Layla POV"He came back like this?" Jackson's voice echoed through the grand hall, dripping with disdain.He looked down at his eldest son with a disgusted look. "My heir, the future Rogue King, reduced to... this pitiful, broken state."I wanted to scream at him, to tell him how unfair his words were, especially when his son was barely clinging to life. Yet, the cold gaze Jackson turned on me silenced any retort I had. I knew he didn't just loathe his son; he despised me as well. If Spencer hadn't insisted on marrying me, he wouldn't have gone off to the battlefield alone and risked everything.Jackson never abided by the werewolf world's rules of mates. He didn't believe in the Moon Goddess' arrangements, dismissing them as foolish. For him, only absolute power mattered. He fathered eight children with five powerful female warrior wolves, and five of them were sons. Spencer and his four brothers had been forced into brutal competition from a young age, with only the strongest
Cecilia POVLayla finished recounting her story with a composed expression. Darkness had settled over the vast, empty desert, and an eerie silence filled the air. It was as if the whole world had paused in a moment of suspense. The scorching heat from earlier had faded with the sun's descent and was replaced by a sharp, piercing chill that crept into everything, harsh and unrelenting.The wind howled like a lone wolf. Its mournful cry rose and fell as if it was singing a song of sorrow."You've hurt too many innocent people in your quest for revenge," I said, my voice trembling with emotion. "Your mate shouldn't have died," I continued, my tone now calmer. "But so many others shouldn't have died either. My uncle never ordered the mistreatment of prisoners. The one who hurt your mate and his comrades was Freeda! "You killed my uncle's entire family, 19 people, based on a mistake. You kidnapped a 14-year-old girl, cut off her fingers, and beheaded her mother. You've destroyed li
Vahn POVLayla's blood splattered across my face. I tried to wipe it away but only succeeded in smearing it all over. Cecilia stood frozen in place, her body trembling as if she were about to collapse. Before I could reach out to steady her, Julian caught her in his arms."Back to camp," Julian commanded, and we began our march back.… Freeda and I shared the same vehicle on the return trip. Neither of us spoke along the way. She held my hand tightly. Although I didn't push her away, my palm was devoid of any warmth.My wife, the woman who had stood beside me in countless battles, who had been so fearless, a warrior whose honor I never once doubted, had done something so cruel!I couldn't decide whether it was the horrors of war that had changed her or if this had been her true nature all along.…When we arrived at camp, I took Freeda to the field hospital. Even the doctor seemed taken aback by her condition."This is the result of the examination," the doctor told me outsid
Vahn POVWhen I stepped out of the field hospital, the sharp scent of disinfectant hung in the air. I could hear the door creak shut behind me, but I ignored it. I looked up, taking in the camp now reduced to ruins from the bombardment.I caught sight of Cecilia.My ex-wife stood just a few feet away, her back to me as she spoke with a doctor. Her fiery red hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders.She knew the truth all along, but she kept it from me! I had been manipulated by the ruthless Freeda and deceived by Cecilia. A fool, that was what they had made me.Before I could stop myself, her name left my lips.She turned slowly, her eyes widening when they met mine. However, there was no emotion in them."Hi," I managed to say, though the words felt stuck in my throat."Hi," she replied calmly. She crossed her arms as the doctor excused himself and walked away."Why?" My voice came out rough, strained, as I tried to cover up the vulnerability creeping into it. "You and Juli
Cecilia POVI should have felt relieved that I had avenged my family. Instead, it gnawed at me with an overwhelming feeling of emptiness. It was as though I had destroyed a part of myself inside with Layla.When I got back to my room, the moon had risen. Unfortunately, sleep alluded me. Every time I closed my eyes, Layla's last moments replayed in my mind like a twisted jingle. I could still hear the sound of her head rolling on the ground.The night was unbearably quiet, and the weight of that silence pressed down on me, making it impossible to forge. A soft knock came at the door. Before I could respond, Julian walked in."You don't have to go through this alone," he said softly and approached me. Then, he sat next to me and took my hand. His warmth should have comforted me, but it didn't. Not tonight. The burden of what I had done was too heavy."I'm here," he added, his eyes searching mine. "Do you want to talk?Carefully, I pulled my hand free and shook my head. "I… I ne
Cecilia POVAs the sun began to sink below the horizon, casting long shadows over the desert, Julian gathered some dry branches by the water's edge and quietly started a small fire. His movements were calm and practiced. It was like he had done this countless times before."You've got to try this," he said, pulling a small jar and some dried lemons from his bag. The air was filled with the citrusy scent of lemons as he brewed tea over the fire. I sat nearby and watched him work as the flames flickered across his face."Keep an eye on the fire. I'll be back soon," he instructed. Then, he walked toward a group of trees a short distance away. I could hear the rustling of leaves as he climbed up.When he returned, he handed me a handful of fresh dates. "In the desert, dates and lemon tea go hand in hand.""It's very sweet." I bit into one. Then, I reached over and popped one into his mouth as well. "I thought someone like you, a prince, wouldn't be used to doing all this. I figured
Julian POVI inhaled deeply before putting my hand in hers. "Something as timeless as the desert itself is what I wish to offer you. A bit of myself and a piece of this desert."I reached behind me and picked up a tiny wooden box, which I opened slowly to show a necklace. An old desert shell fossil was used to create the pendant. Despite the deterioration of time, its lines and textures remained vibrant. As such, it was etched with the history of the land beneath our feet. Eight little red gemstones, the same color as Cecilia's hair, adorned the fossil.Her eyes fixed on the necklace as she held her breath in wonderment. Her hand shook a little as she extended it to touch it. "It's beautiful," she said softly in a whisper. "Where did you... How...""I found this shell fossil in the desert when I was scouting in Ashfall. I had a craftsman make the necklace for me then. I've been waiting for the right moment to give it to you."I gently took the necklace from the box and carefully
Cecilia POVI could feel the sand shifting beneath the thin sleeping mat in the tent. It was as if I was being pulled into a vast whirlpool, and Julian was sinking with me. We lay close, our bodies pressed together as the lantern's soft light shone on our skin. Our shadows merged on the tent's canvas, moving in sync until they became one.I could feel his heartbeat against my chest, steady and strong, grounding me in this surreal moment, where everything felt heightened and impossibly vivid.The desert outside was silent. However, every sound seemed amplified within the tent, such as the rustle of fabric when he moved or the heavy breaths he took as he entered me. His fingers traced my skin. They moved slowly and deliberately, acting as if they were memorizing every curve and detail of my body. There was no rushing. Instead, there was just a sense of time stretching out, as if the desert night had granted us an eternity.The world outside felt unreachable. It was just him and m