Bella's POV The whole room fell into silence once more and Alpha Callum cleared his throat. "If you aren't as dumb as me, you should know the person who switched you at birth would try to cover his tracks!" With that he stormed out of the hall, leaving all eyes on Beta Desmond."Why are you staring at me? Yes, the lady died because she couldn't keep her mouth shut. If you all love yourself, you'll keep that secret within the family unless all of us are going down!"With anger in his eyes, he stormed out of the room with Selena and his wife by his side and the tension remained thick in the air. Alpha Max, Luna Irene, and I were left standing there, still in shock from the revelations that just unfolded. My emotions were a mix of anger, confusion, and hurt. I couldn't believe that my own father admitted it all and didn't even feel bad for one second.I couldn't hold back the tears any longer, and they streamed down my cheeks as I sank to the floor, my knees giving way. I sobbed uncontr
Alpha Max's POVMy mind raced as I sat in the sleek black car, waiting for Bella to join me. Her absence was concerning, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss. The minutes ticked by, and anxiety gnawed at me like a relentless beast.Unable to contain my worry any longer, I decided to step out of the car and go back into the palace to find Bella. I promised to protect her, and I wasn't about to let anything happen to her now.As I entered the palace, a chilling silence greeted me. The tension that had permeated the hall earlier had intensified, giving the entire place an eerie aura. I moved swiftly through the corridors, calling Bella's name, but there was no response. I went to her room but there was no one there either.I made my way back to the halls, my voice echoing through the empty space, "Bella! Where are you?"No one was in sight, and the hall felt desolate, devoid of life. Panic began to claw at my chest, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was
Bella's POVThe drive continued in silence, only my cries being heard. "Where are we heading, Alpha Max?" I asked but got no response."Alpha Max?" I called again, then leaned forward, and then I saw the driver. It wasn't Alpha Max! Immediately I tried to take my phone and call for help but he caught me."What are you thinking of doing?" He demanded, in his ice-cold tone.I stared in shock at the unfamiliar man behind the wheel, my heart pounding in my chest. "Who are you?" I managed to stammer, my voice trembling with fear.The man's face was hidden in the shadows, but his piercing, cold eyes were fixated on me in the rearview mirror. He didn't answer my question; instead, he reached into his coat and pulled out a gleaming silver pistol, pointing it directly at me."Your questions don't matter, Isabella," he said, his voice devoid of any warmth. "What matters is that you're coming with me, and you're going to do exactly as I say. If you make a wrong move or scream, it won't end well
Bella's POV"Antiseptic," I mumbled as I took a deep breath when I woke up. When I first opened my eyes, it was still foggy but with a few blinks, I found myself in a place that was starkly different from the dark, damp room of my tormentor. This time, it was the sterile, white surroundings of a hospital room that greeted my groggy senses. My head throbbed with pain, and my body felt sore and battered.I struggled to sit up, blinking against the harsh fluorescent lights overhead. As my vision cleared, I realized that I wasn't alone. Luna Irene was sitting in a chair by my bedside, her eyes red and puffy from crying. When she saw me stir, her tearful expression shifted to one of relief."Bella!" she exclaimed, her voice quivering with emotion. "Finally! My child! You're awake."My throat was dry, and it took a moment for my voice to cooperate. "Luna Irene, what happened? Where am I? The baby?"Tears welled up in her eyes again as she reached out to hold my hand. "The baby is fine. Whe
Bella's POVI thought maybe Louis was just in a bad mood that day but in the days that followed Louis's sudden change in demeanor, I realized that I was in a perilous situation. Several times, I was pushed to the floor and verbally attacked, and it was clear that I couldn't trust or live with Louis either. My priority shifted from recovery to survival.I knew that I needed to regain my strength and find a way to leave this place, but it wouldn't be easy. I was confined to my room, and I had no idea who I could turn to for help. During the moments when I was left alone in my room, I began to secretly practice walking. My gunshot wound still caused me pain, but I couldn't afford to remain helpless. For the sake of my child, I needed to be mobile if I had any hope of escaping this predicament and seeking revenge on those who had hurt me and Alpha Max.I started with small, tentative steps, using the walls and furniture for support. Each day, I pushed myself a little harder, enduring the
Bella's POVI glanced at Essie with wide eyes, surprised that she knew about my secret training. "How... how did you know about that?" I asked, my voice filled with a mixture of fear and curiosity.Essie smiled gently as she helped me into her car. "In case you didn't know, we're neighbors, Bella. I live beside your house. I've seen you out there, training every day. I can tell you're determined and strong-willed. So don't worry, your secret is safe with me."As we drove towards the hospital, I felt a glimmer of hope. Essie seemed kind and trustworthy, a rare find in this hostile environment. "Thank you, Essie," I said, tears of gratitude welling up in my eyes. "You have no idea how much your help means to me.""It's fine, Bella. I understand how suffocating it must be to be in this prison disguised as a pack. In all my days of staying here, you're the only person that seems sensible…""Prison disguised as a pack? What are you talking about?" I asked."You don't know?" She asked and I
Bella's POV"Look Bella, I don't mind telling you the full truth but we can't talk here. Let's go to my place instead. It's just beside yours. Are you in?"Not like I trusted her fully but I would rather spend time with her than Louis.I nodded, my curiosity piqued by Essie's cryptic words. If there was more to the Moonshadow Pack and its hidden secrets, I needed to know. From what she did today, Essie already proved herself to be a trustworthy friend, and I felt that I could confide in her, not fully though.As we finished our meal, Essie signaled the waiter to pack our remaining food as takeout. With the bag of food in hand, we exited the restaurant and got back into Essie's car. The drive to her home was filled with anticipation and a growing sense of unease. What was it about this pack that Essie wanted to share with me?When we arrived at Essie's house, it was a cozy suburban home with a well-kept garden. Seeing as Louis wasn't outside, Essie led me inside, and we settled in her
Bella's POVWith curiosity piqued and a sense of uncertainty, I followed Essie out of the hospital once again. The information she had gathered about Luna Irene and Alpha Max was like a beacon of hope in the midst of uncertainty.As we drove to Essie's house, my mind raced with questions and possibilities. What had Essie discovered? Could this information shed light on the mysteries surrounding Nitgen's Prison and the true intentions of my mother lying to me that this is the Moonshadow Pack?When we arrived at Essie's cozy suburban home, she led me inside to her living room, where we settled in comfortable chairs. The atmosphere was charged with intrigue as Essie took a deep breath, her expression serious."Bella," Essie began, "I've looked into Luna Irene and Alpha Max, and what I found is concerning."My heart raced as I waited for her to reveal her findings. "Tell me, Essie. What did you discover?"She leaned forward, her voice lowered as if someone might be listening. "First, let'
~Isabella~ A few months later… “Max stop. We're going to be late for our own ceremony!” I begged, feeling a fire being ignited inside of me. “They should understand that their Alpha and Luna need some intimate time,” he responded, still planting kisses on every part of me that was bare. “Isn't that what the honeymoon is for? And again, we have a lot of time to have sex, why are you rushing?” I chuckled, closing my eyes as I felt him suck at a particular spot, a hickey already in the making. “Yes, according to her, we do have a lot of time to spend together now that we are forever bonded. But trust me, what you'd witness at our honeymoon or in the future is little compared to this,” he chuckled, and stopped, now standing behind me, making me feel how hard he is for me. “It's been so hard to control myself from having you, Isa. So get ready, tonight, you're mine to devour, your legs are to tremble and ache for me. Your lips are to pleasure me and your vocal cords, to sing my name o
Alpha Max’s POVI didn't know how long I was out but I found myself pushed to the bare ground by the water current. I opened my eyes, scanning my surroundings to know if I was in the afterlife or the mortal realm, and to my surprise, I was in the mortal realm.Did she not take my life to save Bella's?“Moon goddess?” I called out over and over again but no response was heard and it broke my heart to see that she deceived me. “At least she gave me a few moments to spend with my mate,” I sighed, grabbing myself up, changing into my wolf then dashing to the woods till I arrived at the hospital in my soaked attire.Arriving at Bella's room, I sat beside her, grabbing her hands and caressing them slowly. “I'd give my life for you, Bella. I just don't know why she wouldn't take it,” I sobbed, crying on my mate's hand. “Please don't leave me. I really can't do this without you,” I begged, silently praying to the Moon Goddess to also perform a miracle but I waited for five minutes, ten minu
Alpha Max's POV“You lied, didn't you?!” I growled, squeezing his jaw with so much intensity I could feel him straining to break free to avoid having a broken jaw. “She's getting worse!” I spat, tossing his head back, not caring if it hit the tree or not.“Alpha I swear! I didn't think she'd be injected with the real poison! I wouldn't dare hurt the Luna, please, believe me!” Jake begged but all for what? All his begs would not bring my Bella back, would it?“Don't bother begging me. Consider your title withdrawn and from now on, you and your whole generation are…” I was cut off by my wolf's painful tone which almost made me bend over and clench my heart in agony.“She's slipping away, Max,” he whispered. “We can't lose her. Not again,” he begged and despite my calm demeanor, sweats were forming on my forehead. I immediately knew science was useless at this point, and I had to find another way to save my mate.“I'll deal with you later,” I hissed at Jake and ordered some of my men to
Alpha Max's POV “Bella don't,” I quickly warned, my gaze fixed on Jake and Cayden. No matter how I tried to reach him through the mind link, I couldn't. It was like there was a barrier or something. Instead, I requested backup from my men and they reassured me that they would come here soon. “I'll inject myself instead,” I proposed but Luna Irene just shook her head and then chuckled lightly. “It's Bella I want… not you,” she said and motioned to the syringe on the floor. “The pain you’d feel from losing your beloved mate is enough for me,” she added then faced Bella. “Pick it up, Bella,” she said and Bella nodded, bending down and then picking it up. “Luna Irene please,” I started begging. “Don't do this.” I pleaded but it all fell on deaf ears. “If you're trying to stall, know that the timer is ticking,” she chuckled, and it only intensified the pain Bella and I felt since we were already connected. Even Alpha Callum, in his weakened, stroke-like state, could only beg and sh
Bella's POV As he left the room, I exchanged a worried glance with Max, who seemed to share my concerns about what lay ahead. "I'll handle Louis," Max assured, and I helped him to the bed. Together, we made calls to Peron and his men. We told Peron to be watchful as Louis might vent his anger on anyone or anything and he wasn't exempted. After that, we told the men to watch Louis and hold him if he tried anything stupid. Once we were done, I heard Max wince and although it was faint, my heart still broke knowing he was in pain because of me. Like that wasn't enough, I noticed his shirt was stained with blood and that only meant one thing, his wounds reopened once again because of me. “Max,” I began to sob, seeing him trying to fight the pain. “Let me call the doctor,” I sobbed, about to leave but Dessa stopped me. “There's little the doctor can do, Bella. They need us. His wolf needs us,” she pleaded and I just remained there like a statue. Although I knew it might happen soon,
Bella's POV Seeing as he was still alive, I called some men. "Take Alpha Callum to the hospital. He needs medical attention." “Yes Luna,” they chanted, taking both my parents away. "You did what you had to do, Bella,” Max coaxed, patting my back and I just wrapped my hands around him.. “I'm sorry,” I cried, apologizing because he almost died, and lost his father because of me. “I'm sorry.” Max, his strength unwavering despite the pain, gently lifted my chin, forcing me to meet his gaze. "You don't have to apologize, Bella. You saved us. I'm grateful that it's finally over and we know the real truth." The mixture of gratitude and concern in Max's eyes offered a reassuring anchor amid the storm of emotions I was facing in me. "Get yourself together. Think about our son, Cayden. He needs his mom," Max urged. Nodding through tears, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the challenges ahead. Cayden's innocent face flashed in my mind, a reminder that the fight was not just for me
Bella's POV Max, blood staining his side from the earlier gunshot, stood defiant. "I won't let you harm her, Irene." "Shut up!" She fired at him when we weren't looking. "I'll kill her and there's nothing you,.or anyone would do about it. This foolish girl ruined my life." "Irene stop," I heard Alpha Callum grunt but she wasn't having it. Finally, she spoke, her voice a haunting whisper. "You want to know why, don't you?" Luna Irene's gaze shifted to all those present, her words a chilling revelation. "The truth behind the years of deception and hatred." Max, though injured, stood firm, urging her to reveal the hidden layers of her torment. Luna Irene took a deep breath, as if preparing to expose the deepest recesses of her soul. "It started long before Isabella was born," she began, her eyes reflecting the pain of a buried past. "I was to be mated to another Alpha, the man I loved, the man who stole my heart. But then, circumstances changed." Luna Irene's narrative unfolded lik
Bella's POV “Bella run,” he choked, with blood all over but I was too shocked to move an inch. Did my mom just try to kill me? All of a sudden, Max and his men rushed in, some went to my dad, and some went to my mom, who was still trying to reach her gun. “What's going on?” My voice broke as I tried to comprehend what was happening. “That was a mistake right? She tried to shoot him instead, right?” I asked, wanting to rush to my mother but Max stopped me, holding me tight, and I immediately burst into tears. “It's a lie! She wouldn't have! She loves me! My mother wouldn't do that!” I yelled crying and hitting Max's chest to let me go and help my mother. “You can't die now, Irene,” I heard my father's voice and I turned around to see him, removing the bullet in her. “She has to know the truth! Bella has to.” He coughed. The world blurred as Max held me firmly, restraining my desperate attempt to reach my mother. Tears streamed down my face, blurring the image of Luna Irene lying
Bella's POV The hospital room was a sterile cocoon, isolating us from the outside world. Luna Irene, weakened but resilient, squeezed my hands in acknowledgment of the pact we had just made. As the doctor approached, gently urging us to give her some time to rest, Max and I exchanged a knowing glance. "We'll be outside," Max said, standing up and gesturing for me to follow him. Once in the hallway, away from prying ears, Max spoke first. "Bella, I think your mother is right. Callum won't stop until he gets what he wants. We need to plan carefully." My mind raced with conflicting thoughts, torn between the values I held and the harsh reality that demanded action. "I can't believe it has come to this," I murmured, more to myself than to Max. He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "Sometimes, circumstances force us to make choices we never thought we'd face. It doesn't define who we are; it's about survival." I nodded, absorbing his words. "We need to act fast, Max. Every momen