Alpha Maverick POV
I sat at the head of the table with my beta, Damien and few members of my trusted pack gathered around me. We were deep in discussion, hashing out the details of a critical alliance that could determine the fate of our territory. My sharp gaze swept the room, taking in every nuance, every shift in expression. These were my most loyal pack members, the ones I trusted implicitly to help guide our pack to greatness. Their input was invaluable, but ultimately, the decisions fell to me. Suddenly, the door burst open, and a familiar figure strode in - my twin brother, Damien. Although we were birthed as twins we didn't look alike. His brows were crinkled with a look of urgency engraved on his features as he approached me. "Maverick, I need to speak with you. It's important," he saidas his eyes darted around the room. I felt a flicker of annoyance at the interruption. "What is it, Damien? We're in the middle of a meeting." Damien hesitated as his gaze met mine. "It's about Nora. I think she's ill, and she needs your attention." Nora. My mate. The very mention of her name did little to stir any emotion within me. She was merely a means to an end, a way to solidify my position as Alpha and ensure the continuation of my bloodline. Her wellbeing was of little consequence to me. My expression remained impassive, a stark contrast to Damien's obvious concern. While Damien and I may have shared the same striking features - the chiseled jawline, the piercing gaze, a well toned muscular physique- the similarities between us ended there. Where I was cold and calculating, Damien was warm and empathetic. His heart was opened to the world in a way that I could never quite comprehend. "I see," I said with my voice devoid of any emotion. "Dismissed, everyone. We'll continue this discussion another time." As my pack members filed out, I turned my attention to Damien with a fixed gaze. "Explain." Damien shifted uncomfortably in his seat, his brow crinkledwith worry. "When I went to check on Nora earlier, she seemed unwell. She had bruises and was running a fever. As her mate, I believe she deserves to be treated with care and compassion." I felt a twitch of disdain at his words. "Nora is my mate, not yours. I'll handle her care as I see fit." "She might be a lowly omega but she's sick. Have a heart and feel compassion for your mate" Damien demanded. "I am your alpha! So shut the fuck up and let me handle Nora the way I see fit...understood?" I asked with authority. I wasn't even expecting a reply. Damien didn't like it whenever I exercised my authority over him. I could see the disappointment in his eyes, and a part of me almost felt remorse. But that emotion was quickly buried, replaced by the cold calculation that had become my constant companion. Without a word, I reached for my phone, summoning a maid with a curt gesture. The young woman appeared within moments. "See to it that Nora is well-fed and cared for. Anything she asks for give it to her" I instructed with my tone clipped and lacking of any warmth. "Ensure she receives proper nourishment and attends to her needs." The maid nodded. Her eyes flickered briefly towards Damien before she responded. "Of course, Alpha. It will be done...but...what if she asks to see you?" The maid stuttered. "I will not be available" I replied then excused her. Turning my attention to my twin brother, I levelled him with a cold stare. "Damien, you will oversee Nora's treatment. See to it that she recovers from her... ailments." The concern on Damien's face did not go unnoticed, but I paid it no mind. I had no desire to dwell on Nora's condition or to be in her presence. "I will be... otherwise occupied in the coming days," I continued with the barest hint of a lie in my words. "Ensure that she is tended to properly." Damien opened his mouth, no doubt to protest, but I cut him off with a sharp gesture. "That will be all," I said, my voice brooking no argument. Without a backward glance, I turned and left the room with my mind already focused on the next item on my agenda. Love and emotion were weaknesses, and I had long since vowed to never let myself be vulnerable again. As I walked through the grand halls of my mansion, my jaw tightened. Nora was my mate, yes, but she was nothing more than a means to an end. Her well-being was of little concern to me, as long as she fulfilled her duties to me. My past relationships had all been driven by lust and a desire for power, with the women in my life ultimately betraying me. They would succumb to temptation, seeking out the attentions of others and their loyalty to me nothing more than a facade. I would always catch them in the end as their indiscretions laid bare before me. And in that moment, I would feel nothing – no anger, no hurt, no sense of betrayal, because I wasn't new to this. I had built up walls, fortifying myself against the pain of heartbreak, and Nora was merely the latest in a long line of mates and lovers. Her wellbeing, her happiness – these were of no concern to me. I would fulfil my duties as her mate, but I would never allow myself to be drawn in, to open my heart to the possibility of love. With a deep breath, I pushed aside any lingering thoughts of Nora and focused on the tasks of the pack . I had a pack to lead, a territory to defend, and I would do so with the same fixed determination that had always defined me – a cold, cruel alpha , unbothered by the burdens of emotion. On the other hand, she's an unripe fruit. I don't do virgins. On the previous night we were supposed to have a one night stand but I just couldn't see myself having sex with a virgin! How do I enjoy it? Seeing how she would wince in pain while I penetrate inside her. I realised she was my mate! That moment, I could remember the prophecy that said I would meet my mate as a virgin and that the moon goddess didn't grant me a second chance mate. In my years of living, I have lived as a mateless alpha, though I didn't see it as a necessity.Nora's POVAs I sat there, helpless and bound, my gaze was drawn to Damien. My heart ached at the sight of him in such agony. The wolfsbane-laced knife cuts had taken its toll, and I could see the pain engraved in his features. His breaths came in ragged gasps."Damien," I whispered with guilt written all over my voice. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."Damien lifted his head with his eyes meeting mine. "Don't, Nora," he rasped with his voice barely above a whisper. "I told Maverick I would protect you, and I'm not going back on that."A heavy silence fell between us, and I began feeling bad for the way I had treated him earlier. "Damien," I began with my voice barely audible, "I... I'm sorry. For how I've been with you, despite your apology. I just... I didn't want to be the reason you and Maverick fought again."Damien's expression softened, and he offered me a weary smile. "I understand, Nora," he murmured. "It only makes sense that you'd want that""I also want you to know tha
Maverick's POVThe tires of my car screeched as I pushed the pedal to the floor while my heart pounding in my chest. Beside me, Alan gripped the door handle, but I couldn't slow down, not when Nora's life was at stake.The road blurred as I sped through the winding streets with my mind racing with a thousand thoughts. Nora, my mate, my everything, was in the hands of those twisted monsters, and the very thought of it made my blood boil.Suddenly, my phone rang. Without taking my eyes off the road, I picked it up."Maverick, it's Eliza," my aunt's voice came through, laced with concern. "Calm down, Maverick, you're going to hurt yourself.""Hurt myself?" I growled as my grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Nora is probably in the hands of two of the most twisted, vile creatures on this earth, and you want me to be calm?""Amaya spoke to me," Eliza said with her voice soft but firm. "She's scared for you, Maverick. And she's scared for Nora, too.""I don't care what Amaya said," I sna
Nora's POVI sat bound in the chair, helpless to do anything, watching in horror as Damien was tortured before my eyes. Derek, that vile creature, had a silver knife laced with wolfsbane, relishing in Damien's agonised screams."You had a chance to walk away from all this, Damien," Derek sneered. "But you just couldn't leave her to suffer alone, could you?"Damien's eyes met mine, and despite the pain in his expression, I saw a fierce determination burning within him. "We're all family. It's only fools that abandon family"My heart ached at his loyalty, even in the face of such crueltyand especially after how rude I had been to him. "Derek," I said with my voice trembling, "tell me who you're working with."The sound of slow, deliberate footsteps echoed through the room, and my blood ran cold as Selena emerged from the shadows with a twisted smile playing across her lips."Selena?" Damien breathed with his eyes widening in disbelief.I felt a surge of rage, but I was rendered powerle
Nora's POVAs the warm water cascaded over my body, my mind driftedto the time Maverick and I were in the shower together. The feel of Maverick's strong hands on my skin, the heat of his breath against my neck - it all came rushing back.I could almost feel him there with me with his muscular frame pressed against my back and his lips trailing light kisses along the curve of my neck. A shiver of pleasure ran down my spine as I imagined his calloused hands caressing my breasts, eliciting soft moans from my lips.Turning in his embrace, I gazed up at him. I ached to feel his lips on mine, to lose myself in the passion that always threatened to consume us.But as I leaned in, the familiar features of my mate began to shift, morphing into someone else entirely. Damien's face came into focus with his eyes burning with an intensity that sent a chill down my spine.Gasping, I jerked back to reality. I stared at the tiled wall as my cheeks burned with shame. How could I have allowed my mind t
Maverick's POVThe next day, I called Alan into my office. As he stepped into my office, I could see the worry etched across his face.. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the conversation to come. "Alan, I need to tell you something about my visit to the dungeon yesterday," I began with my voice low and serious.Alan's brow furrowed with his gaze fixed on me. "What is it, Maverick?" he asked."The woman who told Nora not to trust anyone," I said, "I asked her specifically who she meant when she said that. And she told me..." I paused with the words catching in my throat."Who, Maverick?" Alan pressed as his eyes widened with a mixture of fear and disbelief."She said it was Amaya," I replied with my voice barely above a whisper. "That Amaya went down to see Derek before his escape."Alan's face fell. "No," he breathed, shaking his head in denial. "Amaya wouldn't...""I know, Alan," I said. "It's a lot to take in. But we have to consider the possibility that she may be the one
Maverick's POVIt had been three agonising days since Nora had left with Damien, and I couldn't help but feel the weight of her absence. I knew that maintaining communication with her was too risky, given the possibility of a traitor within our own ranks. But that knowledge did little to ease the ache in my heart.I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I paced the length of my office. "I don't understand why I'm feeling this way," I admitted with my voice low as I spoke to my wolf. "Nora is safe with Damien, and he's promised to take care of her. So why can't I shake this sense of unease?"My wolf rumbled in response. "You worry too much, Maverick," it said with its tone gentle yet firm. "Nora is your mate, and you know she would never betray your trust. And Damien – he knows his limits. He would never do anything to jeopardise your relationship with Nora."I nodded, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease slightly. "You're right," I murmured, taking a deep breath. "I need to tr