JamieCorey sat there, as smug as ever, but the second he opened his mouth, I knew he was up to something.“I can’t believe you actually went to have a meeting without me, Jamie,” he said, shaking his head in mock disappointment.For a moment, my mind blanked.Then, before I could even think, I lunged.My vision went red, my hands reaching for his throat, but before I could land a hit, a dozen hands yanked me back. Council members, guards—hell, even Aieran—were on me in seconds, dragging me away from my brother.Corey didn’t even flinch.He just sat there, looking at me like I was some wild animal throwing a tantrum.Like he had no idea why I was pissed.“Relax,” Aieran’s voice cut through the chaos. “Jamie, for the love of the Goddess, relax.”“Relax?” I snarled, struggling against the men holding me back. “Are you seriously telling me to relax? Are you even hearing the bullshit coming out of his mouth?”Aieran exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’m saying listen before you j
JamieI stared at Aieran, my patience hanging by a thread. “Explain to me again why you told me that Corey left for the meeting dressed as me?”Aieran shifted uncomfortably, his silver-streaked hair catching the light as he rubbed the back of his neck. “It was… a mistake.”“A mistake?” I repeated coldly.“Yes.” He nodded, looking between Corey and me as if trying to gauge how much trouble he was in. “I mistook Alpha Corey for you because… he wore glasses.”Silence.I blinked, processing the absolute nonsense I’d just heard.Corey, standing across from me with his arms folded, scoffed. “Seriously?” He turned to Aieran, shaking his head. “That’s your excuse?”Aieran hesitated. “You both look similar—”“We don’t,” Corey and I said at the same time. Then I turned to Corey, “Why did you wear glasses? Seems to me like you did that to confuse him on purpose!” Corey exhaled sharply and turned to me, his expression unreadable. “Look, I just wanted to look serious. I couldn't go before Ronin,
JamieCorey lunged.I barely had time to brace myself before his fist connected with my jaw, knocking my head sideways. A sharp sting spread through my cheek, but I’d taken worse.I reacted instantly, shoving him back before swinging at him, landing a solid hit to his ribs. He grunted but didn’t step away—if anything, it only made him angrier. He came at me again, fists flying, and I met him with the same force.The council chamber erupted into chaos.“Enough!” Aieran barked, but neither of us listened.I grabbed Corey by the front of his shirt, pushing him back as his fists collided with my sides. We hit one of the wooden council tables, sending documents scattering to the floor.“Dammit, stop this!“ one of the council members yelled, but their voices were background noise now.I shoved Corey off me, sending him staggering back, but he recovered fast. He wiped his mouth, breathing hard, and his glare was pure hatred.“You always do this,” Corey spat. “You always think you’re the only
JamieI couldn’t see.Darkness swallowed me whole, thick and suffocating. My heart pounded in my ears as I struggled to find my footing. The air smelled of blood and damp earth, and the ground beneath me felt uneven, like I was standing in the aftermath of a brutal fight.Then, I heard it.The slow, deliberate crunch of boots against gravel.“Jamie.”My breath hitched.I knew that voice.“Corey?” I called, my voice hoarse.A chuckle echoed around me—low, cold, filled with something wrong.“You don’t look so tough now,” he murmured.I tried to turn toward the sound, but I was met with nothing. I blinked, but the darkness didn’t change.Panic swelled in my chest.I wasn’t just in the dark.I was blind.“Corey,” I rasped, my voice trembling now. “What’s going on? Where are we?”A sharp pain suddenly shot through my skull. I stumbled back, clutching my face.Then, the memory hit me like a sledgehammer.The fight.Corey and I, screaming, throwing punches, fueled by rage neither of us could
Jamie The morning light did little to chase away the unease curling in my gut. My nightmare clung to me like a second skin, leaving behind a ghostly chill that refused to fade. Even as I sat at the edge of my bed, rubbing my face with my hands, I could still hear Corey’s voice in my head—cold, filled with something off.I exhaled sharply, forcing myself to shake it off. It was just a dream. Nothing more.A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts. One of the pack’s healers, a woman named Elena, peeked inside.“You should go see Corey,” she said, her voice softer than usual.I looked up at her, hesitating. “Why?”She sighed, stepping fully into the room. “He’s awake. And… well, you should see for yourself.”Something about the way she said it made my chest tighten.I pushed myself up, my body still sore from everything that had happened. Without another word, I left my room and made my way down the quiet halls of the healer’s ward.Each step felt heavier than the last.I wasn’t
Malia’s PerspectiveThe moment I stepped into Lycone, I knew I had made a mistake.The air smelled different. Heavier. Almost suffocating.It wasn’t the bustling streets, the grand buildings, or the constant eyes trailing my every move. It was him.Jude—no, Derrick now—walked beside me, the perfect image of a man who belonged here. He had taken everything from the real Derrick—his face, his voice, his identity.And his home.I swallowed hard as I realized exactly where that home was.A quarter inside Asher’s house.Of all the places in Lycone, it had to be here.I wanted to scream. To grab Jude and demand that we go somewhere else, anywhere else. But I knew better. He wasn’t the kind of man to be reasoned with, and I had already lost too much control over my own life.So I kept quiet. I followed him inside, pretending that everything was fine as servants led us to our new residence.But everything was not fine.That evening, as I sat on the bed of my unfamiliar room, I could still hea
MaliaI closed the window as silently as possible, careful not to make a sound. My hands were still trembling from my encounter with Ronin, my pulse thrumming in my ears. I had to get back inside before Jude noticed I was gone.With slow, deliberate movements, I turned toward the bed, hoping to slide under the covers and pretend none of this had happened.But the moment I took a step forward, I froze.Jude was already inside my room.Sitting in the chair by the window, his arms were crossed, and his gaze was sharp and unforgiving.I inhaled sharply, my stomach twisting into knots. How long had he been sitting there?"Did you have a good chat?" His voice was calm, almost too calm.I stayed rooted to the spot, trying to school my expression."What are you talking about?" I asked, forcing my tone to be casual.Jude let out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. A slow, disappointed shake."Malia," he sighed, rubbing his temple as if I had given him a headache. "You think I wouldn’t notice? Y
MaliaThe morning light seeped through my curtains, a soft glow spilling into the unfamiliar room. For a moment, I forgot where I was. But then the weight of my new identity crashed down on me. Lia. Jude's so-called daughter. My reflection in the mirror was still jarring. I ran my fingers through my newly golden hair, staring into eyes that weren’t mine. I was used to seeing someone else in the mirror after Jude’s spell, but it still felt like a cruel joke. With a sigh, I turned away from my reflection. There was no use fighting it. Jude had made it clear what was at stake if I tried. I couldn’t afford to let him ruin my parents’ lives or my own any further.I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs.Jude stood by the stove, flipping eggs as if he hadn't threatened my entire world just hours ago. "Eat," he ordered, not looking up."I'm not hungry."His eyes flicked to me, sharp as ever. "You have a long day ahead. Act normal."I sat down, barely touching the food, before pushing my pla
MaliaI didn’t breathe.Not for a full minute after Ronin said those words.Asher Mendoza is alive.I stood there, frozen beneath the branches of the old silverwood tree. Just moments ago, I’d been smiling faintly at the way Ronin had grumbled about paperwork. Just hours ago, I’d kissed him without shame in front of his guards.And now, my world has split in half.He was alive.My Asher.The one I had mourned in silence. The one I had cursed the stars for taking too soon. The one whose name I had stopped speaking, not because I forgot—but because remembering hurt too much.I had let him go.And now he was back.Ronin didn’t look at me. His entire body was taut, rage pouring off of him in waves as he crumpled the letter in his fist.“He dares to ask me to step down,” he growled, pacing. “After everything I’ve done—after the unity I’ve forged? The peace I’ve built? He wants to come back from the dead and reclaim what he abandoned?”His eyes flicked toward me at last. And the moment he s
MaliaIt had been almost a year.A full cycle of moons since I stood before the altar in a dress that felt like a cage and pledged myself to a man I did not love. A year of silent dinners, of shared quarters and unshared sheets. A year of waking up beside someone who looked at me like I was a world he couldn’t touch.Ronin had not once tried.He had kissed my cheek in public, taken my hand at royal events, and always ensured I had a personal guard at my side. He gave me space. Respect. But not once had he laid a single finger on me—not without my permission.And that restraint… it had become unbearable.Tonight, the weight of it collapsed on me.I sat on the edge of our bed, staring at the hearth’s dying flames. My nightgown clung to my skin in the low firelight, and my chest ached with something I hadn’t let myself name in months.“Just accept it, Malia,” Rhedd had told me only hours ago, his voice quiet but final. “He’s not coming back. If Asher was alive, he would’ve come by now.”
AsherThe moon was high the night I met with Nina’s parents. I had to meet them since I now knew the truth. They were the only ones I could trust. We gathered in the ruins of the old Northern chapel, a place sacred enough to keep secrets buried but strong enough to host rebellion. I didn’t ask how they got in contact with me—they always had a way to do things discreetly. Nina’s father, Nathan, regarded me with the tired eyes of a man who had carried the truth for too long.“He told us this day would come,” he said. “Ian prepared. We kept his will safe. And we kept his soldiers even safer.”From the shadows, they stepped forward—silent, deadly, focused. Wolves in human skin. Elite. Trained in secret under Ian’s orders for the day I would reclaim the crown.I couldn't believe my eyes. How did Ian think of this? How was he able to predict that I may not get any support unless he provides one for me?I was relieved that I had been given a head start, but it wasn’t enough. Not for a war.
AsherMy thumb hovered over the next page for longer than I cared to admit. The leather binding creaked softly beneath my grip, like it too feared what lay ahead. But I couldn’t stop now. I needed to know it all—no matter how much it hurt and no matter how much I wanted to stop, I turned the page.‘Brooke and Renah began their affair not out of love, not truly—not at first. Brooke wanted affection. She wanted to be wanted. Renah… he was a convenient escape. They were discreet. Not for my sake. For hers. Always for hers. She didn't want to ruin her reputation.’I leaned back, jaw tightening.So it was true.I watched them once. They didn’t see me. Her smile was real. His was reverent. That was the moment I knew—Renah loved her more. Brooke? She simply needed to be adored.It painted such a different picture of my mother than the one I’d held growing up. She had always seemed powerful, poised, in control of every room she walked into. I never imagined her desperate. Or fragile. But with
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