Serena’s POV The sight of Darius in the doorway sent a flood of emotions through me and my breath caught in my throat. Relief and shock flooded my system, the adrenaline that had been keeping me upright suddenly abandoning me. My knees buckled, and before I could hit the ground, Marcella appeared beside me, her arms steadying me.“It’s okay,” she whispered, her hands helping hold me upright. “You’re safe now.”“You lying piece of—” Darius spewed a flurry of insults but he didn’t make a move. His expression was one of unrestrained fury, his gaze locked on Alex like a predator about to strike. The tension in the room was suffocating.“Darius, please,” I managed to choke out, my voice trembling. “Don’t let this get out of hand.” The look in his eyes frightened me, I'd never seen that kind of look in his eyes. Darius didn’t even glance in my direction. His jaw was clenched tight, and his fists were curled at his sides, trembling with barely restrained rage.Before I could blink Dari
Susan stood behind the door as she strained her ears to eavesdrop on a conversation with someone on the phone. She couldn't hear the voice on the other end, but the tone of Stephanie’s words made her feel very uneasy. Something was off. “…it’s handled, don’t worry about that,” Stephanie said quietly, pacing the room. She was dressed in a beautiful blue dress. “If you keep your side of the bargain, keep mine,” her words made Susan scrunch her face, suspicion filling her. “I’ll keep you updated,” Stephanie said. “Stick to the plan,” she ended the call. Plan? What plan? Susan’s brows furrowed and she pushed closer, trying to overhear more bits of the conversation but the conversation had ended already. Susan hesitated at the door, her face having all kinds of emotions. She took a deep breath before she pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Who's—” Stephanie exclaimed as she spun around, her words cutting off when she saw Susan and her expression hardened instantly.“Who were
Serena’s POVThe sound of the car was the only sound that filled my ears as we drove in the dark. My heart was beating erratically, a by-product of the tense thoughts floating In my mind. Darius was at the wheel, and his hands were gripping the steering very tightly as he drove, his expression was like stone. He hadn't said a word since we'd left, his eyes occasionally meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror. Marcella sat quietly beside me in the back seat, her presence reassured me. This wasn’t fake. This wasn’t a lie, I'd been rescued. I winced slightly as I adjusted my position, my body screaming with pain. I couldn’t get the image of Alex out of my head. ‘Was he fine, had Darius injured him? What had happened?’ I sat there struggling with the thought as it plagued me. I needed to know if he was okay if he’d made it out alive, but I didn’t know how to ask. My throat felt tight, I didn't wish to test Darius’s reaction by asking, so I couldn’t bring myself to speak.“He’ll be fi
Serena’s POV The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Darius stood near the door, his arms crossed and I could feel his eyes on me, boring into me. “Th—thank you,” I stammered, my voice coming out in a whisper and I forced myself to look up at him. My chest tightened as his eyes flicked to mine, holding them for a moment too long before glancing away.He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he shifted on his feet, looking oddly uncomfortable—almost hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure how to respond.“Are you…okay?” he asked finally, his voice gruff but softer than I expected.“I’m fine,” I said quickly, the words feeling hollow in my mouth. Darius nodded, though the tension in his posture didn’t ease. The silence stretched again, awkward and heavy, until I couldn’t take it anymore.“I mean it, Darius,” I stuttered, my voice a little firmer now. “Thank you for saving me. If it weren’t for you…”I trailed off, not finishing the statement. Alex had wanted to take me somewhere. So
Serena’s POV The evening was cool and calm. I arched my head to the side, enjoying the soft chirps of the birds from outside. My brows were furrowed as I focused intently on the portrait I was sketching, the charming features of a man slowly coming into shape. Derek. My heart swelled with love as I stared at my nearly finished portrait. It had taken me almost a week to get it done, and I wanted to present it to him as a gift to mark our second anniversary. My eyes clouded over as I recalled his words from yesterday. “Will you be my mate, Serena?” he'd asked, his warm eyes staring into mine, seeing my soul. I hadn’t hesitated, not even a bit. A smile tugged at my lips. Of course, I said yes. Derek and I had courted for two years now, and even then, it hadn't been easy. I was born into a strong family, and my father was the Alpha. Contrary to what people thought, I was unloved and mistreated at home. Father had remarried, and my new stepmom, Susan, made it clear that she didn’t like
Serena’s POV Derek! My world crumbled before me as I stared at him in the embrace of another, they slowly moved along to the music and the woman's features became clearer. “What?” A wave of disbelief washed over me and my throat tightened with hot tears that threatened to spill over. I knew her! I knew who the woman was. Cynthia, my best friend and training partner. But didn’t she say she was sick? My eyes were wide as I stared at them. Derek was cheating on me with my friend! I suddenly felt very dizzy. My shirek had attracted stares my way and Derek suddenly looked up and his eyes met mine. “Serena,” his face changed and he froze. A stab of pain shot through me as I met Cynthia's surprised face, she didn't look guilty. She stared at me as a look of pity filled her features. Derek let go of her as he took a few steps forward, “Serena, I can ex…” “I trusted you,” my voice trembled as I stared at him, ignoring the gazes that focused on us as the hall settled into a stunned s
Serena’s POV My heart thudded in my chest as I stared at Derek, my hands that cupped my cheek came away bloodstained. My eyes were still wide in disbelief. Derek slapped me? I stared at him, shock washing over me. My eyes swept over him, his strong slender hands that once cupped my cheeks now the weapon he used to inflict pain. But only the pain hadn’t come from his hands, his words were much worse. My eyes blurred with tears as his words echoed in my head at that moment. I was useless, good for nothing… and naive. “Take that back, Derek,” I sobbed and I wiped my tears away with the back of my hand. “Or what?” Derek scoffed, and he took a step forward. His threatening gaze pierced through me, “There's nothing you can do,” a cold smile tugged at his lips. “You…” Hot tears of pain and humiliation streamed down my face. This was all my fault! I had been such a fool to believe that anyone.. or worse, someone as handsome and talented as Derek could ever love someone like me. He'd
Serena’s POV What was going on? I felt the blood drain from my face as I tried to wrap my head around everything. Father was no longer the Alpha? How could it be? I couldn’t wrap my bead around it. My first reaction was to call Cynthia to ask what was going on, but then an image of her face flashed through my mind, wrapped in Derek’s embrace. A lump formed in my throat and I dropped the phone. I had to get to the hospital quickly, I wasn't going to find out anything here I thought, putting the car in drive. Different thoughts swirled in my mind as I drove, each worse than the other. Pack politics was brutal, if Susan was right I had no idea What could've happened but it wasn't good. Father had been the Alpha since I was a little girl, what could've happened? I swallowed hard. I turned on the radio, the silence got too much and almost immediately a female voice came over the speakers, her words made my heart sink. Oh no! “… the feelings of the public towards the recent upheav
Serena’s POV The room was so silent you could hear a pin drop. Darius stood near the door, his arms crossed and I could feel his eyes on me, boring into me. “Th—thank you,” I stammered, my voice coming out in a whisper and I forced myself to look up at him. My chest tightened as his eyes flicked to mine, holding them for a moment too long before glancing away.He didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he shifted on his feet, looking oddly uncomfortable—almost hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure how to respond.“Are you…okay?” he asked finally, his voice gruff but softer than I expected.“I’m fine,” I said quickly, the words feeling hollow in my mouth. Darius nodded, though the tension in his posture didn’t ease. The silence stretched again, awkward and heavy, until I couldn’t take it anymore.“I mean it, Darius,” I stuttered, my voice a little firmer now. “Thank you for saving me. If it weren’t for you…”I trailed off, not finishing the statement. Alex had wanted to take me somewhere. So
Serena’s POVThe sound of the car was the only sound that filled my ears as we drove in the dark. My heart was beating erratically, a by-product of the tense thoughts floating In my mind. Darius was at the wheel, and his hands were gripping the steering very tightly as he drove, his expression was like stone. He hadn't said a word since we'd left, his eyes occasionally meeting my gaze in the rearview mirror. Marcella sat quietly beside me in the back seat, her presence reassured me. This wasn’t fake. This wasn’t a lie, I'd been rescued. I winced slightly as I adjusted my position, my body screaming with pain. I couldn’t get the image of Alex out of my head. ‘Was he fine, had Darius injured him? What had happened?’ I sat there struggling with the thought as it plagued me. I needed to know if he was okay if he’d made it out alive, but I didn’t know how to ask. My throat felt tight, I didn't wish to test Darius’s reaction by asking, so I couldn’t bring myself to speak.“He’ll be fi
Susan stood behind the door as she strained her ears to eavesdrop on a conversation with someone on the phone. She couldn't hear the voice on the other end, but the tone of Stephanie’s words made her feel very uneasy. Something was off. “…it’s handled, don’t worry about that,” Stephanie said quietly, pacing the room. She was dressed in a beautiful blue dress. “If you keep your side of the bargain, keep mine,” her words made Susan scrunch her face, suspicion filling her. “I’ll keep you updated,” Stephanie said. “Stick to the plan,” she ended the call. Plan? What plan? Susan’s brows furrowed and she pushed closer, trying to overhear more bits of the conversation but the conversation had ended already. Susan hesitated at the door, her face having all kinds of emotions. She took a deep breath before she pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Who's—” Stephanie exclaimed as she spun around, her words cutting off when she saw Susan and her expression hardened instantly.“Who were
Serena’s POV The sight of Darius in the doorway sent a flood of emotions through me and my breath caught in my throat. Relief and shock flooded my system, the adrenaline that had been keeping me upright suddenly abandoning me. My knees buckled, and before I could hit the ground, Marcella appeared beside me, her arms steadying me.“It’s okay,” she whispered, her hands helping hold me upright. “You’re safe now.”“You lying piece of—” Darius spewed a flurry of insults but he didn’t make a move. His expression was one of unrestrained fury, his gaze locked on Alex like a predator about to strike. The tension in the room was suffocating.“Darius, please,” I managed to choke out, my voice trembling. “Don’t let this get out of hand.” The look in his eyes frightened me, I'd never seen that kind of look in his eyes. Darius didn’t even glance in my direction. His jaw was clenched tight, and his fists were curled at his sides, trembling with barely restrained rage.Before I could blink Dari
Darius’s POV My heart was racing as the car roared down the empty road, its headlights cutting through the darkness and Jake pushed the accelerator to its limit. My belly was a mess of emotions as I tried to remain calm. Was Alex nuts? What was he doing? My eyes blazed with fury as I glared out at the dark never-ending road. After all the twists and turns, it turned out he was the one behind Serena’s disappearance. Marcella sat in the backseat, her face pale but resolute. We’d picked her up a few miles back, where she had stopped to avoid Alex noticing her tailing him. Her words still echoed in my mind.“He’s heading to the private strip,” she’d said, her voice shaking but determined. “I couldn’t follow too close, but I’m almost certain Serena is with him or already there.”I couldn’t agree more, there was no other reason Alex could have for suddenly taking off so suddenly. His actions reminded me of his sudden departure months ago after the attempt on my life. The scenarios lo
DariusAlex was here? My eyes narrowed as I stared at Alex, questions and doubts filling my mind. He looked nonchalant and calm as he strutted in. His unbothered expression only served to fan the flames of anger that I'd been trying to keep under wraps. “Alex,” my eyes flashed with cold lights. “It took you long enough,” I glanced at the time on my silver watch. He was the last to arrive here I thought, staring at him. “I was busy,” Alex countered, a smirk playing at the corners of his lips. “Surely you didn't expect me to just drop whatever I was doing.” “You…” his words infuriated me and I took a warning step closer. “Well, Alpha,” he drawled, not threatened in the least, his tone was almost mocking. “What’s all this commotion about?”I didn't answer him, I stepped forward until there was only a foot of space between us. “I want answers Alex, and they'd better be the truth,” my voice was low and controlled, though barely. “Where have you been?”Alex’s lips curled and he chuckl
Darius’s POVThe hallway was silent as I walked quickly, my footsteps were the only sound to be heard. I'd sent someone ahead to inform Mother I was coming. I inclined my head slightly to the guards outside before I stepped in. “Mother,” I walked in, immediately sensing the heaviness in the air. Mother sat regally in her high-backed chair. Her silver hair gleamed under the soft glow of the chandelier, but her gaze was sharp, unyielding.“Elder…” I was taken aback by the sight of one of the elders. Elder Mortis. I’d sent word to Mother, so I hadn't expected she'd be with anyone. “Alpha Darius,” Elder Mortis turned to me, his expression as severe as ever. His piercing eyes scrutinized me as I approached, his disapproval practically radiating off him.Probably still fuming at me for overturning their decision on Malcolm, I thought and I internally sneered. “Mother,” I began, bowing my head as a sign of respect. “I need to speak with you.” My eyes lingered on Elder Mortis for a split
Serena’s POVI was standing by the window, my breath plumed out of my mouth like small white clouds that clouded the chilly window glass. I wiped it off. Where was I? I wondered, stretching my neck to stare outside. There wasn't much to see, trees stretched as far as I could see. It was a dull sight but I didn't give in. I stared closely, carefully checking if I could pick up on any detail—anything that might give me a clue about where I was—but it was no use. Everything looked foreign, desolate, and unrecognizable.‘It was no use,’ I sniffed, a thin thread of panic unfurling at the pit of my belly. The door was locked, the window bars were unyielding and there was nothing in the room that I could use in any way to help me escape. This won't work… that won't work. My lips tightened into a grim line as my thoughts swirled in frantic circles, and every plan I devised crumbled under the weight of reality. I was trapped.The sound of the lock turning jolted me out of my thoughts. The
Darius’s POV I felt a wave of tension crash into me as time ticked on and on. I stood on the balcony, my eyes narrowed dangerously as I stood. Waiting in silence. I'd given orders to Jake and Marcell to get every single person out looking for Serena. But despite the commotion, a sinking feeling settled in my chest as the minutes stretched into hours.It was painfully clear: Serena was nowhere to be found.“Have you found her?” I snapped, hearing the sounds of footsteps behind me. “No,” the voice replied. “We—” "Spread out!" I cut in, my voice cut through the cold evening air. "Check every room, every corner! I don't care if you have to sweep every blade of grass. Find her!” “Yes,” they chorused and the pack members dispersed at my command, their footsteps fading into the distance. I stood in the hallway, my fists clenched, heart pounding. Marcella was overseeing the search outside, and Jake had taken a group to the northern woods, while others checked the outer perimeter.She h