Chapter 33
1661 Words
Gwen
I’d never been so eager to get out of a hospital room in my life.
The doctor gave me one final once-over, his voice calm but firm as he read through my charts. “You’re clear to go home, Your Grace,” he said with a small, reverent bow of his head.
I blinked at the title, still not used to being addressed like that. My heart fluttered and twisted at the same time.
Cain stepped forward first, wrapping a supportive arm around my waist, careful of how gently he held me. Cash was at my other side, practically bouncing in place, and Cole stood behind me like a quiet shadow, steady and grounded.
“You ready to go home?” Cain asked softly.
I nodded, a smile tugging at my lips. “More than ready.”
Their home—our home—was nestled on the eastern ridge of the Capital City Pack lands, a breathtaking sprawl of ancient stone, glittering glass towers, and endless green fields. The Pack House wasn’t just a building. It was a palace.
Cain held my hand the entire car ride, his thumb brushing over my knuckles as we rode through the winding roads that led to the pack’s heart. When we passed through the gates, I stared out the window, my breath caught in my throat.
The Capital City Pack made Middle Moon look like a village.
The streets were clean and buzzing with life. Wolves of every rank moved about with ease and purpose. Buildings stretched high with carved arches and balconies overflowing with greenery. A courtyard burst open before us, leading to a castle that shimmered in the early afternoon light—regal and intimidating.
“Don’t worry,” Cole said gently from the front seat. “It’s more home than castle once you’re inside.”
As soon as the car parked, Cain opened the door and offered his hand.
I took it and stepped into a world I was never meant to belong to—but somehow, had been destined for.
Inside the palace, I barely had time to take in the velvet-draped hallways and golden sconces before we were greeted by a regal-looking woman with silvery hair coiled atop her head. Her eyes were the same green as Cain’s.
“Mother,” Cain said. “This is Gwen.”
The Queen smiled.
Her arms opened, and before I could even brace myself, she pulled me into a hug that was surprisingly warm.
“I am so glad you’re safe, darling.” She pulled back and cupped my face. “I’ve heard everything. And I know it’s been a lot. You’re not alone anymore.”
Her voice had the soft cadence of someone who’d been through fire and lived to see the dawn. And when I looked into her eyes, I saw it.
“You used to be an Omega,” I whispered.
She smiled gently. “And now I’m Queen. Life doesn’t always make sense, but it always moves forward. And so will you.”
King Daemon entered a moment later—tall and formidable, with a presence that could silence an entire room. He nodded once at me. “Welcome home, Gwen.”
It was surreal.
I was a guest. A patient. A mate. A future queen.
And for the first time in so long… I felt safe.
Justin
The southern air was thick with humidity and the stench of desperation.
We’d just arrived on Ironclaw pack lands, the sun beating down on the cracked pavement outside Alpha Vincent’s estate. His guards stood like statues, but I could tell they were sizing us up, even as they opened the gates.
Inside, Vincent greeted us with a smile too white and too sharp.
“Alpha Karl. Justin. You’re both welcome here.”
“Appreciate the hospitality,” my father said coolly.
Vincent nodded and led us inside, through a home carved out of stone and bone, trophies from battles and betrayals lining every inch of the walls. The Ironclaw pack didn’t believe in subtlety.
We were given rooms. Food. Safety—for now.
I paced mine restlessly, rage boiling just beneath my skin.
Gwen.
She’d gotten away. Stolen from me by those bastard royals.
Mate bond or not, she was mine. I’d marked her with my touch. With my blood. She belonged in my bed, at my side, bearing my heir.
“She thinks she’s safe,” I muttered to myself. “Thinks being queen will save her.”
But queens could still fall.
I would get her back. Not because of love—never that. Because of power.
And when I did, I would remind her exactly who owned her body.
My father entered, his face grim. “We’ve lost most of the northern alliances,” he said. “Word of the raid spread fast.”
“Let them scatter,” I said. “We only need one opportunity.”
He raised a brow. “And what opportunity is that?”
I smiled.
“Her.”
Because if I could get to Gwen… I could destroy everything they built from the inside out.
Gwen
The room they led me to wasn’t a room—it was a sanctuary.
Sunlight poured through floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the pale lavender walls and a soft bed big enough to fit a small army. A chaise lounge sat in one corner, surrounded by bookshelves. A fireplace glowed gently against the far wall. I stepped inside slowly, my bare feet brushing over plush rugs and polished marble.
“This is your room,” Cain said softly. “We figured you'd want some space. At least right now.”
He looked down at me like I was made of moonlight and broken glass.
“I love it,” I said honestly, tracing a fingertip along the edge of a carved wooden dresser. “It feels like… mine.”
Cash appeared beside me before I noticed he’d even moved. His bright green eyes sparkled as he leaned against the bedpost, smirking.
“Finally,” he said. “I’ve been dying to do this.”
His fingers gently lifted my chin and, with no hesitation, he kissed me. Bold, heady, full of hunger and teasing heat. His mouth was warm and insistent, and his hand slid around my waist as he deepened the kiss. The mate bond flared instantly—electric, crackling between us like a live wire.
My knees weakened just as he broke the kiss, grinning like he’d won a prize.
“Been waiting weeks for that,” he murmured.
Before I could catch my breath, Cole stepped in, his expression shy but focused. “Can I?”
I gave the tiniest nod, still dazed, and he kissed me, too—softer, slower. His lips brushed mine like a secret he was whispering straight into my heart. There was so much sweetness in the kiss, and something else too. Possession. Longing.
His hand lingered at my waist, hesitant until I leaned into him. The moment deepened, his fingers tangling in my hair. He tasted like peppermint and warmth and the first pages of a well-loved book.
When we finally pulled apart, I was breathless.
Cain stepped in behind me, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His lips grazed the back of my neck, sending a shiver through me.
“I’ve waited long enough,” he whispered against my skin. “You’re mine. And I’ll never let anyone hurt you again.”
He turned me in his arms and kissed me like he was claiming me, body and soul. It was deeper than the others, darker—an ache I'd felt since the first moment I saw him without knowing what it meant. I melted into him, my hands gripping his shirt, the scent of him—cedarwood, steel, home—flooding my senses.
His tongue teased mine, and I moaned into the kiss, barely aware of Cash's hand brushing my lower back, Cole’s lips moving along my jaw. The bond between us all blazed to life, golden threads knotting around my ribs and heart.
Then—
A flash.
Justin’s weight on top of me.
The scent of alcohol and blood.
The cruel rasp of his voice.
The sound of fabric tearing.
“No—” I gasped, staggering back.
The room spun. My lungs seized.
“No, stop—don’t—” My knees buckled and I dropped to the floor, clutching my chest as panic swallowed me whole.
All the warmth was gone. My skin burned. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t breathe.
“Gwen!” Cain was in front of me instantly, his hands on my face. “Gwen, sweetheart, look at me. You’re safe. You’re safe.”
“I—I can’t—” My throat closed. “He—he—”
Cole’s hand wrapped around mine. Cash was kneeling beside me, panic on his face. But it was Cain’s voice that pulled me back.
“You’re not there anymore. He’s gone. He’ll never touch you again.”
The room faded in and out. I felt the bed behind me and strong arms lifting me gently onto it. Cain cradled me in his lap, rocking slowly, murmuring soft, steady words I couldn’t understand but somehow still needed.
It took minutes—maybe hours—before the tremors stopped.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered brokenly. “I wanted this—I do—but then I just—”
Cain pressed his forehead to mine. “You don’t have to explain. We’re not rushing anything. We’re yours, Gwen. On your terms. Always.”
Cole kissed the top of my head. Cash gently stroked my hair.
“I don’t want to be broken,” I whispered.
“You’re not,” Cole said softly.
“Not even a little,” Cash added.
And for the first time, surrounded by the three men fate had chosen for me, I believed it might be true.
- Writer
