Maxine P.O.V The Hampton Pack was dressed in black, standing in a circle as their faces reflected the grief and loss. I never called him "Dad." Not once. And everything I wanted to ask him, everything I wanted to say about how much I appreciated everything he did as an Alpha-for our pack, for us, myself-were never spoken. And with this, as the coffin of Ador was placed on the earth, I felt that finality was like a hook to the stomach.My mother stood by my side, shaking with soft sobbing. She could not accept that. None of us could. It had happened too fast. That is all it was-happening too fast-and now we are left here picking up pieces of shattered reality. I let her cry, knowing no words could soothe the pain. But the truth was, I was just as broken. I couldn't bear it when Ador, the only father figure I ever knew, disappeared into the earth.I turned to Alph. His face was stone-cold. His back was straight as he stared straight ahead. He was dressed in all black, like the rest of
Relon P.O.V.Flashback…"Ador." I looked at him, lying motionless on the bed. His chest rose and fell slowly, the only sign that life still lingered in his body. He was quiet, almost peaceful, but I knew better. The wounds from Alex had left him weak, and the damage from the eclipse's power was too much for even someone as strong as he."You really showed us how good of an alpha you are," I whispered, low, not wanting to wake him. "But it's time now."Erick had just left a few minutes ago in a rush to go attend to the bitten ones: the humans who had no other choice but to join us now. Once bitten, there's no going back. Only pain can be repelled by making them one of us. There's admission into the pack or death-that's the rule. There's no in between.And then, in an instant, I felt Ador's eyelids flutter open. Slowly, agonizingly, his eyes snapped open."R-Relon," he croaked.I reached forward, bent to hear him. "Ador, I'll get the healer." I started to get up to go for help, but his
"Alph, now that you're the Alpha of this pack," Trevor began, slouching in the old leather chair. His sharp eyes twinkled with curiosity. "Why not find your mate?”Alph rested his elbows on his knees and looked straight ahead at the flickering flames dancing in the fireplace. The question was innocuous enough, yet somehow it made him ill-at-ease. His jawline tightened a mite as he considered Trevor's words."Can't just find one," Alph said, his voice firm yet detached. "Leave it to destiny."Trevor raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. "Destiny sucks. Finding is the easy way to find one," Martin chimed in from his spot on the couch, tossing a small wooden token between his hands. His playful demeanor didn't mask the truth in his words."Easy isn't always better," Alph whispered, standing up and walking toward the window. He needed space. The air inside the room felt too thick, too stifling from the weight of their carefree conversation, which to him was anything but carefree in any
Alph's P.O.V The weight of the pack had fallen onto my shoulders for a while now, but today it felt more absurd than usual-it wasn't even the feeling of being the leader of the pack, like all alphas feel something beneath, building up like a storm about to hit. And I was sitting alone in my room when my mind would continually drift to Leo, who had been gone for some time now. His absence gnawed at me, but there was nothing I could do until we found more leads. I had to keep the pack stable and keep the peace.It took a knock on the door to break my concentration."Alpha, Alph, the Shadowskill pack is coming to visit as of today. They are grateful for the restoration of the path to the wolf territory," Erick told me as he entered the room, standing at attention.I nodded, my head only half on the conversation. "Let them be welcome here.""They will be coming in at 8 PM," Erick added before leaving.As the door shut behind him, I felt another set of footsteps, lighter, closer, more fam
Maxine POV. I stared at my reflection in the mirror, fingers pushing along the hairline of my glasses. The girl looking back felt like a stranger. Fat, with a messy shock of curly hair and skin that broke out more often than not, I felt every bit the outcast I was treated as. Sighing, I shrugged into my one oversized hoodie—the only type of clothing that seemed to hug my body perfectly—as I roughly jammed my school things into my backpack. Living with Coreen was a daily challenge. Every morning, I woke up with the same sense of dread about the new form of cruelty my stepsister might conjure. Coreen was everything I wasn't—beautiful, confident, and popular. She ruled the university, where she was the center of all attraction and glamour as a cheerleader, with the perfect figure and perfect smile. I'm the opposite of her, I was the nerdy stepsister, always an easy target for Coreen and her minions. When my mother remarried a year ago, things start
Maxine POV. "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Their chant grew louder, pounding in my chest. I glanced at Alph, who was busy talking to his friend near the counter, completely unaware of the chaos building around us. "Do it, Maxine!" someone teased, making my face heat up. "Show us some action!" another voice called, followed by laughter. Then, cutting through the din with a sharp, provocative tone, came Coreen's voice. "Come on, little sister, show us that you indeed are a big girl. Besides, it would be rude to turn down the birthday girl, wouldn't it?" She gave me a mocking pout; her eyes shined with mischief as she milked the crowd.. I cleared my throat and stepped toward Alph. The murmuring in the crowd around me faded into a buzz of indistinct noise as I advanced. Alph was busy talking to his two teammates, completely unaware of what was about to happen. My heart pounded in my chest, my nerves on edge. I felt every eye in the room on me as I approached him.
Maxine POV. The morning light filtered through the window blinds, casting a soft glow across the room. I blinked awake, groggy from a night of restless sleep. Memories of last night's party still clung to me, a persistent echo of laughter and humiliation. I groaned and rolled out of bed, preparing for another day at the university—a place that seemed just as unwelcoming as ever. At the campus, I tried to keep my head down, my usual tactic to avoid drawing attention. The familiar hustle and bustle of students filled the air, each one seemingly in their own world. As I navigated the hallways, a familiar voice cut through the din. "Hey, Maxine!" I turned to see Leo approaching. He had a genuine smile on his face, and it was impossible not to notice how different his demeanor was from the rest of the crowd. Leo was new here, but he was already making waves with his presence. "Morning, Leo," I said, trying to sound as neutral as possible. "Got any plans for lunch?" he asked c
Maxine POV. The sun had begun setting as I walked home. Coreen never waited for me, and so I had to walk back home from the university. Thank God she never wanted to give me a lift in their car because for sure the atmosphere between me and her will explode. Closer to my house, I remembered Leo. It reminded me that Sarah is the only real friend that I have and that I should shut everyone else out. What was awry for me was the fact that Alph knew everything that went on. Did he know all along that Leo was using me? Forget about it self, for sure, he doesnt even care so why he would? Reaching the mansion, I beheld the sight that nailed me to the floor. My mother, down on her knees, tears streaming down her face as she begged from my stepfather—Coreen's father. His expression was in rage. "Out, you liar! This is no place for you!" Every word oozed with venom as he spoke. My heart broke to pieces at the sight of my mother—my only family—being humiliated this way. As I stood a