Chapter 178
Chapter 179
Ezra’s POV
++5 Pearls
The world became nothing but wind and scent as I tore through the night at full speed. The ground barely registered beneath my claws as I followed the faint, fading trace of Lylah.
Her scent lingered like a ghost-just enough to drive me forward, not enough to ease the rising panic clawing at my chest.
By the time I reached the hotel, it stood hollow and still, its towering structure dark against the storm- heavy sky.
Empty, but not untouched.
Outside, the truth revealed itself. Blackfang Pack vehicles stood in a silent line, flanked by Rowan’s guards -and his Beta.
My mate had been here.
From the shadows, Ragnar emerged into the dim light, his massive form cutting through the darkness like something born of it. The air itself seemed to recoil, thickening under the weight of his presence.
The guards stiffened-then instinctively stepped back.
“Beta!” the guard barked, urgency cutting through his voice.
Gavriel stepped forward. His eyes widened, but to his credit, he held his ground.
“Alpha Ezra of Moonclaw,” he said, his voice tight, strained under the crushing force of my aura. “You won’t find her here. Leave p>
No denial. No lies.
Just a command.
To abandon my Luna.
The audacity burned.
“She belongs to Alpha Rowan now,” Gavriel continued, more firmly this time. “He’s taken her back. Whatever bond you believe exists between you-it isn’t valid p>
A low, lethal silence followed.
‘Rowan placed you here to stop me,’ I spoke into his mind, my voice cold as steel.
I stepped forward, slow and deliberate, drawing in a deep breath.
Fear.
It rolled off them in waves-sharp, metallic, intoxicating.
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11:27 am MM
Chapter 179
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+5 Pearls
Gavriel swallowed. “Yes. And I give you options. But if you choose violence… we won’t hesitate to answer p>
Violence.
The word settled deep in my bones.
It had been so long.
Too long.
I flexed, claws extending, fangs pressing against my lips as something wild and ancient surged to the surface. I had buried this part of myself for years-locked it down, restrained it, denied it.
The hunger to tear. To destroy. To kill.
Restraint had never silenced it.
It had only made it stronger.
“You won’t leave?” Gavriel said, his expression hardening. “Then so be it p>
His body twisted-bones snapping, brown fur bursting through skin as he shifted. One by one, the guards followed.
A slow smile curved my lips.
Tonight, they were giving my beast exactly what it had been starved of.
And I would savor every second of it.
Rowan’s POV
I didn’t make it far before I stopped the car.
The road stretched empty ahead, hemmed in by dense forest on both sides, shadows swallowing what little light remained. The silence pressed in but it wasn’t enough to quiet the storm inside me.
I had to get out. Because trapped in that enclosed space, with Lylah’s scent wrapping around me-soft. intoxicating, mine-my control was already slipping.
I moved around the car and pulled Lylah into my arms. Her body rested against me, limp and unguarded. her warmth bleeding into mine.
Dangerous.
Too dangerous.
I drew a slow breath as I brushed her hair aside, exposing the delicate line of her neck. A low growl rumbled through me at the sight-soft, bare, untouched by any mark.
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Chapter 179
+5 Peads
“How is this possible…” I muttered, disbelief sharpening every word. “He took you from me. Kept you under his roof. Bound you to him under the mating law. And yet he never marked you? What was he waiting for p>
How had he endured the desire?
The question gnawed at something dark inside me.
My gaze lingered on her exposed skin, something fierce and possessive igniting deep within my chest.
‘But it means she’s untouched. Unclaimed. Still free of another male’s mark p>
An amused, almost disbelieving laugh escaped me.
“You ran so far from me, little moon,” I murmured, my touch turning almost tender as I threaded my fingers through her hair. “And still…” My voice lowered, edged with quiet inevitability. “Selene herself dragged you back to me. You were always meant to be mine p>
I tilted her head slightly, exposing more of her throat, my breath ghosting over her skin.
“Tonight I’ll mark you.” I breathed, my voice low, “I’ll claim you in a way no one can deny. Every male, every Alpha, even him, will see exactly who you belong to p>
My hand braced against her shoulder as I lowered my head, fangs poised to strike.
When suddenly,
An explosive bang tore through the night from where I had parked the car.
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1
3/3
1:27 am
The Betrayed Princess Rising
Ruby Walker
Ruby Walker is a rising voice in the world of romance and spicy fiction. With a gift for weaving deep emotions, sizzling chemistry, and unexpected twists, her stories are a blend of passion and drama that captivate readers from start to finish. Ruby’s writing style is bold and irresistible—perfect for those who crave intense, addictive love stories.