"Ah, my head," I groan out loud as my eyes flutter.Once they finally open, I take in the environment. It doesn't take me a second to recognize where I am.The Blood Moon's Pack DungeonHow did I get here? I need to remember what happened.I was with Oliver; he wanted to take a bath. I heard something outside, and I went to check. A wolf! But before I could do anything, I didn't know.Did I faint? Did someone hurt me? I can't remember that particular detail.I stand up from the hard, cold ground and press my fingers against my temples. I let out a harsh breath, and a wave of headache and worry stabbed me.I am back at the Blood Moon Pack with my worst nightmare and the kids! They're going to wake up, and they're not going to find me. And Oliver...Why is this happening to me? I can bet that it's all Harry. This is all his doing. He must've been the one who kidnapped me and brought me here.But why? And how? Wait a second!His father! He had wanted me to come and help his father. Per
What?Harry growls, and I scoot back deep into my cell."What is wrong with you?" I asked him out of sheer curiosity."No, I'm not. Lauren is!" I spit it out, and I see his features change as he walks away.I don't know what to say.Why is Harry like this? He looks so different than the last time I saw him. He's so regal now, with sharp features everywhere.I sink to the ground, trying to find comfort of any kind. I can't live like this again. I escaped once, and I'll do it again.This cannot be my life. Being at Harry's beck and call. I don't know when a stray escapes from my eye. I try to sniffle and push it back in, but inside, more tears cascade from my eyes.I don't know how long I stay in the cell until I hear a clink sound and the door opens. I'm up on my feet in seconds. The guards beside the door are new now."You're letting me out?" My voice croaks in confusion as I speak, but the two wolves don't even spare me a glance as one of them grips my forearm tightly and starts to d
This cannot be happening to me. I cannot be Harry's replacement. I stand up from the tub in a split second, spilling water on the floor as I do.I'm quick to drape myself with a towel and go back to the room. My brain is all over the place, and I can't think straight. I hear Sandra follow me closely; she stands right across me from the bed."What's wrong?" She asks in a concerned tone.Really? Did she just ask me that question?"Everything. Everything is wrong. Your Alpha," I spit out the word in disgust, "took me away from my home. No, he kidnapped me. Then he brought me here against my free will and is now forcing me to help him.""Not only that, he sees me and then magically claims I'm his mate. Everything is wrong. Everything is terribly wrong." I rant like a crazy person.She just stares at me. I know she can't relate. In her mind, she might think this is a good thing. Being the second chance mate to an alpha is a big thing, but not to me.I already have a family, a man that I lo
"You can return to your quarters now." He tells me, and I frown."Tomorrow, I'll take you to meet my father, so you can't see his state for yourself." Harry adds, and I grind my teeth."Whatever," I tell him as I turn around and start to make my way back to the pack.I feel him close behind me, and it annoys the hell out of me, so I quickly snap back around to face him in fury and say, "Stop following me!"He scoffs, "You just tried to escape. I'm only taking necessary precautionary measures." He raises his hand in surrender, and I frown."We just made a deal; I won't try to escape. Yet.”He raises a questioning brow at me, and I scoff, turning back to my front to continue walking. Thankfully, Harry doesn't speak a word to me until we get back to the courtyards."These people know who you are to me, so you'll have to behave yourself." He whispers by my side, and a scowl settles on my features as I stop in my tracks and turn back to face him."Who am I to you?" I repeat, in disgust."M
Harry's father isn't kept in his room like I thought he would be. Instead, we walk down to the dungeons and I start to wonder why Harry would keep his father there.But its unlike any other dungeon, it's deep and it doesn't have gates. Instead, it's an iron door with four guards in front of it.Harry dismisses the guards, and he opens the door. I watch him as he does so. Once the door is opened, Harry is the first to step in, and I follow suit.The room is so chilly and dry. It's decorated like a normal room. And there's this pungent smell, but I can't quite pinpoint what it is.I hear Harry's father wheeze and cough, but I don't stare at him yet for fear that I might not like what I see at all."Father!" Harry says, and Sir Smith's wheezing gets harsher."Harry..." The man croaks, and a sinking feeling settles in the pit of my stomach."I've found help. She'll help you." Harry uses a tone unlike any other that I've heard him use before. So sincere and desperate."Really?" Sir Smith s
"My lady, are you sure you don't want to go?" Sandra asked me for the umpteenth time today."No, I don't." I speak in the firm voice that I've been using since.I'm not going to Harry's so-called birthday bash today."But why?" Sandra whines.I'm going to sneak into the gardens and find the flower that they've been feeding to the former Alpha.Of course, I don't say that out loud, but it's my plan. I need to know. Something is telling me that all the answers to my questions regarding Sir Smith's health lie in that garden."I want nothing to do with your Alpha." It's partly the truth, though.I see Sandra's shoulders slouch as she stares at me helplessly. She thinks she's trying to help me, but she's not. I have no idea what kind of image she has of Harry and me in her mind, but I know for sure that it's incorrect."Okay, but just in case you change your mind and decide to come..." She trails off as she opens up my wardrobe and pulls out a shimmering golden gown."You can wear this!" S
Someone is trying to kill Smith.As I walk back to the pack house, that thought spins around in my head.Does Harry know about this? Is he the one trying to kill his father? No, he's not. He called me to help his father. He can't possibly know that he had a hand in ending his father's life.I need to speak with Harry right now.I walk straight back to my room, and once I get there, I slam my door shut and clutch my chest. The gold dress on my bed is still lying there.I said I wasn't going to do this.I hold the dress up in the air."I'm going to the Alpha's birthday bash." I whisper.I go into my bathroom and take a quick shower. I come out feeling refreshed. I put on the dress and prepared myself for the party.My dressing mirror is furnished with makeup tools. So I pamper myself with them. My skin work is subtle, but I give a dash of boldness to my lips, painting them red.Once I'm done, I let my brown, wavy hair fall down from my shoulders. I prepared myself before walking out of
"Stop the music!" Harry barks, raising his fist to the air, and I flinch back in shock and fear. So does everyone else.The music stops abruptly, and everyone freezes in their tracks."Harry..." I trail off as I speak because the sharp look he throws my way is one thing I don't want to mess with.His steps are slow and audible as he walks back to his throne and settles down on it. I can hear how everyone's hearts race in fear and anticipation of what he's about to do."My father," his voice booms in the whole ballroom, "is being poisoned by one of you." He continues, and everyone breaks into hushed whispers."I didn't say you could speak." Harry says, and everyone closes their mouths."After all I've done for you runts, one of you decided to kill my father." Harry says, then lets out a bitter chuckle at the end, and a shiver runs down my spine in fear.What is he doing to do it? And why does he have a manic, sadistic look on his face?"Lock the doors." Harry orders the guards by the t