Novels by Lillith Black

Before I could even process what was happening, the man stepped into the cell and grabbed my arm, pulling me out with a force that left no room for protest.The darkness in the cell had masked his features, but now, standing in the dimly lit corridor, I could see him more clearly. My heart skipped a beat, and my voice cracked as I whispered, "Nikolai?"Before I could say another word, his hand clamped over my mouth, his touch both urgent and gentle. I nodded quickly, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. His presence was a small comfort in this nightmare.Nikolai, my brother by bond, had once been shorter than me, but now stood taller by at least a foot, his lanky build making him seem awkward to most, but I knew better. His curly brown hair and brown eyes, though familiar, looked different now—harder, more intense, like he’d been through something I couldn’t quite grasp.As we hurried down the narrow corridor, I could see the tension in his every step, his eyes constantly scanning f

How many days have passed?I leaned against the cold stonewall of the cell, the dampness soaking through my clothes. The small room—no, holding cell—was far from the grandeur of the Hunter mansion.A flickering bulb overhead was the only light, casting long, dancing shadows. The metal door before me remained sealed shut.Even though I was supposed to meet the Lombardi’s like Seraphina had said, I actually ended up shoved into this cell. Maybe they were afraid I would mess up their plans. And I would have if I had gotten the chance, but I didn’t.I was trapped.It wasn’t new. I’d been trapped since the day my parents died, since Desmond twisted everything I’d known into something ugly.But this was different. This wasn’t just another insult, a slap or a punishment. This was serious.This was where the Hunter pack did its dirty work.If my parents had been alive, I might have been on the other side of this door, running the pack’s business. But the Evangeline Pack was long gone. Desmond

I stared at my reflection in the cracked mirror, trying to steady my breath. My pulse raced, not from exertion, but from the gnawing panic deep in my chest. Today was no ordinary day. I knew what was coming.It had only been hours since my uncle had told me I was to be married off to the Lombardi pack. A forced marriage. My stomach twisted at the thought.I needed to clear my head. Quickly pulling on a worn pair of jeans and a simple gray dress shirt, I tried to brush out my hair when a knock interrupted me."Nyxia," Seraphina’s clipped voice came through the door, making me pause. “You won’t be going anywhere in those clothes. Change.”I turned to see her holding a knee-length, white formal dress—something extravagant, and completely unnecessary for someone just heading out.“I’m not going to a wedding,” I said through gritted teeth.“Not yet,” she replied, her eyes cold. “But you need to look the part when the Lombardis arrive today.”Today. The Lombardis. My panic spiked. I took a

His presence was overwhelming, not just because of his sheer size, but because there was something about him that made my skin tingle and my heart race—something eerily familiar. My eyes traced his black suit and vest, and for a split second, I was frozen, unable to move or speak.My wrist throbbed, and I inhaled sharply as I quickly took a step back, his hands finally letting go of my arms.Where had I seen him before?Before I could place him, the butler’s voice echoed through the hallway. "Mr. Lombardi, your brother is waiting for you in the parlor."Lombardi? My heart skipped a beat, panic swelling in my chest. Surely not?The Lombardi were the most powerful werewolf pack in the region. Why was he here? Why was anyone from their pack here?I swallowed hard, trying to hide the rising panic, but the longer I stared at him, the more I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. His scent was intoxicating—earthy, like rain-soaked pine needles mixed with something sharp, almost

My palms were slick with sweat as I wiped them on my dress, the fabric catching on my trembling fingers.Six more days.That’s all I had left. Just six days before I could legally take over my parents’ company, Evangeline Interiors, and finally escape this hell. But now… now it felt like everything was crumbling around me, faster than I could control.I stood in the corner of the grand dining room. The pain in my wrist now forgotten. Desmond and Seraphina had me pinned here, figuratively if not literally, and my mind raced over what had just happened.Ezra, my cousin had caught me ‘loitering’ outside the room and had dragged me in to stand in front of his parents.Smirking as they both started seething with anger. Seraphina had gotten up, and even before she did something, I knew what was coming. I braced myself for the slap, and it did, the impact making me hiss in pain.She’d slapped me hard enough to split my lip open, and I could still taste the metallic tang of blood in my mouth.

I had seen this before.I looked down at my small hands and then up at the glittering chandelier of the ballroom. In this dream I was always smaller than the adults around me.Probably around six or something, clinging to my mother’s hand as she guided me through a sea of strangers. My dress—a pale blue thing with lace that scratched at my neck—swished around my legs as I struggled to keep up.“Stay close, Nyxia,” my mother murmured, her voice soft but firm. Her eyes scanned the room, searching for someone, her lips pressed into a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes.My mother pulled me toward the crowd near the dais where an Alpha stood, his imposing figure, commanding the room.But before we reached them, my attention drifted. A flash of movement caught my eye—a boy disappearing through a side door, his posture stiff, his hand clutching his side as though it pained him.As always, I slipped away, unnoticed in the chaos of swirling gowns and murmuring voices. The hallway was dim,