August’s POVMy hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as I sat in the car outside Hunter's estate. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest. Hunter's words replayed in my mind like a haunting melody. The cold, calculated way he described Kestrel's death—the poison eating her from within, leaving nothing but a husk of flesh and bone—sent shivers down my spine. And then his chilling remark: "If she hadn’t died from the poison, I would’ve done far worse."Monster. That’s what Hunter was. A cold-blooded, ruthless monster.No wonder every Alpha trembled at the mere mention of his name. Who wouldn’t fear someone like him? Hunter was the embodiment of terror, and yet, he carried himself with the charm of a king. But I wasn’t fooled. Beneath the surface was nothing but darkness, the kind that could consume anyone who dared cross him.I released a shaky breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. I had gone to the estate thinking I could play my part—show c
Akira’s POVThe darkness was overwhelming, pressing against me like a heavy weight. I could barely breathe, and my skin prickled with an uneasy chill. I squinted into the void, and far in the distance, I saw it—a faint, flickering light. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to give me hope.I started walking, my steps cautious yet hurried. The light was so far away, and the harder I tried to reach it, the more it seemed to stretch further, teasing me. My frustration grew, and I picked up my pace. Walking turned into running, my bare feet hitting the cold, hard ground with urgency.However, no matter how fast I ran, the light eluded me. It was as though the universe was conspiring to keep me trapped in this oppressive darkness. Panic clawed at my chest, and I screamed, “Help! Is anyone there?!”The silence was deafening. Then, without warning, the ground beneath me gave way, and I was falling.I screamed, the sound echoing as I plunged deeper and deeper into what felt like an endless ab
August’s POVThe transformation was startling. I stood by the door, watching Alpha Lupin comb his fingers through his now neatly trimmed hair, gathering it into a bun that gave him a sharp, almost regal look.He had trimmed his once unruly beard, and the wildness that had consumed him in the cave was now masked beneath a calculated exterior. Yet, his eyes—those sharp, piercing eyes—still burned with the same ruthlessness that had once made him the most feared name in our world.It wasn’t his appearance that commanded respect; it was the aura that clung to him, dark and unyielding. He wasn’t just an alpha—he was a force of nature, the kind that toppled hierarchies and sent seasoned wolves cowering.“Looking good,” I said with a sly grin, arms crossed as I leaned against the wall.Lupin turned to me, his lips curling in a faint smirk. “Good enough to reclaim what’s mine?”“More than,” I replied. My chest swelled with pride. Today was the day I proved my loyalty—and my cunning.The counc
Akira’s POVI sat cross-legged on my bed, staring blankly at the open book in my lap. The words on the page blurred together, no matter how hard I tried to focus. I must have read the same paragraph ten times, but nothing stuck. I find myself reading the same passage close to ten times. My brain was like an empty cavern, unable to process anything.It wasn’t the book’s fault. My thoughts were consumed by the nightmare I’d had last night. Or was it a dream? I wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, it had shaken me to my core.Hunter had tried to reassure me. “Dreams are just your mind playing tricks, you should pay more attention on it,” he’d said earlier, pulling me close as I recounted the strange experience. But no matter how many times he said it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the dream meant something. And aside what it truly meant, everything thing in that dream felt real, especially when my father was stabbing those women, those helpless women who did nothing wrong to him. Com
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 POVI sat cross-legged on my bed, staring blankly at the open book in my lap. The words on the page blurred together, no matter how hard I tried to focus. I must have read the same paragraph ten times, but nothing stuck. I find myself reading the same passage close to ten times. My brain was like an empty cavern, unable to process anything.It wasn’t the book’s fault. My thoughts were consumed by the nightmare I’d had last night. Or was it a dream? I wasn’t sure, but whatever it was, it had shaken me to my core.Hunter had tried to reassure me. “Dreams are just your mind playing tricks, you should pay more attention on it,” he’d said earlier, pulling me close as I recounted the strange experience. But no matter how many times he said it, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the dream meant something. And aside what it truly meant, everything thing in that dream felt real, especially when my father was stabbing those women, those helpless women who did nothing wrong to him. Com
August’s POVThe transformation was startling. I stood by the door, watching Alpha Lupin comb his fingers through his now neatly trimmed hair, gathering it into a bun that gave him a sharp, almost regal look.He had trimmed his once unruly beard, and the wildness that had consumed him in the cave was now masked beneath a calculated exterior. Yet, his eyes—those sharp, piercing eyes—still burned with the same ruthlessness that had once made him the most feared name in our world.It wasn’t his appearance that commanded respect; it was the aura that clung to him, dark and unyielding. He wasn’t just an alpha—he was a force of nature, the kind that toppled hierarchies and sent seasoned wolves cowering.“Looking good,” I said with a sly grin, arms crossed as I leaned against the wall.Lupin turned to me, his lips curling in a faint smirk. “Good enough to reclaim what’s mine?”“More than,” I replied. My chest swelled with pride. Today was the day I proved my loyalty—and my cunning.The counc
Akira’s POVThe darkness was overwhelming, pressing against me like a heavy weight. I could barely breathe, and my skin prickled with an uneasy chill. I squinted into the void, and far in the distance, I saw it—a faint, flickering light. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to give me hope.I started walking, my steps cautious yet hurried. The light was so far away, and the harder I tried to reach it, the more it seemed to stretch further, teasing me. My frustration grew, and I picked up my pace. Walking turned into running, my bare feet hitting the cold, hard ground with urgency.However, no matter how fast I ran, the light eluded me. It was as though the universe was conspiring to keep me trapped in this oppressive darkness. Panic clawed at my chest, and I screamed, “Help! Is anyone there?!”The silence was deafening. Then, without warning, the ground beneath me gave way, and I was falling.I screamed, the sound echoing as I plunged deeper and deeper into what felt like an endless ab
August’s POVMy hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as I sat in the car outside Hunter's estate. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest. Hunter's words replayed in my mind like a haunting melody. The cold, calculated way he described Kestrel's death—the poison eating her from within, leaving nothing but a husk of flesh and bone—sent shivers down my spine. And then his chilling remark: "If she hadn’t died from the poison, I would’ve done far worse."Monster. That’s what Hunter was. A cold-blooded, ruthless monster.No wonder every Alpha trembled at the mere mention of his name. Who wouldn’t fear someone like him? Hunter was the embodiment of terror, and yet, he carried himself with the charm of a king. But I wasn’t fooled. Beneath the surface was nothing but darkness, the kind that could consume anyone who dared cross him.I released a shaky breath, trying to calm the storm inside me. I had gone to the estate thinking I could play my part—show c
August’s POVI took a deep breath, standing outside the door to Akira’s chamber. My hands clenched into fists before I forced myself to relax. Calm, August. Fake calm. You’ve done this before. Just put on a smile, say the right words, and leave as quickly as you can, I told myself for what seems to be like the tenth times.The thought of facing her—and Hunter—made my skin crawl. I didn’t want to be here, but as Commander to the pack, I had a duty to perform. She was our Luna, no matter how much I despised her.Despised her and feared her.Why wouldn’t she just die? I kept asking myself this same question for weeks.Her enemies seemed to fall like leaves in a storm while she remained untouched. First, it was Jackson's guards. Then Jackson himself. The servant Kestrel manipulated. And now Kestrel herself. All are dead with Kestrel probably nearing her death too, while Akira sat comfortably in her position, unscathed.Whatever she did to the moon goddess to keep protecting her, she was r
Hunter’s POVI stood by Akira’s bedside, my arms crossed tightly over my chest as I watched the doctor move around her, performing his final examinations. Even though I trusted his skill, I couldn’t relax. Every time his hands moved to check her pulse or adjust the machines monitoring her vitals, my heart clenched.Akira looked so small and fragile lying there, yet her spirit remained unbroken. Whatever made her wake up from coma so quickly, he will have to keep thanking the moon goddess. And to think that I had already failed her once by trusting Kestrel. That mistake would haunt me forever.The doctor’s calm demeanor only irritated me. I needed to hear the words—needed to know she was going to be okay. “Well?” I growled, unable to keep the tension from my voice.The doctor looked up, meeting my gaze. “She’s fine now,” he said, nodding. “The poison is completely out of her system, but she still needs rest and attentive care. I recommend you personally oversee her recovery to avoid
Kestrel’s POVI paced back and forth in Akira’s room, my heels clicking against the hardwood floor. Each time my gaze fell on her lifeless form lying on the bed, anger boiled inside me. Even in a coma, Akira had the audacity to look peaceful, as if mocking me. I hate you, I thought bitterly. Even half-dead, you’re still a thorn in my side.The only reason I was here was because I had convinced Hunter I wanted to help look after her. It was the perfect cover, ensuring I stayed in his good graces. If I hadn’t, Hunter might never have left her side. It disgusted me that he could show so much devotion to her, even now.I forced myself to go through the motions: wiping her face, monitoring her temperature, pretending to care. All of it was a performance. Because if Akira didn’t wake up from this coma—if she finally died—then my place at Hunter’s side would be secured.The thought brought a sly smile to my lips, but it faded as quickly as it came. The doctor’s words haunted me: She could
Kestrel’s POVThe air in the sitting room was thick with tension, making it nearly impossible to breathe. I bit my lips hard enough to draw blood as I sat beside Hunter, who radiated a fury I’d never seen before. His face was grim, his jaw clenched, and his hands rested on his knees, ready to spring into action.I couldn’t believe things had spiraled out of control so quickly. My plan seemed so perfect—or at least, it should have been. The poison was supposed to work subtly, spreading through Akira’s system and finishing her off in her sleep. But no, she just had to spend the evening outside with Hunter, delaying the process. Now everything had fallen apart.The doctor’s words earlier haunted me: Poison. That one word had set Hunter off, and now, every servant who worked in the kitchen had been summoned.My heart raced as I watched the guards herd them into the sitting room, one by one. There they were—eight female servants, heads bowed, shuffling in like lambs to the slaughter. I s
Hunter’s POVThe evening air was cool and soothing as I sat under the oak tree with Akira. The moonlight spilled gently through the branches, casting a serene glow over her face. I reached for her hand, but something about her felt...off. She was unusually quiet, her usual fiery spirit dampened.“Are you alright, Doll?” I asked softly, leaning closer to her. I placed a hand on her forehead, and her skin felt warmer than usual, but I told myself it might be nothing. Probably the coolness of the weather was making her warm.Akira gave me a faint smile but didn’t answer. She simply nodded, her gaze distant.“Is something bothering you?” I pressed, my worry growing.She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. “No,” she whispered and didn’t bother to say more words, her voice was barely audible. I tried to lighten the mood, a playful smile tugging at my lips. “And I didn’t do anything to offend you, did I?” I teased.That earned me a small laugh, but it was brief and didn’t reach