บททั้งหมดของ Beauty and the Alpha Beast: บทที่ 81 - บทที่ 90

*Xelina*I don’t mean to wander so far. I only meant to gather thyme along the outer edge of the frosty meadow before Mireth noticed I was gone, but the woods have a way of pulling me in deeper when I’m not paying attention. Today, it’s as though something is drawing me forward, calling me farther from the house. The air grows cooler beneath the tall trees, and the ground is covered with pine needles and winter moss. It’s peaceful here in a way the manor never is. Here there are no sharp voices, no endless demands—just me, the hush of the forest, and that strange, silent pull guiding my steps.I’ve just knelt to gather a cluster of wild thyme near the roots of an old pine tree when I hear a dry, crackling sound like twigs snapping underfoot. I freeze, my heart pounding in my chest.“Don’t be afraid, girl,” a voice rasps.I turn sharply and see her standing between the tree trunks a few paces away. I don’t know how I missed her before. She’s wrapped in a midnight-blue shawl and tattere

*Xelina*I can’t stop thinking about the old woman in the woods. Her silver eyes haunt me, glowing like moonlight trapped beneath the trees. Every time I close my eyes, I see her standing there, wrapped in a midnight-blue shawl, speaking of the Moonbinding Ball like it’s a promise and a warning all at once.At the manor, Mireth and my stepsisters are as cruel as ever. Ferna’s sharp tongue and Nimera’s mocking laughter fill the halls, reminding me of my place. They whisper behind my back, their eyes cold and judgmental. My wolf is stirring closer to the surface now, and she pulls me back to the forest. I don’t know why I feel drawn there, but it’s as if the old woman’s words left a mark on my soul, and magic waits for me in those woods. I’m no longer just a girl bound by chores and fear. My wolf is moving me, and I have to follow her. I slip away from the manor under cover of dusk, careful to avoid the prying eyes of Mireth and her daughters. I reach the clearing near the old tree, a

*Lazlo*I circle the edge of the training field, my paws silent over frost-laced grass. My wolves spar in pairs, quick blurs and snapping teeth, claws raking over fur, though never drawing blood. It’s not about violence. It’s about precision, control, dominance, and keeping each other in check.I watch them with focused eyes. Every movement tells a story about who’s too hesitant, too reckless, and who’s starting to accept the next challenge. Even as I study them, part of my mind is elsewhere. Two servant girls stand at the edge of the clearing, hanging linens on a crooked line, gossiping. I normally wouldn’t eavesdrop, but their topic of conversation piques my interest. “That’s what I heard,” the younger one says, enthusiastically. “Lady Mireth of Lunemar is holding a private meeting in her home later today.”“Who will be there?” her companion asks. “Lunemar elders will all be there, and many elders and nobles from Virechant and Ombrelac as well, but the most scandalous part is tha

*Lazlo*Two wolves break through the trees, moving fast, their pelts slick with rain and travel. Kyra and Stockton. Their paws skid slightly on the stone as they reach the courtyard, where I stand alone. "You’ve been gone longer than expected," I send through the link, keeping my tone neutral."We trailed them from Mireth’s estate," Kyra sends. "Just as you suspected. They traveled north through the forest, careful not to draw attention. No horses. No conversations."Stockton steps beside her, still catching his breath. "They glided like ghosts. Crossed the last ridge that leads to the caverns at dusk. We followed them as far as the border."Kyra’s voice is clear in my mind. "That’s where they vanished. No tracks. No scent. One moment they were there, and the next, gone. We searched every path, even doubled back to see if we missed something, but they were using magic.”"They crossed into the coven’s territory?" I ask through the link. "Without a doubt," Stockton answers. "There’s n

*Xelina*I wake with my hands clenched tight in the sheets, the pressure of tomorrow weighing down on me like a storm waiting to break. The Moonbinding Ball is only a day away, and I had planned to rise before dawn, to slip quietly from the house and begin preparing my gown, just in case the conjuring spell falters tomorrow. Already, pale gold light filters through the window, and I realize I’ve overslept by half an hour. The seemingly small failure sends a sharp buzz through my nerves, setting my thoughts spinning in circles. I throw on my apron over my worn dress and race to the kitchen. Mireth is waiting when I enter, standing rigid beside the hearth as if she has been rooted there all night, her arms folded tightly across her chest, her lips pressed into a thin line, and a folded parchment in one hand. The sight of her makes my heart sink deeper into my chest. She does not greet me but instead speaks with a cool, measured tone that reeks of accusation as she slides the list acro