Novels by Bodypeng

Damien’s POV“She’s not yours to protect,” he said coldly. “Not anymore.”But she was.She always would be.And I wasn’t letting her go. Not now. Not ever.The silence between us stretched like a taut wire, humming with tension. My chest rose and fell in shallow, angry breaths as I stared at the man who called himself my father. His eyes bored into mine, the weight of his crown pressing into every word he hadn't said yet.Finally, he exhaled, sharp and slow. “You’re really willing to throw away everything for her?”“I already told you,” I said, voice low. “I’d risk everything. Except her.”His expression didn’t change, but something in his eyes flickered—recognition, maybe. Or resignation.“Then you’ll do something for me first,” he said at last.I didn’t move. “What?”“You want her free? You’ll earn it. You’ll take care of something I’ve had my eye on for months.” He walked past me toward the long table at the side of the throne room. Papers, scrolls, maps. He plucked one from the pi

Damien’s POVThe air in the throne room felt thick—like smoke without fire. My father’s presence always did that. It suffocated, pressed down like invisible chains, even when he wasn't trying. But now, he was trying. Hard.“She struck the Luna of an allied pack,” he said, his voice smooth like ice, deadly all the same. “You expect me to turn a blind eye?”“She was defending herself.” I didn’t raise my voice—I didn’t need to. “The Luna hit her first. You saw it. Everyone did.”He turned from the window slowly, deliberately. His gaze settled on me with that familiar weight, the one that had followed me since I was old enough to understand the power in his voice.“And what of it?” he asked calmly. “She should’ve taken the slap and remained silent. That’s what a proper omega would have done. But she—she struck back. In front of everyone. She humiliated Blair’s mother. And by extension, Blair. And by extension—me.”His words fell like stones. Calculated. Measured. Meant to bruise without b

Alina’s povThe sting of my palm still lingered long after the slap echoed through the ballroom. But the rush that had followed—the sheer fury, the sharp clarity—it was already fading. And in its place was something much heavier.Regret.It coiled in my chest like smoke, curling tighter with every second that passed.What had I done?I stood still as guards stepped forward at the King’s command, their movements swift and rehearsed. I barely heard him speak, but I felt the weight of his decree settle on my shoulders like chains.“Take her to the cells. Let her rot there until I decide what to do with her.”The words hit harder than the slap had. My heart dropped to my stomach.“No,” Malia whispered beside me. She tried to reach for me, but one of the guards pulled her back roughly. “Alina—!”“It’s fine,” I lied, not even looking at her. “Don’t make it worse.”I didn’t resist as they grabbed my arms. What was the point? I had struck a Luna. In front of hundreds of people. And now… I was

Alina’s povMalia’s hand had slipped into mine, warm and reassuring. I hadn’t even realized how tightly I’d been clenching my fists until her fingers gently coaxed mine to loosen. My knuckles ached from the tension, and as I unfurled them, I felt how deeply my nails had bitten into my palm. The sting grounded me, if only slightly.I was still standing there. Still stunned. Still trying to make sense of what I’d just heard.Darius’s voice echoed again and again in my mind, the words wrapping around me like a vice, tightening with every repetition: “I want to take her.”Take. Me.Everything else faded. The once-lively music had stopped mid-note, leaving an uncomfortable silence in its place. The murmurs that followed swelled like a rising tide. I could feel dozens—no, hundreds—of eyes searing into me from every corner of the grand ballroom, judging, whispering, calculating. But I couldn’t move. My feet were frozen to the floor, as if the polished marble had fused with my soles.And then

Alina’s POV The ballroom shimmered beneath the golden chandeliers, their lights casting soft halos that flickered like dying stars above the sea of polished marble and glittering gowns. Applause erupted once again—too loud, too rehearsed, like everyone had been waiting for the cue. I stood quietly near one of the towering marble pillars, keeping to the shadows, watching Blair loop her arm even tighter around Damien’s as if afraid he’d slip away.Her smile was dazzling, painfully so, her teeth white and perfect, her eyes gleaming with a kind of victorious triumph. Like she’d just seized a crown.I swallowed hard, the knot in my throat growing tighter.It’s not real, I reminded myself. This isn’t about love. This is about politics. Power. Survival. He did what was expected of him. What was demanded.But that logic didn’t stop the sharp twist that coiled low in my stomach. I wasn’t supposed to feel this way—not anymore. I had prepared myself. I had rehearsed detachment like a performan

Damien’s POV I hated the way the fabric clung to my shoulders.The ceremonial tunic was too tight. Too red. Too bright. I couldn’t breathe in it without feeling like I was choking on expectations. It was made to make me look like a prince. Like a future king. But all I could see in the mirror was a man dressing up for a lie.“Pull it together,” I muttered to myself, fixing the collar with more force than necessary.I had managed to convince my father to keep the engagement small. That had been the only win I could scrape out of this mess. No grand ball. No trumpet fanfare. Just a quiet ceremony, enough to appease the council, satisfy the court, and buy me a little more time.Time to figure out how the hell I was supposed to get out of this without burning the kingdom down.The knock came just as I was adjusting the final clasp.“What?” I snapped, not in the mood for pleasantries.The door creaked open, and Darius stepped in.Of course.He hadn’t spoken to me in three years. Not sinc