For days, Dante had been by my side and i was truly grateful for that because his presence was a comforting balm against the storm that had torn through my life just recently. The ache in my neck from Jack’s cruel release had finally faded, leaving me with an exhilarating feeling of freedom. Since that day Dante saw me in pain, Every morning, I would wake up to the sight of his worried face scanning me for any sign of discomfort. "I already told you I'm fine." I would often argue but he would never listen as he made sure to do everything for me, even going as far as to change my clothes at night like a baby. it was unexpected but very touching to see how he had taken it upon himself to care for me in every way possible. I definitely never expected him to b like that, but I was beginning to like it a little too much. “Are you feeling any better today?” he asked one morning, brushing his fingers against my cheek as I stirred awake. “I am,” I replied, a smile spreading
I'm not kidding when I say that I was still reeling from the council’s ultimatum when the doorbell rang. My heart sank as I glanced at Dante, who had been pacing the living room with a frown etched on his face. “Who could that be?” I asked, glancing toward the door. “I’ll check,” he replied, striding toward the entrance. My stomach knotted as I wondered if the council had sent someone to further torment us. I believe it wasn't an understatement to say that I had had more than enough from those fuckers today. But to our shock, when Dante opened the door, it was a stunning woman stepping inside, her beauty shining from her like a tiara under the moonlight. She had long, flowing hair that framed her face perfectly, and her outfit hugged her curves in all the right places. “Hello, Dante,” she said sweetly, her voice dripping with false charm. “I’m here as your new concubine.” My heart dropped, and I felt the air leave my lungs. I stood frozen in place, my eyes darting between
The days passed slowly, and I soon found myself missing Dante more than I cared to admit. Damn it! I knew I should talk to him, but pride held me back. What if things went wrong again? What if he didn’t want to see me? Each time I thought about reaching out, I pushed the idea away. I could handle this. I didn’t need him. But the longer we stayed apart, the more I realized just how much I craved his presence. One evening, I was sitting in the common room, lost in my thoughts, when a commotion erupted outside. The loud shouts and chaos pulled me from my reverie. I rushed to the door and stepped outside, my heart pounding. What on earth was happening? The sight that greeted me was shocking. A group of people had gathered around Lilly, who stood in the center, her face twisted in fury. “Someone scraped off my hair! Look at this!” she yelled, pulling her hair back to reveal patches where it had been brutally ripped out. “What? How could this happen?” someone asked, glancing aroun
I was lying in bed, when the moonlight streaming through my window cast soft pretty shadows across the room. it looked like I was in a fairy tale movie which was the literal OPPOSITE of how I felt when I was back with Jack. My mind flashed back to Dante and I had to swallow a girlish giggle as warmth filled my heart when I recalled my day with the tall, handsome hunk of a man. We’d laughed, flirted, and shared funny and embarrassing stories. His huge hand in mine felt right, as if it belonged there, which was surprising because I never thought I could feel this happy again after everything that had happened in my past life. I snuggled deeper into my blankets, letting a small smile creep across my face. “Maybe we can finally be okay,” I whispered to myself, as a bit of hope fluttered in my chest. My eyes finally lulled closed, and I let sleep take over me. Somewhere in the night, a sound jolted me awake. I frowned, straining to listen. What the heck? Was that… footsteps? My
Jack's POV I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Kate from a distance as she brushed her hair. She had this soft glow about her lately— I guessed that it was the pregnancy that was doing that. Her usually flat belly had grown more round, and soft, and with it came the tiny signs of a life I not should have been more excited about. But this was the problem, I was not, and I wasn't sure why. This was what I’d always wanted, wasn’t it? A family, a child to continue my family's legacy. Yet now, as I watched Kate, the woman who was supposed to be the mother of my children, all I could feel was this heavy sense of detachment. like I was watching someone else's life or a movie, not my reality. I tried to remind myself several times that this was real. Kate was carrying my child, our child, and I was supposed to be filled with joy, but I wasn’t. All I could think about was Tamara—where she was, what she was doing, and how much I had lost when she slipped through my fingers. My chest t
Practically everyone knows that Adrian and Dante had been enemies for years, but Adrian had always been cautious to avoid any direct moves against him. So Why was he trying to go against him now? And how were we supposed to deal with Dante because I'm pretty sure he wasn't just going to let us casually walk out the with the woman he called his wife. “What about Dante? How do we handle him exactly? I asked, curiosity piqued. “well," Adrian sighed, I think It’s time we kill him, don't you think so?,” Adrian said quietly, his words deliberate. “We need to take him down if there's any hope of getting your woman, and I need your help to do it.” I blinked, as the wheels in mind raced. "Take him down? what the hell did he mean by take him down?Adrian had always been hesitant to go after Dante, worried about the consequences of open conflict. Dante was a brutal man that would never hesitate to kill Adrian and all his loved ones, so if he was suddenly confident about getting rid of Da
Tamara’s POVLater that night, I had Dante's arm wrapped lazily around me, his fingers gently stroking through my hair as he inhaled my scent softly.We were lying together in the warmth of his large bed and I snuggled deeper into his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat under my ear. Being in his arms always made me feel safe, like nothing else in the world mattered but the two of us, like Jack wasn’t trying to kill me and take my pack, like Ana, Lilly and other women weren’t trying to hurt me. It was perfect.“You know,” Dante’s deep voice finally broke the comfortable silence, “I’ve been thinking… I want you to meet my mother and, brother and sister. I think it’s about Time.”His words instantly sent a thrill of excitement through me, but that excitement was immediately followed by a wave of nerves. I tilted my head back slightly to look at him. “Really? You… you want me to meet them?”Dante chuckled softly, his hand continuing to run through my hair. “Of course. They’re the
Dante's POV I woke up with the morning light filtering through the curtains, casting a beautiful halo around Tamara’s face as she slept beside me. I smiled before giving into temptation and leaning over to press a kiss on her lips. Her eyes fluttered open with a smile, but then she paused and there was a hesitation in her gaze that was unmistakable. It was like she didn’t want to kiss me back right away, and it made my heart sink a little.“Good morning,” I whispered, trying to keep my voice light.“Morning,” she murmured, but there was a tightness to her smile.I leaned back, studying her for a moment. Ever since yesterday, when she accidentally bit me, something had shifted between us. I hadn’t thought much of it at the time—maybe she had just gotten a little too excited at the time and it didn’t bother me—but now, I could tell it must have been a problem to her. She kept withdrawing, pulling away whenever I tried to get close until I finally sighed.“You’re still thinking about
Kayla’s POVAdrian’s entire body was tense as we stepped out of the room. His grip on my hand was firm, his usual confident posture stiff with barely concealed irritation. I knew him well enough to recognize that he was already prepared for a fight.Hector stood at the end of the hallway, arms crossed, wearing a smirk that immediately set Adrian on edge. He was too relaxed, too amused, like he was waiting to provoke a reaction.“Kayla,” Hector greeted smoothly, his eyes flickering to me before shifting to Adrian with a knowing glint. “You’re looking lovely tonight.”Adrian’s grip on my waist tightened instantly, and I swore I could feel the heat of his glare. “Watch it Hector,” he snapped, voice low and full of warning. "She's Lady Kayla to you."Hector chuckled. “Relax, brother. It was just a greeting.”“That’s not how you greet her when I’m standing right here,” Adrian growled.I sighed, placing a calming hand on Adrian’s chest before this spiraled into another heated argument. “A
Kayla’s POVAfter my conversation with Candice, I felt a strange mix of emotions. A part of me was still frustrated with her, but another part couldn’t shake off the pity I felt. Her father treated her like she was nothing more than a disposable pawn, and I couldn’t imagine how that must have shaped her into the person she had become.I sighed, pushing the thoughts aside as I made my way to Adrian’s quarters. I didn't know if he was back but I needed to see him. Not just because he had a way of grounding me, but because I wanted to be near him after such a long, exhausting day.When I reached the door and opened it, I froze in surprise.The room was bathed in soft, golden light from several candles placed strategically around. A small dining table sat in the center, elegantly set for two, with a delicious-looking meal arranged neatly on the plates. A bottle of wine rested beside the dishes, and the scent of roasted meat, herbs, and something sweet filled the air.Adrian was waiting
Kayla’s POV I blinked, trying to process what she had just said. She took my funds? On purpose? Candice was the first to react, gasping loudly. “But why?” Lady Catherine didn’t look the least bit guilty. If anything, she seemed pleased with herself. “I needed to see how Kayla would handle a crisis. Unlike you, I already knew she had the skills to manage the funds well, given her past experience as Luna. So, I upped the challenge.” My mouth opened slightly in shock. “You knew about my work in my former Pack?” Lady Catherine smirked. “Of course. You think I wouldn’t do my research? I needed to test whether you could handle unexpected setbacks. And you outperformed my expectations. A test is not just about what you can accomplish with plenty of resources—but how you handle things when they are taken away." I swallowed, still processing what she had done. I had been thrown into that situation with no resources, and instead of crumbling, I found a way to help the orphanage. My frust
Kayla’s POV The sun dipped below the horizon as Ingrid and I left the orphanage.But the cool evening air doing little to clear the fog in my mind because The old woman’s insistent voice still rang in my ears. "I'm sure I remember you. You stayed at my orphanage once, didn’t you?" I had been too stunned to respond properly at the time. Now, as I replayed the conversation in my head, it still didn’t make sense. I had never lived in an orphanage. I knew that for a fact. After my parents died, I was taken in by Alpha Xavier’s family—not lovingly, not as one of their own, but as a maid. There certainly had been no orphanage. No kind old woman watching over me. So why had she been so sure? Maybe she was just mistaken. I shook my head, trying to push the thoughts away. The woman was old, and memories could blur with time. That had to be it. "Lady Kayla?" Ingrid’s voice pulled me from my thoughts. "Hm?" I turned to her, realizing she was staring out the window with a frown. She po
Kayla’s POVMy money was stolen.Only my money.I stood there, my mind racing, my hands shaking as the weight of it settled in. The test had barely started, and someone had already made sure I failed.I looked at the guard, my throat tightening. "It was only mine?"He nodded. "Yeas ma'am. Lady Candice’s money is still safely locked away, plus she has guards safeguarding it."A cold wave of realization hit me. Candice planned this. And now I was furious at myself for not expecting something like this."That snake," I hissed, clenching my fists.Ingrid crossed her arms. "It’s obvious she’s behind this. Who else would want to sabotage you like this?"I barely let her finish before storming off to get my money back.I found her in one of the palace meeting rooms, standing with a few of her followers. She looked up just in time for me to march straight up to her."Where is it?" I demanded.Candice smirked. "Where’s what?""My money!" I snapped. "Don’t play dumb."She tilted her head, feig
Kayla’s POVI woke up before sunrise, my nerves already getting the best of me.Today was the first day of training and The first test.I had no idea what to expect, and the thought of failing in front of Lady Catherine— and worse, having my bad report sent to the council—made my stomach twist uncomfortably.I sat up, rubbing my face, when I felt the bed shift beside me.Strong arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into the warmth of Adrian’s chest."You’re up too early," he murmured, his voice still thick with sleep.I sighed. "I have to be. I don’t exactly want to start my first day with your mother by being late."Adrian hummed, his lips brushing against my shoulder. "You’ll be fine, Kayla."I wasn’t so sure. "What if I mess up?""You won’t," he said, confident as ever. "And I’ll even check in on you later to show my support."That made me pause. "Really?"He nodded. "I want to see how you’re doing."Something warm settled in my chest at that.Adrian kissed my temple before
Kayla’s POVLady Catherine's gaze was sharp, cold, and unwavering.Even without her saying another word, I could already tell—this conversation wasn’t going to be a pleasant one.She wasn’t here for pleasantries.She was here to tackle something that had to do with me."You may have manipulated your way into getting engaged to the Alpha of the South," she said evenly, "but that does not make you an acceptable Luna of my pack yet, so don't go around town parading yourself as one."I swallowed. She must have heard about our outing.Beside me, Adrian’s body tensed. "Mother—"She raised a hand, silencing him effortlessly.I had never seen anyone talk to Adrian in that tone before. He must have a lot of respect for her.Lady Catherine turned back to me, her sharp eyes raking over my form as if she were already judging every flaw I had."Custom demands that all women who wish to become one of the Alpha's wives must undergo training," she continued. "You and Candice will both be instructed,
Kayla’s POVA slow warmth curled around me, pulling me from sleep. The bed was too comfortable, the scent surrounding me too delicious.It was Adrian, cuddling me without shame, and I was letting him.I could feel his gaze before I even opened my eyes."Are you awake, or are you pretending?"His voice was teasing, husky with amusement.I blinked my eyes open, only to be met with his smug expression.Adrian was close—leaning over me, his smoldering eyes full of mischief."You’re staring," I mumbled sleepily.He grinned. "Can you blame me? you're free to stare back."I scoffed and turned my face into the pillow. "You’re annoying.""And yet, you were seeking my touch in your sleep."I froze.My eyes snapped back open, and Adrian’s grin widened as he leaned even closer."Not like that," he added, his voice wicked. "Yet."I smacked his chest, my face burning. "You’re impossible!"Adrian laughed.Then, before I could retaliate, he sat back and stretched. "Come on. Get up. I have plans for u
Kayla’s POVI couldn’t stop thinking about it.Leo’s words echoed in my head like a haunting melody I couldn’t shake."I know your secret.""You’ll go missing, just like all those wolfless girls before you."My stomach twisted.How did he know?Who else knew?How long had they known?And worst of all—how much danger was I really in?I kept my face blank as Adrian led me out of the council hall, but my thoughts were anything but calm.I needed to figure out what to do.Fast.I barely noticed the drive back to the palace. My mind was still tangled in a mess of worry when Adrian’s voice suddenly cut through the haze."You’ve been quiet," he said, his golden eyes flicking to me with a hint of concern.I forced a small smile. "Just thinking about somethings. It's nothing to worry about."Adrian didn’t look convinced. "About what?"I hesitated.Should I tell him?Should I tell him that Leo knew everything—that he had practically threatened to make me disappear?The words were on the tip of