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
Kavan’s POVThe lavish furnishings in my father's office felt stifling, the strong smell of polished wood and ancient leather a sharp contrast to the austere efficiency of my own desk. My hands balled into fists at my sides, my jaw closed as I stood before him. The room had obvious tension—a quiet battlefield between two alphas.The words emerged metered, under control, each syllable a precisely placed stone building my case. "Father," I said, "I must express my disapproval of your decision to make Autumn the queen mother." My voice was low and serene.My father's brow creased with a flutter of displeasure across his face. "Disappval?" he replied, sounding with a warning note. "For what reason?"Not backing off, I gazed firmly at him. The chamber buzzed with turmoil, a subdued fight of will between alpha and son. Though I knew this would not be simple, I was ready to struggle for what I thought to be right. For the pack, for the memory of my mother, and for the gnawing discomfort Autu
All did not sit well with me seeing Autumn become so flirty with my dad. I knew she had to be up to something, but I could not quite wrap my fingers around it yet.After my dad and she left, I was worried, and I decided to follow my instincts to go check up on her. I knew something bad was happening, and I could not just stay by and think about it.“Sunny, I have to go now. I will be right back,” I said. “Where are you going, Kavan?" She asked. “No, you don't have to worry; I will be right back in no time,” I responded. “Okay, I will be waiting for you here. Do not take too long,” she added. I faked a smile and left, heading to my dad's room.I could hear someone screaming and shouting from his room, and I knew all hell has finally broken loose; he must be trying to force himself on her again.I banged at the door, and I slammed the door open. My hunch was right. The sight in front of me was so gruesome, as I could see my dad on top of Autumn, trying to force himself on her.“What do
MATHIAS’S POV Autumn was being flirty with me, and she made it so obvious to everyone. I was sure she did not know if Kavan was being serious about Sunny or not, but I believed him either way."Mathias, can we go to your room, please? I feel like spending the night with you,” she said. Kavan looked stunned when he heard her say that and was looking at her for some sort of explanation; she ignored him and was persistent in going with me to my room.I took the opportunity and grabbed her waist, gesturing her to my room and leading the way. Oh yes, finally!” I said. I was filled with excitement as I beamed with smiles all plastered on my face. Autumn was trying to make Kavan regret his decisions by getting him jealous of me. Either way, I was enjoying it, so I did not bother to think much of it.“Kavan, I think we should go too. We have told dad what we came here to say,” Sunny said, almost dragging Kavan away. Kavan did not want to leave as he continued staring at Autumn, waiting for h
AUTUMN'S POV Marcus dragged me by my hair and forcefully started kissing all over my body. I felt so disgusted as I struggled to pull him off me. His grip on me was too tight, and I was unable to get him off. At this point, I was screaming and shouting, hoping someone would hear and come to my rescue. This was not the first time Mathias had tried forcing himself on me.The last time was when Kavan luckily came to my aid. Mathias had dragged me from Mrs. Potts room to his room and tried molesting me. I was trying to fight my way out, but his grip on me made it so difficult and hard to leave. I could hear banging at the door, and Kavan suddenly slammed the door open. He came to my aid again, and I knew he had a hunch about this earlier because he knew I would not willingly go to Mathias’s room unless I had a plan. “What do you think you are doing, dad?” Kavan said, pushing his dad off me. “Why are you here?” Mathias responded. “Shouldn't you be with your pregnant wife?” he added. “W
AUTUMN'S POV I was being flirty with Marcus, and I made it so obvious to everyone. I did not know if Kavan was being real with the pregnancy with Sunny, but I suspected it to be only an act to get his dad deceived."Mathias, can we go to your room, please? I feel like spending the night with you,” I said. Kavan looked stunned when he heard me say that and was looking at me for some sort of explanation. I ignored him and was persistent in going with his dad.Mathias took the opportunity and grabbed my waist, gesturing me to his room and leading the way. Oh yes, finally!” Mathias said. He was filled with excitement as he beamed with a smile all plastered on his face. This was part of my plan and also to make Kavan feel a bit jealous about it. I could see the jealousy all over his face, and he was very terrible at hiding it.“Kavan, I think we should go too. We have told dad what we came here to say,” Sunny said, almost dragging Kavan away. Kavan did not want to leave as he continued st
MATHIAS’S POV “You have always been selfish, Mathias; you have never truly cared about me or my feelings,” she said, trying to gaslight me. “Me selfish? How dare you say that to me?” I responded. “That is the truth; why don't you want to accept that fact?” she added, trying to instigate me to respond. I knew all she was doing and just played along with her tricks.“You are lucky, Autumn, that I am in a good mood, or else you know what I would have done to you,” I responded. “What haven't you done, Mathias? I still remember vividly how you raised your hands on me,” she said. “I cannot believe you would do such to me,” she added. “I did not mean that, Autumn, and you know that, you keep pushing me to the wall,” I responded.She was about to respond back at me, but then Sunny and Kavan suddenly showed up and told me that they had something to tell me..Kavan saw me and Autumn already there; it was as if she wanted to leave, but I was stopping her from leaving. Kavan and Autumn looked at
AUTUMN’S POV “You have always been selfish, Mathias; you have never truly cared about me or my feelings,” I said, trying to gaslight him. “Me selfish? How dare you say that to me?” Marcus said. “That is the truth; why don't you want to accept that fact?” I added, trying to instigate him to respond. “You are lucky, Autumn, that I am in a good mood, or else you know what I would have done to you,” he responded. “What haven't you done, Mathias? I still remember vividly how you raised your hands on me,” I said. “I cannot believe you would do such to me,” I added. “I did not mean that, Autumn, and you know that, you keep pushing me to the wall,” he responded.I was about to respond back at him, then Sunny and Kavan suddenly showed up and told Mathias that they had something to tell him.Kavan saw his dad and I already there; it was as if I wanted to leave, but he was stopping me from leaving. Kavan and I looked at each other briefly before we avoided each other's eye contact. We had to ma
KAVAN'S POV Sunny and I went to look for my dad. We had gone to his room after revising for the plan I told her already. “You know what to do, right?” I asked her. “Yes, I do,” she responded. "Okay, give me an example; express yourself,” I added.“No, it is not needed. I will do that when I see your dad,” she said. I did not argue with her and just nodded in response to her. We first went to my dad's room to see if he was there, but he was nowhere to be found."Dad,” I said, knocking softly on the door. “Are you in there?” I added. “Maybe he is not in the room,” Sunny said. “I guess too; let's go to the balcony or the dining hall,” I added. “Let us go to the balcony first,” she responded, and we both left and headed to the manor's balcony.There we saw my dad and Autumn already there; it was as if she wanted to leave, but he was stopping her from leaving. Autumn and I looked at each other briefly before we avoided each other's eye contact. We had to make it look like we got betrayed
MATHIAS'S POV “Did he catch you hiding?” Kavan asked her. She responded and told him that I did not, but I noticed her presence. “He did not see me; I made sure to hide very well,” she responded to him. “So when they both left, I came out of my hiding spot and quickly went to Mrs. Potts room, and then, I think, after a few minutes, he also came by to check up on her,” she added.“Did you try leaving when you saw him?” Kavan asked her. "Yes, I did try to leave, but he held me back,” she replied. I was spying on Kavan and Autumn and also listening to their conversations. After some while, I got bored of it and went to the library to cool my head off. After some minutes there, I asked a guard to request for Marcus to come to the manor. “Hey you, come here,” I said, sighting one of the guards I saw. "Yes, sir,” he responded. “I want you to call Marcus for me, get in touch with him, and tell him that I want to see him at the manor right now,” I said. “Okay, sir,” he responded and left.
AUTUMN'S POV I do not owe you any reply, Marcus.“ I responded to him. “Why can you not get that you are just a tool for Mathias? He is never going to trust or actually love you like his son; you are just doing this for nothing. Are you blind to see that?” I added.“Shut up,” he said. “You are working so hard for him, but when he is done using you, he is going to leave and dumb you without even looking back at all,” I responded. “Who asked for your opinion, Autumn? Why can you not just keep your mouth shut?” He fired back at me.“You don't own me, so I can speak and give my opinions whenever I want to,” I said. “You are not the boss of me, and you cannot control me, scumbag,” I added. I have had it enough with both him and Mathias; people have been calling me names, but I have just decided to keep calm all this while, but now I am so tired of it, I cannot take it anymore.“Since you are done barking Marcus, how about you leave?” I said. “I already told you to mind your business,” he r