I can tell that he's someone Annie's been trying to avoid. They sure have a history, and it makes me wonder why I didn't carry out my investigation on Annie.Annie's silence speaks volumes, her eyes darting away, avoiding my gaze. Taking a deep breath, I try to steady my racing thoughts. It's clear there's more to Annie's past than meets the eye, and I can't ignore the nagging feeling that I've been blind to it all along.First with the possibility of the pregnancy not being mine, and now this guy giving Annie a creepy look.The man slowly bows his head, perhaps out of respect for my status as an Alpha. "Good day, Alpha King."I give him a nod to acknowledge his greeting, my mind racing with questions about his intentions and his connection to Annie. But I notice Annie tugging my hand, her touch lacking any warmth. Instead of feeling sparks flying and emotions running high, I'm met with a sense of detachment.It's as if she's urging me to move away from this stranger, her actions con
"I was so consumed with fury that I didn't check who sent the picture. Now, hearing his voice makes me burn with anger," I growled. "What do you want?"He gave a sinister laugh. "Is it bad to check on my favorite cousin?""Fuck you, Conor! You know very well that we aren't on the same page, so cut the pleasantries.”"I'm not here for your games, Conor," I spat, my voice dripping with contempt. "What do you want?"Conor's laughter turned colder, his tone icy. "You are no fun, Kessler. I thought you would appreciate the fact that your rejected mate is in safe hands with me. She is one hell of a hottie, and I can't wait to make her mine."The anger boiling within me surged to its highest degree. I couldn't bear the thought of Lyra in the hands of that despicable, good-for-nothing Conor."You wouldn't dare, Conor," I hissed, my eyes narrowing with fury."Touche. It seems I've struck a chord," Conor taunted. "I can imagine how senseless and gullible you must feel to reject your true mate an
Lyra's POV The time spent at Northville has been incredibly memorable. It's been a much-needed break from everything that's been weighing on my mind. My cravings for peace have been beyond words, and thankfully, my three companions have been supportive. What's even more heartwarming is that they don't require me to lift a finger. Despite being CEOs in their respective field, they prefer to spend their time together, just being there for one another. There are moments when I can't help but feel a deep connection to them, due to the way they circle me, offering support. It's as if we're somehow related. Sometimes, I forget that I'm a trust fund baby. Despite Jack's cruel demeanor, he hasn't stripped me of my privileges; his focus remains solely on power and expanding his territory. My mind drifts to Kayla, I wonder how she must be feeling now that Jack is in the dungeon, possibly facing trial. They appeared happy together, and the turmoil surrounding his downfall must be weighing he
As I descend the steps, my heart races with unexpected shock at his presence. How did he slip away from the pack unnoticed? My mind races with worry, hoping Kessler won't track him down here in Northville. Thoughts whirl in my head as I sprint down the stairs.They both notice my approach and attempt civility, but it's clear they've been in a heated argument. He steps closer, wrapping me in a hug. I reciprocate, but my face betrays my confusion.I notice the worry etched in his gaze as he looks at me.Breaking the silence, I address him, "What brings you here, Shawn? I hope you're alright. And I pray no one will trace you down here," I inquire all at once.His small smile brings warmth to the tense atmosphere. "You worry too much," he teases gently, "And you haven't changed."In an attempt to lighten the mood, I play along, asking, "Is that a positive observation or otherwise?""Whichever you choose," he responds with a wry retort.I glance behind me and find Conor's grumpy expression.
"This is becoming so annoying. Like, what the fuck is wrong with everyone? Can't you guys just leave me in peace? I've left your Alpha and your pack, and what do you still want with me? I'm sick and tired of people just walking into my life like they own all the shit about me."Zach moves closer to me, holding my shoulder, and says, "Please, shh. Take a deep breath and be calm.”I yank his hand off me as if it's burning me. "I'm tired of this. Stay the fuck away from me. I snap, I know Kessler sent you."He opens his mouth to protest, but I cut him off sharply. My tone is firm, leaving no room for argument. "Don't you dare say otherwise, because I know you two damn well. One can't do things without the other knowing." I can feel the anger radiating off me, my expression twisted into a fierce scowl. Damn, he didn't expect me to lash out at him like that, but I couldn't care less. Despite his attempt to speak, I wasn't ready to hear anything he had to say."No, you listen to me. Stay th
I'm seething with anger at this point. I don't know what to make of this rollercoaster of events unfolding before me today. I came to Northville to find peace, not needing anyone to add to the stress of the pregnancy I've been dealing with. Conor moves closer to Zach and shoves him hard in the chest. Zach stumbles and falls onto the couch, then quickly regains consciousness and launches himself at Conor. They started rolling on the floor and throwing punches at each other. I felt a surge of anger but had no power within me to separate two hefty men. Meanwhile, Emma had gone to the nearby store to get some groceries. Conor overpowered Zach, pinning him down and throwing punches while Zach struggled beneath him. In no time, Zach managed to turn Conor over and returned the punches with equal force."I've had enough of this!" I screamed at the top of my voice, trying to get their attention. But they were so consumed by their fight that they seemed oblivious to my shouts. An idea flas
Kessler's POV"Wait for me at my office," I told Nolan through the mind link. Immediately arriving at the pack, I barged in, eager to hear what he had for me.I have known Nolan for quite some years now, and I don't doubt him. He is good at what he does. We have many private investigators, but he is top-notch."This is going to be more interesting than I thought," Dolph said, breaking the silence. "What do you think will be the outcome of his findings?"For some time, Dolph had been quiet, staying off and not interacting with me. It made me wonder at times if I still have him. But hearing him speak brought a smile to my face."I wish many things, Annie shouldn't betray me, she seems like a calm lady, not capable of hurting a fly. I admitted with a sighBut to answer your question, Dolph, seriously, I don't know what to expect. Many things are at stake now, but I know for sure I won't be a party to accommodate any act of infidelity.""Let's find out then," I said as I walked to my offic
I can't contain the surge of emotions swirling within me. It had better not be true, Annie planning this right under my nose, and me not realizing that I was in bed with a scheming lady.How did she know Lyra was my mate? Was it obvious? I tried to be discreet enough with the way I showed my emotions whenever Lyra was around.Many times, I wish to show her to the world that she is mine, but whenever I think about what's at stake, I refrain.Zach will never betray me and let Annie know that Lyra was my mate; he despised her and always rooted for Lyra.Could it be Julie? I trust Julie to keep Lyra's identity a secret; she wouldn't dare to betray the trust I have in her.Where did I get it all wrong? I thought I had everything under control, but unknown to me, I've made Lyra a prey without even realizing it.This is the height of it all. I was angry at myself, furious at the Moon Goddess for watching me and letting me make this mistake.I can't wait to right my wrongs, to turn back the ha
Julie’s POVFinding one mate should be a blessing, but I'm left heartbroken and shattered into pieces over Ryder.I have not been there emotionally ever since Ryder was injected. I doubt I'll recover from it.I can't stand looking into his face and knowing that I haven't gone to check on him ever since the incident happened.I wouldn't want to see the hurt and pain that he will be going through. It would break me even more.I know I can't keep avoiding Ryder forever. The guilt of not being there for him weighs heavily on my conscience, and I can't bear the thought of adding to his pain by staying away.I know something isn't right. Ryder isn't a member of this pack, which explains why I haven't come in contact with him even once.To top it all off, he is Xavier’s friend. My brother is a lot of things, and sometimes I doubt his loyalty to this pack because most times he speaks ill of Alpha Kessler.To be honest, Alpha Kessler has been nothing but good to me and my brother. He provided v
I'm startled. "For fuck's sake, I just had my bath, and you're engulfing me in a hug. I'm sorry to say it makes me feel dirty again," she says softly, gently moving her away from me.I look at Cara in shock, wondering what could be going through her mind to behave in such a manner. But her voice is somber as she asks, "Don't you like it here?"I stare at her in disbelief, wondering what she means by "don't you like it here.""Care to explain, ma'am?" I ask in a mocking tone.She stomps her feet like an erring child. "I'm not joking, Lyra. Don't you like it here?"Then it occurred to me that she thought I was serious when I said I would go back to Northville to continue what I started there. She truly believes I'm considering leaving."Please don't leave us again, your time away from us was hell, and Kessler might not admit it, but it was torture for him not to have you around."I swallow hard, feeling the weight of her words. I didn't want to go through that route, of feeding her the
She has this contemplative look like she's debating whether to tell me something or not. But trust me, I won't accept a no for an answer.And I have no intention of pressuring her. I move closer, gently squeezing her shoulder. She places her hand on mine, acknowledging my presence. Her gaze seems distant, and she fidgets with her nails, a sign of nervousness. Zach and I are great, but whenever I'm on my period, I notice he gets that look.It's like a switch flips, and suddenly, there's this tension in the air. I try to brush it off, but it's hard not to notice.She pauses as if trying to piece together her thoughts. I wonder if he always wears that expression as if he wishes I were pregnant instead of menstruating.Finally, I grasped the issue. But I must choose my words carefully, so as not to hurt her, because it's one thing to open up, and another for your heart to find solace from that vulnerability."So, you mean he expects you to be pregnant, and seeing you menstruating means yo
Lyra’s POVWatching Kessler walk out the door, I have mixed feelings about everything that has happened. I rest my hand on my chest, trying to still my racing heart. The scent of my arousal fills the room, and I blush, knowing he can suggest hot, steamy sex when he returns. He knows I want him, and the feeling is mutual. The thought of the kiss lingers in my mind as I drift off to sleep, clutching the pillow tightly.I have a rather nice sleep with thoughts of Kessler resting on my mind. His presence in my life helps take away the thought of Ryder trying to get rid of me. I wake up the next morning feeling refreshed yet apprehensive. The events of the previous night play in my mind like a movie reel. I know I have to confront my feelings about Kessler.Sunlight pierces through my room. The last time this happened, Kessler was in the kitchen cooking breakfast. With that thought in mind and a smile on my face, I make my way to the kitchen, hoping to see him there. I am disappointed when
Kessler’s POVI don't like it when Lyra stays mad at me. I didn't know she was going to take the role of godmother to Annie's baby. Given what Annie had done to her, I had my doubts. So, I followed her to her room to be sure she'd stop being mad at me. When she complains about her leg, all I want is to massage her legs and make her feel better.Her moan makes my member twitch in my trousers; I can sense she wants me. There's no doubt I want her, but I want my time with Lyra to be special again. Dang, I can't think straight when I catch a whiff of her arousal. With hurried steps, she heads into the bathroom. I can tell she is embarrassed; she takes her time in there. But when she steps out in her towel, all I want is to take her right there and make her scream my name.She looks at me, surprised to see I’m still in the room. I need to take control of my emotions; I want her as much as she wants me. With a smirk, I walk closer to her, noticing her expectant gaze. I run my hand through he
When Kessler called me "Sunshine" and mentioned there was something else, my curiosity piqued. I could sense his uncertainty, but I leaned in, asking, "What is it?""I know she did many things to you that she wasn't proud of," he began. "She said it before she passed away—she couldn't look into your eyes and ask for forgiveness."I nodded slowly, trying to grasp the significance of Kessler's words and where he was leading this conversation."Annie wants us to be the godparents to her baby," Kessler said hurriedly, as if the words were burning on his tongue. I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, a smile spreading across my face. Playfully, I smacked him on the chest and teased, "Is that what was taking you forever to say?"Kessler chuckled, a weight lifted off his shoulders. "Yes, I wanted to make sure you were okay with it.""Of course," I replied with sincerity. "We'll be great godparents. But you hurt my feelings, Kessler, for thinking that I would say no to being the godmoth
Kessler’s POV With hurried steps, we made our way to the pack hospital. I wonder what might have gone wrong for my attention to be needed at the hospital, but I was grateful that Lyra was right by my side. The thought of anything happening to Lyra filled me with dread as I remembered what had happened in her room. As we approached the hospital, my heart raced with worry. The memory of finding Lyra in distress in her room flashed through my mind. It's a relief that Lyra was able to control her powers without harming the baby. Ryder must have taken advantage of the situation, knowing we were all focused on Annie's well-being. I wondered if there was a connection between Ryder's actions and Annie's condition. Regardless, I made a mental note to investigate the matter swiftly. The safety and security of our pack were important and we needed to uncover the truth to protect everyone. Many serious issues have happened within my pack, and I can no longer afford to overlook them. We arr
Kessler holds me close as if I mean the world to him. His scent is comforting. "Please, get me water," I tell him as he stands up, goes to the kitchen, and brings back a bottle of water. I sit up and look at Ryder, realizing he is almost lifeless on the floor. I guess it's the impact of the syringe he brought to inject me. I rushed to Ryder's side. My heart races as I check for signs of life, hoping for any flicker of movement. "Ryder, can you hear me?" I whisper, my voice trembling with worry. Fear grips me as I realize I could have been almost lifeless like him, and I doubt I would survive it. I can't begin to imagine the trauma that would follow. Someone wants me dead for sure, and now I don't think Ryder can say anything to reveal who sent him. I was consumed with worry, but my thoughts turned to Julie. How would she handle the revelation that her mate is not who she believes him to be? Just then, Kessler walked in with the bottle of water in hand and handed it to me. "Thank
I was tired and I had to put my clothes back on, wondering who it could be, dragging myself to the door. I opened it and lo I was shocked to realize that it was no other than Ryder, I know I had just thought about him not being a good guy, but he just confirmed my suspicion by coming to my room. "What do you want?" I ask politely, trying my best not to be rude, but inside, I'm seriously annoyed. He smirks and pushes the door open, making his way inside without waiting for an invitation. I stand there, my annoyance growing as Ryder enters without any regard for my privacy or invitation. "I just wanted to talk," he says casually as if his intrusion is perfectly acceptable. "Well, I don't feel like talking right now," I reply curtly, crossing my arms over my chest. Ryder shrugs nonchalantly, unfazed by my obvious discomfort. "Suit yourself," he says, moving further into the room as if he owns it. I grit my teeth, feeling my patience wearing thin. "You need to leave," I say firmly