Avery’s POVThe night air bites at my skin as I wander aimlessly through the outskirts of Kane’s territory, my heart pounding in my chest.I can still hear the heavy clang of the iron gates slamming shut behind me, the finality of it ringing in my ears like a death sentence.I was cast out like nothing.I have nowhere to go.But I refuse to give up, not when my child’s life is at stake.Swallowing the lump in my throat, I force myself to move. My feet ache, my body is weak, but I push forward, making my way through the dimly lit streets of the outer pack lands.There has to be someone, anyone, who will take pity on me.I stop in front of a small cottage, the warm glow of lanterns flickering inside. I recognize the house, an elder woman, a healer, lives here. She once treated the warriors after battle.Taking a deep breath, I raise my trembling hand and knock.Silence.Then, the sound of shuffling footsteps.Hope flutters weakly in my chest as the door creaks open.The healer peeks out
Kane’s POV The ache never fades No matter how much I try to drown it out, no matter how many times I tell myself that rejecting Avery was necessary, the pain lingers like a slow, festering wound. A bond severed, yet somehow… not. I feel it every damn day. A dull, persistent tug in my chest, like something is missing. Like something was ripped from me but refuses to fully let go. I tell myself it’s because of the rejection, that my body is simply adjusting to the loss. That the emptiness I feel is nothing more than the side effect of breaking a mate bond. But my wolf knows better. He hasn’t stopped pacing since the day she left, a low growl always rumbling in the back of my mind. Bring her back. I shove the thought away as I stalk toward my office, forcing my face into a mask of indifference. My warriors bow their heads in greeting, my Beta murmuring updates as he falls in step beside me. I nod absently, acknowledging his words without really hearing them. Because
Avery’s POVThe days blur together. Each one is a battle.A battle against hunger. Against exhaustion. Against the suffocating loneliness of knowing there is no pack, no home waiting for me.No one except the tiny life growing inside me.My child.That thought alone keeps me moving.I hunt where I can, stealing scraps from the forest. The human world is foreign, unfamiliar, but I force myself to adapt. To blend in. To survive.Because I have to survive.I spend most of my days in the abandoned cabin, fixing the broken windows, gathering blankets, trying to make it more livable. At night, I stay awake listening to the sounds of the human town nearby, my senses always alert, always on edge.I don’t belong here, but I have no choice.Then, on my second day in the town, everything changes.---I meet Glen at the local market.I hadn’t meant to interact with anyone, but hunger had driven me to the outskirts of town, where vendors sell fresh bread and fruit. The smell was overwhelming, my s
Kane’s POVThe sound of fists hitting flesh echoes through the training grounds.I don’t hold back.My opponent, one of my top warriors, barely has time to react before I land another blow, sending him sprawling into the dirt. A low growl rumbles from my chest as I pace the sparring ring, my muscles tense with unspent energy.“Again,” I order.The warrior coughs, clutching his ribs as he scrambles to his feet.We’ve been at this for hours. The rest of the pack watches from the sidelines, eyes filled with wariness. No one dares to question their Alpha’s relentless training.They all know.I haven’t been the same since Avery left.---It’s been weeks.Weeks of burying myself in work. Of increasing patrols, pushing warriors past their limits, drowning myself in anything that keeps my mind occupied.But it never works.No matter how many battles I fight, how many meetings I sit through, she lingers.Avery.Her scent. Her fire. The way she looked at me the last time we spoke, defiance burn
Avery’s POVI wipe a shaky hand across my forehead as I step out of the café, my stomach twisting with nausea. The scent of freshly brewed coffee and warm pastries, usually comforting, had made me gag all day. I barely made it through my shift without throwing up. Mrs. Thompson had noticed immediately. “You’re pale as a ghost, dear,” she said, her wrinkled face creased with concern. “Go home. Get some rest. I won’t have you collapsing in my café.” I didn’t argue. I couldn’t. As I walk down the dimly lit street to get to the downtown market to get some things I'll eat for the night, I hug my coat tighter around myself. The city buzzes with life, cars honking, people laughing, the distant hum of music from a nearby bar, but none of it eases the growing unease creeping up my spine. Something feels… wrong. The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end, and a shiver slithers down my spine. I’m being watched. My heart pounds faster. My grip tightens on my bag. I force myself t
Kane’s POVThe air in the council chamber is stifling, thick with the scent of aged wolves and heated arguments.I sit at the head of the long wooden table, jaw clenched, fingers drumming impatiently against the arm of my chair as the elders drone on.“An Alpha’s duty is to his pack first.”“You need an heir, Kane.”“It’s time to start thinking about the future.”Their words are the same as always, pressing, insistent, their expectant gazes weighing on me.I don’t react. I don’t even acknowledge them. I just watch them as tbey continue to ramble on.I should have expected this. It’s been weeks since Avery left, weeks of these meetings becoming more unbearable, weeks of my Luna pretending everything is perfect, and weeks of me pretending I give a damn.I don’t.Not about heirs. Not about securing a legacy. Not about anything anymore.“An Alpha without an heir weakens the pack,” one of the elders continues, eyes sharp. “If something were to happen to you—”I slam my fist onto the table.
Avery’s POVThe coffee machine hums, filling the air with the rich scent of roasted beans. I try to focus on the rhythmic sounds, on the warmth of the café, on anything but the unease prickling down my spine.But something feels off.Every sound feels too sharp, every movement too noticeable. The clatter of plates from the back makes me jump. The laughter of customers seems distant, like I’m hearing it through water.A restlessness grips me, a feeling I can’t quite name.I flinch when a coworker brushes past me, nearly dropping the cup in my hands.“Whoa, you okay?” Glen’s voice cuts through my haze. She steadies me with a hand on my shoulder, concern clear in her eyes.I force a nod, plastering on a smile. “Yeah… just a little out of it today.”She doesn’t look convinced, but thankfully, she doesn’t push. “You should take a break. I’ll cover for you.”I don’t argue. Stepping outside, the crisp evening air wraps around me, cool against my heated skin. I take a deep breath, willing the
Kane’s POVThe fire in the hearth crackles, but Kane barely notices. His mind is elsewhere, trapped in the storm of emotions he’s been trying to suppress ever since Adrian told him the truth.Avery is alive.She’s been out there, alone, cast aside like she was nothing.And now, she carries his child.Kane grips the arms of his chair so tightly that the wood groans under the pressure. He can’t shake the image from his mind, the thought of her struggling, barely surviving in the human world while he sat here, oblivious. His pack had abandoned her, turned her away when she needed help the most.And he’d let them. This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't sent her away.A growl rumbles in his chest, his wolf pacing furiously inside him. The beast had been restless ever since he learned the truth, demanding action, demanding that he bring her back where she belongs.But does she still belong here?Kane grits his teeth, frustration clawing at him. She rejected him. That moment plays in his m
Avery’s POVNight drapes the pack’s territory in eerie silence, broken only by the distant howl of a lone wolf. Cold seeps through the damp stone walls of my prison cell, wrapping around me like an unforgiving embrace. My body aches, exhaustion settling deep into my bones, but the weight in my chest is heavier.I had come here for help.And instead, I was locked away like a criminal.But worse than my imprisonment is the thought of my son, alone, afraid, possibly crying for me in some dark corner of this territory. The image guts me, igniting a fire in my chest, but I am helpless. The iron bars before me stand as an unyielding reminder of my reality.I rest my forehead against the cold metal, swallowing down the lump in my throat. Think, Avery. I cannot afford to break. My son needs me.Footsteps echo down the corridor and my body tensesA shadow moves beyond thee bars, and then, Kane’s Beta, Damien, steps into the dim torchlight."Get up," he murmurs, voice low.I blink at him, my he
Avery’s POVMy screams rip through the night, but they do nothing to stop the brutality before me.Kane is down.Blood pools beneath him, dark and endless, soaking into the dirt as if the earth itself is drinking his life away. His golden eyes, always burning, always sharp, are shut.He isn’t moving.“No!” My voice cracks, raw and desperate. I lurch forward, but the chains bite into my wrists, holding me in place like a cruel reminder of my helplessness. “Stop! You’ve done enough!”The rogues don’t listen.Their leader, a tall man with a jagged scar running from his brow to his chin, stands over Kane’s motionless body. He nudges Kane’s side with his boot, as if expecting him to get back up and fight. When Kane doesn’t, a slow, cruel grin spreads across his face.“Not so untouchable now, are you, Alpha?” the rogue sneers, spitting onto the blood-stained ground.A low, strangled sob escapes me. I hate Kane...... don’t I? I should feel nothing but contempt for him after everything he’s d
Kane’s POVThe night air is thick with tension as I step into the meeting place. My senses are sharp, every muscle in my body coiled, ready for battle. The damp earth beneath my boots, the distant howl of wolves in the forest.... everything around me screams danger.I expected a trap.And yet, the sight before me still sends a fresh wave of fury through my veins.Avery and the boy are shackled in thick silver chains, their bodies slumped against the cold, hard ground. Avery’s face is pale, her eyes filled with defiance but also something else... fear. My gut twists at the sight of the boy. He’s smaller than I imagined, fragile, his face streaked with dirt and tear stains.He looks at me, just for a second, and my breath catches.But there’s no time to process that.My attention shifts to the rogue leader standing before them. He’s taller than most, his face marked by old scars. His dark eyes gleam with amusement as he watches me, a smug grin curling his lips. Around him, a dozen armed
Kane’s POVI adjust the cuffs of my black shirt, my movements precise, controlled. Every fiber of my being is focused on tonight, on the moment I will finally have Avery to myself again. I tell myself it’s just a business arrangement, an exchange. But deep down, I know it’s more than that.She agreed to it.That has to mean something.A knock at the door shatters my thoughts.“Come in,” I say, not bothering to look up.The door opens, and my Damien steps inside. His posture is stiff, his expression unreadable. Immediately, I sense it, something is wrong.I finally lift my gaze. “What is it?”Wordlessly, he steps forward and places a sealed letter on my desk. The parchment is rough, unmarked by insignia or scent. That alone is suspicious.“This just arrived,” he says. “No trace of where it came from. We checked for poison, hidden markings, nothing.”Frowning, I reach for the letter and tear it open. My eyes scan the first few lines.Then...... everything stops.The letter was from the
Avery’s POVThe storm outside had passed, but a different one raged inside me.I had barely slept, my mind a relentless battlefield of guilt, desperation, and fear.The chill of the night still clung to my skin, but it wasn’t just the cold keeping me awake. It was him.Kane.His words had been sharp, biting, designed to wound. And they had. But what hurt more was knowing that deep down, despite everything, I still needed him.And that made me weak.I hated that weakness.But my son was out there, alone, possibly terrified. There was no room for pride. No space for the past. I had to focus on what mattered.Taking a deep breath, I pulled on my coat, ignoring the slight tremble in my fingers. I had a long night ahead, and Kane’s conditions still rang in my ears.I should feel disgusted.Angry.Even ashamed.But all I felt was… empty.I had made my choice. And now, I had to follow through.Just as I turned toward the door, a sharp knock made me freeze.My stomach twisted.Who in this pac
Kane’s POVAvery pulled herself from the bed and she kneels before me, her drenched clothes clinging to her shivering frame, her eyes wide with desperation. The fire in the hearth crackles, casting flickering shadows across the room, but she remains unmoving, waiting, pleading.The heavy wooden doors click shut behind my Beta and the guards, leaving only the two of us in the dimly lit study. The storm outside howls against the castle walls, but it’s nothing compared to the storm raging inside me.Her lips part, trembling. "Kane…”I don’t move.I lean back in my chair, arms crossed, jaw tight. I should throw her out. I should let her suffer the way I did. The way I still do. But instead, I find myself watching her, analyzing every flicker of emotion that crosses her face.“You’re asking me to risk my men, my resources… for what?” My voice comes out colder than I intended, but I don’t take it back.She swallows hard, her hands balling into fists on her lap. “For old time’s sake.”A shar
Kane’s POVI stand by the large window, arms crossed over my chest, watching the rain lash against the glass in relentless sheets.The storm outside mirrors the one raging within me, violent and untamed.Behind me, Sophia’s voice is like a blade against my skin, sharp and grating.“She’s manipulating you, Kane.”I don’t turn around. My eyes remain locked on the fragile silhouette kneeling outside the gates“She’s doing this on purpose,” Sophia presses, stepping closer, her tone laced with irritation. “She wants to make you feel guilty. She rejected you, humiliated you, and now she crawls back, knowing knowing exactly how to play on your emotions.”My fingers curl into tight fists at my sides.“Let her suffer,” she continues, venom in her voice. “She doesn’t deserve your sympathy, Kane.”Sympathy.The word gnaws at something deep inside me.Sympathy is weakness.And I am not weak.I tell myself this over and over.But I can’t look away.Through the downpour, Avery remains kneeling, unm
Avery’s POVAfter I had pushed Kane away, lied to him that the baby was not his child, told him I never wanted to see him, I never imagined I would crawl back to help me like this.And Kane, he is right here in front of me, looking like he had not aged a day. It felt unreal.Kane stood behind his desk, a mix of shock and disbelief flashing in his golden eyes. For a fleeting moment, I think I see something else, recognition, longing, something unspoken. But before I can hold on to it, another figure steps forward.Sophia.She moves with deliberate elegance, placing herself between us like a barrier, her gaze sharp and full of hate.“How dare you come in front of Kane after everything you’ve done?” Her voice drips with venom, her posture rigid with contempt. “You embarrassed and rejected him. You refused to be his mate. And now, you crawl back, asking for help?”I clench my fists, forcing my voice to remain steady. “They took my son.”Silence.Then, a scoff.Sophia crosses her arms, ti
Avery’s POVThe journey to Red-Claw Pack is the longest and most agonizing of my life.I don’t stop. I don’t rest. My body screams for a break, but my mind is too wild with panic to listen. My son is out there, taken, and every second wasted could be the difference between saving him and losing him forever.I push forward, ignoring the throbbing ache in my legs and the burning in my lungs. I managed to find a driver in the next town, a rogue willing to take me close to Kane’s territory for a ridiculous amount of money. But I don’t care. I would give up every penny I have if it meant getting Jace back.By the time I reach the border of Kane’s pack lands, the sun has barely started to rise. My heart pounds against my ribs as I step forward, breath hitching at the sight of two warriors blocking my path.“Turn around.” One of them commands, his sharp gaze raking over me. “Outsiders aren’t allowed past this point.”“I—” My voice is raw from exhaustion, but I force myself to stand taller. “