Kari's POV
A few hours later, I walked through the gate, stepping into my parents' compound. My stomach twisted as I made my way to the main entrance where the guards stood. What was I even supposed to say when they asked why I was here?
“My Lady.” They bowed in sync. “You must wait until my Lord grants you permission to enter the palace.”
Of course. My parents had probably given the guards strict instructions not to let me inside again.
There was nothing to say except, “I’ll wait.”
My voice was hoarse, but one of them still turned and disappeared inside while I stayed put, my boxes sitting behind me like proof of my failure.
“Look who decided to come back.” Someone said and laughed like a witch. It was my father the Alpha.
I wasn’t surprised. If anything, I expected worse. All I wanted was a place to stay, though I knew full well they could throw me right back out.
“Father.” I forced the word out; I hadn't called him that in years. “Good evening.”
The door behind him opened and my mother stepped out with Bianca, my younger sister trailing behind her.
"Kari?" My sister called out with surprise in her voice. "Kari!"
She rushed forward, but my mother reached out a hand to stop her mid-run. My mother turned to me with hostility. "Is that who I think it is."
“It is your daughter, Kari." My voice cracked. “Good evening, Mother.”
She ignored that completely. “Why are you here?” Then, without missing a beat, she added. “Did you come with your husband, Kari?”
The question sent something sharp through my chest. I shook my head, eyes dropping to the floor. “I came back to live with you,” I whispered. "Something bad has happened between myself and Alpha Titan."
“What did you just say?” My father’s voice carried that same scoffing edge.
For a single moment, I debated telling my parents that it was all Indira's doing. Indira and I had been very close growing up as kids in this house, even though my mother was never at home with the idea of our friendship. My mother never saw Indira as her daughter; to her, Indira would always be my father's daughter but never hers.
But over the years, my mother had grown to slowly accept Indira, only to have her betray me like this. Perhaps my mother was right for not trusting her all along.
“We are no longer together, Alpha Titan and I." I finally spoke, leaving out the part about Indira. "I’m sorry, father..."
“Sorry?” His chuckle was dry. “You think your mother and I will take you back after everything you said and did to us? You family traitor!”
He snapped his fingers, and a guard stepped forward. My father muttered something I couldn’t catch, then turned back to me, his gaze unreadable.
“Well?” He shifted his attention to my mother. “What do you think?”
She let out a sigh, as if even having this conversation was exhausting. “She threw away her family for a man who was never worth it.”
My sister stepped forward. “We could forgive her, Mother. She needs a place to stay, even if it's just for tonight.”
I gave my sister a grateful smile, but she had looked away.
“That settles it.” My father nodded, exchanging a glance with my mother, who gave the smallest nod in return. “Take her things to the smallest chamber in the palace,” he ordered. The guards moved instantly, lifting my boxes.
As I walked past him, he spoke again. “Stay out of our way, Kari. You’re only here because you need shelter, that’s all. And stay away from your sister. She doesn’t need your influence.”
I didn’t respond. There was no point saying anything to him.
The second I stepped into the living room, I remembered the memories. The last time I stood here, I had been arguing with my parents, throwing insults at their faces, invalidating everything they ever did for me.
All because of a man who cast me aside for my own sister. I wondered what my parents would say if I told them it was Indira who did It.
A lump rose in my throat. I swallowed it back and followed the guards down the hall. When we reached the door of the chamber, one of them pushed it open, revealing a small and dark space with barely any furniture. “This is where my Lord has ordered you to stay.”
“Thank you.” I took the key from him and stepped inside.
This wasn’t where I belonged. I knew that. But it didn’t matter. I could’ve been exiled from the pack entirely, but I wasn’t. So, this was enough for now. I had a roof over my head at least.
I locked the door, dragged my boxes to the corner and took in the room properly. No wardrobe. My chest ached, but I pushed the feeling down. “It’s fine,” I muttered, collapsing onto the
Titan's POV.“I finally found her.” Clayton announced as he walked into my office holding a brown file in his hands.My heart leapt with joy. Finally I have found her. I could finally see Kira again and talk to her, express my feelings and tell her how much I miss her and how sorry I was for not trusting her. “Where is she?” I asked. My eyes practically danced with excitement.“From our informat, she is currently residing at the silver moon pack.” He replied.I sighed in relief, she was safe. “But….” Clayton added with a somber look. Something wasn't right.“What's wrong? Is she okay? Did something happen to her?” I asked worried sick to my bones.“No, she is currently safe but our informant told us she seems to have been hurt or kidnapped a few weeks back and there was. Little bit of commotion. He claims he is not able to get more information about that fact but that she was currently safe.” Hearing that Kira was hurt made me want to go crazy. Who could be so bold to hurt my wom
Kira POV My car was parked in the lot of The Illeth Pack in the morning. I reached for the entrance and ignored the greetings of the men by the door. “Is the young Alpha in? It's him I've come to see. Don't waste my time.” The men looked at themselves and one looked at me this time. “My young Alpha is in, my lady. But you can't disturb his sleep at this time of the morning. He came back very late last night and needs all the rest he can get before leaving again this morning.” What were they saying? Why should I care if the young Alpha was sleeping or not? I had come to stay in the pack just as Mother advised and maybe talk to him about his change. Didn't I wake up early this morning to prepare to be here? I looked at the men, pushed one aside, and walked to the door of my room. When I walked into the space, it was cleaned. In confusion, I turned around and looked at the door. Does it mean they've been expecting me long before now? With a smile on my face, I became more calm and
Kira POV I snatched my towel from the wardrobe and headed to the bathroom. Only four more days and my vacation was over. I hadn't seen the doctor yet which shouldn't be so. The thought of this reminded me about how careless I could be sometimes, although I was certain that the babies were safe. They didn't have issues in the meantime and this was because of how I prioritized fruits and vegetables. As soon as I finished my bath, my gaze darted to the wall clock in my room and there it was. I had almost three hours more to spend in the house before finally leaving for the hospital. I must have something to eat before anything else. So with the towel wrapped around my large stomach, I walked into the kitchen - thinking of what to eat and then making up my mind the very next moment. Turning around, I walked to the store where crop fruits were kept. Taking about three small potato crops, I walked back to the space and set to work. It didn't take long for me to be done with the cooking
Kari POVI sat on the cold steps outside my parents’ house, staring at the massive wooden door that refused to open for me. My fingers trembled as I held my phone to my chest, reading and rereading the last message I got from my father.“Go home, Kari. Your mother needs rest, not stress.”Stress. Was that what I had become to them? Just a source of stress?A lump formed in my throat, heavy and hard. Tears burned my eyes but I swallowed them back. I pressed my palm against the stone step, feeling its roughness bite into my skin. Maybe pain would keep me from crying. I blinked up at the clouded sky, feeling the breeze brush my face and hair.It was only yesterday that everything went silent after the explosion. At first, I thought it was thunder. I remembered freezing for a moment, my chest refusing to expand, as the ground shook beneath my feet. The smoke rising into the sky felt like a dream I couldn't wake up from. Later that evening, when I heard that the explosion was at the pack’s
Kari POVThe smell of burning wood and blood clung to my hair as Viktor pulled me through the narrow alleyways. The screams still echoed in my ears, each one slicing through my chest like a blade.“Viktor, slow down,” I gasped, my feet stumbling over a loose stone. “My family… I need to find them.”He stopped abruptly, turning to face me. His eyes, dark and intense, searched my face. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and his chest rose and fell heavily as he tried to catch his breath.“Kari,” he said firmly, cupping my face with his calloused hands, “listen to me. We can’t go back there right now. The entire parade square is in chaos. Warriors are trying to secure the streets. If we go back, we’ll only put ourselves in danger.”Tears blurred my vision. “But what if they’re hurt? What if Bianca was near the explosion? What if mother and father—”“Don’t,” he cut in, his voice gentle but unyielding. “Don’t torture yourself with what-ifs. Right now, we need to get somewhere safe. Then we’l
Kari’s POVThe sun burned gently above the Silver Moon pack as drums echoed down the streets. The annual military parade was in full swing. Warriors marched in neat lines, their silver and navy uniforms glinting proudly under the daylight. Children sat on their parents’ shoulders waving small flags, their laughter mixing with the strong rhythmic beat of the war drums.But none of it touched me.I stood by Viktor’s side near the stone fountain, clutching the news scroll that had nearly slipped from my trembling fingers when I first read it that morning.Crystal was arrested.My mind kept repeating the words, looping like a broken song. Crystal was arrested… for working with the BlackRiver pack.The same BlackRiver pack that abducted me. The same men who chained me to their underground cells, starved me, beat me, and left scars that still burned on cold nights.I looked up at Viktor. His strong jaw was tight, his hazel eyes scanning the crowd warily as if ready to fight anyone who came