Ryder's POV I stood alongside my allies, Alphas Kayson and Ronan, as we led our armies towards the rogue pack's territory, preparing to take down Winston once and for all. That son of a bitch had been a thorn in our side for far too long, and it was time to put an end to it.As we crested the hill overlooking the rogue pack's camp, we were met with a sight that made our blood boil. Winston's pack had gathered around a figure tied to a horse, and it was clear they were about to execute them. My heart raced as I took in the scene, my eyes scanning the crowd for any sign of weakness or vulnerability. I could feel my hackles rising, my claws extending in preparation for battle.And then, I saw her. April, our mate, was the one tied to the horse. My heart stopped as I realized the danger she was in. I could feel my vision narrowing, my focus solely on saving her. Without hesitation, I drew my bow and fired an arrow at the executioner's hand, knocking the whip away just in time. The rogue
Ronan's POVAs I gazed at April, my heart swelled with a mix of emotions relief, joy, and lingering hurt. We'd finally found her, finally rescued her from the clutches of the rogue pack. But the memory of her choosing Winston over us still stung."April," I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. I couldn't believe we'd almost lost her, again.Kayson and Ryder stood beside me, their eyes fixed on our mate with equal intensity. We'd been through hell and back to save her, and now...now we finally had her back.April's eyes met mine, and for a moment, I saw the old spark there, the spark that had drawn me to her in the first place. But it was tempered now, tempered by the trials she'd faced and the secrets she'd kept."I know," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm sorry. I had to do what I did to get close to Winston."My jaw clenched, the old wound still raw. "You chose him over us," I growled, the pain still evident in my voice. I couldn't help it, the memory of that d
Kayson's POV I stepped through the gates of the Landside Pack, my weary eyes scanning the familiar terrain. The battle was over, and we had emerged victorious, but at great cost. I carried the weight of my grief, the loss of my childhood friend Luciana, who had betrayed me, but still held a piece of my heart.I held a small, private funeral for Luciana, my hunters and I gathered around her grave. We had grown up together, explored these woods, shared our deepest secrets. Her betrayal had cut deep, but I couldn't deny the pain of her loss.After the funeral, I took a moment to collect myself, then turned to my beta, Thane. "Thane, I need an update on the search for Reese," I said, my voice firm.Thane nodded, his expression grim. "We've tracked him to the old windmill on the outskirts of the park, Kayson, we'll have him soon."I turned to Thane, my beta, my eyes locked on his. "Assemble a team of our best hunters. I want Reese brought in, alive if possible. I want to deal with him mys
APRIL’S POV “Are you out of your mind?" Alpha Winston growled as he flashed a cold stare at me. I shuddered. "I know you feel the mate bond as much as I do." I muttered. He sprang from the large bed and stalked over to where I stood by the closed door. We were in his private chambers, alone. Tension hung low in the air as he approached me. "Say that again, April" He said. He was now a few inches away from me, and his height towered above my small figure. My mouth ran dry as I clutched unto the basket of clothes in my hands. "April, I dare you to repeat yourself!" He ordered in a low tone. I broke into a cough and looked down at my feet. "Alpha Winston, I am-am only saying that there is a mate bond between us and—" "That is my point!" He barked. "I know fully well that you are my mate. May the Moon goddess curse me if I ever let you become my Luna. What would my subject even say of me?" My mouth dropped open. What was he even talking about? He edged backwards,
APRIL'S POV His words felt like a knife to my chest and I fell to the ground, with my hands clasped in front of me as I cried. "Alpha—" He kicked my sides, making me to fall over backwards, "Don't you dare mention my name again! I have nothing to do with you." His kicks became harder on my sides, sending shots of pain through my body. In an instant, a strong pair of hands grabbed my arms, pulling me up from the dusty ground. "Can you—" I started to say when a hand swung through the air and landed on my face, causing me to go blind for some seconds. My mouth suddenly felt wet, so I coughed and blood trickled out of my mouth, down my jaw. "Make sure she doesn't find her way to this place until the mating ceremony is over. I don't want to be interrupted by this nuisance one more time" Alpha Winston ordered, and the two guards who stood on both my sides, started to roughly drag me out of the crowd. I didn't know which was more humiliating; the mocking stares from the cr
KAYSON’S POV I knew something was up! I just knew it because my ears had picked up a cry that rang out far up in the woods. I became alarmed and I immediately broke into a run. Within minutes, I had shifted into my wolf form, and I was panting. The order had been under attacks by rogues lately, and I didn't want to risk it. I was alert as I sprinted in my wolf form in the direction of the cry. It rang out again; this time it was strained whimper and I was able to tell that it came from a female. A female in the red-zone? What the hell would a female be doing in this parts of the forest that was mostly dominated by ruthless rogue wolves? I did not spare any moment in trying to figure out an answer to the question that tugged at the back of my mind as my paws started to pound against the damp forest ground. I started to race faster as my senses directed me to where the predator was. As I drew closer, I slowed down my pace and peeped through a covering of shrubs. My e
APRIL'S POV "I wonder what you were doing out there, alone in such a dangerous place." Someone said besides me. I stiffened. My eyes were closed, but I could tell that I was laying on a soft surface. It wasn't the wet grass of the forest, neither was it the hardness of the ground. It felt more like a bed. I held my breath for a moment, struggling to remember if any of the guards had caught up with me. I could barely remember anything, but I was aware of every sound around my immediate environment. My eyes fluttered open, just in time for me to see someone pull his hands away from my face. A man! He had a chiseled jaw and his brown hair fell over a part of his face. He seemed shocked to see me awake and he drew back a few inches. I shut my eyes again, wincing as a sharp pain seared through my head. My head thumped, but that didn't matter to me. I was supposed to be focused on where I was. Had I been caught by Alpha Winston's men? I tried to remember the last
Kayson's POVAs I watched Reese, my Beta walk out on me, his defiance still lingered in the air. I couldn't believe he had the audacity to disobey me in front of a stranger. But I pushed aside my anger and focused on the wounded female in front of me. She looked pale and fragile, her small frame almost disappearing into the bed."Go back to bed," I told her, my voice firm but gentle. "We'll talk later, when you're feeling stronger. You'll need all your energy for our next conversation." I paused, my eyes locked on hers. "You owe the pack an explanation and the truth about why you're here, and what you want."She stuttered out a thank you, her eyes darting away from mine. I could sense her fear, her uncertainty. She knew she was at my mercy, that her fate was in my hands. And I knew that fate was usually sealed for strays like her, who stumbled into our territory uninvited. But something about her struck a chord in me. My instincts whispered that there was more to her story, that she