Asher’s POVThe tension in the air was thick as we walked through the estate grounds, past dimly lit pathways and the occasional chirp of a night bird. I could feel the weight of our plan pressing down on me, and I couldn’t help but wonder if we’d really thought this all the way through. Benjamin wasn’t the easiest person to talk to today, and if we wanted him to consider our proposal, we’d need a perfect balance of diplomacy and, well, a little luck.As we approached the fountain where he was standing, gazing at the rippling water, I knew he’d already sensed our presence. Benjamin turned, his expression guarded, hands tucked casually into his coat pockets. He looked at us with an arched brow, clearly unimpressed.“Well, well,” he said, his voice laced with skepticism. “Here we are again. What is it this time? Another one of your brilliant ideas that’ll make my life more complicated or you have decided that I do not deserve to see the next day for daring to talk to your mate?”I shot
Chapter 23A Day in the Life of the CEOWillow’s POVThe morning started off like any other in the office. I had barely settled into my chair when Ruby came in with a cup of coffee and a quick rundown of the day’s meetings. She had the perfect balance of energy and professionalism that made her indispensable; as much as I liked to think of myself as independent, having her support let me breathe a little easier. “Looks like you’ll have a break right before lunch,” Ruby said, scanning her notes. “I think that’s the first time in two weeks you’ve had a morning free.”I smiled, sipping my coffee. “Maybe I’ll take up knitting.”She rolled her eyes with a grin. “Knowing you, you’ll just fill it with something work-related. But hey, a girl can hope.” We laughed, and I let myself savor the moment before diving into my inbox.It wasn’t long before the peace was interrupted by a knock on my office door. Ruby’s eyebrows shot up, and she tilted her head toward the door with curiosity. “Expectin
Chapter 24Dread Willow's POVBy the time I got home, a hollow ache had settled deep in my chest, and each step I took felt heavier than the last. The image of that pink-wrapped box, once innocently cheerful, twisted itself over and over in my mind. It wasn’t just the sight of the rotten animal, its decayed form barely holding together in the tissue paper, it was the raw malice that came with it, the sharp reminder that someone out there wanted to hurt me. I’d thought I’d seen the last of these days, that the past was where it belonged, behind me. But it was back, lurking in the shadows of my life.Ruby had driven home with me, her presence a quiet comfort in the aftermath of the day’s horror. She busied herself in the kitchen, murmuring low into her phone, trying to set up some semblance of normalcy while keeping an eye on me. The smell still clung to my senses, ghosting through every breath. Despite the efforts of the Alpha’s security to sanitize my office, the memory remained sh
Chapter 25In the meadowAsher's POV The meadow stretched out under a twilight sky, and I could feel the weight of the day pressing on us all, though we tried to keep up the facade of calm. Benjamin had been pestering us since morning, demanding that we finally take him to meet the woman his parents had arranged for him. It was supposed to be a move to unite packs, to give him stability, and, frankly, to give us peace of mind that he’d stop meddling in things that had no business concerning him.We’d just left Willow’s office, and Axel’s nerves were frayed. Willow hadn’t been the same since the dead animal incident, and we were all on edge trying to figure out who’d orchestrated it. It was one thing to stir up trouble in pack matters, but sending such a morbid threat, took things to a different level."Would you just shut up for a second, Benjamin?" Axel snapped, his usually calm eyes filled with irritation. “You’re going to get your bride. Right now, we’re dealing with something big
Chapter 26An accidental meetingWillow's POV The drive was short, but each second stretched painfully, every shadow and bump in the road making my pulse jump. The eerie delivery that had arrived at my office days ago, a package with dead, rotting meat still lingered in my mind. Someone was out there, someone dangerous, and they wanted to shake me to my core. As if I wasn’t already looking over my shoulder with every step. I tried to focus on getting to Ruby’s mom’s house to see Daniel and Ella, but a heavy feeling of being watched hung over me, close as a second skin.Without hesitating, I pulled my phone from my bag, my hands trembling as I sent my live location to Jason and Ruby. Within seconds, my phone rang, Jason’s name flashing across the screen. I pressed it to my ear, trying to sound calm, trying to keep the rising anxiety out of my voice.“Willow, what’s going on?” Jason’s voice was taut with concern.“I… I think someone’s following me,” I said, glancing into the rearview m
Asher’s POVThe drive back to pack territory was silent and tense. After tracking Willow down to Ruby’s mom’s place, we agreed it was time to back off, at least for now. She’d been through enough, and part of me knew she needed space. Willow wasn’t the same person I’d grown up knowing; something had changed her, fractured her, and there was a rawness to her that told me she needed a breather before anything else.But, like everything else these days, that decision came with a sense of dread. The pack had become a web of fragile alliances, personal vendettas, and bruised egos, where the slightest move could trigger chaos. My brothers and I knew it too well. I glanced at Axel, then at Aiden. Both wore the same expression I did, guarded, anticipating.When we finally arrived back at the estate, Benjamin was there waiting for us. His expression was hard, lips set in a line that I was coming to know well. He was more than irritated; he looked... resentful. And I knew it wasn’t just because
Easy Way Out Asher’s POVFor the first time in what felt like forever, we had some news that could work in our favor. Benjamin finding his mate in the eldest Luna was a blessing, an easy way out of a mess that would have otherwise been a nightmare to handle. The pack politics and our father’s plans to push her into a forced relationship were no longer relevant. Fate had made the decision for us, and that was something even he couldn’t argue with.With a strange sense of satisfaction and relief, Axel, Aiden, and I headed to Father’s office. We shared a glance as we reached the door, a silent agreement that we’d keep things straightforward and quick. It was rare to have the upper hand in a conversation with him, and we weren’t about to let the opportunity slip.I knocked twice, and after a tense moment, he called us in, sounding more impatient than usual. We entered, finding him at his desk, surrounded by a pile of papers and his usual sense of restrained anger. He didn’t look up, not
The Beginning of the EndWillow’s POVThe day had a strange stillness to it, a calm that felt almost unnatural. I sat on the back porch, nursing a cup of tea and listening to Daniel and Ella’s laughter as they played in the yard. Watching them reminded me of simpler days, times I could never return to but held on to through moments like these.Jason and Ruby sat across from me, sharing in the quiet. Jason had insisted that I stay with him while everything blew over, and Ruby had seconded the idea with her usual no-nonsense attitude. It was safer here, they’d argued, away from curious eyes and too many prying questions. I knew they were right, and for now, it seemed like the best option."So, what happens if they find out, Willow?” Jason asked, breaking the silence.I looked up, caught off guard by the question. His face was serious, his eyes piercing as they searched mine. He didn’t need to say who "they" were, the triplets. My stomach twisted, but I forced myself to keep my voice ste
Chapter 100Merciless Obsession Willow's POVThe branches clawed at my skin as I sprinted through the forest, the cold night air burning my lungs. Every footfall seemed like it would be my last, but I couldn’t stop, not now, not when the men were so close. The sound of heavy boots crashing through the underbrush behind me was enough to send a chill down my spine. Their pursuit was relentless, merciless. I glanced down at Ella and Daniel, each of them held tightly by one of the men. They were exhausted, faces pale from the constant running, their bodies almost too weak to keep up. But they kept moving, urged on by the knowledge that if we stopped, we wouldn’t survive. I could see the pack’s border now. The outline of the trees that marked the boundary was faint in the distance, barely visible under the moonlight. We had to get there. We had to cross over and make it to safety.But something felt off. The border... it shouldn’t have been here. I was certain that we hadn’t been captu
Chapter 99Locks and KeysAsher's POVThe cold night air bit at my skin as we huddled near the border of our pack’s territory, the faint scent of damp earth and pine filling my nostrils. I leaned against the rough bark of a tree, trying to catch my breath. It felt unreal, being here, being free, but the freedom tasted bittersweet. We weren’t safe. Not yet.Kingston had pulled off an impossible rescue, and for that, we owed him our lives. But the weight of what lay ahead pressed heavily on my shoulders. Lilian and her dark forces had taken control of the palace. Our home. Our father’s legacy.The betrayal still stung like a fresh wound. I kept hearing Jason's words echo in my head: "You thought you were untouchable." And now here I was, on the run, fighting to take back what was mine. Our throne, our people, our future. The responsibility felt heavy, but I couldn’t back down. Not now.“We can’t keep running,” I said, breaking the silence that had settled over us. My voice was low but f
Chapter 98The Moon FireWillow's POVThe chains around my wrists felt heavier than they had yesterday or was it today? Time blurred in this miserable place. My body ached, my head throbbed, and every breath felt like a battle against despair. But I couldn’t afford to give up. My children were here, somewhere in this hellish place, and they needed me. I pressed my back against the cold stone wall and closed my eyes, focusing all my energy on the sliver of hope that I might reach them. Linking to my children wasn’t something I’d ever tried before. We hadn’t needed such a skill; we had always been together. But now? Now, it felt like my only chance to find them. “Daniel. Ella,” I whispered in my mind, trying to project my thoughts through the darkness. “Can you hear me? It’s Mommy.” Silence. I bit back a sob of frustration and tried again, pushing harder, imagining their little faces, their bright eyes filled with joy—or fear. “Ella! Daniel! Please, answer me.” And then I hear
Chapter 97Pristine ConditionKingston's POVI paced in my study, frustration bubbling under my skin like an itch I couldn’t scratch. No one was answering my calls, not Lina, not the triplets, not even the team members. Silence stretched across every channel I tried an eerie quiet that didn’t sit well with me. Something was wrong; I could feel it in the pit of my stomach. This wasn’t normal, not for any of them. The last time I’d spoken to Lina, she’d mentioned a vision about Asher and the house, she had said she was on her way to my place to drop off the kids so that I could babysit them for a few hours, at least until Asher was gone. After that, she’d gone quiet. Too quiet. My instincts were screaming at me that something had gone terribly wrong. I decided I’d head to Willow’s house, hoping to find some answers or at least see Lina and the kids. As I grabbed my keys and prepared to leave, a cold whisper brushed against my ear. “The palace dungeon.” I froze. The voice was f
Chapter 96Raging EncountersAsher’s POV The heavy slam of the iron door echoed through the dungeon, and I flinched involuntarily, the sound reverberating in my chest like a dull roar. The cold stone walls were damp, the air thick with mildew and despair. My brothers and I were chained to the wall, barely able to move, and yet, I couldn’t allow myself to lose focus. This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.Aiden groaned to my left, adjusting against his restraints. “This is humiliating,” he muttered. “A dungeon, Asher? Us? How did it come to this? Once we get out of here, I am going to rip Benjamin's head from his neck, this insolence will not go unpunished. I will make sure of it.”I had no answer for him, though the question burned in my mind too. Axel, on my right, was unusually quiet, his sharp mind likely racing for a solution. That was Axel, always thinking, always plotting.And then, from the far corner of the room, a low, eerie chuckle broke the silence. It wasn’t just any laugh
Chapter 95First LinkWillow's POVI woke up in darkness. At first, I thought I was dreaming, everything felt like a hazy blur, a disorienting mess of thoughts and fragments that didn’t quite fit together. My body ached, every muscle sore from being tied for what felt like days. My skin was sticky, and there was a bitter taste in my mouth like I had been drugged or forced to sleep too long.I tried to move, but the chains that bound me were cold and unyielding. My legs felt weak, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to stand. But then, a faint noise in the distance caught my attention, and I strained to hear, trying to block out the fogginess in my mind.The door to my cell creaked open.A familiar figure stepped inside, and my heart jumped. Elana.I couldn't help the anger that surged through me. She was the one behind all this. She was the reason my children were gone. She was part of the plan to put me through this nightmare. I could barely hold my head up, but I ma
Chapter 94Unexpected RiddleAsher’s POV I woke up to the sharp sting of reality, a jolt that ran through my body as the world came rushing back into focus. The first thing I noticed was the dampness against my skin, and the cold metal of the chair biting into my back. My wrists were bound tightly to the arms of the chair, my body immobilized in a way that felt too familiar. But the worst part was the silence. The heavy, oppressive silence that hung in the air, was thick and suffocating.I wasn’t alone.My eyes quickly scanned the room, taking in the sight of my brothers. Axel and Aiden were sitting beside me, both of them equally restrained, their faces contorted in confusion, anger, and fear. They were alive, but it was clear that none of us had any idea of how we got here.“What the hell?” I muttered, my voice hoarse from what felt like hours of unconsciousness. A soft, almost mocking voice answered. “Nice to see you awake, Asher.” I turned my head toward the sound, my heart lea
Chapter 93A Different WorldLina’s POVI woke up with a start, the kind of awakening that made my heart race and my instincts flare. My head was pounding, the dimly lit room swimming in and out of focus, but what really snapped me to full awareness was the low, guttural growl that echoed inside me. It wasn’t my own, not my own wolf growling, but something deeper, more primal like my wolf was responding to something she sensed, something she feared.My throat tightened, and panic flared within me. The last thing I remembered was taking the kids to the car, and telling them we were heading to Kingston’s place. I’d seen a vision of Asher coming to the house, his presence like a storm cloud on the horizon. I needed to get them out of there. I could still feel the cold, clenched grip of the vision in my mind, the urgency that had driven me. But after I’d gotten them in the car, everything after that went black.I didn’t remember how I ended up here.I shifted in the bed or was it a cot? I
Chapter 92Captured.Willow's POV Waking up from the drug-induced haze was always the worst part. It took a moment for my mind to reconnect with my body. The pounding in my skull was relentless, and my limbs felt like lead. But this time, something was different. I didn’t wake up to the suffocating silence or the dim flicker of the overhead light. Instead, I heard voices. Familiar, terrified voices. “Daniel? Ella?” My voice cracked, barely above a whisper, as my heart skipped a beat. Their cries, sharp and frantic, cut through the fog in my mind. It couldn’t be. My children couldn’t be here. This had to be a trick, another twisted game by Alpha Thane to break me. But when I forced my eyes open, reality hit me like a dagger to the chest. There they were. My babies. Tied to a wooden pole in front of me, their small bodies trembling, their faces streaked with tears. “Daniel! Ella!” My voice came out as a strangled scream, raw with disbelief and terror. The blood rushed to my h