LOGINDOMINICThe doors of my chambers closed with a thud, shutting out the noise of the banquet downstairs. Finally. If I had to endure one more hour of minor Alphas groveling at my feet or laughing just to secure a better border treaty, I was going to lose my temper. I pulled off my heavy formal jacket, tossing it carelessly onto the armchair, and unbuttoned the top three buttons of my dress shirt. I needed air. I needed space.But most of all, I needed to clear my head of that goddamn scent. That sweet, torturous scent. I walked over to my desk, intending to pour myself a drink, when my eyes fell on a thick parchment scroll resting on a stack of books. It was sealed with crimson wax and stamped with the crest of the Bloodcrest Pack.My brows furrowed as I broke the seal and unrolled the paper.It wasn't a standard invitation, it was a formal notification of the Continental Conclave; a massive gathering of the high territories hosted by the Bloodcrest Pack this year. As the supreme r
ADELINEIf one more fake-smiling Alpha complimented my "excellent form" in the training circle, I was going to lose my mind and choke them with my own dress.The InterPack games were finally over, but the torture wasn't. The banquet hall was currently packed to the brim for the closing victory banquet and the air was thick with the smell of roasted meat, expensive wine, and way too many sweaty wolves trying to network. Music was blasting from the balcony, the drums were making my head throb. And right at the center of the madness, I was stuck acting like the perfect, dutiful Luna.I was sick of it and I was beyond irritated. ‘You look beautiful, by the way,’ Tara chimed in, sounding completely pleased. ‘Even if we are wearing a corset while carrying a secret baby. The drama is unmatched.’“I am dying, Tara. That’s what we are doing. We are dying,” I grumbled, shifting uncomfortably on the high throne.I just wanted to rip these clothes off and go to bed. Because the Oracle still h
VIVIANI didn't wait for her to get close. I lunged forward with speed, bringing my staff down and aimed straight at her shoulder. I wanted to end this in one single blow.But she dodged. With a quick twist of her body, she slid to the side, letting my staff slice through empty air. Before I could recover, she lifted own staff up, blocking my next strike with ease. The sound of both staffs clashing sent a tremor through my arms. My eyes widened in shock. She had actually blocked me."Lucky guess," I snarled, spinning around and launching strikes at her ribs, her legs, and her neck. I fought dirty, using every cruel trick my pack's commanders had taught me.But no matter how fast I swung, Adeline was right there. Her feet were steady on the ground and her reflexes incredibly sharp for an omega. She wasn't even on defense, she was attacking. She was holding her ground perfectly.‘How is she doing this?!’ my wolf shrieked in sudden panic. ‘She was an untrained servant! Why can't we hit
VIVIANThe roar of the crowd in the arena was loud enough to shake the walls, and every single bit of thr cheering was for me.I stood in the center of the combat circle, my chest heaving as I tried to catch my breath, but my smile remained perfectly straight. At my feet, the Beta female from the Blood Moon pack was groaning in the dirt, clutching her bruised ribs where my staff had injured her just seconds ago. She had actually thought she stood a chance against me. Pathetic.I didn't even look down at her as the referee raised my hand to signal my victory. My eyes immediately swept up to the high royal box, searching for the only gaze that actually mattered to me.King Dominic.He was sitting on his throne, his broad shoulders squared and his face unreadable as usual. He looked magnificent, every inch the Lycan King he was. I wanted him so badly, but I still hadn’t figured out what I had to do to get his full attention. I needed more than he was giving me currently. But my irrita
ADELINEThe silence in the hall was deafening. Every single eye was glued to the royal table, waiting to see what would happen next.Vivian sat frozen for a split second, her face completely pale. But then she let out a mocking laugh that echoed through the hall. “My perfume?” Vivian said, tilting her head back as she looked at me like I was a speck of dirt beneath her feet. “You are accusing me of theft based on a smell? Alpha Dominic, are you really going to let this servant stand there and insult my family's name with such a ridiculous story?”“Adeline is the Luna of this pack,” Dominic said, his deep voice cutting through the room like a blade. He didn't move an inch from my side, his powerful presence shielding me completely. “If she found your scent on a broken lock, it is not a story. It is a fact.”Vivian’s father, Alpha King Boris, suddenly slammed his heavy fist onto the royal table. “My pack brings the most wealth and warriors to these games. I will not sit here and let s
ADELINEThe moment the heavy wooden doors of the hall slammed shut behind me, I ran.I didn't have a single second to waste. Dominic’s warning echoed in my head with every single step I took. One hour. Sixty minutes before Elder Fane and an enraged Alpha Thomas got exactly what they wanted. Sixty minutes before they stripped me of my title, called me a failure, and threw me into a dungeon to rot. I wouldn’t be able to protect my baby then. ‘We need to be fast, Adeline,’ Tara urged. ‘The vault is downstairs. Don't let fear slow you down. Just run and sniff it out.’I flew down the long corridor and took the steps two at a time, moving deeper into the basement of the palace. The loud music and the cheers from the InterPack games upstairs faded away, replaced by the sound of my boots hitting the ground as I sprinted.When I rounded the corner, I saw that the door of the sacred vault was standing slightly open. It was completely unguarded. “What the hell?” I whispered under my breath.
ADELINEI winced from the pain in my lower back as I slowly propped myself up to a sitting position. It was a mistake to lay down in the exact same position for hours, but I was just too tired to move.The past few days had been a blur. While I was secretly grateful that Alpha Dominic had not order
DOMINIC For the umpteenth time since we started working, Grant let out a loud sigh that was suspiciously dramatic, but I couldn’t be sure if that was his intention so I ignored it. Then he did it again.I looked up at him, my eyes narrowed. “You have thirty seconds to spit out whatever it is you
DOMINICAs soon as Adeline lowered herself into the bed, her scent filled my nostrils, making a delicious sensation rise in my chest. I still clearly recalled the last time we’d shared a bed, the closeness that made me feel as though I was going mad, and the strange peace that came with it.A lot h
ADELINEAs I hurried away from the lobby, I released a sharp breath and found myself frozen in the middle of the hall. I couldn’t decide whether to leave or go ahead with what I’d come here for.The receptionist’s voice echoed in my head repeatedly, and I realized they mirrored the exact thing Alph







