Four Years Ago

"Lucius Novak," the rogue wolf revealed himself to me.

"Novak?" My voice trembled, and my heart thudded rapidly as I stepped back from him, pulling my hand free from his. All this time, the rogue wolf was a Novak.

Fear gripped me as I stepped back. Was he the Novak Heir who was after me? Who wanted me dead because he feared my power? Had he tricked me this entire time, making a fool out of me, just like Sebastian?

"Stay away from me!" I stepped back.

Hurt flashed within his amber eyes. "It's me, the wolf from the woods. I'm here to help you."

"Sebastian told me that the Novaks wanted to kill me."

"And you believe him?"

"I don't know what to believe." I bumped back against the glass cabinet and the moonstone necklace glowed with a brilliant white light. "I just know not to trust royal wolves."

"I know you're scared, but you have to trust me."

Lucius's hand reached out to mine, and he gently squeezed it. I felt a spark ignite within me, and a heavy warmth filled my heart with desire. What was this feeling? It was all snuggly and fuzzy and made my cheeks burn.

"Once we get out of here, I will explain everything," Lucius urgently insisted. "But we need to leave now."

I yanked my hand back, shaking my head. The last time I trusted someone too easily, I ended up in Sebastian's hands. Trust wasn't something I could give away freely, not anymore.

"Why should I trust you?"

"Please," he implored, his face grimaced in desperation, his hand reaching out to mine once again, begging me to take it. "Trust me."

"You can trust him," my wolf said. I still wasn't sure, but I wasn't one to ignore my wolf, not anymore. I learned my lesson to always trust his instincts. So I nodded my head and took a step forward.

"Okay." I tentatively grabbed his hand and his warmth instantly spread through me again. "But I can't leave without my friends. I promised that we'd escape together."

Before Lucius could answer back, the door burst open.

Sebastian stormed in, fury burning in his eyes.

"Nathaniel!"

The raw anger in Sebastian's voice cut through me like a blade, and a wave of dread washed over me, making my body tremble.

Noticing my petrified state, Lucius tightened his grip on my hand, his warmth reassuring me like a blanket protecting me from the cold.

"Nate's not going anywhere with you!" Lucius bared his teeth, and a low growl rumbled from his chest.

Sebastian's eyes narrowed as he finally took notice of him.

"Lucius!" he snarled, fixing a fierce gaze on him.

With his arm stretched out like a protective barrier, Lucius moved in front of me.

"Stay behind me," he ordered. I complied and hid behind him, my hands gripping the waist of his hoodie.

Sebastian's lips curled into a sneer. "Stay away from my–"

"He's not your mate!" Lucius roared, his voice reverberated through the room, making me flinch. "He's mine."

His outburst had him heaving, his chest rising and falling. He curled his fist in anger and narrowed his eyes at Sebastian.

"What are you saying?" I asked.

My heart pounded as I met his amber eyes. His gaze softened as his eyes landed on mine, silently urging me to trust him. The intensity of his stare and the connection that throbbed between us left me speechless. "Are you..."

"I'll explain later." He pulled me closer behind him as he wrapped an arm around my waist.

Sebastian's eyes darkened. "I won't let you take him from me."

He snarled and lunged, his claws outstretched as he leaped across the room. Lucius pushed me aside, absorbing the full force of Sebastian's blow.

I skidded across the polished floor, watching in shock as they clashed, smashing into the glass cabinet. It shattered and sent the moonstone necklace flying across the room with shards of glass, and it skidded beneath the desk.

I hissed as a sharp piece sliced across my face, and I instinctively lifted my arms to guard my head from the remaining rainfall of shards.

Sebastian and Lucius skidded across the floor. Glass having grazed down their faces and shredded through Lucius's clothes.

Grunting with effect, Lucius picked himself up, combing the long strands of hair out of his eyes. He then tore off his ripped hoodie and shirt, revealing a deep gash with a large piece of glass sticking out from beneath his ribcage. He pulled the shard out and tributaries of blood came streaming down his torso, and dripping in a puddle by his feet.

He's kind of hot. I couldn't help but admire his toned body as I crawled back under the safety of the desk.

Lucius twirled the piece of glass and held it in his hand like a knife. His biceps twitched as he raised his arms into a fighting stance. He smirked, his eyes gleaming with determination, inciting Sebastian with a face that said, 'come at me.'

Sebastian grabbed a silver dagger from a stand on the wall. It had ancient runic marks carved down its white hilt and the sight of it forced Lucius' eyes to widen and glaze with anger.

"The Beta Knife was destroyed when the Wolf King was killed. How do you have it?" Lucius roared.

"I had a witch put it back together for me," Sebastian taunted as he twirled it in his hand. "But it's missing a piece."

Snarling once again, Sebastian threw himself at Lucius, aiming his knife at Lucius' heart. Lucius lifted his arm, and hissed as the blade sliced him, burning his skin at the same time.

Their fight continued like this for some time. A furious blur of snarls and growls as they sliced their weapons at each other.

Lucius managed to disarm the knife out of Sebastian's hand and kicked the weapon across the room. He charged forward and wrapped his arms around Sebastian's waist and, with a guttural roar, he hurled him into the bookshelves with a thud.

Ornaments flew, shattering on the floor, and Sebastian grunted in pain as he slumped to the ground, blood trickling down his face from a fresh cut.

Lucius heaved and turned back to me.

"Run!" Lucius growled. "Get out of here, now! I will find you."

Heart pounding, I nodded and crawled out from under the desk. And just as I neared the exit, an ethereal whisper brushed my ears, urging me to turn.

"Nathaniel."

I glanced back, my eyes landing on the crescent-shaped moonstone glowing on the floor beside me.

Completely immersed in their intense battle, the two didn't even notice my trembling fingers swiftly grabbing the necklace from the ground. I slyly slipped the long gold chain over my head, carefully concealing it under my shirt.

The stone felt cool as it pressed against my skin. But then, a split second later, a searing pain tore through my chest, sharp and unrelenting.

I doubled over, gasping for breath, my heart hammering wildly against my ribcage. It felt as if the necklace had a mind of its own, with a dark energy coiling around my heart, squeezing tighter and tighter.

"Goddess, what's happening?" I choked out, my voice barely a whisper.

Each breath felt like it was being ripped from my lungs, and my vision blurred at the edges. I clutched at my chest, desperate for relief, but the pain only intensified, spreading like wildfire through my veins.

My knees buckled, and I crashed to the floor, fingers scraping against the cold wooden boards. I panted, my whole body trembling with the effort to stay conscious. The room spun in a whirl of shadows and light, and I could barely keep my eyes open.

Then, just as suddenly as it began, the pain receded. A strange warmth spread through my chest and out to my fingertips. It wasn't a comforting warmth—it was more like the steady burn of a forge, intense and powerful.

I could feel it thrumming in my veins, an undercurrent of dark energy that was both terrifying and exhilarating. I forced myself to stand, my breaths coming easier now. My heart still raced, but it felt stronger, more resilient. I glanced down at my chest, the crescent shape glowing faintly beneath my shirt.

"What was that?"

An icy shiver passed over me, sending goose bumps raising across my skin, but what I felt wasn't fear. It was hunger, a fierce craving for this newfound power.

Despite the lingering pain and confusion, the intoxicating strength surging through me was undeniable. I didn't fully understand it, but one thing was clear—I wasn't the same person I was moments ago.

And I liked it.

With the necklace secure around my neck, I ran past the fight, the pair still at each other's throats as I slipped out from the room and merged back into the bustling main hall of the mansion.

Ms. Lang spotted me, and her mouth parted open. Before she could say a word, I wrapped my arms around her throat, locking her in a headlock. She struggled briefly, her hands crawling at my arms, before passing out, and I let her limp body drop to the floor.

I seized the moment to find John and Lizzie locked in their bedroom. I slammed my body against the door, breaking the lock. Lizzie screamed in fright, and John jumped back in surprise. They both quickly relaxed when they saw it was me.

"We need to leave, now," I said. "This is our only chance of escape."

John's eyes widened in alarm, but he didn't question me. He nodded, and we began navigating through the mansion.

Suddenly, a loud cry of pain echoed down the halls. It was Lucius. He was in agony as his screams pierced through my heart, freezing me in place.

I turned around just in time to see Sebastian emerging from his study, his jacket coated in blood. Lucius's cries ceased abruptly, leaving a haunting silence within the mansion.

Dread once again filled me as my eyes locked with Sebastian's. A deadly smirk played on his lips as he came for me. But all I could think of was Lucius. Was he alive?

But I couldn't afford to stay and wonder. He had sacrificed himself so I could escape. With one last pained look, I turned around.

"We have to go, now!" I hissed, grabbing John's arm and pushing Lizzie downstairs.

We hurried through the hall and burst out into the yard.

It was raining, and the cool night air hit my face, but there was no time to savor the sense of freedom. I cast a frantic glance over my shoulder, my heart sinking as I saw Sebastian charging toward us.

"Run!" I shouted, but it was too late.

In a flash, Sebastian caught up with us, tackling me to the wet ground with a force that knocked the wind out of me. I hit the ground hard, pain shooting through my body.

"John," I gurgled. My voice was too broken for him to hear me as I struggled to breathe under Sebastian's weight.

Sebastian's bloodied face twisted into a cruel smile. "Do you think you can get away from me that easily?" he snarled, his grip tightening on my throat.

"What did you do to Lucius?" I choked through shallow breaths.

My vision blurred around the edges, and I desperately clawed at his hands. Panic surging through me as I gasped for air.

"I stabbed him in the heart." Sebastian flicked his jacket to the side, to reveal his silver dagger strapped to his ribcage. "It's called the Beta Knife. The very blade the General Wolf used to kill the Wolf King."

"No!" I said in shock. A werewolf's greatest weakness was silver. No wolf could recover from that.

The silver blade still coated in blood glinted, reflecting a sinister sheen under the full moon. It was about to reach its zenith, and any moment now, we would all turn into our wolves.

"Lucius isn't dead," he huffed in annoyance. "Unfortunately, the knife is missing its vital part needed to kill an immortal wolf, but he'll be down for a while. Enough for me to alert the Royal Council of him breaking the treaty when he attacked my pack house."

"You didn't have to hurt him." I struggled against Sebastian's iron grip. "He was only trying to help me."

"He was going to take you away from me." Sebastian stroked his finger down my cheek, making me flinch. "And I can't let anybody touch what is mine."

"I'm not yours!" I shouted.

Summoning every ounce of strength, the necklace glowing beneath my shirt; I kicked up with my legs, throwing Sebastian's weight off me. He slammed against the wet ground with a grunt.

"John!" I croaked, rubbing my throat. He was still running towards the border but this time he heard me. He stopped and turned to see I was struggling.

Sebastian recovered quickly, his eyes burning with murderous intent.

"Nathaniel!" he growled, lunging at me again.

I rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding his grasp, and scrambled to my feet.

Adrenaline surged through me as I took off, my surroundings blurred by the moonlight, rain and the noise of wolves having turned.

The yard was a battleground of wolves battling against each other. The Novaks and Sebastian's pack were at war with another. It was a bloodbath, as wolves laid limp and blood soaked into the ground. It was chaos.

I couldn't stay and watch the horrific picture unfold before me.

"Come on!" John called for me.

I ran towards him, following him, but my heart struck a chord when I heard Sebastian's footsteps echoing close behind me.

Within seconds, he was upon me. And his powerful form slammed into me, sending me sprawling onto the cold, wet ground.

Mud splattered into my face and pain exploded through my body as his claws raked across my chest, leaving deep, burning gashes that felt like they were on fire.

"Nate!" John's voice was filled with panic as he threw himself at Sebastian, trying to pull him off me.

John grabbed at Sebastian's shoulders, but Sebastian was an immovable force, barely flinching at John's efforts. His focus was solely on me, his eyes burning with unbridled fury.

"Get off him!" John shouted.

Sebastian's fury doubled. With a roar, he swatted John aside with one powerful swing, sending him crashing. John hit the ground hard, groaning in pain, and Lizzie cried out for him.

Sebastian turned back to me, his eyes blazing. His grip tightened around my throat, pinning me to the ground and cutting off my air supply.

The commotion drew the attention of nearby wolves amid battle. Among them, a gray wolf appeared. He leaped mid air and shifted back into his human form in a cloud of smoke. I'd seen nothing like it before.

Was this an advantage of being a royal wolf? The ability to shift when they pleased.

It was so seamless, and without the need to break every bone, then shifting back into their human form fully clothed. That must be how the rogue wolf... how Lucius could shift into his wolf when it wasn't the full moon.

"Fredrik!" John cried in relief, and a sense of hope washed over me. Lizzie had got through to her brother and he'd made it. He was here to save us.

So this was the eldest Drake sibling I heard so much about. He looked exactly like John, with blonde hair and blue eyes, and was tall and slim. The complete opposite of Sebastian.

Fredrik's eyes widened in horror as he took in the scene.

"Freddie!" John yelled again, desperation in his voice as he lay on the ground, exhausted, as he reached out to his brother.

Fredrik, unable to stand by and watch his brother suffer, rushed forward.

He tackled Sebastian, dislodging him from me, and I gasped for air.

The two eldest brothers grappled in the mud. Fredrik landed a few solid punches, but Sebastian's strength was overwhelming and he hit Fredrik into the ground.

I tried to get up, but Sebastian was on me again in an instant. His claws raked down my arms, tearing through my flesh. I cried out in pain, struggling to breathe as he pressed down on my chest with his full weight. I clawed at him, drawing blood, but it wasn't enough.

Fredrik, regaining his footing, charged back into the fray. He aimed a powerful kick at Sebastian's side, causing him to grunt and momentarily loosen his grip on me.

I rolled to one side, panting, and feeling my life slip away as I bled to death.

"Please," I begged my wolf. "Allow me to heal."

I felt a rush of warmth as my powers returned to me and I thanked my wolf for returning my healing abilities. Every scratch, bruise and scar disappeared instantly, and I felt like a brand new wolf.

But Sebastian's rage was unstoppable. With a snarl, he turned on Fredrik, his claws cutting through the air. The two clashed, clawing and scratching as they rolled across the ground, soaked from the rain and covered in dirt.

Fredrik fought hard, but Sebastian's fury gave him the upper hand. With a brutal shove, he slammed Fredrik into the ground, his claws tearing through Fredrik's shirt, leaving deep gashes.

"Freddie!" John screamed, his voice raw with desperation, as he pulled at Sebastian.

"You've always been a pain in my side!" Sebastian growled.

At that exact moment, Sebastian turned on John, his eyes gleaming with a cruel and twisted look. Swiftly, his hand spun the silver knife, and before I could react, he plunged the knife into John's heart with a sickening slice.

"No!" I screamed, but the lashing rain swallowed the sound of my voice.

Red droplets sprayed in a gruesome arc as Sebastian yanked it free, and the metallic scent of blood filled the air. John's eyes widened in shock, a silent scream frozen on his lips before his body went limp and he crumpled to the ground.

"No!" Fredrik's anguished cry echoed through the street, a mix of fury and despair.

"John! Oh Goddess, please no!" Fredrik was by his little brother's side in an instant. His hands pressing desperately against John's chest, trying to stem the flow of blood.

"You can't die!" Tears streamed down his face. "Please, Johnny, your supposed to come home with me."

With a trembling, blood-soaked hand, John grasped Fredrik's arms. In a bubbling whisper, choking on his own blood, he said, "I n-never... c-completed my ritual ceremony." He swallowed. "I-I'm... I'm n-not... immortal like you."

His final breath escaped his lips, and his face turned the color of ash as his arm fell limp.

Dead.