《Chasing the rejected Luna》 01: Rejected 01: Rejected Sophia''s POV I hated morning duties more than anything in the world. The dishes were usually so many and most of the omegas in the pack woke upte, leaving everything for me to handle. Not like I usuallyin. But I had slept sote at night because I was hyperactive about getting my wolf today, which was my eighteenth birthday. To my disappointment, when the time struck twelve, I couldn''t feel my wolf. Up till now, she hasn''te. Sadness threatened to ovee me. But I was an optimistic person. After everything I had been through in the pack, a lot of people expected me to give up or run away but that wasn''t happening. I won''t give them the satisfaction of seeing me crumble. They have seen me crumble once. But never again. I take all their beatings and bullying without a sound of grief. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. I was used to it already or so I thought. A thick wall had been built where I stored all my emotions. Now, I look like a robot without any form of emotion. In my thoughts, a smell wafted into my nose. It was the most intoxicating smell I had evere across. I stopped and tried to get where the smell wasing from. Following my nose, I found out it wasing from the Alpha''s son''s room. Did he get a new cologne? My feet moved on their ord and I soon found myself at his door. I wanted more. My mouth watered from the smell. I couldn''t get enough of it even when I knew I was crossing into enemy territory by cing my hands on the doorknob. Just a whiff and I would be out of there. I entered his room and the smell was stronger on his bed. Looking at the door to be sure no one would walk in on me being a creep, I walked to the bed and inhaled all of it. But no matter how I tried, I wanted more. I wanted to soak myself in the scent. Like the wind had picked up in his room, the smell was stronger. I followed my nose and my eyes came in contact with him standing by the door - the Alpha''s son. "Mate," he growled, his eyes turning dark. My World seemed to have stopped by his words. Did I hear correctly? That exins why his room smelt so great. But that wasn''t right. I don''t have a wolf yet. Why have I found my mate and it was the Alpha''s son? "The moon Goddess must be ying a sick joke on me," he scoffed and I watched as his eyes flicked from his beautiful baby blue to ck which meant he was in a fight with his wolf. He entered the room. "This is great news. Right?" I asked him as I stood transfixed on the spot, my lips trembling from too much emotion; fear, excitement, uncertainty and hope. "Great news? You think I''ll ept someone as useless as you? You are nothing. And being my mate doesn''t change that. Now leave," he said and my heart began to break. I could feel the mate bond pulling me to him. "Why are you sending me away? Just because I was wrongly used doesn''t make me useless." I whispered and my tears began to leak from my eyes. I couldn''t stop them. The pain of seeing my mate sending me away like I meant nothing made my heart hurt in ways I could not exin. "Why? You dare ask me why? It''s because you fucking killed him," He snarled, the veins in his head prominent. "I''ll say this again even if no one believes me. I didn''t kill him. Why won''t anyone ever believe me?" "You really want to know why? It''s because you are a bloody liar. Yes, that''s what you are. This pack doesn''t need a weak, lying Luna like you. I would be damned to take you as my Luna. You are better off dead," he spat and clenched his fists. My heart clenched from his words. I took a step to him and he took two back like I was some kind of gue. I didn''t have a wolf so why did this hurt so much? Maybe he was right that I was better off dead. "No. I''m not a liar. I''m telling the truth," I said more to myself but he heard it and sneered down at me. "Delusional simp. You don''t even have a wolf. A disgrace to all werewolves. I am rejecting you right away even if it hurts my wolf. He wille back to it. We can live without you." "You''ll be breaking the sacred bond between the moon Goddess and us. Do you want to offend the moon Goddess?" I shook my head as more tears fled my eyes from the heart wrenching pain but he smirked at me. I had always had a little crush on the Alpha''s son for so long. I knew we couldn''t be together. But that moment he said I was his mate, I saw a life of us together. One I had often envisioned. And the next moment, they all came crashing down. He walked closer to me and the hate I saw in his eyes made me take a step back. It was intense like he wanted to smolder me with his eyes. He hated me. I had always known that because I was wrongly used of killing his best friend, Rudolph. I didn''t kill him. No matter how much I pleaded with everyone, they never believed me. Because of that, I was demoted to the lowest rank in the pack, lower than an Omega. And was also a subject of constant abuse and pain. "Whether I offend the moon Goddess or not is not your business! You are worthless and you have to ept it. I, Alexander Batrez of Crystal-River pack, reject you, Sophia Alenza my mate and future Luna," he spat and I doubled over because of the sudden pain that took my body. "No, you can''t do this. A mate is one blessed by the moon Goddess. And the moon Goddess is always right," I managed to say through sobs and the pain that made me wish for death. "But this time, she''s wrong," he said. I am supposed to die with my parents. This life isn''t something I wanted even for my enemy. It felt like my skin was being pulled apart by different people at a time and my bones were breaking. A scream tore through my lips and sweat coated my forehead, sticking my hair to my head. I was on the floor at that moment. I could no longer stand on my feet. I felt the bond weaken slowly and painfully. "When you are done with your act, leave this room and send someone to fumigate it. I don''t want whatever disease you have to get in here," Alexander spat. I knew he could feel the pain just like me because of the tone of his voice - it was strained. But my pain was worse since he was the one who initiated the rejection. Soon, the pain lessened and I was able to stand on my feet again. I cleaned my eyes and my snut with my dress and turned to leave when I saw the doorknob turn. "What are you doing here?" Dianne sneered at me when she entered the room. She ced her hands on her rounded hips. "Nothing. I was about leaving," I muttered and intended to walk to the door but she blocked my way. She always meant trouble. "Liar, like always. If you think you can sink your ws into Alexander as you did with my mother, it''s not going to work." "You don''t have to worry about anything. Alexander rejected me as his fated mate already," I said with the little energy I had in me. I saw surprise and happiness sh through her eyes before it was expertly masked. She was the Beta''s daughter and her mother was the only person who has taken a liking to me in the entire pack. And Dianne has not been happy about that. She believes I stole all the love from her mother when in fact, her mother loves her so much. She crossed her hands around her chest, pushing her bosom up. "What were you thinking? That you''ll be our future Luna? Alexander didn''t back away from his words of making me his chosen mate and Luna afterall. Obviously, you can''tpare to me in any way," She said and I clenched my fists. She was doing this deliberately to get on my nerves. I smiled bitterly through my pains. "I wasn''t thinking about anything. I was just about to leave," I said bitterly as I made to move. "You must be so bitter about me being your future Luna you can''t even offer a congrattory statement," She said and I stopped, anger and shame coursing through my veins. "Congrattions soon-to-be Luna of Crystal-River pack," I said while I tried to rein in my pain. "Thanks. Better than you would have ever been," She smiled and held my gaze mockingly and I resisted the urge to tell her off. 02: Pain 02: Pain Sophia Dianne had always hated me for reasons I could not fathom. Not only did she hate me, she abused me and beat me at any slightest opportunity. Looking across from her, I knew she wanted the perfect opportunity to beat me up again. I took a step back from her and she followed me. "Your eyes are red. Have you been crying? Did the freak think herself to be important because she was mated to the future Alpha?" Sheughed like a maniac and I looked to the ground, avoiding her gaze. She was a bitch. A real one and she acts everything like it, not bothering to hide her disgusting nature. "Have you suddenly gone deaf?" She screeched and held my shirt, dragging me to her. Her Perfume irritated my nose and I looked everywhere but her. "I wasn''t crying. And I had never thought myself to be important" I whispered and red at the floor. Hard. "Good. You are trash and should stay where you belong," she said to me and released my dress with a hiss. I stumbled on my feet and made to pass by her and she deliberately moved to my way and I bumped into her. A pnded on my face. My lips trembled from the impact of the p but I didn''t utter any word of protest or cry. "Why don''t you cry bitch?!" She hit me again and I gritted my teeth. She always wanted to see me cry but no matter how hard she hits me, I never cried. I guessed she was pained she wasn''t in the room where I was being rejected by Alexander. It pained her not to see me cry. My eyes were puffy from the tears I shed from his rejection. But never again. These people were heartless. The little love I had for Alexander disappeared the moment he rejected me. "No matter how much you try to hide your tears, I know you are pained you were rejected. You must be delusional to think you would be made our Luna," she spat and kicked my knee which made to fall on my face. Dianne was evil. So evil I doubted if she was the real daughter of her mother. I wished she could fall ill and experience so much pain so she''ll know how it feels to be in so much pain. "I never thought I would be your Luna. You would never be my Luna either," I said through gritted teeth, while I endured the pain she was inflicting all over my body from her kicks. Suddenly she stopped and gasped. "What did you just say? Why don''t we show all the pack members how disrespectful you are to your new Luna." She grabbed my hair and pain erupted from my scalp and I yelped at it. I never knew I said thest part out. It was supposed to stay with me - in my head. But my lips betrayed me. She dragged me by my hair to the middle of the pack''s field where some warriors were training. I tried to free her hands from my head but she was too strong coupled with the grip she had on me. My body scraped the rough ground, leaving some scratches on my skin. "Hello everyone. Guess what this trash did. She challenged me to a fight," Dianne said and everyone gasped including me. I knew Dianne had always been out for my blood but not to this extent. "I didn''t do that. I would never do that," I tried to tell everyone but my voice only came out pitifully weak. Fear gripped my bones. I was scared of what she would do to me if she shifted to her wolf. I would die for real this time. "What''s this noise about?" Alexander came out from the crowd and stood behind Dianne before resting his hand on her waist. It was too painful to watch them as I turned my face away from them. "Baby, Sophia challenged me to a fight," she whined to him and hid her face in his chest. From the floor where I was seated, my hands fisted on the grass from the pain in my chest. The image of them together hurt so much that it felt like I was inhaling lead instead of oxygen. Alexander turned to me with a cold gaze. The ce quietened down, everyone watching what he would say. It was a known fact around the pack that Dianne was Alexander''s girlfriend. They were always joined by the hip. Or rather, Dianne was always glued to Alexander''s hip, marking a territory that wasn''t hers. "Challenging a pack member who is higher in status than you is considered disrespectful. And so, you shall be taken to the dungeon and whipped." He said, his eyes never leaving mine. "What? I didn''t challenge her. She''s not telling the truth. Dianne, please tell everyone the truth." "Are you calling me a liar?" She inquired in a fake solemn voice. "Alexander, can''t you see? Not only did she challenge me, but she''s also calling me a liar." "No, please I don''t mean to say you are a liar," I said frantically. I hated going to the dungeon. I didn''t heal like a normal werewolf because I don''t have a wolf. The process of healing would be extremely painful and slow. It is faster than that of a human. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. "Then, what do you mean?" Alexander asked. "I¡­I¡­" I was tongue-tied. I stared at them from the ground - the perfect couple everyone worshipped. Nothing I said or do will make them change their mind. So I epted it. I shut my mouth as tears blurred my vision. I didn''t look up to know a satisfied smirk would be dancing on Dianne''s face. She had gotten what she wanted again. Dianne 100. Sophia 0. "She can''t even defend herself because she knows she''s lying," Dianne said, her hand ced on Alexander''s chest. "Sophia, why did you challenge Dianne, knowing fully well she''s my girlfriend and future Luna of this pack?" Alexander asked. And a low murmur broke out. I looked up just in time to see a smirk on Dianne''s face. This has been what she had always wanted - to be Luna of the pack. "I didn''t challenge her," I muttered to myself. "Sophia," Alexander warned, a low growl erupting from him. A shiver of pleasure ran down my spine involuntary as my name rolled off his tongue. The mate bond was still there as I haven''t epted his rejection yet. I don''t know what I was waiting for. As much as I tried to deny it, a small part of me still wanted him toe back to his senses, to tell me it was all a joke. "I''m sorry Dianne," I said, my chest constricting painfully from the shame and humiliation. "I can''t hear you. Louder," she said and I could detect the joy that seeped from her words. Bitch. "I''m sorry Dianne that I challenged you to a fight," I said again, louder like she had asked. Even if I was lying to save my ass, I knew I would still be punished. A lone tear of indignation ran down my cheeks. I quickly looked to the ground to avoid it from being seen by anyone. Dianne must have seen it as I heard a snicker from her. "Dianne, she''s apologized," Alexander said. "Fine, you''re forgiven. Only because of my baby here," Dianne said and I could imagine her saying it with a roll of her eyes. As much as I tried to console myself, the day was as depressing as the rest of my life here in this pack. I might as well leave and never return. "Guards. Take her to the dungeon and whip her fifty for challenging her superior," Alexander''s voice boomed without a hint of emotion. Two guards came in and dragged me like a rag doll to the dungeon I was all too familiar with. I was thrown on the dirt floor. The only pretty dress I had was ripped from my shoulders, exposing my bare back. A guard threw me to the metal table which was where I was usually tied to be whipped. I didn''t struggle as I found it to be quite pointless. The guards and the rest of the pack members derived joy from seeing me in pain, in grief. I let them bind me to the metal table without a struggle. It was cold against my skin. I bit my dress to muffle the scream I knew would eventuallye from me. Across my back were different whip marks from different whips. Whenever I made the slightest mistake, I was brought here to be whipped. The Alpha treated me like I didn''t exist and his son did the same until today when I saw his eyes ze at me for the first time since I was fifteen when I was wrongly used of killing his best friend; the Beta''s son. Dianne''s half-brother. I heard the guard take up the whip. No matter no much I was whipped, I never got used to the pain. Each time brought a different kind of pain and now wasn''t different as the whip came down on my bare back and a scream tore through my lungs. I was whipped until I could no longer scream and I passed out from the pain. 03: Shocking news 03: Shocking news Sophia Sometimes I wonder how I had lived through the cruelty of the pack. A normal werewolf who hasn''t gotten a wolf would have died already from the pains they had to endure but mine was different. Somehow, I was able to get out of it though with scars that not only marred my body but also my soul. Pains were inflicted on me because I made even the slightest mistake. None of the other omegas suffered as much as I did. Mine was worse. Laying on my bed each night, I often envisioned how it would be to just float away, and let all the pains, and memories that I have repressed over the years go away. "Another serving," The head maid shouted from the dining room at me. None of the other omegas made a move to get it so I stood up from the stool I had been sitting on and walked to the dining room. I walked into the dining room with a tray of toast bread and scrambled eggs trying to avoid my gaze from wandering to the head of the table where Dianne was seated on Alexander''s thighs, feeding him through her mouth. I served the other pack members and walked into the kitchen but was stopped. "Bring us some more scrambled eggs. These ones here are bad," Dianne said to me and my shoulders stiffened. I knew the eggs weren''t bad but she just wanted to rub her rtionship with Alexander in my face. If she aimed to get me more broken, then she achieved it because my heart hurt terribly from the scene of Alexander kissing her. "Okay ma''am," I swallowed hard and walked into the kitchen after my eyes shed with Alexander. There was no emotion on his face. He masks it expertly. Each day since the incident with Dianne, I havee to despise Alexander more often for what he did to me. Yet, I could not bring myself to ept his rejection. Seeing them together hurt but not as much as it did the first few days after the rejection. It had been a week since I had the issue with Dianne over challenging her. Although my wounds were healed it did nothing to clear away all the hurt and pain. I still felt hurt from the injuries as some had notpletely healed up. I took the eggs to her andid them on her te. She looked up at me as if I did something wrong. "Put them on the te, dummy," she hissed at me andy her hand on Alexander''s chest. My eyes lingered on her hand before I did as she asked. I looked up only to see Alexander looking at me again. What does he want really? For me to bow to him and his barbie doll? I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and walked back into the kitchen to rest until the pack members were done with their food so I''ll go clean up. I sat by my favorite spot by the window, ignoring the other omegas who were so excited about something. I knew it had to do with the ceremony Alexander was hosting tomorrow where he would be made the Alpha. He had invited people from other packs, Alphas included. I just think it is stupid to invite Alphas to a party. Alphas were all egotistical creatures. Always wanting to exert dominance wherever they went. I watched from the window, different people pulling up into the pack house, and the gardens were being cleaned by some omega boys. I stood up from the stool. The kitchen was getting noisy because of the maids'' chatter. I mean, getting to see other pack members and meeting new friends were nice. But when ites to us the omegas, it meant more work for us all; having many mouths to feed. My correct guess would be, the people who will turn up for the ceremony wouldn''t be less than two hundred. Imagine having to feed four hundred people in a day. I was about to walk to the kitchen''s back door when a guard walked in. I halted in my steps and waited for what he had to say. He scanned the room until his eyes rested on me. "The Alpha''s son asks for you," he said. I frowned at that. He could be mistaken. "Are you talking to me?" I asked him and he red at me, not thrilled by being asked a question from the ''freak''. "Yes, you. And he asks not to keep him waiting," he said to me and walked away. The kitchen had gone quiet from the exchange. They were all giving me weird nces but I pushed them back. It wasn''t a new thing. I headed to Alexander''s room. Along the way, I kept thinking of what could make him see me. He never asks for me. If anything, he avoids me. So this was a first. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I was so nervous. What could he possibly want? I came by the door and knocked twice but there was no reply. My hand came up to knock for the third time but Alexander''s voice stopped me. "Come in," he said in a surprisingly calm tone. This can''t be good. I obeyed and walked into the room. Not like I had a choice. I poked my head in and found him seated on the bed, his back to me. "Come in," he said again and I walked to the room, closing the door with a click. Then, I noticed he had a drink in his right hand. The room became unbearably hot and small with him in it. The tension in the room could be cut with a knife. "Come over, and sit," he said again. And I thought I was hallucinating. "I don''t understand," I said to him with wide eyes, too uncertain to move. "Are you deaf?" He turned to face me and I noticed he wasn''t as mad as I thought. I watched as his eyes roamed my body. "How are your injuries?" He asked me and I saw regret and pain sh through his eyes. But before I couldprehend, it was gone. Not wanting to anger him even though I knew he was already getting mad at my presence alone, I moved until I was about five feet away from him. "I''m fine," I said. Why does he even care? Or was this way of letting me know he had never cared about me that''s why he avoided me? "I saw how you looked at me this morning. Do you want me?" He stood up and walked towards me. I took some steps back. "I don''t understand what you mean." "Cut the chase, Sophia. I know you want me. Just say it and I will consider making you my mistress," he said and continued walking toward me. I stepped back until my back hit the wall where I was trapped between him and the wall. "That''s not true. I only happened to meet your eyes at that moment," I said in my defense. Seriously, what was wrong with him? Did the Alpha position get to his head already? Heughed at me as his chest rumbled from the sound making goosebumps rise on my arms. "Then why haven''t you epted the rejection if a little part of you doesn''t yearn for me? Admit it, Soph," He called me by the name only my parents had even used for me. My breath was knocked out of me the next second when he trailed his nose down my neck. I tried to fight off the shiver that threatened to ovee me. "Don''t fight it. Give in to it. We could be together, you know?" He smirked at me and held my gaze. "I was only waiting for the right moment," I said while he began toy little kisses on my neck. My hands balled into fists by my side. I was fighting internally with myself. This wasn''t right. He rejected me and still wants me. It doesn''t make sense. I pushed him off me when his lips reached my chest. The tingles were shooting up my spine. I wanted him in me as heat pooled in my lower belly but I couldn''t be weak and also be a fool. I looked up to see him ring at me. "If I can''t be your Luna, then I''ll never be with you. You rejected me painfully and watched while I was beaten for what I knew nothing about." "You can''t be my Luna because you are wolfless and also a murderer. Don''t even try to defend yourself. You should be grateful I am offering to make you my mistress regardless of your crimes." He spat as his eyes zed at me. I had hurt his ego, his pride as a man, and an Alpha by rejecting to be with him as a mistress. Never will I ever be. "Don''t feel pity for me because I don''t need it," I snapped at him and soon realized my mistake. "I am needed in the kitchen right now," I said and moved away from him to the door. "You are going to regret this," he said to me and waved me off, his back facing me. His shoulders were tensed and I saw his hands twitching violently. I walked away from the room wondering how bad my life would be now. I just offended the new Alpha. There was a lingering promise in his words. He meant everything he said. But before he would make my life hell, I must have left the pack already. I got to the dining room and met the ce tidied already. So I went to the woods - my favorite spot where I usually go to have a break from all the things happening in my pathetic life. Iy on the floor and decided to have a quick nap. I was awoken by birds and found the night dark already and my blood chilled faster than a frostbite. I didn''t join in serving the afternoon meal. I am so dead. I picked up myself and ran to the pack house. This would be another reason for the barbie doll, Dianne to get me back to the dungeon. 04: Chosen luna 04: Chosen luna Ryven''s POV These parties were the worst of all. Alphas and their Lunas trying to showcase all their assets and wealth. I wouldn''t have been here if not for my beta, Ian who told me it would be beneficial for me. I had been in my pack when I received an invitation from Alpha Packen who said his son would be made an Alpha today. And I couldn''t refuse it as it would be considered disrespectful. Not like I was afraid of any war that break out between our packs. Or I was the kind who avoids trouble, I just wanted to be on my best behavior as Ian had said. "How are you enjoying the party?" The soon-to-be Luna of the pack asked me for the hundredth time. Really, what was her problem? Can''t she fucking leave me the hell alone? "Good," I responded while looking at the red wine in my cup. I was bored out of my mind. She soon got the message that I wanted to be left alone and she did much to my relief. I watched the hall. There was nothing spectacr about it. The people were all having a lot of fun. How could someone have fun in such a noisy ce? A couple of Alphas hade to meet with me over the hour to strike up a conversation or to show off. I didn''t know which. Not like I cared anyway. But they had been disappointed by theck of enthusiasm I gave about their achievement. And so I was left alone. My eyes caught a particr girl who was busy serving drinks. She was the only girl in Alpha Alexander''s pack who didn''t for once try to get my attention and I was irked by it. My good looks plus my title made me the attention of the room by both females of high status and the ves. Even some males were not excluded. I tried to catch her eyes so many times but she was too engrossed in her world to notice me. Doesn''t she notice me or what? "Alpha Ryven," I turned around to see the newly appointed Alpha walk up to me with a smile on his face. "Alpha Alexander," I stood up from my chair and said to him in a greeting. Alphas don''t bow to one another. The only form of respect between them was a call of their names, their titles attached to it. "I see you were able to make it here on time. And I''m happy you could." "It''s nothing. I knew you would have done the same for me," I said to him with the fakest smile I coulde up with. Our wolves were at the forefront trying to detect any form of disrespect from the Alphas around us. And if detected, a fight would break out - a fight for dominance. "Meet my future Luna, Dianne," he said and the bimbo who has been trying to strike up a conversation with me came forward. Her hands were nestled in his arm. She took out her other hand for a handshake. I took it in mine. "Nice to meet you," I smiled and she held onto my hand for a little too long. She was staring up at me which was making me ufortable. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. "Babe, why don''t you keep Alpha Ryvenpany while I go greet the other guests?" Alpha Alexander said to her before cing a peck on her lips. I felt eyes on me and looked up to see the maid finally looking at me. No, she was looking at Alpha Alexander and his soon-to-be Luna. Interesting. That was the first thing I saw that managed to catch her attention. "So Alpha Ryven, how have you been enjoying the party?" She asked me and took a step closer, coming to sit on the chair beside mine. I was tempted to ask her if she doesn''t have another sentence in her book. "It''s good. The party has made me loosen up some tensed knots in my shoulders," I said instead with a humorlessugh. "I know right? Parties just have a way of¡­" "I''ll be right back," I cut her off as my eyes caught the maid who had moved outside the hall. I wanted to be with her. To know why I was so drawn to her. She wasn''t my mate. That I was sure of. "Oh, alright. Enjoy the rest of the party," she said and I could detect anger in her voice. I guess no one had ever cut her short. I stood up and walked to the door where the maid disappeared into. Outside, my eyes instantly adjusted to the darkness. Although some lights were adorning the walkway, it was dim. Without looking too much, I found her seated on a chair, she was massaging her shoulders. Not wanting to startle her, I walked noisily so that she would hear mee to her. As I predicted, she looked back at me and stood up. "Alpha," she bowed her head in submission when I was within arm''s reach. She must have noticed my Alpha aura. "Rise. How are you doing? I noticed you''ve been working tirelessly all night. Do you need a drink or something?" I asked her in the calmest voice but watched her tense up much to my disappointment. I didn''t want her to fear me. "I''m fine." Came her only reply. She haven''t looked up to me and was staring at the ground. I wanted to see her eyes. "I want you to look at me. Don''t look to the ground." She looked up and her eyes were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen. It was sapphire blue with a mixture of gold in them. For a few minutes, I stared deeply into them until she averted her gaze. "What''s your name?" I asked her and she shifted on her feet. "Sophia," she replied. "Hmmm Sophia, that''s a nice name." I smiled down at her. I don''t know what was wrong with me but she made me feel things I haven''t felt before just by being in her presence. "She has no wolf. You can''t make her your chosen Luna. I know what you are thinking," My wolf Attricus said to me and I rolled my eyes internally. "It doesn''t matter. What matters is she makes me feel things I haven''t felt before." "Give me control. I want to check something," Attricus said to me. "What? No! You''ll scare her," I retorted, abashed by his words. "Just do it. Only for a few minutes," he said and I relented. I retreated to the back of my mind and Attricus came forward. "Sophia, how old are you?" Attricus said and my mouth was literally open with the tone of his voice. Was he petting her? No way. Sophia looked up and flinched because of the color of Attricus eyes which were pitch ck. "You can take over now," he said and I took over, wondering what just happened. I felt him go quiet. "I''m eighteen years old, Alpha," she said and hesitated. "What about you?" She asked me and I smiled down at her. I saw a light blush creep up her cheeks. She wasn''t immune to my charm after all. "I''m twenty-four. How long have you been working here? Your eyes are beautiful by the way." "I-" she began but was cut short by her name being yelled. "Sophia! How can you stand here when there are tons of guests to be served?" The soon-to-be Luna stood by the door, anger apparent in her face. "Excuse me Alpha," Sophia said and ran off. The annoying soon-to-be Luna walked up to me with a smile on her face. I couldn''t even remember her name. She opened her mouth to say something but I beat her to it. "I''ll be in my room. Please send my regards to Alpha Alexander," I said and walked off, leaving her standing agape. "What was that about?" I asked Atticus when I got to my room. "It was nothing," he answered but I knew he was lying. He knew something I didn''t. It annoyed me but I couldn''t force the information from him. 05: Upper hand 05: Upper hand Sophia''s POV "Come here, don''t you know you have to wash these dishes?" The head maid barked at me. I flinched from the tone of the voice used on me. I had woken upte again. That seemed to be new for me. I didn''t know what was wrong as I clutched the hem of my worn-out gown and stared at the floor. "I''m sorry ma''am," I whispered while avoiding the gaze of other maids in the kitchen. I knew this was some work of Dianne to make the head maid more strict with me but she could do nothing like always. The head maid gave me onest look and stormed out of the kitchen without saying another word. And I released the breath I didn''t know I had been holding. My nerves were frayed as I took shaky steps to the sink. And that was when my eyes caught up on something at the far end of the room. "It''s yours," one of the maids said when she noticed my gaze. "Mine?" I asked and looked at the maid to be sure she was talking to me. The maid only gave me a nk look underneath which was hidden in jealousy. That couldn''t be what I thought it was, was it? I asked myself and moved over to the thing that had caught my attention. It was a bouquet and a little letter. Noticing the owner of the things had gone to where it was, all the other maids stopped what they were doing and gathered at my back to get a peek at what was in the big white nylon beside the bouquet. I was stunned when I picked up the little paper. On it was boldly written ''Sophia''. The person couldn''t be mistaken, I was the only one named Sophia who worked in the pack house. My curiosity got the better of me as I took up the white nylon and peeked inside. It was so the other girls wouldn''t know what was contained in it. They never liked me to begin with, so what''s with all the curiosity? My breath caught in my throat as my heart pounded thunderously. There must be a mistake somewhere. That was the only word that kept ringing in my head while I stared at the box of expensive choctes. While my hand unconsciously brought it out to get a clearer view of it. I put down the box of choctes, drowning out the whispering of the girls behind me. And picked up the small note. The note was neatly folded into two and was handwritten. ''Hey Sophia, we didn''t get to talk yesterday. So I just bought this as a little gift for our newfound friendship. I hope you like them. From your friend and secret admirer, Ryven.'' I read the note over again trying to remember any friend that was named Ryven. But no matter how much I tried, I came up nk. My eyes caught on the bracelet on my wrists and that was when I remembered the Alpha I met the day before. It couldn''t be him, right? Deep within me, I knew it was him. But why? I was just a lowly ve in the pack whom no one wanted to make friends with. I gulped down and put down the paper. I didn''t know some girls had gotten so close to me to the point they could read what was contained in the letter until I bumped into one of them. "Sorry," the girl said sheepishly and moved away from me. Turning around, I noticed all the maids looking at me with¡­ was that jealousy and hatred? I couldn''t decipher. But one thing was sure. They hated me. But now, it seemed like they all wanted to smoothen me out with their eyes. The bang of the door against the entrance brought my eyes to meet up with that of Alexander''s zing orbs. Not today, not now. Imented and looked away, baring my neck in submission. Wasn''t rejecting me enough for him? Why does he have to be in the same space as me? My heart began to hurt when I remembered the rejection. I wanted to ept the rejection and move on but something always held me back. Maybe it was a form of sign that he wanted me back. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. But he had already made it in that I would never be his mate and future Luna. To make matters worse, he wanted to make me his mistress. The thought made my blood boil in anger. Alexander strode into the room and grabbed the letter that was in front of me. Standing close to me, his smell overwhelmed my senses. I wanted to lean into him and breathe in all of him. I didn''t know if I was having the same effect on Alexander because he knew how to mask his emotions well. The noise of shredded papers brought me out of my trance as I watched in horror while Alexander pieced the letter. "What are you doing?!" I asked and touched his hand while trying to stop him. But that made it worse as I felt the familiar tingles. "Riding him off you. Nowe with me. You have a lot of exnation to offer," Alexander said, not at all affected by the tone of voice I used on him. Maybe he was too consumed by his anger to notice it or he didn''t want to go down thene. And what does he mean by exnation? I don''t belong to him and would do as well as I pleased. "I don''t have anything to say to you," I said in a weak tone which was a sharp contrast to how I envisioned it in my head. And also, I moved steps away from him. His eyes left mine and went to my legs while I moved. I wanted to get away from him. As far as possible from him. He was making it hard for me to think well. Let alone talk coherently. At thest minute, Alexander''s hand reached out and took hold of mine. He dragged me not so gentlemanly and the next thing, bloody ced me on his shoulders like a sack of potatoes. The tingles were all over, running amok. I could not think. I could only inhale all of him like I was home where I belonged. I was too far gone in my world when I realized Alexander had stopped in front of his room. I twisted out of his grasp but he was way stronger than me. He didn''t bulge and opened the door. He ced me on the floor and Inded with a painful thud. Looking up at him, I still met the same fury dancing in the eyes which I lied to herself multiple times about. I lied that I didn''t want to drown in it when I had fantasies about doing so. "What was that about?" Alexander barked at me and moved closer while I moved farther. "I don''t understand," I said with a shaky voice. At that moment, Alexander looked scary with the color of his wolf''s eyes which meant his wolf was just as mad as him. For what exactly? "Don''t bloody tell me that! Why did you receive gifts from Alpha Ryven now? Are you guys a thing now?" He asked but my head only caught one word - Alpha Ryven. Alpha Ryven was rumored to be a beast in the warfield. He had in many enemies and had never lost a battle. His name put fear into the hearts of many. And I was included. "Alpha Ryven?" I didn''t know I had spoken that out loud until I noticed Alexander had stopped walking towards me. I looked up and found him looking at me with something more like suspicion. "Yes, Alpha Ryven. Don''t you know how dangerous it is for you to be with him?" He asked me and I smirked. "What do you care about now? He seems like a nice person and even nicer than you. He would never hurt one of your maids. If that''s what you are worried about," I said and stood up from the floor. The pain I experienced while I was being thrown on the floor was still there but not as much. "You belong to me!" Alexander snapped and I fisted my hands and red at the floor. "I do not belong to you," I said each word slowly to let it sink into Alexander. "Oh yes, you belong to me, girl. And I would be damned to let another man take you away from me, Alpha or not." he smiled and walked closer to me. I moved back, scared by the crazed look in his eyes while I gulped audibly. Alexander in front of me looked crazed with jealousy. He didn''t want me but didn''t want me to be happy either. Damn him and the mate bond that wanted to make me run into his arms. "You rejected me. And you don''t want me to be happy with someone else. I will never be your mistress. I may be a maid but I deserve more than being a ve. I deserve-" "Then be my Luna. Be my mate. I take you back as mine. I will renounce the rejection now. Isn''t that what you''ve always wanted?" He stroked the side of my face when my legs came in contact with his bed. There was nowhere else to run except to look up at his eyes and the smile that stretched his lips like he had won a trophy. "No," I said as the smile wiped off his face. "No?" He asked me and it was my turn to smile now. "No. I don''t want that. I''m not some garbage that you can toss around. I''m a human being with feelings and emotions." "Then say it. What do you want? Clothes? Shoes? Choctes? Dates? For heaven''s sake, spill it! Tell me what you want for you to take me back!" He moved away from me and punched the wall. He was breathing hard. This was probably the first time something was not working his way which made him angry. "Be my prince charming and I''ll be yours," I said and he stopped to look at me. For a split second, I saw a ghost of a smile on his lips before it was quickly reced by resolve. 06: Advice 06: Advice Alexander''s POV What does she even mean by that? I grumbled for the hundredth time and pushed back Orion who was fighting with me in the pack''s training ground. I hated that I was feeling that way. Hell, if only I could turn back the hands of time and ept Sophia. She had been on my mind since the day I rejected her and it hasn''t been easy keeping up with my stubborn wolf who refused to speak to me since the incident. A cut to my thight brought me to reality. Looking up, I saw Orion smiling at me and my blood boiled. Nothing was funny to me at that moment. The thought of how I lost to Sophia was all that was keeping me in the field. "Still thinking about her?" Orion asked while he circled me with a shining sword in his right hand. He attacked me which was easily blocked by me and was pushed back. "Yes. What do you expect me to think of? She rejected me. She fucking rejected me! Who the hell does she think she is? A saint?" I gritted my teeth while my temples throbbed from exhaustion but I refused to give up. "Hush now Alpha. Don''t let her hear you. It could be thest time you hear from her," Orion said and backed away. I wasn''t thinking straight and he knew what I could do at that moment. "And who will take her? Alpha Ryven? That will start a bloody war for taking what belongs to me! I only invited him to the party. Why is he still here?" I said and sat on the ground with a plump while I red at the grass beneath me. "Alpha, you know it''s no one else''s fault she rejected you. You were being a dickhead. You called her names remember? I was there when the shit happened." "And? That doesn''t exclude that she still doesn''t want me until I am her-" "Prince charming," Orionpleted the sentence and sat down close to me. But he made sure to give me some space in case I decided to gopletely crazy on him. Orion, Rudolph and I had been best friends since we were little. But Rudolph and I had been closer. And that was the reason I felt his death more than Orion and kept ming Sophia. Although a little part of me never believed she could be so cruel, what to do when all the evidence was pointed towards her? "And I don''t bloody know how to be someone''s prince charming," I growled and stood up at once, taking a chunk of sand with me. "Hey, you need to calm down. I''m here for you alright? In case you need help or anything." "Can''t you see I fucking need help? I''m losing my mind here. I have no fucking idea what she means by that!" I stopped and threw a re on Orion''s way. Orion raised his hands in surrender. I was a ticking time bomb right now. Even if he was my closest friend at that moment, I could hurt him. "Alexander, you need to tone down on your swear words. There are pups around." Orion cautioned and I sighed in defeat. The other warriors who had been training with us gave us a lot of space because of how irritable I was. They knew that any little trigger from me could make their lives end in a matter of minutes. I was a beast. But I could also be a good person when I want to. That''s why I have won the hearts of many in the pack. Choosing an Alpha wasn''t just about bloodline alone. The elders of the council could also consider if the Alpha has the best interest of the pack at heart. And because I had on the hearts of many through my good deeds, I was easily made Alpha of the pack. "You''re not helping me here. Any advice on what to do? I asked her if she wanted clothes and the stuff girls like but her reply was just that." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Don''t you get it? She wants you to treat her like she matters to you. Like she is not some kind of garbage. That -" "Exactly what she said. How do you know so much about women? Thest time I checked, you were still a virgin," I smirked, my deathly aura gone, reced by my yful attitude. Orion rolled his eyes and gave me a nk look. "I read lots of books. Now back to Sophia. You should get her gifts and show you want her, like getting her the things she loves. You could ask her." "She doesn''t want to be in the same space as me," I said, frustration leaking from my voice. My head was turned to the sky. "I''ll do that for you. She doesn''t see me as a bad person. I''ll get going now. Remember all that I''ve said to you," Orion said and stood up from the ground. He bared his neck in submission and walked away from me leaving me in my thoughts. "I want you to get the information from her today," I mindlinked Orion and told him about it. Orion groaned and was about toin when I cut off the link. He shouldin to himself. He wouldn''t dare disobey his Alpha. I chuckled. I stood up and walked to my room to get a bath. My shoes echoed in the dark and silent hallway. My head had been filled with the image of Sophia all day and I could not do anything, not even to get pack duties done. Hell was wrong with me? I was never like this. I was an advocate of getting things done at the right time. I inhaled in and out, my chest rising and falling with the action. I got to my door and caught a whiff of Dianne. She was in my room. Opening the door, I saw her lying on my bed with a bra and panties. My eyes raked her body. Dianne was blessed heavily by the moon goddess. She possessed what men could fall for and what women could kill for. Her ass was well-rounded with a lot of flesh. And her waist? It was small which made her all the more alluring. Let''s not get started on her boobs. I internally berated myself for admiring another half-naked woman on my bed. "What are you doing here?" I asked her when I got into the room. I stripped in front of her and went into the bathroom. She followed me and stood by the door of the bathroom, watching me. "To see you of course. I missed you. Missed us," she said while she slowly peeled off her bra from her voluptuous boobs. She was aroused. I could smell her arousal and the way her nipples stood at attention to me. "I didn''t call for you. I am tired and need some rest," I said which halted her movement. I was fighting with myself over the attractive woman who stood by the door. I wanted to take her to my bed and do a lot of dirty things to her. I was supposed to be turned off since I desired Sophia now. But I wasn''t and I feared Dianne knew exactly what was going through my mind. "I can take away your exhaustion. Isn''t it what we''ve always done for each other?" She was by my back now, the hot water running through our heads. Her perky nipples were drawing doodles on my back while she moved. Her hands came down and grabbed my hard shaft but I stopped her movement. "Not now, Dianne. I''m tired," I said and I meant every word of it. I was physically and mentally tired. "Xander, why are you being this way?" She called me by my pet name and I hissed. I got out of the shower, her stubbornness turning me off. "I''m tired. I need to rest," I said and took my towel, wiping myself. I got out of the bathroom and put on some cks and my signature ck hoodie. Soon, she came out of the shower and went to the closet to get her clothes. No words were exchanged between us but from her aura, I could tell she was mad at something. I couldn''t tell. Not like I cared anyway. She could get mad at me. I just wanted to be alone with my thoughts. "Is this because of Alpha Ryven?" She came out of the closet fully clothed. Some of her clothes were in my closet. "It has nothing to do with him." "I know it has everything to do with him and Sophia. You started acting out after the incident in the kitchen. Don''t tell me you want Sophia back?" She asked me and came to sit on my bed. I was by the window, looking out of it. "So what if I want Sophia back?" I turned back to her with irritation evident in my voice. My eyes were zing. How dare she question my choices? "No, you don''t want her! You want me. You''ve always wanted me. And I will be your mate and Luna no matter what happens!" She stood up at once, her hands balled at her sides. While I smirked, fascinated by her disy of anger and possessiveness. "I chose you for a while. And you should be grateful for that. I want my fated mate now, and there is nothing you can do about it. Now leave," "You think you can use and dump me? You made me reject my mate for you. You promised me I would be your Luna and chosen mate. What would be of me now? I won''t let you make her your Luna!" She screamed and her eyes became ssy with unshed tears. My heart gave a painful pang. "I''m sorry for all those years. The promises and all but I never did ask you to reject your mate for me. You did it because you wanted to be with me and you¡­ I''m sorry, okay. But right now, it''s Sophia I want," I sighed and looked at her, really looking at her since the time I stepped foot into my room. "No, you can''t do this to me. You won''t. Remember what I did for you years ago? It''s time you pay me back for it," she smiled and looked a lot like the devil incarnate that she was. "Are you ckmailing me?" I asked her and walked up to her, my anger rolling off in waves. She swallowed but held her head high. "If that''s what you call it. But if I were you, I wouldn''t call it that," she said with fear expertly hidden beneath her dark orbs. She had no idea she was ying with the devil himself. 07: Talk with my wolf 07: Talk with my wolf This was not something I could take. My beast was at the forefront of my mind now, fighting for control to end whoever had disrespected us. I gritted my teeth hard and fisted my hands. My ws were already out and they pierced my palm which made blood drop to the white tile floor. "Let me in. How dare she? Such insolence. I won''t tolerate it," My wolf Tylen growled and pushed forward. "Stop. Just fucking stop. If you kill her, it will be the end of us." "Are you scared of this weak girl? If the moon goddess wanted to punish me, she would have done so in another way and not given me a weak human counterpart," Tylen, my wolf growled, his strength bing something I couldn''tpete with. "Stop spilling nonsense," I said and used thest of my strength to push my wolf to the back of my mind and create a mind wall. Tylen tried to pull it down. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t because he couldn''t beat thews of werewolves. The mind walls created by werewolves against their wolves were very strong and could not be broken down except the human was in a delirious state. My heart beat faster and my hands had a stinging sensation which meant I was healing already. Werewolves have a strong healing ability, unlike humans. I was angry at Dianne as my veins throbbed in my veins. Looking up at her, I found her hurdled by the wall, her face as white as a sheet of paper. Served her right. Next time, she wouldn''t dare threaten me again. That thought brought a wicked smile to my sinful lips. Not like I would admit it to my wolf, but my wolf had helped me ovee whatever was on the way. "I''d¡­I''d be taking my leave now," Dianne mustered up courage and stood up. On shaky legs and ragged breath, she walked hastily to the door without looking back. That was the first time she had seen me lose control like that. "Good. And don''t ever step your foot in here. I don''t want Sophia getting the wrong idea," I said and Dianne''s step ttered on the floor. She stopped to say something but held herself back and left the room with a bang. Seems she still hasn''t learned her lesson. Dianne was stubborn as a mule. One of the things that drew me to her. I exhaled and sat down on my bed, running a hand through my hair. That was close. "Don''t do that again. She''s the Beta''s daughter for heaven''s sake!" I eximed at Tylen. Tylen could only w harder at the wall created but couldn''t respond. He could hear me clearly but was not able to reply because of the wall. I got up from the bed when my heart rate had returned to normal and walked to my office. The files on my desk were screaming for my attention. I better get them done unless I want to be what I had always despised -ziness. "We should have taught her a lesson. A little scar to her pretty little face would have been perfect," Tylen said when I put down the mind wall. I brought the ss of wine that was in my hand to my lips. It ran through my throat burning it along the way. It gave me a feeling I couldn''t exin. Something that had always helped me when I needed it. "No. That would have been worse. You know how well she takes pride in her body or face," I said and plumped down on my chair. The sight of so many files to handle was making me dizzy. "Hmm, but I can''t promise you I won''t try it the next time. She should be put in her ce," Tylen argued back. "Yes, yes. I get you. Now, how do we get these done?" I asked, the headacheing to me at a snail''s pace. "Your headache. Not mine," Tylen said and settled to the back of Alexander''s mind. My jaw twitches violently from my wolf''s nonchnt behavior. He had always been that way, leaving me to do things myself. The only time hees out is when he senses disrespect and when Sophia is nearby. "Get a Beta or something," my wolf said when he read my thoughts. Maybe he was feeling guilty but I couldn''t tell. Tylen never felt guilty about anything. And the only time he had felt guilty was when he fought me over something when we were little. "You know we can''t just choose any Beta. Rudolph was supposed to take over from his father, now he''s no more. And my father is thinking of putting Dianne." "Then let Dianne be the new Beta. Don''t be so worked up about it," Tylen said with something close to an eye roll. And I picked up the first file. It was about a neighboring pack requesting my attention to settle some rogue attack. I breathed in and out in exhaustion. It was barely a day and they were already calling for my help. "Let Dianne take over. The earlier the better. Although, I don''t want you to be together with her. She''s cunning and wicked. I''ve always known there''s something about her. And she wants to threaten us with-" "It''s fine really. I won''tin about it again. But right now, I need some quiet," I quickly pushed Tylen to the back of my mind as I could feel his anger mixing with my emotions. Thest thing I wanted was to create some chaos in my office because of Dianne. I didn''t want Dianne to be the Beta. Not because I thought she was incapable but because it would be a perfect opportunity for her to get close to me again. And with my ns of iming back Sophia, I was sure she woulde in the way. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. I wanted Orion. Orion was strong, intelligent, and smart. Plus he was a good warrior. He was the second-best warrior in the pack after me. And Dianne was the strongest female warrior in the pack. The mindlink came through and I could feel Orion trying to get to me. I opened it and his strong voice came in. "I''ve talked to her," he spoke. "And what did she say?" I said and clutched the pen tightly in my hand. I was nervous for the first time in a long time. Why had I fucked up so much? I could not me anyone but my senseless self. "This is not something we can talk about through the link. Should we meet up now?" Orion asked and I could detect a hint of worry in his voice. Did something happen? "Yes. We also need to talk about his you''d persuade the elders to make you the Beta," "But-" "No buts. Meet me at our favorite ce in fifteen minutes. I need to sort out some things," I said and cut off the mind link. Twenty minutes into my work, I found out I had been keeping Orion waiting and hurried over on light foot. On getting there, I met Orion with a scowl on his face. The ce we were at was a ce near the pack house. It was a tree that was nted by my mother when I was little. And since then, it has been my favorite spot "You''rete," Orion said in a displeased voice when I settled myself on a strong root. Orion was sitting next to me with a rock in his right hand. It was an old habit of his that he usually does. "I''m sorry. I got carried away with so much work. That''s why I need you to get the position of the Beta so you can assist me. I''m slowly losing my mind." I grumbled and picked up a stone just like Orion. "It won''t be easy. Dianne had so many people on her side already. And I''m sure your father wants her to be the Beta also," Orion said. He has been trying so much to hide the sadness in his voice but I caught on to it. "Trust me, you would get it. I will make sure of it even if it''s thest thing I do. I need you by my side. Dianne will cause a nuisance." "She can''t be that bad. She would do a great job of being the Beta," Orion reasoned but was stopped by a re from me. I knew he felt like he was being heated alive from the re. "What? I didn''t say anything out of point," Orion said when I refused to back down from the re. He stood up and walked a little distance from me. "I don''t want her near me again." "Did she do something wrong?" Orion asked when he saw how dark my face had gotten. The veins in my forehead were prominent. He sensed great anger radiating off me. "I don''t even want to talk about it. Let''s talk about what Sophia told you," I was quick to change the subject. My wolf was making it difficult to have a normal conversation with Orion. Orion avoided my gaze and scratched the back of his neck. "Well?" I asked with a raise of my eyebrows and Orion breathed out, his white shirt rising with the action. "She wouldn''t tell," he said but I knew there was more to the story with the way Orion behaved. He refused to meet my eyes and began drawing circles on the ground. "She was livid when she saw me. She knew you sent me. I wanted to let you know about it. You know you''re the one supposed to be making an appearance. Not me," Orion said and swallowed when he noticed how dark my face had be. "What exactly did she say?" I asked and fisted my hands. My breathing wasbored. How dare she?! "That''s not important but I asked one of the maids and they said-" "What did she say?!" I asked again using my Alpha voice. Orion began to sweat as he tried to fight off the strength of the Alphamand over him. But he was failing terribly at it as he fell on his knees from the force of themand. My face was twisted into something akin to that of an enraged husband who caught his wife cheating on him. "She said-" Orion stopped when he noticed themand over him had stopped and looked up to find me looking in the direction of the pack house. Following my gaze, he found Sophiaughing like a little schoolgirl. And beside her was Alpha Ryven who was saying something to her. "Shit!" I heard Orion mutter. I was walking furiously to the duo letting out a string of curses. This should be some very expensive joke. 08: his secrets 08: his secrets Sophia''s POV "Alpha Ryven requests your presence," a man I had never seen in my life said to me while I was cleaning the dining area. The other maids stopped to listen in to our conversation. It was rare enough to see Alpha Ryven send gifts to me. And now, someone acquainted with him came for me. It was a sight to behold. "And you are?" I said while I wiped the sweat off my brows. My messy bun wasing off from their knot while little hair stuck to my face. I was so hot in there with my oversized sweater. "I''m Ian, Alpha Ryven''s Beta," the mysterious man said and I did a double take on him. He looked like someone who was from high society with hisbat boots that put stains on the floor I just mopped. To his hair that was neatly pinned back with slick gel. "I''m kind of busy right now. Can he wait a little while while I freshen up? I smell really bad," I said as I ducked my head to my armpits. The smell that came off it almost made me gag. Who could I me? I had been working for six hours straight without as much as a five-minute break. "I''m afraid not. I don''t think he would mind your appearance ande with me," he said, getting impatient which was noticeable by the lines that appeared in between his brows. And the downfall of his lips. "Okay," I said and dropped the dirty rag on my right hand. I nced at the room and caught some girls working with their ears trained on us. I followed the man out of the pack house to a huge house which was meant for guests. "Enter. He knows you''re here already," the man said when we stood behind a door in the house. We had gone into the house and climbed onto the third floor. At that moment, I stood by the door breathing like I had run a marathon. "Thank you," I said and knocked twice on the door. My heart rate spiked up when I realized what was about to happen. I was just a defenseless girl who had no status or rank in the pack going into a room that was upied by a single sexy Alpha. Rumors will fly and it won''t be funny. The girls in the pack would make sure to drag my name through the mud until there was nothing left of it. Not like there was anything left of it. But this time, it would be brutal. I hesitated behind the door, my legs refusing to move from its spot. It was disobedience I was disying and I chewed on my bottom lip in fear. All the what-ifs yed through my head like my favorite song. My hands began to shake and be filled with sweat. Clutching my dress and chewing on my bottom lip more vigorously, I watched the door handle turn slowly while Alpha Ryven''s scent wafted into my nose. The door opened to reveal the man that I never thought woulde across. Looking at him now that I knew who he was, I came to discover that there was something hidden beneath his eyes. It was a mystery and it looked at me like it knew my secret. One that I had hidden in the deepest part of my heart. And it didn''t help that he was an attractive male. His hair fellzily across his eyes, hiding those deep pools that made my legs tremble and almost give out under me. "Come in," Alpha Ryven smiled, showing off his white pearly teeth that were perfectly arranged. He was beautiful now that I saw him in broad daylight. Men can''t be considered beautiful but that was what I thought. My throat constricted slightly from the beauty before me. "I can''t," I quickly caught myself and looked to my feet, my heart hammering in my chest. Looking at my feet, I remembered how bad I smelled and stepped back without looking at Alpha Ryven. "Why? Oh, I get it now. Why don''t we go outside? Would that be okay?" He asked me which made my heade up to his face once more. He asked a lowly ve like me for my opinion. No one ever does that. I was used to taking orders from people without them asking for my opinions. I was a little taken aback by his question as I blinked rapidly to focus my thoughts on the question and not the way he looked at me. "Yes, that would be fine," I said and bent my head once more. There was silence after that, the only thing I could concentrate on was how he smelled so nice. And how awfully I smelled. A stark contrast to him. Looking up, I found his eyes on me, lost in my face or neck, I couldn''t tell. But he was in deep thought. My brows furrowed before he read the confusion on my face. "Lead the way, I have no idea where the garden is located," he said and chuckled to himself. I joined in theugh to hide how nervous I was around him. I led him to a garden that was behind the house. It was a beautiful garden, one that was hand- nted by Alexander''s mother. She had a knack for collecting beautiful flowers and nting them in any avable space around the pack house. "Why have you been avoiding me?" He asked me as soon as we were within the inner part of the garden surrounded by trees. "I haven''t been avoiding you, Alpha," I spoke, defending myself. I had been avoiding him. Whenever I knew he would be in a particr ce, I made sure to follow another route. I didn''t know why. Maybe it was because I was physically attracted to him. I was trying to protect my heart from being broken the second time. The fact that he had shown me kindness and given me a bracelet of his does not mean anything. Although I hoped it would. Someone would finally see me for who I am and my pure heart. I believe in love. Even if love was rare among the werewolves, I didn''t care. Everyone deserves a chance at love. No matter how small it may be. Thinking about it, I mentally scolded myself for talking that way to Alexander. And the part that scared me was seeing his friend, Orioning to me to get some information from me. I might act like a hard girl but that was all a farce to protect the wall I had built around myself. "You have. I can tell you are not a good liar with the way your hands are trembling," he said and I quickly hid my hands behind my back. We were the only ones in the garden which made the moment intimate for me. He chuckled at my action. A rich, masculineugh that made butterflies pool in my belly. "I''m sorry," that was all I could say as I had been caught. What more could I say to get out of the situation? "It''s fine. At least that would make me always catch you whenever you tell a lie. But you don''t have to avoid me. I don''t bite unless you want of course," he said and I could detect the hidden meaning in his words. I wasn''t a saint like I had made others believe. I had never had my first kiss but I often snuck into the library to read some romantic books to make up for the ones that are absent in my miserableThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. life. "So tell me about yourself," he suggested and took my face up, my eyes meeting with his. His touch was warm and soft, melting my stone-cold heart. "Look at me while I talk to you," he said to me and I blushed furiously. "Since you don''t want to talk about yourself. How about I tell you mine?" He asked me when he found me biting my lips again out of habit and nervousness. I nodded my head at him and he smiled. So far, a smile had always been stered to his alluring face. "I grew up without the love of my parents. They were always so busy with their lives, leaving me in the care of my nanny, Mrs Mandy. My childhood was boring. While other pups yed, I was indoors learning thews of the pack and the traditions. It was so I would be a better Alpha than my father," he spoke in a faraway voice. He was looking at me but I felt he was back in his pack when he was a child. "Did you have friends?" I heard myself asking him. Even if I had no idea why he was telling me so, I was enjoying the conversation. Not only do I have a sad past growing up. Even the rich and happy people have some form of scars they wish to shield from the eyes of the public. "Oh, yes I did. But we grew apart with time," the smile that ran across his moist pink lips turned sad. I wanted to wipe it off. The man before me was nothing like I had heard about. "So right now, it means you have no friends?" I asked him while he moved away from me to one of the flowers. I watched him pluck it off ande over to me. We stood a few metres apart, the world frozen with just us in it lost in each other''s eyes. I was mesmerized by him. How could girls not fawn over him? I will not me them. I found myself bing like one of them. He removed a strand of hair from my face and ced a flower behind my ear. And my heart lurched to my throat from the gesture. Little but impactful. "Why don''t we take a walk while I tell you?" He asked me again and I was taken aback. I''ll never get used to people asking for my opinion. We walked out of the building while I racked my brain on where to take him. I decided atst to take him to the woods where pack runs usually take ce. "So right now, I have a friend. But from what I noticed, you have none in the pack, why don''t we be friends? We could have each other''s backs right?" He nudged me yfully with his shoulders while Iughed at him. We were in front of the pack house, going towards the woods. "That would be nice. I''ve never had a friend before. And having an Alpha asking me to be his friend is such a privilege," I said and smiled up at him, my eyes twinkling with mirth. "She''s my friend already and needs no more friends!" Alexander''s enraged voice reached my ears before I felt his hands grab me to his side. My mouth was left agape at his behavior. Looking up at him with his hands still on my upper arm, I realized he was more than enraged. His canines were out of his gums and his breathing was heavy. The tingles that ran up my spine could not hide the pain his grip on my hand caused. I let out a whimper of pain and Alexander''s ck orbs snapped to me. I flinched from the maniacal look on his face. What was wrong with him again? I internally grumbled. "Don''t you think it''s high time you go to your pack?!" Alexander said and Alpha Ryven''s eyes glowed, his wolf responding to the challenge. 09: Alpha Ryven 09: Alpha Ryven Alexander POV I saw Alpha Ryven''s eyes turn to gold, the color of his wolf''s. But I was bothered because my mind was clouded with rage. I could not hear the whimper of pain that escaped Sophia''s lips nor could I hear Orion''s voice calling out to me. I was focused on the hindrance that made me not want to get together with his mate. I didn''t know who was madder, my wolf or me but I knew we were both mad. It was such nonsense for two Alpha''s to fight in a pack. A rough hand held me and I snapped, baring my fangs at the person. And that was when I realized it was Orion. "You challenge me for what?" Ryven asked as his fangs began to protrude. From the back of my mind, I heard cries but did know who it belonged to as my gaze was solely on the monster at my front. "Alexander¡­" Sophia whimpered in pain for what I thought should be the second time but I couldn''t tell until that moment I looked down to find her blood flowing freely from my grip. I released her and took a step back, the fog in my head, clearing up instantly. I took two steps to Sophia but she took one back. She looked at me like I was a beast and it broke my heart into a million pieces. What had I done? I was moving from the frying pan to the fire with my actions. "Look what you''ve done! Happy now?" Alpha Ryven said and made to move towards me. He wanted Sophia and that made me madder. "Don''t fucking touch what''s mine!" I growled and pushed Sophia behind me. She dodged from my touch and from my peripherals, I saw Orion looking at her with a warm look. "Yours?" Alpha Ryven said and stopped in his tracks. Never in his wildest dreams did he think Sophia was my mate. When I heard of it too, It was hard to believe. I thought the moon goddess was ying a stupid sick joke on me. And that was because my pride had been bigger than the pack house, almost killing me and my wolf in the process. "Now, you know you can''t touch her and need to steer clear of her," I said to him, my re almost pinning him down. He didn''t back down because he was also an Alpha. I made sure to keep my eyes peeled on Sophia. And she was healing much to my relief. Orion walked to her but she let him touch him. Bloody hell! She was acting like an angel when she was so bitter towards me. "You don''t tell me who to see or not," she snapped at me and my face turned to a scowl. "Better get used to it, baby. You''re mine whether you like it or not. Nowe with me," I turned around and clutched her fair slender arm in my huge calloused hand. Alpha Ryven didn''t say anything again. He knew better than toe between mates. He wasn''t as stupid as I thought after all. Sophia tried to wriggle out of my grasp but she was no fit for me. Her eyes spit out fires which made my pants tight. Something ugly was rearing up its head. The more she struggled in my grasp, the more I was turned on. I was a bloody animal. Who does this? And her eyes were so beautiful. I sessfully dragged her to my room and locked the door. On getting outside, I realized I didn''t order food for her so I mindlinked a servant to get her some food using my spare key. "What was that about?" Orion asked me in a displeased voice. I shrugged and looked out of the car window. We were on the way to the shopping mall for Sophia. I took the advice of Orion to get her anything and everything plus the tip one of the omegas who work in the kitchen gave him. Orion looked at me waiting for an answer and I sighed. No need to get into an argument with him after I just got one with the foolish Alpha. "Exactly what you saw," I deadpanned and looked at the trees that were flying past the car window. We were in the back seat with a smaller man, the best driver in the pack, driving us to our destination. "You know she would hate you for that," he said with a voice that showed how tired he was of me. I, too, was tired of myself. "I don''t care. As long as it keeps her off him for some time. She would soon be smitten by my charms anyway," I said and smiled as I thought of all the beautiful things I would be getting her. We got to the mall and Orion decided to stay silent, making me choose what I thought would be best for my little angel. I picked up everything I set eyes on. And when I was done, I felt a sense of fulfillment. Maybe it was because I had gotten rid of the rival who wanted to tear me and my little angel apart, I could not tell. I paid for the things while I pretended not to notice the flirtatious nces the sales attendance often threw my way. Orion was acting so insecure and weirded out on my side. I couldn''t help but link him up with a pretty blond who looked like she would pass out if she didn''t get attention from Orion or me. "I hate you," Orion grumbled when we got into the car and I burst outughing. "What did I do this time?" I feigned ignorance and he sulked throughout the ride home. I didn''t get why Orion was so nervous around girls. Girls are just cute little creatures who want to be showered with love, care, and attention. And that was exactly what Sophia would be getting from me. I got out of the car and made my way slowly to my room. The thought that Sophia was there, probably sleeping or something made my heart burst with love and adoration. But that was nothingpared to what I felt when I opened the door to find her on my bed. The best part was, she was in my favorite hoodies with nothing else. My eyes trailed up her legs. They were petite and beautiful. I wanted to touch her, feel her skin heat up under me while I devoured her whole. My pants feel tighter again from the sight. She was looking like an angel as her ck hair was sprawled across the white bed, a sharp contrast to the figure sleeping on it. I didn''t know I was still standing by the door with it opened and my left hand on the knob until she stirred. While she stirred, the sweater rode up a little higher, giving me ess to what my eyes craved. I swallowed, moving to the bed in a trance. The sight at the foot of the bed where I stood was nothingpared to sitting on the bed to admire her. She had full lips which were more than enough for the crazy things I thought about. Especially how it would wrap around my cock and suck as if her entire life depended on it. Heck, I was slowly losing my mind! I could scarcely believe I wanted such an adorable person by someone else''s side. My wolf was sending me images of what he nned to do to her. It was overwhelming and I soon found myself tracing the thick brows that framed her face. Her cheeks were so soft under my touch and I wanted to kiss it together with her lips which seemed to pull me close. I watched her eyes slowly flutter open, revealing the eyes that I had so many times fantasized about looking up at me with love and adoration. But what I saw instead was fear and hate as soon as she realized who was sitting close to her on the bed. Her hand came down to her legs, her second hand searching for theforter to cover up herself. "Let me out," she snarled at me and I pressed my lips together. My hands were suspended in the air as I had initially wanted to rest upon her lips. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "I know I might have been a d*ck. But trust me when I say I am no longer who I used to be. I''m a changed person now," I told her while she looked at me like I had grown two heads. "I''m serious. You''re the one I want now," I said to her and shifted closer to her as I despised the space that separated us. "What about your doll?" She asked me. It took me a moment to realize she was speaking of Dianne. Iughed and held her hand using some styles I learned in a movie. She didn''t seem to mind. The mate bond was strong and I wanted her close to me all the time. And I knew she felt the same way with the struggles that reflected off her eyes. "I broke up with her," I told her and she seemed to think about something. Her eyes came to mine and I resisted the urge to pull her into my thighs. The way she chewed on her lips while she racked her brain made her so sexy. More than anydy in a lingerie or bra. "Just like that?" She asked me and I smiled. She noticed my hand in hers and pulled it out. Standing up, I watched her while she nced at the box on the table. "Yes. But you don''t need to worry about her," I said and walked up to the box. Inside it was a ne I had specially gotten for her. It would look so beautiful in her fair slender neck that begged to be marked by me. While she slept, I had already gotten the perfect ce to mark her. It was a spot where her corbone met her neck. Or should it be higher so all wolves can know she''s taken? I contemted within me, my eyes still trained on her. "I met her while you were gone. She came in here to warn me off you. I don''t think you have everything under control. She was pretty mad at something," she said and all the thoughts died down and were reced with anger. "Did she tell you anything else?" I asked her in a voice I didn''t recognize as mine. Sophia was taken aback by my voice also and I watched her cheeks re up from fear or something. "She mentioned something about helping you years ago and that you''re indebted to her," she said in a small voice, her fear making her appear smaller than she was. "Okay, I''ll be right back," I said and stormed out of the room, closing the door with a bang. I needed blood and it was Dianne''s blood. I didn''t care that she helped me. Well, f*ck her and everything around her. She will pay for disobeying me. I went to her apartment and knocked on it, almost bringing the door off its hinges. It was opened after I felt like it would reallye off. "What the¡­" Dianne stopped when she opened the door because my hands were on her neck in a chokehold. I smiled while I watched the life slowly drain from her eyes which had gone wild in fear. 10: Memories 10: Memories Sophia''s POV Alexander walked out of the room as if was about to murder someone. It made my blood run cold in my veins. It wasn''t like him to be so nice. But for a moment, I had almost fallen for him. What was I thinking? My feet burned under my weight. I didn''t have to mention Dianne. She was ckmailing an Alpha. At least that was what it looked like to me. My feet were running around the room as my brain conjured up images of what was currently happening with Dianne. It was a fact that I hated Dianne. But not enough to wish her dead. Not wanting to die of curiosity, I made my way to the door but was stopped when it opened, revealing a servant in a white uniform. She was holding a bag - my bag. I was shocked at seeing it as my legs stopped in their position, my eyes searching hers for an exnation. "Alpha Alexander instructed me to bring your things to his room," she said and avoided my gaze. No, they couldn''t know yet that I''m Alexander''s mate. "Why?" I asked her and she took her time to think through my question. Her mouth opened a few times to say something but each time she did, she caught herself. "He said you would be staying with him here," she said and I looked back at the bags on her hand. I didn''t know what to say. If I should give in to the rage that was consuming me or wait for Alexander to be back we talk it through. I chose the former as the anger threatened to ovee me. "Just go," I was angry at Alexander. How dare I think he changed for the better like he had told me? "No, wait. Do you know where he is?" I asked the maid when she was about to close the door. "No, but I think I saw him going to Dianne''s¡­" "It''s fine, I''ll just go there and meet him or something," I said to her and she nodded her head, leaving me in the quiet room to think through my anger. I wanted an exnation from him and I wanted it now. Heck! Why does he always do that? He''s controlling and domineering. He doesn''t know if I want to stay in the same room with him. I tried to forgive him and let bygones be bygones when he humiliated me in front of Alpha Ryven. But I couldn''t let that stand. I''m a person with emotions. Not some puppet. I opened the door with as much force as I could muster, not seeing through the anger that burned through me. I made it outside of the pack house and beyond. My destination was Dianne''s house. I didn''t think about how awkward it would be when I confronted Alexander or how Dianne would take it. ording to her, Alexander still belonged to her and would be for a very long time. "Did someone offend you?" Alpha Ryven''s voice reached my ears and I turned around to see him lounging at a tree, his hands in his pockets, highlighting his muscles. Trying not to let my eyes roam his body, my eyes stuck to his face like glue. Iposed myself. The last thing I wanted was for him to let me see me in my angry state. I looked like a tomato when I was pissed. And I''m sure as hell I looked like that at that moment. "No, why?" Iughed. Theugh came out dry and strange. He didn''tugh with me and walked over to me. The sun red down at us, almost matching the re I nned on giving Alexander. "Your mouth says no but your face says otherwise. So you want to talk about it? Over coffee?" He asked me and I did a double check to make sure he was talking to me. It wasn''t strange that he was asking me for coffee but that he had asked me out when he knew I was Alexander''s mate. "I don''t know. I''m fine honestly. I was just hot. That''s all." "Stop that bullshit. I know you were mad at something. And I also know it has something to do with your Alpha. What better way to let it out than over coffee? Don''t worry, it''ll be at a cafe," he said, looking into my eyes. I could not lie to him again with the look on his face. And I heard myself telling him how okay I was with it when my mind screamed at me to go back into Alexander''s room and wait quietly for him to return. I never listen to my mind. And I was scared at how I was bing a pro at it. He led me to his car. I had a sudden urge to turn around and bolt. My hands be sweaty and my eyes dted. I was shaking visibly when I felt Alpha Ryven''s hand on my shoulders. He turned to face me. "I can''t do this," I said to him and turned away so that he wouldn''t see the tears that stained my cheeks. But he did anyway because he took my face in his hand. "What''s wrong? You were fine a moment ago," he said and held my hand. His voice sounded far away. And I was back to the night I lost my parents on that bridge. "Mom¡­ dad¡­!" I screamed and cried, thrashing around on the floor with their bodies not healing. I didn''t understand why they were not healing and till that moment, I had no idea. The sight of them that night gave me sleepless nights. Sometimes I dream of them. I missed them so much it hurts to even think about them. "Sophia?" Alpha Ryven''s hand on my cheeks made my eyes focus on him. There was a look of concern on his face. I didn''t want him to care about me. Everyone who cares about me always leaves. And he would leave again. I didn''t want that. No one should care for me only to leave me wanting them again. "I''m fine. I just don''t want to go in a car," I told him and cleaned my cheeks. He didn''t look convinced. And I sighed. "Okay, let''s go in the car. I guess I just need a change of scenery. I''ll cope. Driving in a car can''t be that bad right?" Iughed and looked at my feet. "You know you can talk to me." "Well, now that I think about it, I should get going. I need to do something in the pack house," I said and made to move but his hands stopped me. "Come with me. I won''t let anything happen to you. Just a nice little chat. That''s all." "Okay," I said. I thought it was about time I got over it. I haven''t been in a car since my parents died and that had been ten years ago when I was eight. I couldn''t continue that way. One way or the other I would be requested to get in a car. "Are you sure you''ll be okay?" He asked me, regretting his words. "I''ll be fine," I said and walked to the car, my heart thumping loudly in my chest. I thought I would faint on the way to the cafe. But surprisingly I was able to hold myself all through the drive even though the images of my parents'' death almost made me pass out. "We made it," Alpha Ryven said, smiling down at me when he walked over to where I stood. I was standing by the door of the car, my hands gripping my hoodie tightly and that was when I realized I was still in Alexander''s clothes. When leaving the room, I hastily put on one of my trousers the maid had brought in, not bothering to take off Alexander''s clothes. It was no wonder I had been getting looks from people around me when I was on my way to Dianne''s house. I reeked of him. "Yeah, I guess," I smiled up at him and followed him into a dimly lit cafe that was at the side of the road. His presence was making it hard for me to blend into the crowd. His aura was prominent. And an Omega in a hoodie that smelled of their Alpha didn''t help either. We sessfully walked in with me only getting sweaty palms and armpits. We ordered coffee and I chose to sit at the edge of the room where I would not be noticed by a lot of people. "So, what do you want to talk about?" I asked him, the coffee burning my hands and my thoughts from wandering away from the conversation. I was about to have a conversation with someone who would most likely be an enemy of Alexander in the future. And it would be because of me. I could not stop it. So I chose to enjoy hispany while I was at it. He was a nice person. That I''d noticed. And caring too. "About you. Thest time was about me. And the reason you were so mad at something," he said while I chewed my lips. "Why are you still in this pack? You''re an Alpha. Aren''t you supposed to be in your pack, managing it?" I asked him, ignoring his question. He smiled at me, knowing what I did but he didn''t make a comment about it and answered my question much to my relief. I didn''t want to tell him about my sad life. I came here for a breather and not to tell my sob story. "Yes. I will be leaving soon. That''s another reason I wanted us to be friends before I finally left. I will miss you. And you are wee toe to my pack any day. In fact, you owe me one," he said while my eyes widened at him. "How so? I asked him, a smirk ying on my lips. I would miss him too. The other guests who came for Alexander''s part were mostly gone. Only a few were around to wrap things up. Alpha Ryven seemed like the only friend I had made since my parents died. And since the day I was demoted to an Omega for killing Rudolph. Which I didn''t. "I don''t know. But you do. I would love to show you around my pack. And to meet my parents also. You said Alexander rejected you right? Did you ept the rejection?" He asked me and I turned away from him. My eyes were on a couple who were making out on a chair. "No, I didn''t ept the rejection," I said to him, not giving out any more information on it. "Why?" He asked and I thought for a while I heard the disappointment in his voice. I looked at him but found his face neutral. Unlike what I had imagined - disappointment. "I don''t know. I guess¡­¡± I stopped when I saw Alexander''s father walking towards us, his eyes on Alpha Ryven. I stood up to greet him and his eyes lingered on Alexander''s hoodie. "It''s so nice to see you, Alpha Ryven," Alexander''s father said and shook Alpha Ryven''s hand. There were wide smiles on both men''s faces. "I heard about the gifts you offered Alex. It''s so unfortunate he rejected them," Alexander''s father said, sitting down on a chair close to me. A waiter came and took his order. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "He wille to it eventually. I have an even bigger offer that he can''t refuse," Alpha Ryven said and looked my way, a knowing look in his eyes. It was the same look Alexander''s father gave me and I felt like I was in a movie where I didn''t even know I was an actress. 11: Taking her side 11: Taking her side Sophia''s POV I looked at Alpha Ryven and he smiled at me and put the drink of coffee on his lips. I looked at Alexander''s father and he was just minding his business like he didn''t just look at me like his treasure. I was feeling so awkward at the table with both men speaking anguage of their own. "How are you doing, Sophia?" Alexander''s father asked me and I tightened my hand on the cup which was getting cold. They only went there to have a conversation. But it seemed like I was in some kind of show. "I''m fine, thank you," I said looking at my hands. I felt so hot. I wanted to excuse myself. But that would be considered disrespectful. "You will be better soon. I will make sure of that," Alexander''s father said. And there it was again, the hidden meaning to his words. I looked up just in time to see a glint go off in his eyes. Maybe I was feeling paranoid for no reason. Alpha Ryven held my hands and it was at that time I realized I was shaking. Something wasn''t right. I could feel it in my gut. But what could I do rather than pretend I was enjoying the men''spany? Alpha Ryven began to draw little circles on my hand and I became ufortable with it and withdrew my hand from his. I was too scared to look into his eyes for fear of what I would see there. Maybe it was one of their Alpha jokes I wasn''t aware of. And when Alexander''s father stood up, I knew I was about to faint from the tension that was building up inside of me. They didn''t say anything more. And we all stood up. Alpha Ryven made to pay for the coffee. "Oh no, it''s on the house," Alexander''s father said with a wide smile. For some reason, I felt like Alexander''s father was so happy about something. He was a brooding type of man since his wife died, the former Luna of the pack. Maybe that''s when Alexander became the monster I thought him to be. It all started from there. Not like I was close to Alexander, to begin with, but he was this little cheery kid everyone was so happy to be around. And the death of his mother broke him just like the death of my parents broke me. I could barely eat and had to be taken to the hospital to be on drugs. The man standing by my right who was talking excitedly with Alpha Ryven cared less about what I went through. For heaven''s sake, he was the Alpha of the pack. Isn''t it the duty of the Alpha to make sure everyone is well in the pack? But no, I was left alone until the Beta''s wife came to take me in. But Dianne made sure I got kicked out two yearster. I hated her. I wished I would never have to see her face again. Her face reminded me of all the dark years spent in her house. It was a living hell. My life isn''t any better now but it is still better than living with her. "It would be my pleasure. Sophia?" My name from Alpha Ryven''s mouth brought me to reality. I was always zoning out. Perhaps because I was too tired of my reality. "Yes?" I asked, looking between both men. I saw anger sh in the former Alpha''s eyes. I think he kept up with me for so long because of Alpha Ryven. This brought me to the question of why he would be so polite to a younger man. "Alpha Caden had been so kind to invite us over to dinner at his house. Would you like toe with me?" I opened my mouth to say yes but the look on the former Alpha''s face stopped me. "No, I think I''ll pass. I have a lot of work to do at the pack house," I said and looked to my feet, biting my lips which were chapped already. "We could drop her off at the pack house. Thank you so much Alpha Caden for gracing us with your presence," Alpha Ryven said and they did a little handshake and parted ways. Alexander''s father went in another direction. I looked at him while he walked. There was a slight limp to his left leg where he had gotten into a fight with a rogue a few years back. "Did I make you ufortable back there?" Alpha Ryven asked when we got to his car. I smiled awkwardly at him and scratched my neck. "Not really. I''m not just used to being amid two powerful Alphas. The aura was suffocating," I said to him and he nodded in understanding. Not many people can withstand the auras of Alphas. And it was a miracle I was able to hold the contents in my stomach without spilling them out. We got to the car in silence. Alpha Ryven didn''t seem to mind the question he asked me earlier. And I was happy about that. I didn''t want to tell him my story. One which I had never told anyone. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. We got to the front of the pack house where he dropped me and I walked into the house. It was time to prepare dinner. Alexander had not yet told me I could no longer work as a servant because he wanted me back. And I didn''t want that either. I would be bored out of my mind. I liked reading, that was a given. But I needed humanpany. A lot of girls would flock around me when they heard I was Alexander''s mate. And I didn''t want that either. I wanted someone who would love me for me and not because of my status or position. I got to Alexander''s room and changed out of his hoodie which, unfortunately, attracted a lot of attention to me. I quickly got to the kitchen and did the dishes that were used in the morning. But I was still getting stares. The news of me going about in Alpha Ryven''s car must have spread by that time. The attention was too much and what I would have done in thirty minutes, I did in an hour. When I was done, the head maid delegated tasks to each of us and I would be the one to serve the pack. On getting to the dining room, my feet halted in their position because of the person who was chatting excitedly with her two friends - Dianne. It was avoidable. I would get into trouble with her. And receive one or two beatings from her, one of which I wasn''t prepared for. "Herees the mutt," Dianne said when I was serving a pack member. I kept my eyes glued to the table. Any eye contact with Dianne will give her a perfect reason to shame me in front of everyone. Everyone went about their business. This wasn''t new to them and me. They have seen over the years how I have been constantly bullied by the devil incarnate and her two friends. Dianne''s friends were just like her if not even more evil. They made sure to make the most cruel suggestions on how Dianne was to torture me. "I think she has gone deaf," Selene said, Dianne''s best friend since childhood. She was a member of the higher werewolves as her father held a high position in court. She could be seen as one spoiled rotten brat who gets what she always wants. My heart was beating fast in my chest. Even if I tried to tell myself it was still the old ways of bullying, I could never get used to it. "Come here," Dianne said when she found out I wasn''t going to say anything to her. I bit my lips and walked over to where the girls were sitting. They were sitting away from the other girls as they were mostly known as the three musketeers. "What did you tell Alexander?" Dianne asked out of the blue, her eyes shining with evil. She was angry at whatever happened between her and Alexander and wanted to drag me into it. "I didn''t tell him anything," I lied. Thest thing I wanted was for Dianne to know I spilled telling Alexander to be my prince charming. And he, in turn, took my words seriously. I would be in a lot of trouble. "Liar!" Dianne yelled and threw a ss cup my way which hit me squarely on my cheeks. The force of it breaking with the impact and cutting me in various parts of my skin. I tried to muffle the sound of pain that threatened to rip out of me. My eyes blurred with unshed tears and I looked at my feet which were blurred. "I''ll ask you for the second time, What did you tell Alexander?" Dianne asked slowly while she stood up from the chair. The sound of the chair scraping against the tile floor put my heart in more jeopardy. "I promise I didn''t tell him anything," I shook on my feet and refused to look up as my blood flowed from the cut on my face. I felt pain on my face in three areas; my cheeks, my temple, and below my eyes. The one which stung the most was my temple as a ss shard was still lodged in there. I was too scared to remove the ss shard. Dianne said she would get back to me when I refused to give her Alpha Ryven''s bracelet. Was this her way of getting back at me? "Liar!" A loud p resounded in the room. It took me a moment to realize I had been pped by Dianne as I fell to the ground with my lips bleeding. The tears couldn''t be stopped as they flowed freely from my eyes like a leaked dam. But no sounds were heard from me. The pain was much because of the cut to the same cheek I was pped. And then, there was silence. I smelled him before I heard his voice. "What''s the meaning of this?!" Alexander asked, his voice as cold as the attic which brought goosebumps to my arms. Luckily I wasn''t at the end of his wrath. "She asked for it," I heard Dianne''s voice before I felt Alexander''s rough hands grab me. He raised my face and inspected it. He was livid. I felt pathetic, like a failure. When would this ever stop? And I was sure as hell Alexander would take sides with Dianne. He looked deeply into my eyes without blinking. "p her back," Alexander said and turned to face Dianne whose face was white with shock. I was sure the expression on my face mirrored hers. 12: Heated conversation 12: Heated conversation Sophia. I turned slowly to look at Alexander and found a smile on his face telling me it was all a joke. But his face was dead serious. The room had gone quiet because of Alexander''s voice. I felt his hand at the small of my back, urging me. His grip was firm but soft. I swallowed hard and turned fully to him. All eyes were on us wondering what was going on. Wasn''t Dianne his soon-to-be Luna? Then why is he taking the side of someone who killed his best friend? I could see the question on everyone''s faces. I couldn''t me them. I would have been in their shoes if it weren''t that I was the one who caused the confusion. "I can''t do that. Besides I''m fine," I said in a small voice but knew he caught on to it. He didn''t say anything further but dragged me away from the room. Before leaving the room, I saw real hatred on Dianne''s face. It wasn''t something that I could do about it. We came to stand in front of Alexander''s room and he threw me inside and locked the door with a click. I stumbled on my feet and fell on the floor, my head almost connecting with the foot of the bed. My heart was beating fast in my chest. Alexander was mad at me this time around. And when I turned around, I met him by the door, his hands across his chest, giving me a death stare. "You better start talking. What was that about?" he asked in a dangerously low tone and I gulped, sitting up from my position. My face was mostly healed but the ss shard on my temple was still bleeding and I took up my hands, removing it from my face. I bit my lips to stifle the sound of pain. It was painful but I bore it for fear of angering Alexander more. "I couldn''t do what you asked. Dianne would havee back for more. She would have made sure I regretted the day I was born," I said slowly and hugged my legs. Alexander didn''t say any more words and walked up to me. He squatted by my level and I closed my eyes, waiting for the hit I expected from him but it didn''te. Instead, he scooped me up in his arms and I resisted the urge to inhale all of him. The familiar tingles ran down my spine, making me curl my toes in pleasure. I was surprised by his actions. Did he really want me back? Everything he did, hinted at that. But it was hard believing it. Maybe it was just his way of getting back at me for killing Rudolph. I went over it multiple times in my head; for him to get close to me, and eventually leave me. That would be the worst form of revenge. And I doubted I would be able to take it. I had had enough torture my entire life. He dropped me on the sink and I became so self-conscious of myself. I watched him while he rummaged through the sink of the bathroom, giving me a nice view of his nice ass. I mentally pped myself for thinking about that then. He came over to me with a first aid kit. It wasn''t needed. I tried to open my mouth to tell him that but the look on his face made me swallow my words. I looked everywhere but him when he sat at my side and took my face in his hand, inspecting it. As much as I tried to tell myself this was some form of joke he was ying on me, I couldn''t. My heart beat fast for him. And I was tired of it. If he was out for revenge, he should just let me know. "Why do you care about me?" I asked him when he dabbed a cotton wool on the area of my face where it was bleeding. He ignored my question and kept on dabbing on it with a straight face. I turned my face away from him and his hand hit my cheeks instead. "Why?" I asked for the second time and he finally looked into my eyes. The rage was still there but not as much as the time we stepped into the room. "Because you''re my mate," he said to me and took my face in his hands once more. I turned my face away from him and shifted from him. He was more concerned about my face when I feared more damage would be done to my delicate heart. I didn''t trust him yet. Not after the hatred I saw in his eyes when he rejected me. No one could change that much within a short time. There was an ulterior motive. And I would be damned if I sat around while he yed with me like I was some kind of ball. He threw the ball of cotton wool on the floor while his jaw twitched violently. His gaze was hard and pierced my soul. But I refused to let my eyes off him. As much as I hated the re he threw my way, I loved how he looked so deeply into my eyes as if he could read my soul and all the memories buried within. "What do you want to hear? That I am giving you a second chance as my Luna even if you killed my best friend?" He began to say while I shook my head at him. My heart hurt terribly at the fact that he still thought I killed his best friend. "I didn''t kill him and you know it. Everyone knows it but why are you all denying it?!" I asked him and clenched my dress. I couldn''t see beyond his eyes because of the tears that gathered in my eyes. "I''m not going over this with you again. You had the chance to show everyone what a great Luna you would have been but you didn''t. Instead, you foolishly disobeyed me in front of everyone!" He barked and stood up at once, running a hand through his hair. I looked up at him, aghast. He thought I was foolish? He knew very well what Dianne was capable of doing. "If this is how you n to make me your Luna, then I''m afraid it wouldn''t work," I said to him and looked at the ball of cotton on the floor near my feet. I was jealous of it. At least it didn''t have to go through much pain each day. "What do you mean?" Alexander turned around and looked at me. "I mean exactly what I said. I won''t be with someone who doesn''t trust me or believe what I say." "Then who would you rather be with? Ryven?" He scoffed and walked closer to me. He came down to my level and took my face harshly in his hands. "It will never work. If I have to lock you up in the dungeon to have you here, so be it," he smiled and a chill ran down my spine at the promise his words held. "You wouldn''t do that. Your wolf will never allow you," I swallowed, trying to feign like his words didn''t affect me. Heughed in my face. He looked like the Alexander I know. And not the one I have seen for the past few days. It made me remember who I was. And who I was dealing with. I was dealing with my second nightmare. Alexander was a man of few words whose words carried the weight of the whole pack. His words meant what he intended them to mean. "Funny how we are on the same page on this," he said and stood and I released a shaky breath I didn''t know I had been holding. I swallowed and stood up, holding the wall of the bathroom to keep my legs from failing underneath me. "I won''t let you do that to me. I have a right to choose who I want to be with. If you hate me, then let me go. I can see the struggles you have with yourself about me," I said looking at his back which flexed under his tight ck shirt. "I don''t care about you and you don''t care about me either. So let''s just end this with a simple goodbye and go our different ways." "Never!" He turned to face me, his eyes the color of his wolf. "I would never do that. You belong to me and you will stay here with me whether you like it or not!" "Alpha Ryven would never do this. He cares about me in more ways than I can count. Why don''t you just let me go to him?" I cried and flicked my hair behind my shoulders. Alexander stalked towards me. And I backed away until I felt the wall of the bathtub behind me. He tilted my head up so I was directly staring into his eyes. "You smell of him. I wanted to let it slide but I won''t tolerate youparing me to him," he stared deeply into my eyes. "Now tell me sunshine, why do you smell of him?" He smiled but his eyes held nothing of the warmth that was on his face. I tried to look elsewhere, to tilt my head but he had an iron grip on my jaw. I was sure I would have a bruise from his touch. "He asked me to have coffee with him," I said and hoped he would free me but he didn''t. It only made the look on his face scarier. "And what did you talk to him about?" He asked with a cold smirk. "He asked me about my life in the pack but your father came in," I said and he released me. I massaged the ce his hand was on and found it to be quite painful. "My father?" He asked me, the smirk on his face gone, to be reced with inquisitiveness. I knew but it was no business of his what I talked about with his father or Alpha Ryven but I suddenly remembered what his father said. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. "Yes. And they talked about Alpha Ryven offering you something. I feel like it has something to do with me right?" I asked with my heart in my mouth. The topic I was broaching was one meant for Alphas. But Alexander''s demeanor changed instantly when the question was asked. He turned away from me and ran a hand through his hair. I had a sick feeling I was right as my heart hammered away, fearing for his answer. "Alexander, please tell me I''m wrong," I said to him. I watched him as he turned around with a guilt- filled face. 13: The offer 13: The offer Alexander''s POV "You''re wrong," I told Sophia amid the guilt that tried to rip me open. She knew I was lying. I could see the way she looked at me. My expression must have given me away. I hated how she saw me as a beast. I had promised Rudolph I would avenge his death but it wasn''t as easy as I thought. Sophia made me turn against everything I said in the past. Now, I was torn between my feelings for her and my duty to the pack. It didn''t help that she wanted the fu*ker, Ryven. I didn''t know how to make her see he wasn''t who she thought he was. And the part where I saw Dianne hit her, I wanted to murder her right there and then. And then, Sophia disobeyed me. Dianne may have had that stupid thing going on for her that she nned to use against me but I would kill her before she goes a step further. Even if it means taking my Alpha position from me by my father. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "No, you''re lying," Sophia said, bringing my eyes to focus on her moist ones. My eyes caught on my fingerprints on her face where I held her tightly and I was doubled with guilt. My anger would be the end of me. I knew it and the way Sophia stared at me broke my heart into a million pieces. I wanted her to trust me, to run into my arms so I would protect her from whatever comes her way. And the thing I feared the most was the idea that she needed protection mostly against me. I was her nightmare. Her everyday dread and I didn''t want that. I exhaled and ran my hand through my hair, assuming my signature nk and emotionless look. I wanted to leave but not with the fact that there was still a misunderstanding between us. I turned around to her again and noticed she hadn''t rxed a bit since she asked the question. How could I tell her she was right and I was on the brink of losing her to that monster? "I''m not. It''s not about you. You''re not so special to me that I would talk about you with Ryven," I smirked while my heart bled at the look of horror that crossed her face. "I know you don''t care about me, then let me go!" She yelled and the tears which she had tried to keep in her for the past minute came rushing down. I still had the smirk on my face. She balled her fists and looked at me with pain reflecting off her eyes. I walked over to her to get her into my arms and tell her everything would be okay, and that I would be with her no matter what. But I would be lying to her and myself because she would be gone like the wind within the blink of an eye. Instead, I pushed her head up so she was staring into my eyes. Her hot tears fell on my index finger burning my heart. "I will never let you go. The earlier you realize that, the better for you," I said and she pushed my hand away and walked away from me. Her steps were uneven and I knew it was because of what I did to her. I followed her out of the bathroom to make sure she didn''t do anything stupid with herself. However, I doubted it with the way her eyes shone with resolve before leaving the bathroom. She went to the door and opened it but closed it back while I watched from behind. She turned around to look at me with red-rimmed eyes and a flushed face. "I won''t stay here with you. I have moved my things back to my room," she spoke and rubbed her arms as if to get rid of whatever conversation we had in the bathroom. "No, you''ll stay here with me. You''re my mate and future Luna," I said to her in a calm voice even if I didn''t believe thest sentence. She smiled at me and proceeded to walk away but I moved to her. "I got you new clothes and whatever you need. It''s on its way." She opened her mouth and closed it multiple times. "Okay," she said and turned around and I was bitter with anger. What? She''d just give up like that without a fight? That wasn''t the Sophia I knew. Sophia would always try to get people to buy into her idea. Just like how she talked about that she wasn''t the one responsible for Rudolph''s death. And for a few days now, I began to believe her because of the conviction in her eyes each time she said it. And each time I thought about bringing up an investigation, something always came up. But this time, I made a mental note to get Orion to check it out. Before Sophia could reach the doorknob, the door was opened from behind to reveal an angry Orion. He nced at Sophia, noticing her red eyes and flushed cheeks before raising his eyebrows at me in question. I knew my face was stoic and he took that as an initiative that I didn''t want to talk about it with Sophia in the room. "Alpha Ryven wants to see you," he said and Sophia looked sharply at him. I almost wanted to choke Orion with the re I threw his way. He felt it and bared his neck. "Okay," I muttered and retracted my re. Opening up the mind-link to Orion, I questioned him, turning my face down so Sophia wouldn''t notice I was having an internal conversation with Orion. She was a smart girl and knew whatever it was that was being said had something to do with her or Alpha Ryven. "Couldn''t you have mindlinked me?" I asked as irritation sipped from my voice. Orion walked away from the room when he noticed my stance. He knew what I was doing. I followed him out of the room and cut the mind-link, not waiting for him to respond to me. Looking back at Sophia while I passed by her, she refused to meet my gaze but stared at the floor, her lips in a thin line. We got out of the room and Orion threw a questioning gaze my way. "Forget it. I''m not talking about it," I said while I went to my office, following Ryven''s scent. "Oh,e on. I saw that you made her cry." "And?" I asked him as soon as I reached the door to my office. There was a guard in it to make sure Ryven didn''t do anything stupid or out of line. "And nothing. What''s your n now? Have you decided to give her up?" I stopped my hands from reaching the doorknob and turned to Orion. I was sure as hell I looked scary as I felt my blood boil from the question. Orion backed away from me, realizing his mistake, and raised his hands in surrender. "Okay, fine. I get it. She''s still with you and would probably be our Luna." "She will," I said and opened the door, banging it in his face. I was irritable when I knew that was the same question I had asked myself so many times since thest time Ryven and I spoke. I was just afraid of the truth, afraid to face it. I saw Ryven lounging on the chair with a magazine in his hands. He smiled when he noticed my presence. "What a pleasant surprise that you decided to host me here. Thest time we spoke you weren''t so kind. I take it it''s because of Sophia," he stood up from the chair and walked toward me. My jaw twitched violently from hearing him talk about Sophia. He came to me and stood a few inches from me, offering his hand for a handshake. I took it and gave it a hard squeeze, almost breaking his bones. He smiled into my eyes and retracted his hand, pretending like he didn''t feel anything when I saw pain bounce off his eyes. "Shall we?" He smiled wider and sat down on the chair without waiting for an invitation. I hated how he acted like he had won already when we hadn''t talked about anything. I stood rooted to my spot, "What do you want?" I asked him and he looked at me, the smile still stered to his face. He pointed to my chair, "Why don''t you have a seat? Whatever good news I brought can''t be shared with you standing. You''re an Alpha and ought to sit while you talk to your guest." "Don''t tell me what to do," I spat and walked over to my drink cab and poured myself a drink. I poured another into a cup and took it to Ryven. I sat down on my chair and stared directly at him while I drowned the contents of the cup in one gulp. It burned my throat, exactly what I loved. I knew whatever information Ryven brought along wasn''t good. It only made me nervous. Thest offer he made was hard to refuse and he wasn''t as happy as he looked now. I feared for what he had to say. "Spill it," I said and poured myself another drink, controlling my heart rate to prevent the ass, Ryven from knowing how nervous I felt. I heard his drink move around in his cup. That was the only sound in the quiet room, "Thend by the east border is all yours," he said and I slowly raised my head to meet a dead serious expression on his face. "What?" I whispered, unable toprehend what I just heard. That can''t be true. Thend by the east border which is owned by Alpha Ryven is one of the most sought-afternds by most Alphas. It wasn''t just because of its fertile soil but because of the river that was there. The river is rumored to heal any kind of ailment. It was Alpha Ryven''s most prized possession. Alpha Ryven shrugged and looked at the cup in his hand, staring deeply into the liquid. "But why?" I asked, looking into his eyes. "Why? What do you n to do with Sophia that you had to give this up to? I know how much thisnd means to you. What is it you''re not telling me?" He continued looking into his drink when he looked into my eyes for some time, "What do you think?" He smirked and looked back at me with a glint in his eyes. Anger blossomed inside of me, "Why?! You bastard!" I red up and threw my cup on the floor. It shattered along with my heart. "Ask your bloody father," Ryven roared and smashed his cup on the desk. I watched his blood drip slowly from the wound on his hand as realization slowly dawned on me. 14: Shame 14: Shame Alexander''s POV ¡°My father?¡± I whispered, already knowing what wasing. I felt dread just by looking at the blood dripping from Ryven¡¯s wound. I knew what it was all about but I kept lying to myself over the years and now, the truth was staring at me in the face. I watched as Ryven¡¯s wound healed up and the smirk came up his face at my expression. I knew he was up to no good but this news surpassed everything I had always imagined. ¡°I will be leaving your pack today. Send my regards to Sophia,¡± he said and stood up from the chair and I followed his movement with my heart in my mouth. I clenched my fist tight while I red daggers at him and he smiled which made me madder. Having the upper hand in this made shame course through my veins. It wasn¡¯t as I had nned. And I was the type of person who has things always nned out. This was a huge blow to my gut. ¡°Fuck you,¡± I snarled and Ryven walked over to the door and turned around time with his hands behind his back. ¡°It was nice meeting you too,¡± he said and walked away while I released the breath I didn¡¯t know I had been holding for so long. This was happening again. What I feared. And it came back within a short time. No, I wouldn¡¯t let this slide. But what could I do? Sophia was out of my grasp already. As much as I told myself I could get her back from the fuc*ker, I knew I was only kidding myself. I felt my wolf stir from the back of my mind. His anger was making me lose my breath as I doubled over from the pain from trying to keep him in. It was more than physical strength to keep Tylen in. And while Ryven was here, I tried so hard not to say anything that would give me away. It would have started a bloody war, one which I wasn¡¯t ready for. ¡°You caused this! I will never forgive you if we lose our mate!¡± Tylen roared, trying to get out and take control. I grabbed the edge of the wooden mahogany table as it snapped under my fingers from the pressure I put on it. I gritted my teeth and a scream tore through my lips, ¡°I didn¡¯t cause anything. You were cruel with your suggestions,¡± I retorted, the edge of the table digging into my hand but I didn¡¯t feel a thing because of Tylen. ¡°Cruel? Now who¡¯s being cruel?! You would have let me kill him when I had the chance and now our mate gets to be taken from us because of him!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t kill my father even if I get the opportunity to do so again. He¡¯s the only family member I have left for goodness sake!¡± I snarked at him and he pushed harder, his emotions mixing with mine, making me confused about whose emotion I was feeling. But I felt intense rage that could burn down a house directed at my father and Ryven. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°You¡¯re weak! Pathetic and weak.¡± Tylen, my wolf said and retreated to the back of my mind and I quickly put up the wall. I breathed hard from the encounter I had with him. But I felt fear. Fear at what he did at thest minute- retreating. Tylen never retreats and gives up until he gets what he wants and I knew he was up to no good. I made a mental note never to let him out until everything cooled off. He could hear my thoughts but I cared less. What I cared about was an exnation from my father. I stood up slowly from the floor, my blood pooled at my knees but my injuries were healed with a wood splinter lodged in my hand. I pulled it out with force, grumbling incoherently. While I walked to my father¡¯s house, I tried not to think about Sophia. Think about how she would belong to someone else now. The mate bond was pulling me to her, never to let her go but I fought it. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart from different directions. It didn¡¯t help that I wanted her back. If it were the time I cared less about her, I believed it wouldn¡¯t hurt this much. But I loved Sophia. I¡¯ve loved her since I firstid eyes on her when we were kids and then, she never looked my way. It made me mad that she was all over Rudolph. And then his death came. It broke me into so many parts. I was at war with myself for so long. And when I finally decided to let the past go and give her a chance, everything came tumbling down. Maybe I was never meant to be with her. Maybe I was never meant for her even if the moon goddess paired us together. It ought to be a mistake. Yes, that was it. That was the only exnation I coulde up with. Her laugh, her smiles, her tears, I would miss all of it. My throat closed up from different emotions that racked through me. I wanted to go to my room and let it all out. But how? I couldn¡¯t cry. I was an Alpha; someone who everyone looks up to. If I cried and sumbed to my pains, what do I expect of my pack members? So I did the only thing I could thing of - I bottled them in and pushed it to the deepest and darkest part of my heart. I reached my father¡¯s house and heard different heartbeats which meant he hadpany. But one of them stood out the most - Dianne¡¯s. I would recognize her heartbeat anywhere because of how long I had been with her. I pushed the door without knocking, wanting to catch them off guard and that was exactly what I achieved. All faces turned to me. They were all members of the council. The room was enveloped into a dead silence and the smell of alcohol assaulted my nose. I stood by the door, taking pleasure in the look on everyone¡¯s faces except my father. I crossed my arms across my chest and walked to the avable chair at the end of the table and sat down nonchntly. Picking up a bottle of scotch, I poured myself a drink and lifted the ss to my lips while everyone avoided my gaze. ¡°A party without your Alpha? That¡¯s not how you treat your Alpha. You would have at least invited him. Hmm?¡± I looked at the bottle on the table before pouring myself another. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, dad?¡± I pinned my father with a look that he mirrored with his. I looked away from him to Dianne who was seated at his right. She was looking at her fake manicured nails like it was more interesting than what I had to say. Howe I never really saw her for who she was until I realized Sophia was my mate? ¡°We were nning to invite you but you seemed rather busy with your new title as an Alpha. You know, managing the pack and all that,¡± my father said and I looked from Dianne to him to find a smile on his face. ¡°So bad I didn¡¯te to the party. I came to have a word with you.¡± He looked taken aback by what I said and I watched how realization slowly reached his eyes and he smiled brightly. The bastard. ¡°Ahh, but that will have to wait. Aren¡¯t you curious what this party is all about?¡± He asked me and I dropped the cup on the table. Some members of the council pretended like they weren¡¯t listening to the conversation with my father. There was a lot of bad blood between father and son and that was solely my father¡¯s fault. No one else¡¯s. His stupid lifestyle made me despise him as I grew older. And now, I couldn¡¯t bear to stay in the same room with me. I watched as Dianne¡¯s eyes met mine and she smiled at me. A beautiful smile that made me go all jittery in the past. But not anymore. From the look on her face, I could guess what it was all about but I didn¡¯t trust my gut feeling this time because I would never allow it if it was what I thought about. ¡°Tell me Dianne, what¡¯s this party without me?¡± I asked her, ignoring my father and she looked at my father. That simple act went to show how much my father still had the members of the pack wrapped around his index finger. I heard the whispers and saw the looks. I was only an Alpha by name. My father still called all the shots. He only made me Alpha because of the rules that every firstborn son be made Alpha at the age of twenty-one. My father didn¡¯t want to disrespect the higher-ups - the ones who were in charge of making sure each pack followed the set of rules. And were the ones who prevented war from breaking out. Sometimes, I think my father wished I wasn¡¯t born so he would have to rule for a very long time. But so bad, I was too determined to win the race of other sperm and be born his son. One who wanted to drive him crazy each day. My father nodded at Dianne and she sat up straighter, ¡°This party is to celebrate me bing the Beta of ¡­¡± ¡°Hold on. You were made the Beta without my knowledge?¡± I asked her and she smiled as if she didn¡¯t know how that sounds. I was angry and clutched the bottle in my hand. Why are they trying to make me kill somebody? ¡°No need to be angry, son. You were busy and we didn¡¯t want to bother you with such a trivial matter,¡± My father said and looked at everyone in the room. ¡°Right?¡± They all nodded their head slowly, picking at their nails or looking at the drink on the table except Dianne who had a smug look on her face. ¡°I am against Dianne bing my Beta. She¡¯s incapable,¡± I said, not considering how Dianne must have felt by my statement. A look of shock and anger crossed her face but I didn¡¯t give a damn. They selected a Beta without me. ¡°Don¡¯t talk crap. She¡¯s capable. We won¡¯t know how capable she is until we try,¡± my father said and took the cup from the table. But before his hand could get to it, I threw my ss cup and it collided with it, knocking both cups and some bottles off the table. Dianne screamed and stood up at once with some other people. It was one thing to take my duties from me and treat me like trash. And it was another thing to disrespect me in front of my pack members. ¡°I will not tolerate any disrespect from you even if you¡¯re my father! I am your Alpha whether you like it or not.¡± I snarled and stood up. ¡°I¡¯m your father. And I deserve some respect!¡± My father yelled and kicked the leg of the table which made the cups and bottles fall on the floor. ¡°Let me out so I¡¯ll kill this bastard,¡± Tylen snarled in my head. I didn¡¯t know when I had let the wall down. It happened so fast that I felt Tylen take over and lunged for my father. 15: He played with my feelings 15: He yed with my feelings Sophia¡¯s POV The days had been longer than usual. It was pure torture waiting for Alexander to wake up. It had been five days already since the incident with his father and I felt like I would give up from worrying too much about him. I haven¡¯t had a real meal in days and some sleep. I was worried sick about him. All the what-ifs swarmed my head and I feared I might go crazy. I knew he had always been a jerk to me and made me confused on so many asions but I still cared about him even if he didn¡¯t care about me. To be honest with myself, I didn¡¯t know how he felt about me. Sometimes he made me feel like I was the only girl in his world. And sometimes, he makes me feel like I am worthless and will never amount to anything. I watched him while he slept with a drip attached to his right hand. He looked so peaceful. All the worry lines were gone from his face and I wished that¡¯s how he would always be - without worry. These past few days, I had the time to reflect on everything that had been happening to me. It had been happening so fast that I didn¡¯t get a moment of respite. And Dianne finally let me be. She sometimeses around to check up on Alexander and remind me how a waste of space I was. And apart from that, there was nothing else. My heart lept in my throat when I saw Alexander¡¯s hand twitch slightly. I got up slowly from the chair I was sitting on and went to where his bedy. His eyes twitched and after that, they opened slowly to reveal the eyes I had dreamt about these past few days. ¡°Sophia,¡± he croaked and I turned around to get the nurse but Alexander¡¯s hand stopped me. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he croaked again and started to sit up while I assisted him on the bed. ¡°Water,¡± he managed to say after I had gotten him to sit up on the bed, with the pillow behind his back. I did as I was told and poured water for him into a ss that was seated on the cab by his bed. He took it from me and drank it in one gulp. ¡°How are you?¡± I asked him and touched his head after I returned the cup to the cab. Alexander nodded at me and avoided my gaze. He looked at his hand, inspecting the drip that was lodged in it. ¡°What happened?¡± He whispered. I knew he remembered what happened like the doctor had said. But he was in denial. I drew my chair closer to him. He was so calm. I expected him to freak out when he woke up but this was aplete contrast to how I imagined what would happen. ¡°Before you could get to your father, he poured wolfsbane all over you. And you passed out. It¡¯s been five days already,¡± I said to him and he became silent, lost in his world. I wanted to take him into my arms and tell him everything would be okay. But how could I? When I was facing a lot at that moment. When he was unconscious, it made me realize how much I had grown into him. I watched him while he slowly turned his head and looked at me. ¡°You should get some rest. It seems you haven¡¯t gotten enough these past days,¡± he told me and I smiled. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied when in truth, all the cells in my body screamed at me to get some rest. ¡°Stop lying to me. I can tell when you are lying. You¡¯re terrible at it,¡± he chuckled with sadness and longing in his eyes. He pulled the needle out of his hand and I gasped, stopping him. The tingles ran through the length of my hand. Alexander looked at me, staring deeply into my eyes. I was in a trance like the world had stopped as the electricity racked through me. Alexander broke eye contact first and looked down. But I caught something sad cross his eyes which made a painful pang go off in my chest. ¡°You should go. I need to speak with my father,¡± he said and made to stand up but I stopped him. He looked at me and gently pushed me away from him but I stood rooted to my spot. He was weak, which made me wonder what exactly his father poured on him. Wolfbane couldn¡¯t make someone pass out, especially someone as strong as an Alpha. Alexander was burned pretty badly from the amount of wolfsbane his father used on him. And I wondered also why his father was having so much wolfsbane with him at that moment. And Alexander didn¡¯t seem surprised at all about it as if he had gone through this already. What exactly was going on? I wanted him to tell me everything but I knew that was only a wish that would nevere true. I pushed Alexander back on the bed and he looked up at me, anger blossoming in his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re still weak. The doctor needs to check up on you,¡± I said. He pushed my hand away from him and stood up. He staggered slightly on his feet and got a hold of himself. ¡°I said I¡¯m fine. Just go!¡± He snapped at me and I stiffened from the tone of his voice. He was being stubborn and I didn¡¯t like it. I came in front of him blocking his way. I knew he was just being irritated about something and it had nothing to do with me. ¡°Don¡¯t make me hurt you,¡± he said to me and I shrugged, looking up at his towering frame. ¡°Just go. Don¡¯t you see I don¡¯t need you here? Waking up and seeing you is not something I wanted. And now, blocking my way from seeing my father. Please don¡¯t make me say things we¡¯ll both regret.¡± I felt like I was hallucinating as my blood stopped in my veins, ¡°What?¡± I took a step back like I couldn¡¯t believe he would say something like that to me. Here I was almost dying with worry and he had to say he regretted seeing me. I turned my face away and bit my lips. The tears that stung the back of my eyes threatened to spill. How could he be so cruel? ¡°Just go. I don¡¯t want to see you,¡± he stepped around me and walked to the door. I balled my fists as anger consumed me. ¡°Is this the thank you I¡¯m supposed to receive? I didn¡¯t sleep a wink because I was worried sick about you and you had to be so cruel,¡± I whispered and turned around. His feet halted and he spun around to look at me. There was nothing in his eyes, just fatigue and something else which he quickly hid. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for you to be worried about me. I¡¯m sorry for all the pain I¡¯ve caused you.¡± ¡°Apology can¡¯t erase anything. You said you wanted me back. Guess it was only for your selfish gains. I can¡¯t believe I believed you and thought to give you a chance, a chance at love,¡± Iughed at the irony of it all. How stupid I had been. I was hurting terribly as my heart bled in my chest. It didn¡¯t matter that he wanted me and eventually got bored of me. Was I just his y toy? Stupid me thinking we had a future together. He opened his mouth to say something and walked to me. I could see the struggles in his eyes. What was he not telling me? His mouth said something but his eyes gave him away. He must have noticed how I looked at him, because the next minute, he was back to his emotionless self. He smirked and walked closer to me, ¡°I never cared about you. I just wanted to see how far you¡¯ll fall for me. It¡¯s such a pity you¡¯re an easy catch. Falling for me even when I had done nothing,¡± he laughed and my tears fell. ¡°Tell me this is all a joke. That you¡¯lle back to yourself minutes from now,¡± I said while my voice trembled from too much emotion - pain, sadness, grief, and most especially shame. ¡°It¡¯s not. I just think it¡¯s best you avoid me and go with any man you choose. Oh, I remember, Ryven right?¡± Heughed again. ¡°So cheap,¡± he muttered and looked at me with disgust. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. I looked away from him. It was too much to bear. There was so much I could take and this? It was thest straw that broke the camel''s back. I was leaving this god-forsaken pack for good! Good riddance to all those who haveughed and scorned me. ¡°I know why you are doing this,¡± I looked back at him again to catch him lost in thoughts before his eyes focused on me. Surprise shed across his eyes. And he looked panicked. ¡°You do?¡± He took a step closer to me. ¡°It¡¯s not what Dianne said. You should probably hear it from me. You know I would never do that willingly,¡± he bbered and ran through his hair. He paced the room while he talked and I was confused. What was he talking about? Dianne didn¡¯t tell me anything. I knew he did that to me because of Dianne and how bored he felt. What was I missing again? ¡°What are you talking about? Is Dianne supposed to tell me anything?¡± I asked him and he stopped to look at me with wide eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That wasn¡¯t meant for you. You should go,¡± he said and hurried over to the door and stopped. Dianne was standing by the door with a look of amusement on her face. ¡°You should tell her,¡± she smirked at Alexander. I was confused by what they were saying. ¡°Tell me what?¡± I asked, looking from Alexander to Dianne. Alexander avoided my gaze and grabbed Dianne¡¯s hand, ushering her out of the room. ¡°Nothing!¡± Alexander snapped and Dianne shrugged his hand off her. She was able to do so because Alexander was weak. She walked into the room and sat down on the chair. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like nothing. What are you not telling me? Dianne, what is going on?¡± I asked her as I stared at her, afraid that if I blinked she would be gone and I would never know what was happening. ¡°Dianne don¡¯t,¡± Alexander warned in a menacing voice but Dianne behaved like she didn¡¯t hear him as she poured herself a ss of water. She gulped it down, ¡°She needs to know. The earlier she knows the better.¡± ¡°Okay, can someone tell me what the fu*k is going on?!¡± I swore as I was tired of the silly game they were ying. I looked at Alexander and saw real fear reflected off his eyes. ¡°Dianne¡­¡± Alexander started. ¡°Alexander traded you over to Alpha Ryven for a piece of sillynd,¡± Dianne said, cutting Alexander off and I felt my world copse on itself. 16: Finally, the truth 16: Finally, the truth Sophia¡¯s POV I looked at Dianne to Alexander, expecting Dianne tough out loud and tell me it was one of her silly games but the room was as silent as a graveyard. ¡°This is another of your jokes right?¡± I asked her and she sneered at me and stood up from the chair. I looked at Alexander and he cursed out loud and left the room, leaving me with Dianne. My heart was hurting so much. When I thought I had finally found a chance at love, this came to me, crushing me more than I could ever imagine. The tears began to leak from my eyes even when I told myself I would never cry over a man. Heck! It was so hard to be strong, to shoulder all the me and all. Dianne walked over to me and rested a hand on my shoulder as if she cared about me. I didn¡¯t have the strength to tell her off. I looked up at her and found glee nestled in her eyes. She was feeding off my grief. It made her happy to see me sad. Not like I had expected anything different but it was a huge p to my face how I had thought everything would finally be okay. ¡°You should go pack your things and go with Alpha Ryven now. I heard he would be leaving today,¡± she said and smiled, her eyes crinkling at the edges. I shrugged her hands off my shoulders and red hard at her but it only made her smile more. ¡°This is what you¡¯ve always wanted. Happy now?¡± ¡°Of course. What do you expect? Alexander would be mine now and I wouldn¡¯t have anyone to compete with me even if you were never apetitor to begin with,¡± she said andughed in my face which made me more bitter and hurt. I felt my legs almost give out under me from shame and mockery but I refused to let her see the end of me in my shame and distress. It would only give her more reason to mock me and rub it in my face. ¡°Well, good for you. I would be leaving for good. Take care of yourself,¡± I said and made to walk away but her words stopped me. ¡°You didn¡¯t believe Alexander wanted you back, did you?¡± She asked me and her face was reced with a serious expression. It made my heart lurch in my throat. I didn¡¯t want to hear it. She was a liar who wanted to break me into as many pieces as possible. ¡°How do you mean?¡± I heard myself asking her out of curiosity and she smiled and picked at her nails, circling me. I stared at the ground, my heart beating in my chest at what she had to say. She stopped behind me and whispered in my ear, her breath ticking me. I wanted to run away from her, go to my room, wake up, and find out it was all a bad dream. That Alexander was hale and hearty and was still relentless in making me his mate and Luna. ¡°It was a bet he made with Orion about getting you back. You know how boys are. Not to wound his ego, he went for you.¡± ¡°Alexander would never do that. I knew he wanted me back with the look in his eyes,¡± I said and clenched my fists without looking at her. She scooted away from me and walked to the door laughing. She stopped when she got to the door frame. ¡°Suit yourself,¡± she said and walked off and I was alone in my world which had crumbled around, leaving me to pick up the broken pieces and hurting myself terribly in the process. I looked at her retreating and a nurse walked into the room. I spun on my heel to prevent her from seeing me in my sorry state. ¡°Where is he?¡± She asked me and I swallowed, hoping my voice woulde out strong. ¡°He¡¯s gone,¡± I said and she gasped which made me turn around and look at her. I was intrigued and looked her in the eye, not minding how she saw me. It was already a known fact that I was a maid in the pack. So what exactly was I afraid of? ¡°Is anything the matter?¡± I asked her and she gulped audibly. ¡°Nothing. You should leave. I will report it to the doctor about Alpha leaving.¡± She said and hurried out of the room and I knew something was amiss. However, I reminded myself that it was not my business what happened to Alexander. He sold me off without batting an eye. His mate and soon-to-be Luna. The thought of it made me clench my fists and I walked out of the room. I was ready to go to Alpha Ryven. He had always shown me love and I knew he would be good to me but my heart didn¡¯t beat for him. Maybe I was thinking too far into this and he only wanted me for waft? The more I thought about it, the more I became confused and felt something wasn¡¯t right. Why would he trade over a piece ofnd for me - a worthless individual? There was more to the story than meets the eye and I won¡¯t stop until I find out what it was. I was on my way to his house when I met Dianne¡¯s mother walking toward me. I stopped to greet her with a smile and she returned it with a smile of hers that did reach her eyes. ¡°Can we talk?¡± She asked me and I could detect a bit of anxiety from her. She looked to the ground and up at me again, smiling. ¡°Sure. Is everything okay? You don¡¯t look fine,¡± I said and walked towards her to ce aforting hand on her shoulder. But I stopped myself and remembered we were not that close. She had only shown me love maybe because she had been guilty about the way Dianne treated me. But she had been nothing but an angel to me. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She filled the void of the loss of my parents in my life, making me feel like the mother I never had. Dianne¡¯s mother looked around as if expecting someone to spring up on her. ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere quiet,¡± she said and took my hand in hers, walking towards the woods. All of a sudden, I felt nervous and wanted her to begin to spill but I had to redirect her. We got to a tree and she looked around, making sure no one was with us, and let go of my hand. ¡°I heard,¡± she said and looked down at her hands before wiping them on her thigh. She was nervous which made me nervous. My throat closed up from too many emotions. For a while, I had forgotten about my situation, how I belonged to someone else now and would be leaving the pack. I wanted to leave the pack for a very long time but I couldn¡¯t because I was still a child. And now the opportunity came but I was afraid of what the future held for me in Alpha Ryven¡¯s pack. ¡°Yes,¡± I said and looked away from her. My eyes stung with unshed tears and I knew I would miss her. Miss Dianne¡¯s mother. ¡°Do well to take care of yourself. I know this pack has not been good to you when you were here and you would never miss it but I do hope you find the happiness you deserve,¡± she muttered with a voice thick with emotion and turned me so I was facing her. I saw that her eyes held tears also and I was happy about her in my life. She was the only person who cared for me in the pack. She pulled me into a hug and I cried into her shoulder. We pulled apart and she looked at me ¡°I hope you can forgive Alexander for what he did in the past. I know your mother would have never wanted you to hold a grudge against another person. It wasn¡¯t his fault as he was not thinking straight at that moment,¡± she said, rubbing the back of my hand in a circr motion. My brows drew together in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She sucked in a breath and pulled her hands away from mine. She looked a lot like Dianne but was the angel sent from the moon goddess to guide me in the wicked world. ¡°I thought you knew. We should forget about what I said earlier,¡± she said and I stopped her from walking away from me. She avoided my eyes and looked up at me sharply, a pleading look in her eyes. ¡°Please.¡± I shook my head, ¡°No, I deserve to know. I won¡¯t know I have to forgive him if I don¡¯t know what I am forgiving him for,¡± I said trying to reason with her as my heart beat fast in my chest. I was tired of being kept in the dark. I deserved to know. And I had a terrible feeling what I was about to know would change my life forever. She licked her lips as hesitation danced in her eyes and I took that as the perfect opportunity to try to convince her more. ¡°Whatever is in the past, I¡¯m sure I can forgive him. And it won¡¯t be much of a big deal.¡± Dianne''s mother bit her lips hard while her hands trembled. I held her hand and looked straight into her eyes and she sighed. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t kill Rudolph,¡±¡®she said and I waited because I knew she had more to say because of the way her lips were opened with a distant look in her eyes. She stayed like that for a bit, not saying anything more and I was drenched in curiosity ¡°If you knew, then why didn¡¯t youe to my aid? Why didn¡¯t youe out to defend me?¡± I asked her and backed away from her. I couldn¡¯t believe that she would do that to me. When everyone ridiculed me and hurt me, she kept mute when she knew the truth. Her words would have gone a long way in helping me because she was the Beta¡¯s wife. A sad look crossed her face. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Sophia. I tried to do so as my conscience judged me day and night but I couldn¡¯t go against him. He would have killed me if I said anything.¡± ¡°Who''s he you speak of?¡± I asked her and I had a duck feeling I knew who it was. There was only one person in the pack whom she would be afraid of and that is Alexander¡¯s father. But why would he kill Rudolph and pin the me on me? ¡°I¡¯m sorry Soph. But I can¡¯t tell you. I¡¯m afraid he woulde for me also,¡± she said with tears in her eyes. I walked up to her and held her hands. ¡°Please. I need to know so I¡¯ll forgive him in my heart and move on even if he made my life in the pack hell,¡± I said and she hesitated and looked around us. There was no one in the thick forest but she drew closer to me, ¡°It was Alexander,¡± she whispered and I looked at her in the eyes to find her dead serious. She was gripping my hands so hard but I was unable to feel with the tremors in my heart ¡°Alexander?¡± I asked her and she nodded her head and hugged me. While my bones were stiff from shock and betrayal. 17: Good riddance to bad rubbish 17: Good riddance to bad rubbish Sophia This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Why¡­why¡­" I stopped to look at her with confusion. It was hard to believe her. Alexander was cruel but going as far as killing his best friend to frame me for it was not something I thought he could do. "I know it''s hard to take in. But I do hope you''ll forgive him," Dianne''s mother squeezed my hand and I looked away from her, unable to look her in the eye. "But why?" I asked no one in particr and turned to face her back. Tears were brimming in her eyes and I couldn''t understand. I tried toe up with different reasons but none made sense to me. I never hurt Alexander so why does he hate me so much? I began to believe what Dianne told me about Alexander getting me back for a silly bet. It made me want to scream out to the universe for making my life so pathetically hard. I never offended anyone and tried to be in everyone''s good books. But all they ever did was make my life hell. Maybe I was never meant to be in this pack. Maybe the moon goddess made a mistake in cing me here. I never felt like I belonged and I was d I would be leaving the pack. That''s what I told myself. But deep down, I knew I wanted to be acknowledged, to be felt, and to belong here. I wanted to feel what it''s like to be loved by people around me. I sucked in a shaky breath and ran a hand through my hair. Some knots gave me a burn on my scalp when I pulled harder. But the pain was nothingpared to knowing my mate had broken me over the years without my knowledge. Someone who I wanted to please and get back to. Dianne''s mother squeezed my hand again, bringing me to the present. I didn''t know when she moved forward to me and held my hand. "I don''t know why he did it. But I knew he didn''t make you intentionally go through so much pain. He was probably scared of what would happen if people got to hear about it. And being the omega, it was easy for him to pin it on you," she said while rubbing the back of my hand with her thumb. It didn''t bring me any form offort that it intended to bring. "How can you still defend him when he killed your stepson, Rudolph?" I asked her with surprise. She was a woman of great value. Someone I admired so much but I just couldn''t understand how she could be so calm about all of it. "I was broken when I found out about it. But soon, I learned to let go of it. It was of no use." "At least, you should have said something!" I yelled and turned away from her, my anger simmering at the edge. "He would havee for me. I didn''t want to leave you or Dianne behind. He was the Alpha''s son and it would be his voice against mine. I wasn''t so confident I would win the case against him. He is maniptive and sinister," she whispered behind me, her voice breaking at the end. I felt guilty for shouting at her and took ten breaths to calm myself down. It worked but my anger for Alexander didn''t subside. "I understand that you did what you thought was best for everyone. I can''t be mad at you because maybe I would have done the same if I were in your position," I said and hugged her tight, my chest constricting painfully from the hurt and betrayal I experienced within a day. It was too much to bear for anyone. But this was me. Someone who had seen worse days. And I knew I would be fine. For the first time in a long while, I looked towards the future - what it holds. "Thank you for your understanding. Now, go meet Ryven. He''s a good man and I know he will take good care of you," she said and patted my back. I disentangled from her and walked away without looking back. I feared that if I looked back, I might not be able to bring myself to leave the pack without her. She had been my anchor. I walked over to Alpha Ryven''s house - the ce he was staying in the pack. But as soon as I got there, I met his Beta instead who told me Alpha Ryven had gone away "I don''t understand. I thought I belonged to him now?" I asked him and he smiled at me. He was a handsome young man in his thirties with blond hair that fell to his forehead, coffee-brown eyes, and a straight nose. He was heavily built, unlike Alpha Ryven who was moderately built. "Yes. You belong to him now. But you will being with me instead to the pack. An emergency came up and he had to leave early. I''d suggest you start packing up now as we would be leaving in the next hour," he said and I nodded my head at him and left. I went over to the pack house to get my things with a heavy heart. I hoped I wouldn''te across Alexander but that was who I saw first when I walked into the house. He stopped when he saw me and we locked eyes for a while. I wanted to scream at him and tell him all the nasty things he had told me over the years. But to what end? It was of no use. I would be gone from the pack. He did what he did and I hoped it returned to him a hundred times over. No words were exchanged between us. He was silent but his eyes held a lot of words. Emotions swirled in them. But the most prominent was pain. I didn''t know what he spoke about with his father, but for the first time, I saw a broken man in him. I broke eye contact and walked away from him, my shoulder brushing against his arm when I passed by him on the door. I heard him turn around and felt his eyes on me. I didn''t tune around but walked straight to get my little things from my shabby room at the back of the pack house. I finished packing up and looked around the room I had known most of my life. Here, I cried, laughed, and prayed. But all I ever saw was pain and suffering. I went back to Alpha Ryven''s Beta. He was waiting for me by the door of a car just outside of the guest house. I swallowed hard and entered when he entered the backseat. We were driven out of the pack by a driver. I thought I would never feel pain and be strong. But as soon as we drove out of the pack, I broke down. That had been the pack I grew up in. Even if I can barely remember my parents, they were part of that pack. Thest memories I had were of that ce. Even if they were mostly bad memories, they still counted as something. The car was filled with the noise of my cries. The Beta didn''t say anything, pretending that I wasn''t there and I was d about that. I cried for all the horrible things done to me. I cried for losing my mate, one who was supposed to protect me and give me peace. It was overwhelming and soon enough, I fell asleep in the car. I was woken up by the horn ring at something and I sat up. We were in the middle of the woods. Up ahead, was a huge gate. I could no longer feel the link to my pack as I had left their grounds. But instead, I felt so out of ce in the car because I was in a new pack. "Don''t worry, everything will be fine," The Beta beside me said with warm eyes and I nodded at him. He seemed to understand what I was thinking about. And I took the opportunity to ask him about the reason I was traded over with a piece ofnd. I hesitated for a bit, biting my nails. "Say it," he said from beside me and I turned to look at him, looking away from the towering gate. We gained entry into the pack after a guard recognized the Beta in the car. I hesitated again until I saw him smile. He meant no harm to me and just wanted to help. "Why did Alpha Ryven trade me over for a piece ofnd?" I asked him and he put his mouth in a thin line and looked away from me to the window. "It''s best you ask Ryven. He''s in the best position to exin it to you." "I know. But would you at least give me a hint? I should know what I am getting into. I don''t know if I''ll be a servant or something else," I tried to reason with him and he hesitated. The car passed through a tiled road in the pack. The pack was much bigger than my former pack. It has lots of houses and looks like two small towns merged. The people were happy and going about their daily lives, giving no need for the car. The pack was beautiful without doubt with many trees and flowers at the side of the road which provided some form of trade. It was also well-developed. "You won''t be a servant here. You''ll be something else," the beta said and I looked away from the window and back at him. He wasn''t looking at me but at the window as well. I was confused about what he said as my brows drew together. "I don''t understand. If I won''t be a servant here, what will I be?" I saw him smile from his side profile and muttered something under his breath. "Let''s just say, you will be by Alpha Ryven''s side for a very long time," he said to me and turned. And then the car stopped. I wanted to ask him what he meant by that. But he was out of the car before I could say a word. 18: In his pack 18: In his pack Sophia It was shocking to see all of the servants go about their business without giving me a second look. I was not part of them because of my scent but they all did like I was invisible. I guessed Alpha Ryven must have warned them about it. But thinking about it, he wasn''t the type of person to do such a thing. I took my mind off it when we stopped in front of a door. I looked at the Beta beside me and he smiled down at me. He was a nice man. He opened the door and my mouth fell agape at whaty before me - the room was painted in my favorite purple color. Not only that, there was a princess bed in the middle of the room. It looked like one of the rooms that would only be seen in movies. At the side of the room was a huge dressing table, on which different makeup kitsy. And at the side of the room were two doors. One leading to the bathroom and the other leading to what I guessed would be the closet. "You like it?" The Beta asked and I looked sharply at him, I feared I might get a whip ssh from it. My hair fell to my face from the action and he chuckled. "Like? I love it. Is this my my room?" I asked him to be sure I wouldn''t be happy just to realize my room would be worse than the one I had in my former pack. It was funny how I adapted so quickly to the pack, that I had unintentionally called it my former pack. And Alpha Ryven''s pack my new pack. I missed my old pack. No doubt but I was looking forward to a brighter future here. "Of course. It''s your room. What do you expect from Alpha Ryven? You''re his special guest so it''s only right you be treated as such," he said and walked into the room while I followed suit. My throat was constricted from too many emotions. Why would someone who barely knew me do that much for me? "I don''t understand, how am I his special guest?" I asked him when we got into the room and he stopped to look at me. There was something in his eyes that I could not decipher. It had been there all along since the time we were in the car but I chose to ignore it. But at that moment, I noticed it one more time. What was he hiding from me? And there was a way he looked at me that he hadn''t looked at me before. I couldn''t exin it because I didn''t know what it was. "Just know you are," he said and decided to stop there. "There are clothes in the closet for you. In case you need anything, just ring the bell there," he said and pointed to a bell that was lodged on the wall beside the bed. I bit my lips, my thoughts running wild. But I decided to stay silent. I knew no matter how much I asked him, he wouldn''t spill. I just needed to wait for Alpha Ryven. His footsteps receded while my eyes took in the room again, amazed at the setting of the room. It was one fit for a princess and not a lowly ve like me. He got to the door and stopped. I turned around to look at him to find him looking at me. "Alpha Ryven wants toe down for dinnerter. I suggest you take your bath now and rest," he said and opened the door, walking out of the room. I let my feet roam the whole of the room, touching different things I wasn''t familiar with but made sure not to break anything in case I found out it was all a lie. Stripping, I got to the bathroom and my jaw almost hit the floor. The bathroom was made up of white tiles. I felt like I was in the underworld. Or with Selene, the moon goddess. The bathroom felt too clean for me. Out of reflex, I almost ran out of the bathroom but I had to stell my nerves. I soaked myself in the tub with hot water which helped to loosen my tensed muscles. While in the water, I went over everything that happened within thest twenty-four hours. I loved Alexander and lost him within a day. My love turned into intense hate and then turned into nothing. I was numbed from all the emotions. I just wanted to crawl into bed and wake up to find out I had a long dream. Where I was back in the pack, with Alexander hating me, Dianne bullying me and her mother being the ever-kind woman. The water turned cold and that was when I realized I wasn''t dreaming. I was in reality. It felt too surreal, I knew I would probably wake up when the sun went down. cing the thick bathrobe around my tiny frame, I opened the door to the closet and I stopped breathing for a moment. The room was filled with clothes for different asions. From my panties to party wear. But the most surprising part, it was all my size. It made me wonder how Alpha Ryven got my size without my knowledge. I settled forfortable joggers and a matching top. And went to the bed. It was sofy I fell asleep within minutes. I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. I groggily woke up, rubbing my eyes. It took me a while to realize where I was before breathing in a sigh of relief. A servant in a white uniform walked into the room. I was reminded of the reason I was in the pack. I needed to do something. She stood by the door, not walking in. "Alpha Ryven asks for you in the dining room," she said with her head bent low to the ground. I stood up and walked to her without a word. I was eager to talk to Alpha Ryven about the reason I was in the pack and what I would be doing. She got the hint and began leading the way. The pack was nothing short of beautiful. There were strange engravings on the wall that spoke of how ancient the building was. I was so engrossed in the drawing on the wall, I didn''t realize we were standing in front of two huge double doors. The servant bowed to me and walked off in the direction we hade. I took that as a cue to push the door open and it was pulled from inside. Poking my head in, I saw Alpha Ryven sitting at the head of a long table with a girl as his companion. His brows furrowed and his eyes came to rest on mine which brought a smile to his lips. "Come over," he waved me over and the girl looked toward me. There was some form of resemnce between them. I knew she was his sister from the shape of her brows and the color of her eyes. I walked over to them with my nerves on fire. I had never seen someone look at me like I was his most prized possession with the way Alpha Ryven looked at me. His eyes were all over me and I felt happiness radiate from him. I got to the table and sat down beside him. His sister looked at me with intrigue. "Who are you?" She asked me and I was tongue-tied. I didn''t know how to reply to that. I didn''t even know who I was to be sitting at the dining table with the Alpha of a pack. Luckily, Alpha Ryven came to my aid. "She''s someone you would have loved to meet a long time ago. Get used to her because she will be staying with us here in the pack house," he said and winked at me. I blushed under his gaze and looked at my te. It was filled with different types of food I had never seen in my entire life. Also, it looked delicious so I ced a spoonful of it into my mouth. A little moan escaped me as I relished the feeling of the food. "That didn''t answer my question. Who is she? And why would she be staying in the pack house? She''s not your mate is she?" The girl asked and I choked on my food, coughing profusely. Alpha Ryven quickly poured me a ss of water and I chugged it down, my eyes watering because of theck of air in my lungs. He rubbed my back until I could breathe properly. I said a silent thank you to him, mouthing it to him because I was too scared of angering the girl who sat opposite me. "She''s not my mate. She would be staying here. Let''s just drop it!" Alpha Ryven snapped and I flinched. I had never seen him mad. And to be honest, he looked scary as his face morphed into anger. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. His sister dropped her spoon noisily on her te, her anger also getting the better of her. I was so scared, that I feared if I breathed too loudly, it would be a trigger. A thick silence hung in the room as I clutched my fork and stared at the te of food. "I know what this is. You promised Mother you would be with Erica. Why her?" She asked with a breaking voice. What was going on? Alpha Ryven wants to be with me? And who was Erica? "Don''t spill nonsense. I won''t tolerate you telling me what to do!" He stood up from the chair. It made a screeching sound which made me jump in my seat. My appetite was forgotten as I prayed for peace to reign. "Spill nonsense? You just can''t bring a nobody here and let her eat with us. This pack belongs to you as much as it belongs to me!" She yelled and I looked up just in time to see her push her te off the table, crashing with a terrific sound. My heart hammered in my chest as my blood refused to flow in my veins. Had I known my presence would bring a fight, I would never havee. Here I was, thinking being in Alpha Ryven''s pack would be all sunshine and rainbows. "This should be thest time you call her a nobody. If you''re not happy being here with her, then leave!" 19: Feelings 19: Feelings Sophia I heard Alpha Ryven¡¯s sister suck in a breath. And I knew there would never be peace in the house as long as I was there. Daring to look at her face, I took a peak at it and saw it was as dark as a thunderstorm. ¡°What?!¡± She scoffed and red down at me. ¡°I¡¯ll have to leave for her? You¡¯re not being serious, are you?¡± he asked while she crossed her hand across her chest. I could feel her angering out in waves. I didn''t know the kind of misunderstanding thaty before them. But whatever it was, I was sure it wasn''t something that could be settled in a day. I gulped and dropped my fork on the table which made Alpha Ryven look at me. I got up slowly and made my way to the way I came and asked a maid for directions to my room. She directed me there and I sat down in the bed with apprehension. I could not understand what was going on. And the more I thought about it, the more I felt I would lose my mind. Everything around me just seemed to have a way of going bad. It was probably due to the bad luck I had since I was born that made my parents die when I was small. I tried to tell myself multiple times that I was only a person with emotions who would feel that way. But doing that didn''t help either. The door was opened from behind and Alpha Ryven walked in with a calm expression on his face. I didn''t want to look him in the eyes so I avoided his gaze. He seemed to notice and came to sit in the bed with me, his scent making me dizzy. He has a masculine smell that wants me to run into his arms and he, in turn, will wrap it around me, telling me everything would be okay. And also telling me all my fears were in my head. However, nothing of that sort happened. With soft fingers, he turned my face to him so I was looking into his eyes. There was nothing in his eyes. I couldn''t know what he was thinking because he guarded himself so well. It was unlike me who doesn''t know how to guard her emotions. I hated it. I hated how everyone close to me knew exactly what I was thinking just like an open book. "I''m sorry you had to see that," he said while he pushed a stray hair away from my face. It made my heart lurch in my throat. It was the most romantic gesture I had ever experienced. And I wanted to tell myself not to get ahead of myself by falling for the big bad Alpha. But his gaze made me feel something deep within. Something deades to life. I guarded my heart against that. Against any form of heartbreak that would protect me from loving the wrong person. But soon, I hade to realize that loving someone wasn''t part of one''s ability to control. Your heart didn''t give a warning when it wanted to love someone. You just find yourself yearning for the person, craving his touch and the way his eyes lock on yours. That was what I feared I would eventuallye to crave from someone, from the wrong person who doesn''t love me as much as I woulde to love him. "You seem lost. Did something happen?" He asked me and scooted closer to me, bringing my hands to his rough ones. I smiled shyly and shook my head no at him. "Then tell me what''s on your mind," he said and I looked up to find sincerity in his eyes. His eyes held something in them at that moment and before I could decipher what it was, it was gone just like the wind. "I have no idea why I''m here," I confessed to him and he smiled lovingly at me. "Is that why you are stressing yourself out?" He chuckled which made a nice sound, making heat pool in my lower belly. He was so cute when heughed. The way his eyes crinkled at the edges and the way his lips rode up in a way that made me want to watch himugh. He continued staring into my eyes and began drawing light circles at the back of my hand. I couldn''t deny it, he was making me fall for him. The subdued way he touched me in ces I never knew I could be touched and feel loved by it. It was a small gesture but it spoke volumes of how he thought of me. I''ve heard stories of how men try to getdies to bed with them from their little gestures. I couldn''t be sure Alpha Ryven was one of them because why would he want to get in bed with me when there were tons of women who threw themselves at him each day without remorse? "There you are again, lost in your thoughts," he sighed and squeezed my hand. "I brought you here because I found out about the way you were being treated in your pack. I didn''t like it. You deserve better than to be treated like a piece of trash. And I knew you could achieve so much with the right guidance," he said and I sucked in a breath. My hands were mmy from sweat. It shook slightly from the emotion that rocked me. No one had ever thought of me that way. I wanted to tell Alpha Ryven everything that was going on with me. To open up to someone for once. Someone who cares about me enough to think of a way to help me. "Hush, we don''t want you ruining your pretty face with tears," he said and scooted closer to me so I was resting my head on his broad shoulders. Everything felt right with him by my side. Like we were made for one another. But we weren''t. It pained me greatly that he would never think of me the same way my heart was beginning to beat for him. It was humorous about how I was slowly falling for him when I left my mate barely six hours ago. I hugged him tighter, relishing the feel of him against me. I half expected him to touch me intimately. But he respected me which made my heart beat a little faster for him. His hands were at my back, taping gently while I calmed down. "Thank you," I said as I shyly disentangled from him. He smiled down at me when I dared to look up at him. He thought of giving me some space which I was grateful for and walked up to the couch to sit down, facing me. Looking at him from a distance made him seem untouchable. Like I could nevere up to his level no matter how much I tried. My heart broke at the realization that whatever feeling that started to grow for him should be killed before it became a problem that couldn''t be handled. Thest thing I needed at his pack was to let my stupid feelings for him get in the way of bing a better person for me. And to my parents who would have wanted more than I could ever dream about. "The girl I was talking to in the room is my younger sister. I guessed you must have seen the resemnce between us," he sighed and ran a hand through his hair but stopped himself, dropping it back down to his thigh. He bent forward, his hands resting on his knees as he looked at the table. For a moment, I saw sadness sh in his eyes before he could fully bend his head forward. His hair fell to his eyes giving him an underworldly glow. He continued while I waited for him without interruption and being as silent as I could be. "We fell apart when our mother died because¡­" he stopped and raised his head. Because what? I wanted to ask him but saw his eyes zed over which meant he was mindlinking someone. Probably his beta. An alluring smile stretched his lips and I was confused about what could bring such a smile when a moment ago, he seemed like the world had crumbled over him. He chuckled and his eyes returned to normal. "I have great news. Everything you need for your training is ready. You will be starting tomorrow morning by six," he beamed. "Six? I don''t understand. Why would I be training?" I asked with furrowed brows. A wider smile stretched his lips and he stood up, walking toward me with arge stride. I had never seen anyone so happy before which made me eager for the news. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. But something in me told me whatever he had to say wouldn''t be something I would like to hear. 20: Princess treatment 20: Princess treatment Sophia He came and sat beside me. I was confused more than I had ever been. And my heart hammered in my chest. What was going on? I wanted to ask out loud but my throat was dry. He was so close to me that our skin rubbed against one another. I looked up at him and his face was split into a smile. He brushed my hair behind my ears and I looked down waiting for him to tell me what he meant. He cleared his throat, "You are going to train so that your wolf wille out," he said to me while I raised my head. He smiled at me and I was more confused at that time than ever. "How do you know she woulde out because of the training?" I asked him and I shifted away rim him. He was making me ufortable with the way he looked at me. I just couldn''t ce a hand in it. It was giving me the chills. The butterfly that flew in my stomach before died because of how he looked at me. He chuckled like I was talking rubbish and as much as I tried to hide the anger that reflected off my eyes, he caught it. His brows drew together and he assumed a serious posture by folding his hands across his chest. "It has worked for some of my pack members so it would work for you," he said and I looked away from his eyes which seemed intent on drinking me in. "I know it may have worked for your pack members, but I''m different. I''ve tried a lot of things. I just think I wasn''t blessed with a wolf. No training of any kind would bring her out." Imented and sighed for the tenth time that day. Maybe it was more, I couldn''t be sure but it was not less than ten. "Hush. You will be fine. You''ve always done great and this time wouldn''t be any different. I know you have gone through some hard times in your life but trust me when I say you will need this. And when you eventually get her, you will be thankful for it," he said to me while my eyes watered at his words. He just had a way of letting me know I wasn''t the trash I was made to believe over time. Maybe he was sent to save me from the hands of the wicked ones around me. Saying a silent prayer of gratitude to the moon goddess, I unconsciously hugged him. It was when his hands wrapped around me I was aware of what I did. I tried to break free but he held on tight. My nerves steeled when I felt him breathing down my neck. It made me aware of what he was, an alpha. He could im me or do whatever he wanted with me because I had no voice of my own. And worst part, no one would ever believe me just like how no one believed I didn''t kill Rudolph. He must have noticed my position because he pulled away from me and looked at me while checking my temperature with his hand on my forehead. "You''re sweating. Did I make you nervous?" He asked me and I shook my head against the word that was nestled at the tip of my tongue. "Don''t lie to me. It''s pretty obvious when you lie. Your eyes be unfocused," he said and I bit my lips at how well he could read me. I stayed silent while he watched me. I was well aware of his eyes that refused to leave my face, checking for any other emotion that would be caught. After what felt like forever, he sighed and stood up. "The servant wille to call you tomorrow. You should get some rest. If you need the library, a maid will take you there. It''s not far from your room," he said while I still felt his gaze on me. He continued, "That will be all," and walked out of the room, closing the door with a soft sound as if afraid that if it was louder, I would break from it. I was grateful for the silence of the room. The silence always brought some form offort that couldn''t be gotten from any humanpany. I was only saying that probably because I haven''t found anyone''spany I enjoyed so much. Alexander''spany was starting to get like that until he decided to break me. I sighed when I realized I was thinking about Alexander. I promised I would never think of him - happy memories only. But it was harder than I thought. Everything in my life circled my former pack and my thoughts always wandered there. And since Alexander was the Alpha of the pack, it was inevitable I thought about him. Another bad thing about my pathetic life. I got up and walked to the window. The pack house was not fenced like the one in my former pack and I could make out some pack members. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. My eyes caught on two children at the side of a house that had a white picket fence. They were ying with something that looked like a toy and I was transported back to my childhood. It was blurred. But one thing I knew was, I was never happy. The death of my parents took a part of my soul with them. I was once a happy little girl who thought that there was no pain or sadness in the world. Little did I know I was about to get the most grief-ridden life of all time. Tears gathered at the back of my eyes as I recalled the painful memories. The happy ones don''t know what kind of fate they have to see happiness in their lives. It was something I wished for daily to feel less pain. I moved away from the window, the memory of my childhood too painful to bear. I got to the end of the room, my hand on the doorknob. I was so bored out of my mind I decided to take Alpha Ryven''s advice. I opened the door and walked out to find a servant moving my way. She paused by me, contemting if she should bow to me or not. I was sure the news must have spread around the pack about how Alpha Ryven got into a fight with his sister because of an Omega. It was never heard of. Omegas were made to the lowest in the pack, serving the pack members. I smiled at her and stopped her by cing a hand on her shoulder, her vani smell wafting into my nose. "Do you know where the library is?" I asked her and she pointed in the direction of the north. I was bad at directions and knew I would never get it if someone didn''t show me. So I asked her to show me which she dly did. She finally made up her mind and bowed down to me. I followed her out of the hallway and went to the library. On getting there, my jaw almost hit the floor from the sheer might of the library. It was huge and filled with different books. There was adder at the edge of the room to be able to get the books to the upper part of the shelves. I heard the servant chuckle before the door was closed with a click. I picked a spot by the window, settling for a romance book by a female author. From the first page, I was hooked and didn''t notice the sun had gone down. I looked outside the window after some hours to find it already day out. My back made some crackling sounds when I stretched and I decided to retire for the room. The novel was one hell of a read. I experienced everything the protagonist felt. In a way, it was simr to my life but had a sad ending. I could not help but think if that was how my life would end; without achieving any of my goals. I didn''t let the thought bother me too my while I ate my dinner. I finished it, bathed, and retired to bed. Soon, I was fast asleep, the events of the day catching up with me. I was awoken by the sound of knocking on the door. The same maid of the day before came into my room with a smile on her face while I groaned audibly. It seemed like I only slept for minutes. I was still groggy and tired, my muscles aching terribly. It was probably because of my sitting position when I was reading in the library. I was so engrossed in the book I didn''t take notice of how I sat until I got to thest page of the book. The girl didn''t say anything but instead, went into the bathroom to prepare a bath for me. I felt it was old-fashioned. I could take care of myself but she insisted. "I can do it. I mean I have been taking care of myself since I was little," I told her when she refused to leave the bathroom, her head bent low to the ground. But her shoulders gave her away of how stubborn she was. I got to the tub to find hot water in it with a mixture of rose oil and some other ingredients. She left when she found out I was more stubborn than her. I took my bath and wore one of the numerous training outfits in the closet. After that, I followed the maid out of the room toward the training ground. There, I met a stern-looking man waiting for me. The training room was arge room at the far end of the pack house. It contained a lot of weapons which anyone can use to fight. The maid left us alone in therge room and I was suddenly aware of my naked arms. I rubbed them together trying to rid of the nervousness that threatened to ovee me. The man was a huge man with rippling muscles and bulging biceps. His eyes hardened when he caught my eyes roaming his body. "No need to ask who you are. Call me Stone. I don''t tolerateteness. But because it''s your first time here, I''ll let it slide," he stopped and walked over to where I stood. We were in the middle of the room, a soft rug underneath our feet. He continued, "We would be training here from six in the morning to six in the evening. Any question before we start?" He asked me and I opened my mouth. I was sure my eyes were as wide as saucers. "Six in the morning to six in the evening?" I managed to ask as my heart dropped to the pit of my stomach. "Yes, it was a special order from Alpha Ryven. We have to awaken your wolf in the shortest time possible," he said with a booming voice and I swallowed hard. The only thing I could focus on was what he said - awaken my wolf in the shortest time possible. But why? 21: She hates me 21: She hates me My head was rolling with possible thoughts on the reason I would be made to awaken my wolf. Yes, I have wanted her for the longest time since I turned eighteen and found out I couldn''t have her. But this? I never expected it. Mr. Stone shifted on his foot, waiting for me to say something, to say anything but all I could do was look at him. Looking at him didn''t mean I was seeing him. I was seeing something else. "Why does he want to awaken my wolf in the shortest time possible?" I asked him and he shrugged at me, not bothered to answer the question. And I sighed. Not like I expected anything different. I felt like an ungrateful little brat who didn''t know how to appreciate the fact that Alpha Ryven thought enough to want to help me get back on my feet. Not like I was ever on my feet to begin with but it was so thoughtful of him. For a while, I forgot I was in the room for training. Mr Stone cleared his throat which brought me out of my mini daydream. I clumsily got into a fighting stance. And he smirked at me because he knew something I didn''t. And soon enough, I knew the reason for the smile as he kicked my legs and I fell to the ground with a loud thud and a sprained ankle. I was sure my face was red from how I swallowed the scream that threatened to tear out of my lungs. "Stand up. Pick a weapon that resonates with you," he said and moved to the side where the weapons were neatly stacked against one another. Standing to my feet slowly as the pain subsided and I walked over to where he stood. I was so confused by the different weapons that lined each shelf. "Find one. The one that calls to you," Mr. Stone said from behind me and I turned around to see him looking at me. He stopped looking at me and his eyes went to the weapons. I followed his gaze and found him looking at the weapons. "How do I know which one calls to me?" I asked him when my hand touched a little knife about the size of a kitchen knife but bigger than it by about four inches. It was small and light but I realized that I liked it. It was just as he said. That it should resonate with me and that was exactly what I felt when I picked up the knife. It was as if it was tailor-made specially for me. "That''s what it means for it to be yours," Mr. Stone said from behind me and I smiled without saying anything while I yed with the knife in my hand. "Now, drop it. We have to teach you the basics of self-defense and attack," he said and I groaned with a roll of my eyes. We have been doing that for the past four hours. I thought we could finally do something apart from that. But to my utter disappointment, it wasn''t. We trained for more hours and at the end of it all, I felt like I would die and never wake up but be happy with the peace I would feel. I could no longer feel my limbs. "We will continue from here tomorrow." He said and walked off, leaving me in the room and I copsed on the floor and stayed there for a little while before standing up. I stood up and walked painfully to the door and walked out in the direction I remembered where I came from. Not understanding the directions I saw, I gave up and decided to wait for any servant that would pass by. After waiting for about fifteen minutes, a maid walked by and I was ovee with gratitude at that. "Hello, can you please take me back to my room?" I asked her and she nodded her head at me while looking at the floor in respect. "This way ma''am," she said and began to lead the way, walking slowly so I could catch up with her. While I walked I began to think about what my future held in the pack. But no matter what I did, it felt like I was overloading my brain with too many questions when I could just ask Alpha Ryven or wait out to see what happens next. I didn''t do that because the voice of Alpha Ryven''s sister stopped me. "What are you still doing here?" She asked and I turned around to see her staring bloody murder at me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her. I didn''t understand where the hate wasing from. But even if she did hate me, wouldn''t she have waited until I had rested to ask me? I felt like I would give up under my weight as my legs hurt terribly. The maid looked between the both of us, not knowing what she should do until Alpha Ryven''s sister red hard at her and she scurried away from us. I didn''t know what to do except to stare at the wall behind her. I avoided her gaze as much as possible. They were sharp and pierced my soul. "I don''t understand what you mean," I whispered, using one hand to hold myself up. I breathed hard as I tried to mute the voice that wanted to yell out at her for making me suffer on my feet. She hissed at me and came closer to me, her strong perfume wafting into my nose. I resisted the urge to gag at her and tell her it was too harsh or something along that line. She came to stand in front of me. "You know exactly what I am talking about. Don''t think you can ever get the ce of the Luna. That spot is reserved for someone. Someone you can never be like even if you tried," she snapped and I looked away from her, sighing deeply. "I never want the position of a luna. I''m only here because your brother bought me." "If he bought you, then why aren''t you in the servant''s quarters? I will never believe a word you say. You are probably like one of those girls who do nothing but sink their ws into anyone they think can uplift them from their miserable position," she said and I lifted my head sharply at her. I gritted my teeth, "I''m not like that. Like I said, your brother only¡­" She interrupted me, "Save it. You will be out of here soon. I can''t bear seeing my brother all over you. If you think he loves you, you must be delusional. I''ve seen him in love once and this wasn''t how he looked at her," she said and smirked, ying her little silly game. "What do you mean?" I managed to take a step back from her even though all my muscles screamed at me to stay in one position. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Sheughed when she saw my expression. It was so much fun for her to see me like a rat that had been caught. Flicking her hair behind her shoulders, she walked back the same way she came. I watched her while she walked. I tried to tell myself that whoever Alpha Ryven was in love with in the past was none of my business, I couldn''t help but go back to her words. What does she mean by the way he looks at me? Maybe I was overthinking things but I was always going back to it while I walked absentmindedly until I bumped into someone. Biting my lips hard until I was so sure I drew blood, I let out a string of curses in my head at whoever was walking without looking. A hand held my biceps and I flinched and moved away. I knew the person held me so I would not fall on my butt but his grip was so strong, I felt like my muscles were about to snap from his grip. "I''m fine!" I unconsciously snapped at the person and rubbed my arms in pain. Tears gathered at the back of my eyes. Looking up, I found Alpha Ryven staring at me and I mentally scolded myself for snapping at him. "I''m sorry," I muttered and looked to my feet, drawing little circles on the floor. It was a habit I hadn''t stopped since I was little. For a minute there was only silence and the sound of my harsh breathing. Daring to look up, I found Alpha Ryven''s eyes zed over and a storm appeared over his head. His face was scrunched up in anger as his perfectly arched eyebrows drew together. "How dare she?!" He barked and I was taken aback by the sound of his voice. "Come over right now. I''m in the hallway. Take Sophia to my room," he said and made to walk away until I felt he remembered I was there. Looking at him, his eyes were still spitting fires of fury. "Stay here. Don''t move an inch. Nick would be here to take you to my room." Nothing made sense to me, "What about my room? I can''t share a room with you." His jaw twitched violently as he red hard at me. For a moment, I felt like Alpha Ryven hated me so much and all his care was a facade to get something from me. No matter how absurd it sounded to me, it bugged me. I swallowed and looked away, unable topete with his intense gaze. "Just do as I say. And why can''t we share a room? You belong to me now, remember? And I can do whatever the fu*k I want with you!" He sneered as my ears perked up for whatever he was doing. I heard his knuckles crack and I flinched, not daring to look up at him. My breath caught in my throat when I felt him near me, his cologne soothing but his aura frightening. He patted me softly on my head which was a sharp contrast to what I felt from him. "Now be a good girl and do what I say," he said and I gulped, nodding my head vigorously. 22: The past surfacing 22: The past surfacing Ryven''s POV My anger was so much that I felt like I could burn everything in my path. And the worst part was hearing Sophia talk about us sharing a room like I was some kind of gue she wanted to avoid at all costs. Fear was evident in her eyes. Before, I would have given a damn. But now, all I felt was rage. Rage towards everything around me. Especially my sister. She was so stubborn. I was only keeping her in the pack house because of what I promised my mother before her death. Thinking about my mother made my throat close up, and I walked away from Sophia, my skin brushing against hers. It was soft like silk. I wanted to touch every part of her. But soon. Now wasn''t the right time. Scaring her was thest thing I wanted to do before I could finally aplish my goals. I stormed over to the room that was supposed to be meant for Sophia. Staying behind the door, I inhaled sharply with my eyes closed as I tried to calm my raging heartbeat. I knew I would eventually kill my sister if I didn''t control it. I could already smell the scent of wood and paint as it assaulted my nostrils without even opening the door. Somehow, I knew whaty behind the door. And as much as I tried to calm myself down, I was finding it extremely difficult to do so. Without waiting for another moment to pass by, I ced my hand on the doorknob, twisted it, and entered the room. I stopped when my feetnded on the floor of the room. Whaty before my eyes was nothing I ever expected; It was in utter chaos. ck paint was sprayed on the wall and across every furniture in the room. But that wasn''t all. The furniture and bed were torn by ws and were discarded across the room hapardadky. Anger bloomed in my heart and my fangs protruded. I couldn''t think well. Hell! I was fucking going to murder Ava once and for all. I turned around with the intent of going to her room to demand an exnation and met Steven by the door, a remorseful expression on his face. I passed by him and stomped to Ava''s room, Stephen hot on my tail. "Please, I think it''s the hormones," he said behind me but I didn''t talk to him. I was too angry to say anything to him at that moment. All I wanted was to get my hands on that slimy stupid sister of mine. I felt his hands on me, stopping me and I turned around, flinging his hands away from mine. I regretted it almost instantly because he stumbled on his feet and fell to the ground. But the guilt I almost felt did nothing to curb the anger burning inside of me. I watched him stand up. I didn''t know why I didn''t walk away. Maybe it was because of our history. Even if he mated with my devil of a sister about a year ago and we grew apart, that didn''t erase the years of childhood we spent together. "If she''s acting on the hormones, she should not touch what belongs to me! How dare she? I have kept her in the pack solely because we are family but this should be thest time she tries something as stupid as this," I ranted with clenched fists as I watched Stephen''s Adam''s apple bobble up and down from fear. This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He nodded his head and raised his hand. I didn''t know why he did that. But I guessed it had something to do with my wolf. My wolf had been silent since the ordeal with Sophia. He wasn''t saying anything about Ava''s behavior towards Sophia but when he perceived disrespect from Stephen, he came forward which would have been weird but it wasn''t. Sophia wasn''t my mate. My wolf longed to have his mate for the longest time possible but I couldn''t find her. I had given up hope already. Maybe she was on the other side of the world where I would never find her. Stephen looked at the ground and bared his neck to me, "Please, it''s because of the baby. The doctor said it''smon amongst pregnant women. Just let me get back to how it was. I promise this will never repeat itself," he said, plumping down on his knees. I breathed in, pinching the bridge of my nose to calm myself down. I realized there was no point in not doing what he said. Ava was pregnant which was no valid reason for her to do what she did. But I still needed to talk with her, but this time with a level head. I took two steps when Stephen''s voice reached my ears, "She''s asleep now, I think¡­" "You think nothing. She created havoc and is having her beauty rest?" I scoffed and began walking in the direction of Ava''s room. However I doubted I would have a nice chat with her since she was a pro at angering me and bringing out the beast in me which would not be beautiful. I walked over to her apartment which was on the second floor of the pack house. She was my gamma as she couldn''t share the Alpha duties with me. She was my twin as much as I hated it. We have never been this bitter about each other until my mother''s death. My mother''s death changed everything. Changed me in ways I could not even begin to fathom. And also changed Ava. She withdrew into herself and med me for our mother''s death no matter how absurd it sounded. Not only to me but to the people around me. I think she was being delusional. One of the reasons I respected Stephen was, he had been able to hold up her constant nonsense. I hissed in anger when I thought about her and soon enough, I was in their apartment. Stephen was behind me, mumbling incoherently. Not like I cared what he had to say. I could tell he was afraid of what would happen. Thest time I was here, there was an ugly scene. A very ugly one I would not forget in a hurry. I sat down in the chair tapping my foot impatiently. "Tell her I''m here. Call her now." There was silence. No movement of footsteps to tell me Stephen had gone to do what I asked. When I looked up, to my dismay, he was standing by the door of the hallway, a pained look on his face. I knew he was hurting him to disobey me. But he was torn between his feelings for his mate and his loyalty to his Alpha. "Stephen," I called him with a raise of my eyebrows and he looked up from his hands which he was twisting together. "She''s asleep. She has not been able to get some sleep for the past few days," he said and I frowned, my anger partially reced by concern. "And why is that? Is she still having sleepless nights?" I asked him and he sighed deeply. I felt his exhaustion from that single action. It showed how much he stayed awake with her all through the nights she was awake. Looking at him, I noticed how haggard he looked and I was appalled by how it escaped me. I was so blinded by my rage to have noticed that my friend was in pain; emotional pain. He sat down on the other avable chair in the sitting room. The room was huge with a center table that was on top of a red rug. At the side of the room was a shelf in which books were kept. My sister had always been a lover of books. That was one of the things that didn''t change over time. Sometimes I missed her, missed the old her, and desperately wanted her back. But now, I honestly didn''t care what she was going through. I had my share of things going on in my life. And one of them was awakening Sophia''s wolf as soon as possible. "It started the day Sophia came," he said and rubbed his hands across his face, sighing again. I swallowed, not being able to look at the friend I once shared everything with. Now, we were more like strangers to one another who didn''t say more than a simple hi to one another. "And why didn''t you tell me?" I asked him and he looked at me like he could see right through me. In a way, I felt he could. What would I have done? I looked back at him, noticing how his eyes were droopy. "What did the pack doctor say?" I asked and he sighed again. "He said she needed to get rid of the trigger. And I know that won''t be possible because it''s Sophia. Look, I don''t know what happened between you two but you need to straighten things out," he said before continuing while I watched his every sluggish move. "I seriously do not want anything to happen to our unborn pup. I don''t know what I''d do if something happened." "Nothing will happen." "And how sure are you? She needs rest and she finally gets it but you want to wake her from sleep. Please I beg you, just let her rest a little," he begged with tears brimming in his eyes. At that moment, I felt like an evil person who didn''t want to see their child born. But I knew my sister. If I didn''t confront her on this, she would go ahead to do much worse. In the past, I loved her stubbornness. But as time went on, especially since our fallout, I found it quite irritating. "It''s fine," I scratched my stubble that was itching on my skin. And he raised his head in gratitude. I got up and walked to the door, about to leave and return some timeter. "Tell her I was here and she should expect me. I''ll being for an exnation and it better be a reasonable exnation," I said without looking back. "What if it isn''t a reasonable exnation? What are you going to do about it? Kick me out like you threatened the other day in front of that slum?" Ava asked and I turned around to see her standing by the door of the hallway with bloodshot eyes. My jaw twitched violently from the challenge I saw dancing in her eyes. "Don''t test me, Ava. I was willing to let this slide because of Stephen but you just had to put all his efforts down the drain because of your stupid attitude!" "Don''t talk to me like you are any better! You are worse than I am. And guess what? I know what your little game is. I know why Sophia is here," she said with anger mixed with so much confidence, that my heart shook for a second. Stephen went by her side, rubbing her arms, trying to shut her up. I smirked, trying to y smart when I feared she knew exactly what she was talking about. One thing about Ava, she was unbelievably smart. "Oh, do tell. Why is Sophia here?" 23: He is crazed 23: He is crazed Ava smirked at me with her hands on her hips. She looked at me like she knew exactly what was going on in her mind. Her smirk blossomed into a full-fledged smile and she hugged Steven, keeping me waiting which made me mad. "I asked a question, Ava," I said to her trying to stop my feet from tapping on the ground. She stopped. Looked at me and shrugged. "And I choose to ignore it. If you have a problem with it, please leave." I bit my lips hard and red at her. From my peripherals, I could see Stephen trying to hold her lips together to prevent her from saying more words. But the damage was done already. I was madder than I intended to be. "Yes. I do have a problem with it. You can''t disrespect your Alpha. And if I have to force it out from you, then I will," I told her and sheughed. Her head was thrown back by how much sheughed. For a moment, I felt like a fool. Since we were little, Ava had always been the star child who was good at everything. And it didn''t help that she was more academically intelligent than me, making her the apple of my father''s eyes. I loved my father. And did everything he asked me to do without questions. But that didn''t seem to satisfy him. Everything I did, he saw ws in it. And soon enough, I was tired because everything I found difficult, Ava could do it with so much ease. And there came the day he wanted to make her Alpha. I closed my eyes, with my fists tightened, and tried to stifle the anger that burned inside of me. Opening my eyes, it wasser focused on her but she seemed unfazed by it which irked me. "Then, make me." She suddenly stoppedughing and looked at me with all seriousness. "No, I don''t think that''s what she means. Ava stop. Are you even thinking about our child?" Stephen said, looking at her. He was tired of her constant unruly behavior. I smiled when I saw the look on Ava''s face. She was getting a piece of her cake. "What does our baby have to do with this? He came here unannounced and wanted to force some respect out of me. I''d like to see him try," she said to him before looking at me. My wolf began to push to the forefront of my mind, angered by the challenge. He didn''t care that it was my sister. He wanted the threat severely punished. I growled in pain as I tried to rein him in. If he eventuallyes out, there is surely going to be a bloodbath. And I feared that would be the end of the littlepanionship between Ava and I. "I''m so sorry Alpha. I''ll get her inside now," Stephen said with a voice that shook with fear. I could not focus on him or Ava as I hunched over with my hands on my knees, a huge fight going on between my wolf and me in my head. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "What are you so afraid of? He''s not doing shit to me!" She snapped at Stephen. And for a moment, I slipped and my wolf took over. I grunted and heard Stephen suck in a breath. I fought my wolf when he reached Ava. She was ready with her fangs out of her and I swallowed. Stephen walked away from Ava to the back of the room. I could hear his beating heart while I fought my wolf for control. I would never forgive him if he did anything to harm Stephen''s unborn child. I honestly didn''t care what happened to Ava. It was high time she learned her lesson never to talk back at an Alpha. I heard a loud crash at the back of the room just when my wolf got to Ava. And for that split second, I took over control from him, pushing him to the back of my mind and creating a wall of barrier. I hunched over and breathed hard at the amount of effort I used to push back my wolf. Stephen came close to us, took Ava, and dragged her inside the room, closing the door behind him. She was yelling at him to stop but I couldn''t concentrate on that but on getting more air into my lungs. After what felt like forever, I was calm once more, stood up, and walked out of the apartment, thankful for Stephen''s timely intervention. With one purpose in mind, I walked over to my room, with the sole purpose of seeing Sophia sitting in my room doing something. And then, I remembered she had something to ask me when I got to her. Pushing the door open, I walked in to see her lying on the bed. I was angry at that. What does she think? I could not think straight. Maybe it was because of what I had with Ava. I closed the door with a bang and she stood up with a start. SOPHIA''S POV It was supposed to be a normal conversation between Alpha Ryven and me. But then, he got angry and left. I should have felt relieved and happy about it but I wasn''t. I knew he was hiding something from me. My instincts never failed me and they told me to go back to Alexander. I could not go with it this time, Because, to me, it sounded stupid and would make me look like I was begging for his attention Plus, I belonged here even if I didn''t like it from the moment I found out I would be training nonstop until I got my wolf. Watching Alpha Ryven walk out with rage all over his face, the trembling of my heart subsided and I was able to breathe properly again. "Come with me," I turned around and saw his Beta looking at me. He came like a ghost and I didn''t hear him sneak up behind me. I nodded my head and followed him. We walked for quite some time until we came to a stop in front of a door that smelled of Alpha Ryven. I watched as his back flexed while he inputted a code into the door. I noticed it was the only room in the house that had an automatic door. The ones I have seen. I couldn''t say that to all the rooms in the house. He turned around. "Enter, Alpha Ryven will be with you shortly. He just needs to sort out some things first," he said and walked off, leaving the door ajar. With uncertainty, I walked into the room and closed the door with a click. I didn''t know what to do. Standing was such a difficult task for me so I walked over to the couch and sat down, not touching anything. The room was huge with a king-sized bed in the middle. The room was painted with ck colors only which matched the sheets on the bed. There was nothing spectacr about the room. It was eerily neat. Not a single book is out of ce. The top of the table that was seated at the side of the room was bare, except for a single book that was neatly arranged to one side. I was impressed. I stood up, trying to distract myself from the pains in my body. But it only grew worse. I went to the window and looked out. His view was so much better with the forest just directly behind the room. From where I stood, I could see the pond in the middle of the forest. I watched with envy at some wolves who were running through the woods freely. I wondered what it would be like to get into wolf form, down on four paws and looking at the world through the eyes of a wolf. Not wanting to get so emotional about all of it, I moved away from the window and sat back down on the couch. I reeked of sweat and bodily fluids. After waiting for more than fifteen minutes, I felt drowsy and decided to take a short nap. But as soon as my head hit the armrest of the couch, a cry of pain crossed my lips. I couldn''t sleep on the couch except I wanted to die from the pain that rocked my body. Taking a bold leap of courage, I went over to the bed and sat. Alpha Ryven wouldn''t mind that I sat on it. It wasn''t like I nned on sleeping on it anyway. A few minutes passed and I heard a loud bang which woke me up from the bed with a start. My heart hammered in my chest at what I did; I slept on Alpha Ryven''s bed without his permission. Looking up, I found himing at me with a dark face. Whatever he had to take care of must have ruffled him up a bit. My best guess was his sister. But I couldn''t be more sure. "What the hell do you think you''re doing?!" He ragged and I stiffened from the tone of his voice. I involuntarily clutched theforter in my hands. "I''m sorry. I mistakenly slept off," I said and stood up from the bed with shaky legs. His eyes followed my every move which made me clumsy and fall on my butt. He chuckled, which was devoid of myth, "Sorry? What were you doing on my bed to begin with?" He asked me and I dared to look up at him. I opened my mouth to exin but I knew no matter what I said, he wouldn''t believe it. Not with the way he looked at me. It was the first time I saw him look at me that way. It reminded me of my time in my former pack. With Dianne, to be precise. "This should be the first andst time this ever happened. You should''ve been more concerned about awakening your wolf and notzing around," he hissed in anger and sat on the bed, running a hand through his hair. "I don''t understand. Why do I need to awaken my wolf in the shortest time possible?" I dared to ask him and he smirked, his eyes on me. They were like pools that wanted to suck me in. He looked like a maniac, crazed with something I could point out. He was nothing like the man I met weeks ago at Alpha Alexander''s party. "You like the way you are? The way people talk about you about how worthless you are without your wolf?" I stood up from the floor, gritting my teeth to the pain in my body and heart that engulfed me. My eyes were cast down. "No, but it doesn''t have to be every day. And if I had a wolf, she would have awakened already I just don''t¡­" He interrupted me, "She has no choice but toe out. If she doesn''t, I''ll have no choice but to force you to shift." His words made me take a step back in shock. Why do I feel like this was way deeper than I could ever imagine? The way his eyes gleamed when he said it. And then I concluded that the person sitting opposite me was the person I ought to meet weeks ago. The other person I saw was just a facade. 24: Going to the hospital 24: Going to the hospital Alpha Ryven looked at me, the storm on his face was cleared a little bit and I quickly looked down. "Don''t look at me that way. You should get some medications for the ache all over your body. You might die if nothing is done about it." He stopped and I looked up to see him staring into space. "Follow me. You need a healer," he said and stood up. Swallowing without saying anything, I followed him out of the room, my lips pressed into a thin line to stop me from grunting out. I kept a reasonable distance between us both and he didn''t seem to mind. We walked out of the pack house, treading on different paths, and came to a stop in front of a hospital. It made me wonder why he decided toe down instead of calling the doctor over or bringing me medication. The thoughts stayed with me, too afraid to leave my lips. I had a feeling Alpha Ryven wouldn''t be so thrilled if I asked him. It would be like I was disobeying him or questioning his choices. Which was not what I had in mind. The hospital was moderately built, with pack members looking at me, giving me the chills. The people in the hospital were so much different from the ones in the pack house and the ones I saw whileing to the pack. These people seemed withdrawn, angry at something. However, they were being respectful towards their Alpha. We walked some more with some of the pack members bowing in submission wondering what a girl like me was doing around their Alpha. "We are here to see the pack doctor. He''ll give medication. Though bitter but you have to drink it," Alpha Ryven said to me and I nodded my head at him. We walked in without knocking. Outside, some members were waiting in a long queue. They quietened down when they saw it was their Alpha. For a moment, Alpha Ryven stopped, looking at the faces of the people behind to see who would dare utter any word of protest. There was none. I thought the people wouldn''t dare do that because they had a lot on their tes already. Not wanting to add to it. It made me wonder why there were so many sick people in the hospital when Werewolves have strong healing abilities. It was rare to see one sick. And from the looks on the people''s faces, theyThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. seemed to be suffering a lot from some sickness. Not realizing I had been lost, deep in thought, staring at my feet until Alpha Ryven''s voice woke me up from my slumber of fantasy. I smiled up at him as a way of apologizing for what I did. People were watching us like a hawk which stopped when the door was closed. "I didn''t ask for you toe in!" A doctor in a whiteb coat barked and turned around with anger on his face. I could see the exhaustion in his eyes. The signs were all there, staring at me and probablyughing in my face for being so dumb for being unable to piece them together; the exchange of me, the sick people, and now, the doctor''s exhaustion. But I just couldn''t. No matter how hard I tried. The doctor''s face morphed into shock as the syringe on his right hand shook and fell to the floor. Then, I watched in awe as his face split into a gleaming smile. But that was before I saw hate sh in his eyes. Alpha Ryven didn''t catch it as he was busy looking at the pale man lying in the examination bed. The man mumbled something incoherently. I couldn''t hear him. Probably because of my limited hearing ability but the doctor stiffened. "What a pleasant surprise to see you here, Alpha Ryven and¡­" he paused, looking my way. I furrowed my brows from confusion until it clicked. He didn''t know my name and wanted to acknowledge me. "Sophia," I said, my voiceing out in a breathy whisper. "Yes, Sophia. What brings you here sir?" He turned to Alpha Ryven who hadn''t looked at him since the time he strolled into the room. Alpha Ryven''s words came out strong. "Look at her, she''s injured. Give her something to ease the pain. And get him out of here." He pointed to the pale man sitting on the bed. The man''s eyes were unfocused and hazy. I felt pity rise to the bottom of my heart, shaking it until I could no longer keep myself propped up. The doctor was quick to catch me and led me to a chair at the side of the room. I ran a hand through my tangled mess of hair. My breaths came out shallow and deep. The doctor assisted the man. I could not watch. I thought my life was pathetic until I came to the hospital. On the faces of the people, I saw dashed hopes, leaving only hollowness which pulled at my heartstrings. But what bothered me most was how nonchnt Alpha Ryven seemed in all of it. They were his pack members, people he was supposed to care for. And they looked haggard also. Especially the man that was being walked out of the room. I knew he may have pups. What would be of them if he died? Not to be pessimistic but I knew the shadow of death was already around him. Waiting for the opportune moment to strike. I heard humming and looked up to see Alpha Ryven with a syringe in his right hand. He was examining it with a smile on his face. An evil smile. I swallowed again. Maybe this was all a bad dream. My stomach churned. I hateding to the hospital. It reminded me of my parent''s death. And how I wasn''t there when they passed away. I knew I ought to let go during these years but I couldn''t. I just couldn''t. What if they had thest words to tell me? Words that would have changed the trajectory of my world. The door opened and the doctor walked in. My head was in my hands. They begged me to stay in a comfortable position. But I needed the pain to distract me from my memories and thoughts. "Come over." The doctor said and from my peripherals, I caught Alpha Ryven finally giving the doctor some attention. I stood up slowly and painfully, walking over to the bed the man hadid earlier. Bile rose in me. I didn''t want to stay in the same bed as him. What if whatever was going on in the people was contagious? My life had been everything but pathetic. However, that doesn''t mean I wanted death. There was still so much to uncover. Like the reason for my parent''s death. "She had some intense training which led to the body aches. Give her pain relief. She''ll be training and working out every day without stopping until¡­" Alpha Ryven stopped, not wanting to disclose the reason to the doctor. The doctor didn''t press. He was too tired to care about the reason. I sat down on the bed, careful not to let my skine directly in contact with the bed. After a little poking here and there by the doctor, he removed his sses from his face and cleaned his eyes. He turned to Alpha Ryven who had been watching with folded arms across his broad chest. "She needs some rest. She is weak, without a wolf. Her body wouldn''t be able to take it," The doctor said and I internally agreed with him. Someone finally said what had been on my mind. I may have stopped schooling in the middle ss, but I was smart. "That won''t work. She needs to train every day," Alpha Ryven countered. "But that could lead to¡­" "Nothing. Do as I say. Get her the medication. I don''t pay you to tell me what to do," Alpha Ryven hissed in anger and I gulped. The doctor had a point. But Alpha Ryven was so hell-bent on making me wolf out. I could tell the doctor had more things to say with the way his eyes glinted. Also, his mouth opened and closed before swallowing. "Alright, Alpha," he bared his neck and moved over to the shelves that were just by the side of the bed. Rummaging, he brought out a dark bottle containing a liquid. And at that moment, a nurse walked in, carrying a tray. They had a silent doctor-to-nurse conversation. She bowed her head in greeting to Alpha Ryven which was received by a nod of his head. She went ahead and took the bottle from the doctor, pouring it into a small bowl, containing another yellowish liquid. "Drink this," she handed me the bowl. I was reminded of what Alpha Ryven told me before we walked into the room. Bitter liquid. Steeling my nerves, I drank it in one gulp. The liquid was bitter, unlike anything I had ever tasted. I gagged while the nurse rubbed a comforting hand on my back. I smiled at her when my fit was over. And she smiled back at me with warm eyes and pity. She must have heard the stories. The doctor and Alpha Ryven exchanged words and I was grateful for not being able to hear them. What the doctor almost said made me curious. If I train too much, what will happen? Before I could ask the nurse, she was out of the room like a blur. Their talk was over and they walked over to where I sat. The drug was making me feel quite like myself once more. Looking up, I met Alpha Ryven''s gaze on me. He signaled me with his eyes and I stood up from the bed, following him out. While we were out, I looked at my feet. Seeing the faces of the people once more, was not something I could handle. I asked myself multiple times what was happening in the pack. There were too many sad things around. We got back to Alpha Ryven''s room and I was surprised that we were back in it. Thest time I checked, I had a room in the pack house. And all of a sudden, I was staying over at Alpha Ryven''s. Or that was what it looked like to me. "Stay here." Alpha Ryven said when his ass touched the bed. Then, his eyes zed over and he grunted, his eyesing back to normal. "Your clothes will be here anytime soon. Have a bath and we will get going in about an hour," he said and stood up, walking over to the mirror. Checking his reflection, my brows drew together at his words. There was never any agreement between us on going anywhere. What was I to him? If I was simply his puppet, he should have made it clear from the beginning. I stood awkwardly in the middle of the room watching him apply something to his already smooth face. My heart danced with anger and trepidation at what I was about to do. 25: Uncovering secrets 25: Uncovering secrets "I''m not going," I blurted out with fists tight and red at the ground, unable to look him in the eyes to see anger swirling in them. I heard footsteps and he came to stand in front of me. My eyes moved from my foot to his. He was wearing shining ck boots that hid under his equally ck pants. His hand touched my face and brought it up to his. His eyes were like two ck pools which hid the anger that was buried. He didn''t like being disobeyed. But I just couldn''t go to the party. Even if the medication worked magic on me, and I feel so much better, I knew we would arrivete. And I wouldn''t have enough sleep to take care of the next day which I was sure would be more hell than today. "Look at me when you speak. Care to say that again?" He asked me. I wanted to tell him everything, my fears and assumptions. But instead, I dared to look him in the eye and did what he asked. "I don''t think I can go to the party. I''m tired," I said and he raised an eyebrow at me. His lips slowly stretched into a smile. First a smirk, then an alluring smile that made my heart leap in my chest. "It wasn''t a question. Now go have your bath. You reek of sweat," he said, patting my head like a child. He ruffled it, bringing out his yful side. But that also scared me. He was acting like I was nothing. My opinions didn''t matter. It hurts to admit to oneself that it was true no matter how much I denied it. "I''m not going," I said again in a whisper. "I''d be tired when I get back. I don''t even know why I''m here." This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. "Is that how you thank me for bringing you out of that hell hole? I don''t want to get mad again. Today has been totally bad for me. Just be a darling and do what I say," he said and walked away from me. Soon enough, I heard the door open and close. Then I was alone in the room. Copsing on my butt, I rasped from too many emotions. He avoided the question. If there was one way to find out what was going on, it would be at that party. I was sure Alpha''s Lunas would be in attendance. And the one thing they were so good at was gossiping. With a new resolve and strength, I walked into the bathroom. My feet halted when I caught a pretty white dress on a metal hanger just on the door knob. My hands moved on their own, touching the dress with awe spread out on my face. It was so beautiful and soft. For a moment, I almost slipped and thought of Alpha Ryven being so sweet for offering me something as valuable as that. But I stopped the thought just in time before it could consume me. Leaving the dress, I walked over to the bathtub. It was way bigger than the one in my room. I put on the heater and ran cold water into a tub. I needed a soak. Stripping, I entered into the water when I found just the right temperature for me. But then my feet froze on the floor. The door wasn''t locked. I didn''t want Alpha Ryven to sneak up on me. Even if I was basically nothing here, I still needed my dignity intact. So I went ahead to lock the door. After that, I soaked in the tub for more than ten minutes until I caught myself sleeping off. I bathed with Alpha Ryven''s soap and shampoo which smelt of him. It was refreshing after I got out of the tub. And then creamed myself with whatever I could find. I blow-dried my hair. I didn''t want to catch a cold. And then, it was time to put on the dress. With uncertainty about how the dress would look on me, I put it on. To my greatest surprise, it looked so good on me like it was tailor-made just for me. But there was a problem. The dress was too short. It stopped just below my mid thigh. And the neckline was unbelievably low. It showed my cleavage, pushing it up which made my boobs appear bigger than it actually was. Was Alpha Ryven trying to sell me off as a sex ve at the party or what? I looked like a slut. That was one word to describe. Yet I felt beautiful. Looking back at the hanger, I saw a blue cotton coat that reached below my knees. At least he thought of something. But the downside was, there were no buttons at the front which could be used to cover up my embarrassing frontside. I shrugged and got out of the bathroom to meet some food on the table. At that moment, my stomach decided to make itself known by rumbling loudly. Thankfully, I was the only one in the room. Looking at the clock, to my horror, I had spent about forty-five minutes getting dressed. Which meant I had only fifteen minutes to eat and apply some makeup to my face. I ate hastily and dived into the makeup kits on the table. With my makeup skills that sucked, I applied a little bit of everything. And after it all, it turned out to be surprisingly good. I looked more like a person from an aristocratic family and not one from the slums. Not like I was from the slums but that was the perfect word I found to describe myself. Putting on the heels that were in a carton just by the side of the bed, I sat down on the chair, my knees jammed together while I waited for Alpha Ryven to be back. And just when I wanted to rx a bit into the chair, the door opened revealing the Beta in a brown tuxedo which made him look more human than robot. "Follow me. We would be leaving now," he said to me when he had done a full appraisal of me. I felt like goods on disy as I stood up to find him looking at me. When his eyes met mine, he nodded at me. A silent approval on his face. From the clothes I had put on or the make-up I had on, I couldn''t tell. I followed him out. Outside, I saw Alpha Ryven pacing with an impatient look on his face. He stopped when he saw us and for a moment, my breath stopped along with Alpha Ryven''s legs. He looked at me from my toes to my face. He stopped momentarily at my cleavage. I felt ufortable so I used the coat to cover myself up. And that was when his eyes snapped to mine. He didn''t say anything but got into the car. Three cars were waiting for us. In the first one, there were three guards each upying the seats. Only the passenger seat was empty which I guessed the Beta would be upying. As for the second car, it had only a driver and Alpha Ryven. I walked up to it, opened the door, and settled myself next to Alpha Ryven who was looking out of the window. I wondered when he came to the room to get a change of clothes. He was wearing a deep blue tuxedo. Like the color of my jacket. And I had to admit, it looked so good on him. Unfortunately, I couldn''t get a good look at him because he turned around and walked into the car when I started with him. There was an ufortable silence in the car as we moved. The car moved slowly like it was afraid of going on the normal speed limit. But after some time, it picked up speed and we were out of the pack within minutes. I looked to the trees wondering what I was going to uncover at the party. Somehow, I knew whatever it was wasn''t going to be good. It was going to change some things. Things that weren''t ready to be changed. The thoughts that ran through me made me excited and scared. I couldn''t wait to get to the party sooner. It was a long ride and soon enough, I dozed off only to be woken up by Alpha Ryven. "Get up. We''re here. And before I forget, don''t talk to anyone. Everyone here is looking for what to say about anything that is no business of theirs," he said with a low warning as his eyes glinted at thest part. I was internally happy. It meant my hypothesis was right. I will surely get some information here. "I understand. I''ll stick to your side and only talk when I''m being spoken to," I said and he smiled. The car became so stuffy because of my lungs which constricted from the smile. Alpha Ryven turned around and got out of the car. I took that as a cue to leave also. I met him outside, interlocked our arms together, and strode into the party ready to uncover all secrets. "Did I tell you you look beautiful tonight?" Alpha Ryven suddenly asked and I almost missed my footing because of the emotion that wrapped around his voice. All eyes were on us. About fifty people were roaming outside, exchanging pleasantries. The air was thick with Alpha auras, it was making it difficult for a weak person like me to rx. "Thank you. You don''t look bad yourself," I said to him and he hummed in response. "None of the femalese close to your beauty tonight. Do you see how they look at you? With envy. So bad they''re not half as beautiful as you," he chuckled and pulled me closer to him. I felt my cheeks heat up from the sentences. His voice was loud enough to be heard by about three ladies who fumed but said nothing. They red hard at me. I didn''t even do anything. Yet, I was getting on the bad side of people already. As bad as that sounded, I liked it. "Thank you for the nicepliments," I said. "It''s not apliment. It''s a fact." He turned to me and smirked with a raise of his eyebrows. For a moment, I forgot where we were as I was lost in his eyes. "Let''s get you into that party. And show everyone what I''ve got," he smiled down at me before looking ahead again. Somehow, I felt this wasn''t about me. It was about Alpha Ryven''s little revenge. 26: This wasnt meant to happen 26: This wasn''t meant to happen We walked into the party hand in hand while I relished the feeling of being stared at by men. I thought I would feel ufortable. But the feeling in me was opposite to what I thought. For once, I wasn''t the little girl who didn''t know her left from her right. Neither was I the girl who was nothing but the scum of the earth. The pack''s energy was unrivaled as they drank and partied away. A man walked up to us when we stepped into the room full of people who were eager to show off theirtest aplishment. It was perfect. The right moment to get all the secrets rolling around in Alpha Ryven''s pack. The man who walked up to us was heavily built. With his walk like that of a man who had fought in battles and conquered many. But the smile on his face gave him away. He had a friendly smile which showed his gap tooth. A scar ran along the side of his face, from his temple to the side of his ears. It was quite deep. I also assumed it to be painful because it didn''t heal like every other wolf. "Alpha Ryven," he boomed and hugged Alpha Ryven. It was an awkward hug as my hands were still interlocked with Alpha Ryven''s. He didn''t let go of my arms. What was he so afraid of? "Alpha Donald," Alpha Ryven smiled and looked at me. The man followed his gaze and his two small beady eyes rested on me. "Is she the new one now? I have to admit, she is prettier than thest," heughed. Alpha Ryvenughed along with him, which was dry, without humor. He didn''t find his joke to be funny. "She''s here to stay," he said and I became confused by their uncanny exchange. Stay. What does he mean by that? All the while, I was smiling along with them like I knew exactly what was going on. I observed that was what the girls around here did. I needed to act like I wasn''t novel to all of these. "Oh wow. She must be special then." The Alpha, Alpha Donald smiled and looked at me. He brought his hand for a handshake which I willingly took. "Sophia," I said and smiled. Taking up his hand and bowing down in a curtsey the best I could. I could feel Alpha Ryven''s gaze on me the whole time, watching me if I would slip or do something to embarrass him. Luckily, I was graceful in my movements like I had done this a hundred times over. I looked up when I felt Alpha Donald''s slimy saliva on the back of my hand while I resisted the urge to gag. I got up and resumed my arm''s position at the side of Alpha Ryven''s arms. He smiled down at me, pleased with the little gesture. I wasn''t a fool after all. "I heard what happened to thend by the East border. Don''t tell me it''s because of her?" Alpha Donald asked and I felt Alpha Ryven stiffen beside me and I became intrigued. He quickly turned to me, cing a hand on my shoulders. "Sophia, why don''t you go mingle with other females? I am sure they would love to have you around," he said "But you told me not to talk to anyone," I countered. I knew this was my chance to get to know what was happening. "And this is also me telling you to go mingle," he said to me with a smile while looking deeply into my eyes. His eyes held a silent warning. I wasn''t giving up. I wanted to know what was going on so badly that I defiled him again in front of Alpha Donald. "I want to stay with you. I don''t want to talk to other females," I said and pouted, giving off a cute girl. Alpha Donaldughed. "Okay, I have to admit. I like this one. She''s cute." Alpha Ryven chuckled without turning to look at Alpha Donald. The intensity of his eyes increased. And I knew I had touched a spot so I swallowed and looked down. ying cute didn''t work. Perhaps it was time I had a nice chat with one of thedies. "Alright, I''ll go," I sighed in defeat. ying my cards as a devastated girl who couldn''t stay without Alpha Ryven didn''t work. "It was nice meeting you," I turned to Alpha Donald with a little smile. "Don''t talk like we won''t be seeing each other again. We''ll probably meet when you''re going. But before that, don''t forget to have a nice evening," he said and smirked at me. I looked at Alpha Ryven before leaving. He held me when I was almost out of reach. "Be careful what you say here. I don''t want you starting a rumor," he whispered into my ear, his breath fanning my face and I nodded. I walked a few meters away from him, looking for the perfect busybody to give me all the information I wanted. "Hello. Looking for someone?" A voice said behind me and I whirled around to find a beautiful girl who was no older than twenty-five. She was wearing a beautiful purple dress that hugged her like a second skin. And I almost revolted when I saw her clothes were see-through. I could see her whole world from her dress. "Not really. I''m bored here and would love some form ofpany," I said to her. There wasn''t a single emotion I felt inside me in my voice. It came out like I expected - strong. "That''s great. Because you know why?" She asked before looking around us and came close to my ears. "I''m a greatpany," sheughed out loud. I joined it even if I felt repulsed. "I can see you came with Alpha Ryven," she spoke to me and I nodded, not saying a word while we walked to the table. At the table were different foods and snacks which called to me. I resisted. I needed to act like one of them. We settled in and she smiled at me. "So are you his new girlfriend? The old one wasn''t friendly. I hated her. She acted like she was superior to us," she clicked her tongue in disgust. "I guess I''m his new one then. I have no idea there was an old one." "Oh, you''re new then. Where are you from?" She asked me and I froze for a while. I couldn''t give away that I was from another pack. I began to cough while she quickly poured me a ss of water. "So sorry about that," she said, watching my every move. "Alpha Ryven and I just became acquainted." Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Oh, I thought you were the one," she said to herself and I saw her eyes lose interest in me. But that''s when mine held some interest. "Who are you talking about?" I asked her and she looked up from her nails. "You must be really naive not to know. The girl he exchanged thend for. It was thend that held the river that had been keeping his pack together." She said and I scooted unconsciously on my chair. I moved closer to her. My little action caused Alpha Ryven''s eyes to snap to me from across the room. But I didn''t care. I came here to find out things. And that''s exactly what I was going to do. And the right person to give that out was sitting opposite me, just ready to dish out anything. Wasn''t the world working in my favor? "I don''t understand. I''m sorry if I''m sounding like this. But I have been very ill and left the hospital not quite long," I said in a pitifully weak voice and rubbed my temples to emphasize my point. A look of concern crossed her face. "I''m so sorry to hear that. Do you need to go to a quiet ce? Perhaps I could leave you alone to rest," she said and began to stand up. "No!" I blurted out without thinking. "I mean no. What if I lose consciousness here? Besides I was enjoying our little talk," I said to her and she nodded and sat back down. I tried to drown out the eyes which were on the girl and I. Men''s eyes and some females. They red at her. What she did to them was no business of mine. I wanted something from her. "So about thend. I heard it had a river that cleared most of the curses that gued the pack. It was so foolish of him to exchange that for a girl. I heard the girl is quite special," she whispered as her eyes gleamed. "What do you mean?" I furrowed my brows as my heart began to beat in my chest. "Alpha Ryven''s pack was cursed years ago by what his father did. And the river was something his mother exchanged her life for to take care of the people. Can''t you see how everyone avoids Alpha Ryven?" She asked and I looked around the room to see that. The only person who hase to greet Alpha Ryven was only Alpha Donald. The rest kept a reasonable distance between them. Alpha Ryven felt my gaze on him. He looked to the girl opposite him and his gaze hardened. He began walking toward us. This was bad. The girl didn''t notice. "It''s such a shame your Alpha would do something like that. Isn''t it the Alpha''s duty¡­" "Hold on. How exactly did his mother die? Do you think this girl he exchanged for the river has something to do with the curse for his pack?" I asked her while I watched with a beating heart as Alpha Ryven neared us. The girl thought for a while. "ording to what I heard, his father- What a beautiful dress you have here. Mine cost about four hundred dors. What about yours?" The girl smartly changed the topic when Alpha Ryven was within hearing range. I smiled as my eyes gleamed with silent gratitude. The girl may be talkative but she wasn''t an airhead. "How are you enjoying the party?" Alpha Ryven asked when he got to me. He red at the girl. She smiled at him and dipped her head in greeting. "I didn''t catch your name. I''m Felicia. And you are?" She asked me. I stood up. "I''m Sophia," I said and she smiled, walking away while she swung her hips. I looked away from her and rubbed my sweaty hands across my jacket all aware of Alpha Ryven''s gaze on me. "I knew you guys were not talking about dresses. What was she telling you?" He asked me when I met his gaze. 27: Another boring day 27: Another boring day My breath hitched in my throat but I was quick to regain myposure. I smiled and looked down at my trembling hands. I was nervous about how he knew. He wasn''t just an Alpha by name after all. "We will be leaving soon. You''ve had a great night, haven''t you?" He asked me while wrapping his hands around my shoulders. I felt like he was doing that because of the gazes that began to rest on us. I could feel it all, the intrigue, the piercing gazes, the questions on everyone''s faces. Who was the girl standing next to Alpha Ryven? Was she the one he exchanged thend for? As much as I tried not to let Felicia''s words get to me, it did. I wasn''t just a random girl Alpha Ryven took pity on and decided to save. There was more to the story. And I knew I would never rest until I found out what it was. I smiled up at him. The most enchanting smile I coulde up with. If he caught it or not, I didn''t Know because at that moment, Alpha Donald walked up to us. There was something in his gaze that wasn''t there before. Was it hate? Intrigue? I couldn''t tell as I fidgeted with my nails. "Have you said hello to Alpha Sidney?" Alpha Donald stood in front of us with his hands crossed above his chest. It gave off the feeling of being violent. But people were wise enough not to look too much at us. Alpha Ryven nodded his head, his hand still draped across my shoulders. It was heavy but I didn''t darein for fear of making him mad. "Sophia it was nice seeing you. Hope to see you soon. I know this shall not be thest," he winked at me, patted Alpha Ryven''s shoulders, and walked off. I looked in the direction he had gone and met him talking to Felicia. She felt my gaze, turned, and waved goodbye at me. Even if my first impression of her was bad, I decided I liked her. I knew that would be thest time I saw her and my heart gave a painful pang. She was the only person who had evere real to me. "Let''s go. Party''s over," Alpha Ryven said, whirled me around and we walked away from the room that had dancing couples. "What did you talk to Felicia?" Alpha Ryven asked again immediately my butt touched the seat of the car. I was tired but too curious to fall asleep. Looking away from the window, I smiled, "We talked about female stuff," I said nonchntly with a shrug of my shoulders. The car was dark but I could make out his eyes which shone with curiosity. For the first time in my life, I lied with so much confidence that I didn''t feel the tremble of my heart. Or the dry taste in my mouth. Since it involved my well-being in Alpha Ryven''s pack, I would do anything to protect myself. "Why do you ask? You aren''t interested in shoes and clothes now, are you?" Iughed while I yed with my hair. Alpha Ryven didn''tugh. He was tense while he watched me. Looking for anything that would give me away. But I was prepared for it. While we walked to the car, I yed various scenarios in my head on how to act naturally. And the best way I knew I could was to be in denial of ever having that conversation with Felicia. "I''m not," Alpha Ryven smiled. "You need some sleep. You look tired. Get some. I have something to do," he said and picked up hisptop. I released the breath slowly I didn''t know had been lodged in my chest. I did so slowly without alerting Alpha Ryven. He was still unsure of my words. But thankfully, I yed my cards well. I did as I was instructed. I slept in an awkward position. I was too tired to give notice until the car stopped. There was a searing pain at the base of my neck because of the way Iy while I slept. We got out of the car, silence enveloping us and almost making me ask the questions at the tip of my tongue. But I held it back. It would break everything I tried to build in the car. Alpha Ryven left me when we got to the pack house. "You can sleep on my bed. I won''t being in tonight. Hopefully, by tomorrow, you''ll get back to your room," he said while standing a few feet away from me. The house was eerily quiet. All servants and guards were asleep with just a few patrolling on night duty. "Alright, and thanks for tonight. I was able to loosen up some muscles. I haven''t had that much fun for a very long time," I said to him and I meant every word of it. "It''s fine. I''m d you liked it. Now, go to bed. Tomorrow will be a very long day," he said and walked off. I watched him, not aware of the Beta''s gaze on me until I turned around and found him. "Goodness gracious!'' I eximed with my heart in my mouth. My left hand rose to my chest to calm the ferocious beating heart in it. He smirked like he had done that intentionally. That was the first time I saw his yful side. "I''ll get you to Alpha Ryven''s room. I know you are bad at directions," he said and began to lead the way. I wound the jacket tightly around my frame, the cold getting to me. The Beta''s words broke through the silent night. "I know Felicia talked to you about something. It''s best if you don''t go around asking about it." "She didn''t tell me anything," I countered. He didn''t say more until we got to the door of Alpha Ryven''s room. "She did. I watched you all night. The shock on your face. You came here because Alpha Ryven took pity on you," he said and moved closer to me so I was inhaling his cologne. "A gentle warning, stay low and don''t do anything that''ll get you killed," he said and walked away. I was drenched in shock. I never saw him looking at me. Heck! I didn''t even see him all night. With shaky legs, I got into the room and crashed on the bed. The words of the Beta made my blood turn to ice. And soon enough, I was ovee by the darkness. My dreams were filled with lots of images that I forgot as soon as I woke up. "Ma''am, you should be ready in an hour. Your training lessons start soon," A girl in a white uniform partially blocked the light from entering the room. I squinted my eyes at her as my vision blurred. "Huh?" I asked her. And as soon as I did, all the images fromst night rushed into me like a tsunami. I groaned into my pillow, looking up at the ceiling, already tired of the day ahead. The girl came closer to the foot of the bed, her hands neatly folded together on her thigh. "Your training lessons ma''am," she repeated, afraid I hadn''t heard her the first time. I flicked my hand at her, letting her know I heard the first time. From my peripherals, I saw her move down to me and walked into the bathroom. I groaned out loud, my muscles sore from all the events of the day before. But I wasn''t tired. Today was another day to uncover more secrets. However, I needed to be extra careful. Somehow, I knew everything was tied to my wolf. The reason I had to get her. I wanted her, no doubt. But I feared everything woulde to light; all the fears and uncertainties that had me quaking in my boots. I got up and went into the bathroom. The girl left immediately when she saw me. Looking at the hanger from the day before, there were sports bras and matching skinny tights to match. I got dressed quickly and headed to the training room. This time, to my surprise, my memory didn''t fail me. In the room was Mr Stone waiting for me with his hands behind his back. He was also wearing the same clothes as yesterday. "I can see you have taken it to disobey me,'' he said without turning to look at me and my steps became uneven. "I don''t understand," I said to him when I resumed my position on the floor, waiting for him to give me orders. "You don''t understand? You''re two minuteste!" He barked, hitting his staff on the floor. I flinched from the tone of his voice. Looking at the clock securely hung on the wall, I realized to my horror he was correct. But what did it matter? I was here anyway. "I''m sorry," I said instead as I looked at his back filled with many masses of rippling muscles. They flexed and unflexed under his tight singlet. He finally turned to look at me. His expression was scary. I couldn''t understand why he was so mad. I was sure the time I used in entering the room must have consumed the two minutes he talked about. "For that, you are to do two hundred squats and three hundred jumps." "What?" I took a step back. "I can''t possibly do that. I''m new and you know how hard it was for me to do fifty yesterday," I said, my fists clenched at my side. He looked at the clock. "You have just twenty minutes. If I were you, I''d start now," he said with a straight face, his eyes boring holes into me, daring me to refuse. The challenge and mockery that were in his eyes made my blood boil. I wouldn''t be humiliated. I did as he asked while I feared I might pass out from the strenuous activity. "Tomorrow, same time." Mr Stone said when the sky had gone dark. And then, I was sure I would not live to see the next day. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Sweat coated every area of my body. And the worst part was the pain in my legs and back. Today''s activities had been nothing short of strenuous. Yesterday was like a child''s y. I felt if I kept this up, I might eventually die before I got my wolf. I fought the urge to cry while I stared at the white ceiling above me. Alpha Ryven was wicked and cruel. I suddenly missed Alexander. His kind words of endearment. He might have been a jerk at the beginning. But he was kind to me. "Do you feel her yet?" Alpha Ryven''s voice reached my ears and I craned my neck slightly to the door to find him resting on it with a hand buried in his pocket. 28: The task 28: The task It''s been five days already with no promise of seeing my wolf. I was mentally, physically, and emotionally drained. At this point, I just wanted her toe, not minding what would happen next. I wanted to live like a person again. Each day, I would wake up and train till the sun went down. The training was helpful. But I was honestly tired. I could do basic self-defense and attack and also other things. But that''s all. The most painful part was making me go through life-threatening situations just so my wolf woulde out and fight for me. I wiped the tears that leaked from my eyes as I stared at the ceiling. I haven''t been able to get a wink of sleep. When asked by the doctor, he said the activities were getting to me. This life I was living made me sick. It would have been better if I hadn''t been taken from my former pack. At least there, I was something; a maid to all. Here, I was basically nothing. I bit my lips, counting the time till the maid would be here to remind me of my day. When the clock struck six, she came. She was neverte. Always on time. The door opened. Without having to look up, I flicked my wrist at her, letting her know I was awake. It would have been better if it was a clock rm. But Alpha Ryven decided to use a human rm. "You should stand up now," Alpha Ryven''s voice reached my ears and I sighed. I was so tired that it took about five minutes for me to turn my head to look at him standing by the door, wearing a white shirt, looking smoking hot. "Stand up now, we need to get your wolf this week. Since we have tried everything we could possibly think of, I''ll be introducing new training methods to you. But this time, it would be someone else. Not Mr Zane which you know as Stone," he said while walking into the room, his hands ced on his jaw in thoughts. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Another tear leaked from my eyes and I wiped it off and sat down on the bed. "Can''t you see I''m dying here?" I asked with a voice coated with emotions and he stopped pacing and looked at me. Surprise shed across his eyes which was closely followed by disgust. "Don''t be a crybaby! Getting your wolf is the best thing that could happen right now," he said and sat down on the chair, his eyes never leaving me. "I don''t care. I need a break from all of these. If I die, you won''t get the wolf you so badly want," I said and the disgust on his face increased. "I had always known you were weak. But not this weak. Just a little push and you''re giving up already?" I scoffed and looked at him, my eyes staring at him with so much hate. "Just a little push? Why don''t you join me in the training so you''ll know if it''s just a little push," I said and his gaze hardened. I didn''t know what was wrong that I had to speak to him that way. But I was tired. I felt like if I did everything he asked me to do, I would die for real. And not just the deaths in my illusions. "Don''t you dare. Just because I have decided to take pity upon you doesn''t give you the right to talk back at me. I''m your Alpha!" He barked and stood up with so much force that the chair hit the wall, giving out little dust. I didn''t flinch. I took his gaze head-on. And then, I burst outughing. My sanity was slowly being taken away from me. And I would fight for it back. I''d rather die fighting for it than dying a coward. "First of all, you''re not my Alpha," I said and stood up from the bed and faced him, my fists clenched. "And second, you didn''t take pity on me. You think I haven''t heard the news about exchanging me for thatnd because you think I''m her?" He was taken aback. But the anger was slowly building up in his eyes. "Disregard any news. People will always talk. Don''t be a fool to listen to them." "I''ll be a fool and listen to them if that will make me live!" "Sophia," he growled in a low warning and closed the little space between us. "I''m your Alpha now, whether you like it or not. And you know what?" He smirked, touching my hair. I wanted to take a step back. This man was a monster who was only after what he wanted. And it killed me that I didn''t know what that was. I thought of the possibility of running away. But that chance was so slim, that I discarded it as soon as it formed. Alpha Ryven''s eyes were on me the whole time. Plus I barely have enough time for myself. I would be caught before I even stepped foot out of the pack house. "What?" I said breathily. "You''ll go into that bathroom, have your bath, and meet me in the training room in fifty-five minutes," he said and waited. We were in a silent battle with our eyes. His wolf was almost out. But I didn''t care as his eyes flickered from ck to his normal color. He was fighting with his wolf. I challenged them with my eyes. I didn''t know where the boldness came from. But I felt like I could take out his wolf and him if he tried anything stupid. I felt like a different person as anger pulsated in my veins. Alpha Ryven smiled down at me which only made me madder. "Good." He said and walked away from me. I copsed on the floor, all the energy and adrenaline gone from my body. I just wanted to curl up and cry. Wake up, realizing this had all been a very bad dream. Giving myself a small prep talk, I walked into the bathroom, hating every moment of it while I bathed and put on my training clothes. I felt dread slither up my spine when I recalled Alpha Ryven''s words - a new training. Thest one was a miracle. I didn''t die. But I told myself I would opt out if this was too difficult for me. Alpha Ryven could hit me for all I care. Or lock me up in the dungeon. At least, I would have a moment to myself and my thoughts. I walked to the training room with no hope of evering out alive. I could not feel my feet while I walked and answered the greetings with a half-hearted mind. I just wanted to do it and get it over with. I walked in and met another man who was not Mr. Stone. He turned around when he heard me come in with a little smile on his face which I returned with a deadpan look. "I''m Adrian," he introduced himself. I kept silent even if I knew I was disrespectful. He seemed to be in his early forties. Grey hair was starting to appear just at his temples. He was a fine man. I noticed. He would have led a lot of girls astray in his twenties. And he looked so much like someone who would enjoy the looks ondies'' faces just by the smirk that hung on his lips while I checked him out. "You''re Sophia. It''s nice meeting you. Without having to waste much of our time, we would be starting now," he smiled and signaled a guard who was stationed just outside the door. The guard seemed to know what he was talking about and left without a word spoken between them. The more I stayed in the room, the more dread wanted to ovee me. I did breathing exercises to calm down my raging heart. It works a little. I was at thest number when I heard a sound that resonated with my heart, clearing up everything I did. "You don''t need to take breathing exercises. Save it forter," Adrain said with a smile when I looked up at him, his electric blue eyes gleaming. I followed the sound and found guards bringing in a metal box that looked like a coffin and my blood stopped flowing in my veins. They don''t want me there, do they? I internally asked myself while I took a step back. Mr Adrian seemed to read my thoughts as he signaled two guards with his eyes. They closed the door, standing in front of it. While the remaining three hefty guards carried the metal box and something else that looked like a small CPU. "What is this used for?" I dared to ask as my feet were made ready for escape in case I would be dragged into the metal box. "Why don''t you take a wild guess?" Adrain asked and took the machine that resembled a CPU from one of the guards. I watched him while he connected different wires and also attached them to the metal box. "This is called a revoluting wolf machine. It was used in the sixteenth century when our kind was first known. If I''m correct, it was used by hunters to tell if a person is a wolf if not." He stopped and looked at me to make sure I was following. Then, he continued, "Werewolves were put inside the box to make them shift. And guess what, it worked every time," he eximed while he dusted his hands in glee. My heart trembled inside my rib cage. I looked towards the window, looking for an escape but the window was securely guarded by thick metal bars and was high up. The only other escape route was the door which was heavily guarded by guards. "I''m not going in. Am I?" I asked him with fear dripping from my voice. "What do you think?" Adrain smirked. "Be a good girl and get in. The pain won''tst forever. It will only¡­" "Pain?" I asked him while I took two steps back. I noticed how the guards were ready in case I tried anything out of line. Adrian sneered, his smile gone. "I don''t have the energy to bicker with you, little girl. Just do as I say and get in!" He barked and opened the lid of the metal box. "I''m not going in!" I spat and ran towards the weapons. The guards were hot on my tail and they stopped when Adrian put up a hand, stopping them. I picked up two weapons I had learned to use over the days. They were my favorite weapons. Holding them in my trembling fingers against five hefty guards made me look pathetic but I would be doomed either way if I fought or not. I''d rather try fighting. I looked at the guards with eyes alert and blood flowing with adrenaline. Adrian sighed and rubbed his temples, "Don''t make me do this the hard way." He looked at me. When he saw I still wasn''t giving up, he signaled the three guards. They came at me while I got into a fighting stance. 29: Im not giving in 29: I''m not giving in I was a suicidal person. I''ve always known that since the time in my former pack when I disobeyed Dianne again and again. But that couldn''t bepared to what I was facing as I dodged different attacks from the guards. To my surprise, they were not able tond a single blow on me. I had the upper hand - I was small and nimble. While they were big and slow. I used my speed to my advantage, moving like the wind while I sessfully took two down. I wanted to look at Adrian. But I knew if I did, that would be the opportune moment for the guards to strike at me. I wasn''t given any chances so I focused on fighting the man in front of me. I heard Adrianugh and that was a distraction for me as I turned to look at him from the corner of my eyes. Sweat coated every inch of my skin while I tried to fight off the relentless guard. Adrian''sugh was a distraction as I looked at him which allowed the guard to lunge at me and slice my thigh. A silent cry of pain tore through my lips but I stiffed it by biting hard on my lips. That act alone drew blood as I felt the metallic taste in my mouth. The guard lunged at me again and I took three steps back from the impact his sword made with my little knife. What I was thankful for was the fact that he didn''t transform into his wolf form. I would have been a goner if he did. He came at me again and I saw my life sh through my eyes. The sharp edge of the sword came at me with lightning speed. With my heart in my mouth, and myst prayers just at the tip of my tongue. As I awaited the pain, Adrian''s voice sliced through the air. It was followed by the ng of metal against the tile floor. I dared to look at him as my heart hammered in my ribcage as havinge face to face with death. "Impressive," he pped as it echoed in the room. I couldn''t re at him because I was so focused on recalling what just happened; I almost lost my life. He continued, "Unfortunately, we don''t need such great fighting skills right now. We want your wolf out. And since I can''t get the guards to do so, I''ll be calling Alpha Ryven over,¡± he said with a raise of his eyebrows. I dared to look him in the eye, not flinching. If he thought Alpha Ryven''s name would make me go into the metallic box, he was in for a big surprise. I cocked my head at him, urging him to do his worst. He smirked and his eyes zed over. Soon enough, after some minutes, Alpha Ryven walked into the room with anger apparent on his face. I looked to my feet avoiding his intense gaze. "What''s the meaning of this?" He barked and I flinched while I twisted my little weapon in my hands. My throat closed up from different emotions. The thought that raced through me was them drugging me and pushing me into the metal box. I breathed in and out. It was the only sound that was heard in the room followed by Alpha Ryven''s footsteps moving my way. I could feel the heat of his anger as it burned through the air, almost consuming me. He stopped a few feet away from me. "I asked you a question, what is the meaning of this?" I folded my lips into a thin line, avoided his gaze, and wished the day could be over sooner. "I don''t want to go into that metal box," I whispered and he chuckled. "Metal box? Don''t be such an airhead. It''s called a revoluting wolf machine!" He sneered. "Do you have any other ideas on how to get your Wolf? If you do, please share," he said and I looked up at him. There wasn''t an ounce of smile on his face as he looked straight into my eyes. He was pissed off. I guessed he must have been in an important meeting or something. The next words he said made me know I was right about my guess. "Don''t fucking waste my time. I didn''t leave an important meeting to get you to waste my time!" "You can attend your meeting. I will get my wolf some other way. I don''t want to enter that box," I said stubbornly. "How? Please share. We''re all listening," he said and looked at Adrian who nodded his head. I could see the mockery buried in Alpha Ryven''s eyes. He thought I was stupid. And to be honest, I felt quite stupid at that moment. I had no idea how to awaken my wolf. I couldn''t go into the box because I was ustrophobic. I feared I would die faster in there than the death that awaited me at the hands of Alpha Ryven. I kept mute while I stared at my sword. My breath hitched in my throat when I felt Alpha Ryven''s hand wound around my fragile neck. "Fucking look at me when I speak to you!" He barked, his spit flying into my face. I was more concerned about getting air into my lungs than the fire that nestled in Alpha Ryven''s eyes. I wed at his hands, my eyes pleading with him to let me down but he didn''t budge. My feet were almost off the ground as Alpha Ryven raised me with his right hand. In one swift motion when I felt I would die fromck of air, I was thrown harshly against the ground. My knife pierced my hand as I coughed and fought for oxygen. "I won''t say this again. Get into the revolving wolf machine," he said slowly, enunciating each word. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. My lungs felt like it would burst as I stood to my feet. My eyes watered fromck of air for too long. I stood to my feet, a new power pulsating in me. I red hard at Alpha Ryven with my fists clenched at my sides. Who does he think he is? I was no ve to him. I didn''t ask him to get me out of my pack. If he thought he could treat me like trash, he was greatly mistaken. "No," I said as I stared deeply into his eyes. I heard Adrian gasp at the audacity. But I didn''t care. Alpha Ryven could go to hell for all I cared. I watched as his jaw twitched violently. Somehow, I was happy at the emotion of anger that twirled in his eyes. He was a monster. How could I be so blind to all of these? "Tie her up. Take her to the dungeons. Leave her there without food or water," Alpha Ryven said and walked out of the room without giving me a second nce. I was shocked. That was all? I thought the sky was going to rain cats and dogs as having disrespected him in front of his pack members. At least this was better than I thought. In my former pack, I was through much worse situations. Plus the time in the cell would give me more time to myself. To be able to think of the way forward. I was led by two guards out of the room to a big hallway that looked like that used to hold prisoners. We went in deeper, crossing different closed doors and winding staircases. My breath was bing shallow the deeper we went underground with only our eyes to guide us through the darkness. My throat constricted as the dampness from the underground bit into my exposed arms. I rubbed them to wear them off. But it did little to bring me thefort I desired. Soon, I was brought in front of a small cell. One of the guards opened it up. But before I could ready myself to enter into the dirty damp cell that I was so sure contained spit, sweat, and blood, I was roughly pushed into it. My hand collided with the rough floor of the cell and I almost gagged. My hand touched something damp and sticky and I screamed, rubbing it vigorously on the pants of my trainers. I heard the door lock with a click followed by the receding footsteps of the guards. Then, the hallway was drenched in ice-cold silence. Following my nose, I picked up the ce where the smell was less and sat down. From the little lamp situated just above the cell, I could make out a bed made of concrete. But there was something else in it. On getting there, to my dismay, I found out it was only a straw mat on top of it. I consoled myself with the knowledge that it was basically better than nothing. The night turned into day. And day into night again. Not a single person hade to check up on me. I feared Alpha Ryven was hell-bent on teaching me a lesson never to disobey him. But the period while I waited for someone toe, I had the chance to go over what I heard about during the past few days. But no matter how hard I tried to connect the dots, nothing was making sense. Alpha Ryven exchanged thend for me which was used to heal the members of his pack. That means since there''s no morend, he would lose a lot of his pack members. And I was guessing some of his warriors would also be infected with the deadly disease. And losing so many warriors was very bad for a pack. In case of any war, the pack could scumble to defeat. Alpha Ryven must have thought hard about all these before giving up thend. Which brought me to the question - what was so special about me? I tried to recall memories of my childhood and my parents. But everything seemed blurry as if someone had intentionally wiped off my memories. If that were the case, why? I sighed as I ran a hand through my hair. My hand caught on a knot and I gave up trying to untangle the mess. My stomach made a rumbling sound and I stood up and walked over to the gate in the hope of finding someone. Finding something. "Hello?" I called out. There was no reply. Only the snooky echo of my voice. Goosebumps trailed down my arms as my finger wrapped around the huge lock used to hold the gate together. "Hello? Anyone here? Get me out of here. I promise I''ll be good," I yelled again while I tried to fight off the feeling of someone watching me in the shadows. After so many ''hellos'' and no reply, I gave up, wrapping my hands around my stomach. I have been spoiled too much for me to have felt such a big pang of hunger. "Somebody h¡­" I started but stopped as my heart jumped to my mouth. "No one wille. Stop wasting your time," A hoarse male voice spoke up from the cell beside mine. I clutched my beating heart and rubbed my shoulders where it collided with the gate from the shock. "Who are you?" I managed to ask with my shaky voice after my heart returned to its normal beat. 30: The big reveal 30: The big reveal Hisugh was dry which was followed by a long dry whooping cough. He wheezed and I feared he might be one of the people infected with the disease. After a while of coughing, he stopped and there was dead silence in the room. My breath was slow and shallow as different thoughts crossed through my head. He couldn''t be dead. Since he was part of the pack, surely, he would know what was going on. Must have heard the whispers of people around; guards and maids. He was another person I thought could get me information. From the sound of his voice, I could tell he was in his fifties. I clutched the bars of the gate in my feeble fingers while my head was pressed to the gate, trying to see anything. "Hello? Are you alright?" I asked him and was met with silence. The tempo of my heart rate increased as the possibility of his death rammed through me. "I''m fine," he said in a calm voice. It was aplete contrast to what he went through just minutes ago. And my heart came down a bit as I slouched on the gate. My back was against it, my knees up with my jaw resting in it. My arms wound around my legs to keep myself in afortable position. I contemted for some time if I should ask him the questions bothering me. After weighing the pros and cons, I decided to ask. It would take nothing from me. I licked my lips, shoving stray hair away from my face. "How long have you been here?" I asked him and heughed again. "You have questions. These are not the questions bothering you. Just ask what''s on your mind," he said and stopped. He continued, "If it doesn''t sh with my principles, I would answer you without a hitch." Principles? I mused. What does someone who stays in the cell have to do with principles? I didn''t say that out loud though. I just wanted answers and it seemed the man was ced on my te of curiosity free of charge. I inhaled and squeezed my legs, burying my face further on my legs. "What do you know about the river by the¡­" I stopped trying to remember the position of the river. West or East. "East side?" The man''s voice came through. Heughed again but this time, there was no mirth in it. "It was thend Alpha Ryven''s mother sacrificed her life for. " I sat up straighter, "I don''t understand." "Well, you see, Alpha Ryven''s mother was not just any werewolf. She was a witch. And she had so much power. She was like a blessing to our cursed pack. Before she came, we were being helped by a woman named Arielle. She was a direct descendant of the moon goddess. Her powers were unparalleled." He stopped and sighed. I stood up, and walked closer to the wall, to make sure I got every sentence he spoke. His voice was getting faint. I had to strain my ears. I didn''t want to interrupt him for fear of distracting him. He seemed to be in the past, recalling the events. After some time of waiting for him to continue, he was silent. "And then, what happened?" I dared to ask him as my heartbeat in trepidation. The name ''Arielle'' struck a chord in my heart but I didn''t know why I felt apprehensive and angry for something I knew nothing about. "And then, she suddenly died. No one knew how she died. But her death meant there was no one to keep the river pure anymore. Ryven''s father was mad and kept to himself. It was rumored he had a thing for the woman," he chuckled. "I mean, who wouldn''t? She was the epitome of beauty. Big brown doe eyes, hair as light as a feather, her walk¡­" "How did Ryven''s mother die?" I asked him. He was more concerned about the beauty of the woman than the story he was telling me. "Oh," he caught himself. "Like I said, she was a witch and she had the powers to control the river. I mean, to give life to the river to get it pure. " "Why was the river cursed?" I asked as the clogs in my brain worked overdrive to put the pieces together. But nothing was still making sense. I had a fear. I couldn''t bring myself to think about it because it sounded absurd to me. I shook the thought away. The hunger was getting to me. Hence, the thoughts. The man coughed long and hard. He wheezed, breathing hard. "This old man would go and meet his ancestors," he chuckled, which made him cough one more time. "I have no idea why it was cursed. I was still a little boy. I can''t remember. And anytime it was asked, I always got hushed," he said with something akin to a shrug. I stayed silent while I let his words sink into me. "Did you hear Alpha Ryven exchange thend for someone?" I asked him and there was another round of silence. I opened my mouth to repeat the question, thinking he might have missed the words because of the low tone of my voice. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "This is a joke right?" He asked with disbelief in his voice. I chuckled at that. "Why would I joke in this kind of situation?" I asked him back and he red. "This is insane! Without the river, our pack is dead. We would be overthrown! I''ve always known Ryven was a weakling but this? This is unbelievable. His sister would have been better as the Alpha." I stilled in shock while he ranted. I looked out of the cell to make sure we were the only people. It would be bad if anyone heard him. "Stop yelling. Someone might hear you," I cautioned. "Hear me?" Heughed. "I''ve been through worse here. I speak nothing but the truth. I advised the former Alpha to put Ava as the Alpha. And when Ryven became the Alpha, he locked me up. For what? For telling the truth that his sister is better than him. He can never measure up to her!" "And guess what?" He asked. I could hear his feet shuffling. He was mad. I could hear the anger laced in his words. "What?" I managed to ask in a small voice. "It''sing to pass. But who did he exchange thend for?" He asked when the thought seemed to strike. I couldn''t tell him. I was the one. The attention I had been getting for the past few days was enough. "A random girl from another pack," I said. The shuffling of his feet stopped. "What?" I asked him as my heart hammered away in my chest. "No, it can''t be. Can it?" He mumbled to himself. "She died. Or could it be¡­" he continued. I had to strain my ears to hear him. "Can you talk to me?" I asked exasperated. He caught himself and I heard something move from the other cell. "It''s nothing. But Alpha Ryven must be delusional to think what he thinks I think. Also," he stopped and appeared to be deep in thought. At that moment, I was almost going crazy from the cut-in sentence. Couldn''t he sessfully finish a sentence without letting it hang? I paced in the room while my ears strained to get whatever things he had more to say. My curiosity was killing me. "Also?" I reminded him. "Also, it was rumored the former Alpha killed the woman. Thest descendants of the moon goddess who kept our river pure." He sighed long, drawing air away from his lungs. "I warned him. But he didn''t listen. I hope I won''t be alive to witness the catastrophe Ryven''s actions will cause this pack," he said with sadness tinged in his voice. "Don''t say that. I''m sure there''s always light at the end of the tunnel," I said while I sat down on the concrete bed. My head was on the cold wall. "What if the tunnel is a blind end?" He asked me and I was tongue-tied. Surely, there was a way out of this. Alpha Ryven couldn''t be so foolish as to let the pack into ruins. Soon enough, there was the sound of footsteps as it made its way to the dungeon I was being held in. It was one of the guards that brought me here the day before. "Come with me. The Alpha asks for you," he said while opening the lock of the cage. I didn''t attempt to stand up. I was too weak. The information I had was too much for me to handle. But it refused to answer the one question I had been dying to get answers to - why was I exchanged for the valuable piece ofnd? The guard walked in and red at me. I took that as a cue to get up to avoid being hit by him. I walked past him and waited for him to lock up the gate. My feet dragged my heavy body away from the cell. I was eager to see the person I had been conversing with for the past half an hour. Without waiting for the guard, I walked up to the cell the man was held in. His back was to me. He was in faded ck cks and trousers. As if noticing my gaze on him, he turned around. He was like I expected. He was in his fifties with a balding head filled with grey hair. He had brown eyes that looked like he had seen all the things in the world. The eyes slowly took me in. There was nothing in it. It was empty. And suddenly, it began to fill with something - recognition. His brows furrowed and he stood up while I stood rooted to the spot as he approached me. My heart hammered in my chest. I was nervous. I didn''t know why. Maybe because of the way he stared into my eyes like he could see into my soul. I felt like I wasid bare before him. All my secrets, past, and memories. He stood about two feet away from me and he gasped. "Arielle," he whispered. He searched my face while I tried to make heads or tails of his words. "You didn''t age a bit. No, you''re not her." He took a step back as his eyes roamed the entire length of my body. "My goodness, she had a daughter. But how? I thought¡­ No. Now it all makes sense," he said while nodding his head. I had a feeling I knew exactly what he meant as my blood froze faster than a frostbite. 31: She came, finally 31: She came, finally A nudge to my back brought me out of my thoughts. I watched the man go back to the back of the cell while I tried to wrap my head around what he said. I was a descendant of the moon Goddess and my mother''s name was Arielle. That exins why I had a feeling of connection when her name was mentioned. I didn''t know what to think anymore. Alpha Ryven brought me to the pack in hopes of using me for his gains. But that didn''t exin why I didn''t have a wolf. I looked at the man and he smiled at me like he knew exactly what was going on with me. And I was nudged by the guard a second time. I took that as a cue to move. We walked through the halls, the smell of the cells getu g day ter and I could feel more air which meant we were close to the surface. But I was vaguely aware of my surroundings. I still couldn''t wrap my head around the fact that I was special. I wasn''t trash like I had been made to believe. I was something more. Something I never thought was possible. If the words hade from someone else''s mouth, I would have taken it as a joke. But the look on the man''s face was too real to be fake. He looked like he saw a ghost as his face turned white as snow. I swallowed when we got out of the underground. We went back the same way we came. But this time, I was being led to the dining room. My brows furrowed from confusion as we walked to the dining room. It was empty, which wasn''t rare because it must have passed diner time. "Your food will be brought to you," the guard said when we entered the room. I opened my mouth to say something but I decided against it as he turned around, leaving me in the room. I stood transfixed on the spot, too indecisive to move. I didn''t know what to do until a maid walked by with a te of food. The smell of the food made my mouth water and I walked up to the chair where the food was ced. The maid looked shocked for a moment when sheid eyes on me. I couldn''t me her. I was sure I looked like someone who had been dragged through the pits of hell. Bending my head low to embarrassment, I sat down on the chair while she bowed to me from my peripherals. I sighed when she left me and I delved into the food. A few minutes into the food, I felt a presence behind me. Its gaze pierced me as goosebumps rose on the entire length of my arms. Turning around, I found Ava by the door with a hot re on her face. I watched with my heartbeat in my chest as she walked slowly toward me like a predator stalking its prey. At that moment, I felt like a pret as the spoon in my hand shed with the te, making a loud sound in the quiet room. She smiled when she noticed the ashen expression on my face. She was happy about it. Somehow, I feared her more than I feared Ryven even if she hadn''t done anything to me. She was the type of person who would make sure her enemy went down even if it meant going down with them. My neck began to hurt from the position I stayed in while I stared at her walking towards me. But I couldn''t turn back to the te of food for fear that she might try something stupid when my head wasn''t turned to her. I gulped her and she dragged out a seat and sat opposite me. I looked down avoiding her piercing gaze. Sheughed which sounded more like a grimace. "I can see you''re out of the cell," she spoke and I twisted my fingers in my hand. The cold from the night was biting into me. I was well aware of the hunger pang in me and the particles of the scrambled eggs in my mouth. I dared to look up at her hands which rested on the table. She was ying with the ring in her ring finger and I thought for a while she must be mated. I haven''t thought about it before but judging by how she was basically the same age as Alpha Ryven, she just mated with someone already. I thought for a while if she had a pup already. Her words broke through my thoughts, "You should count yourself lucky you were made to stay there for a little bit. I guess my brother must be scared your wolf wouldn''t show herself if treated poorly by him," sheughed again before continuing. "He''s delusional. If you were in my care, your wolf would have been out in a day. After all, you''re not brought here to eat and sleep all day." I buy my lips hard. Why was she trying to make a conversation? I just wanted to eat and have a good night''s rest. That wasn''t too much to ask. I groaned inwardly while I kept my face neutral, all aware of her gaze that never left me the whole time. "Then why am I here?" I whispered, afraid that speaking too loud would be a trigger for her. And I heard her sneer. "My darling brother didn''t tell you, did he?" She chucked when I looked up at her. I guess she saw the curiosity burning in me. "Well, I''m not one to tell you. He''ll have to tell you himself. More reason you need your wolf. Why is she out anyway?" She asked me and I kept mute. I had no idea either. But how can I tell her that when it looked like she was out for me, acting all nice and trying to start up a conversation? After a while when she noticed I won''t be saying anything, she spoke up. "Okay, I''ll tell you but promise me not to tell Ryven I told you." She stopped and I saw her hands go up to her hair. "Even if I hate you being here, you''re still a person. And maybe that will prompt you to leave this pack faster. Your presence reminds me of something I''d rather forget," she said and I sighed. I knew she hated me but this was something else. I looked up at her, and my heart beat faster in my chest. Finally, I would get the reason I was brought here. And then Ryven''s voice stopped her. "What are you telling her?" He asked while he walked into the room, the sh of his shoe against the floor making the only sound in the room. My shoulders slumped from disappointment. Maybe I was never meant to know the reason because each time I was close to uncovering it, something always got in the way. Ava''s chair hitting the floor made my eyes turn back to her. She had a scowl on her face when Ryven walked in. Standing up, she made her way to the door without sparing Alpha Ryven a nce. "Alpha Ryven walked up to me, drew a seat, and sat down. All the while, my eyes were glued to my hands nestled in my thighs. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Eat up. You''ll need the energy," he said to me while I tried to breathe out his cologne that wafted into my nose. The thing about Alpha Ryven was he always smelt nice no matter what. And he knew how to take care of himself, unlike other people who mostly smelt of sweat. I didn''t answer him even if he was looking at me expecting an answer. I saw him raise his hands and take up the spoon, cing it in my hand. "Eat," he ordered. His alpha command walked over me but I was able to resist it. It was the first time someone used an Alphamand on me. In my former pack, no one did because they felt I would die from it. "I can see you''re actually stubborn. If you don''t eat you''ll be out back in the cell," he said and I raised my head to meet his gaze. His gaze was empty. There was nothing in it. Or maybe there was something that he expertly hid. I couldn''t tell. But it would be now or never. "Why am I here?" I asked him expecting to see a surprise sh across his eyes but he only smirked at me. "Why do you ask? You only ought to do what''s asked of you and nothing more. I don''t want you poking your little nose in where it doesn''t belong," he said and I recoiled in disbelief. "You''re not serious, are you? I know why I''m here. I just wanted to be sure," I said and smiled back at him, my eyes boring into his while he cocked his eyebrows at me. "Tell me, why are you here?" He asked me and I shifted my chair away from his. He was too close to me for my liking. Flinging my hair that had gone wild away from my chest, I spoke. "Because I''m the daughter of Arielle, thest descendant of the moon goddess," I stopped while I relished in the sight of his face going pale. The man in the cafe was right. "Also, you want me to heal the diseases in your pack like my mother had done years ago. What if I tell you, I won''t do any of those? I will get my freedom and do whatever the hell I want to do?" He rapped his fingers on the table while looking away from me, an impatient look on his face. "Who told you all these? Ava?" Iughed at him which made his head snap to me. He was livid that I found out his little secret. "Someone I met in the cell. It was a nice thing bringing me to the cell. If not, I wouldn''t have found the reason I was brought here. I would have still been in the dark." He banged his fists on the table, "That old geezer! He needs to learn a lesson. It''s about time he kissed the face of the Earth," Alpha Ryven exploded and stood up from the chair. My eyes widened in realization at what he meant. I held his arm stopping him. "You won''t hurt him," I said in a whisper, my fears getting the better of me. "Try me," Alpha Ryven said and yanked his arm away from my hand. I held it again. He looked at me with rage burning in his gaze but I didn''t flinch. "You won''t hurt him," I repeated but this time in a pleading and forceful tone. He smirked using his left hand to push me off him. My stomach collided with the edge of the table and I gasped from the pain. From my peripherals, I saw Alpha Ryven storm toward the door and I froze from fear. He would kill the man because of me. And then, my heart rate increased more than normal. I could see and hear more clearly. My gums began to tingle. Same with my skin. I watched in shock as little white fur began to protrude from my arms. I was changing. My wolf wasing out. And I heard a voice in my head. "Hello, mate. Let''s go stop that fucker." 32: Blurting it out 32: Blurting it out Alpha Ryven stopped. I watched him through the eyes of my wolf. He spun around and watched me, his eyes wide. Somehow I felt exhrated by the look on his face. The look of pure fear, and happiness. It was like the moment I had been waiting for all my life. I relished in the moment. The way my skin felt. It was something I had never felt. I was on all fours as I stalked towards him. Toward Alpha Ryven. I saw him more clearly and heard the sound of his heartbeat as it beat vigorously in his chest. I have never felt so alive in my entire life but it was time I became the person I had always wanted to be; to be free from the clutches of society. I knew Alpha Ryven wanted to use me. I didn''t care! I was happy he wanted me, wanted to do something with me. I was no longer useless. No longer the trash I was called all my life. Fuck everything that had happened to me. I wanted to be something! I did a slow walk toward him, my paws hitting the floor which trembled with my heart. I was happy, nothing like I had ever felt, every moment I walked toward him. He was watching me, his eyes were on me, his hands on the door of the room as he involuntarily took a step back. I wondered what I looked like but I knew one thing - he wouldn''t hurt the man. He was innocent. What kind of an Alpha would hurt his people by telling the truth? "Finally you have shifted. I guess the cell was the right decision for you," he smirked when I was close to him. Letting go of the door, he walked to me. I could see the emotions dancing in his eyes. I didn''t want to shift. But I had to. I had to tell him everything that swirled in me. With painsing off me from different angles, I shifted back into my human form and fell to the ground. I was naked but that was the least of my worries. With my head up, I watched as Alpha Ryven''s eyes roamed my body. A piece of clothing was thrown on my bare back. Looking back, I found a shivering maid by the corner of the room. I guessed she was the one who brought my clothes. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Alpha Ryven''s eyes were still on me, a dirty smirk etched on his face. I wanted to wipe it off and tell him I wasn''t all that I was made to believe but what came out instead made me hate myself a little more. "Yes, it was the right decision. Now you can do with me what you''ve always wanted to do." I said, standing up slowly and draping the clothing around myself. It was aforter that was on me. I was lost in it. He walked closer to me, and his smirk widened into a full-fledged smile, "Yes, we need to talk. But first, I would like you to have your bath and some rest," he said, resting his massive hand on my shoulders. I felt dizzy from the shift. It drained my energy and I couldn''t feel my wolf. She rested at the back of my mind, the shift also taking a part of her energy. My lips found their way between my teeth, biting hard. I tried to fight off the drowsiness that threatened to ovee me. Alpha Ryven noticed the state I was in as he came behind me and carried me bridal style. It was something I had wished for when I was little. To be loved by someone. But this wasn''t it. I was cared for by Alpha Ryven because of what I had to offer. I felt fear. Real fear that froze my bones while he walked us to my room. I barely registered the faces we passed by. I was more concerned about my future here. What does it mean for me? Would I ever be loved for me? Or because of what I had to offer? I watched Alpha Ryven from below, his jaw was set, and his eyes were soft. He was happy. I was the bargaining chip that delivered as he expected. We reached the room. And soon enough, my head came to rest on the bed. I couldn''t think any longer as my head hit the soft pillow and I was imed by the darkness. I was awoken by the sound of knocking on the door. I was groggy for a while until I remembered the events of the day before. My heart came to stay in my mouth as I recalled my wolf. I didn''t even know her name. And the worst part, I couldn''t feel her. It was like the days before I got her. The knock on the door the second time made my head snap to it. Fear wrapped around my throat when I thought it would be Alpha Ryven. He came to tell me about it. What I came here for. I stood up and walked to the door. I was in my pajamas. It must have been the maid. My subconscious told me even if I was appalled about Alpha Ryven seeing me naked. The more I thought about it, the more I thought I was high on something not to have felt an ounce of shame when he saw me naked. Walking up to the door, I pulled it open and found Ava there, a grave expression etched on her face. She raised a brow at me when I was caught gawking. I tried to find out the reason she was here. There was nothing to talk about. She must have heard about what happened. That kind of news couldn''t be kept in for a day. Everyone must fear me now. How does that make me feel? I didn''t know. She walked in, her shoulders brushing against mine. I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to tell her off. She was getting on my nerves. Who does she think she is? She''s just the Alpha''s sister. I closed the door, walked up to the bed, and sat down facing her. She sat herself on the couch and looked out of the window. There was silence. She refused to say what she came for. The silence stretched into minutes and I grew impatient. "Why are you here?" I asked her and she finally turned her head to look at me. She sat up straighter and I felt whatever she had to say was serious. "I heard," she said, not giving out more information. I knew exactly what she meant but I wanted to y along. "Heard what?" I asked her and she cocked a brow at me silently asking ''seriously?''. I couldn''t be bothered and looked into her eyes. I was being cranky. I had been that way since I got my wolf. Her attitude was mixing with mine. She was a type of wolf who was dominant. I felt it from the bond that filled up when Ava walked into the room. Ava looked away from me to her nails, inspecting them. "Your wolf," she said and I widened my eyes a fraction like it came as a piece of news to me. She continued, "Don''t give me that look. And I have a proposition to make," she said while she stood up. I waited for her to continue but she just stood like a statue, looking behind the window. I knew she wasn''t really there. She was thinking hard about something. I had a feeling whatever she had to say was heavy in her mouth. Something she had battled with herself for a long time before concluding. Her eyes grew distant while I watched her mouth move. "I want you to leave this pack." She spoke so softly that I thought I was hearing things. The words were something I had never thought woulde from her mouth. She never wanted me here but the people here were dying. I was brought over to fulfill the duties of the river. I wasn''t sure how. But I knew somehow, I woulde to find out what it was. She turned to look at me, searching my face. I was confused. This wasn''t something I thought she would do. I didn''t say anything while I let the words sink. She repeated, "I want you to leave this pack. Your being here would bring more harm than good to the people. Ryven knows this and he decided to bring you over because of a silly grudge!" She balled her fists as anger swirled around her like a thick nket. Why was she talking about revenge? I stood up slowly. Maybe the words were too heavy on me. I needed some activity. Maybe a walk. Why couldn''t someone just bloody tell me what the hell was going on?! Do they all like the way I was being tossed around? I knew the answer. I didn''t want to say it to myself because it was too painful to ept. I walked up to her, standing right behind her as her smell wafted into my nose. It was a different smell from the one I remember. "What revenge are you talking about?" I asked softly. She turned back so fast, her hair wiped painfully in my face. Her eyes were wide. She didn''t mean to say that out loud. Too bad it was heard by the ears it wasn''t intended for. I ced a hand on her shoulder, "Ava, tell me. What revenge is Alpha Ryven plotting?" I asked her. The sound of her saliva moving down her throat filled the room. 33. What did it say? 33. What did it say? I was never good at reading people''s expressions but that didn''t mean I was aplete dumbass when ites down to it. Ava gulped and looked away from me. Like a switch of light, she came back to bring the haughty girl I had always known. There was no remnant of the girl who looked scared for having blurted out what wasn''t supposed to be said. "It''s nothing," she said, her eyes trained on the window. From how close to her I stood, I could smell the shampoo of her hair. It was a vani smell, mixed withvender. I wanted to get closer to her. It was something that calmed me. She whipped her head my way because of the silence that stretched after her words. I looked into her eyes and wanted to ask her one more time. I couldn''t force the words out of her. She looked at me like she knew exactly what was going on with me. There was this silent challenge that danced in her eyes. She wanted me to ask again. But I didn''t. At least I knew something - Alpha Ryven brought me here because of a silly revenge. A small part of me knew it wasn''t silly. Anything Alpha Ryven did wasn''t silly. It was calcted. He was the type of person who thought things through before indulging in them. I nodded my head and backed away from her. "It''s okay if you don''t want to tell me. I''ll find out after all. It won''t be long before he tells me about it," I muttered to myself. "My brother isn''t stupid. Forget about what I said. But if you value your life, leave. I would arrange for you to leave today without his knowledge," she said, still looking out of the window. "And where would I go?" "To another pack. I know the alpha. He''s an old friend of mine," she said. I asked the question not because I was considering actually leaving the pack. My curiosity got the better of me. She wanted me to leave and go to another pack. If that had been said about two days before, I would have considered the opportunity. But now, I can''t. I needed to find what Alpha Ryven was nning. And as much as I tried to ignore the rm bells that rang in my head, I knew I needed to follow them. But I couldn''t. I was stubborn. I hated to admit it but it was true. This offer from Ava was so tempting. I had a big fight with myself while I told her my next words. "No, thanks. I enjoy staying here," I walked up to the bed and sat down. She turned around, her eyes on me. I didn''t look up to meet her eyes. There was no way in hell I was letting her know how much I fought with myself to utter those words. "Fine. Don''t say I didn''t warn you." She said and the sound of her shoes hitting the floor filled the room. She got to the door, opened it, and left. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I didn''t know I had been holding my breath until she left. I released it with a long sigh and copsed on the bed. My eyes were glued to the high ceilings. Sometimes, I wondered why the ceiling was so high and blue instead of white. I didn''t ponder on it any longer. It gave me something to think about other than the offer Ava made for me. "Sophia, I can see you''re up," A voice raised me from my mind. I looked towards its source and found Alpha Ryven lounging by the door with a bright smile on his face that almost split it into two. It was like he was back. The man I knew who I met at Alexander''s swearing-in party. The man I fell in love with. Did I actually fall in love with him? I honestly didn''t know. But what I did know was that he was the person who made my heart flutter in my chest. "Hi," I said stupidly. And he used the opportunity to walk into the room, closing the door with a click. "How are you feeling? You''ve been out for almost a day, I was starting to get worried," he said with a voice filled with concern. I looked into his eyes, trying to tell a lie. But all I saw was concern. Was this the same person who locked me in the cell because I refused to get into the metal box? I watched him while he sat down on the chair, his legs crossed against each other like he owned them. He owned them that I know. But he was in the room he gave me. "You''re being unusually quiet?" He observed as soon as he sat down. I smiled at him and looked away and out to the window. "I''m fine. I''m just tired," I lied. "You have gotten enough rest," he stopped, wrung his hands together, and looked up into my eyes. "You should start now. Today would be your day off. Tomorrow, we will go to the hospital and you will check if your powers can heal them," he chuckled. "Of course, you can heal them," he said to himself. I was tongue-tied for a moment while I watched his face light up with happiness. I didn''t know if I had powers. I just got my wolf. And since the time I got her, I haven''t had a conversation with her. I could feel her. She was listening in on our conversation but she chose to stay silent. I bit my lips while I thought hard. Alpha Ryven was an irrational man when it came to the things he had in high esteem. He would make me do it even if I wanted to or not. Even if I wanted an out of this, a small part of me wanted to explore my special part. It wasn''t easy to jump from being trash to being someone special. I wanted to dwell in the moment and see the looks of awe on people''s faces when I healed them or cleared their illnesses like my mother did. "I haven''t been able to speak to my wolf since I woke up. So I have no idea if I would be able to do all those," I confessed. "You will. If you''re not too busy, can youe with me? I want to show you something. Or someone rather," he said and looked at me expectantly. I couldn''t say no to him. He looked like a child who was requesting for a candy. I couldn''t say no. I also wanted to know what I was capable of. "Say something," I said to my wolf. But she kept mute and watched. I feared I might make a fool out of myself if I went with Alpha Ryven. I knew he wanted me to practice with someone. "Alright, I''m ready. Let me get my shoes," I said and stood up, walking to the closet while Alpha Ryven tapped his fingers in the chair. I came out a few minutester with a new pair of clothes and shoes. Alpha Ryven gave me a once- over and smiled. I was suddenly reminded of the fact that he had seen me naked like the day I was born and I flushed under his gaze. He chuckled and stood up, leading the way out of the room while I followed him out. I thought about all the things that would happen if I failed to meet his expectations. And it didn''t matter that I wouldn''t be at fault. A shudder ran through my spine at the thought. I would be killed by him. And it would make matters worse since he gave out the only thing that would make hisnd prosper. We came in front of a house that was made of red bricks, different from the one back at the pack house. There was not a single person in sight who I thought we would being to meet. Alpha Ryven saw the confused look on my face. "We''reing to meet a seer," he said and my brows furrowed further as I clutched my gown. I regretted the reason I didn''t put on a long-sleeved dress as the wind picked up, making goosebumps rise entirely on my exposed skin. "You don''t know if you have your Powers. She''ll tell us what will be the fate of this pack. And how we can get your powers. You have your wolf. So you shouldn''t fear," he said and opened the door without knocking. Sweat coated my hand and my armpits from anxiety. I hated going to spooky houses. The inside of the house was dark and smelt like burning incense. There were different objects scattered across the floor which cast long shadows on the floor. A feeling washed over me, starting from the base of my feet to the tip of my fingers. I shuddered involuntarily, cing one foot after another while Alpha Ryven walked like he had been there a thousand times. "I see you have the child," a gruff voice spoke. Jumping out of my skin with my heart pounding relentlessly in my chest from fright, I looked around trying to locate the source of the voice. It neither sounded male nor female. I could see Alpha Ryven''s shoulders tensed from the sound. I couldn''t see his face because his back was to me and the house was too dark to make out anything even with the eyes of my wolf. I knew the owner of the house must have cast a spell to shroud the house from ordinary eyes. My sixth sense told me to leave. But I stood rooted to the ground, waiting for Alpha Ryven to say something. And what does she mean by ''the child''? Does that mean she had been expecting me? "Everyone had been expecting us," my wolf said. "What do you mean?" I asked her while I watched as Alpha Ryven sat on something. He was facing the West side of the house. That was when my eyes caught on a moving figure wearing a cloak. My heart caught in my throat as the figure slowly rose its head. Its red eyes shed with mine and fear rocketed me. My trembling fingers rubbed vigorously on my arms, trying to rid of the fear that stuck to me like water. And then, my wolf spoke with a shaky voice. "We need to get out of here." 34. The bastard again 34. The bastard again Ryven''s POV I had been getting impatient when I found out Sophia''s lessons weren''t working for her. I hired the best trainer in my pack in hopes of getting her wolf quicker. But she just had to rein it in. It angered me to no end. Each time I stomp to her room to drag her out of bed, Ie to my senses. Especially her smell, it was tantalizing. I wanted to soak in it all day. I liked her. I have liked her from the moment I set my eyes on her. I wanted to make her my Luna even if I knew Natalie would being back anytime soon. I promised to make her my Luna. But for years I hadn''t heard from her, I doubted she was still alive. It was like she vanished off the face of the Earth. Natalie had been my first love when my father often hit me and made me feel like I wasn''t enough, always rubbing the fact that I could never measure up to Ava. She was the only person by my side. I loved her for a long time but she saw me only as a friend. The longer I thought about it, the more I regretted the reason I gave her space because I couldn''t deal with being friends with her only. At that moment, I barked with myself, doubted myself but not to the point of being suicidal. Never. I wanted more, I wanted more power. I guess that''s the only resemnce between my father and I. We wanted more power. We wanted to be the best. The top of it all. I was often at loggerheads with him the older I grew and that was when he decided to make Ava the Alpha. What a sick bastard! I hissed in anger as its red hotness burned my insides to the point I wanted an out. I wanted to let it all out. I had always felt that way. Maybe it was my childhood that yed a big part in it. Or maybe it was the fact that I knew deep down that all that my father said was true. That I would never measure up to Ava. I certainly wanted to get better than her. And seeing her each day only reminded me that I would never get the love of my parents. Especially my mother. I loved her to the bone. She was my only hope in the cold pack house. Whenever my father hit me, she always rushed to protect me. And after her death, the impact she had on my life hit me like a walk that I was unable to get up for days. I thought about running away. But that would only harden my father''s ill thought of me. And so, I did everything to get what he wanted of me even if it meant hurting my loved ones. And that included Sophia. I felt a dull ache in my heart each time. I knew I could never love her the way I had intended to. I wanted her so badly that I stole her away from Alexander. I was smoothened with jealousy at how she looked at him. As if he was her world. And then, I found out she was the one I had been looking for for years. I debated with myself for a long time until I decided to put my emotions aside. In this cruel world of Werewolves, it was dangerous to rule with one''s emotions. Just like Alexander did. What a stupid Alpha! I wondered how he was made the Alpha. And sometimes, I also wonder what it would be like to get my mate. I often envy those with their mates. Just like Ava. She seemed to have everything she wanted waiting at her disposal. She was one lucky bitch. I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I watched the blues of Sophia''s eyes shine brightly. I could tell she was scared with the way her hand clenched around her dress so tightly like she wanted to rip them in two. I knew why she was scared. I had the same reaction when I first met Tenia. I was only sixteen years old at that time and I was looking for thest descendants of the moon goddess just like my father and I had done in the past. I wanted to please him even while in death. I couldn''t help it. There was always an inner voice in me that always reminded me of his words. It was like it was etched deep in my soul. I tried all methods of medication and self-reflection from therapy to get rid of it. But it just wouldn''t go! It stuck to me like glue that wouldn''t go no matter what. A part of me knew I was at fault. I didn''t want to let go. I wanted to prove him wrong; I wanted to prove that I was more than what he could ever imagine. And I wanted to smile at his grave, telling him all that I''ve achieved which he couldn''t do in his fifty-five years on Earth. "Bring your right hand," Tenia told Sophia, rousing me from my thoughts. She looked at me and then did as she was asked. I ced a hand on her back to calm her down. Her heart hasn''t stopped beating since the time we stepped foot in the house. "Why are we here?" Sophia asked me even when Tenia had told her to be quiet. I guess that was another reason I felt drawn to her the moment we met. "I''ll tell youter. Just do as he asks," I said and she looked away from me to him. Tenia''s eyes were closed and his lips moved like he was in some form of realm which couldn''t be seen with the ordinary. When I was younger I wanted to be like him. But I was never given the chance. Tenia was like a father to me. He gave me words of advice. Told me things I thought only existed in Ava. I was grateful for his help in my life. He was someone who was a messenger from the gods. The gods have been in a feud with the moon goddess. He was a good man, that I know. But people don''te too close to him to realize that. They only judged from the outer appearance which was not pleasing to the eyes. A chuckle worked its way from my throat to the tip of my lips. But I was quick enough to swallow it down my throat before it came out of my lips. I would look like a lunatic. The Atmosphere in the room was anything but funny. "Hmm. It''s all good," Tenia said atst and let go of Sophia''s hand. She snatched back her hand, rubbing it vigorously on her dress while she scooted away from Tenia. "Thank you," I said to Tenia. I didn''t know what he saw and his face was a mask of no emotion. I couldn''t read him. No matter how happy he was, he never showed it. Sometimes, I wondered if he had ever had any other expression on his face apart from the nk look that often marred his face. But I could read him to an extent. Just like when I told him I had found Sophia. A ghost of a smile appeared in his eyes. I saw it before it was gone. And then, I started questioning if it had all been in my head. I stood up from the couch, Sophia following my move. I know Tenia wouldn''t tell me what happened with Sophia in the room. And I couldn''t mindlink him because he wasn''t a part of my pack. He nodded at me, not saying anything, and walked to the innermost part of the house. "What was that about?" Sophia demanded as soon as we were back in the pack house. I wasn''t ready for her question nor was I ready to have any form of conversation with her. I needed to be in my office. I had been cking offtely because of her. I was so worried she wouldn''t get her wolf I had forgotten for a while my duty to my pack. Shame coursed through me from the memory. "It was nothing," I said. "Nothing?" "Yes. Look, I''m not in the mood to talk. I will tell you everythingter. I have a lot of things to do right now," I said and moved away from her. Her face was ck like she wanted to say something but held herself back. I continued, "Rest up and eat. I will be with you shortly," I said and walked away all aware of her gaze that never left me. Going into my office, I met my Beta inside with a file in his hands. He had been helpful to me since the incident with Sophia. I honestly didn''t know what I would do without him. He was like a blessing to me. I have heard of Beta''s who did nothing but bring more work to their alphas. And the worst were the ones who sold out pack''s information. I knew Nicks would never do that. I trusted him. To an extent. "You''re back," he spoke, dipping his head in greeting and I nodded. "Did any otherintse from the people?" "No, not anything urgent. They have calmed down since thest time you spoke to them. I think they realize the severity of what they are doing," Nicks said and lowered the file to the table. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. The files which were meant for me were neatly stacked against one another on the table. That was one thing I also liked about him; he was neat. "But. Another letter came this morning for Sophia," he said and I halted as my hands grazed one of the documents. "From Alexander?" I asked without turning to look at him. He was beside me, eyes on me, gauging my reaction. "Yes," he said and I cursed under my breath. 35: Losing control 35: Losing control For days now, Alexander had been sending letters to Sophia. Maybe he realized how much of a fool he was to let her go. I figured if he did that because of the feelings he had for her. He literally rejected her and never wanted to be with her. But from the information I got before leaving the pack, he was changing towards her, wanting to win her back. A chuckle escaped my lips at the stupidity of it all. Because after everything, it still went down the drain when thend at the Easton border was mentioned. For a brief moment when I spent time in his pack with his father, their rtionship reminded me of my father with me. They never agreed to anything. But one thing that also shocked me was how willing Alexander was to give Sophia away when his father told him something. I was sure it had something to do with that bitch, Dianne. "Discard it," I said to Nicks and resumed my hands on the files. I sat down on the chair, the sound of Nicks''s footsteps fading while I looked at them. Ten minutes into them, I was bone tired already. A part of me knew why I was tired. I wanted to see Sophia. She wasing into my mind more than I could admit to myself. Even if there was hate in her eyes when she looked at me, I wanted to keep seeing those eyes. I didn''t know what I would do if she had taken Ava''s advice to leave the pack. A growl erupted from me as I clutched the pen tightly in my hands, I heard a resounding snap. But that didn''t quell the anger that flowed in my heart for Ava at what she attempted to do. She knew the severity of what she wanted to do. I felt like she just wanted to always see me in pain. Thest time she tried to inflict emotional pain on me backfired on her. I was sure the gods and also the moon goddess were behind me, fighting for me. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. I looked down at the spoiled pen on my hand and cursed one more time as I stood up and walked over to where my stack of pens was kept and found it empty. I cursed again. I stormed my way over to my room to get my supplies. I had always had a weird habit of keeping my things close to me. No matter how many times I was told in the past by my mother to keep such things in the storage room, I couldn''t. There was this joy and relief that knowing my things were within arm''s reach and no harm would come to them. But what I couldn''t keep within arm''s reach was my mother. I begged her multiple times not to go with my bastard of a father but I was just a little boy in her eyes. A boy who couldn''t distinguish his left from his right. ***** "He''s not letting me," Sophia said when we were in the hospital. It had been five days since west saw Tenia. ording to what he said, Sophia''s gifts were intact and she just needed someone to teach her how to use them. That hade as a challenge to me because there were no witches in my pack. And the only other person who had a gift close to that of a witch was Ava. Although she hasn''t used them in so long. Her mate had told me using them was like a trigger for her. Sometimes I wondered why she was so emotionally unstable. If there was someone who could be suffering from them, it should be me. And not her. I couldn''t even bring myself to ask her to train Sophia to use her gifts. She would try to do something so stupid. It happened two years ago when I told her to help me find Sophia. At that time, she was still a little bit sane to me. But then, she went all crazy on me. I made that mistake once. I won''t be having it twice. "Try for a second time," I watched Sophia. She was seated on one of the many avable chairs in the white room. The room was designed for her to heal the people. That might just be one of the reasons she''s here. But most importantly, she was here to carry my pups. "It''s not working. I''ve tried several times. I think it''s him." "Him?" I asked as my eyes found their way to the man sitting opposite her, his right hand ced on hers. He was barely here and hanging on to a thin thread of life. "Yes, I think he''s not letting me. He doesn''t want to be cured. I think he wants to be with his mate," she said and ran her free hand which was her left hand on her hair. She stopped when she realized it was held up in a ponytail. But that little action which could have helped ease her stress made her let out a long breath instead. "His mate is dead. And he has a duty to this pack. Try again." She scoffed and stood up. The man was falling but was quickly held back by my Beta. I was thankful I decided to bring him over today. The day before was hell with people screaming at Sophia. They didn''t trust her and I understood why. I winced at the memories. And opened my eyes to see Sophia ring down at me. She was saying something but I could register what she was saying because the man''s heartbeat stopped. He died in Nicks'' arms. I cursed under my breath and pushed Sophia aside with my left hand. She seemed stunned for a moment until she realized what just happened. "Burn him," I said and Sophia''s breath caught in her throat. I could tell because of the gasp that left her. "No, we are going to give him back to his family. It''s not his fault he was contacted by the disease," "Then whose fault? Mine?!" I snapped at her and turned around. She didn''t back down. "I don''t know. But you need to work on yourself. You act like a selfish person who thinks about nothing but himself. Just like how you decided to give out thatnd when you knew the consequences." "You sure sound like it''s my fault. Don''t sugar-coat your words. I won''t tolerate you making me feel like what I do for my people isn''t enough," I said and balled my fists. The thought that I wanted to make Sophia mine, make her feel loved here, and apologize for everything I did to her in the past few out of the window. I couldn''t think straight with my anger. I had never thought straight when it burned through my veins. I only realized what I did when I was breathing well again. When the blood that coursed through my veins wasn''t mixed with anger. It was a deadly weapon. I knew that. But I didn''t think straight when my hands went up on their own and pushed Sophia. She fell with a loud thud, her head hitting the wall. I thought she would let out a sharp cry of pain. Or worse, pass out. But that was nothingpared to the fury I saw that danced in her eyes. Or the way her nails elongated. She partially shifted with only the furs on her hands sticking out. At that moment, I realized what I did. She was able to do it because she was part lycanthrope. Werewolves couldn''t do that. We were only able to shift with either our ws extended or fangs protruding. But she was able to shift with her hind legs, part Werewolf, and her forearm shifted. My Beta came in front of me. I didn''t stop to think where he had put the dead man. Or if he could be able to stop Sophia when she decided to fight us. My wolf was fighting to be out. I knew once I let him out, there would be no going back. It was suicidal. As much as shame coursed me at the realization that the woman I n to make my Luna would be stronger than me. "Get back. I can handle this," I told Nicks while I fought with my wolf. Like always, I won and pushed him to the back of my mind, creating a wall. Nicks obeyed. Sophia was back in my vision. But this time, she was Sophia. She wasn''t part lycanthrope. She was changed and her head was bent low, hands on her knees while she breathed out. "You hit me again. After you said you would never do that. Do you say things only to break them?" She asked with pain in her voice. I couldn''t see her eyes but her voice was so riddled with pain. And I was back where the anger no longer burned in me. I was back to where I wanted Sophia to make her right. I wasn''t that crazy man who couldn''t think with his anger. But how could I tell her that? "I''m sorry." "You''re not sorry. You treat your people like trash and I do not stand for that. I will fight you on this until you change. And will hit me again. I don''t think it''s ever going to change," she closed her eyes before I could see the pain in them. "I will," I said, not even believing in myself. "You were challenging an Alpha. There are more ways to get your information across without yelling." She raised her head. Her eyes were red-rimmed with something. Pain? Fear? Anger? Regret? I couldn''t tell. "Yelling? You call that yelling? How can I talk to you if you consider my words as cabbage?" "You know I didn''t say that. I would never consider your words trash. All I''m saying is never to raise your voice at me. I''m a vtile male," I said and took a step towards her. She chuckled without mirth, "There he goes again. You never admit your faults." And then for a moment, I thought she was right. I didn''t like to agree that I was wrong. I knew they were bad. But I wanted to always be in the right. To be considered as the wise one. A little part of me knew I was wrong for hitting her. But that part also wanted me to keep it to myself. Maybe it was ego or pride just like Ava called it. However, I couldn''t change myself even if I wanted to. I was an Alpha and admitting my fault was considered a weakness. And I hate weak people. I wanted to tell Sophia I never was at fault. But the words stopped when she bent over and emptied all the contents of her stomach on the floor before passing out next to it. 36: He came to me 36: He came to me Sophia''s POV "How do you feel now?" I asked thedy in front of me. She gave me a shy smile as she nodded her head. For the past hour, while I worked on her, I wasn''t able to get a word out of her. But I was doing my best for her. The disease in Alpha Ryven''s pack wasmunicated. But somehow, I wasn''t able to be infected with the disease. When I asked Alpha Ryven about it, he attributed it to the fact that I was a direct descendant of the moon goddess and was immune to it. I still haven''t forgotten about what happened thest time I was here. About the way, Alpha Ryven treated me like I was nothing. Maybe it was because of the way I am useful in the pack now that I know I was no longer who I used to be before. And that included getting my wolf. One thing I hade to learn about my wolf was that she was a very quiet and observant wolf. I talked with her. Apparently, her name is Athena. A very unique name and she also appears to be filled with wisdom. One she wasn''t willing to share with me. Hours passed while I worked on different people with the Beta''s gaze still on me. I often wondered what my fate in this pack was. Although I was given special treatment by Alpha Ryven which was a stark contrast to what I was given in my former pack, I still didn''t feel like I belonged. At first, I thought it was because of the looks I got from the people. But I think it has something to do with what Ava said some days ago. I had woken up in her room and she spared me no breathing moment to bring back her offer. But this time, she was frantic. I didn''t know why. Which led me to think there was more I didn''t know about. "You should get some rest," the Beta''s voice startled me out of my thoughts. I have grown so ustomed to healing the people, that I could do so with my eyes closed "Just for a little bit and I will be out of here," I said to him. Somehow, these days I hardly get tired except in the mornings when the sun hasn''te up. And during those times, I felt a little sick. "Alpha Ryven said to leave at exactly five o''clock. And that''s what the time says now," he pushed on. "I know!" I snapped at him. "Just for a little while. And I can take care of myself. Alpha Ryven knows that. And you should also give in to that knowledge," I said annoyed that he was always following Alpha Ryven around like he doesn''t have a life of his own. After some silence passed between us, I felt bad about the way I spoke to him. I knew nothing about him apart from his name. Didn''t he have a family? He looked young but some men his age already had a family of their own. "Do you have a family?" I heard myself asking when the silence was bing unbearable. "Yes," he said. But something happened. I could feel his pain. I didn''t know how to feel about that. Maybe the work was getting to me and I needed a good sleep and some food. I pushed aside the thought. Or the feeling. "How are they?" I asked, feeling like a fool. I was so bad at making conversations, that the air in the room fell a little down at my feeble attempt at making one. "They are fine," he said respectfully. I didn''t have to look back at him to know he was standing still like a statue with an expressionless face. He was always like that. Sometimes I wondered if he was that way with his family too. The thought of family made me remember what Ava had said and my heart lurched in my throat. She couldn''t be right. As much as I tried to assure myself that she was ying a stupid prank on me, I knew she was dead serious. She would gain nothing from ying a prank on me. And more, she didn''t strike me as the kind of person who would y a prank on anyone. Which made a stupid little part of me believe she was right. But if she was right, that meant I was in deep trouble. It didn''t stem from the part where she thought I was pregnant but from what would happen if I was pregnant. And only one word came to mind - Alexander. I had sex with him. It was one of those days when you wake up and feel like everything is a dream and go back to being normal. It was a fling. A real one. I could barely remember it because I willed myself not to. And that day, he was being like someone different. Someone that only existed in my fantasy. I unconsciously touched my stomach. "You need to eat. You''ll need the energy to take on more patientster," he said to me thinking I touched my stomach because I was hungry. "I''ll soon be done," I said, wrapping a bandage across a man''s head. This job seemed as if I was born into it. And even if I hated to admit it to myself, I love to do it. It gave me a feeling of importance. The man thanked me and left and I was done for the day. I looked at my feet as they throbbed under me. I had been sitting in the same position for hours without standing up. And if I really was pregnant, I needed to take care of my health and my baby. I couldn''t do that without having any money. I wondered if Alpha Ryven nned to pay me for the job I was rendering. I knew I was being selfish because Alpha Ryven had been nothing but my savior. The treatment I received here was nothing I ever dreamed I would be getting in my former pack. But no matter the treatment I received, nothing prepared me for what happenedter in the day. "You seem tired," he said to me when he came into my room. I was by the couch reading a favorite book of mine that contained too many explicit scenes for my young mind. It filled me with a lot of images I would rather bury in the deepest part of my heart. Alpha Ryven''s eyes went to the book in my hand. But before he could see what was written on the cover of the book, I hid it behind my back. Amusement danced in his eyes but he said nothing much to my relief. I didn''t want him to know I had been consuming those kinds of books. Not because I didn''t want him to think less of me. But because I didn''t want him to know I had been fantasizing more about him. And that had nothing to do with my feelings for him. If anything, I had grown more distant with him. Well, I fantasized about him because he was the closest male I had in my life at that moment. "I''m fine. Thank you for asking," I said and there was an awkward silence in the room. I could very well feel his intense gaze on me. That''s why I wasn''t surprised when he moved over to the couch and sat down opposite me. I dared to look up. And goodness, Alpha Ryven was a fine specimen of a man! His face was neatly pieced together, featuring dark eyebrows resting on enchanting eyes that seemed to draw me in. And his lips were wide and bow-shaped, with hollow cheekbones. But what made him more pleasing to look at were his eyes. And the way his lips moved when he spoke. I gulped and looked away, well aware of the sexual tension in the room. I was in thin, transparent nightwear. I never expected a guest. More or less an attractive one at that. And the nightwear I usually wore on top of my gown was on the bed. Earlier, I had been on the bed but I needed to see the scenery outside with the smell of the flowers wafting into my nose. And then I moved and I regretted that terribly. I couldn''t stand up to get it for fear of Alpha Ryven''s seeing all of me. Although he could do that right now, with my breasts lying bare for him, stinging slightly, calling to him. "I''ve apologized already. And you say you have forgiven me. But I knew you didn''t. How can I make it up to you?" He asked me and moved closer to me on the couch. "Nothing. Just do nothing. I told you already. I''m not mad at you." "Then why do you have that look in your eyes? I see how you avoid me. Isn''t that enough reason for me to believe you are hiding from me then this," he pointed to my hands. I looked down and realized I had been clutching the book tightly to myself. And that was when he seemed to notice what I was in as his eyes traced my hands to my chest. My chest felt constricted as we stayed like that for a while. I was aware he could see my pointed nipples from the gown. I inwardly groaned as I cursed myself for choosing this nightwear today of all days. "You look¡­" he trailed off as his eyes came to rest on my face, my eyes. There were so many emotions swimming in them. But most of all, lust. "Look what?" I whispered. I didn''t know what was wrong with me but I wanted him to say it. "You look beautiful. I mean, you''re beautiful. Has anyone told you that?" He whispered back and I thought about it. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Hard. "No," I said and he scooted closer to me, his hands came in my hair. He stopped as if waiting for me to give him approval before running his hands through it. I was silent and silence meant approval so he went on with it. I closed my eyes while I relished in his smell and his hands in my hair. I felt his breath in my neck and he kissed it. It made me feel like one of the main characters in a book I usually read. My emotions were running riot. I let him trail wet kisses down my neck. My head screamed at me to pull back but I was too consumed by the emotions to give heed to them before his words made me open my eyes. "Can I kiss you?" He asked ever so gently I would have missed it if he wasn''t so close to me. 37: Hot and spicy 37: Hot and spicy I nodded my head at him. I was battling with my head. It warned me not to give in, telling me all the reasons this felt so wrong. But my feelings won. Damn, the stupid feelings. His hands came up to my chest. And ever so slightly, he brushed his knuckles against my already awakened nipples. I shuddered against him. And he looked up at me, his eyes were no longer the color I had unknowinglye to love. Instead, they were a deep shade of ck which meant his wolf was taking over. And I let them. I let him as a soft moan escaped my parted lips. Taking that as an opportunity, his wet kisses somehow found their way back to my neck as he gently sucked on the spot where my mark is meant to be. For a moment, I could no longer think. All that clouded my memory was his tongue doing things to me I never thought was possible. Alexander wasn''t this way. He had been brief. And while itsted, it was romantic but nothing like this. Goddess! Alpha Ryven sucked on it until I was sure the spot had gone red from the intense sucking. Aching my back, his canines grazed the spot and I tensed. He seemed toe to himself as he began trailing the kisses up my lips. I resumed my position in the chair but this time, my hands were on his chest. He was made of a hard mass of muscle. Every part of him was hard even the part I knew my core was aching desperately to be filled with. The idea that he wanted me almost consumed me, almost making me want to back out and think about what was happening. But I was stopped just before I could pull away. By his lips on mine. Those lips were heavenly as they sucked on mine. My brain was short-wired for some seconds by how soft his lips were. They tasted something;vender and wine. I was sure he had wine before coming, which gave him the courage to seduce me in my room. That was the word I would use because I couldn''t describe what came over me. I was drunk in the emotions that flowed through me. I wasn''t new to them. So I had no idea why I gave it all to him. A small part of me knew I secretly wanted it. From the moment I set eyes on Alpha Ryven. Even if he was a jerk that thought about himself only, he was a fine man and knew how to use his words well which was why I battled with myself for days about forgiving him for what he did to me in the hospital. The gentle tug of my lips by him made another moan escape me but I wanted more. I pressed harder to him as he wrapped one huge hand around my tiny waist. There was no more space between us but that didn''t hinder him from pressing closer to me. Our bodies were pressed together while I let him kiss me. His lips moved with so much gentle eagerness as if he wanted to devour me while also being considerate of my feelings. My heart swelled in my chest and it was almost painful. And then I followed his sync. His tongue pushed into my mouth. He was no longer kissing me. We were kissing each other, holding one another in each other''s arms. It didn''t stop there as his hand made its way to my chest. I shuddered as he neared my sensitive area which was just waiting for his attention. His hand finally got to the area and he cupped my breasts. A huge breath entered into me but refused to leave as his thumb traced circles around my sensitive nipples. The nightwear did little to shield me from the torrent of emotions that overcame me. And then, he did the thing that almost sent me into overdrive; he ced his mouth on my nipples with my dress still intact. My hands flew to his hair and they were as soft as I imagined them to be while I ran my hands through them. He sucked on my nipples while blowing air on them. "Do you want me to stop?" He whispered against my chest. I was far too gone with the act to think properly about the consequences of our actions. Alpha Ryven had nothing to lose by having sex with me. If anything, he gained from me. I wasn''t allowed to think that way because we had both been of sane minds if we indulged in the act. I was definitely not one of those girls who ys the victim when something goes wrong after having sex where both parties had the time of their lives. And I definitely wasn''t also a girl who said yes to handsome young men about sucking their nipples. Nevertheless, I found myself shaking my head a no at his question. "I want you to speak, Sophia. Say the word and I will leave and pretend this never happened," he rasped in a heavy voice which wasced with so many emotions. "Don''t stop," I heard myself saying. And that was all I needed to say as his lips imed mine once more. This time, there was no gentleness in the kiss. It was filled with urgency and want. So much want as his hand found my breasts. He squeezed lightly and I gasped but wasn''t given the chance to take another breath as his lips devoured mine. Heat pooled in my lower belly as it quickly spread to my lower abdomen going lower until it settled between my legs. There was an aching throb between them. And I knew what it throbbed for. It was nestled against my legs I felt it against me. I secretly wondered if it was as huge and satisfying as the ones I had read in a book. The book I was reading when Alpha Ryven came in to be precise. I wasn''t given the chance to ponder more on it because of Alpha Ryven''s hand that had somehow found its way to my inner thighs. His hand went higher leaving a wake of burning desire. My lips were still being eaten by him as his hand worked its magic until it got to my wet folds. He parted it with a finger, tracing it ever so gently down my core that ached to be filled with something thick, hard, and hot. Unconsciously, I began to move around his hand in circles following pure instincts with my eyes closed. The sensations his hand brought as it filled me rammed into me, making a loud gasp leave me. I was left staring at the ceiling above me. And like a switch, I came to my senses. I was hoping I wasn''t pregnant like Ava had said. And if eventually I found out I wasn''t pregnant, I would likely get pregnant from this encounter with Alpha Ryven. Not like Alpha Ryven was the type of person to carelessly have sex without protection, but one has to be careful. Especially if the someone who was pounding into someone else was a big bad Alpha like the one who seemed intent on merging our bodies into one. I gently pushed his shoulders, "I think we should stop," I said, barely recognizing the voice that traveled out of my lips. He stopped with his face between my breasts. He was breathing hard. I feared he didn''t hear me because of how still he got. I was hyper-aware of his fingers in my core which clenched around him. Another wave of emotion flowed through me, almost bringing me back into the mood but I fought it while wriggling away from him. "Yes, we should," he said and moved away from me. He didn''t meet my gaze. For a moment, I thought I hit a cord until his head came up to me and I knew I didn''t. His eyes were dull and there was something in it. Something I couldn''t recognize even if I tried to. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Looking down, I found the promiscuous position I was in - my legs were opened, one of them on Alpha Ryven''s legs, and my back was against the armrest of the couch with my nipples visible where he had sucked on. Embarrassment threatened to take the life out of me. Alpha Ryven seemed to understand as he stood up, walked up to my dress on the bed, and brought it to me. I hastily snatched it from his hands while I kept wondering the reason he seemed different. He was still the man that walked into my room a few minutes ago. But I sensed a change within him. So also did the atmosphere as it went from steamy to serious after I had worn the dress. I walked to the bed, putting as much distance between us both. He didn''t seem to mind as I knew he had something to say because of the lines that appeared around his lips. "I didn''te to seduce you. If that''s what you''re thinking," he said, reading my thoughts and I opened my mouth to protest. He held up a finger, silencing me. "I came because I had something important to say. But you distracted me." I flushed red knowing exactly what he meant by that. It wasn''t intentional but I didn''t tell him. It would be pointless. "What is it you wish to say?" I asked him while I stroked the spine of the leather-bound book in my hands. The book that had almost turned into a practical book with what I did and didn''t do with Alpha Ryven. "I want you to be my chosen mate," Alpha Ryven said and my hand stopped mid-air. Alpha Ryven was never one to be blunt with someone. But this time, he was and it shocked me. Almost to the point, I didn''t understand what he said. "Why me?" I asked and looked into his eyes, trying to decipher what was hidden just beneath his orbs. It took me long enough. But I did decipher it. It was something I never expected to see but I couldn''t be mistaken. It was just one emotion. Fear. 38: Lies 38: Lies The emotion left as soon as I realized what it was. But I had seen it so briefly I wondered if it weren''t my eyes ying tricks on me. I knew it wasn''t by the way he cleared his throat and looked down. I couldn''t see it clearly but he looked flushed and I remembered the conversation at hand. He asked me to be his mate. At first thought, it didn''t make sense. But looking closely at it, it made perfect sense. First I was the last descendant of the moon goddess who is blessed with so much power I couldn''t even begin to fathom what I was capable of. And most times, the thoughts scared me. But not scaring me to the point that I have to force some information out of my overly silent wolf. I thought about doing it on a certain day when the questions swimming in my head were too much to handle. And just like she always does, she kept mute at the question I had thrown her way. "It has to be you," he said, not giving anything away. It was as if he didn''t want me to know. I looked up at him and found him looking at me. The remnant of whaty before was gone. And in it was a nk look. It was a look filled with so many things yet so little things. I swallowed and wanted to ask a question but changed my mind and asked another instead, "I don''t understand what you mean. Do you just want to make me your Luna because of what I am and not who I am?" "No." "Then does it have anything to do with how you feel about me? Don''t lie to me. I knew you didn''t care about me," I said the truth while it pulled at my heart painfully. "You don''t know me. And you don''t know how I feel either," he said, his eyes almost boring holes into mine. "Then tell me. How do you feel about me?! I certainly know it isn''t love. If it isn''t then what is it? Do you just want me to be your Luna because of my importance to your pack?" I watched his Adam''s apple bubble up and down but his face remained as expressionless as a sheet of paper. "No," he said and looked into me. I felt bare before him. "Then tell me, why do you want me to be your Luna?!" "Because I love you! Alright?" He screamed at me, his eyes widening and his jaw twitching violently. I could tell that had been difficult for him to say as my eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Because I love you. I''ve always loved you since the moment I set eyes on you. Why do you think I approached you?" He asked me and I kept mute. He continued. "It''s not what you think. I never knew you were thest descendants of the moon goddess. I loved you for you. The girl I saw was an innocent scared girl who needed protection from this cruel world. And everyone was lying to you. Was lying to your face. And I couldn''t stand that. I needed to take you out of there where your innocence couldn''t be tainted." I shook my head, stopping him. I knew he had more to say as his chest rose and fell with the words he had spilled out. That was the first I heard of Alpha Ryven saying so many words at the same time. But out of everything he said, my ears only caught two things. First, he loved me. I found it hard to believe because of the way he treated me when I came into his pack. And secondly, the part he spoke about people lying to me. "What do you mean people were lying to me?" I whispered, somehow afraid of knowing the truth. Something in me knew he would tell me. I could see in his eyes how he wanted toe clean with everything that had been happening. This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Maybe it was the soft glow of his eyes as they shone that night. Or the way his lips were set and a little hardness to his eyes. He was mad. Mad at something I couldn''t even fathom about. "The Beta''s wife. I promised myself I wouldn''t tell you this so you wouldn''t be hurt. But I won''t live with myself happily knowing you trusted the people who were supposed to be your enemy." "What are you talking about?" I asked again. This time, with fear and anticipation holding me hostage. He shook his head, breaking eye contact with me. He looked out the window. I could see the shadows under his eyes. He was tired. I believed he hadn''t slept for days. Something was eating him up. "The Beta''s wife. She killed Rudolph." He said and the room was doused in pin-drop silence. I could no longer hear the wind as they picked up outside because of the beating of my heart against my ribcage. "You''re joking," Iughed and looked away from him toward the book in my hand. "I''m not. They were ying you for a fool. She killed him and pinned the me on you while trying to act like your savior. I saw all those and became mad." "Why are you telling me all this? You knew these would hurt but you had to tell me," I said against the hurt that threatened to ovee me. I wanted to believe the little part of me that wanted to call Alpha Ryven a liar. But what could be gained by setting me against Dianne''s mom? Has Dianne known about it also? Or was she just as clueless about me? And I couldn''t believe I believed her. I couldn''t believe I thought of her as my mother. She reced the blurry figure of my mom in my head. I couldn''t feel my limbs any longer as the hurt spread to every part of my being. It was like they were severed from my body. Neither could I feel the cold in the room as the temperature went down so many degrees. I could only feel the hurt in my heart. I believed her when she told me Alexander killed Rudolph. I also believed her when she told me she cared about me. I inhaled sharply and looked at Alpha Ryven. I wasn''t seeing him but I could see the memories of the time I spent with Dianne''s mother. Why would she do that to me? I felt betrayed and worse? I felt like a fool. But how do I know Alpha Ryven wasn''t ying a sick one on me? I zeroed in on his face. The look on his face was too serious for him to be joking. His lips were moving but I couldn''t hear a thing of what he spoke. I was in my little world where everything I had known was crumbling like a wall. And it was crumbling so fast I had no power to do anything but stare at it in grief and anguish. "Sophia?" I felt a hand on my shoulders. When had Alpha Ryven moved away from the chair to the bed? "Huh?" I asked and looked up at him. I felt something wet on my cheeks. Were those tears? I had no idea I had been crying. "I''m sorry for not telling you earlier. But what I feared is happening right now. I know it would break you because you saw her as a mother. I know this is selfish of me. But if knowing the truth will make you think of me as selfish, then I''m ready to be called selfish," Alpha Ryven said and touched my wet cheeks. With one hand, he wiped the tears away from my left cheek. His hands were warm against my cold skin. And I was sure my heart had also gone cold from the news I received. "But why? Why would she do that to me? I was only a child. I knew nothing of killing an animal let alone a boy that had been no older than me. Did she hate me that much? I know I''m not smart or pretty but that didn''t mean she should have done that. That doesn''t¡­" "Hush now. It''s in the past. That''s the reason I took you away from there. To start a new life here. With me." He squeezed my hand with his other hand and I realized how close he was to me. I had been in a trance I didn''t realize we were almost touching. His breath almost fanned my face. And I knew if I inched closer to him, our lips would be touching. "And you''re smart and pretty. I want you to think of yourself that way. Don''t let what other people tell you get to you. What you think about yourself is all that matters. Your past doesn''t define you. You are what you say you are. And you are special. No one can take that away from you," he said and I looked into his eyes. All I saw was sincerity and something else. At that moment, I hated that I couldn''t read someone as clearly as they could read me. "You didn''t do all this because you love me." "No," he said. "I did them because I saw how special you are even before I realized what you are. I fell for who you are and not what you are." I wanted to believe his words, believe the emotions I saw in his eyes. I wanted to believe them because I had yearned to hear those words since I was little when everyone looked down on me. But his words contrasted greatly with his actions - he made me train tirelessly day and night with little rest just because he wanted me to get my wolf. He wanted me to get into the metal box not caring about how I felt about it. He locked me in the dungeon for a day without food or water because I refused to get in the metal box. He got mad when I pointed out his errors in taking care of his people. He hit me when I did nothing wrong but state the truth. "You don''t care about me. Why are you telling me all this?" I asked him again. What''s your motive? What do you n to gain by mating with me? He smirked, "I told you already. I care about you." Bullshit! "You don''t. Your actions don''t align with your words. What are you not telling me?" 39: Mating ceremony 39: Mating ceremony Alpha Ryven smirked, letting his hand fall away from my face. I watched him as a hawk would watch a fish; with so much concentration. I didn''t want to miss anything. Not even an expression on his face. He scooted away from me as if the question had somehow made him ufortable. But I knew that wasn''t it. If he wanted toe to me telling me to be his Luna, I was sure he also had an excuse to follow up with whatever questions I threw his way. "What do you think I''m afraid of?" He threw the question back at me and my hands fisted on my nightgown. He knew what he was doing. "I won''t mate with someone I''m not in love with. I promised myself I would live the rest of my life with someone who cared and valued me. A lot. Even if that is hard to find, I''d rather be single than live the rest of my life with someone who thinks less of me." "What if I tell you I don''t think less of you? And that I''m the perfect man for you?" He asked me while he watched me. There wasn''t a trace of a smile on his face. He was like he wanted to say something more. To spill the truth. I could see the way his eyes hardened when he knew he couldn''t do so. And every part of me also knew he wanted to lure me into a bait. "I won''t believe you." "Why? I have proved my love for you by bringing you here to this pack and also choosing you to be my Luna. Do you have any idea how many girls would wish to switch positions with you right now?" He asked me and I sneered at him. But I wasn''t foolish enough to let it show on my face. "Then I would dly switch positions with them." "So bad that won''t be happening. I came to tell you so you prepare for it. You do not have a choice here. The mating ceremony is taking ce two days from now. You better get some rest," he said and smiled when he saw the horror on my face. "You are cruel! How could you do this to me?!" I yelled, standing up and ring down at him. I didn''t care what happened to me when I tried that on him before. My anger was making me brave. Braver than I could ever imagine. He stood up and I realized how short I waspared to him. I was barely reaching him up to his chest. He smiled down at me, the mirth back in his eyes in full force. "I can do anything I want with you. You belong to me. And the earlier you start acting like it, the better for us both." He patted my head and walked out of the room. Angry tears began to leak from my eyes while I red hard at the door he walked through. I knew it. I knew he was lying when he said all those things to me. What hurt the most was that I almost fell for it. A small part of me believed him even when I knew how big of a liar he was. Where was the man I met weeks ago that had me up on my toes for days? He was gone just like the wind. My subconscious said to me. As hard as that was to believe, I knew it was true. And I couldn''t run away. Where would I even start from? Alpha Ryven had guards all around the pack house day and night. It was like he was expecting an enemy. And the pack was always in a tense atmosphere. I picked up the pillow and hit it hard until I lost all my energy and plumped down on the floor and cried. I cried over everything that had happened to me. For once, I thought the moon goddess finally smiled down at me. But I was wrong. Just like I had been wrong about so many things in my life. I always trusted the wrong people. If there was anyone I should me for my ill fate, it would be me. I never learned and I doubted I would be able to in the future. A future I didn''t look up to. I dreaded it. Not because I was spending it with Alpha Ryven but because I knew I would never be happy here. I didn''t belong here. I belonged in my old pack. But soon after the news Alpha Ryven broke to me, I began to doubt where I truly belonged. What would my parents have wanted? I didn''t know. I felt guilty that I couldn''t remember them. They were blurry figures who had eroded from my memories with time. It pained me that there was nothing that reminded me of them. Thest remainder was the old house we stayed in my former pack. But Alpha Ryven had unknowingly stolen it away from me. He stole my past just like he is about to steal away my future. "Ma''am, you look beautiful," the maid who was assigned to dress me up for the ceremony gushed at me from behind me. I couldn''t feel her enthusiasm. If anything, I felt like I was about to be taken to the ughterhouse to be killed. However, I was about to be mated to the Alpha of their pack. The maid noticed I was moody. I guessed she thought it had something to do with me missing my family and friends from my old pack. It had something to do with it but that was just a little part of the numerous reasons. A lot of what-ifs swam in my head as she put more pins into my hair. I knew I would look beautiful, better than I had ever looked in my life. But that didn''t prepare me as I looked at myself in the full- length mirror in the bathroom. "You look lovely. I''m sure Alpha Ryven wouldn''t be able to recognize you," she said again and I smiled but it didn''t reach my eyes. I was wearing a full-length red dress which covered my feet. It had a low neckline that showed the upper part of my cleavage. My neck was pale, and the skin was smooth and bare except for a ne that hung around it almost in a chokehold. When I asked the maid why it was so tight, her answer was along the lines that it was what most girls wore these days. So I kept mute since I had zero to no knowledge about fashion. The hand of the dress stopped just below my elbows in a re way. The dress did little to hide my curves as it hugged me like a second skin. Just below my knees, it gave way to a huge re which was designed with little silver stones. The dress was beautiful but why did I feel that ache in my chest? "Yes, it''s lovely," I said when I saw she was still looking at me. "If you''re worried that no one will be here for you, I will be in the crowd cheering you on," she spoke behind me and my eyes looked to her in the mirror. All I saw in her eyes was sincerity. How did she know I worried about that? None of my family or friends were here, which happened to be one of the most important things to happen in a girl''s life. I missed my parents so much as I stared at my reflection. My eyes which were bigger now because of the eyeliner and mascara on them glistened with tears. My lips had been painted to a bright red, to match the color of my dress. I wanted to hug the maid or tell her something that would let her know how much her words meant to me. But in Alpha Ryven''s pack, it was forbidden for a maid and someone higher in status to form a bond. Two days ago, I learned her name is Louisa and she had been living in this pack since she was little with her family. They were poor which made her work as a maid for the pack house to be able to put food on the table. But what mattered most was that she was happy. I was given everything yet I wasn''t happy. I didn''t have the one thing I needed the most. And that was my loved ones around me. As I stood at the podium with Alpha Ryven in my left hand, I could barely register what the man in charge of the ceremony was saying. I was ovee with sadness. But what I noticed the most was how happy Alpha Ryven was. It was like he won a lottery. If he noticed I was sad, he didn''t say it. After doing the rites and being given a bitter liquid to drink, we spun around and faced the mass of people below us. A lot of unfamiliar faces stared at me. Some with expressions of joy. And I could recognize the ones with such expressions. They were the ones I healed in the hospital. While others had expressions of hurt, vengeance, and jealousy. They were thedies. Who would believe me if I said I didn''t want to be in that position? The ceremony passed in a blur with peopleing over to congratte me with faces filled with happiness or the ones masked with it, behindid bitterness. But I paid them no heed. I did my best to pretend like I was happy. And just like Louisa said, I spotted her from the crowd of people as she came to congratte me with a gift. It was a basket filled with fruits and my heart warmed. I was now their Luna. That word kept ringing in my head as I prepared for bed. Now the real mating ceremony is about to bepleted. I was to be marked tonight and have sex with Alpha Ryven for the mating to bepleted and I would be a full member of the pack. As Iy on the bed, waiting for him toe, my headache ate away at me. I knew I couldn''t finish the mating process tonight no matter what the traditions said. I needed to rest. And soon, my feet found their way to Alpha Ryven''s office. Pushing open the door, I was met with silence. He wasn''t there. What did I expect? It was his mating day. And he was supposed to be with his mate - me. But something caught my attention. It was a white folded paper on the floor close to the waste bin. I noticed it because of how out of ce it felt. The room was clean and arranged to a T. Only the paper felt odd. Following pure instincts, I walked up to the paper, closing the door with a soft click. On the paper was the crest of my former pack. I would recognize it anywhere as I have worked in the pack house. And on it was a name I never thought I would see again - Alexander. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. 40: Going away 40: Going away Intrigue danced in my veins as my hands shook while I opened the paper. I never thought Alexander would write a letter as he had thrown me away to Alpha Ryven like a piece of trash. I knew those were my insecurities speaking, but I couldn''t help it. Hell, I was his fucking mate! One whom he was supposed to protect and cherish. I acted like the rejection didn''t hurt as much as it did on the first day. What if I said I was lying to myself and my mind still wandered to him now and then, wondering what he might be doing? I would be telling myself the truth. The truth I tried multiple times to hide from myself. I was a shadow of myself when he left me and the rejection broke me in more ways than I could count. But seeing his scratchy handwriting on the back of the envelope left the memories and feelings I had buried inside of me, came rushing back. I breathed hard and fast as my heart constricted in my chest. It was almost to the point where I could hardly breathe. I didn''t know what was wrong with me but I realized how much I missed him. I was mad at him, yes. But my stupid heart still somehow craved him. I wanted him toe back to me, telling me it was all a mistake. But what good would that bring? I was already mated to Alpha Ryven who turned out to be my worst nightmare. And soon, I wouldplete the mating process. Steeling my nerves, I opened the envelope with shaky fingers, bringing out the letter. What I saw in the letter made all the blood drain out from my face. It wasn''t because Alexander decided to write to me. Or because he begged me toe back to him. But it was because he had been writing to me for weeks and Alpha Ryven never told me any of that! And to make matters worse, I read in the letter where Alexander mentioned what was written in my last letter. A letter I knew nothing about. It only says one thing - Alpha Ryven had forged my handwriting. I was mad as my blood boiled in my veins. When I was done with the letter, I was sure my head would be bringing out a lot of smoke from how angry I was. I clutched the letter in my hand and turned around. My destination was to find Alpha Ryven and demand an exnation. I halted in my steps when I found him by the door. His eyes went to the paper in my hand. The bastard wasn''t surprised to see I had discovered his little secret. He walked into the room leisurely and went over to grab a drink by the counter. I stood by the table watching his every move as my heart beat erratically in my chest. I wanted to murder him. If looks could kill, he would haveid dead on the floor before he knew what killed him. He walked over to me, stretching his hand. On it was a ss of wine. "Why don''t we sit down and have a drink over this conversation?" He asked with a smirk, not bothered by his cruel actions. There was something in the way he looked at me that made my hand fly out to p the ss of wine in his hand. Maybe it was the mock that was hidden beneath his eyes. I couldn''t tell but his actions only made me madder than I intended to be. He shrugged, and looked at the broken pieces of ss on the floor. "Suit yourself," he said and sat down on his chair, looking up at me. "You think this is a joke?" I asked him, my voice sounding funny to me. I guessed it had to do with the emotions that raked through me. "It''s not. And I know that," he gulped down a ss. "You know, we shouldn''t be here." "Yes. We shouldn''t. I ought to be in my former pack, with Alexander," I inhaled sharply and closed my eyes, stifling the anger that threatened to burst forth. "That''s not what I mean." "I know what you fucking mean! How can you even think aboutpleting the mating process right now?" "I can because¡­" I cut him off. "How could you be so cruel? You never told me any of this. Alexander is my mate and since he wants me back, forget aboutpleting the mating process. I will return to him tomorrow and your land will be returned," I spoke to him which elicited a burst ofughter from him. My brows furrowed as hisughter filled the room, making the only sound in the quiet night. "I''ve always thought you''re smart, but with these words, I knew I was wrong," he stoppedughing as all traces of mirth disappeared from his face. It was reced with seriousness. "What?" I gasped at the insult. "You''re not so delusional to think I will dly let you go back to Alexander. You''re so cheap. He begged you once and you''re running over to him," he sneered. "I agree. I''m cheap," I said as I saw a surprise sh in his eyes. "But you want to mate with a cheap girl. What does that make you? And I doubt he begged me just once. From the words written in the letter, he had sent multiple ones before this." "Yes. He sent multiple ones before this but that doesn''t erase the fact that he rejected you. Who rejects his mate because of what others think? So you''d rather be with a weakling who doesn''t even know what he wants than be with me?" "Yes. I''d rather be with him! You have proved to me that you do not care about me. And¡­" "Does Alexander care about you?" He stopped my words by asking those questions and I was tongue-tied. I didn''t know the answer to that question. I haven''t given it a thought. I only thought since he wants me back, then he must care to an extent. Or was I wrong? I could somehow feel his emotions from the letter he sent. But words could merely be words. Alpha Ryven chuckled and poured himself another drink while he stalked toward me. "He doesn''t give a shit about you. He only wants you for you. Howe he only realized you were the one for him when you left? And it''s after your abilities came to life the letters starteding. How sure are we that he''s not after what you can give him? After all, he traded you over for thatnd without batting an eye." "You don''t know that. His father¡­" "His father did nothing. Don''t be a fool! He''s the Alpha and his yes means yes. No one can change that. Not even his father. What kind of hold does his father have on him for him to make him give up his mate?" He walked closer to me as I smelt the alcohol in his breath. "Do you think if I found my mate, I would have left her for you? And Alexander not only gave you away, he chose another Luna even before you were out of his sight." "He didn''t choose her. He told me she had something on him. And when I forgave him, he never went back to her." Alpha Ryven''sugh made me take a step back as he was unbearably close to me now. I could see the dark orbs that shone with amusement. He thought this was funny. He thought I was a joke. "Sophia darling, don''t be deceived. Dianne''s just a little girl. What does she know that could hinder Alexander from mating with his mate? He''s supposed to protect you from her. And he knew you were his mate but he let them bully you and made you work as a maid." "I don''t understand," "Of course, you won''t because Alexander was so wicked as not to let you in on the vital information regarding Werewolves." He stopped and looked into my eyes. "Alexander had always known you were his mate. He''s an Alpha. All Alphas have the special ability to know who their mate is when they clock eighteen. But you didn''t know this because you were underage." "That can''t be," I muttered to myself as the information he released made me breathless, and my knees buckled under me. But Alpha Ryven was quick to wrap his hand around my waist. I was straddling him, with my hands on his chest. But that wasn''t what I was focused on. Alexander knew I was his mate yet he pretended like he didn''t know. I wasn''t aware Alphas could perceive their mates even before she reached eighteen. And Alpha Ryven was right in a way - I wasn''t allowed to finish high school. And I always missed sses when I was given the chance to attend because of the work in the pack house. Normally, omegas were not allowed to go to school. Their work in the pack was to serve them. And I was demoted to the lowest Omega when I was used of killing Rudolph. My heart squeezed painfully in my chest as I fought the tears that threatened to fall. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. "Keep lying to yourself. You know I''m right. I wonder the kind of shock Alexander must have been in when he found out you didn''t have a wolf on your birthday. I''m sure he wanted you to acknowledge that you''re his mate first." "But the shock on his face when he walked into the room to find out I''m his mate," I tried to find something to hold on to. Alpha Ryven had to be lying. Alpha Ryvenughed, "he must be a great actor for you to believe he never knew." "I need to find him. I need to speak with him. Surely, there''s an exnation for this," I muttered to myself as I disentangled from Alpha Ryven and walked to the door. "You''re not going anywhere. You''re my mate now. Forget about him. I''ll give you double of anything he will ever give to you." "No, I need to speak with him," I stopped in my steps and looked up at him. His face hardened and he held my hand, dragging me to him. "You''re not going anywhere. Imand it as your Alpha," Alpha Ryven growled and I felt his Alpha command wash over me. My limbs were immobile because of hismand as they made me stiff. But I was able to fight it to a certain extent because the mate bond hadn''t beenpleted and he wasn''t fully my Alpha. "No!" I said as I snapped my hand away from him and walked to the door. My limbs felt like lead but thankfully, I was able to move. "Then you give me no choice darling," Alpha Ryven said and walked to me, turning me around and sinking his fangs into my neck. 41: Encountering her 41: Encountering her Pain erupted from my neck where his fang sank. I was more shocked than hurt because I never expected Alpha Ryven to do this to me. Although he was a lunatic, I just didn''t peg him as the kind of person who would do such a thing. I hit his chest but it was like he was made of brick. My attempts to free myself were feeble until I soon found the pain in my neck turned to pleasure and I felt the bastard lick off the blood that had trickled down my neck. I couldn''t even begin to list out the emotions that flowed through me, I felt used and betrayed. How could he do that to me? I was a person who had the right to choose whoever I wanted to. I wasn''t an animal. Alpha Ryven never realized that. And to my horror, I felt his part of the bond snap into ce and I was able to feel his emotions. Damn the bastard! He was happy. But when I looked into his eyes, he realized I was able to feel him and did the only thing he could - he created a block between us. "I hate you," I whispered with a shaky voice. My legs couldn''t hold up my weight any longer and I fell to the floor. The realization of what happened dawned on me and what could possibly go wrong. Even if Alexander came to request for me here, I wouldn''t be able to go with him because I had been marked and belonged to someone already. And the person stood in front of me with a satisfied smirk on his face. "It doesn''t change that you belong to me now." "Do you care so little about me? I know I don''t have many rights in your pack, but I am still a person. Not a thing," "I know that. Exactly why I want you with me. I can''t give you power just for you to return to Alexander," he purred from the table. His voice was far off. I could barely register what he was saying as anger pounded in my veins and tears leaked from my eyes. "Why don''t you fucking say something?!" I yelled internally at my wolf. She didn''t say a word. But I could feel her inside of me. I felt her emotions, she was sad but she still didn''t say a word. Why do people have to leave me when I need them the most? "I didn''t leave you," she finally spoke and I still couldn''t get used to her voice, it was rough and sounded ancient like she wasn''t part of the world. It sounded like something out of a movie. "Then, why didn''t you do anything?" She scoffed. "What do you want me to do? Fight him? He''s an Alpha. And thest time I showed him what I was capable of, it didn''t end well," she reminded me which made me boil. "You don''t have to recount the events. I remember everything. In case you don''t notice, my brain still functions normally," I said as more tears leaked from my eyes and I clutched my dress in my hand and red hard at Alpha Ryven. What bothered me more wasn''t that he bit me but how nonchnt he was about it all. He loved it because I couldn''t go back to Alexander. Not only would I be a fool, I would be breaking thews of the Werewolves. And I had no idea how toe out of this. Anguish filled me as a share of ss on the floor cut my hand but that was nothingpared to the hurt in my heart. It was me and Alpha Ryven forever now. And the thought sent fear slithering down my spine. "Don''t act like I killed your wolf or something. This is actually something you''ll thank me for in the future," Alpha Ryven''s voice reached my ears. And I felt my wolf go back to the back of my mind. I couldn''t say I hated how nonchnt she was about this situation. But at that time, I didn''t realize I had a growing feeling of doubt for her. I guessed she wanted me to grow myself without her help. But how could I when I was facing off against an Alpha? I stood up, the shard digging into my hand painfully. "I will never thank you for this," I said and stormed out of the room with a resounding bang but not before hearing Alpha Ryven mutter something to himself. I walked out of the office, my brain too clogged up to realize I was going in the wrong direction until I bumped into someone. Looking up, I found Ava looking at me. I didn''t have to think about what I looked like to know I looked like a mess in my nightwear and my hair looked like a bird''s nest. There wasn''t a hint of surprise on her face like she had expected me there. Maybe I had gone there on my own ord because I desperately wanted someone''spany. A little part of me feared what thoughts would run through my mind if I was left alone. But the bigger part of me knew that was what was best for me. I needed to sort out my thoughts and think about the way forward. But that wasn''t happening because of the look in Ava''s eyes. She smiled at me when I stared long enough at her to count the hair on her eyebrows. "Come inside, you look like a mess. I know my brother would kill me if he found out I''m taking his mate from him. But that''s if he hadn''t killed the mate," she said and I paid no heed to her. I was used to her talking in parables or words that sounded foreign to me. She spoke in puzzles. I don''t even have the strength to ponder on them as I settled on a couch. The bite from Alpha Ryven still hurt but not as much as it did when he bit me. The room was small, with three couches upying the room, a small shelf of books, a center table, and some other things my mind couldn''t remember. I was too caught up in my grief to give notice. "Wee to my house. It''s small but cozy. Better than that big room of my brother''s. Thest time you were here, you left in haste. I still don''t know why. But let me get you something to drink," she said finally when she saw I wasn''t responding. From my peripherals, she was resting at the door frame of s door that led somewhere; the hallway of the house or a bedroom. I couldn''t tell because I didn''t look long enough before the door was shut by Ava. She returned muchter with a ss of juice and I wondered if she spent her time squeezing the orange for me. "I squeezed it freshly," she said, reading my thoughts. I wondered how she always did that. And the thought that she could read my thoughts made goosebumps break out on my skin. I took the ss from her, my fingers brushing against hers and her hands were cold. Not the kind of cold I was used to, but it was cold like she had been out in the snow. My head snapped to her and she smiled like she knew exactly what I was thinking and I shuddered. There was something about her that struck her as odd. Maybe it was the air of mystery that surrounded her. "Thank you," I muttered as I ced the cup in my mouth. It gave me instant relief, calming my tensed muscles and rxing the beating of my erratic heartbeat. It slowed until it came to a normal heartbeat. I felt light and airy like a weight had been lifted off my chest. I looked at her and she smiled, her hands on her knees with her legs crossed over the other. "What did you do?" I heard myself asking her. It couldn''t be the juice. I knew that. And her smile made me remember the discussion I had with the man while I was in the dungeon. He spoke of Ava''s mother being a witch. Maybe Ava was one too. I tried reaching out my wolf''s senses to her. But there was nothing odd. She smelt like a wolf only. And there were no traces of her being a witch and my brows furrowed further as I clutched the half- drunk drink in my hand. She pushed her hair behind her, "I gave you a drink," she said with a shrug as if she didn''t understand what I meant. Opening my mouth to utter a word of protest, I closed it back. Arguing with her would get me nowhere. I looked down at the drink in my hand and looked up at her. She was waiting for me to say something because she knew I had a lot of questions. Why didn''t she look surprised when she saw the mate mark on my neck or the evidence of struggle? There was blood on my hand from the ss shard but she didn''tment about that. Why didn''t she ask why I was in her house instead of my bed with Alpha Ryven,pleting the mating process? My eyes went to her baby bump that showed as she rxed on the chair. It was small but visible under her light nightgown. She found me watching and rubbed her stomach. "It''s such a shame my little pumpkin won''t be having a baby cousin. If only the baby in you were my brother''s," she sighed dramatically and I stiffened. "I''m not pregnant," I said because that was the only word I could say. I totally forgot about my discussion with her because of the mating ceremony. Now that it was over, it came back in full force. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "You are pregnant. And you know this," she stopped rubbing her belly and looked at me from under hershes. "And Ryven would soone to know of it too. If only he doesn''t know already," she said so casually like she was speaking of the weather. "How do you know¡­" I started with a dry mouth and a pounding pulse. I couldn''t believe how right she was. "Oh, speak of the devil," she smirked. It took me a while to realize what she meant. And that was until the door was pushed open with so much force, that I felt the small house rattle. Behind the door, showed the face of Alpha Ryven which was red with rage and fisted hands. "Whose baby is it? Alexander?" He growled menacingly. 42: Heavy request 42: Heavy request "What?" I could hardly believe what I was hearing from Alpha Ryven as I stared at him from across the room. His anger had not subsided since he dragged me away from Ava''s house, humiliating me in front of all the servants and guards. But I was least concerned about that and the deep bruise that his fingers left on my upper arm. He crossed the room, his face mere inches away from mine as he red hard at me, the Amber''s in his eyes almost setting me on fire. But I didn''t give a damn about his anger. I was more livid and shocked at his utterance. "You''re not serious. Are you?" I asked again when I saw he was unrelenting in his words and re. I didn''t back down but at the end of the question when I found out he was dead serious about it. "Do it. I won''t repeat it," he sneered, the sides of his jaw twitching violently. "You''re insane. This is more reason I regret being here with you. I will never do it even if it''s the only request for me to be alive. I''d rather die than hurt the baby growing inside of me." "I won''t have a bastard under my roof!" He shouted at me, his saliva flying into my face. I took a step back from fright because of the crazed look in his eyes. I felt this had more to do with the fact that I was pregnant with Alexander''s child. There was no way he would be so livid at the information. A small part of me guessed it had something to do with me being a descendant of the moon goddess. I clutched my stomach as if to shield my baby from him. I''d finallye to ept the truth that I was indeed pregnant for Alexander. Maybe I had already epted it a long time ago but was just waiting for the right moment to tell myself. The signs were all over the ce; I missed my period on the day it was supposed toe and I had morning sickness for a week. The doctor wanted to run a test on me when he came over to check on me. But I was scared of what Alpha Ryven would do once he found out. My fears were not unfounded though as the beast stood in front of me like a man who had escaped the seven Gates of hell. I shuddered involuntarily. "Then let me go," I whispered, afraid that if my voice got any louder, he would snap and do what goddess knows what. "please." "No. You belong to me now. And nothing of you should belong to that sick Alpha," his eyes went from crazed to confused. I had to blink twice to make sure I wasn''t hallucinating. He began pacing, "How did this happen? No, I took precautions. How? That means you were pregnant this whole time and you kept it from me?" He stopped and looked at me while I took another step back. "I didn''t know." "Liar! Then why weren''t you surprised when I asked about the pregnancy?" He continued pacing, the lines between his eyebrows deepening with thoughts. "I thought you didn''t know. But you bloody knew this whole time! How long did you n to hide it from me?" I took in a shaky breath as my legs hit the edge of the bed. We were in his room and the huge room became unbearably small for me as I was getting out of oxygen. It was hot. I knew it wasn''t me. But it was caused by Alpha Ryven. His gaze was sharp and piercing as it gazed at me with so much intensity it felt like a caress. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. If only. But it felt like little needles that pricked my skin. "Answer me!" He barked with his fists clenched while I swallowed with my eyes wide. My hands stayed by my side, scared that any little thing would make him kill me. And I knew nobody would miss me. That thought hurt more than the realization that Alpha Ryven had only cared about what I was. Although a little part of me still clung to the hope that he once cared about who I was. "I don''t know," I released the tears that I had been holding on to for so long. It choked me, while I coughed, bending down and clutching my stomach. In a way, it was a reflex action as I knew I would protect my child even if it meant dying. "You are ying with me. Does this merry-go-round go round? I thought you were a virgin. The way you acted so innocently. Not knowing you are a bitch who spreads her legs for any man. Who knows if it''s only Alexander you had sex with? Or if you''re not carrying a disease," he spat with disgust. Blood drained from my face as I slowly looked up at him. "I can''t believe you would say this. Out of everyone, I trusted you. I thought you cared about me? What was it you said days before? That you cared about me. And I am no whore!" "Then how can you exin the pregnancy? It surely wasn''t a mistake." "It wasn''t. If I was given the opportunity a second time, I would dly give myself to Alpha Alexander," I said, breathing hard from the emotions that racked me. "It''s Alexander to you now. I''m your Alpha," he racked his hand through his hair which had overgrown more than its usual length, andughed. Theugh was mirthless. And it carried a tinge of maniac. I was stunned into silence as I watched him. Theugh soon blossomed into something real. I could feel it and it made my blood run cold. Then he suddenly stopped and looked into my eyes. "A real fool. That''s what you are. I have never known someone to be as foolish as you. Alexander rejected you. Brutally, from what I gathered and you still had sex with him. Was it because of pity? Was it because of the words he told you? That he would forever love and cherish you?" "You can''t break me more than the way you''ve broken me," I choked as I hugged myself, the room going cold with my blood. He was right in what he said. It''s unfortunate. Alexander did say something simr to those words. I was a fool. I knew that. Not because I allowed Alexander to lure me into having sex with him. But because I was almost lured into having sex with Alpha Ryven because of the words he uttered. Hearing him saying my thoughts out loud hurt terribly as my heart squeezed in my chest. I felt like I would die from the pain. "How can I break something that was already broken? Even if you don''t want me, you can''t leave because you don''t have a choice. I think you do not understand what it means by you belong to me now," he walked closer to me and I involuntarily moved backward which made me trip and fall on the bed. But my eyes never left him. He stopped just at the foot of the bed, looking down at me. "It means you were traded over like a commodity. And because I bought you, you can''t go back to your old life. If I can, I could brand my name on your forehead to show everyone that you belong to me now. And even if I kill you, no one would question me because the stupid Alpha of yours who''s the father of the bastard in¡­" "I will tolerate you calling me names. Do whatever you n. But I won''t stand if you call my child names," I growled, surprised by the anger that overcame me. "It''s a fact. Your child is a bastard. And it''s time you say goodbye to him," he smirked and walked back away from me. I somehow knew what he meant by thest sentence but I still didn''t fully know until I heard the door close and the door lock from the outside. I rushed over to it as I was almost paralyzed with fear. What was that maniac nning? I asked myself while I repeatedly tried to open the door with brute force. But it wouldn''t bulge no matter what even after transforming partially. I ran to the window in hopes of escaping. The look I saw in Alpha Ryven''s eyes just before he left the room made rm bells ring in my head. This was bad. Very bad. I could feel it in my bones. Everything wasn''t right. From the way he reacted when he found out I was pregnant to the way, he looked just before he left the room. Looking down at the window, I knew jumping down would be suicide. So I did the only thing I could think of - I knelt and prayed to the moon goddess to protect me and my unborn child. I wasn''t exactly a believer of prayers but at that moment, that was the only thing I could do. I couldn''t face off an Alpha. Alphas were stronger than any wolf. And it didn''t matter that I had special powers. They wouldn''t help me. Alpha Ryven would kill me and probably dump my body in the woods for wild animals to feast on. The thought made me shudder in fright. If I had known, I would have taken Ava''s advice and left when the opportunity was presented to me. The door clicked, making me know he was back. I smelt him and the liquid even before he stepped into the room and my blood chilled in my veins. My inner voice told me what he nned to do even before he entered the room, locking the door and cing the key in his pockets. He turned to me with a can of water in his hand but in it was the unmistakable gold color of wolfbane. He would force the liquid into my mouth. What baffled me was how confident he felt as he didn''t bring a guard with him. I readied my fighting stance with fear rattling my bones. There was no going back. Even if it meant my death, I would fight him on this. With slow steps and a ghost of a smirk, he stalked toward me while clutching the can. 43: Not what I expected 43: Not what I expected Even if I didn''t want to do this, to fight him, I didn''t have a choice. The fight was not in me but when I saw the crazed look in his eyes, I knew I had to do something. I would rather die than let him kill my child. Killing my child equated to killing me also because there was no way I would be able to live with myself peacefully knowing I allowed the death of my unborn baby whose sex I had no idea of. The lock resonated throughout the room which was supposed to make me feel fear, but all I felt was a will to live and give my child the best life I didn''t have - that was snatched away from me. No. I wasn''t going to allow this. Even if it meant Alpha Ryven''s death. That thought was fleeting even though I had no idea how possible it was. "We can do this peacefully or¡­" Alpha Ryven said and stood feet a few away from me. There was a stance to his feet that spoke of how well-trained he was. For a moment, it made me question my decision to fight him. But therger part of me that wanted my child to live frowned upon the voice. I gulped, my eyes darting across the room for anything that could be used as a potential weapon. However, I found nothing. Maybe Alpha Ryven predicted the move and decided to move everything that could be a weapon out of the room before storming over to Ava''s ce. But I doubted he would do that with the rage that burned through him when he walked through Ava''s door. Although I knew anything was possible. He was a bastard who toyed with me. And foolish me almost fell for it. The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth as my head snapped to meet his gaze. He didn''t need to say the word. I knew what his eyes held. They held regret and resolve. Regret for hurting me? Or for doing what he was about to do? I couldn''t ponder more on it because the next minute, he was upon me. I ducked away but I hadn''t been fast enough as his ws swiped at my upper arm where my fur wasn''t covered. It stung a bit but soon enough, it healed, leaving only a pink-red mark. I silently marveled at the healing rate of my wolf. She felt my emotions and awe for her which made her emotions flow through me. I couldn''t tell what it was. But I assumed she had azy, proud smirk on her face. The emotions that flowed through me were a momentary distraction for me as Alpha Ryven took that as an opportunity to swipe at me a second time. This time, there was a huge gash on my right thigh. Pain flowed through me but I fought it. The lessons I took when I came into the pack resurfaced. And I learned to control my breathing. Panic was beginning to settle into me. And I couldn''t let that happen. If one lets their panic set in in a fight, it means doom for them. And doom for me also means doom for my baby. Angry and frustrated tears stung the back of my eyelids but that was how far they could go. I bent down and transformed fully into my wolf since I found out I couldn''t beat Alpha Ryven in half- wolf form. She had been pushing on my forefront for a while now. And for a moment, there was nothing but silence in the room as Alpha Ryven shrank back. I didn''t know why that happened and there was something in his eyes. It was what I saw in his eyes the day I transformed. I hadn''t noticed it before because it went as soon as it came. But this time, it stayed. It didn''t go away as he backed away from me. I couldn''t understand at first until I got it. It was my wolf. How was I so foolish that I didn''t think about it? I was higher in rank than any other Alpha. I was a direct descendant of the moon goddess. Was this why my wolf wanted me to find my strength myself and not help me when I needed her the most? It all began to make sense. She wanted me to find my strength and not rely on what I was but rather, on who I am. How could I expect someone to love me for who I was when I wasn''t confident in myself? Maybe Alpha Ryven was right when he said I was foolish. Not for the reason he deemed me but for another reason I didn''t like to say to myself. I watched from the eyes of my wolf as Alpha Ryven got to his knees with pain written all over his face. His hold on the can where the wolfsbane was poured, loosened and fell on the ground, rolling away from him. I was confused. What was going on? Was it Athena''s doing? I knew even if I asked her, she wouldn''t tell. A little part of me liked that she sometimes did that. She was like a mother bird teaching her little ones how to fly by dropping them from the sky. Not because she doesn''t care about them, but because she wants them to be able to fly on their own. It was teaching them the hard but most effective way. Athena wanted me to fly. To be able to stand my ground against anyone, Alpha or not. But judging by the look on Alpha Ryven''s face, I guessed he knew about it. Was that the reason he brought the wolfsbane? And was that the reason Athena, my wolf, was so willing toe out and fight him? Was she also tired of his cruel ways? She might not understand what I went through as a child because she wasn''t there. But she had ess to my memories and might feel a bit of sympathy for me. To be frank, I didn''t know her. Maybe it was because I hadn''t really tried to get the information out of her, that''s why she wasn''t willing to give out much. She has so much knowledge that sometimes I get scared of the type of wolf I was given. I heard people talk about how their wolves are their best friends who talk about anything and everything. But mine was different. Everything about me was so different. Maybe it''s because I am different. Maybe because I had been different from the start but was too blind to see it. It was in my eyes. People talk about how my eyes glowed when I was pissed which was so rare because I hardly got angry. I thought it was them just trying to make me feel inferior more than I already was. It was the eyes of my wolf. She had always been there. Then why hasn''t she shown herself? Why did she let them bully me? Did she derive joy from seeing me sad and feeling like a total waste of space? "Stop thinking nonsense. I have my reasons for doing what I did." Athena said to me. I wanted to lash out at her. "Take over from here. You have the power to render him incapacitated. Justmand him. Everything will go in your favor," she said. "Why are you telling me all these now?" I asked her, trying to control the anger simmering inside of me just ready to burst like a volcano. "You weren''t ready to hear this." "Hear what?" I asked her and she smiled at me. I felt her glee. This was the moment she had been waiting for. But I feared for what I was about to discover. What was it that made her wait so long? Something told me it would change everything. Not like the betrayal of the Beta''s wife had changed something in me. But this would be bigger. I wanted to run away from the truth I was getting closer to. But that would only confirm what the bastard kneeling at my feet had said. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Without giving me a chance to prepare myself, Athena shrank to the back of my mind, pushing me outward. I felt the fur go back into my arms painlessly. But the clothes I had put on earlier were still intact. How was that possible? But I was more shocked seeing Alpha Ryven still on the floor, sweat coating his forehead and soaking his shirt. What a fool. He was fighting themand. However, it didn''t lessen my surprise about the knowledge that themand hadn''t expired as my wolf went to the back of my mind. Somehow, I didn''t believe it when she told me I could control him. "Look at me," I said to him but like I expected, nothing happened. Alpha Ryven was looking at the floor with a painful expression. "Say it like you mean it. Let every fiber of your being be in resonance with the sentence. He''s an Alpha. You''ll need more strength to control him," Athena came to my aid for the first time. I swallowed, closed my eyes, and willed all the fibers in my being toe to life. Something in me changed. It was like I was breaking out of an old skin. And a new one emerged. I couldn''t exin it. It felt - Surreal. Something that only happened in books. But here I was experiencing it. Feeling every moment of it and relishing in the feeling. "Look at me," I spoke once more. This time, I could feel the power in my words. And I knew Alpha Ryven would look at me. He did. However, there was fear on his face. What was I missing? "What are you not telling me?" I asked. My heart pounded in my veins at what I was about to discover. "You need to be specific." He grunted in pain. My brows furrowed above my bitten lips. How was I supposed to know what I was missing? "Your parents," Athena''s voice came to me in a whisper. It was like she didn''t want to break the spell in the room even though her voice was only in my head. Or she didn''t want to make me lose focus. I looked into his eyes. They hardened. He knew I had a talk with my wolf and I was about to ask the question. I was both eager and afraid to hear the answer. "What happened to my parents?" I whispered so low I feared he wouldn''t hear me. But the slight widening of his eyes told me he heard. I expected him to try to fight it, blurt it, andugh in my face because he was a sick bastard. But nothing prepared me for what he said next. "My father and I killed them." He growled while I gasped and recoiled both externally and internally. My insides churned with¡­ rage? fear? I couldn''t tell. However, he didn''t stop there, "We killed them because they were as useless as a penny with a hole. If given the chance again, I will kill them a second time." 44: Payback 44: Payback "What?" I gasped again and took a staggering step back. I didn''t care that I might likely trip from something and fall on my ass. All I kept thinking were his words. He killed my parents. But why? "They deserved every bit of it," heshed out again. I didn''t know I had spoken thest sentence out until his voice broke into my thoughts. He said something more but I couldn''t concentrate with the ringing in my ears or the hammering of my heart after I feared it wouldn''t start again when it stopped. He killed them. I never asked questions about my parents'' death because I was made to believe they were killed by rogues. The former Alpha, Alexander''s father, made me believe that. I was too young to question his words of to give more thought to the answer. Had he known also? I doubted he didn''t. B Maybe he did it to protect me. How would I have reacted if I was told my parents had been killed by an Alpha? I knew I would have tried to avenge them. But all of that would have changed me. I would have grown a bitter child whose heart was filled with hate, only seeing the bad in everyone. Maybe Alexander''s father knew that and also did it to protect my heart from breaking. But that didn''t stop it from breaking now. I half expected myself to wail and be clouded with rage. But I had the opposite effect. My heart beat slowed and I looked up, taking hold of my emotions and pushing them to the back of my mind. I had no idea where the strength came from. I was quite surprised at myself for being able to do that after the news of my parents death. And the hatred that consumed Alpha Ryven. No, not Alpha Ryven. He wasn''t my Alpha. He was Ryven who had yed with me until there was almost nothing left of me. I wondered what would have happened if I hadn''t found Alexander''s letter in his office. Maybe I would have been fully Luna if the pack, living blissfully in here. But I doubted I would have been able to live peacefully here. I knew I would have surely found a way out of this mess. I couldn''t even begin to imagine as my gaze shed with Alp- Ryven. "You will tell me everything that happened. And why you came to the pack. You will spill everything, leaving no information out of it," I said slowly, enunciating each word. Ryven half expected me tosh out but was quite surprised bu my calmness because of the way his head jerked back. I could understand that. I was also surprised by my calmness. "Yes," he forced out those words with gritted teeth and I smiled and walked closer to him. I wanted him to feel the silent rage that coursed through me. Although I knew he could very well feel it from where he kneeled. "Now, stand up and lead the way to the dungeon," I said and his eyes widened. There was a slight increase of his eyes as he finally realized what I meant. I was going to torture the information out of him. But I had no idea how topel the guards to follow my orders. I wasn''t yet their Luna fully. They would be able to tell because they could not feel my bond as the pack Luna. I knew that wasn''t a problem because I had the power topel Ryven. But what if Ipelled him and there was a revolution? The people didn''t trust me yet. And harming their Alpha isn''t what they would frown upon. Although I knew the consequences my a ruins would cause. But i could stop Alpha Ryven by telling him to go back to the room. I wanted revenge and I wanted it served cold. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "The people would revolt. Don''t think you can do anything to me. This is my pack and I''m their alpha," Alpha Ryven seethed but I smirked because there was nothing he could do but to run his mouth. I looked at him while he walked, more focused on his legs, in case my gifts ofpulsion wanted to fail me. I could easily deflect any blow from him. "Let''s see how it goes," I said to him while he walked his fists. Somehow the sight made me smile against the pain in my heart. It was hard to exin but I knew I could do anything I wanted with him. I could very wellpel others to follow mymand but that wasn''t what I wanted. I didn''t want anyone to feel like they didn''t have a choice. Just like I was made to work all my life against my will. And it''s only because of the person who stood in front of me. What hurt the most wasn''t knowing that he aided his father in killing my parents but theck of remorse when he spit it out. He still hYed them and I knew that hate also transferred to me. He hated me. I was so blind. Now, I was left hurting. So much that I drowned it out, denied myself from feeling anything that I just felt numb and betrayed. The betrayal didn''t hurt as much as the knowledge that I was a fool who believed all his lies. I swallowed and focused on the man in front of me. We got weird nces from people around us but I didn''t care less. They wanted to know why Aloha Ryven had a pained look. It was a sight to behold as their jaws fell ck while we passed them. I was relieving in the bliss of the shame I knew Alpha Ryven felt. But I still had no idea why he didn''t call for help. Surely, I hadpelled him to lead the way. I didn''t mention anything about not calling for help. The bliss I felt while revering in Alpha Ryven''s Shane stopped when we bumped into Ava. There was shock on her face at her brother''s expression. But what was most shocking was theck of acknowledgement from him while we passed by her. We were almost in the dungeon. I knew this ce. It was where I had been brought to. The smell I perceived even before we got there brought back memories. "What''s happening here?" Ava asked when we were almost at the door of the dungeon. I saw the guards stiffened at attention. They too wanted to know what was happening. I looked away from her face and continued walking down the hall. Alpha Ryven hasn''t stopped yet. Themand was still on him. And Ava took that as a hint to follow us, not like she expected what she was going to see. A smile almost broke out on my lips as I thought about how she would react to the news of me putting her brother where he rightfully belongs. I know that had been on bad terms but that didn''t mean she would side with a stranger. I couldn''t be sure because when I looked at her, she was quietly following us even when Alpha Ryven walked into the cell that I was ced in before. "Sit," I told him and he obeyed with the same painful look on his face. Good. But that wasn''t before seeing the slight raise of Ava''s eyebrows. "What''s going on here?" She asked once again when she settled herself on the wall. There was a look in her eyes I couldn''t decipher. 45: Whats happening? 45: What''s happening? I almostughed out loud at the irony of it all. There I was still reeling in the feeling of having the upper hand and there he was, weak and pathetic. When did our roles get reversed? Thest time I checked, I was still a ve bound by my duties here. Duties I wasn''t given a choice. It felt like I was in a cage of some sort. Where I had no control over what I did or not. The feeling of being in control was exhrating. Was this how it felt to be free? It was nothing like I had ever imagined. It felt so out of the world I grew up in. Like I was living someone else''s life. I didn''t know how to exin it but it was something I hadn''t felt in my entire life. And if I was honest with myself, it was that I loved the feel of it. The feeling of being in control. I smiled and locked eyes with Ava ¡±Your brother is about to have his share of his cake," I smirked. I didn''t know what was wrong with me. But I felt braver like there was some alcohol in my system. It gave me the courage I needed to face Ava if ever there will be. But all I saw as her eyes looked at me were intrigue. A ghost of a smile danced across her lips. I didn''t know why she didn''t feel confused. Was she not surprised by my ability to control her brother? Or was there something I was also missing again? "You don''t look surprised," I admitted and she nodded her eyes, breaking eye contact with me for her eyes tond at her brother. "I don''t. You''re the direct descendants of the moon goddess. I know you are capable of a lot of things," she stopped and looked back at me. "But I never expected you to be capable of compulsion." I was confused. If she was surprised I was capable ofpulsion, that was fine. But at least she was supposed to feel confused about me using it on her brother. He didn''t do anything wrong and he was the Alpha. And her blood. But from what I knew about Ava, she cared less about what happened to him. But I still wasn''t sure she would get back at me for what I nned with her brother. After all, I had been skeptical from the start when I got some information out of the man in the cell where I was holding Alpha Ryven that her mother was a witch. If she decided to use her powers on me, I knew I would be defeated because I had no idea how to fight using powers. But my n B was to use Athena as my protector. "You should be," I said and pointed to Alpha Ryven, "I''m holding him hostage here," I said and she looked at me, waiting for me to continue. I wasn''t able to tell the look in her eyes. I was so bad at reading her. And she had the ability to mask her emotions well. I thought I would feel anger when I talked about my parents'' death to Ava but I didn''t feel any. Instead, knowing the culprit would be paying for his sins made my heart beat slowly in my chest. Ava shrugged, crossing her hands across her chest, the action raising her shirt a bit so her baby bump was quite visible. "Talk to me. What did the jerk do again? I know he had done a lot of nasty things but I knew you wouldn''t do this if it wasn''t important to you," she said and I secretly marveled at her uracy. I wasn''t willing to admit how right she was even if my heart gave a painful squeeze as if it was enclosed in a fist. I looked away from her. "He killed my parents," I swallowed the lump that had traitorously grown in my throat, making it hard to get words past. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Him? Or my parents?" Ava asked me, almost sounding like a correction and my eyes went back to her. I ignored the sounds that came from Alpha Ryven. Apparently, he wanted to say something but one look from me got his mouth to mp shut. "I know. But why are you so willing to admit it? Why aren''t you¡­" "Mad?" Avapleted the sentence for me and it ended in augh. "I was against what they did. Your parents didn''t deserve that. Because they were weak at that time, my father thought he could get what he wanted." "What did he want?" I heard myself asking her, and herughter died down. "He wanted more power. My mother and I were against it. But Ryven was so willing to follow my father and his evil ways like a loyal dog." "Was that how your mother died?" I asked her and whatever trance the story put her in snapped. She whipped her head in my direction. Her eyes bored into mine while the stillness of the room almost made me forget what I was. I was no longer weak. But the emotions her eyes carried were too much to see. Above all, pain reflected off more. I could almost feel her pain from the distance that separated us. If I had concentrated a little more, I would have been able to feel it. I didn''t know what it was. It was just a fleeting thought. But the thought came to stay. I knew since the thought had managed to pass through my head with me giving it a little more thought, it was likely to be true. Maybe it was part of my gift. But I didn''t find out more about it as Alpha Ryven''s voice cut through the silence. "They deserved to die. You know nothing, Ava. You were still a child. So I wouldn''t expect you to understand." I opened my mouth at the same time a chuckle left Ava. I wanted to put him in his ce and use the force ofpulsion on some of the guards because I wouldn''t be able to do what I nned to do with him alone. Even if I was more powerful now, I still needed more hands and the knowledge of tortue. However, I knew this wasn''t going to be easy. "Shut up!" Ava screamed and I flinched. "I was younger but I had more sense than you. Father was evil. He wanted to use her mother for his selfish gains." She stopped and walked closer to him. "He wanted to take her powers and use them afterward. Who didn''t know her mother was a very beautiful and attractive woman? But do you know what hurts the most?" She asked and Alpha Ryven''s jaw tightened. She continued while I tried to keep my emotions at bay at the mention of my mother''s death. I wasn''t stupid enough to know if I spoke a word, it would break the atmosphere in the room. It was an atmosphere of confession. From the way Ava lifted herself from the wall to the slow walk that was made after that. I knew I wasn''t to disturb even if all the cells in me begged to be part of the conversation. Just once, I would obey the little voice in me that told me to be quiet and listen. "What hurts the most was seeing how father treated mother after that." "It was partly her fault," Alpha Ryven said with contempt. Ava got close to him. Too close for my liking. I feared Alpha Ryven would do something bad to her. But I had to remind myself it was Ava I was dealing with. She was the younger sibling that bested her older sibling at everything. As much as his shameful that was, Alpha Ryven''s eyes held no shame. It only contained anger. So much of it. "It wasn''t. You and father were so delusional to think you could eat your cake and have it. And I know you''ve been delusional since you never stopped searching for her!" She pointed to me and I jolted. "Why should I? It was father''sst request from me. You have no idea how much I tried to gain his attention. So keep your mouth shut. And as for Mother, she deserved it. If only she had helped her father, victory would have been ours." "I hate you. I tried not to hate you each time I set my eyes on you. But this is the height!" Ava shouted, the veins in her temple bing more prominent from the anger that raked through her. Both siblings were angry but Ava''s could be considered as scorching. "I would do with you what I have fought myself severally on because you also tried to harm an innocent child." "Her first child should be mine! No one else''s. Why should I care for a bastard?" Alpha Ryven asked and I flinched from the tone of his words. "Why? You would never understand what I have gone through because you have been sheltered all your life and given anything you desire. You are a spoiled rotten woman who knows nothing but to run her mouth. I curse the day I told you of my ns." He stopped and breathed hard. He was standing now, ring down at Ava who almost reached his jaw. "You have been nothing but trouble. I would have banished you when I had the chance to. Now you''re here to stab me. What does that make you? No different from father." "What?" Ava took a step back, disbelief written all over her features. "Don''t you darepare me to that monster? I don''t want to be put in the same sentence as him!" "Why?" Alpha Ryven gave a dryugh, his head bouncing back. "That''s because you are as sick as him. He reminds you of yourself that''s why¡­" "That''s why I killed him!" Ava said and Alpha Ryven took a staggering step back. I didn''t know I had also taken multiple steps until I felt something hit the back of my leg. Ava was joking, wasn''t she? Ryven was the monster here. No, it couldn''t be Ava. She fucking killed her father. I couldn''t imagine what she would do if she were allowed to rule. Maybe both siblings were nuts after all. What family did I stumble into? With so many secrets that I couldn''t find even in my worst nightmares. She continued, "I know what Ryven ns to do to you. This isn''t your fight. If you want to be free from him and go back to Alexander,pel him to follow all my orders," Ava looked behind her shoulders at me. I was breathless from the amount of deathly aura that surrounded her. 46: Seeing him again 46: Seeing him again I looked through the windows at the trees that flew past us as we drove away from Ryven''s pack. It felt like a dream. I was in a state where I felt like I was floating where I was in the dimensions between reality and s dream. I was finally going back to Alexander after so many conflicted emotions. I didn''t know how to feel if I was being honest with myself. Alexander was someone who pretended like I didn''t exist until the day he found out I was his mate. I tried to shun the voice in me which tried to bring up the conversation I had with Ryven. Did Alexander really let that happen to me knowing full well I was his mate? If yes, why the hell was I going back to him? I knew the answer. I still loved him. Maybe I had been lying to myself from the time I said I didn''t care about him because of what he did. But I cared. I cared so much I had to push the emotions to the back of my mind. Because each time I thought about him, it was raw agony for me, I sometimes found it hard to breathe. I opened the window while the car sped away and my hair whipped around my face in a painful but comfortable way. "How do you feel about seeing him again?" Ryven''s Beta asked me from the driver''s seat. I never always got to remember his name and I wasn''t willing to ask him about it again when I asked not quite long. It would be so embarrassing. I looked out of the window at him. He was wearing a ck hoodie that reminded me of the first time I came into Ryven''s pack. It was such a shame for someone as alluring as Ryven to have such an evil mind. I didn''t know I had been staring until Ryven''s Beta rose a bushy brow at me and I came back to reality. "I''ll be fine. I need to sort out things myself and stop running away from me," I said and I felt his eyes on me. The gaze was so intense I had to look at him to find him looking at me with a hand resting on the window sill while the other hand waszily draped on the driving wheel. "Eyes on the road," I screamed as an iing car drove past us. He smiled with a glint in his eyes and he looked back at the road, "I got it," he said and the beating of my heart calmed down just a little but his next words made it spike up again. "Why did you do what Ava asked?" He looked at me then back at the road. My hand twisted on my thighs out of frayed nerves. "Nothing. I just had to do it." He sighed, "It may seem like I don''t notice what goes on around the pack, especially with you and Alpha Ryven but I do," he stopped, looking at me to see my reaction. But my face was as nk as a sheet of paper, as I tried to keep my emotions in check without spilling over and making a mess out of myself. The man beside me was someone I believed not to say more than ten words in a sentence. But here he was asking me the same question I asked myself while I walked out of the dungeon. Maybe it was because I believed in Ava even if she killed her father. Her father wasn''t exactly a saint because he had brutally murdered my parents. After all, they refused to ally with him. What scared me the most was that I felt no pity for Ryven for what Ava nned to do to him. He deserved it multiple times over. I unconsciously held my stomach as the memory of Ryven almost made me take the wolfsbane and I shuddered. "Your baby is safe. I''m d you did what you had to do," Ryven''s Beta said and my mouth hung agape at his words and he chuckled. The sound of hisughter sounded funny to me. It was like he didn''t know what to do with the emotion. "I understand you. Even if I am an advent follower of Alpha Ryven, I knew what he did was wrong." "Will you stop Ava?" I asked him and he gave anotherugh. But this time, it was longer and louder. "No. Ryven deserves what ising to him. I always wanted Ava to be the Alpha. But at that time, she was highly unstable because of her mother''s death. Her powers were going out of hand. And we couldn''t make her our alpha." "Do you think it had something to do with Ryven? If he had a hand in it?" I asked him while I looked out of the window again. We were now out of Ryven''s pack and I heard a gasp from his Beta. It happened to me when I left Alexander''s pack. The pack link will be ripped off from the person temporarily because the person wasn''t banished from the pack. But even if I were to get back in Alexander''s pack, the pack link wouldn''te back because I was already mated to Ryven. The thought of him brought my hand to my neck, where the bite marky. Ryven''s Beta breathed hard until it came to a slow breath, "Yes. I believe Ryven had a hand in it. He was so desperate to get the position. There is blood on his hands just so he could get what he wanted. His father had blood on his hands but it is nothingpared to Ryven''s," he said with the last words almost stopping at a whisper. I could tell he was pained. Were any of his close ones killed by Ryven or his father? His eyes had gone from shining brown to dull. "Was any of your family affected?" I heard the words fly out of my mouth before I could stop it. He looked away from the road to me "Yes and no," he said and I didn''t push. I knew he didn''t want to talk about it from the hardened set of his jaws. I looked away from him as silence descended in the car. It was afortable silence, both of us lost in our worlds. I didn''t need to say more words as I was so upied by the thoughts that filled my head. They were thoughts about how I was going to face Dianne''s mother. I guess I was afraid to face her and see the mask of innocence pulled off her face. It would be shing with what I hade to believe since I was a child. A little part of me wanted to refute Ryven''s words. But as much as I did, I knew he was right. My instincts never lied and I knew it wasn''t lying this time. The evidence was all there. When she came to tell me Alexander had killed Rudolph just to pin the me on me. It was timed and calcted. I knew I would have stayed if Alexander had begged me one more time. Or did she know Alexander would have slipped and decided not to trade me over with thend again? Or was all this just part of my imagination just to prove to myself Alexander cared about me? The letters Alexander sent carried so much regret and pain. Or was that also part of me that wished he was who I sketched him to be in my mind? He was perfect. Almost. That''s how he was in my mind. Fear gripped me tight like a vice when I saw the familiar trees of Alexander''s pack. We were here. All the things I nned to say to Alexander when I finally got to see him flew out of the window. "You need to rx. The baby must be born healthy," Ryven''s Beta said and I was thankful for his voice as it served as a momentary distraction for me. I nodded at him but still clutched my blue gown unconsciously. I was battered with nerves. Counting to two hundred in my head to distract me, we finally got to the gate serving as protection along with the huge walls. A guard stopped us and he talked in hushed tones with Ryven''s Beta. I was far too gone in my worries to listen in on their conversation. After some time, we were granted ess. "Take good care of yourself and ¡­" Ryven''s Beta looked at my stomach to emphasize his point and I understood. We were standing at the front of the pack house now. There were no guards to escort us back to the house as we had been uninvited. I nodded at him too absorbed by emotions to let out a single word. Ryven''s Beta looked me in the eyes, bent his head low like he was paying hisst respect to me as the Luna of Ryven''s pack and it hit me. Hard. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "You''re noting in?" I asked him while I moved a step closer to him with my luggage in my hand. "No, I won''t. The pack needs me now more than ever. You''ll be fine. I know that. You''re more capable than you think," he smiled sadly. "I¡­" I stopped because of the sound of my voice. It sounded like a broken record. I could hardly recognize the sound of it. Even though I had only interacted with him for a short while, I understood him. He was someone I know I would have bonded well with if not because of the circumstances that surrounded us. "Will the people be okay? What about the disease?" I asked him, my eyes not leaving his. "They''ll be fine. As soon as you get in there, thend will be returned to us. So you have nothing to fear," he spoke so low and so calmly as his eyes deepened with sadness. I would miss him. I only came to realize while we stood under the sun in the silence that he was always there for me, watching me and preventing some things from happening. Just like when he made me retire to bed early during my training, telling me Ryven asked for it. Ryven never did that. The man standing in front of me did. "Thank you," I whispered. "For everything. I hope you find all the happiness you desire," I finished and he smiled. But this time, it was genuine as it reached his eyes, letting it sparkle with mirth. "You too Luna, take good care of yourself," with that, he turned around, moved into the car, and drove off. My throat clogged up from emotions as I watched the car speed away until it was nothing but a blur. Then I turned around with my little luggage in my hand ready to face my enemies and take what rightfully belonged to me. But stopped. Not because the pack house looked almost deserted andcked life. But because Dianne was standing behind me with an ashen look on her face. 47: Too many words 47: Too many words She looked like someone I didn''t wish to see but I saw her regardless. She was the same person who woke me up at night because of the screams of torment that tore through my lips from nightmares. She was also the one who made me turn into a puddle as if it were close to a fire source. But looking at her now, from across the house by the distance that separated us, I saw someone else. This person wouldn''t be able to inflict pain on me again. Not because she looked like she had been to the seven corners of hell but because I knew she couldn''t. I was no longer the little girl who got scared of any little thing. I was a woman now who had evolved more than I could ever imagine. But here I was, standing face to her, eyes shing and no fear leaking from my pores. I was bolder now and braver. All the things said to me in the past don''t matter now because they don''t define me or make me what I am. I am where I stand today because of the choices I made. Even if some of the choices made me cringe, cry, happy, I was internally grateful for the path fate had taken me. It made me into something out of my wildest imagination. I was a woman who only existed in my younger self''s fantasies. I watched with shock and something else I couldn''t ce a finger on as Dianne closed one step at a time. She must have been so shocked to see me as all the color drained from her face. Or was it because of what she went through? Which made me wonder what the hell happened in the pack while I was gone. "Sophia?" She whispered,ing closer to me and I could see how sunken her eyes had gone. The lights were out now. So also as the air of arrogance that once surrounded her. I looked away from her, unable to look into those eyes anymore. Those eyes gave me sleepless nights more than once. "It''s me. Don''t you recognize me?" I forced my eyes back at her. She gaped like she had somehow expected someone else to be standing in my ce. Was I that different from the person who was nudged in her memory? I knew the answer even before she asked the question. "You look¡­" she walked closer to me again, her eyes squinting as she essed me from head to toe. Her gaze was thick and lingering. "Different," Ipleted the sentence. Somehow, it made me feel good. But I questioned what actually made me feel good. If it was the way her eyes held shock or the knowledge that she was no bigger than me. I left the pack a tiny, malnourished girl as a sold ve to one of the mightiest packs only toe back with so much difference. Not only externally but internally. Especially on the inside. I felt different. My mind and thoughts underwent a drastic transformation all because of what I faced and what I let go of. "Yes," she whispered, her eyes still lingering on me, but I felt it on my neck where the mate mark lay. It didn''t mean anything now since the mating process wasn''tplete but the scar that refused to heal left a burning reminder about the different types of people filled in this world. "I''d like to know where Alexander is now," I shifted the conversation away from me. And that was only when her eyes came up to mine again. But this time, they held reverence. I knew she could feel the shift in me, the power just shimmering at the base of my fingertips wanting to be unleashed. But most importantly, I knew she could feel my wolf. She looked away from me, "He should be in his office," her hands came up her pale neck as they squeezed out of nerves. Why was she nervous? She acted strange at the mention of Alexander. Something couldn''t be wrong with him, could it? The thought of him made my heart give a mighty leap in my chest. I felt it in my throat but it came back down after I tried to look normal. I couldn''t let Dianne know I had been affected just by the mere mention of the man who caused me pain. Rejected me and bruised my weak and once fragile heart. Maybe my heart was still weak, that was why it still beat at the mention of the man who did nothing but shatter it without blinking an eye. What a stupid organ. Imented inwardly. "I''d go see him now," I took two steps away from where I stood, my shoulders almost brushing with hers. I had a feeling she would crumble like the sand when ced in one''s fingers if I as much brushed my shoulders against hers. She looked like someone who could be picked up in the storm. "When you get to his office, be careful. Alexander isn''t who he used to be," her words stopped me just before I could climb the little stairs leading to the pack house. And I''m not who I used to be before either. "Thank you. I will," I said instead and went into the house. I noticed the outside was not different from the inside. If anything, the inside looked worse than I remembered. Was there any war? I quickly dismissed the thought as soon as it formed in my head. Even if there was war, the pack house wouldn''t be as deserted as it is right now. The house was devoid of any staff. There was no omega or guard in sight which was eerily abnormal given that the pack house was always so busy with activities, whether there was a ceremony or not. And the cold that seeped into my pores. It was the kind of cold that came from ack of human company in a big house. I made my deduction that the house had been empty for some time now. I tried not to let Dianne''s words get to me. But it did. What should I expect from Alexander? Would hesh out at me foring without any prior notice? Would I catch him at his darkest hour? Or was I just overthinking everything, reading meaning to something that''s supposed to be left untouched? I got to the all too familiar room of mine. The doors were left slightly ajar. Too many memories flooded me at the sight thaty before the door. Just too many, my little bag fell off my fingers at my feet. I knew I couldn''t go in, not when my curiosity was bugging me so much about Alexander. Although I knew that reason was something I made up for not going into the room. And not because I was scared of facing my past where I was the weaker version of myself. I was scared of the emotions that would resurface. They were the emotions I painstakingly hidden in the deepest part of my heart. But now, they fought to be out. But I won because I didn''t give them the chance to consume me and leave me broken. Again. By not giving them the chance, I have the other part of me who still clung to the hope that Alexander was in his office waiting for me with arms wide open. I walked to his office, the soles of my shoes making soft sounds on the tile floor. The dirty tile floor and my shadows drawing long drawings on the walls covered with cobwebs. And when I did finally reach the door of Alexander''s office, I hesitated. I hesitated because of the rapid beating of my heart. I feared if Alexander was in his office like I had willed myself to believe, he would hear the sound of my heart relentlessly hitting against my ribcage. A different woman. I sneered at the taste the sound left on my lips as I whispered them to myself. I was a different woman but not when it came to Alexander. I still yearned for him. I still wanted his touch that ignited fires in my bones. And his eyes¡­ I closed my eyes as I breathed in deeply, opened my eyes, and ced my hand on the doorknob. I twisted it and entered the room, the huge breath I took being released slowly. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The room was shrouded in darkness. The windows were down. But the difference between the rest of the house and his office was the temperature of the room. The room was hot as I felt a bead of sweat roll down my armpits to my fingers which were still ced on the doorknob. I knew part of the reason the room was hot had something to do with my anxiety about seeing Alexander again. Alex¡­ like I had secretly called him in my heart. He was here. I could smell him as shivers of pleasure ran down my spine at the smell of him. Closing the door, I stood rooted to the spot waiting for my eyes to adjust to the darkness. And then I found him. He was at the far end of the room, his back to me with a long cloak that covered the entire length of him. But I could recognize him anywhere. Even if my eyes didn''t, my heart will always do. He was looking through the gaps of the blind in his office that prevented light from leaking in. I wondered if he was lost in thought or if he was able to see outside through the blinds. "I told you I don''t want to be disturbed. It seems yourst visit to the dungeon wasn''t en¡­" he stopped, sniffed the air, and stiffened. His voice was different. It was raw and sounded inhumane. Void of emotions. Itcked the warmth I got used to during myst days here. He turned around so slowly that I knew the image would y in my head for as long as I was alive. But the scene I thought would y out got wiped out by the look in his eyes when he saw me. There was no shock on his face like Dianne''s, no emotion. Not even a muscle in his face twitched to let me know he had seen me and recognized who I was. But he knew. He knew who I was because of the different emotions that swirled in his eyes. We locked gazes, lost in each other''s eyes. For a while, there were no words said but a thousand words spoken between us. "Why are you here?" He asked and I thought I heard wrong until his lips lifted, giving way to a deadly smirk that made my toes curl. In dread. 48: Encountering him once again 48: Encountering him once again I expected Alexander to say something but not what came out next from his mouth. He was different not because the cloak he put on seemed too big on his frame but the gaze he ran across my features. His look was so intense while I stood rooted to the spot, too shocked to utter even a single sentence. This wasn''t how I imagined our reunion to turn out. The letters. He sounded like he truly wanted me back for everything he did to me. Or was that a farce to get me back? I secretly wondered if what Ryven said was true about Alexander only wanting me back because of what I was. As much as I tried not to feel the hurt as it slowly climbed up my heart while I stared at Alexander with my mouth agape, I knew somehow my instincts had to be true. I didn''t know I had been staring for so long without blinking until I felt my eyes water from theck of shutting them for so long. "I don''t understand," I said as I stood rooted to the spot, unable to move any of my limbs. Was he for real or was he trying to y a big joke on me? I knew the answer from the look in his eyes. They were the eyes of someone who hadn''t slept a wink. They were bloodshot and tired. But the intensity they carried could be unrivaled by none. He sneered and walked closer to me. But with each step he took, I could feel my heart thunder loudly in my chest. Was this the man I had craved to see all day long? He wasn''t worth it, not when he looked at me like the way he looked at me when he rejected me. The thoughts came without warning, flooding me with so much force I had to take a step back. "You wanted me. You asked for me and this is how you wee me?" I choked. He halted, "I stopped asking for you a long time ago because you felt you were too big to get back," heughed, the sound dry and without mirth. "You said Alpha Ryven treated you well. Then why did you run over?" I furrowed my brows, unable toprehend what he was saying. Or maybe I was too blinded by my hurt and rage to think clearly at that point but to yell at him. "I didn''t do that! And if this is how you n on treating me while I''m here, I might as well leave," I barked, breathing heavily from the outburst. He smiled again. But this time, they almost did reach his eyes. I thought that was what I saw until his face hardened again, the lines more prominent, making him look older than he was. "And where would you go?" He asked and all my rants died on my lips. I haven''t thought about that. I haven''t given the thought of the possibility of Alexander not wanting me. I had been foolish enough to trust him the second time to ept me back. The question stung so much that I felt tears gather at the back of my eyes. I was a fool again. "It doesn''t matter. Why do you even care? I know you will be d to let me go. If you didn''t care about me, you would have sent word out." "I didn''t. Because I wanted to see how much ego had gotten in you to talk to your Alpha in such a way," he said and I red hard at him. "What? I know I''m right. Or didn''t Ryven treat you like a queen?" I sneered trying to hide the fact that his words stung. "He treated me well. Unlike Dianne," I said and I felt the intensity of his gaze increase a hundredfold in the dark room. It was a wonder I was able to see so clearly in the room. It had something to do with my wolf. And even if I didn''t want him to see the hurt in my eyes, I knew he could see it. It couldn''t be hidden not with the way he spat out that he only wanted to see my ego. From what I know, I didn''t have an ounce of pride. Or did I? I internally tried to evaluate myself. Damn him for doing that to me. For making me want to run into his arms and perceive all of him. I wanted him to fill me in on what happened while I was gone. But most importantly, I wanted him to tell me how much he missed me. They were mere wishes I knew wouldn''te true as I watched him turn his back to me, walked back to the window, and began looking outside. Or deep in thought. I didn''t know. But I did not have enough time to ponder on it or hisst words because his words broke through the tense air. "You should go back to him. You are mated to him already so there''s no need to be here," he stopped and I clenched my clothes in hate. "I''m not going to war over you," hepleted his words and I stiffened. I had totally forgotten about the bite mark on my neck. Was that why he was acting this way? Was it jealousy? As much as I wanted to open my mouth and ask him the question, I couldn''t. I also wanted to believe that was what was happening. He was jealous. Even the thought of it was unreal just like we were. I was rejected and to my horror, got back to the one who rejected me to be rejected twice. "Is that all you can say?" "Yes, go back to him. Those letters were a mistake,'' he said, his voice rough and riddled with a bit of emotion. But apart from that, I couldn''t detect emotion in his voice. It was like he had intentionally locked them away and thrown the key away. I wanted him to say something to hint that he missed me. I clung to the hope while I watched his back. "Please," he begged after the silence stretched between us. The sound of his voice was louder but no louder than the sound of my heart breaking in my ears. Didn''t he even care I had nowhere to go? I tried to believe him, to believe his words but that stupid little part of me didn''t, it couldn''t. "Are you banishing me?" I stood still, the silence of the room almost making me pass out. I haven''t moved a step from where I stood when I got into the room nor have I taken my eyes off the man my heart beats for. "Anyhow you see it," there was resignation in his voice now. I couldn''t let him see how much those words affected me. Or how much I was humiliated. Where would I even go? I had no idea. It seemed like everything I worked for came crashing down. Where was the woman who walked into the pack house moments ago, ready to take what belonged to her? She left as soon as she set eyes on the man who had always made her smile even if she was unwilling to admit it to herself. I turned around and headed for the door even though all the cells in me begged to turn around and tell Alexander everything I went through. That would be me being weak. Thest thing I wanted was for Alexander to peg me as a weak person after brandishing me unworthy. A million questions hung in the air while I strode out of the door with heavy footsteps and my heart was shattered on the floor. I couldn''t take it with me after it had been shattered beyond repair. It wouldn''t have broken into pieces if the knowledge that Alexander is likely mated to Dianne now. But that failed to exin the expression she had on her face when she saw me. It was shock and fear instead of hate - The one emotion I hade to ept from her. She was supposed to hate me foring back and taking what she thought belonged to her. If only I had seeded in doing so, my limbs wouldn''t have felt like jelly. And I wouldn''t have bumped into a rock-hard chest. "Careful," the owner of the voice cautioned, his hands around my waist, preventing me from crashing down and experiencing double humiliation. "Thank you," I said, my voice hoarse from all the emotions that died down along with my heart. In its stead was numbness. I was too absorbed in my grief to look up and properly thank the person who prevented me from falling. But that stopped when I heard his voice again. "Sophia?" It was a voice that carried shock. And hope. And something else - joy. I never thought anyone would be happy to see me given what I was in the pack. I looked up to see Orion looking at me, mouth hung agape before a huge grin split up his face. He enveloped me in a surprising bear hug. "You''re back. I was almost about toe drag you from that bas¡­ Ryven''s pack," he gushed and I smiled. I couldn''t help it. His happiness was contagious. "I didn''t realize we were this close," I joked and he released me quickly when he realized he was holding me in a hug for too long. The smile was still stered on my face while I looked up at him. He didn''t change a bit. Just like I remembered except for the lines on his forehead which were more prominent. From stress or something else. He held my hand, "Come let me show you to your room." "I can''t," I dug my heels into the floor, stopping us from going further. He looked at me, his eyes holding confusion. "I can''t stay here. Alexander doesn''t want me," I said thest sentence with my face beet red from shame. But he continued looking at me like I had two heads, his hand still wrapped around my hand. "You''re joking," he said and I looked him dead in the eyes to show how serious I was. Why would I joke with that kind of thing? He ran his hand through his hair andughed, "Alexander is a proud fool. He hasn''t been himself since you left." His gaze went to my neck. "I know it''s because of that. I was about to tell him what really happened between you and Ryven." "What do you mean?" "Isn''t it obvious? Xander is jealous," he shrugged like it was no big deal while my blood froze in my veins. No, Alexander couldn''t be jealous. Orion had to be lying. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. 49: Painful remainder 49: Painful remainder Alexander''s POV Seeing Sophia again made my heart race so fast. She had always been beautiful but damn, she looked like a goddess. I wanted to wrap my hands around her and tell her how much she meant to me. And how much I missed her. I missed everything about her - herugh, her eyes, her smile, her walk, just everything. I wanted to go to her. Looking at her from across the room was so much torture for me especially when I found the mark on her. The emotions clogged at the back of my throat. I had been a fool. I had been so afraid. I guess I was scared of what she would do to me if I let her love me just the way her eyes promised. I let my father get to me. How much of a fool I had been. I let the love of my life leave me for another man. The part that hurt the most was knowing she had been happy in his pack while I had been miserable all the days without her here. The pack had gone into ruins because I couldn''t concentrate while she was gone. Everything reminded me of her. She was always scrubbing the floors when I walked out. Her absence hit me like a brick wall I imagined I was dead for days. I clenched my fists while I thought about how her eyes sparkled when I asked her to leave. I didn''t want to be a selfish bastard. Even if I didn''t want to be, who was I deceiving? I was every bit selfish. But I told her to go. I scoffed as a smirk worked its way to the side of my lips. I would never let her go again. Never. It wouldn''t be happening not while I was alive whether she was mated to that sick Alpha or not. I couldn''t and I wouldn''t let her out of my sight. Only heavens know how I was able to keep it together when she was gone. It pained me greatly that I hadn''t been there for her. The look in her eyes¡­ They were broken. I never wanted to see them. But then, I had been irrational when she came smelling like other males and not me. I sighed again as frustration built up inside me. Why was I getting jealous? I was the one who watched while she was bullied all because I was being a coward and couldn''t let myself be with her. A stupid small voice inside of me told me she deserved someone better than me who would love her for her. And I scoffed again because I knew I would treat her better than anyone. I would treat her like the true Luna that she was. As much as I tried to push off the knowledge that she wasn''t mine and was never mine, I couldn''t do it. She belonged to me regardless of the mate mark I found on her neck. Anger burned in my veins as I thought about it. But I couldn''t dwell on it as the door to my office opened. I stiffened until I smelt the familiar smell of Orion and I hissed in anger. "I need some time alone," I said to him and I still could hear hime in and close the door much to my disappointment. That wasn''t what I wanted to say to him. But my pride was as big as the entire pack house. I couldn''t bring myself to ask about Sophia. Orion snorted and I heard the chair shift before I knew he had settled himself on it. "What do you want?" I asked with irritation dripping from my voice. "I know what you want but you don''t know what I want. Such heartbreak. If only you would care half as much as I cared about you," I didn''t have to turn around to know he had a smirk on his face. Orion had been the only person who had been able toe close to me in the past few days. I had been quite irritable and dangerous and I secretly apuded his bravery. Not everyone would be able to do that especially when my wolf and I fought. "Don''t tter yourself," I snorted and ced my hands in my pockets. They were warm and I imagined how warm Sophia''s hands were. Closing my eyes, I forced her image out of my mind. "They''re not mated," Orion said after a long silence stretched between us. I knew he came because he had some information about Sophia but that wasn''t what I expected to hear. And what did he mean by they''re not mated when I could see the bite mark on her neck? But I guess it didn''t matter if she was mated to Ryven or not given I wouldn''t have let her go. I turned to him, my eyes instantly finding him in the darkness. I tried to tell myself he was ying a joke on me while my heart pounded away in my chest but all I saw was dead seriousness in his eyes. "If you wish to say something, say it for understanding," I growled and locked my eyes with him. And he smiled like he could very well read me and I feared he could. Orion was the only other person who could read me after Rudolph. I winced at the memory of Rudolph. He had been my best friend. I think that is partly the reason I was so unwilling to ept Sophia as my mate and future Luna. Hell, I was mad at myself because I knew what I wanted but I couldn''t because I felt like I would be betraying Rudolph in his grave. Orion sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "Apparently, the mating process between Sophia and Ryven wasn''tplete because she didn''t mark him. The mark you saw on her neck was only that of Rudolph''s," he stopped and smirked while amusement danced in his eyes and I knew whatever he had to say next wouldn''t be funny. And I wasn''t wrong. "So you have nothing to fear." I red hard at him while my stupid heart skipped a beat at the information. That was great news to me but my face was kept stoic. I didn''t want Orion to make fun of me. It wasn''t funny whenever he did that. And I could no longer ignore the pounding in the wall I created against my wolf. It was getting too much. I knew he was super excited to get Sophia back especially now that she had her wolf which made me wonder what kind of wolf she had. She smelt different from other Werewolves. It wasn''t just because she wasn''t part of my pack but it was something I couldn''t ce a finger on. And I couldn''t deny how slightly turned on I was. She was braver and bolder, the kind of woman I had always fantasized about as a child. "Where''s Sophia?" I heard myself asking before I could stop it. I wanted to know where she was even if my head warned me against it. This time, I would follow my heart as long as it was where Sophia was. Orion smiled and I so wanted to wipe it off his face. "She''s in the room you prepared for her. It shouldn''te as a surprise that she is incredibly mad at you. If you want to go see her, I suggest you wear a doubleyer of clothing." "I scoffed, and a small smile appeared on my lips, "What could she possibly do to me?" "Rape you," Orion said with a grin on his face and my lips stretched wider. I never realized how much I missed our little banter until that moment. Maybe I was back to myself, I didn''t know. But what I did know was that I wanted to go meet Sophia. Now. I took two steps before Orion''s voice halted me. "Do you know why she''s like that?" He asked and I looked at him again. I never realized he had gotten up to get himself a ss of drink which was being held in his right hand. "Like what?" I asked him although I had a feeling I knew exactly what he was talking about. "She''s different. And I don''t mean by her looks. There''s this thing about her. Maybe it''s her wolf." I paused and thought about what he said. I also thought about it and it was an attractive part of her. But I also noticed how quiet my wolf had gone. He always did that shit. And I hated it but I couldn''t lash out at him because I was too absorbed by the question Orion threw my way. "I noticed. She wouldn''t tell me even if I asked her. Did you get any more information regarding her stay in Ryven''s pack and the reason she didn''t mark him?" Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. He shook his head a no, "The information had been tightly secured. It''s as if no one wants the information to get out. And I''m sure they are hiding something important since Ryven hasn''t sent a letter regarding Sophia''s return." "Are you sure you asked well? You could be cking off," I couldn''t help but tease him which he returned with a yful re. "Find out more. I want to know exactly what happened while she was there. And why she was sad when she came into my office." Orion widened his eyes in surprise, "She was sad?" I gave Orion a deadpan look. "I just told you she was sad and you still went ahead to ask me about it. Find out who she met when she came into the pack." "Do you think it''s Dianne?" Orion asked and I stiffened. Howe I hadpletely forgotten about Dianne? We had always been a thing and it would be normal if Sophia''s reaction was due to setting eyes on Dianne. Which wasn''t because Dianne wasn''t the girl she used to be. I doubted she could even hurt a fly now. This begs the question of who Sophia had seen. "Dianne might be¡­" Orion stopped when the door was pushed open and I hissed from anger because of the audacity of the person. "What about Dianne?" Susan, Dianne''s mother asked as she strolled into the room like she owned it and I resisted the urge to sink my ws into her and rip her heart from her. I had never hated anyone as much as I hade to hate her. Orion looked between the both of us and I could see the hate in his eyes. But like always, he kept quiet and left the room to the both of us. The quiet click of the door made my blood boil not because I wouldn''t be able to see Sophia like I had nned but because Susan walked up to my drink shelf, opened a bottle of Scotch, and drowned it, her actions reeking of disrespect. "What do you want?" I seethed and she walked up to me slowly. Howe I only saw her true colors when it was almost toote? "That''s no way to talk to your future Luna." She said and I was reminded of the fact that I was about to lose my position as Alpha. 50: Leaving again 50: Leaving again Sophia''s POV My mouth hung open while I looked around the room. If I said I was shocked, that was a huge understatement. The room was painted in purple and white giving off the vibe of a princess bed. If only, it wasn''t. I wasn''t a princess. The remainder left a bitter taste in my mouth. I wasn''t loved here no matter how much I tried to convince myself otherwise. But no matter how much I looked at it, I wanted to be here because the bigger part of me felt like I belonged here. "Do you like the room?" Orion asked me and I smiled without giving him an answer but was sure as hell my facial expressions must have given me away. I was in awe of the room. And I recalled what Orion and I talked about before. It was about Alexander thinking so much about me. I had wanted to ask him more about it but I knew it would be stacking up lies against one another. Something I wasn''t prepared for no matter how much my heart craved to believe what he said. As I stood in the middle of the room with Orion''s eyes on me, I ced my bag on the floor and turned around to him, "You don''t have to wait for me to see my reaction. I like the room. It''s¡­ nice," And lovely, what I had always wished for as a child. I almost said. "Okay, if you say so. In case you need anything, I would be in the room to the left. Just knock and I will answer you." I gave a short nod while I looked away from him. He knew I wouldn''t call for him and I would be gone sooner orter. I''d figured I would need good food and a little bit of rest if I were to take up my journey to another pack. Or worse, to the human town. I cringed at the thought of going there. Never would I ever want to be amongst the humans but I knew it was better than being here. At least there, no one would be able to give me the look of scorn or something close to that. I let my feet take me to the bed, where I imagined I would get a good sleep and some rest if ever I felt like it. "Why?" Orion''s voice stopped me before I could take another step. I swiveled around and found him by the door, his hand across his chest, intrigue dancing in his eyes. "Why what?" Although I knew exactly what he was talking about, acting dumb gave me more time to think about a response. Of course, I wouldn''t be telling him the real reason I left Ryven''s pack. I promised Ava that what happened in the cell would stay between the three of us. I contemted telling Orion the truth about leaving Ryven. But I figured it was of no use. "You know what I mean," Orion said and I blushed hard in embarrassment because he read me like an open book. "Nothing. I just wanted to leave." "And Ryven let you? Just like that?" He asked with disbelief and amusement dripping from his voice. "Yes? I have a right to leave whenever I want to. I begged him and he let me go." "Do you have any idea how that sounds? I know you don''t even believe yourself," he said and walked into the room again, closing the door behind him while I cursed under my breath. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "That''s what happened. Believe it or not." "And I choose not to believe it. When you want to talk about it, you know where to find me. But for now, take care of yourself. You would need the energyter," he said and walked out of the room and I released the breath I didn''t know I had been holding. And then my legs found their way to the bed. I stood up quickly, resisting the urge to sleep on it, and walked to the bathroom. My mouth almost dropped to the floor. I was supposed to be used to this by now but I couldn''t because I could never imagine my life this way in Alexander''s pack. But Ryven had given me this much, yet he was a total douchebag. So also was Alexander. I quickly got into the bath, soaking myself in hot water for a few minutes while I tried to make heads or tails why I was here. Was I that desperate for love? The answer was no. But why did Ie back to Alexander despite what he did to me? Despite knowing he had let me be bullied when he knew I was his mate. I knew that was why I was here. To get answers for all that happened in the past, only then would I be able to rest. Before I leave the pack, I would defile Alexander once again and go to him. I would ask him all that had been bothering me. I stayed in the bath until the water almost turned cold. Getting out of it quickly, I changed into a new pair of skinny jeans and a big blue baggy sweater. Whilebing my hair, I heard the door open. I thought it would be Orion once again until the smell of Alexander hit my nose and I stiffened. I hated how much power he had over me. His scent made heat pool in my lower belly and I imagined what would have happened if he hadn''t asked me to leave. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath to calm myself down but it did little to dull the ache that had started between my legs. It was beginning to grow when Alexander walked into the room, his presence overbearing. It felt like the air had been dragged out of the room and I was left panting. While in his office, I tried to ignore it and to a certain extent, I could but right now, in the bedroom where the soft bed was waiting for me, for us, I felt the walls I built breaking. "Why are you here? I''ll be gone soon. No need to remind me once again," I said, the sound of it tasting bitter on my lips. "Stay," Alexander said and I whipped my head so fast to look at him. Not because of shock but because of anger. The arousal that was building up in me died while fierce anger took its ce. "Who do you think you are to order me around? I''m leaving and that''s it," I seethed in rage and his face was left emotionless. Bastard. It pained me greatly that I wasn''t able to know what he was feeling. Was he feeling regret? Jealousy like Orion had said? Or was he sad about letting me go and being unable to stop me now? "I''m sorry," he said and I had to be sure he was the one speaking and not some other person hiding in the room. My heart gave a stupid leap in my chest as I stared at him. The voice that came out of him was wrung with emotions. So much of it. It was like all the emotions he had buried in him came rushing at that single sentence but it carried a lot of weight. I was almost tempted to run into his arms and tell him everything would be fine. How foolish that was of me. But I couldn''t help it when he stood there looking at me like his world was about to be taken away from him. "I''m sorry for everything. I know I had been a ¡­" he stopped trying to look for the right words while I watched him, too stunned to utter a sentence. The man standing in front of me was someone I wished to see every day. I was supposed to feel rage, burning anger at him but I felt none of that. Instead, I was numb. All the anger was drained from me. I just wanted to be home. All the suffering was catching up to me and I was honestly tired. I just wanted toy in bed, have a good night''s sleep which was devoid of nightmares, and wake up a smiling girl. Or woman rather. Maybe I should forgive him. My child deserves a pack to call his own and a father. I didn''t even know what to think, about how Alexander would take the news that I was pregnant. He walked closer to me, his face a nk sheet of paper. The way he moved, graceful which I was secretly jealous of, with poise and intent. I gulped and took a step back. I just wanted it all to be over. "Say something, Sophia," the way my name rolled off his tongue made me squirm in my position, the sound doing more harm than good to me. "You don''t expect me to forgive you for all you did even while knowing I was your mate, you let them treat me the way they did. Did you ever for once think about how I must have felt?" The anger came back in full force and I began to wonder about the devil that made me think it would be wise to forgive him so easily. "I''m sorry. When you left, I realized I couldn''t do without you and then, Ryven informed me you didn''t want to have anything to do with me." He said. If he was surprised I knew about him knowing I was his mate before I turned eighteen, he didn''t show it. "Yes, I didn''t. Do you have any idea what I went through there?" My eyes watered and the damn tears threatened to spill after lodging in my eyes for days without showing itself. I watched in anger while his eyes slowly gave off the light of regret to be reced by anger. It would have been funny only if it wasn''t because of the situation I was in. "What did that bastard do to you?!" He growled, the color of his eyes changing to that of his wolf''s and I sneered. "Funny how you are no different from him," I balled my fists. "What did you expect? For him to take me as his Luna immediately I walked into his pack? You must really be delusional." "Ryven promised he wouldn''t harm you. And I would be a fool to let this slide," he ignored my comment and turned around, heading for the door. His words carried the promise of revenge as it hung in the air like a thick nket. "Don''t touch him." I heard myself say while he turned to me, disbelief on his face. "Would you rather he goes scott-free after treating you like you don''t matter?" I smirked, my eyescking warmth, "Yes, at least he was better than you, my supposed mate who ought to protect me!" I snapped and his jaw ticked violently. "If you start a war, you''re never seeing me or¡­" I stopped before I could mention the fact that I was carrying his child. 51: He talking to me 51: He talking to me "Or what?" He asked me as if he knew exactly what was going on in my mind. I couldn''t me him. Maybe it was because my face had probably gone white because of theck of blood in it. Or it was the fact that I clutched my pants so tight my knuckles had gone white from the action. I wasn''t sure which but he walked into the room when he heard no response from me. With each step he took, my heart rattled in my chest because I knew what kind of harm would befall me if he touched me. His fingers were like a delicious poison. Not because of the amount of blood that stained them but because I would be turned to jelly by them. I gulped and moved to the window, his gaze so intense as I tried to avoid the question. When I needed my brain the most, it disappeared, leaving me in a state of panic which I tried to cover up with augh. "Thest time I remember, you cared nothing about me. So why should I tell you?" "Because I am your Alpha and you are my mate," he spat but the words of mateing out of his mouth were so soft like an apology that I had to blink my eyes multiple times. I was away from him, my back to him while I looked out of the window. I didn''t want to see his expression neither did I want to see the look in his eyes. He was sorry and the fact that he wanted to start a war because of me spoke volumes, my stupid heart was growing with love. But it wasn''t supposed to be so. He had no right to start a war when he was no better than Ryven. As I tried to remind myself what he did to me, emotions threatened to overwhelm me. I did the thing I could think of - I pushed them to the back of my mind. "You are not my Alpha. You stopped being my Alpha when you sold me to Ryven." I closed my eyes and battled with my emotions. "And do you know what hurts the most?" I asked because I could no longer push the emotions back. They threatened to consume me. And with him in the room, his scent bringing back memories and the air in the room smelling like a confession time, I just couldn''t help it. Maybe I was a fool for him. Or it was my heart that was the stupid organ in me. All my head did tell me was to move away from him but my limbs betrayed me as I felt him close to me. Too close that I could feel the heat from his body. And it pained me how much my body reacted to his when he hadn''t evenid a hand on me. My nerves were turning to liquid fire as they melted away together with my resolve about not forgiving him. His hand brushed my back and I stiffened, "I wasn''t thinking straight and my father, he had a hold on me. He never wanted me to be the Alpha," he spoke in a small voice and I could tell his pain he was in from the strain in his voice. I kept silent well aware of his hand that was running through my hair. And I loved the feeling it brought even if I lied to myself about it multiple times as I stared across the forest. "My father knew how much I loved my mother. Her death made me withdrawn. But that wasn''t it. My mother had promised Dianne''s mother I would mate with her and because I loved my mother, I wanted to carry it out until I met you." "Why would she do something like that?" I subconsciously asked, well aware of his hands that were working their way up my back. Silence stretched between us before he answered again, "You might not know this but it''s customary for the Beta''s daughter to mate with the Alpha. But in my mother''s case, it was different. My mother was from another pack. My father had defiled the norms in the pack and gotten the wrath of the elders." "Elders? I don''t understand," I spun around facing him and my breath caught in my throat from how close we had gotten. Especially how my body hummed in response to him. A smile yed on his lips, "Yes, the elders. In a pack, it isn''t only the Alpha who has powers in a pack. Fifty percent of the powers belong to the Alpha and the other half belongs to the elders." He stopped, his eyes leaving my hair and resting on my eyes. "The elders are dangerous, Sophia. And the worst part is, that Dianne''s mother is part of them. I don''t know how she did it, but over the years, she had risen in rank, making her one of the most formidable members. And do you know what that means?" He asked me and I shook my head. I was suddenly reminded of the words Ryven about Dianne''s mother killing Rudolph and pinning the me on me. But why? I hadn''t done anything to her. Or was I just a pawn in her game? I listened, not wanting to break the moment. Alexander might be talkative now and willing to divulge information and I feared it would be lost if I interrupted him. "It means she can control most of the members of the council to go against me. And if they do, my Alpha blood and genes wouldn''t be enough. They have the power to subdue my wolf and make me powerless. My father knows this. And even if he is a jerk and sometimes acts like a drunken, he cares for me in a very stupid way," he stopped andughed with his eyes devoid of warmth. He was in pain. I wanted to reach out and take hold of his hands that were now at his sides. I thought about how much I missed his hands on me but I didn''t let it show. Instead, I focused on what he was telling me. Howe I never knew of all these? I was really naive even if I knew it was no fault of mine. "And when I was young, my parents tried to pair Dianne and me together so our mating ceremony would be smooth with each of us being with someone we love. Only if, I didn''t see Dianne in that way. We dated for some time and I grew tired. I was always told what to do to garner favor from the elders of the council. And I tried to run away with Rudolph," he chuckled again. But this time, there was mirth in theughter. He wasn''t in the present. He was in the past when he wanted to run away with Rudolph. I wished I was able to see it from the warmth that flooded his words at the memory. "So what happened?" I asked and he smiled. "Dianne caught us. And she threatened me to be with her again or she''ll inform everyone." "Why didn''t you let her? They couldn''t have done anything bad to you, would they?" I asked and he looked at me like he couldn''t understand my question. "They would have killed my wolf. I''ll bebeled a traitor. Dianne knew this and that was how she was able to get me to date her for so long. She controlled me." He smiled a tight-lipped smile that spoke of immense pain and humiliation. "And then, you killed Rudolph. I was not myself for so long. I battled with myself because even if I had been attracted to you from a young age, I knew I couldn''t be with you. I hid it because if my father had known, your fate would have been much worse," he sighed and my eyes hardened as I moved a step away from him. I didn''t move away from him because of how he left me to a cruel fate, one which he didn''t acknowledge as cruel but because he still believed I killed Rudolph. "I didn''t kill Rudolph," I seethed as I looked away from him, not trusting myself not to hit him. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "I know. It''s obvious, you can''t even harm a fly. I mean, you were so frail and small while Rudolph was huge like a hulk. How could you possibly kill him?" He chuckled and took a step closer to me, his eyes swirling with hidden amusement and he looked everything like the person I wanted to be with. "Then why?" "Why you were stillbeled as a murderer?" He asked and I nodded, the anger evaporating from my pores to be reced with curiosity. "The elders. I have no idea whose judgment swirled theirs. When it was first brought upon, I pleaded for your case. I knew it couldn''t be possible even if everything pointed at you. It was obvious you were framed but it''s either they are blind, or¡­" "They''re scared of someone," I finished for him and his eyes shone. I wondered why until he opened his mouth again. "You''re different," he said and I was taken aback by the change in subject. "In a good way. Or maybe you''ve always been intelligent, I have always denied it to avoid me from falling further for you." I furrowed my brows at him. He was talking in a foreignnguage my brain refused to process. He smiled then, his eyes boring into mine. It was a real smile, without a hidden emotion. It was just the smile of someone who was caught in the moment, in the moment of happiness. And I was thrown back to the time when I first set my eyes on him when I was twelve years old. And he had unknowingly stolen my small and immature heart. Although, I doubted my heart had matured more than the day it beat for the only man who stood facing me like he was handed back his most prized possession. "I''ve always been intelligent," I retorted with a feigned frown which acted as a facade to what I was feeling. He yfully touched my nose which made my heart swell, "I know. Maybe that''s why I''ve always been drawn to you, cupcake," he smiled, revealing his full dentures. I wriggled my nose and looked down, unable to take on the raw beauty standing in front of me. I considered him that because at that moment, there was no word to describe how he looked. "So back to the conversation," I reminded him and the light that shone in his eyes died down, reced with hardness. "Yes. Back to the conversation. I have an inkling who did that to you. And I''ve been thinking of ways to find the right moment to expose her." Her? My blood froze in my bones. Was it really Dianne''s mother like Ryven had told me? I gulped and looked at him. "Who is ''her''?" He smirked, "What do you think?" 52: Dreams coming true 52: Dreamsing true Sophia''s POV It was time for me to address the people of Alexander''s pack. I honestly didn''t know if I could do it. I had always wanted to be up there, giving speeches but it had always been a dream I knew wouldn''te true. How wrong I was. Here I was in my room, or Alexander''s room rather, getting my face done for the ceremony ahead. Two days ago, Alexander and I had a conversation about who truly killed Rudolph. Although, it wasn''t yet confirmed that Susan really killed him. But with the information he had been able to gather, he was confident he would be able to sway the public with what he had gathered. And for some reason, I also had faith in him. I was no longer mad at him. He exined to me why he behaved the way he did. But I still couldn''t let go of the past, I couldn''t forget it It still hurts especially when I remember what he told me when he rejected me. I stifled the sigh that tried to escape my lips that had been painted with a bright red color, like that of pepper. Itplimented my skin. I looked at the reflection and was amazed at how fast I changed. I still couldn''t get over it. I knew it was somewhat childish of me but I just couldn''t help it not when I am always reminded by it. It had been twenty minutes since the maid left me to go tell Alexander I was ready. As I stared at my reflection, my heart pounded away in my chest. Maybe it was because I would be standing in front of a huge crowd. Or it was because Alexander would be informing the pack I was his mate. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn''t hear Alexandere in. His silky voice startled me out of it. "Hey," he said, breathlessly. I had to turn around to him to know why his voice sounded that way. Although I could see his reflection from the mirror in front of me, I wanted to see everything from his eyes to his toes. But when I turned around, my breath left me. Alexander looked ¡°Gorgeous,¡± he whispered and I blushed hard because I knew he meant it. I also knew he didn''t know when the word had left his mouth. His mouth was left agape as he trailed his eyes on every exposed skin on my body. The skin on my neck and around my ears burned from embarrassment. His gaze was like a soft caress as it trailed from my eyes to my feet before making its way back up. "You don''t look bad yourself," my words came out weak and breathy. in direct contrast to how I wanted it to sound. He smirked when he caught the look in my eyes. Hell, I couldn''t help it. He was putting on a blue tuxedo which highlighted his massive frame, with bulging muscles and lean legs. While my eyes trailed down all of him, it lingered just below his waist where I noticed a little bulge. Dirty pig. I cursed in my mind. Although it warmed me greatly that setting his eyes on me could bring such a reaction. "Ready?" He asked me and I nodded my head but still stayed in my position, my face to the ground. I had a feeling that wasn''t the question at the tip of his tongue with the way he locked at me like he wanted to ¡°Don''t look at me that way. I might jump you which I know you wouldn''t appreciate.¡± he said like he could read my thoughts. But he was wrong somewhere. I would appreciate it if he jumped me. How nice would it be if those lips could devour mine once more? "Sophia," he called slowly, his voice thick with lust that was just swirling in his eyes. Unconsciously, I traced my eyes downward and it caught the bulge in his pants growing bigger. I wondered how big it would be if it rose to its highest point. Would it be able to fit in my hands? Thest time we had sex which happened to be the first time, I didn''t get a chance to see it. But from what I felt, it was massive and a whole lot more satisfying. A low growl made me look up and I found his eyes pitch ck and I stiffened. I had been so lost in my lewd thoughts I haven''t thought about what he would do with my eyes literally raping him. "I''m sorry,¡± I said hurriedly while he stalked towards me but the deed was done already. As soon as he reached where I stood, his hands came around my waist while his lips met mine in a passionate kiss. The kiss wasn''t slow and romantic. It was fast and hot like he wanted to taste all of me. I didn''t struggle against him as I let him lead me, my lips moving in syne with his. But after some time, his tempo increased and I couldn''t follow up. But that didn''t mean I could not feel the emotion. I was consumed by them, my knees grew weak and buckled beneath me. But Alexander was quick to tighten his hold on me. It was like he had predicted it. Butterflies went riot in my stomach as heat pulled in my lower belly. And when I felt I might die fromck of air, Alexander released me with a growl He rested his head against mine as we breathed heavily, "We need to leave. If we stay here any longer, I might be tempted to rip off this dress from you and take you to the bed." "I wouldn''t be happy.¡± I said, flushed against him. But that was quite the opposite of what I desired. The kiss both felt right and wrong. I wanted it. Hell, my body craved it and my wolf, she was willing to take over to get her way with Alexander. Since I got back to Alexander, she had been somewhat of a mini chatterbox. It wasn''t really fun because all she would talk about all day was Alexander. And it didn¡¯t help that they were mostly filled with dirty thoughts of him in my head. I shook my head and stepped back from him, turning around to reapply the lipstick on my lips. Alexander watched me the whole time but I willed myself not to give him any more time and attention for fear of my doing what he said was risky. After taking forever, I turned around and walked away from the room. Although, I had no idea where the announcement would be held. After some time of going in the wrong direction, Alexander took the lead and led us to a huge room containing a huge number of people waiting to be addressed. steeled behind him from the bundle of nerves thaf rushed me at once that it left. m¨¦ breathless. But I knew, couldn''t it win. If did, that _< would be the end of me. I got this. ¡®ve always gotten this when kL. decided toe back to the pack. ve 2 learned over time thatrunning away froma problem do¨¦sn''t solve it. Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Alexander stopped when we got to the door of therge hall. He seemed to know what was going on with me. And I was appreciative of the fact that he said nothing. But in the silence that stretched between us, it spoke volumes that no word would have been able to. And the look in his eyes gave me strength to move on as I walked in my little heels "Ready?" He asked me again as soon as I had taken deep breaths and I nodded my head. That was all he needed and he pushed open the door. Hush descended on the room as all eyes turned my way. I could see the questions in their gaze especially where my hands joined with Alexander. I did the only thing I could think of, I looked ahead without looking at the faces below and walked to the podium. On the podium was a huge seat and a smaller one by its side which I guessed belonged to me. It warmed me greatly even if I denied the thoughtfulness of Alexander. The warmth from his hand gave me another dose of strength as we came to stand in front of the mass of people. For the first time, while I looked below to the faces, I could see the questions on their faces. I was sure they all had a fear. And that fear was that I was mated to their Alpha, their soon-to-be Luna. Alexander walked up to the mic at the center ofthe stage and I was left behind. Butfor some reason, the. anxiety I felt when I walked into the room disappeared, These people¡± can thurt me any longer. I may rhave been¡± hurt by them in the past because of a rumor that Kwas about to set right. That was in the past. I needed to put it behind me and focus on the present. And that was exactly what I did as I stood, head high, shoulders raised while I watched Alexander clear the stage for me. "You all must be wondering why I am here today and the reason for this impromptu gathering,¡± he stopped and scanned the faces of the people, letting his words sink in slowly. There was no rush, just the need to pass on important information. "Well, it has everything to do with what I had been battling with for the past two months since I was made Alpha. As you all know, an Alpha needs a Luna," he continued but stopped when a low murmur broke out and I felt gazes on me. I expected it but not the hot gaze I felt from the crowd. It was hot with burning anger embedded in it. I scanned the faces of the people below but could not find the owner of such a gaze. I tried to ignore it but it burned hotter like it wanted to turn me into cinders "And I found my mate some time ago, Sophia. But I was in denial because of the fake rumor that surrounded her of killing my best friend, Rtdolph. But right now, the truth fase to light and I have chos¨¦n her as my mate while ebeing regretful for my past acti ons of rejecting her," he smiled and turned around to me with an outstretched hand. A low hush broke out amongst the crowd once more. What I could feel and hear more were the voices of confusion Alexander''s warm fingers circled mine and pulled me over to where he stood so we were standing side by side. "She''s my mate and future Luna," he said and a loud cry of anguish rang out from the crowd I looked around and found it to be a man, the owner of the intense gaze, "Never, she''ll never be my Luna! She''s a murderer!" He yelled and I felt Alexander''s fingers tighten around mine in rage. This was bad. Thest thing I wanted was for someone to be killed or punished because of me. 53: Im such a loser 53: I''m such a loser I looked at the man whose face was almost covered with the cloak he was wearing. But I could still make out some of his features. He had sandy blond hair which almost covered half of his face. He was moving forward from the back of the crowd. Then his eyes met mine and he stopped. I could feel his rage. Was he rted to Rudolph? Alexander''s fingers almost slipped from mine but I held it tighter and squeezed gently. That seemed to work as he stopped trying to get his fingers out of mine. "And why do you say so? What evidence do you have?" Alexander asked slowly and calmly but I could detect the anger hidden just beneath his words which made the hair on the back of my neck rise from dread. And I knew others in the hall could feel it too as their faces went pale and they looked everywhere but us. I thought Alexander hated me before but I came to realize he had all been fake because the voice of anger that rose from him seemed like it came directly from hell. The man looked on, unafraid. And I secretly apuded him for his bravery and foolishness. It''s either he would be dead now or he would face a lot of torture before Alexander decided to end his life. "It''s everywhere. Just because she is your mate doesn''t mean she can go Scott-free! Demoting her to an Omega was us being lenient with her and now our Luna?" The man''s voice rang out clearly amongst the crowd. "And what makes you think you can talk to her that way?" Alexander growled as I almost flinched from the gaze of the man. But I had to stand my ground in front of the people. Thest thing I wanted was for them to see me as someone weak and pathetic. I also wanted them to know that I was still part of the pack even if Alexander hadn''t yet told me anything about it. Although a little part of me wanted to be part of the pack and address the people. But that wouldn''t be possible if the man hadn''t been put in ce. I tried not to let my heart swell at how well Alexander defended me. I doubted I would be able to face off such a huge crowd on my own without stuttering and making a fool out of myself. But at that moment, I couldn''t concentrate on the growing feeling inside of me. Instead, I Concentrated on the man and what he was saying. What he was saying was supposed to make a lot of sense if it were before. But now, it made no sense since Alexander had already made it clear he had evidence for me. I saw Alexander''s hand slip from mine and he walked down to where the crowd stood. And I wanted to apud him for it. He was like a domineering man whose gaze could burn everything in its path. I knew I was blessed with a wonderful mate, except that stupid part of me denied it and told me it was all a facade. "She''s an Omega. And I am higher in status to her,¡± the man said bitterly but I could make out fear in his words. He hadn''t expected Alexander to come down to him as everyone parted ways for him and he reached the manT¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. I watched as the bravery went out of the man as he took a step back. I could see him fighting with himself as his fists balled beside him. "She''s not an Omega. She came out being an Omega when I found out she wasn''t the one who killed Rudolph.¡± Alexander''s hands came behind him as they sped together. I knew he had a smirk on his face because of how well he was taking control of the situation. And that small pay of me was proud of him. I could feel the nces being constantly thrown my way to gauge my expression. I probably had an expressionless face. I couldn''t give anything away when whatever Alexander had with him hadn''t been revealed yet. "You said you know she killed Rudolph. Could you tell everyone how she did that?" Alexander asked and the crowd fell into a hush. But the man''s face, which was covered by part of his cloak was pulled down by someone behind him. His face wasn''t something I recognized. I was so sure of it because I would be able to remember any eyes I had seen which were greener than the forest. "Cat got your tongue? You spoke like you were so sure. Not so sure anymore?¡± Alexander asked once more. They were about three feet apart from each other. But I knew if Alexander were to end the man¡¯s life there, it wouldn''t take more than a step to do so. "And do you know what happens when you nder a Luna?" Alexander asked again and I paled. I knew what happened. The person was hanged in the pack¡¯s square A gasp rang out amongst the crowd. And they were all thinking what I was thinking. I wasn''t yet a Luna but none was brave enough to point that out. And it wouldn''t be me either. "She''s not yet out Luna do they won''t stand,¡± a voice I would recognize anywhere spoke and I found her instantly. She was standing at the far end of the hall. She was barely recognizable I tried not to let the hurt show in me. But it did because I could no longer hear the voices in the hall nor could I see the man as he retreated to the back, in shelter of the one who sent him - Dianne''s mother. I didn''t think it hurt this way with the way I havee to ept that she was evil when Alexander and I talked about it. But it did nothing to prepare me for the way she looked at me. Not the kind I was used to. That was filled with love and care. Just how many of her words had been lies? I tried not to think about these. But they came rushing at me when I looked into her eyes. They were cold and mocking. I thought I would be able to face her and demand an exnation. But I couldn''t. She was the woman that had reced myother in my heart. I never''did think for a moment I would goine I in this position where I would be hurt by the person I least susp¨¦e ed. Did she just do that so she.could be the Luna? How could she kill her son ancpin the me on me? I tried to tell myself this was all a dream. The heartache threatened to ovee me as I felt the room going further from me until I saw the door in front of my eyes. I couldn¡¯t do this. Maybe I was a fool. Areal one like Ryven said and I was not Luna. I could never be not when I couldn''t even face off someone who didn''t bat an eye to bring me down. To my lowest. And then the tears fell. They didn''t fall when Ryven told me about it, they didn''t fall wnen I met Dianne They didn''t fall when Alexander confirmed it with me. But they fell when I looked into the eyes that had slowly reced the eyes of my mother. I was a bad child who reced her mother¡¯s eyes with that of a criminal. I deserved something more than being demoted to an Omega. As I rushed to Alexander''s room with my hair whipping around my face, I didn''t think I would fall because of my blurred vision. My hair hade undone from their braids as I ran I just wanted to be alone and probably think about what to do because, at that time, I couldn''t see past my grief. I didn''t care that I got looks of surprise. Pulling open the doors, I banged it shut and copsed on the floor, my back to the door. I heard knocks and knew without a doubt it would be Orion. It would have been Alexander if he wasn''t addressing his members. "I''m fine," I choked out, not even believing myself even if I tried to believe it a thousand times while I ran. ¡°Open the dogy, Sophia,¡± Orion said but I didn''t d@the exact opposite. I stood up and ripped the clothes = from meg tet down my hair from the different pins that adorned therm: I need¨¦d a hot bath. Maybe that¡± would clear the clogs in my-brain even if my heart did not indicate stopping to hurt at any moment. I felt like if I did nothing. I would probably pass out from the hurt my heart gave out. I walked to the bathroom on rubber legs, a smeared face, and aching legs. Running the hot water in the tub, I got into it, ignoring the banging on the door. I thought about all the times Dianne''s mother consoled me when I was sad. How she nursed me to health when I was sick and how she protected me from the wrath of Dianne. She told me she loved me like she would love her daughter and she wished I were her child. How many of them were lies and how many were truths? I bit my lips as I tried to focus on the after on my skin, how nice it felt a bit in the wrong mood. It didn¡¯tst long though because I fell into a sleep which I was woken up from minutester by someone touching my face. The Sparks were there. It was Alexander. Even before opening my eyes and realizing what I was doing, I leaned into his hands and created such wonderful sparks. I opened my eyes and found him looking at me with nothing in his beautiful eyes. I was mesmerized before realizing how much of a fool I made him as I ran out of the hall. "I''m sorry,¡± I tried to look away but Alexander brought my face back to him. He shook his head and I noticed a towel in his hand. I let him take me out of the water. I was in my panties and bra which did little to hide all my assets. I couldn''t care less. I was tired, humiliated, and hurt He wrapped the towel around me and lifted mecoff the tub, carrying me bridal style to the bed. As soon. as my head hit the pillow, I fell into the sleep that consumed me. But before Scumbling to sleep, I felt Alexander s arm wrap around me ftom behind before cing a kiss on the top of my head. to 54: Facing her 54: Facing her I woke up groggily, vaguely aware of the day before. But after some time, they came back in pieces and embarrassment threatened to ovee me But luckily, Alexander wasn''t present in the room. The huge thickforter brought me warmth as I looked down on myself. I was still in my undies to my relief but my head pounded and I felt a wave of nausea as I tried to stand up from the bed. Sitting back down, my hands came up my head while I massaged my temples. I knew I shouldn''t be in my panties as I felt a chill even though the windows were closed. And like before, I felt sick like before which was rare since I''ve gotten my wolf already. I looked up at the clock which was just by the side of the room and I found it to be past ten already. Getting out of bed, I walked into the bathroom and washed myself with the little strength in me. I was itching throughout while I dressed up in my favorite hoodies and ck pants. That was what I just needed for the type of mood I was in. And the itch was because I wanted to see Alexander. The memary ofst night came to me while I applied a little lipgloss to my pale lips. Smacking them together, I looked at myself in the mirror and was somehow satisfied with what I saw. I had gained more weight since thest time I checked my reflection without feeling like shit or overwhelmed with emotions. Walking out of the room, my stomach rumbled to let me know just how hungry I was. Thinking about it, I realized I hadn''t eaten since the day before in the morning. While I walked, I couldn''t help but think to myself how I would talk to Alexander about my pregnancy. Somehow, he woulde to know of it eventually. But I guess I was just scared of his reaction. It was something we hadn''t nned. Would he reject my baby and also have to reject me because of something that wasn''t entirely my fault? Or would he dance with joy? The thought of it made my head bang a little harder and I couldn''t help but push it to the back of my mind. Although, I knew it was wrong to keep pushing back the thoughts. If Alexander learned of it and wasn''t happy about it, it would be worse if he found out about it from another source. My heart started beating while I made my way to the kitchen. I disregarded Orion''s words about finding him in case I needed something. That soundedme to me. I was a member of the pack and not a prisoner. So I could go anywhere I wanted to go. Except the moment I turned the corner, I regretted that thought. I had been too fast to admit it to myself. "Sophia," Dianne''s mother whispered and I felt my limbs turn to lead. She was standing in front of me, wearing a red gown that red just at her waist and stopped at her hind legs. It was the gown I picked up for her for her birthday two years ago. I thought standing in front of her would bring back the pain and I would bolt, humiliating myself once more. But that wasn''t what happened. Instead, I felt rage. "You have no right to call me by my name!¡± "And why is that?" She smirked, wearing it so well like the emotion was part of her. I balked my fists, "You ask me that? You killed Rudolph and pinned the me on me while pretending to love me!" I seethed, "What did I ever do to you?" She shrugged like she could not be bothered by my question, "Nothing. You seemed like the perfect target for it. And you fell for it so easily. I hurt you, didn''t 1?" She asked, a slow smile stretching her lips. I balled my fists hard until I felt pain in my hand. I knew I had probably hurt myself with my fingernails or ws as I balled my fists hard. "You don''t have to be angry. But I guess it was for the best. Your mother had everything she needed. She was a thief as she stole everything from me,¡± she scoffed. "I don''t understand," I asked her out of curiosity instead of the string of curses that threatened toe out of me "She had everything! She was just too good because she was what? A descendant of the moon goddess," she stopped andughed and I felt another wave of rage. "What did you do to my mother?" I asked, temporarily forgetting about my headache. "What do you think? I am just an ordinary Werewolf. So what can I possibly do to her?¡± ¡°You knew what I was all along. Was that the reason you decided to frame me?" I stepped closer to her, my anger controlling me. "Maybe. But you better leave this pack if you don''t want Alexander to be in trouble,¡± she smiled and I stiffened. I could take that she would go to lengths to hurt me But not Alexander. He had protected me while I kept on hating him foolishly. I knew he was an Alpha but that little part of me where I just couldn''t help but get protective sprang into action "Don''t touch Alexander," I growled, the sound of my voice startling me and also Dianne¡¯s mother as her eyes widened. She took a step back but I couldn''t detect any fear in her eyes. "If I don''t, what will you do?" She smirked and I ground my teeth, ringsers at her. "Don¡¯t say I didn''t warn you. Losing his position as Alpha would be the least of his worries.¡± And her words made the anger evaporate from my pores, "What do you mean?" "Oh, Alexander didn''t tell you? Poor baby,¡± she cooed mockingly beforeughing out loud. I furrowed my brows at her insane acts. "Alexander is about to lose his position as Alpha. And do you know why?" After g¨¦tting no response from me,.sh¨¦ continued, "And that is becausech¨¦ humiliated my baby, S Dianne+nstead of making her buna, he huni iated her in front of the whale pack. Things wouldnthave gone this far if only you had been a good girl and stayed with Ryven. But you just had to spoil things. Tha way, Alexander would have been Alpha in name only." I took in a shaky breath, "You''re evil. How could you be so cruel?¡± She shrugged, "I''ve been called worse so this is nothing to me." "My goodness," I ran a hand through my hair, but my eyes never left hers. Running a hand through my hair brought a sharp pain to my skull. But I couldn''t care less because my thoughts were upied with Alexander. "I won''t let you hurt Alexander." "And how do you n on doing that? Through your wolf? I heard you took after your mother, sticking your nose in ces where it isn''t meant to be. Just be a good girl and reject Alexander and I would keep the secret that you are pregnant for Ryven a secret," she said with a glint in her eyes. I froze in my spot. How did she find out I was pregnant? Fear threatened to ovee me but I pushed it aside. She was my enemy now who wanted to watch me crumble till nothing was left of me I won''t give her the satisfaction of seeing me at my weakest again. The woman was nothing like the person in my memory. The woman in my memory died the moment she talked about harming Alexander. ¡°Don''t be surprised. I have my ways.¡± "How do you know the baby belongs to Ryven and not Alexander?" I asked, slowly taking control of my emotions. "That''s easy. But why should I tell you? I won''t even if you beg. Just do yourself a favor and leave and never return. You have no idea how many people want you dead here,¡± she said and it was my turn to smirk. Lies. No one wanted me dead here as much as she did. Everything she did, she did for her selfish game. She had everything all nned out. Just how much did she n all out? Was it also her n for me toe back to the pack? Or was my return a surprise to her? A foil to her perfectly made-out ns? "Bold of you tgassume I would take the advice ofSomeone who wants to bring meypain. I belong to this pack as much as you belong heres And yotshave no right to tell mew whatior what not to do. I''ll be-your Lunasoon and the earlier you start giving me my respect, the-better for you,¡¯ I spat, appalled by her words. "Don''t say I didn''t warn you. Anything that happens to you from now on, will be entirely your fault."T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Get lost. When I''m made Luna, the first person I would throw to the dungeons would be you so you''ll experience guys how awesome that ce is,¡± I smirked. "I''d like to see you try. Remember you''re only a little girl who knows nothing but to stick your nose in ces that don''t concern you. The former Alpha couldn''t de anything to me. I''d like to know what you are capable of, " she smirked and walked past me without looking back. Her words rang out in the halls. She threatened me. As much as I tried to console myself that she was just bark and no bite, I knew she wasn''t. She killed her stepson and I couldn''t help but pray fer his soul. Rudolph didn''t deserv¨¦ such a cruel fate. And I wondered, how his father was => taking it¡®The death of his only sor dealt Auge blow to him. And kknew the ktrowledge that his matekilled hisSon would be thest straw to break the camel''s back -he would forever be broken and might neve come out from his shell. I continued walking but this time, my destination was Alexander''s office because it would be bad if Dianne''s mother got to him first about my pregnancy. Getting to the door of his office, I found the room dark but I knew he was there. His smell was stronger. And I found him by the window just like I had when I first walked into the pack. The feel of the office made dread settle into the pit of my stomach. I closed the door with a soft click, while I watched his very still frame. "Tell me I''m wrong. Tell me the baby in you isn''t Ryven''s," he whispered and my heart leaped to my mouth. My fears came true. Dianne''s mother got to him first. And probably filled his head with a lot of lies. ¡°You''re wrong.¡± I swallowed and he turned around, his face a mask of pain. 55: Not believing me 55: Not believing me "Don''t lie to me, Sophia. I''m not the father of your child,¡± he said and I could see so much pain in his eyes. He was hurting so was I for not believing me. "Do you think I''ll dly carry the child of Ryven?" "It doesn''t matter what I think. What matters is, you''re pregnant for Ryven," he stopped, his jaw twitching violently. "How was he? Was he better in bed than me that you have to hide his baby from me? Do you think I''ll harm your child?" I opened my mouth but he cut me short. "Well, I guess all these don''t matter. What matters is, you''re pregnant for him. So what are you gaing to do about it? Does Ryven know about it?" He asked and I was appalled by how well he decided to move on from the topic. Not because he wasn''t hurt but because thinking about it would bring him more pain. I had been there. And I knew exactly how that felt. He wasn''t in denial nor was he in eptance. "Ryven is not the father of my child," I said slowly, enunciating each word as if it would let it sink into his head. But it did little to what I expected Alexander was standing still, his eyes never leaving mine as he stared at me. I felt like a fool. And I was hurt because I thought we were finally going somewhere in our rtionship. He didn¡¯t trust my words and I wondered why. I wanted to ask him. But what would it matter? He sees what he wants to see and there was nothing I could do about it. I needed to leave. The idea that I had easily betrayed him for someone else was still fresh in the air. I would have been able to fight him on this but I couldn''t. Not with the way he looked at me. And I would be honest with myself for the first time in a long while - how he looked at me broke me into so many pieces. I wanted to reassure him. But I could I when he had already made up his mind that the baby in me was Ryven''s. And the most painful part was him believing Dianne¡¯s mother¡¯s words over mine. "I can''t have this argument with you now. I''m hungry. I need to eat.¡± I turned around and walked away from the room. I no longer had an appetite. It was lost the moment I met Dianne¡¯s mother. And I knew I wouldn''t be able to eat when Alexander looked at me with so much hurt reflecting off his eyes. I walked to the kitchen with maids giving me weird looks and I knew my conversation with Dianne''s mother must spread. She wasn''t particrly silent with her words. Not paying any heed to them, I dished out some food and ate the little I could. I ate for my baby bi needed strength for her. I smiled when I thought about my baby and I genuinely hoped she was a girl. Agirl I couldn''t be; strong and happy. I would make sure to provide everything that she needs. I finished my food in the huge dining room in the blink of an eye. The good was honestly so good. But I couldn''t eat more than three spoons. At least that was somethingpared to eating nothing. Having nothing to do, I walked outside the pack house. It was rare for me to be idle. I still haven''t gotten used to the feeling. I needed some of it and a good exnation for Alexander on the reason the baby was his and not Ryven''s. And while I walked to my favorite spot by the side of the house, I came up nk. More nk than I had ever been my entire life. I couldn''t lie to Alexander that I didn¡¯t feel a thing for Ryven.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. There had been that one time when I wanted to have sex with him. But one I knew was, if I had sex with him, I wouldn''t have done it without protection. It was because I believed Alexander''s words plus he was my mate I had let him Hell, I didn''t even for once stop to think I might get pregnant forying with him just once. "You seem to be so lost in thought. What''s bothering you?" Orion''s voice roused me from my thoughts as he came to stand beside me. "It''s nothing," I lied easily while I stared into the forest. The wind was coal against my face. It was the perfect weather for a little pic except that the person my heart craved a pic with was probably hating on me for nothing. I felt Orion''s gaze at the side of my face, "This doesn''t look like nothing. Did you talk with Dianne¡¯s mother? I saw how hurt you were from the revtion that she killed her son." I nodded my head, "I was. But now I''m past it,¡± I said and I suddenly remembered what she said about Alexander not being the Alpha anymore. "What does she mean by Alexander is on the verge of losing his Alpha position?¡± Orion turned sharply to me and I turned my head to look up at him. There was a look of shock on his face. "She told you that?" When there was no reply from me, he took my silence as a yes and continued, "Alexander''s position is being threatened as Alpha because she doesn''t have a Luna. He was supposed to mate with Dianne ¡é long time ago but he refused and the members of the court have no choice but to remove him and put someone else." "And who do they n on putting?¡± He paused as if the words were too heavy for him to utter, "They n on putting Diane''s mother.¡± My brows furrowed from his words. Nothing was making sense to me. How could theybel him ipetent because he had no Luna but wanted to put someone no better than him? Dianne''s mother isn''t fur to be the Luna of this pack. Not like I was discriminating against women. Because for goodness sake, Ava was the new Alpha of her pack? Dianne''s¡°nother was fit to be Alpha becaus? shecked the attributes of a leader, From what I''ve seen, she wauid do anything to achieve her g@als. > "Dianne''s mother is now the leader of the court. And whatever she says, gets the approval of many. But other people are silently working against. her. Theyare Alexander''s trusted allies. But even if the court is infavor of Dianne s mother bing-the Alpha, they are not blinded by her abilities. At the end of the-day, all they want is to make this pack move forward. And at thest meeting yesterday, your name was brought forth for one fit for an Alpha.¡± I turned away from the leaf I had been watching while Orion spoke, "Me? Why would they choose me?" "Words have gotten out about who you are. I don''t know who started it but as soon as you came, it spread like wildfire.¡± he muttered "But do they know it''s just a rumor?" I asked and Orion appeared to be deep in thought. ¡°They don''t think so because there is evidence. One of the people working for Alexander received an ¡° anonym¨¦us video of you in your wolf form. ficaptured your face before yOue could turn into one. I believed it was-someone from Ryven¡¯ spack that sent that.¡¯ Content p¨¦tongs to Fear rattled in me at the possibility of someone watching my every move. "You don''t need to be afraid bi think the person did it in favor of you. Maybe a friend so that you would receive the respect you deserve,¡± Orion shifted from one foot to another before sitting on the ground. "I had no friends there. I was always by myself.¡± "A secret admirer perhaps," Orion said with amusement in his voice. I looked down to find him throwing a wink my way and I couldn''t help but roll my eyes, a smile tugging at my lips. ¡°Be serious," I smiled at him. "But I''m serious," he ced a hand on his chest, "You hurt me, Sophia," he said and I kicked him which he expertly dodged. "So right now, we''re betting on either Alexander or you being the Alpha. But either way, as soon as you be Alexander''s Luna, the better for us all." A tug pulled at my heart at the mention of me being Alexander''s Luna. "I don''t think they would be possible anytime soon," I muttered, sadness eating away at my words "And why is that?" Orion asked, all yfulness leaving his features "That''s because I''m pregnant for him. But he believes I''m pregnant for Ryven because of what Dianne''s mother said to him. Why was she at the pack house anyway?" I tried to make light of the situation by shifting to another topic but Orion wasn''t. He slowly stood up. "You''re pregnant for Alexander?" He asked, his face a mask of confusion. And I nodded. "That can''t be. You have to be mistaken somewhere.¡± "I''m not mistaken. The child belongs to Alexander!" I snapped, mad at him for doubting me too when I thought he would be the one to talk to Alexander on my behalf. "Alexaby can''t impregnate a woman. He lost that ability when he was a teen,¡± Orion said and I froze before looking at him. "That''s not possible. There has to be a mistake somewhere. The baby in me belongs to Alexander. I never had sex with Ryven.¡± I argued back and I could see Orion''s confusion deepen with time. "Give me a moment. I''ll be back," he turned around without waiting for me. "I believe you, Sophia. There has to be a mistake somewhere,¡± he stopped and said that before walking off. I was d he believed me. At least I wasn''t alone in this. I was out in that same spot thinking of what could be wrong, I didn''t take track of time. Night came and fell. But I was still in the spot, under the tree. I was too tired to go inside as I watched the night sky. And then, shuffling from the dark forest brought my eyes to the space before me. "Hello? Who''s there?" I asked but there was no reply. I turned around and found to my horror I was the only person in that vicinity. And I felt the unmistakable feeling of someone watching me. I stood up but strong arms mped around my nose and mouth with a handkerchief. I struggled against him but I couldn''t do much as I felt my consciousness slowly slip from me. 56: In for a huge shock 56: In for a huge shock Pain erupted from the base of my skull. And while I tried to get myself into a morefortable position, I realized that I was tied to something. And my limbs hurt. I couldn¡¯t move my hand nor could I move my legs. Also, I felt something cover my eyes, a blindfold of some sort. Fear almost made me panic as my breathing becamebored and I knew if I gave way to the panic building up inside of me, I might pass out again because the air in the room I was put in was thin. And it smelt damp like I was in an old abandoned building. I tried one more time to turn into my wolf so she could get us out of here. But I couldn''t feel her and the panic I tried to push back, came rushing back. It reminded me of the time when I was little and was bullied by some boys my age and I was locked in the cupboard for a day. I eventually passed out from fright and from that day my dear of small spaces grew like a wildfire and being blindfolded with little to no air in the room, the memories came back in full force. I feared I might pass out. I tried counting to a hundred. It was what I did whenever I was woken up from a bad dream Then it stopped not because I finally took control of my emotions but because of the footsteps I heard. Finally, someone wasing to me. I couldn''t even begin to imagine who might be behind my abduction. The first thought that came to me was Ryven because he never wanted me back to Alexander in the first ce. But thinking about it, I knew it wasn''t possible except he was able to break out of the power of mypulsion. Although I didn''t know how strong my compulsion could be, I just hoped it wasn''t him. Which brought me to another assumption. Before I was taken, Orion talked about Dianne''s mother. Would she go that far just to get what she wants? My thoughts were cut short by the noise the door made. And I was right because the door made a creaky sound which meant I was in an old house And I wondered if I was still in the pack. I doubted it because I could no longer feel the pack. I wasn''t still epted into the pack. It would be hard for Alexander to find me because he would have to work with my smell alone. And I knew whoever was behind this wasn¡¯t foolish enough not to mask my scent. Which means bi was in this alone. Even if I wanted to give up because I knew it would be basically impossible, I had to fight because of my child. I had never been a fighter. But just this once, I would be for her. The blindfold was yanked from my eyes and it took me a while to realize what was happening. The room was dark, too dark for me to make out the face of the man standing before me with an eerie smile on his face which made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. "I thought you would never wake up. I had almost done the horrifying action of waking you up myself and you know what that means," he smirked and I shivered because Ii knew exactly what he was talking about. At that time, my eyes had slowly adjusted to the light in the room. There wasn''t any source of light in the room except for a small window. It was too high up for me to make out what was outside. But from the noise, I knew we were somewhere in the middle of the woods. I heard leaves rustling. ¡°Fuck you!" I spat at the bulky man who was a huge mass of muscles. "Smart ass, huh? Let''s see how far you can go with this tongue. But first I have to inform her you are awake," he said and looked at me. waiting for me to say more to him. And I knew I had to distract him even if I had no idea what I would be distracting him for. "I''d like to see you try. Just because I am tied up doesn''t mean you can beat me up. Whoever your boss is, must have told you who I am," I smirked and I watched in glee as his face morphed into anger. With one stride, he was in front of me and roughly took hold of my jaw. His hands were strong and huge as they wrapped around my jawina surprising precision. "Don''t run your mouth here. Unless you will regret ever meeting someone like me." I red at him, "And if I don''t? I¡¯m sure your boss wouldn''t be so pleased if you killed me. What use could I be to her if you do? And I''m sure if you do, a worse fate will be waiting for you," I spat at him, reveling in the feeling as anger coursed through him, his eyes a burning coffee color. His hand tightened on my jaw. I felt like he had the intent of snapping them into two. "True," he admitted and my eyes widened in surprise as he let go of me. "But what you failed to realize is that she wouldn''t give a dipshit whether you are hurt or not," and with that, his hands flew in the air andnded on my cheeks with a resounding p. For a moment, I forgot what it was like to hear sounds as my ears had a dull ringing before finally feeling the impact of his p. He put so much force behind the p as I looked at the ground. "Cat got your tongue bitch?¡± Heughed maniacally. And I turned to face him. Anger coursed through me but it pained me that I couldn''t show him what it felt like to hurt someone who was a descendant of the moon goddess. I joined in his faughter until he died down. "Is thatthe best you can do? Just waituntil I get out of here, I would make sure I tear you limb D by limb. £¤ou are a weak, pathetic > excuse of aman whose job isto follow the orders of someoie who is equally as insane as you, The big man yanked my hair and pain erupted from my scalp but I didn''t let it show. I wouldn¡¯t show weakness. Not now. I had my ns for him to get out of here. Maybe it was time to put my brain to the test. "You''re still talking?¡± He raised his hand to p me again but the pain I expected never came. Instead, it was a man''s voice that came instead. "Jared, leave her alone. The boss wouldn''t be happy if you hurt her.¡± a man in white who was also as big as the man named Jared came into the room He was more scary than Jared, the first man. And he had a look which could paralyze a man. However it was so bad, it didn''t work on me because I knew he wouldn''t hurt. Not until I figured something out for myself. "Lucky bitch!" The first man released my hair with so much force that the metal chair I was tied to shook, almost falling Mr to my face ¡°Leave us alone,¡± the second man said without breaking eye contact with me. "But..." the first man Jared started. "Do as I say, Jared,¡± there was a low warning in his voice. Jared mumbled something before leaving the room to both the scary man and me. ¡°You shouldn''t provoke him. Jared has a nasty temper.¡± "Why did you save me?" I asked curious even if I was silently grateful for his timely intervention. I bet I would have probably lost both of my hearing and healed only if I got my wolf back. "Let''s just say for what we n to do with you, we feed you in a good condition, Don''t overthink it, lonly saved yqu because you would < be-useless once dead. SS¡° Althotgh Jared knows this. But som¨¦ti mes, he gets lost in his amger," he said and put a 6up in front of my face. "I''m not that stupid to think you care about me," I rolled my eyes, almost regretting it because of the headache that almost split my head in two. "Good. Now drink," he said as he got closer to me. Too close for me to do whatever I wanted to do. Except I couldn''t because I was tied to a bloody chair. I looked into the cup where a blue strawy. They couldn''t have put anything right? Plus I was thirsty and my throat needed something wet. "It''s not poisoned. Why would we go through the stress of bringing you here just to poison you?" The man asked and I knew there was some sense in what he said. Then I drank from it and was relieved to finally get something into my stamach. I was hungry but that was the least of my worries because I needed to get out of here as soon as possible. I needed strength in case I wanted to escape. "Do you have food?" I asked when I drowned the water in the cup. "No. You don''t need food. We just need you to stay alive," The man said and left the room, not sparing me a second nce. Fumbling with the ropes used to bind my hands, I discovered they were thick ropes that couldn''t be cut with ordigar y fingers. And I couldn''t get my-Fands out either no matter how ?puch tried. They tied my hands and feet so tight, that knew blood had probably stopped flowing in those areas. ite) I stopped by trying to get my hands out when I heard footsteps. They were different from the ones that hade earlier. This was softer and lighter, like a female. Was it the boss the man was talking about?T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. My eyes left the floor and settled on the door to know whe wasing. A little part of me knew it wasn''t their boss because she would have probably come with a lot of her boys The door opened and revealed someone I never thought I would see. ¡°Are you hungry? I brought you food. But you need to eat it fast. I don''t want my mother to see me here," Dianne said and hastily walked into the room, constantly looking behind her shoulders as she shut the door with a very soft click. 57: In denial 57: In denial I knew it. But that failed to exin the hurt that overwhelmed me. How had I failed to see it? I didn''t fail to see it though. even if part of my heart still clung to the hope that this was all a big fat joke. "Stop looking. Open your mouth," Dianne came in front of me and brought bread to my lips. Even if I wasn''t a fan of bread, at that moment the smell almost brought me relief. I looked at the bread and back at Dianne. This was the person I thought would never stop until she saw my downfall. But what changed? Although I knew the answer, I was unwilling to admit it. Meanwhile, she suddenly switched roles with her mother. "Eat. You need it for your baby. If not for you,¡± she said and I paused because I was actually about to eat the bread. I could no longer fight hunger. "How did you know I''m pregnant?" I stopped and looked up at her while she shrugged. "My mother wasn''t particrly silent about her ns for you." She looked to the door and pushed the bread further to my mouth. ¡°You need to eat. It won''t be funny if my mother or any of her followers catches me here trying to bring you food.¡± I took a bite even though I wanted to ask her a lot of questions. But I just bite them down and eat for my baby. I ate the bread and drank the water she provided. I had trust in her that she wouldn''t poison me because of how her eyes shone with fear. "What other things were your mother not particrly silent about? Did she tell you why she kept me here? And where are we?" Dianne halted her movement as the cup almost dropped from her fingers and she bit her lips a confused expression on her face, ¡°I''m sorry I can''t tell you any of those. Even if I hate you and would want you out of my life and that of Alexander, I don''t want this for you or your baby." "I understand,¡± I said and looked away from her. Even if she was of no help to me, at least the bread she gave me brought me some strength. And I hoped my wolf would wake up. Even if I had no idea what they did to her. And to be frank I was scared. The memories of the days I was without a wolf were still buried in the inner part of my heart. I had been traumatized because of it. And I wouldn''t want to experience that again. "I hope you will find a way to get out of here. But you don''t have to worry, my mother wouldn''t hurt you," she said as she moved. "I doubt that.¡± I said and she turned around to me. "My mother is not a murderer but thest thing she would do is to kill someone. She just wants to scare Alexander a little so he could give up the Alpha position,¡± she argued and I smirked because she was so much in the dark. "Sorry to be the one to break it to you. But the mother whom you have known to be so innocent is not so innocent after all. She is a murderer.¡± Dianne balled her fists. She could not ept that her mother was a murderer. And I wondered how she would take it if I told her her mother killed her stepbrother. "My mother is not a murderer. I understand that you are saying these things because of the condition you are in,¡± she pointed to the chair I was tied to. ¡°But my mother would never hurt even a fly.¡± I burst outughing. She had so much faith in her mother. I was once in her shoes. If Dianne''s mother hadn''t shown her real side to me, I would probably be in denial. But someone needed to tell Dianne. She needed to know the truth about the death of Rudolph. I also had to clear her on it even if she didn¡¯t believe a word I said. "Rudolph was killed by your mother," I whispered but I knew she heard because of the stiffness of her shoulders. Soon her eyes found mine. And there was disbelief in them. "How could you even say something like this? After all my mother did for you? She loved you like a daughter but you had to pin Rudolph''s death on her. You killed him and she loved you regardless! How could you be so heartless?" She yelled, forgetting her words of not wanting to be caught in here by her mother. "Have you ever thought about how I killed Rudolph like everyone had said?" I asked her and I could see some amount of anger leaving her. Her eyes darted every which way and I knew she was thinking hard about the question. And I continued ¡°Rudolph was a huge boy and he had a wolf. While I was just a little weak girl withqo strength and no wolf. Yet, you-all believed I had been SO powerfulto get a stake through? his heart Tell me, how was I ablecto overpower him? Even if I caught him by surprise, I could have don¨¦hsrk to-him but not to the point ¨¦f killing Hiffn. He was a strong wolf: A Beta. And the only person who could overpower him is another beta or an Alpha. Alexander couldn''t kill his best friend. Which only leaves your mother." I stopped to let the words sink into Dianne''s head. She was silent as she killed over my words, her face a mask of different emotions. Fear, disbelief and so much more I couldn''t point out before they were reced with another. ¡°Your mother loved you so much she wanted the Beta position for you. But when it was almost handed to you, I still don''t know why you didn''t take it or why you had to give up the fight.¡± "I gave it up for Alexander. He wasn''t happy with me. I think it reminded him too much of Rudolph. And the fight was no longer in me when you left. I think because I knew you were the only rival I had," she said absentmindedly. "I don''t understand. You knew Alexander liked me even before he rejected me?" "It was obvious. And I suspected you were his mate and I let rage and jealousy consume me. I''m really sorry for those times, Sophia. If only I had been happy growing up," she stopped and looked at me. was jealous of you. Even though you were an orphan, you were lways happy. I didn''t know how you did it. Even hrough the bullying and ll, you always found a way to get . back on ydtir feet. I think seeing yeu getting.the happiness I so much.> craved made me mad with jealousy and-anger. And then I fell inJove with AJexander and was overjoyed because of the rules of this pack that a Beta had to mate with an Alpha to strengthen the pack. But Alexander always seemed so disinterested in me. But his eyes were always glued to you when you were not looking," She sighed and ran a hand through her hair. pen) mM Then sheughed. It was filled with pain and regret. ¡°And you stole his attention without even putting in any effort. And then I rejected my mate because I thought Alexander would realize how much I love him ande to love me back. How wrong I was. Sometimes I miss him. He is from this pack,¡± she stopped, a lone smile ying on her lips. "Did you see him again after rejecting him?" Inaskedand the smile disappeared from her face to be reced with sadness. "No. Whenst I asked him, I was told he left the pack. He begged me toe back: wouldn''t lie. lwas hurting aftaty rejected him. He was a nice mah: Cared so much aboutc me, on ly that I was too focuseckon Alexandle to realize he loved me evermwithout the mate bondNow, I''ve lost both Alexander aad him.¡± She shook her head, "I stifl don''t believe my mother killed Rudolph. It could be someone else. Maybe an enemy that always wanted him dead.¡± I knew no matter what I said, it wouldn''t change how she thought about her mother until she saw who she was for herself. Dianne looked at me and walked away from the room without saying anything else. But with the way her eyes looked at me, I knew she was still trying to make heads or tails of the information I provided for her. And it was obvious she hadn''t given Rudolph''s death a second thought. From what I remember, they were never the best siblings. I sighed. I was once again left alone in the room. The only difference was my added strength. After some time, I was finally able to feel my wolf. She was stirring and I could finally break out from here. "Athena, can you hear me? You need to get us out of here," I said as she began toe to herself but there was no response. My heart beat fast in my chest because I knew one of the men from before would soone in to check on me. And if I were to get out of here, I needed to do it now. "Athena, can you hear me? I need you to take over." I said again.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. "Where are we?¡± She asked groggily and I could imagine her rubbing her eyes. "That doesn''t matter. Just take over and get us out of here. First, we need to do this by cutting the ropes." "On it," she said and I could finally feel my wsing out. And as thick as the ropes were, my ws cut them easily. I quickly cut the ones on my feet and stood up with aching limbs and back. But that was the least of my concerns. What I was more concerned about was someoneing into the room and finding out. I got my wolf back. They would do to me whatever it is they did before. I tiptoed to the door and tried the knob. To my relief, it wasn''t locked. I turned the handle and opened the door,ing face to face with Dianne''s mother. She smiled, "Look who got back her wolf.¡± 58: Regret 58: Regret Alexander''s POV It''s been two days now that Sophia has gone missing. And I was slowly losing my mind. And it didn''t help that my wolf had been pacing all day in my head. My hand itched to throw something on the floor but I held myself back because I had done enough damage already. My office was a mess and my mood had gone down to a negative number. I was like a ticking time bomb. But like always, Orion was the only person who coulde close to me. "I tried finding her. But it seems the person was very smart about her abduction.¡± Orion said from behind me and my fists tightened against the rod that was used as a protection against my window. And anger surged in me once more, "You are bing more useless. Maybe I should go into the woods and find her myself since you all are so useless.¡± "You can''t do that. You know...¡± "I know what I am doing! You expect me to stand still and do nothing while Sophia is somewhere doing what god knows what!" I barked and spun around. "You know what? Fuck whatever you say. I''m going to look for her myself.¡± I strode towards the door but Orion was quick to stop me. "I can''t allow you to do that. There¡¯s no one in this pack anymore.¡± ¡°Don''t make me do something we''ll both regret," I growled and turned to take the other path but he blocked me, an apologetic look on his face. ¡°You''re thest Alpha. And there''s no sign of Dianne or her mother. What would happen if something bad were to happen to you? At least you should think about this pack," Orion said and damn he was right. As much as my reasoning was clouded by rage, I knew Dianne and her mother had something to do with Sophia¡¯s disappearance. And I do wish I could find them without ripping off their heads and that of Orion who blocked my way. "My father is here, isn''t he? He can very well take care of the pack. Isn''t it what he had always wanted? Plus I can''t stay here while Sophia and my heir are in danger. And do you know what angers me the most? Why do I so much want to see her?" I asked him, turning around, and swallowing the lump in my throat. I just couldn''t face him. Even if a part of me knew I should be in the pack and Orion was trying his best. I just couldn''t rest. After some moment of bantering between Orion and me, I finally decided to rest for just another day and see how well his tracking skills yed out. ording to him, they are working on new methods on how to track her. I knew I had the best tracking team. But it angered me that they couldn''t get where Sophia was located. And I wanted to smash something again Maybe some of the rogues. But I have been doing that since the day I found out Sophia went missing. There was this ache in my heart that I couldn''t exin. Maybe it was because bi doubted her thest time we spoke. I stood up and walked up to the drink cab. There was only a bottle remaining after I scattered the rest in a fit of rage. Hell, I wanted to kill someone. And my wolf was madder because this was the second time she was taken. And it had been my fault big only I believed when she said the baby belonged to me. Why did I doubt her? I guess I was feeling hurt that she would easilyy with another man that wasn''t me. Especially since I thought the man to be my enemy, Ryven. Gulping down the drink, I walked over to the window. I had been doing nothing all day but staring out of the window in hopes that Sophia might walk out of the woods hale and healthy, telling me she pulled a prank on us all so we would know how important she was. The painful tug in my heart told me that was only wishful thinking. Sophia would never do something like that. I knew that much about her. And it pained me. I knew so little about me. When she forgave me easily for what I did to her. She was willing to start a second chance with me. And it didn¡¯t help that thest conversation we had wasn''t exactly nice and pleasing I sighed for the millionth time as I felt Orion behind me. I had been too caught up. in my grief to realize the door had been opened and he was in "I have some news for you. Good and bad need,¡± he said and I tensed without looking back at him. "Speak," I was in no mood for games nor did I want to be left hanging for too long. If not. I might snap because only a thin thread of sanity had been holding me. And the moment I snap, my wolf will finally be released, causing havoc. And Orion wouldn''t be able to stop then. ¡°It''s about Sophia," he said and I growled. If it wasn''t about Sophia in the first ce. he wouldn''t have walked in here. We both knew that. But why was he behaving weirdly? "Don''t anger me, Orion. Just fucking tell me what you found out," I ffiwied and balled my fists without looking back. I knew if I looked back at him, into his eyes, I might want to wriggle the information out of him. Silence stretched out between us as I felt Orion''s hesitation in the air. I opened my mouth about tosh out at him until his voice stopped me. "Come in," he said like he was breathless and I could tell something was amiss. It wasn''t Sophia. That I knew because my wolf would have known the moment she was near. What was so frightening was that Orion''s voicehad to shake with that little sentence. Curiosity reced my anger asd turned around, half a expecting itto be one of the > menpsers of the tracking teann. But nething prepared me for theperson that walked into the rooni- Instincts took over and my feet moved on their own. And within seconds I was in front of her. But Orion also predicted my move and stepped in front. "Please don''t hurt her. Let her speak," Orion pleaded, his face a myriad of emotions and I held myself back. "It better be worth it," I spat out and Dianne flinched. She looked so frail, unlike thest time I saw her. But that wasn''t the only thing that changed about her. Her aura was gone also to be reced with something else. I didn''t pay too much attention to it because I was too caught up in my anger to give it much thought. "I''m sorry," she bowed her head and yed with the hem of her shirt. The action was adorable but not to me. She was a little vixen "Speak. I know you didn''te here to say that. Say it before I rip off your heart!" I snapped and she asked, her eyes flying up to me at once. She held eye contact with me for too long which wasn''t taken lightly but my wolf scratched furiously at the mental walk I created against him.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. I backed awaywith so much restraint. I knew if I remained in close vichaity with her, I might ~~ actually do what my wolf was asking me to-do. He was sending me ? images of ripping out her heart And gods, how much joy and relief that w¨¦uld bring. Content belengs to But what it would fail to bring was the information she came here with. "I know whereSophia is," she finally said after I gtowled at her to speak up. The information was supposed > to make me feel better but all I felt was dread because I knew my\ hypsthesis was correct. Herrmother is tHe one holding Sopna.t Content ? And from what I knew about Dianne''s mother, she would do anything to get what she wanted, and that included killing the innocent. Goosebumps broke out on my skin at that thought. No, Sophia had to still be alive right? "Where?" I asked and Sophia looked at Orion before opening her mouth. There was a silent exchange between them that spoke so many words. Only that I wasn''t patient enough to get the message. ¡°Outside of this pack. In Alpha Ryven''s pack," she muttered and my eyes widened. I never really asked Sophia what happened to Ryven and why he hadn''te with her the day she came. It was customary for Alphas to greet each other once they met. Failure to do that was considered disrespect which could lead to the pack¡¯s conflict. "And how is Sophia?¡± I asked the question I wanted to ask since the moment she talked about Sophia. Dianne paled and I noticed Orion looked away from me. And dread settled to the pit of my stomach "Talk to me! If anything happens to Sophia, just know I will have your head whether you are innocent in this or not!" I seethed in rage. 59: He is my best friend 59: He is my best friend "She''s... I don''t know.¡± she took in a shaky breath and looked away from me. I guessed it had something to do with the intensity of my stare. "She was unconscious when I left.¡± I turned around swiftly and took deep calming breaths. I feared if I looked at her one more time, the control in me would finally snap. And it didn''t help that I had a rough idea of what would happen to Dianne if my wolf took over. "What happened to her?" I heard myself asking against my wish even if I knew I would most likely not like the answer. Dianne didn''t answer for quite some time. And I knew she was thinking of the best way to reply to me without angering me. If only she knew just how much her silence was doing to me. "She was unconscious when I left. Her wolf was taken care of again so she became powerless." I turned to her, ¡°Taken care of? What do you mean by that?" I asked her and spun around to face her. I wanted to see every emotion on her face and be able to detect when she was lying or not. "What do you think..." she stopped, thinking better of her word choices. ¡°That was the reason she was able to be taken in the first ce." "And how did she manage to get back her wolf? You mentioned her wolf was taken care of again, does that mean she got her wolf in where she''s been held?" I asked and Dianne shook her head I had many questions to ask her. Like how she was able to get back her wolf and how hurt Sophia was. But even if they were eating me up, I knew I shouldn''t be asking that now. I needed to know where Sophia was being kept and needed to get her out of there before it was toote. A slow shudder worked its way from the base of my spine at the thought of getting to Sophia at thest hour. "You do realizeing here to me could get you killed and you came here nheless. I wouldn''t ask the reason you betrayed your mother because it honestly isn''t my business. But what I want to know right now is the exact ce Sophia is being held." I said without breathing a breath. I noticed Orion had been silent the whole time. And I also knew he wasn''t just standing there being silent, he was taking important notes I might have neglected when we were to go rescue Sophia. "She''s been held in an upleted building just at the outskirts of his pack,¡± she muttered and looked at her feet. I think that was the moment her guilt began eating her up. "I Know I betrayed my mother because I recently found out what she did. One innocent life had been lost because of her high ambitions. And I will never forgive myself if two more were to be lost when I had the power to prevent it." ¡°Orion, gather our men and put my father in charge of this pack while we are gone. The guards should be brought forward. I won''t underestimate Ryven again. He had taken me by surprise the first time. And I would be a fool to let him do that to me the second time," I growled, the thought of it making my blood boil in my veins. "Since I went into his pack, I haven''t seen him nor have I seen his sister who is the new Alpha "You mean Ava is the new Alpha? What about Ryven? And why wasn''t he there with you in the building? I thought he was part of the n?" "That''s what I thought too but I think he just doesn''t want to be seen.¡± she stopped and looked at Orion and me. "it would be best if you leave now. If my mother finds out I''m missing, she''ll find a way to get out of that building. And it won''t be surprising to her that I came here because my emotions were all over the ce when she told me she was the one who killed Rudolph.¡± she said, and a pained look shed before her face before it was gone all too quickly. "I know,¡± I said without a word of appreciation for hering here. I wanted to tell her how much he came here meant to me and all the members of the pack, but the words couldn''t get past my lips. Maybe it was because I knew she had known all along the n of taking Sophia and doing what Heaven knows with her. Or because she had gone with her mother when she would have given me just a tip and all these would have been avoided. She went to sit down on the empty couch that had survived my massacre. And she began rubbing her arms and biting her lips. She was mulling over what she had done. Even if she did the right thing. the person she betrayed was her mother who had always gotten her back in the pack. Her mother was her strength and anchor. I knew whatever happened to her mother, she wouldn''t still forgive herself. But what mattered to her was that she did the right thing. I could understand her to a certain level because I was also like that. And it came to me as a surprise Dianne would willingly help Sophia and she had this side to her when all she did was behave like she was possessed by some evil spirit. In about thirty minutes, the guards were gathered outside the pack house and I was ready with my men. My father hadn''t asked questions when he came to me. And I wouldn''t have appreciated him asking either way. I could sense a wave of solidarity from them and willingness to do whatever it took to get back their Luna. I was emotional because these people had been there for me even when I was losing my shit. And they''re still here for someone who is not even yet their Luna. I wanted to do something for them. Maybe provide better for their families. But I knew that would have to wait as we were running out of time. We got into our respective cars. We would use cars because running to another pack would be energy-consuming because Ryven''s pack was far from my pack. "I would be driving," Orion came to the driver''s window and took out his hands, expecting me to hand over the keys. I eyed him and put the key into the ignition, "Get into the car if you don''t want to be left behind,¡± I growled but he was unmoved.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. "You''re in ne position to drive. I mean, look at you, your emotions aren''t stable. I can''t let you handle this car. You might run us into a tree or something,¡± he said with a straight face and I knew he was right "Fuck you," I muttered under my breath and got out of the driver''s seat, cursing all the way through to the passenger''s seat. Orion got inte the car and drove us out of the pack. other cars following behind us. "Sophia is fine. She¡¯s a strong girl. Even if she gives up fighting for herself, she won''t stop fighting for her baby.¡± Orion said, breaking the silence of the car and I had to admit, those words pierced my heart. I hadn''t been able to rest knowing where Sophia was and what possible dangers she could be in. And the fact that I wasn¡¯t able to do anything earlier ate me up. Especially knowing I had been at fault. If only I didn''t doubt her... "It''s not your fault," you''re being too hard on yourself. Anyone could have done what you did. Sophia had looked almost smitten with Ryven when he came into the pack. So it''s only Normal you believe the baby was for her when you had been diagnosed unable to impregnate a baby when you were a teenager." "I know. But I can''t help it." I said, my voice was something I could barely recognize as we moved closer to where Sophia was. I was both scared and upset. "Then can''t you just stop being this way? It''s not Fetping any of us. Right now, you need a clear head to deal_ with this-Mie Alexander I know < would havee up with a lot af strategies for this n. But all. we haves going to the pack an? rescuing her. No ns. Nothing!" He said, his voice almost rising from exasperation. "We''ll figure something out." His eyes left the road to stare into my eyes only. I wasn''t looking at him but thinking about what he said. And slowly, the fog began to lift from my head. "No, we''re figuring anything out now. Do you know those people following behind us came with us without any questions asked because they trust you down to their bones? How would they feel knowing their Alpha called them out from their homes to go on a suicidal mission with him?¡± I threw my hands in the air, tired of his nagging, ¡®RO you think I like the way I am? Th¨¦ waym unable to think clearlybecause my mate and. our childcould be dead by now. ¡ª Okay, Ira sorry for not thinki ng about othersbut thinking about my-mate what could possibly be deadsince the I time she walked out ofthe pack because I haven''t been able to feel her. Nothing to even tell me she is alive or if Dianne was telling the truth.¡± "We both know Dianne was telling the truth.¡± he said in a calmer voice. And I knew Dianne was telling the truth because she couldn''t have faked the emotions she came with. She was looking like someone without a soul as if she had lost all meaning to life. I ground my teeth, unable to counter him. Damn Orion for always having a clearer head in times such as these. But I was thankful I had someone like him in my life. "And Sophia is alive. We need to be optimistic in this journey. Those guards and warriors wouldn''t want to hear we are rescuing a dead Luna," he said and I growled, almost slipping. Hearing him saying my thoughts out loud wasn''t pleasing. But someone needed to say it. "You just have to deal with whatever is going on with you. I know it''s not easy with the knowledge that one''s mate is missing. But I beg you to put your pack members in this. If something were to happen to you here...¡± he stopped and didn''t continue the sentence. But I knew what he wanted to say. I didn''t say anything further as we drove in silerice until we got to Ryven¡¯s pack and I discovered to my horror, I hadn''t thought about thes excugento give to the guards athis gateon the reason we were I here. An¨¦ how the hell would we pass through the gate with mere than twenty warriors without alerting Ryven? "What..." I stooped when Iid eyes on Orion. He was looking at me with amusement in his eyes and a smirk dancing on his lips. ¡°Even if right now, my Alpha is a dickhead, his soon-to-be Beta couldn''t be one.¡± Heughed, "And in case you''re wondering what I mean, it means I have a n. I had everything sorted out before we left the pack.¡± 60: Always the calm one 60: Always the calm one "You''re such an ass," I muttered under my breath because we had stopped now and in front of one of the guards. Even though I didn''t say it. I was really grateful for Orion in my life. I had charged into Ryven''s pack blindly in hopes I could get Sophia. I guess I wasn''t in the right state of mind to drive. Because I would have probably knocked us over a tree. Tgefuard looked at me, eyeing me up and down with suspicion. And I knew whatever Orion told him wasn''t believable. And I included if I had to fight my way in, I would do so so I readied myself. It seemed Orion noticed what he was saying wasn''t adding up so he touched the guard and whispered something to his ear. I didn''t listen in on it. Maybe it was because I knew Orion was trying his best not to let us get caught. Or one of my facial expressions might give us away.Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. After what felt like a small eternity, we were granted ess and nothing was done to us. While we were inside the pack, I half expected them to spring up.on us because the guard looked like he could do something like that. "What did you tell him?¡® I asked Orion after we had given into the pack a considerable distance. The smirk was still on his face when I turned to look at him. And I could imagine him wagging his tail if he had one. "What do you think I told him?" He asked back and I could detect a hint of amusement in his voice. He was proud of himself even when we hadn''t done anything. "Stop being so full of yourself. I would have done better than that. The guard looked like he could murder us. And we need to be alert here. I can still feel eyes following us around." Orion rolled his eyes as we drove further into the pack. And it made me wonder how he knew where we were headed. As far as I know, Orion hadn''t been here before. "They would surely follow us around. We are strangers. But soon they''ll get tired of monitoring us. Besides, you''re one of the guests yourself. No one would expect us to begin a war with us when we are dressed like this," he said and I noticed all amusement was gone from his voice I looked over at his outfit and then at mine. Was I missing something? "Dressed like how?" Orion rolled his eyes again. And I felt if he did that one more time. his eyes would finally roll to the back of his head. "The clothes I and the guards are wearing. Did you notice we are dressed in fancy clothes?" I studied him again and noticed he indeed was dressed in a tux but without the outer jacket. I had been too busy thinking about what had be of Sophia to care about the clothing any of us wore. "Was that the reason you gave the guard? That we are here for whichever party on short notice?" "Ever the clever Alpha,¡± Orion smiled at me without showing his teeth and I couldn¡¯t help but smile. If he weren''t male, I would give his hand a small squeeze to show how much he means to me. But that would only seem cringeworthy. So I kept my gratitude to myself. After some time, we came to a stop in front of what I suspected was the pack house and I gave Orion a raise of my brows. "You don''t expect me to go straight to the woods, do you?" I shrugged, my patience already thinning out. We were in the pack where Sophia was and it killed me. I wasn''t able to feel her still. And Orion wanted to waste time in the pack house, doing what? "Don''t give me that look. I Know what I am doing.¡± "Then exin what you are doing. Because I have no idea why we can''t go straight to the woods and find her. Or you rather because that''s exactly where I am headed,¡± I reached for the door lock but Orion''s hand on mine stopped me. I stopped because there was something in his look that wanted me to stay in the car and listen to whatever he had to say. And I knew whatever he had to say would be important. He was the one who thought this through to make sure we were not killed. And I knew acting recklessly would put my warriors in danger. I might be able to get out of it untouched because I was an Alpha. But I couldn''t say so about others. "Thank you. We stopped here just for some kind of distraction. I doubt the guard who let us trust my wordpletely, after all, we sprang up on them and our move seems suspicious even if my story is without w." I smirked. He still had to throw in apliment for himself even when he was saying something that didn''t need topliment himself. ¡°Alexander,¡± he called me by my full name when there had been no response from me. "Sorry, my bad. I''m listening and Ipletely understand what you mean.¡± I said and looked out of the window somehow jealous of how big and beautiful Ryven''s pack house waspared to mine. "No, you don''t. You look like you would bolt out of that door seconds from now." He said and I could feel his gaze at the side of my head. And at that moment, I hated how well Orion knew me. ¡°I won''t.¡± ¡°More reason to believe you will. You argued with me too quickly." He countered and I held the swear words that were at the tip of my tongue. I couldn''t take it because I knew my voice would betray me. My patience was thinning out the more we waited. We should fuck all things and charge into the damn woods. "Suit yourself,¡± I snapped and Orionughed. He started thecar again. "Okay, that''s enougktime to throw them off us. I havein nformed some of the ~ warriors Glready to stay behind age meet usin the woods in ten ~ minutes. That is to know if Ava will bet the house and what could D¨¦ssibly happen to her." "And Ryven?" "Yes. And Ryven too. They could alert us on time if he were in the house they wouldn''t be going in to greet him," he said after I gave him a ck look. "They would be careful not to get seen. I believe they are well trained in stealth." "They are.¡± I said. They are well trained in it for times like this. Never in my life would I have imagined using them in this way. This would be their first big mission. And I hope they won''t mess it up Silence descended in there as Orion drove slowly into the road by the woods. We were going out of the pack now. And my heart couldn''t stop beating. Maybe it was from trepidation or fear. I didn¡¯t know which. ¡°You sound like you''re trying to control your breathing and think of a way to fight the potential threats. We could be facing off more than two," Orion''s voice broke through the silence in the car. "I don''t know you to be a scaredy cat. We will face off against whoever gets in our way. And I would make sure to give the person slow, antagonizing death for taking what belongs to me.¡± I growled. And Orion sighed. "You can have it your way. Just focus on not getting killed.¡± We stopped by the side of the road where it wasdess conspicuous. And I got out of the car before Orion N could park the car well. I ~ immediately let my wolf out. It had been what he had been waiting for. Both¡¯ of us actually. But my.* reed for revenge and blood washing compared to his. I heard the crackling of bones and k ew without a doubt Orion had changed into his wolf form already. My blood froze for a second when my wolf picked up Sophia¡¯s scent. Our senses were higher because of anger and because it had something to do with our mate. "I smell her. Follow closely behind me. Also, tell the others toe meet us. We would be needing reinforcement," I said to Orion through the kind link. He didn''t say anything. But I knew he heard me and was doing what I asked as we stepped over twigs and fallen branches in the woods. Following my wolf''s nose, we finally saw the building Dianne talked about. She wasn''t wrong. The more I moved, the more Sophia''s scent grew. And her smell gave my wolf and me some kind of strength. "We need to watch out from here for a while,¡± Orion began but I had already started walking off in the direction of the building. I had waited almost three days for this momentAnd Orion expected me to wait when I could easily go in there and-y¨¦t Sophia. I don''t think be understood the hide between mates because the pull in my heart fett like I would die. And the only thing tha had been keeping me was-the knowledge that Sophia was waiting for me. It didn¡¯t strike me as off that no guards were guarding the entrance of the building nor the eerie feel of the house. I pushed open the door which sounded with a loud creak. I half expected someone to spring up on me. A wolf with a death wish no less. But I never expected to hear a p instead as the door closed with a resounding bang, locking me in the dark room. 61. Getting her back 61. Getting her back I growled and my eyes adjusted to the dark instantly. There was Dianne''s mother standing not too far away from me with a smirk on her face. And a look that said she had predicted it all ¡°You actually came running like a fool just like I expected. You never fail to amuse me how foolish you can be,¡± she said and my wolf growled as he stalked towards her. It didn¡¯t strike me off how all of her men were still in their human form like they didn''t treat me like a treat. I was wholly focused on Dianne''s mother and how food it would feel to have her heart beating in my paw before it finally stopped. But while I stalked her, there was no fear in her eyes. Which was another off thing. But I didn''t fail to notice that. In my anger, I only thought her to be a fool for fighting the fear I almost saw go through her eyes. I expected it because my wolf form was a sight to behold. My wolf was just as menacing as the rumors had said. It was huge. bigger than a normal wolf and its eyes were something that could induce fear into the hearts of others. I could hear Orion pounding inte the door but that was the back of my mind as my blood pumped faster in my veins as I stared at the woman who had caused me pain for almost three days. "I would advise you to turn around and go back the same way you came. Dianne had surely been of help here. I forgive her even if she betrayed me. She is just still a child and has a lot to learn. From me.¡± she sighed dramatically and held a hand to her chest, her eyes turned to heaven. Soon, I found her within arm''s reach and I could feel the joy it brought my wolf. Or was it me? I couldn''t tell because our emotions were all over the ce, mixing together. "Well, ever the stubborn wolf," Dianne''s mother said as her eyes lost all their amusement and shine. She looked deeply into mine. "Do it." It took me a moment to realize she wasn''t talking to me but to the people or the person behind her whe was holding a gun It failed to exin to me the reason someone would be holding him in that precarious situation when it was well-known a gun could not harm a wolf. But that was until I felt a little prick against my fur. My wolf growled and looked at the person who had let out the trigger and found it to be a small man who looked like he would pass out from my stare. Out of fright, he shot another and my wolf smirked, thinking how it must be to end these fool''s lives in a matter of minutes. But the thought died in me when I felt the unmistakable pain travel through my veins. Walfbane. How dare she?! I looked at Dianne''s mother and found a smile on her face. "I warned you," she said in a sing-song voice. She was saying something else but I could barely register what she was saying as pain racked through me. The concentration of the wolfsbane had to be so high or even undiluted for such a small amount to affect me so well I tried fighting it and willed my wolf to move further but I found myself sinking into the pain that engulfed me. Soon, I found myself on the floor, writhing from the pain in every part of me It all. looked like a joke to her as she burst intoughter and I felt arms all over me as they tied me with silver. It burned my skin as I felt part of my skin melt away from the intense heat but it didn¡¯t help that I couldn''t feel my wolf any longer. It reminded me of the times I was dealt with by my father using wolfsbane when I was still a teenager. He used it a whole lot on me. I feared I might eventually die from having too much of it on me. But it didn''t work that way. No one can ever get used to the pain of getting wolfsbane thrown on them. And soon, I stumbled into the darkness. I awoke hourster in a dark room. It took me some time to get used to the darkness. "Alexander? Oh thank goodness, I thought you were gone. I wanted to make sure you are still alive. You were barely breathing when they brought you in.¡± I heard Sophia¡¯s voice and I stiffened How much I had missed her voice and her face. I turned my face slowly to the sound of her voice, too slow so I could have the time to realize it was all in my head before staring at a space.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. It wasn''t a space. She was there with me, looking at me with wide eyes and a worried face. She was alive and well, with no sign that she had almost died. Although there were a few bruises on her face and signs that there had been some kind of struggle between her and someone else. But apart from that, she was hale and .... "Alexander?" She called out to me and I realized I had been staring at her for so long without blinking my eyes. I looked away from her as shame coursed through me. I had failed her as a mate. I came to rescue her but I was pathetically tied down to a metal chair in the same room with her. She honestly deserves someone better than me who would have saved her from this. How could I have been so careless? I let my emotions run me when I knew who I was dealing with. Orion was right. I needed to calm down. But there was no use crying over spilled milk. "I''m sorry,¡± I muttered as I looked to the floor. I avoided looking her in the eyes. There was a sound from her followed by a chuckle. "Don''t be. We are all here together and the best thing we can do is to n how to get out from here. We can talk about youter and why you were so easily caught," she said and I never felt more useless than I felt at that moment. "Why aren''t you mad at me? You''re supposed to throw a fit and tell me all manner of words. How useless I am to you as a mate and the father to your child." "So now you helieve I was telling the truth," She sc¨¦ffed. "When did you realize I was-telling the truth? Was it. after I went I missing or after I x stormec out of the office? I guess it''s thetatter. Because you would have¡¯e after me. But all:these don''t matter now. What raatters now is getting out of here alive.¡± ¡°It wasn''t my fault I didn''t believe you,¡± I said after a while. I needed to defend myself and let her know I was the jerk she thought me to be ¡°And whose fault was it? Mine?" Don''t put words in my mouth Sophia. I understand you are still mad at me foraot believing you but I couldn''t get woman pregnant. It was saidvafter I had an ident => while I was a teenager. The doctor never,told me I could heal and: never scasked because I was itnso neh pain to even bring up the topic gain. After you left, I went to see him again and did another test. It was found out that my string Alpha genes made me well again sometimest year but I had no idea of it." fab) There was silence after that. I couldn''t even hear Sophia breathe out loud. I turned my head to her to get what she was doing and to my surprise, she wasn''t looking at me or anywhere else. Her eyes were unfocused and sweat coated her forehead for the first time, I noticed her breathing was uneven and she had been fighting whatever they did to her for me. So I wouldn''t get worried. "Soph...Sophia are you... What did they do to you?" I asked as fear racked through me, I momentarily forgot about the silver chains on my wrists. "Sophia, stay with me. You have to fight and I promise to get us out of here. All three of us, unharmed. Please don''te this far just to give up.¡± Her eyes found mine and a small smile was stered to her pale face. "I''m not giving up. I just need a little sleep. I''m tired and dizzy.¡± "No, fight it, Saphia. You can''t fall asleep now. How about I tell you about when was growingup? Would that sound interesting for you not to sleep? And in turn, you could ask rte whatever it is you have¡± always wanted to ask me,¡± said and Ioticed how her eyes regained some focus. Her brows furrowed and she still looked beautiful even with all the hairs sticking to her face and a little cut on her lower lips and left cheeks. They weren''t healed which meant they had also fed her with some wolfsbane to knock out her wolf. "Promise?" She asked and I nodded my head but spoke when I realized I needed to speak to keep her awake. "Yes, my love. I promise," I smiled and she returned the smile as a little light entered into her eyes. "Your love?" She asked and I detected uncertainty and insecurity in her voice. And I also noticed she was more alert now. Since she was, it meant this was a topic she was interested in and I needed to give it to her because she needed to know how I felt about her. "I''ve always loved you. I might have told you this before but I only realized how much you mean to me when you went missing. I thought I might lose my mind. Do you know I almost lost control when I couldn''t feel you any longer?¡± She shook her head and I could feel the wheels in her head turning "You hurt me,¡± she said in a hoarse voice. "You hurt me so much. I want to hear you say it." She said as our eyes shed. "I want to hear you say you love me and would never leave me again no matter what happens,¡± she said with a hidden tremor in her voice. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!