Scarlett“Alpha Dickson isn’t someone who gives up easily,” Alisha said, her fingers nervously tapping against her coffee mug.I lifted my gaze to meet hers. “What exactly are you trying to say?”“The letter, Scarlett.” Her voice dropped to barely above a whisper. “You know what he’s capable of.”“So what would you have me do?” Heat crept into my voice. “Crawl back to that hell? Let him treat me like his property again?”“God, no!” Alisha’s eyes widened in horror. “That’s not what I meant at all. I’m just worried he might track you down here.”I straightened my shoulders, feeling the new strength that coursed through my veins. “Let him try. I’m not the same weak wolf he knew. Peter’s training has made sure of that.” The letter from Dickson still burned in my memory, though I couldn’t fathom how he’d managed to have it delivered. One thing was certain – I’d rather die than return to his pack, to the nightmare I’d escaped.“My life belongs to me now,” I declared. “No one else gets to de
ScarlettMy blood turned to ice in my veins. Dickson’s grip tightened around my arm, his fingers digging into my flesh like claws.“Did you really think you could hide from me forever?” he asked, his voice a silky whisper that carried more menace than any shout. “That you could just walk away from what’s mine?”I tried to yank my arm free, but his grip was like iron. “I’m not yours,” I spat, summoning every ounce of contempt I could muster. “I was never yours.”His laugh was cold, devoid of any warmth. “Look at you, playing human in this pathetic little town. Running a coffee shop, training with that broken excuse for a warrior.” His eyes glinted dangerously. “Did you think I wouldn’t find out about him?”My heart skipped a beat. Peter. How long had Dickson been watching me?“You’ve been busy, Luna,” he continued, stepping closer until I could feel his breath on my face. “Making friends, building a life, pretending you’re free.” His free hand came up to brush my cheek, and I jerked aw
ScarlettI tried to move, but my limbs felt heavy, weighted down. Memories crashed over me in waves – Dickson, the confrontation, Alisha, the sudden attack from behind. My wolf stirred restlessly within me, a caged animal sensing danger.“She’s waking up,” a voice muttered nearby. Not Dickson’s. Not Alisha’s.I forced my eyes open, blinking against the harsh fluorescent light. I was in a room – no, a cell. White walls. A single metal door. No windows. The kind of place designed to hold someone against their will.My training with Peter kicked in. Stay calm. Assess. Survive.I looked around and finally located the source of the voice. A woman stood in the corner, staring at me with something that looked like pity.“Who are you?” My voice came out weak, unfamiliar. Something was wrong – I was never this powerless. My head throbbed with each heartbeat.“You don’t need to know who I am,” she replied softly. “Luna.”“Luna.” The name rolled off my tongue like poison – that cursed title. “I’
Scarlett“Ray,” I called, trying to connect with my wolf, but she only stirred.I didn’t know how long I lay there, my mind drifting in and out of consciousness as the wolfsbane poisoned my system. Hours? Days? Time lost all meaning in this windowless cell. The fluorescent lights never dimmed, creating an endless, artificial day that made it impossible to track time.Every so often, the elderly woman would return with another dose. She never spoke anymore, just administered the injection with trembling hands and sorrowful eyes. I’d stopped fighting - not because I’d given up, but because I needed to conserve what little strength remained.My wolf was still present but distant, like a faint radio signal struggling to break through static. The separation was more agonizing than the physical pain. We had always been inseparable, my wolf and I united in everything. Now, I felt empty, like a part of me was missing.Alisha’s betrayal burned worse than the wolfsbane. Five years ago, she’d be
DicksonFive Years AgoThe cell reeked of victory – her victory. I inhaled deeply, letting the rage build in my chest as I stared at the broken chains. Gone. She was gone. My fingers traced the metal bars she’d somehow managed to break, despite her weakening body.“Alpha,” Henry, my beta, approached with the caution of a man who’d seen my rage before. “We found evidence that—”“That one of my own servants helped her escape?” I turned slowly, enjoying how he flinched. “Yes, I’m aware. It must be that little maid – Alisha, the one I assigned to her.”“Should we hunt them down? We could—”“No.” I smoothed down my jacket, regaining my composure. Control was everything. “Let them run. Let them think they’ve won.”“But sir, after what she did to Vanessa…”My hand shot out, gripping his throat. “Don’t say her name.” I released him, watching him gasp for air. “My mistress’s death will be avenged, but not yet. Sometimes, Henry, the best revenge requires patience.”I walked to the window, looki
DicksonThe sound of Scarlett’s rebellion echoed in my mind as I walked down the corridor. My footsteps measured and precise. Her words – “I fucking hate you” – brought a smile to my face. Such spirit, even now. Breaking her would be even more satisfying than I’d imagined.“Alpha,” Henry approached, bowing his head. “The preparations are complete.”“And our guest?”“The warrior’s body has been... brought and displayed, as you ordered. When she’s moved to the viewing room, she won’t be able to miss it.”Perfect. I adjusted my cufflinks, imagining her reaction when she saw what remained of her precious trainer. “And Alisha?”“In the conditioning chamber, sir. She’s... resistant. Her body and brain are trying to fight off your manipulation.”I paused, turning to face him. “Resistant?” Henry wasn’t lying. The way she behaved in front of Scarlett made me realize there were still feelings.I thought she could be cold as ice when she confronted her, like I wanted. I thought she could say some
ScarlettThe guards came for me when the wolfsbane was at its peak in my system. Every movement sent fire through my veins as they dragged me from my cell, my feet barely able to support my weight. I tried to focus, to memorize the route they were taking, but the corridors blurred together in an endless maze of sterile white walls.We stopped at a large metal door. One of the guards punched in a code – my dulled senses couldn’t catch the numbers – and pushed me inside.The viewing room. My heart stopped.Peter.Or what was left of him.They’d positioned him like a grotesque artwork, suspended against the far wall. His missing hand. His gouged eye. The cavity in his chest where his heart should have been. The message was clear: this is what happens to those who dare to help you.“Beautiful, isn’t it?”Alisha’s voice. But wrong. Cold. Empty. I turned to face her, and the person I saw wasn’t the sister I’d known for five years. Her eyes were different – harder, filled with a hatred that
ScarlettThe first thing I noticed was the cold. Not the biting chill of the viewing room, but the deep, penetrating cold of the isolation cells beneath the pack house. My body ached, each breath sending shards of pain through my ribs. Alisha’s handiwork. I looked around and I realized I was in a different cell.I was in deep pain. My bones ached, but underneath the pain, something was different. Ray’s presence was stronger, more focused. The wolfsbane should have kept her subdued for hours more, yet I could feel her stirring, pushing against the chemical chains that bound her.Focus, I told myself, forcing my eyes open. The cell was pitch black, but my enhanced vision picked out details my human sight would have missed. Fresh scratches on the walls. The lingering scent of fear. Blood—not just mine.Others had been here recently.I pressed my palms against the cold concrete, testing my strength. My arms trembled but held. Whatever game Dickson was playing, he’d made his first mistake:
ScarlettI turned to leave, but before I could make it to the door, a weak voice called out to me, stopping me in my tracks.“Scarlett…”The sound of my name from his lips sent a shiver down my spine. I froze, my hand hovering over the doorknob, unable to move forward or turn back.“Who… who are you leaving him for?” he rasped, his voice barely above a whisper, broken and raw with emotion.The world seemed to freeze in that moment. Time stood still as his question weighed heavily on my chest, making it difficult to breathe.Despite everything I had done; the violence, the threats against his mate; David still couldn’t accept my betrayal.His loyalty to Finn ran so deep that even now, bloodied and beaten, he clung to the belief that I couldn’t truly abandon my mate.I looked at David, at the man who had always stood by Finn’s side through every hardship, and something inside me cracked. This was the moment when my bridges would truly burn, when I would have to leave them both behind.I
Scarlett“Sister, are you sure you are going to kill him?”It was her. It was a familiar and beloved voice that I could never forget, not in a thousand lifetimes.The sound froze me in my tracks, sending chills down my spine.I turned slowly, my heart hammering against my ribs, knowing exactly who stood behind me even before my eyes confirmed it.It was my sister, the one person who could see through my lies.“Alisha,” I whispered her name, the sound barely escaping my trembling lips. “Why are you here?”Her eyes, so like my own, searched my face, confusion and hurt swimming in their depths. “You want to kill my mate, sister?” she asked, stepping toward me with outstretched hands. I stumbled backward, my legs quivering beneath me, but I forced myself to stand firm.“Why?" Her voice trembled, on the verge of tears, cracking with emotion. The sound cut through me, adding to the pain in my already broken heart.Every fiber of my being screamed to reach for her, to pull her into my arms a
ScarlettFive days. Five agonizing days since the Alpha King’s proposal had shattered my world.The pressure of his ultimatum pressed against my chest like a stone, making each breath a struggle.How could I possibly tell my people? The words stuck in my throat whenever I tried to form them. And Finn; my sweet, loyal Finn, how would he look at me if he knew the terrible price I had to pay for his life?The thought consumed me, crawling through my veins, stealing sleep from my nights and peace from my days. My beloved mate was dying, his strength fading with each passing hour. And I alone held the power to save him—at a cost that tore my heart in two.I paced the bedroom floor until my feet ached, the floorboards creaking beneath my restless steps. The Alpha King’s face haunted my thoughts—his cold smile, those piercing eyes that made my skin crawl.He wasn’t someone I could challenge or defy. The mere thought of confronting him made my hands tremble.Even if I mustered all my courage
DicksonThere isn’t a single soul here. Not one. A place that was once bustling with rogues and outcasts has fallen deathly silent, mutated into a graveyard of memories and broken ambitions.The emptiness mocks me as I stand amid the ruins of my former glory. The bitter taste of regret floods my mouth as my thoughts drift to Scarlett—that woman who had seemed so insignificant, so easily controlled.If I had known she would become someone like this; this force of nature, this omen of destruction - I would have crushed her rebellion before it could take root.I would have held her down, broken her will, forced her to submit to my every command.By now, I would have been crowned Alpha King, with packs bowing before me instead of lying here, surrounded by the ashes of my mate and my dreams.“Who are you?” someone suddenly asked.My head snaps up, instincts instantly alert. I hadn’t detected anyone approaching—not a scent, not a sound, not even the subtle shift in air that usually betrays
Dickson.“How DARE you!” Scar’s voice shattered the silence, her amber eyes flashing with such venomous rage. She spat her words, each one aiming directly at my heart.Her beautiful face contorted with disgust, transforming the woman I loved into someone I barely recognized. “If I had known you were such a pathetic, spineless FAILURE, do you honestly believe I would have bound myself to you? You worthless bastard.”“Scar, please, just listen—” My desperate plea withered under her furious glare.“SHUT UP!” she snarled. “I thought you were something special- something magnificent. A true Alpha with the strength to crush that goddamn pack beneath your heel.”Her lips curled back, revealing her canines. “But I was catastrophically wrong. You’re nothing but a coward hiding behind excuses.”She paused, drawing a ragged breath, the contempt rolling off her in waves. “I lie awake at night wondering how moon goddess could have made such a grievous error in allowing you to become an Alpha.” Her
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