Chapter: EPILOGUE I year later The wind blew again, this time stronger than the first. Alister adjusted the thick fur cloak on Luciana’s shoulders and smiled as she buried her head in the crook of his arms. In her condition, she wasn’t supposed to be there but she was as stubborn as him. “Do you think she’s looking down on us and regretting what she did?" Luciana mumbled. Alister sighed; he knew that Ophelia regretted what she did and that was why she had killed herself, but he didn't know whether she had found peace in the afterlife. “I hope she found peace after all”, he mumbled. “ I miss her…the kids too” Luciana said. Alister nodded. He wouldn’t admit it, but he also missed her. He had forgiven her for what she did and would have loved it if Ophelia knew that she was forgiven. They stayed that way for a while before someone cleared their throat behind them. He knew who it was even before he turned to face the person. Elijah was standing there with a white rose in his hands, Ophelia’s favorit
Последнее обновление: 2023-08-31
Chapter: chapter 80Alister’s POVThe fight is in full force, and so far, the Black Moon pack seems to be holding their own. He looked around the fighting ground once again and couldn’t spot his uncle Helster. He knew his uncle’s wolf by now. If Helster’s wolf wasn’t on the battlefield, then where was he?A rogue charged at him, and he pounced on the wolf, tearing its spine away from its body and killing it instantly. The more Rogues they fight and kill, the more additional Rogues charge out of the woods.He saw Elijah finishing off another rogue, and his mind linked to him.“Helster is not here; why?”Elijah turned around and shifted into his human form. He ran back to where Alister was standing, already shifted into his human form.“I wouldn't want to believe that he’s hiding." Alister said.Elijah shook his head and said, “He wants the pack; he’s not hiding. I think he wants to sneak into the pack from another border. Catch us unawares." he said.Just then, as Alister wanted to respond, Peter’s
Последнее обновление: 2023-08-31
Chapter: chapter 79Luciana’s POVElder Haruto is dead. Wilson had said to her last night after he had returned to his house. He was now the head of the council and would preside over their case. She felt relieved that things were indeed working in their favor.Luciana shifted in her chair. She was waiting for their case to be called, like every other person who was there. She looked around, trying to see if Alpha Reed was already there, but she didn’t see him.Maybe it was a good thing that they would meet inside and not out in the open, she didn't know if she could control herself if she saw him out there in the open.“Black Velvet Pack!" a werewolf standing by the door called.She saw an Alpha stand up and walk into the room where the hearing was being held. Their case was the next one; she had seen the order earlier when Wilson had spoken to her.She pulled the folder out and held it firmly on her lap. The future of their pack depended on her, and as much as she had been the one who had caused all th
Последнее обновление: 2023-08-30
Chapter: chapter 78Alister’s POVIt was hard. Knowing that his mate was somewhere in the council, doing what he was supposed to be doing, was hard. It had been hard letting her go, and even now, he had to restrict himself from entering a car and driving to the council." Daddy… I want to pee." Keita said, tapping his leg.Alister rolled his eyes, looking down at the boy. “You just did that like five minutes ago”, he mumbled.Keita frowned. “I know, but I still want to go. Mom would be upset if I peed on myself,” he said, pouting his lips.Alister shook his head. Either Keita was missing his mother and didn’t know how to communicate his feelings, or he was trying to be difficult and frustrate him. He suspected it was both.“Fine, let’s go”, he said, picking Keita up. The moment he moved to leave, Omar jumped up from the chair and followed them. Alister sighed. It was going to be hard trying to pull Omar away from him when the time came to defend the pack, and Luciana was not yet back.Thankfully, the re
Последнее обновление: 2023-08-30
Chapter: chapter 77Reed’s POVReed arrived at the council the next morning. He could feel his victory, and that gave him the confidence to enter the council building. He still had time before the hearing, so he decided to pay a visit to Veronica, his mother.Her office was not far from the academy. He climbed the stairs and walked down the hallway until he got to her door.He knocked twice and waited for her response before pushing the door open and entering the small office. His mother was sitting behind her desk, and she looked like she had never aged since he last saw her.Veronica lifted her head and the surprise on her face was obvious. He didn't blame her for being shocked at him standing in her office; he too would be shocked if he were in her position.Growing up, they never had the best mother-son relationship. She was more like a figure who was just there beside his father. He hated her for that—for not loving him like every other mother loved their children.She pulled the glasses off her fac
Последнее обновление: 2023-08-30
Chapter: chapter 76Luciana’s POVLuciana closed the zipper of her luggage with a sigh. She was ready to leave, but her heart couldn’t bear to see them all as she was leaving. She could hear the different voices gathered in her living room to bid her goodbye.She sighed and dragged her luggage out of the room, walking down the stairs.“Oh Lucia." Ophelia mumbled, coming up to her to envelope her in a huge hug. Luciana buried herself in the hug.It wasn’t that she was going away from the council for long. Hell, she was just going to be gone for two or three days, so she didn't understand why they were all acting like she was going to be gone for a year.“Take care of yourself and my boys,” she muttered close to Ophelia’s ears.Ophelia nodded her head and released her. “I will. Stay safe,” she said, taking the luggage from Luciana and carrying it outside towards the waiting car.Alister was the next one to come up to her. He was holding Omar, who had refused to let him go and was clinging to him.“You can
Последнее обновление: 2023-08-30
Chapter: 122.Samantha’s POVThe first thing I noticed when I stepped out of the cab was how loud everything felt.Noise hit me before the air even touched my face.Cameras popped like rapid gunfire near the airport entrance, a chaotic strobe of flashing lights. Voices rose and crashed over each other, forming messy waves of questions that slammed straight into my nerves. My own name. Anthony’s name. Words like scandal, replacement, partnership, rumors, sponsorship. None of it lined up cleanly in my head.I had told myself in the mirror that morning that I was ready. Prepared. Calm.But the moment the first reporter lunged forward, mic jutting toward me like a spear, every ounce of that confidence shattered, I froze.“There she is. Samantha Meadows, look here. Samantha, over here, is it true you and Anthony are training privately without Celeste’s approval?”“What happened to Celeste? Is she stepping down?”“Is it true Anthony handpicked you for something bigger?”“Is he replacing Celeste permane
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-19
Chapter: 121.Samantha’s POV I was too tired to argue, and honestly, my nerves were buzzing too much to eat properly. The festival wasn’t just a performance; it was a charity gala supporting visually impaired youth. Anna had been invited to attend, as a former skater who’s battling with an eye condition, but she refused because she didn’t want to “hover like a nervous parent.” Her words, not mine.“So… you packed everything?” Ryan asked, leaning slightly forward like he was bracing for an important answer.“Yes,” I said, taking a sip of tea. It was still too hot and burned my tongue, which somehow felt like the universe agreeing with my mood.He nodded quickly, as if this was step one of a very serious checklist he had personally created. “Good. Great. Very organised. So, um… need help carrying your bags? I can handle it.”“I’m fine,” I replied, trying not to sound like I was chewing glass.“Oh. Okay. Cool.” He nodded again, his fingers tapping a jittery rhythm on the table. “Cool. Cool.” Then he
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-18
Chapter: 120.Samantha’s POVThe morning of the festival trip started earlier than I wanted. My alarm hadn’t even buzzed yet when a soft knock tapped on my bedroom door.“Samantha? You awake?”I recognized the voice immediately and resisted the urge to roll my eyes. Ryan. Anna’s cousin. Twenty-seven, cheerful to the point of irritation, “helpful” in the way someone becomes when they want to impress you. He had arrived two nights ago, suitcase in hand, all smiles and confidence. And apparently, very little respect for privacy.“One second,” I called out, though my voice barely carried through the door. I Dragged myself upright, feeling every inch of my body protest the hour, and grabbed the oversized hoodie at the foot of the mattress. The room was still dim, still warm from sleep, still quiet enough that I could pretend I had a choice in whether to face the day.I shuffled to the door and cracked it open an inch. “What is it?” I mumbled in my sleep voice.Ryan’s grin was already there, stretched
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-17
Chapter: 119.Celeste’s POV My voice was iron. Hearing it out loud made something shift inside me. It felt like a lock turning, like a gate slamming shut. And with that came a cold, awful relief, somewhere between victory and ruin.Parker gave a slow nod, approval balanced with caution. “Understood. We will move quickly. Expect calls, subpoenas, and a lot of communication from us. And Celeste…” He folded his hands neatly on the desk. “…prepare yourself for scrutiny. Every detail of your career, your injury, your recovery, your relationship with Anthony. It will all be pulled apart.”I inhaled, bracing. “I know.”He watched me for a moment, studying my tension like it was an X-ray only he could read. “There are rules you need to follow from this point forward. Nonnegotiable rules.”“Okay,” I said. A part of me straightened instinctively, like I was being coached again. “Tell me.”“First,” he said, lifting a finger, “you do not meet with Anthony. Not privately, not accidentally, not for closure, no
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-16
Chapter: 118.Celeste’s POVParker folded his hands again. “Good. From here on, we take each step strategically. I will handle the legal response. You focus on staying quiet publicly. No social media posts. No vague quotes that can be used against you. Anything you say will be monitored.”I forced a breath. “Fine.”“And Celeste,” he added, his tone softening, “I know you want justice. You deserve justice. But I also want to keep you protected. Let me take the hits for you in court, not in the media.”His words steadied something inside me, even if only for a moment.I sat back in the chair, letting the reality settle: Anthony was fighting, the federation would watch, the press would circle, and this was only the beginning.But for the first time in days, my fear slowly sharpened into focus.“If he wants a war,” I said quietly, “then he picked the wrong person to underestimate.”Parker gave a small, approving smile. “Then let us build the strongest case possible.”I nodded, gripping the armrests of
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-15
Chapter: 117.Celeste’s POVThe receptionist at the front desk greeted us politely, her professional smile not quite hiding the flicker of recognition in her eyes. I was used to it by now, the whispers, the pitying looks, but I didn’t meet her gaze. I just signed in and followed Lena down the hall.“You okay?” Lena asked quietly once we were out of earshot.“I’m fine,” I lied. “Just… tired.”“Tired,” she repeated softly, as if testing the word. “You’ve been tired since the fall.”I didn’t answer that. I couldn’t.We stopped outside Parker’s office, his name gleaming in gold on the frosted glass. Lena turned to me, her voice low. “Whatever he says, don’t lose your cool, okay? That’s exactly what Anthony’s hoping for.”I gave a humorless laugh. “I stopped losing my cool a long time ago.”She raised a brow. “You sure about that?”I sighed. “No.”Before I could second-guess myself, Lena pushed open the door.Attorney Parker’s office smelled faintly of leather and old paper when I arrived. He greeted m
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-14
Chapter: EPILOGUE Avery's POVThe late afternoon sun bathed the garden in soft golden hues, casting a warm glow over rows of blooming hydrangeas, roses, and lilies.Every seat was filled, family and friends gathered beneath an arch woven with white fabric and delicate greenery. Soft music floated in the air, a gentle tune that carried laughter, hope, and all the emotions neither Asher nor Avery could quite put into words.Avery stood at the far end of the aisle, her hand clutching a small bouquet of peonies, her favorite. Georgia had insisted they were perfect for her. Laurel smoothed the soft lace sleeve of her dress one last time and gave her a wink before stepping back. The twins stood near Asher and Nolan in matching suspenders and little bow ties, trying to look serious but clearly bubbling with excitement.She took a shaky breath.The dress was not elaborate, nothing like the one she had imagined as a little girl. It was simple, soft ivory satin, gently hugging her shape before flowing to the g
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-20
Chapter: 149.Avery's POV Dinner at the Storm mansion was nothing like Avery remembered dinners being. They weren’t stiff or quiet or awkward, filled with measured words and judging glances. No, this was something else entirely. The long oak table was crowded, the air warm with laughter and the smell of roasted chicken and garlic bread. Glasses clinked. Kael had already spilled his juice twice. Neal and Noel were giggling about a secret joke only they understood, and Georgia had her hair tied in a loose bun, her smile softer than Avery had ever seen.Asher sat beside Avery, his hand brushing hers every now and then beneath the table, a silent reassurance that she still hadn’t imagined it all, that this was her life now. Her real life.Laurel was seated across from her, cutting up Kael’s chicken while the boy alternated between chattering and shoving bread into his mouth. He was a sweet kid, smart, and a little shy when he’d first arrived. But tonight, he seemed to belong as naturally as the oth
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-20
Chapter: 148.Asher’s POV The words hit him, not like a shock, because he already knew, but like a gentle confirmation of something sacred he had held quietly, painfully, hopefully in his heart for months.He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her face. Her eyes were wide, bracing for rejection or disbelief. It made something burn hot inside him, protective, fierce.“I know,” he said softly.Her breath caught. “Y-you… already know?”He nodded.“When? How?” Her voice was a whisper of confusion, maybe even fear.Asher exhaled slowly. “From the very moment I saw Neal at the shopping mall.” His lips curved, faint and bittersweet. “His blond hair… the same shade I had when I was six. The same curls. The same dimples.” He paused, emotion tightening his voice. “He looked exactly like me. They both do.”Avery stared at him in stunned silence. He could almost see the thoughts rushing through her, shock, disbelief, relief, guilt, hope. They all flickered in her eyes like shifting light.“And Noel?”
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-20
Chapter: 147.Asher’s POVAsher stared at her, breath caught in his throat, as if the world had paused just to let her words sink in.Pregnant.The soft echo of that single word seemed to linger in the air long after Avery spoke it.Her eyes were wide, unfocused, almost dazed. Her lips parted slightly as though she herself could not believe what she had just said. Her fingers drifted down to touch her stomach in an unconscious, gentle motion, like someone seeking reassurance that what they realized was real and not imagined.Asher’s heart began pounding in a slow, heavy rhythm that made it difficult to breathe. He moved closer without realizing it.Avery licked her lips nervously. “I just realized,” she said softly. “It hit me when I felt the nausea earlier. And then I counted. The days. The symptoms. It makes sense now.”The room around him faded into a distant blur. The hum of the machines, the faint footsteps in the hallway, even the soft breathing of the boys asleep on the couch. All of it shra
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-20
Chapter: 146.Avery’s POVThe knock on the hospital room door was soft, almost hesitant. Avery had just managed to settle herself back on the bed, the slight nausea that had lingered since the morning finally easing. She looked up, expecting another nurse or perhaps the doctor, but was stunned silent when the door opened and Grandfather Wellesley stepped inside.He was dressed in his usual pristine suit, his silver cane tapping softly against the floor as he walked in. His expression was not as cold as she remembered it, though still reserved.“Good afternoon,” he said, voice gentle but formal.Avery blinked, her heart skipping slightly. “Mr. Wellesley… I wasn’t expecting you.”He nodded, as if that much was obvious. “I imagine not.”She instinctively sat up straighter, adjusting the blanket over her legs. She hadn’t seen him since before all this. The last time she had spoken to him was when she had walked out of the Wellesley home, after discovering the truth about herself.And now, the real Av
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-20
Chapter: 145.Avery’s POV The woman swallowed hard, guilt tightening her voice. “Someone else… someone working against Henry must have known about the meeting. They must have been watching. And when I didn’t arrive, they mistook you for me.”A chill crawled down Avery’s back.“They took you from the bar,” the woman said softly. “lead you to the hotel room I was meant to enter. You were drunk, confused… and they thought you were me.”Avery’s eyes widened, a helpless whisper escaping her. “But the accident…”The woman nodded slowly, grief tightening her jaw. “The van. The hit. That part wasn’t meant for you either. They were targeting me because of what Henry gave me. But you were the one they followed that night.”Avery felt her stomach twist. Her breath came in shallow gasps.“I had no idea who you were,” the woman added, tears filling her eyes. “I only knew that someone had survived the accident. I didn’t know your name. I didn’t know your story.”Avery stared at her, unable to speak, unable to b
Последнее обновление: 2025-11-20
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