LOGINKATARINAI stared at Greyson, my heart hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat as silence after my question stretched on.“Yes,” he admitted quietly. “I lied to the elders.”The words dropped like stones into still water, sending ripples of dread through me. But he wasn’t finished and dropped the real bomb next.“Alexander left the pack.”For a moment, I couldn’t process what he’d said as my mind refused to accept it. I blinked, shaking my head slowly. “What do you mean, Alexander left?”Greyson rubbed a hand over his face, looking exhausted. “He left the pack, Katarina.”I still didn’t understand because the words didn’t make sense. Alexander would never leave the pack. This was his home. His birthright. He had fought for it, bled for it, stood beside his brother through everything. How could he just… leave?“He would never do that,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “This pack is his home. How would he just walk away?”Greyson’s shoulders slumped. “I know. That’s why I didn’t t
GREYSONHer words hit me like a silver blade to the heart. 'You’ll have to kill me to stop me.' And I stood there, blocking the door, staring at her as my mind raced.I could see the tremor in her hands, the way her entire body shook with defiance and pain, and it squeezed my chest so tightly I could barely breathe. I could never kill her. I could never hurt her again. But she didn’t believe that anymore, and how could she, after everything I had done?Forcing her to stay would only make things worse. She needed to give birth at the stronghold so the elders could bless our child and set him upon the Alpha path. That was his destiny. But if I kept her here by force, I would lose her forever.So I would let her go. Not forever. Just long enough for me to start over. I would use the months before our son was born to woo her the way I should have from the beginning. I would win her heart properly, not as a replacement, not through duty or politics, but as a man who truly loved her. And wh
THIRD-PARTY POVKatarina sat on the edge of the bed in Marcus’s wife’s private suite, a steaming cup of calming tea clutched in her trembling hands. But the herbal aroma did nothing to soothe the storm inside her.Every few seconds, she glanced at her phone, redialing Alexander’s number again and again, but it kept going straight to voicemail, and she had no idea how many messages she left him.The frustration built until she wanted to scream and throw the device across the room. Marcus’s widow sat on one side of her, gently rubbing her back while Nina hovered on the other, her face etched with worry.“You need to breathe, Luna,” Nina murmured. “For the baby’s sake. All this stress—”“I know,” Katarina whispered, her voice breaking. “I know I’m pregnant, and I don’t want my child to suffer, but my heart is bleeding. I want to go home. My home. Not the stronghold.”She looked up at Nina desperately. “Please… try mind-linking Alexander again.”Nina’s expression was pained. “I’ve tried,
GREYSONRage burned through me like wildfire as I stormed back down the corridor toward Cyra’s suite. The hallway had mostly cleared, but a few lingering eyes followed me. I didn’t care. My shirt was still half unbuttoned, feet still bare, but none of that mattered. All I could see was Katarina’s devastated face and hear her words about the mind-link. Cyra had done this. She had lured her there on purpose.I shoved the door open without knocking, sending it banging against the wall.Cyra stood near the center of the living area, now wrapped in a robe, watching the door as if she had been expecting me. The moment our eyes met, her expression told me everything I needed to know. There was no shock, no guilt or remorse. Just a dark, satisfied gleam in her gaze, the cold certainty of someone who had orchestrated exactly what she wanted and felt no regret for the destruction left behind.I had never seen her like this. Her face was twisted in a way that made her almost unrecognizable. “W
GREYSONI had just finished putting on my pants and half-buttoned shirt when I heard a sharp knock at the suite door. My hands were still shaking as I fastened the last button. Cyra hadn’t said a word since the door slammed shut behind Katarina and the security team. She just sat on the edge of the bed, staring at the floor, sheets pulled tightly around herself. The silence between us was deafening. I crossed the room and opened the door just enough to see the hotel manager standing there, his face pale with concern. Behind him, a few staff members hovered anxiously. “Mr. Thornfield,” the manager began, voice low but urgent. “We heard… there was a disturbance. Is everyone alright? Do you need medical assistance or—” “Everything is fine,” I cut him off, my tone clipped as I stepped forward, forcing him back into the hallway. “It was a private matter. Please leave us be.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I was already shaking my head. “I said everything is fine. Thank you for yo
KATARINAThe television's soft glow illuminated our suite, casting flickering lights across the walls. Nina and I had finished dinner nearly two hours ago, a lovely meal of roasted meats and fresh salads that Greyson had ordered before he left. We’d settled in to watch a light-hearted show about a pack of misfit wolves trying to run a brothel in a human town. It was silly and comforting, exactly what I needed after the long day at the summit. But Greyson still hadn't returned. I glanced at the clock again, my thumb absently tracing the edge of the blanket draped over my lap. I hoped the meeting with the Eastern Ridge Alpha had gone well. More than that, I hoped he was with Cyra right now. She had looked so broken earlier. Whatever darkness she was fighting, I prayed Greyson’s presence would help pull her through it. He had such a steadying effect on people... on me, especially. Surely he could reach her too. Beside me, Nina yawned widely, covering her mouth with the back of her h







