DARIUS★★☆★★The whole damn situation was a nightmare. A complete and utter nightmare. There I was, huddled in the woods like some kind of fugitive, with Sylas, Dawson, and a few of our best fighters. We’ve set up a makeshift camp, a pathetic excuse for a base of operations, while my Emmeline is trapped in my own damn house, thanks to that snake Kaelen.Dawson, bless his loyal heart, had spread out a map of the Estate on a fallen log. It was covered in all sorts of markings—known entrances, patrol routes, even some hidden pathways I hadn’t even known existed. The guy was a bloody genius when it came to this kind of stuff.“Alright, Darius,” Dawson said, his voice low and serious, “storming the front gates is out of the question. It’ll be a bloodbath. Kaelen’s got his men everywhere, thick as thieves. We don’t even know if Emmeline is safe. We can’t risk a direct assault without knowing her location and the layout inside.”I swear, I felt my blood boil. Not safe? My Emmeline? And my ba
KAELEN’S POV☆☆☆☆▪♧♧♧♧The mahogany table in the Estate’s meeting room gleamed under the dim chandelier light, reflecting the tense faces of the men gathered around it. I had tightened my grip on the Estate, replacing Darius’s loyalists with men I could trust. There were a few whispers of dissent, rumblings of discontent, and they needed to be crushed swiftly and decisively.I sat at the head of the long table, my gaze sweeping over the faces of my so-called allies. They looked at me, some with a semblance of respect, others with a flicker of doubt in their eyes. It was the doubt I needed to squash.“Darius,” I began, my voice calm, even, “ruled this Estate like it was his personal playground. Like we were his toys to command. He made decisions without consulting anyone, as if his word was law, and ours meant nothing. Did he ever once consider us, the strength of this territory, in his decisions?”A murmur rippled through the room. Good. They were listening, their resentment simmering
DARIUS’ POV☆☆☆☆☆☆I crept through the hidden tunnel, my heart pounding like a war drum, flanked by two of Sylas’s men who owed me more than a few favors. The passage was damp and dark, and every sound echoed in my ears as if warning me of what lay ahead. I had to be silent, every step measured, every breath controlled. My mind raced with thoughts of betrayal and impending danger.That snake. Kaelen. I’d been so blind. He wasn’t just some ordinary beta, no way. He had power, real power, and plans I never saw coming. He played me, the bastard. Pretended to be nothing, just another face in the crowd, while he was plotting, waiting for his chance to stab me in the back. And he took it. He actually did it.Now, his presence corrupted the estate like a cancer.I could see that changes had been made. The familiar architecture was still there, but it was overrun by new guards and unfamiliar symbols. It was clear that Kaelen had strong allies, ones I never expected him to have. I scanned the
DARIUS’S POV☆☆☆☆☆☆☆“Darius?” She whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.“Emmeline,” I breathed, my heart aching at the sight of her. She looked pale and thinner. Her eyes, usually so bright and full of life, were clouded with fear.“How… how did you get here?” she asked, taking a step towards me.“Who's there!?”A guard appeared in the doorway before I could respond, his eyes widening in alarm. I could see his eyes narrow as he reached for his weapon.“Intruder!” he yelled, raising his weapon.“Get behind me, Emmeline!” I shouted, pushing her back.The guard lunged, and I met him head-on. He was strong, but I was fueled by adrenaline and pure, unadulterated rage. We exchanged a few brutal blows. I blocked his punch and drove my fist into his gut. He doubled over, groaning. I didn’t wait—I kicked him in the side, sending him sprawling to the ground, his weapon clattering away.But the noise had attracted attention. I could hear more guards approaching, their heavy footsteps poun
EMMELINE’S POV☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆His roar shook the very air around me. I flinched, squeezing my eyes shut as the sound bounced off the walls of this… this prison. Vases shattered against the wall, the heavy wooden chair he’d been sitting on splintered into pieces as he hurled it across the room. I flinched with every crash, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. Darius’s failed rescue attempt had lit a fire in him that I hadn’t seen before, a wild, uncontrollable rage that was now directed squarely at me, even though I hadn't done a damn thing.“You stupid girl!” he bellowed, his voice thick with fury. I didn’t dare open my eyes. I just curled in on myself, wishing I could disappear, become invisible.His footsteps came closer, heavy and menacing. I could feel his presence looming over me. “Look at me!” he snarled, and I finally forced my eyes open. His face was contorted with rage, his eyes blazing with a dangerous light.“That… that idiot!” He yelled, and another crash fo
DARIUS’ POV★★★★★★★Seriously, these damn stab wounds still throbbed like a bastard drum. Every time I shifted, it sent a jolt of pain through my side, but I couldn’t stay still. Emmeline needed me. The image of her terrified face when Kaelen’s goons dragged her away kept flashing in my mind. That bastard wasn't going to mark her under the full moon. I won’t let that happen.Sylas fussed over me, trying to get me to lie back down, but I waved him off. “I’m fine,” I lied, the words catching in my throat. Fine? I felt like I'd been ripped apart and put back together with rusty nails. But compared to what Emmeline must be going through, this pain was nothing.“You’re bleeding again, Darius,” Sylas said, his voice laced with concern. Lately he’s been my closest friend, more like my right-hand man. He knew the way I loved Emmeline, knew how much she meant to me. “Doesn’t matter,” I grunted, pushing myself up to a sitting position against the rough bark of a tree. The forest floor was damp
EMMELINE♣︎♣︎♣︎♧♣︎♣︎♣︎Ugh, these silver robes felt like they weighed a ton. Every step they made me take felt like dragging myself through thick mud. Weak and tired didn’t even begin to cover it. I was running on fumes, and those fumes were mostly made of sheer stubbornness and the tiny spark of hope that Darius would somehow, someway, find me.They shoved me into this room in the Estate that Kaelen had turned into his creepy ritual chamber. Firelight danced on the walls, making everything look all shadowy and ominous. And there he was, Kaelen, standing there like he owned the damn place, waiting for me. My stomach churned. I tried to keep my face blank, to not let him see how terrified I was, but it was hard. There were other men in the room with him, big and burly, and their presence just amplified the fear that was already clawing at my throat.Kaelen looked at me, a smug look on his face that made my blood boil despite my exhaustion.. “See? I told you she’d come willingly.” He sm
EMMELINE’S POV♣︎♣︎♣︎♣︎♣︎♧♣︎♣︎♣︎♣︎♣︎My heart leaped into my throat the second I saw the crimson stain blooming on Darius’s side. “No!” The word ripped from me, a raw, desperate sound. I wanted to run to him, to shield him, to somehow make the blood disappear, but his hand shot out, a silent command. “Stay back, Emmeline,” he grunted, his voice tight with pain.Stay back? How could I? He was bleeding, for goodness sake! My vision swam with unshed tears, and a cold dread coiled in my stomach. And then I saw him – Kaelen. That smug, hateful smile stretched across his face as he took slow, deliberate steps towards Darius. The sight of him, so pleased with himself, made my blood boil despite the terror gripping me.Darius, as stubborn as always, straightened up, his hand pressed against his bleeding side. He swayed a little, and my breath hitched. “You’ll die here, Darius,” Kaelen sneered, his voice laced with satisfaction. Then, he lunged.It happened so fast. One moment Kaelen was stand
★DARIUS’ POV★My gut twisted tighter with every second Anastasia worked. She moved fast, thank the goddess, her hands a blur as she crushed herbs, mixing them into some kind of paste, then adding liquid. It felt like an eternity, though. Every rasping breath Emmeline took, every weak tremor that still ran through her tiny body was a hammer blow to my chest. Hurry, damn it. Please, just hurry.Finally, Anastasia held up a small, dark vial. "It's ready," she said, her voice calm but her eyes holding a flicker of urgency that mirrored my own fear.I knelt beside the cot, my heart in my throat. Gently, so damn gently, I lifted Emmeline's head, supporting the fragile weight with my hand. Her skin was still too pale, her lips almost blue. Anastasia carefully brought the vial to her mouth.The first few drops went down, and Emmeline coughed, a weak, pathetic sound that tore right through me. My jaw tightened. Swallow, Em. Please, just swallow. Anastasia waited patiently, then tried again. Th
★EMMELINE’S POV★My head felt like it was stuffed with cotton, heavy and distant. Every breath was a struggle, a shallow, rattling thing that didn't seem to bring enough air. I was floating, drifting somewhere between here and... well, somewhere else. Somewhere quiet and dark. It felt peaceful, in a terrifying sort of way. Like I was letting go."Emmeline? Stay with me. Please."Sylas. His voice. It sounded tight, strained, like he was trying not to break. I wanted to answer, to tell him I was trying, but my tongue felt thick and useless. I managed a small, weak squeeze of the hand he was holding. His grip tightened instantly, almost painfully."She's fading, Sylas," a softer voice said. Anastasia. The healer. I could feel her cool fingers on my wrist, checking my pulse. "The damage... it's spreading faster than I can counter it without the proper herbs."Fading. Yeah, that felt about right. Like a candle sputtering out. The pain was a dull throb now, constant and heavy, but almost se
★DARIUS★Hours. It had been damn hours. My body screamed with every step, every bend, every time I had to push aside a thorny branch that clawed at my already torn clothes and skin. The Crying Woods lived up to its name; the wind seemed to moan through the trees, and the shadows felt heavy, pressing down on me. And for what? Nothing. I hadn't found a damn thing.My eyes scanned the forest floor, blurry with exhaustion and pain. Silver plants, they said. Surrounded by thorny roots. Sounded like something out of a twisted fairytale, and right now, I felt less like a prince on a quest and more like a broken-down mule lost in a maze.I stumbled, catching myself on a tree trunk, the rough bark scraping my cheek. "Son of a bitch," I muttered, leaning my forehead against the cool wood. My lungs burned, my muscles felt like they were tearing, and the dull ache in my ribs was a constant reminder of the fight I'd barely survived. This was insane. I was running on fumes and sheer, unadulterated
★DARIUS' POV★The air tasted like blood and dirt, thick and metallic. This bastard, this rogue Alpha, was fast, I'll give him that. He came at me, claws out, a snarling mess of muscle and rage. My own snarl ripped from my throat, a low rumble that promised pain. He swiped, a blur of grey fur. I ducked under it, the wind of his miss whipping past my ear. Instinct took over. My jaws snapped shut, finding purchase on his hind leg. God, the feel of tearing muscle and sinew... it sent a jolt of brutal satisfaction through me. I yanked hard.He howled, a sound that was music to my ears, stumbling, off-balance. That was my chance. Don't hesitate. Never hesitate. I surged upward, putting everything into it. My claws raked across his face. I felt the warm, wet spray of blood, heard his shriek of agony as one eye was taken. Good. Let him see what happens when you cross me.He didn't back down though. Credit where it's due, the son of a bitch had guts. His rage doubled, making him sloppy, predic
★DARIUS’ POV★Damn, that place was even worse than the stories. The Crying Woods… they weren’t kidding with the name. The air hung thick and heavy, clinging to my skin like a shroud. It reeked of stale blood, rot, and something else… despair, maybe? Twisted trees clawed at the perpetually grey sky, their branches like skeletal fingers. It was unnervingly quiet in some ways, but the silence was punctuated by sounds that made the hairs on my arms stand up – distant growls echoing through the suffocating woods, the rustle of unseen things in the undergrowth.And the eyes. Glowing pairs of them, tracking me from the deepest shadows. Yellow, green, cold pinpricks of hate watching my every step. The rogues. They said rogues were just mindless beasts, driven mad by isolation. Bullshit. Those bastards were smart, cunning. They were hunting me, I could feel it. Packs of them, flanking me, testing my path, waiting for an opening.Being alone sucked right then, made every shadow seem like a thre
★EMMELINE’S POV★I woke up slowly, the dull ache in my body a familiar companion now. But something else felt wrong. Deeper. Colder. I reached out instinctively, my hand searching the space beside me in the bed. Empty.Darius wasn’t there.That wasn’t unusual. He was the Alpha, always busy. But this felt different. The bond, the constant hum of his presence in the back of my mind, felt… distant. Like a faint whisper across a wide, empty space. Not gone, not broken, but stretched thin, strained.Panic, cold and sharp, pricked at me. I pushed myself up, ignoring the protest from my aching muscles. “Darius?” I called out, my voice raspy from sleep.No answer.I swung my legs over the side of the bed, my feet finding the floor. I pulled on a robe quickly, my hands fumbling with the tie. Where was he? Why did the bond feel so… far away?I opened the door to our chambers. A maid was outside, tidying the hall.“Where is the Alpha?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.She curtsied. “Good
★DARIUS’ POV★The morning after Finn died, the air in the pack house felt heavy, thick with grief and unspoken fear. Six of my men, gone. Just like that. Torn apart in those cursed woods. It should have made me stop. Made me rethink. Made me listen to the fear that was gripping the pack.But it didn’t.It only made me harder. More determined. If my best warriors couldn’t get those herbs, if the Crying Woods was too much for a trained team, then there was only one person left who could go. Me. The Alpha.I didn’t waste time. I called Sylas into my study first. He was the most skilled, the bravest of my advisors.He walked in, his face etched with the sorrow of the previous night. He knew why I’d called him. He could probably smell the grim resolve on me.“Alpha,” he said quietly.“Sylas,” I nodded, getting straight to the point. No need for pleasantries. Not now. “You know what happened last night.”He closed his eyes for a brief moment, a flicker of pain crossing his face. “Yes, Alpha
★DARIUS’ POV★I stood before them, my best warriors. Their faces were grim, expectant. They knew something was wrong. My mate was sick, and when the Alpha’s mate is sick, the pack feels it. The air in the room was thick with unspoken worry.“Listen up,” I began with a rough voice. “You know the situation with Luna Emmeline. The healer says there’s a way to help her, a tonic. But the herbs needed… they’re in the Crying Woods.”A ripple went through the group. The Crying Woods. Even the bravest among them shifted uncomfortably. They knew the stories. Everyone did.“Yeah, Alpha,” one of them spoke up. “The Crying Woods. That place is a shithole. Full of rogues.”“Exactly,” I confirmed, meeting each of their eyes. “Not just any rogues. These are the ones who lost their minds. Banished, twisted by rage and isolation. They live like animals in there. Savage. Violent. They kill anything that crosses their path.”I held up the parchment Anastasia had given me. “The healer gave me the descript
★DARIUS’ POV★“There has to be something.” My voice was low, a dangerous rumble I barely recognized. I stood over Anastasia, the healer, my fists clenched at my sides. Her face a roadmap of wrinkles, but her eyes held a weariness that wasn't just age. It was the look of someone who had seen too much, too many things go wrong.She sighed, a thin, reedy sound. “Alpha Darius, I understand your… distress. But I have told you. A hybrid pregnancy is… unnatural. The child grows too fast. It takes too much from the mother.”“Unnatural?” I scoffed, the sound sharp. “She’s carrying my child. There’s nothing unnatural about that.”Anastasia flinched slightly but held her ground. “With respect, Alpha, the mixing of bloodlines this strong… it creates complications. The child’s wolf nature is dominant, even in the womb. It draws on the mother’s life force to fuel its growth. It’s why… why hybrids are so rare now. The mothers…” She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the floor.“The mothers what?” I p