Semua Bab Against All Odds: Bab 21 - Bab 30

* Cerberus *The third night she came back as expected.The crackle of the fire cast shifting shadows against the stone walls, each flicker carving out sharp, moving silhouettes. I sat in the living room of my Alpha house, my throne of discreet building behind the tavern feeling colder than usual, the chill of my thoughts seeping into the air around me. The weight of my decision settled heavily on my shoulders, pressing down with the same bitter gravity as the memories of my bloodline.The air was thick with the mingling scents of smoke and damp stone, the sharp tang of the mountain air slipping through the cracks in the old walls. It reminded me of my mother's last breaths, the way the cold had wrapped around her frail, trembling form as she whispered her final, bitter curse into my young ears.Beta Kael entered first, his broad frame momentarily blocking the firelight before he stepped aside, allowing the servant to follow. She moved cautiously, her head bowed, the soft pad of her s

* Cerberus *Night of the New Moon.The forest was unnaturally quiet.No wind. No owls. No howls from wandering rogues.It was the kind of silence that pressed against the skin like a second layer, tight, cold, unrelenting. I stood at the edge of the cliff overlooking the distant fortress where Princess Zeina was held. The Alpha of the West had surrounded his domain with thick stone, tall towers, and a scent masking barrier only witches or fools would ignore.Luckily for him, I was both.Behind me, Beta Kael emerged from the treeline, his steps soundless."All units are in position," he said. "The east and south sides are covered. If you breach from the north, we'll have eyes on every sentry tower. But..."I raised a brow. "Speak."Kael hesitated. "If this goes wrong, there won't be time to retreat. There won't be anyone to save you."A sharp breath escaped me, half a chuckle, half a growl. "I didn't come here to be saved."I turned, adjusting the dark leather bracers at my wrists. My c

* Cerberus *The wind howled louder, battering the frail bones of the old building like a living thing determined to break its way in. Windows groaned, the walls shuddered, and the fire flared high in the hearth, spitting sparks before settling again, as if it, too, paused to listen. The storm outside wasn't just a force of nature anymore. It was a warning. A harbinger.Donna stepped back into the room, her lips pressed into a tight line, fingers twisting the hem of her oversized sweater like a rosary. Her voice cut through the thick silence with more courage than certainty."Alpha Cerberus," she said, hesitant but unwavering. "Beta Kael and I went over the maps again. The trails are gone. Washed out. The north pass is no more than a broken cliff face."I turned to face her, the weight of inevitability pressing down on my shoulders like stone. "And the ravine trail?""Collapsed," came Kael's voice from the doorway. Rain glistened on his shoulders, his jaw tight. "Took the bridge with

* Cerberus *Another night at the Tavern, my club tucked into the bones of the city like a secret heartbeat. On the surface, everything was normal, drunken laughter at the bar, half-naked bodies grinding to synthetic rhythms, the scent of sweat, sex, and expensive perfume hanging thick in the air.But at midnight, something changed.The bass thundered like a second heart in my chest, steady, primal, insistent.Lights pulsed red and violet through the smoke-choked air, cutting across the writhing bodies on the dance floor like blades. I stood in the shadowed balcony above them all, a drink in one hand, a coil of tension in my gut. From up here, I saw everything, bar, exits, dancers, threats.And her. Lory. My star dancer. Human. Sharp as broken glass, fluid as spilled mercury.She moved like she owned the floor, all long legs and silver chains, her hips catching the beat with deliberate, calculated grace. Her body told stories in motion, of seduction, danger, freedom. Wild. Untamed. Be

* Cerberus *"Damn it! This isn't what was supposed to happen!"The words tore from my mouth before I could stop them, frustration bubbling in my chest like a storm that refused to settle. My fists clenched at my sides as I led the group back into the Alpha house, the tension thick enough to choke on. The air inside was heavy, filled with worry, betrayal, and the bitter scent of what felt like impending war.Princess Zeina sat curled on the edge of the couch, her posture rigid despite her elegant form. She wasn't crying, not yet, but her silence was louder than any scream. Donna, her loyal servant, remained close, her hand gently wrapping around the princess's fingers in a gesture of silent comfort.Kael, my Beta and oldest friend, paced behind me, his jaw tight with suppressed anger. "We failed to realize," he muttered, "that Alpha Robert had already sent a message to the Alpha King."I groaned, the weight of that truth settling over my shoulders like a chain. "He moved faster than