MasukElla POV
Before Ella could even open her mouth to ask Agbekor why he hadn’t warned her of the consequences, an unbearable darkness swept over her mind. It wasn’t sudden like falling asleep or even like a passing storm, it was more like being submerged in icy black water, a suffocating void that swallowed every fragment of herself. The images of her life, the faces of those she loved, the moments that had shaped her very soul, were all gone. They weren’t just obscured, they were erased, as if they had never existed at all. Panic clawed at her chest, making her lungs tighten and her hands shake uncontrollably. She tried to reach for a memory, any memory, and her mind came up blank, void, and cold.Ella felt unmoored, like a ship torn from its anchor, drifting helplessly in a storm she could neither see nor control. Her identity, the essence of who she was felt like sand slipping through her fingers. Each grasp at undeKingston POVI had never felt exhaustion this deep as if the weight of the world had dug its claws into my shoulders and refused to let go. Freedom from the curse should have felt like victory. Like a breath I had been starving for finally returning to me.Instead… it felt like grief.My freedom came at the cost of Ella’s memories.The woman who once looked at me with fire, stubbornness, and that rare softness she tried so hard to hide… now stared at me the way someone might look at a stranger who accidentally stepped into their shadow.The ache was unbearable. I could barely stay standing.I dragged in a shaky breath and turned to the warriors who had accompanied me.“Get ready,” I told them, my voice raw, stripped of strength. “We’re heading back to the pack house immediately.”They bowed, understanding but tense. They should’ve been celebrating that thei
Kingston POVFreedom was supposed to taste sweet, warm, like sunlight finally reaching a man who had lived too long in the shadows. Instead, the moment the curse broke, something inside me tore violently, as though claws raked through my chest and ripped out a piece of my soul.I staggered, grabbing the stone wall, gasping for breath.It wasn’t just the curse leaving my body.It was something else, something far more devastating.A sharp, blinding pain shot through my heart.Then a cold emptiness swallowed me whole.The mate bond.Something had happened to the mate bond.Before I could even think, my wolf snarled, Run! and I took off, racing toward Agbekor’s chambers with every ounce of strength I possessed. The halls blurred around me. My heartbeat slammed against my ribs. My vision sharpened, fueled by panic and instinct.Something was wrong wit
Ella POVBefore Ella could even open her mouth to ask Agbekor why he hadn’t warned her of the consequences, an unbearable darkness swept over her mind. It wasn’t sudden like falling asleep or even like a passing storm, it was more like being submerged in icy black water, a suffocating void that swallowed every fragment of herself. The images of her life, the faces of those she loved, the moments that had shaped her very soul, were all gone. They weren’t just obscured, they were erased, as if they had never existed at all. Panic clawed at her chest, making her lungs tighten and her hands shake uncontrollably. She tried to reach for a memory, any memory, and her mind came up blank, void, and cold.Ella felt unmoored, like a ship torn from its anchor, drifting helplessly in a storm she could neither see nor control. Her identity, the essence of who she was felt like sand slipping through her fingers. Each grasp at unde
Ella POVElla’s mind swirled with disbelief as she stared at Agbekor. The audacity, the sheer cruelty of his demand left her breathless. How could he even suggest such a thing when his halls were teeming with beautiful wives, thriving children, and the echoes of his power reverberating through every corner of the chamber? It was madness or perhaps a calculated cruelty beyond mortal understanding. Her pulse throbbed painfully, and her hands trembled slightly as she clenched them in front of her.“Both options…” she murmured, her voice nearly lost in the oppressive silence. “They’re… impossible. The hardest thing a werewolf could ever do.” She lifted her gaze to meet Agbekor’s, her eyes blazing with a mixture of fear, defiance, and desperation. “A werewolf doesn’t leave their mate. Not for power. Not for survival. Not even for… anything you could offer.”Agbekor’s sharp eyes glinted, his lips curli
Kael POVThe moment Agbekor’s words sank in that he would claim the Alpha’s firstborn or heir, Kael felt a cold, sharp fear slice through her chest. Her sister in law, Ella, froze beside her, gripping Kingston’s hand with white knuckled desperation, and Kael could see the storm of terror in her eyes. Instinctively, Kael stepped forward, placing herself firmly between Ella and the omnipotent presence of Agbekor. Every instinct screamed at her to protect, to defend, to not let this injustice take root.“It’s not going to happen,” Kael said boldly, her voice steadier than she felt, echoing through the cavernous chamber. “There has to be another way a better way than taking the most precious thing from my brother and his mate. You cannot do this.”Agbekor’s eyes snapped toward her, and the air thickened with palpable danger. His presence seemed to press against her chest, oppressive and suffocating. “You dare interr
Ella POVThe chamber was suffocating, heavy with anticipation, shadows dancing along the walls like living things. Ella’s heart pounded against her ribcage, each beat a harsh reminder of the life and death stakes that had brought them here. Kingston’s hand never left hers, his grip firm and unyielding, grounding her in the storm of fear that threatened to consume her. She could feel the low hum of his wolf, tense and restless, every muscle coiled like a predator ready to strike. The closer they came to Agbekor, the more the fear dug its claws into her chest, threatening to make her crumble before the man who seemed older than time itself.Agbekor’s presence was almost tangible even before she saw him fully. When he finally emerged from the shadows, the room seemed to shrink around him. His eyes pierced her with a gaze that weighed her very soul, stripping away all pretenses and leaving her raw







