Eloise’s POV:The way he said the compliment made me blush, my face burning hot as he continued to stare at me without blinking. I was about to say something when I was saved by the bell when I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket.“Ah.” I quickly pull out my phone, pointing at it.Dex raises an eyebrow and sighs, nodding his head so I answer it.“Eloise!”“Mom?” I gasp, my eyes darting to Dexter who started prepping the ingredients for dinner. Excitement bubbles through me as I have not seen nor heard of her for a long time. She sent me a text once, saying it would be too obvious if she contacts me right after I disappeared from the pack. Apparently, my father had been on a rampage looking for me, nearly turning the entire city apart to find me. It always made me goosebumps. The thought of being found by none other than my father terrified me to the core. My father would kill me, that’s for sure.“Honey,” she starts, while I can’t help but smile just to hear her voice.“I’m so glad you
Eloise’s POV:His lips crashed against mine making me freeze, yet he deepens the kiss and I almost give in to it before everything within me screams that this is wrong and I come to my senses, shoving him away.“Dex!” I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, and when I glance up to look at him, he looked hurt.“Do I repulse you that much?” he asks, taking a step forward while I take a step back.“What? No, Dex, of course not,” I pause, knowing I doubted that to be true. My entire body is shaking, and for the first time it feels as if looking at a stranger.He stops, and tilts his head. I could feel his aura pressing down on me like a dark cloud, and the wind was brewing against me.“Then why are you moving away?” he asks, and I look down to realize I have put a considerable gap between us.With a sigh, I move my gaze back to him.“Look, Dex, I appreciate everything you have done for us, truly,” I say sincerely, knowing I would not be where I am if it weren’t for him.I shake my head.
Eloise’s POV:The drive took about four and a half hours going back to the city. I received a text an hour ago, and saw it was my mom. She was waiting in the hidden café, and Dexter had to take the lengthy twists and turns around the border to avoid getting caught and in turn, alerting the Alpha who I hear now owns the city—Alpha Kaden. Good thing Dex knows someone on patrol today to cover for us while we enter the city.Dexter opens the door for me at the café and I walk in. My eyes scan the room before I eventually spot my mother sitting near the glass window. “Mom?” I call out first once I got closer, and I’m pretty sure she heard the crack in my voice as she turned around. Her eyes glowed and widened when she saw me, and she stood right before crashing into my arms, squeezing the life of me when she gasps and stumbles back. Her eyes drop to my giant belly, and I watch her eyes become glassy.“Look at you,” she sniffles. Dex and I both look at her looking like she’s about to tear
Eloise’s POV:Mom laughed whilst I still can’t believe she said that in front of my best friend. Thankfully, she said no more of the matter and we spent the next hour eating lunch and talking some more. Leaving the café, mom insisted I go to the doctor for a check-up. I had thought about it, constantly worrying about my babies since it has been months since my last one, so why not? My mom happens to know a doctor who agreed to keep my results completely off the record in case one of Kaden’s spies happen to be snooping around my mom, keeping tabs of her tracks.Dex drove us there without complaint, always flashing his friendly smiles and I was relieved. It took us another two hours to get there, and when we did, mom introduced me to her friend, doctor Kim.She was in her mid-thirties, and looked rather friendly. After a thorough check-up, she congratulated me, announcing three healthy little babies are definitely on the way. Mom took the news pretty well, and even cried knowing she w
Eloise’s POV:The next few weeks passed by like a breeze. After that day, Dex has been sweet and loving towards me, making me wonder if I just imagined the whole thing, him shouting at me in the car and targeting my babies. Yet, his actions in the past few weeks contradicted what he said. Making me question whether it was just hormones, making me exaggerate everything I see and hear. Dex never raised his voice at me in the five years we’ve known each other. In fact, he even bought a crib, and we had just finished setting up a whole room for the nursery once they arrive. To my confusion, mom hasn’t called me since. It was so unlike her, since the last time we saw each other, she was so excited about the triplets. I wondered while I went about my day in the house while Dex was out running his own errands. He doesn’t tell me where he was going so I wasn’t sure when he’ll be back, so I set out to cleaning. First, I cleaned up the kitchen and vacuumed the entire place before doing the l
Kaden’s POV:“Alpha Kaden, is something wrong?” I look up and see Alpha John, one of the alphas attending this council meeting, furrow his brows, watching me. My eyes scan the entire room to see the other alphas had stopped to look at me, before falling on my beta who was leaning against the wall, a confused look on his face. My eyes flashed dangerously, and I grit my teeth. My hand shaking terribly wrapped around my glass. A little bit tighter, and it would break.“Yes… Yes, continue.” I mutter. Even saying those two words took much effort as I fought against my wolf. He wants blood. And he couldn’t wait. I tap my foot on the floor impatiently, pretending to listen to Alpha John go on about a new law forbidding first-born females to be alphas. I would listen some other time but not now. Not when I’m this close to shifting and tearing into every alpha I see.Sweat trails down the side of my face, and my jaw clenches. This isn’t good. I have to get out of here before I fucking explod
Eloise’s POV:“I’m done being friendly.” He spits before his fist punches me in the stomach.My mouth falls open, and I drop to my knees.Yet my knees didn’t touch the ground as he catches me, his lips colliding with mine forcefully while I struggle with the pain through my stomach. Panic fills me as I think of my babies. My hand instantly moving to cover my stomach before he grabs my wrists, pinning them above my head. His knees press between my legs, the sudden movement doubling the pain making me want to crunch over, yet he refuses to let me go. He buries his nose in my neck and inhales loudly.“Dex, please,” I beg as tears stream down my face, dripping down my chin. He doesn’t listen and instead, he began licking and nipping at my skin. He let out a lewd moan that made my skin crawl for good reason.From the corner of my eye, I see him pull out a white cloth, and my brows push together.“Dexter?” Another wave of panic settles in my stomach, that gut-wrenching feeling telling you
Eloise’s POV:It was like a never-ending cycle. Not a day goes by without Dexter snapping photos of me, recording me and him while he makes me perform every sick fucked-up delusions he carved in his head. Every day has become a nightmare to me since that fateful night. Afraid he’d hurt my babies, I did everything he asked me of me. Anything just to keep them safe. Every night, his camera sits at the foot of the bed where I am strapped most time of the day, except when I ask him to use the bathroom. When I do, however, have to use the bathroom, I use it under his ever-watchful gaze, and without clothes as he prefers it that way.Each time he does, a part of me breaks, and my wolf once again disappeared after that night. The night she told me the truth about him. Dexter. It turns out it was him who spread those scandalous photos of me to the media, which in turn had be kicked out of my house, by my father and rejected by my mate. I should have known, I should have seen right through him
Eloise’s POV:My heart clenched with worry, and my stomach sank. Mum? Adeline whimpered too.Mum and I managed to get into contact with each other three years ago. I told her about the rogues and the pack that consisted only of women. She also informed me that Dexter was arrested somewhere, but she wasn’t sure by which pack and for what charges. I was able to let out a sigh of relief once I found out about his arrest. But one morning, around the time she used to call me and see the pups, my phone didn’t ring.I thought she was busy, but the next week she never rang. Then, a week passed still nothing. Two weeks later, I can’t get through to her cell. She never rang after that.“What happened to her?” I ask, my voice laced with worry.Dread fills me at the thought of something happening to my mum, the one person who didn’t turn her back on me when the whole world did.My father clenched his jaw, and I could see he’s hesitating to tell me.“What aren’t you telling me?”My father looks aw
Eloise’s POV:“Eloise.” He calls out.I groan, turning and walking past him just as he comes forward to see me.“I’m busy.” I murmur, using him as a distraction to get away from Kaden.“I’ll wait.” I hear him say, but I pay him no attention.Instead, I walk to my trainees who were waiting for me outside.The amount of testosterone and battle of dominance in the pack training grounds was immense. Yet it was nothing compared to where I was sandwiched between the wall and his hardcore body.And those rock-hard, thick muscles bulging through his—Focus! I mentally slap myself. This is no time to be eye-fucking anybody. I have to focus if I wanted to go home before he could even blink.I force my gaze forward, refusing to acknowledge the way my pulse is still racing. If I let myself spiral for even a second, I’d be stuck there, replaying the moment where he was too damn close, where I almost forgot why I should hate him.I step into the center of the training grounds, my trainees already l
Eloise’s POV:I furrow my brows just as he stops in front of me.Crossing my arms against my chest, I prepare myself for another glare-off with him when he does the next thing I did not see coming.He grabs my arm, dragging me to goddess-knows-where. At first, I recoil but his grip was firm and there was no escaping his hand wrapped around my wrist like handcuffs.“What are you doing? Let me go!” I growl, furious he would do this in front of my trainees. They all looked on at what was happening and glanced at one another, not having any clue as to why this giant, handsome dork is pulling my arm in the middle of training.My cheeks redden in anger and embarrassment, and I yank my arm away when he growls, turning to face me.“What in goddess’ name do you think you’re doing?” I hiss, demanding to know what the hell has gotten into his head to whisk me away at such an inappropriate time.‘You mean to say he should only when it’s appropriate, then?’ Adeline teased, clearly enjoying his att
Eloise’s POV:Kaden’s little visit last night kept me awake, tossing and turning for hours as his voice filled my head.“Face it, Eloise. You are mine. No matter where you run, no matter who you go to, you will always belong to me.” He growled in a deep and husky voice that would make any woman swoon by his feet. Not me, though.“See that mark on your neck?’ his eyes lower, and I instinctively clutched my robe pulling it closer to cover my neck.I look away, but the intensity of his gaze still managed to spread fire through my neck.I hear him chuckle. His voice coming out in a possessive growl.“The reason why it never faded…” he inches closer, and I gulp, “was because you still acknowledge the bond.”Then, sparks rush through my skin when he slowly, seductively slide his calloused hand down my arm, grazing my nipple through the silk fabric of my nightwear. I held my breath. I refuse to react to his provocations because of some invisible string tying us together.He slows down, traci
Kaden’s POV:That night, I find myself outside her room.Again.I don’t knock.I don’t need to.Because the second she opens the door, she stops short. Her eyes narrowing, pulse spiking.She knew I’d come. And she’s waiting.For what, I don’t know.But I’m damn well going to find out.Eloise’s POV:I should slam the door in his face.I should.But I don’t.Because the way Kaden stands there, arms braced against the doorframe like he owns the whole damn world, makes something sharp and dangerous coil in my stomach.My grip tightens on the door handle, “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?”His golden eyes gleam under the dim hallway light.“Not when it comes to you.”My heart does something stupid.I ignore it.Instead, I cross my arms, making sure he sees the irritation on my face.“Do you need something, or are you just here to breathe in my direction like some stalker?”Kaden smirks. Lazy and lethal.“Depends. Will you let me in?”I scoff, “Not in this lifetime.”His smirk wi
Eloise’s POV:I roll out the tension in my shoulders as I stalk across the training grounds, ignoring the way every pair of eyes follows my every move.The air is thick with disbelief and shock that a woman just put one of their top warriors on his ass without breaking a sweat.Good.Maybe now they’ll take me seriously.I can still feel Kaden watching me. His presence is like a second skin, pressing in, invading my space even from across the field. It should bother me.It does.But not for the reason I wish it did.“Back on your feet,” I bark at Aiden, who’s still rubbing his ribs.“You’re my sparring partner now.”His lips part slightly, like he wanted to argue. But one glance at my expression and he thinks better of it.Smart choice.He shifts into a fighting stance, “No holding back, right?”I smirk, “Not even a little.”A split second later, he lunges at me with striking speed.He’s fast—I’ll give him that. But I’m faster.I sidestep his strike with ease, ducking under his arm and
Eloise’s POV:My hands grip the steering wheel tighter than necessary as I pull into the training grounds, my knuckles turning white. I can still feel Kaden’s presence lingering on my skin, like a touch I can’t scrub away.Damn him.Damn the way his words coil around my throat, the way his voice slithers into my mind long after he’s gone.I don’t belong to him.I never will.Abbie shifts beside me, stretching her arms over her head. “You look like you’re about to murder someone.”I exhale sharply, forcing my hands to relax.“Not someone. Just one particular asshole.”She snorts, “You mean the very large, very territorial, very obsessed asshole who followed us here?”My stomach drops.“What?”She jerks her chin toward the rearview mirror.I glance up just in time to see a familiar black pick-up truck rolling to a stop a few yards away.Kaden.Of course it’s Kaden.Because this bastard doesn’t know when to back the hell off.A low growl vibrates in my chest as I shove the car door open
Eloise’s POV:The tension in the air is suffocating.Even after training ends, I can feel Kaden’s eyes burning into me from across the field. Watching. Stalking. Waiting.For what?For me to run?For me to crumble?I won’t.I refuse.Abbie smirks beside me as we gather our things. “You really put them in their place.”I roll my eyes, grabbing my water bottle and taking a long sip. “They needed to learn a lesson.”She snorts. “Oh, they did. But I don’t think the warriors are the only ones who got schooled today.”I follow her gaze, already knowing what—or who—I’m about to see.Kaden stands a few feet away, arms crossed, his massive frame tense. His sharp, dark eyes pin me in place, like he’s daring me to look away first.I don’t.That would be submission. Weakness.And I am not weak. Not anymore.Abbie leans in, lowering her voice. “He looks like he wants to throw you over his shoulder and lock you away somewhere.”I don’t dignify that with a response, but my wolf, Adeline, purrs in am
Kaden’s POV:I lift my head, my voice barely controlled. “Care to explain why my name isn’t on any of these?”Eloise doesn’t answer right away. She watches me carefully, as if preparing for a storm.Then, with a smirk that doesn’t reach her eyes, she says, “Because you were never supposed to know about them.”The ground beneath me might as well have shattered.For the first time in my life, I have no words.And Eloise?She takes a step back.Then another.Then she turns on her heel and walks away, leaving me standing there, gripping the proof of my stolen years.I scoff, shoving the birth certificates into my back pocket before taking another step toward her. My patience is already stretched thin, and the smug way she tilts her head, completely unaffected by my presence, is only making it worse."You think this is a joke?" I grit out, my voice a low growl.Eloise simply arches a brow. "No, I think it's a waste of time standing around when we have work to do." She turns to Abbie, compl