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
HANNAH’S POVI stood before the pack elders, my wrists bound in the cold grip of silver shackles. The metal bit into my skin, but the pain barely registered in my mind. My heart pounded so loudly that it drowned out the low murmur of the council members as they conferred among themselves.I could feel the weight of the other pack members' judgmental gazes pressing down on me, a suffocating force that left me struggling to breathe.The elder in charge, a stern old man with a face weathered by years of harsh decisions, finally turned his cold gaze toward me. His eyes, dark and unreadable, locked onto mine. The air in the room grew heavier as he spoke, his voice carrying the finality of a death knell."Do you confess to the crime you’ve been accused of?" he asked, his tone devoid of any emotion, as if my fate was already sealed in his mind.I swallowed hard, feeling the dryness in my throat, and nodded. "Yes," I whispered, the word barely escaping my lips. "I did it. I killed her."The r
HANNAH’S POVAs soon as they took me away, I was locked up in a dark, cold cell, waiting for morning to be judged according to the pack's rules and traditions. The heavy iron door slammed shut behind me, echoing through the narrow hallway, and I was left alone with my thoughts.My heart pounded within me as if it were trying to escape my chest, and I couldn't sit still. I began pacing the length of the small cell, my feet shuffling against the rough stone floor. Every time I reached one end of the wall, I spun on my heel and hurried back to the other, trying to keep my mind occupied.But it was no use. My thoughts kept drifting back to whatever fate awaited me and Coby. I had asked him to come, begged him even, but as the minutes dragged into hours, my anxiety gnawed at me like a restless beast."Where is he?" I whispered to myself, my voice trembling. "Why isn't he here yet?"The more time passed without him making an appearance, the tighter the knot in my stomach grew. My hands star
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 apol
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
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