🍀 Will the spy wake up? And why is Eugene suddenly pushing Becca away? One confrontation could change everything. Don’t miss the next chapter 🍀
The horses’ hooves beat softly against the moss-covered ground as Desmond and Seraphina made their way deeper into the woods. Desmond rode ahead, his dark eyes scanning the twisted trees and undergrowth with precision. Seraphina, close behind him, sat poised atop her horse. “This place gives me chills,” she muttered, tightening her grip on the reins. “Are you sure this is the right place? There’s nothing but dead branches.”Desmond didn’t turn.“Yes,” he said calmly. “This is where they’re hiding.”Seraphina frowned. “You're sure he didn't say anything else?”“He didn’t have much left to say after I was through with him,” Desmond replied flatly.She smiled. “You’re cold.”He smirked. “And you love it.”A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of her lips, but it vanished as they came to a sudden stop. Before them, nestled between two large boulders, was a narrow opening—barely visible, almost like the woods were hiding it on purpose.Desmond came down from the horse. “This is it
The air in Becca’s clinic was thick with antiseptics and dread. The scent of sterile gauze and alcohol burned her nostrils, but nothing stung more than the sight of the broken body lying on the stretcher in the center of the room. The spy had been barely alive when she, Eugene and Jack found him—bloodied, unconscious, several teeth missing, and his wrists purple from over-tightened restraints. Now, she hovered over him like a guardian angel, if only angels could be haunted by fury. “Another bag of saline,” she muttered to one of her maids, her voice clipped with tension. “He’s severely dehydrated.” The girl moved quickly, sensing her mood. Becca carefully cleaned the jagged gash across the spy’s cheek, the blood already dried and crusted. Her fingers trembled slightly. She swallowed down the bile rising in her throat. Desmond did this… Her jaw clenched. He did this in the name of justice. She adjusted the light above the spy’s face, her brows drawing together. His skin was
The late morning sunlight spilled into the chamber like golden glow, softening the dark walls and polished wooden floors of the Alpha Desmond’s private quarters. The scent of rosewood lingered in the air, mingling with something far more metallic—blood. Desmond stood shirtless before the basin, sleeves rolled and forearms flexing as he scrubbed his hands. Blood swirled in the water like dye, tainting the clear liquid with the evidence of his brutality. Each stroke was methodical, every movement deliberate. There was no remorse in his actions—only resolve. Behind him, seated gracefully on a cushioned chair, Seraphina sipped her tea in silence, her gaze fixed on his back. The faint steam from her cup curled like wisps of spirit in the air, but her expression was far from tranquil. “You were harsher than usual,” she said softly, her voice smooth. Desmond grunted, splashing more water into the basin as he rinsed the soap off. “He would have died before speaking. I did what I ha
Kaelyn’s footsteps were light, nearly soundless on the stone path leading away from the bench. The conversation she had with Becca last night still rang in her ears, her heart pounding, her fingers curling tightly into the folds of her sweater. A part of her was angry she hadn’t told Becca and Eugene the truth but she couldn’t predict what would happen the moment she did that. It was too much of a big risk to take. Her breathing came in short, shallow bursts, but she didn’t stop walking. Not until she was completely enveloped by the beautiful flowers surrounding her. She found herself at the far end of the garden, surrounded by blooming lilies and the soft rustle of leaves. The sun above gave the world a gentle golden hue, but nothing could soothe the war of feelings swirling inside her. She hadn’t meant to have these feelings. She hadn’t meant to feel the sting of her own denial. But as Kaelyn closed her eyes to process her thoughts, something else was happening in the oth
The sound of screams echoed off the damp, stone walls. A man’s voice—raw and choked with agony—rang out like a siren in the dungeon’s shadowed corridors, followed by the metallic clink of bloodied tools and the scent of iron and fear. Becca’s heart thundered in her chest as she ran, the hem of her long robe catching on uneven stones. Eugene’s hand was tight around her wrist, practically dragging her as Jack took the lead, his claws already drawn and his rage simmering. “Desmond!” Eugene’s voice thundered before they even reached the chamber. Another scream. This one cut short. They burst into the torch-lit chamber just as Desmond reached forward with a pair of rusted pliers, gloved hands bloodied and unwavering. The prisoner was strapped to an iron chair, his face battered, a stream of blood pooling beneath him as he cried in agony. “No!” Becca’s cry shattered the tension like glass hitting stone. Desmond froze mid-motion, his face emotionless, cold as a winter ni
The morning sun had broken gently over the horizon, casting golden rays of light through the towering hedge walls and blooming flowerbeds of the beautiful garden. Birds chirped in lazy harmony, and the sweet scent of jasmine and marigold floated thick in the air. Amid the serenity, Kaelyn sat beneath the willow tree, her body relaxed and posture regal, with her legs folded neatly to one side on the stone bench. In her hands, she held a worn leather-bound book that was basically about understanding the power of herbs and how to make good use of their potential. The cover was cracked from use, and inside, faint notes were scribbled in the margins by a former reader: Becca. Kaelyn ran a finger along one of the annotated pages, where Becca had underlined a passage and written in soft, slanted handwriting: “Use golden thistle only at night. It reacts better to moonlight.” A faint smile ghosted across Kaelyn’s lips as she traced those words again. She had been skeptical at first