Chapter: The HotelZoey’s POVIt started the way most days did now. Quiet.I stood in front of the mirror, holding the hem of my shirt just above my belly. There it was. The small curve I couldn’t deny anymore. My baby bump had finally shown itself.I let out a shaky breath. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t joy either. It was something in between.“Nana,” I called softly.She was in the kitchen, but I heard her steps coming. When she entered and saw me, her eyes dropped to my belly. She didn’t say anything right away. She just came close and placed her hand gently over the bump.“It’s time,” I whispered.She looked at me, her eyes kind. “You want to see Kael?”I nodded. “Yes. I should start preparing. If I’m going to stay in his hotel, I should know what kind of place it is.”“And the kind of people that lived there “Nana added softly.I didn’t reply, but she wasn’t wrong.—Kael’s hotel was unlike anything I imagined.It wasn’t just fancy—it was grand. Wide glass doors opened up to a tall c
Chapter- The Moon celebration.Lyon’s POVHow do you move on from someone who once held an important role in your life?I woke up with that question in my head.The morning sky was clear. I could hear the sound of workers moving around, going on with their day. It’s been the same routine every day since she left and never came back. Waking up, the annoying house workers, my father and the council grumbling, pack duties piling up—but still, I would sit in my study, writing letters to my dead Luna.Grabbing my journal, I flipped through the pages. I had written so much over the past few days. I wondered what it would have felt like if I had actually said all those words to her out loud.“Mira… I hope you’re happy wherever you are.How’s the weather over there?When my little sister died, my mom used to say she was up in a happy place.Are you happy?Do you still take care of flowers?I really miss you, and it’s driving me crazy.I wonder if you feel the same about me.I sit down every
Chapter – The New Luna“What?!” Darian gasped in shock. He turned to me immediately, but my eyes were fixed on Serena. Her head was lowered to the floor, refusing to meet my gaze. I wanted her to look at me—look me in the eyes and repeat what she had just said.Serena is pregnant…for me?“How did that happen?” one of the elders asked. Serena started to stand, as if she was about to respond, but instead, she broke into tears.She was putting on a show.“I don’t think the Alpha would want his personal life discussed in public like this,” one of the elders muttered, trying to de-escalate.“You came here to say you’re pregnant for the Alpha, and now you can’t tell us how it happened?” my uncle, the eldest among the council, spoke up harshly. “Do we look like the kids in your school?”Serena wiped her eyes and finally spoke. “We…we had sex a few days after his wife’s body was found.”The entire council erupted into murmurs.“Oh, so he had sex during his mourning period,” Jorah said loudly,
Chapter: The DealZoey’s POVThe room felt smaller with every item we folded.Nana sat on the edge of my bed, gently rolling a sweater into my bag while I packed the rest. The silence between us wasn’t heavy—it was just thoughtful.“I did the math again,” she said softly, her eyes not leaving the clothes. “You’re five months along, Zoey.”I froze for a second, holding a pair of socks in my hand. I already knew, but hearing it from her made it real all over again.“You were already pregnant while you were still in Alpha Lyon’s house,” she added.I nodded slowly. “Yes.”Nana looked up at me. “You knew?”There was no point lying. “I found out a few weeks before I left.”She didn’t ask why I didn’t tell her. She just let out a quiet sigh and ran her hand over the bag. “So… in four months, you’ll be holding your baby.”I smiled a little, then looked at her. “And after those four months, Nana… do I still have to stay with Kael?”She blinked, like she hadn’t thought that far ahead. “I don’t
Chapter: The Pregnant corpseLyon’s POVI didn’t want to be here.The room smelled like polished wood and expensive cologne. My mother had set everything up like it was some royal meeting. Long table. Fresh flowers. Fancy wine. Fake smiles.Serena sat across from me, wearing a soft pink dress and that fake sweet expression she always wore around my family. Her father sat beside her, talking about wedding dates like he was booking a business deal.“And I think a December wedding would give us enough time to prepare,” he said, tapping a gold pen against his notebook. “High society loves a winter wedding.”My mother nodded. “A winter ceremony would be perfect. Classy and memorable.”I stared at the glass in front of me, barely listening. My jaw tightened.Zoey used to hate winter.“Lyon,” my father called, breaking my thoughts. “What do you think? December?”“I don’t care,” I muttered.Serena chuckled lightly. “That’s okay. I’ll take care of most of the planning.”Of course, she would.M
Chapter: I Didn’t Know I Loved HimZoey’s POVMy first week at Kael’s hotel wasn’t as smooth as I thought it would be.At first, it felt like a peaceful escape. The tall glass windows, the sweet smell of vanilla in the hallways, and the soft music playing in the background helped me sleep better than I had in months.But I was still new to everything. And it didn’t take long before I messed up.I was helping organize the guest schedule in the front lounge. Kael had asked me to rest in my room but i was bored and decided to assist the head of bookings, a woman named Marsha. She was sharp, fast-talking, and very serious about her job.“Just arrange the appointments in order of their check-in times,” she said, handing me a digital tablet.I nodded, smiling politely. “Yes, I can do that.”Only… I couldn’t.I thought I understood the system, but I accidentally deleted three reservation slots. Within minutes, chaos broke out. One guest had been double-booked, and another was left without a
Chapter: The Truth Beneath the GroundLyon’s POVEverything about the palace felt wrong lately.The noise, the planning, the talks of flowers and seating arrangements—it all sounded like static in my ears. I couldn’t focus. Not when every part of me was unsettled. Not since that woman came to my house, uninvited, with words that refused to leave my head.Zoey was pregnant.And the body we buried… wasn’t.I tried to forget her. Goddess knows I tried. But she stayed in my thoughts like a shadow I couldn’t chase away. And now that seed of doubt the woman planted had started to grow. I had to know.So I did something stupid. I left the palace in the middle of wedding preparations.Without telling Serena. Without informing my mother. Just me, a horse, and a restless mind riding out to find that woman again. i intentionally didn’t take any of the cars cause my mother would notice i was leaving . She lived outside the pack’s main village, close to the hills, in a crooked wooden house that l
Chapter: Secrets in the WalkZoey’s POVThe cold air in Kael Hotel felt sharper this time. I hadn’t been gone long, but something about walking through those glass doors again made me feel like I was stepping back into something unfinished.I stood near the reception, a little nervous. I hadn’t exactly left on good terms last time. I expected cold stares or awkward silence, but Kael came out from the back hallway with a warm smile on his face.“You came back,” he said.I nodded. “I did.”There was a short pause. I looked down at my shoes.“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “For how I left. I wasn’t trying to cause problems.”Kael tilted his head. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Zoey.”I looked up at him. “But—”He cut me off gently. “Seriously. You were going through something. Anyone could see that.”His voice was calm. Kind. Just like always.Still, I wasn’t myself the last time I was here. I’d messed up a simple order, and the staff’s yelling had pushed me over the edge. I
Chapter –Evacuation Zoey’s POVI was still brushing my hair when the door flew open.Kael barged into the room, his brows pulled tight, his eyes sharp and full of urgency.“Start packing,” he said, walking straight to my wardrobe like he owned the place.I blinked, frozen in place. “What?”“Pack your things, Zoey. Now.”I stood up slowly. “Why? What’s going on?”He didn’t answer right away. He was already pulling out a few of my clothes and stuffing them into a small suitcase like time was running out.“Kael!” I shouted. “You’re scaring me. What happened?”His assistant, Margo, ran into the room just then. “Alpha Kael, please calm down. She’s a pregnant lady. You can’t be throwing things around like this.”Kael took a deep breath and stepped back. His hands were still shaking. “Sorry,” he muttered. Then he turned to me. “Just trust me, okay? We need to go now.”My heart started racing. I moved toward the bed, confused and nervous. “Kael, please talk to me. What is happening?”He walk
.Chapter – The Hotel owner Lyon’s PovSerena lay in bed beside me, her soft hand brushing against my chest. I knew what she wanted. But I couldn’t. Not tonight. “I just want to hold you,” she whispered.I shifted away. “I’m tired,” I said, voice low and distant.She sat up. “Tired? Or is it something else? You barely looking at me, Lyon. What’s going on?”“Nothing,” I answered, standing up and grabbing my robe. “Go to bed.”Before she could say more, I left the room.The hallway was quiet. My bare feet brushed against the cold floor as I walked slowly. My eyes fell on a room at the end—the room that used to be Zoey’s.I stopped. Something tugged at my chest.I reached for the doorknob and turned it. The room creaked open.But it wasn’t hers anymore.It had been turned into a storage space. Boxes were piled up. Old furniture and paintings leaned against the wall. Everything that once smelled like Zoey was gone. Her scent, her touch, her little things—gone.I closed the door quietly.
Chapter: The Truth Zoey’s PovWhen I opened my eyes, the light stung.Everything was hazy at first—my head ached, and my body felt heavy. I blinked a few more times before the ceiling came into focus. I wasn’t in the wardrobe anymore. I was in bed. Soft covers were pulled up to my chest, and the room was calm.Kael sat in the chair beside me, his brows furrowed, eyes tired.He looked like he hadn’t slept.“You’re awake,” he said quietly.I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn’t move as fast as I wanted.Kael leaned in and gently helped adjust the pillows behind me.“Are you okay?” he asked.I nodded slowly, but he didn’t look convinced. His jaw was tight. His hands rested on his knees, clenched.“I thought something happened to you, Zoey. You locked your doors. Your windows. I had to call the hotel’s security system to unlock your room. I found you unconscious in the wardrobe.” His voice cracked a little. “You scared the hell out of me.”“I’m sorry,” I whispered.His eyes searched min
Chapter - I Saw HerI saw her.I’m not even saying that in a dreamy, maybe-it-was-just-in-my-head kind of way.I saw her.Zoey.Her eyes—those same eyes that used to look at me like I hung the moon, and later like I broke her heart—stared back at me from the top window of that hotel. Only for a second. Maybe even less. But that was all I needed.She was alive.I tried to go up there. I really did.The moment our eyes met, I pushed through the crowd of guests and made my way to the edge of the ballroom, where the hallway opened to the elevators. I told the security I needed to go up. I even told them I left something up there. They didn’t budge.“Sorry, Alpha, but access is only granted for event areas tonight. We can’t allow guests to wander into other hotel wings.”I wanted to break through them. I almost did.But I stopped.Not because I didn’t want to cause a scene, but because Serena had already started one.“Lyon!” she yelled from across the hallway, storming up to me in her heel
Chapter- The Hotel Guest Zoey’s Pov Two months had passed since I moved into Kael’s hotel. The days had become softer, slower. I was getting closer to the time I would give birth—just two months to go. Kael wouldn’t let me lift a finger anymore. He said I needed to rest, that the baby needed calmness. I didn’t argue. Truthfully, I was tired all the time.My world had grown small, but peaceful. I had my own little garden out by the corner of the west wing. Kael gave me the space and even brought flowers from the market so I could plant them. Every morning, I would go out there, barefoot on the grass, breathing in the scent of fresh earth. It reminded me of who I used to be—just a quiet wolf girl who loved green things.Kael and I had gotten closer too. We weren’t formal anymore. There were no stiff greetings or awkward silences. We took long walks, sometimes around the garden, sometimes around the quiet hallways of the hotel when the moon was up and the guests had gone to sleep. He
Chapter: The Mark I FeltZoey’s POVI shot up from the bed with a scream. My chest burned, and I could feel the sweat on my skin like I’d been running for miles. My breath was ragged, like I was choking on something I couldn’t see. My hand pressed against my chest, right where my heart should be steady—but it was pounding.The door burst open.Kael ran in wearing a shirt that looked like he’d just thrown it on halfway down the hall. His eyes were wide with worry.“Zoey! What’s wrong?” he said, rushing to my side.I couldn’t even speak. My throat felt like it was closing up. I just shook my head and held my chest, the pain still there, dull but steady. Almost like something had been taken away from me.“I don’t know—I just—I felt something,” I whispered.Kael sat on the edge of the bed and reached for my hand. “You’re shaking.”“I know.”“Was it a nightmare?”“No,” I said quickly. “It wasn’t a dream. It was real. I felt it.”He looked confused. “Felt what?”My lips trembled. I didn’t w
Chapter: The Vows I Didn’t MeanLyon’s POVThe palace was buzzing with energy, but none of it belonged to me.Flowers draped the marble columns. Gold ribbons lined the chairs. Musicians played soft music in the garden courtyard where the ceremony would take place. Servants ran around, perfecting every detail. My mother made sure everything looked perfect—like a royal wedding should.And yet, I stood in my chambers, staring at my reflection with no excitement in my chest.I looked like a groom. Dressed in an embroidered black robe, trimmed with silver. My hair was neatly tied back, my jaw cleanly shaven. Everything about me was prepared to look like I was happy. But I wasn’t.There was a knock at the door, then Darian strolled in without waiting for permission. Typical.“You look like you’re about to attend a funeral,” he said, walking straight to the window.I didn’t answer.He turned around and smirked. “You know most people smile on their wedding day.”I gave him a dry look. “Do I l
Chapter: Secrets in the WalkZoey’s POVThe cold air in Kael Hotel felt sharper this time. I hadn’t been gone long, but something about walking through those glass doors again made me feel like I was stepping back into something unfinished.I stood near the reception, a little nervous. I hadn’t exactly left on good terms last time. I expected cold stares or awkward silence, but Kael came out from the back hallway with a warm smile on his face.“You came back,” he said.I nodded. “I did.”There was a short pause. I looked down at my shoes.“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” I said quickly. “For how I left. I wasn’t trying to cause problems.”Kael tilted his head. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Zoey.”I looked up at him. “But—”He cut me off gently. “Seriously. You were going through something. Anyone could see that.”His voice was calm. Kind. Just like always.Still, I wasn’t myself the last time I was here. I’d messed up a simple order, and the staff’s yelling had pushed me over the edge. I
Chapter: The Truth Beneath the GroundLyon’s POVEverything about the palace felt wrong lately.The noise, the planning, the talks of flowers and seating arrangements—it all sounded like static in my ears. I couldn’t focus. Not when every part of me was unsettled. Not since that woman came to my house, uninvited, with words that refused to leave my head.Zoey was pregnant.And the body we buried… wasn’t.I tried to forget her. Goddess knows I tried. But she stayed in my thoughts like a shadow I couldn’t chase away. And now that seed of doubt the woman planted had started to grow. I had to know.So I did something stupid. I left the palace in the middle of wedding preparations.Without telling Serena. Without informing my mother. Just me, a horse, and a restless mind riding out to find that woman again. i intentionally didn’t take any of the cars cause my mother would notice i was leaving . She lived outside the pack’s main village, close to the hills, in a crooked wooden house that l