All Chapters of Scarred By The Moon: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

"What makes you think that?" Adrian countered, his gaze unwavering and full of heat. "You’ve done it before," I said plainly, refusing to lower my eyes or back down. My voice carried the weight of truth, and I saw the flicker of acknowledgment in his expression. He smirked. "Well, I don’t mind," he said, the glint in his eye mischievous. "I enjoy teasing you… especially while we work together." I inhaled slowly, trying to temper the storm of emotions rising inside me. "I need you… but not for the reasons you think," I admitted, my voice softer now, more vulnerable. "I need you because I care about this pack, because I’m committed to its safety and future." His eyes locked onto mine, dark and stormy, pinning me in place. "Then you won’t be able to stop me," he murmured, stepping closer. "You feel it too, Alaina. This pull between us. You know it’s real." His scent invaded my senses, woodsy and wild,

Alaina's POV"That's right," I said, nodding slowly. "We need to run thorough background checks. If we don’t, we could end up walking straight into danger. One of these packs could be lying, pretending to be allies when they’re anything but..." My voice faded, weighed down by the worst-case scenarios already playing out in my head.Jayden nodded thoughtfully. “You make a good point,” he admitted. “It’s better to be overly cautious than recklessly trusting.”"And we’ve taken precautions," Adrian added, his gaze locking with mine. “Our defenses are up, and every weapon has been checked. You can rest easy. We’ve got early warning systems stationed across the territory. If any strangers so much as step foot near the border, the entire pack will know instantly.”"That's reassuring, Alpha," Jayden replied with a smile, clearly pleased.I gave a small nod, though the concern still tugged at my mind. “It is. But… what if the very people we think are our allies are actually the ones planning t

Adrian’s POV"Didn’t I ask you for the exact locations of the packs seeking an alliance?" I asked coolly, though the tension in my voice was impossible to miss. I watched Isaac bite his lower lip, nervous.“Yes, I know. I apologize,” he said quickly. “I just… I couldn’t let Alaina patrol the forest alone. I assumed Lucious could manage the report...”“I’m perfectly capable of accompanying her myself,” I cut in sharply. My eyes flicked to Alaina as I added with a small smile, “There’s no need for anyone else.”Her cheeks turned pink. I noticed that.“I see my mistake,” Isaac murmured. “It won’t happen again.”“Good.” I nodded, though the air between us remained stiff with unspoken thoughts.A long silence followed.“Could you give us a moment, Isaac?” I asked, my voice even but pointed.He hesitated. His eyes moved from me to Alaina and back again. “Of course. We were just heading back to the pack h

Alaina’s POVAdrian’s relentless flirtation feels like a game that never ends, one I’ve long since stopped playing. His teasing smiles and casual touches are all smoke and mirrors, carefully designed to distract, to entertain, but never to truly connect. I see through them now.Because I’ve been there before. I’ve known what it’s like to love and be left behind. To give pieces of myself only to be treated as expendable. Not again. If love ever finds me, it needs to be undeniable. Real enough to break down the walls I’ve built brick by brick to protect what's left of my heart.So I focus on what I can control, which are my purpose, my growth, and this pack. I pour everything into my role, not for recognition, but to prove something to myself. That I’m strong. That I’ve changed. That I’m no longer the girl tied to Cole’s shadow or haunted by Freya’s betrayal.I want Adrian to see it too, not because I need his approval, but because I want to be

Cole’s POV“No,” I stammered, struggling to find the right words that could ease the anguish in her eyes. “It’s not like that. He’s just... manipulating everything. Twisting it to serve his own goals. I don’t even fully understand why.”Freya’s voice trembled, barely more than a whisper. “Do you think I’m capable of hurting her?”Her lips quivered as she fought back the swell of emotion, her eyes searching mine for an answer. I didn’t hesitate. I shook my head, stepping closer.“Of course not,” I said softly, gently brushing a tear from her cheek with my thumb. “Why would I ever think that? You’re not like that.”“But your father does,” she choked out, her gaze dropping to the floor as her shoulders hunched. “And that’s enough to put a target on my back.”Her voice cracked as she continued. “Do you know how scared I was during the Pack Games? When Alaina came at me like I was her enemy? I froze, Cole. I couldn’t even defend