Lily POVI arrived at the café a few minutes earlier than the time I told Beta Liam.The café bustled with afternoon activity, but I barely noticed, as my heart was pounding with a mixture of nervousness and determination. I chose a corner table near the window, hoping the soft natural light filtering through the glass would calm my nerves.I went to the counter to place an order for tea before settling in my chair. The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries wafted through the air, but I wasn’t paying attention to it. Soon, the waitress dropped my tea.My fingers traced the rim of the cup as I tried to focus on the steaming cup of chamomile tea before me, rehearsing the words I wasn’t sure how to speak. I sipped the tea slowly, letting its soothing warmth settle my jittery thoughts. The question I was about to ask had kept me awake all night. I had to know the truth about the mysterious she-wolf in the hospital and the role she played in Kai’s life.The bell above the café d
Kevin POVI leaned against the large oak tree at the entrance of the college gate, a sly smile tugging at my lips as I watched Lily walk across the relaxation park. She looked distracted, her shoulders were hunched and she had a troubled expression on her face. It was obvious that the tension between her and Kai was affecting her.I’ve been observing them closely for a few days now. Though I and Kai didn’t see eye to eye on a lot of things and I generally keep out of his way, I’ve been able to gather information from a few Omegas working at the pack house.They’d filled me in on how rocky the relationship between both mates have been in the recent times and that was what I was banking on. Now that the pieces were falling into place, everything was aligning well for me, making my job easier.The mysterious she-wolf Kai had rescued at the borders of the pack hospital was hot topic these days. Everyone couldn’t stop talking about how much Kai seemed to care for the woman and how much she
Kevin POVThe abandoned cabin at the edge of the pack territory served as the perfect meeting spot. I inspected the three mercenaries who I had sneaked into the pack the previous days. They were hardened and trained assassins.Spread out on the makeshift table of stones we had placed in the middle of the room were maps of the pack territory and pictures of Lily taken without her knowledge, plus a detailed schedule of her movement over the past few days.“This is your target,” I gestured towards the pictures. “Her name is Lily. She follows the same route from the college every night to her dorm room. It’s usually at ten to fifteen minutes’ walk and she goes through the oak grove.”The leader of the mercenaries, a scarred man who introduced himself to me as Drake, studied the picture for a few seconds and then sighed shaking his head. “Pretty thing. Shame to waste her.”My lips curled. “She’s more trouble than she’s worth it, believe me. I’ve made sure everything is in place for you to
Lucas POVI leaned back in my chair in the spacious Alpha office, which I was gradually claiming as my own.Thankfully, Alpha Gregory preferred to womanize, wine and dine these days and was barely paying attention to any pack activities going on. I drummed my fingers against the polished oak desk staring at the intelligent reports spread out in front of me.Some weeks back, I had decided that I would take charge over the security room. I had done it mainly to look out for Lily since I discovered that someone was supplying information about her to Alpha Gregory.Now, the reports were scattered before me – evidence of how close disaster had come. My heart still raced when I thought about it. Lily. My Lily. Had come so close to losing her life all on Alpha Gregory’s orders.I had acted on instinct. I had posed as Alpha Gregory, using the same means he uses to communicate with his contact from Royal Hunters pack. I immediately sent out a counter order.Capture, don’t killThankfully, the
Lucas POVAlpha Gregory’s reign had to end.I had genuinely thought that waiting for a few more months, gathering allies or something like that would be the better approach, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that he would not change regardless and the more I keep him in power, the more harm would come to Lily.The man’s cruelty, secrets and manipulations had reached a tipping point and I intend to strip him of his power piece by piece until the pack was mine.I leaned back in my chair, swirling my wine glass in midair, allowing it to catch with the light of the office as I went over my plan one more time. My first move was to ensure Alpha Gregory’s strength waned gradually.I was a Gamma—with a Gamma wolf. Although we are better skilled in fighting battles and all, I was no match for an alpha wolf, which Alpha Gregory had. I could slowly buy all the men who are loyal to him to my side, but that would take a much longer process and something might happen in between.So,
Lily POVNothing changed after that day in the hospital.I tried my best, put in effort to reach out to Kai, but when he wasn’t in the hospital, he was home sleeping, so I stopped trying and I stopped going to the pack house. There was nothing for me there.Since I couldn’t bear to stay idle and bemoaning my situation, I threw myself into training. Over the last few weeks, the training grounds were my refuge, a place where I could channel my frustration into something productive. Coach Jake was always ready to guide me despite his impairment.The training room echoed with the rhythmic sound of my fists hitting the punching bag. Sweat trickled down my temples as I pushed myself harder, trying to drown out the image of Kai sitting next to the she-wolf, gazing at her tenderly.“Push a little harder, Lily,” Jake called out to me, pulling me out of my thoughts. “Your form is getting better. You’re stronger than you think.”I gritted my teeth, ignoring the way my muscles were burning as I w
Lily POVI froze, trying to process what he meant.“I know this is coming at maybe a wrong time…”“Maybe?” I sighed. “It is a wrong time, Coach. I mean no disrespect, but I don’t see you in that light. I know you’ve been super helpful these few weeks and you’ve helped me go through a lot of emotional stuff, but taking advantage of my vulnerability to tell me you like me? C’mon, Coach…”“It was Jake a minute ago, Lily,” he said sullenly. “And I wasn’t telling you to date me or anything, but I’ve been here for you all this while. I’ve listened to you go on and on about your woes. I liked you, Lily.. from the first day I saw you and I didn’t know you will be Kai’s mate…”“So, what’s the issue now?” I asked.“I just feel you’re not reciprocating the same energy and likeness I have for you. You literally spend the entire day talking about how much Kai has hurt you…”“Yes, because I feel that way,” I interrupted him. “But that doesn’t mean my feelings have changed. Maybe they might have dim
Lily POVAfter I went up to my room, leaving Kai in the parking lot, half of me had wanted him to leave me alone while the other half desperately wanted him to follow me but as he didn’t do that, nor think it wise to go after me, I decided not to think too much of it.I sat in front of my vanity; my thoughts were spinning like a whirlwind. The fight with Kai still stung. I replayed the scene in my head—his accusatory tone, the coldness in his eyes, and the way he had looked at Coach Jake as if he was a rival.Kai misunderstood everything. That much was clear. But I couldn’t shake the feeling that something deeper was brewing beneath the surface of his accusations. I was not only shocked that he showed up unexpectedly after I had been begging for his attention all these days.I was so surprised at how he acted. Like a doting husband.~~~The next morning, I was working on some school project, a cold cup of coffee forgotten beside me. The early morning air carried the scent of autumn an
Lily POVEverything hurtBrightness. That was the first thing I became aware of—a harsh, glaring light that seemed to pierce straight through my eyelids. Pain followed, radiating from what felt like every inch of my body, a dull, persistent throb that intensified with each shallow breath.I tried to open my eyes, but they felt sealed shut, heavy and uncooperative. My mouth was dry,
Kai POVI had no time to dwell on it. The silver wound on my flank burned like fire, joining the chorus of injuries from my fight with Lucas. But Lily needed me, and nothing would stop me from reaching her."Kai!"I turned at the sound of my name, surprised to see my cousin Kevin rushing through the trees toward me. He came to an abrupt halt as he took in the scene—two dead assassin
Chapter 151Kai POVI stood in front of the French window of my office, my breathing ragged, blood was still seeping from the wounds Lucas had inflicted. Vanessa had sent me pack to my pack earlier after reluctantly agreeing to help search for her sister after seeing the evidence of Lucas's betrayal, but we had no solid leads on where he might have taken Lily.
Lily POV"I—I don't know what you mean," I stammered, trying to pull away, but his grip was like iron.In one fluid motion, Lucas shoved me backward, sending me sprawling onto the bed. The key slipped from my grasp, still attached to the chain around his neck."You think I'm stupid?" he snarled, looming over me. "You think I can't tell when you're playing me?"
Lily POVThe mirror in the bathroom of my bedroom was the only thing keeping me sane. Lucas had showed up two days ago, bruised and thoroughly injured. He had tried to force himself on me. He had tied me up and tore my clothes, while screaming that Kai would never have me. I had cried and begged and promised, but all my pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Just when I thought he would finally
Kai POVMy body slammed into Lucas with the force of a freight train, sending us both crashing through his office door. Wood splintered around us as we tumbled into the room, locked together in a tangle of limbs and fury. The desk caught my hip as we fell, pain flaring up my side, but I barely felt it through the red haze of rage.Lucas twisted beneath me, using the momentum to throw me off. I rolled and sprang back to my feet just as he did the same, both of us circling each other in the confined space."You've lost your mind," Lucas spat, a thin line of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Breaking into my territory, attacking me in my own home—"I lunged forward, cutting off his words with a right hook that connected with his jaw. The impact sent a shock up my arm, but the satisfying crunch told me I'd landed it perfectly. Lucas staggered back, his eyes widening with genuine surprise."Where is she?" I demanded again, following up with a left jab that he barely dodged.Lu
Kai POVThe night air was cold against my face as I raced through the forest, my wolf form allowing me to move silently between the shadows. Liam's warnings, my sister, even my own voice of reason – told me this was reckless. Dangerous, possibly stupid but I didn’t care. Lily was gone and Lucas was the only one I could think of who’d be cowardly – and obsessed – enough to pull something like this. Seven days without Lily. Seven days of torture, imagining the worst. I would no longer wait for diplomacy or protocol.I slowed as I approached the border of Golden Moon territory, my nose detecting the subtle shift in scent markers. Crossing another pack's boundary uninvited was a violation of every treaty between our kinds, but I no longer cared about politics. Only Lily mattered.Shifting back to human form, I pulled on the dark clothes I'd carried in a waterproof bag strapped to my wolf's body. The Golden Moon pack house stood in the distance, grand and imposing against the night sky. L
Kai POVI was losing my mind. Every second Lily was gone gnawed at my sanity like a slow, merciless poison. 24 hours turned into days – empty, quiet, suffocation. Hud – my wolf paced inside me, restless and growling, demanding I do something. But what could I do when we had no trail, no scent, no damn clue?I hadn’t marked her either, so there was no bond to feel her.Even now, sitting in this damn meeting, I couldn’t focus. The voices of y advisors droned on like a bee buzz. They were all talking about the welfare of the pack, patrol routes, finances, rogue sightings, a minor land dispute. None of it mattered. Not when Lily was out there – alone, scared or worse. Liam nudged me. This should be the thousandth times. I gave him a glare and tried to return my attention to the meeting. The finance director was talking about an investment. I tried to follow but got lost along the way.Suddenly, the pen I was holding snapped between my fingers, black ink splattering across the contract
Kai POVI paced my study room, a caged animal trapped in my own anxiety. Five days. Lily had been missing for five days, and every moment without her felt like an eternity. The weight of guilt pressed down on me, making it hard to breathe.The door opened and Celeste entered, her expression telling me everything before she spoke a word."The birds couldn't locate her again," she said, shaking her head. "They've searched every clearing, every road within fifty miles."I slammed my fist against the wall, leaving a dent in the plaster. "They must have missed something.""Kai..." Celeste began, but was interrupted as Liam walked in.My beta's face was grim, exhaustion evident in the dark circles under his eyes. "We've combed all the packs within our region. There's no sign of Lily.""That's impossible," I growled, "She couldn't have just vanished."Five days ago, Lily and I were supposed to meet at the border of our pack territory. We'd planned to find Meredith, the old pack healer who ha