Writer’s POVNothing annoyed Zach more than having to pretend to be nice, especially at the pack palace. He hated every minute of it, but he kept a fake smile on his face as his father talked to him."Remember, son," his father said as they walked through the pack palace, "you need to show the Alpha respect. This is about our family's place in the pack."Zach nodded and forced a smile. "Of course, Dad. I understand."The truth was, he hated being here; everything about the pack made him sick. But he couldn't show his real feelings, not when his plans were still happening."Just be polite, answer his questions, and remember that you represent our family," his father said, fixing his tie."I'll behave perfectly," Zach said, even though the words felt wrong in his mouth.They reached the Alpha's office, and Zach took a deep breath. He had to act like everything was normal. The big doors opened, and the Alpha came out. Everyone in the room immediately paid attention to him."Alpha," Zach'
Steve's POVI was relieved when Ava finally stopped crying. She had been sobbing for hours, and nothing Irish or I said could calm her down. Now she was sitting quietly, her eyes red and puffy, but at least the tears had stopped.We had been making preparations to take Vanessa back to the pack for a proper burial. It was what she would have wanted, to be buried with our family, in the place where she belonged. Irish had called the pack earlier to tell them about Vanessa's death. I could hear the sadness in the Alpha's voice when Irish told him the news.I was just finishing up some paperwork when I heard a car door slam outside. Through the window, I saw Zayne getting out of his car. He looked angry and frustrated, like he had been through hell and back.Irish was the first to reach him when he walked through the door. "Where did you go?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. "You just left without saying anything.""I needed answers," Zayne said, running his hands through his hair
Zayne's POVThe rage burning inside me was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Every rational thought in my head was screaming at me to calm down, to think this through logically, but the image of Zach Budu ting Vanessa kept flashing through my mind. I couldn't go home. Not yet. Not until I had answers.My hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly I was surprised it didn't crack under the pressure.I remembered the address from the other day, when we'd tracked down Zach's hideout. If Zach was anywhere, he'd be there.The familiar neighborhood came into view, and I felt my wolf stirring beneath my skin. It wanted blood. It wanted revenge. And honestly, I wasn't sure I was strong enough to stop it much longer.I parked outside the building.I walked to the front door and I grabbed the handle and twisted, expecting it to open, but it didn't budge."What the hell?" I muttered, pulling harder. The door was locked tight.I tried again, this time putting my full weight behind it. Still
Zayne's POVI watched helplessly as Ava continued to sob, her tears seeming endless. No matter how much Steve and Irish tried to comfort her, she wouldn't stop crying. The sound of her grief was like a knife twisting in my chest."Ava, please," Steve said softly, his own voice thick with emotion. "You need to calm down.""How can I calm down?" she choked out between sobs. "The doctor said she was okay! He said she could come home! People don't just die like that!"Her words echoed the thoughts that had been racing through my mind since we left the hospital. The doctor had been so confident, so sure that Vanessa was recovering well. How could someone go from being cleared for discharge to dead in a matter of hours?I felt my own tears threatening to spill over as I watched Ava's pain. She kept wiping at her eyes, but the tears just kept coming. Steve and Irish were trying to hold it together for her sake, but I could see they were struggling too. We all were."It doesn't make sense," I
Writer’s POV Zach sat alone in his room, his laughter echoing off the walls in a way that would have chilled anyone who heard it. The bruises on his face throbbed with each movement, but the pain only fueled his twisted satisfaction. "By now, she should be dead," he muttered to himself, touching his swollen lip. "How dare those triplets think they could just beat me and walk away without consequences?"He picked up his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found the number he needed. The call connected after two rings."It's me," he said, his voice cold and calculated. "Go ahead with the initial plan we discussed.""Are you sure about this?" the voice on the other end asked. "Once we start, there's no going back." The voice added. Zach's grip tightened on the phone. "I'm sure. Those bastards need to pay for what they did to me. Just stick to the plan."Without waiting for a response, he hung up. Phase two was now in motion."Zach! Dinner's ready!" From downstairs, his fath
Steve’s POV Three days later, we prepared to go get Vanessa from the hospital since the doctor had told us she could be discharged. We had gotten a space for her and Ava so they could stay on their own, finally giving them the independence they deserved.Ava was clearly happy about finally getting a space to live with her twin sister. She had been talking about it nonstop for the past day, making plans about how they would decorate their new place and all the things they would do together. Her excitement was infectious, and even though we were still worried about Vanessa's health, seeing Ava so happy made us feel hopeful about the future.Irish was the one who drove to the hospital, and when we arrived, we went straight to Vanessa's ward. She was still sleeping when we got there, looking peaceful and much better than she had a few days ago. The color had returned to her cheeks, and her breathing seemed steady and calm.We intended not to wake her up, thinking it would be better to le