DominicusOnce she’s gone, a low growl rumbles through my chest, a protest against my current predicament. I should have finished this, and finished it cleanly. But no, my wolf had to intervene, to complicate matters.A wave of frustration washes over me and I start to pace. I had come here with a singular purpose, a cold, efficient task. But something, some inexplicable force, had derailed my plans. No. Not some mysterious power. Her. She had thrown a wrench into the works. A surge of anger courses through me. I should have killed her on sight. But no, I had gazed into her eyes… those wide eyes, hazel and enchanting, like a twilight forest where golden flecks of sunlight dance upon the leaves… and I had been disarmed.I growl in frustration and pace restlessly, the crunch of leaves and twigs beneath my feet a discordant rhythm to the turmoil within me. My wolf, that monstrous beast is silent. Usually, a whirlwind of rage and violence, he is now eerily calm. My prey had been within
DianaThe morning sun is a cruel mistress, its rays piercing through the curtains and landing squarely on my face. It was as if the world was conspiring to drag me out of the darkness of the night and into the harsh reality of the day. My sleep had been restless. My mind was chaotic, as I tossed and turned with every passing hour. Fear, uncertainty, and a deep-rooted sense of dread are my constant companions.But I have to function. The world isn’t going to stop just because I’m going through some shit. No one is going to save me. Only I can save myself. And right now, money is the only lifeline I can see. It was my ticket to survival, or at least, a better chance at it. I would never get face on foot, I know this from experience. I need to have money for buses, trains and food. And the only way to get it is to go back to work. Since I can’t escape right now, I’ll work and earn money in anticipation of when I finally get the opportunity. Also, being amongst humans gives some, though
DianaThe next morning, I drag myself to work, feeling like I've aged a decade overnight. The constant state of fear and vigilance is taking its toll, etching worry lines into my face and dimming the light in my eyes. As I push open the diner door, the familiar scent of coffee and bacon wraps around me, a small comfort in my tumultuous world.Ellen is already there, her warm smile faltering as she takes in my haggard appearance. Her brow furrows with concern, and I can see the question forming on her lips before she even speaks."Diana, honey," she starts, her voice gentle, "how's the apartment search going?"I feel a pang of guilt for the lie I'd told her yesterday, but it mixes with a surge of gratitude for her genuine concern. I shake my head, unable to meet her eyes. "Not great," I mumble, fiddling with my apron strings.Ellen's frown deepens. "No luck at all?"I sigh, deciding to be honest – or as honest as I can be without revealing the terrifying truth of my situation. "Even if
DominicusThe moonlight filters through the thin curtains, casting an ethereal glow over her sleeping form. I stand in the corner of the small loft, shrouded in shadows, my eyes never leaving her. The floorboards creak beneath my weight as I shift, and I freeze, my muscles tensing. But she doesn't stir. She's too deep in her fitful sleep to notice my presence.I've been here every night since she moved into this pathetic excuse for a living space. Watching. Waiting. Seething.The memory of her attempted escape still burns in my mind. The audacity of it. The sheer foolishness. Did she really think she could outrun me? Outwit me? The thought alone is enough to make my blood boil, to awaken the beast within me that craves destruction.I had watched her pack her meager belongings at the motel, her movements frantic and desperate. I had followed her to this place, this diner, and observed as she and the older human woman cleared out this dusty loft. At the time, my anger had been all-consu
DianaI wake with a start, my heart pounding in my chest. The remnants of a dream cling to the edges of my consciousness - a dark figure, looming over me, a sense of both fear and... something else. Something I can't quite name.Shaking my head to clear the cobwebs, I sit up, my eyes darting around the small loft. Everything is as I left it last night, but something feels... different. The air seems charged, as if a storm has just passed through.I run a hand through my tangled hair, wincing as my fingers catch on knots. As I swing my legs over the side of the bed, a chill runs down my spine. I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched."Get it together, Diana," I mutter to myself, forcing my body into motion. "You're just paranoid."But am I? After everything that's happened, can I really afford to dismiss these feelings?I shuffle to the tiny bathroom, turning on the shower and letting the steam fill the small space. As I step under the hot water, I feel some of the tension lea
Diana "Tell me everything," he growls. "Now."His command hangs in the air between us, heavy and unavoidable. I open my mouth, then close it again, unsure where to begin. The realization hits me like a physical blow - he doesn't know. He really doesn't know about the bounty, about my past. Relief surges through me, so intense it's almost dizzying. My pack doesn't know where I am. I'm safe, at least for now.But the Alpha's patience is wearing thin. A low growl rumbles in his chest, snapping me back to the present. "I... I'm sorry," I stammer, my voice barely above a whisper. "It's a long story.""I've got time," he says, his voice deceptively calm. But I can see the storm brewing in his eyes, the tension in the set of his jaw.I take a deep breath, steeling myself. "The Beta of my pack... he attacked me," I begin, carefully choosing my words. I don't tell him about the rejection, about the attempted rape. Those wounds are still too raw, too painful to share. "I injured him while tryi
DominicusI burst out of the diner, my vision clouded with a red haze of fury. The cool air hits my face, but it does nothing to quell the inferno raging inside me. My fists are clenched so tightly I can feel my nails digging into my palms, drawing blood. But the pain is nothing compared to the turmoil in my mind.Someone tried to hurt her. Someone put a bounty on her head.The words echo in my mind, each repetition stoking the flames of my anger. I barely register the startled looks of the humans around me as I stalk down the street, my body trembling with the effort of containing my rage.I need to get away. Now. Before I lose control completely.With inhuman speed, I make for the forest. The trees blur past me as I run, branches whipping against my skin. But I feel nothing. Nothing but the all-consuming rage that threatens to tear me apart from the inside.As soon as I'm deep enough in the woods, away from prying eyes, I let out a roar that shakes the very earth. Birds take flight i
DominicusThe days that follow are... strange. I find myself constantly drawn back to the town, to her. I watch from afar as she goes about her life. Working in the diner, talking with the older human woman, taking walks in the evening.She seems... lighter somehow. The constant fear that had shadowed her eyes is fading, replaced by a cautious hope. It makes something in my chest swell with an emotion I can't quite name.But I keep my distance. I'm not ready to face her again, not ready to confront these strange feelings she stirs in me. So I watch, and I wait, and I try to understand.Who is she and why is she affecting me like this?My wolf is restless, constantly pushing to be closer to her. He doesn't understand why we're staying away.As the days pass, I find myself struggling more and more to stay away. The need to be near her, to speak to her, to understand her, grows stronger with each passing hour.However, those feelings fill me with rage and annoyance. She's messing with my
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
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?”
DianaThe 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 up.By the time my
Diana I spot Dom waiting just down the hall, his arms crossed, his sharp eyes flick up as soon as come out me. His face softens—just slightly—and he reaches out. I walk up to him and slip my hand into his. Eleanor falls into step behind us, quiet and peaceful, her presence a steady pulse at my back. Together, the three of us move toward the wide double doors at the end of the hall—the conference room where today’s meeting is about to hold. The air feels thicker here, heavy with the scent of too many wolves, sharp anticipation, and something almost metallic — the bracing edge of challenge, perhaps, or simply the weight of so many packs gathered under one roof. As we near, an Amadeus warrior steps forward. Clyde. He bows smoothly. “Alpha. Luna.” He gives Eleanor a polite nod. “Ma’am.” Dom gives him a curt nod in return, but I offer Clyde a small smile. Eleanor answers warmly, “Hello dear.” Clyde straightens and says, “The packs have brought a fair number of warriors w
DianaI blink, brow arching. Magnus almost mated to someone? That’s news to me.Can’t find it in me to care.The first girl nods eagerly. “Exactly! And it was super suspicious. It was supposed to be this huge deal — even our Alpha was invited — but just a week before the ceremony, it was called off.” She waves her hands for emphasis; the others nod vigorously.She leans in, voice dropping. “I heard Natasha left Zervos and went back to the Silvanus pack, then mated with an Omega from Plena Luna.”Another round of wide eyes and startled gasps.“It’s obvious why the ceremony was canceled,” she smirks. “Natasha met her real mate. Everyone thought Magnus set the match because he hadn’t found his mate yet… but he had. And he rejected her!”The gasps turn into soft curses. I catch words like scum and bastard tossed out under their breath, and I have to bite my lip to keep from laughing.The third girl eagerly nudges the first. “And? And?! What else?”The first girl glances around, then leans
DianaWhat were they thinking?A low voice, warm and smug, ghosts by my ear.“See?” Dominicus says. “I won.”I don’t turn. I can feel the smirk behind his voice and the presence of him just a breath away.I shake my head slowly, incredulous. “They actually came…”“And with a whole damn parade,” he says with a huff of amusement.“Pompousness and posturing,” I mutter.He chuckles. “That’s what you bet against, dulcis.”I scowl, still watching the arrivals, still baffled by the absurdity of it all.“And now,” he says, voice low as he leans down slightly, “you owe me.”I start to ask what the terms were again, but then I feel his lips brush the shell of my ear, and his whispered words burn hotter than sunlight across my skin.My breath catches. My entire body flushes.Damn him.Dom steps back and with a sweeping motion of his arm, the corners of his mouth quirking upward, he says, “Ladies, shall we?”I pull my gaze away from the window, and roll my eyes at him. “Lets.”Behind me, Eleanor
Diana “You’re on speaker, Alpha. They can all hear you now.” Dominicus doesn’t waste a breath. “Good,” he says, his tone flat, cold. “Then listen closely because this-“ he pauses, just long enough to make the weight of his next words settle into their bones, “—is the key to a ‘peaceful retirement’ for all of you.” There’s no trace of politeness. No deference. Only the weight of his authority, sharp as steel. The line is silent. No one dares interrupt. “Of the thirty-seven packs–,” he continues, “you each used to run one of the major nine.” Ten now - The Amadeus pack is back, I muse. “The rest of the smaller — scattered, less resourced packs are no less important. Therefore you are not only to go back to your own packs. You will each take responsibility for informing the Alphas of the minor packs in your regions. I don’t care how you do. Just get it done.” He paces a little, jaw tight. “You will tell them witches exist. You will tell them that dark witches have returned — tha
Diana Billy takes a step forward and wraps me in his warm bear hug. I bury my face in his chest and hug him just as tight. He steps back, “See you in a bit, kid”, and with a little wave, turns around and strides back towards the cars. I watch as they begin to pile into the SUVs, Billy among them. He gives me one last wink, grinning crookedly before ducking into the lead car. The low growl of the engines rises as the vehicles roll down the driveway, kicking up small clouds of dust and mist in their wake. I watch until the last taillight vanishes into the mist. A warm arm curls around my shoulders, anchoring me to the earth. Dominicus presses a kiss to my temple, his voice a soft murmur against my hair. “Don’t worry, dulcis. They’ll be fine. And they’ll bring her back safely.” I close my eyes for a moment, breathing him in, clinging to the hope stitched into his words. I hope so. For Billy’s sake. For Emerald’s sake. For all of us…We don’t go inside right away.
Diana “Wake me up early?” I mumble, already half-drifting again. “I wanna see Billy off in the morning.” “I will,” he promises, kissing the top of my head. Silence falls between us, soft and fragile. I’m just on the edge of sleep when his voice comes again, low and rough and achingly sincere. “Dulcis…” I hum in acknowledgment, too tired to form a real word. “The reason I’m not stopping you from fighting this war… isn’t because I care about you any less. I hope you know that. Right?” Something in his tone — the raw inflection, the brittle edge — tugs at me, pulling me back to him. I blink my eyes open and tilt my head up to look at him. In the muted light, his face is shadowed, but I can see it — the tightness around his mouth, the faint crease between his brows. And in his eyes — gods — there’s worry. Guilt. And buried much deeper, a sliver of fear so raw it makes my heart ache. I know what he’s thinking - what is weighing on him. It’s Billy’s words, thro