Amaya POV “You cry really loud for someone who just volunteered as tribute.” I gasped with a startled breath. I whipped my head around, tear-streaked cheeks and wide eyes, only to find Briella lounging upside down on my reading chair. One leg dangled over the backrest, a book in her hand and a lollipop in her mouth. She didn’t even look up from the book. “What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, sitting up and aggressively wiping the tears from my face with the back of my hand. “How… how long have you been sitting there?” Briella finally looked up, popping the sweet out of her mouth. “Long enough,” she said, and casually set the book aside. “So… what are you doing here?” I asked. She sat up now, swinging her legs over the side of the chair. Knowing Briella, she never showed up unless she needed something or had something to say. Briella was many things, but silent company wasn’t one of them. “It’s about the mission,” she finally said. I knew it. I crossed my arms.
Amaya POV I took in a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as I recalled everything I’d learned up till now. “In situations like this, the last thing you want to do is panic,” Ryder had told me once. “The next… is to listen.” So I listened. I focused on the silence, let the cool air fill my lungs. I gripped my sword tighter and started moving forward carefully, step by step. That’s when I heard sudden footsteps heading right in my direction. My ears twitched and my instinct kicked in. The next rule Ryder had drilled into me came rushing back. “Find a safe place to hide. Then wait. Then strike.” I darted behind a thick tree, crouched low, clutching my sword so tight my knuckles turned white. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I kept my breathing steady. Just like I was taught. Then… I saw movement. A shadow passed me, and without wasting a second, I jumped out with a yell, raising my sword—ready to strike. But I didn’t even get the chance. A hand caught my wrist mid-ai
Amaya’s POV The rogues crept closer, their growls vibrating in my ear. “Cut me down,” I whispered harshly to Dante. “Do you want me to draw more attention to us?” he hissed, his gaze shifting from wolf to wolf. He had his blade out, his body angled protectively around me. But there were four of them, and I could already smell more in the distance. Then one lunged at us. Dante met it mid-air, clashing his blade against the rogue’s jaw. Another rogue darted toward me, but Dante was already at my side, blocking the third one with his forearm. He didn’t look shaken by the blow. He growled and slammed his sword into its chest. Three rogues. He was handling three rogues. Wanting to help, I tried to reach out for my belt, praying the dagger strapped to my thigh hadn’t fallen off, but my eyes widened as I spotted the fourth rogue. It wasn’t moving. It was just standing there, staring straight at me with a grin on its lips. Like it was toying with me. Watching me dangle—helple
Dante’s POV Amaya’s wolf was back? I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her shift. It was the first time I had ever seen her in her wolf form, and for a moment, I genuinely thought I was dreaming. There was no way this was real. But then she growled—and not just any growl. It was deep, commanding, terrifying… and somehow beautiful. If I wasn’t an Alpha myself, I probably would’ve been on my knees. She was twice the size of a normal wolf. Her white fur shimmered like moonlight kissed it, and her presence alone was enough to make the surrounding rogues hesitate. I watched her take down two rogues in under a minute. Her moves were brutally efficient, like she had been doing this her whole life. The third rogue didn’t even try to fight, it just ran. Then she turned to me. Our eyes met as I stared at her now-glowing blue eyes, and for a moment, I forgot everything else. I was so lost I didn’t even realize the fourth rogue was still standing and was now slinking toward her.
Amaya’s POV“What are you doing?” I mumbled, confused as Ryder’s thumb brushed against my bottom lip. Especially when he leaned in and pressed his lips on the side of his thumb.My brow furrowed and I blinked a few times.Ryder’s eyes snapped open, and he casually leaned back, clearing his throat. “Dante was looking,” he said, and my stomach dropped.“What?” My head snapped to the door. There was no one there now, but it didn’t take a genius to realize what had just happened. “You… pretended to kiss me?”“Technically, I did kiss something,” he replied, trying to make a joke out of it.“Ryder,” I said flatly, and he held his hands up.“Relax, I didn’t mean anything by it,” he said.I stared at him for a second, then repeated, “You pretended to kiss me because you saw Dante watching?”He didn’t respond right away, which annoyed me a little.I shifted on the bed and set the fruit bowl aside. “Do you realize how messed up that is?”“I was only proving a point,” he said, quieter now. “He n
Amaya POV “Targeted?” The word echoed in my head. I leaned forward in my seat, gripping the armrest. “By who?” “We don’t know that yet,” Alpha Beckett replied, “but based on the reports of what happened last night and statements from the others… it certainly seems that way.” I frowned. “I don’t understand.” He exhaled, then leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “The others weren’t attacked the way you were. Briella, for instance—she said she chased down a rogue, but not once did it actually fight back. Instead, it led her in circles, then straight into a dead end where she got trapped.” “Wait… what?” My brows furrowed. “The pattern repeats,” he continued. “The others shared similar stories. Light attacks, easy escapes, nothing too serious.” I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly becoming dry. “But you…” he looked at me, “you were ambushed. Not by one. By nearly a dozen rogues. Some of them came from directions no one else had encountered. It’s almost like… they w
Amaya POVRyder and I sat opposite each other on the bench just outside the estate. The afternoon sun had dipped low behind the trees, casting long shadows across the grounds, but neither of us seemed in a rush to leave.We hadn’t said a word since we sat down.The silence stretched between us like an invisible wall. It had been almost half an hour, and I couldn’t take it anymore.“So…” I started, fidgeting with my fingers. “Does he know?” I asked.He gave me a strange look, and I immediately groaned. “Okay, that was stupid. Of course he knows. It’s the mate bond…”He didn’t say anything, he just stared at the ground like it had all the answers he didn’t.“Why did you keep it a secret?” I asked softly.He sighed. “What do you think? My mate is a man and…” he hesitated, swallowing hard. “He doesn’t even seem interested.”That made my chest tighten in a way I didn’t expect.“But then you asked me out,” I said, more confused now. “Why would you do that if you already knew Cyrus was your
Amaya POV “I want a divorce,” I said, but there was no response. “I said I want a divorce,” I repeated louder this time, clenching my fists at my sides. Alpha Dante finally looked up from his desk, staring at me like I had come to throw another tantrum. “You are tired. Go and have a nap or something,” he said dismissively. I bit down on my lips and, in annoyance, slammed the divorce papers I had secretly gathered on his desk. “What is this?” he muttered in irritation, flipping through the papers. “These are the divorce papers. I have my signature already on them. All that’s left is your signature.” His brow furrowed, and his jaw clenched. Then suddenly, he tore the papers into shreds, causing me to gasp. “What… what do you think you are doing? I spent months gathering that… why would you…” “I will not divorce!” His voice thundered, causing me to flinch. He tossed the shredded papers across the room. “You are my wife. The Luna of the Moonshade Pack. How dare you ask for
Amaya POVRyder and I sat opposite each other on the bench just outside the estate. The afternoon sun had dipped low behind the trees, casting long shadows across the grounds, but neither of us seemed in a rush to leave.We hadn’t said a word since we sat down.The silence stretched between us like an invisible wall. It had been almost half an hour, and I couldn’t take it anymore.“So…” I started, fidgeting with my fingers. “Does he know?” I asked.He gave me a strange look, and I immediately groaned. “Okay, that was stupid. Of course he knows. It’s the mate bond…”He didn’t say anything, he just stared at the ground like it had all the answers he didn’t.“Why did you keep it a secret?” I asked softly.He sighed. “What do you think? My mate is a man and…” he hesitated, swallowing hard. “He doesn’t even seem interested.”That made my chest tighten in a way I didn’t expect.“But then you asked me out,” I said, more confused now. “Why would you do that if you already knew Cyrus was your
Amaya POV “Targeted?” The word echoed in my head. I leaned forward in my seat, gripping the armrest. “By who?” “We don’t know that yet,” Alpha Beckett replied, “but based on the reports of what happened last night and statements from the others… it certainly seems that way.” I frowned. “I don’t understand.” He exhaled, then leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “The others weren’t attacked the way you were. Briella, for instance—she said she chased down a rogue, but not once did it actually fight back. Instead, it led her in circles, then straight into a dead end where she got trapped.” “Wait… what?” My brows furrowed. “The pattern repeats,” he continued. “The others shared similar stories. Light attacks, easy escapes, nothing too serious.” I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly becoming dry. “But you…” he looked at me, “you were ambushed. Not by one. By nearly a dozen rogues. Some of them came from directions no one else had encountered. It’s almost like… they w
Amaya’s POV“What are you doing?” I mumbled, confused as Ryder’s thumb brushed against my bottom lip. Especially when he leaned in and pressed his lips on the side of his thumb.My brow furrowed and I blinked a few times.Ryder’s eyes snapped open, and he casually leaned back, clearing his throat. “Dante was looking,” he said, and my stomach dropped.“What?” My head snapped to the door. There was no one there now, but it didn’t take a genius to realize what had just happened. “You… pretended to kiss me?”“Technically, I did kiss something,” he replied, trying to make a joke out of it.“Ryder,” I said flatly, and he held his hands up.“Relax, I didn’t mean anything by it,” he said.I stared at him for a second, then repeated, “You pretended to kiss me because you saw Dante watching?”He didn’t respond right away, which annoyed me a little.I shifted on the bed and set the fruit bowl aside. “Do you realize how messed up that is?”“I was only proving a point,” he said, quieter now. “He n
Dante’s POV Amaya’s wolf was back? I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her shift. It was the first time I had ever seen her in her wolf form, and for a moment, I genuinely thought I was dreaming. There was no way this was real. But then she growled—and not just any growl. It was deep, commanding, terrifying… and somehow beautiful. If I wasn’t an Alpha myself, I probably would’ve been on my knees. She was twice the size of a normal wolf. Her white fur shimmered like moonlight kissed it, and her presence alone was enough to make the surrounding rogues hesitate. I watched her take down two rogues in under a minute. Her moves were brutally efficient, like she had been doing this her whole life. The third rogue didn’t even try to fight, it just ran. Then she turned to me. Our eyes met as I stared at her now-glowing blue eyes, and for a moment, I forgot everything else. I was so lost I didn’t even realize the fourth rogue was still standing and was now slinking toward her.
Amaya’s POV The rogues crept closer, their growls vibrating in my ear. “Cut me down,” I whispered harshly to Dante. “Do you want me to draw more attention to us?” he hissed, his gaze shifting from wolf to wolf. He had his blade out, his body angled protectively around me. But there were four of them, and I could already smell more in the distance. Then one lunged at us. Dante met it mid-air, clashing his blade against the rogue’s jaw. Another rogue darted toward me, but Dante was already at my side, blocking the third one with his forearm. He didn’t look shaken by the blow. He growled and slammed his sword into its chest. Three rogues. He was handling three rogues. Wanting to help, I tried to reach out for my belt, praying the dagger strapped to my thigh hadn’t fallen off, but my eyes widened as I spotted the fourth rogue. It wasn’t moving. It was just standing there, staring straight at me with a grin on its lips. Like it was toying with me. Watching me dangle—helple
Amaya POV I took in a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves as I recalled everything I’d learned up till now. “In situations like this, the last thing you want to do is panic,” Ryder had told me once. “The next… is to listen.” So I listened. I focused on the silence, let the cool air fill my lungs. I gripped my sword tighter and started moving forward carefully, step by step. That’s when I heard sudden footsteps heading right in my direction. My ears twitched and my instinct kicked in. The next rule Ryder had drilled into me came rushing back. “Find a safe place to hide. Then wait. Then strike.” I darted behind a thick tree, crouched low, clutching my sword so tight my knuckles turned white. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I kept my breathing steady. Just like I was taught. Then… I saw movement. A shadow passed me, and without wasting a second, I jumped out with a yell, raising my sword—ready to strike. But I didn’t even get the chance. A hand caught my wrist mid-ai
Amaya POV “You cry really loud for someone who just volunteered as tribute.” I gasped with a startled breath. I whipped my head around, tear-streaked cheeks and wide eyes, only to find Briella lounging upside down on my reading chair. One leg dangled over the backrest, a book in her hand and a lollipop in her mouth. She didn’t even look up from the book. “What the hell are you doing here?” I asked, sitting up and aggressively wiping the tears from my face with the back of my hand. “How… how long have you been sitting there?” Briella finally looked up, popping the sweet out of her mouth. “Long enough,” she said, and casually set the book aside. “So… what are you doing here?” I asked. She sat up now, swinging her legs over the side of the chair. Knowing Briella, she never showed up unless she needed something or had something to say. Briella was many things, but silent company wasn’t one of them. “It’s about the mission,” she finally said. I knew it. I crossed my arms.
Amaya POV“Because he saved my life.”I had expected a thousand excuses to justify his actions. Political reasons. Strategy. Maybe even fear. I mean, a lot of packs were indeed afraid of Dante’s wrath, so it would make a little sense if that was the case. But that—that I didn’t expect.“What?” I said in shock, unsure of how else to respond.“Over fifteen years ago,” he said, staring down at his hands like they held pieces of a past he didn’t want to relive. “Ryder fell gravely ill. The healers and doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him—he was dying slowly right in front of me. I had already lost my mate… I couldn’t lose my only son too.”His jaw clenched as he relived the memory.“My Beta back then—Harlem—recommended someone. He said there was a powerful healer who lived beyond the northern border, someone who didn’t belong to any pack but had cured impossible cases before. The problem was, he wasn’t reachable. We had to go to him.”He paused, his expression hardened, and
Amaya POV “I volunteer,” I said with no hesitation. The room suddenly went quiet. Alpha Beckett furrowed his brow, Ryder’s eyes widened, and I could feel the tension shift. “You?” Dante asked, rising halfway from his seat. “Amaya—” “I said what I said.” I cut him off calmly. “This is my pack too. And if there’s danger near our borders, I’m not sitting here twiddling my thumbs while the rest of you bleed.” Ryder stepped away from the wall and was now fully focused on me. His jaw ticked, but he didn’t say anything. Beckett exchanged a look with one of the council members, then nodded slowly. “Fine. You’ll be briefed in twenty minutes.” I nodded and turned around before anyone could protest further, ignoring the burning gaze of Dante behind me. I barely made it past the hallway before I heard footsteps behind me. “Amaya,” Ryder called, and I stopped. My lips curled into a small smile, but as I turned, I was met with a blank stare that made it falter. “What is it?” I as