Chapter 38: Family rulesVIKTOR'S POVFLASHBACK: Viktor at 19I left the car almost as soon as I parked, heading into the pack house. I was as exhausted as I was famished.With almost a year left before officially becoming Alpha, I shouldn’t be doing this much every day. But Dad wanted me to start handling most of the pack business now, so I could get used to the role before the official date.I dropped my car keys and the other things I had taken with me in their places in my room, then hung my coat on the carved stand. After that, I left for the dining.“Evening, Dad. Luna Brianne,” I said, pulling out a seat to join the rest of the family of five.Dad gave a single nod. Brianne held me with that look she always used—the one that said I was the family’s black sheep for being late to dinner again.I ignored her and pulled a napkin onto my lap. My stomach growled as I noticed how everyone’s plate seemed to be overflowing, especially Rhyder’s. He was glued to his phone, as always.“Bro
Chapter 37: Old woundVIKTOR'S POV I stepped out to welcome Soraya Silvercrust after Aeron's mindlink informed me of her arrival. He was already gone by the time I made it outside.To my mild surprise, Soraya's brother had come with her. I had expected her to come with her handmaiden at most. I didn't miss how Maeron's gaze lingered on Ariel—but I did my best to ignore the instant urge to claw out his eyes and feed them to him.“Tired of my face already?” he teased as we shook hands.“I was expecting my bride, not her entire pack,” I replied, letting my gaze shift to Soraya. She gave me that cartoonish, lady-like smile... the kind meant to charm.She had the kind of beauty that would turn heads; elegant, effortless, the kind men usually chased. But that was all it was. She didn’t spark anything in me.Ariel, on the other hand stole the air from my lungs every time she walks into my space. Every breath around her always felt different... addicting, alive.And gods, I hated that I noti
Chapter 36: My wolfARIEL'S POV I met his eyes, my throat dry.Why did he ask me that?The air between us thickened.I hated that I had to think of a response. Hated that I couldn’t immediately deny it.When did we arrive here exactly?I wasn’t supposed to expect anything from him. Wasn’t supposed to feel anything. Not after learning, in the most bitter way, that an Omega could never have a life with an Alpha. Not unless it was in fairytales or the foolish dreams of childhood.But this Alpha had been making things complicated.He jumped into the middle of an attack just to save me. Yet the day I ran away and stayed in the bushes until nightfall after my mate’s betrayal, Rhyder never came looking for me.This Alpha sent daisies and roses in a vase for my room, just because he caught me watching the garden from my balcony.He drove me around the city all day because he thought I was tired of being stuck inside.He took me on my first horse ride. He was the first man to kiss me in the r
Chapter 35: JealousARIEL'S POV Everything in me froze for a second.A bride?Was he really getting married? An ache I didn’t want to acknowledge settled in my chest. I didn’t want it to be true. But like the call said… she was close to the border.My heart gave a violent kick as I thought back to what had happened between us in the last few hours.I was still trembling—partly from the cold, but mostly from his touch and the way he’d stopped, again, just before I reached release. Though this time, he didn’t ask me to forget it ever happened. Not that it took away the hurt and anger. Now, I felt like the biggest fool, knowing I’d almost slept with a man who was about to be married.We hadn’t crossed that final line, thankfully. Still, I felt guilty for how far it went. It was my fault he lost control. My fault any of it even happened. How was I supposed to face the woman now?"Ariel, we have to leave," Viktor’s deep voice cut through my thoughts, making my heart skip in a way I didn’
Chapter 34: Tell me to stop VIKTOR'S POV I pinned Ariel to a tree in the middle of the woods where the rain had trapped us, my lips worshipping every inch of skin they could reach. Her hands flew to my wet hair for support, fingers tangled like she was afraid I’d disappear.Watching her writhe in pain just moments ago had broken something in me. All the promises I made about staying away from her in this way had gone up in flames. Right now, all I wanted was to swallow her pain. Take every ounce of it into me. Let her breathe free while I burned instead.I was used to pain. Nothing hurt me anymore.Or so I thought.Until I saw her helpless like that... that broke me in a way no enemy ever could. It hurt more than a thousand strikes on the battlefield. More than every crack of my bones during a full moon. More than anything I’ve ever known.I didn't even realize when I came to care about her this much.Or maybe it was just her sinful little whimpers. Those wrecked moans. The desper
Chapter 33: All of itARIEL'S POV:My goddess, it became harder to ride. The paths turned slippery, and the wind grew colder. And if I’d thought Viktor was protective before, I had seen nothing yet. Now, he was fully focused, riding close, watching my every move like a mother hen. He guided Princess like she was a person.But even as the downpour blurred my vision, I couldn’t help noticing the way his muscles shifted beneath his soaked clothes every time his grip tightened on midnight's rein. His shirt clung to him like a second skin, outlining every dip, every ridge, every carved detail of a body honed by countless battles. A body that had endured war and emerged victorious. I shouldn’t have been thinking about it, not now at least. But my mind betrayed me, dragging me to dark, wicked corners.I found myself wondering what it would feel like to be trapped beneath all that strength, all that heat.Even the cold couldn’t stop the warmth rushing through me, pooling in places it should