Calvin's POVThe tension in the central hall is thick enough to choke on. Fenrir is pacing restlessly inside me, his growls echoing in my mind, his rage mirroring my own. Whoever helped Kamrynn escape is out there, among these cowards, hiding in plain sight. I can feel it. I’m not leaving until I have their blood on my hands.Suddenly, a man steps forward, his head bowed. His hands tremble slightly as he raises them in surrender."Alpha," he begins, his voice quivering with fear. "I… I saw her. I saw Lysaa. She… she helped Kamrynn escape."The confession hits me like a spark to a powder keg. My rage ignites, flaring to life with a force I can barely contain. I feel Fenrir surge to the surface, his presence nearly overwhelming, his voice a guttural snarl in my head. “Let me out. I’ll tear her apart.”My vision blurs with red as my eyes shift, Fenrir’s rage and mine blending into one. It takes everything in me to hold him back, to keep him from breaking free and ripping this entire hall
Kamrynn's POVTime doesn’t exist in this place. It’s hard to tell the days apart when every moment feels like an endless loop of misery. But if I had to guess, I’d say it’s been at least two weeks since I was thrown into this cell, though it feels like so much longer. Two weeks since I was "rescued" from the auction, if I can even call it that. Two weeks of surviving in this pit of despair, where my only company is hopelessness and a gnawing fear that I’ll never get out.The warriors bring me meals twice a day—gruel in the morning and some hard, crusty bread at night. It isn’t good food by any means, but it’s enough to keep me and my child alive. I’m grateful for that, at least. If nothing else, I don’t have to starve.No one has told me what will happen to me. I’ve heard no word about my fate, no hint of a decision being made. I don’t know if I should consider that good news or not. Every day that passes feels like a death sentence drawn out slowly. And while the uncertainty is madde
Kamrynn's POVThe first thing I notice when I open my eyes is the softness beneath me. It’s not the hard, cold floor of my cell. The mattress yields slightly under my weight, and the blanket draped over me feels smooth and cool against my skin. A sharp smell stings my nostrils—medicine, disinfectant, and the sterile air that can only belong in a hospital.I blink against the harsh light, my eyes struggling to adjust as I take in my surroundings. White walls. Monitors beeping steadily. The ache in my body is a dull throb, a reminder of the beating I endured. I try to shift, and pain slices through me, forcing a wince. I’m covered in bruises, and my muscles scream with even the smallest movement."You're awake," a familiar voice says.I glance over and see Elara sitting beside the bed, her arms crossed and her expression set in a stern frown. She looks like she’s been there for a while. I can’t tell whether that’s a good or bad thing. The last time I saw her, she wasn’t exactly sympathe
Kamrynn's POVI take a deep breath, forcing myself to sit up a little despite the pain coursing through my body. I can’t let this opportunity slip away. "Please, Elara," I plead, my voice trembling but firm. "You have a daughter, right? You said you’d do anything to protect her. I was just trying to do the same for my child."Elara’s face hardens, and she crosses her arms. "That doesn’t excuse what you did. You still need to learn that actions have consequences. You were reckless.""I know," I reply quickly, wincing as the words slip out in a pained rush. "I was angry… but I’m willing to accept responsibility. I just… I just couldn’t let her insult my baby like that. I’m begging you, please try to understand."For a long moment, Elara’s expression remains stony, and I feel my hope slipping away. Then, she sighs, her features softening just slightly. "Fine," she says at last. "I’ll talk to the Gamma, see if there’s a possibility of letting you off this time. If that isn’t possible, I’l
Kamrynn's POV “I’m so sorry,” I say quickly, my own voice barely a whisper, guilt swelling inside me for having touched such a raw nerve. “I didn’t mean to—”“It’s alright,” Rmonica interrupts gently, though her voice trembles. “You couldn’t have known.” She takes a deep breath, as if trying to steady herself, but I can see that the effort costs her. “My mate and I… we’ve been trying for so many years.” Her voice wavers, and she pauses, as though she’s pulling the words from some deep, dark place. “We’ve had so many moments of hope. You know, that spark that flares up with the first missed period, or the first flutter of a heartbeat on an ultrasound… Every time, I thought, ‘This is it. This is finally it.’”Her gaze drifts toward the window, as if she’s looking far beyond it, back to all those moments of brief joy that ended in despair. “But each time… each time, it slipped away. I’ve had more miscarriages than I can count,” she continues, her voice breaking on the last word, “and ev
Kamrynn's POVI stare, frozen in place, my mind spinning as the realization settles in. Luna? The woman I had just been speaking to so freely, sharing stories and laughing with… she’s the Luna of the Blue Bell Pack?The shock courses through me like a jolt of electricity, followed by a wave of dread. I scramble out of the bed despite the searing pain in my ribs and legs, an attempt to bow to Rmonica. “L-Luna, I— I’m so sorry! I didn’t know—”“Shhh,” Rmonica hushes me gently, her hands already on my shoulders, pressing me back down onto the bed. “None of that now. You’re still in no condition to be moving about,” she says, her voice as soothing as the touch of a mother’s hand. “There’s no need for all the formality.”I let her guide me back onto the pillows, my heart pounding with both embarrassment and relief. “I’m so sorry,” I whisper, wincing as I try to settle comfortably. “I didn’t mean to speak to you so casually. I had no idea—”“It’s alright, Kamrynn,” Rmonica interrupts, shaki
Kamrynn's POVFor a while, I couldn’t shake the feeling that my meeting with Rmonica was just a dream. It seemed too surreal, too kind of her to visit me every day. Yet, day after day, there she was, slipping into my hospital room with a warm smile and a soft greeting. It didn’t take long before it sank in—this was real. She was real. The Luna of the Blue Bell Pack had truly become… my friend.“It’s funny, you know,” I say one morning as we sit together, the room filled with the soft morning light. “I keep expecting to wake up and find out you’re just a figment of my imagination.”Rmonica chuckles, her gray eyes sparkling with humor. “If I’m a figment, then I must be a very talkative one,” she quips. “You think your imagination would get tired of me by now.”I laugh, though it makes my ribs ache. “No, I don’t think that’s possible.” There’s a lightness in my chest that feels foreign, like I’ve forgotten what it’s like to laugh this much. “You’re really easy to talk to. It’s almost lik
Kamrynn's POVThe doctor finishes her final check-up and gives me a nod of approval. “You’re free to go,” she says, and relief washes over me. I never thought I’d be so glad to leave a hospital.Elara is waiting just outside the room, tapping her foot impatiently. She swiftly handles the paperwork and gets me discharged without a hitch. She leads me outside, where a sleek, dark vehicle awaits. We set off toward the Blue Bell palace, and with every passing minute, I feel a mix of anticipation and nerves knotting my stomach. I’d been given a second chance, but the uncertainty of my future here still looms like a dark cloud.The moment we arrive at the palace, I am struck speechless. The sight that greets me is beyond anything I could have imagined. The palace looms grand and majestic, its elegant spires reaching toward the sky as if trying to touch the heavens. Elaborate carvings adorn the stone walls, and gold trim glistens in the sunlight. Everything about it—the scale, the design, th
Calvin’s POVThe night stretched on, quiet and still, as I finally concluded my duties for the day. The weight of leading a struggling Pack never seemed to ease, but at least for now, I could leave it behind. Franklin stayed behind to organize the last of the documents, locking the office as I stepped out into the cool night air.There was only one thing on my mind.My children.I made my way to their room, my steps slow but purposeful. The moment I opened the door, a soft melody greeted my ears.Lysaa.She was sitting on the rocking chair, gently swaying back and forth as she sang a lullaby to the twins. Her voice was quiet, soothing, almost like a whisper against the night. Astor and Arabella were lying in their crib, gazing up at her, their tiny hands curling and uncurling as if reaching for her voice.My heart palpitated in my chest.How could something so small, so fragile, hold such power over me?Lysaa must have sensed my presence because she stopped singing and turned toward me
Calvin's POVI never imagined that two tiny beings could change my life so much.Even with the weight of the Pack still pressing down on me, demanding my time and attention, I found myself drawn back to them—Astor and Arabella. My children. My twins. No matter how chaotic things were, no matter how much my responsibilities as Alpha demanded of me, I refused to be absent from their lives. I had lost too much already.And if there was one thing I was certain of, it was that I couldn’t afford to lose them, too.That first week with them had been a trial by fire. The first few days had been the hardest—two-month-old infants didn’t just accept new faces, even if that face belonged to their father. They didn’t understand who I was, and so they wailed. Loudly. Relentlessly.At first, it made me panic. I could hold my own in a duel, could lead warriors without flinching, but two tiny babies crying at the same time? It left me utterly lost. Marlana—my mother—would step in then, taking them fro
Kamrynn’s POVSleep refused to come.I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind an endless swirl of questions. The key sat hidden beneath my pillow, yet it might as well have been burning a hole through the mattress.I couldn't stop thinking about it.For once, I was grateful that Lorien had chosen to sleep in the living room tonight. The distance between us gave me a rare moment of solitude, a chance to breathe without his watchful gaze lingering over me.I sat up slowly, careful not to make any noise. The room was dim, moonlight casting silvery streaks across the floor. My fingers hesitated for only a moment before I reached beneath my pillow and retrieved the key.Holding it up to the light, I turned it over between my fingers, studying the intricate grooves along the metal.What if this was a mistake?What if Lorien had placed the collar around my neck to protect me from something?I clenched my jaw, gripping the key tighter. No. That didn’t make sense. If it was for my safety,
Kamrynn’s POVI stared at the key in my hand, turning it over between my fingers, the weight of it sinking into my skin.What did it open?My mind ran through possibilities, but nothing seemed to make sense. Lorien had hidden it carefully, tucked away where I’d never think to look.My hand drifted up, almost absentmindedly, brushing against the shackle jewelry thing around my neck.I froze.A keyhole. That's right, the other day I realized it had a keyhole. Which is very much strange for something that's supposed to be jewelry.I turned the key over in my palm, my fingers tracing its cool, metallic surface. It was small, unassuming—yet its existence unsettled me in a way I couldn’t quite put into words.I inhaled sharply, my grip tightening on the key as realization slithered through my mind like a shadowy whisper.Could this key… unlock it?If it did, that would mean this wasn’t a necklace.It wasn’t a piece of jewelry meant to symbolize love, devotion, or commitment.It was a shackl
Kamrynn’s POVIt had been days since I heard that name."Kamrynn."A voice in my head had whispered it so clearly, so intimately, that it sent shivers down my spine.And I hadn’t been able to get it out of my mind since.I didn’t understand why it unsettled me so much. I knew my memory wasn’t whole—I had long accepted that pieces of my past were missing. But was Kamrynn someone I used to know? Someone important?Someone I had forgotten?I should ask Lorien.It was the logical thing to do. He would have answers.And yet, every time I thought about it, something held me back.I couldn’t explain it. It was just an instinct, a whisper in the back of my mind warning me to stay quiet.But why?Why couldn’t I bring myself to tell him?I had no reason to hesitate. Lorien had always been there for me. He was my husband, the only person I had ever known. The only one who had ever cared for me. He had been nothing but patient with me, always so gentle, always—I trusted him.Didn’t I?I sighed,
Calvin's POVI gritted my teeth, weighing my options.I had no idea how long it would take for Rmonica to fall asleep—or if she was even a heavy sleeper to begin with. Every second I wasted was a risk, a gamble I couldn't afford to take.I had to act. Now.Overpowering her would be easy, especially in her current state, but that didn’t mean I could just pin her down and walk out of here. She was the Alpha’s mate, the Luna of this Pack. One mind link, one call for help, and I’d be dead before I even reached the front gates.I was already screwed. No matter what I did, the odds weren’t in my favor.Just as I clenched my fists, readying myself to take the risk, Rmonica suddenly sat up in bed.I froze, holding my breath.She pressed a hand to her mouth, her expression twisting in discomfort. Then, with a sharp inhale, she shot up from the bed and rushed out of the room.Gone.She left.A wave of relief crashed over me.She was probably going to throw up.That meant I had minutes—maybe seco
Calvin’s POVI remembered it as clear as day; their scent. Though they were too young to have developed their own unique scent, especially with no wolf, I could tell their presence from a mile away.Soft, warm, pure. A delicate blend of milk, the gentle sweetness of talcum powder, and that inexplicable, almost heavenly aroma that only babies carried—the scent of innocence itself.It tugged at something deep inside me, something primal. They were close by.I closed my eyes for a brief moment, allowing my senses to fully absorb it, to let it guide me. I had memorized this scent from the very moment I had discovered their existence. No matter where they were, I would always find them.Astor. Arabella.Selene, please let them be safe. Please don’t let them be in the same room as Rmonica or Orion.I took another deep breath, following the softest traces of their scent, weaving through the corridors with careful, calculated steps. The palace was eerily quiet, the only sounds being the dista
Calvin’s POVThe air was thick with tension as we arrived at the outskirts of the palace under the cover of night. The towering walls loomed ahead, their stone faces bathed in the pale glow of the moon. Every inch of the palace was guarded, every pathway watched. One mistake, one misstep, and this mission would be over before it even began.I clenched my fists. Failure is not an option.Lysaa stood beside me, clutching her white cane tightly. She was tense, but she had agreed to do this. Franklin was positioned with the car a safe distance away, waiting for my signal."Alright," I whispered. "You remember what to do?"Lysaa exhaled sharply. "Unfortunately, yes.""Good. I’ll direct you from here. Just walk straight ahead for now."Lysaa took careful steps forward, tapping her cane against the ground. The two guards patrolling the walls immediately noticed her and rushed over."Halt!" one of them barked. "Who goes there?"Lysaa flinched, playing the part of a vulnerable blind woman perf
Calvin’s POVThere was a time when I had firmly believed that there was nothing I couldn't do. But lately I've been reminded over and over again that I'm still a mere mortal, one who the moon goddess herself had to humble. This was one of those situations.The bitter feeling of helplessness had become a common presence in my life of late. This wasn't any other situation, this was my flesh and blood we were talking about. Every second that passed, my children were slipping further away.Franklin paced in front of me, his boots crunching against the gravel. Lysaa sat stiffly on the hood of the car, arms wrapped around herself, her expression unreadable."What the hell are we supposed to do now?" Franklin finally spoke, his frustration evident. "Blue Bell doesn’t remember Kamrynn, and they sure as hell won’t just hand over the kids. We can’t fight them for this. So what’s the plan?"I didn’t respond right away. My mind was working through every possible option, every path that could lead