Kira's POV. The moment we step into the elevator, I slip off my heels with a groan of relief because my feet are killing me. Those shoes were definitely not made for beginners... Thank the goddess I managed to survive the night without falling flat on my face and embarrass myself in the process... We ride up in silence, and when we reach Julian’s room, it’s quiet and dimly lit, casting a soft glow that feels strangely calming after the day I just had. Julian then locks the door behind us, before he speaks up with a small smirk. “So… about that trim you promised me, are you still up for it?” I turn to face him, arms crossed with a teasing grin. “Finally. I was starting to think you weren't going to allow me cut it for you.” He laughs. “What can I say? I like to keep you on your toes.” “Well, mission accomplished. Now, where’s your grooming kit?” I ask and Julian nods toward a dark wooden cabinet in one of the corners of the room. “First drawer.” I walk over, open it,
Julian's POV My plan is working—Damian is here, just like I knew he would be, demanding to see Kira.... I hope he is here to reject her after the show we put out today... I tilt my head, rage simmering just beneath the surface, though a wicked satisfaction curls in my chest. "If I were you, I’d reject her already so we can both move on. Honestly, your jealousy is getting pathetic." Damian’s jaw tightens, lips pressed into a thin line. "How am I the one being pathetic and jealous when all I'm trying to do is stop you from screwing my mate? Big brother, just drop the act. I see through all the fake affection you and Kira are putting on." I let out a cold and sharp laugh. "Then reject her already!" I snap, moving closer. "Because from where I sit, you don’t even deserve to look at her." I say and that’s when I hear it… Soft, bare footsteps against the wood floor behind me. “Oh, I will _” and Damian's whole face shifts as he suddenly become mute. His breath stuttering. I fro
Damian's POV What the hell just happened? I storm down the palace hallway, my jaw clenched so tight I can feel a headache brewing because my own crippled brother had the nerve to claim my mate as his girlfriend and slam a door in my face. And Kira? Don’t even get me started. She kissed him. Right in front of me like I don't matter. Wearing that…I try to shake the image from my head. Was today supposed to be a punishment to teach me a lesson? Well, congratulations, to them. Lesson half learned. I hop into my car without waiting for my guards. I don’t want witnesses to my mood tonight. Not when I’m about to dive into the kind of chaos the Crown would rather pretend doesn’t exist. Crimson Crown’s bad side is a whole other world after dark. Neon lights blink like they’re short-circuiting on sin. Packmates stumble down the sidewalks with too much drink and not enough clothing. It stinks of smoke, and cheap perfume. I park outside the shadiest strip club I can find and
Damian's POV. “A strip club, Damian? Are you out of your mind?” My mother’s voice is sharp as a whip the second I slide into her car. I slam the door shut and glare straight ahead. “It wasn’t what it looked like.” “Oh, let me guess, you accidentally found yourself here and ended up being frozen by a stripper witch in the VIP section?” she snaps, whipping her seatbelt on. “How very noble of our soon-to-be crowned Alpha.” Behind us, one of the palace guards quietly starts my car to follow. I can barely meet mother's eyes. Not because I feel ashamed—though maybe I should—but because my blood is boiling too hot to think straight. “She spelled me!” I shout. “and then robbed me, so I couldn't pay!” My mother throws me a sideways glare as the driver pulls us out of the shady club district and back toward the palace. “And what the hell were you doing there in the first place? Your mating ceremony is in four days. Four days, Damian. You’re going to be Alpha. You can’t afford a sc
Julian's POV (Meanwhile back at the palace) “Red,” I call, drumming my fingers impatiently against the armrest of my wheelchair. “It’s been hours. What are you doing in there—building a second bathroom?” “Just give me another minute!” she shouts back, voice slightly muffled. “That's what you said two hours ago!” I groan, dragging a hand down my face as I glance down at the situation in my sweatpants. Still there. Unbothered. And damn throbbing. I try to think of anything—Beta George picking his toenails, the old councilwoman with a mustache, even that one warrior who smelled like boiled cabbage. Nothing helps. My body doesn't give a damn about ugly thoughts when it has Kira, walking in sexy lingerie burned into its memory. “Shit,” I mutter under my breath as I help myself into bed. I tip my head back against the pillow and close my eyes. *** When I open them again, light is pouring through the slightly open curtains. The sun’s up. Birds are chirping like annoying li
Damian's POV. I hate mornings now, and this is because the sun shines too brightly, the birds sing too loudly and the world feels too calm for the chaos gnawing inside my chest. I step onto the balcony, hoping the fresh air might clear my head, but what I see makes it worse. Julian and Kiara, seated at a small round table in the garden, kissing each for the second time in my presence like they fated to each other. The unclaimed bond inside me snaps again, like a fraying wire finally giving way. My wolf claws at me from within, howling in agony. I grip the railing until I flatten it. Why does everything seem to be falling apart in my life? I storm back into my room, slamming the balcony doors behind me. The air feels too thick, my chest too tight. I pace, trying to control the storm building inside. Maybe I should have rejected Kira the first time I found out we were mates in that forest because now I don’t know what’s worse—the fact that I warned her to stay away from
Kira’s POV Damian almost said the words I’ve been dying to hear, but then Luna Cassandra swooped in like the devil wrapped in designer silk, grabbing him before he could finish reciting his rejection vows. Just like always—rescuing her precious boy from anything that doesn’t fit her perfect little plan. Including me. My fists are still clenched. That’s how close I was. One more minute and maybe… I’d finally be free from this useless bond…But no. She showed up. Saved him. And ruined everything. Now I’m still here pretend girlfriend to Julian. And honestly? It’s getting complicated fast. I shove my hair away from my face, not bothering to hide my frustration as Julian sits across from me in another part of the garden where we just had breakfast—calm as ever, sipping his tea like he didn't just kiss me or like Damian didn't almost reject me. “You saw it, right?” I ask, breaking the silence before it settles in too deep. He nods, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Yea
Julian's POV I can still feel the warmth of Kira’s lips on mine, even though I know I shouldn’t be thinking about her right now—not while I’m doing this. But the way she stood up to Damian today, full of confidence and fire, made me feel something I wasn’t prepared for—proud. Like a real boyfriend would. Because somewhere along the line last night after she kissed me, I started forgetting this was supposed to be temporary… My car slows to a stop near the border of Crimson Crown, the tires crunching over gravel outside a shady, rundown motel with flickering neon and zero charm. My wolf growls low in the back of my head, uneasy. Honestly, I don’t blame him. “This is the place?” I ask the guard beside me. “Yes, Alpha. She said room six upstairs.” Stairs. Of course. I glance out the window, at the rusted metal staircase clinging to the side of the building like it could give out at any second. Just my luck. I sigh and pop the door open before my guard helps me on my chair. The
Kira's POV. Julian actually came back for me and as his warm hands glide over my skin, helping me into the hoodie and jeans he brought, I can’t tear my eyes away from him—especially now, after he’s told me to shift and run the moment he gives the word. It’s a reckless plan… for a man so dangerously outnumbered. My heart’s a war drum in my chest. And like on cue, he squeezes my hand once more. 'Run!' he tells me and then all hell breaks loose. I rip out of the clothes he gave me, bones snapping, fur breaking through skin in a flash. My paws hit the stone floor and I’m gone, bolting through the corridor like my life depends on it. Because it does. Voices scream behind me. One howls louder than the rest: “Don’t let her escape! This time, kill her!” It’s him. The rogue leader. But I don’t stop. I push harder even though my lungs sear in pain and my legs burn. Trees blur around me as I break out of the cavern and into the open forest. I leap over fallen logs, skid down muddy ba
Julian's POV. There’s a long pause before I can hear the faint murmur of the other voice through Luna Cassandra's phone, but not the words. Her heels click against the marble floor in agitation. "Yes, Sophia was taken care of," she snaps, spitting the name like venom. "I saw to it myself." My blood runs cold. Could Sophia be Kira’s mother’s name? Another pause and then Cassandra’s breath hitches sharply. "What do you mean... she left behind a daughter? This changes everything." Her voice rises an octave, panic leaking through the polished facade she always wore so well. A beat of silence. Then, a dangerous calm settles into her voice. "I see. Thank you for telling me." Her steps slow, and I swear I can hear the smile in her voice when she speaks again. "Don’t worry. I’ll take care of the daughter... just like I took care of the mother before any secrets come to light." What secrets is she so afraid of revealing? I grip the doorknob so tightly that it creaks under m
Julian's POV. "Damian, excuse us. I need to speak with your brother alone," my father says after a long pause, voice leaving no room for argument. Damian’s smile tightens at the edges, but he nods politely. I can see the twitch in his jaw, though, and when he brushes past me toward the door, his voice slithers into my mind. ‘Remember, choose wisely, brother... you know what's at stake.’ My hands clench at my sides, blood roaring in my ears. I don’t react. Not yet. But now I know without a doubt — it is him. He set the trap so that I can give up the Alpha king title. And if Kira dies because of him... no title in this world will save him from me. The door shuts softly, and the tension in the room sharpens like a knife. My father's sharp gaze pins me. "Now, tell me, Julian," he says, walking back to his chair and sits, fingers steepled. "Why the sudden change of heart? Hours ago, you publicly announced you would reclaim what was rightfully yours in front of the high ra
Julian’s POV."Enough," I breathe, my whole body trembling. "I’ll do it."The words taste like ash on my tongue, but I force them out.If Damian wants the throne so badly he’s willing to kill for it, then he can have it. For now."I’ll go back — but on one condition," I say louder, lifting my head to glare at them."I’ll stand before my father and the council and refuse the title. In return, you don’t lay a single hand on Kira again."The leader’s smile stretches wider, smug and cruel. "So long as you keep your word, I will keep mine," he replies smoothly."Then it’s a deal," I grit out, clenching my jaw so hard it aches.The leader signals for my release.One of the same bastard who had been stabbing Kira — unchains me roughly, the silver cuffs burning deep into my flesh as they are yanked away.My knees hit the cold stone floor beside her."Red," I whisper, brushing the blood-matted hair from her forehead with trembling fingers.Her eyelids flutter weakly at my touch, and a soft gas
Julian's POV. For the first time in what feels like forever, I feel whole and complete as I run through the trees with Kira at my side after spending an amazing day with her... Our wolves can't help but brush against each other playfully. It fills a place inside me I didn’t even know was empty. In all honesty, it feels great to be mated, it makes my heart swell with pure bliss because I never thought I'd get a second chance after my first mate fiance left me because I had become a cripple overnight and didn't want to spend the rest of her life caring to a cripple. I glance sideways at kira, a playful growl rumbling in my chest, ready to tackle her just to hear her beautiful laugh—But that’s when I sense a scent so strong of silver waft in the air. I skid to a halt, my ears pinned back. ‘Kira!’ I call through the bond. ‘I smell it,’ she responds, her body tensing as her nose twitches, already on alert... But before we can find out who is trailing us with silver, they’re o
Kira's POV. I stir beneath the soft sheets, blinking against the afternoon sunlight streaming through the open window. My body aches in a way that's entirely new to me—sore but completely satisfied. A lazy smile tugs at my lips as I shift, feeling the heat of Julian’s body beside mine. His arm is draped possessively over my waist, and for the first time in so long, I feel... safe. After everything, I’m officially his. We’re fated. Second chance mates. It still feels like a dream. I roll onto my side to face him, propping myself up on my elbow. “Julian,” I murmur, trailing my fingers lightly down his bare chest, “whose house are we in?” He blinks his bright eyes open, a slow, lazy grin spreading across his face. “It’s my mother’s house,” he says, voice rough from sleep. I gasp, pretending to be scandalized. “So... we just made love in your mom’s bedroom?” Julian throws his head back and laughs, the sound rumbling through the room. I laugh too, unable to resist him. He shakes h
Katie's POV. I rip the pins from my hair, flinging them across the room like tiny weapons. One bounces off the mirror and clinks to the ground. My reflection stares back at me—perfect curls ruined, mascara smudged from tears I refuse to admit I shed. My white wedding dress feels like a noose around my throat. This was supposed to be my happy day and my rise to be crowned Queen Luna of the realm. But that omega Kira and Julian of all people—ruined it. I tear the dress off, the expensive lace ripping with a sound that feels way too good. I don’t care. Let it burn. I was humiliated in front of the whole pack. And for what? An omega fated to my man? I pace the room barefoot, my heart pounding and my chest tight with rage. This isn’t real. It can’t be. Not after everything Damian and I planned... Suddenly, the door slams open behind me, and I turn to find Damian storming in. His jaw is tight, eyes blazing, fists clenched like he’s ready to rip someone apart. “Well, what did
Damian's POV. (Meanwhile back at the palace) My father's office is suffocating. The towering shelves filled with old scrolls and battle trophies loom over me like judges, silent and severe. I stand before his massive desk, my hands clenched behind my back, with the sting of Kira’s rejection still humming beneath my skin like a wound that refuses to close. He hasn't said a word in over a minute and the silence stretches unbearably between us, heavy with the weight of the truth I could no longer keep hidden—not after everything that’s happened at my mating ceremony. Father just stares at me, those cold, unforgiving eyes stripping me bare. Finally, he speaks—his voice low, sharp, and laced with barely contained fury. "So, let me get this straight. You searched every neighboring pack for your fated mate... and when you finally found her, you brought her back as a servant?" His words strike sharper than a blade... I open my mouth to explain myself—but what can I even say th
Kira's POV. Julian looks momentarily taken aback but recovers quickly. His expression turns soft and understanding as he offers a reassuring smile. "I thought so," he says gently, trailing light kisses down my cheek. "We'll go very slow and whenever you want to stop, just say so. Okay?" Relieved by his patience, I nod eagerly. Kneeling between my spread legs, he guides his rock-hard length towards my entrance. My entrance resists him initially, unused to receiving anything of this size, but he works patiently, stroking and stretching me with a steady rhythm. Slowly, inch by torturous inch, his impressive length breaches me, filling me completely. A sharp hiss escapes my lips at the unfamiliar sensation- pain mixes with pleasure, creating an addictive sensation that leaves me craving more. Julian pauses mid-stroke, sensing my discomfort. His concerned gaze finds mine. "Are you alright?" “Yes,” I manage a weak nod, breathing through the initial ache of penetration. "It hurts, b