Evelyn’s POV If embarrassment was a person, I was sure it would be me at that point. Worst of all, I couldn't even move to cover my nakedness or even turn around to protect my body. All I felt was being glued to a spot, not able to do anything at all. “Sorry.” I heard Alpha Gaius apologize in a small voice - a complete contrast to his usual masculine one - before he turned around to give me some privacy. The women with me took that advantage and quickly got my night dress up. Once they were sure I looked presentable, they gave me encouraging smiles and sped out of the room, leaving me alone with my new found mate. By the moon goddess. “Sorry about earlier. I thought you were done with the whole thing.” Alpha Gaius apologized the moment he turned around. He stared directly into my eyes, and I felt myself burning away in his brown eyes. I blushed like a teenage girl, and found that I couldn’t stop it even if I wanted to. My nipples contracted - my first sign of arousal. When I
Gaius’s POV. The tears that she had managed to stop before came back with full speed. They streamed down her soft cheeks, and I found myself feeling guilty for being the reason why she was like that. Not after I had promised myself that as long as I was breathing, she was never going to be sad again. Still, I was right in everything I did. I was right in my thoughts. She was supposed to belong to my brother. She would have, if the man was still alive. “Evelyn, listen to me…” I began but her head shaking broke me off. I wanted to keep mute as she had insinuated, but something in me kept pushing to explain to her. “Archer…” I began again, but again, I had to stop because of how much hurt was reflecting in her face. I knew exactly how she was feeling at the moment. It had come as a rude shock to me when I heard the news of the death of my only brother. The news had quickly reached me that he had been killed by an unknown person on the very first date he had with his mate.
Evelyn’s POV. I suddenly found myself back in the elevator, going up to the top of the floor to see my husband and announce to him about the baby we were going to have together. My wolf, Bree, was busy sharing in the excitement and the hope for what the future would bring for us with Alpha Cyrus now that there was a baby in the picture. Everything seemed to be going just fine. Until then!Halfway through the elevator ride, the elevator door suddenly opened. Before I could have time to react or even acknowledge the presence of the strange man who came in, I was knocked down with a hit in my stomach and the stranger was out of the elevator, leaving me bleeding and close to death. “No! Not my baby!” I screamed, swaying my hands in the air in the bid to protect my baby. I flew up from the floor and gasped for air while looking around. That was when I realized that what I just faced was a nightmare of the past. I was not in the past, but rather on the bed. I sighed and reached for th
Evelyn’s POV. That idiot had killed my first mate!By the moon goddess!I was going to kill him and make sure that even his corpse would be left in the field or the mountains or wherever for vultures to feed on. How dare he!“And do you want to know why?” Alpha Gaius's voice trembled as he let out. “Just because Archer had sworn an oath that Cyrus was not going to commit all his atrocities. At least, not as long as Archer was breathing. Which was why the evil man killed him.” He explained. It was hard to comprehend the words. To think that I had always thought that my ex husband had been nothing but good and kind to everyone - except me - all these while, only to be dealt this news of his cruelty. How could a man with power think that the next best thing to do was kill another person just because the person was trying to stop them from committing evil?Was all that I knew of Cyrus a facade then? Was he worse than Rogues whom we had all been warned while growing to steer clear off
Gaius’s POVI could see it in her eyes. The depth of disappointment she had in her ex husband. Tinted with the disappointment was grieve for herself and maybe some guilt. I knew she was overwhelmed by everything that had been going on. While it seemed a little cruel that I was dumbing everything on her, I knew that it was something that was necessary. Not only would it help her to take her stand seriously, but it would also help her to kill whatever feeling she might still have left for the man. “I am so sorry. For everything each of you had gone through in the hands of that monster.” She said after about a minute or two of silence. Lisa and Adam nodded their heads to show that they heard her. “Evelyn,” I called to get her attention. She raised her head to look at me. “Like I said, there is a fourth associate. They were supposed to be a part of this meeting but they couldn’t make it here tonight. When the time is right, you will meet them,” I explained to her. She nodded her he
Evelyn’s POVMy father had something that could bring down Alpha Cyrus?I couldn’t help but wonder exactly what that could be. Apart from them meeting at the meetings for Alphas, I was not sure I had ever seen them together again. Still, I knew that I couldn’t rule out the possibility especially when I knew quite well that both my ex husband and my father were cunning men. They were both so bad that I couldn’t and wouldn’t be able to tell which one of them was worse than the other. My heart thumped in excitement as I wondered what exactly my father had against Cyrus. And if he did have something against the man, why?Why had he deemed it fit enough to keep a record against the man?“Evelyn?” A hand shook me slightly, bringing me back to the present. “Are you here?” I looked up to see that it was Alpha Gaius and he had a worried look on his face. “Sorry about that,” I apologized to him. “What were you saying?” I asked with a small smile that didn’t quite reach my eyes. “Adam was as
Gaius’s POVWith my heart so heavy, I walked away from my mate. Even though it broke my heart to leave her standing in the dark, I knew that there was little to nothing else I could do. Even if I wasn’t feeling guilty that she should have belonged to my brother, I knew that I needed to give her space and enough time for her to forget her ex husband. At the thought of that man who had us all pent up, my anger returned and I hissed loudly. “What is it?” I heard Lisa ask. I paused from my walking and looked up, only to see that I was already halfway through the room. I couldn’t believe that I had been so angry and lost in thought that I hadn’t even figured out that I was walking and would have hit the wall if Lisa had not spoken up. “She is still refusing to get the vital evidence for us from her dad?” She asked again when I didn’t answer the first question. I knew that the ‘she’ in this context was only referring to Evelyn. Evelyn.The name that made me both happy and furious. H
Evelyn’s POVI watched as the man who was supposed to be my mate walked away from me like I was a fly that would perch on him if he accidentally stayed. Unwilling to let myself think more about everything that was going on with me and Alpha Gaius, I turned my back to the wall and forced myself to get back to sleep. By the time I would open my eyes again, the sun was already seeping through the window. I sighed and got out of the bed even though I had no idea what I was going to do with my day. At first, I thought about making myself breakfast, but I kicked against it. I was in a strange house and place. Rushing to the kitchen on my first day at the place might be frowned upon. I thought about staying indoors all day next, but again I kicked against that, knowing that was not the way to appreciate the people who had done nothing but made me feel welcome when they didn’t know me from anywhere. Determined to make the most of the day, I cleaned up and made my way to the living room of
Evelyn's povThe scent was unmistakable. As soon as I opened my eyes, it hit me—the rich, comforting smell of the meals my mother used to make. It was a blend of herbs, spices, and something warm and hearty, familiar and safe. I could almost hear her humming in the kitchen, the sound that always seemed to follow the delicious aroma of her cooking. For a moment, I thought I had drifted back in time, back to when everything was simpler, when my biggest concern was running through the halls of the packhouse with my siblings, laughing and carefree.I rose slowly from bed, the lingering warmth of the covers against my skin making me want to sink back into them. But the smell pulled me out of my stupor, and I couldn’t resist. I slipped into my slippers and walked quietly down the hall, following the scent like a trail.When I entered the kitchen, my steps faltered. There, standing at the stove, was Clara. She was stirring something in a pot, her focus completely on the task at hand. I co
Evelyn's pov.The day felt heavy, as though the weight of everything I’d been struggling with had finally caught up to me.My steps were slow as I made my way through the corridors of the packhouse, my hand resting on my stomach. The baby inside me had grown stronger, more active, and yet I could feel the toll it was taking on my body.I’d been so caught up in the chaos of everything around me—Roman, my father, Gaius, and the constant pressure of the pack—that I hadn’t taken the time to care for myself.Today, I was going for my checkup, and I could only hope that the doctor would have some good news.Gaius walked beside me, his presence a constant source of comfort. His hand brushed against mine every now and then, a subtle reminder that no matter what was happening around us, I wasn’t alone.“How are you feeling?” he asked, his voice low and concerned.“I’m fine,” I said, though my words didn’t feel as convincing as I wanted them to. “Just tired.”“You need to rest more,” he said,
Evelyn’s P.o.vThe weight of uncertainty hung heavy over the room. Gaius, Lisa, Adam, and I sat in the study, the air thick with tension as we tried to piece together our next move. My father’s whereabouts—or what Roman believed to be his fate—loomed over every word spoken.“We need to consider the possibility that Cyrus has him,” I said, breaking the silence. My voice trembled slightly, but I forced myself to speak clearly. “If Roman isn’t lying, and if my father’s not dead, there’s no one else who would go to such lengths to keep him hidden.”Lisa nodded thoughtfully, her gaze sharp as she exchanged a glance with Adam. “It would make sense,” she said, tapping her fingers against the armrest of her chair. “Cyrus would gain leverage over you that way. And we know he doesn’t shy away from using people as pawns.”Adam leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees. “If Cyrus does have him, we need proof before we act. Otherwise, we’re walking into a trap.”“I know that,” I replied, try
Evelyn’s P.o.vThe silence between Gaius and me stretched long and thin as the car sped away from my father’s packhouse. I couldn’t shake Clara’s words, her hesitant voice playing on a loop in my mind.He’s not coming back. Roman thinks he’s dead.No matter how many times I replayed it, I couldn’t accept it. My father—dead? No. It wasn’t possible. He was too strong, too clever to be taken down so easily. But the doubt wormed its way into my thoughts, gnawing at my resolve.Gaius’s steady grip on the wheel was the only anchor keeping me tethered to the moment. I could feel his glances, the weight of his concern, but I didn’t have the energy to meet his gaze. Instead, I stared out the window at the passing trees, their green blur doing little to distract me from the storm in my chest.“Evelyn,” Gaius said softly, his voice cutting through the hum of the engine.“I don’t want to talk about it,” I said flatly, not looking at him.“You’re not fooling anyone,” he replied, his tone gentle bu
Evelyn's P.o.vThe air in the packhouse was suffocating. My wolf moved uneasy beneath my skin, her unease mirroring my own as Roman stood before me, his expression a mixture of defiance and barely concealed fear. His hands were clenched at his sides, his jaw tight, but his eyes betrayed him. “I told you,” he said, his voice wavering despite his attempt at control, “I don’t know where Father is.” “Liar,” I said, taking a step closer. My voice was steady, but inside, my anger simmered, threatening to boil over. “You’re hiding something, Roman. Just tell me the truth.” “I’m not hiding anything!” he snapped, though his gaze darted to Gaius, who stood at my side, silent and imposing. Gaius didn’t speak, but his presence alone was enough to make Roman flinch. I narrowed my eyes, my wolf growling low in my chest. “Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I don’t see through you? I know you know something. Stop wasting my time.” Roman’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he took a st
The faint glow of moonlight spilled through the window, casting a soft, silvery light over the room. I stirred, shifting restlessly against the sheets, my body heavy with exhaustion but my mind refusing to quiet. For days now, the nightmares had plagued me, leaving me weak and anxious.A low, soothing hum filled the room—a sound I realized came from Gaius. His arms were wrapped securely around me, his warmth seeping into my chilled skin.“Evelyn,” he murmured, his voice a deep rumble against my ear. “You’re safe. Just breathe.”I clung to him, my fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as I tried to ground myself. The echo of the nightmare still lingered, a shadow at the edges of my mind, but his presence was a balm against the fear.“I’m sorry,” I whispered, my voice hoarse.“There’s nothing to apologize for,” he replied firmly. “You’ve been through so much. It’s no wonder your mind is restless.”I nodded weakly, the lump in my throat too thick to speak. Gaius shifted, his hand
Gaius’s POVThe council chamber was unbearably stifling, despite the faint breeze filtering through the high windows. My knuckles pressed against the smooth surface of the table as I locked eyes with the lead councilor. His expression remained neutral—too neutral—and I already knew what was coming.“After careful deliberation,” he began, his voice steady but devoid of any urgency, “the recording you provided has been deemed irrelevant to this case.”The words hit me like a cold slap, though I kept my expression steady. My wolf growled faintly in the back of my mind, mirroring the frustration boiling in my chest.“Councilor,” I said, my voice measured, though it took effort to maintain, “that recording exposes Cyrus for the manipulative liar he is. How can you possibly call it irrelevant?”A murmur swept through the chamber. Some of the other councilors exchanged uneasy glances, but the lead councilor remained unperturbed.“The recording lacks sufficient context,” he replied, folding h
Evelyn’s POVThe court hall was packed to the brim. The tension in the air was thick enough to taste, a mix of hushed conversations and the occasional snap of a camera shutter. I sat in the gallery, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, trying to ignore the whispers behind me.“Do you think Cyrus will get away with it?”“I heard he’s bribed half the council already.”“Gaius won’t back down. He’s not that kind of Alpha.”My wolf stirred uneasily, sensing the waves of doubt. Despite my faith in Gaius, I couldn’t shake the fear that Cyrus might wriggle out of this, just as he had with so many other schemes.The wooden doors at the back of the courtroom creaked open, and a ripple of murmurs spread through the room as Gaius entered, his presence commanding as ever. He didn’t glance at anyone, his piercing green eyes fixed straight ahead as he strode to his place. He looked calm, collected, but I could see the tightness in his jaw, the way his fingers flexed slightly as he adjusted his suit j
Cyrus’s POVThe sun streamed through the towering windows of my office, bathing the room in a golden glow. But its warmth did nothing to ease the chill running through me. My fingers tapped rhythmically against the polished wood of my desk, the sound sharp and precise, as I waited for the call.I had built this empire brick by brick, crushed every rival in my path, and climbed higher than anyone dared to imagine. Yet here I was, waiting for the Council of Elders to call me. My patience was wearing thin.The sharp buzz of my phone cut through the silence, and I snatched it up immediately. The screen displayed a single name: Council of Elders.I pressed the phone to my ear. “This had better be good,” I said, my voice cold and clipped.“Alpha Cyrus,” came a measured voice on the other end. It was one of the Council’s representatives—no doubt chosen for their ability to speak without emotion, to remain neutral. “The Council has reviewed the ongoing situation with Alpha Gaius Hartwood and