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
Lily POVLocating the Bureau of Pack affair wasn’t hard.Celeste had followed me through the winding corridors of the pack Public Affairs Headquarters. My heart was fluttering with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. She had led me to the door labelled ‘Registration Office,’.“This is where you’ll become an official member of our pack,” she explained with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, it’s a simple process,”.But just as she was about to escort me inside, she paused as her eyes turned black – an indication that someone was mind-linking her. When she came about, she gave me an apologetic smile.“I’m sorry, I have to leave now. Something urgent that requires my attention just came up, and so I was asked to come to check it out. But I promise I’ll come back for you,”.As she was talking, she was already at the elevator giving me no type to comment or ask questions. After she left, I took a deep breath and pushed open the ‘Registration Office’ door and stepped inside. The office
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