The past few days had been a blur. Between repairing the pack after the attack and preparing for the upcoming Alpha meeting, I barely had time to breathe. Julian and the others helped, but as Alpha, everything ultimately fell on me. Inspections. Decisions. Approvals. The usual duties of an Alpha. So, when I finally made my way back to my office after another long day, I wasn’t expecting to find Julian waiting at the door. I sighed. "What do you want, Julian?" Ignoring my tone, he grinned and strolled inside, making himself comfortable on the couch. "Well, Alpha, it’s been hard to see you when it’s not about work, so I figured I’d come hang out." I scoffed, shaking my head. Deep down, though, I was grateful for him. He had always been the one to keep me sane. "Well," he continued, "I was hanging out with Rex, but she ditched me for Rose today. Those two have been acting suspicious lately—always stuck together at the hip." He laughed. That’s when I noticed it. Her scent.
The moment Aries announced the venue change, I felt my entire shield shatter. For weeks, I had convinced myself that I was done with that part of my life—that I would never have to face him again. But now, he was coming here. Ron was coming here. Panic immediately set in. A million scenarios flashed through my mind, each worse than the last. "Rex, breathe!" My wolf, Ria, tried to calm me, but I was already too far gone. I felt Aries’ gaze on me, but I couldn't focus. The cheers of the pack faded into muffled sounds, and suddenly, the world spun. I instinctively reached out for Julian—he had been right beside me moments ago—but my hand grasped at nothing. "Damn—" The words barely left my lips before my legs gave out beneath me. For the second time in less than a week, I was about to collapse in front of the entire pack. I braced myself for the impact, shutting my eyes as I waited for the pain. But it never came. Instead, a strong grip wrapped around my waist, holding me
The meeting was supposed to be a one-day thing. A discussion between Alphas about hunter activity—sharing intelligence and coming up with a solution to get rid of them for good. But the moment they changed the venue to my pack and extended the visit to an overnight stay? I knew something was off. I had no solid reason to confront anyone about it, so I kept my suspicions to myself—for now. But the moment they arrived, I made a decision. "I need to get to the bottom of this." "Welcome to my pack, Alpha Levon." I greeted the head of the association and gave a nod of acknowledgment to the other Alphas. It was impossible to personally greet all of them, so this would have to do. "It’s a pleasure to be on your pack grounds, Alpha Aries," a voice responded smoothly. I turned my attention to the speaker— And froze. A man I didn't recognize stepped forward, standing just inches away from me, his hand outstretched. His scent told me he wasn’t an Alpha, which meant I wasn’t obliga
I should have just hidden away like I planned. The moment I stepped into the kitchen and was asked to serve a guest in the meeting room, I knew it was over. "I don’t think I’m fit for this, Faith," I protested, hoping for an escape. "I’m new to the pack—I can’t serve the Alphas." "You’re not serving the Alphas, Rexxona. Just a guest who came with them," she replied, pushing the tray into my hands. "All you have to do is go in, drop it off, and walk out." "But... wait. Is Rose here?" I asked, grasping at any possible excuse. "She’s busy sorting out their accommodations," Faith sighed. "Now go." I took a deep breath, finally accepting my fate. My mind raced with worst-case scenarios. If Ron saw me, I’d be labeled a thief, discarded by this pack, and dragged back to his for whatever twisted reason he was chasing me. My luck had never been great, and today was no exception. Standing outside the meeting room, tray in hand, I inhaled deeply and pushed the door open. Keep your head dow
Ron’s POV For weeks, my pack had been strategizing ways to get Rexxona back from Aries. But no matter how many plans we devised, they all led to the same dead end—invading his pack’s grounds. And that was simply not an option. We needed a way in without raising suspicions. It seemed the heavens were on my side when Regal, my aide, arrived with unexpected news. "Good day, Alpha," he greeted with a respectful nod. "To what do I owe this pleasure, Regal? Ever since you joined the Association on our behalf, I haven’t seen you much." "The Association keeps me busy, but I assure you, Alpha, you’ll be seeing a lot more of me from now on," he smirked. "I came to deliver some important news. Our pack has been chosen as the venue for the upcoming Alpha meeting—the one organized in response to the hunter attacks." "A great opportunity, wouldn’t you say?" he added. Opportunity? More like unwanted responsibility. Hosting meant extra work for my pack and unnecessary interactions wit
After my encounter with Ron, I took a moment to steady myself before retracing my steps back toward the meeting hall. But as I neared the entrance, my steps faltered. I hadn't expected to see Ron and Aries standing together, engaged in what looked like a tense conversation. From where I stood, Ron did most of the talking, his body language exuding confidence. A little too much confidence. My heart sank. Shit. That asshole was ratting me out. Was I surprised? Not at all. But I had expected more time—time to prepare an excuse, to come up with something convincing. Now, I had nothing. Before I could react, a sharp sound echoed through the air, snapping me out of my thoughts. My gaze shot up just in time to witness Aries’ fist connecting with Ron’s face, sending him sprawling to the ground. Satisfying would be an understatement. I had no idea why Aries did that, and frankly, I didn’t care. The sheer justice of the moment was enough. Still, I composed myself and rushed forward, j
Walking out of Aries’ office, a strange sense of relief settled over me. It came from nowhere, unexpected yet welcome. I let my feet carry me toward my room, my mind drifting until— "Rex!!!" Of course. Rose. I barely had time to brace myself before she was in front of me, eyes burning with curiosity. "What did you talk about with my brother?" I sighed, trying to lighten the mood. "Calm down, tiger." "She's a wolf princess," came another voice from behind me. I turned, already exasperated. "Now what?" Standing there with a smirk was Julian. "Wow, the crew is almost complete," I muttered sarcastically. "You’ve been hard to find," Julian said as I entered my room. Naturally, they both followed without invitation. I flopped onto my bed. So much for courtesy. But who was I kidding? They were a rowdy bunch. "Okay, Rose, I get why you're here," I said, barely sparing her a glance. "But you, Julian?" Julian grinned. "Well, I heard that my friend—Alpha Aries, the most calm and c
Finding out how different Rex was from others wasn’t something I had planned for. Still, I knew I had to be strong for her. Letting her go off alone to search for the book that held the clues to her powers... it’s been eating me alive. I felt guilty—guilty for letting her wander on her own. Days turned into weeks, and weeks into months. Still, no word from her. Worry settled deep in my bones. After days of contemplation, I finally made a decision: I was going to find her and bring her back home. I had no idea where she was now, but I knew her first destination—and that’s where I’d begin my search: The Blue Crescent Pack. After days of walking, I finally reached the pack’s borders. I hadn’t stepped near a pack since I left my own—since the heartache of losing my mate. So I hesitated, weighing my options. But the longing for Rex won. I stepped into the pack lands. It didn’t take long before I ran into people. "Intruder!" one of them yelled as soon as they saw me.
I was still catching my breath, the faint tingle of power lingering at my fingertips, when I heard Lucy whisper a name-soft, barely audible, but it struck me like a lightning bolt. “Lyra?” I turned, frozen in place. The way she looked at me—wide-eyed, stunned—like she was seeing a ghost. Lucy, always so composed and put-together, looked like the ground had been pulled from beneath her. “Lucy?” I called out softly. She didn’t answer. Instead, she stepped closer, her eyes searching me as if trying to piece together a puzzle that had haunted her for decades. “Who is Lyra?” I asked once she was close enough. She blinked, snapping out of her daze. For a second, I thought she’d deny saying it—but she wasn’t like that. Her shoulders dropped as she exhaled, the name falling from her lips again. “Lyra… was someone very dear to me.” The name echoed in my mind. Why did it feel familiar? “She was a friend,” Lucy continued, “from many years ago. And… she was from the Banished tribe.” My
Lucy POV:I never thought I’d see that symbol again.Not since her.So when I opened the book Rose brought me and that mark stared right back at me, I felt the breath catch in my throat."Do you recognize it?" Maron had asked.I feigned ignorance.“I’ll need to look into it more,” I replied, keeping my voice steady—though inside, I was shaken.I knew exactly what that symbol meant.Even after Rex came asking, I gave the same excuse. But the moment she left, I walked straight to my room, the book still in hand, and set it down gently on the bed.Then I made my way to the closet.From the very back, behind old coats and boxes, I pulled out the one thing I’d promised myself I would never open again. I brought it to the bed, sat down, and brushed my fingers over the lid.Inside were pictures… amulets… books… journals—remnants of a friendship long buried.I picked up one of the photos, and as her face became clearer in my mind, so did the ache in my chest.Lyra.My friend.I pulled out one
The Banished Tribe? We all echoed in disbelief, and Lucy nodded solemnly. "Yes," she replied. "The symbol on the pages belongs to them. It's a mark that's always been associated with the Banished—a symbol lost to time," she explained, her voice low, almost like she was afraid someone might be listening in. I swallowed hard, my breath uneven. The Banished Tribe... I had only ever heard whispers about them—stories told to scare children. I'd never had the chance to learn much, but Maron had mentioned them once or twice. Most believed they were nothing more than legends. They were said to be a dangerous tribe, wild and uncontrollable, cast out by other supernaturals long ago. "But..." Julian spoke up, his brow furrowed. "They were just a myth, weren't they?" He stared at Lucy. "I mean, everyone learned about them as kids, but I always thought it was just fairy tales." Rose nodded in agreement beside him. But Lucy shook her head firmly. "No, dear. They were very real. And while n
After finishing my training session with Julian, I was about to leave the grounds when I spotted Aries standing nearby."Rex!" he called out.So, I guess I was back to being Rex—just like that, in a matter of minutes. He said he wanted to talk. About what? After the way he behaved earlier, what was left to say?So I came up with an excuse to avoid the conversation.I didn’t expect him to actually follow me all the way to see his mom."I’ll wait till you’re done," he said just as I stepped inside Lucy’s house.I pretended not to hear him and walked in without looking back.Inside, I was greeted warmly by Ma and, of course, Lucy herself."You’re here already, dear?" Lucy asked."Yeah," I replied, smiling. "I thought I'd just check up and see how it’s going with the book.""You’re so impatient," Maron teased, laughing. "She literally just got the book this morning. There’s no way she’s gone through it already!"She wasn’t wrong. I knew that. I just needed a reason—any reason—to avoid Ari
To say my night was actually used for sleeping would be doing a disservice to the very concept of sleep. And I wouldn’t want to insult the people who actually got some. My entire night was consumed by thoughts. Thoughts about her. What exactly was I thinking? I had no clue. All I knew was that my mind couldn’t stop drifting to her. I needed to figure out these feelings—fast. I had tried to kiss her. That alone meant I owed her an explanation when I saw her again. But what did I actually feel for her? That part, I still couldn’t put my finger on. All I was sure of was this—if we had kissed, truly kissed, I wouldn’t have regretted a single second of it. And that realization? It shook me to my core. Before I knew it, morning had arrived—and I still didn’t have answers. Being indecisive wasn’t like me, but I couldn’t help it this time. I dragged myself out of bed and stared at the guy in the mirror. “Way to go, Aries,” I muttered. “You totally pull off the zombie look.” With a shak
The sun peeping through the curtains did nothing to ease the anxiety twisting in my stomach. Every part of me wanted to curl back under the covers and pretend last night never happened. Pretend I didn’t nearly kiss Aries—the Alpha of the Awoke pack. Not just some guy… Aries.The worst part? I wasn’t sure if I wanted to avoid it—or do it all over again.After what felt like an hour of overthinking, I finally dragged myself out of bed. Maybe I could skip training with Julian and avoid the awkwardness. But of course, my legs had other plans. They carried me straight to the bathroom, right into my training clothes, and toward the door. Where was my willpower when I needed it?Julian had insisted we start training immediately. He wanted to be the first to witness my “cool powers.” So dramatic.I took a deep breath and stepped out of my room. The stairs creaked beneath my feet as I made my way down, nerves building with every step. I had to pass by Aries’s office to get to the training grou
Watching Aries’s face inch closer to mine sparked a feeling I couldn’t even begin to describe. All the fear, doubt, and confusion I had been carrying melted away the moment he stepped into the room. Just a few words from him, and I believed—really believed—that everything would be okay. That he’d stand by me. So I didn’t move away. Instead, my grip on his arm tightened, bracing myself for what was about to happen.Without realizing it, I closed my eyes, my heart racing in sync with his. As someone who had never kissed anyone before, I should have been nervous, but I wasn’t. I knew he’d guide me. I could already feel his breath mingling with mine. His heartbeat thundered, fast and intense.Then, just when our lips were about to meet-bam! The door flew open.We immediately jolted apart, each moving to our own side of the couch like guilty teenagers caught in the act.“Rex!!!” came a voice I’d recognize even in my sleep. Julian.I sighed and looked at Aries, who stood and offered me his
What happened hours ago refused to leave my mind. I kept replaying it, trying to come up with a reasonable explanation for what Rex did—but nothing made sense.Seeing her display that much strength… Enough to lift an Alpha like he was a rag doll? That wasn’t just unusual—it was impossible. Or at least it should’ve been.The moment Rose and her mother led her out of the arena, I was going to follow—but I knew I had to deal with Ron first.“Julian,” I called out, only to realize he was frozen in place, eyes wide with disbelief. “Julian!” I said again, placing a hand on his shoulder. That finally pulled him out of it.“What the hell did I just see?” he asked, still dazed.“Not now, man,” I said, nodding toward Ron, who was still on the floor surrounded by his pack members. “We have to handle this first.”Without hesitation, I turned to Regal, who stood pale and silent. “Get your Alpha some help. My Beta will escort you out of my territory. We’ll provide transportation, so you don’t have
To say my mind was in the right place when I put Ron in his place would be a huge lie. My thoughts were a mess, and Ria had completely taken over. The rage was loud, clear, and honestly—justified. As much as I hated the way Ron spoke to Aries, I wouldn’t have exposed that much strength in front of a crowd. Not like that. I could feel Rose trying to pull me back, trying to stop me—but I just couldn’t let go. Not until I heard her voice. Maron. She pulled me back. Out of Ria’s grip and straight into the reality of what I’d just done. I was sure my eyes had changed—maybe even glowed—and without hesitation, Rose shielded me, Maron flanking my other side. Together, they led me out of the meeting room. I messed up. This is all your fault, I snapped at Ria. You might be able to tolerate that kind of insult, but I can’t, she hissed back. No one gets to speak to us like that and walk away. And just like that, she retreated—leaving me alone with the aftermath. I didn’t resist