Alaina’s POVI sank into the chair across from him, folding my hands on my lap as I tried to steady the chaos swirling in my mind. Adrian sat slumped at his desk, his fingers gripping the edge like it was the only thing keeping him tethered to reality.“Why are you drinking like this?” I asked softly, my voice hesitant as I searched his face, hoping to find a crack in the fortress of pain he wore so heavily. “I mean, I get it, but this... this isn’t good.”His shoulders tensed, a bitter laugh escaping him as he shook his head. “It’s just...” His voice caught, his eyes glossing with tears that he tried to blink away. “It’s all coming back.”I sat quietly, the air thick with his grief, waiting for him to continue even as my own heart twisted in my chest.“What do you mean?” I whispered, urging him to let the words out before they drowned him.He drew in a ragged breath, tears slipping down his cheeks. “Everything that happened
Alaina’s POVI stood frozen, my heart pounding as I tried to process the scene unfolding in front of me. The curious and confused stares from the wolves nearby only made the moment feel heavier, each glance a reminder of the tension crackling in the air.“I don’t remember giving you permission to just waltz into this pack,” Adrian said, his voice cold and sharp as he locked eyes with Gareth. Every word was a blade, and the way they looked at each other made it clear that something was about to snap.I inched closer to Isaac, lowering my voice so only he could hear. “This doesn’t look good.”He nodded, his lips pressed into a tight line. “You’re right. This is... unexpected.”I grabbed his arm, desperation creeping into my voice. “Do something before they rip each other apart.”Isaac gave me a reassuring look before turning away. He lifted his hand, signaling the gathered pack members, and within moments, they quietly dispers
Alaina POV“So, it was you...” he breathed, his eyes widening as if the pieces of a long-unsolved puzzle had finally fallen into place.My pulse jumped, a cold prickle racing along my skin. “What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice low, barely steady enough to mask the tightening in my chest.“That girl... the one who managed to catch one of the most dangerous rogues during the Pack Games,” he said, wonder lacing his tone. The words hung between us like heavy fog, pressing down on my lungs.I stared at him, the forest around us blurring for a moment. How did he know that? And why would he care?“Oh—” I started, but the words caught in my throat, swallowed by the rustle of leaves overhead. I glanced around, suddenly painfully aware of how alone we were out here. “I’m supposed to meet someone else right now, so...”“You’re not supposed to be here—” I tried to keep my voice firm.“And you shouldn’t wander alone w
Alaina’s POVThe moment I decided to go, a strange calm settled over me. Despite the doubts clawing at the back of my mind, there was a quiet certainty in my chest that tonight would be a turning point, no matter how it ended.I glanced at the clock on my bedside table, watching the minute hand tick toward five. Each second felt like it pressed against my skin, reminding me I still had a chance to turn back, to avoid whatever might be waiting in that forest clearing.But I wouldn’t turn back.I pulled on my jacket with steady hands, rolling my shoulders to loosen the tightness that had taken root there since reading Grace’s letter.“You’re actually going, aren’t you?” Edith’s voice echoed quietly inside me, her worry like a whisper in the dark.“I have to,” I said, meeting my own gaze in the mirror, searching for any flicker of fear. “If I can’t face this, then what am I even doing here?”“You should take someone wi
Adrian’s POVNo matter how hard Alaina tries to distance herself, each attempt only deepens the hold she has over me. Her resistance is like fuel to a fire I can’t put out, pushing me to prove that I can break through the walls she’s built, that I can conquer every challenge standing between us.Blaze, my wolf, hates that I’m obsessed with her, arguing that it isn’t worth the risk. But Blaze doesn’t understand the way Alaina Meyers affects me. She isn’t just another conquest. She’s the one woman who makes me feel alive.Today, I noticed her receiving a letter, and for some reason, I couldn’t shake the feeling that it mattered. Normally, I wouldn’t give a second thought to her mail, but this time, it felt personal, urgent, like whatever was written inside was meant to change something.And somehow, I couldn’t help but think it might involve me.I didn’t want to doubt her, didn’t want to let suspicion creep in, but my mind wouldn’t let
Alaina’s POVThinking back to my conversation with Adrian and Grace, I couldn’t shake the feeling that life was shifting around me, nudging me toward something bigger. Our talk had stirred something deep within, a reminder that I could still grow, still choose a different path. I made a quiet promise to myself that day: I would leave behind the shadows of the past and focus on the future waiting for me.Grace’s commitment to taking care of herself left a mark on me. Even while wrestling with her pain, she still chose herself, still chose her wolf. I admired that about her, and I promised her silently that I would be there in any way she needed, that she wouldn’t have to face the world alone.Then there was Adrian. Complicated, magnetic Adrian. I told myself that no matter how tangled our history was, I would keep our interactions strictly professional. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down, not now.So when I walked into the kitchen that mor