NinaI slammed the door behind me, fury coursing through my veins as the image of them together burned in my mind.My sister’s soft moans, his hands on her body, their passionate kisses. It was torture. Pure, unadulterated torture.“Damn you, Damon,” I whispered, my nails digging into my palms until they nearly drew blood.The way he’d looked at me, with such contempt, such dismissal... it made my blood boil.And yet, beneath that anger lay something else, something I refused to acknowledge: desire.I hadn’t meant to fall for him. He was my sister’s mate, for Moon’s sake. But from the moment I first saw him, something inside me had shifted.The raw power that emanated from him, the dangerous glint in his eyes, the way he carried himself. Everything about him called to my wolf in ways I couldn’t explain.And now he was flaunting their relationship in front of me, deliberately torturing me with their intimacy. He knew. Of course, he knew.Alphas could sense these things, could they not?
In the darkest corner, he stood motionless, his fingers tracing the edge of a recent photograph of them.The image captured Scarlett with her beautiful hair catching the sunlight, and Damon with his arm wrapped protectively around her waist.His breath hitched, a sound somewhere between a growl and a sob. Hatred burned in his chest like acid, eating away at whatever humanity remained.How dare they be happy? How dare they build their perfect little life while his lay in ruins around him?“Look at you both,” he whispered, his voice rough from disuse. “So perfect. So innocent.” His fingers dug into the photograph, creating deep creases across the smiling faces.His dark eyes narrowed as he studied their features. “If only they could see what I see; the destroyers, the thieves, the architects of my destruction.”Memories flooded back: how he had spent a lot of money to acquire her, yet she was stolen from him.He gritted his teeth together, hatred oozing off him as he gazed at the picture
Finn“Good morning,” I said, watching my mate stir in my arms. “Time to wake up, beautiful.”A blush colored her cheeks as her eyes fluttered open.“Morning, my love,” Scarlett murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my cheek.The gesture drew a low rumble of contentment from my chest. Even after all this time, she still had this effect on me.“Sleep well?” I asked, returning her kiss.“Perfectly.”We lingered in bed, savoring each other’s warmth until I finally spoke. “I need to get ready. I have to see Jack today.”Scarlett tensed beside me. “Jack?”I nodded. “Yes, Jack.”“Why?” Her voice had grown wary.“To interrogate him again. The last time I went to see him, I wasn’t satisfied with what he told me. So...” I studied my mate’s face, watching for her reaction.Scarlett had insisted Jack was innocent, but as Alpha, the final judgment rested with me. I hadn’t mentioned my previous visit to her - I couldn’t bear having her think I doubted her judgment.“You went behind my back?” Her voice
FinnThe room crackled with violent tension. “Who’s here?” Scarlett demanded, her grip on Nina loosening.“Luna,” David called, drawing Scarlett’s attention to him. “The Stone Ridge Pack is here, and they’re here for their Beta.” He paused, shifting his gaze to Nina, who was still on the floor. “Jack.” I exploded. “What the heck is going on?” I roared, my anger boiling. I knew Nina was bad news. Having her here was a disaster waiting to happen. I glared at her.The amusement lingered on her lips, but she quickly composed herself when our gazes met. No matter how fast she tried to hide it, I could see right through her. This fucking bitch. “Damon,” my Luna called, her voice shaking. “I—”“You don’t have to talk,” I growled, making her shiver. Immediately, I knew I’d made a mistake. Why did I let my emotions get the better of me? I exhaled sharply, composing myself as I stepped closer to her. “I need answers from your sister, and I don’t want you to interrupt, Luna,” I added, my to
FinnScarlett’s voice wavered with uncertainty. “I don’t know about that, Nina. How did Jack become your guard? Did you know he is the Beta of Stone Ridge Pack?”Nina’s response trembled with desperation. “No, sister, I didn’t know. He was the only one who showed me kindness. When everyone else ignored me, he became my friend. He fed me when no one else would. Please believe me, I had no idea he was their Beta.”The next words shattered the tension. “I believe you, Nina,” Scarlett whispered, her voice soft with conviction. “I know you are innocent.”My scoff cut through the moment like a blade. “Since you believe her so well,” I sneered, masking my inner pain behind a cruel smile.In one swift motion, I threw Nina to the floor. Her horrific scream echoed through the room.Scarlett lunged forward, but David’s iron grip held her back. He kept her firmly in place, preventing any intervention.“Guards,” I commanded.Instantly, they materialized at my side, heads bowed in immediate submiss
ScarlettThe cold stone walls of the “other wing” seemed to press in on me, suffocating me with their silence.The maids had left quickly, their heads bowed in shame or fear, I couldn’t tell which.My body trembled, but it wasn’t the chill of the room that sent shivers down my spine.It was him. My mate. The man I once thought I could trust. The man I foolishly believed might stand by me.I hugged my arms to myself, replaying his words. “Don’t forgive me.” His voice had cracked, raw with pain, yet laced with a cruel finality that left me shattered.How could he? How could he be so blind, so consumed by his anger that he would cast me aside?Nina’s cries echoed in my mind. She was innocent, at least of the betrayal Finn accused her of.I had seen the desperation in her eyes, the trembling of her voice. She wasn’t lying.But Finn didn’t believe her.And now I was paying the price for daring to stand up for my sister.I paced the small room, my heart warring with itself. Part of me wante
Finn“Alpha!” The guard’s panicked voice echoed through the hall. “It’s Jack, sir. He’s not well. Something’s terribly wrong!”My chest tightened. If anything happened to Jack while in my custody, it would mean war with Stone Ridge Pack. “Show me,” I commanded, already striding toward the door. Lucas fell into step beside me, his face carved with worry.The prison air hit us first, thick with the metallic scent of blood and something else, something wrong. Jack’s agonized groans guided us to his cell, where we found him writhing on the floor, his body contorted in pain.“Jack!” Lucas rushed forward the moment the guard unlocked the cell. He dropped to his knees beside his Beta, hands hovering uncertainly over Jack’s trembling form. “What happened? What’s wrong?”Jack’s only response was another gut-wrenching groan. His eyes rolled back, sweat beading on his forehead. Whatever this was, it wasn’t natural.Lucas’s hands moved swiftly, pulling a small bottle from his pocket. The liquid i
NinaThe guards’ iron grips left bruises on my arms as they dragged me across the cold stone floor. Their claws dug into my skin – not enough to draw blood, but enough to remind me of my newfound powerlessness.The Alpha’s command still rang in my ears.I was being thrown into the pack’s holding cells like yesterday’s garbage. The Alpha hadn’t even looked me in the eye when he gave the order. His face remained impassive, carved from stone.My legs scraped against the rough ground, my once-elegant dress now torn and dirty. The indignity of it burned hotter than any physical pain. How dare he? How dare Damon treat me like some common criminal?This wasn’t what I dreamt of. I was supposed to be the queen. The queen of this pack. Yet he threw me here without blinking his eyes.A bitter laugh escaped my throat, drawing warning growls from the guards.It has been a week. One miserable week since they brought me to this place, yet my worthless sister hasn’t bothered to appear. Just like all
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
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