Kai’s POVStepping out of my mother’s chamber was like a breath of fresh air. After having that tense conversation with her, I was left with a heavy heart with an awfully bitter taste in my mouth.I hate to think Mother was right, but my thoughts have been left churning ever since she called me out on my decision. Mother's word was now stuck in my head, and I couldn't help but second-guess my decision to have Nadia imprisoned without concrete proof.As the Alpha of this great pack, the weight of my choices hung heavy on my shoulders, whether right or wrong. It was my cross to carry.I inhaled a breath as soon as I stepped into the hallway and retreated further into my study room, where several candlelight sat on the table across from me. The scroll-bound books on the shelves, filled with the history of our pack, offered no comfort to the loneliness that enveloped me.I walked over to the short, rectangular table by the side and poured the whiskey into the long glass that awaited me. I
Kai’s POVI walked into the poorly lit room that held Nadia hostage. It was barely visible to the human eye. There was no window or much ventilation—just enough pace to hold someone enough to keep them alive.The prison where Nadia was kept was completely dark, but I had no trouble seeing her.From where she sat by the corner, she threw me a malicious look, one that was expected given her condition. I could see anger seething behind those brown hazel irises as she continued to glare coldly at me.Nadia looked deranged and unnourished. A punishment she had brought upon herself by refusing to eat or drink anything brought by the guards since the time I permitted her to be locked up.My eyes darted toward the tray of untouched food beside her, and I sighed. She had refused to eat once again, but I couldn’t blame her. The prison walls were cold and damp and smelled like a filthy piece of garbage to top it off.I stood before Nadia, my heart pounding with a mixture of desperation and guilt
Alana's POVI was not exactly sure how long I had been left down here in this dark, cold, and empty room, but I was starting to lose much more than my sense of place and time. I was growing numb with each passing minute.For the past few days now, my life has been passing in a nightmarish blur. I've been slipping in and out of consciousness, and my vision is nothing more than a haze of confusion.My muscles ache from the tight restraints binding my hands and feet, and I can feel the cold, unforgiving chair against my skin as I sit in an odd position where I am facing the wall.I opened my eyes tiredly to see more darkness around me. I had no way of knowing if it was day or night—not that I stayed awake long enough to figure it out anyway. I was mostly out of it the whole time.I struggle to keep my eyes open, desperate to figure out where I am and what the hell could be happening around me, but it's a futile battle. My mind was foggy and constantly spinning like I was on a roller coas
Alana’s POVSuzy.I wasn’t hallucinating at all. It was my best friend, Suzy, who stood before me.I strained my eyes even more to see those familiar gray irises staring back at my shocked ones. Her gaze, which used to be so full of warmth, is now cold and menacing. Absolutely nothing like I had ever seen before.Rather than be bothered or intimidated by her new strange behavior, I was comforted by her presence. Renewed hope surged through me as I called out weakly to her, pleading for her to help release me from these restraints.“Suzy? Oh, Suzy, I have never been this happy to see you. Please help me. Hurry!” I mumbled out my words, my heart dancing with happiness for what I believed to be an unexpected salvation.But instead of hurrying to my side and unlocking my chains and ripping them off me, my gaze furrowed with confusion as Suzy burst into a fit of laughter. "Suzy?" I barely managed to whisper, my voice betraying the shock and fright coursing through me."Oh, Alana, you have
Alana’s POVMy eyes furrowed in disbelief, with my mind still struggling to catch up with the words that had just left Suzy's lips.The more seconds stretched into minutes, the more I was left wondering if I had heard correctly. There’s no doubt my mind has been fuzzy for the past few days, but am I still under the influence of wolf bane in my veins, or have I indeed heard Suzy correctly?My mind raced; the already suffocating walls seemed to close in on me as the weight of Suzy's confession settled in the still-cold air.“Suzy, you can't be serious, right? I mean, you had me kidnapped because of Alpha Kai? Because you think I stole him from you?”Suzy's expression remained cold as her eyes bore into mine with an intensity that sent shivers down my spine. “Yes, Alana. You are wretched and a damn thief!”My heart pounded in my chest, each word from Suzy cutting through me like a double-edged dagger. How could she accuse me of stealing Alpha Kai when we were destined to be friends? The
Kai’s POVArmed with my new, unexpected discovery, I went in search of my mother, in need of an explanation as to why she had Alana’s necklace among her things. But on arrival, I found her room to be empty. Her maid, Ines, informed me that she had gone out for one of her evening walks.While I waited for her return, doubts gnawed at my mind, and my thoughts raced with endless scenarios, contemplating the possibility of my mother being the one behind Alana’s sudden disappearance.I couldn’t believe it. It was hard to do. Mother had begun to care and accept her, despite her initial refusal, which is why I couldn’t jump to any form of conclusion just yet, even though the necklace found in her room was proof enough.Restlessness clawed mercilessly at me as I awaited my mother’s return. I felt itchy and irritated. I looked myself over, noticed some dirt on my body, and decided to retire to my room, take a bath, and change into a new pair of clothes then continue to wait..I discarded my di
Kai's POVIt has been hours since I left Nadia with the healer to be treated. Even though he assured me he would do his best to save her, I still couldn’t help but worry about her survival as I restlessly paced the clinic corridor.Who could have done it? Poisoning Nadia in prison was a bold step, no doubt, but why? She was loud-mouthed to some extent, but trying to get rid of her while in prison looked a little desperate.I would have easily assumed it was all her doing to get me to release her, but the healer assured me it was done by a rare plant that even Nadia couldn’t access from there.If anything bad were to happen to her, I wouldn’t forgive myself. With all the things going on, I’m starting to believe in her innocence.I walked over to the wooden chair and relaxed on it, a wary sigh escaping my mouth before the door creaked open, and I jumped back on my feet to meet the healer. “Any news on Nadia?”He sighed with a hint of exhaustion in his eyes as he came and stood before me
Kai’s POV.My walk from the prison to our pack members' quarters in search of Suzy felt like an eternity. I half-sprinted and walked as I pushed my legs to go faster than I possibly could.Pack members stared at me with fright on their faces, but none was foolish enough to question me about what had gone wrong. Suzy had worked as my maid for years, and I didn’t even know what her living arrangement looked like.I barely even saw her, as she was always in the shadows. Her job was to clean, wash, and make sure my chamber was tidy and fit. Other than that, she was just a passing blur. Maybe if I had paid attention enough, I would have realized something was odd about her sooner than now.I reached Suzy's house; my strides were more purposeful than ever, and the air was charged with tension. My wolf is itching to be let out. Suzy's parents were omegas, automatically making her an omega as well.Omega Wolfs are the lowest and weakest among our pack ranking; their primary line of duty is to