I stood in the doorway, watching my mother, Victoria, confront Ethan. Her words were sharp and filled with malice, stirring a familiar dread in my stomach. “There’s a rumour you’ve found your mate and plan to leave the packhouse. Is that true, Ethan?” she demanded rudely. “Yes, Mom. I found my mate last night and was going to tell you and Dad later,” Ethan replied politely. “How many times do I have to remind you that I am not your mother?” she said harshly. “I’m sorry, ma'am,” Ethan replied, looking down. I could see he was affected by our mother’s cruel treatment. His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless. I felt a crushing sense of worthlessness too. Anger surged within me towards our mother. How could she be so cruel? Didn’t she realize she was hurting her own family? It pained me deeply that she refused to accept my brother. My mother was always cold and calculating, focused solely on power and control. She loves me, but mainly because I am her son and the fu
I stood in the doorway, watching my mother, Victoria, confront Ethan. Her words were sharp and filled with malice, stirring a familiar dread in my stomach. “There’s a rumour you’ve found your mate and plan to leave the packhouse. Is that true, Ethan?” she demanded rudely. “Yes, Mom. I found my mate last night and was going to tell you and Dad later,” Ethan replied politely. “How many times do I have to remind you that I am not your mother?” she said harshly. “I’m sorry, ma'am,” Ethan replied, looking down. I could see he was affected by our mother’s cruel treatment. His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless. I felt a crushing sense of worthlessness too. Anger surged within me towards our mother. How could she be so cruel? Didn’t she realize she was hurting her own family? It pained me deeply that she refused to accept my brother. My mother was always cold and calculating, focused solely on power and control. She loves me, but mainly because I am her son and the future al
Zara's pov I froze at the top of the stairs, watching in horror as Mia tumbled down. She hit the floor with a sickening thud, a deep claw mark across her chest bleeding uncontrollably. My hands trembled, clutching the pregnancy test results I had fought so hard to hide. Panic consumed me, and before I could stop it, my wolf had surfaced. My claws had struck her. My sister. Ryker, my mate the one I had loved since childhood, the one I had always dreamed of standing beside—was by Mia’s side in an instant. His face was a storm of fury, his jaw clenched as his piercing eyes locked onto mine. In that moment, he wasn’t just my Alpha, the leader of our pack; he was the man I had spent my whole life longing for, trusting, and cherishing. But the words he spoke shattered me. “What have you done, Zara?” he roared, his voice echoing with raw anger. “How could you be so cruel?” I flinched as though he had struck me. His accusation, his disbelief in me, cut deeper than any wound ever could.
Zara's POV When I woke up, the world around me was disturbingly quiet, punctuated only by the hum of fluorescent lights. The antiseptic smell infiltrated my senses, and my body felt as if it were weighed down by a thousand bricks. My chest ached—not just from physical pain, but from the void left behind by my wolf, compounded by the heavy guilt pressing down on me. As I blinked until my surroundings came into focus, I noticed the cramped room clearly wasn’t designed for a long stay. As my surroundings came into focus, I took in the cramped room around me. The walls were stark white, bare except for a small, outdated clock ticking quietly above the door. A single narrow window let in a sliver of pale light, partially obscured by blinds that hadn’t been adjusted in years. The bed I lay on was stiff, the thin mattress offering little comfort, and the faint scent of antiseptic in the air. Most wolves healed quickly; places like this weren't built for a slow recovery. “Zara,” a fa
Zara’s pov As soon as Ryker stormed out, slamming the door, the silence felt suffocating. I stood there, heart breaking all over again. “I knew it,” I said softly to Luna Diana. “He never loved me—just saw me as a friend. I thought I was different, but I was wrong.” Luna Diana's expression softened, allowing me to continue. “Even when we were younger, I convinced myself it wasn’t personal. But now, I see he never really saw me. And now…” I touched my stomach, where our child grew. “I need to leave this pack,” I said firmly. “Not just for me, but for my baby. If I stay, we won’t survive.” Luna Diana’s eyes widened, but she nodded. “What do you need, Zara?” “I have some savings from part-time work when i was in the university. It’s not much, but it’s a start. I just need help getting to the human world, somewhere I can hide and raise my baby.” After a long moment, she sighed. “I’ll help you. There’s someone I know at an art institution looking for someone with dance e
Zara's POV When I woke up, the world around me was disturbingly quiet, punctuated only by the hum of fluorescent lights. The antiseptic smell infiltrated my senses, and my body felt as if it were weighed down by a thousand bricks. My chest ached—not just from physical pain, but from the void left behind by my wolf, compounded by the heavy guilt pressing down on me. As I blinked until my surroundings came into focus, I noticed the cramped room clearly wasn’t designed for a long stay. As my surroundings came into focus, I took in the cramped room around me. The walls were stark white, bare except for a small, outdated clock ticking quietly above the door. A single narrow window let in a sliver of pale light, partially obscured by blinds that hadn’t been adjusted in years. The bed I lay on was stiff, the thin mattress offering little comfort, and the faint scent of antiseptic in the air. Most wolves healed quickly; places like this weren't built for a slow recovery. “Zara,” a fami
Zara's povThe rest of the flight passed in a blur, my thoughts consumed by the frozen bank account. I couldn’t relax, couldn’t enjoy the fleeting sense of calm that Adrian’s company had offered. I kept replaying the notification in my mind, the words administrative action echoing like a warning bell. Someone had deliberately blocked my access to the money I needed to survive here. I fought the urge to open my phone again, to check for any updates, but I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. There were too many unanswered questions. Who had the power to freeze my account? And why now, of all times? As the plane began its descent, I made a mental list of people who might be involved. Ryker was an obvious suspect—he was always protective of me, but his need for control had pushed him to do some dangerous things in the past. Then there was Mia, whose relationship with me had become more strained with each passing year. But no matter how hard I tried to think it through, there was one
Zara's POV The apartment was cold, the kind of cold that sank into your bones. It wasn’t just the temperature it was the silence, the emptiness. I dropped my bag by the door and looked around. The single room was small, with a creaky bed shoved against one wall and a kitchen that could barely fit one person. It wasn’t much, but it was mine for now. I sank onto the mattress and pulled out my phone again, hoping against hope that the bank notification had somehow been a mistake. It hadn’t. The account was still frozen, the message still glaring back at me like a taunt. My fingers itched to call the bank, but I knew better than to risk it. If the wrong person was behind this, contacting the bank might alert them to my exact location. I needed a plan, but my thoughts were jumbled, and exhaustion clawed at me. A knock on the door snapped me out of my spiral. I froze. “Zara?” a familiar voice called. “It’s Adrian. Just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” Relief washed over me as I
I stood in the doorway, watching my mother, Victoria, confront Ethan. Her words were sharp and filled with malice, stirring a familiar dread in my stomach. “There’s a rumour you’ve found your mate and plan to leave the packhouse. Is that true, Ethan?” she demanded rudely. “Yes, Mom. I found my mate last night and was going to tell you and Dad later,” Ethan replied politely. “How many times do I have to remind you that I am not your mother?” she said harshly. “I’m sorry, ma'am,” Ethan replied, looking down. I could see he was affected by our mother’s cruel treatment. His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless. I felt a crushing sense of worthlessness too. Anger surged within me towards our mother. How could she be so cruel? Didn’t she realize she was hurting her own family? It pained me deeply that she refused to accept my brother. My mother was always cold and calculating, focused solely on power and control. She loves me, but mainly because I am her son and the future al
I stood in the doorway, watching my mother, Victoria, confront Ethan. Her words were sharp and filled with malice, stirring a familiar dread in my stomach. “There’s a rumour you’ve found your mate and plan to leave the packhouse. Is that true, Ethan?” she demanded rudely. “Yes, Mom. I found my mate last night and was going to tell you and Dad later,” Ethan replied politely. “How many times do I have to remind you that I am not your mother?” she said harshly. “I’m sorry, ma'am,” Ethan replied, looking down. I could see he was affected by our mother’s cruel treatment. His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless. I felt a crushing sense of worthlessness too. Anger surged within me towards our mother. How could she be so cruel? Didn’t she realize she was hurting her own family? It pained me deeply that she refused to accept my brother. My mother was always cold and calculating, focused solely on power and control. She loves me, but mainly because I am her son and the fu
I stood in the doorway, watching my mother, Victoria, confront Ethan. Her words were sharp and filled with malice, stirring a familiar dread in my stomach. “There’s a rumour you’ve found your mate and plan to leave the packhouse. Is that true, Ethan?” she demanded rudely. “Yes, Mom. I found my mate last night and was going to tell you and Dad later,” Ethan replied politely. “How many times do I have to remind you that I am not your mother?” she said harshly. “I’m sorry, ma'am,” Ethan replied, looking down. I could see he was affected by our mother’s cruel treatment. His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless. I felt a crushing sense of worthlessness too. Anger surged within me towards our mother. How could she be so cruel? Didn’t she realize she was hurting her own family? It pained me deeply that she refused to accept my brother. My mother was always cold and calculating, focused solely on power and control. She loves me, but mainly because I am her son and the future al
I stood in the doorway, watching my mother, Victoria, confront Ethan. Her words were sharp and filled with malice, stirring a familiar dread in my stomach. “There’s a rumour you’ve found your mate and plan to leave the packhouse. Is that true, Ethan?” she demanded rudely. “Yes, Mom. I found my mate last night and was going to tell you and Dad later,” Ethan replied politely. “How many times do I have to remind you that I am not your mother?” she said harshly. “I’m sorry, ma'am,” Ethan replied, looking down. I could see he was affected by our mother’s cruel treatment. His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless. I felt a crushing sense of worthlessness too. Anger surged within me towards our mother. How could she be so cruel? Didn’t she realize she was hurting her own family? It pained me deeply that she refused to accept my brother. My mother was always cold and calculating, focused solely on power and control. She loves me, but mainly because I am her son and the future al
I stood in the doorway, watching my mother, Victoria, confront Ethan. Her words were sharp and filled with malice, stirring a familiar dread in my stomach. “There’s a rumour you’ve found your mate and plan to leave the packhouse. Is that true, Ethan?” she demanded rudely. “Yes, Mom. I found my mate last night and was going to tell you and Dad later,” Ethan replied politely. “How many times do I have to remind you that I am not your mother?” she said harshly. “I’m sorry, ma'am,” Ethan replied, looking down. I could see he was affected by our mother’s cruel treatment. His once bright eyes were now dull and lifeless. I felt a crushing sense of worthlessness too. Anger surged within me towards our mother. How could she be so cruel? Didn’t she realize she was hurting her own family? It pained me deeply that she refused to accept my brother. My mother was always cold and calculating, focused solely on power and control. She loves me, but mainly because I am her son and the future al
My new pack was quiet, far quieter than I had expected. Nestled deep in the northern mountains, it was isolated from the chaos of the outside world. After everything that had happened—the attacks, the betrayal, and the overwhelming presence of Ryker and Adrian—I had made the decision to leave. To truly be free of everyone and everything that had defined my life up until now. All thanks to Adrian who introduced me to their alpha and he willingly welcomed me without questioning me. I wasn’t running anymore, I just want to be free. This faraway pack, the Black Ridge Wolves, had no ties to my past, no knowledge of who I was or what I had endured. They didn’t care that I was the “chosen one” or that I was hunted by enemies I couldn’t fully understand. They only cared that I was willing to work. That was all I wanted. To work. To train. To become stronger than I had ever been. The training grounds here were nothing like what I was used to. There were no neat rows of equipment
My new pack was quiet, far quieter than I had expected. Nestled deep in the northern mountains, it was isolated from the chaos of the outside world. After everything that had happened—the attacks, the betrayal, and the overwhelming presence of Ryker and Adrian—I had made the decision to leave. To truly be free of everyone and everything that had defined my life up until now. All thanks to Adrian who introduced me to their alpha and he willingly welcomed me without questioning me. I wasn’t running anymore, I just want to be free. This faraway pack, the Black Ridge Wolves, had no ties to my past, no knowledge of who I was or what I had endured. They didn’t care that I was the “chosen one” or that I was hunted by enemies I couldn’t fully understand. They only cared that I was willing to work. That was all I wanted. To work. To train. To become stronger than I had ever been. The training grounds here were nothing like what I was used to. There were no neat rows of equipment
My new pack was quiet, far quieter than I had expected. Nestled deep in the northern mountains, it was isolated from the chaos of the outside world. After everything that had happened—the attacks, the betrayal, and the overwhelming presence of Ryker and Adrian—I had made the decision to leave. To truly be free of everyone and everything that had defined my life up until now. All thanks to Adrian who introduced me to their alpha and he willingly welcomed me without questioning me. I wasn’t running anymore, I just want to be free. This faraway pack, the Black Ridge Wolves, had no ties to my past, no knowledge of who I was or what I had endured. They didn’t care that I was the “chosen one” or that I was hunted by enemies I couldn’t fully understand. They only cared that I was willing to work. That was all I wanted. To work. To train. To become stronger than I had ever been. The training grounds here were nothing like what I was used to. There were no neat rows of equipment
My new pack was quiet, far quieter than I had expected. Nestled deep in the northern mountains, it was isolated from the chaos of the outside world. After everything that had happened—the attacks, the betrayal, and the overwhelming presence of Ryker and Adrian—I had made the decision to leave. To truly be free of everyone and everything that had defined my life up until now. All thanks to Adrian who introduced me to their alpha and he willingly welcomed me without questioning me. I wasn’t running anymore, I just want to be free. This faraway pack, the Black Ridge Wolves, had no ties to my past, no knowledge of who I was or what I had endured. They didn’t care that I was the “chosen one” or that I was hunted by enemies I couldn’t fully understand. They only cared that I was willing to work. That was all I wanted. To work. To train. To become stronger than I had ever been. The training grounds here were nothing like what I was used to. There were no neat rows of equipment or car