Romans de Lara

Aya’s POVThe silence in the castle was so loud that it was driving me insane. It had been two weeks since I woke up in this body.Two weeks since I realized I was no longer Aya Johnson, the discarded omega, the forgotten daughter, the girl who was betrayed by her mate and who was murdered by her sister.Now, I was Marie-Anne Rose Crown, the noble-born fiancée of the most feared man in the entire Lycan Kingdom.Asher King.Even his name sounded like a taboo, something that shouldn't be mentioned lightly. Rumor had it he didn’t smile, didn’t love, didn’t forgive. His enemies were buried in nameless graves, and his allies feared him just as much as they respected him.And soon, he would walk through that door.The thought alone sent my stomach flipping into knots. I stood in front of the same mirror that had betrayed me the day I saw her, this new version of me. I didn’t recognize her still. She had poise and elegance.A sudden, sharp knock came at the door and I jumped.“He’s here,” th

(Aya’s POV)The moment my feet hit the forest floor, I let out a sob so broken it didn't sound human. My wedding dress—once a dream, now a cruel joke—dragged on the damp earth as I ran, my vision blurred with tears. The trees stretched endlessly before me, their towering shadows swaying as if they were mourning with me. Mourning what exactly? Was it my relationship with Malakai or my life as a whole?How had everything gone so wrong?I clutched at my chest, gasping for air, but the pain wouldn’t reduce. It was as if Malakai had reached inside me and torn out my soul.My mate. My love.Had I been a fool all along?I collapsed against the rough bark of a tree, sinking to my knees. My fingers dug into the dirt, the cold sinking through my skin. A sob ripped from my throat, raw and desperate.“I hate you,” I whispered, tilting my face to the dark sky. “Moon Goddess, I hate you.”My voice broke on the last word. I had done everything right. I had endured. I had obeyed. I had suffered, all

(Aya’s POV)That night, I'd had my first kiss with Malakai. That night, I had been assured that he was the love of my life. And, for the past three months of being together, I had been assured I was set for the moment that is happening presently.My wedding day.The grand hall of the packhouse was adorned in gold and white. Candles flickered from every corner, casting a warm glow over the space. The scent of roses and pine filled the air, mixing with the faint aroma of roasted meats from the reception area. The entire Blue Moon Pack was present, along with delegates from Malakai’s Eclipse Pack.I stood at the altar, hands clutching the bouquet of white roses, my heart pounding wildly in my chest.I was getting married.I was becoming Malakai’s wife.He was my mate, my fated one, and despite everything—the years of suffering under my father’s roof, the cruelty of my stepmother and Jolene—Malakai had chosen me. He had loved me.He had promised me forever.I looked up at him, standing be

(Aya’s POV)I stumbled into my room, barely managing to shut the door before my legs gave out under me. My back hit the wood with a small thud, and I slid to the floor, burying my face in my hands. The laughter of my stepmother and Jolene still sounded in my ears, like a cruel sound meant to remind me of my place.A broken sob escaped my lips. No matter how much I tried to compose myself against their words, against their cruelty, it still hurt. Every day felt like a fresh wound, one that never had the chance to heal. I dug my fingers into the fabric of my worn dress, my nails pressing into my palms as if the slight sting could distract me from the deep ache in my chest.But then—something changed.A scent.It was faint at first, but undeniably there. A mix of lemon and something darker, something rich and intoxicating, like the first rain after a long dry season. It didn’t belong to the pack members who normally roamed the pack house. No, this was different. Foreign.I froze, my brea

(Aya’s POV)The scent of popping bacon filled the pack house kitchen, mixing with the natural aroma of brewed coffee and fresh bread. The dining hall buzzed with chatter as pack members gathered for breakfast, but I remained in the kitchen, my hands deep in a sink full of soapy water. The dishes from last night’s feast still needed scrubbing, and I knew better than to leave even a single plate not touched."Aya, hurry up with those dishes!" Jolene's sharp voice cut through the air, startling me instantly, making my hands move faster as I scrubbed the last of the greasy pots. "I need you to press my dress for the Alpha's meeting," she added, her tone mixed with impatience.I felt a familiar sense of resentment in my stomach, but I pushed it down, focusing on the task at hand. I rinsed the final pot and arranged it neatly on the drying rack, my movements quick and productive. "Yes, ma'am," I replied, my voice neutral as I dried my hands on the worn towel hanging from the hook.Jolene's

Harper’s POV His expression did not change. “I hear many things.”“That sounds vague.”“It was meant to.”I narrowed my eyes at him. “You came all the way here just to speak in riddles?”A faint smile touched his mouth briefly. “No. I came because your Alpha invited me.”Your Alpha.The words felt strange in my chest.I looked toward Damon again without thinking.Vanessa stood near him now, one hand resting possessively on his arm while speaking to him. Damon barely reacted to her touch.Tina, however, looked thrilled by the sight.Bitch.Kael’s voice pulled my attention back again. “You keep watching him.”I stiffened slightly.“I’m watching everyone,” I said smoothly.Kael held my gaze for a second longer like he knew I was avoiding something, but thankfully, he let it go.The dance floor moved slowly around us while whispers spread through the hall.I could practically feel the attention on us. Not because of me, but because Kael Valleys rarely danced with anyone publicly.And bec

Harper’s POV It was our pack's turn to host the Annual Werewolves Regional Night and MoonShine Pack’s mansion looked like it had swallowed half the region’s wealth tonight. Expensive chandeliers hung over the massive hall. Wolves dressed in dark suits and glittering gowns filled the room. Guards stood at every corner. Alphas laughed loudly while pretending they were not measuring each other like predators.And in the middle of all of it sat Damon.Cold. Untouchable and watching everyone.My stomach tightened.This entire gathering was a message.Damon Hudson ruled MoonShine Pack now, and tonight he was making sure every neighboring Alpha remembered it.“You look tense.”I glanced beside me at Glynn.“You don’t?” I muttered.She snorted. “Please. Half these men look like they’d kill each other over seating arrangements.”I almost smiled. Almost.Then the hall suddenly went quiet, not fully quiet. But enough. Enough that heads started turning toward the entrance. Enough that conversa

Harper’s POV The dagger was beautiful.That was the first thing that hit me, and I hated myself for thinking it.It lay in my palm, catching the thin light filtering through the trees, and it was — gorgeous. The blade was slim and elegant, almost delicate-looking. The kind of thing you'd expect to see mounted on a wall somewhere, not buried under dirt and roots at the edge of a rogue attack site. The handle was wrapped in dark leather, worn smooth in all the right places, like someone had held it many times before.Someone who knew exactly what they were doing.My hands were already trembling by the time I turned it over."Okay," I whispered to myself. "Okay. Think."But I couldn't think. My brain was doing that thing it does when something is too wrong to process — just spinning, spinning, spinning and not landing anywhere solid.This wasn't left behind in a panic. This wasn't something that fell from a rogue's pocket mid-fight. The cloth it was wrapped in was folded. Deliberate. Th

Harper’s POV I knelt down by the tree root, my knees sinking into the damp dirt. My hands shook as I brushed away leaves and loose soil. "What the hell is this?" I whispered to myself, heart slamming against my ribs like it wanted to burst out. The forest stayed too quiet after the rogue attack. No birds, no wind in the leaves. I dug with my fingers, my nails scraping against roots and rocks. Dirt packed under them, but I didn't stop. "Come on, show me something. Anything." My voice came out small, shaky. I kept glancing over my shoulder even though I knew the pack had moved out. Damon would lose his mind if he found me here alone. But I couldn't shake the feeling that this was meant for me. Tristan's scent still hung faint in the air, mixed with blood and silver. It made my stomach twist.My fingers hit something soft. Cloth. I froze for a second, breath caught. "Okay, Harper. Just pull it out. You can do this." I tugged carefully, not wanting to tear whatever was wrapped inside. T

Harper’s POV I stood there in my room, my heart still racing from the way Damon had touched me. His fingers on my shoulder had been so gentle, like he was afraid I'd break. But I couldn't let that softness fool me. Not now. Not when everything felt like it was closing in.A knock sounded on the door. Damon had barely left before one of the pack hunters pushed in, looking dusty and out of breath. I stayed quiet in the corner, pretending to fold clothes, but my ears were wide open."Alpha," the hunter said, voice low. "That rogue attack... it doesn't add up. We went back to check the site like you asked. There were tracks circling the whole area. Not rogue prints. These were different—boots, maybe, and some kind of wheels. Like someone set the whole thing up and waited."Damon’s face went hard. "Explain.""The rogue came straight at the omegas, but those circling tracks? They boxed us in. Almost like they wanted us distracted."My stomach dropped. I stepped forward before I could stop

Harper’s POV “Get off me—” I tried to jerk away, but he held firm, his big hands sliding over my ribs, my back, my hips.“You could’ve died,” he growled, voice cracking with something raw. I had never seen Damon like that before. “You scared the shit out of me, Harper. Do you understand that? I watched that rogue go for you and I thought—”He stopped, allowing himself to breathe hard. The admission hit me like a punch to the gut. Did Damon— the cold, ruthless and always in control Damon—just admit that he was scared for me? My heart fluttered. A warm, dangerous flutter bloomed in my chest, but I quickly shoved it down. I refused to let him see how much those words affected me.“I’m fine,” I said coldly, trying to twist away again.But then his eyes dropped to my shoulder. The torn fabric showed the ugly claw marks still oozing blood. His entire expression changed. Fresh anger flashed across his face, darker this time.“Fuck,” he hissed.Before I could protest, he stormed over to the