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 POVThe feeling hasn’t gone away.That eerie, prickling sensation on the back of my neck. The weight of unseen eyes tracking my every move.At first, I thought I was being paranoid. Maybe my pregnancy hormones were messing with my head, making me overly sensitive to everything around me. I even moved out of the rooftop room and got my own tiny apartment, just for more safety.But that prickling feeling lingers stillAs I stand by the café’s entrance, staring out into the busy street, I know, I am being watched.I don’t know who they are.I don’t know what they want.But I know one thing, I need to leave.I place a protective hand over my belly, trying to calm my racing heart. My child. My pup. If something happens to me, what will happen to it?I can’t take that risk.Mrs. Thompson notices my hesitation as I clutch my coat tighter around me. “Avery, dear? Are you feeling alright?”I force a smile. “Yeah… I just— I think I need to go home early today.”She frowns, worry creasin
Kane’s POV I stare at Avery, my heart hammering against my ribs.She is here.And she is pregnant.My pup, our pup, is growing inside her.I’ve faced countless battles, torn through enemies without hesitation, but standing before her now, knowing that she has been carrying my child while I was kept in the dark, shakes me to my core.I can’t tear my eyes away from her stomach. It’s not as if she’s heavily pregnant, but now that I see it, I can’t unsee it. It’s there, proof of what we shared.Anger claws its way up my chest, but it’s tangled with something deeper. Guilt. Regret. A thousand emotions swirling inside me, each one heavier than the last.“You,” I say quietly, my voice dangerously calm, “running again.”Avery doesn’t flinch. She lifts her chin, defiant as ever, her eyes burning with fury.“I ran you once before, but you told your Luna to prevent me from seeing you,” she accuses.Her words land like a blade to my gut, sharp and merciless.I open my mouth to refute it, to tell
Avery’s POV I knew this moment would come.I had played out every scenario in my head, practiced every possible way to say it. But nothing.... nothing, could prepare me for the sheer force of Kane’s presence as he stands before me now, his rage a living thing crackling in the air.His glowing red eyes are darker than I’ve ever seen them, his entire body stiff with barely contained fury. Every muscle in him is coiled tight, like a predator ready to strike, and I force myself not to flinch under the weight of his stare.Stand your ground, AveryBut Goddess, it’s hard.“Tell me the truth, Avery.” His voice is sharp, cutting through the tension like a blade. “Is this child mine?”My pulse roars in my ears, my heartbeat hammering so hard it makes my chest ache. I already made my choice. There’s no turning back now.“No.”It’s one word, steady and controlled, but the moment it leaves my lips, I feel it crack something inside me.Kane doesn’t move, doesn’t even blink. His fists clench at hi
Kane's POVI storm through the darkened woods, my pulse thundering in my ears, my wolf snarling inside me. The trees blur past me, their gnarled branches reaching out like claws, but I don’t slow down. I can’t.The fury inside me is too volatile, too consuming.Her words haunt me, looping like a cruel chant in my mind.“It’s not yours.”“I was with someone else.”I clench my jaw so hard it aches. My claws snap out, slicing into my palms as I curl my hands into fists.But I do not feel the painMy whole being is consumed by her.Every word she said.Every lie she had utteredYes, she lied.I don’t know how I know it, but I do. Deep in my bones, deep in the remnants of the bond I still feel despite her rejection, I know she’s lying.But why?Why would she deny me my own child?Why would she take away my chance of being a father?Why would she separate me from my pup?Avery was never a good liar. She always met my eyes when she spoke the truth, but this time… this time, she couldn't. She
Kane’s POVI sit at the head of the long, polished table, my fingers curled into tight fists against the armrests of my chair. The elders' voices buzz around me, relentless, grating, a chorus of expectations I don’t care to entertain."Heir.""Legacy.""Strength of the pack."It’s always the same conversation, the same pressure. They talk as if I owe them a piece of myself, as if my bloodline is more important than the rage still burning in my chest."You can’t put this off forever, Alpha Kane," one of the older men speaks, his voice laced with impatience. "The Red Claw Pack needs stability. A future."I do not answer them. I barely even listenedI drag a hand down my face, exausted, but the fire inside me refuses to settle.Avery’s words still claw at me."The baby isn’t yours, Kane.""I was with someone else after you rejected me."The lies were obvious, but the fact that she was willing to utter them, that she would rather push me away than let me into her life, cut deeper than any
Kane’s POV I sit in my dimly lit office, my fingers gripping a glass of whiskey that remains untouched. The ice has long since melted, the amber liquid swirling as I roll my wrist, watching the way the firelight catches its depths. But it does nothing to dull the storm raging inside me. The weight of my decision presses on my chest like a vice, tightening with every second. I had agreed. Agreed to take my Luna to bed. Agreed to give the pack the heir they demanded. It was logical. Expected. Yet, I feel like I’m suffocating. A muscle ticks in my jaw as I stare out the window into the darkened forest beyond the packhouse. The wind howls through the trees, rattling against the glass panes as though mocking me. The beast inside me stirs, pacing restlessly, snarling ay the very thought of what I am expected to do. "She’s not our mate." The words are a snarl in my mind, my wolf’s fury crackling like lightning through my veins. He refuses to accept Sophia, my Luna, refuses
Avery’s POV I wrap my arms around myself, staring out of the small window in my new apartment. The city lights outside blur in my vision, exhaustion pressing heavy on my shoulders.The entire day had been spent searching for a better paying job, scouring every corner of the city, yet I came up empty handed. Bills were piling up. Rent was due soon. And in just a few short months, I’d have another mouth to feed.My hand drifts to my belly.I did the right thing.Kane could never know.A sharp pang clenches my chest, but I push it down. I had made my choice.Even if it cost me everything.I take a slow breath and pull the curtain shut. The apartment is small, barely big enough for one person, let alone a mother and child, but it’s mine. It’s safe.Or at least, it should be.That feeling still lingers. The one that’s haunted me for months now.That I’m being watched.I shake my head, running a hand through my hair. It’s just paranoia. No one knows where I am. No one is coming.I glance d
Avery’s POV I had fallen asleep in the living room after putting my son to sleep and cleaning the house. But the sound of shattering glass suddenly rips me from sleep. For a split second, I think I imagined it. The room is silent except for the rapid pounding of my heart. My breath is uneven, my body frozen as I try to distinguish between dream and reality. But then, a gust of cold air brushes against my skin, unnatural and sharp. And I know. Something is wrong. My son I sprang up, my bare feet hitting the floor with a loud thud. The sound barely registers in my ears as I sprint down the hall, my pulse hammering louder than my footsteps. The hallway has never felt this long. Every second drags. By the time I reach the bedroom door, my hands are trembling so badly that I nearly rip it off its hinges. And then I see it. The window........ wide open. The night air rushes in, making the curtains snap and billow wildly like ghosts in the dim moonlight. The glass sh
Kane’s POVI sit at the head of the dining hall, my fingers drumming against the polished wood of the table, my plate untouched. Across the room, Sophia, my chosen Luna, is speaking with a visiting Alpha. Her laughter is soft, too sweet, her hand lingering on the man’s arm for just a second too long.It’s supposed to be harmless, a diplomatic show of hospitality. But something about it irks me. It seemed like she was deliberately doing everything to get my attention.My wolf growls low in my mind, restless and on edge. I shove the irritation down, forcing myself to look away. This isn’t what should be consuming my thoughts. I have bigger problems.The attack.The message."A pup for a pup."The words have been gnawing at me all day. A threat, a warning… or something more?I take a deep breath, pushing back my chair. The visiting Alpha turns toward me, expecting me to rejoin the conversation, but I lift a hand."Enjoy the feast," I say, my voice even. "I have matters to handle, but I’l
Avery’s POVI wake up with a strangled gasp, my heart hammering so hard it feels like it might burst from my chest.My body is drenched in sweat, my breaths uneven, as I try to untangle myself from the suffocating grip of the nightmare. A man in the shadows had grabbed my son away from me. I had screamed my lungs out till I woke upBut even now, awake in the darkness of my room, the fear doesn’t fadeI force myself to sit up, my hands trembling as I push damp strands of hair away from my face. The room is silent, the only sound is my own ragged breathing, but it does nothing to calm me.Because it wasn’t just the dream.It’s the feeling.That same, relentless feeling that has been haunting me for days, wrapping around my throat like invisible hands, pressing down on my chest with a weight that refuses to lift.I turn my head sharply, my gaze immediately lan
Kane’s POV The moon hangs low in the sky, casting a pale glow over the packhouse. I should be sleeping, but rest has eluded me for weeks. My thoughts are a tangled mess, circling around ruling the packs and handing my Luna who never fails to remind me of how I still let Avery to control my heart even though she is gone But no matter how much I try to push Avery from my mind, she lingers like a ghost, haunting my every waking moment. Her defiant gaze. The way my wolf still aches for her despite everything. I exhale sharply, dragging a hand through my hair as I step toward my office window. The forest stretches before me, silent and still, but something about the night feels off. The unease that has been clawing at my chest lately refuses to fade. A sharp knock echoes against my door. I turn just as my Beta, Liam, strides in, his expression grim. The tension in his shoulders is unmistakable. My muscles coil. I know that look. “There was an attack on the border,” Liam repor
Avery’s POVFour Years LaterI tuck the blanket around my son, smoothing it over his small frame. His little chest rises and falls in a steady rhythm, his soft, dark lashees resting against his cheeks.My beautiful boy.My whole world.I press a gentle kiss to his forehead, inhaling his familiar scent of milk and baby soap. He sighs in his sleep, shifting slightly, but his tiny fingers remain curled into fists. so much like his father’s when he was angry.A lump forms in my throat, and I shake my head, pushing the thought away.I shouldn't think about him.I shouldn't think about how my wolf still yearns for him even after four yearsI shouldn't think about how I remember him each time I look at my son, they share such striking resemblance.I shake my head once again.Don’t think about him.The past is the past.I step away from
Avery’s POVI wake up with a strangled gasp, my heart hammering so hard it feels like it might burst from my chest.My body is drenched in sweat, my breaths uneven, as I try to untangle myself from the suffocating grip of the nightmare. A man in the shadows had grabbed my son away from me. I had screamed my lungs out till I woke upBut even now, awake in the darkness of my room, the fear doesn’t fadeI force myself to sit up, my hands trembling as I push damp strands of hair away from my face. The room is silent, the only sound is my own ragged breathing, but it does nothing to calm me.Because it wasn’t just the dream.It’s the feeling.That same, relentless feeling that has been haunting me for days, wrapping around my throat like invisible hands, pressing down on my chest with a weight that refuses to lift.I turn my head sharply, my gaze immediately landing on the small bed in the corner of the room.My son.There he is, curled up beneath his blankets, his tiny form peaceful, hi
Kane’s POVThe clash of metal fills the air, the grunts of my warriors echoing around the training grounds. I stand at the edge, arms crossed, watching them spar. My body moves through the drills automatically, but my mind is far away.Far away on her.Avery.No matter how hard I try, I can’t silence my Beta’s voice in my head.“Are you sure Avery was telling the truth?”I scowl. I shouldn’t be thinking about this. She made her choice, she lied to my face. Said the child wasn’t mine. Told me she had been with someone else after I rejected her.Then why won’t my wolf accept it?A warrior lunges at me, forcing me back to the present. Instinct takes over. I sidestep easily, gripping his wrist and twisting until he grunts in pain. With a sharp pull, I slam him into the ground, hard.The ground shakesA hush falls over the training ground. The warriors stop mid-fight, looking at me warily. I can feel their unease. They’ve seen me brutal in training before, but today ia different.Today, I
Avery’s POV I wrap my arms around myself, staring out of the small window in my new apartment. The city lights outside blur in my vision, exhaustion pressing heavy on my shoulders.The entire day had been spent searching for a better paying job, scouring every corner of the city, yet I came up empty handed. Bills were piling up. Rent was due soon. And in just a few short months, I’d have another mouth to feed.My hand drifts to my belly.I did the right thing.Kane could never know.A sharp pang clenches my chest, but I push it down. I had made my choice.Even if it cost me everything.I take a slow breath and pull the curtain shut. The apartment is small, barely big enough for one person, let alone a mother and child, but it’s mine. It’s safe.Or at least, it should be.That feeling still lingers. The one that’s haunted me for months now.That I’m being watched.I shake my head, running a hand through my hair. It’s just paranoia. No one knows where I am. No one is coming.I glance d
Kane’s POV I sit in my dimly lit office, my fingers gripping a glass of whiskey that remains untouched. The ice has long since melted, the amber liquid swirling as I roll my wrist, watching the way the firelight catches its depths. But it does nothing to dull the storm raging inside me. The weight of my decision presses on my chest like a vice, tightening with every second. I had agreed. Agreed to take my Luna to bed. Agreed to give the pack the heir they demanded. It was logical. Expected. Yet, I feel like I’m suffocating. A muscle ticks in my jaw as I stare out the window into the darkened forest beyond the packhouse. The wind howls through the trees, rattling against the glass panes as though mocking me. The beast inside me stirs, pacing restlessly, snarling ay the very thought of what I am expected to do. "She’s not our mate." The words are a snarl in my mind, my wolf’s fury crackling like lightning through my veins. He refuses to accept Sophia, my Luna, refuses