Nathan's POV“You're right. We shouldn't.”My ears heard the words, and I breathed a sigh of relief. But it was short-lived.“Only because it's so right, Nathan. Don't you want this, Nathan? Don't you want me?”She grabbed my hand where it was in the water, raising it and resting it on her tits. Her nipples were taut already, puckered and ready. The primal urge in me rose without any prompting, and I could feel myself harden—an involuntary reaction to her. And she could feel it too.“Nathan, you want this. You want me. Do you like it when I do this?” She leaned in, her mouth planting open-mouthed kisses on my neck, trailing all the way to my ear. She whispered in them, murmuring nonsensical words. I stayed immobile, my hold on my control stretched to its limit. It was all I could do to not move. I held myself together, knowing if I let go, I would snap.“Let go, Nathan. I'm here. Just, let go.” She started to stroke me, and that was all it took to cut the thin thread that was my contr
NATHAN'S POVShe flinched, her hands dropping at her sides. I was equal parts confused and angry. I could barely contain my anger, my body visibly shaking from the effort of it.“Why, Victoria? Why would you do that?”I couldn't understand it. We've been friends for so long. How didn't I even get a hint of this?“I've been telling you to get rid of it for years now! I couldn't help myself. I've been telling you to reject her too, but I bet you haven't.”Something in my expression must have betrayed the answer because she scoffed at me. “I was right. You still haven't.”“That is none of your business, Victoria. You crossed a line.”“What makes her so special, Nathan? She cheated on you, for goddess' sake!”“That doesn't matter, Victoria. She's still my mate. And she would never do something like this!” I yelled at her, needing her to see what she did. “And, Victoria, you don't rub on sage—the ones only I have in my garden—if it was a spur-of-the-moment thing.”I could see the minute th
NATHAN'S POV“Victoria, tell me you wouldn't have.”She shrugged, no response from her. The sun had begun to stir behind her, making the birds chirp in the enclave of trees. The light intensified, chasing away the remaining darkness, the sliver of golden growing brighter until the sun burst forth, casting its golden rays along the landscape, making the water shimmer. It was a sunrise that would have been beautiful under normal circumstances.And this conversation was far from normal.“Victoria, answer me.”Despite everything, I still held out hope, praying that this was all some cruel joke, willing to accept it all as a mistake.“Nathan, I did it so that we could be together.”“So you did it. I don't care why you did it. You did it regardless. How could you?”The weight of what was being revealed almost made me crumble, but I still stood. I didn't even know what to process. What else could I have missed? What else happened right under my nose? What else didn't I know?Victoria walked
NATHAN'S POVThe magnitude of the situation was ever so present as I considered what to do. While my emotions were all over the place and rage blinded me, I decided that I also had a decision to make as the Alpha of this pack.“You know the punishment for betraying your Alpha.” I stood over her, towering over the figure that used to be one of my closest friends.“So what? You're just going to throw away everything we have together?”Although, as much as it would be satisfying to, she was my Beta’s daughter, and I had known her all my life. Lewis… He was going to be so heartbroken when he found out.“Victoria. You know what you did was wrong. You cost me my mate, you cost me my wolf, and you cost my trust.”“You can't be serious.”“Out of respect for your father and all you've done for this pack over the years, I will not banish you.”I waited for a moment for her reaction. She began to laugh, low at first, then developed into something more sinister. “So what? This is your mercy? Out
NATHAN'S POVIt was a long time before the clouds let up, reducing the downpour to a drizzle. What had started as a shower had turned into a storm, the wind howling through the trees. I stayed in it, drenched from head to toe. It was a storm that had been unforeseen, much like the recent events of my life.Another drop of rain fell on my face, quickly lost with the lone tear making its way down my face. I wiped it, trying to erase all trace from my face, but another had simply taken its place—another lone tear, no partner for it. It was like my body was mocking me, letting me know that I'd always be alone. That no matter what I did, it would never be enough.Victoria was long gone, and I prayed to the goddess that I never saw her again because Luna knows what I'd do if I did.Just how far did this treachery of hers go? I didn't even know who to trust. Who else had been in on it? Who else had been in on the plan to wreck my life?The betrayal hit me like a physical blow, the force of i
NATHAN'S POVThe betrayal had left me adrift, a shipwrecked sailor clinging to a piece of debris in a tempestuous sea. It had completely turned everything I knew on its head—nothing made sense. The initial shock had subsided, replaced by a dull ache, a constant reminder of the shattered trust and the shattered dreams.Every decision felt like walking on thin ice, the fear of making the wrong move, of further exacerbating the situation, keeping me frozen in a state of inaction. I was paralyzed by uncertainty, each step forward met with the chilling realization that I might be walking into an abyss.The world around me seemed to have shifted on its axis. Familiar places that we shared now held the ghosts of shared memories, each corner a poignant reminder of what was lost. The laughter, the easy camaraderie, the comfortable silence—all replaced by a haunting emptiness.I was haunted by a relentless barrage of "what ifs." What if I had seen the signs? What if I had trusted my gut instinc
NATHAN'S POV“You really think so?”I stared at the little girl in front of me, and the reassurance had come out of me without me thinking of the words.“I know you are. You can be anything you put your mind to.”“Anything?” she had asked, a little mischievous sparkle in her eyes. She twirled with her hair, the little blond ponytail wrapped around her fingers.“Yes. Anything.” I chuckled, ruffling her hair.“And you promise you'll be there no matter what?”The little kid in front of me looked hopeful like my answer defined something for her—something I didn't know at the time.“Yes, Victoria. I promise,” I solemnly swore, then stretched my hand out to her. “Now, let's get out of here.”She had taken it, dusting the sand from her clothes. “But it's so pretty here. I don't want to ever leave.”I considered it for a second. “Then how about this? This can be our own little place.”“Forever?” she had asked, a toothy grin on her face.“Forever.” My own little face had beamed at her.It was
NATHAN'S POVMy path to Elder Jesper’s home was one that was cut off from the main road, so the chances of me running into other wolves were not one that was high.In my current situation, I do not think I was capable, or rather, willing to carry on mundane conversations. And, if I was being honest, it was also partly to reduce the chances of running into Victoria. Because goddess knew what I would do if I did right now.In my confusion and turmoil, the one thing that made sense was to continue the conversation I had been having with the Elder before I had to go rescue Victoria. Just another thing that has been a lie. I had put my life on hold, and all for what? For all the lies to be revealed. For my perspective to take a dive, as now I didn't even know what to trust.Nothing made sense.But perhaps, this would.The path, a ribbon of faded brown earth, snaked through the emerald tapestry of the forest. Sunlight, although fading, filtered through the dense canopy of leaves, and dapple
DANIEL'S POVI’ve sat through my fair share of ceremonies – long, bordering on insufferable things filled with speeches no one really listens to, polite applause, and stiff conversations. But this one was different.This was for Alex and Alexia. Sophia's kids. If anyone had told me yesterday when I boarded that flight to New York, that I would be at a kid's award ceremony, particularly the kid whose mom had tried to hit me with a decorative vase my mother had bought on a trip to Japan, I would told them to shut the fuck up and stop being full of shit.“Life is full of funny surprises, isn't it?” I smiled as I said to myself.I leaned back in my seat, watching as students filed across the stage one by one, collecting their awards. The school had gone all out for the event – decorations in the colors of their mascot, fliers with words of encouragement, and a slideshow playing pictures of the kids throughout the year. Parents filled the hall, some recording with their phones, others flo
SOPHIA'S POVThe school parking lot was packed. Parents expertly navigated their cars into the last remaining spots, courtesy of life skills taught by New York's finest, teachers directed those walking, and excited children ran ahead of their families toward the entrance. The buzz of conversation filled the air – greetings flying, people calling out to their friends, laughter ringing out, and the occasional frantic parent calling after a child who had gotten a little too excited.Which was the path Alex was slowly heading down.I barely had time to take in the scene before Alex tugged at my hand.“Mom, hurry!” He whined, practically bouncing on his feet. “We need to get inside first.”Alexia, holding my other hand, rolled her eyes but didn’t let go. “We don’t have to be first, Alex.”Daniel, walking just behind us, chuckled. “You got a hot date with the stage or something, kid?”Alex turned, eyes narrowed, his cute six-year-old mind clearly trying to figure out what a date was. “It’s
SOPHIA'S POV The morning was loud. Not in a bad way – just in the way it always was when Alex and Alexia were full of energy, their voices bouncing around the kitchen as they blew through their breakfast. “Mom, are you coming to school today?” Alex asked between bites of toast. “Yes, but I can’t stay the whole day.” I reminded him for what felt like the tenth time this week. “But the fun stuff is later.” He groaned. “You mean the part where you get to run around like a lunatic after getting your award?” Alex grinned. “Exactly.” Alexia, more focused on tying her shoes than the conversation, perked up. “Mrs. Jackson stopped by earlier! She left something for you.” Oh. That's strange. I was just at her house yesterday and she didn't mention anything. Before I could ask what, the front door opened, and the woman herself strolled in. “Well, well, well, look at this madhouse.” Mrs. Jackson, already teasing right out the gate, said as she stepped inside. Trailing behind her was
SOPHIA'S POV By the time I reached my front door, exhaustion had settled deep in my bones. Between Mrs. Jackson’s relentless teasing, Daniel’s unexpected charm, and that strange feeling I’d had on the walk home, I was ready to shut my brain off for the night. That was the plan. Or so it was – till reality had other ideas. The moment I stepped inside, something felt… off. Not in the same way as before – there was no eerie silence or weird sensation along my spine. No, this was different. This was the kind of “off” that meant my children were up to something. A faint clatter came from the kitchen, followed by hushed whispers. I frowned. My twins were supposed to be asleep. Kicking off my shoes as quietly as possible, I crept toward the kitchen, my senses sharpening. If they were trying to sneak snacks past bedtime again, they were about to get caught. Another clatter. And then– “Oh no! Alex, it’s falling!” “I got it! I got it – uh, nope, I didn't get it.” A loud clatter echo
SOPHIA'S POVI hadn’t planned on walking home with Daniel, but somehow, that’s precisely what ended up happening.Mrs. Jackson had all but shooed us both out the door, saying something about needing peace and quiet before she lost her mind. I’d protested, of course, pointing out that I lived nearby, literally right next to her, and didn’t need an escort, but Daniel had just shrugged and said, “Indulge me. I need to make sure you don’t attack any more innocent civilians on your way home.”So now here we were, walking side by side under the dim glow of the streetlights, after his insistence for us to take a little stroll. The air was crisp and filled with the lingering scent of freshly cut grass and a damp walkway.I pulled my jacket tighter around me, side-eyeing Daniel as he strolled along like this was some kind of leisurely evening walk instead of a completely unnecessary detour. “You know, I’ve survived plenty of walks home alone before tonight.”Daniel smirked. "True, but given yo
SOPHIA'S POVThe tea was good – really good. Mrs. Jackson always had a way of making the simplest things feel like home, like comfort wrapped in a warm mug.Sitting at her kitchen table, I let out a deep breath, letting the last of the adrenaline leave my bones. Sitting opposite me, Mrs. Jackson looked like she was still recovering from the shock of me assaulting her son, while Daniel, who liked to think of himself as the unfortunate victim here, sat with his arms crossed, looking both amused and mildly offended.“You know,” he began, eyeing me over the top of his cup, “most people introduce themselves with a handshake. Not a flying object to the face.”I gave him a tight-lipped smile, almost sarcastic. "Most people don't break into their mother’s house in the middle of the night and rummage through her kitchen like a burglar."Mrs. Jackson, ever the peacekeeper, sighed. "Oh, Sophia, really now. He wasn’t rummaging, he was making tea."“Loudly. He was making tea, loudly.” I pointed ou
SOPHIA'S POVBy the time I parked in front of my house, exhaustion had its claws deep in my skin. The restaurant had been a whirlwind – missing shipments, an important guest, and the possibility of disaster that hung in the air. But somehow, by some miracle, everything had worked out.Not that I was naive enough to think it had worked out on its own.No, there was a very particular potion of interference that had Nathan’s name written all over it. The problem was, I had no proof. Just a gut feeling. A familiar, annoying gut feeling.I sighed, rubbing my temples before stepping out of the car. It wasn’t even about that. Right now, all I wanted was a shower, a glass of wine, and–“Oh, shit!”I stopped dead in my tracks, remembering something important. Mrs. Jackson.She had watched the twins for me tonight. And for the weekend getaway. I can't believe I had forgotten. I’d been so caught up in everything that I hadn’t even checked in with her before leaving the restaurant. “Great parent
NATHAN'S POV I was reviewing reports in my office when the knock came. Sharp. Purposeful. Intrusive. Could only be one person. Then, without waiting for a response, the door swung open, and Lola strolled in like she owned the place. There we go. "Hello to you too.” I muttered, leaning back in my chair. Lola wasn’t the type to drop by unannounced unless she had a reason. And judging by the smirk on her face, she was enjoying whatever she was about to say. "You’ve been busy, haven’t you?" She leaned against my desk, sipping a coffee that I knew wasn’t from my building. "Helping out at your mate’s place, playing storytime with the twins… I have to say, Nathan, I didn’t peg you for the domesticated type." I sighed. "How did you even–” I stopped before I could complete the question. Of course she did. She always had a way of knowing everything. I looked at her from the corner of my eyes. “Did you come here to talk about my personal life, or do you actually have a point?" Sh
SOPHIA'S POVThe moment I stepped into Il Cuore di Sofia that evening, I felt it in my bones. Something was off. Coming off the back of an important investor meeting and the principal at Alex's school calling to inform me that I was to be in school during rush hour tomorrow, I was hoping the rest of the day would be stress free. But I should have known it would have been too much to ask.Especially where the Luna goddess was involved. And New York city.I looked around at the restaurant, trying to determine what was wrong. To crack the code – or hack it, whichever the case may be – before it could come back to bite me in the ass. It wasn’t the usual pre-dinner service buzz. It was heavier – tense, crackling in the air like a storm about to start. The entirety of my staff moved with tight shoulders, exchanging nervous glances, and Kate was already making her way toward me the moment she spotted me.Not a good sign.“We have a problem.” She said in a low voice, falling into step beside