I mean as a woman, it’s not wrong to raise our standards especially if we could reach for that standard. However, we should also make sure that we are not stepping down on others just to reach our goals.
PRESENT TIMEAt the Silvermoon Pack’s Drawing RoomGiselle’s POV“Mistakes happen,” Damien responded nonchalantly after I lied about forgetting to send the invitation.“It’s okay if you forgot to send me an invitation. It doesn’t mean I’m not invited to your wedding, Am I right?” Damien asked shamelessly, knowing too well that I didn’t want him to be there at my wedding or anywhere near me at all. Killian smiled and nodded at Damien’s words. “Of course! You wouldn’t need an invitation to come to our wedding at all. You can also bring anyone you want to our wedding. This offer is going to be available only for you,” Killian replied amicably. Damien sighed. “I don’t think I could bring anyone with me on that day.”“Oh really!” I spoke up as I took my seat beside Killian. “What about Luna Vanessa? She had always liked parties. I’m sure she’s going to agree to come with you if you ask her.”Vanessa is Damien’s true mate and his current wife. She is the woman that Damien chose to replace
A FEW YEARS AGO…. At the Crimsonbane PackGiselle’s POVIt was by accident when I found out that Damien was secretly the Alpha of the Crimsonbane Pack. At that time, I was working as an omega at the Crimsonbane Pack’s Packhouse. As a newly adopted member, I needed to start low in the ranks. I was demoted to the lowest position. I had to clean around the Packhouse and do menial work as the Packhouse’s Omega. When I was living at the Silvermoon Pack, I was never treated as a servant. We are way higher than omegas and even above the average werewolves. You could say we are the Pack’s nobles without official titles. Since I was born into the Silvermoon Pack, I had my own privileges. However, I lost all of that when I was exiled and turned into a rogue. I could only say that I’m still lucky that I didn’t stay as a rogue for a long time. It would be much better to become a Packhouse’s omega than to be a lone rogue without any friends and without a pack that can provide for me. A
PRESENT TIME At the Silvermoon’s Pack….Giselle’s POVI sped off, keeping my distance from Damien as soon as we were out of anyone’s sight. With Killian’s request, I took Damien out to help him familiarize himself with the packhouse. I picked the Packhouse’s gardens first to escape the watchful eyes and prying ears of the people. I crossed my arms tightly against my chest, my fingers digging under the sleeves of my sweater. A huff of frustration escaped my lips as my eyes narrowed into an irritated glare. I turned on my heel and faced Damien without bothering to mask my real annoyance anymore. “What are you doing here?” I questioned him with an annoyed tone of voice. “You left us without saying anything. What do you expect I would feel when I found out you are pregnant and engaged with another Alpha?” Damien shot back. I scoffed at his words. “Why do you care? My life is not your business anymore ever since you broke your promises and chose someone over me!” I clenched m
Giselle’s POVDamien looked at me in disbelief as if I had just done a heinous crime he never thought I was capable of doing. There are a lot of things he doesn’t know about me, and a lot of things have changed ever since left me. He has no right to look at me with judgment in his eyes when he is the reason why I’m in a desperate situation right now. Damien shook his head like he wasn’t able to stomach my lies anymore. “I’m going to tell Killian about this, whether you like it or not. Killian deserves to know the truth. It’s up to him if he still wants to marry you after that or not.” Damien walked forward with a determined look in his eyes, but I rushed forward and grabbed his arm to hold him. “Please, Damien don’t tell him. Don’t do this to me, please,” my voice croaked as I begged him in a whisper. I tightened my hold around his arm, my fingers digging under his sleeves. Everything would be over once Killian and his mother found out the truth. The only reason why Killian i
Damien’s POVWhat the hell?! “Giselle! Giselle!” Victoria and Killian shouted her name with worry etched on their faces as they rushed to her side. Giselle cried out uncontrollably because of the pain that she had caused to herself. I sat beside her with my eyes wide, staring at her in disbelief. I was frozen in fear when I saw how she punched herself in the belly, causing all this pain unto herself. Giselle has been sitting beside me all this time, so Killian and Victoria didn’t notice how she punched her belly underneath the table with full force. I was pushed to the side as Killian pulled Giselle out of her seat to see what was happening to her. I couldn’t speak. I don’t even know if I should tell Killian that Giselle just tried to abort her own child. “K-Killian! T-the baby, m-my grandson!” Victoria shouted in fear when she saw the puddle of blood beneath Giselle’s chair. Giselle had lost a huge amount of blood already, but her leg was still bleeding. Killian curse
Giselle’s POVI lay weakly on the hospital bed after the Pack Doctor managed to save my baby and keep it from dying. All the pain has finally left my body. My baby and I are back to our normal health again. I just needed to rest until my body recovered on its own to avoid another incident like this in the future. After giving everyone a scare, the Pack Doctor worked fast and diligently to save my baby, the future Alpha of this Pack. The Pack Doctor was in full concentration as he worked, knowing that he would lose his head if he failed to save my child. A profound sense of relief washed over him after he managed to keep my baby safe and alive with his successful emergency procedure. After my body and the baby’s health had stabilized, the Pack Doctor finally allowed me to have me moved to a hospital room for a complete bed rest. I blinked my eyes as I stared directly at the blank ceiling above me. The whole room is in silence since the Pack Doctor prohibits anyone from e
Giselle’s POVThe Pack Doctor’s brows furrowed as he fixed his gaze upon me. His lips parted slightly as if the words he wished to convey had become momentarily lodged in their throat. I knew what he was thinking. That look of judgment in his eyes is all too familiar to me. Yet, he didn’t say anything. He knew that one word out of his mouth, then I might just well kill him now to hide my dark secret. So, with hesitation in his eyes and a heavy weight in his heart, he slowly lowered his head before me in surrender. “Y-Yes, Luna,” he stammered as he forced out his words. Hearing the tremble in his voice, I was not fully convinced that he would be trusted with my secret. However, I had no choice; he is a Doctor, and even if I kill him, someone is going to replace him and find out about the real gender of my child. I need a Doctor that I could trust and work for me to hide the identity of my child. I need to gain his trust and make sure he won’t betray me. “Good,” I
Giselle’s POVEverybody had just left after the Pack Doctor pushed everyone away so I could have my full rest. Once everyone was gone, silence filled the room once again, and my deafening thoughts started to get the best of me again. A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I stared at my pregnant belly. “You are punishing me for harming you,” I muttered bitterly as I drew my hand in circles on top of my belly. I tried to harm her, and right afterward, she gave me this surprise. I flinched when someone just barged into my room and flew my door open. I pushed myself up to a sitting position as I waited to see who that was. My body tensed up when I saw Damien appear in the corner of my room. “Damien?” My brows furrowed when I saw him appear at the corner of my room. “What are you doing here?” I questioned him as I scooted far from him. “We need to talk,” Damien answered tersely as he locked the door behind him and made his way towards me. “This is dangerous!” I hissed at him. “Do
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