Akira's POV As the clock approached midnight, the pack's ballroom glittered with the glow of crystal chandeliers and flickering candle lights. Several guests from several packs filled the room. The air was thick with laughter, tinkling of champagne glasses and happiness. I took a deep breath as I stared into the mirror of my vanity dresser. My finger gingerly touched the diamond necklace around my neck. I wished I wouldn't have to wear it but it was my father's favourite. If I wanted him to be happy, I would do his bidding without argument, he had said. The pink, flowery ball gown I was wearing was designed by one of the top fashion designers in the world. It took over 500 hours to make the hand sewn dress and over 200 more people joined him to complete the work. It must have cost my father a fortune but he said it was nothing. I'd smiled when they brought the dress but the goddess knew just how much I didn't want it.I hated it!I wanted a simple, normal birthday party, one that w
Akira's POV As the bus maneuvered through the forest to goddess knows where, I could do nothing but rest my head in my hand. I felt numb and weak to my bones. My head that was usually filled with fantasy was empty. My world was silent. I was ruined, damaged beyond repair. Both of my parents were dead, right in front of my eyes. My hands had been soiled with my father's blood. I rubbed my hand against the ball gown I was wearing, trying to clean the blood away but it didn't. I'd managed to cut the dress short before the men dressed in black, stuffed all of us survivors in a bus and took us away from the pack. Crazy thing was, I found my mate the same night. He didn't acknowledge me. He only turned, walked out of the ballroom. I hadn't smelled his scent since then. A little girl sitting beside me was crying her eyes out. I'd seen her around my father's pack a number of times but I'd never spoken to her. I wanted to say something but words failed me. Again.She suddenly slipped her h
Hunter's POVI'm Hunter. Alpha of the Silver Moon pack. To the older Alphas, I'm known as the forbidden seed of the goddess. Even though I was born under a full moon, my life was drowned in darkness. I've been through so many unbelievable moments but nothing prepared me for this. Standing in the same room, breathing the same air as the daughter of such a disgusting man almost threw me off balance. More than that, I was pissed off at the fact that the moon goddess deemed her worthy to be my mate. Immediately I recognized her in that ballroom, I talked to the rest through the mind link and walked out of the room. My wolf kept on howling at me to go back and claim her but over my dead body would I do that. I would rather go mad than mark her. The idea of her sucked life out of me. "I hate you!" She yelled. The girl was standing so close to my wall I thought she would penetrate through it. She stared at me through the tears in her eyes. She reminded me of a type of doll, tiny, and
Akira's POV I was sent back to the dungeon by the same scary big man who had taken me away from there. He opened the door, pushed me inside and turned on his heels. By the time I faced the girls, they were eating from a plate of food. I was surprised at the scene. With the way the Alpha hated me, I was sure he wouldn't mind us starving to death. I slumped against the wall as new hot tears bolted down my face. I clutched my chest tightly from the pain I felt when I rejected my mate. A part of me was thankful he didn't accept the rejection while the other part of me was scared for when he would accept the rejection. "You should eat," The older girl suggested, pushing a plate to me. I shook my head. "No, thank you," I eyed the food and pushed it away. "If you're scared it's poisoned, it is not. We already ate it and if it's poisoned, we should be dead by now," My eyes went wide at her words and I clamped my lips together. To be honest, I was a bit scared that the food was poisone
Akira's POV After he threatened me with Brielle, he cocked his eyebrow and walked away from where I was still standing. My hands shivered from fear. I couldn't think of an escape plan. Those people were here to take me away from him. I should be able to leave with them along with Lisa and Briella. Why should the poor girl have to pay for my actions?I was still deep in thought when two women came to meet me and told me to follow them. I was sceptical, clueless about what was happening. "What's going on?" I asked, my toes clamping together. I was cold all of a sudden. "We're not obligated to answer any questions. We'll only do as we've been told," One of them replied. They took me into a room and asked me to take a shower in the bathroom. Although it reminded me of home and the hot shower helped with the cold, I didn't waste much time. I got rid of my ripped birthday dress and threw it in the dustbin.So much for so many designers working on a stupid dress. As soon as I came out
Hunter’s POVI slumped into the leather chair in my study, after slamming the door behind me.The echo of Akira's sobs still lingering in the living room. Watching her stand there, tears streaming down her face, I had felt a pang of something I refused to acknowledge.But still, pity wasn’t an option.Forcing her to pretend she had agreed to be my mate in front of the older Alphas, her father's old friends; had been my laid-out plan.But I never planned on her admitting to being her father’s murderer, at least not in the way it had happened.My swift wit of making her confess that she had killed her father in the present of the older Alphas hadn’t been my plan that morning. But it was the only way to prevent those old fools in my living room from executing their plans on me.Thus, she had to play the part until my plans were fulfilled.I hated every second of it, I hated that she had to stood there crying like a persecuted criminal, who was in the mercy of her executional. But it wa
Akira's POVWhen I stepped out of Hunter's study, a guard was already there, waiting for me. Without a word, he took my arm, his grip firm but not rough, and began escorting me back to the dungeon.I walked in silence, my mind replaying the scene over and over again. I couldn’t shake the memory of Hunter’s eyes—how they suddenly turned blood-red when I attacked him. The intensity, the raw power behind that gaze... it terrified and intrigued me at the same time.The guard opened the heavy iron door to the dungeon and motioned for me to go inside. Brielle and Lisa rushed to me the moment they saw me, their eyes filled with concern.“Akira, are you okay?” Brielle asked, her voice trembling slightly.“What did he do to you?” Lisa added, her hands gripping my shoulders as if to steady me.I tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t come. My throat felt tight, my heart heavy. All I could do was shake my head, signalling that I couldn’t talk about it—at least not yet.I moved past them and sat
Akira’s POVI held my breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I waited for the guard to take another turn. The cold floor pressed against my palms and knees as I crouched, ready to move at any moment. The dungeon had been dark and suffocating, but this—crawling our way through the faintly lit corridors—felt even more dangerous. Every sound, every flicker of a shadow made my nerves spike.“Akira, what if he sees us?” Brielle whispered, her voice trembling with fear. She was right beside me, her eyes wide with terror as she clutched my arm.“He won’t,” I whispered back, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “Just stay close and keep quiet. We’re almost there.”Behind us, Lisa was creeping along, her face set in a determined expression. Despite the fear in her eyes, she was trying to stay strong, trying to believe in the plan I had put together. But I could sense her doubt, and I couldn’t blame her. This was risky—too risky. If we were caught, the consequences would be deadly.
Akira’s POVI entered my room and let the door shut quietly behind me. My legs felt like they couldn’t carry me anymore, and I sank to the ground, sliding into the corner of the room. I drew my knees up to my chest and let the tears flow freely.The sadness in my heart felt unbearable. How long will this continue? How long will they keep hating me? How long will this taunting words continue? I murmured to myself.I knew the answer, and it made the pain even worse. Afterall I had caused this. I couldn’t pretend otherwise. Every harsh word, every cold stare, every whispered insult— I had earned them.I closed my eyes, wishing I could turn back time. If I could just undo that one decision... If I could erase the day I ran away from Hunter’s pack and sought refuge with Jackson, everything would be different.I shook my head, my tears falling harder. Back then, I thought I was escaping a monster. And to think now that I thought Hunter was cruel, heartless, and dangerous. I was really fooli
Kestrel’s POVI hurried back to the kitchen as fast as I could. My failed attempt to pry information from Akira still stung, but I wasn’t giving up yet. That servant, the one who had boldly insulted her, was my next target.Surely, she wouldn’t be as difficult as Akira.When I stepped into the kitchen, I was met with silence. The loud commotion from earlier had completely dissipated. A few servants were busy with their tasks—chopping vegetables, stirring pots, and kneading dough—but there was no sign of the one I had come for.I stood there, scanning the room, unsure of what to do next. Should I ask the other servants about the incident? Would they even tell me anything useful?Before I could decide and almost made up my mind to ask the other female servant, the kitchen’s storage room door creaked open, and she stepped out.I smiled to myself. Perfect.The servant looked different now. Her shoulders slumped, and her face carried an air of sadness. It was strange. She had been so fierc
Kestrel’s POVI watched Akira disappear down the hallway, out of the kitchen and the small estate and heading to the main estate. Her steps hurried, almost as though she was trying to escape the harshness of the words hurled at her in the kitchen.My mind swirled with questions about what I had just witnessed. Seeing her humiliated like that, seeing her near the brink of tears— it was oddly satisfying. I couldn’t deny it.A smirk tugged at the corner of my lips. She deserved it, every bit of it.Still, an idea crept into my head, one I couldn’t ignore.What if I went to her now, pretending to care? It would be a perfect opportunity to dig deeper, to find out what was really going on. The mighty Akira brought low was a rare sight, and I wasn’t about to waste it.Without bothering to grab the snack I had originally gone to the kitchen for, I quickly followed her down the hall.“Akira,” I called out, my voice laced with a false sweetness.She didn’t stop. She didn’t even turn around inst
Kestrel’s POV Standing at the desk in sitting room of Hunter home, I tossed the paperwork I had been pretending to work on across the table. My head pounded from staring at the meaningless columns of numbers, my eyes darting repeatedly toward the clock. No matter how hard I tried to focus, my mind always circled back to Hunter— and Akira. I stretched my arms above my head, rolling my shoulders. My muscles were tense, a clear reflection of my frustration. Pretending to support their ridiculous union had been more exhausting than I had anticipated. Coming here to apology weeks ago had been my only way back into the pack’s fold, but every word I’d spoken had burned my tongue. Apologize to that Akira? A mere upstart who had stolen everything from me? I sighed remembering how they had acted when I walked in on them apologizing for the very thing I hated; their union. No matter how it may still sound, Hunter was mine. Or at least, he should have been. Why shouldn’t we be together? W
August’s POVTaking a deep breath, I forced a neutral expression onto my face and opened the door. “Seth,” I said, feigning surprise. “Didn’t expect to see you here. What brings you by?”He didn’t answer immediately, his sharp eyes scanning me from head to toe. “Can I come in?” he finally asked, his tone unreadable.I hesitated for a fraction of a second before stepping aside to let him in. “Sure. Make yourself at home,” I said, trying to keep my voice casual.Seth walked in, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey, his tall frame casting a shadow across my dimly lit living room. My heart raced, pounding in my chest like a trapped bird, but I forced myself to stay calm. I plastered a neutral expression on my face, hoping it would mask the sheer panic bubbling beneath the surface.Inside, my mind was racing. What was he doing here? Had Akira told him what she saw? Did he suspect me? Did he know? Had Akira seen more than I thought?He didn’t sit down, he ju
August’s POVThe air in my house was stifling, and my shirt stuck to my skin as I leaned against the wall, catching my breath. My heart was pounding like a drum, my lungs struggling to keep up after the frantic sprint through the woods.Damn Akira!If she had caught me sneaking around Hunter’s estate tonight with Jackson, I wouldn’t be standing here. The thought alone made my blood boil.I ripped off my torn shirt which was in pieces as a result of transforming back to human form, letting out a growl of frustration. Turing to werewolf to speed off my running speed was the best decision I had done immediately I had sighed her and I was glad that was swift.I had barely escaped, and now, I had to deal with Jackson and his incessant complaining. Grabbing my phone from the table, I punched his number and pressed it to my ear. The line rang twice before he answered.“August,” his gruff voice barked. “What now?”“What now?” I snapped back, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “What now is that I
Hunter’s POVThat same evening, the evening air felt thick with tension as I stood by the window, staring out into the fading light. Akira had vanished into the shadows not long ago, heading off to confront Jackson. I had did as my instincts had told me and tried to stop her, but she was as stubborn as the day was long. She had insisted she’d be fine, and I had to trust her. Still, the worry gnawed at me.I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something wasn’t right.Behind me, I heard footsteps entering the living room. I didn’t need to turn around to know who it was. Seth had always moved with a deliberate stride, and he didn’t bother hiding his presence.“That was a quick meeting,” Seth said, coming to stand beside me. His voice was casual, but I knew him too well. He was fishing for answers.“Yeah,” I replied without turning to look at him. My focus remained fixed on the direction Akira had gone. The shadows stretched longer across the compound, and with each passing moment, my
Akira’s POVAs soon as the older Alphas walked out of the sitting room, I turned to Hunter. “Did you see the look Jackson gave me?” I asked, my voice low but tense.Hunter leaned back slightly in his seat, his eyes narrowing as he replayed the scene in his mind. “Of course, I saw it,” he replied. “The man’s full of spite. He hates you because he thinks you’re not being the spy he expected you to be.”My mind wondered in so many thoughts.Jackson’s gaze wasn’t just hateful; it was accusing, as though he’d been wronged. And the way his eyes lingered on me—it sent a chill down my spine. “I’ll go talk to him,” I said, standing up abruptly.However, before I could take a step, Hunter grabbed my wrist. His grip was firm, almost protective. “No,” he said, his voice leaving no room for argument. “With the way things went here, he might unleash his anger on you. I won’t let that happen.”I looked into Hunter’s eyes, seeing both his worry and his resolve. But I also knew Jackson well enough to
Seth’s POVThe estate felt colder tonight, or maybe it was just the weight of the task ahead pressing on my chest. Hunter had always expected loyalty from me, but tonight, I could feel the edges of doubt creeping into my thoughts. I couldn’t afford hesitation. Not now. Not when everything was on the line. The double agent had to be dealt with before Jackson made his move. Hunter had given me a simple task: find the traitor, and eliminate him quietly. I wasn’t blind. I knew that even the smallest mistake could unravel everything we’d worked for, so I was meticulous. I followed the usual routes— checked in with the informants I trusted, observed the pack’s movements— but something felt off. There was a flicker of something different, something I couldn’t quite place. My instincts itched at the back of my mind, telling me there was more going on beneath the surface.The first clue came when I noticed Aric’s nervous behavior. Normally, he was sharp, confident, but lately, his movements