MasukROSENTINEWeeks had gone by, and honestly, I still wasn’t used to the way the pack had started treating me. Everyone was suddenly so warm, so considerate, some of them even pulling me aside to apologize for how things used to be.It was strange, almost too much, like stepping into a dream where the world had flipped upside down overnight. But I was learning to accept it, little by little, and deep down, I knew I appreciated their effort.Most of all, I was relieved to be accepted as their future Luna, something I hadn’t dared to hope for before.“Are you okay, sis?” I asked, glancing over at Rosalia as we shared tea under the gazebo of her annex. It had become a habit these past few days, ever since we made up.At first, being with her felt awkward, like we were both wearing shoes that didn’t quite fit, but over time, something between us began to shift. The silences grew more comfortable; the smiles, more genuine.“Yeah, I was just a bit dizzy.” Rosalia’s voice was quiet, but it star
ROSENTINE“Do you really have to go back to the north? We’re already complete again, why do you need—”“Stop,” Rosalia sighed as she looked at our mother, who was desperately trying to stop us from leaving.Everything was still a shock to me: the loss of the baby, the truth about Rosalia's actions, and the fact that Ezekiel gave up just like that. I was expecting him to protest, but surprisingly, he didn't.Was it because he was shocked by what happened the other night? Or perhaps, Bastian said something to him? Either way, I was glad that he stopped his sudden obsession with me.Still, I couldn't help but feel sad that I had to lose the child growing inside of me just to make everything go back to normal. Even though it wasn't mine, the pain still lingered deep inside me, heavy enough that sometimes I caught myself placing a hand over my stomach without thinking.“Rosentine,” my mother called me, her voice trembling slightly. “Can’t you forgive us? I know we’ve wronged you, but it’s
ROSALIAMy body wouldn’t stop shaking as I looked at my sister’s unconscious state. When the doctor told her that she had miscarried, she passed out, and until now, there had been no sign of her waking up.The doctor explained that she’d been under too much stress, and the emotional trauma of losing the baby had overwhelmed her. As a result, we were advised to keep her environment calm and supportive to aid her recovery, physically and emotionally.But I didn’t know how I was supposed to help her, not when I was part of the reason she’d been so stressed these past weeks.Guilt curdled in my stomach, twisting tighter every time I glanced at her. I should have protected her. Instead, I’d made things worse, piling my own anger on top of everything she was already dealing with.“Rosie, you should rest—”“Leave.” My voice came out flat, cold, before I even looked at my mother standing in the doorway. I didn’t want to see her face.I didn’t want to see any of them, not when every time I loo
ROSENTINEI couldn’t bring myself to meet Alpha Bastian’s eyes, not after Ezekiel so bluntly told him we planned on getting married. If I looked up, I might see something in his expression that would make me hesitate, and if I hesitated, I might not be able to go through with this at all.It was safer to keep my gaze fixed on the table, my dinner growing colder by the second, pretending I didn’t notice the tension radiating off him. The last thing I wanted was to see disappointment, or worse, betrayal, flicker across his face. If I saw that, I might shatter completely.And as if things weren’t already complicated, he’d brought Rosalia. I should have been happy for her, and maybe on some level I was, seeing her finally reunited with my family. Yet, somehow, I couldn’t help but feel the bitterness that lingered in my heart.Jealousy, of all things. I’d never wanted to be the kind of person who let envy take over, but here I was, feeling it anyway. I repeated to myself, over and over, th
BASTIAN“Still no news about my sister?” Rosalia asked, and I shook my head.It had been twenty-four hours since Rosentine vanished, and the sting of that was still fresh. I’d already punished the warriors guarding the gates yesterday, but it didn’t make the knot in my gut loosen even a little.“We have to wait for Owen.” I raked a hand through my hair, the motion rougher than I intended as my mind spun with possibilities, most of them too dark to linger on.I didn’t want to believe she’d run away, that she’d betray me—not Rosentine, not after everything, but the doubt kept creeping in anyway, making my whole body tense.“Bastian!” Owen burst into my study, the urgency in his voice mirrored in his wide eyes. Joseph was right behind him, looking just as frantic. The air in the room changed, and some part of me couldn’t help but brace for the worst.“What is it?” I demanded, my voice sharp with tension. Owen then exchanged a glance with Joseph before speaking.“One of the patrols caught
ROSENTINEIt was uncomfortable. Unbearably so. Sitting at the dining table, surrounded by my family, the previous Alpha and Luna, and my ex-mate, the one who’d mistreated and abandoned me, I felt every old wound throbbing open again.Their presence was like a bruise I kept bumping into, stirring up a mess of resentment and sadness in my chest. Still, I forced myself to sit there. I had to. For my pregnancy, for the life inside me.“Do you really intend to take that woman back?” Ryan asked, his brows furrowed as he glared at me, as if my very existence was a nuisance.I gritted my teeth, feeling that tightness in my lungs, but I kept my breathing even. My hands drifted to my stomach, holding it as if that alone could ground me, remind me why I needed to keep calm.“I told you Rosalia’s alive, there’s no reason to hate Rosentine anymore,” Ezekiel said, his voice unwavering. My parents turned to each other, uncertain, and so did the previous Alpha and Luna. Even the maids, standing at th
BASTIAN“What’s this?” I asked, the words slipping out as Owen handed me an envelope.The moment my eyes landed on the seal, a familiar coldness crept up my spine—it was from the palace.“It’s an invitation for the Crown Prince’s twenty-sixth birthday,”I let out a sigh, remembering it now as I ope
ROSENTINEI couldn’t sleep, no matter how gentle the sheets were or how warm the room felt. My mind kept circling back: I was pregnant, and that alone was a lot—but it was Mrs. Jane’s words, her advice, that messed with my thoughts, refusing to let go.She’d explained everything so clearly, almost
ROSENTINE“Are you certain that’s enough?” Alpha Bastian asked after he bought the crochet tools for me. I tried to insist on paying, but his stubbornness won out, and he ended up buying them. I simply nodded, and he took the paper bag from my hands to carry it himself. “Where do you want to head n
ROSENTINEA few more weeks slipped by, and I found myself growing accustomed to the northern weather. The chill that once gnawed at my bones now felt almost familiar, and even, oddly enough, appreciated.Life here was easy and peaceful, so much so that sometimes I caught myself crying out of sheer







