RAVEN’S POV:Alexander's gaze drifted around before finally landing on me, who was seated beside him. His wounds have been cleaned up, and his arm wrapped in a cast."Ms. Raven..." he began to speak. "How do you feel?" I asked as he prepared to sit up. I helped him up, and he rested on the chair. He gave a small, gentle smile, looking at his arm. "I feel better." Then, he looked around his surroundings. They brought him to the pack hospital, and after he was treated, he was left in the public ward.It was about two hours since we arrived and very late. I was extremely tired, too, after all the stress from work and today's incident. I had also gone to check on the boy, and he didn't have any complications. The doctor I met said he only fainted out of exhaustion and needed to rest. They had also started looking for the boy's parents and informed the pack officials."Do you have anyone else that can stay and take care of you?" I asked Alexander, looking at me wristwatch. It was late.H
AUTHOR'S POV:Candace stood at the door of Tristan's office for a couple of minutes, seemingly hesitating to knock. But after a moment, she knocked gently on the mahogany door."It's me, Alpha," she called out to him, and after she heard him tell her to enter, she opened the door and entered.Probably because it was late, the lights in his office were dimmer, so she couldn't see what his expression looked like clearly from where she stood. But she could tell he was staring at her, so she quickly walked up to him."Why are you still here?" His voice sounded displeased and quite reasonably so since it was no secret that he didn't like any of his employees staying over at the office late in the night.It was already daring enough for her to ask him what she was about to say, but she just didn't like what he did. As she stood in front of him now, however, she was beginning to have cold feet."Secretary Williams," Tristan called, his voice descending even lower when she didn't speak.Canda
NADIA'S POV:"Welcome, Miss," the housekeeper greeted with a bow the moment I entered the manor, and I simply gave a nod before entering the living room.. She quickly followed behind me, and I asked her, not bothering to turn and look at her, "Where is my father?""He's in his study, Miss," she told me, and I made a beeline toward the direction of his study. When I got there, I knocked gently on the door before entering.He seemed busy when I entered and reading a report, but when I appeared in front of him, he closed the papers and looked at me. "When did you get back?" He questioned."Just now," I replied, grabbing a chair and settling on it. My gaze flicked to the heap of files in front of him. "It looks like you still have a lot to do."He nodded. "Yeah. It's almost time for the council reviews. It seems a lot of the elders will be queried this time.""Why?" I couldn't help asking, surprised he was telling me about the council. But even more about why they would be queried since
AUTHOR'S POV:Raven had just grabbed her food from the counter, carrying her tray in hand as she searched for an empty seat when she noticed Alexander sitting alone, an empty chair across him. She quickly approached, settling on the chair as she placed her tray on the table before looking at him.When he looked up at her, he seemed surprised at first, but he soon smiled. "Ms. Raven.""How do you feel now?" She asked, looking at his arm. The cast had already been removed, which meant he was better. It had been days since that accident, and work was very hectic, so she could barely find the time to go check on him. Even now, she was merely stealing a few minutes to catch up on lunch before running off to distribute the files to the other teams.That made her feel guilty since she promised. But thankfully, she ran into him today.Alexander took a spoonful of his food and held the fork in his hand as he spoke, "I'm better now. You don't have to worry. It's been rather hectic these days, s
AUTHOR'S POV:It had been a long time since Roman's apartment had been this clean. When he left, it was on lock and key for two years, but when he came back, he had to hire two housekeepers to clean it up. But it wasn't long before it became dirty again. As he stood in the middle of the lounge, staring at the living room, he was awed.When Roman asked Lena to come, it wasn't exactly because he wanted her to be his housekeeper. Instead, it was just a petty move for what she did and a rather desperate attempt to keep her around.But, he didn't expect her to take it so seriously.Roman looked at his hand with a solemn look on his face. The bandage had been removed since he had gotten better now, but now he was beginning to regret removing it. Thankfully, she always tried to avoid him and didn't come whenever he was out; otherwise, she would have found out that he had gotten better long ago.He was still contemplating that when his doorbell suddenly rang. His gaze flicked to the door, and
RAVEN’S POV:"Are you ready?" Bethany asked with a radiant smile as she held her arm out for me to take. I clasped my arm with hers, a nervous smile on my lips, as she led me into the revolving doors of the hotel.Yesterday, she informed me that an end-of-the-year banquet would be held today, and I had to attend. I wanted to opt out since the last party I went to with her was just full of drama. But she insisted everyone usually attended except some of the pack elders, and it was best for me to attend so I could get initiated into the pack.Eventually, I was convinced to go because I realized I really didn't know or was close to anyone other than her, Tristan, and Lena. So when she came to my room about two hours ago and dragged me out of bed to get dressed, I just followed behind her.She led me to a pair of elegant double doors, and I hesitated for a moment before she gently pushed them open, revealing a grand room filled with laughter and chatter. My eyes widened in astonishment as
RAVEN’S POV:I instantly stepped some distance away from him, gazing at him warily. "What do you want?"He looked surprised at first but soon smiled as he glanced at the open tap, a small smile playing across his lips. "How do you feel? Your legs are shaky.""I'm fine," I managed to croak out, but my body felt as though it would slump any moment. I looked up at him sharply. "What are you doing here? In a female bathroom?"Alexander reached out to turn off the tap like it was making him uncomfortable as he leaned on the counter. He pointed toward the door. "It's locked and out of use... for now."That made my eyes widen as I rushed to the door and turned the knob. It didn't budge, however, and the key was gone from the hole. When I turned to look at him, he was holding the key, and he swung it around his index finger."You have serious trust issues. I told you, I already locked the washroom so no one will come in," he remarked and smiled again. I would have thought his smile was beauti
RAVEN’S POV:I wanted to speak and yell at him to stop, but for some reason, I couldn't get a word out. It felt like my throat was blocked, and I failed to hear anything come from my mouth even though i was practically shouting. He rubbed his palms in delight and got up, looking at his wristwatch before he moved his gaze to me. "We should get going now," he told me. "We've stayed here enough."Then, he lifted me up so suddenly, and I felt the world sway around me. My vision blackened for a moment as he carried me on his shoulders, and my heart began to race. I couldn't even resist, and it just felt like my body was a block of wood. He then proceeded toward the end of the washroom, and I wondered why he was going to a wall instead of taking the door. I had hoped he'd take the door, and someone would at least see him, but even I knew he wouldn't be so stupid. When he got to the wall, he suddenly pushed it, and the wall opened up, turning to the other side. I gasped inwardly - it was
AUTHOR'S POV:"Congratulations, Miss Raven. You're three months pregnant," Dr. Foster announced with a warm smile, his eyes reflecting genuine joy. The test results were on top of his desk as he closed the papers.Raven blinked, disbelief etched across her face. "Pregnant? But... how?" she stammered, her mind still catching up. It felt like the walls were suddenly closing in on her.The doctor chuckled. "Well, it seems you fainted earlier because of more than just fatigue. You're going to be a mother." He handed her the test result, and Raven's trembling hands took hold of it.She sat there for a couple of seconds, trying to process the situation. She had fainted at the office earlier that day, so she came to the hospital, but surely, she was not expecting to be told she was pregnant."Thank you, Doctor," she managed to utter, her thoughts racing. As she exited the office, the weight of the news sank in, leaving her stunned.As she walked along the hospital hallway, she ran into Larson
TRISTAN’S POV:I stared at the screen, my eyes glued to the footage Ethan had managed to salvage from the hotel's security system. Frustration simmered within me as I realized there was a critical gap – the moment Seraphine supposedly plunged into the water was missing. Deleted. Gone."Can't you retrieve that part?" I asked Ethan, my voice tight with worry.Ethan sighed, shoulders slumping. "I went to Jasper's place, watched him try, but even he couldn't get it back. It's like it vanished."Disturbed, I knew that missing piece was vital to proving Raven's innocence. No matter how fiercely I could protect her, I couldn't let a stain tarnish her reputation. I pondered the options – interrogate Seraphine, force a confession, but the risks loomed large. Accusations of me using my power to bully could tarnish my position without solid proof. Not to mention, it would affect Raven - they'd accuse her of messing with my head."We need that footage, Ethan. Find a way," I urged, worry coursing
RAVEN'S POV:An uneasy vibe buzzed in me as Tristan and I shuffled down the hospital hallway. Seraphine supposedly woke up, but it still felt surreal. What happened still feels like a dream to me, and I was unable to come to terms that she had almost died.When we reached the door of the VIP ward she was staying in, a crowd awaited – her family. I didn't realize she had so many relatives, and even Tristan's mom, Luna BlackClaw, was there.The moment we appeared, all gazes fell on us, especially me. Their glares screamed judgment, but I held my cool, knowing I didn't do what they accused.Probably sensing my unease, Tristan held my palm and rubbed it, an attempt to reassure me, so I shot him a forced smile, not wanting him to worry.Luna BlackClaw jumped on me first, fuming, "How dare you show your face here?"She looked very furious, and if one didn't know, they'd think Seraphine was her daughter. I would have been intimidated, but the conviction that I did nothing wrong made me meet
Raven’s POV:I held a glass of wine as I looked around the hall. I was attending Madison's engagement ceremony, and there weren't a lot of people in attendance, as the marriage was not aristocratic, and there were a lot of gossip about them in the pack. Not to mention, it was no news that her father wanted her to marry a richer and well-known man, not her mate. They were all everybody was talking about and giving their two cents of advice on like they knew it all.But as I stared at Madison's figure walking around the entire hall arm in arm with her mate, Christian, I could tell she was happy with the man she ended up with. And I was happy for her because it meant that not all mates were assholes, and they complemented one another well.However, as I saw Madison approaching me with Christian, I placed the wine glass in my hand on the table some distance from me. I didn't want to toast her and have to drink the wine.Firstly, because I had promised Tristan that even though he wasn't th
TRISTAN’S POV:I smiled, seeing the sheer fear and shame that ran through their spines upon seeing me. "Isn't it rude to start a meeting without me, the main topic of the so-called abdication?"As I spoke, I strolled to my seat and settled down. Lucas frowned, but he was soon back to being haughty. That made me frown at his closed-mindedness - how could he be foolish enough to rely only on one piece of evidence that wasn't conclusive enough?"Which rule of the council talks about members not holding a meeting behind the Alpha King?" I questioned as I tapped on the table, intending to drag it out and give them chills."Ru...rule 15," one of them managed to speak while the rest of them frowned, but they all seemed to have regained their composure.I was about to respond when Lucas coldly snorted, "That doesn't include an abdication gathering in the case of a bad Alpha King."That made me perk up, and my gaze found his. "Oh really? How bad of a King am I that you all respectable Alphas w
Lucas paced back and forth in his dimly lit study, a sense of urgency in his voice as he spoke into his phone. "Make sure the meeting room is ready, and no one should tip off Tristan. We can't afford any slip-ups," he ordered.The door swung open abruptly, and Nadia stood there, a hand on her now heavily pregnant stomach. Anger flashed in Lucas's eyes, but he held back his initial impulse to shout at her for barging in. Instead, he ended the call, turning his attention to Nadia. "What are you doing here?" he inquired, attempting to keep his tone steady.Nadia, however, was not in the mood for pleasantries. She stormed toward Lucas, pushing him in the chest. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded, frustration evident in her voice.Perplexed, Lucas responded, "What do you mean?"Without wasting a moment, Nadia thrust photos into his face. "Someone saw you with another woman last night. They're spreading rumors about us," she accused, her eyes ablaze.Lucas glanced at the picture
AUTHOR'S POV;Tristan diligently sorted through the crates in the pack house, the rhythmic hum of activity disrupted as Ethan approached. "Someone's looking for you, Tristan," Ethan said, a frown creasing his brow.Tristan raised an eyebrow, setting down a box. "You know pack members aren't supposed to disturb me at work. Who is it?"Ethan hesitated, then leaned in, voice low. "Alpha Odette."Tristan's surprise flashed across his face. "Alpha Odette? What does she want?"Ethan shrugged, a wary expression in his eyes. "I don't know, but be careful. She's always scheming."A wry smile played on Tristan's lips. "You've never liked her, have you?" Not that he was fond of her either, but he happened to help her three months back to deal with a rogue issue when his investigations led him to her pack, and he realized she was just always scheming and plotting, but her personality wasn't all that bad.Ethan scowled. "And you shouldn't either. Just be cautious."Tristan chuckled, waving Ethan o
RAVEN’S POV:I lay in his arms as he tousled my hair playfully. He didn't go back to the pack office to work, and we just lay together in silence in his room."She just came in like that, and I thought she was a pack member at first," he explained, looking at me, and I couldn't help but smile at how he seemed to forget she was also a pack member."She is a pack member," I corrected, and he only muttered, "Oh.""You're too cold," I couldn't help telling him. He always avoided her, and even before what happened tonight, his stepmother had been trying all sorts of means to push them together, causing further ruin to their relationship.But he was unbothered, unlike me, as he shrugged. "I've always been this way. No need to pay attention to irrelevant people."I chuckled at this, half worried I was ruining his relationship with other people but also pleased that he was avoiding having anything to do with his ex.Just then, he sat up and leaned to get something out of his bedside drawer. I
Tristan's fingers danced across the keyboard in the dimly lit pack house office, the hum soft in the background. Suddenly, the tranquil air shattered as the thunderous noise of running feet echoed from the nearby field. He sighed, his attention disrupted by the unwelcome commotion, reaffirming his disdain for working in the pack house office.Just then, a soft chime emanated from his phone, a welcome distraction. Raven's message illuminated the screen, and a grin replaced Tristan's earlier frown. "How's your headache?" she inquired, a simple yet thoughtful question that melted away his lingering discomfort.His thumbs swiftly responded, typing out his improved condition. As he hit send, an unexpected knock echoed through the room."Come in," he muttered, granting entry to the interrupter, anticipating a curious pack member who had heard he was around and wanted to bother him with something basic.However, when the door swung open, revealing Seraphine in a provocative black dress, Tris