Zariel's POV A smile crept its way to my face as I saw Zade's text message: âCome to the pack right away. I'll gladly step down as Alpha. Come with my mate as well. If I realise that you hurt a single hair on her body, I'll kill you and send you straight to hell. You should know that I don't bluff.â Wow! I hadn't expected him to give up so soon. He must really love this bitch so much! Zade has always been a proud man and the fact that he's an Alpha made it worse. He has swore never to step down from the throne for me. But right now, he is willing to step down? Just how much did he love her, that he's willing to go back on his words for her? It's not like I care. He can do whatever he wants. All that matters is that I'm about to become the Alpha. Finally! I'm sure as hell that my father would be rolling in his grave right now. He'd thought that I'd never sit on that throne, but today, I'll prove him wrong. I'll let him know that his stupid rules can't work. His stupid rules c
Axel's POV The heavy oak door of my study creaked open, thereby disturbing the silence I had demanded. Felix's hesitant footsteps paused at the door. âAlpha,â he began, his voice strained. âThere is a problem.â I didn't look up from the financial reports strewn across my desk, my fingers tightening around the glass of whiskey I'd been nursing for the past thirty minutes. "I believe I made myself clear some hours ago, Felix" I said, my voice low and measured. "No disturbances." He swallowed in apprehension. "I wouldnât dare disobey you, butâthe Moon Wave investors just called. Theyâre withdrawing from the partnership. All of them." My hands paused around the glass. The room seemed to tilt, the walls closing in around me as Felix's words sank in. âAnd why is that?â âI have no idea, Alpha. I just received a call from their manager a while ago. He just said deal's offâ âGet out!â I ordered, my voice dangerously low. Felix didn't need to be told twice. The door clicke
Melissa's POV âSo tell me doctor, how's my grandson doing?â My mother asked the doctor as soon as she finished examining me. The bright smile on the doctor's face told me everythingâŠmy son was perfectly healthy. And judging by how much my bump had grown lately, he was thriving. By the gods, I can't wait to meet him, I can't wait to have him in my arms. âThe little one is doing wonderfully. In fact, he might just be the healthiest baby I've ever seen.â The doctor said, grinning as she took her seat. âOf course he is.â My mother chimed in, her voice brimming with pride. "His father is a warriorâstrong and resilient. That strength runs in his blood." She added with a smile."So, when can we expect his arrival?" she pressed, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Mother?" I blinked in surprise. I can't believe that she's asking that. "What?" She frowned, tilting her head, to stare at me. âI'm only seven months along. He won't be here for another two months.â I reminded her an
Melissaâs POV After what felt like forever, the car rolled to a stop in front of the mansion and before the driver could even park properly, I flung the door open and jumped out, ignoring my mother's sharp hiss behind me. âBe careful, Melissa, you are fucking pregnantâ she snapped, but I was already halfway to the door, my pulse racing with a strange urgency. I wanted to meet Alpha Axel badly. As soon as I got in, I found the new Beta. He stood guard in the foyer, his posture stiffening as I approached. âGreetings, my Luna.â He said with a slight bow. âWhere's Alpha Axel?â I demanded, ignoring his greeting. âIn his study,â he answered, hesitating. âBut, Luna, he gave strict orders not to beââ I didnât wait for him to finish. Turning on my heels, I marched towards the study, my heels clicking against the marble floor. When I reached the door, I knocked once.⊠just for the sake of formality, in case he was with any Alpha at the moment. I didn't want to appear
Melissa's POV "Tell me, sweetheart, how did it go?" my mother asked as soon as I walked into my room. I didnât reply. Instead, I moved to the bed and collapsed onto it. I was completely exhausted. "Did Axel tell you about the strange woman?" she pressed, her voice growing sharper. "The one claiming to be his mother?" But I only shook my head, too exhausted to form words. âI knew it.â She hissed. âOf course he wouldn't tell you.â I drew in a sharp breath. âWhat do you suggest I do, mom?â I asked quietly. âI really want to know about her. Judging from the way Axel's countenance changed when I asked about her, I knew there was more to their relationship.â âMe too.â She admitted truthfully. âI wanted to know too. He has never talked about her, nor have I seen or heard anything about her.â I was about to say something else, but at that moment, a sharp knock sounded at the door, cutting through the silence. I stared at my mother, âAre you expecting anyone?â But she shook her
Axel's POV I was still in my study when my Beta entered and told me a man had been asking for Melissaâprobably her ex-boyfriend, he said. Without hesitation, I sprang to my feet and headed for the gate to see who it was. But just as I reached for the door, it opened, and Melissa stepped inside. Her cheeks were flushed, her expression unreadable. Something had definitely happened. I needed no soothsayer to tell me. âAre you cheating on me?â I confronted her the moment she stepped inside. A startled gasp slipped from her lipsâbut just as quickly, she composed herself. âAh, Axel,â she breathed as she placed her hand on her chest. âYou scared the living hell out of me,â she said, forcing a smile to her face. âThat doesn't answer my question, Melissa.â My voice tightened with frustration. âAre you cheating on me?â She let out a sharp scoff, anger flashing in her eyes. "What's wrong with you, Axel? How could you even ask me that?" âMelissaâŠ.â Her lips twisted in disbe
Melissa's POV Oh goodness! I'm done for. What have we gotten ourselves into? Why did my mother have to lie that Damien was her son? Of all the lies that she could come up with, did it have to be this? And now Axel wants to make him his Gamma. Oh goodness! This is not going to end well. âWhat's wrong, Melissa?â He asked, his forehead knitted into a frown. âUhâŠ. Nothing actually.â I stuttered. It won't be a good idea if Damien is made the Gamma. That'll mean more trouble for me. How will I be able to cope with his presence in the pack house? I have to do something. I can't let this happen. âDon't you want your brother to be the Gamma or what?â Yeah, right. My brother. All thanks to my mother who couldn't come up with any other lie than this one. Not just any one, but a grave one. What would happen if Axel comes to know that Damien isn't my brother? The thought of what he'll do to us sent a chill down my spine. âOfâŠof course, not, my Alpha. You can make him your Gamma.â
Lenora's POV âI'm sorry I came late.â I said to Zade, but he shushed me. âDonât say that, baby girl. You came right in time, okay?â He pulled me into his arms and rested his head in the crook of my neck. We were currently sitting on the couch. âIf you hadn't called me earlier, I'd have handed the throne over to Zariel and by now I'll be in deep regret because the woman he claimed to have in his custody wasn't you. It was a stranger. So trust me, you came right in time.â My lips curled into a soft smile. âYou are welcome, Zade.â I didn't realise how much I've missed him until right now. I'm glad that everything has been settled and Zariel won't have any means to blackmail him into giving him the throne anymore. âZade?â I called out, my voice breaking the comfortable silence. He hummed in response and I took that as a go-ahead order. âI'm sorry about your sister's death. I had no idea that Axel killed her just to get the necklace. You can reject me if you want, and I promise to
Lenora's POV âGood day, ma'am, and welcome to Chrome Heart Shopping mall.â The sales representative said to me as soon as I got into the mall and I smiled softly at her. âGood day to you.â I asked, my eyes darting around the mall in search of anything that might catch my attention. âWhat would you like to get?â She asked me and I took my attention back to her. I might just trust her to show me the best gifts they have here. âWell, I'd like to get some bags, shoes and dresses too.â I answered with a smile as usual. âTrust me, ma'am, you are at the right place.â She smiled warmly at me. âCome with me.â She gestured and I walked behind her. Mara had long gone to the other section to get what she needed. âAwwwn!â I cooed as I saw a necklace that was out on display and immediately it caught my eyes. It reminded me of the Mountain Heart Necklace, the same one that Axel had âstolenâ from Charlotte. âDo you like it, ma'am?â The young lady asked and I nodded. âOf course
Lenora's POV Two hours. Thatâs how long it had been since the guard burst into Zadeâs study, breathless with warnings of a rogue attack. Two hours since heâd vanished into the day without a backward glance. I paced the room, my fingers twisting together. The mind linkâŠ.our lifelineâŠ.remained silent, no matter how desperately I reached through the bond. Where are you? Every second stretched into an eternity. If the rogues had ambushed him⊠if theyâd found a way to sever our connection⊠I swallowed hard. He has to come back. I walked towards Luna Ophelia's direction. âDo you think he's fine?â I asked her for the umpteenth time and she took my hands into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. âCome on, Nora,â she chuckled lightly. Somehow, I've come to love the fact that she addresses me as Nora. It reminds me of my mom. She was the only one who has ever called me that name. And whenever someone else tried to call me that name, I always got angry, but right now, I wasn't pisse
Axelâs POV The sharp crack of Melissa's slap still burned on my cheek long after the door slammed shut behind her. The sting from her hit was nothing compared to the venom in her words. âGo your barren woman if you are horny.â I exhaled through my nose, my fingers flexing against my thighs. My wolf snarled in the back of my mind. âYou went too far, Axel.â âShut up,â I shot back, but he didnât. He never did, until he let out his anger. âShe carries your child, you fool. She is carrying your heir. And you throw Lenoraâs name in her face like itâs nothing?â I clenched my jaw. He wasn't wrong, but he wasn't right either and that was the problem. My wolf despised Melissa from the moment I cheated on my former mate with her. He claimed she was selfish and stupid and not fit to be the mother of my heir, he wanted to wait until whenever the moon goddess blesses Lenora, but even he couldn't stomach this. He couldn't stomach the fact that I tattooed Lenora's name on my neck some days
Melissa's POV In no time, I arrived at Alpha Axel's door and I wanted to knock, but I decided against it. It may come off as a rude act, but who cares? He's my mate after all. Taking a deep breath, I pushed the door. "You sent for me, Alpha." I announced as soon as I got into his chambers and he turned from the window, to be able to stare at me, and like always, my brain short-circuited for a second. It wasn't fair, really. I mean some people had to work hard for that kind of presence- gym routines, expensive cologne, carefully styled hair but Axel just existed even without trying and the world bent around him. It just occurred to me that I haven't admired this way in a long time. Well, he was tall, though not in an exaggerated, storybook way, but in that stand-next-to-him-and-feel-your neck-craning kind of way. His shirt sleeves were rolled up to his forearms, revealing the kind of muscle that came from actual labor, not just lifting weights for show. There was a faint sc
Lenora's POV The sheets beside me were cold, the imprint of Zade's body long gone. My fingers traced the empty space, frustration burning low in my stomach. Again. He'd done it againâŠ. Kissed me like I was the air he needed to breathe, but all of a sudden, he vanished before dawn like a thief. What exactly is wrong with him? I asked no one in particular as I glared daggers at the empty space, like it was Zade. âDo you think he's running away from us?â Zoey asked, but I didn't answer. I couldn't even come up with any answer, but deep down, I know that he was running away from me. With a loud groan, I dragged myself out of bed, my body still humming from his actions last night. The memory of his hands, his mouth, the way he'd groaned against my lips like he was an infant who'd been starved of his mother's breasts. His actions last night were all that seared into my skin. I was expecting him to take things forward. I was expecting him to take me, to do whatever he wanted with me,
Melissa's POV As much as I was happy with the fact that Beta Felix showed up at my door, I still wasn't happy that he heard our discussion. Heck, I should be happy that he was here and Damien wouldn't get what he wanted, but that was not the case. How long had Beta Felix had been standing at the door and had he been listening to our conversation without our knowledge? âEven if he has been listening to our conversation, he clearly wouldn't have heard when Damien asked you for sex. So don't panic.â My mother said to me through the mind link. She must have noticed the fears dancing in my eye. âBut mother, do you think Beta Felix heard us?â âI have a strong feeling that he didn't. Don't worry about anything.â She sounded so sure and I couldn't help but feel that she was right. âAh, Beta Felix,â I forced a smile to my face, while trying so hard to calm my racing heart. What are you doing here?â I added. What has he come to do in my room? He never comes here for heaven's sake!
Melissa's POV âMelissa?â My mother's voice sounded as soon as she walked into my room. There was a tone of urgency in her voice. She sounded really worried, like someone who had seen a ghost. I took my eyes off the book that I've been reading and I turned to face her. âYes, mother? What's wrong?â I inquired, my brows creasing into a frown. âDamienâŠ.â She trailed off and I urged her to continue. âHe's here already and he's requesting to come up to your room.â My face paled as soon as I heard her words. That brute is here so soon? It isn't yet ten. Is he so eager to meet me that he couldn't wait until the time that Axel had chosen? My mind suddenly traveled to our last discussion. He had promised to come pretend to be my brother only if I let him make love to me. I didn't want to do it. I swear I never wanted to. But now I have no choice. If I don't do it, I am gonna die and so will my mother and I don't want that to happen. I don't need any soothsayer to tell me that Damien w
Zade's POV "This Saturday," I told her, my fingers tracing idle patterns along her arm. "For Mrs Smith. For all of them that we lost in the fire. I'll finally lay them to rest." Her head rested on my chest, the soft rise and fall of her breath a soothing rhythm against my skin. We'd been talking for what felt like hours, mostly about the burial ceremony. This Saturday. I wanted to finally lay their souls to rest. âThat's good, Zade,â She whispered quietly. "I'm glad that you have chosen a date already." Then silence settled over us, but it wasn't uncomfortable. It never was with her. I took her hand, her skin warm and soft against my touch, and gave it a gentle squeeze. Her eyes, those captivating pools of warmth, met mine. She flashed me a small smile. My gaze dropped to her lips, the way they parted slightly as she exhaled. And as if drawn by an invisible force, I leaned in and captured her lips in mine. Her breath hitched. I expected her to push me away, but she di
Zariel's POV âI warned you, didn't I?â My wolf hissed as soon as I stepped out of the cab, but I couldn't even answer him. I couldn't. Not when my body hurts like I'd been hit with a sledgehammer. How could Zade have fooled me this way? The motherfucker was ready to give me the throne. He was willing to give it to me. Just like I'd planned, I made him know that I won't let him meet his mate unless he gives me the throne. He was ready to do it, but at that point, that bitch had to spoil everything. I could vividly remember the smirk on Zade's face as he stared at me, telling me that I'll never sit on the throne no matter how much I tried. He'd told me that he knew that his mate wasn't with me, but had just been playing along just so he could get a hold on me. Fuck! I growled in anger as I punched the wall closer to me. I ignored the sizzling pain that shot through my body. After all, it was not compared to the other pain coming from my body. How did I not realise that it was