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 POVThe drive back to Celeste's house was filled with a heavy silence. Kai's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, his jaw clenched tight. I wanted to reach over and touch him, to offer some comfort, but I wasn't sure if he wanted that right now. His mind was elsewhere, probably racing with questions about his past.When we pulled into the driveway, Grandpa Marcus and Grandma Elena were sitting on the porch, as if they'd been waiting for us. They shared a look when they saw Kai's face—they knew what was coming."I'll wait inside," I whispered, trying to give them privacy."No." Kai's voice was firm as he grabbed my hand. "Stay with me, please."I nodded, feeling the tremor in his fingers as they intertwined with mine.We approached the porch slowly. There was no small talk, no greeting. Kai simply stood before his grandparents, his voice breaking slightly when he finally spoke.“I know you both know that I lost my memories from seven years ago. I am beginning to g
Kai POVShe collected the sketch from me again. “To say the truth, I don’t think I’ve seen somewhere like this around the pack. Instead of wasting time and energy searching for the meadow, we could simply go to the pack archives. In my former pack, there’s always a record of everything the Alpha does. Marriages, achievements… that sort of thing.”“That’s true.” I nodded. “Every pack keeps detailed records of significant events. If you lost your memory around a specific time, there must be something in the archives about your first mate, maybe even about what happened."I straightened in my chair. How hadn't I thought of that before? "You're right. The records would have everything – marriages, deaths, significant pack events.""Do you know roughly when you lost your memory?" Lily asked, already gathering her things.I closed my eyes, trying to pinpoint a timeline. "Seven years ago. I was twenty-three."Lily nodded decisively. "Then let's go. The archives will have what we need."The
Kai POVbarely slept after that dream. My mind was a battlefield, torn between the fragments of memories that refused to fit together and the overwhelming sense that I had been played. Manipulated.By who, I still didn’t know.But I was damn sure I was going to find out.The moment the sun rose, I called Lily again to remind her she was supposed to come over to the pack house. She needed to hear this. Maybe if I included her in this pain, she would understand that I wasn’t purposely leaving her out. Plus, she was the only one I could trust right now with this confusion brewing inside me.She didn’t say much over the phone. Just that she’d be at the pack house the next day.Now, as I paced back and forth in the main hall, waiting for her, I could feel my wolf clawing beneath my skin. Agitated. Unsettled.Pieces of my memory had started coming back—bit by bit, like shattered glass trying to form a reflection again. But it was slow, infuriatingly slow.I needed answers. And I needed them
Kai POVI stared at Tobias, his weathered face illuminated by the setting sun. Now that he was up close in front of me, he had a lot of similarities to Lily. The color of their eyes, for instance. Now he was staring at me waiting for me to say something—anything. But I didn’t have a damn clue what to say."A spell?" I repeated, trying to keep my voice even. The words felt foreign in my tongue, unreal even as they registered in my brain. "You're saying someone cast a spell on me?"Tobias nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. "Not just any spell, Alpha Kai. A powerful binding charm, created by a hybrid witch. The magic is... unusual. Ancient. I've rarely seen it's like."I ran my hand through my hair, trying to process his words. My life has been a series of unexplainable misfortunes and pain recently. Could it all be because of some curse?"How can you be sure?" I asked, my throat tight. "That’s ridiculous."Tobias tilted his head. "Is it?"I opened my mouth to argue, to shut hi
Kai POV"Alpha." He greeted me stiffly, dipping his head.It was my turn to be surprised. Lily has never mentioned an uncle to me. Why now of all time?I barely acknowledge him. My entire focus was locked on Lily who has refused to look at me. “You didn’t tell me you had an uncle?” I heard myself ask. Her lips parted in surprise as she stared atm. “I…”“Are you sure he’s really your uncle or is this another one of your antics to stay away from me?”“Seriously, Kai!” Celeste called out with irritation in her voice. “Lily found out a few hours ago herself. The least you could be is be kind.”“I wasn’t talking to you, Celeste,” I said woodenly and turned to Lily. “I came here to talk to you, can we talk at least? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Went to your Dorm room and all.”“She doesn’t want to talk to you, Kai. Not when you’re like this. Have you forgotten in a hurry that you asked her to leave? You broke up with her, Kai…”“Stay out of this, Celeste!” I fumed and then snapp
Kai POVI couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. The only thing that mattered was finding Lily.I ignored my mom calling out to me to at least shave but her voice faded into background noise. My wolf – Hud was clawing at my insides, desperate to reach our mate. The revelation that Lily was meant to be mine had ignited something primal within me—a need that couldn't be reasoned with or contained.I drove recklessly through town, my knuckles white against the steering wheel. Questions passing through my mind: Did Lily feel the connection too? Had she been experiencing the same inexplicable pull that had been tormenting me despite the short break? And most importantly—was she safe?When I reached her dormitory, I pounded on her door with enough force to make the hinges rattle."Lily!" I called, not caring who heard me. "Lily, open up!"After several minutes of relentless knocking, a door across the hall opened. A girl with sleep-mussed hair and annoyed eyes poked her head out."Would you stop
Kai POVPain flashed across my mother's face. "The building was collapsing. You had the human girl in your arms, but your mate was still inside. She told you to go, to save the human. She promised she would find another way out.""But she didn't," I said, the words like ash in my mouth.My mother shook her head. "By the time you got the human to safety and tried to go back, it was too late. The building collapsed. Your mate was trapped inside."A wave of grief crashed over me—not the abstract guilt I'd carried for years, but raw, visceral loss for a woman whose name I couldn't even remember."Why can't I remember her name?" I asked, my voice breaking. "Why can't I remember her face clearly?""The trauma was too great. Your wolf was going mad with grief and rage. The pack healer had to suppress your memories for your own safety and for the safety of everyone around you."I ran my hands through my hair, tugging at the roots as if the pain might bring clarity. "So, that’s why you erased
Kai POVI stared at my mother, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. "What did you just say?" I whispered, certain I had misheard her.My mother's eyes—the same amber color as mine—bore into me with an intensity that made me take a step back."You didn't kill your mate, Kai. Your first mate.”"I… didn't kill her?"The words felt foreign on my tongue—like they belonged to someone else. For weeks, that nightmare had haunted me—visions of blood, screams, and the life I believed I'd taken with my own hands.The room seemed to tilt around me. The crushing weight of guilt, believing I was responsible for the death of a mate I couldn't even remember. The fragmented visions that had haunted me since the pack healer tried to recover my memories—a girl with bright eyes, her laughter, followed by screams and blood—suddenly took on a new, terrifying meaning.My knees buckled, and I stumbled back onto the edge of the bed. My head was spinning. I dragged my hands through my hair, trying to make
Lily POVThe world seemed to stop spinning for a moment as I stared at my uncle, his words echoing in my mind like distant thunder. My mouth felt dry, and I struggled to find my voice."Uncle Tobias, I—" I swallowed hard. "You don't have to worry. It's just you and me who know about this... this side of me. And I have no intention of revealing it to anyone else." I managed a weak smile. "In fact, as far as I'm concerned, that part of me doesn't even exist."I rose to my feet and started to pace"Since I arrived here, I've felt a warmth I've never experienced before," I admitted, turning back to face him. "It's like... like I finally found a place where I belong. I don't need those powers. I don't want them."Uncle Tobias's face softened, but there was something in his eyes—a sadness that made my heart clench."Lily," he said gently, motioning for me to sit beside him on the worn leather couch. "There's more you need to understand."I sat down, my hands folded tightly in my lap."All t