werewolf

​Liam grabbed my chin, forcing me to look into his piercing green eyes. ​"Why do you smell like my brother, Scarlett?" he demanded. ​My heart pounded against my ribs, but I stayed silent. My refusal to speak only fueled his anger. ​"I am your mate," he growled, his grip tightening. ​What he didn’t know was that he wasn’t the only one. I was mated to all three brothers—and none of them knew they were sharing me. ​Suddenly, a loud knock echoed through the room. ​"Liam? Are you in there?" ​It was Leo. ​Panic flashed across Liam’s face. He looked at the door, then back at me. He couldn't let his brother see me like this—half-naked and pressed against the wall. He grabbed my arm and shoved me into the bathroom. Before I could say a word, he turned the shower on full blast to drown out any sound I might make. BLURB I am fated to three men who want me dead. ​To the pack, I am the Rogue’s daughter. To Liam, Leon, and Leo, I am a mistake that should never have existed. The day I discovered I was the fated mate of all three brothers, I realized it wasn’t a blessing. It was a death sentence. ​They hate me. They believe my parents betrayed the pack and killed their mother, our Luna, and the shame of being tied to me burns their pride. None of them know the others share the same bond, and each one secretly plans to reject me and erase the connection forever. ​So I begged for time. Three months to strengthen my wolf so I can survive the pain of a triple rejection without dying. They agreed. ​But as the days pass, the hatred begins to warp into something darker—and far more possessive. ​"I was the first to kiss her," Liam brags. "I took her virginity," Leo yells out loudly. "She will love me first," Leon responds angrily. ​I roll her eyes and stomps my foot, my heart breaking even as my blood thrums with their possession. "I hate you! All of you!!" ​The secret is finally out. All three brothers know I belong to them. But instead of rejecting me and ending my misery... they refuse to share me. ​How do I survive three Alphas who would rather tear the pack apart than let another brother touch what is theirs? Especially when a dark prophecy is prophesied against the bond. ​Note: This is Book Two of Fated to Not Just One but Three. It can be read as a standalone, as it follows the story of their sons. ​PS: Three chapters are updated daily.

Lucian Vale a young adult. Thrown to the life of wealth and luxury. He never wanted any of these, just his peaceful farm life but he could not have that. caught in between his mother's love and sister's hatred, he does not know what to do. But fate has another plan for him, as he got into an accident which changed everything in his life. He woke up with a system that showed him another world entirely stacked with the one he is already in. Follow his journey as he navigates this new world with his overpowered system. A/N Thank you for reading this far, I'm trying my best to make this novel worth it and make sure you all enjoy your read, so please a little power stone, golden tickets, and gifts would help me in the long run. Also purchase my premium to read ahead, your satisfaction is my top priority.

Ayla was once roaming the world lost, surviving alone, running constantly, and fearing for her life. As far as she knew, there wasn’t anyone there for her. The young woman didn't even know she had a wolf. She had no family and many enemies. That was all a lie that was a product of a curse place on her. A curse that she was unaware of and bore the unfortunate side effect of. Even though she didn't know it, she was actually special. Ayla was even from a very prominent family who continued to search for her, in their own way. Her family didn't happen to be the only people looking for her though, and those people had less than honorable reasons for seeking her. Noone knew exactly what made her special, but they knew she was special. There were rumors, and whispers, but the truth was well hidden. The entire werewolf community knew of the curse on her, but they wanted her for themselves. Every pack wanted her. They would do what they had to in order to get her. Somehow. Who was involved in the scheming, and what families are involved? Who was her mate? Or would she be allowed to have one? Will Ayla or anyone else effected be reunited with their families? Why is Ayla the prize and different? You’ll have to read to find out.

Nancy’s life was never easy, but nothing could have prepared her for what happened on her eighteenth birthday. Moving into her stepfather’s mansion was supposed to be a fresh start… until she came face to face with her three stepbrothers—cold, dangerous, and powerful Alphas who made it clear she didn’t belong. But everything changes the moment she feels it… The bond. A forbidden connection that ties her to all three of them—her stepbrothers, the very men who look at her with hatred in their eyes. Rejected, humiliated, and trapped in a house full of secrets, Nancy must survive the tension, the pull she can’t escape… and the Alphas who are slowly losing control over a bond they refuse to accept. Because in a world where mates are everything… Being fated to the wrong ones might just destroy her.

Crown Prince Rain Vale an heir only by title—never by heart. In the kingdom of Silverreach, omegas are meant to serve, not rule. Yet I was born the son of the consort and declared heir at birth, shattering centuries of tradition and igniting hatred in the hearts of my seven alpha brothers. To them, I am not a prince… but the moon's greatest mistake waiting to be corrected. My coming-of-age Howling Ceremony was meant to fix that mistake. A political spectacle designed to bind me to a powerful alpha and quietly strip me of power, ensuring Silverreach returns to its “proper” order. But the Moon has always loved cruel jokes. Instead of a conquering warlord, noble king, or domineering alpha, the bond binds to Caelan Moonfang—the fallen alpha of the Moonfang pack, a crippled Enigma. To my father, the match is an insult. To Caelan’s brother, it is humiliation. To the world, it is proof the Moon has lost its mind. But I knelt anyway and claimed him. Because I, Rain Vale, have never been obedient. And if the kingdoms see a mistake… I will become their worst.

Framed for poisoning Lila (her sister) at the full-moon feast, Elena lost everything in one night. Her name, her pack, her future. The Shadowpine alphas sentenced her to death by exile. They chained her and shipped her north as tribute to the Blackthorn brothers; three feral lycan kings whose wolves had already started turning rogue. Darius, Kane, and Rylan Blackthorn rule the Frostfang territories with blood on their hands. Twenty years ago their father raped a witch’s daughter. The curse that followed branded the brothers: without a true fated mate their wolves would drive them mad in six months and force them to slaughter every living thing in the North. Elena is that mate. The second she steps into their hall the bond snaps tight. They knot her that same night, hard and without mercy, because the curse leaves them no choice. What starts as captivity turns into something darker. Elena carries latent alpha blood her pack hid from her. The bond wakes it. She learns to shift just enough to command their wolves when they lose control. She learns to want the violence they offer. She stops fighting the heat and starts using it. She walks back into Shadowpine with the brothers at her back and slits her father’s throat herself. ============================ The witch returns demanding Elena’s firstborn as payment. Pregnancy nearly kills her. Rival packs smell weakness and march north. Through it all the three alphas stay possessive, brutal, and unapologetic. They never soften into safe men. Elena never asks them to. She chooses them because they are the only ones strong enough to stand beside the queen she becomes. Knotted by the Three Feral Alphas is dark reverse-harem lycan romance that stays dark. No redemption arcs that erase the teeth. Just one woman who rises from chained prisoner to ruler of the frozen North while three cursed kings knot her, fight for her, and burn the world that tried to break her. WARNING!! MATURE AND 18+ CONTENT! THIS BOOK CONTAINS BRAVE NUDITY AND VOILENCE! VIEWER DESCRIPTION IS ADVISED!!! This book contains mature and potentially distressing scenes which are intended for adult readers only. It is not suitable for person under the age of 18. You will come across depictions of Graphic sexual content, Knotting, psychological manipulation and emotional abuse, grief, trauma and PTSD. Power imbalance and captivity, Domestic abuse These scenes are intentionally created and are necessary to the characters' journeys.

Married to a feared Lord of Sin, a witch must survive his hunger and unravel the truth about his power and her own destiny. Lucrezia Bathory has lived as an outcast from her pack until married to the rumored Devil’s Incarnate of Dreadwyn. A land built on souls of the dead and the throne of human bones—an ugly creature of the dark with sharp fangs, claws, and a monstrous form—known to eat the flesh of the innocent, and drink the marrow of the wicked. To protect her family and House Bathory, Lucrezia carries the cross as sacrifice to prove her birthright. But who knew the creature wedded wasn't as described in the tome as ‘ugly’ but a Sin destined to lure her astray. A Daydream disguised as a Nightmare, and a Nightmare of many colors. *** EXCERPT “You want to know what I want?” He stepped forward, pinning her gaze deep into his bright hazel eyes, reminding her sanity she just treaded the wrong question. When he drew closer, she stepped back, heart drumming loud that its rhythmic sound replaced the sudden silence sealed with heat, until the back of her legs hit the table behind, taking her weight along its surface. Gods… she was only wearing a silk night gown, and the windows were perfectly closed, hearth warm enough against the cold yet she was burning. “I can’t breathe, Lucreiza,” He pronounced her name like a sinful prayer, and she gulped, her mouth almost hanging from delusion. “I can't breathe because you’re fucking me with your scent. I’m going crazy with every passing second I breathe, and seeing you like this, utterly bare, makes me want to make you beg.” It was so short, but she could feel every power, every restrian, every pleasure, just by words alone. How insane can it drive her, were determined by her reaction. Unknown emotions she has never felt before, emotions that heated and chilled her all at the same time. A gasp escaped her lips when he pressed closer, and her legs parted unconsciously, conceding to his unexpressed demand. Now she was pinned in between the body of a monster. One whom she should fear, but felt… expectation? He leaned in and she stuttered a breath, throwing her head back as his fangs grazed her skin in a manner that’s supposed to make her crawl. Run. But instead, it made her desperate. “You don't know even half of what I want, half of what I need.” At this point, Lucreiza’s mind was a totally mess that nothing else registered apart from what he was doing to her. “I’m not just the monster you should fear, witch. I’m the Devil you should deny,” That was the thing… she couldn’t reject him. Fear him. Stir clear. Run. Nothing else made sense to her apart from the burning flames in her chest, the one she never knew when exactly it transpired. The world seemed to cease when she opened her mouth and uttered the damnation, that even the heavens screamed warning from above. “Y-yes,” she whispered, voice hanging from ecstasy. “M-Make me b-beg,” PS: MATURED CONTENT. #webnovel

Blue, a nine-hundred-year-old vampire, has spent centuries searching for something he was told could never exist for his kind—a mate. While vampires are believed to be incapable of forming true fated bonds, Blue refuses to let go of the possibility, especially after witnessing his werewolf family find theirs. The absence of such a connection leaves a quiet but persistent emptiness in him, one that drives his relentless search across the centuries. Everything changes when Blue senses the unmistakable pull of a bond in a small town high school. There, he finds Mason Carter—his mate. However, the discovery comes with an immediate and troubling complication: Mason is only thirteen years old. Unwilling to interfere in Mason’s life too soon, Blue chooses to remain in the shadows. For years, he watches over him from a distance, ensuring his safety while suppressing his own desire to step in. As time passes, Blue becomes intimately aware of Mason’s life—his quiet nature, his insecurities, and the emotional damage inflicted by those around him. Mason grows up in an environment devoid of support. At school, his best friend Caleb slowly destroys his confidence, reinforcing feelings of worthlessness and shame, particularly surrounding his sexuality. At home, Mason faces emotional neglect and a lack of acceptance, leaving him isolated and vulnerable. Over time, the weight of these experiences erodes his self-worth. By the time Mason turns eighteen, Blue is still holding himself back, determined to respect the boundaries he set. However, Mason’s situation worsens. His internal struggles deepen, and his belief that he is unlovable becomes firmly rooted. The turning point comes when Mason gathers the courage to confess his feelings to Caleb, only to be cruelly rejected and humiliated. Witnessing this breaks the last of Blue’s restraint. The years of watching, waiting, and enduring Mason’s suffering become unbearable. Driven by both love and long-suppressed possessiveness, Blue finally steps out of the shadows. He inserts himself into Mason’s life, determined to protect him, support him, and undo the damage that has been done. As Blue claims his place beside his mate, he also sets his sights on those who hurt him. What begins as protection quickly blurs into something darker, as Blue’s centuries of patience give way to a more ruthless side. Those who contributed to Mason’s pain must now face the consequences.

Nate’s fingers closed around Aire’s wrist. “You felt it,” he murmured. “The bond.” Aire’s pulse raced, but she didn’t pull away. “Feeling it,” she said softly, “doesn’t mean I’m keeping it.” ......... Aire has always been cursed, wolfless, silver-haired, tolerated, and never wanted. A punishment, the elders say, for the sin her father committed against the Moon Goddess. In a world where power is measured by the strength of your wolf and the purity of your bloodline, she is neither. She survives quietly under her uncle’s roof, enduring humiliation because survival is better than being cast out. One fateful ball, the mate bond snapped when three wolves claimed her at once. Xanden. Alaric. Nate. The Alpha triplets who rule their territory like a united front of teeth and pride. The same men everyone assumed would claim someone else, someone stronger, and someone worthy. And not her. Aire does the only thing she can think to do. She rejects them. However, Alphas are not meant to be rejected. Especially not by a cursed girl with no wolf. Now, instead of being ignored, she’s watched. Instead of being pitied, she’s claimed. The triplets don’t want romance. They want control. They drag her into their territory, into their politics, into a royal system filled with spies, rival houses, and daughters raised to become queens. Aire begins to realize something terrifying. The mate bond may not be her greatest danger. Making the Alphas feel might be. She is either destined to rule beside them… Or die before she ever gets the chance.

Warning: This book contains a large number of very hot adult scenes!(18+ ONLY) *PLEASE DON'T READ IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO INTENSE INTIMATE SCENES* "Say you're ours." Nicholas's hand tightened around my throat....not choking, just holding, reminding me who owned every breath I took. His silver eyes burned into mine, relentless and demanding. "Say it, Lilith." "I'm yours," I whispered, and the words tasted like surrender and salvation all at once. "Louder." Sebastian's voice was dark silk behind me, his massive body pressed against my back, his hands bruising my hips. "We want to hear you scream it." Before I could answer, Lucian slammed into me from behind, filling me so completely I saw stars. The stretch, the fullness, the overwhelming sensation of being claimed....it stole every thought from my mind. "I'm....." I tried to speak, but then Nicholas was lifting my leg, positioning himself, and suddenly he was pushing inside me from the front, and I was being taken by both of them at once. Too much. Too full. Too intense. "Breathe," Nicholas commanded against my lips, but breathing was impossible when they were both moving, finding a rhythm that had me trembling violently between them. "I'm yours!" The confession finally tore from my throat as Lucian's mouth found that sensitive spot on my neck, teeth scraping, threatening to mark me permanently. "I'm yours, I'm yours, I'm yours...." "Good girl," all three of them growled in unison. "Now prove it." Lilith Thorne is drowning. Her father, Beta of Shadowmere Pack....was murdered six months ago. Her mother overdosed on wolfsbane and lies comatose. Her boyfriend found his true mate and threw her away like garbage. And she's wolfless.....a reject in wolf society, unable to shift, worthless and invisible. With eviction looming and hospital bills crushing her, Lilith makes a desperate choice: enter the Rite, an ancient ritual where unmated Alphas can claim women for one night in exchange for gold. But she's not paired with just any Alphas. She's chosen by Lucian, Nicholas, and Sebastian Blackwood.....the Cursed Alpha Kings. Triplets cursed by the Moon Goddess to find their true mate before they turn 26, or lose themselves to their wolves forever. They have three months left. What starts as a transaction becomes an obsession. The moment they touch her, their curse quiets. Their wolves recognize something in her. And they can't let her go. But Lilith is not what she seems. She's the last daughter of the most powerful witch bloodline in existence, her magic suppressed since birth. And when that magic awakens, it will change everything. When she finally learns the truth....that breaking their curse means taking it upon herself....Lilith makes a choice that will change everything. She sacrifices herself to save them, dying in their arms while they scream her name. But death isn't the end. It's only the beginning. And when she rises from the ashes, marked by death and wielding powers she never imagined, she won't be the same broken girl who walked into the Rite. She'll be something far more dangerous. Their mate. Their queen. Their salvation. Or their destruction. Part 1: THE CLAIMING How far would you fall for three kings who worship you like a religion and claim you like a conquest? Part 2: THE RESURRECTION How dark would you become to reclaim what death stole from you? The Mating Ritual is a dark paranormal romance featuring possessive alphas, intense sexual content, a strong but broken heroine discovering her power, found family, fated mates, and a love so consuming it transcends death itself. So guys for every 20 privilege chapters unlock, I will upload 2 additional chapters apart from the 3 chapters for that day. Gifts will be well appreciated also. Thank you!!!

Adrian Lunar suddenly found himself thrown into the world of supernaturals when his mother was murdered and his sister abducted by a demon. Bitten by a rabid wolf on the verge of his death he was turned into the first ever werewolf. Driven by revenge, with the help of a witch whose memories were stolen by a demon. They solved the cases of the supernatural to help those harmed by them like they were while also searching for the demon who took his sister and the witch's memories.

When Alpha King Kurt Draven is brutally murdered, the Moonblood Pack is thrown into chaos—and the blame falls on the one man who stood closest to him: his Beta, Elaris’s father. Condemned without trial, he is dragged into a life sentence in the dungeons, while his innocent family is cast into exile, stripped of name, home, and protection. Elaris knows the truth. She saw the real assassin flee the Alpha’s chambers that night. But truth means nothing to a pack hungry for blood. Branded the daughter of a traitor, Elaris is abandoned by the very men who once swore to protect her—the Alpha King’s triplet sons. Karl, her betrothed and future Alpha, turns on her. Torren condemns her. And only Darius dares to stand between her and death… though his mercy is not born from love, but from ambition. Years later, Elaris returns to the Moonblood palace under a different name—no longer a broken exile, but a renowned healer whose gifts even Alphas kneel to. The triplets do not recognize her… until fate, and the Moon Goddess, begin to stir. As buried desire collides with old betrayal, and long-hidden truths claw their way to the surface, Elaris must face the men who destroyed her—and the one who saved her for all the wrong reasons. Because this time, she didn’t come back to beg. She came back to survive… and to reclaim everything they took from her.

They said she didn’t belong. In the Grimridge Pack, your mate is your proof of worth. Sable has none. Scentless. Defective. A flaw the pack refuses to accept. When Adrian reaches for her, she believes—just for a moment—that she’s finally been chosen. Until he rejects her. Publicly. But while the pack turns its back on her, someone else has been watching. Cassian. Ruthless. Untouchable. The most feared Alpha in the territory. He doesn’t reject her. He claims her.

Nathan Esmeray had been wandering the wilderness for a long time with no one but his wolf, Axel, to talk to. Alone and afraid of everyone after seeing his entire pack annihilated, Nathan had to learn how to survive on his own. He never planned on reclaiming his human form or creating any kind of relationship ever again. Until he met Griffin DeLuca. ********** Griffin was content. Living in his cabin at the base of Red Peak Mountain he was happy spending his days hunting and hiking the nearby woods with only his dragon, Kael, as a companion. Until one day, when the skinniest wolf he had ever seen ended up in one of his traps. Carefully releasing the wolf, he soon found himself with a four-legged follower, and he couldn't have been happier. ********** Follow Nathan and Griffin's story of finding the one person they didn't know they were looking for while seeking revenge against those that would willingly wipe out an entire species for no other reason other than they could.

Aysel had spent his entire life being treated as nothing more than a worthless omega—broken, nameless, abused, and forgotten by the world. When he met Alpha Draven he expected nothing but another cruel fate. Alpha Draven had long given up hope of ever finding his mate after decades of searching. Cold, ruthless, and feared by all, he rules his pack with an iron will—until the day a fragile omega collapses in his arms and his wolf recognizes what he had almost stopped believing in. Mate. But fate is cruel. A prophecy foretells a coming war between the werewolf realm and the demon realm, a war that will destroy everything unless a sacrifice is made. And the one destined to be sacrificed… is the Alpha’s mate. Now Alpha Draven must face an impossible choice: Protect the mate he has searched a lifetime for, or lose him to save the world.

ALTERNATIVE TITLE: THREE FOR A SECOND CHANCE. BLURB I had desired to have a child of my own. To show the world I wasn't an unfit Luna. To make Alex a father and express my love for him. The moon goddess seemed to hear my desires, and she granted them. I had held the result firmly in my hands, excited to tell my husband, but then I was met with a scene of betrayal. He was on our matrimonial bed with my best friend Eva. Heartbroken and disoriented, after various tortures, I found a way to escape his clutches with one Vow in mind: "I must protect my Pup!" I fell into the hands of three powerful Alpha triplets, but now they call me by a name I cannot recognize. Would they still look at me with so much desire if they found out I have a pup growing in my belly? **** "Theresa! Come with us!" Their voices echoed loudly in my head as I stared at them puzzled. "I am not Theresa, and I am going nowhere with you!" I said out loud, my voice firm. Leonard leaned in closer, his breath hot against my skin, "I promise Theresa, we would treat you right this time!" "Just give us another chance!" Lugard said, as he brushed his fingers against my skin. "Allow us to treat you right!" Lawrence muttered, as he searched my eyes deeply waiting for a confirmation. I could only stare at them puzzled, unaware of the right decision to make, but I couldn't ignore the way my body reacted towards them.

Two centuries after the Great War, peace between humans and werewolves was finally achieved, or so everyone believes. Werewolves reign like gods, and humans remain blissfully unaware of their true place in the new world order. To maintain this fragile balance, each year, a handful of "lucky" humans are selected from various districts to attend Lunaris Academy, a prestigious institution that promises glory, status, and a chance to mingle with the elite. Those chosen are hailed as the lucky few, destined to marry powerful alphas and rise as luna. This year, Violet Purple is among the chosen, much to everyone's surprise. For an orphaned girl adopted by a disgraced prostitute, this is a golden ticket to a better life or so she's told. But Lunaris Academy isn’t the paradise it’s painted to be. Everything Violet and her fellow humans have been taught is a lie. Humans are far from equal; they're pawns in a much larger game. The academy is nothing but a gilded cage, and the students are lambs led to slaughter, playthings for the alphas to toy with in their ruthless games. To make matters worse, Violet catches the attention of the most dangerous players in this game, the Terror Four: the Alpha of the North, Alpha of the South, Alpha of the East, and Alpha of the West. Each one is more dangerous, more twisted, and more powerful than the last. But even among themselves, the alphas are divided, each with their own deadly ambitions. Yet, they all have their eyes on her. They expect Violet to play along, to fall in line like the others who worship at their feet, to break under their games. But Violet isn’t like the others. She refuses to bow. She’ll defy them all.

I’m an omega who is a top. I’ve never felt the need to be submissive— The idea of bending myself to take it never felt right. So I stayed alone, because every alpha wanted to soften me, quiet me, turn me into someone who isn’t me, to force me to submit and turn into a bottom. Then my father started dying, and I was bound to an enigma I didn’t ask for but couldn’t ignore. Sebastian doesn’t try to own me. He stands beside me. And somewhere between him and a masked (male) witch who sees right through every wall I built between myself and them, my life begins to unravel—and remake itself. “Please,” he says quietly, “let me help you get through your heat.” I meet his eyes and shake my head. “You can’t. You're an Enigma.” I say. “ And I’m a top.” ------

Viola was once the pride of her pack, destined to rise above everyone on the day she received her wolf. Instead, that day marked her fall. She had been the villain in countless stories, untouchable and adored by the Alpha heir, until the night her wolf was supposed to awaken, and fate played its cruelest joke. She fell to the lowest rank in her pack, rejected by her sworn mate. Stripped of status, strength, and even her wolf, she was forced to live a life worse than that of an omega. Imprisoned and alone, Viola’s only hope of escape lay in finding her wolf, or her fated mate. Only, a dark past kept her powers dormant… and her fated mate didn’t want her. Sebastian Kade is powerful, ruthless, and chained to a past he refuses to release. Viola Linden does not belong in his world, and he wants her gone. Fate, however, disagrees. This fragile, stubborn girl refuses to leave his orbit. He does not believe in love. He does not want her. He has already lost too much. An Alpha who swore off weakness, hardened by loss and haunted by a prophecy that feels more like a curse, Sebastian is certain he will never allow another woman into his life. But the Moon Goddess is rarely kind. Viola carries something ancient within her, something dangerous, something powerful enough to defy him. Hate twists into desire. Desire ignites into fierce passion. And passion threatens to become love. But when Sebastian discovers what Viola truly carries within her, will it save him… or destroy everything he’s built? ~~~ WARNING: MATURE CONTENT! #Slow burn #Spicy #Morally Gray ML #Adventure #Angst

Selene Jameson has always been the family stain, unwanted daughter, shadow to the golden children. The night her mother dies saving her life, Selene loses the only person who ever loved her. When Atlas D'Angelo, the boy she gave everything to, betrays her in the cruelest way possible, she vows never to beg for love again. But fate has darker plans. On the night Selene finally tastes freedom, fame, money, a future of her own her family sells her to a supernatural auction. She's thrust into a hidden world ruled by lycans who see humans as nothing more than commodity. Then he buys her. Mikhail Morozov, Wintercrest Alpha and High Alpha of the Onyx Concord. Feared across Nocturna, Lycan Realm. With a shattered past, a missing sister, and a throne built on blood and betrayal, the last thing he needs is a defiant human girl with a sharp tongue and darker humor than his sins. But Selene isn't human. She bears the Crescent, a mark of ancient power that could save the Nocturna or destroy it. When Kustav Volkov, a rival ruthless Alpha, is revealed to be Selene's father, he lays his claim on her. Mikhail offers Selene a choice: marry him in a blood-bound pact that grants her protection under lycan law. But this marriage of convenience will be anything but convenient. *** "And you smell good," I interrupted, words tumbling out before I could stop them. "Really good. Like winter but not the terrifying kind. The beautiful kind. With snow and—" I scrunched my nose, grasping for the description. "Those delicate frost patterns that appear on glass." Mikhail produced a sound deep in his chest that could've been a growl or a chuckle or something caught between. "Why are there two staircases?" I blurted suddenly, fixating on the duplicated grand stairway looming before us. "Is this intentional? Seems ridiculously excessive." "There's only one staircase, moya." "Are you certain? Because I'm definitely seeing two. Perhaps you require vision correction. Do lycans need glasses? That would be hilarious. Tiny spectacles perched on a massive terrifying wolf—" "Selene." His voice emerged strained, taut in a manner that penetrated even through my fog. "You need to stop talking." I peered up at him, hurt piercing through the pleasant haze. "Why? Am I irritating you? I'm sorry. I'll stay quiet." "No." The word escaped sharp, nearly anguished. "You're not irritating me. You're—" He severed the sentence, jaw clenching so viciously I witnessed the muscle twitch. "Just... rest." But I didn't want rest. I wanted to comprehend why his expression appeared like that—all rigid and ravenous and something else I couldn't identify. "Are you alright?" I asked, raising my hand toward his jaw. He intercepted my wrist before contact, his hold gentle yet unyielding. "Don't." "Why not?" "Because I'm barely maintaining control as it is, and if you touch me right now—" He halted abruptly, eyes compressing shut momentarily. "Just don't." That should've frightened me. The ferocity in his tone, the way his restraint appeared to unravel at the seams. But intoxicated-me simply smiled, inexplicably pleased. Then I caught the way his gaze dropped. Just for a fraction of a heartbeat. To my mouth. Heat bloomed through my chest, spreading like wildfire. "You want to kiss me," I breathed, the revelation making me giddy. His eyes snapped back to mine, glacial blue turned predatory. "Kissing," he said slowly, voice dropping an octave, "doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of what I want to do to you." The air left my lungs. His grip on my wrist shifted, thumb finding my pulse point. Pressing there. Feeling the frantic rhythm he'd caused. "Kissing is gentle," he continued, leaning in just enough that his breath ghosted across my lips. Close enough to take. Close enough to claim. But he didn't. "Kissing is sweet. What I want?" His eyes dragged down my face, my throat, lower then back up with deliberate slowness. "There's nothing gentle about it."