EVA’S POVAs soon as Vivian walked out, the heavy wooden door to the study clicked shut behind her. The sound echoed in the stillness of the room. I waited a beat, then stepped out from my hiding spot behind the massive bookshelf, the scent of old leather and parchment still clinging to me.Elder Elijah stood by the desk, his arms folded, his sharp eyes locked on the door. His face was a portrait of calculation—cold and meticulous.“Do you think she’ll agree to do it?” I asked, my voice barely audible, almost swallowed by the tension in the air.He turned slowly, his gaze meeting mine. His expression didn’t soften. If anything, the shadows in his eyes deepened.“That remains to be seen,” he said. “But make no mistake—Xavier’s heir won’t live to see the next moon. Not if I have anything to say about it.”The sheer conviction in his voice sent a shiver down my spine, one that wasn’t entirely fear. A wicked thrill coiled in my chest, twisting into excitement. I stepped closer, my movemen
EVA’S POV“Yes,” I moaned softly, squirming as his tongue flicked into my ear. It was ironic how he asked for permission now when he’d never done so before.He pushed me against his large desk, and I spread my legs to make room for him. I smirked as he slid my skirt and panties down, his eyes darkening as he took in the sight of me.“Damn,” he muttered, biting his lip. “So pretty.”Elijah bolted the door, and I chuckled, excitement surging through me. When he returned, he knelt between my legs, nibbling and kissing up my thighs, hitting all the spots he knew would make me tremble.His finger slid between my already wet folds, and I shivered as he tasted me. Then, without hesitation, he slid a finger inside me, his movements confident and deliberate. My eyes fluttered closed as I surrendered to the pleasure of his touch.It didn’t take him long to find my G-spot. With deliberate pressure, he had me gasping and grabbing my legs, spreading them wider for him. My walls clenched around his
ANDREW’S POVThe night wrapped around us like a velvet cloak—cool and fragrant. The sweet scent of blooming wildflowers lingered in the air, carried by a gentle breeze that rustled the edges of the woods.Crickets chirped in harmonious rhythm, and in the distance, a lone wolf’s mournful howl echoed faintly. Every sound seemed amplified in the quiet, every step deliberate as we emerged from the pack’s outskirts, where we had gone for a walk.I glanced at Lily, her face softly illuminated by the silvery glow of the moon. Her auburn hair shimmered like molten fire under the moonlight, and her serene expression sent my heart into overdrive. My stomach churned with a mixture of nerves and hope.“Lily?” I murmured, breaking the silence, my voice barely above a whisper.“Yeah?” she replied, her voice as gentle as the breeze.“Can I ask you something?” I asked, my heart racing with anticipation.“Anything,” she said, her eyes sparkling with curiosity—like stars shining brightly in the night s
ANDREW/LILY POVLily’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson, her voice trembling with a mix of shyness and determination. “I liked him too, Luna. A lot.” Her words hung in the air, fragile yet undeniable, as her eyes flickered down to the dirt beneath her shoes. It was as though admitting the truth had stolen her strength.Hannah’s grin was instant—bright and mischievous. She clapped her hands together, her delight spilling over like a bubbling stream. “Well, that settles it then! You should go with him, Lily. No point hanging around here when you could be... you know.” She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.“Wait, are you serious?” Lily’s brows pulled together in a small frown, her gaze darting between Hannah and me. “We still have—there’s stuff we haven’t finished—”“It’s fine,” Hannah interrupted, her tone light and airy but with a layer of knowing beneath it. She leaned closer, her voice dropping conspiratorially. “Go, Lily. Don’t overthink it. I’ll take care of the rest.”I stepped forw
LILY’S POVThe first lick of creamy vanilla hit my tongue like a sweet, delicate promise, and I couldn’t stop the grin spreading across my face. The richness, the perfect balance—it was heaven in a cone.Andrew’s smirk grew as he watched me, his brown eyes sparkling with amusement. “Tastes good, huh?” His voice carried a playful lilt, one brow quirking as he raised his chocolate cone, waiting for my response.“It’s better than good,” I said, licking the side where it threatened to drip. “This is what vanilla dreams are made of.”He chuckled, a low sound that rumbled through the lazy summer air. “Vanilla dreams? Alright, let me one-up you,” he said, taking a deliberate, exaggerated lick of his chocolate. He closed his eyes, humming as though he’d just uncovered the secret to life itself. “This, my dear Lily, is chocolate nirvana.”I rolled my eyes, laughing. “You’re ridiculous.”“Ridiculously right,” he shot back, his grin widening.We strolled along the park path, the afternoon sun ca
LILY’S POVThe familiar sight of the pack house greeted us as Andrew’s car rolled to a stop in front of my place. Andrew turned off the engine, his fingers lingering on the key for a moment longer than necessary. He exhaled softly—a sound that felt like the release of a weight neither of us wanted to name.“I had a great time today,” I said, turning to look at him. My voice was light, but my chest tightened, betraying how much I meant it.His eyes, warm and steady, found mine. A smile tugged at his lips—soft but earnest. “I did too, Lily. More than you know.”A blush crept up my cheeks, and I looked down briefly, tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear. “We should do this again,” I ventured, the words leaving my mouth before I could second-guess them.Andrew’s smile deepened, his gaze never wavering. “Definitely.”The quiet that followed wasn’t awkward. It was charged, filled with the kind of unspoken tension that makes you hyper-aware of every detail—the soft tick of the cooling e
Xavier’s POVThe mid-morning sun hung heavy over the training grounds, its relentless heat beating down on warriors locked in combat. The air brimmed with the tang of sweat and the steady rhythm of fists striking practice dummies. Every movement, every grunt, reverberated with purpose.Across from me, Beta Kas tightened his grip on my hand as we squared off. His sharp eyes bore into mine, a flicker of challenge igniting within them. We began circling, our boots digging into the wet earth.“Ready to lose?” Kas teased, his smirk sly and his voice edged with anticipation.I cracked my neck, matching his grin. “You wish.”Kas chuckled, the sound low and deliberate, before lunging forward.The fight erupted into a whirlwind of motion. Kas moved with the precision of a predator, each strike calculated and fierce. But I was ready.His fists were fast, his jabs sharp, but my blocks met him with equal force. A particularly strong punch grazed my forearm, sending jolts of pain up my arm. I grit
XAVIER’S POVAs I stepped into our home, the tension in my shoulders unraveled like a frayed rope, the familiar warmth of the living room washing over me. My gaze landed on the two anchors of my world.Hannah sat cross-legged on the couch, her hair tumbling loosely over her shoulders, a strand curling near her cheek as she scrolled through her tablet. She looked up as the door clicked shut, her sapphire eyes crinkling into a quiet smile.Across from her, Jackson was sprawled on the carpet, his tiny hands working diligently to stack colorful blocks. He furrowed his brows in exaggerated concentration, his tongue peeking out from the corner of his mouth.When one of the blocks tipped over, his high-pitched giggle lit up the room—a sound so pure it eased the last vestiges of tension from my body.“Dada!” Jackson’s voice rang out as soon as he spotted me, his face lighting up like the blocks he’d abandoned. Without hesitation, he scrambled to his feet and bolted toward me, almost tumbling
COBY’S POVI clenched my hands into fists, my resolve hardening as I thought about everything. Before I could further my plans involving Elijah. I would find a way to eliminate any evidence in that report linking me to the crime and expose Elijah for the monster he truly was.When Xavier and the pack saw the truth behind his mask, I’d ensure he was the one who paid the ultimate price. No one else needed to know my secret. As far as the world was concerned, Vivian’s killer was still out there—and I would keep it that way.I walked briskly to my car, my mind racing with possibilities. They couldn’t get too close. I couldn’t let that happen. If they found out, it would all be over—my plan, my revenge, my life as I knew it.Sitting behind the wheel, I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. My thoughts wouldn’t stop spinning. I needed to think, to figure out how to stay one step ahead of them. Because if the truth came out, there would be no escape. Not for me.The driv
COBY’S POVThe chill of the evening clung to my skin as I left the training grounds, sharper than the sweat cooling on my back. But it was nothing compared to the ice coiling in my chest. The hospital loomed against the night sky, its white walls muted in the dim glow of the streetlights when I arrived.I lingered by the side entrance, my pulse steady but my breath shallow. From here, I could hear them—voices threading through the stillness. I hadn’t come to eavesdrop; I’d come to check on Cecilia, to see if there was any improvement. But now, I found myself rooted to the spot, my feet betraying me, my ears straining to pick up the conversation between Hannah and Xavier.Hannah’s voice drifted down the lobby, soft yet strained. “I can’t leave, Xavier. What if she wakes up and I’m not here? I need to be with her.”I peeked around the corner, watching as she stood firm, her arms crossed in that determined way of hers. Xavier sighed, his tone calm but edged with frustration. “Hannah, you
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