Loraine’s POV Alpha Hunter is a blur as he battles against the other guys. Thankfully, they have all styed in their human forms—that might be a rule of the game—so I can easily recognise which wolf is which from this distance. I flinch as Kris darts in, low and lithe, clawing one of their opponents in the chest while the other is busy blocking a skull attack from Alpha Hunter. He manages to land a blow on one of them, but he doesn’t flinch from it. Instead, he twists around, thrusting his fist into Alpha Hunter’s abdomen. Hunter stumbles back, his hand pressed against his middle as he falls to one knee, watching their opponents circle Kris while his own shoulders heave with exhaustion and pain. I open my mouth to scream Alpha Hunter’s name, but Preston clamps a hand over my mouth. “He’s all right.” He whispers in my ears, his arms encircling my body and keeping me from rushing into the arena. “He’s fine. Now, watch.” Alpha Hunter climbs back to his feet after a few seconds, a
Loraine’s POV She was not worth it. Alpha Hunter’s words echo in my head as a servant ushers me to a room where she says clothes have been laid out for me. Clothing for tomorrow. “Alpha Preston had an order of clothes sent here for you, and then Alpha Hunter had that order cancelled and reordered in different sizes. They are all in there for you to fit and make your pick.” I wince. “Sorry for all the troubles.” The girl smiles shyly, holding the door open for me. “Don’t be sorry. I like doing this; it is my job.” The room is a dressing room, alright? Several kinds of dresses are laid out on hangers all over the room. There are mirrors on every part of the wall, everywhere you look, and a dressing table against one wall. “Alpha Hunter wants you to come down for dinner when you are done. He says to take your time.” The servant removes a flowing dress of red silk with luscious skirts and a tight bodice that ties in the back from one of the hangers, placing it on my body. “What do
Loraine’s POV As soon as we step through the entrance, a wave of nausea hits me mostly because of the murmur that suddenly dies down and the eyes that follow us to our seats. Kris tightens his hold on my hand, and that’s the only thing that helps me not to trip and fall. I had been preparing for this for four weeks, but nothing prepared me for the crowd that graced the opulent halls. Most of them are councilmen or members of elite families, which has my heart beating so fast. I’ve never been this close to the high and mighty before. It is sickening. The sheer power that radiates off of them. “Relax.” Kris leans in, whispering into my ears. “Keep your back straight, make eye contact, and don’t forget to breathe.” Despite myself, I smile. I manage a shaky smile. “Like you are doing any better than me.” Kris deposits me in a seat and moves to where he’ll be sitting with a wink, leaving Alpha Hunter to take his place. He sits across me, glaring and scowling at anyone who stares
Loraine’s POV “I do like that dress.” Preston says, leaning in the open door of my room—which I am sure I closed and locked before starting to change. His face is split into a wide, glinting smile, his white tunic unbuttoned to the deep carve of his sternum. I grip the sides of the gown before it falls to my ankles. “How the hell did you get in here?” Preston blinks, eyes wide with innocence. He shrugs, striding deeper into the room until he’s standing a breath away from me. “You look like you need help.” Rolling my eyes, I scowl down at the fabric, which is a beautiful change after the red dress I wore to the party. It is a sapphire blue satin with an open-backed bodice that laces up around my ribs. Without D, I can't—for the life of me—figure out how to put it on. I turn to Preston. “If you can work out how to attach this thing to me, I will drop the question about the lock.” In a heartbeat, Preston’s arms wrap around my waist as his scent fills my lungs. My wolf growls, pu
Loraine’s POV The world is a blur. There is a loud ringing noise in my ear, which I’m sure will melt my brains. I groan, wincing as my entire body is lit with fire. Pain. Its painful. I need to shift. That’s the only way I can heal and stay alive, but I don’t even have the strength to pull my wolf. “Loraine!” arms shake me, Killian’s grey eyes level with mine as he crouches on the floor, to which I’ve somehow slid. “Look at me. Are you okay?” “Hunter.” I manage to say, my mouth dry as I blink away the tears that are rolling down my face. Terror and pain washed over me, causing my breath to catch in my chest. “Hunter, is he—is he okay?” “He is fine.” Kris says from behind him, pulling both Killian and me to our feet. Behind Kris, Hunter walks stiffly but without assistance. His shirt is soaked in blood, and I gasp. “Most of it isn’t mine, little wolf.” He says, spitting out a phlem of blood. “But you are hurt, right?” Shooting me a worried look, Preston moves forward, pullin
Loraine’s POV I wake up surrounded by delicious Alpha scents, my nose buried in warm skin and arms tight around my waist. I’m naked from the waist up, and so is Alpha Hunter, where we are pressed tightly together, though there is a warm blanket thrown over my shoulders to cover me up and my legs are wrapped around his waist. I sigh, totally content with how I’ve found myself that my brain is taking time to process why the fuck I’m half naked. Alpha Hunter’s arms tighten around me. “Go back to sleep, little wolf. Your body is tired.” Goosebumps explode over my skin, and I shiver, my nipples tightening until they are pebbled where they’re pressed into his chest, and his hand drops back down to grip my thigh, pulling me in closer to his body. My wolf purrs in my chest, humming with pleasure at having him desperate to keep me close. I try not to think about the last twenty-four hours. The gnawing fear that had attacked my chest that moment when I felt I was about to lose Hunter. The
Loraine’s POV My eyes flutter open at the sound of running shower, and Alpha Hunter’s arms tense around me as he readjusts his hold to stick his hand under the stream of water, checking the temperature. I’m back to wearing Killian’s sweater, which I remember taking off before, but my pants have been stripped off, leaving me in nothing but underwear. I clear my throat as my face heats up. “I’m awake, Alpha Hunter. Please, put me down.” Either Alpha Hunter did not hear me—impossible—or chooses to ignore me as he fully steps into the shower stall, sitting down on the marble bench that runs along the walls, holding me close to his chest. My face is buried in his shoulder, and we are in a fucking shower stall together. I feel lightheaded at what is happening right now, even though I have no fucking idea what it is. I clear my throat again, and he chooses that moment to speak, “Do you need something to drink? Do you feel hungry? During all of this, you’ve not had the chance to eat.”
Loraine’s POV It has been days since the attack, and surprisingly, things are beginning to settle—not going back to how they were—but the agitation and anxiety are still there. Killian has tripled security, better preparing us for more surprise attacks, but our enemies proved to be clever, if not elusive. Still, we knew nothing much about them except they were attacking Alphas without provocation or any clear motives. Our packs were not the only ones attacked. More than ten packs—not including ours—hhave been attacked in the last month, and we knew nothing about them except for the one thing we were sure of. They killed en masse and left a lot of dead bodies in their wake. They took nothing—except if you are counting lives—and were yet to state any clear reason for their attacks. For us here—me and my mates—things might never go back to how they were for us. Every one of them was busy. Alpha Hunter was busy attending meetings for him and all of his brothers because, apart from
Alpha Gordon’s POV The office was stifling, the walls closing in as I threw my phone onto the desk with more force than necessary. Mabel’s shrieking accusations still echoed in my ears, her voice like nails on a chalkboard. “You’re fucking pathetic, Gordon! Do you even know how to fucking seduce a woman? She’s supposed to be under your thumb by now, and instead, she’s clinging to those alphas like they’re her lifeline!” The venom in her words made my blood boil. Mabel always had a way of making me feel like the biggest failure on Earth, but this time it cut deeper. Maybe because she wasn’t wrong. Every attempt I’d made to pull Loraine back to me had failed miserably. I leaned forward, running a hand down my face as frustration and regret tangled in my chest. Loraine. My sweet, sweet Loraine Her name was a whisper in my mind, a ghost that haunted me day and night. Once, she had loved me. She had looked at me with those big, hazel eyes as though I was her entire world. She truste
Loraine’s POV I set my book down and gave her a polite smile. “What do you need, Mabel?” She chuckled lightly, as if I’d made a joke. “Why does it have to be about needing something? Maybe I just wanted to talk.” I raised an eyebrow. Mabel and I weren’t exactly on friendly terms, and this sudden attempt at camaraderie felt as fake as her tone. Still, I gestured for her to sit. “Alright. Talk.” She perched on the edge of the bench, smoothing out her dress. “You know, I’ve been thinking. We’ve had our differences, but we’re both part of this pack now. Maybe it’s time we tried to get along.” I leaned back, crossing my arms. “Get along? After everything you’ve done? Are you fucking kidding me right now? Her smile faltered for a second before she quickly recovered. “I’ve made mistakes; I’ll admit that. But don’t you think we should put the past behind us? For the good of the pack?” I tilted my head, studying her carefully. Her eyes were wide, her expression open, but there was some
Loraine’s POV When I opened my eyes the next morning, the first thing I saw was Killian sitting by my bedside. His thick arms were crossed, and his head was tilted slightly back as if he’d dozed off. The sunlight streaming through the window highlighted the sharp lines of his face, softening them. I shifted slightly, and his eyes snapped open immediately. “You’re awake,” he said, relief washing over his face as he leaned forward. “I wasn’t dying, you know,” I teased, though my voice was still hoarse from the previous day. “That’s not funny,” he replied, his tone serious despite the small smile tugging at his lips. “We were really worried about you.How in the goddess's name did you fall?” Before I could say anything else, the door opened, and Preston, Kris, and Hunter filed in, each carrying something in their hands. Preston had coffee, Kris had a tray of food, and Hunter was carrying a blanket that looked far too big for the hospital bed. “We thought you’d be hungry,” Kris said
Mabel’s POV My uncle’s voice echoed in my head, sharp and unforgiving. “You’re not doing enough, Mabel.” It wasn’t just a criticism—it was an accusation, a reminder that failure wasn’t an option. My fists clenched as I paced my room. I had done everything he’d asked. What more could he want? “I’ve been working tirelessly,” I muttered under my breath, trying to push his biting words aside. But his response had been just as infuriating. “If you were doing enough, we wouldn’t still be having this problem, would we?” My uncle and I had been working together for a long time now. And I thought he would understand where I was coming from by now. The nerve. The absolute fucking nerve. Did he think sabotaging Loraine and breaking down those overly possessive alphas was freaking easy? Since I came, I had done my best to make sure Loraine was away from the boys, but nothing I did allowed them near me. They always stayed away from me no matter what I did, no matter how many stunts I pull
Loraine’s POV Gordon’s words haunted me. “I know where your real parents are.” That fucking asshole! I had spent the entire night replaying that moment over and over in my head, convincing myself it was a lie. Gordon was a manipulator, someone who thrived on creating chaos and pain. Surely, this was just another attempt to mess with me. But then there was that small, traitorous part of me—the part that whispered, What if he’s telling the truth? The thought made my stomach twist. I tried to push it away, but it kept creeping back. My parents—the ones who raised me—were loving and kind. They had given me everything, taught me everything, made me who I am today. They’re my parents, I told myself firmly. They have to be. Still, doubt ate at me. The day started as any other—me waking up to the sounds of my mates already busy in the kitchen. I forced a smile, determined to focus on them instead of Gordon. My mates needed me, and I needed to shake off these dark thoughts. Walking i
Loraine’s POV The day after, Prince Gideon updated us on everything. The house was quiet—too quiet. That usually meant trouble, especially when all four of my mates were involved. I wandered through the halls, half-expecting to stumble upon chaos, but instead, I found myself piecing together just how hard they had been working behind the scenes to protect me. Kris had left early that morning, his usual calm demeanor masking the tension I knew he felt. Hunter had spent the night pacing the halls, muttering something about rogue sightings, while Preston and Killian had been in and out of the office, trying to keep the rest of the pack on high alert. I sighed, leaning against the kitchen counter as I prepared breakfast for them. The sight of the empty table tugged at my heart. They’d been stretched thin lately, all because of me. I never meant for my life to bring so much drama into theirs. “They deserve better,” I whispered to myself. But even as the thought crossed my mind, ano
Killian’s POV The morning was chaotic, as usual, in our kitchen. Loraine had been up early to make breakfast for everyone—a sweet thank-you for all the support we’d been giving her lately. But between Preston stealing food off everyone’s plates and Hunter barking orders about the day’s plans, the kitchen was less of a peaceful sanctuary and more of a battlefield. I leaned against the counter, sipping coffee, and watched the madness unfold. “Preston, I swear if you touch my bacon again—” Hunter growled, but Preston just grinned and popped the strip into his mouth. Loraine laughed from her spot by the stove, shaking her head at them. “You’re all worse than children.” In the middle of it all, Kris sat at the far end of the table, quietly eating his eggs like the chaos didn’t even touch him. He looked calm, almost serene, but I knew better. I’d watched him long enough to know that Kris’s calm exterior was a mask. He was always the most composed of us—our resident peacemaker—but when
Kris’s POV The house was still quiet when I walked into the kitchen, the faint scent of breakfast lingering in the air from earlier. The other guys were scattered throughout the manor—Hunter poring over reports in his office, Killian likely plotting strategies, and Preston… probably trying to charm Loraine into sneaking off somewhere for a private moment. And Loraine? My Luna? Well, she was upstairs, reading. Her soft laughter had floated down earlier when Preston said something ridiculous. I leaned against the counter, pouring myself a cup of coffee, and let myself enjoy the moment. We were finally finding balance. I never thought it would work, sharing her after how Mabel played us against each other in the past. We had decided that it’s not in a wolf’s nature to share his mate, so we vowed not to… but somehow, it worked for us again. The bond we all had with her was not at all like the corrupted bond we had with Mabel before; this one felt right—natural, even. We could have h
Mabel’s POV The chill of the night bit at my skin as I slipped out of my borrowed room in the brothers’ sprawling manor. The house was silent, save for the soft creaks of the old floors under my feet. Wrapping my coat tighter around myself, I stepped into the waiting car, its sleek black interior swallowing me whole. “Where to, Miss Mabel?” the driver asked, his voice even, unbothered by the lateness of the hour. “Elder Arnold’s estate,” I said sharply, avoiding his gaze. “He said grandmother needed to see me this night.” I lied unnecessarily. This was the fucking driver who could never dare to hurt or even expose me, but something in me just enjoyed telling these lies to make everyone pity me. I didn’t even have a grandmother! She died before I met her, but I didn’t care; I just enjoyed my stories. The car rolled into motion, and I leaned back against the seat, trying to steady my thoughts. My uncle’s summons had been brief and cryptic, but I knew what it was about. It was al