ARIANot without catching a glimpse of his expression before it shut completely. That was for yesterday's embarrassment. I could see the cloud of smoke over his head. Meanwhile, Aaron set his bag down, already moving toward me to check my injuries, but the cool guy’s eyes never left me. His gaze was unsettling. Not threatening, but sharp, like he was studying something far more complex than just a beaten-up omega. It made me a little nervous. Then, just as Aaron started fussing over me, the cool guy finally spoke. “Lucian.” His voice was calm yet firm. “We need to talk.” My spine straightened. Lucian was… in here? I turned sharply—only to find him standing in the doorway, arms crossed, leaning casually against the frame like he owned the damn place. I scowled. “You—” Lucian grinned. “Miss me?” I did not miss him. Not even a little. Aaron was already by my side, his medical bag open, hands moving efficiently as he reached for supplies. But I wasn’t looking at him. My gaze had be
ARIAI just smiled, amused at his reaction but not entirely relaxed yet. To be honest, I couldn’t stop replaying Tobias’s reaction in my head. I tilted my head slightly. “Who was that guy?” Aaron blinked. “Who?” “The guy with gray eyes,” I clarified. “The one who nearly choked on his own breath before dragging Lucian away.” Aaron raised an eyebrow. “What?” A sigh escaped my lips. I wasn't trying to be funny—that was the only way I could describe him. “The guy…” “Oh.” Aaron’s glare softened. He shrugged, already reaching for a bottle of antiseptic. “That’s Tobias Hale, Beta of the Bloodfang Pack and Lucian’s best friend.” He paused. “The last part’s important, but don’t tell anyone I said that.” I raised a brow. “Why?” Aaron just shook his head dramatically. “You didn’t hear it from me.” Oh. I couldn’t help it—the thought of grumpy, brooding, permanently irritated Lucian having a best friend—one who seemed capable of panicking, no less—was ridiculous. The guy looked like he h
LUCIAN “Did you see the mark?” I stayed silent. Tobias’s nostrils flared. “Did. You. See. The. Mark?” My jaw clenched. Tobias cursed under his breath, stepping back like I had physically struck him. He turned his gaze to the ceiling, breathing heavily. “Shit. Fuck. We are so screwed.” I flexed my fingers, keeping my expression neutral. “Not necessarily.” Tobias frowned. “Not necessarily?” He pointed toward the door. “Lucian, that girl… your prisoner, the one you so conveniently refuse to let go—isn’t just some rogue. She’s—” “I know.” Tobias froze, his anger twisting into curiosity. “Then what the hell are you planning to do?” I didn’t answer. Because, for the first time in my life… I didn’t fucking know. ________________Tobias was losing his mind. He ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, pacing in frantic strides. His boots thudded against the stone floor of the hallway as he muttered more curses under his breath.Every few steps, he would stop, clen
ARIAAaron’s eyes were still locked on the doorway behind me. Dread crawled up my spine. Slowly, I turned.Oh, shit.Lucian stood there, just inside the room. His expression was unreadable, his eyes dark and unblinking. Wh–when did he get in here? Why were his footsteps so light?Tobias was right behind him, frozen as the realization sank in. His face darkened. “You fucking bitch…”Lucian raised a hand to his lips, silencing him. “Did you reject him?” he asked me. His voice was different. It wasn’t the usual gruffness or dry irritation. This time, there was something hollow underneath—judging, accusing…why did I feel disappointed? I gripped the edge of the bed. I didn’t want to answer.I didn’t want to hear myself say it.Lucian’s gaze never wavered. “Aria.”I swallowed, forcing myself to meet his eyes. Then, in the calmest voice I could manage, I said, “Get out.”Aaron’s head snapped toward me. “What?”I didn’t look at him. I didn’t look at anyone but Lucian.Tobias snarled. “What th
LUCIANMy knuckles ached from the repeated impact. The bastard’s face was barely recognizable—swollen, bloodied, and twisted in a sickening form… yet he was still laughing. He was a fool.“Just kill me already.” His grin widened, and a trickle of blood slipped down his chin. “Why does it matter? You’re going to kill me anyway.” I tightened my grip. “You still have a chance to die quickly.” The man coughed, spitting more blood onto the cold floor. “Quickly? You must be going soft, Alpha.” His chuckle was hoarse, and his breath reeked of iron. “I’ll say this much—I did what I did because I could. Because someone let me.” His swollen eyes gleamed. “But you already know that, don’t you?” My jaw tensed. Maren. But before I could ask if she was the one, the door behind me creaked open. Tobias stepped in, his expression blank, but I knew him too well. His eyes were narrowed on the man. He had been listening. “Are we done playing?” Tobias drawled, shoving his hands into his pockets. “Or
LUCIAN Let their voices be the bitter soundtrack to his impending doom. “Alph…” The man tried to speak, but his voice broke, cracking under the weight of fear. "I… I couldn’t help it… It wasn’t supposed to go this far." He stammered, shaking. "I needed the money… My daughter’s school fees, Alpha… I overheard some merchants talking about a bounty on a girl’s head." Oh. Where was the man who spited my authority? I jerked my head towards his family in warning. “Continue.” His voice shook, and his eyes filled with desperation. "I stole the poster from the merchants... I thought… I thought I could make some money off another pack. But when I saw her picture…" He gulped, trying to catch his breath. "She looked just like her. And they said she was a rogue, that she could penetrate packs and kill thousands. I—I thought I had no choice." “Who the fuck is ‘they?’” “The merchant…” “You are lying.” I didn’t let his words sink in immediately. I was still watching his mate’s h
LUCIAN I released a slow breath, forcing my fists to unclench. Now, it wasn’t exhilarating. Now, it felt… empty. The rage that once fueled me now left me drained. The fear in their eyes no longer thrilled me—it exhausted me. I had built this new Bloodfang Pack to be different, to be more than what it once was. But moments like this, when my control slipped, I realized how close I still was to becoming that same monster again. I had promised myself I wouldn’t go back. Tonight, I had come dangerously close. “Hm.” Tobias hummed beside me, his gray eyes studying me. He had seen it too. The hesitation. “Lost in thought, Alpha?” he mused, tilting his head. I shot him a dry glare, but he only chuckled. “You hesitated,” he noted. “That’s not like you.” I ran a hand down my face. “Shut up, Tobias.” His smirk widened, but he didn’t push further. He had always known how far to go before I snapped. I glanced at the door where Aaron had taken the man awa
ARIA "I—I was just…” "Oh, save it," she scoffed. "You’re lucky I found you before the head maid or Lady Maren did.” Before I knew it, she yanked me through a doorway and shoved me into a bustling kitchen. The scent of food, spices, and onions filled the air, curling into my nose. Something was burning. I grimaced. The place was even more chaotic—pots clanged, and servants rushed around in a frenzy. “I swear to the goddess, Xena, if that food burns, that will be your dinner for ten weeks!” a deep voice thundered. I shuddered. Ten weeks? My gaze snapped to the source of the threat. Fucking hell. A plump woman with a grease-stained apron stood in the middle of it all, barking orders. Her sleeves were rolled up, her thick arms covered in flour and sweat, and her hair was tied up in a messy bun. She held a wooden spoon in one hand and a half-eaten piece of bread in the other. The moment she turned, her sharp eyes landed on us. "Clara!" she bellowed. "Who the f
ROWAN Rowana would be fine. That’s what I told myself as I adjusted the fur lining around my shoulders. I needed to get to Aria. Reaching Ashen Pack by horse would take too long. But in wolf form… I might make it before the ceremony ended. If I planned to return at all.Shit. My father had always insisted that we, the Alphas of the Frostbite Pack, maintain proper decorum at all times. No shifting in public. No abandoning our responsibilities. I scoffed. Well, he wasn’t here, was he? Without a second thought, I let the shift take over. My bones cracked, my skin stretched into fur, and before I could blink, I was no longer standing on two legs. I was running. The moment I burst through the doors in my silver wolf form, gasps filled the hall. Okay, I wasn’t expecting anyone to be here—the timing should have been perfect. So why were my guards scrambling, their faces twisted in shock and confusion? Someone shouted my name, but I didn’t turn. Fuck. My sister would hear abou
ROWANThree weeks.Three weeks since I had seen her. That was all it had been. Three weeks since stepping into the Ashen Pack’s hall, since the scent of sweetness and orange had caught my attention. Three weeks since setting eyes on the omega with quiet stubbornness in her stance.Aria Moonstone. The omega with no wolf. The moment I had seen Darius parading her, I knew she wasn't with a wolf. No one to defend her. I had almost made a mistake. I had almost rejected her. The words had already been on my tongue. If Darius Blackthorn had not stopped me, I would have thrown away the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. A familiar agony ripped through me.Was I destined to be lonely? Shit, Rowan, you are just as pathetic as…“Rowan...” Rowana sighed, stepping closer. The harshness in her eyes had softened. “Are you alright?”Alright was an overstatement. I quickly wrapped an arm around her so she wouldn't think otherwise. We were twins, but her frame was smaller than mine. One could say sh
Killian’s POVMy assistant shifted his weight uncomfortably. “I can't say. But I do know that Darius knew about the omega’s location before you asked me to call him. He was already on his way before you even decided to involve him.”A strange chill passed through me. Yeah, right. I should have known Darius wouldn’t take no for an answer. The day I let Aria out of his prison by mistake, we nearly had a pissing contest over who got to keep her.I could take Darius down if I wanted to, but the problem was his unpredictability.That fucker was a psychopath, a trickster, and a wildcard. If it came down to it, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill me just to prove a point.And I had no intention of dying.“How long until he gets here?”"I don't know," my assistant said. "But it's possible."Possible.That fucking word irritated me more than anything else.I ran my tongue over my teeth, considering the implications. If Blood Fang was letting Darius in, then they were either playing a game, or Aria wa
ARIAOf course, I felt it. That unbearable warmth whenever he was near. The way his scent clouded my thoughts. The way my body responded, even when my mind screamed at me to resist.It was always the same with Killian, Darius, Rowan, and Lucian—only worse. But I couldn’t trust it. I couldn’t trust any of them. Only my wolf could tell me what was real.And she wasn’t here.My silence seemed to please Killian.“You don’t have to admit it,” he murmured, his fingers brushing against my wrist again—a featherlight touch that sent a shiver down my spine. “It doesn’t matter.”That snapped me out of it. Having a wolf matters!While others were naming their wolves, I was busy searching for mine. While others were shifting for the first time, I was being called a freak—born with unique physical traits but no wolf, no special abilities to back them up.People whispered that I was a true descendant of some rare wolves from the far north. But there was no proof.No parents. No wolf.No fucking noth
ARIABut to my disappointment, he was already lowering himself back to the floor. He wasn’t going to fight…Fight for what exactly? Me?I shook my head. Snap out of it, Aria. My gaze fell to my hands—where Killian was still holding me. His grip didn’t loosen, his fingers wrapped around my wrist like iron bands. The heat of his skin pressed against mine, grounding me in reality. This wasn’t some dream I could wake up from.Killian was right here, waiting for me to accept him. But as my eyes flickered back to Lucian—his slumped posture, the bruises forming along his jaw, the weakness in his gaze...I felt trapped. I had spent too much time being dragged around, claimed, ordered. And now, seeing Lucian’s defeated expression, seeing Killian loom over me with that arrogant smirk, fury boiled inside me.Aria was about to do what no one else had dared.Aria was about to tell Killian, an Alpha… off.With a sharp yank, I tore my wrist free from Killian’s grasp. Okay, I hadn’t planned that. The
ARIAAs for Tobias…One second, he was down the hall. The next, he was standing between them, a low, warning growl vibrating through his chest as he squared up to Killian.“Step back,” Tobias ordered. “Now.”With all the dominant pheromones in the air, I could only stay still. It was overwhelming. My head dangled as their scents made me dizzy. Unfortunately, Killian didn’t move. His gaze flickered to me for half a second—just long enough for my stomach to flip—before locking back onto Lucian. Of course, he couldn’t bear to be ordered by a Beta. But Tobias was no ordinary Beta. Maren had told me he trained hard. Funnily, not every trained Beta was chosen.But Tobias was chosen. That alone spoke volumes of his dominance.“You laid hands on Lucian,” Tobias snapped, baring his teeth now. “You don’t get to do that in his own pack.”I sneaked a glance at Lucian—who was still out on the floor, eyes unfocused, breathing heavily. Oh shit. He looked the most miserable today. I raised a leg, but
Aria’s POV I wasn’t sure what I had expected when I opened the door. But it sure as hell wasn’t this. Lucian stood before me, his bare chest rising and falling with shaky breaths with sweat trapped to his skin. His muscles were tense as if he had just fought off something— someone. And then there were his hands. They weren’t just trembling. They were bloody. Oh my Goddess…Fresh blood. He… “Lucian…?”“What the hell happened to you?” Lucian blinked, his eyes unfocused, like he was still trapped in whatever nightmare had just consumed him. For a moment, he looked completely lost. I didn't like that one bit. Then, slowly, he exhaled. “It’s nothing.” Nothing? That wasn't nothing. I narrowed my eyes. “You’re bleeding.” His jaw tightened. “It’s not my blood.” “Then whose is it?” No reply. His lips had pressed together, but he didn’t answer. A sinking feeling settled in my chest. It was obvious that something was terribly, horribly wrong. Lucian had always been col
Lucian's POVI went to bed early.But the darkness found—surrounding me, suffocating…like the arms of an octopus wrapping around my body, dragging me into its endless depths.I gasped for air, but my lungs found nothing.Fuckfuckfuck… not again! My body trembled violently, drenched in sweat, while my hands clawed at the emptiness, desperate for something—anything—to hold onto. Suddenly, a flash of light encroached the emptiness. It fluttered in and out like a dying flame, taunting me with its fucking relief before disappearing again. Then a deep and familiar voice followed.“Lucian.” The sound struck deep inside me, pulling me away from the abyss that threatened to swallow me whole. My father. “Father!” I cried out, blindly. “Is that you?”I missed him so much. “Albena’s birthday is today. Why don’t we go see her?” Albena? Albena… the name echoed in my mind. A bell tolled in the distance, ringing louder and louder until it was brighter.As bright as the sun… laughter. And
ARIAThat he had somehow walked away from a brotherhood of monsters who took what they wanted and left destruction?My eyes squeezed shut. I couldn’t believe that. Not when I still remembered the feeling of being paraded like a prize in front of them. Maren must have noticed, because she quickly changed the subject. “You know, most people don’t get kissed because they ‘smell bad.’” She made air quotes with her fingers. “That’s gotta be a first.” A laugh wanted to break out of me, but it got stuck somewhere in my throat. “I don’t think that’s why he did it,” I said quietly. Maren nodded, her tone turning softer. “Neither do I.” We walked a little farther until we reached the edge of the stone path. The garden beyond was quiet, and getting cold in the late evening air.My thoughts were too loud, my head too full. “Aria.” Maren’s voice broke the silence again. “Can I ask you something?” I gave her a look. “You’re already asking.” She smiled sheepishly, then dropped her ey