Andrew’s pov:How could I lose control like that?How could I let my urges take over like that?How could I defile her like that?How could I go through with something like that, knowing our time is counted?I wanted her so badly. I wanted to be with her, exploring her. But my mind keeps reminding me of my dishonesty.Of my secret I’m keeping from her.Of how wrong I am.Of how I will have to break her heart.My heart.I looked down at my bulge, getting heavily irritated with my urges and instincts. I ran to the shower, putting the setting on its coldest, hoping it would somehow reverse the effects of my actions.Or maybe even the actions themselves, if I was lucky enough.As I closed my eyes, images of her beautiful body flashed before my eyes, taunting me, punishing me.And although a punishment well deserved, it was torturous.Worse than anything my father ever did to me.“Leave eve, let her die. She’s a lost cause, anyway.” My wolf Shadow said coldly, clearly upset that I didn’t c
Alina’s Pov:I walked around the massive castle, attempting to meet Andrew somewhere in the castle by luck. Hoping that we could maybe talk about what had happened last night.I found my way to a beautiful garden and decided to take a little break. I sat on a chair that was part of a garden set that stood inside the pergola that was situated in the middle of the garden.It was grown over by a granadilla plant. It had some ripe fruit that was calling my name. As soon as I got up onto the chair to pick a beautiful big one that was ripe, a voice distracted me.“We wouldn’t want our dear luna to fall now would we?” a man with medium brown hair and hazel eyes said with a smile.I picked the fruit, proving a point to this stranger, and got off the chair.“That’s something we wouldn’t have to worry about,” I said, smiling softly. I could see the man was quite taller than me with a very muscular built.He had the aura of a high-ranking wolf. Which let me know he was at least a gamma.“I’m Ali
Days have passed since I last saw my mate. Our marking ceremony was just a few days away. And part of me just wanted to run away.“hows does this feel Luna?” the seamstress asked as she tugged and pinned the parts of the dress that needed altering.My wedding dress. It was made of silk and draped around my body, enhancing my curves. Whist the neckline was off the shoulder and a court train of 3 feet. It was beautiful.The seamstress left the room. Leaving me alone with my thoughts. Suddenly, a figure appeared from behind the fitting room curtain.A tear formed in my eye at the happiness and relief I felt. It was Andrew. His eyes lingered on my body. In complete awe. I turned to face him and his name fell from my lips in disbelief.Making his eyes meet mine. They were filled with guilt and pity. I lifted the dress up and walked over to him. I dropped it to the floor again when I was standing right in front of him.“Y-you look beautiful.” he stumbled over his words for the first time. M
I was putting on my wedding shoes, eager to walk down the aisle.“are you sure you want to do this Alina? If you so much as have a second guess about this whole thing, we could run away now.” My mother said dressed in a lilac loose fitting dress sitting opposite me.She was just worried.Worried about my past coming back for me.Worried about my mate being trustworthy.Worried about my safety.I couldn’t blame her. I smiled at her running comment and kneeled in front of her. Holding her hands in an attempt to calm her.“Mom, I’m not having any second guesses this is my mate. I believe the moon goddess knows what she is doing. If we cannot trust in her, then who can we trust in?” I asked.“me you can trust in me,” my mother retorted. “but if this mate of yours makes you happy and you trust him. Then I trust you,” she said, sighing.A tear fell down her cheek, and a whipped it away with my hand.“you’ve grown so much,” she said, making me tear up as well. I whipped them away before they
“I thought you said she was dead,” I said, disappointment evident in my voice. The pieces of the puzzle fell into place now.“I’m sorry.” Andrew said, only making me angry.“sorry for deceiving me with this mark? Sorry for lying to me from the beginning?” I whispered, my voice about to break.“Sorry for obviously only wanting to use me so you could mark this arranged bride of yours! Tell me, do you love her … and don’t you lie to me!” I said louder, turning to him as tears fell from my eyes. Tears of anger and hurt.He tried to wipe it away, but I slapped his hand away before he could.“Its not like that Alina.” he said, shame evident in his tone. Shame that belonged there.“Do you love her?!” I shouted. His eyes glowed as his wolf threatened to take over.“No!” he growled, and the heaviness in my heart became slightly more bearable. Slightly lighter. Part of me was relieved. But part of me knew that only time would tell.“But I need you to heal her,” he said, not even looking me in t
Andrew pov:I watched as my mate broke down in front of me. Begging to be alone. And all I could do was stand still and watch her leave. I could feel her pain. Her heart was already cracking.I hated it.I hated that I did this to her.I hated that I had no other choice.I hated it all.“it’s not too late to let Eve die,” my wolf tried to convince me. I looked back at Eve, her unconscious body laying there almost lifeless.“I can’t shadow. I owe her my life,” I said, sighing. I ruffled my hand through my hair whilst I closed the room door.“so you're ready for it to cost us our mate. You want to just make that call on my behalf? I refuse to lose our mate,” shadow growled in rage.“I’m afraid that inst a decision we can make.” I sighed. Just then, Josh's mind linked to me.“Andrew, we have a problem. Crimson pack has identified a level seven traitor.” He said in a scared tone. Josh was never one to get scarred easily. He was always steady. So his fear had awakened my own.“who?” I aske
Three years later.Andrew’s pov:“so how long is this still going to take?” alpha henry slammed his fist on the table cracking my desk in the middle.“Alpha henry I suggest you calm down. My mate has almost drained every bit of her power to heal your daughter. It has taken its toll on her. I suggest you become more patient as we cannot afford to lose my mate because that would cost you your daughter as well.” I said sternly. Holding his glare with my own.He stormed out of the office past my mate, who was waiting just outside the door.her complection bleak and her under eyes are black. Her hair no longer had the bounce it used to and had become very brittle breaking off the long locks I used to love.She now had thinned out hair that barely reached shoulder length. Her cheeks had become hollow. Whilst her body looked fragile.The sparkle in her eyes when she saw me disappeared after the day we marked each other. The only time she ever came to see me was after a healing session that d
I sat next to Eve’s bed. Debating on what to do after yesterday’s event. Should I continue trying to heal her? Or should I just give up now and say I can’t anymore?But would that cost my mother safety? would that cost my life? I took eve’s hand. Her hand is still cold as I try to heal her. Suddenly, her hand felt warm, and I heard her shuffle in her bed.I pushed myself further, trying to heal this woman that is bound to steal my life. The one that stole my life. “Alina” I heard my wolf call out to me.I pushed every drop that I had into Eve. and before I knew it; I fell to the floor, the room spinning in circles around me.I saw Andrew’s feet rushing towards me before he picked me up. And then it all went black. When I woke up again, I was in my room and in Andrew’s arms.His face looked sad and angry. I smelled that woman’s fresh scent and turned to see her leaning on the door frame.Her face showcased boredom as she looked at her nails. When her eyes met mine, a hint of evil glint
"What do you mean?"Alina's voice was barely more than a whisper, raw with grief and confusion.I could see her slowly cracking apart. like a plate ready to shatter.I wanted to take that pain away. I needed to.But we didn’t have time for that.“It’s not safe here,” I said, my voice coming out sharper than I intended. “We need to leave.”Her head snapped up, eyes burning with something fierce despite the weight pressing down on her.“Leave? And go where?” she challenged.She had always been stubborn. But this wasn’t about pride.“You’re coming with me,” I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.Her expression turned to stone. “That place isn’t my home, it’s hell,” she bit out. “I’d rather die than go back there with you. I was foolish once, Andrew. I won’t make that mistake again.”Her words hit harder than I wanted to admit.I had already lost her once.I wasn’t about to lose her again.I ran a hand through my hair, pacing back and forth, my thoughts racing. Shadow was roaring i
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