It’s Asha and Astrid’s first conversation, yet there’s too much hatred already
Astrid’s POVI bit my lower lip as I tried to pull my arm away from Asha’s iron-tight grasp. Her slender fingers were like bands of steel as she held me down, her eyes fixated with laser-like intensity on the dark silver bracelet that adorned my wrist.Each time I tried to pull my hand out, she would tighten her grip around my wrist, burying her nails into my skin until my arm had turned red because of the lack of blood. “I asked you a question!” Asha yelled at me. “Where did you get this?!”I flinched at her fury. I do not understand why my bracelet made her angry.“Asha, let her go! You are hurting her,” Nova demanded, unable to lay a finger on the daughter of the Shadowfang Pack’s Alpha. If only she had not been someone we could not afford to offend, Nova would have hurled her away from me to protect me. “I-It was a gift,” I answered her as I winced in pain. Suddenly, Asha twisted my arm, making me yell out loud. She held my arm in an unnatural position. She held it at a perfe
Astrid’s POVEveryone stopped and bowed their heads with respect when Alpha Theron entered the room. Alpha Theron’s piercing gaze scanned the room. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he saw the amount of Pack guards crowding inside the room. But then, Alpha Theron’s stern expression softened when his eyes fell upon me, kneeling weakly on the ground. Without hesitation, he strode towards me, concern etched on his features. Reaching down, Alpha Theron gently took my arm, helping me to my feet with a tenderness that belied his imposing stature. I was surprised at how much he cared. I felt uncomfortable receiving such treatment from a man like him. “Are you alright?” Theron’s deep voice was laced with unmistakable worry as he steadied me and carefully brought me back to bed. “Thank you, Alpha. I’m alright,” I replied, as I felt uneasy at the attention that he was giving me. It felt awkward when I saw everyone staring at us in surprise. Asha has the most interesting reaction fr
Astrid’s POVErika? That’s also my mother’s name. The bracelet… Alpha Theron gave it to a woman named Erika, who then gave it to me. My eyes slowly widened when Alpha Theron’s words sank in. The woman he had been involved with, the one he had abandoned while she was pregnant —. that woman is my mother. Which meant…My breath got caught in my throat as realization dawned upon me like a splash of cold water. Is the Alpha of the Shadowfang Pack my father?How could that be? How could a powerful Alpha be my father who abandoned us?My heart hammered inside my chest, my pulse pounding in my ears. I curled my fingers into the bedsheets, knuckles turning white from my vice-like grip as a storm of emotions clouded me. “Don’t tell me…” Asha spoke, her eyes widening. “Tell me, is that the name of your mother?” she spoke directly to me. My gaze flickered to Asha, my half-sister that I ever knew I had. I opened my mouth, desperate to say something - anything, but the words lodged in my throat
Astrid’s POVMy composure crumbled, and I broke out into tears when Alpha Theron and the others finally left the room, leaving Drystan, Nova, and me behind. Drystan stood silently by my side, his usually stoic expression softening with concern as he regarded me. Nova, ever the perceptive one, reached out and gave my hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s going to be alright,” Nova murmured, her voice like a soothing balm. Why did he have to say that? Why did he have to expose the truth now, after I just lost my child? Did he think that I would be happy to find out that he was my father? Did he think that I would run into his arms and forgive me like nothing happened by just showing remorse? The only emotion I felt when I heard the truth was not joy but anger. Now that I finally knew the truth, I finally knew the amount of pain that my mother went through because of him. As an omega mated to an Alpha, I know how it feels to be abused and oppressed because of discrimination because of the
Asha’s POVA palpable rage consumed me as I stormed out of the room without a clear direction to go in mind.A half-sister?? Never once in my life had I ever expected that my father would fall in love with a woman that is not my mother. My mom and dad were mates destined for each other. My mother patiently waited for her mate and kept herself pure while my father impregnated someone else and even promised her marriage. Even though they haven’t met each other yet, this should be counted as an affair. My father knew that he would meet his true mate later on, but instead of waiting, he cheated on my mother. He actually fell in love with another girl, but because of his responsibility as an Alpha, he had to leave his mistress and marry my mother. My life felt like a whole lie after my father made his raw confession. All my life, I thought my mom and dad had the perfect love story. I grew up adoring how perfect and lovely my parents are. Even our Pack adores them so much. They are tha
Drystan’s POVIt’s been a week since we made our stay in the Shadowfang Pack. It didn’t even feel that we had been here that long. When I turned my phone open, a thousand missed calls and a thousand messages popped up on my notifications, including a thousand emails from different Packs. Ever since our Pack’s alliance with the Shadowfang Pack was announced, my phone never stopped ringing, and Beta Caden never stopped begging and forcing me to come back to the Pack. According to him, there were lots of Alphas from different Packs who flew over to our Pack, wishing to meet me. Last time, when the rumor about my affair with Astrid blew up, everyone ignored me like I was invisible. They treated me like an outcast, but now that I have a connection with the Shadowfang Pack, people are so eager to talk to me like nothing happened. The emails, calls, and messages I received just show how shameless they are. At the time when I begged them not to cancel their partnership with me, no one li
Drystan’s POVIn the end, Astrid managed to convince Nova and me to bring her back to the Pack in exchange for a promise that she would visit here every week for her routine checks. Astrid really didn’t want to stay here any longer. Ever since she found out that her father was actually the Alpha of this Pack, she couldn’t wait to leave. Asha, on the other hand, hadn't seen Asha since she found out that Astrid was her half-sister. She had never shown herself to us ever since When we arrived at the Shadowfang Pack, we brought nothing with us except ourselves. It was an unplanned trip. Thankfully, the Shadowfang Pack provided us with clothes so we could change. Now that we are returning to our pack, we changed the clothes that we wore at Killian’s engagement party since it was the only one we owned. “Are you really sure that you’d come with us?” I asked Astrid for the umpteenth time already. Astrid nodded her head, not getting tired of giving me the same response. “Even if you as
Astrid’s POVThe temperature inside the room lowered, casting a chill on everyone who was present when Alpha Theron suddenly barged inside the room. All eyes instantly turned to him, and they instinctively bowed their heads in deference as he strode purposefully towards my side. “Are you alright?” he pressed, his voice tinged with a rare note of worry, but I refused to meet his gaze. Someone must have informed him of what happened. The news traveled to him so fast. I only turned my head away stubbornly. Hurt flashed across Alpha Theron’s eyes upon my rejection, but it was gone the second it was there as if my eyes had just played tricks on me. Alpha Theron’s brows furrowed, a storm brewing behind his piercing eyes. “What happened here?” he demanded, the weight of his authority filling the room. Silence hung heavy in the air, no one daring to speak up and incur the wrath of the powerful Alpha. Suddenly, the doctor spoke and explained her diagnosis of me to him. “It’s a panic att
Astrid’s POVThe Packhouse felt heavier than ever as the tension between us grew. Despite our united front, I could see the cracks forming. Drystan and Nova were relentless in their pursuit of the truth about Liora, while Killian and I were walking on a tightrope, desperately trying to keep our secret buried.The message from the rogues still lingered in my mind: “Loyalty is fragile. Truth breaks even the strongest bonds.” They weren’t just taunting us—they were succeeding.Killian had thrown himself into the investigation, questioning warriors and reviewing records, but I could see the toll it was taking on him. He was barely sleeping, barely eating, and the strain of carrying his mother’s secret was written all over his face.As for me, I had my own demons to wrestle with. Every time I looked at Nova, I felt a pang of guilt. She trusted me, confided in me, and here I was, hiding the truth about her sister’s death. My wolf growled uneasily, a constant reminder of the betrayal sim
Astrid’s POVThe Silvermoon Packhouse was quieter than usual, as if the weight of the past few days had seeped into its walls, stifling every sound. Killian had been unusually distant since the discovery of the locket and the ledger, his thoughts turned inward as we both struggled to decide our next move. The secrets we carried were a heavy burden, and the consequences of their revelation loomed over us like a dark cloud.I stood in the courtyard, watching Ryker and Elara chase each other around the garden. Their laughter echoed through the open space, a brief reprieve from the storm brewing within me. My wolf stirred uneasily, sensing the tension that lingered just beneath the surface.“Mama, look!” Elara’s excited voice called, breaking through my thoughts.I turned to see her holding a small bouquet of wildflowers she had picked. Her silver eyes sparkled with pride, and for a moment, the world felt lighter.“They’re beautiful, sweetheart,” I said, kneeling to accept the flowers
Nova’s POVThe room was silent, save for the crackle of the fire burning low in the hearth. I sat at the head of the long table, staring at the assortment of documents scattered before me. Each piece felt like a fragment of a puzzle too shattered to put back together.Drystan stood at the far end of the room, arms crossed, his expression grim. His wolf had been on edge since our return from the Emberwood ruins. So had mine.“They planned it,” I murmured, breaking the silence. “Liora’s death wasn’t just a rogue attack. They lured her there, Drystan. And someone helped them.”Drystan’s jaw tightened, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. “We’ve suspected as much. But we need proof—something that ties this to someone in the Pack. Without it, we have nothing.”I picked up the silver locket we’d found at the ruins, my fingers brushing over its worn surface. Liora had carried it with her everywhere. Finding it there felt like she’d left it as a breadcrumb, a plea for the tru
Astrid’s POVI stared at Rowena, my heart pounding in disbelief. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, sensing my anger, my sadness, my… disgust. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.“You have no remorse,” I said, my voice trembling, a mix of anger and sorrow. “After everything that happened. After the pain you caused to Drystan and Nova. After taking someone’s mate, someone’s sister, you stand here and act as if it was just… business. Just a means to an end.”Rowena’s cold, detached gaze met mine. “It wasn’t personal, Astrid. It was survival. You have to understand—when you’re protecting what’s yours, you’ll do whatever it takes. Drystan would have taken everything from us.”I took a step forward, my fists clenched, my wolf growling within me. “Do you even hear yourself? You didn’t just take everything from Drystan; you destroyed him. You tore apart a bond stronger than anything in this world. Do you know what it feels like to lose your mate? To live every single day with half of
Astrid’s POVThe Silvermoon Packhouse was unusually quiet as we arrived, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the grounds. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, sensing the tension in both Killian and myself. nWe hadn’t spoken much on the way back, but the weight of what we’d uncovered hung heavy between us.As we approached the front steps, the sound of laughter broke through the silence. I turned toward the sound and saw Rowena in the courtyard, her face uncharacteristically soft as she knelt in the grass, playing with Ryker and Elara.“Mama! Papa!” Elara’s bright voice rang out as she spotted us.Ryker followed close behind her, his grin wide as he sprinted toward Killian. “You’re back!”I knelt just in time to catch Elara as she threw herself into my arms, her small hands clutching at me as if I’d been gone for days. “I missed you, Mama!”I smiled, seeing her melted all my worries away. Although I wasn’t gone that long it felt like I haven’t seen her in ages upon seeing
Astrid’s POVThe clearing was unnervingly quiet. The parchment in Killian’s hands seemed heavier than it had any right to be, the words scrawled across its surface burning into my mind like a brand. Elimination Plan. Pack informant. No survivors.It seems that there is something more behind Liora’s death. It was planned, she was targetted. Her death wasn’t a simple accident. And worse, someone from Silvermoon had helped them.I felt the weight of Killian’s silence beside me, and my stomach twisted. I’m sure he is already suspecting his mother. Aside from Rowena, who else could have made a deal with the rogues?If it was Rowena, it would make sense why she made a deal with us in exchange of escaping punishment.I reached for Killian’s hand and squeezed it in comfort. Killian looked at me and I stared back at him with understanding. There’s no evidence yet. All we know is that someone from the Silvermoon Pack had something to do with Liora’s death. We aren’t sure yet if it was Rowen
Astrid’s POVThe forest around the Emberwood ruins was a tangle of shadows and silence. Every crunch of leaves beneath our boots and rustle of branches above felt amplified in the eerie stillness. My wolf stirred uneasily within me, its senses sharp as if anticipating an ambush.Killian walked at my side, his posture rigid with tension. Drystan and Nova followed close behind, their weapons at the ready, and a small group of warriors flanked us. We’d planned this mission carefully, but the weight of the Forsaken Amulet and the shadow of the Rogue King made every step feel like a gamble.As we approached the ruins, the crumbling stone walls loomed into view, covered in moss and vines. A cold wind blew through the trees, carrying a faint metallic tang that made my stomach churn.“It’s too quiet,” Killian muttered, his eyes scanning the treeline. “I don’t like it.”Drystan nodded grimly. “If the Rogue King knows we’re here, he’s waiting.”“We don’t have a choice,” I said, gripping my
Nova’s POVThe hum of the car engine vibrated through my chest, a soothing constant as the trees blurred past the windows. It had been far too long since our last visit to the Silvermoon Packhouse, but life at Shadowfang had left no room for reunions. Rogue attacks near our borders kept us tethered to home, juggling defenses and strategies.Today was different. Today, we were finally going back.I sighed, my gaze drifting to Leira. She was practically bouncing in her seat, her excitement bubbling over. Too young to understand the weight of what brought us here, she only saw this as a long-awaited visit to her best friend.“Are we there yet, Mama?” she asked, her face pressed against the window, her voice brimming with hope.“Almost,” I replied, my lips curving into a smile. Her energy was infectious, a bright spot in the constant tension.She turned to Drystan, her wide eyes sparkling. “Do you think Elara will be happy to see me?”Drystan, his hands steady on the wheel, glanced at her
Astrid’s POVRowena’s quarters sat on the outskirts of Silvermoon territory, a place that felt as removed from the Pack’s core as Rowena herself. The journey there was quiet, the tension between Killian and me palpable. I could tell he was already regretting agreeing to this, but we didn’t have the luxury of letting emotions cloud our judgment.The rogue attacks were escalating. They were organized, purposeful, and more ruthless than ever. If Rowena had answers that could shed light on the Rogue King’s plans, we had no choice but to seek her out.Rowena had always been a thorn in our sides—a manipulative force who thrived on power plays. But she was also cunning, and if she knew anything about the Rogue King, she might just be the key to understanding what we were up against.As we approached her quarters, the scent of burning herbs filled the air. Rowena’s home was modest but had an aura of quiet power. It was an illusion, I knew—a way to remind every one of what she once was.K