Tamara's POV The road stretched out ahead of us, winding through thick woods and rolling hills as the car smoothly glided over the asphalt. The ride was mostly quiet except for the excited chatter of Violet, who sat beside me, practically vibrating with energy. “This is going to be amazing, Tamara!” Violet gushed, leaning toward me with wide eyes. “I mean, think about it. We’re going to Alpha Dante’s pack—his lands are supposed to be incredible! Abundance like you wouldn’t believe. Huge estates, farms that practically grow food by themselves, rivers full of fish. I’ve heard they even have gold mines!” I gave her a sidelong glance but didn’t share her enthusiasm. Her excitement only made the knot in my stomach tighten. “Yeah, I’ve heard those stories too.” “And it’s all true!” Fiona said with a dreamy sigh, looking out the window as we passed another long stretch of forest. “They say his lands are so prosperous that no one there ever goes hungry. That’s why no one ever leaves—t
Tamara’s POV I took a step back and pushed Violet behind me even though my heart was pounding in my chest. My entire body was trembling as the attackers moved toward us with twisted grins. I tried hard to keep her behind me, to shield her from their cold eyes which were gleaming with cruel amusement as they watched us like predators toying with their prey. "Aww Look at the great and powerful Luna shivering in front of us," one of them sneered, he seemed to be the boss here. He was tall but very ugly with rotten looking teeth as he sneered at me. "Look how the proud Luna Tamara and her friends are so helpless and pitiful in front of us, like a couple of scared little girls." He laughed and the others joined. Fucking prick! I gritted my teeth and forced myself to stand up straighter, to project confidence that I didn’t feel. My voice shook a little, but I glared at him and tried to look as cold and intimidating as possible. "Do you have any idea who you’re messing with?’,
Jack's POV I stood at the edge of the driveway, my arms crossed, watching the northern warriors drive Tamara away. The luxurious car they arrived in was slick and black, barely making a sound as it pulled away. I scowled, feeling a tight knot of frustration in my chest. Their security detail was laughable—two cars, both with tinted windows, crawling along as if they had all the time in the world. They had no idea what danger they were heading into, and it made me scoff. They wouldn’t make it far.Even though I wasn’t the one who had hired the assassins, I knew Kate had, and I could trust that whoever she picked would get the job done. Kate wanted Tamara gone even more than I did. She hated her. Despised her for standing in the way of everything she thought she deserved.As if on cue, Kate sidled up to me, slipping her arm around my waist and leaning her head against my shoulder. “Finally,” she murmured, “we’re free.”I pushed her off, my body stiff and unyielding. “I’m not in the moo
Tamara's POV I woke up groggily, my head pounding as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the faint smell of antiseptic in the air, the sterile cleanliness of a clinic. The room was dimly lit, and I blinked several times, trying to shake off the drowsiness clinging to me like a heavy fog.Where the hell am I?The bed I was lying on was firm, not entirely uncomfortable, but foreign. I definitely wasn’t in my own room. My body ached slightly, a dull pain radiating from my side. Slowly, I moved my hand down to the source of the pain, the memory of being stabbed rushing back to me.The attack. The men. The blood.I tried to sit up but felt a wave of dizziness hit me like a brick wall. Just as I managed to push myself up, a young woman in a white nurse’s uniform hurried over, her expression one of concern. She placed her hands gently on my shoulders and urged me to lie back down.“You shouldn’t be getting up,” she said, her voice soft but firm. “You need
“What the fuck?” “H-How do you know about my second life?” I blurted, still reeling from the shock of her words. My voice was more than a little shaky as I was barely able to process the fact that this stranger I had never ever met in both of my lives knew something so deeply buried? Like was I dreaming? The Doctor woman—Laura—didn’t even flinch at my shock, Instead, she gave me a calm, almost knowing smile. “You’re not the first person I’ve known to be reborn, Tamara.” Her tone was so matter-of-fact, so casual, it made me feel even more unsteady. I stared at her, feeling a like a shark just swam out of a river and was now dancing infront of me. “Reborn…” I whispered, almost to myself. “But… how? How do you know that?” Laura tilted her head slightly, studying me as if I were some puzzle she was trying to solve. “There are signs, things that only people like me can pick up on. The way your body moves, your spirit energy, the way your soul resonates. You have the energy of s
Jack's POV I watched the smoke from the wreckage rise into the air for several hours, black and bitter against the setting sun. Tamara's car—her last moments on this earth—lay mangled, torn apart and bloody. The assassins had truly done their job. Tamara, my Luna was gone. The old me should have been happy, But all I felt was this hollow emptiness. My stomach churned, my head hurt. Tamara... dead, I killed her. How did it come to this? I only finally left the site after my beta managed to drag me back home “So she is truly dead huh? You got what you wanted,” Kate's voice snapped me out of my thoughts but I ignored her. She stood a few feet away, arms crossed, her face twisted in frustration when I refused to answer her. “Don’t act like this wasn’t your plan, Jack.” I didn’t respond right away. I couldn’t. My mouth felt dry, my heart pounded too hard in my chest. I’d fallen for Tamara, hadn’t I? The very woman I’d planned to destroy... I’d ended up loving her. “You hated
Tamara's POV I couldn’t fucking believe it. Alpha Dante is my mate. Holy shit! How?! I stared at the towering figure of the man standing in the doorway. It couldn’t be true—it couldn’t be him. My mind raced, flipping through every memory I had of Alpha Dante, the ruthless leader of the North, the very man I had wanted to kill more than once. How many times had we crossed paths in the past? Too many. And every time, his eyes had burned with a hatred so fierce it could’ve set me on fire. I thought he wanted to kill me, and frankly, I wanted him dead too. But now... this? I took a step back instinctively, my heart pounding in my chest as I remembered the cold stares, the lethal tension that crackled between us during every encounter. We had been enemies in every sense of the word. So how in the world could we be mates? How could the universe think it was a good idea to bond me to the man who had destroyed my life? I glanced up at him, and that’s when I noticed the way his eye
Tamara's POV I hadn’t seen Violet since the attack. My heart raced as I followed the nurse from earlier down the long, sterile corridor. I couldn't stop thinking about the look of terror on her face yesterday when she saw me—when she saw my red eyes. The memory sent a pang of guilt through me. Was she still scared? What if she didn’t want to see me now? After everything we’d been through, the thought of her pushing me away was unbearable. Violet was all I had left. The nurse stopped in front of a door and gestured for me to go inside. I hesitated, my stomach in knots. What if she didn’t want me here? I could barely breathe as I pushed the door open. My mind was filled with worst-case scenarios, but what I wasn’t prepared for was the sight of Violet’s face lighting up the second she saw me. "Tamara!" she gasped, her voice full of relief and joy. I blinked, frozen in place for a moment before the tension in my chest released. I couldn’t hold back the tears that suddenly fi
Kayla's POV I hadn’t realized how empty my heart would feel until the silence settled in.Days had passed—or maybe just hours—I couldn’t tell anymore. Time didn’t move the same without Adrian. Every second felt heavier, like it dragged its feet just to remind me that I was far away from him.I sat curled up on the cold cot in the far corner of the cave, arms wrapped around my knees, heart aching in a way I didn’t think was possible. I hadn’t spoken much since Hector and Ingrid brought me here. The girls were kind, but I was distant. Lost.I missed him.Goddess, I missed him.His scent. His voice. The way his arms wrapped around me like I was something precious. The way he said my name like it was his favorite word.Sleep didn’t come easily, but when it did, I dreamed of him. Always him. His voice in my ears, his lips brushing my skin, his arms holding me while the world fell apart around us.I woke up with tears on my cheeks more often than not.“You’re dreaming of him again, aren’t
Adrian's POV The torture chamber reeked of Xavier's blood, rust, and secrets. Xavier sat in the middle of it, chained to the chair like he had no care in the world. But his bloodied nose from where I punched him multiple times told a different story.His head was tilted back lazily against the wall to stop the blood flow.He had one leg bouncing, and that same smug smile plastered across his face like he wasn’t moments away from being torn apart again. “I’d ask if you’re comfortable,” I muttered, my voice low and venom-laced, “but I honestly don’t give a damn.” Xavier’s eyes flicked toward me, amusement dancing in them. “Adrian,” he said with mock warmth. “So tense. You really should relax. It’s not good for the heart. Or the woman you're sleeping with.” I nearly lost it right then. His casual mention of Kayla lit a fuse inside me, one I was desperately trying to smother before i personally drove out to burn down his entire pack house. “I’ll ask one more time,” I growled, step
Adrian’s POVSuddenly The battlefield is silent.Too silent.My chest rises and falls rapidly as I stand in the middle of the destruction, blood staining my hands, my claws still extended, my wolf barely caged beneath my skin. Around me, my warriors are shaken but alive, their eyes darting between the few bodies of the fallen rogue like creatures—if they could even be called that.The battle field is quiet not because we were winning, but Because the moment Kayla was taken… they suddenly vanished into thin air before our eyes.Not a trace of them left.My fists clench, rage surging inside me like wildfire.Kayla was gone too though.My woman had been taken by my stepbrother and Kayla's former assistant.“Hector,” I snarl, snapping my head toward Logan. “Where the hell is Hector?”Logan’s face is grim, his body tense as he watches me carefully. “We don’t know.”A growl rips from my throat, sharp and deadly. “Find them. Now!”“We tried.” Logan’s expression hardens. “The second she was t
Kayla’s POVPain throbs in my skull as I slowly open my eyes, my body aching like I’ve been tossed around like a rag doll. The last thing I remember is screaming Adrian’s name, reaching for him, only to be pulled away—taken by force. My heart clenches at the memory, and panic floods my veins.I jolt upright, my breaths shallow as I take in my surroundings.The room is dimly lit, the walls made of rough stone. A few small lanterns cast flickering shadows across the space, illuminating the frightened faces of young women who stand huddled together near the far end of the room. Their eyes are wide as they stare at me, like they’ve been expecting me.“Where am I?” My voice comes out hoarse, my throat raw from screaming.A rustling sound to my right makes me turn. My body tenses when I see Hector and Ingrid standing near the doorway. Hector’s arms are crossed, his expression unreadable, while Ingrid looks more hesitant, shifting her weight from foot to foot.I shove the blankets off and t
Adrian’s POV Kayla was trembling in my arms, her fingers gripping my shirt like she was afraid I’d disappear. I tightened my hold on her, pressing my lips against her temple, trying to ground her. "It’s okay," I whispered. "You’re safe." She didn’t respond. Her breathing was shallow, her entire body stiff. Something was wrong. Very wrong. I pulled back slightly to look at her face. Her pupils were dilated, her skin too pale. "Kayla," I murmured, brushing my thumb across her cheek. "Talk to me." She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, a howl ripped through the night. The pack alarm. Again! Shit. I snapped my head up, my instincts immediately on high alert. The howls multiplied, blending with distant shouts. My wolves were already gathering outside. We were under attack. For real this time. Earlier was just a warning from something that looked like Xavier.. but wasn't quite him. Kayla gasped, grabbing my wrist. "Adrian—" I cupped her face, forcing her to focus on
Kayla’s POV I slammed the bedroom door shut, twisting the lock with trembling fingers. My breath came in ragged gasps as I pressed my back against the door, my chest rising and falling in rapid, uneven bursts. What had I done? I had told Adrian I loved him. And worse—I had meant it. The words had slipped past my lips before I could stop them, before I could shove them back down into the deep, dark place where I kept all the things I couldn’t afford to feel. And then—like a coward—I had run as Adrian was forced to leave. But where could I run to? I belonged to him now. And that was the most terrifying part. I squeezed my eyes shut, my nails digging into the skin of my arms. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t afford to need him. Not when I was changing. Not when I didn’t even know what I was anymore. The mark on my arm burned as if it could hear my thoughts, reminding me of what I was trying so desperately to deny. Lady Elizabeth’s words echoed in my head. "You bear their mark,
Adrian’s POVMy heart still pounded from my situation with Kayla, but I pushed the thought aside as I raced toward the border. Logan ran beside me, his jaw tight with frustration. The moment the border guards had sounded the alarm, I knew it couldn’t be anything good."Who the hell would be bold enough to get this close?" Logan muttered, keeping pace."I don't know," I said, my voice sharp. "But if they think they can just waltz into my territory, they're about to learn a painful lesson."The moment we neared the tree line, I caught sight of a figure standing at the edge of our land. My stomach twisted into a knot.Xavier.Or at least… I thought it was Xavier.The stance, the cocky smirk—it was all the same. But something was off. His face seemed… distorted. For a split second, his features blurred, like I was staring at a reflection in rippling water. My wolf bristled, sensing something unnatural."Adrian," Logan said warily, stepping up beside me. "That—" He hesitated. "That doesn’t
Adrian’s POVI didn’t plan on letting her go.Not tonight. Not ever.I held Kayla’s face between my hands, staring into those stormy eyes that I had come to crave more than anything else in this world. I had meant every word—I wasn’t letting her leave this room until she told me the truth.But deep down, I knew I wasn’t just talking about tonight.A dark part of me, the part that had already lost too much, whispered that I would never let her go at all.And I felt guilty for it.Kayla wasn’t some possession to be kept in a cage. But I couldn’t shake the possessiveness curling in my chest, the absolute refusal to lose her too.Not after what I’d already lost.She was shaking now, her breaths coming out in sharp, uneven gasps. Her hands clenched at her sides as if she was fighting some invisible war within herself.And she looked scared.That’s what threw me off the most.What the hell was she so afraid of?"Kayla," I murmured, my fingers tracing over her cheekbone. "Talk to me."Her li
Kayla’s POVI couldn't stop thinking about last night.The way Adrian had held me. The way his hands had traced my skin, setting every nerve in my body on fire.And the way he had stopped.He had looked at me like I was something precious, something he was too scared to take before I was ready.I had never known a man like him before.Adrian was dangerous, feared, and yet with me, he was patient. Protective.I was falling for him. Hard.The realization terrified me. I had spent so long guarding my heart, convincing myself that love—real love—was a luxury I would never have again. And yet, here I was, aching for him in a way that had nothing to do with the mate bond.I needed a distraction, something to clear my mind.Which was why I was now standing outside Lady Elizabeth’s home again, my heart hammering as I raised my hand to knock.She had asked to see me privately, and though I had agreed, I wasn’t sure I was ready for whatever she had to say.But something told me I needed to hear