SCARLETT :I have not seen the Alpha since the day I brutally pushed him away. Cage picked Sophie and me up from home every morning. My parents, especially my papa, weren't happy about it, but since my mother came to like Cage later, my father pretended to follow suit.Summer was slowly fading away, and soon it would be four months since I first came into contact with the Alpha. Time went by so fast that I couldn't believe it myself. Winter was fast approaching, and Cage followed my sister and me home to convince at least one of our parents, especially our mother, to permit us to attend a winter party that his mother was hosting.Top noble families hosted parties during the winter or summer as a competition to see who would host the best event of the season. It was always grand, and they were usually the talk of the town. People in my class attended as workers or through news details also known as newspapers or TV screens."What theme is your mother planning for this year?" Sophie ask
SCARLETT :"Think about the danger you will be in when my son decides to announce that he wants your child to be the Luna, Rose," the Grand Luna addressed my mother by her name.Had they come into contact one on one."You do not have to worry about that. My daughter won't be going anywhere near your family. They don't deserve my sweet child. Keep your son at bay, Grand Luna Stella," my mother lowered her head. "Thank you very much for gracing our home with your presence."My father butted in. "We understand your concerns, and we'll make sure our daughters stay far away from your sons.""My offer still stands for when you decide on moving to start anew. Soon your daughters will become targets, but I trust that after everything I've told you both. You'd do well to keep the desires of your girls at bay. Isn't that right?""Yes," they both lowered their heads."Very well," the Grand Luna stood up to leave, came close to my ear, and whispered. "Whatever Logan did to you is nothing compared
SOPHIE DE LUCA:I was still in distress about the move. I wanted my parents to say they were joking and they hadn't sold our two-bedroom flat, but those words never came. The only thing I was relieved about was that my father did not deep dive into my relationship with the Beta. It was great that way. I wasn't proud of it, well, that and the fact that Scarlett could get a breather from the Alpha.Months had gone by since I came into contact with the most insufferable man in all the universe. He was everything I hated; overly confident, overly noble. Zharn Meyers had the attitude of the proud jocks I went to high school with. I dated some of them. I'd like to say I was wilding as much as I could. Days were good, knowing my stand in society while living it, at least before our father got sick and we forgot our college dreams.The night my twin found out who her mate was, was also the same day I found out who mine was. It was the pack's anniversary, and those who were of age and beyond w
SCARLETT :Sophie and I went to our room after the discussion. We decided to tell Cage one-on-one about us moving. It would hurt. I had to say goodbye to a few people, Reyes, Cage, Kim, Lucinda, Sir Hensley, and my new friends from training too.My heart sank in despair. I never thought moving could hurt this bad when I had no attachment to anyone, but now that I did, it would be hard.I glanced at my sister, who lay curled up on her bed and was unusually solemnly quiet."You know you can't keep pending, right? Since when did you and the Beta start something?" I drove her to speak."I'm sorry I lied," she spoke gingerly."You're not exactly good at lying," I told her. "I still had my suspicions."Sophie sighed. "So? How did we meet, yeah?" She explained it all, about her mate Carlton, the rejection. Guess we weren't twins for nothing. She met the Beta coming out of a lake near where the event took place. "... I honestly had no idea that he'd be my boss when I applied for the job at th
LOGAN DE VAUNT :The moon goddess really messed up my life by bringing me into the family the same year as my picture-perfect brother.It was great until my grandfather asked us to fight at the age of eight. We were handed wooden swords and asked to battle. The winner would get whatever they wanted. Everyone preferred Jax to me; I had a feeling favorites were chosen before we even got our names. Who gives twins completely different names?I remember our first fight as clear as day.*****************FLASHBACK…My grandfather, Kyle De Vaunt, stood firm next to my father, Blake De Vaunt. Mother was busy playing tea parties with her acquaintances; that was all she was good for anyway. That woman always wore the mask of a perfect Luna.The nanny who took care of Jax and me brought us to the garden where my grandfather and father were. The memory was too upsetting to recollect how we were dressed, supposedly something similar."Grandfather," we both cheered. Kyle De Vaunt wasn't a man of t
LOGAN DE VAUNT :"In three.""Two." I gripped my sword tighter."One."I hammered at my brother with all my strength, making him stumble hard. The men surrounding us cheered for me, and it felt great. My body rippled with validation that I had never received from anyone in my life.My grandfather and father were yet to applaud. I had to do better.Jax stood up with more grit than before and swung his sword at me. I barely managed to dodge. My twin gave me no breather as he swung his sword back and forth without giving me a break.It went on for minutes, and I wondered if Jax had been training behind my back. No, it was impossible. We were always together. How was he so strong?I glanced to the side and watched my grandfather's eyes glimmer with amusement. He loved that he put us against one another. He was entertained by our fighting."Logan, don't be distracted," Jax called me back before shoving the tip of his wooden sword at my stomach."Ah," I wanted to scream, but I held it back
JAX:Over the past week, my mother and I haven't said a word to each other. We passed by each other as if we were strangers. It was fair enough given our tense argument the last time we got together.I'd be lying if I said I had no regrets about what I said. It was true; she had to hear it. A part of me resented her for the way she'd been all through the years; nonetheless, I had no right to judge her for the years of her life I knew nothing about.I sat with the council of the pack. Both the elders and prominent councils were there, the year was fast rounding up. We had matters to deliberate upon. Council members placed around each region of our pack came to give reports concerning the areas they were placed in.I also had the annual alliance conference coming up. My yearly meeting with all the council members pretty much took the whole day."There have been no casualties throughout the year, and with Sir Harrison's help, we were able to handle the matter of the petty thieves who kep
SCARLETT :Cage skipped work and training with the boys to meet Sophie and me. I did not have it in me to go to the pack house or see the Alpha. In fact, I did not want to see him until I left.He sat opposite us in a cafe where I ordered a chai latte, Sophie got an espresso, and Cage got water. He was too depressed about us moving. His words, not mine."Isn't there anything I can do?" He made continuous offers that afternoon, all of which ranged from selling his house to gifting us the house and moving down to the farm with us. His ideas were so preposterous that it made my chai latte cold because I didn't drink it."I think you've gone far beyond the planets in this universe already. It won't change a thing," Sophie made it clear."The fact that your parents got to the farm before the Grand Luna spoke to them..." He trailed off."Papa really wants to start fresh. It means a lot to him and our mom too. Now that the Grand Luna spilled our misdeeds out in the open, they've been speedin
SCARLETT :"This is bad, really fucking bad," Sophie exclaimed as she got out of the car."Everyone grab a weapon," Cage instructed. He handed me a sword, and Zharn took a gun and a sword."Is everything loaded?" The Beta asked."Fully," Cage confirmed."I want a gun," Sophie requested."Can you use one?" Cage inquired.My sister turned to the left and fired the gun."What?" She rolled her eyes at our bewildered faces. "I watch a lot of war movies.""You learned to shoot from war movies?" Zharn raised a brow."My aim might be shit, but I can pull a trigger," she said, tucking the shotgun into her jeans."Emma, have this dagger," Cage offered it to her."Be careful, it looks sharp," I cautioned."Your place looks really bad," Zharn remarked upon looking at it."Doesn't everywhere look ruined today?"The windows of our home had multiple holes in them."Be safe, Scarlett," the Alpha's voice reappeared in my head.I had to choose a moment to live in, between the Alpha saying my name where
SCARLETT :It all happened in a flash. Two of the rogues were soon bound in ropes with glass shards all over them.Cage was bleeding badly, and the little girl wouldn't stop crying."Are you okay?" Of course, he wasn't okay. He was bleeding badly, but the situation had me feeling almost numb. I didn't know what else to say.Sophie grabbed her bag and took her scarf, tore it, and wrapped it around his bleeding palms."What's going to happen to these two?" Soph asked Cage."They'll be held captive for questioning," Cage replied, panting heavily. "This is unusual; rogues have never neared this pack. We have the strongest men positioned at our borders; they never leave. Our security is the best. Someone planned this obviously; it could be someone within the pack. We'll need them to answer to us, I bet everyone has a question or two for them."Hot and cold air brushed my skin as I got goosebumps due to anxiety."You'll never get anything out of us no matter how hard you try," one of the ro
JAX:"Don't go anywhere," I told my wolf, Luca. "I'll be needing you throughout today.""I practically live in you. Just summon me," it told me before disappearing.I wore a full-proof body suit. All my men had them. It didn't keep the head safe, but the rest of the body would be. My men had spread out throughout the pack. My guards accompanied me as we stepped out of my chamber. Dead bodies were spread out on the floor."Your people are out there dying, and you chose to stay in your chamber and take your time like a pretty little princess." Six rogues appeared before me, and before I replied, my men were shot in the head from behind."Nice work," I commended. "Now let me show you how to shoot." My grandfather did not give me affection; he signified approval by giving me permission to learn his secret moves.One deep breath."Luca, I need you.""I'm here, Jax," he responded.Soon, I was behind the five of them, firing silver bullets with both my hands."Fascinating," one of the rogues
ZHARN MEYERS:"Over there," Amy pointed."Why? You're not gonna come any further?""No, we have to stay here just in case you drown or something. That way, we can get help on time," Amy told me. "Besides, look at Tina, she's shaking. That area is too spooky for her."I looked at Tina, who was not hiding very well behind Amy.I groaned. "Hey, Tina, I can get you a new-"She sobbed. "My dolly. Waaaaaaaaa."I grimaced."I'll get it.""Thank you," she said in the most childish voice ever. How can a six-year-old manipulate her way into getting a doll back?I strode to the lake where the full moon reflected directly on the blue water."We weren't just compatible. Zharn, I want you to stop drowning yourself. Move on, find some peace. Find a beautiful woman you love. Get married too," Cleo's voice rang in my head."You'll always have a place in my life, as a friend."Her wedding ring and pregnant belly flashed before my eyes.Tears poured down."Fuck, I'm a grown man. I can't cry," I told mys
ZHARN MEYERS:I had spoken on the spur of the moment that day, and I did not realize how it would make her feel that way."Why didn't you say anything?" I queried."I wanted to, but then you became aBeta and got too busy. I met Paul around that time," she told me. Paul, the man she cheated on me with. Twice. "I don't know how to explain it, but it was different with him, too different, and I realized that I could not love you in the way that you loved me. Yet, it was hard to let you go. My family loved you, my friends did too. Your family ranks second among the nobles. My parents would have killed me if I let you.""Then your only option was to string me along forever?" I ran my hands through my hair."Cleo, I was scared you'd hate me.""Cleo, I loved you too much to ever hate you. You could've told me everything, and I would've let you go, even if it killed me," I chuckled bitterly. "I'm not that selfish. I'd never keep someone who cannot love me the same way that I do them."She lo
ZHARN MEYERS:I kept my distance from Jax. He'd give me sad eyes all evening, reminding me of how shitty my life really was.I stood by the pillar, observing the evening when a woman whooshed past me.I caught a whiff of strawberries and bubblegum, and my nose followed the scent. A woman in a green dress hugged her body so tight that I noticed other men gawking at her. Her wavy dirty blonde hair did not do much to cover her exposed back.A good distraction for the night. All I have to do is smile and use my boyish charms. I watched her until she went to the side where the lowborns stood and turned."Holy shit, she's gorgeous," my wolf Lan read my mind.Her golden amber eyes shone as bright as stars even without trying. Her rosy-colored cheeks and lips stood out against her fair skin.It was settled. I was getting her contact info.I was about to cross the bridge between the nobles and lowborns when a gentle tug pulled me back. I should have looked around; the only thing standing betwe
ZHARN MEYERS:I endured the first two hours of the event, engaging in political discussions and business talk with older men. This was my father's domain, not mine, but that night I was not just Beta Zharn. I was also the young Master of the Meyer household, there to uphold the family's honor."Hey, Zharn!" Anna exclaimed. "Amy snuck a pastry.""They're from home," Amy defended."Excuse me." I gave a curt smile to the grey-haired man with a pot belly before storming over to my sisters."What did our mother say about tonight?" I seethed, hoping I wouldn't have to lock my sisters in a cage that night."To not steal pastries?" Anna shrugged."No, you dimwit," Amy rolled her eyes. "She said to behave." Amy said proudly, but I was about to knock that pride off her face with a good smack to her forehead."Why aren't you behaving?" I whispered angrily. "Do you realize you're not even supposed to be here? You have to be of age.""Liar," that was the second time I had been called a liar that n
ZHARN MEYERS:FIVE MONTHS AGO…"Guys, are you ready?!" My mother yelled from downstairs. "Zharn, you're the Beta. What are you still doing up there?"I appeared from behind her. "I've been outside for a while now, thanks for thinking the best of me," I said, my tone caustic.My mother flinched, holding her heart. "Zharn Jake Meyers, don't do that again.""Yes, mother," I replied blandly."Now, where are your sisters?" My mother turned to a passing servant. "Get the girls, speedily!""No need, Mama." My four little sisters ran down the stairs, all looking chaotic.My parents had six children: my older sister, me, and four other annoying girls."What took you all so long?" My mother sighed."It was Anna and Amy," Joy, the one after me, was quick to point out the culprit."Was not!" Anna and Amy said simultaneously."Was too!" Joy shot back."Mama," the youngest, Tina, ran to embrace our mother.Our mother's blond hair was styled up elegantly, with her blue eyes matching the color of the
HARRISON CAGE:It was unplanned. At first, the only thing on my mind was to save her from the same fate my mother suffered, or that was what I told myself intentionally.I had no place in her life to interfere, perhaps I was selfish, granted that my father was too. I had someone to blame my inadequacies on. I looked for her every day, and learned more about her through her coworker Reyes. I owe him thousands of favors. I was no better than a creepy stalker who used curiosity as a cover-up.I tried my hardest not to show it, but the moment she gave me a place in her life was the happiest I had ever been. I was okay with no one checking on me, I was fine third-wheeling to clubs with Jax and Zharn just to go home alone while they did their thing with women of the night.That was the past, not anymore. Not only was I cursed yet blessed with falling for a woman whose mate is my old friend, but I got a badass, foul-mouthed, definitely not shy friend Sophie. Scarlett was bold when she wanted