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46: "Whispers Through the Shadows: The Hidden Truths That Linger in the Silence"
Terakhir Diperbarui:
2025-05-01 22:58:07
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Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   Intro/Prologue
Long ago, before the rise of packs and Alphas, the Lycans ruled.Beasts of unmatched strength and primal grace, they were not mere werewolves, nor were they any lesser creature that walked the earth. They were the firstborn of the Moon Goddess, divine and immortal, forged from celestial fire and ancient blood. Hidden from mortal eyes, they lived in harmony within the sacred kingdom of Elaren, a realm lost to time.But peace is fragile when envy brews in silence.The werewolves, lesser descendants of the Lycans, watched from the shadows. They envied the immortalsâ strength, their dominion, their sacred bond with the divine. To them, the Lycans were not rulers but relicsâdangerous and untouchable. Jealousy turned to resentment. And resentment, in time, birthed rebellion.For the first time in history, the scattered wolf clans united under a single creed: eradicate the Lycans.Even against an entire species, the Lycans stood unbroken. They were faster. Smarter. Stronger. Victory should ha
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   1: The scorn of the parkhouse
âDo you favor this one?ââNo, the other pleases me more.âLena swallowed hard outside the dining hall, steadying herself. Karaâs companions were mischief-makers, ever eager with a cruel remark when she stood before them.With measured steps, she pushed open the heavy doors and entered, bearing a tray of honeyed figs, spiced almonds, and goblets of dark wine.Laughter faded at once.Lena kept her gaze lowered as she approached the long banquet table, the tray steady in her hands. The ladies reclined on their cushioned seats, their silk gowns pooling like liquid opulence. Their eyes trailed her every movement, sharp with something Lena had long since learned to recognize: jealousy.âIt is truly absurd,â Valeria murmured, idly tracing the rim of her goblet. âHow does a mere servant possess such a face?âLenaâs grip on the tray tightened.âIndeed,â Selena drawled, a smirk tugging at her lips. âWith features like that, one might mistake her for someone of station. And yet, she is nothing mo
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   2: Taken away from slavery
The guards gripped Lena firmly, holding her before the heavy oak door. The head slave emerged, her face a mask of indifference."The bath awaits," she stated flatly.Without warning, one of the guards spun Lena about, handling her like a rag doll. The clink of metal rang through the corridor as they knelt to unlock the chains that had bound her for nearly a decade.The weight vanished from her ankle. Lena stared, stunned.They had never removed itânot once in all the years of her bondage.The cuff had been more than just a restraint; it was a mark of ownership, a symbol of her enslavement. The iron was forged to slow her, to thwart any flight, until a beast could hunt her down.Yet now, it lay forgotten on the ground.The absence should have brought relief, but it didn't. Her ankle felt bareâvulnerable. She had traded one shackle for another.Before she could fully comprehend the shift in her fate, rough hands shoved her forward into the chamber beyond.The scent of lavender and warm o
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   3: His bride to be
"Lena, flee!" her mother cried, her voice desperate, strained by agony."No, Mother! I will save you! I will take you with me!" Lena wept, her hands trembling as she reached for her mother's grasp."You cannot save me!" her mother gasped, her breath shallow and ragged. "Promise me... promise me you will survive. Do you hear me? Live, no matter the cost!"A burning log crashed down upon her motherâs back with a deafening thud.The fire raged around them, devouring all in its wake. Her motherâs cries were swallowed by the inferno.Young Lenaâs wail pierced the night air."Seize her!" a commanding voice boomed from behind.Terror seized Lenaâs heart as she turned. Her tear-filled eyes locked upon a figure emerging from the flames. A golden mask obscured half his face, one eye gleaming with a cold blue, the other burning with a blood-red fire.A wicked laugh echoed, sending a chill through Lenaâs bones.She awoke with a start, the dull ache in her head and the jarring of the carriage remin
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   4: The wedding ritual
Lenaâs legs buckled as they dragged her forward, the rough stone beneath her feet scraping her skin raw. The soldiers' grips were cruel, steel fingers bruising her arms as they hauled her through the threshold of the great hall and into the night beyond.The air outside was bitter, sharp like a blade. It cut against her torn skin, carrying the acrid scent of burning herbs and something far fouler, blood.Before her, the ritual ground stretched wide and desolate. Towering black pillars ringed the clearing like silent sentinels, carved with ancient runes that shimmered faintly beneath the crimson glow of the blood moon. Fires roared in iron braziers, their flames leaping into the air as if hungry for flesh.A hush fell over the gathered pack.Faces surrounded her, hostile and eager. Some twisted with cruel amusement, others solemn as though they stood witness to a sacred rite. They had not come to observe, but to revel in her pain.At the center stood the altar, a monolith of obsidian st
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-26Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   5: A wolf-man still lived
The next morning, Lenaâs eyes fluttered open. Pain rippled through her body as she tried to move, but her limbs felt like lead. Every inch of her ached, her muscles stiff from the torment of last night. She felt numb. Empty.The cold stone beneath her sent a sharp reminderâshe wasnât safe. She wasnât free.The heavy sound of boots echoed in the corridor."Where is she?"Darius.Lena barely had the strength to lift her head, but she heard the metallic clank of chains unlocking. Only then did she fully register where she was. A cell. A prison.The iron door groaned open.Darius stepped inside, his presence filling the cramped space like a dark storm cloud.He crouched before her, his mismatched eyes studying her with something unreadable.Lena flinched and tried to shrink away from his reach.His lips curled. "No, wife. That is not how you greet your husband."Her breath hitched. "Stay away from me!"He ignored her protest. "Kara," he murmured, tilting his head. "Donât you know why youâ
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-27Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   6: Mark of restraint
The cell door creaked open for the second time that day.Lena glanced up, expecting another tormentor, but instead, a young girl stood there, holding a tray of food. A cuff encircled the girlâs ankleâa slave."Take it back. I refuse to eat," Lena spat, her voice hoarse but firm.The girl set the tray down and crouched before her, meeting Lenaâs defiant gaze.âLuna.â"I am not your Luna," Lena snapped, her voice rising.The girl only sighed. âYou donât understand, do you? The longer you refuse, the worse my punishment will be. Iâm responsible for you now, Luna. I am your personal maid. My name is Milicent.âLena finally lifted her head, properly looking at her. The girlâs eyes were pleading, desperate.Lenaâs expression softened.She knew what it was like to be in her shoesâto fear the wrath of a head maid, to be denied food as punishment.Memories of her past as a servant in the Crimson Moon Pack surfaced, stinging like old wounds. If she were still there, at least she wouldnât have e
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-28Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   7: The chase
"Alpha. An important scroll has arrived from the Dark Towers," Cedric said as Darius stepped into the castle."Important scroll?" Darius muttered, snatching it from his hands.His eyes scanned the parchment. The more he read, the darker his expression grew.Without a second thought, he shoved the scroll against Cedricâs chest. "Deny it."Cedric kept pace beside him. "This is the third time you've rejected the park leaders. Theyâre determined to hold the ritual here this year.""Deny the fucking scroll!" Darius snarled. His voice echoed through the hall. "I don't want those heartless beings in my kingdom!"He stormed upstairs. Servants cowered in fear, stepping out of his path.Only one dared to follow him.Lady Miriam."I donât want to hear it, Miriam," he snapped, not bothering to turn around."If you keep denying them, they'll sanction you," she warned. "You donât want the wrath of all the clans against you, do you?""Let them come." He whirled to face her, his eyes blazing. "Iâm re
Terakhir Diperbarui : 2025-03-29
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Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   46: "Whispers Through the Shadows: The Hidden Truths That Linger in the Silence"
Nightfall in Lenaâs ChambersA soft voice stirred her from sleep. Her eyelids flew open. It was powerfulâcompelling.Dressed in a simple nightdress, she rose, drawn to the voice that called to her very soul.It led her beyond the familiar paths of the pack, deeper into the territory than she had ever ventured.At last, she arrived at an ancient dwelling, its walls weathered by time. She stepped inside."LenaâĶ"The voice whispered again, guiding her down a narrow passage, deeper stillâuntil the air grew heavy, thick with an unfamiliar scent.A scent that struck her like a blow.It was faint yet intoxicatingâsmelt like frost-laced cedar and crushed wildflowers.She pressed forward, descending into a dungeon.There, amidst the dim torchlight, stood a figure. A golden mask concealed half of his face, but his eyesâpiercing, molten goldâbore into her."Beloved." His voice cracked as he inhaled deeply, his entire form shuddering. "You smell ofâhoneyed jasmine and aged myrrh." He sniffed, "Su
Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   45: The Gathering Storm
"How long has she been thus?" Lena inquired the moment they stepped beyond the chamber."Two nights past," came the reply."And how long shall she remain so?"Dylia pondered for a moment before speaking. "That, I cannot say. You see, Milicent was not merely wronged in bodyâshe was stripped of her dignity, her very spirit wounded. Such a loss cannot be mended with time alone.""Then what must be done to aid her?"Silence fell between them.At length, Dylia spoke again. "Has she kin? A beloved, perchance?""I know not," Lena admitted."In such a case, we must seek one who holds her dear. If she knows there is one who awaits her, one who has not abandoned her, it may give her reason to return to us. Yet, I cannot promise she shall ever be as she was."Lena exhaled softly, nodding. "So be it." Then, after a brief pause, she lowered her voice. "There is another matter I must speak of."Dylia regarded her in silence."Come with me," Lena urged, stepping away, beyond the hearing of Cedric wi
Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   44: "The Battle Within"
The battle raged within Dariusâs mind.Two dark beasts stood locked in confrontation.Their growls reverberated through his consciousness, a constant clash of power.A massive black wolf appeared, sleek and controlled.It positioned itself between the Lycan beast and its adversary.Draven, the embodiment of Dariusâs wolf form, stood firm.His gaze was steady, his posture unwavering.He was the image of restraint, the side of Darius that kept chaos at bay.Before him, Craven, the enormous black Lycan beast, snarled.His fury crackled in the air like wildfire, an untamed force of nature.The Lycanâs massive form shook with frustration.His beastly eyes were wild with rage, teeth bared."As expected, you all acted like fools," Craven growled.His voice rumbled deep within Dariusâs mind."If I hadn't been restrained, my mate wouldnât have been wounded, beaten, and nearly violated.""But you two planned this and locked me away for half a century."Tension thickened the air, the weight of C
Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   43: When Thrones Crumble and Vows Shatter
A night past.Within the castle of the witches' clan, Kara paced the chamber, her fingers trembling with barely restrained fury.That treacherous wretchâher own friendâhad taken up with her husband, and she, the rightful wife, was left to seethe in silence.What was her mother planning? Why was it taking so long?"Why have you not touched your meal?" her aunt inquired as she entered, the maid trailing behindâthe same girl Kara had dismissed upon arriving."I've no appetite," she snapped."Foolish girl. We do not waste away over a husband's whore. Nay, we welcome them if it serves our purpose. Stop this sulking and come eat.""I should sit at table while my hands itch to tear that harlot apart?"Her aunt sighed, stepping forward to rest a firm hand upon her shoulder."Your mother is handling it, that much I am certain. You know the woman she is."Kara wet her lips, bitterness sharp on her tongue. "My mother tells me nothing. Explain to me how my own husband took my handmaiden to his be
Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   42: Brief Awakening of the Marked One"
"Beloved..."The voice was gentle yet firm, slicing through the haze of pain and fear. Her eyelids fluttered open, vision blurred, but she recognized the familiar mask, the piercing eyes that haunted both her dreams and waking hours. But this time, instead of mismatched eyes, they were gold."Are you hurt?" His voice was calm, steady, a chilling contrast to the storm raging within her.A sob tore from her throat. Words failed her.His expression darkened. "Did they touch you?"She trembled, breath shallow, suffocating under the weight of horror pressing against her chest like an immovable stone.He exhaled sharply. Then, quieter, softer, yet deadlier, he spoke again."Close your eyes. Do not open them until I am done."She obeyed, squeezing them shut, waiting.Then, a voice rang out."Who dares stand in our way?" one of the men sneered.He did not answer. The very air trembled, thick with an unearthly force, monstrous and beyond mortal comprehension. His body shifted, bones cracking,
Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   41: "When Screams Fade into Silence: A Cry for Help That Never Came"
Warning: This chapter contains R-rated content and potentially triggering material. Reader discretion is advised. If you find such themes distressing, feel free to skip this section.âCome in,â Selena instructed, her voice calm yet firm. âSee that he is given something to drink.âThe maid curtsied and left the room.Selena turned her gaze back to Cedric. âI am inclined to believe youânot because of the Alphaâs name, but because you have shown some measure of truth. Yet I remain doubtful because of your claim to hail from the Shadow Fang Pack. My Alpha considers your kind an enemy, and I see no reason to trust that he would send you here. Speak plainlyâhow did you truly come to possess this seal?âCedric gave a low chuckle just as the maid returned with a cup of wine.âLeave us,â Selena ordered.The maid obeyed without question, bowing deeply before departing.Alone now, Selena folded her hands in her lap, her eyes never leaving Cedricâs face.âYou live up to your reputation,â Cedric s
Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   40: The Luna They Sought, The Sacrifice She Made
Restlessness gnawed at him, his heart pounding fiercely. His wolf stirred in his slumber, then jolted awake, pacing anxiously."Our mate," his wolf growled. "Somethingâs happening to her."Vargr shot to his feet. "Keep enjoying yourselves," he told Jaime. "I must find the Luna."As if the gods themselves willed it, a child stumbled toward the gathering, her dress stained with blood."Some wolves..." she sobbed, her voice trembling.The crowd hushed, encircling her in alarm."Whose blood is that?""Are you hurt?"Questions flooded from the villagers."Do not frighten the child with your clamor," the old storyteller commanded. "Let her speak."Silence fell like a stone.Vargr knelt beside the girl, his voice calm yet firm. "What happened?""Three men came to the gate," she stammered. "They asked for Lena... they wanted to know which of us was her. None of us knew what to say... so they grabbed us, and..." Her breath hitched."And?" Vargr urged."They... they killed one of us," she whisp
Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   39: "The Prophecy of Blood and Doom"
Later that evening. The village gathered around a roaring bonfire. Sparks danced into the night sky, carried by the crisp breeze. Children giggled as they chased each other, their faces glowing in the firelight. Lena sat close to the fire, her gaze fixed on the old man at its center. He stood with a wooden staff in hand, his voice carrying over the crowd."Love," the old man began, "is not born from words or promises alone. It thrives in patience, in sacrifice... in choosing to stay when walking away feels easier."The crowd murmured in agreement. Some couples linked hands, others exchanged quiet smiles."Respect," the man continued, "isnât just listening when itâs easy. Itâs understanding when words wonât come, and choosing kindness when anger tempts you otherwise."Lena shifted closer to the fire. Memories stirredâher motherâs laugh, her gentle hand resting on her shoulder. She remembered her village before the raids, before slavery, before her life had been stolen from her. The
Surrogate Bride To The Alpha Stand-in   38: Bonds Tested, Trust Betrayed
Vargr followed Lena down the narrow forest path.After a short trek, they reached a clearing where a grand carriage stood waiting. Two powerful black horses stood hitched to it, their breath misting the cool night air.A cloaked figure leaned against the carriage, hand on the hilt of a sheathed sword. At the sight of Lena, he straightened.âYouâre late,â the man said, his voice sharp yet familiar.Vargrâs eyes narrowed. The manâs face was hidden beneath his hood, but the smug stance â and the hint of a smirk â put Vargr on edge.âWhoâs this?â Vargr asked, stepping protectively beside Lena.She ignored him, pulling open the carriage door. âWe need to leave. The guards will notice I'm gone soon.ââYou didnât answer my question,â Vargr pressed.The cloaked man chuckled. âRelax.â He pushed back his hood, revealing sharp features and dark hair. âNameâs Jaime.ââFriend of mine,â Lena said. âHeâs helping us.ââHelping us do what?â Vargr shot back.âGet away,â Jaime answered. âUnless youâd ra
