ANMELDENThe dining hall remained trapped in an uneasy silence long after the guards stopped Kaelyn from leaving.At the center of it all stood Alpha King Eugene. His shoulders were tense. His jaw was clenched so tightly that the muscles visibly flexed beneath his skin.He had spent the last several weeks trying to prevent conflict, trying to keep everyone together, yet every attempt seemed to create another disaster.Across the room, Becca quietly exhaled. She had completely lost her appetite. Beside her, Mira rubbed her temples."This dinner is cursed," she muttered under her breath.Becca couldn't disagree. She glanced toward Kaelyn who looked heartbroken and completely unreasonable.Becca genuinely sympathized with her pain, she really did, but turning every gathering into an emotional battlefield wasn't helping anyone.Especially not the innocent child sleeping peacefully in the maid's arms nearby.Eugene finally broke the silence. His voice carried the calm authority expected of an Alpha
Kaelyn remained standing beside her chair, her chest rising and falling with every shaky breath. The flush on her cheeks was no longer only from the wine she had consumed. Her emotions had completely overtaken her.Around the table, the servants stood frozen with trays in their hands. Ava lowered her eyes, carefully hiding the satisfaction creeping into her expression.Seraphina remained perfectly still, though inwardly she was delighted.At the head of the table, Eugene slowly pushed his chair back and rose to his feet. The movement alone was enough to make everyone tense.His expression remained calm, at least outwardly. Inside, however, he was exhausted.He had barely been crowned Alpha King, and it already felt as though every decision he made created three more disasters.He looked directly at Kaelyn."Sit down."His voice wasn't loud. It didn't need to be. It carried enough authority that several servants instinctively lowered their heads.Kaelyn laughed bitterly."You want me t
Dinner had somehow become even more uncomfortable than anyone had expected.The long dining table was covered with beautifully prepared dishes, expensive wine, and enough food to feed dozens of people but none of that could overcome the tension sitting around the table.Several servants moved carefully around the room, their movements quiet and cautious.Nobody wanted to attract attention, especially not tonight.Eugene watched Becca for a moment before speaking."You barely touched your food" he said.Becca didn't even look up from her plate."I'm eating" she said.Mira took a sip of water, trying very hard not to put herself in the conversation. Eugene noticed."Mira."She immediately looked innocent."Yes, Alpha King?""You aren't helping" he told her.Max snorted and Mira immediately glared at him. His amusement disappeared instantly.The tension between them had become impossible to ignore.Max frowned."You're still angry."Mira looked horrified."Still? You say that as though
For several moments after Seraphina left, neither Becca nor Mira spoke. They couldn't shake off the feeling that had settled during Seraphina's confrontation.They simply continued walking toward the dining hall and the silence between them felt unusually heavy.Seraphina's final words continued echoing inside their minds, telling them to prepare to lose as if they were in the middle of some war and the stakes were extremely high.The confidence behind those words was what disturbed them most, even if they told themselves they didn't care.Seraphina was many things, manipulative, arrogant, annoying, but she was rarely confident without a reason.That fact alone made Mira uneasy and all efforts she put to remove lingering thoughts about it proved to be a waste.Beside her, Becca appeared equally thoughtful.The earlier frustration she had felt toward Eugene had been temporarily overshadowed by the strange feeling Seraphina had left behind.Finally Mira sighed."I just don't like that w
Becca was still sitting on the edge of the bed when she heard a knock at the door. The sound pulled her away from her increasingly frustrating thoughts.She immediately stood, perhaps a little too quickly because she nearly tripped over the edge of her dress."Wonderful," she muttered.Her evening was clearly going perfectly.The knock came again, more impatient this time and Becca already knew who it was.Only one person knocked like that.She crossed the room and opened the door and Mira immediately stepped inside then stopped.Her eyes narrowed suspiciously and Becca instantly regretted opening the door. Mira was looking at her the way a hunter looked at prey."What?"Mira folded her arms."What happened?" She asked.Becca frowned."Nothing happened" she replied. "Hmm."The response was entirely too knowing then Becca sighed."Mira.""You look strange.""I do not.""You do" she insisted. Becca walked past her."I don't know what you mean" she said.The two women stared at each ot
The bathroom door finally opened and warm steam drifted into the room as Becca stepped out, feeling considerably fresher than she had earlier.The bath had helped but it was not enough to erase her frustration or even enough to make her forgive Eugene.But enough to calm some of the anger that had been simmering inside her all day.Her damp hair cascaded over her shoulders, and she rubbed it gently with a towel as she walked back into the room.She stopped immediately. Eugene was no longer wearing the towel.Thankfully.Instead, he was fully dressed. The dark outfit he wore fit him perfectly, emphasizing the authority that seemed to surround him even when he wasn't trying.He stood near a mirror adjusting the cuffs of his sleeves.For a moment, Becca simply watched him then she quickly looked away. She was still very angry and she reminded herself of that fact immediately.Eugene noticed her emerge from the bathroom and turned. His gaze lingered for a second but it was long enough to
The tracker unit stood in neat formation as they prepared to leave.At the center of it all stood Alpha Desmond, broad-shouldered, his black coat swaying lightly in the wind. His eyes swept across his wolves, and the murmuring fell silent.Beside him, Luna Seraphina stood tall along with Ava, whose
Becca sat with her back pressed against the wall, her arms around her knees. Every breath she took came with the soft rasp of exhaustion. They had been down here too long.Max was awake again. He sat on the far side of the chamber, his arm resting over his knee, watching the faint orange flame abo
The dungeon beneath Blackwood estate was a place without sunlight.The air was damp and heavy, thick with the scent of mold, rust, and despair. Eugene raised his head slightly, his hair catching what little light there was.His eyes, though dimmed by exhaustion, still carried that unmistakable gli
The torches along the hallway brought light as Jack moved quietly, his shoes striking the floor. The air here always felt heavy now. Since Desmond’s coup, everything had changed. Blackwood was no longer a place of strength and honor, it was a pack of fear. Jack turned a corner and stopped. A sh







