Naya’s POVThe sky outside was grey, heavy with the promise of rain. I sat by the window, knees tucked to my chest, watching the first drops hit the glass. It had been days since I last saw Kieran. Since the blood. Since the war drums had begun to beat. No one said it outright, but I wasn’t blind. Kieran’s men moved with urgency. The tension in the air was suffocating. Conversations died when I walked into a room. This was my fault. I had known from the start that an Omega and an Alpha standing together would bring trouble. But I had let myself hope, let myself believe things could be different. And now? Now, Kieran was out there somewhere, dealing with the fallout, while I was kept here, shielded from the chaos. A part of me was grateful. The other part hated it. A knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. "Come in," I said, my voice quieter than I intended. The maid, Elise, stepped inside, carrying a tray of food. She hesitated before speaking. "Miss Na
My breath hitched. I wanted to believe him. I wanted to believe that our feelings were stronger than the weight of the world pressing down on us. But I knew better. I knew that loving Kieran meant losing him one day. Maybe to his enemies. Maybe to the war. Or maybe to the truth, I was too afraid to tell him. Because one day, he would find out. And I didn’t know if he’d ever forgive me. ---Kieran's povI left Naya’s room only when I was certain she had fallen asleep. But sleep wouldn’t come for me. I made my way down the halls, my mind racing. The war wasn’t just a possibility anymore. It was a guarantee. I had killed one of their men. And now, they would come for mine. As I stepped into my private study, I found several of my most trusted men already waiting. Lukas, my second-in-command, was leaning against my desk, arms crossed. "They’ve sent a warning." I scoffed. "A warning?" "A declaration of war." He tossed a parchment onto my desk. "They wa
Naya’s POVI paced outside the meeting hall, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. The heavy wooden doors remained shut, a solid barrier between fenced the needed answers. I had been waiting for hours, hoping that Kieran would step out at some point, even if just for a moment. But he didn’t. It had been like this for days. Every time I tried to talk to him, something—or someone—stood in the way. I barely saw him anymore, and when I did, he looked exhausted, his expression drawn tight with frustration. I didn’t know what was happening, but the entire mansion felt suffocating.I turned to one of the guards stationed at the door. “How much longer will this go on?” The guard, a tall man with sharp features, barely glanced at me. “It’s not my place to say, Miss.” I exhaled sharply, trying to contain my irritation. “Has he at least taken a break?” Silence. “Has he eaten?” The man shifted at that, his face slightly twisted, but he remained silent. I clenched my jaw. They
Naya's POV The moment the words left my mouth, I realized how quiet the room had become. A presence loomed behind us. I turned slowly, my breath catching when I saw them. Joan’s father. And beside him, another man—the Alpha. Joan smiled sweetly. “Oh dear, this is quite the misunderstanding.” Her father frowned, glancing between us. “What’s going on here?” Kieran tensed beside me, but before I could speak, Joan stepped in. “Naya’s a little emotional right now,” she said gently, tilting her head toward me. “Losing a child will do that to you.” My blood turned to ice. I stared at her, my hands trembling. No. No, she wouldn’t— I turned to Kieran, horror gripping me. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something raw, something broken. He knew. My breath hitched. “You… You know?” Kieran closed his eyes for a brief second before exhaling through his nose. “She told me.” I stumbled back a step, shaking my head. “No.” “She and he
Kieran's POV I exhaled sharply, running a hand through my hair. "Naya, you didn't finish your plate." She didn’t move. Didn’t even acknowledge my voice. I clenched my jaw. "You need to eat more Naya. You can't go on like this." She just sighed. " I'm not hungry anymore.”Frustration coiled in my chest. I opened my mouth, but she continued before I could say another word. "Give me a month." I froze. She turned then, her eyes dull yet burning with something desperate. "Give me a month to do my own findings. I know you think it's dangerous, but Kieran, I have to know." I stiffened. "Absolutely not." "Kieran—" "I almost died when I learned about our child, Naya." My voice came out rougher than I intended, but I couldn't stop. "Do you understand that? I have spent every waking moment since then trying to even the score to ensure the people responsible suffer. And you want me to sit back and let you—" "Let me do something!" she cut in. "Let me prove to you that Joan is
Kieran’s POV The pressure was relentless. Every day, more messages came in. More demands. More threats. My pack remained untouched, but the tension in the air was suffocating. The other Alphas weren’t backing down, and neither was I. They wanted unity—an alliance through marriage. To them, I was an obstacle standing in the way of peace. I barely got any sleep. Lukas, my Beta, stood across from me in my office, arms crossed as he watched me carefully. “You’re running yourself into the ground, Kieran.” I didn’t respond. I was too busy reviewing the latest reports from my men stationed in the outer territories. Another attack. Another warning. Lukas sighed. “I know you don’t want to hear it, but there is a solution.” I lifted my gaze. “If you tell me to accept their deal, I’ll throw you out of this office myself.” “I’m not saying that.” Lukas held his hands up. “But think about it—if you refuse outright, they’ll turn on you. If you accept, you buy yourself time.” I gr
Sarah’s POVThe whispers had been carefully hidden from me.For days, I’d been told I was to be Kieran’s soon-to-be wife, yet no one had spoken about another woman in his life.Not my parents. Not his Beta. Not the council.And most certainly not Kieran himself.So when I heard what Joan said about some omega who held Kieran’s attention, I was furious.Who was she?Some disgraced concubine? A former lover he’d cast aside but refused to let go of?I had every right to know. This was why, despite being explicitly warned to avoid that part of the estate, I was drawn to her like a predator scenting something out of place in its territory.And when I finally laid eyes on her…I realised I hated her immediately.Not because she was beautiful—though she was.Not because she carried herself with grace—though she did.But because she was too calm.Too collected.And it infuriated me that someone of her status—an omega, a supposed discarded woman—could sit there, unshaken, while I stood befor
Kieran’s POV The room was silent when I woke up. Not the kind of silence that comes with peace—but the heavy, suffocating kind. The kind that screamed something was wrong. I turned over, expecting to pull Naya against me, but she was already awake. She lay on her side, her back to me, curled slightly inward. She hadn’t moved all night. I hadn’t said a single word since what happened between us. I reached out, hesitantly brushing my fingers against the bare skin of her shoulder. She flinched. It was so small that I might have missed it if it weren’t for me. But I didn’t. A sharp, painful weight settled in my chest. "Naya," I said, my voice rough from sleep. She didn't respond. I shifted closer, letting my hand slide down her arm, but she stayed rigid. That’s when I knew— I had broken something last night. Maybe not physically, but something inside her. And for the first time in my life, I regretted it. I opened my mouth to say anything, but a sud
AIDEN'S POVI froze, my heart slamming against my ribs like a wild drum.Julian stood there, his shadow spilling out behind him, and in his hand gleamed a small, wicked knife. He waved it at me like I was some enemy, some intruder he didn’t want near."Aiden?" he breathed, his voice a harsh whisper.My jaw dropped. He could see me? Isadora couldn't but Julian saw me. A thrill shot through me, so intense it almost knocked me out of my astral form. This was… amazing.He could see me!Suddenly, the knife didn't matter. The anger in his eyes faded into the background. All that mattered was that my brother, my twin, could see the real me. It meant we were connected.The words bubbled up inside me, a torrent of excitement that needed to be expressed. My hands flew into action, fingers wiggling and twisting, forming the rapid, intricate shapes of sign language. I bounced on the balls of my feet, unable to contain my joy.‘Julian! You're so cool! Best brother ever! Awesome! You can see me! Y
AIDEN'S POVI was standing in different room, the air thick with the smell of old books and dust. Light filtered through heavy curtains, casting the room in a dim, amber glow. I looked down at my hands, but they weren’t really there—just a faint outline, like smoke in sunlight.I tried to touch the desk, but my fingers slipped through it, leaving no mark."Hmm…" I tried to make a sound , but no noise came out. My voice was gone.I looked around once more, eyes widening as i tied to catalogue more details.It was a big room, filled with books and strange objects. There were shelves that reached all the way to the ceiling, packed with leather-bound volumes. There were globes and telescopes and strange, glass jars filled with… stuff.It looked like… the someone's study. But how did I get here?I looked around desperately, trying to make sense of it all, my heart thumping in my chest.Panic bubbled up inside me. “What’s happening?” I thought to myself.Just a moment ago, I had been in
NAYA'S POVThe soft glow of the light flickered against the walls of the cottage, casting long, wavering shadows that danced like restless spirits. Tobias and I sat close on the worn, threadbare couch, the fabric rough beneath my fingertips but comforting all the same. His arm was draped around my shoulders, pulling me in just enough to feel the steady warmth of his body against mine. Outside, the night was silent except for the occasional whisper of wind through the pines. Tobias had calmed me down earlier with all his assurances and I felt more settled in my skin. More secure.It was a lovely feeling after this afternoon of turmoil.But I couldn't stop thinking about it.I sighef before resting my head on Tobias’s chest, listening to the steady thump of his heartbeat, a rhythm that somehow anchored me in the swirling storm of my thoughts. The events of the day played over and over in my mind—the principal’s office, the harsh words from the other twin, the cruel laughter that see
TOBIAS'S POV The drive back is quiet. A good quiet.Not like how it was when we left that godforsaken school.Aiden’s asleep in the backseat, his head tipped to the side and his little plush shark tucked under his arm like it’s made of gold. Naya’s beside me, her legs drawn up onto the seat, arms loosely wrapped around them. Her face is calm, and soft in the passing shadows of streetlights. She’s not smiling, exactly, but her face isn't in that strained blankness either.And I’ll take that. Hell, I’ll take it and wrap it in a bow.By the time we get home, Aiden’s blinking awake but too drowsy to fight when Naya lifts him into her arms.“Come on bug." She murmurs sweetly as she tucks the little boy into her side.He buries his face into her shoulder immediately, and she strokes his back, whispering something low in his ear I don’t catch.We walked into the house together, me switching on the lights and flooding the living space with a warm glow.Aiden scrunched his face at that but
TOBIAS'S POVI stepped toward her, the weight of Aiden pressed close to my chest, and reached out my hand.“Naya,” I said quietly, but she heard it. Her head jerked in my direction. Her eyes were glossy. Her breathing erratic.I didn’t give her a speech. I didn’t ask. I just slid my fingers into hers and pulled her hand into mine.It fit, soft and shaking but familiar. She didn’t fight it. Her eyes darted to mine, searching, asking—but I just squeezed her hand tighter and nodded once.“Let’s go,” I said gently.And we did.Without a word to the others, I pushed past them. Aiden’s head tucked against my shoulder, and Naya walked beside me, her chin high and eyes fixed ahead, even though I could feel the tremble in her limbs.The crowd parted for us like a wave. Maybe it was the look on my face. Maybe it was the sheer weight of everything that had happened, or maybe it was because they wanted nothing to do with us. I couldn't spare a thought for it, so we just walked past them.Naya
TOBIAS’S POVAnd the room was thick with it. The tension clung to the air, pressing down on everyone like humidity before the rain fell."What the hell is going on here?" I demanded.Isadora didn’t even blink. She scoffed, flicking a glance at me over her shoulder. "Well, well," she said with a cruel smirk. "Your boy toy has finally arrived."Naya’s eyes darted to me and narrowed immediately. "Don’t you dare talk about him like that," she snapped, her voice tight. "Just shut up, Isadora."The teacher standing by the desk looked like she wanted to sink into the floor.The principal, an older man with a belly barely contained by his vest, gave me a look of exhausted relief.I walked forward, ignoring the brewing fight between the two women, and glanced past Naya's shoulder.Aiden.My gut twisted.He was sitting by the principal's desk, his tiny frame hunched, his hands knotted in his lap. His eyes—those wide, knowing eyes—looked up at me, and there was fear in them. Not for himself. For
NAYA'S POVAt my retort, she stopped talking, her eyes revealing her confusion.Her head jerked around, her eyes finding Aiden, who had quietly drawn in the corner.She blinked, and for half a second, her mask cracked.Surprise. Embarrassment. She hadn’t even noticed him.But just as fast, it vanished under a sneer."How low could you sink, Naya? Lurking in the principal’s office like some…" She waved a hand vaguely, eyes glittering, "Shadow. Or were you trying to steal another child from a real mother?"I didn’t flinch. I’d had worse thrown at me, sharper claws, bloodier fights."You’re calling me out on morals? That’s rich, coming from the woman who waltzed into someone else’s home and snatched a kid like he was luggage," I said coldly.The principal cleared his throat, but no one was listening.The air had gone electric.Isadora scoffed, the sound derisive and mean. "You had zero respect for ranking. You should have known your place—an omega trying to speak in a world meant for bet
Naya's POVThe next day found myself in the supermarket, getting much-needed supplies for the cottage.I hurried through the last aisle of the store, a loaf of bread clutched under my arm and a basket weighed down with household items dangling from my wrist.It had taken far too long to find the right kind of dish soap, and now my anxiety gnawed at me, relentless and sharp. I checked the time on my phone: 1:20 PM.Just enough time to finish shopping and get home before Aiden was done with school.Or so I thought.My phone rang just as I was about to check out. The unfamiliar number on the screen sent a ripple of unease through my chest."Hello?" I answered, my breath hitching slightly."Ms. Naya? This is Principal Langston from the Pack Academy. I’m afraid there’s been an incident involving your child. We need you to come in immediately."Everything in me stilled. My heart, my breath, my thoughts. My fingers went slack, nearly dropping the phone."Aiden? What happened? Is he okay?" I
Naya's PovThe school is a stone building nestled at the northwest of the pack’s territory, guarded by wrought-iron gates that look too ancient to still be standing. Kids run around the courtyard, shrieking with laughter. Some look older, others barely past toddler age. I spot a boy with messy brown hair building something with sticks in the dirt while two girls hover beside him, arguing over shape and size.We pull into the parking lot, and I catch Aiden peering out the window, his eyes wide. There’s a flicker of nervousness there, and I feel it in my bones too.The last time I sent Aiden to school, he got kidnapped and switched, which started this entire rollercoaster, so I was right to be nervous.I step out, smoothing my sweater, and open the door for him. Tobias circles to the back, grabbing Aiden’s bag.We’re halfway to the school steps when a sleek black limousine pulls into the front circle.Tobias freezes, his brow furrowing, "What in the world..." Tobias muttered, hand ti