Tamara's POV The meeting was finally wrapping up and the tension in the room dissolved when Alpha Jonathan declared it adjourned. The alphas murmured amongst themselves, some exchanging lingering glares while others offered me congratulatory nods. I tried to shake off the exhaustion from the day’s revelations. Dante’s name had been cleared, but the fight wasn’t over yet. There was still Reuben and whatever dark game he was playing. I had stood up to leave when the strange scent hit me—a sweet, intoxicating aroma that wrapped around my senses and pulled at something deep within me. It was unlike anything I had ever smelled before, a blend of honey and cedarwood, warm and inviting, yet completely disorienting. My steps faltered, and I felt an invisible string tugging me toward the door. The room blurred around me as I moved, as if the scent itself was a spell, clouding my mind. I tried to think of Dante, to ground myself in his image, but for some reason, his name slipped t
Tamara's POVAdrian’s lips were on mine before I could process what was happening. The warmth of his touch, the press of his mouth—it all felt so familiar, yet completely new. It was like he knew every corner of my soul, every unspoken wish and hidden desire. The kiss was perfect, achingly perfect, and for a moment, I found myself melting into him, letting the world blur away.I didn’t mean to enjoy it. But I did.It wasn’t just the way he kissed me—it was the way it felt right, like coming home to something I’d been searching for my entire life. His hands cupped my face with such tenderness, his scent wrapping around me, pulling me deeper into the moment. My heart thundered in my chest, and for a second, I thought maybe—Dante.His voice broke through the haze like a sharp blade, shattering the spell.“Tamara,” Dante’s voice echoed in my mind, tinged with urgency and confusion.Reality crashed over me. My mate. My love. My Dante.I shoved Adrian away so hard he staggered back. “What
Tamara's POV Adrian stood in front of me, his face was a mix of utter heartbreak and pain. The sting of my rejection hung in the air between us, and We waited for the pain, the searing agony that was supposed to come when a mate bond was broken. But it didn’t. I glanced at Adrian, confusion mirrored in his dark eyes. “Why don’t we feel anything?” I whispered, my voice shaky. Adrian shook his head, his brow furrowed. “I don’t know. Maybe… maybe it’s because the goddess approves of the end of our bond.” The realization struck us both at the same time, and Adrian’s shoulders sagged. He let out a bitter laugh, running a hand through his hair. “So, this is it. The goddess herself is telling me I was too late. I’ve truly lost you, Tamara.” “Adrian—” I started, but he cut me off. “I should have claimed you in our past life,” he said, his voice thick with regret. “If I hadn’t been so blinded by Amanda, if I had seen you for what you were to me… Maybe things would have been dif
Tamara's POV"Every one makes mistakes I'm sure Dante will understand." Sophie said “he kissed me Three times, Sophie. And I didn’t stop him. What kind of person does that?”Sophie exhaled slowly, sitting on the edge of my bed. “oh I get it now, Adrian is your anchor. That’s why this happened.”Her words made my heart sink further. “I don’t care if he’s my anchor. I shouldn’t have let it happen. I rejected him immediately, but what if Dante --Sophie cut me off, waving her hand. “You rejected him already?""yes""then there is nothing to worry about, It was just a kiss, Tamara. It doesn’t mean anything. You rejected Adrian, didn’t you?”“Yes, but—”“Then that’s it,” she said firmly. “The bond is gone. What happened with Adrian is in the past. You don’t need to drag Dante into this.”I frowned, confused by her sudden shift. “You told me I had to tell him, Sophie. You said the truth was the only way.”“I know,” she admitted, her expression conflicted. “But now that I think about it… wh
Dante’s POV I stood by Tamara’s bedside, my chest tightening at the sight of her pale face. Her shallow breaths were like a blade slicing through me, each one more agonizing than the last. Poisoned. My mate had been poisoned, and no one could tell me how it happened. Anger surged through me like wildfire. “What the fuck happened to her?” I demanded, spinning to face Sophie, who hovered by the door with guilt written all over her face. “I… I don’t know, Alpha Dante,” she stammered, her hands fidgeting nervously. “She was fine before we left Alpha Jonathan’s territory. I swear I don’t know what happened!” “Not good enough,” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. “Someone must know. She didn’t just get poisoned out of thin fucking air." Sophie flinched but held her ground. “I wouldn’t have let this happen if I knew. You have to believe me alpha. I rubbed a hand over my face, forcing myself to calm down. Yelling at Sophie wouldn’t help Tamara. “Fine. Then we’ll ask som
Dante's POVI stormed around the palace in search of that weasel I called a brother.boiling rage rushed through my veins like molten lava. My fists clenched at my sides, my vision tunneled as I scanned the grounds for Reuben.How dare he lay a finger on the woman I loved?! The image of my darling Tamara lying pale and motionless on that bed only fueled my rage. And I knew, deep in my gut, that my brother was responsible.I found him in the garden, casually leaning against a bench, as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He turned his head when he heard my footsteps, his brows furrowing in confusion.“Brother?” he called out, straightening up. “You look like you're having a good day." he smirked. "What’s going on?”I didn’t answer. Instead, I lunged at him, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him against the nearest tree. His eyes widened in shock.“Why the fuck did you do it?” I snarled, my voice low and dangerous.“Do what?” he snapped, struggling against my grip. “What the hell
Dante’s POV I pushed open the door to Tamara’s room quietly and my chest immediately clenched at the sight of her still lying unconscious on the bed. But at least color was beginning to return to her cheeks, and her breathing was steadier now which meant that whatever Dr Laura was doing was working, but my Tamara still looked so fragile. It wasn’t like her, my fire cracker to look so fragile. Sophie stepped aside and I sat beside Tamara, brushing a strand of hair off her face. “What’s happening, Tamara?” I whispered. “Why did he do this to you?” She didn’t respond, of course, but I stayed there for a moment longer, listening to the steady rhythm of her breathing. it calmed me, even if the sight of her lying there twisted something deep inside me. The door creaked, and I turned to see Dr. Laura entering. She motioned for me to follow her. I hesitated, glancing back at Tamara, who was now flanked by Violet and Sophie, then I rose and followed Dr Laura into the hallway. She clos
Tamara’s POVI wasn’t sure what was real and what was a dream. My body felt heavy, like it was sinking into an endless void, but faint voices kept pulling me back, calling my name through the fog.It started with a faint memory—the sensation of my knees buckling and the ground rushing toward me. I had felt so sick, my stomach churning and my limbs trembling. There were flashes of frantic movement—people shouting, hands trying to catch me as I fell.“She’s unconscious! Someone get the doctor!” a voice called urgently, echoing through the haze.Sophie’s voice broke through next, high-pitched and frantic. “Tamara, wake up! You’re going to be fine! Please, Tamara, please!”Another voice, calmer but equally distressed, followed. Violet. “It’s wolfsbane poisoning. She’s been ingesting it over time.”Wolfsbane? My thoughts twisted, sluggish and incoherent. How could that have happened? When? Who would do this to me?Another voice, deep and commanding but trembling at the edges, joined the ch
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