1. No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

*POV=ARYA*

“It appears you have moon sickness Arya. You only have a few weeks to live.”

The pack doctor’s words felt like a bucket of freezing water was poured over my body. This had to be a joke.

“You can’t be serious.” I said. “I have healing powers. This shouldn’t be possible.”

“I’m sorry Arya, but perhaps this has something to do with your twin sister, Lyra. Remember when she had the moon sickness and you gave her your blood? Maybe she transferred it to you back then.” He said.

It felt like the world slowed down as dread and despair settled over me like an invisible cloak. Silas’ lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear him anymore.

Moon sickness—an incurable disease that could affect any shifter linked to the moon. It drains one’s life force slowly, with symptoms manifesting differently for each shifter. Some throw up blood, some lose their memory, and some lose the ability to shift. Others might experience a variation or all of these symptoms. The only certainty with this disease was its inevitable conclusion: death.

I slowly stood up from the bed, too shocked to utter a word as I left the hospital. Silas called after me, but I didn’t answer, couldn’t answer. I walked out of the pack hospital, feeling the earth shaking under my feet until I realized it was me who was trembling. I wasn’t sure when I broke off into a desperate run, headed straight for my parent’s house.

From the moment we were born, it was clear that Lyra and I were different. As twin daughters of Alpha Alex and Luna Mary of the Aeternum pack, we were expected to be equals, but reality was starkly different. I, Arya Blackwood, was hardworking and a natural leader, while Lyra was our parent’s pet who got away with everything.

My twin sister hated me from the depths of her heart and made sure she stole every single favour anyone ever tried to bestow on me. Our parents were always so concerned about Lyra and spent so much to keep her happy, claiming Lyra had special needs while I was never cared for.

Knowing I wasn’t the favoured child, I dedicated myself to my duties, earning the respect and admiration of the pack. My intention was to rule the pack one day, and seeing how well I performed, I knew even my parents wouldn’t dare to deny me what was rightfully mine and only I had worked so hard for.

Part of the reason why Lyra detested me was because I’d been born with special healing powers while she had no powers of her own despite us being identical twins. I used my powers to serve the pack and acted as the pack’s healer, treating every single wound imaginable.

Earlier that day before I received the devastating news, I was at the hospital, tending to the sick when a little boy with a deep cut in his knee was brought in. The wound gushed a lot of blood and the boy was panicking. It looked like he’d gotten the wound while playing with his friends.

“Don’t worry.” I reassured him.

“I’ll heal your wounds in a jiffy. Now dry your tears and have some candy while I work.” I said, holding out a candy jar so he could take a handful. Once he was settled down, I spread out my palm over his wound and took a deep breath.

A golden light sipped out of my palm and wrapped around the boy’s cut, mending his flesh together. In no time, his injury was completely gone like nothing had happened in the first place.

“Thank you Alpha Arya!” the boy said excitedly and I laughed.

“I’m not alpha yet sweetie. But I will be soon. Take care, and don’t play roughly anymore or I won’t heal you.” I said.

The boy nodded happily and skipped out of the hospital as I stared after him.

“You’re very gifted with children.” Silas said, coming to stand beside me.

“I learned from the best.” I replied with a wide smile.

Silas was the pack doctor. He was still needed in the pack because there were times certain injuries would be too serious for me to handle alone, and he also needed to handle diagnosis. Every time I heal someone, I lose a lot of energy, so healing extremely serious injuries or illnesses could result in me blacking out. Sometimes all I do is start the healing process and then leave the rest to slowly heal on its own.

I spent a lot of time in the hospital while growing up, so Silas was like a father to me.

“You can take the rest of the day off. You’ve been working so hard.” Silas said and I laughed.

But my laughter slowly died down as I began to feel dizzy. My legs wobbled underneath me and I leaned on a hospital bed for support. My vision blurred as I struggled to hold myself upright. I had only healed a simple cut just now, so why was I feeling like I’d just healed cancer?

Suddenly, I collapsed on the floor, my vision darkening as I lost consciousness. The last thing I heard was Silas’ panicked voice in the background.

When I opened my eyes again, I was lying on a hospital bed and Silas was standing next to me, checking my vitals.

“You’re finally awake.” he said.

“What happened?” I asked, feeling lightheaded as I sat upright.

“You passed out five hours ago. I mind-linked your parents but they’re yet to arrive.” Silas said and I scoffed.

My parents could hear I got hit by a bus and wouldn’t flinch, but if Lyra so much as hurt her pinky, all hell would let loose.

“You shouldn’t have bothered calling them.” I said.

“I had to. What I’m about to tell you now may need their presence.” Silas said with a sad face and I unconsciously straightened my back.

“What is it? Is there something wrong with me??” I asked.

Silas readjusted himself and took a deep, sad breath.

That was the moment he broke the news of my looming death to me.

I blinked back tears as I inched closer to the pack alpha’s home where my parents lived. The moment I walked in, I noticed how relaxed my parents were despite being told I had passed out in the hospital five literal hours ago.

“Ohh Arya, I see you’re fine now.” My father said nonchalantly as he typed on his phone.

“I have moon sickness!” I cried, tears welling up in my eyes.

My parents looked shocked for a moment before their features relaxed.

“It’s probably a misdiagnosis. You have healing powers, there’s no way you could have moon sickness.” My mother said.

“Lyra gave it to me. Remember how she drank my blood when she contracted it after I tried so hard to heal her and kept passing out?? We could have had the blood transfused but you two insisted on letting her sink her teeth into me!!” I yelled, tears blinding me as bile rose in my throat.

There was a small silence before my parents replied.

“Arya, give it time and it will heal itself.” My mother said.

“Silas said I only have a few weeks to live!! What if it doesn’t heal before then? What if I die??!”

“Stop being so dramatic Arya! Silas is an old man who doesn’t know a thing about magic. Or are you trying to say you regret saving the life of your own sister?? You know Lyra has a weak immune system. Would you have preferred it if she died??? Is that how selfish you are towards your own twin??!” My father yelled, banging his fist on the table.

My eyes were wide with shock, and my chest felt tight as tears poured down my cheeks. My parents always said Lyra’s weaker immune system was a side effect of sharing the same womb with someone who had powers, so I got most of the nutrients and was born strong while she suffered in the womb. But what evidence did they have to prove that? Even if this was true, did that mean I deserved to die?? Hadn’t I done enough already?? What if my presence in the womb had actually been what kept her alive?? What if Lyra would’ve died without me???

I wanted to scream at the top of my lungs. I wanted to die right here, right now, in front of them to see what their faces would look like at the thought of being responsible for their daughter’s death. The bile in my throat throbbed and I felt like I’d burst into flames. Nothing I ever do is enough. I was dying right in front of them, paying for the crime of being born a twin, and that still wasn’t enough to get a drop of sympathy or a warm hug from even the woman who had birthed me.

Without thinking, I turned around and walked out of my home. Seconds after I made it past the door, I shifted into my wolf form and ran under the moonless sky. I let my wolf instincts take the lead, not even bothering to know where I was going. Anywhere was fine as long as it wasn’t my parent’s house. The world felt empty as I pawed the ground and howled into the night.

Suddenly, an inexplicable wave of exhaustion hit me and I was forced to shift out of my wolf form. I coughed violently for a whole minute before my body calmed and some of my energy returned.

It took a moment before I realized it was the moon sickness slowly eating away at me. Did this mean I’d lose the ability to shift into my wolf form?

The thought alone terrified me, and I suddenly longed for comfort —to be in the arms of my mate. I looked ahead of me and seeing his house in plain sight, I realized I’d been unconsciously running towards his house in my wolf form all along.

I walked the rest of the way to Ethane’s house, dying to feel his warm embrace. But as I got closer, I suddenly heard strange, muffling noises. A sense of dread washed over me as I crossed the threshold and inched closer to the door of his room.

I pushed the door open, only to see the most devastating scene of my life, like the already broken pieces of my heart and mind had just been gathered together and ground to dust.

My twin sister was riding my mate. 

2. Bye Bye Virginity

2 - Bye Bye Virginity

*POV=ARYA*

The wooden door made an awful sound as I opened it and walked into my mate’s room, like it was sharing in my despair..

They heard the door open and their faces contorted in fear and panic, but Lyra’s quickly regained composure, like my presence was no threat. Ethan panicked as he disentangled himself from my twin sister who rolled her eyes at me. Was this why he had never tried to touch me, because he was sleeping with my twin?

“Arya, I can explain. I… we just–”

“How long has this been going on?” I asked, cutting him off in a surprisingly calm tone that sounded alien to me. Deep down, I was struggling to retain my composure. Any moment now, I knew I’d fold.

“It’s not what it looks like, Arya,” Ethane pleaded.

“You’re sleeping with another woman,” I calmly started, “-and you’re telling me it’s not what it looks like??!” I yelled, my voice breaking.

Lyra, on the other hand, seemed completely unbothered. She shrugged, pulling the sheets around her casually.

“Why are you so upset? You were so focused on being the perfect future alpha that you neglected your mate. What did you expect?” Lyra asked.

Her words stung like poison, and I knew if they remained in my presence for a second longer, I’d do something we’d all regret.

“Get out,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

“What?” Lyra raised an eyebrow.

“Get out!” I screamed, my voice breaking. “Both of you, get out!”

Ethane hesitated, but Lyra simply smirked. She threw on her dress and sauntered out of the room, leaving Ethane scrambling to gather his clothes. I was sending him out of his own home, and I knew it was only guilt and shock that was making him comply but I didn’t care. As soon as they were gone, I collapsed on the cold, hard floor. I felt like screaming, but my lips only quivered as sobs racked my frame.

I’d lost everything —my life, my parents’ love, and now my mate. A void opened up in my chest and it felt like nothing would ever be able to fill it up.

I lay there on the floor for hours on end until my sobbing died down to a whimper. The pain and betrayal had dulled into a cold numbness. I forced myself to stand and leave the room, trudging back to my parents’ house. I needed to confront them, to let them know what their precious little daughter had been caught doing.

I barged into my parents’ office without knocking. They looked up, startled.

“What now, Arya?” my father asked, his tone irritated.

“I found Ethane and Lyra together,” I said, my voice hollow.

They looked at each other, then looked back at me with sad faces.

Wait, was this a normal reaction for parents to have in this situation??

“Arya, you’re being overdramatic again.” My father said.

“What the hell do you mean by that??!” I screamed, barely able to contain myself.

“Lyra already came her and told us everything. She said she was only making out with—”

“They were having sex!” I cried, cutting my mother off as tears streamed down my face.

My parents looked at each other and sighed again.

“Arya, twins can share the same mate. It’s not uncommon,” my father said dismissively. “Ethane sleeping with Lyra shouldn’t mean anything to you.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. They were willing to overlook this just to keep being on Lyra’s side??

“Lyra is always the favored one,” I cried. “She gets away with everything!”

“Arya, you need to think about Lyra’s condition,” my mother said. “She hasn’t found her mate yet, and her immune system is weak. You know how delicate she is. I’m sure she didn’t mean to hurt you. A woman has her needs and—”

“Lyra found her mate and rejected him because he wasn’t from a wealthy family!” I screamed, bile rising in my throat.

“She’s been lying to you, to everyone!”

The shock on my parents' faces was evident, but it quickly turned to anger.

“How dare you speak about your sister like that?” my father roared.

Tears poured down on my eyes as the bitter truth settled in – I was utterly alone in this fight. There was no reasoning with them, I was always going to be the evil twin.

“I need to get away from here,” I whispered, my voice breaking.

Without waiting for a response, I ran out of the house. My chest burned with anger and sadness.

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, got into my car and sped past the pack territory. I didn’t stop, even as the sky darkened and gave way to the night. I needed to escape, to find some semblance of peace. Before I knew it, I found myself at a bar and hotel. I’d already lost count of how many drinks I’d gulped down when a familiar figure stepped into view.

“Arya.” Ethan called.

Not this asshole, he was the last person I wanted to see right now. I realized he must’ve found me through the mate bond. Either that, or he’d spotted my car.

“Look, I know I did you wrong, and I’m sorry. I love you. I promise to change so just give me another chance.” He said, not even trying to look sad or emotional.

Ethan was the pack beta’s nephew, and since no one came close to rivaling him in looks and strength, he’d automatically assumed himself to be the most eligible bachelor in Aeternum, and everyone else thought so too. We’d always been considered a match made in heaven; the perfect good girl with the perfect guy. But right now, Ethan seemed more like a spawn of the devil.

I was still hurting from his betrayal, but at the same time, I wanted to teach him a lesson he wouldn’t forget in a hurry.

“There’s no need for that because, as you can see, I’ve already moved on with my life.” I said, nursing my drink.

“Come on, are you trying to say you were cheating on me?” he said, suppressing a small, disdainful smile and my anger boiled.

The nerve of this jerk. Was he trying to say no one else would want me? The f*cking audacity!

“I came over to your place to reject you because I have someone else in my life. So please, leave me alone.” I said, trying to sound as serious as possible, but Ethan only smirked.

“I don’t see you with any other man. Why don’t you stop this childish nonsense so we can go home?” Ethan asked, attempting to snake his arms around me.

They say when someone hurts you, you turn the other cheek. But why turn a simple cheek? I turned myself around instead, and bitch slapped the motherf*cker across the face.

“I am not your property you filthy son of a b*tch. Since you’re here, let me make it clear that I, Arya Blackwood, reject you, Ethane Stone, as my mate. Please proceed to get the f*ck out of my life.” I said.

I felt the mate bond snap inside of me, and I forced myself not to wince at the pain. This was nothing compared to seeing him all tangled up with my sister, compared to the pain of watching my parents take Lyra’s side over and over again, compared to the pain of dying. Perhaps it was because I was already drunk, but I suddenly noticed how weak our mate bond was. I’ve seen people who died from the pain of rejection —from the pain of severing a mate bond. This was nothing. Ethane was nothing.

I held my head high as I watched him, almost smirking at the despicable display he was making before me as he clutched his chest in anger and pain.

“No man would ever want filth like you in the first place. Good riddance!” He said with a cold, wounded glare.

My eyes were already scanning the bar before Ethane could finish. They easily landed on a hot hunk of flesh seated alone at the end of the bar. Funny, I could’ve sworn that spot was empty when I’d first walked in minutes ago but oh well.

I stood up and made my way towards him, making sure to sway my wide hips as much as I could. I perched myself down on his lap, pulled his perfectly sculpted face close and planted a hot, needy kiss on his lips. It was too dark for Ethane to notice the man wasn’t kissing me back.

From the corner of my eye, I could see Ethane growl in anger and slowly leave the bar.

Serves you right, asshole.

There was a dull pain in my chest as I let go of the man and slowly scrambled to my feet.

“S-sorry about that.” I said, standing up. “I-I’m not usually like this. I did that to get a guy to leave me alone.” I said, expecting the man to get angry and scold me.

Instead, the most perfect shade of ocean blue eyes peered back at me in amusement as the alluring scent of fresh pine and clove hit my nostrils. He pulled me back onto his lap and grinned mischievously.

“You’ll have to finish what you started.” He growled, sending a jolt of electricity down my spine.

Wait, why was my body responding so needily to a literal stranger?? And was it just the alcohol, or was my wolf howling at the man before me? Why was she doing that? That only ever happened when….

Before I could think, his lips came crashing into mine. I whimpered in the warmth of his embrace and my wolf purred in delight.

Suddenly, he stood up, his large muscled arms secured tightly around my waist. The bar was dark, but he was so goddamn tall and built like a warrior. My bossom pressed into his rock hard chest. Goddess, were his abs made of granite?

An almost silent whimper escaped my lips as he pressed himself against me.

“I love that sound you’re making.” He growled into my ear and my entire body came alive.

There was something about him that made me forget the pain and betrayal that had been wrecking havoc on my mind to no end. The semblance of peace and warmth I’d been aching for, he offered all of that and so much more. Moisture pooled between my legs as my mind raced with all the sinful things this man could do to me.

Before I knew it, we were in his hotel room, kissing each other so hungrily that we barely came up for air. The way he touched me made it feel like we were making love, not just having sex.

Just as he was about to push into me, his hardness met with restriction and his eyes widened in shock.

“A virgin?” he gasped, starting to pull away from me but I held him in place.

“Please, don’t stop now.” I moaned, my core aching to have him inside of me. I moved against him before he could think and he cursed under his breath, pleased by the sensation. I repeated the action, rubbing myself against him again and again and, like a man that had reached his limit, he pushed into me and I cried out in pleasure.

“Mine.” He growled as he claimed me in every way.

The next morning, I woke up with a splitting headache, the events of the previous night flooding my mind in blurry pictures.

When I turned and saw the stranger lying beside me, my face went red with embarrassment.

I’d just lost my virginity to a total stranger. 

3. Peace Offering

*POV=ARYA*

It felt strange that I felt more chemistry for a complete stranger than I ever did with Ethane, and even stranger that I had just lost my virginity to said stranger. But this felt much better than having my first be that backstabbing ex-mate of mine. The good girl in me didn’t approve of this, but she approved of Ethane being our first even less.

The dull pain in my chest from the severed bond with Ethane was gone. Maybe one night stands were a good thing after all?

I took a moment to appraise the man with only sheets covering him from the waist down. His dark, coily hair covered his eyes, complimenting his perfectly sculpted face and chiseled jawline that I couldn’t see properly now because of his sleeping posture. His build was massive, and I bet he made every woman who ever laid eyes on him whimper. I wandered what his name was, and for some reason, a part of me ached to find out.

Just as my mind began to wander off to the intense coitus we’d had the previous night, I suddenly started coughing violently, my breath hitching as my throat burned. I rushed into the bathroom and threw up blood in the sink. My eyes widened in panic as I watched the blood go down the drain. This was the moon sickness, and I was suddenly reminded of the fact that I had no time to be lying around like this.

I cleaned out the sink and freshened up, packed my things together and threw on my clothes. Unsurprisingly, my sexy stranger hadn’t woken up. We’d gone at it for hours last night; his waking would probably take a few more.

With a deep sigh of resignation, I left the room. I drove around aimlessly for a while, watching the beautiful scenery blur past me like this was my last day on earth. I lodged at a different hotel and spent the following week on my own, recollecting my thoughts and being in my own privacy. I realized I had never taken a break from my pack duties for even a single day before. I wandered how the pack would do without their healer, but Silas was a very skilled doctor. I was sure he’d be able to handle things while I was gone.

As the week slowly came to a close, my strength began to dwindle. The moon sickness was eating away at me. I could feel it in the way my limbs felt heavier, my head more clouded, and my energy depleted faster than ever before. The symptoms were subtle at first, but now, they were becoming impossible to ignore.

I knew I had to return to my pack. Despite everything, I had responsibilities to fulfill. I couldn’t run away from my duties forever. Besides, staying away wouldn’t cure me. The only thing that could help me now was facing my problems head-on and dealing with whatever fate had in store for me. Maybe if I was lucky, I’d really heal like my parents said I would.

With a heavy heart and an even heavier bag, I checked out of the hotel and started my journey back to the Aeternum pack territory. The drive back felt longer than usual, the weight of my impending doom pressing down on me with every mile. I almost wished I could run back into the arms of my sexy stranger once more.

Once I got to the pack grounds, something felt off. The usually bustling pack lands were eerily quiet. My heart pounded in my chest as I drove up to the main house where my parents lived. The sight that greeted me was far from what I’d expected.

Pack members milled up around my home, their faces etched with worry. Silas stood at the entrance with a grim expression. My pulse quickened as I parked the car and rushed toward him.

"Silas, what’s going on? What happened??" I asked, breathless and already fearing the worst.

"Arya, it's Lyra," he said. "She was in an accident. Her car went off the road and she ended up on Lycan territory. She’s in the hospital now."

I suddenly envisioned my twin sister, lying lifelesss on a worn hospital bed with white sheets drawn over her face. I always thought I’d be happier with my sister gone, but the pain, panic and fear that swelled in my chest instantly made me realize I still loved her, even if she was the worst thing to have ever happened to me.

"Is she...is she going to be okay?"

Silas hesitated. "She's stable for now. I just came here to pick a few things for her. Everyone else is here to leave their get well soon gifts since she’s not allowed any visitors for the time being. Your parents are there and they’ve been looking all over for you. They seemed so worried.”

My heart skipped. My parents, worried about me? Was that possible??

Silas and I made our way to the hospital. My steps were heavy and my mind raced. As I entered Lyra's room alone, I was greeted by the hardened expressions on my parents faces. My mother patted her cheeks dry.

“Where have you been?? Do you know how long your sister has been waiting for a healer???” My father bellowed and my heart sank.

Of course they hadn’t been worried about me.

“Sorry.” I muttered, making my way to my sister’s side and healing her. She only had a few bruises and a small cut on her arm. Was this why I was being shouted at?

“This is all your fault! If you hadn’t made a ruckus about Ethane, Lyra would have never gotten upset and gone drunk driving. Not only did you land your sister in the hospital, we also have to deal with the desecration of lycan territory!” My mother cried, wiping her tears with her handkerchief.

“Lyra is an adult who can take care of herself!” I screamed. “I was the one cheated on, does no one care about my feelings???”

“Please stop with all that nonsense. You were cheating too. Ethane told us he saw you with another man at the bar immediately you left here. I don’t know why you’re so selfish Arya. We didn’t raise you to be like this.” My father said.

I felt like I would explode with anger. How could they possibly blame me for everything??

“Lyra is healed now, isn’t she? Since I’m clearly not needed anymore, I’ll be taking my leave.” I said, but was suddenly stopped by my father’s loud voice.

“You can’t leave now. The Lycan territory was trespassed when Lyra had her accident. Our treaty has been broken.” My father said.

The Lycans were an extremely strong and powerful race of shifters. If they declared war over this, our pack would be as good as dead. We wouldn’t stand a chance, not when a single Lycan was twice the size of a werewolf and had the strength of ten wolf warriors. This was the worst time to go to war. I had to do everything in my power to protect the pack.

“We can sort something out and give them a peace offering. We will pay for whatever Lyra may have damaged. I’ll have a meeting arranged with them and we will discuss terms.” I said, already shifting into alpha mode, pulling out my phone to call the pack beta.

“It’s already too late for that.” My mother said, suddenly looking away in fear.

“What do you mean?” I asked, searching their faces.

There was a small silence in the room as my parents averted their gaze from mine and stared at each other.

“Lyra hit someone when she was drunk driving, a Lycan child that was put in critical condition after the accident. She’s probably dead by now.” My father said.

My world suddenly began spinning as fear engulfed me.

“And what did you say to Lyra when she did this???” I asked, rage coursing through me. “She’s going to get us all killed!!”

“If you hadn’t skipped town to cheat on your mate, you could have healed the child before matters got worse! If you had never made Lyra feel bad in the first place, none of this would’ve happened!!” My father screamed.

I recoiled in shock at his words. This was still somehow my fault??

“What if this affects her pregnancy?” my mother cried, tears running down her cheeks as she looked to my father for comfort.

I stiffened as a new wave of pain and betrayal hit me.

“Lyra is pregnant? With Ethan’s child?” I asked almost inaudibly, too shocked to find my voice.

“Why are you still on that issue? It’s bygone now! The Lycan king wants the woman who broke the treaty. Lycan enforcers will be here any minute to take your sister away and you have to stand in for her.” my father said.

My blood ran cold as my father’s words sank in, freezing me in place.

“Father, you’re going to trade my life for peace with the Lycan king?”

4. Heaven Can Wait

*POV=ARYA*

Lyra and I were identical twins. In other words, whoever was taking the fall for this wouldn’t matter; no one would know the difference.

“Arya, sometimes, sacrifices must be made. You of all people should understand that.” My father said with a face hardened with determination.

“And I’m the sacrifice. right?” I asked.

“Arya, the Lycans rarely ever kill their enemies. I’m sure once you tell them it was an accident, they’ll let you go and agree to a peace offering.” My mother said, trying to convince me but not even looking convinced herself.

Lycans rarely killed because they preferred to keep their enemies alive and torture them for as long as they lived. Death was a much preferable option compared to anything else. I’d always known my parents never liked me, always felt like they wanted to get rid of me and this confirmed it in the worst possible way.

“You forget that I’m the future alpha of this pack!” I yelled, finding my voice. “What will happen to the pack while I’m gone?? Who will take care of them??”

“Lyra will be made alpha once you’re gone to help keep the pack in order. Since you’ve already rejected Ethane, they can get married and raise their child in peace.” My father said.

I didn’t know I could feel pain worse than betrayal, but in that moment, I did.

“The pack will never accept Lyra as alpha!” I screamed. “I worked hard for this position. The pack and the elders won’t sit still and watch you hand over the alpha title to that incompetent buffoon you call my sister!”

My mother stepped forward and slapped me across the face.

“That’s enough!” She cried. “If the pack elders won’t agree to Lyra being alpha, then they’ll just have to be believe she’s Arya instead!”

It felt like the earth beneath my feet had crumbled away. Not only had Lyra stolen my life, now she was going to take on my identity?? This couldn’t be happening. This had to be a horrible dream —a nightmare. Any moment now, I’d wake up in my bedroom and everything would be fine.

However, the stinging pain on my cheek said otherwise.

There was a sudden knock at the door and two hefty men stepped inside. From my parents reaction, I already knew they were the Lycan enforcers here to take me away.

“The Lycan King has demanded the presence of the one responsible for the trespass,” one of them said, his voice like gravel.

Both my parents pointed at me, their faces cold and dark with determination.

“No—please!! What did I ever do to you??!” I screamed.

There was no response.

My parents looked away as the enforcers bound my hands together and dragged me away. I screamed in agony and pain until my throat felt sore. I struggled, fighting to free myself from their grasp but the enforcers didn’t budge. We got outside and I was thrown into the back seat of a large car like an animal. The engines roared to life and we got farther and farther away from my pack, the only home I’d ever known.

Slowly, I succumbed to defeat once we left Aeternum pack borders and forged into Lycan territory. Even if I managed to get away from the enforcers, where would I go? The Lycans would hunt me down and I’d be a fugitive for the rest of my life. And if I somehow managed to evade them, I’d only spell doom for my pack because we would inevitably go to war.

The drive was quiet, and the enforcers never spoke a word. We arrived at the Lycan stronghold just as the sun was setting. The sight of the massive lycan fortress sent a shiver down my spine. In time, a massive castle came into view, a structure that screamed opulence and power. We made it past the castle’s bronze gates and the enforcers led me inside, through dark, winding corridors, until we reached a large, ornate door.

The enforcers knocked, and the door swung open to reveal a grand chamber —the throne room. At the far end of the room, seated on a large, bejeweled throne, was the Lycan King himself, shrouded in darkness. His presence was intimidating, his gaze piercing through the dim light of the chamber. I felt a wave of hopelessness wash over me as I was pushed forward and forced to my knees in front of him.

“Your Majesty,” one of the enforcers said, bowing deeply. “We have brought the one responsible for the trespass.”

I felt the king’s eyes fixed on me, and a chill ran down my spine. I bowed my head, unable to meet his gaze.

“What do you have to say to the Lycan council with regards to your crimes?” The King asked, his powerful voice bouncing off the walls.

“Nothing,” I replied, my voice surprisingly calm but hollow. “If you wish to take my life as punishment, then so be it.”

There was no need for me to fight anymore. Lyra had won. Besides, I’d be dead in a few weeks. It was better the Lycans took my life right now and put me out of my misery.

“Do you have any idea the magnitude of your crimes, and all you have to say is nothing???” The king bellowed, sending chills down my spine. Even the enforcers shifted uncomfortably at his powerful and commanding vtone.

He waited for me to say something, but I was too exhausted to speak, and silence filled the room.

“If you have nothing else to say, then you really deserve death.” The king said.

“Aldric!” he called, and one of the Lycan enforcers stepped forward.

“Bring me her head!”

There was a moment of silence before I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. This was it, my life was finally coming to an end. But instead of dread, a silent stillness filled my being.

I felt the enforcer lace his large, muscled hand between my blonde hair and raise my head, ready to cut through my throat with his sword. Suddenly, my eyes met with that of the Lycan king, our gaze locked onto each other.

The familiar scent of fresh pine and clove filled my nostrils and my wolf howled inside of me. In that same moment, the Lycan king’s eyes changed from its dark red shade that screamed bloodlust to a familiar ocean blue.

Wait, I’ve seen those eyes before.

The king’s hardened face suddenly twisted in confusion, then horror.

“Mate!” he growled.

It felt as though he teleported because the next second, his arms enclosed me, pulling me away from the enforcer. There was a loud crash as the sword meant to cut me up clattered on the ground.

Confused, I looked up to see him and my heart skipped.

What was my sexy stranger doing here??

“Mine!” he growled, burying his face in my hair.

I was too shocked to say a word. Everything was happening so fast that I froze in place with lips parted in disbelief.

Suddenly, the king pulled me away from him, his gaze flickering between my face and my stomach.

“Is that my pup I smell in your belly?” he asked.

His pup in my belly….I’m pregnant???