Hazel P.O.V.It’s been a couple of hours since we asked Joel to become the Delta of the pack, and he still has not given us an answer. I want him in the position, both because he deserves it immensely for everything he has done, but also because he is my brother and I love him. Grady was actually the one to bring up the possibility of Joel becoming a true ranked member, and I had jumped on the idea, loving it. “You’ll need to give an answer soon, brother.” I tell him as we navigate the paths of the pack with Olive. Grady stayed with Adrian and Kaia at the hospital, and River and Becky promised to make arrangements for the promotion back at the pack house. No way in hell was I letting him decline this. If I had to be Luna, then he had to be our Delta and suffer with me. “I know, sis, but I’m just not sure I’m the right one for the job. What will the pack members say? They will think you gave me this position because we’re family and not because I got the skill for it.” He sighs, shak
Joel P.O.V.“Walk!” I order Lory, extending my hand for my mate on the floor. Lory crosses her arms and scoffs at me. She rolls her eyes for good measure as well. “You are not the boss of me, and you have no authority. Make me.” She says, her eyes glinting with defiance. I help my mate to her feet, keeping her with me. The intensity of the matebond makes my arm hum and warmth flood up into my entire body. She looks at me with wide light green eyes and I lose myself momentarily in them. Lory seems to think I have lost myself completely in them, because she tries to shrink away and leave. I snap my head in her direction. “Who said you were allowed to leave?” I ask, my voice quiet, calm and demanding. She smacked my mate. Threatened her. “You are going to the Beta’s room. Wasn’t that where you wanted to go in the first place?” I ask, extending my hand to my mate. She tentatively takes it, her hand shaking a little. I feel sorry for her. I don’t mean to be scary to her, but I have to sc
Joel P.O.V.I’m so happy Hazel followed her gut feeling and asked me to go to the mansion to look for Kaia when she went missing at the hospital. What would have happened if she had managed to get away? I knew why, as did the Alpha and other ranked members, but I heard the rumors already as I went in search for her. Someone was spinning this to look like she had orchestrated the attack on Beta Adrian to cause trouble. I rolled my eyes mentally. She would never do that. Not with what I now knew about her. I decided then and there that I would be her silent shadow for the time being. Maybe I could convince the Alpha and Beta to hire me as her or Hazel’s personal guard? That would be amazing. As we went through the door and down the hallway in the Alpha wing, we heard someone roar again. This time much closer and much louder. “I WANT TO SEE MY MATE!” Adrian’s angry voice yells from a room at the end of the hallway. “Beta, you have to remain calm. Alpha is sorting it right now.” A nu
Kaia P.O.V.“You are coming with us, sister. You have been a disappointment once too many times!” Dex growls, lunging at me. I step to the side, but not fast enough. Dex tackled me to the ground, forcing me to my stomach. I kick and buckle, trying to get him off of me. Adrian screams in pain, Aron laughing manically. I scream in agony as I feel the pain through the matebond. I buckle even more, wanting more than anything to go to my mate. He is going to die if he doesn’t get treatment. I feel something burning on my wrist as Dex closes a cuff on it.“Stop fucking squirming, you bitch. Lay still god dammit!” He grunts. I don’t. I fight with everything I have, Nova howling for her mate in my head. Then his weight on me is gone. Growls and snarls fill the edge of the pond. Someone shakes the ground with their fierce growl. I look up to see Hazel punch my brother in the face, breaking his nose, and then again in the temple rendering him unconscious. She comes back to me, hurrying to get t
Kaia P.O.V. “This place is so peaceful.” I murmur, leaning against Adrian's shoulder. We’re sitting at the edge of the pond, the waterfall creating a mist of water as it hits the pond's edge. The sound of the water hitting from the waterfall into the pond is soothing and calming, making me sigh in comfort. Adrian wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer into him. He has not made a move to do anything other than just be here with him, and I appreciate the sentiment. “I’ve always loved coming here as a boy and teenager. It was my quiet place. A place where I could contemplate life, duty and or go when life was just too much and I felt like screaming my lungs off.” He says, his voice quiet. The memories he’s describing playing in my mind and I smile. What I would have given to have had a place like this in my childhood. “Are we still within the pack borders?” I ask, wanting to know if we potentially could be surprised by rogues or other nasties out here. “Yes, this pond is just wit
Hazel P.O.V.“You really believe those two lying brats over me, brother?” Rebecca whisper-screams at River. The crowd have disbursed as River told them this matter is between the mother of the boy, Rebecca and me now. They left reluctantly, especially the other pups and the teenage girls, who I just now realised were edging the little ones on in the efforts to bully my daughter. Becky took Lily with her back to the stroller to get the sand out of her face and look after her as we try to resolve this matter. Grady has been by my side every step of the way, but he has been quiet, which kind of annoys me. Mate or not, he is the Alpha and he saw what happened. Even if he was the one to call for backup, he has not supported me verbally since. “I believe you are in trouble, sister. And just because I’m your brother, you can’t just behave as you please.” River answers smoothly. He turns his attention to the mother and boy, who are trying their best to be as invisible as possible. “Ma’am, I