Se connecterThis was no longer their visit. It was mine.Captain Aldren stepped forward.“My King.”“Escort our guests,” I ordered.“The royal guest tents outside the palace walls have already been prepared.”“They are to receive every courtesy Blackthorn offers.”I looked toward the guards.“And every watch Blackthorn possesses.”Captain Aldren bowed once.“It will be done.”The delegations slowly began leaving the throne room.I watched every one of them.The western representative looked relieved.The southern Alpha leaned toward one of his advisers, whispering urgently.A young noble from the eastern territories couldn’t stop staring at me.Outside the throne room, the delegations were escorted toward the luxurious guest tents Blackthorn had prepared beyond the palace walls. My soldiers surrounded them at a respectful distance, alert but disciplined. No one would mistake our hospitality for weakness.The oldest Alpha stopped before entering his tent.He looked back toward the fortress.A you
“May I examine your eyes?” The old Alpha’s words lingered in the throne room long after he finished speaking. Silence settled over everyone. No one moved. No one even seemed to breathe. I remained seated on Blackstone’s throne, my gaze fixed on the elderly man standing several steps below me. His back was straight despite his age, and unlike the others who had entered this room with carefully rehearsed smiles, there wasn’t an ounce of hesitation in him. He had asked the question every other representative wanted answered. He had simply been bold enough to say it aloud. A sharp tap echoed through the room. Elder Garrick slammed the end of his staff against the polished stone floor. “Outrageous.” His voice bounced off the high ceiling. “His Majesty is not some rare animal to be inspected.” Several members of my council nodded immediately. Another elder stepped forward, his face red with anger. “You stand before the Alpha King of Blackstone.” The old Alph
The council chamber was already full by the time I arrived. No one spoke as I crossed the room. They watched me instead. Not because I was late to the meeting, but because of my eyes. Even after returning to Blackstone, I still caught people staring before they remembered themselves. The silver had become impossible to ignore. I took my seat at the head of the table. “You asked for me.” Elder Garrick rose slowly. “We have a problem, Your Majesty.” A heavy silence settled over the chamber. “What kind of problem?” He exchanged a glance with the others before sliding several rolled parchments across the table. “They began arriving yesterday.” I frowned. “Letters and Requests?” I unrolled the first one. The seal belonged to a neighboring territory. It was written politely enough, requesting an audience with the King of Blackstone. The second carried another seal. Then another. Then another. By the time I reached the last parchment, my expression had hardened. “There
I slipped out of the hidden Luna Wing and paused at the entrance. My eyes lingered on the door with quiet longing. The space had become a gentle refuge, but it was time to return to the world outside. I took a slow breath and stepped into the corridor. Alma waited for me with a calm smile. She held out a small piece of parchment. I stared at it in confusion. “What’s this?” I asked She gave a small smile. “These are your assignments, my lady” I raised an eyebrow.”Assignments?” “Yes” she nodded slowly. “You want to be fit to be Luna yes? I’m here to help. After going through these trainings and doing well in these assignments, you’d be good to go” I took the parchment and read the list aloud. “Learn the names of every servant working in the royal household. Spend one hour in the infirmary every day. Eat dinner with the Alpha king every night no matter how busy he becomes.” I paused. “ you must go to the packhouse if needed.” I laughed softly. “The third one is not a
Alma led me out of my chambers without another word. We walked through the familiar halls of the fortress, passing servants carrying fresh linens and guards changing shifts. Everyone greeted Alma warmly, and she returned each greeting with the quiet confidence of someone who had spent most of her life within these walls. I followed in silence. At first, I assumed she was taking me toward the council wing or perhaps the fortress library. Instead, she turned in the opposite direction. “This isn’t the way to the library,” I said. “It isn’t. That’s because we aren’t headed to the library.” She didn’t slow her pace. Curiosity stirred inside me. The corridors gradually became quieter. The polished marble floors gave way to older stone beneath our feet. The walls here were lined with faded tapestries that looked far older than the ones decorating the royal halls. I frowned.“I’ve never been here.” “I know.” She smiled without looking back. “Most people haven’t.” We rounded an
The following morning arrived much too quickly. Soft sunlight filtered through the tall windows of my chamber, painting warm golden patterns across the floor. For a few peaceful moments, I simply lay there, listening to the quiet sounds drifting in from the fortress beyond my room. Lucian hadn’t come back last night. He sent word to me that work was hectic at the pack house and he had to stay over. I stretched in satisfaction having had the whole room to myself. Footsteps echoed faintly in distant corridors. Someone laughed somewhere below. Blackthorn was awake. And for the first time since arriving here, I didn’t wake with fear sitting heavily on my chest. I sat up slowly and wrapped the blanket around my shoulders. Yesterday felt almost unreal. Everything with everything that had happened. Even with Zara… no matter how unsettling our conversation had been… had become another reminder that my past could no longer be ignored. A gentle knock sounded at the door. “My La
Before I could utter a single word, the stranger turned and gave a sharp nod. “Take her.” Rough hands dragged me forward. I twisted and struggled, but it was useless against their iron grips. “No—please! Let me go!” I was completely ignored and dragged through the dark woods back toward my pack.
Cressida’s POV I stood frozen outside the door, the thin crack revealing a scene that shattered my world. Alpha Kael’s deep, guttural moans filled the room as he thrust into her with raw, punishing force. My best friend Zara clawed at his back, her legs wrapped tightly around his waist. “Yes!
Cressida’s POV I lay on my narrow bed staring at the stone ceiling. Two whole nights had passed and Lucian had not sent for me. The silence felt heavy and suffocating. My wolf paced inside my chest, restless and jealous. What was he doing? Was he with another woman? The thought made my stomach
The days began to blur inside the stone fortress. After the first brutal night, the routine shifted in small, almost imperceptible ways. The guards no longer dragged me through the halls like a prisoner. Instead, they escorted me with detached politeness. My meals improved. I started eating more







