«CLARA POV»The room was warm, the air filled with the dull crackle of the fireplace as Lusaka and Ravenna played chess in the corner. I sat curled up on the couch, wrapped in a thick blanket, pretending to listen as they discussed the latest pack affairs. I wasn't really paying attention. My mind was elsewhere— him. Adrian. After the battle in the Dark Howl pack with him, I returned to the rogue pack where I secretly put to birth. It's been days now and I had told Lusaka and everyone else that I needed time to recover, that I wasn’t feeling well. A white little lie. Only Brandon knew the truth. I had just given birth. And now, the guilt was eating me alive. My son. My baby. I had left him in the orphanage, far away from here, away from Adrian, away from everything that could tie me to my past with him. But every night, I thought about my baby. Every night, I fought the urge to go back, to hold him in my arms just once more. But I couldn’t. Lusaka was my husband. Th
«CLARA POV»My heart twists as I stand there, facing Adrian. It doesn’t matter how much time has passed or how much I have tried to move forward. But seeing him, here in front of me, still does something to me. And now, with the way he looks at me, the way his eyes cloud over with something unspoken, I feel myself drowning in emotions I don’t want to feel. I have built something strong with the rogues. I have made a home among them, created an empire that no one can take away from me. But my heart? It is still shattered, broken into too many pieces to ever be put back together. My bond with Adrian is a constant reminder of what I have lost in the past. And now, as I stand with Lusaka, I can see it. The jealousy in Adrian’s lustrous eyes. The way his perfect jawline tenses, how he clenches his fists at his sides. He tries to hide it, but I know him too well. He doesn’t like seeing me with Lusaka. I can feel Lusaka’s warmth beside me, his protective arm around my waist. But
«ADRIAN POV»I couldn’t move.I stood there, frozen, the weight of Clara’s words pressed down on me like a mountain. It echoed in my head, over and over again, like a cruel reminder of how badly I had failed her.She wasn’t the cursed wolf. I had already suspected it, but hearing her say it out loud… it still shocked me. A part of me wanted to deny it, to argue, to tell her she was wrong—but deep inside, I knew she wasn’t. The calamity had spread across the packs, destroying lives, tearing apart families. But the rogues? They remained untouched. How could that be, if Clara was truly cursed? I should have fought for her. I should have believed in her.Instead, I had let the world convince me she was the enemy.I had let her believe I hated her.Shock flickered across my face before I quickly masked it. I clenched my jaw and forced myself to speak. "That doesn't make sense," I muttered, though my voice lacked its usual strength and was barely strong enough to hold. "Of course
«CLARA POV»I slam the door behind me and drop to my knees.The room is quiet. Too quiet. The silence presses against me like a heavy weight. I don’t even make it to the bed. My legs give out and I just stay on the floor, hugging myself.And then… the tears come.I try to stop them—I really do. But it’s like a floodgate has opened inside me. Everything I’ve been holding in, everything I’ve shoved deep down… spills out like water breaking through a cracked dam.I cry.Goddess, I cry like I haven’t in months. My chest hurts. My throat burns. My heart feels like it’s been ripped open and handed back to me in pieces.I think I’m stronger than this.I’ve built an empire, haven’t I?I’ve led rogues, faced threats, survived betrayals, and stood tall through it all. But whenever Adrian stands in front of me… I fall apart. Every single time.His voice keeps echoing in my head.“I’m sorry.”“I regret.”Regret?What the hell am I supposed to do with that?Is it going to erase the shame, the hea
«CLARA POV»The woods are darker than I remember.The moonlight barely slips through the thick trees above, and every step I take echoes low over the damp earth. Twigs snap under my boots, but I don’t stop. My heart is thudding too loud, my breath fast and shallow. I call for Lusaka once. But my voice gets swallowed by the trees.Where the hell is he?When I continue walking, my eyes dart around my surroundings, suddenly… I hear it.A voice.Feminine. Low. Too familiar.I freeze in place.“Why do you keep protecting her?” the female says, low and seductive. “She clearly doesn’t deserve you.”My heart lurches. I know that voice.Jasmine.Another voice follows—his voice. Lusaka. But I can’t hear what he’s saying. My feet begin to move again, slowly now, careful. My fingers tremble as I push a branch aside and inch closer.Their scents hit me before I see them.And then, through a gap between two thick trees, I see them.I stop breathing.Jasmine is leaning into Lusaka, her slender body
«CLARA POV»Jasmine turns, her eyes flashing with rage. She opens her mouth, probably to scream at me, but before she can raise her hand to strike me back, Lusaka steps forward fast, a blur of motion, and grabs her wrist, holding it tightly. His eyes flash with something darker than I’ve ever seen before—something that sends a chill down my spine.He growls, a deep, low sound that rattles the air.“Don’t. Touch. A hair. On her.”His voice is cold, but there’s an edge to it. An edge I’ve never heard before.Jasmine freezes, her body stiff. She looks at him like she can’t believe what she’s hearing, her eyes wide with shock.Even I was surprised. “Lusaka, y-you—” she starts, but her words falter as she looks at him.Lusaka doesn’t loosen his grip. His gaze doesn’t leave her.“Don’t.” His voice is low and dangerous, like a warning.Jasmine flinches, her expression twisting into a mix of confusion and pain. She takes a step back, her mouth opening like she wants to say something, but no
«ADRIAN POV»I walk through the woods, slowly, alone while drowning in my thoughts. The moonlight filters through the trees above, casting shadows all around me. The wind is gentle, brushing against my face, but I don’t feel calm.Not tonight. Not after what I saw.I didn’t mean to see it. I wasn’t following her, I swear I wasn’t.But maybe I was. Maybe a part of me was hoping to see her one more time… even if I didn’t deserve to.And now I wish I hadn’t.Clara.In his arms.Laughing.Smiling.Kissing.My blood boiled.My vision went red.I wanted to burn the world to ash. To tear through trees, howl at the moon, and destroy everything that reminded me of him… of them. But no matter how angry I felt, there was another voice—one that whispered like poison in my ear…. ‘She doesn’t belong to you anymore.’ She chose him.He’s her king. Her husband. My chest felt tight, I couldn’t breathe.I know Clara saw me, I know she did. Her eyes widened just a little. Her body tensed.But she did
«THIRD POV»Ryan stepped out of the pack house, his hands in his pockets, trying to clear his head. It was fully morning and the sunlight spread the Dark Howl pack. If one looked closely, one would notice the dark circles in his eyes. He barely slept last night. He had been thinking a lot about Adrian lately. His best friend wasn’t the same. There was a pain in his voice that he tried to hide, but he felt it.Much worse, the enemies had taken over the ruling of the pack. He didn't know the future of the Dark Howl pack anymore. He missed those days when everything was in control when Adrian was still the Alpha. Everything had seemed perfect until now. Just as Ryan reached the stairs, a familiar voice of an elder stopped him.“Ryan,” Marcus said, standing behind him with a smug look on his face.Ryan stiffened but turned around slowly. “Alpha Marcus,” he greeted with forced respect.Marcus grinned wide like an old fox as he took a slow step toward him. “Where’s my lovely nephew?” he
«THIRD POV»Marcus froze in place, his eyes growing wide with fear as Adrian walked into the hall. “T-this is impossible,” he stammered, voice shaking. He took a slow step back, like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.The other alphas standing beside him also started backing away. Their proud faces turned pale, and their bodies tensed as if danger had just entered the hall. Disbelief was written on their faces. Clara noticed their sudden change. Confused, she looked from one alpha to another. Why were they scared of Adrian so intensely? Could something have happened before they attacked the Dark Howl pack? Something she didn’t know yet… Andromeda, who always looked calm and full of control, suddenly snapped. “This can’t happen!” she shouted, her eyes sharp with anger and shock as she rushed toward Adrian. “How did you get out of the silver chains?!” Clara gasped loudly, her eyes jumping to Adrian. “Silver chains?” she whispered to herself in disbelief. Fear and then wor
«CLARA’S POV»The hall was growing heavy with silence.“I don’t have to explain anything to you!” Jasmine snapped, standing tall again. Then I caught her hand twitched toward her knife. BANG. My bullet tore through her shoulder before she could move. She screamed, collapsing against the wall. "YOU CRAZY—""Next one goes between your eyes," I said calmly. "Talk." Lusaka eyess widened in realization and he stormed forward, his claws out. "Who else knew?" Jasmine's bloody grin was answer enough. "Too late." Shit. We'd walked right into a trap! Before I could reply, another voice entered the hall.“Well, well, well…”Magnus.He walked in with slow, confident steps like he owned the world. His hands behind his back like a man going for a leisure stroll. Behind him, more footsteps followed. Heavy boots. I felt the ground vibrate as they came closer.The rest of the Alphas walked in after him, one by one, their pack warriors surrounding us from all sides.Alpha Cyrus from the Nor
«CLARA’S POV»Night had fully fallen. The sky was dark like a giant black beast, spreading over everything.The air was cold and quiet. Every step we took was careful. Silent. The leaves under our feet barely made a sound.We had moved deep into the woods until we finally reached the Dark Howl pack border."Wait." I raised my hand to stop everyone. We crouched behind the tall trees. Up ahead, I could see the patrolling guards. Ten of them, walking slowly, talking in low voices, not alert at all."Finish them." One command from me and I nodded at the small group of rogues I had sent ahead. They moved like shadows. Silent and Quick. One by one, they crept up behind the ten patrolling guards. One guard stood watch, yawning. He never felt the hand clamp over his mouth. Never saw the blade flash in the moonlight. A quick jerk—sharp and deep. His body sagged before he could make a sound. Another guard turned, sensing something wrong. Too late. A rogue was already behind him. One hand
«CLARA’S POV»The sun was still up in the sky yet the woods were too quiet. I stepped out of the last SUV, my boots crunching on dry leaves.We had stopped at a hidden spot not too far from Dark Howl Pack. The trees were thick here, and the wind moved in the opposite direction, keeping our scents covered. It was the safest place to camp before the fight. The area we camped in was a wide clearing covered in dry leaves. There were at least fifteen black SUVs parked around, some with their doors still open. Warriors were already scattered around the place. Some were sitting on stones and old tree trunks, eating packed food. Others were talking in low voices, trying to keep their spirits high. A few were checking their weapons. One was even telling jokes, and the others near him laughed, though it was easy to hear the tension beneath it.I walked beside Lusaka as we headed toward the center of the clearing. The moment the warriors saw us, they stood quickly and bowed. Even the ones who
«ADRIAN’S POV»The sound of clashing swords and sparring feet paused the moment I stepped onto the training grounds. Everyone stopped. Every head turned. I didn’t waste time.“Listen up!” I shouted, my voice echoing across the open field. “First person to tell me where Ryan really is gets promoted to head guard!”I know am no longer Alpha of the pack but that doesn't mean I have no power. Anyone who knew Adrian Blackwaters know he's ruthless and can be just as cruel. The silence stretched too long.Then a small voice from the back: "They took him to the cells." My blood went cold. I stepped forward, locking eyes with the female warrior who spoke. “Who did?”The female warrior stepped forward too, shaking but determined. "Marcus. Three nights ago. Said Ryan was a traitor." I didn’t wait for anything else.I ran.The prison cells were buried deep under the east wing. They smelled like old metal and dried blood. The walls dripped with damp, and the air felt heavy.I didn’t bother w
«ADRIAN’S POV»I drove back to Dark Howl Pack in silence.The road felt longer than before. My hands stayed tight on the wheel, my jaw locked the whole time. I didn’t want to think. I didn’t want to feel. Not right now.Driving through the forest, the trees blurring past my window. The closer I got to Pack, the heavier my chest felt. Finally, I reached the border and slowed down. The delta patrolling guards standing watch looked uneasy. Their eyes shifted between each other before landing on me. One of them even staggered back a little. I frowned but kept driving. Maybe they were just surprised to see me. I had been gone for days without notice.Still, something felt off.When I reached the packhouse, the feeling grew stronger. People stopped what they were doing. A group of young wolves training near the field all turned to look at me. I saw gasps. Some of them even bowed late like they didn’t expect me. My pack never acted like this before. Just silence and… worry.I gradually par
«CLARA’S POV»The morning air was cool and gentle as I strolled around through the Rogue’s pack town. The grass was still wet from the early dew, and a faint breeze brushed against my skin.A few rogue members passed by, stopping in their tracks when they saw me. Heads bowed, respectfully.With each greeting, I nodded back with a small, forced smile.It still felt strange sometimes—to be looked at like that. With admiration. With trust. Because it hadn’t always been this way.Not long ago, they hated me.Back when I first came here… they feared me. They whispered behind my back. The cursed wolf. A danger. A mistake.I was the outsider. The doom-bringer. The one they wanted gone.Only a handful had treated me kindly. A few saw beyond the fear and stories. A few believed I was something more.Now, everything had changed.Now? Now they called me Queen of the Rogues.The irony wasn’t lost on me. They looked at me like I mattered. Like I belonged.Because I had proved myself. I had fough
«ADRIAN POV»My shoulders tensed, but I turned. Moonlight cut across Lusaka’s face, revealing an expression I’d never seen before—something almost like respect. "You’re really leaving?" He tilted his head, studying me. "Just like that?" I swallowed hard, my gaze flickering past him to where Clara still stood below in the training ground. "I told you. She’s yours to protect now."Lusaka surprised me then. He laughed—not his usual mocking chuckle, but something quieter. Almost tired. "Gods, you’re stubborn." He ran a hand through his hair. "You think I don’t see what this is costing you?"I didn’t answer. The truth sat like a stone in my throat: Everything. It’s costing me everything. Below us, Clara bent to pick up her water flask, her movements slower now. Exhausted. Lusaka followed my gaze, his voice dropping. "I’ll protect her, Adrian. You have my word." When I stiffened, he added, "Not because you asked. Because she’s worth protecting. After all, she's my wife." Something i
«ADRIAN POV»It’s been two days, I stayed away from Clara. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my whole life. Every second felt like a war inside me. But I had no choice. I made her a promise, and I had to keep it.During these days, I didn’t leave the guest lodge during the day. I stayed hidden. I only came out at night, and even then, it was only to watch her from a distance.The cold night air bit my skin as I stood alone on the balcony. Below me, the training grounds were quiet except for one person. Clara. She was always training alone.Anyone else would think she looked strong—ready to fight, fearless like a true warrior. But I saw more than that.I saw the fear in her eyes.Not fear of dying… but fear of failing.If she loses this war, it could be the end of everything. Her life, her people, her last chance at peace.*Even if she fails, we won’t let anyone touch her* Magnus, my wolf, growled in my mind.I closed my eyes and sighed.It was our responsibility to prot