*CHAPTER 84* Edward: By the time I stormed into my study, I felt like I had been possessed by a manic spirit. My blood ran too hot, my head pounded with the force of my own thoughts, and my body was tight with the kind of tension that made men reckless. I shut the door harder than necessary, the sound echoing in the dimly lit room. My breath came fast, ragged. I didn't care about the war. I didn't care about the army that had spent years training, the warriors putting their lives on the line, or the land we were supposed to be protecting. None of it mattered. Because Lianna had gone back to him. I gritted my teeth as I shoved a stack of papers off my desk. They scattered across the floor, but I didn't stop there. My hand slammed against the wooden surface, hard enough to make my writing materials rattle. I wanted to break something. I needed to break something. The rage inside me burned too violently to be contained. She was mine to protect. She had always
*CHAPTER 85* Lianna: I was restless. So fucking restless. Every breath I took felt heavier than the last, thick with guilt and uncertainty. My body was tense, my hands curled into trembling fists as I stood frozen in my room, replaying everything over and over. The war. The lives lost. The people who had suffered—all because of me. The door creaked open, and I barely flinched when Imogen walked in. She looked angry. Hell, livid. “Tell me you’re not actually going back to him.” she asked, her dark eyes burning into mine. I swallowed, avoiding her gaze. “You wouldn’t understand.” That was the wrong thing to say. Imogen let out a sharp, bitter laugh before shaking her head, her expression twisting in disbelief. “I wouldn’t understand?” Her voice cracked, her body visibly shaking. “I was there, helping you pick pieces of yourself while you grieved! I saw what he did to you!” She was right. She had been there. She had seen it all. And that made this even worse.
*CHAPTER 86* Lianna: The war had taken everything and it wasn't even the end. Each day, more lives were lost, more bodies burned, more homes reduced to nothing but ashes. The scent of blood never truly left the air, and every night, Imogen whispered horrors from the battlefield—wolves torn apart, warriors barely making it back alive, and the silence of those who never returned at all. And damn, it broke me. It fucking broke me to the point where I walked around, bathing in nothing but guilt. I had tried to hold on, to tell myself there was another way, but the truth was suffocating. The war wasn’t ending. It was only growing worse. And Edward… He had been nothing if not absent. After that night—the night I kissed him, the night I let my heart betray my mind—I never saw him again. And even when I did, he was always running, barking out orders while looking like this was the last place he wanted to be, always moving, always slipping through my fingers like sand
*CHAPTER 87* Lianna: The night stretched endlessly before us, the stars glinting like shards of glass in the dark sky. The steady rhythm of the horse’s hooves against the frozen ground filled the silence between us, a silence that should have felt comforting but instead settled like a weight in my chest. I should have known something was wrong. Ethan had told me this was a test. That if I truly loved him, if I truly believed in him, I would come. He made it sound like a challenge, a chance to prove myself. But the way he spoke—it hadn’t been planned. There was something reckless in his voice, something desperate. Still, I had followed him. Now, as we rode deeper into the unknown, my fingers curled around the edges of my cloak, pulling it tighter against the sharp wind. The scent of damp earth and pine trees filled my lungs, but underneath it, something else lingered. A scent I couldn’t quite place. The night was colder than I expected, colder than it had be
*CHAPTER 88* Lianna: The guards dragged me through the stone corridors, their grip bruising my arms as I stumbled over the uneven ground. The scent of damp earth and blood clung to the air, thick and suffocating. Shadows flickered along the cold walls, the dim torchlight casting eerie shapes that danced like ghosts. The entire kingdom felt unnatural. The walls pulsed with an unsettling energy, as if the very stones had been soaked in centuries of darkness. The deeper we went, the colder it became, the warmth from the world above vanishing entirely. There were no windows, no glimpses of the outside world-only the unending descent into something sinister. A chill crawled up my spine as I heard distant whispers -low, guttural voices murmuring in a language I didn't understand. I couldn't tell if they belonged to the guards escorting me or to something else, something unseen lurking in the shadows. The path twisted and turned, narrowing into an oppressive tunne
*CHAPTER 89* Edward: The battlefield was chaos. The stench of blood and death hung thick in the air, mingling with the acrid scent of burning wood from a village that had been set ablaze in the skirmish. Bodies-both wolves and vampires-littered the ground, some barely clinging to life, others long gone. The metallic tang of blood coated my tongue, my skin slick with sweat and grime as I cut down another enemy with a single, brutal strike. The vampire hissed as my claws tore through his chest, his crimson eyes widening in shock before his body disintegrated into dust. Another one lunged at me from the side, fangs bared, but I was faster. I spun, dodging his strike, and drove my hand straight through his ribcage, gripping his heart and crushing it in my fist. He let out a strangled gasp before turning to ash. "Behind you, Alpha!" My Beta, Harvey mind linked me, his blade slicing through an approaching vampire. His face was smeared with blood, his golden fur stain
*CHAPTER 90* Edward: The stench of blood clung to the air, thick and suffocating. The battlefield was littered with bodies-wolves and vampires alike, their lifeless forms trampled beneath the boots of soldiers who fought with reckless desperation. Metal clashed, swords singing a symphony of war, and the growls of my warriors blended with the guttural snarls of the enemy. The war died down as dawn neared. The vampires had retreated into their dark territory and the highlight of it all had to be me watching the ones that weren't able to get back in before sunrise, burning into ashes and fading out of existence. But none of it felt real. Not without her. Lianna's absence was a wound I couldn't ignore, no matter how many vampires I cut down, no matter how many victories we claimed. She was gone. The guards I had sent to find her had returned with nothing-no scent, no trace, no whisper of her existence and it annoyed the hell out of me. They had scoured ev
*CHAPTER 91* Edward: The battlefield was drenched in blood, the air thick with the metallic scent of death. The distant howls of my warriors blended with the screeches of the dying vampires, but I barely heard them. My focus was unshakable. Each swing of my sword was precise, each kill executed without hesitation. I moved like a force of nature, my blade slashing through flesh and bone with ruthless efficiency. The warm spray of blood against my skin was insignificant. Nothing mattered except the path ahead—the path leading me straight to the vampire king. His death would end this war. A vampire lunged at me from the left, his fangs bared, eyes glowing crimson. Before he could land a strike, I sidestepped and drove my blade through his chest, twisting until his body went limp. Another enemy came at me from behind, claws aimed at my throat, but I grabbed his wrist, snapped it in one swift motion, and slit his throat without breaking stride. My movements were aut
Edward: I didn’t think I had ever had a good time like that in my entire goddamn life. Seated on my ridiculous golden throne, which, by the way, I had told them was unnecessary but they had insisted like it was some sacred tradition, I watched the sea of smiling faces parading before me. Everyone looked genuinely happy to see me, like they were actually proud, and for the life of me, I couldn’t even pretend to be my usual sarcastic self. The grin splitting my face was impossible to contain. It felt ridiculous, too wide, too bright, but hell if I cared. My chest was warm, my fingers were drumming lightly against the armrest in time to the soft thrum of music weaving through the air. The scent of fresh flowers... roses, gardenias, something Lianna had picked, I was sure drifted through the hall, blending with the mouth-watering smell of pastries and meat pies and the sharp tang of aged wine. A few of the Alpha Kings I was c
Edward: “How the hell is she able to be this bubbly after she almost died yesterday?” Harvey muttered, leaning forward against the iron railing of the gallery. I stood beside him, arms loosely folded, my gaze drawn down to where Lianna moved like a wildfire in silk. She was everywhere at once, barking out orders to the kitchen staff, laughing too loudly at something one of the guards said, twirling away from an apprentice who nearly dropped a tray of wine glasses at her feet. Her hair whipped behind her like a banner, her cheeks flushed with life. She looked damn good doing it too. She looked alive, radiant, and unstoppable. And that made me damn rock hard. I felt my mouth curl into a slow, uncontrollable smile. “She’s Lianna,” I said simply, voice low, almost reverent. “Death’s scared of her, not the other way around.” Harvey shook his head with a chuckle, but his eyes stayed trained on her too, like he couldn’t help himself. Ingrid’s heels clicked ag
Edward: The podium felt colder than it should have. Maybe it was just me. Hell, maybe it was the goddamn nerves humming under my skin, crackling through my bloodstream like I’d swallowed a live wire. I adjusted the heavy folds of my coat, brushing the fabric smooth with my palms. The leather was stiff under my fingertips, polished to perfection, but it didn’t ease the tension straining my spine. Harvey was a silent shadow at my back, his presence a steady weight between my shoulder blades. Good. I needed that anchor right now. The crowd before me shifted, a sea of bodies cloaked in muted colors and apprehensive whispers. I stepped forward, feeling the wood of the podium creak beneath my boots, and cleared my throat, the sound slicing through the low murmur of voices. "Good morning," I began. It was the kind of voice that made people lean in even if they didn’t trust a damn word coming out of your mouth. "I want to start by apologizing for dragging you all out here toda
Lianna: I adjusted Edward’s collar, tugging it with the kind of care a surgeon might use when slicing open a patient. His hands hovered awkwardly at his sides, and he stared at me like I’d just announced I was going to crown myself Empress of the Seven Kingdoms. "You know," he muttered, a lopsided smirk tugging at his mouth, "you’re acting like this is some royal wedding, not just a boring speech in the town square." I laughed under my breath, smoothing down the front of his jacket with a few sharp swipes. The fabric was rich under my palms. It was soft, expensive, and a little smug, just like him. "Oh, it is a royal wedding, Eddie," I said sweetly. "Between you, destiny, and whatever chaos we manage to unleash today." He rolled his eyes so hard I thought they might actually fall out of his head. "Should’ve known you were secretly trying to become an influencer," he grumbled. "Just this once," I quipped, giving the lapels one final, overly dramatic flourish. "I
Freya: I was deep in the middle of a very satisfying drea. It was a dream about me on a deserted island, no nagging voices, no endless plans for world domination, when the knocking started. It was persistent enough to rattle the door on its hinges. I groaned into my pillow, dragging the blanket over my head like that flimsy piece of fabric would somehow drown out the inevitable reality waiting for me on the other side. No such luck. The knocking only grew louder, like a war drum signaling my doom. "Gods," I hissed under my breath, pushing myself upright. My muscles protested. I rubbed at my eyes, feeling the crust of exhaustion scraping against my lashes. Another knock. This time, it shook the whole damn doorframe. "I'm coming!" I snapped, stumbling toward the door, the wooden floor cold against my bare feet. I yanked it open with a sharp tug, blinking against the blinding hallway light, and there she was. My mother. Standing in a fury, arms crossed so tightly
Lianna: The solar was soaked in gold. Thick streams of morning sunlight pouring through the wide windows, catching on the dust motes that floated lazily in the warm air. I curled further into the deep cushions of the settee, absently twirling the stem of my empty goblet between my fingers, feeling the slight slickness of glass warmed by my palm. Edward sat across from me, long legs sprawled out, shirt sleeves rolled up in that reckless way that always made my blood simmer. The door creaked open and one of the maids stepped in, the rustle of her skirts brushing against the polished floors. She bowed slightly. "My Lord, My Lady. The announcement has been made. About the address at the market square." I straightened, lips curving into a slow, knowing smile. "Did they make it obvious that I wouldn’t be there?" "Yes, my Lady," she nodded briskly. "It was made clear you are away visiting family." "Perfect," I m
Lianna: The morning sun spilled into the room entirely too bright for someone who’d just woken up. But I didn’t mind. I felt good. Better than I had in days. My limbs didn’t feel like they were filled with cement, my head wasn’t throbbing, and I wasn’t sweating through every damn sheet like I was trapped in a sauna sent from hell. No, this morning… I felt like myself again. Whole. Dangerous. Alive. I swung my legs off the bed, the marble floor biting cold against my bare feet. The silk robe I grabbed clung to my damp skin as I shrugged into it, its texture like water slipping between my fingers. The air smelled of fresh linen and pinewood, soft and crisp, and when I tied the robe around my waist, something fluttered in my chest. Excitement. Finally. I could train again. I didn’t get far before a voice groaned behind me. “Lianna… what the hell are you doing?” I turned, caught mid-step, with my hair messy, one knee bent, and my hand halfway to the doorknob. E
Lianna: I stirred to the sound of rustling fabric and the gentle weight of a hand on mine. My eyelids blinked open slowly. The low amber glow of the bedside lamp bathed the room in warm shadows. He was sitting right beside me, elbow propped on the bed, fingers trailing across my knuckles with an almost reverent tenderness. The second our eyes met, the tension on his face cracked and melted into a soft smile. "You're awake," he whispered, voice hoarse and threaded with relief. Then he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my forehead, one hand sliding up to cradle my cheek. "How do you feel, my warrior queen?" I let out a soft groan, stretching slowly as though my bones had been carved from old stone. “Like someone beat me with a broomstick, then threw me into a pit full of sorrow and set it on fire. But thank you for asking.” He chuckled, eyes scanning my face. “Your colour’s back. You had me panicking. You actu
Lianna: I’d fought wars with blood in my teeth and lightning in my palms. I had come out bruised, singed, but never like this. Never this empty. It was like something had drained the marrow from my bones, like my soul had been sifted through a sieve and discarded for sport. I wasn’t just tired, I was hollowed out. My eyelids felt like lead but lifted slowly at the sound of faint incantations. It was low and rhythmic, the syllables curling into my ears like smoke. My vision blurred, then sharpened around the figure of a woman draped in charcoal grey, her fingers twinkling with tiny, glowing sigils. I blinked once, twice. Ah. The Pack Witch. Relief loosened something in my chest, but I didn’t let it show. I hated looking fragile, even though I currently felt like someone had taken a hammer to every joint in my body. “Still alive, I see,” I murmured, my voice raspy and dry like parchment left in the sun. “Congratulations. You all didn’t kill me with your fretting.”