Ember's POVI couldn't fathom what happened but I knew that the ice had been broken and we were cool. I was now guarded. He was a rival to Xander. The day he discovered that my child wasn't his, he'd kill me. Also, what was the assurance that he didn't marry me to get to Xander? My father was probably thinking only about what he could benefit from the union instead of focusing on the main reason. He had said that Trent handpicked me, that means that he must have run a few background checks on me."Why did you choose me as your wife?" "What do you want to hear? The superficial answer or the real answer?" Of course, I wanted to hear the real answer. " The real answer." "I don't know." Now that was ambiguous and I didn't believe that tale one bit. " That's unbelievable. My father said you handpicked me and promised to help his business. Surely you wouldn't do that for just anyone." He shrugged as a deep expression appeared on his face and I decided to break the ice. "Am I heavy?"
Xander's POV"Hey, did you see the shoes that I got the other day? You weren't around when I got them and you've been busy with work. You know I'm pregnant." Ellie complained.Her voice distorted my thoughts and I looked up, seeing her with a pout on her face. "You've just abandoned me here, I don't even know what I am to you anymore." She cried and I rolled my eyes. Women and their terrible mood swings. They did these things on purpose."I'm busy scouting for the rogues that tried to break into the pack a few days ago," I explained."Are you just going to sit over there and not attend to me?" She continued speaking, cutting my thoughts short and I almost groaned. "Ellie! Come here." I spoke softly at the latter end after realizing how harsh my voice had sounded but she was hellbent on frustrating me with unrelated topics when I was trying to churn out something beautiful. She began to cry in the distance and now I couldn't even continue thinking."Hey, it's okay. I didn't mean to s
"So, it seems. I hear that they held their wedding in her father's house a few weeks ago and we were not aware of it." My brows rose higher, " I don't want to believe that it's true. I mean, how could her father conduct such a ceremony without the knowledge of many people." I replied."Alas, he wanted it under wraps. They didn't have the wedding in his house perse but you understand what I mean right?" "Does Grace know about this?" I inquired and he shrugged."That's beside the point. You can have home advantage now." "What advantage?" "You can reach out to her again and see what information you can gain from that pack." He advised and I furrowed my brows in confusion, " Are you out of your wits, boy?" He replied and I shrugged.The weight of the information that he dropped on me was too much for me to bear making me feel a certain way. It was very strange to think that she would allow another man in her life.I was so sure that she'd come back to me. I mean, she couldn't leave wi
Ember's POVMy phone rang jolting me up from sleep and I reached for it groggily wondering who was calling this late."Hello?" I whispered."Hey." Grace's familiar voice filtered in through the speaker and I became awake instantly. "Hey, don't hang up. I just wanted to check up on you and..." "My baby, you have heard the news."She sighed, "I can't deny it. Can we talk? I mean, I just need to see you. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that you are pregnant." "Well, I'm sure that evidence speaks for themselves. Things happen when you leave a toxic environment. Who sent you to check up on me?" I inquired."No one. I promise, I was just unable to sleep." "Do you need me to sing you a lullaby? pardon my groggy voice though." I snapped.A sigh came from her end. " I don't deserve the way you're speaking to me. I've been nothing but nice to you. I am only surprised that such a thing could be hidden away from me. I thought our friendship meant something?" She r
"I don't know, but I remember that it was a case of child paternity and whatnot. You know how the Alpha is, you can never know stuff with him. I was even thinking that..." " Hey, why don't we take this conversation somewhere else? I can't risk being caught. I never joined in the discussion but we would be grouped." A lady with a deeper voice said.I nodded, so she didn't mind the slander as long as she wasn't caught. I wasn't surprised at their thoughts and outbursts. I already read their body language.I was not welcome in the pack. It seemed as though men didn't have a problem with my arrival but many ladies did. How many of them could be like Sonia? It was no wonder why she was selected from among them. "So what are you saying right now? We should allow her step on our necks because she's betrothed to the Alpha?" Someone asked. I nodded, it was a valid question. Now that I was here what were they going to do about it? "I don't know, I just hate her." " We could get information
Ember's POVI didn't wait for him to open the door for me when we arrived at the hospital. I headed toward the door and he followed suit because he was busy talking to the driver.The hall was packed with various pregnant women and I groaned. He should have allowed us to come the day there was no antenatal. now, I'd have to wait in the long line before I'd be attended to. "We should have come tomorrow." I complained and he pulled me forward. We crossed the first door and headed straight way to the doctor's office. "Good morning, Alpha, Luna." The doctor smiled at me. She was a female, of course, that was probably engineered by my husband. "Morning." We chorused and sat before being offered. "Oh, my bad. I'm sorry. I should have offered you a seat." She chuckled nervously probably thinking about our lives and how we would have been doing so much more without any stress."The reason I called is because I want to cross-check the ultrasound that was done." I peered at her with curiosi
"How are you doing?" I heard Trent say when he walked in and I craned my neck toward his angle. A loud pop told me that I had done the wrong thing so I threw to exercise it eliciting a louder pop. He strode towards me with his bag in hand and I rose to get it from him. He moved it away slightly and I smiled. "Welcome. How was work today?" I inquired.He shrugged off his coat and I caught it before he fell. Since he was being chummy with me, I guess I had to reciprocate the gesture.Trent held out his hand and I placed my hand in his. "Good, I missed you though."My eyes widened at the confession. My heart palpitating in fear. My goodness, please don't tell me that this man is falling in love with me. This wouldn't turn out well."Okay... I... I think we should eat."He chuckled and shook his head, "You can simply say you missed me too. We both know that you have been bored out of your mind but you are still finding it difficult to admit it." He replied.I could play along and it woul
Ember's POVMy mind was not ready to see Sonia because I had already thrown a punch before hearing her yelp in pain and I decided to let her go. "Hey, sorry about that." I apologized.She was still wheezing slowly. "it's fine, ma'am. The Alpha asked that I come to stay with you while he gets rid of the nuisance." "Why is there never peace here?" I've recorded two incidents of breaking and entry since I came here. Is there a special reason they are targeting the pack house?"Sonia's gaze flickered from left to right and I tilted my head, gazing at her intently too. It seemed that there was more than what met the eye here. "Is there gold in this house? A statue or something so valuable that makes them have unrest." "Yes, we do. Not a lot of people know that. But we keep gold underneath the house and I guess someone got a wind of it and therefore the constant attacks. I don't think Alpha Trent knows who it is." She replied."He would have taken them out if he did. I thought that the pa
Ember squealed. "You're a naughty boy." She replied when Xander took her inside the shower. "We are too old to be having these sessions." She replied. Xander didn't think that anything was wrong with him wanting to have an alone time with his lovely wife so he smiled at her. Ember smiled at him. "I'm sorry, I was just kidding." She told him.His eyes crinkled with mirth. "I know, right. I don't even care about what you want to say but I believe that you will enjoy today's session. It promises to be mind-blowing." He bragged. She smiled at him while stroking his beards playfully. "Do you even know what this means?" She teased him.Xander peeled off the dress from her shoulders quietly and stared at her figure. "You look exquisite. I don't think I've seen anyone like you." He muttered softly while smacking his lips for effect.She rolled her eyes at his words. He would say anything just to have his way with her. "What do I expect? It's been almost twenty years." She complained.Xande
Sixteen Years Later, Dennis bounced into the room dripping with sweat and ran down to the kitchen to get a bottle of water from the fridge but met a restriction. He looked up and saw his twin brother staring at him with a glare. "Take a shower instead, you'll feel calm." He said.Dennis went mute for a minute before throwing a punch at him but his brother was faster and had predicted the move so he ducked at the last minute."Get away from the fridge, both of you!" Ember yelled and they jumped apart. She saw that they were mad at each other which made her worried. "You too are supposed to have each other's backs not be a thorn in each other's flesh." She whispered. She was trying so much to raise children who were devoid of hate and malice. The Alpha position was an edgy one which she hoped that they didn't fight each other for but coexisted perfectly together. "Why do you feel the need to show your powers when you are supposed to be each other's best friends?" She demanded The
Three years later"Mummy, can I have a taste now?" One of the boys asked and Ember shook her head, looking down at him with a smile as he had his hands around her legs."Don't be such a baby. It's not ready yet," His twin replied, rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms. The one who had his hands around Ember's leg, shot his brother a glare."Well, I wasn't talking to you" He snapped and Ember downplayed a smile threatening to form on her lips.She stirred the pasta, before turning around to face the boys just in time, when her favorite head came into her view.Xander's hair was disheveled and sticking out. He looked like he just walked out of the shower. He rounded the counter, wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his body."This smells delicious," He closed his eyes, taking a sniff. His stomach growled in response and Ember laughed."Easy there, big boy. Soon" She muttered.Xander leaned into her, brushing his lips against the shell of her ears."But taste be
Ember's POV. A pang of headache hit me as I felt my eyes open, my legs shaking beneath my gown. Everywhere seemed black, but the sun rays through the barred hole on the door shone brightly. I strove to stand up, taking what felt like an eternity to raise a leg. Something that felt like shaped iron clashing against each other rang in my ear, and I felt compelled to know what was happening outside. I sprinted toward where the backdoor was, my legs shaking after every step, my heart racing faster with every step I took. The sound of crashing iron and steel and the rise of cries grew closer and thicker with every step I took. I had no idea what was happening outside, all I sought was to escape from this dungeon. Most of the guards were distracted by what was happening outside, none were looking my way. I guess it was lucky, and a chance for me to escape. I walked toward the exit door, but just as I reached there, the roar of a wicked smile halted me in my spot, and I was force
Xander's POV. I was seated in my palace when an emissary holding a sealed letter was brought before me by one of my pack guards. As the emissary approached, I could sense a mix of curiosity and unease from my pack members "Greetings, Alpha Xander. I bring a message from Trent's pack." He fretted going down by reclining his head onto his knees. I took the letter, breaking the seal. My eyes scanned the parchment, and my gut twisted with every word. Trent was declaring war on us. I called a gathering with my elders. We sat in a circle, the letter passed among us. "This is madness," One of them growled. "Trent knows we won't back down." "We need to prepare for battle," Another suggested, her voice steady. "Gather our strongest warriors, Xander. We'll show Trent the strength of our pack." "I'll start scouting for allies. We can't face Trent's pack alone." I looked at my elders, determination burning within me. "We'll defend our pack" The elders nodded in unison, and I k
Ember's POV I walked down the hallway slowly, this part of the house seemed to be more empty than the path I walked through once I reached the end of the house. I frowned wondering what wild goose chase Ellie sent me on. Xander wasn't here. Why would she send me here for no reason had she completely lost it? angry I turned to leave when I spotted Trent standing there with a wicked smile on his face, holding a sword. My stomach dropped knowing there was no way this was going to end well. “Trent! What are you doing here?” He smirked, the glint of the sword reflecting in the fading light. “Hello, Ember. Fancy meeting you here.” I took a step back, feeling panic rising. “Where’s Xander? He’s supposed to be here, did you do something to him?” Trent chuckled, his voice dripping with malice. “Oh, Xander isn’t coming. Ellie sent you her for me. I’m the one you’re dealing with.” Realization hit me like a punch to the gut. Ellie must have played me, setting me up for Trent. My instinc
Author's POV. Xander walked hurriedly towards the port. He had booked a safe passage through the tunnel for Ember. It had not been cheap, but he knew it was going to be worth it since he was sure she would appreciate his efforts in helping her get her complete freedom. He arrived at the spot they had both agreed that they would meet. The port was mostly deserted at this time of the day so it was going to be relatively safe and easy for her to wall around without being found by people who work for Trent. He stood around for the next ten minutes, stifling the anxiety that was quickly growing in his chest. After ten minutes, he started to call her name as he looked around the area. It could have been possible that she had missed her way and was staying at another spot instead of the one they had initially agreed to meet. She was supposed to have been here. They had agreed that they would meet at that spot and he had been exactly on time. If there had been any delay or anything t
Ember's POV. I wasn't moved by her words because I knew that I had a higher backing that would help me out when it was time. All she just needed was the go-ahead from me. Then I knew that she would be able to go ahead to focus on getting the answer. I chuckled softly and looked at her. "Did you want us to respect you, Ellie? You should accord yourself some respect." I told her and she looked at me. "Who the hell are you?!" She challenged me. Her eyes flared at me and I smiled at her. "Are you my husband's concubine?" She asked and I held myself from saying just like you were. That would be a big slap on her face which I didn't really mind though. I liked the fact that she was really struggling to make it work. I didn't care about her and all that she was doing. All I wanted to know is that there would be a need for us to just stay for a while and rest before finally talking about our past life. In just a few years she would be controlling the whole arena but if I stood up rig
Ember's POV. I couldn't help but feel very remorseful when he came close to me. I was a bit skeptical in the beginning but after a while I finally realized that there might be something missing which I wasn't taking into cognizance. Xander reclined into the seat as he stared at me but I maintained his glare. He wasn't going to unnerve me. So what if he didn't sleep with her? All of this was still his fault. If he had not taken those steps when he finished getting her pregnant, then maybe I wouldn't resent him this much. "You didn't defend me when I needed you the most, I don't think you remember that incident, or do you?" I asked him and he shook his head. "I don't think I do. Why would I purposely not want to talk to you? I was under an influence and believe me when I say that it's something that I regret till this day because of this now we are in deep shit. Call me sentimental, but as much as I hate this man I don't feel like harming him at least not yet, do you underst