Zarek PoV
I headed downstairs, my footsteps barely making a sound against the worn wooden floor. The tension from the morning was still clinging to me.
Lunette was nowhere to be found upstairs, and a faint sense of unease had settled in my chest, which was stupid because I shouldn't care what she was doing with her life at the moment, but I did anyway.
I expected to see her in the kitchen or by the door, maybe lost in her thoughts as she so often was.
But as I got closer to the kitchen, a different scent hit my nose—one that wasn't Lunette's. It was familiar and comforting, and yet it carried its own weight of complications.
My brother, Axel.
Sure enough, there he was, sitting at the kitchen table, casually sipping a cup of coffee and a plate of muffins in front of him.
His long legs were stretched out in front of him, his expression a mix of boredom and the watchfulness he always had on him. <
Axel POVI watched Zarek carefully, his eyes shifting the way they always did when he didn't want to tell me something. It was his way, and I never tried to force him into conversations, but now it was different.His eyes flickered with uncertainty. I’d known something had been off since last night, when the screaming had stopped. Normally, Zarek's forced transformation lasted all night, and yesterday had been worse than normal, so I had expected no less.But the quiet that followed had me thinking otherwise.“Tell me again,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, though the frustration was bubbling just beneath the surface.“How did you break free from the chains?”Zarek leaned away from the counter, crossing his arms as if he were trying to block out my question."Zarek," I gritted.He avoided my eyes, the same way he always did when something wa
Lunette POVI watched Axel training from a distance; it seemed to be what I did most days: hide in the shadows and watch him.Instead of taking the risk that he would see me, I watched him from the window and from safety. His body moved with the raw power and precision of someone born and raised for battle. Each strike he made against the dummy made of straw and grass, he was shirtless and seemed to be sweating, his skin glistening in the early sun even though each breath that filled my lungs was chilly enough to form a light mist in front of my face. But chill didn't quiet the desire that raced through my skin and over every part of me like fire.I had felt desire for the twins before; I couldn't deny that, but it had never been this all-consuming lust that seems to take over my whole body whenever I saw either of them.That had begun only after the night spent with Zarek, whom I had tried my best to avoid, especially after the argument the next morning. My heart twisted slightly
Axel pov It was cold, but I felt hot; the sweat dripping down my back also proved otherwise, but it wasn't like I was ready to stop either. I had been training hard in the garden since the first morning sun for almost a week now; it was the only way I was able to keep my anger at bay.Today though muscles tense and breath sharp as I swung my sword over and over, each slice cutting through the dummy and some straw spilled out of it, sweat dripped down my forehead, stinging my eyes as I swung the blade over and over again, and no matter how hard I trained, the frustration in my chest wouldn’t fade. The metallic sound of steel clashing against wood filled the air around me, but it did nothing to drown out the relentless buzzing in my head. My body moved on its own—from pure muscle memory after years of training. I’d been going at it for hours, and I could feel my energy was waning the sunlight that filtered through the trees.I gritted my teeth, my grip on the sword hilt tightening, a
Lunette POV"Stubborn idiot alpha," I muttered underneath my breath as I stormed away from Axel, my hands clenched tightly into fists. Fine, Axel. Have it your way.He was a stubborn ass, and I badly wanted to snap his head on something, but that would be too much.The weight of his rejection still stung of his words echoing in my mind.I wasn’t a fool; I knew he didn’t trust me.I’d known it since the first day I arrived, and it had been made doubly clear the moment he and Zarek rejected me as their mate, so I was under no illusions. But no matter how many times he pushed me away, I wasn’t giving up.Not when he needed my help anyway; leaving him there injured and bleeding would be wrong, but it wasn't a bad idea to let him wonder for a while.I strode away from him where he was sitting on the grass and walked back to the house, using the door I had left open when I ran over to him. When I glanced back over my shoulder, I saw him strugglingto get up, his face etched with stubborn
Axel POV When I’d pushed her away and told her I didn’t need her help, I thought that would be the end of it—that she’d finally get the message and leave me alone. I didn’t expect Lunette to actually come back, but her voice echoing behind me as she walked over and dropped to the ground right next to me a box in her hand that she laid on the floor made me wonder if I was too crazy from the pain. Determined, and her gaze sharp with resolve, she pulled my leg to her after a very stiff argument about me not wanting her to touch me. Her touch was gentle, almost… careful. She didn’t look at me, just focused on her work, and for some reason, that made me more aware of her presence. Of the slight frown of concentration on her face, the way her hair fell over her shoulder, catching the sunlight…“Don’t expect me to start trusting you just because of this,” I finally said, my voice guarded. She paused, meeting my gaze, and nodded "Fine" “But I’m not your enemy, Axel. I never have been.”
Lunette POVMy vision blurred as I walked away from Axel, clutching the bag of medical supplies tightly to keep my hands from shaking. Each step echoed his harsh words and the coldness in his voice as if from afar, with the garden fading behind me. Each word was replaced by the blur of my footsteps across the grass and dry crunching sticks as I hurried away from Axel, swallowing down the burn of tears before they could slip free. I wouldn’t let him see me like that—not after the things he’d said. He didn't get to see me fall apart after what he had said.I had been foolish to think he might, even for a second, appreciate my help or at least want it. But no, he had tossed my help into my face and ridiculed me in the process.The bitterness, or was it the burn of his rejection, made my chest ache even as the pressure building in my throat was hot and stinging. I wasn’t going to cry.Not for him. Not for someone who saw me as nothing more than an inconvenience.I focused on the path ah
Zarek PoV I needed a break; it was almost too quiet, and I needed to do something to take my mind off it. My father would be back from the Alpha summit in two days, and their preparation for the pack hunt would begin.As I moved down thecorridor, a familiar scent hit me—lavender and something earthy, grounding, like cedar.Lunette. I followed the scent andstopped short when her delicate frame collidedinto mine. She staggered a little, and I instinctively reached out, steadying her.I hadn't expected to run into her here, especially since she had been avoiding me since that night. But there she was, standing right in front of me, “Zarek,” she breathed very softly, but I heard her,her bright eyes widening as she looked up at me.“Lunette,” I said, letting my hand linger at her elbow. Her skin was soft beneath my fingers, and she seemed so...small, almost fragile.Memories of our night together played a dangerous loop in my brain. I took a deep breath, trying to stop the flush from wo
Lunette POV It had been two weeks since Axel’s incident, two weeks since I had tried my best to stay out of the way of both brothers.The tension I felt had crept into every corner of the pack house, or maybe that was just me.So here I was, trying to find some sort of calm in the only place that gave me any sense of control: the kitchen.The kitchen was not my space, so it was a surprise to me most times that I had managed to convince the head chef, Ms. Harlow, to let me prepare breakfast.The first time I asked, she had watched me closely, her arms crossed as if she were already preparing to say no. Then she had softened slightly, as if she saw something in me that had her feeling pity for me. She said yes and then spent the whole time watching me work through one breakfast rush. I had done everything to her approval; she had nodded her approval. Since then, she had given me free rein to the kitchen, and whenever I needed a distraction, I had gone to the kitchen.Today was like the
Lunette POV The words hung in the air like poison, each one of them slicing through me with cruelty I couldn't believe existed, I tried not to let it bother me but that didn't seem to be working. "Whore." They repeated and I struggled not to flinch "She’s not even trying to hide it." I stood there my hands trembling as I clutched the pruning shears I had been using in my garden,a place that was my solitude but yet seemed to have had all the peace drawn out of it through a thin straw, my breath stayed caught in my throat, thick and cloying .I looked down at my hands, the dirt beneath my nails and the shears in my grip blurring as tears welled in my eyes, the first instinct that screamed at me was to run, but my legs felt rooted to the ground. I wanted to confront them, to scream that they didn’t know me, that they didn’t understand. But the words caught in my throat, choked by the shame that I felt deep into my bones.But what would I say to them, that even though I was betrothe
Lunette POV The castle was buzzing with energy that. I didn’t quite describe, it wasn’t the good kind though. Lorraine’s tantrums were constantly in the background, but I did my best to ignore them. She thrived on the attention, and I refused to give her that satisfaction. Between Lorraine’s constant tantrums, the twins complete absence and my growing fear that Alpha Cormac would uncover the truth, I felt like a rabbit trapped in a den of wolves. So I did what I had been the best at doing, I poured my energy into spending time with Cormac, convincing myself that this was where my focus should be. After all, this engagement wasn’t just about us—it was about securing my future. I spent most of my days either dodging Lorraine’s pointed remarks and orders or trying to keep my composure as Cormac’s watchful eyes bore into me on our date. It was exhausting. I was on another date with him because somehow, in the midst of all this chaos, we found ourself spending more time together.
Lunette POV “What do you want?” I asked again, my voice quieter now. Her eyes gleamed with triumph as she pulled back a bit. “Ah, now we’re getting to the good part,” she said. She circled me slowly, like a predator stalking its prey. “What I want,” she said, drawing out the words, “is to see you squirm. To see you suffer, it's a past time of mine you see" she mumbled and I flinched “I’ll keep your secret,” she started walking around me like a vulture circling prey, she sounded too gleeful about this that it made it almost to difficult to let it go.“If,” she added, her smile returning, “you do exactly as I say.”My stomach dropped, and I stared at her in disbelief. “What do you mean?”“You heard me,” she said, her voice as smooth as silk lie she was an innocent girl asking for an innocent favour when we both knew that couldn't be further from the truth “If you want me to keep my mouth shut, you’re going to do what I want, when I want.”I swallowed hard, dread pooling in m
Lunnette's POV Ever since my meeting with Lorraine, in fact ever since Axel had slammed a door in my face after sending me on my merry way I had been an emotional wreck. The weight of Lorraine’s presence was floating over me like a storm cloud,a very dark and very suffocating storm cloud.My little chat with her earlier had left my nerves frayed and had my thoughts spiraling in a thousand directions. What would she do with Axel, what would she tell him? Would she expose me to the pack?I was still struggling to fit in here, and they would no doubt be people who would want me gone because I lied.Worse yet, what if she went to the twins or—goddess forbid—Alpha Cormac? My heart clenched at the thought of his piercing eyes darkening with betrayal. I had fought so hard to build this life, to protect myself and those I cared about. It couldn’t all come crashing down now, not because of her. What would I tell them!My stomach churned at the thought. I paced my room, the wood floor
Lorraine POV I stalked out of Axel's bedroom my heart pounding with satisfaction. I had gotten what I wanted and I was feeling on top of the world He had agreed to my terms. Of course, he had no choice but to. My heels clicked sharply across the hard wood floors as I made my way down the corridor, the sound echoed in the otherwise quiet space. I was familiar with these halls, just like I was familiar with the Grey Moon pack house. It was getting to dawn and the halls were still dimly lit,it would be a while before they would fully lit.It had been a while since I was back here but, I would be here a lot more often and that was amusing. A sly smile crept onto my lips as I thought about the power I now held. Axel was desperate and properly trapped, and it was all thanks to what I had stumbled upon the moment I arrived.I had not been sure how to pin him down when I left home for this pack, all I knew was I needed to get him back to me immediately. And by some sort of providence,
Zarek POVI woke up gasping for air, bolting upright as my heart hammered in my chest as the lingering effects of the nightmare clung to me like a second skin.The images were still as vivid and had seared themselves into my mind—my father’s lifeless body, blood all over the floor, Axel nowhere to be found, and Lunette’s screams as darkness swallowed her whole.I clenched my fists, trying to steady my breathing.“It’s just a dream,” I muttered, but the words felt hollow.It was just a dream.But it didn’t feel like one.I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, my hands shaking as I ran them through my damp hair.My room was suffocating; the walls seemed too close, the air too still. I swung my legs off the bed and stood, needing space, needing air.Sleep wasn’t coming back for me, not
Axel POV "Then your father would have nothing to say about this," Lorraine said, her words cutting through the silence.My ears were ringing; maybe it was because the air in the room felt heavier than ever, pressing down on me as Lorraine’s smirk deepened. Or maybe it was because I couldn’t tell if the weight on my chest was anger, frustration, or the sickening realization of the corner she’d just backed me into. I stalked over to her, taking a step into her space, letting my wolf rise just enough for her to feel the tension crackle in the air. I leaned against the wall, fists clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms, my wolf snarling inside me, with the familiar mix of chaos, anger, and frustration that mirrored my own emotions. Lorraine wasn’t someone I could afford to underestimate, not with what she had just seen and not when she held the power to destroy everything in my life just to spite me. “Whatever game you think you’re playing, Lorraine, it ends now,” I gro
Axel POV I pushed her out the door and leaned against it and took a deep breath. She didn't move immediately, and I didn't want to entertain any conversation until I was sure she was gone.I stood there, my hand on the door handle, listening as Lunette’s hurried footsteps faded down the hall. My chest felt tight, every part of me screaming to go after her. But I couldn’t. Not now. Not with her standing in the room. Lorraine wasn’t the type to back down easily, and I knew without a doubt she’d use this against us if it suited her. “How can you be so sure?” Lunette had asked, looking up at me, her eyes filled with fear, something so close to terror it had been difficult to look away. Her question had been valid, and so had my answer, because just like I had promised her, I wasn't going to let Lorraine ruin anything for her. Turning the lock with a sharp click, I leaned against the door for a moment, gathering myself. Then I turned back to the one face I didn't want to be anywhere
Lunette's POVI lay there in the dim light, still tangled in Axel's arms, my skin still flushed and tingling, almost trembling even from the assault of emotions and sensations.His arms were draped possessively around me, fingers tracing lazy circles on my bare shoulder. For a fleeting moment, the world was still, like we were in our own bubble, and I was free from the judgment, guilt, and the crushing weight of responsibility that would follow our choice.But it didn’t last.Axel's heartbeat was steady against my ear, louder to me than the silence in the room but a contrast to the chaos swirling in my mind.The room smelled of us—our shared passion and the consequences that would come later.But as the high ebbed, guilt crashed down on me like a wave, suffocating and unrelenting.My gut tightened immediately in regret at that point, but there was nothing I could do about i