Elle’s steps faltered as she turned toward the hallway, her mind set on finding a way out, a way to fight back. But before she could take another step, a firm grip seized her arm, pulling her back with a force that nearly sent her crashing to the ground.Her breath caught in her throat as she spun around to face Jude’s father, his face twisted with a mixture of regret and resolve. “You can’t leave, Elle,” he said, his voice low and controlled, but there was an underlying urgency to his words.“What the hell are you doing?” Elle snarled, struggling against his hold. Her pulse raced, her mind spinning as her fury grew. “Let me go. I’m not staying here. I’m not waiting for the Higher Council to come and take me!”Jude’s father’s grip tightened. “You don’t understand. If you leave now, they’ll find you. They’ll use you against us. We can’t let that happen. I’m doing this to protect you... and us.”Elle’s heart skipped a beat as he pulled her toward the back of the house, away from the fro
You sit on the edge of your bed, your gaze distant, staring at the stone wall as though it might offer some comfort or answer. The weight of your thoughts presses down on you—thoughts of Elle, of her safety, of her fate. You hope she’s somewhere far from this madness, that she’s found a way to escape this life that’s been thrust upon her, a life you know all too well. You wish she could be free, free from the chains of royalty, from the expectations, from the constant battles for power.But deep down, you know the truth—she can’t escape it. Not without risking everything. Not without drawing the attention of forces that would crush her.And yet, you cling to that hope, that small spark of possibility that she might find a way out. You want so badly for her to live a life outside of this world of lies, manipulation, and bloodshed. But that wish, that dream, feels selfish. You don’t know if you’d survive it if something happened to her. The thought gnaws at your insides, making it harde
You stand up, the urgency of your thoughts pushing you into motion. The weight of the decision, the need to be sure Elle is safe, weighs heavily on your chest. "We can leave after Elle returns," you say, your voice steady but the worry still evident in your eyes. "I need to be sure she’s going to be okay."You move toward the door, your hand resting on the handle as you prepare to face whatever awaits you outside. You’re going to plead with the Lycan King, no matter how dangerous it may be. Elle deserves a chance, deserves to have her fate in her own hands. You won’t let the world crush her under the weight of its expectations."Where are you going?" Davide’s voice stops you mid-step, his tone laced with curiosity and something else—amusement?You turn to face him, meeting his gaze with determination. "I’m going to go plead with the Lycan King to pardon Elle’s behaviour. He must realise that she wouldn’t have run away if it wasn’t for the stupid Vampire King."At the mention of Michae
You were about to leave the hall, your mind swirling with what had just transpired, when the heavy doors suddenly swung open. The sound of boots hitting the stone floor echoed as Elle was dragged in, her body fighting the handlers every step of the way. Her arms flailed, her legs kicking out in a desperate attempt to break free. You could hear her sharp breaths and the sounds of her struggles, the chaos of her fury cutting through the tension in the room."Let her go!" you demanded, your voice carrying the authority only royalty can wield. The handlers hesitated, caught off guard by the power in your tone. Against their will, they released Elle, stepping back reluctantly as she stood, now free to stand on her own two feet.Elle glared at them but didn’t hesitate. Her expression was a mixture of defiance and fury, and without a word, she stomped directly toward the Lycan King. Her steps were firm, unwavering, as she faced the man who held her fate in his hands.You joined her at her si
You grew up in a lowly Lycan Werewolf household, believing yourself to be nothing more than an Omega at the bottom of the food chain. You lived with your family on the outskirts of a town that was overrun by rogues these days. Well, I guess you can't really call them rogues because they all do answer to one, The Mafia King. He was not always a king, even though he was born with royal blood. Another royal family overthrew his family when he was still in his mother's womb. While his father, the then king, fought for his survival, she ran away. She was hunted down and forced to marry the new king and bear his children. Or was she? His mother gave birth to him just before they found her, and everyone believed she had lost the child. You, on the other hand, well, let's just say that the circumstances of your own birth weren't all sunshine and roses either, but luckily for you, you grew up with your mother, one of the wives of the same King who slaughtered the former King, your father, and
The heat wave I mentioned earlier hit you like a wall and your body reacted immediately. Invisible hands touched your body as if you were wearing nothing. You took a deep breath and try to calm your raging hormones as you walk to the building for your very first interview.You look behind you as you catch a lycan werewolf's scent, but no one is there. You walk faster, regretting wearing the high heels. Actually, you regret being outside in the first place, as you can smell several lycans. You reached the building where your interview is and struggle with the glass door as you are in a hurry to get inside, where you think you would be safe.The doorman looks at you strangely. Probably wondering what was wrong with you since the heatwave has no effect on him since he is nothing more than a human. He pushed down the crossbar and open the door for you.“Thank you,” you say out of breath, and not a moment too soon the lycans you smelled catch up with you."Don't let them in!" you say in a p
You rattle the handle, but Henry locked the door from the other side. “Open the door,” you tell him."No," you hear him gasp."Thank goodness!" you hear him say with the sound of heels on the stairs.“I'm here, honey,” says a woman's voice. You listen all day to them having sex on the other side of the door, torturing your body. You help yourself a few times, but it isn’t enough. Slowly, you feel the heat wave go away as the sun settled. You don't realize that Henry and his human woman have left the building.“Henry?” you call out, but get no answer.Yep, they left you. Just when you thought you were going to sleep on a roof overnight and pray that the heat wave doesn’t come back, the door opens."Dave!" you exclaim, happy to see him.“I'm so sorry I chased after you this morning. This bloody heat wave,” he complains, holding out his hand to you, to help you up.You and Dave were always best friends, as I mentioned earlier.“Thanks for coming to my aid,” you giggle nervously as you str
You are about to take a bath when you feel an urgent mind link. You can try to ignore it, but that will only result in a headache. There are only a few that can force themselves into your mind. Your Alpha and Luna, of course; your fated partner and a lycan with royal blood. You open your mind to receive the mind link and it turns out to be none other than Alpha Chase. “All of us must meet at the castle. The new so-called king called a meeting. Those who do not attend will be executed.' Your mother burst into your room. "This is bad! How can he call a meeting during a heat wave?!" “Mom, relax. I’m sure it’s over for now,” you try to calm her down. “You need to bathe and be quick about it,” she urges, walking into your bathroom to get the water ready. “There's no time,” you say, grabbing your favorite jacket, remembering that you'd left your tailored jacket in Henry's office. “You smell like sex. You smell like a rogue. If you show up smelling like you do… who knows what will happe
You were about to leave the hall, your mind swirling with what had just transpired, when the heavy doors suddenly swung open. The sound of boots hitting the stone floor echoed as Elle was dragged in, her body fighting the handlers every step of the way. Her arms flailed, her legs kicking out in a desperate attempt to break free. You could hear her sharp breaths and the sounds of her struggles, the chaos of her fury cutting through the tension in the room."Let her go!" you demanded, your voice carrying the authority only royalty can wield. The handlers hesitated, caught off guard by the power in your tone. Against their will, they released Elle, stepping back reluctantly as she stood, now free to stand on her own two feet.Elle glared at them but didn’t hesitate. Her expression was a mixture of defiance and fury, and without a word, she stomped directly toward the Lycan King. Her steps were firm, unwavering, as she faced the man who held her fate in his hands.You joined her at her si
You stand up, the urgency of your thoughts pushing you into motion. The weight of the decision, the need to be sure Elle is safe, weighs heavily on your chest. "We can leave after Elle returns," you say, your voice steady but the worry still evident in your eyes. "I need to be sure she’s going to be okay."You move toward the door, your hand resting on the handle as you prepare to face whatever awaits you outside. You’re going to plead with the Lycan King, no matter how dangerous it may be. Elle deserves a chance, deserves to have her fate in her own hands. You won’t let the world crush her under the weight of its expectations."Where are you going?" Davide’s voice stops you mid-step, his tone laced with curiosity and something else—amusement?You turn to face him, meeting his gaze with determination. "I’m going to go plead with the Lycan King to pardon Elle’s behaviour. He must realise that she wouldn’t have run away if it wasn’t for the stupid Vampire King."At the mention of Michae
You sit on the edge of your bed, your gaze distant, staring at the stone wall as though it might offer some comfort or answer. The weight of your thoughts presses down on you—thoughts of Elle, of her safety, of her fate. You hope she’s somewhere far from this madness, that she’s found a way to escape this life that’s been thrust upon her, a life you know all too well. You wish she could be free, free from the chains of royalty, from the expectations, from the constant battles for power.But deep down, you know the truth—she can’t escape it. Not without risking everything. Not without drawing the attention of forces that would crush her.And yet, you cling to that hope, that small spark of possibility that she might find a way out. You want so badly for her to live a life outside of this world of lies, manipulation, and bloodshed. But that wish, that dream, feels selfish. You don’t know if you’d survive it if something happened to her. The thought gnaws at your insides, making it harde
Elle’s steps faltered as she turned toward the hallway, her mind set on finding a way out, a way to fight back. But before she could take another step, a firm grip seized her arm, pulling her back with a force that nearly sent her crashing to the ground.Her breath caught in her throat as she spun around to face Jude’s father, his face twisted with a mixture of regret and resolve. “You can’t leave, Elle,” he said, his voice low and controlled, but there was an underlying urgency to his words.“What the hell are you doing?” Elle snarled, struggling against his hold. Her pulse raced, her mind spinning as her fury grew. “Let me go. I’m not staying here. I’m not waiting for the Higher Council to come and take me!”Jude’s father’s grip tightened. “You don’t understand. If you leave now, they’ll find you. They’ll use you against us. We can’t let that happen. I’m doing this to protect you... and us.”Elle’s heart skipped a beat as he pulled her toward the back of the house, away from the fro
Her sharp eyes scanned the trees beyond the cove, searching for the source of her unease. The scent of something foreign lingered in the salty air—something predatory.Jude’s smile faltered. "Elle, what’s wrong?"Before she could answer, a shadow moved.A figure emerged from the tree line—a man, tall and unnervingly still. His golden eyes gleamed with eerie intent, his presence radiating a silent threat. A hybrid.Elle’s breath caught in her throat.The assassin had found them.Jude noticed the change in her expression and turned, following her gaze. The moment he locked eyes with the intruder, realization struck. "Run," he whispered.But it was already too late.The hybrid tracker lunged, moving with inhuman speed.Elle reacted on instinct, shoving Jude back as she braced herself for the fight of her life.The battle was brutal. Elle and Jude fought together, but even with their combined strength, they were no match for the hybrid. He was faster, stronger, and relentless. Every blow
The shadows stretched long across the floor of Michael’s chamber, the heavy silence punctuated only by the sound of his own steady breathing. His hands curled into fists as he moved toward the far side of the room, where an ornate wooden wardrobe stood against the stone wall. He had known this room well before it was his—it had belonged to his brother, and his brother had been cunning, always keeping a way out, a path unseen.Michael placed his palm against the side of the wardrobe, feeling for the hidden seam. With a slight push, the back panel groaned, revealing a narrow passageway that led into the dark. He took a step forward—but stopped. Something unseen and unfathomable coiled around his body, anchoring him in place. His fangs bared instinctively, his power rising to meet the force that held him back.A spell.His mind worked quickly, fingers tracing over the air as he called on his own magic, whispering an incantation under his breath to dismantle whatever bound him. But it was
The soft morning light filtered in through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. You slowly blinked your eyes open, the fog of sleep still lingering in your mind. As your vision cleared, you saw him—Davide—sitting by your bedside, his eyes fixed on you with a tenderness that made your heart race. You couldn’t help but notice the subtle tension in his gaze, the uncertainty that lingered there."Do you hate me yet?" Davide’s voice was quiet, almost pleading, as if he were bracing for your response.For a long moment, you just stared at him, the weight of the years, of everything that had happened, pressing heavily on your chest. You felt a storm of emotions swirling inside you—anger, betrayal, and, beneath it all, an aching sense of longing."I hate and love you at the same time," you finally replied, your voice barely above a whisper. The words felt heavy as they left your lips, a truth you had buried deep for so long. You remembered the woman you once were, desperate for hi
Kurt followed Wynn down the winding corridors of the palace, his footsteps heavy with the weight of the decision ahead. The Lycan King's command had been clear, and now it was time for the next step. They arrived at the chambers of the shaman, where the ancient being was waiting, his eyes clouded with the knowledge of his craft.The shaman nodded to Kurt and Wynn, gesturing for them to enter. The room was dimly lit by flickering candles, and the scent of herbs and incense hung in the air. The shaman motioned for Kurt to sit in the center of a ritual circle, marked with glowing symbols and runes.As Wynn stood nearby, observing the ritual, the shaman began his chant, speaking in an ancient tongue that reverberated through the room. Kurt closed his eyes, focusing on the weight of the spell being placed over him, an invisible force that began to settle over his body. The power of the fated mate bond was strong, a magic that ran deep into his veins, connecting him to Elle whether he was r
The atmosphere in the castle shifted as the sound of the large doors opening echoed through the hallway. Elle, still reeling from the conversation with her mother, straightened her posture as she caught sight of the four young men entering the room. Despite their age—well over 300 years—they looked no older than their early twenties, a characteristic of their kind. Each one of them exuded an undeniable power, their presence filling the space as they moved with a grace that seemed almost unnatural, yet elegant.Their eyes—blue, like the clearest sky—sparkled with a quiet intensity that hinted at the centuries of experience and authority behind them. They were tall, their frames long and lean, but their bodies were hardened by years of battle and leadership. Despite their beauty, there was an air of danger surrounding them, a promise of strength and command. They were not the kind of men you could ignore or easily dismiss.Vance took a step forward, his gaze fixing on Elle with a knowin