LOGINIskander pov I was standing at my private pond area, watching the water move slowly as I tried to focus on something simple for once. The sound of water always calmed me, especially when my mind was overloaded with pack matters. It was my routine, something I rarely skipped. I was thinking about nothing important at first, just letting my thoughts drift, when a strange discomfort passed through my body. It was brief, but familiar. The same kind of feeling I had gotten before when Calyx tried to escape during the alpha gathering I hosted. That thought alone made me pause. Why was I thinking about her now? I brushed it off immediately. She was in her room. She was probably doing nothing dangerous. I told myself to ignore it. Moments later, I noticed movement behind me. I didn’t turn immediately because I already recognized the presence. One of the maids. She approached carefully and stopped at a respectful distance. “Greetings Alpha, here is your wine,” she said, bowing her head.
Calyx povIt was a normal day. Too normal. The kind of quiet that makes your thoughts feel louder than the room itself. I lay on my bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything that had become my life here. Every day felt like the same cycle—wake up, watch the guards, obey rules that were not mine, and survive another night. And the only thought that kept repeating in my mind was escape. I didn’t even know where I would go if I ever got out, I just knew I couldn’t stay here forever under Iskander’s control.That was when I felt it.A presence at my door.At first, I thought it was one of the maids. They usually came in without warning, sometimes knocking, sometimes not even bothering at all. Even the guards had gotten too comfortable walking in and out like I didn’t have privacy anymore. But this felt different. No sound. No footsteps announcing arrival. Just silence pressing against the door like something was waiting.I sat up slowly, my eyes fixed on it.A shadow formed
Dragan's POVI sat comfortably in my chair, slowly swirling the wine inside my glass as I stared at the flames dancing inside the fireplace.For years, I had searched for a weakness.Just one.One weakness that belonged to Alpha Iskander.But there had been nothing.Absolutely nothing.The man was powerful, feared, respected, and annoyingly difficult to destroy.Every plan I had ever created ended up failing because Iskander never gave anyone something to use against him. He never cared enough. Never loved enough. Never trusted enough.But now?Now things were different.A slow smile spread across my face as I remembered the information my spy had brought me.A mate.Not only a mate.A mate who hated him.A mate who constantly tried to escape.A mate who wanted absolutely nothing to do with him.For the first time in years, I felt genuinely excited.This was useful.Very useful.The knock on my office door pulled me from my thoughts."Come in."The door opened and a young woman steppe
Calyx pov And then he turned to me.“Get ready. We’re going to the dining table together,” Iskander said calmly. “Take your bath and wear something decent.”I blinked at him, trying to process his words properly. My confusion quickly turned into irritation.“What do you mean?” I asked. “Do you want to watch me bathe, or are you planning to sit in here while I change? Because this room is my space.”He didn’t even hesitate.“I’m not leaving,” he said. “I don’t care. I’ll wait right here. I cannot risk you escaping again.”That sentence hit my brain like a slap.My eyes widened instantly. “You cannot be serious.”But he was. He looked completely serious.I scoffed, shaking my head slightly. “You pervert.”His expression didn’t change.“I am not a pervert,” he said. “You are my mate. You are mine. That means I can see whatever I want. You don’t get to decide boundaries for me.”I stared at him, stunned for a second.What kind of logic was that?My chest tightened in frustration. He said
For years, I had searched for a weak point in Iskander.Any weak point.Something I could use.Something that would finally make him fall.But there was nothing.No cracks. No clear vulnerability. Nothing I could properly exploit. Just a frustrating wall of control, strength, and reputation that made every attempt feel useless.Until now.Now things were finally starting to make sense.Because for the first time, there was something I could actually use against him.A mate.That alone changed everything.If handled correctly, it wasn’t just a weakness. It was leverage.A direct path into his control.I leaned slightly forward in my seat as I spoke.“So,” I said slowly, looking at my beta, “you’re telling me she isn’t from his pack?”My beta nodded immediately.“That’s correct, Alpha.”I exhaled lightly, processing the information.“Good,” I said.That single word carried more satisfaction than I intended to show.“Then I want a full background check,” I continued. “Everything. Where s
Iskander povAfter leaving Calyx’s room, I returned to my courtroom.The atmosphere inside felt familiar again. Controlled. Quiet. Predictable. The kind of silence I usually preferred.I sat down on my chair and leaned back slightly, letting the tension of the situation settle in my mind.But even then, my thoughts didn’t stay still.Calyx. The maid..the letter.The way she had collapsed right in front of everyone.I exhaled slowly, trying to push it aside.That was when my beta entered.He stopped a short distance away from me, watching carefully, like he was studying my expression before speaking.“Why didn’t you kill the maid?” he asked directly. “You don’t usually show mercy. So tell me… why spare her?”I looked at him for a moment before responding.“There was no reason to kill her,” I said calmly. “She didn’t know anything. She wasn’t part of the plan. Calyx manipulated the situation. The maid was simply… misled.”My beta didn’t respond immediately.His eyes stayed on me a littl







