تسجيل الدخولKATNISS
The problem with pretending to be in love was that sometimes the pretending felt easier than telling the truth.The formal estate lounge was covered in sample fabrics, floral arrangements, and golden invitation proofs.Preparations for the wedding had officially begun, turning my quiet life into a chaotic whirlwind of high-society expectations."I don't give a damn about flower arrangements, Elara," I muttered, rubbing my temples as I slumped into a leather armchair.KATNISSThe problem with pretending to be in love was that sometimes the pretending felt easier than telling the truth.The formal estate lounge was covered in sample fabrics, floral arrangements, and golden invitation proofs. Preparations for the wedding had officially begun, turning my quiet life into a chaotic whirlwind of high-society expectations."I don't give a damn about flower arrangements, Elara," I muttered, rubbing my temples as I slumped into a leather armchair. "Tell the organizers to pick whatever doesn't smell like cheap perfume.""You can't just pick 'whatever,' Lady Katniss," a light, refined voice spoke up from the doorway.Gareth, Hassan’s chief administrator and resident logistics mastermind, walked in holding a silver tablet. He had dark hair, sharp blue eyes, and an aura of calm efficiency that perfectly balanced Kael’s chaotic, military energy."The High Council press officers will analyze every detail of this ceremony," Gareth sa
KATNISS I had expected the Alpha Council to question my decision. I hadn’t expected their questions to make me question it too. The high council chamber in Silvercrest City was a cold, cavernous room of dark granite and ancient oak. Five high-ranking Alphas sat on the elevated dais, looking down at us like judges preparing to pass sentence on a pair of criminals. "Lady Katniss," Council Leader Vane began, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "You severed a year-long engagement with Alpha Damien Ravenscar in less than twelve hours. Now you stand beside Alpha Hassan Blackthorn claiming a sudden, absolute union." "The timeline is my business, Council Leader," I replied, keeping my head high, my voice even and unyielding. "Is it?" Vane leaned forward, his sharp eyes narrowing. "Or did the Blackthorn Pack pressure an heiress whose wolf remains silent into an opportunistic territorial contract?" I opened my mouth to
KATNISSTrust wasn’t built in a single moment. It was built in all the little moments when someone chose not to hurt you.I sat on the wide stone balcony overlooking the misty pine forests of the Blackthorn estate, clutching a steaming mug of black coffee between my cold hands. The morning air was sharp and bitter, but it was nothing compared to the chaotic storm raging in my head.Damien would have used me by now, I thought bitterly, staring out at the rising sun filtering through the towering trees.In my previous life, Damien loved to play the role of the devoted, protective lover, but every single action he took was a calculated maneuver to strip me of my agency. He dictated what I wore, who I spoke to, and how I represented my pack. He treated my authority like a temporary inconvenience he’d absorb the second we swore our vows.Hassan was the exact opposite.The man was a terrifying, blood-soaked warlord who could drop an entire room of Alpha e
HASSANMy teeth were centimeters away from the soft skin of her neck.The sweet, intoxicating scent of her vanilla and wild berries was a violent poison in my veins. My inner wolf roared, thrashing against my ribs with a feral, terrifying demand.“Hassan?” Katniss whispered, her voice trembling slightly. Her silver-gray eyes locked onto mine, wide with a sudden, breathless confusion. She didn't pull away, but the sheer vulnerability in her posture was a cold bucket of water dumped straight onto my burning soul.Control, you fucking animal, I scolded myself fiercely, forcing my muscles to lock up.I clamped my jaw shut, my fangs scraping against the inside of my lip until I tasted the sharp metallic tang of my own blood. With a brutal exertion of sheer willpower, I dragged myself backward, breaking the suffocating contact.“You should go to your room,” I rumbled, my baritone unnaturally low, raspy, and completely stripped of composure.Katniss blinked
HASSANThe Maybach pulled up to the estate’s illuminated portico, but I didn't move.Katniss was still sound asleep against my chest, her soft, warm breath fanning against the skin of my collarbone. For two solid hours, I hadn't shifted a muscle. Every instinct I possessed screamed at me to protect her sleep, to keep the brutal realities of the world away from her for just a few more minutes."Alpha," Beta Kael whispered, opening the heavy car door with careful slowness, his amber eyes darting to the sleeping woman in my arms. "We have a problem.""Quiet," I rumbled in a deadly, low whisper, carefully slipping my arms beneath Katniss's knees and back. I lifted her effortlessly out of the leather interior, cradling her against my chest as I stepped into the cool night air. "What problem?""A delegation from the High Council arrived fifteen minutes ago," Kael murmured, walking briskly beside me as I carried her through the private side entrance. "Elders Vance and Marrok. They saw the
HASSANThe smoke had barely cleared from the marble floor before my instincts took total control.I stood in the center of the ruined ballroom, my massive frame shielding Katniss completely behind me. The shattered crystal and silver fragments of the chandelier lay scattered across the polished floor, reflecting the harsh light of the hall. The nobles were still screaming, scrambling toward the exits like terrified sheep, but I didn't care about the panic.I cared about the coward who dared to throw a blade into my shadow."Hassan," Katniss whispered behind me, her small hand reaching out to touch the heavy fabric of my jacket. Her voice trembled slightly, though she fought fiercely to hide it. "Hassan, look at me."I didn't turn around. My eyes were glowing a bright, predatory gold, my inner wolf snarling behind my ribs, demanding blood."Stay behind me, Katniss," I growled, my deep baritone carrying a lethal, suffocating power that instantly silenced the trembling nobles nearby.Ac







