Novels by Howler

Rhea’s POV“Rhea, are you just going to stand there, or are you going to spill over the threshold like a frozen puddle?” Lyria’s elbow jabbed me lightly, making me stumble, and I pressed my hand to the doorframe for balance.I shook my head, trying to ignore the residual tremor from the flashes I’d seen, the red moon echoing through my mind like it had happened yesterday. “I’m fine,” I whispered, but even as I said it, the hairs on my neck rose. My pulse had already started to race. It feels like it’s happening again…“You look… different,” Lyria added, stepping back to give me a full look. Her brows were lifted, a teasing grin on her lips. “Not that you weren’t always distracting, but wow. Even I almost forgot I’m supposed to be the tomboy queen tonight.”I rolled my eyes, trying to suppress the warmth that flickered in my stomach. “Distracting? Really, Lyria?”“Hey,” she said, smirking, “good luck keeping the Alpha from noticing. He’s going to stare right through that clever little

Rhea’s POV don’t think you understand the gravity of this situation, do you, Lyria?” I hissed, frustration bubbling in my chest. She skipped along the stones of the pathway like the world had nothing but joy to offer, heaven knows why, while I struggled to hold my stomach in check, fighting off the retching that threatened to betray me. Lyria the great unstoppable reckless Lyria was thrilled to the point of sickness.After that unsettling moment, Alpha Malric left, and I ran straight to Lyria, recounting the events to her. “You know what that freaking means, Rhea? A war!!!” she screamed, her voice cutting through the wind. She yanked her dark hair into a messy bun, eyes blazing. “Do you know how sickening it is, wasting your damn youth trapped in the godforsaken walls of Duskmoor because everyone is too cowardly to strike against our Alpha? But this, this is amazing!”“No! And no!” I threw my hands in exasperation, the urge to shake her, to scream a hundred and eighty nine ways at h

Rhea’s POV I strode down the cold stone steps of Alpha Malric’s hall and made it outside all trying very hard not to stare at him, though the truth was unavoidable. His chest was broad, muscles outlined even beneath the loose tunic he wore. His dark gaze didn’t even flick toward me, which was probably for the best. I wouldn’t have been able to stop my eyes from rolling, or my heart from thudding a little too fast.I grabbed a bow from the rack beside him, testing the weight in my hands. Then shot one arrow, straight to the bull’s-eye. Then two arrows, and finally the third all in the red center. Not bad for someone who wasn’t supposed to be here, right? I lowered the bow and cleared my throat, forcing a casual tilt to my chin.“So, do I get it now?” I said, letting the sarcasm drip like honey over broken glass. Alpha malric didn’t move, didn't flinch. Heck, didn't even blink.I crossed my arms, smirk tugging at my lips. “Ah, yes, ignoring me. Classic. You think that’ll work? Th

Rhea’s POVLyria paced the length of the chamber, her steps sharp and restless as she dragged a hand through her hair, her unease filling the room like a gathering storm.“This is all shades of wrong,” she said, turning toward me abruptly. “Rhea, the Alpha did not avoid women simply because he wished to. It was an obligation.”I frowned, confusion knotting in my chest. “An obligation to what?”“To fate,” she replied, lowering her voice as she moved closer. “There have always been speculations, whispered among seers and elders. They say his fated mate would arrive at the wrong time, that her presence would disrupt the balance rather than restore it.”My stomach tightened as she continued.“They believe that when she ascends, everything will fracture. That both of them will suffer. That the bond will not bring harmony, but destruction.” Her eyes searched mine. “Some say he will end up killing her. Others believe she will be the one to ruin him.”“That is complete nonsense,” I snapped, r

Rhea’s POVLyria laughed, the sound light and unguarded, as she shook her head. She reached for my hands and folded them into hers, her palms rough from years of training, her grip warm and familiar.“You know,” she said, her gaze drifting somewhere far beyond the room, “I always wanted him to notice me.”I did not interrupt her. I sensed that if I did, the memory might slip away from her, and I wanted to hear all of it, even though something uneasy had begun to coil in my stomach.“It was always on the training grounds,” she continued. “Every time he stood there, watching us, I pushed myself harder than my body could endure. I would be on the edge of collapse, my vision darkening, blood running down my arms, and still I refused to stop.”Her fingers tightened around mine as if she could still feel it.“The men thought I would break,” she said, a humorless smile tugging at her mouth. “They looked at my size, my build, the fact that I was a woman, and decided I was weak before I ever l

Rhea I… what?” I stumbled over the words, disbelief clawing at my throat. Shock barely scratched the surface of what I was feeling. Could I even call it shock? My mind whirled, chaotic, refusing to settle on a coherent thought. Could it really be true? She had never told me outright, never even hinted. I just… I didn’t know.“For how long?” The question slipped from me, trembling, barely audible, yet I needed to know.Lyria shook her head slowly, her expression unreadable, her tone calm but deadly certain. “I’d lay my life down to protect him, Rhea. You think the world sees him as a monster, but here? To us, he’s our protector. Every single one of us carries a story, a darkness we can’t share, and yet he never condemned any of it. Never. Not once.”I blinked, unable to grasp the weight of her words. The air between us thickened, heavy with unspoken histories and raw truth.“His ways… yes, they’re questionable,” Lyria continued, her voice quiet but firm. “But all he’s doing is protect

EPILOGUEDaphne’s POV *1 year, 3 months later…. Ella twirled in the living room, her sundress spinning like a little daisy in the wind. “Mom, look! I’m a ballerina princess!” she beamed, striking a pose that looked more like a wobbly flamingo. I laughed, placing down the last plate on the table. “You are, sweetheart. The most graceful ballerina I’ve ever seen.” She giggled and spun again. Ever since baby Alex was born, she’d taken her role as big sister very seriously. She tried to change his diapers once—tried being the key word. She’d whisper stories to him at night and scold anyone who made too much noise while he napped. Today was Alex’s first birthday. Nothing grand—just a small, cozy gathering with a few good people. “Where do you want the juice boxes?” Maryam called out, holding two cartons under her arm while dragging a string of birthday flags with the other. “By the window, love,” I said, before grinning. “You know, this would be faster if you weren’t trying

Daphne’s POV As I stared at Nate’s motionless body, I didn’t know how to feel. Everything around me stilled. The air, the crowd…, the world. “Nate!” Only Claire’s scream pierced through the numbness. Her voice was ragged, shattered, the sound of a soul breaking open. My body didn’t respond. I couldn’t move. My legs were stone, locked in place as I watched her fall to her knees beside him. “Lord,—no, no.” Claire’s hands trembled violently as she pressed them against his chest. “This isn’t supposed to happen. Not now. Not when it’s finally over. Not when justice is served…” Her words cracked. “Someone, please! Call the ambulance!” Sebastian was already moving, phone pressed to his ear. He crouched beside her, pulled her against him as she sobbed. I just stood there useless. Everything that happened after that came in flashes. The cold, frigid air, and piercing ambulance sirens. The blur of red and white lights. Claire screaming at the paramedics to move faster. Nate’s body—pale,

Daphne’s POV My body shook, a buzzing filling my ears, tears blurring my vision. “I can’t believe this, Seb. I fucking can’t believe this,” I choked out, hugging him tightly, soaking his t-shirt as he held me close. “I’m happy that you’re happy, Daphne. You fought so well,” Seb whispered in my ear, his voice also shaky. Was this it? The end of Charles Sinclair? The end of the torment, the years of abuse, the never-ending cycle, all because of his selfish desires? It felt surreal. After the sentence was delivered, I watched Mom spiral. She couldn’t comprehend it, seeing the man she had placed on such a high pedestal come crashing down. Richard quickly took her away, but not before giving me a nod of acknowledgement. Seeing Mom like that tugged at my heart. She had ruined not just her life, but ours too. She had stayed with a man who repeatedly hurt her, and it had shattered me time and time again. But I had finally come to terms with it. I wasn’t responsible for her choices.

Daphne’s POV “This is the bank transaction, showing all the dirty work and exploitations,” Nathaniel said, spreading the thick sheaf of papers across the table. Sebastian’s eyes scanned the documents, his brow furrowed. “They’re rigging oil prices too,” he muttered. “Just how rich and powerful is Charles? He couldn’t have done this alone. There’s government involvement here, somewhere.” Nathaniel was back, thank God. Richard had been feeding us information over the phone, piecing together the puzzle of Charles’s illicit activities. After countless meetings with prestigious authorities, and after what felt like an eternity of legislative deliberation, we finally had it: an arrest warrant. But there was a problem. Intelligence suggested Charles was about to flee the country. Someone within the legislative body had tipped him off. Thankfully, Charles was tracked down to his private retreat, a secluded estate far from the city. The apprehension was swift and decisive. He would

Two Weeks Later “That’s great news!” I exclaimed, pulling Seb and Claire into a hug, joy bubbling inside me. We were gathered around the table, Skyping Nathaniel, who had finally gotten his hands on the NGO’s bank statements and transaction records. “I’ll be back first thing tomorrow, and the chase will finally be over,” Nathaniel muttered with a cashmere smile. It had been two long weeks since Nathaniel traveled to investigate the NGO. Given his position in the ministry, he was able to gain access quickly, posing as an agent sent by me. Charles had been notified by the NGO of my request for the bank statements. Richard informed us that he had been desperately trying to track me down, still clueless about how I’d accessed the files. He was currently hiding in one of his estates in Suncity, under the pretense of being out of town. Our investigation had uncovered vital information, including receipts for bombs and weapons purchased under Charles’s name, weapons that led to the mas

Richard’s voice cut through the heavy silence, the words pulling us against the unspoken emotions hanging in the air. “Now that everything is done, and we have the documents, with Charles’s signature… all you have to do is sign, and the NGO is legally yours.” His jaw was clenched and his gaze distant. He tried to hold it together after Mother left, but I could see the cracks forming. This was just as hard for Richard as it was for me, maybe even harder. Mother had made her choice—time and time again, she chose Father, no matter the cost. Richard kept fighting for her, trying to pull her back from the edge, but she didn’t want to be saved. She never did. Sebastian broke the tension, his voice gentle as he gathered the papers. “She will, once she finds stability. Let’s go home, Daphne you need to rest.” He drew me away from a broken Claire. I turned to Richard, my voice firm with conviction despite the ache in my chest. “Thank you, Richard, for everything. I will see to it that Cha