_Astrid’s POV_I watched as guards trooped into the bedroom and bowed before Valerian. His gaze remained unreadable as he ordered, “Take this bitch and punish her in the worst way ever." He paused, his gaze darkening as he added, “She dared to spit on my face." Without a second thought, the guards rushed towards me and yanked me from the bed while I winced in pain.The bandages that were used to wrap my wounds were forcefully ripped open, leaving the cold air hitting my wounds.“Please…” I begged as one of the guards pulled me by my hair and dragged me out of the room. It was extremely difficult to match his pace as I clutched his arm on my hair, trying to peel his finger's grip away.I knew without a doubt that he would end up pulling a few strands off. They pulled me directly to what seemed to be the dungeon. I could tell it was a dungeon because this part of the mansion was dark and reeked of something disgusting. Probably blood or rotten meat.I was pushed to the ground, hard,
The moment their feet crossed into The Crimson Dusk Pack, the only thing Zarek wanted to do at that moment was burn the place to the ground.The air was filled with the smell of lies. This disgusting pack. The guards who stood at the pack’s entrance all went pale at the sight of not just them but Cassia. They all knew who she was and where she came from. The Lycan’s King Lucian's sister was the only reason they never attacked Zarek, Zade, and Gideon on sight.One of the guards scrambled inside and towards the packhouse, to report that the Alphas of Obsidian Fang Pack had arrived with someone who made them untouchable. “Alpha, the Alphas of The Obsidian Fang Pack are here." The guard informed Valerian, who sat lazily in his chair as he listened to the other men in the meeting room.The moment the words registered in his mind, a small smile curled at the sides of his lips.“Really?" He chuckled. “Took them long enough. What are you all waiting for then?" He asked, petting his disfigu
Zarek's arms were soaked in blood. Astrid's blood. Her body was limp, her skin pale, and every shallow breath she took made something tighten in his chest, and that of his brother. They hadn't even known her for long—but the sight of her broken like this made their vision burn red. To think that Zade was even affected when he was also the same person to protest against Astrid's entry into their lives. He had told Zarek that he shouldn't have bought her off at the auction because she was human. And now, he was looking disheveled because of that same human. Zade stalked behind Zarek, his fist clenched and his jaw locked as they made their way through the halls of Crimson Dusk Packhouse. The moment they arrived at the living room, Zade moved fast before anyone could predict his movement, he grabbed Valerian by his shirt collar and slammed him on the wall again, just the way Zarek did. Valerian was tired of the both of them at this point. "Didn't you say she was safe?" Zade growled l
_Astrid’s POV_The smell of lavender swirled lightly through the room, wafting into my nostrils.Somewhere close by, birds chirped like the world hadn’t collapsed around me.My eyelids fluttered open with much difficulty than ever and a groan tore from my throat.Light poured in through the beige curtains, and the first thing I noticed was the pain, still dull, still there, but not as harsh as I remembered. My throat was dry, my body sore, but somehow, I was… alive.How was that possible?A jumbled memory of mine brought back the menacing way that guard had shoved silver down my throat forcefully, wanting to end my miserable life for me.But somehow, I managed to survive. Just when I turned my head slightly to the side, I realized I wasn't alone in the white room. I caught sight of her.The she-wolf with wild, curly brown hair tied back in a messy bun. Her skin was warm-toned, her eyes wide and shining with disbelief and hope as they locked on mine.“Astrid?” she breathed.I blinked
_Astrid’s POV_It had been a week since I woke up in this gilded prison.A week since Zarek and Zade pulled me from the brink of death… and left me to rot all over again.Lady Cassia made sure of that.Each day bled into the next, an endless cycle of servitude and scorn. Yes, I was their personal maid, but Cassia took immense pleasure in reminding me of it—loudly, publicly, and cruelly.Ever since Zarek and Zade had asked her to give them sometime while they come to a conclusion of their next course of action towards getting a Luna. She had refused to leave the Obsidian Fang Pack.I hated her so much. The way she walked, talked and carried herself.Yes, she was a Lycan, but she acted like she was the moon goddess herself.She tossed her gowns at me, made me scrub her floors twice just to watch me crawl, and once, when I was too slow to clean her muddy shoes, she ground them into the rug and made me scrub that too—with a toothbrush.Zarek and Zade had approved of it when she complaine
_Astrid’s POV_The silence that followed the slap was louder than the sound of the laughter had ever been.My cheek stung. Not just from the impact, but from the deep humiliation I was feeling.From the way Cassia looked at me like I was something she scraped off her shoe. From the way no one said a damn word.Not even Zade, nor Zarek.I didn’t cry, even though the tears was clouding my features. Not this time. I just stood there, gripping the silver tray until my fingers ached.“I’m so sorry, Lady Cassia,” I murmured, my voice hollow. This was the least I could do before everyone.“Oh, you will be,” she spat. “This is pure silk from Marathen. You just ruined it, you dumb bitch!” She raised her voice because she knew the twins wouldn't do anything to stop her.Her dress wasn’t even that soaked. Just a little splash. But to her, it was a reason to unleash everything she’d been holding back. This woman hated me for no reason.She stood up sharply from her seat and ordered in a harsh vo
_Astrid’s POV_I woke up with the taste of salt still on my lips.My eyes burned, lashes slogged together from the tears I hadn’t bothered to wipe away the previous day.My little room was quiet now, Oriana must’ve left sometime during the night. She always did, before Esme made her wicked rounds each day.I sat up slowly, feeling like every bone in my body had aged ten years overnight. My cheek still throbbed, very tender to the touch. The bruise was probably darker now.But there was no time to check.I had work to do.Even if my soul was crawling toward the edge.I needed to serve the Alphas, even though I hated seeing Zarek. Both of them. Three of them!Thankfully, Gideon wasn't always around for breakfast. I hated him because Oriana told me he was the one who suggested that Lady Cassia come to the pack and take care of the mess the Alphas made.And now I also have to see her today. With a heavy sigh, I went about my personal hygiene and when I was done, I got dressed.I dreaded
Zade’s breath was uneven.His hand was still in Astrid’s hair, fingers tangled in the strands he’d pulled moments before. His lips had already ghosted her skin, inching dangerously close to her mouth, too close to her lips. She should’ve been terrified, should’ve recoiled like she always did when a man so much as brushed her arm.But she wasn’t. She didn’t even flinch. Her breath got caught in her throat and her heart thundered, but her body or brain didn’t scream at her to push him away and run. Not even when his nose touched hers or when his lips hovered over hers like a threat.She didn't even recognize the look in his eyes because she felt a sudden warmth spread across her chest as she sucked on her bare neck.And just as something unspeakable was about to happen….BANG!The door flew open, slamming against the wall so hard the echo rattled her spine.Astrid gasped in shock, eyes wide and body frozen in Zade’s grip.But Zade himself didn’t move. Hell, he didn’t even flinch.Like
_Astrid’s POV_I don’t know what exactly I was thinking when I suggested karaoke. Maybe it was the way Zade and Zarek looked like they were both ready to bite someone’s head off. Or maybe it was the fact that, after everything that had happened, I just needed something normal. Something stupid and fun.And nothing says stupid fun like singing off-key in front of people who could easily rip you apart with their bare hands.Zade’s face when I suggested it was priceless.“I can’t sing,” he said immediately like I’d asked him to wrestle naked.I grinned up at him.The karaoke bar we ended up at wasn’t anything fancy. It smelled like stale beer and cheap cologne, and there were exactly seven people there, including the bartender who looked like he hadn’t slept in a long time.Perfect.We got a booth near the back. Zade sat stiffly like he was ready to jump out of his skin at any moment, and Zarek looked like he was planning fifty different ways to escape.I laughed to myself. This was alre
Astrid fell asleep the moment she came apart on their dicks. Yes, they double penetrated her, stretching her further and claiming her in every way possible. She woke up a few hours later.Her entire body felt like it was run over by a truck, but nevertheless, a sick part of her admitted that it was the best sex ever. She couldn't deny it anymore, the twins kinda completed her.She tried imagining a world without them, and she had to also admit that it would have been as boring as hell.Yes, she had pictured a life where she would be married to a human man and live happily ever after. But the twins brutally ripped it away from her mind and filled her up with just the thoughts of them.She couldn't stop thinking about them when they weren't around. Their scents followed her around and made every cell in her body come alive.She couldn't breathe with them away from her.Hell no, she was beginning to exaggerate.Even the thought of leaving them and returning to the human world brought a b
Two days later, the sun stayed lazily in the sky as Zade guided Astrid down the familiar path leading to the training ground. Her hand clutched his sleeve tightly, and the white bandages were still wrapped around her eyes, but the swelling had gone down. She was starting to heal, slowly but surely.Today, it was Zade who had helped her clean the wound. Astrid hadn’t asked about Zarek, but he hadn’t been around, and though she refused to admit it, it hurt more than she expected. She cared. Maybe too much. But she wasn’t about to show it.Since that night, she hadn’t smiled. She had barely even spoken unless it was necessary. Zade noticed it, of course, but he didn’t say anything. That wasn’t his way. He just hoped that maybe, through the training, she could let it out.The training ground was quiet except for the sounds of the wind blowing through the trees around them. Zade helped her stretch a little, corrected her stance, and started teaching her how to block attacks even without se
The car pulled over in front of the mansion again and this time, darkness had begun to set in.Gideon stepped out of the car with Zarek, his heartbeat accelerating in his chest. Whatever Zarek had planned for tonight better be enough to fix things because the enemies were becoming too much to handle.First, it was Valerian, then Garrick, Viktor, and now the Gehman. Goddess. Going against the Gehman was like having a death wish. Zarek and Zade were about to ruin not just their lives but the lives of all pack members.The moment their feet stepped into the grand hall, where the Gehman sat, having dinner with his wife.“You’d better get lost this minute. You aren't and would never be welcomed here ever again." The Gehman thundered when his gaze met that of Zarek.Zarek close grinned and shook his head, “Come on, Jude, stop being a dick." He moved to take a seat beside Alpha Jude.“Guards!" Jude raised his voice in anger, not minding if Zarek had already taken a seat.The guards came runn
_Astrid’s POV_Zarek carried me into the mall like I weighed nothing. I held onto his shirt tightly, my head tucked into his chest. Even though I couldn’t see anything, the smell of the place, new clothes, leather, and the sweetness of perfume, made my head spin a little.“We’re going to get you dressed properly, little rabbit,” Zarek grunted as he walked in.A part of me jumped excitedly, unable to remember the last time someone took me out for shopping.It felt different having them do the shopping for me. And I was happy.I heard Zade's hum beside Zarek, and I knew he was walking beside us, quiet like always. But he was the first to speak when we entered the first store.“What kind of dresses do you like, Astrid?” he asked me, his voice low and serious.My lips pulled in a firm line as I tried to recall the dresses I loved the most. The memory came so fast it almost knocked the air out of my chest, my mama, laughing, and spinning me around in a little yellow dress covered in flower
_Zarek’s POV_The second we entered the hall, I wanted to turn right the fuck back around.It smelled like old wood, polished floors, and too many wolves stuffed into a room pretending they weren’t two seconds away from ripping each other’s throats out. Astrid shifted in my arms, feeling tiny and too fragile against my chest, her hands clutching my shirt like she was trying to hang onto something solid.Good luck, sweetheart. I wasn’t feeling so solid right now either.The Gehman sat at the far end of the room. Like a king out of some ancient werewolf fairytale. Big bastard, too. Old enough that his hair was silver at the temples, but you didn’t miss the power coming off him like a stormcloud. His wolf wasn’t sleeping. It was wide awake, watching people, and judging.Zade walked at my side, his shoulders stiff and his jaw clenched tight enough to snap. He didn’t say a word, but I could feel the energy bleeding off him. Protective and ready for anything.Good. I felt the same fucking
_Astrid’s POV_His hands on me felt so good. It felt like heaven and I couldn't think straight. Alpha Zarek was good at everything. The twins knew the parts of my body that could produce feelings I never even knew existed in them.A moan unknowingly slipped from my mouth as his hand brushed lightly across my throbbing clit.I couldn't see the expression on his face, but I could swear he was grinning like an idiot. His hand brushed over it again and I instantly knew he was doing it on purpose.Letting a man bath me? Goddess. How did I become so needy? Was it need? Or was it want?Zarek rubbed my clit again and another moan echoed in the bathroom. Embarrassment burned brighter on my face and I wanted nothing more than to hide my face somewhere in shame.“You're so responsive, Little rabbit." He quipped and before I could say something in return, he parted my legs and inserted two of his fingers into my cunt.“Zarek…”"Fuck, you're still so tight, Little rabbit,” He cooed and began to mo
Zarek scooped Astrid off the cold floor and carried her back to his bedroom, Zade following closely behind.Astrid wrapped her arms around Zarek's neck to keep herself from falling as he gently placed her on his bed.When he pulled away, he saw her lips move, as if she wanted to ask something. But she bit down on her lower lip and kept her mouth shut.“Say it, Little rabbit." Zarek sighed as he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor without a care.“I’ll meet up with Beatrice." Zade turned around and left before Zarek could say a word.Astrid swallowed before she opened her mouth again to ask, “What….what did you do to Beatrice?”Zarek glanced at her while now pulling his pants off, leaving only his boxer briefs on.He smirked, staring at Astrid's figure on the bird. "Why? Are you worried about her?”"Well, yes,” Astrid admitted. She worried that the blood on his body belonged to their sister. And she didn't want to be the reason their bond got ruined. She already m
_Astrid’s POV_I was scared, not for myself, but for the twins.I haven't felt this much fear in such a long time. Yes, I didn't know what a Gehman was, but I knew without a doubt that It meant something important in the werewolf world.And if the Gehman was requesting for the twins, that meant they were in trouble. And they got in trouble because of me. I knew I could just blame them, saying it was because they kept me here and didn't let me go that I was frustrated enough to speak to Alpha Viktor the way I did. But I couldn’t. Firstly, my mama didn't raise me that way. And secondly, the twins had always been there for me. Yes, they were the most horrible men to ever walk the face of the earth, but I also couldn't deny that they always came to my rescue when I needed help.That protective instinct from before? It was back again. Heavier this time. I would never let anything bad happen to them, even though my eyesight was momentarily gone.But just as the twins left together with Gid