And then there is Hannah. She had always been cunning, yes…but never had guessed she would be this much cunning. How she laughed so coldly and without mercy while disclosing such a deep lie still echoes in my ears.Hannah had not just betrayed me—she had destroyed the very foundation of trust that Landen had built with her. And she had done it all for the sake of her own twisted desires.“She’ll never love you the way you love her,” Gerald had told me with a smirk, referring to Hannah. “Her loyalty was never to you, Anna. It was always to herself. Everything she’s done, everything we’ve done, was for one purpose: to take what should have been ours.”I had thought Hannah wanted Landen, wanted to be his Luna, but now I see the truth. She didn’t want Landen at all. She wanted his title, his power, and most importantly, she wanted her son to be the heir. Owen was just collateral damage, an obstacle that needed to be removed.But it hadn’t ended there. The true depths of their deception
“You were never supposed to have a child, Anna,” she had said, her voice full of malice. “Not then, not ever. I made sure of that. And it worked, didn’t it? You lost that baby, and now Owen is the only thing standing in my way. But don’t worry. That won’t last long.”The cruelty in her voice had been like a slap to the face, and I had cursed her then, letting all of the anger and pain I had been holding back spill out.“You killed my child!” I had screamed, tears streaming down my face. “You made me believe it was my fault!”And then she had slapped me. Hard. The stinging sensation felt on my skin reminds me of how far she was ready to go to get what she wanted. It was the first time I swear that I saw such hatred in a person and not even in Hannah’s eyes.She was ruthless, and all the time seemed to have transformed into someone quite different from the woman she used to be.But the most awful thing—indeed the part I think about at night and which replays like a video in my mind—I do
The room feels colder to me now, but maybe that's because I feel colder than the walls around me due to treachery. The sensation is like to a stone pressing against my chest, making breathing nearly impossible.In spite of my efforts, I can draw no further away than feel the sensation, the reverberation of their betrayal, and the years it spanned. For all that time, Gerald and Hannah had schemed, spun the web of deceit, and what had I been but the incapable fool to realize it?How could I not have seen it? I think through the incidents repeatedly in my mind and try to find out what aspects of the drama I missed. Gerald had been like a brother to Landen his Beta his right-hand man.And Hannah… she had been my friend, or rather I thought she was a friend. Now, looking back, I am able to identify what were obvious signs of them liking each other behind the scenes – the holes in their masks, the quick diagonal looks they exchanged when they thought no one was looking, the signs that shou
Chapter 83For the past few days, even as the truth has been clear in her heart, Elena has been fighting herself as to whether speaking it out loud comes with consequences, and what these consequences are.She can live with no other feeling, and it hurts. Just thinking of Owen and Anna made her chest clutch. Navian had been looking for them persistently, which only made her secret that much harder to bear.They better be alright or she will not forgive herself. It was late in the evening, Navian having been gone for hours, that Elena started weeping quietly, her frail form shaking in rapture at the fuller embrace of her own sins.She allowed her envy and timidity to dim her sight. The idea that Anna and Owen were in trouble, plagued her mind. How can she be honest with Navian? And how does she say that without losing the relationship they have built?“Now what do I do?” Elena asked with a strangled voice, clutching her pillow even tighter.“How do I tell Navian this without risking e
Navian drove through the empty streets that night with anger, regret, and fear dancing around in his mind. Those words with which, a few moments ago, he heard Elena speak pressed his chest and twisted. He had to get out of that house; he could not look at her, listen to her lame apologies, or hear her begging him to come back.Every word that she had uttered appeared to prick him to the heart with an ice-cold blade.She had worked with Hannah. She had played a part in endangering Anna and Owen’s lives.It was something that instantly made his blood boil. He clenched the wheel with the force of his fingertips whitening. How could she? The woman whom he was to marry—the woman he had trusted so much—had been part of the people who kidnapped them.If anything had happened to Anna or Owen, he wasn’t sure that he could forgive her for that. He did not know if he could ever forgive himself for not realizing the reality much earlier.He brought the car right in front of Mikel’s house and skid
I couldn’t remember how long it had been since they brought us to this place, but time seemed to stretch endlessly. Days? Weeks? I had lost count. Without windows, there was no natural light to indicate the passing of time.My own breathing, the occasional scuffle of rodents, and the voices of our captors reverberating through the corridors were all that were audible to me.Those voices were louder and more furious tonight. Hannah's booming voice was like a razor, slicing through the quiet.“What do you mean, Gerald? Why have you decided to keep them alive until now? We’re being traced, and you can see that! We’ll get in trouble the longer that bitch stays alive!” she shouted, her voice full of frustration and panic.I flinched at her words, clutching Owen tighter to my chest. My son stirred but didn’t wake. I could only hope he’d stay asleep through this. He didn’t need to hear any more of their poisonous words.Gerald’s reply came, calm and unyielding. “I have my own reasons.”“Rea
LANDEN’S POVI snapped my eyes open as a loud noise echoed through the halls of the packhouse. I was out of bed in an instant, every muscle tense, my wolf on high alert.My sharp gaze swept the dimly lit room, ears straining to catch any sound that would explain the disturbance. Footsteps pounded outside my door—hurried and frantic.“Alpha!” A young warrior burst into the room without knocking, his face flushed with panic.“There’s trouble—down by the southern border!”My mind immediately went into overdrive. The southern border? That wasn’t an area where we usually had problems.Something wasn’t right. Throwing on my jacket, I strode forward, every inch the powerful Alpha. I would get to the bottom of this, whatever it was.“Who’s leading the response?” I demanded, already heading for the door.“Beta Gerald, sir,” the warrior stammered, keeping pace with me. “He left with a small unit. Said he’d handle it.”Of course, he did. I frowned, my thoughts turning dark. Gerald had always bee
Anna's PovI could feel the chill of the wall against my back. The sensation of darkness and moisture engulfed the room, and one thin ray of light made its way through a tiny hole in the ceiling.I looked down at Owen beside me - he was curled up in a ball, however, I could see rather than hear that his body was shivering, even in sleep. My heart ached angrily and fearfully.If I didn’t find a clean way out for us shortly, we were as good as dead.The skin of my wrists burned like a fire from the ropes that had been lacerating my skin for a better part of the week. They normally restrained us with their trapping hands.There was only Sufficient food which was enough to keep me going. I rested my eyes on the broken shard of a mirror in my palm. It was not very sharp but it was the only thing I got.I had come across it cut in a mound wrapped in some heap of clothes before. Since then, I’ve done that whenever there’s a chance, gnawing on the ropes.I remember my hands were cold, very col
The living room was filled with the soft hum of conversation and occasional laughter, the warmth of companionship wrapping around me like a familiar blanket.Navian sat beside me, his eyes reflecting both relief and concern. I glanced around at the others—Rita, Mikel, and someone I hadn’t expected to see—Elena, Navian’s fiancée.Having Elena in the room made me feel off and it only got worse when she took a step forward, the atmosphere thickening. Her eyelids were puffy and her cheeks were crimson.It looked like she had been sobbing non-stop for many hours. I studied her with caution because I didn’t know what to anticipate.Elena said with a trembling voice, "Anna." “I—I need to apologize. For everything.”I frowned, glancing at Navian for an explanation, but he nodded, silently urging me to hear her out.“I—worked with Hannah to get you and Owen kidnapped,” she continued, her words tumbling out in a rush.“I was jealous and insecure. I thought—thought Navian still had feelings for
I watched as Landen cradled Owen in his arms and rocked him back and forth like a baby. I could see the tenderness in his gaze as a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Seeing him this protective and caring kind of guy reminded me of their planned connection. "He's so peaceful when he sleeps." I walked over to them and whispered, “Like all the pain and chaos we’ve been through never touched him.”Landen glanced up at me, his eyes shining with a warmth I hadn’t seen in years. “It’s because of you, Anna. You’ve always protected him, kept him safe when I couldn’t.”I smiled softly, reaching out to brush my fingers through Owen’s hair. “We both protected him, Landen. We’re both his parents.”A flicker of something—guilt, regret—crossed his face. He looked down at Owen, his jaw tightening.“I failed him. I failed both of you. I let you go… let you suffer alone because I didn’t see what was right in front of me.”“Landen,” I whispered, my voice gentle but firm. “We’ve been throug
Anna's POVI found myself in the middle of the pack house, surveying the crowd spread before me. Some faces were known to me, while a few were unknown but friendly faces, filled with respect and warmth.It was heartwarming to hear Landen’s voice echo around the room, announcing my presence after such a long time.“Today, we acknowledge what should have never been questioned,” Landen declared, his gaze steady on me.“Anna is the rightful Luna of the Moonlight Pack. Her strength, courage, and unwavering loyalty have proven that time and again. And,” he paused, his voice softening as he looked at Owen, “our son, Owen, is the true heir of this pack.”Around us, cheers broke out. I felt a wave of emotions rush through me as a result of the music. I blinked back the tears that pricked at the corners of my eyes while maintaining a straight face. I had believed I had lost this moment and this realization forever.I glanced over at Owen, who was standing beside Landen, a proud smile on his sma
I wasn’t separated from Anna for hours it seemed like I had been watching over her the whole day. Each day washed the other away, sleepless nights and hours of waiting where the days became a blur. I sat by her bedside and only got up occasionally to attend to Owen or get something I needed.It mattered not whether the roof above was made of iron or gold; it mattered not whether the earth below was stone or sand; it didn’t matter whether the food on the table was plain or grand; the only thing that was important was to be here with her, waiting for her to wake up and give me her smile once again, to hear her laughter, to hear her say “I’m fine.”It was very silent in that room, the only audible noises were the …beeping of the heart monitor, and the sound of the equipment. I saw how Anna’s chest was moving up and down, but she was so weak, so slim, so unlike the woman I had married.I reached out and touched her gently on her hand, afraid to grip it too firmly lest she break.“Anna,” I
Gerald was finally behind bars, I was standing just outside of the cell, looking at him across the heavy barred iron, I looked at him that way.He looked right back at me and his eyes were filled with anger and hate that had been brewed deep within him.“You think this is over, Landen?” Gerald sneered, his lips curling back. “You may have won this round, but you’ll never truly defeat me. The bond I have with Anna—”“Shut your mouth,” I growled, my voice low and dangerous. “You lost, Gerald. There’s no bond, no claim. You’ll rot in this cell for the rest of your miserable life.”I turned on my heel, walking away before I could do something I’d regret. I couldn’t afford to let Gerald’s words affect me now. Not when Anna’s life still hung in the balance. I glanced at the pack warriors standing guard.“No one goes in or out without my express permission,” I ordered. “He doesn’t get to speak to anyone. Understood?”“Yes, Alpha,” they replied in unison, their stances firm and unyielding.Sa
I glanced up as the two warriors dragged a struggling, screaming Hannah towards me. Her screams broke through the mayhem and blood that had marred the evening, resonating throughout the warehouse.My so-called wife, the one who had destroyed all I had ever held dear, was the object of my unwavering gaze.“What is the meaning of this?” I growled, narrowing my eyes at the warriors.My voice came out low and dangerous, but I couldn’t help it. Anger coursed through my veins like fire. “You dare to handle my wife like that?”The words slipped out before I could stop them, but even as I said them, they felt foreign on my tongue. I didn’t recognize them as mine.Was she really my wife? Could I even call her that when Anna—my true mate—was lying on the cold ground, bleeding out in front of me?“We apologize, Alpha, but…” One of the warriors hesitated, glancing at his partner before meeting my gaze again.“We saw the Luna pull the trigger that just shot Lady Anna.”All I could feel was cold, a
Gerald shrieked in agony as my claws tore into his side. I saw him stumble back, breathing in short breaths as blood spattered on the concrete floor. His fur was matted and saturated in blood—some of it mine, most of it his. We circled each other, breathing fiercely, but I felt like I was winning this time. The look in Gerald’s eyes wasn’t one of a confident victor anymore. It was the gaze of a desperate man who realized he was losing everything.“Come on, Gerald,” I growled, lowering my stance. “Is this the best you can do? After all the planning, the scheming—you thought you’d just waltz in and take my family?”He growled, baring his teeth, but there was hesitation in his movements now. His attacks came slower, less precise. I could feel his strength fading as we clashed again and again. With each bite and claw stroke, I pushed him farther away and neared victory.His voice quivering with a mix of tiredness and wrath, he growled, "Shut up!" He came at me, but I effortlessly sideste
The moment my bones cracked and shifted, fur bursting through my skin, I knew there was no turning back. My wolf form, dark and massive, towered over Gerald as he shifted in response.The air hummed with energy and anticipation, our growls vibrating through the large warehouse like thunder.Everything around us blurred—my warriors, Gerald’s men, Navian desperately trying to untie Anna from those cursed red bindings—but none of it mattered.It was just Gerald and me. Alpha against Beta. We lunged at each other simultaneously, teeth bared, claws ready to rip through flesh.Our bodies collided with a sickening thud, and we rolled across the concrete floor in a tangle of fur and fury. Gerald’s fangs snapped at my throat, but I twisted, using my larger frame to pin him down. He snarled, kicking me off with a powerful shove that sent me skidding back.I regained my footing quickly, leaping at him again. This time, my teeth found purchase, sinking into his shoulder.He groaned in pain and hi
As we approached the warehouse, it appeared as a dilapidated prison instead, its decayed skeleton cutting sharp tongues of shade on the ground that was bathed in the light of the moon.My team and I went a little faster, heading toward Gerald's hideout. We had managed to follow him to this godforsaken location with only one intent in mind: to shoot and bring both Anna and Owen home.That feeling lingered in the atmosphere, the second skin feeling when your body was alert and screaming for you to run. Each and every step we made resounded faintly in the silence.My heart was a drumbeat of fury and fear. When we reached the doors, I signaled my men to halt. The scent of wolves—more than I had expected—hung heavy in the air. Gerald hadn’t just hidden away; he’d prepared for war.I glanced at my warriors. Each one looked back at me with grim determination, their muscles taut, ready for action. I nodded, and they braced themselves. Pushing open the creaky metal doors, we stepped inside, we