All Chapters of : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

IOANA’S POV"Ioana Redmoon," from afar, I could hear the melodious voice of the High Priestess calling my name.It was the Full Moon Appreciation Night, a night to strengthen the mate bond, and I was late.My sister had locked me up in the basement. Goddess knows how I managed to get out just for this.For him, my mate, Ramon—the Alpha's son and my longtime secret crush. I had waited for this day for years, dreaming of it.My hands shook in jitters, cold and clammy with sweat, as I pushed through the crowd of people, rushing for the elevated platform.But suddenly, it was silent.Ghost-quiet. Eyes turned to me, trailing after me. I hunched my back, subconsciously protecting myself from their stares—something I had grown used to.My stomach dropped. Something was wrong. My gut screamed at me, but I shook it off with a what could it be, pressing forward. And that’s when I saw it—the consequences of my stubbornness hitting me like a wild, galloping horse.It was him.My mate, pressin

IOANA’S POVA glaring bright red mark on her neck was a trophy she displayed to me with smugness.No, it can't be—maybe it's not him. I shook my head. My dizziness increased, and the world spun like a wheel out of control.I had hardly recovered from the rejection.My body ached and trembled every second I stood under the harsh lashes of the bitter icy wind penetrating my body, freezing me in place.But no matter how much I wished this was a dream, how much I wanted to slap myself to wake up, everything around me was vivid—too real to be true.The corners of my lips cracked, blood seeping out, stinging me.It wasn't a dream.I wanted to cry, but no tears came out.The door behind Gabrielle creaked open once more, and he came out, painfully shattering whatever deceit I dunked myself into.Ramon adjusted his collar, buttoning it up, but not before I saw the red scratch mark on his neck. He gave me a cold look, like I was a stranger, like the numerous nights under the moon whispering t

IOANA'S POVA soft groan escaped my lips. My eyes flickered open. What greeted me were red, fluttering velvet drapes.What—where am I?The last thing I remembered was—flashes flickered past in my mind. My heart tightened. Pain, screams, despair, men in black, and a man who…My hand snapped up to my neck, clutching it—pain exploding up my arm at the swiftness of my actions.They injected me with something, I thought, flinching.I'm definitely not at home, I noted, still groggy and disoriented. It was like my limbs were made of iron, weighing me down.I breathed in. The air itself seemed heated with an unknown scent. It was oddly enticing and burdening at the same time—like my body burned, flames flickering on the surface of my skin with each inhale.Even the scent here was different. I took another breath, my insides heating up in a way that left me wanting more.A woody goodness that burned the backside of my throat—musk and spiced cedar.It coiled around my throat, tightening in a wa

~Ioana~This wasn't how I envisioned everything to be. I shifted a little, leaning against the cold walls behind me.At least, never in my life had I imagined that I'd have to deal with this—being locked up by who—no, by what I thought was my mate.Memories of him, his chilly eyes hiding an ongoing storm, hands grabbing at me, pulling me from the bed. My pitiful defiance was crushed and torn away like fragile paper.His men had dragged me away at his orders, while I, on the other hand, as pathetic as I was, could do nothing. Everything ached in ways I couldn't explain, including my heart.And now, as I rested my back once more against the chilling stone wall, my arms went around my knees, wrapping around them, and my head rested on my knees, which dug uncomfortably into my cheeks. The clanking of the chain echoed through the gloomy cells with every shift. I once more realized, 'Fate hates me.' I let out a wry smile. There wasn't any solid proof, but everything I've experienced seemed

My hands slid across the smooth satin bedsheets, coming back to myself. My fingers fiddled with the ridiculously thin straps of the scandalous nightwear, which slipped off my shoulders every second, its harlot red contrasting against my skin.The room was familiar, yet at the same time, odd. It bore a striking similarity to the one I was in last time, except it held a softness—a warmth the other didn't.I don't know exactly how I got here.I could remember faintly how it started.It was hours ago.One moment, I was still curled in on myself, resting my head on my knees, fighting against the chill and the darkness that seeped deep into my bones, teeth rattling in response.And the next moment, the door swung open. A stern-faced guard barked, "Get up," grabbing me by the arm, harshly yanking me up, sending me staggering across, barely keeping my footing—much to the guard’s total disregard.The commander of the guards, his medals shingling with every step, gave me a cold, disdainful star