~ Arabella ~The Calypso Pack House stands as the grandest structure I've ever encountered. Its size dwarfs the Nova Pack House by at least three times, and if not for the imposing walls of defense encircling the marble giant, one might mistake it for a lavish resort. Perched atop a hill in the heart of Tartarus, the capital city, the mansion commands the landscape.It’s clear that the architect had one goal in mind: to ensure the Alpha could always look down upon his subjects, keeping them under his constant surveillance and reminding them, unceasingly, of their position beneath him.Glorious. I think wistfully, finally, a true Alpha.The entire city makes Elysium look like a third world slum. While the Noyas seem content to remain living in the past - preserving ancient buildings.outdated traditions and muddy forests -Tartarus was built with only strength in mind.The city's towering border walls keep out any undesirables, and the few that slip through the cracks are dealt with in s
Melissa's POV"Knox, you're being completely unreasonable."He stands across from me in the kitchen, sunlight streaming in behind him, his arms folded tightly across his chest, and that familiar, stubborn scowl on his face. After everything that happened last night, he's been on edge, hovering around me like a hawk. This morning, I had to actually kick him out of the bathroom just to get a moment of privacy, and now he's digging in his heels, refusing to go to work."Can you blame me?" he snaps, his voice low and edged with frustration.I get it, I do. He's tired. We didn't get to bed until nearly four this morning, and with a young pup running us ragged, there’s no chance of sleeping in. If he were staying home to rest and recharge, I might be more sympathetic. But that’s not it."We've got to figure out a way to get past this,”I sigh, feeling emotionally drained."We can't change what happened,but we can't let it take over our lives either.You have to go to work, I've got to take Tyl
Knox's POV"Go!" Melissa commands, her body poised in a defensive stance."I can't," I mutter, frustration lacing my words. "This doesn’t feel right."We stand in the middle of the garden, the manicured grass stretching out between us. About ten meters separate us, and I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off. Melissa, dressed in workout gear, meets my gaze with a mix of patience and exasperation. On the sidelines, Aiden and Donovan watch, grinning widely as if the whole thing is some kind of game—though nothing has even happened yet."Attack me!" she urges, arms outstretched in an open challenge."Melissa, I really don’t think this is a good idea—""Knox, you promised!" She cuts me off, her voice insistent. I know she’s been trying to convince me to do this for weeks, but I still have doubts. Axel and I would never intentionally hurt her, but there’s always a risk. A slip, a misstep, even a half-hearted strike could go wrong.“This is dangerous." I gripe, "what if it doesn't wo
Melissa’s POV "Congratulations, miss, you’re pregnant," the doctor said with a smile on his face."W- What?” I stammered."You are pregnant," he said again, handing me the test results.I collected them with a shaky hand and was horrified to discover that he was telling the truth. I was two months pregnant.I looked back at the doctor and noticed he was smiling. Of course, he thought that being pregnant was a blessing for me, and maybe it would have been a blessing for me if the father was a loving man who cared for me, but no, that was not the case for me, that was not the kind of relationship I had with the father of my child.The father of my child was cold and unfeeling. He did not give a damn about me, not to talk about loving me. Love was not part of our arrangement. He had made it very clear to me, that I was just his sugar baby, a pet and a plaything to satisfy him whenever he was horny. But that was it. He didn’t love me.And who would blame him? How could someone like him,
A few minutes after the unsettling announcement, Susie stepped out to answer a phone call, leaving me and Knox alone for a moment. Knox looked at me and sighed, “I know that this must have come as a shock for you, but you should have expected it Melissa. It was always going to happen. You should have already known that I would eventually choose a wife to marry.”At this point, I could no longer hold back my tears, and they were now dripping down my face.“Yes,” I whispered, “I expected it, but I didn’t think you would choose my sister,” I sobbed.Knox rolled his eyes at me. “Does it make a difference whether it is your sister or any other woman? Why should I care about your opinion when I choose a bride?”I looked at him in shock. How could he be this cold to me? When we had sex, he used to hold me like he never wanted to let go. He used to kiss me like he could never get enough. But now, he suddenly didn’t care at all?“It’s my fault then.” I sniffed. “I thought you cared. I knew yo
“Oh Sam,” I moaned, “please don't stop,” I said, throwing my head back as my boyfriend’s tongue wrapped around my nipple. My hands tangled in his curly blond hair, and his hands slip down to cup my ass.This had been our early morning routine for the last few months since he moved in with me and the twins. I loved early morning sex with Sam; actually, I loved any sex with Samuel because he was always eager to please me.When we first started dating, he wasn’t quite this good. He didn’t really know how to please me, but he quickly asked me to show him what I liked, and ever since then, he has been getting an A+ response from my body every time.Sam was just about to pull my pants off, but the sudden pitter-patter of small feet had us ripping away from each other like the other person's body was made of hot burning coal. I just barely had enough time to pull my top down before my two little boys burst into the room with a shout.”“Mommy, Mommy, Dylan peed on the bed again,” Tyler squea
A week after I received that weird email from the Crimson Pack, everything was very quiet. They never sent me a follow-up email, so I assumed they understood that I was not interested in their opportunity.Still, I couldn’t shake off the weird feeling that had descended on me since that day. Alpha Knox might not have typed that message, but it was definitely sent with his approval and probably by his instruction. That means he wanted me back in the pack.That thought was worrying because the Alpha Knox I knew, when he wanted something, did not just give up because the person refused to reply to an email or ignored it. Alpha Knox was a go-getter. He produced only results, not excuses. If he wanted you to do something for him, he would make damn sure that you did it. This is what terrified me, because if Alpha Knox wanted me to work for him, then why did everything suddenly seem so quiet? Was he looking for other ways to make me work for him? Were you planning something right now?The
Melissa’s POVEverything went black after I received that devastating call from the detective.I had crumpled to the floor, beca my mind couldn’t bare it to process the reality that my children had been kidnapped from me.It was my secretary, who found me in that state and quickly revived me. She had stayed with me until I could stand on my own two feet again, but my legs felt like they were made of jelly, and my heart was pounding ferociously in my chest.When I finally pulled myself together, I rushed to the car, with every instinct in me screaming for me to get to my babies back from the monster that took them.Through out the drive to the station, I was a mess of tears and whispered prayers to the goddess, begging for my children’s safety.My vision kept blurring, and I struggled to keep the car steady as my hands began shaking on the wheel.“Please dear goddess.” I cried. “Please help me save my boys. Don’t let him take them away from me. Please.” I cried.My sons were my only pur
Knox's POV"Go!" Melissa commands, her body poised in a defensive stance."I can't," I mutter, frustration lacing my words. "This doesn’t feel right."We stand in the middle of the garden, the manicured grass stretching out between us. About ten meters separate us, and I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off. Melissa, dressed in workout gear, meets my gaze with a mix of patience and exasperation. On the sidelines, Aiden and Donovan watch, grinning widely as if the whole thing is some kind of game—though nothing has even happened yet."Attack me!" she urges, arms outstretched in an open challenge."Melissa, I really don’t think this is a good idea—""Knox, you promised!" She cuts me off, her voice insistent. I know she’s been trying to convince me to do this for weeks, but I still have doubts. Axel and I would never intentionally hurt her, but there’s always a risk. A slip, a misstep, even a half-hearted strike could go wrong.“This is dangerous." I gripe, "what if it doesn't wo
Melissa's POV"Knox, you're being completely unreasonable."He stands across from me in the kitchen, sunlight streaming in behind him, his arms folded tightly across his chest, and that familiar, stubborn scowl on his face. After everything that happened last night, he's been on edge, hovering around me like a hawk. This morning, I had to actually kick him out of the bathroom just to get a moment of privacy, and now he's digging in his heels, refusing to go to work."Can you blame me?" he snaps, his voice low and edged with frustration.I get it, I do. He's tired. We didn't get to bed until nearly four this morning, and with a young pup running us ragged, there’s no chance of sleeping in. If he were staying home to rest and recharge, I might be more sympathetic. But that’s not it."We've got to figure out a way to get past this,”I sigh, feeling emotionally drained."We can't change what happened,but we can't let it take over our lives either.You have to go to work, I've got to take Tyl
~ Arabella ~The Calypso Pack House stands as the grandest structure I've ever encountered. Its size dwarfs the Nova Pack House by at least three times, and if not for the imposing walls of defense encircling the marble giant, one might mistake it for a lavish resort. Perched atop a hill in the heart of Tartarus, the capital city, the mansion commands the landscape.It’s clear that the architect had one goal in mind: to ensure the Alpha could always look down upon his subjects, keeping them under his constant surveillance and reminding them, unceasingly, of their position beneath him.Glorious. I think wistfully, finally, a true Alpha.The entire city makes Elysium look like a third world slum. While the Noyas seem content to remain living in the past - preserving ancient buildings.outdated traditions and muddy forests -Tartarus was built with only strength in mind.The city's towering border walls keep out any undesirables, and the few that slip through the cracks are dealt with in s
My heart pounding with sudden panic, I jump a foot in the air and yell softly. I find a very big, very irate Alpha standing over me as I spin around and brace myself against the sturdy doors.Knox exudes displeasure with his arms folded across his chest, his mouth set, and his glittering eyes narrowed in rebuke.My cheeks burn bright pink, and I withdraw away from him, trembling with guilt. "How did you do that in the name of the Goddess?"Ignoring me, he covers my nape with one strong hand."Little wolf, what have you to say for yourself?"My first astonishment has already passed, and I understand that I have no cause for guilt. I straighten up and give my friend my sternest look, saying, “I'm entitled to know what's happening”.Knox warns, "Don't eavesdrop, and then knock on the door and enter.”“If I was in there you wouldn't have spoken openly,"I argue.“You came down here specifically so I wouldn't hear. Sam called you instead of me because he didn't want me to know either-right?”"
Whoever came up with the idea of stilettos clearly had a cruel streak.I’ve blocked out most of the painful details of these wretched pack events, but now that I’m here again, I’m reminded just how miserable it is to be trapped in high heels for hours. But, of course, as the Alpha’s mate, I have to look the part—no room for comfort in that. I have to squeeze myself into constricting designer clothes and strap what could only be described as torture devices to my feet just to be taken seriously.Sure, I’ll admit I look great—but at what price?Meanwhile, Knox has it easy. He stands beside me, as effortlessly stylish as ever in the same black suit he wears to every event. And there I am, struggling to breathe in a cocktail dress so tight and full of straps and cutouts, I needed a map just to put it on.Tyler's silver and black party dress matches mine in color, if nothing else.She looks absolutely adorable, and she's already stolen the spotlight from both Knox and I- rightly so. It seem
Melissa's POVSam’s grim face stares back at me from the tablet, his last words echoing in my mind, refusing to fade.This doesn’t make sense.“Maybe we misunderstood,” Luna suggests, her voice tinged with uncertainty.But I know we didn’t. His words were crystal clear, and the look on his face tells me this is no joke. He’s just as confused as I am, but where I linger in disbelief, he’s already jumping to the worst possible conclusion.The door opens, and Knox steps in. Instantly, Tyler bolts across the room, her little voice ringing out, “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!”With a grin, he scoops her up, tossing her into the air. Her delighted shrieks fill the room. “Tyler, Tyler, Tyler!” he echoes, flipping her over his head a few more times before pulling her close, her small form resting against his chest as he presses a kiss to her forehead."Daddy, we went to da woods! She exclaims, launching into her account of the day."The trees were so big they touched the sky!" Tyler has seen forests bef
Susie's POV“I have no idea what I’m doing,” I complain, throwing my hands up in frustration.We’re in the back of Melissa’s café. Sam’s sitting at the kitchen island, watching me wrestle with a lump of dough on a floured cutting board. And if I’m not mistaken, he’s struggling not to laugh.“This isn’t funny,” I grumble. “I’m not a cook, I’m not a baker – I’m not cut out to take over this place.”Sam raises his dark brows. “You didn’t want to move into the Pack House, and you didn’t want my money, which means you need a job to pay rent,” he reminds me. “And this is a job – a good one, actually.”“Yes,” I admit, conceding to his logic, “but I can’t do this job. I’m completely unqualified – both as a beginner and a pro.”We've already had this argument about eight times already, but it keeps resurfacing anyway. Sam knows I can't boil water without starting a kitchen fire,so I'm a little suspicious that he keeps pushing the cafe on me. I think he's trying to wear me down until I cave and
Melissa's POVThe day after we’re back home, Knox dives into back-to-back meetings that stretch from dawn till late evening. He barely manages to slip into Tyler’s room in time to read her bedtime story, and when he finally emerges about half an hour later, he looks completely drained.I’m in the kitchen, waiting with a glass of scotch in hand. But instead of reaching for the drink, Knox comes straight to me, wrapping me up in his strong embrace, his body warm and solid against mine. He buries his face into the curve of my neck, loosening my pinned-up hair so it cascades down, draping over him like a chocolate waterfall.“What happened?” I murmur, my fingers gently weaving through his thick hair.He takes a deep breath, pulling in my scent with a sigh that seems to ease his tension. When he raises his head, dark circles rim his eyes, but his gaze is as intense as ever as he studies my lips, leaning in to capture them in a deep, lingering kiss.When he's had his fill, he tucks my head
knox's POVThough the thought crosses my mind to enter through the garage with Melissa and Tyler, avoiding the councilors' gaze and heading straight to the apartment, I quickly discard it. I can't afford to show any hint of weakness, not when these men are already testing my resolve. I refuse to give them that satisfaction. No, we will walk through the front door, our heads held high, and if it comes to it, I will take down every last elder in my path to ensure we do.We exit through the side door, our small group moving toward the front of the house. Aiden and Donovan position themselves on either side of Melissa and Tyler, while I take the lead, steeling myself for whatever unpleasant news is waiting for us."Gentlemen,"I greet the assemblage without any hint of a smile,“to what do we owe the pleasure."They are all looking past me,surveying my mate and pup with undisguised curiosity and, in some cases, distrust.“You've been gone nearly a month,Alpha." The chief elder states,“And we