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
LUCIAN"Hey, Dash, I just got word from one of the Alphas that were here." I blurt, a slow smile stretching across my face as I swirl the whiskey in my glass."It looks like there's going to be a ceremony."Dash, who had been lounging on the couch across from me, straightens up, confusion creasing his brow, "What kind of ceremony?"I take a deliberate sip of my drink, letting the words roll off my tongue."it seems like Ingrid has agreed to become my Luna." I respond.Silence follows for a minute until Dash rises on his feet and begins pacing the room."You're marrying that bitch?" he sneers. "She broke my leg and fled."I chuckle escapes my lips shaking my head at his dramatics."No, Dash. You attacked her, and she beat you up. That’s what happened." I remind him, giggling.Dash turns to face me, his fangs peeking out as a low growl rumbles in his chest."I will not let you marry her." He threatens, his breathing increasing by the second.My amusement fades instantly and my grip tigh
INGRIDEver since I agreed to marry Lucian, I’ve been trapped in my own thoughts.I locked myself in my old room, replaying Ezra’s words like a cursed melody in my head."No matter how far you will run, Silas will still find you."It’s the only reason I stayed. The only reason I haven't torn through the walls in an attempt to escape.I had spent hours flipping through old books, reading about what it meant to be a Luna. Some of it wasn’t as terrible as I expected. As long as I stay out of the Alpha’s way, and don’t challenge his authority, I’ll be fine. That is something I can handle.But then I came across the rituals, and that’s when the unease started creeping in.The idea of kneeling before Lucian in front of the entire pack to prove my submission? Didn’t sit right with me. What is this, 1928?I could barely tolerate being in the same room as him, let alone bowing at his feet.And then there was the warrior’s fight—a test of strength, where I’d have to battle a warrior from anoth
INGRIDI spend the next couple of days deep in the woods, training relentlessly.I push myself harder than ever before, making sure my fighting and defense skills are flawless. I can’t afford to be anything less than perfect.I have something to prove, especially to Lucian.He needs to understand that I am not just some girl he can push around and bully whenever he wants.Kira is the guiding force in my head. "Use your speed. Your reflexes. Your heightened hearing. You have advantages that other wolves don’t." she reminds me every time I seem to forget.And she’s right.By the time we finish, I’m covered in sweat, and my muscles are burning with exhaustion."I think we’re ready, Ingrid," Kira whispers, sounding just as tired as I feel.I exhale deeply, stretching my arms."Mmh, let’s go get some rest," I hum in agreement.I grab my bow and head toward the gate when suddenly I hear a crack on the back of my head followed by a sharp pain."FUCK!" I groan, stumbling forward before spinni
INGRIDAfter knocking on Ezra’s door a few times, I finally hear some movement and a second later, the door swings open."Come on in," he blurts, motioning me inside his chambers.I sigh and step inside, my eyes scanning the room before my gaze falls on a box placed on a small table in the corner.Ezra walks toward it and picks it up before turning back to me."I wanted to give you something for your wedding," he grunts, bringing the box to me.I hesitate, looking from the box to his face."Oh, what is it?" I ask, curiosity getting the better of me."It’s a little something. You can open it now if you want," he replies.I take the box from him and place it on the carousel table behind me.I slowly untie the bow, my fingers careful in case it’s something delicate. When I finally push the wrapping paper aside, my breath catches. Inside is a dress. Or rather… a gown.I glance up at Ezra, confusion knitting my brows together. "What is this?""It’s a wedding dress," he snaps. "You can wear
LUCIANThe day to claim my title as the Alpha of the largest pack has finally arrived.The power, dominance, and control will finally be mine. I smirk at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting the cuff of my black tailored suit.By the end of the day, every wolf in the territory will bow to me, and yet, despite my excitement, there’s one thing tainting my mood. And that is Ingrid.The thought of marrying her is a bitter pill to swallow. If there were another way to secure my place in this new pack, I’d take it in a heartbeat.Unfortunately, Ezra and the other Alphas made it clear that this was the only way. She’s the bridge between the packs.A soft touch trails down my back, pulling me from my thoughts.The warm hands glide over my shoulders, and I recognize the scent before she speaks."I still can't believe you're marrying her, Lucian." Victoria’s voice echoes, laced with bitterness.I turn around slowly, catching the pout on her perfectly glossed lips. I grab her waist and pull he
INGRID"You look beautiful, Ingrid," Sarah pulls me from my thoughts, adjusting my veil with delicate fingers.I stare at my reflection, my emotions churning beneath the surface.My mother’s gown fits perfectly, hugging my frame like it was made for me. Maybe it is fate that I was the one meant to wear it.Sarah helps with the final touches, making sure everything is in place but then, the door flies open, and one of Ezra’s men enters."Everyone is settled. They're waiting for you," he announces, taking a quick glance at me before stepping out.I take one final deep breath, lifting the gown slightly."Let’s get this over with," I mutter, forcing my emotions into a locked box deep inside me.Sarah gives me a faint smile and opens the door for me.The hallway outside is breathtaking. There are flowers everywhere, woven into the walls scattered across the floor, creating a path of delicate petals.It looks magical. A wedding fit for a princess. Too bad I’m not the blushing bride.Sarah ge
INGRIDThe crowd erupts into cheers, especially Lucian's pack. Their howls and applause shake the air, a thunderous roar of approval for their new Alpha.I remain still, though my entire body screams to move or at least run.Lucian stands tall, soaking in the admiration, his chest puffed with pride. I can tell he has been living for this moment.I swallow the lump in my throat and turn back to Miriam as she raises her hands, chanting something in the old tongue. The words barely register in my mind, drowned out by the rapid beat of my heart."We have come to the end of the ceremony..." She continues speaking, but I don't hear the rest.All I want is to leave this altar, get out of this dress, and disappear for a minute."Let us all gather at the reception and share our first meal as a pack," Miriam finally concludes.The crowd cheers, their excitement palpable, but I feel nothing.I turn to Lucian, expecting at least a glance or some acknowledgment, but nothing. He’s already busy playi
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