Author's POV:Asher's body stiffened in shock as he heard Fynn's voice ring through the alley. His heart skipped a beat, surprised that they had found them. After the fight he was sure that they would need months to recover from the physical injuries and for the mental one, they might take few more lifetimes to face Vienna again, and even after he was sure about them never appearing in front of him or Vienna ever again, he was still so cautious about keeping her away from them at any cost.And this is why he had made sure to bring Vienna just outside the pack borders, far enough from any tracking signals, believing he had covered all his bases. He thought he'd be able to isolate her, convince her that he was the only one who truly cared for her. But now, this—Fynn’s voice echoing through the damp night air.Ruining his plans! Making him extremely angry once again.Asher spun around, his eyes flashing with panic as he searched for the source of the voice. Because as Fynn's voice has
Author's POV:Tessa sat on the edge of the couch, her fingers fumbling with the hem of her dress. She had finally been convinced to drop her go bag from her; although she still wasn't sure how she had been roped into Gemini’s plan.This girl had a way to convince her to take part even in her unrealistic plans, and today was proof of it. Because even though she hadn't returned her jewels to their real compartments and boxes, she had at least placed the packed bag inside her wardrobe. And now, both mother and daughter were sitting together, working out a story which they needed to tell Orion as proof of Gemini's innocence– the story of the last conversation between Gemini and Vienna. "You'll say it like this," Gemini instructed. "Vienna was going to run away, and I tried to stop her. I was just looking out for her because I didn't want her to make a mistake that would ruin her life. So, I did whatever I needed to do, to keep her from running off."Tessa glanced at her daughter, fro
Vienna's POV:The doctor unfastened the blood pressure monitor strap from my arm. As I looked up at him, he assured me calmly. “Everything looks normal. Your heart rate was elevated, but that’s just from the shock. Just relax, there is nothing to be worried about, you should be fine now.” I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself as I replied with a small smile of my own. I didn't want to leave the doctor’s effort unnoticed while my words had decided that they still needed some time to jump out of my throat, using my mouth. However, even though Kai and Fynn were right by my bedside, neither of them was really paying attention to the doctor. Instead, they were busy arguing amongst themselves, in a hushed tone to maintain the decorum of the hospital. “This is the result of our complacency,” Kai snapped. “That bastard had the guts to walk into a goddamn hospital and kidnap Vienna. If we let this slide, what’s next? They’ll march into our territory and claim it as theirs? We should
Author's POV:Vienna's idea about her family was indeed right. This idea was not built on the mere foundation of her assumption, instead it was based on her experience. And the ideas built on experiences rarely tended to be wrong, just like this one… the reality was exactly matching every single detail according to her thoughts.Because right now, Orion was sitting in the comfort of his grand mansion, his fingers tapping impatiently against the armrest of his chair. And if he wasn't forced to pretend that he cared for Vienna, his older daughter who was supposed to return with Asher, the future Alpha of the Pack, he wouldn't even have been here. He would have utilised this free time to sleep in peace, after celebrating his unfilial daughter having vanished into thin air, to never show her face ever again.Beside him, Alpha Blackwood sipped his drink with ease, though his eyes flickered toward the door every few moments. He wasn't ready to miss even a single percent of possibility of
Vienna's POV:Once the words left my mouth, Orion’s entire demeanor shifted. I didn't even want to refer to him as my father from now on, and my words had already made it clear to him.His expression hardened, but his tone became suddenly gentle, almost fatherly and affectionate. If didn’t know better, I would’ve thought he was genuinely concerned, but I had been burned by this syrup too many times. “What are you saying, Vienna? How can you drag your sister to the Law Tribunal? The Council has been assembled to deal with matters of actual seriousness and significance between packs, not trivial family matters and… sisterly jealousy.”He scoffed, as if recalling some fond memories between us, which were never there to begin with. "I know you have always been jealous of your little sister, but think properly, look closely…all she has ever done was to think about your well being and has always supported you in your good or bad decisions, she was even ready let go of her first love, jus
Author's POV:Tessa had been lurking in the shadows, listening intently to every word.She knew better than to step forward too soon, knowing that if she revealed herself in the middle of the conversation, it would only increase the bitterness in Vienna’s, making any chance of negotiation impossible. So she has been hiding herself behind the pillars, making sure that she was hidden from every eye present in the room; while at the same time she was able to hear everything that was going on between the people standing in front of her eyes.Normally, she relished watching Vienna suffer, but this time, the stakes were too high. She couldn’t afford to let Gemini bear the consequences. But then Orion—foolish, impulsive Orion—had gone and destroyed everything. The moment he spat out that Vienna wasn’t his real daughter, he had severed the last thread of control they had. He had stripped himself of any authority over her, giving her the perfect excuse to bring their family’s dirty secrets
Vienna's POV:I could feel the tension in the air; and the awkwardness was thick enough to choke on, as Orion stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "What... what are you saying... about Vienna?" Before I could respond, Tessa’s voice cut through the silence, dripping with frustration. “Gemini isn’t your daughter, you thick-headed fool!” “So stop thinking of ways to get her killed and beg Vienna to save her life. Or I won’t let you take a single breath in peace! I’ve done all this, planned all of this… just for my daughter’s sake! And I’m definitely not going to leave her fate in your hands, so that you can risk her life in a Blood Auction.” Tessa was definitely scared out of her wits, since she had gone from pleading with Orion to threatening him within minutes. And Orion didn’t seem to know what to make of it. He stared blankly at Tessa for a moment, still scrambling for some form of clarity, his voice shaky. “Vi… Vienna is my daughter… and not Gemini…” That was thw
Vienna's POV: Orion’s face had gone pale, as sweat started to trickle along the sides of his temple. His lips were shaking with the effort of keeping his tears under control, but no words came out of his mouth. Probably, he still needed time to believe that the girl he had left at the mercy of Tessa and a few pennies in his house was his actual daughter, the one carrying his bloodline.The one who actually deserved his love, care and attention. While he had done the exact opposite of it, since he had given all his affection, care, attention, money and privilege to the one who wasn't even his daughter. He had really messed up big; all this time, he had been cherishing the stone while neglecting the diamond, and now when he had finally come to know the reality of his daughter… I have already decided to leave him. And that's not even my fault, I reminded myself. Old bonds were hard to break, but it was him who hadn't given me the place and attention I always deserved… and he didn't
Author's POV:Every pore of Fynn's body was overflowing with his fury. His voice was razor-sharp; and even though that double sided blade was slicing through his own heart, he forced the next words out of his mouth. “I just want to kill my brother and his mate.” Silence stretched across the room. Axel’s gaze was on Fynn, taking in every emotion, every reaction. But his mind had already transported him back to the park at the Azuremist pack… the place where his entire world had shattered all over again, within a single moment. He could see Zella and Axel standing in front of him, he could notice the judging glances in their eyes and the disappointment in their expression, but he didn't care about anything or anyone. Because the people he had cared about, more than his own life, were busy in their own world.Kai and Vienna…They had a perfect little family with their child now, completely lost in their own happy bubble. A bubble that he was never meant to be a part of. The bet
Author's POV:The throbbing pain in Zella’s temples wasn't easing up, even when she was massaging her forehead. She knew it was useless to take any medicine for it, because the reason behind it was her own emotions. This headache had been building up since Fynn left, but now it was getting unbearable. Just then, the shrill ringing of the doorbell sent a sharp bolt of pain through her head. It only rang once, then the whole apartment became silent again. She exhaled heavily, rubbing her forehead before shoving the small bottle of green pills into the drawer beside her. The last thing she needed was company, but something about that single ring was nagging at her heart. She felt her hope rising from its own ashes and finally, she pushed herself up and walked to the door, her body tense with exhaustion. As soon as she pulled it open, her breath caught in her throat.Fynn…He stood in the dark corridor of her apartment, leaning against the wall. His hood was still up, shadowing the up
Author's POV:The afternoon light had faded away, and dusk was slowly creeping in. And yet, Zella hadn’t moved from her spot at all. She was sitting in the small living room of her apartment, like a statue carved out of stone. Her head was against the wall, and her eyes blankly fixed some point in the distance. Her hands lay limp in her lap, her body drained of all its energy like she had lost her purpose in life. And in a way, she really had. Because Fynn was gone… just in the span of minutes after he was sure about being able to travel on his own, he had left without any proper goodbye or show of gratitude. But she couldn't even feel anger towards that selfish man who had simply informed her about his life, back in his own world… and walked away without caring for her response. For two and a half years, she had dedicated herself to his recovery: watching over him, feeding him, tending to his wounds, making sure he was comfortable. This has become the rhythm of her life ever s
Fynn's POV:I pushed the blanket off and swung my legs over the side of the bed, feeling the cool wooden floor beneath my feet. My body no longer felt weak… and thankfully, my joints didn't betray me with every movement. I had healed. After a long struggle, I could walk without my knees buckling under me. The moment I woke up, I could feel Zella watching me. I knew when she must have come here, and also why she had been waiting expectantly in that corner.I lifted my hand to signal for her to stay seated. She sat back with a frown, but didn’t say anything. While walking towards the door, my steps steady, I gave a single glance to the cane that used to be my crutch, then moved past it without reaching for it. I think I have regained my strength by now. The chilly water that I splashed all over myself washed away the last lingering touches of sleep. It was almost fifteen minutes later that I stepped out, freshly dressed in clothes that fit me better.I felt like myself again… part
Author's POV:The village was carved into the rugged slopes of the mountain, blending completely into the landscape. A crisp wind rustled through the trees, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine, but inside one of the cottages, the morning was yet to register its presence.The girl stepped carefully through the wooden door, balancing a plate of food in her hands. She was moving absent-mindedly through the house, as if she had done this countless times before. The air inside was tinged with the scent of old wood and herbs. The cottage was simple, almost barebones. A bed occupied one side of the room, the blankets slightly disheveled, and a few pieces of basic furniture filled the remaining space: a small table, a single chair, a shelf lined with a few necessities. There was no excess, nor any personal touches inside that space. Her gaze drifted toward the bed, and the man was lying still under the covers. His breathing was slow and steady, his features softened by the presence
Kai's POV:I paced the room, my arms wrapped securely around Zeke’s tiny frame, patting his back in slow, steady movements. His soft breaths hit my collarbone as I rocked him gently, his small fingers curled into my shirt with a sleepy but tight grip. He had stopped crying once his tummy was filled with milk, and he was completely relaxed in my arms. But I kept moving around the room, unwilling to stop swinging him until I was sure he was truly asleep.I glanced down, watching his heavy eyelids flutter shut. His green eyes, which were so bright, so full of life… they belonged to Vienna. But everything else about him- every little detail, every movement, was Fynn. His small temper tantrums and that stubborn frown on his small forehead when he didn’t get his way with something... his way of scrunching his nose when he was just about to wake up. Even the way he clung to us when he was sleepy, as if he was afraid we would leave him alone and disappear.With a sharp pang, a deep ache sp
Vienna's POV:“Lola!”I exhaled in relief, my arms tightening around her shoulders as my best friend hugged me fiercely, as always, before peeling herself away. She craned her neck to look inside the house, eyes gleaming with curiosity."How is my baby... and what about her naughty son?" She asked, half laughing. I smiled in reply, she was definitely here to check in on Zeke's health after his fever. Instead of answering her again right away, I grabbed her wrist and tugged her inside, lowering my voice."Shh… the Supreme Alpha is on daddy duty, so it’s best not to disturb them right now."Lola gasped dramatically. "Oh really! That’s even better! Now we can focus on making you presentable!"I blinked at her, placing a hand on my hip as my eyebrows dipped into a frown. "Excuse me? And what exactly is wrong with my presentation?"By now, we had stepped into the kitchen. Lola gave me one long look, as if deciding what to say. Then, she quietly placed both hands on my shoulders and slo
Two and a half years later…Vienna's POV:Zeke’s cries echoed through every corner of the house, as if every cry from his mouth was bouncing off the walls and returning to my ears."Enna! Enna…!"Kai’s voice reached my ears in an overlapping symphony, which made my pulse quicken. "I’m coming!" I called back, hurriedly tilting the milk bottle over my hand to check the temperature, it was just right. Without wasting another second, I twisted the lid tighter and rushed out of the kitchen, my bare feet padding against the cool wooden floors. The sound of Zeke’s cries hadn’t lessened in the slightest, tugging at my heart with every desperate sob. I reached the living room in record time, coming to a halt at the doorway. Sunlight was bursting in the room, making it look more of a mess than usual. Scattered toys, baby blankets and colorful picture books were decorating every surface, along with a few half-folded clothes. Normally, the attendants would have taken care of all this right
Vienna's POV: I saw Fynn's fingers scraping against the jagged rock for a fraction of a second… just enough for hope to flare up in my chest, before it was ripped away.Because in the very next second, he fell… before I could move from my place, he had fallen. Without a sound, without even a struggle, my world had shattered. My life was teetering on the edge, and then it slipped away.It wasn't just Finn that had fallen from the cliff, I felt like someone had ripped my heart into two parts and thrown one of them, by tossing it away from the cliff.For a moment everything paused in my mind, the time, the heartbeat, the tears, the scream and then everything just went boom.The scream that was building up inside me, shaking my whole body, didn't even leave my mouth. My soul was being ripped apart, and I couldn't even open my mouth to tell anyone to make it stop, to make it hurt less or to bring him back anyhow. Not a single sound.My legs gave out beneath me, and I crashed onto my kn