Georgia’s POVThe walk back to the pack house with calyx was silent, each step feeling heavier than the last. His presence beside me was both a comfort and a puzzle. I stole a glance at him, his strong jaw set.We reached the pack house, and the bustle of pack members moving through the courtyard snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. Calyx paused at the entrance, turning to me with that same concerned look he’d worn in the clearing. “You sure you’re okay, Georgia? You’ve been quiet.”His question sounded strange.He studied me for a moment, as if weighing whether to press further, then nodded. “Get some rest. I’ll check on you later.”I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders disappearing into the crowd, and the knot in my chest tightened further. Rest sounded impossible. I needed answers, not sleep. But where to start? Confront Kael about Lydia ? Demand the truth from calyx? Or dig into my own memories, the ones from my past life, to see if they held any clues about the red-h
Georgia’s POVThe air in Kael’s chamber was thick with the weight of his words, the promise of truth hanging between us like a fragile thread. I sat on the edge of a carved wooden chair, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, my eyes locked on his. Kael stood by the hearth, the firelight casting shadows across his sharp features, making him look both divine and haunted. His admission that Lydia was no longer his lover had loosened something in me, but the questions still churned, about her, about why Kael’s fear seemed to pulse with a life of its own.“Start talking,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I need to know everything.”Kael exhaled, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of centuries pressed down on him. “Lydia was my mate, long ago,” he began, his voice low, almost a whisper. “Not by choice, but by a ritual forced upon us by the old gods. It was meant to bind our power, to make us stronger against threats to the pack. But it was never love. Not for me.”I swallowed, the
Georgia’s POVThe courtyard was a battlefield, the air thick with ash and the snarls of Lydia’s allies. Their glowing eyes cut through the haze like beacons of malice, and my heart hammered as I scrambled to my feet, pain radiating from my shoulder. Kael was already up, his body coiled like a predator, his gaze darting between the encroaching figures and me. Sylvara stood at his side, her dagger glinting as she muttered words under her breath, her violet eyes blazing with focus. The wards she was weaving shimmered faintly, a fragile barrier against the onslaught.“Georgia, stay behind me,” Kael growled, his voice barely human. His claws extended, and I could feel the power radiating from him, the alpha ready to tear through anything to protect his pack and me.But my eyes were locked on the spot where Lydia had stood, her taunting smile burned into my mind. Her words echoed, sharp and venomous: “Going somewhere, Georgia?” The way she’d looked at me, like I was nothing more than an o
Georgia’s POVThe world seemed to hold its breath, the mist curling around us like a living thing, heavy with Lydia’s dark magic. Kael’s hand was still in mine, his grip so tight it hurt, but I couldn’t pull away. His eyes, stormy and tormented, held mine for a heartbeat longer before he turned to face Lydia. “Lydia,” Kael said, his voice steady despite the chaos, “I won’t marry you. I won’t bind myself to you again. Not for the pack, not for the Tear, not for anything. You need to let this go.”Lydia’s face twisted, her triumph curdling into something feral. “Let it go?” she spat, her voice rising, sharp enough to cut. “You think I can just walk away from you? From us? You were mine, Kael. Mine!” Her hands clenched, and the dark tendrils in the mist surged, snapping like whips toward Sylvara’s wards. The shimmering barrier flickered, and Sylvara grunted, her knees buckling as she fought to hold it.“Kael, we don’t have time!” Sylvara shouted, her voice strained. “The wards are faili
Georgia’s POVThe Grove lay hushed in the wake of battle. Branches shuddered where Kael’s shockwave had torn through the underbrush; moonlight sifted through torn leaves and caught on the scattered shards of Lydia’s dark wards. I pressed my hand to my chest, heart pounding, as though it still fought against every beat. Beside me, Kael knelt over the fallen Tear, its silvery glow now gentle, like a pulse beneath his fingertips.“Georgia,” he said, voice low. The single word felt charged, as if he’d been holding it back through the onslaught. He reached for my hand, brushing away the blade of grass that had cut my palm. His touch was warm, an anchor in the aftermath.I swallowed hard. My lungs ached and I tasted copper in my mouth from exertion and fear. But there, in his gaze, I found something stronger than fear: relief, wonder, something dangerously close to joy. “We did it,” I whispered, and it was both a statement of fact and a question. Did we really?Kael nodded, his dark hair fa
Kael’s POV Later that evening, I was in my chamber, sitting near the hearth with a half-empty glass of wine when Karl walked in. His expression was unreadable as usual, but the faint twitch in his jaw told me he was holding back questions.“I heard what happened,” he said without preamble. “Between you and Lydia.”I let out a breath, rubbing my temple. “It’s been handled.”“Handled?” He stepped further into the room, arms crossed. “That’s all you’re going to say?”I looked up at him. “Yes.”Karl raised a brow. “Should I be worried?”“No.” I leaned back against the chair. “She’s been kept in her place. Loud and clear.”Karl stared at me for a few seconds longer, then gave a curt nod. “Good.” He walked toward the window, staring out at the darkened woods. “There’s been some murmuring about the pack house.”“What kind of murmuring?”“Just… talk. About the damage, the part that burned during the last attack. People are beginning to ask what the plan is.”I nodded slowly. “Calyx should’ve
Georgia’s POVI made my way to the maid quarters later that evening. I pushed the door open and entered. Leah sat cross-legged on the bed, a towel wrapped around her damp hair, flipping through a magazine she probably wasn’t even reading. I shut the door behind me, feeling a strange combination of excitement and nerves tightening in my chest.She looked up immediately. “Hey. You’re back early,” she said, smiling. “You okay?”I nodded, sitting on my side of the bed and drawing in a breath. “Yeah. I just… I need to talk to you.”She closed the magazine, giving me her full attention. “That sounds serious.”“It’s not bad,” I said quickly. “Actually, it’s… kind of good.”Her eyes lit up. “Okay, tell me.”I glanced at her, my voice softer than I intended. “Kael wants me to bring the kids to him.”Her brows lifted. “Wait, what?”“He wants to see them. He… he already booked my flight.”Leah blinked, her mouth slightly open, then she broke into a huge smile. “No way! That’s amazing! Oh my God
Georgia’s POVThe plane hummed beneath us, a steady drone that should’ve lulled me to sleep but didn’t. My stomach churned with a mix of anticipation and nerves, my hands fidgeting with the edge of the tray table. Leah, sprawled in the seat next to me, had her earbuds in, bobbing her head to some upbeat tune while flipping through an in-flight magazine. She looked so relaxed.I glanced out the window, the clouds below us glowing faintly in the dawn light. Somewhere down there, thousands of miles away, Kael was waiting. Waiting for me. Waiting for Nathaniel and Nathalie. My heart squeezed at the thought of their little faces, their wobbly steps, their garbled attempts at words. They were with Ruth, their caregiver, back at the estate, probably toddling around the nursery or giggling over some toy. I hadn’t told Ruth we were coming to get the kids yet, how do you explain to one-year-olds that they’re about to see their father for a holiday? But I could already imagine their wide, curiou
Kael’s POVThe sunlight flashed on my eyelids, uncomfortably waking me from the heaviness of my own body. I groaned, tossing on the bed, fighting with the stubborn light that insisted on slicing through my lashes. My head pounded. A dull, throbbing pain spread through my temples like someone had cracked a bottle open on my skull. I tried to turn away from the light, clinging to the remnants of sleep. But then I felt someone lying beside me. My eyes opened in a slow, reluctant crawl, but what I saw made them fly wide open in an instant. Georgia?She lay there, curled slightly to one side, the sheets barely covering her. Her hair fanned over the pillow, her bare back rising in what should have been a gentle rhythm of breath. She’s naked In my bed, next to me.And that’s when i remembered last night's incident even though I can't remember it all. I had laid with her.I sat up slowly, the sheet sliding off my own waist. My heart thudded, once, then again, louder than before. The memory wa
Georgia’s POV Later that night, I made my way to Kael’s chamber. I hesitated for just a second, bare feet pressing against the cold marble before I raised my hand and pushed the door open without knocking.The room was dim, but the reflection of the moon light made it better. The curtains were half drawn. Kael stood near the window, shirt undone, collar open, dark hair tousled like he had run his hands through it a thousand times.He turned slowly when he heard the door creak, brows lifting in surprise. “Georgia?” His voice was low, a little rough. “You are not sleeping. Are you alright?”I stepped inside, letting the door fall shut behind me. The soft thud echoed in the silence between us. “No, I’m not alright.” I said simply and truthfully.Kael’s gaze darkened with concern. He stepped toward me, and that was when I noticed the half-empty whiskey glass on the table beside his bed. The smell of alcohol hung faintly in the air, and when he came closer, it clung to his breath.“You’ve
Reveena’s POVI stood by the kitchen door frame slightly, arms crossed as I peeked at Georgia secretly while she hum softly to herself as she stirred the contents of the pot. She moved around the kitchen with an almost eagerness, occasionally wiping her hands on the apron Kael had given her earlier in the day. It was ridiculous how proud she looked, as if preparing one meal could suddenly make her suitable to stand beside him.She didn’t even notice me lurking. But I wanted to walk in and teach her a lesson but an idea popped into my head.Georgia flipped the lid open and gave the pot one more stir, her face gleaming with a smile that made my skin itch. I watched her lean over and sniff the soup, nodding approvingly to herself. Not a single spoonful to taste the grab she had made, not even a pinch to check if the seasoning was right. Just a sniff. She really was that stupid.“I think they’ll love it,” she whispered to herself, wiping sweat off her forehead before trotting off toward t
Reveena’s POVI shouldn’t have come.The thought repeated over and over in my mind like a chant as Kael’s amber flared with a fire I hadn’t seen before, not for me, but against me.“You don’t get to decide my fate, Reveena,” he growled, each word seething with disdain. “Over my dead body will Georgia ever be my mate? Is that what you came here to force on me?”I opened my mouth to reply, to remind him of the bloodlines, the council’s expectations.“If you think I’ll let anyone, even you, dictate who I bind my soul to… then I’m sorry to tell you this, Reveena,” he spat my name like it burned his tongue. “But I’ll become your enemy if that’s what it takes.”My breath hitched. I felt my heart crack loudly, painfully as though he’d just ripped it from my chest and crushed it between his clawed fingers. He turned away from me as if I no longer mattered. His hand curled into a fist at his side, shoulders tense, jaw tight. Not because of her he is acting this way towards me.“You would thro
Reveena’s POVI made my way to Kael’s chambers with thunder boiling in my veins.That moment I saw her, draped in simple fabric, eyes lowered like a servant, something inside me twisted. Not jealousy. No. This was something deeper. A storm of disbelief and fury at the very idea that someone like her could be in his presence so comfortably.I didn’t knock as I bagged into Kael’s room.The doors flung open beneath my hands, slamming against the inner walls. Kael was by the window, but he didn’t even flinch. He barely turned his head as I entered, and that only enraged me more.“Unbelievable.” I snapped. His eyes rose to meet mine. calm, cold, and far too steady for someone who’d just been caught entertaining a girl like that. “What?”“You know what I mean,” I hissed, stepping closer. “The girl I saw claiming she’s your mate. The one with her hair tied back like a kitchen maid. What is she doing here?”Kael arched a brow, folding his hands across each other with the kind of infuriating
Georgia’s POV“Leave.” He instructed as he pulled away. I took a step forward but he wasn’t giving me the chance to come closer. “You should leave!” He ordered again.I closed Kael’s door quietly behind me. My fingers lingered on the handle, as if wanting to go back in if I held it long enough. But it didn’t. He had sent me away.I didn’t want to leave, that I could stay and just sit in silence if that’s all he wanted. But Kael was persistent. His words had been gentle but firm. “Not now. Please, just go.”So I did.I walked down the long corridor with a dull ache spreading through my chest, the kind that doesn’t explode, just gnaws quietly beneath your ribs. The pack house was quieter than usual. Even the guards I passed seemed subdued. By the time I reached the new room Leah and I had moved into, I headed towards the bed. The room was bigger than our old one, the ceiling higher, the windows wider. It was nicer.Leah was folding some of Nathalie’s tiny clothes when I walked in. The
Georgia’s POV The night was quiet, too quiet. I looked at Kael as we stood under the tree beneath the moonlight.The silence between us wasn’t uncomfortable, just heavy. “You’re awfully quiet,” I said softly, breaking the stillness.Kael didn’t look at me right away. He had that faraway gaze, like he was speaking to the stars rather than to me. His jaw clenched, then relaxed. “I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell you something,” he said at last, his voice low and unsure.I turned fully toward him. “Tell me now.”A faint smile touched his lips. “There’s… a way,” he said, “to bring my mortal body back.”For a second, I just stared at him, blinking. Then the weight of his words slammed into my chest and I grabbed his arm. “Are you serious?”He nodded once.I let out a breathless laugh, joy blooming in my chest. “That’s incredible, Kael! That’s how? What is it? What do we have to do?”That’s when his smile faded.He looked down at his hands, flexing his fingers like he wasn’t su
Ruth’s POVI don’t remember how I got to the hospital.One moment, I was cradling her limp body in my arms, whispering her name over and over again like it could breathe life back into her. The next, I was speeding through the city streets, horns blaring behind me, lights flashing red and green but never registering. Her head rested on me, blood seeping through the fabric of my shirt, warm and sticky. Her lips were slightly parted, eyes closed. I kept telling myself she was asleep. She had to be.“Sis, stay with me,” I whispered, voice cracking. “We’re almost there, okay? Just… just a little longer.”But she didn’t stir.When I finally reached the nearby hospital and burst into the emergency room, I must have looked insane, my shirt drenched in blood, barefooted, my hands shaking so badly I almost dropped her. Nurses rushed toward me, their calm efficiency making my chaos feel even more unbearable.“We need a stretcher here!” someone shouted.“She’s not breathing,” I choked out, foll
Lucy’s POVI didn’t cry. Not in the cab, not when I stepped through the gates of our estate. Crying would have been easier than this slow, simmering ache twisting through my ribs.I got back home. “Madam?” One of the maids stepped forward, her voice hesitant.“Where’s Damien?” I asked softly, not stopping to look at her.“In the study, ma’am.”I walked past her without a word.The door was slightly ajar, warm light filtering through. Damien’s voice carried low across, probably on a call. I pushed it open.He was there, standing by the wide glass windows, one hand tucked in his trouser pocket, the other holding a tumbler of scotch. When he saw me, he straightened, his brow furrowing with concern.“Lucy?” His voice shifted immediately gentle.I crossed the room and collapsed onto the armchair by the fireplace, burying my face in my hands.He moved closer. “What happened?”I forced myself to look at him. “I went to see Georgia.”His lips tightened slightly, but he said nothing, waiting f