ANDREA'S POV“Another dress, Julia? You spoil me.” I was holding my phone to my ear with my shoulder as I held my magnificent new dress up, admiring it through the plastic.I kicked the door of the car shut with my leg and headed towards the elevator.“Was it delivered like I asked?!” she squealed. I winced, smiling at her delight but wishing I could move the phone a few meters away from my ear. Julia Rossi was my best friend back in Italy and one of the best designers in Europe.“Yep,” I said, chuckling as I stepped into the elevator.“Why did you have the manager lie about where it came from, Julia? You make the best dresses the whole of Europe has ever seen.”Julia laughed. “Well, yes, but aren't you waiting till your big opening night to show yourself at the Hunting Festival? Wearing an exclusive custom-made Julia Rossi on that side of the world would raise eyebrows and set a whole kennel of private investigators on your tail.” she paused, getting distracted for a bit. “Wearing Av
ANDREA'S POVI was going to have a stroke. I had never had such a strong desire to run away from a place in years. The venue was crawling with people. I hated it.I sat in the car, watching the red carpet livestream on my phone, wincing every time another guest showed up. One of my team members was broadcasting from the venue. I could recognize Alphas and Betas from every corner of the world strolling on and off the red carpet.“I’ve seen photographs and videos from the last five Hunting Festivals,” I said. “Only half of this crowd was in attendance. Do we even have enough seats?”“Thankfully, someone brilliant decided to rent a full-capacity venue along with various seating arrangements representing each pack,” Zayne said, grinning. “Relax, you did a brilliant job, and they’re waiting for you out there.”I shook my head. “They don’t even know me.”“Well, they are here to get to do that,” he replied, leaning back casually. He spread his hands, moving them apart as he spoke, “Picture i
ANDREA'S POVI had barely taken two steps before I realized that something was wrong. Cool air brushed the back of my legs, raising goosebumps on my skin. I turned slightly to see four claw-shaped gashes in the train of my dress—or what was left of it, anyway.Natasha walked towards the guards so fast that she almost tripped on her six-inch stilettos.“Hi…um, George,” she said, pinching his name tag between two fingers. “Doesn't this event have a very strict dress code?”“Yes, ma'am,” he replied, nodding stiffly.“Good. Look at that woman.” She pointed at me. “What is that horridly ripped dress? She’s dressed like a tramp at a high-class event. You would offend the guests if you let her in looking like that.”A few people turned to look, hushed whispers carrying over the wind to my ears. My neck burned with embarrassment and anger. I had chosen the back entrance specifically because I didn't want drama and paparazzi surrounding me at the entrance.I said a prayer for Julia at that mom
KADE’S POVI stood frozen to my spot by the dining area as Andrea bowed slightly to the applause that erupted from her ascension to the stage.I wasn’t the only one who was shocked by the recent revelation. Several of the wolves in attendance had their mouths open and their brows raised.We’d all heard of the famous Alpha of Red Water, who’d risen to power five years ago in Italy and had transformed the pack into a force to be reckoned with.I hadn’t paid much attention since it was news of a pack on the other side of the world.I never in a million years would have guessed that the woman who’d tormented me with her absence for five years was that same Alpha.I couldn’t understand it. She was an Omega when we met; there was no disputing that. Just as right now, as her voice boomed across the hall authoritatively, welcoming all the packs in attendance, there was no disputing that she was indeed an Alpha.Curiosity burned through me, even as a sharp wave of desire overcame me.I’d never
ANDREA’S POV“Please excuse me, Mayor Blackstone.” I forced a smile I didn’t feel to the wide-eyed mayor. I was leaning around Kade to talk to him.The insufferable Alpha was standing between me and the mayor like a wall and had even completely ignored the poor guy, who looked awestruck, probably from being in the presence of the most powerful Alpha in New York.‘And the most powerful Alpha in Italy,’ Emrae added. ‘Never forget.’“O-of course,” Blackstone stuttered. “We can pick this up later.”I nodded. We’d been talking about the potion, and I’m sure he was upset to stop here, but he had no choice. The mayor bowed to me and then to Kade, who didn’t even bother to turn in his direction.I glared up at him. “What the hell is wrong with you?”A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Let’s go.” His voice was so low, it sounded like he was barely restraining himself.I rolled my eyes. Now that he knew what I truly was—that I wasn’t some simpering Omega still pining after him, was he so eager to comp
ANDREA’S POV“How could you?” Kade whispered, looking at me like he’d never seen me before.I glanced at his phone. “How could I what?”“How could you?” he said again, louder this time.Fed up with his vagueness, I darted forward and snatched the phone from his hand. My eyes rapidly scanned through the document until I reached the conclusion: no biological relationship.I looked up at Kade. “Kade, what the hell is this?”“How could you?” he kept repeating.“What the fuck is this?!” I screamed at him. “Did you test my children?” I threw the phone at him. It missed and smashed against the wall. “How the fuck did you get their DNA sample?!”He scoffed bitterly and ran his hands through his hair. “You’re so protective of them. You love them so much.” He stepped forward and poked my chest. “Do they know
KADE’S POVI thundered into the pack house like a storm cloud. The guards at the door flinched as they bowed, and I barely registered their show of respect.“Where’s my grandfather?” My voice was tight with barely restrained anger.They glanced at each other warily before one of them answered. “He’s in his room, Alpha.”I headed to the back of the building—the annex that belonged to my grandfather. As I went, my mind reeled with all the questions I had for him.When had he contacted Andrea?Why had he contacted Andrea?What the hell did he say to Andrea?I slammed his door open, startling him from his position on the couch in his room. Since I got engaged to Natasha, my grandfather stopped going to Hunting Festivals, since his goal had apparently been fulfilled.He put the book he was reading down and raised a brow.“Can I help you?” he asked calmly, clea
BECK’S POVThere aren’t that many ways to become an Alpha. You’re either born an Alpha, or you marry into an Alpha’s family.Mating with Tiana should’ve been my ticket to shedding my second-rate position as a Beta and becoming the Alpha I deserved to be.But Tiana had sisters, and her father, the Alpha of their pack, Silver Blood, was not impressed enough with me to hand over the Alpha role to me.It didn’t matter that Tiana was the firstborn, and by right, her mate should be the Alpha. Her father cared about bullshit like proving myself.It pissed me off to no end, but what could I do?If I wanted to win my future father-in-law’s blessing—and his title, I had to pull out the big guns.And what was bigger than allying myself with the newest, most powerful Alpha in town?My first choice would have been the Alpha of Obsidian howl, but due to his messy history with my ex, Andrea, and that embarrassing spiel at the banquet hall a while back, I figured that Kade Nightshade wasn’t very like
ANDREA’S POVOf course, the contractor was Kade. Of course, the moment I decided to force him out of my mind and focus, he became literally unavoidable.I glared at Mayor Blackstone. “Why would you keep this information from me until now?”“I—” He gulped, wringing his hands. “I just thought…I didn’t think it was…I mean—”I rolled my eyes. The poor guy was sweating, even though the ACs were blasting. “I expect full transparency when I work with someone, understand?”He nodded vigorously. “I’m so sorry, Alpha Carter.”Kade snorted from behind me. I turned sharply. “What?”He shrugged. “It’s just surreal—hearing people call you ‘Alpha.’”I narrowed my eyes. “I am an Alpha; got a problem with that?”He shook his head, his eyes hardening. “No, that’s no
ANDREA’S POVIt was official—there was something horribly wrong with me.Here I was, standing in front of the perfect, most amazing man who loved and cared for me and was willing to do anything for me. But even as I rejected him for the second time, all I could think about was the scumbag whose favorite pastime was breaking my heart.I didn’t understand it, and it frustrated me to no end. Why couldn’t I just pick Zayne? All my problems would be solved, and I could actually be happy.Here he was, so sweet and kind, offering a love so pure and honest—and all I could think about were Kade’s dark eyes and the powerful way he gripped my body.I meant it when I said Zayne didn’t deserve me. He deserved someone who could love him in return and not keep him as some sort of second option. I felt horribly guilty every time he offered himself up to take care of me or the twins.Like right now, I felt so guilty,
ZAYNE’S POVAnyone who knew my story would probably shake their head at me and brand me a fool.Andrea had clearly rejected me before. Now, she smelled like another male, and I wasn’t stupid; I knew what that meant.Yet, here I was, offering myself up to her again.Honestly, I didn’t understand it myself. When I’d first met Andrea, back when she was with that scumbag, Beck, I’d felt an instant connection.I was never going to come between her and Beck, and truthfully, I was content with being her friend.Then they broke up, and she got pregnant and was suddenly moving to Italy. I didn’t even have to think about it for a second before I decided I was moving with Andrea. The decision felt natural—like the abnormal thing was if I stayed behind.And over the last five years, as we’d gone through thick and thin together, I’d felt our bond grow stronger and stronger between us.Somedays, it felt like love and other days, it was a fierce need to be by her side and protect her at all times. T
ANDREA’S POVI spent an unholy amount of time in the shower.I scrubbed and scrubbed, harder than I think I’d ever scrubbed in my life. I wanted the scent of Kade off me. I wanted to stop feeling the print of his hands on my skin and the weight of his body on mine.I stood under the sprays till the hot water ran out and freezing droplets ran over my skin.“Mommy!” Luca banged against the bathroom door. “I have to pee.”I sighed, turning off the tap.“Hold on, hon!” I called back out.I stepped out of the shower and grabbed a towel.When I had wrapped it around myself, I opened the bathroom door, letting Luca in.“Can you help me unbuckle my belt?” he asked innocently.I smiled, leaning down. “Sure.”As I unhooked his belt buckle, he sniffed my hair and giggled. “You smell like daddy—and Aunty Nora.”I stiffened, resisting the urge to run back into the shower and scrub till my skin bled.I cleared my throat. “I thought you didn’t like the idea of a new daddy,” I asked Luca.He shrugged
ANDREA’S POVWaking up in Kade’s arms to the sound of my phone ringing was like de ja vu. Especially when the caller ID showed Zayne.My eyes widened as I answered the call. I was only supposed to have gone out for a short walk, and instead, I’d spent the entire day and night out.“Shit, Zayne, I’m so sorry,” I whispered into the phone, gently pulling out of Kade’s grasp. “I lost track of time, and—” I paused. I couldn’t possibly tell the man who I knew was in love with me that I’d left him to watch my kids while I fucked my ex all night.“None of that matters, Drea,” Zayne said, his voice slightly panicked.Ice filled my veins. “What happened?”He swore. “I swear I didn’t let them out of my sight. I even slept in the room with them, but then I woke up, and they were gone.”“What?” I felt lightheaded.“The twins aren’t in the hotel.”“Fuck!” I hissed, climbing out of bed. My dress was hanging over the chair in Kade’s room, and I grabbed it. As I hurriedly threw it on, my heart pounded
KADE’S POVIt was a miracle that Andrea and I made it back to the Alpha compound with our sanity intact. I’d Shifted back to Jaxon, and Andrea had ridden me all the way back, and as we went, the only thing I could think about was all the other ways I wanted her to ride me.All I could think about, all that consumed my mind, was having Andrea again.When I stumbled upon her in the woods, it was like a gift from the goddess. Jaxon had been wandering aimlessly, desperately fighting the effects of the aphrodisiac Natasha had drugged me with.But then I saw Andrea, and all those heightened feelings exploded. I didn’t know what was going on with her but thank the goddess that she didn’t reject me. If she had, I might have died right there and then.And then, right after that, I wanted more. And then more. It was like the more I got of Andrea, the more I wanted.I was so glad that when we got back to the Alpha compound, Natasha was nowhere to be found. If she’d still been around, I might hav
ANDREA’S POVI hung up the phone with a heavy sigh and sank into the chair in the living room of our new suite.My parent’s words weighed heavily on my mind, and although we’d had similar conversations like that in the past, this time, it weighed heavier.My mom’s final words kept replaying over and over again in my mind: “What about Zayne? He would make a perfect mate, and he would never hurt you.”I knew that. I knew that the last thing Zayne would do in this life was hurt me. But that didn’t mean I wanted to be his mate.I groaned, leaning back into the couch. It made no sense. Zayne truly was perfect—he was handsome, smart, fiercely loyal, hell, he could even cook. Any woman in their right mind would choose him in a heartbeat.I guess I wasn’t in my right mind.Despite all the hurt I had been through, I was still a hopeless romantic. Although choosing Zayne was the logical, sensible thing to do, I couldn’t help wanting to be with someone who made me…feel.Someone who made my heart
KADE’S POVI didn’t have Andrea’s number. How the fuck did I not have Andrea’s number?‘Shift again,’ Jaxon pressed. ‘We’ll find her the way we found the twins.’I shook my head, plopping down onto my bed. ‘No.’“Why?”‘Because she ran!’ I snap.I told her I was coming back, yet she left without informing me of her whereabouts. From the hospital, I went straight to her hotel—and found out that she had checked out.I understood why she left. I understood the need to keep her kids safe—but then why did it feel like she was running away from me specifically?I groaned, punching the mattress underneath me. Why was I still so firmly intertwined with Andrea and all her drama? I was supposed to hate this woman; I was supposed to close her out of my life forever.But instead, I ran through New York, looking for her pups. I’d killed her enemy, and now I was losing my mind because I didn’t know where she was.What if a complication had arisen with the twins? What if she was in distress again?‘
ANDREA'S POV“Andrea, you should get some rest.”I shook my head, my eyes never leaving Matteo and Luca for one second.“I'm never leaving their side, ever again.”“They're safe,” Zayne whispered, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Beck is dead. No harm can come to them now.”I sighed. His words were fact, but they didn't feel true. The idea that I had almost lost my babies was like a huge weight on my chest that refused to lift.I had been careless with them, and they’d been taken from me.Never again.I’d moved to a new hotel far away from the old one and checked in under an alias. I would do whatever it took to protect my babies.“Andrea,” Zayne pressed, "it's almost midnight, and you've had the shittiest, longest day ever.”He was right. I was exhausted—more emotionally than physically. So instead of leaving to my own room, I stood, and climbed into bed between Luca and Matteo.They hadn't woken since we left the hospital. The doctors hadn't wanted us to leave, but all the test resul