LANDONI walked into the war room for a normal meeting with the elders, but Rosanne was there, sitting quietly next to Mikhail. She wasn't staring around, not speaking, she was just there—like a piece of furniture. It was the first time Mikhail brought her to a meeting. What the hell was going on? The warriors and the elders were tense, each of them staring at the porcelain beauty sitting right next to him. It was probably because they were used to Rosanne being locked away, but now, she was here, just sitting. I settled into a leather chair and kept my eyes fixed on Rosanne. I'd tried not to react each time I saw her, but I couldn't control it. Mikhail started the meeting like nothing unusual was going on, but elders kept staring at him, the warriors included. And Rosanne? She began to scan the war room like she was searching for some sort of exit.I'd been away for only a few days and a lot had changed? “Rogues are starting to cross the line.” Mikhail began, his monotone voic
ROSANNE‘I can't understand him anymore. Sometimes he's warm, other times he's utterly cold, it hurts my chest.’I knew he wasn't just doing this to keep me safe. He was toxic. And it was starting to suffocate me. He was too afraid I'd leave, get down with Landon instead, but he was only making it worse. The dining hall was eerily quiet, I literally heard my heartbeat in my own ears. The only sounds were the constant clinking of cutlery and the scraping of chairs against the ground. Sitting right in the middle of Mikhail and Landon made my skin prickle with unease, the urge to bury myself in this seat burning against my chest. Landon hadn't said a word since Mikhail invited him for dinner. I didn't say any either. But Mikhail was composed. Infact, his posture was so relaxed, you'd think we were a peaceful couple having a wonderful dinner—it was far from the truth. I hadn't touched my spoon for the past few minutes, but Mikhail kept placing small pieces of meatball on my plate
LANDONThe dimly lit bar was filled with the soft murmurs of conversations, clinking of glasses and loud music blasting through the speakers. It'd never been my kind of place, but I needed a distraction. Anything to get my mind off her.Rosanne.Staring down at my untouched whiskey in a transparent glass, a soft sigh escaped my lips. I should be anywhere but here. But at least here, I didn’t have to see her sitting between me and Mikhail, looking like she wanted to disappear.I brought the glass to my lips, letting the burn coat my throat. It didn’t help. Never did. "You look like you need a distraction ."I turned to my side, my gaze locking onto the woman who had slid onto the stool beside me. She was a blonde with pale blue eyes and soft curves. She smelled exotic, expensive, like someone who had always used her beauty to get everything she ever wanted. The opposite of her. I smirked, tilting my head, "And you look like someone who enjoys giving them."She leaned in slightly, th
MIKHAIL“You're going to love it.” I tilted my head slightly, one arm around the steering wheel as I gazed at her, “I promise.” Rosanne exhaled softly, tightening her grip on the seatbelt like I never fulfilled my promises—like she'd rather be in hell than go out with me—like I never gave her the chance to make a choice. “Okay.” She didn't argue, didn't refuse. She just nodded like an obedient cat desperate to survive the harsh weather.The streets bustled with life as usual. Loud horns kept blaring across the streets, the sidewalk was packed with pedestrians, and a few students kept staring at me through the windows with amusement in their eyes. Great. I turned to Rosanne—who looked like she had a rainy cloud hovering above her—and pressed my lips tightly, “You’ve never said a full sentence to me for the past week, Rosanne.” “Taking me out isn't going to change anything. You're keeping me caged—like an animal.” She gestured, placing a palm over her neck. “It's suffocating, I can
ROSANNEThe truth sank deeper like a knife twisting my insides. “Even death can't snatch you away from me.” I wiped my tears harshly, slamming the door on the statue like men guarding Mikhail's room. I sank into the plush couch and wept, scratching my polished nails on my own skin. Nothing would get me away from here. Even in death, Mikhail would definitely drag me back. He'd try his best to make sure I'm still alive and show me hell over and over again. I wiped my tears again, taking slow strides towards the balcony. From there, I could see Landon fighting without a shirt—as usual. He overpowered all the men there, his attacks sharp and brutal, but it wasn't to the point of causing damage. He even helped a warrior when he could barely stand. Landon was different. A different kind of different. He made my heart skip a beat effortlessly, something Mikhail achieved by enslaving me. I'd always wanted to sit and have a talk with him. A long conversation that'd settle everything, ou
MIKHAILI stepped out of the shower with a towel around my waist, eyes trailing over the woman packing up her things. Her hair was in a messy bun, her big tee making me want to pin her against the bed and fuck her hard. It'd been a few days since my encounter with Landon, he was out of my hair, out of the pack house, out of Rosanne's life. Rosanne stopped resisting. She managed to smile at me a few minutes ago, but it still seemed forced—like right now. She puffed out a breath and shoved her underwear into the traveling bag. “We're only spending three days there, right?” Alpha Zayne had invited me for his daughter's wedding week. He was a friend of my father before his death, an Alpha who indulged in women just like me. But strangely, after meeting Rosanne, I didn't want anyone else. I only wanted her. All of her. Alpha Zayne wanted me to show up at the wedding because his daughter and I were childhood friends. He wanted to surprise her, but I was only in on this deal because Ros
ROSANNEEarlier, a maid had brought me into a large and spacious room where Mikhail and I would be staying. I'd been here for a few hours, but Mikhail hadn't barged into the room to check on me.He didn't place some guards outside the door to keep me from walking around, and he also didn't bugg my phone with incessant texts to check how I was doing. As much as I felt uneasy here, I'd never felt so free in my whole life. The air was different, the room was different, the whole space was different. I stood before the sink and wiped my mouth with some water, inhaling a deep breath to calm myself. For some reason, I was glad I didn't have an episode when Mikhail was close to me. He'd probably realize I was pregnant and lock me up forever—which I definitely wasn't allowing to happen. My stomach was starting to budge. It was just a small raise, but my tummy wasn't completely flat anymore. I was starting to gain some fat as well. How long was I going to plan my escape? There was pract
ROSANNE Selene walked across the hallway, her heels brutally striking the marble tiles. We'd been walking past paintings for a few minutes, and strangely, she didn't halt to tell me where we were going. Her hips kept swaying, she kept walking down the hallway, and suddenly, she paused before a large door. “Where are you taking me?“ I glanced around,staring at the hallway that was devoid of any warmth. There were only sculptures and paintings, no single maid in sight. I knew she wouldn't hurt me. She couldn't—not when she knew Mikhail would burn the world to ashes if he found out. “You'll see.“ She smiled, pushing the large doors open. She walked in, but I stood outside, glancing around. I didn't know what she was up to, but for the sake of my child, I took in a sharp breath and advanced towards her. Stepping into the room, I realized it was a vast space with a mini garden, a bed, and even locked doors in it. The roof was different from any I'd ever seen. It was made of pure glas
HUDSONWolves circled her, their fangs bared as they tried to scare her.I had jumped down the minute after she did, but I was too late, my men had already had her cornered. They were toying with her, waiting for her to move, then they would attack, tear her piece by piece until she was nothing but bones, a reminder of who she was.“Stand down!” I barked, my wolf surging forward. But my words were on deaf ears, Mikhail’s order stood firm, commanding their will.Her green eyes met mine, and instantly I was filled with a new order—protect.I lunged, landing right in the middle, blocking her from their vicious eyes, “Stay behind me,” I growled.She nodded, her heart beating loudly in her chest, the sound reverberating through my body. Her touch was soft against my back, a buzzing feeling surrounded the spot where she touched.“No one harms her,” I sneered, my claws drawn.For her, I would go to the end of the world—killing the men I called my family if need be.“Get out of our way beta H
HUDSONBACK AT THE GOLDEN RISE PACK…“Kill!” the single command that broke through my control, snapping my beast, filling us with the thirst for blood.The sound of their screams excited me. I was carnage bathed in the blood of my enemies. This was absolutely my scene.The warrior beneath me shuddered, blood gushing out of his open stomach. I grinned, my claws digging deeper into him as I pulled out his intestines, enjoying the way his face contorted in pain before the life drained out of his eyes. My eyes glowed red, filled with malice, as I savoured my kill. “They couldn’t even defend their home,” I hissed, crossing over his body as I moved towards the door he had been protecting.I was on a mission, “No one lives!” Mikhail’s voice echoed through my mind, drowning me.Knox has been foolish to go after Mikhail’s breeder. His thirst for power had sentenced his people to death.I pushed the door open, ducking just in time as an arrow whizzed towards me, its tip aiming for my head.“Yo
ROSANNEWe moved in silence, each man understood the severity of our quietness. The darkness and the trees were perfect covers, hiding us from anything that might have been hovering around.Aiden cooed, his lips moving against my chest looking for my nipple. These were moments that I should be enjoying, smiling as I fed my children, but I couldn’t. We were here in a forest running from an unseen but scary danger. Trying to be alive. We were nomads. Lost souls wandering around without a place to call home.My eyes looked around the group of people that were with us, their faces stricken with pain and determination, all looking for a better life, a new hope.We all wanted the same thing, a place we could call home. A place we could believe in.The ground rumbled, the forest coming to life. Birds moved through the trees out of fright. And from the silence, a growl echoed, deep, primal, hurt.“Lycan king,” Axel muttered, his eyes looking back to where we had come from.My heartbeat spiked
MIKHAIL“Names!” I yelled, my fist clenched as I stared at Knox, he was fighting, barely living. I needed to know the people that I would be hunting down.Knox coughed, blood slipping out of his mouth as he tried to move, “Here,” Blair said, placing a cup by his lips. “It will give you energy for the journey ahead,” she muttered.“Speak, or I will rip your tongue out,” I commanded, my voice heavy with authority.“Rosanne,” he coughed. “She was a monster, her powers…”I lunged, my fist colliding with his cheek, how dare he called Rosanne, my Rosanne a monster. She was peace, beauty and a ray of peace. I was the monster, not her.“Mikhail!” Hudson screamed, pulling me off the man who looked like he was about to die. “Are you going to kill our only lead?” he yelled. I straightened myself, shoving him off of my body, “Don’t you ever talk to me like that again,” I hissed.Hudson bowed, his neck bared as he showed mem the respect that I deserved, “I am sorry Lycan King,” he said, keep a mu
MIKHAILMy heart clenched at the large claw mark on the wall, just where Maverick’s head rested.Not a message, just a deep primal warning.Fear crawled up my spine. But not for myself or my men; but the thought of something, someone harming Rosanne and my child.My Rosanne.“We have to keep on searching,” Hudson muttered behind me, his voice sound far, like he was buried among the bodies littered here. “She has got to be here somewhere, she is a fighter,” he mumbled. His words felt like they were meant to comfort himself and not me.He was still fighting hard to see the positive in all this.The once thriving rogue settlement, No man’s land had been reduced to ashes, bodies thrown around like…The thought made me shudder, I should be happy that Rosanne’s body wasn’t in the rumble, but then where was she? Shouldn’t she have been patiently waiting for me to come and save her? Wasn’t she scared of the new, and real world she was seeing?My ears strained, and the sound of a faint heartbe
MIKHAILTrusting Blair to be the compass to No man’s land was one of the most terrible mistakes I had ever made, “Would you stop grinning or I will make sure Hudson pulls out all your teeth,” I hissed, my patience growing thin.It has been more than a day since we had set out to bring Rosanne and my child back. Blair had forbidden us from using the cars, her excuse; cars make her sick, and when she is sick, her powers seem to disappear.I wonder why I still keep her around. She has been nothing but a pain in the ass all through this journey, blabbering and sharing jokes that sounded like torture to the ears.“Sorry,” she muttered, completely unaffected by my threat.I rolled my eyes at her, “Are we anywhere close to Maverick’s land?” I asked, looking at the dense forest that we had been trapped in.I had taken a few men, the journey wasn’t meant to be this long. The plan was simple, find Ross, and bring her and my baby back. And for the traitors, make sure that they find their end at
ROSANNE“Whatever it is that you have to say, you can say it here,” I replied in a clipped tone. I wasn’t going to be separated from my children again.Ryan smiled, “No one is planning to take you away,” he said in a soft tone.“What do you want?” Axel interrupted, his eyes looking around the men who had been loyal to Maverick. “As you can see we are on a time crunch and we need to leave,” he hissed.I gently squeezed his shoulders, signalling that there was no harm in hearing them out. “What he is trying to say is that we are most grateful for your kindness and letting us dwell with you. But we must leave now. And we are sorry for any harm that might have come to you. All of you,” I said, sounding more diplomatic than Axel.Ryan smiled, his eyes sparkling with delight as he heard my little speech, “We know what you have suffered in the hands of Maverick and we would like to apologise for that,” he muttered.I kept a straight face, hiding my true emotion from showing at the mention o
ANITAThe war was over, but its scars lingered. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but I knew that something had happened in that room; the Rosanne I was seeing wasn’t the same lady I had left a few hours ago.“Hey,” Axel sighed, his hand touching my shoulders gently as he walked into the room.I smiled softly at him, my body melting softly into his touch, he looked fresh; no signs of blood and the stench of war, “I can’t leave them alone,” I mumbled, pointing to Rosanne and her children, sleeping peacefully on the bed.“What happened?” I asked, trying to get a little information about the ordeal. Rumours of Maverick’s betrayal had echoed through the walls, spits spat out in disgust as his name was mentioned.“Maverick had tried to be slick, thinking he could betray us,” he muttered, frowning at the memory that popped up in his mind. “She was great and handled it well. A true leader,” he added, smiling softly at Rosanne.I knew she was, Rosanne was the embodiment of strength and resilie
ROSANNEMaverick coughed, the sound drawing my attention from Knox, who lay at my feet, blood pooled around him. His heartbeat was faint, in just a matter of seconds he was going to die a slow painful death.Maverick was afraid, his eyes flickering between Axel and me, trying to put as much needed distance between us.I moved away from Knox, my eyes glaring at the man, who had betrayed his people, “What was that promise you made again about my children?” I asked, my blood-stained hand tapping my chin just like he had done a few minutes ago.Maverick winced, his hand holding his rib tightly, hoping to dull the pain that was forming, “Rosanne…” he tried to plead.“Remind me, or should I say it?” I hissed, cutting him off.Maverick stared at the floor, fear etched on his face. I loved this power, the control that I had over him was next to nothing. “Oh! I remember you were going to cut them piece by piece, right?” I mused.I dropped to my knees, keeping my gaze even with his, as I looke