Samantha’s POVI immediately connected my charger as I settled on a chair in my hotel room after I was transferred here. Annie’s name glowed on the screen, followed by a string of messages that I was not able to access earlier since my phone immediately died.The first one brought a smile to my lips: “The twins wanted to stay up late, but don’t worry, I tucked them in on time. Devon tried to convince me otherwise, though!”Scrolling through the others, I could almost hear Annie’s cheerful voice narrating their antics: ‘Diana refusing to eat her carrots, Devon pretending to be a superhero, both of them begging for bedtime stories about wolves.’But it was her last message that made my heart clench: “They’ve been asking for you all day, Samantha. Devon said he missed your hugs, and Diana said she did not like how long you are gone.”I stared at the words, blinking hard. For a moment, the chaotic events from the day melted away, leaving only the ache in my chest, to see my twins again. T
Dominic’s POV“They are gone,” Mr. Bennett said with frustration clearly visible on his face as he stood in front of me.“What the hell do you mean, gone?” I asked making both him and Ethan turn to me. They had been talking about two kids they had picked up on the road and brought here to the hotel for the Summit.“We found them near the western border,” Ethan interjected with a defensive tone. “Two kids, twins. They looked scared and hungry, so we brought them back here to figure out who they belonged to.”“And?” I prompted, already feeling my patience thinning.“They slipped away,” Mr. Bennett admitted, his jaw tightening. “Smart little ones, too. Gave us the slip before we could get any answers.” I folded my arms, my irritation simmering just below the surface because they had brought their kids which means they were our responsibility, and these were my men, members of my pack. I would not want any rumors about our pack members picking kids from the road and having them disappear
Dominic’s POV“You’d better not move an inch, Dominic. I’ll be there in a few minutes,” Killian snapped through the mind link. How ungrateful, I found the kids yet he did not even sound grateful for it. If I would have the choice, I could take these twins on my own and not return them to him.I bit back the urge to argue, my jaw tightening as I paced in place and ended the call. My eyes flicked toward the twins again and saw the boy whispered something to his sister, his tone too soft and quiet for me to catch. The girl smirked, her ocean blue eyes darting toward me, and muttered something back that made the boy chuckle.They did not seem wary anymore. If anything, they were oddly calm, like they knew they were untouchable. Or maybe it was because Killian was coming, and they trusted him. The thought sent a sharp pang of jealousy through my chest, which was odd. I should not feel anything about these kids, and yet…My wolf stirred uneasily. They look like her, he murmured, a growl und
Killian’s POVI kept my hand resting lightly on Diana’s shoulder as we walked through the corridor, ensuring she stayed close. She was a handful, that much was clear, but there was something charming about her boldness and quick wit. Beside her, Devon trailed behind quietly, his gaze darting around as if committing every detail to memory. He had always been so keen and attentive.I glanced at them, then shook my head to clear my thoughts. I could not stop replaying the scene back in the restaurant. Dominic had acted so… at ease around them. It grated on me, how natural he seemed with the twins, like he belonged there, and as if the twins belonged to him. A flicker of doubt gnawed at me. What if Dominic…?No. Samantha would have told me if—But would she?She had always been secretive about the twins’ father, and I respected her decision to keep it from everyone else. But not that Dominic was coming into the picture and how she did not want him to find out about them, I can’t help but
Dominic’s POVThey couldn’t be mine. Could they?I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling as if the answer might suddenly materialize there. The math wasn’t complicated, six years ago, Samantha left. The twins were about five. The timeline fits too well. Too damn well that got me thinking if they were my kids.But then again, Samantha couldn’t have hidden something like this, not without slipping up. I knew her. If they were mine, wouldn’t she have stayed? The Samantha I knew would have never let that kind of opportunity slip through her fingers. She was always so desperate to prove herself, to claw her way into my life, to have my love and attention. She wanted to matter to me, to the pack, and she would have done anything to get there. She would have used the kids to get to me.I scoffed, shaking my head as bitterness crept in. If they were my kids, she wouldn’t have run. She would have used them — paraded them in front of me, dangled them like a prize, something to make me
Samantha’s POV“Don’t you ever scare me like that again,” I warned, pulling the car into the driveway. My eyes flicked to the rearview mirror where Devon and Diana sat silently, their wide, guilty eyes meeting mine.They didn’t respond right away, but their guilt was obvious. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to stay calm — for their sake. I’d already lectured them, and one reminder was enough. After opening my door and stepping out, I waited for them to follow.As soon as we stepped inside the house, Annie came rushing toward us. Her face was pale, her hair slightly out of place, and her hands trembled as she clasped them together.“I’m so, so sorry!” she blurted, her voice cracking. “I don’t know how they managed to—”“Annie, it’s okay,” I said firmly but gently, resting a hand on her shoulder to reassure her. “I know how much you care about them, and I’m not blaming you. But we’ll need to take extra precautions from now on.”I glanced at the twins, who stood a few feet away, sh
Dominic’s POVThe phone rang three times before Liam picked up."Alpha," he uttered. He knew better than to expect a casual conversation when I called."I need answers, Liam," I said, pacing the length of my office. My mind felt like it was tearing itself apart with a tangle of suspicion, memories, and unanswered questions. "Did you find anything about the twins yet? Who their father is?"A pause. Too long. And it ticked my nerves.“We're digging, Alpha," Liam replied. "Killian's pack records are airtight. No mention of the twins in any formal capacity. It is like they do not exist on paper."I slammed my hand down on the desk and the sharp sound echoed through the room. "That’s not good enough, search the hospitals in his area, Liam. I need every single piece of information about them."Liam sighed on the other end. "I’ll see what more we can do, Alpha. But Killian’s pack is notoriously private. You know that."My jaw tightened. I did not care how private Killian was. I needed to kno
Samantha’s POV“Mommy, look! I made a butterfly!” Diana exclaimed, as she held up her craft project — a messy combination of glitter, glue, and construction paper.“That’s beautiful, sweetheart,” I said, crouching down to admire her creation. Devon sat nearby with his tiny hands busy assembling what looked like a spaceship made of popsicle sticks.A knock on the door pulled me out of the small bubble of peace.I straightened and glanced at Annie, who had just walked into the room. “Annie, keep an eye on them,” I said as I stepped to the door and opened it. Killian stood there. He smiled warmly, but the tension in his eyes betrayed the purpose of his visit.“Killian,” I greeted with a smile. “What brings you here?”“Can I come in?” he asked, his voice was calm but it carried something that put me on edge.I nodded and stepped aside, closing the door behind him. As soon as we were in the living room, I folded my arms. “What’s going on?”Killian’s expression softened as he glanced towar
Samantha’s POV"Do you even realize how much you affect me?" Dominic murmured, his breath brushing my skin as his lips pressed against mine again, hungrier this time.I barely had a chance to think, much less respond. Every kiss, every touch, sent my mind spinning. It was maddening, and addictive. His hands rested on my waist, fingers curling slightly, like he needed to keep me close or risk losing me again.And the worst part? I did not want him to let go.But I could not ignore the chaos bubbling inside me. The guilt gnawed at the edges of my mind, the doubt clawing its way into the heat of the moment. My twins.I pulled back slightly, pressing my hands against his chest. And I felt his heartbeat thundered beneath my fingertips, matching the erratic rhythm of my own. “Dominic, wait.”His brows furrowed and the intensity in his eyes softened just a fraction. “What’s wrong?”“I…” I struggled for the right words, my chest heaving as I tried to calm my breath. “I can’t… We can’t just…
Samantha’s POV“Step aside?” I interrupted, “You are out of your mind if you think I am handing over my kids to you or anyone else. I would die before I let that happen.”“How noble,” she drawled. “But don’t fool yourself into thinking this is a choice, Samantha. You are playing a losing game. You are weak. And when you fall, those kids will be left to pick up the pieces. Do you really want that for them?”My hand trembled with the force of my grip on the phone. “You don’t know a damn thing about me or what I am capable of. And if you come near my children, if you even think about trying to take them again, you will regret it.”“Oh, I’m trembling,” Olivia mocked. “You think you can scare me, Samantha? You think your little threats mean anything? I have dealt with bigger obstacles than you, and I have crushed them all. You are nothing.”“Try me,” I spat. “Come near my children, and I will show you exactly what I am capable of. You think you are ruthless, Olivia? You don’t know the firs
Samantha’s POV“Mom, why does your face go red every time Alpha Dominic is around?”Diana’s question made me choke on my water. I coughed, sputtering as Diana giggled uncontrollably and Annie raised a single, knowing eyebrow from across the dining table. My cheeks burned hotter than the sun, and I struggled to compose myself, waving off Annie’s attempt to hand me a napkin.“I don’t—” I started, then stopped, realizing any denial would only make things worse. Devon was staring at me with his arms crossed, his face far too serious for a six-year-old, while Diana leaned forward eagerly, clearly enjoying my discomfort.“You do, though,” Diana chirped, grinning. “It’s like you are allergic to him or something. You always act weird.”“I do not act weird,” I muttered, stabbing at the salad on my plate with far more force than necessary.“You totally do,” Devon said, smirking now. And that smirk, it was the same one Dominic wore when he knew he had the upper hand in a situation. Oh, great. My
Samantha’s POV“Why did I let this happen?”The question hung in the air like a fog I could not escape, pressing down on my chest as I sat on the edge of the bed with a towel wrapped tightly around me. The faint warmth of the water still lingered on my skin, but it was nothing compared to the fire that had raged between us just moments ago. My reflection stared back at me from the small mirror across the room, but it was not just my face I saw. It was the conflict within, the confusion, the shame. And something else, something I was not ready to admit.I ran my fingers through my damp hair, pulling it away from my face as if that would somehow clear my thoughts. But nothing helped. My mind kept replaying the way his hands felt on me, the way his lips claimed mine like they were meant to. And worse, the way I had wanted it.No, I had not just wanted it… I had needed it.The realization sent a shiver down my spine, one that had nothing to do with the cool air in the room. What was wrong
Samantha’s POVOlivia’s face still lingered in my mind, the way she had looked at me before I left the pack grounds. That smug smile. That group of wolves hanging on her every word like she was some queen. It was not new to me anymore. Olivia always thrived on being the center of attention, making sure I was on the outside looking in. But today, it had gotten under my skin in a way I could not shake.The way she tilted her head with a smile just wide enough to feel like a challenge made my stomach stir. She did not even have to say anything. That was the worst part. She knew how to needle me without lifting a finger.I let out a heavy breath as I sank deeper into the couch. My shoes were still on and my bag dropped somewhere by the door. I did not even have the energy to care. My body felt like it was running on fumes, but my brain would not shut off.What was I even doing there? Going back to that pack, and walking into this mess, it felt like I had walked into a fire willingly. And
Samantha’s POV“They are going to hate me,” I muttered under my breath, my fingers clenching the hem of my sweater as we walked on the uneven dirt path toward the pack house, and as we passed by several pack members, their eyes were trained on me with questioning gaze.Dominic’s stride did not falter as he gripped my hand tighter. “They will respect my choice,” he remarked, with a faint hint of frustration that he did not bother to hide.Respect his choice? The concept felt foreign to me now, like something out of reach. “You don’t understand. I did not just leave, Dominic. I disappeared. I abandoned my role, my place, my duties. Do you have any idea how much damage that must have caused?” My voice cracked despite my efforts to keep it controlled.He stopped so abruptly that I nearly stumbled. Turning to face me, he cupped my cheek with his free hand, his dark eyes boring into mine as he spoke. “They will understand, and they will accept you because you are their Luna. You always hav
Samantha’s POV“You are seriously not going to tell me what’s going on?” I asked in disbelief. I had to muster some courage and put up with all this makeup, high heels, and a red dress just for the night to be put on hold. I thought he wanted to fix us, but he could not even properly be with me even just for a night. Well except when we were in bed.He sat stiffly in his chair, barely meeting my eyes as he reached for his drink, taking a huge gulp before as if it could soothe his nerves.“It’s pack business,” he said evenly, carefully controlled, like he was talking to a mere business partner he did not give a shit about. Was I that to him? “An emergency. I need to handle it,” he added, and I leaned forward, narrowing my eyes. “That’s it? You are not going to explain anything? You dragged me out here, acted like this was important, and now you are just going to bail?”His jaw tightened, and he finally looked at me with his gaze filled with a mix of frustration and guilt. “Samantha, I
Samantha’s POV“You’re going, and that’s final,” Annie said, cutting through my thoughts as I stared at the red dress laid out on my bed. “You have spent the entire day pacing back and forth like a caged animal. The least you can do is see where this date leads,” she added and I sighed.I shook my head, biting my lip. “I don’t know, Annie. What if this is a mistake? What if he is just… doing this for the kids? Or to make himself feel better? I don’t want to end up—”“Stop.” Annie’s hands landed on my shoulders, forcing me to turn and meet her gaze. “You deserve this, Samantha. You have been punishing yourself for so long that you have forgotten what it feels like to just live a little. And Dominic…” She sighed, a small smile tugging at her lips. “I see the way he looks at you. Whatever his reasons were before, they are different now.”I opened my mouth to argue, but her expression left no room for debate. Instead, I glanced back at the dress with its vibrant red fabric shimmering soft
Samantha’s POV“I almost called Killian.”The confession tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it. Annie froze mid-motion and the rag she was using to wipe the kitchen counter dangled from her hand as she turned to look at me.“You did what?” she asked surprised and with a tinge of disapproval in her tone.“I didn’t,” I said quickly, burying my face in my hands. “But I almost did. When I woke up and found the kids and Dominic gone, I panicked. My first instinct was to call Killian for help,” I admitted. I was scared that Dominic would take my kids away and it was only Killian that I thought could help me. Even after learning from Annie that Dominic took the twins for a walk, I was still paranoid that he might have tricked her and actually took the kids away from me.Annie set the rag down and leaned against the counter, crossing her arms. “Samantha, you really thought Dominic would just take off with them?”I lifted my head and looked at her, my chest tightening with shame. “For