LOGINLanka Monroe"Alpha Andrew, I have the report now," Daniel Cho says, running up to the heavy iron elevator door. "Carllo took the small car to our old territory lodge real early this morning to pick up Master Lanka. Right now, they are sitting together inside the Zion City Theater."Andrew stops his big feet and turns his whole body around fast. "What is my mate doing in that human-free zone?"Daniel Cho shakes his head, looking real nervous. "I haven't got the full pack report yet, Alpha, but the border patrols should send another bird with news real soon."Inside the big wooden walls of the Zion City Theater.When my boots step inside the great hall, Jerome is already standing there by the stone pillars, and I feel real surprised to see Hamilton has come to join the pack crowd too.As soon as his eyes hit my face, Hamilton runs straight over to me, his face full of big concern."Lanka, is your wolf feeling any better?" Hamilton asks, looking at my belly. "Can you really do the spiri
"Did you have a big fight with my mother?"Andrew’s cold voice comes straight through the speaker. It is totally unexpected.The smile leaves my lips in one second. My mouth curls up with a bitter, sarcastic twist. "Are you here to lock me up and interrogate your omega?"My voice through the digital line sounds like a freezing winter wind. It is so cold Andrew can probably feel the ice on his skin.He stops speaking for a small second, completely taken aback by my tone. "You have it all wrong, Lanka. I just wanted to get the story straight."I am not surprised at all that Maren Cole ran straight to his alpha son to tell a giant, exaggerated story to make me look like a monster. But I am not going to waste my breath explaining my side.My voice stays totally cool and detached. "You don't need to ask my wolf anything, Andrew. Whatever your mother says is the law."Andrew’s big brows knit together tight. "Lanka, do not act like this with me."A small, choked laugh escapes my throat. "You
Lanka Monroe"The whole trick is real funny," the big alpha bodyguard says to the other wolf under the pine branch. "That rogue spy was tracking Alpha Andrew for days before she jumped out. Right when Ray was away on his rest days. But even without Ray around, our Alpha can kill a rogue with one claw. It is real weird that she thought she could actually hurt his wolf."I stop my boots right on the dirt path. A cold, sharp look goes through my eyes, and my heart drops straight into a deep hole. My brain finally gets the answer. The silver blade injury on his waist was just a fake act by Andrew.How many times has he told big lies to my face?Now that Stella is back in the territory, Andrew is completely scared I will run away. Only the young pup in my belly can make him play such a big game to keep my wolf locked inside his den.He is exactly like Maren Cole. He does not care about Lanka at all; he only cares about the pack seed.I walk past the front wooden gates of the territory, and
Lanka Monroe"The tiny pup in this drawing is definitely Andrew," I say. My fingers tremble against the old paper. "And the little omega boy right next to him is Stella. Carllo, are you listening to me?"Carllo's loud voice sounds real scared now. "Lanka? What are you seeing in that box? Do not scare me like this, buddy."I turn the page real fast. The two boys grow up right before my eyes on the white paper. They go from tiny pups to bigger young wolves. In the very last photo, they are both dressed up in beautiful white mating clothes like an alpha king and his chosen partner. They are sitting high up on a giant grey forest horse, smiling real big at the camera. Twelve-winter-old Andrew has a massive, happy smile on his face. I have never seen him look that happy in my whole life. His inner wolf looks like it is in pure bliss.I cannot stop my loud sobs anymore. I slam the leather book shut real hard and shove it right back to the bottom of the dark box."Lanka! What is wrong over t
Lanka Monroe"Are you looking at my body to get happy, Lanka?"Andrew’s big voice sounds real teasing and low. It breaks the quiet room fast. I look down and see my fingers are resting right near the leather of his dark wolf belt. I have been staring at the white lines on his skin for way too long. He thinks my inner wolf wants to play with him because his thick hunting trousers look real tight all of a sudden.I pull my eyes away super fast. I am about to shake my head to say no, but his giant hand catches my chin. He squeezes my face and locks his other big arm around my middle. He moves his long legs apart, drags my body right against his hot skin, and slams his mouth onto my lips.He traps me between his knees. His tongue is super heavy and demanding, and I can feel his big alpha desire pushing hard against my legs. He wants me real bad. Before I can even slide away, he leans his big back against the dark wood of the bed, drags me all the way onto the furs, and makes my thighs sit
Lanka Monroe"Jerome? It is Lanka," I say into the phone. I press the little card in my fingers tight. "About the pack ritual dance troupe. I thought about it a lot, and I want to try out for the spot."Jerome sounds real surprised on the other end. "Master Monroe, you make choices much faster than I thought you would."He knows I have been going through a real rough time with my inner wolf. My heart got knocked down hard, but my spine is still straight. At the best part of my youth, I gave up my whole hunter training and my future just to mate with Andrew. I was totally head over heels for that big alpha. I spent four winters locked up in a mate bond that completely stopped my own goals. Many omegas never get up after that. They just stay in the big lodge and live in easy comfort without any dreams. When Jerome first handed me his card, he did not think a broken boy like me would actually call him."Your promise still stands, right?" I ask."Of course," Jerome says. "Tomorrow at ten
"Daniel Cho didn't flinch for a second when I brought up Echo Ridge Villa, Carllo," I muttered, the tension finally leaving my shoulders as we paced the lower walkway of Silverline Medical Center."The Alpha's personal beta investigator? If Andrew had an unbonded wolf stashed away in the southern v
"Maren, get your things and leave," Lydiasa barked, her voice cutting through the heavy tension of the medical room like a silver blade. She turned her gaze to me, her wrinkled face softening instantly. "Lanka, I rushed here the moment the scouts brought word. I didn't even bring a proper blessing
"Andrew, wait," I started, the image of that news article flashing in my mind like a warning flare. "In that photo from the bell-ringing... Quinn was bundled up in a heavy coat and a mask. I thought he just had a nasty flu and didn't want to infect the pack elders. He was always such a gentleman, l
I sat there on the edge of the bed, gripping Andrew’s hand so tight my knuckles turned white. I wanted this—this moment of clarity—more than I had ever wanted anything in my life."Andrew," I pressed, my voice trembling but firm, "you told your mother that pup isn't yours. Can't you just lay it all







