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 POVFor a brief moment, I believed we had made it when we went outside the front door. The darkness of the night seemed like a cloak that would shield us from prying eyes. We moved quickly but quietly, our footsteps barely making a sound on the gravel path that led to the gate. My heart raced with the thrill of potential freedom, and I could feel the same hope radiating from Lisa and Brielle as they walked close to me.Just as we were about to turn the corner and make our final dash for the gate, the sharp crack of a gunshot pierced the air, echoing through the night. The sound was followed by two more shots, each one making my heart jump into my throat.Brielle screamed in terror and clung to me, her small body trembling against mine.The fear in her eyes and her painful scream ignited something deep within me—a fierce, primal rage that I couldn’t control. I was done running. I was done being hunted.Like a mother protecting her child, without thinking, I felt the transform
Akira’s POVWhen Hunter entered the living room, his presence was commanding, his eyes immediately narrowing as he called out, "August!". There was something in Hunter’s voice that brooked no defiance.The unknown man, who I now found out his name was August, who had been far too close to me, instantly withdrew his touch from my arm and stepped back, burned by Hunter's command.Hunter's gaze then shifted to me. He walked closer, his eyes darkening as he took in the sorry state of my clothes—tattered, half-exposed.Then his eyes moved to the cuts on my neck and arms. His eyes turned a deep shade of red, anger radiating off him in waves. Before I could even process what was happening, he moved with lightning speed, his speed almost a blur, approaching the guard I had fought.In an instant, Hunter delivered a swift, powerful blow to the guard's stomach, sending him staggering backwards.The swiftness and the intensity of the blow sent a quick chill down my spine. If I could react this wa
Hunter’s POVAs I dragged Akira into the library, I could feel my anger boiling beneath the surface. The fact that she had the audacity to attempt an escape—it infuriated me. The moment we crossed the threshold, I tossed her forward with a rough shove, slamming the door behind us with a force that echoed through the room. She staggered but managed to regain her balance, her defiance evident in the way she straightened her posture.I stepped closer to her, my gaze fixed on her as I spoke, my voice low and threatening. "The only reason you're still breathing is because you've already taken enough of a beating from that guard. If I were to do anything more, you'd be useless to me dead." My words were harsh, each one meant to instil fear, but I could see that fear was the last thing on her mind.Akira met my gaze with fierce determination, her eyes practically glowing with defiance. "I'd rather die fighting than rot in a dungeon as your slave," she spat back at me, her voice laced wit
Akira’s POVImmediately as the door to Hunter’s library slammed shut behind me, I felt a strange mix of relief and exhaustion. My body ached, and the adrenaline from the earlier fight was finally wearing off, leaving me feeling drained. The female servant who had been quietly trailing behind me gestured towards a small bathroom attached to the guest room she’d led me to. The same room I had used before.“Do you want me to help with your bath, miss,” she asked softly, her eyes not quite meeting mine. “I can if you permit me.”I shook my head, not really in the mood for conversation. The warm water felt soothing against my battered skin, but even as the grime and blood washed away, the dull throb of my injuries remained. I winced as I carefully scrubbed around the deeper cuts, trying not to think too much about the fight with the guard. I had underestimated the strength of an opponent, and that had given me such a good beating. My first ever beating.Aside from being my first werewo
Akira POVJust as I was about to finally drift off to sleep, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the dungeon corridor. My heart sank. It wasn’t even fully morning yet, and Hunter was already coming to make good on his promise. I forced myself to sit up, feeling the cold stone floor beneath me, every muscle in my body protesting the movement.The door to the dungeon flew open with a loud bang, and there he was, towering over me like a dark storm. "Get up," Hunter ordered, his voice cold and commanding. "This isn’t your father’s mansion where you get to sleep until late in the afternoon."His words hit me like a slap, and before I could stop myself, I spat back,"Don’t you dare mention my father again, especially not with that vile mouth of yours!"Hunter’s lips curled into a cruel smile. He chuckled, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. "It seems you haven’t learned your lesson yet, Doll. Your mouth still runs like an uncontrolled tap water."I clenched my fists, resisting
Akira’s POVThe pain in my back was unbearable as I knelt on the cold, hard floor, mopping the seemingly endless hallway with that tiny hand towel. I could feel every muscle screaming in protest, but I forced myself to keep going. Hunter could have made this easier, he could have given me a proper mop, but that wasn’t the point. He wanted to see me suffer. And he was succeeding.I didn’t realise how long this hallway was until now. The night we tried to escape, everything happened so fast that I didn’t have time to notice the distance. But now, with every inch I cleaned, it felt like the hallway stretched on forever. Lisa had been right. I’d never done this kind of work in my life. I was an overpampered princess, always surrounded by luxury, always having everything within my reach. Or, more realistically, within the reach of a servant.In my parents’ house, all I had to do was ring a bell, and a servant would appear. I remembered how my mother would instruct the maids to mop the
Hunter’s POVI glanced at Akira, sitting stiffly beside me in the car, her every movement betraying the pain she was trying so hard to hide. This was the seventh time she brought her bruised hands up to her face, inspecting the neat white bandages that now covered them. I’d made sure one of the female servants cleaned and dressed those wounds, but not out of concern for her. I couldn’t care less about her injuries. The only reason I had them bandaged was because I didn’t want her showing up at the event, we were heading to looking like she’d been mauled.The party was a gathering of the older Alphas, along with some younger ones, plotting my downfall. It was no surprise they’d resort to such underhanded tactics. I needed to show up strong and unfazed—no sign of weakness. Seeing Akira’s raw, unbandaged wounds would have been a liability, something they could use against me. But aside from that, her injuries were the least of my concerns. If anything, they might teach her a lesson a
Akira’s POVI stood by the window of my room, dressed in my wedding gown; something I had once thought I might never wear. The white fabric felt cool against my skin, flowing down to the floor in elegant waves. The sun outside was setting, forming warm golden hues over the trees and hills. It was the perfect backdrop for the ceremony Hunter and I had decided on— a wedding in the heart of the estate, surrounded by our pack.I couldn’t stop smiling. The happiness that had been radiating from me since the moment Hunter proposed refused to fade. Everything felt… right. The pack was thriving, and after months of challenges and uncertainty, the members now looked at me as their Luna.When did that happen? Was it when I stood up to Jackson’s men and rescued the kidnapped school children? Or was it the day I killed Jackson myself, ending his trafficking business? Maybe it was when August confessed to the crimes I had been wrongfully accused of. I wasn’t sure exactly when the shift occurred
Hunter’s POVThe flower room was where I always found Akira when she needed a different kind of solace. It was her sanctuary— and, over time, it became mine too. The scent of roses, in full bloom, mixed with the faint traces of her unique floral aroma. This room was more than just a collection of beautiful flowers; it held the memories of us. We had laughed here, fought here, and even shared our most intimate moments. It was the one place where we could be ourselves without interruptions from pack members, guards, or the chaos of leadership.With two glasses of blood wine in my hands, I entered the room, a smile tugging at my lips. Akira was seated on the wooden bench surrounded by cascading vines of red and pink roses. Her eyes were closed as she took in a deep breath of the fragrant air, a small, contented smile curving her lips.I leaned against the doorframe for a moment, just watching her; my mate. How did I get so lucky to have someone like her?“Enjoying yourself?” I teased, s
Akira’s POVHunter and I prepared for the council meeting even though the atmosphere was tensed. It was the first time in years that he and the Council of Older Alphas were in agreement over anything. For once, the council wasn’t against us, and this time, the stakes were higher than ever.They had come to us in desperation, pleading for help to stop Alpha Lupin—my father. According to them, Lupin had grown more dangerous, killing four older alphas who dared to stand against him. They called him a tyrant, a rogue disguised as a leader, but I didn’t need their words to convince me.I had seen it with my own eyes. The memory of my father’s hands around my throat, squeezing the life out of me, still haunted my dreams. The man I had once admired as a little girl had turned into a monster, and now, the entire werewolf community feared him.Hunter, however, was hesitant to get involved. When the council approached us, their desperation clear, Hunter had outright refused. "These are the sa
Akira’s POVThe morning light filtered through my bedroom window as I stared at the message on my phone for the seventh time that day.“Hello baby girl, it’s Dad. Can you please come home? I miss you and wish to see you. Love, Dad.”I sighed, the words blurring as I read them again. It wasn’t the first message I had received from him, but it was the first one I seriously considered answering. The last time I saw my father— alive and breathing— I had frozen in fear. The café where we had met had felt like a dream, a surreal encounter with a ghost from my past.Hunter’s words echoed in my mind from the other night under the oak tree. At least he’s alive. That should bring you peace.Was it peace? I didn’t know anymore. I was glad I hadn’t pulled the trigger that night, but knowing what my father had done, maybe I should have. The lives he ruined, the people he hurt— those memories haunted me. But I wasn’t the one to pass judgment on his life.Still, I had questions. I needed answers— no
Hunter’s POVThe cool evening breeze brushed against my face as I stood in the middle of the memorial grounds. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and pine, mingling with the subtle hint of tension that seemed to pulse from the men standing behind me. They were all here— every pack member I could summon at a moment’s notice.They were confused, of course.Meetings like this were typically held in the hall, not out here among the graves of our fallen brothers and sisters. Some assumed I had gathered them here to honor those we’d lost, but that wasn’t the reason.My eyes scanned the quiet land that has the ashes of each one of the pack member remembering the lives we’d buried. Here was a reminder of the failures that had led us here. But tonight wasn’t about mourning.It was about justice.It had been over an hour since I sent word for August to meet us, and, as usual, he was late. I gritted my teeth.He always made a show of being unreachable, of having something more imp
Hunter’s POVThe night was calm, with a gentle breeze rustling the leaves of the old oak tree under which Akira often sat. The moon hung low in the sky, casting a silver glow over the pack's territory. The chilly air was soothing, but I doubted it could ease the storm inside me.I hadn’t found Akira in our room earlier, but I knew where she’d be. The oak tree had always been her refuge— a place where she could think. As I walked toward it, my mind replayed the shocking revelations Adolf had shared.I knew tonight’s conversation would be heavy, and I hoped the peaceful night would soften the blow.When I reached the tree, there she was, sitting on the swing attached to one of its sturdy branches. Her dark hair swayed in the breeze, and her hands rested limply on her lap. She was lost in thought, so much so that she didn’t even notice me approach.I stepped closer and sat beside her, the creak of the wooden swing breaking the silence. I turned to look at her, and my chest tensed. Her fa
Hunter’s POVI sat in the corner of the faintly lit pub, my hood pulled low over my face. The smell of stale beer and fried food mixed with the faint tang of sweat and spilled liquor in the air. It was noisy, crowded, and the last place anyone would expect to find me—Hunter Silver, Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack.I hated being here. Not just because it was beneath me, but because it was dangerous. Any one of my enemies could be watching, ready to strike. But Adolf had insisted on meeting here, saying he had critical information about the spy in my pack. It wasn’t every day someone dared to exploit me, and I wanted to see if he was bluffing.I checked my watch for what felt like the hundredth time. One hour late. My patience was wearing thin. If Adolf doesn’t show up soon, I’m dragging his sorry ass here myself, I thought, clenching my jaw.The occasional whispers and stolen glances from the people sitting and drinking in the pub annoyed me. Some of the people there had recognized me bu
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