ZAREK'S POV
Dinner had been a quiet affair for years in our family; I was used to it, and so was Axel.
But as I walked into the dining room, Lunnette scent me like a sledgehammer to the back of my head. I stood at the doorway, gripping the frame stiffly, trying to free my fingers so it didn't crush through the wood.
"Aren't you going in?" my brother asked. I took in a deep breath that almost made it seem worse and stalked into the dining room.
Once we were all seated, I looked to her and stilled. She looked beautiful, her pale blonde hair looking almost white; she seemed a little too pale with a slight flush to her cheeks. She looked up at me, and I looked away immediately.
"I've decided to take Lunnette as my mate." My father mumbled. For the second time, I think, I sat there, stunned and frozen in disbelief as his voice echoed in the room, in my ears, but though I could hear him,it seemed to take me time to grasp what he was saying.
My eyes locked on my father asI gripped the edge of the chair, feeling my claws dig into the wood; it cracked beneath the pressure.
I glanced across the room at her, where she sat by my father’s side with her eyes downcast, as if she couldn't bear to meet my gaze.
My wolf was screaming, thrashing inside me with a fury I had never felt before.
'My mate! My mate.'
But she wasn't really she. Not anymore.
I had rejected her. I rejected her.
It didn’t matter that I had done it in a moment of anger or fear. We hadstill said the words.
But the bond wasn't severed; my wolf whined.
"You can’t be serious," I spat, my voice barely recognizable as my own. My body shook, rage curling through every nerve, twisting through my veins like wildfire.
"You’re taking her? The omega?" The word came out in a hostile manner.
"She’s—"
"Not yours anymore, Zarek," my father cut in, his eyes hard.
"You and Axel made your decision when you rejected her."
"Father," I roared,my voice rougher than I intended. Lunnette flinched.
“Zarek, sit down."
"You can’t be serious. What the hell do you see in this whore?" I roared, flinching even as I said the words. He glared at me, and immediately, his pheromones filled the room. With the oppressive scent of another alpha, my wolf snapped in rage.
"Sit the hell down. This is my decision. You’ve made your choice, and now I’ve made mine. It’s time to move on.”
Move on? The words hit me like a slap, and my wolf wasn't making it easier, howling like a banshee.
He didn’t care about rejection. He only knew one truth—the omega Lunnette was ours.
"I won’t let this happen," I growled, stepping forward, my wolf dangerously close to the surface.
"She’s my—" I growled
"She’s not yours anymore," my father cut in, his tone colder than I’ve ever heard.
"You rejected her, Zarek. Both of you made that clear." He finished glaring, and Axel and I
"Do you think you can take her from me?" The words flew out before I could stop them. I shouldn't have said that. I was challenging my father and my alpha over a woman, an omega that didn't matter, but I felt too out of control.
My claws extended, sharp and deadly, my wolf straining against my control,like a storm was brewing inside me.
I wanted to lash out. I needed to. But I shouldn't, not when he was already being so lenient with me.
This wasn’t right.
My father didn’t flinch. He didn’t even blink. His calm was infuriating.
"She’s not yours, Zarek. You let her go. You rejected her. That means she’s free to choose."
"No!" I snarled, standing up so fast the chair behind me crashed to the floor. My heart pounded, and my blood roared in my ears. I surged forward, rage taking over. I needed to tear something apart—him, the walls, anything—to stop the fire burning inside me.
Someone screamed hoarsely, but I wasn't sure who it was, and I was not really sure I cared. My wolf wanted to rip through flesh, to claim her, to right this wrong.
"Zarek!" A voice called, hazy and out of reach
"Don't, brother," Axel’s voice cuts through the murderous haze, his hand clamping down on my shoulder, yanking me back before I could reach my father.
I spun around, chest heaving, only to meet my brother’s gaze—Axel.
He pulled me away with a force that matched mine, his expression calm but firm.
"Let me go!" I struggled against him, my claws still out, my fangs bared. I was moments away from shifting.
"Don’t do this," he muttered, low enough that only I can hear.
"Not here. Not like this."
"This is wrong, and you know it," I hissed to my brother.
My father’s expression didn't change, but there was something dangerous in his eyes now as he leaned into his chair.
“What’s wrong is you thinking you can interfere in my decisions." I snarled at him and Axel pulled me back.
"Don't," he hissed in my ear.
“Let go of me,” I snapped as Axel tuggedon my arm again, harder this time, and I stumbled back a step, my frustration turning on him, but he wasalready pulling me toward the door.
The pack housedoor slammed behind us as he shoved me outside, and I stumbled, nearly falling to my knees as the cool night air hit my burning skin.
"Calm down, Zarek," Axel muttered. His voice was low and steady.
"Don't fucking tell me to calm down," I hissed, pacing in front of him.
My muscles are twitching like a tightly wound spring coiled, ready to snap.
Axel growled in annoyance.
"Calm the hell down?"
"HHow the hell are you calm?" I asked my brother. I was usually the level-headed one, the calm one, the logical one, who never took things too far, so how the hell was I the one with guns blazing?
Axel crossed his arms, his gaze following me as I paced back and forth.
"He’s right, Zarek," Axel finally said, his voice even.
"We rejected her. She’s free to choose, and so is he."
A snarl tore from my throat, as I hissed
"Don’t you dare say that to me."
Lunette POV The moment that Varda fired that bolt I had been sure it would hit Axel. So sure in fact that the world had slowed around me, my breath caught in my throat as I braced for the worst. But then Lorraine had stepped in. While she quarreled with her mother all I could feel was relief—until Varda struck again, until I saw the bright red blood spreading across her clothes as she crumpled to the floor. Varda had tried to kill her own daughter. For a second, all I could do was stare. I stood frozen, watching in horror as Axel caught Lorraine before she hit the dirt. Lorraine’s body trembled, her hands pressing against the wound, her lips parted in shock. Varda turned back to Axel but before I could react, Zarek moved. A low, guttural growl ripped from his throat as his body twisted and grew, his Lycan form bursting free. He lunged at Varda, his teeth bared in a snarl. Varda barely had time to turn before his fangs sank deep into her neck. Her scream was cut off as he tor
Zarek POV They attacked us first, or they tried to anyway, after our escape we made plans to draw them out, it would be the best way to even our playing field and she was pissed when she discovered we were missing. She had brought her men in immediately,"Kill them all!" She roared and the battle that followed afterwards was pure chaos. Snarls and screams filled the night air as blood soaked the dirt beneath my feet. My muscles burned, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not until Varda was dead. The Lycan curse poured through my veins like fire, pain following it and pushing me past my limits. My body twisted, the monstrous power within me taking over. My claws lengthened, my teeth sharpened, and a guttural roar tore from my throat. Varda’s men hesitated at the sight of me. Good. They should be afraid. With a single leap, I tore into the nearest warrior, my claws ripping through armor and flesh like paper. The scent of blood thickened in the air as another wolf lunged at me his
Axel POV The weight of Curtis’s death still hung heavy in the air, but we had no time to grieve. The dungeon might have been cold and suffocating, but the fire of rage burning inside me made it bearable.We had to escape, and we had to bring Varda down. Zarek sat against the wall, arms crossed, jaw clenched. He hadn’t spoken much since Curtis died. I could see the storm brewing inside him, the need for vengeance, for blood. I felt it too, and it wasn't just the curse, to know that our mother had died at the hands of such a man. But Lunette—Lunette was different. She stood between us, but she didn’t cry anymore, the tears from earlier seemed to have dried up. "We have to kill her." Zarek hissed and shook his head "No." “We have to be smart,” he continued, voice steady. “We can’t just rush into a fight. Varda is dangerous. If we attack without a plan, we’ll lose.” “She killed our mother,” he growled, his voice raw. "She killed our father. She has to pay for it.” Lunette,
Lunette POV I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe. To have Varda standing before me, tall and proud no hint of remorse in her eyes, her golden hair catching the flickering light of the candle in the cabin we had run to, and her eyes gleamed with satisfaction as she looked down at me, at all of us. "You look surprised, darling." She purred, stepping closer, the scent of death clung to her, or was that Curtis blood pooling over the floor making my stomach churn. "Surely, you knew this day would come." I shook my head, willing myself to speak, but nothing came out. “Where’s Alpha Slade?” Axel asked, his voice low and dangerous. His hands curled into fists at his sides, barely restrained fury radiating off him. "He has to know that this won't end well for him." Varda sighed dramatically. “He's outlived his usefulness honestly it was such a burden waiting for him to kick the bucket" My father… dead? My legs nearly gave out, and I staggered back. “No,” I whispered, my voice ba
Axel’s POVThe council chambers were suffocating me, and Lorraine standing beside me was not doing me any favors to be honest, her face composed but I saw the glint in her eyes. She had me wrapped around her fingers and the council was helping her squeeze. They had all but declared, Lunette, Curtis and Zarek traitors to the pack. “We cannot allow them to run free,” Lorraine said, her voice dripping with false concern."If Zarek and Lunette are left unchecked, they’ll bring ruin to Grey Moon. We have to act before it’s too late.” I clenched my fists at my sides, barely containing my anger because I knew she didn’t care about the pack, only her own ambitions but her performance was flawless and the council bought it, murmuring their agreement,“Alpha Axel,” elder Fred addressed me. "You must send your soldiers to apprehend them. For the good of the pack.” I had gotten used to those words over the last few days, even more than I had gotten used to my own father's death. Maybe it wa
Varda POV I heard the news about Alpha Cormac's deathly injury, while I was cleaning up my new room, it had been one of the best news I had in a very long while.I knew it was time.When I had sent the assassins to finish off Lunette, it had never occured to me that I would catch bigger fish in my endeavor.The alpha Cormac, the biggest alpha om our coast and the most respected, it was a coup. A storm of satisfaction had spread through me, filling me, this was good. I needed this chance now, cold determination settled over me as I leaned back in the ornate chair in Slade's–my study now. The Grey Moon pack was vulnerable. Their leadership in shambles this was the time for me to get more than I had wanted with the chaos that was no doubt already starting to spread. I had my opening.And while Lunette wasn't dead yet, that wasn't something I couldn't solve later.Lunette. The name was a bitter taste on my tongue, that little brat was a thorn in my side. She was a loose thread, the la