NATHAN'S POVThe boardroom was cold, the AC blasting, the space filled with the faint hum of fluorescent lights. A long, polished glass table stretched before me, flanked by men and women in designer suits. Their eyes flicked to me as I entered, a mixture of curiosity and skepticism. I wasn’t surprised. This was their world, not mine, and they were waiting to see if I had what it took to play their game.The tailored black suit I wore, paired with the subtle emerald stitching along the cuffs, felt like armor. It was a small nod to my roots, but more importantly, it was a statement. I wasn’t here to beg or grovel for investment; I was here to command respect and forge alliances. Emerald Horizon Ventures wasn’t just a company – it was the future. My future.“Good morning, everyone,” I greeted, my voice steady, and deliberate. I made no attempt to hide the commanding tone that had served me well as Alpha. It wasn’t arrogance; it was confidence born of survival and hard choices.They nodd
SOPHIA'S POVThe restaurant was buzzing with life. The melodic clinking of glasses, the soft hum of conversation, and the occasional burst of laughter filled the air like music. The aroma of saffron and truffle mingled with freshly baked bread wafted through the open kitchen, where Kate and Marco were in there, working their magic. The “Emilia drama,” which was what we were now terming it, though exhausting and infuriating, was now firmly in the rearview mirror—meaning it was well behind us.If anything, the chaos had served as a spark that reignited the fire in my restaurant and, oddly, in me. It made me more determined than anything about this life and what I do. It made me appreciate what I had and how easily it would have been to have it all snatched away from me if I had let it.In fact, Chef’s Heart, my secret weapon in the feud, had become more than just a dish. It was now a symbol of resilience, creativity, and the power of community. That was probably just the people of this
SOPHIA'S POVAs I turned the key in the lock, I paused for a moment, the weight of the day settling into my shoulders. The street outside was quiet now, the city bathed in the soft glow of streetlights. Snow had begun to fall lightly, dusting the cobblestones and rooftops with a shimmering white blanket. It was the kind of serene moment that felt stolen from a postcard. It almost reminded me of a different place, a different time…I shook my head to pull myself out of that. I couldn't go back there. I had worked too hard to pull myself out of it.I pulled my coat tighter around me, the cold biting through the fabric, and took one last glance at the restaurant. The sign above the door, “Il Cuore de Sofia,” glimmered in the faint light. It had always been more than just a name. This place was my heart, my soul, my everything.As I turned to walk away, my phone buzzed again. Expecting another text from Maria or Grace or even Kate, I glanced at the screen, only to feel my stomach flip.It
NATHAN'S POVThe morning light streamed through the massive windows of my penthouse office. From here, I had a clear view of Brooklyn’s skyline – a city that seemed to buzz with relentless energy. I had secured the space within the week, needing to establish myself as soon as possible. It was all to make my plan nest within the realm of possibility.I'll admit, as I stood there, sipping a strong black coffee, surveying what would soon be my empire, I found it a bit strange that this was what humans thrived on. This was how they had lived their lives, focusing on the here and now. It did have a certain thrill to it, but I knew better than to lose sight of why I was doing this. Emerald Horizon Ventures was no longer a fledgling idea – it was taking shape, growing roots, and thriving.The boardroom meeting earlier had gone better than I anticipated, but one meeting wasn’t enough to solidify my place in this world. It was just the first step. I had to prove myself again and again, not jus
NATHAN’S POVI woke up with a start, my heart pounding and sweat clinging to my skin. For a moment, I couldn’t tell where I was.It was a dream.It was all just a dream.My chest heaved as I tried to catch my breath. The vivid images from my dream lingered like shadows after dawn – Alex and Alexia, their laughter, the warmth of their smiles, the strange tug I felt toward them. The voices, the faces... it had all felt so real.But it wasn’t.I blinked, trying to focus on my surroundings. The soft grey light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. The clock let me know it was six in the morning, and it was a Saturday. The smooth expanse of my desk, cluttered with papers and plans for Emerald Horizon Ventures, grounded me. I must have had that dream because of how much I had been thinking about this project, so that soothed me.The ache in my chest, however, did not fade. So many things lingered.Alex and Alexia. Those names had been stuck with me sin
NATHAN'S POVI spent the rest of the night working. The quiet hum of my laptop and the occasional creak of my chair were the only sounds in my apartment. The city outside, usually so loud and chaotic, seemed subdued as if it knew I needed focus.The dream had given me a roadmap of sorts, and now it was time to bring it to life. Emerald Horizon Ventures wasn’t just a name anymore – it was an entity with potential, a vision waiting to be realized.How to go about it…I tapped my chin with the pen I was holding. It was mostly for decoration, seeing as I used the laptop to take notes of anything.The first step was outreach. I needed to secure partnerships with people who could elevate the brand – not just any people, but those who held sway in the luxury market. Claudia Williams and Victor Moreau were at the top of my list.I stared at Claudia’s boutique information on my screen, tapping a pen against my desk. High-end, exclusive, and connected to Manhattan’s elite. In fact, almost the e
NATHAN’S POVThe tall glass doors of the Moreau Enterprises building loomed in front of me. Its sleek exterior reflected the city’s endless motion on this Thursday morning—always busy, always striving. This was Victor Moreau’s domain, a monument to his power and influence in the luxury goods industry. I adjusted the cuff of my shirt, the tailored suit giving me a polished edge, and walked through the doors with purpose.When Lola had called me back two days later, that somehow, by some miracle, she had managed to get me a meeting with him, I was surprised but energized.“You owe me. Big time,” she had said to me.“I got you. If—sorry, when this works, we'll talk.”I knew this was just something that was going to happen no matter what. I would make it happen.Victor Moreau was not a man easily impressed. He thrived in a world of dominance, precision, and results. If I was going to make him see the value in Emerald Horizon Ventures, I had to match his intensity. No hesitation. No second
NATHAN'S POVThe elevator chimed softly as I reached the co-working space I had leased for Emerald Horizon Ventures. It wasn’t as grand as Victor Moreau’s penthouse office, but it didn’t need to be. This was the launch pad for something bigger – a place where ideas would take shape and the team would transform them into reality.Everything was slowly coming together, and it filled me with such an indescribable feeling. It felt like my nerves were charged with electricity. I almost couldn't tell if it was from the fear of failure, the excitement to build something or the challenge of going out of my comfort zone.This was nothing like leading a pack – but I'll be damned if I didn't give it my best shot.The air buzzed with quiet energy as I walked into the glass-walled conference room, where the day’s schedule was laid out. I adjusted my tie and checked my watch. My first round of interviews was set to begin in fifteen minutes.I’d made my pitch to Victor, secured the partnership, and
SOPHIA’S POV The sun filtered gently through the curtains, casting warm stripes across the wooden floor. For once, the house was quiet – not with the eerie kind of silence that came from something being wrong, but the kind that only came after a storm. I stood in the kitchen, barefoot, a mug of tea cradled in my hands. “Ow, hot.” I burned my fingers as I dipped it in the mug to taste the tea. Then replied myself, “Of course it's hot you dummy. You just made it.” I sighed and leaned my head lightly against the cabinet door as I stared at the empty hallway beyond. The twins were still asleep, for now. I had let them sleep in. I’d taken the day off. No Kate, no kitchen, no demands. I texted her before dawn. “Can’t come in today. Family stuff. I trust you.” I didn’t say more, and she didn’t ask. She just sent back a thumbs-up and a heart. I knew she would understand even with no explanation. The truth was, I didn’t even know how to put words to what had happened last night. I wa
VICTORIA'S POVThe air reeked of stale beer, sweat, and desperation. Ew.But, it was exactly the kind of place I’d expect to find a disgraced Alpha drowning in his own failure. Go figure.The bar was tucked into the corner of a forgotten alley, away from prying eyes by broken neon signs and shattered dreams. How do the humans say it again? Ahh, yes. What a boulevard of broken dreams.I stood outside for a moment, letting my eyes adjust to the dim glow bleeding through the fogged windows. The faint thundering boom of music sounded from within – some cheap EDM beat vibrating through shitty speakers – and over all of that, somehow louder than it all, the rough voices of men exchanging bets, boasts, and laughter that reeked of low intelligence.I pushed the door open.The warmth inside hit me like a wall, thick with body heat and alcohol fumes. It was a human dive, alright. Ugh.Cheap wood paneling, flickering lights, a couple of dart boards with knives sticking out of them. A fight was b
NATHAN'S POVThe rain had finally stopped.I watched the last beads slide down the windowpane of my office, the world outside slick and silver under the afternoon light. It had been a quiet day—restless, but quiet. The kind of quiet that gets under your skin, makes your wolf lift its head and sniff the wind.Still, I tried not to read too much into it. I had things to do—real things.I turned my attention back to the table in front of me. A spread of papers, drawings, and a carefully wrapped pair of gifts sat in the center. One for Alex. One for Alexia.I had put them together after our last talk—gifts that I hoped the ancestors would be proud of, sure, but also from me. I’d carved their names into the wooden boxes myself. Inside were tokens of our world—hand-polished stones charged with protective runes, small journals bound in soft leather, and a pendant each, etched with our crest. It was slightly different from the other pendants I had gotten them—this one had the Bennett family c
THEON'S POVThe council room was a pressure cooker. It was almost as though the collective heat emanating from the council members could cook a hard, battle-seasoned wolf.Heat radiated from more than just the fire crackling in the hearth. It steamed from the anger in the room – wolves packed wall to wall, voices rising, tempers flaring. And no matter how tall I stood or how hard I glared, it wasn’t enough to keep the unrest at bay anymore.“He left,” Brannon, one of the newer council members, arms folded across his massive chest. “Our Alpha abandoned us.”“He didn’t abandon us,” I snapped, my voice ringing out like a whip. I imbued a bit of authority so as to make lesser wolves obey due to the chain of command. “He made a choice. One he told us about. One he took full responsibility for.”“He left,” someone else echoed. “When the fire hit. When the house burned. When Victoria and her father tried to kill him – he walked away. What kind of Alpha does that?”One of the younger wolves,
SOPHIA’S POVAlexia’s eyes glowed with a strange, pulsing light – unnatural and far too old for her six-year-old face. They didn’t blink as she stared straight ahead, her small hand still raised, fingers curled like she was holding something I couldn’t see.“Alpha Nathan, leader of the Moonstone Pack… you are in grave danger.”My heart slowed down, stuttering in its steady walk. The air itself seemed to still, the warmth sucked from the room. I started to step forward on instinct – my baby – but Elara caught my wrist, holding me firm. Her grip was steady, but her gaze never left Alexia. Her silence screamed, don’t.Then Alexia’s head turned. Slowly. Mechanically, like her bones had turned to gears with knobs for muscles. Until her glowing gaze landed on me.“And you… Sophia of the broken bond…”I stopped breathing.The voice was still hers, still soft and small – but it was laced with something heavy and ancient. Something that didn’t belong inside or anywhere near my daughter’s body.
NATHAN'S POVElara didn’t wait for us to react. She was already halfway down the hallway by the time I caught up.“Is it Alex?” I asked, heart slamming against my ribs.“Yes,” she said sharply. “But not in the way you think. Come on.”I didn’t look at Sophia – we were moving too fast – but I felt her presence behind me. Her heartbeat was quick, light footsteps trailing mine as we reached the twins’ room.When Elara threw the door open, everything in me froze.Alex lay in bed, his body drenched in sweat. But it wasn’t a fever. His skin glowed faintly, like moonlight was trying to escape through his veins. His fingers twitched, his back arched once, and his lips moved silently, like he was trying to speak in a dream.Alexia sat beside him, hands pressed to his chest, brows furrowed in fierce concentration.“Elara–” Sophia’s voice broke. “What’s happening to him?”Before she could answer, Alexia turned to us. “Shhh.”She didn’t shout, didn’t cry. Just raised her tiny finger to her lips.
SOPHIA'S POV“No way in fucking hell.”The words cut through the room like a whip cracking. Sharp and final.But the second they’re out, my chest constricts. Fucking hell. I see it in his eyes – the flicker of hurt – but I don’t care. I can’t care. Not now. Not when my entire world’s been turned on its head again, and he’s the one holding the match.Nathan doesn’t say anything. He just stands there in the kitchen’s low light, like he expected this. Like he knew it would go this way and still came anyway.Good.He should’ve known better.“You think you can just walk back into our lives,” I start, pacing because I can’t be still, my hands doing their part in the conversation too, “say a few heartfelt things, drop some ancient-wolf-magic prophecy on me – and I’m supposed to just what, uproot everything and go back to Moonstone?”“I didn’t say it would be easy,” he said, voice calm but low.I whirl around on him. “Don’t do that. Don’t use that calm, measured tone with me. You left. You ba
NATHAN'S POV Her voice breaks the quiet. “We need to talk.” Fucking hell. I knew what it was going to be about. I nod, even though I already know this won’t be easy. I follow her to the kitchen, where the light is low and everything feels too still. It smells like honey tea and something faintly herbal, probably whatever she brewed to ease Alex’s symptoms. I take the seat across from her, my shoulders tight, heart steady but heavy. She doesn’t waste time. “I saw things tonight,” she says, arms crossed, voice tight. “Things I don’t understand. You touched Alex and… the way your aura shifted, your eyes… even the air changed. I felt it, Nathan. Through the bond.” I hold her gaze. “I know.” Her brows lift slightly. “You’ve changed.” I don’t argue. “I have.” She waits, like she knows I have more. Then she spelled it out for me. “What the fuck aren't you telling me, Nathan?” She’s right. It was time to finally, fully come clean. “I didn’t always know what I was,” I say quietly
SOPHIA'S POVBut that was clearly a problem for another day, as Nathan didn't give two shits about any other thing.“Where is he? Where is he, Sophia?”Nathan’s voice crashes through the house like thunderous waves in a storm. The walls seem to echo with it. My breath hitches. The room spins for half a second before my feet find the ground again.I turn sharply, hand gripping the counter for balance. He’s standing there in the doorway, shoulders tense, chest rising fast, eyes wild and glowing faintly gold. His wolf was really struggling to come to the surface and from what I could tell, it looked like only the gods themselves were holding him at bay. I’ve never seen that look on his face before.Not even when we fought. Not even when everything between us broke.“Nathan.” I breathe, but he’s already moving. Storming past me.“Elara!” He shouts. “Where is he?”Her voice comes from the hallway, calm but urgent. “Upstairs. Second door on the left.”“Nathan, wait!” I go after him, but he’