"Here, this is for you." Sarah hands me the plate, a grin spreading across her face."You didn’t come down for dinner, so I thought I should bring you some," she says casually.I glance at her, then at Audrey, my suspicion flaring."Are they feeding me before they kill me?" I think to myself, my fingers twitching slightly."Thanks, Sarah. That’s very thoughtful," I respond, forcing a polite smile.I put the plate on my bedside table and cross my arms, waiting for the real reason they’re here to unfold.Audrey finally speaks, breaking the tense silence, "I’m here to talk to you.""Okay," I respond, bracing myself.I motion for her to sit on the couch, and she takes the seat, smoothing out the fabric of her dress. Sarah sits on the edge of my bed, watching me closely.Audrey exhales, "I came here to apologize." She begins.A wave of unexpected relief washes over me, and my eyes squint surprisingly."What are you apologizing for?"Audrey shifts uncomfortably before speaking again. "I’ve
"This way, please." I motion calmly, guiding the new pack members through the compound and showing them where they will be staying.They walk with slouched shoulders, their faces hollow from exhaustion and grief. They look like they haven’t slept or had something to eat for days.I remained behind to ensure everything was ready before Aiden and Audrey arrived with them.Sarah had helped in preparing the rooms, making sure there were enough blankets and supplies. It wasn’t much, but at least they’d have a roof over their heads.But even as I work tirelessly, a gaping hole remains in my heart—a hole caused by Silas.If it weren’t for his hatred, none of this would be happening. These people wouldn’t be here, broken and displaced. Families wouldn’t be torn apart. And their blood wouldn’t be staining the earth.And the worst part is If they ever find out I’m connected to him in any way, they will take their anger out on me.And if I’m being honest, I would let them.I clench my fists, push
"Have a seat, Ingrid." Ezra motions to the chair beside him.I do as he says, and sit beside him and directly opposite Aiden. I feel his gaze on me from the corner of his eye, but I ignore it, keeping my expression neutral.Ezra takes a moment to introduce me to some unfamiliar faces. Most of them are alphas from different packs.The tension in the room can be felt. it's thick with unspoken resentment and frustration."So, how are we going to handle this Silas guy?" alpha Micheal throws the question out with no hesitation, straight to the point.My stomach churns instantly, and a lump forms in my throat.I can feel Ezra and Aiden watching me, waiting for my reaction, but I keep my eyes locked on Michael, a man with a hardened gaze and a voice that commands attention."This man has been a pain in my ass for as long as I can remember. Why has no one done anything about it?" Another alpha asks, his voice edged with frustration.Silence falls over the room as they look around at each oth
LUCIAN"This is your daughter?" Lucian asks, his gaze burning into Ezra before looking back at me with disdain."You must be mistaken, Ezra. She can't be. I know her. I know where she comes from." He sneers, crossing his arms as if he were challenging fate itself.Ezra's eyes narrow, shifting between us, and his stance stiffens."Wait... do you two know each other?" He asks, his voice laced with suspicion.I grip the armrests of my chair, adjusting myself as I force myself to speak."He's the wolf that bit me," I blurt out, my voice louder than I intended.A stunned silence falls over the room, and Ezra stumbles back slightly, the weight of my words physically pushing him."He’s the wolf that cast you out as well?" he asks, his voice lower and more controlled now.I nod, my stomach twisting as I stare into Lucian's unreadable expression.He doesn’t deny it, nor does he flinch.He simply tilts his head, looking at me like I’m a puzzle he can’t quite solve.Ezra clenches his jaw, his ga
The moment Lucian storms out of the room, tension crackles in the air like a brewing storm. The silence is brief but then shattered instantly by Michael slamming his hand on the table."We need him, Ezra. His pack is full of warriors," Michael claims, tapping his hand against the wooden table with sharp, deliberate movements."He’s not wrong," another alpha chimes in, crossing his arms over his chest. "Lucian may be arrogant, but he is a strong alpha. His pack follows him with unwavering loyalty. We need to bring him back."The third alpha, who had been quiet until now, leans forward. "Without him, our chances against Silas weaken considerably. Like it or not, we need him."Ezra exhales sharply and sinks into his chair, rubbing his temples as if trying to fight off a raging headache."Clearly, he doesn’t want to be here. What can we do?" He asks, his voice quieter now, tinged with frustration and something that looks like defeat."We need to sweeten the deal. That’s what we must do,"
A loud, almost hysterical laugh escapes me as Ezra’s words ring in my ears.Ezra watches me like I’ve gone mad, but he doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t take it back."What did you just say?" I demand, needing confirmation that I didn’t just mishear something so absurd.Ezra takes a deep breath, his face unreadable. "You are going to be Lucian’s Luna. In the human world, that means you will marry him."I laugh again—louder, more unhinged. He has to be joking."I hope you told them that will never happen." I declare, shaking my head in disbelief.Ezra stands abruptly, his entire demeanor shifting into something I’ve never seen before. His eyes darken, his jaw tightens, and the air around us suddenly feels heavier."Ingrid," he barks, his voice firm, and unyielding. "You will marry Lucian. That is not up for debate, it’s an order coming from your alpha."My breath catches in my throat. He’s serious. He’s not joking.The weight of his words slams into me like a freight train, knocking the breat
LUCIAN."Lucian, there are people here to see you." Dash’s voice interrupts my focus as I go through some documents, sipping my coffee.I exhale sharply, already irritated."Who is it? Can they wait?" I growl, not in the mood for unnecessary disruptions."It’s the Alphas. They are here to talk to you."That gets my attention. I set my cup down and rub my temples.If they are here in person, it must be something serious. I take a deep breath before nodding."Send them in."I lean back in my chair, waiting for whatever nonsense they’ve come to throw at me.The three Alphas step into my office, each carrying the weight of something unspoken.I motion for them to sit, but none of them speak right away. I already don’t like this."To what do I owe this visit?" I ask, cutting straight to the point.They glance at one another before turning to Michael, who shifts uncomfortably in his seat."I don’t have all day. Someone speak or get the fuck out." I bark, my patience wearing thin.Michael cle
INGRIDIt’s been almost a week since I last saw Ezra.No one was allowed to visit me in my so-called new chambers.My only contact with the outside world has been the food that magically appears on my bedside table while I’m asleep.I’ve tried everything to get out, picking the lock, forcing the door open, even breaking the lamp to use a shard of glass as a weapon, but nothing works.Now, I lie on my bed, staring at the ceiling, my body tense with determination.“Tonight, I will catch whoever sneaks in." I whisper to myself.“Kira, help me stay awake,” I whisper.Silence.She has been giving me the silent treatment ever since I refused to marry Lucian.We argued for hours—her insisting that I should do what’s best for the pack and me refusing to let politics dictate my life. So, when I wouldn’t back down, she simply stopped talking.I check the clock on my bedside table and I see it’s almost midnight. Someone will be coming in any minute now.I hear faint footsteps approaching, and my
LUCIANI gaze down at her, both of us frozen in the moment.Slowly, I tilt my head down, our foreheads coming together. I lean in closer, waiting for her to make the first move, just to be sure she desires me as much as I crave her.My lips hover just above hers as we share shallow breaths."Are you going to kiss me or not, Lucian?" she barks out, impatient. I don't waste another second; my mouth meets hers, and I kiss her with desperate urgency.My hands move to the back of her neck, closing the remaining distance between us, and in response, her hands find their way to my back, grasping tightly enough for me to feel her nails digging in.Today, she's different from the other day; she is hungrier for me, which only fuels my own desire.I spin her around and pin her against the pool wall, my fingers slowly sliding up her inner thighs.She lets out a small moan and spreads her legs, granting me permission.I slip a finger beneath her panties, and tease her by gently caressing her clit.
LUCIAN.I couldn’t believe what I was reading.Each page felt like a dagger to the heart — like I was being dragged deeper into a truth I never asked for.At first, I told myself the journals were just stories. Just fiction. Maybe even training manuals or old records from long ago.But the moment I read the words rogues and torture, the denial started to crumble.Page after page, it got worse.They had brought in a hunter and made a deal with him.His job was to “reform” the rogues or eliminate them if they were too violent. As if reforming ever meant to torture.I start to imagine how they might have convinced themselves they were doing it for the good of the pack. For peace, even order.But peace doesn’t come from pain. And order can never be built on blood.After Ingrid left the room, I found myself sifting through the letters and the rest of the journals she had tried to show me earlier — the ones I refused to believe.Among them, I found another journal.This one was my mother’s.
LUCIAN"So, who is Thomas Blackwood?" Lucian asks, pointing to the name scrawled at the bottom of the parchment.I stretch out my hand, pick up the hunter's manual, and place it in front of him."Probably the same man who wrote this," I mutter, my eyes flicking between the book and the letter.Lucian opens the manual and begins flipping through its pages, starting slowly and then speeding up.With every line he reads, I see the shift in his expression. His jaw clenches, and his hands curl into fists, followed by his eyes beginning to burn red with fury."They did all these things to me, Ingrid, everything written in this book," he blurts, slamming the book shut.I nod silently, sympathizing with him."Is he the author?" Lucian asks, his eyes locking with mine.I shake my head quickly. "No. But I think... his father was."Lucian jolts up so fast his chair screeches backward.He slams his hand down on the desk with force that a cloud of dust bursts into the air.I cough as it fills my l
INGRID.I hadn’t laughed like that in such a long time.It was refreshing seeing Lucian freak out like that, mainly because he always looks so uptight and in control. Like nothing could ever catch him off guard.But somehow... I did.After breakfast, he heads back upstairs, and I remain behind to clear the kitchen and wash the dishes just in case we need them later.Once I’m done, I decide to explore the house a little more, especially if we’re going to be stuck here longer than planned.I start on the ground floor, wandering from room to room, admiring the furniture and the paintings on the walls.They are everywhere. Like his parents were obsessed with art or something.Everything in this house looks custom made. Handcrafted and one of a kind. The other houses Lucian owns don’t come close to this.I make it to the end of the hallway and spot a narrow staircase leading down to what must be the basement.Curious, I head down to see the wine cellar Lucian mentioned to me.At the bottom
LUCIANSleeping next to Ingrid turns out to be one of the worst ideas I’ve had in a long time.The moment I heard her quietly slip into the bed, my heart started pounding, and I could feel the sweat gathering on my back under the sheets.She isn’t anywhere near me; she had made sure to lie as far as possible, but it doesn’t matter. My body still betrays me, aching for her in ways I can’t control.I close my eyes and try to focus on getting some rest. I toss, turn, and even count to a thousand in my head.Eventually, exhaustion wins, and I drift into a shallow sleep. But it doesn’t last.I am jolted awake by sounds. Soft, pained whimpers coming from her side of the bed.I blink my eyes open in the darkness and switch on the bedside lamp.Ingrid looks restless.Her head keeps thrashing lightly from side to side, her fingers clawing at the headboard. She moves her legs as if she is trying to escape something. She must be trapped in a nightmare.I slide closer to her and gently place a h
INGRID“Mmh.. what is that smell?” Kira’s voice jolts me awake.I open my eyes slowly, disoriented for a moment.I look down and notice I’m still wrapped in a towel, lying above the comforter where I must have passed out after soaking my body in bath salts for almost an hour.My body feels relaxed, but my senses are immediately drawn to the sweet, mouthwatering scent wafting through the air.I sit up, stretch my feet out of bed, and yawn. Kira’s right, something smells heavenly.I drag myself to the dusty closet and open it only to find a surprising assortment of clothes that happen to be my size.I sift through them quickly and pick out a simple t-shirt and a pair of jeans, brush my hair, and tie it into a high ponytail.This somewhat makes me feel human again.I head downstairs, my bare feet silent against the old floorboards. The scent grows stronger with every step until I find myself standing at the threshold of the kitchen.Lucian is there, in the middle of the room, sleeves rol
LUCIAN."How much further are we walking, Lucian? I'm tired," Ingrid whines from behind, her footsteps growing slower with each passing minute."We should have taken the truck," she adds with a frustrated sigh.I turn my head just enough to arch a brow at her, but don’t slow my pace.“That truck might have a tracker hidden somewhere, Ingrid,” I explain curtly, even though I had a few more times. “I can’t risk any of them finding us.”I don’t wait for her to argue back, I simply turn back around and keep moving, weaving between the trees."You haven’t even told me where we’re going," she points out after a few moments of heavy silence. "Is it to a motel or something?"I almost laugh, at how cute she is. Like I would sleep in some cheap motel.“No, not a motel,” I reply glancing at her over my shoulder. "I know somewhere better. Somewhere we can lie low for a few days until we can come up with a real plan."She falls silent for a few moments, and I think maybe she's given up complaining
INGRIDI see movement from where Lucian lies, and instinctively, I lean forward in my chair, my body tense, hoping he’s finally awake.I watch as his eyes flutter open, and relief floods through me like a crashing wave. I jolt from my seat and rush to his bedside, my heart pounding in my chest."How are you feeling? Have you healed?" I ask quickly, stretching out my hand toward his shoulder, desperate to check for myself.He shits, gritting his teeth slightly as he forces himself to sit up."Yes. I’ve healed." He mumbles.I give him a faint smile and nod, swallowing the lump of exhaustion caught in my throat."Good. That's good. You've been out for almost two days," I mutter, my voice coming out hoarse from lack of sleep.Lucian arches his brow, clearly surprised. "You haven’t slept the whole time?" he asks, concern laced in his voice.I sigh heavily, rubbing my tired eyes with my palm. "Someone had to keep watch... just in case," I respond casually, even though my body screams with f
INGRID."We're here," I pant, my voice barely above a whisper as I come to a halt in front of the old abandoned cabin.The place looks even more broken than I remembered—boards hanging loose, windows cracked, the front porch sagging like it might collapse under our weight."How do you know this place?" Lucian asks, his eyes scanning the woods, then flicking warily back to the cabin.I hesitate before answering, the old hurt rising like smoke in my chest."It's where I stayed when you chased me out of your territory," I blurt, my throat tightening.The words hang in the air for a moment, causing a little bit of tension.Lucian looks away in pretense, and changes the subject quickly."Are you sure it’s safe?" he asks, his hand pressing against his stomach almost instinctively."Yes," I respond quickly. "I'm sure, they probably think we’ve already left Shadow Ridge by now."I climb the creaking steps onto the porch and peek inside through a broken window. "It’s clear!" I call back. "No o