Lily POVThe words hit me like a punch to the gut. I froze, my hand hovering over a jar I’d been about to place on the shelf. “What?” I asked, unable to hide the surprise in my voice.He was watching me closely now with a blank look on his face. “You heard me. Vanessa and Lucas are holding their mating ceremony soon. Guess he’s moved on from his little obsession with you.”My stomach twisted. The idea of Lucas being with Vanessa felt… strange. I wasn’t jealous – far from it. But Vanessa was the exact opposite of who Lucas was. She was wild, the kind of wild I didn’t know if he could handle. They were so mismatched – different personalities and all.Kai tilted his head, studying me. “You don’t seem too upset about it,” he remarked.I shot him a strange look. “Why would I be? Lucas and I are ancient history.”His smirk faded, replaced by a more serious expression. “Then why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”My gaze dropped to the floor. “Of course, I’m worried about Vanessa my sist
Lily POVI tried not to react.Normally, a wolf’s scent wouldn’t linger on another unless they’d been intimate – sexually. The idea was wild but it made a strange kind of sense. Briella had been unusually quiet since her sudden departure from the pack – there’s been nothing on her socials and Kevin seemed different.Were they now dating?My eyes narrowed slightly as I stared at him. He must have noticed my probing gaze because instantly, his expression hardened into something more cautious. “What?” he asked warily.“Nothing,” I shook my head, trying to mask my surprise. “Just… thinking.”He crossed his arms. “Thinking about what? Come on, tell me already. You didn’t just come here to read, did you?”I hesitated, my mind still trying to to understand what could be going on between Kevin and Briella but it wasn’t in my place to pry – at least not now. Instead, I decided to change the topic.“I don’t see any books in your hand. This is not your regular hangout, Kevin. What are you doing
Lily POVDeciding not to think too much, I started sorting through the files.A moment later, I look up to find the old woman staring at me not when pity but in admiration. Her eyes crinkled with warmth.“You’re a hard worker,” she remarked “Just like your mother.”The mention of my mother made me pause again. I looked up at the woman, feeling my curiosity piquing. “You said before you knew her,” I said quietly. “On my first day in your office, you told me. What did you mean?”The old lady smiled but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she adjusted her glasses and began arranging some papers on her desk. “Your mother was a remarkable woman,” she said finally. “Strong, kind and full of determination. You remind me of her.”My chest tightened. It wasn’t much, but any scrap of information about my mother felt like a lifeline. “How did you know her?” I pressed.The woman sighed, leaning back in her chair. “We crossed paths many years ago, in a different time and place. I'm afraid I can’t
Lucas POVToday was my mating/marking ceremony with Vanessa Stone – Lily’s sister.This was the only way I knew I could lure out whatever secrets Vanessa and her father were hiding. This way, I’d be able to help Lily and when she discovers the lengths, I’ve gone to get her, she would appreciate me more.The pack gathered in the packhouse compound with a few visitors as guests. I had insisted I didn’t want anything flamboyant. Since the union will not be lasting, I wanted to make sure none of the guest would leave with an impression that what we had would be together forever.The air was thick with the scent of freshly turned earth. I stood tall at the makeshift altar with the Moon Priest who would join us. My dark eyes scanned the crowd until they landed on Vanessa who was walking towards me. Her eyes were still puffy from crying as I had cancelled most of her last-minute add-ons. Still, she managed a smile.She wore a simple white dress, her hair cascading down her back. She was beau
Lily POVFor me, the last two weeks have been hell.The frustration from my mounting school work, Kai’s distance - basically fourteen days of scattered text messages and brief phone calls that felt more like an obligatory check-in than conversations with him and his excuse was ‘I’m busy, Lily. I have a lot of work piling up. I’m sorry.’At first, it was not a big deal for me since I was busy too with schoolwork and all but I was beginning to miss him so much.So tonight, I decided, I’d had enough of waiting for him to come to me. If he couldn’t make time for a date, I would bring the date to him. After classes, I packed an overnight bag and drove to the pack house, hoping to surprise him.The house was quiet when I arrived. Usually, Kai didn’t like servants in his living quarters of the pack house. They only came in to clean the house, make his food etc., so I wasn’t surprised. I settled myself in and then headed straight to the kitchen, an idea already forming in my mind.Kai’s favou
Kai POVI stretched lazily, slowly coming awake.This was the best sleep I’ve had in a long while. As I yawned and stretched some more, my initial grogginess faded making me notice a soft and steady breathing beside me. Turning my head, I was shocked to see Lily lying beside me. Her hair was spread across the pillow, she looked like a baby in her sleep.I closed my eyes trying to remember when she came in, then slowly, everything came to me. She welcomed me last night and told me she made my favourite meal. Sighing, I reached out to push back a strand of hair on her face.She looked so serene, so perfect, that my heart gave an unexpected lurch.My wolf – Hud stirred within me as a primal need surged through me urging me to pull her closer and bury myself in her scent. The thought of that alone was intoxicating but I clenched my fist and forced myself to take a deep breath. This wasn’t the right time – not when I was battling my own uncertainties and hidden memories.Sliding carefully
Lucas POVThe warm glow of the bedside lamp bathed the room in soft, golden hues as I pulled out of Vanessa and lay on the plush pillows, I was spent but my wolf was satisfied.Although Vanessa was not our fated mate she was good in bed… I would give her that at least. Her fingers traced lazy patterns across my chest, stopping now and again to press open-mouthed kisses on where her fingers had just traced but my mind was elsewhere – on Lily.I wondered what she was doing now. All attempts to get a spy into Alpha Kai’s pack had proved abortive and not knowing what she was up to every day was killing me. I closed my eyes, trying to picture her smile, her beautiful eyes that would look up at me with smiles in them…Back when she was still innocent.. when she was still my Lily. The last time we’d met, she’d been cold. She had gazed back at me blankly, without any emotion. The problem was, no matter how much intimacy I shared with Vanessa, my thoughts always circled back to Lily.I have to
Kai POVI cradled the lady in my arms, gazing at her. This was definitely the face of the woman I’d been seeing in my visions. The eyes, the nose, the lips, everything about her was familiar.I felt a close affinity with her, even though everything was just so mysterious. But at least, I knew her name—Maya, and that was something.A while later, the ambulance arrived and the Para-healers that had come with it gave her first aid, after which they strapped her onto a stretcher and loaded her behind the van.“She’ll be fine, Alpha,” one of the Para-healers said assuring. “Her vitals are good, although she has loosed a lot of blood, but she’ll be fine. We’ll take her to the pack hospital immediately.”I nodded. “Thank you so much for coming at such short notice.”“No problem, Alpha. I’ll give you feedback on how everything goes from here on.”“You don’t need to do that,” I brushed past him, hoisting myself to the back of the ambulance “Because I’m going with you to the hospital.”The Para
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
Lily POVThat night, I lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. Kai’s words replayed in my mind, but so did the doubts and fears that had taken root. I wanted to believe him, to trust that our bond was unbreakable and that we would survive this, but the unknowns were too many.As far as the mysterious she-wolf remained in the background, I feel like there’s nothing that I can do or say that would change whatever was going on between Kai and her, and I can only rest if she’s out of the picture.I turned and tossed for the longest time, unable to sleep. I began to pace my room. My mind was racing with a thousand possibilities. The conversation with Kai earlier broadened my perspective and made me see things differently.The pieces weren’t adding up—Kai’s déjà vu, the mysterious she-wolf’s appearance, Luna Helen’s confrontation that day at the pack hospital… I couldn’t wait around for answers anymore.I have spent too many days and nights feeling helpless, stuck in the middle of mysteries
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 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 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
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,
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
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