Against her Will*Harden's POV:After the event, I left the winter ball with Caitlin, anger brewing inside of me as we drove silently home. I couldn't take my mind off today's event. I left Caitlin off at the mansion before going to the pack house.I stormed into the pack council chamber, my steps echoing the thunder of my troubled emotions. After seeing them together, I needed answers. I felt doubled cross. My Beta, Jack, looked up from the documents strewn across the table, his face shifting from concentration to concern as he met my seething gaze. He was about to say something, but I beat him to it."Did you know?" The words escaped my lips, turmoil brewing within me.Jack hung back for a moment. I noticed his eyes avoiding mine before finally meeting my intense gaze. "What is it, Alpha?" His response fueled my anger. Did he dare to pretend? Damn!"Don't act like you know nothing! You fuckin' fooled me," I uttered, rubbing my hand over my face frustratingly as I thought of how good
LongingWhat was she thinking? This pack belonged to Caitlin's brother, and there was no way she'd be avoiding her for so long. But then she wasn't sure she could face her today. Elara decided that she would leave the necklace with the receptionist, almost turning to leave, but the conversation between Arthur and Caitlin caught her attention.In the room, Arthur was seated on his chair, reading some files before putting in his signature while Caitlin stood by his side with her arm crossed around his left arm, shaking and pestering him."Arthur..." She called, her voice like a cat in distress. Arthur did his best to ignore her disturbance and focused his whole attention on the papers."Please see him this once. Even Father has met with Harden a few times, so why won't you meet with my mate? Don't you care how he's treating me? Don't you want to know how I'm living?""You're not married yet, though a few rituals are done, there's still much left before you're officially his wife. You ca
Threading on two boats Elara's POV:"Uhmm?" said Harden. "I asked what you're doing here, and with a man..." My fist clenched under the table as I cursed my luck. Why does he have to come here? This place isn't his territory.Not wanting him to create a ruckus in front of lawyer Tony, I gestured for him to come outside with me, hoping he'd listen. On my way out of the restaurant, I noticed that I was alone. I turned back to find Harden still standing in front of Tony, his hands hanging on his hips, the look in his eyes not a good one. I could sense trouble brewing in the air."Hey, Jerk, what are you doing with her?" He asked Tony, who acted indifferent. "Shit," I muttered, slapping my head hard. Why was he bent on disgracing me wherever I go?I stormed back to the table, mustering enough courage."Harden, please leave," I said with a stern expression. He turned from Tony to me and asked, "What are you doing here?" And then tittered. His hand pinched the bridge of his nose, "Here I
Harden Loves Me.In a while, Arthur arrived at the station. He was wearing a casual outfit, Black sweatpants, and a grey cardigan. A tired look on his face and his golden hair looked like he'd run his hands over it a few times. His eyes scrutinized Elara from head to toe the moment he set his eyes on her, not saying a word before shifting his gaze to Caitlin who rushed to his side. She ignored Elara's presence, talking to Arthur directly."It's great you're here, brother. The officer wouldn't listen to me," Caitlin said. "He insists that Harden instigated trouble himself. Come with me," she continued, leading Arthur to meet the chief officer. His arrival at the police station sent whispers rippling among the officers. Many of them knew him and the position he held. He was one of the most famous lawyers in the city an Alpha of the biggest pack in the South.Caitlin felt proud to have her brother here, and her chin tightened. Moments ago, she was trying to tell them who her older brothe
Consider me as your PartnerElara's POV:After the whole issue was resolved and the bail was settled, I offered to accompany attorney Tony to the hospital; after all, it was because of me he got hurt. He didn't reject it. Due to the deep wound on his shoulder, the ride to the hospital was rather slow as he drove carefully, not wanting to cause further damage to it.At the hospital, I sat in the waiting area, tension coiling in my gut, as Tony disappeared into the treatment room with the nurse who disinfected and began stitching the deep wound on his shoulder. Every passing minute felt like an eternity, amplifying my guilt for the injury he sustained because of me.Harden had purposely used his claws on Tony, perhaps wanting to send a warning.Usually, as a werewolf, his wounds were supposed to heal quickly, but since he got the injury from Alpha blood, it would take quite some time for the wound to heal.I watched from afar as he remained calm while the nurse finished the stitch and
StrugglesElara's POV:After I left the hospital, I wasn't done digesting Harden's recent threat when the news of father's health hit me like a sledgehammer, shattering the fragile facade of hope I'd clung to all this while for his sake. I received a call from Jason who said that father's condition deteriorated in prison.Desperation swirled within me as I racked my brain, thinking of every possible option to save him. If he continued to stay in prison, I doubted he'd be able to survive it, yet there was nothing I could do. Jason had earlier said that he knew someone, and they could arrange for father to get proper treatment, but it would cost a lot of money—about $10,000. I'd never thought of so much money in my entire life and had nowhere to get it. Still, I needed to save my father. After a long while, I made the gut-wrenching decision to sell our house, hoping to save him.Before my father was demoted from Beta, we had a house where we lived. After his sickness worsened, we moved
I am your DoomArthur's POV:I was driving past the city when something caught my eye. I saw Elara Williams, or someone with the same figure as her, in the bakery across the road. At first, I didn't believe it, but my wolf was more adamant than I was, so I had to confirm. On reaching the shop, I guessed right; it was Elara. The first thing I asked myself was what she was doing here.Dressed in a messy uniform and flour-filled apron, she stood with some guy who looked pretty old. I was going to ignore it at first, but then I heard something; they seemed to be having a small argument.Still not able to digest the fact that she's probably working here, I found him raising his hand on her, threatening to hit her while she recoiled. My hands shook in spasms, and I immediately became infuriated. He had the audacity to raise his hand on her. My wolf was agitated, pushing me to step in and break his fingers—those ones he lifted to threaten her. The only thing I wanted to do was put him in his
I'll Find Another OneElara's POV:The drive to my house was filled with lively conversation, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie. After helping me again, I realized it would be rude of me not to do something to thank Arthur for his constant kindness."Thank you for constantly running to me in my time of trouble; you've helped me so much that I can't count. I'd like to invite you to dinner," I said, biting my lower lip as I anticipated his response, which never came. I took the courage to speak further, "Anytime you're free would be fine.""Tomorrow night...?" Arthur suggested, more like a question. A wide grin adorned my face as I echoed, "Tomorrow night.""I'll come then," Arthur said. He got out of the car and came to my side, opening it like a proper gentleman."Elara, if you ever need my help, don't hesitate to call me. Tomorrow, Elias will get you a better job. How much are you looking to earn? $5000? Or-"I quickly interrupted him. "Don't worry, I'll find another one soon. Ev
*A Future Worth Fighting For*The night was eerily silent when Arthur returned.Elara had spent the past few hours pacing the room, her nerves frayed, exhaustion clawing at her limbs. She had tried to distract herself—tidying the already spotless room, lighting candles to chase away the shadows, pressing her fingers against the cool glass of the window as she scanned the moonlit horizon for any sign of him.But no matter what she did, her heart pounded relentlessly, her mind tormented by the possibility that something had gone wrong. That he was lying somewhere, bleeding, alone. That she had let him walk into danger, and this time, he wouldn’t come back.Then the door burst open.Arthur stumbled inside, his towering frame a shadow against the dim light. Blood soaked his clothes, dark stains spreading across his torn shirt, his shoulders hunched as if the weight of the world pressed against his back. The strong Alpha who had left with fire in his eyes now looked like a man barely holdi
*The Choice We Make*The mansion loomed ahead, its grand façade a deceptive mask for the rot festering inside. Arthur barely registered the architectural splendor—his focus was singular. The heavy double doors creaked under his touch as he pushed them open, stepping inside the grand hall like room.The scent of aged whiskey and cigar smoke hung in the air, mingling with something far more insidious—the stench of deceit.Harden was waiting.Seated in a lavish parlor, he lounged on a high-backed leather chair, swirling a glass of amber liquid in his hand. He didn’t even look up as Arthur entered, though his sharp gaze flicked over the bloodstains marring Arthur’s torn shirt and the deep claw marks across his shoulder.“Ah, you're here," Harden said lazily, lifting his glass in greeting. “Want a shot?" His voice was casual, but his eyes held a glint of something else—calculated amusement.He already knew. An hour earlier, his men had informed him of the massacre outside the estate. He ha
*A Ruthless Choice*The moon hung low in the sky, a pale silver eye watching over the night. Arthur stood at the edge of his territory, his hands clenched into fists, his mind made up. Beside him was a group of powerful werewolves armed with weapons—blades and axes. Their faces were unreadable, their loyalty unwavering.They had questioned him at first, hesitated when he announced his plan to go with them. No Alpha should put himself at such risk for something that barely concerned them. But they had no idea that the pack harbored a traitor among them. Caitlin had made a deal with the devil, a deal that would soon cost them their territory if the continued to play dumb.Elara.She was the reason for everything. The reason his soul burned with fury. The reason he had abandoned the careful, restrained leader he once was and was now ready to spill blood.He remembered the last conversation he had with Elara before leaving. After trying everything she could to convince him not to go, she
*Blackmail*Arthur remained unfazed, his silence unwavering.Harden’s smirk faded.Nothing.No panic. No slip-up. No sign of fear.His fingers curled into fists at his sides, temper flaring. Arthur was too calm.of they continued playing cat and mouse, Arthur would only remain stoic.“You already know, don’t you?” Harden’s voice dropped to a near whisper, laced with accusation. “You know exactly what happened.”Arthur finally turned his head, meeting Harden’s gaze with a chilling stare.Harden inhaled sharply. A flicker of unease crawled up his spine. But he pushed it aside, forcing a slow grin to stretch across his face. He was already here, the least he could do is to not mess it up.“Fine,” he said. “If you want to keep your mouth shut, that’s your choice.” He stepped closer, voice dripping with venom. “But let me remind you of something, Arthur.” He paused, savoring the moment. “If another person finds out—if either of our families gets even a whisper of what happened tonight—Elara
*The Weight of Silence*Tension coiled in the air like an unspoken scream, pressing down on everyone waiting outside the emergency room.Arthur stood by the large glass window, staring into the distance. His broad shoulders were rigid, his hands buried deep in his pockets. The city stretched before him, a maze of glowing lights and moving cars—oblivious to the war waging inside this sterile, suffocating space. His reflection stared back at him, carved from stone, unmoved, unreadable. But the tight clench of his jaw, the way his fingers curled into fists inside his pockets, betrayed the storm raging in his soul.Harden slouched in one of the stiff plastic chairs, elbows propped on his knees, fingers interlocked. His wedding suit was wrinkled, his bowtie undone, his hair disheveled from the restless race of his fingers through it. His face was void of expression, but his dark eyes remained active, watchful and calculating.On the other side of the room, Caitlin’s mother stood near the n
*Hollow Eyes*Elara's POV:The faint music from the reception below drifted through the mansion’s grand halls, muffled but persistent, a reminder of the celebration happening downstairs. The glow of chandelier lights bathed the walls in a warm, golden hue, but the air on the upper floors felt cold, tense, and quiet.I stood by the tall window of one of the guest rooms, my arms crossed tightly against my chest, my gaze fixed on the stars outside. From up here, the distant laughter and clinking of glasses sounded almost mocking. I didn’t belong here. I wasn’t part of this world of false smiles and gilded promises—not anymore.Downstairs, Caitlin danced with her guests, radiant in her wedding dress, the picture of a perfect bride. Harden’s bride.A bitter laugh escaped me. It was hard to believe how far we’d come, how much had changed. Harden, who once promised me the world, was now bound to a woman like Caitlin. And Caitlin, as manipulative and cunning as she was, had won everything she
*Elara, Run Away With Me*Harden's POV:The ceremony had begun, yet I felt nothing but a heavy weight in my chest. The vows Caitlin and I exchanged were hollow—words that felt more like chains binding me to a fate I didn’t agree to. Back then, I didn't think it would be this hard to love any woman, but now, the mere admiration I had for Caitlin was all gone, and only one person filled my mind.My gaze kept drifting toward the crowd, toward her. Elara.She stood amidst the sea of faces, arms crossed, her posture a wall of indifference. Arthur loomed beside her, overprotective, his expression unreadable. But it wasn’t Arthur who held my attention; it was Elara. Her eyes didn’t flicker with anger, sadness, or even contempt. There was... nothing. It was as if I didn’t exist to her anymore.That emptiness in her gaze pierced deeper than any blade could. My heart clenched as I repeated the vows, my voice steady but devoid of any real conviction. Caitlin’s hand in mine felt cold, foreign. Th
*Working with the Devil*When Arthur arrived at his parents’ mansion, he didn’t bother exchanging pleasantries with anyone. He just barged up the stairs and made his way to Caitlin’s room.The door slammed open before Caitlin could even finish fastening her earrings. She spun to face Arthur, her eyes wide with both shock and indignation.“Arthur?” she snapped. “What—”He didn’t answer immediately, his icy gaze pinning her in place as he stepped inside and shut the door behind him.“Going out?” he asked, his eyes scanning everything and every corner of the room.“Cait, what have you been spending your time on?” he asked, his tone sharp, cutting straight to the point.At first, Caitlin didn’t respond. She was trying to reason what must have brought him here.“I’m talking to you, and I expect a response.” His voice sounded more like a warning.“What?” Caitlin scoffed, arms crossed as she got up. “You barge into my room and interrogate me? Are you serious right now?”“Answer me,” Arthur g
I Won't Leave YouThe meeting room buzzed with tension as Tony passed a load of documents, files, and pictures. Arthur stood at the head, his eyes narrowing at the pictures before him, turning them one after the other.“Alberto Grayson,” Tony began, flipping open the folder and showing the pages to Arthur. “I've confirmed he’s hiding in Scorpio territory under the guise of an investor. These photos are from his meetings in the past few days. I got them from someone who's on his tail too. We had to trade a lot for this, Alpha," Tony informed.When it came to Tony and Elias, Arthur didn't ask too many questions because they were reliable men who had always stood by his side and would only do things in his and the pack's interest.He spread a series of pictures across the table—from Alberto standing outside his mansion to meeting with different people, down to his meetings at diners. The faces were mostly unfamiliar, and Arthur wondered why these strange men were migrating with interest