«ADRIAN’S POV»I glared at her. “Not interested, Jasmine.”She threw her head back and laughed, eyes twinkling as she rested her elbow on the bar, eyes never leaving mine.“Why Alpha Adrian?” She drawled, trying to act sexy enough to tempt me. I gave her a sharp glance, my voice flat. “How do you know me?”She shrugged, taking a sip. “Everyone knows who you are. The big bad Alpha. Killer of kings. Breaker of rules. Heard a lot about you.”I huffed, downing the rest of my drink. “Well… ‘they’ clearly don’t know shit.”Jasmine leaned in again flirtingly, her perfume too strong it gave me a headache. “I dunno… you look exactly like the stories say. All brooding, dark, and tragic.” She grinned playfully. “But… I see it in your eyes. You’re not as heartless as they think.”I scoffed, motioning at the bartender for another drink. “Don’t pretend you know me.”She raised a brow. “I don’t have to. It’s obvious. Men don’t drink like that for no reason.” She tipped her head at me with curious
«ADRIAN’S POV»The first thing that hit me was the headache. A splitting pain that made me groan deeply, my hand instinctively going to my head. The bright ray of morning streamed through the car windows, making the space feel like it was spinning. I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the harsh light, only to be greeted by a bare naked image that froze me in place. What the fuck?I was half-naked, sprawled across the front seat of my car, my hairy chest exposed and covered in sweat. Turning my neck beside me, a woman lay there, her hand resting boldly on my chest. A soft, content smile played on her lips as if we were some kind of lovers. I could barely breathe as my mind raced to understand what had happened… Fuck! The reality of the situation slammed into me like a freight train. What the hell was going on?“Hey!” I growled in disbelief, pushing her away with more force than I meant. Her body jerked as she fell to the other side of the car, a surprised cry escaping her
«ADRIAN’S POV»“We have to stop them!” I growled low, my voice rough and frantic as I spoke into the phone. “Do anything, Ryan. I don’t care how, you have to stop Marcus! Delay him. Sabotage the damn trucks, blow their weapons stash, fake a threat, I don’t care!” “Adrian…” Ryan was hesitant. I knew he was scared of being caught. But I fucking don't care. I can't sit and watch Marcus and the rest of the alpha attack the rogues and take Clara. I would be damned if that should happen! “Ryan,” I sighed and spoke intensely into the phone. “The rogues aren’t prepared. Clara… Clara’s hospitalized.”There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. “What?!” Ryan’s voice cracked in shock and he blurted out. “Hospitalized? What happened to Clara?!”I sighed heavily again, dragging a hand down my face, the weight of everything crushing against my chest. “She’s currently injured, Ophelia attacked her.”There was a long, thick silence. I could hear Ryan’s breathing shift,
«ADRIAN’S POV»I was stunned when my eyes landed on Jasmine. She was standing at the doorway of the packhouse entrance, half-hidden in the shadows behind the elder woman like she wanted to disappear. But it was too late, our eyes met. And I saw it. That look. Fear. Guilt. Panic. She was terrified of me. What the hell is she doing here?! My gut twisted. It was then I realized she must be living here, in the rogue packhouse. Only the high ranking wolves gets to live in the packhouse. Does that mean she knows Clara? That was very much possible and I had this foreboding feeling building inside of me. Jasmine wasn’t just some ordinary she-wolf like I once assumed. Fuck! I should’ve known. I should’ve followed my instincts when I first sensed something off about her at the bar last night. But before I could even move toward her, a voice pulled my attention.“Alpha Adrian,” The older woman in front of me spoke, her voice familiar, it was soft and gentle. I took a step closer to her
«CLARA’S POV»When I woke up in the hospital ward, the first thing I felt was pain. A dull, throbbing ache that seemed to pulse with every beat of my heart. My belly hurt the most, a sharp, stinging reminder of what Ophelia had done to me. I winced, my hand moving instinctively to the spot where she stabbed me. The bandages were tight, and the skin beneath it felt tender, raw.But thanks to whatever pain relief Brandon had given me, it was bearable. I could breathe without wanting to scream.The last thing I remembered was Adrian catching me just before everything went black. His arms around me, the sound of his voice–panicking, desperate, calling my name. It should’ve been Lusaka in my mind, but it wasn’t. It was Adrian. And when I opened my eyes, hoping—maybe even expecting—to see him sitting beside me, all I found was Lusaka.I don't know why but a wave of disappointment which I hadn't expected hit me. Meanwhile, Lusaka was smiling so wide, his eyes glistening with disbelief as
«THIRD POV» After Clara stormed away, Savanna and Ravenanna hurried after her, worried about her. Ravenanna was calling her name frantically as she disappeared around the corner. “Clara, wait!” The tension left behind in the packhouse was suffocating, thick enough to choke the air from anyone who remained.Adrian stood rooted in place, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned bone-white, his chest rising and falling with ragged, furious breaths. His jaw clenched it hurt, his amber eyes burning with a dark rage as they settled on Jasmine.She was trembling now, her face pale and terrified under his lethal glare. Staggering, she took a cautious step back, her lips quivering as if she wanted to speak, to beg, but no words came. Her whole body shook visibly.“You just signed your death warrant!” Adrian snarled lowly, his voice like gravel, rough and sharp. Then he seized Jasmine’s arm roughly, yanking her forward with such force that she gasped aloud and eyes wide with fea
«THIRD POV»“Bastard!” Adrian roared, his voice dark and guttural, not entirely human anymore.Without hesitation, his form exploded into his massive black wolf, Magnus, fur shimmering like obsidian, eyes burning like molten gold. Lusaka, in his brown wolf form, lunged toward him in response, snarling ferociously.The clash was violent. Two powerful wolves with too much hatred, too much fury, and too much to lose. They collided with a sickening crash that sent vibrations through the ground, sharp claws slicing the air, fangs gnashing and tearing. The sounds of snarls, snapping jaws, and bone-jarring impacts filled the air, drowning out even Jasmine’s terrified cries. “S-stop!” She shrieked, scrambling backward, tripping over herself as blood sprayed across the floor. Both men pounced violently, wrestled, and slammed each other into the walls, the stones cracking beneath the weight of their savage bodies. Deep fissures split the walls as dust and debris fell like rain.Magnus w
«THIRD POV»She stood still, her face slowly her smile slowly fading.The warm feeling in her chest turned cold and heavy. That was it?That’s why he grabbed her?Her hands shook a little as she stared down at Lusaka. Her heart beat fast, not with love, but with bitterness. She wanted to shout. She wanted to ask why it was always about Clara! But instead, she gave a fake smile, a cold and tight one that it almost hurt her cheek. “Of course,” she said, pretending to be calm. “It’ll be our little secret.”Even though deep inside, it made her blood boil.Lusaka looked at her, his eyes sharp and cold like ice. “Jasmine…” he said slowly, as if warning her.That made her snap.“What?! Huh?!” She yelled, her voice shaking with anger.She picked up the bowl beside the bed and threw it hard. It hit the floor and water splashed everywhere. But she didn’t care. She didn’t even look at it. Her eyes were only on him now, burning with pain and rage.“Lusaka told me to seduce Adrian!” she shouted
«CLARA POV»Adrian nodded, his eyes filled with something deep. Something that hurt.“She poisoned your mother,” he said. “She planned it with Andromeda too… so she could take her place beside your father.”My chest tightened.The air felt thin.“No,” I whispered. “That can’t be true…”But deep inside… I knew it was.All the times Tiara talked badly about my deceased mother. The cold looks. How fast Tiara married my father. How fast she made me feel like I didn’t belong.She hated me. She hated my mother.And she did it.She took her away from me! Tiara was my mother's omega servant. But her greed to climb her made her kill my mother and she took over her place. I slowly looked down at Tiara again. She was groaning now, still crying. Her face was covered in blood and dirt. But there was no guilt in her eyes. Only fear. Only disdain.She didn’t regret what she did.She was only scared because she got caught.I didn’t feel bad for her. I didn’t feel anything except one thing. Anger.
«CLARA POV»The morning air was heavy with smoke and the smell of blood. I stood on the broken podium, looking at the crowd. The whole pack was there—rogues and freeborn wolves mixed together. Last night’s battle had left scars—deep ones. It had left the in place in ruins. Buildings were burned. Walls had crumbled. Warriors limped. Pack members in silence. But we were still standing. In the middle of it all, a stage had been set.The whole pack was gathered now, standing in front of the stage. Men, women, children… all with tired eyes. Some held each other. Others stood alone. But every face turned toward me.I stood on the podium, my heart racing inside my chest. My fingers were cold, even though the sun was shining. Lusaka stood on my left. Adrian stood on my right. I could feel their quiet strength behind me.I took a deep breath and stepped forward.My boots clicked softly against the wood as I reached the edge. I glanced down at the crowd who once called me the cursed Wolf. S
«CLARA POV»The morning air was heavy with smoke and the smell of blood. I stood on the broken podium, looking at the crowd. The whole pack was there—rogues and freeborn wolves mixed together. Last night’s battle had left scars—deep ones. It had left the in place in ruins. Buildings were burned. Walls had crumbled. Warriors limped. Pack members in silence. But we were still standing. In the middle of it all, a stage had been set.The whole pack was gathered now, standing in front of the stage. Men, women, children… all with tired eyes. Some held each other. Others stood alone. But every face turned toward me.I stood on the podium, my heart racing inside my chest. My fingers were cold, even though the sun was shining. Lusaka stood on my left. Adrian stood on my right. I could feel their quiet strength behind me.I took a deep breath and stepped forward.My boots clicked softly against the wood as I reached the edge. I glanced down at the crowd who once called me the cursed Wolf. S
«CLARA’s POV»I held my breath.The figure stepped out from the shadows of the trees… and then another.My heart skipped. It was Lusaka and Ravenanna.The air froze. For a moment, no one said a word.The silence was loud.Lusaka’s eyes blinked in confusion. Ravenanna’s mouth was wide open, like she had seen something shocking. "Clara… y-you… Adrian…” Only then did I realize how close I was to Adrian. My hands were still on his back. My body pressed against his.It looked... wrong.I hurriedly stepped away as if I’d been caught doing something I shouldn’t. I pulled away fast, my face burning with heat. Then walked quickly to Lusaka’s side.“It’s not what it you think, Lusaka,” I quickly try to explain, my words stumbling out. “W-we were just talking, that’s all.”Ravenanna glance between me and Adrian, still quiet, and suspicious. Lusaka suddenly chuckled, not what I had expected. The Rogue King was a jealous freak, no difference from Adrian. I had imagined he would explode or star
«CLARA’s POV»Adrian didn’t say a word, he simply just held my hand. And, I didn’t stop him.I know I should have pulled away. I should’ve reminded him of the distance we needed. He has a Luna, and I have a husband. Plus, I also wanted to remind him of the cruel way he rejected me. But right now, none of that mattered. His hand was warm. It felt real. Steady. And a little broken, just like me.We kept walking.Past the building, past the gardens, then deeper into the woods.I didn’t know where he was taking me. I was quiet at first, but the farther we walked, the darker it got, and the more unsure I became.“Adrian…” I finally spoke up, glancing around at the tall trees and thick shadows. “Where are we going?”The alpha king didn’t stop walking. He didn’t look at me either but he let out a low laugh. “Now you're scared, huh? Don't worry, You’ll see,” he told me. “Just wait until we get there.”I frowned, unsure if I should be scared or curious. Maybe both. We kept going. The woods
«CLARA’s POV»I ran into the pack mansion, ignoring the way my heart thudded in my chest like it wanted to break free. My boots echoed loudly against the staircases, each step rushed, each breath tight.“Adrian!” I called, but no one answered. My voice bounced against the empty walls, hollow and small.Where was he?I ran down the hallway, pushing open doors, turning corners too fast. Panic clawed at my chest the more I searched. My eyes darted around wildly—everywhere I searched, he wasn’t there.“Where is he?” I muttered under my breath, stopping in the middle of the hallway. My hands flew to my hair, tugging at it in frustration. I didn’t even know what I would say when I found him—I just knew I had to find him.Defeated, I turned to head back and then… I slammed right into something solid.Fuck! My head hit it hard and I hissed in pain, stumbling backward.“Ugh! What the hell—”But my voice died in my throat.It wasn’t a wall, it was a chest. A broad, warm chest.I blinked, start
«THIRD POV»"Adrian, wait!” That was Clara’s voice, speaking to Adrian’s wolf. However, Magnus was already blinded by resentment, so much all he yearned for was to get his revenge on Marcus Wolf! Meanwhile, Marcus lay flat on the ground outside the hall, bleeding and barely breathing. His once-proud wolf form now looked weak, trembling and broken. Blood soaked into the dirt beneath him, and his fur was ripped in many places. “Haha, scared to kill me?” He growled lowly, his voice full of tease, but the sound held no strength.“I want to torture you so hard you'd beg for death before I kill you, Marcus…” Magnus stood tall above him. His body was huge, muscles stretched tight with rage. His eyes glowed gold, wild and burning with fury. His chest rose and fell heavily, breath coming in rough puffs. He wanted to kill. To end this. To rip Marcus apart just as Marcus had done to his father! He lowered his head, lips pulling back to reveal long, deadly teeth.One bite. That’s all it w
«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