Skylar's POVWhen I felt the breath leave my body, and my vision went black after Zoey was born, I thought it was the end. I didn't know how I came back to life but I did. Andrew’s betrayal had pierced me deeper than any knife. The man I had loved, the man I was ready to kill my mate for, the father of my child, had killed me himself just moments after I gave birth to our daughter. I always knew Andre never loved me as much as I loved him but I never thought he hated me to the point of taking my life especially, moments after giving birth to his pup. But somehow, in that void, a surge of power I’d never felt before coursed through me like flames igniting from within. When I awoke, the pain of his betrayal had scarred itself into my heart, but I was… different. Stronger. Alive.I barely understood it at the time, but something had led me, drawn me, across lands until I reached Paris. The dark and lonely house where I now lived pulsed with the energy of ancient spirits—witches, my ances
Shenaya's POVAs I sat alone in my room, my mind drifted through the maze of memories from the last few months. It was like reliving a storm, the way every image and feeling pulled at me, the echoes of fear and chaos still fresh, though softened now with time. I traced the grooves of the wooden armchair as if the act itself could ground me. Somehow, amidst all the noise, I had found myself grateful—grateful that, for once, things were… calm. Or as calm as my life could get.For once, there was no immediate threat, no looming figure ready to strike. Even Skylar, of all people, seemed to genuinely care for Zoey. That shocked me. I’d half expected her to seize the chance to hurt me again, yet she hadn’t. Aunt Belle had assured me that Skylar’s intentions were true. She’d risked too much, broken through Belle’s own spells, just to reach us.I sighed, folding my arms around myself, feeling the weight of the decisions we’d made for Zoey. To hand my daughter over to Skylar went against every
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
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
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
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
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 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