Se connecterDeep in the palace library, Ronan sat in a high-backed leather chair, the only light illuminating the library was from the table lamp right across the seat he was seated on. He had a bottle of expensive whiskey on the table, it was already half empty.He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, worn piece of parchment. It was a drawing Liora had made when they were sixteen. It was a messy sketch of the two of them under the moon.Ronan closed his eyes, the memory hitting him with the force of a physical blow.Everyone thought Liora had left because he chose Isolde. Everyone thought the rejection was the reason she fled. But they didn't know the truth.TEN YEARS AGOThe palace had been just as loud, just as suffocating. Ronan was eighteen, his wolf senses newly awakened and it had just become heightened and raw. He had been standing in this very room, hiding from his own father’s expectations.The door had creaked open. A sixteen-year-old girl had slipped in, her arms full of ol
The air in the Grand Hall of the Voss Palace was thick with the scent of expensive perfume, aged brandy, and the sharp, metallic tang of repressed aggression. The Voss pack was holding the “Treaty Ball” and they were the host of this year's celebration. The “Treaty Ball” was a Unity Ball which occurs every ten years, it's a tradition that had stood for generations, rotating among the five High Packs of the North. Each pack hosted it twice simultaneously before the next pack hosted the Treaty Ball. On paper, it was a celebration of peace. But most of them secretly plan to betray each other. It's also a gathering where most wolves find their mates as in rare cases, one's mate may not be from their pack but from a neighboring pack. Some wolves also have the freedom to mark their willing partner, just like dating or marriage in the human world. Just like in the case of Ronan and Isolde where both of them agreed to get married.Ronan stood at the stairwell, he was in a charcoal black suit
The drive home from the school was quiet, but it wasn't the peaceful kind. Theo stared out the side window, his reflection in the glass was looking small and defeated. Mia sat in the back, her eyes darting between the back of Theo’s head and the road.I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. Hargrove had pushed too far. Again. The blackmail was supposed to keep him in line, but apparently, he thought he could use his son to do the dirty work while he kept his hands clean.When we pulled into the driveway of the mansion, Theo didn't wait for us. He hopped out and bolted for the front door before the engine had even completely stopped."Theo, wait!" Mia called out, but he was already inside.I climbed out of the truck, feeling a massive headache forming. "Let him go, Mia. He needs a minute to himself.""It’s not fair, Li," Mia said, walking up beside me. Her eyes were red. "Brandon said those things on purpose. He wanted Theo to hit him. Though I heard him saying som
It was finally a new week, Monday morning and the house has finally returned to normal, well almost. The chaotic Hargrove’s event had died down except, well… Theo is still a bit shaken, though he hates to admit it. I stood in the kitchen, staring at a cup of coffee that had gone cold twenty minutes ago. At times I couldn't help but think about the incident with Hargrove. Did the blackmail actually keep him away for good?"Theo, you’re going to be late," I called out, trying to keep my voice casual.Theo walked into the kitchen, his backpack slumped over one shoulder. He looked exhausted. The shadows under his eyes were deep, and he kept rubbing his wrists where the zip-ties had been."Do I really have to go?" he asked. "Everyone’s going to be staring. Brandon is going to be there."Renn leaned against the counter, already dressed in his work flannel and boots. "That’s exactly why you’re going. If you stay home, you’re telling that brat he won. You walk in there, you do your work, an
"What happened at the warehouse?" Gage asked as he helped Renn lower Theo into a chair. "We heard the alarm through the safety device Kira always carried with her. We thought you were trapped.""We were," Renn muttered, his jaw set. He looked over at Elias, who was leaning heavily against the kitchen island, his face ashen. "But the stray here turned out to be useful. He pulled a disappearing act that got us past the guards."Elias didn't respond to the shade thrown at him. I guess he's a quiet one who tries to avoid trouble. He just closed his eyes, his breathing shallow."And Hargrove?" Thorne asked."Marcus handled it," I said, sitting at the table with Finn still tucked into my lap, now in deep slumber. "We have a recording of his confession. He knows if he moves against us, he’s going to spend the rest of his life in a human cage (prison)."Marcus finally spoke, trying to lighten the air. "It’s not as bad as it sounded from the driveway. I can have the door hung and the floor pat
The moment my fingers brushed Finn’s skin, a jolt of raw energy shot up my arms, and I felt my teeth vibrating. "Finn, look at me! It’s Mommy! I’m right here!" I yelled over the unnatural hum filling the room.Gage was sprawled on the hardwood floor, groaning as he pushed himself up. The energy from Finn’s power surge had clearly tossed him like a ragdoll.I pulled Finn into my chest, ignoring the way the white light pouring from his eyes blinded me. I felt the floor beneath my boots vibrating abit. I was so focused on Finn that I hadn't even realized the others were already inside as I had left them running straight in the house when I noticed something was wrong with Finn.“What exactly happened here?” Kira asked, her face filled with surprise as she stood just a few steps away from us.“I don't exactly know, we met him this way as we sensed something wrong.” Gage said gradually standing with the aid of Lena who had just arrived clearly as we did now.I felt this sudden power surg
We walked east throughout the night still the rain was relentless. Mud and roots made up the floor we walked on with roots pulling at our feet at every step.My legs had started to ache from how far I had traveled holding Finn in my arms. My back screamed in pain but still I continued. Finn slept p
The shadow in the fire light was unmoving at first. It was standing perfectly still, staring at us. My heart felt like it was beating my ribcage open, I could practically feel it beating in my throat. Finn stirred in my arms with a sleepy mumble and I pulled him tighter against me, one hand resting
The next morning, the house felt different. The rain had stopped sometime in the night and the air was cool and heavy with the smell of wet leaves. The sun shone weakly through the cracks in the windows but there was no joy to be found. We all knew what the clear skies meant, it was time to leave.
We walked for hours without stopping. The woods thickened around us, the canopy of leaves growing dense enough to block out most of the sun. Finn slept in my arms, wrapped in the old, worn blanket, his breath coming in soft, slow puffs against my chest. My entire body ached, but I didn't dare slow







