Tamara’s POV
As soon as Jack was out of sight, I rushed to my room, and went straight to the closet. It was time to begin the first phase of my plan. I shoved aside the soft, delicate dresses Jack liked me to wear and reached for the boldest, most daring outfit I had. It was a leather warrior set, black and fierce, with intricate gold and silver designs that gleamed in the light. The material hugged my body in all the right places, showcasing both my curves but still making me look powerful. It was a piece specifically made for a Luna. It commanded attention, and respect, so Jack hated it when I wore it. He didn’t like the fact that whenever I wore it, every single pair of eyes always ignored him to focus on me. It was perfect. I turned to the mirror and started applying a little makeup. That was another thing Jack had never allowed me to do in my past life. He used to say that he didn’t want me looking too good, because he was afraid that someone would realize how beautiful I was, and take me away from him. I used to think he was joking, but after our marriage, when he started locking me up at home, I soon realized he was very serious. He was scared someone would steal me away before he could claim my pack completely, and that was the very same fear I would use against him. For the final touch to my outfit, i picked up the Alpha’s chest pin my parents gave me before they retired. It was designed as a golden Phoenix, it was meant to signify the transition from a child to the pack’s leader, and since a Phoenix was also the symbol of death and rebirth, I thought it was the perfect jewelry for me. Suddenly a soft voice sounded behind me making me freeze. “Tamara?” I spun around to see Violet, my best friend standing at the doorway. I stared at her, unable to believe my eyes. She was alive. “Violet?” I whispered, shakily. In my past life, I was forced to to watch as Jack and Katie cruelly beheaded her right in front of me, claiming that she had been plotting with King Dante to kill me. I hadn’t believed them of course, and I even fought to save her. But then, Violet’s own husband, Richard, had provided some evidence that proved she helped Dante to kill my parents and I was heartbroken. Violet had crawled on her knees, begging, crying and telling me that Alpha Dante wasn’t our true enemy but I didn't understand her then. I still tried to save her, but Jack cruelly killed her right in front of me. I was devastated. Later, I found out that her so called husband Richard had fabricated everything, just so that he could inherit all her property and marry his younger mistress. Richard was our Gamma and Jack's closest friend, so they planned everything together. They had successfully gotten rid of both of their wives and had replaced us with their mistresses. But here was Violet now, my beautiful best friend standing in front of me. Alive and healthy. I rushed forward to hug her tighter than I had ever held anyone in my life. “I’m so sorry,” I whispered to her. “I should have listened to you, I’m so, so sorry.” I cried and she was stunned . Violet awkwardly patted my back, clearly confused about why I was acting like this. “Tamara? … are you okay? What’s going on?” I pulled back to look at her innocent face and smiled. “I’m fine now that you’re here,” I said honestly, “And i promise I’ll protect you this time, Violet. I won’t let anything happen to you. Not this time.” She frowned and placed her palm on my forehead to feel my temperature. “Are you sure you’re alright? Are you feeling feverish?” She asked and I shook my head with a laugh. She frowned more. “Then what are you talking about?” She asked before suddenly noticing my warrior outfit. “And… why are you dressed like that?” “I’m going to the warriors’ meeting,” I told her. Violet’s face immediately tensed, and her eyes widened in alarm. “No, Tamara, no,” she suddenly whispered urgently, grabbing my hands. “You don’t have to go to that meeting. Please, you have to trust me. Stay out of this.” Her sudden fear startled me. Why didn’t she want me to go? I knew that she was constantly trying to protect me, she was the only one who ever dared to tell me the truth about Jack and Kate, and that was probably why they had her killed. But what was the problem now? Why didn’t she want me to go to the meeting when it could help me save my pack? “Violet, what’s wrong? What aren’t you telling me?” I asked, but she refused to say anything else, just insisting that I shouldn’t go to the meeting. Whatever she was hiding, it only made me more determined to go to the meeting and find out. I grabbed her wrist and began walking to the meeting. Violet tried to protest, but I didn’t give her the chance as I dragged her with me down the hallway, to the meeting room. When we arrived at the meeting hall, I heard voices talking, so I pushed open the doors with force, and all eyes immediately turned to me, then the hall immediately fell deadly silent. I felt Violet stiffen beside me, and my eyes followed her line of sight until it landed at the top of the table where Jack was sitting. But that wasn’t what made her freeze, what made her freeze was the fact that Kate was sitting right beside him, on the Luna’s chair, right were I was supposed to be sitting. I gritted my teeth as my blood began to boil. That fucking bitch! So this was why Jack didn’t want me to come to the meeting. He was already trying to replace me with Kate. Already giving her my position as Luna, even though I was still alive. He said this meeting wasn't a place for a woman, but that rule clearly didn't apply to my sister. So he had been stopping from attending important meetings, just so he could parade his slut in my place? My fists clenched at my sides, How dare they?!Kayla POVI didn’t know how long I’d sat there beside him — my father. My real father. The man everyone thought was dead, the man my mother, Lady Rina, had apparently spent her last days protecting me from a world that was never meant to keep us safe.Every few minutes, I found myself studying the lines at the corners of his eyes. Trying to memorize him — this gentle way he spoke my name, the cautious way he kept brushing a hand over my hair like he was making sure I was really here.“I used to dream about this,” I murmured, my fingers curling tighter around the tea cup he’d pressed into my hands. “About you.”He smiled at me, and it did something strange to my chest. “I dreamed too, little one. Dreamed of a thousand ways to find you again, to pull you back from the hands that tried to snatch you from the enemies side.”I swallowed the tight knot in my throat. I could feel Adrian’s eyes on my back — hovering at the threshold of the small study. He hadn’t moved closer, hadn’t sat down.
Kayla’s POVMy mind was still spinning from the word that had slipped so easily from King Konstantine’s lips: My daughter.I felt like the world had tilted under my feet — but I forced myself to stand firm between the snarling boys.“Enough!” I snapped, planting my palms on both their chests. “You’re not tearing each other apart, not for me.”Adrian was instantly at my back. I felt his warmth before I heard his voice — low, protective.“Kayla, get behind me. Now.”Before I could protest, I felt him step in front of me for the second time , shielding me with that broad, infuriatingly stubborn back of his.King Konstantine’s deep chuckle rolled through the clearing like distant thunder.“She really is Brave, boy. Very brave.”Adrian’s shoulders stiffened. He glanced back at me, confusion and suspicion battling in his eyes.“Kayla,” he murmured, just loud enough for me to hear, “why is he calling you his daughter? What is going on?”My throat bobbed. My mouth opened but nothing came out.
Kayla's POV Adrian’s words echoed in my head: Stay here. Wait for me. But the longer I sat in this ridiculously luxurious room, the more restless I became. I paced back and forth, my fists clenching at my sides. “Kira,” I whispered to my wolf, “what if he’s in trouble again? Or what if he’s… hiding something that can cause us to drift apart again?” 'He is our mate, Kayla, nothing in this world can make us drift apart from him,' Kira hummed in my mind, but I felt her unease too. I pressed my palm to my chest. No. I was not going to sit here like a pretty porcelain doll while my mate might be facing danger without me. I was not that weak, obedient Luna anymore. “I’m going to help him,” I muttered. I strode to the mirror and paused at my reflection because the necklace was still glowing. For a fleeting moment, I worried about the necklace’s dark whispers. Would it take control of me again? If I tried to use my powers, would it take over again? — but then Kira’s voice broke throu
Adrian's POV I had barely managed to herd all eight of the infamous Lycan brothers into my largest conference room. It felt like trying to pin down a tornado with silk threads — pointless and guaranteed to shred my patience. “Sit,” I ordered firmly, gesturing at the polished oak table that I already regretted letting them near. Instead of obeying immediately, the biggest of them — Boris, I think — snarled at his younger brother for brushing past him too hard. Within seconds, two more joined in, hurling curses in that thick Lycan dialect that made my temples throb. “For the love of the goddess—!” I stepped between them just as Boris lifted the other one off his feet. Before I could bark again, the door cracked open. Louisa slipped in, a vision of calm in her sleek navy dress, despite being my cousin by marriage, technically one of their cousins too. “Brothers.” She lifted her chin, and the room fell eerily silent. For a whole three seconds. Then the youngest brother — Lev, if I
Adrian's POVThe second Louisa’s voice left her lips, a headache bloomed behind my eyes.“How much time do we have?” I asked, trying to keep my voice level, even though my wolf was pacing restlessly inside me.Louisa flicked her wrist, checking a slim watch. “Twenty minutes, maybe less if the royal guards don’t find traffic amusing today.”Connor cursed under his breath. Logan muttered something about locking every single side door. Ingrid just blanched and vanished toward the west wing before I could even assign her a task.And Kayla… poor Kayla looked completely lost beside me.“Adrian, what’s happening? Why is he coming?” she asked, tugging at my sleeve. Her wide eyes always undid me.I forced a calm smile, which probably came out more like a grimace. “Nothing for you to worry about, love. Everything’s under control.”She folded her arms, not buying it for a second. “If it’s under control, why did Connor just sprint down the hall like he’s about to fight a war?”I took her hands in
Kayla's POVWhen I walked into Adrian’s room and saw all my things neatly arranged—my things on the shelf, my brush in the bathroom, even my favorite pair of slippers already the bed—I stopped in the doorway and just stared.It was overwhelming.The scent of fresh linen mixed with his cologne, so familiar, so grounding. It wrapped around me like a memory I hadn’t dared to hope for again. And now here I was… back.I slowly stepped further in, my fingers brushing over the smooth wood of the dresser.“I’m actually back…” I whispered to myself.My wolf Kira practically purred inside me.Kira: Finally! We get to sleep beside our mate. We get to touch him, kiss him, have sex--"Hey! Hey! Hey! Stop there!" I cut her off with a little smile but kept my voice firm.“Don’t get ahead of yourself. We’re only sleeping. That’s it. No funny business.”Kira: Ugh, you’re such a killjoy. We can still snuggle him at least, right?“Snuggle, fine. But behave.”Kira huffed, but she quieted.Just then, stro