AdashaKai slid off his shorts, leaving only his boxer briefs as he bent toward me, his lips pressing tenderly against my skin.His fingers traced every visible scar, every line on my body, as though they were treasures to be cherished.Each touch was paired with a kiss, and with every one, my breath hitched, my confidence blossoming under his gentle care.He unhooked my bra, freeing me from its constraints, and guided me to kneel with my back against him. His lips found my shoulders, warm and insistent, while his hands cupped my breasts, his fingers teasing my sensitive nipples.A wave of wild, unrestrained hunger coursed through me as his touch left undeniable evidence trailing down my thighs.My body ached for the reprieve he offered—a fleeting sanctuary from the storm I had endured for six long years.As I trembled with desire and anticipation, his fingers lightly traced my scars, his lips following close behind with reverent kisses.My back came alive with the fire he stoked, the
KaiI woke up in Adasha’s bed, the faint glow of dawn just beginning to filter through the curtains. It was barely five in the morning—my training hour.She was still asleep, her expression peaceful, her delicate form curled up against the sheets. Watching her, I felt a pang of reluctance to leave. A part of me wanted to stay, to keep her in my arms and protect her from the world outside.But I had responsibilities—a routine to keep, and a lot to process.Her story replayed in my mind, each detail sharper than the last. Adasha wasn’t just running from any Alpha; she was running from Randy Olsen.The implications of that name alone shifted everything. A simple challenge wouldn’t suffice. Randy’s status as a Regional Alpha complicated things significantly. No wonder she had been so hesitant to tell me.I stood by the bed for a moment, watching her sleep. She looked so serene, so fragile, yet I knew the strength it must have taken for her to survive the hell she’d been through.This was
Kai“I need you two to stay calm,” I said, my voice steady but firm. “We need to think this through carefully.”Both Darius and Gabe exchanged glances, sensing the weight of what I was about to reveal.“Adasha finally came clean last night,” I began, and I saw curiosity spark in Darius’s expression.“I was right—her mate isn’t dead. She’s running from him. The cash she brought with her? She took it from him to help her settle wherever she ended up.”They remained silent, processing my words.“She’s been through hell,” I continued. “He was abusive—isolating her, controlling her. She had no one to turn to.”Gabe’s expression softened, and he shook his head in sympathy. “No wonder she’s timid,” he said, his voice thoughtful. “But... she stood her ground when your aunt tried to undermine her. Her Luna side came through.”He was trying to lighten the mood, but I didn’t laugh. I hadn’t told them the worst of it yet.“She’s from the West,” I said, taking a deep breath to steady myself. “And
AdashaI woke up alone, the events of the night before lingering in the air like a whisper. The rough sheets against my bare skin were the only tangible reminder of what had transpired between Kai and me.I should have felt worried—perhaps even ashamed—but instead, a flutter of excitement stirred within me. His words, spoken in the heat of passion, replayed in my mind: I won’t let you go.Whether it was a fleeting promise or something he truly meant, it had defined my night. In his arms, I had felt something rare—wanted, valued. For once, the weight of my past had lifted, replaced by the intoxicating hope that maybe, just maybe, there could be more between us.But hope was a dangerous thing, and I knew better than to cling to it. My baggage was too heavy, my circumstances too complicated.Whatever this was, it wouldn’t last. Still, I resolved to savour it for as long as I could, to live in the moment until reality demanded otherwise. I had no secrets left to hide.I was about to rise
AdashaOne week had passed, and I finally completed Kai’s painting. As I stood before the canvas, I couldn’t help but admire the masterpiece I had created.I had captured him exactly as I saw him—handsome, strong, commanding, and undeniably alluring. My fingers traced the edges of the artwork, and memories of the past week flooded my mind.Every night, every morning, had been filled with love, care, respect, and kindness—the likes of which I had never known. For fleeting moments, I had almost forgotten about Randy.Almost.The thought of Randy still lingered like a shadow, and I found myself wishing he’d simply get into a fight somewhere and lose his life.The thought didn’t feel wrong. If I had stayed, he would have killed me—it was either him or me. And I had chosen myself. Wishing for his end was no longer something I hesitated to entertain.I covered the canvas with a protective sheet and lifted it carefully, my excitement building.It was time to show Kai.He had pestered me abou
Adasha Thinking it over, I realized it was more convenient for him this way. A relationship without deep ties, with someone who was already mated—someone who wouldn’t ask for much or demand any form of lasting attachment. I was convenient. I could understand why Kai preferred it, but understanding didn’t make it hurt any less. A sharp sting settled in my chest, and I blinked back the tears threatening to fall. Standing frozen in place, I debated whether I should turn and leave or walk in and face whatever awaited. “I’ll be taking this up with the Alpha Council,” the man inside declared, his voice filled with fury. “Just because you’re the Regional Alpha doesn’t mean you’re above the laws. We have rules, Alpha Malachi, and even Regional Alphas must abide by them! I won’t stand by while you disrespect my daughter and cheat her out of her rightful place. She is the Luna of the East and South. You will comply, or there will be unrest in our regions—severe unrest!” There was a pause,
Randy I had never felt such consuming rage as I did this past week. The searing pain on my mark was relentless, a fiery torment that flared at the worst moments. I’d be in the middle of a meeting, and suddenly the burn would sear through me, hot and unforgiving. Why would Adasha do this to me? I had never subjected her to this kind of betrayal, never imagined she was capable of such cruelty. Was this why she left? To be with her lover? Was Jason lying about their conversation to mislead me? Confusion and hurt churned inside me, a storm I couldn’t escape. I caught my reflection in the mirror. My face looked haggard, my eyes shadowed with exhaustion. Rest felt impossible, not with the pain of Adasha’s infidelity gnawing at me, night after night. Damn her. Anger surged, and before I could stop myself, my fist crashed into the mirror. Glass shattered, fragments falling around me like a reflection of my broken life. "Why, Adasha? Why would you do this to me? Was my love not en
RandyPamela’s red, swollen eyes brimmed with fear, and Jacob instinctively stepped in front of her, his stance protective but wary.“Where is she?” I demanded, my voice low and venomous, each word laced with seething rage.“Randy, calm down. No one knows where she is,” Jacob said, his tone placating. He was trying to de-escalate the situation, but his words only fanned the flames of my fury.“You think I’m sick? You think I need help? Is that what you believe about me—your Alpha?” I stepped closer, glaring at Pamela. “Where did you send my wife, Pamela?”“Alpha, please, calm down,” Jacob interjected, his voice firm but trembling at the edges. “I promise I’ll help you find her. Just… spare Pamela. It wasn’t within her control.”His words only deepened my sense of betrayal. “My own Beta conspired against me!” I snarled, fists clenching tighter.“Don’t say that!” Jacob began, his voice pleading, but I cut him off, unwilling to hear his excuses.“I shouldn’t say that?” I hissed, my tone
Kai"I heard what Michelle Westwood did," Draco said, his voice edged with something between warning and certainty."And trust me, you do not want to experience that. I believe we’re safer without them."I exhaled through my nose, the weight of his words pressing against my own convictions."But murdering people simply because they’re Moonchild descendants is wrong," Randy interjected, his voice surprisingly measured. "As long as they don’t have compulsion abilities—""I doubt the Moonchild descendants pose any real threat," I cut in before he could finish.The van was silent, the road stretching endlessly ahead as I continued."Michelle Westwood was served Nightshade tea. She was happy being Kevin’s mate. She wasn’t trying to reclaim her grandfather’s kingdom, wasn’t looking to start a war."I ran a hand down my face, feeling the exhaustion clawing at me."Most of the Twelve family members who attended that day were ready for a fight. Someone knew her identity. Someone planned on exp
KaiLucian arrived an hour later.By then, my aunt was doing better—her breathing stronger, her color returning—but she still wasn’t lucid.Her body was healing, but her mind was somewhere else, caught between recovery and the lingering effects of the silver.We stood there, bare-skinned in the middle of the forest, the chill biting at our skin. But none of us cared.The weight of what had happened, of how close we had come to death, was heavier than the cold.How did the council expect us to react?Did they truly believe we would just accept this? That we would swallow their lies and pretend this wasn’t an orchestrated execution attempt?What excuse would they give?What bullshit would they spin to justify turning the banquet hall into a silver-cage death trap?Draco stood off to the side, his body rigid, his fists clenched. His silence was louder than any words.He was seething. Out for blood. And I couldn’t blame him.If we had stayed in that hall any longer—if we had hesitated, if
Kai"This hall was built by our great-grandfathers after the fall of King Lycus Moonchild," Randy said, his voice laced with exhaustion."It was meant to be a symbol of hope and peace."I glanced at him, noting the strain in his posture, the subtle tremor in his hands. He was feeling it too—the slow, creeping weakness as the silver took its toll.We were running out of time."And how exactly is that relevant to our situation?" I asked, my patience thinning.Randy exhaled, his gaze sweeping across the room."Because the times back then weren’t as peaceful as they are now. Our great-grandfathers would have built this place with caution. With escape routes. They had to have been prepared for betrayal, for war."I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face. "We’ve checked everywhere, Randy. There aren’t any hidden doors. No levers. No secret passages."He nodded, his jaw tight. "Then we check the floor."I frowned, but he wasn’t wrong.All this time, we had been searching the walls, the windows,
Kai"You better give her back once we’re out of here."Randy’s voice was firm, but there was something else laced beneath it—desperation. Even now, trapped, he was still clinging to the matter of Adasha.I narrowed my eyes. "You mean if we get out of here."The walls, the windows, the doors—every exit was reinforced. We weren’t walking out of here anytime soon. We had to wait, bide our time until the silver was retracted. And even then, we’d have to fight our way out.Randy’s Beta stepped forward, his tone grim. "The only way out is when they come for us. We need a plan. We have to be ready when they attack."Randy barely acknowledged him. His attention was still on me."You can’t keep her."His voice was raw, something breaking beneath the anger."She isn’t safe with you. Fated or not, you can’t keep her."There was something in his eyes—something more. He wasn’t just spewing possessive bullshit. He knew something.My instincts flared."Just give her back, Malachi." His voice tremble
Kai"You should have run for safety."The words felt hollow, empty—because I knew she couldn't hear me.My aunt lay still, her face pale, her breathing shallow.The wound on her shoulder was ugly, deep, and I knew the silver still lingered, making her healing sluggish.She had thrown herself in harm’s way for me, taken the bite meant for my flesh. And now, she was paying the price.I tore a strip of fabric from her ruined clothes, hands steady despite the fury simmering in my veins, and bound the wound as tightly as I could.It wouldn’t fix everything, but it would stop the bleeding long enough for her wolf to catch up."Trap?"Gabriel’s voice pulled me back to the present. I lifted my gaze to meet his and nodded as I stood, my muscles aching from the shift."It’s odd, isn’t it?" I said, scanning the ruined hall."The attackers aren’t trapped in here with us. They got in, did their damage, and disappeared. Everyone else is gone. Which means—""We were the target."Realization settled
KaiA woman’s scream cut through the air, raw and panicked.Then—chaos.Wolves shifted in frantic, desperate bursts of fur and bone, scrambling to escape. Chairs overturned, boots pounded against marble, voices shouted in confusion. The banquet hall, once a place of power and control, had descended into madness.And then—I saw her.Aunt Ingrid.She turned, her stance fierce, her eyes locking onto one of the intruders. She was ready to fight, to protect—me.But she never saw the other one.A blur of motion. A wolf lunging from the side.Fangs sank into her shoulder.She screamed—a sound that ripped through the air, through my bones, through Orion’s very soul. A deep, gut-wrenching cry of pain and shock.That bite was meant for me.Rage exploded through Orion, white-hot and blinding.I twisted, scanning the battlefield, my vision tunneling. Draco. Where was he?Then I saw him. Already on his feet, his wolf prowling, muscles coiled, ready to strike. His golden eyes burned with the promis
KaiThe shift tore through me like a storm, raw and untamed. A surge of power, wild and ancient, crackled through my bones as I surrendered to the beast within.My breath hitched, my pulse a war drum in my ears.Then—Orion emerged.The transformation wasn’t gentle.It never was. My skin split, fur erupted, and my limbs stretched into something monstrous, something more.My mind blurred at the edges, thoughts dissolving into pure, instinctual hunger. Orion wasn’t just part of me—he was me.And he wanted blood.Randy’s wolf was already in motion, a hulking nightmare of dark, matted fur and eyes burning like molten fire.His growl thundered through the banquet hall, rattling the crystal chandeliers, shaking the very bones of the building itself.The sound carried a promise—violence, destruction, death.I barely had time to brace before he lunged.Orion met him in midair, and when we collided, the world exploded. Tables and chairs shattered around us, debris flying like shrapnel.The impa
Kai Randy’s rage exploded, so intense it seemed to shake the very air in the room. "You bastard!" he roared, his fury vibrating through every word. "All this time, you made me believe you would help me—meanwhile, she…" His voice cracked, his breathing ragged, and for the first time, I saw it—tears welling in his eyes. "My wife!" he bellowed, his voice breaking under the weight of his anger. "You were sleeping with my wife!" The room shifted around us, people instinctively stepping back, giving us space. The tension was suffocating, pressing down on everyone like a storm about to break. My aunt looked worried. "Technically," Ingrid interjected, her voice rushed, "she came to Malachi of her own free will. She didn’t say anything about you—he believed she was a widow." I immediately shut her down with a look. Because we both knew the truth. I had always known Adasha wasn’t a widow. And I had still chosen her. Randy turned back to me, his voice trembling with rage. "Give her
KaiAustin was about to create a storm, and he knew it.And I braced myself for the impact."I tried to reach you," he said to Randy, his voice laced with mock disappointment."But you ignored me. Always feeling high and mighty." He chuckled, shaking his head as if I had personally wronged him.Slowly, I pushed myself up from my seat. I wasn’t about to let him control the narrative.I could feel Randy’s attention sharpening now, the weight of his focus settling over me like a vice.Austin smirked, knowing he had everyone's eyes on him."I learned something interesting from Ingrid a few weeks ago," he continued smoothly, his words carrying an edge of calculated malice."She mentioned that this mysterious woman of yours might be a criminal, hiding from people who are looking for her."I felt my aunt stiffen beside me, saw her glare sharpen like a dagger.Austin wasn’t done."You found her in the woods, didn’t you? With your officers. And what was she carrying?" He tilted his head mockin