Kayla’s POVCandice’s eyes narrowed the moment she saw me.She stood in the doorway, her expression twisting from shock to rage in a matter of seconds.“What the hell is this?” she spat, her voice sharp and accusing.I blinked at her, still standing on the edge of Adrian’s bed—a fact I suddenly became very aware of. I refused to back down but the towel wrapped around me felt dangerously flimsy under Adrian's burning gaze.I lifted my chin. “I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing here?”Candice scoffed, storming further into the room. “I don’t need an invitation to enter my husband’s room!”I arched a brow. “Only Your husband?”“Yes!” she snapped. “And you—” she pointed a perfectly manicured finger at me, her eyes blazing with fury—“have no business being here!”I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to remain calm. “Actually, Adrian invited me.”Candice froze. “What?”I shrugged. “I didn’t break in, Candice. I was invited ofcourse.”Her face turned an alarming shade of red. “Yo
Adrian’s POVThe moment Candice stormed out, I exhaled through my nose, rubbing my temples.She was a damn headache, always had been, but this? Fighting with Kayla? That was crossing a line.A part of me wanted to drag her back and remind her—no, make her understand—that Kayla was mine now.But then my gaze flickered to Kayla.Half-naked in my room.Her towel barely clung to her curves, exposing smooth skin that made my fingers itch to touch her. My wolf stirred, watching her just as intensely as I was.She was stunning, standing there, defiant despite what had just happened. My future wife.Arranged marriage or not, I never wanted her to leave.I wasn’t supposed to feel like this. This whole thing was just a deal—a political arrangement—but looking at her now?I was excited.Hell, more than excited.I was desperate for this marriage to be permanent.I wondered if fate was playing with me—either pushing us together or laughing as it tried to pull us apart.Kayla turned toward Ingrid,
Alpha Xavier’s POVI gripped the edge of my desk so hard my knuckles turned white. My wolf snarled in my head, barely contained beneath my skin.That fucking bastard.That smug, conniving slimy bastard!I just got news that Alpha Adrian had refused my request to come claim the resources.A muscle ticked in my jaw as I read his Gamma Logan’s message again, as if the words would change:"Alpha Adrian regrets to inform you that he is unable to accommodate your request at this time due to internal matters. A new arrangement will be discussed soon."Bullshit.This wasn’t about internal matters.This was about Kayla.I had planned everything perfectly. I had intended to use the trip as an excuse—to get into Adrian’s territory, to see her again.Now Adrian was blocking me from going.Why?Was he trying to keep her from me?A growl rumbled low in my throat. My fingers dug into the wood of my desk, the edges beginning to splinter beneath the pressure.Kayla was mine.She had always been mine.
Alpha Xavier's POV The second I slammed the car door shut, my hands gripped the wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.I could still hear Mia’s voice in my head."She doesn’t belong to you, Xavier. She never will."I clenched my jaw, my chest heaving with barely contained rage.She was wrong. Kayla was mine.She had always been mine, and I wasn’t going to let Adrian keep her from me.If I couldn’t enter the South as an Alpha, I’d do it another way.No one was going to stop me from seeing her.I took a deep breath, started the car, and sped out of the pack grounds.I wasn’t thinking—I was acting.The drive to the Southern border was long, but I barely noticed. My mind was racing with plans, scenarios, excuses.By the time I neared the heavily guarded entrance to Adrian’s territory, I had already decided on my approach.I would lie.I wasn’t Alpha Xavier tonight. I wasn’t a man trying to take back what was his.I was just someone passing through on business.I pulled up to the chec
Kayla’s POV As soon as the door shut behind Ingrid, I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding. My fingers gripped my dress tightly, and I sank onto the edge of the bed, my heart still racing.What had just happened?A while ago, I had been standing half-naked in front of Alpha Adrian.I swallowed hard, feeling the heat rush back to my face at the memory.I had become painfully aware of the fact that I was wearing nothing but a towel. The realization had made me stiffen, my body locking up in embarrassment.I had refused to look at him. But that hadn’t stopped me from feeling his gaze on me.It had been intense. Heavy. Almost scorching.Even when I had looked away, I had felt it. Felt the way his dark eyes had slowly taken me in, as if he was seeing far more than just my damp skin.A shiver ran down my spine.And now I was alone—but the heat from his stare still lingered.I needed to clear my head. And I needed to get out of this room that smelt like him.When I stepped
Adrian’s POVFor a long moment, I just stared at the door, my whole body tensing with frustration.I clenched my fists so tightly my nails bit into my palms.For the second damn time—The second time—We had almost kissed.And again—again—someone had interrupted.I had never felt so fucking frustrated over something so simple.I wanted to punch the damn wall.Instead, I forced myself to take a slow, controlled breath before snapping, “I’m not in the mood for dinner!”I was in the mood for something else I realized as my gaze flickered to Kayla's lips again.There was a long pause outside the door before the maid mumbled a quick, nervous, “Understood, Alpha,” and scurried away.I exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to my temple.Then my gaze flickered back to Kayla.She was still right there, her wide eyes darting away shyly, her cheeks flushed.But what had my focus was her lips. The way they were still parted slightly, soft and inviting.I wanted to taste them. Hell, I wanted to do more
Tamara's POV On the day I died, my husband was too busy having sex with my sister to care. The world around me had blurred as the poison my husband fed me coursed through my veins. “Please… someone… help me,” I begged, but my voice was too weak. I painfully dragged myself across the cold floor, desperately trying to reach my guards who were standing just outside the door. “Please …h-help.” I cried louder but they did nothing, even though they clearly heard me. They were choosing to leave me, their Luna to die on my cold bedroom floor. Above the sound of my cries, I could still hear the sound of my bed creaking as my husband continued to fuck my sister on my bed just a few feet from me. “Yes! Fuck me Jack, claim me so your wife can see. Yes! Harder Jack!” My sister Kate moaned as my husband continued to pound her into the bed. I tried to turn my head away but the movement felt agonizing, so I was forced to watch Jack’s hips furiously thrusting into Kate. Jack was
Tamara’s POV I tried to scream for help again, but Kate snarled at me. “Stop it Tamara. No one is coming to save you. I already killed all your friends, and your parents are dead too. And thanks to me, the whole pack believes you’re a killer so everyone hates you now.” Kate laughed. I was devastated to realize that she was right. I had no one left. Since the day she moved into our house two years ago, she had managed to successfully turn everyone against me. Everyone who tried to help me was executed for treason. I was all alone. My heart broke even more. “You won’t get away with this Kate! I swear you won’t!” I choked out. Kate laughed, a loud chilling sound. “Oh darling, but I already have. I got away with it since that day you first let me step foot into this house, years ago. Your fate was sealed that day." She said and I cried harder. Kate suddenly pulled out a long dagger and aimed it at my chest. “Sorry sister, but it’s time for you to go now, Goodbye, Tamara,”
Adrian’s POVFor a long moment, I just stared at the door, my whole body tensing with frustration.I clenched my fists so tightly my nails bit into my palms.For the second damn time—The second time—We had almost kissed.And again—again—someone had interrupted.I had never felt so fucking frustrated over something so simple.I wanted to punch the damn wall.Instead, I forced myself to take a slow, controlled breath before snapping, “I’m not in the mood for dinner!”I was in the mood for something else I realized as my gaze flickered to Kayla's lips again.There was a long pause outside the door before the maid mumbled a quick, nervous, “Understood, Alpha,” and scurried away.I exhaled sharply, pressing a hand to my temple.Then my gaze flickered back to Kayla.She was still right there, her wide eyes darting away shyly, her cheeks flushed.But what had my focus was her lips. The way they were still parted slightly, soft and inviting.I wanted to taste them. Hell, I wanted to do more
Kayla’s POV As soon as the door shut behind Ingrid, I let out a breath I hadn’t even realized I was holding. My fingers gripped my dress tightly, and I sank onto the edge of the bed, my heart still racing.What had just happened?A while ago, I had been standing half-naked in front of Alpha Adrian.I swallowed hard, feeling the heat rush back to my face at the memory.I had become painfully aware of the fact that I was wearing nothing but a towel. The realization had made me stiffen, my body locking up in embarrassment.I had refused to look at him. But that hadn’t stopped me from feeling his gaze on me.It had been intense. Heavy. Almost scorching.Even when I had looked away, I had felt it. Felt the way his dark eyes had slowly taken me in, as if he was seeing far more than just my damp skin.A shiver ran down my spine.And now I was alone—but the heat from his stare still lingered.I needed to clear my head. And I needed to get out of this room that smelt like him.When I stepped
Alpha Xavier's POV The second I slammed the car door shut, my hands gripped the wheel so tightly my knuckles turned white.I could still hear Mia’s voice in my head."She doesn’t belong to you, Xavier. She never will."I clenched my jaw, my chest heaving with barely contained rage.She was wrong. Kayla was mine.She had always been mine, and I wasn’t going to let Adrian keep her from me.If I couldn’t enter the South as an Alpha, I’d do it another way.No one was going to stop me from seeing her.I took a deep breath, started the car, and sped out of the pack grounds.I wasn’t thinking—I was acting.The drive to the Southern border was long, but I barely noticed. My mind was racing with plans, scenarios, excuses.By the time I neared the heavily guarded entrance to Adrian’s territory, I had already decided on my approach.I would lie.I wasn’t Alpha Xavier tonight. I wasn’t a man trying to take back what was his.I was just someone passing through on business.I pulled up to the chec
Alpha Xavier’s POVI gripped the edge of my desk so hard my knuckles turned white. My wolf snarled in my head, barely contained beneath my skin.That fucking bastard.That smug, conniving slimy bastard!I just got news that Alpha Adrian had refused my request to come claim the resources.A muscle ticked in my jaw as I read his Gamma Logan’s message again, as if the words would change:"Alpha Adrian regrets to inform you that he is unable to accommodate your request at this time due to internal matters. A new arrangement will be discussed soon."Bullshit.This wasn’t about internal matters.This was about Kayla.I had planned everything perfectly. I had intended to use the trip as an excuse—to get into Adrian’s territory, to see her again.Now Adrian was blocking me from going.Why?Was he trying to keep her from me?A growl rumbled low in my throat. My fingers dug into the wood of my desk, the edges beginning to splinter beneath the pressure.Kayla was mine.She had always been mine.
Adrian’s POVThe moment Candice stormed out, I exhaled through my nose, rubbing my temples.She was a damn headache, always had been, but this? Fighting with Kayla? That was crossing a line.A part of me wanted to drag her back and remind her—no, make her understand—that Kayla was mine now.But then my gaze flickered to Kayla.Half-naked in my room.Her towel barely clung to her curves, exposing smooth skin that made my fingers itch to touch her. My wolf stirred, watching her just as intensely as I was.She was stunning, standing there, defiant despite what had just happened. My future wife.Arranged marriage or not, I never wanted her to leave.I wasn’t supposed to feel like this. This whole thing was just a deal—a political arrangement—but looking at her now?I was excited.Hell, more than excited.I was desperate for this marriage to be permanent.I wondered if fate was playing with me—either pushing us together or laughing as it tried to pull us apart.Kayla turned toward Ingrid,
Kayla’s POVCandice’s eyes narrowed the moment she saw me.She stood in the doorway, her expression twisting from shock to rage in a matter of seconds.“What the hell is this?” she spat, her voice sharp and accusing.I blinked at her, still standing on the edge of Adrian’s bed—a fact I suddenly became very aware of. I refused to back down but the towel wrapped around me felt dangerously flimsy under Adrian's burning gaze.I lifted my chin. “I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing here?”Candice scoffed, storming further into the room. “I don’t need an invitation to enter my husband’s room!”I arched a brow. “Only Your husband?”“Yes!” she snapped. “And you—” she pointed a perfectly manicured finger at me, her eyes blazing with fury—“have no business being here!”I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to remain calm. “Actually, Adrian invited me.”Candice froze. “What?”I shrugged. “I didn’t break in, Candice. I was invited ofcourse.”Her face turned an alarming shade of red. “Yo
Kayla’s POV I must have misheard him. There was no way Adrian just said what I thought he did. I blinked at him, trying to process the words that had just left his mouth. “I’m sorry—what?” Adrian stood in front of me, his face annoyingly unreadable as he repeated himself. “You’ll be staying in my room tonight.” I choked. “Are you serious?”Adrian let out a low chuckle. “Oh, I'm very serious.”"Is this really necessary?” I pulled away and crossed my arms, feeling a little too exposed under his sharp gaze. “I mean, come on, do they really expect us to actually start so soon—” “Yes,” Adrian interrupted, his voice calm but firm. “They do.” I frowned, my heart pounding. “But why? It’s not like the council is going to stand outside the door and—” “They don’t need to but-" He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. “They already suspect that our marriage isn’t real. If they think I’m just using you to avoid a political match or avoid your banishment, they’ll find a way to force
Kayla’s POV I sat stiffly in the grand council hall, my hands gripping the edges of my chair so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My head was still spinning, my heart racing so fast that I could barely think straight.This couldn’t be real.It had to be some twisted form of a joke.But the murmurs around the room, the weight of the councilmen’s gazes, and the thick tension in the air told me otherwise.I was truly trapped.Marry Alpha Adrian. Share him with Candice. Bear his child or get sent back to the abusive husband and his mistress who killed your child, rejected you, turned you into a maid and sold you off after trying to rape you.The choice was easy but not at all fair or humane.It sounded like something out of a cruel joke, except no one was laughing. Least of all me.I wasn’t afraid of the part about being forced to have children for a man I had just recently met. Because I knew something none of them did and that was that I couldn’t have them.The real problem? If I
Kayla's POV I could barely keep up with the guards as they led me down a long, dimly lit corridor. My hands were clammy, my stomach a tangled mess of knots, and my heart pounded so hard I could feel it in my throat.I had no idea why I was being brought to the council hall, but the way the guards flanked me on either side, their expressions blank and unreadable, made my nerves skyrocket.Something was wrong.Terribly wrong.When the large double doors at the end of the hall finally loomed ahead, my steps faltered. The guards didn’t stop, and before I knew it, they pushed open the doors, revealing the council hall in all its intimidating glory.I froze.The room was huge—far bigger than I could have ever imagined a pack would have. Grand marble pillars stretched high up to the domed ceiling, the intricate golden chandeliers casting a regal glow over the long, crescent-shaped table where more than a few dozen councilmen were seated.And every single one of them was staring directly at