One, I might have come to town in search of supernatural creatures. After all, rumors about this place ran rampant beyond its borders, and the name of the town only fueled them.
Two, I was new here, and judging by his guarded expression, the latter was more likely.
The town rarely had new people, but I’d heard there were a few. A male from the Commoners pack, a wandering werewolf taken in, and then… the weird Goldington girl. The one who was me.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice deep, measured, though there was something else behind it. A strange pull that mirrored my own. My heart was beating faster now, and I could tell his senses were just as heightened as mine.
I took a step forward, trying to steady myself, and looked at the gun still aimed in my direction. "Can you drop the gun, please? It’s kind of scary," I asked, forcing a boldness into my voice that I didn’t quite feel.
He didn't answer at first, hiding the gun behind his back. His eyes swept over me, his expression cautious, as if he were evaluating something. He could probably tell I was one of them by my scent, though I knew it was faint. I wasn’t sure why, but I had always struggled to hide or control my wolf’s essence.
His heart seemed to race, and I could sense it. His wolf, just like mine, was threatening to break free. That’s when I realized what this was.
The sudden realization hit me as his animalistic growl echoed in the clearing.
‘Mate!’ My wolf howled inside me, and I could feel the bond, as confusing as it was. I barely knew him, and yet, my entire being yearned for him.
"I... I just realized—" I began, trying to make sense of the pull.
"That we are mates?" he finished for me, stepping forward with a knowing glint in his eyes. There was no denying it now, the connection was undeniable. His presence pulled at something deep within me.
He introduced himself, "Horland Green."
I swallowed the lump in my throat, feeling the pressure of the moment. "Ava Goldington," I replied, trying to remain composed.
At the mention of my name, he froze, his demeanor instantly changing. His gaze darkened, and any softness or curiosity that had been there moments ago disappeared.
"The abomination?" he spat the words, his voice dripping with disgust, and I felt my heart shatter in that single breath.
"No, that’s not true! I can explain—" I tried to defend myself, but he raised his hand, silencing me before I could finish.
"I’d rather be mateless than be tied to someone like you," he sneered, taking a step back, his entire body radiating rejection.
The pain of his words hit me harder than I expected. It was a cruel slap from reality, and all the hope I had been clinging to since finding out he was my mate crumbled before me.
Desperate, I took a step forward, trying to make him see—feel—what I was feeling, but he pulled the gun back out, aiming it at me with cold eyes.
"One more step, and I won’t hesitate to shoot. These bullets are silver," he said, his voice cold, the warning clear.
My heart ached, my mind reeled, and for the first time in a long time, I felt truly, utterly rejected. Without a word, I turned and ran, leaving behind the possibility of any connection.
But I wasn’t one to give up easily.
I decided I would visit him every day, force him to see me, understand me. I knew the mate bond was strong, stronger than myths or prejudice. So, I cooked for him, dressed up, and made my way back to the forest, determined to win him over.
When I reached the clearing, he was standing with a group of men. They stopped talking the moment they noticed me, and Horland immediately facepalmed, as though I were nothing but an annoying nuisance.
"Hello," I greeted him, hoping for a small chance to break through.
"I told you not to come here again," he replied, his tone as hard as ever.
I ignored it and stepped forward, holding out the lunchbox I had prepared. "You haven’t even given us a chance yet."
The men with him looked between us, clearly confused by my persistence.
Horland waved them off dismissively. "She thinks she’s my mate," he explained to them with a sigh. Without warning, he grabbed the lunchbox from my hands and threw it deep into the forest. "I made myself clear. Never come here again."
The rejection hit harder than before, but I held back my tears, refusing to be seen as weak. I turned around and left, my heart heavier with each step.
Over the next few days, I tried again. And again. But no matter what I did, Horland despised me more with each attempt. Eventually, I gave up. I couldn’t force him to accept me. All I could do was hope for a quiet existence in this pack, despite the constant rejection and the whispers of "abomination" that followed me.
Then the second full moon came. I had spent the entire week preparing for my second transition, determined to show everyone I was not what they thought. The pain was unbearable, but I succeeded. I shifted, howling at the moon, only for the other wolves to back away, their eyes filled with the same disgust I had come to expect.
After shifting back, weak and exhausted, I heard the screams.
I barely had the strength to move, but I knew something was wrong. Crawling toward the sounds, I saw chaos unfolding. Wolves were tearing into each other, bodies littered the ground, and those still in human form were being slaughtered before they could shift.
Realizing I was in danger, I ran, my body too weak to fight, my mind too clouded to think clearly. I grabbed my father’s journal from my room and fled through the northern gate into the forest, the sound of growls closing in behind me.
I knew I couldn’t outrun them. A wolf caught up to me, throwing me against a tree with brutal force. My vision blurred as I tried to stand, my body too weak to respond.
This was it. I was going to die.
But then, something happened.
The wolf attacking me was suddenly thrown aside by a powerful force, and through my fading vision, I saw a pair of white eyes. I couldn’t make out the face, but the aura surrounding the figure was comforting, familiar, and warm.
A hand reached out, gently touching my forehead, and before I succumbed to unconsciousness, I managed a small smile.
Maybe I had found my light in the darkness after all.
Grindley’s POV The next day came faster than expected. And yes, of course, I'm the master planner of everything. I determine the way things should go. After all, I'm the Alpha. And if it is Nora, I know how selfish she can be sometimes. Telling her to allow our son to take Eva as a mate wasn't something that seemed possible. Even with my Alpha abilities. So the best part was pulling the stunt of offering to make Eva my mistress. And that means one thing–if Eva gets pregnant and gives birth, then Noah will have a rival. And that wasn't a chance Nora was planning to take. As we sat on the throne, both of us with our hands entwined in each other's. We waited for Noah's arrival. And no sooner had we spoken of him than the guards announced his presence. “Father, you called for me,” he paused, looking from his mother to me. “Mother…” Nora, on the other end, heaved a sigh as she locked her eyes on mine for a split second. “Your father and I have concluded. You'll only be the nex
Lena’s POVI’ve been indoors for what seems like days. Not being able to see the light of day.Maybe it was a mistake coming back. I could have stayed when he asked me to. He had told me he would fight for me, even if it meant going against his father. And that was it. I can’t have him do that just because of me. Even though I knew he had a beef against his father, I’m not going to be a part of treason.Tears laced in my eyes as I cried out in agony. The tears soon started to fall on my cheeks like a raindrop. “Moon goddess, please help me. Just like you helped my mother, and the ones before her.” I didn’t realise I had slept off, not until I heard the door creak open, causing me to quickly rise to my feet. Fear coursing through me.“Penny…Penny, please talk to my father.” I cried, holding on to her hand as I watched the maids walk in. Each of them carries a basket full of clothes and jewelry.“You might need to get into those soon.” Penny smiled at me for the first time in years.
Grindley’s POV“And what if I say no to this…this whole thing?” Noah flared, his eyeballs almost turning white. His wolf growled beneath his skin as he clenched his fist right in front of me.There’s something about his eyes that scares me. Something that always tells me he's just not for me. But how can I be so sure when his mother has always defended him blindly? And most of the time, when I question his authenticity, his mother has always refused to accept such words. I smirked wickedly because I knew what I was capable of doing. Something he wouldn’t believe or reason as my son, and the only heir to the throne. “You don’t want to know what I’ll do to you if you disobey me, son.” I smiled, accompanied by my slamming my fist against the table.“What would you do, father?” he said, standing in front of me like he wanted to dare me. It was obvious that he was ready to go head-on with me. And I wasn’t just having this. What’s going on inside that thick skull of his?“Since when ha
Grindley's POV“Oh yeah,” I moaned softly as I hit her from behind.Nora had left for a hunting evening, and Eva had decided to stay back. Lying that she has been having stomach trouble.Well, since I was also aware that Lena and my son, Noah, were also out of the pack house, it was easy for me and Eva to hook up again.“Fuck me harder, please.” She cried with ecstasy as she dug her nails into my back.“Right there,” she added, panting faster as I gagged her throat and hit her core.Our breath was unstable as the waters, as we both inhaled and exhaled badly.“I wanna cum.” She said softly against my ear. Socking my earlobes as I rubbed her clits harder. Withdrawing from her quickly.I spun her around, allowing her ass to face me while I spanked it from behind.“Damn it!” She whimpered, as I bent her head while allowing her ass to shoot out steadily.“No one cums until I say so,” I whispered into her ears while she smiled sheepishly.“Yes, Daddy,”I spanked her again, this time around l
Lena’s POVIt was already getting late, and I knew I had to return home.What pains me most is that my father didn't even care about searching for me.But I knew better than to stay back here. Noah looks like he has yet to figure things out with his father.It's just better for me to go back to where I'm coming from.After all, I didn't seem to be welcomed here as well. Except for Noah and his mother, who accepted me.His father looks like he has other plans for him. And Noah, he doesn't seem like someone who can stop him.“I need to go back home,” I finally voiced out. Limping on my leg, I tried to get up, holding Noah for support.He helped me up, his hand still wrapped around my wrist. “Why? Can't you stay?”“I need to go back home. I'm sure my father and his pack will be looking for me,” I lied.Not even Penny, Ashley, or my sister would waste their time coming looking for me.How I was held responsible for the death of my mother is something I can't even phantom.They said it was
Alpha Grindley’s POVA few months back, I had gone on a battle spree where I was fortunate to meet a very good friend of mine.Blind, yet he was smart to rule a pack on his own. No one has dared cross his lines.And the ones who dared it ended up bathing in their blood.“Alpha Grindley, it’s nice to have you here with me.” Alpha Aelle welcomed me with open arms.“Tell the maids to prepare something delicious for my very good friend,” he burst into laughter.At first, I hardened my face playfully, but soon I burst into laughter before hugging him tighter.“Don’t worry, your slaves and properties are safe with me,” Alpha Aelle replied.Gesturing for me to have a seat, I couldn’t help but scrutinize some of the naked maids whose bodies were very captivating, and yeah, sinful.“You like?” Alpha Aelle asked, his eyes fixed on me as my gaze fell on another maid who looked much more beautiful than the one I had seen earlier.“I love… my dear friend,” I burst into laughter, as I watched Alpha