ASHVIN HARVEY’S POVMy mate.It still feels surreal. Just like her, I had searched for my mate, and at some point, I accepted that the Moon Goddess had never intended to give me one.With the strength she gave me, with the qualities that only a strong Alpha could possess, I knew it was a punishment, that was why she never gave me a helpmate.Until the day I met Zahra-Rose. I never knew my heart could beat for anything other than power and survival.Which is why I reprimand myself for feeling that way about my little brother’s planned mate. And yet, when I heard they weren’t mated, I felt a flicker of hope.If she didn’t have a wolf and I didn’t have a mate, what a perfect combination. That's what I told myself the day my father proposed that Zahra and I get married.And yet, when everything seemed to be going wrong for her, when the pack whispered behind her back and the gossip wouldn’t stop, her wolf showed up. And to my utmost relief, she is my mate. Mine.‘She belongs to us.’ Zen,
ZAHRA-ROSEThe nerves hit me hard as I walked toward the training grounds. My senses were sharper than ever. I could hear their voices loud and clear, not just the people nearby, but even those standing further away. Their breathing, the shuffle of their feet, the whispered words laced with suspicion and disdain, my ears picked up everything.I stopped walking, my heart hammering against my ribcage. It was overwhelming. Too much. I didn’t know how to shut it out.“Breathe, Zahra-Rose. I’m sure everything will be fine.”Her voice drifted through my mind, soft and steady, my wolf’s presence grounding me. I didn’t have a name for her yet, but her tone alone was enough to steady my spiraling thoughts.“Zahra-Rose.”I turned sharply at the familiar sound of the voice to see Ashvin’s mother, Luna Verena, walking toward me.I didn’t know why, but the moment I saw her, I felt calmer. Maybe because I knew she would be overseeing the training today.“Luna Verena.” I moved toward her and was ab
Ashvin helped me get to the pack house, ran a bath for me, and told me to relax while the scent of freshly cooked meat and roasted vegetables drifted from the table. My stomach growled in response.“Come eat with me,” I said before he could slip out the door.He paused, turning back toward me. His golden eyes darkened, the intensity behind them sharper than I had ever seen before.His gaze held mine, and slowly, so slowly, it drifted down to my lips. My heart hammered violently at the way his eyes lingered there.“I would love to,” his words dragged out, low and smooth. His eyes were still locked on my lips, a flicker of heat darkening his irises. “But I have a lot to do tonight. I hope you understand.”He didn’t move until I nodded reluctantly. Only then did he turn and slip out the door.At the sound of the door closing, I let out a shaky breath. Why was I suddenly so aware of him?Okay, it wasn’t sudden. Not really. But it was probably better that he had left… or else…..“I know wh
The humiliation still clung to me like a stubborn shadow, impossible to shake. No matter how many drinks I downed, the memory of being left standing at the altar alone, humiliated, and exposed before countless witnesses was a weight I couldn’t lift.I tilted the glass in my hand, swallowing the last bitter drop without remorse. Tonight, there were no rules, no obligations, no expectations. Tonight, I wasn’t the perfect daughter, the obedient bride-to-be, or the polished princess. Who follows every role and nod yes to everything that was said to her.Tonight I am someone different, someone else entirely.The busy bar was far away from home, chosen precisely for its anonymity. No one here knew me, and that was the point.“Do you mind some company?” someone asked from beside without even looking at him I knew he had a smile on his face.I groaned inwardly, the voice cutting through my thoughts. I turned slowly, plastering on a sweet smile for the man hovering beside me. “I’m sorry, but
I scrambled to my feet, shoving him off me as I staggered backward. My heart pounded, disbelief and confusion washing over me.What the hell is he doing here? No, what is Alpha Ashvin doing working as a stripper?He’s one of the most powerful Alphas in the four realms, feared and held in awe to in high regard by all. And yet, here he is, in the human side of all places, doing… this.I blinked, rubbing my eyes as if the action might erase the impossible sight before me. Maybe it was a trick of my imagination there was no way Alpha Ashvin Harvey Matarys would degrade himself like this.“Alpha Ashvin?” I called his name hesitantly, my voice trembling with disbelief.He didn’t answer, but his sharp, assessing gaze bore into me. His silence was confirmation enough, and a chill ran down my spine. This was no mistake. This was him.“What are you doing here, Zahra-Rose?” His voice was low, laced with irritation.I took another step back, his tone sparking a defensive flare in me. He’s annoyed
It had been two days. Two days since my father was laid to rest. Two days of endless, frantic searching for my mother and sisters. And yet, no matter how hard we tried, we hadn’t found a single trace of them, it was like they had vanished into thin air.I kept telling myself this had to be some cruel dream—a test from the Moon Goddess. Maybe this was her way of pushing me, of telling me that at 23, it was finally time for me to transform and become the wolf I was destined to be.Everyone else had it easy. By the time they turned 18, they’d already met their wolves, welcomed the transformation, and embraced the life of a werewolf. But not me.I’d done everything to make it happen. Pushed myself beyond exhaustion. My father, determined not to let me live without my true self, tried everything he could. Rituals, prayers, training—nothing worked. I couldn’t feel my wolf. I couldn’t sense my pack the way everyone else could.If I’d had that connection, I might have known something was wron
ASHVINThe first time I met Zahra-Rose, the girl my brother was so obsessed with, I stayed hidden, watching her from the shadows since. I had no idea why I couldn’t walk away, but something about her demanded my attention.Her white, fair skin glowed under the room’s warm light, and even with her long, black hair pulled into a tight bun, there was an effortless grace about her. It wasn’t just her beauty. It was something deeper—something radiating from within.Was it her smile? That smile seemed to light up the entire room, a smile so pure it felt like it carried no weight on this world. Or was it the way her warm, familiar eyes lingered on everyone she greeted, as though she genuinely saw them?It was clear why Asael fell for her. And yet, that realization only made my stare linger longer than it should have.I forced myself to look away. It wasn’t right to feel this way about my younger brother’s fiancée.When we were introduced, her smile didn’t falter. It was the same one she ga
As the search for my mother and sisters continued, I tried to stay calm, pushing back the constant wave of worry threatening to drown me. But whenever I was alone, the tears would come, unrelenting, no matter how hard I tried to hold them back. How could I not worry? The people I loved most in the world were missing, and I had no idea if they were even alive.Seated among the remaining of my pack, the air around us was heavy with grief. Everyone here had lost someone, their parents, siblings, mates. The weight of our collective sorrow pressed down like a suffocating fog.“We can’t keep living in another pack’s territory when we have one of our own,” a voice broke through the silence. One of the older warriors stood, his tone firm as he addressed the group.I understood his frustration. Our pack had been decimated during the attack, our warriors killed, our homes burned. We weren’t strong enough to stand on our own, not yet. “I know,” I said, trying to reason with him, “but we need t
Ashvin helped me get to the pack house, ran a bath for me, and told me to relax while the scent of freshly cooked meat and roasted vegetables drifted from the table. My stomach growled in response.“Come eat with me,” I said before he could slip out the door.He paused, turning back toward me. His golden eyes darkened, the intensity behind them sharper than I had ever seen before.His gaze held mine, and slowly, so slowly, it drifted down to my lips. My heart hammered violently at the way his eyes lingered there.“I would love to,” his words dragged out, low and smooth. His eyes were still locked on my lips, a flicker of heat darkening his irises. “But I have a lot to do tonight. I hope you understand.”He didn’t move until I nodded reluctantly. Only then did he turn and slip out the door.At the sound of the door closing, I let out a shaky breath. Why was I suddenly so aware of him?Okay, it wasn’t sudden. Not really. But it was probably better that he had left… or else…..“I know wh
ZAHRA-ROSEThe nerves hit me hard as I walked toward the training grounds. My senses were sharper than ever. I could hear their voices loud and clear, not just the people nearby, but even those standing further away. Their breathing, the shuffle of their feet, the whispered words laced with suspicion and disdain, my ears picked up everything.I stopped walking, my heart hammering against my ribcage. It was overwhelming. Too much. I didn’t know how to shut it out.“Breathe, Zahra-Rose. I’m sure everything will be fine.”Her voice drifted through my mind, soft and steady, my wolf’s presence grounding me. I didn’t have a name for her yet, but her tone alone was enough to steady my spiraling thoughts.“Zahra-Rose.”I turned sharply at the familiar sound of the voice to see Ashvin’s mother, Luna Verena, walking toward me.I didn’t know why, but the moment I saw her, I felt calmer. Maybe because I knew she would be overseeing the training today.“Luna Verena.” I moved toward her and was ab
ASHVIN HARVEY’S POVMy mate.It still feels surreal. Just like her, I had searched for my mate, and at some point, I accepted that the Moon Goddess had never intended to give me one.With the strength she gave me, with the qualities that only a strong Alpha could possess, I knew it was a punishment, that was why she never gave me a helpmate.Until the day I met Zahra-Rose. I never knew my heart could beat for anything other than power and survival.Which is why I reprimand myself for feeling that way about my little brother’s planned mate. And yet, when I heard they weren’t mated, I felt a flicker of hope.If she didn’t have a wolf and I didn’t have a mate, what a perfect combination. That's what I told myself the day my father proposed that Zahra and I get married.And yet, when everything seemed to be going wrong for her, when the pack whispered behind her back and the gossip wouldn’t stop, her wolf showed up. And to my utmost relief, she is my mate. Mine.‘She belongs to us.’ Zen,
ZAHRA-ROSE POVMate.I could hear the word echoing in my head, his mate. Ashvin’s mate.As I trembled in his arms while he handed me a change of clothes, I still couldn’t believe what had happened.“You better believe it,” she spoke again, this time the happiness in her voice was impossible to contain. “I’ve been waiting for this forever.”I sighed as I pulled the dress over my aching body, my hands still shaking. I thought I was prepared for this. I thought I would know how to control myself. But the sound of her voice inside me still made me tremble.“I’m done,” I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.Ashvin turned slowly, his golden eyes locking with mine. My heart skipped a beat. Looking at him right now, it all felt right.“Mate.” The wolf inside of me screamed again as if I hadn’t heard that word a thousand times already from her.“Come,” Ashvin said, extending his hand toward me.I hesitated for a second before placing my hand in his. The moment our skin touched, a shiv
Asael was by my side as I shifted back, offering me a change of clothes after the successful hunt.“You make this leadership thing look so easy. How do you do it?” he asked as I pulled on the shirt he handed me.Zen was exhausted, but satisfied.He loved coming out to play, to hunt, and to run beneath the full moon. The few hours we had just spent in the woods, hunting alongside the pack, had left him exhilarated. His low growl of contentment echoed through my mind.“That’s what makes me a true-born Alpha,” I answered, tossing the last piece of clothing over my body.Even now, I could still hear the high chants and music coming from the bonfire. Kai must have already presented the deer bodies from the hunt. The pack would feast well tonight.It had been satisfying to see Zen and Drew, Kai’s wolf, leading the hunt together. It had been a display of strength and unity, exactly what the Full Moon Festival was meant to symbolize.Asael still trailed behind me as I walked toward the bonfir
ASHVIN HARVEY’S POVI rushed to her side the moment her eyes fluttered open.“Are you alright?” I asked, my voice sharp with concern as her gaze swept the room. She rubbed her eyes, adjusting to the daylight spilling through the window.“Ashvin?” Her voice was soft, strained.“I’m here.” I took her hand as she sat up, her touch cool against my skin.“Water?” I offered, already reaching for the cup resting on the nightstand.She nodded, and I handed it to her.“Thank you,” she whispered before downing the water in loud gulps. Once finished, she set the cup aside and lay back down, closing her eyes, but she wasn’t asleep. Not yet.My jaw tightened as the memory of how she was brought here resurfaced.They had carried her, someone running with her limp body slung over his back.I had been furious when I returned from inspecting the mansion and discovered she was missing. It was early, too early for her to be wandering anywhere. I never expected her to leave the safety of the room. And ye
The room is still dark when I wake up again, silence filling the space.My memory went back to the words Ashvin had spoken before I fell aslesp but I pushed it right back to where it came from. He can't mark me, not yet.Even though I had a dreamless night, I knew it was because I was back in my pack, where my father wanted me to be.Remembering why I came here, I sit up from the bed and check myself through the dim light. My clothes are still the ones I arrived in.Carefully, I begin to tiptoe toward the door. My eyes scan the dark room for any sign of Ashvin in the lounge chair, but I see nothing.Holding onto the wall for balance, I walk toward the chair, running my hand over the soft material. He’s not there.My mind clicks into place as I remember there’s a switch nearby. I slide my hand over the wall, feeling for it despite the darkness until my fingers brush against the cold metal.I flick it on, and a dim light floods the room. My eyes sweep over the space, searching for him,
ZAHRA-ROSE POVNostalgia wrapped around me the moment we arrived at my pack’s lands, a heavy, bittersweet weight pressing down on my chest. This place had meant everything to me once, and now I stood at the edge of its ruins, looking at what was left. The crumbled walls, the overgrown grass swallowing what was once the heart of my home, it was hard to breathe through the ache that settled deep in my chest.Ashvin and I did not travel in the same car. He had things to discuss with Kai, his Beta, but the moment I stepped out of the vehicle, he was already there, standing beside me as though he’d never left my side.“I sent some men a few days ago to assess the damage,” Ashvin said, his voice low and steady. “We’ll know more about what needs to be done soon.”I nodded, my gaze following the movement of the pack members already at work. I could see the outline of progress ,new framework being laid down, but it still felt like staring at a ghost.“The pack court is already halfway rebuilt
ZAHRA-ROSE POVFor days, all I could think about was what my father told me. It haunted me, lingering in the back of my mind no matter how much I tried to push it away. His words followed me like a shadow, whispering through every quiet moment, reminding me of exactly what he expected me to do.Now, with the way things are unfolding in the pack, I know I should concentrate more , but I can’t. My fathers word follow me everywhere, demanding I do exactly what he wanted me to.“I heard the Alpha wants to start rebuilding the MoonBright pack again,” I heard someone say. I walked closer to the door, pressing my ear against it so I could hear properly.“Yes, I heard too,” another voice responded. “He should abandon that pack. The Luna is already useless enough; he shouldn’t waste resources somewhere with no progress.”There was a sound of agreement from the other person. My chest tightened, and anger surged through me, burning hot and deep. Taking a steadying breath, I pushed open the door