Axel POV
“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice almost barely audible.
“But I can’t do this anymore. I have feelings for Alpha Cormac now; hurting him is the last thing I want to do."
Everything seemed like one big bowl of color and nothing all at once.
"I have feelings for him," she mumbled again. I had heard her the first time, but I wasn't sure what reaction I was supposed to give exactly.
Especially not now when I couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe, as Lunette’s words echoed in my head. It sounded like sirens blaring at too much volume. I swallowed, hoping it would give me inspiration on what to say, but it didn't work.
Cornering her here had been a last-ditch effort to get her to stay here with me; it was stupid and reckless, but I had not been able to stop myself from doing it.
Our argument had gotten louder, and I was surprised no one had come in to check up on us, but the
"Do you ever stop being stupid?" My stepmother's Varda voice rang out from across the room as she delivered a sharp kick to my side while I was scrubbing the floor. I let out a small wince, the pain searing through me as I collapsed to my knees again. Ignoring her, I resumed cleaning, not wanting to provoke any further trouble. If I claimed to understand why she was hitting me this time, it would be a lie. She often did this for her own twisted amusement. "You are just a petty thief, just like that damn whore mother of yours," she spat, punctuating her words with another painful kick to my side. A small scream escaped me, and tears blurred my vision from the impact."Mother, stop!" Lorraine, her daughter, begged as she rushed to her mother's side, desperately trying to stop the abuse. Her mother wanted to hit me more. But Lorraine quickly ran to me, helping me to my feet, and we fled the scene together, not wanting to endure more of Varda’s cruelty. She was my mother's best friend and
I woke abruptly, gasping for breath, sweat running down my forehead as I struggled to control my heart. I had just had a nightmare, a terrifying one. I ran my fingers through my hair in frustration, but then I realized—it wasn’t just a nightmare. Everything I had experienced was real. My heart pounded as questions flooded my mind, but the most pressing one was: where the heck am I? I looked around the room, but I didn’t recognize it.The room was big, grand, and fancy—nothing like what I had back home. That only raised more questions. What had happened to me that day? Why was I here? Just then, the door flew open, catching my attention. Two men walked in, and they froze as soon as they saw me awake. I did the same. Our eyes locked for a moment, and just like before, my wolf began to stir, but this time she was more agitated. Their scent was oddly familiar, and when my wolf whispered “Mates…” again, the truth hit me.My eyes widened in shock. They were the wolves from that night—the on
I gasped and quickly clamped my arms over my bare chest, trying to cover myself. Why the hell did he just barge in without knocking? I couldn't wrap my mind around it. His eyes darkened as they roamed over my body, lingering in a way that made my skin tingle. I had always been complimented on my beauty, but the way he was looking at me now was different—intense. Yet, in a strange way, it made me feel desired.He took a step toward me, and I gulped, instinctively stepping back. The expression on his face made my heart race. “I wonder why Father is treating you so kindly? You trespassed into our territory, and yet he shows you so much hospitality,” Axel said bitterly. I couldn’t help but wonder, what did he have against me? We hadn’t even met before, so what was his problem? Zarek didn’t seem to like me much either, but Axel was a complete asshole.“What is your problem with me anyway?” I asked, my voice trembling as I summoned all the courage I had. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”Before
ZAREK'S POVDinner had been a quiet affair for years in our family; I was used to it, and so was Axel.But as I walked into the dining room, Lunnette scent me like a sledgehammer to the back of my head. I stood at the doorway, gripping the frame stiffly, trying to free my fingers so it didn't crush through the wood. "Aren't you going in?" my brother asked. I took in a deep breath that almost made it seem worse and stalked into the dining room. Once we were all seated, I looked to her and stilled. She looked beautiful, her pale blonde hair looking almost white; she seemed a little too pale with a slight flush to her cheeks. She looked up at me, and I looked away immediately. "I've decided to take Lunnette as my mate." My father mumbled. For the second time, I think, I sat there, stunned and frozen in disbelief as his voice echoed in the room, in my ears, but though I could hear him,it seemed to take me time to grasp what he was saying.My eyes locked on my father asI gripped the edg
AXEL'S POVI gripped Zarek’s arm tighter than I probably should have, practically dragging him out of the packhouse before he could do something truly reckless. His muscles were tense, his breath coming in shallow bursts.He was barely keeping his wolf from snapping. I knew that feeling too well.An omega? He was taking that omega as his mate of all women?The door slammed shut behind us, cutting off the murmur of voices and gasps from inside.The tension followed us through the doors.I crossed my arms, my gaze following him as he paced back and forth."He’s right, Zarek," I finally said."We rejected her. She’s free to choose, and so is he."A snarl tore from his throat as he hissed."Don’t you dare say that to me." He roared, and I sighed; he wasn't making this easy on me. Hell, I was stunned too, and trying to wrap my head around our father&rs
Lunnette POVThe moment the door slammed behind Axel and Zarek, as they stormed out of the dining room, a thick, oppressive silence settled over everyone left, making the air thick with tension. Someone slammed against the door hard, and it echoed down the hallway. I stayed frozen in my seat, unable to move, unable to breathe, my heart pounding in my chest, like a bass drum.My hands trembled in my lap as I stole glances at Alpha Cormac, who was sitting across from me, watching me. I hadn't expected a proposal; if the twins were surprised, then I had no idea what I should be right now. So I just sat there in silence, trying to process what had just happened. Zarek’s fury, Axel’s quiet seething anger—but it was Alpha Cormac’s words that kept replaying in my mind. He had claimed me. Not a beta or another high-ranking wolf. No, me an omega to be mated to Alpha Cormac. The father of the two men who were supposed to protect me now wanted me for himself. He would be my Alpha. “Lunette,
Lunnette's POVCurtis, the alpha beta, led me to my bedroom. I followed behind him, a little dumbstruck but mostly grateful at the thought of not having to worry about where I would sleep for the night.At least for now, that was a worry I didn't need to have."Thank you," I mumbled softly, and he looked to me, bowing slowly. I bowed back, insure of what to do with the way he had insisted on greeting me since I arrived."Your welcome; if you need anything, let me know," he muttered, and I nodded, going to bed.I made my way to the room; it was nice and quiet. It was better than where I actually slept in my old pack, which meant I had a bed and covers over me.I moved to the bathroom; it would be nice to take a shower and fall asleep, maybe hoping for some peace and quiet before morning.Once I turned on the shower, letting hit water run over me,.I didn't spend too long there; I was too tired anyway.I
Lunette’s POVHe banged the door behind him, and I flinched slightly. I didn't move until it sounded like he was suitably far away and he wasn't coming back before I tugged on my nightdress and then moved to the bed. I fell into bed almost immediately, marveling at the way I sank into the covers like it was a cotton cloud. My eyes flickered close just as quickly.I didn't dream much that night, not as much as I usually did, until maybe close to dawn when the flickering dawn lights filtered in through the curtains over my face, seeming like a haze.I was walking in a garden; it was a little cold outside, but the flowers were blooming—all of them, the roses and the lilies, the marigolds too.I walked along the field leaning in to smell the flowers; it was almost intoxicating. I blinked rapidly, reaching to touch the roses. I flinched when something pricked at my fingers, drawing them away. Blood splashed onto the flower petals. Dark red on pale white flowers. Then I heard the growling
Axel POV“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice almost barely audible.“But I can’t do this anymore. I have feelings for Alpha Cormac now; hurting him is the last thing I want to do."Everything seemed like one big bowl of color and nothing all at once."I have feelings for him," she mumbled again. I had heard her the first time, but I wasn't sure what reaction I was supposed to give exactly.Especially not now when I couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe, as Lunette’s words echoed in my head. It sounded like sirens blaring at too much volume. I swallowed, hoping it would give me inspiration on what to say, but it didn't work.Cornering her here had been a last-ditch effort to get her to stay here with me; it was stupid and reckless, but I had not been able to stop myself from doing it.Our argument had gotten louder, and I was surprised no one had come in to check up on us, but the
Lunette POV"I am your father's mate." I hissed, turning away from him. He stilled as if he couldn't move any longer. My heart clenched in my chest, burning like I had swallowed a vat of acid and maybe I had.I ignored it; we had all made our choices, and I had made mine so I could survive. Whatever happened here from now on wasn't my fault or my responsibility.I turned away from him and made to leave, but his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist with a gentleness that belied the intensity in his gaze. I still looked him in the eyes, not willing to back down. I was tired of being pushed around all the time.“Don’t walk away from me, Lunette,” he growled, his voice low and almost pleading. I pulled my wrist free, breathing harshly, ignoring the way he tried to grab at me. "Let me go," I cried out, and he roared. "I'm your mate; you don't get to walk away from me."Axel’s words echoed in my ears as I turned on my heel, determined to end this argument. I paused and looked to him, disbeli
Lunette POVThe nerve of Axel to do this to me."Why do you even care?" I demanded, my voice rising. I shoved him again, harder this time, breaking the cage he had formed around me. "Why does it matter to you?"I hissed louder than I’d intended, my anger propelling me forward. I had been doing so well in avoiding him and Zarek; I had done so well in avoiding them both and focusing just on Aloha Cormac.I had felt like that was what I owed him, especially since I was his mate.The guilt ate at me every day that passed, but I ignored it or tried to whenever I could because that was what was best for me and for them.And it had worked for a while; I had been able to hide and pretend that I didn't see them out of the corner of my eyes and that their scent didn't follow me out of the room at every turn.The walk today had been another form of escape, just me running from them again. I had been sure I was safe since the whole pack house was busy securing the prisoner from the rogue attack
Axel POVI had a dark cloud on my head!I had a dark brooding cloud hanging over my head that refused to lift, and it was becoming bothersome, especially since others noticed it and did their best to avoid me, which was in their best interest at the moment. As I would likely bite the head off of anyone who looked at me wrong.I strode away from the prison area, unable to shake the unease that had taken root since the rogue prisoner took his life in the early hours of the morning, hours before we could actually question him. Normally I would find such loyalty heartwarming, but then the word loyalty being used in the first place was wrong.Rogues weren’t known for their strategy or foresight; they were driven by chaos and the primal instincts to survive.They definitely were not known for their loyalty, as they would sell their own mother for food. So this was something else. Something deliberate, and it left a bitter taste in my mouth, making me feel that I was definitely right.Som
Axel POVThe thick scent of tension and blood in the air as I approached the border where my father, Zarek, and a few dozen other soldiers were already waiting, my muscles tightened with anticipation, my wolf pacing restlessly beneath my skin. Rogue activities had been escalating in the last week, and tonight seemed to become a turning point, which was both annoying and relieving, as he really was spoiling for a fight. As I reached them, my father was barking orders to a group of border patrol wolves; they were supposed to have noticed this far earlier before this became a problem, so my father was pissed, which was understandable; his presence was as commanding as ever, and with Zarek standing beside him, his arms crossed and his usual stoic expression in place, they looked too alike. Was that what people saw when we all stood together?“About time you showed up,” Zarek muttered as I approached, his tone laced with irritation. “Cut it out,” I snapped, not in the mood for his sarca
Lunette PovI stood in front of the mirror, smoothing over the soft fabric of my dress for what felt like the hundredth time. The sun was setting outside soon; soon it would be dark, but we had an hour or two.It was a simple yet elegant deep green that complemented my eyes and clung to my curves in all the right places—or so Mrs. Barlow said. I wouldn't know; I hadn't had a dress in a very long time and definitely not a new one, so it was a little confusing to know how to act now that I had one, but I was happy too.So I put it on and let out a shaky breath, my nerves tingling with anticipation as I got ready for my date. It had been days since I’d seen Alpha Cormac in the corridor that night, and since my fumbled answers to him about where I had been and what I had been doing.The days in between that had been... complicated, a very tedious dance to avoid Axel and Zarek, which was not been an easy feat considering how persistent they could be. My guilt over what had happened with t
Lunette POVI ran away from the shed like the hounds of hell were all rushing behind me. I needed to do that to at least tell myself that I wasn't a totally bad person. I slipped in through the door, trying to be as quiet as possible.The hallway leading to my bedroom was a little too quiet, and I wasn't sure if I was grateful for it since it made the echo of my hurried footsteps as I made my way back to my room all the more loud.It was frightening, especially with my heart racing like I was being chased and pounding against my ribs like a trapped bird.I felt out of control, and I hated feeling like this—like I was caught in a web of my own making, which was a hundred percent right.I shouldn’t have done it. Again.Again, being the most important word in the whole thought process, I shouldn't do it again too, but I wasn't sure if I would be able to say no. Axel’s touch still lingered on my skin, the heat of his fingers on my skin, and the memory of his smirk seared into my brain.I
Lunette POVThe dim light filtering through the cracks of the storage shed made me feel uneasy. I shouldn't be here at all, but I felt suffocated inside, so I decided to help clear the mess in the storage. The shelves were stacked with tools, old supplies, that were dusty and in need of arranging, so here I was looking for solitude—trying not to let my thoughts circle back to Axel and that night in the forest. The pack runs were over, but thinking about that night still made me feel hot and brought a flush to my skin. Even now my core was wet just at the thought of it.The forest was supposed to be the last time; that’s what I told myself every day after that; that’s what I promised myself. But promises had a way of crumbling when Axel was involved. No matter where I went, he seemed to find me. No matter how much I tried to resist, I kept finding myself giving in. It wasn’t just the forest. There was the time by the stream when he caught me washing the dirt off my hands after gard
Axel POVThe forest was oddly too quiet; the blood spilling down my chest from the man I had just killed was warm and sticky; it would be a hassle to clean.Mostly a hassle to explain to Lunette, but that was a problem to deal with then. I looked at the body; that would be another problem; maybe I should have left him alive.I found out exactly what he wanted from her in the first place and why he had been stalking her, but the time for that had passed. I moved to the body and dragged him across the ground, the body making the leaves rustle. The faint calls of wolves from the pack run echoed back here, making me smile a bit.It was funny in a way I didn't want to think about right now.I was supposed to be enjoying a peaceful, quiet run, not dragging a body half way across the forest. Once I was done hiding the body, I moved to where Lunette stood by the water, looking scared.She must have heard me coming; she glanced at me and then immediately looked worried when she saw the blood o