LOGINAvery's POV. My hand was still wrapped around the kitchen knife. Blood—Dorian’s—had gathered along the edge and dripped onto the worn floorboards. I watched it fall, each drop staining the wood a deeper red. My body trembled with the aftermath of what I had done. When had I become this person? When had my hands learned to threaten the people I once would have died to protect? The girl who used to braid Zara’s hair and dream of a simple life under the pack’s protection was gone. In her place stood someone unrecognizable, forged in the fires of life's cruelty. I wiped the blade on my already filthy skirt and slipped it back into its hiding place beneath the fabric. My legs felt wobbly, disconnected from the rest of me as I stepped out into the muddy street. The sun was already setting, casting a warm orange glow over the village. Torches flickered in the distance, but the narrow alleys between the houses were dark. The streets were beginning to empty as night drew closer, and a co
Avery's POV. Lucian froze mid-motion. His hand gripped the silver head of his cane more tightly. "You're in no position to make demands, Avery.” "It's not a demand. It's a condition," I shot back, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the terror thumping in my chest. "You want me to play the submissive, Luna? Then let me see my sister with my own eyes. Let me ensure she is breathing, or I swear I will ruin your inspection the second the royal guard steps through the gates." A slow, chilling smile touched Lucian's lips. He tilted his head, his dead, sightless eyes fixing on the direction of my face. He looked amused by my desperation. "Go," Lucian murmured, sounding as though he was done arguing. “Go remind yourself of the dirt you came from. But remember my terms—if you slip up when the King arrives, your sister pays the price." I didn't wait for him to change his mind. I turned on my heel and left the manor, the weight of his threat anchoring itself deep in my chest.
Avery'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
Avery's POV.Cold water soaked through the thin fabric around my knees as I scrubbed the stone floor.The brush scraped harshly across the surface, the sound echoing faintly in the quiet kitchen.Scrub. Rinse. Scrub again.My hands were already red from the cold water, but I kept going. My hand pre
Lucian’s POV. The sound of her body striking the stone floor was sharp enough to echo through the kitchen before the room fell completely silent. She slid across the polished surface, the faint scrape of fabric and skin against stone telling me exactly where she stopped — somewhere near the cab
Avery's POV For a moment, I thought he would. The wolf inside him surged like a dark storm. The room shook with the force of it. Then suddenly, his fangs dropped. “Careful what you wish for.” His claws dragged slowly down the stone beside my head, carving deep gouges into the wall. Stone cr
Avery's POV I dropped my forehead against the door, tears already streaking down my cheeks. “...Please…” But he was gone. And I was alone again. I sat in the corner, hugging my knees, shivering. My dress was damp with sweat and tears. My back ached from the hard floor. My throat burned from







