Lenora's POV “What the hell is going on here?” He repeated in a low but dangerous voice, each word dripping with barely contained rage. Before I could even open my mouth to defend myself, Zariel stepped forward, his smirk widening as if he had been waiting for this moment. “Oh, brother, you are just in time,” he drawled. “Your little mate here was showing me how affectionate she can be. Isn't that right, sweetheart?” He turned to me, his eyes glinting with amusement. My blood boiled. “That's a lie!” I snapped my voice trembling with anger. “Zade, he's lying. He forced himself on me! I didn't…..” Zariel cut me off with a laugh. “Don't be shy, Lenora. You were practically begging for it. Isn't that why you called me here? To entertain you while your mate was busy playing the good and perfect Alpha?” I felt my stomach churned, bile rising in my throat. How could he twist the situation like this? How could he make it seem like I had wanted any of this? My hands clenched into
Zade's POVWith a scowl on my face, I walked in, following my Beta as he pushed open the heavy oak doors of the courtroom. The elders seated on the high-backed chairs, looked up at me. Then in unison, they rose from their seats. “Greetings, Alpha. Greetings Beta,” They chorused in unison but I didn't bother to acknowledge their greetings. Instead, my scowl deepened as I strode towards the throne chair. I sank into the chair, my fingers drumming against the armrest as I surveyed the room and their faces. “What brings you here?” I asked, my voice low and filled with an irritation that I wasn't even trying to hide. My raised eyebrows dared them to waste my time. Pedro, the council leader, stood, his aged frame trembling slightly as he cleared his throat. “Greetings, Your Majesty…..” “Skip the formalities, Pedro.” I cut him off in a sharp tone. “Get to the point. Why are you all here?” I asked even though my Beta already told me their reasons for being here. He hesitated, his e
Lenora's POV I sat before the vanity in my room, gazing at my image in the mirror, holding the test results on my lap as tears streamed down my face. My hands shook as I gripped the test results, the words “negative” and “barren” piercing my thoughts like a branding iron. As the Luna of the Pack, my responsibility was to bear an heir, yet here am I - infertile. I will never be able to bear children of my own. I have never considered myself a believer in miracles, but at this moment, I hope a miracle occurs and the test results reveal ‘positive’. The weight had been bearing down on me for years, and with every month that went by, the Pack's demands became more intense. I can't help but feel that very soon I'll be sent away from the Pack and the Pack would force my mate to take another woman that can give him an heir. “Our mate loves us and he won't hurt us that way” My wolf whispered to me and I smiled sadly. If only that was the truth. He has fallen out of love with me just
Lenora I was still lost in my thoughts when a knock came. My heart sank thinking that it might be Axel, returning to demand my presence at the ceremony. I opened the door and I was shocked to see my step mother and Melissa. Anger washed over me as I glared at their faces. Matilda knew that her daughter was having an affair with my mate and she didn't scold her. Why was I even surprised? That was what she did to my mother. She was once my mother's best friend. My late mother was my father's mate, but he cheated on her with Matilda. My mother who couldn't bear the news about her mate's betrayal, committed suicide. My father blamed himself for his beloved mate's death. He couldn't live with the fact that he made my mother lose her life. Thus he killed himself too. I was only eight years old at the time and I was made to live with Matilda. Those times of my life were the worst. At some point, I wanted to leave, but I couldn't. I had nowhere to stay. Thus I just stayed in the hous
Lenora As I walked into the Grand Hall, I saw that it was already filled with Pack members, all dressed in their finest attire. The hall is decorated with balloons and ribbons, and a large banner reads “Congratulations to Alpha Axel and Miss Melissa” and I just rolled my eyes. I was wearing a simple yet elegant black dress, my hair pulled back in a loose bun. My eyes were sunken and my skin was pale. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, but I ignored it as I walked towards the front roll. Anger washed over me as I saw that Melissa was seated on his right side. Well, I sat down next to my mate, trying to pretend to be happy for him and his mistress. No matter how hard I try, I can't pretend to be happy for them. I mean which Luna in her right senses would happily accept such betrayal from her mate? Axel stands at the front of the hall, a broad smile on his face. He's wearing a tailored suit, and his eyes are shining with pride. “I welcome you all to this ceremony. For those
Lenora I gradually opened my eyes, drowsily observing my environment. I saw that I was in the dungeon, the chill of the stone walls and the faint torchlight starkly reminding me of my situation. I tried to sit up, but a surge of dizziness overwhelmed me, making me lie back down. “Hello?” I signaled the guards who were standing by the door and one of them rushed forward and bowed before me. “Greetings, Luna!” He greeted me and I nodded. “How long have I been here?” I asked him. “You've been here for two days, Ma'am,” He said gruffly. “You've been unconscious the whole time,” I felt a wave of anger wash over me upon hearing the news. Two days? How could Axel keep me here for two days? I was the Luna for heaven's sake!! “Thanks!” I said to the guard and he bowed and walked back to his duty post. At that moment, I heard the sound of footsteps approaching. I glanced up to find Melissa and her mother approaching me, wearing satisfied smiles. I noticed the other woman behind
ZADE "Of course, I do. I can feel the mate bond," She replied in a robotic tone which indicated that she wasn't happy. She didn't sound happy at all. But that was the least of my problems. At least for now. What mattered now was that I've found my mate. My lips curved into a smile as the thought settled in my head. This had to be the happiest moments of my life. I never thought that a day would come when I would find my mate, but now she was right in front of me. Although I still have no idea what plans the moon goddess has up her sleeves to make Lenora of all people, my mate. I mean she is my archenemy mate. This is so forbidden! Besides, I've been in love with her for a long time now. Fuck, I've been in love with Lenora since the first time I set my eyes on her. That was four years ago and I had plans of chasing her and making her mine, but all those plans went down the drain when I realized that she was not single and worst of all, she was Axel's mate. I couldn't g
Lenora What the hell is going on? Is he in his right senses? How can he say he doesn't give a damn whether I can give him children or not? I mean no Alpha in his right senses will want to be with a barren Luna for heaven's sake! He wants to be with a woman who will never conceive? EVERY Alpha wants a woman who will provide them with pups that can succeed them when they are no more. My barrenness was the main reason why Axel's attitude towards me changed. If I wasn't barren, I'd have still been in the pack and maybe Melissa wouldn't have come into the picture. “You don't know what you are saying, Zade. We can't be together. I can't give you any pups at all, even if we have to wait forever” I said in a stern voice, hoping to make him change his mind, but he shook his head. “Of course I know what I want, Lenora. I want you and you alone. Like I said earlier, if the moon goddess gives us children, that's a bonus, but if she doesn't, we will adopt one,” He repeated the same wor
Zade's POVWith a scowl on my face, I walked in, following my Beta as he pushed open the heavy oak doors of the courtroom. The elders seated on the high-backed chairs, looked up at me. Then in unison, they rose from their seats. “Greetings, Alpha. Greetings Beta,” They chorused in unison but I didn't bother to acknowledge their greetings. Instead, my scowl deepened as I strode towards the throne chair. I sank into the chair, my fingers drumming against the armrest as I surveyed the room and their faces. “What brings you here?” I asked, my voice low and filled with an irritation that I wasn't even trying to hide. My raised eyebrows dared them to waste my time. Pedro, the council leader, stood, his aged frame trembling slightly as he cleared his throat. “Greetings, Your Majesty…..” “Skip the formalities, Pedro.” I cut him off in a sharp tone. “Get to the point. Why are you all here?” I asked even though my Beta already told me their reasons for being here. He hesitated, his e
Lenora's POV “What the hell is going on here?” He repeated in a low but dangerous voice, each word dripping with barely contained rage. Before I could even open my mouth to defend myself, Zariel stepped forward, his smirk widening as if he had been waiting for this moment. “Oh, brother, you are just in time,” he drawled. “Your little mate here was showing me how affectionate she can be. Isn't that right, sweetheart?” He turned to me, his eyes glinting with amusement. My blood boiled. “That's a lie!” I snapped my voice trembling with anger. “Zade, he's lying. He forced himself on me! I didn't…..” Zariel cut me off with a laugh. “Don't be shy, Lenora. You were practically begging for it. Isn't that why you called me here? To entertain you while your mate was busy playing the good and perfect Alpha?” I felt my stomach churned, bile rising in my throat. How could he twist the situation like this? How could he make it seem like I had wanted any of this? My hands clenched into
Lenora's POV I woke to the sound of the door creaking open. My hands instinctively rubbed my eyes, brushing the fog of sleep. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the person who had just barged in. Standing in the doorway was a figure I hadn't expected to see. Ever! It was none other than Alpha Zade's brother. What's his name….. I trailed off as I tried to recall it, but it was out of reach. “Zariel,” Zoey whispered in my head and I nodded faintly, my heart pounding and racing with different questions. I thought Alpha Zade had told the guards never to allow him here. How had he gotten here without anyone noticing? The pack’s security was supposed to be impenetrable, yet here he was, standing as if he owned the place. “Look who we have here,” Zariel drawled, his voice dripping with amusement. He stepped further into the room after closing the door behind him. My instincts screamed at me to move, to defend myself in case he had any plans to attack me. Therefore, I shot up
Zade's POV I had barely settled into the throne chair when the heavy mahogany door creaked open, breaking the silence of the Grand Hall and my Beta walked in. I was about to inquire about the task I had assigned him, to bring forth all the she-warriors, when the door swung open and they marched in, one after the other, their boots echoing against the hard ground. My jaw tightened as my gaze swept over their faces and I remembered the disrespect they had shown to my mate, their Luna. The memory of her hurt expression flashed before my eyes and a surge of anger coursed through me. My fingers twitched, itching to wrap around the hilt of the dagger at my side. The thought of punishing them for their insolence, of watching the life drain from their eyes, was almost too tempting to resist. "Easy, man. Don't let your anger get the best of you," Nathan's voice cut through the haze of my rage. His words, though soft, carried an authority that even I couldn't ignore. It was as if he
Alpha Zade's POVI stirred awake the next morning, greeted by the golden rays of sunlight that poured into the room, streaming through the slightly opened windows. The light danced on the walls, illuminating every corner of my room and pulling me gently from the remnants of sleep. I tried to get off the bed and that was when I realized the weight on me. At first, I was confused, but then, I realized that it was my beautiful mate. A soft smile tugged at my lips as I gazed down at her sleeping form. Lenora looked delicate in the pale morning light, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Her dark lashes fanned against her cheeks and her lips, slightly parted, seemed to invite me to pause and admire her. She was an angel, pure and heavenly, yet here she was, lying in my bed. She was mine and nothing can ever change that. How could anyone let her go? How could that brute, Axel, cast her aside so callously, as if she were nothing more than trash, broken too?? The thought of
Lenora's POV I stood there watching Zade and his mother exchange relieved glances, their bond evident in the way they communicated without words. It was a connection I admired, one I hoped to have with her someday. But I came to realize that despite the calmness that settled over the room, a nagging feeling gnawed at the back of my mind. Talia's words, her venomous tone and the way she had looked at me like I was nothing more than an obstacle in her path, one that she couldn't wait to destroy. It left me uneasy. Merely looking at her, I could tell that she wasn't the type to walk away quietly. And Zade's reassurances, though comforting in its own ways, didn't completely ease my fears. “Lenora.” Zade's voice tore me away from my thoughts, pulling me back to the present. He was standing in front of me now, his bright eyes meeting mine. “You are overthinking again, aren't you?” I forced a small smile, though it didn't reach my eyes. “I'm fine,” I lied, brushing off his concern, bu
Zade's POV “What is she talking about?” My mother's voice cut through the air, her sharp eyes locking onto mine. I could see the confusion and suspicion in her gaze as she stared at me in close scrutiny. At that moment, I wished I could silence Talia forever and send her straight to the hell she deserved. She was really getting on my nerves. Talia walked forward, unaware of the tension in the air with a calm and self-assured attitude that was really annoying. “Yes, Ophelia,” she said, her voice dripping with a pretentious smile. “Zade and I are in a romantic relationship. In fact, we are almost done with our engagement ceremony. Zade can't be with any woman except me. That bitch…” she paused as she glanced quickly at Lenora, “Should leave. Her presence is not needed here, because, I, the rightful Luna is here to take my place as Zade's Luna” “Tell your mother about us, Zade.” She said as she reached for my hand, but I jerked away as if her touch burned. “Don't you dare
Lenora’s POV I couldn't believe my eyes. Standing before me was a woman I had thought I might never see again. Eight months had passed since that fateful day when I found her lying broken and battered on the side of the road, left to die by some unknown stranger. The memory of her frail body, barely holding to life, flashed vividly in my mind. I had rushed to her side, desperate to help and in that moment, I had felt a strange unshakable connection to her. Now, here she was, alive and radiant, her presence alone, commanding the room in a way I could never have imagined. “Ophelia?” I whispered, my voice trembling, barely audible over the pounding of my heart. “What are you doing here?” She tilted her head slightly, a soft smile curving her lips. Her eyes, warm and loving, met mine. “Lenora.” She said with that smooth voice of hers. “It's been a while, hasn't it?” I blinked, struggling to believe that the woman before me was the same fragile figure I had seen before. I
Lenora's POV The evening air was cool and quiet as I sat with Lucia on a bench. We didn't talk and the silence felt awkward. I had things I wanted to say, but I couldn't. The mean things the warriors said still hurt me and I didn't want to bother Lucia with my problems. Lucia had already done so much for me – confronting them, defending me — and I didn't want to burden her further with my pain. “See you later, Lucia,” I finally said, breaking the awkward silence. My voice sounded hollow, even to my own ears. It was better to go back to my room alone than to sit here and risk boring her with my thoughts. “Is there a problem, my Luna?” She asked, her tone laced with genuine concern. Her eyes searched mine, but I quickly shook my head, forcing a smile onto my lips. How could I explain the storm raging within me? The guilt, the anger and the grief. It was all too much to put into words. “Not really, Lucia. I'm just feeling sleepy,” I lied, the smile on my face feeling more lik