1

After the war, Liza and Alaric wasted no time exiling the last of the old council. Can’t blame them—those bitter fossils nearly combusted when Alaric mated with a non-dragon. Since then, everything’s been chaos as we rebuild the council from scratch.

“DOMINIC!” Liza’s strained voice echoed through the hall. “Your nephew is frying everything! Please take him outside before he melts the entire kitchen. The hunters will be here any minute and I still have to clean this disaster and finish the meal!”

She jabbed a finger over her shoulder, hair wild, eyes manic.

One glance at the scorched cabinets and smoking utensils told me everything I needed to know.

“On it. Uncle Dom to the rescue,” I said with a snort.

I scooped up the tiny menace just as a fireball burst past my ear.

“Easy, Aero. Your mom is going to roast me if you burn one more thing,” I laughed, carrying him out to the garden.

It still blows my mind how powerful he is at barely a year old. Dragon royalty mixed with one of the strongest witch bloodlines—yeah, chaos in a toddler-sized package was inevitable. As we crossed the garden, I scanned for Elizabeth. I hadn’t seen her in days. She said she needed time to “think” before accepting the mate bond.

I didn’t mind waiting… except everyone could see the way she clung to Alaric like he was the only oxygen source on the planet.

And speaking of heavy footsteps—here came the big idiot now, stomping around like he lost his favorite snack.

Aero’s ears perked up. Hide and seek time.

I ducked behind the bushes, masking both our scents. Alaric stepped right in front of us and growled, “Rarrr! …Huh. I swear I smelled him.”

I smirked—until I saw her.

Elizabeth glided into view, and my pulse betrayed me like always.

“Alaric,” she purred, dragging her fingers down his chest, “aren’t we going to finish our conversation? You remember what it felt like to spend the whole night tangled up with me…”

Pain hit me like claws to the gut.

Time to think, huh? More like time to slither back into my brother’s bed.

I dropped the scent mask. They stiffened immediately—Alaric with relief, Elizabeth with guilt.

“Here,” I snapped, shoving Aero toward my brother, “take your son before my wolf loses it from the stench.”

“D-Dom… hi,” Elizabeth stuttered. “I was just coming to find you.”

I rolled my eyes so hard I nearly gave myself a concussion. As I turned away, I linked Liza.

Hey sis, you might want to come to the gardens. The slut’s glued to Alaric. Should’ve listened to everyone. See you in thirty.

Then I cut every link, shifted, and ran—bolting into the woods before I drowned in my own fury.

I hated myself.

I hated my ancestors—Serene and Heka—for the curse chaining me to a mate who didn’t want me.

I hated the whole damn idea of mates.

The rage grew tighter and hotter until I could barely breathe. When would someone finally choose me? Maybe Elizabeth was right—maybe I should become the cold-hearted bastard she already believed I was.

Claws digging into the earth, I ran faster, deeper, until the roar of the waterfall drowned out everything else. This place… these falls… where Elizabeth and I first kissed, where we almost made love—until duty dragged me away.

My mind flicked to the Rome pack: female wolves vanishing, children disappearing, some hidden underground. The numbers rising. The danger growing. And here I was, falling apart over a woman who didn’t love me.

I inhaled deeply, trying to quiet Kai. By the time the moon hung high and full above me, I realized how long I’d been gone. I stared up at the sky—at the goddess who ignored me every time I begged.

Maybe she’d hear me tonight.

Maybe she wouldn’t.

I found the brightest star and let my howl rip through the forest, raw and furious. I cursed her—her choices, her neglect, her infuriating silence.

Then I waited.

And waited.

Finally, I glared at the moon and shouted, “Figures! Leave me to suffer because you weren’t happy with the hand you were dealt. Go ruin someone else’s future because you can, right? Yeah—go fuck yourself!”

I stormed back to the castle, slipping in unnoticed, stomped into my room, stripped, and buried myself in my pillow.

Tomorrow. I’d deal with everything tomorrow.

And first on the list? Rejecting her.

I’d barely closed my eyes when Alaric barged in like an ogre with boundary issues.

“Bro! You have some explaining to do! Liza nearly died worrying, Aero’s been crying—Dom, I hope you know I would never—”

“Relax. I’m rejecting her.”

He froze.

“I’m done. It’s time for the real Dominic to come out and play.”

A slow grin spread across his face. He pulled me into a tight hug, and we both laughed—darkly—at what the future held.

No more cages.

No more pretending.

I was going home. Back to my pack. Back to freedom.

And maybe someday… back to having what Alaric has. A child. A legacy. Something worth protecting.

Exhaustion dragged me under fast. And once again, for the fifth night in a row, she came.

The white wolf.

She was breathtaking—fur glowing like a fallen star, purple swirls twisting around her like living magic. Silver eyes that pinned me in place. She ran ahead of me, graceful, untouchable, and just when I reached for her…

She vanished.

I jolted awake, heart racing.

Same dream. Same wolf. Same ache.

I collapsed back onto the bed with a groan.

Yep. This was going to be a long, long night.

And maybe the goddess wasn’t tormenting me with the dream of a wolf I could never have…

Maybe she was warning me.

Or maybe—just maybe—she was showing me my future.