Astrid's POV:“What's wrong?” Alpha Dominic trailed me. “Why are you running from me?”I hated that he thought he could just follow me anywhere, that he wouldn't give me any space. I made it to my chamber and shut the door on his face. He banged on it like a crazed lunatic having a maniac episode. “Astrid!” he screamed.When I noticed my mother sleeping peacefully with the triplets, I kept my voice calm and said, “I don't want to talk right now.”Thankfully, he left with no more screaming and before waking the boys. Though I was fuming with anger, my heart softened when I saw my mom smiling in her sleep. I went to lie beside her and put my arm over her. She placed her hand on my face.“It's the best feeling, Astrid.” Malessia stated.“I wonder why Alpha didn’t leave me in the human world if he wanted Isabella from the start. I’m so useless to him.” “He loves us,” Malessia said.I released a heavy sigh. “I doubt that, but thanks for the positive words.”Soon, sleep overtook me. With
Astrid's POV:I stood in the crowded chamber, watching as Isabella left the glass chamber and effortlessly commanded attention. Her confidence and beauty seemed to radiate, making me feel small and insignificant in comparison. I couldn't help but feel worthless, as if I could never measure up to Isabella's perfection. Every flaw and insecurity I had was magnified in that moment, and I couldn't shake the feeling of inadequacy that washed over me.Alpha Dominic mind linked with me. “Astrid, come here.” He stood tall, with Isabella by his side. The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices blending together in a deafening roar. All around them, people raised their hands in celebration, their faces alight with joy. The atmosphere was electric, charged with excitement, and Alpha and Isabella stood at the center of it all, basking in the crowd's adoration. Isabella smiled and wiped her tears of happiness.“I said come here and stand beside me right now!” Alpha Dominic shouted angrily in my min
Astrid's POV:I rushed back to my chamber, my face burning with humiliation, my heart pounding in my chest. I didn't want to give others, especially that wicked Isabella, the satisfaction of seeing me cry. Once inside my room, I slammed the door and leaned against it, taking deep breaths to calm myself. I replayed the scene in my head, trying to find a way to salvage my pride.“She can’t do anything,” Malessia said. “Don't be so weak, Astrid.”That didn't help. Nothing seemed to make me feel better anymore. The way the pack members had cheered and rooted for Isabella to be Alpha’s one and only mate wasn’t a small thing I could let pass.“Didn't you see how much support she got from the pack?” I asked Malessia. “Didn't you see how she cured those infected men?” I cried, knowing very well that Malessia saw everything, and she was smart enough to understand how vulnerable we were at that moment.But my triplets were wailing, so I wiped my tears. Alpha Dominic should have told me about h
PART IIIsabella Garcia's POV:Martha, the head lady, fisted my hair and punched me in the face, making me gasp for air. “Listen, you fucking rat!” she yelled. “If I don't get the money, I’m going to beat your asses! Yours and your brother’s.” “I will, Mrs. Martha,” I cried as her cruel eyes landed on my older brother, nineteen-year-old Karim. “Please let us go. Just this once.” She released me and then kicked Karim in the stomach. But he managed to get up with me, and we both ran, escaping the dark shadows of her tent. By the time we reached the nearest pond, a distance away from the tents, Karim was panting for air and then coughing badly. He had blood on his nose, too. When I asked what it was from, he said it was due to the poor diet we got in the pack. Living as rogues all our lives meant we often had to settle. But our parents were killed when we were young, so we did the best we could. Still, I was skinner than him, but I was healthy. So I questioned his answer, and he chang
Isabella Garcia's POV:For the two days following our meeting with Mr. Brown, Karim and I traveled over ten miles in search of an opportunity to loot. Early in our search, I threatened Karim, saying I’d ask Mr. Brown to make us both slaves if Karim did whatever drugs he was doing again. Karim was so afraid of that wolf that he refrained, so he didn’t zone out while we searched. But all the packs were heavily guarded, and our rogue scents were a curse. The soldiers could identify us easily, even in a crowd. Still, we had to try. We attempted to enter a pack by pretending to be rogues who sought membership by showing our skills to the old alpha. If we could do it, it would solve half our problems. We merely had to steal enough from them to give Mr. Brown his share and keep enough for ourselves so we wouldn’t have to go on raids with the packs to get more food. We would both be doing the cooking and cleaning for one piece of bread.‘And wait for our mate too,’ Ekra said. She hadn’t forg
Isabella Garcia Knight's POV:Luck was on my side because Dominic hadn’t found his mate yet. Still, it took six long months for Dominic to accept me. But his father, Alpha Morris, hated me and tried his best to make Dominic wait for his destined mate a little longer. In the end, Dominic made his choice and claimed me as his mate.The chosen one.Like Alpha Morris, the pack members were not particularly impressed by me. I wasn't his destined mate, and I didn't have any special abilities, so I had to pretend to get involved in royal matters.One day, after Dominic got out of the shower, he approached me from behind. “Love,” he said softly. I turned and ran my hand over his naked, still dripping wet, body. “I missed you,” I moaned when he rubbed against me.“Were you being naughty today?” he whispered, then captured my lips with his own. I loved these times between us. He was such a good kisser and so marvelous in bed every night. I also loved my punishments, and it was time for my fif
Astrid's POV:“She was just everywhere I went,” Dominic said, referring to Isabella. “I told her I have a mate, one I love. And that I have my kids too. It was difficult for her, but surprisingly, she understood. And just today when I was in the chamber, she sent a maid to inform me that she found herbs to cure the infection. Then she tagged along with me. I couldn't say no to her.”“But why didn't you tell me about her?” I asked.“When she first came here, you didn't have your memories. It wasn’t possible to tell you when you even didn't remember me. Then after we married, I didn't want to tell you, especially since I’d decided to ask her to stay with another pack or in the human world. But then this disease and then the cure… well, it messed everything up.”“But she was clinging to you... And I feel she wants to take my place.” I sobbed, though I hadn’t wanted to cry over something so stupid.“Yes, she was, and you have no idea how moody she can get. If I would have pushed her away,
Astrid's POV:Alpha Salem served my food and made fun of the odd taste of the berries. He was pleasant to talk with, and I felt comfortable with him.“We’ll use the cure and also find the reason for this sudden pandemic,” Alpha Salem said, then wiped his mouth with a napkin.“I think we should start with our pack,” Isabella said, interjecting. “So we can immunize them against the infection.”“Why are you so selfish?” Alpha Salem accused. “Our pack? We signed the cooperation agreement a year ago. That makes every pack equal.”“I haven’t talked with Dominic about—”“There’s nothing to talk about,” Dominic said. “We’ve already signed the agreement.”Isabella shut up after that, at least until we were almost done with dinner. Then she whispered something in Dominic's ear. Jealousy and pain tore through me. The situation was definitely hurting me more than I had thought.“Are you okay?” Alpha Salem asked, noticing my distress.I gave him a soft smile and nodded. “I should leave now. I’m ke