Camilla’s POV:I turned to look at the girl who had just warned me a while ago. Her face was pale, and her eyes were wide open with tears streaming down her cheeks. She was in shock, just like most of us here.“Did you not hear me, girl? I said get into the changing room,” Madam Katherine commanded, slowly approaching her.I nudged her on her arm, and she seemed to finally snap out of the trance she was in. She started taking slow steps forward, and Madam Katherine nodded. “Good. Now, you all should follow behind her in a straight line and come back in the same arrangement.”I followed silently behind the girl, and one of the guards who was with Madam Katherine pushed the door open. There were various types of underwear hanging in the room, but they were all the same color.I quickly approached the girl and grabbed her arm. “Do you know what pack we are in?” I asked her. She seemed lost for a second before blinking and looking around, as if trying to gather her thoughts.“I… I don’t k
Seth’s POV:“I can’t let you do that.”A hand landed on my shoulder, halting my steps. I looked up to the dark sky and released a deep sigh. “Then you leave me no choice.”I swiftly turned around, shrugging off the Beta's grip and throwing a punch that connected with his jaw. Chaos erupted. My men surged forward, clashing with the opposing pack. Growls filled the air, fists flew, and bodies collided. I dodged a swing and landed a kick, sending an attacker sprawling. A fist landed on my gut, and I doubled over in pain but quickly recovered before Beta Ryle’s foot could connect with my jaw.“You will fucking pay for that,” Ryle snarled, his lips curling into a sneer. I grabbed him by the shoulders and landed a kick in his gut. He stumbled and fell to the ground, and before he had time to recover, I slammed my fist into the side of his head, knocking him out cold.I got up and looked around to see that my men had finished handling the rest of the guards.“Let’s go,” I ordered, and we got
Camilla’s POV:I stood in line, my heart pounding in my chest. My hands trembled as the last few people ahead of me disappeared through the door. Fear tightened around my throat. I didn't want this; I didn't want to be sold like an object. The thought alone made me sick, but here I was, and there was nothing I could do… unless I wanted to end up dead like the girl whose body had finally been taken out.Madam Katherine’s fingers gripped my arm, and she tugged me forward. “He’s going to be so happy when he sees you. You, my dear, are our most valuable for this season.”Bile rose in my throat at her words. I was now standing in front of the door with nothing more than underwear.“Now, when you go out, I want you to smile. I’m sure you can do that. You’ll look more like her when you do.” Like who? I knew I couldn’t ask any questions, but I was so confused.“Okay, your turn now.”At those words, she pushed the door open, and I was instantly blinded by the light that shone on my face. My le
Camilla's POV:It has been five days since my rescue. I was back in the Omegas' room, and apparently, Mia and the others had been punished for abusing me. But even though they didn't physically abuse me anymore, they made sure to make nasty remarks at me every chance they got."Hey, slut. How did you get the Beta under your thumb? Did you suck his cock to get him to do your bidding?" I sighed, ignoring both Jane and Laura's taunts for the fourth time this afternoon. We were assigned to clean the Ranking quarters today and right now, we were in Seth’s private room.“I wonder if the Beta’s wife knows,” Laura said and then gasped. “What if we told her? You can only imagine what would happen to you when the pack finds out what a homewrecker you are.”I set my lips into a thin line, cleaning the wooden furniture as I continued to ignore them. “I heard you almost got sold off. I mean, who in their right mind would want to buy a cheap slut like you?”I slapped the rag to the ground and turne
Seth’s POV:The front door creaked open as I stepped into the dimly lit hallway of my home, the familiar scent of pine and worn leather filling my senses. My muscles ached from the day's training with the new pack scouts.I dropped my bag by the door, running a hand through my damp hair. The house was quiet, too quiet. I headed towards the kitchen, hoping to find Tracey and Jorge, but they were nowhere to be found. I frowned as I left the kitchen but stayed on high alert.“Tracey?” I called out, but I got no response. I climbed up the stairs and took a deep sniff, but nothing seemed out of place.I pushed the door to our room, but it was empty, so I made my way to Jorge’s room. As soon as my hands were reaching for the door, it was pulled open, and I balled my hands into fists, ready to punch whoever the intruder was but stopped midway.“Seth, what are you doing?”I released the breath I was holding and allowed my shoulders to relax. Tracey closed the door behind us and stood in front
Camilla’s POV:I jerked awake with a gasp. It felt like my whole body was on fire. I looked around and saw that the others were sleeping. Slowly, I got up from bed and wrapped my arms around my burning stomach.I couldn’t think of anywhere else to go, so I grabbed the spare key Seth had given me and made my way up the elevator to the Ranking floor. As soon as the elevator door dinged and opened, I stopped in my tracks as I noticed two guards standing opposite each other, guarding the floor.A wave of dizziness hit me, and I stumbled backward, sweat dripping down the back of my neck. I noticed the guards approaching me, and I took a step back until my back was pressed against the wall.I brought down my shaky hands so they wouldn’t notice, and I prayed to the moon that they were mated wolves, though all male guards were supposed to take a pill that would suppress all kinds of urges towards unmated females.“What are you doing here? You aren’t allowed on this floor past midnight,” the o
Seth’s POV:I opened my eyes to see Camilla sleeping peacefully. I quickly got off the bed, and I only had one thing in mind: tracking down the guard who was stupid enough not to take a heat blocker while on duty.‘Tell the unmated guard who was on duty on the second floor to wait for me in my office,’ I said through the mindlink to the chief of security.‘I have sent Henry up to your office, sir,’ a response came as I made my way to the door.With one last glance at Camilla, I marched my way there. As I pulled the door open, he immediately shrank back in fear.“Beta, g-good morning,” he stammered, but I wasn’t about to entertain him—I was here to deliver his punishment.“Why did you not take a heat blocker while you were on duty?” I asked. He chuckled nervously and stepped forward.“Well, it’s kind of a funny sto—”“Funny?” I cut him off and took a step toward him. “Did you think it would be funny if you raped an unwilling female in heat? You find it funny, don’t you?” I sneered at h
Camilla’s POVI made it my mission to avoid Seth every chance I got. I couldn’t deal with him now, not after what happened nine days ago, even though my heart ached for him.But today, there was no way I could avoid him. There was a party being held in the pack house. Luna Ava had finally birthed a baby girl, and the naming ceremony was taking place in the pack tonight—which was happening now.From a distance, I watched Alpha Zane, who was holding his baby, Luna Ava, Seth, Tracey, and Jorge gathered around in a circle, talking and laughing. I was trying to make an escape behind them when my name was called.“Camilla.”Shit, I cursed inwardly. Luna was waving at me to come to her, and I had to hold back a sigh when they all stopped talking to look at me.“Hi,” I said when I finally reached them. Luna pulled me into a hug and whispered, “It’s been such a long time since I saw you, Camilla. I missed you.” A genuine smile spread on my face at her words.After the attack I had at the Alpha
Camilla’s POVThe day I left the hospital, everything felt different—brighter, sharper, as if the world had come into focus for the first time in weeks. Maybe it was the absence of pain, or maybe it was because I hadn’t been outside in so long. Either way, something had shifted, both inside and out.Seth drove in silence, his fingers drumming on the wheel like they always did when something was on his mind. The space between us was heavy, thick with all the things we hadn’t said. Ever since the fight with Tracey at the cliff where he had revealed what he did, I had been there—we hadn’t spoken about it but it was lurking just beneath the surface. I knew we’d get to it eventually. We always did.When we pulled into the driveway, the house was quiet. Jorge had passed out on the couch, his book still open, while Lucien was curled up in his crib, breathing softly. Seeing them like that, touched by everything we’d been through, made my chest ache. How could they look so peaceful when our wo
Camilla’s POVBeep. Beep. Beep.I wanted to block it out, but the sound grew louder, drilling into my mind.Beep. Beep. Beep.I wished it would stop.Beep. Beep—My eyes fluttered open, and the sudden brightness hit me hard. The light was too harsh, too familiar, pulling me back to memories of the first time. The first time I had met my mate."Camilla?"That voice. I knew that voice. The first time he'd said my name, I’d been here, in a hospital bed, just like now. A hand slipped into mine, warm and steady. Sparks danced up my skin, and I turned my head toward him, blinking to clear the haze. Seth’s face came into focus, his eyes wide, hollow, like he’d seen a ghost. Maybe he had. My brain was sluggish, working overtime to piece together why I was here.“Oh goddess... you’re awake... you’re really awake,” he whispered, his hand squeezing mine before he pulled away. I heard him talking, probably calling the doctors, but I couldn’t focus on his words. I wanted answers.When he came ba
Dear readers, in this chapter, you’ll experience flashbacks moving between the past and present. The point of view will also shift between Seth and Tracey throughout, so keep an eye on who’s narrating as the story unfolds.Seth’s POV- The pastSeven years ago.It was on the night when Zane was going to be appointed the new Alpha of the pack and my father would be handing over his role as Delta to me. That was when I first laid my eyes on her.She was beautiful… breathtaking. I was just twenty three years when I met her and we had ran together… I felt connected to her almost like she was my mate.I couldn’t find her after the run that night and it felt like my heart had been shattered. I didn’t even get her name.“Hey!” A female voice snapped as I bummed into her as I rushed to Alpha Zane’s office to inform him of the visitors we were having.My eyes met with who it was and my breath hitched. It was her… the female that I had ran with. The female I couldn’t stop thinking about.“It’s
Tracey’s POVWe were in the old wrecked cottage where Lucius had once chained Camilla, a place that still reeked of mildew and memories of the past. Dust clung to every surface, and the broken windows let in the cold autumn air, making the walls groan as if they, too, could sense the danger. I stood at the threshold, watching them—my child, Jorge, and that… that filthy woman’s boy. Lucien. I could see the way Jorge had wrapped himself around the brat, shielding him from me as though I was the monster here.As if that little parasite deserved his protection.Jorge’s eyes met mine for a brief moment before he turned his face away, his lips trembling. His hands tightened around Lucien, and the sight only made my blood boil. That was supposed to be us. Jorge, me and Seth, a family. But she had taken everything from me.“What is it, Jorge? Don’t you want to be with me again?” I took a step forward, my voice soft yet dangerous.He shook his head, his brown curls bouncing slightly, and I cou
Seth’s POVMy whole body was humming with anger, anxiety, and fear. Damn it, I had thought she’d come for me, that Tracey’s obsession would be aimed solely at making me pay. But no, she hadn’t gone after me directly—she’d gone after our children. She had taken the boys to lure both Camilla and me into her twisted trap.I kept clenching and unclenching my fists, trying to focus on anything other than the gnawing pit in my stomach. The fear was crawling through me like a sickness. And right now, the worst part was the waiting. We were still stuck here at the hospital, waiting to hear from the doctors about Ava. We couldn’t even leave to start looking for Jorge and Lucien. Every minute felt like a lifetime.Camilla sat next to me, staring at the wall. Her legs bounced on the floor, Ava’s daughter, Fiona sleeping on her lap, her eyes were wide, and they were bloodshot. She hadn’t said a word since we’d arrived at the hospital. Hell, I hadn’t known what to say either. What could I even say
Camilla’s POV“Where’s the piñata?” I yelled over the loud music blasting from the speakers. The air was filled with the scent of sugar and sunscreen, and the laughter of children echoed all around. I had a juice box in one hand and a crying Lucien in the other. My eyes darted around, scanning the crowd for any sign of Seth, who was supposed to bring the piñata about fifteen minutes ago.The juice box slipped from my fingers, splattering onto the ground, and I muttered a curse under my breath. I barely managed to avoid colliding with a guest, offering a hurried apology before continuing my search for Seth. Lucien started to wriggle in my arms, his tiny fists pounding against my chest, clearly wanting to get down. The music, the heat, and the noise were all starting to overwhelm me.“Oh goodness… Ava!” I called out, spotting her across the yard. She was chatting with some of the other moms, her hand resting protectively on her baby bump. Another baby cooking inside of her. She looked
Camilla’s POVI could hear the soft creak of the door opening, and I turned around just in time to see Seth walking in. His shoulders slumped down in a way that sent a chill through me. Something was off, something was wrong.My stomach twisted as I frowned, hurriedly turning off the stove before pulling the apron from around my neck. I tossed it aside, my movements slower than usual as I approached him. My eyes scanned his face, taking in the exhaustion etched into every line. His eyes... they were red—bloodshot, almost like he’d been crying. But when I looked deeper, it wasn’t tears. No, it was something worse. He had been thinking, too much.“Oh, no,” I whispered, feeling my breath hitch in my chest. I reached him and cradled his face between my hands, my thumbs brushing softly over the stubble on his jaw. “Seth, what’s wrong?”His forehead met mine, and his eyes closed for just a moment, as if gathering whatever strength he had left. “We might want to sit down for this,” he mutter
Seth’s POVI couldn’t tell Camilla the truth. I couldn’t tell her that I’d seen someone that night.No, something.I wasn’t imagining it. I wasn’t going crazy. That much I knew for sure. Whatever it was, it had to be real.“We can’t keep doing this, Seth.” Landon’s voice broke through the silence. I hadn’t even heard him coming out of the woods, but there he was, joining me at the cliff’s edge. The same cliff where it had happened—where Tracey and Lucius had fallen.“I know.” The words felt hollow. What else could I say?“It’s been months,” Landon reminded me as he came up beside me, his eyes tracing the same path mine had followed a thousand times—down to the waterfall that disappeared into nothingness below. “They couldn’t have survived that.” His voice dropped to almost a whisper.I stared down, my chest tightening. “No, Landon. I saw something. The eyes of a wolf.” I began pacing, unable to stand still, my thoughts chasing each other like prey. “It’s been haunting me. Every day, e
Camilla’s POVNothing in this world could take away my smile or happiness. All my problems had been washed down the river—literally.I pointed to a long, flowery wedding dress, its soft lace catching the light just right in the picture book. “Oh, look at this one! It’s perfect,” I said, unable to hide the excitement bubbling up inside me.Caroline, sitting beside me, gave a soft smile, nodding. “Yeah, it’s beautiful, Luna,” she said in her usual respectful tone.I waved her off, leaning back into the couch behind me, a playful smile creeping across my face. “Please, drop the ‘Luna’ already,” I teased. I knew it was second nature to her by now, but it still felt strange sometimes.She smiled back, a bit awkwardly, not quite sure what to say. Even though we were close, she couldn’t fully shake the formalities.The wedding date had been set, and it was coming fast. Two weeks after the boys’ birthday, which meant I had only three weeks to prepare for the ceremony. Three short weeks to pla