HANNAH’S POVThe day of the welcoming party had finally arrived, and despite Xavier’s reassurances that Kara—his Beta’s mate—would be coming around to help me get ready, I couldn’t shake the nervousness gnawing at me.The way Xavier had spoken about Kara, his eyes lighting up as he described her, made me believe she would be kind. Yet the fluttering in my stomach persisted—a mix of anxiety and anticipation twisting within me.Xavier had left early that morning, muttering something about needing to check on the party preparations. But I knew better; it was just an excuse to give Kara and me some space. I appreciated the gesture, especially since I was feeling both lazy and nauseous from the pregnancy hormones.The mere thought of dragging myself out of Xavier’s king-sized bed felt like an Olympic feat. But I had to look presentable before Kara arrived, so I forced myself up, each movement a small victory over the fatigue weighing me down.The cold tiles sent a shiver up my spine as I p
HANNAH'S POVEver since arriving at the Blue Moon pack and being confined to Xavier's room, the outside world had become a distant memory. The walls of his quarters were both my shelter and my prison, with only fleeting glimpses of the world beyond through half-closed curtains.So when he finally told me about the party, I could only think of one thing: freedom, at last. But the momentary joy was quickly replaced by a creeping sense of dread. Xavier mentioned that he had invited all the neighboring packs and allies.Could Coby be among them?The thought sent a cold shiver down my spine, my palms dampening with the anxiety that gripped me. As we walked down the long hallway, my fingers instinctively tightened around Xavier's arm, my anchor in this storm of uncertainty."Are you okay?" Xavier's voice, always so controlled, now had an edge of concern. His eyes flickered toward me, softening at the sight of my tension.I forced a smile, though my stomach was in knots. "Yeah, just... a litt
HANNAH’S POVMy breath caught in my throat the moment I saw him—Andrew. His familiar chiseled jawline, the messy hair that always looked like he had just woken up, and those deep brown eyes that always seemed to be watching, observing everything. My heart stuttered for a second as a mix of shock and something else—something I didn’t want to name—rushed through me. I hadn’t seen him in weeks, and I certainly didn’t expect to find him at Xavier's lavish party. The room around us faded; the hum of laughter and clinking glasses reduced to a dull buzz as my eyes locked onto him. “Andrew?” The word slipped out, barely above a whisper, my voice betraying my disbelief. I swallowed hard, feeling the sudden dryness in my throat. “What are you doing here?” His lips curled into a small smile, but his eyes... they told a different story. A hint of something—perhaps relief, or maybe something darker—flickered there. “Hannah,” he said softly, his voice like a memory. “It’s good to see you again.”
HANNAH'S POVI gazed at Eva, my expression cold, disinterested. Every muscle in my face was deliberately still—no flicker of warmth, no hint of openness. The air between us felt thick, suffocating, as if the tension had manifested into something tangible. But Eva, unfazed, stepped closer. She forced a smile—tight, strained—and extended her hand, a hollow gesture wrapped in forced civility. “Let’s start again, Hannah.” Her voice was coated with a sickly sweetness, each word dripping with an effort to seem kind. I could hear the tension beneath it, the way her vocal cords tightened with resentment she couldn’t fully mask. “I think we got off on the wrong foot. Maybe we should reintroduce ourselves, try to make amends. Who knows—we could become allies, if not friends.” A sigh escaped me, slow and deliberate, laden with disinterest. “I’m not interested in becoming your ally or friend, Eva.” The words came out clipped, each syllable sharp, as though I was too exhausted to even bother w
HANNAH'S POVXavier’s face shifted, his brows drawing together in concentration. His voice, calm yet calculated, broke the silence. "Eva was no one, Hannah. Just another pack member. You didn’t need to worry about her."I studied him, my mind racing as I pieced together what I’d heard. My eyes narrowed as I searched his face for the truth. "That’s not what I’ve been told," I said, my voice firmer than I intended. "I heard you were going to make her your Luna before I came along and ruined your plans."His expression changed—shock, confusion, and finally, a flicker of anger briefly clouding his features. But beneath the mask he wore, I caught a glimpse of something else. Guilt. It was subtle, but it was there."Who told you that?" Xavier’s voice dropped, edged with a dangerous calm, as though he were barely holding back a storm.I lifted my chin, refusing to back down. "Does it really matter where I heard it? The point is, you’re not telling me the truth. You and Eva—you were together,
HANNAH’S POVThe next morning, I slowly opened my eyes, still half-lost in the warmth of sleep, only to find Xavier beside me. His large, protective arms were wrapped around me like a barrier against the world, as if even in sleep, he was afraid to let go. For a moment, I just lay there, captivated by the rise and fall of his chest.He looked peaceful, his rugged features softened by sleep. His brows, usually furrowed in concentration, were relaxed. His long lashes—ridiculously long for a man—rested against his cheeks, giving him an almost boyish innocence. I couldn’t help but smile as I noticed his slightly parted lips, the softest of snores escaping now and then. My heart swelled unexpectedly.“Why do I feel this way?” I wondered, a flutter stirring in my chest. I couldn’t help it; I was drawn to him more than I should be. There was something comforting about watching him sleep, something that made me feel... love. But love was dangerous, wasn’t it? I shook my head lightly, trying t
HANNAH’S POVTHREE YEARS LATERThree years can slip by like a gentle breeze—swift and subtle—yet in those years, my life had transformed. Jackson, my beautiful boy, had become the sun around which my world revolved. And Xavier—he had been my anchor, always steady, always there. From the moment Jackson’s first cry broke through the air, Xavier became a man who lived for us.I remember that day like it was yesterday: the exhaustion, the pain, and then... the overwhelming joy. I saw something new in Xavier’s eyes when he held our son for the first time—pride, yes, but also a kind of fierce tenderness.As he whispered Jackson’s name, a name he chose to honor his late father, I knew our lives had shifted forever. The bond between us deepened in that moment. Whatever doubts I had about his commitment faded away like mist under the morning sun.One night, when Jackson wouldn’t settle, his tiny voice demanding Xavier’s presence, I glanced at the clock. Nine p.m. had come and gone, and still, n
HANNAH’S POV"Crimson Pack." The name hit me like a blow, and for a moment, all I could hear was the rush of blood in my ears. The Crimson Pack—the one pack I had hoped never to cross paths with again.My breath hitched. The hesitation in Xavier’s voice before he uttered the words should have confirmed my worst fear—it was my old pack. Memories crashed over me, each one cutting deeper than the last.Three years had passed, but the scars still remained, hidden but not forgotten. I had worked so hard to bury that part of my life, but now, it was rising to the surface, threatening everything I held dear."No, this can't be happening." My mind raced with fear and anger. "What would this mean for me, for my son, Jackson?" The thought of Alpha Coby coming here, seeing him, and realizing he was his own son sent a jolt of panic through my veins."Oh no! What if he tries to take Jackson away from me? It would be over my dead body," I swore to myself. Jackson was mine—no one would take him, not
XAVIER’S POVThe moment Hannah told me she was pregnant, the world seemed to stop. A rush of joy—raw and electric—surged through me, so intense it stole my breath. My heart pounded in my chest, and for a second, I couldn’t speak.Another baby. A piece of us.I pulled her into my arms, holding her so tightly I worried I might hurt her. But she laughed—a sound so light and full of hope it made my chest ache. I kissed her, my hands trembling against her face, and for that one perfect moment, everything else faded away.But as we left the hospital, the joy began to crack.Ross.The name slithered into my mind like a snake, cold and unrelenting. My stomach twisted, and I clenched my fists to keep them from shaking. He was out there. Watching. Waiting. The thought of him anywhere near Hannah, near Jackson—near this new life growing inside her—made my blood run cold.I could almost see his face: that cruel smirk, those empty, cold eyes. My jaw tightened, and I forced myself to breathe, to ke
Hannah’s POVThe thought made me smile, but I didn’t want to get ahead of myself. I needed to be sure before I said anything to Xavier. The last thing I wanted was to raise his hopes—or mine—if it wasn’t true. Still, the possibility made me feel warm inside, and I couldn’t help but imagine another child, a sibling for Jackson.Once I was dressed, I found Xavier already waiting for me, his eyes watching my every move. He didn’t say much, but the way he hovered close to me, the gentle touches on my arm and back, spoke volumes. He was worried, though trying to hide it. I could tell.As we headed downstairs, I kept thinking about that small possibility—could I really be pregnant?Jackson was still fast asleep when we peeked into his room. His little body was curled up under the blankets, clutching his stuffed bunny. I smiled at the sight, but my thoughts wandered to how different things could be soon if there was a new addition to the family. The idea made my heart flutter."Let’s go befo
HANNAH’S POVI stirred awake the next morning, feeling the warmth of Xavier’s body beside me. His lips brushed against my cheek, trailing down to my collarbone, and I smiled before my eyes even opened. When they did, he was there—his face inches from mine, his dark emerald eyes crinkling at the corners as he grinned down at me.“Good morning, beautiful,” he murmured, his voice low and rough with sleep.I reached up to touch his face, my fingers grazing the stubble along his jaw. “Morning,” I whispered back, my voice still thick with sleep.He leaned in, his lips hovering over mine, but I turned my face away with a playful squeal. “Xavier, no! I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”He chuckled, the sound warm and rich, and I felt it vibrate through his chest. “I don’t care,” he said, his breath tickling my ear. “You’re still you.”Before I could protest again, his lips found mine—soft and insistent. I melted into him, my hands sliding up to tangle in his hair. His kiss was slow and deliberat
HANNAH’S POVThe dinner table felt too big tonight. The empty chair across from me glared like an accusation. The food in front of me had long lost its steam—the mashed potatoes hardening at the edges, the chicken growing cold.It wasn’t like him to be late, not like this. He’d been so absorbed in finding Elijah ever since he disappeared, and I understood the toll it was taking on him. He wouldn’t let it go until he found the truth, no matter how long it took. But tonight… something felt off. I couldn’t shake the feeling that it wasn’t just about Elijah.I sighed softly, a mix of frustration and worry swirling inside me. I’d been waiting so long, hoping for a message, for any sign that he was coming home soon. Just as I was about to call him, my phone buzzed on the table. My heart leaped as I saw it was a message from Xavier.“I won’t be home for dinner. Don’t wait up. Kiss Jackson goodnight for me.”I stared at the message, my chest tightening. Another long night without him. But I u
XAVIER’S POVThe door clicked softly as Kas left, but the sound barely registered. My mind was already unraveling, pulled back into the past by a force I couldn’t fight. The office—its polished wood, the faint scent of ink and leather—faded into nothingness.All I could see was her. Laila. My baby sister. Her face, so full of life, so full of light, flashed before me, and the ache in my chest—the one that never truly left—flared like a fresh wound.“Xavier, you’re being unreasonable!” Her voice echoed in my mind, sharp and pleading all at once. I could still see her standing there, hands on her hips, those wide, gentle eyes blazing with frustration. “Ross isn’t the monster you think he is. He’s my mate, Xavier. My mate. Don’t you understand what that means?”I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening as I glared at her. “I understand perfectly, Laila. I understand that the Moon Goddess made a mistake. Ross is a killer, a predator. He thrives on chaos and bloodshed. You’re too good for him
XAVIER’S POVThe sun was starting to set as I stood by the window in my office, my fingers gripping the sill until my knuckles turned white. The view below should have been comforting—the sprawling territory of the Shadow Moon Pack, alive with movement and purpose. But today, it felt like a taunt. Everything was as it should be, except for the one thing that wasn’t.Elijah.He was still gone. Vanished. Like a ghost.My men had scoured every inch of the territory, chased every lead, but he’d slipped through our fingers again and again. And now? Nothing. Not a trace. Not a whisper. It was as if the earth had swallowed him whole. The frustration gnawed at me, a relentless ache in my chest. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was failing everyone.Elijah wasn’t the first to disappear. Alpha Coby had done the same—vanished into thin air after being found guilty of Vivian’s murder. One moment he was there, and the next… gone. Like smoke. I’d sent messages to every neighboring pack, called i
COBY’S POVThe moment I saw him, my breath hitched, and the world seemed to tilt. Elijah. That name alone was enough to make my blood boil with rage. My chest tightened, and my pulse thundered in my ears like a war drum.What the hell was that old geezer doing here? My stomach churned, bile rising in my throat as memories of Shadow Moon clawed their way to the surface—Vivian’s lifeless body, Hannah’s betrayed eyes, the lies I’d spun to survive. I thought I’d left it all behind. I thought I was safe here.But now, standing there in the corner, Elijah was a living reminder of everything I’d tried to bury. His presence was a threat, a ticking bomb waiting to explode. If he told Alpha Ross the truth—who I really was, what I’d done—I’d lose everything. My stomach twisted into knots, panic gnawing at the edges of my mind. I couldn’t let that happen.I stayed hidden, my back pressed against the rough edges of the pack house, watching as the guards led Elijah to one of the guest cabins. The a
ELIJAH’S POVFor a moment, Ross stared at me in silence, his expression unreadable. Then, without warning, he burst into laughter—loud, deep, and unsettling. It filled the room, reverberating off the stone walls.The sound was so unexpected and jarring that I stood frozen, unsure whether he was genuinely amused or if he had suddenly gone mad. The laughter stretched on, and the guards exchanged uneasy glances, as if they too weren’t sure what to make of it.Just as abruptly as it had started, the laughter stopped. Ross’s face hardened, and the coldness returned to his eyes, sharper than before. “How… predictable,” he said, his voice now devoid of any humor.He flicked his hand dismissively at the guards. “Take him away.”The guard at my side motioned for me to follow, and I turned quickly, eager to leave the room before Ross’s mood shifted again. As I walked away, the sound of his laughter still echoed faintly in my ears—a dark reminder that I was now in the company of a man as dangero
ELIJAH’S POVThe guards stepped aside, and I was led deeper into the heart of the Oceanic Pack’s territory. My guide, the scarred Beta who had allowed me entry, moved ahead without a word, his boots crunching against the gravel path.The pack grounds stretched endlessly—a sprawling landscape of wild beauty and danger. Towering coconut trees swayed gently in the salty breeze, their leaves rustling like whispered secrets. The rugged terrain beneath my feet was uneven and untamed, with jagged rocks jutting out of the earth as if challenging anyone who dared to tread upon them.In the distance, the rhythmic crashing of ocean waves against the shore echoed through the air, each swell growing louder, stirring something deep within me. The scent of saltwater hung heavy, mixing with the earthy aroma of the land, sending a shiver down my spine.This place wasn’t for the timid; it pulsed with raw power, a place where only the strong thrived. We approached a large stone building—the pack house—a