LOGINThe mansion buzzed with a different kind of energy, not the usual controlled rhythm of power and command, but something sharper, like the entire estate was holding its breath.Servants moved quickly through the corridors, their heads lowered, their voices hushed. Guards stood more rigid than usual, their grips tighter on their weapons, their eyes constantly shifting as if expecting something to go wrong at any moment.Seraphina walked down the long marble hallway with measured steps, her chin lifted, her posture as regal as ever but beneath that composed exterior, her thoughts were anything but calm.Ava walked just half a step behind her, as always.“You’re quiet,” Ava said softly after a moment.Seraphina didn’t respond immediately. Her heels clicked against the polished floor, echoing faintly.“I’m thinking,” she finally said.Ava nodded.“About the duel?”Seraphina’s lips pressed into a thin line.“Yes and everything that comes with it” she replied. Ava’s expression tightened sli
The first rays of sunlight slipped through the tall curtains, casting a warm glow across the bedchamber. Dust motes danced lazily in the air, drifting in the stillness of early morning.But despite the calm, there was nothing peaceful about this day.Becca stirred slightly beneath the covers, her body shifting as consciousness slowly pulled her from sleep. Her lashes fluttered open, and for a moment, she simply lay there, caught between dream and reality.Her gaze lifted and there he was.Eugene's arms wrapped around her protectively, his chest rising and falling steadily beneath her cheek. His face was relaxed, softened by sleep, but even then, there was something powerful about him.Becca’s lips curved into a faint, tender smile. Carefully, she shifted slightly, lifting her head just enough to look at him properly.Her fingers moved instinctively, brushing lightly across his jawline.Today, he would walk into a duel that could change everything. Her chest tightened slightly at the t
Desmond took another step toward Ariel.“Speak,” he repeated, his voice lower now but far more threatening.Ariel’s throat bobbed as she swallowed, her fingers tightened together until her knuckles turned pale.“It’s… about Jack,” she said carefully.The moment the name left her lips, Desmond’s expression shifted subtly but unmistakably.Ava noticed it immediately and so did Seraphina.“What about him?” Seraphina asked, her tone sharp with suspicion.“I saw him with Alpha Eugene.” she said.Desmond’s jaw tightened.“That’s not surprising. He’s been lingering around them more than usual” he said coldly. Ariel shook her head quickly.“No, Alpha… not just lingering.”Ava leaned forward slightly, her curiosity rising.“What do you mean?”Ariel took a breath steadying herself, her voice trembling slightly.“He knelt before Alpha Eugene and he… swore loyalty to him” she said. The words hit like thunder.Ava’s eyes widened, Seraphina’s mouth parted slightly in disbelief and Desmond went st
The journey back to the estate felt longer than it should have.Ava walked beside Desmond in silence, her thoughts in chaos, her emotions tangled between fear, confusion, and disbelief. She kept glancing at him, hoping he would say something to explain but Desmond walked ahead like nothing had happened.Finally, Ava couldn’t hold it in anymore.“Alpha…” she said, her voice careful but strained.Desmond didn’t slow.“What is it now?” he replied, irritation clear in his tone.Ava took a breath.“That proposal… with Alpha Leonard…”Desmond remained silent while Ava clenched her hands slightly.“You can’t be serious.”That made him stop. He turned his head just enough to glance at her, his expression unreadable.“I don’t make jokes about power,” he said.Ava swallowed.“I’m not saying it’s a joke,” she said quickly. “I’m saying it’s—”“Necessary.”The word cut her off and Ava blinked.“Necessary?” she echoed. “You offered him half the territory!”Desmond’s gaze sharpened.“And?”Ava shoo
Jack walked beside Mira in silence, his mind still replaying everything that had just happened.They turned down a quieter hallway, far from the main activity of the estate. The walls here were lined with tall windows that let in the soft glow of the late afternoon sun, casting long shadows across the polished floors.Mira slowed her pace then stopped.“There,” she said gently, gesturing toward a small alcove tucked between two pillars.A simple wooden bench sat there, partially hidden from view.Jack followed her without question and they both sat down.Mira exhaled slowly, leaning back slightly as she tilted her head toward him.“You really did it,” she said softly.Jack let out a small breath.“I guess I did.”Mira smiled faintly.“No, not ‘I guess.’ You actually did it” she corrected.Jack glanced at her.“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time,” he admitted.Mira’s smile softened.“I could tell.”Jack leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees as he stared ahea
The camp fell into a stunned silence after Desmond’s words.It echoed in Ava’s head like a thunderclap, loud and disorienting, refusing to settle. Her breath came out uneven as she stared at him, her eyes wide with disbelief.What is he doing?She took a step forward instinctively, her voice rising before she could stop herself.“My Alpha, this—”“Silence.”Desmond didn’t even look at her but the command was sharp.Ava’s lips parted, the rest of her words dying in her throat as his aura pressed down, not violently, but firmly enough to remind her of her place.Across from them, Skye stepped forward, her shock turning quickly into anger.“You’ve lost your mind. You think you can just walk into our camp and suggest something like that?” she said, her voice sharp with disbelief.Desmond’s expression didn’t change, he didn’t even spare her a glance.“I didn’t come here to speak with you,” he said flatly.Skye’s eyes flashed.“I don’t care who you came to speak with,” she snapped. “This af
Dawn broke over the resistance hideout like it was an apology for the horrible night that had fallen on the poor space hours ago.The first light of morning crept through the broken stone ceilings and cracked corridors, illuminating what remained of the sanctuary that had once been alive with laugh
The first thing Becca became aware of was pain.Not sharp like something dull and pulsing, sitting heavy behind her eyes, spreading down her spine. Her head throbbed viciously, each heartbeat a reminder that she had been struck and dragged like cargo.Loud raised voices reached her through the fog
Ash clung to Alpha Eugene’s shoes as if the ruins themselves were trying to keep him rooted there.He stood at the center of the devastation, unmoving, his broad shoulders tense beneath his torn cloak.Behind him, Max stood a few paces away, his arms folded tightly across his chest. His jaw was cl
Eugene stood over the table, his hands braced flat against the wood, his shoulders rigid beneath his coat. His eyes moved slowly, deliberately, committing every detail on the map to memory even though he already knew them by heart. He had walked these plans in his mind so many times they haunted h







