LOGINNoahI pressed my back against the door, my heart pounding so hard I could barely hear anything else.But I could still hear them. Their voices carried through the wood, sharp and angry."I'm not leaving until I see him.""You don't get to make demands here, Elias.""He's not a possession, Adrian! You can't just lock him away.""Watch me."I closed my eyes, willing them to stop. But they didn't."I've been patient." Elias's voice was low and dangerous. "I've let you bring him here. I've let you play the protective mate. But this ends now.""Or what? You'll take him by force?""If I have to."The sound of furniture crashing made me flinch. They were fighting again, throwing each other around like they were the only ones who mattered.Like I wasn't even there.I slid down the door and sat on the cold floor, pulling my knees to my chest. The baby shifted inside me, a small reminder that I wasn't alone."I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm sorry you have to hear this."The argument continued, l
NoahI heard the shouting from down the hall.My body tensed immediately. I had been resting, trying to sleep, but the voices cut through the silence like knives.Adrian. Elias.They were arguing again.I pushed myself up slowly, my hand pressed against my stomach. The baby shifted restlessly, sensing my fear."Stay calm," I whispered. "It's just them. They always fight."But this time, it sounded different.I crept to the door and pressed my ear against the wood."You don't get to demand anything!" Adrian's voice was a roar. "He's in my palace. Under my protection.""Your protection?" Elias laughed bitterly. "You mean your captivity.""Get out of my sight.""Not until I see him. Not until I know he's alright.""He's fine. He's resting.""Then let me see him.""No."The sound of a body slamming against the wall made me flinch. Then more shouting, more crashing.I opened the door a crack and peered out.Elias had Adrian pinned against the stone wall, his forearm pressed against his thr
NoahThe tray sat on the table, untouched.I stared at it from across the room, my arms wrapped around my knees. The smell of warm bread made my stomach twist with hunger, but I couldn't bring myself to move.I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I couldn't do anything except sit here and wait for the next terrible thing to happen.The door opened.Adrian walked in, his eyes immediately going to the tray. His jaw tightened."You haven't eaten."I said nothing.Adrian crossed the room and picked up the tray. He brought it to me, kneeling in front of the bed."Eat." His voice was firm, commanding. "You need to keep your strength up.""I'm not hungry.""You need to eat for the baby."I looked away. "The baby doesn't care if I eat.""The baby needs you to stay strong." He held out a piece of bread. "Please."I stared at the bread, my stomach twisting painfully. I was so hungry. So tired. So broken.But every time I thought about eating, I thought about all the times they had used food to cont
KaelI stood in the war room, staring at the map spread across the table.The borders of Stormhaven stretched before me, marked with pins and flags. The forests, the mountains, the rivers. And beyond them, Silvercrest.Where Noah was.My fingers traced the path I knew he had taken. The border crossing, the main road, the palace. Every mile took him further from me."He's there," I said to the room. "He's in Silvercrest."My Beta, a grizzled wolf named Toren, stepped forward. "Alpha, we don't know that for certain. The scouts—""I know it." I looked up, meeting his eyes. "I feel it."Toren hesitated. "Alpha, if we send forces into Silvercrest territory, it could mean war. The packs haven't fought in decades. The alliance—""The alliance doesn't matter." My voice was flat. "What matters is Noah."Toren's expression flickered. "Alpha, I understand your feelings—""You don't." I turned to face him. "You don't understand. You didn't see him. You didn't see how broken he was. He trusted me,
TyreneThe forest was cold and unforgiving.I had been walking for hours, maybe days. My feet were blistered, my clothes torn, my stomach hollow with hunger. But I didn't stop.I couldn't stop.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Kael's face. The coldness in his eyes when he banished me. The way he had looked at me like I was nothing.Like I was less than nothing.I stumbled over a root and fell to my knees. The impact sent pain shooting through my hands, but I barely felt it.All I felt was rage.Burning, consuming rage."You did this to me," I whispered to the empty forest. "All of you. You did this to me."Kael. Noah. Adrian. Elias. Everyone who had ever looked at me like I was worthless.They had taken everything from me. My status, my home, my dignity. They had stripped me bare and left me to die.But I wouldn't die.I refused.I pushed myself to my feet and kept walking. The trees blurred past me, their branches reaching out like claws.Somewhere in the distance, I heard the howl
NoahThe knock came late that night.I was sitting on the bed, staring at the wall, when I heard it. Soft. Careful. Like someone didn't want to be noticed.I froze. "Who is it?"The door opened slowly, and a familiar face appeared.Elena.She slipped inside and closed the door behind her, her eyes scanning the room like she expected someone to jump out."Elena?" I sat up straighter. "What are you doing here?"She crossed the room quickly and knelt in front of me. "I had to see you. I had to make sure you were alright."I stared at her, something warm flickering in my chest. She was the only person in this palace who had ever treated me like a person."I'm fine," I said. "I'm alive.""That's not what I meant." She reached out and took my hands. "I heard what happened. Tyrene. The delivery. The journey."I looked away. "It's over now.""Is it?" Her voice was soft. "Noah, I need to examine you. The baby too."I hesitated, then nodded. "Okay."She worked quickly and gently, checking my pu
NoahI waited until the room went completely silent. No footsteps outside the door, no movement from the hallway, only the crackling fireplace and my own uneven breathing.My wrists throbbed painfully against the restraints as I slowly tested them again. Elias had chained me carelessly the first ti
NoahMy hands wouldn’t stop shaking.I kept clutching the cloak tighter around my body as I followed Tyrene through the narrow servant passages hidden beneath the palace. The walls were cold stone, damp with age, and the air smelled like dust and burnt oil from the lantern she carried ahead of me.
NoahI barely made it to the basin before my stomach turned again.The second I dropped to my knees, another wave hit me hard enough to make my entire body shake. Bitter acid burned my throat as I gripped the edge of the marble basin tightly, breathing unevenly between dry heaves.Nothing was even
Elias The entire corridor smelled like sex.It hit me the second I stepped onto the floor outside the council wing. Heavy alpha scent soaked into the stone walls, tangled with Noah’s softer omega scent until it made something ugly twist inside my chest.The guards walking beside him kept their eye







