LOGINChapter 166 Scarlett I could see it in his eyes. He did not trust me. Damian leaned back slightly in his throne, fingers tapping against the carved armrest, gaze sharp and measuring. He was not a fool. He was ambitious, yes—but ambition without caution was suicide, and he had survived too long to be careless. “What is your plan?” he asked at last. Straight to the point. Good. “Firstly,” I began calmly, folding my hands before me, “no other pack must know I am here.” His expression did not change, but I knew he was listening carefully. “During my banishment, I did not waste my time grieving,” I continued. “I gathered rogues—broken wolves. The Warriors cast aside. I gave them structure. Purpose. I ruled them. They are loyal to me—loyal beyond fear. Strong. Angry. Useful.” His brows lifted slightly. “They were the ones who helped me capture Aurora the first time.” He straightened immediately. “Wait,” he cut in sharply. “You were the one who took Aurora?” “Ye
Chapter 165 Scarlett I could see it in his eyes the moment I stepped into his hall. Suspicion. Damian was not a foolish man. He was sharp, observant, and dangerously intelligent. The kind of Alpha who trusted nothing and no one unless it benefited him. I knew from the beginning that he would question every word that came out of my mouth. But that didn’t matter. I had already prepared for this moment. If there was one thing I understood about men like Damian, it was this — they could resist truth, resist reason, even resist loyalty. But they could never resist desire. And I knew exactly what he wanted most. Power. Aurora. Immortality. As he watched me, waiting for me to speak, my mind worked quickly, carefully shaping every word before it left my lips. I know he doesn’t trust me, I thought. But he will. Because I will give him something no one else can. And in return, I will take what I’ve always deserved. Firstly, I need his kingdom. That was the foundation. If I coul
Chapter 164Damian’s POVThe afternoon had been quiet, almost too quiet, the kind that made the air feel heavy and tense. I was seated in the main hall, going through reports from my guards, when the doors creaked open and one of my men stepped inside.He bowed his head slightly. “Alpha, a visitor is asking to see you.”I looked up slowly, already irritated by the interruption. “A visitor?” I repeated. “From which pack?”The guard hesitated, as if unsure how I would react. “She refused to give details. But she said you would want to see her.”That alone made me suspicious.No one came into my territory unannounced unless they were either foolish or desperate.Or dangerous.I leaned back in my chair, my fingers tapping slowly against the armrest. “Let them in.”The guard nodded and turned, disappearing through the large doors.A moment later, footsteps echoed through the hall.I watched as the figure entered, cloaked but confident. As she stepped forward into the light, her face became
Chapter 163 Scarlett The moment the news reached me that Liam had taken warriors and ridden out to rescue Aurora, a cold, sharp fear slipped into my chest. So it had finally happened. If Aurora were found… she would speak. And once she spoke, everything would unravel. For a few seconds, I stood in the center of my chamber, my fingers pressed lightly against the edge of the table to steady myself. I had known this moment might come, but knowing it and facing it were two very different things. Aurora was clever. Strong. Persistent. If she survived long enough to see Liam again, she would tell him the truth. And Liam… my son… would believe her. Before I could gather my thoughts, my chamber doors burst open. Lucious. He rushed in so suddenly that it startled me. His eyes were red, his face pale, and before I could even speak, he crossed the room and dropped to his knees in front of me. “Mother…” his voice cracked. He clutched at the hem of my gown like a broken child, his sh
Chapter 162LiamAfter Aurora said the words, it felt like the ground beneath me cracked open and swallowed everything I thought I knew. For a moment, I could not breathe. My chest tightened, and a strange ringing filled my ears, drowning out the quiet sobs and shifting movements in the room. My mother was behind everything.So, our suspicion was correct.Lucious spoke up, his voice unsteady, almost desperate, as if he was trying to hold onto the last piece of hope in the room.“Are you sure of what you’re saying?” he asked, his words coming out in a nervous stammer. “Alpha Atlas captured you. Maybe… maybe you misunderstood something.”He looked at Aurora like he wanted her to take it back, as he needed her to say she was mistaken.Aurora’s fingers tightened slightly around mine. I could feel how weak she still was, how fragile her body felt, but her eyes held a painful certainty.“I was kept in a separate cell before,” she said slowly, her voice trembling. “She came.”The room went s
Chapter 161AuroraI woke slowly, the world drifting back to me in pieces—soft voices, the faint scent of herbs, warmth everywhere. My body felt heavy, sore, but safe. Safe in a way I hadn’t felt in a long time.The ceiling above me wasn’t stone or iron.It was familiar.The castle.Before I could fully process it, movement caught my eye. Faces. Too many faces. All of them close, all of them watching me like I might disappear again if they blinked.“Grandma—” My voice broke before I could finish.She was suddenly there, pulling me into her arms despite my weakness, her body shaking as she cried openly. My father followed, wrapping us both in his arms, his hands trembling as they held my shoulders like he was afraid I wasn’t real.“Look at you,” my grandmother sobbed. “Oh, my child… what did they do to you?”I tried to smile, to tell them I was fine, but the tears came first. Cassidy stood nearby, her eyes red and swollen. Bella held Lucious’s hand tightly. Liam’s father watched me wit







