Eva’s point of view The office is quiet, sunlight falling in golden slivers across the polished wood of Paris’s desk. I sit on the couch, knees drawn slightly toward my chest, feeling the weight of anticipation pressing against my chest. Kostas, Nikos, and Kristina are around me, quiet but alert, their eyes fixed on me in ways I’ve learned to read: protective, curious, and slightly wary. Paris leans back in his chair, fingers steepled together, gaze fixed on me. “Eva… there’s a story I need to tell you. One that might explain why you are here, why they’ve begun to suspect you are the one the Alpha King is searching for.” I raise an eyebrow, silent, letting him continue. My wolf, Artemis, hums softly in my mind. I already know the story. I’ve lived it, in fragments at least. But hearing it aloud… gives it weight. “Many years ago,” Paris begins, voice steady, “ a girl was born . One girl who was unlike any other. She was an executioner. Not just in the sense of punishment, but in s
Eva’s point of view I step into the bright kitchen of the pack house, sunlight spilling over the table where Kristina is already sitting, looking impossibly calm. My wolf hums in my head, restless, sensing the undercurrent of preparation. I already know what’s coming. Everyone is going to show up, and I have exactly one more day to figure out what to do. “Morning, Eva,” Kristina greets me, voice soft but firm, like she’s about to deliver news with sugar and steel. “Morning,” I reply, pouring myself some tea. The warmth does nothing to calm the storm of thoughts in my head. “So… you’re going to prepare me, huh?” She tilts her head, eyes twinkling. “Something like that. I want to make sure you’re ready if… if it turns out you are the one they’re looking for. They’ve started to believe it. You need to know, to think about what that means.” I nod, sipping my tea slowly, letting the words sink in. My wolf purrs, nudging me with a subtle reminder: think carefully. Katerina bursts in,
Paris’s point of view The pack house is quiet now, the dinner dishes cleared and the last embers of the fireplace casting flickering shadows across the walls. I stand by the large oak table in the study, Kostas at my side, Nikos pacing with measured frustration, Alecos leaning against the doorframe with arms crossed, and Mihalis seated, his expression contemplative. The subject is heavy: Eva. The girl we’ve come to protect, the one who may be the Alpha King’s mate, though she doesn’t yet know it. “She’s just a guest,” Nikos begins, his voice edged with impatience. “Why are we even discussing contacting the King? Let her live her life here undisturbed.” “Because,” I counter, leaning against the desk, fingers drumming, “if she truly is the one, hiding her could put her in danger. We cannot ignore the possibility. The King will find her, one way or another. Do we want that encounter to be chaotic? Or controlled?” Alecos shifts, his gaze steady. “Controlled means we decide when and
Kostas’s point of view The morning sunlight pours through the cabin window, painting stripes of gold across the floorboards. I stand by the kitchen counter, coffee in hand, eyes wandering over the small paintings Eva keeps scattered across the walls. Each one is quiet, intimate, like glimpses into a world I’ll never fully understand. Yet one catches my attention—a portrait of a man. I freeze, heart skipping a beat. The features… sharp, commanding, yet there’s something familiar. The intensity in his eyes, the curve of his jaw. My pulse hammers in my chest as realization dawns. This is him. The Alpha King. The one the packs whisper about in fear and reverence. “Nice painting,” I say casually, forcing my voice to remain steady, though my hands tremble slightly as I set my coffee down. Eva glances at it, tilting her head. “I wish I knew what I painted… or rather whom,” she says softly, almost wistfully. I swallow, feeling a surge of conflicting emotions—excitement, worry, fear. Sh
Paris’s point of view The dining room is quiet after dinner, the usual chatter subdued as the night thickens outside. Candles flicker, casting elongated shadows across the polished wood floor. I watch Eva retreat to her cabin, her silhouette merging with the soft moonlight, and a thought gnaws at me: if she truly is the one the Alpha King searches for, I must be ready. I rise and call my closest men to the office. Kostas, always eager, arrives first, his eyes alert, wolf instincts twitching beneath his calm exterior. Nikos follows, serious and steady, always measuring his words before speaking. Alecos, my Beta, enters with silent precision, the kind of presence that can stop a room without raising a hand. Mihalis, our Gamma, last, carrying the weight of caution and experience alike. I close the door behind us. Silence falls. “Sit,” I command softly, and they obey, knowing this is no ordinary discussion. “The Alpha King has left the last island,” I begin, voice measured. “He is n
Paris’s point of view The office smells of old leather and polished wood, a faint hint of cedar in the air. The curtains are drawn, letting in a thin slice of sunlight that falls across the desk like a spotlight on the quiet storm about to unfold. Eva sits opposite me, calm, yet I can see the flickers of curiosity in her eyes. Kostas left reluctantly, giving me a pointed look that says he knows exactly why I requested this private talk. “Eva,” I begin, keeping my tone even, “you’ve been here for a few weeks now. You’ve grown accustomed to our home, our routines, yet there are… questions I need to ask.” She tilts her head, studying me, calm as ever. “Questions? About me? I’m not sure there’s anything unusual here.” I let out a slow breath, choosing my words carefully. “Unusual or not, there are… rumors that the Alpha King has arrived on the mainland.” My eyes search hers. “He is searching for his mate.” Her expression flickers, a micro-movement almost too subtle to catch. But I