Note: This chapter contains gory content. Read with caution. If you don't like the sight or mention of blood, please do not read. ~Avery~ The truck roared away from my battered car, its engine a fading growl in the distance. I ignored the searing pain in my bleeding leg as I leapt into the dense forest, branches clawing at my clothes and face. From the truck, two men dressed in inky black leapt out, shifting into their wolf forms mid-air. Big, savage wolves. Their transformation was swift, and soon they were hot on my trail. The gash on my thigh throbbed with every step, but I forced myself to keep running. I couldn't afford to slow down; survival was my only option. My little training as a Luna in Duncan's pack had been rigorous, but even that might not be enough against two powerful wolves. A few minutes into my desperate dash through the woods, an explosion rents the air. I whipped my head around, my heart plummeting as I saw my car erupting into a fiery inferno. I whimpered, f
~King~ I was driving with a single-minded determination, my vision was narrowing as the flashing lights of police cars surrounded me, their sirens wailing loudly, giving me a throbbing migraine, and my knuckles were turning white from gripping the wheel so hard. Fortunately, the route we followed was the same one Avery had taken. When we saw the plume of smoke rising in the distance, it made my stomach churn with dread. Then we saw the truck. But as we got closer, the picture turned full-on nightmare. Averyâs car was crumpled against a tree and engulfed in flames. My heart did a swan dive straight into my stomach. The car screeched to a halt as I slammed on the brakes, leaping out of the car almost before it had stopped. The pack police were out of their vehicles in an instant, chattering urgently into their walkie-talkies. My heart hammered in my chest as I sprinted towards the inferno, ignoring the police yelling at me to chill. All I could think about was Avery. If Avery was in
~King~ Three days dragged on like a bad soap opera, and Avery still hadnât regained consciousness. I was starting to worry more than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs. The twins, Julian and Julia, were taking it hard, their usual mischievous sparkle was replaced by a gloomy fog. Apparently, their love for their mother ran deeper than I had ever imagined. Sure, I knew they adored her, but I never expected a few days of her absence to unleash this level of melancholia. My deal with the investors from Dubai had been sealed, and money was rolling into my company from left, right, and centre. But the win held no appeal, not when Avery's life was hanging in the balance. Regina had been really helpful, dropping by whenever she got a chance, and sometimes offering to make our meals. Eloise had refused to leave her daughter's side after I brought her and the kids to see Avery. Every evening, after battling rush hour and a grumbling stomach, I made a drop by the hospital to check on Av
~Avery~ When consciousness finally dragged me back from the abyss, it brought a bucket of cold water in the form of a sudden realisation. The last thing I remembered was fighting two deadly wolves. My eyes flew open, and I quickly whipped my head sideways to come face-to-face with my mother and Jane. There was a stunned look on both of their faces as they stared at me. "Oh, goodness, she is awake," Jane gasped, slapping a hand over her mouth. "My baby girl," my mother choked out, her voice was thick with emotion and her eyes were brimming with tears. She was one blink away from a waterfall. I scanned the room, noting that it was only my mother and Jane sitting beside my bed. The only two people I could trust, but there were no signs of my kids. Panic mode activated. I tried to sit up only to be greeted by a sharp pain in my leg. Jane rushed to help me sit. "I don't see Julian and Julia. Where are they?" I asked. My mother rose to her feet and placed a reassuring hand on my shou
~Avery~ Minutes ticked into hours, hours morphed into days, and before I knew it, a week had passed since I got back from the hospital. King had transformed into Super Daddy, and I must admit, he was nailing it. Instead of dragging us back to the chaotic pack house, he brought us to his serene villa. It was like a spa retreat without the expensive treatments. No servants crowding around, watching our every move like a reality TV show. Just us, a housekeeper who doubled as a cook, and a few security guys outside to keep the riffraff away. My leg had finally healed, so I could get around without hopping or hobbling. King had been amazing, bringing me meals, helping me to the bathroom, and doing sweet things that made my heart do little cartwheels. But then, there was Regina. She was always around, and it drove me nuts. I knew there was little I could do since they were going out. The news was buzzing with their photos all over the place and everyone wanted to know if they had beco
~Avery~ I didnât see King around the house the following day. When I went to work and didnât see him, I was forced to ask about his whereabouts and was told he had travelled for business. Business? What business? We didnât have any business trips or deals scheduled until next month. I wondered if he had joined a secret spy mission without telling me. My attempts at nonchalance crumbled when his absence stretched to two days. Surprisingly, the twins didn't appear bothered by his absence. I craved their usual barrage of "Where's Daddy?" questions. I really wish they would ask about him so I could have a reason to call, hear his voice, and make sure he was okay. But no, my hopes were dashed when they said he told them he would be gone for a while. I didn't want to think about it, but thoughts of him and Regina being together somewhere cosy and serene kept replaying in my head. The third day found me battling burnt offerings in the kitchen, trying to whip up something for dinner w
~King~ I dropped my phone onto the table and emptied my glass in one gulp, sighing heavily. An empty bottle of alcohol lay at my feet, and I was nearly finished with a second one. I knew rumours about Regina and me getting back together were flying around the packs, but I hadn't realised just how far the media could take it. Every picture of Regina and me together was splashed across the internet, looking very suggestive. If I were another person, I would believe something was definitely going on between us. Being around Avery was driving me nuts. One moment, I was pining for her, realising how deep my feelings ran and drowning in them; the next, I was ready to tear out my fur in frustration at her attitude. I knew how I had tried to make things right between us countless times, but she was always so annoyingly stubborn. Part of me understood her pain, but another part just wanted to howl at the injustice of it all. She seemed determined to make my life a living hell, always an
~Avery~ It was one thing to imagine King with Regina but seeing them together was like taking a surprise jab to the heart. A twist I never saw coming. And in his study, of all places? Seriously, what on earth was he thinking, doing that in his study with the kids around? What if one or both of them had gone looking for him and opened that door instead of me? I quickly wiped away the tears that were threatening to roll down my cheeks. I had no right to be upset. After the way I'd been pushing him away lately, what did I expect? That he would sit around pining for me, composing tragic sonnets about his lost love? Did I expect him to take a lifelong vow of celibacy? He was an Alpha, damn it. Those guys could have any woman they wanted with just a snap of their fingers. I practically sprinted all the way to his room. It hurt. It hurt more than I expected, and I hated it. Maybe it was the realization that he was making good on his promise to break me. Maybe it was the fact that she
~Avery~ I arrived at the restaurant a few minutes after noon, my heart racing, my stomach doing somersaults. What was I even thinking coming here? I told myself it was for closure, to put an end to this once and for all, but deep down, I knew I shouldnât have agreed to meet Cassius without letting King or anyone know. I donât know. Cassius had not done anything to me, but I had been wary of him since he told me about his feelings, and I felt he was hiding something from me. But it all could be my imagination too. But after the feeling of being watched which, I had been getting lately, I think I needed to hear what he had to say because he sounded pretty urgent on the phone. I parked my car, sat for a moment, and exhaled, mentally preparing myself. This meeting was going to be quick. In and out. That was what I promised myself. But a part of me kept telling me I had no business here, but curiosity is a dangerous thing. I had to know what Cassius wanted to say. The moment I
~Avery~ âIâm all ears,â I said, slipping off my apron, already bracing myself for the same tired story. Cassius always had something up his sleeve. âThis isnât something I can say over the phone. I need to see you.â I sighed, rolling my eyes even though he couldnât see it. âCassius, come on. You should know by now Iâm over all this. Iâve got a lot on my plate.â âI swear, I wonât take up much of your time,â he insisted, his voice smooth like he was trying to charm his way out of detention. I hesitated, knowing this was probably a bad idea. âFine, Iâll let King know andâ" âNo!â His response was so quick it nearly made me laugh. âHe doesnât need to know. Iâm not going to bite, Avery. Just come alone. Iâll text you the address, and itâll be in a public place. We need to meet as soon as possible.â Before I could fire back with some excuse, I caught sight of King heading toward the kitchen. âIâll speak to you later,â I said, hanging up and slipping my phone back into my pocket j
~Avery~ King followed me into the kitchen like a man on a mission, clearly craving some alone time. We hadnât had a moment to ourselves in days, not since that unsettling visit to Oliverâs cell. And boy, had things gotten complicated since then. Turns out, after some digging, we discovered that what Oliver said about Kingâs father was horrifyingly true. The man had been running a dirty side business beneath the surface, and King had been carrying around a false image of his father this whole time. As I stirred the food in the casserole, I felt Kingâs arms wrap around my waist, pulling me back into his chest. I couldnât help but smile as I tilted my head to catch his scent, a mix of cedar and something distinctly him. Before I could even playfully protest, his lips were on mine, and it was clear he had been starving for this kiss, as though it had been an eternity since we had last been like this. But even in this moment, something felt off. I had that weird sensation of being
~Avery~ As King and I stepped into the prison, the air was thick with that unique scent of old concrete and metal, the kind that makes your skin crawl. The walls seemed to absorb every echo, like they were listening in on every secret. Kingâs hand tightened around mine, as if he was trying to reassure me, that I was safe with him beside me. âItâs crazy how the Steels have been the bane of our existence,â he muttered, his voice edged with irritation. It had been two whole days since Oliver Steelâs arrest, and we were just starting to breathe again. It felt like we had been holding our breath for weeks. Still, even with that small relief, the unspoken problems lingered, particularly the rogue wolves with those strange tattoos who had tried to take me at Alpha Cassius' ball. We still hadnât tracked them down, but that was a nightmare for another day. Oliver had lost everythingâhis status, his rank, even his pack. The Wolf Council had stripped him bare. His beta was in charge for no
~King~ Kristopher pulled up in front of Alpha Oliverâs packhouse, with our warriors' cars trailing behind us. But the sight that greeted us was anything but expected. The Council police were already there, swarming the place like they were filming an episode of âPackhouse Cops.â I had given the Council a heads-up about Oliver, tossing in some evidence to spice things up, but I didnât expect them to go full-on detective mode and ransack the place like it was a crime scene. I slid out of the car and swung the door open for Avery. Kristopher, Jane, and Axel followed, looking as confused as I felt. We had come to see Oliver get cuffed and carted off to the werewolf equivalent of Alcatraz, but it seemed we were in for more than just a simple arrest. One of the police officers, spotting our little ensemble, made his way over, looking all official. âAlpha King, Luna Avery, Beta Kristopher, Miss Jane, and Gamma Axel,â he greeted, nodding like he was about to hand out awards. âWhatâs
~King~ "Wakey, wakey, Mrs. CEO," I teased, grinning down at Avery, who was comfortably nestled in my arms, looking like she belonged there forever. She had returned to Silverpine last night, finally claiming her rightful place at Bells Empire. I couldnât be prouder. But, of course, she was utterly exhausted from her grand takeover, so she pretty much collapsed into bed the second she got in. Me? I stayed up a little longer, just staring at herâbecause why sleep when you can marvel at perfection? Eventually, sleep caught up with me too, and I drifted off with her still in my arms. I had also filled her in on all the latest developments, including how we had involved the Council, thanks to Axelâs brilliant advice. The cherry on top? Oliver Steel, the guy behind those pesky threats, would be behind bars by tomorrow. Avery groaned, stretching like a lazy cat in the morning sun, before yawning and blinking up at me with a smile that could melt stone. I couldnât resist leaning dow
~King~ I paced the length of our hideout like a caged tiger, my heart doing that annoying thing where it thumps against my ribs. My thoughts were spiralling, each one more anxiety-inducing than the last. What if these guys double-cross us? What if the plan goes south? And seriously, how long does it take to create a distraction and grab a stupid machine? Are they doing this in slow motion? And that wasnât the only thing gnawing at my nerves tonight. One of my men had casually mentioned that Alpha Cassius had dropped by Averyâs company. Oh, just a little visit, no big deal. Yeah, right. I had called Avery, fishing for details, but she was a locked vault. Her explanation? Cassius had a meeting nearby and thought he would stop by to say hi. Sure, because heâs just that friendly. I didnât buy it. Not for a second. Cassius doesnât do âfriendly visits,â especially not to Blue Moon. There was definitely something fishy about his timing, and I wasnât about to let it slide. If that slea
~Avery~ I wonât lie; when King left me here on my own, I felt like a lone soldier abandoned on the battlefield. The empty spaces seemed to echo with my uncertainty, and I had that sinking feeling of being all alone. But I knew I had to keep it together. I had to stand strong, for myself, if nothing else. Sure, I was torn between wanting to scream and curl up in a ball, but hey, one crisis at a time, right? I didnât know how I was going to run this company from Silverpine if King and I got back together. I guess that was a bridge I would cross when I got there. For now, the mission was simple: reclaim my company from the clutches of Marcus and those conniving board members. Today was the dayâthe day I would finally take the reins as CEO, wresting control from Marcusâs slimy fingers. Walking down the lobby, I nodded back at the people who greeted me with varying degrees of enthusiasm. Some looked thrilled, othersâĶ not so much. Probably Marcusâs loyal minions. Whatever. As I neare
~King~ âHow much more damage has that conniving witch done?â Kristopher snarled, his frustration practically vibrating through the room after I finished recounting the whole printer-and-ink drama in the library. If words could kill, we would be sweeping Reginaâs ashes off the floor. âWe need to tread lightly,â Axel cautioned, his voice calm but eyes sharp as ever. âIf she so much as catches a whiff of our plan, sheâll make sure every shred of evidence vanishes faster than my patience during a boring meeting.â That little nugget of wisdom sent my heartbeat into overdrive. Knowing Regina, she probably already had the printer in the back of some getaway truck by now, laughing maniacally as she drove off into the sunset. I rubbed my forehead, praying that this wouldnât turn into yet another colossal headache for us. Evidenceâwe needed it, and we needed it fast. âAnd we need to confirm itâs the right printer,â Axel added. âWe canât go off half-cocked. The serial numberâs our ticket.â