MasukHunter 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.āThis is the royal guest suite. It has everything you and the children need,ā he says, then turns to Aida and points to the door directly opposite. āYour room is right across hers, just a few feet away.āBefore Caroline can ask another question about Darius, Hunter beats her to it.āI have urgent matters to attend to,ā he says quickly. āThere are pressing pack duties and border security issues that require my immediate attention.āWith that, he offers a polite nod, clearly eager to leave before
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.āFollow my SUV closely,ā he commands, his voice tight and authoritative. āThe palace roads are heavily restricted, and the security grid is fully active in this weather. Donāt lose sight of my vehicle.āThe 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.āCaroline!ā Aida rushes to her side. āMy baby, what happened?āShe grabs Caroline's trembling shoulders, her face filled with worry. āWhat did Darius say to upset you like this?āCaroline 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.āItās that viper!ā Caroline explodes, her voice shaking with anger. āI 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.āAida's eyes soften with concern as she gently squeezes Caroline's shoulder.āCalm down, Caroline,ā she says softly. āTake 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:~~~āNo!āAida screams, jolting awake. Kristopher sits up, holding her close. Aida burst into tears, her face against his chest, trembling uncontrollably.āBreathe, my love,ā Kristopher whispers, his hand gently rubbing her back.āYou're safe. Calm down. Talk to me. What happened?āBut 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.āHe's coming for meā¦ā she sobs. āKris, I'm scared. He's the devilā¦āKristopher tightens his grip around her in reassurance.āWe'll find a way through this. You're not facing him alone.āAida 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
Caroline: ~~~ āCarolineā¦ā Darius says quietly. āBelieve me. Valerie is only carrying my child. I swear that's all there is between us. You're the only woman I love.ā My heart stops. āWait... did he just say Valerie?ā I ask Silver. āThe Valerie we both know? It can't be... has she been by Darius' side this entire time?ā āValerie?ā Silver asks. āYes, that's her name.ā Hearing Darius confirm it, I don't know when I break through the restraint of Silverās barrier. āOh Goddess, Darius. Is Valerie a vampire?ā I ask, and I can already tell his surprise. āYou know Valerie.ā He doesn't ask, he states. āYes. Valerie isā¦ā I trail off when I hear the very person we're talking about speak. No wonder I felt her voice sounded familiar the last time I eavesdropped on Darius' phone call. āDarius, I came to spend time with you. It's been three days since you last visited me. I'm stuck in bed, doing everything I can to protect our child, yet you haven't come to see me even once,ā Valerie says
Hello, I'm sorry for reaching out like this. This past few days has been hard, there's a lot going on. Which is why I haven't been able to update. I hope you all can forgive me for the late note. I mistakenly uploaded a draft and I know a lot of you have already paid to open it, but please be rest assured, I will replace it with the correct chapter once I get in touch with my Editor. Sorry for the trouble. Thank you.
The moment I cross the barrier, I dial Angelās phone.It rings. And rings.No answer.A cold pressure tightens under my ribs.I try again. Then again.Nothing.I try our mother, then father.Still nothing.A pulse of dread thuds in my chest as I hit Jacksonās number. He answers on the first ring.ā
The upcoming scene is rated 18+ and involves blood and murder. Please skip if you are uncomfortable. ~~~Darkness pulls at me like a deep ocean, and I sink for a while.Then something sharp drags me back to the surface.My mind fights the fog, but my body refuses to move, my breathing tight.Then
āWhat? No!āThe word bursts out of me as I yank my hands away from Dadās. āNo. You cannot send me away.āDad nods slowly, like he already knew I would react like this.āYou will be safe there. You will be away from all this. Away from trouble. Away from the rumors.āāNo,ā I choke out. āNo. You cann
Angela:~~~The familiar scenery of home greets me the moment our car crosses the barrier, but it doesnāt bring comfort; it feels heavier, almost suffocating, and something inside me tightens.Maybe itās the shift in air, or the familiar pack magic brushing over my skin⦠Or maybe itās the weight of







