"Your mom passed away, you nearly slept with a guy but stopped yourself multiple times, found out your life’s in danger, and then ran off with a man?And he just so happens to also be your baby daddy? Girl, your life is a whole soap opera,” Alex said, pacing back and forth across the room like she was trying to burn off the secondhand stress.She was my best friend, my ride-or-die, and honestly, the only person I trusted to hear all this madness.“And,” I added quietly, my voice barely above a whisper, “he doesn’t know about the baby daddy thing.”Alex froze mid-step, one foot still in the air, before slowly turning to look at me, her eyes wide as saucers. “Wait—what?” she practically screeched.“And then you stayed up all night with him? And now you’re, what, working on getting into a relationship with him? when are you going to tell him?”She threw her hands up in the air dramatically, like the absurdity of my life was physically too much for her to handle.I wasnt sure on when i wa
Each breath felt like a struggle, as if grief itself were wrapped around my chest, squeezing tighter and tighter.Pushing me closer to the point where I couldn’t breathe. The sky mirrored my mood. Filled with grey clouds threatening to pour down like the tears in my eyes.Like the moon goddess, herself was mourning right beside me. With me.I stood at the edge of the gravesite, clutching the folded program in trembling hands. The words printed ,Eliana johnson: A beloved mother, friend, and guide, on it blurred through the sheen of unshed tears.Seeing her name there, surrounded by dates that felt far too short, made it all feel disturbingly final.Condolences came in hushed tones, voices muffled like I was underwater.I nodded here and there, managing a faint, mechanical smiles, but it was all I could do to stay standing.My feet felt rooted to the ground, my body unwilling to move, my mind unwilling to accept.And then, I noticed him.Andrew stood quietly beside me, his presence soli
Two years earlier (Andrews pov):I woke up in a room that looked like a war zone.The wallpaper was hanging in strips, claw marks tearing through the faded design. Furniture , or what was left of it .Was splintered across the floor. It wasn’t broken, it was annihilated. As if someone had tried to erase it from existence.The windows were shattered, the frames bent and useless, holes in the walls like scars from some unspoken battle.The carpet was torn to shreds, great chunks ripped away, and blood was splattered everywhere painting the chaos in bold strokes.The sight hit something deep inside me. Memories I’d buried for years came flooding back, dragging me under like a riptide.I saw my father’s face again.The way it contorted in pain as those feral creatures tore him apart.His hand reached out to me, desperate, pleading for help. And I just stood there. Useless.I was weak then. I hadn’t even shifted.And when I finally did, it was too late I was nothing but a fumbling, fragile
It had been six weeks since Alina left. Six weeks of silence. The halls that were once alive even though quiet now felt dead. Every corner of the pack house felt colder, emptier. She wasn’t even loud or really noticeable when she was here, but her absence was crushing me alive.I missed her. Not how I thought I would or even could. I missed the quiet comfort of her presence, the knowledge that she was near. That no matter how far apart we were emotionally, she was still within reach. Now my nights were long and empty and filled with questions I couldn’t shut up.Where was she now? Was she safe? Was she thinking of me at all?If I could go back would I do things differently? Could I have kept her here happy if I just stopped trying to fix Eve?I was supposed to be an Alpha, a king, the strongest of all. But all I felt was powerless.The meeting room was full of voices, other Alphas talking plans and decisions, but their words were just background noise. My focus was elsewhere,
The shadows danced around on the walls and floors as the morning sun came peeping through my window. But my mind was a mess.Sleep had only become a distant memory, each night an endless cycle of torture as I tried to erase the idea and the images of alina being with someone else.Every report I’d received about her was playing on repeat in my head, each word twisting the knife in my chest a little deeper.She had a child.A child that wasn’t mine.Or was it?The not knowing was killing me.I sit at my desk and staring at the rows of aconite vials.My fingers itched to reach for one but instead I clenched my fists,my jaw tightening.Shadow had been quiet these last few days, almost too quiet.I could feel him simmering beneath the surface, his anger a constant buzz in the back of my mind. He hated this… hated me.“So what now you gonna try and kill us again shadow?” I askedNo answer.I grabbed the vial nearest to me, my hand hovering over the syringe.I had been holding him back for
After weeks of watching Alina from afar. Observing the quiet strength in her every movement. I realized just how much I had lost.She had changed. The light that once danced in her eyes filled with innocence had dimmed, replaced by something deeper.Wiser, but wearier one that I caused all those years ago. Yet my love for her hadn’t waned. If anything, it had only grown stronger, especially now as I watched her so closely.I watched her smile that was small but genuinein every way. when ever she was with her close friends. The way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear when she was deep in thought.The way she cradled her child with infinite tenderness. She was a mother, a protector, a provider. Not only for her child, but for her mother as well.It didn’t sit right with me that she was struggling alone. Years ago, I had ensured that her mother would be cared for.That she would never have to worry about medical expenses or comfort. But now, that aid was gone. She had eithe
The air in the council chamber was heavy with tension, the kind that wrapped around my spine like a snake ready to strike. My fingers tapped against the armrest of my chair as I looked across the long table at the man opposite me—Jonathan.My fourth cousin. A man who had always hovered at the edges of power, watching, waiting, coveting. His jealousy of me had never been a secret. Though we shared the same bloodline, the throne was never his to claim. Too far removed, too many obstacles. Yet it had never stopped him from dreaming. From scheming.He looked at me with a smirk, his sharp face giving away nothing but amusement. As if this were a game, a social visit rather than an inquisition.“I hope there’s a good reason for this, cousin?” he drawled, leaning back in his chair, his condescension as annoying as ever.I didn’t waste time on small talk. “Why did you cut off the aid to Alina’s mother?”His lips twitched. “Right to the point, as always.” He shrugged, tilting his head as if th
Two weeks had passed since that confrontation with Jonathan. Two weeks of carefully unraveling the web of deceit that had been spun around Alina. Two weeks of planning, strategizing, waiting.I had suspected That Alpha henry and eve had a finger in this filthy pie. My question was, were they only tasting or had they baked it themselves? They had every motive to do this. It sure would make things easier for them had Alina just disappeared. However, I had no evidence to support my claim. Around every little corner, they were completely clean. I sat at the table as I waited for the alphas to take their seats. All the alphas within my kingdom were gathered here today. I called on them, as I needed to discuss something of great importance.I sat at the head of the massive stone table, my expression impassive as I observed the gathered leaders. Some had pledged loyalty to me without question. Others had aligned themselves with the so-called movement Jonathan had warned me about. And then th
The drive was suffocating.Alina sat across from me in the limo, staring out the window, avoiding my gaze. The air between us was thick with tension, the kind that settled deep in your bones and made it impossible to breathe.My mind was racing.She has a son.The thought was like a storm, relentless and impossible to ignore.My wolf had gone eerily silent. Something that rarely happened. Shadow was always growling, pacing, demanding I act. But now, he was just… waiting.That was never a good sign.I studied her from the corner of my eye. She looked small, fragile even, as she traced her fingers over the raindrops running down the glass. I knew that look. I had worn it once. The look of someone who had lost too much and was still expected to keep moving.I swallowed hard, then finally broke the silence.“So, you have a son?”I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it did. Rough. Pained. Like, something in my chest was twisting so tight it might snap.She flinched, barely, but enough
The second my lips met her skin, I felt her surrender all control.It was subtle. The smallest shift in her breath, the way her body melted into mine for a fraction of a second. But it was enough. Enough to tell me she wanted this just as much as I wanted her.And damn, did I want her.The club, the noise, the people it all faded into nothing. There was only Alina. Only the way she felt against me, the way her scent wrapped around me. Drowning me in something I had been deprived of for too long.My grip tightened on her waist, pulling her back against me, pressing her curves flush against my body. Her fingers trailed over my chest, hesitating for just a moment before they splayed out, claiming me the way I wanted to claim her.I didn’t stop her.I let her touch me, let her feel exactly who she was pressed against.Because this wasn’t just some random man on the dance floor.It was me.Her mate.Her past.Her future.Her hands swept down, tracing the hard lines of my abdomen, and my co
The VIP lounge was dimly lit, the air thick with alcohol, perfume, and sweat. Laughter and conversation hummed in the background, but I wasn’t listening to any of it.Because the moment I stepped inside, I felt her.Alina.Shadow stirred inside me, restless, his growl vibrating through my bones. “And she’s ours.”he rumbled“Not yet,” I reminded him.I kept my movements casual, masking the way my eyes searched for her.“Mind if I join you?” I asked smoothly as i stood in the door of the vip suit.Alex smirked up at me, eyes glinting with mischief. “How could I say no to that face?” she purred, running a hand along my cheek.I kept my expression neutral. I knew we making it look natural, as if we had never met before, but her sudden fliting threw me off my game ever so slightly.I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at her theatrics.“What are you doing?” I murmured low enough for only her to hear.Alex chuckled, tilting her head. “I’m helping you, Alpha,” she teased. “You want Alina, ri
The bass thrummed through the walls, the pulse of the club alive with heat, bodies, and alcohol. I could barely tolerate places like this. Too many scents mixing, too much distraction. But tonight, I had a reason to be here.I had a spy to meet.For two years, I had relied on a single informant. A ghost in Alina’s life, keeping her safe from the dangers she never knew existed. A shadow who fed me every threat, every whisper of danger, every move that could bring harm to her.And tonight, I was finally meeting them.I stood in the dim VIP lounge, my fingers curling into fists as I watched the figure approach.Then I blinked.A woman.Not just any woman.Alex.Alina’s best friend.The realization struck like a slap. I had expected some hardened rogue, some faceless mercenary who knew how to stay out of sight. Instead, it was her.She smirked at my silence, raising an eyebrow as she took the seat across from me. “Not what you were expecting?”I exhaled through my nose, my expression unre
The moment I saw her car pull onto the street, my chest tightened. Two years. Two years of distance, of silence, of pretending I could let her go. But here I was, trailing behind her like some desperate fool, ensuring she was safe from the shadows.This wasn’t the plan. But i just couldnt help myself.I had told myself I would stay away. That keeping my distance was the only way to protect her. That she was better off without me, better off without the mess that came with my name, my world. But watching her now, knowing danger still lurked, I couldn’t convince myself of that lie any longer. I couldnt stay away much longer. I promised myself i would wait untill the time and place my spy had organized. But i couldnt wait that long. Anything could happen at any time.She had no idea how many threats I had handled without her knowing. Shadow stirred inside me, restless, his frustration bleeding into mine."You should never have let her go," he snarled, his voice low and brimming with fur
Two years since I last saw Alina.Two years of watching from the shadows, keeping her safe without her ever knowing. The threats had dwindled, the attacks stopped. I had almost thought those who wanted her gone had given up.I should have known better.My burner phone buzzed in my pocket, the vibration a low hum against the silence of my office. I grabbed it instantly, pressing it to my ear as I leaned forward, my muscles coiling. Only one person had this number.“Talk.”The voice on the other end was distorted, masked by a digital filter that made it sound mechanical. Calm and measured.“There was an attack tonight.”My grip on the phone tightened, my knuckles white. “What?”The voice remained steady. “It was stopped before she even knew what was happening and shes perfectly fine. However a man was going to shoot her in the back tonight. I took care of it before he got the chance.”I exhaled sharply. “Who?”“Malvin a hired gun. He was disposable who refused to talk so i shut his mout
Two weeks had passed since that confrontation with Jonathan. Two weeks of carefully unraveling the web of deceit that had been spun around Alina. Two weeks of planning, strategizing, waiting.I had suspected That Alpha henry and eve had a finger in this filthy pie. My question was, were they only tasting or had they baked it themselves? They had every motive to do this. It sure would make things easier for them had Alina just disappeared. However, I had no evidence to support my claim. Around every little corner, they were completely clean. I sat at the table as I waited for the alphas to take their seats. All the alphas within my kingdom were gathered here today. I called on them, as I needed to discuss something of great importance.I sat at the head of the massive stone table, my expression impassive as I observed the gathered leaders. Some had pledged loyalty to me without question. Others had aligned themselves with the so-called movement Jonathan had warned me about. And then th
The air in the council chamber was heavy with tension, the kind that wrapped around my spine like a snake ready to strike. My fingers tapped against the armrest of my chair as I looked across the long table at the man opposite me—Jonathan.My fourth cousin. A man who had always hovered at the edges of power, watching, waiting, coveting. His jealousy of me had never been a secret. Though we shared the same bloodline, the throne was never his to claim. Too far removed, too many obstacles. Yet it had never stopped him from dreaming. From scheming.He looked at me with a smirk, his sharp face giving away nothing but amusement. As if this were a game, a social visit rather than an inquisition.“I hope there’s a good reason for this, cousin?” he drawled, leaning back in his chair, his condescension as annoying as ever.I didn’t waste time on small talk. “Why did you cut off the aid to Alina’s mother?”His lips twitched. “Right to the point, as always.” He shrugged, tilting his head as if th
After weeks of watching Alina from afar. Observing the quiet strength in her every movement. I realized just how much I had lost.She had changed. The light that once danced in her eyes filled with innocence had dimmed, replaced by something deeper.Wiser, but wearier one that I caused all those years ago. Yet my love for her hadn’t waned. If anything, it had only grown stronger, especially now as I watched her so closely.I watched her smile that was small but genuinein every way. when ever she was with her close friends. The way she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear when she was deep in thought.The way she cradled her child with infinite tenderness. She was a mother, a protector, a provider. Not only for her child, but for her mother as well.It didn’t sit right with me that she was struggling alone. Years ago, I had ensured that her mother would be cared for.That she would never have to worry about medical expenses or comfort. But now, that aid was gone. She had eithe