Eden’s POV
The wolf approached me slowly. As I saw him clearly, my whole body trembled. He was bigger than any wolf I’d ever seen: stronger, with muscles that bulged under his thick, black, shiny fur that blended in with the darkness of the night.
Everything inside me screamed ‘run’! I tried to, but the wolf followed. He was agile and swift, and his shiny fur gave him an air of regality as it fluttered in the wind.
With lightning speed, he lunged at me. I didn't dare look back again, but I could sense his presence; he was right behind me, gaining ground. I dodged under branches, my heart pounding.
But then suddenly, thud—
The wolf pinned me to the ground with only its right paw. My cheek pressed against the earth, and I panted heavily. Was this the end? Despair washed over me.
He rolled me over and pressed my arms over my head. He stared at me with an intense gaze. I could feel his heart pounding against his chest.
“Open your eyes,” he commanded, his voice majestic.
Trembling, I obeyed, and I was instantly mesmerized by his rugged beauty. I’d never seen such a handsome wolf before. His powerful frame, his sleek fur, his dangerous yet captivating eyes...it all felt oddly familiar.
As his gaze roamed my face, fear prickled down my neck. No! I couldn’t be fooled by this illusion. I was in danger.
I tried to move, but he was too strong. He held me firmly to the ground. Suddenly, he leaned down close to me. My breath hitched in my throat. His nose twitched around my cheek, sniffing my scent.
But I don’t have a wolf, so I don't have a scent.
I was sure he would soon realize that I was wolfless and devour me without hesitation. Tears spilled from my eyes, streaming down my face. I closed them shut and memories flashing through my mind.
Would Caleb mourn my death? Scarlett would be happy about it, no doubt. So would Alice and all the other omega maids...Did anyone in this world truly love me? My mother had…But now I couldn’t clear her name.
I felt wetness on my cheek and I realized the black wolf was licking me. Perhaps this was his habit: to taste his prey before devouring it.
Death was approaching. It was real; I could feel it, and I was full of regret. My life has been so short and pathetic. I hadn’t done anything for myself or my mother. If only I could have another chance... Moon Goddess, help me, please give me another chance... Let me clear my mother's name…live a braver life…
“I finally found you, Cookie,” the black wolf suddenly growled softly.
What? Was it speaking to me? Trembling, I opened my eyes.
“Relax,” he said, resting his head on my collarbone. And despite the danger I was in, there was something about his scent that seemed strangely soothing, somehow comforting.
His growls calmed down as he seemed to settle in, comfortably, with his head nestled into my neck.
‘Is this my chance?’ I wondered. ‘Is he…is he sleeping?’
But as soon as I made the slightest move, he lifted his head.
“Don’t move,” he said. “I am injured, yes. But even so, you’d never get away. I’d catch you in a heartbeat.”
It was then that I smelled the blood. I looked down and saw a gaping wound on one of his hind legs. It looked horrific. Well, at least it did to me. But it probably wasn’t that bad. He was a wolf, after all, so the wound was likely already healing. I nodded and he nuzzled his head back into my neck. He made soft sounds, contented sounds, as he fell into a deep sleep. How odd, I thought to myself, that he would just fall asleep like this, on me.
I waited for what felt like an eternity before I tried to move again. It was my chance to escape. Despite my confusion at his enigmatic words, I knew I had to get out of there. I didn’t have a wolf, but even so, my survival instincts kicked in. He was sleeping so if I could just carefully, slowly, work my way out from under him, maybe I had a chance.
I began the laborious process of sliding out from under him. A couple of times, he stirred and I froze, sure that I had woken the sleeping black wolf. But each time, he smacked his lips and resumed his soft snoring. Eventually, I managed to free myself without waking him. I stood over him for a moment, watching him sleep, this mysterious but dangerous wolf. I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him, because of his leg.
I stood over him, watching him sleep.
Was I truly free? It felt surreal. In the darkness, I was overwhelmed by a sense of abandonment and sadness. Then, a sudden gust of wind swept through and cleared the branches, allowing the moonlight to filter through.
I gazed at the distant moon, captivated by its mystery and beauty. Moon Goddess, are you trying to teach me? —— I had endured betrayal, abandonment, and had even faced my own death in a single day, but I was still standing. I embraced the gentle breeze and the mesmerizing moonlight.
Life’s tougher than we think. My mom always said that.
She’d defended our pack's borders against countless rogues, earning admiration as the most powerful Gamma. But when she didn't return from battle, Scarlett's mother accused her of betraying the pack. And everyone believed it! It was absolutely insane! I knew how fiercely loyal my mom was to our pack.
As the wind settled down and darkness returned, everything felt different. This time, I was going to clear my mother’s name, no matter what.
It was time for me to go.
But just as I was about to leave, the black wolf stirred. I looked at his wound, his fur matted with blood. I felt a twinge of sympathy for the strange wolf. I bent down and stroked his head, softly.
“Heal quickly, strange wolf,” I whispered.
But then I heard something, and every hair on my body stood on end. I froze on the spot, too scared to even glance behind me. Even though I didn’t have a wolf, I knew in my gut that something was closing in on me.
I glanced at the sleeping black wolf. Could it be his companion? There was no time to ponder, though. I swallowed my fear and bolted forward.
“Oops! Exposed!” A sinister laugh echoed from afar.
Eden’s POVIn the dark forest, danger never ceased. It attracted the very worst of the worst, cruel rogues with no morals. I needed to get out of this forest, to find somewhere safe. But even as careful as I was, the rogues lurked everywhere. I soon came face to face with two rogues.“See?” one of them said, clucking his tongue. “Told you she was pretty.” They both lifted their noses into the air. “I’m the Luna of the Sequoia Pack,” I said, trying to steady my trembling legs and intimidate them. “If you lay a finger on me, the Sequoia Pack will come down hard on you.”“You? Hahaha...” the other burst into laughter. “You don’t even have a wolf.”They knew I didn't have a wolf! Of course they did. I was foolish to believe otherwise. Any werewolf could feel it.“What kind of Alpha would want a Luna without a wolf? Pathetic,” one chimed in, joining the laughter. “If the Alpha of the Sequoia Pack found out you were damaging his reputation, he’d waste no time killing you.”Kill me?His wo
Eden’s POVMy cell door swung open. “Put this on,” Kate hissed at me. “It’s time for auction, you filthy bitch.”I’ve been locked up in this cell for a few days now. Kate threw me in here. She said since I don’t have a wolf, and I’m not even an omega, the Lycan King wouldn’t want me. So they didn’t take me to the square. They’ve given me barely any food and water, but at least my bruises have healed, more or less.I fingered the beautiful silk gown. I put on the dress and she came back. She brushed my hair and put make-up on me.“Now smile nicely,” she instructed me. I shot her a satirical smile. “NICER!” she yelled. “They want to see pretty girls. And pretty girls SMILE.” I flashed her a fake smile. My ribs were still sore from the beating. I didn’t want that to happen again. At least if someone bought me, I could get out of this cell.I was then led to a large stage. The audience was full of men, mostly Alphas I assumed. I was instructed to stand in line and wait my turn. I watched
Eden’s POV“Lycans?” The auction house broke out into exclamations. “Is it true? Are they Lycans?” Everyone whispered, wide-eyed at the thought. Anxiety and confusion rippled through the room.But then, the man at the table calmly took off his coat. Everyone watched as he hung it on the back of his chair, revealing a crisp white shirt and navy suit vest. He strode to the stage, letting loose a powerful Lycan aura. His air of nobility was palpable. His aura emanated from him and spread out through the room, passing over everyone, one at a time, and as it did, each person felt like they had been hit by an invisible force. Then his aura settled over them, like a heavy blanket. They were powerless under the suffocating pressure of the Lycan’s aura.I watched him, transfixed, as his aura hit me. It was like a lightning bolt straight to my heart. My heart raced and I began to breathe quickly. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, even though I knew that making eye contact and staring at him lik
Zane’s POV“Tear this place down,” I turned to my Beta, instructed. “And then burn it. Leave nothing of this auction house save for ashes.”The girl in my arms shrank back in response to my command, she clutched at my shirt.‘Easy now, Cookie,’ I thought to myself. ‘You’re safe now. You’re mine.’I took in her scent. Bread cookies. It was her. I had finally found her. ‘All will be well now, Slade. We found her.’Instantly, Slade, my wolf, calmed down. My mind flashed back to the first time we met.I was 21 years old, in wolf form, when I was ambushed by rogues. They caught me completely off-guard. They seriously injured me, slashing my legs and my stomach. I was so badly hurt that I couldn’t return to human form. I managed to escape, but just barely. I was forced to hide out in the forest, doing my best to camouflage my black wolf form with the dead of night.She found me one day while I was sleeping in a small brush clearing. Full of curiosity, she climbed over the bushes. She was yo
Eden’s POVI was the talk of the town, or so I heard. Rumors of the Lycan King bringing back a ‘rogue girl’ spread rapidly through all the packs. I had been here a few days, but everywhere I went, the omegas whispered. The news even spread out into rogue territory. Everyone was guessing who I was. What was my true identity? Why had he chosen me? I was asked to meet some of the omega maids in the bathroom. Apparently, they wanted to help me wash. I didn’t really want their help, though. They were a little on the rough side. But I was told I had no choice. But before I went into the bathroom, I overheard the omega maids talking. They were whispering about all the gossip spreading through the packs.“I heard the King fell in love with her at first sight, so he brought her back here. That’s what an omega from Red Stone pack told me she heard,” one maid whispered.“Nonsense. Why would he fall in love with a rogue? And an ugly, wolfless one at that?” another maid scoffed. “That’s
Zane’s POV She approached the lavish table, clearly nervous. I was already there, waiting. I motioned for her to sit, across from him. Her hands were shaky. I fixed my eyes on hers and watched as she took her seat. She was quite graceful and looked lovely in a long silk dress. I nodded my approval. “It’s okay. You can relax. I won’t bite,” I said, trying to put her at ease with a joke. “I…I didn’t think you would,” she answered in a serious tone. Clearly, she had missed the joke. So I changed the subject. “Do you enjoy salmon?” I asked. I looked down at my plate. Salmon in a white wine sauce. One of my personal favorites. Decadent and delicious. She nodded. “Then bon appetit,” I said. I took a big bite, motioning for her to do the same. She smiled appreciatively. Good, she likes salmon, I thought to myself. Then I decided to address the question on my mind. “Don’t you have a wolf?” I asked. The question must have caught her by
Caleb’s POV“You stupid girl! Be more careful! My suit has to be perfect,” I barked at my omega maid. This was an important meeting! One of the most important meetings of my life! And my damned omega was ironing my suit like she didn’t have a care in the world. “That’s cashmere, you idiot! I swear, if you burn another one of my suits!”“Yes, yes,” she nodded. “No wrinkles. No burns. I promise.” I took a deep breath to regain my composure. I watched her closely while she ironed. The last thing I needed was a wrinkled poorly ironed suit. Not today! Not for this meeting! She finished and handed me the suit. “Now get out,” I snapped at her. A few moments later, I admired myself in the mirror. Yes, I was most handsome indeed. I looked like my powerful self, well-dressed and perfectly groomed. This was exactly the look I was going for. So I grabbed the wedding invitation and headed out the door to meet with the Lycan King.We were related, the Lycan King and I. My great-great-grandmoth
Eden’s POV“I’ve told you a hundred times, the fork on the far left is for salad. What are you, dense or something?” I sighed in frustration. This was my fourth etiquette lesson that day! This was all becoming a little too much. Who knew there were so many rules about forks?“I’m trying my best,” I said to my teacher. She rolled her eyes and sighed. I could tell she didn’t like me. She made me feel really uncomfortable, like I didn’t belong here. All the teachers made me feel like that, like this whole place, this whole world was somehow above me.I was doing this at Zane’s request. He had requested that I take etiquette lessons, although I had no idea why. It’s not like I was some slobby omega. I was born of relatively high degree. Nothing like the King, of course – I wasn’t royalty, but I knew basic manners.“Again,” she said, rearranging the cutlery on the mock dining room table. “They are serving salad as the starting course. Please select the correct fork.”This time I did and sh