The next day, Anna found herself busy with her aunt's funeral arrangements which was a lot of work for her alone. Taking responsibility for the planning and coordinating of the ceremony was no easy feat but she had managed to do it with the help of the men that Kodiak sent to accompany her. Later, she discovered that her aunt had registered some children from the pack orphanage under her family name, and left instructions that they were to participate in the ceremony. Anna was relieved to see that her aunt had already made provisions for herself and proceeded to send invitations to them, hoping they would respond positively to them. To her greatest surprise, all of them declined her invitation under different excuses. Anna was greatly disappointed by their reactions, especially since her aunt had always taken good care of them and even sent them gifts during holidays. Nevertheless, she was still determined to plan a good farewell ceremony for her aunt who had sheltered her since the
Anna stood tall and poised under the tree, her eyes fixed on her ex-crush as he struggled to find the right words to say. The cool breeze brushed past her face, ruffling her hair and adding to the feeling of confidence that coursed through her. She asked him, “Darius, is there anything you want to tell me?”“I-I..” Darius sighed wearily and confessed with a nervous voice. ”I just want to tell you that I'm happy that you are finally back in the pack. I know you are doing well with your business in the Dark Edge pack but if you ever decide to expand your business here, you have my full support.”“Thank you.” Anna responded curtly. She wanted to walk away but he reached out and grabbed her hand. As soon as his hand touched hers, she jerked back and glared at him, causing him to raise his hand as a sign of surrender. “I'm sorry, Anna. I just wanted to ask if you are free this evening.” He smiled at her, flashing his bright white teeth as he said, “We can catch up on each other's lives a
Anna came downstairs for breakfast and immediately sensed that something was amiss a few minutes later. She could feel some gazes directed at her but whenever she lifted her head, she couldn't catch anyone staring at her. It made her feel a bit uncomfortable so she contemplated leaving the table but then Larissa started conversing with her husband after she placed more bacon on his plate. Larissa smiled warmly at him and said to him, "There you go, that's what you deserve for your wonderful performance last night." "Larissa!" Darius looked embarrassed when he heard her words, his eyes darting to Anna who kept eating her food with a calm demeanor. Larissa gave him a clueless look, while Penelope smiled at the both of them. She and her husband shared a mysterious look because she had also experienced a pleasurable night with him. Penelope knew that her husband was having an affair with several women so he rarely touched her but it was different last night. He had shown her his soft an
In the Dark Edge pack, Kodiak Cardinal was having a pack meeting with his elders when he suddenly felt a sharp and intense pain in his chest. His body stiffened a bit, while his mind tried to discern the root cause of this unexpected problem. His wolf was able to discover that the pain was related to his mate, Anna within seconds. He instinctively reached out to the mating bond and was shocked to see when he saw the translucent bond between them glowing more than usual. As he tentatively touched the bond, he heard Anna's weak voice calling out to him, filling him with a sense of dread and urgency. "Kodiak...help me..." Kodiak jerked up from his seat abruptly, causing his pack elders to look at him. Mrs. Hoyles was the first one who saw him and noticed that something was wrong when she saw the dark red color in his eyes turn lighter. "Kodiak, what's wrong? Your eyes-" "This meeting is postponed until further notice. I have somewhere else to go." Kodiak announced calmly, hiding his se
Hyde's expression turned into a scowl as he listened to his Beta's words. But before he could utter a single word, a deafening thud echoed from the other end of the door, making him turn his head instinctively. Abruptly, the door swung open with a force that startled the two people in the room. A towering figure stood at the entrance taking in the sight of the two of them with a deep gaze. He suddenly darted towards Hyde with lightning speed and grabbed his neck. A pair of icy blue eyes gazed upon him coldly as he raised the Stark Pride alpha in the air with his bare grip. “You really must have some fucking guts, Hyde. You dare to lay your filthy hands on her?”“Z-Zayn...” Hyde choked and tried to struggle against his grip with all his might. His hands wrapped around his attacker's own as he pleaded. “Please allow me to explain...””Zayn, what are you doing here?”Anna's eyes were wide with shock when she saw the sudden appearance of her mate's brother. The alpha of the Frost Fang pa
"I'm telling you the truth, Kodiak!"Anna squirmed on her bed as she was cornered by her mate's perceptive gaze and strong arms which locked her into place. He had spent the whole hour drilling her for the truth, and it was hard for her to keep her details straight. She was sure that she would have already been caught if it was not for Zayn's help but she wasn't sure how much she could hold on. "I just know that something was wrong, Anna. Tell me the truth." Kodiak insisted. His gut feeling was telling him that his mate was hiding something from him and that bothered both him and his wolf. He hadn't even tried to question his brother because he knew how tight-lipped Zayn could be about his matters. But Anna was different, his instinct kept telling him that he would be able to get her to talk if he pressured her a little bit more."I have already explained everything, Kodiak. Why don't you believe me?" Anna's voice cracked a bit when she heard him. She felt a bit bad using this to gui
As the sun began to set, Zayn Cardinal departed from the Stark Pride pack while his younger brother, Kodiak decided to stay with his mate. Hyde was forced to accommodate him in his house, so he slept in Anna's room. However, the men of the Lorcan family were in a very bad mood that night so they made things difficult for their wives. Hyde was fuming with anger and frustration as he entered the room. He swept away everything on his wife's vanity table in a fit of rage, throwing things around haphazardly. His face twisted with malice, as he turned to face his wife, his voice booming with fury."Look at my face! Just look at what he did to me!" he shouted, his breaths harsh and ragged. The room was silent except for his angry voice. "How dare he think he can get away with this just because he's the most powerful alpha in the Great Landmark?"Penelope flinched, her body tense with fear as she backed away towards the door. She was grateful for the soundproof walls that separated them from
As the sun rose on a new day, Anna descended the stairs with a radiant smile on her face, accompanied by her partner. Her cheerful demeanor was a stark contrast to the gloomy expressions worn by the other occupants of the house. Hyde and his wife sauntered down with a palpable sense of tension between them, while Darius strode towards the breakfast table with a scowl, his gaze fixed on Kodiak. Despite the obvious tension in the air, Anna seemed unfazed by the negative energy emanating from the others. Normally, she would have been concerned about their emotional states, but today, she seemed indifferent to their moods. All she could focus on was her happiness and the person by her side. Kodiak's presence seemed to make things better for her when she went to make arrangements for her aunt's funeral. It was only remaining a day before the ceremony would commence so she did not have a lot of time. But his help lessened the burden for her so before she knew it, she was able to conclude