Chapter Fifty : The Breaking PointLiam’s POVI sat alone in my room, my heart heavy, my mind racing. The pain in my chest felt unbearable, like something inside me was breaking apart piece by piece. I had spent the entire night thinking about Cara, about everything I had done to her, about how I had failed her.I had believed lies. I had let my mother and Vanessa manipulate me.And now, she was gone.Tears burned at the edges of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. A warrior wasn’t supposed to cry. An Alpha-to-be wasn’t supposed to break. But what was the point of all my strength if I had lost the only person who mattered?A sudden knock on my door made me jerk up. My heart pounded.“Come in,” I said, my voice hoarse.One of my men stepped inside, looking hesitant, almost nervous. I frowned.“What is it?” I asked.He swallowed hard, then finally spoke.“We have news about Cara.”My body went completely still.My heart stopped.I shot up from my chair, my breathing uneven. “Where?
Chapter Fifty One: The Final Break(Cara’s POV)I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest.Liam was here.After everything, after the pain, the betrayal, after I forced myself to forget him—he was here. And he had seen me kissing Damon.I couldn’t even look at him. But I felt the anger radiating off him, thick and suffocating. His fists were clenched, his jaw tight, his golden eyes burning with an emotion I couldn’t name.“Cara…” His voice was hoarse, almost broken. “I—”I cut him off before he could say anything more. “Why are you here, Liam?” My voice was cold, steady. It took everything in me to keep it that way.He stepped forward, but Damon immediately blocked his path, standing between us.Liam glared at him but didn’t attack. “I came for you, Cara,” he said, his voice laced with desperation. “I know the truth now. I know everything.”I scoffed, crossing my arms. “And what truth is that?”“I overheard them,” he said quickly. “Vanessa and my mother. They set you up. They lied
Chapter Fifty Two: The Necklace of DeceptionLiam’s POVI walked alone in the darkness, my heart burning with anger and pain.Cara had rejected me.She stood right in front of me and chose Damon over me. She even said she wasn’t pregnant with my children.Lies.I knew she was lying. I could feel it. Cara was mine. Those children were mine.But she was slipping away from me, and I didn’t know how to bring her back.I kicked a rock on the road, frustration boiling in my chest. My wolf was restless, growling inside me.Then suddenly, I heard footsteps ahead.A man stood at the side of the road, his face hidden by the shadows of the trees. He looked tired, like someone who had been traveling for days without rest.I narrowed my eyes and slowed my steps. Something felt strange.The man turned and looked at me. “Excuse me,” he called out.I didn’t respond immediately. Instead, I studied him. His clothes were worn out, his shoes covered in dust. He didn’t look dangerous, but I knew better th
Chapter Fifty Three : The Necklace Cara’s POVThe air was thick with tension. Damon’s piercing gaze was locked onto me, his expression unreadable. But I knew what he was thinking.He didn’t want me to leave.And I wasn’t going to stay.“I can go now,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. “I’m fine already.”Damon’s eyes darkened, his lips pressing into a firm line. “You still need treatment.”I let out a short laugh, shaking my head. “Oh? And since when did you become a doctor?”A muscle in his jaw ticked, but his eyes never left mine.“You think you’re strong enough?” His voice was low, dangerous. “Where exactly do you plan to go?”I frowned. “What does that mean?”Damon stepped closer, his presence overwhelming. “Back to Liam? Or… Caleb?”The moment that name left his lips, something inside me snapped.Caleb.My whole body stiffened, my heart slamming against my ribs. How did he know about Caleb?My breathing became uneven as I stared at him, my mind racing. Caleb was someone I
Chapter Fifty Four : Choice Cara’s POVThe moment my eyes landed on the necklace in Liam’s hand, my heart nearly stopped.My breath hitched as I stared at it, my mind spinning. It was the same necklace. The one I had given to that boy all those years ago.Memories crashed into me like a storm—the rain, the fear, the warmth of his hand as he shielded me. I was just a little girl, lost and terrified. But he was there. He saved me.And I had given him that necklace as a promise.A promise that one day, when we met again, we would remember each other.But now…I looked at Liam, my chest tightening. Something didn’t feel right.He held the necklace up, his lips curling into a confident smile. “It’s me, Cara. I’m the boy from your past.” His voice was steady, full of certainty.But my gut twisted.No.I didn’t remember him.The face in my memories—it wasn’t Liam’s.Damon tensed beside me, stepping in front of me like a shield. His voice was dangerously low. “What the hell is this?”Liam’s
Chapter Fifty FiveDamon’s POV – Letting GoCara stood there, frozen, her eyes darting between me and Liam. I could see the panic in her face, the way her hands trembled slightly.She didn’t know what to do.But still… she made her choice.“I have to keep my promise.” Her voice was soft, unsure, but it felt like a dagger to my chest.She was going to leave.With him.With that liar.I kept my expression calm, even though everything inside me was screaming. My wolf was restless, pacing inside me, demanding that I stop her.But I didn’t.I just forced a smirk. “Go ahead, then. But don’t regret it later.”She hesitated. Just for a second.I could see it in her eyes—doubt.But then she nodded and took a step toward Liam.I swallowed the anger burning in my throat. The pain. The betrayal. And then, just to make it worse for myself, I tilted my head and smirked.“At least give me a kiss before you go, For the fact that I allowed you to stay in my pack when Liam rejected you, for the treatme
Chapter Fifty Six : UnwelcomeCara’s POVMy heart was heavy as I stepped into the packhouse with Liam beside me. I thought coming back here would bring some kind of relief, some kind of peace, but instead, uneasiness crawled over my skin like a warning.Sophia was the only person I expected to welcome me back. She had been the one who helped me escape, the one who believed me when no one else did. But as soon as her eyes landed on me, I knew something was wrong.Her expression wasn’t one of happiness. It wasn’t relief.It was disappointment.A deep, painful kind of disappointment that made my chest tighten.Before I could even say a word, a sharp, cruel voice sliced through the air.“Look at her,” Vanessa sneered, arms crossed over her chest. Her gaze flickered from my face to my belly, her lips curling in disgust. “Running back here like some lost little puppy. What, Damon finally threw you out? He got tired of playing with you?”I clenched my fists, my stomach twisting in anger.“Th
Chapter Fifty SevenTorn Liam’s POVI stood in my father’s chambers, waiting for him to speak. The room was quiet, but I could feel the tension in the air. My father, the Alpha, sat in his chair, staring at me with cold eyes.“You brought her back,” he finally said. His voice was low but sharp. “And with her, him.”I knew who he was talking about—my child.I didn’t say anything, but my father’s stare grew harder.“The elders are already bowing,” he said. “Bowing to a child who hasn’t even been born yet.”I stiffened. I had heard whispers, seen the way the elders looked at Cara’s stomach with something close to worship.“They say he will be the strongest Alpha of his time,” my father continued. “Stronger than you. Stronger than me.”I swallowed.“They are already choosing him over me,” he said, his voice bitter. “The Alpha, their leader, is being ignored. They believe in a child that isn’t even here yet.”I frowned. “The elders want him to be born?”“Yes,” my father said sharply. “The
Chapter 105: Cara's POV – The Unexpected SightI had been pacing around the packhouse, trying to cool my head. It had been days since I'd spoken with Damon. Ever since the evening he'd betrayed me, I couldn't seem to handle him. And now, even Sophia, she wasn't even staring at me in the same way anymore. There was tension among us all.But that was something to worry about another time. There was something that worried me much more. I had to keep Damon away from Sophia. I had to tear them apart, destroy what was between them. That was my plan. That was my plan since the first time I'd seen them together, but deep within me lay something that had it set upon making it become a reality.I returned towards the living room, the part of the packhouse where individuals typically gather. But when I drew near, I stopped. I overheard the laughter and became frozen.I did not anticipate this. Not at all.I looked out the window, and there they were. Damon and Sophia. Sitting together. Laughing.
Chapter 104– Damon's POVI stood before her door.I heard her soft breathing inside.A week had passed.One complete week since she caught me and Cara. Since the truth unfolded. Since I apologized to her for the error I committed.And every single day thereafter felt like punishment.Sophia stopped sharing our bed. She gathered her stuff and just left without a word. And never returned.She barely addressed me.She walked past me as if I didn't exist.As if I were a stranger.Even Kayden, my wolf, stopped talking to me for a while. He was upset too. Upset with me. Upset at hurting our mate.Now, I was standing in front of her room… heart pounding like a drum.I didn't know why I was scared. I was the Alpha of the strongest pack. I could kill ten rogues in one stroke and not blink.But I couldn't go to my mate's door and knock.I closed my eyes and took deep breaths."Open the door, Damon."Kayden's voice resurfaced eventually."If she refuses you entry, we'll deal with that. But you s
.Chapter Forty Three – Cara's Point of ViewI lay on the couch with hands folded across my belly. The house was quiet. Too quiet. I still remembered Sophia's crying in my head although she had scaled up to the bedrooms. Her heart was broken. And because of me. I did not intend to hurt her. I did not intend to do all of these. But I did.I never planned on sleeping with Damon again, but these…It just escaped me.And then… I did something. I did it in order not to be disposed of by Damon. He looked at Sophia as if she was the sun, and yet I couldn't let him do so without a fight. I had something—a baby. Something potent.The thing is I knew.Growing inside of me is a baby by Liam.I was already three months pregnant before Damon ever touched me again. And Damon knew. Hr knew that day when Liam came to take me r. He knew I am being pregnant with Liam, and how he was shocked. But now… now all of that was different. Now he had kissed me again.Maybe. perhaps, if I made him aware that th
Chapter Title: The News That Broke MeSophia's POVI sat alone in the garden behind the packhouse. It was quiet. The only noises were birds and the wind through the trees. I had my knees curled up tight against my chest and cried silently.I did not want anyone to see me. My heart felt like a stone. I thought I could be strong. I thought not speaking to Damon would hurt less. But no… it hurt worse. I couldn't get him out of my head. I couldn't get his voice out of my head, apologizing… telling me he still loved me.But how do you say I love you to someone and then go to bed with somebody else?I wiped away my tears in a hurry when I heard footsteps. I was praying that it was Lucas. He had stopped by to check on me earlier, but I told him I needed to be alone. I didn't want anyone. I wanted peace.But when I turned around…It was Cara.I frowned and looked away immediately. I did not wish to gaze at her. I did not wish to hear her voice. But she did not mind. She walked towards me slow
Chapter 101Damon's POVI could feel the weight of the silence hanging in the air. The tension between Sophia and me had been mounting for days now, and despite how much I fought it, it seemed like the distance between us continued to widen. The things I'd shared with her, the truth about what transpired with Cara—it was just too much for her to process. I had expected her to be furious, but I could never imagine that it would be like she was escaping me, step by step.I stumbled through the packhouse, my feet heavy on the ground, my mind spinning. I hadn't talked to Sophia since I'd told her Cara was dead. Since then, she'd barely even looked at me. When she did, her eyes were full of hurt, betrayal… and something else I couldn't quite pinpoint. She was so far gone, and nothing I said or did seemed able to bring her back.Today, I was compelled to deal with her. I was compelled to make her understand that I loved her. That I didn't want Cara. That I didn't want anyone else other than
Chapter HundredHe Chose Her Instead of MeSophia's POVI curled up alone in the packhouse garden at the base of a big tree where no one could see me sitting. I tucked my knees up into my chest and wrapped my arms around them, and had my chin resting on top. I wasn't crying anymore. My eyes were already tender. My heart pounded harder.I hadn't even noticed how long I had been sitting there. Maybe hours. All of it weighed on me. My chest, my breath, my mind.Then I heard footsteps.I didn't lift my head."Sophia?"I knew that voice. It was Lucas. Damon's Beta. His best friend.I didn't answer him.He approached slowly and sat beside me without permission."You've been out here a while," he said softly. "Are you okay?"I didn't look at him. I didn't talk. I didn't even move.Lucas hesitated, then said again, "Sophia, you need to tell me something. You don't sound okay."I shut my eyes and let out an unsteady breath. "I'm not," I hardly whispered.His face drifted before me, concerned.
Chapter Ninety NineHer ScentI was in the packhouse living room, holding a pillow to my chest. It was quiet in the room. The fire was low in the fireplace, and the night air was cold. I had just come back from my parents' house. I missed them, but I missed Damon more while I was away.I smiled to myself as I thought about him. I wanted to surprise him with my return, maybe cook for him, maybe cuddle in his arms like we used to. I missed his warmth, his scent, his laughter. I missed the way he would look at me as if I was the only person in the world.I heard the door open.My heart pounded.He was back.I sat up straight right away and turned toward the door, expecting his smile. But Damon didn't smile. He walked in slowly, shoulders tense, eyes brooding. He didn't even look at me."Hey," I said softly, attempting to make him look at me.He nodded just and walked by me. No hug. No kiss. No words. He was… different."Damon?" I said softly. "Is everything okay?"He didn't answer. He ju
Chapter Ninety EightScheme From HerCara's POVI woke up slowly. My body was frail, but my heart was warm. Damon was next to me. His chest was bare. His face was serene in sleep.I smiled weakly. Last night was real. He touched me. Held me. Kissed me.It was like the past again.I reached out my hand, craving to touch his hair. But before I could, his eyes opened.He looked at me. He did not say anything for a moment. He was dazed. Then he sat up abruptly."What the hell?" he cried, breathing heavily.I also sat up, wrapping myself in the blanket. "Damon, relax. You're okay.""What is this?" he shouted. "What happened last night?"I looked at him. "You were drunk. You were upset. You needed someone. I was there for you."His eyes were wide open. "No. No, this didn't happen. Tell me we didn't sleep together."I said nothing.He jumped off the bed, pulling up his pants. Then he came to my side and grabbed my arm roughly."You tricked me, didn't you?" he yelled. "You planned this!""No!
Cara's POVI rested against the window, gazing out at the serene, moonlit evening. The house was abnormally still, the only sounds the distant howls of wolves in the forest. I could feel the pressure of it all crashing down on me. Damon and Sophia were bonded. That was the truth. The truth that stung. But it was irrelevant now. I had a plan.I surveyed the room, my eyes locking onto the door. Damon was in the adjacent room. Sophia had gone off to visit her parents, and I was left alone with him. I had been waiting for this opportunity—the ultimate opportunity. This was my moment to at last get what I wanted. I was pregnant with Liam's child, but no one knew that. Everyone thought the baby was Damon's. That was my chance to reclaim Damon, to have him back for myself.I couldn't help but smile to myself, imagining. This would be okay. Damon had never truly pushed me away, and if I could only maintain the charade that the baby was his, then he would return to me. He would be mine again,