SOPHIA'S POV What?! I stood paralyzed, my eyes fixed on nowhere in particular. The scene in the restaurant still continued on like normal, no one having the faintest idea that I just had a life-changing phone call. I understood what it meant; on some level, my brain had caught up with the moment, but I was still in denial. This cannot be happening. Although I had planned for this moment, it came way too soon. And it was way too early. And why did it have to happen in school? In the eyes of the prying public? “Miss Lancaster? Hello?” The voice reminded me that I was still on the phone call. “Yes, Mrs. Jones?” The principal started speaking. “Yes. Like I was saying, would you be available to come to the school now? Your presence is needed.” “Alright. I'll be there in about twenty minutes. Please tell my baby to just sit still, and Mommy’s going to be right there.” “We'll be expecting you.” I took the phone off my ear, a sign that the conversation had ended, but Mrs. Jones was
NATHAN'S POV“We have to do something about this! I refuse to let this stand!”One of his Betas screamed in his seat where I was, on my left-hand side. The headache that had been slowly forming in my head continued to bloom like a flower in spring.“No. We have to wait. We can't rush in when we don't have the full story. We have to be patient, Rodney!” another one of my Betas emphasized on my right side.Everyone just seemed to be having opinions left and right, I thought to myself as I rubbed my head. They couldn't seem to agree on anything today.A couple of spies had been caught near the border of our pack, and upon further investigation, it was brought to light that the intruders were from a neighboring werewolf pack: the Silverfang Pack.The pack had existed side by side with us for years in peace and harmony after the first war they had that brought about destruction and calamities to both clans. But when their leader was killed and leadership changed, they drafted something of
NATHAN'S POVI had walked farther toward the edge of the territory than I had initially realized. What started as a brisk walk turned into a jog as I ate up the distance between me and Victoria.Did I really make a mistake about Sophia? The scene from that day is still fresh in my mind. Seeing her wrapped up in another's arms in bed had shattered everything for me. The evidence against her was too glaring for me to just ignore.But had I been too hasty in my judgment? What if, somehow, she was actually innocent?Perhaps I should have heard her out.“Yes, you should have. I told you, you shouldn't have been so hasty to condemn our mate,” a voice said in my head.Hearing my wolf's voice almost had me tripping over my own feet, but I righted myself and continued at my pace.“Hello? Are you still there?” I said, going in my head to start a conversation with him. But once again, I was met with nothing.I sighed, knowing it had been a fruitless effort. My wolf had been mad at me and refused
NATHAN'S POVI walked with Victoria's father to his house, leaving the scene of their heated fight. I pushed down my impatience, trying to be considerate, as the man had been injured in the fight and winced with each step he took. “Are you sure you're alright?” I ask him. “Yes, Alpha Nathan. It's just a little bruise. See, werewolf healing is already kicking in,” he said, pointing at the healing wound on his shin. I watched, always fascinated to see werewolves' extraordinary abilities in action. Being a werewolf does not detach me from appreciating the gifts we had. Werewolf healing was one of the traits that kicked in first in a young wolf. I guess even the Luna goddess knew we'd need it, being the creatures that we were. It also really helped with shifting, as that process was often painful at first and could make a weaker wolf pass out in the process. My lips quirked into a small smile as I remembered how much it had saved me as a young wolf, always getting into trouble. “Is so
SOPHIA’S POVMy foot is on the accelerator as I drive as fast as I can to the school without breaking the speed limit. The situation is not the most ideal one, and it's starting to get to me. How do I deal with this? It kills me to lie to my children or hide anything from them, but it's dangerous for them to know the truth.I tap my finger nervously against the wheel, my grip tightening. I don't even notice Lucas move until he's faced me, placing his hand on mine and gently easing the grip I have on the wheel. He starts rubbing small circles on my knuckles, and my tension flows out of my body. I slow down and start to drive at a normal pace.I had no idea how soothing just his presence and that simple action would be.“Want to talk about it?” he said, his voice calm and velvety as he spoke.I don't know what it was about him, but he seemed to always be there at the right time, whenever I needed him.I tried to think about how best to convey my thoughts, and my anxiety about the situat
SOPHIA'S POV“What do you mean, Mrs. Jones?”I think my tone unsettles her a bit, so I make a conscious effort to soften it. When she hesitates to respond, I ask again, “Mrs. Jones, I said, what do you mean by ‘that might be problematic?’” My voice carries a hint of desperation, though I try to keep it respectful.She lets out a nervous laugh and adjusts her glasses. “Well, you see, the nurse insists she's not crazy and locked them in a room. She refuses to tell us which one. We’ve searched everywhere.”I must not have heard her right. “She did what?”“Miss Lancaster, you need to calm down. The police are on their way right now, and we'll find them before you know it.”I was not hearing any of that. “Where is she?”“Ma'am, you just need to wait for—” The principal tries to calm me down, but I cut her off. I stand up, letting her know I mean business.“Where is the nurse?”“I—she's also locked, but in her office. She refuses to come out after what she did.”I don't know where I'm going
SOPHIA'S POVWe enter the car, and after making sure they're all buckled in and not in any way injured, I turn on the engine and lay my head on the steering wheel. I just had to take a moment to process everything that happened.Today could have gone so bad, in so many ways, and I couldn't even begin to think about that. I thought about the nurse who had insisted that she had seen Alex get healed. I'm just thanking my lucky stars that no one believed her.On the one hand, I felt bad that everyone thought she was crazy, but if anyone decided to investigate further, it would have brought even more attention to them than they already had. I had worked so hard to get them to this point in their lives. I refuse to lose everything.And there's also the matter of my children….I turn back to look at them. “You're all good, baby? She didn't do anything to you guys?”“We're fine, mommy.” They answer, their voices low. I search their faces, but it's not revealing much. That alone scares me more
SOPHIA'S POVMrs. Jackson exclaims and pulls him over for a hug. With the fence in between them, I don't know how she did it, but she managed to squeeze Lucas in her arms.“Oh, I never thought I'd see you in person. You look so handsome. Are you two dating?”“No ma'am, we're not,” Lucas answers for me, chuckling.I decided it was time for that conversation to end. “Well, Mrs. Jackson, we'll see you later. Sure you won't get someone to help you out with your gardening every now and then?”“Oh no, no, my youngest, he's getting his PhD soon, and he'll be back to keep me company. He has three degrees now. He's also quite the handsome fellow. Around your age too.”If I didn't know any better, I would have thought Mrs. Jackson was advertising her son to me. I laugh at her antics. “I'm sure he's quite the person. I look forward to meeting him.”“Alright, dear. You take care of her, you hear me? She's a good one.” She pats Lucas's arm as she releases him.We wave her goodbye and head in, remo
SOPHIA’S POVThe house felt lighter. Warmer. As if the weight that had been pressing down for days had finally eased.Alex was better.It was like waking up from a nightmare only to realize that morning had come, and the world hadn’t ended after all. One day, he had been weak, fevered, and barely able to hold a conversation without exhaustion pulling him under. The next, his color had returned, his fever had vanished, and his laughter – his bright, carefree laughter – filled the house once more.It was a miracle.I didn’t trust miracles.I watched him now from across the living room as he sat with Alexia on the floor, eagerly showing her a new book I had picked up for him. His hands moved animatedly as he explained something to her, his voice filled with excitement, no trace of the weakness that had held him captive just days ago.I should have been relieved. And I was. But beneath that relief lay something else – something sharp and uneasy.Nathan.The thought of him sent a fresh wav
LUCAS' POVThe morning light streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my office, illuminating the sleek, modern space with a golden hue. The city stretched out below me, a sea of movement, a constant reminder that the world never stopped in New York City – not for heartbreak, not for personal enta, and certainly not for me.I welcomed it.It was easier to focus on work than to dwell on the mess I had walked away from last night.Sophia.Nathan.The weight of that confrontation still sat heavily on my chest, but I pushed it aside. There was no room for distractions today.A sharp knock on the door pulled me back."Come in," I called.Emma, my executive assistant, strode inside, tablet in hand, her usual efficiency cutting through the air like a blade.“The acquisition is finalized.” She said without preamble. "Emerald Ventures wasn’t happy about it, but they didn’t have much of a choice. Their client signed with us the moment the ink dried."I allowed myself a small, satisfied
SOPHIA'S POVThe house was too quiet.Even with Alex and Alexia upstairs, even with Elara somewhere in the background, the silence pressed in on me like a tangible weight.Nathan’s presence still lingered in the air, thick and suffocating, despite the fact that he’d left a few minutes ago. And Lucas – Lucas had barely said a word before leaving, his jaw tight, his expression unreadable.I let out a slow breath, pressing a hand to my temple.What the hell just happened?I had spent years keeping my past buried, locked away behind carefully constructed walls. And yet, in the span of a single night, it had cracked open, spilling out at my doorstep. Nathan was here. Lucas had confronted him. And in the middle of it all was me – standing between two men, two forces that refused to yield.A bitter laugh escaped me. Perfect.Just what I needed right now. A mate coming back to claim me and Lucas being there. I turned away from the front door, heading upstairs. My body was tense with the weig
NATHAN'S POVThe moment Lucas spoke those words, “He was looking for you,” something inside me snapped into focus.I had spent weeks fighting my instincts, pulling back, restraining myself. I had let go of vengeance when my home was burned down. I had turned the other cheek when my own pack doubted me.But this?Someone dared to come after my mate?I took a slow step forward, my wolf rising to the surface. The low growl rumbled in my chest, barely contained. “Tell me everything you know.”Lucas didn’t move from the steps. He didn’t even flinch. If anything, his stance grew firmer, as if planting himself between me and Sophia. His sharp blue eyes locked onto mine, unwavering.“I’m handling it.”A slow, humorless chuckle left my lips. “You’re handling it?”“Yes.”I took another step forward. “I don’t think you understand what’s happening here.”Lucas scoffed, crossing his arms. “Oh, I understand just fine. Someone attacked my friend, and now you’re looking for an excuse to sink your tee
SOPHIA'S POV The knock at the door wasn’t just a sound – it was a shift in the air, a weight pressing against my chest. I froze. For a moment, I convinced myself I had imagined it. That my desperation had conjured up something that wasn’t real. But then it came again – firm, deliberate. I glanced at the time on the wall, several hours after I'd called him. Could it finally be him? “Go, child. Open the door.” Elara gently pushed me towards the door. I barely realized I was moving until I was standing in front of the door, hand hovering over the handle. The mate bond was still there, faint but present, like an unsteady heartbeat beneath my skin. It thrummed softly, the connection between us impossible to ignore. I sucked in a sharp breath and pulled the door open. And there he was. Nathan stood on my doorstep, drenched in sweat, his dark shirt clinging to his broad frame. His breathing was uneven, his chest rising and falling with the force of it. His eyes – sharp, gray, pierci
SOPHIA'S POV The moment the bond snapped taut, I gasped, my breath catching in my throat. It was like a thread pulled too tight – painful, urgent, undeniable. The kitchen blurred, the dim glow of the light overhead fading into the background as something else took hold. A presence. Strong. Familiar. Nathan. My knees buckled, and I gripped the counter, my fingers digging into the cool surface as the bond flared to life with a force I hadn’t expected. It pulsed, thrumming like a second heartbeat, and I knew – he heard me. He was listening. The connection flowed through me, raw and overwhelming. But just as quickly as it surged, the exhaustion followed. A crushing weight pressed down on me, the sheer force of it nearly suffocating. Elara had left the room, and I had no idea where she was. I had no idea how long it had taken me to reach him. I had no idea. Period. Would he come? I wasn’t sure I had the right to ask for him. Not after everything. Not after I had pushed him away, r
NATHAN'S POVThe next morning came all too quickly. Sleep had eluded me, like a partner hell-bent on being away from me. I'd spent the night roaming my pack, the one place I'd considered my only home, but now seemed like the farthest thing from it. But I couldn't just bring myself to leave. This was where I'd had the best memories with Sophia, where the good times still shone.But now perhaps, the bad times were starting to outshine the good here. Is this not a sign? That I should find somewhere new?I sighed, almost wishing for the days when the Luna goddess appeared to guide me. But I also knew that if I were to see her now, it would not be without danger following behind. I didn't realize it until I was there, but I was back at the edge of the territory, where Malachi had stabbed me. And had survived. My smile was melancholic when it crossed my face. In many ways, that was the cannon event for everything. “No Nathan. This all started when you banished our love. Our mate.” My wo
NATHAN'S POVThe moment I returned, I could feel it. The shift in the air.The crowd had gathered near the ruins of my home, their eyes on me the second I stepped into their sights. But this wasn’t the usual respect, the unwavering loyalty I had once commanded. This was hesitation, doubt.And resentment.Whispers spread through the pack, a quiet murmur of voices laced with frustration and disbelief. I heard bits and pieces – enough to know what they were saying."He let them go?""How could he spare her?""What kind of Alpha does that?"I could see it in their eyes – the ones who had once stood at my side, wolves I had fought for, bled for. Some still believed in me, but others? They wanted blood. They wanted a leader who would avenge, not restrain.Theon stood by my side, his expression dark as he scanned the gathered wolves. He had known this would happen. We both had.But knowing didn’t make it easier.The silence stretched, suffocating. Then, a voice cut through it."Alpha.” An ol
SOPHIA'S POVElara stood in my doorway, the morning light catching in her silver-streaked hair, her piercing gaze locking onto mine. There was something unreadable in her eyes, something weighty – like she already knew the depths of my desperation.I swallowed hard. “I need your help.”Elara’s gaze flickered past me, her face betraying nothing. “I know.” She said simply. “Let me in.”I stepped aside, my heart pounding as she crossed the threshold. She moved with quiet confidence, her presence filling the space in a way that was both grounding and unnerving.She took one look at Alex and let out a slow breath."Tell me everything.” She murmured, kneeling beside him.I didn't hesitate. “I followed the instructions exactly. The herbs, the remedy – I did everything right.” My voice cracked. “And it worked. For a little while. But then he got worse. Worse than before.”Elara pressed the back of her hand to Alex's forehead. His fever had climbed again overnight, his breathing shallow, his s