Thank you for waiting, and sorry for the late update, as I didn't want to cut Carlotta's POV. Friday is my rest day, so there are no updates tonight, and I want to rest on Saturday night, too. The last 11 chapters (all this week) have been emotionally draining, so I want a little break. SO PLEASE do not give me a 1-star review for a missed update schedule. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who has been enjoying this emotional/heart-wrenching book. We still have more to come, so hang in there. Don't forget to drop us some gems, comments, and more reviews!💛 Have a great weekend, lovelies!
Hello, lovelies! I don't know what happened, but a chunk of Chapter 121 went missing. So here it is (end of Chapter 120 and beginning of Chapter 121).This is a free chapter, and you shouldn't be paying coins for this. xoxo, CASS-------------------------CARLOTTA.I hurried inside the packhouse and went into one of the receiving rooms, where I saw Tristan hide the key to Maddox’s personal vault. I didn’t take it, but I did check it from time to time, ever since Tristan died, to make sure it was still there. Maddox was stupid enough not to ask me if I knew where the key was using his Alpha command, so lucky me. It meant whatever was in that vault was mine. And I knew there was a large sum of cash in there. I carefully flipped the smallest painting in the room, peeled off the paper detailing its rarity and value, and retrieved the tiny key he had taped around it.There was a paper around it, and I knew it was the number combination for the vault.My heart leaped with joy when the va
NADINE.Maddox was dead, but he shifted into his wolf.I helped Mindy get back on her feet and moved her away from him. Arlo met us immediately, and after she gave me her confirmation, I let Arlo hold her.I would have wanted to witness Catherine as she spoke with Thorn, but my heart was looking for someone. I could smell him, and it made me feel relaxed knowing he was here—that he was okay, but also anxious because he was nowhere near me.I finally found Xander. He was the only one looking at me from the middle of the crowd. A smile slowly crawled on my lips at the sight of him. He is already fully dressed, while I am only wearing a loose, oversized shirt that Nadia handed me earlier.We just looked at each other. I hated that I couldn’t get into his head, but I would take what I could have as long as he was here. A smile finally cracked onto his face. Not a wide one, but still a smile. And then he moved, walking toward the back of the stage, and I made my way down carefully, not
NADINE. “It’s okay, Kenzo. We got what we wanted. I can rest now.” Anica told him, stuttering as she spoke. “No. We’re just getting started. We won. We can finally live the way we want. With freedom. So don’t talk more, and keep your energy. I’m not letting you leave me! Okay?” Xander loosened his hold on me, and I turned around to look at them. My heart was grappling in pain because I couldn’t do anything. The dagger landed close to her heart. Pulling it out would immediately drain her body of blood. As ironic as it sounds, the dagger buried in her was the only thing keeping her alive at the moment. Her hand raised, and she ran her knuckles on Kenzo’s cheek. He grabbed her hand and peppered it with kisses. “You didn’t meet yet, the girl… the girl I told you about.”“Jill?” Anica cut her off, and his eyes widened as he softly chuckled. “Is it Jill?”“How did you know her name?”“I met her brother. He told me the other half of this earring belongs to his sister.”Kenzo nodded. “I w
NADINE. The crowd was still thick, and it looked like they were waiting for me, so instead of heading to Ron and the warriors, I stopped and addressed them.I could see happiness and hope on their faces. It was something I had always wanted—something I always wanted to give them. They didn’t say anything, but the smiles and the warmth surrounding me were already enough.I stood before them and assured them that a better future was ahead of us. I told them Anica was out of danger and already resting. I confirmed that Kenzo was alive and would still be the Gamma of the pack. I let them know that for many days to come, we would welcome the help extended by other packs so we could pick up the pieces and start building this pack together.I expressed my gratitude to them for their unwavering love and warmth, especially after learning that I was a Montrell.I assured them that they were free to go home and have a peaceful sleep tonight. They had no reason to be afraid of tomorrow. That wh
THEODORE. I noticed a small spark dancing around my parents’ tombstone. When I took a closer look, I realized it must be a firefly.“Mom? Is that you?” I softly chuckled as my tears fell again. My mother was fascinated with fireflies, and there were nights when my father would take her to the forest so they could find them and watch them. And I could see two at the moment, so it must be both of them.This was the best time to apologize. There was no turning back now. “I’m sorry…” My shoulders shook. “I’m sorry I didn’t turn out as you expected me to be. I’m sorry I didn’t avenge you. I’m sorry I stayed silent and left everything behind. Losing you—losing this pack—shook my whole being. It damaged me more than anything. I swear, Dad, at the beginning, I tried. But every time I tried to get closer, I would receive threats for our people. Instead of braving my fears, instead of facing them, I cowered. I already blamed myself for leaving the territory that week. I didn’t want to blame
FUTURE BETA FEMALE MINDY.The packhouse was filled with powerful auras, making me feel intimidated. I felt inferior and inadequate to be around them. I was grateful that Arlo had never left my side except for a few instances where he was needed, but he would immediately come back to aid me with whatever I was doing. I was trying to keep myself busy helping in the kitchen, as we had many people to feed. But it was overwhelming to see these Alphas and Lunas helping out like it was an ordinary routine for them. I couldn’t help but stare as they opened cupboards to grab a stack of plates and glasses, or whenever they cut vegetables and fruits for the salad bowl, and many other things that I had never seen any of the Trevinos do before.This was something new, but I was enjoying it.I thought I did well the whole night, smiling and conversing with them, but when everything quieted down, and many had dispersed to check the rest of the territory while the others were in some of the receivin
MINDY.The morning came, and the joyous atmosphere at the packhouse didn’t change. Everyone was in high spirits. Alpha Nadine was still asleep, so no one was allowed to go up and down the stairs at the moment as her father had requested to let her sleep. People come and go, but there is always someone helping out in the kitchen, where I remained most of the morning as they let me take charge of what we would have for breakfast and lunch. I was in the kitchen, but for the first time, I felt I wanted to be there. The Omegas serving and even the Omega Headmistress were in high spirits. As if nothing could go wrong. We didn’t discuss our newfound freedom, but we could all feel it. The only thing missing was Arlo. I hadn’t seen him all morning, and I was embarrassed to ask anyone where he was. I didn’t want to appear eager to see him, but that was exactly how I felt. This was the first time I felt this way—wanting someone to be just around me—and I didn’t know how to react.“Smells good
ALPHA NADINE.The rays of the sun touched and warmed the skin of my face. It made me open my eyes and find myself staring at the white ceiling. My forehead creased, as this was not the familiar view I always woke up to. My head tilted to the sides, and my eyes soaked in at the sight of the clean bedroom that I shared with Xander.I was not in my prison cell. Everything that happened yesterday night slowly began to sink in.“Alpha…” I mumbled to myself, smiling as I closed my eyes. My chest was puffing up with pride when the realization hit that I was able to defeat Maddox. That I made him surrender and that he ended up dead—either with the dagger I threw at him or in the hands of Mindy. Either way, he was gone. Forever. And so was Maximus. Four decades of tyranny and deception ended last night. I felt hot tears rolling down my cheeks as I reveled in the moment, knowing once I get out of this room, a new day awaits. I finally had everything I wanted in the palm of my hand.Xander