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
FinnThe stack of papers in front of me became a blur as I leaned over my desk, my hand aching from hours of non-stop writing.The pack’s administrative tasks offered a much-needed escape, allowing me to immerse myself in something other than my thoughts.“Alpha, you need some rest,” Marcus’s concerned voice broke through my concentration. I only pressed the pen harder against the paper, increasing my pace. Work was my sanctuary now, the only thing keeping the crushing weight of guilt at bay, preventing my thoughts from wandering where they shouldn’t.For two weeks, I’d kept her locked away in the cold palace. For two weeks, I’d barely slept, making my nightly pilgrimages to check on her like a ghost haunting its own halls. Every visit was a fresh torture, I missed everything about her.The warmth that radiated from her very being, the way her arms fit perfectly around me, that smile that could light up the darkest corners of my soul. The way my name sounded different, special, when it
FinnEach night I dreamed of her, my Luna. But tonight felt different. Wrong. My instincts screamed danger where there should have been comfort. Her presence, which should have felt like coming home, instead made my skin crawl.Every fiber of my being rejected what was happening. Something was very, very wrong.I jolted awake, my heart pounding as I realized the intrusion. My eyes snapped open to see a figure lurking in the shadows. It was the maid who flirted with me earlier.I leaped out of bed, my anger and disgust boiling over.“What are you doing here?” I demanded, my voice shaking with rage.The maid shrank back, her eyes wide with fear. “I-I’m sorry, I thought you wanted me,” she stammered. “I thought you welcomed my attention.”I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. “You thought I wanted you?” I roared. “Really?”“Yes, Alpha,” she purred, her earlier fear dissolving into something predatory as she stepped closer. “I’ve noticed you’ve been alone these past weeks.” Her eye
FinnI mind-linked the guards immediately. My voice was cold steel through the bond. “Remove the intruder. Now.”I stood against the bathroom wall, letting the cold shower water wash over me, hoping to calm my mind. Anger still pulsed through me, causing my hands to tremble.No one had ever dared to challenge me in my own territory before. The retribution I delivered was quick and decisive.A knock at the door barely registered over the pounding in my head.“Come in,” I managed through gritted teeth.“Alpha,” the guards’ voices echoed from the other room.“Take the body beyond our borders,” I ordered. “Let the rogues deal with it. A fitting end for such treachery.”“Yes, sir.”Later, a maid entered to clean. I barely noticed, lost in a haze of fury and betrayal. The treacherous attack had left me weakened, my body fighting against whatever she had tried to use against me.Even my wolf was struggling, our shared strength sapped by the unknown substance.“Bitch,” I groaned, stroking myse
Finn“Ha,” I breathed. The thought of her return hadn’t crossed my mind. “Once she’s brought back here, what punishment awaits?”“Beheaded,” she replied. “In public, and her head will be hung at the front of our border.”“Wow.” The word slipped out as I struggled to find more to say. This was my Luna - commanding, decisive, ruthless when needed. My chest swelled with pride at her transformation. “Consider it done,” I said simply, turning to leave the room, and mindlinking my beta.‘David, draft a letter to Stone Ridge Pack, addressed to Jack. Detail Nina’s crimes against their Beta and request they impose appropriate sanctions. Ask that she face the full weight of their justice before being returned to our territory for final judgment. Make it clear we expect her to understand the gravity of her actions.’‘Yes, sir. On it.’My legs carried me to the cell where she was being held.“Alpha,” she purred as I approached, her voice carrying a seductive edge despite her imprisonment. I studie
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!”