••• Victoria's POV •••

Two warriors immediately strode toward me, their hands clamping down on my arms.

I thrashed violently, glaring at Elijah, my voice erupting like fire. "On what grounds?!"

He advanced step by step, eyes sharp as blades. "On the grounds that you harmed Evelyn's child. Didn't you?"

The words pierced straight through my chest like a dagger. I could barely breathe, my heart crushed in his fist.

"That's not true!" I roared through clenched teeth. "You know damn well I didn't touch her! She's using you!"

"Victoria," he sneered, gaze cold, as if staring down prey that was already dead, his voice low and merciless.

"Don't forget-I am still your Alpha. Under pack law, no one can stop me from punishing you. One word from me, and you're guilty. Your title, your wealth, even your freedom-stripped away."

Fury surged hot through my veins. I locked eyes with him, unyielding. If Leia were here, I'd already have leapt and ripped his throat out. But I couldn't let anyone know. Not now.

"Elijah, the council will condemn you for this. They will," I warned.

His pupils narrowed, killing intent flooding his gaze. He lifted a hand and gave the cold command:

"Drag her away."

"She may be strong," he announced to the gathered crowd, "but Luna Victoria has never given us an heir."

"And now, she dares attempt to kill the only heir we have."

The wolves gathered at the hospital began to murmur their judgment. I recognized most as Elijah's loyalists. My eyes swept to my former Beta and Gamma. Anger burned in their eyes, but I ordered them silently not to move. Elijah would seize on any excuse to punish them.

Guilt washed over me in waves. I hadn't protected them long enough.

"No one is to approach her. No food, no water. She tried to kill the heir of the Golden Claws-this will be her punishment!" Elijah's final order cracked like a whip.

I stared at him in disbelief, for the first time realizing just how cruel he truly was. I tried to run, but it was already too late. Elijah had bonded not only with Beta Hendricks, but with his Gamma, Mason, and several warriors as well.

Mason and the others seized my arms and dragged me. I struggled, but without Leia and against so many stronger males, resistance was futile. I let them haul me along.

Then I looked at the warriors gripping me, and remembered-they had once been mine. Members of White Claw. Loyal to me. I shifted tactics, speaking to them instead.

"You were White Claws once. You swore loyalty to me. Why betray me now? Why follow Elijah, a useless Alpha?" My voice rose with every word.

Behind me, Elijah's laugh cracked like a whip. "You care so much for my pack, Victoria? The Golden Claws see how pathetically you cling to me. Now both packs despise you!"

His words hit me like a blow to the skull. I had been foolish-abandoning my own wolves for a man. Now ignored, humiliated, punished-it was what I deserved. But by my father's name, I swore I would earn their respect again.

I let them drag me into the dungeons.

Mason and the warriors shoved me forward roughly. Suddenly, one of them sneered and swung his fist toward my face.

I snarled, jerking my head aside. His blow grazed me, splitting my lip. Rage erupted in my chest. I lashed my elbow back, slamming into his jaw. He grunted, stumbling away. I couldn't shift, but I was still Alpha-blood. My strength was undeniable.

"You're weak," I taunted, my voice dripping with contempt.

He flushed with fury, hand flashing toward the blade at his waist. But another warrior-Jax-caught his wrist in a crushing grip.

"Enough!" Jax's voice rang like iron. "The Alpha ordered her locked up, not butchered. Cross that line, and you'll face his punishment."

The air tightened, warriors glancing at each other. The attacker's face went ashen, but he released the blade.

I lifted my eyes to Jax. He didn't look at me again, only turned coldly and continued the march. But my chest warmed faintly-because I remembered. His wife had been dying of illness, and it was I who saved her.

Maybe that was why he stopped the blade. He said nothing, but I knew: not everyone had forgotten what I'd done. Even shackled and disgraced, I still held a shard of respect in some hearts.

I would remember this moment.

--

I don't know how long it was. In the dungeon, silver shackles cut into my wrists, draining me of power. I wasn't even allowed to sit. Elijah meant me to suffer.

The air was damp, cold, lightless-like a coffin swallowing everything. With nothing to do, I could only lick the wounds of losing my mate, of losing Leia. If she were here, at least I wouldn't feel so utterly alone.

Time shredded apart. I couldn't tell night from day. No one came. No food. No water. Hunger and thirst sliced my insides. The silver drained me, and days of forced standing pushed me to collapse. I thought I was dying. I even wondered if death would be a mercy.

But just as I was ready to give in, a spark reached me-someone trying to connect. Familiar. Warm. Not malicious. I opened my barriers.

Felix. My old Beta. After White Claw merged with Golden Claw, he became Elijah's second Gamma.

"Luna, I can help you." His voice pierced the darkness, and I nearly cried. He'd sworn loyalty to Elijah, but now-I knew he hadn't forgotten our bond.

"Allison knows what's happened to you," he added.

Allison. My dearest friend. We'd met at a business summit, both heirs to our packs. Both bound by responsibility. We became allies. Sisters in spirit.

She was Evelyn's cousin, but always stood with me. She despised Evelyn, despised those shallow she-wolves who married Alphas just for bloodlines. She knew I could have survived alone, that I'd been heiress to a famous perfume empire. That I'd abandoned it all for love. For Elijah. Foolish, blinded.

But Allison had never doubted me.

"She's called on her father's pack," Felix whispered, voice burning with suppressed fire. "They're sending warriors to Golden Claw's borders. Demanding Elijah answer for this."

My heart clenched. Allison had chosen not to wait. She would tear the situation open with force.

And I knew what that meant-the council would be forced to intervene. Elijah would no longer be free to do whatever he pleased with me.

••• Victoria's POV •••

Hearing his words, I should feel happy that I could finally escape this hellhole, but I didn't.

"I'm sorry, Felix, but I couldn't let you and Alison do that," I refused his plan. Alison's pack was ranking in 10 and they were no match for the GoldClaw Pride Pack. I didn't want to cause them unnecessary trouble.

"But Luna-"

"I do not want you and Alison to be entangled with my problem," I cut him off. "Elijah is cruel. I can't drag you and Alison down with me. Who knew what he would do to the two of you if he found out you helped me escape? I thank you and Alison, but I can't take the risk."

Before Felix could reply, I heard footsteps coming toward the dungeon, so I forcefully closed our mindlink.

To my surprise, it was Elijah who came to see me, the last person I thought would visit me.

He approached me and used gloves to free me from my shackles so his hand wouldn't touch the silver, which would weaken him too if he touched them.

Once my hands were free from the shackles, I slid to the dirty ground, but I didn't care since my knees were already too weak to help me stand.

Elijah looked down at me; the disgust in his eyes was apparent. "Have you learned your lesson?"

I wanted to shout at and curse at him, but my throat was too dry to say anything. So, instead, I just looked at him, not even able to glare because of how weak I was.

He bent down and pinched my chin hard until I winced, and he chuckled, seeing my pain.

"I came here because I have a proposition for you," he started saying.

I tried to free my chin from his grasp, too disgusted to see him by now, but his grip just got stronger. He wanted me to see him while he was talking to me.

"So, here is my proposition: if you could accept Evelyn's presence, I will let you stay at my side, and you can keep being the Luna of the Goldclaw Pride Pack. I will keep bringing you to functions and meetings and make sure you look good as a Luna with gifts I usually give you."

While he was talking, as if the proposition he offered me was a great thing for me, his expression remained cold.

Now, I had no more doubt that I was so blind to have fallen in love with him and, as everyone said, kept clinging to him. If I thought he was cruel before, now I realized his shamelessness knew no bounds and shocked me even more. He dared to ask me to accept him having a mistress and their child, who would be the Alpha of the Goldclaw Pride Pack in the future, while I became what?

A Luna that was just a tool for him to maintain his reputation? A Luna that he needed to solve the pack problems? Just how low was I in his eyes and heart?

"Come on, Victoria, you know this is the best for you. "I know you love me so much and want to keep staying by my side. With this, you can get what you want."

"Furthermore, I know you can't survive without me," he kept looking down at me and then had the audacity to threaten me, "No one would accept you since you have nothing now, and if you leave, the rogues will surely kill you."

Suddenly, I felt such rage inside me. I had helped him so much, and this was how he thanked me?

"I'd rather be killed by the rogues than live with a pile of shit like you and Evelyn," I spat at him, not even censoring my declaration of how much I hated him so much right now.

Elijah released my chin, pushing my head away, and I felt the back banging against the wall behind me.

"You will regret saying those words to me once I really banished you and you got killed by the rogues," he snarled and turned away, leaving me alone again in my cell.

"You won't, don't forget the perfume company still needs me!" I said as I glared at him angrily.

"Very well, from now on you will be reflecting in the dungeon until you hand over the formula for your new product or you know I will kill your former beta," Elijah said with a sneer and left.

I heaved a breath of relief. Even though I was still imprisoned, at least I wasn't shackled anymore, and it felt good to finally stand up against my jerk of a mate.

After he left, I sat down and suddenly heard Lya's voice echoing in my mind.

"Victoria, you have to escape. Don't let them treat you like this. You deserve better. Please," she urged me.

Joy surged through me until I nearly cried. My wolf finally appeared again! I knew the Moon Goddess would not be so cruel to me, especially after making me go through this torturous situation alone.

"Lya, you are back!" I cried out. "You don't know how lonely I've been without you!"

I waited for her reply, but none came, and I knew she had gone into a deep slumber again. I hugged my knees and cried. Lya had disappeared again, leaving me alone in the darkness once more.

But then I remembered her words. Although in her weakened state, Lya still tried to force herself to talk to me. I knew it must have been hard for her, but she still tried.

Remembering Lya's overcoming her weakness to say those things to me, I wiped away my tears with the back of my hand and clenched my fists, and I felt a new strength course through my body.

Although I was the one who asked my warriors to serve Elijah's pack at first, I knew he must have said something to them, so they betrayed me.

"They have taken my pack away from me and also Ilya. I won't let them get away with it," I swore to myself through gritted teeth. "For Lya, I must survive and make those who made her disappear into a deep slumber pay."

Fortunately, when Elijah threw me into the dungeon, he didn't check my pockets. I had my phone and wallet with me.

With my newfound strength, I pulled out my thin wallet and shifted through some business cards I had kept inside it until I found a yellowed card I needed.

I caressed the card and, looking at it, brought back memories of before I married Elijah.

Five years ago, when I attended my best friend Alison's birthday party - the same Alison who was Evelyn's cousin - I gave her a one-of-a-kind perfume that I had concocted especially for her.

Alison was a she-wolf whose dream was to be a female Alpha. So, I created a bottle of perfume for her that could mask a werewolf's scent because I thought it would help her to avoid being forcefully marked by other Alphas.

I remembered she was so happy with my gift that she hugged me tightly and thanked me profusely for it.

But during some playful chaos, the perfume accidentally spilled on me, and I became a scentless she-wolf for that night.

Maybe it was fate, or perhaps it was just the Moon Goddess playing a prank on me, but that night, I met Alpha Damien Verlice, the Alpha of the Infernal Shadows Pack.

The Infernal Shadows Pack was a powerful pack, and although I was already in love with Elijah at that time, I still had eyes that could appreciate handsome men, and Alpha Damien turned out to be one of the most attractive men I had ever laid my eyes on.

His dark hair and eyes that seemed to be able to suck your soul, and the features of his face - straight nose, chiseled jawline, and not to mention his height and muscular body that could not even be hidden by his bespoke three-piece suit.

He was also charming and carefree. No she-wolves would be able to turn down his advances. Once, he had set out his sight on a she-wolf, and that she-wolf would not be able to escape from his charm. I was no exception, although we all knew he was known as a playboy.

And that night, I didn't know why he set his eyes on me. He approached me, and we chatted. One thing led to another, and we ended up sleeping together.

At first, I did feel a bit guilty since I wanted to give my virginity to Elijah, but I knew Elijah wasn't a virgin anymore as well, so my guilt lessened. And to be honest, Alpha Damien was a great lover. Although it was my first time, I enjoyed our time immensely.

The following day, before he left, he gave me his business card.

"Give me a call if you need any help or want a repeat." He winked at me, and those were his last words to me before he was gone.

I took my phone and dialed the number on the yellowed business card. I just hoped he still hadn't changed his number and still remembered me because this was my only hope. He was my only hope right now, as the Infernal Shadows Pack and Alpha Damien Verlice were more powerful than the GoldClaw Pride Pack and Elijah.

••• Damien's POV •••

I groaned as the naked she-wolf kneeling between my spread thighs bobbed her head up and down and took my cock deeper into her mouth.

Gathering her long hair with my hand into a ponytail, I pressed her face onto my pubes, keeping her head in place for a few seconds, feeling her saliva dripping onto my nuts until she gagged before I released her.

She quickly withdrew, gasping for air, and I smirked when I saw her looking debauched - tears were running down her face, her lipstick was smeared, and her lips were slightly swollen. Instead of looking irritated, she smiled seductively and opened her mouth in invitation again, sticking her tongue out in the process.

Such a slut for my cock, I thought and smirked again.

I would be fucking insane if I didn't give her want she offered. I slapped my dick a few times against her tongue and, without warning, thrust it deep into her mouth again, fucking her face mercilessly, making sure the head of my dick kept hitting the back of her throat.

I rolled my eyes when she finally tapped her hands on my thighs after I held her head against my pubes for the umpteenth time. I hadn't even felt satisfied with the blowjob yet, and she had already given up when she knew I liked it rough.

But no worries about it; I could still fuck her cunt. I hauled her up and tossed her to the couch. She tried to lie down on it, wanting to do some face-to-face fucking, but hell no! There would be no looking into each other's eyes. Fucking was just fucking, and she should know it.

Instead, I yanked her and positioned her so her upper body was facing the sofa's backrest and her already wet cunt was spread out for me to use.

I grabbed my shaft and ran it along her dripping clit. "Such a greedy cunt. You got drenched just from blowing me?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but I plunged my thick and long cock, turning her reply into a loud cry. I didn't give her time to adjust to my size because she was a whore for my cock.

Just as expected, a few minutes later, she began moaning loudly. The harder I pounded into her, the louder her moan of pleasure.

I smacked her ass cheeks and grabbed them hard until they were red, but she enjoyed it like the slut she was.

Fuck, I loved it when I could use she-wolf like this without her complaining, no matter how rough I was.

I spread her ass cheeks and let spit on it, finger fucking her while I fucked her pussy.

"Yes, yes, Alpha! Fuck me in both my holes!" she screamed in pleasure, and her pussy wall spasmed from her orgasm.

I leaned down and whispered in her ear, "Brace. I'm gonna wreck your ass."

I pulled my cock out of her pussy and impaled her ass in one swift stroke. She cried out in pain, but just like before, I didn't fucking care.

Her ass was tight, and it felt much better than her pussy. I felt the tingling sensation on my spine down to my balls, knowing I was close.

I increased my tempo, chasing my release, when she cried out so loud, "Yesss!!!!" and squirted all over my sofa.

Goddamnit, with my balls already pulled up close to my dick and ready to explode, suddenly her ass clenched tightly around my dick, and I knew I was going to fall over the edge.

I pulled out and turned her over, stroking my length fast above her face. She knew what I needed. She opened her mouth and stuck out her tongue, and that was what sent me over the edge.

My cum shot out, and I targeted the tip of my cock so each rope of cum would land on her tongue. I kept stroking myself until no cum was left on my balls before offering her to clean my dick with her mouth. She still greedily sucked on my cock, wanting to get my dick to harden again for a second round, but I pushed her away and sat on the sofa.

That fucking she-wolf followed me and sat beside me, trying to cuddle with me.

"Alpha, I heard you'll need a Luna soon." She drew patterns on my chest as if it could make her look cuter or something, but in reality, it just disgusted me. "Since we've had our arrangements the longest, maybe I."

I became so irritated with her. Yes, she has been my longest-standing hookup, and she should know how I operated. Why was she hinting that she wanted to be my Luna now? Had I been too nice to her?

As the Alpha of the Infernal Shadows Pack, North America's largest werewolf pack, I lived life on my own terms.

While I never compromised on pack business, I preferred keeping my romantic life uncomplicated. Countless she-wolves wanted to share my bed, and I welcomed many of them. Thank Goddess, as supernatural beings, we could not contract those sexual diseases as humans did.

Back to my romantic life. Ah, yes, sharing my bed I had no problems with, but becoming my Luna?

I pushed her away and began putting my clothes on. "You knew our arrangement, and yet you crossed that line today. Sorry, but we are done here."

Realizing she had said the wrong thing, she begged me to forgive her, that she wouldn't bring it up again. I knew no matter how many times she promised, she would bring it up again in the future. She wasn't the first to do so.

I left her in the hotel as she kept begging me, but I couldn't care less about her. My Beta, Beta Noah, was already waiting for me in the car as usual.

"Escort the she-wolf out and never let her enter my suite again," I ordered him once I settled in the back passenger seat.

Noah nodded and left the car to do what I had instructed.

"Damn right, you finally got some sense," my wolf, Eros, spoke in my mind. "It's time to find our fated mate."

I rolled my eyes and ignored him.

"You know that the Pack Council has started looking for a new Alpha as your 30th birthday approaches, right?" Eros reminded me.

"Those old fossils!" I spoke to my wolf through gritted teeth. "Always meddling in other people's business."

"They are called 'Elders', Damien, not 'old fossils'," Eros reprimanded me.

"I can call them anything I want," I snapped, fuming. "I had single-handedly expanded our pack's business empire and filled everyone's pockets with money. Yet they deemed me unfit as Alpha just because I refused to bind myself to a mate. They even will not hesitate to denounce me from my alpha position because they insisted cubs were the pack's future! That's just bullshit! What kind of century are they living in?"

"I know, but the Pack Council-"

"Yeah, yeah," I replied with a sigh. I knew what Eros was trying to say. The Council wielded considerable power; I couldn't just ignore them. But After years of leading the pack to become North America's strongest, I wouldn't hand over my pack to someone else. Over my dead body, I would allow it.

Lighting a cigarette out of frustration, I took a long drag, letting the smoke fill my lungs and calm me down.

"You know werewolf nicotine is bad for your health, don't you?" Eros complained in my head, and once again, I ignored him while I unwillingly started to flip through my mind, thinking of the she-wolves I knew, sorting through them for potential candidates to become my Luna.

While I was frustrated, suddenly my phone rang, and when I saw the number on my phone screen, I was stunned. It was a number from five years ago.

My mind immediately drifted to the scentless she-wolf from back then. I had attended Alison Ellis's birthday party, the only heiress to the Moonlit Guardian Pack, expecting boredom as usual with many she-wolves trying to get my attention but finding intrigued instead.

No matter how many she-wolves I had bedded since then, her sweet taste had haunted me since that night.

It took me effort to get her number, and I had given her my business card, but she never called me, and being an Alpha with no shortage of she-wolves, I didn't contact her either, although she kept popping into my mind for the last five years.

I wondered what she wanted from me now. Curiosity got the better of me, and I finally answered her call.

"Hello? Is this Alpha Damien of the Infernal Shadows Pack?" I heard her ask and frowned as I noticed her voice was hoarse, not as sweet as five years ago.

"I'm Victoria Solace," she continued before I could reply. "We met five years ago, and you gave me your business card."

"So you still remember me?" I teased her.

"I. Umm." I swore I could hear her blush and decided to spare her from my teasing.

"I suppose you need something from me now that you are calling me?" I asked with a raised brow, although she couldn't see it.

"Yes," she answered, and her voice somehow became less hoarse. There seemed to be a hidden strength underneath it. "I'm currently at the Goldclaw Pride Pack and in need of your help. You are the only one who can help me now."

Hearing her words, my lips curled into a mischievous smile as a brilliant idea suddenly struck me.

"Five years ago, when I gave you my business card, I told you to call me if you need my help, and I'm going to honor my promise," I tried to keep my voice steady, not showing my excitement. "But I have a condition of my own that you need to meet."

"What's the condition?" her voice turned eager. I guessed she really needed my help, or she wouldn't be so keen to know what my condition was.

But I didn't tell her right away. "You'll understand once I arrive at the Goldclaw Pride Pack and meet you." I kept her guessing.

"Oh," she sounded disappointed but told me she would wait for me.

"Oh, please, I know what you are thinking," Eros rolled his eyes and mocked me, but I remained noncommittal.