Astrid’s POVGiselle abruptly stopped in her tracks when she recognized me. Her face paled instantly as she stared at me like she had seen a ghost. I held back the smile that threatened to appear on my face when I saw how she reacted to seeing me. It’s great that she fears me. That means she still remembers what she had done. Whether it haunted her or not, it doesn’t matter. I have a plan to make her pay anyway. “Giselle, it’s so nice to meet you,” I spoke amicably as I carefully stood up and tenderly held the little boy’s hand. Giselle’s eyes widened, and she suddenly acted hysterical. “Ryker! Ryker!” she shouted as she ran towards the little boy beside me. She instantly gathered him into her hands and separated our hands before she walked backward, distancing me from the child like I was a threat to them. I stilled, and my whole body tensed when I realized that the little boy that I was talking to was actually none other than Giselle’s precious son.I didn’t know that I was al
Astrid’s POVMy heart skipped a beat when I saw Killian striding confidently towards us. Killian looked different from what I remembered. He had grown more mature, manly, serious and confident. He looked like a man who had gone through so many difficulties, sharpening him like a sword. His broad shoulders stretched through the fabric of his clothes, showing his masculinity. His jawline looked sharper, his features more defined, and his eyes that used to contain mirth and mischief now held a depth of unfathomable stories in them. His boyish charm had been replaced by a rugged, masculine appeal that sent a shiver down my spine.But it wasn’t just his physical development that struck me. There was also that seriousness in his demeanor, a quiet intensity that replaced the flippant immaturity of his younger self. I straightened myself as I watched him move with purpose and a quiet confidence that emanated from within. He now feels and looks like the Alpha that he should have been. Tim
Astrid’s POVMy brows furrowed, a question mark etched on the crease of my forehead as I observed Killian carefully like I was trying to decipher a cryptic message. ‘Killian, what is this that you’re playing exactly?’ I thought to myself as I tried to see through him. The Killian that I know wouldn’t tolerate any provocation from me. I still remember, when we were still married, Killian had no trust in me. When Giselle faked a fall on the staircase, he instantly accused me of pushing Giselle, and he was so angry at me. To him, Giselle’s words were enough to prove me guilty. Every time that Giselle was put in danger, he always blamed me for scheming to kill his mistress and their baby. He treats me like a villain instead of his wife. He sees me as a bad person who could take someone’s life. He loves Giselle in the same way that he hates me.I can still remember that day when Killian kept me from meeting my grandmother before she died. Because of him, I was unable to speak to my g
Giselle’s POV“Is that it?!” I taunted Killian as we escaped from the scene to retreat to our room in their Pack’s courtyard where all the guests were staying. “You just let her walk all over us?” I spat, my voice laced with venom. “Giselle, don’t do this now in front of our child,” Killian said, his voice calm, almost soothing as he tenderly carried his son in his arms. My anger simmered like a volcanic eruption, ready to burst at Killian’s unfazed expression. Killian’s unexpected surrender towards Astrid, siding with her instead of defending me and our child, felt like a betrayal, and Killian looked so fine with it. Unable to contain my rage any longer, I grabbed Ryker from Killian’s arms and handed him to his nanny, Rhya. Killian looked at me in surprise. Finally, I have his full attention. “Bring him back to our room and make him sleep,” I ordered Rhya after taking Ryker in her arms. Ryker’s gaze darted back and forth from me and her father cluelessly as Rhya took him away.
Giselle’s POVA chill went down my spine as I welcomed Damien’s dark gaze head-on. It’s been years since I last saw Damien. Ever since I gave him my child, I’ve lost all contact with him. I could understand why he held so much hate in his eyes when he caught me watching his family from afar. “Daddy! Are you not coming with us?” The little girl ran back to her father when she noticed that he wasn’t following behind them, which caused Damien to break eye contact with me. I sucked in air into my lungs the moment Damien turned his head away. Damien’s gaze was so intense that it pinned me down, suffocating the air out of me. I stilled as I stared closely at the little girl. My hand instinctively covered my chest as my heart raced inside me for some reason.She had grown so big. I still remember when I gave birth to her. She was just a little bundle. When the doctor tried to place her in my arm, I refused. I didn’t dare to touch her. I was afraid that if I had one small contact with he
Astrid’s POVThe ceremony is still tomorrow, but most of the invited guests had already arrived a day earlier than the set date. The invited guests chose to travel in advance, especially those who lived in distant Packs, to ensure that they would be able to attend the ceremony on time in case any delays caused setbacks in their journey. Some of them, I heard, had to travel for days just to get here. You can really see how the Shadowfang Pack is well respected among other packs. Alphas and Lunas really came all the way here to attend an event they were invited to with only one week of notice despite their busy schedule. In honor of their sacrifices and to make their time worthwhile, Alpha Theron decided to hold a special dinner the night before the event. This wasn’t a part of the plan, but because the guests had transformed into a bustling crowd, it had become a need for us to show them our courtesy, especially knowing what it took them to arrive here. I quietly followed Alpha T
Astrid’s POVI held myself together as I locked gazes with Giselle. She knew I heard her words. She probably spoke it out loud to make sure that I would hear her.“Does it even matter who she is? As long as she’s a member of the Shadowfang Pack, for sure she could help us. If we want to impress their Alpha, we must at least impress her first.” I heard someone whisper. However, Giselle only laughed, stealing everyone’s attention. “She’s just a mistress, she had no influence over the affairs of the Shadowfang Pack. It would be better if you just go directly to the Alpha instead of wasting your time with her.”I forced back a smile when I heard her words. She had no idea just how much influence I had here ever since I became the Pack’s acting beta. “Astrid,” Giselle’s voice, laced with venom, cut through the air. “She’s just a mistress, after all. A temporary distraction a fleeting fancy. For sure the Alpha will get bored of her just like how the previous Alphas she dated did.”I’ve be
Astrid’s POVA smile formed on my face as I stared at Vannessa’s little girl. Her blonde curls were a tangled mess, escaping from the bright pink headband that sat crookedly on her head. She wore a bright yellow dress with a cartoon unicorn in it. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes, which were just tired and sleepy, suddenly turned bright as she pointed a finger at her approaching father. “Daddy!” she yelled as she ran towards her father with her tiny shoes, one pink and one blue. “Oh look at her,” Vanessa whispered to me. “I thought she had already used up her energy. I was so ready to get her to sleep.”I chuckled when I heard Vanessa’s words close to my ear. “How is my little darling doing?” Vanessa’s husband beamed energetically as he picked up his daughter, trying his best to match her energy. Vanessa and her husband sweetly gazed at each other. By the depth of the look in their eyes, you can see how much they are in love with each other. I think they are also secretly t
Asha’s POVThe soft crunch of leaves beneath my boots was the only sound as I walked through the forest path.My mother’s grave is far from the Packhouse. She is buried in a secluded area, giving her peace. The cool air carried a solemn stillness that matched my mood. Visiting her grave was my sanctuary, a place where I could let my guard down and remember the woman who raised me.That’s when I saw him — Andros, my older brother, standing at the edge of the woods. The shadows from the trees seemed to engulf him, and his posture was rigid, alert. Was he here to visit Mother too? I wondered. My heart swelled at the thought. It wasn’t often that Andros and I shared these quiet moments. As the crowned Alpha he has too many responsibilities placed on his shoulder. He was always busy. I opened my mouth to call out to him but stopped short when another figure emerged from the shadows. My brows furrowed. The man wore a black hoodie that concealed most of his face, and his movements wer
Asha’s POVI staggered back, shaking my head in disbelief. “That’s not true. That can’t be true,” I mumbled as if I was just trying to convince myself.“I was left with no choice, Asha. Your mother—Luna Jamaica—was my brother’s mate. He was the rightful Alpha. But when he died, the Pack needed a leader. And I… I was the only option. I was forced to marry her to maintain stability. To keep this Pack from falling apart.”My father’s eyes turned red as he tried his best to hold back his tears. My heart wrenched as I feel for his pain. This is the first time I ever saw my father look so vulnerable. “I gave up everything. My mate. My happiness. My future. I gave it all away for this Pack, for a life I never wanted. And every day since, I have lived with that choice. With the weight of betraying my mate, of turning my back on the only woman I ever loved.”I stared at him, my body trembling as the truth settled over me like a suffocating blanket. Everything I had believed, everything I
Asha’s POVI squared my shoulders as I faced my father, my eyes narrowing at him in anger. I crossed my arms tightly over my chest, the weight of years of frustration and jealousy boiling to the surface. My father simply stood before me, his usual composed demeanor tinged with a rare expression of exasperation, but I didn’t care. Not anymore“She doesn’t even call you Father!” I spat, my voice trembling with anger. “Not once in her life has Astrid ever acknowledged you as her father. And yet, you treat her like she’s some prized treasure. Why, Father? Because you feel guilty for neglecting her? She’s just your illegitimate child! It’s best that she realize she’s not special!” I blurted out angrily.Alpha Theron’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t speak. That silence — his silence — was what always drove me mad. He would never defend himself, never justify his actions, as if I were the one being unreasonable. But I wasn’t.“She’s ungrateful!” I continued, pacing back and forth as my em
Astrid’s POVThe silence after the call ended was heavier than the words I hadn’t spoken.I remained frozen, clutching the phone as though its weight could tether me to the choices I had made. Each unspoken truth tightened like a vice around my chest, each lie stealing the air I so desperately needed.I wanted nothing more than to turn back, to run to Ryker and finally tell him who I really was. But how could I? How could I be so selfish, so reckless? I knew the truth about my condition — how dangerous and uncertain everything is. How could I let him get close to me, knowing how it will all end?The thought of Ryker loving me, only to lose me, was unbearable. I couldn’t let him go through that pain, the kind of pain that had already hollowed me out. I knew it too well — the ache of losing someone you’d give anything to keep. The searing, unrelenting agony of losing my husband, the devastation of outliving my child. I wouldn’t wish that torment on anyone, least of all Ryker.A shiv
Killian’s POVIt had been days since Ryker had last seen Giselle, and Ryker still hadn’t asked a single question about her mother. At first, I was afraid of what he’d say, dreading the moment he’d look me in the eye and ask, Where’s my mother? I couldn’t bring myself to tell him the truth, knowing how much it would break him. How could I possibly explain to him that Giselle is not her mother, and that she’s dead. In his whole life, Ryker believed that Giselle was his mother — she’d raised him, after all, and he’d known her as nothing else.I know it would be difficult for him to accept and process the whole truth, and I was trying my best to avoid the confrontation from him. But now… I’m no longer just worried about Ryker’s difficult questions now I wasn’t just avoiding the question. I am now worried wondering why he still haven’t asked me any question. In the days that had passed, he hadn’t asked even once. Not a word about Giselle. No concern, no curiosity. Just silence. And
Alpha Theron’s POVAndros scoffed, his disbelief clear as he tilted his head back. “You are choosing Astrid over me?” he spat out. “You’re going to make her the crowned Luna of this Pack? It’s only been three years since you met her, and you think she’s worthy of this title? What do you think Asha would say? Astrid isn’t even your legitimate child!”I met his gaze, my own expression resolute. “Astrid has proven herself capable. She’s been our acting Beta for three years and led as the Luna of the Silvermoon Pack for five years before that. She has the qualities, the skills, and the strength needed to lead. In terms of ability, Andros, she does her job far better than you.”Andros’s fists clenched, his expression darkening with insult and rage. “This is madness! The Pack won’t accept it! My mother is your true mate and the Luna of this Pack. Giving your position to someone who isn’t her child is an insult to her legacy and to this Pack!”I took a step forward, my voice unwavering.
Alpha Theron’s POVA long silence settled over the room after I asked the question, heavy and tense. I kept my gaze fixed on Andros, waiting, hoping for a sign of remorse or an explanation. But what I saw instead shook me to my core. Andros looked back at me, and in that gaze, I saw a stranger. The gentle son I thought I knew was gone, and in his place stood a man cold and unyielding.Then he spoke, his voice sharper and louder than I had ever heard it, filled with a defiance that sent a chill through me. “You want to know why I did it?” he snapped, his tone a mix of anger and something darker. “I did it for us, for this pack. I was doing you a favor by doing what you could never bring yourself to do.”His words stunned me. Andros had never raised his voice to me, not once in all the years I’d known him. Even when I was harsh or demanding — as I always was, he had always accepted it in silence, never challenging me. But now, he stood before me, speaking without restraint, and I
Alpha Theron’s POVAndros entered, his eyes darting between me and the book lying on the desk. He tried to mask his apprehension, but I caught the flicker of recognition in his gaze. I wasted no time.“Did Beta Alek give you this book?” I asked, my voice steady but taut.He blinked, feigning innocence. “I’ve seen the book before, yes. Beta Alek showed it to me and explained what it was.” His eyes held mine, the picture of calm. “Is there something wrong?”Besidehim, Beta Alek looked stricken but hopeful. He took a step forward, his voice shaking with urgency. “Andros, explain everything to your father and tell him that I’m being wronged. I gave you the book didn’t I? I even told you to burn the book for me,” Beta Alek spoke up, trusting that my son would prove his innocence. Andros raised his brows, feigning confusion. “What do you mean?” he asked, his tone soft and innocent.“That didn’t happen. You never gave me the book — I’ve never even touched it.”Beta Alek’s face went pale
Alpha Theron’s POVThe moment Astrid left my office, I reached through the Pack Link, calling for Beta Alek.My voice came out raw and unfiltered, the unmistaken anger pulsed through the link sending their wolves into submission. I could sense Beta Alek’s panic, could feel his wolf bristle at the force of my command. He knew I wasn’t pleased.Moments later, the door opened, and Alek entered, his face pale, but his steps were urgent.I didn’t give him a chance to speak before hurling the book at him. It hit him squarely in the face, making him stagger. As he caught the book, his face drained of color even further when recognition flared in his eyes.“Didn’t I tell you to burn that book?” My voice was low, lethal, and I didn’t miss the way he trembled at each word.Alek fell to his knees, the weight of his guilt bearing down on him. “Alpha,” he choked out, “I admit my irresponsibility. I failed you. I’m willing to accept any punishment for my insubordination,” he answered readily, pr