Chapter 1

~Angel Taylor~ 

**Blood Moon Pack 17 years ago.**

I pace back and forth seething, furious at my mate. I take a menacing step forward and pull her hair back; hard enough to cause her pain. She thought she could leave me…escape me.

“Did you think I wouldn’t find you, Leyla? What..did you forget that you belong to me–dead or alive? UGH! Your stench is unbearable!” I spat. 

(Third POV) Leyla, Angel’s wife, was considered a rogue since she renounced and fled the Blood Moon Pack. Rogues have a distinctive smell when they no longer belong in a pack. Their scent is described as an old dumpster or rotten eggs.

“Funny that you would think I’d stay. I did it for MY baby, Angel. You will never see her. At least I know I left her in good hands. She will be in a peaceful environment and receive the love she needs, you know…the type of love you know nothing about. You never deserved us. I don’t understand why the moon goddess fated me to you…you worthless piece of cra—”

I slapped her across the face before she could finish that insult. She’s never dared to talk to me this way. I chuckled lowly when I saw her spit out blood, but then became enraged at the sight of her.

“Shut your mouth!! You have no room to talk!” I yelled out in a deadly tone.

She giggled without fear and within seconds…it vanished. She glared at me, “Does the Alpha know how pathetic you truly are? Why don’t you let me talk to him instead? After all, I owe him that explanation.” She spoke in a bitter sneer, then smirked. 

“You are such an idiot if you thought I was going to let you keep abusing me. My baby doesn’t deserve that life! I don’t care what you do with me, I’m just happy, she will have a chance at something better.” 

I chuckled wickedly. “Leyla, Leyla, Leyla…you’ll be dead before you ever get the chance to speak to Connor, and as for the kid, I’ll search far and wide for her…” I said cruelly.

I grabbed the silver dagger from the table and stepped in front of her, leaning close to her ear, “...and when I do, I will do with her as I please. Maybe take her precious life.” Her eyes widened at my threat. 

“You keep saying she’s your child, she’s mine, too! Last time I checked, it takes two to f*ck and create a kid. She doesn’t deserve to be Beta of this pack! However, you're right about something though, I have no f*cking idea why I was fated to a weak wolf like you.” I sneered. 

“It should have been your friend, Kim.” I placed the dagger by her neck. “After all, she was a better f*ck than you ever were.”

(Third POV) Leyla’s eyes widened and tears rolled down as shock sped through her beaten body from his cold-hearted confession. Leyla and her wolf, Ava, had both felt his betrayal several times. He had no shame after all. After feeling it for so long she didn’t care, but it hurt her to know that it had been with Kim. She was the only person she could confide in. She felt betrayed and Ava howled. She closed her eyes for those last seconds before death and asked the moon goddess to protect and keep Natalie safe from him. She trusted that the Alpha and the Luna from the Starry Night Pack would watch after her and that the couple that took her baby would take care of her as if she were theirs. (End of POV)

I slit her throat in a fast swipe. Even in the face of death, she had a ghostly smirk glaring at me. It irked the hell out of me. The light in her eyes left as her blood poured on the floor. 

I angrily stared at those orbs that once saw me with love and in that precise moment when her life slipped away, I received an agonizing chest pain, and my wolf, Roe, howled for the loss of our mate. ‘Stupid mate bond.’

I was never an affectionate person. My Father was the same way–aggressive, ruthless, and short-tempered. The apple didn’t fall far from that tree. That’s who I am, that’s who I’ve become. Roe, however, wanted her. He hated it when I slept with Kim or when I shattered Leyla the way I did. He was only my wolf and I had more control over him than he did over me. I didn’t care about how he felt or what he wanted.

Staring at her body, I realized I never cared for a mate. I was pretty much forced to go to that useless mate ball. Our previous Alpha and Luna wanted us to seek our mates so that we would be complete and continue our bloodline. 

I zoned out remembering back when I first laid eyes on her.

I was talking and joking around with Connor when I saw him still and staring at someone behind me. I turned around and that’s when I saw her. Leyla was standing there like a sinful goddess looking around for someone. ‘Damn if she wasn’t the sexiest doll I’ve ever seen.’

I stood next to Connor and from my peripheral vision I could see how mesmerized he was at the sight of her and to my surprise, that’s when I felt the mate bond click, ‘Mate! Mate! Mate!’ Roe was going crazy. 

‘Well, damn! Ain’t I the lucky one.' My heart swelled up with pride knowing that I got the girl Connor was drooling over.

Everything started well in the beginning when I brought her home with me, but it quickly changed when I realized she wasn’t enough and her clinginess began to irritate me. I was never a one-woman man and if she thought that I would let that stupid bond stop me from having more women; she was dead wrong.

Her friend Kim seduced me and who was I to say no to another p*ssy? It was a surprise when I learned that wolves can feel their mates' betrayal. I didn’t give a flying f*ck though. It enraged me when I would get home and she quickly sniffed me, making her roar because another woman’s scent was on me, but as quickly as she was to bark, I’d shut her up by slapping her across the face. I didn’t care if she was my mate, I’m the man of the house and I did what I wanted as long as she had what she needed. 

Thereafter, the slaps became more violent, and then the beatings came after. I didn’t care if she wailed. Her tears only encouraged me to hit her harder. She was a wolf; she’d heal.

The only thing she was supposed to be good for was giving me a strong heir, a Beta, but she managed to mess that up as well! She delivered a girl when I was hoping for a boy. Girls are too damn weak and soft, only good for opening their legs. 

I sighed heavily. Now…to find the kid and obliterate her from existence. Not even Connor will be able to save her. I had a mission and she– was not part of it.

Suddenly, Alpha Connor entered the dungeon.

____________

~Alpha Connor~

My eyes landed on Leyla’s lifeless body and for that split second, I became enraged. How f*cking dare he take her life! 

There was once a time I had wished Leyla would’ve been fated to me instead of him.  

I lifted my hand and gripped Angel from his throat; someone had forgotten their place. “What gave you the right?! Why didn’t you wait for me?!” I lashed out, seething, giving Angel a murderous glare. My power rolled off me in waves. Angel forcefully showed his neck in submission and I slightly smirked.

(Third POV) He remembered the first time he laid eyes on her at the mating ball that took place at the Midnight Pack where Alpha Easton Carter’s parents hosted it. Every unmated wolf was to be present.

It was her beauty that took his breath away. She looked so innocent and soft. She had long straight black hair, emerald orbs with long thick eyelashes, and dusty pink lips. Her body was perfect. Curves that were sinfully aching to be touched; they were to die for. 

He was upset when he discovered that his soon-to-be Beta was mated to her. He couldn’t do anything about it because that’s how the goddess wanted it. Shortly after, he sensed his mate, Claire Hills. She was a beauty as well. However, their love story was cut short. Grief struck when he lost her while she was giving birth to their son. Losing a mate is the hardest part of a shifter's life.

Weeks after their son, Landon, was born, Leyla gave birth to a beautiful green-eyed baby girl with a mop of black hair. Hours later, she disappeared in such haste. Since werewolves heal fast, she wasted no time to escape. No one saw or sensed her absence and he couldn’t for the life of him understand why. Angel wasn’t even by her side when she gave birth so it made it much easier for her to vanish. (End of POV)

I recall the moment when I felt the pack-link break a little over a week ago; scaring the hell out of me. It was too late though. By the time I found out it was Leyla, she was long gone. I feel as if she planned this escape weeks before. Why, though? Why did she leave?

When Leyla joined my pack she was kind, feisty, joyful, helpful, humble, and sexy, but as the days went by I noticed she hardly wasn’t around, and when I did see her, the light in her eyes was no longer there. She hardly spoke to anyone. Could that change have to do with Angel?

“What for!!! She was my mate, not yours. She betrayed me! She wouldn’t tell me where my kid was!” Angel yelled out, struggling to speak, snapping me out of my thoughts. I could sense the heat and anger spilling out of him. 

I released him. “I could have reasoned with her, Angel! Perhaps she would have opened up with me. You should have waited for me.” I growled. This guy never had patience and always wanted to strike first and then ask questions later.

I’ve known my Beta all my life. Growing up, I realized Angel was very easy-tempered and aggressive.  

“Unless you have powers to bring her back, do it! She was a rogue and didn’t deserve a second chance. A week passed and she never contacted me, not a f*cking explanation. So f*ck off!” He growled back.

I took a menacing step towards him, “Watch your mouth. I’m your Alpha, don’t you forget that.” I spat.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm down. “We’ll find her. Your daughter is next in line. Landon and our pack will need her.” 

Angel gave me a forced nod and turned around, ordering the guards to pick up Leyla’s body and burn it. He didn’t think she deserved a proper burial since she was considered a rogue. 

My heart felt a slight pang. If only…. Angel just stood there holding the dagger tightly to his chest.