Chapter Seventy Four ;The Shattering Truth"I was seated in the main room of the packhouse, my heart still hurting beneath the burden of everything that had taken place. Asher had been pulling away recently, his eyes filled with perplexity when they met mine. I could feel the distance grow between us, even while we were still under the same roof, the same bed still being shared. Yet everything now seemed wrong.Just then, the door groaned open and I heard Cara's voice."Zarina, I've brought someone to help. You need a healer."I looked up, confused. What did she mean by "help"? I wasn't ill. Okay, so I was weary, but that was normal."Come in, Cara," I said, trying to hide the fear that surged inside me.Cara came in, smiling softly. But I caught the glint in her eye, something I couldn't quite put my finger on, but something that made me feel uneasy. She was hiding something from me. I just wasn't sure what.Behind her came a man, in simple attire. His face was warm, though his eyes
Chapter 75: CareZarina's POVI sat in the dark corners of our room, its quiet oppressing me with suffocating weight. My heart pounded, still fueled by the aftermath of the healer's revelation. My mind refused to stop repeating that moment the healer had uttered that none of the children belonged to Asher. Each word stabbed like a painful knife slicing deeper into my chest, and I had never felt more naked, more naked. How do I begin to make sense of myself now? What would I say to apologize when everything that was so broken?Asher, my love, the man that I loved above all else, was in the other room, his face indiscernible. I did not dare to look at him. I did not dare to confront him. I knew he would be thinking—doubt, incredulity, hurt. And I did get it. That he would possibly have thought I lied to him about his children—guilt pierced my chest.I could hear him breathing deeply, then he came towards me. "Zarina." His voice was soft but laced with desperation.I did not look back at
Chapter 76 :I Am Not Afraid of You Anymore(Zarina's POV)I was standing at the window of our room, and I could see the trees swaying softly in the wind. The packhouse was also quiet, too quiet. Asher had gone outside to check on something, and the babies were all sleeping. I could hear them breathing softly, little sounds that always filled my heart with comfort.My heart wasn't peaceful.It hadn't been. Not since Cara's day when she brought that healer and turned my world around. I could still recall the words—"None of the children are his."What a lie. What a vile, deadly lie.And yet, Asher did not leave me. He held on to me. He kissed me. He said he didn't care what the tests said. He thought about me. He thought the babies were his. And even if they weren't, he would stay, would raise them, would love me.That changed something inside of me.For so long, I had been intimidated by Cara. Her presence. Her authority. Her dominance over the pack. The way she treated me like dirt on
Chapter One – Shattered Zarina’s POV Today is the day. The day Kael would be announced as Alpha. The day he would finally claim me as his mate. The day he would prove that I hadn’t sacrificed everything for nothing. I smiled at my reflection, my chest swelling with pride. The deep blue gown Kael had chosen for me hugged my body perfectly, emphasizing every curve he used to admire. My black hair cascaded in soft waves down my back, and my emerald-green eyes shimmered with excitement. This is it. I walked away from my title, my family, and everything I had ever known because they said Kael wasn’t good enough for me. That I, the daughter of the strongest Alpha, deserved better than a low-ranked wolf with no real power. I had stood by Kael when no one else had. When his own pack doubted him, I had pushed him forward. I had fought for him. I had bled for him. I had betrayed my own family for him. Because I believed in him. I believed in us. Tonight, he would prove
Chapter Two : Some mates are not meant to be Zarina’s POV The night was cold, but I didn’t care. My feet dragged through the dirt as I walked deeper into the dark forest. I had no idea where I was going. I just wanted to get away. Away from him. Away from the pain. Tears blurred my vision, but I didn’t bother wiping them. What was the point? My heart felt like it had been ripped out of my chest. “Some mates are not meant to be.” His words repeated in my head, cutting me like a sharp knife. A broken sob escaped my lips. I dropped to my knees, gripping my chest. It hurt. It hurt so much. My wolf whimpered inside me, but she was weak—just as broken as I was. I had done everything for him. I thought we would be together. I thought I was finally going to prove to everyone that he was worthy of me. That we were meant to be. But he chose someone else. The pack cheered for him while I stood there like a fool. He didn’t even look at me. He acted like I didn’t exist. I squee
Chapter Three : One night with the stranger Asher’s POV Pain. That was the first thing I felt when my eyes opened. But then, something was different. My leg—it wasn’t aching anymore. I moved it slightly, expecting a sharp sting, but there was none. I frowned, sitting up on the bed. The last thing I remembered was collapsing in the forest, blood pooling beneath me. I had lost a lot of it, and I was sure I wouldn’t make it. But then... she came. Zarina. I glanced to the side and found her still asleep, her face turned slightly away. Even in rest, she looked troubled. Her dark lashes rested against her cheeks, and her lips were slightly parted, as if she had cried herself to sleep. I ran a hand over my face and exhaled. She was the one who helped me. I remembered now—she had pressed something against my wound, whispering words that I was too weak to hear. She must have used those leaves. I swung my legs over the bed and stood, testing my weight. I was stronger. Almost as if the
Chapter Four – A Cold Alpha Zarina’s POV When I woke up, my head hurt. My body felt sore, and for a moment, I didn’t understand why. Then, I realized I wasn’t in the forest anymore. I was in a room, lying on a bed. And I wasn’t alone. I turned my head and saw him—Asher. The man I met last night. The man I had slept with. My heart started beating fast. No. No. No. I sat up quickly, pulling the blanket over my chest. What had I done? How could I have been so careless? I didn’t even know this man! I wanted to scream, but before I could react, Asher moved. He opened his eyes, and instantly, everything about him changed. Last night, he had looked tired but kind. Now, his golden eyes were cold, emotionless. He sat up and looked at me like I was a problem he needed to deal with. Then, the first thing he said made my whole body freeze. “As the Alpha of this pack, I can’t be seen sleeping with just anyone. What do you want in return to keep quiet?” I blinked. My heart dropped. “Wh
Chapter Five : Decision Regretted Kael’s POV I sat on the Alpha’s seat, my fingers clenching the wooden armrests as I listened to the news that made my blood run cold. “The battle must be redone,” the Head Elder announced, his voice deep and unwavering. “I was not present during the last fight, and now we have reason to believe that Darius was weakened by outside interference.” I felt my stomach drop. My hands turned clammy, and I struggled to keep my breathing steady. “A… a rematch?” I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper. “Yes,” the Head Elder said firmly. “The battle will take place in three days. This time, no interference. The true Alpha will be decided in front of the entire pack.” I wanted to protest, to say I was already named Alpha, but I couldn’t. The Alpha Seal—the final mark that would make my leadership unquestionable—had not yet been given to me. Without it, my title was nothing but a word. I swallowed hard, trying to think of a way out, but there wa
Chapter 76 :I Am Not Afraid of You Anymore(Zarina's POV)I was standing at the window of our room, and I could see the trees swaying softly in the wind. The packhouse was also quiet, too quiet. Asher had gone outside to check on something, and the babies were all sleeping. I could hear them breathing softly, little sounds that always filled my heart with comfort.My heart wasn't peaceful.It hadn't been. Not since Cara's day when she brought that healer and turned my world around. I could still recall the words—"None of the children are his."What a lie. What a vile, deadly lie.And yet, Asher did not leave me. He held on to me. He kissed me. He said he didn't care what the tests said. He thought about me. He thought the babies were his. And even if they weren't, he would stay, would raise them, would love me.That changed something inside of me.For so long, I had been intimidated by Cara. Her presence. Her authority. Her dominance over the pack. The way she treated me like dirt on
Chapter 75: CareZarina's POVI sat in the dark corners of our room, its quiet oppressing me with suffocating weight. My heart pounded, still fueled by the aftermath of the healer's revelation. My mind refused to stop repeating that moment the healer had uttered that none of the children belonged to Asher. Each word stabbed like a painful knife slicing deeper into my chest, and I had never felt more naked, more naked. How do I begin to make sense of myself now? What would I say to apologize when everything that was so broken?Asher, my love, the man that I loved above all else, was in the other room, his face indiscernible. I did not dare to look at him. I did not dare to confront him. I knew he would be thinking—doubt, incredulity, hurt. And I did get it. That he would possibly have thought I lied to him about his children—guilt pierced my chest.I could hear him breathing deeply, then he came towards me. "Zarina." His voice was soft but laced with desperation.I did not look back at
Chapter Seventy Four ;The Shattering Truth"I was seated in the main room of the packhouse, my heart still hurting beneath the burden of everything that had taken place. Asher had been pulling away recently, his eyes filled with perplexity when they met mine. I could feel the distance grow between us, even while we were still under the same roof, the same bed still being shared. Yet everything now seemed wrong.Just then, the door groaned open and I heard Cara's voice."Zarina, I've brought someone to help. You need a healer."I looked up, confused. What did she mean by "help"? I wasn't ill. Okay, so I was weary, but that was normal."Come in, Cara," I said, trying to hide the fear that surged inside me.Cara came in, smiling softly. But I caught the glint in her eye, something I couldn't quite put my finger on, but something that made me feel uneasy. She was hiding something from me. I just wasn't sure what.Behind her came a man, in simple attire. His face was warm, though his eyes
Chapter 73 : The Shift Begins – Asher's POVSunlight streamed into the room, bathing the room in warm, golden hues. I rubbed my eyes against the light, the warmth on my skin. For an instant, I believed I was still dreaming, the crushing weight of the past few days still lodged in my chest. But then I knew—no, it was real. The world outside was waking up, and so was I.I turned my head to the side and saw Zarina sleeping beside me. She was serene. Her brow was not furrowed in worry as it had been for days. She appeared. unencumbered by the tension and exhaustion that had weighed over her for so long. I looked at her for a moment, attempting to grasp how such a quiet moment could feel so meaningful. She'd done it—she'd gone and gotten something, some fix to everything, although I wasn't entirely sure how. I was grateful to her beyond measure for everything she'd done for me and our pack.I wished to stay there, beside her, for only a little while longer, but the weights of all of it sti
LChapter Seventy Two: Hope in the SilenceZarina's POVIt was a cold night when I returned. My feet ached, my heart was weighed down, and my clothes reeked of the forest that I had walked through. But I did not care. I held the little bag of cloth from the old woman to my chest like it was a matter of life and death. Inside it was the powder. The book stayed in the other hand. The pages were yellowed and had the scent of time itself. I had read only one page, but it had all the answers that we were looking for.The moonlight guided the path to our home. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. Not even the wolves had howled. It was like the night itself held its breath to see what I would do. My fingers shook a little as I opened the door very slowly, not wanting to wake anyone.I went inside.The air was somber, the candles low. I first saw them — my babies. My innocent, sweet babies. Sleeping soundly, nestled up against each other. Their quiet breathing the only noise in the room. My eyes
Chapter Title: I Told Her Everything(Zarina's POV)The forest was quiet. So quiet that I could hear my heartbeat. My feet hurt. My dress was dirty. My hair was messy. But I didn't mind. I just wanted to find someone—anyone—who would be able to help me.I walked and walked until I spotted a small wooden cottage. It seemed to be very old, as if it had been around for centuries. There was a puff of smoke from the chimney. There was warm soft light in the window.My legs were shaking. I didn't know what was inside. But I didn't stop.I slowly pushed the wooden door. It made a small creaking noise.There she was.Another old woman. Sitting by a fire. Her back was a bit bent. Her skin was creased like wrinkles on old paper. She wore long grey hair in a loose braid, and her eyes—her eyes were deep, as if she had lived through many lifetimes.She stared up at me and frowned."Child," she said gently, "why are you weeping?"That was when I saw.I was sobbing. My face was moist. My lips were s
:Chapter Seventy : Zarina's Journey – The Quest for a SolutionI had my hand on the door handle, weighing the decision heavily in my mind. Asher stood but a step or two behind me, watching, waiting, but I couldn't turn around. I couldn't dawdle."Zarina…" Asher's voice was thick with concern, but I could feel the unspoken words hanging there. He didn't want me to leave, I could tell. But he had no idea of the burden of the pack and duty that lay on me at that time. I loved him, and I loved our children, but I had to do this for all of us.I couldn't allow them to take one of my children. I couldn't allow them to offer my flesh and blood for some ancient ritual."I'm doing this for us, Asher," I whispered, barely above a whisper so he could hear me. "I promise, I'll come back."I could not gaze at his face, but I felt the hurt in the silence that followed. I knew he was torn. He knew what the pack needed, but this? This was different. I opened the handle and stepped out, leaving behin
Chapter: Zarina's DecisionThere was a sound of rain in sheets accompanied by sound of drumbeats thundering overhead as rain kept pounding ruthlessly at the roof. Asher had pulled back into the darkness of his own mind, his furrowed brows and concerned expression evident as the elders' expectations remained suspended in the air around us. I could feel the burden of the world weighing on him, as though he carried the future of our entire pack on his own shoulders. The elders were unforgiving, pushing him to make a choice—one that would destroy us. They wanted to take one of our children, one of my babies.I couldn't let it happen. I couldn't let them take one of my children.But I recognized that Asher felt trapped, stuck by his position as alpha, the need to protect everyone, even if it meant sacrificing the very people he cared about most. I saw it in his eyes—the torn look of a man who wanted to protect us but didn't know how.I walked around our quarters, pacing back and forth, ide
Chapter Sixty Eight : The Feelings Asher's POVThe load of the day was a boulder on my chest. The pack, the elders, everybody was depending on me, and the pressure was suffocating. But this evening, I did not care to think about any of it. I simply wanted to spend time with my kids.I crept down the hall to the nursery, gentle sounds of my babies drifting from the doorway. Their coos, their tiny laughter, were like music.When I entered, to behold them nearly shattered my heart. They were so tiny, so innocent.Luca was lying on his belly, his small hands reaching for a teddy bear. His little legs kicked against the air as he struggled to grasp it, his face concentrated. He wasn't there yet with the words, but the way he looked at the toy, how hard he reached for it—my heart swelled to full.Freya rested in her crib, waving her small hands in the air as she looked up towards the mobile revolving over her head. Her large eyes followed each movement, and a soft little giggle formed on h