ScarlettThe next day arrived with a gentle knock at my door. For a moment, my heart raced, fearing it might be Vanessa returning with more cruelty. But when the door opened, I saw Alisha’s familiar face instead.“Luna, may I come in?” she asked softly.“Yes, please,” I called out.“Good morning, Luna.”Alisha entered, carrying a tray laden with a steaming bowl of soup and various other dishes. I sat up in bed, surprised by the formal service.“Why are you bringing food to my room?” I asked, watching as she carefully set the tray on the nearby table. “I usually eat in the dining hall.”“Alpha’s orders, Luna,” Alisha explained, her voice gentle. “He wants you to remain in your chambers today. With the Northern pack delegation arriving...”I let out a bitter laugh. “Ah, of course. He doesn’t want me seen during the diplomatic visits.”“I thought you might be angry,” Alisha said carefully.“Angry?” I shook my head, a sad smile playing at my lips. “No. I’m relieved, actually. I have no des
ScarlettI turned to meet his gaze, blood still warm on my hands, Vanessa’s last breath lingering in the air between us. Something dark and satisfied curled my lips into a smile. “What do you think? She screamed so beautifully for me, didn’t she?”“You dare...” His voice trembled with barely contained fury, eyes blazing alpha-red as he stalked toward me. “You dare murder my mistress?” The words escaped him in a feral growl that would have once terrified me. I had nothing to fear. Absolutely nothing. What else was there for me? I had lost everything, and the only source of joy was gone.“Murder?” I laughed. “No, Dickson. This was justice.” My hand drifted to my empty womb, the void there aching like an open wound. “She took my baby from me. My innocent child. I simply returned the favor.”He moved with alpha speed, his hand gripping my throat tightly. I didn’t resist. Instead, I smiled, savoring the sensation of his touch on my windpipe.“Do it fast and clean,” I whispered, meeting his
ScarlettI pressed myself against the cold stone wall of my cell, feeling hatred burning through my veins. My initial rage at Vanessa had been misplaced. It was Rebecca who had orchestrated my baby’s death. The truth of it clawed at my insides, demanding vengeance.How should I kill her? Slow and excruciating, so she knows each breath she took cost me something I loved. I want her to feel the claws of regret that now scar my insides. Each moment of my child’s lost life will echo through her suffering.“I’m such a useless wolf,” Ray whimpered through our mindlink, her voice thick with shame. “If only I were strong enough to stand against the Alpha—”“It was never your fault,” I replied silently, feeling her anguish echo my own. “We were strong once. Something changed us, weakened us.”“I still don’t understand how I became an omega,” Ray murmured. “I was stronger than most betas, but now…” She hesitated. “I’m nothing. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect us. I couldn’t protect the child.”“I’v
Scarlett.The morning sun streamed through the windows of our café, casting warm shadows across the freshly polished tables. Five years. Sometimes it felt like another lifetime since I’d fled the pack, and other mornings – like today – the memories rose fresh and raw in my mind.“Your coffee’s getting cold,” Alisha called from behind the counter, her dark hair now streaked with subtle caramel highlights – another small act of rebellion we’d both embraced in the human world. She’d traded her maid’s uniform for chef’s whites, and the confidence in her bearing made her unrecognizable from the timid wolf who’d once served the pack.I smiled, watching the morning rush of humans queuing up for their breakfast pastries. Our pastries. Who would have thought a former Luna and her maid would end up owning the most popular café in downtown Portland? The irony wasn’t lost on me.“Just lost in thought,” I replied, but Alisha’s knowing look told me she understood. We both had days when the past cre
FinnI was barely sixteen when I found my mother’s body in our pack house, her throat torn out, my father kneeling beside her in a pool of blood. The evidence planted by Alpha Alaric, Scarlett’s father, was meticulous. Witness testimonies, my father’s supposed motive, even his rage were all twisted into a perfect lie that convinced some of our own pack.My father, former Alpha Marcus Foster, was executed for a crime he didn’t commit. I watched him die with his head held high, his last words to me: “Truth will prevail, son. But patience before vengeance.”I didn’t listen.At seventeen, I became the youngest alpha in our territory’s history, rebuilding a pack shattered by scandal. I changed our name from the Steel Pack to the Crescent Pack, erasing history to escape shame. Loyal ones stayed, but we were shadows of our former strength.For ten years, I restored what Alaric had destroyed. Every alliance was crafted carefully, every business deal planned meticulously. Our pack’s influence g
Finn“Are you sure you don’t want to know anything about her?” His voice trailed after me as I walked back into the pack house. I didn’t answer.“Alpha,” I heard his voice in my head. What kind of nagging wolf was David? Why couldn’t he just let me be? With my alpha speed, I rushed to my office.‘I think we need to listen to him,’ my wolf said.‘Storm, are you thinking of living happily with her when you know her father was the one who destroyed our once-happy home?’ I yelled. ‘Tell me.’ My anger was evident as I trembled. ‘You’re right, I should have killed her to save myself from this stress.’‘Finn, I didn’t mean it.’‘You know how hard we worked to rebuild everything from nothing. The endless training, hiding from everyone’s eyes just to get where we are today. I refuse to show weakness now.’I clenched my fists. ‘Yes, I still feel something for her, but how could I make her my Luna? How could I face her every day, looking into eyes that remind me of the murderer who slaughtered my
FinnMonths passed by quickly. I buried myself in pack work, desperately trying to keep my thoughts from wandering to her.Today had been particularly exhausting. After working through the night, I was reviewing documents when my Beta approached my desk.“Alpha,” he said quietly.“Do you need something?” I looked up from the stack of papers.“I need to step out for a moment,” he replied. “I’ll be back soon.”“Make it fast. We still have a lot to get through.”“Yes, sir.” After he left, I returned to my work, the mountain of paperwork seeming endless.‘Time to bring in the third in command,’ I thought to myself, rubbing my temples.I was still working when David burst into my office. I stood immediately, my wolf on high alert.“What is wrong?” I asked with a growl.“Alpha, there’s something you need to know.”“Are we under attack?”“No, not that.” David hesitated. “It’s about your mate.”My eyebrows drew together in anger. I had explicitly warned him never to mention her again.“What di
FinnThe reports landed on my desk with a dull thud, another stack of dead ends in my endless search.Five years of following every lead, every whisper, every trace of her scent – and still nothing.I rubbed my temples, trying to ward off the familiar ache of failure, when quick footsteps approached my office.A sharp knock, then one of my trackers burst in, his eyes bright with urgency. “Alpha, I have information about the Luna.”My pen clattered to the desk as I shot to my feet, heart hammering against my ribs. “Where?”“In the human realm,” he replied, and suddenly everything made sense – why our best trackers had failed, why her scent had vanished so completely.“What! Are you sure?”“Yes, sir. Got that information directly from John.”“Where can I find him?”“He’s waiting at the human portal entrance.”“Thank you.”I was halfway to the door when my Beta’s voice cut through the corridor. “Alpha, where are you going?”“To the human realm,” I called back, not breaking stride. “They’v
Leonardo“But...” A howl vibrated from deep within my chest, loud, raw and dangerous, making her freeze in place, fear flickering across her eyes.“Out!” I thundered, watching with savage satisfaction as they all scattered like terrified mice.I exhaled slowly, tension draining from my shoulders. These ants, always underfoot, always intruding.As she scurried away, I turned back to the mirror, straightening my cuffs.Now, it was time to meet my guest. The one I’d been waiting for.I walked as fast as my legs could carry me, finally reaching the throne room.“Here comes the king,” the guards announced. As they swung the doors open, my breath caught in my throat. I was awestruck by her beauty.Her aura pulsed with power, different and extraordinary in a way I’d never encountered. A possessive thought blazed through my mind: This woman must be mine.I forced myself to walk past her, even as my senses heightened to catch her scent, noting how she bowed her head in submission and respect.
LeonardoThe clash of bodies and the sharp scent of blood reached my ears before the dust settled. From the high balcony of my palace, I watched as the woman tore through my guards like they were nothing but paper dolls.Interesting.The Crescent Pack’s Luna, Scarlett. I had heard much about her; an ordinary omega turned Alpha’s mate, a woman marked by both suffering and defiance.And now, here she was, standing amidst the fallen, her chest rising and falling with steady breaths, her hands bloodied but unwavering.She was not what I expected.I had anticipated someone broken by rejection, tamed by the harsh hand of fate. Instead, what I saw was fire. A warrior. A queen in her own right, even if she did not bear the title.Beside me, my Beta Giovanni shifted uncomfortably. “Should I intervene, my king?”I held up a hand, stopping him. “No. Let’s see what she does next.”Below, Scarlett stepped forward, her boots crunching against the dirt as she towered over the wounded guards. A slow
Scarlett“Ray,” Seraiah muttered. “I believe she is Seraphina’s weaker version.”“What did you just say?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet as I struggled to process her words.My mind refused to accept what I was hearing, scrambling for any other explanation.“Are they joking? This can’t be real.” My thoughts raced frantically. “My Ray can never become something sinister like this.”Ray’s memories cascaded through me like a warm, familiar tide—her gentle presence when I needed comfort, her unwavering loyalty when everyone else had abandoned me.I remembered how she had nuzzled against me during those endless nights when darkness threatened to consume me. How her soft whimpers had somehow formed words of courage when I was drowning in despair. She had stayed beside me when no one else would even look my way.So how... how is it possible for her to be this wolf?“I guess you don’t understand what I’m saying,” Seraphina said. Her smug, superior
ScarlettThe battlefield smelled of burnt flesh and blood; an intoxicating mixture of death and destruction.I stood in the center of it all, my hands still tingling with the lingering heat of my flames.The scent of the rogues’ burned remains filled my senses, but instead of loathing, I felt something else entirely.Satisfaction.I closed my eyes, inhaling deeply. My power, the thing that had been locked away for so long, now coursed through me like an untamed storm, crackling under my skin.When I opened my eyes again, I saw Finn watching me.His ocean-blue gaze was filled with something I couldn’t quite place, something between awe and… fear. The thought sent a strange thrill through me.I understood why he was behaving like this. He thought my power might have controlled me, consumed my soul, and that I might kill his people after dealing with all these rogues.But he was wrong. I am the sole owner of this power. I can easily control it now.“Fin—”“Watch out!” he screamed as he l
FinnI was burning with rage as I followed my Beta to my office. Why? Why did it have to be now when I was finally with my mate? It had been weeks since I had held her in my arms.Kissing her and feeling her warmth had been pure bliss—until Beta David decided to shatter our moment.“You’re here, sir,” Gamma said, rising to his feet as soon as he spotted me.“Why are you still here?” I asked, unable to mask my shock. “I remember you leaving after me.”“Yes, we have an urgent matter, Alpha,” he said, making a path for me. I strode to my chair and sank into it, my jaw clenched tight.“What is so important? What is so urgent that it demands my attention?” I scoffed. All I needed was to escape this room and return to my mate’s bed.“We noticed some changes at the pack border,” David responded, his voice tense. “And we needed to treat it with urgency, sir.”“What?” I slammed my fist on the table, making both men flinch. “Is that why I was dragged here? Don’t tell me you can’t handle a bunch
Scarlett“Here you are, Alpha,” someone said, breaking the spell and making me push him away.“Ha,” David breathed out, his eyes darting around nervously. He looked at me before focusing on Finn, his gaze held both apology and discomfort.I was red; red with embarrassment that burned through my entire body. I nearly wanted to dig a hole and hide inside, mortification making my skin tingle.“Why are you here, Beta?” Finn asked through gritted teeth. He was burning with rage, his jaw clenched so tight I could see the muscles working beneath his skin. “What you needed to say must be important for you to come here at this point… at this time.”“I’m sorry,” David pleaded, his voice strained with genuine regret. “I didn’t know that…” He trailed off, sneaking a peep at me. I blushed harder, trying to hide my face behind a shroud of hair. “You were in the middle of something important, Alpha.”A loud roar vibrated in Finn’s chest as he spoke. “Go straight to the point, Beta.”“Alpha, we have
ScarlettDarkness.That was all I had known.I had screamed, I had clawed, I had begged, but the monster inside me had laughed. It had worn my body like a second skin, moved my limbs as if they were its own, twisted my voice into something sinister and cruel.I had watched helplessly as it used me to hurt the people I cared about. Watched as Finn stood before me, unwavering, even as I burned him. Even as I tried to hurt and break him.But he never fought back.He had spoken to me - not to the monster, not to the entity that had taken over, but to me. The part of me that was drowning, slipping away. His voice had been a lifeline, and I had grasped it with everything I had left.And now…I was back.I barely registered the trembling of my limbs as Finn held me against his chest. My body felt like it had been through a war, every muscle aching, my skin raw from the flames I had wielded.The scent of scorched earth lingered in the air, but I could feel something else now—warmth, solid and
FinnScarlett wasn’t Scarlett anymore.The thing standing before me wore her face, her body, but it wasn’t her. Not entirely.The flickering flames licking at her fingertips, the eerie glow in her eyes; one a burning crimson, the other a blue so unnatural it sent chills through me, told me everything I needed to know.Something else had taken her. Something old. Something dangerous. Something that needed to stay far away from my mate.And I had no idea how to stop it.I forced my feet to stay grounded despite the overwhelming urge to rush to her, to shake her until she snapped out of it. But the pain of the earlier attack still lingered.The crack of my bones breaking under her blows echoed in my mind. My wolf, Storm, whined, pacing restlessly inside me, torn between the instinct to fight and the desperate need to protect our mate.But this wasn’t a fight I could win with claws and teeth. Not against her. Not against this demon in my mate form.“Scarlett,” I called her name, voice ste
ScarlettDarkness. Thick, endless, suffocating. I was drifting in it, weightless, lost. The last thing I remembered was the burning agony in my chest, my wolf’s anguished howl echoing inside me, the feeling of my body unraveling at the seams.Then nothing.But now, the darkness was shifting. Light seeped through the cracks, and with it came sensation. The warmth of a hand wrapped around mine. A soft whisper threading through the silence.“...love you, you know that? More than anything.”The voice was familiar, deep and soothing, wrapping around me like a lifeline. I fought my way toward it, through the fog clouding my mind, through the unfamiliar pulse of power thrumming beneath my skin.I gasped as my senses rushed back and my eyes flew open.Bright light assaulted my vision, and I winced, groaning as a dull ache spread through my skull. My body felt different - heavier and lighter all at once, as if I were made of both fire and air.“Scarlett.”Finn’s voice. My gaze flickered to the