Novels by Delancyquin

Selene’s POVI froze, my limbs trembling as the Shade’s voice slid through the clearing like smoke curling around the trees.“Your blood remembers me… even if you don’t,” it whispered again, low, deliberate, almost savoring each word.Arden’s hands clamped over my shoulders, anchoring me. His body pressed close behind me, muscles taut. “Selene… don’t speak. Don’t even breathe in its direction.”“I… I can’t just—” My throat felt dry, as if even a word might call it closer.“You will,” he growled under his breath. “Do not respond. Do you understand?”“Yes,” I whispered, though my voice shook.A low hiss came from the shadows, and I could feel the weight of its gaze on me. Cold. Possessive. Wrong. My chest tightened.Arden’s jaw clenched. “It knows you. Selene. And it doesn’t care about anything else.”“I… don’t understand. How can it—how can it know me?” My voice cracked.“You’re Luna-blood,” Arden said, his tone sharp, urgent. “That’s not a question. It remembers the line. It senses it

Selene’s POV The moment we stepped out of the treeline, the air shifted. Not the forest’s usual hush—this was different. Voices. Dozens of them. A low, tense hum. Arden’s hand shot out across my stomach, stopping me before I stepped into the open clearing. “Stay behind me,” he murmured, but his voice wasn’t sharp. More… unsettled. I peeked around him. There were people—wolves—gathered near the half-collapsed cabin by the ravine. Lanterns flickered against their silhouettes, illuminating drawn weapons and wary eyes. “Who are they?” I whispered. Arden exhaled slowly. “Rogues. But not the usual kind.” Before I could ask what he meant, a woman stepped forward from the group. Tall, lean, with dark braids and a scar slashing across one cheek. Her yellow eyes glowed even without shifting. When she saw Arden, her lips parted in genuine surprise. “You?” she said softly. “I thought you were dead.” “Disappointed?” Arden replied dryly. She barked a short laugh. “Actually? Relieved.”

Selene’s POVArden pulled me through the hallway like the building was collapsing behind us. His hand was burning against mine, his breath sharp with urgency. The air outside the abandoned room was colder, filled with the scent of wet pine and something sour beneath it—like rot trying to hide under fresh leaves.The earth trembled again.“Arden—what is that thing?” I asked, struggling to match his pace.He didn’t answer at first. I could feel the tension coiled inside him—like every step was a countdown he was trying to outrun.“It isn’t a wolf,” he said finally. “It’s older. And it knows you woke up.”A chill slid down my spine. “It’s after me?”“Yes.”A tree outside snapped in half like a twig. The crack echoed through my bones.I swallowed hard. “Because of my bloodline?”“Because of your power,” he corrected. “And because something in you called it.”I didn’t know which answer was worse.We burst out the back door just as another tremor ran through the earth. The forest ahead seem

Selene’s POVArden’s grip tightened around my wrist the moment the footsteps echoed down the hall—fast, sharp, purposeful.“Selene,” he breathed, voice low and urgent, “come here.”Before I could ask what was happening, he pulled me toward the darkest corner of the abandoned room—a narrow space behind a broken wooden cabinet, just big enough for the two of us to fit.“Arden—”“Quiet.”He pressed a hand gently over my mouth, not harsh, not forceful—just enough to steady my breathing. His body boxed me in completely, warmth and scent enveloping me until the outside world felt distant.The door was shoved open with a single brutal kick.Arden pressed closer against me, effectively caging me in. His heartbeat vibrated against my chest.“Someone’s here,” he mouthed.No.Not someone.A hunter.A blade was unsheathed—metal dragging across metal, cold and deadly.The hunter’s voice cut through the darkness.“Alpha Arden? I know you’re here. And the girl—you brought her with you, didn’t you?”

Selene's POV Arden’s hand cupped my jaw before I could stop trembling. “Selene. Look at me.” I lifted my eyes to his, and everything else blurred—the room, the cold air, even the echo of that voice in my head. Only his face was solid, his stare sharp enough to slice through the panic squeezing my chest. “You’re here,” he said. Not a question. A command to my breath. “Stay with me.” “I’m trying,” I whispered. “Then try harder.” His forehead touched mine. “I’ve got you.” My fingers curled into his shirt, twisting it. I didn’t even realize I’d done it until his heartbeat thudded against my knuckles. Arden covered my hands with his own. “Tell me what happened.” “I… I heard him,” I said. “Not outside. Not in the room. In my head.” Arden’s jaw flexed. “What did he say?” “I don’t know if I can…” My voice cracked. Something in my throat locked every time I tried to say it. “Selene,” he murmured, “don’t be afraid to use your voice.” “I’m not afraid,” I shot back—too fast, too defe

Selene's POV “Arden—don’t move—” “I’m not leaving you,” he growled, dragging himself upright even though his legs shook violently. “Selene, get behind me.” But I couldn’t move. Not because of fear—because the thing standing at the edge of the clearing was staring at me like it already owned the air I breathed. Arden followed my stare and stiffened. “What the hell is that?” The stranger let out a quiet laugh. “Your replacement.” “Shut up,” Arden snapped. “Selene, don’t listen to anything he says.” I wanted to answer him. I wanted to take one step back, just one, but the silver-veined creature held my gaze like a hand around my throat. Not choking—just… holding. Claiming. A low hum rose in my chest, a pulse that wasn’t mine, wasn’t Arden’s, and felt too close to the energy that had burst out of me earlier. Arden noticed. “Selene,” he whispered, voice breaking, “your eyes—” “I know,” I whispered back. “I feel it.” The stranger tilted his head at me, amused. “She’s finally hear

Mira's P.O.V“Luca… what do you mean my father knows the truth?”I could barely form the words. My voice came out thin, like it didn’t belong to me.Luca didn’t look away.He didn’t flinch.He didn’t soften the blow.“He was there,” he said quietly. “The night everything happened.”My pulse spiked painfully. “That’s impossible.”“It’s not.”“My father would never—”“He did,” Luca cut in, firm but calm. “He was involved whether he wanted to be or not.”I shook my head. “No. You’re talking about the man who stopped his life to raise me. The man who sacrificed everything for our family. He wouldn’t hide something like this. Not from me.”“He hid it from everyone,” Luca replied. “Including me.”Alina shifted in his arms, tiny fingers curling into his shirt. Luca instinctively held her closer, like she was the only thing tethering him to the ground.“Mira,” he added softly, “you’ve spent your whole life believing your parents were perfect.”“I never said perfect,” I whispered.“You treated

Mira's P.O.V“Rafael told you?”Luca’s voice was the first thing I heard the moment he entered the room—quiet, sharp, edged with something colder than anger. I froze, Alina still resting against my shoulder, her soft breaths brushing my neck.He wasn’t yelling.He didn’t need to.His silence hit harder.“Luca,” I whispered, stepping forward. “I was going to tell you—”“Were you?” He removed his gloves slowly, like he was unraveling his composure thread by thread. “Or were you waiting again? Letting someone else break the truth to me while you decide what part I deserve to hear?”I swallowed. “It wasn’t like that.”He looked at me for the first time—really looked—and my chest tightened. Not with fear… with guilt.Alina whimpered. The sound made him blink, soften for half a second before the tension slammed back into place.“I heard Matteo,” Luca said quietly. “I heard every word he threw at you.”My stomach dropped.“And I heard what you asked Rafael,” Luca added. “Over and over. Beggi

Mira's P.O.V“Rafael… answer me,” I said the moment the door finally slammed shut behind us. My voice was raw, shaking. “You heard what he said. You heard every word Matteo threw at me. So tell me—tell me he lied.”Rafael didn’t respond.He locked the deadbolt twice, shoulders rigid, breathing hard. I watched his hands—they were shaking. His knuckles were torn from holding the door against Matteo.Alina whimpered quietly against my chest, her little fist curling into my blouse. She was frightened. I was terrified.“Rafael,” I whispered, stepping closer, “look at me. Please.”“I’m trying to think,” he muttered, running a hand through his hair.“No,” I corrected, voice cracking. “You’re trying to decide whether to lie to me.”His jaw tightened.I clutched Alina closer, feeling her tiny heartbeat flutter. “You didn’t deny it. You didn’t deny anything he said. Not once.”“Mira—”“He said my mother caused Luca’s sister’s death.” My breath turned shallow. “He said she betrayed her. Betrayed

Mira’s P.O.V “Rafael… look at me. LOOK at me and tell me he didn’t do it.” I said it before I even realized the words had left my mouth. My voice cracked, thin, desperate. Alina whimpered against my chest, feeling the fear trembling through me. My arms tightened around her instinctively. Rafael didn’t move. He kept his shoulder pressed against the splintering door, breaths harsh, sweat sliding down his temple. But he would not look at me. “Rafael,” I whispered again, “please. Did Luca hurt my mother?” “I told you—this is not the time—” “THEN WHEN?!” I snapped. “WHEN, RAFAEL? When everything is destroyed? When Matteo already gets inside? When my entire life collapses? Tell me NOW!” Matteo chuckled from the opposite side of the cracking wood. “The truth doesn’t wait for the perfect moment, Mira.” “SHUT UP!” Rafael shouted. “I’m not talking to YOU!” I yelled at Matteo. “I want answers from someone who actually cared about me!” Matteo hummed softly. “Are you sure he did? Cared

Mira's P.O.V“Rafael, tell me the truth!”I didn’t even recognize my own voice—shaky, cracked, breaking apart with every breath. Alina cried against my chest, her tiny fingers curled into my shirt like she understood every terrifying word hanging in the air.“I can’t—NOT NOW!” Rafael shouted back, pressing his entire body against the door as it rattled violently. “Mira, get away! MOVE!”“I’m not moving until you answer me!” I stepped forward despite my legs trembling. “Did Luca know my mother? Did he—did he really take me that night?!”Matteo laughed through the widening crack in the wood. “She already knows the answer. She can FEEL it.”“SHUT UP!” Rafael bellowed, shoving his shoulder into the door again. “You don’t get to say her name. You don’t get to talk about her mother!”“Why not?” Matteo asked, voice calm, almost gentle. “She was more honest with me than she ever was with you.”“STOP!” I cried. “Both of you—just STOP—please!”But neither of them did.“Mira,” Matteo said softly

Mira's P.O.V“Rafael, what does he mean?”My voice shook as the door groaned again, splintering under Matteo’s weight. I backed up instinctively, clutching Alina so tightly she started to fuss, her soft hiccups brushing against my neck.“Don’t listen to him!” Rafael barked without looking back. “Mira, stay in the corner—stay far from this damn door!”“I’m asking you,” I cried, voice cracking. “Did Luca really take me? Does Matteo know what he’s talking about? Rafael—look at me! Please!”“I can’t look at you right now,” he growled, shoving his shoulder harder into the wood. “I’m trying to keep him OUT.”From the widening crack at the door, Matteo let out a low, amused breath.“Rafael… let her ask. She deserves answers.”“Shut. Up.” Rafael slammed his full weight forward, but the door was losing its strength. “You don’t get to say what she deserves.”“Why not?” Matteo asked lazily. “I’ve waited years for this.”“Waited for WHAT?” I snapped back, my voice shaking between fear and fury. “

Ariana’s POV“W-what do you mean?”My voice barely escaped my throat. The air felt thin, like the room had shrunk around us.Leo stiffened beside me, jaw tightening. “Ariana, don’t listen to him.”The men at the door stood tense, watching everything with military stillness. The storm hissed against the windows. My pulse hammered so loudly it felt like it was echoing off the walls.I swallowed hard. “Ethan… what are you talking about?”Static crackled on the line—just long enough for dread to crawl up my spine.Then Ethan spoke again, quieter this time, the fear in his voice chilling.“Ariana… someone is lying to you.”Leo let out a sharp exhale. “He’s manipulating you. You know what he does—”“Leo, stop,” I whispered, eyes fixed on the phone like it might bite.Ethan’s voice returned, strained.“Ariana, listen carefully. You need to step away from him.”My breath caught. “From… who?”Silence.A heavy, awful silence.Leo’s hand brushed my elbow, trying to pull me slightly behind him. I

Ariana’s POVThe knock came again—sharp, impatient, echoing through the penthouse like a warning shot.I froze. Leo stepped in front of me without thinking, his arm brushing mine, tense like a wire pulled too tight.“Ariana,” he whispered, barely moving his lips, “don’t answer that yet.”My heartbeat hammered against my ribs. The storm outside pressed against the glass like it wanted to come in, wind howling, rain slashing sideways. Everything felt too loud—my pulse, the thunder, the shallow rise and fall of Leo’s breath.Another knock. This one harder.“Ariana Navarro,” the voice repeated, deeper this time. “Open the door. Now.”Leo muttered under his breath, “That doesn’t sound like hotel staff.”“No,” I said, trying to swallow the dryness in my throat. “It doesn’t.”I took a step back, my heel brushing against the edge of the rug. Leo positioned himself fully in front of me now, shoulders square, soaked clothes clinging to him from earlier. He looked like he was ready to fight whoe

Ariana’s POVThe moment Ethan disappeared behind the door, the penthouse felt wrong—too huge, too hollow, too loud with the sounds I didn’t want to hear. The storm outside slammed against the windows, a restless tapping that matched the uneven beat in my chest.“Ariana… tell me what you need.”Leo’s voice came from behind me—soft, careful, almost guilty. But I didn’t turn around. My eyes stayed glued to the door Ethan slammed, the faint vibration still shivering through the frame.“Ariana,” Leo said again, footsteps squishing softly on the puddles he’d dragged inside. “I didn’t come here to make things worse. I came because—”“Because what?” My voice cracked. I faced him slowly, each word a little heavier than the last. “Because you think you know what’s best for me?”Leo looked like the storm had swallowed him. His clothes were soaked, hair dripping, chest rising and falling like he’d sprinted across half the city just to stand here. But his eyes—steady, intent—held mine like he was

Ethan’s POVThe moment the door slammed behind me, the sound ricocheted down the hallway—sharp, metallic, final.My breath burned in my chest as I strode toward the elevator, every step echoing like a curse against the marble floor.I didn’t want to look back.I didn’t want to see her reaching for me again.But her voice—her voice was all I heard.“Don’t make me choose.”The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime, and I stepped inside. The walls felt too close, the air too thin. My hand hovered over the panel, but I didn’t press anything.A throbbing pulsed at the base of my skull. I braced my hands against the cool metal railing, grounding myself, forcing the anger out of my breath before it consumed me.My reflection on the mirrored wall stared back—jaw clenched, eyes too dark, shoulders rigid with a tension I couldn’t hide.“A midnight visit,” I muttered under my breath. “In my penthouse.”The door inched forward, about to close—But a hand slammed against the panel.The elevat

The silence in the penthouse was unbearable. Even the city outside—its muted hum of horns, laughter, and occasional shouts drifting up from the street below—seemed too far away, too detached, as though mocking the storm that brewed inside me. I paced across the living room, barefoot on the cool marble floors. My skin prickled with the remnants of the argument I’d had with Ethan hours ago, his words replaying in a loop inside my head. “You think love alone can keep you safe? Ariana, the world I live in will devour you if you keep searching for truths that are better left buried.” That voice, clipped and cold, still lingered in the air like smoke. Yet beneath it, I had seen it—the flicker in his eyes, the hesitation that betrayed the iron walls he constantly built. I wrapped my arms around myself as if I could shield my heart from breaking any further. But the truth was, I was tired. Tired of running after answers. Tired of c

The house felt too big that morning. I woke to silence—not the peaceful kind, but the kind that made your chest tighten. The sheets beside me were still warm, so Ethan must have slipped out of bed not too long ago. I could still smell his cologne faintly on the pillow, that sharp, clean scent that used to comfort me. Now it only reminded me of how close he was and yet how far he felt. I lay there for a while, staring at the ceiling, listening to the hum of the air-conditioning and the faint sounds of the city outside. Cars honking in the distance, a dog barking somewhere beyond the gates. Normal life kept moving, while inside me everything had slowed to a crawl. When I finally dragged myself out of bed, I wrapped the silk robe tighter around my body. My skin felt cold, though the sun was already spilling light through the tall windows. Downstairs, the staff moved quietly, like they knew something was wrong but didn’t dare speak it. Every

AMARA’S P.O.V“About Luke?”Marcus repeated it so quietly it almost didn’t sound like his voice.I nodded, even though my throat felt tight. The air between us shifted—like something we’d both been pretending not to notice finally stepped fully into the room.He sat very still, elbows on his knees, hands clasped together. “Okay,” he said. “Then… talk.”I swallowed. “I don’t even know where to start.”“Start anywhere,” he murmured. “Just don’t lie to me.”That part stung, not because it was harsh, but because it was fair.I took a slow breath. “He showed up last night.”Marcus’s shoulders tensed. He didn’t interrupt, didn’t snap, didn’t stand—he just stared at the floor like he was bracing himself.“He knocked on the door,” I continued. “And I let him in.”His jaw flexed, but his voice stayed steady. “Why?”“I don’t know,” I said honestly. “Maybe because I was angry. Maybe because I was hurt. Maybe because I didn’t want to be alone after you walked out. Maybe all of it.”He nodded once

AMARA’S P.O.V“Where were you?”The question left my mouth the second the front door opened.Marcus froze in the doorway, keys still in his hand, hair wind-tossed, eyes tired. He didn’t even step in yet, just stood there like he hadn’t expected me to be right there waiting.“I needed space,” he said quietly.“That’s not an answer,” I shot back. My voice cracked, betraying how long I’d been holding everything in. “You disappeared for a whole day, Marcus.”He shut the door behind him, gently, like he was afraid to cause any more noise. “And you needed space too.”“That’s not your decision to make,” I said.He sighed and walked past me into the living room. Not touching me. Not looking too long. Just… existing in the same room like a stranger who knew where everything was.“You’re exhausted,” he murmured.“Don’t tell me what I am.”I followed him, because the distance felt unbearable after all the hours of nothing.He sat down on the edge of the couch, hands clasped tightly. “Amara, we s

AMARA’S P.O.V The day stretched on like a punishment. I woke up with the blanket still tangled around me on the couch. My neck ached from the awkward angle I had curled into, and my back felt stiff, like even my body was protesting how I’d slept. The first few seconds were fog—then the silence hit me, thick and total. I turned my head toward the window. The curtains didn’t block much, just softened the light into a pale rectangle that stretched across the floor. Not bright. Not warm. Just late morning, maybe close to noon. Marcus still wasn’t home. My hand moved automatically toward my phone. I didn’t even think—just reached. The screen lit up and my stomach sank at the emptiness. No text. No call. Not from him. Not from Luke. Just notifications that had nothing to do with me. Discounts. Subscriptions. Useless reminders. All these things shouting about a world that was fine, untouched, while mine felt like it was quietly cracking in two. I sat there with the phone in my hand for

AMARA'S P.O.V The door closed with the softest click, but it reverberated in my bones like a gunshot. Silence followed—thick, oppressive, almost alive. I stayed standing there, one hand on the knob, forehead against the wood. My chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths, as if part of me still expected him to knock again. To stay. To refuse to leave. But he didn’t. Luke was gone. And Marcus was still nowhere to be found. The house was too quiet, every shadow stretched thin by the early light seeping through the curtains. It wasn’t even morning yet, not fully—the world outside still wore that strange half-light where the sky can’t decide between night and day. I hated that hour. Too honest. Too raw. It exposed everything you’d tried to bury in the dark. I walked back toward the living room, but my legs felt like they were moving through water. The couch swallowed me the moment I sat down. My body sagged against the cushions, but my mind refused to rest. I kept hea

AMARA'S P.O.V The message burned on the screen: I’m outside. For a moment, I couldn’t breathe. My hand went clammy around the phone, thumb hovering like I might erase the words just by touching them. But no, they stayed there, glowing, undeniable. I looked up at the window. The curtains were thin enough that faint morning light was starting to seep through. Grey, weak, not the golden kind you’d welcome—it was the kind that made everything look colder. My chest tightened. Outside. He was actually outside. I told myself not to move. To stay on the floor where I was, where my body had slumped against the wall after hours of waiting for Marcus. Just stay. Pretend I never saw it. Pretend I’m asleep. Pretend none of this is happening. But my legs moved anyway. Clumsy, stiff, like they weren’t mine. Each step felt like betrayal, but I kept walking toward the door. The hallway was quiet, too quiet. Even the creak of the floor under my feet sounded like a confession. My hand found the

AMARA'S P.O.V The space on the hook gaped at me like an open wound. One hook empty, one still holding my keys. His absence was loud, louder than any slammed door or shouted word. I couldn’t move. My body stayed frozen in the hallway, bare feet glued to the cold floor, eyes fixed on the missing keys as if staring long enough could summon him back. It was 2 a.m. What reason did a man have to leave at 2 a.m.? The seconds dragged, the clock ticking faintly above the doorway, each sound pounding inside my head. My fingers curled tighter around the edge of the table until my knuckles ached. I told myself not to spiral. Not to think of the worst. But the images came anyway, flooding me mercilessly. Marcus behind the wheel, jaw set, hands steady. Driving to—what? Another woman? A secret meeting? A place I had no part in? I squeezed my eyes shut, but that only made it worse. My imagination filled in the blanks with cruel efficiency. A dimly lit street. A door opening. His body leaning