CLARA’S POV I paused at the door of Edward’s study, raising a hand to signal the maid to stop as I pressed my ear against the tiny crack between the door and its frame. “All we need to do is catch the shooter,” a male voice said from inside. “Once we have them, they’ll lead us straight to whoever ordered the hit.” “It’s not as simple as you’re making it sound,” Edward responded, his voice low. “Catching the shooter is the hard part.” “Yes Alpha, it is hard.” the other voice agreed, “but it’s not impossible.” I knocked twice and then pushed the door open, signaling for the maid to follow me inside with the tea tray. Edward’s gaze lifted the moment he saw me, and he quickly slammed the file on his desk shut clearly trying to shield me from the conversation. “I’m sorry if I interrupted,” I said, directing the maid to set the tray down on a smaller table. “Oh, no,” he responded, waving a dismissive hand. “He was just leaving.” Taking the hint, the man stood, gave a sli
CLARA’S POV I’d never considered myself a fool until that moment. Standing behind the pillar, I watched as this Serena lady smiled flirtatiously at Edward, her hand brushing his arm. The way he stilled at the mention of her name, the conversation I overheard, it didn’t take much to know they’ve been together. And she was back. A quiet scoff escaped my lips, too soft for them to hear. What had I been thinking? I should have known better when he kept dismissing the idea of finding his mate. He obviously wanted to keep this woman a secret from me. And I was beginning to think that what we shared meant something. Who was she to him? The question gnawed at me as I slipped out into the garden, careful not to be noticed. I knew he had no sister, and she bore no resemblance to him. That left only two possibilities—she was either a friend or someone far more intimate. I exhaled sharply, my frustration simmering as I sank onto a steel bench. He promised not to bring in an
CLARA’S POV I paused mid-bite, glancing up at Edward and watching him push his food around. He looked… different. Distant. Normally, he would try to engage me in conversations but as I searched his face, he didn’t love like he was interested in that. The Edward who had been eager to spend time with me was gone, replaced by someone colder, more closed off. He barely looked at me as we ate. Barely spoke. All because of her. I didn’t even want to have breakfast with him but at the same time, questions and anger burned in me. I also told myself that coming here would show him I wasn’t bothered by his unwelcomed guest. But the more I sat here, the more it ate at me. Sighing, I let my fork clatter onto the plate. His eyes flicked up, and his brows raised like he was too exhausted to ask a question. “Why is she here?” I asked, leaning back. His exhale was all the confirmation I needed—he knew exactly who I meant. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he sat back, meeting
EDWARD’S POV I shouldn’t have allowed her to stay here. The thought kept ringing in my head continuously, almost driving me insane. I sighed, leaning back in my chair, and hearing my own heartbeat in the silence of my study. Of course, when I saw Serena, I was displeased to see her here. Her voice, her mannerism, everything reminded me of the time I’d been so desperate to get over everything. Or maybe someone. In college, life had been so unbearable. And my parents' solution had been a relationship since I hadn’t introduced a mate to them. Forced to be the perfect son, I found someone desperate. Someone head over heels for me. And that led me to Serena. Our relationship was short, I hated it but she didn’t seem to notice. Neither did she accept that I never liked her or tried to. Perhaps one of the reasons I allowed her to stay here. I just never considered her a challenge between me and Clara. But I was wrong. Clara was disappointed in me. Not angry. She ju
CLARA’S POV I tried to move back but my spine was pressed against the desk, my chest rising and falling. Why was he suddenly so close? Trapped in the corner, his body caging me in, I had nowhere to run. My heartbeat thundered in my ears, and I was sure he could hear it too. Distractingly so. This had started as an argument, but now it was morphing into something else entirely. A declaration. A confession. “…why I’ve always monitored you all these years.” His voice echoed in my mind as I stared at him, my throat suddenly dry. What was he trying to say? Or do? He should be apologizing to me for bringing that woman in. For letting me walk in on that irritating sight in his study. “There’s no space left for anyone else…” I’d heard him say that when I reached his study, thinking it was some sort of rejection toward Serena. When I walked in and saw that sight, my heart shattered initially. But the tears staining Serena’s face and her clenched fist told me she had ac
EDWARD’S POV FLASHBACK—MANY YEARS AGO I glanced at the gift bag in my hand, hiding a grin. It was her eighteenth year birthday and I had picked the perfect gift. I knew she would love it and couldn’t wait to give it to her. I stood behind the large cedar tree a little away from school, watching her as she approached, my heart pounding in my eardrums like it always did whenever I saw her. “Clara,” I called out as she got closer to where I stood, and she turned, a little surprised. “Edward!” She exclaimed, her face lighting up instantly. And then for a moment, the world paused before us, her smile all I could see. “What are you doing behind the tree?” My wolf suddenly started thrashing inside me, making me almost stutter before her. And that’s when I knew. “Ughh… “ He groaned satisfactorily. “She’s such a beauty. Perfect for us. A perfect mate.” My eyes widened slightly and I just stood, watching her. Could it really be possible? “Let me out to claim her!” My wol
CLARA’S POV Many years ago. I moved through Elite Mall in scrubs and an apron, mopping floors, wiping glass windows, hauling trash—anything that needed cleaning. The work was exhausting, my lower back aching with every movement, but I whistled a tune to distract myself from the pain. This was just one of the many side hustles I juggled to make ends meet and help my family. It drained me, stole my time, and pulled me away from my academics, but I did it anyway. Because I had to. My father couldn’t afford a lot of things. An extra job like this went a long way to help my parents. I was already grateful that they had the little money to put a roof over my head. This was the least I could do. As I dragged the mop across the floor, my gaze landed on a mannequin in the far corner. A beautiful dress clung to its frame, shimmering under the store lights. I stopped, staring at it for far too long, picturing how it would look on me. I’d seen that dress before, on my classmates, e
Clara’s POV I stood at the lobby with a glass of wine held loosely between my fingers, staring at Serena as she exited the building with her baggage. A mixed feeling of triumph and something else settling warm and cozy in my chest. For some reason, her arrival had sort of caused and sparked up things between Edward and I. Things that had only existed in my wild imagination, in the last. I burn for you… his words from that passionate night replayed in my head, causing a familiar stir in my chest. My gaze followed the car as it drove out of the gates, observing Serena who sat with a sullen expression at the back seat, and after a while, I shifted my gaze to Edward and a few of his men that stood to the side, watching the car leave too with peeved expressions, his fingers jammed into his pockets. To my surprise, he hadn’t let the dawn crack properly before going to the guest wing of the house and asking Serena to leave, as he was not interested in her father’s business pr
Nate’s POVI glanced over at the ginger-haired woman with an average bump, my jaw ticking as I contemplated if she was the right fit for the job.No—if she could execute the plan the way to my satisfaction.I cleared my throat loudly, drawing her attention.“So,” I started, “let’s go over the plan one more time.”She nodded, turning to me.“First off,” I pulled up my sleeves, counting off on my fingers, “you barge into any news network and demand to have an interview. Now, why do we need an interview?” I spread my palms, “to expose me,” I added almost immediately, in response to my question, as I pointed at my chest.She nodded, following closely.“When an interview is granted,” I continued, “you’ll claim to be carrying my child, and I’ve been sending just $10,000 monthly, for support.”“Obviously,” I scoffed, “the amount is outrageous already, and people would think you’re just being selfish, but that’s not the point here.” “The point is,” I drew closer, “to show that I have a baby o
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