Atlas's Pov
“Are you always this boring, or is it just when I’m in the room?” I asked, flopping onto the edge of Enzo’s massive bed like I owned the place.Enzo didn’t even look up from his book. That irritated me more.“You know,” I continued, tossing a pillow at him, “most people would kill to be in the Alpha’s quarters. I, for one, expected at least a banquet or someone feeding me grapes.”He caught the pillow mid-air without breaking his sentence.“I could arrange a beheading instead,” he muttered, still flipping through pages like he wasn’t threatening his actual littermate.I gasped loudly, clutching my chest. “Enzo! Is that a death threat I smell in the air? You wound me.”“Atlas,” he sighed.“Present,” I replied sweetly, leaning forward like a kid about to hear a bedtime story.“Scram. Before I really decide to chop your head off and gift it to Ash as a stress ball.”I stood up immediately, bowing like a clown at a royal show. “As HisIrene’s povI stormed out of the packhouse, heels stabbing into the gravel with every furious step I took. My face burned—not from embarrassment, but from rage. How dare he speak to me like that? In front of her. That filthy, low-ranked, dirt-smelling omega who could barely put a sentence together without trembling like a leaf.Enzo had humiliated me.And for what? Because she bumped into him and mumbled an apology?I reached my car and slammed the door so hard the window rattled. My driver, that half-asleep oaf, flinched and dared to ask, “Ma’am, is everything alright?”“No, everything is not alright!” I snapped, glaring at him through the rearview mirror. “Why are you still sitting there? Drive!”He fumbled for the ignition like he suddenly forgot how the car worked, stuttering apologies as we pulled away from the packhouse. I crossed my arms, inhaling and exhaling slowly, trying not to lash out at every living thing I saw. But the image of Enzo defending h
Enzo's povI had been in my office all morning, swimming in a sea of files that never seemed to shrink no matter how fast I worked through them. The scent of ink and parchment was strong, mingling with the faint traces of cedarwood from the oil I burned to keep myself focused. Numbers, reports, border alerts, training rosters—it was a never-ending cycle.But I preferred this. The quiet. The order. The certainty of ink on paper. Far better than the chaos that brewed when people were involved.A knock sounded on my door.I didn’t bother looking up. “Come in.”Ash walked in with his usual calm expression, but someone trailed behind him. A woman, dressed sharply, her eyes too calculating for a guest.I leaned back in my chair, finally giving them both my attention.“Irene,” I said flatly.She gave a small bow, her smile a touch too rehearsed. “Alpha Enzo. I hope we’re not intruding.”I looked to Ash.He tilted his head slightly. “She said it was u
Kael’s pov“Stop trying to take away my dignity, Mira. That’s all I have left. That and my ability to whine. And maybe a very questionable sense of humor.”She cleaned the wound, and yes, I screamed. Loudly. The walls definitely shook. One of the nurses dropped her clipboard.“You’re such a baby,” Mira muttered.“I’m sensitive!” I gasped. “I was raised in a pack with manners! We don’t tolerate pain unless it’s stylish!”“You once ate a whole bag of chili jerky and nearly passed out.”“That’s different. That was pride. This is a medical emergency.”“You’re literally just scratched!”“And emotionally wounded!”She pressed the gauze down firmly, and I let out a noise that could only be described as a sob-meets-pterodactyl.“Done,” she said, finally taping it down. “You’ll live.”I blinked up at her. “Are you sure? Because I see a light.”“That’s the ceiling lamp.”“Oh.”I lay there dramatically for another five seconds. Mira rolle
Kael’s povI woke up with a dull ache in my shoulder and a sharp sting where the scrape had crusted overnight. It didn’t bother me too much—nothing I hadn’t felt before. Compared to what I’ve been through in the border fights, a scratch was just a handshake from nature.Still, I had a few things to get done today. I pulled on a clean shirt, tucked the edge into my belt, and headed down the corridor toward Enzo’s study. The early morning air inside the packhouse still carried the sharpness of night chill. I liked it better when everything was quiet like this.I knocked once.“Come in,” came his voice.Enzo sat at his desk, sleeves rolled, skimming through a pile of documents like he was ready to end someone's career over one misplaced comma. He barely looked up as I entered.“I need your approval signature on the supply order for the western perimeter,” I said, setting the file in front of him.He glanced at it, signed with a stroke, and handed it back. “Y
Lisa's povThe warmth of the sun barely touched my face before I felt Calla’s hand shaking me gently."Rise and shine, sleepyhead," she said in her usual sing-song tone.I groaned and rolled over, hugging the blanket tighter. "What time is it?""Time to stop sleeping and start living," she chirped. I peeked one eye open, only to see her standing by the edge of my bed holding a folded stack of clothes.She looked far too excited for someone awake this early."Calla, if this is another 'bond with the maids' activity, I swear I might faint on purpose," I mumbled.She laughed. "You’ll like this one, I promise. Now up!"I finally sat up, stretching my limbs like an old cat. "Alright, alright. I’m up. What’s with the clothes?""No questions. Just dress up. I picked this out myself." She laid the clothes beside me: a pair of dark blue palazzo jeans, a soft black turtleneck top, and a surprisingly sleek pair of
Lisa's pov I sat on the edge of the bed, knees tucked under my chin, staring out the window like it held the secrets to a life I used to know. The sun was out, birds chirping, and somewhere in the distance, I heard the faint clash of weapons—training, maybe. For a pack so clean and polished, they didn’t slack on discipline. Not like back at the old pack, where the only time Omegas heard weapons was when they were being used on us.I sighed and rubbed my arms lightly. The bandages had been changed, the pain was dull now, like the last echo of a scream.Just as I leaned back on the pillows, there was a knock.Soft. Familiar.I straightened, brushing down my gown.“Come in,” I said quickly, praying it wasn’t someone coming to say I’d broken a rule I didn’t know about.The door opened and Calla stepped in, balancing a tray with one hand and a small smile on her face.“Good morning,” she said cheerfully, walking in like we’d been friends forever. “I broug