Astrid’s POVOur conversation ended when someone knocked on the door. “Come in,” Alpha Everest spoke wearily. He walked back to his office table to meet the guest. “Alpha Everest!” I raised my head when I heard Giselle’s voice. “I heard what happened. How is your daughter? Are the guests from the Nightsong Pack all safe?” Giselle asked in an amicable voice as she walked to Alpha Everest’s table. She still hasn’t noticed me here, sitting silently behind her in the corner of the room. “Everyone is safe, Lady Giselle. You do not have to worry. Is there anything I can help you with?” Giselle smiled and placed the papers she was holding on Alpha Everest’s table. “These are the papers for the alliance. I was hoping you could sign it now. Killian had informed me that you’ve already read and agreed to everything.” Alpha Everest forced a smile on his face as he looked up at Giselle. “That’s true, but you’ve only just arrived. I haven’t mentioned it because I was hoping you could go
Giselle’s POVI drummed my fingers an agitated staccato against the steering wheel, my knuckles stark white against my olive skin. With each passing mile, the tension in my shoulders only seemed to coil tighter, a vise of barely contained fury."That bitch," I hissed through gritted teeth, the venom in my words palpable. Astrid's name was like acid on my tongue, burning with a hatred that refused to be extinguished. The moment I saw her at the banquet, I knew it was her. She had dyed her hair blonde and changed her name, but I will always recognize her. I will always know her through her cerulean eyes, which look like peaceful waters, even if she drastically changes her appearance. Her eyes might look calm and peaceful, but she always stirred trouble for me. As I was on my way back to Silvermoon Pack, I couldn’t get my head out of the shame and humiliation that I felt as the Pack guards dragged me out of the Frostbite Pack like I was a piece of trash. As if failing to get Alpha Ev
Astrid’s POVI got a wide smile on my face as I hopped out of the car. Nova and I had just arrived back at the Nightsong Pack. Drystan gave me a week to have the alliance papers signed. Guess what? Only a day was needed for me to get his signature. I’m sure he would be surprised to find out about my achievement. I knock on Drystan’s office before twisting the door open and inserting my head in. I beamed at Drystan, whose head was burrowed in papers. I’m so excited to tell him the news, but he still hasn’t realized who is at his door right now. “Who is it?” Drystan slowly raised his head. When he saw my face all the exhaustion in his face vanished, replaced with the joy of seeing me. “Astrid, you’re back!” Drystan stood up from his seat and rushed towards me. I entered his office and closed the door behind me. “Look at what I got,” I showed the papers to him. Drystan’s jaw fell open when he saw Alpha Everest’s clear signature. He snatched the paper from me and looked at Alpha Ev
Killian’s POV“What could have possibly gone wrong?!” I yelled out loud and slammed my fist on the table, making Giselle flinch in her seat. I gave her the simplest task, and yet she still managed to ruin it. Our alliance with the Frostbite Pack is already a close deal. She just needed to get Alpha Everest’s signature to make things official. I don’t understand how she managed to fuck things up. “Don’t yell at her, Killian, she’s pregnant!” My mother scolded me as she softly caressed Giselle’s back to comfort her. “Just relax, Giselle, okay? Stress is never good for the baby.” My mother’s brows knitted together as she spoke to Giselle in worry. I clenched my jaw in anger as I watched how my mother consoled Giselle and how Giselle enjoyed my mother’s company. She even dragged my mother into this, knowing that she would defend her and take her side. She couldn’t even face me on her own and own up to her mistakes. Giselle had just returned from her trip yesterday. I w
Astrid’s POVI gazed at myself in the mirror, wearing an elegant sleeveless white dress that fitted my body like a glove, showing my curves in the right places. A smile crept up my lips, like the person that I could see in the mirror. Even though I’m pregnant and my baby bump is showing already, I’m still able to maintain my fit body from before. “You look too beautiful for a pregnant woman.”I turned on my heel when someone spoke behind me. I smiled shyly when I saw Nova standing on my doorstep, staring at me. I felt embarrassed getting caught ogling myself. “You look stunning, too,” I complimented her in her sparkling green dress that reminded me of Ariel’s tail. With her strawberry blonde hair, she looks much like a princess from a fairy tale. “Are you ready?” Nova asks me as she steps inside my room. I took another look at myself in the mirror and breathed deeply. The time flew really fast. I couldn’t coop up inside my room any longer. I need to go out and meet the guests.
Astrid’s POV“Enjoy everyone, and I hope you’ll have a great stay in our Pack,” I flashed my pretty smile to the crowd as I stepped off the podium. The crowd gave me a round of applause right after I ended my speech. The whole time that I was speaking on stage, I could feel his intense gaze boring holes at me, making me feel uncomfortable the whole time. The moment I stepped off the stage, I could finally feel my whole body again. “Don’t forget to breathe, Astrid,” Nova chided when I reached her off the stage. My heart had finally relaxed, and I could breathe properly again after I had escaped everyone’s attention. I gripped Nova’s warm hand for support. Nova didn’t say a word as I gripped her hand tightly with my icy-cold fingers. I’m glad that Nova is here with me. She never left my side even though she also has her own personal life. She stood by me, willing to support me. “I need to take a break,” I muttered under my breath. “Of course, I’ll go inform Drystan,” Nova answer
Astrid’s POVA deep breath passed through my lips as a sense of calm washed over me when Nova arrived just in time to rescue me. Nova ran towards me with a panicked look in her eyes. She lifted me up by my arms, slowly helping me to get my feet on the ground. Killian forced himself off the ground, his lips slightly stretching downwards as he winced in pain. “What happened?” Nova asked me in worry. I was hyperventilating, so I failed to answer her. I just kept clutching my heart, the place where all the pain was coming from. Nova’s eyes widened when the realization hit her. “H-He,” Nova paused, unable to complete her sentence. Anger flashed in her eyes, knowing that what Killian just did was enough to kill me. With my weak wolf and the life inside of me, I’m not strong enough to handle the rejection. “Astrid!” Drystan suddenly appeared and ran towards me when he saw my state. He immediately carried my weight to help Nova, who had been struggling to keep me up. Still, I coul
Killian’s POV“Since when?” I questioned. “Since when have you found out you’re pregnant?” My question hung in the air as the three fell silent. The three of them couldn’t bring themselves to look at me anymore after their secrets were exposed. I laughed bitterly as I turned my gaze away from them. “Now everything makes sense,” I muttered. It was out of nowhere when Astrid suddenly asked me for a divorce. I couldn’t figure out why Drystan would help Astrid and lie to me just for her when I’m his true family. Now that I found out the big secret that they were trying to hide from me, everything finally made sense. “Just how long?” I snapped. “How long have you been dating each other behind my back?” Their gazes suddenly snapped back at me when they heard my question. I looked at each and every one of them, waiting for the first person who was going to answer my question, but they looked clueless as they stared at me. They looked confused as if they couldn’t understand my simp
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 alrea
Astrid’s POVThe words on the paper blurred before my eyes, my grip tightening until the edges crumpled in my shaking hands. My breath came in sharp, uneven gasps, my pulse hammering so loudly it drowned out everything else.Killian was speaking — his voice low and urgent — but I couldn’t hear him.All I could see was Elara.Trapped. Alone. Scared.The paper shook violently in my grasp as a sob tore from my throat.My daughter was out there, in his hands. And he wanted me.The weight of it settled over me like an iron cage.This was never about the Pack. Never about a war.It had always been about me.A hand touched my wrist, firm and grounding. “Astrid.”Killian’s voice finally cut through the haze of panic suffocating me. I looked up, meeting his golden eyes—burning with unspoken fear.For me.For Elara.For all of us.I swallowed hard, my throat raw. “I have to go.”“No.” Killian’s grip tightened immediately, his entire body going rigid. “Absolutely not.”I stepped back, wrenching
Astrid’s POVThe walls of the Packhouse had never felt so suffocating.Days had passed since Elara was taken, but time had lost all meaning. The world outside moved on, but inside these walls, inside this nightmare, everything was frozen—suspended in a relentless cycle of fear, exhaustion, and waiting.Waiting for news. Waiting for a sign. Waiting for something, anything, to bring my daughter back.But all I had were the heavy, sinking hours in between, where every breath felt like a struggle, where every shadow in the room felt like it was closing in on me.Ryker’s condition wasn’t improving.If anything, he was getting worse.He barely spoke. He barely ate. When he did sleep, it was restless and fitful, his small hands gripping the sheets as if he were still in battle, as if he were still fighting off the monsters that had stolen his sister.Every time he closes his eyes to sleep, he wakes up screaming his sister’s name, tormented by nightmares.Ryker is blaming himself for what ha
Astrid’s POVThe corridors leading to the infirmary felt impossibly long, the walls closing in on me with every step. My heart pounded, a relentless drumbeat of panic and guilt, louder than my own breath, louder than the torches flickering along the stone walls.Ryker.My son.The thought of him lying there, unconscious and injured, made my stomach twist violently. I should have been there. I should have protected them both.Killian’s hand was firm on the small of my back, steadying me, grounding me, but I barely felt it. The only thing I could focus on was the door ahead, slightly ajar, spilling faint light into the dim hallway.I hesitated for only a second before pushing it open.The moment I saw him, my legs nearly gave out beneath me.Ryker lay on the bed, his small body dwarfed by the sheets tucked around him. His face was too pale, his lashes dark against his cheeks, his breathing slow and shallow. A thick bandage was wrapped around his head, stark against his golden hair.
Astrid’s POVThe world felt distant, muffled by the thick fog of unconsciousness. My body was heavy, weighed down by pain and exhaustion, yet my mind clawed for clarity, for awareness.Then, all at once, reality came crashing down.Elara.My breath hitched, my body jolting as I forced my eyes open. A sharp pain seared through my back, but I ignored it, my heart hammering against my ribs. My surroundings swam into focus—the soft glow of candlelight flickering against the stone walls, the scent of herbs lingering in the air.I was in my room.Someone had carried me here.A shadow shifted beside me, and my gaze landed on Killian.He sat in a chair beside the bed, his elbows resting on his knees, his golden eyes dark with something raw and unguarded. His face was drawn, his usual sharp confidence buried beneath an overwhelming weight.The moment he saw me stir, he straightened. “Astrid,” he breathed, relief washing over his features.But I barely heard him.“Elara,” I gasped, my voice
Astrid’s POVThe hour was unnervingly still-the kind of stillness that didn't promise peace but danger. Even the crickets had silenced their symphony, leaving the world suspended in an uneasy pause.Fresh guards had taken their positions outside Elara and Ryker's room, their heavy boots scuffing the floor before settling into still vigilance. Inside, I sat unmoving, my nails absently scraping patterns into the worn armrest of the chair. Every creak of the house, every gust of wind, felt like a warning. My wolf stirred, pacing just beneath the surface, uneasy.Killian had checked on me earlier. He'd lingered in the doorway, his golden eyes searching mine, his mouth pressed into a grim line. He didn't speak, didn't push me to leave. He didn't need to. He knew I wouldn't.I wasn't leaving my children tonight.The breeze through the open window caught the flame of a candle, snuffing it out in a final flicker. Shadows stretched long across the room. I stood, my movements deliberate an
Astrid’s POVLong shadows cast down on me as I walked through the halls. Every step felt heavier than the last, the air thick with tension. I had spent the last hour sitting by Elara and Ryker’s beds, watching their peaceful faces, willing my fears to fade away. But they hadn’t.I had always trusted my instincts, and right now, they were screaming at me. Something was wrong.Killian had tried to reassure me, promising that we had taken every precaution, that the guards stationed around our children were the best of the best. But my gut told me otherwise. Ardan was methodical. He didn’t make reckless moves. If he had stayed silent for this long, it was because he was waiting for the perfect opportunity.I wasn’t about to let him take it.I turned a corner and found Killian waiting for me outside the war room, his golden eyes watching me closely. He had been expecting me.“You didn’t rest,” he said simply.“Neither did you,” I countered, folding my arms across my chest.He exhaled, ru
Astrid’s POVThe unease had taken root deep in my chest, twisting tighter with each passing moment. The Packhouse bustled with warriors and scouts moving in and out, delivering updates and taking orders, but it didn’t soothe the gnawing feeling in my gut. It felt like standing on the edge of a cliff, waiting for the inevitable plunge.I stood in the war room, pretending to focus on the reports spread across the table. Maps marked with patrol routes and potential rogue movements stared back at me, but none of it felt real. My eyes kept darting to the door, half-expecting someone to rush in with news of an attack.Killian was on the other side of the room, speaking with Ryder. His golden eyes burned with intensity, and the tension in his stance betrayed his own worries, though he’d never admit them outright. Killian always bore the weight of leadership with unwavering strength, but I knew he felt the strain just as much as I did.“The eastern border,” Ryder said, his voice carrying