“I know it’ll be hard. But we can’t drag this matter anymore. From the intelligence we gathered, the witches joined hands with the bloodsuckers, and...” I gulped and swallowed my words. Everything was only an assumption right now. Without proof, how could I convince the Clan Elders? They would call me an alarmist out to disrupt the peace of the clan. “In short, we need a Royal Court!” I finished stubbornly, praying, wishing, hoping I would get through to them. However, their following words dashed the kindle of hope I held, and sunk my heart into utter despair. “Commander Einas, I don’t mean to question you, but this matter concerns the political affairs of the Pacific Sea. You keep pushing for the formation of a Royal Court. Have you ever considered who would lead the new reign? You’re not a bad candidate. But at the end of the day, you’re only a commander. What do you know about ruling?” “And then, there’s us. As Elders, we advise the Lycan Leader and have a say in the passing o
“Did you get the manacles?” “Yes, father. Do you think it’ll work?” “Hm! We can administer the shock if it doesn’t!” My father kicked open the steel bar. Tailed by my brother and mother, they strode into the cramped space with a menacing aura. I scrambled to the darkest corner of the cell. Something in their eyes made my skin crawl and my heart quiver in terror. Fear. That’s the word. Like a razor tongue, it sliced my skin as it slithered up my back and sunk into my organs, coiling its slimy membrane around my trembling heart. I always knew they hated me. They abhorred the very sight of me with venomous disgust. At this moment, however, the waves of dark resentment flowing from their figures made me realize the depth of their hatred for me. To them, I wasn’t a family member. I was their shameful secret. And they hated me for ruining their lives. “You vile creature of sin, get over here!” My brother hollered and rushed over to grab my hair. Dragging me from the corner, he thr
A spark of disappointment shot through me at the she-Lycan’s decisive departure. When I said I wanted her, I had meant it. I don’t know if it’s the aura of command she wielded with mastery, or the wicked soul she tried so hard to hide. But something about the brunette drew me to her. It certainly wasn’t love. A meaningless feeling like that didn’t belong in our world. I glanced at the female laying on the ground and smothered a humorless chuckle. ‘Must be her vicious spirit.’ No female with an ounce of kindness in her heart would deliver another female to our hands. The restlessness of my subordinates was a testament to that. They shuffled on their feet, their entire attention focused on the unconscious she-wolf. Sweat beaded their foreheads, sliding down their naked frames. Their muscles bulged as they fought for restraint. Mating and violence. They were the two things that made us Dark Rogues. We reveled in the pain and terror of our victims, feeding on them the way leeches fed
The piercing howl of wind blasting my ears cut off under yet another shriek of terror. Anxiety pushed at my limbs, initiating the shift from man to wolf without conscious thought. Large and majestic in his coat of obsidian black, Jalal raced through the woods, crushing and stomping anything that stood in his way. Anything that delayed him from getting to her. By this point, I couldn’t be bothered to tell him to remain calm. It wouldn’t make a difference. Ever since we picked up the she-wolf’s scent and left the clan grounds, the idiot had seemingly lost the ability to understand basic language. I relinquished control over our body to him and sat in the back of our shared mind. When I threw a rejection in her face, the link between soulmates hadn’t been established between our wolves. So, he led by scent alone. I didn’t regret my decision. On the contrary, my resolve to draw a line with the bitch became even firmer after yesterday’s discovery. “Einas, Saira’s in danger!” Jalal’s ag
**Saira** “Zaria, no! Don’t you dare hurt him!” I thought my mate rejecting me for another female was the worst thing that could happen to me. That I had everything figured out, and nothing more could hurt me. I thought wrong. The worst thing that could happen to me was now unfolding before my eyes. Staring me down with the familiar revulsion that haunted my every dream. Einas Raed, my mate and the last person I wanted to see this appearance of mine, gazed at me with unblinking eyes. Zaria sent him flying with a vicious kick. “You don’t tell me what to do, vile human. You’ve done enough of that for the past four years.” Resentment dripped from her ruthless tone, almost choking me with a murderous grip. An overwhelming force slammed into me, jolting me in the mental cage, the same way I shoved and sealed her in. The resulting pain shocked me to realization. This wolf, this beast I’d kept suppressed, was filled with bitterness to the depth of her soul. She blazed with a mad rage
The Living Hall of the Lycan Palace was full. The Lycan Leader, his Luna, his mistress, and every extra that either worked or was in the building at that moment was present. I helped Saira to the sofa, blatantly ignoring the presence of my brother, as he shadowed us. Growing up, we never got along. But for some reason, his face irritated me more today, then it ever had before. “It’s called jealousy, Idris. You’re jealous he found Saira before us.” Malko moaned melancholically. I could almost envision him curling his tail around himself. Shoulders drooped, eyes vacant, as grief and unwillingness assaulted my senses. He was right, of course. Though their bond was incomplete, Einas still found Saira before I did. This was the advantage of a soulmate bond. It was an intangible link a bonding mark, or even a chosen mate bond, couldn’t rival. I felt a spark of jealousy. Just a tiny bit, at the bond, at the strong connection my brother still shared with my wife. But I would never admit it
Idris was overreacting. He was taking this incident more seriously than I desired. Though I wanted to expose Asma Mirza for the devil she was, I didn’t want to draw attention to myself. If anyone found out she handed me over to a pack of rogues, it would be hard to explain how I managed to escape. That too, without being violated. “What reason would anyone have to target Caira, let alone kill her?” Einas Raed snarled, wrapping a protective arm around the she-Lycan’s waist. “Unlike someone else, she’s gentle and sweet, without any secrets.” My heart clenched at the veiled strike. I breathed through my nose, rapidly blinking my eyes to suppress the flood of tears. I felt emotionally unstable right now. His words cut deeper than a knife, twisting my insides and coiling my stomach in the most painful way. The effects of Zaria’s short takeover mustn’t have faded. “Einas.” Idris Raed growled, so deep and low, goosebumps broke out on my skin. “Are you…are you saying Saira deserves to be
The clatter of cooking pots exploded in the air as I dropped them on the floor. They spun in circles, rolling over to the corner where a heap of disposable plates and utensils waited for sorting. I closed my eyes and sucked in a deep breath. Calm. I needed to stay calm. I counted to ten. The rage, the frustration, the heartache…they flowed out of my limbs with each breath. When my body stopped shaking, I grabbed my purse and strolled out of the Palace kitchen. I did the shopping and prepared the menu. It wasn’t my duty to sort the items. The second I turned the corner, the pungent scent of air-freshener and perfumes drifted into my nostrils. With pale expressions, Omegas and she-Lycans scurried out from a nook on the other side of the kitchen. My chest felt stuffy, my steps heavy, as I trudged out of the palace back to the Lycan Heir’s mansion. The past week had been nothing short of a nightmare. After Einas Raed proved me a liar in front of his clan, the Lycans avoided me like a