Alpha Theo's POV A suffocating silence settled over the crowd as my confession lingered in the air, sinking into the hearts of everyone present. My gaze locked with my mother’s, and I saw the stunned, disbelieving look in her eyes. She was struggling to process what I had just said. Even I could hardly believe I had confessed in front of the entire pack—that I had openly declared Lagertha as my mate. But I didn’t regret it. If anything, I felt relieved, as if a massive weight had been lifted off my chest. Soon, murmurs arose among the pack members as they whispered in disbelief, but I ignored them all and looked at Lagertha, whose face was streaked with tears. She also looked shocked, stunned that I had said what I said. Then, Aunt Agatha stepped forward, holding several letters in her hands. “Lagertha asked me to give these to…” She hesitated before distributing them—to my family, to Oscar’s family, and finally, one to me. I turned my gaze back to Lagertha. Her eyes were open,
Alpha Theo’s POVOscar’s entire body tensed under Mother’s glare, his lips pressing into a thin line. His hands balled into fists at his sides as he hesitated, his throat working as if he were struggling with his words.“I…” He faltered, his gaze darting toward Lagertha, then to me.But I had had enough.I clenched my jaw and took a step forward, my voice ringing through the room. “I’ll tell you the truth.”All eyes turned to me. Mother’s tear-streaked face twisted in anger, and Oscar looked torn between relief and dread. But Legartha—her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear.“I was going to marry Lagertha off,” I confessed, my voice thick with guilt. “I had already picked a few men for her—strong warriors, Alphas—so she would be far away from me. That way, she wouldn’t be a distraction.”Gasps filled the room, but I didn’t stop. I had already burned everything to the ground—I might as well walk through the flames.“Oscar knew what I was doing, and he didn’t want her to end up with
Lagertha's POV“Can you see anything?” Ma’am Benita asked for what felt like the hundredth time. Her voice trembled with desperation.Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks as I slowly shook my head. “No,” I whisperedIt had been hours. Hours of Ma’am Benita trying every healing method she knew. Despite the darkness that consumed me, I could feel her worry, her determination to restore my sight. But nothing was working. She had chanted incantations, applied remedies, tried everything—but I still couldn’t see. The world around me remained pitch black, and I feared the darkness more than anything.“Lagertha, please stop crying. I promise you will get your sight back.” Lila tried comforting me, but it did little to ease my worry. A blindness, Ma’am Benita, a talented and renowned healer, couldn’t heal—then what hope was there that I could ever see again?I felt a hand placed on my shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Don’t worry, Theo will get to the bottom of this and find whoever that lady is
Benita’s POV Today was the day—the one I’d been waiting for my whole life. It could either be the best day or the worst, and I wasn’t sure which terrified me more. Standing in front of the mirror, I studied my reflection. My cheeks were slightly flushed, giving me a soft, youthful appearance, while my body curved in ways that didn’t fit the slim, toned ideal my family worshiped. My hips were full, my stomach soft, and my thighs pressed together when I shifted my weight. I could see every part of me that didn’t fit into the narrow expectations of what beauty was supposed to look like. I tied my black hair into a bun and wore jeans and a simple shirt—not exactly the look of someone excited for a mating ceremony. But I had learned not to expect much, and I dressed like I was bracing for disappointment. “Benita, get your lazy ass down here!” my mother yelled from downstairs. I let out a heavy sigh before hurrying out of my room and down the stairs into the sitting room. As expected
Benita’s POV “Mate…?” I shuttered in disbelief as I stared at the cord which was intertwined with Nathan’s wrist. Stunned, I moved my gaze away from the cord and looked up at Nathan, who seemed shocked and in disbelief. His eyes moved from the cord and were fixed on me as he glared at me. “No! This can't be possible!” he yelled, frantically shaking his head and trying to break the cord from his wrist, but it remained intact. Loud gasps echoed around the field as murmuring filled the air. Everyone present couldn’t believe it. They couldn’t believe I was the one mated to Nathan instead of my sister. “This is some kind of joke!” Nathan spat, moving closer to me, his eyes blazing with anger. “What did you do? What witch did you visit to make this happen?” he yelled, gripping my arms so hard that I winced in pain. “Tell me! Tell me!” he demanded in an outburst, his eyes filled with disgust, as if he had just realized he was mated to something vile. “Speak! Speak!” Nathan urged, h
Benita's POV A strange feeling of pain mixed with pleasure coursed through me as Nathan’s fangs sank deeper into the crook of my neck. The pain was intense, but the slight sensation of pleasure was so fascinating that I couldn’t help but close my eyes as a soft moan escaped my lips. I wasn’t sure if I was mistaken or if my ears were playing tricks on me, but I could swear I heard Nathan let out a pleasurable groan. When he finally pulled away, my neck felt cold without his bite, my body throbbing with an ache I didn’t fully understand. With panting breaths, our gazes interlocked. His fangs were still extended, and drops of my blood glistened on his lips. He stared at me with pure hatred in his eyes, wiping the blood away before spitting it to the ground as if I’d poisoned him. My stomach twisted. “Come on, everyone, a round of applause,” Alpha Richardson demanded, and the stunned pack members were forced to clap for us. My eyes remained on Nathan as his stayed on me. I could see t
Nathan's POV I glared into her eyes which was filled with fake tears as hate, and anger surged through me. I wished I could wrap my hands around her throat, make her feel just a fraction of the pain tearing me apart. But I couldn’t—not with half the pack watching. Gritting my teeth, I glared at her one more time before shoving her away, making her stumble to the ground, her butt hitting the dirt. Turning around, I ran out of the field, ignoring the loud calls from my father. I kept running, running until I reached the mansion. I stormed inside, bolting up the stairs and straight to my room. Once inside, I slammed the door shut and I began kicking everything in my way. I kicked over the small coffee table, sending it crashing into the wall, the sound of breaking wood doing little to calm the storm inside me. My chest heaved with anger as I ripped the couch cushions off, throwing them across the room. They hit the mirror, shattering the glass into pieces that fell to the floor like
Benita’s POVAs I glanced into the mirror, I didn’t know what to feel. Today was supposed to be a happy day for me—it was my wedding day. I was getting married to my mate, a day I’d envisioned countless times in my head, staying up late as a young girl, giggling and fantasizing about it. I imagined myself in a beautiful white dress, being escorted down the aisle to meet my mate, who would be waiting for me with a big smile on his face. He’d look at me with so much love, and I’d feel special, cherished. That was how I imagined it. But alas, that was just a fantasy.“Benita, are you okay?” Luna Anita’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Blinking, I returned to the present, noticing her standing behind me with a concerned look on her face.“Are you alright?” she asked again, her eyes filled with worry.Slowly, I stood up and turned to face her, my heart racing with fear. “I don’t think I should go on with this marriage,” I admitted, feeling a wave of unease wash over me. The thought of
Lagertha's POV“Can you see anything?” Ma’am Benita asked for what felt like the hundredth time. Her voice trembled with desperation.Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks as I slowly shook my head. “No,” I whisperedIt had been hours. Hours of Ma’am Benita trying every healing method she knew. Despite the darkness that consumed me, I could feel her worry, her determination to restore my sight. But nothing was working. She had chanted incantations, applied remedies, tried everything—but I still couldn’t see. The world around me remained pitch black, and I feared the darkness more than anything.“Lagertha, please stop crying. I promise you will get your sight back.” Lila tried comforting me, but it did little to ease my worry. A blindness, Ma’am Benita, a talented and renowned healer, couldn’t heal—then what hope was there that I could ever see again?I felt a hand placed on my shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Don’t worry, Theo will get to the bottom of this and find whoever that lady is
Alpha Theo’s POVOscar’s entire body tensed under Mother’s glare, his lips pressing into a thin line. His hands balled into fists at his sides as he hesitated, his throat working as if he were struggling with his words.“I…” He faltered, his gaze darting toward Lagertha, then to me.But I had had enough.I clenched my jaw and took a step forward, my voice ringing through the room. “I’ll tell you the truth.”All eyes turned to me. Mother’s tear-streaked face twisted in anger, and Oscar looked torn between relief and dread. But Legartha—her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear.“I was going to marry Lagertha off,” I confessed, my voice thick with guilt. “I had already picked a few men for her—strong warriors, Alphas—so she would be far away from me. That way, she wouldn’t be a distraction.”Gasps filled the room, but I didn’t stop. I had already burned everything to the ground—I might as well walk through the flames.“Oscar knew what I was doing, and he didn’t want her to end up with
Alpha Theo's POV A suffocating silence settled over the crowd as my confession lingered in the air, sinking into the hearts of everyone present. My gaze locked with my mother’s, and I saw the stunned, disbelieving look in her eyes. She was struggling to process what I had just said. Even I could hardly believe I had confessed in front of the entire pack—that I had openly declared Lagertha as my mate. But I didn’t regret it. If anything, I felt relieved, as if a massive weight had been lifted off my chest. Soon, murmurs arose among the pack members as they whispered in disbelief, but I ignored them all and looked at Lagertha, whose face was streaked with tears. She also looked shocked, stunned that I had said what I said. Then, Aunt Agatha stepped forward, holding several letters in her hands. “Lagertha asked me to give these to…” She hesitated before distributing them—to my family, to Oscar’s family, and finally, one to me. I turned my gaze back to Lagertha. Her eyes were open,
Lagertha’s POV I was stunned to see Theo standing by the wall. How did he get here? Was he following me? “Alpha Theo…” I swallowed hard, unsure of what to do. I didn’t want him to spoil my plan—I had drafted this too well. Theo pushed off the wall and moved toward the door, but I quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his path. “You can’t go in, Alpha Theo. They need to talk.” I pleaded desperately. Right now, I didn’t care about myself—all I wanted was for Oscar and Lila to patch things up. Theo narrowed his eyes at me. “Lila and Oscar are in there? Did you lock them in?” I swallowed hard, searching for the right words, but before I could respond, Benson appeared. I immediately stepped away from Theo, aware of how awkward the situation looked. Benson gave us a questioning glance but chose not to comment. “Brother, you have to come now. It’s time to set the balloons up to the sky, and you have to begin the ritual,” Benson informed. Alpha Theo groaned, annoyed. It was obvious
Lila's POV I remembered that night like it was yesterday. Emily had laughed, teasing me about Oscar, and I—thinking it was just a harmless conversation—had brushed it off. I had scoffed and said something like, Oscar? No way. I’d rather stay single. I never meant it. Not like that. I was young, embarrassed, afraid. Afraid of admitting just how much I cared for him. But the next day, I told her the truth. I told her that I loved Oscar. And when I found out he had been in an accident and in a coma for the past twenty-four hours, I couldn’t take it. I cried my eyes out in her arms, confessing everything—that I loved Oscar but had been too ashamed to say it because I thought he didn’t see me that way. A tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. Then another. Oscar watched me, his expression unreadable, but there was something heavy in his gaze. Something that told me that moment had stayed with him all these years, like a wound that never truly healed. “I—” My voice cracked
Lila’s POV I was confused by Lagetha’s words and actions. She had actually locked me in a room with Oscar—for us to have a discussion? About what? For a moment, an awkward silence filled the space as neither of us spoke. Oscar stood by the door, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Unlike me, he looked completely composed, as if being trapped in a room with me was nothing out of the ordinary. But I? I was far from composed. My heart pounded like a war drum, my palms were damp with sweat, and my wolf purred inside me. Yes, she did that. Despite Oscar not being my mate, my wolf had taken an undeniable liking to him. She always wagged her tail whenever he was near, whispered silly things in my head whenever I caught sight of him training shirtless in the fields, and right now—she was purring. Urging me to move toward him. Urging me to speak. But I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. Besides, why was Lagetha doing this? Locking me up in a room with her husband-to-be? Suddenly,
Lagertha’s POV Today was the Goddess Festival, a night where wolves gathered under the full moon to celebrate the Moon Goddess. It was one of the biggest events in every pack, and for me, it would be the night I finally unite Oscar and Lila. My plan was simple. After dressing in one of the elegant gowns Beta Oscar had gifted me, I tied my hair into a ponytail and slipped on my footwear. Taking one last look at my reflection, I whispered to myself, “You can do this.” Tonight, I was going to tell the family the truth. Not the whole truth, but just enough. They might be disappointed, but it was better than living a lie. “Do you think it will go well?” my wolf’s worried voice echoed in my head. “Hopefully, it does,” I sighed, grabbing the white envelopes from my bed. Inside each one was a letter explaining that Oscar and I could not marry. I made sure to take the blame, writing that it wasn’t Oscar’s fault—that I had begged him to marry me, so I wouldn’t remain an outcast. But I coul
Lagetha's POVI needed to speak with Beta Oscar about our next plan, so I decided to meet him in his room. I knew he had been there all day, probably drowning himself in work.Reaching his door, I knocked, but there was no response. I knocked again, and this time, I heard the sound of slow, heavy footsteps from inside. When the door finally swung open, Beta Oscar stood before me, looking like a shadow of himself. His hair was a mess, as if he had been running his hands through it repeatedly. His eyes—though dry—were swollen, evidence that he had been crying.For a moment, I couldn’t speak. I didn’t know what to say. When he realized I wasn’t going to, he left the door open and turned away, silently inviting me in.Confused, I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. My gaze landed on him again—he was now seated on the couch, a glass of whiskey in his hand. My stomach twisted when I noticed the empty bottles scattered on the table and how the room smelled of alcohol.My concern de
Alpha Theo’s POV “What did you just say?” I asked, barely able to believe what Lila had just told me. She shrugged. “I accepted Dominic’s proposal.” “No… you didn’t.” I cut her off, my voice sharp with disbelief. I wanted to say more, but I didn’t want anyone eavesdropping on our conversation. Without another word, I took her hand and led her toward my study. Once inside, I shut the door firmly and turned to face her. “What do you think you’re doing?” I asked, my voice low but demanding. “What I should have done a long time ago,” she replied blankly, folding her arms across her chest. “Dominic? You don’t even like him. He’s been chasing after you for years, and you’ve never shown the slightest interest. What changed? Is this because of Lagertha and Oscar?” I asked, already knowing the answer. Lila swallowed hard, her gaze shifting away from me. She seemed lost in thought for a moment before she finally spoke. “It’s useless to keep hoping that one day he’ll love me when it