Alison's POV "Here's your glass of...?"The world shattered around me in an instant, one second, I was just doing my job, and the next, I was standing frozen, watching the man I once adored with someone else.The glass slipped from my fingers and shattered against the floor, echoing in the empty hall. I didn't even realize I had dropped it until the shards of crystal scattered around my feet. Alpha Kendrick looked up from the couch, his hands still tangled in Priya’s hair, while Priya’s narrowed eyes found me in an instant. Silence fell over the room, thick and dangerous.“What the hell do you think you’re doing walking in like you own the place?” Priya’s voice cut through the silence like a whip.“I.. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to… I didn’t know…” My words stumbled out, tripping over each other as I stared down at my hands, trembling.“You didn’t know?” Priya sneered, untangling herself from Kendrick’s grasp. “You didn’t think to knock, either, did you, slave?”I wanted to speak, to r
Kendrick’s POV The light was dim, filtering through the high kitchen windows, casting shadows that seemed to dance as I walked into the quiet room. But then, there was a sound, soft, unexpected. Singing. Her voice, untrained and raw, yet filled with a haunting melody.I stepped forward, my boots scuffing against the tile floor. Her singing stopped, and she whipped her head up, startled. Alison's wide eyes met mine as she knelt on the kitchen floor, scrubbing, looking every bit the slave she was a mere servant in the Silver Moon Pack, where I'd held dominance and strength for years. But there was something different in her gaze that unnerved me, though I’d never admit it aloud."How long have you been here, Alison?" I asked, the words slipping out of my mouth before I could think them through.She swallowed, then answered in a voice so quiet I almost didn't hear it. "17 years, Alpha."Seventeen years. Seventeen years of watching her serve in silence, her presence nothing more than bac
Alison's Point of view "What a day?" I exhaled as I stared at myself in the mirror, adjusting the rough bandage on my hand and brushing the dirt out from beneath my nails. It didn’t really matter, but I wanted it to. I wanted to look less worn down, less like a servant at least for tomorrow. Tomorrow, I would be turning eighteen, and the thought sent my heart spinning with a strange, stubborn hope. Would this birthday mean something more? Would I finally find my mate? The man who would help me out of this enslavementThe very idea of a mate… it was everything I’d clung to during my years here. When I closed my eyes at night, I pictured a strong man, someone who would see me, value me, maybe even love me. A laugh bubbled out of me, bitter and absurd. What if, just by some miracle, that mate turned out to be Alpha Kendrick? The thought was ridiculous. I had a crush on him no doubt, he was powerful, commanding, and he now belonged to someone else. I shook my head, reminding myself of P
Alison's Point of view A splash of icy water struck me like a whip, jolting me from my slumber. My heart hammered in my chest as I gasped for breath, blinking away the cold droplets that clung to my eyelashes. Panic quickly morphed into fury as I realized what had happened. Priya, standing over me with a satisfied smirk, holding an empty bucket in her hands.“Rise and shine, servant,” she said, a cruel edge to her voice. “Today’s my special day, and I won’t tolerate anyone slacking off. Breakfast. Now.”Every instinct screamed at me to lash out, to say something. But as much as the words clawed at my throat, I kept them down. Tomorrow, Priya would officially become Luna, and I knew what that meant for someone like me. So instead, I wiped the water off my face, forcing myself to look up at her with the calmest expression I could muster.“Yes, Priya,” I muttered, barely meeting her gaze. Her sly smile widened, pleased with my compliance.“Oh, and make it perfect, will you?” She gave a
Alison's POV The sound of my boots echoed sharply down the hall as I marched toward Alpha Kendrick’s office. Each step felt like a storm building inside me, rising and intensifying with every stride. My heart thundered, not from fear, but from the burning fury I’d kept buried for far too long. Today, everything would change. I’d make sure of it. I threw open the door to Kendrick’s office. There he sat, calm as ever, his dark eyes narrowing as I stormed in. Standing by his side was his ever-loyal beta, Silas, who shot me a curious glance before Kendrick dismissed him with a cold wave of his hand. “Leave us, Silas,” Kendrick ordered, his gaze locked on me. Silas bowed and slipped out, the door clicking shut with a finality that seemed to trap us in this confrontation. My wolf, Maya, stirred inside me, her presence brimming with strength and fire. She and I had both waited long enough for this. Kendrick rose from his desk, his expression unreadable. But before I could say a word
Xander's POV The ticking clock on the wall was relentless, each second winding down the last few hours before I’d have to step foot in the Silver Moon Pack territory, home to Alpha Kendrick and his soon-to-be Luna. I leaned back in my leather chair, loosening my tie slightly as my Beta, Luke, filled me in on our arrangements. He was pacing as he spoke, his voice steady and informative. "Silas has everything arranged for our stay," Luke reported. "We’re set for Alpha Kendrick’s engagement dinner and wedding. The Silver Moon Pack is, as always, pulling out all the stops.” I grunted in acknowledgment, more focused on an uneasy feeling that had been gnawing at me since morning. This whole engagement felt off to me. Kendrick and Priya... the union was more like a strategic front, a display of power and alliances, but there was something missing. And it served as another reminder that, at 25, I was still without a mate. Unlike Kendrick, I had no desire to force a bond that didn’t exist
Xander's POVI leaned back against the dark oak frame of the bed, my eyes fixed on the window as the late afternoon sun began to sink behind the Silver Moon Pack's towering gates. This pack house felt as cold and unwelcoming as any foreign territory, yet I hadn't come here for comfort. I was here to honor the alliance between all packs. But something else was making my pulse race, an unease that shook my usual calm.It was her. The girl I'd seen within the castle compound , her scent still lingering in my senses.From the moment I saw her... I'd felt a pull like nothing I'd known before. My wolf had been clawing at me, instincts screaming for me to find her, to mark her, to claim her as mine. But impulse had no place here, not when my wolf's howls nearly drowned out every sense of reasoning within me. She could already be with someone else, I reminded myself, trying to calm my wolf, Cain."She's ours," Cain growled, voice thick with longing. "You felt the bond, Xander. She's ours, an
Kendrick’s POVThe clinking of glassware and murmurs of conversation filled the dining hall, but my focus was razor-sharp, zeroed in on one thing: Alpha Xander’s unwavering gaze on Alison. Each time I looked his way, his eyes were fixed on her, tracking her every movement as she served the guests, her posture humble, head lowered. Irritation flickered in my gut. Xander’s stare didn't seem like casual curiosity; it held a possessive spark that I recognized all too well."The arrogance," I thought, narrowing my eyes. Dinner hadn’t even begun, and already he’d already began crossing a line. His eyes were too focused, too intense on something or rather, someone that wasn’t his to want.I raised my glass abruptly, cutting through the chatter around the table in a bid to divert his attention. “A toast!” I called out, my voice booming across the hall. Conversations died down as everyone turned their attention to me, lifting their glasses.“To new alliances and strong friendships between our
Xander's POV The tension in the council chamber was palpable, a suffocating mix of suspicion and unease that clung to the air like smoke. My mind replayed the events of the hearing again and again, searching for any angle, any detail that could have predicted the interruption.And yet, there he was.. Alpha Gaius.He stood beside me now, a towering figure draped in the kind of authority that demanded attention without effort. He was a living legend, feared and respected in equal measure, yet an enigma. His return to the council was as unexpected as it was unsettling. Gaius had disappeared from these gatherings years ago, refusing to acknowledge the peace treaty. Rumors swirled, speculating that his discontent stemmed from personal loss, but no one had dared to question him directly.Until now.“I found her,” Gaius said, his voice low but steady.The words hung in the air, heavy with implication.I turned to face him fully, frowning. “Found who?”“My daughter, silly” he replied simply,
Xander's POV The library was airy quiet, except for the faint scratching of my pen against paper. Even the air seemed heavy, pressing against my chest like an unseen weight. I had been here for hours, trying to steady my thoughts, rehearsing the defenses I might offer to the Alpha Council. A single misstep today could spell disaster.. not just for me but for my entire pack.The scent of leather-bound books and aged parchment mixed with my own unease. My wolf stirred, restless and irritable. The beast had been on edge ever since I received the third and final summon. Ignoring this one wasn’t an option.Suddenly, the faint creak of the library door interrupted my thoughts. I didn’t look up. I didn’t have to. His scent... clean, sharp, tinged with pine was unmistakable. Luke.“They’re ready,” his voice broke the silence, steady as ever, but carrying a subtle undertone of concern.I didn’t answer right away. Instead, I capped my pen and leaned back in the chair, exhaling slowly. My finge
Xander’s POVFew months ago, my life felt untouchable, a tapestry woven with strength, power, and what seemed like an unshakeable bond with Alison. Now, it felt like that tapestry was unraveling, each thread pulling apart, leaving me with nothing but raw, exposed nerves.I sat in my office, the weight of the pack’s future now crushing down on me. Two summons from the Alpha Council lay on the desk before me, their bold, blood-red seals mocking my every decision. Ignoring them had been a calculated risk, but now, it was one I could no longer afford. The council demanded my presence, and every instinct I had told me it was a trap... They had heard what Kendrick did to my mate, but yet they had disregarded that just to honor some Treaty even my father before me wasn't in support of.A soft knock interrupted my thoughts. “Come in,” I said, my voice hoarse from days of barking orders and sleepless nights.Darius, the physician, stepped in, his face an unreadable mask of professionalism, th
Xander’s POVThe night was too quiet, the kind of quiet that hums with anticipation, where even the wind seemed to hold its breath. I stood on the hill overlooking the Silver Moon Pack's borders, the faint glow of their territory bleeding into the darkness. Every muscle in my body was taut, my wolf clawing at the edges of my control, thirsting for retribution. Tonight, there would be no treaties, no negotiations.Tonight, blood would be spilled.The evidence was undeniable, and my patience had run dry. Alison's frail body haunted my every waking moment, her life hanging by a thread because of Kendrick's cowardice. My hands clenched at my sides as I turned to the warriors flanking me. My most loyal pack members, their faces grim and determined, waited for my command.“Alpha,” Luke whispered beside me, his voice low and cautious. “Are you sure about this? The council... ”“To hell with the council,” I snapped, my voice a growl that made his wolf shrink. “They can keep their treaties and
Xander’s POVThe study was suffocating, the air thick with frustration and desperation. For the first time in days, I sat at my desk, surrounded by towering piles of books, old scrolls, and scattered notes. The faint scent of aged parchment mixed with the bitter tang of desperation. My fingers tapped restlessly on the desk, a metronome to the chaos within me.I flipped through another ancient tome, its brittle pages threatening to crumble under my rough touch. Nothing. Page after page of useless lore and vague remedies, none of which offered even the slightest glimmer of hope. My jaw tightened, the frustration bubbling beneath the surface.Alison’s face flashed in my mind... pale, cold, and still as death itself. Yet, her wolf clung to life, faint but present, like a single ember in a pile of ash. The physician had called it a miracle, but I called it torment. She was here but slipping further away every moment.A knock at the door broke my concentration. I slammed the book shut, the
Xander’s POVThe room was suffused with an eerie quiet, broken only by the shallow, uneven rhythm of Alison’s breathing. It was maddening, watching her cling to life, her chest barely rising, her skin icy beneath my trembling fingers. I sat on the edge of the bed, staring at her fragile form. Her golden hair, once vibrant, now fanned lifelessly across the pillow, her complexion drained of its natural glow. A hollow ache twisted in my chest. She wasn’t gone, not yet but she was slipping through my fingers, and I was powerless to stop it.Cain, my wolf, prowled beneath my skin, restless and wild. He growled, a low, guttural sound that echoed in my mind, urging me to lash out, to tear apart anyone who dared to cross us. I gritted my teeth, gripping the bedpost to ground myself. But even that was fleeting. Cain wasn’t just restless, he was furious, teetering on the edge of control. And I was starting to let him.A knock at the door shattered the fragile silence. Luke stepped in, his face
Xander’s POVThe air felt heavier than usual as dawn broke through the castle windows. Each ray of light seemed to mock my mood, indifferent to the storm raging inside me. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, adjusting the thick leather belts and silver clasps of the Official Nightfang Alpha’s war attire. Every piece fit snugly, a second skin that promised dominance, but beneath it, I felt hollow.The face staring back at me was taut with fury and guilt. Alison. The one person I’d vowed to protect now lay in the infirmary, death circling her like a vulture. And I had failed her.A knock broke through my thoughts. Luke entered cautiously, bowing slightly before speaking. “The car’s ready, Alpha. The team awaits your command.”I nodded without looking at him. “Pick only 4 warriors to accompany us, Dismissed,” I said curtly. I needed a moment, one last goodbye before I plunged into chaos.My boots were heavy against the stone floor as I entered Alison’s room. The stillness here was s
Xander’s POVThe stillness in the room was suffocating, heavy with the weight of despair. Alison’s pale figure lay motionless on the bed, her breaths shallow and uneven, each rise and fall of her chest a fragile tether holding her to this world. Her once radiant glow was replaced by a ghostly pallor, her warmth stolen by the venom coursing through her veins. I sat beside her, gripping her icy hand, feeling the emptiness in her touch as if the life we once shared was slipping away.I closed my eyes, bowing my head, my voice barely a whisper."Moon Goddess," I began, my words trembling with desperation. "If you're listening, hear me now. Don’t take her from me. Don’t punish her for my failures. I know I let her down, I allowed this to befall us, but please... spare her. She’s too innocent, a light in my darkness. Take my strength, take my life if you must, but leave her to shine a little longer in this world."Cain, my wolf, howled within me, his grief a sharp blade in my chest. He want
Xander's POVThe night was unnaturally quiet. No crickets chirping. No rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. It was as though the world was holding its breath, waiting for the first crack in the silence to shatter the stillness. My chest felt tight, an invisible weight pressing down with relentless force. I couldn’t explain it.. this gnawing unease clawing at the edges of my sanity.Then, it hit me. A searing pain ripped through my chest, and I staggered against the nearest wall, gasping for air. Cain, my wolf, howled in agony within me. "Mate…" he rasped, his voice heavy with desperation. The bond between Alison and me wasn’t just flickering... it was fading, dimming into an ominous void.“Xander?” Caitlyn’s voice snapped me out of my haze. She was draped across the couch in my office, looking concerned, her fingers twirling a strand of her perfectly styled hair. “You’ve been pacing for an hour. What’s gotten into you?”I ignored her, my jaw tightening. Every fiber of my being screa