Chapter 19
“What do they expect to gain from doing that?” A laugh escaped my lips-loud, but soulless. It sounded more like a sneer. “Think they can rejoin the herd after everything they’ve done? How ridiculous.”
Liam’s fingers gently traced the strands of my loose hair. “They’re just desperate. And desperate people do foolish things. Though both… are equally bad.”
I tilted my head, savoring the momentary reality that all my plans were unfolding perfectly. “You know, I can imagine Samuel’s face when he hears the news. Pale. Shocked. Maybe for the first time, he’ll feel truly lost.”
My cynical smile widened. “He must realize now… that he chose wrong. His mate was just a fragment of his own destruction.”
Liam smiled too, but his eyes looked at me gently. As if I wasn’t the girl who had just spoken of someone’s ruin, but a queen who had finally reclaimed her throne.
‘You’re truly extraordinary, Helena,” he whispered.
‘Sam, I think I want Liora and Kaylen’s ruin to be deeper. I’ll—”
‘I’ll handle it,” Liam interrupted. “The pack they’re with will expel them soon. It’s all easy.”
My smile widened. “Thank you. But what’s the payment for this?”
He leaned closer, the masculine, wolf-like scent of an Alpha emanating from his skin, making my heart race despite my efforts to stay calm.
‘The payment is simple,” he murmured softly in my ear. “Stay with me, until this game is over.”
looked at him, trying to read the meaning behind his words. But his gaze remained unchange -warm, full of desire, yet controlled. Unlike the other Alphas who were greedy and impatient.
_iam knew how to make a woman feel adored, yet still maintain her dignity.
‘I’m with you now. But after this game ends, after Liora and Kaylen are destroyed, then what?”
Liam’s face drew closer, his lips nearly touching my cheek as he whispered, “Then I will hold a mating ceremony for you. Under the full moon. In front of the entire pack. I will mark you then as my Luna. Officially. Forever.”
Our breaths mingled. And for a few seconds, the world fell silent. There was only me and Liam, in the space and time we had created ourselves-between vengeance and victory, between wounds and passion that was beginning to ignite.
I closed my eyes, feeling his fingers touch my chin. Our lips met, not wildly, but with acknowledgment. As if we both knew that all this pain and anger… ended here. In this embrace. His kiss was brief. But it was enough to ignite the heat behind my chest, which had been frozen for too long.
“Are you not angry that I once rejected you?” I asked hesitantly.
Liam shook his head firmly. “That was just your unstable teenage years. You were too innocent to make decisions.”
hope.”
He gently stroked my cheek. “I never gave hope. I gave a promise. And I will keep it, my strong
Luna.”
I returned his smile, then rested my head on his chest. For the first time in so long… I felt enough. Not like when I was with Samuel.
‘Do you two think the world belongs only to you?”
My father’s voice. We quickly moved apart and turned around. He stood there with a teasing expression on his face. But it was still intimidating.
hugged him. I missed him so much because my father had been so busy lately.
Alpha Liam, you really like my daughter, don’t you?”
iam nodded. His face was serious. “Very much. May I take her out to dinner tomorrow night ‘our Majesty?”
was surprised by Liam’s boldness in asking my father’s permission directly.
My father’s deep voice sounded slightly friendly. “Yes, I permit it.”
Ve looked at each other and smiled happily.
‘he next day, I prepared in my best dress. My favorite red dress, made specially for me. Tonight vasn’t just a childhood date, but a real one.
Princess Helena.”
in omega knocked on the door. I opened it.
Are you ready? Alpha Liam asked you to go ahead to the dinner venue. He’s preparing omething special for you.”
My heart felt like it was filled with flowers hearing that.
‘he driver took me there. Of course, I wasn’t alone; I was with three Darkvenom soldiers.
‘hroughout the journey, my heart warmed. I couldn’t stop smiling, thinking about how sweet
iam was.
We arrived after a thirty-minute drive. But my steps slowed when I found nothing there.
What kind of place is this?”
There was no romantic setting. Just an empty forest.
turned to look at the Darkvenom wolves. “Are you sure this is the place?”
They nodded confidently. “Of course. Alpha Liam told us to come here.”
I thought positively. Surely Liam had something I hadn’t thought of. Something sweeter than I could have imagined.
But I waited for almost an hour. He didn’t come.
“Did he trick me?” My voice was hoarse, my eyes were teary. I was too upset to wait any longer.
Helena
