LANDEN'S POVNavian sighed, a sad smile plastered on his lips that visibly aged him. Leaning back in the chair, he placed his hands on the desk in front of him as though steeling himself for what was to come.I could not help but stare at him; my heart was beating horrendously. I had come here for answers, but now, I was afraid of what I might hear.“Alpha Landen, I want to tell you Anna’s real story,” Navian began softly. His eyes locked onto mine, serious and unflinching. “The story you’ve never heard. It started three months after your divorce.”“Three months?” I repeated, frowning. “I thought she… I thought she had moved on. That she left everything behind after our divorce.”Navian nodded slowly. “That’s what she wanted you to think. But the truth is, she didn’t just leave because of the divorce, Landen. She left because her life—and your son’s life—was in danger.”My breath caught at his words. My son? What is he saying now? I’d always assumed Anna had wanted to cut ties with t
My fingers clenched around the folder as I marched through the packhouse. Each step sent a wave of anger coursing through me. My pack members glanced my way and quickly looked away, sensing the fury boiling inside me.They knew not to get in my way right now. I was almost on the verge of being unable to control myself. All I stood for, all I knew to be the truth had been nothing but a lie.When I finally arrived at our room, I burst in the door and there she sat – Hannah – leaning against the window, as calm as if nothing had happened. I was shocked when she finally turned to look at me, her lips parting into a smile that I once believed was for me. Unfortunately, it was now more of a symbol of what a fool I had been to let it all control me.“Landen, what’s wrong?” she questioned in a low tone, quietly, as if there was nothing more terrible that she could have done to hurt him deserving her.“Sit down,” I said in a roughly commanding tone that left no room for argument. My hands sho
I was alone in my office, simply gazing at the various documents and pictures that covered my desk. An invisible claw seemed to clutch at my heart, tearing it to shreds with every painful thought that threatened to cross my mind. I’d been an ass—an utter moron.Anna, my beautiful and caring soul-mate, the woman who went out of her way to make me a father, got pregnant post-divorce even with a child who is my son. And I didn’t even have a clue. How could I have been that hopeless?I shut my eyes and reclined on the chair, overwhelmed with the weight of some hard-hitting truth. After years of fighting, of us battling to have a child and raise a family, it finally came to be—for I was the one who cast her away.I was so caught up with being Alpha that I could not see clearly the Elders’ insinuation.To be Alpha, I had to ensure the survival and legacy of the pack by producing an heir. And I listened. I believed them instead of trusting the bond I had with my mate.When Anna and I divorce
It had been several days since our failed attempt to find Anna and Owen. I felt like I was slowly going mad. I hadn’t slept properly in days, and when I did, my dreams were haunted by the image of Anna’s terrified face and Owen’s tiny, helpless form. I kept imagining what Gerald might be doing to them. The rage and helplessness were unbearable. Every lead we’d followed, every trace we’d picked up, led us to dead ends. Gerald had covered his tracks well. Too well.“Alpha,” Bryce called softly from the doorway. I looked up, my face grim.“No news yet from the scouting team we sent to the west border. It’s like they’ve disappeared completely.”“Damn it!” I slammed my fist down on the table, the sound echoing through the room. Everyone around me flinched.“How is it possible that we can’t find him? We have people searching day and night. We’ve checked every inch of this territory and beyond. How is it that Gerald is just… gone?”Bryce hesitated, his eyes reflecting the worry that mirrore
I returned to the packhouse late in the evening. It seemed as though everyone was holding their breath in anticipation of the next move, such was the obvious tension in the air.With their eyes full of questions they dared not ask, the warriors stationed outside the doors gave me a short nod. I understood the silent questions. They were clearly wondering whether I had been any more productive in the search, specifically, whether I had managed to locate Gerald, or had a plan to rescue Anna and Owen.But I had no responses for them. Not just yet.The moment I made my way inside, I spotted a figure sitting at the corner of the brightly, yet dimly torched sitting room. Hannah resembled a mere shadow of the woman whom I had always known.The proud and confident woman’s head was bowed and her ever shining eyes filled with unshakable trust were now tired and bloodshot. But somehow, I managed to not feel sorry for her, the same way one would for a sad situation.“Landen!” she called out, sta
I stood outside the packhouse, the night air thick with tension. The search at the old packhouse had been a dead end. Hannah’s tip had led us there, but Gerald and his men were long gone by the time we arrived.The place had been cleared out, no sign of Anna or Owen anywhere. We found nothing except traces of their presence — old food wrappers, a few scattered clothes, and the faint scent of Anna’s lingering fear.I could not get rid of the constant sensation as someone played me. Like a puppet on wires attached to its master. I felt my fingers curl into fists as the anger threatened to overtake me.Hannah asserted that she did not know the location Gerald had relocated to, but what was there to trust about her? After all that, how could I trust her?The fighters I had brought along remained on the margins, their expressions tired and haggard. They were aware that this was an important juncture. They could see it in my eyes, and hear it in my voice. Each ticking clock inched us nearer
I marched towards the room where Hannah had been kept seething inside me with rage. She turned to look at me from her position inked in the corner with tears having made her rosy orbs go puffy and red.The calm demeanor she once had was in pieces as her face bore a mixture of fear and desperation. I did not care about him who would cry or beg on her knees for forgiveness. The situation called for a different sort of engagement, addressing her menace, straight away.“Landen, please, you have to believe me,” she started, her voice trembling.“Enough,” I said sharply. “This is your last chance to come clean, Hannah. You have deceived me time and again. I’m done playing games.”She shook her head frantically as if she could make me see her sincerity through sheer force of will. “I’m not lying this time, Landen. I swear. I’ll tell you everything I know about Gerald’s plan, everything I’ve kept hidden.”I folded my arms, trying to keep my temper under control. “And why should I believe you
The stillness that had fallen over the car as we searched for Gerald was broken by the sudden ringing of the phone. My gut wrenched as I looked at the screen and saw the name flashing. Gerald. once more. I knew what was about to happen, but I took a big breath and answered the phone."Gerald, tell me why you're calling." I could not contain my rage as I snarled. "Have you not done enough work?"From the other end came a terrifying laugh. "You really have no idea what you're talking about, Landen?"He spoke with a tone of mockery. "I am barely starting yet."I ground my teeth in anger, fighting the urge to react. “Listen if you do anything to Anna or Owen-”“Now, now, save your threats for someone else,” he cut me off, sounding rather tired. “You do not stand in the place to make any demands. Actually, you are running out of time. Because I’m…well, let’s just say, I am cooking something special. An offering, so to speak. That changes the game.”My heart skipped a moment. “What do you