LOGINElara and Riven’s bedroom smelled entirely of sweat, stress, and overwhelming Alpha anxiety. For hours, the golden moonlight had been tracing slow arcs across the stone floor while Elara tackled the absolute worst workout of her life.Another contraction hit, and her entire body went rigid. She threw her head back against the pillows, a raw, ugly gasp tearing from her throat. Her fingers clamped onto Riven’s hand so hard the bones almost broke.Riven didn’t even blink. He stayed parked right behind her, serving as a human fortress for her to lean against. His face was slick with sweat, his eyes glowing a fierce, protective amber."I’ve got you, sweetheart," Riven rumbled into her hair, his deep voice vibrating right through her spine. "Break the other hand if you need to. Give it to me.""It hurts...Riven, it hurts so much!" Elara gasped, her voice cracking as the wave finally crested and rolled back, leaving her shaking and totally breathless.At the foot of the bed, Selena was
The blinding golden light washed over the hall, bathing Elara in a radiant glow that felt completely warm and restorative. As the heavy pressure of the ritual lifted, the gathered Alphas erupted into a deafening cheer, their voices echoing off the high stone walls. For the first time in what felt like an eternity, Elara looked out at the crowd and let a genuine, brilliant smile spread across her face. She was finally the true Alpha of Silvermoon.But the moment of triumph didn't last.Suddenly, her golden smile shattered, her features twisting into a sharp, agonizing grimace. A brutal contraction ripped through her lower abdomen, so violent it stole the air right out of her lungs.Before anyone could react, Elara let out a piercing scream of pure agony that cut right through the cheering crowd. Her knees buckled completely, and she collapsed heavily onto the stone floor, her hands tightly clutching her swollen stomach as she gasped for breath.Before Elara’s scream could even fa
Lucan stared at her, his jaw hanging open as the words hung in the dead silence of the hall. Then, the shock snapped into a manic, frenzied panic. He tried to scramble forward on his hands and knees, the chains around his wrists rattling violently against the stone."What do you mean?!" Lucan screamed, his voice cracking into a high-pitched screech. "What the fuck do you mean, Zara?! We are bonded! The sparks...the pull...I felt it! You swore to me! You sat on that throne by my side! Are you out of your mind?!"Zara didn't answer. She didn't even blink. She just stood by the heavy oak doors, her arms crossed, watching his pathetic breakdown with a look of absolute boredom."You used me?!" Lucan roared, thick tears of rage finally mixing with the dirt and sweat on his face. "You and your father! You wanted the pack, you wanted the power! Answer me! Look at me, you bitch!"The guards didn't give him another second to scream. With a rough jerk, two heavy-handed sentinels grabbed Luc
Lucan did not want to give up... His father had schemed for years just to get that throne, to get that pack and rule it and then handed it over to him... it would be so fucking embarrassing if he list it all during his own reign, and yto a woman, no less... True heir be damned... But through the haze of his panic and pain, Lucan’s gaze flickered desperately past the white paws pinning him to the stone.He looked toward the far side of the hall. Morgana was thrashing against the sentinels, her face contorted in an ugly sneer as she tried to summon her dark witchcraft. She chanted under her breath, her fingers clawing at the air, but the ambient magic in the room was entirely dead. The Goddess's blinding silver light had completely smothered her connection to the dark arts; she could barely call up a pathetic, sputtering wisp of gray smoke before it vanished into nothingness.Further down the line, Zara, his mate was sobbing hysterically, her hands covering her face as she watched
Lucan watched the exchange in a daze, the horrifying reality finally sinking in. They weren't just exposing his family's sins; they were stripping away everything he owned. His title, his land, his birthright—everything was slipping through his fingers.A wild, desperate panic took hold of him. He began to thrash violently on the stone floor, fighting against the crushing weight of the guards and sentinels pinning him down. "No!" he screamed, his voice cracking into a manic, frenzied screech. "You won't take anything from me! It will only happen over my dead body! This is my pack!"With a sickening crack of bones, Lucan forced a partial shift, his human form tearing away as he exploded into his gray wolf. The sudden burst of desperate strength caught the guards off guard. Shucking them off, Lucan scrambled to his feet and leapt straight toward the dais, his jaws snapped wide, snarling as he lunged directly at Elara's throat.He never even made it up the stairs.In a fraction of a
With the traitors securely held by the visiting guards, the chaotic noise in the hall died down to a tense, expectant murmur. Every eye turned toward the center of the room, waiting to see what the executioner of the Blood Court would do next.Instead of drawing his blade, Riven turned his back on the captives. He looked up at the dais, his dark gaze locking onto Elara, a faint, mocking smirk playing at the corner of his lips as he gestured toward the kneeling prisoners."What do you think should be done to them, Elara?" Riven asked, his deep voice carrying a sharp, sarcastic edge. "Out of everyone in this room, you’ve been the primary beneficiary of their... generosity. From Silas's initial backstabbing, to Lucan’s inspiring leadership, to Morgana’s lovely mind-bending magic... straight down to Zara and her father's legendary loyalty. They tore your family apart and stole your life. It only feels fair that you get to choose how we wrap up this family reunion."Elara’s breath hitc
Immediately they got back to the townhouse in the mountains, Riven put her down back on her feet, turned her around to face him and just stared at her. "What? I wasn't planning on hurting anybody. I never planned for any of that to happen." She immediately came to her own defense. "Who said anyth
Blood rushed into Elara's head with so much force, she needed to sit down. She stumbled, struggling to find her seat, until firm, masculine hands directed her to it and helped her sit. What was this, this feeling of betrayal that was consuming her? "Step sister? You have a daughter?" Elara asked,
Her mother? What brand of alcohol did the moon goddess drink, and where exactly could Elara find it too? Or maybe she should have been asking that question to Riven himself. "Did you bang your head on a big tree in the forest, Alpha? My mother is dead."Elara laughed as she took in the slight irri
Elara sobbed until she slowly fell asleep. Alpha Riven had watched over her all night until the sun broke through the clouds, indicating the mornings arrival. He had never been one for dramatics or emotions, but he could not deny that Elara had truly been maltreated. It only added to the disdain







