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 POVI stood in front of the massive mirror in my new room, staring at myself in the reflection. The nightwear I was wearing clung to my body in ways that made me uncomfortable. It was one of the many items in the room’s wardrobe that Hunter had told some servants to fill in—clothes that weren’t mine, but apparently, they were supposed to be now. While I stared in the mirror, I wasn’t examining the lace or the silk of the outfit, though. My mind was too clouded to focus on that.What had I done? How did a simple dinner, something I had planned just to fake being closer to Hunter, turn into this? A sex night? My heart pounded in my chest, faster and harder with every passing second as the realization of what was supposed to happen tonight hit me all over again. My head started to throb from the pressure, and my stomach twisted in knots. Was I really going to lose my virginity to Hunter tonight? That beast of a man?The very thought of it made me want to scream. I wasn’t ready
Akira’s POVI knocked softly on Hunter’s door. My hand was soft on the door but I was feeling my heart race faster like it was on a marathon. When the door swung open, I was instantly taken aback. Hunter stood there, shirtless, wearing only loose pajamas trouser. My breath caught in my throat, and my heart skipped—not from fear this time, but from how striking he looked. His chest, strong and defined, gleamed in the low light. This wasn’t the first time I had seen a glimpse of his body; I remembered the day I’d come to inform him about Brielle’s sickness, but back then, he had been half-covered in a robe. Now, though, nothing obstructed the view, and it was hard to ignore how beautifully sculpted he was.My eyes drifted from his broad chest up to his face, and that’s when I saw it. His lips were curved into a smile. That smile made me even more self-conscious, and I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. I knew I was blushing, and I hated that he could see it.He must’ve noticed
Akira’s POVI opened my eyes slowly, blinking as the soft light of morning filtered through the curtains. It took me a few moments to remember where I was. I glanced around, confused, trying to understand my surroundings. Then, it hit me; I was still in Hunter’s room. My body tensed instantly as the memory of last night came rushing back. I quickly sat up in bed, my heart racing.What happened? I wondered.I pulled the duvet up and checked myself. My nightwear was still intact, and there didn’t seem to be any noticeable signs of something having happened while I slept. But doubt crept in. Did something happen last night? Did Hunter come back while I was asleep and…? The thought made my stomach turn, and my heart skipped a beat in panic.I instantly yanked the duvet off completely and examined myself more closely, searching for any indication that I had been deflowered. Lisa did say that I might see tiny blood and same as the book I had read before. But everything seemed normal. The
Hunter’s POVAs Akira walked into the dining room, my eyes automatically looked up from my breakfast and caught sight of her. I scanned her quickly, taking in how refreshed she looked. She had always looked good in a simple pair of jeans and a polo shirt, but I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointment. I had secretly hoped she would show up in that nightie she had worn last night.Not for any particular reason, but just for the fun of seeing her in it again. It had been a pleasant surprise seeing her in something so revealing, even if she had no idea of the effect it had.I smirked to myself, catching the expression on her face. Akira was clearly confused and searching for answers about last night. I could see it in her eyes—she wanted to ask, but she didn’t know how to start."You took your time," I said, breaking the silence."Sorry about that," she replied, her voice soft. "I had to freshen up first."I nodded, acknowledging her excuse. She hesitated near the table, and I no
Hunter’s POVJust as I was about to say something else, Seth walked into the dining room. His expression instantly shifted when he saw Akira and me sitting together. He tried to hide it, but I could tell he was surprised. I greeted him casually, "Morning, Seth." He nodded back, but his eyes darted between me and Akira, clearly trying to make sense of the situation.Then he turned to Akira, and with a quick glance, he muttered, "Princess." His tone was stiff, almost forced. I knew they had some tension between them, because they have had less conversation since the day we bashed into her birthday party that night. But seeing it in person was... interesting. Akira barely responded, just a small nod in his direction. She didn’t say a word, and the silence that followed was thick.For a moment, it was just the three of us in the dining room there, and there was this strange and uncomfortable tension hanging in the air. I could feel Akira’s discomfort rising by the second. Her body lang
Akira’s POVAs soon as I shut the door to the dining room behind me, I pressed my ear against it immediately, trying to catch any part of the conversation between Hunter and Seth. My heart pounded in my chest, the adrenaline rushing through me as I strained to hear their voices. I had to know what they were saying—what Seth was telling Hunter and most importantly what their next plan of action will be. My only relief was that no guards or servants were lingering around the hallway, giving me the perfect chance to eavesdrop.When I was in the room with them, I could tell they wanted me out to discuss. The air had felt heavy with tension, and neither of them was going to say anything important while I was sitting there.It was as if the silence itself was suffocating. I knew I had to leave if I wanted to get any information. And now, standing here, my ear pressed to the cold door, I could hear Seth’s voice, sharp and direct, questioning Hunter about me.I winced at his words. Seth was
Akira’s POVAs soon as I entered my room, I wasted no time. I rushed to the cupboard where I had hidden the burner phone. I pulled it out quickly, my fingers trembling slightly as I fast-dialed the number for Alpha Jackson. It only took one ring before the call connected."Akira?" Jackson's deep voice came through immediately. I could sense the slight surprise in his tone, of course he hadn’t expected to hear from me so soon."Yes, it's me," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. "I have news."There was a brief pause on the other end. "Go on, then," he said, his voice calm but framed with curiosity.I took a deep breath. "Hunter and Seth... they’re planning something in Reidvilla. I overheard them talking about an operation. They didn’t say much, but it’s happening soon.""Reidvilla?" Jackson’s tone changed. I could tell he was interested now. "What kind of operation? Who are they targeting?"I bit my lip, suddenly feeling less confident. "That’s all I managed to overhear. They
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
Kestrel’s POVI stood in front of Hunter’s door, ready to knock, but noticed it was already half-open.Curiosity got the better of me, so I peeked inside. My heart sank as I saw them—Hunter and Akira—wrapped up in each other. She was sitting on his lap, his arms possessively around her, and they were kissing, laughing, and talking softly. The way they looked at each other made my stomach turn. It wasn’t just physical; it was deeper than that. They were now connected. The kind of connection I had always wanted with him but never had when I was literally gracing his bed. I sighed. My hands clenched at my sides as I watched them. They looked like a power couple—two people who were not only lovers but friends. That was the part that hurt the most. Hunter and I had never had that kind of relationship. Even when I tried to start something he was always distant with me, now he ended up being cold. But with Akira, he was soft, playful, and affectionate. I could feel my anger boiling insid