Alpha Kane’s POVMy patience has been stretched thin. To be fair I have never really been too patient, it is hard to be patient when someone who is meant to be your fated mate prefers to be around a younger brother who despises you than to be with you even though you would easily burn the world for her without even thinking too much about the consequences as long as that's what she wanted she would get it. My control fraying with each calculated move Adrian makes. He knows what he is doing, all this is to get back at me but why? Even this is extreme for Adrian. The betrayal isn’t just about Avery’s defiance; it’s his brother’s relentless provocation. He keeps pushing me, making me look like the bad guy to her, now she trusts him, she thinks he is some type of saint. Adrian has been a thorn in my side, since we were kids he always found a reason to have a problem with me, deliberately driving wedges between me and my mate. He knows Avery is my weakness, he knows where to hit me the mo
Avery’s POVThe insane rush of adrenaline is overwhelming. My heart pounds heavily and it feels like it’s going to burst out, sweaty palms and dilated pupils. All the effects of finally escaping the clutches of Kane. Finally having freedom. It feels so surreal to be following Adrian to the hotel. I don’t know how we managed to escape. It happened in a blur and I can’t deny how scared I was, how scared I am. We are out of the danger zone but what if he manages to track us. I don’t want to imagine what he will do to me or his brother for helping me. I thought about the pros and cons before agreeing to this whole arrangement. I knew the stakes but everything feels even more real now.Is this truly my way out? Did I really manage to escape that sorry excuse for a prison? Has Kane realized I’m gone? I don’t know why but my mind has been moving a million miles per hour“Go back to our mate Avery, I am not comfortable here” my wolf Alina decides to speak up but I just ignore her. I don’t kno
Avery’s POVThe insane rush of adrenaline is overwhelming. My heart pounds heavily and it feels like it’s going to burst out, sweaty palms and dilated pupils. All the effects of finally escaping the clutches of Kane. Finally having freedom. It feels so surreal to be following Adrian to the hotel. I don’t know how we managed to escape. It happened in a blur and I can’t deny how scared I was, how scared I am. We are out of the danger zone but what if he manages to track us. I don’t want to imagine what he will do to me or his brother for helping me. I thought about the pros and cons before agreeing to this whole arrangement. I knew the stakes but everything feels even more real now.Is this truly my way out? Did I really manage to escape that sorry excuse for a prison? Has Kane realized I’m gone? I don’t know why but my mind has been moving a million miles per hour“Go back to our mate Avery, I am not comfortable here” my wolf Alina decides to speak up but I just ignore her. I don’t kno
Adrian’s POVI watch her as the drug takes full effect and she starts to realize that I am not the saint she painted me to be, my expression remains impassive. Sweet Adrian is nowhere to be found. Avery sways, her eyelids fluttering, her body struggling against its own weakness. She looks vulnerable and pathetic. Not the confident fighter she used to be, she is useless now. Next time she won’t go about trusting people she barely knows.It’s a sight I have been waiting for. Seeing her like this makes me feel so good. It gives me this massive power trip. I might sound like some psycho right now but I can’t help it, I want Avery and this is my perfect opportunity with no distractions and when I am done claiming her. She will be mine. Not Kane’s mate but mine. That makes everything I had to go through to prepare this worth it. I might not be at the top now but with this move I will. She is the reason I will have everything I have ever wanted. I have to thank the moon goddess for letting
Kane’s POVMy heart pounds heavily as I track Avery’s scent, my wolf on the verge of breaking free. Something is wrong, her scent is too faint, tainted with something unfamiliar. The moment I reached the hotel, the truth slams into me like a blade to the chest. My wolf knew something was wrong the moment her scent became faint, I could not shake the nagging feeling off so I decided to search for her. The moment I realized she was not in the pack house I panicked. She must have tried to runaway again but this time it feels off. I need to find her, she might be in danger. I rush to go find her without thinking of anything but bringing her back.As I rush around the hotel, I move towards the front desk and ask if anyone had recently asked for a room with the description of Avery. The lady says she couldn’t give out that piece oof information because it was part of their hotel policies. I scan around trying to locate something that would lead me in the direction of where Avery could be.
Avery’s POVI keep moving in and out of consciousness, my mind stuck in a haze between being and nothingness. The chaos around me is distant, a nightmare I don’t know if I will ever wake up from. I can hear the sounds—the snarls that resemble thunder, the splintering crack of wood, and Kane's voice, thick with anger and something else, something animalistic, wild and dangerous.I struggle with the weight that is pulling me under, but my body will not respond. The drug still deep in my veins, rendering me completely immobile, my mind is slow. Panic is about to set in, but not before an unfamiliar warmth fills me. Powerful arms pick me up, holding me against a firm chest. The smell envelops me at once—woodsmoke, pine, and him.Kane. I know that scent anywhereRelief washes over me before I can even process it. He is holding me too closely, his breathing is ragged, his heart beats beneath my cheek. "I've got you," he whispers, his voice low and harsh and edged with anger.I attempt to s
Kane’s POVI have never felt this kind of rage before.Not when I took my first life in battle. Not when I watched my enemies kneel before me, begging for mercy I never gave. Not even when I realized Avery, my fated mate, the one I had searched for all these years, was my archenemy's daughter and she absolutely hated me.All those had made me furious but this? This rage was something else entirelyThis fire in my chest, this blinding fury, this gut-wrenching desperation, it’s different and intenseAvery is burning up in my arns. Her body trembles against me, soft whimpers slipping past her lips. Her skin is too hot, feverish. Every step I take toward my packhouse, my grip on her tightens. The scent of the drug lingers on her, a sickening mix of chemicals meant to do more than weaken her.Adrian didn’t just want her defenseless.He wanted to break her.A savage growl rumbles from deep in my chest, but I force it down. Right now, my priority is Avery. My pack members watch in silence as
Avery’s POV Pain.A deep, dull ache thrums through my body, making it hard to move. My muscles feel heavy, my limbs weak as if I’ve been running for hours without stopping. My head is clouded, a thick fog of exhaustion clinging to my thoughts, making it hard to grasp reality.I shift slightly, and a sharp sting ripples through me, emanating from between my legs and spreading all overA whimper escapes my lips.What… happened?I force my eyes open, blinking against the soft golden light filtering through familiar curtains. The room smells faintly of cedarwood and something deeper, something that makes my wolf, Alina stir. My stomach clenches as scattered fragments of memory begin to slip back into my consciousness.The hotel.Adrian.The drug.My breath stutters. My fingers curl into the silk sheets beneath me as the memories slam into me all at once.Kane.I freeze.Dread seeps into my bones, chilling me from the inside out.Slowly, I turn my head, and there he is.Kane.Lying beside
Avery’s POVKane walks away, his powerful strides eating up the distance between us. His back is rigid, his fists clenched at his sides, but for the first time, I see something in him that I wasn’t expecting.Sadness.It flickered across his face for only a brief second, barely there at all, but I caught it. And it makes something inside me twist—something I don’t want to acknowledge.I push the thought away, swallowing hard as I lift my chin.This is what I want.The night air is thick with excitement as the circus performance comes to an end. The fire dancers take their final bow, the acrobats disappear into the crowd, and the energy shifts.The pack knows what’s coming next.The real event of the night.The announcement of their Luna.People begin murmuring as they turn toward the grand podium in the center of the gathering space. It’s a raised wooden platform, large enough for Kane to stand tall and commanding over his wolves. Warriors, elders, and ranked pack members stand closes
Kane’s POVThe pack is restless.For weeks, whispers have filled the air, growing louder with each passing day. The Red-Claw pack has been without a Luna for too long, and they demand answers. They demand a name.Tonight, at the monthly pack gathering, I know that I will no longer be able avoid it. I must tell them who their Luna is, I have no choice.Its evening, the moon is out in the sky shining brightly.The large open hall is packed, warriors, elders, omegas, and ranked members all standing shoulder to shoulder. The scent of roasted meat and burning wood drifts through the air, mingling with the palpable excitement that hums through the crowd. Conversations buzz in hushed tones, speculation running rampant.Who will it be? Who will finally be my Luna?I already know their guesses. They expect a strong female warrior. Maybe one of the high-ranking she-wolves. Someone who aligns with the power and dominance of an Alpha.But none of them are Avery.I climbed the podium, standing be
Avery’s POVIf Kane thinks he can keep me here, force me to accept him, then he’s about to learn just how wrong he is.I will not be controlled. I will not be caged.So, I do the only thing I can, I fight back in the only way that I can. I will ignore his commands, I will not acknowledge his authority, I will frustrate him till he breaks.The first test comes at breakfast.Someone knocks softly on the door of my small room before entering, a lady walked in placing a tray of food on the small table near my bed. “Alpha Kane asked me to bring this to you,” she says hesitantly, as if she knows what my reaction will be.I glance at the tray but make no move to get up. The scent of freshly baked bread and roasted meat drifts through the air, but I refuse to touch it.“Take it back,” I say coolly, turning to face the window.The maid hesitates. “But Alpha Kane—”“I don’t care what Alpha Kane said.” The name tastes bitter on my tongue. “I’m not hungry.”Minutes later, I hear footsteps outside
Avery’s POVThe room feels like a cage.The dim light flickers against the walls, casting elongated shadows that mirror the darkness swirling inside me. My body is rigid, stiff with barely contained anger, frustration, desperation.Kane stands across from me, silent. Watching. Always watching.I clench my fists, nails digging into my palms as I force the words past my trembling lips."Reject me, Kane."The demand rings through the suffocating silence, slicing through the space between us."End this bond. Set me free."His expression remains unreadable, but I see the shift in his golden eyes. A flicker of something unspoken. His wolf stirs beneath the surface, raw and restless.He doesn’t answer.Doesn’t react and my frustration spikes, my heart slamming against my ribs."Did you hear me?" I snap, rising from the bed, my voice rising with me. "Reject me!"Still, nothing.The silence stretches, thick with defiance, with tension that coils tighter and tighter.Kane’s jaw flexes. His hand
Avery’s POV Pain.A deep, dull ache thrums through my body, making it hard to move. My muscles feel heavy, my limbs weak as if I’ve been running for hours without stopping. My head is clouded, a thick fog of exhaustion clinging to my thoughts, making it hard to grasp reality.I shift slightly, and a sharp sting ripples through me, emanating from between my legs and spreading all overA whimper escapes my lips.What… happened?I force my eyes open, blinking against the soft golden light filtering through familiar curtains. The room smells faintly of cedarwood and something deeper, something that makes my wolf, Alina stir. My stomach clenches as scattered fragments of memory begin to slip back into my consciousness.The hotel.Adrian.The drug.My breath stutters. My fingers curl into the silk sheets beneath me as the memories slam into me all at once.Kane.I freeze.Dread seeps into my bones, chilling me from the inside out.Slowly, I turn my head, and there he is.Kane.Lying beside
Kane’s POVI have never felt this kind of rage before.Not when I took my first life in battle. Not when I watched my enemies kneel before me, begging for mercy I never gave. Not even when I realized Avery, my fated mate, the one I had searched for all these years, was my archenemy's daughter and she absolutely hated me.All those had made me furious but this? This rage was something else entirelyThis fire in my chest, this blinding fury, this gut-wrenching desperation, it’s different and intenseAvery is burning up in my arns. Her body trembles against me, soft whimpers slipping past her lips. Her skin is too hot, feverish. Every step I take toward my packhouse, my grip on her tightens. The scent of the drug lingers on her, a sickening mix of chemicals meant to do more than weaken her.Adrian didn’t just want her defenseless.He wanted to break her.A savage growl rumbles from deep in my chest, but I force it down. Right now, my priority is Avery. My pack members watch in silence as
Avery’s POVI keep moving in and out of consciousness, my mind stuck in a haze between being and nothingness. The chaos around me is distant, a nightmare I don’t know if I will ever wake up from. I can hear the sounds—the snarls that resemble thunder, the splintering crack of wood, and Kane's voice, thick with anger and something else, something animalistic, wild and dangerous.I struggle with the weight that is pulling me under, but my body will not respond. The drug still deep in my veins, rendering me completely immobile, my mind is slow. Panic is about to set in, but not before an unfamiliar warmth fills me. Powerful arms pick me up, holding me against a firm chest. The smell envelops me at once—woodsmoke, pine, and him.Kane. I know that scent anywhereRelief washes over me before I can even process it. He is holding me too closely, his breathing is ragged, his heart beats beneath my cheek. "I've got you," he whispers, his voice low and harsh and edged with anger.I attempt to s
Kane’s POVMy heart pounds heavily as I track Avery’s scent, my wolf on the verge of breaking free. Something is wrong, her scent is too faint, tainted with something unfamiliar. The moment I reached the hotel, the truth slams into me like a blade to the chest. My wolf knew something was wrong the moment her scent became faint, I could not shake the nagging feeling off so I decided to search for her. The moment I realized she was not in the pack house I panicked. She must have tried to runaway again but this time it feels off. I need to find her, she might be in danger. I rush to go find her without thinking of anything but bringing her back.As I rush around the hotel, I move towards the front desk and ask if anyone had recently asked for a room with the description of Avery. The lady says she couldn’t give out that piece oof information because it was part of their hotel policies. I scan around trying to locate something that would lead me in the direction of where Avery could be.
Adrian’s POVI watch her as the drug takes full effect and she starts to realize that I am not the saint she painted me to be, my expression remains impassive. Sweet Adrian is nowhere to be found. Avery sways, her eyelids fluttering, her body struggling against its own weakness. She looks vulnerable and pathetic. Not the confident fighter she used to be, she is useless now. Next time she won’t go about trusting people she barely knows.It’s a sight I have been waiting for. Seeing her like this makes me feel so good. It gives me this massive power trip. I might sound like some psycho right now but I can’t help it, I want Avery and this is my perfect opportunity with no distractions and when I am done claiming her. She will be mine. Not Kane’s mate but mine. That makes everything I had to go through to prepare this worth it. I might not be at the top now but with this move I will. She is the reason I will have everything I have ever wanted. I have to thank the moon goddess for letting