LOGINEmma Spencer.The air still burned in my lungs, a vivid, stinging sensation that reminded me that, until very recently, that same air had been denied to me.Being dead is an experience you don't forget, no matter how hard magic tries to erase the traces of the crossing to the other side.It isn't absolute darkness, nor is it blinding light; it's a deafening silence, a suspension of being where time stretches and contracts like an elastic band.There are no sounds, no smells, only a bare consciousness floating in a void that seems to devour identity itself, bit by bit, until nothing remains but the memory of a heartbeat.And then, the pull.The violent return to flesh, to pain, to the weight of a crown that never feels heavier than when one has come close to letting it fall forever.The soul, which had grown used to the lightness of infinity, suddenly finds itself chained again to bone, to blood, and to the responsibility of a life that no longer feels like the same one.I touched my c
Maddison Spencer–BennettThe mirror before me no longer reflected the Maddison I once knew.The girl who had hidden behind books and shadows at the Academy was gone, replaced by a woman carrying the weight of one kingdom—or several—upon her shoulders.My gown, a masterpiece of crimson silk that flowed like liquid blood, clung to my body like a second skin. Silver embroidery intertwined with black lace adorned the neckline and sleeves, lending me an air of dangerous elegance.My ladies-in-waiting had spent hours arranging my hair into an intricate updo that left my neck exposed, where Alonso's mark glowed with a light of its own—a constant reminder of my first bond.Kallie purred inside my mind, thrilled by the energy pulsing throughout the palace.Look at you... Even goddesses couldn't compete with you tonight. You have a god, a vampire king, and an Alpha wolf at your feet. And now this Santino... there's something about him that's putting me on edge—but in the best possible way.I si
Maddison Spencer–BennettThe silence in the great throne room was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. The echo of the coliseum drums still rang in my ears, and the scent of sweat and freshly turned earth from the arena seemed to have followed me all the way here.Everyone present—nobles, guards, and, of course, the Chosen—held their breath, waiting for my mother's verdict.Queen Emma was not a woman who dealt in half measures, and even though the fight between Sokaris, Vladimir, and that mysterious Santino had ended in a technical draw, she always had the final word on who would lead the next stage of the Selection."After considering the skill, control, and, above all, the remarkable ability to surprise displayed in the arena," my mother's voice rang out with icy authority, slicing through the air, "I have decided that Santino Alexios, Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack, will be my daughter's official escort for the opening of the Masquerade Ball."For a split second, I felt as t
Maddison Spencer-BennettThe Queen's Royal Guard training coliseum was overflowing.The air, thick with the scent of damp earth and sweat, vibrated with an anticipation that bordered on violence.From the royal box, I watched the arena with a mixture of fascination and apprehension. Beside me, my mother maintained an expression of unwavering serenity, while Alonso, seated to my right, held his jaw so tightly it looked ready to crack.Alonso wasn't competing.He was already the heir to the Northern Throne, the first to claim both his place and his mark upon my neck. His power was an unquestionable fact, but that didn't stop his wolf, Ankor, from growling deep within his chest at the sight of other men fighting for the right to stand beside his mate."Remember the rules," Queen Emma's voice rose above the murmuring crowd, amplified by a subtle touch of authority."This is a trial of physical prowess and martial skill. The use of any form of magic, spell craft, or external supernatural a
Dawn over the Moon Stones did not bring its usual clarity, but rather a faint glow that seemed to rise from the earth itself, still trembling with the magic that had coursed through it.The portal had closed, leaving behind a heavy silence, broken only by the crunch of leaves beneath the feet of the guardians patrolling the perimeter.Queen Emma, though still pale, stood tall once more with a restored dignity that commanded respect even from the most rebellious shadows. Beside her, Maddison felt that the world was no longer the same.The weight of her own existence had changed. She was no longer a young Lycan trying to prove her worth, but the axis upon which a far greater destiny had begun to turn."Sit down, Maddison," Emma said, pointing to a flat stone carved with ancient symbols. Her voice was gentle, yet it carried the echo of the authority the masked man had restored to her.Maddison obeyed, feeling how the silver threads—once wild and agonizing—now rested beneath her skin like
The air within the Moon Stones clearing wasn't merely charged with electricity. It was alive.The circle they had formed was far more than a physical barrier. It breathed. A living border suspended between salvation......and oblivion.Beneath Maddison's bare feet, the earth pulsed like a second heartbeat. Only it wasn't the earth alone.It was them. The silver threads.At first, she'd mistaken them for a hallucination born of exhaustion, but as she stared at the luminous strands radiating from her chest, understanding settled over her.This was the physical manifestation of her bond with the pack.Delicate filaments of pure moonlight stretched in every direction, anchoring themselves to the hearts of every wolf... Every guardian standing along the perimeter. It was a web of shared consciousness.A defensive network that only the true Lycan Queen could command."Hold the line." Maddison barely whispered the words.She didn't need to raise her voice. The command never touched the air.I
Maddison Spencer-Bennett.I frowned, confused. What the hell was she doing here? Who invited her? Why are Mom and Alonso in defensive mode? What is she planning now?As I am so clear that, if my Aunt Wilma is here, nothing good will come. I still have memories of when I was five years old, and she hel
Alonso Corleone. The second I heard the queen say that I had to meet Crystal, I knew I was going to live in a fucking hell... I had no intention of seeing her again, but now I had to meet her. Argh! It was hard enough handling with my insecurity regarding Maddison and her other mates without also ha
Maddison Spencer-Bennett.For a second, I felt like I was dead. A sharp pain invaded my entire body, while a piercing sound overwhelmed my ears.I tried to get back up, with great difficulty, while I saw Alonso was trying to tell me something. I could see his lips moving, but I heard nothing. That com
Third point of view.The question that was on everyone’s mind and there was no answer. Alonso had sworn to Maddison that nothing had happened, and she believed him, so seeing the news left her shocked.“I already remembered what happened. Start explaining, Alonso. Did you get Crystal pregnant?”Alonso







