EDWARD’S POV"What are you trying to say?" I asked the council member who had just spoken. My eyes were narrowed as I stared at him, refusing to believe the words that had just come out of his mouth."I-I..I said you will have to produce a child within a year of being Alpha, otherwise your cousin can challenge you for the position."I slammed my hand against the desk in anger, rising to my feet. I couldn't believe this shit. What the fuck were they suddenly saying? Where did this alter to the rules suddenly come from?"What do you mean by that?” I asked him. “I am not blind, and I remember reading that will thoroughly. The only requirement to be Alpha was to get married, wasn’t it?”They all nodded. "Yes, Alpha. You are not wrong. But this…this is our basic law. Alphas of other small packs are given three years to produce a child, but you are only given a year as the Alpha of the territory. That is how it has always been."No way.I sighed and released a shaky breath in an attempt to
CLARA'S POV"What the hell were you thinking?!" Edward was yelling, the expression on his face the very definition of fury.I crouched deeper into the blanket I was wrapped in, still shivering as I slowly sipped on the hot tea I'd been served. I couldn't look him in the eyes, because I was scared to see the anger I knew was shining in them. My entire body ached from walking around that thick forest searching for a way out. Edward hadn't said anything to me when he rescued me, but the moment I was treated and my health proved to be in good condition by the doctor, he descended on me.I had nothing to say, no words to defend myself with, because I knew he was right to be angry.In the corner of the room, Lydia was sobbing violently, her arms wrapped around herself as she begged Edward. "P-Please Alpha Edward…please punish me instead. It's my fault that the Luna was almost harmed. I was too careless, I should have insisted on following her when she left the car.""That's enough," Edward
EDWARD’S POV"You asked to see me, Edward," Jaxon said as he walked into my office, bowing in greeting.I nodded, motioning him to the chair across mine. "You may sit." He obeyed."You may have seen or heard about the news circulating through several packs about my wife." I said. "Yes, I have.” He leaned forward. “Just a few minutes ago I was wondering what you planned to do concerning these rumors. They are quite vulgar. And although I know they are false, I still think something needs to be done about them."I leaned back and smiled. This was one of the reasons why I made Jaxon my Beta. He was smart and sharp, knowing exactly what to do and being able to differentiate right from wrong. "Good. That is why I asked to see you. Do you know which particular news network broadcasted these lies?""I do. I already instructed my secretary to prepare a list, and so far, the only networks are: Break News, Sky News, and Al Blue News."I nodded. "I will use them as perfect examples, so that nex
CLARA’S POV "Isn't that Beta Jaxon's driver?" Lydia asked, pushing her face to the window as she pointed at the car in the distance. We were seated in my car en route to Al Blue News office building. I turned to see who she was referring to. The car she motioned to was driving out of the building as we spoke, but I knew nothing of Beta Jaxon's driver, so I couldn't really say anything about it. "I think you might be mistaken," I told her. "What would a member of our pack be doing here?" Lydia craned her neck further out the window, eager to confirm. When she pulled back into the car, she faced me and shook her head. "I am a hundred percent sure that's him. He used to work for the Alpha before as well. I could recognize him anywhere." I didn't want to dwell on a random person right now. Plus, we were here for a reason, and I didn't want us to get distracted. "Whether it's him or not, that's not important. We are here for important business. Just forget about that. Let's
CLARA’S POV "I think you should get the pharmacist fired," Lydia said as we climbed into the backseat of the car. My mind whirled with thoughts as I tossed my options around in my head. I hadn't forgotten the role that pharmacist played in my misfortune all those weeks ago. But, was getting her fired enough punishment for that? The woman had blatantly refused to help me before I miscarried, and that was something I would never forget. Even though it might have been too late to save my baby, her help would have stopped me from crying and bleeding out on the street. I could have gotten some decency instead of the stares and disgrace I'd endured on the street. And to think that she was a woman. My fists clenched. I couldn't let that slide. After a few minutes of driving, we arrived at the pharmacy. I exited the car with my bodyguards and Lydia in tow. We walked into the pharmacy, and just like I prayed, the person at the counter was the same lady who had ignored me. A fla
NATE’S POV "Let's toast to the downfall of that bitch!" I laughed raising my glass to clink Isla's. Isla laughed as we sipped on our wine. We were seated in my office celebrating the success of our plan. I was confident it was going to go accordingly, but I hadn't anticipated just how well it would play out. It was even better than I expected. I'd heard from my sources that the news affected Clara so much that she went missing for hours. It had left her a mess, to say the least. Laughter bubbled in my throat as I imagined her crying and walking through the forest, trying to take her life. I almost wished I'd been there to watch, but it was satisfying nonetheless. "That bitch had no idea who she's dealing with. She must have thought her petty quality inspection would hurt me, but oh, she had no idea how far I could take it. Now she's the one crying," I laughed. "Even with all the money and power she has attained, she's still so dull and stupid. She couldn't even think of a g
CLARA'S POV I could see the anger flashing in Nate's eyes as I called the director of health. Mr. Gregory was the director of health for the territory, meaning that he could overrule an Alpha's orders regarding health matters. The only person he was inferior to was the Alpha the territory, Edward, my husband. And it was clear by the look on Nate's face that he knew this. I put the phone on loud speaker so the entire room could hear the conversation I was about to have with Mr Gregory loud and clear. "What can I do for you today, Luna Clara?" He asked. "I need you to file for the suspension of licence of a certain Mr Albert who owns a pharmacy in Breakstone Pack. I also want his pharmacy shut down due to his inability to render unbiased health care and services." I demanded. "Alright, Luna Clara. As long as you are the one asking me to do it, I will get it done immediately without further questions." Mr. Gregory responded. With a smile, I ended the call. Albert's smi
NATE'S POV "How could she do that? How could she fucking do that?!!" I screamed, flinging the glass cup in front of me so hard that it smashed against the wall and shattered into pieces. I landed a violent kick to my desk, sending it tumbling down to the ground. There was so much pent up rage in me, I had to let it out somehow. That fucking bitch. Oh, how I wanted Clara's head on a platter. I couldn't believe she did that to me. I couldn't let her get away with it. I just wouldn't. "Nate…" Isla called out to me, her voice shaky. She was standing at a corner of my office, trying to calm me down. But it proved usesless because I was irritated by the sight of her face. I wasn't in the mood to see anyone around me right now, least of all, Isla. She took a timid step toward me. "Nate, please just try to ca–" "Don't fucking tell me to calm down!! How do you expect me to calm down when that low life bitch is trying to humiliate me in front of the entire pack?! That bitch has g
Clara’s POV Henry and I stared at each other for what felt like forever, my eyes burning with anger, his full of something else. Maybe surprise that I wanted to see him. Finally, he sighed, leaning back with a shrug. “Fine. I’ll tell you, since you’re so desperate to know.” I couldn’t help the small sigh of satisfaction that slipped from me as I leaned back in my seat, folding my arms. “I’m all ears.” “But first,” he said, smiling, “Why are you so covered up?” He raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Let me guess, you don’t want to be seen with me?” I shot him a glare, my lips pressing into a tight line. “That’s not important right now.” He shrugged again, biting back a laugh. He signaled the waitress, ordering an iced coffee and a bagel, then leaned forward, clasping his hands on the desk. I watched him, trying to decide if I could trust anything that came from the mouth of someone so… off. There was something unsettling about him with each se
CLARA’S POV A rush of adrenaline coursed through my veins. My eyes flew open, and I could feel something stirring deep inside me: a soft, steady thumping. Was that… my wolf? Lying against Edward’s chest, I lifted my fingers to my neck, gently caressing the bite mark. Then my hand drifted to my chest, pausing over my heart, feeling the pulse beneath my skin. Yes… that was truly my wolf. “Clara…” A faint, almost whispering voice called to me, and I jolted upright, clutching my chest as my heart hammered wildly. Was that her voice? Edward stirred beside me, his gaze sharp and cautious as he watched me. “Is everything okay?” I nodded shakily, rubbing my palms against my chest to steady myself. “Yeah, I… I think I just heard my wolf’s voice.” My words were breathless, disbelief still clinging to them. Edward’s eyes widened, and he quickly propped himself up. His hand gently covered mine, his touch warm and comforting. “And I think I can feel her too,” I added, my voice barely a
CLARA’S POV I leaned against the balcony railing, looking down at the patio below. For a brunch we’d thrown together just days ago, the turnout was incredible. Like Lydia suggested, I had to put myself out there before launching my company and the first step was this brunch for women in business. Lydia had sent out invitations and they’d shown up in numbers. More than I expected. More than I could have hoped for. I was impressed and grateful. And, if I was being honest, a little on edge. The patio was packed with at least two hundred women, maybe more, each one a business owner from different packs. Soft music drifted from the speakers, mingling with the low hum of conversation. On one side, rows of neatly arranged tables stretched out, white cloths draped over them, wine glasses catching the sunlight. The whole setup looked… perfect. I ran a hand over my dress, taking in the scene when Lydia’s voice suddenly cut through my thoughts. “Luna,” she said from behind me,
CLARA’S POV I leaned against the balcony railing, looking down at the patio below. For a brunch we’d thrown together just days ago, the turnout was incredible. Like Lydia suggested, I had to put myself out there before launching my company and the first step was this brunch for women in business. Lydia had sent out invitations and they’d shown up in numbers. More than I expected. More than I could have hoped for. I was impressed and grateful. And, if I was being honest, a little on edge. The patio was packed with at least two hundred women, maybe more, each one a business owner from different packs. Soft music drifted from the speakers, mingling with the low hum of conversation. On one side, rows of neatly arranged tables stretched out, white cloths draped over them, wine glasses catching the sunlight. The whole setup looked… perfect. I ran a hand over my dress, taking in the scene when Lydia’s voice suddenly cut through my thoughts. “Luna,” she said from behind me,
NATE’S POV I got home late, the weight of the day still hanging off my shoulders. Amanda’s arrival had gone smoother than I expected, and now it was time to deal with the loose ends. One, in particular, had overstayed her welcome. Isla. She was on the couch, curled up like she owned the place, watching TV and eating grapes. As if she wasn’t the biggest disappointment of the year. I didn’t wait for her to notice I was home. “You’re done,” I said flatly as soon as I entered. She looked up at me, confused for half a second. “What?” And then, like she suddenly remembered I was just coming back, she stood up, drawing close to me. “You’re late today. Work must have been stressful.” She moved to touch my face but I hit her hand away. “You’re leaving tonight.” I told her firmly, trying not to sound irritated as I felt. “You failed to do the one thing I kept you here for. You’re useless now.” She paused, as if trying to make sense of what I said. “Excuse me?” “You couldn’t
EDWARD’S POV Just as more emergency vehicles were pulling into the hospital wing of the Estate, I rushed in through the main entrance, feeling even more frustrated. I hurried into the wing, my eyes quickly catching the panic in the air. I looked around the hallways, filled with people groaning on both my left and right. Most of them were throwing up badly, dropping to their knees. It was complete chaos in here. I saw some doctors and nurses helping the poisoned victims who were too weak to move, guiding them into the wards. As I moved quickly through the hallways, I noticed almost every ward was packed full of sick people. This was horrible. What made it even more disturbing and upsetting was that most of the people vomiting so terribly were important figures in the territory—Alphas and Lunas of high ranks. I shook my head at the sight, my fingers curling into fists at my sides, wanting nothing more than to catch whoever was behind this. Even while I was worried ab
Nate’s POV “Henry Sterling, cousin to Edward Sterling, the Alpha of the territory, has just been arrested as the culprit behind the kidnap of Luna Clara, and the sabotaging events that had taken place these past few weeks.” I stared at the T.V screen, rage and agitation coursing through me, my eyes burning. “This happened earlier today,” the broadcaster continued, “after the culprit had moved into the estate and harassed the Luna, threatening to kill—“ I switched off the television, not wanting to hear any more of that. I let out a huge sigh, tapping my feet against the floor. What the hell was going on? I mean, generally, and with me… I couldn’t deny that I was scared, really scared, especially after this news I’d just seen. How come things kept going well for Edward and Clara? They had somehow discovered the person behind her kidnap, and I was scared now that they might catch up to me soon enough. My mind was not at ease, at all. Henry Sterling…so it had been him
Clara’s POV I stared down at the blood trickling down my thighs, my heart pounding. My eyes blurred, and tears began to fill them, making it hard to see. What was causing this blood? Why was I bleeding so suddenly? Where was it coming from? I slowly turned my gaze up to Edward’s face, seeing that he looked just as shocked and scared as I felt. His eyes widened as he took in the sight of my bloodied thighs and the soaked sheets beneath me. “Edward…” I whispered, my voice breaking as the weight of fear settled heavily in my chest. “Get the doctor!” Edward suddenly yelled, his voice sharp with panic. A guard rushed in, looking confused. “Alpha?” “Get the doctor, now!” Edward’s voice was desperate, and his panic spread across his face. He bolted to his feet, lifting me into his arms with a gentleness that didn’t match the urgency of the situation. Without hesitation, he carried me out of the room, half-sprinting down the hall to his own room. “Edward,” I whimpered, my ches
Clara’s POV I stretched slowly, letting my body ease into the morning. The soreness in my muscles reminded me that since I became pregnant, I barely exercised. I reached up, rolling my shoulders back, when I heard the door open behind me. “Lydia?” I called without turning. “It’s me, Luna Clara,” she answered, her voice sharper than usual. I glanced over my shoulder. She stood just inside the doorway, her face drawn tight as she bit her bottom lips. I straightened up. “What happened?” She hesitated, then walked closer, lowering her voice. “I heard something… from Jaxon.” She said, looking nervous. “He said I couldn’t tell you but…..it’s important.” My stomach tensed. What on earth would be so important that Jaxon didn’t want me to know? My heart pounded fast, my mouth dry as I tried not to think that something bad had happened to Edward. “What did he say?” I asked. “Is Edward okay?” Lydia glanced toward the hallway, like she was checking to make sure we were al