Astrid’s POVI watched as the range of emotions flickered across Drystan’s face — the initial disbelief, the growing anguish, and now, the most unexpected response of all — understanding. I thought he would hate me for breaking my promise. No reason can justify my betrayal. Drystan had asked me many times before this if I was really sure about my decision to stay at the Nightsong Pack with him, and I had always given him the same answer. I had lied to him many times. Drystan had always been so kind to me; he always had my back no matter what, and I chose to do this in return. “I understand, Astrid,” he murmured, his voice soft and steady. “You do not have to blame yourself. I know this has been hard on you,” he continued, his words wrapping me like a warm embrace.I was speechless. What have I done to deserve him?“You don’t have to hide anything from me. I’m always here for you Astrid. I’ll support you no matter what you choose.” I felt a surge of guilt wash over me as he spoke hi
Nova’s POVMy earbuds pulsed with the rhythm of my steps as I jogged to my apartment, lost in my own thoughts. Ever since I left the Pack, it became dangerous for me to shift to my wolf anytime I want. Having morning jogs everyday, helped in controlling and calming my wolf better. As I reached for my keys, I saw Mrs. Perkins out of the corner of my eye looking at me with that wrinkled smile on her face. Mrs. Perkins is my landlord and she’s so nice and sweet. “Nova, dear, you have a letter,” she called out after me, showing a crisp white envelope. I paused, tugging out my earbuds. “A letter? For me?” I asked in surprise. In the three years that I left the Pack, I have never received a single letter from anyone other than the bills and the occasional catalog. “Yes, just arrived this morning, but you were out for your jog,” Mrs. Perkins answered with a warm smile. “I thought I’d catch you before you go inside.”“Thank you, Mrs. Perkins,” I replied, accepting the envelope. I studi
Astrid’s POV“What? Is Asha still not joining us for today’s breakfast?” Alpha Theron asked as his gaze swept across the table, landing at the empty seat where it should have been. Since the special banquet took place, Asha had never appeared to us. She’s been purposefully avoiding us like the plague. Alpha Theron hoped that she would have been over with the incident by now, but it seems that she still held resentment towards us.“She had stopped dining with us all together and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of her. She couldn’t possibly be hating us until now, does she?” Alpha Theron questioned Andros since he was the only one who could reach and talk to Asha. “You know how stubborn Asha could be, father. She’s always been like this since we were little. If she doesn’t get what she wants, she always throws a tantrum. In the end, you always couldn’t bear it and you always give in to her,” Andros replied with a smile on his face. I stopped when I heard what Asha was like as a child.
Andros’s POVWith a stoic expression on my face, I silently stood by the side, my keen eyes observing their interaction with my usual detached demeanor. I watched as a beaming grin spread across the sewing manager’s face as my father’s discerning eyes swept over the elegant dress before him. The dress before us is a stunning creation, as expected from our team of talented seamstresses. The dress has a bloody red hue, an arresting contrast against the pristine white walls of the chamber. Every intricate detail has been meticulously crafted by the skilled hands of our selected Pack seamstresses. The delicate fabric was handpicked for comfort and design. Its lightweight and silky feel created a graceful fluidity that defied the limitations of textiles. Delicate embroidery danced across the surface, the threads weaving an intricate tapestry that could only have been achieved through painstaking manual labor. The delicate fabric and thread used also left the seamstresses with minimal
Andros’s POV“Father, it would be such a pity if we don’t put this dress to use. The materials took a lot from our Pack funds,” I tried to reason out to my father with fingers crossed. I had no choice but to help him since he asked for my help in front of my father, and I knew what answer my father was expecting from me. My father had always been clear to me about what kind of leader he expected to rule the Pack. Since I was little, my father always emphasized that a great leader loves the people he leads and would take care of them more than how he values his own life. Standing up for this sewing manager who made things difficult for me is the only way out of the dilemma he has given me. “Yes, Alpha! Sir Andros is right. If we are going to make another dress, it will cost us another fortune,” the sewing manager suddenly spoke up in support.I fought back the scowl that threatened to appear on my face as I glanced at this thick-skinned person who didn’t know shame.“It doesn’t ma
Asha’s POV“Asha, you shouldn’t talk like that! What if others heard you? You’re putting yourself in trouble,” My brother snapped at me angrily. I rolled my eyes and averted my gaze from him. My brother had always been so righteous and modest, which is the opposite of me. “I know, you had always been the good and perfect sibling while I’ll always be the evil one. I’m sorry if I couldn’t be like you!” I rebutted with a scowl on my face. Andros stared at me with a look of surprise in his eyes. He was not expecting that I would suddenly burst out like that.I huffed and crossed my arms as I turned away, feeling guilty instantly. I shouldn’t have pinned my anger on my brother. This isn’t his fault. My brother suddenly shook his head. “If you really think that I am good and perfect, then you’re wrong. Sometimes, my thoughts could turn evil too.”I turned to look at him when his words caught my attention. My brother had always been good and perfect in my eyes. I don’t believe in his wor
Giselle’s POVI watched with rapt attention as my three year old son, Ryker, sat cross-legged on the plush rug, his small hands meticulously arranging and rearranging the brightly colored blocks before him. My trusted assistant, Rhya, stood at the far corner, carefully watching Ryker to be there in the moment that he needed help.I sighed as I rested my chin on my palm. “It’s a rare moment of peace, isn’t it?” I whispered, my gaze not leaving Ryker’s enraptured form. Ryker looked like a sweet little boy as he played with his toy blocks with laser-focused movements. Everyone who would stare at him right now would never imagine that he is actually a spawn of the devil. Ryker has been diagnosed with autism since birth. Small things could easily set him off, and it’s hard to calm him down when he holds tantrums. I and my two attendants aren’t enough to subdue him when he bursts into a fit. There were times when I just wanted to tear my ears off because of his loud and violent yelling.
Giselle’s POVThe air hung heavy around me as my anger pulsed through my veins. As soon as I heard that Killian was doing something behind my back again, I instantly rushed to his office to confront him. I stood before Killian’s door, my back straight and my jaw set in a line of unyielding resolve. The guard, a young man with a face still too smooth to hold the weight of authority, stood before me. His hands hovered nervously near the door handle as he faced me. He must be a newly recruited Pack Warrior, and he was assigned to guard Killian’s room to keep everyone outside.“I need to speak to Killian,” I spoke, my voice a low, icy rumble. It wasn’t a request. It was a demand, a command delivered with the chilling certainty of a queen issuing a decree. My words were laced with a chilling coldness, a warning that I was not to be trifled with, as I fixed my gaze on the mahogany door. I could feel his palpable fear as he stared through me. I could see the sweat beading on his forehea
Astrid’s POVThe morning sun spilled over the horizon, bathing the Silvermoon Pack in golden light.It felt like a dream.Like I had woken up from a nightmare and stepped into something softer, something real.The wind was cool, crisp, carrying the scent of pine and earth, untouched by war, by fear. Peaceful.Something I never thought I’d feel again.But here I was.And my children—my heart, my soul—were safe.I looked down at Elara, her tiny fingers curled around mine as we sat on the balcony of the Packhouse. She was staring out at the trees, her expression calm but distant."Are you cold?" I asked softly, brushing her hair behind her ear.She shook her head. "No."She was quiet these days.Healing.Like all of us.I glanced over my shoulder, where Ryker sat cross-legged on the floor, watching Killian with furrowed brows."You're doing it wrong," Ryker grumbled as Killian attempted to braid his sister’s hair.Killian gave him a mock glare. "Excuse me? I was an Alpha before you were
Killian’s POVThe night smelled like blood and fire.I couldn’t stop moving.Every rogue in my path fell before they even had a chance to react. I didn’t feel them fall. Didn’t care.Because she was here.Astrid.And I would burn this entire place to the ground to get her and Elara back."Killian! We need to push back toward the main entrance!" Ryder shouted over the chaos."Then do it," I snarled, my claws slashing through another rogue’s throat. "I'm getting Astrid."The camp was collapsing around us, rogues scattering in terror. But I didn’t care about them.I cared about one thing.I slammed through the wooden doors, my wolf roaring inside of me, scenting her immediately.Astrid’s POVThe walls shook.The sounds of battle grew louder, closer.I knew what that meant.Killian was here.I forced myself to remain still, though my wrists ached from where they had been tied.The rogues had been restless since nightfall. They hadn’t expected an attack so soon. Hadn’t expected Killian to
Killian’s POVThe night air was thick with tension as we stood outside the war tent, the flickering lanterns casting long shadows over the gathered warriors. We had our plan.It wasn’t enough.Not for me.Not for the rage clawing at my chest, the desperation gripping my every thought.Astrid was out there. Alone. Surrounded. And every second we waited was another second she was at that bastard’s mercy.I paced the length of the clearing, my hands clenched into fists, my wolf snarling just beneath the surface. Patience was never my strength. And right now, I had none."Killian."Ryder’s voice was firm, grounding.I stopped, exhaling sharply, forcing my breathing to even out."We’re ready," Ryder continued, stepping beside me. "The scouts confirmed Astrid’s trail—it leads straight into the rogue king’s stronghold. But we still don’t know exactly where they’re keeping her and Elara."I turned to him, my golden eyes burning. "Then we force them to tell us."Ryder nodded, but his gaze flic
Killian’s POVThe room was suffocating.The walls pressed in around me, and my wolf howled inside my chest, clawing to be free, to run, to fight, to kill.I couldn’t breathe.Astrid was gone.Elara was still missing.They were both in his hands.The war room blurred as I stormed through the Packhouse, my mind a whirlwind of fury and desperation. My steps were too fast, too sharp, but I couldn’t slow down. Not now.Not when I had already lost so much.The moment I stepped into the war room, all eyes snapped to me.Ryder was there, arms crossed, watching me carefully. Warriors stood around the table, tense, waiting for orders. Waiting for me to do something.But I wasn’t thinking.I couldn’t think.I could barely see past the red haze of rage.“She left a trail,” Ryder said before I could even open my mouth.I froze.The room around me seemed to still, my mind catching onto his words like a drowning man clinging to a lifeline.“What?” My voice came out sharp, dangerous.Ryder motioned t
Astrid’s POVElara’s blue eyes locked onto mine, wide and glistening with tears, her small frame trembling in the grip of the rogue holding her.“Mommy!”Her voice cracked, breaking something inside me.I lunged, the burning pain of the wolfsbane shackles forgotten, my body driven by nothing but instinct.I barely made it a step before rough hands grabbed my arms, yanking me back.A snarl ripped from my throat. “Let her go!”Ardan’s smirk deepened. He raised a hand, and the rogue restraining Elara tightened his grip.She whimpered.A sound so small—so fragile—that it shattered every ounce of restraint I had left.“I swear with my own life, Ardan,” I growled, my voice raw with fury, “if you so much as touch her—”He laughed.Actually laughed.Like this was amusing. Like he wasn’t holding my world in his filthy hands.“My, my,” he mused, pacing toward me with slow, deliberate steps. “You really do have a soft spot, don’t you?” His gaze flickered to Elara. “I wonder… does she share your
Astrid’s POVThe journey to Ardan’s stronghold felt longer than it should have.They forced me to walk.Through the forest, over uneven terrain, my wrists bound in iron shackles laced with wolfsbane, burning against my skin with every step.I didn’t fight them.Not because I couldn’t.But because every second I stalled, every moment I made them think I was truly broken, brought me closer to Elara.That was all that mattered.The rogues surrounded me in a loose formation, their laughter and whispered taunts filling the night air.They didn’t see me as a threat.Not anymore.They saw a woman who had given up, a mother who had walked willingly into the lion’s den.That was their first mistake.Their second?Letting me breathe.As we moved deeper into rogue territory, my thoughts remained sharp, focused. I counted our path, memorized the turns, the landmarks, the scent markers.If I survived this, if I found a way to get Elara out, I needed to know exactly how to escape.If I didn't… then
Astrid’s POVThe rogues had been waiting for me.They lingered in the shadows, motionless, like predators poised for the perfect moment to strike. Their eyes glowed eerily in the dim light of the moon, flickering with something sinister—anticipation.They knew I was coming.My stomach twisted, but I forced my expression into something unreadable, my shoulders squared as I stepped forward. I came alone. No weapons. No resistance. Complete surrender.It was the only way.If I fought back, if I hesitated for even a second, Ardan might change his mind. He might keep Elara. He might hurt her.And that was a risk I wasn’t willing to take.I took slow, deliberate steps into the clearing, my heartbeat steady despite the way my wolf clawed at the inside of my skin, urging me to turn back, to fight.Not yet.I exhaled, tilting my chin upward as I finally stopped before them.The group of rogues—at least a dozen—remained silent for a moment, assessing me. Then one of them, a tall, lean man with
Killian’s POVThe omega’s words rang in my ears like a warning bell."Alpha! Alpha! It’s Ryker! He’s awake and looking for you. He won’t calm down!"My entire body locked up.Ryker had always been tormented with nightmares ever since Elara was kidnapped. He often woke up in the middle of the night, demanding to see us and he would always look so terrified. I stood at the Packhouse entrance, my wolf raging to break free, my warriors prepared to track Astrid before she got too far. Every instinct inside me screamed at me to run, to chase her down, to drag her back before she made the biggest mistake of her life.But my son needed me.For a single, agonizing moment, I hesitated.Then I turned on my heel and strode toward the infirmary, my boots pounding against the floor, my fists clenched so tightly my nails cut into my palms. My lungs burned with restrained fury, my thoughts a storm of frustration and helplessness.First Astrid. Now Ryker. I was losing control of everything.When I
Astrid’s POVThe night stretched on, endless and suffocating. The dim glow of the bedside lamp cast long shadows against the walls, but the light felt hollow—cold. The Packhouse was eerily quiet, the usual hum of distant conversations and footsteps replaced by an unbearable stillness.I sat on the edge of the bed, my fingers twisting the fabric of my shirt, my thoughts a hurricane raging inside me.Elara.Her name was carved into every thought, every breath, every aching second that passed. She was out there, in the dark, in the hands of the man who wanted nothing more than to see me broken.And I was still here. Waiting.I had tried. I had tried to listen to Killian, to hold on to the logic that we could save her together, that there was a plan, a chance. But how could I gamble my daughter’s life on a chance?What if they were wrong? What if we weren’t fast enough? What if she needed me now?My throat tightened, the guilt curling around me like a noose. I had waited too long alread