HANNAH’S POV
*Back to Present*
The verdict had been delivered, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my face. I didn’t want to cry—not here, not now—but the sight of Cecilia, my stepmother, weeping so bitterly for me shattered any resolve I had left.
Her sobs echoed through the cold courtroom, each one a painful reminder of the agony I had caused her. I could see it in her eyes, in the way her face crumpled with grief. She looked so fragile, so broken.
“Oh, God,” she whispered, her voice quivering as though it might break altogether. “Where did I go wrong? I promised your father I’d take care of you.” Her words, filled with a desperate kind of sorrow, were more than I could bear.
My throat tightened as I struggled to speak. “I’m so sorry, Cecilia,” I choked out, my voice barely above a whisper. “This isn’t your fault. One day, I’ll be able to tell you the truth.” I reached out, wanting to hold her hand a little longer, to somehow convey the apology I couldn’t fully express.
But the guards were already moving in, their hands rough and impersonal as they grabbed my arms. The cold metal of the shackles bit into my wrists, a harsh contrast to the warmth I’d tried to offer Cecilia.
As they dragged me away, I caught a glimpse of Coby at the far end of the room. His face was a mask, his expression unreadable. I searched his eyes, desperate to find some sign of what he was thinking, but before I could make sense of it, I was dragged out and thrust into the cell.
The heavy door slammed shut behind me with a deafening clang. The guards removed my shackles with practiced efficiency, their disdain palpable. One of them sneered at me, his voice dripping with scorn. “It’s a pity a pretty girl like you has such a rotten mind to take a life. But don’t worry—you’ll pay for your crimes now.”
I clenched my fists, swallowing the scream that rose in my throat. I wasn’t filthy. I wasn’t a murderer. But now wasn’t the time to defend myself. Not yet. I needed to wait—wait until Coby was crowned. I backed into the corner of the cell, the cold stone floor pressing into my skin as I curled up, trying to find some small comfort in the darkness.
The hours dragged on, each one feeling like an eternity. I kept waiting, hoping against hope that Coby would come to see me. I knew his coronation as Alpha was imminent—only a few hours away—but still, I prayed he would find a moment for me.
His presence would have calmed the storm inside me, reassured me that everything might somehow be okay. Every time I heard footsteps echoing down the prison hallway, my heart leapt with anticipation, only to crash back down when they faded into silence. Each disappointment felt like a fresh wound, leaving me more broken than before.
As daylight slipped away, replaced by the inky blackness of night, I heard the faint strains of music drifting in from outside. It was coming from Coby’s ceremony, the celebration of his rise to power. Tears filled my eyes, blurring my vision as I thought about what I was missing.
I had always imagined standing beside him as he was crowned, sharing in his triumph. Instead, I was here—locked away in a dark, dank cell, staring out at the world through a small, barred window.
I lay down on the cold floor, my body aching from the unyielding stone beneath me. Thoughts of my father flooded my mind. What would he think if he were alive? Would he be disappointed in me? And what about Cecilia? Was she still crying, still blaming herself for my fate?
In the midst of my turmoil, I longed for Vivian, wishing she could be here, if only for a moment. But she had disappeared from me. Was she that ashamed of me, now that I have become a murderer?
The distant music continued to play, a cruel reminder of all I had lost, until finally, exhaustion pulled me into a dreamless sleep.
The next morning, the sound of my cell door unlocking jolted me awake. My heart pounded as I sat up, fear and hope warring within me. When I saw Coby step inside, a wave of relief washed over me. I scrambled to my feet. "Coby!" I cried, rushing over to him, wrapping my arms around him in a tight hug, just like I always had. But something was wrong. He didn’t hug me back. His body was stiff, unyielding.
I pulled away, my eyes searching his face for an explanation. But what I saw there made my heart lurch with fear. His expression was cold, indifferent—so unlike the Coby I knew. “What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice trembling. A terrible thought crossed my mind, and I gasped. “Did they not name you Alpha?”
His eyes met mine, his gaze cold and unwavering. “I am now Alpha of the Crimson pack,” he said, his tone flat and filled with pride.
A wave of relief swept through me, and I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. But as I looked at him again, I knew something was still very wrong. “Then why didn’t you come to see me yesterday after your coronation?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
Coby’s expression hardened, his eyes narrowing. “I couldn’t come,” he said, his voice as cold as his gaze.
I nodded slowly, trying to understand. “I assumed you were busy...”
But his next words shattered that assumption—and my heart. “I couldn’t come to see you not because I was busy, but because I want nothing to do with someone like you.”
For a moment, the world seemed to stop. My breath caught in my throat, my mind struggling to process what he had just said. “What do you mean?” I asked, my voice shaking. “What do you mean by ‘someone like me’?”
Coby’s eyes locked onto mine, his gaze icy and unforgiving. “Someone who is a murderer,” he spat.
HAVANA’S POV“W-what?”I blinked, unsure if I had heard him correctly. But the cold, unfeeling stare in Coby’s eyes told me otherwise—he wasn’t joking. He had really called me a murderer. My heart sank as his words echoed in my mind. How could he say that? What had twisted his soul so deeply that he could utter such vile accusations? Was he under some kind of spell, or had he always harbored this darkness within him?I swallowed hard, my throat tightening with the effort to hold back tears. “Coby… why?” I asked, my voice trembling as I fought to maintain some semblance of composure. “Why are you saying these things to me? You promised… you promised you’d get me out. You know I’m innocent, Coby. You know it.”For a moment, the world seemed to hold its breath. Then, to my horror, Coby chuckled—a low, cold sound that sent shivers down my spine. “Naive,” he sneered, his eyes glinting with cruel amusement. “So incredibly naive and foolish. It’s almost amusing, really, how clueless you are.
HANNAH’S POVThe cold, damp air of the cell clung to my skin like a suffocating shroud, intensifying the weight of the betrayal that had shattered my heart. Curled up in the darkest corner, I cried, the sobs ripping from my chest as though they could tear free the anguish that had rooted itself deep within me.I had tried so hard to be strong, to pull myself together and face the pain with a steely resolve, but Coby's betrayal was too much to bear. His rejection was a wound I hadn’t seen coming—a knife thrust into my back by the very person I had trusted above all others.I had loved him with every fiber of my being, sacrificing my freedom so he could become the Alpha. And now, here I was, left to rot in this cell while he ascended to power."Don’t do it; you might regret it!" Andrew’s warning echoed in my mind, the words that had seemed so unfounded now glaringly true. He must have known, must have seen through Coby’s charming facade to the cold, calculating heart beneath.Oh, how fo
HANNAH’S POVWhen I finally began to regain consciousness, the first thing that registered was the sound of voices—low and urgent, as if they were trying to keep something secret. I blinked, my eyelids heavy, and let the voices guide me back to reality. One of them, more familiar than the other, struck a chord in my muddled brain. That voice... I knew that voice.With effort, I pried my eyes open, my vision swimming before it settled on two figures standing in my cell. As my gaze sharpened, the conversation ceased, and both men turned toward me. My heart skipped—Andrew was there, Coby’s beta and, at one time, my friend. But after everything, I’m not so sure anymore.The other man, older and stooped with age, was the pack’s doctor. I remembered him from a visit to the clinic when I had a stomach bug, but seeing him here, in this dark, suffocating place, made my mind whirl with confusion.Andrew’s face tightened as he saw me awake. He dropped to his knees beside me, his voice thick with
XAVIER’S POVIt was late into the night, and the house was quiet except for the sound of my footsteps as I slipped out of bed, threw on my clothes, and walked away from the room, leaving Eva behind. I had just closed the door on her—the red-haired female Lycan who had become my go-to when I needed a quick release.For me, it was always just sex, nothing more. No strings attached, no emotions to complicate things. That’s how I wanted it—just two horny Lycans fulfilling each other's needs.Eva knew the deal from the start; she knew I wasn't a man to get attached to. Yet, she kept coming back, willing and eager. Every time, I felt the same disgust churning inside me as I did now—a sour taste in the back of my throat.I clenched my jaw as I strolled down the hallway, trying to shake off the lingering feeling of revulsion crawling under my skin. My mind wandered, but I couldn’t find any solace in the empty corridors. I needed air, space, something to clear my head.As I made my way toward
HANNAH’S POVI woke up with a sharp gasp, my heart pounding in my chest, momentarily confused. The white ceiling above me was anything but familiar. I clenched my eyes shut, the memory of my escape and that Lycan’s claw squeezing at the back of my neck flashing through my mind.My hand shot up to my neck, fingers trembling as they brushed against my skin, half-expecting a jolt of pain where that brutal strike had landed. But instead of the searing agony I anticipated, there was only a dull soreness."Savage bastard," I muttered under my breath, the words tinged with anger and fear. But beneath the anger was a surprising wave of relief. I was alive. Not dead, not rotting away in some cold, dark dungeon. I exhaled a shaky breath, trying to calm the frantic beating of my heart. I needed to focus, to figure out where I was.The bed beneath me was soft—too soft—like sinking into a cloud. A king-sized bed, I noted, with silken sheets that brushed against my skin with a delicate, almost too-
Hannah’s POVThe worry etched on his face softened as he offered me a gentle smile, one that reached his deep blue eyes, making them sparkle with warmth. His expression was so sincere that it momentarily melted the tension between us.“Hannah,” Xavier began, almost as if lost in thought, murmuring my name softly, like a chant. There was something mesmerizing about the way his deep voice wrapped around each syllable, making my name sound almost sacred.I hated to admit it, but there was a fluttering in my stomach—a knowing sensation I hadn't felt in a long time—just from hearing him say my name over and over again.He turned toward me, his eyes still holding that warm glint, and introduced himself. "I’m King Xavier Bonnet. But you can call me Xavier."The title hung in the air, heavy and imposing, but I didn’t react the way he seemed to expect. His smile faltered, his brow furrowing as a shadow of doubt crossed his face.He must have assumed I’d already heard the rumors about him—dark,
XAVIER’S POVPregnant? The word echoed in my head, a cruel, harsh reality that twisted my gut with disbelief. My breath hitched, and for a moment, I felt the world tilt around me.Pregnant. Hannah said she was pregnant. I struggled to process it, to believe that she could possibly be telling a lie. She was pregnant? It didn’t make sense.I knew my mate didn’t want me, but lying about being pregnant just to push me away? That seemed too cruel, even for her. A mix of confusion and anger bubbled up within me, threatening to spill over.“Pregnant?” My voice was barely above a whisper, laced with an incredulity even I could hear. I grabbed her arm before I could stop myself, pulling her closer.My eyes searched hers, desperate to find some glimmer of deceit in those wide, frightened depths. “What do you mean, pregnant?” My voice dropped, deadly low, as I tightened my grip.The tremor in her breath didn’t escape me as she swallowed, clearly trying to muster the strength to respond. “Let me
HANNAH’S POVMy body trembled as I crouched in the cold, damp corner of Xavier's bathroom, knees pulled tightly to my chest. The tiles beneath me were icy, soaking through my clothes, but I barely noticed. All I could think about was the way Xavier's eyes had blazed with anger, his voice like a whip cracking through the air. I had expected him to be upset, but not like this—not this raw, consuming fury.I wiped at the tears streaming down my face, my hands trembling. “What have I done?” The thought of him forcing me to abort the baby clawed at my insides. I pressed my hand to my stomach, as if I could somehow protect the tiny life growing inside me. The very idea of losing this child—my child, no matter who the father was—was unbearable.“Maybe I should have kept it a secret,” I thought, biting down on my lower lip to stop it from trembling. “Maybe I should have waited longer... until I was sure.” But it was too late now. The truth was out, and I was at Xavier’s mercy. I could only ho
HANNAH’S POVI woke to the soft, rhythmic sound of Jackson’s breathing beside me, his little chest rising and falling with such perfect innocence that it made my heart ache. The pale sunlight seeped through the curtains, painting his face in a golden glow. For a moment, I didn’t move, just watched him—the curve of his cheeks, the flutter of his lashes.He looked so peaceful, and in that stillness, I found a fleeting sense of calm. Leaning down, I pressed a gentle kiss to his warm cheek, my lips lingering for a heartbeat.Slipping from the bed, I tightened my robe around me and padded silently to the bathroom. The cool splash of water on my face was like a reset button, wiping away the remnants of sleep. As I dried my face, the thought of pancakes floated to mind—unbidden but welcome. Jackson loved pancakes, especially with a swirl of honey.Back in the bedroom, I changed into Xavier shorts and leggings before pulling my hair into a loose bun.Humming softly, I headed to the kitchen, t
EVA’S POVThe sharp knock at the door tore through my sleep like a blade, yanking me from a fragile dream. I groaned, rolling onto my stomach and pressing my face into the pillow, hoping whoever it was would take the hint and leave.The knocking came again, harder this time, rattling the thin door. “Whoever it is, go away!” I shouted, my voice thick with sleep and irritation.“Eva! It’s me—please, open up!”Vivian? Her voice cracked, raw and unfamiliar, and an uneasy prickle shot through me. I dragged myself out of bed, my head foggy as I stumbled across the room.She never sounded like that—not Vivian, not the girl who could chew someone out without breaking a sweat.When I pulled the door open, whatever I was about to say died in my throat. She stood there, trembling, barely holding herself upright.Her hair stuck to her forehead in damp strands, and her oversized shirt—definitely not hers—hung awkwardly off one shoulder. But it was her eyes that hit me the hardest. They were swolle
VIVIAN’S POVThe night was alive with tension, each breath of wind carrying the weight of my choices. The six guards surrounded me in a loose circle, their postures sharp, hands resting near weapons that might as well have been unsheathed.Their eyes burned with the kind of suspicion that came only from long, hard training. Predators. My wolf stirred beneath my skin—a coiled spring of instinct and fury. I swallowed it down with a low growl, a sound that straddled the line between warning and restraint.This wasn’t the time. Not yet.I pulled air into my lungs, slow and deliberate, willing my wolf to retreat. The shift back to human form hit like a vice tightening around every bone in my body, each joint snapping into place with brutal finality.When it was over, I stood there bare and trembling, the cool night air a sharp reminder of how fragile this form could feel. My breaths came unsteady, but I forced my voice to remain calm. Steady.“I’m Luna Vivian, wife of Alpha Coby of the Cri
VIVIAN’S POVThe taillights vanished into the yawning dark, swallowed by the endless stretch of road. A lump rose in my throat—sharp and suffocating—and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe.My chest hitched as I choked down a sob that threatened to claw its way free. He’d done it. Coby had really left me—abandoned me—without a second glance, without a shred of hesitation.The cold pressed against my skin like icy needles, but even that was nothing compared to the hollow ache churning inside me.The forest loomed beyond the crumbling pack house, its gnarled branches clawing at the moonlit sky like skeletal fingers. Shadows pooled beneath the trees—dark, alive—and my gut twisted.Rogues could be out there, lurking, watching, waiting. I shivered, but not from the cold. The fear pressed down on me, heavy and relentless, making my pulse race and my breaths come shallow.“Get a grip,” I whispered, though my voice barely broke the silence. My legs felt leaden as I forced them to move, each step
COBY’S POVThe car hurtled down the desolate road, the growl of the engine loud but not loud enough. The chaos in my mind was deafening. My fingers clamped around the steering wheel, nails biting into the leather. My jaw ached from clenching so hard.I had done it. Finally. I had walked away from her for good.But her voice—raw, broken—clung to me like a ghost. “Coby, please! Don’t go! Don’t leave me like this!”Her scream had shattered something inside me, something I wasn’t sure I’d ever get back. Even now, the memory of it tightened around my chest like a vice. But I couldn’t stop. Not after what she’d done.The name came unbidden: that damn Elijah.Just thinking his name made my blood boil. How could she? After everything we had been through, after everything I had sacrificed for her, how could she betray me like this? I slammed my hand against the wheel, the sharp pain in my palm doing nothing to ease the rage burning through me.She had stood there, tears streaming down her face
VIVIAN’S POVHis grip on my throat faltered, a flicker of uncertainty flashing across his stormy eyes. I gasped, dragging air into my burning lungs, coughing as if it might stop the world from spinning.“For us?” His voice dropped to a low growl, quieter now but seething with danger.“Yes!” I choked, my words tumbling out through tears that burned hot trails down my cheeks. “Everything I did, Coby, I did for us. Do you think I wanted this? That I—” My voice cracked, and I gritted my teeth, forcing the words past the lump in my throat.“Do you think I enjoyed it? Being near him, letting him think he had control over me? I hated every second of being with him. But I thought—” I faltered, my voice trembling like brittle glass. “I thought if I gave him what he wanted, we could have his resources and support. It was the only way. For us. For our future.”His fingers twitched, loosening slightly, though they lingered at my throat. His breath was uneven, his chest heaving with restrained rag
VIVIAN’S POV“What truth are you talking about, Coby?” My voice came out sharper than intended, the sharp edge of fear making it crack. I couldn’t help it—the way he’d been acting, the things he’d been saying—it wasn’t like him.Coby didn’t answer. He didn’t even flinch. Instead, he turned on his heel and walked deeper into the ruins, his boots crunching over broken glass and rotting wood.“Coby!” I called after him, my voice rising in pitch—a mix of frustration and panic. My pulse thudded in my ears as I watched his retreating figure. He was acting so strange, so... off.Whatever madness had taken hold of him that night, I had to stop it. I needed to drag him out of that place before something terrible happened—something we couldn’t come back from.He was slipping away—both physically and emotionally—and I couldn’t let that happen. Not now.I hurried after him, stumbling slightly as I tried to navigate the broken remains of the house. The scent of damp wood and decay filled my nostri
VIVIAN’S POVThe hum of the car filled the silence—a low, steady sound that echoed the unease building inside me. I sat in the passenger seat, staring out into the darkness as the road stretched endlessly ahead.Coby hadn’t said a damn word since we left the shadow moon pack, and the longer we drove, the more I realized how stupid I had been not to ask questions.What exactly was I thinking? I came home, exhausted after a long day with Eva and Elijah, and there he was, telling me to get in the car.I didn’t even ask why or where we were going—I just went along. And Now, hours later, with nothing but the dim glow of the dashboard and his silence for company, I felt like an idiot to say the least.I turned my head to look at him. His face was set, his eyes locked on the road like it held some kind of answer. His hands gripped the wheel, his knuckles pale under the faint light.“Coby,” I said, breaking the silence, though my voice sounded smaller than I intended. “Where the hell are we g
LILY'S POV“There’s nothing we can do,” Andrew said, his voice heavy with resignation. “Let’s just hope they don’t end up killing each other wherever they are.”I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. What could I have said to that? The tension between Coby and Vivian wasn’t something I had been aware of until now, but hearing Andrew say it out loud made it feel even more real—and dangerous.As we walked back to his house, his hand firmly holding mine, the silence between us stretched. I glanced at him now and then, but his eyes were distant, his brows furrowed in deep thought.He was worried. That much was obvious. Despite everything, he cared deeply about his Alpha and Luna, even if I didn’t think Vivian deserved the title.By the time we got back to his place, the weight of the night seemed to press even heavier on both of us. Andrew dropped onto the couch, rubbing his face with his hands, while I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do.“Do you want some water?” I asked sof