Diana "Well, I attacked a young Gamma as well as the Pack Beta. Publicly. Seemingly unprovoked too." He scoffs. "I might as well have gift-wrapped Marcus the excuse he needed to lock me up." My fists clench. "And guess what?" Billy barks out a dry laugh. "He made Apollo my guard." I stiffen. "Told 'im if he did a good job, maybe he'd get a promotion." Billy shakes his head. "And that idiot actually agreed." A storm brews inside me. “That bastard Marcus probably thought it some sick joking having Apollo guard me- his own twisted sense of poetic justice." Billy shakes his head, “it was meant as an insult, anyone with half-a brain coulda figured it out. But your brother didn’t. Or maybe he did, but just didn’t care. He saw it as an opportunity to climb the social ladder, and he took it.” Apollo, I grit my teeth, mentally chewing out the name in rising fury. Billy meets my eyes, and then seems to catch himself. His voice is softer as he says, "I'm sorry, kid." I shake
Diana My stomach clenches as I get a bad premonition. His voice drops. “First, I figured it was the meds, right? They’re painkillers. They’re supposed to make ya drowsy. But then the doc came every damn day to take my blood. Said it was for ‘tests.’” A sick feeling coils in my gut. He lets out another bitter laugh. “Somethin’ felt off. I started refusin’ to take the meds, thinkin’ maybe they were poisonin’ me. But if I refused to take it, they’d just force me to.” I can feel my heartbeat in my ears. “So I got smart,” he continues, his tone grim. “Started hidin’ the meds under my tongue, pretendin’ to swallow ‘em, spittin’ ‘em out after they left. But guess what? I was still gettin’ sleepy.” I shake my head. “The water?” He nods. “Stopped drinkin’ that too. Didn’t matter. Still happened.” His next words send ice through my veins. “Finally, I figured it out. It was the food.” My breath catches. His eyes darken. “Marcus came in when I stopped eatin’. Told me straight up—they’
Diana“And now that that’s out of the way, what did ya’ll so urgently want to know that I had to be brought here?”I glance at Dominicus, feeling a nervous flutter in my stomach. His eyes meet mine, steady and reassuring, but it doesn’t do much to calm the nervous energy buzzing under my skin. I clear my throat, shifting my attention back to Billy.“So, um…” I start, my fingers fidgeting in my lap. “I’m sure you’ve noticed by now…”Billy’s brows furrow slightly before realization dawns on his face. A wide grin spreads across his face, and he nods, looking me over with a mix of pride and awe.“Hell yeah, I noticed,” he says, his deep voice laced with excitement. “Alpha Dominicus here told me, but seein’ it for myself?” He lets out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Damn, kid. You’re an Alpha. Ain’t that somethin’?”Warmth rushes through my chest at his words, a mixture of pride and bashfulness making my cheeks heat. “Thank you,” I say shyly, ducking my head.He grins at me, eyes still s
Diana I feel disappointment settle in my chest- heavy. Another dead end. I had been hoping to get more information about my mother, and possibly have more leads about our enemies from him. But it seems he doesn’t know much either. I stare at his hands, fingers laced tightly together. When I hear his quiet voice, “I always wondered, y’know. Who did it? Who wiped out the pack you came from?” I blink at him, heart still heavy. Billy rubs his chin. “I was Head Pack Warrior. I kept up with everythin’—friction between Alphas, tensions between packs, all of it. Somethin’ like this? A whole damn pack gettin’ wiped out? There shoulda been news. Most of the time, it’d be over territory disputes, though those are outlawed now. But still, there shoulda been somethin’.” He shakes his head. “But there was nothin’. No news. No claims. No whispers ‘bout a pack bein’ wiped out. If not for you and Apollo, I’d have thought it never happened.” I glance at Dominicus before turning back to Billy.
Diana I watch as his expression shifts—tenderness, pain, something almost reverent. “We were together twelve years before she left. Twelve years. And y’know what?” He huffs out a laugh, shaking his head. “I still didn’t know much about her. Never met her family. Never even knew her last name. But she was mine. She took my last name, and that was all I needed.” I blink, absorbing the weight of his words. “And the pack… just accepted it?” I ask gingerly. Not that I have anything against it, but werewolves aren’t exactly the most accepting bunch. He shakes his head, “They never noticed”. What?! My eyes go round, “How did no one notice that the Head Warrior’s mate wasn’t a werewolf?” He exhales through his nose. “Witches are powerful, kid. A strong enough one can mess with perception. Make people see what they want ‘em to see.” A shiver runs down my spine. I glance at Dominicus, who nods grimly. Billy scratches his beard. “For some reason, nobody ever questioned why
Diana “She killed herself.” I freeze. Even Dominicus looks momentarily stunned. “Though that’s not accurate either”, he shakes his head, “She was killed. But she knew they wanted to kill her and deliberately let them catch her. That’s why I say she killed herself… because she wanted to die.” His words send a shard of pain piercing through my heart. Billy’s hands tighten into fists. His next words are slow, measured. Like each one physically hurts to say. “Months before it happened… I could tell somethin’ was eatin’ at her. She was always lost in thought. Wouldn’t tell me what it was. But that wasn’t unusual. She had her moments like that.” His jaw clenches. “Then one day… she told me she was pregnant.” The emotion in his voice shifts—softens. There’s warmth there. Love. “It was the best thing I’d ever heard. A life—our life—growing inside her. A piece of me. A piece of her.” He exhales shakily, his fingers curling into fists on his knees. “I could picture it all,
Diana “She was a few towns over. In some alley in a human town.” He exhales shakily. “Just lyin’ there. Cold. Gone.” He stares blankly at his hands, like he’s back there—standing over her lifeless body. His next words send a sharp chill down my spine. “She told me to trust her,” he says, his voice hollow. “She told me our baby was alive.” His eyes flick up, dark and haunted. “But I saw her, kid. Saw the fetus. It was carved out of her belly and stabbed- the placenta still connected to the gaping hole that was her abdomen.” I inhale sharply. Oh gods… I get up and rush to his side. Sitting beside him, I wrap my arms around him. Pulling his trembling form against me. “It’s okay. It’s okay. You don’t have to continue Billy,”, my voice a shaky whisper croaking out of my throat. But he seems to not hear me, the words tumbling out of his mouth. “I wanted to believe her. I did. But how could I, when I saw it with my own eyes?” He lets out a dry, humorless chuckle. “I was out
Diana The rhythmic chopping of vegetables fills the kitchen, a steady, mindless motion that keeps my hands busy while my thoughts wander. Dominicus leans against the counter, scrolling through his phone, occasionally glancing at me with a look that makes my stomach flutter. Then, his phone rings. I see his brows furrow as he glances at the number. “Hello?” A hint on inquiry in his voice, which tells me he probably doesn’t recognise the number. “Amadeus.” A voice on the other end responds, spitting out the name with venom. I recognize it instantly. Magnus. I pause, my knife stilling mid-slice as I watch Dom’s expression turn to stone. I drop the knife and turn to fully face him. My entire focus sharpens and my werewolf senses kick in. Now even though the phone isn’t on speaker, I can hear the conversation as clearly as if I were holding it myself. Dom’s voice is sharp, ice-cold. “How the hell did you get this number?” There’s a pause. Then Magnus’s voice returns,
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