VIOLET POV My head hurts. Like someone's taken a sledgehammer to my skull. The room is spinning, or am I spinning? I can't tell which. My chest tightens, heart racing so fast it feels like it might burst right out of my ribcage.I blink, eyes fluttering open to an unfamiliar space. The ceiling is rough stone, cracked and stained, like it's been standing for centuries. My gaze drifts around the room while my brain struggles to catch up.Where the fuck am I?I try to move, but something cold bites into my wrists. Chains. Thick, silver-plated cuffs lock me to a chair, and the metal digs into my skin, sharp enough to hurt but not enough to break.And then it hits me.The Shadow Wolves. The attack. Adrian, fuck! Adrian.My stomach lurches. Is he okay? Did the poison take him down? Was Mason able to get him to safety?"Finally," a smug voice drawls, yanking me out of my drowning thoughts. "Sleeping Beauty's awake. I was starting to think you'd snooze the whole damn day, waiting for your pr
Adrian's POVMy chest feels like it's on fucking fire, like someone's driving white-hot knives straight through my ribs. Every breath burns. Every heartbeat feels like a damn explosion.I've faced battles, taken hits that would leave lesser wolves crawling. But this? This is different.I've never experienced pain this intense.I've never known fear this consuming.I've never burned with rage this fierce.The hospital scent of antiseptic clogs my nose. I'm tangled in hospital wires and cords, machines beeping in frantic rhythm with my pulse.What the fuck happened?Ares, is clawing at the surface, wild and untamed. I can't control him, not even if I wanted to.Violet.My mind skips a beat. Memories crash into me-her stubborn smile, the determined glint in her eyes right before she told me she was going to fight."Violet!"The scream rips from my throat, raw and desperate. The door bursts open, and the pack doctor rushes in, his face paling the moment our eyes meet."Alpha!" He stumbles
Adrian POV Ares growls inside me, restless and furious. We're holding our mate in our arms, but she's lifeless. Whatever the fucker injected into that syringe had done its job, and now Violet's life is slipping through my fingers. He won't die easily. Not after this."Reynold," I mind-link, voice sharp as steel. "Capture that bastard. I want him rotting in the pack dungeon. No one touches him but me.""Understood, Alpha," Reynold replies, his tone matching my rage.By the time I storm into my pack's hospital, Violet's body cradled against my chest, everyone freezes. Gasps echo through the hallway, but I don't care. My only prayer is that Harry's still indoors, far from witnessing this nightmare."Alpha!" Dr. Lee rushes toward me, eyes wide."Get to fucking work! She's losing breath. She's dying, Lee! Do something!" My voice cracks as I lay her on the bed, the same damn bed I once bled out on.Dr. Lee doesn't waste a second. He mutters commands, nurses scrambling around like clockwork
Adrian POV It's been two days, and I haven't moved an inch away from where Violet lay. She was all I fucking had.I almost lost her. She almost died. I felt her die."Alpha, you need to rest," Reynold's voice cuts through the silence that was existing I'm the room. I turn my head slowly, blinking at him.Rest? That's an understatement. I don't want to move. I want to sit here, watch her breathe, and make sure her chest rises and falls every goddamn second.The doctor says she's in a coma and will need a few days to recover. I want to be the first person she sees when her eyes flutter open. The first person she calls. The first person to watch her smile again, bright and alive.No. I can't. I won't move from here."What about Alpha Valenwood?" I ask, voice hoarse from hours of silence. He'd checked up on her and had been staying in my pack house ever since."He's still there, bonding with Harry," Reynold reports, his gaze softening. "Speaking of Harry... he hasn't touched a bite of fo
ADRIAN POV "Violet, I love you. And I promise to make everything right. Just give me this chance and come back... please." My bears frantically as I say these words. Ares is clawing right at me. It's another day of saying the same words, over and over again.I've battled demons that won't let me sleep. Nightmares. Guilt. Regret. But I refuse to break."I won't give up. No, I can't give up," I mutter, gripping her cold, lifeless hand like it's the only thing keeping me grounded.My body tingles from the contact, the familiar warmth of her skin, even in its fragile state. I miss her, we missed her. Ares and I. Her smiles... How her eyes sparkles... How she looks when she's angry and wants to deliver a warning. The soft looks of her eyes. I fucking miss all of it and more."Sweetheart, please," I whisper, brushing a loose strand of hair from her pale face. "Harry misses you so much. He won't stop talking about everything you taught him-the nasty tricks, too. Like how you'd seize his
Adrian POV Three days.Three fucking days.But it doesn't feel like just three days of agony. It feels like a lifetime. Like I'm drowning in slow motion, gasping for air while the world watches and does nothing.Harry's been calling me Daddy like he's afraid I'll disappear if he stops. He's been jumping around, tugging at my hand, showing me drawings he made in the hospital's playroom. He even drew one of Violet, him, and me. A perfect little family, all smiles and holding hands.But that's a fucking lie.Because Violet had to pretend.After the doctors explained everything-her memory loss, the gaps in her mind that swallowed me whole-she agreed to go along with the truth for Harry's sake. Not mine. Just Harry's."Daddy, look! I made another one!" Harry beams, holding up a messy drawing of us with stick arms and lopsided smiles. "This is you, Mommy, and me! We're fighting bad guys together!"I force a smile. It feels fake. Stiff."That's awesome, buddy," I say, ruffling his dark hair
VIOLET POV The moment I open my eyes, my first thought goes to Adrian-the mate mark on my neck burning like a reminder.His voice reaches me, low and desperate, as he sits beside my bed, repeating over and over again, "Sit up. Don't die on me."It aches... watching him suffer, knowing his mate, the one he stood beside, waiting so patiently to wake up, didn't even recognize him.The Shadow Alpha... I'm glad he's beaten down. But why am I doing this? Honestly, I don't even know. The plan I made was half-baked, driven by instinct more than logic.But Mason? He's sharp enough to see right through me. He knows I'm just pranking him."You enjoy needling him, don't you?" Mason asks the moment Adrian storms out of the room, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hallway.I turn to look at him, the laughter I'd been holding back finally breaking free. "Did you see his face?" I chuckle, shaking my head. "He looked like he was ready to rip your throat out."Mason grins, lounging back against the
ADRIAN POV The Rogue Alpha had stopped screaming a while ago. Now, he only groaned, barely clinging to consciousness as his severed fingers lay discarded on the cold floor. Blood pooled beneath him, I barely noticed.I crouched in front of him, gripping his chin and forcing his head up. His swollen, bloodshot eyes struggled to focus on me."I told you," I murmured, my voice eerily calm. "You were going to die a slow, painful death."His lips curled into a weak, mocking smirk. "Just kill me already,?" His breath hitched, his body convulsing from the pain.I narrowed my eyes, my grip tightening painfully. "You're already dead. It's just a matter of when."He let out a hoarse chuckle, but I was done listening. My fist connected with his jaw, the crack of bone satisfying as his body slumped forward.Without another glance, I turned and walked out of the dungeon, slamming the door behind me.The cool evening breeze was exactly what I needed to cool the heat Of battle still pulsing through
Violet POV I wake up feeling sore but utterly satisfied. My body aches with the remnants of last night, Adrian's touch still lingering on my skin. A soft smile tugs at my lips as I stretch, expecting to feel his warmth beside me. But when I turn, the bed is empty.Frowning, I sit up, wrapping the sheets around me. Where did he go?Before I can call out for him, the door creaks open.Adrian steps in, dressed in only sweatpants, his toned chest bare, his dark hair still damp from a shower. But what catches my attention is the small velvet box in his hands.My breath hitches.He walks toward me with that confident stride, his piercing eyes locking onto mine. My heart starts hammering in my chest."Adrian?" My voice is barely above a whisper.He stops in front of me, and without a second's hesitation, he sinks down to one knee.I gasp, my hand flying to my mouth."Violet," he begins, his voice steady but thick with emotion. "From the moment you came into my life, you've been my greatest
Violet's POVI barely have a moment to catch my breath before Adrian lifts me into his arms, his grip strong and possessive. My body is still trembling, my mind hazy from the pleasure he just wrung out of me, but the hunger in his eyes tells me he's far from done."We're not finished," he growls, his voice thick with desire.I shudder at the dark promise in his tone.Adrian strides out of the pool, his muscles flexing with each determined step. Water drips from his body, soaking me in the process, but I don't care. My fingers tangle in his damp hair, my lips pressing against the curve of his jaw, his neck. I can't get enough of him.His grip tightens around me as he carries me through the pack house, ignoring the startled glances from a few passing pack members. My cheeks burn, but Adrian doesn't slow down. His focus is solely on me-on us.By the time we reach his room, my arousal is pulsing all over again. He kicks the door shut behind him, then pins me against it.His lips crash aga
ADRIAN POV I pulled my finger out from her already wet dripping pussy, and she squirms.My cock aches, hard and pulsing, but I hold back, watching her beneath me. Violet is trembling, her breath coming out in soft, desperate gasps as she squirms against the wall."You enjoy teasing me, don't you?" I murmur, dragging my lips down her throat, my teeth grazing her pulse. Her body shudders, her nails digging into my shoulders."Adrian..." she breathes, her voice laced with frustration.I chuckle darkly. "No, sweetheart. You don't get to say my name like that-not after the hell you put me through."She glares at me, her stubbornness flashing in those beautiful eyes, but the desperation in them is unmistakable. She wants this. She needs this.I press my knee between her thighs, spreading her legs wider, feeling the heat radiating from her core. My fingers glide down her stomach, teasing the waistband of her shorts."I can smell you, Violet," I whisper, my fingers just barely ghosting over
ADRIAN POV The Rogue Alpha had stopped screaming a while ago. Now, he only groaned, barely clinging to consciousness as his severed fingers lay discarded on the cold floor. Blood pooled beneath him, I barely noticed.I crouched in front of him, gripping his chin and forcing his head up. His swollen, bloodshot eyes struggled to focus on me."I told you," I murmured, my voice eerily calm. "You were going to die a slow, painful death."His lips curled into a weak, mocking smirk. "Just kill me already,?" His breath hitched, his body convulsing from the pain.I narrowed my eyes, my grip tightening painfully. "You're already dead. It's just a matter of when."He let out a hoarse chuckle, but I was done listening. My fist connected with his jaw, the crack of bone satisfying as his body slumped forward.Without another glance, I turned and walked out of the dungeon, slamming the door behind me.The cool evening breeze was exactly what I needed to cool the heat Of battle still pulsing through
VIOLET POV The moment I open my eyes, my first thought goes to Adrian-the mate mark on my neck burning like a reminder.His voice reaches me, low and desperate, as he sits beside my bed, repeating over and over again, "Sit up. Don't die on me."It aches... watching him suffer, knowing his mate, the one he stood beside, waiting so patiently to wake up, didn't even recognize him.The Shadow Alpha... I'm glad he's beaten down. But why am I doing this? Honestly, I don't even know. The plan I made was half-baked, driven by instinct more than logic.But Mason? He's sharp enough to see right through me. He knows I'm just pranking him."You enjoy needling him, don't you?" Mason asks the moment Adrian storms out of the room, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hallway.I turn to look at him, the laughter I'd been holding back finally breaking free. "Did you see his face?" I chuckle, shaking my head. "He looked like he was ready to rip your throat out."Mason grins, lounging back against the
Adrian POV Three days.Three fucking days.But it doesn't feel like just three days of agony. It feels like a lifetime. Like I'm drowning in slow motion, gasping for air while the world watches and does nothing.Harry's been calling me Daddy like he's afraid I'll disappear if he stops. He's been jumping around, tugging at my hand, showing me drawings he made in the hospital's playroom. He even drew one of Violet, him, and me. A perfect little family, all smiles and holding hands.But that's a fucking lie.Because Violet had to pretend.After the doctors explained everything-her memory loss, the gaps in her mind that swallowed me whole-she agreed to go along with the truth for Harry's sake. Not mine. Just Harry's."Daddy, look! I made another one!" Harry beams, holding up a messy drawing of us with stick arms and lopsided smiles. "This is you, Mommy, and me! We're fighting bad guys together!"I force a smile. It feels fake. Stiff."That's awesome, buddy," I say, ruffling his dark hair
ADRIAN POV "Violet, I love you. And I promise to make everything right. Just give me this chance and come back... please." My bears frantically as I say these words. Ares is clawing right at me. It's another day of saying the same words, over and over again.I've battled demons that won't let me sleep. Nightmares. Guilt. Regret. But I refuse to break."I won't give up. No, I can't give up," I mutter, gripping her cold, lifeless hand like it's the only thing keeping me grounded.My body tingles from the contact, the familiar warmth of her skin, even in its fragile state. I miss her, we missed her. Ares and I. Her smiles... How her eyes sparkles... How she looks when she's angry and wants to deliver a warning. The soft looks of her eyes. I fucking miss all of it and more."Sweetheart, please," I whisper, brushing a loose strand of hair from her pale face. "Harry misses you so much. He won't stop talking about everything you taught him-the nasty tricks, too. Like how you'd seize his
Adrian POV It's been two days, and I haven't moved an inch away from where Violet lay. She was all I fucking had.I almost lost her. She almost died. I felt her die."Alpha, you need to rest," Reynold's voice cuts through the silence that was existing I'm the room. I turn my head slowly, blinking at him.Rest? That's an understatement. I don't want to move. I want to sit here, watch her breathe, and make sure her chest rises and falls every goddamn second.The doctor says she's in a coma and will need a few days to recover. I want to be the first person she sees when her eyes flutter open. The first person she calls. The first person to watch her smile again, bright and alive.No. I can't. I won't move from here."What about Alpha Valenwood?" I ask, voice hoarse from hours of silence. He'd checked up on her and had been staying in my pack house ever since."He's still there, bonding with Harry," Reynold reports, his gaze softening. "Speaking of Harry... he hasn't touched a bite of fo
Adrian POV Ares growls inside me, restless and furious. We're holding our mate in our arms, but she's lifeless. Whatever the fucker injected into that syringe had done its job, and now Violet's life is slipping through my fingers. He won't die easily. Not after this."Reynold," I mind-link, voice sharp as steel. "Capture that bastard. I want him rotting in the pack dungeon. No one touches him but me.""Understood, Alpha," Reynold replies, his tone matching my rage.By the time I storm into my pack's hospital, Violet's body cradled against my chest, everyone freezes. Gasps echo through the hallway, but I don't care. My only prayer is that Harry's still indoors, far from witnessing this nightmare."Alpha!" Dr. Lee rushes toward me, eyes wide."Get to fucking work! She's losing breath. She's dying, Lee! Do something!" My voice cracks as I lay her on the bed, the same damn bed I once bled out on.Dr. Lee doesn't waste a second. He mutters commands, nurses scrambling around like clockwork