Kai POVI stared at my mother, my heart thudding painfully in my chest. "What did you just say?" I whispered, certain I had misheard her.My mother's eyes—the same amber color as mine—bore into me with an intensity that made me take a step back."You didn't kill your mate, Kai. Your first mate.”"I… didn't kill her?"The words felt foreign on my tongue—like they belonged to someone else. For weeks, that nightmare had haunted me—visions of blood, screams, and the life I believed I'd taken with my own hands.The room seemed to tilt around me. The crushing weight of guilt, believing I was responsible for the death of a mate I couldn't even remember. The fragmented visions that had haunted me since the pack healer tried to recover my memories—a girl with bright eyes, her laughter, followed by screams and blood—suddenly took on a new, terrifying meaning.My knees buckled, and I stumbled back onto the edge of the bed. My head was spinning. I dragged my hands through my hair, trying to make
Kai POVPain flashed across my mother's face. "The building was collapsing. You had the human girl in your arms, but your mate was still inside. She told you to go, to save the human. She promised she would find another way out.""But she didn't," I said, the words like ash in my mouth.My mother shook her head. "By the time you got the human to safety and tried to go back, it was too late. The building collapsed. Your mate was trapped inside."A wave of grief crashed over me—not the abstract guilt I'd carried for years, but raw, visceral loss for a woman whose name I couldn't even remember."Why can't I remember her name?" I asked, my voice breaking. "Why can't I remember her face clearly?""The trauma was too great. Your wolf was going mad with grief and rage. The pack healer had to suppress your memories for your own safety and for the safety of everyone around you."I ran my hands through my hair, tugging at the roots as if the pain might bring clarity. "So, that’s why you erased
Kai POVI couldn't breathe. Couldn't think. The only thing that mattered was finding Lily.I ignored my mom calling out to me to at least shave but her voice faded into background noise. My wolf – Hud was clawing at my insides, desperate to reach our mate. The revelation that Lily was meant to be mine had ignited something primal within me—a need that couldn't be reasoned with or contained.I drove recklessly through town, my knuckles white against the steering wheel. Questions passing through my mind: Did Lily feel the connection too? Had she been experiencing the same inexplicable pull that had been tormenting me despite the short break? And most importantly—was she safe?When I reached her dormitory, I pounded on her door with enough force to make the hinges rattle."Lily!" I called, not caring who heard me. "Lily, open up!"After several minutes of relentless knocking, a door across the hall opened. A girl with sleep-mussed hair and annoyed eyes poked her head out."Would you stop
Kai POV"Alpha." He greeted me stiffly, dipping his head.It was my turn to be surprised. Lily has never mentioned an uncle to me. Why now of all time?I barely acknowledge him. My entire focus was locked on Lily who has refused to look at me. “You didn’t tell me you had an uncle?” I heard myself ask. Her lips parted in surprise as she stared atm. “I…”“Are you sure he’s really your uncle or is this another one of your antics to stay away from me?”“Seriously, Kai!” Celeste called out with irritation in her voice. “Lily found out a few hours ago herself. The least you could be is be kind.”“I wasn’t talking to you, Celeste,” I said woodenly and turned to Lily. “I came here to talk to you, can we talk at least? I’ve been looking for you everywhere. Went to your Dorm room and all.”“She doesn’t want to talk to you, Kai. Not when you’re like this. Have you forgotten in a hurry that you asked her to leave? You broke up with her, Kai…”“Stay out of this, Celeste!” I fumed and then snapp
Kai POVI stared at Tobias, his weathered face illuminated by the setting sun. Now that he was up close in front of me, he had a lot of similarities to Lily. The color of their eyes, for instance. Now he was staring at me waiting for me to say something—anything. But I didn’t have a damn clue what to say."A spell?" I repeated, trying to keep my voice even. The words felt foreign in my tongue, unreal even as they registered in my brain. "You're saying someone cast a spell on me?"Tobias nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving mine. "Not just any spell, Alpha Kai. A powerful binding charm, created by a hybrid witch. The magic is... unusual. Ancient. I've rarely seen it's like."I ran my hand through my hair, trying to process his words. My life has been a series of unexplainable misfortunes and pain recently. Could it all be because of some curse?"How can you be sure?" I asked, my throat tight. "That’s ridiculous."Tobias tilted his head. "Is it?"I opened my mouth to argue, to shut hi
Kai POVbarely slept after that dream. My mind was a battlefield, torn between the fragments of memories that refused to fit together and the overwhelming sense that I had been played. Manipulated.By who, I still didn’t know.But I was damn sure I was going to find out.The moment the sun rose, I called Lily again to remind her she was supposed to come over to the pack house. She needed to hear this. Maybe if I included her in this pain, she would understand that I wasn’t purposely leaving her out. Plus, she was the only one I could trust right now with this confusion brewing inside me.She didn’t say much over the phone. Just that she’d be at the pack house the next day.Now, as I paced back and forth in the main hall, waiting for her, I could feel my wolf clawing beneath my skin. Agitated. Unsettled.Pieces of my memory had started coming back—bit by bit, like shattered glass trying to form a reflection again. But it was slow, infuriatingly slow.I needed answers. And I needed them
Kai POVShe collected the sketch from me again. “To say the truth, I don’t think I’ve seen somewhere like this around the pack. Instead of wasting time and energy searching for the meadow, we could simply go to the pack archives. In my former pack, there’s always a record of everything the Alpha does. Marriages, achievements… that sort of thing.”“That’s true.” I nodded. “Every pack keeps detailed records of significant events. If you lost your memory around a specific time, there must be something in the archives about your first mate, maybe even about what happened."I straightened in my chair. How hadn't I thought of that before? "You're right. The records would have everything – marriages, deaths, significant pack events.""Do you know roughly when you lost your memory?" Lily asked, already gathering her things.I closed my eyes, trying to pinpoint a timeline. "Seven years ago. I was twenty-three."Lily nodded decisively. "Then let's go. The archives will have what we need."The
Lily POVThe drive back to Celeste's house was filled with a heavy silence. Kai's knuckles were white as he gripped the steering wheel, his jaw clenched tight. I wanted to reach over and touch him, to offer some comfort, but I wasn't sure if he wanted that right now. His mind was elsewhere, probably racing with questions about his past.When we pulled into the driveway, Grandpa Marcus and Grandma Elena were sitting on the porch, as if they'd been waiting for us. They shared a look when they saw Kai's face—they knew what was coming."I'll wait inside," I whispered, trying to give them privacy."No." Kai's voice was firm as he grabbed my hand. "Stay with me, please."I nodded, feeling the tremor in his fingers as they intertwined with mine.We approached the porch slowly. There was no small talk, no greeting. Kai simply stood before his grandparents, his voice breaking slightly when he finally spoke.“I know you both know that I lost my memories from seven years ago. I am beginning to g
Kai POVI shrugged. “But it’s true, Kai,” she turned to face me. “I still don’t understand. If all of these happened, why did that part of memory had to be suppressed?”I closed my eyes, letting the final pieces of the puzzle fall into place. “Because it was necessary. Mother had Healer Odin block my memories after I went completely mad under the
Kai POVCeleste was quiet for a long moment, processing this revelation. "There has to be a way to break it," she finally said. "Some kind of counter-spell or ritual.""Maybe," I conceded. "But until we find it, I can't risk being near Lily. The curse is designed to destroy any chance I have at happiness with my true mate. Serena made sure that even in death, she would have her revenge."
Kai POVThe dream shifted again, pulling me forward through time to a memory I had buried deep within my subconscious. This time, I was in my bedroom in the pack house. Moonlight was streaming through the windows, casting shadows across rumpled sheetsSerena lay beside me, her dark hair spread across the pillow like a fan. We had just finished making love, and I felt the familiar haze of
Kai POVHealer Odin cleared his throat, a subtle reminder that I was holding this stranger—my mate—for longer than was appropriate. Heat crept up my neck as I realized how it must look, and I gently helped her settle back onto the bed, though my wolf protested the loss of contact."I should ask you some questions," I said, trying to regain my composure as Alpha. "For our records."
Kai POV"Alpha, this is not wise," Liam warned as I carried Serena to our camp, her small form still unconscious in my arms. "She could be leading the rogues to us.""She's not a rogue," I insisted, my steps steady despite my warriors' apprehensive glances. "She's been attacked by them.""Or she's a trap," Marcus, my grandfather added. "We don't know who she is."
Kai POVDarkness covered me like a heavy blanket, thick and suffocating. I tried to open my eyes, to move, to breathe, but my body wouldn't respond. Was I dead? Did I fail to protect Lily? Did that bastard take her again? I tried to listen again for Lily’s voice, wishing I could just open my eyes. But all I could hear was something—distant beeping, muffled voices, and beneath it all, a familiar heartbeat. Lily. My wolf stirred at the sound, but we remained trapped in this void between consciousness and oblivion.Then, like a projector flickering to life, images began to form in the darkness. A forest, bathed in afternoon sunlight. The scent of pine and earth filled my nose, so vivid I could have sworn I was really there. My men flanked me in formation as we tracked rogue scents through the forest.Three years ago. Before I had met Lily. Before my memories shattered.The dream swept me into the scene completely, and suddenly I was there, living it again as if for the first time.I was
Lily POVEverything hurtBrightness. That was the first thing I became aware of—a harsh, glaring light that seemed to pierce straight through my eyelids. Pain followed, radiating from what felt like every inch of my body, a dull, persistent throb that intensified with each shallow breath.I tried to open my eyes, but they felt sealed shut, heavy and uncooperative. My mouth was dry,
Kai POVI had no time to dwell on it. The silver wound on my flank burned like fire, joining the chorus of injuries from my fight with Lucas. But Lily needed me, and nothing would stop me from reaching her."Kai!"I turned at the sound of my name, surprised to see my cousin Kevin rushing through the trees toward me. He came to an abrupt halt as he took in the scene—two dead assassin
Chapter 151Kai POVI stood in front of the French window of my office, my breathing ragged, blood was still seeping from the wounds Lucas had inflicted. Vanessa had sent me pack to my pack earlier after reluctantly agreeing to help search for her sister after seeing the evidence of Lucas's betrayal, but we had no solid leads on where he might have taken Lily.