But every wonderful moment seemed to have an ending. As much as I don’t want to go home yet, Dominic was the one who told me he should send me back a day ahead before Harold comes home.I understand that it would become rather suspicious if I were nowhere to be found when Harold returns. Not that he would care in a sense of jealousy, but I believe it would be because he would rather much want to find out further flaws to use up against me so that he could force me to sign the divorce papers.The drive back to the pack house was filled with a tense silence that hung in the air between Dominic and me. I stared out the window, watching the trees blur into a green haze as we sped down the winding road. I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that crept in, a reminder of all that was at stake. “You need to head early,” Dominic said, breaking the silence. His voice was steady, but I could sense the underlying tension. “We can’t be seen together, Elisse. It’s too risky.”I nodded, my heart h
The tension in the room was suffocating. Harold stood across from me, his face twisted with a mix of anger and something else—was it desperation? My heart pounded in my chest as he shoved the divorce papers toward me, his voice low and threatening. “You will sign these, Elisse. Today. Right now.”“Harold, please,” I pleaded, my voice barely above a whisper. “I can’t just sign away my life like this.”His eyes narrowed, and the cruel smile on his lips sent a chill down my spine. “You think you have a choice? You’re in no position to negotiate.”Just as I prepared to argue further, the door burst open, and in strode Dominic, flanked by the elders from the Alliance Pack. Their presence filled the room with an undeniable authority, and I felt a flicker of hope ignite within me. “What’s going on here?” one of the elders, an imposing figure with silver hair, demanded, his gaze shifting between Harold and me. “We were told there was an incident.”Harold’s demeanor shifted in an instant, tra
Days following that incident, Dominic guided me through the bustling streets of the city as he insisted to take me out for a quick breahter. The neon lights flickered like stars in the night sky, and I couldn’t help but feel a sense of exhilaration. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was outside the oppressive walls of the pack house, and I could breathe freely.“Where are we going?” I asked, trying to contain my excitement.“I have a little surprise for you,” Dominic replied, a playful smile dancing on his lips. “I noticed you’ve been wearing the same clothes for a while. I thought it was time you treated yourself to something new.”My heart fluttered at the thought. It was sweet of him, but a nagging voice in the back of my mind reminded me of my limited funds and Harold’s tight grip on my finances. “You really don’t have to—”“I want to,” he interrupted, his tone firm yet gentle. “You deserve to feel good about yourself, Elisse. Plus, we can’t have you running around in
The Next Day…I awoke early the next morning, determination surging through me. I had to act quickly. With Dominic’s help, I needed to gather evidence against Harold before he had a chance to strike again. As I made my way to the kitchen, I was surprised to find it empty. The pack house was unusually quiet, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. “Good morning, Luna…” a sarcastic voice called from behind me, and I turned to see Leonor entering the room, her expression deceptively cheerful.“What are you doing here?” I replied cautiously, unsure of her intentions.“Did you sleep well?” she asked, her smile unnervingly bright.“Why do you care?” I shot back, crossing my arms.She laughed lightly, shaking her head. “Oh, I’m just making conversation. You know, as your gammas, it’s my duty to ensure your well-being.”“You’re annoying, Leonor,” I replied, skepticism lacing my words. “Listen, I just wanted to remind you that I am watching your every move with beta Dominic.
Later that day, I met Dominic outside the pack house. He looked concerned as I approached him. “Hey, is everything okay?” he asked, his brow furrowed with worry.“Just another round with Leonor,” I sighed, shaking my head. “She’s relentless.”“Don’t let her get to you. You’ve made a lot of progress, Elisse,” he encouraged. “Have you thought about our next steps?”“I have,” I replied, feeling a surge of determination. “I want to gather more evidence against Harold, but I’m worried about him finding out.”Dominic nodded, his expression serious. “I’ll reach out to my contact. We need to be strategic. The last thing we want is to tip Harold off.”“Can you really trust your contact?” I asked, skepticism creeping in.“I’ve known him for years. He’s reliable. But we still need to be careful. If Harold catches wind of what we’re doing, he’ll retaliate,” Dominic warned.As we discussed our next move, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of camaraderie forming between us. For the first time in a lo
The following morning, I woke up with a renewed sense of resolve. The tension from last night with Harold still lingered, but Dominic’s reassurance echoed in my mind, strengthening my determination. I wasn’t alone in this fight; I had an ally by my side, someone who believed in me. Today, I was ready to take the first steps toward reclaiming my freedom.As I dressed, a knock sounded on my door. I opened it to find Dominic, a solemn expression on his face."Good morning, Elisse. I have news," he began, glancing around to ensure we were alone. "My contact managed to gather some valuable information on Harold's dealings. It’s risky, but this could be the leverage we need to challenge him.”"Really?" I whispered, excitement bubbling up despite the caution in his eyes. "What did you find?"Dominic handed me a folder. "There are records here of underground activities that Alpha Harold would never want anyone to see—deals that go against pack law. But before we do anything, we need to be abso
The morning air was crisp, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and dew as I made my way through the pack’s training grounds. The pack was stirring, preparing for a long day of patrol and training, and I could feel the hum of their energy. Every person here meant something to me, every life was a responsibility I took to heart. So, when Dominic’s shadow stretched over the path beside me, a knot of worry twisted inside.“Elisse.” His voice was low and carried that familiar edge of determination.I turned, meeting his gaze. His expression was set, brows pulled together in thought. “You’re here early,” I remarked, trying to keep the tone light.He only nodded, studying me with an intensity that made my heart tighten. “I wanted to talk to you,” he said after a pause, his voice careful, as though he was measuring each word.I braced myself, sensing what was coming. “Go ahead,” I replied, forcing a calm that felt tenuous at best.Dominic took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. “I need
The forest was still, shadows stretching long and dark as Dominic and I made our way back toward the packhouse. Every step jarred the wound in my side, but I bit down against the pain, refusing to show weakness. I’d managed to keep going, though I could feel the sting of Leonor’s words echoing in my head.“This isn’t over, Elisse…”It was a promise of more to come, a threat hanging over my head and, by extension, the pack’s. Dominic walked beside me in silence, his expression unreadable, but his gaze flickered over me, noticing my every stumble, every hiss of breath I couldn’t suppress. He finally let out a frustrated sigh and stopped, turning to face me fully.“Elisse,” he began, his tone exasperated, “you’re hurt, and if you don’t slow down, you’re going to make it worse. Just… stop for a second. Let me help.”I shook my head. “I don’t have time to rest. Not with Leonor out there, planning his next move. I can’t risk it.”Dominic’s jaw tightened. “And how are you going to protect t
As the car roared to life, the tension between Dominic and me was thick enough to cut with a knife. He sat in the back, silent and brooding, his eyes flicking between the road ahead and the small stack of documents in my hands. I could feel his gaze on me, but I refused to acknowledge it. This wasn’t the time for distractions, not when we were heading straight into enemy territory.We drove in silence for what felt like hours, the city lights blinking past in a blur. I was processing Dominic’s words, the weight of the trap we were walking into pressing down on me. But even as I tried to focus, his presence in the backseat kept nagging at me, pulling at my thoughts.Creed was driving with determination, his jaw clenched as he muttered low under his breath. "This place better be worth it."I had half a mind to reply, but instead, I found myself stealing glances at Dominic through the rearview mirror. He was staring out the window, his face shrouded in shadows, but there was a quiet inte
The sounds of gunfire and shouting echoed down the corridor, sharp and frantic. Creed’s movements were precise, each shot calculated to neutralize our pursuers, but the growing number of guards meant we couldn’t stay and fight for long."Exit’s ahead," I shouted to Creed, my voice low and urgent. We had to push through—there was no other option.We barreled forward, ducking behind pillars and crates, our every step echoing in the cold, concrete halls. The weight of the files we’d grabbed felt like lead in my hands, but I couldn’t afford to drop them. This intel was everything. It was our leverage against the Director, our ticket to shutting down whatever operation he was running.Creed fired another round, hitting a guard square in the chest, but even that wasn’t enough to slow down the reinforcements pouring in from every side."Keep moving!" I yelled, taking point as we rounded another corner. We were close to the exit now. Just a few more yards and we could get out into the open. B
The next day, we were ready. The warehouse near the docks wasn’t far from where we were operating, so we had the advantage of familiarity with the area. Rina had briefed us on the specifics of the meeting—Asher’s conditions, the layout of the location, and the timing. We weren’t taking any chances. Every route had been mapped out, every angle covered. Dante had a few men placed on lookout, just in case. Creed had already checked the finances and made sure the Black Hand's accounts were less secure than they thought. I had prepared a few words, though I wasn’t sure what would happen once we walked into that room. It all hinged on Asher.We made our way to the warehouse at dusk, the sun barely touching the horizon as we pulled up in a black SUV, the city skyline just visible in the distance. The docks were eerily quiet, the only sounds being the occasional rustle of wind against the ocean and the distant hum of machinery. The perfect place for a secret meeting. Or an ambush.I stayed f
The air in the room was thick with tension as I processed everything Rina had just told us. The Black Hand. It was as if the very mention of them had cast a shadow over the room, a foreboding sense of doom creeping in. But in the midst of that darkness, there was something else—something burning deep within me. It wasn’t just fear. It was anger.I couldn’t let them destroy everything I’d fought for. My life. My freedom. My family. Not after everything.“We need to act now,” I said, my voice sharper than before. "The longer we wait, the more time they have to close in on us. We can’t afford to be passive. We have to hit them first."Rina nodded, though there was a caution in her eyes. “It won’t be easy. The Black Hand doesn’t make mistakes, and they don’t let their enemies live long enough to fight back.”I turned to Dante and Creed. “We’ll need to gather intel—everything we can about them. Who their allies are, their operations, weaknesses. We have to find out how deep they’ve infiltr
The cold air hit me like a slap when I stepped outside the safehouse, but it did nothing to chill the heat still burning in my chest. I couldn’t stop thinking about Rina’s words. There’s someone else after you, Elise. And they’re not going to stop.The rain had stopped, but it still felt like the storm hadn’t passed inside me. The weight of it all—the death of Callum, the betrayal, the bloodshed—was suffocating. And now, Rina had shown up. I should have felt relief. I should have welcomed her with open arms. But all I felt was a sense of foreboding, the sense that the past wasn’t done with me. That the worst was yet to come.I walked to the edge of the cabin’s porch, my boots sinking slightly into the damp earth. The night was eerily quiet, save for the rustle of leaves in the distance, whispering secrets I couldn’t hear. The storm had passed, but the silence lingered like an omen.Dante’s voice broke through the stillness. “You should come back inside.”I turned toward him, his silho
The rain hadn’t stopped by the time we reached the safehouse. It clung to me, soaking through my clothes, chilling me to the bone. My fingers were numb, but it wasn’t from the cold—it was from what I had done.Callum was dead.I kept replaying it over and over, the way my knife slid into his chest, the way his breath had caught in his throat. The look in his eyes—shock, then fear, then nothing. I should have felt relief, triumph even, but all I felt was an eerie silence settling inside me.Dante pushed the door open, his grip firm on my wrist. Creed entered first, gun still in hand, sweeping the room in one last precautionary check. It was a small, run-down cabin on the outskirts of the city, nestled between overgrown trees and shadows. The perfect place to disappear.“Clear,” Creed muttered, shaking off the rain. He glanced at me, his sharp eyes assessing, but he said nothing. He never did unless necessary.Dante let go of me, stripping off his soaked jacket before tossing it onto th
Callum lunged at me again, his knife flashing in the storm’s light. I twisted, barely dodging his attack, feeling the rush of air as his blade sliced past my cheek. The sting came a second later, warm blood mixing with the rain. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.Dante fired another shot, taking down one of Callum’s men who had been closing in on us. Creed had disappeared into the trees, picking them off one by one, silent and efficient. But Callum was mine.I ducked under his next strike, driving my knee up into his gut. He grunted, stumbling back. I pressed forward, slashing at his arm, drawing another line of crimson. His face twisted in fury, but there was something else there—something I hadn’t seen before.Fear.“Not so confident now, are you?” I taunted, circling him.Callum let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “You think you’ve won?” he sneered. “You’re still that scared little girl, Elise. And deep down, you know it.”I ignored his words. He was trying to get inside my head, to make
The storm howled in my ears, but it couldn't drown out the pounding of my heart. There was no going back now. The wind whipped around us, cold and biting, but the warmth of Dante’s presence beside me grounded me. The rifle in his hands was steady, his eyes sharp as they scanned the shadows. Creed was to the side, his every move calculated, waiting for the right moment.We were surrounded.I could hear their footsteps on the wet earth, the crunch of leaves and dirt under their boots. Six figures, maybe more, closing in with a purpose. Callum was at the center of it all, standing tall with that sickening grin on his face. It made my blood boil.I couldn’t let them take me again. Not after everything I had fought for.Dante’s hand brushed against mine, a quick reassurance. "Stay behind me," he whispered, but there was no fear in his voice—only resolve.But I couldn’t hide behind him forever."I’m done running," I said, my voice barely audible over the storm. My grip tightened on the knif
Dante stepped closer, his dark eyes searching mine. The weight of unspoken words pressed between us, thick as the storm outside. I could feel the tension in his grip, the demand for answers."Tell me the truth, Elise," he said, voice low but firm. "Who are they? What do they want?"I exhaled, dragging a trembling hand through my damp hair. The truth was a wound I had kept stitched shut for too long, but now the stitches were unraveling."They’re the ones I escaped from," I admitted. "I thought I was free. I thought I could start over." I looked away, swallowing hard. "But no one ever really escapes them."Creed leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching me with an expression I couldn’t decipher."They were never going to stop looking for you," he muttered. "I warned you."Dante’s jaw tightened. "You knew?""I suspected," Creed admitted. "Didn’t have proof until now."Dante turned to me, his hands gripping my arms, grounding me. "Why didn’t you tell me?"My throat tightened. "Beca