Ember bounded through the woods, her paws barely touching the ground. Being a wolf was the best thing ever! She felt free and unburdened, open and in sync with the moon. She took short breaks to sniff around, enjoying the full experience. Once she got to the edge of the clearing that lead to the servant camp, she crouched in the bushes, watching the guards who now carried weapons after the last breach. The breach when she met Thorne. She shook her head, expelling any thoughts of him. He was a sick, evil man unworthy of her attention. She stalked the length of the clearing, waiting to see either Kaya or Raphael. Her patience was rewarded when she spotted Kaya coming out of the opposite end of the woods, with Raphael in his wolf form. Just as Ember was about to step out of the clearing, she heard a deep, low growl behind her. ***** Thorne had immediately known Ember had found a way to sneak out of the mansion’s premises. The look in her eyes when he refused her request was one of
Ember kept her eyes locked on Thorne’s, panting, waiting for him to make a move. Being a newly turned wolf, and coupled with the exhaustion from running, she lost her grasp on control. She turned back into her human form, naked and bleeding from her right side where the gate had scratched her on her way in. She raised one of her hands to cover her trembling chest, keeping her eyes low and avoiding Thorne’s gaze. The other hand covered her pubic area. She heard Thorne inhale sharply as his eyes roamed over her naked body, and heard the cracking of his bones as his fur receded, and he turned back to his human form. “Look at me,” he ordered, his voice carrying a strange, strained quality, and she couldn’t tell if he was angry or something else. Nervously, she raised her eyes, taking in his naked form. His skin was flushed from exertion, beads of sweat clinging to him. His hand cupped over his private area, covering his nakedness. “What you did was thoughtless,” he began, not taking h
The next morning, Ember was startled awake by noises in her room. She sat up suddenly and opened her eyes. A woman stood by her vanity table, holding brushes and cleaning supplies. The woman gasped at Ember’s sudden movement, pressing a hand to her chest as she caught her breath. “I’m sorry, Luna. It seems we startled each other,” the kindly, middle aged woman said, smiling respectfully. “My name is Dorothea. I’ve been assigned as your personal maid.” She shuffled over to the bed and bowed low. “Oh,” Ember said in surprise, momentarily at a loss for words. “Okay.” “I will clean for you, serve your meals, dress you, and attend to any errands you have. All you need to do is ask,” Dorothea said, wiping her hands on her dress. “Thank you. I may not need much attending, though, I do almost everything myself,” Ember replied, pulling the bedcover around her. “That is unacceptable, ma’am. You are our Luna. You must attend to your duties and leave the tending to me,” Dorothea insisted. “
Ember spent the day touring the mansion with Kaya, Raphael, and Dorothea. Kaya expressed an interest in cooking, and Ember asked Dorothea to tutor her as an assistant cook in the mansion. Raphael stuck to gardening, just as he had at the camps. After the eventful day, she lay in bed, reading a book after Dorothea had commandeered her evening bathe and dressing. She felt more relaxed and rested than she had in over four years. She had just propped her book on the nightstand as she prepared to sleep, tired from the day, when the door flew open. Thorne stood in the doorway, dressed in a white shirt and black pants, looking every bit the Alpha that he was. His dark hair was ruffled, though it suited him, and his face was set in his usual scowl. “Can’t you knock?” Ember asked, irritated, blinking against the hallway lights. Thorne clenched his jaw, running a hand through his hair as he took deep breaths to control his anger at her insolent tone. “I don’t have to knock on any doors wit
Thorne took her mouth in his, with a passion that shocked them both, their lips sucking and biting, fighting for dominance in a wet, sultry dance. He slid his hand into her hair, massaging her scalp solfty, I dare say even lovingly. Ember arched her back, pressing her chest into his as she wrapped her arms around his wide, muscular torso, leaning into him, Thorne pulled out of the kiss, staring her deeply in the eyes, he looked like he was about to say something, then he changed his mind. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he gently led her into the bed, following behind her as she lay on her back, flushed and staring at him. He took a moment to admire her again, the slope of her collar bones, her breasts, pale pink areolas, the slim lenght of her stomach. He settled on his knees before her, between her legs, with both arms on her knees. “This is an apology,” he said softly, his expression intense and apologetic. “What?”, Ember asked, confused. Without responding, T
*A week later* “Wake up, my lady,” Dorothea said softly, nudging Ember. Ember yawned and turned in her sleep, facing Dorothea, who cooed and said, “Oh my days, you’re so cute. But you need to wake up now.” She insisted, pulling the covers off Ember. Dorothea nudged her hard, which did the trick. Ember woke up, stretching, as her eyes adjusted to the room and Dorothea, who was standing beside a table with a selection of different breakfast options. “Good morning, Luna. You have a busy day ahead of you.” “Busy day?” Ember asked, hugging her knees as she peered at Dorothea in confusion. “Yes, Alpha Thorne has organized a small party in your honor,” Dorothea said, smiling happily. “A party?!” Ember asked, surprised. Why didn’t Thorne tell her? Dorothea, seeing her confusion, said, “It was a bit rushed, my lady. I guess he can’t wait to introduce you formally to the pack. It’s long overdue, I must say. So you must get up, and try out all the dresses I brought.” Ember groaned as she
Serene stumbled as she was dragged out of the carriage. After steadying herself, she glared at the guard and muttered something inaudible but clearly nasty. She steeled herself, holding her head high with pride and confidence, as though she hadn’t just been humiliated. Matteo stomped toward her, grabbed her by the arm, and yanked her forward toward Thorne. He shoved her the last few steps, nearly staggering himself. “You planted your nasty seed in my mate!” Matteo yelled. The crowd gasped. Whispers buzzed as everyone looked at Thorne, then at Matteo, and then, to Ember’s horror, at her. The crowd parted around Ember, drawing all attention to her. Matteo noticed and let out a harsh, mocking laugh. “What a beauty she is. Is that your mate, Thorne?” Matteo slurred, advancing drunkenly. “Shall I fuck your mate as my revenge?!” Thorne and his guards stepped forward, blocking Matteo’s path. “I don’t understand your claims, Matteo. Serene is cunning. You said so yourself,” Thorne said
Ember woke up before sunrise. She got up and dressed herself in a simple day dress, intent on getting into Thorne’s office to find information. A few servants were already awake and nodded in respect as she passed, but she paid them no mind. She had been claimed and publicly introduced to the pack by Thorne, wihich granted her the right to go anywhere she pleased without raising suspicion. She stalked toward his office, keeping an eye out for any guards. She was sure Thorne and Darius had left for the fight with Matteo because she had seen them shift and disappear into the woods from her window. Standing still at the edge of the hallway, she waited until the patrolling guard walked to the other end and vanished around the corner. Then, she slipped inside unnoticed. She went straight for his desk drawer first, but to her dismay, the folder she had previously found, the one containing her father’s picture, was gone. Frantically, she searched, her eyes darting across the office, until
Collin swirled the wine in his glass, slowly and deliberately, like he was savoring every drop of it. Then he turned to Serene, letting his eyes linger on her without shame.Raphael cleared his throat.Collin snapped at him. “Is there a problem?”Alpha Matteo slammed his fist against the desk. “Enough,” he growled. “You broke into my home, slipped past my guards to gain my audience, and now you’re lazily sipping my wine. Get to the point, I’m losing my patience.”Collin smiled, then he gently placed the glass on the table with a soft clink. “Alright,” he said casually. “I have an enemy. And that enemy has just recently made a very powerful friend. A friend whom I’ve also provoked into our fight.”He leaned forward slightly. “Because I have something that belongs to my enemy… and something else that belongs to his powerful friend.”He looked at Matteo pointedly. “Are you following?”Matteo grinded his jaw as he rose from his seat, his hands clenched at his sides and his body trembling
Ragnar opened his eyes to a blur of brown and grey. And for a second, nothing made sense to him. Then it all rushed back.He sat up fast, pulling the bag off his head, his fingers brushing the dried blood on his face. His vision swam but he didn’t stop.He remembered everything clearly now. Chasing Collin. The sting of wolfsbane. Kaya’s scream. His mother… And Collin’s sick offer to trade Stella… for one of them.His jaw clenched as he pushed himself to his feet, squeezing his fists so tight his nails dug into his palms. Warm blood trickled down to the ground, but he barely noticed.He turned and scanned his surroundings.They had knocked him out, drugged him with more wolfsbane, and left him here, outside Thorne’s borders.He wiped the blood off his palm on his trousers and took off, running straight toward Thorne’s territory. His breath was ragged, but all he could see was Collin’s neck snapping in his hands. Over and over.By the time he reached the gates, sweat was running down hi
Stella shot upright with a gasp, sweating profusely. She pressed a palm to her hammering heart. Her eyes darting around in confusion, realizing that she wasn’t in the woods or in a tent. This place was warm and glowing with soft candlelight, a high ceiling, and stone walls. Heavy curtains swayed slightly in the breeze.“Hey… hey, it’s okay,” a voice said gently.She turned her head fast.Caden.He was sitting at the edge of the bed, close but not too close, his hands already reaching for hers. She stared at him, blinking like she didn’t believe he was real.“You’re safe,” he said in a calming tone. “You’re safe here. With me.”Stella didn’t relax. Her breathing slowed, but her eyes stayed sharp and her fingers tightened around his.“Where’s my brother?” she asked him immediately, her voice raspy.Caden hesitated for a second, then... “He left,” he said. “With Kaya.”That only made her sit up straighter. “What do you mean left?”“I mean… I haven’t seen Ragnar, Kaya, or Ember since they
Serene stepped out onto the patio in a skimpy dress and a cup of beer in her hand. She took a slow sip, sighing in satisfaction. But when she turned around, she jumped, Raphael was standing there like a ghost.She narrowed her eyes. “You know, you could at least pretend to be useful. Weren’t you supposed to deliver Thorne’s weaknesses to Matteo by now?”Raphael didn’t respond.Serene clicked her tongue. “Don’t tell me you’re still mooning over that girl who belongs to someone else.”That got his attention and his eyes flashed, startled.She laughed, slinking toward him, her hips swaying deliberately. “I knew a man like that once,” she purred, taking another sip of her beer, “Madly in love with someone else’s mate. Thought he could change fate, rewrite the stars. You know where he is now?”Raphael stared at her silently.“In a shitty little inn on the edge of nowhere,” she said with a smirk. “Drinks himself to sleep every night. No pack. No purpose. No mate. Just regret.”She stepped i
Ragnar stood in the middle of the scorched fire pit where Collin’s group used to stay, the ash was cold beneath his boots. The place looked dead and abandoned, with not even the echo of a recent breath. They were gone.Of course they were, Collin wouldn’t have been stupid enough to stay after abducting his mother. Still, a part of him had hoped that maybe the bastard had lingered, that maybe he’d be foolish enough to gloat to his face. Ragnar exhaled through clenched teeth, trying to steady the storm boiling under his skin. He sharpened his senses, sniffing for any scent or trail left behind. Someone had to have slipped and left a sign to point in the direction they headed. Wolves or not, no group ever moved without leaving a trace.The scent was muddled with multiple trails. Like they’d scattered in different directions deliberately. One of the guards Thorne had sent with him stepped closer, disrupting his concentration.“We’ve checked the entire place,” the guard said. “There’s not
Ember stepped into Thorne’s room, her heart pounding, fingers twisting the hem of her short, thin dress. Thorne stood with his back to her, halfway through undressing, his muscles shifting under his skin as he pulled his shirt over his head.Without turning, he asked quietly, “Will you stay?”Ember said nothing.The last time she’d been here, he’d banished her, warning her never to return. Yet here she was, standing in his doorway dressed for him, aching for him. She didn’t want to talk or fight, she just wanted him.Finally, Thorne turned. His searing gaze landed on her, and he froze. His eyes dragged down her body once, then again, slower, like he couldn’t quite believe what he was seeing.“Will you stay?” he asked again, his voice rougher now.Ember stepped forward, closing the distance between them, and wrapped her arms around his bare waist, pressing her body firmly into his. She tilted her head up and whispered, “Touch me first. Talk later.”Thorne inhaled sharply, his hands com
Kaya opened her eyes to find herself stuffed inside some kind of rough bag and slung over a shoulder like cargo. Panic gripped her instantly. She thrashed and tried to scream, but a knot of fabric tied tightly over her mouth choked her sound. Her arms were bound tightly too. Her mind raced, why was she gagged? Where were they taking her?She wriggled harder, desperate, until a gruff voice growled, “Settle down, or I’ll drown you in the river with that sack still on your head.”Frozen by fear, kaya stopped moving. Tears spilled hot and fast down her cheeks.The rough jostling continued until, finally, the man carrying her stopped. She could hear voices, several of them, talking over each other, but they went quiet as they approached.“You got her? You really got her?” a voice said, giddy with excitement. Strong arms grabbed her, hauling her off the man’s shoulder and dropping her roughly to the ground. Kaya whimpered at the sharp pain shooting up her side.A moment later, the bag was p
Alpha Thorne, on approaching the border of his territory, smelled smoke and ran faster, bursting through the unmanned gates and straight towards the servants of camp.Ember hopped down from his back just as he and Ragnar skidded to a stop in front of the chaos, several of the living quarters were up in flames, and panicked servants and guards were trying to put them out with buckets of water and sand.‘What the hell happened here?’ Thorne snapped through the mind link to the nearest guard.The guard, breathless and covered in soot, rushed over to him. “Someone torched the buildings, Alpha. No one’s hurt, but it all happened so fast. We were caught off guard.”Ragnar shifted quickly and immediately started calling out, “Gertrude! Mom! Does anyone know Gertrude Fern?” But no one answered him. The only replies were frightened shakes of the head and tearful confusion.Thorne growled under his breath, his eyes scanning the burning mess. His security was too thin and sloppy. Even though th
Raphael sat on the cold floor of the cell beneath Matteo’s mansion with his back against the wall and his eyes half-closed. His body still ached and the wounds on his side were raw and slow to heal thanks to the wolfsbane in the pit. The pain had dulled, but it was still there, throbbing, steady and annoying.“Hey,” the rough-looking man in the next cell said as he leaned against the bars in a cocky voice. “They say you’re the next Alpha of Ashen Pack. Put in a good word for me with Matteo, yeah? I’ll join your pack, follow you anywhere, the works.”Raphael didn’t respond. He barely looked up as he wasn’t in the mood.The man scowled when he got no response. Too good to talk to me, huh?” he muttered. “Actin’ like a prince when you’re locked in a dungeon.” He spat, the glob of spit landing just inches away from Raphael’s boot.Still, Raphael didn’t move. His focus stayed on his side, watching the wound throb slightly with every breath he took.He started to doubt if coming to Alpha Mat