{Lyra}The late morning sun gleamed off the polished body of the private jet waiting just beyond the fence, and the car came to a stop in front of the private airstrip. Before I could even reach for the handle, Dominic was already out and opening the door for me while his hand extended down to me. A few black-suited staff members moved quickly toward the trunk to unload our bags.Mirabel had helped me pack. Or should I say she did the packing while I stared off into space and thought about how incredibly reckless this all was. A whole week alone with an Alpha. An infuriatingly perceptive Alpha who smelled like pinewood and sin.My heart gave a painful thump. “Moon goddess,” I muttered under my breath as I climbed out of the car, “give me strength.”The flight crew stood by the staircase, their heads bowed low in reverence to Dominic and his new Luna. I kept my gaze ahead, chin slightly lifted as I climbed the stairs, doing my best to look unfazed.But the second I stepped inside that
{Dominic}I couldn’t help myself, I thought I could suppress the surge of desire I felt the second I laid eyes on her in that white towel that hugged her curves in the most tempting way. But clearly, I was fighting a losing battle.When I got into the room, I had heard a noise in the bathroom, and at first I thought of walking out, but my curiosity got the best of me, and suddenly the bathroom door opened. The second I caught sight of her—bare feet, damp hair curling at her shoulders, the short towel clinging to her body that barely hid anything—my wolf exploded.The moment my lips touched hers, it was like every breath I’d ever held back came rushing out all at once. Her lips tasted like heat and sweet citrus, they were impossibly soft, and trembled softly against mine, yet she didn’t pull away. I’d expected resistance, maybe even a slap, but she stood, wide-eyed and breathless.Then she kissed me back, pressing her mouth to mine softly, but it made every cell in my body howl with hu
{Dominic}Her voice caught me off guard. She sounded almost like she was already regretting her decision.“Well, if you're up for it, I thought we could check out the boat. There’s a dock just down the cliff.”She stiffened slightly as her lips twitched, and not in a good way. “I’m not a fan of water,” she murmured, barely meeting my gaze. “Not a fan?” I gave her a suspicious look, “Like you get seasick? Or you just hate the ocean?”She gave me a look. “I almost drowned once. Never stepping foot near it again.”“First air, now water?” I laughed, “You’re quiet the character, aren’t you?”She glared at me, and there was an awkward pause before I finally responded. “Look, you won’t have to swim or even touch the water. The yacht’s massive and it doesn’t rock much. Besides, you'll be inside most of the time with me. I won’t let anything happen to you.”She bit her lower lip, and I could hear her pulse tick up slightly. My gaze focused on how her teeth sank into her bottom lip, and I imm
{Lyra}The sea was calm this morning, swaying gently under the yacht, and the sky was a dim shade of amber, almost like someone had spilled honey across.I pulled my knees to my chest, the hem of my sundress dancing around my ankles in the early breeze. My hair was still damp from my shower; curling slightly at the ends and clinging to the sides of my face. I hadn’t bothered to fix it and instead kept staring out at the shimmering ripples of the ocean. It was our last morning on the yacht, and something about that felt… heartbreaking. I wasn’t ready to leave, and return back to the real world, but even I knew that was a pipe dream.Still, a part of me wanted to hold this particular moment in my hands and freeze it here forever. It wasn’t about the expensive yacht, or even the private island, or the dream beach house, or the fact that I’d finally tasted food that could make you moan in public and not care.It was him.Dominic made this a dream I never asked for. The way he’d laughed a
{Dominic}Her fingers curled into the front of my shirt with surprising strength for someone so delicate, yanking me down before I could think, or even breathe.It was hot, it was messy, and it was divine.I allowed myself to savor the taste of Evangeline as I nibbled softly on her bottom lip; she tasted like margaritas and spice, and her scent filled my nostrils, diminishing what little restraint I had left. Her breath hitched as her fingers moved into my hair, pulling me closer, until I was practically braced above her, one hand on the mattress, the other still half in the air where I’d been about to walk out.“The contract…” I muttered against her lips.A lazy, drunk giggle escaped her mouth. “You never signed the addendum.” Her voice was breathy, and her lips brushed mine. “Technically, we can do whatever we want.”My blood roared like crashing tides, and I kissed her again. It was soft at first, but I wanted more… much more. My arm wrapped around her back, and my other hand gripp
{Lyra}My head felt like it had been split open by a sledgehammer. It pulsed with a dull, unrelenting ache that throbbed behind my eyes.I groaned, cracking one eye open, only to immediately regret it as sunlight poured through the open cabin windows and stabbed right into my skull. Every inch of my skin felt warm, and not the sunburnt, or fever warm, just a burning sensation, spreading from low in my belly, through my limbs like a slowly growing flame.As I shifted under the covers, a creeping awareness overwhelmed me—something wasn’t right. Beneath the silky sheets... “Sweet moon goddess, no!” My hands darted down and confirmed my horror. Aside from my panties, I was completely naked.I let out a high-pitched shriek and shot up in the bed, clutching the covers to my chest as my heart hammered so loudly I thought it might leap from my throat. “What the hell happened last night?!”Images flashed through my mind, and my brain scrambled through foggy memories; his mouth on mine, his han
{Lyra}The moment Ryker muttered her name, I watched the light drain from Dominic’s face like someone had turned off a switch. His whole body went still, just for a second, but I felt the shift. His nostrils flared slightly, and for a second, he didn’t speak.He just kept his gaze on Ryker, and silence filled he entire airstrip. But then he straightened his shoulders and flicked his head. “We’re taking your car.”His hand came up, already motioning toward our driver. “Drop Evangeline off—”“I’m coming with you,” I cut in, before he could finish.His head snapped to me, brows drawing together. “Evangeline, this doesn’t—”“Concern me?” I tilted my head, letting my voice lift with faux sweetness as I stepped closer. “Dominic, this is obviously a family matter. And last I checked, I’m part of the family now, right?”That earned me a long, hard glare. The kind that could’ve made a lesser wolf whimper and back off. But I didn’t move. In fact, I squared my shoulders and leaned in just enough
{Dominic}Doctor Maek’s office always smelled like copper and cold incense. I stepped inside, my boots thudding against the checkered stone tiles as the door swung shut behind me. The old mage sat in his chair and began scribbling something on a parchment and muttering inaudibly.“I’m pretty sure you already know why I want to see you.” I said as calmly as I could.His pen stopped, and he sighed, letting it go, but it remained upright. He folded his fingers in between each other and placed them on top of the desk before him. “I’m aware, Alpha Bloodhound.”He gestured to the leather chair across from him but I didn’t sit. “Suit yourself,” he said, taking out a folder from under the desk. “She’s slipping,” he said, throwing the folder on the table. I picked it up and went through it.“You say that like she hasn’t always been slipping. What does that mean, Maek?”Finally, he lifted his head. Pale, sunken eyes studied me from beneath his furrowed brows. “It means nothing I can do.”My gr
{Dominic}“I’m sorry to disturb the council, Alpha,” the young servant said, shifting awkwardly at the door of the Elder’s chamber. “What is it?” I asked, sharper than I intended.“It’s your mother, Alpha. She collapsed and was rushed to the hospital. Lady Odessa is with her.”For a second, I stopped breathing. I wasn’t sure what I felt; despite everything, despite her betrayal and her alliance with Corvin, she was still my mother.“I must leave now,” I turned, ready to walk out.“We are not finished with this meeting,” Corvin barked from his seat, his voice was as arrogant as ever.I stopped, just shy of the door. “Are you out of your mind? That’s your sister.” I fought to stop myself from yelling. “Have you no love in your heart?”Corvin didn’t flinch. “Everything I do, I do for the good of this pack. That is what a true leader does.”I let out a bitter scoff and turned toward him. “Then may the Moon Goddess bless this pack, because if you're the model of what a true leader is mean
{Lyra}Panic surged through me as the sterile scent of disinfectant clawed up my nose, only adding to the nausea that settled in my stomach. My heart shook in my chest like it wanted out, and my limbs felt like water. I tried to sit up, but the moment I soved, the nurse’s sharp gaze caught me. “Stay still, sweetheart," she said, her voice like sugar-coated poison. “I’ll be right back.”Before I could move again, thick leather restraints snapped around my wrists and ankles as the nurse restricted me to the bed. I wriggled uselessly, and my wolf felt sluggish and angry, but still too weak to do anything. The sedatives they’d pumped into me earlier still kept her at bay, and all I could do was stare at the door as it closed behind the nurse.“I have to get out of here,” I whispered to no one in particular. My voice was hoarse, and my eyes darted around the room for a way out. The nurse definitely knew who I was; my face had been splashed across every single news channel as the wife of
{Dominic}It had been a pretty long while since I stepped through the polished glass doors of NovaCore. The familiar scent of cedarwood polish, cold steel, and faint traces of coffee welcomed me as I walked in.The moment my boots hit the marble floors, heads had already begun to turn. It was times like these that I honestly didn’t need to announce myself; my presence kind of did that on its own. Every wolf in that lobby straightened their spine, and their eyes widened like they’d seen a ghost. I caught the words “Alpha” and “Founder” more times than I could count as I made my way to the elevators.Before I even made it, a young woman—Cynthia, if I remembered correctly—scrambled up from behind the receptionist desk, and quickly approached me.“Alpha, sir, welcome back. CEO Ryker is in his office. I’ll just—” she reached for the desk phone to inform him of my arrival.“No need,” I said flatly, brushing past her.She froze mid-dial as I stalked past the glossy walls of the executive wi
{Dominic}Mace’s screams had stopped being human a long time ago. The sound of her voice ripped through Allen’s tower like she was dying, and her body kept jerking so hard that it rattled the silver chains clamped around her wrists and ankles. The corruption had almost taken her, that much was easy to tell. My eyes followed the black veins that moved from the gash across her stomach, reaching all the way to her collarbone, to her arms, and even her jaw. Half her face looked like it was covered in a spiderweb of dark veins.She didn’t even smell like herself anymore; the scent of her wolf had been buried beneath the smell of blood and decay. Mace was strong, I could still sense the fight inside of her, but she was fading away right before my eyes.I tore my gaze away from her and turned to Allen, who stood beside his bubbling cauldron with his sleeves rolled up, and eyes completely focused on what he was doing.“Are you sure this will work?” I asked.Allen didn’t so much as spare me a
{Lyra}The iron door groaned open, and the stench of rot and mildew gave way to fresher air, mixed faintly with pine and dust. My eyes squinted against the sudden shift in light as Varen dragged me up the narrow staircase.My knees buckled the moment we reached the top step, but I didn’t dare fall. I stumbled forward, feeling the unexpected warmth of hardwood beneath my feet. For a moment, my brain refused to process what I was seeing. The chipped hallway mirror, the floral wallpaper faded by time, the scuff mark on the left panel of the stair rail… I knew this place.My throat closed. “This is… my house.”Varen didn’t look at me as he kept walking. “Surprised?” his tone dripped with mockery. I turned in a slow circle, taking everything in. To think there was a freaking cellar under the very safehouse I and Isaac had been living in all that time.“How long has it been there?” I whispered softly.“Does it matter?” he said, stopping in his tracks and turning to look at me. “You’re out
{Lyra}My bare legs ached from the cold, rough concrete. My wrists were free, but what did that even matter when my legs were bolted to the wall like some wild dog. I shifted slightly, dragging the chains with me, clinking like mocking bells. The cellar stank of mildew, dried blood, and damp rot. Somewhere above, water dripped steadily, echoing down the stairwell like a ticking clock, slowly driving me mad.I pulled at the shackles again with a sigh. Varen wasn’t stupid; he knew the moment I tried to break free and run, he’d catch me before I even made it past the first step. So he gave me the illusion of freedom, just enough to remind me I had none.My ankles burned from the chafing iron, and the wall behind me was stained with scratches where I’d tried clawing my way out on the first night, or maybe it was the third. I’d stopped counting after the nausea set in from lack of food.I leaned my head back against the wall and closed my eyes. My wolf whimpered in the back of my mind, cu
{Dominic}The creature collapsed with a sickening crunch, and its brittle limbs broke apart like scorched paper. I stood over it, with my chest heaving, and blood dripping from my claw. My breath still came in short gasps, and I could still taste the acrid magic that had spilled from Sorren’s body.There it was—the vial.It had rolled just a few inches from his fingers, faintly glowing with a sick green glow. I crouched slowly, even with trembling hand, and picked it up. The essence inside sloshed dangerously.“Hopefully, this is enough to save Mace,” I muttered and slipped it into the pouch at my hip, sealing the flap shut.Only then did I notice the taste of blood, and the pain hit me all at once.My legs buckled, and I slammed my palm into the stone wall to steady myself. The gash in my side throbbed with every single breath. My arm felt limp, and my shoulder was probably dislocated. My ribs ached like they’d caved in. And still, I forced one foot in front of the other.“Get back t
{Dominic}The passage narrowed the farther I went, until, being in my full wolf form, I had to lower my head and turn my shoulders slightly just to move forward. It finally became too narrow to remain in my full wolf form, so I shifted into my Lycan form.Each time I took a breath, the stench of rot and burned flesh fused into one putrid odor.The pressure around the tomb had changed as well. It felt strong and heavier. It seemed the magic had condensed into the air and became so thick I could practically taste it on my tongue.I finally reached an opening, and the tunnel gave way to a wide, but hollow cavern where the only source of light was the veins of sickly green light running through the stone walls. There were bones littered on the ground, broken and scattered.From the looks of the skulls, femurs, and ribs snapped in half and somewhat gnawed on, I could only imagine the horrors that went on there.A low scrape echoed through the chamber, and I lifted my head to see a figure c
{Dominic}Ryker didn’t bother speaking to me as we walked. My legs barely worked, but somehow I kept moving. The forest disappeared behind us as we left the Grove behind, and the moon seemed to follow us out.I kept looking over my shoulder, half-expecting the wind to shift and Evangeline to be standing there, barefoot in the moonlight, with that spark in her eyes and her usual smirk.But she wasn’t there.I wanted to believe that she wasn’t gone, that she was somehow still out there. But if that was true, then how was I supposed to find her? There was no scent, no trace, no trail to follow—nothing but complete and utter silence.And then there was Mace… “Moon goddess help me.” She was slipping deeper into the darkness that hadcorrupted her, and it was my job to find the source of that corruption. So how the fuck was I supposed to do both? How do you choose between saving a loyal Delta, and chasing a ghost?By the time we arrived at the Elder’s Villa, Corvin’s voice was the first th