*******CEDRIC POV******I sat in my office, deep in thought. Emmeline didn’t know that I knew about Devlin’s baby. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t told her, maybe the words just felt too heavy to say.Since she tried to escape, the security around her room had been increased. Her leg was also chained to the bed.“My Lord,” Grace bowed as she entered, a frustrated look on her face.“What is it?” I asked.“Mistress Emmeline has refused to eat anything since she arrived,” she replied.I sighed, rubbing my temples. It had been two days of her starving herself. What was she trying to achieve with this?“Have you sent Elara in?” I asked. Since Elara was her friend, I thought she’d be the best person to convince her to eat.Grace shook her head. “It was no use… Emmeline smashed the food against the wall.”Was she trying to kill the baby?I waved her off. “I’ll handle this.”She bowed and left. I adjusted my clothes as I stood and made my way to Emmeline’s room. After taking a deep breath, I pushe
*******Devlin's POV******I paced the room, jaw clenched in rage. It had been three days…three excruciating days…since Emmeline disappeared, and there was still no trace of her.Had she run away?Or worse… had someone taken her?But that didn’t make sense. My pack was tightly secured. No one could breach the territory without my knowledge. Still, the silence around her disappearance was maddening.“Alpha Devlin, the Council Leader is here to see you,” Belle announced as she stepped into the room.What does that old man want now?“I’ll be there,” I muttered, and she bowed before leaving.With a deep frown, I fixed my hair and schooled my expression, forcing on my infamous smile—the one that made people believe they were always in control.When I arrived at the courtyard, he was already there, standing with that ever-present glint of amusement in his eyes.“Greetings, Uncle,” I said smoothly, bowing with calculated grace. “Why go through the trouble of traveling so far just to see your
******* CEDRIC POV******I sat in my office, burying myself in work so I wouldn't think about my mate, but it proved more difficult than I thought.Her words kept ringing in my ears… Teammates.How could that even be possible, given that we are mates?But I couldn’t argue with her. The fear that she might disappear from my life completely was nerve-racking. I know I deserve every bit of her coldness, but it still hurts.Her eyes, once full of love and admiration for me, were now filled with disgust and hatred.“My Lord,” Grace muttered, pulling me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t even heard her enter, which was unusual, especially since my senses had heightened after my last shift.“What brings you here?” I asked, looking up at her.She bit her lip. “Um… Lady Emmeline is insisting on seeing you.”I shrugged. “You can send her in.”When we agreed to work together as teammates, she made it clear the chains had to go. Said if we were equals, she needed to be treated like one. So she was now
EMMELINE POV "Emmeline, come now! Your dad is back!" My mom's scream pierced the air.I dropped my color paintings, racing downstairs with abandon. Nima, my nanny, scolded me for my recklessness, but I couldn't help it – I hadn't seen Father in a year.The carriage stopped outside, and Father dismounted, his worn leather coat and weary eyes telling stories of distant lands. I lifted my ball dress and flung myself into his arms."Easy girl, your old man's waist can't carry you anymore," Father teased, pulling my nose.I laughed, basking in his scent. Santos Gray, renowned scientist and my role model.Mother's gentle tap on my head broke the spell. We laughed, entering the house together.Over dinner, Father shared tales of his revolutionary project. I listened intently."Dad, take me to Elgin sometime?" I asked, stuffing food into my mouth.Mother's lecture on propriety began, and Father's frown deepened. "Elgin's too wild for you.""I've lived in Dogar all my life; I need experience,
Cedric POV I sat on my bed, cigarette smoke curling around me, the bitter scent lingering in the air. Nightmares still haunted me - the memories of Santos Gray slaughtering my parents."My Lord, are you alright?" Lily, my occasional companion, asked. Her voice was laced with concern, but I wasn't interested.I grasped her wrist, my grip tight. "Out. Get out now."Lily's eyes widened in surprise at my sudden aggression. "My Lord, if I—"I cut her off with a low growl. "Leave."Lily cowered, fear etched on her face, before hastily dressing and departing with a hasty curtsy.I crushed the cigarette beneath my heel and lit another, the flame dancing in the morning light. Lily had ruined my already sour mood.As Cedric Silver, the Rogue King, or Alpha, I answered to no one. Leader of the rogues in Elton, my rule was absolute.The morning bustle of servants and maids filled the air, their noises amplified by my werewolf hearing. The cacophony grated on my nerves.I glared at Colima, my a
Emmeline POV I smiled, my heart racing as I gazed at my mate. He stood tall, his chiseled physique radiating power. His broad shoulders and defined jawline left me breathless. Maybe this place wouldn't be so bad if the goddess had truly led me to my mate.But my optimism was short-lived.As I took a step closer, he pushed me to the floor with a harsh growl. His eyes blazed with hatred, making me tremble."Mat..." I tried to say, but a stinging slap silenced me."It's Lord to you... Lord Cedric to you, spawn of Satan!" he snarled, his voice dripping with venom.I cowered, quivering under the intensity of his gaze. The same look of contempt I'd received from everyone in the manor.The Council had dumped me here earlier than scheduled, and already, I'd faced unimaginable hostility. Some had even spat at me."Lord... Cedric, I am your mate," I stammered, speaking softly, fearful of provoking him further. I'd heard stories from my father about the rogue pack's brutality.Cedric's glare
CEDRIC’S POV I sat on my bed, legs crossed, and glared at Ava, my fiancée. As the Council leader's daughter, our relationship was strictly business. "Why did you come to my manor unannounced?" I scolded, annoyance etched on my face. Gray's daughter, who had collapsed, was already on her way to the infirmary. Ava tilted her head back, incredulous. "We're getting married in the next full moon, and you're still cold to me?" I remained unmoved. "Ava, I'm not obligated to care for your feelings. Now, answer me: why are you here unannounced?" Ava rolled her eyes and poured herself a cup of tea. "My father told me about that...woman serving in the manor. I came to see for myself." I dismissed her with a wave of my hand. "Now that you've confirmed it, you can leave. I have a funeral to plan." Ava opened her mouth to pro
EMMELINE POV I slowly opened my eyes, wincing in pain as the world around me came into focus. I was lying on the forest floor, my body throbbing with agony. Memories of how I got there were hazy and unclear. The black wolf, Lord Cedric, stood before me, his intense stare piercing. His scent revealed he was my mate. Fearful of exacerbating my injuries, I remained still.After several minutes of staring, Lord Cedric let out a warning growl. He huffed and turned to leave. I attempted to call him back, but my voice came out scratchy and coarse. "Help...help me..." I growled, pain searing through my body.The wolf paused, turning to glare at me. Something about his bloodshot eyes sent shivers down my spine. As I lay there, struggling to form coherent words, my energy waned. Pain intensified, and my vision blurred. I tried to focus on Cedric, but his image distorted and faded. A creeping numbness spread through my body, and I felt myself being pulled down into darkness. My eyelids grew
******* CEDRIC POV******I sat in my office, burying myself in work so I wouldn't think about my mate, but it proved more difficult than I thought.Her words kept ringing in my ears… Teammates.How could that even be possible, given that we are mates?But I couldn’t argue with her. The fear that she might disappear from my life completely was nerve-racking. I know I deserve every bit of her coldness, but it still hurts.Her eyes, once full of love and admiration for me, were now filled with disgust and hatred.“My Lord,” Grace muttered, pulling me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t even heard her enter, which was unusual, especially since my senses had heightened after my last shift.“What brings you here?” I asked, looking up at her.She bit her lip. “Um… Lady Emmeline is insisting on seeing you.”I shrugged. “You can send her in.”When we agreed to work together as teammates, she made it clear the chains had to go. Said if we were equals, she needed to be treated like one. So she was now
*******Devlin's POV******I paced the room, jaw clenched in rage. It had been three days…three excruciating days…since Emmeline disappeared, and there was still no trace of her.Had she run away?Or worse… had someone taken her?But that didn’t make sense. My pack was tightly secured. No one could breach the territory without my knowledge. Still, the silence around her disappearance was maddening.“Alpha Devlin, the Council Leader is here to see you,” Belle announced as she stepped into the room.What does that old man want now?“I’ll be there,” I muttered, and she bowed before leaving.With a deep frown, I fixed my hair and schooled my expression, forcing on my infamous smile—the one that made people believe they were always in control.When I arrived at the courtyard, he was already there, standing with that ever-present glint of amusement in his eyes.“Greetings, Uncle,” I said smoothly, bowing with calculated grace. “Why go through the trouble of traveling so far just to see your
*******CEDRIC POV******I sat in my office, deep in thought. Emmeline didn’t know that I knew about Devlin’s baby. I wasn’t sure why I hadn’t told her, maybe the words just felt too heavy to say.Since she tried to escape, the security around her room had been increased. Her leg was also chained to the bed.“My Lord,” Grace bowed as she entered, a frustrated look on her face.“What is it?” I asked.“Mistress Emmeline has refused to eat anything since she arrived,” she replied.I sighed, rubbing my temples. It had been two days of her starving herself. What was she trying to achieve with this?“Have you sent Elara in?” I asked. Since Elara was her friend, I thought she’d be the best person to convince her to eat.Grace shook her head. “It was no use… Emmeline smashed the food against the wall.”Was she trying to kill the baby?I waved her off. “I’ll handle this.”She bowed and left. I adjusted my clothes as I stood and made my way to Emmeline’s room. After taking a deep breath, I pushe
*****AVA’S POV*****I hurried back to my room the moment I heard footsteps near the door; I’d been eavesdropping on Cedric.My chest tightened. Santos Gray is innocent. Those words kept echoing in my head. How could that be true?My father and the rest of the Council had conducted a full investigation. All the evidence pointed to Santos. Unless… there was something my father hadn’t told me?But what stung the most was Devlin. How could he betray me like this? He saved that wretched girl, knowing full well what the Master's orders were.I bit my lip, pacing the room. I had to act. Cedric would toss me out the moment Emmeline returned to full strength. I could feel it.But what could I do? I couldn’t risk trying to kill her again. Cedric would be watching her like a hawk now.Just then, the door burst open and Mario stormed in.“Do you ever knock?” I snapped.He didn’t answer, just sighed and walked further in. His cheek was swollen, his lip split and bleeding. Someone had clearly rough
******Emmeline's POV*****A sharp pain throbbed at the side of my head as I stirred awake, my body aching with every movement. My stomach twisted uneasily as I opened my eyes—familiar walls, dark furniture, and the faint scent of cedar.Cedric’s room.I was back in the manor.My hands trembled as I tried to piece it together. The last thing I remembered was Marci… taking me from Devlin’s pack. He must have brought me here.But why?So Cedric could continue his emotional torment? So I could serve out my punishment like some chained prisoner?The door creaked open. Grace stepped in, carrying a tray. “I suppose you’ll be hungry now,” she said, her tone unreadable.I didn’t respond. Instead, I moved to sit up only to be yanked back by cold metal around my wrist. My right hand was chained to the bedpost.“What the hell is this?!” I screamed, yanking at the chain until the skin around my wrist reddened with strain. Panic and rage surged through me. “Release me now!”“You’re hurting yourself
***CEDRIC POV****I paced my room in silence, my footsteps echoing softly against the polished floor. When Marci told me my mate was with Lord Devlin—Ava’s cousin, I was outraged. I should’ve known. Of course Ava was behind it. Who else could’ve orchestrated something so twisted?I ran a hand through my hair, restless. Marci had told me to be patient, to trust him. He promised he’d go to Dogar and bring Emmeline back safely. But now, two days have gone by with nothing but silence. No word, no message…The waiting was unbearable. It gnawed at my nerves, Something wasn’t right.The door creaked open, the sound snapping me out of my thoughts. Ava stepped in without a word, her presence immediately souring the air. She didn’t look at me. She just walked in like she belonged here and sank onto the edge of the bed, perfectly at ease.I frowned, rolling my eyes as I clenched my fists by my sides. I had to keep it together. Letting my anger get the best of me could trigger the shift—and tha
*****EMMELINE'S POV*****“Hey, are you okay?” Belle asked as she touched my forehead. I nodded, leaning against the wall and panting heavily.I felt so tired, even though I had just woken up from sleep — rest never seemed to be enough lately.“I’m fine, Belle. You’ve asked that question three times now,” I teased weakly.She walked over and took the shovel from my hands. I had insisted on helping her plant flowers since I had nothing else to do.“You should go inside and rest, Matilda. You don’t look so good,” Belle said, her tone serious.“I’ve been resting for days, Belle. I can help you,” I insisted, reaching for the shovel again.But Belle shook her head firmly. “I mean it… you look burnt out.”“But I can…”“No. Don’t even argue or I’ll call Alpha Devlin,” she warned, tossing the shovel to the ground. She motioned for me to go.Belle being serious was a rare sight, but the command in her voice reminded me that she was still a Beta.I glared at her and stomped off toward the pack h
******EMMELINE'S POV*******The pack was silent as each member said their final goodbyes to Skylar. The physician claimed she died from blood loss.Belle gently pressed her arm against mine, offering quiet comfort as I stared at the coffin. I couldn’t find the words.We weren’t friends, but I would never have wished her dead. The image of her, lifeless in a pool of her own blood, had haunted me for days. It was almost impossible to forget.“May the goddess accept your soul,” I whispered as I sprinkled a handful of sand over her coffin, then stepped away.I sat on the balcony, watching the others say their final words. It felt pathetic, thinking about how she died.Luna Maya had said Skylar fell from upstairs, possibly slipped because the floor was wet. But I didn’t buy it.Something happened… someone…“Here,” Devlin said, handing me a bottle of water.“Thank you,” I murmured, chugging it down. I hadn’t even realized how thirsty I was.He took the seat beside me. “How are you holding
I opened my eyes with a loud yawn, feeling like every bone in my body had been shattered into a thousand pieces.A wave of exhaustion weighed me down, heavy and suffocating.Then it hit me—the shift.The transformation in the woods last night.But... I was in my bed. In my room.Had it all just been a dream?The throbbing pain coursing through my body told me otherwise.The door creaked open, and Grace stepped inside carrying a glass of water.“I figured you’d be awake by now,” she muttered, setting the glass down on the table beside me.Before I could even sit up, Marci pushed the door wider, Colima slipping in right behind him.“Are you okay, Cedric?” Colima asked gently, making her way to my bed and sitting down at the edge.“I feel... okay,” I croaked out, my throat dry and raw. The simple act of moving sent a fresh wave of aches through me.Seeing my struggle, Marci stepped forward and carefully helped me sit up against the headboard. “Here, my Lord,” Grace said, handing me the g