ScarlettPain. That was the first thing I registered as consciousness slowly returned. Not the sharp, burning agony of wolfsbane, but a dull ache that seemed to reach into my bones. The second thing I noticed was warmth. A familiar presence wrapped around me like a shield.I forced my heavy eyelids open to find myself in an unfamiliar room, lying in a massive bed. Medical equipment beeped softly nearby, but what caught my attention was the large figure slumped in a chair beside me.Finn.He looked terrible. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and bandages wrapped around his body spoke of wounds that hadn’t yet healed; wounds he’d taken fighting for me. His hand was clasped around mine, our mate marks perfectly aligned.“You’re staring,” he murmured without opening his eyes. “Do I look cute?”“You look awful,” I managed to croak, my throat dry.A small smile tugged at his lips as he finally looked at me. Those ocean-deep blue eyes I remembered so well now filled with a mix of concern and r
ScarlettThe room fell silent after I spoke, and Finn stayed still on his knees, his expression filled with devastation. I watched as understanding dawned in his eyes – the true weight of what he’d done, the irreparable damage his rejection had caused.“Your child?” he finally managed, his voice barely above a whisper. “How? How is it possible for me to do that?”“It is," I said with a smirk. “All you need to do is go to the underworld to bring back my child.”The medical equipment beside my bed beeped steadily, marking the painful seconds that stretched between us. Through our cursed mate bond, I could feel his anguish building like a tsunami.“I—”“If you can’t do that,” I spoke, cutting him off. “Then you should have it in mind that it won’t be possible between us. After all, you made it very clear that day – I was nothing but my father’s daughter to you. A reminder of everything you’d lost.”Finn’s shoulders began to shake. For the first time since I’d known him, I watched as tear
ScarlettAfter Finn’s tearful departure, I sat alone in the hospital room, my mind reeling. The revelation of our lost child had shaken me to my core, tearing open wounds I’d long thought had scarred over.Even now, I could still feel the phantom flutter of that tiny life, the dream of a future I had dared to imagine. Finn’s devastation had been visceral, undeniable. The man who had once rejected me without a second glance was now brought low, his pride and control utterly shattered.A part of me, the part that still craved his love and acceptance, wanted to reach out, to ease his suffering. But the stronger, colder part of me - the part that had endured five years of torment and loss - recoiled at the very thought.How dare he, I thought bitterly. How dare he come here, torn apart by guilt, and demand my forgiveness? As if any amount of remorse could undo the pain he had caused me.Yet, even as I tried to harden my heart against him, I couldn’t ignore the ache in my own chest. The ma
FinnI closed Scarlett’s door behind me, my hands trembling with the effort it took not to punch through the nearest wall. Her words echoed in my mind: “I will never show my face in front of you again.”“MATE!” Storm howled inside me, the sound so anguished it made my chest physically ache. My wolf had been in constant torment since Scarlett’s return, torn between joy at having her near and agony at her rejection.I barely made it to my office before my control slipped. With a roar, I swept everything off my desk, watching as papers scattered and my laptop crashed to the floor. The sound wasn’t nearly satisfying enough to drown out the pain.“Alpha?” My Beta, David, appeared in the doorway, concern etched on his features.“Out,” I growled, my eyes blazing red. When he didn’t immediately move, I snarled, “Now!”The door clicked shut, leaving me alone with my thoughts and Storm’s increasingly frantic pacing. I could still smell her on my skin from being in her room - a blend of lavender
Third pov David watched the council members as they entered the meeting room, their expressions a blend of worry and interest. He could tell they were aware of their Alpha’s unease, which permeated the pack bonds like a pre-storm charge. As the Beta, he felt it more intensely than others, the sharp pang of his Alpha’s suffering pulsing beneath his surface. The northern border dispute should have been a straightforward matter. The Stone Ridge Pack had been encroaching on their hunting grounds for months, testing boundaries, looking for weaknesses. At any other time, Finn would have handled it with the calculated precision that had made him one of the youngest and most respected Alphas in the region. But now... David studied Finn as he entered the room with a confident stride. While Finn may have seemed like a strong leader to the council members, David noticed the subtle signs of inner turmoil. The trembling hands and tense posture. It was clear that Finn was struggling to maintain h
ScarlettI hurried out of David’s office, my heart racing in my chest. The mate bond pulsed with intensity, sensing Finn’s presence in the council chamber. My wolf, Ray, whimpered and clawed at my insides, desperate to turn around, to go back.“Mate,” she pleaded. “We need him.”“We need nothing,” I snarled internally, though my hand betrayed me by clutching at my chest where the bond pulsed strongest.I hadn’t come to discuss hospital bills. I’d come because I’d overheard the maids discussing the meeting, and I had asked one to take me there since I didn’t know anything about his pack. I was curious— curious about how he led his pack, how he spoke during important meetings. I had let my curiosity get the better of me.But seeing Finn had scattered my thoughts. Five years hadn’t prepared me for how he would look sitting at the head of that table, power and authority radiating from him in waves. Finn... this Finn wore his power like a second skin as I watched him speak.“You’re impress
ScarlettI stared at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, fingers tracing the scar that ran from my collarbone to my shoulder. Five years of carrying these marks, of letting them define me. My wolf, Ray, pressed close to my consciousness, offering silent comfort.“You need to eat,” she reminded me gently, even though she was still angry with me.I’d been avoiding the pack dining hall, taking all my meals in my room. But the doctor had been clear - if I wanted to regain my strength, I needed proper nutrition. Not just the scraps I’d force down when the maids brought trays.“We could go early,” Ray suggested. “Before the others.”Before Finn.Just thinking his name made the mate bond pulse. I pressed my hand to my chest, a gesture that had become a habit. Sometimes I wondered if I touched the bond enough, it would finally break.“It never will,” Ray said softly. “You know that.”“It should have broken when he chose revenge over us.” The words came out bitter, rehearsed. I’d said them s
ScarlettMy heart raced as David led me to Finn’s office, beating faster with each step closer. How could I face him? What if he rejected me again? All these thoughts flooded my mind as we approached his office.Ray stirred restlessly within me, equal parts trepidation and hope.“Are you sure about this?” she asked softly.I took a steadying breath. “No. But I have to try.”When we reached the front of his office, David paused outside a heavy wooden door, his expression both anxious and elated. “He’s inside. Just... take your time, okay? He’ll be happy to see you.”I nodded, swallowing down the lump in my throat. Happy might be an overstatement. Finn had learned to conceal his emotions, but I could still feel the echo of his pain through the mate bond.Slowly, I pushed open the door and stepped inside. The office was different from my father’s— all dark wood and towering bookshelves, Finn’s scent lingering in the air. And there, behind the large desk, sat Finn.He looked up as I enter
FinnSince my wolf couldn’t help, I didn’t hesitate. I reached for her, wrapping my arms around her trembling form.The moment our skin touched, a shock of energy jolted through me, but I held on.“Scarlett,” I murmured, pressing my forehead to hers. “Come back to me, darling.”Her body convulsed once, twice, then she went completely still.The glow in her eyes flickered.Then, she collapsed.I caught her just in time.Her body was limp, her breathing shallow. I could feel her heart pounding too fast beneath my palm.Panic gripped me. She is dying.“Shit,” I muttered, scooping her into my arms. I ignored the pain in my ribs as I sprinted toward the pack healer’s house.“Luke!” I barked the moment I burst through the doors. “Help her!”Luke, the Crescent Pack’s head healer, rushed forward immediately. He took one look at Scarlett, and his eyes darkened.“Lay her down, Alpha,” he said.I did, placing her on the cot as Luke began working immediately. His hands hovered over her, his brows
FinnThe early morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine as I stood in the training grounds, watching my mate.Scarlett.She had come so far.When we first started training, she could barely hold her own against me. But now, she was a force to be reckoned with.Each strike she threw was sharper, her footwork more correct. She was pushing herself past exhaustion, beyond every limit her body screamed at her to stop at.And damn, if that didn’t make me proud.I watched her, my mate, the woman I loved, pour every ounce of herself into this fight.Her beautiful eyes shone with determination, and the sweat glistening on her skin only made her look fiercer.Oh my goddess, she is freaking hot right now.“Again,” I commanded, and she lunged at me.I sidestepped easily, my instincts kicking in before I even had to think. She was fast, but not fast enough. Not yet.“Faster, Scarlett.”She gritted her teeth, frustration clear in every fiber of her being. I could feel her an
ScarlettThe wind howled across the training grounds, carrying the scent of damp earth and sweat.My muscles screamed in protest, my breaths coming in desperate, ragged gasps, but I refused, refused, to stop.I had always been weak in the past, trapped, humiliated, cast aside. But not anymore. Never again.Finn’s voice filled the air as he shouted, “Again.”I swallowed down my exhaustion and lunged forward, aiming at him.He dodged with infuriating grace, but those deep blue eyes gleamed with something I craved more than air—approval.“Faster,” he commanded. “Faster.”I gritted my teeth and pushed harder. I threw another punch, pouring my rage and pain into it, but he easily caught my hand in his.In the blink of an eye, Finn flipped me, landing a crushing blow to my belly before throwing me to the merciless ground.A scream tore from my throat, raw and primal, as I clutched my middle.“Are you okay, love?” he asked as he hurried to my side. “Honey.”I clenched my teeth so hard I thou
ScarPain flared in my throat as I swallowed, every breath a reminder of his grip around my neck. My hands trembled, but I forced myself to keep eating.If I stopped now, he would see it as rebellion, and I wasn’t in the mood to suffer more of his wrath.Dickson watched me like a predator, his golden eyes gleaming with twisted satisfaction.Pathetic.Bile rose in my throat, and I set the bowl down, my stomach twisting violently. I needed to think, to find a way out of this.Running wasn’t an option, not yet. He was too strong, and with his rogue warriors surrounding the place, I wouldn’t make it past the gates.But I wouldn’t be his captive forever.I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Satisfied?” I asked, a smirk plastered on my face.His lips curled into a sneer before he spoke. “I think I prefer you like this, obedient.”I clenched my fists. Obedient? If he only knew how badly I wanted to rip him apart.“Get some rest,” he continued, rising to his feet.“Okay.”Dickson chuckled, brus
Dickson“Scar needed a luxurious life if I wanted her to stay beside me. She would truly love me if I could make her happy.” The thought consumed me.I stood up to my feet, about to leave, when someone called for my attention, pulling me back from my swirling thoughts.“King, we saw you coming in with a woman. Who is she?” Curiosity and something darker—hunger?—laced the question.“My mate, your queen, and she is off-limits.” My voice carried a warning that silenced the room, the threat in my tone obvious.With this, I left, their whispers fading behind me like smoke.I went back into the room where she was being kept, the room we would be sharing together as a couple.My heart raced with a mix of excitement and anxiety, causing my hands to tremble as I walked down the corridor.I could still hear her screams as I approached. My hand was on the door handle when I quickly mind-linked my beta.“Henry, bring some food for the queen.”“Understood, sir.”I opened the door to enter, and it
Dickson“Yes,” I replied again before grabbing her shoulder, desperation making my grip tighter than intended.“Please bear with me. After all this, I promise to build you a mansion, no, a palace. But for now, please stay with me.” My voice cracked with weakness I’d never shown anyone before.“No!” she screamed, yanking my hand away with such force it staggered me. “I will never stay in a place like this.”“Scar—” I tried again, reaching for her, fear clawing at my insides.“Do not call me that!” she scowled, her eyes flashing with rage and betrayal. “You should have let me stay in my pack when you knew you had no place to call home.”She paused, tears streaming down her face as she continued, each drop taunting my soul. “You brought me here to make me suffer. How selfish of you. I hate them, but I hate you more. I fucking hate you, Dickson.”Each of her words sent a sharp pain inside me. Why was she talking like this? A cold, sickening dread spread through me. Was she regretting acce
DicksonI could still taste blood in my mouth. The sting of the former Beta’s punches throbbed in my jaw, but it was nothing compared to the satisfaction burning inside me.I had won.Not in the way I expected, my hands weren’t drenched in Lucas’s blood, and I hadn’t torn apart the wolves who had ruined my mate, but I had still won.That bastard of an Acting Alpha was humiliated.The pack he longed to rule didn’t even acknowledge him. The former Beta had dismissed him like an annoying pup.Lucas’s rage had been almost tangible, thick in the air like a storm waiting to break, but he was powerless.His pride had been stepped on by his friend’s father, and his weakness was laid bare. And that, more than anything, made my wolf purr in satisfaction.Scar’s fingers tightened slightly around my arm as we left, her touch grounding me. She was still shaking, but her eyes gleamed with something I had never seen before, revenge.She had stood her ground, unleashed her fury, and made Lucas taste
LucasHe smirked. “Really?” The contempt in his voice was unmistakable.I nodded quickly, desperation clawing at my throat. “Yes.”He turned to face Scar, a cruel amusement dancing in his eyes. “Did you hear what he said? What do you think about that, mate?”Mate! That familiar term of endearment never used for me sent waves of bitterness through my body, jealousy burning in my veins.“This is the best arrangement, Alpha Dickson,” I pressed on, fighting to keep my voice steady despite the fear threatening to consume me. “Consider it carefully. Scar doesn’t have feelings for you; her heart belongs only to me. She loves me.”“What makes you believe I could ever love you?” Scar’s voice cut through the air like ice, dripping with venom. My gaze shifted from him to her, and what I witnessed shattered something within me.Her eyes burned with revulsion, raw hatred emanating from her like heat. She despised me. No, I couldn’t accept this. A desperate hope clung to me. She must be pretending
LucasBefore I could fully process the implications, he was already outside. As I reached the door, my eyes fell upon a scene of pure horror, a sight that would change everything.My Scar.Rage consumed me as I watched Alpha Dickson caressing Scar’s hand. The tenderness in his eyes as he claimed what was rightfully mine ignited a primal fury within my chest.“What the hell do you think you’re doing, Alpha Dickson!” I thundered, channeling my Alpha tone, but he remained unmoved.My authority meant nothing to him. His eyes glimmered with joy as he gazed at Scar.“I have been waiting forever,” he murmured, his thumb tracing circles on her palm, each movement stoking my anger. “I thought the goddess had abandoned me, forgotten to grant me my better half. Yet here you are, such breathtaking beauty.”His fingers drifted to her face, utterly entranced by her. Why him? I should be the one beside Scar, not him.She is mine alone. Even in death, she could only belong to me.“Let go of her now!”