LOGINKiera That evening, I hurried straight to Alistair’s private study because I couldn't hold it in anymore. The terror and confusion were choking me.When I pushed the heavy door open, Alistair looked up from a stack of battle maps. He took one look at my pale face, stood up instantly, and crossed the room in two long strides."Kiera? What happened? Who hurt you?" he demanded, his hands gripping my shoulders. His golden eyes flared with instant, protective rage."It's Malakor," I sobbed quietly, the tears finally spilling over. I let myself lean into his chest, burying my face against his warm wool tunic. "He... he cornered me in the hallway. He told me he wants all omegas and weaklings wiped out. He said he's going to make an example out of me. He said I'm just a temporary replacement for Lady Lenora, and if I don't die or leave soon, he'll finish me himself. Alistair, what do we do?"Alistair’s body went completely rigid and a ferocious, deep alpha growl ripped from his throat, shaki
Kiera The heavy oak doors of the high courtroom slammed open with a deafening crash that echoed off the ancient stone walls.My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird, and behind me, Susan and Elara clutched my sleeves, their faces pale and drawn. We had barely caught our breath from the terrifying morning at the breakfast table when the guards had dragged us back into this stupid fucking hall again.Altar-side, Alpha King Alistair strode forward, his massive frame radiating pure, unadulterated fury. His golden eyes swept over the council of elders like a wildfire, daring anyone to speak. But the elders did not cower. No… Today, they looked bolder, fueled by a collective rage that hummed through the air."Silence!" Elder Malakor’s raspy, venomous voice cut through the murmurs of the court. He stood at the center of the raised dais, leaning heavily on his carved staff, his ancient eyes fixed entirely on Alistair."You bring shame to this crown, King Alistair!" Malakor sho
Kiera Elara sat nervously near the edge of her chair, keeping her eyes glued to her plate, terrified to even breathe too loudly. Theo and Brandon sat across from us, wearing scowls of deep disgust and suspicion, making no secret of how much they hated having us there."Eat," Alistair instructed gently, pushing a plate of fresh fruit and warm bread toward me."I'm not very hungry," I muttered, pushing my fork around my plate.Across the table, Brandon let out a loud, scoffing noise, rolling his eyes dramatically. "Look at her. Useless and ungrateful. Bringing slowly servants and weak omegas into the royal dining hall now? What a joke."Susan instantly slammed her teacup down onto the table, the porcelain cracking against the wood. She glared across at Brandon, her eyes flashing with pure fury. "Shut your mouth, Brandon! You act like we wanted to be dragged into this snake pit of a palace! If you have something to say, say it to our faces instead of whining like a spoiled pup!"Theo’s
Kiera "Well?" Theo demanded, stepping closer, his boots clicking loudly against the stone. "Don't you know there is a strict royal curfew in place? Every resident is supposed to be locked in their rooms to protect the palace from intruders. So I will ask you again... what were you doing out here?"My heart slammed against my ribs. I couldn't tell him the truth. I couldn't tell him I had just been meeting with Damian in secret. If Theo found out, he would drag me straight to Alistair, and every trust I had built with him would come crashing down in a single second."Well?" Beta Theo demanded, stepping closer, his heavy boots clicking loudly against the cold stone floor. His eyes narrowed with cold suspicion as he looked down at me. "What were you doing out here?"The breath caught in my throat, and my mouth opened, but no words came out. If Theo dragged me to Alistair now, everything would shatter. He would find out I had just been alone with Damian in the dark, and my entire life her
Kiera"Let go of me, Damian!" I hissed, pulling my arm with all my strength. Damian’s fingers stayed locked around my wrist like a band of cold iron. The torchlight flickered against the dark stone walls of the hallway, casting long, spooky shadows around us. He didn't look angry; instead, his violet eyes searched my face with a deep, desperate intensity that made my skin tingle."Why?" Damian demanded, his voice dropping to a low, frustrated whisper. "Why do you trust Alistair so much, Kiera? Tell me. Why tie your fate to a monster?""I don't have to explain anything to you," I snapped back, glaring up at him with all the fire I could muster. "Let me go before I scream for the guards!""And what will the guards do?" Damian let out a harsh, bitter laugh, shaking his head. "Run to tell their precious King to come save you as usual? Wake up, Kiera. What has Alistair actually done for you? He treats you like a prisoner in a golden cage. He uses you for his political games.""He protects
KieraTen minutes later, I left Alistair's study and hurried down the winding stone corridors toward Sarah's quarters. My mind was spinning out of control. I needed answers. I needed someone who understood the deep, dark history of this palace and was still confidently on my side.When Sarah opened her door, she took one look at my pale face and immediately pulled me inside, locking the door behind us."I heard what happened in court," Sarah said, pouring a cup of hot tea and handing it to me. "It's a mess, Kiera. The entire pack is gossiping about it.""Sarah, I don't know what to do," I said, my hands shaking as I held the warm ceramic cup. "The elders want Damian. They are turning against Alistair. And Damian... he's playing a very dangerous game. He told me Alistair is lying to me. He said Alistair's father framed his father but I don’t know if I believe that."Sarah sighed heavily, sitting down across from me. She looked deep into my eyes, her expression turning dead serious. "Ki
Chapter 5KIERA’S POVThe stranger’s hand around my wrist felt both cold and warm at the same time. His grip was strong and I tried to pull away, but my body just wouldn’t listen to me, so I stood fixated on that spot unable to move.The music in the club seemed to have gotten louder for a minute,
Kiera’s povI stood outside Susan’s house, staring down at my phone.The screen was turned off now and My fingers tightened slightly before I exhaled shakily.Everything inside me felt… wrong. Empty and cold. Or maybe— I had just Changed.Because the girl who had driven away from the pack house, cr
Rafael’s povI stared at my phone longer than I should have.Kiera’s message sat there on the screen, harmless at first glance, but something aboutit didn’t sit right with me.“Sorry I haven’t gotten the papers yet. My father is being stubborn. It might take a fewdays.”I frowned slightly, my thum
Kiera’s pov My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white. I didn’t even remember leaving the pack office. One second I had been standing outside that door, , and the next—I was here.Driving, running and escaping from the horror that was my life.My vision blurred again,







