Mag-log inShe didn’t know he was there.Bella stood near the window, a towel twisted around her hair, another wrapped low around her body. She hummed softly—some careless, half-forgotten melody—as she adjusted the fabric, swaying without awareness. The sound drifted through the room and lodged itself somewhere dangerous in Dave Stark’s chest.He should have announced himself.Instead, he watched.Moonlight and lamplight kissed her damp skin, turning it warm and luminous. Water beaded along her collarbone and traced slow paths down curves she seemed blissfully unaware of. The towel clung to her thighs just enough to make restraint feel like punishment.The first time he’d heard her name—Bella—something had shifted inside him. A pull he didn’t understand. Standing there now, he understood even less. His Hybrid stirred restlessly, dark thoughts brushing the edge of control.She looked… alive. Unburdened. For days, he’d only seen her asleep or eating, quiet and contained. This—this careless joy—hit
Sandra dabbed her lips with a linen napkin, then lifted her gaze to Bella with a look that was far too sharp to be casual.“You’ve heard the rumors, haven’t you?” she asked calmly. “About the Moon Goddess cursing Dave Stark. About him never finding his fated mate.”Bella’s fingers tightened around her spoon.She hadn’t heard them.She had lived them.“When it became clear fate wasn’t cooperating,” Sandra continued, “the Supreme Council—and a few of us close to him—decided something else could be done. If destiny failed, then choice would replace it.”Bella’s chest constricted.“An agreed bond,” Sandra went on. “A selected mate. Political or personal. It’s not uncommon among kings.”Jealousy flared hot and ugly before Bella could stop it.Of course it made sense. Of course the world would move on without her. To Dave, she was nothing more than a stranger he had taken under his protection—a curiosity, perhaps. A responsibility.And yet…Why her?Why not Agnes—the polished Alpha daughter
Shock barely covered what Bella felt.“Heal… you?” she echoed softly, her voice unsteady.Dave Stark didn’t answer right away. His gray eyes—those unsettling, knowing eyes—held her in place, as if he could see straight through the layers she had built to survive this life. Whatever he was fighting, he clearly wasn’t ready to name it.“Rest,” he said finally, his tone leaving no room for argument. “We’ll talk tomorrow.”The words wrapped around her like a command disguised as kindness.Bella didn’t even remember falling asleep.When she woke, soft daylight filtered through sheer curtains, bathing the room in a pale glow. She was lying in a bed that felt far too large and far too luxurious for someone who had spent most of her life surviving scraps of mercy. The suite was breathtaking—ivory walls, gold accents, and the faint scent of cedar and something unmistakably masculine.Someone shifted beside her.“Good morning.”Bella turned sharply—and froze.“Sandra?” she blurted, sitting upri
The silence that followed Dave Stark’s question was suffocating.Alpha Cyrus froze—only for a heartbeat—before rage overtook reason. The sharp sound of his palm striking flesh cracked through the grand hall.Agnes staggered sideways.Gasps erupted from every corner.No one had ever imagined Alpha Cyrus raising his hand against his cherished daughter. Not even in whispers. Not even in secret.Agnes burst into tears, collapsing against her mother. Luna Helena’s face drained of color, her lips trembling as she reached for her child.Bella stood rooted to the floor, horror crawling up her spine.Alpha Cyrus exhaled shakily, then turned toward King Stark—toward Dave—with his head bowed and his pride in tatters.“Your Majesty,” he said, voice hoarse but controlled, “I owe you the truth. Bella… is also my daughter. I forced her and her mother, Linda, into the Omega class because of unresolved issues between Linda and myself. It was wrong. But it is the truth.”The words landed like a blade.
Moonlight washed the clearing in cold silver as the Lycan emerged from the shadows.His massive frame moved with lethal grace, black fur catching the light until it gleamed like polished onyx. Bella gasped and scrambled for the clothes scattered near her, pressing the fabric to her chest as if it could shield her from the power radiating off him.The Lycan turned his head.Gray eyes—ancient, intelligent, dangerous—locked onto her.He stepped closer, inhaling slowly. Bella froze, breath trapped in her lungs. His fur brushed her skin, a deliberate pass that sent a tremor through her body. Heat followed where he touched, unsettling and intimate, as though the night itself leaned in to watch.Then he threw back his head and roared.The sound ripped through the forest, shaking branches, scattering birds, announcing dominance to anything foolish enough to linger. It was fury sharpened into command. Bella clutched the fabric tighter, heart hammering.Why does this feel… familiar?The Lycan c
Bella stood still, the silver tray balanced in her trembling hands as Alpha Griffin beamed at his daughter.“Agnes, are you enjoying your celebration?” he asked proudly, his voice carrying over the soft music and polite laughter.Bella kept her gaze lowered. She was dressed like the other omegas—white long-sleeved blouses tucked into short skirts, black stockings hugging her legs. Invisible. That was the rule. That was survival.“Of course I am, Father,” Agnes replied sweetly. “Everyone knows King Dave Stark will arrive tonight. Mother told me he intends to make me his queen.”Bella’s fingers tightened around the tray.Alpha Griffin stroked his beard thoughtfully. “You’ve always been a dutiful daughter. I’m proud of you.”Agnes smiled, radiant with entitlement. “When I’m queen, I’ll ensure this pack rises above all others.”Alpha Griffin cleared his throat. “And Marcus?” he asked carefully. “You once promised to marry him.”Agnes waved a dismissive hand. “Marcus is irrelevant. He can







