The next day, Serafina, with a knowing smirk, deliberately assigns Georgia the impossible task of carrying a massive crate, fully aware she can't lift it alone. As Georgia struggled, her arms trembling under the weight, a voice slid in from behind, smooth yet firm.The next day, Serafina, with a knowing smirk, deliberately assigns Georgia the impossible task of carrying a massive crate, fully aware she can't lift it alone. As Georgia struggled, her arms trembling under the weight, a voice slid in from behind, smooth yet firm. “You don’t have to do this alone, Georgia.” Jared’s voice was gentle but unwavering as he reached for the crate she was barely holding up. Her muscles screamed in protest, but she tightened her grip, refusing to let herself appear weak. “I can manage,” she muttered, shifting her stance despite knowing she was barely standing. Jared frowned, his jaw tightening. “You’re about to collapse. Just let me” Before he could take the crate from her hands, a s
The hallway was quiet now, too quiet. Georgia stood frozen, staring at the shadow that had just slipped away with that cruel laugh."You scared me..." she whispered to one of the guards standing there, her voice breaking slightly.Why had he pretended? Why had he scared her like that?She wanted to crumble to the floor, but pride, stubborn, burning pride, held her upright. She had no one to lean on. Not really. Jared had tried. But even with him, she didn’t want to be seen as weak.Not again.Not by anyone.Later that evening, the staff moved around her like she was invisible. When she reached for her portion at the kitchen door, the cook, usually indifferent, stepped back and folded his arms.“You’ve already eaten,” he said flatly.“I haven’t,” Georgia replied, confused.“Check with Lady Serafina,” he said with a shrug, turning away.Something cold and cruel settled in Georgia’s stomach.She didn’t need to ask.She knew.Day after day, it continued.No food.Whispers behind her back.
The morning sun had barely warmed the palace walls when the trap was sprung.Georgia was heading toward the garden shed with a basket of linens when a pair of uniformed guards stepped in front of her, blocking her path.“Miss Georgia,” one said coldly, “you’re needed in the council hall. Now.”Her stomach tightened.“Why?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady.“You’ll find out soon enough.”Their faces were stone. No emotion, no answers. Just duty.She followed them, heart thudding against her ribs like a warning drum. Every step felt heavier than the last. The corridors she once walked freely now felt like they were closing in on her.When they entered the council hall, a small crowd had already gathered.Servants. Guards. Advisors.And at the far end of the room, standing tall with his back to her, was Alpha Jared.Her eyes flicked to the right, Serafina.Smiling.Smiling like the devil himself had whispered a secret in her ear.The air was tight with tension."Step forward, G
Serafina reclined in her chair, fingers tapping idly against the armrest, her gaze distant. Jared’s words still echoed in her mind, sharp and unforgiving.“If you ever attempt to harm Georgia again... you won’t just be stripped of authority. You’ll be exiled. Banished. Do you understand me?”A smirk tugged at her lips. Almost a laugh.As if exile could undo what they’d had. As if a bond, no matter how sacred, could erase years of obsession, stolen nights, and the raw power they’d once wielded together. He thought banishment could break her?Foolish.He was mistaken.It was just a phase. A foolish impulse from a man trying too hard to prove something to a room full of wolves.She rose from her seat, her silk robe dragging behind her like smoke.“Georgia may have caught his eye for now,” she murmured to herself, “but I’ll remind him where he truly belongs.”She summoned her handmaid.“Send Georgia to deliver Alpha Jared’s food,” Serafina said coolly.The maid blinked, clearly puzzle
Georgia shoved him.Hard.Her palms hit Jared’s bare chest, the sound loud in the quiet room. For a moment, she thought he’d step back. But he didn’t. He barely moved. The only sign she’d done anything was the sharp twitch in his jaw.“Don’t,” she said, breathless. “Don’t do this to me.”Jared stared at her, his chest rising and falling, lips still parted from the kiss they had just shared.“Georgia”“I’m a weak Omega,” she snapped, pushing him again. This time, it wasn’t as hard, more like she was trying to push the memory away than him. “You said it yourself. Five years ago. In front of everyone. You called me weak when the Moon Goddess chose me to be your mate. Do you remember that?”His face froze.“I remember,” she whispered, her voice cracking. “I remember every word. Every look. Every second you made me feel like I wasn’t enough. Like I didn’t belong by your side.”Jared’s eyes darkened. Not with anger—but with guilt. Regret. Hunger.“I didn’t know how to handle it then,” he sa
Morning came too quickly.The soft rays of sunlight filtered through the tall, arched window, brushing warm gold over the tangled sheets and discarded clothes strewn across the floor. Georgia sat at the edge of the bed, a sheet wrapped around her body like armor. Her back was to Jared. Her fingers were clenched tight, nails digging into her palms.Jared stirred behind her, the bed shifting beneath his weight. She didn’t look back. She couldn’t.Her heart was still racing.Her body still remembered everything.And that terrified her.“Georgia…” Jared’s voice was still husky from sleep. “You okay?”She stiffened. Don’t turn around. Don’t look at him. Just breathe.“I’m fine,” she said quickly, too quickly. Her voice cracked like a fragile shell.“You don’t sound fine.”There was a pause. Then, the rustle of sheets as he sat up behind her.“I…..I need to go,” she whispered, standing abruptly and nearly tripping on her own discarded boots. She clutched the sheet tighter, looking everywher
“I need to stop this,” Georgia whispered into her trembling hands.The dim glow of the candle flickered against the stone walls of the palace’s service corridor. Her heart still pounded in her chest from the dream or hallucination; she wasn’t even sure anymore. Jared hadn’t come into the room. He hadn’t said those words. She had imagined every second of it.And that terrified her more than anything else.Because it meant she wanted it. Wanted him.Even after everything.Even after being discarded like an afterthought five years ago.She rose from the war room chair, smoothing her apron and tying it tightly, almost as if binding her feelings in place. No more of this. No more foolish fantasies.She was a maid. A palace maid. She had no place in an Alpha’s heart, especially one like Jared’s...✿..✿..By midmorning, Georgia was in the East Wing, arms full of fresh linens and polished silver trays. She moved quietly from one room to the next, nodding politely at the guards, ignoring the
The night air was cool, but Georgia’s skin burned.She stood in front of Jared’s door again.No apron. No linens. No excuse.Just herself.Her bare feet were quiet against the stone floor, her hand trembling as she reached for the handle. She didn’t knock this time. She just… walked in.Jared was shirtless, fresh from the training yard, a towel around his neck and sweat still glistening on his chest. His eyes snapped to her the second the door creaked.“Georgia?” His voice was low. Rough. Cautious.She didn’t speak.She couldn’t.She stepped forward. One, two, three small steps. Then stopped. Her breath hitched in her throat. Her fingers curled at her sides.He dropped the towel, muscles flexing as he moved closer. “Say something.”She shook her head.He frowned. “Then what are you doing here?”She looked up, finally meeting his gaze. “You said you’d fight for me.”He stilled.“I’m not ready,” she whispered. “But I don’t want to run anymore.”Jared’s eyes darkened, the hunger in them
All that happened last night felt like a dream… or maybe a nightmare. Jared jolted awake, his heart pounding as he noticed the empty space beside him. Georgia wasn’t there. His eyes darted around the room, the reality of the morning crashing in. She was gone.“No,” Jared muttered under his breath, his mind racing. How could she leave after everything that had happened? After all the promises, after all the pain he’d fought through to get here, to get them back together? The silence felt suffocating.His body froze, a sudden noise breaking through the stillness. He could hear something, footsteps, soft whispers. And then a child’s laugh.Jared’s heart skipped a beat as he recognized the voices. Georgia. The kids.Without thinking, he sprang from the bed, his muscles still stiff from the battle the night before. He quickly moved toward the source of the sounds, his bare feet making almost no noise on the cold wooden floor.“Why?” Georgia’s voice was low, almost trembling with disbelief,
Thought for 5 seconds“Mum… who are you talking to?” Keira’s small voice trembled in the heavy silence as she stood in the doorway, her blue eyes wide with curiosity and fear.Georgia’s breath caught. She swung around, her wolf‑sense snapping back into place. Before her, in the dim glow of the cabin, stood not only Jared but two more children: Kelsey, clutching a ragged stuffed fox to her chest, and Kelvin, arms folded, eyes fierce with hurt.“Keira,” Georgia whispered as if the name itself were fragile. She turned fully, heart pounding. “This is…” Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard. Then she squared her shoulders. “Kids, this is Jared.”Kelsey’s grip on her fox loosened as she peered at Jared. “Daddy?” she asked, hope and confusion warring in her tone.Kelvin’s scowl deepened. “You made Mum cry,” he accused, voice low but shaking with anger.Jared’s chest tightened. He knelt slowly, placing his coat gently on a nearby chair before rising again. “Kelvin,” he said, voice soft. “
Jared had made his decision, he would go see them, no matter the storm waiting for him. His wolf paced inside him, restless, agitated. It had been too long. The bond he once tried to bury now clawed at his chest, demanding resolution.He summoned Caleb with a low growl in his tone. “You’re in charge of the pack until I return. No one disturbs me unless it’s war.”Caleb gave a firm nod, sensing the shift in Jared’s aura, the Alpha was on edge.By the time Jared reached Georgia’s territory, the moon had begun to rise, casting silver light over the forest path. Her scent hit him first, wildflowers mixed with fury. It tightened something deep in his core.He stepped out of the vehicle and barely took two steps before the door to her cabin burst open. Georgia stood there, her posture rigid, eyes glowing faintly gold. Her wolf was close to the surface.What are you doing? Here? I never asked you to come “You think you’re the only one who’s been hurt?” she spat, voice low and trembling with
Jared woke up before dawn, the faint light of morning creeping through the cracks in the windows. He couldn’t shake the feeling of her touch on his shoulder the night before, the way she had looked at him, her voice both soft and firm, a promise wrapped in uncertainty. It’s not forgiveness, Jared. Not yet. But you’re here. You’re not gone anymore.He had never felt a glimmer of hope so fragile yet so powerful.When he left Georgia's home, the weight of his past still hung heavy around his neck, but it was lighter than before. He wasn’t sure if it was her quiet acceptance of his presence or the faintest hint of something more in her eyes, but it was enough. It was a thread he could grasp onto.The sun hadn't yet fully risen, and Georgia’s village was still asleep when he saddled his horse. Her words echoed in his mind: “Don’t get too comfortable. I haven’t forgiven you.”But that was okay. He hadn’t expected forgiveness. He never had. Not immediately, at least. All he wanted was the c
"She’d heard it all, his broken vow whispered into the shadows, his desperate promise to bring Georgia back. Her heart leaped at the mention of her favorite lady, but doubt clawed at her chest. Could words fix what betrayal shattered? Could a king truly undo the past? Swallowing her nerves, she stepped into the flickering torchlight, ready to face him.""Do you think words will be enough? That she’ll just forgive you because you finally grew a spine and remembered you have a family?"The voice came from behind him. Sharp. Unexpectedly.Jared turned, his body tense, his hand instinctively brushing the hilt of his dagger. But it wasn’t an enemy.It was Mara, one of the palace maidens. Young, barely past twenty, but known for her sharp tongue and loyalty to Georgia. Her brown eyes held a storm he hadn’t expected."You were listening," he said quietly, not as a question, but a statement."The whole palace heard your voice, my Lord," she said. "Maybe you were trying to make sure we did."H
“Let’s take a break? No, Serafina, I'm done.”Jared's voice was cold, each word slicing through the thick silence like a blade. “You’re exhausted… pathetic.”Serafina froze.“What?!” Her voice cracked like lightning splitting the sky.She stormed toward him, fury burning in her eyes. “Are you being serious right now, Jared?”“You’re not listening to me, Serafina! You never listen!” he snapped, fists clenched at his sides.Her lips curled. “Oh, I’m listening now. I’m listening to the man who once swore I was his destiny suddenly acting like I’m the burden. How convenient.”“I heard you,” Jared said, voice low and hard. “But this... whatever this has become between us, it’s toxic. It’s done. It should’ve ended a long time ago.”The silence that followed wasn’t calm.It was the kind of silence that came before something exploded.Serafina took a slow step back, her chest rising and falling. “You think you can walk away from me? After everything? After me?”“Yes,” he said simply, stepping
"She’s unfit for her role, you know," the maid whispered, her voice sharp as broken glass. As they gossip about serafina.Serafina froze behind the corner, her fists tightening until her nails carved red moons into her palms."Mad," another murmured. "Dangerous."Their words swirled through the stone halls like smoke, curling around her throat, choking her.She should step forward.She should slap the girl so hard her descendants would feel it.Her body trembled with the urge, raw, hot, violent, but she didn’t move.Not because she couldn’t.Because they weren’t worth it.Serafina turned on her heel, her boots clicking sharply on the marble. She didn’t look back, didn’t let them see the wildfire rising in her chest. She marched past them like they were less than dirt.Her face, cold as winter.But inside?Inside, she was crumbling, screaming, clawing at the walls of her own ribs.They dared.They dared.She shoved through the palace doors and into the open courtyard, the evening sky b
"Do it clean," Serafina said coldly, her eyes never leaving the horizon. "Yes, my Lady," Kae murmured, already melting into the shadows like smoke.She stood there for a long moment, fists still trembling, feeling the sting of broken skin and broken trust. The air was thick, hot, like it could swallow her whole.She turned, cloak swirling, and stalked back through the palace gates. The guards didn’t dare meet her gaze.Good. Fear was easier to command than loyalty.Each step she took echoed loudly, bouncing off the cold marble walls. She didn't slow down. She didn’t look back. Her blood pounded in her ears, louder than the roaring whispers of servants scrambling to get out of her way.She didn’t care.She didn’t care about their looks, their mutterings, their prayers.She had a storm inside her chest, and it needed somewhere to go.By the time she reached her quarters, Serafina was breathing hard, her chest heaving. She threw the heavy doors open and let them slam behind her.Sile
"Where is he?" Serafina’s voice sliced through the humid morning air like a blade. No one answered. The soldiers in the training yard froze mid-swing, the clang of steel against steel dying in the tension. A few exchanged glances, daring each other to speak. She stormed forward, barefoot still, blood dried around her knuckles, her once-glorious nightgown hidden now under a dark cloak she had grabbed from her closet. Her hair was wild, her eyes two burning embers that promised nothing but ruin. "I said—" she roared, fists clenched at her sides, "WHERE IS HE?!"A young squire, no older than fifteen, pointed a trembling finger toward the center of the field.Caleb.He stood with a training sword in hand, mid-spar with another knight. His back was to her, unaware of the storm about to crash into him.Serafina didn't walk to him. She charged."CALEB!" she screamed, her voice cracking the air like thunder. The boy turned, confused, then his eyes widened in horror.It was too lat