Regina’s POVI take a quick step back because Nigel’s appearance had really shocked me.His handsome face had swelled to three of its original size. And there were bruises and bleeding scars everywhere on his face. He could hardly open his eyes because they were severely swollen.“N—Nigel!” I gasped, “What happened?”Nigel shook the iron bar abruptly and there was a desperate look on his face, “Regina! Regina, my love! You have to get me out of here! Alpha Gray he is—is crazy! He has 3 solders beat me from day to night! I can’t take it anymore! You have to save me from that monster!”I clenched my fists in silence.I didn’t like Nigel calling Gray a monster.Yes, I was shocked by Nigel’s swollen face and Gray probably shouldn’t have beaten him so hard. But Gray did this for a reason. He was avenging me. If Nigel hadn’t tortured me in the first place, Gray would have never done such thing!“Nigel, do you know why Alpha Gray did that to you?” I asked with a stern voice, “Because you hav
Regina’s POVI gulped nervously.I had never seen Gray like this before—so cold and stern—like I wasn’t his beloved little sister, but a total stranger.“Answer me.”Gray strode forward. His towering figure casted a huge shadow on my body.“Did you sneak into the dungeon behind my back? Yes, or No!”“…Yes!” I blurted out.Seeing the burning rage obscuring his face, I protested, “You can’t stop me from seeing Nigel! He is my husband!”“What husband!” he bellowed, grabbing my wrist forcefully, “That man is a total scumbag! He grabbed your hair and humiliated right in front of me! He should feel lucky that I didn’t rip his chest apart right on the site! It’s over between you and him. I forbid you to see him again!”FORBID?I was a grown person. I was fully capable of making my own decision!“You don’t have the right!” I struggled fiercely against his grip and cried, “And I have made up my mind already! I will return to his home with him!”“…What did you say?” Gray’s jaw tightened.“That’
Regina’s POVI couldn’t believe what I was seeing.Nigel as the servant?! What the hell!And I immediately looked towards Gray, knowing that this must be his idea. He kept his eyes straightforward, deadpan, as though he didn’t notice my furious glare at all.Others around the table had all recognized Nigel as well. They all seemed astonished. No one said a word.Nigel approached us carefully, walking around the table serving us coffee, starting with me. His hand was shaking so severely that a drop of hot coffee dripped on the back of my hand. It burned, but I decided to say nothing about it. Because I didn’t want to cause any more trouble for him.After Nigel was done with me, he moved onto Gray. He trembled even more. I looked at the pot in his hand nervously, afraid that he might still coffee on Gray.“A—Alpha Gray…Coffee?” Nigel stammered, breathing lightly.Gray didn’t say anything, but simply tapped his index finger on his empty cup.Yet Nigel didn’t notice that tap on the cup. A
Regina’s POVNigel stared back at me blankly.“What ash tray?” he asked with a frown.I had to remind him of that, “The ash tray that I broke last winter. Do you remember?”He let out a snort, “You broke a lot of things in my house, Regina. Let’s face it, you are not exactly the best sla—”I gasped in disbelief, “Slave? Are you calling me your salve?”“No!” he quickly said, shaking his head. “Wife! What I meant was—you are not exactly the best housewife. You aren’t good at cooking and house chores. But it’s OK. There is a learning process. I believe you will get better at it when we go back to Shadow Valley.”I didn’t want to argue with him about house chores, “And do you remember kicking me out of your house? You said that I was forbade to go back into the house before I finished chopping a block of woods.”“Oh yeah. I think so. It sounds like something I would say…But why are we talking about this now? We should be talking about getting out of here, babe.”Nigel reached a sweaty han
Regina’s POVGray was kissing me?My own brother was kissing me!And it wasn’t one of those peck-on-the-check, brother-to-sister kind of kiss. Instead, it was hot and passionate!I gasped in panic and tried to push him away. Yet my little resistance seemed to irritate him. He grabbed both of my wrist in one hand and pressed them against the wall on the top of my head. His other hand traveled to the back of my neck, holding my neck, and he deepened the kiss.His tongue slipped through my parted lips and explored my mouth, hungrily. I was horrified and tried to say something. But he tightened his grip on my neck to keep me in place and bit on my lip to punish my distraction.I felt my sanity slipping away.I couldn’t breathe, nor could I think straight. I felt like I was melting in his strong arms.And the weirdest part is—I didn’t hate any of these at all.Oh my god. I should be disgusted by this! He was my brother for god’s sake! He was my blood! What the hell were we doing?!But my b
Regina’s POVI couldn’t believe this.Gray was leaving here…He was leaving me? Right after we kissed?!He owned me an explanation. He initiated that kiss. At least he should tell me what that meant before fleeing away to the border!I was so fucking mad!“Are you OK, my lady?” Maya asked with a worried voice. “You seem—furious.”“Because I am!” I gritted my teeth. “Where is the Alpha? Has he left already?”“No, not yet. He planned to leave after dinner. I think he is at the front yard with his soldiers right now.”I jumped off bed and dashed out of my room, heading straight towards the front yard. There was a boiling rage inside of me. I couldn’t let Gray walk away from me, not before we sorted out things first!When I reached the front door, I saw him standing under an oak tree with a few soldiers. Great, he still hadn’t left yet.I rushed over and called out loudly, “—Gray!”He turned over with a surprised look on his face, “Regina, what are you doing here?”I stopped abruptly in fr
Regina’s POVI woke up from slumber with a splitting headache and found myself in a back of a truck.The memory from before I passed out came back to me gradually. And I remembered. Nigel abducted me. He and Gavin knocked me over with a stick and took me away.I tried to sit up. And then I found that both of my hands and feet were tied up with ropes. There was also duct tape on my mouth, keeping me from crying out for help.I also got a bitter taste in my mouth. Probably wolfsbane. To prevent me from shifting.I used my knees and elbows to crawl forward and approached the truck's back door. The door rattled as the car drove forward and there was a crack between the doors.I narrowed my eyes and peeked through that narrow crack.We were driving down a freeway.It didn’t seem anywhere I had been to before. The roadsides were lined with brown and withered vegetation. Everything seemed bleak and deserted. There weren’t any buildings within my sight.I had no idea where we were going.For
Regina’s POVAfter my failed attempt to escape, Gavin and Nigel started to keep an even closer eye on me.They would take shifts watching me in the back while the other one drove the car upfront. The rope on my feet was changed to iron cuffs with a chain, which had one end anchored to the floor.And they kept the duct tape on my mouth the whole time in case I might cry for help. The only time I could have my mouth free was when I had my meals.I didn’t have any appetite. They suspected me of going on a hunger strike so Nigel forced me to eat with a dagger. My head would get dizzy every time I ate the food that they gave me. There might be wolfsbane or sedative in it.The restroom situation was also terrible.They wouldn’t let me get off the truck and use the toilet in the gas station. When I asked to go pee for the first time, Nigel gave me a bucket and asked me to do it in front of him.“Right here? In front of you? Can’t you at least give me some privacy?” I asked in disbelief after
Regina’s POVThe next morning, the dining hall was buzzing with chatter. All the Luna candidates were seated, enjoying an elaborate breakfast spread, but the conversation wasn’t about the food. Everyone was talking about last night’s commotion.I kept my head down, pretending to be enjoying my plate of fruit and pastries. But my ears were tuned in to every word, trying to gauge what people knew or suspected. The girls were all putting on airs, acting casual, but you could tell the curiosity was eating them up.Claire, the candidate Kelly had praised so highly before, was holding court at the center of attention. A few girls surrounded her, hanging on to every word she said, as she dramatically recounted being woken up by the guards. Her voice was full of exaggerated fear.“And then,” Claire said, batting her long lashes, “just before breakfast, I bumped into Alpha Gray in the hallway! He asked if I was alright after all the fuss last night. Can you believe it? He was so sweet, so cons
Regina’s POVThe rooms for us Luna candidates were in the East Wing of the palace, far away from where Gray and my family lived in the East Wing. It was like they wanted to keep us as far away from the royal family as possible.But for me, that distance didn’t matter—I had grown up here. I knew every brick and shadow of this place.The door swung open without a sound and I left my room. My heart pounded, but I reassured myself that nobody would bother guarding a bunch of noble girls. Sure enough, the hallways were empty, lit only by the dim glow of the moonlight filtering through the windows.I moved carefully, making sure that I was quieter than a cat. The familiar turns of the corridors brought back memories, like when I played hide-and-seek with my maids around here...NO. Don't go there. The task at hand first, Regina.Left, then right, down a narrow staircase. Finally, I stopped at a section of the wall that looked unremarkable to anyone else but was etched in my memory.I lifted
Regina’s POVI kept my head down, trying to ignore the stares of the other girls as I settled into my seat. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. Maybe sitting far away from Gray was actually a good thing. At least this way, there was less chance he’d catch onto my disguise.It wasn’t long before Gray showed up.The whole energy in the courtyard shifted immediately. I looked up, and there he was, and my heart sank. He looked so good—regal and charming at the same time. I didn’t think anyone else could pull it off like that, just him. He had this natural aura that made every girl here blush just by looking at him.He walked over, greeting everyone with a smile, and it was like he was a totally different person from the one I’d seen in the office. He was gentle, his voice warm as he spoke to the other girls. I could hear them giggling, their faces all red with excitement as they got his attention, one after another. It was so different from how he treated me. The difference made
Regina’s POVStanding at the office door, my heart felt like it was about to jump out of my chest.I wasn't ready for this—not even a little bit.The servant said someone would check my files, but why was Gray here? He's the Alpha. He's too above these kinds of things.Of all people, why him?!I couldn't think straight, and before I knew it, the door clicked shut behind me. The noise startled me, and I jumped a little. Gray slowly turned from the window to look at me. His eyes locked on me with a cold, indifferent curiosity, like I was just another piece of paperwork he had to deal with.My heart ached. He used to look at me with so much love and passion. And now it was all gone."You must be Alicia," he said, his voice flat and emotionless. It had been so long since I'd heard his voice. A shiver ran down my spine—suddenly I was reminded of the role I was playing. I wasn't Regina anymore. I was Alicia.I nodded, my heart pounding, trying to keep my face neutral. "Yes, Alpha Gray," I m
Regina’s POVAs I walked into Alicia’s hotel, I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself.The luxurious lobby was even more intimidating now that I wasn’t just passing through—I had to blend in, become Alicia for real.I adjusted my posture, squared my shoulders, and headed toward the elevator.As the doors slid shut behind me, I caught my reflection in the mirrored walls.With my pale gold hair and Alicia’s refined clothing, I looked the part. But on the inside, my heart was pounding.When I stepped out of the elevator and approached Alicia’s suite, two guards stationed by the door immediately straightened up, their eyes widening with surprise.…Did they sense something?My stomach twisted into a knot, but I forced a smile and nodded at them, hoping they couldn’t hear the rapid thud of my heart.“Lady Alicia, you’re back!” one of them cried his tone a mix of relief and concern. “You had us worried when you disappeared a couple of days ago.”I swallowed hard, keeping my voice stead
Regina’s POVAlicia’s lips parted, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words.“You… want to go in my place?” she repeated, her voice low with disbelief. “Are you insane? Do you even know what you're getting yourself into?”“Yeah…I know exactly what I’m doing.”Alicia hesitated, staring at me like I’d lost my mind, “You don’t understand. Being Alpha Gray’s Luna isn’t some fairy tale—it’s a cage. People will scrutinize your every move. Most girls entering the contest dream about being with him, but you’ll quickly realize that being his Luna isn’t about love or happiness. It’s about power. He’s not looking for a soulmate; he’s looking for someone strong enough to manage a pack like Ever Moon.”She must have been thinking about these for a while already. And frankly speaking, she wasn’t wrong.I could tell that Alicia wasn’t one of those silly girls. And she was kind enough to warn me about all these.“Is this about money then?” she asked, still looking perplexed. “You want to live a
Regina’s POVI felt a deep ache gnawing at my heart as I stepped out of the memorial center.Gray was moving on, and I was stuck, a fugitive in everyone's eyes.Hover parked the car in a small alley. I wandered to our car, my mind swirling with frustration.“Hey.” he got out of the car the moment he saw me in the rear window, “How’d it go?”“…He’s getting married, Hover,” I muttered.Hover froze, “Who?”“Gray. He’s getting married!” Tears welled up in my eyes at this moment, “And there’s nothing I can do to stop it! And I also can’t even get close enough to figure out what really happened to Grandpa. It’s like…I’m completely powerless!”“Take it easy. We’ll figure out a way eventually—”“But I don’t want to take things slowly! Soon Gray will be engaged to a woman that I don’t even know of and everything will be over then!” I growled, unable to control my strong emotions.Hover narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze became sharp.“Regina, why are you so upset about your brother getting m
Regina’s POV…Gray.The world around me seemed to blur. All I could focus on was him.My eyes became blur as I looked at him, tears welling up.It had been so long since I last saw him, so many days filled with anguish and pain. The day we last met was when Gray got poisoned, the same day I got framed for murdering him.We didn’t even get to speak to each other at that time. I was held down by Torres’s soldiers. And his body was ravaged by the poison coursing through his veins.Seeing him now, standing tall and healthy, a wave of emotion crashed over me.Relief, joy, and sorrow tangled together, making it hard to breathe. My heart ached with the intensity of it.Gray looked just as I remembered, yet different. Stronger, more composed, and his expression was much colder.I wanted nothing more than to run to him, to throw my arms around him and feel the warmth of his embrace. To tell him how much I missed him, how much I loved him.But I couldn’t.I was still a fugitive, still the one t
Regina’s POVThe moment the radio went silent.The full weight of my grandfather’s death crashed down on me.My hands trembled, and so was my soul.The tears I had been holding back spilled over, blurring my vision.I suddenly threw open the door and jumped out. The car was still moving. My feet barely hit the ground before I stumbled and fell, but I didn’t care.The pain in my chest was worse than anything physical.“Fuck…REGINA!!!” Hover shouted.He slammed on the brakes and stopped the car. He jumped out, calling my name, his voice laced with fear.But I didn’t hear him. I was overwhelmed by those emotions.Getting up on my feet, I started running, desperate to escape the reality that had just crashed down on me.Hover caught up to me quickly, grabbing my arm and spun me around.“What the fuck are you doing? You could’ve gotten yourself killed!” he snarled.I jerked away from him, tears streaming down my face as I shouted back, “GOOD! Let me die! What’s the point of living anyway?