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
Tamara’s POV This morning, as I watched Dante drive away, the sudden pang of heartache that hit me hard, caught me off guard.I mean, I knew he was only supposed to be gone for two days, but the way the thought of him being away made my chest tighten, you would have thought he had dumped me. This wasn’t the first time we’d been apart, because it was not so long ago that I was giving him the silent treatment over Ana, but this separation felt different today. It felt much much worse.I returned to our room and sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the door he had just walked through, realizing how much I had grown attached to him. Wasn’t it a little too much? Like, it was just a few weeks ago that I was vowing off men for good, and now it felt like I was addicted to his presence. Was this just a reaction from the mating bond, or something more?It has to be the bond, I told myself, frowning slightly.But my wolf stirred within me, her voice brushing against my mind with disb
Adrian’s POV The moment the warrior burst into the room, his face pale with urgency, I knew something was wrong. “The border—” he gasped. “It’s been breached.” I froze immediately. “By who?” The guard hesitated, then spoke. "We aren't sure sir. You need to see this by yourself." For a second, the words didn’t quite register. A breach? In our territory? That wasn’t supposed to happen. We had one of the strongest security systems in place. How the hell did someone get through? 'How did they even find the audacity to get through? And what did they want?' Is what I thought. But then— My mind went to Kayla. I needed to keep her safe at all costs. I didn't remember my pack, I didn't remember my people or any of the things I used to think about, all I remembered was Kayla. From that moment, my mind snapped. I barely remembered giving Logan orders. All I knew was that I needed to keep her safe. I remembered turning to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and saying “Stay her
Kayla’s POV "Did you really think I’d let you go, Kayla?” It growled. That voice. It was familiar. Too familiar. But that wasn’t possible because I couldn't remember hearing it before. Plus the fact that they were bold enough to intrude the south was a problem. I stood frozen, my heart hammering against my ribs as the shadows shifted near the doorway. Adrian was already in front of me, his body tense, it was like he was shielding me from the possible attack coming. His dark eyes burned with a dangerous intensity. “You need to stay hidden here, this palace is the safest place, Kayla,” he ordered. I barely heard him. My mind was racing, trying to place that voice—the one that had sent chills through my spine. It couldn’t be… But before I could think further, a deafening howl rang through the air. Then another. Then— Chaos erupted. --- Preparing for Battle A pack warrior rushed in, panting. “The attack has gotten worse sir!” he gasped. “They’ve broken past the o
Kayla’s POVFor a single, shocking moment, I was frozen.Candice— woman who was addicted to Adrian, the woman who had been fighting tooth and nail to get him —was now lunging at Adrian.This wasn't making any sense to me.Her nails elongated into claws, swiping through the air with deadly precision.And Adrian wasn’t fighting back.He was only dodging her attacks, barely avoiding the vicious way she was trying to end him, but I could see it.Every time she struck, every time he evaded, worry and confusion flickered in his dark eyes.Not because she was hurting him, But because he couldn't understand why she was doing it.Adrian could have ended this fight in an instant.But he wouldn’t. Because he truly cared for Candice and this wasn’t Candice.Not the real Candice anyway, and we all knew it.And yet—My chest tightened as I watched him try to dodge another hit.But this time, he didn't move fast enough and Candice’s claws ripped through his sleeve, drawing blood.A sharp growl lef
Kayla’s POV Something was about to go wrong. We could all feel it—lingering in the air, creeping in the shadows of my mind. Suspicious activity had just been detected again in the pack’s security system. That was the third time this week. Whoever was doing this was inside the pack. But tracking them led nowhere. It was like chasing a ghost. And that scared me more than I wanted to admit. Because if we couldn’t find them, that meant they were good. Too good. --- Despite the lingering unease, I had to admit—Adrian had changed. The suffocating overprotection was gone. He still worried, still kept guards around, but now he actually let me breathe. And I knew why.It was because he believed in my ability to protect myself now. Because I wasn’t some helpless prisoner anymore. I had fought for my life and I had survived. I wasn’t weak anymore, even though I wasn't sure why. And because of that, we were finally going back to how we used to be before the kiss.Kind of Close and
Adrian’s POV No leads on how the traitor betrayed us. Not even a single damn clue about who the traitor was. Days of searching, interrogating, tearing through every possible lead—and still, nothing. It was infuriating. Someone had let those mercenaries in. Someone inside my palace, under my command, had betrayed me. And yet, whoever it was, they covered their tracks too well. Too carefully. That told me two things. One: They were smart. Two: They probably weren’t working alone or had some level of influence. I wasn’t letting this go. Because if they got in once, they could get in again. And I’d kill anyone who put Kayla in danger. --- I was in my office, pouring over reports, when Connor walked in. One look at his face, and I knew. “We found something?" I asked and he nodded. I stood immediately. “Tell me.” Connor tossed a file onto the desk. I flipped it open, scanning the details—then my body went rigid. A name and finally a familiar connection.
Kayla’s POVAfter that nightmare, I felt like a prisoner.The palace, once a place that had slowly started to feel like home, now felt like a cage with golden bars.Adrian had doubled security after the bloody warning note, and while I understood why… it didn’t make being constantly watched any easier.Guards followed me everywhere, inside and outside. I couldn’t take a walk without someone tailing me. I couldn’t breathe without Adrian knowing exactly where I was.I wanted to scream.Instead, I forced myself to keep my head down and obey—because that was what was expected of me.---"Adrian, please," I tried again.He didn’t even look up from the map spread across his desk. "No."I let out a frustrated breath. "I just want to go outside for five minutes.""You were outside yesterday," he said. "In the training yard. With three guards."I folded my arms. "That’s not the same thing, and you know it."He finally looked at me, his sharp gaze pinning me in place. "I'm not taking chances wi
Adrian’s POVKayla was keeping her distance again.I noticed it in the small things—the way she tried to leave the room whenever I entered, the way she avoided making eye contact, the hesitation in her voice whenever we spoke.And it pissed me off.I understood she had secrets. I understood that she was struggling with something she didn’t fully comprehend. But after everything that had happened, after all the times I had proven I would protect her, she still didn’t trust me enough to tell me the truth.I should have been furious.But instead, all I felt was frustration laced with something I didn’t want to name.Because despite everything, I still couldn’t bring myself to push her away.So, I focused on what I could control—her safety.---I was in my office, reviewing patrol reports when I heard a soft knock on the door.I already sensed who it was before I looked up.Kayla stood in the doorway, her expression uncertain.I set my pen down and leaned back in my chair. “You’re avoidin
Adrian’s POVI stared at Kayla, my back still pressed against the wall where she had thrown me.That wasn’t possible.I was an Alpha. Stronger than anyone in this pack. No one—not even a Beta—should have been able to push me back like that.And yet, she had.Kayla.The same woman who told me she had no wolf.The same woman who had claimed to be powerless.She was standing in front of me, her hands still trembling, her eyes filled with confusion and regret."I… I didn’t mean to do that," she stammered. "I don’t know how that happened."I didn’t say anything.I couldn’t.My mind was spinning, trying to make sense of it.Had she lied to me? Was she trying to manipulate me?Had she made up that whole story about losing her wolf just to gain my pity?"She tricked us," my wolf growled, angry and betrayed."Did you lie to me?" I asked coldly, my voice barely above a whisper.Kayla’s eyes widened. "What?"I took a step toward her, my fists clenched. "You told me you didn’t have a wolf anymore
Adrian’s POVMy mind couldn't stop racing.Even after leaving Connor and Logan, my anger refused to settle. My wolf was restless, growling in the back of my mind, demanding answers, demanding Kayla."She’s still in love with him.""You don’t know that," I shot back at my wolf."Then why is she avoiding us? Why does she look guilty every time you’re near?"I gritted my teeth, refusing to give in to my own insecurities. It was ridiculous. Kayla was mine. Xavier had abandoned her. Thrown her away. There was no reason for her to still have feelings for him.And yet…The way she had been avoiding me after the kiss, the hesitation in her eyes whenever I got too close—it was driving me insane.I had tried to be patient. Tried to give her space before the attack. But patience wasn’t my strength, especially not when it came to her.I needed answers.I stormed out of my office and headed straight for our room where Kayla had been sleeping since the attack.The guards I had now stationed outside