Mag-log inElla's POVThe master of ceremony strutted about the platform, a seasoned jester he was. "Ah, our last war with the Sentinels," he bellowed, his arms wide as he painted the memory in the air. "What a glorious mess it was, with wolves tripping over their own tails and warriors fighting their very shadows instead of the real enemy! And don't get me started on the haunts, for even our finest trackers mistook a donkey for a stray werewolf!" This caused the crowd to erupt with laughter, the sound rolling in waves all through the arena. He continued, cracking another joke about a rogue who ran headfirst into a tree mid-battle. The audience responded again, clapping and stamping, as they were drunk in his spectacle and jest. Me? Not in the least. Every word and chuckle grated against my skin. My lips didn't curve, not even in the faintest manner. The Signing ceremony was one I believed to be sacred and between the elders, warriors, and royal blood of the pack. But father didn't see it th
Ella's POVThe field was already fully alive with fire and frenzy when I stepped into it. The artificial lights had been put off and replaced instead with ancient torchlight, silks and banners trailing like tongues of flame as the air thrummed with raw energy. Werewolves filled the expanse, their eyes glowing with the unique colors of their wolves beneath the half lit sky. In the wide arena, just at the center, the side events began. A young male stepped forward, one I took to be a delta wolf, and tilting his head backward a bit, he exhaled a wild plume of fire that lit up the night like a dragon's breath. Then his eyes shone purple, giving a hint of the wolf behind this unique ability. The crowd roared it's approval, some stomping their feet while other howled in pure delight. Having such a wolf that converted energy into raw fire was rare in this part of the werewolf world, as such was utilized a great deal in times of war. But this wasn't all, as another round followed, this ti
Ashley's POVI could only whimper in response, as my body was rocking completely with the force of his. My nipples felt the coldness of the wood used to design the throne with every forward motion, a counterpoint to the deep internal friction that coiled a tight spring of pleasure low in my belly. "Fuck!" I screamed in ecstacy as my fingers scrambled on the smooth seat. "Yes," he moaned as one of his hands slid from my hip, smoothing over the curve of my ass before tracing a path up the length of my spine. His hand also reached the fabric of my top and the hood I still wore, pulling just enough of the material to arch my back and give him a deeper angle. I let out a sharp cry at the new position, the sensation I felt so intense that it bordered on the unbearable. "Do you feel it?" He demanded in a whispering hush, his breath hot on my neck. "Do you feel me making you mine again?!" "Fuck, yes!" I sobbed, the confession torn from me. "I fucking do, Jayden!" The possessive growl of
Ashley's POVMy heart was wild, a thing trapped against my ribs. His words, 'I love you,' still hung between us. He'd do anything to keep Ella away. I was sure of that. But I had to trust him. I still felt his hand firm on my arm, a band of heat through the thin fabric of my sleeve. I could see how a bit swollen his lips was, one that was due to another werewolf's kisses. "What do you mean?" I whispered once more, my words barely audible. He moved, one of his hand brushing aside the hood that shielded my face. My breath caught for a second as his lips came close, so close that I could feel heat emanating from it."Trust me Ashley," he murmured. "That's all i ask." Before I could form a though out of these, his mouth was already on mine. He claimed me with a hot desperate kiss, one that tasted of something foreign– a ghost of Ella's perfume that made a low growl form in my throat. But this did nothing to stop my resolve and control from shattering. My hands which had been clenc
Ella's POV "Father," I breathed, my voice clipped but steady, and my fingers trembling slightly as I held my phone close to my ears. "I'm still here," he responded after a pause. "I.. just can't believe this. I thought we had this all..." He continued, but my mind trailed off as I turned once more to the shattered pregnancy kit on the floor. It was still a secret between us, one that was mine and mine alone.... for now at least. "Ella–" "Yes, father," I replied all too quickly. "I'm still in... shock." "Take it easy on yourself. You wouldn't want to spoil the night." Silence hung for a brief moment, then I heard his voice once more. "Who else has access to the chamber?" "No one," I replied, pressing my claws into the wooden doorframe again. "No one dares!" "You are certain of this?" he pressed. "Yes," I answered firmly, "and all these wouldn't have been an issue if the intruder was caught by the CCTV cameras stationed in the hallway. But I checked my phone and I saw absolute
Ashley's POVMy breath came shallow, almost silent, as I hugged the wall that turned swiftly into another hallway. "Phew, that was close," I whispered as I tiptoed further away from the Luna's chamber.I took it as a miracle–perhaps one from the moon goddess herself–that Ella had not set eyes on me. I had felt her presence so close, and if I had delayed even a second longer, she'd surely have caught me, and that would have been the end of all the secrets. The hood hung low over my face, it's unique shadows concealing me even from the bright lights planted around. All steps I took were deliberate, with not even a heel clicked, and not even the whisper of my fabric giving way. But... my heart thundered with a wild rhythm that I hadn't expected. The disarray I planted in the Luna's chamber was intentional, part of the plan David and I had pieced together with Jayden. This was to break Ella's composure, to rattle her in the least. This seeds of unease planted just a few minutes to th







