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
HANNAH’S POVThe wind tugged at my hair, cold and biting, as I leaned against the balcony railing. The early morning chill wrapped itself around me, creeping into my bones. I tightened my grip on the cold metal beneath my fingers and stared at the horizon. Maybe, just maybe, the answers I sought would appear if I looked hard enough.But they didn’t.A knot of unease twisted in my chest, a weight that hadn’t lifted in days. My thoughts circled back to the council’s summons—an ever-present shadow. The accusations, the looming trial.The poisoned refugees. The wolves I had tried to help were now the cause of my trial, and despite my innocence, the truth felt just out of reach.“They’ll condemn you,” a small voice whispered in the back of my mind. “Just like they did before.”I squeezed my eyes shut, inhaling sharply, trying to quiet the voice. But fear clawed at me, refusing to be ignored.Later that day, I made my way to the clinic. My heart pounded against my ribs, my steps too quick,
Hannah’s POV"With the help of the doctor, an investigation was carried out on the victims," I said firmly, my voice steady despite the knot of tension in my chest. "The truth has revealed itself. You just have to take a look."The council murmured among themselves, a low buzz filling the chamber as I pulled out the doctor's report from my bag. My fingers brushed against the worn paper, feeling the weight of its significance. Lily, always quick to assist, handed it to Councilor Elijah, who accepted it with a nod."Honorable council," I continued, my eyes scanning the room, "I present this evidence to support my claims."A heavy silence fell as the councilors read the document, the only sound being the rustling of pages as they passed it along. I watched Elijah closely; his eyes moved over the words with sharp, focused intensity.Finally, Elijah spoke, his voice cutting through the silence. "The doctor's report and test results confirm wolf's bane and silver in deadly quantities."At t
COBY’S POVI stumbled out of Eva’s house, my chest heaving as if I’d run miles, though my legs barely registered the steps beneath them. My mind was a storm—rage and regret swirling so violently that I couldn’t think straight.Each breath felt sharp, cutting through the tightness in my throat. My feet moved on their own, pulling me farther from the suffocating weight of what I’d just done—farther from her house.Eva’s face wouldn’t leave me. That pale, terrified expression—the way her lips trembled as she backed away from me. The memory tightened around my ribs like a vice. My hands curled into fists at my sides.I’d come so close. Too close to choking the life out of her tonight.Her fear had thrilled me for one terrible second. That scared me even more than anything else. But she deserved it, didn’t she? After everything she’d done? For the lies, the pain, and the part she played in Vivian’s destruction?Vivian.Her name ripped through me like glass. I stopped dead in my tracks, my
EVA’S POVCoby's words hung in the air like smoke, clinging to every breath I tried to take. His eyes, sharp and relentless, bore into mine, alive with a storm of emotions I couldn’t begin to unravel. When he stepped closer, his movements deliberate, almost predatory, my heart raced. His voice, low and serrated with urgency, sliced through the suffocating silence."I know you know something, Eva. Don’t lie to me." His words were a command, not a plea. "This isn’t the time for games. If you have even the slightest idea who’s behind this, you have to tell me."I stumbled back, the intensity of his presence nearly knocking me off balance. My chest heaved as panic swirled in my gut. "I—I don’t know anything, Coby." My voice was barely audible, a quivering whisper trying to rise above the weight of his accusation. "I swear, I don’t know what happened."Coby’s eyes narrowed, his frustration turning to something darker. "You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t just about Vivian. Someone’s tryin
EVA’S POVThe floor felt cold against my legs, grounding me in the oppressive silence. My chest heaved, but I couldn’t fill my lungs. Fear clawed at me, digging deeper with every second. My hands trembled, my fingers numb as if I’d been gripping ice for hours.How long could I keep running? Every escape route seemed to collapse the moment I thought of it. Doors slammed shut before I even reached for the handle. And the pack...their rules, their suffocating watchfulness—they were closing in. My throat tightened. Was there even a way out?The suitcase at my side felt impossibly heavy as I hauled it upright. The weight wasn’t just in the fabric or the few belongings I’d managed to shove in. It was the memories. The questions I couldn’t shake. It was Vivian—her face, her voice. The way her laugh used to light up a room. The way her death had shattered everything.I stood up slowly, dragging the suitcase with me. It felt heavier now, as if the very weight of it mocked my attempts to escape
EVA’S POVThe drive home was a haze of headlights and shadows, my thoughts a chaotic swirl refusing to settle. Elijah didn’t kill Vivian—I knew that in my bones. But if it wasn’t him, then who? The thought sent icy fingers crawling up my spine. Someone out there knew too much. Someone was watching, waiting. And they weren’t done yet.My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly my fingers throbbed, but the pain barely registered. Fear gnawed at me, a silent predator with its teeth sunk deep into my chest. Vivian was dead, and if they could kill her, what was stopping them from coming after me? I wasn’t innocent—I was as tangled in this nightmare as anyone else. Maybe even more.When I finally pulled into my driveway, the familiar sight of my house didn’t bring the comfort it once had. The front porch seemed strange, darker. Every creak of the trees in the wind felt like a warning. My pulse thundered as I scanned the street, the yards, the empty windows of the neighboring houses. Was
ELIJAH’S POVEva’s eyes flickered around the room, wild and restless, like a bird caught in a cage. Her chest rose and fell with quick, shallow breaths, and her fingers clutched the edge of the table until her knuckles turned white.“What if we can’t figure it out in time?” she whispered, her voice trembling as though it might shatter under its own weight. “What if they come for us before we even know who it is?”I leaned against the desk, feigning a calm I didn’t feel. My stomach churned with unease, a dull ache radiating through my ribs, but I kept my voice steady.“That’s not going to happen,” I said, though the certainty in my words felt borrowed, hollow. “We’ve survived worse, Eva. We’ll survive this. But we can’t falter. Not now.”Her laugh was sharp and brittle, cutting through the room like broken glass. She raked a hand through her disheveled hair, her movements jerky with frustration.“Worse than this? Are you kidding me, Elijah? Vivian is dead. Do you get that? Dead. And wh
Elijah’s POVI paced the office, my shoes scuffing the worn hardwood, my chest tight with unease. Every second stretched thin as the chaos from last night churned through my mind like a relentless storm.Vivian.Her name clung to my thoughts, heavy and unsettling. Her death wasn’t surprising—I’d predicted it, even counted on it—but it felt wrong. Like a picture slightly askew. Someone else was moving pieces on the board, and the thought made my gut twist.I stopped mid-step, running a hand through my hair as the question gnawed at me. I had planned for disruptions, but this—this was different. The timing was too perfect. Or maybe… too convenient.Inhaling deeply, I pressed my hands against the desk. The cool wood steadied me, but my thoughts wouldn’t follow suit. I couldn’t shake the sense that I was being played.A sharp, hurried knock came at the door, and before I could respond, it flew open. Eva stood there, breathing hard, her red hair wild as if she’d run through a storm to get
Hannah’s POVMy breath caught in my throat as Xavier and I lunged toward her.“Mom!” My voice cracked, panic breaking through my usual composure. I knelt beside her, pressing trembling hands to her shoulders and shaking her gently. “Cecilia, can you hear me?”Xavier was already at her neck, his expression locked in grim determination. His fingertips searched for her pulse.“She’s breathing,” he said, a whisper of relief cutting through his low, firm voice. “Faint, but steady.”I sagged for a fleeting second before urgency yanked me back upright. Xavier didn’t wait—he slid his arms beneath her with careful precision, lifting her as though she weighed nothing. The sight of her limp frame in his arms sent a shiver racing down my spine.I scrambled ahead, fumbling with the car door, my fingers betraying their weakness in the face of fear.“She’ll be okay,” I muttered under my breath, though the words felt hollow—like a desperate plea wrapped in fragile hope.The drive to the hospital was
HANNAH’S POVInstead of calling Cecilia to deliver the devastating news of Vivian’s death, I decided to go in person. She deserved that. She deserved the truth spoken face-to-face, no matter how much I dreaded the moment her world would shatter.Xavier agreed to come with me, though we both knew his presence wouldn’t lessen the weight of the task. Before heading to Cecilia’s, we stopped by Kara’s to drop off Jackson.The car ride was suffocating, a silence thick with the words we weren’t saying. My fingers fidgeted with the hem of my sleeve as I stared out the window, watching the world blur by. When Xavier parked in front of Kara’s house, I broke the quiet.“I’ll talk to Kara,” I said softly, barely looking at him. “She might ask... questions.”He nodded, his hands gripping the steering wheel a second too long before he released it. “Take your time,” he murmured.With Jackson in my arms, I walked to the door, every step feeling heavier than the last. Kara opened it almost instantly,
XAVIER’S POVAs Kas and I stepped out of Eva’s house, silence fell between us—heavy and electric, like the air before a storm. I couldn’t shake the image of Eva’s face: pale, defiant, her eyes darting like a trapped animal. She’d insisted she had been home all night, yet the quiver in her voice betrayed her words.“She’s hiding something,” I murmured, my voice barely audible over the crunch of gravel beneath our boots.Kas walked beside me, silent at first, his profile rigid. Finally, he glanced my way, his eyes sharp but restrained. “You think she did it?”I sighed, the weight of uncertainty pressing harder. “I don’t know,” I admitted, shaking my head. “But she’s involved. The way she reacted—shaken but not broken—it doesn’t add up. We’re missing something.”Kas didn’t respond. His gaze drifted to the horizon, as if searching for answers among the fading stars.We drove in silence, each lost in our thoughts. The early morning hours were quiet, but my mind was anything but. I couldn’t