Kai POVI stood under the cold shower, the third I was taking since Celeste had texted me she was coming with my mate – by the way, her name was Lily.Now I was in the shower for the third time, another futile attempt to quell my raging hard-on and the lust flowing through my veins. My wolf Hud, paced restlessly, still driven wild by the lingering scent of our mate.“Enough, Hud!” I growled, “We will not act like animals in heat. I know you want her as much as I do but she deserves better than that, don’t you think? And we should work on making her trust us first before any other thing,”.As I stepped out of the shower, my phone rang. I sighed recognizing my mother’s ringtone. I answered, already knowing what this call would be about.“Kai, darling,” her voice came from the other end. “I’ve arranged the most delightful dinner for you tomorrow evening. Her name is Chloe and she’s the daughter of one of my distant cousins. She’s beautiful and the type of woman I know you’ll like. And sh
Lily POVI stood before Alpha Kai, feeling like a dwarf in his imposing presence. He was too tall and strong for me and he made me feel small and vulnerable. Despite Celeste’s reassurances that he wasn’t going to punish me, I couldn’t shake off the fear that punishment or immediate expulsion from the pack awaited me.But the way I see it, expulsion would be the best-case scenario – a clean break, a chance to run far away from this world of wolves and Alphas I barely understood.I watched as he rose from his desk and walked up to me. As he approached, I kept my head bowed, eyes fixed on the floor. Yet something strange stirred within me. It was an unfamiliar pull urging me to look up, to meet his gaze, to step closer and run my hands on his hard chest, to feel his heartbeat – to kiss his lips that were currently clamped in a straight line.The intensity of my absurd emotions startled and embarrassed me.What was I thinking? I was the intruder here and I had just lost Lucas who I believ
Kai POVAs soon as she left my study, I slumped in my chair, running a hand through my hair in frustration. My wolf – Hud was howling in disappointment, angry at letting our mate leave.“Patience,” I muttered to myself. “We can’t rush this. She’s not ready,”.But even as I tried to convince myself, I couldn’t ignore the ache in my chest and my pants. The mate bond was there – so powerful… so undeniable. Yet Lily seemed oblivious to it. Why couldn’t she feel it too? And more importantly, how long could I resist the pull before it drives me mad?Leaning back in my chair, I exhaled slowly trying to regain my composure. The conversation with Lily had left me as aroused as I’ve ever been. Even right now, with her scent still in my office, I was as hard as a rock and I knew it was Hud’s way of punishing me.He kept throwing her image to my subconscious, filling me with lust.“Damned animal!” I muttered under my breath “Can you stop playing these games. We can’t just do with her as we want,”
Lily POVThe sun dipped below the horizon casting a beautiful shadow on Royal Hunter Pack when I arrived at Celeste’s house.I sucked in my breath as I took in the big house that seemed to have green lands that stretched behind it forever. It filled me with the nostalgia of running through the fields back at home, soaking up the morning sunlight and the dream of running with my wolf but it was a stupid dream because I was never going to get my wolf. I was too old for it anyway.Although big, the house had a humble aura around it. I could feel it. The doors of the house opened and Celeste came out wearing a big smile as she came towards me.“I see you lived!” she chuckled, giving me a once over “The way you were scared of being alone with him, I was tempted to stay back just to make sure he doesn’t bite off your head,”.“Well,” I blushed red lowering my gaze. “He was kinder than I expected,” I admitted softly. “Alpha Kai, from all the stories that I’ve heard of him seemed like a danger
Kai POVThe night was quiet, a gentle breeze rustling through the trees as I approached my sister’s house.My heart pounded in my chest, a mixture of anticipation and nervousness coursing through my veins. I have never done anything like this before – sneaking into a house in the dead of the night to see a girl. But Lily wasn’t just any girl. She was my mate and the pull to be near her was overwhelming.Also, this was a good opportunity to check on my sister Celeste and my grandparents.As I reached the front door, I paused, my senses picking up movement inside. I took in a deep breath, my wolf on high alert, until I opened the door and ushered myself in. Celeste stood there, one hand on the toilet’s door knob and her eyes wide with surprise.“Kai?” then as if remembering my title she corrected herself quickly. “Alpha,” she whispered, quickly bowing her head. “I…I wasn’t expecting you. What brings you here?”“I came to check on you and Grandpa and Grandma. How are they?” I asked feeli
Kai POVA sad smile ghosted my lips as I made my way out of Lily’s room, carefully closing the door behind me.I couldn’t believe I had stayed with her for nearly an hour. Every part of her body was etched in my mind’s eyes … I couldn’t wait to make her mine finally. I was so wrapped in my thoughts that I didn’t notice Liam was waiting for me in the living room. It wasn’t until I made to pass that he cleared his throat making me jerk with surprise.“Liam?” I scoffed entering the living room. His eyebrows were raised a mixture of amusement and concern as he stared at me. “What are you doing here?” I asked.“I should be asking you, Alpha,” he retorted crossing his arms over his body. “I hope you didn’t take advantage of the poor little girl?” he asked his tone light but with an undercurrent of seriousness. “From the look in your eyes… you seem to be lusting.I snorted, shaking my head in disbelief at the implication of what he meant. “Of course not,” I growled softly, mindful of the peo
Lily POVThe morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, gently rousing me from my slumber.I stretched like a lazy cat with a smile on my face. I couldn’t remember the last time I slept until sunrise. For a moment, I lay still expecting a shout from Vanessa asking if her breakfast was ready or if I had her goat milk bath ready or my father growling with approval at the salty food I made that morning.A sad smile played on my lips as I wondered how they would be coping. Vanessa must have gone crazy and I wish…I stopped… what was I doing? Why was I worrying about them after everything? Shaking off the nostalgia, I rose from the bed and made my way to the bathroom to shower. I stayed for a while, scrubbing every part of my body clean. After that, I made my way to the closet.Celeste had generously offered to share her wardrobe with me and had told me last night to use any of her clothes I like. As I browsed through the clothes, I felt drawn to a simple, pale blue sundress. As I sli
Lily POVI was bursting with warmth, love and food after breakfast, so I retreated to my room to rest.I sat by the window, gazing at the beautiful scenery created by the sun. Everything was going so smoothly that I was beginning to feel that I was in an alternate universe. I was grateful for the kindness I’d been shown but a part of me couldn’t help but wonder when the other shoe would drop.I was worried that one day, this love would be taken away from me just like every other good thing that has ever happened to me. But still, I loved it here. A soft knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts. Thinking it was Celeste I rushed to the door and threw it open only to be met with a sight that left me momentarily speechless.Standing in the hallways was a small army of people, each carrying bags and boxes from what appeared to be high-end clothing stores and accessories combined. They smiled at me expectantly as they pushed past me with their load, as if this was the most normal thing
Kai POVDarkness covered me like a heavy blanket, thick and suffocating. I tried to open my eyes, to move, to breathe, but my body wouldn't respond. Was I dead? Did I fail to protect Lily? Did that bastard take her again? I tried to listen again for Lily’s voice, wishing I could just open my eyes. But all I could hear was something—distant beeping, muffled voices, and beneath it all, a familiar heartbeat. Lily. My wolf stirred at the sound, but we remained trapped in this void between consciousness and oblivion.Then, like a projector flickering to life, images began to form in the darkness. A forest, bathed in afternoon sunlight. The scent of pine and earth filled my nose, so vivid I could have sworn I was really there. My men flanked me in formation as we tracked rogue scents through the forest.Three years ago. Before I had met Lily. Before my memories shattered.The dream swept me into the scene completely, and suddenly I was there, living it again as if for the first time.I was
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