Alpha Michael's pov The silence was unbearable.I sat in my chamber, staring at the empty fireplace. Thinking about how I had pushed Samara away. Again.I told myself it was the right decision, that it was for her own good. That I was protecting her from myself. But I couldn't live with the guilt I felt from the pain I caused her. I could still taste her on my lips, still feel the warmth of her body against mine, feel her soft, pale legs around my waist.I clenched my fists. I never should have let things go that far. A kiss. Almost more than that. I had let my guard down.And for what? To remind myself of what I could never have?. Samara was too good for me. Her closeness to me was her putting herself in danger.A bitter scoff left my lips. It didn’t matter now. She was gone, just like I wanted. I should be happy but it was the opposite. Days had passed, and she still hadn't come around.But why did it feel like I was the one being punished?I had expected relief. Instead, all I fe
Samara's POV I sat on the edge of the bed, wrapping my hands around myself as if that could hold myself together. The wind kept blowing the curtains, making them fly. Unrelated, but the action reminded me of him.Michael.I could still feel him—his hands gripping my waist, his lips nibbing over my skin, his breath mixing with mine as if we were meant to become one. I had wanted him. Needed him. And for a moment, I thought he felt the same. But then he pulled away.He stopped.He pushed me away like I was nothing, like what we had was nothing. tears flowed freely from my eyes as I remembered every single moment. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to suppress the shame I went through.How could I be so stupid?How could I let my guard down?How could I be so foolish?My chest was heavy making me unable to hold it in anymore. I needed to talk to someone before my thoughts consumed me whole. - - -Lucian sat by the fireplace, sharpening a dagger. The flames cast harsh shadows on his face
Natalie’s POVThe staircase was cold beneath me, the glass tile steps pressing against my skin through the thin fabric of my nightgown. I hugged my knees to my chest, my shoulders shaking as I sobbed uncontrollably. I couldn’t hold them back anymore, not after the way Michael had looked at me tonight.Like he was disgusted, likeI was nothing.He pushed me out of his room with a cold, unmistakable rejection, without a word of explanation.Did I deserve it? Where did I go wrong with him? I clutched my chest, my heart pounding with a mix of pain and desperation. Why? Why did he treat me like this? He was supposed to be my mate or wasn’t he? That bond was supposed to mean something. It was supposed to be sacred.He had pushed me away like a stranger, his words cutting deep, making me feel like I meant nothing to him.Tears streamed down my face as I finally accepted the truth: Michael was gone for good. I'd clung to hope for so long, believing his distance was just a phase, but tonight f
Michael's POV Pity.That's what I felt for Natalie as she stood in the doorway with a tearstained face and more tears streaming down her face.But I stood rooted in spot. Samara tried wiggling out of my grip but my firm hold on her didn't let her.“Why?” Natalie asked amidst sobs.My lips couldn't part to speak the excuse my mind had come up with. I just kept staring at her.“Say something.” Natalie shouted. I felt Samara flinch in my arms and I held her tighter.Natalie went full on sobbing and ran off.“She didn't deserve that.” Samara whispered.“Don’t worry about her, she'd sort herself out.” he beamed. “The important thing is that you're here.” Samara tensed in my arms, unsure and hesitant. Her body was rigid, and I could sense her doubts. She wasn't convinced about us, or the force that kept pulling us back together despite our troubled past.I let out a slow breath, loosening my grip just enough for her to move if she wanted. She didn’t and relief washed over me. “Samara,”
(Samara POV)I don't belong here.The thought drummed in my head as I stood outside the tall doors of the grand hall of the Sky Bridge pack. My hands shook at my sides, the rough weave of my cloak chafing against my fingertips. I'm just a gardener, a nobody. I don't belong in this world of power and danger. Yet here I was, pulled by a force I couldn't explain, an invisible string pulling me to him.Michael.His voice had been no more than the haunting whisper in my head, low and commanding and tugging at my soul, which wasn't new. For today, however, to hear it was to disobey impossible. "Come to me," it had said trickling down my spine.I’d been alone for so long, surviving on the meager income my flower shop provided. Gardening was my escape, my sanctuary from the harsh reality of my life. But even that had been disrupted when the voice of the Supreme Alpha invaded my thoughts. I’d tried to resist, but resistance was futile.I took a deep breath and pushed the heavy doors open. It w
(Samara Pov)The house was quiet, oppressively so. I had returned only a few minutes ago, yet the quiet felt choking, wrapping itself around me like an unsolicited embrace. Having taken a quick bath, I stood before the mirror, my hair damp and clinging to my shoulders. The reflection staring back at me seemed foreign, a stranger inhabiting my skin.My gaze fell to my neck. The scars had long since faded, but my skin there was smooth and unblemished now. Still, I could feel the ghost of his bite, the burning pain that had sent me screaming, the savage sink of his teeth with feral hunger.My fingers stroked the skin there, and a shiver danced down my spine. My eyes closed as memory came with an immediacy that belied months.His lips.Almost unconsciously, my fingers worked their way to my mouth to trace the seam of my bottom lip. His kiss had come out of nowhere, scorching, and yet on my soul it left a stain. In my chest, at the memory of it, heat flowered, and I knew my cheeks colored.
Samara's POVI came awake to scuffling heavy boots against the ground, arms clamped behind my back and a heavy rough bag over my head. I kicked against them, my heart racing crazily in my chest."Let me go!" I shouted muffled and hoarse. "Who are you? What do you want?”They didn't answer, their hold instead just tightening as they pulled me along. The scent of pine and earth grew weak, replaced by the chill, sterile air of stone walls. A door creaked, and the sound of its slam behind us resounded across the wide expanse.Suddenly, the bag was snatched off my head.I blinked hard against the harsh light; my vision finally focused. And when it did, my blood ran cold.Before me stood Michael, his silver eyes locked with mine, filled with authority and something darker, something dangerous. He was every inch the Supreme Alpha, commanding, unyielding.“You,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. My mind was racing, trying to piece together what was happening. “Why am I here? What is going
(Alpha Michael POV)The moment the blood of Samara touched my lips, I knew I was doomed.The warm, metallic taste spread across my tongue, and a surge of strength suddenly coursed through my veins. It was instant, more powerful than anything Scarlet's potions or spells had ever managed. My Lycan, the beast I kept caged within me, growled in satisfaction as if her blood was the very elixir it had been craving.But it was far more than that, more even than just survival. The second my lips brushed her skin, even under the pretense of necessity, something animalistic snapped inside me. I wanted more than just of her blood but of her.I looked away, my tongue rasping against the inside of my lips as if it would scour away the ache. It wouldn't. The flavor lingered on, with the image of her keen eyes burning into mine in defiance, in hate.She hated me and I couldn't blame her.I closed my eyes, falling back in my chair, and my mind wandered to the first time I saw her.She had come to the
Michael's POV Pity.That's what I felt for Natalie as she stood in the doorway with a tearstained face and more tears streaming down her face.But I stood rooted in spot. Samara tried wiggling out of my grip but my firm hold on her didn't let her.“Why?” Natalie asked amidst sobs.My lips couldn't part to speak the excuse my mind had come up with. I just kept staring at her.“Say something.” Natalie shouted. I felt Samara flinch in my arms and I held her tighter.Natalie went full on sobbing and ran off.“She didn't deserve that.” Samara whispered.“Don’t worry about her, she'd sort herself out.” he beamed. “The important thing is that you're here.” Samara tensed in my arms, unsure and hesitant. Her body was rigid, and I could sense her doubts. She wasn't convinced about us, or the force that kept pulling us back together despite our troubled past.I let out a slow breath, loosening my grip just enough for her to move if she wanted. She didn’t and relief washed over me. “Samara,”
Natalie’s POVThe staircase was cold beneath me, the glass tile steps pressing against my skin through the thin fabric of my nightgown. I hugged my knees to my chest, my shoulders shaking as I sobbed uncontrollably. I couldn’t hold them back anymore, not after the way Michael had looked at me tonight.Like he was disgusted, likeI was nothing.He pushed me out of his room with a cold, unmistakable rejection, without a word of explanation.Did I deserve it? Where did I go wrong with him? I clutched my chest, my heart pounding with a mix of pain and desperation. Why? Why did he treat me like this? He was supposed to be my mate or wasn’t he? That bond was supposed to mean something. It was supposed to be sacred.He had pushed me away like a stranger, his words cutting deep, making me feel like I meant nothing to him.Tears streamed down my face as I finally accepted the truth: Michael was gone for good. I'd clung to hope for so long, believing his distance was just a phase, but tonight f
Samara's POV I sat on the edge of the bed, wrapping my hands around myself as if that could hold myself together. The wind kept blowing the curtains, making them fly. Unrelated, but the action reminded me of him.Michael.I could still feel him—his hands gripping my waist, his lips nibbing over my skin, his breath mixing with mine as if we were meant to become one. I had wanted him. Needed him. And for a moment, I thought he felt the same. But then he pulled away.He stopped.He pushed me away like I was nothing, like what we had was nothing. tears flowed freely from my eyes as I remembered every single moment. I squeezed my eyes shut trying to suppress the shame I went through.How could I be so stupid?How could I let my guard down?How could I be so foolish?My chest was heavy making me unable to hold it in anymore. I needed to talk to someone before my thoughts consumed me whole. - - -Lucian sat by the fireplace, sharpening a dagger. The flames cast harsh shadows on his face
Alpha Michael's pov The silence was unbearable.I sat in my chamber, staring at the empty fireplace. Thinking about how I had pushed Samara away. Again.I told myself it was the right decision, that it was for her own good. That I was protecting her from myself. But I couldn't live with the guilt I felt from the pain I caused her. I could still taste her on my lips, still feel the warmth of her body against mine, feel her soft, pale legs around my waist.I clenched my fists. I never should have let things go that far. A kiss. Almost more than that. I had let my guard down.And for what? To remind myself of what I could never have?. Samara was too good for me. Her closeness to me was her putting herself in danger.A bitter scoff left my lips. It didn’t matter now. She was gone, just like I wanted. I should be happy but it was the opposite. Days had passed, and she still hadn't come around.But why did it feel like I was the one being punished?I had expected relief. Instead, all I fe
Unknown's PovI hid behind the bushes, just beneath the window of the throne room where I could eavesdrop on Samara and Alpha Michael's conversation.“Get out” Alpha Michael thundered. Samara flinched and had a look of hurt and anger as she had her fist balled beside her.I was grinning from ear to ear like a child who was offered candy because when she was leaving, that could be an opportunity for me to talk to her under the facade of consoling her.I looked into the room again to see a sobbing Samara run out of the throne room.I adjusted my clothes and headed for the gate, determined to catch Samara before she leaves. My heart, pounding with anticipation. This was my chance. Finally, I could talk to her, maybe even convince her to come with me.But fate had other plans.I turned the corner and collided with someone, landing hard on the stone path. I looked up, wincing in pain, and saw Samara.Our eyes met for a moment, hers distant and lost in thought. Then she ran away, disappea
Samara's POV I tossed and turned, my restless body searching for the most favourable condition to fall asleep but to no avail.Sleep never came.I spent the entire night staring at the ceiling, my mind replaying the moment I almost had with Michael. The way his breath had mingled with mine, the way his hand had cradled my face, and the way my lips had almost touched his. I had pulled back at the last second, fear overriding every other emotion.Now, regret claws at my chest.Why did I stop? Was it fear of Michael? No. If I’m being honest with myself, it’s her. Natalie.I don’t know much about her, but I’ve seen enough to know she’s fiercely possessive over Michael. I’ve seen the way she looks at him, like she would burn the entire world down if it meant keeping him. If she ever found out that I had almost kissed him… I don’t even want to think about it.But no matter how much fear grips me, it would never stop me from stepping into Sky Bridge territory again.Michael and I won’t ta
I stared at Samara from the window of the throne room where she and the Alpha seemed to be having a heated conversation but I couldn't hear what they were saying.I looked at her, her perfect body, her sexy eyes, her soft hair. I should be the one holding her like that. I couldn't bear to watch her in the arms of another man. I needed to look for a way to separate them and finally have her to myself. Scarlet.Scarlet should have something.I journeyed as silently as I could to Scarlet's part of the palace, making sure no one saw me.“Scarlet, I can't stand them together. I can't stand the way he looks at her, the way she lets him near. I need to do something before he takes her away from me for good."Scarlet turned from her table, where she had been reading a bookl, her emerald eyes narrowing. She was always so calm, so unreadable, but right now, I needed her to care. I needed her to understand."You want to separate them?" she mused, flipping the next page of the book she was read
SAMARA'S POV As morning light poured in through my window, I felt a thrill of anticipation, knowing it was time to start my journey to him.I barely slept last night, my mind was occupied with thoughts of him and how I couldn't wait to be in his arms again.To feed him.The rational part of me argued that it was too soon. I had just been with him yesterday. Wouldn’t it seem... Desperate if I showed up again today?I frowned, trying to push the thought away. It wasn’t like that. I was just fulfilling my promise to him nothing more, nothing less. Michael still needed my blood to recover, and that was the only reason I was going.Who am I deceiving? I exhaled sharply, looking at myself in the mirror. I was needed, and I would go. It was as simple as that.My knees shook at the thought of him not feeling the same way. I knew, deep down, that my excitement wasn’t just about fulfilling my duty. I missed him.And that terrified me.***The Sky Bridge Pack house loomed ahead, its grand str
SAMARA'S POV Finally, I'm home. I felt relieved but I couldn't deny the emptiness I felt inside.The memory of Michael’s piercing gaze, the way his hand had shook as he released me, and most of all, the guilt in his eyes sent a shiver down my spine.Why?Why had he looked at me like that? Why had he let me go?After nearly sucking the life out of me, he had the audacity to feel guilty? My fingers traced the faint bruises on my wrist, the imprint of his hands were still visible on my skin. I couldn't stop thinking about him.I laid in bed forcing myself to sleep and accepting the fact that no matter how much distance there was between us, Michael still lived rent-free in my head.“Samara!”Lucian’s shrill voice echoed in my house, pulling me out of my sleep. I sluggishly dragged myself to open the door for him. He looked at me with pure relief in his eyes, and his hug was almost crushing.“I tried to find you! I searched everywhere, but it was like you vanished into thin air!” He p