NOAH'S POVI exhaled loudly as I stepped into my room, every bone in my body aching with exhaustion. Without even bothering to turn on the lights, I tossed my bag somewhere across the floor and collapsed face-first onto my bed.Moments later, Gavin walked in like he owned the place, which, to be fair, he kinda did—and sat on the edge of the bed. He reached for my sneakers and began slipping them off without a word. His hands moved with care, warm and familiar. Then, as if he could read my mind, he started massaging my feet, slow and gentle.God, I swear, Gavin is my favorite person for a reason. He always knows what I need before I even ask."You look worn out, Pookie," he murmured, his voice soft.I gave a tired nod, shifting slightly to lie on my side. Then I turned fully and rested my head on his lap, sighing in relief as I got comfortable. Gavin reached up and carefully pulled off my wig, letting my real jet-black hair tumble out in soft waves. The familiar weight of it against my
ARES’ POVI panted loudly, the cold wind slicing past my face as I raced through the dense woods in my wolf form, Rex. The moonlight glistened off my fur, but it couldn’t calm the restlessness surging through my veins. I pushed harder, my paws slamming against the forest floor, claws digging into the earth like I was trying to outrun something… someone.Jason was far behind me. No surprise. No beta could match an Alpha’s speed—not when the Alpha was running like a beast possessed. And I was. Possessed by irritation, rage, and something worse: confusion.The reason?I can't place. The investigation, Noah, my mate, everything That damn boy—no, that confusing little problem—had a special gift for getting under my skin. The way he talked back. The way he looked at me. The way he moved like he didn’t know the danger he was always in. I couldn’t even be near him without my skin crawling and my wolf howling in my head.Everything about him—his scent, his energy, his presence—infuriated me.
ARES’ POVI stood by the balcony rails of my penthouse, high above the Crescent Moon Pack territory that sat hidden in the hills above Los Angeles. From here, I could see the stretch of land we ruled—kids racing around the training fields, warriors sparring in the distance, patrol wolves jogging their usual rounds. At first glance, everything looked peaceful. Serene.But it was a lie. It took a lot to make it look like that.The unease in my chest told me otherwise.I brought the cigarette to my lips, inhaled deeply, and let the smoke drift into the cool air. I never liked smoking, hell, I hated the habit. But recently, it's been the only thing that made the weight on my chest feel a little lighter. As if the smoke could carry away the thoughts clawing at my head.They want to draw out the Moon Guardian… Gerry's words rang loud in my head.My mate.I took another drag, bitterness curling in my mouth.They were playing a dangerous game—and not just with anyone. With me. An Alpha cursed
NOAH’S POVI landed softly on the damp grass and looked up at my window with a smug grin. Classic. I had just outwitted my brothers again, an art I’d been mastering since childhood. Climbing out of windows, ducking security cams, and sneaking into the night like a ninja had been my thing long before I could spell “trouble.”I dusted my hands and pulled my black hoodie tighter, melting into the shadows of the L.A. night. The city buzzed faintly in the distance, but this part of it was still quiet, the moon casting silver over empty sidewalks. My stomach growled for the third time. “Right, hunger strike,” I muttered sarcastically. Since my brothers refused to let me go on the school trip, I figured I’d protest the only way I knew how to,by starving.But who was I kidding? Hunger and I were not friends.So here I was, dressed in full stealth mode—black hoodie, low cap, and my trusty short wig, on a mission to grab a large pepperoni from Lenny’s Pizza, my favorite little corner shop off M
ARES’ POVThe city lights flickered past us as I drove through the shadowed streets of Los Angeles. The scent of concrete and late-night tacos hung in the air, mixed with a distant saltiness from the ocean breeze. The occasional palm tree whizzed by, casting fleeting shadows across the dashboard.From the corner of my eye, I kept stealing glances at Noah.His head was leaned out the window, his short hay fluttering with the night wind like he was some carefree teenager out on a midnight joyride. As if that wasn't enough, he stuck his hand out too, letting it slice through the air. The city was sleeping, but Noah was alive—too alive.“You really want to go on that school trip?” I asked, my voice calm but firm, slicing through the heavy silence between us.There was a pause. Then his voice came, softer than usual. “Yeah,” he said, almost like an exhale. “It’s not just a school trip to me. It’s like… a breather from all this. From my brothers. From my messed-up life.”He turned toward me
I leaned against the edge of the bar, staring at Noah like he owed me answers… or maybe I just liked watching the way his lips moved when he tried to explain himself.He looked at me, eyes glassy, cheeks pink, like he was caught red-handed.Then...Tada!...he pulled out a half-empty bottle of wine from behind his back like it was a magic trick.“Here,” he said with a goofy smile, voice thick with a drunken slur. “This is what I’m hiding.”He laughed, more like giggled, and for a second, I froze. What the hell was that? That wasn’t just tipsy behavior. That was... dangerously adorable.I walked over, snatched the bottle from his hand, and moved it out of reach. He groaned, reaching for it like a toddler wanting candy."Mine," he whined.“Nope.” I sidestepped.He lost balance and tumbled backward onto the couch with a thud. “Oops...couch is spinning,” he murmured, blinking at the ceiling.I sighed and sat on the glass coffee table across from him, setting the bottle down like it was cont
NOAH’S POVThe first thing I felt wasn’t the warmth of the sun slipping through the blinds, it was pain. A throbbing, full-blown war in my skull."Ugh," I groaned, clutching my head. It felt like someone had dropped a goddamn stereo speaker on it during the night. I couldn’t move right away. I just lay there, breathing in the sharp scent of clean linen and something else—cool and earthy, like the aftermath of snow.Wait… where the hell am I?The events of last night were fogged out like an overexposed film reel. All I remembered was Professor Rex handing me a glass of wine, with that smug, dangerous glint in his eye.Okay. I think I understand why the throbbing headache. I must have gotten drunk.Oh God.Did I tell him anything? That can't beI pushed myself off the bed, nearly tripping over my own legs as I dragged myself to the bathroom. Turning the faucet on, I splashed my face with cold water and stared into the mirror. My hair was a full-blown disaster—stuck-up strands and pillow
ARES' POVI stood by the window in my study, watching Noah rush out of the penthouse like his pants were on fire. I had come here to grab my car keys and offer him a ride, but it seemed like someone was in a rush. I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head, before turning to make a call."Get my private jet ready," I said coldly into the phone, my voice firm. I didn’t wait for a response before hanging up. There was only one place I had in mind now.~~~CRESCENT MOON ORPHANAGEAs I walked into the orphanage, bags of treats in my hands, I could’ve had the security carry them out of the car for me, but I wanted to be here. In this space, I wasn't just the Alpha—I am a father to the kids who had no one else."Daddy!" The pups shrieked the moment they spotted me, and I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my face. Their joy was contagious. I dropped the bags and let them swarm me, trying to climb all over me. I spotted a tiny little pup trying her best to get into my arms, so I cro
NOAH’S POVThe softness beneath me felt unfamiliar—too gentle, too clean. I blinked against the golden light pouring through the curtains, mind foggy, muscles oddly relaxed. For a second, I didn’t even know where I was.Then two sharp green eyes stared down at me.I jolted upright. “Penny!”My voice cracked, and I nearly headbutted her in my haste. Without thinking, I lunged forward and wrapped my arms around her, burying my face in her shoulder.God, I missed her.Not even a full day had passed, but the silence she left behind had pressed on my chest like a weight. It was too still, too empty. As though something essential had been scooped out of me.She didn’t hesitate—just hugged me back, warm and tight, like she always did. Penny never cared about the rules. Never made things complicated. Whether I was Noah the boy or the girl I really was, she loved me anyway.When I pulled back, I found her studying my face with concern.“Where were you?” I asked, breathless.“Nathan said you ha
ARES' POVI sat in the backseat of the black Mercedes, fingers clenched into a tight fist on my lap. The air in the car was thick, suffocating almost, as I replayed the scene from earlier—over and over again.That damned image.Sebastian’s arm wrapped around Noah.Little Leister The protective, almost possessive way Sebastian held him. My jaw clenched. He had no right. No one did.How dare he let someone touch him like that?A low growl vibrated in my throat as I leaned back against the leather seat. The engine purred softly, and yet, the rage burning within me roared like a wildfire. I was this close to snapping earlier—if Sebastian had said one more word, if he had looked at me with that smug glint in his eyes—I might have ripped him in half."Noah doesn't know who Sebastian is" Rex tried to reason But the rational voice in my head was quickly drowned out by the fury. I didn’t care. The passenger door opened abruptly, and Penny slid in, dressed in a chic white blouse and matching
NOAH'S POVA low groan slipped from my lips as the morning sun crawled across the hotel window, stabbing directly into my eyes like it had a personal grudge. My stomach grumbled loud enough to make me wince. Damn it. I hadn’t eaten properly yesterday. Lucas had made breakfast before we left, but I was in too much of a rush to even take a bite. Now, my stomach was throwing a full-on tantrum.I blinked the sleep out of my eyes and glanced around. Sebastian’s bed was empty. Of course it was. He was probably out being annoyingly perfect while I looked like a half-dead raccoon.Dragging myself from the bed, I shuffled into the bathroom and splashed cold water on my face. Bathing was not an option, not while my stomach was holding a riot. I threw on a clean T-shirt, ran my fingers through my tangled mess of hair, and left the room, bouncing a little as I walked through the hallway toward Penny’s room. The plan was simple—grab Penny, find Nathan, and inhale some pancakes before my insides d
NOAH'S POVWith a loud sigh, I dropped face-first onto the bed, exhausted. The soft sheets barely cushioned the weight of the day, but I was too tired to care. Settling into this room hadn’t been easy—Penny had made it her personal mission to make us roommates. She had pouted, whined, and even dragged me by the wrist to the invigilator's office like some rom-com heroine on a mission. But the middle-aged man barely blinked before crushing her dreams.“Rules are made for reasons and can’t be bent to meet your convenience,” he’d said like it was his life motto. Penny looked like she was on the verge of either crying or committing murder. I had to drag her away before she did both.Eventually, she gave in, reluctantly, and stomped off, muttering about the injustice of the world.Now, alone in the room, I barely had the strength to move. But then I heard the soft creak of the bathroom door opening. I turned my head lazily, and my breath hitched a little.Sebastian stepped out, steam traili
NOAH'S POV“Gavin, hurry up!” I yelled, gripping the handle above the car door like my life depended on it. My heart was racing faster than the car. Penny had just sent a picture of her and Nathan at Siege’s private airport. I hadn’t told them yet that my brothers had finally changed their minds and were letting me go for the school trip I wanted to surprise them—dramatically, of course.“I’m not gonna be the reason Lucas locks you up in that house like Rapunzel again,” Gavin snickered, his hand lazily draped over the steering wheel. “Just call your friends and tell them to stall the flight.”“Ugh, you’re not helping. Just drive faster!” I snapped, ignoring the smug grin tugging at the corner of his lips.The moment we swerved into the private terminal driveway, Gavin hit the brakes. “Here we are, your royal highness,” he announced, like he hadn’t just nearly murdered us with his terrible driving.I flung the car door open before he could even park properly. “Gavin! My bags!” I shoute
ARES' POVI stood by the window in my study, watching Noah rush out of the penthouse like his pants were on fire. I had come here to grab my car keys and offer him a ride, but it seemed like someone was in a rush. I let out a low chuckle, shaking my head, before turning to make a call."Get my private jet ready," I said coldly into the phone, my voice firm. I didn’t wait for a response before hanging up. There was only one place I had in mind now.~~~CRESCENT MOON ORPHANAGEAs I walked into the orphanage, bags of treats in my hands, I could’ve had the security carry them out of the car for me, but I wanted to be here. In this space, I wasn't just the Alpha—I am a father to the kids who had no one else."Daddy!" The pups shrieked the moment they spotted me, and I couldn't help the smile that stretched across my face. Their joy was contagious. I dropped the bags and let them swarm me, trying to climb all over me. I spotted a tiny little pup trying her best to get into my arms, so I cro
NOAH’S POVThe first thing I felt wasn’t the warmth of the sun slipping through the blinds, it was pain. A throbbing, full-blown war in my skull."Ugh," I groaned, clutching my head. It felt like someone had dropped a goddamn stereo speaker on it during the night. I couldn’t move right away. I just lay there, breathing in the sharp scent of clean linen and something else—cool and earthy, like the aftermath of snow.Wait… where the hell am I?The events of last night were fogged out like an overexposed film reel. All I remembered was Professor Rex handing me a glass of wine, with that smug, dangerous glint in his eye.Okay. I think I understand why the throbbing headache. I must have gotten drunk.Oh God.Did I tell him anything? That can't beI pushed myself off the bed, nearly tripping over my own legs as I dragged myself to the bathroom. Turning the faucet on, I splashed my face with cold water and stared into the mirror. My hair was a full-blown disaster—stuck-up strands and pillow
I leaned against the edge of the bar, staring at Noah like he owed me answers… or maybe I just liked watching the way his lips moved when he tried to explain himself.He looked at me, eyes glassy, cheeks pink, like he was caught red-handed.Then...Tada!...he pulled out a half-empty bottle of wine from behind his back like it was a magic trick.“Here,” he said with a goofy smile, voice thick with a drunken slur. “This is what I’m hiding.”He laughed, more like giggled, and for a second, I froze. What the hell was that? That wasn’t just tipsy behavior. That was... dangerously adorable.I walked over, snatched the bottle from his hand, and moved it out of reach. He groaned, reaching for it like a toddler wanting candy."Mine," he whined.“Nope.” I sidestepped.He lost balance and tumbled backward onto the couch with a thud. “Oops...couch is spinning,” he murmured, blinking at the ceiling.I sighed and sat on the glass coffee table across from him, setting the bottle down like it was cont
ARES’ POVThe city lights flickered past us as I drove through the shadowed streets of Los Angeles. The scent of concrete and late-night tacos hung in the air, mixed with a distant saltiness from the ocean breeze. The occasional palm tree whizzed by, casting fleeting shadows across the dashboard.From the corner of my eye, I kept stealing glances at Noah.His head was leaned out the window, his short hay fluttering with the night wind like he was some carefree teenager out on a midnight joyride. As if that wasn't enough, he stuck his hand out too, letting it slice through the air. The city was sleeping, but Noah was alive—too alive.“You really want to go on that school trip?” I asked, my voice calm but firm, slicing through the heavy silence between us.There was a pause. Then his voice came, softer than usual. “Yeah,” he said, almost like an exhale. “It’s not just a school trip to me. It’s like… a breather from all this. From my brothers. From my messed-up life.”He turned toward me