Isadora's pov“How?" The boy whined pitifully, “How do we ge’ papa back when he wants naya only!" Julian scrubbed at his wet eyes with his hand, an action immediately stopped with my own before he could further irritate his eyes.I had to swallow around the bitter taste of in my mouth. Kieran had always wanted her. Since before. Even after I stayed with him, with only an engagement ring on my finger. After I raised his son. He was an ingrate.I smiled, though my stomach clenched painfully. “He doesn’t know what he wants right now. But I do. I know what’s right for you. For us and I'll make sure I get him back.”He sniffled once and nodded. Slowly. Like it still hurt, but he didn’t know what else to believe. I held him tighter like it could make it better.“everyone out there thinks I stole you away,” I murmured, voice even and calm. “But that doesn’t mean they're right. You don’t have to be afraid.”“I’m not afraid,” he whispered, though his small hands were gripping the fabric of my
Kieran's POVMy blood boiled instantly. I nearly crushed the phone in my hand. The gall. The nerve. But I inhaled through my teeth and forced myself to see it for what it was: an opening. An opportunity.Me: Where and when?Isadora: Dinner. 9 p.m. Santino’s. Ask for Booth 5.Nondescript. Discreet. Of course, it would be. Damn her—Santino sat at the edge of the lake of the pack. The lighting was dim, the sign half-lit and the inside smelled like burnt garlic and wine. It was a good spot for wolves and tourists.I asked for Booth 5, and the host led me to the back, past a few empty tables.There she was.Isadora.She looked exactly the same and nothing like she used to all at once. Her long black coat was still impeccable, her dark hair twisted up in that casual elegance she always pulled off. But her face—there were shadows under her eyes like she hadn’t slept. Her skin was pale, lips tight. She looked tired, almost frail.She glanced up and raised one brow. "Well, you showed."
Naya's PovThe school is a stone building nestled at the northwest of the pack’s territory, guarded by wrought-iron gates that look too ancient to still be standing. Kids run around the courtyard, shrieking with laughter. Some look older, others barely past toddler age. I spot a boy with messy brown hair building something with sticks in the dirt while two girls hover beside him, arguing over shape and size.We pull into the parking lot, and I catch Aiden peering out the window, his eyes wide. There’s a flicker of nervousness there, and I feel it in my bones too.The last time I sent Aiden to school, he got kidnapped and switched, which started this entire rollercoaster, so I was right to be nervous.I step out, smoothing my sweater, and open the door for him. Tobias circles to the back, grabbing Aiden’s bag.We’re halfway to the school steps when a sleek black limousine pulls into the front circle.Tobias freezes, his brow furrowing, "What in the world..." Tobias muttered, hand ti
Naya's POVThe next day found myself in the supermarket, getting much-needed supplies for the cottage.I hurried through the last aisle of the store, a loaf of bread clutched under my arm and a basket weighed down with household items dangling from my wrist.It had taken far too long to find the right kind of dish soap, and now my anxiety gnawed at me, relentless and sharp. I checked the time on my phone: 1:20 PM.Just enough time to finish shopping and get home before Aiden was done with school.Or so I thought.My phone rang just as I was about to check out. The unfamiliar number on the screen sent a ripple of unease through my chest."Hello?" I answered, my breath hitching slightly."Ms. Naya? This is Principal Langston from the Pack Academy. I’m afraid there’s been an incident involving your child. We need you to come in immediately."Everything in me stilled. My heart, my breath, my thoughts. My fingers went slack, nearly dropping the phone."Aiden? What happened? Is he okay?" I
NAYA'S POVAt my retort, she stopped talking, her eyes revealing her confusion.Her head jerked around, her eyes finding Aiden, who had quietly drawn in the corner.She blinked, and for half a second, her mask cracked.Surprise. Embarrassment. She hadn’t even noticed him.But just as fast, it vanished under a sneer."How low could you sink, Naya? Lurking in the principal’s office like some…" She waved a hand vaguely, eyes glittering, "Shadow. Or were you trying to steal another child from a real mother?"I didn’t flinch. I’d had worse thrown at me, sharper claws, bloodier fights."You’re calling me out on morals? That’s rich, coming from the woman who waltzed into someone else’s home and snatched a kid like he was luggage," I said coldly.The principal cleared his throat, but no one was listening.The air had gone electric.Isadora scoffed, the sound derisive and mean. "You had zero respect for ranking. You should have known your place—an omega trying to speak in a world meant for bet
TOBIAS’S POVAnd the room was thick with it. The tension clung to the air, pressing down on everyone like humidity before the rain fell."What the hell is going on here?" I demanded.Isadora didn’t even blink. She scoffed, flicking a glance at me over her shoulder. "Well, well," she said with a cruel smirk. "Your boy toy has finally arrived."Naya’s eyes darted to me and narrowed immediately. "Don’t you dare talk about him like that," she snapped, her voice tight. "Just shut up, Isadora."The teacher standing by the desk looked like she wanted to sink into the floor.The principal, an older man with a belly barely contained by his vest, gave me a look of exhausted relief.I walked forward, ignoring the brewing fight between the two women, and glanced past Naya's shoulder.Aiden.My gut twisted.He was sitting by the principal's desk, his tiny frame hunched, his hands knotted in his lap. His eyes—those wide, knowing eyes—looked up at me, and there was fear in them. Not for himself. For
TOBIAS'S POVI stepped toward her, the weight of Aiden pressed close to my chest, and reached out my hand.“Naya,” I said quietly, but she heard it. Her head jerked in my direction. Her eyes were glossy. Her breathing erratic.I didn’t give her a speech. I didn’t ask. I just slid my fingers into hers and pulled her hand into mine.It fit, soft and shaking but familiar. She didn’t fight it. Her eyes darted to mine, searching, asking—but I just squeezed her hand tighter and nodded once.“Let’s go,” I said gently.And we did.Without a word to the others, I pushed past them. Aiden’s head tucked against my shoulder, and Naya walked beside me, her chin high and eyes fixed ahead, even though I could feel the tremble in her limbs.The crowd parted for us like a wave. Maybe it was the look on my face. Maybe it was the sheer weight of everything that had happened, or maybe it was because they wanted nothing to do with us. I couldn't spare a thought for it, so we just walked past them.Naya
TOBIAS'S POV The drive back is quiet. A good quiet.Not like how it was when we left that godforsaken school.Aiden’s asleep in the backseat, his head tipped to the side and his little plush shark tucked under his arm like it’s made of gold. Naya’s beside me, her legs drawn up onto the seat, arms loosely wrapped around them. Her face is calm, and soft in the passing shadows of streetlights. She’s not smiling, exactly, but her face isn't in that strained blankness either.And I’ll take that. Hell, I’ll take it and wrap it in a bow.By the time we get home, Aiden’s blinking awake but too drowsy to fight when Naya lifts him into her arms.“Come on bug." She murmurs sweetly as she tucks the little boy into her side.He buries his face into her shoulder immediately, and she strokes his back, whispering something low in his ear I don’t catch.We walked into the house together, me switching on the lights and flooding the living space with a warm glow.Aiden scrunched his face at that but
Naya's POVShe finally took a bath and changed clothes almost after nearly two days.We left soon after.The drive to the black market was suffocating. The silence in the car wasn't peaceful; it was a thick, heavy blanket of resentment and unspoken accusations.Every breath Naya took seemed amplified, every glance she shot my way felt like a physical blow. The city lights blurred past the windows, painting streaks of color across her pale face, but her gaze remained fixed, unblinking, on the road ahead.I tried to break the tension, to bridge the chasm that had opened between us, but every attempt was met with a wall of icy indifference."Naya," I began, my voice soft, "are you okay?"She didn't respond, didn't even acknowledge that I had spoken.I sighed, trying to control my frustration. "Look, I know this is hard," I continued, "but glaring at me won't do anything for him.""Anything for him?" she finally spat, her voice laced with venom. "Is that what you call it? So you want me
They wheeled him into a separate room and began the procedure, while we waited anxiously in the hallway, our nerves stretched to the breaking point.Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a doctor emerged from the room, his face grim. He walked towards us slowly, his eyes filled with a pity that sent a chill down my spine."I'm afraid I have more bad news," he said, his voice low and somber. "We've analyzed Mr. Walsh's blood, and we've discovered that it's been contaminated.""Contaminated?" I asked, my voice trembling. "What do you mean?""It appears that Mr. Walsh has been ingesting some kind of toxin," the doctor explained. "It's not immediately life-threatening, but it's rendered his blood unusable for transfusion. We can't give it to Aiden."The world seemed to tilt on its axis, the groundseeming to shift beneath my feet. The hope that had been flickering within me was extinguished, leaving me in a darkness so profound that I could barely breathe“what?,” I asked numbly, my
Kieran's POVI stared at him for a long moment, my anger slowly dissipating, replaced by a grudging sense of resignation. He was hurting, deeply. And whatever he had done to Naya, it was clearly something he regretted.I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "Fine," I said, my voice brusque. "But just remember, Tobias. I'm going to find out sooner or later."He nodded, his gaze still fixed on the road ahead. He started the car again, and we continued our journey in silence, the unspoken tension hanging heavy in the air.We finally arrived at the abandoned warehouse where we were holding Elder Walsh. The place was guarded by a handful of our most trusted allies, their faces grim, their weapons at the ready. We signaled them and they let us pass unhindered.We walked through the dimly lit warehouse, the air thick with the smell of dust and decay. The only sound was the echo of our footsteps on the concrete floor. We reached a small, windowless room at the back of the warehouse, w
Kieran's POV I felt helpless.It was a feeling I was getting very used to this past few days.It felt like all I could do was watch as my family tore itself apart.Helpless as my son died before my eyes. Helpless as my other son let guilt swallow him and helpless as I watched my mate turn on her heel, the sound of her boots sharp and decisive against the sterile floor of the waiting room. She was a woman possessed, her eyes burning with a fierce determination that bordered on madness. I knew that look. It was the look of a mother willing to do anything, sacrifice anything, to save her child. But I also knew that she wasn't thinking clearly. She was operating purely on instinct, driven by a raw, primal need that threatened to consume her.I was tired of just sitting by and watching.It was unbecoming of an Alpha.So I took action."Naya, stop!" I yelled, my voice echoing through the tense silence of the waiting room. "Let me do it."She paused, her back still to me, her shoulders
Naya's POV The fluorescent lights of the waiting room hummed, a monotonous drone that seemed to amplify the silence. It was a sterile, cold sound that vibrated through my bones, mirroring the icy dread that had taken root in my soul. The air itself felt thick, heavy with unspoken fears and desperate hopes clinging to the edges of reality. Two hours. Two hours we had waited, each minute stretching into an eternity, punctuated only by the rhythmic beeping of machines and the hushed whispers of nurses passing by. Two hours of praying, pleading with a universe that seemed deaf to our cries, and desperately clinging to the fragile hope that Aiden, my sweet, beautiful boy, would be okay.Finally, the door to the emergency room swung open, and a doctor emerged. His face was grim, etched with a weariness that mirrored the exhaustion that had settled deep within my own being. His eyes, usually bright and filled with a professional detachment, were clouded with a somber empathy that sent
Naya's POVThe world had become a kaleidoscope of chaos. It was getting worse. The battle that is. the cave was bathed in the eerie glow of the moon. Men were fighting, their faces contorted with rage, their bodies locked in a brutal dance of death.And in the center of it all, I saw him. Elder Walsh, his eyes burning with fanaticism, his hands raised in a gesture of power.I felt exhausted, my arms arching and bloodstained from fighting off so many enemies, all to survive.And then, I saw Aiden.He was running, his small legs pumping, his face streaked with tears. He was shouting, his voice hoarse, his words lost in the din of battle."Julian! Mom!"My heart leaped into my throat. He was here. He was alive.But he was running straight into danger."Aiden!" I screamed, my voice raw with terror. "No! Get back!"Elder Walsh saw him, his eyes widening with a predatory gleam."Get him!" he roared, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Don't let him escape!"Julian, who had been crouchin
Naya's POV Tobias stepped forward, his face set in a hard line. “Back off, you Old bastard,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ve got the wrong kid.”The Elder chuckled. “Oh, I don’t think so, Tobias,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “I know exactly who I have. That’s why I waited for the star of the show to arrive.”One of the Elder’s men stepped forward, dragging someone behind him. My heart skipped a beat.It was Julian.Isadora screamed, her face contorting with anguish. “Julian!” she cried, her voice cracking. “What did you do to him?”The Elder smiled coldly. “Don’t worry, my dear,” he said, his voice smooth as silk. “We haven’t harmed him… yet.”Isadora turned to her father, her eyes pleading. “Please, Father,” she begged. “I don’t want to be a part of this anymore. Not if it means hurting Julian. He’s the only family I have left.”The Elder’s smile vanished, replaced by a look of cold fury. “Silence, Isadora,” he snapped. “You will do as you’re told.”He turned back to
Naya's pov I woke up with a gasp, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. The last thing I remembered was Julian saying something about Aiden being in danger, and then… nothing. Just blackness. I pushed the blanket off my lap and sat up, my head throbbing. It felt like a giant was using my skull as a drum.“Ugh,” I groaned, pressing my hand to my forehead. The cottage was silent, eerily so. Where was everyone?I stumbled off the couch, my legs wobbly. “Tobias? Aiden?” I called out, my voice trembling. No answer.Panic clawed at my throat. Everything was a mess. The cushions were askew, a half-finished drawing lay abandoned on the coffee table, and the air was thick with a sense of… dread.I ran to the window, peering out into the fading light. The car was gone. My breath hitched in my throat. He’d left. He’d taken the others and left me behind.Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. I felt abandoned, useless. But I couldn’t afford to fall apart. Aiden w
Tobias’s POVThe city air still clung to my clothes, a greasy film of exhaust and hurried footsteps. I’d spent the afternoon weaving through crowded streets, trying to finalize the last-minute details for the wedding.Naya deserved the best, and I was determined to give it to her, even if it meant battling grumpy florists and haggling with caterers who thought they were serving ambrosia instead of fried chicken. My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me from my mental checklist of seating arrangements and cake flavors. It was a message from the Elder.My stomach clenched as I read the words. They were laced with a thinly veiled threat, a demand for allegiance. He wanted me to join him, to fall in line with his plans, or he would… well, he didn’t explicitly say what he’d do, but the implication was clear: he'd make my life, Naya’s life, Aiden’s life, a living hell."Don't blame me when everything falls into pieces," the message concluded.I scoffed, a bitter sound in the busy street