Tamara's POV Reuben sneered at me. “Luna Tamara,” he spat with contempt, “you’re hereby under arrest for murder and terrorism.” The words hit me like a punch to the chest, and I stared at Reuben in shock as my mind began reeling. Murder and Terrorism? His words made absolutely no sense, and yet the anger in his voice was unmistakable. Someone had been attacked and killed, and they were blaming me for it? But who had died? And who was trying to pin it on me? I remembered George telling me not to stirr up any more trouble for Dante, and Cold fear crept up my spine, but I forced myself to hold my ground, hoping that if I stayed calm, maybe Reuben would explain himself. “I don’t understand…” I managed, my voice coming out far softer than I intended. “What exactly are you talking about, Reuben? What attack? I don't know what you're talking about." Reuben glared at me with disgust and hatred. “That’s what all criminals say when they're caught,” he replied with scorn before
Authors note I want to apologize for any inconsistencies or errors you might find in the next few chapters. I was a little pressed for time, but I promise to correct them all before the 5th of November 2024, so please bare with me, or feel free to pause until then. Thank you so much for giving my book a chance, and leaving comments, I'm learning to write better each day because of you. Lots of love 🥰🥰 Tamara's POV The guards had me by both arms, dragging me across the gravel toward the waiting car. My wrists ached from the handcuffs, cold steel biting into my skin, and the sound of my boots scraping against the ground made me grit my teeth. But that wasn’t what twisted a knot in my stomach—it was the fact that, all around, I saw no sign of Violet, Sophie, or anyone from my group. "Where are they?" I demanded, straining against the guards’ grip. “What did you do with my friends?” A low chuckle made me glance up, and there was the smug asshole Reuben smirking. “Oh, don’t
Tamara's POV Yea, I was pretty sure that fairness, was probably the last thing on Reuben's mind. I finally ealized then that the investigation was unavoidable; it was coming for us, whether we wanted it or not. We couldn’t run from it, and if we didn’t prepare ourselves, we’d only be more vulnerable. As much as I hated feeling cornered, I was beginning to see that the best we could do was be ready. I turned to Sophie, forcing myself to sound steady. “How exactly does the investigation process work, Sophie?” I asked. I didn’t know if I was ready to hear the answer, but I needed it anyway. Sophie sighed, clearly sharing my anxiety. “Well, they’re going to question all of us individually—our relationships, any connection with Adrian’s pack, and… they’ll want to know what we think about him.” Violet bit her lip. “So… what should we say?” Sophie glanced at her but didn’t respond directly. Instead, she looked back at me. “They’re going to ask about any interactions you had with A
Tamara's POV In the quiet that followed, I felt my thoughts drifting to Dante. I missed him, missed his steady presence, his reassurance. Did he even know where I was right now? And if he did, when would he come to me? These were the thoughts running through my mind as my brain finally shut down and I nodded off to sleep on the wall of the cold cell. I jerked awake on the cold stone floor of the cell, my body stiff and aching. My friends lay curled up around me, their breathing shallow, but it was the loud voices beyond the cell door that pulled me out of sleep completely. "Dante!" Reuben’s voice echoed down the hall, laced with barely controlled anger. "Stop attacking my warriors and let them go!" My heart hammered in my chest. Dante was here. He’d come for me. I struggled to my feet, pressing myself against the heavy cell door, desperate to hear every word. "How dare you!" Dante’s voice was lethal, filled with barely restrained fury. "You had the audacity to arrest my fiancée
Tamara's POV After Dante pulled me from that cold cell, he didn’t let go of me—not for a second. Even as we moved through the hallways and out into the fresh air, I kept whispering, “Dante, please. I’m fine, I can walk.” But he just tightened his hold, his expression hard and focused.We reached his car, and he finally set me down, but it was only so he could tuck me safely inside before slamming the door shut and circling to the driver’s side. I glanced back and saw my friends climbing into another vehicle, Casper giving me a small thumbs-up before they pulled away.The drive back to the hotel was tense and quiet. I could feel Dante’s anger radiating off him in waves. He gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white, his jaw clenched, and his eyes focused on the road, barely blinking.Once we arrived, Dante parked and came around to my side. Before I could protest, he scooped me up again, ignoring my protests with a determined look. “Dante, really,” I said, my voic
Tamara's POV The next morning, Dante’s hands moved over my shoulders, his fingers easing out the tension that had taken root from everything I’d been through. I closed my eyes, letting out a quiet sigh, and for a moment, I felt safe. But just as I was sinking deeper into the comfort of his touch, a loud, insistent pounding at the door jolted us both back to reality. Dante’s hands froze, and I felt his entire posture shift, tense and alert. He glared at the door with a look that promised trouble. “Stay here,” he muttered to me as he went to answer, but I knew by the way his shoulders were squared that this wasn’t a friendly visit. The door hadn’t even fully opened before a familiar, angry voice barged in. “Dante,” Reuben’s voice was hard and demanding, “you can’t just keep ignoring this. You don’t get to hide her away here while the rest of us are trying to clean up her mess.” Dante’s jaw clenched, and he tried to shut the door again, but Reuben jammed his foot in, refusing to le
Tamara's POV With one last glare, Reuben turned and walked out, slamming the door behind him. The moment he was gone, the tension in the room seemed to lift, but Dante was still visibly shaken, his fists trembling. He turned to me, his face softening. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have had to hear any of that. I never wanted him to treat you this way.” I managed a smile, reaching up to cup his face. “It’s okay, Dante. I’m fine. I know he doesn’t believe me, but that’s his problem, not ours.” Dante pulled me close, his arms wrapping around me as he buried his face in my hair, breathing in deeply. I felt the tension draining from him, slowly being replaced by the calm I hoped he’d find in my presence. We stood there in silence for a long moment, letting the weight of Reuben’s words dissipate, piece by piece.“You don’t deserve any of this,” he murmured finally, his voice thick with regret. “Reuben’s wrong, and he has no right to speak to you like that.” He pulled back just enough to loo
Tamara’s POV After Reuben stormed out, the air felt different, lighter somehow, but the tension still hung around us like a thick fog. Dante and I exchanged weary glances, both of us still processing the confrontation. I could see the resolve in his eyes, and it made me feel a little safer, even in the midst of all this chaos. That evening, we gathered in the hotel’s garden for what felt like our first real meeting since everything had blown up. The soft glow of lanterns illuminated the space, casting flickering shadows on the neatly trimmed hedges. The scent of blooming flowers filled the air, a stark contrast to the tumultuous emotions we were all grappling with. As I settled onto a bench, I couldn’t help but notice how much more relaxed Sophie and Violet seemed. Their cheeks had a healthy glow, and there was a brightness in their eyes that hadn’t been there before. I exchanged a glance with Dante, who raised an eyebrow, mirroring my surprise. “Looks like they’ve been pampered a
Kayla’s POVThe afternoon passed in a blur of laughter and easy conversation.Hector, for all his teasing and flirting, had actually behaved himself for the rest of the day.After our serious conversation, he had lightened the mood by joking about the way I eat strawberries—claiming I looked way too elegant for something so simple. I had thrown one at him in response, which only made him laugh harder.The picnic had been nice. No pressure, no drama. Just two people talking, enjoying the sun, and forgetting, for a little while, that there was a whole world waiting for us beyond the little patch of earth we had claimed.By the time Hector led me back to the palace, I felt warm and content—until I spotted Adrian, glaring at us.He was standing at the entrance, arms crossed over his chest, his dark eyes locked onto me with a storm brewing behind them.I swallowed.Yeah. He was mad.Hector must have noticed too because he let out a low whistle. “Oof. He looks like he’s about to rip my head
Kayla’s POVThe cool morning air streamed through the windows, but instead of feeling refreshed, I felt trapped.Adrian still had his arms wrapped around me, holding me against him as if he was trying to physically keep me from leaving. I hadn’t even tried to get up yet, but judging by the way his grip tightened every time I moved, I knew he was still dreading today.“Adrian,” I murmured, tilting my head up to look at him. His jaw was clenched, his dark eyes stormy with emotions he hadn’t voiced yet. “You’re holding me hostage.”“Good,” he muttered, his voice rough with sleep. “Then stay.”I sighed, lifting a hand to run my fingers through his hair. “You know I can’t. You promised Hector to let us spend the day together.”“You don’t have to go,” he countered, shifting to hover over me slightly. “Just say the word, and I’ll make up some excuse for you.”I smiled at his stubbornness, even if it was a little ridiculous. “You can't be the Alpha who goes back on his words. You know that’s
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,