MasukALEXAVIAN’S POV“I suspect Lord Andreus’s disappearance is directly tied to Lord Casimir,” Jules stated firmly, stepping up beside me.I gave a silent nod.Casimir had been the last person Andreus visited before returning to the dining hall.I drew a sharp breath.I should never have entrusted him with the investigation. I should have confronted the ungrateful brat myself.I had considered countless possibilities, yet I had failed to realise that a skinwalker was already inside the Crimson Pack’s walls.That lapse in judgement had cost me my brother and several pack members.“What have we discovered about the cause of the sleepwalking among the missing werewolves?” I asked, turning my attention to the matter at hand.What had happened was done. There was no point dwelling on blame.“Yes, My Lord,” Jules replied with a sigh, leaning against the bedpost. “I received the investigation report while you were unconscious.” He paused, his voice dropping. “They discovered Willbane mixed into
LORRAINE’S POVSlap!The sharp sound of a palm striking flesh resounded through the hallway the second Casimir opened his door.His head snapped to the side from the impact. Slowly, he ran his tongue over the inside of his bruised cheek.“You are truly ruthless, are you not?” he asked softly, a faint trace of amusement flickering in his eyes as he looked back at me. “You strike remarkably hard.”A burning rage had been consuming me from the very second I realized I was nothing more than a poisoned blade he drove into Alexavian’s back.I had honestly believed we were confidants—friends who trusted each other.Yet everything shattered the moment he handed me that curse, not even for once thinking about the risk of me being thrown into the dungeon or killed.“Not as ruthless as you,” I hissed, raising my palm to strike him across the face a second time.He caught my wrist mid-air in a firm grip. “Let go of me!” I demanded, struggling against his strength.“I have humored your t
LORRAINE’S POV “Lord Alexavian wants you inside,” Jules repeated softly as I stood rooted to the floor outside his door. A shaky breath escaped my lips, a faint "Oh..." slipping out the moment his words finally registered in my chaotic mind. Alexavian... he still trusts me? I tightly clenched my fists, forcing my trembling legs to take steady steps back into the room My gaze instantly landed on Andreus leaning against the far window frame, a deep scowl etched across his face. He narrowed his eyes at me in cold silence before turning his head to stare out into the courtyard. I swallowed hard, the lump in my throat tightening. He clearly hated Alexavian’s decision to let me back in. My focus shifted back to Alexavian lying motionless across the bed. If anything, the agony twisting his features seemed to have intensified in the short minutes I was outside. I rushed to the side of the bed in large strides, my hands shaking violently as I stood beside him, unsure of wher
LORRAINE’S POV“Jules!” My breath hitched in my throat as I frantically pointed to the burning sigil on Alexavian’s bare back.The outermost ring of the circle had gone completely black, like charred coal against his skin.Jules’s eyes darkened as he stared at the mark scorched into Alexavian’s flesh.“What is this?” His gaze snapped down to the enchanted handkerchief still clutched tightly in Alexavian’s trembling fist, before flicking toward the empty wooden box resting on the floor. “Was he cursed?”“What?” I breathed, my chest constricting.Curse? What curse?“That mark...” Jules's eyes narrowed as they fixed on Alexavian's back. “It only reacts like this to one thing.”“What?”“A curse,” His gaze slowly shifted toward me. His expression unreadable. “Did you curse him?”“I...”I swallowed hard, the words dying in my parched throat.I couldn't possibly admit that I didn't trust Alexavian, that I had accepted a truth spell from Casimir to force the truth out of him... only fo
CHAPTER 53 -LORRAINE’S POV Casimir insisted I follow him back to his personal wing after revealing he had a truth spell.My eyes scanned his room as I waited near his desk while he searched through a high shelf. I looked at his dark hair falling softly down to his nape, down to his broad back as he moved books aside.If we had met under different circumstances, if I had not met Alexavian first…would I have fallen for him?I shook my head, removing the thought immediately. It was pointless thinking about impossible scenarios.My gaze fell on the couch and I smiled as I saw a lollipop sticking out of the dark couch.“You love lollipops as well?” I walked over to the couch, reaching down to pull it out. It was already unwrapped.“No, I do not,” he answered, his back still turned as he searched the shelf. “Why do you ask?”“I just thought...” I glanced down at the candy. Andreus must have dropped it when he visited. “It is nothing.” I tossed the lollipop back onto the couch.“Ev
LORRAINE’S POVI let out a heavy sigh as the cool afternoon breeze swept through my hair, doing little to loosen the knot in my chest.It had been two days since we returned from Midnight Pack.Two days since I had looked Alexavian in the eyes and told him maybe we should never have gone this far.I could still see the hurt that flashed across his face.Part of me regretted saying it. Deep down, I knew Alexavian would never intentionally hurt me. But another part of me, the guarded part shaped by years of being used and betrayed, still struggled to trust anyone completely.And then he had accused my father.If there was one person in this world I trusted without question, it was my father.My gaze drifted toward two songbirds perched on a low branch above me, chirping softly to each other.I frowned as my hand dropped to the grass, wrapping my fingers around a small stone.Even birds have a better love life than I do.I sighed again, my hand slumping as I tossed the stone onto the gra







