Chapter: Chapter 9: Binding CeremonyThe hall smelled like cedarwood and cold fear.I shifted on the balls of my feet, palms damp even though I had been through worse. Bloodier. Uglier. Deadlier.Still, the ceremony room made something crawl under my skin.Rows of ancient stone columns lined the edges, carved with old runes that whispered promises of power and punishment. A fire blazed in the center, low and hungry, throwing long shadows across the polished floors. High above us, banners with the pack's sigil—the wolf in eclipse—rippled in the heavy air.We stood in a loose circle. Ten of us left.Only ten Luna candidates had survived the cuts, the drills, the bruises that went deeper than skin. And after tonight, some of us would fall even further."Form a line," barked Elder Varron.His voice carried the kind of weight that made you obey without thinking.We moved without speaking, without glancing at one another.It was safer that way.Lucian leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, watching everything with that dan
最終更新日: 2025-04-27
Chapter: Chapter 8: A Wolf In DisguiseThe first time I killed a man, I was fourteen.I didn’t cry. I didn’t scream. I didn’t run. I just stared at my hands and thought, so this is what it means to survive.Nobody taught me how to fight back then. There were no instructors. No drills. No strategy sessions around a campfire.Just instinct. Hunger. And blood. Always blood.“You can’t eat berries that close to the road.”I turned my head fast, a sharp snap of my neck, ready to bolt.But it was only her—Ayla. Thin as bone, faster than anyone I’d met in the wild. She must’ve been sixteen then, maybe seventeen. Smelled like pine needles and sweat.She tossed a small rabbit at my feet. I didn’t move.“Don’t make me regret helping you,” she said.“I didn’t ask for help.”She crouched low. “No. You just looked one second away from collapsing.”I remember trying to glare, but my vision was hazy. My stomach hollowed out like someone had scooped it clean.“You alone?” she asked.“Always.”“Good.”I blinked. “Why?”Ayla’s mouth twitche
最終更新日: 2025-04-25
Chapter: Chapter 7: Kade’s WarningThere was a storm coming.I could feel it in the silence. In the way the sky stayed gray even after sunrise. In how everyone moved slower that morning, like the cold had crept into our bones.But mostly, I felt it in the way Kade looked at me.He didn’t speak during the morning drills. Didn’t spar. Didn’t joke with the handlers the way he usually did, even when his jokes were dry enough to cut glass. He just watched.Me.I should’ve ignored it. Should’ve kept my eyes on the target and my mind wrapped around sttategy like I always did.But I felt his stare like heat across my spine.When we were dismissed, I turned to leave, but he blocked the path before I could take two steps.“Come with me.”I looked at his hand, not his face. “Why?”“You ask too many questions.”“And you’re too used to people following orders.”Kade didn’t move. His hand stayed by his side. His jaw was set, but not in anger. Something else simmered there. A warning he hadn’t spoken yet.I sighed and stepped past hi
最終更新日: 2025-04-19
Chapter: Chapter 6: The First TestI didn’t sleep.Not because I was scared. Fear was too soft for what twisted in my chest.I was restless.All night, my fingers played with the hem of the sheet, my body aching from the maze, and my mind tracing paths that didn’t exist yet. What I did yesterday… it worked. I caught Lucian off guard.But it wasn’t enough.Getting through the maze was survival.Getting close to him, that was the beginning of war.Morning came too fast. Pale light soaked through the barrack windows. Girls rushed around the bunks, excitement bubbling in their throats like champagne. Giddy. Nervous. Trying to convince themselves they had a chance.Mara handed me a piece of bread and a tight look. “They posted the next test.”“What is it?”“Combat rounds.”I chewed slowly. “Weapons?”She shook her head. “Claws. Teeth. Nothing but your own strength.”Figures.My body hadn’t fully recovered from the maze, but I didn’t let it show. Bruises could heal later. Bones could rest later. Right now, I had a part to pl
最終更新日: 2025-04-19
Chapter: Chapter 5: The Luna Trials AnnouncedI wasn’t expecting the announcement. No one was.The morning started like any other: gray light filtering through the frost-lined windows, the scent of burnt coffee drifting from the mess hall, and the usual murmurs of fighters nursing bruises from yesterday’s matches.I sat alone at the far end of the dining room, chewing dry toast that tasted more like cardboard than food. Across the room, Ronin was bragging about our fight to anyone who would listen.“She fights like someone who’s got nothing to lose,” he said.I didn’t look up. He wasn’t wrong. But it wasn’t a compliment either.Mara slid into the seat beside me, her tray clattering onto the table.“Eat something that’s not misery,” she said, eyeing my toast. “You’re acting like the world’s about to end.”“It usually does around here,” I muttered.She rolled her eyes and picked up a spoon. “You should be proud. You lasted against Ronin. That’s like surviving a damn tornado.”I took a sip of the bitter coffee. “Surviving isn’t the
最終更新日: 2025-04-19
Chapter: Chapter 4: The Alpha’s Shadow“You didn’t tell me you knew how to fight like that.”The voice came from behind me, smooth and lazy. I didn’t even need to look to know it was him.Lucian.The hairs on my arms stood on end, my body instinctively tensing. I kept walking, ignoring the way his presence filled every corner of the hallway behind the training grounds. My boots echoed against the cold stone floor, but his footsteps were silent. Still, I knew he was there. lurking like a predator who had no need to rush the kill.“I don’t owe you an explanation,” I said, not bothering to turn around.A pause. Then, “No, you don’t.”I stopped. My hand rested on the metal handle of the door leading outside, but I didn’t push it open yet. The air around us thickened, like fog laced with static. I hated how he made everything feel more alive. More dangerous.“But you walked into my territory,” he added, “and into my trials. You’re not exactly a ghost anymore, Sera.”I slowly turned around to face him. He leaned against the wall
最終更新日: 2025-04-15
Chapter: Chapter 6: Wet Floor, Wet SheetsPagkababa ko mula sa ilalim ng mesa, ramdam ko pa rin ang panginginig sa tuhod ko. Hindi pa kami nakakalayo sa boardroom, pero ‘yung bigat ng titig ni Xander, para na akong hinuhubaran habang naglalakad.Tahimik siya habang nasa elevator kami. Ako rin. Wala kaming sinabi. Pero ang mga mata niya, hindi bumitaw. Para akong sinusunog sa bawat segundo.Pagdating namin sa private parking lot, he opened the passenger door for me. Mabilis ang kilos ko, takot na baka may makakita. Pero wala akong kakampi sa lakas niya.Pagpasok pa lang namin sa kotse, he slammed the door shut, locked it, and turned to me."Take off your panties."Nanlaki ang mata ko."Xander—""Now, Daphne."Walang pagdadalawang-isip na hinila ko pababa ang panty ko, nanginginig ang kamay. Binitiwan ko ito sa sahig ng kotse, habang nakatingin siya nang direkta sa akin.He leaned closer, voice low, almost dangerous."You want to play games in public, sweetheart?" His hand brushed the inside of my thigh. "Then be ready to lose.
最終更新日: 2025-04-27
Chapter: Chapter 5: Office SinnersNormal lang kami ni Xander sa opisina. No lingering glances. No secret touches. Sa labas, walang makakahalata. We kept it clean, professional, cold. Sa loob ng boardroom, he was CEO. I was just an executive assistant na marunong ngumiti sa tamang timing.Pero sa ilalim ng table? May ibang usapan.“Next quarter’s projections are ahead by six percent,” sabi ni Mr. Lao, habang tumuturo sa graph sa LED screen.Tumango ako, kunwari interested. Pero ang totoo? I was busy sliding my foot sa ilalim ng mesa. Papunta sa kanya.Si Xander. Nasa dulo ng table. Tahimik. Deadpan expression, as usual.Pero nung nakuha ng paa ko ang tuhod niya, nagbago ang ihip ng hangin.Hindi siya gumalaw. Pero I knew he felt it. I slid higher—slowly. Deliberately. Hanggang sa naabot ko na ‘yung zipper ng slacks niya.Nakita ko ‘yung bahagyang pagtaas ng kilay niya.Then… buzz.Tumunog ang phone ko. Isang text galing sa kanya.XANDER: Keep going and I swear, I’ll fuck you on this table.Napakagat ako sa labi, pigil
最終更新日: 2025-04-23
Chapter: Chapter 4: Mine Until MorningTahimik sa penthouse ni Xander. Mas tahimik kaysa kahit anong lugar na napuntahan ko. Walang sounds kundi 'yung mahinang tik-tak ng relo at marahang hinga niya habang nakaupo sa couch, isang basong scotch sa kamay. Walang TV, walang music, walang kahit anong distraction. Just us, in this high-rise darkness, na parang nasa ibabaw kami ng buong mundo.And yet, I felt small. Stripped.Nasa harap ako ng isang lalaking alam kong hindi ko kayang kontrolin. And tonight, I knew—he wasn’t in the mood to talk.“Come here.” Mababaw ang boses niya, pero mabigat. Parang command. Parang hindi pwedeng hindi sundin.I walked to him, slow, like every step meant something. His eyes didn’t leave mine, not even when he set down his drink. And the second I reached him, he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me onto his lap—no words, no hesitation.He kissed me like he owned me.And I let him.Walang gentle sa halik niya. Parang gusto niyang alisin lahat ng resistance. His mouth was rough, demanding. His ha
最終更新日: 2025-04-23
Chapter: Chapter 3: Private AgreementPagbukas ng email ko, andun na agad—PRIVATE AGREEMENT. At ang unang salita na sumalubong sa mata ko: NO STRINGS, JUST SEX. Walang drama, walang emosyon, puro katawan lang. At may kontrata. Para akong tinamaan ng malamig na tubig. Consent. Chaos. TERMS:No strings.No emotions.Just sex.Discreet.Exclusive. Pinindot ko yung accept button kahit na parang may hinahanap akong dahilan para hindi gawin ‘to. Gusto ko nang tumawa sa kabaliwan ko—pero hindi. Hindi ko kayang ipaliwanag ang nararamdaman ko. Pero alam kong masyado na akong malalim para umatras. The night came. Hotel suite. Madilim, tahimik, pero ang mga ilaw sa labas ng bintana ang nagbigay ng liwanag, kaya parang naglalakad ako sa gitna ng mundo. Nasa taas kami, and he was waiting for me, standing there in all black.Tinutok ko ang tingin ko sa kung saan man, pero hindi ko matanggal ang mga mata ko sa kanya. Xander Blackwell.He was leaning by the minibar, a glass of whiskey in hand. Shirt slightly unbuttoned, sleeves roll
最終更新日: 2025-04-20
Chapter: Chapter 2: Office Hours8:56 p.m. Tahimik ang buong floor. Yung uri ng katahimikan na parang may tinatago. Wala nang ibang ilaw kundi ‘yung galing sa office ni Xander. I was holding the manila envelope close to my chest like it could protect me from whatever was waiting behind that door. Late na, pero tinawag pa rin ako ng assistant niya. “Mr. Blackwell needs these files. Urgent daw.” Urgent, huh? Or maybe he just liked watching me squirm. Huminga ako nang malalim at kumatok. “Sir?” “Come in.” His voice cut through the silence—rough, low, like whiskey poured over ice. Pagbukas ko ng pinto, halos hindi ako makahinga. He was there. Nakaupo sa couch, shirt half-unbuttoned, sleeves rolled up. A glass of amber liquid swirled in one hand, and the other rested casually on his knee. The city lights framed him from the window behind, casting him in gold and shadow. He didn’t look up agad. He just sipped his drink, slow and deliberate. “Delivering papers,” I said, placing the envelope sa coffee table. “Or ju
最終更新日: 2025-04-20
Chapter: Chapter 1: Signed by Heat8:01 a.m. First day.First heartbreak, ilang buwan na ang nakalipas. Pero ito? Ito ang unang araw na parang sumisigaw ang buong katawan ko ng “buwis buhay to, girl.”I stood in front of the gleaming glass doors of Blackwell Corp like it was the edge of a cliff.Naka-high heels akong halatang hindi pang-long walk, fitted slacks na hiniram ko pa kay Kat, at blouse na may konting bukas sa dibdib—not too much, pero sapat para pansinin ng mga lalaking may kapilyuhan sa mata.Sa totoo lang, hindi ako sanay sa ganito. Pero sabi nga nila, if you want to change your life, dress like the woman who already did.Inabot sa’kin ng receptionist ang clipboard.“Sign here, Miss Cruz,” she said, smiling, like she had no idea I was about to walk into a battlefield na disguised as an office.My hand trembled, konti lang naman, habang sinusulat ko ang pangalan ko sa kontrata.Daphne Cruz.One stroke. One signature. One deal with the devil.I looked up and saw him.Xander Blackwell.Nakatayo siya sa tapat
最終更新日: 2025-04-20
Chapter: Chapter 6: Midnight TouchesThe clock blinked 2:47 AM in angry red numbers when I opened my eyes.The bed felt too cold, too wide. Sleep clung to my skin like a second, unwanted layer, but something heavier pulled me up.I pushed the silk covers away and stepped onto the cool marble floor. The night air brushing my legs made me shiver, but it wasn’t the cold that kept me restless—it was something else.Something that had been building ever since the gala, ever since Koven pinned me with that impossible look.I didn’t even know where I was going at first.My feet moved on their own, dragging me through the darkened penthouse until the silver glint of the balcony caught my eye.The glass door was cracked open. The wind tugged at the sheer curtains like ghostly hands. I pushed them aside and slipped out into the night.And there he was.Koven leaned against the iron railing, shirtless, a cigarette dangling between two fingers. Smoke curled around him, soft and slow, blurring the sharp lines of his body into somethi
最終更新日: 2025-04-27
Chapter: Chapter 5: First FightI never liked galas. Especially not the kind that reeked of perfume, pretense, and power.The ballroom was drenched in gold and champagne, the chandeliers hanging like judgmental eyes above our heads. Koven had told me to wear something “appropriate,” and I did—but I made sure it hugged my body the way silence hugged his. Tight. Tense. Beautifully dangerous.He didn’t say much the entire ride here. Just looked out the window like he was already bored of me. Fine. I was getting bored of playing nice, too.I smiled through the evening. I did. I shook hands, I drank my champagne, I played the pretty wife. Until he showed up.Marcus Thorne. CEO of some second-rate tech firm who thought his money meant manners didn’t apply to him.Koven was busy entertaining some government official. I was left to mingle. That was the rule: smile, sip, survive.“I didn’t think Mavros liked them feisty,” Marcus said, swirling his drink as he looked me up and down like a piece of glass he wanted to shatter.
最終更新日: 2025-04-24
Chapter: Chapter 4: Billionaire’s HouseI didn’t expect the penthouse to feel like this. When I imagined Koven’s home, I thought of sleek lines, polished surfaces, and luxury that suffocated you with its perfection. But standing here, I realized it wasn’t just the house that felt cold—it was him.The door to the penthouse opened with a quiet swish, and I stepped in, feeling the weight of the silence settle around me. The space was stunning, the kind of beauty that made you feel small. It wasn’t just a home; it was a fortress.Koven was already inside, of course. He didn’t wait for me. He never did.“Your room is down the hall,” he said, barely looking at me as he passed.I nodded, following his lead, my footsteps echoing in the vastness of the place. Everything was pristine. Too pristine. Like a museum that was never meant to be touched.When I reached the guest room, I hesitated. The door was already open, and the room was everything I could expect—expensive but cold, with no personal touch to make it feel like a home. No
最終更新日: 2025-04-17
Chapter: Chapter 3: Paper RingsI didn’t wear white.Not because I didn’t have the dress—I did. It hung in the closet like a ghost. Lace and silk and softness I didn’t ask for. But I didn’t wear it. I wore black. Not to make a statement, not to be dramatic.I just didn’t want to pretend.This wasn’t a fairytale.There were no flowers. No vows whispered through tears. No music swelling in the background while someone’s mother dabbed at her eyes.It was a room.A single room.No windows.Just marble walls, a thick oak table, and two chairs that didn’t face each other.He came in first. Koven Elrik Mavros.Black suit. No tie. Cold eyes like always. He didn’t say anything. Just sat down across from the lawyer and nodded once.I came in after.The silence swallowed me as soon as the door closed behind me.Even my heels felt too loud.No one stood. No one smiled. Not even the damn officiant, if that’s what he could be called. Just a man with a clipboard and a watch that kept ticking, like he had somewhere better to be.“A
最終更新日: 2025-04-17
Chapter: Chapter 2: Terms of SeductionThe contract sat in front of me like a trap dressed in velvet.Thick pages. Crisp corners. A golden pen clipped to the side, as if they wanted to make betrayal look elegant.I was alone in his penthouse office. Morning sunlight spilled through the tall windows, but the warmth didn’t touch me. It was quiet... too quiet. Just the sound of my nails tapping against the edge of the leather folder, my thoughts twisting tighter with each clause I read.No real intimacy.I blinked, reading the line again. My lips twitched into something close to a scoff. I don’t know why I expected anything else. Of course he’d keep this cold. Professional. Mechanical. Like he was buying a business merger, not a wife.No public outbursts.I rolled my eyes. As if I was some wild creature he needed to cage.No falling in love.That one? That one made me laugh.It was in italics, like some sick joke. No falling in love as if he thought I’d look into his deadpan expression, trace his perfect jawline, and suddenly
最終更新日: 2025-04-17
Chapter: Chapter 1: The Man In The Glass TowerI’ve never seen a man look so bored while offering someone twelve million dollars.Koven Elrik Mavros sat across from me like a statue carved out of winter. The windows behind him stretched to the ceiling, showing off the skyline like he owned the whole damn city. Maybe he did. Maybe that’s why his office looked more like a glass kingdom than a workspace. cold, quiet, untouchable.He didn’t smile. He didn’t blink. He just watched me, like I was a puzzle he already knew how to solve.I sat still, trying not to fidget. I hated that he made me feel small. I wore my most expensive dress, the one I saved for charity balls. My heels were sharp, my lipstick darker than usual. But next to him? I still felt... exposed.“I read the contract,” I said.“And?”I tilted my head. “You want me to be your wife. In public. For a year.”“Correct.”“In return, you clear my name, give me back my life, and pay me twelve million?”He nodded once.I let out a breath, short and sharp. “Why me?”“You’re conven
最終更新日: 2025-04-17
Chapter: Chapter 55: Fire in the borderlineThe Monteverde convoy moved under the cover of early dawn, three black SUVs winding through the dense brush of Chiapas like steel vipers. The trees leaned in overhead, casting mottled shadows across the road as if nature itself was unsure whether to shield them or devour them whole.Amara sat in the front passenger seat of the lead vehicle, a map splayed across her lap. Luca was behind the wheel, eyes sharp, posture rigid. Matteo sat behind them, silent, checking the rounds in his pistol."Ten clicks out," Luca muttered.Matteo looked up. "No visual on scouts yet?""None. Either they’re cocky or this is a damn trap.""Probably both," Amara murmured.Matteo leaned forward between them. "If Delilah’s guarding the perimeter herself, it means Sebastian’s still inside."Amara nodded. "And Natalia’s out there somewhere, too."Luca scoffed. "That woman’s a phantom. If she wants in, she’s already behind their lines."Matteo said nothing. He knew Luca was right. He also knew Natalia would neve
最終更新日: 2025-07-18
Chapter: Chapter 54: The Vault Beneath our FeetThe vault hadn’t been opened in years. The iron hinges groaned in protest as Luca forced the door open with a long grunt, dust spiraling into the lantern light like smoke from a dying fire. Amara stepped in first, Matteo just behind her, his hand brushing her lower back like it was instinct. It was dark, colder than the rest of the estate—like the air remembered what had been locked inside.Amara’s voice was low. “This place feels like it’s holding its breath.”Matteo didn’t answer. He walked ahead, his boots echoing across stone as they moved deeper into the vault that had once held Monteverde’s deepest secrets—arms contracts, old blood treaties, even the personal journals of Rafael’s grandfather. But now, they searched for something older. Stranger. Something the Vasquez family seemed to know better than they did.“What exactly are we looking for?” Amara asked.Matteo ran his fingers along the wall. “Something Rafael said last night. About the southern coast. About hiding Sebastian
最終更新日: 2025-07-18
Chapter: Chapter 53: Ghosts in the CrossfireIt began with a whisper. Then a crackle of static over the secure comms line in Rafael’s office.I was there, helping him sort old ledgers and red-stamped files, when the voice came through—grainy, amused, unmistakably cruel."Rafael Monteverde," Elias Vasquez drawled. "You lost your touch. Letting your little house rot from the inside. And yet, you’ve kept such an interesting secret."Rafael stiffened beside me. He pressed a button. "Identify yourself."Laughter crackled through the speaker. "You know who I am. But do you know where your son is?"The line went dead.Rafael didn’t move. Didn’t breathe. He just stared at the comm box, the light blinking in silence.I swallowed hard. "Rafael... you have a son?"He looked at me. Not with anger. Not even surprise. Just a bone-deep weariness."Not one I thought anyone still remembered."Twelve Years EarlierThe storm had hit fast that night—thunder snapping over the hills, lightning cracking trees like bones. Matteo was just nineteen, soak
最終更新日: 2025-07-18
Chapter: Chapter 52: Blades Between BrothersThe council chamber was quieter than usual—too quiet. The long oak table felt more like a battleground than a place of strategy. Matteo stood at the far end, hands clenched into fists, his shoulders taut like drawn wire.Rafael leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled, watching. Luca stood with his arms crossed beside him, eyes narrowed like he was already halfway through an argument.Matteo didn’t waste time."We need to talk about Delilah."Rafael raised an eyebrow. "I thought we already did.""Not all of it."Luca's jaw tensed. "This again?"Matteo met his brother’s eyes. "You remember the Barcelona mission. Five years ago. You lost half your unit. You said it was an ambush.""Because it was."Matteo nodded. "Because someone sold your coordinates."Rafael sat up straighter. "What are you saying?"Matteo’s voice was low, steady. "Delilah did it. She sold out Luca’s team for money. I found the transfer records. The timing lines up. And the buyer? Vasquez."Luca’s fists slammed the
最終更新日: 2025-07-18
Chapter: Chapter 51: Velvet TriggersMatteo stood at the edge of the courtyard, staring at the old stone well like it might offer answers. Or forgiveness. The sun was setting, casting long shadows over the chapel spires, turning the cracked stones blood-red.He hadn’t spoken since Natalia was taken below. Not to me. Not to Rafael. Not even to Luca.So when he finally walked into Rafael’s study, it felt like the walls held their breath.Rafael glanced up from his ledger, brow raised. "You look like hell.""Because I’ve been in it."He closed the book slowly. "What’s this about?"Matteo didn’t sit. Didn’t fidget. He stood like someone ready for a bullet. "Elias Vasquez. I spared him."The silence hit hard.Rafael leaned back, studying him. "When?""Months ago. During the Cordoba raid. We had him cornered. He offered intel. I took it."Rafael’s jaw clenched. "You let him go.""I didn’t think he’d resurface so fast. Or so loud.""He murdered four of our men last week. He sent Delilah into our territory. You protected that."
最終更新日: 2025-07-18
Chapter: Chapter 50: The Crimson LiesThe council room felt colder than before. Maybe it was the cracked windows, or maybe it was the accusation hanging in the air like smoke that refused to rise. I sat there, trying to make sense of the names flashing through my mind. Allegra. Delilah. Valkyrie.Natalia stood across the room, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The light from the chandelier flickered, throwing broken gold across her sharp features. She looked calm—too calm.Rafael tossed another folder onto the table. "Intercepted messages. Code names. Coordinates."He looked up slowly. "Natalia. Care to explain why these logs trace back to your terminal?"My heart stopped.Natalia didn't blink. "Because someone planted them.""That’s convenient," Luca muttered, standing just behind Rafael. "They were encrypted with your signature key.""Anyone with access could copy a key," Natalia replied, her voice clipped but steady.Rafael's gaze didn’t move. "So you're saying someone inside this house forged your digital ident
最終更新日: 2025-07-06
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