*HERON’S POV* This is the millionth time that I am staring down at my phone. There are messages from my family and commanding officers but none from her. It’s been three months, two days, three hours, and six minutes since we've been hunting Charlotte. The degree of the damage to my heart from that piece of note that Axel gave me or when she told me not to see her again, was amazing. Her words were truly hurtful and the hole in my life remains void. She decided the fate of our mate bond on the hearsay of others instead of seeking to find out what could evolve out of it. Rather than being civil, and talking like adults, she plays a deadly love game. Unanswered phone calls and unreturned messages are building my insanity. Simon went as far as hacking systems to find a contact number for her. Then she slips through our fingers. It's almost as though she is being aided, but by whom? So, every day when the sun sets, a bottle goes to my mouth. Sage and Forbes, of course, cannot tell me w

*MIKAYLA’S POV* The sun isn't visible, but the moon is shining brightly. Despite the complete darkness outside, the stars are twinkling with all their might. The world gets ready for rest as the beautiful day gives rise to the tranquility that comes with nightfall. I was in the kitchen prepping for tomorrow's dinner. I had in mind to make some grilled steak and was seasoning it overnight so that it would marinate. Omega June was not around to help because Alpha Heron ordered her not to sleep here anymore. In the past, she would stay overnight for our cleaning days for us to get an early start in the mornings. However, she was recommended for training in culinary at the pack house. She comes only when I summon her for an extra hand with cleaning the entire cottage. Nikki shuns my efforts to foster friendly conversations. I have not seen her in a while and my text messages go unread. June said to give her time to come around, she will come to her senses that I have no decision-makin

*MIKAYLA’S POV* Waking up, I wondered why my alarm did not go off this morning. The bed felt awful and hard, similar to the hard floor. However, when my groggy eyes opened to encounter the sunrise's golden glow. I found myself outdoors with a heavy arm around me. Naked in our human forms, I could not help the panic and let out a screeching scream. “Aaaaaaaaaaaahh!” Last night was not a nightmare? I thought it was a dream that stemmed from a figment of my imagination. His hand tugged my body and he stirred. His hot breath fanned my neck. From this imprisoning grip, I had to escape. Using my hand, I held his wrist and tried lifting his arm. Even with all my might, I failed. It was quite uncomfortable. Never have I flaunted my nudity. Then I thought back to when he had mentioned that I didn't have much to offer a man. Well, not exactly in those words, but it was the implication. Finally, he retracts his massive arm from around me. Hurriedly, I got up from the grass and dashed toward

*HERON’S POV* Overall, it has been six months now since Charlotte ran away, and the chest pains are the worst. Right now I'm clutching my chest where my heart feels like it is being ripped out. Is this what a stroke feels like for humans? Whenever the anguish takes over me, my mind switches to Mikayla. That one pleasurable night in the forest was so addictive that I hankered for more of her enticing supply. The vivid memory occasionally refreshes my mind. I know that it was the rut that caused both of us to engage in the unforeseen intimacy, but it torments my mind, wanting her to give me that solace again. How many nights have I wanted to go to her room? Many. It’s uncountable. But I can’t do this to her. It’s unreasonable to drag her into an affair. Pleasure was the only thing that we’d offer each other. As an Alpha, I would have to be mated with an Alpha Female. While Mikayla would have higher expectations than I could meet. So everything remained normal. I'm lying in bed, strug

*HERON’S POV* "Mis hombres están en ello,” (My men are on it.) Alpha Pedro informed us as we ended the phone interaction. “Recuerda que aquí estoy para cualquier cosa que necesites.” (Remember I'm here for anything you need.) “Gracias, amigo,” (Thank you, my friend). I took the phone from my ear and hung up. Alpha Pedro was right on time with the distraction that we needed. It happened as early as ten minutes from the termination of the call. It was a witch that incapacitated Andrés' two guys, sending them to sleep at the spot where they were stationed. One was on the roof of an adjacent building while the other occupied a room directly across from Charlotte's apartment where they both could easily see inside through the glass windows and sliding doors on the balcony of the fifth floor. Forbes, with Simon's help, froze their security cameras so they would not see me entering the building. From the roof of the apartment building that Charlotte occupied, Forbes remained on watch wh