The heavy iron door slammed shut behind them, sealing Becca and Mira inside the cold prison cell beneath Alpha Desmond’s mansion.
The air was thick with the scent of old blood. Mira sat in the corner, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I’ve never been in a place like this before.” Becca exhaled sharply, pacing the cell. She had been here before. Thrown into this very cell. The memory clawed at her mind—Desmond’s cold eyes, his mocking smile as he had ordered her locked away simply for trying to heal one of the maids. She clenched her fists. “This isn’t the first time Desmond has done this to me. He thinks throwing me down here will break me, but it won’t.” Mira’s wide eyes met hers. “But what if this time is different? What if he really—” “Stop.” Becca bent in front of her, gripping her shoulders gently. “We will get out of this. I promise you.” Mira swallowed hard and nodded, but fear still lingered in her expression. Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the hallway. The guards were back. The cell door creaked open, and three armored guards stepped inside. Their eyes were filled with cruel amusement as they glared at Becca. One of them smirked. “You’ll be punished for your crimes, Omega.” Becca’s patience snapped. “What crimes? You dragged me here without giving me a single reason!” She stepped forward, fury burning through her veins. “Tell me what I did!” The guards exchanged amused glances. “An Omega doesn’t get to question us.” “Especially not a rejected one.” Becca’s hands turned into fists. “Cowards! That’s all you are. Desmond doesn’t have the spine to face me himself, so he sends his little lapdogs to do his dirty work!” One of the guards’ expressions darkened, and he took a menacing step toward her. “Watch your tongue, Omega, or you’ll lose it.” Becca scoffed. “I’d rather lose my tongue than sit here in silence while you bastards act like I’m supposed to accept my fate without a fight!” Mira tugged at her sleeve, whispering urgently, “Becca, stop—” But Becca wasn’t done. “I demand to know why I was arrested!” she shouted. “I healed a dying man! That’s not a crime!” The guards remained unfazed. Becca let out a bitter laugh. “Right. Of course, you won’t answer me. Because there is no crime. This is just another one of Desmond’s sick games.” The lead guard smirked. “We don’t answer to a worthless Omega like you.” Becca opened her mouth to fire back another insult, but before she could, the guards turned and walked out, slamming the cell door behind them. Silence settled in the room. Mira let out a shaky breath. “That was not a good idea, Becca.” Becca shook her head. “I don’t care. If they’re going to kill me, they might as well let me die with my dignity.” Mira shuddered. “Don’t talk like that.” Becca softened. She could see the fear in her friend’s eyes. Mira doesn’t belong here. She was just a healer’s assistant, thrown into this mess because of her. She reached for Mira’s hands and squeezed them gently. “Everything will be fine.” Mira bit her lip. “I hope so.” The hope in Mira’s voice was short-lived. Less than an hour later, the guards returned. “Get up,” one of them barked. Before Becca could react, they grabbed her arms and drew her to her feet. Mira tried to intervene, but a guard shoved her back, causing her to stumble. Becca struggled. “Let go of me!” The guards ignored her, dragging her out of the cell and down the long, narrow hallway. The further they went, the colder Becca’s blood ran. She knew exactly where they were taking her. The large hall. Where Alpha Desmond delivered his judgments. The moment they entered the hall, Becca was thrown to the ground. She landed hard on her knees. Laughter echoed through the room. Becca didn’t need to look up to know who it belonged to. Alpha Desmond. Slowly, she lifted her gaze. There he was. Sitting on his high throne, dressed in luxury, his cold golden eyes gleaming with amusement. His dark hair was slicked back, his powerful frame relaxed as if he were watching a performance. The sight of him made Becca’s stomach sick. “Well, well,” Desmond began, his deep voice filled with mockery. “Look at what we have here. The disgrace of my pack.” Becca’s jaw clenched. “What the hell do you want, Desmond?” The guards kicked her forward, forcing her to bow her head. Becca gritted her teeth. Desmond laughed. “Still as mouthy as ever. It’s amazing how an Omega like you never learns her place.” Becca shot him a glare. “I know my place, Desmond. I just refuse to bow to a tyrant.” The room went silent. A dangerous smirk played on Desmond’s lips. “You never fail to amuse me, Becca. You really don’t.” She spat at the ground. “I’d rather amuse you than fear you.” The guards reacted instantly, striking her across the face. Pain exploded across her cheek, but she refused to cry out. Desmond clicked his tongue. “You truly have no survival instincts, do you?” Becca wiped the blood from her lip. “Oh, I have instincts, Desmond. That’s why I knew you would try to pull something like this.” His expression darkened. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” Becca met his gaze without fear. “I don’t think, Desmond. I know.” The guards tightened their grips on her arms. Desmond leaned forward, his smirk vanishing. “I’ve had enough of you. I’ve been looking for a reason to rid myself of you, and now you’ve delivered yourself to me on a silver platter.” Becca’s heart pounded. “What crime did I commit?” Desmond’s eyes gleamed. “It doesn’t matter.” Becca’s breath caught. He doesn’t even care to justify it. Desmond motioned with his hand. “Executioner.” A door on the side of the hall opened. A large man stepped out, carrying a massive blade. Becca’s blood turned to ice. The guards forced her down, pressing her forehead to the cold floor. She struggled. “Desmond, you bastard! You can’t just—” Desmond chuckled. “Oh, but I can.” The executioner raised his sword. Becca closed her eyes. And then— A deep, powerful voice cut through the tension. “Stop.” Everything froze. Becca’s eyes snapped open. The large doors to the hall stood wide open. A man stepped inside. His presence filled the room instantly. The man from her clinic. Alive, awake and looking furious. Becca’s breath caught. What the hell was happening?The tension in the room thickened as gasps whispered through the gathered crowd.Alpha Eugene.The name rolled through her mind as the man moved toward her, his gaze never leaving her broken form on the floor. His sharp eyes softened the moment he reached her.Without a word, he extended his hand.Becca stared at it, still dazed, still unable to process what was happening.“Come,” Eugene murmured, his voice deep yet gentle.Becca hesitated, but something in his presence made her reach out. He grasped her hand firmly, his warmth stark against the coldness of the hall. He pulled her to her feet with effortless strength, steadying her as her legs threatened to give out beneath her.She felt… safe.But the safety was immediately overshadowed by confusion.“What the hell is going on?” Becca demanded, pulling her hand away the moment she found her balance. She was still furious, burning from the humiliation and anger of being dragged here in the first place.Eugene exhaled. “I owe you
The words echoed through Becca’s mind, slamming into her with a force that almost made it impossible for her to breathe."She is my mate." Those words repeated in her head as she tired to register it.No.No, that couldn’t be right.Her breath came in short, shallow bursts. Her heart pounded so violently that it was painful. The entire hall had fallen into stunned silence, yet the sound of gasps and hushed whispers spread like wildfire.She felt their eyes on her, sinking into her skin.Desmond was the first to react.A sharp, disbelieving laugh cut through the tension, but there was no humor in it. His golden eyes gleamed with dark amusement as he stepped forward."You must be joking." His voice was like poison dripping from his tongue. "This has to be a mistake, Eugene. Tell me you didn’t just claim her."Eugene didn’t even flinch. He didn’t turn his head, didn’t spare Desmond a single glance. His piercing gaze remained locked onto Becca—unwavering and unshaken.She felt trappe
The darkness surrounding Becca suddenly shattered.Her eyes flew open as though jolted from a nightmare. Her heart was pounding. She was drenched in sweat. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. The ceiling above her was unfamiliar—elegant, carved wood with golden trims and an ornate chandelier. Silk sheets. Velvet curtains. Soft pillows under her head.This wasn’t her clinic. And it sure as hell wasn’t the dungeons.Then it hit her—the memory of that awful moment in the grand hall.Alpha Desmond’s sneer.The executioner’s attack.The cold words echoing in the hall.“She committed an abomination—she dared to touch Alpha blood.”And then… that voice. Deep. Commanding. Protective.“Enough. No one will touch her.”Alpha Eugene.Becca sucked in a sharp breath, her hand flying to her mouth as if trying to block the memory from flooding in too fast. She sat up quickly in bed, her hands trembling. The words echoed louder in her mind now, deafening her.“She is my mate.”Becca shoo
Desmond paced around his chamber, each step echoing his increasing anger. The audacity of his half-brother, Eugene, to return unannounced and challenge his authority was infuriating. Worse still, Eugene had intervened in the execution of that insufferable Omega, Becca, and had the gall to claim her as his mate. The mere thought made Desmond's blood boil.The distant hum of engines interrupted his seething thoughts. He moved to the window and saw a convoy of sleek black vehicles approaching the estate. Luna Seraphina had returned from her spa retreat. Her presence was both a comfort and a complication; while she was his mate, her temper was as bad as his own.The driver swiftly opened the door, and Seraphina emerged, exuding an aura of dominance and elegance. Without wasting time, she began issuing commands to the staff."Careful with those bags! If anything is damaged, consider your employment terminated," she snapped, her icy blue eyes scanning the maids running to collect her
The great wolf council hall was a towering structure of stone and glass, with high ceilings and ancient paintings bearing the symbols of generations past. Its walls carried the stories of countless decisions that had shaped the werewolf realms. Today, it would bear witness to another.Alpha Eugene stood at the center of the chamber, his broad shoulders squared, his piercing silver eyes unwavering. The wolf council members, a gathering of old, sharp-eyed men and women, sat in a circle before him. Each of them bore the weight of decades of power, and none were easily impressed.Eugene’s wolf stirred within him, pacing impatiently. He kept his breathing steady, tamping down the surge of possessive anger that threatened to surface whenever his thoughts drifted to Becca — and to Desmond.An elder, Councilor Hadrian, cleared his throat and leaned forward. His voice, though aged, still carried authority.“Alpha Eugene, you have returned after years spent infiltrating the rival clans. T
Becca slammed the door behind her, the sound echoing through the room.Her back pressed against the door, her breaths coming in short, rapid bursts as the enormity of what she had just done settled on her shoulders.“Goddess,” she whispered under her breath, her palms filled with sweat as she lifted them to her flushed cheeks. “What did I just do?”The memory played in her mind like a vivid nightmare. Becca squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to calm down, to gather her scattered thoughts before—The door creaked open.She turned around, panic flickering across her features. There, standing in the doorway like the storm itself, was Eugene. His broad frame filled the entrance, his eyes locked onto her with a mix of warmth and predatory amusement. He closed the door behind him without a word.“Eugene,” she started, her voice a wary tremble.He didn’t rush to speak. Instead, he took a slow step forward, his expression unreadable except for the faint smirk tugging at the corner of
Becca hit the cold floor hard, her knees brushing against the rough surface, her hands trembling as she held her stomach. Pain shot through her, but it was nothing compared to the ache in her heart. The grand doors of the Alpha’s mansion towered behind her, their golden handles glinting under the moonlight. But the beauty of the castle was a stark contrast to the cruelty of the man standing above her.Alpha Desmond.He looked down at her with disgust, his piercing blue eyes sharp and unforgiving. His dark hair fell over his face to make him look even more terrifying as his muscular body was towering over her. He was every bit the powerful ruler their pack revered—strong, merciless, and utterly ruthless.“Get out of my sight, Omega.” His voice was cold, void of any emotion. The words sliced through her like a blade.Becca clutched her breast, her breath coming in short gasps. “Alpha, please… I—”Desmond let out a cruel laugh, the sound echoing in the courtyard where his warriors
Becca gritted her teeth as she half-dragged, half-carried the unconscious man inside her clinic. He was much heavier than she had expected, his body packed with thick muscle beneath the robes he wore. Her arms ached, but she didn’t stop—not when his fevered skin burned against hers, not when she felt the unsteady rise and fall of his chest.Without hesitation, she put him onto her table.As she attempted to remove his clothes, a scent drifted toward her—faint but unmistakable.Her entire body froze.No…That scent.It was familiar. Too familiar.Her stomach twisted violently, nausea rising in her throat.It smelled like him.Like Alpha Desmond.A scent she had spent months trying to forget. A scent that haunted her nightmares. A scent that had once made her heart race with longing, only to now make her sick with anger.She stumbled back, her breath shallow. Was it him? Had Desmond come here in disguise? Had he—?No.She took a deep breath, forcing herself to think rationally. Th
Becca slammed the door behind her, the sound echoing through the room.Her back pressed against the door, her breaths coming in short, rapid bursts as the enormity of what she had just done settled on her shoulders.“Goddess,” she whispered under her breath, her palms filled with sweat as she lifted them to her flushed cheeks. “What did I just do?”The memory played in her mind like a vivid nightmare. Becca squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to calm down, to gather her scattered thoughts before—The door creaked open.She turned around, panic flickering across her features. There, standing in the doorway like the storm itself, was Eugene. His broad frame filled the entrance, his eyes locked onto her with a mix of warmth and predatory amusement. He closed the door behind him without a word.“Eugene,” she started, her voice a wary tremble.He didn’t rush to speak. Instead, he took a slow step forward, his expression unreadable except for the faint smirk tugging at the corner of
The great wolf council hall was a towering structure of stone and glass, with high ceilings and ancient paintings bearing the symbols of generations past. Its walls carried the stories of countless decisions that had shaped the werewolf realms. Today, it would bear witness to another.Alpha Eugene stood at the center of the chamber, his broad shoulders squared, his piercing silver eyes unwavering. The wolf council members, a gathering of old, sharp-eyed men and women, sat in a circle before him. Each of them bore the weight of decades of power, and none were easily impressed.Eugene’s wolf stirred within him, pacing impatiently. He kept his breathing steady, tamping down the surge of possessive anger that threatened to surface whenever his thoughts drifted to Becca — and to Desmond.An elder, Councilor Hadrian, cleared his throat and leaned forward. His voice, though aged, still carried authority.“Alpha Eugene, you have returned after years spent infiltrating the rival clans. T
Desmond paced around his chamber, each step echoing his increasing anger. The audacity of his half-brother, Eugene, to return unannounced and challenge his authority was infuriating. Worse still, Eugene had intervened in the execution of that insufferable Omega, Becca, and had the gall to claim her as his mate. The mere thought made Desmond's blood boil.The distant hum of engines interrupted his seething thoughts. He moved to the window and saw a convoy of sleek black vehicles approaching the estate. Luna Seraphina had returned from her spa retreat. Her presence was both a comfort and a complication; while she was his mate, her temper was as bad as his own.The driver swiftly opened the door, and Seraphina emerged, exuding an aura of dominance and elegance. Without wasting time, she began issuing commands to the staff."Careful with those bags! If anything is damaged, consider your employment terminated," she snapped, her icy blue eyes scanning the maids running to collect her
The darkness surrounding Becca suddenly shattered.Her eyes flew open as though jolted from a nightmare. Her heart was pounding. She was drenched in sweat. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. The ceiling above her was unfamiliar—elegant, carved wood with golden trims and an ornate chandelier. Silk sheets. Velvet curtains. Soft pillows under her head.This wasn’t her clinic. And it sure as hell wasn’t the dungeons.Then it hit her—the memory of that awful moment in the grand hall.Alpha Desmond’s sneer.The executioner’s attack.The cold words echoing in the hall.“She committed an abomination—she dared to touch Alpha blood.”And then… that voice. Deep. Commanding. Protective.“Enough. No one will touch her.”Alpha Eugene.Becca sucked in a sharp breath, her hand flying to her mouth as if trying to block the memory from flooding in too fast. She sat up quickly in bed, her hands trembling. The words echoed louder in her mind now, deafening her.“She is my mate.”Becca shoo
The words echoed through Becca’s mind, slamming into her with a force that almost made it impossible for her to breathe."She is my mate." Those words repeated in her head as she tired to register it.No.No, that couldn’t be right.Her breath came in short, shallow bursts. Her heart pounded so violently that it was painful. The entire hall had fallen into stunned silence, yet the sound of gasps and hushed whispers spread like wildfire.She felt their eyes on her, sinking into her skin.Desmond was the first to react.A sharp, disbelieving laugh cut through the tension, but there was no humor in it. His golden eyes gleamed with dark amusement as he stepped forward."You must be joking." His voice was like poison dripping from his tongue. "This has to be a mistake, Eugene. Tell me you didn’t just claim her."Eugene didn’t even flinch. He didn’t turn his head, didn’t spare Desmond a single glance. His piercing gaze remained locked onto Becca—unwavering and unshaken.She felt trappe
The tension in the room thickened as gasps whispered through the gathered crowd.Alpha Eugene.The name rolled through her mind as the man moved toward her, his gaze never leaving her broken form on the floor. His sharp eyes softened the moment he reached her.Without a word, he extended his hand.Becca stared at it, still dazed, still unable to process what was happening.“Come,” Eugene murmured, his voice deep yet gentle.Becca hesitated, but something in his presence made her reach out. He grasped her hand firmly, his warmth stark against the coldness of the hall. He pulled her to her feet with effortless strength, steadying her as her legs threatened to give out beneath her.She felt… safe.But the safety was immediately overshadowed by confusion.“What the hell is going on?” Becca demanded, pulling her hand away the moment she found her balance. She was still furious, burning from the humiliation and anger of being dragged here in the first place.Eugene exhaled. “I owe you
The heavy iron door slammed shut behind them, sealing Becca and Mira inside the cold prison cell beneath Alpha Desmond’s mansion. The air was thick with the scent of old blood.Mira sat in the corner, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I’ve never been in a place like this before.”Becca exhaled sharply, pacing the cell. She had been here before. Thrown into this very cell. The memory clawed at her mind—Desmond’s cold eyes, his mocking smile as he had ordered her locked away simply for trying to heal one of the maids.She clenched her fists. “This isn’t the first time Desmond has done this to me. He thinks throwing me down here will break me, but it won’t.”Mira’s wide eyes met hers. “But what if this time is different? What if he really—”“Stop.” Becca bent in front of her, gripping her shoulders gently. “We will get out of this. I promise you.”Mira swallowed hard and nodded, but fear still lin
Becca gritted her teeth as she half-dragged, half-carried the unconscious man inside her clinic. He was much heavier than she had expected, his body packed with thick muscle beneath the robes he wore. Her arms ached, but she didn’t stop—not when his fevered skin burned against hers, not when she felt the unsteady rise and fall of his chest.Without hesitation, she put him onto her table.As she attempted to remove his clothes, a scent drifted toward her—faint but unmistakable.Her entire body froze.No…That scent.It was familiar. Too familiar.Her stomach twisted violently, nausea rising in her throat.It smelled like him.Like Alpha Desmond.A scent she had spent months trying to forget. A scent that haunted her nightmares. A scent that had once made her heart race with longing, only to now make her sick with anger.She stumbled back, her breath shallow. Was it him? Had Desmond come here in disguise? Had he—?No.She took a deep breath, forcing herself to think rationally. Th
Becca hit the cold floor hard, her knees brushing against the rough surface, her hands trembling as she held her stomach. Pain shot through her, but it was nothing compared to the ache in her heart. The grand doors of the Alpha’s mansion towered behind her, their golden handles glinting under the moonlight. But the beauty of the castle was a stark contrast to the cruelty of the man standing above her.Alpha Desmond.He looked down at her with disgust, his piercing blue eyes sharp and unforgiving. His dark hair fell over his face to make him look even more terrifying as his muscular body was towering over her. He was every bit the powerful ruler their pack revered—strong, merciless, and utterly ruthless.“Get out of my sight, Omega.” His voice was cold, void of any emotion. The words sliced through her like a blade.Becca clutched her breast, her breath coming in short gasps. “Alpha, please… I—”Desmond let out a cruel laugh, the sound echoing in the courtyard where his warriors