Cecilia POVAfter arguing with us, Vahn still insisted on leading his men to rescue Freeda. Just as they were about to leave the camp, Ethan intervened, and Julian had Vahn locked up in his room.It was clear that Vahn genuinely cared about Freeda, which earned him a sliver of my respect. At least he had some backbone.Julian tasked me with rounding up and counting the Rogue captives and warriors from the Northern Territory we had. There were 11 captives—an eerie coincidence.I had a few reliable warriors keep watch over the captives in order to prevent history from repeating itself. In war, once the spark of hatred appeared, it would slowly spread through everyone. I did not want an endless loop of revenge. Julian sent a message to the enemy, requesting a trade of captives and a ceasefire. We received their reply the next evening—they agreed to the trade, but it would take place in the desert, the Rogue's territory."This must be the enemy's trap. They're luring us in to slau
Cecilia POV"Y-You're not a wolf. Just what are you?" Vahn stumbled backward in surprise. Layla grabbed him by the neck and slammed him into the ground effortlessly."You're a Shadow!" I exclaimed in shock. That face was just the same as the Shadow I had interrogated in the Lotus Pack. Her face was a twisted mash of beast and human. 'Just how did she become a Shadow?' I wondered."What? Did I scare you?" Layla didn't bother to put her veil back on. She stood there boldly, her disfigured face exposed for all to see."I look like this because of your mate," she said, sneering at Vahn. "You care about her face, but what about mine?" She kicked him hard as he lay on the ground."What are you talking about? What is a Shadow? What does Freeda have to do with any of this?" Vahn was completely lost, his confusion growing with every revelation."Vahn, don't waste your breath! Kill her!" Freeda suddenly screamed, breaking her silence. Her voice was raw with agony. "She didn't just
Layla POVI looked out at the horizon of the desert. In autumn last year, I witnessed a similar sunset that seemed to bleed across the sky. Back then, I sat on my mother's old bed. Even though I was light, it groaned beneath me. The house was filthy, with dust and grime clinging to the walls from years of neglect.The sunset outside painted my mother's still face with the hue of blood.It had been three days since she died.Her body was starting to decompose, and the stench of death filled the air.The entire three days were spent in silence. The only sounds of life came from behind our tattered door. For three days, I sat there, thinking. How was I supposed to survive without her? I wasn't even 18 yet, and the slums were unforgiving to the weak. And without her, I felt weaker than ever.Suddenly, there was a frantic knock at the door. My heart raced, a whirlwind of fear and hope swirling inside me.I slowly got to my feet and wiped my tears away with the back of my hand
Layla POVMy uncle hadn't even left the Western Kingdom before he was killed. Spencer delivered his head to me as a so-called gift for my 18th birthday.I finally shifted after purging the wolfsbane from my system. However, I was still weaker than other werewolves since I did not have any combat training. Therefore, I decided to stop wearing dresses and changed into battle gear. I asked Spencer to teach me how to fight. He agreed even though he believed he could always protect me himself.We spent some happy times together until Jackson discovered our relationship."She's half-blood and not just any half-blood—she's human, the most fragile kind! Do you know what this means for our bloodline? Your children might not even be able to shift like real werewolves!" he roared in the great hall, and his voice was filled with disdain.Spencer held my hand tightly as he stood in front of me. He was nervous but resolute. "Father, she is my mate. The bond between us is unbreakable. You know
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 POV"She's no longer a prostitute, so she has moved out of the military brothel."Thus, I told Zara what happened that day."It's good that you want to help others. But Amy, she definitely is no angel!""I'm just helping her find a new job and giving her a chance." I calmed Zara down. "Just move to the room next to mine if you don't want to see her.""No way! I'm not interested in third-wheeling you and Julian!" Zara curled her lip.Zara also heard Amy and Ellie insult me at the bar a few nights ago. For that reason, she had been regarding Amy with disfavor. I could fathom Zara's hostility toward Amy. Still, since she had been helping the refugees these past few days and hadn't witnessed Ellie's tragic death, she didn't understand my desire to help Amy.If truth be told, I wasn't that noble. I simply wanted to do something within my power to make myself feel at ease.The days that followed were busy yet peaceful. Most importantly, I saw hope resurfacing on the faces o
Cecilia POV"Oh, thank you." Julian casually slid the cufflink into his pocket.I swiftly pulled a long face. In my mind, I pondered how Julian's cufflink ended up in Rhea's possession. Although a cufflink wasn't a particularly personal item, she couldn't get it without physical intimacy. In fact, I could smell her scent on the cufflink through the pocket."Have you and Rhea known each other for a long time?" I mind-linked Julian after walking out of the military prostitutes' barracks."Yeah, but don't get me wrong. Nothing is going on between me and her," Julian quickly explained."Like I care!" I quickened my place huffily and left him behind. Based on their conversation earlier, it sure sounded like something did happen between him and Rhea."Mario, take the three of them to a new barrack." Julian sent the others away. Then, he caught up to me and grabbed my arm. "Cecilia, are you angry?""No, I'm not." I pretended to respond calmly. In reality, a surge of rage came over me.
Cecilia POVEllie's body was quickly sent for cremation after Alex was executed.I saw Layla and Ellie get tortured in my dream for two nights in a row. They were staring at me with wide eyes. It was as if they were begging for a helping hand that I couldn't give. In the end, the scene in my dream changed, and I became the one getting chained and whipped.I woke up with a start, and my body was drenched in sweat. For a moment, the torture I felt in my nightmare seemed to be real.Nonetheless, I couldn't shake off the feeling that this nightmare wasn't just my brain playing tricks on me. Instead, it served as a warning and a reminder."Julian, how many military prostitutes are there in the camp?" I rushed to Julian's office after getting up."I'm not sure. Why do you suddenly ask about this?" Julian put down the document in his hand, walked to me, kissed my forehead, and calmed my emotions."18," replied Mario, who stood on the side. "Oh, wait. It's 17 now.""I think we should a
Julian POVAmy was so frightened that she hid behind me and held my arm tightly, refusing to let go. For her safety, I decided not to push her away.Then, I gave Vahn a look, signaling him to cuff Alex.Cecilia stood beside me. She had a cold expression on her face as she looked down at Alex with her arms crossed.As for Alex, he showed no sign of fear. His fierce and flickering eyes shifted back and forth between us. It was as if he was already aware of his fate, considering he didn't even try to defend himself."Did you kill Ellie?""So what if I did? What are you going to do about it?""You think you can just walk off after taking someone's life?" I growled."She's just a prostitute!" he retorted and spat on the ground."Alex, you truly are beyond redemption. There was no point in me thinking so highly of you before!" Even Vahn couldn't help but chastise Alex."For your information, you seem never good at judging one's character." Cecilia rolled her eyes at Vahn before ask
Julian POV"Alex? Is he Freeda's subordinate?" I frowned. "He hasn't returned since last night?""That's right." Mario nodded. "We haven't been able to reach him. Do you want me to bring Freeda over for questioning?""Her again? How much trouble will she and her subordinates cause?" I slammed the table in anger. "Who are the other two? Investigate them as well.""One is under Alpha Cecilia's command, and the other is Alpha Ethan's subordinate," Mario explained while glancing at me and Ethan."Let me see which brat it is! I'll teach him a lesson!" Ethan rolled up his sleeves and was furious. Then, he assured me, "Don't worry, Prince Julian. I won't show any favoritism. If it turns out that one of my men is guilty, it's because I failed to discipline him. I'll take responsibility and accept the punishment."On the other hand, Cecilia didn't seem concerned about the other two. Instead, she walked over to Amy, who was sitting in the corner, and asked, "Amy, do you know Alex?""Yes
Julian POV"Doctor, can you estimate the time of death?" I asked."Judging by the body temperature and its condition, she must be dead for about 5 to 6 hours. Since it's now 9.30am., she likely died between 3am and 4am." Then, the doctor pressed on the body and showed us the livor mortis."See? The marks disappear quickly, which means the body is still fresh.""If that's the case, Cecilia definitely has nothing to do with it. I finished work with Mario around 1 A.M. last night and returned to rest." I cleared my throat and looked at Cecilia. "I was with her last night. She couldn't be involved in this."Cecilia looked at me in shock. Then, she mind-linked me and said, "Why did you lie? We weren't together last night. This has nothing to do with me. Yet, you're making it look like you're covering for a suspect. If this lie is exposed, it'll only make me look more suspicious."Before I could respond, Amy quietly questioned, "But she could've snuck out while you were asleep...""We
Julian POVAs Amy took me to the location of the body, I mind-linked Mario to tell him to bring the camp's doctor along.The body was in an abandoned warehouse next to the camp. It was less than 30 meters from the camp gate. When I arrived at the scene, I realized it was far more horrifying than I had imagined."She was injected with a large amount of wolfsbane and hallucinogens. The fatal injury might have been the tearing of her lower body, internal organ damage, and excessive bleeding," the doctor said with a sigh. Then, he continued, "This is just pure sadistic murder. However, there's no sign of semen in her body, nor any fingerprints on her. The killer is a professional one."Shortly after, a scout was assigned to investigate the case. Alas, he also found no clues after examining the body for a while."What were you and Ellie doing last night? Who did Ellie meet before she was killed?" I asked Amy."Ellie and I went to the bar together. I returned to the camp early becaus
Julian POVIn just three short days, Cecilia managed to gather a total of 300 million, and the amount kept growing."She's really helped us out once again. If she hadn't organized the fundraiser, we'd be facing some serious financial difficulties." Hogan's voice sounded cheerful over the phone."Yes, she's an impressive Alpha. Brave, intelligent, and responsible—""Enough about that. When are you coming back to Black Stone? Your mother misses you dearly." Hogan cut me off before I could finish listing Cecilia's strengths."I need to stay here to coordinate the rebuilding efforts in Ashfall. I can't leave just yet.""I'll send the experts myself if that's all it takes. There's no reason for you to—" Hogan's tone turned stern. "I know you're staying for her. She's doing well, but don't think that means she'll become the Luna of Valdora. I'm giving you one month to wrap things up and return!""All right."After ending the call, I let out a breath of relief. It wouldn't be easy to
Cecilia POVI stared at him, a hint of disbelief flashing in my eyes. "You mean to say you can't help at all? If it weren't for Freeda, your dear wife, these people wouldn't even be refugees in the first place! Don't you think you owe them some compensation?"Freeda interrupted sharply, "This isn't about refugees. This is about you playing the hero and trying to make yourself look good. Just because you have money and influence now doesn't mean others can throw money around recklessly."I blinked, taken aback by the malice in her tone. "This isn't about showing off. It's about saving lives, about helping people who have lost everything in the war. This isn't some competition."She stood, crossing her arms, her eyes narrowing as she faced me. "Oh, isn't it? You're here, putting on this grand fundraiser, expecting everyone to line up and donate. It's nothing more than emotional blackmail."My heart pounded, and a surge of anger rose within me. "It's not blackmail. No one is being fo