LOGINRHYS’ POV.Just imagine!A lot of weird, stupid, and completely not-supposed-to-happen things had been happening ever since I met Brayden.And don’t even get me started on everything that had happened since I moved into the palace just yesterday.It hadn’t even been twenty-four hours.Not even twenty-four freaking hours!Yet somehow, I had already experienced enough things to last me an entire month.First, I had to pretend to be Brayden’s mate.Then, there was the whole issue with Tyler and Mia almost recognizing me.Then Brayden kissed me. Or I kissed him back. Whatever. And somehow, I ended up sleeping on his chest.Now, I was sitting in the back seat of a car with my son and the very man I was supposed to be investigating.And somehow, I felt like an outsider.Remus had been talking nonstop with Brayden ever since we left the palace. He had so many things to tell him that I was beginning to wonder where he was getting all that energy from this early in the morning.“Dad, do you k
BRAYDEN’S POV.My eyes fluttered open, and a severe headache immediately greeted me.I winced, instinctively bringing a hand to my forehead as I tried to sit up. But before I could lift myself properly, I felt something heavy resting against my chest.I froze.What the hell…?I slowly lowered my gaze.A head of blonde hair was lying against my chest.My eyes expanded.Rhys.I stared at him for a moment, too confused to even move. He was sleeping peacefully, his face relaxed in a way I rarely saw when he was awake. One of his arms rested loosely across me, as though this was the most natural place for him to be.Then I frowned as different thoughts began to cross my mind.Why was Rhys sleeping on my chest?How did I even get here?And what happened last night?Didn’t we agree to sleep separately?I rubbed my forehead again, desperately trying to remember.Fragments of the previous night slowly surfaced. I remembered making my way back into the room. I remembered seeing Rhys. I vaguely
RHYS’ POV.My eyes broadened before his fingers tightened and a sharp pain shot through my throat as my back slammed against the wardrobe.“Brayden…”His grip became harder.“You know something!” he shouted.I grabbed his wrist, trying to loosen his fingers, but he was far stronger than me.My lungs struggled for air.I could feel panic creeping into my chest, but I forced myself not to fight him blindly.I looked directly into his eyes.Those icy-gray eyes were no longer the eyes of the Alpha King. They belonged to a terrified man trapped inside a memory.“Brayden…” I rasped.He squeezed harder.I struggled to breathe.Then an idea came to me.“If you kill me…” I managed to whisper as I forced the words out. “…you’ll never know who was standing at the edge of that cliff.”His grip suddenly loosened.The pure white white glow in his eyes vanished. I took a desperate breath when his fingers slowly slipped from my neck.I coughed violently as I stumbled backward, one hand immediately c
RHYS’ POV.I stood in front of the bathroom mirror and shook my head, trying to get the last bits of water out of my hair. When I opened my eyes, I noticed that there were no water stains left on the mirror, which meant my hair was finally dry enough.A small smile touched my lips as I hung the hair dryer back in its place before making my way out of the bathroom.I looked around the room.Brayden still wasn’t back.He had left earlier in the evening, and even when Remus and I had dinner, it had been just the two of us. And Zinnia later took Remus to his quarters so he could take his bath and sleep. I walked over to the bed and settled beneath the blanket, pulling it over my body as I tried to get some sleep. Maybe it would be better if I was already asleep by the time Brayden returned.That way, I wouldn’t have to see him.I wouldn’t have to feel the things I wasn’t supposed to feel for him.I turned onto my right side.Then I froze.That was the side of the room where Brayden woul
THIRD PERSON’S POV.The underground cave was unusually quiet. Only the faint crackling of the torches mounted against the stone walls disturbed the heavy silence. Their flames flickered restlessly, casting long shadows across the cold chamber and making the figures seated inside appear even more ominous.Cedric held himself stiffly, his hands resting on his thighs, while Victor looked considerably more uncomfortable. Neither man dared speak too loudly in the presence of their superior.“The situation at the palace did not go as we expected,” Cedric reported carefully. “The Alpha King showed up earlier today with his new mate.”“Yes, Black Wolf,” Victor added with a nod. “And unfortunately, Mia, who we expected to become Luna, was rejected.”Cedric continued, “She was humiliated in front of everyone when she had expected to be chosen, but the Alpha King brought his new mate, a male omega before us. And a son he claimed to be his.”At that, Victor let out a quiet breath.At the center o
THIRD PERSON’S POV.Tyler sat down beside his daughter and looked at her with a mixture of worry and affection. Seeing the tears still lingering in her eyes, he gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.“Oh, my love. I’m so sorry about what happened today.”Mia didn’t say a word. She simply stared out the window, her eyes distant as though she were trying to process everything that had happened.“I’m really sorry,” Tyler added softly, running a comforting hand over her back.Mia swallowed hard before slowly pulling away from him.“Dad, didn’t you see? I was going to marry the Alpha King. Then what happened?” she asked, tears streaming down her face.Tyler lowered his head, unable to meet her eyes for a moment.“I’m so sorry.”Mia scoffed. He finally looked back at her.“I didn’t know the King was going to show up with a mate. The Prime Minister had already made sure you were going to become his mate. We had already told the King that you were the most suitable woman fo







