LOGINMalric’s POV “You may now drink from the sacred cup to complete the blood-binding ritual,” Sarah said.Sharina and I stood facing each other inside the Goddess Temple beneath the full moon, our hands clasped together just as Sarah had instructed.I released one hand long enough to accept the sacred cup and drank.Sharina did the same.The moment the last drop slid down my throat, something stirred deep within me.A purple thread suddenly appeared, winding itself around our joined hands.It looked similar to the Moon Goddess's red thread of fate.Sharina frowned as she stared down at the unusual color of the thread binding us together.“The bond must have been formed,” Sarah said, since a third party couldn't see the thread.“It's... purple thread,” Sharina blurted.“Purple?” Sarah's expression hardened as she turned to me. “That means you never broke your bond with Emily.”“I told you I wasn't going to,” I cut in.“Malric–”“What does the purple thread mean?” I interrupted again.Res
Emily’s POV “That is impossible!” the Guardian said sharply. “There has only ever been one Healer per generation.”My brow pulled together.“What do you mean?”“Two divine Healers cannot exist at the same time,” it said. “The elder Healer usually dies while giving birth to the next. But in rare cases, they die before the younger’s power fully awakens.”A cold dread settled in my chest.My hands moved instinctively to my stomach.“You… you mean…” My voice shook. “I’m going to die while giving birth?”“That is the fate of a Healer,” it confirmed.My heart sank.Two things struck me at once.One, my biological mother was most likely no longer alive.Two, my child… would grow up just like me if I died. No clear identity, especially if I remained on the run and far away from Malric.No biological parents to guide her either… unless she somehow found someone as kind-hearted as the mother who raised me. And in this harsh werewolf world, that was rare.My throat tightened.My child would nev
Emily’s POVI didn't open the letter Irene had somehow slipped into my room until I was well outside the palace grounds.The moment I unfolded it and began to read, my jaw tightened at the first few paragraphs.“Bastards,” I gritted out as everything finally made sense.Sarah and Sharina had been working together. They had used Irene to distract Lucien since Malric was away from the palace. That was why it had been so easy for Sarah to use Lucien's name to fool certain guards. While those guards rushed around carrying out the Prince’s supposed orders, I had been quietly smuggled out of the palace amid the confusion Sarah created.My eyes dropped to Irene's letter again.Every line was filled with her guilt and regret. Sharina had blackmailed her again, and this time there had been no way out.I lowered the letter slowly, my throat tightening. I couldn't even bring myself to blame her.This was the palace.Not only power and authority rule everything inside there, feelings didn't matt
Lucien’s POV I didn’t wait for the aphrodisiac to take full effect before I grabbed her.She let out a startled cry, struggling beneath my grip, but I didn’t stop.With one swift motion, I hauled her over my shoulder and headed straight for the bedroom.She cried out again.I ignored it.She had started this.Now she would have to explain herself.“This is what you wanted, isn't it?” I said, dropping her onto the bed.My gaze never left hers.She shook her head violently, the color draining from her face.Damn it.I hated how badly I wanted to believe her.I wanted her to give me a reason. A good one.“Then tell me why,” I said, forcing my voice to remain steady.“I... I... my... I...” she stammered, her hands shaking as she braced herself against the bed.“Talk!” I barked, taking a step toward her.She flinched. Her eyes squeezed shut and she raised an arm over her face, instinctively shielding herself. As though she believed I was about to hit her.Damn it.My jaw tightened.The ap
Lucien’s POVFor the past few hours, Irene had been in my suite.She sat across from me at the dining table, completely buried in the ledgers I had given her.Obviously, she had made an absolute mess of the last one. Still, I needed a reason to keep her here."When are you going to tell her how we feel?" Knox asked inside my head."Not yet," I replied. "That might scare her away. She needs to trust me first."Knox huffed."Or you're afraid she'll turn you down due to your bad reputation with she-wolves.”I scoffed. "And whose fault is that? I've spent years being dragged around by a Lycan incapable of looking away from a pretty face.”The irony was almost offensive.Of all the Lycans the Goddess could have bestowed me with, she had given me one with the self-control of a drunken playboy."Excuse me?" Knox sounded offended. "I had standards.""Yes, by chasing every noblewoman with a pretty face?""That is a gross exaggeration.""You once made me attend three banquets in one week becaus
Emily’s POV Ever since we returned from the hunt, Malric had made sure I stayed in his suite. Even when I protested that this suite would soon belong to him and Sharina after their bonding tomorrow, he refused to yield.He said Sharina would have her own chambers as the queen, and that I would stay here under his care because of the child I carried.He said he needed to look after both of us.Still, I didn’t want it this way.Sharina would be queen.And I could not stay in her space.Because of that… I wouldn’t abandon my plan.I was leaving this castle.By midnight, the moon would be full. Malric and Sharina would complete their bonding at the Goddess Temple, in the presence of the Moon Goddess herself. By morning, their official mating ceremony would begin.My mind worked quickly, calculating every possible escape route between the moment he would leave for the temple and the moment he would return.That was my only window.But escaping the castle wasn’t simple. Not with security t
Anonymous POV“Damian Stone.” I laughed, letting the name roll off my tongue like a curse.It’s laughable how everyone thinks he’s invincible, that he’s some untouchable king. No. Being a lycan king doesn’t make him a god. He’s just another mortal. And soon… he’ll remember that.If I’d poisoned him
Malric’s POV I wasn’t blind to Emily’s subtle change. She didn’t make it dramatic like last time when she’d searched for flimsy excuses to escape me, but I knew something was off.I rolled out of bed, prepared for morning training, and made my way to her door.I knocked.No reply. I could feel sh
Emily's POV “I’m sorry about this, Emily,” she said, worry threading through her voice.I inhaled slowly, forcing myself to compose my expression before turning to her. “It’s not a big deal,” I said, offering a smile…if it could be called one.Of course, even someone her age knew it wasn't real. S
Emily’s POV I spotted Sarah from afar, and I could tell she was heading straight toward us.“Her name is Sarah,” I said. “I don’t know much about her…but I know that she's close to the king”I waited for Piper’s response, but none came. So, I glanced to my side.She was gone.“Where did she go?” I







