RUBY. “I just told you not to tell anyone that we're dating, and you agreed to it with a smile.” His hold on me hardened, just like the way his chin twitched in anger. “Tell me, is everything a joke to you? Don't you feel bad that I don't want you to announce our relationship?”I barked out a laugh, my left hand moving to cover my mouth to muffle the sound, but I ended up bending low as saliva went flying. Oh, Goddess.Why was he so hilarious?I cackled more and more until I felt my sides burning. I stood erect to find him watching me with his arms folded across his chest, the anger on his face gone. “Did I say something funny?”I nodded a little too much, the urge to throw back my head and laugh again in his face so strong that my chest tightened. Lifting my right hand to my chest, I tapped on it until the ache disappeared.“Yes, you're too funny.” I smirked. “You should be given an award as the best comedian, honestly.”A low growl rumbled in his chest as he inched closer. He til
“Thank you for honoring my invitation, Your Highness.” Alpha Kael bowed again, his gaze fixed on me. “And if I may ask, who’s the lady beside you?”I felt Clinton stiffen beside me, but I kept my eyes on Alpha Kael, who was still smiling. With a fake smile plastered on my face, I cooed, “I am Natasha Jones, the King’s distant cousin.” I lied.Alpha Kael hummed, nodding slowly. “You’re welcome to my pack, Lady Natasha.” He bowed dramatically before shifting his attention to Clinton. “Please, have a seat.”He introduced everyone to us before we took our seats beside Alpha Liam, who extended his hand toward me, clearly intending to kiss it. I withdrew my hand politely. “It’s nice meeting you, Alpha Liam.”He smiled and engaged me in a conversation that barely held my interest. As we waited for dinner to be served, I noticed the occasional glance thrown my way. I contributed to the conversation just enough to avoid appearing rude, though my thoughts were elsewhere.After a few minutes, th
Finding proof was more difficult than I expected. I spent countless hours searching, but every lead seemed to slip through my fingers. It felt like I was chasing shadows, with nothing concrete to hold onto. The harder I tried, the more elusive the evidence became. Frustration began to set in, but I knew I couldn't give up. The truth was out there, and I was determined to uncover it, no matter how challenging the journey might be.I first began my search in the kitchen, going over the ingredients I had used in preparing that milkshake that day, but of course, it had been taken away. I didn’t know why I even expected it to remain there.Next, I went to the late Alpha's room, but there was nothing there that seemed suspicious. I ransacked his room and made sure no one noticed I was there because the last thing I wanted was for someone to find me and question my actions.I was checking his bed when I heard footsteps approaching. My heart began to pound as the thought of getting caught rus
What was the possibility that the voice I heard belonged to Dawn? The thought gnawed at me. The coldness, the authority in that voice—it matched Dawn’s so perfectly that it was almost impossible to dismiss. But why would she be here, in the dead of night, speaking so darkly about someone’s fate? The Dawn I knew was filled with hatred and jealousy, but this? This was something else entirely. The figure on the phone paced back and forth, her tone growing more frustrated with each passing second. “I don't care how difficult it is,” the voice snapped, and my heart pounded in my chest. It was unmistakable now. The voice was Dawn's. “You have three days. No more excuses. If you can't find her, then I'll have to take matters into my own hands, and you know what that means.” A cold sweat broke out across my forehead. Who was she talking about? And what did she mean by “taking matters into her own hands”? I had never seen this side of Dawn before—calculating, ruthless. It was as if she
It was well past seven in the evening when I finally made it into the room I shared with Clinton. He was standing in front of the mirror, wearing nothing more than a towel wrapped loosely around his waist. The muscles of his back flexed slightly as he moved, and the low light of the room highlighted every defined line of his body.I gulped down my saliva as my eyes trailed down the glittering hairs that stood firm from his belly button down to where the towel rested precariously on his hips. My hands itched to touch them, to twirl those fine strands around my fingers, but I hesitated, feeling a sudden rush of heat in my cheeks.Clinton turned slightly, catching my gaze in the mirror, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. “Caught you staring,” he teased, his voice low and smooth, sending shivers down my spine. I bit my lip, feeling a mixture of embarrassment and desire. “Can't help it,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. My feet moved on their own, carrying me c
CLINTON.The wake-keeping of the late Alpha Frederick was finally over four hours later. I watched my mate as she stood up and made her way upstairs, wanting nothing more than to go up with her.The last few days have been hard for me. I noticed there was something she wasn't telling me, and a part of me felt it somehow connected to this pack. This suspicion arose when she urged me to attend the funeral the day she found me by the pool. Her behavior had been rather strange since then.She insisted on wearing a mask to this pack and even went ahead and changed her mind. I didn't know what to think of that, but my wolf pleaded with me to trust our mate. I trusted her, but a part of me could feel something was wrong, and her telling me that she would reveal everything after the funeral didn't help ease my uneasiness. I wanted to know what was happening, and knowing that she didn't trust me enough to share it with me now hurts really bad. But it's not like I could do anything about it.I
RUBY. The burial site was somber, set at the back of the pack house, where a grave had already been dug. A simple wooden coffin lay at the center, surrounded by mourning pack members. Alpha Kael, Dawn, Carolina, and Beta Alvin stood at the forefront, each holding a pristine white bouquet that contrasted starkly with the dark earth. Clinton and I were right behind them, his right arm gently wrapped around my shoulders, offering me a surprising sense of comfort.The only sounds breaking the stillness were Dawn’s quiet sniffles and the soft weeping of pack members, particularly the mothers who had been touched by the late Alpha’s kindness. Alpha Kael stepped forward, his face etched with grief, and dressed in all black like everyone else. He carefully placed a framed photo of the late Alpha on top of the coffin. After a moment, Kael stepped back, giving everyone one last chance to see the Alpha. My eyes instantly watered as I looked at him. My dad. He had been an awesome dad and ruler
“I have proof that the person who killed the late Alpha, your father, is among us,” I said, the words heavy as they left my mouth.I could feel everyone's hot gazes on my skin, including Clinton's, but I didn't take my eyes off Alpha Kael—my mate and the late Alpha's son.His expression morphed into one of anger, and I watched as he curled his hands into tight fists. I could feel his rage as he let out his aura, but it didn't affect me since I wasn't his pack member. However, shifting my gaze to the crowd, I saw everyone with their heads bowed, except for the Alpha Kings and other Alphas.But I didn't care if his anger was directed at me. Nobody cared about me when I was falsely accused. Worse, they even wanted me dead for something as horrible as killing the Alpha.I smiled ruefully and looked at him. His girlfriend was rubbing her right palm on his left shoulder, with her other hand placed gently on his chest while mouthing words I couldn't hear.“What did you just say?” Kael growle