The Lycan King’s Treasured Luna

Narine never expected to survive. Not after what was done to her body, mind, and soul. But fate had other plans. Rescued by Supreme Alpha Sargis, the kingdom's most feared ruler, she finds herself under the protection of a man she doesn't know... and a bond she doesn't understand.

Sargis is no stranger to sacrifice. Ruthless, ambitious, and loyal to the sacred matebond, he's spent years searching for the soul fate promised him, never imagining she would come to him broken, on the brink of death, and afraid of her own shadow. He never meant to fall for her... but he does. Hard and fast. And he'll burn the world before letting anyone hurt her again.

What begins in silence between two fractured souls slowly grows into something intimate and real. But healing is never linear.

With the court whispering, the past clawing at their heels, and the future hanging by a thread, their bond is tested again and again.

Because falling in love is one thing.

Surviving it?

That's a war of its own.

Narine must decide, can she survive being loved by a man who burns like fire, when all she's ever known is how not to feel? Will she shrink for the sake of peace, or rise as Queen for the sake of his soul?

For readers who believe even the most fractured souls can be whole again, and that true love doesn't save you. It stands beside you while you save yourself.

1

The first thing life taught me was this, it owed me nothing and it never would.

You don’t realize how quietly a heart can break until you’re standing inside your own silence, wishing for someone, anyone to hear you. But in my world, the only thing that listened back was the echo of everything I'd lost before I even had the chance to hold it.

I’ve always felt like I never belonged, not in this pack, and definitely not in the family I was placed with.

The day I took my first breath, my mother took her last. My father, unable to survive the vacuum her death left behind, followed her soon after leaving me orphaned before I could even form a memory or so I was told. I know them only through a few faded photographs and not once have I ever felt their absence as love lost.

Alpha Joe, our pack leader, handed me off like an unwanted gift to Ama and Vargos. For a while, a sweet cruel while, they treated me like their own. Until I was seven and Ama’s belly began to swell with new life.

Then the world shifted. Suddenly, the arms that once cradled me grew cold. The eyes that once sought me out in a crowd turned past me like I was nothing more than air.

They were so obsessed with their new baby, they forgot I needed food, warmth , and love too. I learned to fend for myself, scrounging leftovers from the fridge, and burning my small hands trying to cook meals that tasted as bad as it looked.

When the baby came, they stripped my room bare to make way for his nursery and dumped my things into the storage room like I was no more important than old Christmas decorations.

The storage room had no windows. The summers baked me alive,and the winters froze me to the bone. I slept on a pile of my own clothes because they never bothered to give me a blanket.

At first, I hated Levon for stealing them away. But with time, the hatred rotted into something sadder. You can't lose what was never really yours. And as he grew, i became less of a sister and daughter and more of a servant.

And now...

Today was my eighteenth birthday.

Normally, birthdays meant nothing to me. But today was different. Tonight, under the moonlight, my dormant wolf gene would awaken and I’ll finally be a full-fledged werewolf.

Even better, once I shifted, I could leave Ama's house, move into the packhouse, find work in the neighboring human town, and start saving enough to finally leave Khragnir and see the world.

A small, secret smile tugged at my lips. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole life.

“Narine!” Ama’s shrill voice sliced through the storage room walls. “It’s five in the d*mn morning! Get your useless self moving!”

I closed my eyes and breathed deep. Hold it in, Narine. Just a few more hours.

I rose stiffly from my pile of clothes and made my outside. There she was, leaning over the railing like a queen surveying her dirty little peasant.

“I’m sorry, Mother,” I whispered. It didn't matter if I was wrong or right. Apology was the only language she spoke.

Ama sneered. “Sorry? You should be. Living off our kindness all these years. The least you could do is pick up more slack. It’s the weekend.”

More slack? What more could I possibly do that wasn’t already dumped on my shoulders?

I swallowed the bitter rage clawing up my throat.

“I’m sorry, Mother. I’ll start on the chores right away.”

Nothing I did would ever be enough. To Ama, I was a burden.

I clenched my fists until my knuckles shook. Deep breaths, Narine. Just a few more hours.

“Get lost.” Ama dismissed stalking down the staircase like a peacock with her ginger hair bouncing with every movement. Ama was a pretty woman no doubt with her heart shaped face and striking blue eyes, it was so sad her beauty was tainted by her rotten character.

As soon as she cleared the stairs, I hurried past. Levon’s room was down the hall. I knocked lightly, knowing better than to wake him too harshly. If he threw a tantrum, Ama and Vargos would make sure I paid for it.

After a pause, the door swung open. Levon stood there with his ginger hair sticking up in wild tufts.

“It’s too f*ck*ng early, What do you want?” he growled.

“I’m sorry, Levon. I’m here to get your laundry.”

He groaned and disappeared into the room. He reappeared shoving two overflowing baskets into my arms and he slammed the door in my face. I gritted my teeth. It had only been six days since I last did his laundry, and somehow he’d managed to dirty a month's worth of clothes.

I let out a puff of air blowing my bangs away from my face and turned to leave. I heard the door open again and I felt something thick hit me right at the back of my head and an unsolicited grunt left me. The door shut again.

I grabbed the duvet he threw from the floor and lugged the baskets down the stairs. Ama was now conveniently sipping her daily dose of morning coffee while reading one of her highly priced fashion magazine in the living room.

“The washing machine’s broken.”

I froze. “What?”

“It broke yesterday,” she murmured breezily. “Peter from the packhouse can fix it... later. In the meantime, take the laundry down to the river bend and wash it by hand.”

I stared at her, numb. She was serious. Of course she was. Ama didn’t joke. Not when it came to making my life a living hell. I said nothing, biting the inside of my cheek hard enough to taste blood. Without a word, I dumped the baskets by the stairwell and stalked to the laundry room for soap.

“Oh, and grab your father’s and I laundry too,” she added smugly. I curse inwardly and made my way back to the kitchen to grab two large trash bags that could fit the piles of clothes.

As I turned, I somehow managed to trip on myself, I quickly grabbed the edge of the wooden counter to break my fall. I sighed in relief but that was shortlived as I heard a crash near me. I looked over and realized I had accidentally pushed a plate on the counter.

"It better not be what I think it is," I heard Ama’s voice right above my head.

When did she even get there?

Ama came round the counter and gasped. I quickly pulled myself up, before I could stand fully, her palm collided with my face, knocking me backwards into the fridge. I felt pain bloom on my cheeks and my head ricocheted off the fridge so hard I saw stars for a moment.

Tears spilled from my eyes from the shock and pain.

"You stupid little b*tch!" she screamed. "That was a vintage plate!"

"I’m sorry," I whispered.

"That’s all you ever say. Sorry! Sorry! Sorry! Sorry doesn’t fix your stupidity! useless girl! You’re nothing but a migraine!”

I stayed silent, letting the insults rain down until she finally stormed off. I wiped my tears with shaky hands, gathered the broken pieces, and cleaned up the mess.

Then, without another word, I heaved the heavy bags onto my back and stumbled outside, down the long path toward the riverbend, less chance of anyone seeing me like this.

2

The tears didn't stop until I had nothing left to cry. I didn't even realize I'd reached the riverbend until the clearing opened before me. Without wasting time, I knelt and began sorting the clothes into piles.

I didn't own much, just a few worn pieces handed down by random pack house members. I couldn't afford to let them pile up. Every day, I had to wash them.

Our pack was small, just about two hundred members. I knew that because every year, Alpha Joe oversaw a census himself. We weren't the only supernaturals, though.

Lycans ruled the seven realms, but people like me had no reason or privilege to ever meet one. The rest of the supernatural world existed in the background of my life, distant, and irrelevant because right now, all that mattered were the clothes beneath my shaking hands.

I scrubbed the clothes harder, pressing my palms into the fabric until my arms trembled. As anger boiled in my chest, flashbacks lashed through me.

Maltreatment. Verbal abuse. Insults. Physical blows. I felt my veins throb violently and a sharp, splitting pain ignited across my forehead like a migraine. It was so intense I thought I'd black out. Then, just as suddenly, it stopped.

By the time I made it back to the house, the sun was retreating behind the horizon.

I heard voices inside and the unmistakable voice of Alpha Joe. Confused, I pushed open the door. Every head at the dining table turned toward me.

"Alpha," I mumbled.

"I've been waiting for you all afternoon, Narine," he said.

"I'm sorry, Alpha. I was doing laundry at the river bend."

"Laundry?" he echoed, puzzled.

"Oh, Joe," Ama intruded sweetly. "Narine's such a clean freak. She complains the washing machine doesn't get things properly clean."

Joe nodded in understanding.

"Anyways," he continued, "I'm here because it's your birthday. It's custom for the Alpha to bless you and pray that Aeryna's spirit sees you through your transformation from man to beast."

I blinked, stunned. The Alpha remembered my birthday. My parents hadn't.

"Thank you, Alpha," I whispered.

"Come, sit. You must be starving." Ama beckoned.

I hesitated, startled by Ama's sudden show of kindness. But I dropped the bags by the door and took the empty seat beside Levon. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd sat here.

There was toast, chicken, prawns, pancakes, pasta, and fruits. I took a single spoonful of pasta.

"Oh, come now, sweetheart," Ama drawled in a cloying voice. "Don't be shy. Joe doesn't mind a little gluttony."

Joe laughed, and I forced a tight smile, doing my best not to react to the thinly-veiled insult. Less than eight hours left, I reminded myself. I could endure that much longer. And then I would shove my fingers right up her smug face.

"Have you always had that mark on your forehead?" Joe asked suddenly.

I touched my forehead, confused.

"What mark?" I asked.

"There's a small red mark there."

"Oh, it must have been from when i bumped into a tree on my way back,"

Joe nodded, accepting it.

The conversation shifted. Vargos and Joe discussed pack matters. Levon played on his phone and Ama chirped in now and then. Dinner ended quietly. I cleared the plates and did the dishes.

I looked out the window. The sky was parting, revealing a full moon, stained deep red.

All of a sudden Heat exploded under my skin. I doubled over, gasping.

"It has begun," Joe mumbled.

"Go to the courtyard," Vargos instructed. His voice was cold and detached like he was issuing orders to a stranger. "Take off your clothes and remember to breathe through the pain."

He had never directly mistreated me, but he had also never stopped it. His indifference made him just as guilty.

Still, I obeyed.

I stumbled outside, while the others trailed behind me. I didn't even make it to the center before the first scream tore from my throat. The air howled with the rising wind. Storm clouds gathered,and lightning flashed across the sky. My own screams were swallowed by the roar of the storm as agony tore through me.

Then, Rain pounded down.. My bones snapped and elongated painfully slow. I could feel my spine twisting in odd angles. The pain was so agonizing all I could do was lay there as tears slipped from my eyes, powerless against the pain. After what felt like an eternity of screaming, the pain finally faded and I laid there panting.

I staggered up on unfamiliar legs, I watched in awe as my golden fur shimmered under the rain, with champagne hues dancing across the sleek coat. The tip of the fur blazed with burnished red that contrasted the golden undertone.

Everything was sharper now. I could smell, see, hear, and feel more than I ever had.

Far-off noises. Every leaf,and every drop of water. I could see it all. I howled wildly to the red moon. Then I turned back toward the others brimming with happiness.

Instead, they were frozen, staring at me like I'd grown two heads.

"Monster," Ama whispered.

Levon's mouth hung open. Joe and Vargos edged forward carefully, as if approaching a wild animal.

I tried to step forward, and they all jerked back.

"What abnormality is this?" Vargos muttered.

"Aeryna has forsaken you, child," Joe whispered.

Panic flooded me. What was wrong? Why were they looking at me like that?

I turned and caught sight of myself in a puddle.

My blood ran cold.

I was huge, towering over even Vargos's six-foot frame. But that's not what startled me. On my forehead, a third eye sat. Its socket was black as void, and the iris glowed molten gold, while my main eyes burned red.

I barely had time to register it before darkness swallowed me whole.

3

NARINE’S POV

The heavy thud of boots echoed through the narrow, rotten corridor rattling the very bones of this godforsaken place. A sharp shaft of light stabbed through the cracks of my dungeon, slicing across the filth-caked floor. The clatter of keys followed, then the groaning screech of rusted hinges. The cell door swung open with a whimper of protest.

I didn’t bother turning my head.

It didn’t matter who had come for me, they all blurred together now.

There were no windows here. No clocks and No way to tell day from night.

"Oi, you still ain’t dead yet?" Tobias barked, his voice bounced off the stone walls like broken glass. I heard the dull thud of a tray dropping beside me.

"You're one strong little b*tch, I’ll give ya that," he muttered, almost admiringly, before spitting on the ground. "It’s been three years, can you believe it? This f*ck*n' pit stinks worse than a rotting sewer. Last time I’m comin’ down here, mark my words."

Three years.

The words slithered into my mind like a poisoned dagger, but I felt nothing.

Had it really been that long? Had time forgotten me the same way the world had?

Tobias shook his head and shuffled off until the sound was swallowed by the dark.

I was alone again.

I stared up at the cracked ceiling, tracing the spiderweb of fractures again and again with my weary, hollow gaze.

Every split, every jagged vein etched into the stone above me had been memorized long ago like a map only I could read.

I knew every dent, and patch where mold bloomed like blackened sores. I could replicate it on canvas from memory alone.

That’s how long I had been rotting in this dungeon. Long enough for the ceiling to become more familiar than the faces of those I once loved. And now I know three years had passed by already.

It was almost laughable, the conditions now were better compared to when I first woke up here, naked and trembling on the frozen floor.

Cold bit into my skin that night like a living thing. My body curled instinctively into itself, a pathetic attempt to preserve some shred of warmth and dignity. Still. I had hope.

That was before they stripped it from me layer by layer, and shattered my soul, piece by agonizing piece.

Interrogation wasn't the word for it. Interrogation suggested questions and answers.

What they did was not for information. It was for the breaking.

I was beaten until the screams ripped free from my throat, even when my pride begged me to stay silent.

I had been prodded, and violated in every way imaginable. They dragged me again and again to the brink of death, only to wrench me back with cruel hands, there was no mercy.The longer I survived, the more creative they became.

Some days, the pain was so unbearable that my mind shut down and I would slip into blessed darkness. But every time I opened my eyes again, the nightmare continued. To their credit, they did try to get rid of me. Several times.

But my body, cursed thing that it is, betrayed them. My healing ability was relentless, knitting back together the damage faster than they could inflict it. They turned to silver in desperation, searing it into my flesh to poison the rapid repair. It worked, partially. It slowed the process and left map of scars etched into my skin.

Joe. I remembered him the most vividly.

He wasn't like the others. He was worse.

He treated me like a puzzle. He peeled my skin back like the husk of a fruit, probing for the 'monster' he swore lurked beneath. Layer by bloody layer.

He would let me shrivel, let dehydration blacken my lips, cracked my tongue and twist my stomach into knots, only to dangle a single drop of water in front of me.

"Shift," he would hiss, shoving the cup just out of reach. "Show me what you really are."

But I was too weak to even to summon the beast he so feared.

I had screamed for death, begged for it in hoarse, rasping sobs until my voice gave out but even death, it seemed, found me repulsive. It turned its back on me too, leaving me trapped in this decaying shell.

When they realized I was of no use to them and all that remained was a hollow, shivering thing, they simply… left me. Abandoned like a broken relic of the past, left to rot where no one would ever find me.

I could barely remember the world that existed beyond these four crumbling walls.

How the sunlight once kissed my skin, and the stars glittered across the night sky like scattered diamonds. The heat of summer soaking into my bones, the bite of winter’s chill, the bloom of spring, and the fiery explosion of colors in autumn.

I ached for it so deeply that sometimes it felt worse than the physical pain.

But those memories were fading now. Turning brittle and gray, and crumbling like ash in my mind.

I could hardly move anymore. My limbs were stiff, and unresponsive, shriveled close to the bone. My skin clung desperately to my frame and cracked like old parchment. I hadn’t bathed, or brushed my teeth. And I sure as hell still hadn’t been clothed.

To make things worse, as if they could somehow be, there wasn’t even a toilet in this wretched place. For three years, I’ve been sleeping in my own filth, and marinating in piss and sh*t and sweat and blood.

My hair had long since turned into a tangled, matted mass that drags behind me, knotted past my waist like dead vines.

But starvation was the true demon here. The agony of it, the slow gnawing from the inside, the way your stomach turned on itself, eating you alive, It drove me to madness.

I had eaten my own sh*t to stave off the hallucinations of starvation and drank my own piss to keep from dying of thirst.

Each time I did, another piece of my humanity withered and died inside me. Until there was barely anything left that could call itself human.

I used to wonder if I was cursed. Now I knew I was. If even death would not touch me, then surely I was cursed. Nothing good had ever happened to me from the moment I first drew breath. And I hated, God, I hated everything about that.

I resented my mother for bringing me into this accursed life when she should have terminated me before i got the chance to develop. I resented my father for abandoning me without so much as a second glance. I hated everyone in this pack for turning their backs on me without attempting to give me the benefit of doubt.

If there’s one thing endless solitude and suffering has taught me, it’s that I am intangible and Insignificant. A speck in the grand scheme of things, easily forgotten. I was going to die here and no one would mourn me or even remembered I existed.

I turned my head, slowly to glance at what Tobias had tossed beside me.

Probably the usual scrap of moldy pizza and maybe a sip or two of stagnant water if he was feeling generous.

But then I saw it. It jolted through my half-dead nerves like a lightning strike.

The cell door was ajar barely, but clearly unlocked.

For a moment, I just stared, too stunned to even breathe. I blinked several times, wondering if my mind was finally playing its cruelest trick yet.

But no, the truth stood stubbornly before me. Tobias, lazy, careless Tobias hadn’t locked it.

A strange, foreign sensation stirred deep within my hollowed-out chest. Hope.

It tried to blossom, stretching it weak tendrils toward the light. But I crushed it hard.

I could attempt to escape or die trying, at least. The probability of success was laughably small. Even if by some miracle I managed to slip past unnoticed, where would I even go in this state? I was barely skin stitched over brittle bones. I couldn't remember what my own face looked like, but I knew I was no sight to behold.

I clenched my jaw, grinding down the thought like glass between my teeth.

I was going to die. That was inevitable. But if I must die, then let it be under the sky,

with the cold wind on my skin and the stars bearing silent witness, or under the sun rays caressing my body, not rotting away, nameless, in this wretched tomb.

With a resolve so thin it could snap at any second, I forced my skeletal frame to move.

My legs trembled violently, unable to bear even the smallest weight. But I didn’t care.

I pressed one skeletal hand against the cold bars, the bones creaked in response. I dragged myself forward using the bars. My breathing came in labored gasps, like a drowning man tasting the surface for the first time. One foot in front of the other, One heaving breath at a time. Until, finally, I crossed the threshold.

4

SARGIS' POV

"Not this again, Mother," I groaned tightly, dragging a hand down my face.

"Yes, this again, son," she snapped right back, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"You are the Lycan King. You ascended the throne five years ago, five years! and yet you still have no queen beside you. It’s unheard of! You must take a chosen mate, at once."

I exhaled sharply.

My mother had been hounding me for weeks now, pressing this same tired argument with growing urgency. She wanted me to organize a mating ball, a ridiculous charade where every eligible she-lycan, she-wolf, or any other female creature worth the crown would parade themselves before me and I'd be expected to pick one like a merchant choosing cattle.

"And tell me, Mother," I bit out, "is it my fault that I haven’t found my true mate yet? Is that something you believe I can force?"

She stiffened but said nothing.

"I refuse to take a chosen mate," I continued, my anger was barely contained at this point.

"My true one is out there. Somewhere. I feel it in my very bones. One day, our paths will cross sooner or later. And when that day comes, I will not be bound to another in a hollow, meaningless union. I will not betray her that way."

"Nonsense, Sargis," she snapped, her golden eyes flashing. "It has been five years. No Lycan king has ever gone so long without his mate. You need to start accepting the possibility that something could have happened to her. She may be dead, or worse. You must put the kingdom first, son. Your people need their Supreme Luna. The Court was made for two rulers, like Solaris and umbra, equal in power, balancing each other. You cannot keep fighting me on this."

Her voice cracked slightly at the end, betraying her exhaustion and sorrow. But the weight of it only made my blood boil hotter.

I could feel the anger rolling off me in heavy, suffocating waves. Mother took an instinctive step back, as her beast sensed the rising storm within me.

The heat crawled up my spine, until it filled my chest and pushed against my ribs. My beast stirred beneath the surface maddened by the idea of taking another woman, someone not mine into my bed, and binding her with a mark that would have to be forcibly refreshed every d*mn week like some grotesque vampire ritual, filled me with disgust. It would not be love or honor. It would be a betrayal of everything I was born to protect.

And the consequences... if our true mates surfaced later, as they often did... The chosen mate would have to kill my fated mate to keep her crown. And I would have to slaughter her true mate to protect the throne.

"Mother," I ground out, fisting my hands at my sides, "have you ever thought about who you would have been or where you would be if you had never found Father?"

She faltered.

"Sargis, sirun (My love)," she whispered, the old Khragnirn endearment spilling from her lips. "From a mother's heart, I ache for you." I completely understand your pain, and it saddens my heart each day that passes watching you leave the palace in search of your mate, traveling to countries, spending weeks and sometimes even months, only to come back home disappointed, miserable, and emptier each time."

Her hand trembled at her side before she tucked it away.

"But from the Alphamaja’s seat ( the King's Mother ), I must remind you of your duty. This kingdom needs its Supreme Luna. It is not just tradition, son. It is stability. A united front that keeps other supernaturals in line."

I closed my eyes, dragging another harsh breath into my lungs, feeling the war inside me rage louder. It all eventually boiled down to duty and honor. A battle I couldn’t win.

I sighed, rubbing my face harshly. I see sense in what she was proposing but I just couldn’t shake this gut feeling that my mate was out there waiting to be found. My pacing grew restless on the stone floor of my private chamber. I was a beast caged between two impossible choices heart and crown. Frustration clawed at me until I couldn't take it anymore. With a snarl, I slammed my fist into the brick wall. The stone cracked and caved under the blow. But it didn’t ease the fire burning through me. Nothing could.

I let out a heavy sigh. I had never been one to give in easily, but I knew deep down my mother was right. I had a kingdom to run. A kingdom that needed a Luna, a queen, and someone who could stand beside me, not just as my mate but as the anchor to my storm.

"Fine," I muttered. "Have it your way, Mother. Arrange the ball and send out the invites."

Her eyes sparkled with a rare flicker of joy, as if she had just won a battle, but I raised my hand before she could speak.

"However," I continued. "Grant me until the end of this week. If by then I still haven't found her, I will follow through with your plan with no objection."

"Ordis(son)," she cooed. "You haven’t found her in five years. A week won’t change anything."

I met her gaze with an intensity that would have burned lesser souls.

"Regardless of the outcome, this is what I want," I reiterated. "And that’s the only way I will agree to your matchmaking schemes."

"Alright, son. I truly wish you the best."

With that, she turned and left, her footsteps echoed down the hallway as she disappeared into the distance.

I stood there for a moment longer, the weight of her words still pressed down on me like an iron shackle.

I turned slowly, my eyes falling on the large floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the setting sun. The golden light spilled across the room, casting long shadow.

"I am Sargis Arevik Sargsyan," I whispered to myself. "The one and only heir to the throne of Khragnir. An apex predator. The beast that strikes fear into every enemy who hears my name."

I let the words hang in the air. I scoffed bitterly, even with all my power, wealth, and influence, there was one thing I could not control, fate.

I tightened my fingers around the edge of the windowsill as I stared into the horizon. My mind swirled with thoughts of what it meant to be a Lycan, a pure blooded one at that. Lycans, unlike werewolves, were destined to be with one person. The balance of the world itself depended on that pairing. A yin and yang. Two forces that needed each other to survive. It was a curse placed on us by Aeryna centuries ago as punishment for Lycans rejecting her lover.

And then there were other species, werewolves, faeries, nyx, sirens, vampires, and so on. They had choices. They could fall in love with anyone, any species, or creature. It was a luxury I didn’t have. And that thought gnawed at me.

What if my true mate had already fallen for someone else, someone who wasn't me? The thought made my stomach twist, the cold, bitter grip of jealousy and rage slowly creeped up my spine. If that were the case, I wasn’t sure my beast could be contained. The rage, the need to possess her would consume me. I could feel it already, lurking beneath the surface, pushing me to madness. I wouldn't hesitate. I would kill the man. No question. She was mine by right. And I would lay claim to her no matter the cost.

I shook my head violently, trying to clear the dark thought from my mind. I could not allow myself to think like that. I would not lose her to some other man. That thought alone was unbearable. But in the deepest corners of my soul, I feared the truth, feared that she might never show up, that I would be forever alone, waiting for a fate that might never come.

I had been searching for her since I turned eighteen. For five long years, I had traveled across kingdoms, fought battles, navigated politics, and still, there was no sign of her. I couldn’t give up, though. Not yet. Not until the end of this week. I had one last chance. And, If we don’t find each other by then...I would have to follow through with my mother’s plan.

I let out another heavy sigh as I pulled my phone from my pocket and dialed Lupercus, my prime enforcer. He was more than just an enforcer, he was my most trusted right-hand man, and second-in-command. If there was one person I could rely on above all others, it was Lupercus.

The phone rang a few times before his deep voice came through.

“Your royal highness,” he greeted.

“Prepare the car, Lupercus. I want to visit downtown today. Make sure you’re as inconspicuous as possible. I don’t want to make a fuss or draw unnecessary attention,” I instructed.

“Your bidding is done, Supreme Alpha.”

I ended the call and set the phone down on the bedside table. I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. I turned away from the window toward the walk-in closet. I changed quickly, choosing a simple pair of joggers and a hoodie from the back of my closet. No need for royal attire today. I grabbed a pair of dark sunglasses and pulled a black mask from the drawer. I didn’t want anyone to recognize me, not that I feared being seen, but I wanted to move unnoticed. A face cap completed the look, and I slipped my feet into a pair of sneakers.

I made my way to the first-floor garage where Lupercus was already waiting. As soon as he spotted me, he bowed low. His eyes never left mine as he opened the door to the car. Without a word, I slid inside the blue sedan, a car that was nearly indistinguishable from any other in the kingdom. Perfect for blending in.

Lupercus circled around to the driver’s side, slid into his seat, and ignited the engine with practiced ease. The soft hum of the engine filled the car as he put the vehicle in motion.

“Is there any pack in particular we’re going to?” he asked.

I leaned back in the seat, resting my head against the cool leather. I hadn’t been downtown, not since I was three years old.

“No, not really,” I replied distantly as my thoughts drifted to the task at hand. “I just want to take a look around, see what it looks like now, get a feel of what my people are up to… and also, hopefully, find my mate.” The last part slipped out softly, almost like a secret.

Lupercus said nothing for a moment, but I could feel his eyes briefly flicker toward me in the rear-view mirror. Without question, he simply nodded and continued driving.

5

SARGIS POV

I pinched the bridge of my nose, feeling the slow, throbbing pulse of an oncoming headache. It had been gnawing at me since the fifth pack visit today. I hadn’t nurtured high hopes of finding her, no, reality had long ago dulled that childish optimism but despite myself, a hollow disappointment still chewed at my insides.

I leaned my forehead against the cool glass window, letting the scenery blur into a smear of dusky orange skies, skeletal tree limbs clawing at the heavens, and the occasional twinkling light of distant cabins tucked away. The sun was retreating, and with it, my already dwindling hope.

"How many more packs are left to visit, Lupercus?" I asked defeatedly.

"Seven more, Your Royal Highness," he answered. "In fact, we're pulling up to the next one."

I hummed noncommittally, forcing my heavy limbs into action as the car rolled to a gentle stop. Before Lupercus could even reach for the door handle, I shoved it open and stepped into the cool evening air.

The moment my sneakers crunched against the gravel, I stilled.

Something… felt different here.

The air was thicker, almost buzzing against my skin, scented with damp earth and pine. A restless energy stirred within me, coiling low in my gut.

“This way, Your Majesty,” Lupercus uttered, nodding towards a winding trail that snaked through the dense trees.

I followed silently, though I needed no guide when I could easily utilize my senses. Trees bent low as if bowing in reverence and birds flitted through the branches, calling out warnings to each other as we walked farther into the forest.

The clearing opened up like a secret oasis. Scattered cabins, haphazardly built from old timber and patched roofs, dotted the space. In the center stood a slightly larger structure, worn but sturdy, the alpha's home, judging by the aura emanating from there.

We moved along the dirt path, the curious eyes of a few lingering pack members followed us. Their confusion was palpable, to them, I was just another face hidden behind designer shades, a mask, and casual clothing. My aura was pulled so tightly inward that even their heightened senses failed to register what I truly was.

Good.

Werewolves in human form were woefully oblivious compared to Lycans. Enhanced senses, yes, but without their wolves at the surface, they were barely more aware than regular humans. Unlike us, who lived in perfect, agonizing balance with our beasts.

At the alpha's door, Lupercus rapped his knuckles thrice, his stance was wide and ready should anything untoward occur.

The door creaked open, and an older man peered out, thick blonde hair threaded heavily with gray, a coarse salt-and-pepper beard, and a body that spoke of past strength slowly being devoured by complacency. His sharp blue eyes widened the instant they landed on me, despite the layers I wore to conceal my identity. Recognition flared in his gaze.

He swung the door wide open in an instant, stepping back to allow us entry. It wasn’t surprising, in fact, it was expected. All the alphas in the kingdom knew me.

They had to. Every six months, without fail, they reported directly to me, face-to-face.

“Y-Your Highness,” the man stammered.

I barely spared him a glance, my patience was already hanging by a fraying thread. My attention shifted, trailing indifferently around the cramped, pathetic room. Family photos hung crookedly on the stained walls, some frames were cracked, and some images inside had faded with time. A rundown couch sagged in the center of the living room, littered with empty bottles of cheap alcohol and greasy wrappers.

The heavy stink of stale beer, sweat, and rot hung in the air like a suffocating shroud.

Pathetic.

The once noble duty of leadership reduced to this mess. Disgraceful.

"Your Highness, pardon the disarray," Joe babbled, wringing his meaty hands as he scrambled to explain. "I am Joe, alpha of the Snowwolf Pack. I wasn't expecting someone of your caliber to visit suddenly. Moreover, I didn’t receive any royal decree informing—"

I lifted a hand, cutting off his pitiful excuses. I simply didn’t have the energy for it tonight.

"There’s no need for any explanation," I dismissed coolly. "My presence here isn't something to worry about... unless," I let the word hang, heavy with warning, "you have some skeletons in your cupboard, Joe."

I said his name slowly, deliberately, emphasizing each syllable with quiet menace.

Joe paled.

I peeled off my mask and sunglasses, letting him see my face see the predator lurking just beneath the civilized veneer.

He stumbled backward a step, almost tripping over his own feet.

"O-o-of course not, Supreme Alpha!" he stuttered, visibly trembling. "I was merely... caught off guard. Pardon my insolence."

"Hmmmm," I hummed, unconvinced, my gaze continuing to sweep the room with open disdain.

How could any self-respecting alpha live like this? How could he allow his people to live like this?But that were matters for another day.

"Tell me, Joe," I drawled, dragging his name out again just to watch him squirm, "how many unmated she-wolves do you have in your pack?"

Joe wiped his sweaty palms down the front of his wrinkled shirt.

"Supreme Alpha," he squealed, "we are merely a pack of two hundred and twenty. Eighty of them are married elders, twenty are children below the age of eighteen, thirty mated youngsters above eighteen, and twenty-five—"

I sliced my hand through the air sharply.

"It seems your ability to comprehend is subpar if you can't even decipher a simple question," I gritted. "Did I ask for an analysis?"

Joe's mouth opened and closed like a fish gasping on land.

"Go straight to the point," I finished coldly.

"O-Of course, Supreme Alpha," he mumbled. "There are... about forty unmated she-wolves."

"Where are they?"

"S-Some are staying in the general packhouse, the building behind this one. Others are with their parents in private residences," he answered quickly.

"Summon them all," I ordered, my voice brokering no room for argument. "Have them assemble at the clearing."

"If I may, Supreme—" Joe began, but the words died on his tongue when I turned my full glare on him.

"No," I growled. "You may not, Joe."

I let my beast rise to the surface just enough that my eyes darkened into endless black pools. The room temperature seemed to drop instantly, the air itself shuddering with the weight of my suppressed power.

Joe's knees visibly buckled, and he let out a pitiful gulp, every instinct he had screaming at him to submit.

"Your word is law, Alpha Supreme," he croaked, bowing his head deeply. "P-Please, take a seat while I carry out your command."

I gave the filthy couch another disgusted look and sneered.

"I'd rather not," I said simply, curling my lip with contempt.

Joe bobbed his head rapidly, desperate to please, before stumbling toward the door like a man fleeing the gallows.

"Joe," I called out lazily, just as his hand touched the doorknob.

He froze.

"My presence here is confidential. Handle this discreetly and Wisely. Or there will be consequences."

He nodded so fast it was a miracle his head didn't snap off.

And with that, Joe fled the house, slamming the door shut behind him.

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying, and failing to massage away the pounding headache building behind my eyes. Normally, I prided myself on my composure.

But tonight? Tonight, my frustration simmered just beneath my skin, threatening to spill over.

I didn't have it in me to entertain any more shenanigans, not from Joe, or anyone else.

"Lupercus," I called, turning to where he stood silently against the peeling wall like a quiet sentinel.

"Your Highness," he answered instantly.

"You can remain here," I told him, already moving toward the door. "I'll find a spot where I can silently observe."

Without waiting for his response, I trusted him to understand. I slid my mask back over my face and adjusted my sunglasses, veiling my features once again.

The scent of mildew and stale air clung to me like an unwelcome second skin as I stepped out into the night. I retraced my steps through the clearing silently. The night welcomed me and shadows swallowed me whole as I slipped into the treeline, into the deeper parts of the woods. It was almost too easy to disappear under the camouflage of darkness. Even if someone had been watching, they would’ve seen nothing but a whisper of movement.

I scanned the surrounding forest carefully, letting instinct guide me until my gaze landed on a massive oak tree standing proudly in the center of the woods.

It towered over the others, its thick branches sprawling like a natural throne in the sky.

Perfect.

Without hesitation, I leapt, catching the nearest branch easily. I climbed higher, my muscles coiling and flexing with each movement, until I found a spot near the top hidden by the thick canopy, yet offering a perfect vantage point overlooking the clearing.

The wind whispered through the leaves, cool and steady, carrying the clean scent of damp earth and pine. I inhaled deeply, closing my eyes for a moment.

The moon hung heavy and luminous above, casting everything in a soft silver glow.

It was beautiful from up here almost heartbreakingly so.

Is she looking at the same moon? I wondered, a rare wistfulness threading through my chest. Or is she somewhere else entirely, in a different timezone, completely unaware that her mate is tearing apart kingdoms searching for her?

6

I opened my eyes again, this time summoning the heightened senses of my beast.

The world sharpened into brutal clarity. Every leaf, every whisper of movement, every breath of the forest animals became a symphony I could hear and see.

Even the heartbeat of a squirrel, perched meters away, thudded in my ears like a drum.

Below, the she-wolves began to gather.

They filed into the clearing one by one, nervous energy clinging to them like a second skin. Some fidgeted with their clothes, some whispered among themselves, others stood stiffly, eyes darting around with uncertainty.

I watched them all meticulously. My eyes scanned every face, curve, and nervous tic.

I listened for a whisper of connection, a flare of recognition, anything, anything that would tell me that she was here.

But there was nothing.

Their scents filled the air, some flowery, some musky, and some sharp and biting but none of them called to me. None of them reached into the hollow place inside my chest and made it sing.

I exhaled slowly, pressing my lips into a thin line.

Another dead end.

I tapped out a quick message to Lupercus, telling him to meet me at the car. There was no need to drag this out any longer. My business here was finished.

I slipped my phone back into my pocket and dropped lightly from the branch, moving from tree to tree in quick, fluid movements. I wasn't in a hurry to return just yet.

I needed... space to wrestle down the growing despair gnawing at my insides.

I let my body move on instinct, leaping and landing, letting the familiar strain of physical exertion steady me. I didn't know where I was going I didn't care until the soft, melodic sound of rushing water reached my ears.

I followed it, grateful for the distraction.

Minutes later, I broke through the trees and found myself standing at the banks of a river.

It wasn't wide, but it flowed steadily, the moonlight danced across its surface like a trail of silver fire.

I walked to the edge, crouching, letting my fingers trail through the icy water.

The cold bit into my skin, forcing the ache inside to dull just a little.

I removed the mask from my face, and rested it beside me on the grass.

I closed my eyes and tilted my head to the stars.

"Where are you?" I whispered into the darkness.

The forest answered only with silence.

I pushed my shades down slightly, just enough to see from above the rim, and allowed myself a rare indulgence, to simply look.

The night sky stretched wide and endless above me, breathtaking in its raw, unfiltered beauty. The stars scattered like tiny diamonds against a velvet canvas. It was... calming.

I couldn't even remember the last time I had paused long enough to notice something so petty. Being Supreme Alpha meant every second of my existence was swallowed by duty, expectations, and the relentless grind of leadership. There was no time for gazing at stars.

I closed my eyes, breathing deeply, and immediately regretted it.

A horrendous stench hit my nostrils, so putrid and rank it made my stomach lurch.

I scrunched my nose up in disgust. God, this pack was the filthiest of them all. I'd have to sanction Joe, I thought grimly, making a mental note to address it once this futile search was over.

But then, my nose twitched again.

And this time, something different threaded itself beneath the rot. A wisp of a scent so pure, so divine, it cut through the filth like a blade through cloth, honeysuckle and sun-warmed cedar, sweet and earthy, rich and dizzyingly heady. It punched into my lungs with such force that my knees almost buckled.

My heartbeat stuttered. Then roared to life, pounding a violent rhythm against my ribs.

My palms grew clammy. My body tensed, and every muscle coiled tight with sudden, electric anticipation.

A low growl rumbled in my chest, unbidden, as my beast surged forward with a single, searing thought.

Mate.

Before I even realized what I was doing, I was moving.

First a step. Then another. Then my body snapped into motion, sprinting toward the source of the scent with reckless, single-minded abandon.

The forest blurred around me. Branches clawed at my arms and legs, but I didn't feel them.

The ground blurred beneath my feet as I tore through the woods, following that wisp of honeysuckle and cedar like a man possessed.

The scent grew stronger, richer and, more tantalizing with every frantic stride.

It wrapped around my senses like a silken noose pulling me deeper into the heart of the woods. And with every breath, every heartbeat, the gaping hollow inside of me, the one I had carried for years, the one I thought I could ignore screamed louder for her.

I pushed myself faster, until the trees opened up and I skidded to a halt at the edge of another clearing. I widened my eyes in horror, my entire body locked up as I stared at the figure before me.

It looked like some grotesque, mangled creature. A walking skeleton, but with skin barely clinging to brittle bones, wobbling unsteadily under the cold kiss of the night.

Panic clawed at my chest as I tore my gaze away to scan the area. This place... it was farther out than the Snow wolf's main abode but it was still within the Pack's boundaries..

My head whipped back toward the figure just as their eyes lifted and met mine.

It was Steel-gray.. The world tilted violently and the fireworks in my mind detonated at once.

Mate.

My body moved without my permission, closing the distance in long, desperate strides, driven by a storm of emotions I couldn't even begin to untangle, confusion, rage, sorrow, agitation, and overwhelming, bone-deep relief.

Who is she?

What is she?

What happened to her?

Questions battered my skull like a raging tide, but nothing absolutely nothing could prepare me for the brutal reality when I finally reached her. The scent that mouthwatering thread of honeysuckle and cedar was nearly drowned now under the putrid rot clinging to her frail body. I stopped just inches from her, my heart was hammering so loudly it drowned out the rest of the world. Our eyes locked once more, my warm brown to her piercing gray and in the next instant, she crumbled forward like a bag of brittle bones, collapsing straight into my arms. Naked.

A choked sound escaped me as I caught her, cradling her against my chest as gently as I could. I didn't care about the grime, filth, or smell.

All I saw was her. And all I felt was the soul-deep certainty that she was mine.

Her long lashes brushed her sunken cheek, her hair hung in matted tangles down her back.

My throat burned with rage and guilt.

Where had she come from? Who did this to her? How long had she suffered while I was wasting time searching elsewhere?

The self-loathing gnawed at me.

I carried her carefully, and made my way back toward the main road where the car waited.

When I broke through the treeline, Lupercus was lounging lazily against the hood, and Joe stood nearby, shifting nervously from foot to foot.

The moment they saw me, both men straightened and immediately recoiled, their faces twisted in disgust as they instinctively plugged their noses.

"With all due respect... what the f*ck are you doing carrying a cadaver?" Lupercus blurted, recoiling further.

The words sliced through my already frayed temper.

I leveled him with a glare so lethal the night seemed to shudder around me.

"I dare you to repeat that," I ground out.

Lupercus paled, immediately bowing his head in submission.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness. I didn't mean..."

"It doesn't matter what you meant," I cut him off coldly. "Open the d*mn door. We're leaving. My mate needs help."

Without another word, he scrambled to obey, throwing the back door wide open.

I gently placed her onto the car seat, shielding her fragile form from the night air as best as I could. Peeling off my hoodie, I carefully draped it over her, tucking it around her like a protective cocoon.

Only when I was sure she was safe did I turn back to Joe.

The pathetic excuse of a man. I crossed the distance between us in two strides, grabbed him by the throat, and lifted him clean off the ground.

"Supreme Alpha, please.." he choked.

" Did you do this?," I snarled, my voice vibrating with the fury barely contained inside my chest.

He trembled, and his eyes was wide with terror.

"You are lucky I don't have the luxury of time tonight, pup," I hissed, tightening my fingers ever so slightly, making him gasp. "But hear me well, Joe. This does not end here."

I pulled him closer, until our noses almost touched.

"You will be summoned. You will be investigated. And if it turns out you had anything, anything, to do with her suffering..."

I leaned in, dropping my voice into a whisper cold enough to freeze hell itself.

"I will annihilate your family. I will make you kill your sweet little wife and your precious brats with your own trembling hands. And then, Joe... then... I will keep you alive, just so you can relive their screams for the rest of your miserable existence."

With a roar, I hurled him across the clearing like a ragdoll. He crashed into a tree with a sickening thud and crumpled to the ground, unmoving.

Without sparing him another glance, I turned, climbed into the backseat, and pulled her delicate head into my lap, to shield her from the jostling of the car.

Lupercus slammed the door and floored the gas, the tires screamed against the asphalt as we tore down the road back toward the palace.

I gently brushed a filthy lock of hair from her bruised forehead, cradling her broken body with all the tenderness I had never known I possessed.

7

Narine's pov

My eyes fluttered open, and my mind was sluggish and disoriented, expecting, out of habit to be greeted by the same cracked ceiling I'd stared at every day of my miserable existence.

But instead... I found myself staring up at an intricate, breathtakingly opulent ceiling adorned with swirling designs and delicate carvings, kissed with faint golds and silvers that shimmered under soft lighting, gilded by the soft glow of a chandelier.

Confused, I blinked rapidly, my gaze darting around.

The bed beneath me was impossibly soft, like what I would imagine resting atop a cloud would be like. Sheer silk curtains, dyed a delicate blue, hung elegantly from the four corners of the massive bed, swaying gently with the breeze.

My fingers curled instinctively into the plush bedding, half-expecting it to disappear, like an illusion ready to shatter at the first touch.

Was I dead?

Was this heaven?

Or was it hell... dressed in beautiful lies?

The last thing I remembered was stumbling blindly out into the cool night air. After that... nothing.

I tried to move, but my limbs trembled violently with the effort. Slowly, painstakingly, I pushed myself into a sitting position. I paused, stared at the back of my palm and blinked in disbelief. They were pale, nearly translucent.

Gone was the caked grime, the bloody smudges, and the filth I'd worn like a second skin for years. Instead, I was dressed in a large, soft hoodie.

A raw, broken sound ripped from my throat like a garbled squeal startling me even further.

It was the first real sound I had made in what felt like a lifetime. It scared the sh*t out of even me. My hands shook violently as I stared down at them, unrecognizable.

I pressed my trembling hand to my chest, feeling the rapid, rabbit-like pace of my heart.

What was happening? Was this real?

"You're awake." A deep soothing voice broke through my panic

I flinched instinctively, snapping my gaze toward the sound.

I forgot how to breathe.

The owner of that ethereal voice was hands down the most beautiful man I've ever seen in my life. He stood towering at the foot of the bed with his arms crossed over a broad, muscular chest that strained slightly against a black fitted shirt. Our eyes met and I was struck by the contrast between his doe brown eyes and the lush, dark lashes framing them so long and thick they almost seemed painted. I let my gaze trail down his face. His nose was strong, with a slight, endearing bump at the bridge, adding character to a face that otherwise looked sculpted by the gods themselves.

And his skin... Oh god his skin seemed to glow in the soft light, like he was dipped in caramel and came out flawlessly. My gaze fell to his lips, thick, and fully sculpted lips that looked almost too soft for a man built like him.

I stared, wide-eyed, utterly entranced. I locked eyes with him again. Messy, dark curls crowned his head, and some stubborn strands fell into his forehead in the most effortlessly handsome way imaginable I wondered if it would feel as soft as it looked.

My heart thudded louder, almost painfully against my ribcage.

Something about him pulled at me.

I opened my mouth, desperate to form words, to demand answers but my lungs refused to obey. All that came out was a weak gasp.

"How are you feeling?"

Gosh, there goes that voice again, it was simply mesmerizing. I could drown in it, willingly if it meant I didn't have to remember where I came from.

I tried again, forcing my dry throat to work, but like before, no words came.

Was he the grim reaper? Had death finally taken pity on me? Was this beautiful man here to lead me into the afterlife?

He reached out a hand toward me, and I flinched violently. I threw my arms up to shield my face, squeezing my eyes shut so tightly it hurt, bracing myself for the blow I knew would come. My body trembled uncontrollably expecting pain.

I couldn't breathe. Terror clawed at my throat, closing it up, until the only thing I could hear was the ragged wheezing of my own lungs.

"I don't want to hurt you."

The words hit me harder than a slap.

I froze.

Slowly,i cracked my eyes open, peeking out from between my arms.

He was still standing there, his hand was lowered now, and a small, almost sad smile played on his lips as he met my wide, terrified gaze.

"I would never hurt you, 'im sireli'," he whispered. His words sounded foreign but the tenderness in them pierced straight through the fog of fear.

I lowered my arms hesitantly, though every fiber of my being still screamed at me to keep my guard up.

"Can you talk?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

I stared at him blankly, my mind whirled, trying, and failing to process how the hell I ended up here, in this absurdly soft bed, with the most mesmerizing creature I'd ever seen asking me questions like we were old friends.

"Forgive my manners," he mumbled, running a hand through his curls almost sheepishly.

"I should have introduced myself properly."

He straightened, his presence somehow grew even more imposing.

"My name is Sargis." The name rolled off his tongue like thunder wrapped in silk.

I blinked rapidly.

No. No, no, no.

Surely I misheard him. The Sargis? The ruthless, untouchable Lycan King?

"I'm sure you're wondering where you are and why you're here," he continued, his tone was almost apologetic. "You're currently in The palace of khragnir. I found you last night, on Snowwolf territory."

"I hope you don't mind," he added, almost sheepishly, "I had my staff clean you up and give you fresh clothes."

Mind?

He made it sound like I'd been plucked out of a tea party, not a godforsaken dungeon of nightmares.

I sat there, blinking up at him, utterly bewildered.

8

"You must still be in shock," Sargis murmured gently, as if he could read the storm raging inside me.

He shifted slightly to his left, reaching toward the nightstand.

My instincts kicked in violently, and I scrambled back, my frail body dragged against the silky sheets until my back hit the headboard with a dull thud.

Sargis immediately froze, he raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"I just wanted to hand you the plate of fruit," he murmured, nodding toward the nightstand.

Following his gaze, I spotted the bowl he spoke of brimming with bright, colorful fruits.

But they looked alien.

Everything about this felt wrong.

"Can I?" he asked.

I said nothing. Just stared at him like he was some figment of my broken imagination.

Because he had to be, didn’t he? This whole place , this bed, this room, him none of it could be real.

It had to be another hallucination. Another trick of my mind, conjured up to protect me from reality’s cruelty.

I tore my gaze away from him.

No. No more illusions..

It was time to wake up.

I curled my bony fingers, and tried to pinch myself. But there was barely enough flesh left to grip.

Desperation clawed at me.

I needed something, anything to jolt me awake. My gaze swept the room wildly until a plan formed.

If I could just fall hard enough from the bed. I’d probably wake up back in the dungeon or better still never open my eyes again forever. The though of that was comforting, I scooted slowly as much as my strength could allow me, inch by inch toward the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing?"

I turned to face him and immediately regretted it.

Because there he stood, his face so achingly beautiful it almost broke me all over again.

This wasn’t real. He wasn’t real. None of it was.

I’ve been down this rabbit hole before. Trapped in the darkness, conjuring sweet fantasies to survive the endless cold and hunger in order to keep the madness at bay.

But this… This was new. I’ll admit though, it’s was first time conjuring an Adonis.

I kept scooting.

“Hey, hey, you need to stop or you’ll fall and hurt yourself!” he called out.

I was already right at the edge. I could see it clearly now, my body slamming against the cold marble floor. A deep, welcoming darkness would swallow me whole, and I’d finally, finally be free.

Taking a steady breath, I allowed my weight to tip forward, feeling the thin air rush against my battered body as gravity pulled me down. For a fleeting second, I cherished the wisp of breeze that kissed my skin.

Warmth.

Unexpected, engulfing warmth.

Instead of the cold, merciless ground, I crashed into something solid. I found myself snuggling deeper without thought, instinctively seeking the comfort that evaded me for so long. Ah, yes, I thought deliriously. This must be death’s embrace.

But then I rubbed my face against a hard, muscled chest, and a deep, steady heartbeat thudded against my ear.

Muscles?

Heartbeat?

I snapped my eyes open as my mind scrambled to piece together the betrayal of my senses. Instead of the cold hand of death, I was staring up into those same molten, warm eyes, eyes that could melt the fiercest ice, eyes that should have offered comfort. But to me, they were a curse.

That warmth, that tenderness... It was all a lie. It always was. Today, they look at you like you are the center of their universe. Tomorrow, they toss you away like a forgotten burden.

Panic clawed its way up my throat. I shoved weakly against him but It was useless.

He stood slowly and gently laid me back onto the bed.

He let out a heavy, frustrated sigh. Then, from his pocket, he pulled out a phone, and pressed a few buttons with quick, practiced ease. He placed it to his ear.

“I need the royal physician and his team in my room right now,” he said into the receiver.

He slipped the device away.

Royal physician? My mind whirred, confused and overwhelmed. This is his room?

None of it made sense. Why would someone like him, a supreme alpha, a king bother with me? Why go to such ridiculous lengths?

He caged me in with his arms, leaning down until our faces were so close I could feel the heat of his breath fanning over my skin. His forehead nearly brushed mine as he bowed his head low.

Then, his gaze lifted and found mine. I felt something sharp and unfamiliar twist painfully in my chest.

“This is all my fault,” he whispered, brokenly. “I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner. I’m sorry I didn’t search harder.”

Before I could even attempt to understand, he dropped his head onto my lap.

I froze.

Every part of me stiffened as he rested there, his broad shoulders trembled faintly.

He looked devastated.

Genuinely, utterly, soul-crushingly devastated.

But why?

Why would a king, a supreme alpha feel that way over me? A nobody, broken, and discarded thing. Why would he care?

Nothing made sense anymore.

Was this real, or had I finally descended so deeply into madness that my mind crafted this elaborate torture for me?

A sharp knock shattered the heavy silence. My gaze snapped to the door.

"Come in," Sargis called out.

The door swung open with a gust of cool air.

A man entered first, older, graying at the temples, with a large leather briefcase in one hand and a stethoscope slung around his neck. Behind him came three others, two women and one man all dressed in teal scrubs, and they lugged their own medical kits.

Behind them, a mountain of a man stepped into the room. He was towering, and his muscles strained against the dark fabric of his clothes. His hair was pulled back into a high, neat ponytail, showcasing a scar that ran along his jaw. His hazel eyes glinted under the light like polished amber.

The moment he crossed the threshold, he dropped his head respectfully.

"Supreme Alpha," he murmured.

Sargis stood fully upright now.

"Lupercus," he acknowledged with a nod.

The medical team behind the giant bowed low as one.

"Supreme Alpha," they chorused.

And there I sat, trembling, utterly stunned beyond belief.

What the actual fuck was happening?