MasukADRIAN:For the rest of the night, Elena and I did more than just celebrate our victory; we completely lost ourselves in each other, making love with a frantic, consuming hunger. Seeing how she stood by my side throughout that brutal tribunal hall completely broke down whatever walls I had left. My love for her multiplied until it felt like our souls had genuinely melted together to become one inseparable entity.She eventually drifted off to sleep curled securely in my arms. And we slept like babies wrapped in each other's arms. When the first golden rays of morning spilled through the bedroom windows, signaling a brand new dawn, I stirred softly. I turned on my side to gaze down at Elena, who was still sleeping soundly, a peaceful expression resting on her exhausted face. Leaning down, I pressed a tender, lingering kiss to her forehead, carefully slipped out of bed, and headed straight down the hall to my private study.Once inside, I tapped into our mental network and mind-linked C
"Until my womb shifts?" I blushed, then let out a breathless, disbelieving laugh as Adrian dropped me onto the edge of the mattress, his eyes dark with an intense, predatory hunger. "Adrian, that's not even biologically possible, and you know it."Adrian stepped closer, a wicked, confident smirk playing at the corners of his mouth. "Okay then, Luna... I guess I'll just have to prove it to you right now."Before I could even utter another word, his hands were on me. With swift, practiced efficiency, he reached for the glittering diamond necklace he had just given me, carefully setting it aside along with my ring on the mahogany nightstand. In a flurry of raw, feverish motion, he stripped away my clothes, his fingers hooking into my underwear and tearing the fabric away with a sharp rip that sent a shiver straight down my spine.He didn't give me a single second to recover before a sharp, stinging slap landed flush against my ass, making me gasp as heat bloomed across my skin. Instantly
ADRIAN:Watching Darius lose his mind, all I wanted to do was smirk in victory. But seeing how he pressed a knife to the throat of his own mate just made me realise how desperate a man he was. For a split second, a cold spike of fear shot straight through my chest. I feared that he might actually hurt that innocent woman. I honestly thought Elena might actually break under the pressure, capitulate to his demands, and turn against me just to save her mother's life. But thank the Goddess, Kamala intervened right in the nick of time.It turned out that Theo had brought her along to the hearing just to quietly sit in the gallery and witness the proceedings. Well, Kamala deserved a damn trophy for that move. This was the second time she had stepped up and single-handedly saved a completely dire situation since she first arrived at the Blackwood Pack, and I knew right then I was going to heavily reward her loyalty and promote her.As the chaos in the hall finally settled and the guards hau
ELENA:When I saw my father grab my mother from behind and press that sharp hunting knife hard against her throat, I froze completely. I stood there, paralyzed, watching my mother’s face drain of all color until she looked like a walking corpse.Around us, the entire hall stared at Darius like he had completely lost his damn mind.Darius began ranting hysterically, spittle flying from his lips as his eyes darted wildly around the room. "Elena! You listen to me!" he screamed, his voice cracking with unhinged desperation. "Everything I did, I did it because of you! Yet you didn't think twice before betraying me and taking sides with my worst enemy! I cancelled the alliance because I wanted to protect you from this monster, and I gave you to King Seth because Seth promised to make you his Queen! I only ever wanted the absolute best for my daughter, but you chose to side with the enemy!"I scoffed loudly. “Stop lying Dad. You and I know that everything you did, you did it for your own sel
ADRIAN:From our seats at the front, I watched Darius sitting a few rows away. He was practically seething with pure rage, his fists clenched so tightly against his knees that his knuckles were stark white. But for all his posturing, he stayed frozen in his chair; he knew full well that if he made one more reckless move or tried to stop Elena from speaking, Elder Caleb would have him locked away in the council dungeons before he could blink.Elder Caleb ignored Darius's dark glare and shifted his attention back toward the gallery. "Bring the two guards from King Seth's palace to the witness stand," he commanded.The two palace guards shuffled out of their seating positions, keeping their heads up, and took their places at the witness stand.Elder Caleb gave them a thorough look. "You heard Luna Elena's testimony. Why on earth did you abandon her out there in the middle of the forbidden forest?"The lead guard cleared his throat. "Honorable Chairman... on the way into the deep woods, t
ADRIAN:When Lucian took the witness stand, the whole tribunal hall went completely dead silent. You could literally hear a pin drop on the marble floor.Elder Caleb narrowed his eyes, leaning forward on the elevated dais. "Young man, identify yourself for the council record."Lucian straightened his shirt putting on a sickeningly righteous expression. "My name is Lucian Blackwood, Honorable Chairman."Elder Caleb’s thick eyebrows knitted as he frowned deeply. "Lucian Blackwood? Are you in any way related to Alpha Adrian Blackwood sitting over there?"Lucian nodded eagerly, raising his voice so everyone in the room could hear. "Yes, Elder. Adrian is my brother."The chairman stared at him, his expression unreadable. "And you are standing here today as Alpha Darius’s witness?""Yes, I am," Lucian replied without a hint of hesitation.A heavy wave of murmurs rippled through the packed gallery. Family betrayal in pack politics was low, even by rogue standards. Elder Caleb shook his head
CHAPTER 4: THE PACKAGE IS HEREELENA:I kept my face pressed against the cold glass of the window as the SUV sped away. I didn’t care if I looked pathetic; I just wanted to memorize every detail. The stone gate of our estate, the crooked oak tree where Kamala and I used to hide from our tutors, and
CHAPTER 3: GETTING MARKED BY THE COLD ALPHA ELENA:I stood there, rooted to the spot, watching the man who had ripped my heart out three years ago act like he owned the very air I breathed.After he finished whispering those threats in my ear, Adrian finally turned his attention to my father. It w
CHAPTER 2: I KNOW WHO YOU AREELENA:As soon as my father made that statement, the silence in the room became heavy. It felt like a physical weight pressing down on my lungs, making every breath a struggle. I stood there on that dais, the rubies on my red dress feeling like drops of frozen blood ag
CHAPTER 1: THE RED SACRIFICE ELENA:“Wow, you look amazing, Elana,” Kamala said as she watched me put finishing touches to my makeup. She was my best friend and the Beta's daughter. So we practically grew up together. “Thanks girl,” I said, leaning into the mirror to fix my lip gloss. With a smil







