Chapter 2

I scrambled to my feet, shoving him off me as I staggered backward. My heart pounded, disbelief and confusion washing over me.

What the hell is he doing here? No, what is Alpha Ashvin doing working as a stripper?

He’s one of the most powerful Alphas in the four realms, feared and held in awe to in high regard by all. And yet, here he is, in the human side of all places, doing… this.

I blinked, rubbing my eyes as if the action might erase the impossible sight before me. Maybe it was a trick of my imagination there was no way Alpha Ashvin Harvey Matarys would degrade himself like this.

“Alpha Ashvin?” I called his name hesitantly, my voice trembling with disbelief.

He didn’t answer, but his sharp, assessing gaze bore into me. His silence was confirmation enough, and a chill ran down my spine. This was no mistake. This was him.

“What are you doing here, Zahra-Rose?” His voice was low, laced with irritation.

I took another step back, his tone sparking a defensive flare in me. He’s annoyed? I’m the one who’s supposed to be angered! How could someone like him be found here, in a place so beneath his status?

“You…” I stammered, trying to form words while my mind reeled. “You’re a stripper? Why?”

He folded his arms, his expression hardening. “That’s none of your concern.”

Of course, it wasn’t. He was Alpha Ashvin, ruler of one of the four great realms, feared by all. His father had only recently relinquished power to him, making him the youngest Alpha to rule an entire realm. His reputation preceded him—cold, ruthless, and terrifying. My ex-fiancé, his brother, had made sure I knew exactly how terrifying he could be. And yet…

Yet here he was, caught in a moment so completely at odds with the image the world had painted of him.

“You shouldn’t be here,” he said, his voice low and firm. “This place is dangerous, especially for you.”

I wanted to retort, but my mind betrayed me. Instead of anger, flashes of what had just happened flickered in my thoughts—his lips on mine, the heat of the moment that had left me wanton and needy.

My cheeks burned, and I instinctively took another step back, desperate to distance myself from him and from my own shameful weakness. What had I done? Kissing my ex-fiancé’s brother was unforgivable, no matter the circumstances.

“I… I shouldn’t have…” I started, but the words faltered.

He stared at me, his eyes narrowing with disbelief. “That’s all you have to say?”

His accusation stung, and I found myself stepping forward despite my better judgment. “You and I both know I had a valid reason to be here,” I snapped, referring to what had happened last weekend.

His jaw tightened. He understood, but that didn’t make it easier. “I still don’t like it. Come, I’ll take you home.”

He motioned for me to follow him, but I shook my head. “No. I came here alone, and I’ll leave alone.”

The thought of being seen stepping out of his car made my stomach churn. What would people say? What would they think? And despite the kiss still lingering in my mind, fear of him lingered too.

“It wasn’t nice seeing you,” I said coldly, brushing past him.

I could feel his eyes boring into my back, but I didn’t stop. My feet carried me out of the bar and away from him, each step faster than the last. My best friend had once told me to do something I’d regret just to feel alive. Well, kissing Alpha Ashvin was a regret I would carry for a lifetime.

By the time I reached home, something felt off.

My father, Enzo Drystan, Alpha of the Moonshine pack, had built a life of peace and prosperity despite our pack being the smallest in the four realms. But now, as I stepped into our lands, an eerie silence hung in the air. The usual hum of activity was replaced by the sound of crickets.

The driver glanced at me, his eyes mirroring the unease I felt. Something was wrong. I could feel it so much inside of me and can't shake it off.

When we arrived at the grand mahogany mansion my father had built, I stepped out of the car before the driver could even open the door. The silence pressed against me as I approached the house.

I pushed the door open, and the sight before me stole the breath from my lungs.

“Alpha…” the driver’s voice quivered as he rushed past me towards my father.

My father’s lifeless body lay on the floor, surrounded by the bodies of his guards. My knees buckled, and I sank to the floor beside him, the tears falling before I could stop them.

“Father!” I cried, clutching his body. “Please, tell me this is a joke. Tell me you’re still here.”

But he was gone. I shook with grief, unable to stop the tears as the reality of the scene settled over me. My father, the man who had led us with strength and wisdom, was dead.

“Mother…”

The thought of her and my siblings spurred me into motion. Laying my father’s body down gently, I ran through the house, calling for them. Room after room turned up empty. They were gone.

When I returned, the driver’s pale face confirmed what I already knew. “We need help,” he whispered, his voice trembling. “The Alpha and his Beta are gone. The others… they are nowhere in sight.”

Falling to my knees, I let out a cry of anguish. My mind raced, the pain twisting into fury. This wasn’t an accident. This was an assassination. Someone has killed my father and has taken my family away from me.

Wiping my tears, I steadied myself, Ineed to be strong, I need my family.

There was only one place I could turn to for help. The Moonbright Pack.

And Alpha Ashvin.