~Alina pov~My body went rigid when I heard the stranger's words. My mind went blank and I could feel my head getting heavy. Then I felt my hand being clenched which woke me up from my daze. I looked up and my eyes shook seeing Kennedy's angry face. His face was so tight in anger and his body was vibrating from it. It was like he was ready to kill the gossip. I immediately removed my hand from his and reached out to hug his waist.“Hey…Ken! Don't do anything, okay? I am fine. I will go with you, come let's go! Haha! Let's go.” I said through the mind link and dragged his angry self out of the place. I let him go after We reached the door to the hall. Then he breathed a sigh of relief after seeing he had calmed down a lot but his face remained cold and his body was still emitting a dark aura. I know if I had left him there, he would have killed or punished those people. We looked at each other, then I smiled brightly while he looked surprised at my smile. He cleared his throat, “A
~Alina Pov ~I removed my hands from Kennedy's and walked to where Aunt and Utopia were. I could see people's eyes trailing after me, but I was so excited to find a solution that I forgot the feeling of being embarrassed. I smiled deeply at the gentle aunty and held her hand, then greeted Utopia too before facing aunty, then I used my hand to tell her what I needed from her which surprised her but I felt what surprised her the most was how my hand signs had improved a lot which even I am proud of. Even if I didn't have time to go to the bakery to learn, I have been practicing on my own and I feel so happy I have gotten better. I could communicate even if it was not fast but I could still pass on what I was saying. I looked at Utopia who also wanted to help but I shook my head at him. I didn't want to create misunderstandings, especially with the jealous Kennedy who seems to always lose control. After explaining what I needed from her, I dragged her to the front of the hall with ex
~Alina POV~I stood in shock on hearing the accusations, my mind went blank as I looked at the man who looked at me angrily making me doubt if he was sick. “What do you mean?” I asked confusingly with my lips pulsing. Then Aunty also helped in translating. The man scoffed mockingly, then fisted his hands as he glared more viciously, “Why are you pretending like you know nothing?! We all saw Gregor train you in the training ground and even if his words were insulting and a bit too much, you don't need to give him a punishment this big!” “Shut up!” Kennedy's angry yell sounded heavily in the room and I couldn't help but turn to look at him confusingly. But he ignored me and fixed his eyes on the man, “I see you all are getting bold now. Are you challenging me? Hah! You are questioning my decision to punish my men? Do you want to become Alpha?!” The man trembled as he bowed his head low then his body shivered as he shouted nervously, “How dare I? I was only worried for a friend!” K
Alina's POV"You're pathetic, Alina."Marcus's voice boomed loud and cruel in the courtyard, reverberating off the brick walls as though it wasn't enough to break me just once. My knees buckled threateningly beneath me, but I stood firm, clenching my shaking hands into fists to prevent them from betraying my weakness. The whole pack was watching-every face a mask of either humor or disgust."Did you really think I'd want someone like you?" he went on, the corners of his mouth curled in a sneer. His eyes, warm and hazel, were cold and distant now when they looked at me.My voice was gone, caught in my throat. The soft hum of the bond between them was an insidious thread tugging at my chest with longing when his words should have shredded me."Marcus…" My voice broke, barely audible above the murmurs of the crowd.“Don't say my name," he growled, body closing in on mine. "I, Beta Marcus of the Silvercrest Pack, reject you, Alina, as my mate."My wolf whined at the pain, its forlorn cry
(Alina's POV) The courtyard was empty, yet the jeering laughter of the crowd still echoed in my ears long after they were gone. I stood paralyzed staring after where my parents had been dragged away. My hands shook, an open hollow sensation filling my chest where my heart once lay. Gone. Every step they had taken away from me felt like a knife carving into my soul. My parents—my only family—wrongfully imprisoned, humiliated in front of the pack they’d served faithfully for years. The Alpha’s cruel words replayed in my mind like a taunt: You’ll die out there, alone and forgotten. My fists clenched as I swallowed hard around the lump in my throat. I wouldn't cry. Not here, not now. They didn't deserve to witness my tears. But as I turned to leave, the reality of what lay ahead-the real part-hit with the force of a physical punch. I had nowhere to go. Not a house anymore, not even a home, just some mangled piece of what once stood here. The door was open, the living room ransack
(Kennedy's POV) I stood over the unconscious woman sprawled at my feet, the soft glow of the moonlight catching the blood staining her torn clothes. Her breathing was shallow but even. Her dark hair was matted, strands clinging to her sweat-dampened face. A face so delicate, yet marred with bruises and scratches from the fight. I frowned. This was supposed to be a simple task. I hadn't been patrolling this stretch of the Northern borders out of duty-I had simply been clearing my head after another tiresome dispute among my council members. The rogues had been nothing more than a distraction, an irritation that required swift elimination. And this girl… She was an unexpected complication. "Troublesome," I growled under my breath, crouching beside her. It was then that her scent hit me, something faint and sweet, yet layered with a sorrow so deep it cut through the coldness I'd so carefully nurtured. My wolf stirred, pacing restlessly in my mind. I ignored him. She was a stranger,
(Kennedy's POV)I just couldn't take my eyes off of hers. She lay statue-still on the cot, wide, round, bewildered eyes fixed on me. The word still lingered in my mind—mate.I didn't mean to inch closer, didn't mean to let my defenses drop. Yet my body did, of its own accord, at the insistence of something so utterly beyond my control. I was beside her in one heartbeat, tucking my arms around her shaking form.“You're my mate," I snarled softly and low into her, yanking her up against me. She fit so completely within the circle of my arms that my wolf growled in satisfaction.She didn't push away, but she didn't react either. Her hands remained loose at her sides, her head still cocked up to mine, the expression on her face shocked and disbelieving.I didn't care. I didn't let it bother me that she didn't get it, didn't care my actions made no sense - not even to me. All I knew was the way my chest burned, the way my heart raced like it never had before.She was mine.But why? How?I
(Alina's POV)The warm light coming through the window seemed to scald my skin. My body hurt, but my heart was an even further ache.I lay staring at the ceiling and tried to put together pieces of my life that I was picking up in shards. Every breath I took reminded me of how weak I was, how powerless I would always be. My throat pulsed in pain with every intake of air, a sharp, relentless reminder that even my voice, my only way to scream out my agony-was gone.My parents…Their struggles flashed in my mind then, the stifled screams, the pack's jeers, the sadistic laughter that had haunted me as I had crawled on my knees in supplication. I clutched at my chest as if that would hold it inside, keep it from bursting free, but it wouldn't. It never did.I had sworn vengeance, hadn't I? I had promised to destroy them all. But now, I couldn't form the words to repeat that promise.Tears slipped hot and uncontrolled down my cheeks. Mom and Dad gone, my pack gone-everything I'd ever known,
~Alina POV~I stood in shock on hearing the accusations, my mind went blank as I looked at the man who looked at me angrily making me doubt if he was sick. “What do you mean?” I asked confusingly with my lips pulsing. Then Aunty also helped in translating. The man scoffed mockingly, then fisted his hands as he glared more viciously, “Why are you pretending like you know nothing?! We all saw Gregor train you in the training ground and even if his words were insulting and a bit too much, you don't need to give him a punishment this big!” “Shut up!” Kennedy's angry yell sounded heavily in the room and I couldn't help but turn to look at him confusingly. But he ignored me and fixed his eyes on the man, “I see you all are getting bold now. Are you challenging me? Hah! You are questioning my decision to punish my men? Do you want to become Alpha?!” The man trembled as he bowed his head low then his body shivered as he shouted nervously, “How dare I? I was only worried for a friend!” K
~Alina Pov ~I removed my hands from Kennedy's and walked to where Aunt and Utopia were. I could see people's eyes trailing after me, but I was so excited to find a solution that I forgot the feeling of being embarrassed. I smiled deeply at the gentle aunty and held her hand, then greeted Utopia too before facing aunty, then I used my hand to tell her what I needed from her which surprised her but I felt what surprised her the most was how my hand signs had improved a lot which even I am proud of. Even if I didn't have time to go to the bakery to learn, I have been practicing on my own and I feel so happy I have gotten better. I could communicate even if it was not fast but I could still pass on what I was saying. I looked at Utopia who also wanted to help but I shook my head at him. I didn't want to create misunderstandings, especially with the jealous Kennedy who seems to always lose control. After explaining what I needed from her, I dragged her to the front of the hall with ex
~Alina pov~My body went rigid when I heard the stranger's words. My mind went blank and I could feel my head getting heavy. Then I felt my hand being clenched which woke me up from my daze. I looked up and my eyes shook seeing Kennedy's angry face. His face was so tight in anger and his body was vibrating from it. It was like he was ready to kill the gossip. I immediately removed my hand from his and reached out to hug his waist.“Hey…Ken! Don't do anything, okay? I am fine. I will go with you, come let's go! Haha! Let's go.” I said through the mind link and dragged his angry self out of the place. I let him go after We reached the door to the hall. Then he breathed a sigh of relief after seeing he had calmed down a lot but his face remained cold and his body was still emitting a dark aura. I know if I had left him there, he would have killed or punished those people. We looked at each other, then I smiled brightly while he looked surprised at my smile. He cleared his throat, “A
~Alina Pov~I could hear the sound of my heart beating so fast like a drum. It was not like he hadn't proposed to me before, and he has always been this crude but somehow, it's felt special today. His god-like face looked at me with nervousness he tried to hide but I would always detect it as he had always been plain in front of me and he just couldn’t hide how he felt.I smirked as I narrowed my eyes, “Are you threatening me?” He frowned then smiled as he turned me around, then hugged me from the back, “So what if I threaten you? You go nowhere. Either way, You are stuck with me even if you reject me. This engagement is just a formality, I want everyone to know you are the future Luna of the Whole Northern packs!” My body shivered and went numb both from his words and his breath on my neck. But more than that, I felt warmth filled my heart. I closed my eyes and then raised my hand to caress his flurry head which was placed on my shoulder. I looked at the sky from the window and t
~Alina pov ~The morning sun on my face woke me up from my sleep. I stretched on the bed and looked out the window in a daze, then I remembered what happened yesterday, making me jolt awake. I looked around the room but didn't see any traces of Kennedy which surprised me. My mood went from bright to moody as I thought he might still be angry at what had happened yesterday which had made me sleep somewhere else. I signed softly, then sat up to go for my daily routine and that was when I noticed I wasn't feeling any pain in my back. My eyes lit up as I tried moving my back but felt nothing. I stood up immediately then walked to the mirror, and pulled off my nightwear but what I saw made me speechless. A green paste covered my back unevenly and I smiled gently as I knew no one else could do this except the “Great Alpha Ken”. Looking at how uneven and scattered he paced the medicine on my back, my shoulder shook in amusement but I felt warmth fill my heart. Even if he is angry with m
~Kennedy Pov~ Her body stiffened at my question, but what annoys me the most is her silence. I felt irritated, “You always hide things from me like I am a monster. Not once have you let me into your life and heart. To you, I am just a mate and this is the reason we still haven't been able to truly become one.” I placed my finger on her back and caressed it gently and I knew what it did to her as I could feel her shivering under me. “Wh-what do you mean?”She Stammered. I chuckled coldly, “Have you ever felt my pain? Have you felt the feeling of truly being of one heart with me? I can feel your happiness, your pain and all, and even my wolf can feel yours, but can you say the same about you? Alina, you have truly never accepted me, right?” I asked cooly, then my fingers stopped moving on her back. My lips curled up, and my eyes cold and indifferent. Then I got down from the bed and stood in front of it, watching her sit up hurriedly and use the blanket to cover up her nakedness.
~Kennedy Pov~ I knew she was lying and things weren't as simple as she downplayed it. Something was going on and only Jerry could tell me. I could feel my anger rising thinking of another man knowing what was wrong with my woman while I was unaware. My wolf stirred inside me restlessly and I could understand he was feeling anxious at that moment. While I was talking to Alina, I felt his anxiousness, and when I asked him, I was shocked by what he said. Can't feel her wolf?! There could only be two reasons why I can't feel her wolf—Her wolf is either dead or badly injured and too weak. Seems Alina didn't know much about mating. The way I could read her emotions is the way my wolf could feel hers. We are connected both at heart and mind. Besides, I had felt something was wrong at Jerry's place. Why was she there? But During those times, even if I was speaking and acting normal, I wasn't conscious. My mind was a bit cloudy from the aftermath of using up my energy. Thinking of
~Alina Pov~I looked at Kennedy's surprised face after I told him my observation. He furrowed his brows, “He doesn't have a sister? So who is she? And—” He paused as he narrowed his eyes coldly, “Are you saying this is all planned?” “Yes! However, I have no idea why and what they are trying to do. Besides, it's funny how she doesn't know me. And I haven't seen her before. I have been in the pack since I was born and I never knew the dead Alpha has a Daughter!” My eyes remained on him as we conversed through the mind link and if others were here, they would be confused with us just looking at each other.“Did they know you are here and they are trying to do something?” He asked with a scowl on his face and I could see how angry he was right now.I smiled and shook my head, “No! The more reason I want her to stay. I think they came for you because all this isn't a coincidence!” I said with confidence. He was surprised at first then burst out in laughter, but his aura was getting str
~Kennedy Pov~“What?!” My mind went blank when I heard her request. What the heck did she mean by wanting another man when I am here? I glared at her and held her shoulder angrily. “What do you mean by wanting Ben?!” “You are hurting me, Ken!” She shouted as she struggled to release herself from my hand and when I looked down I saw how tightly I held her which made me drop my hand like I was burned. My eyes flashed with guilt seeing her rubbing her arm. I looked at my hands irritatedly. I noticed my strength was getting out of control these days and I knew I needed to do something about it. I pushed my guilt aside, “Explain yourself, Alina!” “What's wrong with you Kennedy?! Can't you be gentle for once?!” Then she rolled her eyes and moved to sit on the bed then faced me with a serious look.“I need people I can command and who can help me. People who wouldn't look down on me and Ben seems to be that kind of person.” She said with bright eyes. I raised my eyebrow as I looked at