I stood frozen from the stair case. John was back but he wasn't alone. He had come in with someone else, a lady. I was sad, and I couldn't hide it.“Brother!” John shook hands with Jake. “This is Stephanie.”I swallowed hard, wondering what he was doing with this lady whom he had introduced to Jake as Stephanie.I felt threatened by her striking beauty. She wore a ponytail and she had a smile that made me feel she was having something with John.“Steph,” Jake grimaced. “Where did you meet her?”“I'll tell you all about it later, but for now she'll be staying with us.” John brushed past Jake. He was yet to notice my presence, and I was waiting for him to ask after me.“Where's Ryena, and how's her training going?” John finally asked. “She's pathetic!” Jake’s reply didn't come as a surprise to me. I stepped down from the staircase, and I noticed the smile on his face. He closed me in a warm embrace, pressing his lips against mine.“I've missed you,” I whispered into his ears, and he s
I woke up to find Jake seated by my side, making me to wonder what had happened and why he was the one by my side instead of John.“Where's your brother?” I tried to sit up but felt too heavy to do so. My head was spinning and I felt a sharp pain.“You're finally awake,” I heard John say as he walked towards me from the door, accompanied by someone else.Jake stood up without a word and John took his place, sitting beside me on the bed.“How're you feeling now?” He was soft spoken and the tenderness in his voice said a lot.“I feel dizzy,” I looked at Jake and he looked away.“You're going to be feeling that way for sometime,” the man who had come in with John announced. “It's your wolf form trying to find expression,”“Huh?” My eyes opened wide in disbelief. That didn't sound nice. I knew exactly what I had gone through just before I passed out, and I didn't want it to be a recurring thing.“Thank you so much Seth,” John greeted the man, as he stood up from the bed.Jake had refused
Chapter nine Jake's POVThe night was soft and serene, with the soft glow of the moon casting a silvery sheen over the pool. The water gently rippled, reflecting the stars and the surrounding trees swaying lightly in the breeze.There, I sat alone, my legs dipped in the pool, staring at the stars, with a bottle of whiskey by my side, my loyal companion whenever I felt I neded to be alone.The memories of how I had lost my mother came back to me that night, a night that whenever I remembered, always reminded me of trusting too much.“You seem lost in thought, what's wrong? What's the issue?” Seth asked, coming to sit next to me as he dipped his own legs in the pool. Seth was the only one who really understood me. He taught me everything I knew as far as being a werewolf is concerned, and I would be forever indebted to him for that. "Thinking about what happened five years ago? When will you accept the fact that it's not your fault?" Seth said, patting me gently on the shoulder."It
Chapter tenStephanie's POVI woke up that night on my way to use the restroom when I began to hear the Alpha brothers, and from the tone which they spoke with, it was obvious there was something about their relationship that they weren't talking about.John was the Alpha of the pack but it appeared as though Jake wasn't happy with it. I quickly slipped away so as not to get seen, and that was when I met Selena the stewardess.Her room was just beside mine, and I guessed she too, had overheard the heated argument between the brothers.“Peeping on the brothers? If I were you I wouldn't do that.” Selena smiled at me.“I…I…I wasn't….” I stuttered. “Forget about what you've heard tonight. They've always been like that since they were boys,” My eyes narrowed, and a smug smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “They've always been like that since they were boys,” I mimicked Selena, though not audibly.“There has always been this tension between them, but believe me, they're the best broth
Chapter ElevenJohn's POV“Welcome lord Bernard,” I took a slight bow, then shook hands with him.“You're doing a good job John. I can see.” The hall was already filled with the other members of the pack, but Jake was no where to be found.“Have you seen Jake?” I turned to Mark, one of my most trusted Betas.“He's gone hunting,” Mark replied.“Hunting? On such an important occasion?” I bit my lips.Reyna walked in, looking very beautiful. I had specifically chosen the dress for her to wear, and just as I had expected, she didn't disappoint me.“Where are the newbies?” Lord Bernard asked as he took his seat by my side.Newbies! That's how they were called. “We're still waiting for the last one.” I called one of the Sentinels and whispered into his ears. After a couple of minutes, Stephanie and the sentinel walked in, and it was time to commence the ceremony.“Have both of them been confirmed to be werewolves?” Lord Bernard asked.“Yes but…one of them is yet to unlock her werewolf pot
Chapter twelve Reyna's POV“Are you okay?” I heard someone ask from behind me. I turned around and it was Stephanie.I wiped the tears in my eyes, but not before she could notice that I had been crying. I felt humiliated that I couldn't heal from a simple cut.“Let me see,” She took my hands which had been wrapped with a plaster.I was lucky John stood up to prevent the lord from stabbing me, else I'd have been dead.“Instead of stabbing her, why not give her a little cut? We just want to be sure she can heal for sure, right?” John had suggested just before Lord Bernard could think of stabbing me for real.Lord Bernard had taken a brief moment to ponder over John's suggestion.“Very well,” he sighed, after which he took my hand and with everyone watching, he placed a cut on my wrist, and I bled.All eyes were on me waiting for me to heal, but that didn't happen as the bleeding continued.“Call for first aid,” John instructed, and in no time, they were there.“She can't be admitted in
Jake's POV“Why weren't you around for the imitation ceremony earlier?” John asked, as he walked into my room.“What has my presence or absence got to do with the ceremony? And besides, I was trying out some of the new skills I had learnt from Seth.” I grimaced.I expected John to know better that I don't fancy such occasions, especially where the lords would be gathering. It kept reminding me of my misfortune, and how I was deprived of my rightful place as Alpha of the pack.“Every other member of the pack was present, but you, my own brother, you weren't there.” He reached out for my dagger sheath which was on top of the drawer and tossed it at me, and I gave it a good catch.“Reyna was cut today but she didn't heal,” his voice became softer.I furrowed a brow, and then pulled the dagger from its sheath.“I thought you said she healed the other day you stabbed her.”“Yes she did,” I ran my fingers on the sharp edge of the dagger, reminding me of how blood thirsty I could be. There
Marcus' POVThe tension in the room was suffocating. Every face around the table reflected the same frustration, fear, and a thirst for vengeance. Three of my most powerful werewolves had been beaten up— not just beaten up, but humiliated. The rogue responsible had made a spectacle of it, and it was a huge sting on my ego.It wasn't the first time we'd dealt with outsiders, but this? This was different. No one messes with me and goes away with it.I sat at the head of the table, my hands clenched tight in front of me as I listened to the others speak. The meeting had dragged on for nearly an hour, and with every word spoken, my blood boiled hotter."Two dead, Marcus," said Ryan, my second-in-command. His voice was steady, but I could see the barely concealed rage in his eyes. "One more wounded, and the rogue didn't even bother hiding his tracks. It's like he's daring us to come after him.""Daring us?" Jaxon scoffed. "He’s mocking us! He’s mocking *you, Marcus. What kind of wolf dare
Jake’s POVI stared at the map spread out in front of me, my fingers tracing the rough paper as I tried to focus. Damon’s territory was vast, deep in the heart of rogue land, surrounded by thick forests and treacherous terrain. It wouldn’t be easy to get in, and getting out with Reyna would be even harder.My jaw clenched as my mind replayed the last few hours Reyna’s empty room, the lifeless sentinels, the destroyed security footage. Someone had helped them. Someone had made it easy for them to take her.The door creaked open behind me, and I turned sharply, my eyes narrowing when I saw Stephanie walk in.John, who stood on the other side of the table, straightened. “Steph,” he acknowledged, his tone neutral.I wasn’t as polite. “What the hell are you doing here?” My voice was sharp, cutting through the tense air. “You should be in the dungeon, not roaming freely like nothing happened.”Stephanie sighed, folding her arms. “I’m here to help.”I scoffed. “Help? How do we know you’re no
Reyna's POV “Who are you and what are you doing here? Who the hell are you?” I screamed,his eyes took in the wolf's bane and silver blade which lined the walls.I'm sure he must be very glad.He walked deeper into the room,his eyes scanning me from head to toe. “I'm sorry I didn't get to introduce myself earlier on when you were brought in. I am Alpha Damon. I am sure my name rings a bell.” A little smug covered his face as his eyes bore holes into every nook and cranny of my body.“Our wedding is coming up in a few days and I want you to be in the very best condition which is suitable for a bride. I wouldn't want people thinking I'm maltreating my Bride although running away from your father, you should serve some punishment but I'm going to tell you this I'm a very generous alpha and husband so I will let go and I will let it slide.” I laughed really hard and stood up from the bed “so tell me something Alpha should I thank you or perhaps I should delete your shoes because that's wh
Reyna’s POVI stirred, blinking slowly as my surroundings came into focus. The room was dimly lit, the air heavy with a faint metallic scent that made my nose twitch. As I tried to sit up, I realized my hands and legs weren’t bound. That surprised me I wasn’t exactly a captive, or so it seemed.The events of earlier began to flood back, and my heart sank. The van, the masked men, and the searing pain in my shoulder from the tranquilizer they all came back in vivid flashes.“Who were those men?” I muttered under my breath, my voice hoarse.I tried to reach out to my wolf, to feel her power surge through me, but something was wrong. There was nothing. Just silence. Panic rose in my chest, and I looked around the room for answers. My eyes landed on the counter nearby, where several silver blades and small vials of wolfsbane were arranged neatly.“Of course,” I whispered bitterly, realizing why my wolf was silent. The silver and wolfsbane in this room weren’t here by accident they were he
Stephanie’s POVThe familiar path to the pack’s gates felt different this time, though I couldn’t quite put my finger on why. I returned under the cover of the fading moonlight, weary but determined to act as if nothing had happened. Whatever Sarah and I had discussed earlier would remain between us at least until I could figure out my next steps.As I approached the gates, two sentinels stepped forward, their expressions unreadable.“Stephanie,” one of them said curtly, “Alpha John and Jake are waiting for you.”My steps faltered. “Waiting for me? Why?”Neither of them answered. They only exchanged a glance, their faces cold and void of emotion.“What happened?” I pressed, trying to ignore the sinking feeling in my chest.Again, no response.The silence sent my mind spinning, and my heart began to pound. Something was wrong very wrong. The atmosphere was colder, heavier, and every step toward the Alpha’s office felt like walking into a storm.I swallowed hard as I reached the door. I
Stephanie’s POVThe dense woods felt like they were closing in around me as I made my way down the narrow, winding trail. The darkness was oppressive, with only faint slivers of moonlight peeking through the towering trees. My pulse raced with every crunch of leaves beneath my boots.When I reached the small, hidden house nestled deep in the forest, I glanced around one last time to make sure I wasn’t followed. The familiar wooden door stood slightly ajar, its creak echoing as I knocked twice.The door opened, and Sarah’s wary face appeared. She motioned me inside quickly, shutting the door firmly behind me and bolting it.“Thanks for coming,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.“I didn’t have much of a choice,” I replied, pulling off my scarf. The room was dim, lit only by a single oil lamp on a rickety table. “Sarah, we need to talk. You can’t keep hiding here forever.”She sighed, collapsing into a chair and motioning for me to do the same. “You think I don’t know that?” sh
Reyna's POV I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the moonlight filtering through the curtains. My thoughts were a tangled mess, replaying every word and glance Stephanie had exchanged earlier. Who was Sarah? And why had Steph looked so startled when she saw me?I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Something wasn’t right, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that Steph was hiding something big. But what could it be? We had always been close, so why would she keep secrets now? My chest tightened as doubt crept in. Maybe I was overthinking it… or maybe not.I glanced at the clock on the wall. It was late, and exhaustion pulled at me, but my mind refused to rest. I stood and began preparing for bed, hoping sleep might offer some clarity. Slipping into my nightgown, I walked over to the vanity to brush my hair. As I stared at my reflection, I couldn’t help but notice how weary I looked. Tonight had been a whirlwind of revelations and emotions, and it was taking its toll.Just as I set
Reyna's POV Stephanie and I lounged on the plush sofa in the lounge, the faint hum of conversation and the occasional clink of glasses echoing in the background. The party still buzzed with energy downstairs, but we’d sought a quieter corner to talk. The topic of discussion was Diane her disgrace, her rage, and, of course, her current predicament.“I can’t believe Diane thought she could get away with it,” Stephanie said, shaking her head as she sipped her wine. “Paying the Moon Goddess’s assistant to lie? How desperate can she be?”“She’s lucky John didn’t do worse,” I said, crossing my arms. The image of Diane being dragged to the dungeon replayed in my mind, and I couldn’t suppress the small smile that tugged at my lips. “Honestly, it feels good knowing she’s finally facing the consequences of her actions.”Stephanie chuckled, her eyes glinting with amusement. “For once, we don’t have to watch our backs with her lurking around. She’s exactly where she belongs.”We shared a laugh,
Reyna's POV I stood frozen as John’s words echoed in the air, tension wrapping itself around the room like a suffocating fog.“Jake,” John said, his tone sharp and dismissive. “You’re interrupting my time with Reyna.”My breath hitched as Jake’s gaze flicked to me. His expression was unreadable, but there was a storm brewing in his eyes. I wanted to say something, to diffuse the growing tension, but my voice was caught in my throat. I looked at him helplessly, silently pleading for this confrontation to end before it spiraled out of control.Jake’s jaw tightened, and he nodded curtly. “I’d like to have a word with you when you’re done talking to her.”John smirked, clearly unfazed. “Of course. I’ll find you when I’m ready.”Without another word, Jake turned on his heel and left the room, the sound of the door clicking shut behind him amplifying the silence that followed. My heart was pounding, each beat louder than the last. I couldn’t bring myself to look at John, but I could feel h
Reyna's POV The moment I left the hall, the cool evening air hit my skin, a stark contrast to the suffocating tension inside. My heart was racing, and my mind was a whirlwind of emotions. The announcement from the Moon Goddess assistant replayed in my head like a haunting melody—Jake and I were mates. It was something I had never expected, something I wasn’t sure how to feel about.I kept walking, my heels clicking against the cobblestone path, needing to put as much distance as possible between myself and the chaos I had just escaped. My emotions were tangled—anger, confusion, guilt. And underlying it all was an inexplicable pull toward Jake that I couldn’t ignore, no matter how much I tried.“Reyna! Wait up!” Stephanie’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I stopped, turning to see her hurrying toward me, her dress billowing behind her.She reached me, slightly out of breath, and placed a hand on my arm. “What are you doing out here? You just ran out without saying a word.”“I neede