LIANA. I forced my body to turn, despite the stabbing pain that shot up my legs with every slight movement. Through the haze of exhaustion, I could see them—my father and brother, watching me from a distance. Even at that moment, under the weak light cast by the rising moon, I could make out their faces. Their expressions were twisted, not with worry or even anger, but with something darker, something like satisfaction. My father cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled, at his voice slicing through the silence of the woods. “You’re as good as dead out here, Liana! Do you hear me?” He spat my name like it was a curse. “I hope they rip you apart. I’d be glad to be rid of you for good. I never want anything to do with you!” His words shattered whatever little strength I had left in me. I’d grown accustomed to their cruelty, to the way they treated me like a burden, a stain on their lives. But to hear him speak those words, to see him stand there, not even trying to hide his re
LIANA. A harsh tug on my arm jolted me from the depths of unconsciousness. My eyes fluttered open, but it took a moment to process the cold stares, the sneering faces surrounding me. Rough hands gripped me, pulling me upright. Disoriented, I blinked against the blinding light of day, my head throbbing from where I’d hit it against the forest floor. It was still dark and the rain had already stopped but my clothes still dripped of water. “Look at this pathetic excuse for a wolf,” one of them sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. I tried to gather my bearings, but the world spun around me, a blur of scornful faces and mocking laughter. My clothes were soaked from the rain and clung to me, dirt streaked across my skin. I could feel their eyes crawling over me, dissecting me as if I were some lesser creature, something beneath them. “She’s wolf less,” another voice muttered with disgust, the words slicing through me like a knife. It wasn’t enough that my own family and pack hate
LIANA. The world around me was a blur of pain and terror, my body trembling as I lay helpless on the cold, blood-streaker ground. I could still feel the rough, callous hands that had pinned me down, the jeers and cruel laughter echoing in my mind like a sick melody I couldn’t shake. I wasn’t sure how much more I could take before I broke entirely. Then, suddenly, that awful laughter stopped. Replaced by silence. Then… a low, feral growl. It rumbled through the clearing, filled with a menacing power that sent a chill down my spine. The wolves who’d been tormenting me stilled, their expressions turning from delight to unease. I could see them glance around, searching for the source, their confidence wavering. “Who’s there?” one of them snarled, his voice a shaky attempt at bravado. I heard another growl, this one even more menacing, as if it were taunting them. Then came a sound—a snarl so deep it felt like the forest itself was growing back. My heart raced as the wolves surroundi
LIANAThe metallic tang of blood mixed with the damp earth’s scent as I tried to push myself to stand. My legs gave out immediately, sending me crumpling back to the ground. Every nerve in my body screamed, and yet, somehow, humiliation hurt worse than the physical pain. “I can walk,” I muttered, though even I wasn’t convinced.“Really?” Reed’s voice was calm, yet the undertone of sarcasm was unmistakable. His shadow fell over me, and before I could protest, his hands gripped me gently but firmly. I flinched at the contact, instincts screaming to pull away, but his arms were steady and sore, lifting me as though I weighed nothing. “You’re bleeding,” he said matter-of-factly, his eyes scanning my legs. “Badly.”“I’ll manage,” I shot back weakly, though my words held no bite. I hated feeling helpless, hated that I needed their help.“Enough,” Reed said curtly. “You’ll make it worse.”The warmth of his chest against my side contrasted sharply with the chill of the night air. I wanted
ASHERReed was already halfway up the grand staircase, Liana in his arms, when I caught up. Her head rested against his shoulder, her expression a mixture of exhaustion and wariness. The dim chandelier light highlighted her torn clothes, the bruises on her legs, and the vulnerability she tried so hard to mask.“This way,” Reed said, his tone quiet but firm as he turned toward one of the guest rooms.The door creaked open, revealing the room we’d hastily prepared. The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast warm light on the massive bed, draped in dark gray linens. The polished hardwood floors gleamed, and the tall windows framed the moonlit forest outside. It wasn’t feminine by any stretch—no delicate curtains, no floral touches—but it was clean, spacious, and safe. Reed set her down carefully on the edge of the bed, stepping back once he was sure she wouldn’t collapse.“I know it’s not exactly a palace,” he said, running a hand through his hair, “and we didn’t think to make it more… acco
CALLUMThe night air was sharp, cold enough to sting as I bounded through the woods in wolf form. The wind rustled through the treetops, carrying faint scents that told me everything except what I needed to know. My brothers and I were scattered, noses to the ground, ears twitching for even the smallest hint of her presence.Liana.Her name etched in my thoughts, louder than I’d like to admit. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She’d barely been with us for a night before she bolted, leaving behind nothing but her scent and the faint blood trails from her battered feet And I knew—deep down, in the part of me I didn’t want to acknowledge—that I was to blame. I shook the thought off, focusing instead on the search. My paws sank into the soft earth as I moved faster, weaving between trees with ease. There was no time for self-pity or guilt, not when she was out here alone, fragile, wolf-less, and too damn stubborn to admit she needed help. Then I caught it—her scent, faint but unm
LIANA A faint ray of sunlight brushed against my eyelids, pulling me from the comforting darkness of unconsciousness. My body felt heavy, a dull ache radiating from my legs and head as if I’d been run over by a stampede of wolves. Slowly, I cracked my eyes open and blinked against the brightness.The room was… breathtaking. High ceilings stretched above me, with a soft golden light pouring through expansive windows. A canopy of deep emerald curtains framed the bed I lay on, and the sheets beneath me smelled of cedar and faint smoke. Luxurious was an understatement, and I couldn’t help but feel like a misfit in such a place. My fingertips brushed over the soft material of the shirt I wore—oversized and unfamiliar. It wasn’t mine. Suddenly, flashes of the previous night flickered in my mind like a cruel film reel.I remembered the woods, the relentless escape from the brothers’ house, the slick, rain-soaked ground beneath me as I stumbled forward. My foot had slipped on the treacherou
LIANA The smell of something rich and savory wafted through the cracks of my bedroom door, pulling me from my restless thoughts. My stomach growled in protest, but I ignored it, sitting cross-legged on the bed and staring at the slip of paper I’d found earlier.Aurora.The name didn’t feel like mine, yet it still stirred something deep inside me, like a melody I’d long forgotten. Who was she? Or, more terrifyingly, what if she was related to… me? But that was impossible right? This was my first time here.A muffled voice broke through my thoughts, followed by another—low and steady, but with an edge of irritation. I hadn’t meant to eavesdrop, but the walls of this mansion weren’t as thick as they appeared. Curious, I crept closer to the door, pressing my ear against the wood.“She’s obviously been through something,” Reed’s voice came first, calm but tinged with concern. “We can’t just ignore that.”“I’m not saying ignore it,” Callum shot back, his tone sharper. “But you can’t save s
FOUR MONTHS LATERThe morning sun streamed through the sheer white curtains, casting a golden glow over the grand dining hall. The long wooden table was set with an elaborate spread—pancakes drizzled with honey, fresh berries, and a steaming pot of coffee. The scent of roasted bacon and buttered toast wafted through the air, making my stomach grumble in anticipation. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my swollen belly as I listened to the chatter around me. It had been four months since everything changed—four months since I had finally found my place, my home, my family. Reed sat to my right, his hand lazily tracing circles on my wrist as he spoke with Callum and Asher. My husband. The words still felt surreal, as if saying them would wake me from a dream. The mate bond between us had only grown stronger since our wedding, the kind of connection I once thought I would never have. “Callum can you please hand her another plate, it’s been five minutes since she asked for it,” Reed bl
ELIANA’S POVThe first thing I felt was warmth.Not the suffocating heat of fear or the numbing cold of rejection—just a steady, comforting warmth. It wrapped around my hand, grounding me before my mind could even piece together where I was.Slowly, I forced my eyes open.Blurry. Unfocused. The light overhead was too bright, making me wince. I blinked rapidly, willing my vision to adjust.Where am I? The ceiling above me was a bit familiar. The room smelled different, too—clean, with a faint hint of something I couldn’t quite place. Not the musky, indifferent scent of the packhouse I had come to despise. Then where…?And then it hit me. The pain. The sharp, unbearable pain that had gripped my body before I collapsed. My breath hitched as the memories flooded back—the searing agony, my vision darkening at the edges, the sound of my name being called in panic. Reed. Asher. My hand shot to my stomach. Still round. Still full. A shuddering breath escaped me. My baby. My baby was s
MALCOLM’S POVThe air in the room was suffocating.Not because of the space—we had more than enough of that in this damn house—but because of the weight of everything pressing down on us. The truth. The guilt. The realization that we had shattered something that could never fully be put back together.Callum and I talked on the way back home, but nothing could’ve prepared us for what we were walking into. Eliana was upstairs, unconscious. Reed had carried her in like she was the most precious thing in the world, like losing her would rip his soul apart. And it would.Because of us.Because we had believed what we wanted to believe. Because we had ignored the truth. Because we had taken the pieces of a story that suited our anger and ran with it—dragging Reed down with us. And now? Now, all we could do was sit in this damn living room, suffocating in our own regret while Asher paced like a man on the verge of shattering. His hands ran through his hair, gripping at the strands. His
REED’S POVI didn’t think. I didn’t hesitate. I didn’t wait for permission. The moment I saw her—Eliana, crumpled in the doorway, her body trembling, her skin pale and damp with sweat—everything else ceased to exist.I was at her side before my mind could even catch up, scooping her into my arms. She was so light. Too light.Her breath was uneven, shallow, her body barely responding.“Asher,” I barked, my voice tight with urgency. “We’re taking her out here.”He was already ahead of me, moving fast, clearing the way as I carried her through the castle halls. I didn’t care about the whispers, the wide eyes of pack members watching us go. I didn’t give a damn about their judgment or their curiosity. They had failed her. They had stood by while she was beaten, humiliated, starved. And now, she was barely clinging to life because of them. I would not fail her too. We reached the car, and I slid into the backseat with her cradled against me. Her head lolled against my chest, her face
ELIANA’S POVPain.It started as a dull ache, twisting deep in my stomach. I barely noticed it at first. My body had endured so much these past months—hunger, exhaustion, bruises, the sharp sting of words meant to break me. What was one more pain added to the pile?I thought maybe it was the weight of my dress, the heavy fabric pressing against my skin. That had to be it.I forced myself to stand, my fingers trembling as I reached for the laces of the gown. Each breath I took felt shallow, strained, but I ignored it. I just needed to change. Get comfortable. Then the pain would go away. I peeled off the dress, my breath catching as the cool air kissed my overheated skin. My body ached everywhere, my muscles screaming in protest. Slowly, I slipped into a loose gown, something softer, something that didn’t suffocate me. But the pain didn’t stop. I pressed a hand to my stomach. My heart pounded against my ribs. This was different. A sharp, searing pain shot through me, knocking the
REED’S POVI didn’t know what to do.My body felt too heavy, my mind too loud. I wanted to scream, to rip at my skin until I felt something other than this suffocating regret. But nothing would change. No matter how much I hurt, no matter how much I wanted to turn back time, I couldn’t undo what I’d done.She hated me.I’d called her a whore.I’d let my rage speak louder than reason, and now I had lost her in a way that I wasn’t sure I could ever fix. Eliana had always been strong, but the woman I had just seen—this new version of her—she was unshakable. And I had pushed her there. I had driven her to the point where she didn’t just refuse to listen to me; she didn’t even care to. I pressed my hands against my face, dragging them down slowly. My chest burned, and the weight in my throat grew unbearable. I tried to swallow it down, but it rose like bile, hot and acidic. I sucked in a sharp breath, but it didn’t help. Then, before I could stop it, my vision blurred. A warm line of w
ELIANA’S POVThe dress felt heavier than it should have.Silk, soft against my skin, clean, free of blood—yet I still felt stained.I adjusted the cuffs of my sleeves as I walked down the corridor leading to the Grand Hall, my heels clicking against the polished floor. The path felt longer than usual, the air thick with tension, but I kept my head high. There would be no sign of weakness tonight.The investors were waiting. So was Ronan. My godforsaken Beta.The doors to the Grand Hall were already open when I arrived. The room was grand, high ceilings adorned with golden chandeliers, the long table in the center lined with crisp documents, and men and women dressed in sharp suits. Humans. Our potential business partners. My people were gathered too. The elders, the council, warriors standing at the edges like silent shadows. Asher was seated at one end, his expression unreadable. Raiden was on the opposite side, his arms crossed, eyes trained on me the second I entered. And then
ASHER’S POVI was losing my mind.Hours had passed since she walked out, and no one knew where the hell she was.I should have stopped her. I should have gone after her the second she stepped out with that bloodied gown clinging to her like a second skin. But I hadn’t. I’d been too stunned, too fucking caught up in my own emotions to move. Now, she was out there—alone, hurt, and wearing the same damn nightgown she almost died in. My hands curled into fists as I stormed across the main hall. Every available pack member was searching for her. Even Ronan, despite his silence, was out there looking. The elders were restless. Not because they cared about her, but because of the investors meeting. “Find her, now,” one of them growled at the warriors. “We cannot afford to miss this deal over one reckless woman.” I clenched my jaw. She wasn’t just a woman. She was their Alpha. My wife. Or at least, she had been. And they still spoke about her like she was nothing. I exhaled sharply, s
CALLUM POV The sheets were soft. The woman beneath me, softer. She moaned against my mouth, her fingers tangled in my hair as her bare thighs tightened around my waist. I smirked, trailing kisses down the curve of her throat, my hands gliding over smooth, warm skin. “You’re insatiable,” she purred, her nails dragging lightly over my shoulders. I chuckled. “And you love it.” She didn’t argue. My lips traced down her collarbone, my fingers dipping lower when— Knock. Knock. Knock. I froze. The woman beneath me let out an irritated groan. “Ignore it.” I wanted to. Fuck, I really wanted to. But whoever was at the door was persistent. Knock. Knock. Knock.I clenched my jaw, pressing my forehead against hers with an exhausted sigh.“This better be good,” I muttered. Then, raising my voice, I barked, “Who the fuck is that?” There was a pause before a familiar voice answered. “It’s me, sir.” I sighed again. Benson. My butler. The man had impeccable timing. “What do you want?”