LOGINElla’s POV
Kael’s words kept echoing in my mind long after she spoke them. “You’re the Alpha’s mate. He would never hurt you.” I still didn’t know what to do with that information. My heart beat too fast, too loud, drowning out everything else. Mate? Alpha? Me? Nothing made sense. Nothing connected. My head felt like an empty room with broken windows wind rushing through but nothing staying inside.Kael stood beside me, her expression soft, patient in a wKael POVThe moment River’s words hit me, my wolf let out a low, thrilled growl that sent a shiver racing down my spine. My hands clenched into fists at my sides, but inside, my wolf was screaming with delight. She was wild with anticipation, imagining things I barely dared to think. My mate… my mate is right here, daring me… teasing me…I shook my head sharply, trying to silence the thoughts that had invaded my mind. My pulse was hammering, my body betraying me in ways I couldn’t control. I wanted him desperately but my mind screamed at me to stay in control, to resist.“I—I think you’re joking,” I stammered, forcing a shaky laugh. “It’s… it’s hard, okay? I… I’m trying to control myself… the mate bond… everything.”River’s smirk widened, a slow, confident curl of his lips that made my stomach tighten and my wolf leap at the warmth in my chest. “Joking?” he repeated, his voice low, velve
Kael POVThe moment the guard stepped back, leaving only River and me in the dimly lit room, a heavy silence settled between us. The air was thick, charged with a tension I couldn’t shake. My pulse raced, my wolf thrumming anxiously beneath my skin, warning me and urging me forward at the same time.I straightened, my hands flexing at my sides, and forced my voice to stay steady. “Tell me where your alpha is. Quickly,” I said, trying to cut through the weight pressing down on us. “Seeing Natalie first doesn’t guarantee her release.”River’s eyes, dark and unreadable, swept over me like a predator inspecting its prey. I felt a jolt of heat as I met his gaze intense, consuming, and utterly undeniable. My wolf stirred violently at the sight, her pulse in sync with the rapid thrum of my own heart. A strange, traitorous part of me felt that pull, that magnetic force, and I hated it immediately.But I
Chapter 64 — Kael POVThe hallways stretched ahead of me like an endless ribbon of polished stone and shadows. The flickering torches along the walls cast elongated shapes that seemed to slither, teasing my imagination, but I reminded myself I wasn’t afraid. Not really. Not in my brother’s pack. Not with guards trailing us, alert and silent. Every step I took echoed lightly in the corridor, a soft drumbeat that matched the quickening rhythm of my own pulse.The guard leading me was a tall, broad shouldered man with a sharp gaze and an unyielding presence. He moved with practiced precision, but I couldn’t help but notice the subtle tension in his posture. He knew I was important, someone to be protected and I could feel it in every measured step he took. Even if he didn’t speak, the silent assurance of his presence was comforting.Yet, despite my confidence, curiosity gnawed at me. I had never been
Kael POVMy heart raced as I stood in the dimly lit hallway outside Ella’s room, the weight of unease pressing down on me like a living thing. The memory of the mindlink from her personal servant, the revelation that Natalie had been locked in the dungeon played over and over in my mind. My stomach twisted, a cold knot of fear tightening with every heartbeat. I couldn’t let Ella know the full extent of what was happening not yet.She had already been through too much. The day had been long, overwhelming, and disorienting. And now, knowing that her friend, the one person who had greeted her so warmly, was imprisoned… I couldn’t let her step foot outside her room. Not while danger lingered so close.“Ella,” I whispered, my voice trembling just slightly despite my efforts to sound steady. She was lying on the edge of the bed, her eyes still lingering on the pictures of her parents, trying to absorb some sens
Chapter 62 — Ella POVThe moment Natalie released me from that awkward, lingering hug, I felt a swirl of confusion and unease. Her eyes had seemed to hold something familiar, though my memory stubbornly refused to place her. Every instinct in me screamed that I should question her, ask who she was and why she knew me, but before I could even form the words, Kael stepped forward, her presence sharp and unwavering.“Nat,” Kael said with a quiet firmness, “Ella has had a very long day. She would like to rest.”Natalie’s smile didn’t falter, but I noticed the subtle twitch in her jaw, the brief flicker of impatience in her eyes. She inclined her head politely, stepping back slightly, though the way she lingered in the periphery kept my tension high.I exhaled slowly, feeling the knot in my chest loosen just a fraction. Kael’s intervention had been timely, shielding me from a confrontation I wasn’
Ella POVThe moment I sensed the shift in Kingston’s mood, a cold knot formed in my stomach. There was no mistaking it, the dark edge in his expression, the way his jaw tensed, the almost imperceptible tightening of his shoulders. My heart thudded nervously in my chest. I had never seen him like this, and instinct screamed at me to be cautious.“Kingston… are you alright?” I asked softly, my voice tentative, hesitant. I didn’t want to provoke him, not when his emotions were already fraying at the edges.He didn’t answer immediately. His eyes scanned the path ahead as if he were seeing danger where none existed, and for a moment, I wondered if I should turn back. But then he gave a small nod in my direction, almost imperceptible, and I realized it was his way of saying: trust me, stay close.I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a small, reassuring smile. “We’ll be fine,” I whispered, mo
Kingston’s POVThe first light of dawn had barely crept over the horizon when I rose from my bed, the weight of the night’s thoughts pressing on my shoulders. My muscles protested slightly, remnants of tension from yesterday still lingering, but there was no time to ling
Kingston’s POVThe night air was cool, the faint scent of jasmine from the pack’s garden mingling with the earthiness of the freshly watered soil. The pack house lay quiet, almost eerily so, except for the steady footsteps of the guards patrolling the perimeter. Their synchr
Ella’s POVThe night was quiet, yet the weight of everything pressing down on me made it feel suffocating. I sat on the edge of Kingston’s bed, tracing idle patterns on his sheets with trembling fingers. My chest tightened, guilt gnawing at me. “I… I’m sorry,” I whispere
Ella’s POVThe moment the door slammed behind Kingston my world crumbled. The chamber felt too big, too silent, too cold. I didn’t even remember how I got back to my room only that once I stepped in, the weight of everything crashed down on me all at once.I shut







