Mag-log inTwo hours laterā¦A dull ache pounds behind Darius's temples as he slowly regains consciousness.His senses slowly return.He is in his bed, and the sound of rain hammering against the glass windows fills the quiet room.Then, he smells it.The unmistakable scent of his mate, surrounding him, wrapping around him like a loverās embrace. A scent that lives in his very soul.Carolineā¦?Darius turns, pulling the sheet over him, and opens his eyes, blinking away the haze in his vision.He wonders if the strange dizziness he felt earlier is causing him to hallucinate her presence.But no.Standing right beside his bed is Caroline. His Caroline.Her long hair, resting over her shoulders, and her hands, clenched tightly into fists, are trembling at her sides.Her eyes are wide as she looks down at him, showing a mix of emotions on her face, including rage, betrayal, and pain.Darius stares up at her in utter disbelief, his heart leaping into his throat, especially at the other scents in the ai
Caroline: ~~~ I jolt awake with a sharp, ragged gasp, splashing cold water over the rim of the bathtub, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. The soothing heat of the bath has vanished, leaving the water icy. Goosebumps immediately break across my skin as I pull myself up, shivering violently in the chill of the room. I dry off quickly, my hands trembling as I reach for my robe, and fasten the sash of my robe. I make my way out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. Just as my feet touch the soft carpet, there's a knock at the door. I walk over and pull it open. Aida stands in the hallway, accompanied by two castle maids who carry large trays loaded with covered dishes. I step aside to let them enter. āI will get dressed,ā I whisper to my Aida, gesturing toward the adjoining closet. She nods, offering me a small smile. Inside the closet, I pull on a simple sweater and a pair of fitted jeans, barely paying attention to my reflection in the mirror. My
Two hours ago⦠Darius steps into his private chambers, closing the door behind him as he reaches for his phone and dialing Caroline. After checking on her and the kids, he hung up. He looks disheveled. His shoulders ache from the weight of his cloak, and thick mud clings to his knee-high leather boots. He's nearly at his limit. He hasnāt slept properly in days. The attacks on the outer border settlements are getting worse fast. Pack members living on the edges are being hunted like animals by unknown assailants who leave behind no scent trails, no trace, and no living witnesses. The past few days have been the same. During the day, the royal court demands his attention. An entire day of watching Elders arguing over land and politics. At night, he's organizing patrols, tightening the guards, and riding into the forest, waiting for the attackers to show up. But they never do. At first, Darius refused to believe they knew he was waiting. But after attacking for four straight night
Hunter nods quickly, clearly relieved to put the tense confrontation behind them. Without wasting another second, he leads Caroline and Aida away, guiding them down a quieter, heavily guarded wing of the palace. He stops outside a massive set of double doors carved from dark oak. Pushing them open, Hunter reveals a spacious, elegantly furnished suite. A crackling fireplace fills the room with comforting warmth, chasing away the damp morning chill. He steps aside and gestures for them to enter. āThis is the royal guest suite. It has everything you and the children need,ā he says, then turns to Aida and points to the door directly opposite. āYour room is right across hers, just a few feet away.ā Before Caroline can ask another question about Darius, Hunter beats her to it. āI have urgent matters to attend to,ā he says quickly. āThere are pressing pack duties and border security issues that require my immediate attention.ā With that, he offers a polite nod, clearly eager t
Caroline settles into the car seat, adjusting her jacket as the engine hums quietly. Before the driver can shift gears, a heavy thud hits the window. Hunter stands outside in the rain, knocking sharply on the driver's side glass. The chauffeur rolls down the window, letting in a gust of damp, chilly air.Hunter looks past the driver, his sharp gaze locking briefly on Caroline.āFollow my SUV closely,ā he commands, his voice tight and authoritative. āThe palace roads are heavily restricted, and the security grid is fully active in this weather. Donāt lose sight of my vehicle.āThe chauffeur nods respectfully, rolling the window up as Hunter returns to his armored SUV.Their car moves forward, passing through massive stone gates that mark the boundary of the Lycan kingdom. The change is immediate, the air thickening with the weight of ancient power and long-standing traditions.After driving for almost half an hour, the car finally navigates the winding, ascending roads and comes to a h
Caroline stares at the shattered pieces of her phone lying on the pavement, her chest rising and falling with every ragged breath.Shock. Betrayal. Rage. The emotions crash into each other until they burn like fire in her chest.āCaroline!ā Aida rushes to her side. āMy baby, what happened?āShe grabs Caroline's trembling shoulders, her face filled with worry. āWhat did Darius say to upset you like this?āCaroline slowly looks up at her mom's face, too angry to speak. Her vision blurs around the edges as Silver slams against the walls of her mind, desperate to break free.āItās that viper!ā Caroline explodes, her voice shaking with anger. āI can't believe I let her get inside my head. I actually listened to her. I let her lies make me doubt my own mate.āAida's eyes soften with concern as she gently squeezes Caroline's shoulder.āCalm down, Caroline,ā she says softly. āTake a deep breath. This is exactly what she wants. She wants you to be angry. But try to imagine her face once she se
It was dark when we arrived at the pack. The quiet hum of the engine filled the silence between us as I parked on our parentsā lawn.I turn to Angel, who's looking out the window with her hands clasped in her lap. She has been quiet since we crossed the barrier.Her silence eats at me. I can feel t
Light hits my eyelids first. Then cold air grazes my cheeks.The next thing I feel is pain. A sharp sting that snaps my heavy eyes open.Everything comes into focus, and I inhale sharply.I am in my bedroom? The soft pink curtains. The white dresser. The photo frames on the table. Not the cold wall
Author:~~~Melinda looks at Cassian's back as he walks away; she hurriedly steps out of the car quietly and follows him, keeping low.Her heart pounds, her thoughts racing back to the moment she hugged him earlier and how he reeks of Angela, like he once reeked of her, and that could only mean one
Cassian:~~~I can't stop. I know sheās tired, but I just canāt. Sheās too addictive, too deep under my skin.Every breath she takes, every shiver of her body, and her moans and screams pull me closer and drag me further into the chaos that she is.She is a dangerous kind of peace I could never res







