Hunter’s POVThe overnight journey from Northcaster, Akira’s father’s house, to Holtsville, where Alpha Jackson’s home was located, was long, but I didn’t mind.I was too damned determined to get to Alpha Jackson’s house because my every instinct, and beast senses told me that Akira had run there. The thought of her being under Jackson's protection was infuriating, and I knew I had to act fast. The sooner I arrived, the better my chances were of intercepting any plans Jackson might be making to hide Akira from me or protect her in some other way.Even though I was furious of her escaping, I hate the fact that she had to run to him of all people.When we finally arrived at Night Walker Pack Avenue, I didn’t bother with any pretense. I marched straight into the estate with Seth by my side, also accompanied by three of my men. The moment Alpha Jackson’s guards spotted us, I could see the fear in their eyes, plain as day. One of the guards turned on his heel and bolted inside the main m
Akira’s POVI woke up suddenly, my eyes snapping open and my heart pounding as if I had just woken from a nightmare; except there hadn’t been one.There was something else, an aura that yanked me straight out of bed.For a moment, I was confused, unsure of where I was, but then I remembered—I was still in the guest room where Alpha Jackson’s house had given me to rest in. I quickly scanned the room, trying to find what could be causing this uneasy feeling.And then I caught a scent—that familiar scent, and it was strong. My heart skipped a beat, and I jumped out of bed, holding my chest like it was about to fall off the floor. Hunter was here.Now that I was fully awake, I could sense him more perfectly, his presence is strong and undeniable. My wolf began to stir inside me, a soft groan escaping its throat, followed by a low, almost pained moan, “Mate.”It repeated the word over and over, the desire was clear in its voice. It could sense its mate nearby and wanted to be set free.“Pl
Akira’s POVI was relieved when a female servant from Jackson's home came to my door, saying that Alpha Jackson wanted to see me. I practically jumped off the bed and rushed out of the room, my heart racing with a mix of hope and anxiety.It had been three days since I arrived at Jackson's estate, and while he had promised to protect me and deal with Hunter, he hadn't said anything specific since then.I didn’t want to pressure him or seem like I was being too pushy, so I’d kept my distance, hoping he would reach out when he was ready.When I hurried into the living room, I expected to see Alpha Jackson waiting for me alone. But I stopped short, surprised to find about seven older Alphas sitting there, their eyes turning towards me as I entered.A movement of unease washed over me. This doesn’t feel like a meeting but an act of summon.Why were all these powerful Alphas gathered here? My heart started to pound faster. I glanced around the room, trying to gauge their expressions, but t
Hunter’s POVI stared at the plan Seth had sketched out on the paper, a rough map of Alpha Jackson's house with red lines and circles showing how we could break in. When I first mentioned to Seth that I planned on invading Jackson’s home to take back Akira, he had wasted no time in drawing up a strategy. According to his plan, it would be best to strike at midnight when the house would be quieter, with fewer of Jackson’s pack members around. The attack would need to be silent and swift.I studied the plan carefully, still not sure if I wanted to go along with it. If it were up to me, I’d march into Jackson’s territory in broad daylight, letting everyone see. After all they were all used to admitting how cruel I was and how bloody I am, ‘a cursed blood sucking monster’ they had said. I equally don’t mind. It would have been good to use Alpha Jackson as a scapegoat to my called cruelty.However, I knew I had to be careful. I had to maintain my composure and not do anything that would
Hunter’s POVHer presence like a shockwave that caused an overexcitement through me.My wolf groaned, its frustration and longing echoing in my mind as I watched Akira walk into my study. I wasn’t sure what surprised me more—seeing her here or the fact that Seth, who had trained himself to be stoic and rarely showed any emotion, shot up from his seat the instant she entered. This was the same Akira we were planning to reclaim, the one I had just been discussing with Seth, yet here she was, standing before us like some ghost returned from the grave.I scanned her from head to toe. She looked different somehow—more vibrant, more alive unlike how tiring she had always looked when she was here.Does been with him really weigh her down that much? Probably it was because of all the hate she had for him that she had concealed.Her blonde hair was tied in a high bun with a little extra hair laid out by the sides of her ears. Her lips were covered in a more vibrant red lipstick; I have never
Kestrel’s POVI examined the red gown in my hands once more, turning it over to catch the light. This will be perfect, I thought to myself. If Hunter sees me in this, the image of how I look will be seared into his mind. I knew exactly why I’d chosen this dress—it was all to impress Hunter, to make him see me in a way he had never before. Probably, to look at me in the same way he looked at that little wench, Akira, at the party. The image which still burned in my memory.I could recall it vividly: the way Hunter’s eyes never left Akira, how his gaze followed her around the room like she was the only person there. I knew Hunter well enough to recognize that those looks weren’t just for show, weren’t just part of the act they were putting on to fool the werewolves at the gathering. No, there was something more. Something filled with admiration and desire. It pained me to admit that Hunter had never looked at me that way, not once, even after all these years of being by his side.We’
Kestrel’s POVEven though it was just the two of us alone in the study, Hunter’s mind seemed miles away. He was staring at the door with a look on his face I couldn’t quite read—something calculating, something intense. I took a step closer, making sure my movements were slow and deliberate, the way I knew he liked. "Am I interrupting something?" I asked with a playful smile.It wasn’t until then that he looked up and finally seemed to notice I was there. For a moment, I wondered what could have him so deep in thought. He’s usually so focused, so aware of everything going on around him. I’d never seen him this distracted.“You didn’t even know I was here, did you?” I teased, leaning down to press a soft kiss against his lips. He responded, but I could tell his mind was still elsewhere. “What’s going on?” I asked, pulling back just enough to look into his eyes.Hunter shook his head reluctantly, his expression guarded. “It’s nothing,” he said, but I could tell he was lying. I knew h
Akira’s POVAs soon as I left the study room and walked down the long hallway, I let out a huge sigh of relief. The tension inside that room had been unbearable, like a heavy weight pressing down on my chest. My heart was still pounding from the effort of keeping my lies straight and convincing Hunter that I truly wanted to come back and be his mate. Even though I had put her hair in a tight high bun and wore a bold red lipstick to make my appearance look somewhat sophisticated as much as I can and to make me look as if I meant business; yet I almost fooled myself. It was not as if I just rushed into Hunter’s house unprepared. All through my ride from Holtsville to Melford; in Silver Moon Pack, I had gone over those words in my head so many times. Telling myself I will pull it off perfectly when step foot in Hunter’s house, but even with all that practice I did, my words almost failed me.Inside the study, every moment then felt like a time without end. The way Hunter’s curious ga