Cerelia’s POV The moment I ran the application, I understood the problem. “There’s malware in the system that has been used to steal the data. It’s totally a remote operation.” Alpha Zephyrus glared at me with disbelief, as if I was making up an excuse to save my ass. He had no idea who I was. As an elite member of the Stellar Genius Society, I have often helped prevent data breaches. “Are you sure? How can someone access the system remotely and load malware in it?” “Cyber criminals have advanced methods to gain unauthorized access, bro.” I smiled at Xandrios attempt to support me. “Yes, Dr. Alexandrios is right. Malware can be injected into a user’s device through a malicious attachment, link, or website. Maybe an employee here had been tricked into opening such a link. I would suggest you check the hospital's official emails. You’ll find the link. The one who handles the account is your culprit, not me.” “Who handles the official emails here, Alex?” asked Zephyrus with a scowl
Cerelia’s POV “Thank you for your help, Cerelia. You can go home now,” said my mate. I remembered the excruciating abdominal cramps I had been experiencing all evening ever since Xandrios left. Although it had reduced to a dull ache now, it was still there. “I need to see a doctor, Xandrios.” His eyes widened with worry. “What happened? Come up, I’ll check you.” “Abdominal cramps. I came down to search of Dr. Sylvia in your absence, but she was busy in the OT.” “Oh, let’s take you to her before she leaves for the day.” Xandrios led the way to Dr. Sylvia’s room. It was already late in the night and Dr. Sylvia had just returned from her regular rounds before leaving for the day. “Oh, hello, Cerelia. How are you?” she chirped.“She’s getting abdominal cramps. Can you check up on her?” Dr. Sylvia smiled at Xandrios and led me away to the examination table to check. “I’ll be right back.” Xandrios left and Dr. Sylvia felt my abdomen gently. “You’re going into heat, Cerelia. Will thi
Cerelia’s POV I wanted to say yes. I wanted to promise him that no matter what, I would stay with him forever. But those words failed me. I couldn’t give him a false promise. It wouldn’t be fair to him. He was the most amazing shifter I had ever met. With a heart of gold, he healed everyone unconditionally, even those who had no money like me. I was indebted to him for saving my life against all odds. If I was alive to avenge the death of my pack and father, it was only because of two Lucerians: Luna Lena and Dr. Vasiliou.I lowered my gaze and concentrated on my plate as tears blinded me. His scent comforted me yet made me want him even more tonight. At that moment, I wished I wasn’t a silver wolf. At least I would get my happily ever after with my mate! But wishes weren’t always fulfilled, right? I knew mine would never be. I would never get the one I wanted. “I’ve got my answer.” He released a shuddering breath. The air was tense between us. While unknown desires coursed throug
Alexandrios’s POV I wished I could prove her wrong and claim her. But she was just eighteen and in heat. I couldn’t get her pregnant with my pups at such a young age. It wouldn’t be fair to her. “Sleep.” Her scent drove me crazy, and the shower didn’t douse my need for her. She blinked in disbelief and then scowled at me. “I knew it. You were playing mind games with me, right?” I shook my head, looking away. “Then what is it? Why can’t you claim me? I am an adult now.”“The time isn’t right. Good night, Cerelia.” The disappointed look in her eyes shattered me. I knew I was breaking her heart by rejecting her, but I was helpless. I couldn’t take advantage of her. “I hate you, Xandrios.” Her frustrated whisper followed me out. Yet I battled against the urge to give in to her.I slipped out of her room, leaving her sitting on the edge of the bed in a dazed state. If only she knew how it sapped all my willpower to walk away from her. Of course, I didn’t give out useless threats. I pl
Cerelia’s POV I was too shocked for a second to think of a reply. How did Alpha Zephyrus not believe in my innocence? Were the Red Wolves pressurizing him to get to me? I had to find out. “Oh, I need to know about the situation at the borders, Xandrios. Are the Red Wolves still there? Maybe I’ll use another route to escape.” I looked up to see the grim look on Xandrios’s face. What was he thinking? He looked quite disappointed in me. I couldn’t help it. How could I tell him what was stopping me from staying back and accepting him as my mate? If the Lucerians found out who I was, my life would again be at risk. They would want to exploit my powers. Maybe Xandrios wouldn’t, but surely someone would. I couldn’t endanger myself knowingly.“We’ll think about it. Right now, let’s concentrate on strengthening you.” I smiled at him to make peace with him. With only a week left with him, I wanted to experience a lifetime of happiness with my mate. What if I never met him again? One thing w
Cerelia’s POV I blushed profusely at the thought of kissing him deeply so many times. Whatever it was, I would definitely kiss with tongue, just as Lia suggested. As for shopping, I needed a lot of stuff. So obviously, we would kiss a lot. My heart skipped a beat at the thought as we sped off towards an unknown destination. “So, dessert first or shopping first?” He grinned and glanced at me. “We’ll start with dessert and end with it, too.” I gave him a clueless look. “I refuse to get fattened up!” He chuckled instead of changing his plans. “Oh, the type of dessert I have in mind for later won’t make you fat.” I frowned suspicious of his motives when realization struck me. Was he hinting at the kisses I promised him? My cheeks flushed with embarrassment and I dropped the topic. “Do you realize now?” He chuckled more, embarrassing me further. “You definitely need a lot of training. Don’t worry, I’ll be your teacher and guide.” I glared at him, eager to puncture his bloated ego. “
Cerelia’s POV Xandrios seemed to be in a rush to get out of the diner. “We’ll pack up another pie for you to munch on. Let’s go shopping.” “Oh, why are we rushing?” I followed his line of vision to see a group enter the diner. It seemed Xandrios wanted to avoid them. He led me to the counter to collect a parcel from Aunt Syble without answering me. “Thanks for the treat, Aunt Syble.” He paid for the parcel, though. “Any time, my boy. See you soon.” She waved at me too and Xandrios steered me out of the place. Just as we got into his car, I noticed Carl and the other sentinels enter the diner. I now knew why Xandrios rushed out. He didn’t want a confrontation, and neither did I. Maybe the situation would change if I joined the pack, and Xandrios introduced me formally to all. I trusted him to clear my name. I watched him discreetly as he steered the car towards the shopping center.“You’re staring, Cerelia.” His husky voice made me blush and look away. “You can tell me what’s on y
Cerelia’s POV Xandrios reached out and swept a lock of hair from my face. My stomach clenched as I waited for his mouth to descend on mine. He cupped my jaw and neck as if I were fragile. My breath hitched as he tilted my head toward him. His fingers worked into my hair, making my body tingle with need. With every passing second, it intensified into a dull throbbing that reached my se*. My gaze dropped to his lower lip. They pulled me like a magnet and I closed my eyes, surrendering to him. Electricity surged through my body when he swept my hair off my neck and bent to kiss the sensitive spot below my ear. Would he mark me tonight? My breath hitched again, and I opened my eyes to see him run his tongue over the spot. “Mine to mark, mine!” He continued trailing his mouth over my heated skin, inching towards my face.“Xandrios, please..” I wanted him to stop teasing me and kiss me already. I wanted him to complete the kiss he had started earlier. “I love the way you respond to me,
Alexandrios’s POV I drove back to the McDougall Trail area where Alpha Alexios had promised to meet me. There had been no update from Stavros, and I was on the verge of losing hope. I would have been clueless if Alpha Alexios hadn’t agreed to help me. This wasn’t a mission I could succeed on my own. Whatever the case, I would never have given up.I reached the location and noticed an agitated Zephyrus, waiting for me with Stavros and his team. Zephyrus didn’t look pleased with me, but I didn’t care this time. My mate’s life was at stake here, and I didn’t need anyone’s permission to seek her. I didn’t understand Zephyrus’s attitude towards Cerelia. Why was he so biased towards her when he was a just and benevolent leader? “There, Dr. Alexandrios is here.” Zephyrus came towards me with a scowl. I got out of the car and faced him. “Did you call Alpha Alexios? Shouldn’t you have waited for me instead of taking matters into your hands, Alex?” “You weren’t there and time was running ou
Cerelia’s POV Alpha Achlys carried me all the way through the tunnel under the McDougall Trail. It was so well concealed I doubted if Xandrios would ever find me. They fed me some herbs to camouflage my scent and theirs as well. It was so effective that I couldn’t even get their pungent scent.Delta Maverick drugged me so that I had no strength in me to fight. It worked, but not enough to make me lose my consciousness. I couldn’t retaliate or fight but I could see where they were taking me. Was it to their hideout in the Pikes Peak, Colorado? I remember my dad mentioned it once before going out to save the pack. If only I had known it would be the last time I would see him!“Which tunnel now, Maverick?” yelled Alpha Achlys, his voice echoing around. At thirty, he was the most powerful and evil of the lot. I lay limp in his arms, unable to move a muscle. But this couldn’t go on. I had to plan my escape before they injected the potion into my system. I didn’t hope for a rescue. Maybe
Alexandrios’s POV Strangely, the door was open, and I ran inside. I knew something was wrong because I had closed the door when I left. “Cerelia!” my voice echoed around the empty house. There was no response. Panic settled in my heart and I ran from room to room. The house looked ransacked, with things strewn all around. A fight seemed to have taken place here. “Cerelia? Lena!” No response. My worst nightmare had come true. It seemed Delta Maverick had barged in and taken my mate away! “No, it can’t be possible!” I screamed in the still house. I flung open the door of the last bedroom to see Lena lying unconscious on a couch near the door. There was no sign of Cerelia!I immediately mind-linked with Zephyrus. ‘Come to the house, fast. Lena’s unconscious and there’s no sign of Cerelia. I think they’ve taken her, bro.’ ‘I’ll be right there.’ He disconnected the link, and I leaned over to pat Lena’s cheeks. “Lena?” I checked her pulse, and it was normal. Lena opened her bleary
Alexandrios’s POV I swerved and picked up speed to get rid of our stalker. When I reached Aunt Syble’s house, I would inform Homer and Stavros about the enemy. “They’ve found me, Xandrios. They’ll capture me.” Cerelia looked pale as a sheet. I knew she was going through a panic attack, but I couldn’t stop the car now. The stalker would catch up.“They can’t. Just relax, Cerelia. Once we reach Aunt Syble’s house, I’ll ensure our stalker is captured.” I could see the wolf still chasing us at a distance through the rear-view mirror. His red eyes glittered in the darkness as he picked up speed. He didn’t look like any of the normal pack members. If we couldn’t lose him yet, it meant he was more cunning than I had expected him to be. I swerved into another lane that opened onto the highway. Crossing the stretch as fast as I could, I swerved onto the highway and into another lane. Cerelia sat gripping her seat handle while I swerved into innumerable lanes and out again until we reached t
Cerelia’s POVI rushed inside, panic settling in my heart. If the Red Wolves were here for me, it wouldn’t take them long to get to me. I just hoped they wouldn’t harm my mate and his hospital to get to me.For the rest of the time, I stayed inside. I didn’t want them to know my exact location in this enormous hospital. It would be easy for them to get me if they knew.The door clicked open, and I jumped up, startled out of my wits. Did they break the lock? I sprang from the couch in my room and took on a fighting stance. Before I could find anything, my bedroom door opened and Xandrios peered in.“Hey, are you planning to kill me?” he chuckled, making me blush.“Not at all.” I relaxed and walked out of my room with flushed cheeks. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have any patients to check?”He smiled and gestured towards a large food packet kept on the dining table. “I brought lunch. Help yourself.”I felt relieved at the sight of the food. Seeing the Red Wolves had disturbed me
Cerelia’s POV I opened my eyes to a soft, feathery touch on my cheek. It scalded me almost making me gasp. When I opened my eyes, I gasped at the sight of my mate hovering over me. His hot breath on my face played havoc with my senses. “Xandrios? What are you doing in my bed?” I gasped, looking down at myself. Thankfully, I was fully clothed. Then why was he here? He rolled away with a smile hovering on his lips. “Don’t you remember anything from last night, Cerelia?” He held my jaw-dropped gaze with amused eyes. I blinked in confusion. Last night? How could I not remember a thing after the kisses? I had gone off to sleep. Did he sneak into my room and claim me? Surely I would have known if he did that. “What did we do last night? Did we..?” My face paled as his smirk widened in response. “Hell, no. You had a nightmare. I heard you screaming. You were under a panic attack and I came in just in time to comfort you. Later, you stopped me from leaving. That’s it.” I watched the amu
Cerelia’s POV Xandrios reached out and swept a lock of hair from my face. My stomach clenched as I waited for his mouth to descend on mine. He cupped my jaw and neck as if I were fragile. My breath hitched as he tilted my head toward him. His fingers worked into my hair, making my body tingle with need. With every passing second, it intensified into a dull throbbing that reached my se*. My gaze dropped to his lower lip. They pulled me like a magnet and I closed my eyes, surrendering to him. Electricity surged through my body when he swept my hair off my neck and bent to kiss the sensitive spot below my ear. Would he mark me tonight? My breath hitched again, and I opened my eyes to see him run his tongue over the spot. “Mine to mark, mine!” He continued trailing his mouth over my heated skin, inching towards my face.“Xandrios, please..” I wanted him to stop teasing me and kiss me already. I wanted him to complete the kiss he had started earlier. “I love the way you respond to me,
Cerelia’s POV Xandrios seemed to be in a rush to get out of the diner. “We’ll pack up another pie for you to munch on. Let’s go shopping.” “Oh, why are we rushing?” I followed his line of vision to see a group enter the diner. It seemed Xandrios wanted to avoid them. He led me to the counter to collect a parcel from Aunt Syble without answering me. “Thanks for the treat, Aunt Syble.” He paid for the parcel, though. “Any time, my boy. See you soon.” She waved at me too and Xandrios steered me out of the place. Just as we got into his car, I noticed Carl and the other sentinels enter the diner. I now knew why Xandrios rushed out. He didn’t want a confrontation, and neither did I. Maybe the situation would change if I joined the pack, and Xandrios introduced me formally to all. I trusted him to clear my name. I watched him discreetly as he steered the car towards the shopping center.“You’re staring, Cerelia.” His husky voice made me blush and look away. “You can tell me what’s on y
Cerelia’s POV I blushed profusely at the thought of kissing him deeply so many times. Whatever it was, I would definitely kiss with tongue, just as Lia suggested. As for shopping, I needed a lot of stuff. So obviously, we would kiss a lot. My heart skipped a beat at the thought as we sped off towards an unknown destination. “So, dessert first or shopping first?” He grinned and glanced at me. “We’ll start with dessert and end with it, too.” I gave him a clueless look. “I refuse to get fattened up!” He chuckled instead of changing his plans. “Oh, the type of dessert I have in mind for later won’t make you fat.” I frowned suspicious of his motives when realization struck me. Was he hinting at the kisses I promised him? My cheeks flushed with embarrassment and I dropped the topic. “Do you realize now?” He chuckled more, embarrassing me further. “You definitely need a lot of training. Don’t worry, I’ll be your teacher and guide.” I glared at him, eager to puncture his bloated ego. “