LOGINMadeline’s POVI knew ma'am wanted more that anything to stop me from saving the guard so I won't get punished, but then she just didn't want to interfere because that will land me in even bigger problems.They seized me before the thunder finished echoing.One moment I was standing in the execution square, my hands still trembling from the surge of power I had released, and the next, iron fingers clamped around my arms.“Take her!”“No, wait!”“She disrupted the ritual!”“Don’t damage her!”The witches were shouting over each other, their voices colliding in panic. Some sounded furious. Others sounded afraid.The guards did not hesitate.They dragged me across the cracked wooden platform,
Aurelia’s POVI heard about the execution before the sun rose.Whispers travel faster than orders in this palace. They slip under doors, curl around corners, settle in your chest before you even understand what you’re hearing.“They’re executing someone at dawn.”“For treason.”“For sabotaging the ritual.”I froze mid-step in the corridor, a bucket of water sloshing against my leg.I knew all of this was just connected to Selena, because ever since Liam took over Selena has been the one calling the shots! Sometimes I wonder why Liam did all of that to get back a throne he wasn't that interested in.Before I could ask more, the head maid’s voice sliced through the hallway. “Aurelia.”I turned s
Aurelia’s POVI thought things would get better after Selena was thrown into the dungeon.I was wrong. If anything, my life became worse.The moment she was locked away, the servants turned vicious. The guards stopped pretending to be neutral. Even the head maid, who once barely acknowledged my existence, suddenly remembered I was beneath her.“Aurelia, scrub the west wing floors.”“Aurelia, the laundry isn’t folded properly.”“Aurelia, why are you standing? Move!”It didn’t matter that I had already been working since dawn. It didn’t matter that my hands were cracked and bleeding from harsh soap and cold water. They piled work on me as if I had personally offended them.Maybe I had. Maybe my existence was offensive.
Selena’s POVThe room felt like it had turned to ice the moment Shannon stepped forward. Every eye in the council hall fixed on her, but it wasn’t just the council members, it was Liam. His gaze was filled with hatred and I felt myself shrinking under it.Shannon’s voice rang out, clear, cold, and venomous. “The child in Selena’s womb,” she said, turning her attention to everyone in the room, “belongs not to Alpha Liam, but to the kitchen assistant.”My stomach dropped like a stone. I froze, unsure whether to breathe or scream. My heart pounded against my ribs, a deafening drum, and my throat went dry.“No!” I shouted, my hands clenching at my sides, my nails digging into my palms. “That’s a lie! That’s not me! Liam, listen to me, please, you have to listen!”But it was
Shannon’s POVThe next week was hell. Absolute, relentless hell. Every morning I woke to whispers and stares, even from those who had no right to judge me. By midday, the palace halls buzzed with news of me. Shannon the murderer. Shannon, the hybrid without a wolf. Shannon, the one who orchestrated the death of the late king.I tried to ignore it. The ministers called for me repeatedly, each summons more insistent than the last. By the fourth day, I knew this would not blow over.“Luna Shannon,” one minister said during a heated conference, “the people are asking questions. We are asking questions. Did you murder the late king?”I exhaled slowly, letting my rage simmer beneath the surface. Calm, composed, I looked at them, meeting every gaze evenly. “No,” I said flatly. “I did not. These are baseless rumors spread by someone
Shannon’s POVI closed the drawer slowly and lifted my head.“Selena.” My voice was calm.She was still standing near my dressing table, pretending to adjust a bracelet as if I was the one in the wrong room. This little brat thinks I can't smell her mischief from afar.“What are you doing in my chambers?” I asked.She didn’t turn immediately. “I told you. I was looking for my scarf.”I let out a quiet laugh.“A scarf.”“Yes.”“You expect me to believe you misplaced your scarf in my private quarters?”She finally faced me, crossing her arms. “I’ve been here before.”“That does not give you permission to go through my things.”Her eyes flickered briefly.“I wasn’t going through anything.”
Aurelia’s POVThat night, I didn’t even remember walking back to the basement.My body moved on instinct alone, one foot in front of the other, down the narrow steps, through the familiar damp corridor that smelled of mold, sweat, and quiet despair. My muscles screamed in protest with every step, m
Selena’s POVThe candles would not stop flickering.I stood at the center of the hidden chamber, fingers clenched at my sides, watching the flames bend and stretch like they were being pulled by unseen hands. The altar before me pulsed faintly, dark stone veined with crimson lines that glowed and d
Aurelia’s POVI yanked the door open, my heart already bracing for pain.In my mind, I had seen it clearly, Selena’s cruel smile, her sharp tongue ready to tear me apart. Or worse, guards with iron grips, ready to drag me away for daring to breathe without permission. My muscles were already tense
Aurelia’s POVThe first thing I felt was cold. It was like a biting chill that soaked straight through my skin. A wet drop landed on my forehead. Then another, this one slid down the bridge of my nose and into my mouth.I gasped and bolted upright.Water was dripping from the ceiling again.I stare







