Emma's POV“What is it, Draven?”“I am going back home. Let me drop you and the kids home too.” He offered.“No, thanks. I will book a cab.”“Stop being so stubborn.” He said, “Tell me where you are. I am coming over to pick you up.”I rolled my eyes and remembered something, “Uhhh, Draven can’t do. We just now got into the cab. We are already leaving.”“Is that so?” The man asked. Just when I was rejoicing that I had managed to fool him, someone pulled the phone away from me. “Hey. Are you fuc-” I swallowed the rest of the words down my throat when I realized that the person who had pulled my phone away was none other than Draven. He hung up on the call and said, “Didn’t know your cab had catering services too.”I was too embarrassed to answer so I turned away. He asked the kids if they were full, and once they said they were, he footed the bill and got us out.Draven put the kids in the car and asked me, “Why are you acting strange?”“What?” I did not expect him to confront me like
Draven's POV“Draven watch out.”Emma screamed out of nowhere, taking me off guard and that was when I noticed it. I saw a car coming towards us through my peripheral vision. Instinct took over and without thinking, I grabbed Emma’s arm, pulling her to the side. But before I could get her far enough, she did something I didn’t expect. She shoved me.In a single, desperate motion, Emma pushed me out of the way, sending me stumbling backward, away from the car that was hurtling toward us. It was too fast. The moment stretched out in slow motion, the headlights blinding me as I reached out in vain to grab her, to pull her out of harm’s way.But it was too late.The car collided with her with a sickening thud. Time seemed to stop as I watched her body crumple under the force of the impact. My heart dropped into my stomach, the panic surging through me like a tidal wave. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t breathe. All I could do was watch in horror as Emma fell, her body twisting unnaturally as
Draven's POVThe world around me felt like it was crumbling, yet I couldn’t move. I stood in the sterile, white hallways of the hospital, my mind spinning, but my body frozen in place. The harsh fluorescent lights above seemed to buzz louder than the voices of the doctors and nurses rushing past me, their faces blurred, their words muffled.Emma. She had been in critical condition, they told me that, but it didn’t seem real. The blood, the pain, the moment she had fallen to the ground… It was all so far away now, a nightmare that I was still trapped in, unable to wake up from.I couldn’t breathe. The pressure in my chest was suffocating, but it wasn’t just from the panic or fear. It was the weight of guilt, of knowing that I had failed her. I had failed the one person who had ever trusted me, the one person who had ever made me feel like I mattered, and I couldn’t undo it. I couldn’t fix it.I didn’t even know where I was going anymore, my feet moving without thought, my body pulling
Draven's POVI closed my eyes and rubbed my temples, trying to quiet the noise in my head, but it wouldn’t stop. The guilt, the shame, the fear. It all mixed together in a cocktail of despair, and I didn’t know how to deal with it. I don’t know how long I stayed there like that, I was completely numb to what was happening around me.Just when I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, my phone rang again. Robin. I hesitated, but then answered, my voice hoarse.“Alpha,” Robin said, his voice calm but filled with relief. “The Luna’s out of surgery. She is stable. The operation was a success. She is saved.”For a moment, I couldn’t process the words. Saved. She was saved.It was like a weight lifted off my chest, but it was fleeting. I didn’t feel relief, not really. Not when I knew I had almost lost her. Not when I knew what I had almost done.“How is she now?” I asked, calming myself down and trying to regain my composure.“She is out of danger, Alpha. She is yet to regain consciousness but
Emma's POVThe soft beeping of the heart monitor was the first thing I heard as I slowly regained consciousness. My head was foggy, like I had been submerged in water, struggling to break the surface. My limbs felt heavy, as though they were made of lead, and every inch of my body screamed in pain. But the worst part? The cold, empty feeling in my chest. I couldn't remember what had happened. I couldn't remember how I had ended up here, lying in a hospital bed, surrounded by bland white walls.I tried to open my eyes, but they felt weighted, unwilling to obey my command. With a small groan, I forced them open, squinting against the bright lights above me. The world around me was blurry, the shapes and figures shifting like shadows. But I could make out the figures of my children—Asher and Ashel—sitting beside me, their faces filled with relief, their eyes wide with worry. Asher’s hand was holding mine, his grip warm and familiar.“Mom?” Asher’s voice was gentle, but I could hear the r
Emma's POVMy heart dropped into my stomach, and the blood drained from my face. The air around me seemed to freeze, and I stared at the papers, the words blurring in front of my eyes. Divorce? After everything? After everything we had been through together, after the years of building a life, a family? He was asking me to sign divorce papers.I looked up at him, my eyes wide with shock. “Draven, what… What is this?”He didn’t flinch, didn’t soften at all, “Isn’t this what you want from me, Emma.” His voice was low, empty, and I could hear the bitterness in his words.I felt the sting of his words in my chest, but I fought to keep my composure. “Is this what you really want, Draven?” I whispered, feeling the weight of everything between us crashing down on me. “After everything?”But he didn’t answer. His eyes remained hard, his face expressionless. He was closing off, shutting me out completely. And for the first time, I felt a wave of fear that maybe I had truly lost him.I dropped t
Emma's POV“You don't have to do this.” He said. Maybe he could see how hurt I was, maybe he could see how much it bothered me that he himself was rethinking the entire divorce thing. I wiped the corner of my eyes and said, “I can't keep running away. I am tired. This has to be done.”“Think about it, Emma. Don't do anything out of impulse.” Natalie put her hand on my shoulder and tried to reason with me but I was determined. If this was what he wanted, I was going to give it to him.I took a shaky breath and, with trembling hands, signed my name on the papers. The ink felt like a brand on my soul. As my pen touched the paper, I felt the last shred of my heart wither down into a million pieces.And that was it… Ten years of turmoil, months of rivalry and petty back and forth coming to an end.The faint smell of antiseptic still lingered in the back of my throat as Alex helped me into the passenger seat of his car. The air outside was frigid, a sharp contrast to the warmth of the hospi
Emma's POVThe very next morning, I found myself sitting in the back of Alex’s car again, this time dressed in a formal black dress that felt more like a funeral shroud than an outfit for finalizing a divorce. The trip to the courthouse felt unreal, like I was walking through a dream—or more accurately, a nightmare.Alex tried to make small talk on the drive, but I could barely hear him over the dull roar of my thoughts. All I could focus on was the upcoming meeting with Draven. It had been two days since I had last seen him, and even now, I could feel the tension in the air, the way the past hung between us like a thick fog.When we finally arrived at the courthouse, the building was large and imposing, its stone walls towering over everything. The weight of it all was overwhelming. I always knew that this day was coming but zi didn't expect it to happen so soon. Maybe this was because there was a part of me who felt like this could be fixed. Even though I was not prepared, I cannot
Emma's POVThe air was thick with tension as I watched Traces disappear into the hallway, his silhouette fading into the distance of the Pack house. My heart twisted with unease. The children. Where were they? Were they safe? Every second that passed felt like an eternity, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on my chest like an iron hand.And then, out of nowhere, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over me. The ground beneath me tilted, my vision blurring at the edges. A soft gasp escaped my lips as my knees buckled. I tried to stabilize myself and grab something to help me from falling but alas, it was too late. I didn't even have time to prepare or understand what was going on, I just felt my body fall towards the ground.I closed my eyes, preparing for the impact but before I could hit the ground, a pair of strong arms caught me mid-fall. The scent of embers and something unmistakably him enveloped me, steadying me even as my head spun."Emma!" Draven’s voice was sharp with conc
Emma's POVMy fingers curled around the armrest as the plane finally touched down. The turbulence had been mild, but my exhaustion made everything feel heavier, the vibrations of the landing rumbling through my already tense body. More than twenty-four hours had passed since I last slept, but fatigue had yet to claim me. Restlessness coiled tight in my chest, refusing to let go.I stole a glance at Draven beside me. He was checking his phone, his sharp features set in a mask of unreadable focus. The moment the aircraft doors opened and we stepped into the terminal, his phone rang. The distinct vibration pattern told me it was Robin. Draven did not even waste a second and picked up the call immediately.“What is it?” His voice was low and controlled, but I could sense the undercurrent of tension.I stayed close as he listened, his expression darkening with every second. By the time he hung up, his jaw was clenched so tight I thought it might crack.He asked, “Are you sure you have the
Alex's POVDesiree froze on her spot and looked at me and Robin simultaneously, “What? Was I not supposed to say that out loud?”I narrowed my eyes as I gestured toward the tattoo on the grainy surveillance photo, “Do you even know what this means?”Desiree scoffed, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips as she crossed her arms, “Of course I do. I spent the majority of my life in Italy, Alex. You think I wouldn’t know about the underworld?”“Desiree, I swear on the Moon Goddess I will send you back to the pack on the very next flight if you are playing around with me.”“I don’t need to, Mr Frost. I am already bored here, I won’t give you a useless puzzle to solve so that you spend more time here investigating. Honestly, I just want to get out of here.”Robin and I exchanged glances, not sure how to react to this new information that was revealed to us. The girl looked too confident in what she was saying, there was no way she could be messing with us. But still, we could not blind
Alex's POVI stood near the edge of the tarmac, arms crossed, watching as Draven and Emma disappeared into the terminal. I could not shake Emma’s worried face off my head, Ashel and Asher were her whole life, and losing them was putting her in a spiral. I exhaled sharply, pushing away the gnawing feeling of unease that settled in my gut. For some reason, I felt like this was happening all because of me. I was the one who bought them here, I was the one who was responsible for their safety. I should have looked after them, but instead, I slacked off and now not only Emma’s family but the entire pack was in shambles.I have to find the kids, no matter what! And I had no time to waste, the time was ticking fast and I had to be quick.Just as I turned on my heel, ready to leave, a slow, deliberate smirk caught my attention. Desiree.She stood a few feet away, her arms lazily draped across her chest, eyes gleaming with a knowing amusement that instantly put me on edge. My jaw clenched seei
Emma's POVThe hum of the airport was a blur in my ears as my focus remained on Desiree’s face.“Desiree?” I involuntarily called out her name, causing her to look up. The usual haughty confidence that had been always there in Desiree’s eyes were replaced by flickers of shock when she us.She came to a halt right in front of us, staring at our faces as if we had caught her red handed or something.I barely had time to process her presence before Draven’s voice sliced through the tension. “What are you doing here?” Draven’s tone was sharp, authority laced in every syllable. Desiree tilted her head, an infuriating smile playing on her lips, “What does it look like? I mean, why do people even come to Hawaii? I am here for a mini vacation.” “I thought I made it very clear—no one leaves the pack.” Draven said, his voice dropping to a dangerous tone.Desiree shrugged nonchalantly, “Oh, I saw your little decree, Alpha. I just chose to ignore it.” I glanced at Draven, his jaw clenched
Emma's POVThe security room was a cramped, dimly lit space filled with monitors and buzzing equipment. The owner fumbled with the controls, his hands shaking as he brought up the footage from the day of the kidnapping. I stood to the side, my arms wrapped tightly around myself as I watched the grainy footage play out on the screens. Her mind raced with a whirlwind of emotions—fear, hope, anger, and an overwhelming gratitude for Draven. I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. He stood tall and unyielding, his sharp features illuminated by the flickering screens. There was something about him that made me feel safe, even in the face of the chaos surrounding us. “Here.” Draven said, pointing to one of the screens. The footage showed the children playing near the entrance of the restaurant, their laughter faint but audible. The grainy footage played on repeat, the flickering image of Asher and Ashel being dragged away at gunpoint seared into my mind. Three men—faceless, thei
Emma's POVMy mind was unable to process what was going on. Draven asked, “So, you were not intending to return my son if I stepped down from the position?”“Yes. We don't even have your son, Alpha.” The man said.“Where is he? How can I get him back?”“No idea.” He shrugged, “Maybe the group who has your son has a second task for you.”Draven was silent for a while, staring blankly at the screen. We could feel the tension well up in the room as his gaze intensified. Suddenly, he let out a chuckle confusing everyone.He let out a cold laughter before stopping abruptly, “The day I find you, I will wipe out your entire clan.”The man grunted before saying, “We will see about that. As for now, come get your kid.”The line went silent, indicating that the call was hung up.Draven stood up and came out of the room, I rushed to him immediately. Even though I heard everything, I was still in denial that our situation was so messed up. I asked him, “How is everything? You will get the kids b
Emma's POVDraven's phone beeped, notifying him of an incoming message. He checked it and the expression on his face told me that it was from those men. He said, “Okay, I will go now.”The Alpha played smart here and decided to attend the video call from the investigation room. Not only was there a camera to record everything, even we could watch everything unfold through the one way mirror. Before the call, Draven made sure to alter the investigation room to look more like a hotel room. He did not want the kidnappers to get the hint that we were already in talks with the cops.I was shivering involuntarily watching all of this unfold, and Alex was always there to tell me that it was alright and that we would find the kids. I didn't even have the strength in me to respond to him, all I did was nod mindlessly while my eyes were hooked on Draven.He sat down on the chair and opened the laptop in front of him. His fingers flew across the keyboard, creating a symphony out of the clicking
Emma's POVThe tension in the air was suffocating as I paced the small room, my heart racing in sync with my restless thoughts. The kids…Draven…The pack…Everything was in shambles, all because of me. I looked at Draven, he had been silent since the call was hung up. It was worrying me more and more. I have always seen him as a man who was clear about his next move, it was my first time seeing him so clueless. It was haunting me.Alex stood by my side protectively, even though he was bleeding he refused to leave me alone. I know he was blaming himself deep down as well. Just then I saw Robin walk into the room, his pace as brisk as always.“Alpha!” He greeted Draven who was silently staring at his phone.The man nodded his head in acknowledgment and asked, “Do we have anything?”Robin nodded and said, “They were smart and kept their IP bouncing but we managed to find their location. They are in the forest near the pack.”My eyes widened, a flicker of hope piercing through the dark