LOGINTamara’s POV
As soon as Jack was out of sight, I rushed to my room, and went straight to the closet. It was time to begin the first phase of my plan. I shoved aside the soft, delicate dresses Jack liked me to wear and reached for the boldest, most daring outfit I had. It was a leather warrior set, black and fierce, with intricate gold and silver designs that gleamed in the light. The material hugged my body in all the right places, showcasing both my curves but still making me look powerful. It was a piece specifically made for a Luna. It commanded attention, and respect, so Jack hated it when I wore it. He didn’t like the fact that whenever I wore it, every single pair of eyes always ignored him to focus on me. It was perfect. I turned to the mirror and started applying a little makeup. That was another thing Jack had never allowed me to do in my past life. He used to say that he didn’t want me looking too good, because he was afraid that someone would realize how beautiful I was, and take me away from him. I used to think he was joking, but after our marriage, when he started locking me up at home, I soon realized he was very serious. He was scared someone would steal me away before he could claim my pack completely, and that was the very same fear I would use against him. For the final touch to my outfit, i picked up the Alpha’s chest pin my parents gave me before they retired. It was designed as a golden Phoenix, it was meant to signify the transition from a child to the pack’s leader, and since a Phoenix was also the symbol of death and rebirth, I thought it was the perfect jewelry for me. Suddenly a soft voice sounded behind me making me freeze. “Tamara?” I spun around to see Violet, my best friend standing at the doorway. I stared at her, unable to believe my eyes. She was alive. “Violet?” I whispered, shakily. In my past life, I was forced to to watch as Jack and Katie cruelly beheaded her right in front of me, claiming that she had been plotting with King Dante to kill me. I hadn’t believed them of course, and I even fought to save her. But then, Violet’s own husband, Richard, had provided some evidence that proved she helped Dante to kill my parents and I was heartbroken. Violet had crawled on her knees, begging, crying and telling me that Alpha Dante wasn’t our true enemy but I didn't understand her then. I still tried to save her, but Jack cruelly killed her right in front of me. I was devastated. Later, I found out that her so called husband Richard had fabricated everything, just so that he could inherit all her property and marry his younger mistress. Richard was our Gamma and Jack's closest friend, so they planned everything together. They had successfully gotten rid of both of their wives and had replaced us with their mistresses. But here was Violet now, my beautiful best friend standing in front of me. Alive and healthy. I rushed forward to hug her tighter than I had ever held anyone in my life. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered to her. “I should have listened to you, I’m so, so sorry.” I cried and she was stunned . Violet awkwardly patted my back, clearly confused about why I was acting like this. “Tamara? … are you okay? What’s going on?” I pulled back to look at her innocent face and smiled. “I’m fine now that you’re here,” I said honestly, “And i promise I’ll protect you this time, Violet. I won’t let anything happen to you. Not this time.” She frowned and placed her palm on my forehead to feel my temperature. “Are you sure you’re alright? Are you feeling feverish?” She asked and I shook my head with a laugh. She frowned more. “Then what are you talking about?” She asked before suddenly noticing my warrior outfit. “And… why are you dressed like that?” “I’m going to the warriors’ meeting,” I told her. Violet’s face immediately tensed, and her eyes widened in alarm. “No, Tamara, no,” she suddenly whispered urgently, grabbing my hands. “You don’t have to go to that meeting. Please, you have to trust me. Stay out of this.” Her sudden fear startled me. Why didn’t she want me to go? I knew that she was constantly trying to protect me, she was the only one who ever dared to tell me the truth about Jack and Kate, and that was probably why they had her killed. But what was the problem now? Why didn’t she want me to go to the meeting when it could help me save my pack? “Violet, what’s wrong? What aren’t you telling me?” I asked, but she refused to say anything else, just insisting that I shouldn’t go to the meeting. Whatever she was hiding, it only made me more determined to go to the meeting and find out. I grabbed her wrist and began walking to the meeting. Violet tried to protest, but I didn’t give her the chance as I dragged her with me down the hallway, to the meeting room. When we arrived at the meeting hall, I heard voices talking, so I pushed open the doors with force, and all eyes immediately turned to me, then the hall immediately fell deadly silent. I felt Violet stiffen beside me, and my eyes followed her line of sight until it landed at the top of the table where Jack was sitting. But that wasn’t what made her freeze, what made her freeze was the fact that Kate was sitting right beside him, on the Luna’s chair, right were I was supposed to be sitting. I gritted my teeth as my blood began to boil. That fucking bitch! So this was why Jack didn’t want me to come to the meeting. He was already trying to replace me with Kate. Already giving her my position as Luna, even though I was still alive. He said this meeting wasn't a place for a woman, but that rule clearly didn't apply to my sister. So he had been stopping from attending important meetings, just so he could parade his slut in my place? My fists clenched at my sides, How dare they?!Ivonne’s POVIn the bathroom, theres only blessed Silence, warm steam And my reflection in the mirror, staring back at me with haunted eyes.I glance down at the ring Hector gave me.It gleams softly. Real. Solid. Heavy and oh so very beautiful.This is happening.I’m really going to marry him.It should feel simple. Logical. Expected.So why does my chest hurt? Why do I feel scared? Why do i feel saad and worried for the future?“It’s fine,” I whisper to myself. “It’s a temporary marriage. That was always the plan anyway so there's nothing to worry about. There's notgoing to be a child to worry about."My throat tightens.“Hector’s fate isn’t tied with mine. And mine isn’t tied with his.”I press my fingertips to the cold marble counter.“Fate obviously doesn’t intend for us to stay together forever.”My voice cracks on the last word.I take a shaky breath.“Stop. Stop being stupid, Ivonne. Stop letting yourself fall into fantasies that don’t belong to you.”My reflection blurs with
Ivonne’s POV The world tilts so violently that for a second I’m sure I’m going to faint.Larry grabs my arms immediately. “Ivonne—sit, sit—”“I’m fine,” I whisper, even though my voice sounds like it belongs to a ghost. “I’m just… I’m just shocked that The Lycans would expect Hector to… to kill an innocent child?”Larry winces. “Look, I—I don’t believe Alpha Hector would actually do it. He’s a lot of things, but he isn’t cold-hearted enough to ever hurt his own child.”A memory flashes so vividly I almost choke on it, memories of Hector laughing with the kids in the poor district, tossing them up in the air and catching them, letting them braid his hair, letting them drag him around like some giant jungle gym. He didn’t even flinch when a tiny boy smacked him in the face with a muddy hand.“He… loves children,” I whisper. “He really does.”Larry nods. “That’s one of the reasons why I don’t think he could do something like that.”The thought brings me a tiny sliver of relief… until hi
Ivonne's POV I froze at his words “What?!” My voice cracked. “Why would he make such a ridiculous vow?” Larry winced, as if saying it again would physically hurt. “Hector at first had vowed that he would never marry and bring a weak woman as his Luna, but since mates, whether fated or chosen could be an unpredictable matter, the court insisted that his heir—the future ruler after him—must be Lycan. Not a weak common werewolf.” I stared at him, stunned. “But that's crazy? How could they force such a rule on him? And Why would he even agree to that?” I was asking because I had seen how tough Hector had been with the court, he wasn't one to be pushed over so easily, which means that he had allowed them to put such a bind on him.But why?Larry sighed and shook his head. “He didn't have much of a choice at that time, I believe he thought it was the only or easiest way To secure his position as Alpha,” Larry answered, his tone gentle but firm. “Ivonne, you don’t understand how mu
IVONNE'S POV I stared at Larry for a long second, still frozen from the warning he had just given me. Make sure you never get pregnant for Hector. Those strange words suddenly began echoing inside my skull like a gong, forcing me to pay attention to the older man in front of Me. I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry. “Larry… what do you mean by that? I know this arrangement is temporary, but why would you give me such an odd warning out of the blue like that?" I asked feeling perplexed. Larry blinked at me once, then twice before looking genuinely confused, as if he couldn’t understand why I was asking. “What do I mean by what do I mean? Ivonne, Don't you understand the consequences of--- Wait." He paused suddenly. "Ivonne? —you really don’t know?” "Know what?" I frowned. I was really beginning to get annoyed with all these things everyone expected me to know but I somehow didn't Larry's eyes grew round as saucers. "You don't know about the consequences of breaking the vow?"
Ivonne's POV "I vow to protect you. To stand beside you. To treat you as my equal through the entire year we are bound.”His words vibrated through me. “For the one year, Ivonne… I will treat you with the respect you were always meant to have. You will never ever doubt where you stand with me. You will always know your worth."I exhaled shakily. It was embarrassing how much those words affected me. How deeply they sank. How something inside me, something that was tired, bruised, longing—leaned into him despite every warning I’d ever given myself.For a moment, I let myself imagine it wouldn’t end.I let myself imagine this warmth staying forever.This protection staying with me till the end of time.This sense of safety never leaving my side..Goddess, I had forgotten what it was like… forgotten what it meant to have a man you could trust. Someone who wasn’t waiting to betray you. Someone who didn’t make you small or always doubt yourself.Against my will, I began to melt. I let myse
Ivonne's POV I froze. My heart physically stopped. Because in his hand, he held a ring. A ring I recognized instantly. It was his mother’s. Lady Elizabeth. A delicate band of interwoven silver, marked with Lycan runes—an heirloom passed down through generations. I had only seen it once in a portrait. My breath caught in my throat. “Hector…” I whispered, voice trembling. “What—what are you doing?” He lifted his eyes to mine—those intense, beautiful eyes that could shatter or soothe with a single glance. “I know,” he began softly, “that we were brought together by my Uncle Mr. Archibald’s arrangement. I know you never intended to have me in your life and We were basically pushed together by circumstances." My stomach twisted. “But,” he continued, “I want to formally ask you to marry me of your own free will. I don't want you to ever think that I'm just tolerating having you beside me. I don't want you to ever think that I regret having you as a partner." My world tilted an







