Echoes From the Forbidden Zone

Alexander paced the floor of the pack infirmary like a caged wolf.With every pained groan from Oliver, his fists clenched tighter."Alpha." His Beta, Marcus, appeared in the doorway, his voice strained.Alexander spun on him. "What is it?"Marcus clutched a file in his hand. "We… we’ve found Mia."Vivian rushed over from Oliver’s bedside, her eyes shining with manic hope. "Where is she? Did you bring her back?"My spirit drifted forward. Are they finally about to learn the truth?"About Mia… this news may be difficult to hear...""Spit it out!" Alexander roared, kicking a nearby chair across the room. "Are you trying to help them hide?"Marcus shook his head, pulling a single document from the file. "Mia… is dead."He took a shaky breath. "She died three years ago. The very night you left for New Zealand with Oliver."The infirmary plunged into a stunned silence.Then, Vivian let out a heart-wrenching scream. "Dead? Then what about my Oliver?"Alexander’s fury erupted. “Nonsense! Mia

Alexander was silent for a dead, heavy moment, then he erupted in cold laughter."Dead?" He straightened up, looking down at my mother, who had collapsed in a heap on the floor."You think I'd fall for such a pathetic lie?" Alexander pulled a glowing Moonstone from his pocket. "Valentina is just trying to escape her responsibility, so she sent you, a madwoman, to put on a show."He held the Moonstone aloft. Through it, an Alpha could share his Luna's sight."Since she wants to play games, I'll let her watch the consequences of her defiance."He spoke to me through the mate bond, his voice a venomous whisper in my soul. "Valentina, I know you can see this. You have a choice. Show yourself and save your mother, or watch her die because of you."My mother lifted her head with a monumental effort. "You monster..."Alexander took a silver-laced whip from a hook on the wall. "Then let me show you what a real monster looks like."The silver whip cracked against my mother's back."Aaargh!" she

Vivian sensed the shift in him."Alexander..." she choked out, letting go of his arm and taking a few steps back, clutching the ailing Oliver to her chest."I understand." Fat tears rolled down her cheeks. "You don't believe me anymore, do you?"Alexander looked at her, his expression unreadable. "Vivian, I don't...""No, you do." Vivian shook her head sadly. "Rebecca's words have made you doubt me. You think I'm the one who killed the Luna."She crouched in the corner with Oliver, the very picture of an abandoned, pitiful woman."If that's the case, I'll take Oliver and leave," her voice trembled. "I won't be a bother to you anymore."As she turned to leave, Alexander moved to block her path."Vivian, you've misunderstood." Alexander sighed, reaching out to gently stroke her cheek. "I believe you. Of course, I believe you.""Really?" Vivian looked up at him, her eyes shining with tears."Of course." Alexander pulled her into his arms. "You're right. Rebecca is unstable. We can't trust

"Don't go to the Elders!" Zoe and Vivian shouted in unison.Their shared panic exposed everything.Vivian immediately dropped to her knees before Alexander, tears instantly welling in her eyes. "Alexander, I know you're angry, but please, for the sake of our years together, don't do this to us.""I admit my mother may have done some... extreme things, but she was only doing it for me!" Vivian cried, a picture of sorrow. "She couldn't stand to see me get hurt, so she...""Extreme things?" Alexander laughed coldly. "Murdering my mate and my daughter... in your eyes, that's just 'extreme'?"Seeing that Vivian's tears were having no effect, Zoe switched tactics.She laughed maliciously. "Alexander, stop pretending to be so heartbroken. Weren't you happy the bitch was dead? Why play the good guy now?""If you hadn't said yourself that she should die, would we have even done anything?" Zoe grew more smug as she spoke. "She got what she deserved! An ungrateful bitch who didn't appreciate her