Novels by Leela Wrights

"Papa! Papa!"The sudden cry fractured the courtyard's suffocating silence.Zarek dropped to one knee, his massive frame absorbing the impact as Malakai threw himself forward. For a fleeting second, the ruthless Alpha vanished. In his place was a father burying his face in a tangle of unruly dark hair, a heavy palm cupping the boy’s head with quiet, fiercely protective warmth."Malakai," Zarek murmured, his voice losing its harsh edge. "I told you to remain in the grand hall.""You took too long," the boy mumbled against his shoulder. As he pulled back, his curious gaze drifted over Zarek’s shoulder, locking onto the frayed hem of my skirt and the tiny, hooded figure seeking refuge behind my hip.Naya’s fingers tightened against my palm, her breath hitching as she shrank further into my shadow."Malakai, sweetie. Step back now. Your father is tired."The voice was smooth, melodic, and perfectly measured. Emerging from the arched shadows of the palace entrance, a woman stepped into the

The road back to the Blood Moon Pack did not want me here.Through the narrow iron rods of the carriage window, I watched the world slowly change.The wide, broken plains of the dead zone faded away, replaced by the shadows of the Whispering Pass.Here, the trees were ancient and massive, their thick branches arching over the dirt road like the ceiling of a dark cathedral.The pale midday light barely managed to cut through the canopy, casting long, trembling shadows across the seats of the carriage.With every mile we traveled, the very air seemed to thicken. The familiar, dusty scent of the outer wastes was entirely gone, replaced by the rich, damp aroma of crushed pine needles and wet mountain earth. It was a beautiful, haunting landscape that felt entirely alive, yet deeply unwelcoming.Inside the small compartment, the only sound was the soft breathing of my daughter.Naya had finally given in to her exhaustion. Her little body was curled tightly against my side, her head resting

“There is no law on this earth that allows you to weaponize a dead man's handwriting against me."I lunged forward, my fingers locking onto the edge of the parchment to rip it from his hands, but his grip was firm. “Theron was a healer, Zarek. He gave me a life when you left me with nothing. He would never hand us over to you like property.”“He did not give me property, Rya. He gave me a mandate,” Zarek replied. “You can despise the wording all you want, but the moment Theron’s pulse stopped, the automated seal triggered a notification to the Blood Moon high council. By tomorrow dawn, this entire sector of the dead zone will be flooded with boundary patrols. If you stay here, you are no longer a rogue hiding in the gray - you are an illegal squatter harboring an unregistered Alpha heir on pack territory.”I pulled my hand back as if the paper had burned me. Fury and panic clawed at my throat. “I do not care about your council, and I do not care about your laws. Get out of my house.”

“You are coming with me,”“I would rather let the wolves of the outer rim tear me apart piece by piece,” I spat, refusing to shrink. “You can order your warriors, Alpha Zarek, but you cannot command my feet to move. Not even if you break my bones.”A chilling composure settled over his features, his jaw relaxing into a slow, mocking tilt.“I never knew how much you enjoy the drama of martyrdom, Rya.” His deep voice carried a rough, cutting edge. “But you are acting as though you still have a choice in the matter.”He turned his head slightly toward the open door. “Bane. Bring the ledger.”A large sentinel stepped over the threshold immediately. Unlike the front-line warriors waiting in the yard, this man wore the dark grey tunic of a pack administrator. His eyes stayed fixed on the floor as he approached his Alpha.From a leather bag at his hip, he produced a heavy, iron-bound wooden box, flipping the brass clasp open to reveal a thick, rolled piece of parchment.The paper was wrapped

Zarek spiked forward a single step, his silver eyes widening as they darted from Naya’s similar silver eyes up to my face.The illusion of the stranger dissolved instantly, and the muscle near his jaw tightened into a hard knot as the realization finally hit him."Rya," he breathed, his voice a whisper that seemed to shake the very foundations of the cottage.I did not break eye contact, refusing to show the tremor threatening to tear through my knees as the past rushed back in waves.I stepped fully in front of my daughter, blocking his view completely and forcing him to look only at me. "The Alpha has paid his respects, has he not?" I said, devoid of any emotion. "The old man is gone, and there is nothing left for you here."Zarek did not move an inch, his jaw setting into a rigid line. "How long has she been out here, Rya?" he demanded, his voice dropping into a dangerous tone. "How long have you been hiding my daughter in this cursed forest?""She belongs to this cottage, and she b

The heavy oak door creaked open, letting in a cold draft of damp midday air that swept through the room.Alpha Zarek stepped across the threshold, his dark cloak brushing against the frame as his massive presence filled the small room.He did not resemble the lean, soft-eyed beautiful boy from seven years ago; time had sharpened his jaw into severe angles, and fading scars now cut through the stubble on his cheek.His broad shoulders carried a hard, military posture, and the boyish warmth in his face had been completely replaced by the predatory stillness of an absolute ruler.His silver eyes swept the space, passing over my weathered face without a single pause of recognition. To him, I was just a nameless servant, a piece of old furniture left behind to tend to a dying hermit in the woods.He walked directly past me toward the back bedroom, his heavy leather boots thudding rhythmically against the wooden floorboards. The scent of bitter cacao and saffron followed him, making my chest

The recess ended quicker than I had expected and I walked back to the center of the floor while the nobles had resumed their seats.Darkholme remained standing at the high table. “We proceed. Ophelia Tyme will now field questions from the assembly. You will address each with the decorum expected of your position.”I inclined my head slightly. “I am prepared, Councilor.”A stout man from the eastern delegation rose first. His robes carried subtle embroidery of interlocking rivers. “In the matter of receiving a delegation bearing formal gifts, how would one balance acknowledgment of the offering with the dignity of the crown?”I kept my hands relaxed at my sides. “One expresses measured appreciation for the gesture while affirming the longstanding ties between the packs. A brief acknowledgment of the gift’s symbolism, followed by assurance that such contributions strengthen the realm as a whole.”He tilted his head. “And if the delegation seeks greater recognition than protocol allows?”

The morning came too quickly.I stood in the grand hall of the palace, dressed in the pale blue gown Gertha had laid out for me. The fabric was soft, the sleeves long, the hem brushing the floor.My hair had been pinned with care, a few loose strands left to soften the severity. I kept my hands clasped in front of me so no one would see them tremble.The hall was already full. Nobles filled the benches on either side. At the far end, the high table stood draped in white cloth, set with silver and glass.The Council sat behind it. Darkholme at the center, elder Zakira to his left and elder Torben, elder Obelix. The others whose names I had memorized but never spoken aloud.The King was there and the Queen sat to his right.No one was looking at me yet.I stood near the doors, a steward beside me. He had been assigned to announce me and had not spoken since we arrived."Wait for your name," he had said. I waited.The murmuring continued; a nobleman laughed somewhere to my left, a woman

"You should be in bed," Selene said as she entered the room."I am not tired." Aldric watched her cross the room, her night robe whispering against the stone floor. The Queen's hair hung loose over one shoulder, silver threading through the dark strands that caught the dying firelight. She stopped beside his chair and rested a hand on his shoulder.He loved seeing her like this, with the muscles of her face calm."You say that every night before something important," she said softly. "Come lie down, at least pretend to rest."He covered her hand with his own, his fingers warm against hers, and turned his head to press a brief kiss to her palm. "The trials begin tomorrow at first light, I keep going over it all; the challenges, the omega, our sons."Selene pulled up the low stool beside him and sat, their knees brushing. She kept her hand in his. "Then talk it through with me instead of staring into the blue like it holds answers. What is weighing on you most?"The King let out a long b

The evening light came through the high window, slanted and gold, catching the dust that floated in the air. A figure sat in a high-backed chair near the wall, face hidden by the angle of the light and the shadow of a dark hood. Their hands rested on the arms of the chair patiently.Across from them, a man in plain clothes stood with his hands behind his back. His posture was straight and professional, but a thin line of sweat traced his temple.“She arrived at sundown yesterday,” the man said. “Gertha met her by the entrance, and the Queen summoned her within the hour.”The figure remained still. “What did they discuss?”“The guards were posted outside. The servants were cleared from the corridor. I could not get close enough to hear.”The air in the room felt heavier.“I pay you to get close enough.”“Yes, you do, but the Queen’s personal guards are not easy to bypass. If I had tried, I would have been caught.”“And yet you stand here. Alive. Proudly telling me you failed.”The man

Kaelan held the door open and stepped inside, his broad frame filling the room with a heavy presence that made the air feel thicker. He left the door open behind him, as if he wanted the rest of the palace to know he was here with me.I backed up slowly until the edge of the bed pressed against the back of my legs, my pulse hammering in my throat. The bond between us stirred immediately, a hum that urged me to move closer even as caution kept me rooted in place.“Welcome to the palace, Ophelia,” he said, his voice carefully controlled, though I could see the restless movement of his wolf just beneath the surface, simmering with jealousy.“Thank you,” I replied softly.He studied me for a moment before his gaze swept briefly around the room and then returned to me. “I wanted to come see you last night after I was back from pack business when I heard of your return, but the hour was quite late. There are always expectations pulling at us here.”I nodded, unsure what to say. The bond tugg

The tray held a bowl of porridge that had steam rising from it, a cup of water and a spoon, exactly as I had requested.The steam rose into my nostrils. Porridge was my comfort food, especially the way my mother prepared it.I tasted a spoonful, and a moan slipped from my mouth."Are you just going to stand there watching me?""I'm to be at your beck and call, my lady," Gertha said, standing by the door, her hands folded."I do not look helpless to you, do I?""No, but it is my duty. I'm paid to.""Leave. I want to be on my own," I said, finality in my tone."As you wish, my lady." She bowed her head slightly. "When you are finished, I will come back for the tray.""I can take it.""The kitchens are not for guests.""I am not a guest."She looked at me. "You are not staff either."I ate another spoonful. The silence was not uncomfortable, but it was not easy."I will take the tray," I said again.Gertha walked to the door and opened it. "Leave it. I will collect it," she said, closing