I stood frozen in disbelief as Lyra, my inner wolf, whined in excitement. "Mate," she insisted again.Her voice was a whisper in my mind but it felt like a heart-wrenching thunder strike in my heart. Alpha Knox was my mate? How could this even be possible?I shook my head and took a hesitant step back. I didn’t care why it was possible, I just didn’t want anything to do with it.But when I moved back, Lyra became more erratic. She was jumping in excitement and urging me to run into his arms. “Please Melissa, Go to him! He’s our mate!” she pleaded, her joy was immeasurably and I didn’t want to make her sad, but the very thought of being with Knox again made my skin crawl.“No Lyra!” I refused. “I'd rather die than accept Knox as my mate after everything he'd done to me. He was the one who broke my heart, humiliated me for not having a wolf, stomped on my heart and didn’t give a damn, and worst of all, he kidnapped my children!” I yelled at Lyra.Just the mere idea of being tied to him
I barely registered anything around me as I looked at Knox.My heart was beating to loud for me to think clearly. “Knox?” I said slowly. “What happened to my babies?”Knox looked down. "It seems your son is having a seizure."My mind went blank for a moment as my body froze, but then my maternal instincts kicked in, and I stepped closer, "Let me see my children!" I demanded firmly.Knox nodded, and turned toward the house. "Follow me," he said in the firm authoritative voice I remembered.Without another word, he led me inside the grand pack house. It was such a long time since I had been here, but it felt just like yesterday.I was barely able to look at it though, because my thoughts were singularly focused on getting to my boys.The rooms blurred around me as we moved quickly down the hall, and up the stairs to one of the luxurious bedrooms.Finally, Knox pushed open a door, revealing a large luxurious room where my twins were. Tyler jumped up as soon as he saw me and immediately b
I quietly watched Melissa from across the room with an inexplicable tightness squeezing my chest.There she was, my former sugar baby Melissa, embracing the two children she had borne to another man with a softness that caused an ache inside me.It was shocking to see how much of her had changed over the years. The scrawny, meek eighteen-year-old girl I remembered was gone. She was now replaced by a confident, wealthy doctor and mother who carried herself with an air of sophistication and strength.It was hard to believe that she was the same Melissa who used to shuffle around with her head down, the timid Omega maid who had clung to me as if I were her entire world.Back then, I was everything to her—the sun and moon, the center of her universe. Her addiction to me had been intoxicating, and I had enjoyed it so much that I felt invincible.When we made love, her eyes used to make an unspoken promise that she would never leave my side, that I was the most valuable and most important p
Knox’s POV“I, Melissa Gregory, reject you, Alpha Knox, as my mate.”Melissa stared at me coldly.“What?” I blurted out.I was completely stunned and unable to process what I had just heard.The world seemed to bend on its side, and I stared at her with obvious shock on my face.Did she just reject me? When I was willing to give her a second chance?My inner wolf, Hector, suddenly whined in pain. He was feeling the sting of her rejection as hotly as I did.Melissa didn’t flinch. Instead, she repeated her words more slowly and more loudly for me to hear.“I, Melissa Gregory, reject you, Alpha Knox, as my mate.”I could only stare at her in disbelief as I tried hard to wrap my head around the idea that she was truly rejecting me. How could this be happening? My mind raced, trying to find some explanation, some way to fix what was broken between us.Melissa rolled her eyes at my silence, her impatience was evident. “It’s your turn, Knox. Accept the rejection,” she said in firm and firm an
Melissa’s POVAfter Knox left, I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Dylan sleep while Tyler played with his hand.The events of the day kept replaying in my mind, and my thoughts kept returning to Knox and the huge mess he had put me in.This house was very lavish and comfortable, yes, but it felt more like a golden prison to me.My heart began to ache at the thought of being here for longer than 24 hours. I didn’t want to be here. I never wanted to ever come back here.I just want to be back home with my Sam.A sharp knock on the door suddenly interrupted my thoughts.I quickly glanced at the boys to make sure they were still resting before answering the door.“Come in,” I called out softly.The door opened and a woman in a neat maid’s uniform stepped inside.Her hair was pulled back in a sleek bun and her face was completely stoic, like she didn’t know the meaning of a smile.She had an arrogant air about her and I noticed her eyes looking me up and down with a light frown that se
Dylan and Tyler looked up at me innocently.“We just told him Uncle Sam is our father, just like you always said we should,” Dylan replied.A sigh of relief left my lips. Thank the goddess!“That’s right my love. Always remember, if anyone ever asks, Uncle Sam is your father,” I reminded them gently.The boys nodded solemnly, and their innocent looks made my heart clench. They didn’t know why they had to do it, but they did it anyway.Dylan’s expression turned thoughtful, and he asked the onequestion I always dreaded hearing.“Mummy? When will we see finally get to see our Dad?” he asked curiously. “You said we’d meet him one day when we’re older. We are older now.” He said and I sighed.Telling them they would see their father was probably a mistake. I had always wanted to just tell them that their father had died, but something in me would not allow it.Sam had encouraged me over and over again to say their father had died but I really just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t explain why, bu
Knox's POV The grand stone walls of the council hall towered proudly in front of me as I approached the entrance. I could hear the faint echoes of muffled angry voices inside, it was the sounds of problems and unrest. Standing just outside the doors was my Beta, Andrew, looking as serious as ever.“How’s it going in there, Andrew?” I asked, knowing full well I probably wouldn’t like the answer.Andrew shook his head and winced. “Not good sir. The council members are more unhappy than ever before. They’re all on edge.”I let out a weary sigh. “When were they ever happy?” I muttered, brushing past him as I pushed open the heavy oak doors.Inside, the council hall was as I expected—filled with mostly chubby men seated in a semicircle.Their eyes immediately snapped up to me as I entered. Their faces showed different degrees of irritation and impatience. I didn’t even have a chance to take my seat before one of them, Councilman Morris, shot up with a frown.“There he is, finally. So you
Knox's Point of View“That’s a lie!” Someone suddenly shouted.The air was thick with tension in the council hall as I surveyed the seated men.“Who said that?” I snarled.The weight of the problems seemed to press down on my shoulders, as did the suffocating glares from the council members seated in front of me. I knew today's meeting would be challenging, but I hadn't anticipated just how quickly things would escalate.Who would dare call me a liar?Councilman Ebert, the oldest and most outspoken of the group, rose from his seat again.His voice carried the gravity of his years. “Alpha Knox, I b what that person was trying to say was that things are not actually under your control. Because without a healthy successor, we are seen as weak in the eyes of our enemies,” he warned, his eyes boring into mine. “Our pack's future is at stake.”His gut wrenching words hung in the air for far too long before another council member, Edwin, chimed in with a nod. “Ebert's right sir. The lack of
Knox's POV "Keep this up, and I’ll regret ever coming back!"Melissa's words keep echoing in my mind, over and over, relentless and painful. They circle around, tormenting me whenever I lose focus from my work.Since that phone call, we haven’t said a word to each other. Last night, when I returned to the apartment, Melissa was already asleep. This morning, before I even woke up, she had taken Tyler to the park. It’s clear she’s avoiding me, and under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t let that slide. But with the investigation consuming all my time, I don't have the energy to confront her.The eclipse festival tonight, however, will force us into the same space. I won’t let us go to bed angry this time. We’ll sit down and talk through everything until it's resolved. I can’t keep ignoring our issues, and I won’t let Melissa down again. Not this time.The only blessing we've had since returning is Melissa 's good press,and even my own has improved greatly since those first tense days b
Sam's POVSusie freezes, her eyes wide with shock, the gold flecks in them flashing in the dim light. “What do you mean?”Her anxiety hits me like a wave, a sensation so familiar it feels like my own. I can almost hear her thoughts. Before Knox arrived, there were moments when I thought Melissa might have sensed my feelings for her. Each of those moments was a test, the anxiety unbearable, the vulnerability so overwhelming it left me weak in the knees.Poor little mate, my wolf muses, affectionate in its own way. She’s completely losing it.I almost feel a pang of guilt as I watch Susie struggle, yet a quiet certainty fills me. I don’t need to wonder if my love is returned—this time, I know. I know how deeply she cares. I know we’re fated.I had intended to give Susie more time, to let her heal from the chaos of last month. It’s clear she’s not ready to share her feelings with me yet, but now I’m starting to question whether giving her this space is only making things worse.In a matt
Susie ’ POVHugo stands in the doorway, his eyes fixed on me with an unsettling detachment that makes my face flush crimson. It’s as if I’ve become some perplexing puzzle, something he thought he had figured out but now sees in a new, uncertain light. Lately, this kind of gaze has become common around the Pack House, and it sends a shiver down my spine each time.I force myself to look away from the Beta and focus on the full-length mirror across the room. Naturally, my reflection stares back, a reminder of my constant inadequacy. Dressed in the most beautiful gown I've ever worn, I look like someone completely different from the person I was just a few months ago—but still, it doesn’t feel like enough.It feels very strange to envy someone who has had such a difficult life, but Goddess help me, I can't help but wish I was Melissa. She is beautiful in a way I will never be. She has this air of mystery, this unknowable quality that enchants every man who meets her.Where her tragedy has
Melissa's POVAs Tyler and I arrived in New Town, something strange happened. The streets seemed to shift before my eyes, rearranging themselves in an instant. The modern world around me faded away, and in its place, the familiar signs of a bygone era emerged: vintage cars, outdated advertisements, and storefronts that had long since vanished from memory.It was as though the town had turned back the clock to fifteen years ago, to the last time I was here—before my mother passed away and before Garrick took me prisoner. After I escaped, I stayed away from this place, avoiding it as if it were cursed. But now, here I am again, feeling ten years old, standing on the brink of losing everything I once knew and loved."This is it, Mommy," Tyler's small hand tightens around mine, pulling me out of my thoughts, her voice full of wonder."This is it," I say, the words heavy with meaning. "I grew up in that house.""And lost everything there too," Luna whispers, her voice tinged with sorrow."
Melissa's POVNot this again!One moment, I'm standing there, and the next, I'm sprawled over my friend's lap, my arms flailing in a desperate attempt to shield my now exposed behind.How did he manage that so quickly? Luna's voice echoes in my mind, and at the same time, I think, I really need to stop wearing dresses. They make it way too easy for him to get to me.Before I can make another move, Knox has my hands pinned behind my back, and his strong thighs hold my kicking legs in place. Unlike before, I don’t whimper or plead for an explanation. This time, I fight back with everything I’ve got, my anger flaring as I realize I’m stuck in this situation once more.I can't believe he's doing this to me again. That incident at the café seems to have opened up a whole new can of worms. Is this how he’s going to react every time I do something he doesn’t like?Maybe I shouldn’t have pushed him, but deep down, I know I don’t regret it. I’m certain I’m in the right here.Still, it isn't fa
Melissa's POV"Knox, put me down!" I shout, wriggling as he carries me through the pack house in his arms. "I can walk!"“I know you can walk," he growls, tightening his hold on me. "But I’m carrying you because I don’t trust you not to run off and do something reckless if I let you go."This is bad. Knox hasn’t said a word to me since he figured out that I must have jumped into the pool on purpose. Instead, he swept me up and stormed out of Nova Hall, not sparing a glance for his mother or anyone else. He made the trek back to the pack house so fast, I can hardly believe he’s still human.Now, he's pacing in a silent fury, holding me like I'm a sack of potatoes, steam practically rising from his ears. He charges up the stairs and barges into the apartment without slowing, and the sound of Tyler’s crying immediately hits my ears. I twist, trying to locate my pup, but Knox keeps me firmly in his grip, not letting me move an inch.“Tyler?” I call, listening with Knox's breath as her wai
Melissa ’s POVThis was a mistake.The realization hit me the moment I entered the water. Attempting such a reckless plan was foolish, and now I was paying the price. I plunged beneath the turquoise surface, sinking fast, my body heavy and unyielding like a stone. The bottom of the pool loomed closer, and panic clawed at my chest.It wasn’t a particularly deep pool—just twenty feet—but even that shallow depth felt oppressive. The pressure seemed to crush me, as though the weight of the entire world had settled on my shoulders. My lungs screamed for air, but my mind was caught in a storm of dread.The seconds dragged painfully, each one an eternity. The underwater world was surreal—soft, muted, and overwhelmingly blue. It might have been mesmerizing if it weren’t so terrifying. I stretched my arms wide, trying to focus. There had to be something within me, a spark of power waiting to be tapped. Desperately, I pictured myself reaching for it, pulling salvation from the depths of my bein
Knox's POVAfter a frustrating and unproductive trip to the security offices, where we uncovered nothing but twelve hours of blacked-out camera footage from the night the paternity test was conducted, my betas and I made our way up to the chief physician's office on the tenth floor.Now, we stand in the doorway of his corner suite, carefully observing the doctor's reaction to our sudden appearance, only to find him with a blank expression.Seated behind his desk, he has his polished loafers casually resting on the sleek wooden surface, a takeout container resting in his lap. It's been a while since I last saw him, and despite the fact that he's only a few years older than me, I can't help but notice the toll time has taken. His dark hair now has a few streaks of gray, and the lines around his eyes and mouth are more pronounced than I remember.“Alpha, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Dr Kane greets me, barely looking up from his lunch.As far as Alpha's go, I've also considered myself
Melissa's POVKnox is driving me crazy.It’s barely evening, and here we are—already tucked into bed. We don’t even have my heart to blame for this rush anymore; that excuse ran its course days ago. But you'd never guess that from the way Knox is behaving. It's as if we're teenagers again, caught up in the chaos of our own desire. Though, I can’t say he's entirely at fault—every time his hands are on me, I seem to lose all control, melting into him.I know it might sound like I'm frustrated, but honestly, I’m just trying to process everything that’s happened recently. I’m not upset about having this incredible Alpha showering me with affection. I just don’t quite know how to handle all these overwhelming changes.Knox pulls me closer, wrapping himself around me like the softest blanket, his massive frame offering comfort as his lips graze my skin. “Goddess, I love you,” he murmurs, pressing his face into my neck."I love you too," I whisper, smiling widely. “Even if you don't listen t