All Chapters of WICKED PROVIDENCE Book 2: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Avery’s heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. She forced her features into a submissive mask, a weak smile flickering on her lips. "It isn’t what you think, Enforcer. I am simply... overheated from the journey. Surely a warrior of the Montgomery Pack doesn’t wish to claim a mate who is too faint to stand?"The man’s laughter was a jagged, wild sound that echoed off the stone walls. His predatory gaze intensified, pinning her to the spot. "I gave you a command, exile," he growled, each word vibrating with Alpha authority. "Strip. Now."Avery stood frozen, her wolf cowering deep inside. The man lunged, his hand snapping out to seize her chin with enough force to bruise. He wrenched her jaw open, and before she could draw breath to scream, he shoved a bitter, chalky pill down her throat.He stepped back, his complacency radiating in the humid air. "You said you wanted to stay by a strong male's side. Don’t howl to the ancestors now. Get on the furs and bare your throat. If

In the dark corners of the border apartment, Bennett’s fractured mind had morphed into a den of paranoia. He was convinced the pup was the secret blood of Avery and Hudson. Cowardly and unable to challenge the Alphas directly, he saw in Madison a helpless creature to absorb his years of failure. The striking resemblance she bore to Avery—the same defiant amber eyes—only fanned the flames of his resentment.For years, Bennett had been a scavenger in the Silver Ridge, stripped of his rank and rotting under the shadow of the Montgomery name. He possessed no territory, no loyal sentinels, and was a laughingstock among the high-bloods. But here, with a bleeding pup cowering on the floor, he felt a sickening surge of dominance—a false throne built on cruelty.Charlotte and the young boy, Harper Bennett, watched with ears pinned back and tails tucked. They were intimately acquainted with Bennett’s feral outbursts, having frequently been the targets of his heavy-handed "discipline." Whenever

Hudson lingered for a heartbeat, his voice dropping into a low, jagged vibration. "Do not waste your scent tracking me, Bennett. I am severing my ties to this den at sunrise. Where the Shadow goes is no longer a concern for a stray like you.""No!" Joanna shrieked, her claws dragging against the stone floor as she tried to lunged for Ethan’s retreating form. Desperation turned her movements feral, but Avery’s hand shot out, signaling two Monroe Sentinels to pin Joanna’s shoulders to the earth.A harrowing howl of anguish ripped from Joanna’s throat as Ethan vanished into the treeline. Her stamina finally buckled, and she collapsed into a heap of silk and broken pride. Avery stepped over her, her amber eyes reflecting a predatory coldness. "Does the air of the unranked taste sweet, Joanna?"Joanna’s eyes, red-rimmed and burning with a toxic yellow light, snapped up. "Are you glutted on my misery yet, Monroe? I scent the truth on you. You’ve marked him! He is casting me out because you’

Hudson’s eyes narrowed, a lethal glint reflecting in the dark as he scent-read the confirmation of Joanna's flight. He typed a jagged command into his device: "Does she truly believe the border of the Ridge can shield her from a Shadow's reach? Task the outriders to track her every pawprint."With the border crossing confirmed, the Martel Sentinels finally retracted their silver-tipped spears, releasing Avery. The second their grip vanished, she buckled, collapsing onto the stone floor like a discarded doll with severed strings.As the guards retreated into the shadows of the estate, Hudson lunged forward, gathering Avery into his arms. “Avery? Avery!” His scent spiked with acrid anxiety as he inspected the jagged red line on her throat.To his immense relief, the blade hadn't bitten deep. A simple balm from a pack healer would close it. But when Hudson looked into her eyes, he felt a hollow ache in his chest. Her pupils were dull, reflecting nothing—as if the vibrant Luna he knew had

“Didn’t you scent anything tainted about her?” Hudson’s low rumble held a jagged note of suspicion. “A serum that potent wouldn’t leave the wolf without scars.” His voice grew firmer, echoing against the stone walls of the study. “Edgar, regardless of my next move, do not attempt to leash me—and do not whisper a word to Avery. I know you’ve been exchanging pulses with Lenny. What exactly did the pup confess? Give me the truth.”Edgar exhaled a heavy, weary breath. “He claimed the ‘Wolf-Chiller’ always leaves a mark. But unless the Luna chooses to bared her throat and show the damage, the pack will remain blind to it.”Hudson’s amber eyes darkened to the color of dried blood. “If she wishes to keep her shadows private, I will not hunt them. Just ensure the Council’s hounds do not trouble her further.”Meanwhile, within the sanctuary of her chambers, Avery was battling a migraine that felt like silver claws raking her skull. Curled tight upon the furs, her linen shift was drenched in a