DAISY'S POV
I dropped onto my bed and decided that it wasn't worth it to hold all of these emotions in. I closed my eyes and let the tears break loose. I was so tired of acting like I was strong and unaffected by everything that was going on around me. I cried until I fell asleep.I woke up to feeling a warm hand on my bare skin, and I opened my eyes. My blurry vision needed a second or two. I blinked continuously. I rolled my eyes when I saw him. I dropped back on my pillow, but he dragged the pillow away from me."Were you crying? Daisy, c'mon, you don't need this. Why would you cry yourself to sleep?" he urged me."I don't want to talk about it. What do you want?" I challenged him, grabbing my pillow from him and turning away."I was harsh earlier and some of the things you said were true. I was being selfish, and I know that now, but I need your help, maybe your advice even," he suggested to me.I decided to give him a liDAISY'S POVWe ate our meal in silence after that. I hadn't understood the gravity of what we were doing until now. He was right. It felt like the weight of the world rested on our shoulders. And my was it heavy. I looked at him, and he seemed as calm as he did on a regular day. I didn't know how that was possible. It was almost like he wasn't bothered by any of it. He was so used to this tension that it looked like he wasn't affected by it. I ate slowly, and then he got up. He peered at me, his countenance cold as ice."We need to go now," he muttered.All I did was nod like a dummy. I grabbed my phone and headed out with him. This was one of the few times that I had seen him drive. I got into the front seat and stared at him. He reached for my seatbelt, buckling it before I had the chance to object. I rested in my seat and closed my eyes. I felt the car move out of the compound. I rarely left the compound, and I should have been enthusiastic about having to explore the outside wo
ZORDON'S POV I glanced at her, unsure of what exactly drew me in. Was it her stubbornness? Or maybe it was the way she made me feel like the only man alive? I turned the steering wheel, guiding the car onto a quieter road. "Where are we going?" she asked. "I told you we have a couple of stops along the way. This is one of them," I said, keeping my eyes on the road. "When we get there, I need you to stay in the car. I'll go in alone. No matter what happens, do not follow me. Lock the doors and wait. I'll knock twice when I return. Not once. Not three times. Twice. If you don't hear that, drive away. Don't think. Don't hesitate. Just drive." "This sounds bad. Tell me, where exactly are you going?" "Somewhere we don't visit on ordinary days," I replied. "And I need you to keep this between us. If Dexter's pack is really working with dark witches, then we need to consult our own and fight fire with fire." "You mean we have to work with witches too?" she asked, her voice risi
ZORDON'S POV This bitch was mad if she really thought that this was not such a big deal. She wanted me to give up my next child to her. Just like that? What? Was she going to eat the fetus? Or use it for some sick ritual? This was preposterous. "No. This is not a small price to pay. What am I supposed to tell her? 'Sorry babe, but I made a deal to give our unborn child to a witch?' No, I cannot do that!" I huffed. "There won't be any gruesome removal, if that's what you're thinking. I will take the child before your mate even knows it was inside her. She'll just think it's another miscarriage," she said simply. "Take the bracelet, and I'll handle the rest." "And if I change my mind?" "You can't," she said, her voice chilling with mischief. "You don't have to take the deal. But know that it's either her life or the life of a child you haven't even created yet." "Are you saying that there's a chance Daisy might die?" I gulped. "There's a strong possibility," the witch cackled.
DEXTER'S POVI stepped out of the bathroom and saw Xavier sitting on my bed. What the fuck was he doing here?He was getting even more annoying by the day.The only reason I still tolerated him was because I needed him. That was the unfortunate truth.He closed the book in his hand and looked me over."Good to see you're done with your self-isolation and your not-so-subtle drinking problem," he said."I don’t have a drinking problem. I just needed space to clear my head. Ever heard of knocking?""I knocked. You were too busy scrubbing off your shame to hear it," he grinned, making my stomach churn. I rolled my eyes, grabbed the book from him, and set it on the nightstand."What do you want, Xavier?""I arranged a meeting tonight — with Zordon. I asked him to come alone. I think he will. Once he's there, we end it. With him gone, the Deathlcaw pack crumbles. This will all be over before it truly begins.""You really think Zordon is dumb enough to fall for your trap?""Yes. I've played
ZORDON'S POVI didn't like the way Xavier was grinning at me. The manner in which he was looking between Daisy and me, I could tell what he was thinking. He was going to kill her so that I would suffer. I had to do something to make him believe Daisy was nothing more than a female to keep me company when I was horny.I glanced at Daisy and realized that someone was standing next to her. I moved toward her instinctively."No," Xavier snapped. "One more step, and she dies.""I don't care what happens to her," I said flatly, trying to shift his focus."Oh, but you do," the stranger beside Daisy spoke. "You care too much. You can drop the act."“I can tell you love her,” Xavier chuckled. "You're mistaken. She's nothing to me. Her sole purpose is to warm my bed, hold me at night, and play the part of a sex toy. That’s all she is. Warm pussy and warm pussies are replaceable. If you kill her, I'll just take something else Dexter loves.” I raised my voice, “Dexter! I know you're here. Show y
DAISY'S POVIt was the first time in my life I heard Zordon scream. The pain in his voice — it was unbearable. I could feel it. It was as though his body was collapsing in on itself, bones breaking against his will, until suddenly, he was sent flying across the field.I ran toward him, but I couldn't reach him. He was trapped. Bound by a spell. And the rage that surged through me was like nothing I'd ever felt. It was new. Raw. Explosive.My feet moved on their own, and before I realized it, I was standing in front of one of the witches. She smirked like she was ready to quarrel with me, you know say something witty or cast one of her spells on me, but I didn't give her a chance to speak. My fist drove into her chest. She gasped, her breath leaving her lungs as I pulled my hand back. Her heart was still faintly beating while I squished it in my palm. She dropped to the floor, lifeless. I looked at her body, then at my hand and smiled.Maybe Zordon was right. Maybe I really was a powe
ZORDON'S POVShe held out her hand, and I took it. Her palm was warm, yet somehow lifeless. She led me down a hallway and then turned to look at me."What's the matter, Mother?" I asked."It's just so nice to see you," she said, smiling. "Watching over you isn't the same as being with you. It feels so good to see you and be able to talk to you. Tell me, how have you been? How has ruling the pack been so far?"I looked at her, confused. Why was she asking questions she already knew the answers to?"Where's Dad?" I asked, avoiding her question."Well, you're only allowed to see one parent at a time," she replied. "Your father and I thought it was best if it were me. He was always a little jealous of the bond we shared while we were alive."She smiled again, and for a moment, everything felt complete. The hole I'd carried in me for decades disappeared. Their deaths had devastated me, but now, it felt like I had found the missing pieces of myself. I didn't want to leave. I didn't want to
ISLA'S POVPacing around the entrance of the mansion wasn't ideal, but it was the only thing I could do. I wanted to get in a car and follow them, but I knew I'd be disobeying his orders. Zordon knew what he was doing, and he expected me to trust his judgment.Still, I couldn't reach them. Couldn't get a hold of anyone. And it bothered me.I didn't know if they were okay.Taking Daisy along had been a mistake. She was only going to be a liability, and I knew that from the start.It was almost 1 am when I finally heard the car pull into the compound. I rushed out of the house and met them on the stairs.Zordon was carrying Daisy in his arms.I glanced at Stefan. Blood covered all three of them. Zordon walked right past me without a word and headed inside.I followed, trying to keep up, but his long strides made it almost impossible."Somebody get me a doctor!" he shouted into the air, not to anyone in particular.I immediately pulled out my phone and dialled the family doctor. It was a
ZORDON'S POVI stood there in her arms, like a desperate child just longing to be held and loved. My wolf howled in disagreement, rejecting every thought running through my mind. I pulled away from the hug and looked at her. She was still as beautiful as the first day I laid eyes on her. There were no words to describe how I felt—it was as though a part of me that had been frozen for so long was finally beginning to thaw."I'm sorry for showing up unannounced," Liv said softly. "I heard what happened at and needed to make sure you were okay. I know I ran off and things got messy, but I'm here now. I want to stay. You know how good I am in battle—you'll need me in this war. And honestly, this is the only way I know how to keep you safe.""I'm just glad you're back, Liv," I said. "You don't know how relieved I am to see you, to talk to you, to hold you. But you've got to tell me why you've waited so long to come home." I took her hand and led her to the study.I had two hours before my
ZORDON'S POVThe sun hung high in the sky, but I wasn't ready to get out of bed. I just wanted to sleep in. Unfortunately, that wasn't an option. The press was going to find out what happened — it was only a matter of time before they came looking for answers.I didn't know what today would bring. I didn't know what Dexter had planned. I didn't know what to expect. He always had too many tricks up his sleeve. At this point, there was nothing I could do.I lay there, groaning. I didn't understand what was happening anymore. I started to wonder if holding on to Daisy was worth all this chaos. It wasn't that I questioned her worth—she was everything. But was my love for her worth all this? That was the question.I groaned again and rolled to the other side of the bed.A knock came at the door. I groaned louder and threw a pillow over my head.The knock came again. I sat up."Someone better be dying," I yelled."Alpha," the messenger replied through the door, "Beta Isla has requested your
ISLA'S POVI jumped out of the car and headed to my own. Dustin and I had talked, and he'd agreed to come with me—he didn't really have anywhere else to go.He wasn't sure where he'd sleep that night, and with the Pinewood pack after him, there was no place safer than the Deathclaw mansion. It was the only place he could truly be protected. He didn't know the way to our pack, so I had to lead him there.The ride was long. I kept glancing in my rearview mirror, making sure he was still behind me. My phone rang, but I couldn't answer it. I knew it was someone from the pack checking in.Stefan didn't have my number, but Zordon might have given it to him. I smiled at the thought of Stefan waiting up for me. I wouldn't be home until midnight, and knowing he was awake, waiting—it made my heart race.When we finally pulled into the pack-yard, I didn't stop. I drove straight to the mansion.Once I reached the house, I parked in the garage, and Dustin followed suit. As we walked to the front d
ZORDON'S POV“You will do nothing, Zordon. Mistakes happen. We don't even know how they managed this, but you keep forgetting that we're dealing with a pack that's made a deal with witches. They're capable of anything. You can't punish someone for something they weren't expecting," Daisy reprimanded me."It's their job to expect everything. I pay them to protect this pack from all kinds of attacks, and if they can't do that, then what good are they to me? I can't take this risk! This is war, and we're not even prepared for it! How am I supposed to deal with Dexter if this keeps happening?" I said, struggling to control my anger."Dexter is a coward. That's why he's attacking like this. We still have the upper hand," she said."No, we don't. He's shown he has no limits, and he'd rather kill you than see you with anyone else. I'm not letting that happen. Go to your room while I handle this," I told her."No! I'm not a child you can just send to her room when the tough conversations happ
ZORDON'S POVI spoke to Isla once more, and she said she was on her way back home. I had hoped she was bringing Dustin with her. I saw things from her point of view, and she was right. We needed him on our side. We needed everyone Dexter sent away. It would be easier to convince them if they held a grudge.I walked out of my room and sighed. After that argument with Daisy, I wasn't sure she would want to see me. But I decided to try. I didn't want her with me just because of a contract anymore. No, she was more than that to me. She meant more. She had sacrificed her life for mine, something no one had ever done before. I'd asked her to run, but she stayed and fought for me, even though it was her first time on a real battlefield.Too many thoughts crowded my mind, and then the ugliest one resurfaced. The witch would take her price. I decided then that I wouldn't get intimate with her in any way. I couldn't get Daisy pregnant, only for her to lose the baby.I headed to the gym. I had
ISLA'S POV"Don’t worry. I drive a sports car. If I'm fast enough, I can catch up with him and find a way to convince him to join us. We have to remember that he cares about his people. He just needs to remove the obstacles between him and them. If we can guarantee the safety of those who stand with him, he'll join us," I said to Zordon."We need to think this through. What if they stand against us? What if we have no choice but to get rid of them? We need to consider all the options," he replied."I know, and I'll figure something out. But I need you to trust me to make the right decision. I won't bring him in if he poses a threat to our kingdom or our people," I assured him."I trust you to do right by the pack. That shouldn't even be a question. I know you'll do what's best for the people. I have to check on Daisy now. Take care of yourself. I hear things are rough in the Pinewood pack. Stay safe, and call me at the first sign of trouble," he said."Yes, Alpha," I replied.The line
ISLA'S POVThe waitress looked at me with one brow raised, then sat down and smiled. She seemed friendly, maybe even a little too accommodating. Glancing toward the other tables to make sure nobody else wasn't listening, she leaned in slightly."There was a mass murder last night. Twenty-seven wolves killed," she said, lowering her voice. "This morning, Alpha Dexter announced that his Beta, Dustin, was behind it. But honestly, I don't think he did it. My guess is there was a fallout between the Alpha and the Beta, and now the Alpha's out for blood. Which means the real killer is still out there... and the Pinewood pack just lost its best defender."She looked down at the table, clearly troubled."Why do you think your Alpha's wrong?" I asked. "Aren't you supposed to trust him?""You don't sound like you're from around here," she replied."I'm not. I've been travelling, looking for somewhere peaceful to settle down. Thought maybe
ISLA'S POVHeading out on a mission to the Pinewood Pack wasn't exactly something I was eager about. But I needed to get inside Xavier's head one more time. Maybe for the last time. Either way, I'd keep doing it for as long as I was needed.Zordon was my boss, and if he asked me to jump into a volcano, I'd do it without hesitation. I pulled up the hood of my sweatshirt and glanced at myself in the mirror. A knock came at the door. I groaned, waiting for someone to come in, but when no one did, I walked over and opened it.Stefan stood there.I turned away without a word, heading back to the bedroom. He stepped inside and took a seat on the table."You've come to say goodbye?" I asked, keeping my back to him."You know you don't have to do this, right? You don't have to go in alone. It could be a one-way trip. You might not make it back," he said."You just have to have a little faith that I will make it back. Xavier still has a soft spot for me, and I intend to use it. Besides, my inf
DUSTIN'S POVDexter had his hands in his pockets. His gaze dead-locked with mine. "A lot has changed since you left. I had to rule without you. I know a part of you thought I wouldn't make it, but here I am. I excelled. I learnt the hard way that nobody is too precious to sacrifice for what I want or need. And I will sacrifice anybody for Daisy, you included," he smirked. "If only you had supported me, stood by me like you always have. It would have been great, but no. You decided to divide my people, take half of them with you, and support Zordon in this war. You made an enemy of yourself, so don't act like I betrayed you. You betrayed me first," he pointed out to me."Is that what you told yourself before blaming me for the innocent lives that you took? Zordon might have killed those people, but they died because of you. They died in a battle that could have been avoided. You killed them, their blood is on your hands!" I hissed. "It doesn't ma