Alpha Conan's POV
The long wooden table stretched between us, lit by flickering oil lamps hanging from the ceiling beams. Shadows danced across the rival Alpha’s face as he leaned back in his chair, arms folded across his chest. His wolf eyes watched me steadily, unblinking.
I clenched my fists under the table, trying to control my rising frustration. The meeting hall smelled of old stone and pine smoke, thick with the scent of wolves gathered for war councils over the decades. But tonight, only the two of us sat here, separated by territory lines and a brewing tension neither of us fully understood.
“Don’t play games with me, Darius,” I growled, my wolf pushing against my skin with impatience. “Your warriors have been trespassing our borders for weeks. Last night, they killed two of my scouts.”
Alpha Darius’s brows furrowed deeply, his eyes narrowing. &ld
Maya’s POVI could barely breathe. The ropes around my wrists cut into my skin each time I moved. Tears streamed down my face, dripping onto the stone floor beneath me. The cold seeped through my knees, biting into my bones, but I didn’t care. All I could think about was Jayden. My little boy. My pup.I lifted my head just enough to glare at Luna. She sat on the judge’s seat, sipping her tea calmly as if this entire mock trial wasn’t tearing my soul apart. Her dark eyes glinted with cruel delight as she watched me tremble before her.“Please…” I croaked, my throat raw. “Where is he? Where is Jayden?”She tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a smirk. “You’re really pathetic, aren’t you, Maya?” she asked softly, her voice dripping with disgust. “Still begging, even now.”“He’s my son!” I screamed, my voice cracking under the weight of my de
Maya’s POVCold.That was the first thing I felt as consciousness dragged me back from the suffocating darkness. Cold, biting into my skin like a thousand needles. My head pounded with a dull, throbbing ache. I tried to move, but pain shot through my shoulders, making me whimper softly.Wake up… wake up…My wolf’s voice was faint, like an echo far away, but it anchored me enough to force my heavy eyelids open. The world around me was blurred, smeared in grey and black shapes. I blinked rapidly, my lashes crusted with dried tears.Slowly, the shapes sharpened.I was in a small room with cracked cement walls. A dim fluorescent light flickered above, casting eerie shadows across the dirty floor. The smell of damp rot filled my nose, mixing with the metallic tang of my own fear. My arms were twisted painfully behind me, bound at the w
Maya’s POVThe morning sun peeked weakly over the dark forest, washing everything in pale grey light. My eyes fluttered open as a soft whining reached my ears. My neck ached from sleeping awkwardly against the car window. For a moment, I forgot where I was.Then I saw Jayden squirming in the backseat, his small legs tangled in his Spider-Man blanket, his sleepy eyes blinking rapidly.“Mama…” he whimpered, holding his belly. “I need to pee.”My heart clenched at the sight of him, so innocent and fragile. I rubbed my tired eyes, forcing myself to wake up. The forest road around us was silent except for distant chirps of morning birds. A chill swept through the car despite the sun.“Okay, baby,” I whispered, my voice hoarse. “Hold it for just a bit. I’ll find somewhere.”I started searching ar
Alpha Conan’s POVThe evening sun dipped low behind the palace walls, casting everything in a burnt orange glow. I sat at my office desk, elbows resting on the polished wood, my fingers rubbing my temples. The papers before me blurred together in a meaningless mess of ink and signatures. I couldn’t focus on anything after this morning.Henry slept peacefully in his room now, curled under his wolf-print blanket, his small hands clutching his stuffed bear. The image of him up that tree haunted me all day, the way his little voice broke when he said he wanted to stay there forever.How could I have neglected my own son this much?My eyes drifted to my phone on the table. Maya’s name sat there, unanswered. I had called her before dawn, and she didn’t pick up. I called again after breakfast, and again after lunch. Each time, my chest tightened a little more.
Alpha Conan’s POVThe horses whinnied softly as we entered the palace stables. Warm air, thick with the scent of hay, leather, and animal musk, wrapped around us, chasing away the chill of dawn. The torches flickered along the wooden walls, casting gentle shadows over the horses in their stalls. Henry’s small hand tightened around mine, his excitement trembling through his little fingers.“Which one do you want to see first, buddy?” I asked, bending down to meet his sleepy eyes.He blinked up at me, his lashes heavy from waking up so early, but his brown eyes glowed with wonder. “Storm,” he whispered shyly.I chuckled softly, ruffling his dark hair that stuck up in uneven tufts. “Storm it is.”We walked down the narrow stable aisle, the old wood creaking under our boots. Horses poked their heads out of their stalls,
Alpha Conan’s POVI walked swiftly down the dim hallway, my boots thudding against the polished marble floor. My wolf paced anxiously inside me, his golden eyes scanning every shadow. The palace felt too silent, too empty without Henry’s laughter echoing through its walls.Find him, my wolf growled, his tail lashing with agitation. He is ours to protect.I pushed open Henry’s bedroom door. The scent of vanilla soap and fresh hay greeted me, the smell of his small body mixing with the stuffed animals he tucked against his pillow at night. The covers were thrown aside. His tiny shoes lay abandoned near the dresser.“Henry?” I called out softly, stepping into the room.Silence.My wolf sniffed the air, ears flicking forward. He’s not here, he murmured, disappointment curling his lip. But his scent is fresh. He