LOGINMagnusFrustration consumed me. Sitting there on this stone throne, watching while my mate was down in the labyrinth fighting for her life. I shouldn’t have let this happen. Should’ve fought harder for her from the start. I had a lot of regrets, done so many things differently. Erina had changed me. That is undeniable. She was the ruler of my heart, my end and my beginning. I would rather die than lose her.“They could’ve at least allowed the drones,” Hein grumbled next to me, pulling me out of my musings. “How are we supposed to see what’s happening?” he sounded almost as frustrated as I felt.Alpha Klaus and his circus had scrambled all my plans. There was nothing I could have done on such short notice to help Erina. Well played, Klaus, but it still won’t stop me from ending all of you.“It’s against tradition,” I sneered. “Funny how they use that word when it suits them.”Hein mumbled an agreement. Servants moved between the stone seats like shadows, offering heated wine to my ‘gue
The light of the moon did not reach into the labyrinth. It was a darkness that threatened to suffocate, reeking of death and forgotten time. My wolf ran, light-footed, jumping over obstacles, masking our scent as we’ve learned. Five minutes wasn’t a long time.The ground was constantly shifting, making new passages and new dead ends. As we moved, I still felt them, my family, our connection through our bond, keeping me grounded, telling me they believed in me. And Magnus, his love, surrounding me like a shield of warmth. I held onto that as my wolf surged through the darkness.‘Keep moving,’ I spurred the wolf on. ‘Find the exit.’She sprinted down a long, dark corridor that seemed to go on forever. The passage split into two different paths. For a few seconds, we stood indecisive.‘Choose,’ I told the wolf, depending on her instincts.She dashed down the left path. We had gone but a few feet when suddenly the ground shook and gave way to a deep chasm. She stopped just in time.A figu
The black cliffs formed a natural amphitheater surrounding the cursed grounds. I couldn’t see the faces of the spectators lined on the ridges of the cliffs. They stood in silence, their forms obscured by darkness and distance. The moon’s orange glow cast long shadows, turning them into faceless silhouettes watching from above. Whether they were judging me or waiting in anticipation for my demise, I couldn’t say. But their presence added an oppressive weight to the atmosphere, adding to my anxiety.But I knew he was there among them. I felt his presence through our bond, sharp with tension. Rage thrumming beneath the surface. Not with me, but with the situation and all those who caused it.‘I am here, my love,’ he messaged me through our link.‘Yes, I know.’ I reached for him through the bond, needing his strength to ground me through this night.‘Keep your mind clear. Remember what you’ve learned.’‘I will try.’ My mouth tasted bitter, the bile rising from my empty stomach, but I refu
ErinaThe room spun after I drank the potion, and for a second, I panicked. Did I make a mistake in trusting Gisela? She’d tricked me before, made me believe Magnus would not accept my son as his. But it was too late to run, too late to regret my choice. Be brave, Erina. But fear had a firm grip on my heart.“There, there, little mouse…” she helped me lie on the altar. “Don’t fight it. Close your eyes.” I tried to tell her I couldn’t go through with this. But no sound came. Only the throbbing of my heart resounded in my ears. Cold seeped into my bones from the stone slab beneath me. I looked up at the domed glass ceiling. The sun had moved, and its golden warmth had disappeared, casting the temple in dim light.“You must trust me, Erina,” Gisela’s weathered face appeared in my vision. “I promise you will be fine.”I felt rather than saw her hands move over my body, muttering some strange incantation on repeat. Her voice rose and fell in a hypnotic rhythm that grew stronger in intensi
MagnusIt was no use. There was no time to come up with another plan to save my mate and I was getting desperate. I dismissed them all, but Klaus lingered. I didn’t want to spend another second than necessary speaking to the snake.“What do you want, Klaus? I do not need you to watch me, if that is your intention.” I made no secret of my dislike for the guy, but he was either unaware, or he just had an incredibly thick skin.“Not at all, my king. I am merely here to offer my support.” He sounded surprised by my statement. Laughable.“Your support…” I murmured. “Is that what you call it?”He shook his head, smiling his usual condescending little smirk. “Despite what you might think, Magnus, we all have the best interests of the werewolf kingdom in mind.” Klaus raised himself out of the armchair he was sitting on to approach me.“Of course you do.” I walked to the door, holding it open for him. “That is why you are so eager to replace me,” I added with a sneer.“Whatever gave you that i
Golden sunlight streamed down from the domed glass ceiling, warming the top of my head. It caught the dust motes dancing in the air and glinted off Gisela’s horn-rimmed glasses.I backed away, keeping the rough slab between us. There was a slight tang of blood coming off the surface of the stone, as if the recent sacrifice hadn’t stilled its hunger and it was waiting for more. “What makes you think he would die?” I asked Gisela. The stillness of the temple swallowed my words. It was as if noise had no substance in this place. No one would hear the screams.I shivered.“He will and I can only blame you for it.” Gisela replied, her voice solemn with certainty. “You aren’t supposed to survive this tournament, Erina. It’s inevitable.” She looked at me with a hint of sadness. “Magnus should have rejected you long ago. But no matter… I have the solution.”She stayed where she was, infused by the sunlight, while I backed away into the shadows.“Gisela, I don’t know what you’re up to. but you
ErinaI was exhausted. The heat was getting to me. That and the endless list of responsibilities I had gotten from the elders. Social responsibility was one of them. I had to mingle with the higher-ranked she-wolves. Not all of them approved of me, but they had no choice but to tolerate me. They fe
ErinaLocked in. I rattled the doorknob. What on earth? Why was I locked in the bedroom? Then it hit me. Everything that happened last night. Magnus cleaning me in the shower. Burning my nightdress in the fireplace. I killed Olivia. Oh my God, I ripped out her heart and ate it!I sank to the floor,
It’s been days since I’ve spoken to Elise. I had her removed from the dungeon to a private suite soon after our arrival at Black Rock. I couldn’t bring myself to leave her rotting in that place, even if she deserved it.The news of our annulment had gone public, and for her own safety, I kept her a
Magnus“Who is Victoria?” Sabelle demanded, startling me. An unexplained gust of wind had extinguished the candles, and the room had gotten inexplicably colder. She stared, not at me, but through me, at something or someone behind me. My skin prickled with unease. Beside me, Erina slept, blissfully







