Carena: "I don't know, I didn't catch on," I sighed as I sat with my sister. She'd managed to slip inside while Lord Rennick and Lady Jane were out, thankfully. Usually, their disapproval kept my family away."Okay, let's figure out how to handle this mess," Maanya murmured, and I had to gesture for her to lower her voice."It's not like he can blabber about it to anyone," she reasoned, nodding towards Sawyer, who lounged in bed with the TV on."Still, I don't want him to fret," I fibbed, not wanting him to get involved. I doubted he'd understand or take my side over his mother's."What's he after?" Maanya pressed. I recounted spotting Payton in the study, trailed her, and got caught by Ronan.I omitted Ronan's exact demands, merely mentioning his blackmail. "He's asking for... money," I evaded, unable to divulge the specifics with Sawyer present."What? Is he nuts? A royal asking a mere maid for cash?" Maanya scoffed, eyes wide in disbelief."What do I do now?" I grasped her hand as
Carena:Hush!" he whispered, bringing his face so close that I could see the different shades of gray in his eyes.It was dark, but a faint light illuminated his face. His eyebrows were dark, and they moved as he spoke."You cry a lot, don't you? Every time I see you, you're crying," the depth of his voice left me breathless. He leaned over me, his hand covering my mouth."What?" he inquired, noticing my gaze."Will you always be this surprised when I touch you in the dark?" he whispered, burying his face in my neck and inhaling my scent. He removed his hand from my mouth, and the first words I managed to utter caught his attention."I'm in a mess," I confessed, and he raised his head."There's no mess," he reassured me, his eyes gleaming in the darkness."Yes, there is!" I disagreed, tears welling up at the thought of facing judgmental stares once Ronan exposes my video."Carena!" he said my name, causing my body to tense."There's no longer a mess," he repeated, and I frowned."I to
Carena: I was relieved to wake up and find Sawyer in his bed. I had slept on the couch but hadn't felt this comfortable in so long. I've been noticing this about myself a lot lately. I only felt comfortable when I had some steamy encounter with Sawyer.Last night was even more special. He gave me a taste of what it feels like to have someone on your side who has your back.The gift he gave me was enough to cheer me up. I was free from the burden of Ronan's threats."Who the heck went through my stuff?" I heard Ronan shouting in the hallway, calling the maids and yelling at them for a name.“Somebody broke my phone and laptop after all the data backed up was deleted. I want to know who did that?” he was screaming at the top of his lungs and losing his shit.I didn't even want to go outside and see the commotion. He got what he deserved for playing such a nasty game with his brother's wife."He seems different than Jack," I stood in front of the mirror and said with a broken smile on m
Carena:"Are you really not going to leave the room to explore?" Ginny asked me for the fifth time as she applied makeup to her face."No! I am tired," I fibbed, lounging in bed and gazing up at the ceiling."You're so lazy. We came to a new place where we have no work responsibilities, and you don't even want to explore," she scoffed, speaking as if we were besties."You know, their nightlife is wild. I can't wait to go clubbing tonight," Ginny exclaimed, carefree; I was happy for her, living her life to the fullest, but I couldn't help feeling sorry for myself.From very early on, I took on the responsibilities of my stepsibling. Then I took care of household chores and even got myself a job. I didn't get to study much because I didn't have time.When I met Alpha Jack and he took me in, I started to believe I had it all. At least, that's what he told me. He convinced me I didn't need anything else. He would take care of me for the rest of my life, and I believed him."I'm fine. You
Carena:My breath caught in my throat, and my eyes grew misty. He looked so fresh and sharp. Sporting a new blue suit and a slightly different hairstyle this time, he even had a mullet now, and it didn't look half bad. I was amazed at how healthy he appeared; it seemed like he hadn't suffered a single day.He must have been hitting the gym a lot too; he seemed quite muscular."We'll go once the Luna Queen calls for us, okay?" Ginny turned around just to whisper those words to me. As she diverted my attention to Tabitha, I gulped and scanned the area for her.My eyes landed on Riona and Markeil, sitting happily across the council. They looked adorable, dressed in matching black. I had devoted so much energy to them, but why didn't they seem a bit upset, like something was missing? Did any of them even wonder what happened to me?My little twin half siblings didn't seem to have missed me even once.My mind was swirling, and I could feel genuine cold feet and sweat on my palms."Ginny! I
Carena: I squared up and gazed at her. The moment our eyes met and silence enveloped us, it was eerie. I sensed that once the voices resumed, taunts and accusations would fly.Since she was Luna Queen and I was a mere maid, I knew which way the accusations would lean. "That's--," she spat out quietly, taking deep, heavy breaths. Lady Jane exchanged a glance with Lord Rennick, both as puzzled as her, wondering why the Luna Queen was glaring at me like that.They likely put it down to Tabitha being upset because I hadn't apologized yet. "Carena! Apologize," Lady Jane urged. I turned to her, catching Jack's gaze. He wore a strange satisfaction as he observed me in this state.He rose from his seat and hurried over to Tabitha. My younger siblings had their mouths agape but avoided making eye contact with me, probably not wanting anyone to know I was their elder sister. "Carena!" Lord Rennick shouted, but I closed my eyes and turned away. They could threaten me, but I wouldn't apologize.
Carena:"Don't just hang around here. The sooner you tidy up, the quicker you can head back to your room," Lady Jane urged, gripping my arm firmly, her nails digging into my skin.I felt helpless, unable to resist her command. Now, everyone quietly moved from their seats to gather around me, observing with curiosity as I tackled the task of cleaning the floor. It seemed like quite the spectacle to witness a former Luna Queen scrubbing away. I doubted the Comet pack members even knew that their maid was not just an ex-Luna but also the sister of the current Luna Queen of the Red Raven pack.Taking hold of the broomstick, I noticed blood trickling down its handle from my palms. My hands were badly cut, but nobody seemed to notice.My sister was the only one who broke from the crowd, joining me inside the circle. Jack then approached, gently rubbing her arms and planting a kiss on her forehead to offer comfort.The way everyone watched me made me question if I was in the wrong. Pressing
Carena:A chill raced down my spine as those powerful hands propped me up, preventing me from keeling over. It was clear that without his support, I'd have hit the ground.Behind me, a silent audience observed, while I stood on the brink of tears. Though I sensed someone's presence, my mind had ceased to function in that moment.The sight of their gaping mouths jolted me back to reality. His scent and touch brought both comfort and a shiver down my spine. It couldn't possibly be him.Then he spoke, sending chills through my body. "Hello," he said, his tone oddly commanding compared to the whispers I was accustomed to hearing in my ear."Alpha King Sawyer Wolf! We thought you were tied up with pack matters," Jack blurted out, revealing that they'd kept his condition hidden from other packs for safety reasons. Imagine if the Alpha King couldn't defend the pack; rivals would pounce on the opportunity. But such concerns felt distant in that moment.My breath caught as he held me firmly fr
Carena: “I have put them to bed; we’re all set,” Sawyer announced, his shirt disheveled before he quickly straightened it, though he didn’t roll down his sleeves.I gave him a smile and got up from my seat to welcome him. He took the main chair, and I sat down beside him, wearing a beautiful red dress.“You are the best father and husband,” I whispered, leaning over to kiss his cheek while the maid served us food.“You two need to get a room,” Ronan joked, making us smile and turn to him. He looked so happy with Yamin. The two had welcomed twins--a baby girl and a baby boy--last year.“And my brother is truly proving himself to be a good role model too,” Payton added proudly.Lady Jane smiled at her sons, delighted with their perfect lives.“And Payton is taking good care of business,” Louis grinned at her, giving her a wink. I knew something was brewing between the two, and they had recently opened up about it. They were set to get married in two months.I didn’t think there could b
Carena:“What do you mean?” My heart revived even more, my grip tightening around my child.“Kelly, don’t fucking make up stories,” Jack yelled, his fists clenched.“I am not. You fool. You really bought my lie about Carena being so powerful to get pregnant already and then giving birth in seven months. Carena didn’t have a proper sense of date and time because there were days she would sleep without waking up for two days. But you, you knew everything. Yet you didn’t question anything?” Kelly smirked at Jack, who was finally hit with the realization.That’s when my baby let out a little cry and opened his eyes. He had the same eyes as Sawyer.“He is my baby?” Sawyer rushed toward me, taking him from my hands and then smiling, “No wonder I felt such a strong connection.”“No! You did not betray me like that,” Jack yelled, rushing to wrap his hands around Kelly’s neck, but Martin raised his legs and kicked him, making Jack drop back like a pathetic weakling.“How dare you--,” it was as
Carena: After I beat him up, Sawyer handed me my baby while he tied the couple to a tree. I was curious about what he was planning to do.“I am so sorry I got you into this mess,” Kelly cried to Martin, the two tied side by side.“No! If I have to do that again, I will do it. All for you,” the guy was hopelessly in love with her but also an idiot for partaking in her crazy schemes.She was a doctor; if she had remained committed to her job, the two would be living a very good life by now.While the two cried and talked, I held my son and smiled with teary eyes. My baby was perfect. There was no way he was Jack’s child. How could such a beautiful baby belong to that monster?“My perfect child,” I cried happily, rocking my baby in my arms. All these months, not once did I hate my child. I had grown so much in love with my baby that I didn’t understand why and how."Why would you want us dead? You already have your baby and your mate by your side now. Don't you have everything already?"
Carena:He was watching me with so many emotions in his eyes. In that moment, Jack and the others decided to flee because they knew they couldn't fight Sawyer.Jack was so frightened that he didn't even wait to grab me. Instead, he just started running after seizing Kelly.“My son--!” I yelled, but before I could get up, I saw Sawyer gesture for me not to go after them.“They cannot escape the woods.”His confidence made me sit back. But what about my son? What if they hurt him?"Sawyer!" I uttered his name as he deepened his stare into my eyes, filled with nothing but love for me."My love!" He knelt down and instantly pulled me into a warm and comforting embrace."No! Don't touch me before you know my truth." It broke my heart that even after our reunion, I had to keep my distance from him.He needed to understand that I had given birth to Jack's child so he could decide whether he still wanted to be with me. It would shatter my heart if he didn't want to stay with me, but I could n
Sawyer:“Ronan, keep your eyes peeled at the border. Make sure your men remain hidden in dugouts around the portal,” I advised him as we marched away from the entrance. Tonight was the Wolf Moon, and after midnight, I knew Jack would arrive with Carena. Certainly, Jack would use Carena to try to lure us away so that he could cross the portal, but I would jump right in with them. That was the plan.“I have informed my guards not to stop them from enticing the bridge, but do let us know when they arrive,” Ronan confirmed. I didn't want to provoke Jack into attacking Carena out of anger. Of course, he would threaten us with her life when he was surrounded by the warriors.“Yamin is taking care of the roads--” Suddenly, Ronan's voice began to fade. My mind started to wander off, and I knew it wasn’t the first time this had happened. I had felt this before, only when someone stepped into my woods--the woods of which I was king.“They are here.”I closed my eyes, focusing on the whispers of
Carena:“AHHHHH!” My screams had deafened me at this point. The pain was unbearable, and being out in the wild was not helping at all. I was worried for my baby and how giving birth in the wilderness would negatively impact everything. Dr. Kelly had asked Jack and Martin to grab some supplies while she assisted me with the delivery.“Just keep going. I know you can do it,” she said, rubbing a damp cloth over my forehead in an attempt to comfort me, but I was far from comfortable. The open air and sky, combined with the fact that my mate was not with me, broke my heart.“Why can’t we go to a hospital?” I asked, letting out heavy breaths, but the pain kept intensifying.“Because Sawyer must have informed all the hospitals and packs about you and Jack,” she replied. “Besides, we are passing through Sawyer’s pack, so--” The minute she said that, goosebumps covered my body. I looked around and noticed the woods. What the hell!We were in the terrifying part of the woods? The crazy and poss
Carena: Jack was shocked to see the old man confronting him. It seemed like Jack had run out of words.“I don’t know what you are--talking about,” Jack tried to sound normal, but none of the words he uttered came out in a confident tone.His hesitation alone gave him a guilty appearance.I had stepped way back from them while Dr. Kelly ensured she stayed with me."I heard it all. You played me only so you could use my kin to escape the werewolf world--the world where you have messed up so much that you can’t even remain in it anymore,” Vincent finally seemed to have caught on to Jack’s scheme.It took him months and many wasted attempts to open his eyes. But what struck me as odd was that Jack steadily fixed his posture and approached him.For someone who had been caught in a lie by his only support, he was remarkably calm.“I think you’re taking this way too seriously. It’s not that grave of a matter,” he placed his hand on Vincent’s shoulder, but Vincent shrugged it off aggressivel
Carena:"What did you just say?" he asked, a harshness in his voice warning me not to say the wrong thing."Jack lied to you. He told me that if he told you the truth, you would kill me and my baby." I gulped, realizing it could be true. I was taking a risk here. If I wasn’t pregnant, I would have found a way to escape the chains and transition. But that was no longer an option."Huh!" He looked rightfully confused. "You are the reason my poor daughter is dead. Sawyer killed her because of you." Now that we were talking, he started revealing what he truly thought of me.The fact that he claimed Sawyer had killed Tabitha proved that Jack had lied to him about many things."That’s not true. Listen--" I took a deep breath, knowing I was about to admit who was really responsible for Tabitha’s death and the deaths of his other children.His expression grew even harsher as he continued to watch me, waiting for an explanation as to why I believed Jack had been lying."Tabitha did cheat on Ja
Carena:I was heavily pregnant and miserable, but I kept going for the sake of my baby and the hope of seeing Sawyer again one day. I just didn’t know how he would react to the fact that my child belonged to someone else.“You shouldn’t starve yourself,” the maid they had hired for me said, causing me to roll my eyes.I didn’t get along with any of these people.They were all enemies of both me and Sawyer, working for that despicable man.“I’m full,” I sighed. “Before you start lecturing me, I had breakfast less than two hours ago,” I scoffed, irritated.She rolled her eyes and left the hut. We had been on the run—or rather, they had kept me on the run—for months.Every time Sawyer got close, they would pack up and flee again. They’d managed to evade him many times by threatening my life, and of course, Sawyer always relented.“Hey,” Jack entered, having taken care of the food and other necessities for the night. He smiled at me.The mattress I sat on was uncomfortable, lacking the fa