BELLAThe room was dim, a soft yellow light filtering in from the half-open curtains, casting faint shadows on the walls. I leaned against the window, staring at the rain-slicked streets below. My thoughts were a tangled mess. Kai and I had been exchanging information about her. Anything to help us unravel this mystery.Mabel.Her name hung heavy in my mind like the scent of burnt herbs. I couldn’t shake the unease that clung to me every time she returned from one of her mysterious outings. I had told Kai everything, but we didn't know what exactly it was yet. How could I? It was one thing to suspect witchcraft, and another to accuse someone so deeply woven into our lives.Kai’s jaw clenched, the tension in his shoulders radiating outward like a storm about to break. I knew that look—it was the one he wore when pieces on the board were moving too fast for comfort.His gaze shifted to me, softening just slightly.“Bella,” he said, his voice gentler now, “what are your thoughts on all o
BELLAPacing around the room, I waited for Kai to return. My fingers quivered as Mabel’s presence outweighed everything else. I couldn't let her take everything that I had worked out to be.“Bella,” he called out grimly, stepping into the room. “We’ll visit Ollie today at the hospital.”I nodded, grateful for the excuse to leave the suffocating tension in the room.The drive to the hospital was quiet, save for the occasional sound of tires splashing through puddles. I stared out the window, watching the city blur past. Kai drove with one hand on the wheel, the other resting on the gearshift.“You’re thinking about Mabel again,” he said suddenly, his voice low.I glanced at him, startled. He didn’t look away from the road, but the way his fingers tightened on the wheel told me he was waiting for an answer.“I can’t ignore it,” I admitted. “Every time we’re together, it feels like she’s hiding something. And when she comes back…” I hesitated. “There’s always that faint… energy. It’s sub
BELLAThe dining hall was alive with the hum of morning activity as I sat reviewing the day’s pack schedule. The rhythmic clinking of dishes and the faint aroma of freshly brewed coffee were oddly soothing. But the peace was short-lived.Mabel’s sharp laughter rang out as she entered the room, her heels clicking against the polished floor. Her arrival felt like a storm cloud darkening the space, and I braced myself. She sauntered in with her usual air of entitlement, her piercing gaze scanning the room until it landed on me.“Good morning, Bella,” she said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness.I nodded politely. “Good morning, Mabel.”Her lips curved into a smirk as she approached my table, a cup of tea balanced precariously in her hand. “I heard you’re handling pack affairs today. Must be quite the challenge for someone like you.”I ignored the jab, focusing instead on the documents spread before me. But as she leaned closer, I caught the faint scent of witchcraft clinging to her—a
MABEL“Leave us,” Bella commanded, her voice steady. She waved a hand dismissively at the guards and maids in the room. One by one, the guards exchanged looks, hesitating only for a moment before they filed out, their footsteps echoing in the room. The maids followed suit, some glancing nervously at me as they shuffled out of the room.Once the last of them had exited and the door clicked shut behind Bella, sealing off any chance of escape. A chill swept through the room. Her calm demeanor only fueled the fire burning in my chest.I decided to quench that fire and ignore her and went back to the files I was looking through. Maybe she was just trying to mess with me, making me think she had control over the situation. I wasn’t going to give her the satisfaction. Soon she and everyone in this pack would be begging for my mercy.I just had to get these documents duplicated.I skimmed through the stack of papers, flipping from one to the next. Something felt off. I glanced back at them an
BELLAThe soft hum of chatter filled the grand hall as the party celebrated my ascension as Luna of the A-pack kicked into full swing. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm golden glow across the room, reflecting off the polished marble floors. Members of the New York pack mingled with ours, laughing and toasting to new beginnings, but all I could think about was escaping the stifling crowd.I hadn’t wanted a celebration, especially not one this lavish, but Kai insisted. They need to see their Luna, Bella, he’d said, his piercing green eyes soft with determination. They need to know you’re here to stay.He wasn’t wrong, but that didn’t mean I had to enjoy it. The heavy weight of their scrutiny pressed down on me—some still unsure of me, others skeptical of what my leadership might bring.“Luna Bella!”I turned at the cheerful voice to see one of the maids I’d helped earlier that week with Mabel. I was relieved that she was gone. I couldn't believe all she did. That woman was vicious. Her sm
BELLAThe hospital was quieter than usual, the faint hum of machines blending with the soft whispers of nurses drifting through the sterile halls. My steps echoed faintly as I made my way toward Olly’s room, clutching a small picture book I’d brought with me.Two months had passed since Mable’s imprisonment, and though things were beginning to settle, my heart still ached every time I thought of Olly and what he had endured. He was healing—I could see it in the way his shoulders didn’t hunch quite so much anymore, in the way he tried to smile, even when the shadows of his pain lingered in his eyes.Stopping outside his door, I peered through the window. He was sitting up in bed, sunlight streaming through the curtains, casting him in a golden glow. The therapist beside him held a set of flashcards, her voice gentle as she encouraged him.“Good,” she said with a warm smile. “Now try it again. Sun.”Olly furrowed his brow, his lips moving silently as he worked to form the word. My heart
KAIAs I descended into the dungeon, the air grew thick with the stench of mold and decay. The walls, crafted from cold, grey stone, seemed to absorb the faint light that flickered from the torches, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground. The only sound was the soft clanking of chains and the muted whispers of the prisoners, their voices barely audible over the creaking of the old wooden beams.The wolves who guarded the dungeon bowed their heads in respect as I passed, their eyes cast downward in submission. I was their alpha, and they knew better than to meet my gaze without permission. The human guards, too, nodded deferentially, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords as they stood at attention.The darkness of the dungeon seemed to press in around me, a physical presence that weighed heavily on my shoulders. I could feel the weight of the pack's justice in this place, the knowledge that those who had betrayed us were paying for their crimes.As I turned a corner, th
BELLAAs soon as I heard the door open, I rushed to Kai's side, embracing him warmly. "I was starting to get worried," I said, trying to keep my tone light.Kai smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, but I could still see the worry etched on his face. I knew that look all too well."Hey," he said, his voice low, as he wrapped his arms around me.I leaned in, our lips meeting in a soft, gentle kiss. But as we kissed, I felt a distance between us, a sense of withdrawal that I couldn't quite explain. It was as if Kai was holding back, his emotions locked away behind a mask of calm.I deepened the kiss, trying to bridge the gap between us, but it only seemed to grow wider. Kai's responses were mechanical, his touch lacking the usual spark of passion.I pulled back, searching his face for answers. "What's wrong, Kai?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Kai's hand enveloped mine, warm and reassuring, as we sat together on the bed. He took a deep breath, his eyes locked on mine, a
LAYLA"What are you doing here?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Fear crept up my spine as Harper's eyes locked onto mine."I heard your wish, Layla," Harper said, their voice low and mysterious. "I heard you wanted to collaborate with the witches, just like Mabel did. And I'm here to grant your wish."My fear began to dissipate, replaced by a spark of hope. Revenge, I thought, my heart racing with anticipation. I wanted revenge against Max, against the pack that had rejected me."Do you really want revenge, Layla?" Harper asked, her eyes glinting in the dim light.I nodded, my voice firm. "Yes, I want revenge."Harper's face broke into a wide smile. She walked over to the bed, placing a hand on my shoulder. A strange sensation washed over me, like I was being sucked into something.And then, everything went dark.When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in a dimly lit room. Fire torches flickered on the walls, cas
LAYLAWhen Max walked through the doors of the pack house, I knew I was in trouble. I tried to make a hasty exit, maybe come back and apologize when he’s calmed down a bit, but he was too quick. He strode towards me, his expression cold and unforgiving."Max, please," I begged, falling to my knees as tears streamed down my face. "I'm sorry, I know I made mistakes, but I never meant to hurt you or the pack. You didn’t mean to banish me, right? I'll do anything, just please forgive me."But Max’s face remained impassive, his eyes glacial. When I finally ran out of words, he spoke, his voice firm and detached."Layla, I reject you as my mate," he said, his words cutting through me like a knife. "You're no longer welcome in this pack."I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Rejected? Banished? The words echoed in my mind, refusing to sink in. I stared up at Max, searching for any sign of hesitation or doubt, but his expression remai
BELLA.The papers trembled slightly in my hands as I sat alone in the study. The moonlight seeped through the heavy curtains, bathing the desk in silver light, making the black ink of Alpha Mason’s name stand out even more. His name, tied to Layla’s in every damning transaction. Payment after payment, each one like a nail hammered into the coffin of her deceit.I leaned back in the chair, the air in the room suffocating despite the cool night breeze. “Layla and Grey… It’s all connected,” I whispered, my voice breaking the silence. Saying it aloud didn’t make it easier to believe.My wolf stirred within me, her presence steady. “You know what this means,” she said, her voice calm yet commanding. “You’ve found the truth. Now, what will you do with it?”The answer should have been simple. Expose them. Make them pay. But I couldn’t stop the memories flooding back—of Grey&rsqu
BELLAThe sun had barely risen over the horizon, but the online world was already buzzing with activity. I woke up to the sound of my phone blowing up with notifications.I rubbed the sleep from my eyes and reached for my phone, scrolling through the trending topics on social media. My heart sank as I saw my name plastered all over the internet, accompanied by hashtags like #BellaTheScammer and #KaiDeservesBetter.It seemed that the online rumors about me had reached a fever pitch overnight, with many people calling me out for allegedly being a hypocrite and a scammer. I took a deep breath and tried to shake off the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of my stomach.I knew that I had done nothing wrong, but the constant barrage of negative comments and messages was starting to take its toll on me. I decided to put on a brave face and face the day head-on, knowing that I had Kai and our son Olly to support me through this difficult time.I knew I had to get to the bottom of t
LAYLAThe house was quiet, save for the soft hum of the heater and the occasional creak of the old floorboards. I sat alone at the dining table, the dim glow of my phone casting long shadows on the walls. My tea sat untouched, its surface rippling slightly each time I exhaled sharply. My eyes, however, were glued to the screen, scanning the images over and over again.Bella’s family photos.Kai was smiling—a rare, genuine smile that once used to belong to me. His arm was slung around that woman’s shoulders, his eyes crinkling in a way that betrayed how deeply he was invested in them. And there, nestled between them, was her son. A child that wasn’t even his, yet he held the boy like he was his own blood.My hands tightened around the phone. How could he?I zoomed in on Bella’s face, trying to find something—anything—that would explain what Kai saw in her. Her long, dark hair framed a face that was soft and warm. Her smile was open, almost too perfect, and the way her eyes crinkled mad
BELLAI watched as the look of confusion on Kai’s face—his brows furrowed, his lips in a thin line, his head slightly bobbed to the side—transformed into one of pure joy.He was grinning from ear to ear, his brows now raised in excitement.“Are you pregnant?” He asked, taking a step towards me, excitement radiating off him in waves, it made my stomach dance with butterflies.But I wasn’t pregnant.I blinked. "Not literally pregnant. Metaphorically. Spiritually? I—""Bella," he said sharply, leaning forward, his amber eyes boring into mine. The look of confusion was back. "This is not something you joke about.""I'm not joking!" I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "I mean, I've been thinking about adopting Olly."Kai froze. His expression shifted from confusion to something softer, more contemplative. "Adopting Olly?""Yes." My voice steadied as I explained. "He needs us, Kai. He's been through so much. No pack. No family. No one to show him he's worth something. We can give him
BELLAAs soon as I heard the door open, I rushed to Kai's side, embracing him warmly. "I was starting to get worried," I said, trying to keep my tone light.Kai smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners, but I could still see the worry etched on his face. I knew that look all too well."Hey," he said, his voice low, as he wrapped his arms around me.I leaned in, our lips meeting in a soft, gentle kiss. But as we kissed, I felt a distance between us, a sense of withdrawal that I couldn't quite explain. It was as if Kai was holding back, his emotions locked away behind a mask of calm.I deepened the kiss, trying to bridge the gap between us, but it only seemed to grow wider. Kai's responses were mechanical, his touch lacking the usual spark of passion.I pulled back, searching his face for answers. "What's wrong, Kai?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.Kai's hand enveloped mine, warm and reassuring, as we sat together on the bed. He took a deep breath, his eyes locked on mine, a
KAIAs I descended into the dungeon, the air grew thick with the stench of mold and decay. The walls, crafted from cold, grey stone, seemed to absorb the faint light that flickered from the torches, casting long, ominous shadows on the ground. The only sound was the soft clanking of chains and the muted whispers of the prisoners, their voices barely audible over the creaking of the old wooden beams.The wolves who guarded the dungeon bowed their heads in respect as I passed, their eyes cast downward in submission. I was their alpha, and they knew better than to meet my gaze without permission. The human guards, too, nodded deferentially, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords as they stood at attention.The darkness of the dungeon seemed to press in around me, a physical presence that weighed heavily on my shoulders. I could feel the weight of the pack's justice in this place, the knowledge that those who had betrayed us were paying for their crimes.As I turned a corner, th
BELLAThe hospital was quieter than usual, the faint hum of machines blending with the soft whispers of nurses drifting through the sterile halls. My steps echoed faintly as I made my way toward Olly’s room, clutching a small picture book I’d brought with me.Two months had passed since Mable’s imprisonment, and though things were beginning to settle, my heart still ached every time I thought of Olly and what he had endured. He was healing—I could see it in the way his shoulders didn’t hunch quite so much anymore, in the way he tried to smile, even when the shadows of his pain lingered in his eyes.Stopping outside his door, I peered through the window. He was sitting up in bed, sunlight streaming through the curtains, casting him in a golden glow. The therapist beside him held a set of flashcards, her voice gentle as she encouraged him.“Good,” she said with a warm smile. “Now try it again. Sun.”Olly furrowed his brow, his lips moving silently as he worked to form the word. My heart