LOGINDante's POV I confronted my mother in her quarters with Vera beside me, both of us silent as we walked through the compound toward the east wing where my parents lived in their reduced circumstances. Cassandra's evidence was irrefutable but I needed to hear it from my mother directly, needed to look her in the eyes while she either confirmed or denied her betrayal. We entered without knocking, the door slamming open hard enough to crack against the wall. My mother was sitting at a small desk writing something, and she looked up without surprise when we burst in. "Dante," she said calmly, setting down her pen. "I wondered when you'd figure it out." The casual admission hit me harder than any denial would have. She wasn't even going to pretend innocence or claim the evidence was fabricated. "Are you funding the conspiracy to kill hybrid leaders?" I asked directly, needing to hear her say it. "Yes." She smiled, the expression cold and satisfied. "I've been planning it for over a y
Vera's POV Over the next two months, I worked closely with Cassandra to gather more information about the conspiracy. We met almost daily, reviewing her intelligence reports and planning how to counter the threat without alerting the conspirators that we knew about their plans. What we discovered was worse than we'd initially thought, each new piece of information revealing layers of planning and hatred that went deeper than just resentment about my position or Dante's hybrid nature. This wasn't just about removing Dante and me from power or punishing us for accepting outcasts into the pack. The traditionalists wanted to overthrow all hybrid leaders across the East Coast and restore what they called pure bloodline supremacy. "They believe mixing species is wrong," Cassandra explained during one of our meetings, showing me documents she'd copied from Gregory's files. "Vampires should stay with vampires, Lycans with Lycans. Any mixing of bloodlines weakens both species." "That's in
Dante's POV I killed Captain Reynolds in front of everyone gathered in the courtyard. I didn't hesitate and I didn't make it quick, my claws tearing through his body methodically while he screamed and begged for mercy he didn't deserve. The hybrid took full control, ripping apart the traitor piece by piece until there was nothing left but scattered remains across the courtyard stones. Blood pooled around my feet and splattered across my clothes but I didn't care. I wanted the message to be absolutely clear about what happened to people who betrayed my family. Anyone watching would understand that treachery meant death, painful and public death that served as a warning to others who might consider following Reynolds's path. When it was finally over and Reynolds's screams had stopped echoing through the compound, I turned my attention to the she-wolf who'd brought us this information. She stood frozen where she'd been during the execution, her face pale and her hands shaking as she
Vera's POV The she-wolf pulled out her phone with trembling hands and scrolled through the recordings she'd collected. Everyone in the courtyard leaned forward, straining to hear as she pressed play on the second audio file. Gregory's voice came through the speakers again, this time clearer and more distinct than the first recording. "The inside contact came through with everything we needed," he was saying to someone. "Captain Reynolds has been feeding me security details for weeks now. Guard rotations, patrol schedules, weak points in the perimeter. Everything." My blood went cold when I heard the name. Captain Reynolds. One of Dante's most trusted officers, a man who had been with the Russo family for ten years. A veteran warrior who'd fought in territorial wars and proven himself loyal through countless conflicts. Or so we'd all thought. I turned to look at Reynolds where he stood among the other captains, and his expression confirmed everything. Guilt and fear flashed acro
Dante's POV I dragged the captured rogues to the center of the courtyard in front of all the party guests, my hands gripping their collars hard enough that they choked and stumbled. I wanted everyone to see what happened to people who threatened my family, wanted the message to be absolutely clear. The party atmosphere died immediately as pack members and allies realized something serious was happening. Parents pulled their children closer. Warriors moved to defensive positions automatically. The celebration transformed into something darker in seconds. The rogues were terrified, bleeding from where my soldiers had subdued them during the capture. Deep gashes marked their arms and faces, evidence of the violence they'd encountered trying to breach our walls. I threw them to the ground at my feet and let my claws extend fully, each one six inches of razor-sharp bone designed to tear through flesh and bone. The hybrid was pushing forward, wanting blood for daring to threaten Alexand
Vera's POV Alexander's first birthday party was going well when I noticed someone standing in the shadows near the garden, partially hidden by the decorative trees Elena had arranged around the courtyard. My wolf immediately went on alert, hackles rising even though I was in human form. The scent hit me a second later and I froze. I recognized it before the woman stepped into the light, my memory pulling up images from over a year ago. One of the five she-wolves who had participated in my humiliation at Daemon's rejection ceremony, the ones who'd laughed while he threw me out and mocked my appearance. One of the wolves Dante had marked as enemies of our family. She stepped forward slowly, her hands raised in a gesture of peace. "Luna Vera, I need to speak with you. It's urgent." Dante appeared beside me instantly, moving at the hybrid speed that made him seem to materialize from thin air. His eyes were already shifting from gold to red, the change happening so fast it wa
Vera's POVI watched Dante's retreating form disappear through the doorway, sensing that something serious must have happened for him to shoot out of my bed so suddenly.He'd gone from gentle mate to ruthless alpha in the span of a heartbeat, and even though I barely knew him, I could feel the viol
Vera's POVElena had just finished pinning the last curl into place when Dante knocked on the door and entered our bedroom. The moment I saw him standing there in his formal suit, my breath caught in my throat. He looked absolutely devastating in the tailored black fabric that emphasized his broad
Dante's Pov I stared at her, completely caught off guard. No one had ever dared to speak to me like that. No one dared to raise their voice at me, let alone call me a monster to my face. And yet, here stood Vera, yelling at me. Hitting my chest with her small fists and threatening to reject our
Vera's POVThe next few days were torture.I avoided Dante as much as possible, acting like I was heartbroken and devastated by his supposed curse. Every time I saw him in the hallway, I'd turn and walk the other direction. When he knocked on our bedroom door, I wouldn't answer.I kept myself lock







