ALPHA VAN’S POV I turned to look at Bryan, the gun trembling in his hand as it pointed at the witch's forehead. Jeremiah stood tall beside him, arms crossed, a smirk on his face. Rachael’s eyes were wide, her dagger still pressed tightly against the witch's throat. Liora. That was her name. Fear radiated from her, and I could see her breath quicken. Bryan hesitated. What was going on in his head? I thought he didn't want her dead. The room smelled of fear and sweat. “A gun?” Jeremiah asked, raising an eyebrow, not completely surprised. “I didn't know you had that.” “Well, there are a lot of things I have that you don’t know about, big brother.” Bryan’s voice was low, a new edge to it. That was the first time he’d ever addressed Jeremiah that way. I could sense the tension rolling off him; he was on the brink, but I was sure he wouldn’t pull that trigger. “He's going to pull the trigger,” Jeremiah said, turning to Anakiyus. Anakiyus’s expression shifted from concern to
NARAH'S POV “I'm sorry that I couldn't get here earlier,” I said to Liora, glancing at the blood smeared across the living room floor and feeling remorseful that I was unable to contact her before the hunt. She stared at the blood, allowing herself a moment to think. I wondered what went through her mind. If only I had managed to contact her before the hunt… Could I have prevented this? Alpha Van and the others had already left, and it took us several agonising minutes to return here. We had been hiding in the woods, away from Bryan and Axton, my heart pounding in my chest with every rustle of leaves. Back in the mansion, I had squeezed into the boot of the SUV when Alpha Van and Jeremiah entered the Pack house, praying I wouldn’t be discovered. I made sure I was not seen by anyone. Earlier, I’d asked Cindy to cover for me, claiming I had gone to the store. The darkness enveloped me as I held my breath, listening to the muffled sounds above. What would I say if I was caugh
NARAH'S POV I stood before the door, my heart racing. Liora had her head covered with her hood, and her dark hair covering her face. She glanced back at the corridor. “Are you sure we should be here?” This right here was a risk, but I had no other option, or so I thought. “I don't know any other person in this town,” I said, “or do you?” Liora shook her head. And I kept my knuckles rapped against the iron surface, the sound echoing in the stillness. “We could leave,” Liora suggested. Suddenly, a solid thud echoed as the metallic door swung open. Chris froze. His eyes widened in surprise, moving from Liora to me. “Narah? What are you doing here?” His gaze shifted to Liora, who stood nervously beside me in her black hoodie. “Can we come in?” I asked urgently. Without waiting for an answer, I stepped inside, dragging Liora with me. The sweet scent of vanilla filled the air-conditioned room. Chris stretched his head outside the door, glancing around to see if we had come alone
NARAH'S POV Traitor? Did he find out that I had helped Liora escape? Alpha Van's grip tightened, wrapped around my waist like a serpent. His left hand slowly moved up to my chest before grabbing my neck.His hot breath kissed the back of my neck, sending shivers down my spine and making my honeypot wet for no reason. Goodness! I realised I wasn't thinking at that moment; it felt as if my brain was on a vacation.“Alp–Alpha Van,” I stammered in a hushed tone, finding it difficult to breathe.I loved the feel of his hand on me, but his grip around my neck was becoming too tight and it felt like he was strangling me on purpose.“Please, stop,” I begged, my voice raspy.“Why did you help the witch?” He asked, inhaling my scent like a drug.Suddenly, he pushed me, slamming my body against the wall. His jaw and fist clenched. His eyes were otherworldly and dark, and I wondered, was this really Alpha Van?“Answer me, Narah, why did you help the witch?”I began hitting his hand with both of
NARAH'S POVHow could Liora come to the mansion? She should know she'd be in danger if she dared to show her face here. I didn’t think she’d be reckless enough to leave Chris’s place.The guards began to roam the room, scanning for anyone suspicious. I was certain Liora had masked her witch’s aura whenever she came to town just like Chris had been doing, but anxiety gnawed at me. What if she hadn’t?The compass in Jeremiah's hand must be guiding him to where Liora should be in the hall. My heart pounded as I navigated through the nervous crowd, inspecting their anxious faces for a glimpse of her.Jeremiah moved through the gathering, his gaze sharp as a hawk hunting for a doomed prey. “Remain silent!” a guard barked, striking a pack member on the back.“Be still. No one moves. Stay where you are,” Jeremiah commanded, his voice resonating in the tensed hall.A hush fell over the room, amplifying the sound of my heartbeat. I edged closer to the front row, hiding behind a few pack membe
NARAH'S POV As Chris and I stepped outside the estate, my heart pounded in my chest. Did Bryan actually know something, or was he just being suspicious of me? The weight of his probing questions lingered in my mind, gnawing at my nerves.“I’m glad you’re okay,” Chris said, glancing at me with that familiar intensity that made my heart race. “I was worried.”“Thanks, Chris. I appreciate it,” I replied, trying to steady my voice. Yet, the tension from the council meeting felt suffocating, tightening around me like a noose.We reached his car, and Chris leaned against it, his expression shifting to something more serious. “Narah, I found Liora.”My breath hitched. “What? Where is she?”“She’s at my place. She told me she went out to get some fresh air in the woods.”Relief washed over me, quickly followed by a wave of concern. “Is she safe? Does she know about the council meeting today?”What was I thinking? How would she know? Even I didn't know about the meeting until Cindy told me ab
NARAH'S POV Mate?Did he just call me that?I stood in stunned silence, trying to process Alpha Zander’s unexpected declaration. I heard Cindy gasp and it brought me out of my head and back into—I didn't know if I should call it reality because it was so freaking hard to believe at that moment.Zander’s piercing gaze felt like a magnetic pull, tugging at something deep within me.“Mate,” he repeated, his voice low and confident, the smirk still lingering on his lips.The word sent a shockwave through me, a mix of exhilaration and fear. The scent from him—could that be me sensing a mate bond, but too busy to notice?“Wait,” I finally managed to say, shaking my head slightly to regain my composure. “Who are you?”Like I didn't already know his name.Zander’s expression shifted to one of intrigue. “Zander Cage. I'm surprised you don't know.”I definitely wouldn't have known that if it weren't for a girl in the hall who had gossiped about it to me. Cindy cleared her throat and asked to b
ALPHA VAN'S POV My mood was sour throughout the entire day after seeing the woman that I loved with another man—not just another man, but Zander. Zander, for crying out loud. We had a history that I would rather not talk about. I knew there were things I never spoke of. My father was one of those things I had shoved on a shelf and locked up. Dead as he was, he was dead to me before he even died.My mother was another because I didn't like to remember anything that concerned her. Even though she still walked the earth freely and breathed air, she was long dead and forgotten, just like she forgot about having children. I paced around my office, the sharp scent of leather mingling with the stale air. The tension in my chest felt like a weight, pressing down with every step sharper and more painful than the last.With a surge of rage, I slammed my hands across the table, scattering the files onto the cold floor. The papers floated momentarily, catching the dim light before drifting dow
NARAH'S POV Arthur and Dahlia. Oh dear! Arthur and Dahlia visited and asked for forgiveness, but I had already forgiven them. Besides, I became friends with their son, Luca. He was a really nice kid. Hanadin and Rachael started dating with her father's permission. Beta Henry had a change of heart toward Hanadin. Although, he said Hanadin was weird. Bryan asked Liora out, and she responded with a big fat “No.” Good heavens, she had been avoiding him recently. He wouldn't stop accompanying her wherever she went, and he promised he would wait for her until she changed her mind. “Or until he meets his fated mate,” Liora told me when recounting the story of how he tailed her to the store when she went to get groceries with Cindy. Bryan and Jeremiah got closer and became inseparable. Beta Solomon's wife still didn't like Bryan, but Jeremiah didn’t care and told her it wasn't Bryan's fault that her husband slept with another woman and brought forth a son—Bryan. How sweet. Br
NARAH’S POV It was finally over. The Moon Jade was gone. The weight that had burdened so many for centuries had finally been lifted. I could feel the peace settling into my bones, like the calm after a storm. The power that had once ruled over so many was now nothing but dust and memory. The curse was broken, and it was over. When I focused all of my powers into extracting it from Beta Bernard, my mind was disturbed by memories of how the Jade had been passed down through generations. Many years after Jenna and Ophelia's death, the farmers working on the land to build a bridge dug up Jenna's remains from her grave, and that was how they discovered the Moon Jade. It was later passed on from one Alpha to another, a King to another, a governor, a Duke, a duchess, and they all had one name for it: “the cursed gemstone” due to the number of people who had died because of it. Many had tried to destroy the Moon Jade, but it wouldn't budge. So, it was sold to a princess who gav
NARAH'S POV I couldn’t afford to break down in front of Alpha Van, not now. I forced my lips into a smile, but even I could see how hollow it was. I wasn’t okay—nothing about this was okay—but I couldn’t let him carry that burden alone. “I'm good. Are you okay?” “My love... I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice full of raw emotion. “I can't let you fight all by yourself.” “You don't have to worry, ” I assured him, the vacant emptiness in my eyes returning, revealing the presence of my hybrid wolf. “We’ll fix this. Together.” Minisi had done her part—to protect the foetus, but now, if she didn't lend me her full strength, there would be no home for my unborn child, or the people of Vaelothor to live in. My bones groaned in protest as they stretched, snapping and dislocating with a sickening crunch. A searing pain tore through my muscles, each shift a fresh agony, my skin stretching and tearing as though it couldn’t contain the transformation. The heat from within radiated o
NARAH'S POV Van’s muscles bulged with effort as he absorbed the impact, his body seizing under the power with a coldness such as I had never seen. I could feel his pain through the bond we shared.With a guttural scream, his body surged forward, breaking through the dark energy like a battering ram. He wasn’t fully healed, but he was strong—strong enough to fight for us.Beta Bernard's eyes widened in surprise. He had expected the lethal force to end Alpha Van's life in the frightful encounter.“Thank goodness,” I muttered under my breath, taking a stand by Curtis's (Alpha Van) side.He had taken a blow meant for me. I was more than grateful that he had, but I just prayed that he was truly okay and that nothing awful would happen to him.He didn’t let Beta Bernard’s attack stop him. He was back, fighting for what was right, and I fought by his side.“Change of plan,” Beta Bernard said, blocking my kicks. “I'm going to kill both of you right here.”“I'd like to see you try,” I raved.
NARAH'S POV Standing face to face with Van's direwolf, my heart leaped for joy. As my hands slowly trailed over its soft, stunning black fur, it growled tenderly, leaning its head on my arm.Suddenly, with the speed of light, Beta Bernard grabbed me from the side, lifting me into the air, his laughter cutting through the atmosphere like a blade.“Let me go,” I shouted, the wisps of my breath curling in the air as I wriggled in his arms. I could see Alpha Van's wolf running after us, its gaze drifting toward the sky now and then. I didn't even get a moment more to rejoice at his breaking free.Although I had initially wanted to get to Beta Bernard, now that I was soaring about twenty thousand feet above the ground and knowing he had the power to throw me off at any moment, I had a change of heart.“I'll show you what real power looks like,” he said, focusing above as he rose higher.My heart was pounding rapidly, my stomach churning with every gust of air I breathed in. “Murdering p
NARAH'S POV I wiped my tears, smiling and nodding, but it was only for a split second before the creature pounced on me, pinning me to the ground. It seemed to be fighting with the voices in its head, staggering back, growling, and throwing punches at its own head.My heart hammered in my chest as my shuddering legs managed to find the strength to support me. Frantically, I dashed through the clearing once more. However, Beta Bernard was no longer in sight. The creature—Van— was hot on my heels again, a twisted shadow of the man I loved. Each desperate step felt like it could be my last, but there was no time to stop.No! I couldn't stop. Not now, not when Beta Bernard was still out there, controlling everything and planning to destroy people's lives.I glanced over my shoulder just in time to see Alpha Van stumble again, his paws pounding the earth, his body fighting against the unnatural force that gripped him.It was as if a part of him, deep inside, was beginning to take charge,
NARAH'S POV The monsters surrounding us snarled, their eyes empty of recognition, all of them bound by the same cruel will. “So that which was cursed may never be cursed again,” witch Verusia whispered, staring at Jeremiah. Then I understood what she meant. The reason Jeremiah hadn't changed along with the others was that he had been cursed by the Moon Jade, and now the curse Beta Bernard had placed on the other werewolves could not touch him. The air grew thick, making it difficult to breathe, as we shifted back slowly while the creatures approached. My eyes were locked on them, thinking of how to win this battle without hurting them. “Beta Bernard is controlling their minds,” I said, my voice firm. “I'll see how I can get the Moon Jade from him, while you guys handle our friends.” “Our friends?” Liora snapped. “Look at them. I bet all they want is to sink their teeth into our plump flesh and use our bones as toothpicks.” Jeremiah sneered, his eyes flashing with defiance.
NARAH'S POV I could see the feral grin on his face as he rose from the ground like a phoenix rising from its ashes. I expected nothing less. Beta Bernard's appetite for power seemed to know no bounds. His eyes blazed with an intense white light that radiated like a flashlight pointing in all directions until they finally rested on me. I caught Liora's body in midair just before it slammed onto the ground.“Oh my! Thank you,” she mumbled, catching her breath, disbelief etched on her face.“Are you okay?”She nodded instinctively; then her eyes darted toward Beta Bernard, scanning the clearing. His guards were getting back on their feet, along with Luna Tauriel. The flames they had held were now extinguished and the sticks tossed aside.“That old man just won't quit. Motherf**ker!” Liora cursed bitterly, glaring at him.“He looks pretty mad and happy at the same time,” I retorted.Instantly, Liora's amber eyes grew large with surprise as they focused behind me, gawking at something—or
NARAH'S POV When I created a portal to lead us to where Liora and the others were, I thought I had conjured the right destination. I was dumbfounded when it led us to a part of the woods where I saw Gina. She was holding on to dear life…barely.It broke my heart to see her like that—battered and broken beyond saving. I could sense the silver mixing like a drug in her blood. It pulsed through her veins like the rhythm of a mourning song.When I held her, the things she had done since my return were quickly erased from my mind, replaced by a gaping wound of regret and sorrow which scared my heart deeply.For the first time, I caught a glimpse of the sister I had once known and loved. The Gina that had filled my childhood with her elegance. Her sultry green eyes had lost their sparkle. They were bleary with tears, and her pupils were dilating.For Corolla—I didn't exactly know what to feel. Hurt, betrayed, and beneath it, a genuine love for a friend whom I had thought was true. What a t