Diana As the car pulls away from the pack house, movement catches my eye- a figure hastily darts away and disappears behind a building. I nonchalantly look away, my expression remaining unchanged. The car continues along the winding road, and as we cross the border of the pack territory, I silently promise myself to never set foot in this place again. This is the last time. Silence fills the car as they drive. Soon, the Zervos territory fades from view, becoming nothing more than a distant memory behind them. Billy clears his throat, breaking the heavy quiet. Billy is the first to break the silence. He clears his throat, his voice unsteady. “Kid… my mate, my Myra… she wouldn’t do that.” His fingers twitch against his knee. “She was no dark witch. She was a light witch.” I turn to look at him, watching the way his brows pinch together, the way his jaw tightens with something like desperation. “I know I said she was mysterious,” he continues, “and that I didn’t know much about her
Diana The moment the cars pull into the clearing, my eyes lock onto the figure standing on the porch, arms folded across his chest, watching us. A grin splits my lips, and before the car even comes to a full stop, I’m throwing the door open and launching myself out. A squeal escapes me as I practically fly across the grass, up the steps, and straight into his arms. Dominicus chuckles, his deep, rumbling laughter sending warmth through my entire body. He opens his arms just in time to catch me as I leap, wrapping his arms tightly around me and lifting me off the ground. My legs automatically wrap around his waist, and I press myself against him as tight as I can, burying my face in his neck, inhaling his scent. Mate. Home. He pulls back slightly, just enough to capture my lips with his. The kiss is fierce, filled with weeks of longing and unsaid words. I meet him with equal intensity, pouring every emotion into the way our lips move together. When we finally pull away,
Diana My eyes sting with unshed tears. My throat chokes up, and I press my lips together and shake my head, trying to keep my emotions in check. Brodik glances at the door again. The house is silent. Not even the sound of movement comes from within. “And please,” he adds softly, “help us tell the Alpha thank you. Thank you for letting us come home. We promise we won’t let him down.” Then, as one, the warriors bow again. Not to me this time. To him. To their Alpha. A big smile spreads across my face, and I shake my head. “Don’t mention it, Brodik,” I say softly. “I’ve never truly had a pack in the true sense either, so I think I understand how you feel.” I glance at all of them, my smile widening. “I’m really happy that you’re here.” Then, clearing my throat, I raise my voice slightly, adding teasingly, “And don’t mind the grumpy Alpha. I’m sure he’s happy you’re here too.” A deep, unmistakable snort comes from inside the house. I bite back a laugh as mirth fills
Apollo I pace the room, nearly threading the carpet bare. I watched as Diana’s car disappeared around the corner, the tires kicking up dust as the car sped away. Minutes later, all the Council- no, Amadeus wolves, were gone too. My heart pounds in my chest, the panic gnawing at me. I had caught a glimpse of her just before she left. She didn’t see me, did she? I quickly ducked behind the building when I noticed her eyes scanning the area. The last thing I needed was for her to catch sight of me, especially after everything that happened. I shudder just thinking about it. The last time I saw Diana, I had been watching through the cracked door of Beta Marcus’s office, my breath caught in my throat as I saw him pin her down. She was crying, begging me to help her. Fury was the first thing I felt. How dare he do that to her? To my sister? But then, just as quickly, fear overtook me. I wasn’t strong enough to fight him. What would happen if I did try to intervene? The consequences
Diana Three days later, we pull up in front of the massive and imposing Council Headquarters building. This time, it’s Arran, the redhead warrior, who’s driving. With the pack construction in full swing, Brodik has been left behind. An Amadeus wolf opens the door for Dominicus, and he steps out, then turns to help me out. I look around at the place. The wolves I see roaming here are all Amadeus wolves, and I take in the sight with a quiet satisfaction. I turn my gaze up at the large platinum insignia glinting on the building, my heart hammering in my chest. Last time I was here, I was under trial by the Council Elders. But today… today, it’s the Council Elders who will be tried by us. Oh, how the tables have turned. “Clyde,” Dominicus calls out, and a blonde-haired, blue-eyed warrior steps forward. “Alpha,” he says respectfully. “Report,” Dom orders. Clyde doesn’t hesitate. “The Elders are all inside. They’ve been under 24-hour surveillance since their arrival.” Dom no
Diana The Elders exchange fearful glances before Elder Gideon takes a trembling step forward, his thin frame seeming to shrink even further. He swallows hard, rubbing his palms together. "Alpha Dominicus, perhaps we started off on the wrong foot. Why don't we—" Dom's eyes shift to him, and his voice dies in his throat. "Why don't we what?" Dom's voice is soft, carrying an undercurrent of menace that sends chills down everyone's spine. Elder Gideon quickly shuffles back, his brief moment of courage evaporating. I take a bite of my chocolate chip cookie, watching with interest. Dominicus sighs. “I am a fair man,” he says slowly. “If you have any reasonable explanation for everything you’ve done, now’s the time to speak.” The room falls deathly silent. The Elders visibly shudder at the thought of speaking, and Diana can see the sweat beading on their foreheads. The threat in Dom’s voice hangs like a dark cloud. They don’t dare lie. Something tells them that if they do, they
Diana "And?" Dom prompts, showing no reaction to this revelation. Fendel swallows thickly again, looking to his fellow Elders for support before turning back to Dom. "Well, we assumed that the Zervos Alpha was talking about the agreement we had with him before the trial. And as for the mate bond, I have no idea what gave him that impression or who told him that, but it was in alignment with our goals... so... so we went along with it." "What did you say to him?" Dom's question cuts through Fendel's stammering. "We assured him that of course, all he had to do was get Alpha Diana to go to his pack, and we would take care of the rest." Fendel's voice drops as he continues. "We said we would send the army to the Amadeus territory to..." He pauses, licks his lips nervously. "And then, naturally, the bond would grow back." Dom shakes his head slowly, his calm more terrifying than any display of rage could be. "But the Zervos Alpha says the Council approached him first. That you gu
Diana Dominicus continues, voice dropping lower. "So here’s your choice. You tell me the truth, and only the traitor dies. Or you lie, you hesitate, you waste my time—" His fingers tap once against his arm. "—and I treat you all as the traitor. Then it’s not just one Elder dead. It’s all of you. And really, would it be so hard to believe the mysterious enemy that has been plaguing the werewolf world for decades- an enemy who is able to waltz in and out of any pack unseen and unimpeded massacred the entire Council in one fell swoop?" The silence is suffocating. Elder Thomas, grips his walking stick like it’s the only thing keeping him upright. His voice is a rasp. "You—you would announce the existence of witches to the entire werewolf world?" Dominicus doesn’t blink. "Obviously." A murmur of disapproval ripples through the Elders. Dom exhales, impatient. "The rule that only Alphas and Elders can know about the existence of witches has always been stupid. There’s an enemy hunt
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
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
Diana I 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, th