Anderson's POVTheir presence demanded attention, especially Axel's, whose broad shoulders cut through the space like a knife. He locked eyes with Lucas, his expression a perfect blend of arrogance and malice. Lucas, unbothered, leaned back in his chair, his smirk sharp enough to cut glass. “I don’t know what you mean, boy. Maybe you’ve got the wrong guy.” Axel’s eyes flared with shock and anger in an instant. I could not believe it either, especially after Lucas’ warning earlier. “Who the hell is this guy?!” Axel’s guy barked, stepping forward like he was ready to swing."Back off," Axel ordered.His sharp glare locked onto Lucas. "I’ll deal with this myself."“Don’t play dumb with me. You know exactly what I mean.” Axel let out a frustrated scoff, running a hand through his hair, clearly irritated by Lucas’ silence. "Who the fuck does this dude think he is?"Lucas shrugged. "Let's say the guy who doesn’t flinch when wannabes try to act tough. Does that answer your question?”A
SARAH'S POVThe faint sound of footsteps trailed behind me, just out of sync with my own, tapping against the pavement as I walked home with grocery bags in my hands. My skin prickled as though invisible eyes were burrowing into my back, watching and following me again.It started days ago, right after I left Joshua’s house for the last time. I had told myself it was just paranoia, but tonight was different.“Who the hell is this creep?” I muttered, my voice barely louder than the rustle of the wind.Then, I stopped abruptly and glanced over my shoulder.Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a flicker of movement under the streetlamp before it retreated into the darkness. That and the footsteps were enough to erode my doubt.I smirked, tilting my head. Whoever it was, I will find out tonight."Alright, let’s see who you are,” I muttered under my breath. I resumed walking with feigned nonchalance.Every few steps, I threw a glance over my shoulder, trying to catch the figure slipping
SARAH'S POVMy hands were shaking as I fumbled with the lock, my heart pounding wildly in my chest. I did not even know if I was breathing right. Once I slammed the door shut behind me, I bolted it fast, as if that would keep whatever nightmare I had just escaped from. My breath was ragged, almost choking me as I stumbled toward the small window, throwing it closed and tugging the curtains shut. I gasped for air as I collapsed onto my bed, burying my face in the sheets."What the hell just happened?" I muttered. I sat up, my hands running through my tangled hair, trying to get a grip. My mind was a mess. The thought of being connected to another murder—hell, if they thought I was involved again—made me sick.However, I could not quite figure out if I was just a witness to the murder or if I was the actual target. The way the lycan locked eyes with me before attacking the panther shifter had me second-guessing everything. My body tensed as I recalled that instant. "Was it really a
Sarah's POVTurning the knob, I swung the door open, but to my shock, no one was there.My heart raced, panic hitting me hard for a split second, until I caught a shadow from the corner of my eye.My heart nearly jumped out of my chest as I let out a startled scream. "Oh God!"But just as quickly as the fear set in, it fizzled out, replaced by irritation when I realised who it was. Anderson! He was leaning against the wall like he owned the place, hands stuffed in his pockets, that stupid smirk plastered across his face."Anderson?" I whispered in disbelief, my eyes widened."Hi, Miss Cole," he smirked."Were you the one who have been knocking?" I demanded, my voice sharp and accusatory.He smirked like he knew secrets about me. "Yeah. Took you long enough."Relief flooded through me instantly, concluding that I was not the lycan’s target like I had been dreading."Were you hoping I’d get tired and leave?” He added."Did cat get your tongue before now that didn't make you reply when I
SARAH'S POVMy heart hammered wildly, and I froze in place, unable to tear my eyes away from Anderson’s piercing gaze. His smirk deepened, a predator’s grin that sent shivers crawling up my spine.“Why is your heart beating so fast, Sarah?” he drawled."I can hear it... loud and clear.”He snapped his fingers rhythmically, matching his words. "Thump, thump, thump.""It's almost like you've been running from a predator." He added with a sly grin.My shoulders sank, confirming my worst fear.Panic surged through me, tightening its grip as I fought to steady my breathing. From what I knew about Lycans, they could not just hear your heartbeat; they could feel it! That thought alone made it even harder to calm down.“Why?” The word came out in a shaky whisper, barely audible over the pounding of my heart.I hated how powerless I felt, but there was nothing I could do about it."Why are you always after me? What did I ever do to you?" I asked, my voice trembling despite my best effort to so
SARAH'S POVCall me heartless, but I didn’t care—I was relieved to hear the panther shifter’s body had been found far from my street the next morning. I had gone for a walk early that day to confirm if the lycan had killed him and if it did, if the body would turn up closer to my apartment. While wandering the streets, I overheard two people murmuring about a dead body discovered nearby. When I finally reached the scene, the panther shifter’s body was sprawled on the asphalt in a corner. Deep claw marks ripped through his chest as if a feral beast ravaged him. Well, lycans were feral beasts. Clearly, those who believed lycans had gone extinct were wrong since the poor old man—the panther shifter—recognised it.I was convinced a person like him who I expected to have more knowledge on the supernatural world and existences would not be mistaken.Even though I felt a flicker of pity for him, relief outweighed it. At least I was not going to be dragged into something I had nothing t
Anderson's POV I stood outside Sarah’s apartment complex, gripping the two bags of groceries in one hand. Most of the items inside matched what she had dropped last night when that panther shifter attacked her—different brands, of course. I did not want her to get suspicious.If you’re wondering, yes—I was the lycan who saved her last night and killed the panther shifter before he could finish what he started. If I had let him live, he would have returned to finish what he started once he had healed because I sense the bloodlust in him, driven by a personal vendetta that coursed through his veins to avenge his useless son's death. That was why I had to step out of the shadows last night.I had been following her ever since she left her ex-fiancé’s house that night. I was actually surprised when she revealed to the panther shifter that she knew he had been secretly following her. Only if she knew it was me. Well, she wouldn't, because I had make sure to be extra careful henceforth.
Anderson's POVI was shocked when I arrived at the police station for questioning and found out that Sarah was arrested as a suspect in the murder case because she was the prime suspect in the three previous killings. She was smart not to mention her encounter with the three panther shifters in the alley. If she had, they would have locked her up for something she had nothing to do with—or at least, not entirely.The officer, Claire in her late thirties with sharp features, flipped through the case file. "Mr. Holt, you said you had an alibi for Mrs. Cole last night?"I nodded. “Yeah, I was with her in her apartment almost all night."I shrugged. "Left close to midnight.” Her brows arched as she leaned forward. “And your relationship with her is…?” I let out a chuckle. "How does this force even recruit people? Didn’t I already tell you at the start of this interrogation that she’s my teacher?"One of her brows arched in disbelief. “And what exactly were you doing in her apartment
Anderson's POVI did not expect to see my adoptive mother return with Lucas."Didn’t you leave already?" I asked flatly, raising a brow at her as she strolled in with Lucas."Weren’t you supposed to leave with Dad? What's wrong?” My voice was laced with suspicion.Something felt off.She smiled—too easily, too calmly. “Oh, nothing’s wrong. We just decided I should stay here overnight while he handles things.”I did not believe her for a second—it was as if she had another agenda other than just to spend time with me a bit before leaving the next morning like she had claimed.But before I could press further, she seamlessly changed the subject."We should have dinner together," she suggested, her tone light but leaving no room for refusal.I did not argue. I never really did with her or my adoptive father."Fine," I muttered, already rising to head to my room."I'll join you later. Need to freshen up first."She said nothing, but I felt her eyes on me as I walked off.Under the water,
Anderson's POVMy adoptive father's voice snapped me out of my thoughts."I need to know everything—what he saw and why he let you go just like that."At first, I did not want to tell them. But after thinking about it, I realised Alpha Derek’s reaction last night meant my identity could actually be at risk. If I were in his position, I would not have let it go so easily either.I took a deep breath and exhaled sharply. "Fine.""When he looked into my memory, he didn’t see anything important—just random, irrelevant memories. Nothing that could expose who I really am."Instead of the shock I was expecting, the expressions on my adoptive parents were unreadable.That did not sit right with me."You’re not surprised or shocked," I said slowly."Why?""Because it’s possible," he admitted.My brows arched. "How?"Then, he explained that powerful Alphas and Lycans could block certain memories from being seen when someone tries to dig into their minds—their subconscious automatically shields
Anderson's POVHad my entire life been built on lies and deceit?The weight of my adoptive father's revelations pressed against my chest, suffocating me like a noose tightening around my throat.The people I called my parents were nothing but liars, feeding me fabricated stories and twisting truths to keep me in the dark for a reason I was yet to find out.First, they lied about being my biological parents. Then, they concocted some absurd story about why I was a lycan, making me believe I was the only one left in existence—history also backed the claim.And now… now, I was being told that Alpha Derek was not just a werewolf but a lycan himself, who had somehow created an army of lycans of his own—more like his assassins and puppets—before the great curse that sent lycans into extinction was placed.It did not make sense. None of it did."What do you mean?" I asked, my voice strained as I stared at my adoptive father.My legs felt weak, and before I realised it, I had collapsed onto t
Anderson's POVMy jaw tightened as I turned to face my adoptive father, eyes narrowing."Why does it even matter?" I demanded, my voice laced with anger."Why are you acting like you care when your decision has already been made?""You’ve got it wrong," my adoptive mother said."We are not here to take you back home."I stared at her, confusion flashing across my face."What?" The word escaped before I could stop it.If they were not here to drag me back, then why the hell were they here?"Then why are you here?" I demanded, my patience thinning by the second.She gestured toward the sofa. "Sit."Reluctantly, I obeyed, sinking back into the sofa, my body tense.She then shifted her gaze to Lucas. "Stand up and return to your seat."He obeyed, shifting beside me.Then, my adoptive father spoke. "There's a reason you are here in the first place—the dream—and what Evelyn said about it."Back home, she was a witch our pack turned to whenever there was a need to.When I kept having the sam
Anderson's POVThe second I pulled into the driveway and saw my adoptive father’s car parked right outside the mansion, my blood boiled. So that’s why Lucas had insisted I come home. That sneaky bastard.I shoved the car door open, my jaw clenched so tightly it ached. He had promised—promised—he would not tell them. And yet, here they were, almost midnight—making it clear they weren't just here for a casual visit.The moment I stepped inside, my eyes locked onto him, sitting across from my adoptive parents.Anger flared inside me as I strode toward him, completely disregarding my adoptive parents' presence.“You are a goddamn snake,” I spat, my voice dripping with venom."A sly, two-faced bastard who doesn’t even have the guts to own up to his hypocrisy.”I let out a slow, mocking clap, my lips curling into a sneer. “If there were an award for backstabbing and hypocrisy, you'd be clutching it right now, standing on a podium, giving a speech on loyalty while stabbing someone in the bac
Author's POV"Choose your next words very carefully," Alpha Derek said quietly, his voice laced with venom.Katya sneered. "Or what?""I've lost so many of my people. We are the ones suffering the most from these murders, so yeah, I have every right to speak."Alaric leaned forward, confusion evident on his face. "What the hell are you talking about? Every person in that organisation was slaughtered except the werewolves who weren't there because of our moon feast. That's why we've been protecting them all this time while also using them as bait, knowing the killer would come for them soon."Her laugh was sharp and cold. "Exactly! How convenient that the werewolves just happened to be absent on the night of the massacre. How convenient that the killer chose that night, knowing they wouldn't be there. How convenient that none of you have been affected by these killings. How convenient that, despite all your father’s supposed power and resources, he still hasn't found a single trace of
Author's POVAlaric could not shake off the nagging feeling that something was off back at the river because Sarah’s sudden change in mood had caught him off guard. One moment, she seemed fine, and the next, she was insisting on going home—so desperately that she even tried to leave without him. That was what made him suspicious.So after dropping her off, he didn’t just drive away. He waited outside her apartment building, watching as she bolted inside, hoping to find out what had her so rattled.But he could not because of his father's call, reminding him of the emergency council meeting among the four supernatural factions.Now, as the heavy wooden doors of the castle’s grand chamber creaked open, Alaric stepped inside.The vast room stretched before him, its vaulted ceilings towering overhead, ancient tapestries lining the walls. This was where the top-tier supernatural leaders gathered—where decisions that shaped their world in the city were made.A long, obsidian table stretched
Sarah's POVThe moment the door clicked shut, I rushed forward, locking it as if that could somehow keep out the mess of emotions and desire he left behind.Then, I collapsed onto my bed, pressing the heels of my palms to my eyes.My chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as Anderson's words echoed in my head and as my body throbbed from the tension he had built up and left unfulfilled. My mind was at war with itself."Sarah, you are playing with fire," I muttered under my breath, torn between reason and the gnawing desire clawing at my self-control.My skin still buzzed from his touch, as if his fingertips had left invisible embers behind.I pressed my fingers against my lips, as if that could somehow erase the way he had owned them—teased, tasted, and claimed them with nothing but his lips."Can you handle the aftermath if you do?" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.I knew what giving in could mean—hell, he could use it against me, tell people just t
Sarah's POVWhy? Why was it always different with Anderson? Why did I melt at his every word, surrendering without resistance? Ever since I met him, he had trapped me—held me captive in a way that felt both intoxicating and inescapable. In his presence, I felt like a child being cornered by an adult, stripped of the control I had always prided myself on.Yet that was not my biggest concern.Was it mutual?No—not feelings. I was not ready to admit to that yet. But the want, the reckless need to have his cock inside me? That was undeniable.He denied being jealous when I mentioned it, but his voice—tight with something raw and unspoken—betrayed him.And when I realised what that meant, my heart fluttered at the possibility.Maybe he did not want to admit it, just like I did not. Maybe we were both too stubborn to call this what it was.His voice pulled me from my thoughts as he let out a low groan, rubbing his temple."Okay, I’ll be there,” he muttered.His expression had shifted—tense,