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 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 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 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 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
Lily POVI used to think I could withstand anything fate threw at me…I mean – I was hated by my father and my sister, practically a maid in my own house and the invisible daughter of Alpha Stone … but nothing prepared me for the sight that greeted me.My hands trembled on the doorknob of my sister’s bedroom as a strangled gasp escaped my lips. The door was slightly ajar, and through the narrow gap, I could see Lucas – my boyfriend and mate-to-be of three years cuddled together with my sister, Vanessa on the bed.Their voices drifted out, hushed but clear in the quiet hallway.“Just reject her, and it will be over,” Vanessa murmured, running her fingers through Lucas’s hair. “You promised me, Lucas. Don’t chicken out now,”.Lucas sighed, pulling Vanessa closer. “I know that, but… it’s her birthday today, Nessa. Can’t it wait?”Vanessa's eyes narrowed as the corner of her lips lifted into a sneer. “And also, mine, in case you’ve forgotten. So, consider it my birthday gift… it has to b
Lily POVI trudged back to my room, my father’s cold words and Vanessa’s smirk still echoing in my mind. I was used to their ill-treatment. I should be used to it, but every time they spoke to me like this, the sting of their words would pierce through my heart, leaving me miserable.Collapsing onto my bed, I closed my eyes, allowing myself to drift into fantasies of having the best birthday ever tomorrow – one where Lucas would make me feel special and loved.I had barely settled into the dream when the annoying buzz of my alarm clock rang, jolting me awake. Stretching like a lazy cat, I stared at the wall opposite me for a few minutes, I couldn’t believe I was 18 today. Instead of excitement, a familiar weight settled in my chest.No one cared that I was 18 today…Also, I had to make breakfast for my father and Vanessa and do other chores… it didn’t matter that today was my birthday.Dragging myself out of bed, I made my way to the kitchen. Since no one was up, I had the pack house
Lucas POVI sat on the edge of Lily’s bed feeling like a fraud, my eyes fixed on her unconscious form.My heart felt heavy with the weight of what I’d done. I reached out, gently, tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear.“I’m so sorry, Lily,” I whispered, trying to rein my emotions in. “You deserve so much better than this – than me,”.How had it come to this?As I watched her, memories of us flooded my mind. The first day I met, Lily, she was hiding from a group of girls who had obviously been bullying her. She had looked so fragile that day when she ran up to me and asked me to hide her.She was so different from the others in the pack. While others mocked me for my status as an adopted child, Lily had seen past that and befriended me.That was the first time anyone ever needed me or asked for my help. In that singular moment, I felt as powerful as the moon goddess. Our first date had been at a local diner after weeks of saving… I wanted to take her somewhere special but s
Lily POVMy eyes fluttered open, my head pounding with the worst headache I’d ever experienced.For a moment, I lay still, trying to piece together what had happened. Then like a wave, everything came back to me. Lucas’s rejection, Vanessa’s words that night, the pain I had felt when Lucas rejected me. Everything I had feared would happen had truly happened… the moon goddess knew how to give the best birthday gifts.I sat up abruptly, ignoring the wave of dizziness that washed over me. This wasn’t a nightmare after all. The ache in my chest was enough proof that everything had happened. This was my new reality and it was a bleak one.“Happy birthday to me,” I muttered bitterly, my voice hoarse.As I buried my face in both hands, trying to remember when I had kept the pain meds in my room, the door of my bedroom was thrown open and Lucas ran in. When he saw me, relief flooded his face.My heart clenched painfully as our eyes met. Part of me wanted to scream at him to go away, to never
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.