening around the worn leather as I exhaled slowly. The rental car smelled like cheap air freshener and plastic, but I didn’t care. It was mine—at least for now—and that meant freedom.The wolf guy had refused to let me take anything except my identity card. No phone. Not even my camera. Just me, my ID, and the clothes on my back. But none of that mattered. I could always buy a new phone. A new camera. As long as I was heading back to New York, I was free.A small, victorious smile tugged at my lips as I stared at the open road ahead. Soon, I’d be away from him. Away from his suffocating presence, his piercing gaze. I would disappear into the crowds of the city, vanish in the sea of yellow taxis and bright billboards, and he would never find me again.The drive to Portland Airport felt longer than it should have, each mile stretching painfully with the weight of silence. He sat beside me, completely at ease, his long fingers drum
PRISCILLA I gasped, my fingers digging into his arms as he held me firmly against the wall. My legs dangled slightly off the floor, my body trapped between him and the unforgiving surface behind me. My pulse pounded in my ears, my breath coming in short, sharp bursts."Let. Me. Go." My voice was sharp, laced with anger, but I hated that a small part of me was also breathless for an entirely different reason.He smirked, his eyes gleaming with something unreadable. "Not until you understand something. You cannot run away from me? I glared at him, shoving at his chest. "Oh really? And what happens when I call the cops? Because news flash, Mr. Alpha, we're not in your little Oregon territory anymore. This is my city. My home. And here, you don’t make the rules."His smirk didn’t waver. If anything, it deepened. "Call them," he challenged, pressing closer. "But let me warn you—by the time they get here, you’ll be begging me to stay."A shiver ran down my spine, but I masked it with a sc
PRISCILLA The moment Davina's scream echoed through the apartment, everything seemed to stop. My breath hitched, my pulse hammering like a war drum in my chest. The wolfman didn’t flinch. He just stood there, his massive frame blocking the only exit, his piercing eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my stomach churn.Davina gripped my arm so tight it hurt, her nails digging into my skin. "Priscilla," she whispered harshly, "he—he’s looking at us like we’re his next meal."I swallowed hard, forcing myself to breathe. "Davina shut up," I muttered through clenched teeth, trying not to provoke him. But I couldn’t look away from him. There was something different about him now—an unreadable expression, something dangerous lingering beneath the surface.He took a slow step forward.Davina yanked me back instinctively. "Oh, hell no! If you take another step, I will throw Priscilla at you and run for my life!" she blurted out.I snapped my head toward her. "What?!”His deep, ser
PRISCILLA A man I didn’t recognize sat at my desk, his back to me, casually flipping through some of my files. My pulse spiked. My fingers twitched at my sides, but I forced myself to remain calm.The wolfman stepped up behind me, his presence an anchor that only made my stomach tighten further. I could feel his gaze burning into the side of my face, waiting to see how I would react.Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward. “Excuse me,” I said, my voice steady but firm. “You’re in my seat.”The man slowly turned around, and the moment our eyes met, my stomach dropped. He wasn’t just some random person. I recognized him. Samuel. The investigative journalist known for digging into the darkest secrets and exposing them for the world to see. I had admired his work from afar, but never in a million years did I expect him to be sitting at my desk.His sharp gaze swept over me before flicking to the wolfman standing beside me. A slow, knowing smirk curled at the corner of his lips. “Priscil
PRISCILLA Aurora held my gaze for a moment longer, her eyes strangely calm, like she could see more than what was in front of her. Then she nodded once, as if satisfied.“You may feel tired,” she said. “The spell taps into your aura—shifts it, masks it. Give your body time to adjust.”I gave a slight nod, rubbing my arms as if trying to ease the weight that still clung to me. “I’ll be fine.”Gabriel stepped closer. “If anything feels off, you tell me. Immediately.”His voice was firm—commanding—but it didn’t irritate me like before. Maybe because, for once, I could sense it wasn’t about control. It was protection. And I didn’t have the energy to fight that.Aurora stood, brushing ash from her palms. “You should rest. The spell’s strongest within the first few hours. I’ll reinforce it tomorrow if needed.”Gabriel gave her a nod of thanks before placing a hand lightly on my back, guiding me toward the door. I let him. Just this once. But then I stopped at the door and turned back towar
PRISCILLA I stood frozen, my back pressed lightly against the door, breath shallow.How did he know my full name?My fingers fumbled behind me for the doorknob, just in case I needed to bolt. But the man didn’t move. He just stood there, arms calmly at his sides, as if appearing out of nowhere was the most natural thing in the world.“Who… are you?” I finally managed, my voice quiet and shaky.He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he tilted his head slightly, his eyes—pale and stormy—seeming to search beneath my skin like he was looking for something only he could see.Before I could speak again, the door behind me creaked open, then pushed in with force.“Who are you talking to?” Gabriel’s deep voice cut through the tense air, sharp and demanding.I spun around instinctively, my gaze locking on his bare chest—muscles sculpted like they’d been carved out of stone, glistening faintly from the steam still clinging to his skin.My throat dried. I swallowed hard.And then my heart thudde
PRISCILLA I hummed to myself as I stood in his stupidly oversized closet, fingers trailing over a row of neatly folded shirts that all smelled like him. Of course, they did. Arrogant Alpha and his possessive scent marking every damn thing he owned. I turned to where he’d left me, scoffing under my breath. “What the hell is wrong with him?” I muttered. I wasn’t asking for much. Pyjamas. A pair of clean, non-alpha-scented pyjamas. But no—Mr. Growly-Luna-Is-Mine just had to make everything difficult. With a frustrated sigh, I stomped back into the room and sat on the edge of the massive bed. I glared at the closet door for a moment longer, then flopped backwards on the mattress, arms sprawled out. “Nope. Not wearing his clothes,” I muttered to myself. “I’ll sleep in this damn dress if I have to.” Which I did. It was mildly itchy. Tight in all the wrong places. And uncomfortable as hell. But I’d rather suffer than give him the satisfaction. I turned over, burying my face in
GABRIEL I stared at Aurora, her breath ragged, her fists clenched by her sides.“I discovered what she is,” she repeated, quieter now, but it rang louder than any scream in my ears.My heart thudded in my chest like a war drum. The room suddenly felt colder—thicker—as if the very air had stilled to listen.I rose slowly from the chair behind my desk, camera forgotten in my hand, the rogue’s eerie half-smile still frozen on the screen. “You’re sure?” I asked, my voice low, and rough with tension. Aurora nodded once. “Not just sure. I’ve confirmed it. I had to dig into ancient spellbooks, the forbidden tomes that haven’t seen light since before even your grandfather ruled. But it all lines up.”She crossed the room, pulling a folded parchment from inside her jacket. Old. Yellowed with age. The writing on it wasn’t even in English—it was some forgotten, curving script that shimmered faintly when the candlelight hit it. I didn’t speak. Just stared. “You know how I’ve always said
GABRIEL She was beneath me now. Trapped. Caged. ‘Mine.’Her scent curled around me like a drug—sweet, intoxicating, maddening. It was more than just her presence; it was the bond. It was the pull of something far deeper, far more primal than words could ever define. Her anger was a storm, crackling in the air between us, but underneath it—I felt it. The bond was working its way into her just as much as it had taken root in me. Her chest rose and fell unevenly, her heartbeat thrumming erratically against my heightened senses. The way her breath hitched, the slight tremor in her fingers as she clenched the sheets beneath her—she was fighting it, fighting ‘me,’ but she ‘felt’ it. I could hear it in the silence between us. I could smell it in the air. The need. The pull. She was mine. I could do anything I wanted with her body. And yet— I could
PRISCILLA The girl led me inside, her steps light and practised, as if she had walked these halls her entire life. My thoughts spun in a whirlwind, but one question managed to break through the chaos. “What’s your name?” I asked, my voice steady despite the storm inside me. She turned her head slightly, her expression remaining neutral. “Lilian, my lady.” I grimaced at the title but let it slide. Now wasn’t the time. We moved through the house, and soon I recognized the path—my chest tightening the closer we got. It was the same hallway, the same turns, the same door. I stopped, narrowing my eyes at Lilian. “Why are we here?” I demanded. “I asked to see my friend, the one who was taken.” Lilian gave me a confused look. “Your friend is in this room, Luna.” I frowned, my gut twisting with doubt. Without another word, I pushed past her and entered. The moment I stepped inside, I froze. My breath hitched. Davina was sprawled across the bed, tangled in the thick sheets,
PRISCILLA My heart thudded so loud in my chest I swore everyone could hear it. My eyes darted around, searching for Davina — needing to see her, to make sure she was okay. But all I saw were strangers, their faces expectant... curious... some even excited. The wolfman — *him* — still held me, his grip firm yet careful, like he knew I might bolt if he let go. Then a man stepped forward from the crowd, draped in a deep red robe. His face was stern, voice carrying over the dead silence. “Alpha Gabriel of the Redwood Pack,” he bellowed, “you have summoned us to bear witness to the marking of your Luna — your equal, your queen. Do you come forth willingly?” Gabriel. *So that’s his name...* I stiffened, my head snapping toward him. *Luna?* Gabriel’s voice came out steady, strong. “I do.” I shook my head frantically. *No. No, this isn’t happening.* The robed man turned his cold gaze on me. “And you... human... Do you come forth willingly? To accept his mark, to rule beside h
PRISCILLA A sudden laugh burst out of Davina, catching me off guard.I blinked and sat upright, narrowing my eyes at her. "What the hell is so funny?"Davina wiped at her eyes, grinning. "It’s ridiculous, Pris... I might never see my family again... or my boyfriend, shit..." She shook her head, letting out another small laugh. "But I just can’t stop thinking about your asshole boss. I mean — Joel, crying like a baby with a broken arm... that image is stuck in my head, and it’s weirdly satisfying."She turned to me fully, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You must’ve felt good... watching that happen, huh?"That pulled a laugh from me too — a real one — loud and unfiltered. I leaned back on my hands, shaking my head. "God... it was," I admitted, grinning. "It was satisfying as hell, but... I couldn’t even enjoy it, Davina. Right there in that moment... I was too shocked. Scared, honestly."Davina snorted. "When are you ever scared of anything, Priscilla?"I smiled, letting out a shaky
PRISCILLA My heart pounded like a war drum in my chest, each step I took making it worse. I could still taste him. Still feel him. What the hell was I thinking? I growled low under my breath, the sound nearly shocking me. I kissed him. I actually kissed him.“Stupid… so stupid,” I muttered, curling my fists at my sides as I tried to shake the memory away. But no matter how many turns we took, it stayed. Etched in my skin. Burned in my mind. That smirk... that scent... I nearly groaned again.How could I let my guard down like that? Especially with him. Another turn, then another. My mind spiralled so deep I didn’t even realize Evelyn had stopped until I nearly crashed right into her. "Shit!" I gasped, stumbling back as Evelyn turned with an arched brow. "Careful," she muttered. "You keep walking like that, you’ll break your neck before you even meet your friend." I forced a shaky breath, managing the barest smile. "Sorry... just... lost in my head." "Yeah, I can tell." Evel