로그인Celeste’s POV“I’m so cold…” I whispered to myself, the words trembling past my chapped lips.Even through the thick blankets, the freezing shivers wracked my body, but I knew Nathan felt every single one of them. He could feel my pain, the burning poison in my veins, and the helplessness radiating off me right now.I turned my head slowly on the pillow, tears streaming down my flushed, feverish cheeks as I looked up into his dark, tortured eyes."Are you not mad at me?" I whispered, letting my voice crack with vulnerable insecurity. "Because I look so weak right now... You might think I’m not worthy of being your Luna. You have to find your fated mate soon, Nathan. Maybe it was never meant to be me after all.""My fated mate?" Nathan sighed softly, the sound heavy with a dark, ancient sorrow.He didn't pull away. Instead, he sat down right on the edge of the bed, leaning in so close I could feel the intense, comforting heat radiating off his broad chest. He reached out, his large,
Caius’ POV My phone vibrated violently against the nightstand for the twentieth time in the last hour, the harsh buzzing sound cutting through the heavy silence of the bedroom.I didn't even look at it. I just stared at Celeste.I couldn't take my eyes off her. Her skin was far too pale, save for the unnatural, feverish flush burning high on her cheeks. Every few minutes, a violent shiver would rack her small body, and every time it happened, my inner wolf clawed at my chest in unbearable helplessness. And I felt completely useless.The phone buzzed again.I knew exactly who was calling. My Beta had been blowing up my phone all morning because today was the day Alpha King Valerius was scheduled to visit the Feral pack house. A diplomatic meeting of that magnitude required my presence. Valerius was an elder King, a man with deep ties to the High Council, and standing him up could cause a massive political fallout.I didn't give a damn. Valerius could wait outside the pack house unti
Celeste’s POVThe cold concrete scraped against my cheek as I scrambled backward, my fingers slipping on my own blood. I was crying, the hot tears mixing with the sharp, metallic taste in my split lip.Everything was rushing back to me. The helplessness. The paralyzing, gasping fear. The agonizing certainty that I was going to die in the dirt, just like I had in my past life.How could Ellie do this to me?Through the blinding haze of pain, I remembered the terror in her eyes just before she squeezed that bottle into my face. She hadn't looked malicious or vindictive; she had looked like a cornered, desperate animal. Someone must have pushed her to do it. Someone like Olivia. Ellie wouldn't just douse me in liquid fire without a reason. I remembered choking on the poisonous mist, desperately calling out her name as I fell, but she had only turned and sprinted away in sobbing fear.And then the three men had emerged from the shadows.I had tried to fight. I had tried to call upon my
Olivia’s POV“Keep your distance,” I ordered my driver, my eyes glued to the yellow taxi as it wove through the afternoon traffic.We followed them like a shadow, finally pulling into a dark, narrow alleyway just across the street from Celeste’s dingy apartment building. The taxi came to a halt. But before Celeste even stepped out, my eyes caught a familiar, pathetic figure pacing nervously near the building’s entrance.Ellie.A cruel, deeply satisfied smile stretched across my face.Just yesterday, I had cornered that weak little omega in a parking lot. I didn't even have to raise my voice. I simply mentioned exactly which preschool her little brother attended, what time he got out, and how easy it would be for him to get lost on the way home. Ellie had burst into tears instantly, begging on her knees. I handed her a small, innocent-looking spray bottle filled with my highly concentrated wolfsbane. One time, I had promised her. Spray her just once, and you and your brother can dis
Celeste’s POVI looked at them still glaring daggers at each other and let out a heavy sigh. Before either of them could drag me into their respective cars, I quickly reached into the trunk of the SUV and grabbed all my pastel shopping bags with both hands.“I think I’ll just take a taxi,” I announced, stepping back from the vehicles.Both of their heads snapped toward me in shock.“You two should do your duties as Alphas,” I continued, backing away swiftly before they could try to stop me. “Or else some people in the Council will try to take those titles from you...”Without giving them a single second to argue, I turned on my heel and practically ran toward the main drop-off zone just outside the VIP garage, spotting a yellow taxi idling near the curb.“Cece...” Caius said, his deep voice carrying a sudden note of panic at being left behind.“Celeste!” Nathan called my name, his heavy boots echoing as he took a step after me.I stopped just as I pulled the taxi door open. I turned
Celeste’s POVOlivia pursed her lips tightly, staring at me as if she wanted to rip my throat out right in front of Nathan and Caius. I just smiled, casually looping one arm through Nathan’s elbow and the other through Caius’s.Victoria gasped in disgust, rolling her eyes dramatically before leaning in to whisper something frantic into Olivia’s ear. Finally, realizing they had completely lost this battle and were entirely outmatched, the two of them spun on their expensive heels and stormed off down the promenade, practically running toward the exit.I kept my arms linked with them as we walked, enjoying the heavy, protective weight of them at my sides until we reached the private, dimly lit VIP parking garage. Once we were standing next to Caius’s sleek black SUV, I slowly untangled my arms from theirs and took a small, hesitant step back.“Thank you for taking me to the mall,” I said softly, looking down at the pavement and perfectly dropping my confident facade to play the insec







