Asher Brooke’s laughter faded into an eerie silence. She stood before us, her lips curled into a mocking smile, her presence as menacing as the blood on Malia’s hands. “Well, isn’t this a touching reunion?” Brooke drawled, her gaze flitting between me and Malia. “The prodigal son and his… freak.” Malia stiffened beside me, but I placed a steadying hand on her arm. This was Brooke’s game—rattle us, bait us into making a mistake. “Say what you want, Brooke,” I said coldly. “You’re only wasting your breath.” Her eyes sparkled with malice. “Wasting my breath? Oh, darling boy, I’m just getting started.” She took a step closer, her tone dropping to something almost intimate. “Do you know how much I sacrificed for you, Asher? How much blood I spilled, how many lives I destroyed, just to make you the strongest of us all?” I said nothing, my silence seeming to unnerve her more than any retort. “I gave you everything!” she hissed, her voice rising. “And what did you do? You turned
AsherThe battlefield was eerily silent now, the only sounds the occasional rustle of the wind and the faint groans of the dying. Brooke stood at the center of it all, the weight of defeat etched across her face.I moved toward her slowly, my boots crunching against the blood-soaked ground. Her eyes darted to the bodies of her fallen hybrids, then back to me. There was a crack in her usual mask of arrogance, a flicker of realization that she was alone. Vulnerable. I circled her like a predator, my steps deliberate, each one bringing me closer. Her breathing quickened, her composure fraying. For a moment, she looked almost human. Almost weak. “You’re starting to understand, aren’t you?” I said, my voice low and cold. “The inevitability of this. The end of everything you’ve built.” Brooke’s jaw tightened, but she said nothing. Her silence spoke volumes. “Jamie, Corey,” I called over my shoulder, my tone sharp. “Chain her up. Lock her in the cage.” Her head snapped toward me, i
Asher My heart felt heavy, as though it carried the weight of all the pain and betrayal that had brought us to this moment. Brooke knelt before me, her face defiant yet tinged with something akin to acceptance—or was it manipulation? I couldn't tell anymore. My claws gleamed in the faint light, my hand poised to strike the final blow. Her death would end this nightmare, this endless cycle of suffering she had unleashed. But just as I prepared to swing, a flash of something deep within me held me back. She wasn’t just Brooke, the villain who had tormented my life. She was Brooke, the woman I had once called "Mother." This memory came unbidden, sharp and vivid. I was no older than six, hiding in the corner of my room, trembling after Alpha Ian's voice had thundered through the pack house. “Asher, get out here now!” my father roared, his heavy footsteps echoing closer. I had accidentally spilled ink on one of his precious ledgers, and he was furious. I cowered, tears streakin
Asher The battlefield was chaos incarnate. The snarls of wolves clashing with hybrids, the metallic clang of weapons, and the agonizing cries of the injured filled the air. Blood soaked the ground beneath our feet, mixing with the dirt to form a dark, viscous muck. Brooke’s hybrids came at us like a wave, relentless and deadly, their monstrous forms twisting in the dim light. My men had shifted into their wolf forms, tearing through the enemies with raw ferocity. Beside them, Jude’s hybrids moved with precision, their weapons cutting down foes in efficient, almost clinical strikes. They didn’t shift—not because they couldn’t, but because they refused. They had sworn an oath to never let their wolf forms take over, to never let the monster within consume them again. “Jude!” I roared above the fray, my voice cutting through the chaos. “Take the front line. Protect the wolves—they can’t withstand hybrid bites!” Jude didn’t hesitate. He motioned to his men, who quickly donned t
Malia The days following Brooke's death had been a blur. It had been a week since Asher tore out her heart, ending her reign of terror, and yet the aftermath was far from settled. Her hybrids were gone, their numbers obliterated in the fight, but her influence still lingered like a shadow. News of her death spread quickly, and with it came the fallout. Avan and Savannah, along with the others who had betrayed Asher, were finally captured. They had been dragged back to the manor, their heads low with shame, awaiting whatever judgment Asher deemed fit. But Asher himself was a ghost of the man I had known. He had disappeared into himself, avoiding everyone, especially me. I hadn’t seen or spoken to him since that day on the battlefield. I understood why—killing Brooke, his mother, no matter how twisted she had been, must have left a wound far deeper than any physical scar. Still, the silence weighed on me. Every day that passed without hearing his voice felt like another crack in
MaliaHis kiss was fierce, desperate, and overwhelming, his hands gripping my waist as though he couldn’t bear to let go. For a moment, I froze, stunned by the sudden intensity, but then my body betrayed me, and I kissed him back just as passionately.My hands found their way to his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath my fingers. Every ounce of pain and longing I’d carried for the past week seemed to melt away, replaced by a warmth I couldn’t deny.When we finally broke apart, both of us were breathless. He rested his forehead against mine, his voice low and raw. “I couldn’t stay away any longer.”I should’ve pushed him away. I should’ve told him how hurt I’d been by his coldness, but instead, I melted into him. His hands gripped my waist as he pressed me against the wall, his heat overwhelming my senses. Every pent-up emotion—his guilt, my anger, our mutual longing—poured into that kiss. Before I knew it, he was lifting me onto his desk, his mouth never leaving mine.
Malia I stormed out of Asher’s office, the sting of regret biting harder with every step. My mind raced, a whirlwind of self-reproach. How could I have let that happen? I scolded myself, fists clenched at my sides. He locked me up, didn’t trust me enough to stand by his side, and then had the audacity to give me the cold shoulder for days because he couldn’t handle the fact that he killed his mother to protect me. And yet, I still gave in to him. I felt cheap. Weak. Like I’d betrayed myself. All I wanted was for him to trust me, just once, to treat me like his equal, to open up about what was going on in his head instead of pushing me away whenever things got tough. But no—he kept everything locked up behind those icy walls of his. And I let him walk all over me. Again. The cool air outside the building hit me, a sharp contrast to the suffocating heat of my frustration. I needed space, distance—anything to clear my mind. But as I took another step, I felt a firm grip wrap aroun
Malia The area was quiet now, with only a few pack members passing through, their curious gazes flickering toward us. I had barely taken a few steps when Asher’s hand caught my wrist. Not harshly—this time, his touch was softer, almost pleading. “Malia,” he said, his voice raw, almost hoarse. “Please, don’t walk away.” I turned to face him, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. The fire of frustration still burned in me, but seeing him like this—so open, so vulnerable—made it flicker. For a moment. “What, Asher?” I asked, my tone sharper than I intended. “What could you possibly say that you haven’t already shown me through your actions?” “I need you to understand why I did it,” he said, stepping closer, his grip tightening ever so slightly. “Why I locked you up before the fight.” I scoffed. “Because you don’t trust me. You don’t believe in me, in my strength—” “No,” he interrupted, his voice rising slightly before softening again. “That’s not it. It was never about trus
AsherThe sun began to rise.The golden light washed over the field like a mercy none of us deserved. It touched the broken, the bloodied, and the dead. Too many. Faces I’d known. Names I’d grown up with.The Reece mages dropped one by one, barely able to stand. Their magic was gone—sacrificed to stop one man.Rhedd clutched her stomach, pale and shaking, her magic burned out like a candle in wind.The wolves—those still standing—shifted back. Naked, bruised, and dazed. They looked at me like they didn’t know what to feel.And then I turned and saw him.Ronin.He was bloodied, bruised, still limping from what Jude had done to him. But his eyes were sharp. Watchful.He walked toward me, the others parting in his path.He stopped a few feet away, lifting his chin.“So,” he said, voice raw. “Now what?”I didn’t answer right away.“I know what you think of me,” he continued. “And I don’t blame you. But I pledged because it was the only way to win. That doesn’t mean I—” He hesitated, jaw c
AsherJude was just a man. Twisted, obsessed, and broken. A shell of the force that had terrified every wolf and Lycan under the moon. And I wasn’t sure killing him would be victory… or vengeance.Should I kill him? Is that the answer?Behind me, I heard Rhedd cry out, pulling me out of my thoughts.“Keep him still!” one of the Reece mages shouted.They circled Malia where she lay floating in the air and then slowly brought her to the ground. They were unraveling the last of the threads Jude had embedded inside her. Magic that pulsed and bucked like it didn’t want to let go.“He used her like a damn conduit,” Rhedd muttered. “If we don’t cut it clean—”“He’ll pull her soul out with it,” another finished.I didn’t take my eyes off Jude. His breath hitched. His gaze was unfocused, but when it landed on me, I saw something strange flicker behind his eyes.Fear.Not because he was about to die.But because he wasn’t in control anymore.“You think this fixes anything?” he rasped, coughing
AsherWhile everyone else was unable to move. Ronin had it worse. His bones cracked—loud enough that even the stunned silence couldn’t hide the sound. I watched him fall to his knees, coughing up blood. His spine jerked one way, then the other, like it was trying to twist him into something unrecognizable. Something wrong.“Damn you,” Ronin hissed through clenched teeth. “I’ll kill you… I swear, I’ll—”But Jude just smiled and raised two fingers. Another wave of agony surged through Ronin, folding his body like a puppet whose strings had snapped.No one moved.Corey. Jamie. Rhedd. Everyone stood frozen in place, either physically or emotionally. Shock. Despair. Fear.Except me. I didn’t flinch and unlike everyone else, I wasn't unable to move. I just stood still because… well… I was stunned by all that had happened. But for some reason, Jude's magic wasn't working on me.Jude turned to me slowly, his eyes glowing like coals.“You’re quiet,” he said. “But you always were a little slowe
AsherI felt it before I saw it.A deep hum tore through the battlefield like a pulse from the earth’s core. The ground cracked beneath us, vibrating with something ancient and wrong. My body stilled, instincts taking over. Every wolf on our side growled low, confused. Even Ronin, standing opposite me with blood on his hands and a twisted glare in his eyes, paused mid-strike.And then it happened.The earth opened up and Jude rose from it, Malia by his side.He wasn’t walking.He was floating—levitating above the dirt like he belonged to another realm. Malia hovered next to him, limp but breathing, her hair weightless in the still air. Streams of energy—magic—flowed from her into his hands like threads being woven. Her face looked drained, pale, as though the life was being siphoned out of her bit by bit.I froze.This couldn’t be real. I heard he was confined and starving in the same cell that I had been locked in. But he was here.And he wasn’t just alive—he was drawing magic from
AsherThe moon was full and heavy in the sky, throwing pale light over the open field ahead. My boots pressed into the soft earth as I looked over the line of soldiers behind me—my father’s secret elite, all in wolf form, silent and still. Every one of them had trained for this night, and still, we were outnumbered.Four packs stood against us—Sky, Storm, Range, and Lycone. Wolves I had once thought would always be loyal to me. Jamie and Corey - Brothers I had fought with. Now they stood across from me with their teeth bared and claws ready, all of them backing the one who took what was mine.Ronin.He stood on the ridge ahead of us, arms folded, his wolf just beneath the surface because he wouldn't turn. He didn't need to. He was a Lycan. Day or night didn't matter for Lycans to shift. He didn’t look tense. He looked smug, like he already believed this battle was over. I mean, with me being outnumbered, he was probably right.I exhaled through my nose. My heartbeat was steady. I did
MaliaI didn’t breathe.Not for a full minute after Ronin said those words.Asher Mendoza is alive.I stood there, frozen beneath the branches of the old silverwood tree. Just moments ago, I’d been smiling faintly at the way Ronin had grumbled about paperwork. Just hours ago, I’d kissed him without shame in front of his guards.And now, my world has split in half.He was alive.My Asher.The one I had mourned in silence. The one I had cursed the stars for taking too soon. The one whose name I had stopped speaking, not because I forgot—but because remembering hurt too much.I had let him go.And now he was back.Ronin didn’t look at me. His entire body was taut, rage pouring off of him in waves as he crumpled the letter in his fist.“He dares to ask me to step down,” he growled, pacing. “After everything I’ve done—after the unity I’ve forged? The peace I’ve built? He wants to come back from the dead and reclaim what he abandoned?”His eyes flicked toward me at last. And the moment he s
MaliaIt had been almost a year.A full cycle of moons since I stood before the altar in a dress that felt like a cage and pledged myself to a man I did not love. A year of silent dinners, of shared quarters and unshared sheets. A year of waking up beside someone who looked at me like I was a world he couldn’t touch.Ronin had not once tried.He had kissed my cheek in public, taken my hand at royal events, and always ensured I had a personal guard at my side. He gave me space. Respect. But not once had he laid a single finger on me—not without my permission.And that restraint… it had become unbearable.Tonight, the weight of it collapsed on me.I sat on the edge of our bed, staring at the hearth’s dying flames. My nightgown clung to my skin in the low firelight, and my chest ached with something I hadn’t let myself name in months.“Just accept it, Malia,” Rhedd had told me only hours ago, his voice quiet but final. “He’s not coming back. If Asher was alive, he would’ve come by now.”
AsherThe moon was high the night I met with Nina’s parents. I had to meet them since I now knew the truth. They were the only ones I could trust. We gathered in the ruins of the old Northern chapel, a place sacred enough to keep secrets buried but strong enough to host rebellion. I didn’t ask how they got in contact with me—they always had a way to do things discreetly. Nina’s father, Nathan, regarded me with the tired eyes of a man who had carried the truth for too long.“He told us this day would come,” he said. “Ian prepared. We kept his will safe. And we kept his soldiers even safer.”From the shadows, they stepped forward—silent, deadly, focused. Wolves in human skin. Elite. Trained in secret under Ian’s orders for the day I would reclaim the crown.I couldn't believe my eyes. How did Ian think of this? How was he able to predict that I may not get any support unless he provides one for me?I was relieved that I had been given a head start, but it wasn’t enough. Not for a war.
AsherMy thumb hovered over the next page for longer than I cared to admit. The leather binding creaked softly beneath my grip, like it too feared what lay ahead. But I couldn’t stop now. I needed to know it all—no matter how much it hurt and no matter how much I wanted to stop, I turned the page.‘Brooke and Renah began their affair not out of love, not truly—not at first. Brooke wanted affection. She wanted to be wanted. Renah… he was a convenient escape. They were discreet. Not for my sake. For hers. Always for hers. She didn't want to ruin her reputation.’I leaned back, jaw tightening.So it was true.I watched them once. They didn’t see me. Her smile was real. His was reverent. That was the moment I knew—Renah loved her more. Brooke? She simply needed to be adored.It painted such a different picture of my mother than the one I’d held growing up. She had always seemed powerful, poised, in control of every room she walked into. I never imagined her desperate. Or fragile. But with