LOGINAva's POVI stumbled again and fell this time. I looked up through tear-blurred vision."Dad, why did you lock me in that place...?" My voice broke further.The crowd quietened immediately, and more eyes landed on me."I'm not crazy..." I gasped. "They drugged me... they injected me... I couldn't think straight... That place was a nightmare... Dad..." I reached out weakly. "Why won't you see me?"Click. Click. Click. Camera shutters snapped, recorders rolled, and the pack of reporters surged forward like hunting wolves."Miss! Are you Magnus Stone's daughter?" I flinched dramatically and slapped the nearest camera away."Don't twist this! This is internal Stone family business!" My voice sharpened for a split second, and I immediately softened it again."I just... I just want my dad..." I buried my face in my hands. "It's my fault... it must be my fault..."Then I let my shoulders tremble, let silence stretch, let them l
Victor's POV"Ms. Laura may be important," Rose said carefully, "but Luna Ava is your mate. She's the one who gave you your pups. She's the one meant to stand beside you for life."I stared at the cigarette until the ash finally fell, then crushed it inside the ashtray.Everything Rose said was nothing but the truth. I lowered my head and muttered, "You are right."Rose's scent spiked with shock, as though she had not expected me to agree with what she had said. Rose had practically watched me grow. She had lived with us since I was a very young boy.She was more like a second mother to me.After a brief pause, she pushed the bowl of food toward me again. "Eat."I glanced at the food. I had zero appetite for it."Thanks, Rose, but I am not hungry."With that, I rose to my feet and headed upstairs, back to my sleeping mate. I already knew that winning Ava's heart back might be the hardest battle of my life, yet it was the
Ava's POVVictor's gaze lingered on me. "Who do you like now? Anderson?" His expression remained unreadable. "Ben? Reuben?"I nearly laughed. Then he said one final name."Richard?"Everything inside me froze. My wolf immediately went still. The image of him lying unconscious in that hospital bed flashed through my mind, and pain pierced straight through my chest.Without thinking, I lunged forward. My teeth sank into Victor's shoulder, and his body tensed. But he didn't push me away, didn't growl, didn't fight back.I bit harder, as if hurting him would somehow lessen my own pain, as if his blood could pay for everything that had happened. When I finally released him, blood stained my lips, and my breathing was uneven.My wolf was trembling. "You owe Richard his life. Richard protected me my entire life." My voice cracked. "And now he's lying in a hospital bed because of Laura."Memories flooded my mind... memories of MAva, Ju
Victor's POVThat was the question that had been burning inside me ever since I walked into that room.Ava laughed. It was a sharp, bitter laugh."You finally figured it out."My chest tightened. She wasn't even denying it. "Since when did you start faking it?" I asked quietly. "From the start?"She leaned against the window. "Take a guess."I frowned. The alcohol was making her reckless. Usually, she would never admit something like this so easily.She looked at me and scoffed. "Does it matter?""It matters to me, Ava." The words came out before I could stop them.For a second, she looked startled. Then she laughed again."Now it matters?" Her eyes turned red. "You never listened to me, Victor. You never believed me."Every word struck like a blade. I swallowed hard."What's the point of telling you anything, Alpha Victor Smith?" The way she said my name hurt more than I expected.I exhaled s
Ava's POVBen stood. "I have a function tonight. I need a date." He tossed me a business card. "You've got two hours to decide.""I'm in," I blurted out.His brows shot upward. He hadn't expected that answer. He lit another cigarette."Ms. Stone, those entertainment industry parties aren't exactly innocent." The look he gave me said everything. I already knew what goes on in places like that. It is always a game of power.I nodded. "High society is the same everywhere."Ben seemed genuinely surprised. I knew he was wondering why I was so determined.The answer was simple.It was because I had nothing left to lose. Because my wolf still remembered prison. Because Laura still breathed. Because Lucian still walked free."Let's go pick out a dress."---While choosing dresses, Ben picked a revealing one. The moment I changed into it, his expression shifted, his eyes locking onto the scars covering
Ava's POVIt was from Nora. It read:[Ava, Mr. Shelton says the Styles family is dangerous. He told me to back off. But I don't understand why they would target Richard.]I stared at the screen, and my wolf bared her teeth. Because it was obvious that it was Laura. She's the one behind it. Lucian was just her handler, a puppet. And she was the one pulling the strings.A thought came to mind. I immediately dug up more information on Lucian Styles and his family. Since Laura was the knife and Lucian was the hand holding it, I knew I had to point my claws at him. He became my target.During my research, I found out that Lucian had an older half-brother, Ben Styles, with whom he had a fractured relationship. They were practically enemies.Ben controlled the largest entertainment and media empire in Drakoria, the kind that shaped narratives, buried truths, and manufactured reputations. My mind sharpened instantly.He was definitely a tool
Ava's POVThe pup I had carried through nine months of iron bars and concrete floors, through hunger and pain.The child I had almost bled out bringing into this world, now stood in front of me calling another woman Mom, defending her, hitting me and spitting words at me like I was nothing.It felt
Ava's POVNora hesitated, her brows knitting together, her scent spiking with unease.“I can’t say for certain,” she said slowly, “but… Victor has been throwing Laura birthday parties for the past five years.”Something inside me broke.My body went cold, my wolf shrinking back as if she’d been str
Ava's POVThey say an Alpha's promise is unbreakable.They lied.The iron gate of the werewolf prison groaned as it slid open, the sound scraping straight down my spine.Five years inside had tuned my wolf to every vibration of metal and stone, and this one felt final.I stepped out with a worn can
Ava's POVThe strength drained from my body as soon as the words left me. I collapsed to my knees beside the couch, burying my face in my hands.Tears slid between my fingers.My shoulders shook so hard I could barely breathe."Victor..." I choked out. "You can hate me. You can throw me in prison f







