NORA'S POV
Carlos stood frozen in the hall after the guards took Sophia away. His face was pale and his hands were shaking."Carlos?" I touched his arm gently.Carlos ran his hands through his hair. "How did I not see it? How was I so blind?""Because you trusted her," I said. "Because you're a good person who believes in people.""I put our children in danger," Carlos said, his voice cracking. "I let her poison them with magic. I defended her when you tried to warn me."The pack members were leaving the hall, but I could hear them whispering. Some looked angry. Others looked scared."The pack is falling apart," Carlos said, watching them go. "They don't trust us anymore.""We'll fix this," I promised. "Together."But even as I said it, I could see the doubt in people's eyes. Half the pack had supported Sophia. They felt betrayed too.Elder Sarah approached us. "Alpha, Luna, we need to talk aboTHIRD POVThree weeks had passed since Sophia's imprisonment. The pack was slowly finding its rhythm again.Carlos stood at his office window, watching children play in the courtyard below. Zach and Zoey were among them, laughing and playing normally. "They look happy," Nora said, joining him at the window."They look like themselves again," Carlos replied. "The real Zach and Zoey, not the ones Sophia was creating."The twins had changed dramatically since Sophia was locked away. The aggression was gone. The cruel words had stopped. They were sweet children again, the way they had been before Sophia arrived."The other children are playing with them again," Nora observed."Finally," Carlos said. "I was worried the damage might be permanent."Down in the courtyard, Elder Sarah was talking with some of the pack mothers. Their conversations were lighter now. Less worried whispering, more genuine laughter.
CARLOS POVI stared at Sophia through the iron bars of her cell. She looked different now. Smaller. Broken."Why?" I asked for the hundredth time.Sophia looked up at me with empty eyes. "You really want to know?""I need to understand," I said. "You were family, Sophia. How could you do this to us?"She laughed bitterly. "Family? Is that what you call ignoring me for years while you played happy family with her?""That's not—""Let me finish," Sophia said, standing up. "You want the truth? I'll give you the truth."I waited, my hands gripping the bars."I met someone," she said. "A few months ago. He found me when I was at my lowest point.""Who?""He didn't tell me his name at first," Sophia said. "But he understood my pain. He knew how much I loved you."My stomach turned. "What did he tell you?""He told me that you were mine first. That Nora stole you from me." S
NORA'S POVCarlos stood frozen in the hall after the guards took Sophia away. His face was pale and his hands were shaking."Carlos?" I touched his arm gently.Carlos ran his hands through his hair. "How did I not see it? How was I so blind?""Because you trusted her," I said. "Because you're a good person who believes in people.""I put our children in danger," Carlos said, his voice cracking. "I let her poison them with magic. I defended her when you tried to warn me."The pack members were leaving the hall, but I could hear them whispering. Some looked angry. Others looked scared."The pack is falling apart," Carlos said, watching them go. "They don't trust us anymore.""We'll fix this," I promised. "Together."But even as I said it, I could see the doubt in people's eyes. Half the pack had supported Sophia. They felt betrayed too.Elder Sarah approached us. "Alpha, Luna, we need to talk abo
NORA'S POVI couldn't sleep all night. Sophia's words kept playing in my head. She was using my own children against me. The twins weren't just acting out - they were being manipulated.Early morning, I went to check on Zach and Zoey. They were still sleeping, but something felt wrong. Their room smelled strange. Like herbs and something else I couldn't place.I looked around and found small sachets hidden under their beds. The smell was coming from them. My hands shook as I opened one. It was filled with dried plants I didn't recognize."Magic," I whispered.Sophia wasn't just manipulating the twins with words. She was using spells on them.I heard footsteps in the hallway. Carlos was up early too. We hadn't spoken since our fight last night."Carlos," I called softly.He stopped at the doorway. His cheek still had a red mark from where I slapped him."What?" he asked coldly.I held up the sac
NORA'S POVI stared at Carlos across our bedroom, feeling like I didn't even know him anymore."You're spending more time with her than with me," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. 'No matter how many times I complain, you still go ahead and do the same thing."Carlos sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Sophia is currently going through something you can't understand right now. She needs me.""What about me?" I asked, my voice breaking. "What about what I need?""This isn't about you," Carlos said, sounding tired.Those words hit me like a slap. "Not about me? I'm your mate, Carlos. I'm supposed to be your priority.""You are my priority," he said, but he wouldn't look at me."Then why don't I feel like it?" I asked. "Why do I feel like I'm competing with your 'cousin' for your attention?"Carlos finally looked up, and I could see irritation in his eyes. "You're being jealous and childish.""Ch
SOPHIA'S POVMy mind raced as Carlos stared at me, waiting for an answer. I had to think fast."Carlos," I said, letting my voice shake with fear. "I've been getting threatening messages for days."His expression changed slightly from anger to concern. "What kind of threats?"I wrapped my arms around myself and tried to look scared. "Someone knows I'm alive. They want to hurt me because I survived the attack that killed my parents."Carlos studied my face carefully. "Why didn't you tell me?""I was afraid," I whispered. "I thought if I ignored them, they would go away. But they keep getting worse."I pointed at the message in his hand. "That one came today. I think they want to kill Nora to hurt you. To hurt our family."Carlos looked at the paper again, and I could see him thinking."Who would want to threaten you?" he asked."Maybe someone who worked with the rogues who attacked us," I said q