His gaze bore into me, intense and unrelenting. He let out a sigh, his expression softening, and bestowed upon me a look of sympathy. "I apologize," he uttered, his tone gentle, leaving me bewildered as I grappled with the unfolding scenario. "I've heard accounts of your mate and how he treated you. No one should have to endure such treatment," he added, offering a smile that carried a genuine warmth.Stunned, I remained seated, my lips parting and closing wordlessly. My voice eluded me, leaving me dumbfounded. I sensed Diego's sigh of relief, but my attention remained locked on the Alpha. I couldn’t believe what I had just heard. Even after everything Hawthorne had done, he was willing to let it slide when an opportunity to get back at him was being presented to him."Thank you," I managed to utter, forcing a faint smile, to which he offered a nod in acknowledgment. “You are welcome to stay, but,” However, he wasn’t done and it soon became evident that he had more to say. “You will
-ALPHA HAWTHORNE’S POV-Casting a glance at my wristwatch, I rhythmically tapped my leg while the car navigated a leisurely path that wound into a forested expanse. Before long, a house came into view on the horizon. The sun's radiance illuminated the surroundings, while the leaves of the trees, swayed in harmony with the gentle breeze.We came to a gradual halt, and as I stepped out of the car accompanied by my guard positioned a short distance away, I proceeded toward the house. Rapping my knuckles against the door's surface, I patiently waited for a reply before granting myself entry. Swiftly enough, a figure appeared at the window, her gaze fixed on me.I offered her a gentle, reassuring smile along with a quick wave. It was evident that fear flickered in her eyes upon spotting me. Swiftly, she hastened to unlatch the door, nodding her head in acknowledgment as she did so."Please, come inside, Alpha," she extended the invitation, to which I nodded in acceptance. Sign
-AURORA’S POV-Alpha Riel had organized a grand feast at the manor, extending special invitations to those particularly close to him, including Diego. To my surprise, I also received an invitation. Perhaps it was his method of reaffirming his earlier assurance that I should consider myself at home within his pack.That night, as I sat before the mirror, Ruth carefully combed my hair. She gazed at me with a warm smile. Over the past few days spent with Diego, Ruth and I had forged a close friendship, and in some ways, we had become best friends. Our bond was such that we felt entirely at ease in each other's presence.Ruth had also introduced me to a couple of her friends who worked alongside her in Diego's mansion. As she continued combing my hair, I sensed her gaze fixated on me, and she briefly halted her movements."You look stunning. I can't wait to see the reactions when you walk into the party," Ruth complimented with a warm smile. I playfully rolled my eyes and l
Upon entering the mansion, I found myself in a spacious hall. Initially, I hadn't recognized where we were, but as my gaze fell upon the enormous table stretching along one side of the room and the magnificent chandelier hanging from the ceiling, I realized that we were actually in Alpha Riel's expansive living room. Around fifty wolves filled the hall, but there were no chairs for sitting. Some had already taken to the dance floor, reveling in the music with their partners, while others stood along the sidelines, holding drinks in their hands as they observed the dancers before them. As soon as I entered, with Diego leading the way, all heads swiveled in our direction. Whispers resonated among the crowd, and some women seemed to fixate on me, perhaps perceiving me as a rival. I averted my gaze from their gaze and couldn't help but notice the men's stares, which felt as if they were trying to undress me with their eyes. I felt incredibly uncomfortable, and at one point, nervousness
Another slap followed swiftly before Harrison could utter a word.Diego's relentless grip on Harrison's collar had caused the color to drain from Harrison's face as he struggled to breathe. At this point, I stared around, meeting people’s gazes. I was so scared and had no idea what to do but what I knew that what I didn’t want was a murder right in front of me.People would talk, saying I had caused it and I would be hated, hunted by them, or chased out of the pack. Even Diego’s friends were surprised to witness what was going on before their eyes and so was the alpha."Diego, please stop," I pleaded desperately, but he paid no heed to my words. His grip continued to tighten, and I watched as Harrison's eyes filled with terror and tears streamed down his face. He struggled for breath, desperately attempting to break free from Diego's hold."Diego, STOP!" Alpha Riel's voice finally cut through the chaos. He snapped out of his daze, his brow furrowed with concern for Harrison's life.Di
*** SIX MONTHS LATER*** -ALPHA HAWTHORNE’S POV-Waking up in my room, I walked toward the window, gazing outside, my hand clutching the necklace I had left with my mate. It was the one thing that symbolized how much I loved her. She was the only one to whom I had ever given something I held such sentiment for.The necklace had once belonged to my mother before she passed away. With Aurora gone, I couldn't think properly, as my thoughts were constantly consumed by her absence. Even the maids were afraid to approach me or make the slightest mistake, knowing I might punish them severely for it.As planned, Ryan had already put out posters offering generous rewards for information about her, but there was still no result. I was beginning to lose hope that I would find her, and even Estefan had yet to report back. He had already set out on the mission I assigned to him, but his lack of communication worried me.I feared that my mate might have been abducted and taken to one of
I watched them in silence, my patience wearing thin as they remained frozen, caught in a moment of disbelief. It seemed like their words were imprisoned in their throats, and I couldn't help but view them with growing disdain as they appeared to be nothing more than cowards. A frown creased my brow at their behavior. It struck me that just a few months ago, they might have felt in control and perhaps even forgotten the extent of my true power. However, now they stood before me, their mouths tightly sealed, seemingly driven by the fear of invoking my wrath. Their silence seemed like an act of cowardice to me. "Mendez?" I called, my expression quizzical with one eyebrow arched. My attention shifted to the oldest among the group, a man who appeared to be over a hundred years old, with gray patches in his hair. "Alpha Hawthorne," he responded, and I waited with anticipation, hoping for a satisfactory explanation of what I had just heard. Upon learning from Ryan about the council's atte
He regarded me with an air of indifference, his gaze sweeping across the room before returning to me, his expression now tinged with concern. “How are you holding up?” he asked, unfolding his arms and taking a step closer.Remaining seated at the edge of the table, I rubbed my temple, my eyes closing as I frowned and my jaw clenched in irritation. Impatience coursed through me. I wasn’t one to tolerate my time being wasted and awaited his response with growing restlessness."I'm fine, just get to the point," I urged him, and he nodded in agreement. As he drew closer, his hand delved into his pocket, retrieving a folded paper which he handed to me.I gazed at the paper, my curiosity piqued as I extended my hand to accept it. I gave Ryan a questioning look. "What's this?" I inquired, but he gestured for me to look at it. Following his cue, I unfolded the paper and stared down at it in utter disbelief.It was a letter from Aurora! I looked back up at him, my mouth opening and closing in
Walking into a coffee shop with a bag slung over her shoulder, a young woman wearing a red leather jacket and sporting vibrant red hair took a seat in a corner. She observed the other customers before she gazed out the window at the white snowflakes falling from the sky. She was grateful that she had prepared for the snow and could enjoy her coffee in peace. Thirty minutes later, her phone buzzed, and she glanced at the screen, letting out a sigh as she muted the call. She wanted to savor the tranquility of the moment. It had been twenty years, and she could barely remember anything. A soft smile graced her lips as she stared at a waitress approaching her, her nametag displaying the name 'Aurora.' "We will be closing soon, miss," the waitress informed her, and she nodded with understanding. "You can keep the change. Thank you for the coffee," she said, offering a reassuring smile as she handed the waitress some bills. "I used to know someone with that name," the red-haired woman sa
I found it difficult to wrap my head around what I had just heard, and I swallowed hard. The idea that Hawthorne might have been dying at the time he had wanted me gone was a heavy burden to bear. How could I have missed it if what he said was true? He had never shown any signs of weakness; he always appeared strong to me. Hawthorne let out a sigh and looked at me, while I stared back, not with pity, but with complete shock. "You were dying?" I asked, my tone making it clear that I wasn't readily accepting his explanation. Even if I considered the possibility that he was telling the truth, I couldn't forget how he had initially treated me, claiming me as his mate and then rejecting me. He had never seemed to care about my feelings despite being aware of them, so why should I care about his now? "Yes, Aurora, I was dying. I wanted to tell you how I truly felt. I love you, Aurora," he confessed, and time seemed to stand still. I couldn't tell if my hearing had failed me, as I struggl
_Aurora’s Pov_ Seated before the mirror, I absently combed my damp hair with one hand while clutching onto Jonah, the brown teddy bear that Bella had given me when I was sent away from the orphanage. It was the closest thing I had to her, and I wasn't ready to let go of it. Xavier remained in his crib while a maid attended to him. It had been weeks since Bella's death, and I was consumed with guilt. I blamed myself for her death, and my negligence was about to exact an even greater toll. I gently placed the comb on the table and brought the teddy bear up to my nose, inhaling its faint but comforting scent, reminiscent of Bella. A sigh escaped my lips as I gazed at the teddy bear's stitched right eye, and I carefully set it down on the table when I heard a knock at the door. "Come in," I said, and the door handle turned. I stood up and faced the maid, who had entered with a phone in hand. "You have a call," she informed me, and I nodded before reaching out to take
-Alpha Hawthorne-"Leave."I heard a stern command, and though my eyes remained closed, I recognized Ryan's voice. Opening my eyes, I saw his back turned to me as he carried a tray of food. He moved quickly to a nearby table, placing the food on it, and then made his way to the window.As I lay there, memories of the previous night rushed back, and I couldn't shake my annoyance at the fact that Ryan had sided with Vera against me. Nothing could change that reality.I attempted to sit up, but the intense pain in my side was impossible to ignore, and a pained grunt escaped my lips as my brows furrowed. Ryan tilted his head in response to the sound of my voice. He gazed out the window again before lowering his gaze to the window pane."I know you hate me right now," he admitted, and he wasn't far from the truth. The pain in my side was the only thing preventing me from getting up and venting my frustrations on him."You betrayed me!" I yelled at him, and he turned to star
—3rd person’s pov—As Vera and Hawthorne exchanged words, Ryan remained in the background, observing silently. He couldn't help but imagine the horror his best friend must have experienced upon discovering that he was seemingly working alongside the enemy.The reality, however, was quite different. Ryan had not willingly allied with Vera; he had been forced into this situation. During Hawthorne's prolonged absence, he had been left alone with Vera, and in that time, he had found his mate.His mate was an Omega wolf, and her innocence had drawn him in. Recognizing the undeniable mate bond between them, they had chosen to embrace their connection and had formed a relationship.Ryan's thoughts were consumed by his mate, and she had managed to capture his heart, holding it as her most precious possession. He was entranced by her beauty until the day she was abducted, while he was away for a meeting.He had searched tirelessly for her, vowing to annihilate anyone who played a role in her d
I was left utterly stunned by her words, unable to comprehend the situation as I scrutinized her face. The single question that dominated my thoughts was "how?" How was it possible that she was the same maid I had once sent to prison?Her brown eyes bore into mine with an intensity that felt like daggers ready to strike. I struggled to believe that the beta standing before me was the same woman who had worked for me in the past. It made no sense; why would her father allow his own daughter to work as a slave in my Mansion?"Then you were aware of your father's scheme?" I inquired, and her gaze wavered slightly as she took a step back. I continued, "Have you ever considered what kind of father would exploit his own daughter to achieve his goals?" I hoped to appeal to her sense of reason.Her voice cracked as she responded, "I had a choice, and I made it. He didn't force me into it." She looked up at me, her eyes once again filled with pain. "Our plan was to let him eliminate you and be
—Alpha Hawthorne’s POV—My eyelids fluttered open, revealing a dimly lit room with a single light bulb hanging directly above me. Panic set in as I realized I was securely strapped to a chair. My attempts to break free seemed futile. Beads of sweat formed on my forehead, and my body was drenched in sweat.My shirt had been forcibly removed from my body, and in the dim light, I could make out a table ahead. If I had to guess, I'd say I was being held here for the purpose of torture. The faint but unmistakable odors of blood and sweat hung in the air, indicating that someone had likely endured suffering in this very place before.Usually, breaking loose from these restraints wouldn't have been a big deal for me. But, my suspicions started to mount as I realized I was dealing with the effects of Wolfsbane poisoning. This poisonous substance could seriously weaken a wolf, and if it got shot straight into the bloodstream, it could even be deadly.I couldn't tell if it was d
For a few fleeting moments, silence enveloped the room as our gazes remained locked. I could feel a lump in my throat, and a strange, uneasy sensation settled in my stomach.I couldn't... I couldn't believe that all this time, my real father was actually alive and not deceased as my mother had told me. He sat right before me, his expression marked with regret and pain, while my eyes were undeniably blurred by the tears that had welled up.Should I call him Dad or Alpha Riel? This was the first time I had ever seen the Alpha show weakness. No, it wasn't weakness; he was emotional. I was stunned, unable to believe that I had been with my father all this time and had never once suspected it.But my mother despised my father so intensely. She told me how he had rejected her to be with another woman. She made it clear to me that she was mistreated by my father. No, she never concealed anything and had openly shared every negative thing he had done to her.I knew she was hurting, but she ha
-Aurora’s pov-I sat down on a chair, my head resting on my fist, one leg crossed over the other. The events of last night, and the fact that Bella was missing, weighed heavily on me. I had little appetite and couldn't bring myself to go to work.George had left with Diego to search for her, and Alpha Riel was also involved in the search. I wanted to go too, but Diego had asked me to stay behind for Xavier's sake. With Bella gone, it felt like only a matter of time before Xavier might disappear as well.Sitting there, I contemplated whether Hawthorne had any involvement in Bella's disappearance but dismissed the thought as it didn't make sense for him to target a girl who wasn't his. I pondered who could have taken her and for what reason."Ma'am," a maid called, bringing me back to reality. It was then that I realized warm tears were streaming down my cheeks.I found myself crying, tears streaming down my cheeks without my awareness. The maid offered me a cup of coffe