Tiara's POVMorning arrived too soon.The moment I stirred, I felt the soreness in my body from another restless night on the hard ground. My limbs ached, my head was heavy, and my spirit felt just as bruised as my skin. But I didnât have the luxury to dwell on it.A sharp voice cut through the quiet."Get up!"I flinched and turned to see one of the pack workers standing at the entrance of the shed. Her arms were crossed, her expression hard."Luna Victoria has assigned you work for today," she announced, her tone leaving no room for argument. "You're expected to start immediately."I sat up, fighting the grogginess in my mind. The pack never let me rest, but today felt worse. I knew why."This is punishment," Mia muttered in my head. "Sheâs still angry that we tried to speak to Alpha Darius."I knew she was right. Luna Victoria wasnât going to let me off easily for stepping into the pack house. If she couldnât throw me in the dungeons, she would break me another way.I stood slowly,
Tiara's POVThe morning air was cool, but I felt no relief from it. My mind was still stuck on last night.The man had returned. He had stood there, silent, watching me, before vanishing again.I didnât know what to think."He wants something," Mia murmured in my head. "Thatâs why he keeps coming back."I wasnât sure what it was. But I felt it too.Still, no one else had seen him. No one else seemed to know anything about these outsiders lurking around the packâs borders.If I spoke up again, would I be ignored?Or worseâpunished?I had no answers.But that morning, I didnât have time to dwell on it.I had work to do.A Familiar PresenceThe pack fields were already busy when I got there. Warriors trained on one side, their movements sharp and disciplined. Workers carried supplies, their hands full with tools and food. The day had begun without me.I grabbed a shovel and started working where I had left off yesterday. My body still ached from the previous dayâs labor, but I pushed thr
Alpha Nicholasâ POVThe ride back to the pack had been long and grueling, but I did not stop. I had ridden through the night, barely giving my horse a chance to rest. I should have still been away, handling matters with the neighboring packs, but something had pulled me back. A deep unease sat heavy in my chest, one I could not shake, no matter how much I tried to convince myself it was nothing.That feeling had only grown stronger the closer I got to the pack.When I finally crossed into pack land, the change in the air was immediate. It wasnât something obviousâthere was no chaos, no outright sign of dangerâbut there was something beneath the surface, something that made my wolf restless. The feeling of tension hung in the air like a quiet warning, one I did not yet understand.As I neared the pack house, I caught the wary glances of a few warriors who had been patrolling. Their surprise at my early return was clear on their faces, but no one questioned me. They simply bowed their h
Tiara's POVThe hallways of the pack house were quiet, but I could hear voices. Low, urgent whispers. My heart thudded as I recognized Luna Victoriaâs voice immediately. The other voice was rougher, older. A pack elder.I was supposed to be outside finishing my tasks, but something about the way they spoke made me stop in my tracks. The tension in their tones sent a chill down my spine.I took a cautious step closer, careful to keep my footsteps light against the wooden floors.âSheâs already seen too much,â Luna Victoriaâs voice was sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade. âWe cannot afford to wait any longer.âMy brows furrowed. Who were they talking about?The elderâs reply was lower, almost inaudible. I moved even closer, pressing myself against the cold stone wall, straining to hear.âIf Nicholas finds outâŠââWe will handle it before he does.âMy breath hitched.Nicholas?What were they trying to keep from him?My pulse pounded against my ribs as I leaned in further, desp
Tiara's POVI jerked awake to the sound of howls.Not the usual howls of my packmates patrolling the borders. These were differentâlouder, more vicious.I sat up, my heart pounding against my ribs. Outside, chaos erupted. Growls, snapping jaws, and the desperate shouts of warriors filled the night air.Mia stirred in my mind. Something is wrong.I scrambled to my feet. The shed door rattled as heavy footsteps pounded the ground outside. I reached for the old wooden plank I sometimes used to keep the door shut, but before I could secure it, the door was pushed open.I gasped, stumbling backward.âTiara!âIt was Nina.Her face was pale, her breathing frantic.âTheyâre attacking!â Ninaâs voice trembled. âRogues. Theyâre everywhere. You have to come with me!âI barely had time to react before another distant howl sent a shiver down my spine.âWhatâs happening?â I demanded.âI donât know! The warriors are fighting, butââ Nina gulped. âSome of them knew exactly where to strike. Itâs like th
Tiara's POVI watched from a distance as Alpha Nicholas spoke to a group of warriors near the training grounds. His stance was rigid, his expression serious as he gave orders. I couldnât hear what he was saying, but I knewâhe was investigating.Since I told him about Luna Victoria, he had wasted no time. Warriors now patrolled areas they never checked before. Border patrols changed shifts more frequently. Guards moved in pairs, watching for anything unusual.Something was happening.And Luna Victoria knew it too.I noticed the way she watched me now. The way she whispered to Phoebe, her lips curled in disapproval.Earlier that morning, I had been passing through the courtyard when I heard them.âShe knows something,â Luna Victoria muttered. âI donât know how, but she does.âPhoebe smirked. âWhat do you want me to do?ââKeep an eye on her. If she makes one wrong move, tell me immediately.âI paused, my breath catching in my throat.Phoebe didnât hide things well.And true to her nature
Tiara's POVMy body ached as I moved through the broken halls of the pack house, my steps careful as I listened to the chaos outside. The battle had spread beyond the borders. Growls and cries echoed through the night, blending with the clash of claws and teeth.I wasnât supposed to be here.But something pulled me in.An instinct I couldnât ignore.Something felt wrong.I stepped over a shattered chair, pressing my back against the cold stone wall as I peered around the corner. My breath hitched.A manâone of our guards.A trusted warrior.Leading an enemy wolf.My stomach twisted.I didnât move.The rogue followed closely behind him, its posture too relaxedâlike it knew it was being protected.I inhaled sharply, willing my mind to process what I was seeing.A traitor.I watched as the guard stopped near a section of the wall. He pressed his palm against it, and to my horror, a hidden passage opened, revealing a dark tunnel leading deeper into the pack house.How long had this been h
Alpha Nicholasâs POVI stood in the great hall, surrounded by power and deception and my own fear. The air was tense.Alpha Nicholas had been quiet for too long. He had been watching, waiting, gathering proof. And now, he was ready to act.Luna Victoria stood tall, her expression carefully neutral, but there was a flicker of unease in her eyes. Phoebe was less composed, arms crossed, irritation clear on her face. My father sat in his chair, his injuries still fresh, a deep frown set into his face.Alpha Nicholas finally moved, stepping forward. His voice was steady, but it carried a quiet force that demanded attention.âI know the truth,â he said.No one spoke.He looked at Luna Victoria. âYou have been working against your own pack. You and those loyal to you have been feeding information to our enemies. The rogue attacks were not random.âA murmur spread through the gathered wolves. Some warriors shifted uncomfortably. Others stood still, waiting.Luna Victoriaâs lips parted, but
Tiara's POV I woke up still feeling sore from the previous night. I couldnât shake the feeling that Phoebe and Ryker were both involved in something, working together in ways I hadnât fully understood before. Ryker, always nearby, his eyes constantly scanning the room. Phoebe, too, had been acting oddly, especially after what happened last night. I needed proof. I had to watch them closely, just as Ryker had once done to me.As the day stretched on, I kept my distance, keeping an eye on their every move. Ryker always seemed to be near Phoebe, never far from her. There was something about their connection that didnât sit right with me.I had to find out more. But I knew I couldnât confront them directly. I needed something solid, something I could use to expose whatever they were hiding. They had to slip up. I had to be patient.The sound of my name pulled me from my thoughts. "Tiara," a voice called from the hallway, and I turned to see one of the servants standing at the door. "Al
Tiara's POV He didnât waste any time. Nicholas stood up and turned to his warriors. His voice rang out strong, cutting through the chaos in the hallway. âSearch the pack house,â he commanded, his tone firm. âFind whoever entered this pack and attacked someone under my protection. They are not to touch anyone here.âThe guards, sharp and ready, nodded and quickly dispersed, moving throughout the pack house to search every corner. The air seemed to hum with energy as they went to work, the sound of their footsteps echoing off the walls. My mind was still reeling from the attack, and I couldnât help but watch them, hoping theyâd find whoever had hurt me. Nicholas had spoken with such confidence, such authority, that I knew he wasnât going to let this go.Nicholas turned his attention back to me. He crouched down beside me, his presence suddenly more intense. His golden eyes found mine, and for a moment, I felt like he was looking right through me. âDid you recognize their voice?â he ask
Tiara's POV The noise around me was overwhelming. Guards were shouting, trying to make sense of the situation, but their voices only added to the confusion. My mind was still spinning, still trying to grasp what had happened to me. My body felt weak, and the fear Iâd felt earlier still lingered in my chest, making it hard to think straight.I could barely make out the words of the guards. They were speaking to Phoebe and Luna Victoria, trying to get them to back away, to calm down. But nothing seemed to stop the chaos until a deep, commanding voice rang out, cutting through the noise like a knife.âEnough.âIt was Alpha Nicholas. His voice, calm and powerful, immediately silenced everyone in the hallway. I looked up, startled by how quickly everything had quieted down. I wasnât sure how much time had passed since Iâd first collapsed to the ground, but it didnât matter now. The moment Nicholas stepped forward, his presence seemed to settle the air around us.His golden eyes swept over
Tiara's POV I rubbed my arms, trying to calm the frantic thoughts that raced through my head. The cold floor beneath me only made me feel more vulnerable. I wanted to cry, to scream, but no sound came. My throat ached from the cloth that had been shoved into my mouth, the harshness of it still making it difficult to swallow. The taste of it lingered, bitter and foreign, and the fear still gripped my chest.Just as I was about to gather the strength to stand, I heard the sound of hurried footsteps coming down the hallway. I froze, holding my breath. Who could it be? The footsteps grew louder until a voice called out my name.âTiara!âIt was Phoebeâs voice, sharp and worried. I turned toward the sound, trying to focus, but my vision was still blurry. I couldnât see her, not clearly. I could only hear her footsteps getting closer, and then, before I could react, I felt her hands on my shoulders. She crouched down next to me, her grip firm but shaky.âOh my God, tell me what happened!â P
Tiara's POV That evening, I felt a tight knot in my stomach as I walked through the dimly lit hallway. The air around me was quiet, almost too still. The house was unusually calmâmost of the packâs warriors were either out training or resting after a long day, leaving the halls empty and echoing. I had been walking in silence for what felt like ages, my footsteps soft against the cold stone floor. The goal was simple. Find Alpha Nicholas, tell him everything, and make sure he understood the threat I was feeling.I was nervous. I couldnât deny that. But the thought of Ryker and whatever he might be planning made the worry seem small. I needed to speak to Nicholas. I had to. If Ryker was truly dangerous, I couldnât let him get away with it. I had to trust my instincts, even though everything inside me screamed that something was wrong. My steps were measured, careful, as I neared the entrance to the training ground. The heavy wooden door was only a few paces away, but something in the
Tiara's POVWhat if I was just overthinking things?I had to admit that the whole situation felt wrong, but I didnât know how to explain it. Was Ryker a threat? Or was I being paranoid? And then there was Phoebe. I couldnât help but wonder what was really going on between her and Ryker. Was she flirting with him? Was there something more sinister happening? My wolf growled uneasily at the thought, but I didnât know what to make of it. I couldnât confront Phoebe or Ryker directlyâwhat if I was wrong? What if I was overreacting?I heard the soft creak of the door, and I looked up to see Nina standing there. Her face was soft, filled with concern, and she stepped inside without a word. I gestured to the bed beside me. âHey, come sit.âShe crossed the room and sat down next to me, her eyes taking in my tense posture. She didnât say anything at first, but I could tell she could tell something was off. âWhatâs going on, Tiara?â she asked quietly.I let out a deep breath, trying to gather my
Tiara's POVRyker was still everywhere I went.It was becoming harder to ignore him. His presence, his eyes, had followed me everywhere. At first, I thought it might be paranoia, but now, I was sure. He was always there, lurking in the background, making me feel uneasy.I had tried to avoid the places where I had noticed him beforeâavoiding the garden, the packâs dining hall, and even the training grounds. But it never worked. No matter what path I took, he seemed to be waiting somewhere, always too close, his watchful eyes on me. The more I tried to ignore it, the more it seemed to consume my thoughts.So, today, I decided to take a walk through the park. The fresh air, the open spaceâit usually helped clear my mind. The scent of flowers filled the air, and the soft rustle of leaves above me was soothing. For a moment, I allowed myself to relax, letting my guard down. The sun was shining through the trees, and I could feel its warmth on my face.I took a deep breath, inhaling the swe
Tiara's POVFor days, I felt the pair of eyes on me each time I stepped out of the house.Ryker, one of the guards, seemed to be everywhere I went. At first, I brushed it off. He was a guard, after all. It made sense that he would be around, keeping an eye on things. But the longer it went on, the more I realized it wasnât just a coincidence. Every time I turned around, I caught him looking at me. Sometimes he pretended to be busy, talking to other guards or inspecting the grounds, but his eyes always followed me. I could feel the weight of his gaze, and it made my skin crawl.I was walking with Nina in the fields, I stopped for a moment, taking in the view of the open field.Ryker was behind me now, and I could sense him standing off to the side, his watchful eyes never leaving me. It was as though no matter where I went, he was always there, lurking in the background. My wolf stirred uneasily, a quiet growl rising in the back of my throat. Something about it didnât feel right.âYouâ
Tiara's POVI sat by the window in my room, nursing a mug of coffee. I kept replaying the events of the night before, over and over again. I couldnât dismiss the way his eyes had lingered on me, the softness in his voice when he told me to go to bed.But I wasnât sure if it meant anything. Nicholas wasnât the type to show weakness, and I had no idea if what I had seen in him was a sign of something more or just a fleeting moment.âTiara, youâre quiet today,â Nina said, settling down across from me with a wide smile on her face. She looked at me, practically glowing with excitement, her eyes bright and expectant.I took a deep breath, setting my mug down, and met her gaze. âItâs nothing,â I muttered, trying to dismiss the thought. But Nina wasnât about to let me off the hook that easily.âYouâve been thinking about last night, havenât you?â she asked, leaning forward eagerly. âYou canât hide it from me, Tiara. I know you. I can see it on your face.âI bit my lip, unsure of how to respo