Semua Bab Rise of the Phoenix Wolf: Bab 51 - Bab 59

KING LEZDEUS.The flames of the Kingdom of Sul’Karath never dimmed. They licked the horizon in eternal hunger, scorching skies that bled crimson and black. I had long grown accustomed to their heat, though I knew no mortal soul could have survived even a heartbeat in this infernal storm. The air itself was ash, the very wind whispering curses carried from the mouths of the damned.My realm was alive with torment, and that was precisely how I liked it.Every shadow carried secrets. Writhing echoes of souls that had been broken, flayed, and stripped until nothing remained but the husks of what they once were. Their whispers filled the stone halls of my kingdom like a symphony, each cry of agony another note in a melody that belonged to me. The shadows told me of their suffering, their despair, their endless descent into madness.And I listened.Savoring every single word.My demons were the true artists here. They delighted in chaos, weaving carnage with a precision that bordered on divi

ROMAN. Today was Octavia’s Luna ceremony, and for a moment, everything else seemed to fall away. The noise, the bustle, even the anticipation buzzing from the pack. All I could see, all I could feel, was her.I let myself appreciate just how far we had come since the day I found her. My mate. My everything.Those first days together had been anything but easy. She bore scars deeper than any blade could cut. Wounds carved by betrayal, neglect, and years of cruelty that no one should ever have endured. Six years of fuckery, of surviving in silence, had left her wary and raw. She’d flinched from kindness, doubted love. Those days tested me in ways I hadn’t expected.But beneath all of that pain, I had glimpsed her spirit. A warrior’s heart. Cracked but definitely not broken.Patience had been my weapon, my shield, my vow to her. I waited when she needed space, stood firm when she needed grounding, and held her together when her strength faltered. Each wall she tore down revealed somethin

ROMAN.I had waited for this day for as long as I understood that one day I would have my very own Luna, just like Dad had Mom. As a boy, I used to watch them and wonder when I’d have that kind of bond. Something deeper than friendship, stronger than blood. Patience wasn’t always easy. The years dragged on, especially when those around me began finding their mates while I kept waiting, empty-handed. But I never lost faith. Deep down, I knew she was out there. I knew that when I finally found her, every restless night and every ache of waiting would be worth it.And I was right. I had been so fucking right.Because Octavia was worth every second of the wait.She was my perfect match. My Luna. My partner in all things. There wasn’t a single piece of me that didn’t recognize that truth the moment I first held her, and standing there now, watching her take her place as Luna of this pack, I couldn’t imagine a better mate, a better woman, or a better leader to stand at my side.When she acce

SAOIRSE.The bass hit me first, thrumming through the floorboards and up into my bones like a second heartbeat. Ireland had no shortage of clubs, but this one was different—darker, more dangerous. It was the kind of place where the wrong glance could start a war, and the right smile could get you everything you wanted.I was dressed to kill, like always. My dress clung in all the right places, black silk that shimmered faintly under the neon lights, cut high enough to distract and low enough to invite. Heels clicked sharp against the floor as I moved, a sound almost swallowed by the heavy thrum of music and the roar of voices shouting over it. Smoke curled lazily in the air—cigarettes, cigars, and something stronger—and the scent mixed with spilled whiskey, sweat, and perfume that lingered like ghosts.The bar stretched long and polished, covered in fingerprints, ringed glasses, and hands exchanging money far too casually for the amounts involved. The barkeep moved with quick precision

ROMAN.As much as I wanted to protect my mate from everything, I wasn’t certain how to do that right now.Enemies I could fight. Threats could be neutralized in time. But this? How could I protect her from the weight she carried because of the destiny that had been chosen for her? Creed and I did what we could to help her bear it. She was powerful in a way that was daunting and awe-inspiring. She held the weight on her like letting go of so much as an ounce of it would hurt us. If she wavered, there we were. It was on us to help carry the load with her.But Octavia…she was a stubborn thing.And that was rich coming from me. It was the pot calling the kettle black and all. No matter how hard she attempted to hide it, I could always see the fatigue whenever it hit her. This shivering in her hands after training, how she made herself smile just so that the rest of us didn’t have to worry. It gutted me each time because she shouldn’t feel the need to hide it and to pretend that she was