Chapter Eighty-Two: Can You Help MeKiara POV: The room's oppressive air weighs heavily on me, a tangible reminder of my captivity. The walls are bare, with no adornments, just like my life now — devoid of joy and freedom. I've been trying to formulate a plan to escape, playing out different scenarios in my mind, but every thought only spirals into despair.A creak of the door interrupts my restless contemplation, and Aiden strides in, holding a tray of breakfast. I study his face, trying to discern any hint of emotion, but his eyes are inscrutable, a mask hiding his thoughts."Good morning, Kiara, my sunshine," he says, his voice smooth, betraying nothing of his true intentions. "I hope you're hungry."I force a smile, determined to play my part. "Thank you, Aiden. But, you know," I begin, feigning a nonchalant tone, "I was thinking maybe we could eat downstairs. In the dining room?"He freezes, eyes narrowing. "Why?" A single word hangs heavily in the air, a challenge.I swallow
Chapter Eighty-Three: Can You Help Me Part TwoKiara POV: The long and winding corridors of the Lycan packhouse were filled with an eerie silence as Seraphina led me back to my room. Each step we took seemed to echo through the empty halls, a stark reminder of my isolation. The meek and subdued demeanour of the she-wolves I'd seen earlier weighed heavily on my mind.Seraphina, the she-wolf escorting me, was a picture of stoic obedience. Her eyes were downcast, her posture rigid. Despite my attempts to engage her in conversation, she remained resolutely silent."Seraphina, please," I finally pleaded, my voice tinged with frustration. "I need to know what's going on here. Why are the women treated this way? What's the history between Alpha Francis and my mother? How did the whole pack move into lycan terrorism despite the two species not fond of one another."She continued walking, her face devoid of emotion. It was like talking to a statue. Her refusal to answer only fueled my determi
Chapter Eighty-Four: Ceremony Part One Kiara POV: My heart was pounding as I sat on the edge of the bed, minutes stretching into eternity as I awaited the dreaded ceremony. Today had marked nine days since I had last seen my mates. Aiden had left to prepare, leaving me with my thoughts and the unyielding walls of the room that had become my prison. The scent of wolfsbane wafted from hidden corners, a poisonous deterrent for any wolf thinking of shifting. I took out the small, crudely carved wooden figure from under the mattress. It was a wolf, whittled by shaky hands in stolen moments—Seraphina had given it to me just this morning. "It's a guardian," she'd said, her voice almost a whisper, "to watch over you." I clenched it in my hand now, drawing strength from its form. Seraphina had begun to trust me, to believe in the sliver of hope we were both clinging to. In return, I'd promised her that I would find a way to escape, to bring help, and to expose Alpha Francis for the tyra
Chapter Eighty-Five: Ceremony Part TwoKiara POV: A new chapter begins in my life, but not one I've chosen. Aiden leads me through the sprawling backyard, his arm around my waist, gripping just a little too tightly. I can tell he's showing off, proud of the elaborate decorations and arrangements made for this evening's ceremony. Fairy lights are woven between the trees, casting an ethereal glow over the proceedings. Beautiful floral arrangements rest on white-clothed tables, and the altar ahead is adorned with an array of flowers and vines. To anyone else, it might look like a scene from a dream, but to me, it's nothing short of a nightmare."As you can see, everything is perfect, Kiara," Aiden says, squeezing my waist for emphasis."It's beautiful," I reply. Though the word leaves a bitter taste in my mouth, the harder he tries to impress me, the angrier I get. The beauty of the setting only fuels my resentment.I can't help but think of Kayden and Jayden. Goddess, how I miss them.
Chapter Eighty-Six: Ceremony Part ThreeKiara POV: As the door closes behind Aiden with an almost palpable finality, I turn to Riley, who is hunched over, her whole body quivering. Her face, framed by her dishevelled brown hair, is marred by the unmistakable flush of humiliation and heartbreak. Each tear that falls from her eyes seems to carry the weight of a lost dream, of a love painfully unrequited. I catch her eye for a moment, and in that brief connection, I see a whirlwind of regret, guilt, and desperation."I'm so sorry, Kiara," She sobs, her voice a shaky timbre reverberating through the tension-saturated room. She falls into my arms, her frame trembling like a leaf in a storm. I feel her wet tears soak through the fabric of my dress, each droplet a physical manifestation of her despair. "I messed up. I messed up so badly, and this isn't what I wanted. Goddess, what have I done?"I hold her, not because I've forgiven her, but because I know the hellish turmoil that love, es
Chapter Eighty-Seven: Run! Run! Run!Kiara POV: The celebratory moment is shattered as abruptly as it began; a distant alarm pierces the silence, reverberating through the air with a sense of impending doom. My ears perk up, and Riley's eyes widen in sync with mine. The shrill sound is immediately followed by an uproar, a cacophony of howls and shouts echoing from the BlackFang territory we just escaped. It feels as if the very land behind us is convulsing in outrage."Damn it, they've found out," Riley hisses, her words tinged with a desperation that mirrors my swirling emotions. "They've sounded the alarm; the whole pack will be after us soon."My heart, which had just begun to untangle itself from the tight knot of anxiety, coils back into a fist. I can feel it pounding, each thump an urgent reminder that we're far from safe. The scent of damp earth and leaves fills the air, but underneath it all, carried by the wind, I can detect the far-off scents of wolves—angry, determined wol
Chapter Eighty-Eight: Captured, Again Kiara POV: My paws dig into the damp forest floor as I race forward. The scent of rich earth and decaying leaves fills my nostrils, but above it all is the ethereal aroma of freedom, so tantalizingly close. I can practically taste it. I'm meters away from the kingdom borders, so close to summoning help for my fallen sisters to avenge their cruel fate. It's this determination, this primal thirst for justice, that propels me onward. But then, a new scent drifts into my range, mingling with the smell of the forest in a way that makes my heart drop like a stone in water. It's something dark, something overpowering and foreign. My ears twitch as the sound of heavy, thudding paws fills the air, drowning out the other natural sounds of the forest. My fur stands on end; my instincts scream at me that something is dangerously amiss. Confusion clings to me for a heartbeat—just long enough for the terrifying realization to crash over me like a tidal wav
Chapter Eighty-Nine: What Are You Doing Here? Part OneKiara POV: My eyes flutter open, greeted by unfamiliar surroundings. The room is an opulent display of old-world elegance, adorned with rich tapestries and intricate carvings that hint at a long, storied history. But its luxurious trappings do little to comfort me. Panic seizes me as the events leading up to this moment crash over me like a tidal wave: the forest, the Lycans, the numbing blackness. I leap out of the lavish bed, a knot of dread tightening in my stomach, and dart toward the window. My hands grab the handle and pull, but it doesn't budge. It's locked. Just as I'm about to succumb to a wave of despair, a voice from behind interrupts my spiralling thoughts."Don't be afraid. You are safe here."I spin around to find a woman standing near the doorway, and my breath catches in my throat. She is, without a doubt, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Her beauty isn't the flashy kind that demands attention but the se