LOGINCaroline: ~~~ I jolt awake with a sharp, ragged gasp, splashing cold water over the rim of the bathtub, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. The soothing heat of the bath has vanished, leaving the water icy. Goosebumps immediately break across my skin as I pull myself up, shivering violently in the chill of the room. I dry off quickly, my hands trembling as I reach for my robe, and fasten the sash of my robe. I make my way out of the bathroom and back into the bedroom. Just as my feet touch the soft carpet, there's a knock at the door. I walk over and pull it open. Aida stands in the hallway, accompanied by two castle maids who carry large trays loaded with covered dishes. I step aside to let them enter. “I will get dressed,” I whisper to my Aida, gesturing toward the adjoining closet. She nods, offering me a small smile. Inside the closet, I pull on a simple sweater and a pair of fitted jeans, barely paying attention to my reflection in the mirror. My
Two hours ago… Darius steps into his private chambers, closing the door behind him as he reaches for his phone and dialing Caroline. After checking on her and the kids, he hung up. He looks disheveled. His shoulders ache from the weight of his cloak, and thick mud clings to his knee-high leather boots. He's nearly at his limit. He hasn’t slept properly in days. The attacks on the outer border settlements are getting worse fast. Pack members living on the edges are being hunted like animals by unknown assailants who leave behind no scent trails, no trace, and no living witnesses. The past few days have been the same. During the day, the royal court demands his attention. An entire day of watching Elders arguing over land and politics. At night, he's organizing patrols, tightening the guards, and riding into the forest, waiting for the attackers to show up. But they never do. At first, Darius refused to believe they knew he was waiting. But after attacking for four straight night
Hunter nods quickly, clearly relieved to put the tense confrontation behind them. Without wasting another second, he leads Caroline and Aida away, guiding them down a quieter, heavily guarded wing of the palace. He stops outside a massive set of double doors carved from dark oak. Pushing them open, Hunter reveals a spacious, elegantly furnished suite. A crackling fireplace fills the room with comforting warmth, chasing away the damp morning chill. He steps aside and gestures for them to enter. “This is the royal guest suite. It has everything you and the children need,” he says, then turns to Aida and points to the door directly opposite. “Your room is right across hers, just a few feet away.” Before Caroline can ask another question about Darius, Hunter beats her to it. “I have urgent matters to attend to,” he says quickly. “There are pressing pack duties and border security issues that require my immediate attention.” With that, he offers a polite nod, clearly eager t
Caroline settles into the car seat, adjusting her jacket as the engine hums quietly. Before the driver can shift gears, a heavy thud hits the window. Hunter stands outside in the rain, knocking sharply on the driver's side glass. The chauffeur rolls down the window, letting in a gust of damp, chilly air.Hunter looks past the driver, his sharp gaze locking briefly on Caroline.“Follow my SUV closely,” he commands, his voice tight and authoritative. “The palace roads are heavily restricted, and the security grid is fully active in this weather. Don’t lose sight of my vehicle.”The chauffeur nods respectfully, rolling the window up as Hunter returns to his armored SUV.Their car moves forward, passing through massive stone gates that mark the boundary of the Lycan kingdom. The change is immediate, the air thickening with the weight of ancient power and long-standing traditions.After driving for almost half an hour, the car finally navigates the winding, ascending roads and comes to a h
Caroline stares at the shattered pieces of her phone lying on the pavement, her chest rising and falling with every ragged breath.Shock. Betrayal. Rage. The emotions crash into each other until they burn like fire in her chest.“Caroline!” Aida rushes to her side. “My baby, what happened?”She grabs Caroline's trembling shoulders, her face filled with worry. “What did Darius say to upset you like this?”Caroline slowly looks up at her mom's face, too angry to speak. Her vision blurs around the edges as Silver slams against the walls of her mind, desperate to break free.“It’s that viper!” Caroline explodes, her voice shaking with anger. “I can't believe I let her get inside my head. I actually listened to her. I let her lies make me doubt my own mate.”Aida's eyes soften with concern as she gently squeezes Caroline's shoulder.“Calm down, Caroline,” she says softly. “Take a deep breath. This is exactly what she wants. She wants you to be angry. But try to imagine her face once she se
Author:~~~“No!”Aida screams, jolting awake. Kristopher sits up, holding her close. Aida burst into tears, her face against his chest, trembling uncontrollably.“Breathe, my love,” Kristopher whispers, his hand gently rubbing her back.“You're safe. Calm down. Talk to me. What happened?”But Aida doesn't answer; she only cries harder, overwhelmed by fear.She knows Hades was here; Kristopher told her about it too.She was planning to tell Caroline, but she somehow had discovered everything about her. Now Hades is coming. And this time… She had no idea how to stop him.“He's coming for me…” she sobs. “Kris, I'm scared. He's the devil…”Kristopher tightens his grip around her in reassurance.“We'll find a way through this. You're not facing him alone.”Aida nods against his chest, though the ache in her stomach tells a different story, for the first time in a very long while… She isn't certain they'll survive.Ever since she forced fate's hand and made Caroline meet Darius early, her
I run for the elevator, but before I can reach it, Luke steps out from the side, grabs my hand, and pulls me toward the washroom. “You, let me go.” I struggle against him. “Let's make a deal,” he says instead, but I yank my hand out of his grasp and counter, “I would rather die than accept your d
Her blood is everywhere, hot and slippery against my palms.The ragged wound at her side won’t stop bleeding. I press my palm hard against it, knotting the fabric of my shirt to try and stop the flow, while administering CPR with the other.Her skin is cold. Too cold. Her face pale. The rain is was
Melinda: ~~~ “Y-You.” I stammer, sitting up quickly. “B-Brandon. How are you here?” My voice shakes, but he doesn’t answer, just stares, and the glint in his eyes makes my skin crawl. He yanks me up effortlessly, and before I can breathe, his hand cracks across my cheek. I stagger back, stunned,
Cassian:~~~“You’re telling me Angela betrayed her own company? Betrayed me?” I demand angrily.How could anyone think that of her? My angel would never. I know it. I open my mouth to tell him the next time he accuses my angel again, he’ll be gone from my sight for good.Then I smell her.Her into







