EDWARD’S POV I strode into my office, my head throbbing. No matter how hard I thought about it, I couldn’t put my finger on who had helped Serena. I knew she got help from someone but figuring out that person was turning into a big, distressing task. The usual enemies came to my mind, but something gnawed at me. I couldn’t help but wonder if there was someone new in the picture. Someone I didn’t know about? What would their motive be? What did they want from me? I lowered in my seat, still thinking. Then the intercom buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. I pressed the button, listening as my secretary’s voice filtered through the speaker. “Alpha, there’s a guest asking to see you.” He said. “Does he have an appointment?” I asked. There was some brief hesitation from him. “No, Alpha,” he admitted. “It’s Alpha Carter. He seems… agitated.” Alpha Carter. As expected. “Send him in,” I ordered. Moments later, the doors burst open, and Alpha Carter stormed in, his fa
CLARA’S POV I gazed up at the night sky, mesmerized by the stars scattered across the midnight blue. “It’s a beautiful night,” I said, drinking in the sight. Beside me, Edward sat quietly, his gaze fixed upward as well. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and smiled at the satisfied grin on his lips. He had been reluctant when I’d asked him to step outside with me after dinner, but now he looked utterly at peace. Silence stretched between us for some minutes until I cleared my throat. “I can’t keep myself locked away,” I said, and Edward turned his head sharply toward me. “I know what happened was traumatic, but I can’t just stay in here, hoping the shooter vanishes into thin air. I need to work.” I spread my hands for emphasis. “I need to accomplish the things I want in life.” He let out a weary sigh, and I braced myself for his refusal. “I understand, Clara,” he said, and my eyes widened in surprise. “You do?” “Obviously.” He cocked a brow. “I can’t keep you
CLARA’S POV I leaned against the balcony railing, looking down at the patio below. For a brunch we’d thrown together just days ago, the turnout was incredible. Like Lydia suggested, I had to put myself out there before launching my company and the first step was this brunch for women in business. Lydia had sent out invitations and they’d shown up in numbers. More than I expected. More than I could have hoped for. I was impressed and grateful. And, if I was being honest, a little on edge. The patio was packed with at least two hundred women, maybe more, each one a business owner from different packs. Soft music drifted from the speakers, mingling with the low hum of conversation. On one side, rows of neatly arranged tables stretched out, white cloths draped over them, wine glasses catching the sunlight. The whole setup looked… perfect. I ran a hand over my dress, taking in the scene when Lydia’s voice suddenly cut through my thoughts. “Luna,” she said from behind me,
CLARA’S POV Her last words made one thing clear: she knew me. From school? I stepped closer, studying her face, searching for any trace of familiarity. She looked like she was in her late twenties. She had freckles, pale skin and doe eyes with brown hair. But nothing about her features struck me as familiar. So who was she? Regaining my composure, I straightened my shoulders and met her gaze with confidence, forcing a polite smile despite the irritation I felt. “I see you might know me better than I recall,” I said. “But does that really matter? Does that make this whole affair ridiculous?” She threw her head back with a dramatic roll of her eyes. Then she shook her head. “Do you know what I told my maid when she came running to me yesterday, saying, ‘Luna Valerie, you’ve received a brunch invitation from Luna Clara’?” She mimicked the woman’s voice in a casual, mocking tone. “I told her to discard it.” She finished. I stiffened slightly. Luna Valerie. No wonder s
CLARA’S POV I pressed a hand against my stomach, exhaling slowly. Why was this ache in my lower belly so persistent? Clicking the button on the car door, I rolled the window down slightly and leaned toward the cool air. “Luna Clara, are you okay?” Lydia asked beside me, her voice laced with concern. “Yes,” I nodded, forcing a tight smile. “Just a mild stomach ache, nothing serious.” “No, Luna, it could be more than that,” She insisted. “We can still turn back to the pack if you’re in pain. Mr. Walter’s arrest can wait.” “Mr. Walter?” I scoffed, raising a brow. “That animal doesn’t deserve an ounce of respect. Just call him Walter. And I’m fine.” She hesitated before nodding, though she looked uncertain as she turned away. I winced silently, masking my discomfort from the stomach ache. The pain wasn’t letting up, it was getting worse. But turning back now wasn’t an option. Not when I was this close to bringing down one of the men on my wanted list. Just like
Edward’s POV “This is the first time a Luna has tackled such issues,” The announcer’s voice rang out clearly from the TV. “She’s taking them head-on,” he continued, admiration lacing his tone. “Bold, fearless… addressing them directly.” Pride swelled in my chest as I listened to him. My wife did that, I thought. Clara, my beautiful, brilliant wife. I had always known she was resilient, even back in high school. She was vibrant, determined, unwilling to be beaten down, even when everyone bullied her for being an omega. No matter how much they mocked her, she kept pushing forward, proving them wrong time and time again. She would always come out top in class, putting them all beneath her. She had always been confident and strong. Well, until Nate happened. And piece by piece, he broke her. Until the fiery girl I once knew was reduced to a shadow of herself. Yet now… she was coming back. I leaned back in my chair, my gaze locking onto the bottom corner of the TV
Edward’s POV Clara and I drove to the pack enforcement office, where Serena was being held. As soon as we arrived, we were ushered into the interrogation room. Silence stretched between us as we waited, thick with tension. For some reason, I knew Clara’s suspect was the same as mine and we were just waiting for confirmation. “Do you have anyone in mind?” Clara finally asked, her voice low. When I met her gaze, I saw the same unease I felt reflected in her eyes. “Let’s just hear her out first,” I said, offering a reassuring smile. The door opened, and I turned just in time to see Serena being led inside, her hands cuffed in front of her. She was forced into the chair across from us. That was when I noticed the recording camera in the corner. No one spoke. Serena stole glances at us, almost like she was feigning ignorance about why we were there. Minutes ticked by before I lost patience. “I don’t have all day,” I snapped. “If you have something to say, say it now.”
NATE’S POV I couldn’t believe this was happening. Fuck’s sake. My wrists were cuffed in front of me, the enforcement officer nudging me forward as he led me through the Grand Enforcement Station. The place was eerily empty because no other Alphas were detained. Just me. My jaw ticked as I shuffled my feet. One moment, I was untouchable, standing at the top and now I was being dragged through this hall like a common criminal. We reached the waiting room, and as the officer pushed open the door, my gaze landed on the visitors inside. Rage ignited in my chest, my jaw tightening. The two people I despised most in the world. Were they here to gloat? I sank into the chair across from them, my eyes burning into their faces. Edward met my glare with equal intensity, his expression cold like stone. “Leave us,” he ordered. The officer bowed and exited without hesitation. I leaned back in my seat, crossing one leg over the other. If Edward expected me to beg, he was delus
Clara’s POV I watched the maids scurrying about in the hall, each attending to the duty that was assigned to them in preparation of the Bluemoon ball that was just around the corner, and as one of the maids approached with a pile of silk clothes in her arms, getting closer, I directed her to dump them on the tiled floor in the corner. “Make sure that these materials are complete,” I instructed the other maid that stood to the side. “Sort them by their colors,” I added. “Yes, Luna,” she replied, curtsying briefly, and quickly going to work, sorting through the pile of silk on the floor. I let out a tired sigh, lightly touching my forehead. I felt weak, but I couldn’t allow myself even a little bit of rest, because if I gave in to this tiredness, who would take care of the preparations for the Bluemoon ball coming up soon? It was part of my responsibility as Luna, and I would see to it to the very end. I was still giving out orders to the maids, making sure everything was in
EDWARD’S POV I sat at the head of the table, my gaze sweeping across the faces of the Alphas gathered around the U-shaped table. Their expressions were tight with anger, distrust clearly visible in their faces as none of them tried to hide it. And I didn’t blame them. Not after what happened at the Fruitful Banquet. I hadn’t offered any explanation since that day. They were nearly killed on my territory. If the substance had been deadlier, we wouldn’t be sitting here. “What’s this meeting about?” one of them asked sharply, without waiting for permission. “Are we finally going to talk about the chaos you dragged us into?” I scoffed quietly, shaking my head. Why dance around the truth when they could just say it outright? I let my eyes slide toward Nathaniel, who sat in silence, arms crossed, unreadable as ever. His calm demeanor rubbed me the wrong way. And the fact that he even showed up surprised me. And irritated me. I tore my gaze away from him before the rage b
EDWARD’S POV I stood at the floor-to-ceiling window of the meeting room, gazing outside to ease my mind. My fingers absently moved over my jaw as my mind churned despite my attempts to forget everything. In the faint reflection on the glass, I caught a glimpse of myself and paused. I looked like hell. I looked unkept, my eyes hollow. A sigh escaped my lips. I’d been neglecting my appearance, my health, everything. But how could I not? I felt restless day and night. Every damn minute, I was either pacing or spiraling. Nothing sat right anymore. This entire mess? whatever game was being played, I couldn’t get ahead of it. No matter how hard I tried, I always felt like I was several steps behind. At first, I thought it was just Nathaniel Bennett pulling strings. But now I was sure… someone else was involved. Someone smarter. Someone staying hidden, and easily manipulating things. Whether they were working with Nathaniel or acting alone, I still couldn’t tell. That uncerta
CLARA’S POV I stood at the floor-to-ceiling window early in the morning, rubbing my stomach as I looked out over the estate. Most of the guests were already leaving especially those who’d recovered and I felt a faint feeling of relief watching them go. Very faint. These people likely carried resentment toward us now as they left. For something we hadn’t done and we didn’t even understand ourselves. They probably blamed us for everything that happened during the banquet, forgetting that we were also victims. Their outburst yesterday had really hurt me, considering how I wanted the banquet to be successful, how I looked forward to it as it was my first time. I was celebrating the baby in my womb but they forgot that part, they forgot that I was hurting too. A slow burn of anger rose in my chest. I clenched my fist, trying to push it down. It was pointless, getting worked up over what I couldn’t yet control. I turned slowly, my gaze settling on Edward at the far end of
EDWARD’S POV By the time we left the kitchen, I was completely drainedmentally and physically. My thoughts kept circling back to the brown-haired suspect. Who was he? Why would he do this? Was it personal? Against me? Clara? No matter how I tried to piece it together, nothing made sense. I couldn’t think of his motive, his reason. I just had questions without answers. Jaxon had gone off immediately to search the Estate, determined to find the boy. That left me with a handful of guards escorting me to the hospital wing. We hadn’t gotten far when a strange sound reached my ears. It was faint and distant, sounding like chants. I slowed, listening carefully. At first, I thought it might just be in my head, some lingering stress playing tricks on me. But with every step I took, the chanting grew louder. It sounded like a group of angry people were yelling close to the Estate. I stopped completely, frowning. What the hell was that? I gestured for one of the guards to
EDWARD’S POV Just as more emergency vehicles were pulling into the hospital wing of the Estate, I rushed in through the main entrance, feeling even more frustrated. I hurried into the wing, my eyes quickly catching the panic in the air. I looked around the hallways, filled with people groaning on both my left and right. Most of them were throwing up badly, dropping to their knees. It was complete chaos in here. I saw some doctors and nurses helping the poisoned victims who were too weak to move, guiding them into the wards. As I moved quickly through the hallways, I noticed almost every ward was packed full of sick people. This was horrible. What made it even more disturbing and upsetting was that most of the people vomiting so terribly were important figures in the territory—Alphas and Lunas of high ranks. I shook my head at the sight, my fingers curling into fists at my sides, wanting nothing more than to catch whoever was behind this. Even while I was worried ab
CLARA’S POV I sat beside Edward at the very front of the hall, shifting my weight uncomfortably in the chair. The dress I wore was stunning but heavy. The layers of fabric clung to my body, weighed down further by the glittering jewelry adorning my neck and wrists. From the corners of my eyes, I could feel the stares. Nearly every woman in the room had their gaze fixed on me. Some looked on in awe, others in admiration but a few with jealousy. Despite the nausea churning in my stomach, I held my head high. I refused to appear weak in front of them. Today was a significant day, the Fruitful Banquet. It was a celebration of new life, of prosperity, and so many had gathered in our honor, the hall packed to the brim. I adjusted the folds of my gown around my ankles, then reached up to smoothen my hair. I needed to look flawless, to silence the rumors before they had a chance to spread. Edward leaned in, his hand brushing my hair gently away from my ear. “Alpha Reynold and his
CLARA’S POV “Congratulations, Luna Clara,” Luna Patricia said, towering over me with a wide smile on her face. “Thank you,” I replied, smiling back as I reached up to take the gift she offered. I was still very sick, my head pounding. I shouldn’t have been out of bed yet, but this was something I had to do before the upcoming banquet, which was only a few days away. Edward had wanted to cancel everything, but I refused. I didn’t want anyone to question his place as Alpha or damage his reputation just because of a little gift rite that every Luna has successfully done. As Luna Patricia stepped away, another woman walked up, her face tight with a dry smile. “Congratulations, Luna,” she said, handing me a wrapped box. “Thank you,” I said again, rising slowly to take the gift. But the moment her eyes dropped to my stomach, her forced smile vanished. I accepted the gift without saying anything, pretending not to notice her reaction. Even during a celebration, there were
NATE’S POV I watched as my lawyer poured me a glass of wine, a satisfied smile tugging at my lips. “I told you my plan would work,” I said as he settled back into his chair, smoothing down his tie with the same smug expression I wore. He nodded, lifting his own glass. “Worked like a charm, just as you envisioned.” “You’re brilliant, my love,” Isla chimed in from the corner of the office. “Everyone’s talking about it across the territory. No one else could’ve pulled that off.” I rose to my feet, exhaling deeply as I ran a hand over my already slicked-back hair. “What can I say?” I said with a scoff. “Everything I’ve been working toward was achieved in a single move. It was so easy to get it done too.” I turned. “You’ve heard what they’re saying about Edward, right?” I asked, glancing down at my lawyer. He nodded. “People are talking about how he’s abusing his power, how his jealousy is driving him crazy. And your ex-wife? They finally see how bitter she really is.