Chapter 3: His Wife
Zoey The next morning, I was helping my grandmother sort herbs in the yard when the sound of engines roared through the air. I froze, my heart skipping a beat. A convoy of black cars was assembling right outside our house. “Zoey,” my grandmother called, her voice trembling. “What did you do this time?” “I didn’t do anything!” I protested, though my mind was racing. My encounter with Alpha Lyon flashed before my eyes. Could it be? No, it couldn’t. I had only ever seen a car once in my life—one, not this many. I was from the poor district. What were all these cars doing here? Men in suits began stepping out of the vehicles, their movements precise and intimidating. Then, the door of the largest car opened, and Alpha Lyon emerged. My grandmother gasped loudly. She immediately fell to her knees and yanked me down with her. “Kneel, Zoey!” I burst into tears, my heart pounding in fear. “Grandma, I—” “What have you done this time?” she hissed, shaking me by the arm. “I-I insulted him,” I stammered between sobs. “You insulted him?” Her voice rose, and she smacked my shoulder. “You foolish child! You’ve caused trouble again!” Alpha Lyon walked forward, his cold, piercing gaze fixed on me. His presence was suffocating, and I could barely breathe. “I am here to take your daughter away,” he said, his voice calm but commanding. “She’s going to be my wife and the Luna of Skywood Pack.” My entire body froze. The words echoed in my mind, but they didn’t feel real. Me? His wife? The Luna? “Wait—what?” my grandmother gasped, but before she could say anything else, Lyon’s men grabbed me by the arms and started dragging me away. “No! Please, Grandma, don’t let them take me!” I cried, struggling against their grip. “Zoey!” my grandmother called out, but there was nothing she could do. I kicked and screamed, tears streaming down my face, but they didn’t care. My pleas fell on deaf ears as they forced me into one of the cars. The door slammed shut, and I sat there trembling, staring out of the window . The ride was painfully quiet, except for the occasional chatter of the guards in the front seat. My head was spinning, my thoughts a jumbled mess. My tears had dried up, but my chest still felt heavy. This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be. After a while, the car slowed to a stop. My stomach dropped as the door opened, and one of the guards motioned for me to get out. “Why are we stopping?” I asked shakily, but no one answered. I was ushered out of the car and into another, larger one parked behind. Sitting there, waiting, was Alpha Lyon. I hesitated, but the guards pushed me forward. The moment I was seated across from him, the door slammed shut, and the car began to move again. The air inside the car felt heavy, suffocating. Lyon’s piercing gaze was on me, but he said nothing. I didn’t dare look at him for too long, but his presence was impossible to ignore. “Stop crying,” he said after a moment, his tone sharp but calm. “You’ll have questions, I’m sure. I’ll answer two.” I blinked at him, unsure if I heard him right. “What... what do you mean by I’m your wife?” I stammered, my voice shaking. He nodded slightly, as if expecting the question. “Exactly that. You are my wife now, Zoey.” He knew my name ? I shook my head furiously. “No, no, I’m not. I didn’t agree to this!” “You don’t have a choice,” he replied firmly, his voice carrying an edge of finality. Tears began to well up in my eyes again. “Why me? What do you mean by this?” I asked desperately, my words spilling out. He smirked, tilting his head. “That’s two questions,” he said, his tone almost mocking. “I’ll answer one.” He leaned closer, his voice low but clear. “Why you? Because I want you.” I stared at him, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. His words echoed in my head. Because I want you. This had to be a nightmare. “I don’t believe you!” I shouted, my voice rising. “Stop the car! Let me out!” He didn’t flinch. “No.” “Stop the car!” I screamed, pounding on the door. Lyon’s expression hardened. “Enough,” he said sharply, and the weight of his authority made me freeze for a moment. “I want to go home! Take me back to my grandmother!” I cried, my voice cracking. “If it will calm you,” he said coldly, “your grandmother can be brought to you. But you cannot escape. You are my wife now, Zoey. Accept it and prepare yourself for your role.” My heart sank at his words. “You’re insane!” I yelled, my voice shaking with fear and anger. He ignored my outburst, his gaze unyielding. “The sooner you understand this, the easier it will be for you.” I slumped back into the seat, my mind racing. There was no reasoning with him, no way to make him see how wrong this was. I felt trapped, powerless. Was this my new reality?Chapter 4 : A Caged Marriage Zoey’s POV Two years. It had been two long, draining years since Alpha Lyon had taken me from my grandmother’s house and declared me his wife. A part of me had hoped that things would get better, that perhaps the cold exterior he wore so effortlessly would melt with time. But it hadn’t. I didn’t know how to describe Lyon’s emotions toward me—or if he even had any. He was impossible to read. Cold and detached one moment, then possessive and almost tender when it suited him. Most of the time, he wouldn’t even look at me unless he had something to say, and even then, it was usually to mock me. “You’re pathetic,” he’d say whenever I failed at my training sessions. “How did someone as weak as you survive this long?” I learned quickly that arguing only made it worse. But then there were the nights. When it was time for him to claim me as his wife, he was a completely different man. His cold demeanor would shift into something primal, something
Chapter5 : A Letter and a Decision Zoey’s POV The letter arrived in the early hours of the morning, slipped under the door by one of the maids. I had barely opened my eyes when I saw it sitting there, the envelope worn and edges slightly smudged, as though it had traveled a long way. My hands shook as I picked it up, recognizing my grandmother’s handwriting immediately. I tore it open, my heart racing, and read the words that would shatter me completely. My dear Zoey, I don’t have much time left. The sickness has spread too far, and I fear I won’t last long. I’ve tried to hold on, waiting for the day I could see you again, but it seems the Moon Goddess has other plans. Please, Zoey, come home. I need to see you, just one last time. I need to know you’re alright before I leave this world. I love you, my little one. With all my heart, Grandma Tears spilled down my cheeks, blurring the ink on the page. I hadn’t seen her in two years. Two whole years of being trapped in t
Zoey’s Pov. i had waited untill the whole palace was asleep before i left , i knew not to take any of the palace cars cause it wa easy to identify an inhabitant of the palace by their cars , So i was walking . All i had with me was two dresses, a scarf, my water bottle, There was no water in it cause i couldn’t go to the kitchen because of the maids there and so that means i couldn’t even leave with food , I was already used to the easy life in the palace and so i was finding it difficult to walk fast , I was not so far from the palace and if the guard started their search, They would find me eventually. “ Serena …We need to run , We cannot afford to go back to that pack” At this point serena was my only confidant, i’ve never had friends , I was a loner even in the palace ,i had only one favorite maid but Lyon had sent her away cause she was wearing a dress i gave her , he found it disrespectful and even though i pleaded that he allow her stay cause she was my only friend , He didn’
Chapter 7I was walking on eggshells, scared that someone would recognize me. I walked into a local boutique, where an elderly woman was sitting. The moment she saw me, she fell to her knees.Damn it! She knew who I was.I ran to her and begged her to stand up, and she did. I looked at her closely—it was the seamstress who made my wedding dress. I remembered the day I got married to Lyon. I woke up in tears. That was my first attempt at running away, but I was immediately caught. The wedding was postponed twice because I locked myself in my room. I finally agreed to marry Lyon after he threatened to slit my grandmother’s throat right in front of me. That was when the seamstress came in with my dress. The only reason I smiled that day was because of the beautiful gown she had made and how she kept telling me how beautiful I was.“Did anyone see you walk in here?” she asked, rushing to bring down the curtains.I shook my head. Today was oddly quiet. It was as though the universe was in
Alpha Lyon’s POVThe palace felt empty—not because all the soldiers and guards had been deployed to search for the Luna, but because she was not here. The sound of her kitten heels clicking down the hallway, her vanilla scent, and her gentle smile were nonexistent now.I grabbed the vase in the corner and smashed it against the wall, my eyes flaming with anger. How dare she run away from me?“Lyon, maybe you should calm down. She might not have run away. What are the odds?” Darian said, trying to soothe his friend, who had been spiraling since the news of his wife’s escape reached him. It was almost nighttime, and she was still nowhere to be found.“What are the odds? Darian! Zoey never leaves the palace. She knows no one around. She went to bed last night, and now she’s nowhere to be found. She has escaped!”“You just said it like she was in prison. Escaped? Have you considered that she might be missing? You have a whole lot of enemies, Lyon. What if she was abducted?”Darian was mak
The JourneyThe ride was hectic. I kept counting the strands of my hair, praying and hoping that nobody would come to the back of the truck. But eventually, midway through the journey, one of the drivers stopped. When he came to the back of the truck, I was asleep, and the sound of his voice woke me up.“You guys need to see this. There’s a girl down here,” he alerted the other drivers.All three men gathered, shocked to see me. Even I was too stunned and scared to speak. Now, I was in the middle of nowhere, an intruder in the truck of three men.“Missy, where are you headed?” one of the drivers asked with a soft smile.“How did you get on the truck?” another asked.“Hello… I’m sorry for trespassing,” I replied softly. Over the years, being Lyon’s wife had taught me a whole lot of things, and one of them was soft femininity. I was no longer the loud and lousy girl I used to be. I had become more feminine. I could calm Lyon just by saying a few words. Maybe that was how I had survived
His Yearning Lyon’s POVMy parents had an entire discussion about how I shouldn’t go after Zoey yet, but that wasn’t happening. I already had my plan in my head—go with my soldiers and bring her back to where she belonged.“You look like a master whose slave just escaped,” Darian said with a scoff. He had been standing there while I paced from corner to corner. I just couldn’t calm down.“No, a husband whose wife escaped. Or rather, an Alpha whose Luna just escaped,” I responded in a defensive tone.“Lyon, I have a question for you,” Darian said, dropping the papers he was holding and focusing on whatever this conversation was turning into.“If you have anything to say, you might as well talk,” I replied.“Why are you so agitated? Give me two solid reasons.”Darian had just made me even more upset.“You know, people used to gossip and say, ‘Oh, Darian, the Omega of the Skywood Pack, is a joker and prankster.’ But I never took it seriously, and now you’re asking me such stupid questi
Chapter 11-ALL GONE Zoey’s PovIt was gone… all of it. My home, the hut that I had lived in my whole life—it was all gone. I had several thoughts… what exactly was going on? Where was my grandmother? Did Lyon do this? Did he take her?But my eyes met the ground. There was fresh grass. The building had been destroyed for a long time now. I ran to the backyard where my grandmother used to plant her herbs, but it was also all gone. Instead, there was a flower garden, and I saw its owner—a young girl about my age, with a little sister by her side. I immediately ran toward her to seek answers.“Uhmm, hi. Do you live around here?” I asked. She stared at me for a long time before she eventually said something.“Yes, I do. My cottage is down there…” she said, pointing in a direction opposite where our house used to be.“Then you must know what happened to my grandma. She used to live here—a very popular healer… our home was around here,” I explained with a shaky voice, trying to fight my tea
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 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 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 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: From his PovZoey’s POVThe evening was quiet. The wind moved gently through the trees, and the sun was slowly disappearing behind the clouds. I sat on the porch with Nana, a warm cup of mint tea in my hands. The wooden chair creaked softly each time I moved. Nana sat beside me, her knitting needles clicking lightly.We had been quiet for a while. It was peaceful. The kind of silence that didn’t feel awkward—it felt like home.Then Nana spoke.“Zoey,” she said, her voice soft, “talk to me about your marriage.”I looked at her, surprised. I wasn’t expecting that. But I guess I should have. Nana always knew what was on my mind, even when I tried to hide it.“I don’t know what to say,” I said, staring at the sky.“Say anything. Just talk to me,” she replied, her eyes warm.I took a deep breath. “It was hard, Nana. From the very beginning, everything felt forced. Lyon didn’t want to marry me. I didn’t want to marry him either. But we had to.”She nodded but didn’t interrupt.“I f
Chapter – A Picture on the WallLyon’s POVThe room was full of laughter.Alphas from different territories were gathered in the grand hall, dressed in their finest, standing tall with their Lunas by their sides. Except me.I stood alone.I could feel the weight of their glances, their curious eyes flicking in my direction, wondering why the great Alpha Lyon had shown up without his wife. Some whispered. Some raised eyebrows. One even asked me quietly, “Is everything alright with your Luna?”I didn’t answer, They were acting like they haven’t heard the news of her death to ask me stupid questions?I gave a tight smile and nodded, the kind of smile that lies through clenched teeth.She used to be here. Zoey.Every time we attended events like this, she stood beside me. She never said much, but she was always there—calm, composed, and quietly strong. I remember how I used to think her silence was a weakness. Now, I’d do anything just to hear her quiet voice again.I walked to a corner o
Chapter – Not a Damsel in Distress, Just Zoey . Zoey’s POVAll day at the cake bar, my mind refused to stay still.Even as I served customers, packed slices, and wiped down tables, my thoughts kept drifting back to him. Kael. The way his eyes met mine. The way he said, “We should get to know each other.”What kind of Alpha says something like that?It wasn’t just his words that stuck with me—it was the way he said them. Calm. Soft. Like he didn’t see me as a problem or a burden. He saw me as… a person.Even when I tried to focus, my thoughts would circle back. His smile. The way he leaned casually on the counter like this place was his second home.Kael was different. And that scared me a little.By evening, the air outside had cooled. Tiara and I closed up the cake bar, locking the doors and flipping the sign to Closed. She held her purse and looked at me.“Wanna take the long way home?” she asked.I nodded. I needed fresh air—space to breathe.We ended up at the small park nearby.
Chapter – The Damsel in DistressZoey’s POVThat’s Alpha Kael?I instantly took a step back, hiding behind a rack of cake jars. He didn’t notice me. Or maybe he did and just didn’t react. I watched from the corner, my heart thudding in my chest. So this was the man I was supposed to live with?He didn’t look like a cruel Alpha. He didn’t look like Lyon. In fact, he looked more human than any Alpha I had ever seen. He even smiled when he talked to Tiara. His voice was deep but kind.Tiara moved toward him and said, “I haven’t seen you around lately.”“I was out of town,” he replied, looking around the place with a warm expression. “Things came up. But I missed your cake.”“Let me guess,” she grinned, “Your usual?”“You know me well,” he nodded.They shared a friendly laugh as Tiara began slicing the cake. I stood frozen. Watching. Wondering.What kind of man is he? How does he run a pack without rules, warriors, or palaces? What would living with him be like? Would he judge me? Would h
Chapter – The Face Behind the NameZoey’s POVI couldn’t sleep.I tossed. I turned. I sat up. I got back down. Nothing worked. My thoughts just wouldn’t let me rest.I had made my decision—I was going to move in with Alpha Kael. But that didn’t stop the fear.What if he was worse than Lyon?What if he turned me in?What if I made the wrong decision—again?The night felt endless. My room was quiet, yet my mind was loud. The moonlight poured in through the window, and I just kept staring at it like it would whisper the right answer to me.By the time the sun started to rise, I was already sitting at the edge of the bed, fully awake. My fingers were laced together tightly on my lap, my shoulders tense. I heard voices outside and walked to the window. It was Tiara—she was standing by her car, throwing a small bag into the back seat.Without thinking, I rushed out of the room.“Tiara!” I called out as I stepped into the soft morning sun.She turned to look at me. “Hey, you’re up early.”“A