LOGINLucian’s POV. Avery’s scent still lingered in the room: sweat and a trace of warm vanilla that no amount of blood or dirt could erase. I sat at the edge of my massive king-size bed, the silver wolf-head of my cane resting across my thighs, fingers tracing the cold metal. After the woman from earlier fled, only the crackle of the fire and the faint ticking of the clock remained. Avery's interruption had left a different kind of tension in the air. One I intended to deal with the moment she got back. I would teach her about boundaries, and I would enjoy every second of her breathless submission. I shifted my weight on the edge of the bed for the fifth time in ten minutes. The ticking of the clock on the wall seemed to grow louder with each passing second. She should have returned by now. A simple trip to the lower sectors did not take this long, even for someone as stubborn as her. I rose slowly, the tip of my cane striking the floor. The mate bond between us was like a thorn burie
Avery's POV The first thing I noticed was the motion. Every bump and jolt sent pain through my head. Wood creaked beneath me, and chains rattled softly with every turn of the wheels. Then the smell hit me. The stench of horses, damp hay, and unwashed bodies filled the air. My sixth sense followed immediately, screaming that I was in danger. You're not safe. You're prey. These sounds turned my fear into a full-blown panic. Adrenaline rushed through me, but I stayed quiet. Still. Everything I had learned in Lucian’s manor told me to play dead until I had a chance to strike. Slowly, I cracked my eyes open, blinking against the darkness. I was in the back of a moving carriage. A rough, enclosed wagon with slatted sides that let in thin strips of moonlight. My cheeks pressed against the dirty floorboards, bits of dry hay scratching my face. Every bump in the road sent fresh pain radiating through my bruised body, especially the healing wound on my abdomen. Gods, was this what being
Avery's POV. My hand was still wrapped around the kitchen knife. Blood—Dorian’s—had gathered along the edge and dripped onto the worn floorboards. I watched it fall, each drop staining the wood a deeper red. My body trembled with the aftermath of what I had done. When had I become this person? When had my hands learned to threaten the people I once would have died to protect? The girl who used to braid Zara’s hair and dream of a simple life under the pack’s protection was gone. In her place stood someone unrecognizable, forged in the fires of life's cruelty. I wiped the blade on my already filthy skirt and slipped it back into its hiding place beneath the fabric. My legs felt wobbly, disconnected from the rest of me as I stepped out into the muddy street. The sun was already setting, casting a warm orange glow over the village. Torches flickered in the distance, but the narrow alleys between the houses were dark. The streets were beginning to empty as night drew closer, and a co
Avery's POV. Lucian froze mid-motion. His hand gripped the silver head of his cane more tightly. "You're in no position to make demands, Avery.” "It's not a demand. It's a condition," I shot back, forcing my voice to remain steady despite the terror thumping in my chest. "You want me to play the submissive, Luna? Then let me see my sister with my own eyes. Let me ensure she is breathing, or I swear I will ruin your inspection the second the royal guard steps through the gates." A slow, chilling smile touched Lucian's lips. He tilted his head, his dead, sightless eyes fixing on the direction of my face. He looked amused by my desperation. "Go," Lucian murmured, sounding as though he was done arguing. “Go remind yourself of the dirt you came from. But remember my terms—if you slip up when the King arrives, your sister pays the price." I didn't wait for him to change his mind. I turned on my heel and left the manor, the weight of his threat anchoring itself deep in my chest.
Avery's POV. I stood in the middle of the garden, watering the plants behind the manor. It wasn't just me; other girls were busy chatting, their laughter floating through the air like they had no problems in life. They smiled at the blooming roses, completely oblivious to the rot beneath the stone foundations of this manor. The others usually get a day off. I don’t. I had never left the walls of this manor since the day I was dragged through the gates. "I can't keep living like this," I muttered to myself, aggressively tilting the watering can to increase the rushing flow of water over the soil. "Is there a problem?" Lilith, the new girl, asked. She was right beside me, working on trimming the overgrown hedges. "No, there's no problem," I answered quickly, keeping my voice neutral. "Well, your face says otherwise," she insisted. She put down her iron shears and looked straight into my eyes, trying to read the truth from them. I looked elsewhere, refusing to allow her to read
Avery's POV. I stopped moving the moment his voice hit me. A sharp pulse of pain shot through my abdomen as I rose from the wet stone floor. My legs trembled beneath me, but I forced myself upright. I would rather collapse than face Lucian on my knees. The tip of his cane struck the stone as he closed the distance between us. He moved without hurry, as though he already knew I couldn't escape. “What do you want, Lucian?” I asked through clenched teeth, gripping the wooden handle of my brush to keep my balance. “I have the floors to finish.” "The Lycan King is sending his guard," Lucian said calmly. The words fell between us like heavy blocks of ice. I kept my chin high, refusing to let him see the sudden jolt of alarm behind my eyes. "Someone inside these walls leaked word that a second-fated mate has appeared," he continued, as though the news meant nothing to him. "The king's advisors are pushing him to revoke my title and secure the northern border. His elite scouts ride fas
Avery's POV.I didn’t wait for her to answer. I pushed past her, hips swaying as I made my way into the kitchen. The clatter of trays and the scent of early firewood filled the room, but my mind was elsewhere.Marla stood at the center, issuing orders.“Thalia,” she called. I lifted my head and met
Avery's POV He gripped a fistful of my hair and pushed my head down, hard. Pain shot through my scalp, and I swallowed back a sharp cry, trying not to let my fear show. Oh god… this is really happening. “Open your mouth. Now.” I opened just barely as he rammed his cock deep into my throat. I ch
Avery's POV I screamed when the cuffs clamped around my wrists. Not just from the pain. From humiliation. "Zara." My voice broke completely. "You are my sister. Why are you doing this? What have I done to you?" She crouched in front of me. Her wolf flickered behind her eyes. Cold and satisfied
Avery's POV"Father! I will NOT accept the bond! I don't care what you owe him — I am not a payment or a political sacrifice!”Zara's voice carried easily through the floor from the sitting room below. I sat with my back against the wall and listened. “He’s blind, Father!” she continued. “His wolf







