"Well, usually the mate is handed off to the Alpha so he can perform the ceremony. But since your mate is the Alpha, I’ll be doing it," Blake explained.Danielle giggled. "Was Damien really okay with a mateless male wolf handing off his mate?"Blake scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "Well, no. Your mother had to persuade—and practically force—him to let me do it. He’s getting into that possessive stage now that he’s found his mate."I shrugged and took Blake’s arm."Well then, we better go before Damien gets more possessive," I said with a small smile.Danielle waved before hurrying out of the packhouse.A few minutes later, Blake announced that it was time. We stepped outside, and instantly, all eyes turned toward us.If Blake wasn’t supporting me, I probably would have collapsed—my legs felt weak beneath me.The pack members lined either side of the pathway, leaving the center clear, like a wedding aisle.As we slowly walked down the middle, I kept my gaze forward, too nervo
"There is nothing to talk about," I said, my voice firm.Damien scoffed. "Don't play dumb with me, Iris. I knew I was right about you being Alpha-born. You're the daughter of Adam and Lucie Rose—the Alpha and Luna of the Moonshine Pack. I know all about what happened to your parents."That last sentence was all it took to set me off.My entire body tensed as anger surged through me."You know nothing about what happened to my parents!" I snapped, my voice shaking with fury. "You didn't witness them being murdered in cold blood! You didn’t have to run for your life when you were just twelve! You weren’t captured, tortured, and beaten for things you didn’t even understand! You don’t know anything!"I screamed the last part, my chest heaving as I glared at him.Damien looked at me, sadness darkening his eyes."Their so-called allies sure as hell weren’t there when my parents were slaughtered," I hissed.A new voice entered the room."We had no idea what was happening—or how they died. Th
"I don't know who he is!" I snapped."Then how am I supposed to protect you if I don't even know who’s after you?!" Damien shot back, frustration clear in his voice."I never asked for your protection! Maybe if you hadn't found me that day in the forest, you'd still be with your little girlfriend—the one you were so sure was the one!" I retorted, my voice laced with anger.I knew he was just trying to protect me, but he was going about it the wrong way.Damien closed his eyes and took a step back, making me realize just how close we were—practically in each other's faces.He let out a long sigh. "I don’t want to fight tonight. I really thought we could just enjoy the evening—celebrate my birthday and your official entrance into the pack. But I guess I was wrong."Without another word, he turned and walked away.I collapsed onto the couch, huffing loudly.So much for a good night.Damien’s father sat down beside me and started rubbing my back in comfort."I'm sorry, Iris, for not prope
I opened my eyes and was immediately blinded by the harsh lights overhead. Instinctively, I tried to shield my face, but I quickly realized my hands were restrained.Panic set in as I looked down. My hands were covered in leather gloves, bound in chains. Silver chains.My mind raced. They didn’t want to burn me... but why am I restrained in the first place?I forced myself to take in my surroundings—stark white walls, a heart monitor beeping steadily beside me, the sterile scent of antiseptic filling the air.Then, I turned my head and saw him.Damien sat beside me, exhaustion written all over his face."Hey... what happened? Are you alright?" I asked, my voice hoarse.His head snapped up, eyes widening as if I had no right to be the one asking that question.I glanced down at the chains again. "Why am I restrained? The last thing I remember is you marking me... and then everything went black."Damien reached out, his fingers brushing against my cheek."I’ll tell you... but not now. Y
Frustration simmered inside me.I thought we had already discussed this. I thought we had worked through it together."Iris, I am your Alpha, and you will—"I was cut off—violently.Iris grabbed me by the throat, lifting me off the ground as if I weighed nothing.Before I could react, she slammed me against the mirror on the wall, the glass shattering on impact.Pain exploded across my back as jagged shards embedded into my skin.Her voice was cold, emotionless. "We have no Alpha. And you will never control us."She pressed me harder against the broken glass, her grip tightening.The burning sensation of suffocation crept in as I clawed at her hands, struggling to breathe.Where the hell did she get this strength from?I reached out through the mind link.'Blake, I need your help.'I didn’t know what was happening, but I knew one thing for certain—This wasn’t Iris.This was something else.Something that needed to be locked away until I got my flower back.Blake's voice came through
I sat on the bed with my knees pulled up to my chest, rocking back and forth.It had been two days since I woke up in the hospital.Two days since I had last seen Damien.It was almost as if he were avoiding me ever since I nearly rejected him.I wasn’t even sure if rejecting him would have worked, considering he had already marked me. But at the time, I thought it was the best thing for him—and for the pack.Now, without his presence, I felt empty.The unsettling sensation gnawed at me.The door creaked open, and I quickly looked up.A boy, around eighteen years old, stood in the doorway. His mousy brown hair was slightly unkempt, and freckles were scattered across his face. He was about my height.“The Alpha has sent me to collect you,” he said firmly.I nodded, stretching my stiff limbs as I stood.That’s when I realized something.I was wearing clothes I didn’t remember putting on—an oversized white shirt and blue shorts.Brushing the thought aside, I followed the boy out of the r
I stared at him in shock and disbelief."You did what?!" I shouted.I couldn’t believe he had even thought about doing something like that.My journal was private. Secret.It may have seemed childish or silly to others, but for the longest time, it had been the only thing keeping me sane.Writing my thoughts down and reading over them later had always helped me keep myself from slipping.I turned away from him, pacing back and forth.Then, I stopped and looked back at him. "How much did you read?"Damien avoided my gaze, staring at the floor instead."I read up until you stopped making full sentences," he admitted.My stomach twisted.I hadn’t even read that far myself in years.And yet, just because he was my mate, he thought he had the right to go through my things without permission?His hand reached for my arm, gently pulling me toward him."Iris, I had to find out what was happening to you," he said.His voice was soft, but his grip was firm."That night I marked you, something h
For the first time in a very long time, I didn’t feel trapped.I woke up in Damien’s arms, his warmth surrounding me like a protective cocoon.For once, I felt at bliss.Smiling, I snuggled deeper into his embrace, inhaling his scent as he did the same to me. When I looked up, our eyes met.“Do you ever wish for a normal mate?” I asked softly.He chuckled, the sound deep and soothing. “No. You make my life interesting.”I grinned, reaching up to pat his chest. “Good to know.”His fingers idly stroked my hair as he spoke. “I meant to tell you earlier, but Alpha Marcus and his mate are coming over today.”I frowned. “Why wasn’t I informed about this sooner?”Damien shrugged. “I figured you wouldn’t want to be bothered with them.”I sat up slightly, giving him an unimpressed look. “I’m the soon-to-be Luna, Damien. I need to know about these things, even if you think I wouldn’t care. Now, why are they coming?”“Just to congratulate me on finding my mate. And hopefully, they’d like to meet
"Thanks, Iris," Danielle said, clutching her head in pain as her body trembled."Danielle, take a deep breath and calm down. Relax your mind and focus on shifting. Imagine yourself as a wolf, running through the forest," I instructed.She nodded, squeezing her eyes shut as the trembling grew more intense. Suddenly, she dropped to all fours, and the piercing sound of cracking bones shattered the silence of the forest.A sharp scream tore from her lips.What's happening? Damien’s voice rang through our mind link.Your sister is shifting, I replied.Thank you for being there for her. We're still setting up her birthday party, he said.I focused back on Danielle as her bones continued to shift and break, her whimpers turning into furious growls. Then, her form stilled, and a stunning dark brown she-wolf with black paws stood before me.She lifted her head and growled, her wild eyes locking onto mine. Newly shifted wolves were often overwhelmed by instincts, sometimes even attacking those
I woke up snuggled against someone's chest."Damien, get up. You've been asleep long enough," I murmured, trying to wiggle out of his grasp but failing miserably."No… five more minutes," he groaned, pulling me even closer.I sighed in defeat before turning around to face him. Damien looked so peaceful and calm in his sleep, his usual intensity softened by dreams. I reached up and gently pecked his lips, causing his eyes to flutter open."That was a lovely wake-up call," he said with a wink.Rolling my eyes, I pushed against his chest as he finally loosened his grip. I sat up, only to realize I was still completely bare from the night before. Blushing, I grabbed the white bedsheet and wrapped it around myself like a towel before heading to the bathroom.Just as I reached the doorway, I glanced back and noticed Damien lying there, very much uncovered, a smug look on his face."Like what you see?" he teased.Crossing my arms over the sheets, I smirked. "Just for that comment, you're not
"I don't want to stop. I want you," I breathed out. At that exact moment, I could tell that his wolf had fully taken over. His eyes darkened with desire as he pulled me closer, his hands trailing over my body as if memorizing every inch. My breath hitched when he gripped the fabric of my shirt—and with one swift motion, it was gone. I gasped at his boldness, my heart racing. His lips found my shoulder, leaving a trail of warmth as he moved up toward my mark. I could feel the strength in his touch, the restraint he was barely holding onto. His presence alone sent a shiver down my spine, anticipation crackling between us like a storm on the horizon. But then, an unfamiliar hesitation crept into me. I had never been this vulnerable before, never exposed to anyone like this. I instinctively moved to cover myself, but Damien let out a low growl, his hands catching mine. "Don't," he murmured, his voice husky with emotion. "You're more beautiful than anyone I've ever been with." Slowly
I walked away, leaving Lillian and Danielle behind in the destroyed living room, and made my way upstairs. Roars and shouts shook the walls, vibrating through the halls like an earthquake.Damien was furious.He wasn’t just angry—he was desperate. His mate was in danger, and he didn’t understand what was happening. Someone was threatening me, the person he swore to protect.I knew this because I felt every single one of his emotions.Standing in front of the bedroom door, I took a deep breath and pushed it open.Damien lay on his back on the king-sized bed, his hands covering his face. The room was eerily silent, a stark contrast to the rage that had just shaken the house. I glanced around. Nothing had been broken—except for the new holes in the walls."Damien," I called softly, stepping toward him.No response.I climbed onto the bed, straddling his waist, and gently took his hands, prying them away from his face.The moment I saw him, my breath hitched.I had never seen Damien this
"Get up, maggot, and bow to your Luna," Damien snarled.I had never heard Damien this aggressive before—not even with his pack members. But then again, he had always hated rogues. My sister and I were the only exceptions."I’ll bow to the girl when you bring her to me. I have a message for her," a cold, empty voice spoke from the shadows.A man sat on the opposite side of the cell, his back turned to us. He was cross-legged on the cold, damp floor, as if meditating."And what’s this message?" Damien spat."I said the message is for the fucking girl. Now bring her here!" the man shouted through the bars, catching both of us off guard.I glanced at Damien and saw the shock flicker across his face. No one spoke to an Alpha like that unless they were an Alpha themselves—or had a death wish.Something about the man's voice felt familiar, but I couldn't place where I'd heard it before.Damien stepped toward the cell, careful not to touch the bars—they were pure silver, coated in wolfsbane.
Born of a thorn on a rose, soul split equally amongst the other.Darkness fills her eyes—cold-blooded murder.Revenge... revenge. She will stop at nothing.Hair as black as the night sky.Darkness swarmed within her, whispering, luring, persuading. The light of her life would soon fade.Rage burned inside me like an uncontrollable fire. I vowed to get revenge on the man who had slaughtered my parents—the same man who had forced me to flee that day. I would never forget his eyes, nor the scar my mother had left on his face.Cold-blooded murder.‘Let the rage consume you... Let us be free.’A deep, dark voice echoed in my mind. My wolf whimpered as I felt the light from her soul dim, swallowed by the ever-growing darkness within me.A hand gently rubbed circles on my arm, grounding me instantly. I inhaled sharply as the storm within me settled at my sister’s touch."Before Mom found her mate, she met Cole," Lillian began. "They didn’t believe in the mate bond. They thought it was unfair
She was the one who made sure no male wolves came anywhere near my room during my heat, including Damien, who kept losing control of his wolf.After what felt like an eternity, my heat finally ended, and I was free to roam without worrying about unbearable pain or male wolves trying to mark me.I stepped out of my bedroom and headed toward the kitchen, where I noticed Blake and Lillian talking quietly."Hey, sweetheart. Feeling better?" Lillian asked kindly.I smiled and nodded."You never call me sweetheart. Why does she get special treatment?" Blake pouted, crossing his arms.Lillian patted his cheek. "You're my Blakey. That’s special enough. Besides, she’s my twin—we’re practically the same person."Before I could respond, I felt warm arms wrap around my waist. I leaned into his touch, finally able to enjoy Damien's embrace without any unwanted urges clouding my mind."Hey, gorgeous," he murmured. "No hard feelings about yesterday, right?"Lillian smirked. "Oh, you mean when I thre
"The one with the power controls the wolf community. She bows to no one. She commands all. There is only one who can control her power. Kill the controller, and no one will be left to stand in her way.""AHHHHHHHH!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. It felt as if a million knives were stabbing into me repeatedly, followed by an unbearable heat that spread through my body.Damien woke up beside me, instantly alert. His sharp eyes darted around the room before settling on me."Flower, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.Before I could answer, another bloodcurdling scream echoed through the entire packhouse.I knew that scream."Lillian!" I called through our private mind link.She didn’t respond—just screamed again. And suddenly, a fresh wave of pain hit me, making me clutch my stomach. My temperature skyrocketed, my skin burning up from the inside. Desperate for relief, I ripped off my clothes, leaving only my underwear.I turned to Damien and saw his eyes darken a
"Hey, handsome, you never gave me that kiss yet," Lillian teased Damien, pouting playfully."Lily, get your ass in here before I eat your food," I heard Blake call from the kitchen.Lillian dashed toward the kitchen, and we followed."What the hell are these things?" she asked, staring at the bowl of food in front of her."It's cereal. You've never had cereal before?" Blake asked, surprised.She shook her head. "I was fed scraps most of the time... sometimes, I wasn't fed at all. I was lucky to get a meal."Blake growled, clenching his jaw. I could tell he hated hearing about the way she'd been mistreated. I knew exactly how he felt—helpless, furious, and devastated that she had endured so many years of captivity and abuse.Lillian reached out, resting her hand on his cheek as she shook her head."I have you now," she said softly. "The past is the past. What matters is that you can give me a better future." She smiled warmly.Blake sighed, grabbing her hand and pressing a gentle kiss