The next day, the weight from last night still filled the atmosphere like an anchor. I woke up earlier than usual already troubled by thoughts of what had transpired at supper.Elena’s sulky countenance and Navian caught between her claims of his loyalty and my friendship with me played inside my skull like a broken record.I glanced over at Owen who still lay asleep in his bed, his chest rising and falling peacefully as if he was being rocked to sleep. I watched him for a while in silence allowing the sight of him to calm me down.Despite all that happened, he was still my first priority. I can’t allow him to be harmed or to suffer because of whatever is going on between Elena and Navian.I sighed and fumbled out of bed not to disturb Owen. It was time for me to think clearly before the day kicks off. I padded down the hallway into the kitchen where morning sunlight was just beginning to filter through windows. The house was quiet, as only could be at those first moments of dawn.At
The first thing that struck me when I entered the bar was the expression on Navian’s face that resembled fatigue and some other feeling that was hard for me to define.Each step I took in his direction caused an uncomfortable pain in my chest; it became tighter with every stride I made.This man who has undergone so much for the sake of both myself and Owen was simply sitting there all worn out and dejected. It was because of him that Owen and I were still alive, still safe.He had risked everything to protect us from those men Hannah had sent. And here I was, living comfortably, while his life seemed to be falling apart.The weight of that realization struck me hard. I had never meant to cause a rift between him and Elena. She was the perfect woman for him—strong, beautiful, and deeply in love with him.But this jealousy she felt toward me was driving him crazy. I never wanted that. I wanted him to be happy, to feel secure in his relationship. And now, I was the reason he was going t
I turned to leave, feeling Elena’s glare burning into my back as I walked away. The humiliation of it all clung to me like a heavy cloak, making each step out of the bar feel like a mile.I could still hear their voices behind me, Navian trying to calm Elena down, Elena’s anger refusing to be soothed.As I stepped outside into the cool night air, I let out a shaky breath, my hands trembling slightly.My heart ached for Navian.He was in a very difficult situation and he was struggling to make a decision that would benefit everyone while at the same time it was breaking him.And no matter how much I wished to stay close to him, I could not help thinking that I only worsened his state. Every move seemed such a labor and getting back to my car was not easy at all. Every move became my cross to bear, the guilt and shame suffocating me from left, right, and center.I respected Navian as a friend, and I was sure that he always will remain an important person in my life. But Elena… Elena di
Landen's PovBefore my desk were old papers covered in dust for years now. Some days like today are not annoying because they allow us to reflect on what has happened but today is just like any other day.The messy shuffle of memories amazed me when a small envelope with frayed corners attracted my attention. My heart sank upon seeing Anna’s handwriting It was delicate yet familiar; I had not seen that envelope for too long and I had forgotten about it even longer.But as I pushed it out and opened it like wet leaves in spring seasons when flowers start to bloom again, my heartbeat increased within me.The photographs are faded due to time but inside one corner is an image of Anna taken during previous years. For a while, I just fixed my gaze on this image where she is immortalized while time goes on beyond comprehension that is in terms of beauty and gracefulness. She stood there before the window of our old house while light filtered through her silhouette creating some hazy halo ef
Hannah’s POVSince we returned home from that business trip, something about Landen had changed, and not in a way I could appreciate. Even when he didn't have any urgent business to perform, he had grown cold and would frequently withdraw from his sturdy.Initially, I made an attempt to convince myself that this was merely travel stress, However, through those days, I found it hard to ignore that uncomfortable feeling inside me.Landen was hiding something from me.I had learned, through my careful attention to details, that he had sent some important family heirloom to Anna's only brother, Bethel Luther. The mere thought of it made my blood boil. Bethel, the only remaining heir to Anna’s pathetic family, had always been a shadow in the background of our lives, never a threat because he kept to himself.But now, with Landen's sudden generosity towards him, I found myself questioning everything.Why? Why was Landen doing this? He had ignored Anna’s existence for so long—hadn’t paid her
Landen’s POV"Alpha, I think it's time to stop this, I honestly do not know where my sister is,"Bethel said sharply, his eyes hard as he turned away from the gifts I had brought. His voice, usually calm and steady, carried a weight of frustration that made me uneasy."You know very well Annabeth does not share her misery; she bears her pain alone," he continued, a subtle tremor of sadness coloring his words."I had no idea you had even divorced until I learned that the Alpha's wife had a son. I thought to come to congratulate my dear sister, only to hear she wasn't the Luna."Those words—simple, direct, and honest—cut through me like a blade. The sting of it settled deep in my chest, making it hard to breathe.Bethel's tone wasn’t accusatory; it was resigned as if he had long accepted that life was cruel to his sister, and now, he had just learned how cruel it had been."I… I am…" The words caught in my throat. What was I supposed to say? I couldn’t justify my choices. Not to him. No
ANNA’S POVMy phone buzzed, picking it up from my table Elena's number showed. Huh? Elena? She never calls me unless to scream about leaving Navian alone, I have avoided both of them in the past few weeks so what in the world does she want?"Uhm, hello?" I answered cautiously, my mind running with several actions that I could get from her immediately she responded."Hey! Sorry it's late, and you must be tired," Elena’s voice came through the line. But it wasn’t her usual sharp tone. It was almost… polite.I blinked, surprised. "Elena?" I asked, just to make sure it was really her."Yeah, it's me" and for a moment, I was caught off guard.She continued, her voice filled with excitement. "Oh, I wanted to tell you I’m organizing a party for Navian and me. It’s our anniversary, and we’ll be announcing our wedding date too!"Her enthusiasm felt so foreign, given the way things had been between us. Was she trying to make me feel awkward? Or had she truly made up with Navian after their hea
My mind was thrown into a complete panic as I saw the horrifying scene of Owen standing in the middle of the road, right before the car was speeding at him.As I stared in dread, it seemed as though time had stopped and every second was agonizingly slow. My body responded before my mind could process it; without realizing it, I braced myself as I ran toward Owen by pressing my hand to the ground. His huge, confused eyes were fixed on mine, but he remained motionless—not even flinching.Every instinct was screaming for me to help him, and my pulse was racing, but I knew deep down that my human power would not be sufficient. The car was too close, and despite how fast I ran, I couldn’t outrun it. Desperation clawed at me as I realized I wouldn’t make it in time. But in my wolf form, I could be faster, stronger.The thought flashed through my mind, but it was too late to shift. The car was nearly upon him.Out of nowhere appeared a colossal dark shadow just when I assumed he was lost f