Lily POVThe day passed in a blur.I attended all my classes, barely able to concentrate as my thoughts kept drifting back to Kai. I replayed our last few interactions from a week ago, searching for clues or signs I might have missed.But there was none.So, what was the problem?After my last class, I rushed to the pack house, determined to wait for Kai. I won’t let his distance or silence push me away. If he needed time, I would give it to him, but I needed to hear the words from his mouth—I deserve that honesty, at least.I waited all afternoon for him, but he didn’t come home. Suspecting he was held up at the office, I decided to work on my school project.By evening, there was still no sign of him. I busied myself with inconsequential tasks around the house, hoping he’d come home soon.I opened several gift boxes sent to Kai… Some were already a year old. I reheated dinner—I didn’t eat yet; I wanted us to eat together and in my mind; I kept rehearsing everything I would say to hi
Lily POVThat evening, I walked towards the Pack Hospital. Each step felt like walking on hot coal. I wasn't sure what I would find there or what I even wanted to say, but I needed answers.I was sure it was just the maids gossiping, as usual. I was sure it wasn't Kai, but somehow, for the sake of all the doubts running around my head, I needed to clear them.The pack hospital was quiet as I approached. Using the signs, I took the elevator to the VIP floor until I stopped at the door that read 'Alpha'. Steeling myself, I moved closer to the door, wondering if knocking would be a better option or something else.Just as I contemplated, the door swivelled open, and a team of healers and nurses stepped out of the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. Thankful for the quick fix, I moved closer and peeked in.Kai was sitting beside the bed of the injured she-wolf. His shoulders were sagged as if the world's weight was on him. He stared intently at her as if his gaze were her oxygen. The sh
Lucas POVSince our mating ceremony, I didn’t only gain Vanessa’s trust but also the pack’s respect.The grand hall of the Golden Moon Pack shimmered with opulence, with crystal chandeliers casting soft, golden light across the gathering. Tonight, it was a celebration of the annual Moonlight Gala, the most prestigious event in our social calendar every year.I stood beside Vanessa, my arm loosely draped around her waist. She looked stunning in a deep emerald gown that clung to her curves, her radiant smile drawing attention from everyone in the hall. This would be our first appearance as mates since our ceremony.The gala celebrated the pack’s achievements for the year. Speeches were made, and awards were distributed. Aside from that, this would be a perfect opportunity to begin my plan. I wanted the pack for myself.I was tired of waiting for Alpha Gregory Stone—Vanessa’s father- to die or willingly retire before he handed over the reins of the pack to me entirely. I wanted to be in
LilyI took Celeste’s advice.My heart pounded as I made my way to the pack hospital. The air was crisp, and the faint scent of pine mingled with the distant sound of chirping birds returning home to their nests for the evening, but none of it eased my nerves.I could hardly sleep last night, going over Kai’s distant behaviour, replaying every word, every moment where he had ignored me, and it was driving me mad.It was not just about the mysterious she-wolf anymore, but about Kai shutting me out completely. I feared the growing distance between us would become insurmountable if I didn’t confront him now.But today, I could confront him.When I reached the hospital, I continued to the VIP floor. The VIP floor was a world of its own. It was quiet, exclusive, and reserved for only members of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma families. I had been here before, but today felt different.As the elevator stopped and I stepped onto the floor, squaring my shoulders, preparing myself for whatever lay
Lily POV“I’m sorry to interrupt,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the turmoil inside me. “But I need to talk to Kai.”Luna Helen pursed her lips, but she gave a stiff nod. “We’re not finished here,” she said to Kai before turning and walking away, her heels clicking against the polished floor. As soon as we were alone, Kai sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. He looked exhausted, shadows under his eyes, and tension etched into every line of his face.“What are you doing here, Lily?” he asked. His tone was not unkind but distant.I stepped closer, my hands clenching into fists at my sides. “I could ask you the same thing. You’ve been avoiding me for days, Kai. If it’s not this hospital, it’s somewhere else. What’s going on, Kai? What about us? Who is she, truly?”His expression hardened and his gaze drifted to the almost lifeless form of the woman lying on the bed, then back at me. Suddenly, he stirred me towards the door, taking one last glance as we closed
Lily POVI flinched at the words but I held my tongue.“You’re not the mate I would have chosen for my son,” she continued coldly. “But Kai made his choice, and as much as I disagree, I have to respect it.”I swallowed hard, my heart sinking further with every word. I thought the learning sessions with her occasionally meant we were bonding. Guess I was wrong.“Luna Helen, I-”“Don’t,” she raised her hand, stopping me mid-sentence. “I’m not here to scold you. I’m here to warn you.”The air in the car seemed to grow thicker.“But before I do that,” she continued lowering her voice as if she wanted to tell me a secret, “this situation with the she-wolf is different. It’s dangerous. Well, the woman is not dangerous in the way you might think, but dangerous.”My brows knitted in confusion. “Dangerous? How?”Luna Helen’s expression darkened. “You don’t understand the influence someone like her can have over an Alpha. A connection—whether from the past or something more recent – can disrupt
Lucas POVI sat in my study, nursing a glass of whisky as a storm brewed in my mind.The revelation that Lily wasn’t Alpha Gregory’s biological daughter had changed everything. It explained so much—the coldness she had endured, the scorn from certain members of the pack, the maltreatment from both her father and her sister. It all made sense now.I clenched my jaw, the glass trembling slightly in my grip.No wonder he had been determined to drive her out of the pack in the middle of the night with nothing but an old rickety car. Alpha Gregory, the man who had raised her, who had pretended to be her father, had been behind it all.My wolf snarled beneath my skin. How many times had Lily cried herself to sleep, believing she wasn’t good enough? How many times she had endured the pack’s whispers, the subtle jabs that she killed her mother and the not-so-subtle exclusion?I set my glass down, leaning back in my chair as a grim determination settled over me. I had failed to protect Lily in
Lily POVI arrived at the café a few minutes earlier than the time I told Beta Liam.The café bustled with afternoon activity, but I barely noticed, as my heart was pounding with a mixture of nervousness and determination. I chose a corner table near the window, hoping the soft natural light filtering through the glass would calm my nerves.I went to the counter to place an order for tea before settling in my chair. The warm aroma of freshly brewed coffee and pastries wafted through the air, but I wasn’t paying attention to it. Soon, the waitress dropped my tea.My fingers traced the rim of the cup as I tried to focus on the steaming cup of chamomile tea before me, rehearsing the words I wasn’t sure how to speak. I sipped the tea slowly, letting its soothing warmth settle my jittery thoughts. The question I was about to ask had kept me awake all night. I had to know the truth about the mysterious she-wolf in the hospital and the role she played in Kai’s life.The bell above the café d
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