Sebastian's POV
I groan and pull myself up in bed. I rub my temples, and my eyes land on the empty spot next to me in bed. My gaze narrows, head turning to examine the empty and bare room that surrounds me. I sigh as the realization of the mistake I made last night hits.
I, Sebastian, am twenty-five years old, and I am the only child that my father, the Alpha King, has to inherit his title. I have not found my fated mate, someone who will make me feel whole and fill the void in my chest. My Beta thought it would be a good idea to attend the event last night in an attempt to find my mate, but instead, I found myself in the arms of a woman whose name I did not know.
She was different, though. Her mere presence drove me insane and made me reckless and wild. With her, my animalistic instincts took over.
Fuck. I can’t let that happen ever again. My wolf instinct cannot be allowed to make decisions not just for me but for my future as the King Alpha.
You should have stopped yourself immediately. You wanted her as much as she wanted you.
I grunt and get out of bed, storming towards the door. I burst through and point at my Beta, who looks terrified at the sight of me. They stand with their hands behind their back, ready to receive my command.
“Find the woman who came into my room last night,” I demand, turning around and disappearing into the bedroom before they can respond.
Not even twenty-four hours later, my Beta steps inside my room, head hung low from obedience. I stare at them, waiting for them to speak.
“Sir. I found her. She is the daughter of the Alpha at the Silvertail Pack.”
“Silvertail Pack…” I turn the words over in my mouth. I push myself to my feet, staring at them. “Get my car ready.”
“It is parked outside for you with the address in your GPS, sir,” They hold out the set of keys to me. I swipe it from them and hurry to the destination they had set for me.
I park far away, just far enough to observe from afar. The house is large, but not as big as my own. It looks nice on the outside despite a few dead plants below the front windows. Nothing else pops out to me as I approach the house. I stand at the front door for a few moments, pinching the bridge of my nose, annoyance flooding my body. I can’t believe I have to do this.
Last night will never happen again.
I don’t even need to knock for it to fly open. A man and two women stand before me, the two women fumbling to fix the younger woman’s appearance. I cock my head to the side, eyes remaining on the younger woman, who brightly smiles back at me.
Nothing inside me stirs. Nothing moves. I don’t feel my inner wolf wanting to crawl out and take her into my arms, to ravish her like I did with the woman last night.
It’s not her.
I turn my attention to the man, who I’m assuming is the Alpha of this pack. Seconds pass as we stand in an uncomfortable silence. He opens his mouth, but I hold a hand up, silencing him before he can even speak.
“Is she your only daughter?” My words are cold, straight to the point. He opens his mouth to speak but is interrupted by the older woman who stands at his side.
“Lily is our Alpha’s only daughter,” her lips curl into a smile, and her hands attach themselves to Lily’s shoulders, pushing her forward. My eyes remain on the Alpha, who nods in confirmation.
“Were you the one who entered my room during the social gathering?” My eyes barely pay attention to Lily.
Her smile falters, and she glances at her mother for help, who only shrugs in return. A few seconds pass and her smile turns energetic, enthusiastically nodding in response to my question.
I nod and pull out a checkbook from my back pocket. The Alpha is quick to hand me a pen, which I take, and I write down a number that is sure to keep their mouths shut. I hand it to Lily and lean down, my eyes narrowed on her.
“You will not speak of what we did to anyone. If you do, I will make sure your life is hell.” My body lingers for a few seconds before I turn away and exit the house.
⋆⁺₊⋆ ━━━━⊱༒︎ • ༒︎⊰━━━━ ⋆⁺₊⋆
Miranda's POV
Time has gone by slowly since the day that I left, and I haven’t heard or seen anything about my father and the family he chose for himself. I moved to the other side of the pack, making sure to keep my distance from them.
Life had been better for me. I was able to do as I wished, to live as I wanted. However, waves of nausea hit me like a train, leaving me bedridden, trapped with only myself and my thoughts.
It was two months ago that I had left. It was also two months ago that I spent the night with the mysterious stranger.
Oh. Oh no.
I sit up in bed, grasping my stomach, eyes wide as the realization of what was happening to me hit. Without wasting another second, I bought a pregnancy test that will determine what my future will look like.
Two pink lines stare at me, burning into my eyeballs. Tears well in my eyes, and my stomach flips and turns. I take a deep breath and close my eyes.
Having a baby out of wedlock in the world of werewolves meant nothing but future challenges for me. I would face endless struggles, and I would be ridiculed for the mistake that I made with the man two months ago. My fingers dig into the skin on my belly.
Without the baby, my life could be better.
With the baby, my life could be worse…but at least I wouldn’t be alone.
I will not abandon my baby like my father abandoned me. I will show them love and care, to show them a life worth living.
I’m snapped out of my thoughts by the sound of my doorbell. I freeze, staring in the direction of the sound. It rings again, chills running down my spine.
The ringing stops, and I take a deep breath, relieved. That feeling of relief is quickly killed when the door swings open. I gasp at the sight of Lily, who stands in the doorway with a crooked smile.
“I’ve been looking for you everywhere,” her tone is hostile, cold. There is no comfort or concern in her words. The warmth leaves my body as she inches closer, any type of patience that I once had disappears.
“You wanted me gone, remember?” I ask. My words only seem to irritate her more.
“You’re a filthy woman!” She yells, wagging a finger at me. “You lied to me! Who did you sleep with that night?!”
I can’t contain a laugh, and a devious smile overtakes my lips. Lily is stunned, and I can see her process my demeanor.
“Wasn’t it you who arranged it? Now you’re here to question me? Can you not remember the man you pawned me off to?” I push further, squeezing the pregnancy test in my hand.
Lily huffs, looking away before her eyes come back to me. Her gaze falls to the test in my hand. She points to it.
“What’s that?” She asks. I gulp and try to quickly move my hand behind my back. Lily steps forward and jabs her hand in my direction, snatching the test away from my grasp.
Lily stares at the test in disbelief. She gasps, pointing at the two pink lines.
“You’re pregnant?!”
Miranda's POV“This is none of your business!” I shriek and yank the test out of Lily’s hand. Protectiveness courses through my veins, which Lily notices. She backs away, hands in the air as if she’s innocent.“If you say so, Miranda…” Her words are coated with mischievousness and deception. My stomach twists, nausea worsening, as I watch Lily slowly exit my home.Once the door is closed, I let out a quiet weep. I hold onto my belly, feeling a need to protect them from the dangers that lie within Lily, Harper, and my Alpha father. Their motives stem from malice, from hatred, from a need to control me.I will not let them control my child.The months pass, and my belly has gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. As time ticked by, the threat of Lily never left me, but I decided to shake it away, not wanting to let it control my life.Months after living in hiding, I felt a sharp pain in my stomach and knew it was time to bring my future into the world.After long and painful hours, my chi
Sebastian's POV“Healer M is absolutely intolerable! She’s arrogant and rude! I have sent her countless emails and haven’t received a single response! She’s just some Healer! We don’t even know what pack she belongs to!” Lily’s groans.Her complaints have grown incessant, borderline intolerable. She’s so focused on gaining help from a mysterious figure rather than paying attention to her son, who needs his mother. Her voice feels like nails on a chalkboard as she repeats her woes and whines about how unfair life is to her.Ironic, seeing how she’s always been pampered by her father and has never known a day of struggle.“Perhaps she isn’t satisfied with the money you’re offering, Lily,” I respond, barely looking in her direction. I have remained indifferent to her grievances. They have done nothing but annoy me.“I’ve already offered more than enough for the commission! She’s being greedy! Someone needs to talk with her about it,” Lily’s voice is sharp in response, and I finally have
Miranda's POV“What nonsense are you talking about? This is my child!” I scoff, baffled at the idea that I would mistake another kid for my own. I turn and stare at the man standing in front of the table I sit at.The man’s face snarls, and he inches closer to us. I gently pull the boy closer to me, not wanting this man to take him away. My heart races in my chest, but I stand my ground.“Don’t think that cozying up to my son will make me see you any differently,” his cold words effortlessly cut into my skin. I shake my head, my eyes narrowing in anger at the man. My fingers dig into the boy’s shoulders.“Who the hell do you think you are?!” I demand, stepping in front of my boy to protect him.“Drop the act.” The man’s tone lowers, and his eyes darken.“What act?” I push. He scoffs. He watches me closely, hands on his hips, and I can’t help but feel the tingle of his gaze on my skin. Seconds tick by, and neither of us says anything, choosing to remain in a tense standstill.“You know
Miranda's POVGet closer to him. My wolf barks at me.I roll my eyes and shake my head. I slide my backpack onto my back and begin to walk in the direction of Anna and my kids.If we could get closer — like a hug — it would help to determine who he is to us.I can’t help but laugh at my wolf. Oh, how wrong they are.You must have judged wrong again. Besides, I have no interest in getting close to someone as arrogant and rude as him. It will never happen.My wolf retreats into silence, not responding to my declaration.On the way to Anna’s place, who is graciously letting us stay with her despite us not having a pack, I pay no attention to what my wolf says. She is wrong, as usual, and has no idea what she’s talking about…right?As I help Noah and Ella to bed, I pull the covers over their tiny bodies, softly smiling down at them. They’re finally calm, the sugar finally having worn off from their ice cream.Just as I press a kiss onto Ella’s forehead, she gently grabs my hand, looking a
Miranda's POVLily’s mocking laugh echoes throughout the large reception area of the building. Her laughs used to cut into me like shards of glass, but now I welcome them. I welcome the challenge she throws my way.“Are you dreaming? Is your head up in the clouds?” She laughs again, this time turning around in the room to gain any support she could. “Come back down to reality, Miranda, it’s nice down here.”“I wonder,” I begin, my voice calm and my smile sickeningly sweet. I take a single step forward, closing the gap between us. “Are you still wracking your brain over the formula issue? Hm?” My voice is loud enough for nearby employees to hear.The room suddenly goes quiet. Numerous sets of eyes land on us, and hushed whispers itch our ears. Lily’s expression darkens.I smirk. By the way her employees speak in hushed tones and stare with bewildered eyes, I can assume that the formula problem isn’t well known, just as I anticipated.“Don’t talk nonsense like that! You, of all people,
Evan's POVEvan watches people walk by from inside the black car. He sighs to himself and looks at his hands in his lap. He looks around the car, finding himself bored once again, and floats his gaze back outside the car.From a distance, Evan spots a familiar-looking woman. His posture straightens in his seat, and he pushes himself against the clear window.It’s the pretty lady from before! Evan’s heart leaps, and a smile creeps onto his face. He sighs, and his hand reaches for the handle, wanting to desperately jump out of the car and run towards her.Her presence is comforting to him. He can’t figure it out, but he feels as if he’s supposed to be near her. He’s drawn to her soothing presence. He tugs on the door handle but stops when he notices a little boy in her arms.He looks just like him! Evan gasps and hides in his seat. He pokes his head to look out the window. He squints his eyes and sees that the boy looks just like him — except for his eyes.Evan looks at the car’s rearvi
Sebastian's POVWe both know that the woman from that night was Lily, not Miranda.The thought itself unsettles me. It makes my mind feel restless and uneasy, leaving my memory distorted. Second guesses run through my brain. The hairs on the back of my neck stand at the idea.I remembered that night as if it occurred the previous night. It was a night of passion and ravenous desire, but any time I tried to picture Lily in the role of the mystery woman, the passion died.The wolf inside me remains silent and retreats into his own thoughts.I catch a glimpse of Evan’s purple eyes from my peripheral vision. I study his expression. He looks as if he wants to say something to me but is too scared to do so.“Evan? Is there something you’d like to talk about? You know you can talk about anything with me,” I ask, turning my body to face him. Evan deserves to have someone to talk to with no judgment. If I have to be that person, then so be it.He hesitates and takes a deep breath. He looks out
Miranda's POVI cough in an attempt to cover a laugh that escapes my throat.Me? Hoping that he’d come back? Ugh! As if!I roll my eyes and glare at him, shaking my head. I wave my hand and scoff, sharply stating, “I have absolutely no interest in Lily’s fiancé.”I tear myself away from Sebastian. My body vibrates with irritation. I groan as I approach my car, getting inside, and slamming the door shut behind me. I toss my bag into the passenger seat and shove the key inside the ignition.The engine sputters. I take a deep breath and turn the key again. It roars to life and then immediately dies.My hand turns the key again and again and again only to be met with continual failure.My forehead connects with the steering wheel.Groaning, I lift my head and open my eyes to see a luxurious black car park beside me. I narrow my eyes at the driver’s window, watching it as it rolls down. Sebastian has a smug smirk on his face, his fingers tapping his steering wheel.You’ve got to be kidding
Miranda's POVGoosebumps litter the entirety of my skin. When my eyes meet Sebastian’s my body shocks to life. A gasp leaves my lips as he catches me and he slows my momentum from the shove.His touch feels electric on my hips. My fingers dig into his biceps. My system shocks me to life as I gasp. Everything happened so quickly that I can barely process the last twenty seconds.His face remains as cold and empty as ever, despite his usual hardened features gently softening, and he lets go of my waist. He steps in front of me, shielding me from the Gammas, and I poke my head out from behind him.“Leave her alone,” his Alpha voice is commanding. It sends chills down my spine. The Gammas look at one another in disbelief. “She’s injured. Why are you kicking her when she is already down?!”The Gammas bow their heads at Sebastian. Many of them hold anger in their eyes, glaring at me as I step out from behind Sebastian. They hold their defensive poses from before and narrow their eyes at me.
Sebastian's POVMy attention is captivated by Miranda’s biting words. My head subconsciously turns as she retreats down the hallway. I examine her body as she walks away and tilt my head to the side, my face returning to a scowl once she’s gone.“You look upset, Dad.” Evan appears from behind me, instantly plucking me out of my thoughts. I look down at him and rest my hands on my hips. “Did someone make you angry?”“Not at all, buddy,” I shake my head, “come on, let’s go.” I place my hand on his back and gently push him down the hallway and to the restaurant’s entrance.I examine the large room of the restaurant. A part of me wishes to see her one last time, but I push the idea away.The memory of her touch flashes across my mind. It happened against the brick wall outside of the kindergarten classroom. A faint spark flew between us when we touched.It was a spark similar to the mate bond.She seemed to be…repulsed by it. It stings to know that someone as lowly as her could reject som
Miranda's POVBoth Lily and I turn to Sebastian with the same expression written on our faces. Shock with a mix of awe flashes across my face at Sebastian’s quick and decisive decision. He narrows his eyes at me and takes a step in my direction.“If the modified formula fails to meet the expected results that you have promised,” his words make me want to crawl into a shell and hide from him, yet I stand strong and keep my posture straight. He leans down, his dark eyes piercing into mine, “You will be executed as a spy for leaking military secrets. Understood?”I purse my lips. Lily’s smirk catches my attention. She flutters in her spot. I can feel her excitement ooze from her body. Does my death truly excite her that much?She attaches herself to Sebastian’s side. She tilts her chin up and looks down at me, her expression amused yet smug. I suppose Sebastian is drawn to cruelty and malice. Every Alpha King needs a cunning person on their side, no? Well…if the shoe fits…“We’ll give yo
The Third PersonNoah grabs Ella and Evan’s arms. He pulls them outside the door and into the schoolyard where other children play. Their three heads poke above the window’s horizon, watching the other students in the room lose interest and move to unattended toys.Noah and Ella look at Evan, who shyly takes off his sunglasses. They all nervously chuckle and their gazes flicker between each other. Evan slides his sunglasses into his pocket.“I think,” Evan nervously breathes out, “that we may be…twins!”“No wonder you and mommy have the same eyes!” Ella gasps with delight. She grabs Noah’s hand and smiles brightly at him. She looks back at Evan and shares the same smile with him. He smiles back.“That doesn’t prove we’re brothers.” Noah flatly states. Ella lets go of his hand. She excitedly claps her hands together.“That means I have another big brother!” She cheers. The young girl jumps up and down. Evan cracks a smile at her but when he looks at Noah, his smile quickly fades.“Does
Miranda's POVI cough in an attempt to cover a laugh that escapes my throat.Me? Hoping that he’d come back? Ugh! As if!I roll my eyes and glare at him, shaking my head. I wave my hand and scoff, sharply stating, “I have absolutely no interest in Lily’s fiancé.”I tear myself away from Sebastian. My body vibrates with irritation. I groan as I approach my car, getting inside, and slamming the door shut behind me. I toss my bag into the passenger seat and shove the key inside the ignition.The engine sputters. I take a deep breath and turn the key again. It roars to life and then immediately dies.My hand turns the key again and again and again only to be met with continual failure.My forehead connects with the steering wheel.Groaning, I lift my head and open my eyes to see a luxurious black car park beside me. I narrow my eyes at the driver’s window, watching it as it rolls down. Sebastian has a smug smirk on his face, his fingers tapping his steering wheel.You’ve got to be kidding
Sebastian's POVWe both know that the woman from that night was Lily, not Miranda.The thought itself unsettles me. It makes my mind feel restless and uneasy, leaving my memory distorted. Second guesses run through my brain. The hairs on the back of my neck stand at the idea.I remembered that night as if it occurred the previous night. It was a night of passion and ravenous desire, but any time I tried to picture Lily in the role of the mystery woman, the passion died.The wolf inside me remains silent and retreats into his own thoughts.I catch a glimpse of Evan’s purple eyes from my peripheral vision. I study his expression. He looks as if he wants to say something to me but is too scared to do so.“Evan? Is there something you’d like to talk about? You know you can talk about anything with me,” I ask, turning my body to face him. Evan deserves to have someone to talk to with no judgment. If I have to be that person, then so be it.He hesitates and takes a deep breath. He looks out
Evan's POVEvan watches people walk by from inside the black car. He sighs to himself and looks at his hands in his lap. He looks around the car, finding himself bored once again, and floats his gaze back outside the car.From a distance, Evan spots a familiar-looking woman. His posture straightens in his seat, and he pushes himself against the clear window.It’s the pretty lady from before! Evan’s heart leaps, and a smile creeps onto his face. He sighs, and his hand reaches for the handle, wanting to desperately jump out of the car and run towards her.Her presence is comforting to him. He can’t figure it out, but he feels as if he’s supposed to be near her. He’s drawn to her soothing presence. He tugs on the door handle but stops when he notices a little boy in her arms.He looks just like him! Evan gasps and hides in his seat. He pokes his head to look out the window. He squints his eyes and sees that the boy looks just like him — except for his eyes.Evan looks at the car’s rearvi
Miranda's POVLily’s mocking laugh echoes throughout the large reception area of the building. Her laughs used to cut into me like shards of glass, but now I welcome them. I welcome the challenge she throws my way.“Are you dreaming? Is your head up in the clouds?” She laughs again, this time turning around in the room to gain any support she could. “Come back down to reality, Miranda, it’s nice down here.”“I wonder,” I begin, my voice calm and my smile sickeningly sweet. I take a single step forward, closing the gap between us. “Are you still wracking your brain over the formula issue? Hm?” My voice is loud enough for nearby employees to hear.The room suddenly goes quiet. Numerous sets of eyes land on us, and hushed whispers itch our ears. Lily’s expression darkens.I smirk. By the way her employees speak in hushed tones and stare with bewildered eyes, I can assume that the formula problem isn’t well known, just as I anticipated.“Don’t talk nonsense like that! You, of all people,
Miranda's POVGet closer to him. My wolf barks at me.I roll my eyes and shake my head. I slide my backpack onto my back and begin to walk in the direction of Anna and my kids.If we could get closer — like a hug — it would help to determine who he is to us.I can’t help but laugh at my wolf. Oh, how wrong they are.You must have judged wrong again. Besides, I have no interest in getting close to someone as arrogant and rude as him. It will never happen.My wolf retreats into silence, not responding to my declaration.On the way to Anna’s place, who is graciously letting us stay with her despite us not having a pack, I pay no attention to what my wolf says. She is wrong, as usual, and has no idea what she’s talking about…right?As I help Noah and Ella to bed, I pull the covers over their tiny bodies, softly smiling down at them. They’re finally calm, the sugar finally having worn off from their ice cream.Just as I press a kiss onto Ella’s forehead, she gently grabs my hand, looking a