*BRIANNE’S POV*I walked into the pack house, feeling lighter than I had in weeks. After spending the afternoon with Mary, my mind was clearer, and my mood had lifted. Mary had this infectious energy that made everything seem less dire. I was determined not to let anything, or anyone bother me anymore. Not my father’s ridiculous plan to marry me off, not Amelia, not Jordyn.But even with all that positivity, the thought of my father’s latest scheme made my stomach churn. I wasn’t ready to even entertain the idea of being married, especially not to someone who wasn’t my mate. It felt so wrong, so forced. Still, I pushed the thoughts away, determined to enjoy the peace I’d found.The pack house was bustling, as always, with pack members moving in and out, chatting, laughing, and going about their business. I headed for my usual spot. It was a quiet nook by a large bay window, perfect for moments like these when I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts. As I approached, something…or ra
*BRIANNE’S POV*I bit my lip, thinking back to my last encounter with Amelia. She had been almost flaunting her pregnancy in my face, emphasizing how it connected her to Jordyn. At the time, I’d brushed it off as typical possessiveness, but maybe Janette was right. Maybe there was something more to it.“Okay, so she’s protective of Jordyn and the baby,” I said slowly, “but why would she be sneaking into the woods? What could she be hiding?”“That’s what I’ve been trying to figure out,” Janette muttered, glancing around as if someone might be listening in. “I don’t trust her. I mean, even before she showed up, things felt off. And then, suddenly, she appears, pregnant with Jordyn’s child, and everything changes. Doesn’t that seem…too convenient?”I crossed my arms, feeling a knot form in my stomach. I hated to admit it, but Janette was making sense. “So, what? You think she’s lying about the pregnancy?”Janette paused, her lips pursed. “I don’t think she’s lying about the pregnancy bec
*JORDYN’S POV*“Mother, that’s ridiculous.” I sighed, pushing back against her latest attempt to speed up the wedding. “I can’t just speed up the process.”My mother stood across from me, her arms crossed, lips pursed, and a determined glint in her eyes. The tension between us had been building for days. She seemed more fixated on this wedding than anyone else, as if it were the most important event in the pack.She sighed, her frustration evident as she looked at me with a mix of pity and disappointment. “But, Jordyn. It would be better to name her Luna as soon as possible,” She insisted. “Her baby bump is already quite visible. Don’t you think it would be embarrassing for her to wear a wedding dress with a big tummy?”I felt the familiar knot of irritation tightening in my chest. The way she said it as if Amelia’s pregnancy was a ticking clock hanging over my head, made it sound like the wedding had to happen before Amelia’s belly became some kind of spectacle. As if that were the m
*JORDYN’S POV*As my mother left the room, the door clicked shut softly behind her. Amelia’s footsteps echoed lightly on the wooden floor as she walked closer to me, her gaze never leaving my face. There was a calmness about her that unsettled me. It was as though she was always in control, always two steps ahead of the conversation we were about to have.“So,” she began, her voice smooth and almost too sweet, “What did your mother say?” She asked the question with an air of innocence, but the glint in her eyes betrayed her true intent. She wasn’t just asking. She wanted to know exactly where things stood—how far she could push me, how much leverage she had.I exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of the world press down on my shoulders. My mother’s words were still ringing in my ears, the pressure she had so casually dropped into my hands is now festering in my chest.“Same as always,” I muttered, glancing away from Amelia’s piercing gaze. “She wants things to move faster.”Amelia tilte
*JORDYN’S POV*As the door clicked shut behind Amelia, I felt an overwhelming sense of heaviness wash over me. My chest tightened, and the room seemed to close in on me. The silence was suffocating. I collapsed into the nearest chair, burying my face in my hands. What had my life become? I was engaged to someone I didn’t love, expected to take on the role of an Alpha alongside a Luna I wasn’t sure I trusted, and all the while, my bond with Brianne tugged at me relentlessly.The bond…That damn bond. I could feel it now, burning under my skin, pulling me toward her like an invisible chain. It was always there, simmering just below the surface, reminding me of the connection we shared, a connection that had been brutally severed but never truly gone. Every time I thought of moving forward with Amelia, the bond surged, a painful reminder of what I’d lost.I let out a shaky breath, pressing my hands against my temples. The pain was dull at first, a familiar ache, but now it was sharp, alm
*JORDYN’S POV*Josh nodded, stepping back toward me. “I figured as much. Go ahead.”I took a deep breath, leaning back in my chair and rubbing my temples. “The bond with Brianne…it’s not just emotional anymore. It’s physical. It hurts. I’ve never experienced anything like this before.” I said, looking Josh in the eye.Josh frowned, pulling a chair closer and sitting across from me. “Physical pain? That’s not good, Jordyn. I’ve heard of bonds causing discomfort, but pain like that usually means something’s seriously off.”“Yeah,” I muttered, rubbing my chest where the bond seemed to tighten. “It’s like every time I try to move forward with Amelia, the bond pulls me back harder. The more I try to distance myself from Brianne, the more it hurts.”Josh scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Bonds like that don’t just disappear. You know that, right? Unless you officially break it—reject it, you’re going to keep feeling that pull.”I grimaced. The thought of rejecting Brianne made my heart clen
*BRIANNE’S POV*Training at the pack house was unnecessarily exhausting today. We were back to wolf training, and as far as I can remember, I have fought two wolves today. Every muscle in my body felt heavy as if I were dragging rock instead of flesh. But despite the exhaustion, there was a surge of pride running through me. I was proud of my skills. The sting of not having my wolf still gnawed at me. But days like these reminded me that I wasn’t weak. Not by a long shot.The arena buzzed with life as the trainees walked about, talking in small groups and catching their breaths after the intense session. The scent of damp earth and sweat hung in the air, thick and oppressive. Wolves in various stages of transformation walked by, their fur matted with dirt. The trainers were shouting instructions, their voices blending into a chaotic symphony.I wiped the sweat from my brow and leaned against one of the stone pillars at the edge of the arena, letting the coolness seep into my skin. I c
*BRIANNE’S POV*“ENOUGH!”It was Jordyn. His voice was filled with an authority that silenced even the wildest wolves. The massive wolf on top of me hesitated, his ears flattening in submission.I could barely lift my head, but when I did, I saw Jordyn standing at the edge of the ring, his eyes blazing with fury. His gaze flicked to Amelia, and for the first time, I saw something dark in his expression—something close to hatred.The wolf backed away, retreating to the edge of the ring as Jordyn stepped forward, his focus entirely on me. He crossed the space between us in a few long strides, his hand reaching down to help me up.“Are you alright?” He asked, his voice low but urgent. There was concern in his eyes…genuine concern, not the indifferent mask he was putting on a few days ago.I nodded weakly, though I wasn’t sure how true it was. My body was screaming in pain, my side bleeding from the wolf’s claws. But the physical wounds were nothing compared to the confusion swirling in m