ANMELDENRen’s POV Seeing Malachi's solemn, rigid expression, Lyall and I exchanged a sharp, tense glance. Our usually reckless Gamma never looked this serious. Whatever lay ahead couldn’t be simple."Lead the way," Lyall commanded in a low voice. The heavy arm he had wrapped around my waist tightened, pulling me flush against his side as we stepped into motion.We followed Malachi through the cave's damp, twisting labyrinth, turning down darker and more narrow tunnels until we reached the most secluded chamber near the cliffside. Malachi stopped before a rough-hewn wooden door. He hesitated, his jaw clenching as he cast a look over his shoulder at us. He threw his weight against the wood and shoved the door open.A wave of a suffocating, putrid stench instantly blasted our senses.It was a sickening cocktail of stale sweat, human waste, dried blood, and the unmistakable rot of festering wounds. The odor was so overpowering that everyone present instinctively pulled their sleeves over their
Ren’s POV The black wolf’s rotten breath washed over me as his fangs came closer and closer to my throat.I gritted my teeth and tightened my grip on the dagger.Just then, a deafening crash sounded. Flying debris erupted into the room as the massive black portcullis was violently blasted off its tracks. Through the smoke, a colossal, radiating silver wolf burst in."AWOOOO—!!" A howl filled with the overwhelming dominance of the Lycan King echoed through the cavern. The sheer pressure made every rogue’s ears ring and their legs tremble uncontrollably.Before the black wolf could close his jaws around my neck, a flash of silver tore through the cavern. Lyall lunged forward and slammed his massive paw down on him.CRACK! The sharp, clear sound of fracturing bone echoed off the rock. The rogue leader let out an agonizing howl as he was pinned flat against the stone slab.The black wolf blinked. The moment he recognized who it was, his eyes filled with pure horror. "Lycan... King?!"
Ren’s POV You absolute fool!I cursed her over and over in my head. If she exposed me right now, not only would the captive women and children die, but Malachi and I would be torn to shreds in seconds. My muscles tensed, and my thumb slid toward the dagger at my waist.The Rogue Leader let out a fierce, malicious laugh, cutting Catherine off mid-sentence. "I love breaking wildcats!”He marched down the stone steps."The fiercer the temper, the sweeter the submission!"He grabbed the chains around Catherine's wrists and dragged her toward the dark passage behind the stone throne.Catherine fought desperately, kicking and screaming. Her eyes never left me.She wanted to call my name again.I saw it in her eyes."Ren..."My blood ran cold.But before the sound could escape her lips, the Rogue Leader suddenly stopped.For a split second, his crimson eyes shifted toward me.My heart nearly stopped. Had he noticed me?No...I forced myself to remain still, lowering my head like every other rogue
Ren’s POV I kept my head lowered, barely daring to breathe. My fingers remained locked around the hilt of the dagger hidden at my waist, the only thing that reminded me I still had a way to fight back.Beside me, Malachi wore the filthy leather armor of a rogue we had killed, blending into the chaotic column of raiders returning with their spoils.We followed the crowd as it wound deeper down the jagged valley. Through the smoke and dust, I noticed a massive wooden carriage rattling in the center of the column. Several feral rogues flanked it, baring their teeth and viciously shoving away anyone who dared to step too close.What could possibly be inside that carriage? Suspicion gnawed at me. Why were these rogues guarding it so fiercely?"Keep moving, you pathetic pack trash!"The ear-splitting crack of a barbed whip violently shattered my thoughts. I snapped my head toward the sound. A group of rogues was ruthlessly lashing the captured Silver River pack members. A young mother, clu
Ren’s POV My heart slammed against my ribs. We had finally found them.The monsters who had taken my mother from me were right below us.Lyall deliberately slowed his pace, and together, we crept to the jagged edge of a steep cliff. Parting the tangled bushes just enough to see through, the entire scene below opened up before us.It was a deeply secluded, desolate valley. Down below, vast swathes of vegetation lay shattered and uprooted, exposing nothing but barren, dry soil."Hurry up! If you dawdle any longer, I'll snap your pathetic legs!"A brutal shout from the valley floor instantly yanked my attention toward the gorge entrance. A group of towering, heavily scarred rogues were fiercely brandishing barbed whips, using them to herd a long line of captives chained together with heavy iron shackles.My breath caught in my throat. They were the survivors of the Silver River Pack.The vast majority of them were women and children, stumbling through the dirt. Behind the column of pris
Ren’s POVLyall hugged me tightly against his chest, his deep voice vibrating. "I promise you, I'll make them pay.""King," Malachi stepped forward, his expression dead serious. "Before we even arrived, those damned Rogues had already started scattering. The smell of blood and smoke is incredibly strong right now, but these guys are extremely cunning. They've scattered all sorts of pungent powders and animal carrion into the wind, trying to confuse us with a chaotic mess of scents."Hearing this, my heart sank into my stomach. A wave of cold despair washed over me. What were we supposed to do? Those Rogues were so cunning. Were we just going to be forced to sit here and watch them escape?!“However—” Malachi’s tone suddenly shifted, a sly, confident smile spreading across his face. “With me here, there's no way in hell they're getting away!”I looked at him with a puzzled expression.Lyall affectionately patted my head and explained, “Don’t worry, Ren. Malachi's tracking ability is un
Ren’s POV "Little beauty, you've finally fallen into my hands!"A lewd, mocking voice suddenly echoed from above me. I snapped my head up, and my blood ran cold when I saw who it was. It was Malachi, the Beta from last night.Panic surged through me as I looked around. We weren't heading to the pla
"Expelled? On what grounds?"The words felt like a death sentence. I stood there, shaking, my mind racing through everything we had given up. I've done so much for this pack day after day. My mother had literally sold her body to the pack’s Betas, letting them use her like a toy just so we could sta
"Omega, come here." The command was soft, but it carried the weight of a mountain. The air pressure in the room shifted. I didn't respond immediately; I desperately wanted to run away, to flee this room and this humiliation.On the bed, Vera pouted. She cupped her breasts, leaning down to try and
"You filthy Omega! An Alpha is not for you to crave!"The crack of Vera’s hand against my cheek echoed through the hallway like a gunshot. The force of it knocked me off my feet, and I hit the marble floor hard, pain shooting through my shoulder and hip.I lay there for a moment, dazed, the coppery







