Dante’s POV “It’s me.” I shook my head. My vision was still too foggy to make sense of what was happening. But it sounded like her. And the way she moved—when she touched my cheek—it felt like her. Her finger brushed my jawline. “You came back,” I whispered, lifting my hand to cover hers. She bummed in response, lowering herself onto my lap. Her scent wrapped around me, so intoxicating that I instinctively slid my hands to her waist. “I miss you,” I murmured, pressing my forehead against her shoulder. “I miss you too,” she whispered back, and I could feel her hot breath against my ear. My hand tightened on her waist, and she leaned closer, brushing her lips against the side of my neck while her fingers ran through my hair. “Amaya…” I groaned, pulling her closer, burying my face into her skin. She trailed her lips teasingly down my neck, sliding her nails under my shirt. Just when she started to lift it… “Yes,” she responded, but my body stiffened. The voice was different t
Dante POVDays passed, and there was still no news on her whereabouts.Everyone who saw her last swore they saw her at the mental hospital before the fire.I was growing impatient with every passing day, knowing Amaya’s murderer was somewhere out there, breathing the same air as me.Cyrus was always quick to remind me that the missing nurse was just a suspect — after all, we couldn’t recognize the person’s face in the footage, and it was too grainy to make a clear identification.But I didn’t care.Someone set that fire. Someone walked out of that room while my mate burned to death. And someone was going to pay for it.I was in my office, trying to distract myself by rewatching the CCTV footage over and over again. Each time the image of the nurse flashed on the screen, I would curse under my breath.Cyrus was also present, but he sat in the far corner of my office, quietly observing me. He had been doing that a lot lately. I wouldn’t blame him — I was slowly going mad.My fist clench
Dante’s POV Cyrus took a moment to process my words, his expression shifting from confusion to shock as he blurted, “What?” He stared at the laptop screen, zooming in on the picture. “Are you sure? This… this can’t be right.” He was in denial, just like I was. From the little interaction we both witnessed earlier today, it was clear to both of us that Kara was hiding something — but a part of me refused to believe she would have anything to do with this. She had been a part of my life for years. Even when Amaya came into the picture, Kara never crossed the line — not until that night. She had always been composed, always careful with her words and actions. That’s why this didn’t make sense. “I don’t know,” I growled. “But what else makes sense? That tattoo is identical to Kara’s. And you saw her reaction when I mentioned the footage.” My jaw clenched while Cyrus still looked to be in disbelief. “I should have known,” he muttered. “That night the healer went missing after Amaya wa
Dante POVHer faint figure was bathed in the moonlight, her long hair cascading down her shoulders. She wore a thin white dress that fluttered softly in the night breeze.Hearing my voice, her head turned slowly, and when her eyes met mine, my heart clenched.I stumbled on my feet as I walked toward her, but then her gaze dropped to the railing.No.She lifted one foot off the edge of the balcony and slowly began to lean forward.“No!” I shouted, lunging forward.I desperately reached out to grab her hand, but when I touched it, it was cold — so cold it made my skin burn.“I… I’m sorry…” she whispered.“No,” I growled, tightening my grip. “Don’t… don’t do this. Please!”But she smiled — that soft, sad smile — and she let go of the railing.“AMAYA!”I grabbed her wrist, my muscles screaming in protest as I pulled her back, but her hand started to slip through my grasp like smoke.“No, no, no!” I screamed. “You’re not leaving me again! I won’t lose you again!”I pulled harder — harder —
Amaya’s POV I died. After multiple attempts, I was sent off to a mental hospital. Dante had hoped it would make me better, but it only made me worse. The nurses tortured me, claiming it was for my own good — the needles, the restraints, the cold baths in the middle of the night. I remember screaming, crying, and begging, but no one listened. There was this nurse in particular who was hell-bent on breaking me, and whenever Dante was scheduled to visit, she made sure I was in no condition to see him. She would slip into my room hours before his arrival. “You’re not ready to see him,” she would whisper. “You need to calm down first.” That’s when the injection would come in. My body would grow heavy, my vision would blur until I couldn’t tell whether I was awake or dreaming. That night, as usual, she came into my room. This time, I tried to fight her off, but she was stronger and easily pinned me down. “Stop struggling,” she hissed. Even when I begged, she only smiled and presse
Amaya’s POV I hit the ground hard, rolling onto my side as pain exploded in my leg and ribs. But I was out. I was breathing. I coughed violently, and blood spilled from my lips as I gasped for breath. The cold air hit my skin, a cruel contrast to the burning heat I had just escaped from. My body trembled, and all I could do was lay on my back, staring up at the night sky. For a moment, I remained there — until I heard the sound of sirens and shouts from the crowd. I knew I would be found if I remained there, so I forced myself up, clutching my stomach and ignoring the intense pain. Gritting my teeth, I began to limp toward the opposite side of the building, toward the thick trees and bushes beyond. All this while, I noticed Nyx had suddenly gone quiet, but I didn’t think too much of it as my main goal was to get as far away from the hospital and Dante as much as possible. Just a little more… I could see the dark outline of the trees. If I could just make it past there, I cou
Amaya’s POV“Adam,” I whispered as I stared at the young man who slowly began walking toward me.“I found you near the woods,” Adam said, his brown eyes never leaving mine. “You were half-conscious, half-bleeding out. You’re lucky I got there when I did.”My heart pounded as fragments of the memory began resurfacing.“I…” I swallowed hard. “I don’t remember much.”“That’s not surprising,” Ryder said, gently brushing his finger down the side of my face. “You’ve been out for almost a week.”“A week?” I gasped, my gaze snapping from Adam to Ryder, who nodded in response.“You were in really bad shape. You almost died.”Ryder’s thumb brushed against my cheek, his light blue eyes soft yet filled with worry.“You need to rest,” he said quietly. “There’s a lot I want to say to you, but first… you need to recover.”I hesitated, glancing at the young man behind him.“I would like to speak to Adam,” I said softly. “Alone.”Ryder’s gaze shifted between me and Adam. He hesitated for a second, the
Amaya’s POV “How about we get married?” “What?” His eyes widened in shock, and I instantly regretted my words. “Forget about it… I wasn’t thinking…” I cursed under my breath, averting my gaze as I felt too embarrassed to look him in the eyes. But he leaned closer, closing the space between us. “What was that? Did you just propose to me?” He teased, and I buried my head lower, wishing the ground would just swallow me whole. “It was a stupid idea,” I mumbled. “Just forget I said it—” But his warm hands cupped my face, forcing me to lock eyes with him while his lips curled into a smirk. “Say…” He traced his thumb across my cheek. “You love me so much you’re turning red. How long have you been thinking about it, huh?” My eyes widened. “W-what?! Shut up!” I pushed his hands away, scowling as my cheeks burned even hotter. “You’re the one who should be thanking me,” I shot back, crossing my arms. “You confessed you liked me, remember? I’m practically doing you a favor by…”
I barely had time to react before he began planting hot hungry kisses down my neck and I instinctively tilted my head back, giving him more access — as if I didn't already hate myself for how easily I melted under him."Mine..." he breathed.His lips brushed my throat. "Mine..." he whispered again.I whimpered and my grip tightened around my dress which I could feel slipping. "Mine..." he murmured once more, his mouth now on my collarbone, grazing it lightly with his tongue before he sucked just enough my thigh presses togther and I gasped."Dante..." I breathed, not even sure what I was trying to say. Was I asking him to stop? Or begging him not to?"You have no idea," he growled as his hand moved up my thigh, sliding under my dress until his thumb brushed agsint the thin soaked fabric between my legs. Forcing a moan to escape my lips before I could stop it."Fûck" he muttered. "You are already this wet?"I clutched his shoulder trying to push him back Even when hepreseed his thu
Amaya POV Dante! Of every man I could have walked into. It had to be him. What was he doing here? I thought he wasn’t coming to the festival tonight. I was sure of it, so how the hell…? At this point, it felt like the Moon goddess was playing some twisted game with me, pulling the strings just to see how far she could push me before I snapped. Before I could even process it, his head snapped toward the sound of the toppled crate. Our eyes met, and my heart slipped a beat. He looked stunned seeing me standing there. And I… God… I couldn’t move. I took a shaky step back, then another — but just as I turned to run off, “Amaya… wait!” he said. The next thing I felt was his hand grabbing my wrist, gently pulling me back. His other hand slowly cupped my face, and his eyes searched mine like he needed to feel if I was real. I shivered under his touch. “What are you doing here?” he asked. I swallowed hard, trying to keep my eyes anywhere but on the fact that his pants were still und
Amaya’s POV He tightened his grip like he thought he had some kind of claim over me, like he was testing how far he could push me before I broke—while the other two laughed behind him, clearly enjoying the little show. I slowly turned to him, finally meeting his gaze. My expression was calm, but my eyes told a different story. “Move your hand,” I said calmly. They were clearly drunk, I could smell the alcohol on their breath, but that didn’t excuse their behavior. He chuckled, clearly thinking I was bluffing. “Come on, don’t be like that. We’re just having a little fun.” Wrong again. I watched as his grin widened and he reached out his hand to touch my face. Maybe it was the effect of the full moon because Nyx was growling recklessly inside me, demanding to be let out. Before his hand could touch my face, I grabbed his wrist, twisted it back just enough to make him hiss, then shoved it off me. The bar stool scraped against the floor as I stood up. Without wasting a second, I
Amaya’s POV “How are you feeling?” I finally asked after we were done discussing the major issues. I wasn’t just asking for the sake of it, and judging by the way he moved, he knew exactly what I meant. “Better…” Adam muttered, staring down at his hand. “I’ve been better. Still feel empty inside… but it hurts less now.” I fidgeted with my fingers, not knowing what to say, even though I had been the one to ask. Losing a mate was a kind of pain that never fully went away. It just… settled somewhere deeper, like a scar you learned to live with. It would probably take years for him to fully heal, if he ever learned how to open his heart again. He was still so young, yet he had to endure this much pain. It wasn’t fair. None of it was. “Dante…” I muttered the name before I could stop myself, watching as Adam’s pupils dilated. “Dante is here…” “What!” he growled, his voice louder than I had expected. “What is he doing here? He knows you are alive? How?” “It’s a long story.”
Amaya POV “You… you’re crying?” he muttered. I quickly wiped my face with the back of my hand, pretending like nothing had happened, and stood up in a rush. “I’m fine,” I muttered even though my voice cracked, and I turned away from him. “Ryder’s probably awake now. He’s probably asking for me.” But before I could take more than two steps, he grabbed my wrist. “Amaya,” he said. “Tell me what’s wrong. Are you hurt?” I bit down hard on my lip, still refusing to meet his eyes. “Let go,” I whispered. “I’m not letting go,” he replied, tugging me back a little. “Not until you tell me what’s wrong.” I squeezed my eyes shut, breathing shakily. I couldn’t do this, my chest was aching so much. Thankfully, the sound of hurried footsteps broke the tense silence. “There you are!” Briella called out, and I felt Dante’s grip loosen slightly. As Briella approached, she frowned, noticing the way Dante was still holding me. When she got close enough to see my face properly, her entire body st
Amaya POV“Get out,” he said without looking back. His voice was hoarse but sharp enough to make me flinch.I froze in the doorway, clutching the first aid kit tighter to my chest.“I came to help you,” I whispered, but he scoffed, still not turning to face me.“I don’t need your help, princess.”Even from where I stood, I could see the way his hands trembled when he tried to reach the deeper lashes on his back.My grip tightened around the kit. “I am not a princess,” I muttered, stepping closer despite the cold warning in his voice. “And you clearly need my help. Your wound is still bleeding.”He didn’t say anything, his shoulders rising and falling with each heavy breath he took. I took another step forward, then another until I was next to him. When he still hadn’t said anything, I slowly knelt beside him and set the first aid kit on the floor.I grabbed a bottle of antiseptic and a clean cotton pad, but when I lifted my hand, I hesitated, hovering just above his ruined back.Up cl
Amaya POVIt was a light peck. Barely even a kiss, if we were being technical.But it was everything to me.He froze for a moment, his body stiffening under my touch, and I could feel his heart hammering just as wildly as mine.Then it all shattered as he shoved me away.Hard enough that I stumbled back a few steps, catching myself on the stone bench behind me.His eyes widened in disbelief and something I couldn’t name. His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, like he was holding himself back.“Amaya…” he said hoarsely, but whatever words he meant to say were swallowed by a much heavier silence.A silence broken a second later by the slow, deliberate sound of footsteps approaching.I turned, and my heart dropped straight into my stomach.Standing at the edge of the garden path, with his arms crossed and an expression like a brewing storm, was my father.The Alpha.I knew immediately that he had seen everything.Dante dropped to his knees in front of him without hesitation, he
Amaya POV “Now your faces! Closer!” she instructed. Was she out of her mind?! I almost choked on air but remembered she was just a child. Dante was already leaning in and I had no choice but to do the same. Our faces were now inches apart, and I could feel his breath brushing lightly across my skin. It was torture. This was torture, and no matter how hard I tried to hold my breath, the scent of him still crept into my nose and clung to all my senses. It was all a cruel reminder. Dante tilted his head a little, and when I dared a quick glance at him, his eyes were already on me. I quickly looked away. The tension was so thick between us, it was a wonder the little girl didn’t notice. Minutes passed. Painful, heavy minutes we stayed like that. “Done!” the girl finally announced, and I sighed in relief. Dante immediately pulled away and I felt my shoulders relax. The girl turned the canvas around proudly, and I braced myself for the masterpiece — but what greeted me were two
Amaya POV It felt like he had made it his life mission to always stick around me like a leech. No matter how much I tried to avoid him, he seemed even more determined, and that pissed me off. Did he really think I would suddenly change my mind just because he was constantly being around and suddenly playing the Mr. Nice Guy? Heck! His presence was only making everything worse. “Here,” he said. His voice was rough, a little like he didn’t know what else to say. “I didn’t even want this,” I muttered under my breath, mostly to myself. But when I saw him shift uncomfortably, like he was bracing for me to shove it back at him, I sighed and reached up to take it anyway. Ryder was the one who had gotten it for me, after all, so it would be rude to just toss it aside. I watched him hesitate for a second, then he asked, “Can I sit?” “Why ask when you’re going to do what you want anyway?” I didn’t even look up at him when I answered, hugging the wolf closer to my chest. And jus