LOGINChapter 14The fire in the hearth popped, a small explosion of sparks.Deluca didn't move. He stood over Nora, his body a literal wall of muscle and ink shielding her from the man in the chair. His breathing was shallow, his shoulders hunched like he was seconds away from snapping."Carla," Deluca said. The name came out like a curse, spat onto the floor. "I should have known you were the one feeding Sanchez those forged documents. You always did have a talent for lies."The man in the chair, Carla, let out a dry, rattling chuckle. He looked like a nightmare version of Deluca. Where Deluca was all raw, youthful power, Carla was lean and weathered, his skin covered in the same jagged pack tattoos, but his golden eyes held a cruel, ancient wisdom."Lies? I only tell the truths people aren't ready to hear, nephew," Carla said, swirling his whiskey. He looked at Nora, his gaze crawling over her emerald dress until it rested on her stomach. "And right now, the truth is sitting in the middl
Chapter 13Nora woke up with a sharp gasp. Her head was pounding, but the heavy, numbing weight of the drug was slowly fading from her veins. She blinked against the dim light, expecting to see iron bars and dirty stone walls.Instead, she was lying on a massive leather sofa. The room smelled like old books, expensive bourbon, and the heavy, comforting scent of pine and ozone.It was Deluca’s private office."You are awake."Nora flinched. George was standing by the heavy mahogany door. The arrogant smirk from the hallway was completely gone. He looked exhausted, his tie loosened and his sleeves rolled up."Stay away from me," Nora croaked. She pulled her knees to her chest, her heart hammering. "Where is he? Where is Deluca?""I am right here."The secret door behind the bookshelf clicked open. Deluca stepped out from the hidden passageway. He looked like he had just walked through hell. His suit jacket was gone. His white shirt was unbuttoned, revealing the dark, jagged ink of his p
The walls of the corridor seemed to breathe, closing in on Nora as the golden light of the ballroom smeared into ugly, jagged lines. Her head felt like it was filled with lead, and every breath was a struggle against the sweet, metallic poison clawing at her throat."Going somewhere, little omega?"Valencia’s voice was a sharp needle in the fog. She didn't help Nora. She stood back, her white silk dress shimmering like a shroud."What... what did you give me?" Nora whispered, her knees buckling."Just a little something to show everyone your true colors," Valencia sneered, her eyes dancing with cold triumph. "The 'pure' mate of the Alpha, stumbling around like a common street mutt. It’s poetic, really."Nora tried to shove past her, but her limbs were useless. She tripped over the hem of her gown, her body tilting toward the hard marble floor.Two strong arms caught her, but the scent wasn't pine. It was bourbon and expensive leather."Woah, slow down there, Luna," George whispered. H
Chapter Eleven "I have to claim you. Not just the mark, Nora. All of you. Tonight."Deluca’s voice was a low, vibrating rasp that seemed to settle deep in Nora’s bones. He held her pinned against the bedpost, his hands heavy on her shoulders. The air in the room was thick, charged with the scent of pine, ozone, and the raw, untamed musk of a wolf pushed to his limit.Nora’s breath hitched, her heart thumping a frantic rhythm against her ribs."Deluca, the Council... they really want to kill them? My babies?""They want a reason to strip my title," Deluca muttered, his eyes swirling with a lethal, metallic silver. "They think they can use your past to bury our future. But if my scent is so deep in your pores that the labs can’t find a trace of anyone else, they have no case. You’ll be mine. Entirely."Nora looked into his eyes, searching for the coldness she’d seen in the library. It was still there, but beneath it was a burning possessiveness that made her knees turn to water."Is th
Chapter TenKashton stared at his reflection in the full-length mirror, his fingers fumbling with the silk tie around his neck. His black suit was tailored to perfection, hugging his broad shoulders and highlighting the sharp, lethal lines of his jaw. The tattoos on his hands—dark, intricate ink that marked his victories and his sins—peaked out from beneath his white cuffs.But his eyes were hollow.He had expected to feel a sense of triumph by now. He had the pack he wanted, the power he craved, and the woman he had chosen to replace the "plain" Nora. So why did he feel like a stranger in his own skin?"Kashton, darling, are you almost ready? The reservation is for eight, and you know how I hate to be kept waiting."Maeve leaned against the doorframe, her presence a sharp contrast to the quiet, grounding energy Nora used to bring into the room. Maeve was wearing a dress that was barely there, a shimmering gold number that screamed for attention. Her scent—heavy jasmine and expensive
Chapter NineDeluca didn't pull away immediately. He took his time, his thumb dragging slowly across Nora’s lower lip before he finally turned his head. His arm remained locked around her waist, anchoring her to his side so tightly she could feel the frantic thrum of his heart against her ribs.Lord Sanchez stood like a statue of judgment, his face a deep, mottled purple. Beside him, Valencia looked like she had just stepped off a pedestal. Her white dress was pristine, her dark hair falling in perfect waves, but her eyes were twin daggers aimed straight at Nora’s throat."I expected many things from the Alpha of the Northern Ridge," Sanchez said, his voice trembling with suppressed rage."But to find you rutting against a pantry door with a piece of Blood Moon trash while my daughter waits for you? It’s an insult to my lineage.""Get out of my kitchen, Sanchez," Deluca said. His voice was too calm. It was the kind of calm that preceded a massacre."Oh, let him stay, Papa," Valencia i
Chapter SevenNora’s heart skipped a beat.The heat she had felt from the man’s back instantly turned into a layer of frost against her skin. She stumbled backward, her hand went instinctively to her throat, her fingers brushing the bandage that hid Deluca’s fresh, pulsing mark.The man before her d
Chapter SixNora woke to the smell of rain, sandalwood, and freshly brewed coffee.She blinked against the morning light filtering through the heavy drapes. The bed felt empty, but the sheets were still warm. She brought a hand to her neck. The skin there was tender, throbbing with a dull, heavy ac
Chapter EightAfter George’s cryptic visit, Nora spent most of it in the kitchen, the one place where the chaos of the Northern Ridge seemed to fade into the background. She was elbow-deep in flour, trying to recreate her mother’s honey-bread recipe. It was her way of grounding herself, a small pie







