Yvonne’s POVI stood frozen, my heart hammering so loudly I was sure Selena could hear it.She was still smiling, standing in the middle of her room as though she had been expecting this exact moment. I clutched the small tray I’d used to arrange her things, my knuckles white as I stared at her.“What did you just say?” I asked, my voice shaking slightly.Selena tilted her head, the soft strands of her sleek dark hair shifting slightly over her shoulder. Her smile didn’t falter.“You heard me,” she said calmly. “What’s going on between you and Lucas these days? And don't lie to me, Yvonne.”I blinked rapidly, unable to form a coherent answer. My mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.There were no witnesses, no excuses. It was just her and me.“I… I don’t…” I stammered, taking a small step back.She stepped forward.“Don’t play dumb with me, Yvonne,” she said quietly, though her tone carried enough weight to make my knees feel weak. “I asked a simple question. It shouldn’t be
Anna’s POVThe air felt heavier the moment I stepped out of the bathroom. I was drying my hair lazily with a towel, not paying much attention to my surroundings until the sharp, familiar scent filled my nose.My wolf reacted first.Mate!I froze in place, the towel dropping slightly from my hands as my head snapped toward the door. And there he was.Mattias.He stood there quietly, filling the doorway with his broad frame as though he had every right to be there. His eyes followed me, soft yet intense, and my wolf stirred violently at the sight of him.A part of me wanted to run straight into his arms. I had missed him, more than I would ever admit out loud. But the other part… the other part was angry.I wasn’t just upset that he had been away. I was tired. Tired of waiting. Tired of pretending to believe his excuses when I knew something was wrong.I held the towel tightly against my chest and stepped back instinctively, as though putting distance between us could shield me from the
Yvonne’s POVThe moment I saw her, my entire body froze.Selena.It had been years since I last saw her, but the fear was instant, raw, and familiar. All the old memories came rushing back as though no time had passed. The punishments. The cruel remarks. The feeling of being so small in her presence. I swallowed hard and stepped back, almost instinctively, as if giving her space could shield me from her notice.She didn’t look much different. Her hair was pinned neatly at the back of her head, streaks of silver glinting under the early morning sun. She carried herself the same way too, elegant and unbothered, the type of woman who could command a room without speaking a word.And then she smiled.“Oh, Yvonne… and Lucas,” she greeted, her voice soft, almost sweet. It should have comforted me, but instead, my stomach knotted tighter. I could hardly find my words.I forced my lips into what I hoped passed for a smile and bowed my head slightly, not trusting myself to speak just yet.Sele
Callista PovI shouldn't have returned.It was as if an echo kept telling me that over and over. But somehow I was already at my destination… The pack house and in my room, away and seeking indifferent from the silent. What happened that night with Anna and Mattias—when they left me, that was the most humiliating moment in my entire life. It was shattering.I didn’t even remember how I arrived. Everything is like a mix. People had watched it happen. People talked. The next morning was worse. I couldn’t even make it out the door before someone stopped me to ask what happened.“Did he really choose her over you?”“Was it a misunderstanding?”“Are you okay?”Each question felt like a dagger. A dull one, dragging slowly.I smiled through clenched teeth. Told them I was fine. Lied like it was my second nature. And when it got too loud, too real, I walked away. Just turned around and left. No explanations. No excuses. No tears.Not in front of them, anyway.But now that I was back, it did
Yvonne’s POVI don’t know why, but my hands wouldn’t stop shaking.Maybe it was the mention of her name. Maybe it was the way Mattias looked so calm about it, like he didn’t just drop a bomb in the middle of the room.Selena.I haven’t heard that name in years. And now it’s coming back to haunt me in the form of a task—escort her back home. Simple, Mattias said. Like walking into the past was ever simple.I kept my lips pressed tightly together as I walked beside Lucas. We were already halfway across the northern trail, just a few more miles to the border. The trees were still the same, but somehow, they felt heavier today. Like even they remembered her.The more I walked, the more I realized I wasn’t breathing right. There was a tightness in my chest that no amount of air could fix. I didn’t want to go back there in my mind, but I couldn’t help it. The memories came anyway.I was younger then. Quiet, awkward, and trying so hard to please everyone. I remembered how I would always flin
Yvonne’s POVI wasn’t sure why I was nervous, but I was. Maybe it was because I’d never been to the Alpha’s chamber before. Never had reason to. People only got summoned there for serious things, and I wasn’t exactly used to being part of serious things. I walked quietly behind the betas that escorted me, trying not to draw attention to myself. My fingers kept fidgeting with the end of my sleeves, and I could feel my palms starting to sweat.The hallway felt longer than usual. I recognized the corners but somehow everything looked a little too grand, too intimidating when walking toward the Alpha’s door. When one of the guards pushed the door open, I paused, just for a second, letting the scent of rich wood and something more dominant—Mattias, probably—wash over me.He was there. I didn’t expect that.Alpha Mattias was leaning against a long table, arms folded across his chest, his face unreadable as always. I hadn’t seen him for a while, and even though I wasn’t close to him, his abs