Rowan's POVSitting across from Ember at the dining table, I couldn’t help but notice the way she was acting.Her eyes kept flicking down to her phone, her fingers tapping the screen as if she was waiting for something—or someone.The slight tremble in her hand didn’t escape me either. She looked on edge, like someone who’d been caught red-handed.Then it happened—a sharp buzz from her phone, and she went pale, darting a quick glance at me before standing up so fast that her chair scraped loudly across the floor.I narrowed my eyes, suspicion gnawing at me. Something was definitely wrong. She didn’t even look back at me, as if I’d disappeared, as if I was no longer there.I watched her closely, not moving a muscle as she headed to the door.Whatever was waiting for her outside, she was clearly in a hurry to get to it. Before she could step through the doorway, though, I slipped out of my seat quietly, keeping my eyes trained on her.As she slipped through the door, I trailed after her
Rowan's POVThe road stretched out empty before us, swallowed up by the night. Only our headlights sliced through the darkness, casting eerie, wavering light on the trees and dirt.I was starting to lose hope, beginning to wonder if we’d missed her or if she’d somehow slipped past. She was fast, resourceful—I couldn’t forget that.“Nothing here,” Beta Nathan muttered, his voice tinged with frustration as he started to turn the car around. “Guess she’s long gone.”But just as I felt my inner wolf calm, it stirred again. The familiar pull in my chest was unmistakable, a raw ache that felt like it was clawing its way to the surface.Ember was close. I could feel her, smell her faint scent drifting on the breeze through the window.“Keep driving,” I ordered sharply, my voice rougher than I intended.Nathan didn’t question it, though he threw me a quick, puzzled glance as he accelerated.That’s when I saw her—a lone figure, barely visible in the dim glow of our headlights, walking by the s
Ember's POV.As I stood in front of Alpha Rowan, I knew I was crossing lines I’d never thought I’d dare to touch. My heart pounded in my chest like a drum, loud and erratic, each beat a reminder of what I was risking. Loak. My son was out there, fighting for his life against the Feral fever—a sickness that had already taken so many Werewolves, leaving mothers with empty arms and broken hearts. I couldn’t let that happen to me. But for him to live, I needed to act now. I needed Alpha Rowan to let me go.“Alpha Rowan, please,” I whispered, barely able to keep my voice from breaking. I felt small in his presence, every inch of my body screaming at me to back down, to submit to his authority. But I couldn’t. Not this time. “I’ll do anything. Please, just let me go to him.”The Alpha’s eyes were hard, colder than I’d ever seen them, and there was no sign of softness there. No compassion, no empathy. He was sizing me up, weighing his options, and all I could do was hold my breath.Aft
Ember's POV. “What… what drugs did you give him?” I asked the second I turned to look at Caleb, Desperation tinged in my voice as I said very single word. Caleb’s eyes were calm but tinged with worry. “The usual dosage,” he replied. “The same administration as before.”I looked back at Loak, his small body still trembling, fever raging beneath his pale skin. He wasn’t stopping, wasn’t showing any signs of relief. My heart twisted painfully. “Then… why isn’t he stopping?” My voice cracked, my own fear slipping out.Caleb’s mouth opened slightly, but he seemed at a loss, his gaze locked on Looks fragile form. He didn’t have an answer, and that realisation filled me with a cold dread. My son, my precious boy, was slipping away from me, and there was nothing I could do. The panic swelled in my chest, clawing its way up my throat until I couldn’t breathe.I sank down beside Loak, pulling him into my arms, pressing him against my chest as I began to sob. My body shook, my fingers clen
Ember's POV. As the soft morning light crept through the cracks in the window, I stirred awake, my body sore from the night before. I blinked a few times, letting the details of the room come into focus, and there he was, right beside me, my little Loak. He looked so peaceful, a sight that felt like a small miracle after everything we’d been through last night.I reached out, brushing a lock of dark hair from his forehead. The feral fever had gripped him so fiercely, and there had been moments I wasn’t sure he’d make it. I could still feel the remnants of the fear in my chest, the hours I’d spent by his side, cooling his forehead with a warm embrace, whispering softly that I was there, that I wasn’t going anywhere. I had fought the tears all night, refusing to let him see my fear, but the weight of it hung heavy in me now.But he looked okay now—his breathing was even, his face relaxed. I felt a deep, shaky relief settle over me, but I didn’t want to disturb him. Gently, I pulle
Ember's POV. The journey back hi the Scar moon pack had been long, the hours stretching out in tense silence. The heavy quiet between Alpha Rowan and me had felt almost suffocating, but I stayed silent, keeping my eyes fixed on the trees passing by outside. Finally, the landscape shifted, and the familiar territory of the Scar Moon pack came into view. As we rolled past the border, I straightened in my seat, feeling the prickling awareness that I was back on his turf—back where my deal to Rowan bound me.When the car stopped, guards and maids lined the entrance, bowing in respect as Alpha Rowan stepped out first, his presence commanding attention. I followed, keeping close but a step behind, a reluctant mate. Alpha Rowan didn’t speak as we walked through the corridors, his strides purposeful, every inch of him exuding control and authority. I knew where we were heading—his room. That knowledge sent a thrill of unease through me, but I swallowed it down, reminding myself that I h
Ember's POV. I took a deep breath, gripping the edge of the cloth as I glanced at myself in the mirror. The dress fit perfectly; too perfectly. Every inch of it shimmered like trapped starlight, the fabric hugging my waist and flowing down in soft waves. It was beautiful, yes, but also… distracting. I was supposed to blend in tonight, not stand out. This was the kind of dress you wore when you wanted to be noticed.But blending in wasn’t an option. I owed Alpha Rowan a debt, one that I couldn’t back out of now. And that meant tonight, I’d have to be at his side at the ball. The problem was, I knew he’d be there too—Alpha Thane. The thought of running into him again after a long while, after the rejection, made my stomach twist in ways I couldn't control. I clenched my hands, trying to steady myself, but nothing helped. I felt like I’d been dropped in ice-cold water.Just as I was still trying to steady myself, the door to the room burst open and Alpha Rowan stormed in, his every
Thane's POVThe hall was alive with muted conversations, laughter, and the sound of crystal glasses clinking against one another.Alphas from all over had gathered here tonight, wearing expensive masks that hid their faces but couldn’t mask the pride and authority they all carried.I was surrounded by some of the most powerful men and women I’d known, and tonight should’ve been a night of celebration—a welcome back for my grandfather to the Claw Bane Pack after the crisis at the baby store.He was legendary, and this gathering was for him. But somehow, my attention was elsewhere.Something—no, someone—had pulled my focus away from the men around me. I caught sight of her at the edge of the hall, sitting quietly, almost as if she was hiding in plain sight.She was beautiful, poised yet out of place. She looked different, sitting there in her graceful way, her mask delicate and mysterious, concealing just enough to make her unforgettable.I felt something like a spark. It was faint, lik
Rowan's POV. I burst into the room, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. The scent of blood and sweat filled the air, but it was her scent—soft and familiar—that made my wolf, Crawls, roar in my mind. There she was, Ember, lying on the cold floor like a broken doll. Her fiery red hair was tangled, her face pale, and her body still. For a moment, I froze.“Ember,” I whispered, my voice trembling. My knees hit the floor beside her, and I gently scooped her up into my arms. She was far too light, her frame frail, and the warmth I always associated with her was gone. Crawls howled again, desperate and full of rage, but I forced him back. Now wasn’t the time to lose control.“I’ve got you,” I murmured, pressing her close to my chest. “I’ll keep you safe now. I swear it.”Without wasting another second, I rushed out of the room, my boots echoing against the hardwood floors. The house was eerily quiet, the signs of battle evident in the shattered windows and overturned furniture.
Rowan's POVStaring at Loak, who stood before me, my hands holding his shoulders, I tried to piece it all together. His uncanny resemblance to me, his ability to calm me down even after raging.His scent. He was definitely of Alpha blood. Could he be my son? I pondered deeply, but just as I was still trying to understand it all, the door to the room pushed open, and Beta Nathan stormed in.It seemed more like they hadn’t left the pack yet.“Alpha Rowan, we’ve got news,” he declared the second he walked in, making me stand to my feet and turn to him.There was no doubt that I would solve the situation between Loak and me later. Right now, Ember mattered the most.“Speak up!” I commanded with a deep, grumpy voice, and immediately, he began to speak.“Our spies in the Claw Bane pack just sent a message to us that Luna Ember is in the Claw Bane pack. Alpha Thane took her that night!”The second Beta Nathan let out those words, I felt an intense sense of rage and fury course through my vei
Rowan's POV“What do you mean you can't find her? Is she some ghost now who can just disappear without a trace?” I shouted as I struck my tightened fist on the table before me.After the misunderstanding between Ember, my Luna, and me, she left the pack house. I was going to chase after her, but Beta Nathan asked me to stay back. He pleaded with me to stay back. Now, I don't know where she is.I have no idea where she ran off to. It's been close to three days, and my mate hasn't returned to the pack house. So where the fuck is she?“I’m so sorry, Alpha Rowan, but we've searched the entire Scar Moon pack for her and are unable to find her. I don’t know, but maybe she left just like seven years ago.”The second he let such bitter words leave his lips, I stormed to my feet in anger. “Enough, Beta Nathan!” I could see him take a step backward, recoiling away from me.“She loves me! Only me! She wouldn't dare leave the pack like before. Don’t say what you aren’t sure of!” I warned him ster
Ember's POVA throbbing ache in my head welcomed me back to reality. The stinging light pierced into the dark room through the cracks on the wall. Don’t get me started on the cold that engulfed me instantly.“Where am I?” I struggled to speak, my eyes squinting as I held my head, trying to stop the pain that coursed through my veins.I wasn’t expecting my morning to be this way—finding myself on the ground and looking all pale. Just as I was trying to understand what was happening, I recalled it. I recalled last night.I had seen Alpha Rowan with a lady—a half-naked lady at that. He was on her. The Rowan I knew wouldn’t dare to cheat on me, but because of my assumptions, I believed it and fled from the pack house without realizing it was a plot to get me where they wanted me.Uncle Baron had taken me in and drugged me. And the last voice I heard was that of Thane. Does it mean Alpha Thane was part of this plot? He carried me last night, which meant just one thing… “I am in the Claw Ba
Zara's POVI kept hearing weird sounds—disturbing ones at that—as I lay in my room. I had been unable to rest all day, and just as I was about to do so, this happened.With a frustrated groan leaving my lips, I sat up on the bed, rubbing my eyes gently to check what time it was. It was clearly midnight, so why was I still hearing whispers from outside my room?It seemed like something fishy was going on, and whoever was responsible didn’t want anyone to know about it.“Who could that be?” I pondered briefly before I stood up from my bed and walked out of the room.My eyes scanned the area, as vigilant as always. In case the pack house was being robbed, I definitely shouldn’t let myself fall into danger immediately.Just as I was trying to understand what was going on, I couldn’t help but halt abruptly in my tracks at the sudden sight of a door partly creaked open by my right side.With my brows furrowing, I turned on my heels and headed closer to the door. Peeking through the tiny ope
Ember's POVI wasn't sure what Beta Nathan was trying to do, but one thing I knew was that I didn’t, and couldn’t, fall for it.I ignored him and headed straight toward the room. I was tired of standing out in the cold. I needed to rest. I had been through so much already, and I was certain that standing there and listening to him speak for another second could make me collapse.He tried to call out and stop me, but I didn’t—I couldn’t stop. After what felt like an eternity, I finally arrived at the door to the room.For some reason, I kept hearing voices inside the room. It couldn’t be Beta Nathan because I had just been with him, and from the tone of the voice, it sounded more like a female voice, which made my brows furrow immediately.“What’s happening? Why is there a female in the Alpha's room?” I questioned, my curiosity piqued as I reached for the door handle.I knew that Rowan rarely let the maids come into his room after I began staying with him. Without another thought, I pu
Rowan's POVOne week later*It's been a week, a wonderful week since Ember healed up from being poisoned by wolfsbane. She was poisoned by that demon called Zara, who pretends to be a cool and kind lady in front of Thane. She's just using him.Well, that's not the point. The point is that the second Ember walks through those doors, I won't hesitate to embrace her, kiss her, and tell her how much I have always loved her, despite being rude and harsh to her.That was never my intention. I just wanted her to see how much leaving me hurt—leaving me all alone after taking some money from my uncle. But right now, I don't care about any of that, as it might all just be lies.As I stared at myself in the mirror, a bright smile curling across my lips, I couldn't help but think about what she'd say when she walks in.I was preparing for her alone. I wanted her to see me as a good Alpha she could trust, someone she could open up to, and not as a monster. I didn't want to be a monster anymore.Tu
Uncle Baron's POV.“High Lord Baron, are you certain that Scott's plans will work?” Ricky asked as he drove the car.We were heading back to the pack house so I could rest and also act like nothing happened—like we hadn't left the pack house.I turned my gaze to look outside the car. I knew Scott was still young, but that didn't mean he wasn't thinking or that he was useless.“What will be will be, Ricky. So long as you want it, it'll happen. I don't care about the plans Scott has. I care about the outcome, and we have to make it happen,” I said in a low grunt, my eyes not turning back to look at him.I was sure he had kept staring at me through the rearview mirror, but I still didn't give him a glance from where I sat.Just as we were still heading back to the pack house, the sudden ringing of his phone echoed inside the car, pulling his attention to it.I didn't care. I didn't want to, but the minute he mentioned Alpha Thane, I felt my hairs stand. There was no doubt that the plans
Uncle Baron's POVJust as I stood by the window, my grip around the glass cup I held in my hand tightened, a deep frown etched across my face as I looked outside.Rowan dared to confront me because of that bitch. That omega, whom I had warned to stay away from the Scar Moon pack. We had an agreement—she was expected never to show up, but she did, and right now, she was ruining my plans for me. My plans to take over the Scar Moon pack.And whoever threatens to destroy what I have tried to build for so long—I'm sorry, but I can't let them live.“She has to go.” My grip tightened even more until I crushed the glass cup, letting the pieces pierce through my skin, just to show how furious I was.I wasn't expecting to see her in the Scar Moon pack.Just as I was still reeling in anger and rage, a sudden knock came at my door, bringing me back to reality for a split second.“Who?” My deep voice echoed in the room as I asked.“It's Gamma Ricky, Sir,” the voice came in, sharp and abrupt.“Come