«CLARA» As Lusaka and I hopped out of the car, stepping on the grounds of the council building, a mix of emotions swirled inside me. The building is large, its walls painted in dark red and black. It was smaller than the Dark Howl pack’s headquarters, but its presence was no less imposing. That hardly matters. This is the domain of the high-ranked rogues, toughened, merciless old wolves who answer to no one but themselves. And now, I am walking straight into their den.“Let's go, my love,” Lusaka, by my side, takes my hand and offers me a reassuring smile, but I couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease that had been building up inside me since I received the summons from the rogue high council.I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. It had been a while since I felt this way, nervous and uncertain about what lay ahead of me. Although Lusaka and the others might have been kind to me, even though they were still people who had yet to accept me, I knew that the high-ra
«CLARA» After my response, low murmurs start to brew in the atmosphere in the council hall."This was a mistake.""She doesn't belong here.""I heard she's an omega rogue, doesn't even have her wolf.""This is an insult to the council.""A cursed rogue sitting in that chair... ridiculous."Ah. There it is.I cross my legs slowly, placing my hands on my lap, my expression impassive even as my blood simmers beneath my skin.They aren’t just questioning me as Queen.They still believe I am the cursed wolf.I tilt my head, pretending to be bored as I let them talk. Let them get it out of their systems.Then, Lusaka’s voice cuts through the noise with loud authority. "Enough!"His blue eyes sweep across the room, daring anyone to challenge him.Silence falls instantly."I assume there was a reason for summoning me and my queen here," the rogue King continues, his voice calm but hard. "Elder Oswin, you may speak…" "Forgive my bluntness, my King," Elder Oswin, who happened to be Shantel’s
«ADRIAN»Tension fills the atmosphere like a thick, suffocating fog, so heavy it’s hard to breathe.The courthouse is crowded, including, pack members, the council of elders, and high-ranked wolves. Their hushed, panicked voices fill the space, their faces pale with worry.The Dark Howl Pack, my pack, has been suffering for weeks now. Pups fall sick. Crops and livestock die, and even the strongest wolves begin to weaken.It’s not just our pack. Other packs deal with similar disasters, and rumors spread like wildfire.One could feel the tension in the atmosphere. Some of the women held their children tightly, whispering prayers to the Moon Goddess. Others cast wary glances at the council of elders, as if expecting them to magically fix everything.Uncle Marcus sits among the elders on the long table, his face grim.Sitting at the head of the large table, my arms crossed, and my face unreadable. But Inside, though, frustration builds. Why is this happening? And more importantly, why no
«ADRIAN» “She is so weak, Adrian,” Tiara sighs heavily, her voice cracking with emotion, tears flowing down her cheeks. She looks every bit the image of a mother worried for her daughter. “She locked herself away in her room, alone. You haven’t gone to see her. Ophelia thinks… she thinks you have abandoned her.” A wave of unease twists in my chest. “She’s the Luna, she gave everything for this pack,” she continued, her voice rising. “And now, when she is in pain when she needs you her Alpha the most, you ignore her?” Her lower lip quivers. “Does she mean so little to you?” A few elders shoot me disapproving looks, and I feel the weight of their silent judgment pressing down on me. The people around us now look at me with cold eyes, their disappointment clear, for abandoning Ophelia as Tiara put it. My lips twitched, I was battling inside, trying to control myself, and after a moment of silence. I force out, "I will check on her,” my voice flat. Tiara’s face immediately
«THIRD POV»"It's the rogues attacking us, Alpha," Orlen moved uneasily on his spot, his voice cutting through the silence in the air. A hushed murmur spread through the courtroom. Orlen’s words carried a heavy weight. The rogues were attacking them? An attack from the rogues was unexpected, especially now, when the pack was already dealing with enough trouble.Seated on his throne, Adrian stilled. His fingers, which had been tapping on the armrest, froze. His dark eyes narrowed. "The rogues?" "He repeated, almost as if testing the words. A second later, a faint chuckle escaped his lips. "Lusaka finally grew some backbone to challenge me?"His words dripped with mockery, but beneath the amusement, there was something more, something dangerous. Adrian’s aura flared, suffocating the air in the room. The warriors standing nearby stiffened, and even some of the elders and the pack members exchanged uneasy glances."The Dark Howl pack pack has no conflict with the rogues," Ryan pointe
«ADRIAN’S POV»When me and my men reached the pack border, the battlefield was filled with the sounds of clashing swords and painful cries. Blood stained the ground, and seas of dead bodies of warriors—both mine and the rogues—lay scattered everywhere. But I didn't care about any of it.I marched forward, my amber eyes cold, my body tense with anticipation. This was no ordinary battle. This was a challenge; one meant to mock me, to test me. And I would not stand for it! My fingertips clenched as I continued to walk forward, my steps slow but firm. I wasn’t here for a fight. I was here for the person leading this attack. The one who dared to challenge me.I wanted to see the face of the woman who dared to lead this war against me! As soon as my warriors and the rogues saw me, everything changed. The fighting stopped. The warriors lowered their weapons. The rogues backed away. Their eyes filled with unease. A heavy silence fell over. A deep, suffocating silence.I kept walking, my
«CLARA POV»Adrian stopped instantly on his track upon the hear of my voice, but he didn't turn back to look at me. The battlefield was a mess. Bodies of warriors—both rogues and Dark Howl pack members lay scattered across the blood-stained ground. The air smelled of sweat, blood, and death. The fight had gone on for hours and had been brutal, but I knew the truth. Adrian had the upper hand. His pack was stronger. His warriors were still plentiful and well-trained. If he had wanted to, he could have crushed us completely.So why?Why didn’t he fight me? But he didn’t.And that enraged me.I took a step forward, my chest rising and falling with deep, angry breaths. My eyes locked on hunched back as I shouted, “What’s the matter, Alpha Adrian?! Are you truly scared of me?”Adrian didn't turn and didn't show any sign of reaction. He remained steady, unaffected.That only fueled my bitterness.I wanted him to fight me. I wanted him to hate me enough to strike me down, to show me I wa
«ADRIAN POV»The Dark Howl Pack was quiet now. My warriors had pulled back, and the rogues had begun retreating as well. But I remained frozen in place in the building where I hid, I hadn't fully left, and my red eyes centered on Clara’s fading figure.My mate… my beautiful mate. I could have fought her. I could have taken her down. But I didn’t.Not because of guilt. Not because of pain.But because of what I smelled.It was faint, mixed with the the the stench of blood and cinnamon, but unmistakable.She was pregnant.I clenched my hands, my chest tightened painfully.Clara was pregnant with Pups.She was carrying someone else’s children.I couldn’t breathe for a moment. The realization hit me harder than any blow ever had.I had spent months drowning in regret, believing the Moon Goddess had punished me by taking my mate away. I had thought Clara was dead, and that I killed her.But she didn't die.She was alive. Thriving. She'd moved on. And now, she carried another man’s pups.
«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