Jonas stammered, his words a broken mess. “Y-Your Highness, I-I can explain…” “You’d better,” I snapped, my tone severe so that there was no mistaking the gravity of the matter. My gaze shifted to the human boy, who stood frozen like prey caught in a predator’s sights. “And you, who are you, and what’s your role in this?” The boy remained silent, his wide eyes betraying a mix of fear and defiance. “Ivor,” I commanded without breaking my focus on the trembling pair. My Secretary, ever efficient, stepped forward and handed me the envelope. I tore it open, and the first line struck like a blow to my chest. ‘Erico, baby…’ The words blurred momentarily as the ache in my chest tightened, but I forced myself to read on. Each line was a knife, carving deeper into my heart. Zela’s handwriting, elegant, hurried, and with pure emotion, poured out her longing, her fears, and her desperate plea for Erico to protect her secret. My grip tightened on the parchment, my knuckles whitened. The ac
The guest quarters in Silver Bow had become a cage of anticipation, each tick of the grandfather clock in the hallway was a hammer blow against my patience.Days bled into nights, a relentless cycle of waiting, each passing hour a torment. Ivor closely watched Jonas, Erico, and Andrea, but found nothing. They were trapped in a web of their own making, their every move watched, their every whisper recorded. Yet the silence from Zela was a suffocating shroud, wrapping tighter around me with every moment. Then, the silence shattered, the waiting was finally rewarded.A courier, his face ashen, arrived at the pack gates with a sealed envelope. The atmosphere pulsed with suspense as Andrea signed the delivery confirmation. As the man departed, I took the envelope from her hands, my fingers brushing the smudged postmark: Human Town. My hands, usually steady, trembled as I tore it open. My heart thundered in my chest.This was it, a breakthrough I was craving for, that would lead me to my
Alpha Female Zela’s Point of ViewAs I walked home from work today, the prickling sensation of being watched crept under my skin, a creepy, insidious feeling that wouldn't shake.Every glance over my shoulder revealed the same mundane streets of Human Town, but the shadows seemed to pulse and shift unnaturally, as if they held unseen eyes. The air felt heavier, the world humming with a strange, foreboding energy, a silent alarm bell ringing in my ears.Quickening my steps, I focused on the thought of my apartment, a haven waiting just a few blocks away. Once inside, I shut the door firmly, twisting the lock until it clicked with a reassuring thud. I checked each window, ensuring they were sealed tight, a ritual born of fear. “Relax,” I whispered to myself, attempting to shrug off the unease that clung to me like a second skin. “It’s just paranoia.”In the kitchen, I rummaged through the pantry for dinner. The scent of pasta lingered in the air as I put
The moment I entered the grand living room where the birthday party was held, the atmosphere shifted dramatically. Heads turned in unison, eyes narrowing as though measuring every inch of me.It was disturbingly reminiscent of my eighteenth birthday bash, where Alphas had preened and positioned themselves, all preying to see if they had hit the jackpot, to be able to claim me as their mate.The sophisticatedly dressed men and glamorous women, each clutching glasses of the finest wine, stared at me as if I had just landed from an entirely different planet. It was a moment I utterly despised, especially since the potion had dulled my werewolf instincts. While they couldn’t identify me as a werewolf, I struggled to discern their true nature myself, a strange, unsettling vulnerability.Taking a deep breath to steady my nerves, I ignored the gazes that bore into me and floated toward the grand table adorned with high-stemmed glasses. The crisp, cool liquid sparkled invitingly, and I took o
I rattled the car door handle, desperate to escape.Yet Jermain had ensured it was securely locked, leaving me trapped with no way out. His presence at my birthday party indicated he was a werewolf, which led me to wonder how many of my own kind had attended Lorraine’s husband’s celebration tonight and whether she was one too.When I had met Lorraine in Canada, the potion had still worked, preventing me from sensing her true nature. Jermain continued to drive, a smirk playing on his lips. Outside, the darkness enveloped us, accompanied by the distant hooting of an owl and the rustling of leaves. I fought back the rising fear within me, it was crucial to remain level-headed and carefully assess my chances of escape. ‘Era, do you have any ideas on how we can get out of this?’ I consulted my wolf, noting her focused attention on the unfolding scene. I hoped she could devise a plan for our escape. ‘Well, I think we should stay low until he reveals more about his intentions,’ she suggest
Crown Prince Raul’s Point of ViewI stood outside Zela's apartment, my patience a razor's edge.Each passing moment felt like a gentle tick of the clock, a sweet reminder of the happiness that awaited us. I chose not to do this at her workplace with a public confrontation, the ensuing scandal would be a feast for the carrion birds of gossip. This was a private matter, her comfort was always my priority.I glanced at Ivor, who was leisurely leaning against the car, checking his watch for the umpteenth time."She should have returned hours ago," I said, irritation seeping through my calm façade.Ivor merely shrugged, his indifference only stoking the embers of my restlessness. "You believe she's avoiding us? Perhaps she senses our presence.""Absurd," I hissed, dismissing the notion with a dismissive flick of my wrist. "She wouldn't know. And even if she did, there’s no reason for her to avoid me. She is mine."To distract myself from the rising anxiety, I began to menta
The sudden shrill of my telephone shattered the tense silence surrounding me.I tore my eyes away from the mansion in the distance, my glare lingering like a warning before I fished the device from my pocket."Raul!" My father's voice was as sharp and authoritative as a whip. "Where are you?""Human Town," I replied curtly, my tone clipped. Revealing the full extent of my search was unnecessary at this point.He knew I was on the hunt for Zela but I had yet to officially announced her to our clan and the rest of the werewolf community as my fated mate."Return to the Palace immediately. This is not a request!" he ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument."Can it not wait? Even for a week?" I asked, my frustration barely restrained. My grip tightened on the phone as I thought of Zela, so close and yet so far."No, now!" came his firm response, the tone unyielding as a steel blade. He immediately ended the call.Gritting my teeth, I swallowed a guttural curse and gestured to Ivor,
Crown Prince Raul’s Point of View stillA thick silence filled the room, heavy and suffocating like the air had turned solid. The elderly sat frozen in their seats, their wide eyes showing pure dread. It felt as if time had stopped entirely. Alpha Gene broke the stillness. His face twisted with an anger that seemed to pour out of him. He leapt from his chair, grabbed my shoulders, and held on so tight it felt like my bones might snap. “He dared... That filth dared to take my daughter!” he growled, his words dripping with fury and desperation. “Gene, calm yourself,” my father said firmly, though I could see the worry in his eyes. The situation was serious, and even he couldn’t hide his feelings. “Calm myself?” Alpha Gene roared, his hands gripping harder, his breathing uneven. “If Jermain so much as touches Zela, I’ll start a war with Woodcrest that’ll make the ancient battles look like child’s play! I’ll bring my son back from Council training, and
‘Raul! I found her!’ Ivor’s voice exploded through the mind link, bursting with excitement again.‘Zela! She’s here in Woodcrest! I saw her, standing right in front of me, looking straight at me!’ Raul jolted upright in bed, adrenaline surging through the thick fog of sleeplessness that had plagued him for too many nights. Zela’s absence had been a relentless shadow, haunting him like a ghost, and now, a flicker of hope ignited in his chest, illuminating the darkness that had settled over him since she disappeared. ‘Did you talk to her? What did she say? Has she acknowledged I was her mate?’ Each word echoed with eagerness, a reflection of the desperation in his heart. ‘Bring her to the border. I’ll wait for you both there!’ ‘She left the ballroom with Jermain,’ Ivor replied, tension threading through his words like a taut bowstring ready to snap. ‘He confronted her when he caught her looking at me. She’s terrified of him, Raul. I’m certain he’s holding her against her will.’ I
As our noses nearly touched, the Alpha tightened his grip in my hair.“Do you want to know what the big wheel is for?” he asked, a sinister gleam in his eye. My gaze darted past him to the old, rusted wheel hanging from a metal pole, seeming capable of spinning. Terrifying images from horror films flashed before my eyes, and I felt a chill creeping over me. Frightened, my eyes snapped back to the man before me.“No, you can’t possibly be planning to…,” I stammered.He chuckled, almost pleased with my reaction.“Don’t worry, it served a very different purpose,” he taunted me. “When the time comes, I will tell you all about it. After all, you will witness it for yourself.” I breathed a sigh of relief, unsure whether his words meant a stroke of luck or merely a delay in execution. One thing was now clear to me, behind the charismatic facade the Alpha presented, lay a true devil.He seized my wrist and pulled me back into the living room. He shoved me onto the sofa, where I collapsed like
As Alpha Jermain trailed a lingering kiss from the side of my face to the taut line of my jaw, a wave of disgust twisted in my stomach. He pressed his body against mine, ensuring I felt the hardness in his jeans.“Goddess, I’ve fantasized about this night for so long,” he murmured, his breath warm against my skin. “If the test results come out positive, I promise you, after tonight, you will only crave for my touch. You'll never want to leave my bed, no other man will have your attention and you’ll always yearning for the feeling of me deeply filling you. Babe, your scent is intoxicating.”Test results? The shock was immediate. Surely, he didn't mean... blood tests?Just then, the elevator doors opened, revealing the luxury of the living room before me. For a moment, I was taken aback by the extravagance that surrounded us.He scooped me up effortlessly and carried me to a sofa. Once he set me down, he slowly peeled off his dark coat, his eyes fixed on me with an intensity that ignite
Alpha Female Zela’s Point of ViewWith an unstoppable drive burning within me like wildfire, I urged my wolf, Era, forward toward the packhouse. Amanda sprinted alongside me, her wolf’s fur glistening under the moonlight, the weight of our shared secrets heavy upon us. We were bound by an unspoken urgency, the kind that comes only when you know the ground beneath you is about to shift.As we reached her home, Amanda dashed ahead, her heart racing as she headed for her bedroom. I watched her dive into preparations, packing clothes into her suitcase with an intensity that conveyed her desire to escape, much like someone fleeing a gathering storm.But the grief in her eyes betrayed the fear of abandoning the only life she'd known. Leaving friends and family behind for an unknown future was the hardest decision a werewolf could ever make. I wanted to offer comfort, to promise we’d meet again in Silver Bow, but the words caught in my throat.“I can’t believe I’m actually doing this,” she m
Alpha Female Zela’s Point of ViewThe night stretched before me like an open canvas, painted in shades of deep blue and shimmering silver.The lake mirrored the moon’s ethereal glow, each ripple carving hypnotic patterns in the stillness, an illusion of peace, mocking my inner turmoil. I had opted to stay behind while the Alpha and Chrissy attended the gaudy party at the packhouse. Parties were not for me at the moment, it would turn out to be a masquerade ball, where I’d be forced to don a mask of feigned joy while secretly scheming my escape.Here I was, a captive in Woodcrest, wrenched from my home, and every soul in that party was complicit in my captivity. No one would dare challenge Alpha Jermain, not even to spare me from his cruel scheme.As I stood on the shore, I tipped my chin toward the moon, my thoughts spiraled into a chaotic maelstrom.I had to act fast. My abduction had to be exposed before I became another pawn in Jermain’s twisted plans. But reaching out to my father
Standing in the garden, the cool night air did little to soothe the storm brewing in Ivor’s mind. Alpha Jermain’s request was a dangerous gamble, one that threatened everything.‘Damn! I’m already mated. How am I supposed to pull this off?’ raced through his mind.Each breath filled his lungs with a bittersweet longing as he thought of Lilias, the fierce witch waiting for him back in Human Town. They didn’t know each other for long, their bond was forged by Royal decree, but he already loved her deeply.‘No one but she can be my mate,’ he whispered to himself. The thought of her waiting, unaware of the chaos unfolding in Woodcrest, knotted his stomach with unease. He imagined her fiery spirit, her vibrant energy, the loyalty she had promised him.But Lilias wasn’t just anyone, she was a witch, gifted with the ability to see through deception like no other. If she ever found out that he had succumbed to the Alpha’s demand to seek a mate here, she wouldn’t hesitate to deal with him. Th
In the calm of his room, Ivor paced anxiously, the rich decor becoming a hazy backdrop to his restless thoughts. He replays his meeting with Alpha Nerville, a nagging suspicion clawing at his thoughts, had the man betrayed Raul? If so, it was a reckless act, one Raul would never let slide without dire consequences. The evening's festivities loomed close, organized by Beta Aren, and Ivor knew it could be his only chance to find Zela.With resolve tightening within him, he activated the mind link with the Crown Prince.‘Ivor! Have you found her?’ Raul immediately asked with urgency.“I’m already in but haven’t seen Zela yet,” Ivor admitted, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “But listen to this. Alpha Jermain is marked and mated to a she-wolf named Chrissy. She doesn’t match Zela at all, and the bond they share feels genuine.”Raul’s confusion rippled through their connection. ‘What? Are you sure you’re not missing something? You need to be alert. Where could she be?’‘I’m
As the car rolled into Woodcrest, a startling realization gripped me like a vice.Something was definitely wrong here!I inhaled sharply, expecting the tapestry of scents, the layered musk of wolves, the defining signature of each pack. But nothing happened.My pulse spiked. I could no longer tell them apart. The intricate knowledge I had relied on, the subconscious recognition of scents tied to territories and packs, was completely gone.Damn! My breath hitched.This had to be the potion’s effect. Lilias hadn’t warned about this. But I now knew that just as others couldn’t detect my Lycan, I was stripped of the one crucial tool I needed to navigate enemy ground.Sweat pricked at the back of my neck. My only advantage, my ability to discern friends from foe, was wiped out.This was bad.It made things dangerously complicated. How was I supposed to find Zela now? I forced my breathing to steady while I consoled myself.No panic. No hesitation. I needed another way, another method to id
Royal Secretary Ivor’s Point of ViewNever before had I felt so insignificant as I did moments ago, sitting at that restaurant table.To be so utterly dismissed, so blatantly ignored, was a new and unwelcome experience.Damn it! Had I possessed even a sliver of foresight that mates could be this annoying, I would have vehemently refused to offer myself to that witch. She had humiliated me in the worst way possible, shamelessly ogling the Beta as if I were invisible. And all of it had transpired before my very eyes!My fists clenched, the knuckles turning white. It was a Herculean task to restrain my temper.She had acted as if I wasn’t there, as if my presence meant nothing. No self-respecting wolf would tolerate such blatant disregard from their mate.Was she testing me? Did she think she could push me around, set the terms of our bond, dictate how things would go between us? A foolish notion. Whatever she had hoped to accomplish with her audacity, it was wasted on me. I couldn’t car