Ch.041

ArleyThe golden bar and the three-day travel pass feel incredibly heavy inside the deep pocket of my apron as I hurry away from the loud, cheering festival yard. I don't care about the praise from the elders or the murderous glares Marna is throwing my way. All I care about is the fact that I finally have my ticket out of Beyhos.But my duties aren't over yet. The Trial of the First Hunt starts in less than an hour, and as Janus's personal maid, I have to prepare his ceremonial Moon-Balm before the horn blows.I step into the Alpha’s private preparation tent at the edge of the woods, the thick fabric cutting off the roaring noise of the crowd. The air inside smells of leather and polished steel. On the wooden vanity sits the sacred silver bowl.I immediately get to work, grinding the standard pine needles and winter-mint into a thick, cooling green paste. I follow his strict instructions perfectly. The balm is an ancient tradition, a medicine meant to keep the Alpha sane and in compl

Ch.042

JanusMy eyes snap open.The ceiling of my private clinic room is blurry, but the sharp, sterile scent of crushed healing herbs and rubbing alcohol hits my nose instantly. My chest feels like a massive boulder is resting right on top of it, the skin raw and burning from the silver-dust residue."He's awake!" Sager's voice cuts through the quiet room.I groan, forcing my body to sit up against the white pillows. My muscles lock, protesting the movement, but my mind is instantly racing back to the preparation tent. The green paste. The agonizing burn. The dark blood spilling onto Kydra's white apron."Don't push yourself, Alpha," Vantas says, stepping up to the side of my bed. His face is pale, his exhaustion showing in the deep lines around his eyes. "The healers managed to neutralize the curse just in time. You've been out for hours.""Where is she?" I rasp out, my throat feeling like sandpaper.Vantas exchanges a heavy

Ch.043

ArleyMy wrists burn where the silver cuffs scraped my skin raw.The two heavy-set guards finally let go of my arms, stepping back into the shadows of the stone platform.The pack house is a blur of whispering faces and rustling dresses, but my eyes are locked on Janus.He walks straight down the steps toward me.He wears a fresh, clean black shirt, the fabric loose against his shoulders, but his skin is still pale and strained from the lingering shock of the curse. Even with his energy drained, his steps are steady and heavy. The power radiating off him makes the air feel thick.He stops right in front of me, his shadow falling over my face.Before I can even bow my head or speak, his large hand wraps gently around my forearm."Come with me," Janus says. His voice rumbles straight to my chest.He doesn't wait for my response. He pulls me along, his grip firm but careful not to touch my bruised wrists.We walk past the staring warriors, past the whispering maids, and straight into the

Ch.044

JanusThe heavy glass whiskey tumbler hits the dark wood of my desk with a loud thud.The amber liquid sloshes over the rim, staining the white papers spread across the blotter.I don't bother wiping it up.My head throbs with a steady, dull pulse right behind my temples, still feeling the lingering pain from the shaman stone."You are playing a dangerous game, Janus."The voice is smooth, quiet, and completely devoid of fear.I don't need to look up to know who it is.My mother stands by the tall arched window of my study.Her hands are elegantly crossed over her silver silk gown, her posture as straight and rigid as the stone pillars holding up the estate.She watches the distant torches of the festival guards moving along the tree line."I am securing my pack, Mother," I say, leaning back into my leather chair.My muscles ache, but I keep my face completely blank."By humiliating the daughter of our strongest ally in front of the entire territory, the supposed Luna of the pack?"Sh

Ch.045

ArleyI’ve been assigned to prepare Janus' mating robe ahead of the day. It's made of deep black wool, trimmed with silver thread along the cuffs and collar.The grand mating ceremony is only days away.My fingers shake so violently I can barely hold the heavy iron, smoothing out the deep creases.Every slide of the iron makes my chest ache with a hollow pain.This robe represents the life that was stolen from me.Janus was supposed to be my fiancé.He was promised to me before my world shattered, and now, I am forced to stand in this damp laundry room as a nameless servant, preparing him to bind his life to my cruel sister, Risa.The worst part—the part that makes me want to scream until my lungs bleed is that I have actually fallen in love with him.I love the man who stood on that platform yesterday and risked everything to save my life, the man who has slowly found his way into my space.And my reward is to iron the clothes he will wear to marry someone else.The bitterness of it

Ch.046

JanusFuck! The mating ceremony is tonight and I'm losing my mind at the moment...It feels like the more the time draws near the tighter my chest feels, and hell I can tell it's coming from my mate bond. Laycon has been strongly against being bound to another woman, suddenly receding to the dark part of me. He won't even look at the mental thread between us. He just curled into a ball of black fur and went completely silent, leaving me completely alone in my own skull.Ugh! The migraines are coming back... I should take a walk.The air inside the pack house is suffocating, thick with the scent of lilies and the expensive oils the servants are using to wax the floors for tonight’s guests. Every step I take down the corridor makes the pounding behind my eyes build. I push open the heavy wooden door leading out to the rear courtyard and force my feet down the stone steps.As I walk through the pack house paths and step onto the grass behind my quarters, I catch a familiar scent... my mi