After several rounds of lovemaking, Darina felt languorous, a dreamy, relaxed exhaustion, and decided to call it a day. She strolled through the garden enhaling scent of jasmine before retreating to the bedroom.
Suddenly she heard a cry and found Kelly sitting exactly where they had first met. Kelly was sobbing loudly, her face buried in her palms. Darina knelt and gently hugged her, drawing comforting circles on her back. “Kelly, what happened?” Kelly continued to sob, barely audible: “He… I didn’t want … I didn’t mean to… I just… I’m so sorry.” Darina mind‑linked Omega, requesting water and chamomile tea; shortly after, she received a tray with both. She handed Kelly the water first. Once she’d emptied the glass, Darina gave her the tea. “Just drink it and relax. Breathe in… and out.” They sat silently while Kelly sipped her tea, enveloped in Darina’s warm hands. Once her tears had dried, KelKai was destroying everything in sight. His fists crashed through wood, chairs splintered, and a bookshelf toppled to the floor with a thunderous thud. His breath came in gasps, ragged and uncontrolled. The image of Darina—bound, bruised, possibly screaming—was seared into his mind.He couldn’t bear it.There were still thirty minutes until the emergency meeting. Thirty minutes too long.He slammed his fist into the edge of his desk, sending papers scattering. A vase shattered against the far wall. Fury pulsed through his veins like wildfire.The door swung open. “Enough!”Queen Victoria stood in the doorway, her tone firm, but her eyes soft with pain.“Honey,” she said, stepping inside, “your rage won’t save her. You need a clear mind.”She crossed the room and pulled him into a hug.Kai stood stiff for a moment, his heart pounding like war drums. But her presence—the scent of lilacs, the familiar warmth—slowly pierced through the haze of his fury.
Darina was still shaken by the encounter with Jake. She sat on the stone slab, hugging her knees, rocking softly to soothe herself. She needed to warn Kai. Under no circumstances should he give up his rights to the throne. Even if her life was at stake. The well-being of all werewolves was more important than her life—they didn’t deserve to fall into the clutches of a vengeful maniac.The door creaked open, and she jumped off the slab, startled.A man she had never seen before entered her cell. He looked to be in his mid-thirties, well-built, with a short military cut of raven-black hair. A thin scar ran down his right cheek. His green eyes were fixed on her, like he was trying to drink in her appearance, and inspect every inch of her.He could have been considered handsome, but that violent, evil grin twisted his face into something repulsive.He stepped closer, lifting her chin and locking eyes with her."Well, well, well. The face is defini
Beta Ashar stomped into his tent. The army was still not where he wanted them to be. They needed much more training as some warriors were new and inexperienced. They had not acquired enough valuable allies to strike. He tried to burn away his fury during the exhausting training, but countless hours of running and sparring did not calm the burning anger inside him. He was burning and hungry, but not for food. He glanced at his five slaves sitting in the corner of the tent on the furs. Bianca cast her eyes down, silently praying that he would not select her this time. And it looked as though a goddess had heard her prayer. His gaze stopped on Clarissa. “Clarissa,” spat the beta, “come here.” Clarissa’s face lit up as if she had just won an award. She came to him and knelt at his feet. “Yes, master. What do you want me to do?”
Kai looked at Julie, studying her. The person in front of him was completely unfamiliar. He could never have imagined that such a lovely, soft woman with an angelic face could be a culprit. He cursed himself for underestimating her for believing in the illusion she had crafted to deceive everyone.They were in the dungeon, in a cell spelt to suppress magic. To his surprise, Julie looked neither upset nor desperate despite being locked away."I’m asking you one last time—where is my mate?" Kai growled.Julie laughed loudly. "I’ll say it again. She’s in the dungeon at the rogue camp.""Tell me the location of the camp," Kai said sternly.Julie laughed again, and her laughter was getting on his nerves. "And why would I do that?""If you don’t, I’ll beat it out of you," he warned, stepping closer."Oh, I’m trembling in fear," she mocked, rolling her eyes. "My dear prince, you wouldn’t dare touch me. Because whatever you do to me, my mate will do to yours."
Darina opened her eyes. The pulsating headache was killing her. She was in a dungeon, in a large cell of cold stone with no windows. The only exit was a wooden door fitted with a tiny peephole that revealed a narrow corridor lined with more stone walls. The stench and the lack of fresh air hinted that the dungeon lay far below ground. Inside, there was only a stone slab for a bed and a dirty bucket. Her hands were cuffed and chained to the wall, stretched just far enough to reach the bucket and the bed. She felt terribly weak and wasn’t able to reach Coral, nor could she establish a mind‑link. Someone injected her wolfsbane, making her wolf dormant, and she was basically like a human now. Darina sighed deeply, recalling how she came to be here. She had left the garden with Maya to head to Kai’s study to tell him all about Julie, when suddenly, like the flick of a finger, Maya vanished. In the next instant, two figures appeared out of the shado
Relaxed and joyful after spending time with Darina, Kai was finishing the last of his paperwork before calling it a day. A soft knock interrupted him, and his father, King Lucas, entered the study. “I am proud to see that you’re taking your responsibilities seriously,” he said, tapping Kai’s shoulder in encouragement. Kai nodded, a wide smile spreading across his face. “Dad, have you considered my request to meet with Alpha Jacob? A conversation with him could shed a lot of light on the rogue problem.” King Lucas sighed. “Only because you asked will I go to see Jacob—not as a king, but as a former friend.” Kai frowned in surprise. “Were you that close before?” King Lucas settled into his chair. “We were like brothers—until we fell in love with the same woman. He wanted Victoria for himself and tried to speak ill of her so I wouldn't seal our bond. I don’t tolerate insults toward your mother… and we