ANMELDENNathaniel’s POVI stirred beneath the white sheets, a sharp cramp lancing through my lower abdomen. It was painful enough to make me wince and clutch my stomach.The slight movement was enough to wake Malik, and the bed shifted as his massive frame turned. His dark eyes fluttered open, heavy with sleep.“What's wrong, vasha?” he rasped, his voice groggy.I sucked in a breath, forcing my features to smoothen out. My mouth opened to tell him that nothing was wrong, when a second, far more intense wave of pain rippled through my belly. I gasped, curling inward.Malik hissed, his body going rigid. The haze of sleep vanished from his eyes in a fraction of a second, replaced by fear and worry.“What the fuck was that?” he demanded, sitting bolt upright.“It's... it's fine,” I managed to squeeze out through gritted teeth, holding my stomach. “It’s just a little stomach ache, Malik. Go back to sleep.”“Don't give me that bullshit, Nat. You’re marked, so I can feel your fucking pain,” he growl
Malik’s POV I killed my fated mate. And no, I didn’t regret it. Well, that was partially a lie. I didn’t regret killing her but I would regret the dire repercussions for it. Zaria was a useless waste of space. And she’d crossed a whole new level by trying that shit with me. That’s why I wanted her far away from me. What was the Imperial Alpha thinking be permitting her here anyway?Lunoria had a very important law regarding fated mates. In this empire, a lot of people didn’t believe in the Goddess anymore. Some were angry they never found their mate, while others were bitter that they weren’t fated to the person they actually loved. But one thing remained fundamental knowledge across every territory: no one was allowed to hurt their mate. People could be unusually cruel with the mate bond, knowing they held a certain kind of power over their significant other. Alphas were the worst offenders. Because of that history, the council had passed a strict law stating that under n
Nathaniel’s POV The exam was finally over. “We’ll be reaching out to the selected candidates soon,” the old man said. Not even a minute later, everyone stood up, rushing out of the hall. I pushed through the sea of crowded bodies, my eyes locked on the man as he turned to leave the podium with his young follower. “Excuse me, please! Let me through!” I called out, my heart hammering against my ribs. I needed to reach him. But no one was listening to me. Excited candidates shoved past, their shoulders and elbows jostling me in every direction. A sharp push from an eager Alpha scholar sent me stumbling backward. I gasped, instinctively wrapping one arm over my stomach to protect my small bump. Before I could hit the hard floor, a hand caught my elbow, pulling me back to my feet. “Careful!” Nora’s anxious voice rang out beside me. She kept a firm grip on my arm until I was steady, scanning my face with concern. “Are you okay, Nathaniel?” “I’m fine... thank you,” I breathed, clutc
Malik’s POVJax shifted his weight, glancing toward the closed door of my office. “Bane is still sulking outside,” he mentioned. “He hasn’t moved an inch since you yelled at him.”I rolled my eyes, a scoff escaping. “That is none of my fucking business. I told him to stay back, yet he followed me anyway. I’ve been getting too soft with him.”It hurts even more, because I knew why my beast was acting like this. He had learned those habits from Nathaniel. Nathaniel, who couldn't walk past Bane without showering him with treats and scratches. He was already getting spoiled.Jax stayed silent for a beat, his golden-brown eyes on me. “So... you’re really not going to talk about whatever has you in such a pissy mood? You look… horrible,” he said, leaning against the edge of my desk.I snapped my gaze up, glaring at him with enough coldness to make a lesser wolf drop to their knees, but not Jax. “Just go back to your post, Jax. I can’t deal with you right now.”He took a deep breath, his bro
Nathaniel’s POV “Nathaniel! Nathaniel!” The shouting pierced the haze in my mind, jerking me out of my thoughts with a startled gasp. I blinked rapidly, the bright sunlight filtering through the glass windows of the Academy conservatory stinging my eyes. “Oh, my Goddess... did you even hear a single word I just said?” Lucien groaned, rubbing a hand over his face in exasperation. I shook my head slowly, offering a sheepish apology. “I’m sorry, Lucien. I... I wasn’t paying attention.” My heart wasn’t in this room. Truthfully, it wasn't even in this body. My mind was completely consumed by Malik—by the fire in his eyes, the anger in his voice, and the pain in the way he had looked at me before leaving. It had been days since our fight, and the agonizing silence between us was slowly suffocating me. Lucien tilted his head, his eyes scanning my face with growing concern. “You don’t look okay at all, Nat. You actually look a bit pale, even.” He paused, leaning agains
Malik’s POV I strode into the barracks, my boots thumping against the stone floor. Since the palace didn't have a large enough medical wing to accommodate everyone, we had set up a temporary ward here. Rows of cots lined the hall, staffed by palace physicians who were moving between the rescued Omegas. I walked down the aisle, scanning their faces. The haunting look in their eyes was slowly starting to fade. As I passed, a few of them looked up, bowing their heads in reverence. “How are you all holding up?” I asked a young Omega resting near the edge of the row. “We are safe now, my Lord,” she whispered softly, offering a genuine smile. “Thank you.” A nod was all I gave in return, a heavy sense of responsibility settling in my chest. They were safe for now, but this was only the beginning. I needed to speak with the Imperial Alpha about releasing an official announcement that the missing Omegas had been recovered. Families needed to be reunited. I wasn’t sure what I’d do ab
[THE NEXT DAY...] Malik’s POV I wish I could say it's good to be back home, but the truth is, I would have left this pack years ago if I could only bring myself to walk away from the one person I actually cared about. Forcing a mask of composure over my features, I tried to seem as pleased as pos
Malik’s POV Hiding in my bathroom and beating off like an eighteen-year-old wasn’t something I imagined myself doing at my grown age, and yet… here I fucking am. I snarled at my reflection in the mirror in disgust as I stroked my already hard dick. I wasn’t usually the type of man who couldn’t mak
Nathaniel’s POVMalik’s home was absolutely breathtaking. It was a massive, modern estate nestled right at the edge of the pack’s inner circle, surrounded by towering glass windows and sleek stone walls that overlooked the forest. Inside, everything looked expensive—polished dark wood floors, plus
Malik’s POV I'm a second away from completely losing my mind. For fuck’s sake, I don't even understand how any of this happened, but one thing is certain—Nathaniel is pregnant. I wasn’t sure when I rushed him over here, thinking it was my own heart racing. But looking at him now, softly breathing







