Kane POV The thick, fertile scent of damp grass filled my nose. Our family's sprawling garden, with its cobblestone paths and neatly trimmed shrubs, might've looked serene to an outsider, but I could feel the tension radiating from my brothers. Adam and Liam slumped at the wrought-iron table near the grape arbor, eyes hollow. "Yeah, I can't keep this up; I don't like where my head is going." Adam grunted softly, sounding more exhausted than I'd ever heard him. Which I fully understood after what he had just shared. He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "She got under my skin. It's messing with my head." "I can tell," Liam said quietly, eyes dropping to those battered knuckles. "You nearly took a chunk out of the wall." "Better the wall than her face," Adam spat, though a flicker of guilt crossed his features. "I should have more self-control, but you see how she pushes me." I didn't respond. I only exhaled, reached inside my jacket—where I'd stashed a bottle I'd swiped from the liquo
Neo POV Something shifted in the room—and I didn't like it. I felt it the second the words left her mouth. "Out." The command was not loud, but it landed like a pulse of raw energy, rippling across the space with invisible force. It didn't come from her lungs—it came from somewhere deeper. Deeper than it should have. The enforcer flinched. The advisors froze, eyes darting toward me for confirmation. But it wasn't me they moved for. It was her. They obeyed her. I watched in silence as they dropped everything and left without a word, the door clicking shut behind them like the final note of a song I didn't write. My fingers tightened around the armrest. That tone—the weight behind it—I recognized it. I'd used it. Father had, too. But Sky? She wasn't supposed to have it. The Alpha Command didn't run through just any blood. It was rare. Inherited. Born. Not earned. And definitely not hers. I studied her more closely now, my expression calm, but something cold slithered down my spine. How
Neo POV Something wasn't right. It amazed me, really, how quickly Zeke had started crumbling. All it took was Sky walking back through the gates, flipping her hair, whispering his name like he still mattered. I'd spent years moulding him into the Beta I needed, and she'd undone it with one fucking look. He had forgotten who made him. Who owned him. And now? Now, he looked at her like she was salvation. Idiot. Then there was Sky. The moment Sky used that Alpha-bred command to dismiss my men from the room, I felt it—like a shift in the air. Something primal stirred beneath her voice. It shouldn't have been there. She shouldn't have that power. And yet, they'd obeyed her. Not me. That command had weight. The kind only a born Alpha had the right to wield. How? I hadn't stopped thinking about it. Hadn't stopped wondering if Father had buried more secrets in her than even he realized. I'd ignored her existence for years, content to let her rot on the outside, thinking she was a broken littl
SKY POV "I said I don't want to talk about it, Neo!" I sighed, pulling my legs up under me as I watched the world whizz by through the passenger side window. "I didn't wanna drive three hours to get your ass out of trouble again, but shit here I am, sis! So how about you drop the attitude and start telling me what the fuck is going on?" Neo scoffed, his eyes briefly leaving the road to check my reaction. "Damn, big brother, how long has dad been dead, three months? And already you are sounding... just. like. him." I muttered, squeezing my legs tighter to me and rubbing my sore wrists. "Sky, look..." "No, you look, Neo, my boyfriend just had me arrested on some bullshit charges that meant I spent hours in that shit hole, being strip searched and questioned, only for the bastard to drop the charges and demand I was released. So how about you let me sulk a little while longer." I snapped moodily."We are wolves, Sky; we see each other naked all the time." His only reply and it inf
SKY POVLuckily, the remainder of the three-hour car ride had been painless. Neo had remained silent, no doubt sulking over the fact I wasn't jumping for joy at being dragged back to the pack, and I had imagined hundreds of ways I could kill my big brother. Things had always been like this between us. I was the annoying little sister he never wanted and certainly didn't ask for; he was my big brother. Who, until I left, I had idolised and wanted to spend every minute with. My father and I were close growing up, and I did not doubt that if I had gone to him and told him about Z being my mate and Neo's offer, he would have kicked Neo's ass and demanded we be allowed to find our way. But honestly, the second Z paused even for a second to contemplate my brother's offer... I was done. I knew my worth! At least I did back then!"I truly do just want what is best for you Sky!" Neo relented as we pulled up to the packhouse. Scoffing, I turned to look at him through strained eyes and nodded
ZEKE POVI stood on the porch watching Sky and Neo walk towards the packhouse. She was just as sexy and spirited as I remembered, although her beautiful brown hair was now a stunning shade of soft pink. Seeing her again was like a punch to the gut. My wolf, Payne, was instantly in awe of her, demanding I claim her and forget the past. But I knew Sky well enough to know she wasn't the sort of girl to take demands well. I felt my lips twitch at the corners as they walked; my eyes couldn't help but follow the sway of her hips and the curve of her ass. She was going to be the firecracker the packhouse needed, that was for sure."Mine!" Payne growled low. "I am not so sure about that, bud." I sighed, my eyes still glued to her ass."Mine." Payne, a wolf with a limited vocabulary, insisted again with a growl; this time, however, I felt the growl rip from my throat, the sound catching the attention of Sky and Neo, who turned to face me, neither looking impressed."Down, boy." Sky taunted,
SKY POVI took the stairs slowly; thanks to the wine, my legs were a little more shaky than I would have liked. 'Lightweight', I teased myself as I reached the top floor and had to use a wall to steady myself feeling weak from the lack of food, sleep and long ass drive. Approaching my old room, I took a deep breath and paused before entering."I am not sure what to expect anymore," I admitted to Evie, not expecting an answer; after all, I had been horrid of late. I didn't want to come home, but now I am..." I let the sentence drift off because I wasn't sure I wanted to admit that I found myself caught up in a mix of emotions. I was enjoying the nostalgia, but with it came the pain of betrayal and doubt."Maybe Neo has turned my room into a gym. Or a sex dungeon." I mused with a scoff."Lord knows he needs some kind of relief," Evie added with a grunt herself."Did you just crack a joke?" I asked my usually shy wolf, amusement lacing my question."No. I was being serious." She laughed,
SKY POVI lay down in my bed, the window open, feeling the cool breeze on my olive skin. The scent of last night's rain that still clung to the wood wafted through the window, bringing back memories of him. I moved my legs over the soft blanket beneath me, letting my mind drift to the last time Z and I were alone together when he claimed to love me deeply. Our playlist played softly in the background, each song a reminder of our youthful growing love.I closed my eyes, twirling my long pink hair with one hand, and drifted into my thoughts. I pictured him in bed with me, his one green and one blue eye gazing into my blue hues as we both smiled. Our love was so new and fresh, yet it felt ancient, as if we were lovers in a past life.I could almost feel his hand moving along my thigh. I thought back to the last words he spoke to me before I left, "I will love you to the day that I die." I smiled as my own hand moved along my bare thigh, feeling the soft skin as his hand would have. I bit
Neo POV Something wasn't right. It amazed me, really, how quickly Zeke had started crumbling. All it took was Sky walking back through the gates, flipping her hair, whispering his name like he still mattered. I'd spent years moulding him into the Beta I needed, and she'd undone it with one fucking look. He had forgotten who made him. Who owned him. And now? Now, he looked at her like she was salvation. Idiot. Then there was Sky. The moment Sky used that Alpha-bred command to dismiss my men from the room, I felt it—like a shift in the air. Something primal stirred beneath her voice. It shouldn't have been there. She shouldn't have that power. And yet, they'd obeyed her. Not me. That command had weight. The kind only a born Alpha had the right to wield. How? I hadn't stopped thinking about it. Hadn't stopped wondering if Father had buried more secrets in her than even he realized. I'd ignored her existence for years, content to let her rot on the outside, thinking she was a broken littl
Neo POV Something shifted in the room—and I didn't like it. I felt it the second the words left her mouth. "Out." The command was not loud, but it landed like a pulse of raw energy, rippling across the space with invisible force. It didn't come from her lungs—it came from somewhere deeper. Deeper than it should have. The enforcer flinched. The advisors froze, eyes darting toward me for confirmation. But it wasn't me they moved for. It was her. They obeyed her. I watched in silence as they dropped everything and left without a word, the door clicking shut behind them like the final note of a song I didn't write. My fingers tightened around the armrest. That tone—the weight behind it—I recognized it. I'd used it. Father had, too. But Sky? She wasn't supposed to have it. The Alpha Command didn't run through just any blood. It was rare. Inherited. Born. Not earned. And definitely not hers. I studied her more closely now, my expression calm, but something cold slithered down my spine. How
Kane POV The thick, fertile scent of damp grass filled my nose. Our family's sprawling garden, with its cobblestone paths and neatly trimmed shrubs, might've looked serene to an outsider, but I could feel the tension radiating from my brothers. Adam and Liam slumped at the wrought-iron table near the grape arbor, eyes hollow. "Yeah, I can't keep this up; I don't like where my head is going." Adam grunted softly, sounding more exhausted than I'd ever heard him. Which I fully understood after what he had just shared. He ran a shaky hand through his hair. "She got under my skin. It's messing with my head." "I can tell," Liam said quietly, eyes dropping to those battered knuckles. "You nearly took a chunk out of the wall." "Better the wall than her face," Adam spat, though a flicker of guilt crossed his features. "I should have more self-control, but you see how she pushes me." I didn't respond. I only exhaled, reached inside my jacket—where I'd stashed a bottle I'd swiped from the liquo
Sky POV"You sure you wanna go alone?" Zeke asked as I followed Neo's lapdog.His expression was carved from stone, but his eyes—those mismatched eyes I'd always loved more than I should—betrayed him. They were stormy. Uneasy. His jaw ticked with restraint, his hand flexing like he was stopping himself from reaching out."I'll be fine," I said.He didn't reply; he just stared at me, breathing hard through his nose like he hated every second of this. His chest rose and fell in slow, controlled movements—but I could feel the tension rolling off him like heat. Protective. Frustrated. Scared.Scared of Neo.When the hell did that happen?Zeke used to snarl at thunder and bite down on fear. But now? He looked like every other wolf in this place—cautious. Controlled. Tame."Unlike everyone else, he doesn't scare me." I offered him a wink and a smirk. And that was the truth. Neo might've been Alpha, but he bled red like the rest of us. He was a bully with a title, not a god. I hadn't even se
Sky POVThe smell hit me before I even opened my eyes—crispy bacon, buttery toast, and rich coffee. I shot upright in bed, my heart already fluttering.He did it again.My gaze fell on the tray and the note placed beside it, folded neatly. I didn't even need to read it again—I already had the words memorized.‘Training yard. Before 7. We'll go slow. Just us.– Z’A wide smile spread across my face as I grabbed the bacon and bit down with a satisfied moan. I ate fast, giddy with anticipation.This wasn't just about breakfast.It was about him listening.He understood my fear. My need to take control. He'd seen me at my weakest, and instead of pushing me away, he was giving me the tools to stand tall again.God, it felt good.I devoured everything—crunchy toast, creamy scrambled eggs—and licked a smear of grease from my thumb as I read the note again, my heart fluttering like a schoolgirl's.After scraping every last crumb from the plate, I kicked off the covers and padded toward the wa
Zeke's POV"Act normal," Payne warned, his voice a low growl in the back of my head. "Don't let him see the guilt."I swallowed hard, forcing my posture straight as I plated the last egg. My hands still trembled faintly from the weight of what I'd done to Wayne. I could feel the tension clinging to my spine like a vice."He'll sense it," I muttered mentally. "He always fucking senses it.""Then control it," Payne snapped. "Fake it. Smile. Be Beta. We can't afford a slip right now."My mouth opened to respond, but Neo's voice cut through the thick air like a blade."I asked you a question, Beta."I stiffened."As good as any." I shrugged, keeping my face neutral."You missed your duties." He smirked, stepping further into the room, hands tucked casually in his pockets."I handled them early," I shot back, keeping my tone even. "Had to make sure everything was set before training Sky.""You seem to be spending a lot of time with her."The way he said her name—Sky—was laced with somethin
Zeke POV I swallowed hard, forcing myself to turn slowly and push myself off the door, rolling my shoulders back and dragging in a deep breath. I didn't have time to wallow in guilt or question my choices. I had to focus on her.As I rounded the corner to the stairs, I nearly tripped over Wayne's body, sprawled across the floor.Fuck.For a second, I just stared down at him, my pulse still hammering like a war drum in my chest. He wasn't moving—completely out cold. A small smear of blood marked the floor where his head had hit it on the way down.Guilt punched me in the gut.I crouched down beside him, carefully checking his pulse—steady and strong, just like I knew it would be. But seeing him like this—broken and crumpled because of me—made my stomach twist into knots.This wasn't who I was. I wasn't supposed to hurt my pack. I wasn't supposed to let my emotions control me.I closed my eyes for a second, taking a deep breath to steady myself before grabbing Wayne under the arms and
Neo's POVI sat at my desk, my eyes glued to the TV screen on the far wall, watching the flickering light move under Sky's bedroom door. My fingers gripped the stress ball so tight it threatened to burst. My jaw ached from clenching my teeth, and a low, irritated growl rumbled in my chest.That bastard.Zeke had been in there too long. Way too long. I hadn't seen him come out since he carried Sky to her room earlier.I should have had cameras set up in that room today, but they'd returned too early. My tech guy hadn't even had a chance to fit them. I would have seen everything—who initiated it, how far they went, how fucking weak Zeke was when it came to her.He wasn't in there for some noble reason. He wasn't tending to her out of duty.He wanted her.And I couldn't stand it. I tossed the stress ball from hand to hand, mumbling to myself like a madman."Fucking coward. Thinking he can skip his duties. Thinks she's worth it. Thinks she's more important than his Beta responsibilities."
Zeke POVI lay on my back, staring up at the ceiling of Sky's old room, my arms folded behind my head. Faded posters of bands and actors were taped up in a chaotic array, edges peeling and corners curling inward, like they were clinging on for dear life.There were so many of them—eyes everywhere. Watching me. Judging me. I couldn't help but wonder how she ever slept in here with so many faces staring down at her. Payne stirred in the back of my mind, letting out a soft growl of annoyance."She likes being looked at." he muttered, almost as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Why do you think she put them up in the first place? She likes being the center of attention. Always has." A wry smile tugged at my lips. Payne wasn't wrong. Sky thrived on attention—always did.Even as a teenager, she walked with that confident, carefree swagger that drew eyes without her even trying. Maybe it was part of her charm, or maybe it was her way of masking the pain she kept buried deep do