The heavy iron door slammed shut behind them, sealing Becca and Mira inside the cold prison cell beneath Alpha Desmond’s mansion.
The air was thick with the scent of old blood. Mira sat in the corner, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. “I can’t believe this is happening,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “I’ve never been in a place like this before.” Becca exhaled sharply, pacing the cell. She had been here before. Thrown into this very cell. The memory clawed at her mind—Desmond’s cold eyes, his mocking smile as he had ordered her locked away simply for trying to heal one of the maids. She clenched her fists. “This isn’t the first time Desmond has done this to me. He thinks throwing me down here will break me, but it won’t.” Mira’s wide eyes met hers. “But what if this time is different? What if he really—” “Stop.” Becca bent in front of her, gripping her shoulders gently. “We will get out of this. I promise you.” Mira swallowed hard and nodded, but fear still lingered in her expression. Just then, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the hallway. The guards were back. The cell door creaked open, and three armored guards stepped inside. Their eyes were filled with cruel amusement as they glared at Becca. One of them smirked. “You’ll be punished for your crimes, Omega.” Becca’s patience snapped. “What crimes? You dragged me here without giving me a single reason!” She stepped forward, fury burning through her veins. “Tell me what I did!” The guards exchanged amused glances. “An Omega doesn’t get to question us.” “Especially not a rejected one.” Becca’s hands turned into fists. “Cowards! That’s all you are. Desmond doesn’t have the spine to face me himself, so he sends his little lapdogs to do his dirty work!” One of the guards’ expressions darkened, and he took a menacing step toward her. “Watch your tongue, Omega, or you’ll lose it.” Becca scoffed. “I’d rather lose my tongue than sit here in silence while you bastards act like I’m supposed to accept my fate without a fight!” Mira tugged at her sleeve, whispering urgently, “Becca, stop—” But Becca wasn’t done. “I demand to know why I was arrested!” she shouted. “I healed a dying man! That’s not a crime!” The guards remained unfazed. Becca let out a bitter laugh. “Right. Of course, you won’t answer me. Because there is no crime. This is just another one of Desmond’s sick games.” The lead guard smirked. “We don’t answer to a worthless Omega like you.” Becca opened her mouth to fire back another insult, but before she could, the guards turned and walked out, slamming the cell door behind them. Silence settled in the room. Mira let out a shaky breath. “That was not a good idea, Becca.” Becca shook her head. “I don’t care. If they’re going to kill me, they might as well let me die with my dignity.” Mira shuddered. “Don’t talk like that.” Becca softened. She could see the fear in her friend’s eyes. Mira doesn’t belong here. She was just a healer’s assistant, thrown into this mess because of her. She reached for Mira’s hands and squeezed them gently. “Everything will be fine.” Mira bit her lip. “I hope so.” The hope in Mira’s voice was short-lived. Less than an hour later, the guards returned. “Get up,” one of them barked. Before Becca could react, they grabbed her arms and drew her to her feet. Mira tried to intervene, but a guard shoved her back, causing her to stumble. Becca struggled. “Let go of me!” The guards ignored her, dragging her out of the cell and down the long, narrow hallway. The further they went, the colder Becca’s blood ran. She knew exactly where they were taking her. The large hall. Where Alpha Desmond delivered his judgments. The moment they entered the hall, Becca was thrown to the ground. She landed hard on her knees. Laughter echoed through the room. Becca didn’t need to look up to know who it belonged to. Alpha Desmond. Slowly, she lifted her gaze. There he was. Sitting on his high throne, dressed in luxury, his cold golden eyes gleaming with amusement. His dark hair was slicked back, his powerful frame relaxed as if he were watching a performance. The sight of him made Becca’s stomach sick. “Well, well,” Desmond began, his deep voice filled with mockery. “Look at what we have here. The disgrace of my pack.” Becca’s jaw clenched. “What the hell do you want, Desmond?” The guards kicked her forward, forcing her to bow her head. Becca gritted her teeth. Desmond laughed. “Still as mouthy as ever. It’s amazing how an Omega like you never learns her place.” Becca shot him a glare. “I know my place, Desmond. I just refuse to bow to a tyrant.” The room went silent. A dangerous smirk played on Desmond’s lips. “You never fail to amuse me, Becca. You really don’t.” She spat at the ground. “I’d rather amuse you than fear you.” The guards reacted instantly, striking her across the face. Pain exploded across her cheek, but she refused to cry out. Desmond clicked his tongue. “You truly have no survival instincts, do you?” Becca wiped the blood from her lip. “Oh, I have instincts, Desmond. That’s why I knew you would try to pull something like this.” His expression darkened. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” Becca met his gaze without fear. “I don’t think, Desmond. I know.” The guards tightened their grips on her arms. Desmond leaned forward, his smirk vanishing. “I’ve had enough of you. I’ve been looking for a reason to rid myself of you, and now you’ve delivered yourself to me on a silver platter.” Becca’s heart pounded. “What crime did I commit?” Desmond’s eyes gleamed. “It doesn’t matter.” Becca’s breath caught. He doesn’t even care to justify it. Desmond motioned with his hand. “Executioner.” A door on the side of the hall opened. A large man stepped out, carrying a massive blade. Becca’s blood turned to ice. The guards forced her down, pressing her forehead to the cold floor. She struggled. “Desmond, you bastard! You can’t just—” Desmond chuckled. “Oh, but I can.” The executioner raised his sword. Becca closed her eyes. And then— A deep, powerful voice cut through the tension. “Stop.” Everything froze. Becca’s eyes snapped open. The large doors to the hall stood wide open. A man stepped inside. His presence filled the room instantly. The man from her clinic. Alive, awake and looking furious. Becca’s breath caught. What the hell was happening?The tension in the room thickened as gasps whispered through the gathered crowd.Alpha Eugene.The name rolled through her mind as the man moved toward her, his gaze never leaving her broken form on the floor. His sharp eyes softened the moment he reached her.Without a word, he extended his hand.Becca stared at it, still dazed, still unable to process what was happening.“Come,” Eugene murmured, his voice deep yet gentle.Becca hesitated, but something in his presence made her reach out. He grasped her hand firmly, his warmth stark against the coldness of the hall. He pulled her to her feet with effortless strength, steadying her as her legs threatened to give out beneath her.She felt… safe.But the safety was immediately overshadowed by confusion.“What the hell is going on?” Becca demanded, pulling her hand away the moment she found her balance. She was still furious, burning from the humiliation and anger of being dragged here in the first place.Eugene exhaled. “I owe you
The words echoed through Becca’s mind, slamming into her with a force that almost made it impossible for her to breathe."She is my mate." Those words repeated in her head as she tired to register it.No.No, that couldn’t be right.Her breath came in short, shallow bursts. Her heart pounded so violently that it was painful. The entire hall had fallen into stunned silence, yet the sound of gasps and hushed whispers spread like wildfire.She felt their eyes on her, sinking into her skin.Desmond was the first to react.A sharp, disbelieving laugh cut through the tension, but there was no humor in it. His golden eyes gleamed with dark amusement as he stepped forward."You must be joking." His voice was like poison dripping from his tongue. "This has to be a mistake, Eugene. Tell me you didn’t just claim her."Eugene didn’t even flinch. He didn’t turn his head, didn’t spare Desmond a single glance. His piercing gaze remained locked onto Becca—unwavering and unshaken.She felt trappe
The darkness surrounding Becca suddenly shattered.Her eyes flew open as though jolted from a nightmare. Her heart was pounding. She was drenched in sweat. For a moment, she didn’t know where she was. The ceiling above her was unfamiliar—elegant, carved wood with golden trims and an ornate chandelier. Silk sheets. Velvet curtains. Soft pillows under her head.This wasn’t her clinic. And it sure as hell wasn’t the dungeons.Then it hit her—the memory of that awful moment in the grand hall.Alpha Desmond’s sneer.The executioner’s attack.The cold words echoing in the hall.“She committed an abomination—she dared to touch Alpha blood.”And then… that voice. Deep. Commanding. Protective.“Enough. No one will touch her.”Alpha Eugene.Becca sucked in a sharp breath, her hand flying to her mouth as if trying to block the memory from flooding in too fast. She sat up quickly in bed, her hands trembling. The words echoed louder in her mind now, deafening her.“She is my mate.”Becca shoo
Desmond paced around his chamber, each step echoing his increasing anger. The audacity of his half-brother, Eugene, to return unannounced and challenge his authority was infuriating. Worse still, Eugene had intervened in the execution of that insufferable Omega, Becca, and had the gall to claim her as his mate. The mere thought made Desmond's blood boil.The distant hum of engines interrupted his seething thoughts. He moved to the window and saw a convoy of sleek black vehicles approaching the estate. Luna Seraphina had returned from her spa retreat. Her presence was both a comfort and a complication; while she was his mate, her temper was as bad as his own.The driver swiftly opened the door, and Seraphina emerged, exuding an aura of dominance and elegance. Without wasting time, she began issuing commands to the staff."Careful with those bags! If anything is damaged, consider your employment terminated," she snapped, her icy blue eyes scanning the maids running to collect her
The great wolf council hall was a towering structure of stone and glass, with high ceilings and ancient paintings bearing the symbols of generations past. Its walls carried the stories of countless decisions that had shaped the werewolf realms. Today, it would bear witness to another.Alpha Eugene stood at the center of the chamber, his broad shoulders squared, his piercing silver eyes unwavering. The wolf council members, a gathering of old, sharp-eyed men and women, sat in a circle before him. Each of them bore the weight of decades of power, and none were easily impressed.Eugene’s wolf stirred within him, pacing impatiently. He kept his breathing steady, tamping down the surge of possessive anger that threatened to surface whenever his thoughts drifted to Becca — and to Desmond.An elder, Councilor Hadrian, cleared his throat and leaned forward. His voice, though aged, still carried authority.“Alpha Eugene, you have returned after years spent infiltrating the rival clans. T
Becca slammed the door behind her, the sound echoing through the room.Her back pressed against the door, her breaths coming in short, rapid bursts as the enormity of what she had just done settled on her shoulders.“Goddess,” she whispered under her breath, her palms filled with sweat as she lifted them to her flushed cheeks. “What did I just do?”The memory played in her mind like a vivid nightmare. Becca squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself to calm down, to gather her scattered thoughts before—The door creaked open.She turned around, panic flickering across her features. There, standing in the doorway like the storm itself, was Eugene. His broad frame filled the entrance, his eyes locked onto her with a mix of warmth and predatory amusement. He closed the door behind him without a word.“Eugene,” she started, her voice a wary tremble.He didn’t rush to speak. Instead, he took a slow step forward, his expression unreadable except for the faint smirk tugging at the corner of
The heavy, oppressive air inside Alpha Desmond’s chambers was thick with unspoken fury and unrelenting bitterness. The flickering glow of the fireplace cast long shadows against the walls, giving the space an almost sinister atmosphere. The heady scent of wine, cedarwood, and musk clung to the room like a heavy cloak and filled every corner.Desmond paced back and forth, his footsteps muffled by the thick rug beneath his polished boots. His dark eyes, filled with seething rage, narrowed every time his mind replayed Becca’s voice echoing through the council chamber — “I am his mate.”It had blindsided them all.The council, those cowardly old fools, had accepted it without question, their eyes flickering with approval at the sight of Eugene standing tall with that wretched Omega by his side. It ate at Desmond’s pride, like a parasite burrowing into his very soul.Seated gracefully on an expensive chair, Luna Seraphina poured herself a glass of deep red wine. The stem of the glass
The mid-morning sun cast long, thin beams of light through the tall arched windows of the east wing of the palace. Dust was in the air, floating lazily in the stillness. The grand room Eugene had ordered cleared for Becca’s new location of her clinic was huge.There were high ceilings adorned with elegant carvings of wolves in mid-hunt and long walls painted a welcoming colours.The scent of old books, wood polish, and fresh herbs lingered faintly and Becca couldn’t help but feel conflicted.It wasn’t like her small, cozy clinic back in the town — this was far grander, regal, and a little too pristine for Becca’s taste.She stood silently by the window, arms crossed over her chest as she watched several palace movers carefully — or in some cases, carelessly — carry in her equipment. Her lap desk, bottles of mixtures, her old mortar and pestle, a beaten-up microscope that had survived more falls than she could count, and dozens of small wooden crates labeled Fragile or Medicinal Sup
The late afternoon sun spilled golden light across the floor of Becca’s room, painting soft patterns through the white curtains that danced in the gentle breeze. A quiet energy filled the room as Mira fastened the final pin into her hair, looking at her reflection in the mirror with a soft smile. She looked beautiful in her moon-silver gown, a color that shimmered when she moved, adding to the glow in her skin. The faint sounds of violins being tuned floated in from the distant ballroom, carried up the stairs by open windows and echoing laughter.Becca stood by the wardrobe, carefully slipping into a deep emerald dress with gold designs at the sleeves and neckline. Her fingers worked quickly, but her eyes held a trace of apprehension. The dress clung to her form with just the right amount of grace, and her long hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, the last bits still damp from her earlier bath.“You’re awfully quiet,” Mira said, turning and giving her friend a look. “Not h
Luna Seraphina, Alpha Desmond, and Jack hurried down the long, dimly lit hallways. Their footsteps echoed sharply off the floors as they approached Eugene’s study. Desmond and Seraphina led the way, their eyes flickering with determination, while Jack followed reluctantly behind.“Jack,” Seraphina’s voice cut through the silence, her tone laced with irritation, “you really think it’s acceptable to waste time like this? We’re on a tight schedule, and you didn’t even check the study for the elixir after you were supposed to.”Jack glanced at her, his eyes narrowing, but he kept his voice calm and polite. “I understand your frustration, Luna Seraphina, but I’ve been handling preparations for the Moon Festival. You know how important it is. It’s a lot of work.”Desmond, walking beside Seraphina, grunted dismissively. “The festival? You think that matters right now, Jack? Eugene’s elixir is more important. You should’ve checked the study first, not gotten distracted with petty celebrat
Mira’s eyes sparkled with admiration as she looked at Becca and Eugene dancing together, their bodies intertwined like they were one.“They look... perfect together,” Mira whispered, almost to herself.Max turned his head to look at her. The way her lips curled in a small, genuine smile made something warm and aching move inside his chest.For a moment, Max’s fingers twitched at his sides. He wanted to reach out, to tell her something—anything—just to hear her voice.He opened his mouth, about to speak, when—A sharp, loud laugh shattered the moment.They all turned in unison, their heads snapping toward the grand staircase.At the top, like a queen descending to oversee her court, stood Luna Seraphina. Trailing behind her were Desmond and Jack, both in dark ceremonial attire, their faces fixed into perfect, impassive masks. Except Jack—his eyes flickered briefly when they landed on Mira, but his expression quickly smoothed over.“Oh, what a precious sight,” she said mockingly. “A
The grand ballroom had never felt so vast, so daunting.Becca tightened her hands nervously around the fabric of her dress as she and Mira stepped through the towering double doors.Beside her, Mira fidgeted, smoothing her skirt unnecessarily."I don't like this," Mira muttered under her breath. "This whole… rehearsal stuff."Becca nodded, equally uneasy. But they had been told—no, summoned—to come for a "special preparation" for the upcoming Moon Festival. And no one said no to Alpha Eugene.Across the ballroom, standing near the orchestra setup, were two familiar figures:Alpha Eugene, handsome and commanding in a fitted black shirt that hugged his broad shoulders; and Max, stoic as ever, standing slightly behind him.Mira's steps faltered when she saw Max, but she pressed her lips together and kept walking.Becca noticed the tension between them. They didn't speak, didn't look directly at each other — but the awareness between them was almost palpable.Becca swallowed hard and pu
The corridor was deathly silent, broken only by the occasional sound of the wooden beams overhead as the mansion settled into the cool embrace of evening. Jack’s heart thudded violently against his ribs, his palms clammy as he hovered in front of Alpha Eugene’s door.He knew what he was about to do was wrong.Grievously wrong.But desperate situations demanded desperate actions.Steeling himself, Jack exhaled slowly through his nose and pushed the door open, slipping inside as silently as smoke.The Alpha’s room was a testament to restrained luxury. Dark mahogany furniture, a towering bookshelf against one wall, heavy curtains that dimmed the twilight into an amber glow, and a four-poster bed with silken sheets tucked meticulously. A faint scent of sandalwood and pine — Eugene’s natural scent — hung heavily in the air, prickling Jack’s senses."Stay calm, stay focused," he whispered to himself.He moved carefully, almost on tiptoe, toward the ornate chest by the bedside.If his sus
Becca strolled slowly down the paths, her hands folded behind her back, watching as Mira and a few other maids bustled about, hanging colorful ribbons and glowing paper lanterns from the arching trees.The Moon Festival was approaching quickly, and excitement buzzed in the air like a living thing.Mira caught sight of her and waved. Her face was flushed from work, loose strands of her dark hair clinging to her cheeks."Becca!" Mira called out brightly. "Come see! We’re almost finished with this side!"Becca smiled and made her way over. She stopped next to Mira, tilting her head back to admire the swaying lanterns."They look beautiful," Becca said sincerely.Mira wiped her hands on her apron and grinned. "Wait until you see them all lit up at night. It’ll be like walking through the stars themselves."Becca laughed softly, the image taking root easily in her mind.They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, watching the others work."Are you excited?" Mira asked suddenly, glanc
The heavy silence inside Desmond’s study was broken only by the soft crackle of the fireplace. Jack stood stiffly near the door, feeling like the walls themselves were closing in around him. Across the room, Luna Seraphina rose slowly from her chair, her slender figure stiff with disdain. Her sharp eyes locked onto Jack with a look of such deep disgust that it felt like a slap to his face."Is it truly so difficult, Jack," Seraphina hissed, her voice cold as ice, "to follow a simple order?"Jack lowered his gaze, biting down the instinct to respond too harshly. He knew better. Here, every word could be twisted into a weapon."If I could, I would do it myself," she said, beginning to pace slowly across the room. "But unfortunately," her mouth twisted into a sneer, "Mira, Eugene, and their little pet Becca trust me far too much. It would be suspicious."She stopped right in front of him, so close he could smell her sharp, floral perfume, and lifted her hand as if to touch his face
The crisp air of the early morning filled Jack's lungs as he walked through the vast garden. The vibrant colors of the flowers, a mixture of pinks, reds, and purples, painted the scene like a tapestry, yet his mind was far from the beauty around him. His thoughts kept drifting to Mira—the way she had looked at him when she was angry, that fire in her eyes, the sharpness of her words.He hated seeing her like that.As he got closer to the garden’s edge, he noticed the sound of laughter, the soft chatter of the maids as they hung bright ribbons and paper lanterns for the upcoming Moon Festival. As Jack approached the small gathering of servants, his eyes immediately landed on Mira.She was on a tall ladder, reaching up to attach a decorative lantern to the wooden trellis above. Jack stood there for a moment, mesmerized. Her long hair fell down her back, the morning sunlight catching the strands and making them glow.There was something about her presence that made the world feel st
Desmond’s lips curled into a wicked smile as he made his way down the hall to meet with Luna Seraphina. He was getting closer now to everything he had ever wanted. And the best part? He would do it all with Luna Seraphina by his side. Her ambitions matched his own, and together, they would rule the pack. All they needed was the right push.Desmond finally reached the door to her dressing room. He could hear her voice, sharp and demanding, echoing through the door. With a quick, determined breath, Desmond knocked on the door before stepping inside.The scene before him made him pause for a moment.Luna Seraphina stood at the center of the room, her back to him. A seamstress was on her knees, pinning the hem of a flowing gown, but Seraphina was visibly displeased. Her sharp voice filled the room as she shouted at the young women around her.“No, no, no!” Luna Seraphina snapped, her eyes dark with frustration. “This dress is a disaster! Can’t you see it? The color is wrong, the cut