Serena’s POV The mansion was silent as I headed down the stairs, the sheer silk I was wearing shimmered over my skin. I'd been pleasantly surprised that the clothes Darius had gotten were my exact size, “How did he do that?” I wondered, still surprised. I'd woken up only an hour ago, exhaustion from the previous day taking its toll. I had no idea where Darius was at the moment, I knew better than to go check on him in his room. Especially after Yesterday. My eyes narrowed at the thought of how Darius had reacted to me being in that room, I couldn't help but wonder who that lady was. Was she his previous lover? What could have happened to make him react so strongly? The kitchen was quiet as I padded in quietly, I paused as surprise flashed through my eyes. Where were the dishes? I wondered, I'd intended on doing them this morning before Darius came down, but I didn't plan on taking a chance on his reaction. I was rummaging through the fridge to get something to eat when a voi
Derek’s POV My heart thudded erratically as I paced the dimly lit room, my gaze flicking over the mess of papers scattered across my desk. Every shred of information, every clue I’d uncovered led me closer to Serena’s father. My eyes reddened as rage whipped into me. He thought he could hide, thought he was safe behind hospital walls, and hired guards. The corner of my mouth curled into a smirk. Not safe enough. I just had to find which one specifically. After days of digging, following leads, and bribing every lowlife connected to the Kensington family, I finally had what I needed. I’d found him. Serena had to know she couldn’t just walk away from me. And if she needed a reminder, her father would be perfect. Maybe then she’d realize just how powerful I was—and how wrong she’d been to choose Darius. A dark satisfaction settled in my chest as I went over my plan. Within minutes, my men were on their way to the hospital, each one moving under the radar, blending in like shadows.
Serena’s POV “Mother?” My eyes widened as I opened the door, “What… what happened?” I gasped, taking in her haggard appearance. She looked… awful, her eyes were red and swollen with dark circles. She looked nothing like her confident, polished self. I couldn't quite believe my eyes as I stared at her. “Serena…” she began, her voice thin and almost unrecognizable. “There's been a terrible incident, her eyes quivered. “Is Darius in?” She asked, stepping inside. “What happened to you? What's going on?” My breath caught in my throat as I ushered her inside. I rushed to bring a glass of water for her, I could feel a thread of dread tighten in my belly. I just hoped it wasn't about father. My mind raced with possibilities, each one worse than the last. I shook my head, trying to press down the surge of panic that threatened to rise within me. “It’s Stephanie,” Susan's voice was hoarse as she spoke, her eyes glimmered with tears. “She's been kidnapped.” “What!” the news hit me li
Serena’s POV The air was tense as I sat across from Agatha, my food lay untouched. I could barely raise my head, not daring to stare at her squarely. She'd listened to me quietly as I explained the situation to her, not saying a word. I couldn’t even begin to guess what was on her mind. “So,” Agatha began, her lips pulling into a mocking smile. “You’ve decided to ignore my very clear instructions, haven’t you, Serena?” I winced a little at her sharp biting tone, “I…” I stammered. “I didn't have a choice,” I whispered, my voice shook slightly. “I… I’m sorry for barging in without a proper arrangement, Luna.” I felt like gagging when I called her Luna, but I pushed through. “I wouldn’t have come if it weren’t… important,” I stared at her, hoping she'd reconsider. “Important?” Agatha’s lips thinned, her expression becoming forbidding. “The only thing you should be concerned with is keeping your end of the bargain,” her expression became more severe. “You seem to have forgotten.
Darius’s POV The silence of the garden was comforting, and it held a steady pulse of stillness that I’d come to seek out in recent days. I sighed as I stared into the distance, I had been avoiding her—Serena. I had just gotten off the phone with Jake, his words echoing in my ears. “Serena’s step-sister has been kidnapped,” Jake had spoken tersely, his voice tight with tension. “Her mother came to give her the news, I assume she will Come to you for help,” Jake's voice lowered. “What will you do about it?” Jake paused before adding, “Derek's sent a letter with his demands, we can't reveal our hand easily Darius,” his voice was grim. “Remember that.” “I need to think” I'd said, ending the call and even now I still didn't know what I was supposed to do. “Damn you Derek!” I hissed under my breath, my eyes narrowing. I exhaled slowly, trying to calm down. I needed to remain calm and rational about this. Derek's plan was well carried out I thought, clenching my fists. He'd let his
Darius’s POV I arrived at the house in good time, Jake wheeled me in. I ignored all the gazes that shot my way, not minding them in the least. I had to give credit to Jake, he'd gotten the wheelchair and neck support. “Darius,” Mother rushed in at that moment, her eyes brightened for a split second before darkening again. “You're awake,” she whispered, cupping my face softly. “Yes mother,” I nodded slowly. “Thanks to Serena,” I kept my tone calm, staring calmly at her. Her eyes held mine for a long moment and she seemed to catch on, her expression hardened. “You're here because of her,” she snapped. It wasn't a question. “Yes,” I answered, keeping my expression calm. “It's to my understanding that we can't afford to allow Derek to get any more leverage against us.” Agatha’s face twisted, a scornful laugh escaping her. “Leverage? That should mean nothing to you, Darius. Derek's not our problem, he's not even our opponent.” Her eyes narrowed, “I've done my part of the deal. I
Serena’s POV I was still grappling with my emotions as I walked outside quickly, already somewhat familiar with the mansion's layout. Everywhere I passed, the guards, maids, and attendants all gave me looks of respect but at this point, I couldn't be bothered. A chill breeze blew into me as I stepped outside, blowing gusts of wind that made my hair stand on end. I sighed as I walked down the stairs, a sense of defeat weighing down on me. I didn't dare imagine Susan's reaction when I told her that Agatha wasn't going to lend a hand, she was our only chance. Well, not only, I thought. I felt a wave of mixed emotions when I thought about Darius. “Leaving so soon?” a familiar voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts. My heart skipped a beat as I turned around, staring into Alex's eyes. He was leaning against the side of the building, his expression almost lazy as he stared at me with an unreadable expression. “I…” my heart thudded as I felt his gaze linger intently on me. I c
Serena’s POV I fiddled with the bedsheets in my hands, my thoughts were on Darius. I'd messed up, big time I thought. Darius had carried a stone-cold look all through the ride. Even now his words replayed in my head like a saved audio clip, his anger coming through. “If you’re so besotted with Alex… why don’t you ask him to help with Stephanie instead of me?” The memory of his cold tone stabbed into me like a thorn I couldn’t pull out. I wasn’t “besotted” with Alex, and it burned to think Darius saw me that way—as if I were some foolish, love-struck girl, oblivious to what mattered. I’d tried to shake off the pain, telling myself I didn’t care about his opinion. But my heart hadn’t listened. I felt like I'd betrayed him. A sudden knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts. My heart sank as Susan appeared, her gaze fixed on me with that all-too-familiar intensity. “So,” she began, folding her arms, “What did the Luna say about Stephanie?” Another wave of guilt crashed int
Serena’s POVMy eyes fluttered open as I stirred, and my hands instinctively reached out. Nothing. My eyes snapped open as I stared around, the bed was empty. Where was he? I wondered, stretching my body and a sweet ache filled me. The images of I and Darius from last night filled my head, making my cheeks flush. I couldn’t believe I was that wild, I'd wanted him that much. My body wasMy body hummed with a sense of connection I couldn’t explain, a deep, primal bond that left me breathless. I ran my fingers over the sheets where Darius had been, the memory of last night making my chest tighten. We’d crossed a line I never thought we would, and it felt… right. As if the universe had shifted into place.But then, doubt crept in.What if this meant nothing to him?The thought clawed at me, gnawing at the edges of my euphoria. What if Darius chose to ignore me after this? What if I was just another fleeting moment for him? My throat tightened. I shook my head, trying to banish the thoug
Alex’s POVThe soft melody echoed through the room as my fingers danced over the keys, the notes felt like a bind that pulled me into my thoughts while still expressing them. I was so deep in my trance that I didn't notice the figure in the dark corner. My thoughts resurfaced like the tide, its melody soothing yet it always came back to her.Serena.I suddenly missed a key, the jarring note cutting through the notes. “Again,” I exhaled slowly, my fingers faltering before I found the rhythm again. Why was it always about her? I didn’t understand it. It didn't make any sense, She was Darius's mate for Christ's sake. His woman. That was enough reason to squash all my nonsensical thoughts about her. Only that it didn't. If anything, it only made it worse.I sighed, drawing in a deep breath. I'd started this to rile up Darius and get on his nerves but along the line, my intentions seemed to have shifted unknowingly. I wasn’t supposed to enjoy her company, enjoy the way her cheeks flushed
Susan’s POVWhere was Dylan? My heart beat erratically as I glanced around the room, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Derek had done the unthinkable, he'd taken Dylan right under the nose of the Crimson Pack, he was going to pay for this I thought, about to start searching for my phone. I'd just begun searching when I paused, my mind filling with thoughts. If I reported this quickly I had no doubts the Crimson Pack would swing into action and find Dylan with all their might. But… my eyes flashed, did I want them to? Different thoughts surged in my mind like the rising tide. If Dylan was killed, I wouldn't fear Stephanie telling him the truth, the thought of Stephanie revealing the truth of my plan. My plans of stealing from him. The door was nudged open suddenly, making me scream. “Who’s that?” I turned around so quickly that I tripped, I retreated with my hands and feet, my eyes staring with dread at the open door. “Who…” my voice hitched as I backed up, putting as much distance as I
Darius’s POV The darkness settled around me, blurring my vision. “Jake, we need to move. Now,” I barked, my voice sharp, resolute. Jake’s jaw tightened, his expression mirroring the storm raging inside me. He held up the stamp, the damning evidence that tied Alex to the attempt on my life. “This was too much,” he muttered, following me. It couldn’t been a coincidence that we'd found the stamp hidden close to the car. The men who knew about the explosives said they'd seen it on the person who'd bought them. I’d trusted Alex, leaned on him, and now this? My fingers curled around the soft glossy edge of the stamp as I stormed out of the room, Jake close behind. Alex sure as hell didn’t know what was coming for him. I hissed under my breath, I couldn’t believe he Could be behind this but the evidence was overwhelming. We were striding down the corridor when Agatha appeared, she looked surprised to see us. “Uhh,” she frowned, her gaze shifting between us. “What's going on?” She
Dylan’s POV Dylan’s vision was blurry as he slowly stirred, regaining consciousness and he winced as a sharp pain stabbed at the back of his head. “Where…” His words came out as a slur, his senses gradually returning. “Where am I?” He breathed out. He was seated in a chair with his hands tied behind him. “Finally awake huh?” Derek’s cold voice echoed in the room. “You…” Dylan’s head snapped up and he stared at Derek with deep sated hatred. Derek’s hands walked slowly across the room, his hands in his pockets. “What do you think you're doing Derek?” Dylan spat, his eyes held a trace of disgust. “This won't end well, I'm assuring You of that.” “I'll regret a lot of things,” Derek's expression didn't change. “But not this,” a mocking expression climbed onto his face. “You're not qualified.” Dylan pulled against his restraints, his muscles straining, but the ropes held firm. “Coward! You couldn’t even face me like a real Alpha. You had to resort to trickery, skulking around li
Serena’s POV The drive back home was heavy with silence of unspoken words, I still felt like everything that'd happened in the past hours was a dream. Cynthia punished, Darius declaring me as his mate and he'd overturned the elder's decision. Every detail from earlier—the confrontation with Cynthia, Darius stepping in for me—replayed in vivid clarity. “What made you do it?” I finally asked, turning to face him. “Do what?” Darius asked, he stared me in the eye. “You know what,” I pressed. “You stood up for me tonight, defended me in front of everyone. Why?” My voice choked with emotion as I stared at him, all my life I'd never had someone stand up for me. Susan and Stephanie had treated me as they pleased and my father had never interfered. Seeing Darius go to such lengths made me feel… I sighed, I couldn’t find the words for it. This time, he glanced my way, his dark eyes unreadable. “Because someone had to.” “That’s not an answer, Darius,” I shot back, my voice firmer no
Susan’s POV The hallway outside was eerily quiet and the sound of my footsteps echoed in the hallway. The two men standing guard let me pass without a word. My breaths were shaky and my palms slick with sweat, I tried hard to resist the urge to wipe them on my gown. I inhaled slowly as I paused just outside the door. He doesn't know. He can't know I thought, Stephanie wouldn't betray me. I wasn’t certain. I pushed the door open slowly and I stepped inside, my heart in my throat. A faint beeping filled the air when I stepped in. Dylan was seated on a couch, his beady eyes scanning through the documents in his hand. When his eyes lifted to meet mine, I couldn't spot any obvious change. “Susan,” he greeted, his tone even but distant, “what brings you here?” His eyes followed me as I walked up to him. “Don't be like that,” I forced a smile, “I came to see how you're feeling. I've been so preoccupied but of course I'll come to see you,” I leaned in to peck him on the cheek. “Indee
Serena’s POV I could barely keep the smile off my face as I walked side by side with Darius and he led us out of the room the drawings were in. I still couldn't believe Darius had gone to such lengths to get my drawings. The thought left me both touched and shaken, “Thank you,” I whispered for what must have been the one-hundredth time. “You didn’t have to,” I whispered, seeing his eyes fixed on me. “I did,” Darius replied, his tone firm. “You poured your heart into these. Letting them be destroyed wasn’t an option, though, of course, I didn't know Cynthia was going to try to destroy them.” At the mention of Cynthia Darius’s expression hardened for a brief instant before the dark clouds were gone and his expression brightened. My heart swelled with emotion as I stared at him, unconsciously pausing in my steps. Darius had become an enigma, I couldn’t seem to see through. Cold and unyielding one moment, kind and thoughtful the next. “Thank you,” I said, my voice barely above a
Serena’s POV My mood was heavy as I headed back to the house, my mind in a daze. The putrid smell of smoke that clung to me stung my nostrils, reminding me of Cynthia’s cold words back at the studio. I'd tried to confront her but she'd come along with company. “You're lucky I can't lay a finger on you yet,” she'd sneered as she left, protected by two mean-looking men. But that wasn't important I thought, as I ran a hand through my hair. My paintings, my soul poured onto each canvas, all gone. I trudged into the compounds, ignoring the strange looks the guards shot at me. When I pushed the door open, the last thing I expected was to find Darius waiting for me in the living room. I nearly gasped, the sight of him taking me by surprise. He turned as soon as he heard me come in and his gaze swept over me. “Serena,” his eyes held mine for a moment. “We need to talk.” Talk? A chuckle escaped my lips and I shook my head. “If this is about earlier, save it. I’ve had enough for one d