Mason and Nina arrived home just as dusk began to settle over Silver Moon Territory, casting long shadows through the expansive windows of their estate.After a light meal and an hour of playing with his daughter, Mason tucked Nina into her plush bed, her tiny fingers still curled around his as she finally drifted off. He kissed her forehead gently, brushing a lock of hair from her face.Just as he stepped out into the hallway, Julian was waiting, silent, watchful as ever, as he leaned against the wall, arms crossed."How is she?" Julian asked, his voice low, filled with concern for the little girl.Mason exhaled, gaze heavy. âTraumatized. But sheâs strong,â he replied, his tone colder than most fathers, yet marked with quiet fire. âLike her mother. And Iâll help her heal. No matter what it takes.âJulian gave a slow nod before pulling something from the inner pocket of his coat. A cream-colored envelopeâelegant, embossed, and styled with too much pride.âThis arrived after you left th
Masonâs polished shoes echoed through the sterile white halls of Silver Haven Medical Center. Heads turned discreetly as he passed. The Alpha Chairman of the Federation was not someone you would simply see on a normal day. He was an untouchable force of nature, a shadow most people only ever heard rumors of. But today, the shadow was flesh and bone, walking with cold purpose toward the pediatric wing.As he rounded the corner, he nearly bumped into Dr. Eleanor Brown, Ninaâs pediatrician.âAlpha Mason,â she greeted quickly, adjusting the tablet clutched in her hands. âI was just on my way to Nina's room.ââStatus?â Mason asked tersely, his voice stern but not unkind.Dr. Brown nodded, glancing around before speaking. âPhysically, sheâs clear for discharge. Being a daughter of an alpha put her at an advantage, she healed fast. The paperwork is ready at the nursesâ station. Butââ she hesitated, lowering her voice, âemotionally, sheâs... not.âMasonâs eyes darkened slightly.âShe barely
In Silver Moon Pack Territory â Federation Headquarters...Mason Larkin sat at his desk, his cold gaze fixed on the flickering screen before him. The room was silent, except for the low hum of the air conditioning and the tap of his fingers on the keyboard.As Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack and Chairman of the Federation, every move he made echoed across the eighteen werewolf packs in the state of California. He was a man feared more than reveredâhis name spoken with caution, if not trembling awe. The door creaked open.Beta Julian entered, his right arm still bound in a sling. He moved with quiet urgency, a sealed file clutched in his good hand. Masonâs gaze flicked toward the folder before locking back onto Julianâs expression.âThey moved,â Julian said in a meaningful tone. âThe man weâve been watching. He disappeared two days agoâresurfaced near Crimson Claw territory.âMasonâs jaw tensed. âWhere in Crimson Claw?â he asked with a voice sharp as a blade.âSouth border. Near the R
As Aria turned her back and began walking toward the grand staircase, Elliotâs smug expression twisted into fury. The sound of her heels striking the marble echoed in the hall like gunshots. His jaw clenched, and before she could reach the second step, he barkedââIâm not done with you yet!âIn a swift, aggressive motion, he grabbed her wrist hard. Aria gasped as his grip tightened like a vice, the pressure biting into her skin. Pain flashed across her face as his fingers dug in deep enough to leave bruises.âDonât you dare walk away from me!â he snarled, his voice raw with rage and something far more venomous... resentment.Her eyes flared, meeting his with shock and disbelief.Then it happened. He snapped... Years of bitterness boiled to the surface in one explosive outburst."If you have evidence, then go ahead! Do your damn confession. Sue me! Prove it!â he spat. His face contorted with unfiltered emotion, no longer the polished, charismatic man she had once called husband. âBut
Hugoâs gaze darkened as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping the edge of the table. âThereâs only one man who can help us now⊠though heâs the last person any of us would want to owe.âAria lifted her head slowly. Her pulse quickened at the tension in Hugoâs voice. âWho?ââMason Larkin,â Hugo said grimly. âAlpha of the Silver Moon Pack⊠and the Chairman of the Federation.âCecil visibly tensed beside her, her eyes widening. âMason Larkin? Are you serious? HeâsâââI know exactly who he is,â Hugo cut her off. âAnd yes, Iâm serious.âAriaâs breath caught in her throat. Not because of the things she had heard about, but because she had met him and it was an intimate encounter...Everyone in the federation knew Mason Larkin. A man who rose to power faster than any Alpha in history. At twenty-nine, he ruled over the most brutal, cold-blooded pack in the regionâand chaired the very organization that now had the power to silence her parents forever.âHe has no direct connection to
The next morning came too quickly.Aria hadnât slept, not truly. Her body had rested, but her mind had been in a storm. Every time she closed her eyes, flashes of her parents behind cold iron bars haunted her. When the sun finally peeked through the curtains, she forced herself to get up.By the time breakfast was done, Aria and Cecil were already on the road, heading straight to the mansion of Alpha Hugo Miller.The gates of the estate opened with a low mechanical groan, revealing a sprawling mansion nestled between dense woods and fortified by a wall of stone and steel. It was intimidating, yet noble... Much like the man who ruled it.As they stepped into the grand foyer, the sound of deliberate, powerful footsteps echoed down the marble staircase.Alpha Hugo appeared at the top of the stairs, commanding, confident, and unnervingly calm.He was middle-aged by birth, but looked no older than thirty. His skin was smooth and bronzed from training under the sun, his athletic build eviden
By the time Aria and Cecil reached the Harper Mansion, the sun had already dipped below the horizon. The city traffic had delayed them for hours, but even exhaustion couldnât numb the dread curling in Ariaâs chest.As they pulled into the estateâs long driveway, Ariaâs eyes immediately locked onto the unfamiliar sight before themâa fleet of luxury cars lined up like a procession of vultures waiting to feast. None of them belonged to her parents.Her heartbeat quickened.She barely waited for the engine to stop before she stepped out and hurried toward the front door, Cecil close behind.Jennifer, the head maid, greeted them at the entrance, her expression strained with unease as she helped them with their coats.Ariaâs voice came out sharper than intended. âJennifer⊠whose cars are those? Theyâre not my parents'.âJennifer hesitated before answering, then lowered her voice. âThey belong to the executives of the Harper Foundation. Mr. and Mrs. Lambert summoned them here for an emergenc
Aria was beyond horrifiedâshe was utterly petrified now that the fog of intoxication had lifted. Ravenhold Bastille wasnât just a prisonâit was a nightmare located near the border of their country, buried deep in the forsaken wilderness of Brawley County. It was popularly known as a wretched wasteland.However, there was a rumor before that a certain pack had bought it, but she never had any interest in knowing which pack. Who would even want a desolate and dangerous place like that?An abandoned scar on the map where only the worst criminals were sent to rot, where shadows walked freely, and where the desperate and the damned hid from the world. Very few dared to venture there, and even fewer returned.Without sparing a single glance behind her, driven by pure panic, Aria fumbled for her phone with shaking fingers and dove into Cecilâs car. Mason was left baffled by what was going on. The only thing he could do was watch her leave in an almost hysterical state.Aria's heart thundere
Aria bolted from the bedroom, the adrenaline of bad news still roaring in her veins, so frantic she forgot all about the torn state of her dress. Just as she reached for the suite door, it swung open, and standing there was a man she recognized instantly, because of his injured arm still bound in a cast.For a heartbeat, they both froze, locked in a moment of stunned silence, the tension crackling like a live wire between them.Then, a commanding voice cut through the heavy air."Youâre right on time, Julian. I assume that paper bag youâre holding has the dress I asked for?" Mason's deep voice rolled through the room with effortless authority.Aria and Julian both jerked their attention toward him. Aria instinctively clutched at the torn fabric of her dress, desperate to maintain a shred of dignity."Ah... yes," Julian stammered, blinking rapidly as he tore his gaze away from her. "I wasnât sure which one to pick, so I just took the salesladyâs recommendation."Masonâs smirk was almos