THE TRUNK BEDANAYA'S POVI blinked. He wanted me to pretend like his dad had not hidden the truth about my own dad's death? Funny story, I had let it go, I just didn't feel the same around them. Specifically the Alpha. He reached for my face and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. "Listen, I know that it isn't easy to forget what my dad did and it has only been two days or so but mom is on edge. She is worried sick about you not being able to forgive him and I am angry too but--""Duke, relax." I cut him off. "I'm not angry at your dad anymore, I promise. I just needed to think something over today which I already did. And please, don't get mad at your dad. I don't know why he did it, I mean why bury it when you can investigate and solve the crime but anyway, that's a reason known to only him. "I'll join you at home, right now. I need to talk to everyone anyway. I made a decision today and everyone has to hear it." He arched his brow slightly but didn't ask. His lips curved in
ANAYA'S POVDuke sat up and stared confusedly at me. How was I supposed to have this call without him finding out who I was talking to? "Uh... Hold on Mi--" I almost choked as I swallowed my words. How could I be stupid enough to almost call Miguel's name?I turned to Duke and gave him a smile. "Sorry, I have to take this call. I'll be back in a few minutes." He didn't respond and neither did he question me or try to stop me as I climbed down from the truck. I didn't stop walking until there was a fair distance between myself and the truck. "Hello, Miguel? Are you still on the line?" I reduced my voice to a soft whisper knowing well that Duke had perfect ears. "You are with someone, I see... It must be a guy since you don't want to mention my name."I hated how precise he was. "It's not like that. Can you please just get to the point? What happened?" "I don't know." He let out a sigh. "My dad has been acting weird ever since the day you came. Is there something I ought to know th
DUKE'S POVI didn't even realize it when I hit the breaks until the car suddenly stopped. Confusion washed over me as her words repeated in my head. I turned to look at her, only to realize she was in tears. Tears spilled uncontrollably from her eyes as she mumbled to herself. "I'm not okay... I'm not... I can't... I need... I can't..." She sobbed loudly. I quickly undid my seat belt and pulled her into my arms. She sobbed against my chest, crying loudly while pouring out her heart. "My heart still feels so heavy, Duke," she confessed. "I want to pretend, believe me, I want to pretend like nothing ever happened because I don't want to lose you but I can't pretend. I can't... I need... My heart is still so heavy and my dad... I miss him so much!""I understand." I patted down on her back gently as I hugged her tightly to my chest. I reached forward and undid her seat belt so I could pull her closer to myself. A sigh slipped from my mouth, I was so confused by my own emotion. I didn
ANAYA'S POVLuna Freya walked towards me and held my hands, staring confusedly at me. "Wait, I don't... You're... You're moving out? Where? Why? I don't.... I don't understand. Why...?"I gave her a smile. "I shouldn't be living with you in the first place, it was nobody's fault that I didn't have anyone to take me in after the death of my parents. Now that I am here, I know well where I belong and it isn't here." Darius sprang to his feet. "What nonsense are you uttering? Did we ever tell you that we were uncomfortable having you around? Did you hear any one of us secretly complaining?" His voice was rough with anger. "It isn't about that!" I responded sharply. With a sigh, I continued. "It's about what I want. I don't want to live here anymore. You guys are like family to me and it will always remain like that for me but it doesn't mean we have to share the same roof. I have made up my mind, I just need to pack my things.""But how will you eat? Where..." Luna Freya stuttered. She
ANAYA'S POVI didn't know how to respond. I didn't want to respond. It was just an excuse to soften my heart. Without uttering another word, I went upstairs and began packing my clothes. Moments later, the triplet barged in without knocking, Darius in the lead. I only spared them a glance before continuing to pack my things as if they weren't there. I had just one suitcase, obviously, it didn't fit everything I had. I felt so angry at myself for not preparing properly. I never even wanted to move out that day in the first place! It just... Happened."Do you need a box?" One of them asked. I didn't look back but I already knew it was Darius. He never even tried to take my side once ever since things fell apart but I couldn't blame him. He was his father's son after all. "You obviously didn't plan this properly, you don't want to leave. Tell yourself that! Who would plan on moving away without buying a box?" His voice became more stern. I let out a sigh and wiped my tears with my ha
ANAYA'S POVThe main entrance opened and Dean walked up to me on the porch. I instantly brought myself to my feet. "Dean! What are you doing out here?" The question made me feel so stupid, it was his house after all. But he didn't give a reaction to my question and just responded. "I wanted to talk to you alone. I know that you would rather be alone and I will not beat around the bush." I nodded my head, waiting for him to go ahead. He sighed softly. "My brothers haven't really given me a chance to speak, I just wanted to let you know that I will not hold you back. You deserve to be happy, Anaya and your happiness is all that I want."Once again, they just had to remind me that I owed them my happiness. First Darius and now him, next thing, Duke would be telling me the same thing! But I didn't get angry, I could see the sincerity in his eyes. So I smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your understanding." A gentle smile tugged at his lips, making the sadness in his eyes more visible.
THIRD POVDean stood still, his hands stuck mid air and his eyes hanging open. The woman before him realized that he wasn't kissing her back and embarrassedly pulled away. "I am so sorry, I-- I thought..." Her words trailed off as she saw the look in his eyes. There was something about the way he stared at her, his eyes burnt with passion, aggressive passion. His mind imagined a whole scenario from what had just happened and he found himself holding her waist, pressing her to himself. He leaned in and stole a kiss, soft and passionate. He wanted to go further, touch her some more and lay her on the bed but he could do neither. So he pulled away, knowing well that another moment could lead to another thing. "Is everything okay?" She voiced, soft and concerned, noticing the conflicted look in his eyes. "Yeah, yeah I'm okay. I just... I don't think I will be able to stop if I kiss you for another second more." He admitted with a hint of shyness or embarrassment in his eyes. Not even
ANAYA'S POVThe beta's house looked so big now that there was no party or guests perambulating about. I couldn't help my eyes from scrolling around the place, it was equally as large as the alpha's house, if not larger. I guessed both men enjoyed living like kings in huge mansions fit to be a palace. I couldn't help but to admit the truth, beta Ray's house was certainly bigger. "Please sit," Miguel's voice rang from behind me and I turned around. "I'll check on our dinner, have a seat." With a nod, I sat myself down. I had walked in without my luggage since I wasn't spending the night at his place or rather, moving in. Taking one last look around the neatly decorated living room with expensive looking designs, I couldn't help but to become greedy, yearning to live within the walls of such a place. It wasn't the design alone that drew my eyes, after all, the past few weeks I had lived with the alpha was in his large house too, but the privacy I was sure to get. 'Stop thinking abou
ANAYA'S POVThe days dragged on without caring about how unbearable it was. Four days now had gone by now with me trapped within the walls of my own bedroom– if I could call it that– and left with no choice but to witness the rise and all of the sun from the frame of my window. Beta Miguel had cared for me without complaint, carrying me when need be. I wasn't comfortable with it but I couldn't stop it either. For example, bathroom breaks. He carried me to the bathroom and even insisted on helping me take off my clothes but I refused that offer. Maybe if it were Duke then it would have been different. Speaking of Duke, he had not visited me in the past four days, it was almost like he was avoiding me. I even heard from Luna Freya when she came to give me a general check up yesterday that he was around but just didn't come into my room to greet me! I wondered why he was refusing to see me. Our parting four days ago still plagued my thoughts and I kept wondering what he meant by “goo
I didn't know how to respond, how to tell him no, how to tell him that I didn't want to move in with them because I felt too much like a burden. So I didn't respond. Instead, I opened the lid and took a small sip. In contrast to its aromatic scent, its taste was bitter and strong like a very active gin except very bitter. I tried so hard not to scrunch my face but the taste had taken me by surprise and it couldn't be helped. The door pushed open and Luna Freya immediately snatched the container from me and tucked it into her pocket. Beta Miguel walked in with a tray of soup in his hand. “Sorry that I took too long, the alpha was having a conversation with me.” He walked over to the table and dropped it. “Does anyone smell flowers?” He questioned almost immediately. Luna Freya wore one of her best and most innocent smiles. “Oh it's alright. It was nice getting to talk to her and I checked her too just to know how she is doing.” She completely avoided the question about flowers. T
ANAYA'S POVThey all stared wordlessly at me and Luna Freya's brow arched thoughtfully. “What?” The words left her mouth in no hurry at all. “He was on… how did you…?” She couldn't bring herself to ask a full question. “I just knew it.” I confessed. “His scent, his behavior, everything about him that moment was so wrong and I could get the strong scent off of him. It wasn't faded, which meant he took it recently before coming for me.”“How do you know this wolf in question is a ‘he’?” Duke arched his brow at me. I turned to look at him but couldn't bring myself to meet his gaze. I allowed my gaze lower back to Luna Freya. “Beta Miguel told me. He got a better look at the werewolf before it attacked me.” His brow twitched thoughtfully. “I guess we will have to question him then.”“You don't have to,” Luna Freya said before I had a chance to say anything. I was thankful I was not the one that had taken beta Miguel's side this time around. She added, “he already said he would tell eve
ANAYA'S POVHe stared at us and all I could do was close my eyes to avoid his gaze. To let go of Miguel meant to let go of the peace I was feeling, the safety, the release from my nightmares. I only clung on tighter to him.***I fiddled with my duvet nervously and subconsciously under the stern gaze of Duke. His brothers were seated on each side of the bed, staring at me with worry. Luna Freya walked back in and handed me a cup of steaming tea. "Drink up." She ordered. "Finish it." She smiled softly. I nodded my head with a grateful smile and raised the cup to my lips. It had a strong scent of ginger and garlic and some other herbs that I could recognize. I wiped my lips and handed the cup back to her. It burnt down my throat and suddenly warmed me up from the inside."How are you feeling?" Alpha Donald's voice was low and there was a hint of worry in them. I smiled gratefully. "I am feeling fine, thank you." "Did you have trouble sleeping?" Luna Freya's brow arched swiftly. I
THIRD POVThe house was packed so early that morning, Miguel had yet to find a chance to grab breakfast as the alpha and his family returned into the walls of his home. He wasn't complaining though, he just wished they would not decide to wake Anaya up if she didn't wake up soon. It was only seven in the morning and he had only laid her back to sleep four hours ago. No one argued with his point and they all patiently waited for her to wake on her own. "Since we will all be waiting," Miguel said after thirty full minutes of waiting. "I would like to have breakfast and I wish you all could join me. The cooling ladies realized it's a full house and decided to make enough for everyone."Luna Freya smiled decently. "Oh you don't have to worry about us dear, is there something Anaya can eat when she wakes?" She curiously asked. "Luna Freya," Miguel's voice was soft and filled with respect. "I cooked for her with my own very two hands last night and it is exactly the nurse's prescription.
ANAYA'S POVHe blinked, obviously taken aback by my request. But then a smile carved on his lips and he raised his hand, only to pat down on my head like I was some pet. "Our first date was the training ground," he voiced out. "This is our second date." He simply added as he retracted his hand from my head and placed them on the bed instead. I couldn't stop my eyes from widening. I batted my lashes, "what?" Our first date was the training ground and this was our second date? Was I sure I had heard him right? "This is our second date? How? I don't... I don't understand what you mean." I confusedly said to him. His smile never left his face as he spoke. "I'm not a greedy person, I don't hold on to what is not mine and I certainly don't ask for what can't be given to me." I only felt more confused. What did that have to do with our dates? But before I could ask him any more questions, he rose to his feet and leaned towards me. I wanted to move away but I was surprised by the fact
THIRD POVDuke couldn't stop himself from getting stuck in a spiral of his own thoughts. He didn't want to be here, away from Anaya, he wanted to keep her safe from that flirt of a personality. He couldn't help but to think back on when he and his brothers first arrived there. The look on Miguel's face was plain horror and fear. Why would the beta be so worried about a woman he had only met once? What should have been on the beta's face should have been pure sympathy, feeling bad to see a stranger get hurt. And he should have never been the one to stay by her side being the beta and the most skilled. He should have led the search for the imposter. There were so many questions he wanted to ask that flirtatious werewolf but instead, he was stuck in the passenger's seat of his mother's car. He had offered to drive, that at least would have helped get things off of his mind. But the woman stubbornly turned down the offer, only she knew where she was going to and she was not ready to s
ANAYA'S POVHe stared confusedly at me, eyes gleaming with worry at the same time. I felt a pain in my heart. Why did I have to be so much of a burden to the people who wanted to care about me and look out for me? 'It is not your fault' the voice in my head suddenly spoke out. She was back again. 'You didn't plan this attack, no one on that training ground knew it was coming. Don't blame yourself for the falling of an avalanche when you were not even in that country'"Did that wolf communicate with you?" Miguel's voice reminded me of where I was and who I was with. I turned to look at him and shook my head. He sighed softly, if not wearily. "I felt it, everything about him. His gender, his mocking grin, his evil intentions, it made my skin crawl and it still does." I arched a brow at him. "Mocking grin?" He nodded with another sigh. "He was laughing... At me. Because he knew I would never get to you in time. He was like a psycho on drugs or something, his energy was way off. There
ANAYA'S POVShe crouched down beside me and took my hands in hers. "Oh dear..." Tears filled up her eyes. Alpha Donald was standing behind her now. Even he looked surprised. "Honey," he called out to her. "We need you to be a salutary right now and not a motherly image."She wiped her tears, staining her beautiful face with blood, and nodded her head. Moments later, thanks to her intervention, it was safe for them to move me to the van. Duke didn't join his brothers in the search, rather he remained with us. "We shouldn't treat her in a hospital," Alpha Donald suddenly said. His wife stared questioningly at him and he explained further. "She was attacked, whoever did it obviously didn't get a chance to finish her off. What's the assurance that he won't come back?" "We need a place to take her to if we won't be at a hospital." The brown eyed salutary impatiently stated. "We'll go to my place." Alpha Donald responded. "With all due respect, alpha Donald," beta Miguel interfered. I