MasukKaelyn walked deeper into the forest, her footsteps becoming heavier with every step.She barely noticed the branches brushing against her arms or the dry leaves cracking beneath her feet. Her mind was too occupied with the conversation she had just had with Alpha Eugene.The heir.Those words kept echoing in her mind.Eugene had been clear. Becca's child was his heir.Kaelyn clenched her fists as she continued walking. She hated the thought. She hated everything about it.For months, she had believed that her son would naturally have a place beside Eugene. Perhaps not immediately, perhaps not in the way she had once imagined, but she had always believed that being Eugene's firstborn would mean something.Now, everything had changed.Becca had given birth to a son and Eugene had already decided what that meant.His heir.Kaelyn's lips tightened. She wasn't ready to accept that but she also knew she couldn't confront Eugene about it again without thinking carefully.She needed a plan a
Becca watched Tyler carefully and for a few seconds, neither of them spoke.The healer had quietly stepped out of the room, leaving them alone. The soft sounds of the mansion barely reached the healer's chambers, and for the first time since Becca had given birth, there was a strange calm around her.Tyler, however, looked anything but calm.He had been standing beside the bed with the basket of fruits still resting on a nearby table. His expression changed the moment Becca asked the question."Tyler..."He swallowed."Yes?""Is it true?" She asked again.Tyler looked away and Becca watched him carefully. For a moment, he looked as though he had forgotten how to breathe then he gave a small laugh."I think you should eat something. You haven't eaten properly” he said.Becca blinked."Tyler.""Those fruits are fresh. I brought them because I thought—""Tyler” she interrupted him.He stopped and Becca stared at him."Don't change the subject” she said.Tyler rubbed the back of his neck.
Mira's words seemed to hang in the hallway long after she had spoken them."Are you on Desmond's side again?”The moment the question left her mouth, she wished she could take it back.Jack didn't answer immediately, he simply stared at her as the hallway suddenly felt colder.Seraphina stood beside him with her arms folded, watching the exchange with an unreadable expression. Mira could see something change in Jack's face.It wasn't anger. At least, not the kind she had expected. It was hurt.A deep, unmistakable hurt.Mira's heart sank."Jack..." she started but he looked away.For a brief moment, Desmond's voice echoed in his mind and Jack clenched his jaw.“You actually thought they would trust you? You stood by us once. You think they'll ever forget that? Everyone will always wonder which side you're truly on.”He remembered the cold amusement in Desmond's eyes. He had told himself those words meant nothing, he had refused to believe them but now Mira was standing in front of hi
Becca slowly opened her eyes. For a few seconds, she simply stared at the ceiling above her.The room was quiet. Soft morning light filtered through the curtains, painting pale golden lines across the walls. The scent of herbs lingered in the air, but unlike the previous morning, it no longer made her feel like she was trapped inside a healer's chamber.She took a slow breath then another. Something felt different. She felt much better.Becca moved her fingers beneath the blanket and flexed them. There was still some weakness in her muscles, but the horrible heaviness that had consumed her body yesterday was almost gone.She carefully pushed herself upright then a small smile appeared on her lips."I can actually sit up without feeling like I'm dying” she said.The healer, who had been arranging several bottles on a nearby table, immediately turned around."Please don't say things like that."Becca chuckled."I'm sorry."The healer walked toward her and placed the back of her hand ag
Jack walked beside Seraphina through the quiet hallway, his expression still tense from everything that had happened.Neither of them spoke for several moments. The events of the past few days had left the mansion feeling different.There was suspicion everywhere. Whispers followed people through the corridors, guards were watching everyone more closely, and even ordinary conversations seemed to carry hidden meanings.Jack finally broke the silence."I still can't believe Desmond did that” he said.Seraphina glanced at him."Why are you surprised?" She asked."I expected him to be angry with me but he practically handed me over to Eugene."Seraphina shrugged."You betrayed him."Jack stopped walking."That doesn't mean he gets to accuse me of murder” he said.Seraphina turned toward him."But it means you should have expected consequences” she replied.Jack stared at her."You really think I deserved that?" He asked."I think you knew what you were doing when you turned against him” s
Kaelyn continued walking through the forest, her steps deliberately slow. She could hear Eugene behind her.His footsteps were heavier than hers, occasionally crunching against fallen leaves and small branches scattered across the forest floor.She tried not to smile.She had wanted him to follow her, she had hoped he would become concerned enough to leave the mansion and come looking for her and now he was here, right behind her.But Kaelyn refused to let him know how pleased she was.She kept her face composed and continued walking as though his presence meant absolutely nothing to her. After several moments of silence, she finally spoke."So…how is Becca?" She asked.His expression immediately softened."She's stable” he answered.Kaelyn nodded."And the baby?""He's fine."There was something warm in Eugene's voice when he spoke about the child. Kaelyn noticed it immediately."He must be doing well” she said."He is” Eugene's replied then his lips curved into a faint smile. "He's
The torches along the wall flickered, casting restless shadows across the bruised and battered figure tied to a chair in the center of the room. Jack sat there, wrists bound behind the wooden frame, two guards holding his shoulders down as if he might spring up at any moment. His shirt clung to h
The silence sat like a weight on Alpha Eugene’s chest as he stared across the dim chamber at his Beta. He forced himself to breathe before his anger consumed him. “Max.” His voice cut through the stillness, deep and commanding. “You crossed the line.” Max didn’t flinch, though his lips twitched
The courtyard seemed to shrink under the weight of fury, whispers, and defiance. Alpha Eugene stood rigid, his eyes blazing with untamed wrath, his chest rising and falling like a beast restrained only by chains of will. Opposite him, Desmond leaned slightly forward, his lips curved in mockery, t
The chamber smelled of blood, iron, and sweat. Its walls were stone, slick with damp, and the single torch burning in the corner cast jagged shadows that danced across the floor. At the center stood a wooden chair, bolted down, and bound to it with thick ropes was Jack. His arms were pulled tight







