Kaiden’s Point Of ViewI was in my office, deep in thoughts when I felt something sharp in my chest. The moment the pain struck, it was like a blade piercing straight through my chest.I staggered, clutching my shirt as my heart lurched violently, my breath coming out in short gasps. This pain, I knew it. I had felt it before.This only meant one thing.“Avery,” I whispered, my voice barely audible, yet filled with dread.Inside me, Slade stirred restlessly.‘Mate is in danger.’ His voice was a deep, guttural growl, filled with urgency. “Kaiden, quick. We need to get to her. Now.”I didn’t need to be told twice. Everything else faded. The documents on my desk? Forgotten. The business meeting I was supposed to attend in an hour? Irrelevant. The entire world? It no longer mattered.All that mattered was her.With a speed I didn’t even know I possessed, I burst out of my office, ignoring the startled looks from my warriors as I tore through the hallway. I shifted the moment my boots hit t
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewI barely had time to process what was happening.Avery’s glowing eyes, that blinding, otherworldly light were still locked on me, her body trembling with raw power. And then, before I could even think, before I could even breathe, Slade responded.His voice, deep, guttural, possessive shook through my very soul."MINE!"A wave of invisible force exploded through the room. The very walls of the house shuddered. The windows cracked. The air was charged, electric, humming with an overwhelming energy.But then, just as suddenly as it had come, the light vanished. Avery’s body collapsed against me, her frame trembling violently. I caught her just in time, holding her as she shook uncontrollably in my arms.Her body spasmed, her breath ragged, her limbs convulsing like she was fighting something inside her.I panicked.“Avery!”Her hands clawed at my shirt, her fingers curling into the fabric as if she were afraid I would disappear. And then, as abruptly as it started
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe past week had been absolute torture.Avery was safe now. Alive, healed. But… she was different. More reserved, more cautious, as if she was still processing everything that had happened. She barely spoke unless spoken to, barely smiled—and it drove me insane. I wanted her to talk, to laugh, to argue, to be the fierce, defiant Avery that I knew.But what killed me the most? She barely noticed me. And the worst part? I was still on heat. And having her near me only made it worse.Every single time I caught her scent, that intoxicating, irresistible scent of wild roses, vanilla, and honey, it made my body burn.Every single time she brushed past me, I had to clench my fists, dig my nails into my palm to stop myself from grabbing her. From claiming her.I was in my room now, sitting on the edge of my bed, breathing heavily. Sweat dripped down my forehead, soaking my shirt. My entire body felt like it was on fire. And Slade, the damn wolf, wasn’t making things any
Kaiden’s Point Of View"Avery… please… please don’t leave me!"A bone-crushing pain exploded in my chest.And then, I was back.Gasping.Panting.The vision ripped away, but the terror still clung to me. My hands were still shaking as I ripped my teeth from her skin, staggering back.Avery collapsed against the wall, dizzy, breathless.Her violet eyes searched mine, dazed, confused."Kaiden?" she whispered, her voice weak.I stared at her, at the mark on her neck… At the faint trickle of blood. And all I could see was her lifeless body, drowning in red, cold blood.My chest tightened.My breath hitched.No. No, no, no."I… I have to go," I choked out, stumbling backward."Kaiden, wait…"I didn’t.I turned and ran.Away from her.Away from the vision that haunted me.Away from the terrifying truth that hit me like a dagger to the chest. If I stayed with her… if I let this fire consume me… I would be the one to destroy her. And that was a fate worse than death.My breath came in ragged
Avery’s Point Of ViewI was still pressed against the wall, my body trembling, my breath shallow. My lips were swollen from his kisses, my skin hot from his touch.But it wasn’t just the way he had touched me. It wasn’t just the way his lips had devoured mine, the way his hands had explored every inch of my skin, leaving behind a trail of fire.It was what he had done.He marked me.A shiver ran down my spine, my fingers instinctively brushing over the tender skin of my neck.The bite was still fresh.The tingling sensation it left behind was impossible to ignore.But… why?I wasn’t his mate.I had known that from the very beginning.So why would he mark me?Did he finally accept me as his chosen mate? Did he want me as his Luna? My heart pounded in my chest at the thought, my fingers tightening over the mark. Then why did he run? The question hit me like a slap, knocking the breath from my lungs.Had he regretted it? Had he finally realized what a mistake it was? Had he finally reali
Avery’s Point Of ViewMy breath caught. A memory flashed… The vision… The pain… The wolf… The word that had left my lips. Mate. I gasped.And the voice finally spoke the words that shattered my reality.‘I am your wolf, Avery.’‘I’m Lynexia.’ The room spun. I staggered back, my breath hitching, my hands trembling.My wolf?No. No, that was impossible. I had never… I never shifted. I had lived my entire life believing I was nothing.But this… This wasn’t normal. I could hear her… Feel her. Like a second heartbeat inside of me. A part of me. My head spun, the walls around me seeming to close in."You’re lying," I rasped, shaking my head violently. "This can’t be true—this can’t—"‘It is true,’ Lynexia cut me off. Her voice was calm, but there was something beneath it… something ancient. Something powerful.‘You are not just human, Avery.’I clenched my fists, trying to breathe. Trying to think. Trying to understand. But it was too much. Too damn much. "You’re wrong," I whispered. "You h
Avery’s Point Of ViewWould he feel the bond now, the same way I did?Would he be searching for me, too?The idea sent my pulse racing, my heart hammering wildly in my chest. I had to try… I had to do something.The pull was unrelenting. I didn’t know where I was going, but I trusted it. I trusted the bond. I stepped outside, the night air cool against my skin, and for a moment, I hesitated at the entrance of the house.This was reckless.This was dangerous.I should have stayed inside, should have thought this through, should have done anything but this. But… I needed to find him. My heart pounded with every step I took, my feet carrying me forward as if they already knew where to go. I didn’t question it. I just followed.The pull was faint at first, like a whisper in my veins, a tug in my chest that urged me forward.And then it intensified. The further I walked, the stronger it became, until it was an undeniable force, guiding me into the heart of the forest.The towering trees st
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewBlood dripped from my fingertips, soaking into the grass beneath me. I didn’t even remember when I did it. Didn’t even feel it when my claws tore into my own flesh. I only knew one thing, I’d rather die than be the one to hurt my mate.The pain, the self-inflicted wounds, were nothing compared to the war raging inside me. I had thought that staying away would keep her safe. That keeping my distance would be enough. But the bond… The fucking bond. It refused to be ignored.I had pushed. It had pulled. I had fought. It had clawed back. Now here I was, slumped against a tree, my breathing ragged, my vision blurred.Weak.Pathetic.I closed my eyes, but then a scent… Her scent. It crashed into me like a tidal wave, invading every cell in my body.Fresh roses… soft and delicate.Vanilla… warm and intoxicating.And something else… Almond, honey, and wild fruits.A scent so uniquely hers, so dangerously addictive that it made my pulse skitter. Slade, stirred. His restl
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe color drained from her face. Her lips parted, a soft whimper escaping as the full weight of her mistake slammed into her. "N-No…" she whispered, stepping back. I stalked toward her, slow, deliberate, every step like a drumbeat of doom."You touched her," I said, my voice low and deathly calm. "You dared to touch what belongs to me.""She betrayed us!" Maya cried, her voice shrill and broken, desperate now. "She betrayed you!""No," I said simply, as if I were correcting a child's math homework. "You betrayed me." The room felt like it was shrinking around her. Her back hit the wall, and she pressed herself against it, as if she could disappear into the stone.Her eyes darted toward the door, calculating, desperate for escape. "Kaiden, p-please," she stammered, her tears falling freely now. "I-I only did what I thought was right! I did it for you!"I loomed over her, my body blocking out the light, casting her in shadow. "For me?" I echoed, almost amused. "Yo
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe night was heavy with silence, broken only by the occasional whisper of the wind against the stone walls of the fortress. I stood by the massive arched window of my chambers, staring out at the endless stretch of wilderness beyond. The moon was high and full, casting a silver glow across the jagged landscape, but even its light couldn’t reach the darkness pooling in my chest.Avery.Her name was a prayer on my lips, a ghost in my mind. I could almost see her now — curled up in my bed, clutching my pillow, maybe huffing out a frustrated sigh because I hadn’t returned yet. The thought of her missing me, of her arms open and waiting for me when I returned, wrapped around my heart like a comforting flame. I smiled to myself, a soft, fleeting thing that barely brushed my lips.A sharp knock at the door shattered the fragile moment.I didn’t move. I already knew who it was… the guards. Their presence was as loud as a war drum even when they tried to be discreet. Wi
Avery’s Point Of ViewThe weight of exhaustion pressed down on me, my mind foggy and clouded as I settled into Kaiden's bed. I tried to push the worry from my mind, but the darkness in my heart refused to let me rest. I curled up on his side of the bed, inhaling deeply, hoping to feel some sense of peace in his absence. His scent… earthy, comforting, undeniably him, filled my senses, and for a moment, I allowed myself to be lost in it.But the moment of solace was fleeting. My eyes fluttered shut, and before I knew it, I was drifting away.The world around me twisted, fading, until everything seemed to blur together, and the dark void swallowed me whole. I found myself standing in an open field, the wind biting at my skin. The night sky above was suffocating, filled with dark clouds swirling with angry energy. The air crackled, heavy with tension, as if something… someone, was about to come.My heart pounded in my chest, and my stomach churned with a sense of dread that I couldn’t sh
Avery’s Point Of ViewThe cool night air brushed against my skin as I stood just outside the house, staring into the dark abyss of the forest. The trees loomed tall and silent, their branches swaying with the wind. I could almost hear them whispering secrets in the night, the rustle of leaves and the occasional distant howl from creatures roaming the shadows. But none of that registered in my mind. My thoughts were a chaotic swirl of uncertainty, fear, and anticipation.Kaiden still hadn’t come back.I’d been waiting for what felt like hours, pacing through the quiet halls of the house, trying to keep myself occupied with anything other than the growing knot in my stomach. He’d said it wouldn’t take long. He promised me it wouldn’t. So why was it taking so long? Why hadn’t he come back yet? What was keeping him?“What's keeping him?” I muttered to myself, barely louder than a whisper, as the weight of my thoughts pressed down on me like an invisible force.I looked up at the moon, its
Maya’s Point Of ViewThe words hit me like a slap. The mist around us seemed to freeze in place. I just stared at Dal, blinking, my breath hitching in my throat as I tried to make sense of what I had just heard.A ball. Next week. The Alpha revealing his Luna. To the entire Aethoria.My mind reeled, staggering under the weight of it.Wait… Wait, wait, wait.Kaden was back. Kaden, the man I had loved with every breath in my body. The man whose absence had carved a hollowed-out ache inside my chest so deep it sometimes felt like I wouldn’t survive it. The man whose name had been the only thing keeping me tethered to the ground during the darkest nights.And now… Now he was back, and his first act was to announce his Luna? Not just to the pack… no, that would have been bad enough, but to the whole of Aethoria? The entire kingdom?"How?" I whispered hoarsely, almost to myself. "How is that possible?"The air grew heavy, pressing down on me until it felt like I was drowning in it. I swayed
Maya’s Point Of ViewThe rain was tapping against my windowpane, a soft, persistent rhythm that filled the heavy silence of my room. The dim light from the bedside lamp cast a muted golden glow across the room, stretching long shadows along the walls. I sat there on the edge of my bed, my arms wrapped tightly around my knees, staring blankly at the floor.I should've been sleeping. I should've at least tried to rest. But Kaiden’s face haunted my mind, those dark, emerald green eyes, the set of his jaw, the way he looked at me like I was the only person in the world that mattered. Damn him. Damn him for getting under my skin, for making me feel this way.I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the memories away, but it was no use. Every breath I took, every beat of my heart seemed to echo his name. A sharp knock shattered the stillness. I flinched violently, my heart leaping into my throat. My head snapped toward the door. I sat frozen for a second, staring at it as if it might burst open at
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewThe silence after Dalton’s humiliation still clung to the air like smoke. I remained standing at the foot of the throne, arms loosely at my sides, gaze sweeping over the Elders seated before me.None dared speak first.Good.I allowed the silence to stretch, to remind them all who commanded this room—not just by title, but by right. When I finally moved, it was with the slow, deliberate grace of a predator who had already decided the outcome of the hunt."Now," I said, voice low, "let us proceed."Lucia, the eldest among them, cleared her throat lightly. "Your Highness," she began cautiously, "regarding the Luna... have you considered the arrangements for her presentation?"A few Elders nodded eagerly, desperate to move away from the tension Dalton had dragged in. Elder Roman spoke next, voice slightly strained. "It is customary, Your Highness, that the Luna be presented with all honor and grandeur befitting her station.""And perhaps," Elder Winona added quickl
CHAPTER NINETY-TWOKaiden’s Point Of ViewThe weight of the Elders' eyes pressed in like a tide, steady and ancient. Their bows lingered, but as I gave a subtle nod of acknowledgment, they slowly straightened, murmuring among themselves.“Your Highness… truly,” Elder Varo said, his voice a rasp of disbelief and reverence. “After all this time…”“You grace us,” another added, placing a palm against his chest. “The Pack is honored by your presence once more.”I sat atop the throne, shrouded in shadow, one leg crossed over the other, forearms resting lightly on the golden arms of the seat. My presence demanded silence and they gave it, trembling beneath the weight of it.Only once the final syllable of their greeting faded into the air did I speak, voice low but steady, each word dipped in command.“You may rise.”One by one, they shuffled to their designated seats in the stone semicircle, robes billowing behind them like fading shadows. Their movements were precise, dignified but I coul
Kaiden’s Point Of ViewI stepped onto the main path of the pack and immediately felt the shift in atmosphere.The air buzzed not from power, not even from anticipation, but from the sheer awareness of my presence.Eyes turned. Whispers started.The moment I passed by the warrior training field, every single one of them halted mid-motion. The clang of swords stopped. Feet paused mid-stride. Heads turned. “Your Highness,” a young she-wolf stammered, dropping into a bow. The others followed suit, some in shock, others in stiff, respectful awe.I gave them a short nod, acknowledging their greetings, and continued towards the Pack Hall. But none of them moved until I was already halfway down the path.Even in my absence, the pack was in perfect shape… buildings maintained, patrols running in rhythm, no air of disarray or neglect. I knew who to credit, even if my pride didn’t want to admit it. Caspian.He’d held it down like the true beta he was. Efficient, strict, and downright obsessive a