RhysI'd almost kissed her. And If it wasn't for Lex’s signal, if our lips had met, I wouldn't have been able to stop myself from going further. I wouldn't have been able to detach myself from her.That was the only thing I could think of as I sped to the border. Immediately Marcus arrived, I had him placed in confinement until he said what I needed. Early this morning, he dropped some names. As expected, they were nobles who held considerable positions in the council. He also added their different routes of sneaking people in and out of Golden Crest. He promised that we'd get them at night but he wasn't sure of the route they'd use.I had questions for my uncle. Why and how did he have such information in the first place and was keeping it away from me? But we needed to catch them red-handed first.I wasn't supposed to meet Dawn. I’d told myself that the day before was the last time I'd get worked up over her. It didn't matter if I wanted a repetition of the night before. However, a
RhysThe instructions to both Nadia, Princess, and the rest were clear. Dawn must on no account find out that I was the one who brought her out from the forest. They were to make her believe that something happened at night and so they’d brought her in. They were also to do everything possible to make them believe their story without a single mention of my name. I had also barked at Nadia for leaving her out at night amidst the tensions in the Pack. I commanded them once again to keep her out of my sight, yet here I was, standing outside her door and wondering why she had yet to wake up.“Yesterday was quite a lot for her,” Nadia said, giving me a knowing look.“That is none of my business!” I snapped.I told myself that I was only there because I wanted to ensure that she didn’t tell anyone about our interaction. I didn’t care that my wolf was worried because she did not stir even once when I carried her. I just wanted to ensure that she didn’t go around telling people the wrong thin
DawnMy stomach grumbled with hunger as soon as my eyes flipped open. But that was not the most surprising thing. It was the soft and familiar feel of my bed that had me jolting up. What the heck was I doing there? How the hell did I get to that place? The door swung open and Princess followed by the triplets and Nadia rushed in.“Ah, you’re finally awake!” Princess gushed. The rest looked relieved. I cocked my head in confusion. Okay what was going on? My eyes automatically scanned my body and I tried to remember if anything out of the ordinary happened last night. I racked my head and sifted through my memories. Rhy’s Instruction had been to get back to my shelter and mask my scent. No one was to know that we’d been together. I did exactly as he said. So what happened?“How do you feel?” Nadia asked, coming to my side. I stared wide-eyed and tongue-tied. “Do you feel any pains in any parts of your body? Did you have a nightmare?”I looked from her to Princess and the triplets. “
DawnRhys leaped away from me and turned to the intruder. Lex stood breathing heavily. “We're under attack! Silver Moon is attacking us!”From that moment everything turned to a blur. Rhys grabbed my arms, his eyes turning pure gold as he dished out commands to his pack.“The Deltas have arrived,” I heard someone say as Rhys thrust me into one of the triplet's arms and dashed off like lightning.My head was buzzing and my heart was pounding in my chest. I barely registered my surroundings. The next place I found myself was in a room with Princess and Nadia. The door slammed shut Immediately.I stood disoriented for a while before I was finally able to calm down. My wolf was pissed. It wanted to hunt down whatever or whoever ruined our moment and shred them. I, on the other hand, was relieved. I couldn't even understand what came over me and made me go after him like that. “This is so unfortunate,” Princess mused.“Oh my goodness, Princess,” I snapped back to my senses. “Where have
DawnI woke up disoriented. My body ached and my mind struggled to piece together what had happened. Instead of the comfy scent of my room, the sterile smell of antiseptic filled my nostrils. Blinking against the harsh light, I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my side, forcing me back down. My head pounded, and I felt dizzy. Confusion gripped me.“Dawn, you’re awake!” Princess’s voice broke through the fog. She was at my bedside almost immediately.“What… what happened?” I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy.Princess exchanged a look with Nadia, who stood at the foot of my bed with a grave expression. “You need to stay put and rest,” She said gently.I frowned. “No, I need to know. Why are you both here? What’s going on with the pack?”“Let’s talk about you first,” Princess said softly. “How do you feel?”“Like I was hit by a truck,” I muttered, wincing as I shifted. “What happened? Is everyone alright? The test... it turned real, didn’t it?”Nadia placed a hand on my s
RhysI tried to stop thinking about Dawn and how she must have been feeling but it was impossible. I told myself that I didn't care, however, I had the triplets watch her like a hawk and report every single activity she partook in to me.I hated how they were treating her but it was all part of the plan. I sat at the head of the council table, staring blankly at them as they squabbled on. Ever since the Luna test, the meetings had been relentless, one after another, each more frustrating than the last. They never ceased to amaze me. No one wanted to acknowledge that Dawn was almost killed that day. They had tried to kill her during the test, and I had broken the rules to save her. But instead of punishing those responsible, they accused her of controlling me with potions. I allowed their accusations to continue, hoping to root out all the evil within the council. Most of them grated my nerves. They yapped on and on about the importance of a suitable Luna. They were happy that I, t
DawnIt didn't get better. Instead, it became dramatically worse. The false accusations kept on piling up each day. Instead of the pack to focus on the danger they could be in because of the rumors about the Crest and the frequent attacks at their border, they were focused on taking me down.Princess did everything she could to keep me from the truth but it didn't work. In her way of warning me to be careful, Mimi, the cook, told me everything. I was even accused of poisoning the children I rescued. Rumor also had it that I was insane and that I was blackmailing Rhys, which was why he made me his wife. They were insane and untrue, yet they affected me more than I could understand. I wallowed in it all. I'd even begun to lose appetite and energy for anything else. I only wished that the days would fly past and I'd be set free from my obligations to Golden Crest. I was over everything. But it was as if everything loved to mock me because instead of speeding up, the days slowed down.P
DawnIn the next few days, I discovered that my new reality wasn't as dreadful as I had imagined. The solitude was comforting, and the absence of constant hostility was a relief. I began to establish a daily routine, finding solace in structure and small achievements.Each morning, I woke up at dawn. The soft light streamed in through the small window of my room. I had no view to be amazed at but it was still good enough. I started my day with a brisk walk around the perimeter of my home; then I devoted time to working on merging both sides of my existence.I practiced shifting and controlling my wolf form, pushing myself to be faster, stronger, and more agile. It was a painful process, but the progress I made made me proud. It was the first time I'd dwelled alone and I was surprised at how peaceful it was. I could be myself and not try to be anything for anyone. I told myself that whenever I was set free from Rhys, I'd ask him for somewhere like this. Somewhere I could be alone.I
Epilogue RhysNine months had passed since the chaos that plagued us finally ended. Despite a few arguments with disgruntled Alphas and the pressure of ruling the pack, we were okay. Dawn and I found and now, she was in labor. The most terrifying and exhilarating moment of my life was happening, and I was completely out of my mind.I paced outside the room, my heart pounding against my ribs. The sounds of Dawn’s pain-filled cries tore through me. My stomach twisted with every sound, and it was taking every ounce of strength not to burst into the room and demand to know if she was okay."Alpha, please, sit down. It’s going to be fine." Nadia tried to calm me down, but I shook my head, running a hand through my hair."Fine?" I growled, the word coming out harsher than I intended. "She’s in pain, Nadia. What if something happens? What if—"Nadia smiled gently, cutting me off. "It’s normal, Rhys. You’ve seen her overcome worse than this. Trust in that strength."I wanted to believe her,
RhysThe day Alex attacked Golden Crest, I was ready. His desperation had become so obvious that it was almost pitiful. Word had spread quickly, his forces gathering at the edge of our territory, preparing for what he likely thought would be a grand invasion. Fool. He didn’t know who he was dealing with.I scanned the forest line where his men were hiding. "Hold your positions," I commanded. My Deltas and warriors growled in anticipation. They were eager to spill blood, to protect their home. Alex’s forces weren’t as ready as they thought. From within them, someone gave an order and they charged. A ragtag group of rogues and fools ran straight into the open field where my warriors were waiting. "Take them down," I ordered calmly. My men moved like shadows, fast and lethal, cutting through Alex’s forces like they were nothing. I barely needed to lift a finger. His men fell one by one, their screams echoing through the trees. While none of my warriors were even touched.It was almos
DawnI couldn't believe it. My head spun as I tried to absorb the words that had been thrown at me. Sofia. Lex. A maid. They had all conspired together to poison me. My skin prickled with anger. The worst part was the confirmation that I had been right about Lex all along. The discomfort I’d felt around him wasn’t just paranoia; it was instinct. He had changed, and not for the better. They caught up with him soon enough. There was nowhere he could hide. There was no place where Rhys' wrath wouldn't get to him. Rhys assured me that everything was under control. Lex and Sofia were being tortured in the dungeon. He didn't want to think about it or stress myself.But I couldn’t rest. Not with this burning need for answers clawing at my insides. The doctors had told me to take it easy, to rest for the baby’s sake, but how could I? My life had been turned upside down by people I thought were part of my world. I needed to confront them.First, I went to Lex.When I saw him sitting there,
RhysThis had to be the worst type of fear I'd ever experienced. Why did she collapse again? Watching Dawn unconscious with her skin pale and chest barely moving was torture. My mind was racing, grasping at anything, trying to make sense of how this could have happened. The moment she collapsed the first time, I lost control.It was as if my greatest fear was manifesting before me."Move back, Alpha!" someone shouted at me, but I couldn't. My legs felt like they were glued to the ground. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her as they wheeled her into the emergency room. A hand gripped my shoulder, snapping me out of the daze. It was Kaden, his face grim, but his grip steadying. “She’ll be okay, Rhys.”"I swear to God, Kaden if anyone had a hand in this..." I couldn’t finish the sentence. I didn’t know if I was going to break down or tear the whole world apart. He nodded, his jaw clenched. “We’ll find them.”But finding them wouldn’t change the fact that Dawn was lying there unconsci
DawnThe celebration after our return from Creekside was unlike anything I’d ever seen. The entire pack came alive with joy. Music echoed through the night and laughter bounced off the trees. Lights twinkled, and tables were piled high with food and drink. It was as if the very air had shifted and was filled with the energy of victory. Pack members danced, cheered, and toasted to Rhys and me, the new Alpha and Luna Prime. I felt so much pride and acceptance from them. This was our moment, and nothing could ruin it.Rhys kept me close the entire night, his hand never leaving mine, as if he were afraid I’d disappear if he let go. I could see the love and admiration in his eyes, but I also caught the worry. He hadn’t said anything yet, but I knew he felt something was off with me.To be honest, he wasn’t wrong. For days, I’d been feeling strange—this odd sense of imbalance in my body. It started with a bit of nausea, then evolved into random waves of dizziness. I chalked it up to stress,
DawnThe day had finally arrived, but something about me felt off. It wasn’t the usual jitters before a mission or even the creeping anxiety of walking into enemy territory. This was different, like a knot twisted deep in my gut that I couldn’t unravel. But I knew better than to let it show. Not in front of Rhys.He’d been on edge all morning, pacing around like a caged wolf, his eyes constantly flicking to me with worry. I could feel the weight of his gaze, even when I pretended not to notice.“Dawn, are you sure you’re okay?” he asked for the third time, his voice tight with concern.I forced a smile, keeping my tone light. “I’m fine, Rhys. Just... thinking about everything that’s about to happen.”He studied me, his brow furrowing. I could see the doubt in his eyes, but I didn’t give him a chance to press. If he knew how unsettled I felt, he’d scrap the whole plan in a heartbeat. He’d always been overprotective, but this time it wasn’t just annoying—it could ruin everything.Maybe
RhysI watched Dawn, her eyes shut in concentration, as she attempted to summon one of the pack members to us. Her brow furrowed in frustration as she reached out with her mind, trying to compel them to come. She was struggling, and I couldn’t help but feel a pang of guilt. I was making it harder for her, intentionally distracting her with my presence, but I couldn’t stop myself.She was more powerful than she realized. But that wasn't what terrified me.The thought of her walking into enemy territory unarmed, trusting those wolves who had already proven themselves traitors, made my blood boil. The plan was dangerous. Too dangerous for her. I wanted her safe, by my side, not out there pretending to be vulnerable when I knew she was anything but. And what if they figured her out? I couldn't stand the thought of that bastard Alex standing next to her.Yet, the more she struggled, the more I felt that guilt creep in. It wasn’t fair to her. She deserved my support, not my fear. Suddenly,
DawnI stood at the edge of the training grounds. The cool breeze brushed against my skin, but it did nothing to calm the whirlwind of emotions inside me. The plan was set, and I was a key part of it. But before that, I needed to test the full range of my abilities by infiltrating enemy territory. My role was simple, at least on the surface. I’d summon the Lunas from the enemy packs, make them think I was naive enough to trust them, and then walk right into their territory, unarmed and unassuming. The idea was for them to believe they had me, and in doing so, we’d get the upper hand.But none of this felt simple. The truth was, I’d have to go back to Creekside, the same place I swore I’d never return to. Just thinking about it reminded me of the memories that haunted me. They were the same ones I had tried so hard to bury. Yet here I was, about to walk right back into that darkness.I glanced over at Rhys, who was watching me carefully as we stood together. We had been testing out ab
RhysI was sitting in the Den with Marcus and Kaden, and my thoughts were all over the place. It was frustrating. The immediate danger had passed, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something darker was brewing. I could feel it. Ever since I’d accepted my role as Alpha Prime, my instincts had sharpened. I knew exactly which Alphas were plotting against us. Their plans and strategies weren't as mysterious as they thought.They were having meetings now, those Alphas. They were discussing all possible methods and entry points to get to Dawn. It was funny how they were yet to discern or reason about my possible position as Alpha Prime. All their focus remained on Dawn.They wanted what they believed was her power. They were getting desperate now and trying to sneak up on us with a disjointed alliance, each one more eager to stab the other in the back than to actually attack me.But there was one name that stuck in my mind like a thorn—Alex. That bastard. The thought of him was enough t