Novel-novel oleh Hikari

Benji flanked my side the entire way to the pack house. He slowed his strides, trailing closely next to me as we abandoned the silent sanctuary we inhabited to enter the main portion of the pack. I had gotten used to the heated stares, quick but curious, whenever I walked in the pack with one of their superiors. The stares were always worse with Benji, but he paid no mind. All he had to do was send one lazy sideway glance to a peeping pack member, and they would all scatter in fear. He was quick to leave me, mumbling something about having to get this conversation over with. His hands skimmed along the length of my arm for a fleeting moment as a goodbye, before turning on his heel to leave me with two wolves following my shadow. I stood in front of the familiar door he had left me at, knowing I was in good company, even if it wasn't him. I didn't bother to knock, retching the door open. Gwen didn't seem that surprised, not having many people to expect as a visitor. Her lips curled

I stare at him for a moment, gulping. Was he being serious? He wants me to attack him? I had asked for basic self defense skills, not to become a sparring warrior. Even if Dotty had trained me well, which she hadn't, I still wouldn't pose an ounce of a threat to Benji, of all people. "I, uh, um – I think Dotty may have exaggerated just a bit, about my..."His sudden laugh interrupts me, catching me off guard. Benji's nonchalant expression morphs to one of mildamusement, eyeing me. He interjects, "Stop, relax. I'm just joking." I furrow my eyebrows, clearly not getting his sense of humor. He continues, "Dotty told me your training sessions haven't been that fruitful. I was just joking.""Joking, huh...that's a new one." I take a deep breath to laugh off my previous indication, taking advantage of his good mood to tease him. "Yeah? Want to hear another joke?" Benji scoffs, gesturing to the floor. "Fifty push-ups. Now." "Oh, stop being such a grouch.""Now." Something is telli

I'm not sure exactly what I'm expecting when I open the door. But, one thing I definitely wasn't expecting, was a shirtless Benji to be greeting me. Standing in the middle of the entryway leaning against the back of the couch is Benji, shirtless in all his glory. He's clad in only black athletic shorts hanging almost dangerously too low on his hips and a pair of running sneakers. His head is downturned, distracted by whatever message he's furiously responding to on his phone. Always busy with pack business. He types away for a few moments before carelessly tossing his phone to the couch, looking up to finally acknowledge my presence. "Is that what you're wearing?"The heat that spreads quickly throughout my cheeks is humiliating at his simple comment. I shift the weight on my feet, glancing down at the simple outfit I had worn to the daycare. It was almost identical to every outfit I wore, yet he never complained before."You want me to change for dinner?" I ask incredulously,

♕ Aria ♕ "Well, well...look who we have here. I was starting to think one of the pups scared you away." Elise smiles from her spot in the center of the daycare. The echoing noise of the door gave my arrival away, announcing to not only Elise, but Noah, that I was back. With Dotty's 'training', it had pulled me away from the daycare center. While I had missed Elise's warm energy and the constant changing day with the pups, I welcomed the break. Ever since my unsettling encounter with Noah, I had been finding it harder to shake my unresolved nerves. I thought Dotty teaching me how to defend myself would help, but that didn't work out as well as I had planned. "And let them win? Never." I smile. Elise was quickly distracted by the arrival of the pups, deserting me with a simple wave. Noah stood rooted in his spot, leaning against the wall with a box full of crafts in his hands. He was dressed more professionally today, wearing slacks and a button down. From the corner of my eye,

( THIRD P.O.V ) Benji didn't like her spending so much time with his sister. It irked him more then he would care to admit. Was he jealous of her? It was a foreign concept to him, to be envious of his childish sister. But, a nasty territorial side of him surely was. He would rather it be him with her. Training her. Teaching her. But he couldn't. He didn't trust himself around her like that, in his wolf form. It had been getting harder to reason with his wolf as the promise of a threat grew by each day. They were both desperate to protect her, but had different ideas on how to. Where as Benji would prefer to keep her locked away in a guarded home, his wolf was needy to claim her. To warn people in his path that she was his, and anyone that hurt her would face the consequences. He was fighting an uphill battle with himself, and the growing threat wasn't helping. Devin Berkshire was just the beginning of a rebellion Benji was interested in humoring. There had been talk of escaped r

The gravel path turned to worn down grass as we got further and further away from Benji's property. The first thing I noticed was the noise - grunts, growls, and a chorus of commands. My strides stalled for a moment as Dotty continued to tug us towards the commotion. "Dotty..." I warned, eyeing her carefully. "I'm not sure I like whatever you have in mind for inspiration. Maybe we should just go back to you beating me up in Benji's backyard." "I do not beat you up!" She looked mildly offended, rolling her eyes. "And besides, we're already almost here. It'll be fun." A thunderous growl followed her words, echoing off the forest walls. Where I saw it as a warning sign, it only fueled Dotty's eagerness to stride forward. Dotty immediately noticed my hesitation, my heels digging into the earth, kicking up dirt in our path. "Don't worry. It's just the warriors." Dotty quickly explained, pulling on our arms again. "They're training today. I thought you might like to watch." This c

Lucien stood at the edge of the eastern balcony, his hands gripping the cold stone railing hard enough to crack it. The wind whipped through his dark hair, but he barely felt it. His wolf was restless—snarling, pacing beneath his skin, demanding one thing: Go to her. He could still feel Aria’s fear. It lingered on her scent like smoke. It had been wrong—so wrong—to leave her alone after what Celine had done. But if he had stayed, he might’ve ripped someone’s throat out. Maybe even Celine’s.He was the Alpha King—chosen by blood, bound by destiny, revered as the protector of all. But when the moment came, he hesitated. He faltered. And in that silence, everything burned. He had failed—not just as a king, but as a mate, a leader, a legend. “Lucien.”He didn’t need to turn to know who it was—Celine’s voice slithered across the balcony like frost, elegant and controlled, each word laced with the quiet venom of a polished threat. “You're not sleeping,” she said, stepping into view. H

The dawn was bleeding over the kingdom like spilled wine, painting the castle walls in fiery streaks of red and gold that promised a new day but whispered of inevitable endings, as if the light itself carried the weight of all the secrets, betrayals, and heartaches hidden behind those ancient stones. Each ray seemed to burn with bittersweet hope, illuminating a world on the edge—caught between the fragile beauty of beginnings and the harsh certainty of what must come to pass.But inside, beneath the polished marble floors and silk-draped windows, a far darker storm was brewing—one that no sunlight could chase away, swirling quietly yet relentlessly, threatening to unravel everything that had been carefully built.Celine stood in the shadowed recesses of the royal gallery, her eyes locked on the fragile blossom of the cherry tree outside—its pale petals trembling softly in the morning breeze, delicate and fleeting, like a whispered promise that might be broken with the slightest touch.

The castle was quiet at midnight.Too quiet.The kind of quiet that presses against your skin like a threat, curling into your ears and settling in your bones. The kind of quiet where secrets bloom in the shadows, whispering through stone halls, waiting to be found—or to find you first. It was the stillness before a scream, the breath before a storm. Every candle flicker felt like a warning, every echo like a ghost. The silence wasn't peace. It was a predator holding its breath.Aria couldn’t sleep—not that she really had, not since the announcement. The Royal Decree had sealed her fate. There was no escaping it now. The wedding would happen in two days. Lucien would belong to Celine. The kingdom would celebrate.And she would break.Alone.She crept out of her tiny servant’s chamber and wandered the outer gardens barefoot, letting the cold stone numb her feet and the moonlight paint her skin silver. The wind whispered through the trees, tugging at her long brown hair, and she tilted

Morning came wrapped in fog and judgment.The sun barely cut through the gray skies hanging over the castle, but the inner courtyard was already filled with murmurs, nobles, and soldiers standing at attention as Princess Celine stepped forward to address the court. Her gown shimmered with white gold thread, and her expression was regal, cruel, and victorious.Lucien stood beside her—silent, armored, and cold—like a statue carved from frost and steel, his expression unreadable, eyes fixed on the horizon as if trying to will her return. The air between them was heavy with unsaid words and tense anticipation. Aria was nowhere in sight, and the longer her absence stretched, the more it gnawed at the edge of hope. Not that she could be. She was hidden beneath the kitchens, tucked behind the stone ovens, her heart pounding in her chest as she tried not to cry. Magda had ordered her to stay hidden, and this time, Aria didn’t argue. Because this time, the court wasn’t just whispering about w

The palace buzzed with anticipation. Silks were being tailored, wine barrels were uncorked, and the royal gardens had been stripped bare to decorate the grand ballroom with pale white roses—Princess Celine’s favorite. Because in two days’ time, the kingdom would witness the event of the decade: the binding ceremony of Alpha King Lucien and Princess Celine of the Eastern Moons. The alliance was meant to strengthen both territories and ensure peace across the bordering lands. But behind the scenes? Peace was a carefully constructed illusion—fragile, trembling at the edges, ready to collapse with the slightest push. Whispers filled the halls like smoke, and secrets passed between clenched hands and silent glances. Beneath the polished smiles and empty treaties, tension brewed. Peace wasn’t real. It was just the pause before the storm. Lucien stood before the tall windows of his war chamber, the dark velvet curtains billowing as storm winds howled outside. He hadn’t slept sinc

The night air was cool against Aria’s skin as she slipped out into the back courtyard, her breath forming faint clouds in the dark. It was well past midnight, but the kitchens had run out of fresh bread for the morning rounds, and someone needed to run to the lower cellars to fetch more grain. Of course, that someone was her. She didn’t complain. She never did. Complaining would only bring attention. And right now, the last thing she wanted was attention—especially his. Aria’s steps were quiet against the stone path, her fingers clutched around the edge of her shawl. The stars above were blindingly bright, like a sky full of eyes watching her every move. She hadn’t seen Lucien in two days. Not really. Just brief flashes of him walking past in his ceremonial armor, his voice echoing down the hall during council meetings. But each glimpse was like a dagger sliding between her ribs. And every time she caught his scent—deep forest and smoke—it coiled around her throat like a noos