Aidan's Perspective
I waited in the main courtyard as Derek's convoy pulled up to the Moonveil packhouse, feeling a familiar mix of anticipation and amusement. Derek had always been one of my closest friends among the Alphas, and if anyone would be willing to help with our plan, it would be him.
Alpha Derek of Riverside Pack stepped out of his SUV with characteristic confidence, his sandy brown hair catching the afternoon sunlight. At thirty-two, he was one of the younger Alphas but had already earned respect for his fair leadership and sharp wit. More importantly for our purposes, he had a particular dislike for Alphas who abused their power.
"Aidan!" Derek's face lit up with genuine pleasure as he spotted me. "Good to see you, my friend. How are you finding the Golden Wolf network?"
"Impressive beyond belief," I said honestly, clasping his hand in greeting. "Wait until you meet Cal
Kieran's PerspectiveI was pacing the main hall, trying to work up the courage to seek out Venus when I heard familiar footsteps behind me. The scent that reached me a moment later made my stomach drop—Aoife, Venus's sister, and from the energy radiating off her, she was furious."Alpha Kieran," Aoife's voice was deceptively calm, the kind of controlled tone that preceded volcanic eruptions. "I was hoping we could have a conversation."I turned slowly, taking in her expression. Aoife had always been beautiful, but right now she looked absolutely terrifying. Her eyes blazed with protective fury, and her posture screamed barely contained violence."The sister comes to defend her blood," Dominion observed with a mixture of respect and apprehension. "We deserve whatever she is about to say.""Aoife," I said carefully. "Of course. What can I do
Kieran's PerspectiveI hadn't slept. Not even for a moment.I'd spent the entire night pacing my guest quarters, replaying every word of my conversation with Alric, every moment of watching Derek court my mate while I sat paralyzed by my own choices. The mate bond pulled at me relentlessly, a constant ache that made it impossible to find any peace."We must act," Dominion said for the hundredth time since dawn. "Every moment we delay, she slips further away from us.""I know," I said aloud, running both hands through my hair in frustration. "But what am I supposed to say to her? How do I explain why I've been such a coward?""With honesty. With humility. With the acknowledgment that we have been fools."Through my window, I could see the morning sun casting golden light over Moonveil's territory. Somewhere in this p
Venus's PerspectiveThe remainder of the dinner passed in a strange blur of conflicting emotions. Derek was everything Aidan had promised—charming, respectful, genuinely interested in getting to know me rather than just making conversation. He asked thoughtful questions about my transition to Moonveil, my interests, my thoughts on pack dynamics, treating me like someone whose opinions mattered.It should have been wonderful. And in many ways, it was.But every few minutes, I could feel Kieran's stare burning into me from across the room. The mate bond pulled at me with painful intensity, responding to his emotional turmoil in ways that made it hard to focus on Derek's kind attention."Our mate suffers," Aphrodite said with a mixture of satisfaction and sorrow. "Now he knows what rejection feels like.""Are you alright?" Derek asked quietly
Kieran's PerspectiveThe remainder of the dinner passed in a haze of barely controlled agony. Every laugh from Venus, every smile she directed at Derek, every moment of their easy conversation felt like a knife twisting in my chest. The mate bond, which I'd been successfully suppressing, now blazed through my system with relentless intensity, making it nearly impossible to focus on anything else."This is what you chose," Dominion said with cold fury, his mental voice cutting through my attempts at diplomatic conversation. "This pain, this loss—all of it could have been avoided if you had simply acknowledged what the Moon Goddess gave us."I managed to nod at something Alpha Sebastian was saying about territorial agreements, but my attention was entirely focused on the table where Venus sat with Derek. She looked radiant, animated in a way I'd never seen her before. Derek was lean
Calla's PerspectiveThe Moonveil dining hall had been transformed for the occasion, with long tables arranged in a formal configuration that could accommodate the largest gathering of Alphas the pack had ever hosted. Crystal glasses caught the light from overhead chandeliers, and the scent of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the air with warmth and hospitality.I took my place at the head table beside Uncle Alric, smoothing my blue dress as I surveyed the assembled wolves. Representatives from eight different packs filled the hall, creating a buzz of conversation and political maneuvering that made the air practically vibrate with tension.Kieran had positioned himself to my left, closer than strictly necessary for diplomatic purposes. He'd been attentive to the point of possessiveness all evening, refilling my wine glass, commenting on every topic of conversation, and generally behaving as if we were
Aidan's PerspectiveI waited in the main courtyard as Derek's convoy pulled up to the Moonveil packhouse, feeling a familiar mix of anticipation and amusement. Derek had always been one of my closest friends among the Alphas, and if anyone would be willing to help with our plan, it would be him.Alpha Derek of Riverside Pack stepped out of his SUV with characteristic confidence, his sandy brown hair catching the afternoon sunlight. At thirty-two, he was one of the younger Alphas but had already earned respect for his fair leadership and sharp wit. More importantly for our purposes, he had a particular dislike for Alphas who abused their power."Aidan!" Derek's face lit up with genuine pleasure as he spotted me. "Good to see you, my friend. How are you finding the Golden Wolf network?""Impressive beyond belief," I said honestly, clasping his hand in greeting. "Wait until you meet Cal