Duncan’s POVThe morning was quiet, but I knew better than to think peace would last in this house. From the very first time I had made the step of going to get Phoebe, sending men and then eventually going in person, a lot had changed. Some things that could not be fixed had broken and I wasn't sure I really cared yet. Not when I had still not gotten what I was out for.I sat in my office, looking through reports and playing with my cup once again when Antonio walked in. I waited for him to walk from the door and reach me and in those few seconds, I tapped my hand on the desk, almost too anxious to hear what he had come to say this time. It didn't look like he was exactly coming with some exciting news, but I waited as he reached me and mumbled a word of greeting that I barely acknowledged, too focused on the matter he had come to discuss, as he was. He placed a paper on my desk and leaned against the chair across from me. “You might want to deal with your mate.”I didn’t look up.
Nathaniel’s POVPhoebe and I took a stroll around the pack in the evening. Near the edge of the field, two younger warriors faced off. Their movements were eager but lacked precision. I observed closely as one hesitated just before delivering a strike, his uncertainty giving his opponent the opening to counter. The blow landed, weak but effective, throwing the first warrior slightly off balance.“They should stop soon,” Phoebe said beside me, her voice firm but calm.I kept my gaze fixed on the warriors, arms crossed over my chest. “They need to train harder.”“They’ve been training all day,” she countered, her tone unwavering. “They need rest.”“If Alexander attacks again, we can’t afford weakness.”Phoebe let out a slow breath, crossing her arms as well. “Exhaustion is also a weakness, Nathaniel. If they’re too tired to fight properly, they’ll make mistakes.”I clenched my jaw, unwilling to admit she had a point. The pack couldn’t afford mistakes. But neither could we afford warrio
Nathaniel’s POVThe crackling fireplace was the only sound in my office as I studied the map spread across the table. The scent of burning wood mixed with the lingering metallic tang of blood on my clothes. Tonight’s small battle to keep the jerks away had been a little too brutal, I hadn't expected it to take such wild turn, but we had driven the enemy back. For now, we had won. But I knew Alexander. He wouldn’t stop. He’d retreat, regroup, and strike again. He was forming alliance with as many packs as he could. He was getting them on his side so he could come back and take the Moonhowl pack. He would not stop until he was sure that the Moonhowl was completely broken and he could come and take over what was left. My fingers traced the western border of our territory on the map, where his forces had attempted their ambush. It had been a foolish move—rushed and reckless. But the next time, he wouldn’t be so careless.A sharp knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts.“Come in,” I
Nathaniel’s POVA week had passed since the letter arrived, and the pack had not relaxed for a moment. Every wolf knew what was at stake. The attack had nearly cost us everything, and Alexander’s message had made it clear—something worse was coming.We strengthened our borders, reinforced our watchtowers, and doubled the patrols. Every available warrior trained harder than ever. Some even trained past exhaustion, determined to be prepared. Even the civilians were more cautious, moving in groups and keeping their children close. Fear lingered in the air, thick like an approaching storm.Phoebe and I spent hours on the training grounds, pushing ourselves beyond our limits. She was relentless, her strikes sharp and precise. I could see the exhaustion creeping into her, but she never complained. She was more useful than everyone else I had come to know in battle for the past few years. Now I was beginning to understand that aside once being mated to alpha Duncan, she had been an asset wh
Nathaniel’s POVI was focused on the reports in front of me, going over the ones I'd seen before and trying to get myself to fully focus again. Sean was very conscious in my mind. He shared my distress and I couldn't keep my troubles away from him even if I wanted to. He was my one true friend, the one in always in my mind who understood the problem before I shared it. “The attacks might not come anytime soon. Better to pay attention to the things you have to do now. These won't wait until you're in the mood to do them.”I sighed. That was correct. I had to do my administrative duty as alpha, it didn't matter if I was in the mood for it or not. That is why it was duty. Just then, a knock sounded on the door.Without looking up, I exhaled sharply and rubbed my temples. “Come in.”The door opened, and the moment I caught Phoebe’s scent, I knew this wasn’t just another routine visit. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her, her posture tense. I placed the reports down and gave
Phoebe’s POVThe journey to my uncle’s home felt long, and it was quiet for the most part. My mind would not stay at peace. There was a part of me that was mad that I hadn't taken him earlier. But then, with the attacks that had faced the pack house in recent times, maybe it wouldn't have been a good idea. Still, I wished I'd done something earlier. The warriors Nathaniel had sent with me rode in formation, keeping a watchful eye on our surroundings. I barely spoke the entire way, my thoughts consumed by worry.When we finally arrived, I stopped in front of the house, gripping the reins of my horse tightly. My stomach twisted at the sight before me. The house, once well-kept and warm, looked abandoned. The wooden porch was covered in dirt and dried leaves, the windows clouded with dust. The grass around the home was overgrown, and the front door looked like it hadn’t been opened in weeks.Sliding off my horse, I approached the house, hesitating for just a second before pushing the doo
Nathaniel’s POVI didn't like that Phoebe wasn't anywhere close to me. I was stuck in the office attending to paperwork and she was out there. Without me. It didn't matter how much she had proven to me that she could handle herself, I needed to be close to her and make sure she was safe. At all times. This was not the time to let my mate go off and I'd sit back at the office. I ran my hands through my hair. My frustration at everything was growing by the moment and I couldn't even hate myself for it. It had only been a few hours, but the absence of her presence weighed heavily on me. The pack felt different—quieter in a way I didn’t like. I tried to focus on my duties, reading through reports and handling pack matters, but my mind kept drifting back to her.She had been so determined, so sure of her decision to leave. No matter how much I argued, she refused to stay. She had made up her mind, and that was that.I sat in my office, leaning back in my chair as I clenched my jaw.She sh
Nathaniel’s POVThe royal pack house had been quiet these past few days. The usual hum of activity still filled the halls, but my focus had remained on one thing—Phoebe and the way she had cared for her uncle.I had watched from a distance, observing how tirelessly she worked to make sure he was comfortable. The helps assigned to her didn't seem to do things to her satisfaction so she simply did things by herself and that made it hard for her to get any help. But she seemed okay doin these things. She wasn't tired and this was a show that when she loved, she loved deeply. She'd stayed with this uncle and loved him, and worked at his shop and yet, her cousin, Mark had treated her wrongly. Now that he was away and she was the only one left to take care of the man, she didn't mind whatever mistreatment she'd faced in the hands of her cousin, Mark. She was selfless and that was just beautiful.“She doesn't say much, she doesn't make promises, but she would stick up for those she loves if
Phoebe's POVI made my way out of the pack house, the cool morning air brushing against my face as I walked toward the training grounds. My thoughts were a tangled mess, but there was one thing I needed to do. I had to talk to Kara. She was still an enigma to me, and there was so much I didn’t understand about her. What I did know was that something wasn’t adding up. She had access to information about Nathaniel’s movements, and that, to me, was far too suspicious to ignore any longer.I had to ask her. I had to know what she was hiding.When I reached the training grounds, Kara was there, practicing with a few of the warriors. Her movements were sharp and precise, every strike a calculated one. I watched her for a moment, not saying anything. She hadn’t noticed me yet, and part of me wasn’t sure if I wanted to interrupt her. There was something about the way she moved, like she wasn’t fully part of the pack, but more like she was doing this because she had to.The sounds of blades hi
Phoebe's POVI made my way out of the pack house, the cool morning air brushing against my face as I walked toward the training grounds. My thoughts were a tangled mess, but there was one thing I needed to do. I had to talk to Kara. She was still an enigma to me, and there was so much I didn’t understand about her. What I did know was that something wasn’t adding up. She had access to information about Nathaniel’s movements, and that, to me, was far too suspicious to ignore any longer.I had to ask her. I had to know what she was hiding.When I reached the training grounds, Kara was there, practicing with a few of the warriors. Her movements were sharp and precise, every strike a calculated one. I watched her for a moment, not saying anything. She hadn’t noticed me yet, and part of me wasn’t sure if I wanted to interrupt her. There was something about the way she moved, like she wasn’t fully part of the pack, but more like she was doing this because she had to.The sounds of blades hi
Duncan's POVThe light filtering through the curtains barely reached my bed, and the faint, cold touch of morning was already creeping across my skin. My head felt like it was being crushed between two stone walls, the weight of the previous night pressing on me. I groaned, feeling the ache in my skull, the headache so sharp I could barely open my eyes. Slowly, I dragged myself into a sitting position, trying to fight the dizziness that swept over me.The events of last night were still a blur, a combination of frustration, too much alcohol, and anger that I couldn’t seem to shake. Antonio and Stephanie were still nowhere to be found, and the pressure of not knowing where they were or what they were doing felt like a constant weight in my chest.A soft sound caught my attention. I glanced to the side, my eyes finally opening to see the servant girl standing by the door, a tray in her hands. She didn’t say anything, just silently approached me, setting the tray down on the small table
Duncan's POVThe day had stretched long, and the news that came from my warriors only made the time feel heavier. No sign of Antonio. No word of Stephanie. I had expected a different report, maybe even a break in the hunt, but what I got was frustration. Over and over, I heard the same thing: “Nothing yet, Alpha.” It was enough to make my blood boil, but I couldn’t show it. Not yet. I had to keep my calm, had to pretend that it was all still under control.I paced the length of my chambers, my mind working through each possibility, each route they could have taken. Had they gone east? South? Were they hiding under my nose? Nothing made sense, and with every moment that passed, the anger inside me grew.One of my warriors dared to speak up. His voice had a tremor in it, like he knew he was treading on dangerous ground. “Alpha,” he began cautiously. “Perhaps we need better informants. Someone who knows Antonio's habits, his movements. Someone who might know where he’s hiding.”I didn’t
Nathaniel’s POVThe wheels of our vehicles crunched against the uneven ground as we pushed deeper into the neutral territories. The air felt heavier with each passing mile, thick with tension. I had hoped we’d be able to find Alexander by now, but the farther we traveled, the more uncertain the trail became. Every stop we made, we questioned locals and travelers, but the answers we got were always mixed, sometimes contradictory.“Did you see anyone who fits this description?” I asked a man who was sitting near the side of the road, sharpening a blade.He glanced at the sketch in my hand and shook his head. “Can’t say I’ve seen anyone like that. But there’s a lot of strangers passing through these parts.”I thanked him and turned to the others. “Let’s keep moving. We’re not getting any closer here.”We continued on, the air growing drier and the landscape more barren as we ventured into the heart of these lawless lands. I could feel the weight of the mission pressing on me. This wasn’t
Nathaniel’s POVThe night was quiet, but I was not resting. I sat near the fire, watching the flames move. They made soft popping sounds as the wood burned. My men were nearby. Some were sitting like me, others were checking supplies. No one was speaking much. We were waiting.Then I heard footsteps. One of my scouts walked toward me. He looked serious, not rushed, but I could tell he had something important to say. He stopped a few steps away from me and gave a small nod.“We got something,” he said. His voice was low. He looked around once before speaking again. “It’s from our contact. The one in the west neutral zone.”I stood up slowly. “What did they say?”He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. I took it and opened it with both hands. The words were written in short lines. I read each one carefully, not skipping anything.“Alexander was seen. Not far from the southern ridge. Traveling through the neutral zone. He has a woman and a man with him.”I
Phoebe’s POVWhen I got back to my room, the door creaked a little as I pushed it open. I stepped inside and closed it behind me, turning the lock without thinking. The room was quiet. I could hear a soft hum coming from outside, maybe the wind or some insects still moving around.I stood still for a few seconds, looking around. Everything was just the way I had left it—my bed neatly made, the blankets smooth, the pillow resting where it always did. My boots were near the wall. A glass of water sat untouched on the table beside the bed.I walked over to the bed and sat down slowly. My hands rested on my knees. I looked down at the floor, at the way the wood had little lines and marks from years of use. I had been hoping to rest, maybe even sleep for a bit, but my body didn’t feel tired. My eyes were open wide, and my mind wouldn’t stop moving.The words Kara had said kept playing in my head like they were on a loop. Duncan wasn’t the same. He was getting worse. People were afraid of h
Phoebe’s POVKara and I had another walk when she talked and I listened.As I followed, Kara glanced back at me, then looked forward again. She didn’t smile or frown. Her face was still. We moved toward the trees at the edge of the camp. A few steps more, and we were out of sight from everyone. No guards, no other pack members. Just us.“Is this far enough?” she asked, stopping near a small patch of grass. A few flat stones were nearby.I looked around, then gave a short nod. “Yeah. This is fine.”She sat down first, brushing leaves away from the rock before resting on it. I stayed standing for a moment longer, unsure. I didn’t feel that tightness in my chest like I usually did when she was near. My hands weren’t curled into fists. My thoughts weren’t racing. I slowly sat down on a rock across from her. It was cool and smooth under me.“I didn’t think you’d agree to this,” she said after a long pause. Her voice was low and even.“I almost didn’t,” I replied. “But I guess I’m tired of
Phoebe's POV I stood outside Alpha Darius’s office, my hands by my sides. The hallway was quiet, but my thoughts were not. Someone had come to find me a few minutes earlier, saying the old Alpha wanted to see me. No explanation, no message, just a request to come now. After everything that happened during the attack, I wasn’t sure what this meeting would be about.I knocked once, firm and clear.“Come in,” came his voice from inside, steady as always.I pushed the door open and stepped in.Alpha Darius was standing behind his desk. His face, strong with age but still sharp, looked directly at me. His hair had more grey in it than before, but nothing about him had softened. He didn’t sit down. He stood tall, his arms resting on the desk, like he had been waiting.“Phoebe,” he said, his tone calm.I gave a short nod. “Alpha Darius.”He gestured for me to come closer. “You did well.”I blinked. “Sir?”“During the attack,” he said, folding his arms, “you kept things steady. You helped th