CHAPTER 101: HOPE AND RAGE MAXIM: I paced the length of the infirmary, and continued to run my fingers through my tangled hair, eyes fixed on the bloodstained linens being peeled away from Venus’s side. Her body had always been warm, vibrant and alive. But now, she was pale and still. The sight of her blood had almost shattered something in me. The pack doctor pressed gauze to her side and whispered to his assistant, nodding at the fresh sutures. My heart hammered as I took a hesitant step toward her. “Is she going to be okay?” He glanced up, then back down at Venus. “Her healing is slower than expected,” he murmured, “but I’ve managed to stop the bleeding. She’s strong, Alpha. She’ll pull through.” I exhaled shakily and sank into the chair beside the bed, taking her cold hand in mine and brushing a kiss across her knuckles. “You’re going to be okay, little Luna. You have to be.” The doctor leaned closer as he checked her vitals again. His voice dropped to a whisper, barely ab
CHAPTER 100: THE FACE BEHIND THE MASK MAXIM: I didn't want Venus killed so I raised both hands in the air, heart pounding like a war drum as I took a cautious step back. The sight before me made my blood run cold—Venus, my little Luna, was being held hostage by a masked bastard with a silver blade pressed against her delicate throat. "Not another step, Alpha Maxim," the masked man hissed for the third time, his voice muffled but low and dangerous. “You move, she dies.” Venus whimpered, but she was trying to be brave. Her hazel eyes locked onto mine, silently assuring me that she'll be okay. I swallowed down the beast’s growl crawling up my throat and kept my voice level. “Easy,” I said slowly, my hands still raised, my every instinct screaming at me to rip this guy to shreds. “You’re clearly not just some common thug. You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that.” The masked man didn’t respond immediately. His stance was tight, blade steady, but the slight twitch of his fingers told me he
CHAPTER 98: THE PRICE OF POWERMAXIM:I began a count down, my eyes locked on Draven's. Then Draven reached for his phone, and I felt the tension in the room spike. I didn’t need to be a seer like Venus to know something critical was about to shift. He pressed a button and spoke, calm and clipped.I didn’t need to eavesdrop. I knew exactly what was being said. He was caving.Three minutes later, I got a call.“Alpha Maxim,” one of my men said breathlessly, “The shipment’s been released. Everything’s intact. Cargo is en route to Bloodclaw.”I smiled, slow and dangerous.With a flick of my wrist, I signaled my guards to release the boy. The shackles were undone, and he scrambled toward Draven like a rat escaping fire.But Draven was still in a cage. I had to let him out by muttering some ancient words. He howled in anger and lunged towards me. I side stepped and he slammed into one of the posts.I could feel the pulse of power thrumming through my veins as I watched Draven’s boy get sho
CHAPTER 97: STAGING AN EXECUTION MAXIM:All through the day, I thought of a way to have Draven wrapped around my fingers without hurting his son. He knew I wouldn't do it unless I was ready to face the wrath of the Alpha King and probably the Moon Goddess herself.But without hurting his son, Draven wasn't going to bulge even when he has said that the boy wasn't important to him.The sun has begun to dive down the horizon and the square was dead silent when I arrived, my boots thudding against the ancient stones like the pulse of vengeance itself. I could feel the fear and anxiety in the air. And all my pack members were here to witness the execution first hand.Perfect.Draven’s son, Elior, dangled from the blackened iron post in the center of the square. His pale arms were chained above his head, silver shackles biting into his skin. The cursed collar I placed around his neck shimmered faintly with violet veins of magic, the kind that seeped into the marrow and hollowed out the sou
CHAPTER 96: THE CONFLICT DEEPENSMAXIM:The ancient blood moon and wolfsbane smoke was being prepared in a particular room set aside in the maid's quarters. I watched from the window, unable to take my eyes away. “What the hell are they doing?” Venus asked, looking appalled.“Preparing the blood moon and wolfsbane smoke, as you have requested.”She nodded and moved closer. “May the Moon Goddess protect the Bloodclaw Pack.”“So be it,” I said as I took her hand and led her inside. We stayed together, discussing, planning and wishing for the best until night fell.It was still early, and Venus curled up in my arms, breathing evenly. Suddenly, my phone vibrated violently on the table beside me. I didn’t bother checking the caller ID—only a few people had this number. I grabbed it, "Speak," I barked into the phone."Alpha Maxim, we have a situation. The cargo… it’s gone."The words felt like acid."Gone? What the hell do you mean gone?""The containers never made it to the port. Our men
CHAPTER 95: PREPARING FOR WARVENUS:When I got to know what Maxine had done, I hurried to his study. “Maxine…”He stood by the liquor tray, pouring himself a drink with the calm of a man who had just sealed a deal, not committed a declaration of war. His sleeves were rolled up, muscles flexing as he stirred the amber liquid.“You kidnapped a child,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper, trembling with something I couldn’t name—was it rage, fear, disbelief?“I did what I had to do.” He took a slow sip. “In our world, playing fair will have you buried before your mate's scent fades from your clothes.”I folded my arms tightly. “So the answer is to stoop to their level?”“No,” he said, walking toward me, eyes gleaming like steel under pressure. “The answer is to win. To survive. To make damn sure Draven knows I’m not here to play house while he plots to rip apart everything I’ve built. If I didn’t act first, you’d be mourning me instead. Or vice versa.”“But the boy—”“Is safe,” he c