Clay’s POVElsa sighed, a deep sadness lining her face. “Poor girl had to endure too much. Any sensible wolf would have fled given the slightest opportunity. My grandmother warned your parents not to pass that Elder law—she saw this coming. I was just a child, but I remember her words to your father, warning that it would lead to great calamity. Maybe this is what she meant. The Elders’ decision to turn against your Luna, to deny her humanity, has sparked a dark change. The shift in the wind, that darkness—it began with this unjust trial. You sent Gregory away, but they wouldn’t let her go. There are those in your council who can’t stand the idea of you being tied to a Vladislav. This is what happens when wolves try to play god,” she said, shaking her head in frustration.Her words hit me hard, stirring anger and regret in my chest. The Elders—the very ones we were supposed to trust—had not only failed us but had actively sabotaged us. I felt the weight of their betrayal, the realizat
Scarlett’s POVAs we rode, the gentle hum of the car lulled me into an uneasy sleep. The nightmares were never far, though, filled with flashes of the North—cold and unyielding, just like the way they’d treated me.My mind replayed the harshest moments, making me flinch as I remembered their faces, the empty promises, the way they’d turned on me without a second thought. I’d believed in them, trusted in their words, and yet they’d left me to die, casting me out as if I were nothing.I’d thought I’d known suffering before, but nothing could have prepared me for the pain of their betrayal. They’d taken everything, left me with nothing but the scars of their abandonment.I could feel the tears slipping down my cheeks, but I quickly brushed them away, glancing over at Ebenezer. He hadn’t noticed, thankfully. I took a deep breath, gathering myself. It was time to look forward, not back.I was done with the North. Clay, Lucian, Maxwell—they could have it all, have their revenge, their so-ca
Scarlett’s POVThe question made me stiffen, and I shook my head slowly, hoping it wouldn’t change things. “No wolf,” I said softly. “I hope that’s… not a problem.”He tilted his head thoughtfully, but there was no judgment in his expression. “I did notice something odd, though,” he said, his eyes narrowing in concentration. “Your eyes—they shine neon green when you’re excited. But you don’t have a wolf?”“They used to be brown. They changed… suddenly,” I replied, remembering the strange shift, one of many mysteries I’d learned to accept without question.Ebenezer seemed intrigued, but he didn’t push. He simply nodded, acknowledging the strangeness of it without needing answers. But then his expression softened, and his voice dropped as he asked, “Are you… mated?”The question made my heart sink, and I struggled with how to answer. I knew if I lied and he found out, he might lose all trust in me. But telling him the truth could mean he’d cast me out. With a deep breath, I finally nodd
Scarlett’s POVI entered a dining room that felt almost regal, the kind of room that invited reverence. A polished, four-seater wooden table dominated the space, its surface gleaming under the warm, intimate light. The craftsmanship was beautiful, a reminder of the table my father once had. It felt oddly nostalgic, though I tried to push that thought away. The décor was a touch extravagant, befitting an Alpha who had the means to spare, and though I was alone at the table, the soft elegance of my beige gown kept me from feeling out of place. I never would have guessed that the stranger I’d waved down on the highway would lead me here, to such a strange, almost surreal new beginning.A voice cut through my thoughts. “Alpha Keith Harold is making an entrance.”My heart skipped a beat. My mates had spoken of a different Alpha in the West, and the name Keith Harold was unfamiliar. I scrambled to my feet, hands trembling with nerves. What if this Alpha didn’t take kindly to a stranger? Wha
Scarlett’s POVThe next morning, I woke to a soft knock on my door. When I opened it, a team of staff entered, each carrying clothes on hangers and bags full of items. They filled my closet with an array of new garments, carefully arranging everything before leaving with respectful nods. I stood there, staring at the closet, at the clothes that felt almost too luxurious for someone like me. I couldn’t quite believe how drastically my life had changed in such a short time.After showering and dressing, I was ready for breakfast. A staff member appeared at my door, leading me down the hall. But as we approached the dining area, I heard voices—a woman’s weeping and the muffled sounds of an argument.“What’s going on?” I asked, glancing at the servant who led me.“Madam, the alpha is letting the women in his harem go.” She said it with a bright smile, as if this was news worth celebrating. Her eyes sparkled, and I could feel her excitement bubbling over, but I didn’t share it. I didn’t un
Maxwell’s POVSleep was no friend to us at night. It was more like a shadow that mocked us, a bitter reminder of the peace we’d lost. Every minute stretched out, endless and heavy, as our minds circled around one agonising thought—where was Scarlett? What if she was cold? What if she was hurt? Every possibility tore into me, and all I could do was stay up in my room, drowning in a despair so deep it felt like it would swallow me whole. Tears flowed, and I didn’t hold them back. For once, I was powerless to fix this.We’d tried everything. We even went to the seer, clinging to hope she’d have an answer, some vision to guide us. But not this time. Not even she could help us, and honestly, I couldn’t blame her. How could I blame anyone but myself? We’d failed Scarlett. Our own mate, our own heart.We were so caught up in not upsetting the Alpha of the West, in keeping our own skins safe, that we forgot about the person who mattered most. I couldn’t stop the guilt that ate away at me, the
Maxwell’s POVEvery day we chased after shadows, hunting down Gregory Olsen, the one responsible for all of this. We’d let him go once to avoid a war with the West, thinking we were saving lives. But in sparing him, we’d sacrificed everything precious to us. While we were away, fighting battles and searching for him, what had Scarlett been enduring here? She had no wolf, no protection, nothing but her own strength. And in the end, it had pushed her to break.I searched Clay’s face, hoping for news, a miracle even. But he shook his head, and I felt the faint spark of hope flicker and die.“Quickly!” I barked at the guards, feeling the urge to release my anger on something, someone. “Bring me a silver whip.”“Alpha, please!” Bianca sobbed, her face streaked with tears. Lucian staggered outside, drawn by her cries. She must have thought he’d come to save her. She didn’t know he despised her just as much as I did, maybe even more.“She was your Luna!” I shouted, my voice echoing off the c
Maxwell’s POVLucian’s face hardened, and he struck them again, the whip cracking against flesh, their cries echoing in the air.“You mean to tell me that you would rather defy your Alpha’s orders than cross a pair of corrupt Elders?” I asked, letting my voice carry the bitterness, the betrayal I felt. They sobbed, trembling before us, but I had no sympathy to give. They had been trusted with Scarlett’s safety, and they had thrown her to the wolves.I took a step back, trying to rein in the anger threatening to consume me, but the pain in my chest only grew stronger. Scarlett, wherever you are, know this: I would tear down every law, defy every Elder, if it meant bringing you home.“You starved my wife! Our wife! Your Luna!” My voice cracked with anger and disbelief as I let the word wife leave my lips for the first time. The word felt strange yet sacred because, conventional or not, she was ours, bound to us as deeply as the pack itself. But these people—our own people—had betrayed h
Lucian’s POVElsa was hiding something from us. I could tell. She thought it would be better for us not to know, like she was shielding us from some truth that could break us. I prayed, deeply, that whatever she was holding back wasn’t something too awful, something that would shatter what little we had left.“I just need the spirit to give us a sign,” Maxwell murmured, his voice thick with grief as tears rolled down his cheeks.That’s all we really wanted—a sign. A clear path. We needed something solid, something real to grasp onto in this dark, foggy mess.Elsa’s face was calm as she replied, “I’ve already told you—the spirits say to form an alliance with the West. They are pointing west.”But I shook my head, frustration edging my voice. “Not for the war, Elsa. I need a direction to find Scarlett.”She lowered her head, a sad acknowledgment in her expression. “I don’t have magic, Alpha. I only know what the spirits choose to share with me. But I’ll tell you this: bittersweet news i
Lucian’s POVThe room was filled with a heavy, suffocating silence. I felt my heart sink as I realized what this meant. Scarlett was out there, exposed and vulnerable, in a state that made her a target for any predator, any alpha, and we had no idea where she was or how to find her. And somehow, she was trying to reach us, trying to connect, but something was keeping her from us.The silence after Elsa’s words was suffocating. Her gaze held a sorrowful understanding, as if she saw through all the bitterness and regret we carried, all the wounds we had inflicted on ourselves and on Scarlett. Maxwell, fists clenched, got up and swung his fist hard into the wall, his knuckles splitting against the impact. I could feel the anguish radiating from him, a shared pain we both bore for what we had done to her.“I’m sorry,” Elsa said softly, her eyes flickering with genuine sadness. But her words offered no comfort; they only deepened the ache within me.I took a steadying breath, forcing mysel
Lucian’s POV“I’m sorry, Maxwell,” I murmured, desperation clawing at my voice. “I swear, I’ll do whatever it takes to make things right.”He looked at me, his face streaked with tears, his eyes hollowed by sorrow and anger. “You can’t bring her back, Lucian,” he whispered, his voice shaking. “You can’t… you can’t fix it. Don’t you see that?” He buried his head in his hands, the weight of grief pressing down on him until his shoulders slumped forward, defeated.“We took everything from her,” he continued, his words choked with guilt. “She had nothing, Lucian—no money, no security, no one. We stole it all. Nikolay was right to keep her from us… he saw what we were, what we’d do to her.” His voice cracked, and he wept openly, the kind of raw, unfiltered grief that comes when there’s nothing left to lose.“Please, Maxwell,” I urged, reaching for something—anything—that might bridge this chasm between us. “I know you felt it, too. She’s out there somewhere, and we can find her. I’ve been
Lucian’s POVThe memories twisted inside me, vivid and merciless. I thought of the day Maxwell and I came home and made her wear those damp, uncomfortable clothes because we refused to let her use our things.The cold-heartedness of it sickened me now, yet she had never complained. She just bore it all, quietly, with a strength we didn’t deserve to witness. And even after everything, she had opened her heart to us. She allowed herself to love us, to see something good in us when we gave her every reason not to.I clenched my fists, feeling the fire of anger and guilt burn within me. How could we have allowed people like Bianca, Stasia, and Gregory to treat her with such contempt? We favored the pack, protected their petty feelings over the well-being of the one who was supposed to be our mate, our equal. And now, we were paying for it. This mess was ours, a twisted reflection of everything we’d allowed and encouraged.The image of Timothy and Tasha flashed in my mind, and I felt a whi
Lucian’s POVLiving without Scarlett felt like drowning in darkness. Every day was an empty, colourless stretch, filled with nothing but sorrow. There was no joy left in my life, no light, no purpose. I spent most nights with a bottle in hand, numbing myself until I felt nothing at all. But even that brought no relief—it only deepened the void she left behind.Clay hadn’t given up, though. He clung to hope like it was the last shred of light in a world swallowed by shadows. He showed her photo to everyone he met, asking, pleading for any sign of her. He offered rewards, desperate promises, anything to find her again. But the days passed, and there was no news. His eyes looked more hollow with each passing day.And Maxwell… he was barely a man anymore. I saw the emptiness in his eyes, a haunting vacancy that mirrored my own. At first, he’d lash out, his anger finding no other place to go. Bianca and her child bore the brunt of his rage, but even he realised that hurting others wouldn’t
Scarlett’s POVThe car came to an abrupt stop, and Keith pulled away, stepping out quickly and rounding the vehicle to open my door. He lifted me out with ease, holding me as if I weighed nothing, his arms steady and unyielding. I clung to him, my body pressed against his as he carried me into the mansion.“All male workers—leave the premises immediately!” he called out, his voice echoing through the grand halls. The urgency in his tone left no room for argument, and as we moved deeper into the house, I felt the space empty around us, leaving only the two of us alone in our need.He laid me gently on the bed, and I couldn’t tear my dress off fast enough, the fabric tearing as I pulled at it, desperate to feel his skin against mine. The ache inside me was unbearable, like a burning hunger that wouldn’t be sated. Keith’s touch was the only thing that grounded me, the only thing that eased the frantic beat of my heart.He touched my forehead, his fingers gentle, his gaze full of concern
Scarlett’s POVEvery fiber of my being wanted to strike him down, to make him feel even a fraction of what he’d put me through.Before Geoffrey could mutter another insincere word, two hefty men appeared and seized him, dragging him away from the crowd and out of sight. I barely had time to process what was happening before Keith gently wrapped his arm around me, guiding me back to our table, his touch grounding me.“You can do as you wish with him,” he murmured, his voice low yet reassuring. “He’ll be locked up in the dungeon, waiting for whatever justice you decide. Let’s not let that bastard ruin our night.” I looked up at him, stunned by his loyalty.He was willing to imprison one of his own to honour what I’d been through, to make sure I felt seen and protected.In Redcape, Lucian and the others had always defended their pack above all else, turning a blind eye to crimes if it meant protecting their reputation or keeping the peace. No one had ever been held accountable, especiall
Scarlett’s POVI froze in Keith’s arms, my entire body going rigid as my eyes locked onto the man who had singlehandedly destroyed everything I once held dear. He stood across the room, laughing casually with his friends, oblivious to the way his mere presence churned up a storm inside me.Keith must have sensed my change in mood. He leaned down, his breath warm against my ear.“What is the matter, darling?” His voice was gentle, filled with concern, and the tenderness of it almost undid me. I blinked, fighting the sting of angry tears, my throat tightening as memories flooded back—memories of the life I had been forced to leave, the home I’d lost, and the mates who had once promised to protect me.Gregory Olsen had taken everything from me. Before he entered my life, things had been… bearable. I had a place, a sense of stability, even love. But that man had twisted everything, pulled the rug from under me, and left me with nothing but betrayal and pain. Yes, my mates had failed me in
Scarlett’s POVThe day of the event arrived quickly, and when Keith handed me the gown, I was speechless. It was a stunning, backless royal blue dress adorned with intricate pearls and tiny diamonds that sparkled as if holding stars within them. I had never worn anything so elegant, so luxurious, and I felt like someone new as I slipped into it. Standing in front of the mirror, I could hardly recognise myself. I looked… beautiful. For the first time in what felt like forever, I felt like I belonged somewhere, like I deserved to be seen.As I stepped out of the closet, my breath caught. Keith stood waiting in a midnight blue tuxedo that complemented my dress perfectly. He looked like a dream, every bit the Alpha he was—a man whose presence commanded respect and admiration. His blue eyes were as deep and intense as ever, a gaze that seemed to look right into my soul.“You look beautiful,” he said, his voice soft yet filled with something that made my heart race. I couldn’t stop the smil