“Keep the money with you tomorrow and wait for my instructions. Don’t misbehave, don't involve anyone—my eyes are on you.”What? The blackmailer was such a smart brat. What is he planning to do?. He knew that the pack would be extremely busy tomorrow and no one would pay me any attention. Why would he want the money in cash? How will I hand him over the money? How would I know who among the crowd is my blackmailer? Maybe I will watch out for the one that will carry my bag of money. But the blackmailer, will he be stupid enough to take the money in front of everyone?What should I do? I didn’t even have all the money. I had managed to gather thirty million from my account. Where was I supposed to get the remaining seventy million dollars?I had no time. I called my company accountant and instructed him to transfer seventy million dollars into our new project fund. I gave him the account details.Soon, the money appeared in my account. I called my account manager and requested the amou
VALERIATwo days later.Rico, my former boss, and Amanda, his assistant, were doing their best to prepare me. It was my wedding day—the day I would officially become the Luna of the Blood Moon pack.I was dressed in an ivory lace wedding gown. My short, blonde hair had been freshly trimmed, curled, and carefully tucked beneath my veil. I wore simple makeup, just enough to enhance my natural beauty.My skin was flawless, smooth, and free of any blemishes. Despite my slender frame, I looked healthy. My lips were glossy, my complexion radiant, and my straight nose gave me an air of elegance.As I sat there, gazing at my reflection, the memory of Clare, my best friend surface, As she applied my makeup before my supposed wedding to Darren. I didn't looked is stunning that day, but I had still been beautiful in my own way.Thinking of Clare brought tears to my eyes, but I wiped them away before they could fall.Just then, Abigail walked into the room. Her eyes widened as she took in my ap
The only person at the altar was the Elder, who would bless the marriage. I glanced around him as if expecting someone else to be there.“Didn’t Aster have groomsmen?” I wondered. Like me, he stood alone, with no one by his side.“I’d like us to get started—if you’re ready to pay attention now,” Aster teased, pinching my nose gently. He’d clearly noticed my wandering thoughts.Without waiting for a reply, he signaled to the Elder to begin the ceremony.“Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to be here today at the Blood Moon Pack to bless the union of these two Children of the Moon Goddess. Shall we?” the Elder said, his voice deep and steady.He glanced at Aster, who gave a single nod. Then, he looked at me with a soft smile, and I returned it nervously.“Do you, Valeria…”The Elder paused for a moment, stumbling slightly, and I blushed deeply. I had no last name—or at least, I had hidden it from them.Aster raised an eyebrow in confusion. He’d never asked me about my family, likely o
As Aster lowered his head to kiss me, my eyes caught someone staring. It was Darren. I saw something like anger in his eyes, but instead of dwelling on his frustration, I leaned in and met Aster’s lips, letting him cover mine with his. Aster forgot that we were still in the presence of everyone for a moment and let his tongue dig deeper into my mouth. Savoury every juice within it. It was our first real kiss, because I allowed myself to be completely drawn in it.Under the intense gaze of those two piercing dark blue eyes in front of me, I dug my hands into Aster’s thick brown hair, letting his hands roam freely over my body.The clearing of the Elder’s throat snapped us back to reality. Unfazed by the glare, Aster lowered his head to my neck and whispered softly in my ear,“I will wait until you’re ready.”Tears welled in my eyes, but before they could fall, Aster wiped them away with his thumb, smiling at me, silently promising that he would always be there for me.When I opened my
“Congratulations, my Luna,” Linnet said, kissing me lightly before turning to Aster and doing the same. Despite her composed demeanor, I noticed the sadness lingering in her eyes. She looked fragile, as though she might break at any moment.“Where has my little sister been all this while?” Aster teased, pretending to be annoyed. “Don’t you know you’re supposed to be here, helping your sister-in-law?”“Forgive me, brother. I was a little…” Linnet hesitated, searching for the right words.“Let Linnet be,” I interjected gently. “She had a fever last night and couldn’t sleep. I’m sure that’s why she’s late.” I smiled, hoping to ease her discomfort.“In that case, I forgive you,” Aster said, his expression softening. “Are you feeling better now?”Linnet sighed in relief and cast me a grateful glance. “Yes, I am. I’m just a bit tired and really need to rest.”“It’s okay, Linnet. Go and get some sleep,” I said reassuringly.“Thank you for understanding, my Luna,” Linnet replied, setting down
LINNETAfter congratulating my brother and his mysterious wife, Valeria, I hurried out of the hall. I couldn’t stand being there for another minute, not with the storm raging inside my soul. I needed to be alone, far away from everyone, including my mother. Taking the stairs two at a time, I rushed back to my room. But the moment I opened the door and flicked on the light, I froze.Eric was sitting on my bed, twirling a small knife in his hands. The blade shining under the light, sharp and threatening.I gasped, startled at the sight. He hadn’t shown up the day before, as I’d lied to my parents, and he hadn’t been at the coronation either. Yet here he was, waiting for me with a knife while everyone else was still at the pack hall, celebrating the new Alpha and his Luna.“Where have you been?” Eric’s voice was cold and deadly. His Alpha aura was suffocating, and my limbs felt numb.“I… I was… you know…” I stammered, struggling to find my words.“Know what?” he growled, his tone like a
“Are you insane?” I sneered, visibly annoyed. I really wished I could have strangled him on the spot.“What if someone sees us? Aren’t you afraid of being caught?” I asked despite my anger.Cornello chuckled. “Come on, why do you sound so afraid? Have you forgotten who I am in this pack?”“I know you hold some power in the pack, but have you thought about the consequences if we get caught? Don’t you know what the penalty is?”“I’m still the council leader, and no one will question my authority. Besides, it’s night, and no one will see us.”“I won’t see you tonight, Mr. Cornello. I won’t risk being caught with you,” I said, my tone firm. This enraged Cornello.“What did you just say?” he asked, his voice filled with rage.“I said I won’t meet you tonight. The whole pack is filled with people from different territories. What do you think will happen if any of them catch us?”The thought of being caught with Cornello made my heart pound. What exactly did this old fool want from me? Why co
LINNETCornello quickly got off me while I stood in a daze. The intruder chuckled and stepped closer, and only then did I get to see his face. He was an elegant man, considerably tall, but I couldn’t tell much about his features because he wore a mask.As Cornello reached to pull up his pants, the masked man stopped him.“Not yet, Mr. Cornello,” he said, moving even closer. Cornello stiffened. How did this masked man know who he was? Sensing the shock on his face, the stranger continued.“Surprised? Don’t be. Why not finish what you have started? I’m sure Miss Shadow-Moon would be quite disappointed if you stopped now.”I began to shake. Whoever this man was, he clearly knew us too well. But then again, who didn’t know Cornello—or the precious daughter of the Shadow-Moon family—in this town?“Please… don’t tell anyone about this,” Cornello pleaded, his voice breaking. I could see his tear-filled eyes glinting in the light of the full moon.“Do you really think you can buy my silence?”
“She has everything to do with this,” Darius hissed without looking back. He continued brushing his hand through the girl’s hair, his tone sharpening like a blade. “You came into our land. You threatened our people. You thought there’d be no consequences?”He gripped the back of the girl’s neck, wrenching a cry from her lips.“You fucker! Stop it!” Emos shouted, trying again to break free.But the ropes held.Darius turned his head slightly, his voice now thick with contempt. “You dared come here to hurt our daughters. And now you beg me to spare yours?” He shook his head. “Why should I show mercy when you showed none?”The two adult women and the the boy stood frozen in horror as Darius manhandled the girl, their eyes wide and helpless.Emos’s gaze darted around the room, frantic, desperate for help—anything that could turn the tide. But Miguel and Alex stood still, arms behind their backs and their expressions unreadable. No help would come from them.Defeated, Emos dropped his head
“Because,” I said coldly, “my man shattered your spine.”Darius grinned wickedly.Without wasting another word on him, he turned to the second man. This one was quieter, more composed, but clearly in pain. His dark hair was tied into a ponytail, and tattoos covered his broad chest and arms. His sharp blue eyes fixed on Darius with silent defiance.The brown-haired one started thrashing again, desperate and futile. Even paralyzed, he tried to fight. He pulled against the restraints until his energy finally drained and his body sagged forward in defeat.“Now that that’s over with,” Darius muttered.He dragged a chair across the room and positioned it directly in front of the man with the ponytail. Then he sat down, one leg crossed over the other, and leaned back, studying his prey like a predator deciding when to strike.“Do you know who I am?” he asked softly.The man said nothing, his jaw tight, teeth grinding in pain. He refused to look away, but he wasn’t speaking either. I’d dealt
“Then make them talk,” I thundered, slamming my hand down on the desk. “Don’t make me think you’re useless, Darius.”The words echoed in the small room like a threat, and the tension thickened. My glare sharpened, my eyes darkened with the weight of my power. A frosty energy rippled through the air, curling into the corners of the room like smoke.But Darius didn’t flinch.Not because he was defying me, but because something in my outburst sparked a memory—something from a life he once lived, a title he once bore. The shadows deepened, swallowing the light, and I felt a sweaty drip on my forehead despite the cold.He clenched his fists, jaw tight, teeth grinding with a sound that filled the heavy silence between us. For a moment, we stared at each other, locked in thought—me, simmering with barely restrained anger, and him, standing with quiet resolve.Then, slowly, a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, softening the tension like a sudden breeze.The darkness receded.And
I kissed her gently, her soft breaths growing steady as sleep claimed her. She curled around me like an octopus, wrapping herself around my body, drawing in my warmth as if it could chase away the ghosts of the night. I sighed, staring at the ceiling, the guilt settling deeper in my chest. I felt worse than I had before—worse than I deserved. Claiming her had been selfish, cruel even. And it had been her first time.Carefully, I slipped out of bed, unable to bear the weight of my guilt. My feet carried me toward the woods, blindly, instinctively, running until dawn began to stain the sky with pale light.I was just returning to my lounge, the chill of morning clinging to my skin, when Darius called. His voice was urgent. Our pack was under attack.This would be my first battle as Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack.Darius had been on patrol when he spotted the rogues. He’d rushed ahead to the scene and urged me to bring reinforcements. As I sprinted toward the pack house to arm myself, I ca
ASTERI looked at Valeria’s face as it battered in blood; her once smooth and flawless face turned brutal and masked with the blood of the rouge's, which made it look even more alluring. I wanted to touch her, to have her there and now, but she refused saying she was filthy. Did she know how intoxicating that word is? Yeah, I love my women filthy in every bedroom sense.Thinking of these, my heart clenched as I recall last night when she sat so close to my brother Darren. I can't stop feeling that she is drawn to Darren, or rather, Darren was drawn to her. Such thinking makes my heart clenched. When I came back home from the office last night and couldn't find her, I had to call her line more than twenty times. She left us at the hospital and rushed off, and I thought she was devastated because of Linnet's health condition and needed some time alone to process it, so I let her be, but when it passed midnight, and she wasn't home, I became worried and started calling her line. I
VALERIA My words must have caught Aster off guard. He stared at me for a beat, then a slow, dark smile crept onto his lips. His fingers grazed my cheek.“Alright then,” he murmured. “Let’s finish this.”He halted in front of a heavy steel door, punched in a string of numbers, and with a metallic click, the lock disengaged. The door swung open to reveal a private armory—walls lined with weapons, each one deadlier than the last. The room smelled of oil and blood, as if it had witnessed violence too often.Aster strode forward, selecting his gear with chilling efficiency. Guns, blades, explosives. War lived in his bones.“Take what you need,” he said, his voice low, urgent.I didn’t need to be told twice. I reached for the knives—long, silver, and razor-sharp. I’ve always preferred steel that sings when it meets flesh. There's something intimate about killing up close, about watching the light fade from your enemy's eyes. I strapped on as many as I could carry, changing swiftly into gear
By morning, my body ached in places I didn’t know could ache.Damn that wild animal. Aster had ravaged me in the most wicked way—and I had loved every second of it.The room was quiet when I woke, but he was gone. I forced myself out of bed and dragged my sore body into the bathroom. After a long shower, I returned to find breakfast waiting, delivered by the new chef, Enzo. I didn’t have the energy to face the Shadow Moons today.When Enzo returned to collect the tray, he handed me a folded note.It was from Thalia.“Meet me in my room in ten minutes.”I smirked. Little bitch, I thought, crumpling the paper and tossing it in the trash.Still, I decided to visit her before heading out to the pack house.Thalia was lounging on the couch sipping some nourishing herbal tea. Like ours, their suite had a separate sitting room, bedroom, private bathrooms, and even a mini kitchen.She looked up and smiled—calculated and fake.“Sit, Valeria,” she said sweetly. I obeyed, watching her carefully.
Darren recoiled instantly, pushing me gently aside as he rose to his feet. His eyes were wide—shock painted across his face.I didn’t have to turn to know who was behind us.Thalia.I wasn’t sure how long she had been standing there, but judging by the tight line of her lips and the distant flicker in her eyes, she'd heard more than enough. My stomach twisted—but not with guilt. Let her feel what I felt two years ago. The pain of betrayal.“Thalia?” Darren stammered, already moving toward her, his voice heavy with panic. “What are you doing here? Aren’t you asleep?”“I had a bad dream,” she murmured, stepping into his arms like she belonged there. “I woke up and couldn’t find you, so I came looking. I was about to head into the kitchen when I heard your voice… Valeria—is she okay?”Her voice trembled—just slightly. Enough to make her sound fragile, concerned and perfectly innocent.She was good.Too good for her acting.And Darren, ever the fool for her, bought it—like he always did.
"Are you really sending me away tonight? You're such a heartless brother-in-law.""You should have thought of that before trying to seduce me," Eric said coldly, walking into the house without sparing me another glance.I smiled faintly and turned toward my car. It was clear now—someone else was after Linnet. But who?When I arrived at the Shadow Moon mansion, the whole place was cloaked in silence. It looked deserted, the only signs of life being the guards stationed at the entrance. They nodded in greeting, and I returned the gesture before heading inside.Just as I stepped onto the staircase, I spotted Darren in the hallway. He appeared to be returning to his room but stopped when he saw me. He waited at the top of the stairs until I reached him.“Darren,” I called softly.“Valeria? What are you doing awake at this hour? Are you just getting back?”There was no point denying it. I sighed. “Yes. I went to see Eric. I wanted to know why he abandoned Linnet at such a critical time.”A