MaliaThe air smelled like damp stone and desperation. Shadows clung to the walls of the cage that held me, flickering weakly against the dim light of a single lantern hanging from a rusty hook. I had tried everything—clawing, pushing, even biting at the enchanted bars—but the magic that held them together was impenetrable. Whatever this cage was made of, it was beyond my strength to break. The bars of this prison might as well have been forged from despair itself.And I was weak. So pathetically weak. I paced, restless, my heart weighed down with worry. Asher. My parents. Where were they? Were they safe? The last thing I remembered before being dragged into this nightmare was that awful moment when everything blurred—the pain, the screaming, and the searing darkness. I hadn't seen my family or heard a whisper of what had happened since.A shudder ran through me as I tried to summon my wolf. There was nothing. No comforting presence, no fierce voice urging me forward. Just silence
MaliaThe tension between Jude and me clung to the air, heavy and stifling. I stood rigid inside the shimmering cage, my pulse thrumming in my ears. His words about my parents being his allies gnawed at me, unraveling every scrap of certainty I had left. It made no sense—my parents weren’t involved in whatever twisted game Jude was playing. Were they?I clenched my fists, forcing myself to focus. Falling apart now wouldn’t help. If I showed even a hint of weakness, Jude would pounce on it.Then it hit me—something off, a shift in the air. The faint hum of the magical barrier faltered just for a moment. My skin prickled with unease.Footsteps echoed through the chamber, slow and deliberate. The steady cadence sent a chill crawling down my spine. I straightened, bracing myself for whatever—or whoever—was coming.And then I saw her.The woman who had made me black out with a single touch. She moved with an unsettling grace, her dark cloak sweeping across the floor. She was cloaked in d
Malia Rayna's smug smile widened as she stepped closer to the cage. Her sharp eyes gleamed with amusement, feeding off my pain. Every muscle in my body tensed as I tracked her movement, unwilling to show weakness, even though my heart felt like it had been ripped from my chest. But while she smiled at my misfortune, I couldn't take my eyes off Corey—his lifeless body sprawled on the cold floor, his face slack, devoid of the teasing smirk that always lit up a room. "Wake up," I whispered, trembling as I held him in my arms. "Please, Corey." Rayna tilted her head, feigning surprise. "Still clinging to that fantasy?" She gestured dramatically to Corey's still form. "Does this look like he'll wake up?" I lurched forward hoping that I could land at least one punch at her but Jude used his magic, and I suddenly found myself behind the shimmering bars of the cage. "Let me out." Rayna sighed theatrically. "And what will you do if I do that? Cry over his body? Swear vengeance? Pl
MaliaThe walls of the cage flickered once, then dissolved into thin air. I stood there, stunned. They were actually letting me go? My feet remained planted as Rayna’s parting words echoed in my mind: “You’ll wish we hadn’t released you.” A chill ran down my spine, but I forced myself to move. Each hesitant step tested the reality of my freedom. I half-expected the barrier to snap back up or for Jude to appear and stop me. Neither happened. My steps were hesitant at first, each one testing the reality of my release. I glanced back over my shoulder, expecting to see Rayna’s smirking face or Jude’s calculating gaze, but the chamber was empty. Just the fading hum of magic and the distant sound of dripping water. My heart raced as confusion tangled with relief. What game were they playing? Why let me go now? With each step, my pace quickened. I had to find Asher, my parents—figure out what chaos had unfolded while I was locked away. But Rayna’s warning gnawed at me. “Why would I w
Jamie The call ended with a hollow beep. My hand lingered on the phone, fingers trembling as if it would somehow summon Amara’s voice back to me. But she was gone—cut off by my own doing. I could still hear the echo of her last words, sharp and searing. “You’re really ending this?” There had been a stunned disbelief in her voice, stripped of the fiery edge that usually accompanied her words. I had wanted to say so much more, to tell her how sorry I was, how this wasn't what I wanted—but what would have been the point? The Moon Goddess’s priests had spoken. My family had pleaded. My friends had insisted. And in the end, I had caved. Because apparently, loving a Lycan was a curse waiting to happen. I sank onto the edge of my bed, the cold air of my room wrapping around me like a shroud. The ancestral mansion had never felt more suffocating. Heavy stone walls, generations of tradition, and expectations thick enough to choke on. I rubbed my face with both hands, trying to scr
Jamie I had heard about Corey's death through a text from Amara but since then I didn't hear from her. I didn't understand how Corey would die until the news spread that he'd been killed by Asher for forcing himself on Malia. It made no sense. Sure Corey was into Malia for a short while but it never amounted to anything. He also would not force himself on Malia — not after everything he's already been through with Asher and Malia. I myself called him and warned him personally about his feelings for Malia and he assured me that they were gone. So how could he have done something like that? It simply was not possible. I still was in denial that Asher would kill Corey and it wasn't until I got a text back from Amara saying Asher kept her under close watch and that she'd found a way to meet me that I finally relaxed a little. Amara was always transparent. She wouldn't lie to me about what happened between my brother and Asher. On that night, the moon hung low in the sky, casting a f
Jamie The woods were quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze. I sat on a fallen log near the lake, staring at the water’s calm surface. It was an eerie contrast to the chaos inside me. The world around me was serene, but my thoughts were a raging storm I couldn't silence. Two days. Two days since I received that damned video from Amara. Two days since the truth shattered everything I thought I knew. Corey was gone—killed by Asher’s hand. And now I knew it was for nothing. I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms until pain cut through the numbness. The image of Malia's face as she told her story played on a loop in my mind, but now it was warped by Amara’s proof. Proof that Malia had lied. Corey hadn’t forced himself on her. He hadn’t done any of the things she claimed. And Asher? He hadn’t even bothered to investigate. A sharp, bitter laugh escaped me, sounding foreign in the stillness of the woods. Asher, the mighty Lycan King, the lea
Malia*Present day*The air was thick with smoke and the raw scent of sweat and fury. I stood off to the side, partially hidden by the jagged remains of a collapsed wall, watching as Jamie faced down the Lycan guards. His hair, once a shade lighter, had darkened in the past two weeks, as if grief had stripped the warmth from him. But it was his eyes that unsettled me the most. Behind the familiar glasses, his irises glowed an unnatural green—a sign of a vengeful Alpha. A warning to all who dared to stand in his way. "Give me my brother’s body." His voice rang through the tense silence like a blade being unsheathed. The crowd of wolves behind him—Storm Pack, rogue allies, and furious onlookers—rumbled in agreement, their anger a living, breathing thing. The Lycan guards, their silver-plated armor catching the flickering firelight, held their ground. Shields locked, weapons drawn, their stances unyielding. "You are not permitted entry into Lycone," one of the guards stated, hi
AsherThe journal was old—older than I expected. Bound in cracked leather, the pages yellowed at the edges and laced with a scent of musk and ink. I stared at it for a long time before opening it, the weight of the thing pressing against my palms like it knew its contents would knock the air from my lungs.I didn’t know what I was looking for. Maybe a name. A signature. But the first line stopped my breath.‘This is the truth of Ian Vale.’My father's handwriting. Sharp. Purposeful. Controlled—just like the man himself.Ian had never been warm, never soft. Every memory I had of him came with cold eyes and clipped words. Praise was rare; affection, non-existent. I grew up thinking he saw me as an obligation. A duty. Nothing more.And yet… the diary was written in grief. In longing. In heartbreak. Every page screamed of things he could never say aloud.I turned to the next page.‘The priest told me it was a curse. That no Lycan should ever be mated to another man. He said it must’ve bee
AsherI returned to the only place I could still call mine. Tucked away from the world, surrounded by trees that asked for nothing and wind that didn’t whisper judgments—just solitude. The house hadn’t changed. I hadn’t either. Not really. I moved like a ghost through the front door, letting it shut quietly behind me.Silence greeted me, the kind that didn’t bring peace but didn’t argue either.I didn’t unpack. There was no point. The clothes I left on the couch a week ago were still there. The parcel Katherine handed me before she left sat on the windowsill, untouched. I glanced at it but moved past it like I had every day.I ended up at the bar that night.It wasn’t one of those classy places. It was dingy. Loud. Sticky floors and cheap liquor that burned going down. Perfect for disappearing. I sat in the corner booth, nursing something strong and bitter. My hair had grown out a bit, face scruffy, and I didn’t care. I didn’t want to be seen, yet eyes found me anyway.Women came firs
AsherSix months. That’s how long I’ve been in Reece—six slow, punishing months.At first, I didn’t even know what was real anymore. My memories felt like scattered fragments—some vivid, others hazy and distorted. The truth—the real truth—was a war I fought in my own mind. There were days I screamed until my voice gave out, days I curled into myself wishing I had never been born, and days I tried to hate the people I once loved.But this place… this tribe… they didn’t give up on me.The mages here, all marked by the strange glowing ink of their coven, didn’t treat me like a monster. Not even when I was one. They stripped me down—mentally, emotionally, spiritually—and forced me to sit in silence with my truth until it stopped feeling like poison.Now I can say it.I was enchanted.Jude, my own father, twisted my soul and turned me into something I never wanted to be. And the worst part? For the longest time, I didn’t even know.I’m better now. Or at least, that’s what the Head Mage kee
MaliaI nodded slowly, trying to piece together the strange sadness that had crept into Ronin’s eyes.“When did she die?” I asked quietly, my voice barely holding itself together. “The real Lia… when did she die?”Ronin’s eyes met mine, and his expression twisted with grief, something heavy and old—like it had been rotting in him for a long time.“She died the day I found out she was my mate,” he said. “But I'm not talking about Lia. She isn't my mate. My mate wasn’t from here. She was from my own Lycan pack.”I stared at him, my breath stuck in my chest. I didn’t know what to say to that, especially when his next words came so quickly and so desperately.“Malia,” he stepped closer, “please… just accept to be my Luna. I know you’re not my true mate. I’m not pretending. But since she’s gone, you’re the next best thing.”I flinched at the phrase. The next best thing. Like I was some kind of replacement. Some echo of a dream he’d lost.He kept going, determined. “It wasn’t Lia’s beauty t
MaliaCorey’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. “That being said. Why won’t Rhedd help her grandson?”I glanced up, studying Rhedd’s unreadable expression. She stood by the window, arms crossed, her gaze fixed on something far beyond what any of us could see. She didn’t flinch at the question, didn’t turn to face him. She just answered, coldly.“Asher shouldn’t even exist,” she said. “He was never meant to. That’s why he’s not important to me.”Her words dropped like a stone in my chest. I blinked, unsure I’d heard her right. Beside me, Jamie stiffened, his jaw clenching. Corey looked stunned, like he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard. Amara’s brows knit together, confusion clouding her features.“You’re going to have to explain what you mean by that,” Jamie said.But Rhedd didn’t respond. She turned away from the window and faced us, her expression still unreadable. “Don’t do anything against Ronin,” she warned, voice sharp with authority. “He is the rightful ruler of L
Malia“What?” I whispered, backing away from Ronin like he’d just slapped me.He had to be joking. He had to be.“I don’t love you, Ronin,” I said, my voice shaking. “I never said I did. I... I felt something, I won’t lie about that, but it was a moment. Confusion. Desperation. That’s not love.”His jaw clenched.“I only love Asher,” I continued. “And I can only be with Asher.”I turned toward Rhedd, desperate now. “Please. Say something. You know this isn’t right.”But she just stood there, her face unreadable. She didn’t say a word.I turned back to Ronin, fury rising like bile in my throat. “You can’t force this. You can’t just—decide you want me and then take me!”“I’m not forcing anything,” he said, but his voice had a hard edge to it. “I’m doing what’s best. For you. For everyone.”“You think locking me away in your house is best?”“I’m keeping you safe.”“You’re keeping me caged!”He ran a hand through his hair, trying to stay calm. “Asher isn’t stable, Malia.”My heart twisted
MaliaRhedd walked in like she owned the moment—no rush, no panic, just that same smirk, like everything was happening exactly how she planned.She looked Jude straight in the eye. “Your problem,” she said, “has always been your temper.”Jude scoffed. “You think this is funny?”“I think it’s sad,” Rhedd replied calmly. “You were close, Jude. So close to getting what you wanted. But like always, your rage got in the way. It always does.”He faltered. I saw it in the slight twitch of his brow, the way his jaw clenched. He didn’t understand who she was—but he knew she knew too much.“You have magic,” he muttered. “You’re part of the original circle, that's why you could seize my magic. The only thing is… the original witches in the circle are dead. I made sure of it.”Rhedd didn’t deny it. She just stood there, hands loosely clasped in front of her, like she had all the time in the world.Jude seemed to be irritated by her calmness. So irritated that he raised his hand, trying to summon
MaliaRonin’s grip on my hand was warm and steady, but my insides were in complete chaos.He didn’t say a word as he led me through the hallway, his pace brisk, his jaw clenched. I could tell he was furious, but not at me—at everything. At Banes. At the silence. At the confusion. At whatever was wrong and twisted in this place.When we got to his office, he opened the door and let me in first, then shut it quietly behind us.He turned to face me, those amber eyes of his searching my face like they were trying to pry the truth out of me before I even spoke.“Tell me,” he said, his voice low. “Tell me the truth.”I froze.I wanted to. Goddess, I wanted to tell someone. But I didn’t know if it was the right thing. What if Rhedd was playing me? What if telling Ronin only made everything worse? What if it put him in danger?I remembered the way she looked at me just before Ronin took my hand. Not a word spoken, just a nod. Subtle. Reassuring. She didn’t need to say anything. Her eyes told
Malia“Like I said before, all you have to do,” he said again, voice deceptively soft, “is tell them Nina deceived you. That she tricked you into helping her break Asher out.”I scoffed, shaking my head. “And you really think they’ll believe that?”“Oh, Banes will,” he said too quickly. Too confidently. It made me pause.“Why?” I asked. “Why are you so sure, Jude?”He smiled, but it wasn’t the charming kind. It was the smile of a man who knew something no one else did—a weapon he hadn’t revealed yet. “Don’t worry about that,” he said.I stared at him, my chest tightening with unease. “What are you going to do to my parents?” I asked quietly. “Since I’ve apparently… ‘messed up.’”He tilted his head slowly. That same smile faltered just a little, and then he studied me with a new sharpness. “That’s a very specific concern.”My heart thudded, but I forced myself to look bored. “What else is there to care about?”Jude crossed his arms. “Funny. For someone who knows the fate that befalls h