LOGINNathaniel’s POVThe infirmary was completely silent. I lay staring at the ceiling, my body still cold under the heavy blankets.Every time I closed my eyes, the same image flashed behind my eyelids on loop. It was Malik—his eyes wild with a dark, primal rage as he lifted Dahlia off the floor by her throat. I had never seen him look so murderous. “I almost lost my baby because of you. I’m not going to be living with you anymore.”A sigh escaped me. I pressed my hand against my chest, trying to stifle my emotions, but a tear still slid down my cheek. The pregnancy hormones made everything ten times worse, magnifying the guilt until it felt like a weight crushing my ribcage.‘Did I go too far?’Why did I say those things to him? He looked completely destroyed when he walked out that door. His eyes… I had never seen Malik look like he was about to cry.A wet nose nudged my shoulder and I looked down through my blurry vision to see Bane resting his massive chin on the edge of the mattress
Lucien’s POVI caught up with the girls just as they reached the hallway outside Malik’s office. Kiara was practically vibrating with anger, her hand still pressed against her bright red cheek.“Lucien!” she cried out the second she saw me, her voice shrill. “Why didn't you say anything to that monster? He hit me! Are you just going to stand there and let him treat me like this?”I let out a heavy sigh, placing my face in my hands. “I don't have the energy to deal with you right now, Kiara.”Kiara’s eyes flashed with disbelief. With a sharp scoff, she turned on her heel and began to march down the hallway. Dahlia and Nora immediately hurried to follow her.But as they moved, I stepped forward, reaching out to grab Nora's hand. I pulled her back, breaking her away from the group.She stumbled a bit, her eyes wide with panic. “Lucien, stop—what are you—”“I need to talk to you, Norelle,” I said, keeping my voice low but firm.She looked back nervously over her shoulder, letting out a sm
[This chapter leans into the darker side of my main character. He's morally grey, fiercely possessive, and makes choices that aren't meant to be justified or admired.Some scenes and themes may be unsettling for some readers. As always, this is a work of fiction, created for entertainment, and the characters' actions do not reflect the author's beliefs.Read at your own discretion.]>>>•>>>•>>>Malik’s POVI rushed into the infirmary, barely able to breathe. I wasn't sure my heart had ever beat this violently in my entire life.Well, okay, that was a lie. My heart had raced just as hard the day I came back to find Nathaniel passed out cold on his bed. It had also raced just as fast with rage when I first found out he was pregnant for a man who wasn't me.But this was a different kind of terror.“Where is he?!” I roared.“This is an infirmary, sir. You need to calm down and—” a young attendant started, stepping in front of me.“I need to what? Shut up?!” I snarled. “You do not want to
Nathaniel’s POVThe freezing water closed over my head. And for a second, everything was muffled and dark.My heart hammered against my ribs as I kicked upward, reaching the surface with a gasping breath. Pond water stung my eyes and dripped from my hair. The cold seeped straight into my bones.I could hear them laughing. Or at least Kiara was. “You’re so pathetic,” she sneered from the walkway above me. “Can’t even stay on your feet.”My cheeks burned with humiliation. I tried to find my footing on the slippery bottom of the pond, but the water came up to my chest and every movement made my soaked clothes drag me down. My wolf was whining inside me, curling up in shame.‘Why am I always the weak one?’A frantic barking came from behind the bushes.Bane.He came charging down the path, his golden eyes wild. The squirrel was long forgotten. He skidded to a halt at the edge of the pond, took one look at me in the water, and let out a deep growl that made even Kiara shut up for a secon
Nathaniel's POV I'm sick of this.It was safe to say the Imperial Capital was nothing like I'd imagined. I thought being in Malik’s home was overwhelming… until I stepped foot here.Just like how it was back at the estate, I felt purposeless. Day after day, he’d go to his new office to continue his investigation into the trafficking ring, and I’d remain behind, waiting for him, like a… pet.I know Malik doesn’t want me to feel this way. I don’t want to feel this way either. But I just can’t help it. A soft whine cut through the room.I looked down and sighed. Bane was resting on the marble floor, his giant head propped up on his front paws, looking miserable. Despite my insistence that I was safe inside the palace walls, Malik had demanded that Bane stay with me constantly.The wolf was usually happy, but right now, he looked just as upset as I felt.I walked over and knelt on the floor, throwing my arms around his neck for a tight hug.“You miss him, huh buddy?” I murmured, rubbing
Malik’s POV Nathaniel lay beneath me, his chest rising and falling rapidly. He looked up at me through his long, dark eyelashes, his cheeks flushed. He shifted slightly, his gaze flickering downward before he shyly whispered, “You didn't uh… you didn't come.” I let out a low, breathy laugh. My dick felt so incredibly hard it was almost painful against my trousers, pulsing with a heavy ache. But watching him unravel and hearing his desperate moans, was more than enough for me. At least for now. “Nah, I'm good,” I murmured, leaning down to press a quick kiss to his forehead. “You should probably go shower.” Nathaniel sagged against the mattress, looking grateful for a way to escape. He nodded quickly, sliding out from under me so fast he almost tripped over the sheets, and rushed straight toward the small bathroom. I sat up on the edge of the bed, letting out another laugh as the bathroom door clicked shut. If someone had told me a year ago that Nathaniel and I would ever start ge
Malik’s POV“I didn’t know this happened,” Lucien said, stepping closer. “No one mentioned this in the courtroom. They probably kept it quiet because they knew I would object. But then Bane started acting... funny. He wouldn't stop pacing. It was probably because he sensed you.”Lucien leaned down
Malik’s POVWhen Brandon had put those silver suppression cuffs onto my wrists back at the estate, I had genuinely expected him to be bluffing. At worst, I figured the spineless bastard would throw me into the Pack cell for a night to massage his own bruised ego, and then release me when the Counci
Malik's POVI’m kissing Nathaniel. I’M. KISSING. NATHANIEL.The mantra screamed through my head, and it nearly drove my inner wolf insane with victory. For years, I had starved for this. I had watched him from across rooms, contenting myself with being just the protector, just the best friend, whil
Nathaniel’s POV If he wanted to pretend I didn't exist, then so be it. It had been two days since the festival and Malik was still completely ignoring me. I hadn’t done anything wrong, but he wouldn't even give me the opportunity to explain that Brandon had forced that kiss on me. Instead, he’







