VESTA'S POVDisappointment gnawed at me as the afternoon sun dipped lower in the sky. Dom had promised a picnic lunch by the serene lake, a chance to escape the city's clamor and steal a few quiet moments together. But here I sat, the blanket spread out on the soft grass, leftover sandwiches drying in the picnic basket, and Dom nowhere to be found.Hours bled into one another. I'd tried calling him numerous times, but his phone remained stubbornly silent. Worry gnawed at my insides, a cold, unwelcome feeling. Dom wasn't one to flake. We had plans, and he wouldn't just disappear without a word.Finally, unable to bear the suspense any longer, I gathered the picnic basket, my smile strained and brittle. The idyllic setting mocked my churning stomach. Back at the apartment, a heavy silence greeted me. Dom still wasn't there.Panic surged through me, icy tendrils wrapping around my heart. Rushing downstairs, I bumped into a young girl with bright, inquisitive eyes. "Diana?" I blurted, reco
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV The oak doors swung open with a heavy thud, and Delta Zane, my most trusted enforcer, stalked in, his face grim. Relief washed over me, momentarily eclipsing the dull ache in my lower back from sitting through the interminable cabinet meeting."Target acquired," Zane announced, his voice clipped."Excellent," I purred, leaning back in my plush chair. "Did you encounter any… inconveniences?"Zane's lips thinned. "The extraction was smooth. No witnesses, no complications.""Good. Very good." I steepled my fingers, a satisfied smile playing on my lips. Vesta wouldn't know what hit her. After all these months of running, she'd finally be back where she belonged – by my side."Anything else, Alpha King?" Zane asked, his posture rigid."No," I said, dismissing him with a wave of my hand. "You've done well, Zane. Get some rest."He inclined his head curtly and exited the room, leaving me alone with the silence. Anticipation crackled in the air, a delicious counterpoint to
VESTA'S POV The scent of woodsmoke and damp earth mingled with the nervous sweat prickling my skin. Dom had been missing for two days, and the pack was in a frenzy. Alpha Theodore had declared a search party, scouring every inch of the territory bordering the dreaded Shadow Ridge, where rogue wolves were rumored to roam.I forced a smile as Diana, Dom's little girl, clutched my hand, her big brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Bye, Lila," she mumbled, her voice thick with emotion. "Bring Daddy back, okay?""You bet, sweetheart," I promised, kneeling to hug her tightly. "Your dad is strong. He'll be home soon."A pang of guilt stabbed at me as I watched her retreating figure disappear into Sarah's embrace, Dom's sister. Sarah, with her fiery red hair and a scowl permanently etched on her beautiful face, had barely acknowledged me since Dom's disappearance. I couldn't blame her. Dom wouldn't have vanished into thin air.Back in my room, the silence pressed down on me, suffocating.
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POVThe gilded doors slammed shut with a bang, the echo bouncing off the high, vaulted ceilings of my office. Nana, bless her fiery spirit, had just finished delivering a tongue-lashing that would make a lesser man flinch."Piff!" she'd huffed, her tiny frame radiating enough fury to rival a simmering volcano. I clenched my jaw, forcing a smile. Nana had been by my side since I was a pup, practically raised me after everyone left me. Yelling at her wasn't an option, even if every muscle in my body tensed with the urge to roar back."Nana," I began, my voice carefully measured, "we both know Vesta is my fated mate. Whether she likes it or not, she'll be Luna Queen by my side.""Like it or not?" she scoffed, her voice dripping with disdain. "Lucius, you can't force someone to be your mate! You tried that once, remember how well that ended?"My smile faltered. Ayra, the she-wolf I'd foolishly chosen as Luna, still festered in the dungeon, her betrayal a constant thorn in my
AYRA'S POVI was locked in the dungeon for what felt like an eternity. The damp walls, the cold stone floor, and the dim torchlight were my constant companions. It had been almost a month since Lucius discovered my plot, and he hadn't bothered to come see me since then. Not that I expected any compassion from him; after all, he was the one who threw me in here in the first place. I feel like a fool knowing that all my scheming and careful planning have gone up in the flames because of someone I trusted betraying me. It had to be Tiara who leaked my secret, I thought we all shared the same hate for the foolish alpha king but alas I was wrong as hell. Nana, the old sage of the palace and Lucius's favorite advisor, came to visit me. I was shocked to see her, wondering what business she could possibly have with me. "Ah, Ayra," Nana greeted me with a sad smile. "I see you're still holding on to hope." I scoffed bitterly. "What hope is there left for me?" Nana sighed, her wise eyes s
VESTA'S POVSeven days. Seven agonizing days since Alpha Theodore had told me to be patient, that the search party would find Dom. But patience was a luxury I didn't possess. Every sunrise felt like a punch to the gut, every sunset a reminder of another day wasted while Dom remained missing. I couldn't take it anymore. The pack center, once a haven, felt suffocating. The concerned glances, the hushed whispers – they all chipped away at my already fragile resolve. Packing my bag felt like a betrayal, a rejection of the life I'd built here, the home I'd found. Ellie, my ever-reliable patrol partner, found me by the window, a half-packed duffel bag at my feet. Her normally bright brown eyes were clouded with worry. "Lila," she began hesitantly, "what are you doing?" I forced a smile, the gesture feeling brittle on my face. "Just packing a few things," I mumbled, avoiding her gaze. "Are you leaving?" The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken fear. "I..." I trailed off, unab
ALPHA LUCIUS'S POV A satisfied smirk played on my lips as I leaned back in my chair, the evening sun casting long shadows across my office floor. Beta Marcus, his ever-reliable presence, stood before me, clearing his throat."Well, Marcus?" I prompted, my voice laced with an underlying impatience. "Do tell, did our wayward Luna grace us with her presence?""Indeed, Alpha," Marcus confirmed, a hint of amusement flickering in his brown eyes. "She arrived just as you predicted, a little worse for wear but otherwise unharmed."The news sent a thrill coursing through me, a delicious mix of anticipation and control. Vesta was back, just as fate, and my careful planning, had ordained. A small, traitorous part of me yearned to see her, to witness the fire in her emerald eyes and the defiance that had always simmered beneath the surface.But I wouldn't give her the satisfaction. Not yet. "Excellent," I replied coolly, steepling my fingers in front of me. "Have her taken to the private halls on
VESTA'S POVThe gilded cage held all the allure of a prison cell, albeit a more comfortable one. I sank into the plush velvet chaise lounge, the scent of lavender and something vaguely musky clinging to the air. Musky, like Lucius.A shiver ran down my spine, a stark reminder of the predator I was trapped with. Letting out a frustrated huff, I tossed a silk pillow across the room, where it landed with a soft plop.Lucius, true to form, hadn't graced me with his presence. Predictable, really. He was letting me stew, letting the uncertainty gnaw at me. Fine. Two could play at this game.I paced the room, the luxurious carpet muffling the sound of my steps. A day had passed. A whole day. And I still had no answers. No word on Dom, no indication of Lucius' plans. The silence was deafening, and my gut churned with a gnawing anxiety.Was Dom alive? Was Lucius torturing him? Was it all a sick game to break me? The questions swirled in my head, a storm brewing in my heart. I hated feeling help