Lily POVI used to think I could withstand anything fate threw at me…I mean – I was hated by my father and my sister, practically a maid in my own house and the invisible daughter of Alpha Stone … but nothing prepared me for the sight that greeted me.My hands trembled on the doorknob of my sister’s bedroom as a strangled gasp escaped my lips. The door was slightly ajar, and through the narrow gap, I could see Lucas – my boyfriend and mate-to-be of three years cuddled together with my sister, Vanessa on the bed.Their voices drifted out, hushed but clear in the quiet hallway.“Just reject her, and it will be over,” Vanessa murmured, running her fingers through Lucas’s hair. “You promised me, Lucas. Don’t chicken out now,”.Lucas sighed, pulling Vanessa closer. “I know that, but… it’s her birthday today, Nessa. Can’t it wait?”Vanessa's eyes narrowed as the corner of her lips lifted into a sneer. “And also, mine, in case you’ve forgotten. So, consider it my birthday gift… it has to b
Lily POVI trudged back to my room, my father’s cold words and Vanessa’s smirk still echoing in my mind. I was used to their ill-treatment. I should be used to it, but every time they spoke to me like this, the sting of their words would pierce through my heart, leaving me miserable.Collapsing onto my bed, I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift into fantasies of having the best birthday ever tomorrow – one where Lucas would make me feel special and loved.I had barely settled into the dream when the annoying buzz of my alarm clock rang, jolting me awake. Stretching like a lazy cat, I stared at the wall opposite me for a few minutes, I couldn’t believe I was 18 today. Instead of excitement, a familiar weight settled in my chest.No one cared that I was 18 today…Also, I had to make breakfast for my father and Vanessa and do other chores… it didn’t matter that today was my birthday.Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way to the kitchen. Since no one was up, I had the pack house
Lucas POVI sat on the edge of Lily’s bed feeling like a fraud, my eyes fixed on her unconscious form.My heart felt heavy with the weight of what I’d done. I reached out, gently, tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.“I’m so sorry, Lily,” I whispered, trying to rein my emotions in. “You deserve so much better than this – than me,”.How had it come to this?As I watched her, memories of us flooded my mind. The first day I met, Lily, she was hiding from a group of girls who had obviously been bullying her. She had looked so fragile that day when she ran up to me and asked me to hide her.She was so different from the others in the pack. While others mocked me for my status as an adopted child, Lily had seen past that and befriended me.That was the first time anyone ever needed me or asked for my help. In that singular moment, I felt as powerful as the moon goddess. Our first date had been at a local diner after weeks of saving… I wanted to take her somewhere special but s
Lily POVMy eyes fluttered open, my head pounding with the worst headache I’d ever experienced.For a moment, I lay still, trying to piece together what had happened. Then like a wave, everything came back to me. Lucas’s rejection, Vanessa’s words that night, the pain I had felt when Lucas rejected me. Everything I had feared would happen had truly happened… the moon goddess knew how to give the best birthday gifts.I sat up abruptly, ignoring the wave of dizziness that washed over me. This wasn’t a nightmare after all. The ache in my chest was enough proof that everything had happened. This was my new reality and it was a bleak one.“Happy birthday to me,” I muttered bitterly, my voice hoarse.As I buried my face in both hands, trying to remember when I had kept the pain meds in my room, the door of my bedroom was thrown open and Lucas ran in. When he saw me, relief flooded his face.My heart clenched painfully as our eyes met. Part of me wanted to scream at him to go away, to never
Kai POVRoyal Hunters Pack.I go by many identities…Some say I am ruthless and do not have blood flowing through me, other’s say I am a reincarnation of the king of death sent to live about werewolves as punishment. Some say I am a human who was punished by the universe but none of these identities stood out more than the last one…That I was a monster – a monster who had killed his father, to claim the Alpha title.There was a time when I used to get bothered by the rumours but the more, I lived, the more I slowly got used to these rumours. These days, I don’t bother myself trying to explain how to become a better person. I just wanted to live my life, protect my pack… that’s all,”.I gazed out from the window of my bedroom to the expanse of my pack lands, loving the way the moon hung low and full over the dense forest, casting long shadows across the land. My pack was like an impenetrable fortress – I made sure of that.The scent of my Beta Liam arriving wafted up to my nose. His f
Lily POVTears blurred my vision as Golden Moon Pack slowly disappeared behind me.I was trying so much to be strong… to not feel, but goddess! I’ve been bottling everything up for far too long and I am tired. My knuckles whitened as I gripped the steering wheel, my mind a whirlwind of emotions.The events of the past 24 hours played on repeat in my head like a cruel, never-ending movie.I had sincerely hoped that my 18th birthday would be my big break. I would finally feel get my wolf – I thought I could finally belong. Instead, I’d found my boyfriend – no, ex-boyfriend now – tangled in the sheet with my sister. The betrayal cut deep… it was a wound that would never heal.Then came the shocking truth surrounding my birth and my eminent exile from the pack – as a Rogue. The word tasted bitter on my tongue. How quickly my dad had turned on me, all because I hadn’t shifted. Because I was weak.I knew I could have insisted on leaving tomorrow… but I was didn’t want to spend another night
Lily POVBut no one came… not even the moon goddess.It felt as if blood had stopped flowing to my wrist from the death grip I had on the steering wheel, my eyes darting between the road ahead and the rearview mirror. The rogues were still chasing me like their lives depended on it.I swerved sharply, narrowly avoiding a tree that loomed suddenly in my path. I weaved through another row of trees – who plants a tree in the middle of a path? I wondered quietly too angry to voice them out. I narrowly missed the trees and continued bursting out to a clearing.The noise from my car was becoming louder but I couldn’t afford to slow down, especially not now. Suddenly, Lucas’s warning echoed in my mind again, cutting through the fog of fear that had settled in my brain.“They’ll come for you, Lily. You can’t outrun them forever,”.I peered out of the window, studying the Rogues chasing after me. A chill ran down my spine as it dawned on me the real identity of these rogue wolves. They weren’t
Lily POVBefore I could process what was happening, the big wolf caught two rogue wolves and with the flick of his wrist, as if it was so normal tore them apart.Blood splashed all over his face giving him a more dangerous look. He caught two more rogues and tore them apart too. I just remained there, watching as he continued fighting the other wolves until he stood among their scattered remains.His chest was heaving with exertion, blood matted his fur. He faced the moon and growled, causing the rest of the rogues to scamper away whimpering. Suddenly, his eyes locked on mine and for a second, I thought I saw a smile but then I realized he was coming towards me.There was no doubt that I was going to end up dead like those rogues. I pumped the engine trying to get out of the ditch my car was currently stuck in. My body trembled as he marched towards me and in one heave, removed the car from the ditch and set it on the road.Now back to the path, I muttered a hurried thank you, before
Lily POVSomehow, I made it through week four. But despite my best efforts to avoid any form of socializing, Celeste had finally managed to pull me away from my house and bring me to hers. I hadn’t wanted to come, but she’d used her trump card – her grandparents. “They miss you,” she’d said, and I couldn’t refuse them. The moment I stepped into Celeste’s house, Grandma Elena – Celeste grandmother enveloped me in a warm hug that smelled of vanilla and freshly- baked cookies. “Look how thin you’ ve gotten,” she tutted, leading me to her favorite couch in the living room. Grandpa Marcus was in his favorite armchair reading a book. His eyes lit up when he saw me. Immediately, he closed the book and rose up to come meet me. “Leave the girl, alone, Elena,” he chuckled, but his eyes were concerned as they studied my face. “Though a few of your sugar cookies wouldn’t hurt.”I bit my lips hard until I could taste blood. I felt so guilty and relieved at the same time. Guilty that I’ve been
Lily POVThe afternoon sun cast long shadows across the sidewalks as I trudged home from college. It’s been several days since I and Kai decided to take a break from our relationship and it’s been nothing but pure hell for me. In the beginning, I was keeping track of the time, hoping he would get tired and try to reach out, but days turned into a week and a week, three weeks. A part of me still didn’t know if he had ever truly loved me or if I had just been some fleeting attachment. After all, he had been so quick to let me go.So, these days, I just live my life on a clean slate and take whatever life throws at me. Walking was my new therapy nowadays. Instead of covering the five minute car drive every day, I decided walking was soothing. My feet ached, but I loved and welcomed the pain – it was better than the numbness that has lodged in my chest since I got discharged from the hospital. I hadn’t gone back to the packhouse – not even once. Not even to take my things. Just the th
Lily POVAfter the pack doctors and nurses filed out, the room fell into a heavy silence. Kai remained at the doorway like a statue carved from tension and unspoken words. He hadn’t said anything to me since entering. He just stood thee with his eyes fixed somewhere above my head. Celeste was the one who finally broke the suffocating silence. Celeste exhaled loudly, crossing her arms as she turned to him. “Are you just going to stand there, or aren’t you leaving too?” Her voice had a protective edge to it that I had never heard before, as if she expected Kai to turn into the monster I had barely escaped from.Kai’s gaze flickered to her, but he didn’t rise to the bait. “I want to see Lily,” he said quietly.Celeste let out a humorless laugh. “You can see her just fine from there.” She gestured at me with an exaggerated wave. “Mission accomplished. Now, go.”“Alone. I want to see her alone, Celeste. Is it that hard for you to understand?”“Maybe,” Celeste bristled. “I don’t care if y
Lily POVI came alive slowly to a soft, rhythmic beeping pulling me from the depths of unconsciousness.My eyelids felt like lead, my body heavy and sore as I slowly blinked against the harsh white light filtering into the unfamiliar room. It took a moment for my vision to adjust, but as the blurriness faded, I took in my surroundings.Machines. Wires. An IV drip connected to my arm. The slow, steady hum of medical equipment filled the room. The scent of antiseptic clung to everything.A hospital. I was in a hospital. What was I doing here?I turned my head slightly, my neck stiff from being in the same position for too long. That was when I saw Celeste curled up on the couch in the corner of the room, her dark hair was a tangled mess, her chest rising and falling steadily as she slept.The sight of her brought and immediate sense of comfort to me. I needed to sit up. My back was burning with pain probably from lying in one position for too long. The first attempt was embarrassing –
Lucas POVI drummed my fingers against my desk, checking my phone for the hundredth time. K was supposed to contact me any minute now, and the anticipation was killing me. Every piece of information about Lily was precious, keeping me connected to her even though we were apart.Vanessa was pacing back and forth in front of me, her arms folded tightly over her chest. She was ranting about something—I wasn’t really listening. My mind was elsewhere, focused on one thing: Lily."Lucas, are you even listening to me?" Vanessa's voice cut through my thoughts. She was perched on the edge of my desk, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the wood in an irritating rhythm.I barely suppressed a growl. "Not really."“You’ve been avoiding me for weeks. You barely talk to me, let alone spend time with me. I deserve better than this.”I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Vanessa, not now.”“Not now?” she bristled.. “That’s all you ever say. I’ve been patient, Lucas, but I’m done waitin
Lily POVI sat at the kitchen counter, staring at the lasagna I'd spent hours making. Kai's favorite comfort food, just the way he liked it - extra cheese, a hint of basil. The clock on the wall showed 7:45 PM. He should have been down an hour ago.The past two weeks in the pack house had been... challenging. Luna Helen begged me to move back into the pack house, insisting that Kai needed me—at least until he recovered. I had hesitated, not sure if that was truly what was best for either of us, but in the end, I had agreed. But the Kai I was living with wasn't the one I knew.At first, it had seemed like things were getting back to normal. Kai went back to work, attending meetings, overseeing patrols, and fulfilling his duties as Alpha. But even though his routine was the same, he wasn’t. There was a distance between us, something invisible but suffocating, like a wall I couldn’t break through.It started with small things. I would be speaking to him, and suddenly, his expression wou
Lily POVThe moment Kai pressed the button, everything moved in a blur. Within seconds, the room was flooded with pack doctors and nurses, all rushing toward the bed where the she-wolf lay conscious now. Her eyes were open but she didn’t seem to be staring at anywhere or anyone in particular. I stepped back, pressing myself against the wall, watching with my heart in my throat as they worked on her. My heart was pounding in my chest, but not as loudly as Kai’s anxious breaths beside me.The doctor barked out orders while the nurses scrambled to respond. At first, everything seemed under control—until the she-wolf’s body began to jerk violently. My breath caught in my throat as I watched her limbs convulse, her back arching unnaturally off the bed. The machines started beeping erratically, their beeping sounds filling the air like an alarm warning of a disaster about to come.Kai was at her side in an instant. “What’s happening to her?” he demanded, his voice was thick with desperati
Lily POVA few days later, I paced my dorm room. My mind was spinning with conflicting emotions. Every interaction with Kai over the last few days, plus what I have learnt some days ago through Celeste’s help, has left me feeling more alienated and uncertain.The mysterious she-wolf had a hold on Kai for show and the revelation that she was being kept unconscious only made my curiosity grow. In reality, the chances of getting caught if I go to the hospital to give her the substance from the vial Celeste had given me was high, but the time for waiting was over—I needed answers.After three hours of planning, I finally came up with a strategy. Picking up my phone, I my fingers trembled slightly as I dialed Kai’s number.“Lily?” his voice was tense as he took the call, as if he was bracing himself for another confrontation.“Hi, Kai,” I began, keeping my tone casual. “I know this sounds awkward and all, and you know me. I’m not the kind of person who will call you out of the blues and…”
Lily POV“What did you say?”Beads of sweat formed on my forehead. Celeste’s voice seemed to be echoing from far off. I wasn’t sure if I still had a smile on my face or something hideous.“They…” she stuttered.“Just lay it to me as it is, Celeste,” I murmured, giving her another expression that I truly hoped was a smile.“They say she’s Kai’s firs mate.”The confirmation hit me like a punch to the gut. I had suspected a mistress, an old girlfriend, a female friend, but nothing had prepared me for this.“First mate? But that’s impossible. Kai never…” I trailed off, swallowing the tears at the back of my throat. “That would explain things now,” I chuckled, swiping at a tear that rolled down my cheeks. “Why didn’t he just tell me? I swear, I would have understood. Why did he make me go through all this trauma of finding out?”“Hey, now!” Celeste placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. “Don’t jump to conclusions just yet. There’s still so much we don’t know. I am his sister, but I had n