HANNAH’S POVMy hands tightened on the little girl’s shoulders as her trembling form pressed against me. She was an orphan, clinging to the last thread of family she had left—her brother, who was fighting for his life in a distant room.Her wide, tear-filled eyes met mine, pleading. "Please... save my brother. Don’t let him die." Her voice cracked, and the raw desperation in it tore at my chest.I pulled her into a hug, holding her tightly. "Shh... It’s going to be okay. We’ll do everything we can." My voice was soft, but inside, fear gnawed at me. Would that promise be enough?She sniffed against my chest, her grip tightening around me. "You promise?"I hesitated for just a second, then nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. "Yes," I said, my voice barely steady.The girl didn’t say anything after that. She just pressed herself closer, as if my arms could protect her from all the horrors outside this moment. But I felt helpless. I could comfort her, but I couldn’t cure her brother.
HANNAH'S POVI burst through the hospital doors, barely aware of where I was going. My chest felt tight, emotions swirling like a storm inside me—panic, guilt, confusion—all fighting for dominance. I hadn’t even realized I was crying until my vision blurred, and I stumbled forward.Suddenly, a firm hand caught me, steadying my trembling body."Hannah, hey—what’s going on?"It was Andrew. His voice was gentle but filled with concern. I blinked through the tears and saw the furrow in his brow, his blue eyes searching my face for answers. His grip on my arms was steady, grounding me.I tried to speak, but the words came out in a sob. "How can you ask that?" My voice cracked, and the tears flowed harder. "People in there... they're sick. And... and it might be my fault."Andrew’s expression softened, his hands still holding onto me as if he could keep me from unraveling completely. "Hey, hey... slow down," he said quietly. "Hannah, none of this is your fault. You don’t know that."Andrew
ANDREW’S POVAs I walked away from the tense scene, my mind churned with emotions I couldn't easily sort. Alpha Xavier’s possessiveness wasn’t a surprise—everyone knew how fiercely protective he was—but seeing it with my own eyes, as he pulled Hannah close and marked her as his, did something to me.A twisted knot formed in my stomach, tightening with every step I took. She was his wife, bound by the Moon Goddess. I had no right to feel the things I did, but still, it hurt.I clenched my fists. How could I forget that? She belonged to him. And me? I was nothing more than a refugee—a survivor Xavier had taken in after my pack fell. But was that really all I was?As I walked down the dimly lit pathway leading back to the clinic, my thoughts drifted back to Hannah. Her face appeared in my mind—so beautiful, so soft. She had always been gentle, her kindness radiating in every smile.I had loved her long before Xavier came into the picture, back when we were just kids playing in the meadows
COBY’S POVAfter I left the clinic, I headed straight to our quarters, my steps quick and heavy, driven by a storm of emotions. The possibility that Vivian had a hand in the poisoning churned my stomach, tightening my chest with each stride. I didn't want to believe it, but the more I thought about it, the more the pieces clicked together.So this was her big plan to take Hannah down? Unbelievable. She had become even crazier than I thought. If I don’t stop her soon, she might get us all killed.I reached the door and threw it open with a force that rattled the frame. Inside, Vivian sat by the window, pressing an ice pack to her cheek. The pale light cast her in shadow, her face unreadable—until her eyes flicked up and met mine. They sparked with defiance, cold and sharp."Vivian," I growled, barely recognizing my own voice, rough and threatening.She didn’t flinch. Instead, she turned slowly toward me, her lip curling in disgust. "Keep your voice down, will you? What’s your problem?"
XAVIER'S POVA couple of days had passed since the food poisoning incident at the refugee camp, and still, I had no evidence, no leads, and no answers. The frustration inside me simmered like a low fire, each unanswered question stoking the flames.I paced the office, the thud of my footsteps echoing in the quiet space. Every step seemed to amplify the weight of my failure.Innocent people had suffered. Under my watch.Hannah was struggling. Every night she came home, her face pinched with worry, shoulders drooping. She had always been so strong, but this… this was breaking her. My chest tightened whenever I saw her like that.Why couldn’t I fix this?The council’s whispers weren’t helping either. Doubts about Hannah were spreading fast, like poison of their own. And that was unacceptable. My fists clenched at the thought. How dare they question her? My beast stirred beneath my skin, anger rippling through me.“Vivian,” I muttered, her name like bile in my mouth. My instincts screamed
COBY'S POVI stumbled out of Xavier's office, my lungs desperate for air. My throat burned where his hand had been, and I rubbed the bruised skin as I leaned against the hallway wall. The ache spread with each breath, but it wasn’t the physical pain that unsettled me.Xavier's strength, the raw power behind that grip, rattled me. It was unnerving—unexpected. I had underestimated him."Damn Lycan," I muttered, wincing as I tried to straighten up.I had underestimated his protectiveness toward Hannah. But I couldn’t back down now. Hannah wasn’t guilty—not yet. She was key to my plan. If I could manipulate things just right and get the council to believe she was guilty, then Xavier would be cornered.He’d have no choice but to bow to me. I’d get what I wanted, and he wouldn’t even see it coming. Vivian had laid out the path perfectly. Together, we would climb to the top, no longer living like outcasts.My footsteps echoed down the empty corridor as Xavier's fury lingered in my mind. His
ANDREW’S POVI watched Coby’s stiff back as he walked away, tension radiating off him. My chest tightened, a sense of unease creeping in. What is he hiding? His words echoed in my mind, deliberate and cold.“Loyalty comes first.”Loyalty to whom, though? The question rattled around in my skull. To Vivian or to the truth? I swallowed hard, suspicion gnawing at me. The pieces didn’t fit. Coby was acting strange, and Vivian... she was somehow tangled in all this. I just didn’t know how. If I’m going to do anything, I need proof.After training, my body screamed for rest. Every muscle ached, but my mind was relentless, circling back to Coby, Vivian, the poison. Nothing added up.“Damn it,” I muttered, scrubbing a hand through my hair. Maybe a shower will help.Back in my room, I peeled off my sweat-drenched clothes, feeling the weight of exhaustion. The cold water did its best to relax my body, but the knots in my stomach refused to untangle. No amount of scrubbing could wash away the dre
ANDREW'S POVThe thought hit me like a punch to the gut. I hadn’t felt anything like this since... well, since Hannah. But with Hannah, it was one-sided, unreciprocated. This felt different. Deeper. I couldn’t stop the questions from swirling in my mind as I tossed and turned, the tension in my body refusing to let me sleep until exhaustion finally pulled me under.The next morning came too soon. The sun’s early rays filtered through my window, and I knew I wouldn’t find any rest lying there. I needed to clear my head. Grabbing my clothes, I headed outside, the crisp morning air biting at my skin. My wolf stirred restlessly, eager to run, to stretch. Without a second thought, I shifted, feeling the familiar rush of power as my brown wolf took form.The forest welcomed me as I ran, the cool earth beneath my paws grounding me. Each stride burned away the restlessness, but the questions lingered. Why did I feel this pull toward Lily? What was happening to me?By the time I returned to wh
ROSS’S POVFor ten years, I’ve waited. Ten long years, each one heavier than the last. The weight of her absence has never lifted, never faded. Laila. My mate. My beautiful light. She was the only good thing in my life, the only person who could see past the darkness inside me. And he took her from me.Xavier.I don’t care if it was an accident. What matters is that her blood spilled at his fucking hands. What matters is that I had to watch as the life drained from her beautiful eyes—the same eyes that used to look at me with nothing but love. Xavier stole her from me, and for that, he must pay. He will pay.I’ve bided my time, waiting, planning, gathering my strength. Over the years, I’ve had offers—wolves eager to see Xavier fall. But none of them understood what it would take. It wasn’t enough to just kill him. No. That would be too easy, too quick. I needed him to suffer. I needed him to feel the same pain that has torn me apart every single day since I lost her.For ten years, I’
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