As I stepped into the Winter Pack house, the weight of everything I’d been carrying seemed to crash down on me. The air was thick with the tension that always accompanied Jack and Kate, and yet, there was something different this time. Jack’s usual cold indifference, his usual arrogance, was replaced by something else—something almost... eager. It took me off guard. “Tamara,” Jack said, his voice warmer than I ever expected. He stepped forward, his arms slightly outstretched, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “It’s good to have you back.” I froze. The way he was acting—so… welcoming—completely threw me off balance. I didn’t know how to respond at first. The last time I saw him, he was barely able to look at me without contempt. But Kate, standing behind him, wasn’t as pleased. Her lips curled into a sneer, her cold eyes scanning me as though I was some kind of threat. “I don’t know why you’re so eager to be here, Tamara,” she said, her tone dripping with disdain. “Y
Tamara's POV I wandered through the packhouse, my footsteps heavy on the cold stone floor. The weight of everything that had happened, everything I had to do, pressed down on me, but as I walked past the rooms and halls, I started to see things differently. It was as if the Winter Pack, the pack that had once been my home, had changed in the months I’d been gone. There were new faces, more children, more life. It wasn’t the cold, sterile place I remembered; it had a warmth now, a sense of community. I stopped in front of the kitchen, watching as some of the pack members worked together to prepare the evening meal. The younger wolves were helping with the chores, and it struck me how calm everything felt, how coordinated it seemed. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of surprise. Jack had always been the type to keep the pack running under strict, harsh control, but now? It was different. The pack seemed well taken care of. Their needs were met, and they seemed content. It wasn’t the so
Tamara's POV It had been a few days since I returned to the Winter Pack, and Jack’s persistence was starting to wear on my nerves. He seemed to think that if he tried hard enough, I’d forget everything he’d done and fall back into his arms. But I wasn’t that naive anymore. I’d been burned by him before, and I wasn’t about to let him charm me again. I was walking through the packhouse when I saw him again, leaning against the wall just outside the training room, his eyes lighting up when he spotted me. I sighed inwardly, trying to keep my face neutral. "Tamara," Jack said, his voice soft and almost pleading. "We need to talk." I didn’t stop walking. "No, we really don’t," I muttered, my voice firm. "Please," he persisted, stepping into my path. "Just give me a chance to explain. I’m trying to be better. I want to make things right between us." I stopped, looking up at him, my eyes narrowing. "Jack, I’m married. To the most powerful alpha in the region." I stressed the last part,
Tamara's POV I had spent the better part of the day avoiding Jack, but no matter how hard I tried to ignore him, he kept showing up in the most unexpected places. It was as if he couldn’t leave me alone, couldn’t stop trying to make amends for something that had already torn us apart. I had been walking through the training grounds when I saw him again—standing by the fence, his hands clenched into fists at his sides, his posture tense. "Tamara," he called softly as I walked past, his voice still carrying that familiar tone that I had once found comforting but now only stirred up painful feelings. "Please, just hear me out." I didn’t stop, but I did slow down, my feet dragging on the ground as I debated whether to face him or just keep walking. Part of me still wanted to shut him out. But another part—the part that couldn’t ignore the changes I had been seeing in him—told me to at least listen. I turned to face him. "What now, Jack?" I asked, keeping my voice even. "Haven’t
Tamara's POV The ride back to the pack house was silent, the weight of the truth still hanging heavy in the air. Jack was sitting beside me, his face pale, his eyes unfocused, as if he were trying to process everything that had just been revealed. I could feel the tension between us, the mixture of anger, sorrow, and disbelief. It was hard to believe how much had been built on lies, how much of his life had been shaped by things that weren’t true. “Tamara,” he whispered after a while, his voice cracking. “How could I have been so blind? All these years, I’ve been fighting the wrong battles. Fighting you, my family hating everyone... You didn’t deserve any of it.” I felt a pang of sympathy for him, despite everything. He had been a pawn in someone else’s game, manipulated into believing that I, and my mother, were the enemy. I’d never wanted this for him. I knew he had his own demons to deal with, but to find out that his whole life had been a lie—it made me feel bad for him.
Tamara's POV It had been a few days since everything had unraveled—the truth about the war, Jack’s broken ties with Kate, and his newfound loyalty to me. Despite everything that had happened, there was something almost peaceful in knowing that Jack no longer wanted to be my enemy. He was determined to be better, to fix what he had broken. He was, in a strange way, proving himself, and I couldn't deny that I was starting to forgive him. “I swear, Tamara, I’ll never turn my back on you again,” Jack said, his voice thick with sincerity as he looked at me one evening in the training room. His eyes were full of regret, but there was a new fire in them—one I hadn’t seen before. “From now on, I’m loyal to you. I’ll fight by your side.” I nodded slowly, trying to process it all. A part of me wanted to keep holding onto the anger, to punish him for the years of betrayal, for everything he had done to me and my family. But deep down, I knew I couldn’t stay angry forever. He was trying to
Tamara's POV I had changed so much in this life. I had stopped Jack, broken free from the shackles of my past, and finally taken control of my own fate. I’d fought for justice, and I was starting to see the truth revealed—one piece at a time. The lies that had surrounded me in the past were unraveling, and I could see the consequences falling upon those who had hurt me. But despite all the progress I had made, I still felt... empty. I had won the battle, but I hadn’t won my peace. I found myself sitting by the window of my room, staring out at the pack grounds. The sky was dimming as evening crept in, and I could see the faint shadows of people moving about. But despite the bustle of the pack around me, I felt disconnected, as though a part of me was still far away. I missed them—the people I left behind in the north. Dante, Violet, Sophie... all of them. Even though they had done their best to support me, it wasn’t the same as being there, with them. I had left so much behind whe
Dante's POV I couldn’t stop thinking about her. My Tamara. I should’ve fought harder for her. Fuck! I messed up. I should’ve found a way to make things right between us, but instead, I had pulled away. I had let guilt consume me, thinking that distancing myself would protect her, would keep her safe from the chaos that surrounded me. But all it did was make me ache. I hadn’t heard from her in days, and I couldn’t bring myself to reach out. What was I supposed to say? How could I look her in the eye and pretend that I hadn’t been the one to push her away when all she had ever done was care for me? Yes I pushed her away to protect her but there were probably better ways to handle it. I was stupid, foolish, and now I was paying the price. The silence between us was deafening, and I felt like I was drowning in it. I took a deep breath and grabbed my phone. I had to know if she was okay. Adrian would know, right? He always seemed to be there for her, always willing to step
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
Kayla’s POVThe weight of their stares was suffocating.Every councilman in the room glared at me as if I were their worst enemy. As if I had committed some great sin simply by standing beside Adrian.I clenched my hands at my sides, forcing myself to breathe.I had expected hostility. But this? This was hatred.I turned slightly toward Adrian, seeking reassurance—not that I needed it, but because something about his presence always made things seem less scary.And when I looked at him… I saw growing rage.Not at me—but at them.Adrian’s dark eyes was beginning to burn with undiluted fury as he surveyed the room, his body tense with barely contained aggression.Then, his gaze locked onto Councilman Augustine.And just like that, the storm hit."I won’t be allowing you to preside over this meeting, Augustine," Adrian said, his voice deadly calm.Murmurs broke out instantly. Augustine was head councilman, this was his main duty, Adrian's words must have been a slap to his face.Augustin
Kayla’s POV A soft warmth surrounded me, and for the first time in a long while, I felt truly safe and wanted. It took me a moment to register why. it was because I was in Adrian’s arms. His strong, steady breathing tickled the back of my neck, and his body heat wrapped around me like a protective cocoon. His arm was draped over my waist, holding me against him as if he had no intention of letting go. I should have been shy about this—should have been flustered about being this close to him. But I wasn’t. Somewhere between last night’s terrifying attack and the way he had held me afterward—something had changed between us. His touch no longer made me nervous. It made me calm. It made me feel home. I blinked up at the ceiling, my mind drifting back to the way he had touched my face last night, the way his thumb had brushed my cheek so gently. "You’re worth it," he had said. Those words had shaken me. I had spent so long being treated like I was disposable. Unwanted. A bur