Diana “Irrelevant details? You mean the glaring contradictions in your so-called evidence? The impossibilities in your timeline? The complete lack of logic in the witnesses’ story? Also-“ I glance at the huddling Omega before looking back at her, “how can you just willingly take the testimony of an Omega on behalf of someone else at face value?” I’m not trying to he discriminatory at all. But it’s also the truth that Omega, being the lowest class of wolves are at the complete mercy of the higher ranking wolves in the pack. It would be so easy to coerce them into give a false testimony- just as Marcus has done now. And a body as wise and knowledgable as the Council should be aware of this fact. “It’s obvious they’re being forced”, and the female Omega actually flinches when I say this, her head bowing even lower. Displeased as I am with them, I can’t find it in me to blame them. They are merely pawns in this game. Victims in their own right. As someone who has been in th
Diana The Elders rise from their seats, their robes brushing against the polished floors as they turn and disappear through a grand door behind their table. The heavy oak doors close with a resonant thud, and silence settles over the chamber. Billy stiffens beside me, his breath quick and shallow. He looks like a man waiting for the guillotine to drop, his fear practically radiating off him. Across from me, Marcus looks equally nervous, though he attempts to mask it with a smug tilt of his lips. His eyes dart toward the closed door, then to me, as if trying to gauge my reaction. But I don’t give him anything. Instead, I turn my attention to Dominicus. He hasn’t moved an inch, his posture as relaxed and commanding as it’s been since we walked into this farce of a hearing. His thumb brushes against my palm, a soothing rhythm that anchors me. Barely a few minutes pass before the doors creak open again, and the Elders file back into the chamber, their expressions unchanged. M
Diana The single word hangs in the air like a guillotine. The casual indifference in his voice stuns everyone into silence. “What does that have to do with me?” The room is deathly quiet, the Elders exchanging uneasy glances. Elder Fendel stares at him, his mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. Finally, Fendel sputters, his voice rises in indignation. “Alpha Dominicus, as an Amadeus, you may believe you are above the Council’s power, but Miss Castellanos is not. She is a member of the Zervos Pack and falls under our jurisdiction. We have every right—” “Oh? Didn’t you know?” Dominicus interrupts smoothly. He lifts my hand, pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to the back of it, his gaze never leaving the Elders. His voice drops, cold and chilling. “She’s my mate.” His voice drops, taking on a chilling undertone. “You… want to take my mate away from me?” The Elders go pale, their eyes wide with shock and dawning horror. “M-Mate?” Elder Rothgar stammers. El
Beta MarcusAn Hour Ago I curse the Elders, every last one of them. But most of all, I curse that fucking Alpha Magnus. Especially him. This was never supposed to happen. I had planned everything. I was meticulous. Alpha Magnus was supposed to lodge the complaint, stand before the Elders, and bear the weight of the accusations. He’s the Alpha. He’s supposed to face them, not me. My plan was foolproof. I’d accompany him, of course, but I wasn’t going to step foot inside that room. The moment the doors closed, I was going to disappear. I even had my excuse prepared, one so perfect it couldn’t possibly be questioned. “I’m terribly sorry, Elders, but I was urgently called away for pack business.” Polite. Respectful. Believable. And most importantly, it would have kept me far away from him. None of them—neither the Elders nor Magnus—understand what that thing is capable of. But I do. I’ve seen it. I know exactly what it can do. The sleepless nights I’ve endured since that day ar
Beta Marcus“And on that note…” It’s his voice. Smooth, calm, and deadly.I don’t have to look to know who he’s talking about.Slowly, reluctantly, I lift my gaze.He’s turned to face me.Those eyes—those fucking eyes. They pin me in place, cold and unrelenting, like the icy grip of death itself.My heart plummets to my stomach, and I feel the blood drain from my face.Oh, gods.My breath comes in short, shallow gasps, and my knees threaten to buckle. Every instinct in my body screams at me to run, but I can’t move. I’m trapped, paralyzed under his gaze.“You,” Dominicus says, his voice low and measured. His cold, piercing eyes lock onto me, and my stomach drops. “You hurt my mate. Hunted her down. Tried to take her away from me.”I freeze.Every muscle in my body locks up, refusing to respond. It feels like the temperature in the room has plummeted, an icy chill seeping into my bones. His words echo in my ears, each syllable cutting through me like a blade.I can’t move.I can’t bre
Diana The moment his voice cuts through the chamber, the energy in the room shifts. “And on that note…” I barely register the words before Dominicus turns, his cold, unrelenting gaze settling on Beta Marcus. My breath catches in my throat, and I feel a ripple of anticipation shiver down my spine. Marcus freezes. He looks like he’s staring into the jaws of death itself, his face pale and drenched in sweat. I’ve never seen him look so small. The satisfaction that bubbles up within me is dark and vindictive, but I don’t care. For years, this man has made me exactly the same way. He tormented me with his presence, degraded me into feeling like nothing but an empty female body to be used as wanted, made me feel powerless. He turned my life into a waking nightmare. He had been the monster in my nightmares, and now… now my mate is his. I watch as Dominicus takes a slow, measured step toward him, and Marcus stumbles back, his eyes wide and frantic. My heart pounds, but not with
Diana The sound of creaking hinges breaks the suffocating silence, and the main doors to the chamber swing open. I barely register the figure that steps inside until his voice cuts through the tension. “Diana.” Alpha Magnus. He says my name like it’s a prayer, his voice thick with emotion. But I don’t look at him. I can’t. My entire focus is on Dominicus, on the way he looks like he’s barely holding himself together. I take another step toward him, my heart pounding painfully in my chest. “Dom,” I call softly, my voice trembling. He doesn’t seem to hear me. Tears well up in my eyes, blurring my vision. I don’t care about Magnus. I don’t care about the Elders. All I care about is him. Why does it hurt so much to see him like this? Why does his pain feel so much worse than my own? I bite my lip, trying to steady myself. I was the one who went through it. I was the one who suffered. But watching Dominicus break because of me… it’s unbearable. It’s so much worse. “Dom?
Diana Dominicus, unsurprisingly, does not share Marcus' perspective. His snarl deepens, and with a single, deliberate step, he closes the distance between them. "No, no, no!" Marcus cries, scrambling frantically. "Stay away! Please, I'm sorry! I swear, I'll never-" Dominicus reaches him. And then, the bloodshed begins. It's brutal. It's relentless. And it's slow. Dominicus doesn't simply strike him down —he takes his time, ensuring every moment is filled with agony. His fist connects with Marcus' arm first, the sickening crunch of bone breaking echoing through the chamber. There’s a sickening squelch of flesh tearing as Dominicus’ elongated razor sharp nails tear through his flesh at the same time. Marcus screams, a sound so raw and guttural it sends shivers down my spine. But I can't look away. Logically, I should be horrified. On some level, I am. But more than that, l'm mesmerized. Each blow is calculated, deliberate. Dominicus methodically breaks every limb, which tear
DianaAlaric glances at Dominicus with a worried frown. “The present Amadeus pack used to be the Council Army, and if my information is right, then they should have only about the same headcount as my own Grimmholt pack.”His words are concerned, “It’s a fairly considerable number, but still… that is only the population of a single pack. There are even other packs with numbers higher than mine.”Dominicus gives a small nod, his face unreadable. “That’s true.”For a moment, the tension in the room seems to rise once more.“Will it really by okay? Won’t the Amadeus pack be overwhelmed?” he asks.It’s Eleanor who answers.Her soft, lilting voice fills the space. “Witches, as a whole, have never been a numerous race,” she explains quietly. “And after the war, our numbers were drastically reduced. Compared to the werewolf population, the ratio is roughly… ten to one.”A quiet murmur ripples through the room.Eleanor’s serene expression doesn’t change. “The gods maintain balance. The more p
Diana “Well then, if you’re sure, Alpha Stefan…then sit”. Dominicus’s voice cuts icy, and sharp. Stefan flinches. But then, like a death row prisoner who’s just been granted amnesty, he gives a jerky little nod, quickly dragging his chair over and dropping into it with almost comical urgency, as if afraid the offer might be snatched away if he hesitates. The two Alphas beside him shuffle back toward the table as well, their chairs rolling softly on the polished floor. Dominicus leans back slightly, his eyes cool as they sweep the room. “I believe,” he says smoothly, “that should have convinced you — all of you — just how grossly unmatched any of you would be against a dark witch. And, of course…” His gaze flicks lightly to Eleanor, who smiles pleasantly, “…that you are all sufficiently convinced of Eleanor’s competence.” A moment of strained silence — and then, the polite Alpha seated beside Stefan clears his throat. “Yes, Alpha,” he says quickly, his voice respectful but calm.
DianaEleanor’s smile is soft. Almost pleased. She lets him stew in his own sweat before she speaks.“Mmm… I think that should do.”Then, with a flick of her finger, the blade softens — the sharp crescent dissolves into formless wind, shimmering faintly as it coils around Stefan’s neck.I watch, breathless, thinking it will disappear — but instead, the condensed currents split, sliding smoothly along both sides of his throat, brushing the skin with the gentlest, most deliberate, and menacing caress, before they meet again behind his neck.There, in a heartbeat, the wind snaps back into form, reforming into a razor-fine blade.And then — faster than the eye can track — it whips across the room.CLANG.The windblade slices straight through a steel art sculpture standing by the far wall — a polished metal spiral about thirty centimeters wide — and cuts it clean in half.The halves clatter apart with a ringing sound, the edges gleaming sharp and fresh.The blade itself dissipates before i
Diana Inside, I sigh. He could’ve spared himself this trouble with a single question. One question and he would have been told that witches are masters of disguise and manipulators of perception. But no — this one has to bluster himself straight into a trap. And sure enough, Eleanor’s sweet smile only widens with every word. It’s a gentle, grandmotherly smile — the kind you’d expect from a woman who bakes cookies and knits sweaters — but the longer it lingers, the colder the air feels, until a faint, prickling thread of danger curls along my spine. Quietly, I inch a little closer to Dominicus. Eleanor’s been alive for thousands of years — and though she’s never told me exactly how old she is, one thing is certain: she isn’t the type to let this kind of disrespect slide. Finally, Eleanor tilts her head, her voice as soft as silk. “Would you like… a demonstration?” Alpha Stefan falls silent, his sneer sharpening, and makes a sweeping gesture with his arm — the smug, careless kind
Diana A low growl rumbles from Alpha Darius of the Plena Luna pack. His eyes glint with raw grief. “No. I will avenge my son. I’ll hunt down those bastards myself!” Dom’s sharp edge softens for the grieving father, though just slightly. His voice lowers, gentler, though still firm. “That won’t work, Darius. The best thing you can do — for your mate, for your pack — is live. The best thing you can do for your son is protect what’s left. If you rush out looking for a fight, you’ll only throw your life away. And that helps no one.” Alpha Darius’ eyes are red with rage and frustration. His trembling lips open and close for a moment before a strangled and pained sound is wrenched from him. Alpha Stefan however, is obviously not so easily convinced. He gives a sharp, sarcastic laugh. “You must be kidding me.” His eyes glitter with derision. “I’m not the kind of man who lets someone else decide his fate.” He sneers, gaze sweeping from me, to Dom, to Eleanor. “Especially not peopl
Diana Alpha Livia clears her throat delicately, her fingers tapping once against the table before she speaks. “So… as the Priest…” I lift my chin, my voice cutting clean through the room. “Priestess.” She pauses, a flicker of acknowledgment in her eyes, then corrects herself with a small nod. “Priestess. As the Priestess, how exactly would you seal the Dark Mage? Alpha Dominicus mentioned the Priest played a crucial role before — but he didn’t explain how.” And there it is. My stomach knots faintly. That’s the problem, isn’t it? I’m not entirely sure myself — not yet. But Dom and I plan to find out as soon as this meeting ends. Still, we had agreed beforehand: no hint of uncertainty, no gaps, no loose threads. We couldn’t risk sparking panic among the packs — or worse, letting anything slip that the dark witches might catch wind of. I part my lips, preparing to smooth over the gap, but Dom beats me to it. “Even if she explained it, you wouldn’t understand.” His voice is
Diana Her voice cuts crisply through the air. “The first time the Dark Mage was sealed… you said it took the Amadeus Alpha, the Primarch Arcana, and the Moon Goddess’s Priest.” Her eyes sweep the room, assessing. “Are you saying we’re going to repeat that now?” Dom nods once, calmly. “That’s right.” Alpha Livia’s brow furrows slightly. “And you, you’ll stand in for your ancestor?” Dom’s mouth curves in the faintest of smiles. “I will.” Her gaze sharpens. “That leaves the Primarch Arcana… and the Priest.” She casts a slow look around the table, then back at Dom again. “Until today, none of us even knew there was a Priest. Do you know where this Priest is?” Dom’s eyes flick briefly to me, and parts his lips to answer, “Yes. It’s-“ I finish for him. My voice quiet but clear. “-Me.” The room freezes. Every head turns. I keep my face composed, letting my voice carry evenly across the silent table. “Allow me to properly reintroduce myself. I am Diana Castellanos—Alpha o
Diana Suddenly, a voice slices sharply through the heavy silence. “We have to stop the ritual!” An Alpha halfway down the table shoots to his feet, his face flushed with urgency. His Beta, seated beside him, tugs lightly at his arm as if to steady him, but the Alpha shakes his head sharply, his eyes locking onto Dominicus. Dom doesn’t even flinch. His voice remains calm, almost weary. “Naturally.” He lets the word hang in the air for a beat, then tilts his head slightly. “How do you propose we do that?” The Alpha’s response is instant, raw with emotion. “Easy. We find them. We go to their coven and wipe them out—all of them.” Dom blinks once, slowly. Then gives a faint, almost pitying shake of his head. “Easy?” He leans in just slightly, his tone still smooth but edged with a dangerous undercurrent. “How exactly do you plan to find them? Don’t forget—these aren’t wolves we’re dealing with. They’re witches. You think you can find a witch who doesn’t want to be found?”
Diana The next Alpha my eyes land on pulls my attention instantly. He’s middle-aged, broad-shouldered, hulking—even among all these Alphas, he stands out as particularly powerful. His short-cropped hair and sharply cut features give him a severe, almost intimidating air. But what surprises me is the look on his face. Unlike the others, there’s no flicker of wariness, no veiled animosity in his gaze. Instead, he’s smiling. Calm. Almost amused, like he’s simply waiting for the meeting to begin, perfectly at ease. Intrigued, I shift my gaze to the third Alpha who stands out. And this time, I have to look twice. The Alpha, her Beta, and the two Gamma warriors flanking her… they’re all women. The Alpha meets my eyes directly—her expression steady, cool, unreadable. Then, with a small, polite nod, she acknowledges me before turning her attention back to Dom. All of this unfolds in seconds: quick assessments, sharp glances, the silent tension of predators sizing each other