LOGINAvery's POV. I stood in the middle of the garden, watering the plants behind the manor. It wasn't just me; other girls were busy chatting, their laughter floating through the air like they had no problems in life. They smiled at the blooming roses, completely oblivious to the rot beneath the stone foundations of this manor. The others usually get a day off. I don’t. I had never left the walls of this manor since the day I was dragged through the gates. "I can't keep living like this," I muttered to myself, aggressively tilting the watering can to increase the rushing flow of water over the soil. "Is there a problem?" Lilith, the new girl, asked. She was right beside me, working on trimming the overgrown hedges. "No, there's no problem," I answered quickly, keeping my voice neutral. "Well, your face says otherwise," she insisted. She put down her iron shears and looked straight into my eyes, trying to read the truth from them. I looked elsewhere, refusing to allow her to read
Avery's POV. I stopped moving the moment his voice hit me. A sharp pulse of pain shot through my abdomen as I rose from the wet stone floor. My legs trembled beneath me, but I forced myself upright. I would rather collapse than face Lucian on my knees. The tip of his cane struck the stone as he closed the distance between us. He moved without hurry, as though he already knew I couldn't escape. “What do you want, Lucian?” I asked through clenched teeth, gripping the wooden handle of my brush to keep my balance. “I have the floors to finish.” "The Lycan King is sending his guard," Lucian said calmly. The words fell between us like heavy blocks of ice. I kept my chin high, refusing to let him see the sudden jolt of alarm behind my eyes. "Someone inside these walls leaked word that a second-fated mate has appeared," he continued, as though the news meant nothing to him. "The king's advisors are pushing him to revoke my title and secure the northern border. His elite scouts ride fas
Avery's POV The kitchen was hot and stuffy, with the smell of roasted meat, fresh bread, and herbs. Near the washing corner, the scent of soap and dirty water lingered in the air. I straightened my spine and walked in. Marla set the scrubbing brush on the counter between us without a word. I picked up the brush and moved to the far corner of the courtyard, where the stone floor was darkest, stained with old grease and water. I lowered myself to my knees. The cold stone of the kitchen courtyard bit ruthlessly through the thin fabric of my worn skirts. Every time I pushed the brush forward, a sharp pain flared across my abdomen, pulling violently at the fresh stitches. I sucked in a deep breath, teeth clenched tight, my jaw aching from the strain. I leaned against the wooden handle to keep my knees from buckling. “Easy, child,” Marla’s voice broke through the noise of the courtyard, softer than usual. I paused, gripping the scrubbing brush tighter. She was standing near the lar
Lucian’s POV Vance went completely rigid. I didn't need eyes to sense his shock; the sudden hitch in his breath and the quick spike in his heartbeat told me everything. "Dorian's daughter?" Vance choked out, his voice cracking in utter disbelief. "Alpha, tell me you are joking. You cannot be serious.” “Do I sound like I am joking, Vance?” I countered, my voice matching the freezing wind blowing through the open window. "She is an unshifted Omega!" Vance argued, his heavy leather boots slamming against the floorboards as he took two aggressive steps closer to me. “A fragile, raised servant with a traitor for a father, and more importantly, she hates you.” "Her hatred is irrelevant to my laws," I murmured, keeping my hands clasped behind my back. "It is entirely relevant if you need her to willingly accept the bond to break the curse!" Vance shouted, his heartbeat hammering so hard I could hear the rhythm bouncing off the stone walls. "The king is sending his elite royal guar
Lucian’s POV The heavy bronze bells of the northern tower shattered the silence of the morning, their metallic tolls vibrating through the stone floorboards beneath my boots. Every toll rang in my ears, rooting me to the ground. Three sharp strikes. “Riders returning!” a voice bellowed from the courtyard below. The announcement echoed through the fortress halls. Servants stirred. Boots thundered against stone. Somewhere in the courtyard, horses whinnied in protest. I stood by the arched window of my study, one hand resting against the cold stone frame. The freezing wind brushed against my face, carrying the scent of damp earth and horses. Vance was back. My Gamma had returned from the Lycan King’s court a week earlier than expected. I knew it the moment I heard the horses crossing the drawbridge. The hurried, uneven sound of hooves told me he had ridden without rest, pushing his mount harder than any messenger should. A soft, hesitant knock sounded at my door. "Enter," I com
Avery's POV I braced myself for his fury, expecting his massive fingers to crush my throat or snap my collarbone. Instead, the tension in his jaw slowly melted away. A calm smile spread across his lips. He let out a soft, low chuckle that sent a wave of goosebumps down my arms. "Fierce," he murmured, his thumb dragging slowly along my jawline. "It makes the eventual submission taste so much sweeter.” He stood up to his full height, the heavy black fabric of his shirt casting a massive shadow over my bed. “Heal. You are not permitted to die yet.” He turned his back on me. "Every day your body mends is one day closer to my light. You cannot run from a bond that is woven into your soul.” I watched his rigid shoulders slide into the shadows as he walked toward the door. He navigated the room perfectly without his cane, opening the heavy mahogany door and stepping out into the corridor without looking back. The heavy wood slammed shut behind him, the lock clicking into place. Th
Avery's POV.I didn’t wait for her to answer. I pushed past her, hips swaying as I made my way into the kitchen. The clatter of trays and the scent of early firewood filled the room, but my mind was elsewhere.Marla stood at the center, issuing orders.“Thalia,” she called. I lifted my head and met
Lena's POV.Avery stared at me as if she were trying to decide whether I was lying. Then suddenly she stood.“I need to get dressed.”“Of course.” But I didn’t move.She hesitated for a moment, fingers tightening around the edge of the towel wrapped around her body. Then she pulled it loose.The fa
Avery's POV My heart slammed against my ribs. “You wouldn’t dare.” Lucian didn’t respond. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. “Five,” he said calmly. The word dropped into the room like a stone into water. “Four.” “Lucian—” “Three.” Panic flared in my chest. “I said I won’
Avery's POV.The moment my father’s gaze met mine, I froze in place. My father… here. Why is he here? Did Lucian invite him? I swallowed hard. The questions tumbled over each other in my mind. Was he coming to mock me? To claim I was still his? Or… was he here for me?I couldn’t move. Couldn’t spe







