Tiara’s POVThe moment Nina arrived at the ForestHowl pack, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my chest.Alpha Nicholas had kept to his word and he'd brought her.Standing at the entrance of the packhouse, I watched as she stepped off the horse that had carried her here. Her eyes moved slowly across her surroundings, taking in the towering trees, the strong stone walls, and the pack members who moved about their daily tasks. She clutched the small bag she carried, the only thing she owned."Nina," I called gently, stepping forward.Her eyes snapped to mine, and for a moment, she just stared. Then, her lips trembled, and she rushed forward, throwing her arms around me."You’re really here," I whispered, holding her tightly.She nodded against my shoulder. "I thought I’d never leave that place," she admitted, voice shaky. "I thought I’d probably die there."I pulled away slightly to look at her. "You won’t have to think like that anymore. You’re safe here."She let out a breath a
Tiara’s POVThe relief of having Nina safe in the ForestHowl pack was something I hadn’t expected to feel so deeply. For so long, I had worried about her—worried that Phoebe and Luna Victoria would finally break her, that she would never escape MoonCrown’s cruelty. But now, she was here. She was free.And I knew I owed it all to Alpha Nicholas.“He really did listen to you!”My wolf cried inside me excitedly. The voice had been persistent since when alpha Nicholas set out to go to the MoonCrown pack.I knew he would not be coming back empty handed and I'd been relieved to an extent. MoonCrown didn't have the power to deny him right over a servant. Infact, other packs would gift the servant to an Alpha they admired, but alpha Nicholas wasn't like other alphas. He turned down such gifts, from what I'd learned.Later, I found him in his office, standing behind his desk as he read over some documents. He looked up when I entered, his sharp eyes locking onto mine. I hesitated for a moment
Tiara’s POVLately, I had been watching Nicholas more than I should. I didn’t know when it had started, but now, I couldn’t seem to stop. My eyes followed him when he moved through the packhouse, when he gave orders to the warriors, when he sat in meetings with his Beta. He never had to raise his voice to command respect. It was just there, in the way he carried himself, in the way people reacted to him.I told myself it was nothing—just curiosity. But Nina’s words kept replaying in my mind."You should try to get closer to him, Tiara. Not just because it would make Phoebe furious, but because he's the Alpha here, and whether you like it or not, your place in this pack is tied to him."At first, I had laughed it off. I didn’t need to do anything to solidify my place. Nicholas had already made it clear that I was under his protection. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized Nina wasn’t entirely wrong.Nicholas was the one who decided who stayed and who didn’t. If I wanted
Phoebe’s POVI stormed into my mother’s room, barely holding back my frustration. My chest felt tight with anger, and I could feel my nails digging into my palms as I clenched my fists. The very thought of Alpha Nicholas taking Nina away made my blood boil, bud I was living that reality. She had been whisked off to go and be with Tiara in their new paradise and I couldn't think of anything more disgusting and annoying. I had worked too hard, endured too much, only to watch things slip from my control. More than ever, it seemed my mother was doing nothing to change how things had suddenly gone. My mother sat in her chair near the window, dressed in her usual elegant robes, her expression unreadable. She was always calm these days, always composed, but I knew she was just as furious as I was. She hated losing and this was our loss. "I can’t believe this!" I blurted, pacing the room. "How could he take Nina? How could father, of the MoonCrown pack allow it? She belongs in MoonCrown!"
Phoebe’s POVI walked beside my mother through the quiet hallways of the pack house, my steps light against the polished wooden floors. The air carried the scent of burning wood and freshly brewed tea, but I barely noticed. My thoughts were elsewhere, focused entirely on what lay ahead.Everything depended on this meeting. If we failed to convince my father, Alpha Darius, all our efforts would be for nothing. Our plans would crumble before they could even begin. We had rehearsed our words repeatedly, ensuring that we sounded as genuine as possible. If there was even a hint of dishonesty, Alpha Darius would catch it. He was sharp, and he was not easily deceived. But then, I trusted my mother. Over the years, I'd seen how she easily manipulated him. Sometimes it was glaring that she was manipulating him, but he would let her have her way. I'd always loved that my mother was constantly on the winning end. There was nothing she ever asked of him that he didn't do for her, or simply give
Phoebe’s POV The journey to ForestHowl was exhausting and I clung to my mother all through the journey. I was weaker alone than I thought. It was different from MoonCrown—less refined, less structured. But there was a certain strength in it, a quiet but undeniable power. As the pack house came into view, I took a slow breath. It was large, though not in the same way as ours. MoonCrown’s pack house was elegant, built for nobility. This one was built for warriors. Strong, sturdy, and meant to last. The guards at the entrance were already expecting us. Their eyes held no curiosity, no hesitation. They were disciplined and well-trained, standing firm as we approached. One of them, a tall man with sharp features, stepped forward. “Luna Victoria. Phoebe. Alpha Nicholas is expecting you.” His tone was polite but distant. No warmth. No hint of welcome. My mother gave a small smile, her expression perfectly arranged to show humility. “Thank you. We appreciate his hospitality.” The guard
Tiara’s POVPhoebe and Luna Victoria were in ForestHowl as unexpected guests.I had not seen them yet, but I knew they were here. Their presence was not something that could go unnoticed. Even without meeting them, I could already feel their intentions.They had come with smiles, with carefully chosen words, but I knew the truth.They wanted to see me. And they wanted to see Nina.When Nicholas called for me that morning, I had already expected it.“They asked to see you both,” he said, standing near the large window of his office. His voice was steady, calm. “They claim they want to make sure you are at peace.”I did not react immediately, letting the words settle.Nicholas watched me, his expression unreadable. “I told them they could.”A part of me wanted to scoff at their sudden concern. I had lived in MoonCrown for years. Not once had they ever looked at me with kindness. Now, after all that had happened, they wanted to check on me?But I did not let my emotions show.Nicholas le
Tiara’s POVNina and I had not talked about Luna Victoria and Phoebe again after she'd left us. She didn't ask me what they'd talked about after she left. Knowing Nina, she had probably guessed correctly on what they'd talked about.The pack was at peace, yet, despite the peaceful surroundings, my attention was drawn to something far less pleasant—Phoebe.She had spent the entire morning lingering near Nicholas, her presence as persistent as a mosquito that refused to be swatted away.Everywhere he went, she was there.She followed him through the training grounds, standing just outside the sparring ring as he observed his warriors. She loitered near the pack house, pretending to admire the grand structure while stealing glances at him. During meals, she made sure to sit as close as possible, her voice sugary sweet as she tried to pull him into conversation.It was obvious what she was doing.She was trying to win him over.She laughed at things that were barely amusing, her voice lig
Tiara's POV I woke up still feeling sore from the previous night. I couldn’t shake the feeling that Phoebe and Ryker were both involved in something, working together in ways I hadn’t 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 didn’t sit right with me.I had to find out more. But I knew I couldn’t 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 didn’t waste any time. Nicholas stood up and turned to his warriors. His voice rang out strong, cutting through the chaos in the hallway. “Search the pack house,” he commanded, his tone firm. “Find whoever entered this pack and attacked someone under my protection. They are not to touch anyone here.”The 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 couldn’t help but watch them, hoping they’d find whoever had hurt me. Nicholas had spoken with such confidence, such authority, that I knew he wasn’t 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. “Did you recognize their voice?” 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 I’d 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.“Enough.”It 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 wasn’t sure how much time had passed since I’d first collapsed to the ground, but it didn’t 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.“Tiara!”It was Phoebe’s voice, sharp and worried. I turned toward the sound, trying to focus, but my vision was still blurry. I couldn’t 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.“Oh my God, tell me what happened!” 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 calm—most of the pack’s 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 couldn’t 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 couldn’t 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 didn’t know how to explain it. Was Ryker a threat? Or was I being paranoid? And then there was Phoebe. I couldn’t 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 didn’t know what to make of it. I couldn’t confront Phoebe or Ryker directly—what 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. “Hey, come sit.”She crossed the room and sat down next to me, her eyes taking in my tense posture. She didn’t say anything at first, but I could tell she could tell something was off. “What’s going on, Tiara?” 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 before—avoiding the garden, the pack’s 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 space—it 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 wasn’t 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 didn’t feel right.“You’
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 couldn’t dismiss the way his eyes had lingered on me, the softness in his voice when he told me to go to bed.But I wasn’t sure if it meant anything. Nicholas wasn’t 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.“Tiara, you’re quiet today,” 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. “It’s nothing,” I muttered, trying to dismiss the thought. But Nina wasn’t about to let me off the hook that easily.“You’ve been thinking about last night, haven’t you?” she asked, leaning forward eagerly. “You can’t hide it from me, Tiara. I know you. I can see it on your face.”I bit my lip, unsure of how to respo