BEATRICE"Mom, Dad hasn't been home for a month. Other boy-wolves said that he had another family and didn't want us anymore." My daughter Bailey looks up at me with wide eyes.I see her blinking fast to keep them from spilling over. I feel heartbroken."My silly girl, you know your dad's busy. He's the Alpha, and he has a whole pack to look after." I hold Bailey’s face in my hands, "and he won't forget that today is our Bailey sweetheart's birthday."Today is my little girl's birthday. How do I convince Bailey that what those annoying boys who like to bully others say is not true? Or part of it?Her dad indeed doesn’t care enough to show up. That he never wanted this family in the first place.My husband is Alpha Enzo of the Silverfang Pack, a perfect Alpha who puts his duty above all else. But to Bailey and me, he’s the man who’s never there when we need him.Three hours later, the sky is already ink-dark. Bailey barely keeps her eyes open. It’s way past her bedtime. But she still l
BEATRICE Enzo couldn’t even wish Bailey a happy birthday. But he’s here celebrating another child’s birthday. What kind of father is he? The pain I felt all day snaps into a silent rage. My hands clench so tightly that my knuckles turn white. As Bailey’s mom, this is unacceptable. I need some answers! I storm into the restaurant, my heart pounding so hard it drowns out everything else. I think of all the ways to confront Enzo and Thalia. They’re not getting away with this bullshit. But the woman at the front desk quickly blocks my path. "Excuse me, ma’am," she says with a tight smile. "Do you have a reservation?" I barely slow down. "I don’t. This is a personal matter. I’m looking for my husband." My gaze stays locked on Enzo. He smirks as he listens to Thalia. When she laughs, he chuckles too, shaking his head like she just said the funniest thing in the world. My stomach twists as if I ate bad sushi. "I’m sorry, ma’am, but I can’t let anyone in without a reservation," t
BEATRICEThe world feels like it’s closing in.All the noise around me fades away. It’s like I’m not even in the restaurant anymore.Enzo’s words loop in my head. I don’t care about you or your daughter.I can’t breathe. He really meant every word of it.The whispers around me get louder. I don’t catch everything, but I hear enough. "She’s obsessed.""It’s pathetic. Alpha Enzo clearly doesn’t want her.""Who even is she? Just some bitter ex?""She’s making a fool of herself. Look, I guess Thalia might be our Luna."My stomach drops. No one in our pack knows I’m their Luna. Enzo never told anyone outside our family. And he never gives me Luna's responsibilities. I’m never allowed to be involved in Luna's matters.He never claimed me as his. I’m his wife, but only in name. Hidden away, ignored, and treated like an outsider in my pack.To everyone, I’m just some desperate woman making a scene over a man who doesn’t want her.I know Enzo has never liked me. Maybe he’s even hated me.We
BEATRICEI’ve never wanted to scream at someone more in my life. And somehow, I’m still holding it in.Enzo’s lucky our daughter is here to keep me from losing my shit.I walk over and kneel beside Bailey. “Sweetie, why don’t you play in your room?”She glances at Thalia and Celeste, then back at me. "Are you gonna be okay, Mommy?"I nod and smile like everything’s fine. If she sees me fall apart, she might too. "I’m okay, baby. Don’t worry about me, alright?"She briefly studies me, like she knows I’m not telling the whole truth. But she just nods and heads upstairs. I hate how used to this she’s become… being sent off every time things get tense between me and her daddy.I turn to Enzo. “What is this?” I ask quietly. “What the hell are you doing?”He doesn’t even bother looking at me. “Make sure they get settled,” he says before heading toward the front door. He’s really testing me.I follow him out onto the porch. “Enzo,” I snap. “Are you serious right now? You're letting them sta
BEATRICEBailey’s face is what breaks me.She tries to smile as she lets go of the bow, but her eyes are glassy.“I understand,” she says quietly.Tears well up in my eyes. My pup shouldn’t feel like she’s only second best to her father.Enzo doesn’t say a word. He just turns away like nothing happened.That’s his only response to his daughter getting humiliated. Is that it?So this is what he thinks being Alpha means. Turning his back on his kid like it’s nothing.I feel like I’m being suffocated in my own house. I need to take a breather, and I’m taking Bailey with me. I reach for Bailey’s hand and squeeze gently. “Let’s go,” I say, my voice low.She looks up, confused. “Go where?”“Out,” I tell her, already guiding her toward the door.Enzo frowns from across the room. “Where are you going? It’s late.”I turn to him. “Do you really care?”He waves a hand. “Whatever.”Typical.I don’t say another word. I open the door, and Bailey follows me out.*******************Once we’re in t
BEATRICE“I want a divorce.”Just like that, the words felll out of me easier than I thought they would. Maybe because deep down, I’ve wanted to say them for a long time.Enzo’s halfway through buckling his belt. He freezes, blinking slowly. “What?” “I said I want a divorce.”His brow furrows, but it’s not hurt or confusion I see in his face. He looks insulted. “You’re not serious.”“I’m dead serious.” I fold my arms. “This isn’t working for me and Bailey. It hasn’t been for a long time.”Enzo laughs. “You want a divorce now? Just because Thalia’s here?”I stare at him. “No. Not just because of her. Because you’ve never loved me and you always ignore our daughter. Do you think tossing money at us makes you a good father? And now, you bring your ex into our home like we don’t even exist.”He steps closer. “I’m the Alpha. I don’t need to run my decisions by you.”“You’re right. You don’t.” I look him straight in the eye. “And I don’t need to stay married to a man who treats me and our d
BEATRICEHe freezes when he sees us. Bailey tenses in my arms. “What the hell is this?”“Please,” I say quickly. “Don’t blame her. Don’t punish her for this. She just wanted to see her mom. I’ll do anything. Just don’t hurt her.”He glares at me. “Anything?”I nod.“Then drop the divorce.”I hesitate, but only for a second. “Fine. I won’t bring it up again. Just let me see my daughter. Don’t lock me away.”Enzo narrows his eyes. “Go back to your room, Bailey,” he finally says.“No!” she clutches my hand tighter.“It’s okay, sweetie,” I say gently. “Go now. I’ll see you tomorrow.”She doesn’t want to let go. But eventually, she has to and walks out.Enzo looks at me with those deep eyes—eyes I used to love so much. But now, all I feel is fear. He lets out a cold chuckle. “I knew it. You were just playing games. You’re too impulsive.”I swallow my anger and nod. “I’m sorry.”“As long as you don’t bring up divorce again,” he says, “I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”Before I can r
BEATRICEBailey’s bruises look like they hurt. But I think what’s killing me more is that she didn’t tell me.She was out there alone while I was locked in my goddamn room.Thalia and her brat knew I couldn’t stop them. They looked at my daughter and saw an easy target. And I wasn’t there. I couldn’t protect her. I feel sick like something’s rotting in my chest. I want to break something and make them feel what Bailey felt. I don’t care what I have to do. No one lays a hand on my daughter and walks away from it.And when I finally asked Bailey why she didn’t tell me, she just said, “Because it would make you sad.”God. What kind of mom does that make me, if my little girl thought she had to stay quiet just so I wouldn’t feel bad?I’m supposed to be the one protecting her. Not the other way around.Telling Enzo would be useless. He’ll swallow whatever bullshit Thalia fed him without even blinking.I swear to myself I'm getting Bailey out of here. One way or another. And Thalia? She
BEATRICESince returning, I haven’t seen Maxwell once.He hasn’t called, hasn’t asked to meet—not a word.And I don’t know why that stings the way it does. I keep telling myself it shouldn’t. We were never anything. He saved me. Protected me. But that’s it, right?Still… I can’t forget that night in the cave. The way he looked at me. The way he held me, so close and steady, like I meant something.But now, sitting across from the woman who had touched his shoulder, who had made him smile so easily while I stood off to the side feeling invisible—it’s impossible not to wonder.Is this the reason?Is she why he changed?I shake the thought off. This isn’t about Maxwell. This is about my future. My daughter’s future. I inhale slowly, straighten my spine, and give the woman my full attention.She’s poised, direct, and carries herself like someone used to giving orders. I already know I’d follow them.“Thanks for waiting,” she says with a firm nod. “I’m Gamma Aria. I’ll be leading your inter
BEATRICEI pack Bailey’s lunch like I always do—small bites, easy to eat, her favorite fruits cut into heart shapes. She told me once that heart-shaped mango slices make her feel "ten percent more powerful," and I believe her.Today’s bento is extra neat. I don’t know why I’m being so meticulous—maybe because I’m nervous. Maybe because this interview means more to me than I’m willing to admit out loud. Or maybe I just want everything else to feel normal.We walk to school together like we always do. She holds my hand the whole way, chattering about her latest classroom art project and how her new classmate eats their sandwich with a spoon. I laugh in all the right places, nod, ask questions—but something feels off.It’s subtle. A whisper. A shift in the air.Like we’re being watched.I glance over my shoulder. No one’s there. Just a few parents and pups milling about, teachers greeting kids at the entrance. But my instincts tingle. Maybe it’s nothing. Maybe it’s just the nerves.Still,
BEATRICELife is starting to feel normal.Bailey and I no longer live in the pack house. We rent a small unit on the quieter side of town, just a short walk from her school. It’s nothing fancy — two rooms, thin walls, a creaky faucet that drips all night — but it’s ours. It’s safe. And I can finally hear myself think.We’re only able to stay here thanks to Petra, one of the warriors who used to guard me back when I was still considered a prisoner. Somewhere between late-night conversations and her sneaking me extra food, we became… friends. The real kind. The kind I didn’t think I’d have again.When I said I wanted to leave the compound and start fresh, Petra didn’t hesitate. She spoke to someone on the housing committee, pulled a few strings, and now Bailey and I have a roof over our heads. Rent-free — for now.I promised her I’d pay her back as soon as I started earning. She just shrugged and said, “Focus on getting your life back first. We’ll talk numbers later.”And maybe it’s my i
BEATRICESomething's different.Maxwell hasn't spoken more than a few words to me since the ceremony. And it’s not just silence—it’s the kind that feels heavy, deliberate. Every time I try to say something, he nods or mutters a vague answer and turns away. No eye contact. No familiar calm in his voice. Just distance.Cold, quiet distance.I glance at him again. He’s sitting across the cave, arms folded, gaze fixed on the stone wall like he’s waiting for it to move. The warmth he showed me earlier—the steady, protective way he held me when we fell, the softness in his voice when he promised I’d be safe—it’s gone now.Vanished.I scoot a little closer, careful not to startle him. “What’s wrong?” I ask, keeping my tone light. “Is the rescue not coming after all?”His eyes flick to me. For a second, I think I see something in them—conflict, maybe. Guilt?But all he says is, “Don’t worry.”Then silence again.I lean back slowly, unsure what to make of it. What a strange man. Warm one second
MAXWELLShe’s finally asleep.Curled into herself, her face half-hidden beneath my coat, breath slow but uneven. Even in rest, her brows are slightly furrowed — like she’s still fighting something in her dreams. It doesn’t surprise me. Beatrice has been fighting since the moment I met her.I sit a few feet away, watching in silence.There’s a strange stillness in this cave, tucked deep into the cliffside. Outside, the wind howls over stone and water, but in here, it’s quiet. Too quiet. It makes me think more than I want to. About the jump. About what she’s been through. About how close I came to losing her.I’ve fought wars. Killed enemies. Seen more blood than I can remember. But nothing tightened my chest like the moment I thought Enzo had gotten his hands on her again. I hadn’t even realized how panicked I was until she was gone.And now?Now she’s here, alive, asleep a few feet away—and I’m still shaken.I shift slightly, stretching my arm out before I can think better of it. My fi
ENZOBeatrice actually jumped.I stand at the edge of the cliff, staring at the mist below, my hands trembling. For a moment, I don’t believe what I just saw. She wouldn’t… She couldn’t…Gamma rushes over. “Alpha, we can’t see the bottom. The river’s too rough—anyone who jumps is as good as dead.”No. I shake my head, refusing to accept it. “Search below. All of you. I don’t care how far it is—find her.”Beta Lukas steps forward, cautious. “We’ve already delayed too long. There are urgent matters in the pack that need your attention.”I ignore him, eyes still locked on the cliff’s edge.Thalia comes up behind me and wraps her arms around my shoulders. “She’s a traitor,” she says softly. “Even if we brought her back, she’d be executed. You did what you had to do.”But that was never my intention.I didn’t want her dead.I can’t say that out loud—not in front of them. I’m the Alpha. I have to act like this was justice, not loss. Like it was for the pack.But all I wanted was to bring her
BEATRICEMy heart almost stop, and I can hear nothing at that moment. “You—you promised,” I say, the words barely making it past the lump in my throat. “You promised you would protect me.”But Maxwell says nothing. Doesn’t defend me. Doesn’t even look at me. He turns and walks away like it costs him nothing. And just like that, I’m no longer a person — just a favor that wasn’t worth keeping.I don’t remember how I get back to my room. One moment, I’m standing in that hall, and the next, I’m sitting stiffly on the edge of the bed, staring down at my hands. My body moved without thinking, and now it feels like I’ve landed inside someone else’s nightmare. The world outside is quiet, but inside me, everything is shaking. My pulse pounds in my ears, and there’s a hollow ache in my chest that I don’t know how to fill.The warrior who let me see Bailey earlier brings me water. She looks hesitant, maybe worried she’ll be punished just for being near me, but I shake my head. “You’re safe,” I m
BEATRICEI stare at Enzo like I’m seeing him for the first time.His words echo inside me, but my mind refuses to absorb them. Then you must come back with me.What?I don’t understand. What could he possibly want with me now?He said our daughter was gone. He believed it. That should’ve been the end of it. So why does he still want me?But then I see it in his eyes. That cold, mechanical cruelty he wears so well.He doesn’t want me back for love.He wants to make an example of me.“You betrayed me,” Enzo says, almost bored. “You betrayed your Alpha. You betrayed the pack.”His voice is flat, almost lazy, but every word drips venom. “The punishment for betrayal is execution.”My blood runs cold.He means it.He’s not dragging me back out of some twisted claim of love. He’s going to take me back and have me publicly killed. Because in his story, I’m not the abused, forgotten wife—I’m the traitor. And he’s the noble Alpha, the savior, the one doing what’s best for the pack.To them, he’s
BEATRICEThalia’s laugh rings out, sharp and vicious like nails scraping across stone.“So it really is you,” she spits. “You traitor.”She yanks my arm tighter, shoving me back against the wall. I stumble but don’t fall, not yet. I’m too stunned to even speak. Her nails bite into my wrist as her face twists into a satisfied sneer.“You’ve got some nerve,” she continues, her tone venomous. “Daring to seek refuge with the Lycans like some poor little victim. Pathetic.”I struggle, trying to wrench free, but my body feels too slow. Too empty. I haven’t eaten. I haven’t slept. And worst of all — I have no wolf. I can’t summon strength that isn’t there. She knows it. I know it.And that’s what terrifies me.Of all people, I didn’t expect her. Not now. Not here.“Shouldn’t you be stuck to Enzo’s side like glue?” I manage to say, trying to keep my voice steady, even as my heart pounds like thunder in my ears.Thalia’s smirk deepens. “Oh, I’ve already mind-linked him.”My breath hitches.“He’