Cecilia POVThe next morning, I woke up in Julian's room. Just as I opened the door to leave, I collided with an awkward situation—Pearly and Jordan were heading right toward me. I considered ignoring them and continuing on my way, but Jordan, ever boisterous, greeted me with his usual exuberance."Morning!""Morning," I replied, my voice slightly strained."Wait a minute, isn't this Prince Julian's room? What were you doing here in your pajamas?" Jordan asked, his face full of confusion."Cecilia owns the entire manor. Why do you care which room she uses?" Pearly quickly jumped in to cover for me, then quickly found a way to distract him. "Go water the flowers downstairs.""I'm Cecilia's Beta. Why should I be doing some girly chore like that?""Just do it, or you're skipping dinner tonight," Pearly retorted, giving him a shove.Once Jordan was out of sight, Pearly turned to me with a mischievous grin. "So… you spent the night in his room, huh?"I nodded, my cheeks warming
Cecilia POVMy instincts immediately sharpened as I wondered, 'Could it be Shadows again?'"Jordan!" I called out, grabbing two guns from the drawer and dashing toward the kitchen, where Pearly and Alisha were likely busy cooking."What's up?" Jordan appeared, an apron still tied around his neck."There's something in the woods. Didn't you hear it?" I asked urgently."All I heard was the beef stew calling me from the pot." He looked genuinely confused, scratching his head."Come with me to the woods," I instructed, handing him a gun.I quickly mind-linked with Alfie and Yael, the guards at the manor's entrance, to keep an eye on Pearly and Alisha in the kitchen.Although he couldn't outmatch me in a fight, Jordan took the lead, protectively positioning himself in front of me. We hadn't gone far into the woods when he suddenly halted."Someone might be hiding here," he murmured, pulling a piece of white cloth from a tree.As he was about to sniff it, my cheeks flared with emba
Cecilia POVJosh devoured a chicken leg, stuffing it into his mouth before continuing, "Last week, I wanted to attend your family's funeral, but the orphanage manager wouldn't let me leave the pack. Instead, she forced us to attend Freeda's Luna crowning ceremony."I refused and even scolded Freeda, urging the other orphans to skip it too. I didn't realize that wicked woman would report me to Freeda. So, Freeda locked me up for three days with no food or water, and had soldiers whip me daily.""Freeda, the Alpha Female celebrated for her military honors? I used to admire her, but bullying a child is despicable!" Jordan slammed his fist on the table."How did you manage to escape?" Pearly interjected, holding Josh's hand."After three days, Freeda released me, but she took all my savings. Broke, I sneaked out of the Thorn Pack and wandered for days. I hitchhiked here, hoping to find you. A guard mistook me for a Rogue and locked me up again," Josh explained, his voice tinged with e
Julian POVOn my first day in Ashfall, I set out to unravel the tensions among the soldiers. Whispers were maligning Norman, accusing him of drawing misfortune through his own misdeeds. I dismissed the two Betas who were fanning these rumors.The following day, I tasked my Beta, Mario Gomez, to investigate the eleven rogue prisoners. Having been stationed in Ashfall for a month, Mario was well-acquainted with the border area. Now, three days had passed, and I hadn't received a single message from Cecilia.After reorganizing Norman's troops, I sat alone in the military office while sipping coffee. I was waiting for Mario's investigation report and also hoping for a call from Cecilia.Since parting with her three days ago, my heart felt as if it had been cleaved in two—one half floating weightlessly in the air, the other sinking deeply into a mire.On the morning I left, she didn't come to see me off, clearly showing through her actions that she did not wish to accept my love.
Cecilia POV"Of course, I object!" I hadn't expected that on the very day Vahn Bollen returned, he would present such an audacious and preposterous proposal."I don't care if you object. I will still take Freeda Lawlor as my wife." Vahn tugged at his shirt collar, his voice growing increasingly impatient and sharp. The apologetic look on his face has also vanished. "Of course, you will remain the Luna of Thorn Pack—as long as you fulfill your duties and abide by the rules.""Even if I consent, what you propose is unlawful. No Alpha is permitted two wives—not even the Alpha King would dare such a thing." I met his gaze with icy defiance before settling back into my chair and pouring a cup of Cinnamon black tea. Some werewolves dallied with others even after finding their mate, but purely physically. Anyone caught marking multiple mates faced exile, relegated to the life of a Rogue. This fate spared no one, not even the Alpha King of Valdora."I won't mark her, so technically, it
Cecilia POVI stared into the mirror. My red curls cascaded around my shoulders, set off by the simplicity of the white suit dress that hugged my voluptuous curves with both sensuality and subtlety."Wear this tonight." Pearly offered a necklace with a lotus pendant crafted from rubies, draping it around my neck. The red lotus was emblematic of the Lotus Pack, once led by my father.Pearly was not only have inherited her mother's amazing cooking skills, but also possessed an unmatched discerning eye for. As a child, while I sparred and trained with my brothers in the woods, Pearly preferred dealing with all sorts of fabrics at home. Sometimes, she would create flowers out of cloth that were so real that one could barely tell they were made from fabric.Together, we made our way to the banquet hall. I swung the doors open and scanned the room, taking in the faces of Vahn's family and the 16 key members of the Thorn Pack seated at the long tables.During the era of Vahn's great-gran
Cecilia POVSome werewolves would have sex with other werewolves or humans even after they found their mates. However, they would usually close off the link between them and their mates before doing so. Otherwise, it was kind of sex live show to their mate, and it would also cause their mate intense pain. Clearly, Vahn was using this as a form of retaliation against me.Right now, even with a whole floor between us, I could hear the two of them moaning and groaning. Every thrust into her pussy was a stab to my chest. If I were an Omega or Beta, I would not have the ability to close off the link with my Alpha. I might even faint from the agony. Thankfully, my strong Alpha blood gave me the power to fight against Vahn.Once the bond was severed, Nana growled with a desire for revenge against Vahn. I didn't stop her this time. Following their scent, I stormed to their room and kicked the door open. Before they could react, I snapped photos of them with fervor."What are you doing?"
Cecilia POVBefore I moved to Thorn Pack, my mother, Aria Dunn, warned me about the challenges of being a Luna.With great power came great responsibility.The Alpha needed strength to command the pack's loyalty, while the Luna had to use her wits to earn their respect. Managing people was an art form. It required a keen understanding of who was trustworthy and who was not.Shortly after my arrival at the Thorn Pack, I had Pearly gather gossip from public places like the market and the bar about Vahn and his family. As an Omega, Pearly was better positioned to earn people's trust. Many in the pack were aware of Rosie's past actions of murdering the pregnant woman back then, but they were too fearful to speak openly."Backstabbing bitches!" Pearly exclaimed, stomping her foot in frustration. "What can we do now? Are we just supposed to watch as they get married?""Check the flights to Black Stone for tonight," I instructed, taking a bite of the apple pie Rosie had brought. It tast