DAX’s POVWalking away from our meeting point, the forest remained calm; the only sound the crunch of leaves under my feet produced. The smell of autumn stayed in the air—a subtle blend of wildflowers and something else, something known. I shook my head, attempting to throw the idea aside. It was unattainable. She was not able to be.Still, the sensation persisted—a nagging awareness that I couldn't ignore. Although I had never seen Autumn before, something about her seemed oddly familiar. Her movement, head tilt, sadness in her eyes—all of it pulled at my memories like a half-lived dream.I turned aside the idea and concentrated on the current work. I led from a pack and had a sibling to save. No matter how interesting they could be, there was not time for distractions.As I returned to the renegade camp, the clean night air did not help to calm the anxiety that crawled at my skin. Usually a consoling hug of shadows and whispers, the forest trail suddenly felt sinister, every leaf ru
Autumn’s POVThe den of the healers was a sensory haven with chamomile, lavender, and a hundred other herbs I cannot name. That was a far cry from the rest of the Shadow Realm pack house, which constantly smelt of leather, musk, and underlying anxiety. Elder Elara, the head healer, led me over rows of drying plants and sensed a flutter of hope. Maybe this was the secret to keeping Renly alive and honoring my pledge to Dax.The healer's den engulfed me, a gentle hug of aromatic herbs and soothing energies.Elder Elara turned to me, her eyes gleaming with curiosity, her face marked with knowledge and compassion."So, child," she said, her voice as lovely as the fragrant air, "tell me what ails you."I took a long breath, the scent of lavender and chamomile filling my lungs and thus calming my stomach's restless flutter. Every word was purposeful, a subdued statement of my will.I watched as Elara's eyes grew wide with astonishment and a flutter of interest passed across her face. This was
Autumn’s POVAs Elara's accusing, heavy question hung in the air, panic shot through me. My head flew, frantically looking for a reasonable justification to help her relax her mistrust. I had to move fast before my slip of the tongue revealed my actual goals."I... I was just guessing," I signed with slightly shaking palms. "I assumed based on a lot of reading on the pack's past..." I trailed off, hoping she wouldn't raise the matter. "But it's not really important if there isn't one," I said, shrugging casually. "I was simply curious."Elara's shoulders released some tension, and her eyes softened. She answered, "Ah, I see," a little smile playing back on her lips. "Your child has a great curiosity. One should have innate curiosity regarding knowledge.Relieved she seemed to have embraced my explanation, I nodded. But I understood I had been fortunate. I have to start exercising more carefully going forward. One more misstep; my cover would be blown."As a matter of fact," Elara said
Autumn’s POVAs I looked at Elara, a cold knot of terror clenched in my gut. Her inquiry loomed large in the air, a silent charge meant to undo my neatly spun dishonesty. My brain flew, looking for a reasonable justification to deflect her mistrust."I'm sorry," I signed fast, hands shaking just a little. "I still find names and titles to be foreign. Naturally, I meant Alpha Mathias.The room fell into a tight quiet as Elara examined me, her eyes fixed in focus. My heart thumping in my chest, the blood rushing in my ears, felt I had gone rather near to exposing my actual identity, therefore breaking the illusion I had diligently created.At last, Elara sighed, and her shoulders relaxed somewhat. "It's understandable," she said softly. "The Shadow Realm pack introduces many new faces and names to learn."Relief came flooding over me. Though I knew I couldn't afford another error, I had just escaped notice. I have to be more alert and more careful. One mistake, and my whole character may
Autumn’s POVMy pregnancy came as a tidal wave, drowning in a sea of uncertainty and anxiety and leaving me gasping for breath. In my mind's eye, Mathias's face—filled with love and expectation—turned from a beautiful mask of allegiance and contempt. Should he find the truth, my carefully put-on facade would fall apart, exposing me.Given their merciless pragmatism, the rogues would not hesitate to kill me should I compromise their intentions. In their game, I was a pawn and a tool towards an aim. And a pawn in pregnancy was a liability, a loose end that needed to be secured.As the awareness sank in, my skin started to flush coldly. Trapped, caught in a web of lies of my own creation. The weight of my secret seemed to be smothering the sumptuous bathroom's walls in on on on. A wordless cry caught in my mute body; panic tore at my throat. I had to act to figure out how to guard my unborn child and me. But specifically, how?Deeply depressed, a spark of an idea emerged from a desperate
Mathias POVI woke up to the soft, steady breathing of my mate, Autumn, lying beside me.There she lay, all wrapped in my sheets, her hair splayed across the pillow, wild and pretty.She looked different from the first time I had seen her; gone was the soft meek girl, and here lay a wild beauty, tussled and turned.The early morning light escaping through the curtains bathed her in a warm glow; it highlighted the delicate features of her face. Her skin flushed in the soft warmth.Autumn looked so peaceful, almost ethereal, and I couldn't help but smile.This was my doing. I closed my eyes to remember the past night. A small frown marred my face when nothing but a dark wall came to mind.“I guess I must be getting old,” I murmured, my voice intentionally lowered not to wake the sleeping woman.Still, I smiled wider, as I told myself it didn't matter if I remembered our first act of love; there would be many more times to do it.Gently, I reached out to caress her hair, my fingers light
Kavan POV“What do you mean, she is not worthy of being queen, Mother?” Mathias growled. “She is my mate, is she not? If not her, who else?”Mathias looked confused at the statement; his eyes searched mine. I could see the confusion, but I couldn't let that stop me.I couldn't make Autumn queen mother; the thought of her in that position with him made me feel unsettled. I couldn't handle the thought of my father touching her.“Father, I understand she is your second chance mate, but you have to understand she is much too young, and there are rules and traditions to be upheld. Autumn, with her many challenges, cannot take up such a responsibility.”Mathais sat across from me at the dining table, his gaze unwavering and stern.His familiar shrewd gaze pierced at me. I remembered a time when I would quack at this assessing gaze, but not today; now that I was Alpha, it was my duty to uphold the balance.Mathais himself had given me that power; now I shouldn't have to fear this gaze. I hel
Kavan’s POVOne could cut the thick tension in the room with a knife. The hand of my father lay possessively on Autumn's back; his eyes were sickly sweet love that made my stomach turn. I observed as he handed her a piece of fruit; his smile grew as she chewed under direction.Twisted in my gut was disgust. This is not right. A friend ought not to be treated this way. Autumn was someone, not a pet to be showered with attention and paraded about. But driven by his obsession with this new omega, my father seemed ignorant of the fact.I pushed back my chair, the sound of scraping resonating in the tense quiet. "If you'll excuse me," I murmured, my voice tense with hardly subdued rage. "I have some business to take care of."My father hardly looked up from his loving on Autumn. "Of course, son," he responded, sounding patronizing. "Don't let us keep you from your vital obligations."I gave no thought to responding. My jaw locked so hard it hurt as I turned and walked out of the dining roo