Darren's POV.I watched my guards with narrowed eyes, my mood already at the point of snapping at someone.Aidan went out to get building materials so we could rebuild some places that were destroyed.I didn't like the damage on my pack recently and I wanted it to be the way it was even better, I had all the money to make it that way.The truck drove in, distracting me from watching my guards train.The driver came down and Aidan followed suit, he opened the back door.And the guards rushed there, trying to pick building materials.One of them grabbed the blocks,the others picked out the materials they could pick to the building store room.I turned to the truck driver who smiled at me, he took his cap off to wave a hand in greeting.The guards finished their jobs soon enough, and they were back to training.Watching them train annoyed me, everything that happened last week played in my mind.I couldn't stop thinking of it, and it annoyed me that they didn't protect the pack well.Tha
Leila's POV."Leila." The head slave's voice rang out, sharp and commanding as the crack of a whip.My eyes widened in shock, my heart racing as I looked up to see her master walking down the hallway towards her.I wondered what she had in store for me this time, I knew about her and Shantel joining hands to hurt me.What I didn't understand was her aim in this, I could guess Shantel's aim easily.I felt like she hated the fact that I'm the Alpha's mate, it showed in her words and actions, but the head slave hated me from the first time I came here.I kept wondering why, and I still couldn't come to an answer.I watched her come close to me, her face etched with every inch of malice she carried in her heart for me."You have one minute to get your stuff packed and bring the basket out for harvest." She said slowly, barely more than a whisper in my ear."And no side talk Leila." With that she spun around and walked out of the room without a backwards glance, shutting the door behind he
Darren's POV.I paced the spot Alpha Dean told me to wait, my heart beating quickly, I didn't know what he would say or what to expect.I was so nervous, I started sweating in my palms, I kept rubbing my hands on my trousers.The air was still and warm, but the humidity was rising and there was a slight breeze blowing towards me from over the trees.It felt good and refreshed after being cooped up in the car all day with nothing much to do, my nerves were jittering away like a schoolgirl on her first date. If someone said an Alpha would be this nervous and jittery for information I would've laughed at whoever it was.I didn't even understand why I was nervous, I felt like my feelings were interfering with my reasoning, I can't believe I wanted her father to be innocent, so I won't hate her anymore.I felt like I was lying to myself, I couldn't even hate her properly, I couldn't do anything without feeling guilty.It felt like my heart was wrecked whenever she was hurt or when I did a
Darren's POV.Alpha Dean faced me immediately after he finished eating, he began wiping his hands.His face was as serious as ever, I knew that it would be serious news, something more intense that I could imagine.I swallowed nervously, wondering if I was actually ready to hear what he had to say.He looked at me expectantly, his eyes were dark and concerned. I felt my heart beating in a strange manner in my chest as the moment grew more and more real.I didn't want Leila's father to be responsible anymore, but if he is, I don't know what I'll do.I know how insufferable I'll be, I'll make her life terrible and also it'll hurt me because she's my mate."Are you ready?" Alpha Dean asked, staring at me."Give me a moment to collect myself." I said, offering a small smile.He nodded and then continued cleaning himself up.I sighed in relief that he understood that was all I needed to calm down.I cleared my throat after a minute, composing myself as best I could.Once I did, I looked a
Leila's POV.The preparation for the feast was very abrupt, but we had to do it quickly.The preparations were more difficult because the head slave said it'll be a grand feast. I didn't know which Alpha was coming, but I knew it was an Alpha.The head slave said she'd explain it later and so I decided to go out, eat something, and then come back. I was hungry, tired and I couldn't do anything if I didn't eat.The other slaves were all working,as I grabbed bread and ate immediately.I didn't feel like eating more anyway, so I just threw the rest of the bread away.I joined the other slaves in preparing the food items for what we wanted to cook.My eyes wandered through the hall looking at everything that was prepared before us.Some slaves were doing some dishes while others were putting together trays for food.Some of the slaves were preparing some other foods, some were mixing other ingredients into some other dishes.But most of them were working, cleaning up the place,so any foo
Darren's POV.I was nervous about the feast, I was nervous about telling her everything.I didn't know how to go about it, I didn't know how to say it.I paced the garage after I packed my car many times, thinking of how to talk to her.How to tell her what happened, how to apologize to her.Lot of thoughts flew in my head, but none came out with anything coherent.I was trying to think about something I could say that would make sense and not sound stupid, when I ended up talking to her.The feast started immediately, but I couldn't take my eyes off her, for some reason she looked good even with the serving uniform.I began smiling at her, something I didn't know I would ever do, I couldn't believe I was smiling at Leila.I kept staring at her while eating, even when Alpha Dean and Beta Aidan teased me, I just didn't care.My eyes drifted to her while she joined the others in serving the meal, and once again they were drawn to her.I knew she could feel my gaze on her even though sh
Darren's POV.I drove like a lunatic, trying to shake off the anxiety creeping up my spine and trying not to be distracted by all of the cars parked along the highway behind me.I was still on edge about Leila, I couldn't control my thoughts and I was anxious to know if she'll ever forgive me.I gripped the steering wheel tightly and drove like I just got induced with cocaine.All that running around in Central Park I took earlier to drop Alpha Dean wasn’t helping either.It was almost noon when I pulled into the parking lot of the bloody moon pack.I knew their reputation and I knew I shouldn't take Alpha Dean through this route, but I needed release from the tension I felt inside me.Aidan gave me a knowing look, shaking his head, he knew what I was up to, yet I didn't really care, I needed that fight to feel a little better.I stepped down from the car, and Alpha Dean and Aidan followed suit."You're asking for trouble here." Aidan sighed."I need the release, training won't give
Darren's POV.I sighed in relief when we left the area totally, I drove past the lake, sighing in relief when I saw Alpha Dean's pack route close."Finally." Alpha Dean sighed, stepping down from the car immediately.Aidan followed suit shaking his head, "all that stress you gave us, what was it for?" He asked."I don't know,but I really needed that." I said, staring at my face in the car mirror.The bruises were evident on my face and a little on my ribs when I opened my t-shirt."You've gotten what you wanted." Aidan shook his head."Not really,but I feel better than I did earlier.""So will she talk to you?" Alpha Dean asked.Suddenly the serenity and peace I felt for a while after I finished fighting with those guards.I turned towards Alpha Dean, the anger I kept locked in, simmering on the edge, I thought of what to say to him, but I couldn't even get mad at him, it wasn't really his fault."You shouldn't have said that." Aidan sighed, the realization hit Alpha Dean and he raise
Leila's POV.I followed him, I was too giddy and excited.He kissed me, ruffling my hair, as I giggled in delight. He told me how proud he was of me and we both laughed at it. His face formed into a smile that didn't exist and it made the butterflies I felt in my stomach go wild again. I loved it when he smiled at me or made me happy.I felt so good, everything was lovely and wonderful, and then he looked down and whispered, “We have to go or we won't see the sunset." He said.I followed him, feeling like I was floating on air, as he carried me up.I couldn't stop thinking about everything that happened and how I felt now.I was filled with so much happiness, love, adoration. I wanted more than anything else to spend my life with this amazing man who had given me all I had ever wished for.He gave me protection, love and care, and I couldn't ask for anything more."We're almost there." He whispered.He covered my eyes as I stumbled trying to find my balance."Be careful." He said
Leila's POV.I groaned as the incessant knocking on the door jolted me awake from my peaceful slumber. Rubbing my eyes, I stumbled out of bed and made my way to the door, struggling to shake off the lingering remnants of sleep.I swung open the door to reveal a young maid standing on the other side. Her hair was neatly pulled back into a tight bun, and her eyes darted nervously around the room. She curtsied before me, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke."By Alpha's orders, I have been sent to get you ready for the celebration, ma'am," she announced, her voice barely above a whisper. "It's the mating ceremony today."Confusion washed over me like a cold wave, and I frowned, trying to gather my thoughts. Mating ceremony?"What... what ceremony?" I stammered, my voice still laced with drowsiness."The mating ceremony, ma'am," the maid repeated, her eyes widening. "You and Alpha Darren's he had been preparing for it all day"My heart skipped a beat at the realization. How could I h
Darren's POV.I stepped into the kitchen, the savory aroma of freshly cooked food wafting through the air. It had been a long day, but I wanted to make sure Leila had a proper meal.She deserved something special, something that would nourish her body and lift her spirits. As I glanced around the kitchen, my eyes settled on the ingredients neatly arranged on the countertop. It was time to create a healthy and delicious dinner for my mate.I started by selecting a vibrant array of vegetables. Bright red tomatoes, crisp green lettuce, and vibrant orange carrots caught my attention.I carefully washed and chopped them, the sharp knife slicing through the vegetables with precision. Next, I reached for a head of cauliflower and broke it into florets, ready to be roasted to perfection.With the vegetables prepared, I turned my attention to the protein. I had bought fresh salmon, knowing that the omega-3 fatty acids would be beneficial for Leila and our unborn child. I seasoned them with a d
Leila's POV.I woke up with a pounding headache, my temples throbbing as I tried to make sense of my surroundings. Slowly, the fog lifted from my mind, and I realized I was in my own room. Relief washed over me, mingling with confusion.How did I get here? Why was my head hurting so much? And then, like a dam breaking, my memories flooded back, crashing into my consciousness with the force of a tidal wave.I remembered meeting the healer and all, I just know the memory didn't leave. Shantel. The name echoed in my mind, carrying with it the terror of the past few days. I had been kidnapped by her and the witch, held against my will in a nightmarish ordeal.Tears welled up in my eyes as I allowed myself to fully comprehend the gravity of the situation. The Moon goddess had spared my life, and for that, I was eternally grateful, I'm sure she sent the blasting moon to kill them.The room seemed simultaneously comforting and alien. The familiar sights and sounds of my sanctuary took on ne
Leila's POV.Opening my eyes, staring at the healer as she cleaned off my bruises, applying ointment on it as the memories of Shantel's wickedness dawned on me.I felt so proud of myself for surviving all the pains and all the torture I received in the hands of that monster Shantel.I remembered how the Alpha carried immediately when he saw me there.She made my life a living hell, my child was my hope and my strength so I had to survive.I would have been devastated if I had lost my child to Shantel's torture, even at the expense that she doesn't know that I'm pregnant her torture was enough to kill a mother and her child."Whoever did this to you must be hell bent on having you dead" The healer said as she slowly rubbed the ointment on my legs."Oh she's definitely hell bent on killing me and Alpha Darren, she's a monster. You should have seen what she did to me. This is just because the wounds were healing." I uttered hastily, trying hard to shade off the thoughts of Shantel becau
Darren's POV"We have to go and find Leila, if anything happens to her I wouldn't forgive myself" I uttered, wondering what Leila must be passing through in the hands of Shantel, the fact that I wasn't there and I don't know where she could be filled me with the thoughts of incapabilities.I've got to find Leila to shade off my thoughts of incapabilities and also to prove to Shantel that she can't get away with her plans, her obsession is quite killing her. "It's dangerous out there,we got hurt when we came back."Aidan stuttered, knowing that his words would get me pissed. Truly his words got me pissed to some point, I lost my appetite for even eating this beautiful meal."I don't care... Besides it's the reason I want to rescue her out of the hands of Shantel" I retorted in a manner that he understood that he had to think about his words before saying it to me to avoid my wrath."Having you in the hands of Shantel would mean her gaining full victory over you and her plan could be to
Leila's POV.I was tied up on top of a stone, my hands behind my back.I was nervous, wondering how the ritual would be, when I woke up, I saw myself here.I was about to become a sacrifice for a greedy witch, and here I was.I couldn't move, I felt paralyzed, everything in me was frozen, unable to respond to anything other than the cold.The sensation spread throughout me like ice, freezing every part of my body. There wasn't enough air in my lungs, and yet I could feel nothing, no air moving through my throat. My stomach turned uncomfortably and I started to gag involuntarily.The nausea came in waves, and it took all of my will power to fight them off until they subsided again, slowly returning to a normal state.I was terrified, my heart beating so fast I thought it might explode.My mind went blank, my breathing slowed, and the world stopped spinning around me, just as my body was starting to slow down from its frantic heartbeat.In an attempt to distract myself, I began counting
Leila's POV.A scream rips from through my throat as ice cold water cascades down my body."Get up" Shantel hisses at me in a harsh tone, I can see her silhouetted figure in the room, my mind is in a haze and I try to focus, to regain my bearings. Her voice pierces my ears but all I see are blurry spots, "Get up" she repeats with more emphasis, I can't move, my limbs are shaking violently, "Stand up at one and do not waste my time, the ritual is happening elsewhere. " She snaps at me, it takes my brain a few seconds to process this, the ritual she speaks of means death. They are going to kill me and take my powers, I try to stand, and immediately I am hit with another wave of dizziness.Fear shoots through my spine in a hot wave, gripping me, my mouth goes dry, my throat clogs up and my eyes water. I feel my knees give out, they give way beneath me, and I collapse on the floor once again, a sob tears from me as I curl up into myself, wrapping my arms around my shivering body.
Shantel's POV.I shivered, fear filled my body, and I could barely breath for a second. It wasn't because of the cold due to the rain. No, this was more than fear and pain.I couldn't believe what I heard from Dean, the Alpha was suspicious of me and I didn't know what to do.I was so terrified and Dean wasn't picking up his calls, or even texting me like he usually would. He's not picking up his calls, I wonder if the Alpha caught him already.I paced the corridor, trying to figure out what to do.I called his line again, and it was switched off.I bit my fingernails, my whole body shook, but my eyes stayed glued on my phone as I waited for another text message or a call.The witch came back already and she was doing her final preparations as she told me.I really didn't care about that, all that mattered to me was seeing a reply from Dean.I kept looking at my phone, waiting for anything, any kind of notification. My hands were shaking as I tried to text him again, my mind raced