Alpha Nathan’s POV “We are returning tomorrow evening,” I said to my beta, Darius, through the mind link. Darius sighed over the link, and I could sense he was worried about me. “Nathan, are you okay?” he asked, but I didn’t respond. Instead, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I was already dressed for the party—Benita’s welcoming party. Guests were already downstairs waiting for Benita to show up, soft music filled the air, and excited laughter came from the living room. But as for me, I was dying slowly inside. Tonight marks my greatest misery. Tonight, Benita will be introduced to the world as Layne’s daughter. She will draw the attention of many prominent men who will want her, and I was so troubled—troubled that she might actually like one of them. “Nathan, do you need me there? I can come over, keep you company at the party,” Darius suggested. I shook my head against the idea. “Stay back in the pack, Darius. Keep an eye on Nina like I instructed. When I get back, I
Benita's POV All eyes were on me. I had experienced moments where all attention was focused on me before, but this time was different. Everyone was staring with awe, admiration shining in their eyes, and warm smiles lighting their faces. Standing at the top of the grand staircase, I took in their gazes, noting the respect that seemed to radiate from them. It made me pause, drawing a deep breath to steady myself. “Come on, sister.” Alpha Xavier gestured, stretching his hand toward me. I flashed him my best smile and began descending the stairs. The music had stopped, and everywhere was quiet as everything stood still, watching me step down the stairs. The soft click of my heels was the only sound heard. As I descended further, I could see their wide, vocal gazes on me, but I noticed no one was staring at me with disgust. No one was judging me for my body size. If anything, they were all staring at me with admiration, which made me wonder—what changed? I was once the bullied girl i
Benita’s POV The crowd parted for us, and soon we were swaying to the rhythm of the music. Christopher’s hand rested lightly on my waist. “You’re quite the dancer,” I commented, attempting to keep the conversation light. He chuckled softly, his gaze locked on mine. “And you’re quite the vision, Benita. It’s no wonder everyone here can’t take their eyes off you.” Heat crept up my cheeks at his compliment, but I quickly masked it with a gracious nod. “Thank you, Lycan Christopher.” “Christopher,” he corrected with a small smile. “We’re family now. No need for formalities.” I nodded, though his words felt heavier than they should have. He spun me gently, and as I came back into his arms, he lowered his voice. “I must admit, I’ve heard a lot about you.” “Is that so?” I asked, keeping my tone neutral. “I hope it’s all good.” He smiled again, but there was a seriousness in his gaze now. “Mostly. But I’ve also heard some… curious things.” I stiffened slightly, my brow raised
Benita’s POV Nestled in Nathan's arms, I could hear the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, each thump making me swallow hard as my wolf purred with excitement. I didn’t dare speak, afraid to break the spell of the moment. We reached a secluded part of the estate, where a glistening pool lay surrounded by tall trees and faintly glowing lanterns. The water sparkled under the moonlight, its surface rippling gently in the cool breeze. Nathan set me down gently, his hands lingering on my waist as if he wasn’t ready to let go. “There,” he said, his tone light but his gaze intense. “Now your shoes won’t get ruined.” I rolled my eyes but couldn’t stop the smile that crept onto my lips. “You’re annoying, you know that?” “And yet, here you are,” he teased, his grin widening. I shook my head, slipping off my heels and stepping closer to the edge of the pool. The cool stone beneath my feet sent a pleasant shiver up my spine. “So, are we just here to admire the water, or are you actually p
Benita’s POV I remained in the water, watching Nathan move over to where Christopher stood. The two men faced each other, locked in a fierce stare. I expected Nathan to say something, or better yet, for Christopher to speak, but neither of them uttered a word. They simply continued glaring at one another. “They’re communicating through mind links,” my wolf said, confirming what I had already suspected. My Curiosity piqued, I wondered what they were saying to each other. Suddenly, Christopher grunted, turned, and walked away. I furrowed my brow, confusion swirling in my chest as I tried to make sense of the conversation that had just taken place between them. I used the staircase to climb out of the pool and approached Nathan, crossing my arms as I stopped in front of him. “What did you say to him?” I demanded. Nathan sighed. “It’s nothing. We just had a man-to-man talk,” Nathan said, and I knew he was lying. This was more than a man-to-man talk. My frown deepened. “Nathan, don’t
Benita’s POV Nathan took a shaky breath, his damp hair clinging to his forehead, his eyes searching mine desperately. “Benita, I thought I knew what love was,” he began, his voice trembling, lacking its usual authority. “I thought I loved Nina. I convinced myself that what we had was real. But the truth is, it wasn’t. It wasn’t even close.” I stood frozen, my heart hammering in my chest as I listened. “With Nina, I cared, yes,” he admitted, his tone tinged with regret. “But with you… Benita, it’s different. It’s overwhelming, consuming. With you, I feel alive. You challenge me, make me question everything I thought I knew. You make me want to be better. To deserve you.” He ran a trembling hand through his damp hair. “I didn’t realize it back then. Maybe I was blind, or possibly I was under a spell. But every day without you felt empty. I didn’t know how much I needed you until you were gone. And now that you’re here… I can’t lose you again. I can’t.” My chest tightened, and I
Alpha Nathan’s POVWhile Benita was saying goodbye to her uncle and brother, I stood beside the car, watching her from a distance. The children were already seated inside, waiting patiently, their soft chatter the only sound filling the stillness around me.Then I noticed him—Lycan Christopher—making his way toward me with that infuriating smirk plastered across his face. My wolf growled low in my mind, but I held my composure. As Christopher approached, he casually shoved his hands into his pant pockets, his presence annoying, his eyes alight with provocation that gave me a challenging look.“So, are you ready, or are you already chickening out?” he sneered, his tone dripping with mockery.My wolf growled again. “Get out of my sight, Christopher. I don’t want to have this conversation with you,” I said, trying hard to keep my emotions in check. I didn’t want to lose my temper and make Benita even angrier with me.Christopher let out a low, mocking laugh. “I should have known,” he jee
Alpha Nathan's POV I led Nina into my study, her heels clicking against the hardwood floor. As she reached for the door to close it, I spoke sharply. “Leave it open.” Her hand froze mid-motion, and she turned to me with a frown. Of course, she didn’t like it. But there was no way I was being caught behind closed doors with her. Not that I feared her—she had no power over me—but I didn’t want Benita to get the wrong impression. Nina scoffed, stepping away from the door with exaggerated annoyance. Ignoring her theatrics, I moved to my desk and sat down, leaning back against the chair before settling my gaze on her. “Well? What is it?” I asked, my voice calm but laced with impatience. “I want a million dollars,” Nina blurted out, going straight to the point. Her audacity caught me off guard, though I quickly masked my shock with a deepening frown. “You want what?” I asked, leaning forward slightly. “A million dollars,” she repeated, her expression as shameless as her demand
Lila’s POVI 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, Oscar
Lagertha’s POVToday 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 couldn’t
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
Alpha Theo’s POV I led her deeper into the woods, the crunch of leaves beneath our feet the only sound between us. When we reached a clearing, I finally turned to face her, a smirk playing at my lips. Lagertha stood tense, her expression nervous, her arms wrapped protectively around herself. The fear in her eyes sent an unexpected pain through my chest. Did she truly think I would hurt her? “Why did you bring me here? So you can kill me in silence?” she asked, her voice steady despite the fear flickering in her gaze. I scoffed, slipping both hands into my pant pockets. “And yet, you followed me?” She frowned and parted her lips to say something, but no words came out. Rather, she kept staring at me with that look of anger, but even in her angry state, I found her so cute! “Why are we here?” she asked finally. I tilted my head. “To see your wolf.” Her frown deepened. “I’m not showing you my wolf.” I scoffed and took a step closer. “Yes, you will. We have a deal, remember?” I s
Alpha Theo’s POVI could see the terrified look in her eyes as she waited for my command. There were so many things I wanted to demand of her—to ask her to call off her marriage with Oscar. Why would she want to marry a man she didn’t even love? I wanted to ask her to stop taking my breath away, to stop smelling so intoxicatingly alluring that I couldn’t control myself or my wolf. I wanted to tell her to stop making me feel this way—the unbearable urge to claim her, to mark her.For God’s sake, I was supposed to hate her. What the hell was happening to me?Composing myself, I looked at her, considering my next move. I needed to give her a task, something she couldn’t refuse. Then, something clicked in my mind.Her wolf.I hadn’t seen her wolf yet. And damn it, my wolf was growing restless, desperate to see it.“In twenty minutes, leave the mansion and wait for me outside,” I ordered.Lagertha’s brows furrowed. “Why?”I scoffed. “You’ll find out later. Now, unless you want to stand the
Lagertha’s POV “I'm so happy for you, Leggy. You deserve to be happy." Mother Lagertha had been buzzing with excitement all morning as we prepared breakfast. She seemed absolutely thrilled, going on and on about the wedding—about how Beta Oscar would be the perfect husband for me. I felt bad, knowing all of this was just an act. “Lagertha, Alpha Theo requests that you bring him a cup of coffee in his room.” One of the guards’ voices cut through my thoughts. A frown tugged at my lips, and my wolf huffed inside me. With a heavy sigh, I prepared the coffee just the way Theo liked it, grabbed the tray, and left the kitchen. When I reached his door, I hesitated before knocking, my pulse quickening as his intoxicating scent wrapped around me. “It’s open,” his deep voice called from inside, softer than usual, none of the usual harshness in his tone. Taking a steadying breath, I pushed the door open, stepped inside, and closed it behind me. Turning around, I met him standing at the
Lagertha’s POV I took a deep breath and stared at my reflection in the mirror. “You can do this, Lagertha,” I whispered, trying to steady my nerves. My wolf stirred within me. “Calm down. It's just a family dinner,” she soothed. But she was wrong. This wasn’t just any family dinner. It was my first time sitting at the same table with Oscar’s parents, Theo’s parents, Oscar’s siblings, Theo’s siblings, Theo and Oscar—all in one room. And I had to pretend to be in love with Oscar, right in front of Alpha Theo. My mate. It was a huge task. “You can do this," my wolf encouraged again. I exhaled deeply, forcing myself to push aside my emotions. Straightening my dress, I left my room and walked down the long hallway. My heart pounded with each step. The mansion was eerily quiet, aside from the faint clinking of dishes coming from the dining hall. The scent of roasted meat and warm spices filled the air, but it did nothing to settle my nerves. As I reached the entrance of th
Alpha Theo’s POV Lila stiffened beside me, her discomfort obvious in the way she tensed. I could feel the weight of her pain pressing down on both of us, but she kept her expression carefully blank. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay composed, to not let my own emotions betray me. “They had to step out,” I said evenly, keeping my voice devoid of the frustration clawing at my insides. “Oscar had some business to handle, and Lagertha went with him.” It was a lie. I had no idea where they were. Mother’s brow furrowed slightly, but she nodded. “I see. Well, we’ll have to see them soon. The wedding preparations must be keeping them busy. I heard it’s happening in two weeks,” Mother announced, and my brows furrowed. “Two weeks?” I asked in panic, unable to control it. Mother furrowed her brow and gave me a suspicious look. “Yes… do you have a problem with that?” she asked, and where I stood, my heart sank. My furious wolf howling loudly in my head. Not getting any response