*An Unbreakable Bond*Arthur's POV:Morning.I was staring out the window when my phone rang. It was Tony. I didn’t have to check the caller ID to know; I had been waiting for this call. My pulse quickened as I answered."Arthur," Tony’s voice came through, calm. "I spoke with the prison guards yesterday, and we’ve hit a snag."I stiffened, turning to look at the empty bed behind me. Elara had barely slept last night. She’d tossed and turned with worry, her mind too preoccupied to rest. This morning, I had asked Elias to take her to the pack house when he left, hoping the change of scenery would take some of the edge off her stress. "What kind of snag?""They’re allowing only one more visitor for her father, and that’s you. They were firm about it. I’ve reasoned with them, but they won’t budge."I rubbed my jaw, the tension settling in. I’d been hoping Elara could see her father today, that I wouldn’t have to leave her behind. But if only one of us could go, it had to be me. There wer
*Crease Pack*Arthur's POV:The Visiting Room."Wait here. I'll get him to see you," he said before disappearing down the hall.I stood by the table, tapping my fingers against the cold steel surface. My mind raced with the questions I needed to ask. Why had he been arrested? Did he really have anything to do with that pack? And who was he truly?The door creaked open, and I turned to see him—a man in his mid-fifties, his face weathered by time and grief. His eyes, though tired, were sharp and calculating. This was a man who had seen much and lost even more."Elara’s father," I muttered under my breath as he dragged himself to the seat across from me.For a moment, we simply stared at each other, sizing one another up. Then he broke the silence. "The lawyer already told me about you."His voice was gravelly, as though it hadn’t been used in days."I’m Arthur Graham, the Alpha of Dawn Pack," I said, leaning forward slightly with my hand extended for a handshake, which he accepted brief
*Harden, I Don't Need You*Harden’s POV:I sat behind my desk, staring at the phone in my hand. The screen was dark, but Elara’s number was already pulled up. It had been a week since I’d last seen her, a week since she slapped me and stormed out. I still felt the sting of that slap—not just on my cheek, but deep inside me. One part of me kept replaying my actions from our last meeting."Shit, what am I thinking..." I hissed at the memory of the exact words I had said to her. “Let’s have one night together.”My fist banged hard on the table, and I continued to question myself. Why did I say that?! As much as I didn’t want to admit it, I’m madly in love with Elara.Never had I thought that I’d be easily moved by any woman. But Elara had always been different. She had a way of crawling under my skin, making me want her every time. I’d tried to control her, to keep her close, but she slipped through my fingers, right into Arthur’s. That only made me want her more.Gerald Williams.He was
*This Isn't Over*Harden's Pov: Before I could respond, she hung up. The sharp beep of the disconnected line rang in my ear, and I stared at the phone, disbelief and rage flooding my system.How could she refuse me? How could she be so heartless? I threw the phone onto the desk, the force rattling everything around it.This isn't over, not until I say so.I stood up, pacing back and forth in my office, frustrated. The urge to break something awakened inside of me.If Elara thinks she can reject me, she’s wrong. I wasn’t going to let her go that easily. She belonged to me, whether she admitted it or not.I couldn’t stop thinking about her, about how she used to look at me with those bright eyes before everything fell apart. She used to trust me, used to care about me. And just when I had some hope about us, she was slipping away again.The thought made me sick.I needed to calm down. I needed to think clearly. There had to be another way to get her back. I got up, went to the small ce
*Threat to Us*Third Person's POV:Harden pivoted in the room, the cool air doing little to calm the storm raging inside him. He had to find a way to meet with Arthur and probably convince him to drop Elara's father's case. Surely, Arthur wouldn't want to stain his reputation for a man like Gerald. If he heard about the things Gerald was involved in, he'd likely drop the case.The door creaked open, and Caitlin stepped in, staring at the pacing Harden with lazy eyes. He probably landed himself in some huge trouble, which was why he needed her, she thought. Caitlin made her way to the couch in the room, crashed on it, and flung her bag to the side."I told you I had so much to do and plan for the wedding. Why did you call me here?" she asked in a cold tone, which made Harden feel guilty and ashamed of himself. He was so stupid that he found it hard to handle the slightest problem. Harden knew that Caitlin loved him, and she was so innocent that he didn't need to involve her in his mess
* We'll Figure Everything Out*Third Person's POV:The drive back was suffocatingly silent. Arthur felt a heavy weight on his shoulders and chest as he stared out the window. He couldn't stop blaming himself for what had happened to Elara's father. His mind went back to the time when he had picked up an unconscious Elara from the roadside and taken her home. He recalled how she had pleaded with him to help her father, but he hadn't listened.Arthur barely cared about others. To him, there were two types of people in the world: his people and the other people. Back then, Elara had belonged to the category of the other people, and there was no way he would have chosen to fight against Harden's pack for her sake. His sister had been betrothed to Harden, but now, he didn’t care about his relationship with Harden.If he had listened to Elara back then, perhaps her father would have been free. But now, Harden's father and others were involved.Elara's father was entangled in something far m
Third Person's Pov:*We'll Figure Everything Out - 2*Once Arthur returned from the bathroom, the fresh, clean scent of his body wash and shampoo filled the room. His blonde hair was still damp, beads of water clinging to his skin as he dried his hair with a towel. The light from the bedside lamp cast a soft glow on his skin, highlighting the strong lines of his arms and shoulders. As he moved, the muscles in his back flexed slightly.Elara, seated on the edge of the bed, clutching the clothes she had chosen for him, couldn’t help but stare, her eyes tracing the contours of his frame without realizing it. Her mind wandered, captivated by the simple yet intimate moment. She admired the way he moved so effortlessly, the way he carried himself with a pride and dominance that seemed to radiate from him. The warmth of the room mixed with the coolness of his presence, and she felt her cheeks flush at the thoughts running through her mind. She still couldn't believe this fine man, who looked
Every Man's Got to Have an IdentityArthur's POV:After I left the house, I drove my car to my office, going straight to the meeting room.Elias and Tony were already there when I entered. Elias leaned against the wall with his arms crossed and his sharp eyes focused on me, while Tony sat nearby, scribbling something in his notebook. The man always looked calm and serious with work, as if nothing in the world could shake him. It made sense—he was the pack’s gamma and a highly respected lawyer in town. He dealt with dangerous legal matters every day.“Alpha,” Elias greeted, his voice low and steady as he moved to the table, drawing out a chair for me before taking a seat in the third chair. “I got the information you asked for.”I nodded and gestured for him to continue, taking the seat at the head of the table. Tony looked up from his notes, waiting silently.Elias pulled out a piece of paper from his jacket, placing it on the table. “It wasn’t easy gathering these names. People these
*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