Chapter 9I just returned from the hospital, I feel fine but my head still bangs. I settled myself on the couch, trying to find a comfortable spot, I heard a knock at the door. Thank Goodness I didn’t lock it because I just found a good spot to rest myself.“Come in” I called out loud.The door opened and I was surprised to see Skylar and Lucy making their way to me."Shenaya, How are you doing?" Lucy asked, her voice gentle and concerned. Skylar’s expression on the other hand is unreadable."Shenaya, I wanted to apologize for what happened. I was out of line, and I hope you can forgive me." Skylar's said but I can see her eyes flickered with deceit, this apology isn’t even sincere.Did Aiden force her to apologize to me? I wondered I looked at Lucy, whose eyes pleaded for me to give Skylar a chance. I took a deep breath and forced a smile. "Alright, Skylar. I'm willing to listen."Skylar cleared her throat as an awkward silence creep in the air "I was angry and hurt, and I took it
Shenaya’s PoVI sat under a tree just outside the pack territory thinking to myself in the dense forest. The night air was cool, but it didn’t calm the turmoil inside me. I had never had any reason to step out of the pack territory and now that I am here, I understand why the pack leaders always preach to never step out of the pack. I knew I shouldn't stay here for long because the forest was creepy, and I have heard stories about rogue wolves lurking around the pack territory. If I didn’t care about my safety, I had to care about my pup’s.'We should go back. This place isn’t safe,' Lily, my wolf, said with her voice filled with concern.I nod in agreement, I stood up and brush the dirt off my clothes. Just as I turned to make my way back to the pack, I froze at the sight of Skylar who was standing right behind me with a mischievous smirk plastered to her face.“Where do you think you’re going, whore?” she sneered, her eyes gleaming with disgust.I took a step back and tried to main
Aiden’s Pov.I was on the field practicing with the warriors when a guard came running to me, breathless and pale.“Alpha Aiden, Shen- Shenaya committed sui-cide,” he stammered.“What?” My eyes widened with shock.I didn’t follow her yesterday when she ran away because I thought I should give her some time to reflect.I didn’t regret killing Alfred not even for once and not until now but Shenya going extra miles to take her own life over Alfred is something I find hard to believe.I had heard it from her father on several occasions how he had abused Shenaya, cheated on her, and left her heartbroken. I intentionally followed her to the club the other day because I knew it wasn’t going to end well with him and I also wanted her so bad. He had it coming. I wouldn’t have took his life if he had just agreed to reject her, but instead, he started challenging me. I am the Alpha of the whole territory and he dares to challenge me. One punch to his chest, and his heart was lying there on th
Aiden’s Pov“Areola, the daughter of Elder Morty, is missing,” Lucas reported through the mind link.“When was the last time she was seen?” I asked.“She went missing on the same day Shenaya died, Alpha.”“Is there anything else I should know?” I pressed.“No, Alpha.” With that, I closed the mind link.I hadn’t slept properly for weeks because every time I closed my eyes, I saw Shenaya’s body dangling from the tree, her pale face had been haunting me. The pain was unbearable, so I had to give control to Smoke for a while. Smoke was the most dangerous wolf anyone could encounter, and I was relieved he didn’t cause any damage while he was in control.As I grieved, I remembered feeling a broken bond with a pack member on the day Shenaya died. It happened around 7:00 p.m. and that was the exact time Shenaya rushed out. If a pack member died, I would feel the broken bond as their Alpha.If another pack member died on that day then, I should have felt two broken bonds but instead, I felt on
Aiden's PovI barged into the main pack house, I didn’t slow down as I almost tore the door from its hinges. My mind was raced, and my only thought was to find my mother.“Where’s Mother?” I barked, without caring to greet anyone. I didn’t have the time.Lucy, who was sitting in the room, looked up at me with her eyes widen and worried eyes. “Is everything alright, Aiden?” her voice laced with concern.“Where is she?” I nearly shouted, ignoring her question. My tone was sharp, urgent, and it made Lucy flinch slightly. She pointed towards the larger sitting room, but before I could storm off, our mother emerged, her expression stern.“Aiden, why are you shouting at your sister?” she asked, her voice commanding and disapproving.Without wasting a second, I cut straight to the point. “Mother, I need you to call Aunt Belle.”Her eyes widened at my request. Aunt Belle wasn’t just anyone; she was one of the most powerful witches in Rome and calling her meant something extremely serious was
Skylar's PovI've been carefully playing my cards about helping Aiden or so he thought. My real motive was to keep tabs on him and see how close he was to uncovering the truth. At first, Aiden didn't suspect me, but suddenly, something changed and he started questioning everything.It's been almost a month now since the death of Shenaya and I thought by now, he would have let her go and let me in but instead, he kept on searching for what wasn't lost.The fact that he began to question everything, especially the dead body is scaring the shit out of me. If he discovers that the body was under a spell—and being the only witch in the pack—I'd be the prime suspect. I knew I was running out of time but I couldn't run away now that I was so close to getting everything I wanted. I was sitting in the garden, trying to figure out what my next move should be when I suddenly caught Aiden's scent. I panicked and did a quick spell to make myself invisible. Just in time, Aiden entered the garden
Shenaya’s PovI opened my eyes slowly and everything became blurry, I closed my eyes and opened it again so I could see clearly and my blurry sight slowly became clear. The room is small and dimly lit. I noticed the rough wooden walls, a thatched roof, and a simple bed of straw beneath me. The air is thick with the scent of herbs and the nearby fire made from firewood kept the room warm.As I tried to stand up, pain gushed through my bones and I whimpered in pain.‘Lily?’ I called out to my wolf‘We are safe.’ She said through my mind letting me know she’s okay.I placed my hands on my abdomen and relief washed through me when I feel the faint flutter of the heart of my pup’s heartbeat. As I was still thankful to moon goddess for keeping my pup alive, I noticed a figure moving around the hut, and I sharply became alerted.The door pushed open and an old is standing right in front of me.“Shenaya, you are awake” She said with complete glee in her eyesShenaya? How did she even know my
Shenaya's PovMy heart started pounding heavily as I stepped into the Crescent pack, fear gripped me and I started having flashbacks from when Skylar pushed me off the cliff. I walked as fast as I could so I could get away from that spot. The familiar sights and sounds of the Crescent pack stir a mix of emotions within me but I just have to do the for the sake of my pup.I noticed the unusual buzz of activities as I approached the pack. The streets are filled with excited pack members, all dressed in festive attire. I became puzzled by the joyful atmosphere.I wanted to just ignore and made my way to the pack house but my curiousity got the best of me.“Excuse me” I stopped a passerby “What’s going on in the here?” I asked what’s.“It’s Luna’s Coronation day” he said excitedly and walked awayLuna? Aiden married someone without looking for me? If Luna’s coronation is today, it means they got married and marked each other yesterday. How could he do this to me after forcing me on a cont
Skylar's POVI stood at the edge of the forest, staring at the Crescent Moon Pack grounds from the shadows. My heart was heavy with a weight I had carried for years—a burden born of betrayal, power, and regret. The whole betrayal thing had scarred me, it drove me to chase power to fill the void left. In the process, I had betrayed everyone, hurt Shenaya, and nearly destroyed everything I once held dear, just because of Andrew's fuel for power.I feel so lonely, I live in isolation, no one talks to me, and I live as a shadow that was why I insisted on having Zoey around. Deep down I want to have a purpose too, I wanted respect but all the power I possess right now keeps radiating without using it. Watching the Roux and the Casaer family from afar for years, I could see the consequences of my actions. Aiden was no longer the man I once wanted. Shenaya, his chosen Luna, had become the Alpha I never thought she could be, so strong, commanding, and loved by the pack. And I, a rogue in spir
Shenaya's POVThe air was thick with anticipation as I prepared for the journey that lay before me. Aunt Belle’s hut was filled with the scent of herbs, their pungent aroma lingered in the air as she arranged them into intricate patterns around a large circular tapestry. The room was very heavy with energy, the air tingled with the magic that would guide me to Aiden’s mind where I would search for his lost wolf and his broken memories.“Shenaya,” Aunt Belle said gently to balm against my frayed nerves, “I hope you still remember that this is not a physical Journey. It’s a journey within your mind. It's a place where memories are intertwined with emotions and spirit. I’ll be here to guide you, but only you can reach him.”I nodded slightly as I knelt on the tapestry, and my hand began to shake. My thoughts kept drifting to Aiden’s face, his empty eyes when they looked at me. His eyes used to be very warm whenever he looked at me but now they are filled with distance which I hate so muc
Aiden's POVThe sun was setting in faint, soft hues over the horizon, casting long shadows over Skylar’s garden. The fading light made the colors dimmer, the sky was heavier than usual. I sat under a tree, alone, lost in my thoughts, still feeling like a stranger within my own skin. I was near Skylar, my mate yet I felt hollow, like I was adrift, floating in a place I didn’t recognize, I recognized Skylar to be my mate but the emptiness I felt within me since the day I decided to follow her could not be comprehended. Her presence felt distant, as though I were standing in a foreign city, lost among faces that should have been familiar but weren’t.Memories flitted through my mind, strange and elusive. Images of Skylar were clear, I knew that we’d been through so much. I could recall being bonded to her, yet somehow, I felt as if someone else was missing, as if part of me was struggling to break free, to remember. Shenaya’s name floated to the surface of my thoughts, insistent, and wi
Shenaya’s POVI lay awake on my bed looking at the ceiling while the morning sun streamed through the curtains, I felt like I had no heart for it was overpowering me. Aiden had finally woken up after days of unconsciousness, but the man who opened his eyes wasn’t the one who had promised me forever. Now, it has been a week, which had been a week of empty sorrow and true suffering despite the fact that Aiden was alive. A week today he stared at me with that blank look on his face and then walked out with Skylar.I slid my hands along the edge of the bed where he once slept, and I suddenly realized there was no one. Aunt Belle had tried to reassure me, she tried explaining how Aiden’s memories had returned jumbled, woven with pieces of his past with Skylar. She’d assured me that the things he remembered doing with her were our memories, they were things he did with me, our moments but somehow, he saw Skylar’s face in them. I clung to that explanation, but it didn’t ease the ache. It did
Aiden's POVSlowly my lumbering eyelids dragged themselves apart and I stared at the harsh glare of the hospital ceiling light above. I could feel the slow pulse that spread dull and aching behind my eyes as if my very brain was aching with pain. My body finally responded, alert and rigid, as if the heavyweights of lead had draped around my bones and as a trial to flex my muscles, shooting spasms of lingering pain.The surroundings of the room were bleached and motionless, the steady sound of appliances providing me with a clear sensorium of time. For a moment, I understood that I was in a hospital, and while that much was clear, the why eluded me like a shadow that slipped across the grass just as one turned to pursue it. Something was amiss, there must have been a big hole in my head that I couldn’t locate or perhaps fill. Irritation started to build up beneath the thick layer of confusion when I tried to find something in my head that wasn’t there.Before I could breathe, thinking
Shenaya's POVThe days he dragged on with an ache that settled deep into my bones. Every morning, I woke in an empty bed, my hand instinctively reaching out to the space Aiden should have filled but he wasn’t there. He was in a coma, lying in the infirmary, his once formidable strength now silent and still. The doctor had said his wolf, Smoke, had sacrificed himself to save Aiden’s human side. The blow was heavy, but I knew it was what Smoke would have wanted—to keep Aiden here with me, even if only in part. But without his wolf, Aiden was more vulnerable than ever, and the emptiness gnawed at me with each passing day.My, Lily, had fallen silent in grief, her sorrow mingling with my nominee's loss of her mate had hit her hard, and now, in the long hours I spent patrolling the pack grounds and handling pack business, I felt her absence as acutely as Aiden’s.In Aiden’s stead, I had taken charge of the pack, managing the day-to-day challenges of leadership while also keeping a wary eye
Shenaya's POVThe early morning light fell like a soft blanket over the Crescent pack’s territory. Dew clung to the grass, shimmering under the sunlight, as though the earth was dressed in celebration of our wedding day. Today, I was marrying Aiden, my Alpha, best friend, and partner in fierce and fragile love.I could feel the energy in the air as the whole pack bustled with preparations. I spent the morning getting ready, surrounded by close friends, family, and members of the pack who all wore excited smiles as they darted around to help, offering me congratulations and teasing glances. The field we had chosen as our wedding site was dressed in rows of pristine white chairs, lined up in front of a wooden podium decorated with garlands of roses, lilies, and green ivy. My heart felt full, overwhelmed with love and gratitude for everyone who had come. Even Skylar, Aiden’s former mate and my one-time enemy, was here today, holding her daughter Zoey’s hand, standing in the crowd with a
LUCY'S POVThe stench of fear mixed with the sharp tang of silver and wolfbane, permeated the dungeon. Darkness wrapped itself around the cold stone walls, and Alenjro’s muffled gasps for air echoed within. The silence in between each scream was thick, and heavy with the weight of what was unsaid. I could hear him attempting to hold back his agony, but it was useless. His control shattered each time I pressed the searing iron that was already wrapped in wolfbane vines, against his skin. “Ahhhh!” Alenjro’s scream filled the room again, slicing through the air, raw and broken. A satisfying chill crawled up my spine as I watched his body convulse against the restraints, his skin blistering from the poison.When his scream died down to a low moan, he lifted his head, eyes glazed with defiance but flecked with terror.“Do you think this will erase what you are?” he spat, a mocking tone laced with an undertone of pain. “Do you think it’ll change the fact that your ‘precious’ son was father
Aiden's POVThe last few months had been surprisingly peaceful like the universe had finally gifted us a rare break from chaos. Shenaya and I had settled into a new rhythm here in Rome, a blend of family life and preparations for the wedding. Zoey had been making incredible strides in her training with Skylar, who surprisingly had shown genuine dedication and care for her daughter. Twice a week, Skylar would bring Zoey back to Shenaya and me, letting us have family time before Zoey returned to her lessons. Our daughter was stronger, and more in control, and I knew we had Skylar to thank for that.Meanwhile, Shenaya had thrown herself into plans for her new brand, hoping to establish it here in Rome now that we’d decided to build our lives here. Though she’d already given me her heart and allowed me to mark her, I felt the need to make things official. I wanted her as my wife, not just my mate, and she deserved to be given that choice. So, a few weeks ago, I’d proposed, and now Shenaya