Hunter’s POVFrom the window of my study, I watched Akira, Lisa, and Brielle walk toward the main mansion. They were carrying their meager belongings from the servant quarters—nothing much, just a few things they had managed to collect over time. They were laughing, talking among themselves as they made their way inside.It was Akira’s smile that caught my attention. She looked so carefree, her laughter echoing as if she hadn’t a single worry in the world. That smile… it was rare. Too rare. Whenever she was with me, it was as if her face was locked in a permanent scowl or a mask of indifference. But here she was, beaming, her joy so palpable that even I, watching from a distance, could feel it.I couldn’t help but focus on her. The way she interacted with Lisa and Brielle, I knew for a fact that they weren’t just her “minions,” as she liked to pretend. She was close to them, closer than she admitted, and that fact alone told me more about her than she would ever openly confess. Des
Hunter’s POVI arrived early to the dinner Akira had arranged, not because I was eager, but because I needed to know what she was up to. Her sudden invitation felt off. Yesterday, she had said she preferred the dinner to be outside under the dogwood tree. I had agreed, even though I found it amusing. Was she trying to create a romantic atmosphere between us?She might have misunderstood my gesture of telling her to move into the main mansion. It wasn’t because I wanted to develop any sort of romantic connection. I simply wanted to keep an eye on her, to monitor her closely, especially her interactions with August and any plans she might be scheming. I’d already told Seth to watch her, but I realized I needed to do more myself.When I reached the place under the tree, I saw her little setup—a simple table and chairs, covered with a plain white cloth. Two candles flickered on the table, casting a soft glow. There was a cart of food covered up, but from the looks of it, she had set up
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