Semua Bab The Stripper Alpha: Bab 21 - Bab 30

I don’t know how or where the rumor all started, but suddenly, I could hear the whispers, the hushed, cutting words people spoke about me throughout the pack.I tried to ignore it at first, convincing myself it was temporary. That it would pass. But I was wrong. The whispers grew louder, sharp and biting, and this time they didn’t bother hiding it anymore.I thought escaping to the restroom during training would help, but even there, they followed me, making it impossible to cut them off from the hurt I was feeling. “Can you believe that? What exactly is she going to do for us? Sure, she has a little strength, but it’s nothing compared to a wolf’s. Imagine her facing a strong opponent, she would be overthrown in seconds, and we would all be in danger.” One of them that followed me to the restroom said to the others. I clenched my jaw. I didn’t want the words to get to me. I’ve heard worse before. But the sting behind my eyes and the tightness in my throat told a different story.Th

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

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,

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 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,