Cara’s POV “But why? Why you leave us, Ruby?” I ask my best friend, deeply saddened by her news. “I hate to do it, Cara. But I must. I must go. For Mia.” Ruby says simply. “For Mia?” I ask, confused. How could Ruby leaving help Mia? Mia loves her Auntie Ruby. I imagine what it will be like t
Ruby’s POV “The Bedfords, all of them, supported Lilia and her attempts to become Pack DarkWood’s Luna,” my best friend Cara’s voice was quiet. Trying to prevent children from hearing our words, my voice quiet too: "Oh, that's so disgusting." Then I casually throw the photo aside and never loo
“You do?” I whisper back, looking behind me, checking that neither Cara nor Mia are around to overhear this discussion. There’s no sign of either of them. Ethan nods. “So, what will you do when you’re in DarkWood? Remember that’s where your science competition will be. What will you do if he is
Cara’s POV It’s the day of Ethan’s science competition, and all of us are eager to see how Ethan fares. There’s a large crowd gathered, well over a hundred people. The competitors are a mixture of children from Packs BloodyMoon and DarkWood. At only six years old, Ethan is by far the youngest ch
Ryan’s POV “This contestant’s vehicle is rudimentary at best, and the design of the turning system is flawed to such a degree that it should be grounds for total disqualification,” Matthew Bedford says confidently into the microphone. The crowd gasps in unison in surprise at the harsh critique o
Cara’s POV I hate seeing my son go through this. I can take the trouble that comes my way. I can handle whatever happens to me. But little Ethan… he’s just a child. I can hardly bear to watch. But I know that my son needs my support. Now more than ever before. I hold strong, trying to make e
Ethan's POV The special guest is Alpha King Alaric Grant?! It’s him! My biological father! At least, I think he’s my father… I don’t know for sure yet if that’s true, but I hope to find out. I told Auntie Ruby that I know who my father is, but she didn’t definitively confirm that it’s Alar
Cara’s POV The surprise of the voice completely shattered the moment that had been occurring between Alaric and I. Snapping from my gaze, I turned in the direction of the voice. As more words rang out, I started to recognize the identity of the speaker. “You and your rude, arrogant child shoul
Cara’s POV “To our success!” Eamon raises his champagne glass in a toast, and the rest of the family gathered raises our glasses, too. “To the good fortune of Pack BloodyMoon!” My brother Aidan cheers before putting the glass between his lips, gulping down the alcohol quickly. “Good fortune? I
Cara’s POV I suddenly feel overwhelmingly tired of all the charades, of all the attempts to keep Ethan a secret from Alaric. I can keep this up no longer. I can hide my child no longer. If Alaric hadn’t known for certain about my two children by now, after the science competition, then he surely
“Do not speak ill of the Bedfords! They are the only family trying to uphold the decency that Pack DarkWood used to hold so dear!” the old woman replies. “I will speak however I wish!” Alaric yells at her. “Show such insubordination once more and you will sincerely regret it!” At this, the old w
Cara’s POV I stare at Alaric as the young nurse who spoke up for me, the orphan who was also raised in the Pack House, speaks in my defense. “They don’t believe me! They think she’s lying, that she hasn’t helped our pack,” the young woman pleads to Alaric and his Beta, John. “You doubt the wor
Cara’s POV “I come here to this hospital, to your pack, not as a princess, but as a mother,” I say to the group of angry nurses and staff. A small crowd of between fifteen and twenty people stand before me, circled around. They had been mocking me, chastising me for my arrogance and royal lineag
I stay calm, determined not to let their comments upset me. “There must be some sort of misunderstanding. I’m looking for some water—” “Good luck finding it!” a she-wolf staff member says bitterly. “We only have the lowly water, not the kind good enough for royalty. You’ll find no water here for y
Cara’s POV "Is it time yet? Can we go?" Mia shouts excitedly. "Not yet. We need to finish getting ready," I respond for at least the tenth time. "We’re going to DarkWood today!! And Ethan gets to come, too!" Mia exclaims. All morning, she’s been so excited about her hospital appointment in P
Alaric’s POV I’m up late again. Working. Again. It’s no surprise, really. It’s practically my new routine: wake up, work, eat, work, eat again, work again… and so on, every day a continuation and repetition of the last. “We’ve heard back from BloodyMoon about the project proposal, Alpha King,
Cara’s POV My first instinct is to deny Ryan’s words, to claim that I never, under any circumstances, would ever consider getting with Alaric ever again. But when I look over and see my brother’s serious face, his expression so open and supportive, I swallow anything I was about to say. Ryan,