Present Time Dale’s POV The clamor reached me even before Trent’s hurried knock on my office door. His expression was frightened—I knew only a handful of people who could make my beta frightened—and his eyes were wide as he blurted out. “Alpha Dale, it’s Amber. She’s losing control. The whole infirmary is in chaos. ”I was on my feet before the last words made it out of his mouth. My wolf had been giving me warning signals since, but I was in the middle of… I didn’t think…“Fuck!” I started, breaking into a run immediately I was out of my office doors. I could tell Trent and the others were struggling to keep pace, but I was faster. My wolf was hounding us to get to our mate in time. The bond between me and Amber was practically screaming, buzzing with her pain and anger, so raw that it made my head hurt. There was noise everywhere, but the thudding of my heartbeat drowned everything out. All I could think was Amber and my fucking uncle. This was exactly what he wanted. I
Amber’s POV Something was wrong. Something was horribly wrong, but I couldn’t place my fingers on it. I thought hard about everything. About Alpha Derrick’s word—threat. I thought about my place in this pack. I even considered running away, but I shook that last thought away. I was not ready for the consequences of becoming a rogue. Not having a pack affiliation—no matter how thinly stretched it was—would do me no good. I was better off here. I nodded with a convinced nod. No matter how badly they treated me, this was my home. The only one I knew—although I didn’t love—but leaving here scared the hell out of me. People out there could be worse than—The sound of a familiar voice startled me out of my thoughts, and I bit the inside of my cheek as Lydia suddenly appeared in the kitchen area. Becca, an omega who worked in the kitchen as well, spared me a pitiful glance before shuffling out of the space around me. “Do you want to tell me you did not hear me calling you three go
Amber’s POV The coppery taste of blood in my mouth made bile rise in my stomach. My head ached. My body felt like it was on fire, and I was sure I was close to becoming unconscious. I struggled with it, praying I didn’t become unconscious in these circumstances. Through my now swelling eyelids, I peeked up at Lydia and the man who were deep in conversation. If I became unconscious, they’d definitely kill me without hearing my side of the story. I laughed internally at my foolishness. They were going to kill me with or without hearing my side of the story. I was a slave. Lydia was a pack member, and worse, she was very close to the Alpha. It was clear the man already believed her words over mine. I needed to run away, to hide until I figured out what to do and how to get out of this mess, but my body was too weak to listen to my mind. I knew what was going to happen. What usually happened to runaways. They died. Simple. The patrol guards usually shot them in their spot, and
Yeti’s POV Alpha Dale was a mess. I saw him breaking apart in front of me, but I could only watch and do nothing to help him. It squeezed at my heart. I knew how bad it was to feel… powerless. Especially for a man like him who had all the power in the world. Seeing your loved one suffer was… well. A punishment I didn’t want to endure. Janine was not taking this well either. Earlier, I had had to watch her argue and then fight with Alpha Dale. I had no idea what it was about, but I knew it had something to do with that uncle of his and the stupid council. I clenched my fist as I thought of them. They did this to her. They put Amber in this state. She was finally healing, and they sent her spiraling over the edge. I was going to—I didn’t realize I was gritting my teeth or that my abilities were spilling out of me until I felt a firm but warm touch on my shoulder. I blinked, looking up to meet my mother’s warm gaze. I sighed, and she sighed as well. Removing her hand from my
Yeti’s POV My mother was lying to ne about working with Alpha Derrick. I knew I needed to tell someone but this was my mother we were talking about and I could be wrong. Still, I had seen her use her abilities when she said she wasn’t working with Alpha Dale. Clearly heard the lie. What did that mean? Was she still working with him or was she hiding something? Whatever it was, I didn’t want to find out and I didn’t want the others to find out as well. I sighed heavily, stumbling back when I felt the priestess’s eyes on me. My mother had left in a hurry an hour ago and the priestess had taken her place. “Is she going to be aright?” I asked, trying to shake the feeling that her stare was pressing inside me. for some reason, I felt guilty, exposed. Like she could see my deepest, darkest secrets. “What did you see, child?” she voiced, taking a seat on the chair beside Amber’s bed. I know you saw something that day. Was it one of her memories?” I glanced at Janine whose eyes were n
Amber’s POV My body was on fire. Not from the scorching sun or the heat that caused sweat to run down my blistering skin. It’s been three days since they tied me here, and since then, I’ve been flogged, stoned, spat on, growled at, clawed, and subjected to every horrible thing imaginable. Rope dug into my hands and legs, and my broken skin and the sweat that rolled down my body made everything worse. I was thirsty, but I couldn’t ask anyone to get me water. Not with how swollen my tongue was. It’s been only three days, and it already felt like hell; Alpha Derrick had decreed this punishment was to go on for seven days _if I even survived it. On day one, I had simply been a mode of entertainment for the pack. They all came to watch me as I suffered. I couldn’t see them, but I could hear their arrogant chatters and their scornful judgement. Of course, I was the one at fault. I had tried to ‘run away.’ On the second day, I had begun regaining my vision, and that was when Celia vi
Amber’s POV Murmurs filtered through my ears, disturbing my sleep. Even if I was not awake, I could tell that something was wrong. I felt… different. I felt everything when only a while ago, I had been unable to feel anything at all. I felt the hair on my body, the air around me, the blood that pumped in my veins. My eyeballs as they moved beneath my eyelids. I felt everything except for one thing. Pain. The absence of pain was the first thing I noticed. The headache that had attacked me for days and made my head feel too heavy was…gone. My tongue, which had been swollen in my mouth, was okay. The coppery smell of blood, which had clung to me like a second skin, was not in the air. Instead, I smelled flowers, cinnamon, and musk. The scent made something rouse in my chest, pulling at an invisible string that made me feel an aching need. The voices hushed for a second, and then altogether, they started talking at once. I blinked my eyes open, wincing as the glare of light almost
Amber’s POV I killed a person. I killed a councilmember.The weight of what I did settled heavily in my chest as I could barely breathe. Memories of the moment rushed to the surface of my mind, and I saw the way my abilities had twisted inside him. It was like a lightning whip, except this whip had clung to his organs like a lifeline, sucking every life out of him until all the light in his eyes faded. I recalled the horrified looks of everyone in the room as they took in the horror that was unfolding right before their eyes. They had looked at me like I was a… monster. And I had relished and basked in the fear that evaporated from them. The truth—raw and unforgiving—burned through me. I had killed someone, and in the thrill of the moment, I enjoyed it. I could still feel the rush of power his life had given me, the hunger that gnawed at me after that. I wanted me. The monster in me couldn’t easily be satiated. So, no one could tell me anything—I had killed that man. It
Amber’s POV Yeti was the person who kept me going when everyone hated me even in Moonstone pack. I realized that a long time ago even though I hadn’t known her identity then. Although she had been going through a lot herself, she still tried to help me with medical supplies not caring about what would happen to her if she had been caught. If I lost her, I won’t be okay. The panicked flutter in my chest started up again, stealing my breath. It only took a minute for everything to fall apart and the little bit of peace I found gone with one swipe from the council. They were always the problem. Yeti was my goddamn best friend, and if she’d been a spy this whole time, I would have known. Besides, no spy would give their life to save the person they were spying on. All I wanted was hot shower and a bed to hide in for the rest of the day after the way I dealt with that councilman. After I put my powers under control – the best I could – we fell into an uncomfortable silence, but it’s
Amber’s POV My chest was on fire. My lungs screamed for air and my heart thumped inside my ribcage at a frenzied pace, but I couldn’t force myself to be calm as I stared across the room at Janine. I couldn’t bring myself to look Yeti in the eye, not with the sight of her being slammed and strangled by Derrick still fresh in my head. Janine’s eyes bored into mine, her own anger at Donn’s betrayal simmering just below the surface. I didn’t think things could escalate so freaking quickly. One minute I was happy my friend was out of danger and was no longer under the threat of losing her wolf and in the other, I was finding out her fated mate was one of the men who could have killed us had the order been given some nights ago. “It’s true…” Janine said, ducking her head to concentrate on the scrapes and bruises she was healing over Yeti’s skin. “Fabian is her Fated mate. I saw his wolf choose her during the Culling,” Although Fabian was highly trained with more skills than me, Yeti
Amber’s POV I woke up as early as 3:30am the next morning to take another shower and get ready for the day. I had a lot to do and one of them was seeing Yeti and finding a way to clear her name even if the issue hadn’t been raised yet. I didn’t want it to be raised at all. I was done dressing by the time Alpha Dale’s alarm sounded at four. He groaned like he was being murdered, shoved a pillow over his head and grumbled under his breath like he was plotting a murder for whoever it was that woke him up early. He reached out with one arm to find me once he was done grumbling and when he came up empty, he threw the pillow over his head away, sitting up with a scowl. I tried not to laugh because he looked like a child missing his mother. I smirked and waved at him because it was good seeing him off-kilter for once and not the usual composed and straight man that he was. “Stop that,” he growled. “Stop looking smug and get over here. Trent will be here any minute and I need another
Amber’s POV When I woke up, it was long after dark. Alpha Dale was right beside me and instead of distracting himself by getting busy with something, he was watching me sleep. Seeing him beside me, looking at me like I meant everything in the world to him was deliciously tempting. I sat up slowly. There was a nervous energy surrounding me now that I knew I was going to be a mother. I wasn’t worried about my wolf anymore; she had proven herself many times in the last few weeks that I was sure it was time to spare her the benefit of doubt. “You’re awake,” Alpha Dale said drowsily. Leaning forward, he placed a kiss on my lips. “You looked really peaceful, I didn’t have the mind to wake you up.” I smiled, thanking him silently for allowing me sleep. My body needed all the sleep it could get. Glancing around, I saw that I was still in Janine’s office where I had fallen asleep earlier and suddenly recalled why I was here. Yeti. “How is she?” I asked. “But first, how did the council m
Amber’s POV I paced the length of Janine’s small office space for what felt like the hundredth time and my arms wrapped tightly around myself. I shouldn’t be here. Alpha Dale was going to be furious – maybe – when he returned and didn’t find me. But I didn’t just want to seat and wait, like everyone was telling me. I wanted to see my friends. I needed to see for myself that Yeti was alive and well. But even after several hours of waiting in here, Janine still won’t let me see her. I tried not to think that she was punishing me for not looking after her well. Maybe she was punishing herself for ever doubting her… I ran a hand through my long hair which was now a scattered mess the same way Alpha Dale always did when he was frustrated with something that wasn’t going his way, and heaved a long sigh. Speaking of Alpha Dale, I felt him like a second person under my skin. Ever since the incident at the red moon when I tried to save him – I wasn’t even sure if that worked – I could fe
Dale’s POV The conference hall was colder and quieter than a grave. As soon as I stepped foot inside, their murmurings ceased and they lowered their heads to the ground like disobedient kids caught by their parents. The thoughts of kids made me think about Amber and the children we were expecting. With everything in me, I wanted to run back to her and never leave her side. But with everything that had happened, there was a lot I needed to do and the first thing was confronting a bunch of old men and women. Beta Trent was speaking to them, as was tradition. A formality that I had heard thousands of times. “This is the nine hundred and fifty-fifth meeting since…” it was almost the same, every time. The only things that changed, were the numbers and reasons for gathering, This time, I wanted to let them know they had no power above me. the council could be manipulated. We all knew that now. Donn had managed and succeeded to get in all of our heads – “Alpha…” my head snapped up as
Amber’s POV My eyes snapped open, blinking as light flooded my vision. My heart rate soared and panic welled up fast inside me. For a minute, all I saw was blurry shapes and figures. I groaned, trying and failing to push myself off the bed… I was in a bed? Why was I in a bed? Where was I? what – “Amber?” A voice called, halting my racing thoughts. There was an edge of desperation and familiarity in his voice that I recognized, but my brain was still booting and taking al the time in the world to respond. Through my blurry vision, a shape moved and warm skin touched my hand. “You’re awake.” His voice carried excitement and a hint of something I knew but I couldn’t place. I closed my eyes tight, waited for three seconds then snapped them open again. This times, I saw more than shapes. The silhouette of a person sat beside me and in a minute, my vision cleared enough for me to recognize the silhouette as Alpha Dale. “Alpha Dale,” I rasped, coughing to clear my dry throat. He shov
Amber’s POV It was settled. Derrick was insane and not only that, he was delusional as well. I clamped my mouth shut, biting the inside of my cheeks to keep me from laughing out loud. Was this his plan all along? To become our supreme Alpha? Was it just me or did he or his other followers not realize how ridiculous he sounded? I yanked my hand away from him and he growled, giving me the stink eye. “Do you not see it?” he asked. “The promise of a better life I am dangling in your face. Think of all the things we could accomplish together.” I gritted my teeth. “I’d rather die…” I spat out. “Than do anything with a killer such as yourself.” Shock and anger flickered across his features but he quickly masked with an amused expression. “Suit yourself then,” he laughed. “I gave you a choice, call it an olive branch but you’re slapping my hand away. Well, you no longer have a choice. You will do what I want else, they’ll be consequences.” I raised my brows. “Yes? Like what?” “Alpha D
Amber’s POV I couldn’t reach anyone through the mind link. I needed to reach Janine and Beta Trent to let them know the plan fell to pieces. We failed. No matter how hard it was for me to admit it. I wasn’t sure if I had been able to reach Alpha Dale, or even pull him out of that spell. I didn’t want to give up hope, but what else was there? I had seen what she did to Eric with my own eyes. His battered body as she dragged him in like a rag doll. His wolf was going to heal him, sure enough, but how long was that going to take? What were they even doing to him? Anger mingled with determination inside and a plan began to take shape in my head. I pressed my back on the cold stone, keeping my eyes trained on the cell bars that were keeping me in. Its been a while since Derrick dumped me in here. I heard nothing outside, I saw nothing past the darkness and had to rely on my sense of smell and hearing. Two things which had never failed me before. Maybe I was overestimating myself, b