Chapter 33: The Alpha's offer. Ciara’s POV~~~Oh shit!I cursed under my breath as Lyra opened the double doors to the Solarium and stepped aside. .Leave, Ciara! My mind screamed, but my feet refused to obey. I swallowed hard as my eyes settled on King Donovan. The sunlight poured through the tall glass windows of the room, framing him in a warm golden glow. He was seated at a table, perched on an extravagant throne. The light made him look every bit the regal figure, as if it was designed to match the gold that I was wearing.I shook my head, cursing myself for even noticing. Why was I thinking about this? I quickly realized I was still standing at the door.I willed my legs to move, though each step I took felt like it required more effort than it should. I heard the door click shut behind me, and I knew Lyra was gone. That left just him and me.It was as though he’d been waiting for Lyra to leave the room. Slowly, he raised his head and looked at me, his expression unreadable.
Chapter 34:Ciara's POVLuna Eleanor stood with her arms folded tightly across her chest, her sharp eyes darting between King Donovan and me. If she suspected something, she didn’t show it—not through her face, not through her posture. She just stood there, statuesque, cold, and composed. The energy in the room shifted with her presence, like the oxygen had been sucked out.“I’m waiting,” she said calmly, yet her voice still carried weight as she closed the door behind her. “What were you two discussing?”My heart pounded so loudly, I could barely hear anything else. My limbs felt frozen. I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think straight.Just moments ago, I had been pressing King Donovan for answers, for the truth behind his insane confession. And now—now his wife was here, looking at us like she’d caught us mid-act. Mid-sin.I tried to part my lips to say something—to explain, to fix this somehow—but he beat me to it.“Luna,” King Donovan said smoothly, stepping forward like he wasn’t bothe
Chapter 35Ciara's POV~~~The hallway was too quiet. Unnaturally quiet.Damon walked beside me, but neither of us said a word. Our footsteps echoed off the cold stone floor, the sound loud and sharp in the silence. The tension from the Solarium followed us like a shadow, clinging to our skin, pressing on our shoulders like invisible weight.I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t even sure I could speak if I wanted to. My throat felt tight. My legs heavy. My heart even heavier.Maybe that’s why I let him hold my hand. Just until we got to Daryl’s room.When we reached the door, I pulled my hand out of his like I’d touched fire. The door creaked open as I pushed it hard, almost like I was running from something. Maybe I was.But as soon as I stepped inside, my feet slowed. Something felt wrong.The room was dim, the air still. The bed… untouched.He wasn’t here.I blinked, letting the realization sink in, and it hit me like a punch to the gut. The disappointment was instant and overwhelmi
Chapter 36:Daryl’s POVIt felt like time stopped.I stood frozen, wide-eyed, staring at Ciara. My heart slammed into my ribs so hard it hurt.Just a second ago, she was standing between Damon and me, trying to stop us from fighting. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open like she was about to scream. And then, she fell. Just like that.One second she was standing. The next, she was on the floor.Still. Motionless.My stomach dropped. My heart plummeted. And before I could even think, I was running toward her.“Ciara!” I dropped to my knees beside her, my hands shaking in the air, hovering just above her body. I didn’t know what to do, what to touch, what not to touch. Panic flooded me, and my fingers finally found their way to her head.Blood. There was blood.It was coming from the back of her head, staining her beautiful dark hair. I looked behind her and saw the corner of the bedside table. She must have hit it when she fell.And she was still bleeding.I looked at her face. God, her
Chapter 37:Daryl’s POVIt had been three days.Three long, excruciating days since the accident—since Ciara hit the floor, the back of her head slamming against the edge of the nightstand.Three days since the world stopped moving for me.And in those same three days, she hadn’t opened her eyes. Not once. She hadn’t shifted, flinched, or moved a single muscle. Just stillness. Unbearable stillness.The doctor had come by again yesterday. He said she was stable. That her vitals were fine, and she was resting. That rest was good. But when I asked the one question I really needed answered—when will she wake up?—he only offered a vague response.“It depends on her,” he had said with a soft, almost apologetic tone. “Her body is healing, but her mind needs peace. A calm environment will help. The rest… is up to her.”So I made sure everything was calm. Silent. Peaceful. Still.But inside me, it was chaos.I hadn’t left the room in days—only stepped out once to shower, and that felt like a b
Chapter 38Ciara’s POV“Wh-what did you say?” A calm voice asked besides me. I shut my eyes again, ignoring him.. This wasn't the right place for me to explain myself to anyone, especially not Daryl. The room was silent. That was good…because the last thing I wanted now was to listen to anyone talk loudly while I was trying to understand what the hell was going on in my head. I shifted again on the bed, with my eyes still closed and the first thing I felt was pain.A dull, sharp throb pulsed at the back of my head, beating in rhythm with my heart as I slowly blinked against the harsh white light flooding my vision. This time, everything seemed too bright and too damn sharp. I struggled to sit up, groaning softly as my body resisted the motion. I heard the steady beeping of machines, and I quickly realised that I was in the pack’s infirmary. Someone moved beside me. "I'm glad you're awake," Daryl said.His voice was gentle, but I didn’t want it. Scratch that…I didn’t want him. He r
Chapter 39Damon's POVIt had been twenty-four hours.Twenty-four hours since I had last seen Ciara. Since I had last heard her voice. Since I had last caught the maddening scent of hers. She always scented of honeysuckle and rain, which made Calx go wild. And which also made me go wild, if I was being honest."You need to go see her." Calx paced restlessly beneath my skin. "She's ours," he growled."Calx..." I tightened my jaw and clenched my fists. I was still in Silverstone backline, running an errand for my father. I was to retrieve ceremonial items for the upcoming Christmas Eve Ritual.I had welcomed it, fully aware that it was just the distraction I needed to leave my thoughts about Ciara back in the Pack... back in the royal building. I was hoping the journey would buy me time to shove my feelings back into whatever locked box they came out of.But Calx was proving to be another distraction I didn't need... reminding me about Ciara at every point."Don't you see?" Calx continu
[Ciara's Pov]My name is Clara Baxter, and this is the story of how I met the one person who would turn my world upside down. It all began on the night my best friend, Julia, forced me to follow her to the club. She had just caught her boyfriend of four years cheating, and all she wanted was to drown her sorrow in alcohol.I was the perfect person to be with her at the club. Now, we were seated at the bar in the wildest nightclubs in California, and all I could think about was how the bass from the speakers pounded through my chest.The music thumped so hard it felt like it was knocking the breath out of my lungs. Bright lights flashed in wild, dizzying patterns as Julia brought her glass to her lips."Ryan is such an idiot for cheating on me!" She yelled, tossing her blonde hair over her shoulder. Her voice cracked, yet she forced herself to smile.“Totally!” I yelled back, though my heart ached for her. Her eyes were red, her makeup smudged. She looked like she was trying too hard to
Chapter 39Damon's POVIt had been twenty-four hours.Twenty-four hours since I had last seen Ciara. Since I had last heard her voice. Since I had last caught the maddening scent of hers. She always scented of honeysuckle and rain, which made Calx go wild. And which also made me go wild, if I was being honest."You need to go see her." Calx paced restlessly beneath my skin. "She's ours," he growled."Calx..." I tightened my jaw and clenched my fists. I was still in Silverstone backline, running an errand for my father. I was to retrieve ceremonial items for the upcoming Christmas Eve Ritual.I had welcomed it, fully aware that it was just the distraction I needed to leave my thoughts about Ciara back in the Pack... back in the royal building. I was hoping the journey would buy me time to shove my feelings back into whatever locked box they came out of.But Calx was proving to be another distraction I didn't need... reminding me about Ciara at every point."Don't you see?" Calx continu
Chapter 38Ciara’s POV“Wh-what did you say?” A calm voice asked besides me. I shut my eyes again, ignoring him.. This wasn't the right place for me to explain myself to anyone, especially not Daryl. The room was silent. That was good…because the last thing I wanted now was to listen to anyone talk loudly while I was trying to understand what the hell was going on in my head. I shifted again on the bed, with my eyes still closed and the first thing I felt was pain.A dull, sharp throb pulsed at the back of my head, beating in rhythm with my heart as I slowly blinked against the harsh white light flooding my vision. This time, everything seemed too bright and too damn sharp. I struggled to sit up, groaning softly as my body resisted the motion. I heard the steady beeping of machines, and I quickly realised that I was in the pack’s infirmary. Someone moved beside me. "I'm glad you're awake," Daryl said.His voice was gentle, but I didn’t want it. Scratch that…I didn’t want him. He r
Chapter 37:Daryl’s POVIt had been three days.Three long, excruciating days since the accident—since Ciara hit the floor, the back of her head slamming against the edge of the nightstand.Three days since the world stopped moving for me.And in those same three days, she hadn’t opened her eyes. Not once. She hadn’t shifted, flinched, or moved a single muscle. Just stillness. Unbearable stillness.The doctor had come by again yesterday. He said she was stable. That her vitals were fine, and she was resting. That rest was good. But when I asked the one question I really needed answered—when will she wake up?—he only offered a vague response.“It depends on her,” he had said with a soft, almost apologetic tone. “Her body is healing, but her mind needs peace. A calm environment will help. The rest… is up to her.”So I made sure everything was calm. Silent. Peaceful. Still.But inside me, it was chaos.I hadn’t left the room in days—only stepped out once to shower, and that felt like a b
Chapter 36:Daryl’s POVIt felt like time stopped.I stood frozen, wide-eyed, staring at Ciara. My heart slammed into my ribs so hard it hurt.Just a second ago, she was standing between Damon and me, trying to stop us from fighting. Her eyes were wide, her mouth open like she was about to scream. And then, she fell. Just like that.One second she was standing. The next, she was on the floor.Still. Motionless.My stomach dropped. My heart plummeted. And before I could even think, I was running toward her.“Ciara!” I dropped to my knees beside her, my hands shaking in the air, hovering just above her body. I didn’t know what to do, what to touch, what not to touch. Panic flooded me, and my fingers finally found their way to her head.Blood. There was blood.It was coming from the back of her head, staining her beautiful dark hair. I looked behind her and saw the corner of the bedside table. She must have hit it when she fell.And she was still bleeding.I looked at her face. God, her
Chapter 35Ciara's POV~~~The hallway was too quiet. Unnaturally quiet.Damon walked beside me, but neither of us said a word. Our footsteps echoed off the cold stone floor, the sound loud and sharp in the silence. The tension from the Solarium followed us like a shadow, clinging to our skin, pressing on our shoulders like invisible weight.I didn’t know what to say. I wasn’t even sure I could speak if I wanted to. My throat felt tight. My legs heavy. My heart even heavier.Maybe that’s why I let him hold my hand. Just until we got to Daryl’s room.When we reached the door, I pulled my hand out of his like I’d touched fire. The door creaked open as I pushed it hard, almost like I was running from something. Maybe I was.But as soon as I stepped inside, my feet slowed. Something felt wrong.The room was dim, the air still. The bed… untouched.He wasn’t here.I blinked, letting the realization sink in, and it hit me like a punch to the gut. The disappointment was instant and overwhelmi
Chapter 34:Ciara's POVLuna Eleanor stood with her arms folded tightly across her chest, her sharp eyes darting between King Donovan and me. If she suspected something, she didn’t show it—not through her face, not through her posture. She just stood there, statuesque, cold, and composed. The energy in the room shifted with her presence, like the oxygen had been sucked out.“I’m waiting,” she said calmly, yet her voice still carried weight as she closed the door behind her. “What were you two discussing?”My heart pounded so loudly, I could barely hear anything else. My limbs felt frozen. I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t think straight.Just moments ago, I had been pressing King Donovan for answers, for the truth behind his insane confession. And now—now his wife was here, looking at us like she’d caught us mid-act. Mid-sin.I tried to part my lips to say something—to explain, to fix this somehow—but he beat me to it.“Luna,” King Donovan said smoothly, stepping forward like he wasn’t bothe
Chapter 33: The Alpha's offer. Ciara’s POV~~~Oh shit!I cursed under my breath as Lyra opened the double doors to the Solarium and stepped aside. .Leave, Ciara! My mind screamed, but my feet refused to obey. I swallowed hard as my eyes settled on King Donovan. The sunlight poured through the tall glass windows of the room, framing him in a warm golden glow. He was seated at a table, perched on an extravagant throne. The light made him look every bit the regal figure, as if it was designed to match the gold that I was wearing.I shook my head, cursing myself for even noticing. Why was I thinking about this? I quickly realized I was still standing at the door.I willed my legs to move, though each step I took felt like it required more effort than it should. I heard the door click shut behind me, and I knew Lyra was gone. That left just him and me.It was as though he’d been waiting for Lyra to leave the room. Slowly, he raised his head and looked at me, his expression unreadable.
Chapter 32: God, Help me!Ciara’s POV“Hmm…” a soft moan escaped my lips as I gripped my sheets tightly. They cling to my skin, carrying the traces of last night. My eyes squeezed shut as my body throbbed with a dull ache. It wasn't the kind of ache that would make one think of love or passion. No, this was deeper and painful. I gasped as my mind flashed to Daryl. The way he had sex with me last night and left without a word, like a coward. It felt like none of this meant a thing to him. There was no goodbye, only the soft click of the door as he left while I was still in the bathroom."...God," I whispered, clutching a pillow and pressing my cheek against it. My fingers dug into the fabric of the pillow as I realized that his scent still clung to it. I pulled the sheets tighter around me and stared at the ceiling. I felt so empty and used. The emptiness inside me grew with each passing second as my chest ached. I rolled over on the pillow again, pressing my face into it. “I fe
Chapter 31Daryl's POV ~~~~~Bang! I slammed the door bend me and walked further into the dark room. Then, I paused and returned to the door. My hands ran across the wall by the door, hoping to find the switch for the lightbulb. I found it almost immediately, and I switched it on. My eyes squinted because of the bright glare of the bulb, soon I grew used to the brightness and looked around the room. Earlier, I had asked Alaric to bring the documents to this room, and I had no plans of returning to the room until tonight. It was urgent now because I needed to work. I threw a glance at the large mahogany desk with stack of scrolls and paperwork on it. Then, I strolled over to it and sat, picking up a document. ~~~~Barely thirty minutes later, I grew bored of the documents, and I found myself staring out of the window into the courtyard. The crowd had trickled down, and I assumed the alpha feast was likely over. It was just a few drunk pack members who stayed behind to dance and