The price for survival

James had barely closed his eyes when the unease began gnawing at him. The plan had been simple, Sara would surrender to Draven, bow her head, pledge her loyalty, and live to fight another day. He had convinced her of it the night before, though she had fought him with every ounce of spirit she had.“Why don’t we start our freedom from here?” she had said, fire burning in her eyes. “When they bring me out to be killed, we kill Draven, here, now, and then it begins.”He had cut her off sharply. “They’ll cut you down before you make your first move. You must surrender first. From there, we can plan… but first, you live.”She had hesitated, defiance still coiled tight in her voice, but eventually agreed. He left her cell with relief.But in the early hours, dread returned. What if she changed her mind? What if her pride refused to bow?James rose from his bed, still in half-dress, and strode to the prison. The guards at the gate crossed their spears before him.“Step aside,” James order

Last Updated : 2025-08-11

Love and Hope

James woke as though rising from the depths of a warm, dreamless sea. For the first time in what felt like years, his sleep had been whole, no ragged interruptions, no visions of chains, no shadowed figures clawing him awake. The stillness of the morning wrapped around him like a rare gift.He stretched slowly, muscles loosening with a faint, almost feline satisfaction, and let a small smile ghost across his lips.It vanished the moment his eyes opened.Varek stood at the foot of his bed, rigid and silent, his presence cutting through the room like a blade. The cold, unblinking hatred in his stare needed no words.James’s heartbeat kicked once, hard. He wondered if he had locked the door last night. He doubted it. A mistake, one he wouldn’t repeat. But he didn’t give Varek the satisfaction of reaction. Instead, he let his thoughts drift stubbornly to Sara—her smile, fragile but defiant, still lodged in his mind like a shard of light in dark stone.Varek’s voice came low and sharp.

Last Updated : 2025-08-14

The first taste of Love

The courtyard was hushed, cloaked in the silver wash of dawn. James rose early, his heart unsteady in his chest. He had dressed simply, though even in simplicity he carried the air of someone who bore destiny on his shoulders. Calling one of the palace maids, he lowered his voice.“Bring me food,” he ordered softly. “Fruits, bread, dried meats… enough to fill a basket. But let no tongue wag about this. No one must know.”The maid obeyed quickly, for his eyes left no room for hesitation. Soon, she returned with a heavy basket brimming with fruit, cheese, and earthen jars of water. James took it from her with a nod, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. He felt the weight of it press against his arms, yet it was nothing compared to the weight in his chest.He set out toward the slave camp.The path stretched before him like a living shadow. As he neared the camp, he saw the weary eyes of the people, and fear rippled through them like a sudden wind. Their bodies stiffened, whispers pas

Last Updated : 2025-08-15

Rowan Returns

The sound of hooves shattered the calm of the Bloodthorn courtyard, sharp against the cobblestones like rolling thunder. Soldiers froze where they stood. Whispers spread before the sight even reached them. Rowan had returned.The Beta dismounted with the slow grace of a predator, leather cloak sweeping behind him, armor marked with the scars of travel. He moved like a storm breaking into the keep, and the pack bent in instinctive deference. He had been gone too long….on missions no one dared speak of aloud. And now that he was back, the air itself seemed heavier.From his chamber window, James watched the figure stride through the gates. His stomach turned cold, a coil of dread tightening within him. Rowan. Draven’s shadow. The Beta wasn’t just feared, he was trusted. A man whose eyes stripped secrets bare, whose voice carried judgment like a blade. If anyone could unravel the mask James had so carefully worn, it was him.James turned from the window, pacing the chamber. His fists cle

Last Updated : 2025-08-15

The fear of draven

Sara’s wounds had begun to knit, the raw ache in her body softening day by day. But the heaviness in her chest only grew when the whispers reached her.The Beta had returned.Rowan. Cold-eyed. Silver-tongued. The shadow that once prowled the camp like a wolf savoring the scent of fear.The moment she heard his name, her smile faltered. Color drained from her face. She didn’t need to see him to feel it, the chill that always came with his presence. Memories rushed back in a flood: the merciless commands, the lashings he ordered without hesitation, the way he spoke of slaves as though they were vermin.She hated him. No, she reviled him.If Draven was the iron chain that bound them, Rowan was the sharpened hook that tore the flesh. His return was not just a threat. It was a wall, thick, immovable, slamming down between them and freedom.Sara clenched her fists against her thin blanket. “He will stand in our way,” she whispered. “He will sniff us out. He won’t rest until hope is buried a

Last Updated : 2025-08-18

The Plot

is up for so long, James, even under Draven’s eye. Rowan is dangerous, yes, but he bleeds like any other wolf. He has weaknesses. And together, we’ll find them.”The conviction in her tone stirred something inside him, something fierce and unshakable. He studied her—this woman who had suffered chains, who had tasted despair, yet still stood unbroken. In her, he saw not just hope for the slaves, but for himself.James reached out, his hand hovering as though uncertain, before brushing lightly against hers. “I need you, Sara,” he said quietly, every word laced with sincerity. “More than ever. If I play this game alone, Rowan will win. But with you—” he paused, searching her eyes—“with you, I can see it through.”She held his gaze, no hesitation, no doubt. “Then you’re not alone.”The forest seemed to still around them, as though the world itself paused to witness their vow. Two souls bound not by chains but by a shared fire, standing against the weight of an empire built on cruelty.Jam

Last Updated : 2025-10-06