Antalya's POV"Antalya, are you there?" Vaiker's voice came through the phone, sounding worried and urgent.I held the phone to my ear but couldn't find my voice. Hearing him again after everything that had happened brought back a flood of complicated emotions. Part of me felt anger, part confusion, and part of me just felt tired."Please, just talk to me," he continued when I didn't respond. "I need to know you're okay.""I'm..." I started, then stopped. Am I okay? What does that even mean anymore?"Antalya, please. Just tell me you're safe.""How did you get this number?" I finally asked, my voice coming out sharper than I intended. "Dominic personally changed my phone settings. There's no way you should have been able to reach me.""I have my ways," Vaiker said evasively. "That's not what's important right now.""It is important!" I snapped. "You shouldn't be calling me at all. We're not together anymore, remember?"There was a pause on the other end. "Don't worry about how I got y
Antalya's POVI watched Dominic's face as he processed what I'd told him about Lacie's suspicious behavior. I could see the wheels turning in his mind, connecting dots and forming theories. But there was something in his expression that made me feel like he was holding back."So what's the plan?" I asked. "How are we going to figure out what she's really up to?""We?" Dominic raised an eyebrow. "There's no 'we' in this, Antalya. This is dangerous pack business.""Dangerous pack business that directly affects me," I pointed out. "If Lacie is working with whoever attacked your people, then I'm involved whether you like it or not.""You're pregnant," he said firmly. "Your job is to stay safe and take care of our baby. My job is to handle threats."He's trying to protect me, I realized, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. But he's also treating me like I can't handle serious problems."I appreciate that you want to protect me," I said carefully. "But I'm not made of glass, Dominic.
Dominic's POVThe crime scene was worse than I had imagined. Bodies scattered across the Miller family's front yard, blood soaking into the earth, and the distinct smell of death hanging heavy in the air. I had seen violence before - hell, I had caused plenty of it myself - but this was different. This was systematic, calculated, and deliberately brutal."How many dead?" I asked Marcus, my beta, as I surveyed the carnage."Four confirmed dead here," Marcus replied grimly. "Three more family members are missing, including two children."Who would dare attack my pack like this? The rage was building inside me, hot and dangerous. Don't they know what I'm capable of? I could wipe out any pack that crosses me."Any witnesses?" I demanded, crouching next to one of the bodies."The neighbor heard screaming around midnight, but by the time she called for help, it was too late," one of my guards reported.I examined the wounds more closely. Clean cuts, precise strikes. This wasn't the work of
Antalya's POVI was walking past the kitchen when I heard the maids talking in hushed, worried voices. Something about their tone made me stop and listen more carefully."Did you hear what happened to the Miller family?" one of them whispered."Three more people disappeared last night," another replied. "That makes seven this week."My blood ran cold. I pushed open the kitchen door and stepped inside, making the maids jump."What's going on?" I asked, trying to keep my voice calm. "What happened to the Miller family?"The head cook, Mrs. Henderson, looked nervous. "Oh, Miss Antalya, we didn't know you were there.""Please, just tell me what's happening," I said urgently. "I heard you mention disappearances."The maids exchanged worried glances before Mrs. Henderson spoke up. "There have been... incidents in the pack territory. People going missing from their homes in the middle of the night.""Missing?" My heart started racing. "What do you mean missing?""Kidnapped," said Sarah, one
Antalya's POVI was still standing by my window, thinking about my plan to warn Vaiker, when I heard a firm knock on my door. Before I could answer, Dominic walked in, his face dark with frustration."We need to talk," he said, closing the door behind him."About what?" I asked, though I had a feeling I already knew."About Lacie," he said through gritted teeth. "Why won't you let me throw her out of this house? She's causing nothing but trouble, and I'm tired of dealing with her games."I turned away from the window to face him fully. "Because we need to be smart about this, Dominic. Acting rashly will only make things worse.""Worse?" He ran his hands through his hair in exasperation. "How could things possibly get worse? She's threatening to lie to the pack about being pregnant with my child. She's disrupting our peace. She's stressing you out, which isn't good for the baby."He really does care about the baby, I thought, feeling a strange warmth in my chest. And about me."I under
Antalya's POVAfter Lacie's shocking revelation about Vaiker waiting outside, my mind was spinning with questions. Something about this whole situation felt wrong, and I needed answers."What exactly are you doing with Vaiker?" I asked, crossing my arms and staring directly at her.Lacie's confident expression faltered for a moment. "What do you mean? I'm not doing anything with him.""Don't lie to me," I said firmly. "You just told me he's here waiting for me. How would you know that unless you contacted him?""I... I just..." Lacie stumbled over her words, looking anywhere but at me. "I happened to see him outside.""You happened to see him?" I raised an eyebrow. "On Dominic's private property? Past all the guards and security?"Lacie's face was getting redder by the second. "Maybe he found his own way in.""Or maybe you helped him get in," I suggested. "Maybe you two are working together on something.""That's ridiculous!" she snapped, but her voice was too high and defensive.She