CHAPTER 59 – KENDALL’S POVSunlight filtered in through the blinds, and just for a moment, I wondered how I must have looked. I had no recollection at all of the night before, and my head throbbed with my every movement. Declan was just beside me. He growled softly.“Good morning.” I said. I had long since expected his reaction, or the lack of it thereof, but it still stung every other day, waking up to see him behave this way, as if I was not at all important to him. I know that my father had given me off to him for some reason I couldn’t fathom, and even worse was the fact that I could not figure out why he hated me so much, but still…It hurt me every time to see him behave like this.He grunted and continued staring at the door as if he wanted to murder it.I reached out my hand to touch him, hopeful. He jumped off the bed and began moving around the room. I lay there in bed and admired his naked form as he moved. His muscular frame was inviting to say the least, and I could not t
CHAPTER 60 – DECLAN’S POVI don’t trust Kendall. Not one bit. But if there’s somebody I trust even less, it’s her father.I don’t pay any special attention to how fathers treat their daughters. My father never treated me or any of my siblings wrong, but he had needed us to grow up strong and ready to take on leadership roles so I suppose at some point or the other, he might have been a little harsh with us.But this man…Oh, I felt a deep-seated loathing for him, and not just because he was the sole cause of the demise of my family, but because he was a man that was despicable beyond all reasonable doubts. If there was ever a template describing the kinds of men that should be killed and never even allowed to walk the surface of the earth, even as children, Kendall’s father made that list, and topped it.I unclenched my fingers and struggled to think of something other than wrapping my hands around his throat and shaking him limp. I turned away with an offsetting smile. I know I seem
CHAPTER 61 – KENDAL’S POVI had been quiet through the entire ride home. It was only reasonable. My father had tried to hit me, and even though my mate, Alpha Declan had barely done anything, I knew that he had wanted to kill my father right there and then.Sometimes, I worry about his hot-blooded temper. It’s understandable, of course. My father had a hand in the annihilation of his family. No, my father might have even the person who single-handedly murdered Declan’s family. It’s not wonder why his animosity for me is at such an extreme.I don’t blame him. I wouldn’t really blame anyone if they were in his position. I could not imagine the kind of pain and grief that he was going through, but it still didn’t excuse his behaviour towards me. At the very least, he could pretend to love me.I could feel the oppressiveness of his silence, and over my shoulder, I could feel his staring eyes dig into my back. I willed myself not to move and focused on the blurring motion of the woods as w
CHAPTER 62 – KENDALL’S POVThe danger hadn’t passed like I had hoped. I had closed the door on both Caden and Declan but that had not meant at all that either Declan or Caden were done with me. The wood of the door was hollow and I could clearly hear every single bit of conversation going on on the other end.I could practically hear Declan’s breathing as he rounded on Caden. I contemplated opening the door to see how the entire thing was going to play out, but I was still scared for my life—and with good reason. Declan still hated my father with a murderous rage and he thought my father had placed me in his life to observe him, so he was deeply suspicious of me too.I sat on the bed and waited. The door swung open. Both Declan and Caden stepped in.I could immediately smell the tension in the room. These two men were practically brothers in arms. Caden was Declan’s Beta, but why did it suddenly feel like Declan was sizing Caden up as though he were a prospective intruder? It was almo
CHAPTER 63 – KENDALL’S POVI know I have to move by the time I wake up. My mother and sister are missing and I can’t keep wasting the little time I have, frolicking around and enjoying my husband and every other thing.For all I knew, they were probably in mortal danger, even right now.I needed to find them, and I needed to bring them home. There was going to be nothing else that I could do and be sufficiently proud of myself for doing if I was not first able to bring them home.Declan was being even more bossy and commanding than usual, and I had not found a way to go above his direct orders so far. There was no sneaking around in his house. The most I could do was inform him about what I wanted to do and hope for the best.I walked up to him while he was in the living room, staring out to skies-know-where again, and I cleared my throat.“Declan.”“Alpha Declan,” he amended for me. I frowned.“I’m your wife. I can call you whatever I like.”Declan turned to me and gave me a pointed l
CHAPTER 64 – KENDALL’S POVHe stopped abruptly in front of me, breathing hard. I considered him for a while, visibly shaken, but trying to hold my composure.“What?” I asked.He said nothing, only continued to stare at me.“What?”But Declan would not give me an answer. He just straightened himself and stalked off without saying a word. I groaned inwardly. For a man who knew how to do just about every near damn thing on Earth, he was still the most unreadable man who did absolutely batshit crazy things.I went back to my room and lay on the bed, but it was of no use. I knew I would not be able to sleep. My body was thrumming with nervous energy. Every single fibre of my being ached with it—the knowledge that there was now a search party out there looking for my mother.I didn’t vet who was on the party, but I trusted Caden. He was going to make sure that the best trackers and searchers would be there. Now that I thought about it, perhaps being found by strangers might freak out my mot
CHAPTER 65 – KENDALL’S POVIt took longer than expected. I had not wanted to enjoy it, but it was a distraction that was needed, at least then while we made love. Once he was done, however, my mind picked up its panicked frenzy, churning up more thoughts of my mother and sister, the problem with my father, and so many other things until I could not even bother to pretend to be exhausted from the lovemaking.Declan was sprawled in his office chair, looking grand and kingly. I pulled my clothes over myself and looked at him. Then I swept out of the office. I went straight to the maids, like I had been doing ever since I had gotten the letter that said that my mother and sister were in the human world.“Any news?”“Yes, ma’am,” one of the maids helpfully supplied. She produced a letter from nowhere and placed it in my hand. I tore it open without even reading who or where it was from. My heart clenched. It was a letter from the search party. Caden hadn’t called, but this was as good a ne
CHAPTER 66 – KENDALL’S POVI stood triumphant over Olivia who was milking her situation for all it was worth. She was still pretending to be pregnant and lying helplessly on the floor of my room. Rage empowered me and I pulled her up.Declan entered. I cursed inwardly. Olivia ran immediately to him, putting on her most intimate art of deception. Declan looked at the both of us from one to the other, observed my bag and stared hard at the floor where Olivia had previously lain.His voice was a blade of ice.“What is happening here?”Olivia burst into tears, rambling and muttering and at the end, refusing to say anything coherent. My face twisted into a more and more complex mask of anger, and I could almost feel my wolf threaten to burst out from inside and end the stupid bitch’s life.Declan calmed her down enough to hear that I had pushed Olivia to the ground and he gave a loud growl and rushed me.“You pushed her?!” He held me by the hand.“I did.”He roared into the room and drove
EpilogueWith their love reaffirmed and their bond stronger than ever, Declan and I embarked on a new chapter of our lives together. In just a few short days, surrounded by our loved ones, we exchanged vows and pledged our hearts to each other in marriage. It was a day filled with laughter, tears, and overwhelming joy, as we celebrated our love and commitment to each other.And then, four months later, our joy knew no bounds as I gave birth to twin boys, healthy and strong, who bore a striking resemblance to their father. Holding them in my arms for the first time, I felt a sense of completeness wash over me, knowing that our family was now complete.A week later, as the moonlight filtered through the curtains of our quarters, causing a warmth over the room, I stood watching our twin boys sleep peacefully in their crib. Their tiny chests rose and fell in perfect rhythm, a sight that never failed to fill my heart with warmth and gratitude.Suddenly, I felt Declan’s presence behind me.
Chapter 150Declan’s POVAs the sun painted the sky in colors of red and orange, our pack returned to our home, weary but victorious. With Kendall and her mother by my side, we made our way back to the safety of our camp, the weight of our recent battles slowly lifting from our shoulders.That night, we gathered together for a feast, a celebration of our hard-won victory. The air was filled with laughter and music as we ate and drank, the scent of roasted meat and spiced wine mingling in the air.Around the fire, our pack members shared tales of bravery and triumph, their voices raised in joyful celebration. Kendall’s mother, her face illuminated by the flickering flames, shared stories of her own, her words a testament to the strength and resilience of our pack.As the night wore on, the tension of our recent battles faded into the background, replaced by a sense unity. For the first time in what felt like ages, we were able to relax and enjoy each other’s company, free from the con
Chapter 149Declan’s POVAs the excitement and rejoicing of our victory began to fade, I knew there was still one matter that needed to be addressed. I gathered everyone in the camp, their eyes fixed on me with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.“Friends,” I began, my voice carrying across the clearing, “we have emerged victorious from this battle. But there is still one question that remains unanswered: what should we do with him?” I asked, pointing to my father-in-law bounded in chains.A murmur of voices erupted from the crowd. Some called for mercy, while others demanded justice. But as I looked around, I could see the steely determination in their eyes. They knew as well as I did that Kendall’s father was a threat that could not be ignored.Turning to Kendall, I sought her counsel, knowing that her opinion held weight among our people. “Kendall,” I said, my voice gentle yet firm, “what do you think we should do?”Kendall’s gaze was steady as she met mine, her expression
Chapter 148Declan’s POVAs the battle raged around us, I caught sight of Kendall’s mother among the chaos. My heart skipped a beat at the sight of her, a sense of dread flooding through me.What could she be doing here? I asked myself. Before I could approach her, she met my gaze with an expression. She approached me, her eyes filled with a fierce determination.“I can help weaken them,” she said, her voice steady. “But I need your men to attack fiercely when the time is right.”I nodded, understanding the gravity of her words. Even though she appeared weak and powerless, Kendall’s mother was a force to be reckoned with, her unique blend of werewolf and witch abilities giving her a power unlike any other.As she began her chants, I watched in awe as the magic began to take effect. The rogues fell to the ground, their movements sluggish and uncoordinated. The rest of our warriors seemed strengthened by the rogues’ weakness, their attacks more focused and precise.With a renewed sense
Chapter 147Kendall’s POVI sat in the small tent, my heart heavy with worry and fear for Declan and the men at war. The sounds of battle echoed in the distance, every sound sending shivers down my spine.As I prayed for their safety, a wounded warrior stumbled into the tent, his face pale and painted with blood. He gasped for breath, his words tumbling out in a rush.“We’re losing,” he said, his voice trembling with fear. “Your father… he’s using the rogues. They’re tearing through our men like… like nothing I’ve ever seen.”My heart sank at his words, a cold knot of dread forming in the pit of my stomach. I knew what it meant if my father succeeded in taking over our pack. We would become slaves, forced to bend to his will or face the consequences.The others in the tent looked at each other with wide eyes, the weight of the news sinking in. We were facing a force unlike anything any of us had ever encountered before, and the possibility of defeat seemed all too real now.But even i
Chapter 146Kendall’s POVOver the next hours, the palace courtyard buzzed with the energy of warriors readying themselves for battle. Guns were loaded , swords sharpened, and strategies were whispered among the ranks.Declan had ordered all women to stay back, to tend to the wounded who might make it back, but I had no intention of staying behind.Declan stood before me, his eyes filled with worry. “Kendall, you need to stay back with the others. It’s not safe for you and the baby to be out there.”I shook my head. “I can’t do that, Declan. These are my people. I can’t just sit back and watch them suffer the consequences of my father’s actions.”His face hardened with frustration. “It’s not just about them. It’s about you and our child. I can’t lose you, Kendall.”“I understand that, but if there’s going to be a war, I need to be there. I need to try and save as many people as I can. I’ve known these people all my life. I can’t abandon them now.”Declan sighed, running a hand through
Chapter 145Declan’s POVBack at the palace, the weight of Caden’s betrayal pressed heavily on my mind. Kendall and I couldn’t shake the horror of the things we saw, along with knowing that my best friend had been working with the enemy all along.We sat in the guest room given to us. Kendall’s eyes reflected my worry, her presence both a comforting and a reminder of the gravity of our situation.I had always relied on Caden, counted on him to have my back, and now that foundation had been destroyed by his greed and betrayal. I suspected Kendall’s father promised him control over my pack in exchange for his alliance.“I can’t believe it,” Kendall whispered softly. “How could he do this to you? To the pack?”I shook my head, the anger and hurt boiling within me. “I don’t know, Kendall. I thought I knew him, trusted him with everything. But now…”“I trusted him too, I sincerely thought he was my friend.” Kendall chimed in.My voice trailed off as I clenched my fists, trying to contain
Chapter 144Declan’s POVMy mind raced as the gravity of what we’d uncovered settled in. Turning humans into Lycans and placing them under his control—Kendall’s father was trying to resurrect an ancient power for his own gain. The implications were deadly.Just as we were about to leave, we heard footsteps through the corridor. We exchanged a panicked glance and quickly sought cover behind a large machine. The outside door creaked open, and my heart nearly stopped when Kendall’s father walked in.“Stay quiet,” I whispered, barely moving my lips. Kendall nodded, her face pale with fear.We peered through the gaps in the factory, watching as her father surveyed the lab with his men. He moved with a confidence that showed his confidence in the security of this place. He approached the table we had been examining and began rifling through the papers, humming to himself.“He has no idea we’re here,” Kendall mouthed, her eyes wide. I nodded, grateful we had locked the door when we entered.
Chapter 143Kendall’s POVThe atmosphere of the basement was thick with dust too, and the echo of our footsteps was the only sound in the emptiness.It looked like a factory, with machines and equipment, more sophisticated than the ones we saw above, spread around.“This place is huge,” I murmured almost to myself. “It feels like we’re in the wrong place.”Declan’s brow furrowed as he scanned the room. “We might not be. The spy said this was the place. We need to figure out what is going on here.”I couldn’t shake the feeling that we might have been led into a trap. “What if he set us up, Declan? What if my father knew we were coming and had the spy mislead us?”Declan shook his head, his eyes sharp and focused. “I don’t think so. I can sense something. There’s more to this place than meets the eye.”I nodded, trusting his instincts. We began to search through the factory, moving cautiously through the huge space.As we moved deeper, I noticed a section of the floor that looked differ