KAIDENTHE NEXT MORNINGI sat back in my throne, watching as the guards dragged Ivy, Councilman Leonard, and her sisters into the throne room. They were shoved to their knees on the polished stone floor, their heads bowed, fear already painted across their faces. Ivy, especially, looked terrified. Her breathing was uneven, and I could smell the guilt rolling off her.“Ivy Knight,” I called, resting my elbow on the armrest, my fingers curled against my temple as I stared her down. I kept my tone calm. Dangerously calm. “You’re well aware of the crime you’re being charged with, aren’t you? The murder of an unborn heir to the Lycan throne. My pup.”The words barely left my lips before she burst into tears.Pathetic. She wasn’t even trying to hold it together.“My king… please… I didn’t—”I cut her off. “Do you know the kind of people I hate just as much as murderers?”She froze mid-sob, too scared to answer.“Liars,” I said plainly. “So choose your next words very, very carefully.”She
KAIDEN“B–Brother…” she whispered in a broken voice, her lips quivering. “It’s me…”I stared at her, breathing heavily through my mouth. My chest rose and fell with each sharp inhale, my eyes stretched wide in disbelief.“Raya?” I muttered, barely hearing my own voice.My eyes scanned her face—every line, every feature. She looked just like her. Too much like her. The same sharp cheekbones. The same deep eyes. She looked exactly like how I imagined Raya would’ve grown up to be… if she hadn’t died.But that was impossible. Raya had died. I had seen it with my own eyes.I shut my eyes tight, willing this vision to disappear. Willing myself to wake up from whatever cruel trick my mind or the gods were playing on me. But when I opened them again, she was still there. Pinned against the tree. My claws dangerously close to her throat.The gods must be toying with me again.Rage bubbled inside me. My vision darkened and my breathing turned shallow. My voice came out low and sharp.“You’re no
KAIDEN“Is the Luna inside?” I asked the two guards posted outside Calantha’s room.They bowed instantly. “Yes, my king.”They immediately stepped aside to let me through. I reached for the handle and opened the door gently, closing it softly behind me so as not to wake her.The room was dim and quiet, only the moonlight spilling through the curtains.She was laying fast asleep on her bed, her body curled slightly, her face relaxed and peaceful. I walked slowly and silently toward her, and sat down carefully at the edge of the mattress. I stared at her for a moment, just watching her breathe.My heart softened at the sight.But in that moment, Hera’s words came back to me again like a storm I couldn’t run from.“Calantha. Luna Calantha is the chosen one.”My jaw tightened. My heartbeat picked up again.I didn’t know what twisted game the gods were playing, but if they thought I’d let this female—my Luna, my mate—be used as a sacrifice to fix my curse, they clearly didn’t know me.I wo
KAIDEN“My king,” one of the guards called as he rushed toward me, bowing his head. “The Luna is nowhere to be found in the packhouse.”My brows furrowed. “Have you searched everywhere?” “Yes, my king,” another guard added quickly. “We checked every room, every hallway, even the garden and the training grounds. There’s no sign of her.”I clenched my jaw harder, frustration simmering beneath my skin. My nostrils flared slightly as I scanned the area around me, hoping that I might catch a glimpse of her by some miracle. Night had already fallen, and Calantha still hadn’t returned. The academy had closed hours ago after the incident, yet she still wasn’t back. Just thinking about that incident that happened at the academy made my heart race, but I pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the thought of Calantha.Like an answer to my rising panic, I finally spotted her. Her familiar slender frame was walking toward me. Relief rushed through me, but it was quickly followed by irritati
CALANTHAI stood frozen and shocked, as the girl’s lifeless body was carried away by the academy guards. Around me, the crowd buzzed with murmurs, everyone visibly shaken by what had just happened.“We were just chasing a rabbit,” someone explained to a small group nearby. “And all of a sudden, she wasn’t there anymore. We found her barely two minutes later, completely covered in blood, with a bite mark on her neck.”His words sent a chill down my spine. I couldn’t move or even speak. All I could do was stare as they took her away, my eyes scanning the area for any sign of Kaiden. But he was gone. He must have left already.“The tournament might be put on hold now, due to the unusual happenings in the pack.” Lysandra said quietly beside me with a deep sigh.I turned in surprise, not realizing she had been standing next to me the whole time. She was watching me carefully, her expression unreadable.“We should go see Chief Priestess Tara,” she added, still looking right at me. “She’s wi
CALANTHA The next day marked the second round of the tournament. Just like before, we were all gathered at the same large arena where the first trial had taken place. The air was buzzing with tension and excitement. High Priestess Hera stood tall at the top of the high staircase overlooking us. Beside her sat Kaiden, unmoving on his throne. My eyes drifted to him for a second. Our gazes met briefly, and I quickly looked away, my heart pounding.After what I’d overheard between him and Queen Adeline yesterday, I wasn’t sure how to feel around him anymore. A small part of me was still scared. What if he no longer saw the one he loved anymore, but only as a tool—something meant to tame the monster within him?High Priestess Hera raised her voice and began to speak.“Welcome to the second trial of the Wolfville Blood Games.” Her voice echoed through the open arena.“Today, you face something that may appear simple at first, but is anything but. This is the Hunt. You will enter the wild