LOGINDamian's POVI would like to think that not much fazes me as a man.Not the power that bubbled in my veins or the Council, or the greedy Alphas that served under me, foaming at the mouth to take over my position once given the slight opportunity.I used to pride myself on displaying a remarkable sense of self-control, but the moment I set my eyes on Aviana, it's like a young pup with no control over my emotions.I let my eyes stray to her face, asking more questions just to hear her speak and watch the defiant spark in her eyes.Contrary to what I told her, I didn't come here to search for a Luna, nor did I have the intention of claiming one so soon, but when I saw her tiny body struggling to climb over that fence, I just knew I had to help.And now that I was about to make a decision I couldn't take back, I wondered if I was doing the right thing.I schooled my facial expression into neutral, pushing through the thin curtain that separated me from the rest of the pack.The warm, happ
Aviana's POV I watched the man whose name was Lucas stagger back a step. He snorted after a second, opening his mouth to speak, but he changed his mind at the last moment, throwing a glance at me. “Uh, sorry, but could you excuse us? There's something I need to discuss with the King.”I pull away from Damian, about to head outside, but I had barely taken a step when Damian's hand loosely circled my wrist in a tight grip.“She's not going anywhere. As I said, she's going to be my Luna, so anything you have to say to me, you can say it in front of her.” Damian spoke up, his words ringing with power. Lucas threw a disbelieving look his way. “Surely, she can excuse us for a minute? This might be… sensitive.”Damian stared right at Lucas but didn't budge. “As I said, you can speak.”“Fine, you forced my hand!” Lucas grumbled, throwing an apologetic look my way. “Please tell me you're not serious about… this.” He waved a hand towards me like I was some dirty object.“Elaborate,” Damian
Aviana's POV I stayed as still as possible, hiding my face in the crook of his neck as I heard the Lycan King walk casually past the festivities.But even though I wasn't looking, I heard the whispers as we walked.“Who's she?”“Isn't that the cursed mate?” “What is the King doing with a lowly thing like her?!”“How did such scum manage to ensnare the King's gaze?”I tried not to let their words get to me but it did. It seems years of constant abuse didn't make me tough as I’d like.Tears started to roll down my cheeks and my body started to shake, both from their insults and hunger.The Lycan King picked up on it, his steps faltering slightly before he picked up the pace.Soon, the harsh words and noise of the festivities faded, leaving blissful silence.“You can look up now,” he said softly, his voice like warm silk wrapping around my body. “There's no one here to hurt you.”Daring to believe him, I pulled away from his neck- which smelled amazing- and looked up.My mouth fell ope
Aviana's POV “Mate?”Patricia’s mouth fell open so wide I thought her tongue might roll out of it. Whatever composure she had before, all of it was gone now. She looked like someone had slapped her.Aldric had gone a shade of white that looked almost ghostly in the torchlight. His knees were still in the dirt, but his whole body had stiffened.I even took a shuddering breath at the word, my wolf, that had been weak and dormant since the rejection seemed to surface and strengthen at that very moment; she didn’t feel repulsed at another man calling her his mate. Phillip was the first to recover.“Your mate?” His voice cracked across the garden, sharp with jealousy that sent irritation down my spine.“She is mine.” He took a step forward, ignoring the king entirely, his eyes fixed on me. “Aviana. Come here.”Patricia’s head whipped toward him. Her frown was immediate and ugly, but she was still too deep in shock to find words, and for one short moment, I watched the two of them stand
Aviana's POV I had stopped counting days.What was the point? The days came and went the same way … dark, cold, the thin line of light under the door brightening and fading and brightening again. My body had stopped feeling much of anything since the betrayal. The bond’s absence was a dull permanent ache now, like a missing tooth your tongue kept finding. I had stopped expecting it to feel different.But I hadn’t stopped feeling her.That was the one thing that kept me present. The tiny flicker of life low in my stomach, so small still, so quiet … but there. Every morning I pressed both hands flat against my belly and checked and every morning she was still there and that was enough to make me open my eyes for another day.I don’t know how yet, I told her in the dark. But I am going to get you out of here.I meant it. I just didn’t know how to make it true.Then one evening, the guard brought the food … moldy bread, the usual, I ate it without looking … and when he left I heard it
Aviana's POV “Mate.”I could finally feel it in my veins. It felt like an invincible force pulling me to look for something. Like a missing half of my soul.I sat up slowly. The pain in my back was still there … but underneath it something else had woken up too. It felt like a thread attached to the center of my chest being tugged by invisible hands.My emotions were all over the place. I hadn’t expected it to feel like this.I pressed a hand to my chest. My heart was beating too loudly, my eyes had shifted to a bright gold colour.Then the smell hit me.I followed it outside, through the corridor, down the steps, into the garden where the morning was still grey and soft and the dew hadn’t dried yet. The scent hit me like a wave … warm and deep and so achingly familiar that my eyes filled immediately.I knew that scent.I had known it my whole life, it was Phillip.He was standing at the garden’s edge in his training clothes, having just come around the far path, and he stopped when
Third Person POV The girl was still breathing hard when Damian pulled out of her and reached for his slacks.He dressed without looking at her. Crossed to the window. Tapped a cigarette from the case on the sill and lit it, watching the city below… it was dark and quiet at this hour, his city, th
Aviana's POV I don’t know how I made it back to my room with all the pain I felt.I kept one hand on the wall. Putting one foot in front of the other. Blood dripped off me and hit the floor as I walked passed.I bit down on my lip so hard I tasted more blood. Don’t make a sound. Don’t you dare ma
Aviana’s POV Endure it, Aviana. You are not a murderer.The lash came down on my back, splitting the skin open. I squeezed my eyes shut. Clutching my fingers so tight it broke the skin in my palm. You are not a murderer.Another one landed before I could breathe through the first causing more blo







