LOGINADIRA’S POV“I saw it happen…” she said in a small voice, barely above a whisper.The room felt smaller than it had moments ago.The walls that had once been my refuge now pressed in on me. The air was thick and heavy. My pulse still had not steadied from everything we had heard in the forest, and yet here I was hearing more.Lyra stood across from me, silent. Watching.“You were there?” I asked again, my voice barely above a whisper. “The night of the fire?”Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table.“Yes.”The single word landed like a stone in my chest.My mind reeled. Flames. Smoke. The smell of burning wood and flesh, Lumina’s cry, and darkness.“You pulled the ring from the ashes,” I said slowly, trying to piece it together. “Which means you arrived after…”“Yes, after you were already gone. But the truth is, I wouldn't have been able to do anything even if I got there early,” she finished quietly.Silence stretched between us.I studied her face carefully. There was no
ADIRA’S POVWe followed at a distance. Atlas moved confidently through the southern exit, cloaked in darkness. He did not look like a man doing something shameful. He looked like a man accustomed to secrets.He suddenly slowed down, quickly came to a stop, and swung around. It was a close call, but Lyra and I were able to dodge behind a tree just before he could see us.He stood for some seconds and took a few steps, walking backwards.My heart pounded. “Has he noticed us?” I thought to myself.He took a few more steps, and I couldn't help but shrink myself even further.After a few seconds he finally turned around and walked away. I let out a slow exhale and didn't move until I was certain it was safe to do so.Lyra and I kept low and silent. The forest swallowed us whole. He walked for nearly twenty minutes before reaching an abandoned stone structure a bit far from the border. I never knew such a place existed so close to the pack.Lyra and I stopped at a safe distance, close enoug
ADIRA'S POVThe moment the car stopped in the pack, I immediately jumped down."Hey, where are you hurrying off to?” Ryder asked quickly.“There is something I need to do. I will meet you up at the office soon.” I replied without stopping.I could see the flash of disappointment in his eyes, but that didn't stop me. I quickly made my way to the secret room that I used for my meetings. I need some time to myself to think.“There was an agreement back then, and it is still standing till now. If he has found another way to get what he wants, then he will still help me get what I want. That was the only reason I did what I did back then. He made the proposals back then, and I had to convince my daughter and everyone involved. Stability has to be maintained. If not, then we will all lose what we are looking for.”The words of Scarlet's father echoed in my mind."There were proposals back then. Merging territories through marriage would have secured you then, but you gave it up for a bigger
ADIRA’S POVThe words “old man” had begun to live inside my head. Even for a moment I had not been able to stop thinking about it. Even at meals, even in my sleep. I kept trying to figure out who it could be. But no matter how I thought about it, I still couldn't figure anything out.I watched Beta Atlas, trying to find out who he met up with, either in secret or in the open, but he wasn't meeting anyone. It was almost as if he had gone silent, or maybe he was just being careful.I couldn't help but think this was as a result of what happened in his office the other day. He had become more careful and hardly ever left the office now.I sighed heavily. I was starting to get a migraine from the constant thinking. I just needed a face to put an end to all of this.Whoever he was, he was not just involved. He orchestrated the entire thing. He gave the orders and decided who lived and who burned. I had to find him; that was the only way to bring this madness to an end.The gentle knock at
ADIRA'S POVWith every step he took, my heart pounded faster.My palm was getting sweaty the closer he got to the curtains. My wolf had masked our scent, so I knew he couldn't get a whiff of it, but somehow he still knew.If he checked behind the curtain, I would have nowhere to run and nothing to say. There would be no explanation, and I would be in a very tight corner.I would practically be surrendering myself to their plans.Then I sensed it, his hand reaching out slowly to grab the curtain. My heart hammered against my ribs.“Hello? What are you doing?” the familiar voice suddenly said.My heart exploded.But I quickly realised… the voice did not belong to Atlas.It came from the doorway, and it was Lyra’s voice.Atlas turned sharply. “Who is that?” he asked, his voice sharp.“Sorry, Beta.” She bowed. “You were standing there like a possessed man, and I was just shocked. I heard that Alpha Ryder has been looking everywhere for you. The patrol captain claims you changed tomorrow’s
ADIRA’S POVBeta Atlas wasn't one to be careless. He was too careful with his words. While others reacted with offence or anger, Atlas has always been steady. His answers were always firm but not defensive.Men like that did not panic. So I knew I had to study him well if I wanted to find a space to get what I wanted done.So I began watching him. The first thing I studied was his routine.He rose early. Before most of the pack woke. He walked the eastern perimeter personally every morning, though that duty technically belonged to the patrol captain.He spent long hours in his office, yet often emerged without any visible paperwork. And sometimes, late at night, when even the guards rotated shifts and the corridors quieted, a faint light remained under his office door.That was not unusual for a Beta, but I knew that he had something to hide. All I needed was to find a break in his routine to set my plan in motion.Three days later, I made my move. In his tight routine I had found an
RYDER'S POV“Hey, Ryder.” Jackson entered the office and slumped onto the sofa.I raised my head from the documents I was going through and dropped my pen. He only addresses me as Ryder when he is in best friend mode and not dealing with pack business. “What is going on?” I asked.“I am just exhaus
ADIRA'S POV “Come fast!” I heard Kaida’s voice yell. “Who is she screaming at like that?” I turned around but couldn't find them. But I followed the sound of the voice as I decided to find out what was going on. I diverted from going to see the old couple and instead moved in the other directi
ADIRA’S POVI walked down the stairs with Lumina in my arms. I cautiously walked down so we wouldn't fall, but I was also deep in thought.Since I woke up, I had been thinking about how I could find that woman and also about Beta Atlas’ advice.The rumor in the pack wasn't relenting, and the hate w
ADIRA'S POVI dropped Lyra off at the hospital to get treated and headed to the old couple's house. I helped them out with a few things and promised to come by often to see them.Seeing them and spending time with them made me happy, but it also made me sad.The thought that I would never have what







