Astrid’s POVAs I lie there, hopelessness threatens to swallow me whole.I can’t shift, I can’t fight. If only I still had my wolf—if only I were strong enough.I’m so tired of feeling defenseless, of losing everything I care about.Sobs choke me as I call out to my wolf, the part of me that has been silent for so long.I haven’t seen her nor heard from her since the accident. I’m not sure if I had lost her, but I needed her now. She has to come back.The darkness pulls at me, a relentless tide that threatens to swallow me whole.My vision fades, and every muscle feels like it’s made of lead as I lie helpless on the sand.
Killian’s POVI tear into another attacker, my jaws snapping as I toss him aside. But they keep coming, one after the other, their numbers overwhelming.I'm outnumbered, and every move feels heavier, slower. My fur is matted with blood-some mine, some theirs-but it's not enough.Two wolves slam into my side, knocking me off my feet and pinning me down.I growl, thrashing as I try to push them off, but their combined weight keeps me grounded.I catch sight of one of them his teeth bared-lunging for my throat. I twist, trying to shake him off, but they have me pinned, and I know I'm losing this fight.My wolf surges with frustration and fury. We're much powerful compared to them, but we're running out of strength, and I can feel the odds tipping against us.Just as one of
Astrid’s POVI rushed to Killian’s side without a second thought, my only goal was to protect him. I can see he’s outnumbered, pinned down beneath two wolves.My only thought is to protect him, to fight for him. But as I rip the wolf off of him, something changes.The scent of blood hits me harder, sharper. My claws sink deeper into the flesh, and I can hear my wolf whispering in the back of my mind, ‘More. Give me more.’I feel the weight of my wolf coiling inside me, urging me forward as I tear through another attacker.My teeth sink into flesh, the taste of blood filling my mouth, and the rush of power surges through me.I can feel her — my wolf — pushing me away, clawing at the surface, wan
Astrid’s POVHer growl deepens as I push back. She feels me, senses the shift, and her fury erupts like a storm.She turns inward, roaring, her claws tearing at our shared mind as she tries to maintain control.The pain is blinding, but I don't stop. I won’t stop.I push harder, clawing my way to the surface, forcing myself to the forefront of our shared body.The wolf thrashes, her rage palpable, and I feel her claws scrape against our own flesh, desperate to hold onto her dominance.‘Let me out!’ she howls, her voice feral, raw, ‘I will kill them!’‘No!’ I scream back, pushing harder, feeling her anger tear through me like fire. ‘I won’t let you harm them.’She fights, thrashing in her fury, but I can't
Astrid’s POVThe cold earth pressed against my bare skin as I curled tighter into myself, the night air biting at my exposed flesh. My body trembled uncontrollably — not just from the chill, but from the fear that clung to me like a second skin. The pain of the shift still rippled through me, a constant reminder of the monster lurking inside.I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping to disappear, to sink into the ground and escape everything. The forest around me was eerily quiet, the only sound my own ragged breathing. I had no idea where I was, only that I had run far. Too far.But not far enough.Footsteps. My heart lurched in my chest. It had to be them — the attackers, or maybe the rogues. My mind conjured up every possible danger lurking in the shadows of this unknown place. My pulse quickened as the footsteps grew louder, closer. I didn’t have the strength to fight. I didn’t even have the strength to stand.I pulled my knees tighter against my chest, curling up as small as I could
Astrid’s POVTears welled up in my eyes again, a mixture of relief and guilt crashing over me. “Thank you,” I whispered, my voice trembling. Then my brows furrowed with concern as I looked at him. “But… what about you? Are you… are you all right? Did I hurt you?”He turned his head away as if he could avoid the question. His silence made my heart race with dread. Before he could get away from me, I pushed him to face me fully and that’s when I saw it — his right arm, the sleeve of his shirt soaked with blood. A deep, jagged claw mark ran from his bicep to his forearm, and the sight of it made my stomach turn.“No…” I gasped, my voice barely a breath. “I did that… didn’t I?”Killian glanced down at his arm, then shook his head, brushing it off as if it were nothing. “It’s nothing,” he said softly, but his jaw was tight, and I could see the tension in his body — the pain he was trying to hide.“Killian, it’s not nothing,” I whispered, my heart breaking at the sight of the wound. “Y
Astrid’s POVKillian’s arms wrapped around me, warm and secure, like a shield against the storm inside me. For the first time in what felt like forever, I didn’t feel so exposed. His embrace was steady, strong, and I could feel the tension in my chest start to unravel as he held me. His presence alone was enough to quiet the fears that had been raging in my mind, but it couldn’t drown out the truth that lingered between us — truth that had remained buried for too long.He pressed his forehead gently against mine, his breath warm as he spoke softly, “You don’t need to worry anymore, Astrid. I’ve found a lead.”I pulled back slightly, looking up at him with confusion. “A lead?”Killian nodded, his expression darkening with seriousness. “The Pack that helped us… they caught one of the attackers as he was trying to run. He didn’t get far, and they managed to extract information from him.”A pit of dread settled deep in my stomach. My voice barely came out as a whisper. “What did he say?
Astrid’s POVKillian shook his head, his tears falling freely now as he rested his forehead against mine. “Don’t be sorry,” he whispered. “You had every reason to believe what you did. I didn’t fight hard enough either. I should have told you the truth sooner, but I was too ashamed. Too afraid.”A sob broke from my chest as I leaned into his touch, my heart aching for him, for everything we had lost. “I blamed you for everything,” I whispered. “But you never blamed me. You carried all of this guilt alone. I should have known.”He held me tighter, his arms wrapping around me as though he could shield me from the pain that had been festering between us for so long. “We were both innocent,” he whispered, his voice cracking. “It was all lies. None of this should have happened.”I pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, my heart still heavy but lighter than it had been in years. “Can we start over?” I asked, my voice small but hopeful. “Can we forget everything and build somethi
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