Chapter Nineteen : Blurred LinesCara's POVLuna had been inviting me to dine and interact with the older she-wolves and Lunas from other packs recently. At first, I assumed she simply wanted company. But soon, I realized there was more to it. She was subtly presenting me as Liam’s mate—through her introductions, the conversations she steered, and the knowing glances exchanged between the others.But something wasn't right. Despite all her niceness on the outside, I didn't feel like Luna actually liked me. Her smiles never reached her eyes, and she seemed tense the way she treated me. It left me confused. If she didn't like me, then why was she pushing me to hook up with Liam?That night, after an extremely exhausting day, I was contemplating taking a hot shower to relax. The relaxing warm water melted away the day's stresses, and for a brief moment, I felt calm. Holding a towel in one hand, I stepped out of the bathroom to prepare for bedclothes.As I pushed open the door to my room,
Chapter 20: Losing ControlCara’s POVI hated him.I hated the way he always invaded my space, the way he looked at me like he already owned me. I hated the way he touched me, like it was his right. Most of all, I hated the way my body reacted to him—how, despite every part of me screaming to run, I stayed.Liam’s hands gripped my waist, pulling me closer. His heat was suffocating, his scent clouding my mind. I pressed my hands against his chest, trying to push him away, but he was solid, unmoving.“Let me go,” I demanded, my voice shaking.His dark eyes flickered with something unreadable. “I can’t,” he murmured. “You belong to me, Cara. You always have.”“No,” I snapped, struggling against him. “I don’t.”But my words were empty.Because even as I resisted, my body was betraying me.Liam’s grip tightened. His head dipped, his breath fanning over my skin, sending an involuntary shiver through me. When his lips brushed against my jaw, a strangled gasp escaped me. My fingers dug into
Chapter 21: The RevealingCaleb's POVIt was a silent night.Liam was away.I had been given what I wanted.I stood there, staring at Cara in front of me, my chest heaving from the aftermath of my fight with Liam. Liam had left with his precious little brother, and in return, he had given me Cara.Cara was still standing, her posture tense, shoulders slightly hunched as if bracing for what was to come. A black mask covered her face, the same as it did when Liam's men had brought her in. Her hair fell over her shoulders, her shape unmistakable.I absorbed the sight of her.Too long had it been since I'd seen her.Even though she had once been my captive, she had never yielded. Always glared at me with those venomous eyes, full of anger.I had expected her to resist now, to scream, to struggle. To be angry why I needed her after rejecting her.But she wasn't making any noise.Too silent.There was a small furrow on my lips, but I pushed the thought aside. She was merely exhausted. Lia
Chapter Twenty TwoRunning from My Own ThoughtsCara’s POVI shouldn’t be thinking about it.I had reminded myself a thousand times that it was a mistake. A stupid, crazy mistake. But no matter how hard I tried, the memory kept coming back to me.Liam. His hands. His mouth. The way he made me feel things I shouldn't be feeling.I sat on the edge of my bed, arms around my knees, trying to force the memories away. But they just wouldn't go.It wasn't that I had enjoyed it—that was the worst part. It was the way my body had betrayed me, the way I had lost myself to him. I had let him take control, let him destroy all the barriers I had set up to keep him out.And now? Now, I didn't know how to cope with the truth.I wasn't supposed to desire him.I was not supposed to miss his touch, to remember the trail of his fingers along my skin, the fire of his mouth on every inch of me.But I did.I groaned in frustration and hid my face in my hands. No, I cannot do this anymore.A knock on my doo
Chapter Twenty ThreeChapter 23: TakenCara’s POVThe air was still. Too still.A deep growl rumbled in the distance, and I froze, my body tensing. The training ground had been quiet a second ago, but now… something was wrong. The wind carried a scent I didn’t recognize—thick with danger and aggression.Sophia noticed it too. She took a step closer to me, her voice barely above a whisper. “Cara… something’s coming.”I didn’t answer. My instincts had already kicked in. My pulse pounded as I turned toward the trees, scanning the area. Then, they came.Shadows moved between the trees, fast and calculated. My breath hitched as a group of werewolves emerged from the forest, their eyes glowing with hunger and violence. Their movements were smooth, their bodies muscular and prepared for a fight.They weren’t just any werewolves. They were warriors.Sophia gasped beside me. I didn’t have time to reassure her. The second they lunged forward, I shifted.Bones cracked as my body transformed. Fur
Chapter Twenty Fiur: When Everything ChangedLiam's POVThe moment Sophia burst through the doors, gasping and gaping, I recognized that something was wrong. My entire body seized up, instincts in overdrive before she'd even get a word out."It's Cara—she's gone."Those words were like a blow to the gut. I didn't budge for a moment, didn't take a breath. But then my eyes snapped into focus and my wolf churned futilely beneath my skin.Gone?I approached her slowly, my voice strained. "What do you mean she's vanished?"Sophia swallowed once more, her face pale. "We—we were rehearsing. Everything was fine. Then they came." Her breath hitched, fear creeping into her tone. "They were fast, Liam. Too fast. Cara shifted and fought them off, but too many. And their leader—he was strong. Too strong."A growl convulsed deep in my chest. My wolf tried to claw free, looking for blood, looking for fight.I grasped Sophia by the shoulders, holding her face to mine. "Who kidnapped her?"She shook h
Chapter 25: His Mate?Cara’s POVPain pulsed through my body, but I ignored it. My muscles ached from the fight, my skin was raw where the ropes had bitten into my flesh, but I refused to show weakness.The room was cold, damp, the scent of wolves thick in the air. Unfamiliar wolves. The walls were made of stone, the only light coming from a small barred window near the ceiling. There were no chains, no silver, but that didn’t make me any less trapped.I had been taken.I clenched my fists, my heart pounding. Liam. Did he even know I was gone? Would he come for me?Or worse—had he let them take me?Before I could drown in that thought, the heavy door creaked open.Caleb.I knew it was him before I even saw his face. His scent, his aura, the suffocating weight of his presence—it all hit me at once.He stepped inside, his towering frame blocking the light from the hallway. His dark eyes locked onto mine, scanning my face, my body, and then his jaw clenched.And just like that, his expre
Chapter Twenty Six : Unbroken By WillI struggled with Caleb's hold, my heart beating wildly in my chest. His hands were rough, his breath hot against my skin. I pushed against him with all my strength, but he was too strong."Let me go!" I growled, twisting my body, trying to tear loose.Caleb scorned, his eyes black with desire and control. "Why fight it, Cara?" he whispered, his fingers outlining my jaw. "You were always meant to be mine."I jerked my face away in disgust. "I belong to nobody!"He laughed, amused by my desperation. His fingers sank into my arms, holding me against the cold of the stone wall. My heart was beating so achingly hard. I would not cry, would not be scared.Suddenly, the door burst open.A whirlwind of movement. A blast of wind.Then—Liam.He stormed into the room like a tempest, his eyes burning with rage. He did not hesitate. He leaped at Caleb, his fist connecting with his face, and knocked him tumbling onto the floor.I gasped, my body trembling with
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,