Turning eighteen was supposed to be the beginning of something powerful, the day my wolf would rise within me and transform my life. All my years as a runt—a frail, insignificant member of the pack—would end, and I’d finally find my place among them. But the only thing that changed this morning was that I woke up to the same empty silence inside, no wolf stirring, no strength or instincts awakening within me. Instead, I forced myself out of bed, threw on my usual worn-out leather jacket, and headed across town to the Sapphire Lounge, the exclusive club where I worked. It wasn’t excitingly attractive, but it paid what it could. I sat discreetly between two sleek buildings, the club was a dark, atmospheric den quiet mostly for the higher-ranking wolves who wanted a place to relax. When humans stumbled upon it by accident, they rarely stayed long, sensing something… predatory. Rick, the owner—a tough wolf with a bald head and a constant scowl—was waiting for me as I came through the
The pain struck hard, sharper than any blade. My chest felt like it was being peeled open, the searing ache cutting deep. Tears blurred my vision, slipping down my cheeks no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. Lisa noticed my distress and laughed, her amusement like salt in a wound. I tried to wipe the tears away, but they kept spilling over, relentlessly.“I-,” I managed to rasp, voice cracking with the weight of the moment. “I accept your rejection.”The bond snapped almost instantly. I saw Tyson’s face twist in pain—just for a second. He hid it quickly, but that flash was enough. Knowing I wasn’t the only one feeling the effects gave me a grim sense of satisfaction.Without another glance, I turned on my heels and ran out of the room, the need to escape overpowering. I didn’t stop until I reached the pack house and slipped into the narrow confines of my small, hidden room—a forgotten storage closet that I had quietly claimed for myself.It was a cramped space, so small that
The early morning sunlight streamed harshly through the cracks in the window, blinding me as I slowly opened my eyes. Every part of my body ached. My muscles protested as I pushed myself off the cold, unforgiving cement floor where I had collapsed last night, exhausted and tear-stained. I could feel the sticky trails left by dried tears on my cheeks, reminders of the sleepless night that had drained every ounce of strength out of me.I forced myself upright, though my knees wobbled and my head spun. I wanted nothing more than to stay hidden in my room, to bury myself in the covers and pretend the world didn’t exist. But I didn’t have that luxury. I needed to work—I needed the money. And even if I somehow managed to get out of work, I would have to come up with an excuse. I couldn’t tell them the truth…that Tyson had shattered me in every way possible.Gritting my teeth, I made my way to the bathroom. I grabbed a bucket, and a rag, and filled it with water, forcing myself to return to
I ran as if my life depended on it because, in many ways, it did. My lungs were on fire, each breath feeling like a jagged knife was carving its way down my throat. Branches lashed at my face, scratching my skin raw, but I barely felt it. My mind was on one overwhelming command: "run, just running".The mere thought of Tyson finding me sent another wave of adrenaline coursing through my veins. Tyson—the Alpha, the one I had once trusted, the one who now saw me as his favorite punching bag, his easy target. I could only imagine the kind of punishment he'd come up with for me if he caught me. His pride would be wounded, his rage unbearable. Running from Tyson was not just a physical act; it was rebellion, and he wouldn’t take it lightly.But the real horror lay not just in him. If the pack thought I’d fled because I had something to hide, they’d hound me for answers, strip me of whatever fragile peace I’d managed to carve out over the years. That nightmare kept my legs moving, driving m
Just as if something had come over them, the guards hurried to unlock my cell. One of them slipped his hand under my arm, lifting me a little too quickly. I barely had time to get my balance or adjust my shoe, so when my feet hit the ground, all my weight pressed directly on the bruised, raw skin of my heel, and I couldn’t help but wince.I didn’t expect anyone to notice, but apparently, my… mate did. He growled low, a sound that rumbled in the air and sent a chill through me."Did you hurt her?" he demanded, his eyes sharp on the guard, who immediately shook his head, looking nervous. “No, Alpha, we didn’t touch her—I swear.”My mate—still strange to think of him that way—glared at the guard, his gaze dark and intense. Then, without a word, he strode into the cell, sweeping me into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world. I went stiff in shock, my whole body locked up, and I couldn’t seem to relax. He must have noticed, but I couldn’t meet his gaze; it was too clos
I stared at Ryker longer than I expected, struggling to process what he’d just said. In two minutes, he’d managed to tell me he didn’t want me yet intended to keep me here regardless. Trying to make sense of his reasoning made my head throb, and I had to fight the urge to beg him to reject me and put an end to this awkward pretense. “Why?” I finally blurted out, the word slipping past my defenses. Instant regret surged through me as his sharp gaze settled on mine, intense and unyielding, making me quickly look down at the tiled floor. I counted the tiles in silence, waiting for his response. “You showed up at my pack looking like you’d lost a fight, and as you mentioned, you don’t have a wolf—meaning you can’t heal yourself.” His voice was calm but deliberate. “Even if you weren’t my mate, I wouldn’t let you leave in that condition. It would be... cruel.” “I meant... why won’t you reject me?” He opened his mouth, closed it, and then finally said, “Because I don’t want to.” We
I couldn’t sleep all night. Tossing and turning, I lay in the massive bed that seemed too soft, too unfamiliar. Finally, I pulled the blankets to the floor, wrapping myself there, hoping it might feel closer to the small, rough bed I was used to. But even then, sleep stayed away as though I were in a race with it, one I was destined to lose. The night felt like a strange paradox—both dragging and fleeting. The stars hung for what seemed an eternity, but the first light of dawn felt like it arrived far too soon. And when it did, my stomach tightened, reminding me that today would be decisive. Whatever Ryker had planned for me would start to unfold. In the early morning silence, I heard footsteps stop outside my door. My heart pounded in my chest, and I didn’t dare breathe. The steps paused for a heartbeat too long, then retreated. Only after they faded completely did I let out the breath I’d been holding and scrambled back into the bed, desperately straightening the blankets on the
I stayed away from Ryker for the rest of the week. Well, I stayed away as much as I could, considering I was living under his roof and we crossed paths in every corridor. He was everywhere, watching me, making sure I didn’t slip away, even when I was alone. He never let me out of his sight, whether it was during meals when I moved about the house, or even when I tried to retreat to my room. He sat with me at the table, his gaze heavy and always on me, as if waiting for some misstep, for some sign that I might harm myself.A week. Seven long days were spent locked away in this strange place, and I still couldn’t tell if I was more terrified of Ryker or less than when I had first arrived. His silence about our bond, our connection, left my mind spinning. I didn’t know whether it was because he simply didn’t care or because he was too calculating to reveal his thoughts. I was too afraid to ask about it, and it hung between us like a looming storm, waiting to strike.A part of me—just a s
**RYKER’S P.O.V**"That’s bullsh*t."The words left my mouth before I even registered saying them. A heavy silence fell over the room, and all eyes turned to me. My pulse thundered in my ears as I shook my head in disbelief."There is no way she’s pregnant. I didn’t even f*ck her," I stated firmly, my voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "The physician should check to be sure."Caius, ever the voice of logic, sighed. "It’s too soon, Your Majesty. It has only been a week. We need at least a month before we can confirm her claim.""A month?" Camilla’s voice was sharp with outrage, her emerald eyes blazing with fury. "I don’t want that woman in this palace for another day, and you expect me to keep her here for a whole damn month? That’s absurd!""I understand your frustration, Your Majesty," Caius responded, his tone measured, "but we are past personal wants and needs. If she takes this information beyond these walls, she could dismantle the monarchy from the ground up. We ne
CAMILLA’S POVA week had passed, and the whispers had only grown louder.No one had confronted us directly—no accusations hurled in public, no outright defiance—but the rumors spread like wildfire, twisting and warping into something grotesque. The truth had long since been buried beneath layers of speculation, and now, it seemed, people preferred fiction over fact.Some of the stories were so absurd, so far removed from reality, that I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or rage. One version claimed I had caught Ryker in bed with Alara, his body still tangled with hers, and that I had nearly beaten her to death in a fit of madness. It was ridiculous. If I had ever found him like that, I wouldn’t have wasted my energy on her—he would have been the one I killed.But none of that mattered.What mattered was that I just wanted people to shut up.The weight of their stares, the hushed conversations that ceased whenever I entered a room—it was suffocating. I was exhausted from pretending it d
CAMILLA’S POVI barely remembered the walk to the council chamber. My mind was a storm, chaotic and relentless, drowning out everything around me. The hushed whispers in the corridors, the wary glances from passing servants—they all faded into nothing as I focused on the weight of what was ahead.As I approached the large double doors, I spotted Ryker pacing outside. His normally strong, confident stance was absent. Instead, he looked restless, like a man trying to piece together fragments of a nightmare he couldn’t remember.The moment his eyes met mine, I saw a flicker of relief. Without hesitation, he reached for my hand, gripping it tightly as if I were the only thing keeping him grounded."We can handle them," I murmured, squeezing back.Ryker had always been my rock, the unshakable presence in my life. But right now, standing in front of me was a different version of him—one filled with uncertainty, frustration, and exhaustion. It unsettled me in ways I couldn’t explain.He exha
CAMILLA’S P.O.VThe first thing I noticed when I woke up was the emptiness beside me. The warmth that usually lingered on Ryker’s side of the bed had faded, leaving only cool sheets in its place. My fingers instinctively reached out, searching for him, but there was nothing. Just silence.I sighed, rolling onto my back and staring at the ceiling. He must have gone to see Riley. I had seen the way she looked at him last night—like she was standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for him to pull her back. Whatever she was going through, I knew he wouldn’t leave her to face it alone.So I didn’t question it. I didn’t worry.Not until the sun dipped below the horizon and he still hadn’t come back.At first, I told myself he was just caught up in something. He was the prince now, after all, and responsibility had a way of consuming him. But as the hours passed, unease crept into my bones, making it impossible to sit still. I had spent years learning to trust him, and I did—but something ab
RYKER’S POVThere was something about Camilla that never failed to captivate me. Maybe it was the way she carried herself with quiet strength, or maybe it was because I was utterly, irrevocably in love with her. She was my greatest weakness, my greatest solace. Lying here with her curled against me, her soft breaths warming my chest, I felt something I rarely allowed myself to indulge in—peace.My fingers traced slow, idle patterns along her bare shoulder, and she stirred slightly, mumbling something incoherent before settling back into sleep. I should have been sleeping, too—goddess knew I needed the rest—but I couldn’t bring myself to close my eyes. Not yet. Not when I had this moment.My father used to say that a man was defined by what he did in times of war. But I had learned otherwise. A man was defined by how he lived in the quiet moments, by the way he loved, the way he protected what was his. I wasn’t naive enough to believe I was a good man, but I knew that I loved fiercely,
CAMILLA’S POVDamien left without much ceremony. No grand farewells, no gathering of well-wishers. Just Ryker and me standing at the gates, watching as he disappeared into the forest beyond. For a brief moment, I thought I saw something flicker across his face—disappointment, maybe. But really, what did he expect? After everything that had happened, people weren’t exactly lining up to send him off with warm embraces. He made his choice, and now he had to live with it.Once he was gone, I did my best to find some normalcy, though it was a futile effort. I tried coaxing Riley and Christine into joining me for a quiet afternoon in the private library, a simple escape from the weight of reality. Just a few hours with the girls, some tea, maybe a book or two. Something to ease the tension that had taken root in this palace like an invasive weed. But both of them declined, choosing instead to lock themselves away.I understood.I wanted to help them, to say something—anything—that would mak
RYKER’S P.O.VDamien had always been a part of my life. From childhood to now, his presence was as constant as the air I breathed. We were opposites in nearly every way—his reckless impulsivity clashing with my calculated caution. And while his actions had irritated me before, nothing compared to the sheer rage burning inside me now.I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay seated. If I let my anger take control, I’d drag him out of this room by his collar and beat some sense into him.The private living room was suffocating with tension. No one dared to speak. Riley sat stiffly on one side, as far away from Damien as possible—a stark contrast to her usual behavior. She had spent years orbiting him, desperate for his attention. But today, there was no lingering glance, no attempt to close the space between them. Instead, her hands were clasped tightly in her lap, her knuckles white from the pressure. Christine, on the opposite end of the room, sat perfectly still, her expression un
No force on earth could have pulled Damien away from Christine—not even us. And trust me, we tried. His grip on her was unrelenting, his focus unwavering, as if letting go would make her disappear. Even when we attempted to check on her, to make sure she was truly unharmed, he wouldn't budge. Christine kept insisting she was fine, brushing off our concerns, but I knew better. I wanted a professional to look her over just to be sure, but Damien wasn’t letting anyone near her.She rode back to the palace with him, their connection unbreakable, while Ryker and I handled the girls. They were wide awake but eerily quiet, their silence heavier than any words they could have spoken. I could only imagine what was running through their little minds.By the time we arrived at the palace, the first light of dawn stretched across the sky, painting everything in soft hues of pink and gold. But nothing about this moment felt beautiful. My heart clenched the second I saw who was waiting for us.Rile
**CAMILLA'S POV**The enemy had finally realized this wouldn’t be as easy as they thought. But recognition didn’t equate to retreat. Instead, they charged again—this time, directly at Ryker. We had anticipated that. The moment they lunged, our guards burst from the shadows of the forest, massive wolves in their battle forms. Snarls and the sound of snapping jaws filled the air.That distraction was all we needed. Without hesitation, we darted between the chaos, diving straight into the river. The cold water swallowed us, and I could hear Damien’s strokes close behind as we swam for the hidden cave entrance beneath the falls.Breaking through the other side, I hauled myself onto the rocky edge and gasped for air, scanning the cavern. It was eerily empty. I had expected a swarm of vampires, a whole army waiting in ambush. Instead, only three figures stood in the dim light—two nameless guards flanking Christine and Audrey, while Alastair loomed a few steps away.My breath caught at the s