LOGINCHAPTER 10NAIDIRA POV“You bastard!” he screamed, his jaw clenching as he prepared to launch an attack on Orion.Amon’s neck was dripping from the spot where Orion had dug his claws, barely missing his carotid artery—a feeling crept over me that Orion missing it had been intentional. Amon’s blood had splashed onto my face, dripping down my neck. The shrieks of the terrified audience snapped me back to reality. Amon was now barely inches away from the extremely calm but furious Orion. Goosebumps ran over my skin as his arms raised for what was going to be a lethal strike. My voice, which had been caught in my throat, finally broke free from its chains. “Stop,” I said, but it was barely above a whisper, so faint that even I could hardly hear myself. “Stop! Both of you!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, fear clawing at my chest at what might happen if these two fought. I knew Amon’s strengths firsthand—he wasn’t a lone wolf that could be trifled with. But the Orion from a few s
NAIDIRA POV “Orion?” My stomach dropped.He was here.Not in my memories. Not on a screen. Not in the past.Here. Standing in front of me like he never destroyed me.His black suit was perfectly tailored, his white shirt slightly unbuttoned, flashing a decent portion of his pale, broad chest. His hair was neatly trimmed, his eyes as beautiful as they had always been. He emitted a distinct masculine scent—so captivating that for a second, I forgot where I was.He felt different. He now carried something that hadn’t been there years ago. “Orion?” A voice muttered, but this time, it wasn’t mine. Julie's eyes darted between us, surprise flashing across her face before it was quickly replaced with anger… then disgust. “He is ‘the Orion?’” Julie asked again. I couldn’t muster the voice to confirm. My will? It disappeared. My facade of not being affected by his actions—the lies I had carefully maintained for years—was completely destroyed by the presence of this man. My heart raced
NAIDIRA POVMy eyes widened in the dimly lit room as I took in the audience; the men with their drinks and the women laughing seductively at whatever their counterpart was saying, but none of them looked like him. None of them carried the air he did. I tried to focus on the direction where I felt the most exposed, but quicker than it came, it disappeared like it never existed. Was I overreacting? Why would he be here of all places?In these two years, I’d ignored his presence on the news, on television, but never had we run into each other—not once. I bite down hard on my lip, trying to calm my erratic heart. I turned to face Amon, who had a quizzical look on his face. Maybe it was my interaction with Amon that triggered it, I resolved within myself. Amon’s hands suddenly held my jaw, brushing the outline of my ears with his fingertips. “Did I do something wrong?”he said, searching my eyes. For the first time since tonight, I took a proper look at him, his tilted head, his flu
NAIDIRA POV “Naidira,” a familiar voice called out, its rushed tone filled with urgency, jolting me out of my thoughts. I stared at the hot cup in my hands—the steam rising wildly from the coffee—before lifting my head to look at Julie, who wore a worried expression on her face. She nodded toward the platform. My gaze followed hers to everyone present who was staring at me, then to the tall, elegant man standing calmly. I gulped, knowing I had zoned out in the middle of the meeting and had probably missed a question directed at me. “Ahmm…Ahmm,” I muttered, turning to Julie, who was whispering a string of words. Thanks to my sharp ears, I was able to pick out one in particular—“proposal,”I sprang to my feet, adjusting my black plaid skirt and suit. My heels clicked softly against the marbled floor as I made my way to the platform, ignoring the twenty pairs of eyes fixed on my every movement. Years ago, my anxiety would have spiked to its fullest, but now my eyes were fixed on the
ORION POVI turned back slowly to see her staring, her neck craned and her brows scrunched. “Who were you talking to?” she asked. I glanced sideways to find the space Eli had previously been standing empty. “No one of importance,” I said after deciding not to reveal anything about our meeting. “O…okay,” she pouted. “Let’s go inside, I've got a surprise for you,” she giggled like a mischievous teenager.Calanthe wrapped her arms around mine as she pulled us inside, leading the way. Instead of the hall, where the party noise had significantly waned, she took the elevator heading to the rooms. The party was held in one of my company’s luxurious five star hotels. The elevator opened while she typed in my private chamber code. She turned, a sultry smile on her lips, letting me know where this was all heading. Her voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible. “I'm going to borrow your tie now.” Her hands reached up to undo it, her fingers lingering longer than necessary on my ches
ORION POV TWO YEAR LATER Calanthe stood at the center of the hall, her back bent, hair covering her cheeks as she whispered words into the ear of the child who had come seeking her help. The child giggled happily before scurrying away with the rest of the children. Then, almost immediately, the child’s presence was replaced by a group of younger girls. The Pack believed that I'm blessed. Power that placed me far above a mere Alpha, a lovely son and the perfect Luna—loved by many and admired by most. There was never a day she did not care for the people, guiding them and interceding in their favor. I should be happy. I had everything a man could want, but why did my happiness feel like an illusion rather than reality? Everyday felt like I was slowly slipping into my own darkness. Something felt off, but I couldn’t point it out. “Time for the family picture,” the entertainer said through the mic. Calanthe turned, her eyes sweeping through the crowd in search of me. When h







