Novels by Ava Bellemont

Serena's POV (as interpreted by Kael)I never felt right using the word "ritual." At Dravenhold, it had nothing to do with candles, chants,and sworn oaths. Here, it meant teeth bared, blood spilled, and shattered pride until one wolfstood tall enough to claim its dominance.This morning, the circle for the dominance trials glistened with rain water, while countless bootschurned the dirt floor. Three names were called, and mine was the last."Kael Draven."The courtyard noise in the dorms escalated the moment I entered the ring. Everyone lovedthese rituals-praise moments-in their ideas, almost like watching wolves tear each other apartwas camaraderie.In front of me, three second-years prowled into place. Bigger. Older. Smirks reflected on theirmouths. One knuckled his fist, loud enough so that it echoed. Another tore his disdainful gazeover me, as if I were not worth the effort of him even wasting claws on."What are the rules?" I kept my voice steady.A grin full of teeth appe

Serena POV (as Kael)Before it was time for me, the metallic taste of blood hung in the air. The sparring ring atDravenhold had seen that a hundred times over-after sweat, claws, and fists have sunk prideinto the soil. Today, the scent was thicker to the choking point, with already rust-stained sandunder our boots from previous fights.I, too, installed bone-deep among the other first-years in gray stone benches encircling the pit,fists clenched so tight that my knuckles ached. The crowd was rattling, buzzing like a swarm ofhornets, eager for the next display. Entertainment to them; survival for me."Next"!The instructor's bark cut through that din. My stomach lurched when I realized he was watchingme.For one heartbeat, I could not move. Then I swallowed, forced air into my lungs, and stood. Mylegs felt heavy as I descended the steps into the ring. Boots sank into packed earth, the groundtrembling faintly from the echoes of the last clash.I rolled my shoulders as if to mimi

Serena’s POV (as Kael)The academy klaxon ripped me out of sleep before dawn, a brass note that rattled my bones. I shot upright, heart hammering, and my hand flew beneath the blanket on instinct.Flat.A shaky breath slid out of me. The concealment still held—broad shoulders, straight lines, no softness left to betray me. Serena was buried; Kael Draven stood in her place.I dressed fast—coarse training tunic, boots laced tight with clumsy, trembling fingers. Every muscle throbbed from a night spent sleeping too still, too careful. The cot had been nothing but a battlefield of restraint, every twitch monitored so I wouldn’t roll onto my side and give myself away.This wasn’t a normal morning. It was the first trial. The one that would decide whether I could stand shoulder to shoulder with boys bred for war—or whether I’d be flung out into disgrace before I’d even begun.Outside, the world was iron-gray and bristling. Recruits clustered across the yard, laughing too loud, stretching li

Serena’s POV (as Kael)My palms wouldn’t stop sweating.I curled them into fists and drew in a slow breath, standing stiffly in the line that snaked across the courtyard. The first light of dawn burned gold against Dravenhold Academy’s massive blackstone walls, throwing shadows across the waiting boys. Real heirs. Born leaders. Future Alphas.And then there was me—hidden in Kael’s identity, clutching his forged papers, praying my heartbeat wasn’t loud enough for everyone to hear.“Next!” a voice bellowed.I flinched.“Kael Draven!”That was me.I forced my legs to move, carrying me into the registration chamber. Behind a wide desk sat a tall official with iron-gray hair, his sharp eyes cutting into me like blades. He accepted the documents with no hint of expression—bloodline record, crest seal, and the crafted ID Ryan and I had poured nights into perfecting.“Draven lineage,” the man murmured as his thumb traced the crest. “It’s been some time since one of you came through these hall

Serena’s POVAlpha Magnus Draven looked up from the parchment he had been reviewing, his features carved in stern lines. But when his eyes met mine, the severity eased.“Serena,” he said, his voice gentling as he set the scroll aside. “Why do you look so grave, child?”I forced a small smile, stepping closer as I held out the letter Kael had forged. “Papa, we need to talk.”He accepted the parchment but didn’t open it immediately. His dark brows lifted. “And what is this?”“I’ve been listening,” I said carefully, shaping each word before I let it pass. “To you. To the council. To all of them saying this pack needs a strong Alpha. And that they’d never allow a woman to lead.”Concern flickered across his face. “Go on.”“So… I applied to Selvara Academy,” I confessed, my heart slamming against my ribs. “I told no one. Not even you. I didn’t know if they’d accept me. But I couldn’t keep fighting a losing battle. If I can’t be the Alpha Ironfang needs—”I swallowed, forcing the words out

Serena’s POV“I did it,” I laughed into the wind. “I actually did it.” I urged my mare faster, trees whipping by as the sun threw gold bars across the trail. I had to keep one hand on the reins and the other clenched around the letter that was changing my life.Dravenhold Academy had accepted me.Accepted Kael Draven, technically—but Kael was me, or would be, if I pulled the rest off.The granite gates of Bloodfang groaned open, guards dipping their heads as soon as they saw me. I slid from the saddle in one motion and jogged for the main house, heart drumming a battle rhythm.My uncle—Alpha Corvin Draven—sat on the porch like a mountain in a chair, silver-shot beard catching the light. “Well, well,” he rumbled, opening his arms. “Ironfang’s wild cub returns.”I crashed into his hug. “I missed you.”He squeezed once, then eyed me. “That look says ‘trouble.’ Let me guess—you need Kael.”“Do I ever.” I grinned. “Is he in?”“Same mess, same room.”I was already taking the stairs two at a

Cael’s POVI awoke from sleep because my phone began to buzz. I groaned and dragged it off the nightstand and squinted at the screen.Missed calls. A ton of them. From mom.My chest tightened. What now?I pulled myself upright, dragged my hand over my face, and quickly dials her back. She answered on the first ring."Cael Marcellus!" Her voice harrowed and cut through my half-awake state. "Where are you?""I just woke up," I muttered, swinging my legs off the bed. "What's wrong?""What's wrong?" she repeated, pitch rising. "You were supposed to be at the airport already! Your sister is landing, and you-"I froze halfway to the bathroom. "Wait, what? Selene? Why would I pick her up in the middle of a semester?"She let out a long, frustrated sigh. "Oh for heaven's sake, Cael. If you weren't so wrapped up in your world, you would know she graduated last month! I've told you that three times. And this weekend is my wedding, so she figured this is the best time to come home, but obviously

Cael’s POVVictor's eyes darted between me and his younger brother. His brows were knitted. "You two already know each other?"Lucian gave no indication of readiness to move an inch but simply leaned back in his chair with a grin. "Who doesn't know Cael Marcellus? He is reputed. I was just surprised to see him here as family; that's it."Victor chuckled, satisfied with the explanation. "Well then, I'm even more pleased. To have such a reputational man of a stepson is an honor. Isolde is very lucky."My mother beamed, her eyes warm on me. "Don't I know it." Turning to me, her tone then turned playful. "And I wouldn't mind a painting for my wedding gift, Cael. Something special. Something only my son could create."I almost actually smiled. "We'll see what I can do."The dinner droned on with the same endless talk of my art, of Victor's business, and of the million wedding plans that multiplied every second. I nodded and answered questions whenever they came, but my mind was very far aw

Cael’s POV“Home…not so sweet home.” I mumbled as I stepped into my bedroom.I just had the intention to enter the bedroom, lay down on the bed, and erase everything from my mind.Adrian was already gone. The suits had disappeared; the cologne bottles were vanished from the line they had occupied on the dresser; the framed photo of us which he had insisted on keeping next to the bed was also gone. Only his closet door stood ajar on a bare wardrobe.I stood at the doorframe for eternity, feeling utterly drained, the quaking voice of Claire, Adrian’s pathetic excuses, and some dim person from last night’s resurfacing felt like a surreal touch washed off from my skin.Deepest regrets came slamming through, and for the next thirty seconds, I found myself cursing in the bathroom, the shower at maximum heat, I thought, because nothing would really wash the filth off anyway.Downstairs, starvation hit me like a ton of bricks. I retrieved some eggs and bread and tried to concentrate on the m

Cael's POVStanding there, I felt stupid. I stared at Adrian as if he had been someone else."You said you could explain," I slowly forced the words through a tight throat. "So explain."Adrian dragged his hand down his face. "Cael, it wasn't what it seemed." He paused and continued in almost a gasp. "She used me. She knew I was vulnerable; she took advantage."Claire gasped. "That is not true!"Ignoring her, Adrian moved closer. "She has been working for me for two years, you know that. Always around, always playing innocent. Then one night, it just... happened. I wasn't planning it. She set me up, and I..."What Were You Thinking? My voice rose and cracked more than I intended: “You forgot you're gay? You forgot about me? You forgot about us?”His face twisted in shame, but his words came out fast, desperate: "I don't know what happened to me. She seduced me, and I gave in. But I swear, Cael, I love you. You're the only one I want. That baby-" He looked at Claire coldly, making sick

Cael's POVThe flashbulbs were still bright in my eyes as my driver whisked me away from the auction house. It felt as though I was the talk of everyone tonight-Cael Marcellus, the artist himself, the one who fetched the highest piece in his recent work to date. It went on and on as reporters shoved their microphones at me for comments on what I was going to do next for an artwork, how it felt to hear the title "father of a new generation."I smiled, nodded, bought them the answers, but frankly, my mind was nowhere in that glittering hall. Applause and champagne meant nothing when my personal life was crashing down.Adrian and I had been at one another's throats for a week now, fighting about everything and nothing, something that was bound to explode from those tiny little things.His complaints were always ok the same thing. He always complained that I would ignore him, too focused on my career-to-unavailable, so words had been particularly biting and harsh coming from him, conside