《Alpha Alec's Redemption》


 Chapter 0001

    ?Chapter 0001


    I move to the beat of the music, suddenly feeling all my worries wash away. I wanted to forget. To forget that the man I''m in love with is having this party to celebrate finding his mate.


    To say I''m heartbroken would be an understatement. I am shattered because I knew my love for him would probably never fade.


    *Come on, Sadie, you''ve danced enough." My best friend, Piper, tells me, pulling me off the dance floor.


    She knew I was having a hard time today. After all, the man who had unknowingly broken my heart was her big brother.


    "I want to dance a little more." I whined.


    Right now, I would do anything if it meant that I wouldn''t think of him. That I wouldn''t think of the fact that he was never going to be mine. That I had lost him before I even had him.


    It''s sad, honestly. I tried everything to get him to notice me, but he never did. I was nothing more than his sister''s best friend. The annoying girl that usually gets on his nerves.


    I had hoped and prayed to the moon goddess that he would be my mate. I had wished every single year on my birthday that he would be mine. I thought he would notice me, but he never did. How could he when I wasn''t his type? When I wasn''t the kind of woman he would look at twice?


    Unrequited love hurt like a fucking bitch, and now I was paying the price. Now I had to watch him fawn over his mate like she was the most precious thing in the world.


    It fucking hurt, and no one knew how deep the pain was.


    *You have to get over him. I''ve been telling you this for years," Piper says, pulling me out of my thoughts.


    She hands me a shot and I dly take it. I needed something to drown out the pain I was currently feeling.


    "Look, you probably have a mate out there that is dying to meet you. Get over Alec. It won''t be fair to your mate if he finds out you''re in love with someone else."


    Just the mention of his name brings pain shooting inside me. If I didn''t know better, I would think I was literally dying from heart break.


    "It''s not that easy Piper" I whispered brokenly.


    How can I exin to her that her brother was embedded deep inside me? That he''s in my blood. That he is all I see and all I can think of. That he is the very air I breathe.


    She wouldn''t understand. She always thought it was a silly crush. Alec was the freaking Alpha. Apart from that, he was freaking hot. A god walking among mortals. Every teenage girl and every single woman in our pack had a crush on him. Damn even some of the mated women got all flustered around him, so, of course, Piper would think that mine would fade away.


    "It is. It will be really wrong if you continue this when he has already found his mate. It won''t be fair to them if you shadow their union by refusing to let him go," she looks at me in sympathy,


    I turn my head away. I didn''t want to see the sympathy in her eyes. It always hurt because I knew that I could never measure up to what a Luna should be.


    I knew what she was saying was the truth, but getting my heart to listen was another thing altogether.


    "Let''s just enjoy the party, okay? I''m sure that I''ll get over him in no time," I lie to her, changing the subject all together.


    She nods her head eagerly before shooting back her ss and grinning at me. I manage to give her a smile before I take another shot.


    She was the happiest when Alec found his mate. We usually find our mates when we reach twenty-one; Alec hadn''t been that lucky. I thought it was a sign. I was four years younger than him, so I thought it was a sign that he was meant to be mine.


    I am now twenty. I thought that I had to wait one more year before we found out we were mates. I was so excited. I couldn''t wait for next year. The shock was on me, though. Unfortunately for me, he found his mate a few months back.


    Piper chats with those around us. Happiness radiating from every pore of her body. Instead of engaging, I scan the area. My eyes immediatelynd on him, and my breath catches.


    He was dancing with L. His mate.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    He held her so closely and tenderly, like she was a porcin doll that would break easily. He pulled away and looked down at her. His eyes held so much tenderness and love that I found it hard to breathe just from looking at them.


    He bends down and softly kisses her lips. For the first time since I''ve known him, he was smiling. My heart breaks even more knowing that L was able to do something that I''ve never been able to do.


    Not wanting to stay at the table watching everyone happy for the couple and not wanting to see Alec and L, I stand up.


    "Where are you going?" Piper asks me, worry written on her face.


    "I''m just going to the bar. I need to get shitfaced ASAP," she nods her head, and I leave.


    I take one of the bar stools and face the bartender. He was really cute. If only my stupid heart could fall for


    someone like him instead of Alec, who was unattainable.


    "What can I get you?" Blondie asks with a smile.


    *Something really strong."


    He stares at me before smiling again. "Coming up"


    I don''t know how long I''d been there when I felt his presence next to me. I give him a quick nce before turning back to face the drink in my hand.


    "How are you, Sadie?" He suddenly asks, something that is so unlike him.


    I turn to face him, wondering if he was drunk or something.


    *I''m good," I tell him after realizing that he is sober.


    "I''m so fucking happy. L is everything I''ve ever wanted," he says, grinning.


    I take back what I said. He wasn''t sober, but he also wasn''t wholly drunk. The Alec I know isn''t this chipper. Not even when he has had a few drinks.


    Looking at him now, it hits me how happy he freaking was. He was so happy that it radiated off him in waves. How then can I be against his happiness? I loved him so much, so how can I begrudge him for finding his mate?


    Loving him meant that I should be happy when he is.


    Having realized that, I let go of my pain and resentment. Loving him meant that his happiness is mine, even if I am not the one bringing him that happiness.


    "I''m happy for you. Really happy Alec", I tell him, feeling a weight being lifted off my shoulder.


    "Thank you"


    Two sses appear in front of me.


    "On the house," the guy said.


    He was a different bartender from the one that had been serving me for the past few minutes, but I just shrug it off. Maybe they exchanged shifts or something.


    "Here," I hand him one of the sses. ''To your new beginnings."


    We clink our sses and throw back the contents. It burns and tastes weird, but I don''t really care. I was drinking with Alec. That has never happened. Instead of thinking too much about it, I let go. I was going to have this moment with him, then I was going to let go of him.


    We talk for a while and the next thing I know, we were in a room. I don''t know how or when we got there, but my mind doesn''t register a damn thing.


    "I''ve been waiting for this since we met Alec says, undressing me.


    Before I can respond, he smashes his mouth against mine and takes my mouth in a scorching kiss. One that left me breathless. My mind is hazy as Alec takes my body. Joining us and making us one. I love everything he does, and I eventually lose count of every single time he brings me to the climax.


    This is everything I ever imagined being with Alec would feel like. So why the hell did it feel so wrong? Why the hell did it feel like something wasn''t right?

 Chapter 0002

    ?Chapter 0002


    Raised voices bring me out of a peaceful sleep. There were people arguing, but it all sounded so far away. Instead of opening my eyes, I snuggled deeper into thefy and warm mattress. It felt like heaven. Like I was sleeping in the clouds.


    Someone shouts my name, but I push the sound back. It was probably one of the maids trying to wake me up. Frowning, I try to get back to sleep.


    I was just falling into bliss when someone roughly shakes me. Before I can do anything, I''m pushed off the bed, and I fall on the cold, hard floor.


    "Wake up, you shameless, thieving bitch."


    If the fall didn''t wake me up, then the menacing and vicious voice definitely did the trick. I open my eyes, my mind foggy.


    I looked around the room, but it wasn''t familiar. Looking down, I realized that I was naked. Fuck! What the hell was going on? I grab the sheet quickly and wrap it around my naked form before standing up.


    "What''s going on?" I asked, as I stared at the upants of the room.


    L was staring daggers at me. Her eyes filled with so much hate and bitterness. Jason, Alec''s beta, Micah, his gamma and Piper were present. Alec was seated on the bed in nothing but his boxer briefs with his head held in his hand.


    I stare at them, not really sure what the hell was happening, why everyone was here, or what the hell Alec was doing in this room, half naked, while I didn''t have my clothes on.


    "I can''t do this. I just can''t do this," L whispers as tears fill her eyes.


    Alec stands up and tries to go to her, but she backs away from him.


    *Stay away from me, you cheating asshole" she screams.


    *Please, L....please just fucking listen he begs. "I don''t remember what the fuck happened. Thest thing remember is going to the bar"


    It takes a while, but things start to make sense.


    Fuck. Why me moon goddess? What the hell did I do to you?


    I try to think back tost night, but Ie up with nothing. Thest thing I remember is the bartender handing me and Alec drinks and telling us they were on the house.


    "No! I won''t listen to your damn excuse. Do you think I''m stupid? You cheat on me two days before our mating ceremony, and you expect me to believe your pathetic excuse. You expect me to believe that you don''t know what happened and don''t remember sleeping with that slut?" she screams at him.


    I feel my legs weaken as L voices my thoughts. I hold on to the headboard for support. My eyes scan the bed, and they quicklynd on the spot of blood on the sheets.


    Oh goddess. I slept with Alec yesterday. I slept with someone else''s mate, and I don''t even remember a fucking thing.


    I feel bile rise up, and before I can stop it, I puke all over the carpet.


    Everyone except Alec looks at me in disgust. Alec just stares at his mate. His eyes fixated on her. L turns her eyes back to Alec and gives him the coldest look I''ve ever seen on her.


    "We''re done. Don''t call me, don''t look for me and don''t fucking daree near me again."


    *Please, Lo, don''t do this."


    *I''m not doing anything, you destroyed everything when you decided to take that bitch to bed."


    Ripping her hand from his, she walks out, banging the door on her way out.


    Alec looks at the door for a while, before the most terrifying growl leaves his mouth. He turns and pins me with a deadly look. His eyes were shing yellow, and his mouth was set.


    I take back a step in fear, but there is nowhere to go. Growls and snarls leave his mouth. Both his and his wolf''s anger were all directed at me.


    "Get dressed and get your fucking ass in my office" he snarls, making me scramble to get my clothes.


    Within seconds, all three of them leave, and I''m left in the room alone. I try to breathe through the panic, but it''s no use. I was in deep trouble.


    Not only had I slept with the alpha and a man who had found his mate, but I might also be responsible for breaking Alec and L up.


    ''Just calm down. You''ll just exin your side of the story, I tell myself. I''m sure they''ll believe me


    I dress as fast as I can while taking deep, calming breaths. After I''m done, I rush out of the room and head straight to the Alpha''s office.


    Whore''


    ''Slut


    The words were flung at me as I ran past a few pack members. The shaming words hurt, but I ignore them. Now is not the time to let my feelings take control.


    When I get to the office, I gently knock.


    Alec yells for me toe in. At first, I thought of running because I could hear the anger in his voice, but that would only get me into more trouble.


    The moment I get in and I close the door behind me, a pnds on my cheek.


    I looked at Piper in shock. Unable to believe that my best friend pped me.


    "How could you?" she cries. "How could you betray me like this? You know how much I love my brother and how happy I was that he found his mate, but you just had to ruin that, didn''t you?" she screams at me.


    "It''s not like that. I didn''t do anything."


    *You''ve always been obsessed with Alec, but you''ve taken this too far. Drugging him so he could sleep you is disgusting and low even for you, Sadie."


    Tears fall down my face as her words pierce my heart and soul. We''ve been best friends for years, yet she believed I was guilty the first chance she got.


    *I didn''t drug him, I swear." I cry.


    *Then exin this", Alec shouts and throws me a gadget.


    It hits me on the forehead, but no one seems to care. I see stars for a while, but I bend down and take the tablet, ignoring the throbbing pain.


    The video shows me handing Alec one of the two sses that the bartender gave me.


    "You probably spiked the drink before giving it to me, isn''t that right? You knew I would never sleep with you sober, so you drugged me. You wanted to kill two birds with one stone. Sleep with me and break my rtionship with L," Alec says bitterly, his eyes conveying nothing but hate and anger.?


    "I swear that''s not true. I would never do that. You can ask the bartender who gave me the drinks," I pleaded.


    Jason scoffs. "How convenient, since the bartender is nowhere to be found, and he wasn''t one of the workers hired yesterday. You know what I think? I think he''s your aplice. You paid him to spike the Alpha''s drink."


    I shake my head as more tears fall down my face. It pained me knowing they believed such horrible things about


    me.


    "You''ve known me for years, Pip. You know I would never do something like that. Please believe me."


    Something soft passes through her eyes, but as soon as it appears, it disappears. A cold look takes over her face and her eyes shine with hate.


    "I want to believe you, but given how you''ve been obsessed with Alec for years, I believe your obsession could have caused you to abandon your senses."


    With those words, she nails the first nail in my coffin.


    I sag in defeat. I don''t understand why no one would believe me. I love Alec, but I would never do anything to hurtBelongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    him.


    *Take her to the fucking dungeon" he orders Jason, before turning to me. "The contents of the ss you gave me have been sent for analysis. If the resultse out positive that there are traces of drugs, I swear you''re going to regret ever crossing me, Sadie.."


    I don''t fight as Jason drags me from the office to what will be my new home, unless I can prove I''m not guilty. Someone was framing me; I just didn''t know who it was or why they were doing it.

 Chapter 0003

    ?Chapter 0003


    The whipnds on my back. I grit my teeth against the pain and refuse to give them the satisfaction of watching me break.


    I don''t know how long I''ve been here. All I know is that I''m slowly starting to lose my mind. Slowly starting to lose myself. I''ve known nothing but pain since I came here. Nothing but hurt and sadness.


    Every day theye and take their frustrations out of on me. Every day theye and make me pay for ruining their Alpha''s chance at happiness.


    As you''ve already guessed, the test turned positive. Very few things can affect werewolves, so no one is sure what exactly was used, because the drug used wasn''t anything our pack is familiar with.


    The moment the test turned positive, I knew that my fate had been sealed. No one seemed to believe me. Everyone I knew and loved, including Piper, turned their backs on me in support of Alec.


    Another whip, and I wince. My back probably looked like ground meat. I''ve been through every kind of torture. Whipping, slicing, burning, my bones have been broken, and my hair has been cut. If you can think of any torture, then I''ve probably been through it.


    It hurts. Not just the physical pain, but the emotional one. This is the pack that took me in and embraced me when my parents died. Now I was a piranha to them. Everything good I''ve ever done has been forgotten.


    I was no longer Sadie, a pack member. Now I was nothing but a hoe, a slut, a home wrecker, a thief, and a traitor. I can''t even remember thest time I heard someone say my name.


    My thoughts are pushed back when the door opens and Alec walks in. I tremble in fear. I guess he was here to get his pound of flesh.


    "Has she talked yet?" he asked, his voice on edge.


    He seemed angry. More pissed off than usual. His shoulders were tense. His mouth set, and his eyes zed fire. They kept switching colors, meaning that he and his wolf were in sync.


    "Not yet Alpha", Jason grits out.


    Alec folds the arms of his shirt, before taking a knife. I try to walk back, but there is no escape. I''m chained to the ceiling. There is nowhere to go.


    *Let''s see if I can get her to confess her sins" he spits before plunging the knife into my stomach.


    Of all my tormentors, Alec is the worst of them all. I loved him with all my heart. I treasured him. I would never have done anything to hurt him, yet he''s done everything he can think of to cause me pain.


    The love I had for him has now been poisoned. All I see when I look into his eyes is the monster that he is. I now hate him as much, or even more, than he hates me.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    "I didn''t do anything wrong. I''m not the one who drugged you." I whispered, trying to control the tremble in my voice.


    "You expect me to fucking believe that, you bitch?" he bellows.


    The punch hends on my face is enough to have me seeing stars. Being hit by a man fucking hurts. It''s simr to being hit by a huge boulder.


    "I swear I didn''t"


    "And I won''t believe the lies of a slut. You knew I couldn''t sleep with you sober, so the only way you could have my dick is by drugging me. Did you enjoy taking advantage of me? Did you enjoy sleeping with a man who could barely remember his own name? Is that what gets you off?"


    His words are bitter as he flung them at me. Each one of them pierced my heart. Broke down the little pieces of myself I had left.


    Why can''t they see how much they''re hurting me? How much they were destroying me?


    "I wouldn''t know. I was also drunk."


    No one believes that I was also drugged. No one believes that I was also a victim. That I also don''t remember what happened that night. They all want to me me. To turn me into a viin.


    His snarl is the only warning I get before he plunges the knife deeper. He then twists it before wrenching it out.


    I close my eyes. Hoping to hide my pain. Hoping to hide my helplessness. When I have everything under control, I open them.


    They sh with his. Alec''s were filled with nothing but loathing and hate. My heart breaks even more at seeing this. Yes, he used to give me expressionless looks, but never ones that were filled with hatred.


    From there, he uses me as a punching bag. I can feel myself weaken with each punch, each p, and each stab. Reliefes when Micah opens the door and enters.


    *Alec, L is here to see you," he tells him.


    I see hope sh in his eyes. He truly does love and care for her. If only he knew that I would never have done anything to jeopardize his happiness.


    Alec nods before turning to me. "I''m giving you onest chance to confess."


    "I didn''t do anything. I''m innocent." My voicees out as a hoarse whisper.


    He looks at me with deadly eyes. His lips twist in a cruel grin right before he swings his arms and shes my face.


    *Now, no one will ever be able to look at you because you''re disfigured and ugly. It will always be a reminder of my hate for you."


    He leaves without remorse or a backward nce. His friends leave with him too.


    The moment they''re out of the door, I let my first tear fall. My cheek throbs from the cut, which I''m sure is deep. Alec''s right. Given I haven''t shifted yet, my scars will forever remain with me. Not just the one on my face, but also the ones on my body.


    I slump forward and curse the moon goddess for what she has allowed to happen to me. She knows I''m innocent, yet she allowed her children to hurt and humiliate me. I don''t know if I''ll ever get out, but I''ll hate Alec and his pack until my dying breath.


    My body was giving in to the darkness when the door creaked open. I stare at him, afraid he''s back to give me another beating.


    *Shss, don''t move," he says gently. "I''m here to help, but we have to be quick before the guards or Alpha Alec notices what''s happening."


    I stare at him in disbelief. "You believe me?"


    He nods his head. "Yes. Something about this doesn''t feel right. My intuition is always spot on and something


    tells me that this is bigger than any of us can imagine."


    He walks to me and slowly begins untying my chain.


    "What about the cameras?"


    "Don''t worry about that. I''ve taken care of it."


    Once I''m free from the chain, I slump forward and almost collide with the floor, but he breaks my fall. He holds me up and walks us out the door.


    There weren''t any other prisoners. Neither were there any guards. We slowly walk until we get to a secret


    passageway.


    "Won''t you get in trouble if he ever finds out you helped me escape?" I ask worried for him.


    If there is something I''ve learned; is that Alec doesn''t know the meaning of forgiveness.


    "He won''t ever find out unless I want him to he answers as we finally reach the end of the passage and break through a forest.


    For some reason, I believe him, so I let the issue go. Besides, I didn''t have the energy to keep the conversation


    going.


    When he realized that we were walking too slowly, he picks me up and carries me. Everything begins to blur as he speeds past trees.


    I don''t know how long we ran, but finally we get to the border. This part of the border didn''t have any patrols, probably because it bordered humans. It would raise too much suspicion if humans saw dozens of men patrolling


    the area.


    "You have to cut connections with the pack if you don''t want Alec to find you easily," he puts me down.


    I slowly, but tiredly cross the border.


    Taking a deep breath, I say the words that would severe my connection to the pack.


    *I Sadie Evans, cut my ties with the Blood Moon Pack."


    A chill goes down my back as I feel the connection end. The humming disappears, and my brain bes quiet.


    *Is it done?"


    I''m about to answer when I hear a terrifying roar in the distance, right before a blinding pain cuts through my body. I scream out in pain as tears run down my face. It felt like a part of me had been ripped away.


    *Shit! You have to leave, Sadie. Right fucking now" he tells me pleadingly.


    Tears continue to run down my face as I began to walk. My whole body ached and everything, including my soul,


    was broken.


    One step after another, I walk away.


    I know what that pain meant, and I will never forgive him for doing this to me.

 Chapter 0004

    ?Chapter 0004


    Alec.


    It''s been around three months since that bitch turned my life upside down. Three months and the slut still refuses to talk.


    I hate her for everything she''s done. If it weren''t for her selfishness, L and I would have been mated. She''d most likely be pregnant with my heir. Sadie took all that away from me. She took more than she would ever know.


    My pack is cursed. We were weakening and dying. No other pack knew of this. They still thought we were strong. If they knew, it wouldn''t take them long before they wiped us out.


    No one knew much about the curse. Or how we got it. Only that it was ced on us about a century ago. My father and grandfather thought there wasn''t any hope. Until it was prophesied that my mate would be the one to break the curse. She was supposed to bring hope and restoration. With her by my side, the pack would be restored to its former glory, and we would be stronger than we ever thought possible.


    Sadie ruined all that when she drugged me. Not only have I probably lost my mate for good, but I also lost the only hope I had for my pack surviving.


    *Fuck I feel like snapping her fucking neck" my wolf, Knox growls.


    *The feeling is mutual," I tell him. "Although I want her confession first before I execute her."


    After her arrest, Pip told me about how Sadie''s crush on me continued on even after we were older. She told me that she once told her that she loved me and that she''d one day be my mate. Pip didn''t take it seriously and thought that whatever she was feeling would fade with time.


    When she told me that, I scoffed. As if such a pathetic woman could be my mate. Even if she wasn''t the cause of my pain, I still wouldn''t have looked at her twice. I love my women model slim and beautiful. Sadie wasn''t any of that. She dressed like a hobo, others would say she was curvy, but I call it fat, and she didn''t take care of her looks.


    My Luna should be strong and beautiful, not some pathetic, weak, ugly woman. L was everything I wanted: beautiful, smart, and strong. She''s the daughter of a beta warrior. Sadie, on the other hand, was the daughter of helps. Her parents were omegas and servants of the Alpha family.


    You can''t even begin to imagine the hate I have for her. The pain she''s put me through. Every fucking day I wake up feeling empty. Feeling like my fucking soul has been ripped into two.


    I still hold out hope that L is going to forgive me, but deep down, it''s a long shot. Not when she''s refused to see or speak to me since the morning I woke up with Sadie beside me.


    I walk towards my office. When Micah told me that L was here, I couldn''t help the hope that leaped inside me.


    I wait for her patiently. I was nervous and fucking scared at the same time. I smell her the moment she gets near the door. Lavender. That''s what she smells like. Without knocking, she enters my office.


    If it were any other person, I would have gone off on them. This is L, though. My mate and the woman who owns my heart. We got to know each other after we met. She wanted us to take things slow. Get to know each other. I agreed because I didn''t want my eagerness to chase her away. During the weeks I got to know her, I fell in love. She was everything I could ever imagine my mate being like. What fucking hurts is that I could lose her for something I don''t even have a memory of.


    "Hello Alec. How are you?" she greets with her hands folded to her front.


    The warm look she used to have for me is long gone. Standing before me is a woman I barely recognize. I''m a cold bastard, but this version of L has no warmth. It''s like the woman I fell in love with doesn''t exist anymore.


    "Hey L"


    She pulls her eyes away from me. Taking her time, she studies the office. A minuteter, her eyes focus on me again.


    "I''ve finally reached a decision about us." Her voice is as cold as her expression.


    This is what my stupidity did. I know I didn''t hurt her intentionally, but I still feel fucking guilty. I knew Sadie wanted me. She was obsessed with me. Yet I went and joined her at the bar. To be honest, I never fucking thought she would stoop so low as to drug me. That never crossed my mind.


    "And?" My voice is controlled, but my insides are burning.


    *I can''t be with a cheater, Alec," she delivers the blow smoothly. It almost makes me think that I hadn''t heard her right.


    *Please reconsider. I didn''t mean to sleep with her. I can''t even fucking remember what the hell happened."


    There is a crack in my armor. One that I never allow anyone to see.


    "I''m sorry, but I can''t. Every time I close my eyes, I see you and her wrapped in sheets, naked. I can still smell the scents from your intercourse. Still smell her scent all over your skin and hers on yours."


    I close my eyes against the pain that tears through my heart. I fucking hate that bitch with everything I am.


    "Please." I''ve never begged before, but this is my mate. I would do anything for her.


    She takes a deep breath. I think she is going to take back her decision, but I''m wrong. So fucking wrong.


    *I L Thompson, reject you, Alpha Alec Ashford, as my mate and hereby sever our mate bond."


    She stumbles from the pain but doesn''t fall. I grit my teeth against the pain of feeling my heart being ripped into two. It''s unimaginable. It''s the worst pain I''ve ever felt. And it''s all thanks to Sadie.


    She was going to pay.


    "You broke my heart, but I wish you well. I hope you treat your second chance mate well."


    With that and without a backward nce, she leaves the office. Leaving me to deal with the remnants of my shattered heart and soul.


    I breathe through the pain. Trying to calm myself and my wolf down.


    "Make it stop," Knox howls in my head.


    There is nothing I can do, though. I block my link to the pack so that they don''t feel and witness my pain. We were already suffering, they didn''t need to be worried about their Alpha.


    I calm down just in time. Jason walks into my office with a worried and angry expression.


    "What''s wrong?"


    "Sadie is missing," he grits out.


    "What the fuck do you mean by missing?" I stand up.


    Anger rise inside me. As if it isn''t enough that she cost me my mate and my pack their salvation, now she dares escape?Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    *Fucking find her." I shout as I let my bitterness and frustration out. "She couldn''t have gone far."


    The moment he''s gone, I turn my office upside down. With nothing else to lose, I let out a roar that shook the whole goddamn house. One that speaks of my heartache and pain.


    Just then, I feel a member cut off their link to the pack. Deep inside, I just know that it''s Sadie. No one else would do that.


    I smile cruelly as I remember how I sliced her face. How I disfigured her beautiful yet deceiving face. If she thought she could just destroy my life and get away with it, then she had another thinging. She destroyed my world, and I was going to return the favor.


    *For her crimes against the Alpha and the Blood Moon Pack, I hereby banish Sadie Evans*


    I feel her pain for a second before it disappears along with her essence.


    I grin. I''ve just given you a fate worse than death. As a banished wolf, she will never be able to join another pack. Sadie Evans was as good as dead.

 Chapter 0005

    ?Chapter 0005


    [Trigger Warning]


    Sadie


    I ran with the little strength I had. I wouldn''t call what I was doing running, but in my head, it was. He was right. I needed to get away if I didn''t want Alec''s warrior to catch me. Things would end up worse than before.


    Everything in me was broken. My heart, my soul, and my bones. They shattered me beyondpare. The hurt they inflicted not only destroyed my body but also my faith in them.


    The Blood Moon Pack has been the only family I''ve known for ten years since my parents died. Ten fucking years, yet they turned on me the first chance they got. They didn''t question why I would do that to Alec. They didn''t question if maybe there was another exnation. Some other plots. They simplybeled me as a homewrecker and proceeded to show me just how little I mattered.


    Their betrayal doesn''t hurt as much as that of Alec and Piper, though. They''ve both known me since I was a child. Pipe was my fucking best friend. My parents were the royal head servants of the Alpha family. We have been close since we were in diapers.


    Sure, Alec never really liked me because of my crush on him and also because, ording to him, I was too loud, too energetic, and Icked elegance. I wasn''t his type. Before he found L, he bedded women who put a little more into their looks. Women who were stoic, put together, ssy, and model thin with legs on end. I was theplete opposite of that. I lovedfort, so I wore baggy clothes. My long hair was always in a bun, and I wore no makeup. Plus, I was petite, with curves in all the right ces (ording to Piper and my other friends).Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The point is, we''ve known each other for so long. Shouldn''t they have known my character by now? Shouldn''t it have been obvious that I would never have done anything to hurt or cost someone their mate? Especially Alec?


    They managed to kill the love I had for them. The respect I had given them was flushed down the drain. With each torture. Each pain they inflicted. My heart grew to hate them. To despise them. I''m not really a bad person, and I would never wish anyone harm, but I hope Alec and his pack rot in hell.


    Everyone except Him. He''s the only one who believed me. The only one who questioned things and helped me escape. I hope that Alec never finds out the role He yed in my escape.


    Hearing shouts in the distance, I shove my thoughts aside and push myself harder. I couldn''t allow myself to be caught.


    I run, walk, and stumble, but I keep going. I keep doing it until I can''t do it anymore. Until my body locks and my bones refuse to move.


    I don''t know how far I ran, but I do hope that it''s far enough.


    The only advantage I have is the wolfbane and silver in my system; they pumped my body so full of them that it''ll mask my scent, making it harder for them to find me.


    Spotting a small cave, I crawl into it. I was so tired and worn out. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I know it''ll be difficult. Every time I close my eyes, his image shes in my mind. I keep seeing him torturing me. Hurting me. Killing me slowly. His eyes are the worst part of the memories that are imprinted on my mind. They''re cold, dead, and have a sinister glint in them. It sends shivers down my spine every time.


    The other packs were afraid of Alec. They called him a monster. I never knew just how true that was. Not until he became one towards me.


    My eyes fill with tears, and I let them fall this time. It''s like the dam that was holding them back finally broke. It''s gut-wrenching, and it felt like the pain was pulled from the deepest parts of my soul. It ripped me into pieces, and I had no one to hold orfort me. No one to tell me that it was all going to be okay.


    Why did all this happen to me? Isn''t the moon goddess fair? Why then did she allow me to suffer for something that wasn''t even my fault?


    The questions keep flooding my head. I feel like I''ve been scraped raw. Like there was nothing left in me. Nothing to anchor me to this world anymore. If I never wake up, then I wouldn''t mind. It''s better than being a banished wolf.


    No pack would want me, and if I were to get caught near any pack border, then I would be killed on sight. I had no chance of surviving whatsoever. That''s unless I be rogue, which is way worse.


    I cry until all the tears in my body are drained. Then I close my eyes. I didn''t have the energy to keep them open anymore.


    I just needed to rest for a while, so I could get some strength to keep moving.


    ********


    My sleep isn''t peaceful. I keep slipping in and out of consciousness. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew it was not only because of the poison swimming in my blood, but also because I probably had a fever from an infection.


    My brain is foggy as I try to go back to sleep. I just wanted the pain to stop. When I''m unconscious, I don''t feel the pain. I''mpletely numb. When I''m out, I don''t feel any aches in the different parts of my body.


    I''m pulled into full consciousness when someone grabs my ankle and unceremoniously drags me from the den. It hurts like a bitch when sharp stones scratch and dig into my wounds.


    I try screaming, but no soundses out. I thought they had found me, but I was wrong.


    Looking at the disheveled and animalistic eyes that surrounded me, I didn''t know whether to be grateful it wasn''t the Blood Moon Pack or to curse the moon goddess for crossing my paths with Rogues.


    Rogues were known to be unhinged. They lost all traces of being human and were more beast than human. That''s why they were so dangerous.


    "Look what we have here?" The man who I think is the leader sneers as he takes in my state. "I think we''ve got ourselves a ything."


    I try scrambling, but it''s of no use. The man had a tight grip on my leg.


    *She isn''t much to look at, but how about we have some fun with her?" Another smiles wickedly. "It''s been a long time since I''ve had a woman under me."


    My heart starts beating erratically. It was pretty obvious what he was insinuating.


    Again, I ask, Why me? As if it wasn''t enough that I was beaten and tortured, now I was going to be gang raped by a bunch of rogues?


    "I want to go first," another says, staring at me while licking his lips.


    They start fighting among themselves as if I were a piece of meat to fight over.


    I renew my struggle and begin to slowly crawl away. It was taking everything in me to move my tired and aching body. I hadn''t even gotten far when someone grabbed me and turned me to face him before climbing on top of me.


    "Where do you think you''re going, sweetheart?" he smiles, his rotten teeth and bad breath makes me want to puke. "Since I''m the leader, I get first dibs."


    He says it as if it were something to be proud of. It fucking wasn''t. I try to hit him when his hands begin inching towards my thigh, but he pins my hands to the top of my head. Making me scream in agony from the pain that shoots down my back.


    My scream doesn''t faze him at all as he continues.


    *Please let me go," I cry as I feel his hand on my inner side inching towards the juncture of my hips.


    *Don''t worry...I''ll make you feel good."


    I shake my head as more tears fall. I could feel his excitement against my stomach, and it made me sick. I continue struggling, using the little strength I have to try and push him away.


    "Will you stop it?" he growls, then ps me hard across the face. "I said I was going to make you feel good, so be a good little girl and fucking stay still."


    For a moment, my vision goes ck. When I regain my vision, he had let my hand go and was now kissing my neck while fondling my breast. I felt my skin crawl.


    I stare at the sky in defeat, cursing the moon goddess. There was no one to save me. No one ising to help me. Might as well just give in; maybe then they''ll get it over with faster.


    I''d resigned myself to this cruel fate when he tore the dress I was wearing in half, exposing my nakedness.


    "This isn''t bad, is it?" he asks with a smirk as his finger runs down between my breasts, making me shiver in disgust.


    Instead of answering, I spit at him.


    He snarls and raises his hand to p me, but freezes.


    "Let her go," a strong female voice says.


    The rogue gets up from me and faces the girl. She looked to be around my age.


    "Lookie here, we have another one," They all begin to surround her. "I like her; she looks better than the living


    corpse over there," he says, scoffing in my direction.


    The girl just smirked and said, "Over my dead body, will I let you touch me or her."


    She immediately starts chanting. Nothing happens at first, but then the men start screaming right before they copse to the ground.


    She rushes to me, then gently helps me up while supporting my weight.


    *Come on, my powers aren''t strong yet, so my spell won''t hold for long," she says hurriedly. "We need to get you out of here and get you and your baby to a healer immediately."


    What the hell was she talking about?


    "What baby?" I stammer weakly andpletely confused.


    *The baby you''re carrying"

 Chapter 0006

    My brain is definitely foggy because I know I didn''t hear her right. She was suggesting that I was pregnant, which isn''t possible, right? Even if that were the case, considering all the torture I went through, shouldn''t I already have had a miscarriage?


    I hung helplessly while she tried to support my weight. I''d used up my strength when I tried fighting the rogues. I had no more energy in me, and I could feel my body start to shut down.


    "You-you''re wrong," I tell her tiredly.


    Fuck. I was so tired and in so much pain. I wanted all of it to end. I wanted the pain to stop. I wanted the blissful ckness I disappeared into when I lose consciousness.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Stay with me," she says instead. "What is your name?"


    Stranger danger, right? But in this case, she saved my life, so that''s a moot point. Besides, I had no one else, and she seemed to be helping me. What''s the worst that could happen?


    "S-Sadie" I finally stammer the word out.


    Goddess, why did everything hurt so badly?


    "Like I said, I need to get you to a healer. Please try and stay awake,¡± she all but begged.


    ¡°I can''t...I''m so tired. I just want to sleep," I whisper as we continue to goddess knows where.


    ¡°Think about your baby.¡±


    There she goes again with the baby thing. I wasn¡¯t pregnant. I think I would have known if I were. Was this just her way of trying to keep me fighting? I doubt it will work because I knew there wasn¡¯t any baby.


    I want to tell her that, but my vision bes blurry and I be dizzy. Soon after, everything around me fades, and I fall into the ckness I was craving so much.


    When I open my eyes again, I¡¯m in what I can only describe as a hut.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± I ask an old woman who was next to me.


    My voice is slurred, and I feel disconnected from reality. Everything around me was spinning, and I had a headache to end all the headaches.


    The girl that saved me was nowhere to be seen. That made me panic a little. I didn¡¯t know her, but she saved me. Better her than this woman.


    ¡°You¡¯re safe child. Don¡¯t worry,¡± she soothes, almost as if she could feel my anxiety.


    Iy back on the tiny bed. The mattress was thin, but it was better than sleeping on the damn hard ground. I tried breathing in through the pain. My damn ribs hurt like a freaking **h.


    ¡°Which pack are you from? Maybe we can take you to them.¡±


    My eyes snap open. I shake my head fervently, ignoring the pain that shoots down my damn spine.


    ¡°No pack,¡± I whisper through the pain. ¡°Banished¡±


    I didn¡¯t know who she was. I had not yet shifted, but I could tell she wasn¡¯t human. I just didn¡¯t know what exactly she was.


    She nodded her head in understanding. There are different species, and we all operate differently, but banishment meant the same thing for all to us.


    If I had been in my right mind, I would have questioned why she was understanding. Why she seemed willing to help a banished wolf given banished wolves were pariahs. I wasn¡¯t in my right mind, though. And I was just thankful that I was safe. At least I hoped I was.


    ¡°Sleep, my child,¡± she tells me in a gentle tone while holding my hand. ¡°Raven and I will take care of you.¡±


    I feel a power wash over me and on their own ord.


    I drift in and out of consciousness a number of times. Sometimes everything is blissful and other times the pain is crushing, and I can hear the sounds of my screams echoing inside the small room. The faces of the old woman and Raven, the girl I assume had saved me, appear to me. Sometimes they¡¯re just staring at me worriedly and other times they¡¯re murmuring words that don¡¯t make sense to me. A lot of those times I try to speak, but no word leaves my mouth. Besides, I usually fall back to sleep within minutes.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll survive?¡± Raven¡¯s voice drifts through my unconscious state.


    Was there a chance I wouldn¡¯t? Was I so badly hurt that they thought I wouldn¡¯t make it? The thought of it terrifies me, but at the same time, it doesn¡¯t.


    I had no one. Nobody would care if I died or lived. It didn¡¯t matter, and, besides, even if I survived, who would I being back to? Who was worth living for?


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know.¡± The old woman¡¯s voice was full of worry. ¡°Apart from her wounds, she was pumped full of silver and wolfbane. It¡¯s bound to have some horrible side effects, given it¡¯s been in her system for a while.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised at that too, and also the fact that the baby has survived.¡±


    There they go again with the mention of a baby. Why do they keep talking about a baby?


    ¡°What do you think happened to her? Do you think she was in captivity?¡± Raven asks after a while.


    I don¡¯t get to hear what the old woman says because I soon fell into another deep slumber.


    The next time I woke up, it was dark outside.


    I felt dreadful, but I wasn¡¯t in as much pain as the other times. I actually felt better and well rested. My head didn¡¯t feel like it was filled with lead anymore, and my aches and pains were all gone.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± Her voice draws me in her direction.


    Now that I wasn¡¯t delirious, I could actually see her clearly. Unlike her name, her hair was a fiery red, and she was totally beautiful. She had a few freckles on her face, but it made her all the more beautiful. Her bright green eyes shone as she looked at me, and her bow-shaped lips were curved in a gentle smile.


    ¡°Yes¡± I tell her in a hoarse voice as I struggled to sit up.


    She sees this and rushes to help me.


    ¡°Can I get you anything?¡± she asks once I¡¯m seated in an upright position.


    I nod. ¡°Water, please.¡±


    She pours some in a ss and hands it over to me, just as the door opens, and the old woman walks in.


    I scrutinize her. Seeing what I wasn¡¯t able to see when I first arrived. My guess is that she was in her seventies or eighties. She still looked pretty, even in her old age. What catches my attention, though, is her unnatural white hair. It¡¯s like nothing I¡¯ve ever seen before.


    ¡°So d you¡¯re awake, my dear¡± she tells me right before kissing my cheek.


    I find this odd, but don¡¯t say a thing. Instead, I just take a sip of my water as I survey the hut and the two women who saved my life.


    An awkward silence befalls the room as I concentrate on the water while the two women stare at me like a specimen.


    Nervously, I put the ss down. I was about to run my hand through my hair (something I do out of habit when I¡¯m nervous or in an awkward situation) when I remembered that I no longer my long had hair. Alec had **d all of it. I waspletely bald.


    Tears fill my eyes. I wasn¡¯t vain, but I really loved my ck hair. It had broken my heart to pieces when


    I saw the ck locks lying on the dirty floor after he s**d it off. It was even more heartbreaking to watch as he set the pile on fire.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my dear, it will grow back,¡± the woman says as if she could read my mind.


    I nod my head, but I know it won¡¯t be the same. It will probably take me years to achieve the lower back length I had.


    ¡°I¡¯m Beth, by the way,¡± she introduces herself.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Raven.¡±


    She probably didn¡¯t know that I already knew that.


    ¡°I¡¯m Sadie,¡± I tell them. ¡°Thank you so much for helping me. I probably would have been dead if it wasn¡¯t for you.


    It was the effing truth, I bet that was what Alec was counting on when the bastard banished me.


    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble,¡± Beth says. ¡°We were happy to help and even happier to let you know that you and your baby will be okay. We weren¡¯t sure of that at first, if we are being honest.¡±


    My brows pull down in a frown. ¡°Raven mentioned the same thing when she saved me from those rogues. I don¡¯t understand. What baby are you talking about?¡±


    They stare at each other before turning back to me.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you know?¡± Beth asked me.


    I just shake my head, confused.


    ¡°My powers allow me to sense when a woman is pregnant,¡± Raven begins. ¡°You¡¯re pregnant, Sadie.¡±


    I wanted to deny it, but some witches do have such powers. That¡¯s why most of the supernaturalspecies go to them, because normal human pregnancy tests don¡¯t work on us.


    I stare at her,pletely shocked.


    ¡°Mother-f**g-super-spermed-Bastard¡± I curse angrily.


    F**k! As if it wasn¡¯t enough that I hated the bastard, now I was pregnant with his child. What the hell was I going to do?

 Chapter 0007

    Raven


    I stare at Sadie as she sleeps. My mind was jumbled, and my soul was conflicted. I didn¡¯t know what to do with her. She was basically a stranger. If there is one thing my mother instilled in me before she died, it¡¯s that wolves are dangerous and to never trust them.


    Sadie was clearly one, even though she was yet to shift. I wanted to follow my mother¡¯s advice, but for some reason, my heart trusted Sadie. My heart had bonded itself in a way that I never thought would be possible.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°What are you thinking so hard about?¡± Beth asked as she walked in with a couple of herbs from the garden outside.


    I¡¯ve known her for about two years now. It¡¯s been a wonderful two years living with her. I used to think. that my mother was powerful, but she had nothing on Beth. I might be exaggerating, but I honestly think that Beth¡¯s powers match those of the gods.


    It was all a coincidence when I found her. My mother had been killed. I still don¡¯t know who did it or what happened. After burying her, I wandered for months. Lost and inplete sorrow. I stumbled upon Beth¡¯s hut, miles away from home, by ident.


    She¡¯d seen the struggle inside me. The pain I was trying so desperately not to drown in. Without knowing me, she had opened her arms and consoled me as I allowed myself to cry and mourn over my mother for the first time since she died. After that, as people would say, the rest was history. I stayed with her, and we became a family of two.


    We will probably end up being a family of three, now with Sadie around. I could see it in Beth¡¯s eyes. She already loved the girl and was ready to open her doors for her. Just like she did with me.


    ¡°Raven?¡± she calls again, breaking my chain of thoughts.


    I sigh, not really sure what to say. ¡°To be honest, my mind is all over the ce.¡±


    ¡°Is this about your dreams?¡± she asks as she gently washes the herbs before cing them on the table to dry.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I exhale sharply. ¡°I just don¡¯t know how it¡¯s possible.¡±


    My dreams started around a year ago. At first, they were random and happened once in a while. I tried stopping them but I couldn¡¯t. About three or so months ago, they became constant. They happened almost every single day. Sometimes I couldn¡¯t clearly tell what was happening, but one thing, or,should I say, one person, remained clear. A girl with long ck hair.


    Sadie.


    Before, the dreams were just normal. Her with friends,ughing, and being silly. That kind of thing. But those from a few months ago were darker. Sometimes I woke up with her chilling screams still ringing in my f**g ears.


    I didn¡¯t understand why I kept dreaming of a girl that I didn¡¯t know. That¡¯s until I came across her in the forest. Beaten, helpless, weak, and about to be raped by a bunch of rogues.


    To be honest, I still don¡¯t understand how or why I kept dreaming of her. I¡¯m not an oracle, so this shouldn¡¯t have happened. I shouldn¡¯t be able to dream about her or what happened to her before we met.


    ¡°Some things are just beyond our control, Raven. Leave it to the gods. They know what they¡¯re doing,¡± Beth simply says.


    It¡¯s through Beth that I came to know that each species has its own god. Werewolves worship Selene. Witches worship Hecate. Vampires worship Absalom,


    ¡°But don¡¯t you find it strange?¡± I questioned, ¡°I start dreaming of her, then monthster, those dreams. turn darker and then boom! I find her beaten, tortured and nearing death?¡±


    ¡°It may be because you¡¯re bonded to her,¡± she faces me. ¡°It¡¯s the only possible exnation.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±

 Chapter 0008

    ?Chapter 0008


    "Yes," she replies softly. "I know that Sadie is meant for something big, and you, my darling Raven, are meant to be by her side."


    I just nod, still unable to reallyprehend what she had just revealed. I continue staring at one ce. Completely focused and lost in mind.


    "Hey," her soft voice greets, and I am pulled from my confusing thoughts.


    Beth greets her back, but I just face Sadie, not really knowing what to do or say.


    "How are you feeling today?" Beth asks her.


    *Better"


    *Do you know who the father of your baby is?" I blurt it out like an idiot.


    She looks offended but nods her head.


    I honestly didn''t mean to hurt her feelings or misunderstand her. I was just worried that she didn''t really know.


    *I''m sorry, I didn''t mean toe off as insensitive... Because of how I found you, I''m afraid that something like that had already happened before."


    We didn''t know much about her. My worry was that she had been taken advantage of, given the tortured screams I heard in my dreams and the state I found her in. It was obvious I would be concerned.


    "It''s okay... I understand."


    We are all quiet for a while. Each of us lost in our own minds.


    "You''ll have to inform the soon-to-be father," Beth finally breaks the silence.


    Panic and fear shes in Sadie''s eyes at Beth''s words. She starts shaking her head as a tremble takes over her body. She genuinely looked scared. This made me really curious. Why would she be afraid of her baby''s father? "I can''t," she says as a battle rages on in her eyes.


    She was trying to calm herself down, but it wasn''t working at all.


    "Why not?" I question, curiously. "Every man deserves to know when they''ve fathered a child.


    "I just can''t," Sadie insists, instead of answering.


    It wasn''t a really good answer, so I continue pushing.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    "Why the hell not?"


    *Because he''s the one who banished me. The one that tortured me. All my suffering has been because of that fucking bastard" She shouts shocking the crap out of me.


    She then proceeds to tell us everything that happened. She doesn''t tell us the name of the man, but she tells us every cruel thing he did to her and how everyone except one person turned on her without so much as a second thought.


    By the time she''s done narrating the hell she''s been through these past couple of months, we are all a sobbing mess. It was gut-wrenching how cruel they were to her. No wonder she looked like she was halfway through death''s door when I found her.


    "I know what they did was terrible, but either way, this man, whoever he is needs to know he''s going to be a father. What he decides to do with that information is up to him, but at least you tried," Beth says gently, while holding her hand.


    I take her other hand. The need tofort her was riding me hard.


    "Beth is right. He deserves to know," I add.


    "But what if he doesn''t want anything to do with the baby?" her voice is small as she asks.


    *Then that''s his problem. We''ll help you raise him or her. You won''t be alone", I assure her, and Beth nods her head.


    "He banished me. Given his treatment and hatred of me, he''ll want to hurt me. What if he hurts me and the baby?"


    I did understand where she wasing from, but she had to do this. It''ll kill her slowly, knowing that she never told him. I''ve seen it before with my mother. I never understood the haunted look in her eyes. Not until I read one of her journals after she died.


    She wrote that her biggest regret was never telling me who my father was and never telling my father she was pregnant.


    Knowing the pain of growing up without a dad, I don''t want the same for her baby. That is, if there is a chance of the father epting him or her.


    I turn to her with a determined look.


    "Don''t worry about it. I''ll go with you and I won''t let him harm you." I vow. "He''ll have to go through me before he can get to you."

 Chapter 0009

    ?Chapter 0009


    Alec


    I pace the floors of my office, feeling restless. Nothing has been the same for me since L rejected me as her mate.


    The pain is constantly there. Every damn day, I wake up with this gaping hole where my heart is supposed to be. I feelpletely empty. Like my fucking soul has been ripped into pieces.


    I tried to stay strong but I couldn''t. I said I wouldn''t beg, but I sumbed to the pain my wolf and I were feeling. Knox keeps crying out for his mate. He was driving both of us to the edge of insanity.


    We werewolves can''t get drunk on normal alcohol. We have our own special blend. One that our bodies doesn''t burn quickly due to our fast metabolism.


    One night, I couldn''t take it anymore. I couldn''t bare the pain anymore, so I sumbed and called L. I was drunk, and I begged her to take me back. To reconsider the rejection. I begged her to forgive me. She didn''t, though.


    She told me the same thing she said the day she rejected me. That she couldn''t forget nor burn the image of me and Sadie naked, tangled with each other, from her mind.


    I hung up after that. Even though I wanted and needed her, I felt so fucking weak that I begged her. I was a fucking Alpha, yet I begged my mate to take me back.


    It''s been days since that day... And a few weeks since I banished that conniving snake from my pack.


    I still get majorly pissed off every time I think of all she took from me. I didn''t even get the chance to punish her for her crimes because the fucking bitch escaped.


    This constant pain. This constant ache deep inside me is because of her. It''s because of her selfishness and her obsession. She destroyed my chance at having a mate, all because she couldn''t fucking ept that I wasn''t hers.


    Now here I was, restless and unsettled. Unable to concentrate on my damn work because both my wolf and I were hurting.


    "Alec?"


    I swiveled around sharply, growling at my beta.


    I didn''t even notice that he had entered my office. This isn''t like me. I''m now really irritable and distracted.


    Jason raises his hands, showing that he ising in peace. "I''m sorry, I knocked a couple of times, but you were lost in thought."


    Instead of saying anything, I remain quiet, choosing to stare outside my window. I focus on the view of the city below me, willing the pieces of my heart and life to fall back into ce.


    There was so much at stake, yet all I could focus on was the mate I lost. My pack needed me. They needed their strong and reliant Alpha, yet I was falling apart.


    Who would have thought that the almighty Alpha Alec would be brought to his knees by a woman? That it would take his mate rejecting him for him to crumble.


    I scoff at the thought, feeling the irony of it.


    *Alec, are you okay?" Jason asks, concern marring his voice.


    I turned and red at him, feeling my anger and bitterness rise to the surface.


    "Do I look fucking okay to you?" I snapped.


    He flinches at the burst of aura I unintentionally release. Unable to hold fast, he falls down on his knees and bows slightly in respect.


    "I''m sorry"


    Reigning in my alpha power, I sucked in a breath before taking my seat. Everyone knows that this hasn''t been easy for me. Not only is my ego hurt by being rejected, but also my chance at having a mate of my own has been taken from me and, with that, the hope for my pack.


    *Have you found anything?"


    He unsteadily rises up on his feet and faces me.


    At first, I thought that it would be enough to simply banish Sadie, but it wasn''t. My anger wasn''t satiated, not even close. She managed to escape. I didn''t fucking like that.


    I wanted her punished. I wanted her tortured. I wanted her fucking ck, beating heart on my fucking hand. I wanted nothing more than to witness it as life drained from her eyes and even then, that wouldn''t be enough punishment for what she did.


    *Nothing... Our warriors have been scouting the forest and the areas across the borders, but found nothing. Her scent was traced to some caves on the outskirts of the border, but from there it vanished."


    A growl involuntarily leaves my lips. I didn''t like that answer at all.


    *How fucking hard is it to find one fucking woman? A woman who has been injured and tortured!"


    Jason shifts ufortably from one foot to another. He is one of my closest and oldest friends, but even he can''t withstand the force of my alpha aura.


    "It isn''t, but I honestly believe that someone is cloaking her, that''s why they can no longer scent her," he says, almost hesitantly.


    "Who would dare?"


    Before he could answer, Knox perks up. His menacing growl filled my damn head.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "What is it?"


    Her scent hits my nose before he can answer, making my nose re and my lips twist in contempt.


    *She''s here... That fucking bitch is here," he answered, confirming what I had already guessed.


    Quickly, I switch on myptop and scan the surveince cameras in my building. I spotted her immediately. She was standing near the elevator doors. She looked timid and out of ce. She was thin and looked weak as hell. The camera also captured the fear and worry that were etched on her face.


    You''ve got to be kidding me. Sadie was here.


    She had just willingly walked into the lion''s den. Either she was pretty brave or pretty stupid. Either way, she just made my work easier. I was going to have fun torturing her before I ended her miserable existence.

 CHAPTER 10

    CHAPTER 10


    I stared at him,pletely frozen on the spot. Terrorpletely takes over, and I¡¯m unable to do anything except stare at the man who shattered me.


    His eyes were a mix of blue and silver, signifying that both he and Knox were in control.


    Every memory of my time in the dungeon


    rushes to my mind. I can¡¯t help the panic that gets a hold on me or the fear that encases me. I moved back. Moving away from the monster that did every


    I


    I try to pull air into my lungs, but it¡¯s nearly impossible. I can¡¯t


    breathe. My lungs weren¡¯t functioning, so I gripped the top I was wearing. As if that would help ease the tightness I was feeling in my chest.


    All of a sudden, I was mmed against the elevator door. His hand wrapped around my neck.


    A wicked grin transforms his lips into something sinister.


    ¡°The scar on your face looks good on you,¡± he mocks, reminding me that I¡¯ll have it for the rest of my life.


    I try to push him away from me, but I don¡¯t have the strength to do so. I try speaking, but nothing


    ¡°The life of a banished wolf isn¡¯t that easy, is it? Is that why you¡¯re here? To beg me to lift the banishment.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I came here to tell you something.¡± The words were stammered, but at least I managed to get them out.


    ¡°What is it¡­ Are you finally ready to confess, you traitorous bitch?¡±


    I flinched at his menacing growl and his cold eyes. I also ignore the way his words still hurt me. The way his words tear at the remaining piece of my hea


    after everything, he still has the power to hurt me?


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant¡±


    whispered the words. He must have heard me because he stepped away from me, his face transforming into a look of disgust.


    Hearing a shocked gasp, I turned to find Jason looking between us.


    Alec¡¯s coldugh brings me back. Making me focus on him.


    13


    13:45 Tue Jul


    ¡°Do you honestly think I¡¯d believe you?¡± He snarled, his anger evident in how rigid and wired his body


    was.


    He looks just about ready to tear me into pieces.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth; you can have a healer check me out if you don¡¯t believe it.¡± I wrapped my hands around myself, feeling chilly all of a sudden.


    ¡°You may be pregnant, but I can assure you that the child probably isn¡¯t mine. Who knows how many imen


    you¡¯re drugged and spread your legs for. You¡¯re a slut, and I would never let my child have a hoe


    as a mother. His words hit me like a bullet.


    They shred my heart to pieces, knowing that¡¯s what he thinks of me. I won¡¯t let him see how much he hurt me, though. I


    will never give him that kind of satisfaction.


    ¡°A simple DNA test is enough to prove that the child is yours, Alec. I was still a damn virgin when we ended up in bed together. Do you honestly think I w


    My words were harsh, but they were the truth. I know it¡¯s wrong to disrespect an Alpha, but I¡¯ve had


    enough.


    I didn¡¯t see him move. One minute, I was standing by the door; the next, my feet were off the ground,


    and his hands were around my neck.


    I try to loosen his grip, but it¡¯s of no use.


    ¡°No one disrespects me, especially the filth that ruined any chances I had with my mate,¡± he growled, pain and angerced in his voice. ¡°If the bastard ch


    given birth to by the woman who destroyed my life.¡±


    With that, his other hand punches through my rib cage, just on top of my stomach. Pain washes through me as I feel his ws dig deep inside me. I felt


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± I begged as tears fell from my face.


    He smiles cruelly and twists his hand, causing unimaginable pain. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to kill you since I learned of your betrayal. Now I can have your filthy, be


    Fuck. Why moon goddess? Why are you allowing this to happen to me? Is this how my child and I are


    going to die? At the hands of his or her father.


    I watched the man I¡¯d fallen in love with. The father of my baby. His lips formed in a twisted smile, as if


    ¦°


    13:45 Tue, y


    he were greatly enjoying this.


    I scream as I feel him start to rip my heart from its cage. ck dots danced around my vision as numbness and coldness started to take over my body.


    I was just about to surrender to death, when, all of a sudden, the hands holding me loosened and both Alec and I dropped to the floor.


    I opened my eyes to find Raven looking pissed as hell. She had her hands in front of her, chanting loudly while Alec and Jason screamed and thrashed o


    ¡°Come on, we need to leave.¡±


    She helps me up.


    ¡°My spell won¡¯t end until we are far away, and anyone who tries to help them will end up the same


    way.


    I just nodded my head. Once again, she¡¯se to my rescue. My baby and I owe her our lives.


    She helps me get into the elevator, and thest thing I see before the doors close is Alec lying unconscious on the carpet with his hand covered in my bl


    This is thest straw. I will never forget this day. I will never forgive him for trying to kill my baby

 Chapter 0011

    Sadie


    ¡°Fuck, why the hell did I let you talk me into this?¡± I asked Raven as I stared at the building before me.


    Maybe it was just me, but it looked menacing. Like it was a ce where every kind of nightmare.es true. My feeling about it may just be because of what Alec and his pack did to me, but it didn¡¯t matter. I felt what I felt.


    ¡°Because you have to. Whether he epts responsibility or not is up to him. At least you will have told him the entire truth,¡± she answered, rubbing my back in aforting way.


    I continue staring at the looming building, my heart torn into two. I know that Raven is right. Despite the monster Alec became to me, he deserves to know that he¡¯s going to be a father. Even though I know this, it doesn¡¯t really stop the doubt raging inside me.


    Am I really doing the right thing? Alec proved to me that he¡¯s cruel. He revealed the born monster inside him. The one feared by everyone. Is such a man even capable of love? Will he love my child? My biggest fear is that he¡¯ll use my child to punish me, or, worse, punish him or her for the mistakes he thinks I made. I don¡¯t think I could handle it if that ever happened.


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get this over and done with.¡±


    Raven grabs my hand and proceeds to pull me towards where I am sure my doom awaits.


    ¡°Wait,¡± I said, pulling us to a stop. ¡°We have to find another way to see him. I am a banished wolf. The moment I walk through those doors, they¡¯ll know, and I¡¯ll either be kicked out or killed on the spot.


    ¡°Damn, I hadn¡¯t thought about that¡­ You¡¯re right.¡± her hand holds her chin as she lightly taps her lips. She was thinking. I¡¯vee to know that that¡¯s what she does when she¡¯s in deep thought.


    ¡°Banishment for wolves is connected to their scent, right?¡± she asks.


    ¡°Yes¡±


    When a wolf is banished, their scent changes. There are four kinds of wolves. Pack wolves, banished wolves, rogues, and loner wolves.


    Pack wolves take the scents of packs and are easily recognized, as we usually mingle with others just to make sure that we know each specific pack. This is mainly done during the Moon Festival, when packs all over the world meet for the Moon Annual Ball.


    Rogue wolves are wolves that have given up their humanity. They decide to live more like beasts thanhumans, meaning they have no sense of right or wrong. These kinds of wolves are usually killed on the spot by packs. They cause nothing but chaos and mayhem. They are recognized by a rotting smell that clings to them.


    Banished wolves, as you¡¯ve guessed, are those that havemitted such heinous crimes against the pack or Alpha that they can no longer live with others. That includes crimes like betrayal or killing another pack member. Their scent isn¡¯t simr to that of the Rogues, but it is close to that. They usually smell like death, because of the dead pack bond inside them.


    Last are the lone or loner wolves. These are wolves who decide that pack life just isn¡¯t for them, and they prefer being alone. Of course, they don¡¯t have the pack scent, but theirs isn¡¯t putrid like those of rogues and banished wolves. They actually smell pretty normal, all except for having a pack scent.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got an idea.¡± Before I can question her about it, she begins chanting in a low voice so that the surrounding humans don¡¯t hear.


    ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked curiously once she¡¯s done.


    ¡°I masked your scent¡­ All you have to do now is sneak in and tell your Alpha tell him.¡±


    what you came here to


    ¡°He¡¯s not my damn Alpha. He is nothing to me. The only connection I have to him is this baby, and right now I wish he or she were someone else¡¯s baby.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mean to growl at her, but I hated Alec. How could I not after every damn thing he did to me? He¡¯s a bastard and the lowest of the lowest of scums.

 Chapter 0012

    ?Chapter 0012


    I stared at him,pletely frozen on the spot. Terrorpletely takes over, and I¡¯m unable to do anything except stare at the man who shattered me.


    His eyes were a mix of blue and silver, signifying that both he and Knox were in control.


    Every memory of my time in the dungeon rushes to my mind. I can¡¯t help the panic that gets a hold on me or the fear that encases me. I moved back. Moving away from the monster that did everything to hurt me.


    I try to pull air into my lungs, but it¡¯s nearly impossible. I can¡¯t breathe. My lungs weren¡¯t functioning, so I gripped the top I was wearing. As if that would help ease the tightness I was feeling in my chest.


    All of a sudden, I was mmed against the elevator door. His hand wrapped around my neck.


    A wicked grin transforms his lips into something sinister.


    ¡°The scar on your face looks good on you,¡± he mocks, reminding me that I¡¯ll have it for the rest of my life.


    I try to push him away from me, but I don¡¯t have the strength to do so. I try speaking, but nothinges out.


    ¡°The life of a banished wolf isn¡¯t that easy, is it? Is that why you¡¯re here? To beg me to lift the banishment.¡±


    I shook my head. ¡°I came here to tell you something.¡± The words were stammered, but at least I managed to get them out.


    ¡°What is it¡­ Are you finally ready to confess, you traitorous bitch?¡±


    I flinched at his menacing growl and his cold eyes. I also ignore the way his words still hurt me. The way his words tear at the remaining piece of my heart. How is it that, after everything, he still has the power to hurt me?


    ¡°I¡¯m pregnant¡±


    I whispered the words. He must have heard me because he stepped away from me, his face transforming into a look of disgust.


    Hearing a shocked gasp, I turned to find Jason looking between us.


    Alec¡¯s coldugh brings me back. Making me focus on him.


    ¡°Do you honestly think I¡¯d believe you?¡± He snarled, his anger evident in how rigid and wired his body was.


    He looks just about ready to tear me into pieces.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth; you can have a healer check me out if you don¡¯t believe it.¡± I wrapped my hands around myself, feeling chilly all of a sudden.


    ¡°You may be pregnant, but I can assure you that the child probably isn¡¯t mine. Who knows how many imen you¡¯re drugged and spread your legs for. You¡¯re a slut, and I would never let my child have a hoe as a mother. His words hit me like a bullet.


    They shred my heart to pieces, knowing that''s what he thinks of me. I won''t let him see how much he hurt me, though. I will never give him that kind of satisfaction.


    "A simple DNA test is enough to prove that the child is yours, Alec. I was still a damn virgin when we ended up in bed together. Do you honestly think I want this? Do you think I want a monster for my baby''s father? If I had my way. I would have conceived with someone else. Anyone but you." My words were harsh, but they were the truth. I know it''s wrong to disrespect an Alpha, but I''ve had enough.


    I didn''t see him move. One minute, I was standing by the door, the next, my feet were off the ground and his hands were around my neck.


    I try to loosen his grip, but it''s of no use.


    "No one disrespects me, especially the filth that ruined any chances I had with my mate," he growled, pain and angerced in his voice. "If the bastard child is mine, which I doubt, I would never allow it to live. I fucking hate you Sadie, and I''d rather that pup die than be given birth to by the woman who destroyed my life."


    With that, his other hand punches through my rib cage, just on top of my stomach. Pain washes through me as I feel his ws dig deep inside me. I felt his hand grab my heart in a painful way. "Please..." I begged as tears fell from my face.


    He smiles cruelly and twists his hand, causing unimaginable pain. "I''ve wanted to kill you since I learned of your betrayal. Now I can have your filthy, beating heart"Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Fuck. Why moon goddess? Why are you allowing this to happen to me? Is this how my child and I are going to die? At the hands of his or her father.


    I watched the man I''d fallen in love with. The father of my baby. His lips formed in a twisted smile, as ifhe were greatly enjoying this.


    I scream as I feel him start to rip my heart from its cage. ck dots danced around my vision as numbness and coldness started to take over my body.


    I was just about to surrender to death, when, all of a sudden, the hands holding me loosened and both Alec and I dropped to the floor.


    I opened my eyes to find Raven looking pissed as hell. She had her hands in front of her, chanting loudly while Alec and Jason screamed and thrashed on the floor. "Come on, we need to leave."


    She helps me up.


    "My spell won''t end until we are far away, and anyone who tries to help them will end up the same way.


    I just nodded my head. Once again, she''se to my rescue. My baby and I owe her our lives.


    She helps me get into the elevator, and thest thing I see before the doors close is Alec lying unconscious on the carpet with his hand covered in my blood.


    This is thest straw. I will never forget this day. I will never forgive him for trying to kill my baby

 Chapter 0013

    Alec¡±


    Boss?¡± The familiar voice pulled me from the edge of darkness.


    I came to consciousness with a start. I was lying on the floor, and so was Jason. I looked up to find Bret, a vampire and one of my best bodyguards.


    ¡°What the hell happened?¡± I growled, slowly standing up.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    F**k, my head hurt like a f***g b**h. Taking a seat on one of the waiting chairs, I massage my temples, trying to ease the pounding in my head. It felt like an entire circus was using my head as a practice hall.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Bret replied, ¡°I came up here to discuss something and found both of you on the floor.¡±


    Jason was unsteady on his legs as he also got up. The look of pain and confusion on his face was an indication that he was also in the same state as me.


    I spread my legs and leaned my hands on my knees, while trying to remember what the hell had happened. There are very few people who can best me. The blood that covered my hands caught my attention, and I stared at it, wondering who it belonged to.


    It doesn¡¯t take long before the memories from earlier crash into me.


    ¡°That f***g b****h!¡± I snarled, standing up,pletely p**d.


    I can¡¯t believe she came here, and, as if that wasn¡¯t enough, she had the audacity to try and pin someone else¡¯s baby on me.


    I pace around the floor and shove my hand in my hair, messing it up in the process. I was agitated and on edge. Did she honestly think that if she tried to pin someone else¡¯s baby, I would pardon her? That I would feel sorry for her and lift the banishment? She was so fucking wrong!


    ¡°Find her!¡± I shouted, ¡°Find that b**h, Sadie, and bring her to me.¡±


    He knew who I meant. Everyone that worked here knew with my sister who Sadie was, she used to stop by Brett scrambles to do as I say. My alphamand made him submit to me even though he wasn¡¯t my species. It always left me intrigued that I could somehowmand vampires. No other Alpha had that effect on them, but for some weird reason, they submitted to me as if I were their master.


    The moment he¡¯s gone, I stomp to my office, with Jason following behind me.


    ¡°She had help from a witch,¡± Jason said, stating the obvious.


    Now that he remembers what happened, he¡¯s as livid and p**d off as I am.


    ¡°I **g know that.¡± I snarled at him and pinned him with a deadly stare.


    Jason pulled his eyes from mine and showed me his neck as a sign of surrender. Both he and his wolf knew that I was p**d off, and they also knew it was not a good idea to agitate an already angry alpha. He is my Beta and one of my best friends, but I was still his Alpha. He had to submit to me.


    Walking to my desk, I grabbed myptop and turned it in my direction.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jason asked,ing to stand next to me as I clicked some buttons.


    ¡°I want to know how the hell she got in without anyone noticing, because if anyone willingly let them in, there is going to be hell to pay.¡±


    We watched silently from the start. She and the witch were standing outside the building. Sadie looked nervous and unsure, while the witch looked confident. I watch as she gives her what I assume is a pep talk. They then walk in and nobody notices a thing. Some even bow to them, probably thinking that they were clients.


    My anger spikes even more when I watch them heading to the underground section. Sadie inputs the code for my private elevator, and they walk inside it.


    I should have changed that damn code, especially knowing that Piper must have shared it with her. In my defense, I never thought Sadie would have the balls to show up here. That was a miscalction on my part that I don¡¯t n on making again.

 Chapter 0014

    We watch the rest of the video until it shows them leaving the premises in a hurry.


    I shut theptop down and started pacing. I was pi**ed off and so was Knox. He wanted blood. He wanted a chance at killing the woman who destroyed our chances at having a mate. I can¡¯t say I me him. I wanted the same f**g thing.


    ¡°Do you recognize the witch?¡± I asked Jason as I tried my f**g best to calm down.


    I didn¡¯t know her, but she was powerful. Only a few powerful witches were able to take down a full- grown Alpha Wolf. I knew all the most powerful witches and covens and I had them in my pocket.


    He frowns and shakes his head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡±


    What¡¯s most shocking is that this witch looks to be around Sadie¡¯s and Piper¡¯s age. Most of the powerful witches were old-timers who spent decades practicing and honing their powers. The fact that she¡¯s this young meant that there was still time for her to grow even more powerful and maybe even have a coven of her own. Too bad she is now on my shit list because of helping Sadie.


    Which also makes me wonder how Sadie got such a powerful ally. What did she promise in return, because I¡¯m damn sure she has no money to pay her?


    A knock on my door came minutester.


    I looked up to find that Brent had returned. I nodded for him to enter, and he did.


    ¡°Sorry, Boss, but we couldn¡¯t find her¡­ She was nowhere to be seen, and there was no scent to follow.¡±


    A growl slips past my lips as I momentarily let Knox have control. Both Jason and Brent take a step back, fear etched in their eyes.


    I wanted to hunt her down. My hatred for her just increased after what she tried to do today. I am a damn Alpha. I think I would have sensed my own pup if, indeed, she was carrying my child. It was simple as that. That is why I didn¡¯t believe the f**g b**ch.


    I was about to leave, so I could go for a walk when a thought crossed my mind. I immediately calmed down.


    My pack may be weakening, but it was still one of the Elite packs. The title Elite is given to packs that are strong and powerful. There were only five of us in the entire world, and ours dominated the northern region. I was the head of Elite Alphas, so my word wasw. I was also recognized by covens and vampire ns because they knew I wasn¡¯t an enemy they would want.


    A grin begins to form as the n takes shape. Sadie turned my life upside down and made it a living. hell. I was going to return the favor.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Most banished wolves aren¡¯t allowed to join a pack, but they are usually left alone.


    ¡°Send word to every f**g pack, coven, and n,¡± I began.


    ¡°What word, Alec?¡± Jason asked, and his voice was a mix of fear and curiosity.


    ¡°Tell them Sadie Evans is deemed a traitor and should be killed on the spot if anyone sights her,¡± I answered, feeling my tension and that of Knox fade away. ¡°Spread the word that anyone who delivers me her dead body will be greatly rewarded; anyone found helping her or siding with her will perish by my hands. The one who helped her and their family. Am I clear?¡±


    They nod and bow their heads. I turned and walked out of my office, desperately in need of a run.


    I wanted to kill her myself, but she proved to be lucky. Anyway, it didn¡¯t matter that I wasn¡¯t the one to kill her; as long as she was dead, and the world was rid of her, then that¡¯s enough for me.


    Only when Sadie is dead will Knox and I find peace and only then will we be avenged.

 Chapter 0015

    ?Chapter 0015


    Sade


    Ravenwasabletohelp usescapewithoutanyonerealizingathing.Withasimplespell,shewasabletoconcealourscentsandcreateanillusion,whichchangedourappearance.Noonewouldknowitwasme,evenif Istoodinfrontofthem.


    Webreakthroughtheforest,andIbreatheasighofrelief.Thetensionthathadgrippedmemeltedaway.Nothingbutsorrowandpainremained.


    ¡°Youokay?¡±Raveasked,herfaceconveyingtheworryshehadforme.


    HowwasIsupposedtoanswerher?WasIokay?Definitelynot.Notbyalongshot.Everythinghadgohell,andIdidn¡¯tknowhowtodealwiththat. Ididn¡¯tknowhowtoprocess everythingthathappenedor everythingthatIwasfeeling.


    I¡¯mstilltryingtetotermswiththefactthatAlecalmostkilledme.ItoldhimIwaspregnant,yethedidn¡¯tcare.Let¡¯stakethefactthatthisbabyishisoutoftheequation.ItmeantAlecwasreadytoendmylife,evenafterknowingthatIwascarryinganotherlife.Whatkindofpersondoesthat?Onlyamonster,andthisistheproofIneededtohammeritintomyheadthatAlecAshfordisafucking monster.


    ¡°Sadie?¡±Hervoicepullsmeawayfrommythoughtsandmisery.


    ¡°I¡¯mnotokay,Raven,butIwillbe.¡±Iansweredherpreviousquestion.¡°Maybenottodayortomorrow,butI¡¯mgoingtobeokay.¡±


    Shenodsherhead,andwecontinuewalking.


    Howdoyoucope,honestly?Isthereamanualthatcanguidesomeoneonhowtopickuptheirlivesafterthemantheylovedandthefatheroftheirbabyalmostendedyourlifeandthatofyourunbornbaby?Idon¡¯tknow wheretogofromhere.


    Partsofmeheldouthopedespiteeverythingthathappened.Despitethetortureandhisbrutality,somesmallpartofmestillthoughtthatAlecwasgood.Thathe wasjusthurtingandseekingrevengeforlosinghismate.Now,though,Iknowit¡¯snothingbutalie.


    Ishouldhavetrustedtherumorsabouthowcruelheis.TodayjustprovedthatAlecisworsethanthedevil.Todayscrapedawayallmyillusions.Itmademeseehimforwhohereallyis.Today,alltheloveIhadforAlecdiedwhenheplungedhishandintomychest,intendingtoripoutmyheart.


    Somethingtripsme,andIfalldown.Tearswererunningdownmyfaceasmyheartbrokeintoa


    thousandpiecesIcouldbarelyseeinfrontwiththeamount oftearsIwasshedding.Therealityofwhatalmosthappenedtodaycrashesintome,andIshatterrightthereontheforestfloor,


    ¡°Sadie!¡±Raven screamedmynameandrushedtowardsme.Shetriestopullmeup,butIremainkneelingontheground.Ididn¡¯thavetheenergytomove.


    EverythingI¡¯vebeenholdingbackrushestothesurface,tearingmetopiecesintheprocess.Icouldn¡¯tholdbackmyscreams,pain,andanguish.


    I hate Alec, and I hate the moon goddess for allowing this to happen to me. How could I move on? How will I move past this? I not only had physical scars but also mental and emotional ones. My heart and soul will always be marred, and it''s all because of Alec and his damn pack. Well, all of them except Him


    "Let it all out, darling. I''m here for you," Raven whispered while rubbing my back infort.


    I let go, just like she''d told me. I release the pent- up frustration and anger. I let go of the pain and let it flow out of me. I hold on to Raven as my pain consumes my entire body. My nails dig into her skin as i use her as my anchor to the present. I cry until there are no more tears. I''m left heaving, feeling as if I were being torn into two and my heart and chest were being crashed. I breathe through my mouth because it''s nearly impossible to breathe through my nose, which was stuffed.


    "Come on, let''s go home," she tells me once I''m quiet.


    Helping me up, she supported my weight since my legs felt like jelly. She silently leads us home, and all the while I try to pull myself together. I''ve had my cry, it''s now time to wipe my tears, dust myself, and move forward. For the sake of my baby, I needed to move on. About forty minutester, we got home,


    Raven helps me get on the thin bed.


    "Have a rest while I go look for Beth. Maybe she can give you something to rx." She doesn''t give me. a chance to oppose the suggestion before she''s out of the door.


    Iy on the bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to imagine what the future held for me and my baby. I was trying to hold on to any


    kind of hope, but it was hard when I had an enemy like Alec targeting me.


    The supernaturalmunity knew of him, and for some reason he was treated like a damn royalty. He could make my life difficult if he chose to, and that''s what scared me.


    A noise outside pulls me from my thoughts.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Were Beth and Raven already back?


    I slowly got off the bed and stood up on shaky legs. Before I could take another step, the door burst open, and a man I didn''t know rushed in. I don''t get time to react or do anything. First, because I was surprised, and second, because I was still weak


    He moves so quickly that he''s nothing but a blur.


    A scream tears itself from the depths of my throat as his fangs sink into my neck.


    I immediately knew what he was. No one needed to tell me that I''d just been attacked by a vampire.


    Fuck, can my life get any worse?

 Chapter 0016

    Sadie


    I screamed as his fangs dug deeper into my neck. I felt it as my blood rushed to his mouth because of how hard he was sucking.


    I¡¯ve heard how painful it is when a vampire feeds on you. Despite being a werewolf, I preferred the fairy tale version of the feeding, where humans believed that being fed by a vampire was pleasurable. It¡¯s not. It¡¯s f**g painful.


    I tried pushing him away, but it did nothing. Not only was he stronger than me, but with every single sip he took, I grew weaker.


    He detaches from me and stares at me with something akin to fascination.


    ¡°What are you?¡± he asked, his red eyes searing mine.


    I don¡¯t really understand the question. I am a f**g werewolf; that should have been pretty obvious. to him, but apparently not.


    ¡°Your blood¡­¡± he said, holding me upright as I began to sway. ¡°Your blood is different. Nothing I¡¯ve ever tasted before. It¡¯s nectar to my taste buds.¡±


    I tried to stare at him, but my vision was unfocused.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯ll keep you as my personal blood bag because your taste is addictive,¡± he told me again before attacking me ferociously.


    I screamed again. The pain that shot through me was paralyzing. My legs were weakening, and ck dots started filling my vision. Seriously, was this how I was going to die?


    My hands go to my stomach as I try to stay conscious for my baby¡¯s sake. I keep praying, hoping that Raven and Beth wille back soon.


    I was almost losing hope when his body was ripped from me. Before I could copse to the ground, someone caught me and helped me to the bed.


    ¡°Sadie? Stay with me.¡± It¡¯s Raven¡¯s voice, but it sounds so far away. Like it¡¯s m**d underwater or something.


    She whispered something, probably an incantation. Slowly, my vision started to clear. The first thing I noticed was that Raven was quickly mixing something in a ss.


    She hands the ss with green liquid in it. ¡°Drink this; it will help replenish your energy and the blood you lost.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Funny enough, despite the fact that it looked disgusting, it was kind of sweet. I gulp it down, like a man who hasn¡¯t had water for a couple of days. With each sip, I feel myself getting better. The fatigue disappears, and I feel like I¡¯ve been renewed.


    ¡°What did you mix in the water?¡± I asked as I finished thest drop.


    ¡°Just a mix of herbs and a renewal spell,¡± she simply replied, then turned to look behind her.


    It was then that I noticed Beth. The vampire knelt before her as if kept down by an invisible force. She wasn¡¯t chanting a spell or anything like that, yet the vampire waspletely immobilized.


    ¡°How¡¯s she doing that?¡± I asked no one in particr.


    Witches needed to chant spells when using their powers. Even the most powerful of them. The fact that she was able to render the vampire weak without so much as a spell was intriguing.


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± Raven replied without taking her eyes off the duo.


    ¡°Who sent you?¡± Beth asked the vampire calmly.


    He struggled a bit, but finally managed to answer. ¡°No one. I¡¯m an exiled vampire and was looking for a feed. I smelled her and decided to quench my thirst.¡±


    Banishment was different for all three species but meant the same thing. Wolves were banished, vampires were exiled and witches were emunicated.


    ¡°Very well then,¡± Beth said, stepping aside.


    ¡°What is she?¡± the vampire asked her, the same question he asked me. Which still puzzles me.


    Beth doesn¡¯t say anything, but something shes in her eyes. Something that sends a shiver down my spine and makes me want to bow before her. Without another word, she flips her hand, and screams fill the small space as the vampire busts up in mes.

 Chapter 0017

    We remain silent and watch him burn until there is nothing but ash left.


    I stare at the pile of ash as reality starts to sink in. I almost died today. Twice, for that matter. D**n it. Did the goddess have it out for me or something? First, I almost got killed by Alec, and now this? What¡¯s next? Being used as a ritual sacrifice by witches?


    ¡°What did he mean?¡± Raven asked Beth.


    She takes a broom and a dustpan and starts to sweep the ashes of the dead vampire.


    ¡°Yeah, he asked me the same question. Like, isn¡¯t it obvious that I¡¯m a werewolf?¡± I added, pulling myself back to the present.


    Today has been a trying day for me. I just wanted to go to sleep and forget about everything that happened to me. Everything always looks better after a good night¡¯s sleep.


    ¡°You need to leave here, Sadie,¡± Beth says instead.


    I see it for what it is. A deflection. She didn¡¯t want to lie, but she also didn¡¯t want to answer the question.


    Straightening, I sat up on the bed, leaning against the headboard.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    She breathes out a sigh as she dumps the ashes into the bin. ¡°I heard Alpha Alec has marked you as a traitor and has ordered anyone who sights you to kill you on the spot. That includes vampires and witches.¡±


    Both Raven and I gasped. I¡¯m unable to grasp the lengths to which he¡¯s going, just to have me killed. Tears begin to fill my eyes, but I push them back. I was tired of crying because of that f**g p**k. Didn¡¯t he know the meaning of mercy?


    Even if he hates me, what about the baby I was carrying? Sure, he doesn¡¯t believe that the baby is his, but my baby is innocent despite my sins. Why punish and end his or her life because of something he believes I did?


    By marking me a traitor, he¡¯s simply signed my death warranty.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What are we going to do? Even if we leave here, she¡¯ll still be hunted,¡± Ravens says with a worried look.


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving, but you two are. Like I said, because of your dreams, I believe that your destinies are connected, so you have to go with her,¡± Beth answered, walking towards us.


    She sits between us and holds both of our hands.


    ¡°What dreams?¡± I asked.


    *I¡¯ll fill you inter,¡± Raven tells me before focusing on Beth. ¡°Sure, we will leave, but like I said, she¡¯ll still be hunted, and besides, where will we go?¡±


    ¡°Far away. Somewhere, no one knows you. Somece where you can start fresh. As for her being hunted, just know I¡¯ll take care of it. No one will know you¡¯re alive, and for that to happen, you have to be far away from here.¡± Beth squeezes my hand as if assuring me.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± I murmured, afraid for her. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get into trouble.¡±


    She actuallyughs, ¡°That¡¯s for me to know¡­ Don¡¯t worry about me; I¡¯ll be fine. No one can touch me. Just worry about yourself and your baby.¡±


    I sigh and nod. It looks like I¡¯ll have to leave the only ce I¡¯ve known since I was a child in order to give my baby a chance at life.


    Even as I agreed to leave, I had so many questions. What does the future hold for me and my baby? Why did the goddess hate me this much? How was I going to survive? Who s*d t*he drink that led to the downhill descent of my life, and what the hell did the vampire mean?


    So many questions, but no definite answer. One thing¡¯s for sure, though: I needed to stay alive, not just for myself but also because of my baby.

 Chapter 0018

    Alec.


    I punch one of my warriors hard, feeling a sick kind of satisfaction when I hear his nose break. He


    groans, but that doesn¡¯t deter me. Ind another blow and another until he¡¯s on the floor.


    ¡°Get up, Brady,¡± Imanded, but he didn¡¯t.


    I know that I¡¯m pushing him, but he¡¯s one of my best warriors, and he should be able to f*g k*eep up with me.


    It p**s me off when he doesn¡¯t get up. I was on edge, and so was Knox. Every small thing set us off, and we were both dying for a fight. It¡¯s too f**g bad that no one I know is a worthy opponent.


    ¡°I told you to **g get up!¡± I roared, releasing my alphamand.


    His back straightens, and he struggles to get up, trying his best to obey his alpha. I know deep down that I wasn¡¯t thinking straight, but losing your mate can do that to you.


    ¡°If you continue like this, you¡¯re going to lose the people around you, including your warriors.¡± Piper¡¯s soft voice came from behind me. ¡°You¡¯re bing unbearable to be around.¡±


    This is another thing that bothers me. I used to always be on high alert. Nothing escaped my senses, yet my sister was able to get past my defenses and approach me from behind without me realizing it. That could have been dangerous during war.


    I nodded to another warrior, and he rushed to me. ¡°Take him to the infirmary.¡±


    He bowed and helped Brady up.


    ¡°Leave!¡± Imand the rest, and they all scramble to leave the training grounds. Once they¡¯re gone, I turn to my sister.


    She¡¯s the only other woman who owns my heart. My mother was the first, then Piper when she was born, andstly L.


    In high school, girls were always


    That didn¡¯t stop when I grew older. Women were there to satisfy my desires. I¡¯didn¡¯t care for them, and when I got bored, I discarded them. L came into my life and changed things.


    If I were being honest, I hadn¡¯t nned to fall in love with her. To me, my mate was a means to an end. She was always meant to be the instrument that would break the curse on my pack. L had broken my defenses in ways I never thought possible. I didn¡¯t even realize I was falling until it happened.


    That¡¯s why I¡¯ll always hate Sadie. She took something precious from me, and I was willing to pay back a favor. Her life will soon reach an end, and I¡¯ll finally be avenged.


    ¡°Alec, what¡¯s going on?¡± Piper asks, pulling me back to the present. ¡°You¡¯re losing control. You¡¯re bing unstable, and you know how dangerous that is. You know what¡¯s at stake; the pack needs you. You need to pull yourself back together.¡±


    Ipletely understand what she¡¯s saying. And she¡¯spletely right, but I can¡¯t seem to pull myself back from drowning in my sorrow and pain.


    How do I f**g exin to her that since L rejected me, I feel like half my soul has been ripped away? How do I tell her that I feel like there is a hole where my heart and soul were meant to be?


    Being rejected meant that I¡¯d live with this pain until either I choose another or the moon goddess grants me a second chance mate, which is rare. Getting a second chance mate is like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ll try; it¡¯s just that Knox and I are still hurting.¡± I replied after some time.


    My sister stares at me with sympathy, but underneath all that, I see her sorrow too. Not only because of what happened to me, but also because of losing her best friend.


    ¡°Come here, Pip.¡± I opened my arms, and she immediately fell into them. She tries to fight it, but she soon loses her battle when she starts silently sobbing.


    ¡°I know she¡¯s betrayed us, but I still miss her. I still love her like a sister, Alec. She¡¯s been my best friend since we were in diapers and I thought it would always be like that, but then she betrayed you and because of her betrayal, you¡¯re now hurting.¡±


    Her cries break my already broken heart. I would do anything for her, but this is the only thing I can¡¯t fix. I can¡¯t fix the fact that Sadie¡¯s obsession with me ruined mine and L¡¯s future.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be okay, Buttercup,¡± I told her, using the nickname I gave her when we were younger. ¡°I promise we¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯re f**g strong, children of an alpha pair. We will f*g g**et through this. You¡¯ll see¡±


    She lifts her head from my chest and looks at me. I knew that she was looking for reassurance, so I gave her a little smile.


    Wiping her tears from her cheek, I leaned my head against hers and closed my eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be just fine,¡± I repeated strongly, not really sure who I was trying to convince.


    She nods her head before pulling away and leaning her head against my shoulder. We are both quiet,both of us lost in our heads.


    I had so much going on. No one has yet to hear a word or see Sadie, and it¡¯s been a couple of days. Thinking of her just makes my anger grow to dangerous heights. As for her aplice, we¡¯ve yet to locate the f**r.


    I wanted to hear it from his mouth. I wanted him to confirm that it was Sadie that drugged me, but the bastard seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. No worries; I was going to find both of them and make them pay.


    It¡¯s only after I get revenge that I¡¯ll be able to focus on the issues with my pack. It¡¯s only after they¡¯re both dead will I find peace.


    ¡°What about the baby she mentioned?¡± Knox asks, popping into my head.


    ¡°Do you believe her?¡±


    ¡°No. Besides, we both know we would have smelt our pup,¡± he answeredzily.


    He was right. Alphas are able to smell their own pup even before the baby is born. We smelled nothing, meaning that Sadie was lying. Sadie wasn¡¯t even pregnant, because if she were, her scent would have changed whether the baby was mine or not.


    I was just about to pull Piper up so we could leave when the door burst open and Micah walked in. He had a look I couldn¡¯t describe on his face.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked, standing up.


    ¡°Sadie¡¯s body has been found,¡± he answered, making Piper gasp.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I smiled for the first time in months. Finally, the **h is dead.

 Chapter 0019

    Chapter 0019


    Sadie


    A day ago.


    Tears formed in my eyes as I began to pack the little belongings I had. Technically speaking, they weren¡¯t mine. Most of them are borrowed clothes from Raven, but that was beside the point.


    I swipe away the angry tears as I continue parking. Goddess, do I hate Alec. All that was happening was his fucking fault. I was leaving the ce I knew and everything I knew for a foreignnd. A ce that was filled with so much uncertainty.


    If only Alec had been like Him. He was the alpha, yet he couldn¡¯t tell that there was something fishy about everything. Why would I drug him and then stick around, knowing very well I would get caught? He was the renowned and feared Alpha Alec, but I was beginning to think he was nothing but dumb, stupid, and aplete monster.


    I can¡¯t put all the me on him, though. Some of the me fell on his pack too. The same people who turned on me the first chance they got. I was also bitter towards Piper, my so¨Ccalled best friend. How could she think I¡¯d betray her like that? That I would hurt her and Alec just to get what I wanted? It still puzzles me because if the situations were flipped, I would have remained by her damn side and stuck with her even when everyone was against her.


    Sighing, I stopped packing and just dropped on the bed, already tired. I was angry and bitter, but I also know that most of the me fell on whoever it was that framed me. I just don¡¯t get it. Why would someone want to frame and hurt me? I¡¯ve never done anything wrong to anyone, so I just don¡¯t get it. Feeling tired of the constant unanswered questions, I went back to packing. I try my best to stop thinking about it so much, but I can¡¯t. I¡¯m so fucking frustrated, and I end up angrily shoving clothes and personal items into the duffle bag.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Raven enters the room just as I finish packing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be ready to leave everything I¡¯ve known behind, but what choice do I have?¡± I murmured, my voice sounding brittle even to my own ears.


    I wanted to scream and shout. I wanted to rant. I wanted to punch someone so badly¡­ but more importantly, I wanted to curl into a ball and just cry for everything I¡¯d been through and lost.


    As if sensing my turmoil, Raven crosses the room and pulls me into her arms. I couldn¡¯t fight the tears, so I just let them fall. Silently crying on her shoulders.


    I was so tired of crying. I now cry all the time, and I don¡¯t know whether it¡¯s because of my emotional turmoil or pregnancy hormones.


    Raven pulls away after some time and stares at me. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I believe that everything will work out.¡±


    I wanted to believe her, but I had no hope. I couldn¡¯t see any silver lining on the horizon. I just wish that my parents were still here. On days like these, I miss them so much.


    ¡°Are you all set?¡± Beth asked, walking in.


    I simply nod my head, and Raven does the same.


    ¡°Before you leave, I need some of your blood,¡± she says, making me frown.


    ¡°What for?¡±


    ¡°Well, to create a diversion, of course. The only way to make sure Alec stops hunting for you is to provide evidence that you¡¯re dead; that¡¯s where


    your bloodes in.¡±


    I get what she meant, but I also feel like she left out some other stuff. I wasn¡¯t going to question her, though. She¡¯d already done so much for me, and she was risking making an enemy out of Alec by just helping me.


    Without a word, I extended my hand. She fishes out a blood bag and inserts the needle into my arm. When she¡¯s gotten enough, she seals the bag and sets it aside. We waited a couple of minutes just so I could get my strength back.


    ¡°Okay, now hurry up. Every minute you spend here brings closer the chances of someone discovering you.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Raven and I pick up our bags and walk out, with Beth following us. We were going to use uncharterednd because that was the safest option. Unchartednd wasnd that was unimed. It didn¡¯t belong to any of the supernatural species.


    It takes us about an hour before we get there.

 Chapter 0020

    ?Chapter 0020


    "This is where I say goodbye." Beth tells us with tears in her eyes. "May the deities be with you."


    I smile, fighting my own tears. "The moon goddess left me long ago... but thank you for taking me in and watching over me. I owe you and Raven my life, and I''vee to love you as family."


    "Your goddess will always be with you, in mind, body and spirit, my dear."


    She hugs me, and I hug her back before she does the same with Raven.


    Thank you for all that you''ve done for me, Beth. You''ve been my family since my mother passed away." Raven sobbed, her heartache clear,


    They''ve been together for a couple of years, so it''s understandable that they would have a strong bond.


    "I love both of you and the tiny one growing inside you, Sadie," she said before facing us. "Now go. Once things are settled, I willmunicate


    She gently pushes us, and we cross the threshold. I wanted to ask how we wouldmunicate, seeing that none of us had a phone. Before I could do that, though, she''d already turned and was already walking in the opposite direction.


    "Let''s go." Raven urged me.


    It was painful, but there was no time for tears and lengthy goodbyes. If my baby and I were to survive, we needed to get moving.


    I give the ce onest look before


    turning and leaving. The future was uncertain, but I was going to do everything to survive. I was going to get strong and make sure that no one would ever hurt me again. That''s a promise. As for Alec, I hoped that he and his pack would burn in hell.


    Beth


    I had to hurry up. Time was not on my side.


    Once I made sure I was out of sight, I levitated to my house. This human body is old, and the fact that I walked Raven and Sadie to the threshold had already tired me out.


    It doesn''t take long before I get there, and when I do, I immediately set to work. I pulled out the werewolf body I had stashed in the shed.


    Don''t look at me like that. The woman was evil. Kidnapping children and torturing them to satisfy her own sick fantasies. The world is a better ce without her, and no one will miss her.


    I drain all the blood from her body before recing it with Sadie''s.


    I haven''t done this in a long time, and my power isn''t as strong as it was before. Someone close to mebound me to earth. This essentially weakened me because I wasn''t meant to stay on earth.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    She wanted to punish me and, at the same time, take my rightful ce. She did punish me, but she wasn''t able to take my ce. My throne rejected her because she wasn''t worth it. I still smile, remembering the look on her face when she realized she wouldn''t be in control. Shaking myself from those thoughts, I focused on the matter at hand.


    Using the blood Sadie gave me, I manipte it so that it integrates into the woman''s body, recing her DNA with that of Sadie. Once that''s done, I contort her body to look like Sadie''s. Her face, build, eyes, and hair color. When I''m done, she looks exactly like Sadie, and even when they perform a DNA test, it will show she''s Sadie. I release a breath and wipe my forehead. I was tired by the time I was done. I haven''t done this in millennia, and since I''m not at full power, it has drained me.


    After taking a few minutes to recover, I infuse power into the body, and it floats alongside me as I levitate. Once I get to my destination, I leave the body there for someone to find. Whoever finds it will alert Alec.


    As I left, I couldn''t help but feel sorry for Alec. He had no idea what destiny held for him or the powers that were at y. He thinks his loss of L is because of Sadie. He doesn''t realize that this is bigger than him. That this is bigger than Sadie. He doesn''t know that this is part of a centuries-old feud.


    Oh well, I can''t tell him that because that would mean changing the wheels of time and the future.


    One thing is clear, though, Sadie is the answer, and she needs to be protected at all costs.

 Chapter 0021

    Alec


    Present day


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± I asked, standing up. My mood had already lifted, and I felt much better.


    Something passed in Micah¡¯s eyes, but it was gone before I could read it.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he gritted out through clenched teeth. ¡°Someone has confirmed that it is indeed her¡±


    I remain quiet, studying my g**a. Why the hell did I sense some hostility from him? Anyway, it didn¡¯t f**g matter. Not when the woman who had caused me so much pain had been eradicated from the world.


    I hear a s**b behind me. I turn, finding Piper sobbing softly. I¡¯dpletely forgotten that she¡¯s there. That this was a dear friend we were talking about.


    ¡°Please tell me it isn¡¯t true, Micah,¡± she begs as tears silently fall down her face.


    I feel for her, but not as much as I should. I¡¯d wanted Sadie dead for her crimes against me. I¡¯d wanted her to pay for costing me my mate and the solution to my pack. For me, this was the best f**g news. I felt vindicated.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    My only **g regret is that I¡¯m not the one who got to put the b**h down. It would have been so f**g nice if I¡¯d been thest face she saw before she died.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Pip, but it¡¯s true,¡± Micah answers, his eyes downcast.


    Piper cries more, her heart breaking right in front of me. ¡°She betrayed Alec, but I didn¡¯t want her dead.¡±


    pull her into my arms and hold her as she continues crying. I felt like a f**g hypocrite. I was holding my sister while trying tofort her, yet deep down I was rejoicing that the f***g b**h is dead.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want her dead, but Alec did, and since his word isw in our world, the others jumped to fulfill it,¡± Micah snarls,pletely shocking me.


    He seemed angry, and I couldn¡¯t understand why. Sure, he wasn¡¯t among the ones that tortured Sadie, but he¡¯s my f**g G**a. He should be on my f**g side.


    With that, he turns around and stomps away.


    Pip, who¡¯d been lying on my chest, pulls away and looks at me in shock.


    ¡°What did you do, Alec?¡± she asked in a whisper.


    I don¡¯t say anything. I f**g loved my sister with all my heart. I didn¡¯t want to hurt her, and I knew that she would be hurt. Despite everything that went down, she was still attached to Sadie. Yes, she hurt her when she hurt me, but she didn¡¯t stop caring about her friend.


    ¡°What the f**k did you do?¡± she screamed.


    I grit my teeth in irritation. She was the only one who got away with shouting at me like that. If it were any other person, that **t would have earned them a good beating or a trip to the dungeons.


    Instead of answering, I turn around and storm off. I didn¡¯t need to justify my actions. I didn¡¯t need to exin myself to anyone. Sadie deserved this for ruining my chances with my mate.


    What did Pip think? That banishment would be enough after she escaped. She was na?ve and dead. wrong.


    ¡°Alec!¡± She shouts my name.


    I turned and red at her. ¡°What!¡±


    ¡°Tell me you didn¡¯t order her to be killed. Please tell me.¡± She begs, but I can¡¯t do that. I can¡¯t lie to her.


    ¡°What the hell did you expect, Pip? She cost me my mate! Was I supposed to sit back and let her enjoy her f**g life? She needed to pay.¡± I take a deep breath.


    You know me, Piper, no one, and I mean, no one crosses me and gets away with it.


    After saying that, I turn. She calls my name, but I ignore her. I walk away. I didn¡¯t want to get into it with my sister, but I also wouldn¡¯t take back my stand. Sadie betrayed me and the pack; I just made sure that Karma got to her.


    Jason? Arrange for Sadie¡¯s body to be brought back. I mid-linked my beta.

 Chapter 0022

    ¡®On it¡¯Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Sure, Micah told me she¡¯s dead, but I wanted to see her body with my own two eyes. I also wanted our pack doctor to do a DNA test. With how advanced magic is nowadays, some could have done an illusion spell on a random dead body. Only with a DNA test will i truly know that Sadie is dead.


    Going into my room, I change from my workout clothes, shower, and then change into more formal clothes. After I¡¯m done, I head downstairs, and minutester I get a mind link from Jason that Sadie¡¯sbody was at the pack mortuary.


    Heading there immediately, I don¡¯t stop or greet anyone on my way. My mind is focused on seeing for myself that she¡¯s dead.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± the mortician bows respectfully.


    I just give him a polite nod. He leads me to a table. On it, a body is covered with a white sheet. He pulls back the sheet, revealing Sadie¡¯s face.


    I expected to feel joy and satisfaction seeing her dead, but I don¡¯t. I feel absolutely f**g nothing.


    ¡°I want to know the cause of death,¡± I tell him, and he nods his head. ¡°I also want a DNA test to make


    sure it¡¯s her and also, check if she was pregnant before she died.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Alpha¡±


    He bows again, and I leave for my office here at the pack. Today I wasn¡¯t going to mypany. I had issues to settle in the pack, so I was going to be here the whole day.


    Time passes by fast as I drown myself in work. A new hospital wing needed to be built. Some houses needed to be renovated. New warriors needed to be trained.


    I got into it, using my work as an escape. I didn¡¯t want to think about L and how I would probably never get a chance with her again. I didn¡¯t want to think about the curse on my pack or the fact that I still didn¡¯t have a solution for how to break it. Hell, I didn¡¯t even know it¡¯s back story, how it came to be, or who cursed us.


    Sometimes things got overwhelming, and burying myself in work was my only escape.


    ¡°Alpha?¡±


    His voice pulls me to the present, breaking the bubble I¡¯d built around myself while I worked. I look up to find the mortician hovering near my open door.


    I nod for him, and he enters.


    ¡°What do you have for me, Ben?¡±


    ¡°Well, Sadie died from stab wounds. She had a total of fifteen stab wounds. From the force of the stabs and also how many there were, it seemed that the person who killed her hated her and wanted her dead,¡± he answers.


    I lean back in my chair. Well, that was interesting. Seems like I wasn¡¯t the only one who had beef withher.


    ¡°The DNA?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I confirmed it. It¡¯s definitely her.¡±


    Finally, justice. Knox whispers in my mind


    Ben continues. ¡°As for the pregnancy,. She wasn¡¯t pregnant at all. In fact, never at any point in her life has she ever been pregnant.¡±


    F**k. I knew it. I knew the dumb b**h was lying. She might have realized that the person who killed. her was after her, and she thought that using the pregnancy excuse, she would trap me into allowing her back into thefort and safety of the pack. What a b**h!


    ¡°Is that all?¡± I asked him, and he nodded.


    ¡°Very well then, you¡¯re dismissed.¡±


    He leaves, and I¡¯m left alone in my office.


    ¡®Jason, Micah, I wanted the guy that drugged me found. I don¡¯t care what resources you have to employ to find him, as long as he¡¯s found. Am I clear?¡¯ I tell them through our link.


    ¡®Crystal¡¯ Jason replies first.


    ¡®dly,¡¯ Micah says with a dangerous tone.


    Now that Sadie was gone, I could focus on my pack and the other guy that was involved in this mess. I will get the truth from him and then he¡¯ll face the same fate as Sadie. Death.

 Chapter 0023

    Chapter 0023


    Piper.


    I wandered around the pack aimlessly. I feel lost. So lost. It feels like a part of me is missing. I¡¯ve known Sadie since we were little girls. She¡¯s been my best friend, my confidant, and my sister.


    I never expected her to betray me by going after Alec. I was hurt and angry at her, but I never wished her any harm. I never wanted her dead. I know you¡¯re probably scoffing at me right now because you think I¡¯m a hypocrite, and maybe I am..


    After all, when she was locked in the dungeon, I used to hear her screams. I heard her begging for mercy. Begging them to stop. At that time, I was so mad at her and felt so betrayed that I fooled myself into believing that she deserved it. That she needed to be punished before she could be redeemed.


    Now she¡¯s dead, and I feel like I¡¯ve lost a part of my soul.


    When I was informed that she¡¯d escaped, I felt pissed off at her audacity and her cowardly move, but at bigger part of me was d. That part was happy that she was able to free herself, something I didn¡¯t have the guts to do for her.


    My mind is consumed with bitterness towards myself. I can¡¯t stop the tears from falling down my face or the gasps of sorrow that leave my mouth.


    I fall down on the grass, not caring about the stabbing pain I feel in my knees. This is less than i deserve for abandoning her. Yes, she made a mistake, but I should have been there for her. Everyone turned their backs on her, and I can only imagine how broken she was.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    We were supposed to stick together. To have one another¡¯s back despite the foolish thing the other did. That is a promise we made to each other, yet I broke mine. The worst thing. The thing that guts me to the core is knowing that if the situations were switched, Sadie would have stuck by me o despite being guilty.


    I can¡¯t control the gut¨Cwrenching sobs that areing from deep inside. I feel like I¡¯m being ripped. I feel like I¡¯m being torn from the inside out. I grasp my chest in a failed attempt to stop the painful aching that is destroying me.


    Arms wrap around me, but they do nothing tofort me. Alec¡¯s familiar scent envelops me, but it does nothing to erase my tears or calm down the violent waves that are crashing against me.


    I should have been there for her. Despite being guilty, I should have stayed by her side. Now she was dead, and it was toote.


    ¡°Let it out, Buttercup,¡± he whispered, and I can¡¯t hold it back anymore.


    I scream, and secondster, my screams turn into a howl of pain and loss. Another reminder of all that I¡¯ve lost.


    I was one year older than Sadie. She was there on the day that I shifted. Both she and Alec were. My wolf was scared, but they were able to calm her down. Ash immediately took a liking to Sadie, and she was counting the days till she met her wolf. I screwed that up. She¡¯s been pissed at me for refusing to believe that Sadie nned everything, despite every piece of evidence saying she did.


    Soon, my tears run out, and I¡¯m left hupping Alec helps me up and leads me towards a nearby bench.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± he asked, his eyes searching mine. I probably looked hideous right now, but I didn¡¯t care.


    Alec was the best big brother anyone could ask for. Despite this, I also know that he is feared. That there are others who call him a beast or a monster. No one except for me, myte parents, and L knows that he actually has a soft side.


    I know my brother well, so I know he has a vengeful side. No one crosses him and remains breathing. I should have known that he wouldn¡¯t have left Sadie alone. Hindsight is a bitch like that.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever feel better,¡± I murmured, leaning my head against his shoulder.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he finally says, but I don¡¯t reply.


    He¡¯s not sorry that Sadie is dead or that he¡¯s the reason she is; he¡¯s just sorry that her death affected me emotionally.

 Chapter 0024

    ?Chapter 0024


    We remain quiet, his warmth enveloping me, bringing a sense offort and peace. I could also feel Knoxforting Ash. Just like with Alec, Knox hated Sadie, but he loved his sister and would do anything tofort her. "Is it okay if I bury her near her parents?" I asked him tiredly. "I know she''d love that."


    I feel the moment he tenses. "No. After what she did, she


    doesn''t deserve to be buried next to them. Her parents were good people. She was a conniving, shameless bitch."


    My eyes started tearing up. Fuck! I thought I''d cried enough.


    "Please," I begged him, wiping away my tears with trembling hands. "I need this. I need to send her off."


    His eyes were burning, and his jaws were clenched. He was pissed that I would ask him this, if it were up to him, Sadie''s body would have been thrown out and left to be eaten by wild animals. I couldn''t have


    "Fine" he sighs in defeat. "But make sure it''s done before evening"


    "Thank you, Alec," I told him, kissing his cheek before standing up. I had a lot to do.


    It doesn''t really take me long to prepare everything. In four hours, I had her grave dug and a casket ready. Despite what people believe, werewolves aren''t savages. We bury our own, just like humans. There are others who cremate, but that''s a personal decision.


    I watched in silence as two new pack members helped me carry the casket to the location. They were the only ones who weren''t busy and who didn''t know Sadie or what went down.


    I knew Alec wouldn''te, and that was fine with me. Sadie did do a lot of damage to him. Unless the moon goddess decides to bless him


    with a second chance mate, he will either remain mateless or have to take a chosen one, which isn''t the same as a fated one. They wouldn''t have a bond blessed by the goddess,


    When we get to the location, I start saying the send off prayer. It was a prayer to the goddess to guide and protect Sadie''s soul until she reached her final resting ce.


    I was just opening my eyes when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned in shock to find packmates. gathered behind me.


    "What are you doing here?" Lasked them, my voice growing cold with each word.


    I didn''t mean to leak my aura, but it happened, and they cowered before him. I was the daughter of an Alpha; I was powerful and higher in rank than them. The only ones who were above me were Alec, Jason, and Micah. "Miss Piper, we are here to pay our respects. We heard Sadie died," one of them said timidly.


    This pisses me off and sends me over the edge.


    "How fucking dare you?" I yelled,/my anger and pain rising to the surface. "You want to pay your respects? Aren''t you the ones who shunned her? Weren''t you the ones


    who fucking joined in her torture? Weren''t you the same fucking people who rejoiced and threw a fucking celebration when she was banished? And now you want to pretend that you fucking care for her?"


    One of them tries to speak, but I cut them off.


    "I suggest you leave before I forget you''re my fucking pack and tear you into fucking pieces!"


    They stood there shocked, but no one moved.


    "Didn''t you fucking hear me? I told you to leave!" This time, I infuse mymand with my aura, forcing them to cower and then to flee.


    It''s only after they left that I calmed down just a little bit. I asked the two remaining men to lower the casket and bury Sadie..


    "You''re a hypocrite, you know that?" Ash asked with a sneer. "You also shunned her. If we are to go by that, then you also shouldn''t be here."


    I just sighed tiredly while trying to keep my tears away. "I know."Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    She''s right. I should have been there for her, and I''m so fucking sorry that I wasn''t


    Wherever her soul is, I hope she''ll one day forgive me for not sticking by her side.

 Chapter 0025

    Alec


    I stared at the pages in the book, but nothing made any sense. For me, it¡¯s nothing but a blur of texts. and words that don¡¯t really give me a f**g idea about what I¡¯m dealing with.


    ¡°So we still have nothing?¡± I asked as I stared at my beta and **a.


    For **g years, that s**d curse has been a thorn in my side. My father knew nothing of it, only what his father and the elders told him. The only one who could shed light on it-on what led to it or if there was a way to break it-was my great-grandfather, and he was long dead.


    My grandfather said that the curse was ced on us when his father was still Alpha of the pack. Unfortunately, when the curse was ced, he was still a baby, about a year or so old. So, of course, he didn¡¯t really know what went down, who cursed us, or why they did.


    The burden was ced on him after he became Alpha and my great-grandfather had died. Then the burden was transferred to my dad and then to me. The burden of breaking this curse was a curse in itself, a burden that has been transferred from son to son for three generations and at this point I¡¯m starting to think it will end with me-not that I¡¯d be breaking it, but that my whole pack would be wiped out before the burden fell to my son.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Micah answered, pulling me back to the present. ¡°We still don¡¯t know how the whole thing started or why anyone would curse us¡±


    I stood up from my seat and moved to the window that oversaw the lush fields of my pack. Pack members were all about doing their thing. Children were ying, teenagers messing around, warriors were training and the others who didn¡¯t work within pack borders were just rxing.


    My hands ball into fists. It wasn¡¯t f**g fair that we would all die if I couldn¡¯t break the d*n c*urse. All the kids, at least the few we had, wouldn¡¯t get to live to adulthood, and the same fate awaited the teens.


    I couldn¡¯t let that happen. I couldn¡¯t f**g allow that. We deserved better than to die at the hands of a gue no one understood.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°What do we have so far?¡± I asked, turning away from the window, more determined than ever.


    We were in my office in the pack house. I took my seat again and focused on Jason and Micah. No one else knew about the curse except for the three of us and the elders. We decided to keep it quiet to avoid panic and words unintentionallynding in the wrong hands.


    ¡°It was ced during your great granddad¡¯s time as alpha. No one knows much about it except that we are expected to start weakening physically, our sense diminishing and losing our wolves. Eventually we will die, either because we¡¯ll be too weak for our bodies to function or other packs will notice our weakness and attack,¡± Jason answered, his eyes expressing the worry and fear of what¡¯s toe.


    It was already happening. We haven¡¯t had a birth in a decade. The youngest child is eight years old. There is also the fact that we¡¯ve noticed how more and more pack members are easily getting sick and dying. Some warriors aren¡¯t as strong as they used to be. We also have a few members who have lost their wolves already and are nothing but a shadow of their former selver


    Of course, pack member have noticed these strange things, but no one so far has connected the pieces. No one has realized that these things are connected. The elders have encouraged them to pray to the goddess for favor and that¡¯s what they¡¯ve been fervently doing


    if things continue to get worse, we¡¯ll have to tell them the d**n truth.


    ¡°We also know the prophecy that your mate was meant to break the curse, but then shit happened. and L rejected you,¡± Micah added, his eyes pointedly staring at me in an usatory manner.


    Ired at him, trying to ignore the pain that shed through my chest at the reminder. I still hadn¡¯t gotten over the rejection, and I doubt I¡¯ll ever get over L.

 Chapter 0026

    Micah continued as if he didn¡¯t just tear my f**g heart with the mention of L¡¯s name. ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange, though? The prophecy was clear; then howe in the few months you were with her, her presence here didn¡¯t improve anything?¡±


    I get what he was saying, but that was not possible. Micah, for some reason, had never liked L, and she, of course, never liked him back.


    ¡°Are you trying to imply something?¡± I growled, not liking his tone of voice or what he was insinuating.


    He raises his arms in the air and gives me a sardonic smile. ¡°Nope,¡±


    ¡°Have you tried talking to her?¡± Jason cuts in. ¡°Maybe you can talk her into helping even though you two aren¡¯t together.¡±


    Sighing, I stand up and start pacing. ¡°I tried, but I can¡¯t find her. Apparently she moved after she rejected me. No one has seen her since.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. I get her need to escape the heartache,¡± Jason muttered with an understanding look while Micah just scoffed.


    His attitude makes me want to pummel the idiot into a **dy pulp. I was about to do exactly thatwhen there was a knock on my office door. I sniffed the air, and my nose immediately picked up Piper¡¯s scent.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    I¡¯m not worried that she would have listened in. The office was soundproof for obvious reasons.


    I crossed the short distance and opened the door. I was immediately tense after seeing her red and swollen eyes.


    ¡°What is it, Buttercup?¡± I asked, pulling her into my arms and shutting the door.


    I walked her to the couch and sat her down. A few minutester, she stands up and starts pacing, wearing the carpeted floor. She seemed tense and agitated, and she doesn¡¯t look like her normal, put- together self.


    It¡¯s been a week since she buried that traitorous b***h, and something seems off with her.


    ¡°Piper?¡±


    She turned those bloodshot eyes toward me. ¡°I want to leave the pack.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± I stood up and fired. ¡°I am not going to allow my little sister, the only family I have, to leave the f**g pack. It¡¯s f**g dangerous out there on your own.¡±


    Her eyes immediately shut down. ¡°I wasn¡¯t really asking.¡±


    ¡°Neither was I. You aren¡¯t leaving, and that¡¯s a f**gmand.¡±


    She copsed to the ground, crying, and it took me a second to realize what had happened. I rush to her and pick her up, her s**bs tearing at my heart and soul.


    ¡°Please, Alec,¡± she pleaded, clutching my shirt, her voice broken and tears falling down her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here. She¡¯s everywhere. In every nook and cranny. I can¡¯t get her out of my head or get over the guilt I feel. She was my best friend since we were both in diapers; ny percent of my memories have her. I just don¡¯t know how to deal now that she¡¯s gone. This entire ce reminds me of her and the ns we made.¡±


    Her pain hurts me, but I am torn. I don¡¯t feel an ounce of pity that the woman who destroyed me is dead, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t feel sorry for the f**g pain my sister is in.


    ¡°Please, Alec. I just need time away. Everything is still so fresh, and everything here reminds me of Sadie.¡±


    F**k. I am torn. I don¡¯t want her to leave, but I also understand what she means. If I didn¡¯t have a duty to my pack andpany, I would have left because this ce also contains memories of L, and it always kills me knowing I have nothing but the memories of her.


    Someone cleared their throat, and it¡¯s only then that I realized that Jason and Micah were still in the room.


    ¡°Okay. Fine¡± I concede.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she mumbled over and over against my chest.


    I held her close and rubbed her back infort, trying to push down the resistance and restlessness! felt at her leaving.

 Chapter 0027

    Sadie


    So many times I wanted to turn back, but I couldn¡¯t. It took Raven¡¯s encouragement and push to keep me going.


    I was still having a hard time letting go of everything I¡¯d known. Damn, I¡¯ve never been out of our city, yet here I was traveling to ces unknown. Somewhere far away, where I didn¡¯t know anyone except for Raven.


    My heart bleeds, and I get angry every d**n time I remember all the things Alec has put me through. All the things he¡¯s taken from me. I¡¯ve never hated anyone as much as I hate him right now. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he rejected his own flesh and blood. Who the f**k does that?


    I get his hate towards me, but what does he have against an innocent child? My baby did nothing wrong, despite what Alec and his stupid pack believed, yet he was ready to kill us both. What and utter bastard.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Raven asks, her eyes shifting from my face to my clenched hands.


    I breathed in and then out, trying to cool down the anger that was burning inside me.


    ¡°I will be.¡± I growled in anger and bitterness.


    I needed to do better. I needed to get my emotions in check. The anger and bitterness and the overload of emotions I was feeling weren¡¯t good for my baby. Thest thing I wanted was to put stress on my child.


    I needed to get myself in check because when I got the opportunity to visit a clinic, I wanted nothing. but good news concerning my baby¡¯s health.


    ¡°Want to talk about it?¡±


    I stopped and looked at her. So far, we¡¯ve been keeping to the dense, unimed forests. It was rare for werewolves to wander into such areas so that was our safest bet. We¡¯ve been lucky so far. We have yet to encounter any rogues, so I¡¯m grateful for that.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I couldn¡¯t fight since, when I was in the pack, I didn¡¯t need to know how to. I had always nned to start training when I reached twenty-one, but because of my circumstances, there will be a bit of a change of ns.


    Rave is powerful, but I couldn¡¯t expect her to fight everyone who brings trouble to us on her own. With that in mind, I decided that I¡¯d start training immediately after I gave birth. I needed to be able todefend me and my baby.


    She shook me gently, bringing me back to the present.


    I started walking again, and she fell in step right next to me. ¡°I¡¯m just angry and bitter. Sometimes I feel like those two emotions are consuming me. Burning me from the inside out.¡±


    ¡°You know hate and bitterness are a lethalbination. I¡¯m not telling you to forget, but I am asking you to control it for your own sake and that of your baby.¡±


    I sighed in frustration, needing to hit something or someone. ¡°That is easier said than done.¡±


    She was quiet for a while. ¡°Do you have any idea of who might have framed you and why?¡±


    We¡¯ve been travelling for almost a week now. During that week, she told me about herself, and I told her about me and what happened.


    ¡°That¡¯s the other thing that f**g frustrates me.¡± I grumbled; the need to stamp my feet on the ground like a child was almost overwhelming. ¡°I have no idea who could have done it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? There has to be at least one person you suspect.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t,¡± I breathed out. ¡°I was well liked.I didn¡¯t have any enemies. I¡¯ve never offended anyone and I always made sure I was at peace with everyone and would go out of my way to be kind. Of course, there were a few mean people who didn¡¯t like me, but that¡¯s that. Come to think of it, maybel wasn¡¯t as well liked as I thought, and other pack members just trated me because I was best. friends with the Alpha¡¯s sister.¡±


    We are both quiet after that, both of us lost in our own thoughts. It just didn¡¯t make sense, you know? I¡¯m just an orphan girl, so why would someone set me up like that? Why would he or she want to destroy my life in such a wicked manner?


    ¡°What if you weren¡¯t the one they were after?¡± Raven asked after a while, making me turn to her.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Think about it, Alec is a powerful alpha with one of thergest territories known to packs, so if they wanted to take him down and weaken him, the best way to do that would be to get his mate to reject him, and what better way to do that than to pay someone to drug him so he¡¯d end up with another she-wolf and then make sure they got caught?¡±


    I paused and thought about it. It did make sense. I mean, for years, other alphas have been trying to bring down Alec ever since he took his ce as an alpha.


    Everyone knows that when your fated mate rejects you, you weaken because the bond created by the goddess dies, and I can see how Alec¡¯s enemies might use this to their advantage, but it still didn¡¯t make sense why I was drugged too. They could have easily paid a desperate bimbo to do the work for them.


    ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying, but deep down, I feel like there¡¯s something more. Like there is something I¡¯m missing. I just can¡¯t put a finger on what exactly it is, but I¡¯m sure that Alec wasn¡¯t the only target.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡± she asks curiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s hard to exin.¡± And it really was.


    I could barely make sense of it on my own, so how could I exin it to Raven? What I know is what I feel and what I feel is that there is something more to this whole thing.


    Something or someone bigger and deadlier was pulling the strings. I just didn¡¯t yet understand what my part in this was.

 Chapter 0028

    ¡°I think we should make camp here,¡± Raven told me after we¡¯d walked for a while. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark and you look pretty tired.¡±


    I sighed in agreement. ¡°Yes please¡±


    She was right. My feet were killing me, and I was pretty worn out. What I wanted right now was to have something to eat and then sleep. I heard pregnant she-wolves at the pack hospital where I was volunteeringin about how they were always tired, but I always thought that they may have been exaggerating.


    When I¡¯m not gued by my thoughts or what I have been through in the past few months, I have two extremes. Either I am hungry or really tired, and sometimes both.


    I always knew that I wanted the whole fairytale kind of happiness. A mate and a whole bunch of pups. The bigger part of my fairytale consisted of Alec being my mate and the father of my children. I used to see it so clearly that I could almost taste it.


    Who would have thought that things would have turned out this way? That things would turn out so sour. Alec didn¡¯t turn out to be my mate, and I didn¡¯t get the fairytale happy ending I was wishing for. Instead, he turned out to be a monster, and my fantasies turned into nightmares. Alec is the father of my child, so that part turned out to be like my dreams. I wish I could change that fact, though, but unfortunately I can¡¯t.


    ¡°Sadie, are you listening to me?¡± Raven shook me a little, pulling me out of my thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I tuned you out.¡±


    She shook her head before folding her hands under her ribs. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing that a lottely. Do you know how dangerous that is? You could get attacked while lost in thought and you wouldn¡¯t realize it until it was toote.¡±


    I let out a breath before finding a log and sitting on it. ¡°In my defense, these past few months have been a rollercoaster that I¡¯m still finding it hard toe to terms with and get over.¡±


    I mean, how am I supposed to deal with the fact that the father of my baby wants me dead? Or that someone could potentially have it out for me, and that¡¯s why they staged everything that led to the destruction of my life?


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it again!¡± she snapped


    ¡°Sorry¡±


    ¡°Just pay attention, will you? Remember, you have a baby that depends on you. If something happens to you, your child will be affected too.¡±


    I slumped against a tree that was behind me tiredly. She was right. I couldn¡¯t be careless about my safety when I was pregnant. Instead of answering verbally, I just nodded my head.


    She nodded back, acknowledging my agreement, before turning around.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± I asked her.


    need firewood, so that¡¯s what I¡¯m going to get.¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Once again, I nodded and watched as she left. I would have helped, but I was too tired.


    The moment she was out of sight, I stood up and began unpacking our stuff. It was the least I could do after all she¡¯s doing. Even as I unpacked our things, thoughts of what we¡¯d discussed earlier invadedmy mind.


    Nothing really made sense. I mean, was I really just the unlucky victim of whoever was trying to weaken Alec, or was I chosen for a specific reason? Could there be something more behind the whole thing, and howe they still haven¡¯t found the waiter?


    Thest time I was in the cells before He helped me escape, Jason had told me that they had yet to find the bartender that served us the drinks.


    Sighing, I throw the sleeping bag in anger. To some extent, I get Alec¡¯s anger towards me. Any normal wolf would have done the same if they¡¯d lost their mate because of someone¡¯s devious n. I get his anger at losing L, at his heartbreak, and at his bitterness.


    What I can never ept or forgive is his one-sided mind. They took one look at all the evidence pointing at me and believed that I was behind it. He didn¡¯t investigate further. He didn¡¯t try to look at it from another angle. He didn¡¯t even think for one second that maybe someone else had nned everything. That was just something I could never get over. That and how he punished me for it.


    I dropped the bag that had some of our stuff and just began kicking it. I was angry and bitter, and the emotions felt like they were drowning me. I imagined it was Alec¡¯s face I was hitting over and over because it would be so satisfactory if it were.


    ¡°What do we have here?¡± A creepy voice made me freeze my assault on the defenseless bag.


    My heart started beating fiercely as fear encased me. My run in with the rogues and the vampire was still fresh in my mind. For the millionth time, I cursed Alec to the moon and back. If he¡¯d only had the sense to look at things from a different angle, then I wouldn¡¯t be here. Everything that was happening was that **n b***rd¡¯s fault.


    I slowly turned and stared behind me. I¡¯m surprised to find a woman. She had this creepy smile and her eyes were a mix of bright red and ck. I tried to sniff her, but my senses weren¡¯t that sharp, and ! couldn¡¯t get anything from her.


    We stared at each other. Me in fear and her with curiosity.


    My fear escted when her smile tumed sinister and her eyes widened in excitement.


    Oh my, I recognize you,¡± she states as she starts approaching me. ¡°Everyone thinks you¡¯re dead but you¡¯re not. Imagine how happy Alpha Alec will be when I deliver you to him.¡±


    Without warning, she charged at me with an rming speed that knocked me hard to the ground.


    F**k, that hurt, but more importantly, I couldn¡¯t let her take me. I couldn¡¯t let her take me back to Alec, because it would be game over for both me and my baby.

 Chapter 0029

    I really should have started training when Piper did. In my defense, I thought I had time. Never did I imagine that I¡¯d find myself in such a situation. I was fighting for mine and my baby¡¯s lives.


    I dodged yet another attack, but I don¡¯t know how long I could keep this up. My n was to keep dodging until Raven got back. With her powers, she could easily take the woman down.


    ¡°Will you stay still?¡± she snarled at me, and I just scoffed


    Was she stupid? Stay still so that she can capture me. Over my damn dead body.


    I don¡¯t know what Beth had done when she told us not to worry about Alecing after us, seemed like she¡¯d somehow convinced everyone that I was dead.


    If this woman is able to catch me and take me back to Alec, I know there will be hell to pay. First of all, because of what he believed I did, and second, because he¡¯ll take it personally that he was tricked and fell for it.


    ¡°Can we just please talk about this?¡± I asked her in desperation.


    I was getting really tired. Leaning against a tree, a few distance from her, I try to catch my breath. This whole thing reminded me of the Tom and J**y cartoon.


    ¡°There is nothing to f**g talk about,¡± she responded with a menacing and cold voice. ¡°Do you realize how much money I can bag when I capture you and take you back to Alpha Alec? Not only will I be rewarded, but I¡¯ll be praised for capturing a traitor who faked her own death.¡±


    I looked at her, puzzled. ¡°I didn¡¯t fake my death; as you can clearly see, I¡¯m alive.¡±


    What the hell was she talking about? How would I fake my death? It just wasn¡¯t possible. The only way that would be possible is if someone found a burned body and somehow Beth managed to convince them it¡¯s me.


    Even then, knowing Alec, he would demand a DNA test be done, unless the body was burned to ash, which I still doubt Alec would easily believe it¡¯s me without proof.


    ¡°Yes, you did.¡± Her voice pulled me back to the present. ¡°They found your body, tortured, and the throat slit.¡±


    That couldn¡¯t be right. I am right here, so how the hell is it possible that they found my dead body?


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± I mumbled to myself, still unable to make sense of things.


    Something wasn¡¯t adding up, What had Beth done? And if the were the one responsible, which I firmly) believe she is, what is the extent of her power to be able to manipte a body to look like mez Did she use an illusion spell or some other type of magic?


    Before I can get my head wrapped around everything, the woman attacks me again.


    ¡°Enough chit-chat, it doesn¡¯t matter what¡¯s possible or not; what matters is the reward I¡¯ll get when! bring you to the Alpha.¡±


    My brain was a bit slow, so when she attacked me, my guard was down. I tried running, but she kicked me in the back, which sent me flying. I hit a tree before crumbling to the ground.


    Trying to get up was a fit. My body f**g ached, and the pain was immeasurable. For a second, I saw stars. I wrapped my hand protectively around my belly, hopping against all hopes that my baby would be fine.


    I struggled to get up, but before I get the chance, she¡¯s on me. She flipped me, with my back to the ground, as she snarled at me, baring her sharp teeth.


    I tried to use my hands to stop her, but it did no good when her fangs sank into my wrist. I screamed in pain, because, damn, being bitten is f**g painful. She stopped for a few seconds before staring at me with glowing red eyes.


    ¡°What are you?¡± she asked, her head tipped to the side in curiosity.


    It was the same damn question the other vampire that attacked me asked. Idon¡¯t get a chance to think that much into it because she resumes sucking. It felt like she was tearing my hand apart.


    Using my other hand, I searched for anything I could grab. Anything I could use as a weapon. She had her eyes closed, like she was relishing each drop of my blood. I knew deep down that if I didn¡¯t do something, she wasn¡¯t going to stop until there wasn¡¯t any blood left inside me. I couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    My hands grabbed onto a rock. It was a bit heavy, but I managed to lift it. Since she had her eyes closed, she didn¡¯t see the attacking. Hitting her on the side of the head as hard as I can, she lets go of me and falls.


    I don¡¯t give her time to recover. Adrenaline pumped into me when I got on top of her, and I continued hitting her over and over again until she wasn¡¯t moving anymore. By the time she was still, my hands were covered in blood and her head had beenpletely bashed in.


    Taking deep, quick breaths, I tried calming my racing heart. Once I¡¯ve made sure she¡¯s dead, I get off her and copse on the ground next to her..


    I¡¯d just gotten my heart rate to go down when I heard a rustle and then slow hand ps, I looked up to find a man who seemed to be a few years older than me, staring at the dead woman before turning his deadly green eyes towards me.


    He looked scary, especially with the scar that ran from his right eye to his cheek bone. He¡¯s looked like someone you don¡¯t want to mess with.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Seriously? Can¡¯t I get a f**g break.

 Chapter 0030

    ¡°Who the fuck are you?¡± I asked, scrambling back until my back hits a tree.


    My heart was racing, <span style="disy:none">and my whole body was trembling. I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe as the weight of what I¡¯d done suddenly hit me like a ton of bricks.


    I know she wasn¡¯t a good person, but she was still a person, and I had killed her. I¡¯ve never killed before. Never hurt anyone intentionally, and now here I am, a murderer with blood on my hands.


    ¡°I was about to ask you the same thing,¡± he answered, but for some reason, his words just don¡¯t register in my head.


    He started walking towards me, and I scrambled further back, even though there wasn¡¯t anywhere else to go.


    ¡°Stay back. Don¡¯te nearer,¡± I shouted at him, pushing my hands in front of me in an effort to wade him off.


    My gaze got caught by the blood on my hands, which was now drying. Everything in me froze as I¡¯m unable to tear my eyes from my bloodied hands. It was proof that I was indeed a killer. A cold, heartless killer.


    A sob teared its way from my lips as the whole magnitude of my actions crashes into me. I had killed someone. I¡¯d killed another supernatural. I¡¯d taken someone¡¯s life.


    But I was protecting myself, I was protecting my unborn pup. It was self-defense. It was either me or her. If I hadn¡¯t done it, then she would have killed me. The way she was drinking my blood, she would have ended up draining me dry.


    I tried to reason. Tried to reassure myself, but it does nothing. The guilt was there. Maybe I could have incapacitated her. I should have left her after the first blow to her head, but instead I kept going, ramming her head with the stone over and over until she died.


    I¡¯m a mess, and I can¡¯t stop my body from shaking. I can¡¯t stop my hands from trembling.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay.¡± His face appears before me, but it¡¯s distorted because of my tears. ¡°You¡¯re okay¡±


    ¡°I killed her. I¡¯m a murderer.¡± I couldn¡¯t breathe. Trying to get air into my lungs was difficult, and I felt like there was this crashing weight on my chest.


    ¡°Look at me. Breathe. Just breathe.¡±


    He forced me to look at him, and guided me. At first, nothing happens, but minutester, I start to mimic his actions. It takes a while, but soon I start breathing again and rxing.


    When I¡¯m calmer, he released my face and just stared at me


    ¡°First kill?¡± he asked, his intense brown eyes piercing my own.


    I nod, unable to form words yet.


    He stood up and looked at the body of the dead woman. Before I can react or anything, he takes out an axe I had not noticed and severs her head.


    I¡¯m rooted in shock just as Raven breaks through the clearing


    ¡°What the hell?¡± She shoutsed, dropping the firewood she¡¯d collected.


    She rushed to me, examining me all over. ¡°Are you okay? Did he hurt you?¡±


    I shake my head as the strange man turns to us. ¡°Now she¡¯s truly dead.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Raven asked him.


    *Kingsley, but you can call me King


    Now that I¡¯m calmer, my fear of him fades. I don¡¯t know


    yor how to exin it, but deep inside, I


    had the feeling that he wasn¡¯t here to hurt us. That, we weren¡¯t his target.


    ¡°I¡¯m Raven and this Sadie,¡± Rave introduced us, probably sensing the same thing I did.


    She gave me a side look, and I just know. One of the other gifts that Raven has is the ability to sense whether a person is malicious or not. She could read a person¡¯s energy, so the fact that she was willingly giving out our names meant that we could trust him.


    King nodded, and we watched as he dragged the body and a distance away. Once that¡¯s done, he picked up the firewood that Raven had dropped, arranged it, and lit the fire.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    As the fire started, he faced us and asked, ¡°So, what is your story?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Raven retorted.


    ¡°I mean, what are two girls doing out here in an unimednd all by themselves instead of being in their pack and coven?¡±


    He was good; I gotta give him that. He was able to sessfully tell our species. Not many can do that. Even with vampires, who, folklore states that they look pale or some shit like that. Unless each species is in its natural state, you cannot really tell us apart from humans.<span style="disy:none">

 Chapter 0031

    We can sense If a person is supernatural, but we can¡¯t easily tell which species they are exactly


    ¡°We are banished,¡± I simply said, gauging his reaction.


    He just shrugs like it¡¯s nothing.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t bother you that we are banished?¡± Rave asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Not really. I¡¯m a lone wolf, and I¡¯ve met some pretty awesome people. I know that not everyone who¡¯s been banished is evil. Unless you¡¯re a rogue, then there may be some good in you.¡±


    So he¡¯s like me, a wolf. That¡¯s almostforting.


    We were quiet for a moment as we let his words sink in. Raven uses the opportunity to chant some spells. Secondster, I the wound on my writs heald. I sighed in tiredness as I began to crash from the adrenalin withdrawal.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to thank you for making my work easy, Sadie.¡± King interrupts the silence. ¡°But with her kind, you have to sever their heads or they may juste back.¡±


    Raven turns to me with a look of surprise. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the one that did all that damage?¡±


    I nodded my head as I run my shaking hand through my hair. ¡°Yeah. She recognized me and wanted to take me back to him. I couldn¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    Her eyes turned soft in understanding. Yes, I got a good feeling about Kingsley, but I couldn¡¯t fully trust him yet. He was still a stranger.


    ¡°What did you mean about her kind?¡± I turned to him. ¡°I thought she was a vampire.¡±


    ¡°She isn¡¯t. She¡¯s a hybrid, and I¡¯ve been hunting her for a few days now,¡± he answered.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Hybrids don¡¯t exist. We can only procreate with our own species,¡± I rushed to say.


    Sure, sex is possible between all four species, but not conception. A werewolf can¡¯t conceive with any of the other species, and the same goes for the others. What he was saying was beyond impossible. It was in the realm of dreams.


    ¡°She¡¯s a vampire-werewolf hybrid, so it¡¯s possible, especially with the help of something really powerful,¡± King calmly answered.


    My world is blown away by this news. No wonder she was really strong. I don¡¯t even know how I defeated her if that¡¯s the case.


    ¡°Dark magic,¡± Raven whispered.


    ¡°No.¡± he simply says. ¡°This is something more powerful than dark magic. Yes, dark magic is strong. but the magic coursing through her is different. It¡¯s powerful and ancient. Someone is turning people into hybrids, and they¡¯ve been popping up everywhere. I don¡¯t know if the council knows this yet, but something tells me that this is bigger than anything anyone can imagine.¡±


    ¡°What could be more powerful than dark magic? It¡¯s the reason it¡¯s forbidden because, apart from corrupting one¡¯s soul, no one has ever been strong enough to contain it.¡±


    Raven had a valid point. We were told stories of one or two witches who practiced dark magic. They ended up dead because their bodies were too weak to contain it. The powers ended up destroying them from the inside out until there was nothing left in them.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s hard to exin it, but I just know. It¡¯s why I¡¯ve been hunting hybrids and killing them. Most of these hybrids are evil, but I also wanted to know what kind of magic is being used and, more importantly, why someone is turning them.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Now more than ever, I needed to do something about my training. If King is right and going by how strong and vicious the woman was, then I needed to be able to defend me and my baby.


    I sat there and listened to the crickets. Lost in my own thoughts, the question the dead hybrid asked continued to ring in my head.


    What are you?


    push the thought away, not really ready to probe into why two vampires asked me the same question after tasting my blood.


    My focus now is on being able to protect those I love, and that means I have to ept that that may just include killing in order to survive.

 Chapter 0032

    There wasn¡¯t much to talk about after everything poured out of King. After our conversation, Raven invited him for dinner. I wasn¡¯t in any position to help, so King and Raven took care of everything.


    After having our meal, I went straight to sleep. My body was tired and wired at the same time. I want to say that I had a peaceful sleep, but I didn¡¯t. My brain couldn¡¯t shut down, no matter how hard! tried. I was still awake long after Kingsley and Raven fell asleep.


    Waking up slowly so as not to wake them up, I got out of my sleeping bag and wandered around. I was the rest it surely deserved. I so fucking tired and sleepy, yet my damn mind refused to let my body get felt frustrated and bitter.


    Pushing my tears back, I spotted a big boulder, and I went and sat on it. The moon was out today, and seeing it just made me angrier.


    Why me, moon goddess? First, you take away my parents depriving me of the chance to get to know them and be loved by them. As if that wasn¡¯t enough for you, you let all that happened to me happen. Why? If you¡¯re so caring and love your children, then why let all this happen to me?


    Of course, there wasn¡¯t any answer from her, and that just made me more bitter. She took away life I had built, the people I love, and my dignity, yet she doesn¡¯t have the guts to tell me why.


    When we were younger, we were taught to always trust and believe in the moon goddess. We were taught not to question her and to just trust that she does everything for our good. I used to trust her, and I used to believe that there¡¯s always a silver lining because the goddess had everything under control.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Now my trust is broken, and my eyes are opened. The faith and love I had for her slowly faded in the months that my life turned to shit. We were supposed to trust her no matter what, but how could I when I was fucking tortured by the very man I was in love with?


    How could I continue to trust her after Alec banished me? Ordered my death and almost killed my unborn child? How could I continue to blindly trust her when she turned my life upside down?


    I touched the scar on my cheek, remembering the day Alec put it there. The day he branded me. It will always be a reminder of what I went through at the hands of his and that of his pack. Sighing, I got up and walked back to our little camp. I lie down and close my eyes, I didn¡¯t expect it, but finally my body shuts down.


    ¡°Wake up, Sadie. We need to leave.¡±


    Raven¡¯s voice pulled me from my steep. I rested, but it wasn¡¯t a peaceful sleep. My dreams were a nightmare, reliving my time in the dungeon and when I killed the hybrid yesterday


    When i was in the pack, I knew that one day I would need to defend myself, but I never once believed in killing 1 thought it was merciless and uncalled for. I told myself that i would never take a life, if ever I was in danger, I¡¯d weaken them, but not kill them.


    I broke that promise yesterday. They made me break that promise. Alec made me break a promise to myself, and that¡¯s something else I won¡¯t ever forgive him for.


    1 got up, and Raven handed me a cup of steaming tea and bread. Surprisingly, King was still here.


    ¡°I thought you would¡¯ve left by now,¡± I told him, sipping theforting tea.


    He sighed. ¡°I thought so too, but for some reason I can¡¯t.¡±

 Chapter 0033

    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t? No one is stopping you from leaving: just stand up and leave. It¡¯s that simple.¡± That came from Raven, who was drinking her coffee as usual.


    I loved coffee; it was my fucking lifeline, but since we learned I was pregnant, Raven has limited the amount I take.


    His things were already packed, but he was seated, and he looked mighty frustrated.


    ¡°I was going to leave, I¡¯d even gotten my things and was about to leave, but something inside me stopped me. For some strange reason, I feel like this is where I¡¯m meant to be. That I should stick by you.¡±


    He was staring straight at me as he said that. Out of habit, I touched my hair (I do that when I¡¯m nervous), but there¡¯s nothing there. I released a deep breath when I remembered Alec cutting it all off. Fuck, I hate him.


    ?"Destiny," Raven mumbles, looking at her now-half cup.


    "What are you talking about, Rave?" I questioned her.


    "Destiny. Intertwined destiny," she says, looking up at the both of us. "I think his destiny is intertwined with yours, just like mine and yours are."


    A chill passed down my spine, and I shivered.


    "Rave?"


    I look at her, deeply staring into her eyes. There''s something there. Something I can''t even begin to exin.


    "I started having dreams about you years ago. I didn''t get why or who you were, but I always pushed it to the back of my mind. It continued for years, snippets, but I brushed them off. That was until a couple of months ago, when the dreams turned into nightmares and I saw the girl I''ve been dreaming about suffering." She looked at King and stopped. We didn''t know him well, so we couldn''t fully trust him. She doesn''t need to exin the rest to me, I already knew because I lived the nightmare.


    "During those times, I didn''t know who you were or where you were. I didn''t even know if I should trust them. You were just a girl in my dreams, one who couldn''t be real. Well, that is until I found you in the forest surrounded by rogues."


    Both Kingsley and I were quiet the whole time. I was shocked, honestly, but King was thoughtful.


    "Why didn''t you tell me?" I asked in confusion.


    "You''d already been through enough. I didn''t want to spring this on you when I didn''t understand it myself."


    My thoughts were rushing too fast for me to grasp all of them. My head was a jumbled mess.


    Raven continued. "I believe it''s destiny. Beth pretty much told me the same. If you believe that you are meant to be here with her, then this is where you should be."


    What she said would exin why I trusted him despite him being aplete stranger.


    "Who is Beth?" King asks after a while.


    "She''s my mentor."


    He nodded his head and looked into the distance. It seemed like he was deep in thought. Lost in thought.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I didn''t know what to feel. This was all overwhelming. Everything that has happened since yesterday has been heavy on me, and then to learn that Raven has been having dreams about me for years? Well, that just tipped the scale.


    "So, what are you going to do?" Raven asked Kingsley, but I feel it''s more than a question. It''s almost as if she was challenging him.


    He stared at her and then shrugged. "I guess I''ll just have to trust my gut and go with you wherever it is you''re going."


    At first, I was shocked that he would follow two strangers, but after a while, I nodded, epting hisdecision.


    I no longer believe in the goddess or destiny, but somehow, this whole thing felt righ

 Chapter 0034

    Alec.


    It¡¯s been a couple of weeks since Sadie died and Piper left the pack. Things have been f*g t**errible, and I don¡¯t even know how the hell I¡¯m going to fix everything that is happening.


    The pack is getting weaker as the days go by. A few days ago, there was a rogue attack, and we almost f**g lost. Some of the warriors who had been attacked have yet to heal.


    Werewolves have fast healing. They should have healed in a few hours after the attack, but it¡¯s been days, and they¡¯re still in the f**g hospital. We¡¯ve been debating with Jason, Micah, and the elders whether to tell them the truth or not since they¡¯ve started questioning why they aren¡¯t healing as fast as they should. It was all so frustrating, considering we aren¡¯t anywhere close to finding a solution. It¡¯s like fate is working against us or something.


    My door opened, and I stopped what I was doing to stare up.


    ¡°Tell me you have some good news,¡± I growled, my frustration evident in my tone of voice.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Jason and Micah stared at each other, as ifmunicating something silently, before turning to me.


    ¡°Well!¡± I all but shouted while standing up.


    I was wound up tight. Knox and I were on edge. We could both sense the danger that was lingering. The chaos that would apany the revtion of our weakness. We were the leaders of this pack. Our job was to protect the pack, and yet we were failing.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t find anything,¡± Micah finally said.


    ¡°What the hell do you mean?¡±


    Jason took a deep breath, as if preparing to deliver a devastating blow. I just knew that I wasn¡¯t going to like whatever it was he was about to tell me.


    ¡°Spit it out, Jason,¡± I snapped when he still didn¡¯t say a f**g thing.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to find her,¡± he began. ¡°Her house is empty, and it looks like she hasn¡¯t been there in months, and no one has seen her around either.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± I muttered more to myself.


    How is it possible for her to just disappear? Efforts to find her have borne no fruit at all.


    ¡°It¡¯s like L just disappeared from the face of earth.¡± Micah added unhelpfully.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be **g kidding me! How hard is it to find one f**g woman?¡±


    They both remained quiet as I started to pace the office. We haven¡¯t been able to track down L since the day she rejected me.


    Sure, Sadie ruined everything between us, and L severed our bond, but I was hoping she could help us once I exined the situation to her. I had built my hopes that, despite us no longer being mates, she¡¯d be willing to help and that maybe working together would help renew her love for me.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Alec, we can¡¯t find her. Even our best trackers haven¡¯t been able to track her down,¡± Jason said worriedly.


    He knows how important finding L is. He knew what was at stake.


    Sighing in frustration, I dropped down on the sofa and clenched my hair. Even dead, Sadie was still causing me trouble. If it wasn¡¯t for her selfishness, L would still be here. She wouldn¡¯t have disappeared, and my pack wouldn¡¯t be getting worse each and every day.


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡± Micah asked, pulling me from my thoughts.


    I looked up and studied him before switching to my Beta. They both looked tired and worn out. Like they haven¡¯t had a moment of peace or sleep. I guess I wasn¡¯t the only one bearing the weight of the world on my shoulders.


    Gritting my teeth, I answered. ¡°I don¡¯t f**g know.¡±


    We are quiet after that. Each of us is lost in our own thoughts, well, that is, until a knock interrupts us. I already know who it is by their scent.


    ¡°Come in,¡± I call and the door opens, with Elder Shaun stepping in.

 Chapter 0035

    ¡°Good evening, Alpha; I¡¯m here on behalf of the other elders,¡± he bowed slightly.


    Unlike what humans think, elders aren¡¯t above the Alpha. Sure, they are above other pack members, but they aren¡¯t above the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and their mates. They also aren¡¯t involved in the daily politics of the pack. They¡¯re mostly guardians of our history and, once in a while, offer council when it¡¯s needed.


    ¡°Speak,¡± Imanded.


    He takes a deep breath before opening his mouth. ¡°We are concerned about the pack, and we wanted to know the steps you¡¯re taking to save it now that your mate rejected you.¡±


    He can join the f** club because 1, more than anyone else, was worried about my pack. I was worried about my people.


    At the mention of the rejection, my heart squeezes as a familiar pain encases my soul. I won¡¯t lie, it still f**g stings, but I have no time to worry about my heart when my f**g pack is dying.


    Jason must have seen the irritation on my face because he answered in my stead. ¡°We¡¯re still looking for L. We hope that she¡¯ll be willing to help even though she isn¡¯t his mate anymore.¡±


    That is the thing about rejections. Unlike what people read in books, once someone is rejected, and they ept, there are no takebacks. Once the mate bond has been broken, that¡¯s the end of it. There is no way to bring it back to life.


    Every time I¡¯m reminded of what I lost, my hate for Sadie grows. She¡¯s dead, but that doesn¡¯t change. the fact that she already damaged my rtionship before she left this world.


    ¡°I see¡± is Elder Shaun¡¯s only response.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    I tensed when my eyesnded on him. I didn¡¯t get to be Alpha by being stupid. I¡¯m not bragging, but the reason why I¡¯m a top businessman and among the best Alphas is because I¡¯m sharp. Nothing easily escapes me.


    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked him, once again taking my seat.


    He stared into space for a while. The battle of whether he should tell me his thoughts or not, fighting for dominance inside him.


    After a while, he turned to me, having made his decision.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t notice it then because we were all excited you¡¯d found your mate, but now I do. It¡¯s about L and the curse,¡± he begins.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Micah dragged the words out.


    ¡°One thing I know is that the moment you find your mate, the pack will begin to feel the changes. The oracle told us that her presence alone would bring change and healing. You don¡¯t even have to wait for the mating ceremony or for you two to mark each other. Those changes should have started the moment you and L recognized each other as mates.¡±


    My breathe starts quickening as the weight of what he¡¯s saying starts to sink in.


    Micah¡¯s eyes find me. I can clearly read what they¡¯re silentlymunicating. ¡°I told you.


    I internally growled when I remembered that he¡¯d tried raising the issue, and I¡¯d dismissed himbecause I didn¡¯t want to believe that there was a possibility that L wasn¡¯t the one.


    ¡°What are you saying, Shaun?¡± Jason asked him with worry in his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that I don¡¯t think L is the one who was meant to save this pack. I think the rejection was part of the goddess¡¯ n because Alpha Alec wasn¡¯t meant to be with L. I think that Selene designed him a second chance mate, and whoever she is, she¡¯s the one meant to break the curse.¡±


    F**k. I don¡¯t know whether to be p**d off or hopeful. This new information has just pushed us back to square one but, at the same time, it has brought hope with it.


    Question is, will I be able to give my second chance mate my heart when Lpletely has it?

 Chapter 0036

    Anonymous POV


    I walked through the hallway of my dark castle, a smile on my face. Everything was going ording to n Everything was going my way, and I couldn¡¯t help but he happy


    It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been happy. A long time since I¡¯ve been this excited about anything can¡¯t wait for everything to unfold and for every piece to fall into ce.


    It was so easy to destroy what my mother had nned. So easy to get in the way of the fate she had in store for them.


    I won¡¯t lie, I thought it would be hard. After all, my mother had nned everything from the beginning. She had set up measures to ensure that her will would be carried out. I thought it would take more to ruin that, but it was as easy as stealing candy from a child.


    Augh escaped my mouth, and it¡¯s cold even to my own ears. This is what she did to me. This is what taking what¡¯s mine turned me into. Someone heartless and cold. If only she had let me be. If only she had epted my choice, then I wouldn¡¯t be here, I wouldn¡¯t be this cold, and I wouldn¡¯t be trying my hardest to destroy my own sister.


    Ah, my sister. My mother¡¯s pride and joy. My mother¡¯sst hope. She was always the perfect, dutiful daughter. The one who did everything Mother wanted without questioning. She was basically the goody¨Ctwo shoes. Always obedient, always doing what¡¯s right, always responsible, never having a spine, and, as always, weak, because she depended on mommy dearest to do things for her.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    There was a time when I loved her. We were twins, but I was the oldest by a couple of minutes. She was my baby sister, but now I hated her just as much as I hated our mother. She proved how weak she was by siding with our mother instead of me. She, just like Mother, is now on my shit list. I¡¯ll destroy her. I¡¯ll destroy her life, and then, when I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll destroy our mother.


    I balled my fist as the familiar anger washed over me. I wanted to dance in their misery. I wanted to see them beaten, weakened, and destroyed. I wanted them to suffer, as I have for the past few centuries. I¡¯ve been stewing on my revenge for decades, and now is the time to execute it. I won¡¯t stop until I have what I want, and my so¨Ccalled family is nothing but a bitter memory in the back of my mind.


    Resuming my walk, Fimagine what I¡¯ll feel when both of them are on their knees, begging me to spare them. Of course, I won¡¯t, but just having them on their knees will be satisfying.


    I walked towards a set of magnificent doors with snakes carved into them. Upon opening them, I¡¯m greeted by two thrones. One ck, one red. I walked towards the red one, then sat down once I got toit. Turning, I stared at the one next to me. My heart aches seeing it empty; he should be here with me. Ruling by my side.


    I¡¯m pulled from my thoughts when my door opened and my second inmand walked in. Hees towards me and then kneels down before my throne.


    ¡°My Queen,¡± he bowed in respect.


    ¡°Rise¡±


    He rises up and stares right past me, since it¡¯s disrespectful for him to stare directly into my eyes. He, despite being highly ranked, isn¡¯t at the same rank as me. Plus, doing so would push my beast forward, since she¡¯ll view it as a challenge, one that she¡¯ll definitely ept. She¡¯ll end up triumphant, and he¡¯ll end up in the infirmary.


    ?"Any news for me?" I asked, adjusting myself in my seat.


    "Nothing has changed, your majesty, but things are unfolding as you said they would. Everything is going ording to n."


    I''m a bit irritated by his answer. I already knew that. I wanted him to tell me something I didn''t already know.


    "What about my mother and sister? Are they still separated?"


    I made sure that they were separated. That way, they couldn''t join forces. That wasn''t possible, though, because I was more powerful than them. I''d made sure of that when I sealed my mother''s powers.


    "Nothing has been heard about them; we truly believe your mother is dead. Her power is her essence. Her life source. Given that you took that from her, it''s a given that she probably didn''t survive."


    I nodded at that. I thought the same thing, and to be honest, I didn''t give a shit that she was probably dead. I didn''t feel a thing for her. Not after what she did to me... But then again, I know my mother, she wouldn''t die so easily. That''s why I have a backup n. As for my


    sister, I still needed her. After her usefulness ends, I''ll end her. No one who contributed to my pain will survive.


    "And our little hybrid project?"


    "It''s going perfectly well... Soon enough, we will have an armyrge enough that you won''t have to lift a finger to cause havoc in the supernaturalmunity. Hell, even with humans," he said with a small smirk.


    There was a reason I liked him and chose him as my second-inmand. He loved chaos, and, just like me, his family didn''t really ept him for the bloodthirsty maniac he was. Just like me, he was marked as the ck sheep of the family because he was rebellious.


    I leaned back on my throne and grinned. "Good."


    Taking the scepter near my seat, I feel the power rush through me,


    I turned to the seat next to me with a small smile. "Soon, my love."

 Chapter 0037

    Sadie


    I walked through the forest, feeling the effects of the full moon. Its power was around me, shifting like a caged animal. I could feel it inside me. On my skin and in my bones.


    I¡¯ve waited for this day since I knew who we were. What we turn Into. I¡¯ve been waiting for this day since I knew what love was, Since I realized that I was in love with Alec.


    Today was meant to mark a new day for me and those around me, especially Alec. Looking back, I don¡¯t know if I would have been this excited if I knew what would happen before my first shift.


    It¡¯s been months since we left everything behind, and King joined us. Months since my torture and since I found out I was pregnant. Nothing much has happened except that we found a ce to settle months after we left our home.


    Just as nothing much has happened, nothing has changed in me. I still hated Alec and his damn pack. For the first time in my life, I wished the worst for someone. I wasn¡¯t a mean person, nor was ! vengeful, but something shifted in me after being betrayed by people who I thought were my family.


    My smiles no longer came easily, nor didughter. It¡¯s like Alec took everything that made me Sadie. Everything that used to make me the cheerful bundle of joy and energy I used to be. Nowadays, I look into the mirror and barely recognize myself, not because of my non-existent hair, the scar on my face. or the ones on my back¡­ But because when I stare in the mirror, all I see is a girl I don¡¯t recognize..


    Myeyes were vacant. I no longer felt the light that used to shine from inside me when I looked in the mirror. It¡¯s like a part of me died in that dirty cell where I was held captive for months. A certain coldness had encased my heart. My soul was marked by a kind of darkness I couldn¡¯t escape.


    ¡°Sadie, is everything okay?¡± Raven¡¯s voice prates the mist that surrounds me. The mist I kept getting lost because reality was sometimes too much for me.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, then asked, ¡°Can you please go back? I want to be alone before shifting.¡±


    Her eyes looked worried, but I also know that she understands that I needed to do this alone.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± she asked


    ¡°Yes¡±


    With that, she gave me a tight hug before leaving.


    It didn¡¯t take long after she left that I started to feel the effects. It¡¯s like someone or something wastrying to w it¡¯s way out of the depths of my soul. I fall on my knees, careful not to hurt my belly, since I am now seven months pregnant.


    Unlike what humans believe, our pregnancies don¡¯tst two months like those of normal wolves. Just like with humans, and we are half-human, our pregnanciesst nine months.


    I stay on the hard and cold forest floor, groaning in pain and covered in sweat, but nothing happens. I didn¡¯t know much about shifting, but with each minute that passed with nothing happening, I knew something was wrong.


    F**k, what the hell was happening?


    ¡°Sadie?¡± a strong,manding yet sweet voice calls.


    I opened my eyes, and I realized how everything seemed so much clearer. My eyesight was so much sharper than before. I looked down, but there wasn¡¯t a change. Instead of paws, I still had my hands.


    Frowning, I ask, ¡°Who are you?¡±


    I was so confused. Is this yet another thing that the moon goddess has taken from me? Hasn¡¯t she had enough? Enough of torturing me and condemning my life. Why was she doing this to me? First with Alec and the pack, and now with my wolf.


    ¡°I¡¯m your wolf, Nyx¡­ And no, the goddess hasn¡¯t taken anything from you, my dear human.¡± Her voice was so soft and sweet. I could literally feel her love enveloping me, trying to heal my brokenness.


    ¡°What do you mean? If she hasn¡¯t taken everything away from me, then why the hell am I not shifting?¡±


    Before, when my life was much simpler, I looked forward to my shifting because I thought Alec and I would recognize each other as mates. After I found out about my pregnancy, I looked forward to shifting so I would be able to protect my pup in case my and Alec¡¯s paths ever crossed.


    Without shifting, how would I be able to fight and protect my baby? Sure, I started training with King a bit, but being human isn¡¯t the same as having your wolf.


    ¡°There are things I can¡¯t exin to you yet, but the moon goddess hasn¡¯t abandoned you like you think,¡± she finally answered.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t answer my question, Nyx.¡±


    ¡°I know, and, like I said, there are things I can¡¯t tell you yet. What I can tell you is that you¡¯re not ready. It¡¯s not time yet.¡±


    ¡°Is this about the baby? I thought she-wolves could shift even when pregnant,¡± I told her, a bit exasperated with her answers.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not about the baby, but about you, Sadie,¡± she said gently. ¡°You¡¯re not ready yet. I wish I could tell you more, but I can¡¯t as of now. You have to be patient, when the time is right, everything will be revealed, and you will shift, but for now, just focus on getting stronger and better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m confused.¡± I sat up and leaned against a tree while rubbing my belly.


    My baby was kicking, as if the wolf half of my pup could sense its mother.


    ¡°I know and one day it will all make sense. Please trust me.¡±


    I did trust her, I am just a bit frustrated. It¡¯s hard to embrace change when things haven¡¯t exactly gone ording to n.


    ¡°Will I stay human? Will you leave me?¡± I was scared of her answer, but I needed to ask.


    ¡°No, to both,¡± she answered in the same soft, sympathetic voice. ¡°You¡¯ll have all the benefits of being a werewolf, without actually being able to shift¡­ well, until the time is right, that is.¡±


    I sighed, trying to ept that another one of my dreams had been shattered in the past few months.


    ¡°Everything will be okay, Sadie¡­ You just have to hold on to hope.¡±


    I wanted to believe her, but something told me that this is just the start of what¡¯s toe, and that scares me because I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m strong enough to face whatever ising my way.

 Chapter 0038

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it, so she told you that you¡¯d have all the benefits of a shifted wolf, but you won¡¯t be able to shift?¡± King asked incredulously, his face conveying how hard he was finding it hard to believe me.


    I nodded my head, still reeling from what Nyx had told me.


    I¡¯d stayed in the forest for an hour or so before going back to the small, three-bedroom cabin we called home. Thanks to the cash Beth gave us and some from King, we were able to rent the cabin. It was in a secluded area in the forest and offered us privacy. Of course, it wasn¡¯t a permanent dwelling, but it was a start.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Raven whispered, looking at me as if she could figure out what the hell was happening.


    ¡°I know,¡± I sighed. ¡°But that¡¯s what she told me.¡±


    ¡°Can you feel her? Are you able tomunicate with her?¡± This came from King.


    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s the extent of it.¡±


    What Nyx told me kept ying in my mind. I was so confused that a headache had begun working its way from the back of my head. Most of all, I was just disappointed. Disappointed that nothing had gone the way I¡¯d expected and hoped for.


    I never imagined that when I turned twenty-one, I would be banished, used of a crime I didn¡¯tmit, pregnant, detested by the father of my baby, and unable to shift. Everything was just piling up on me, trying to suffocate me. Sometimes it was hard to keep my head above water, and that¡¯s what it feels like since that night months ago. Like I was struggling to keep myself from drowning.


    ¡°She didn¡¯t say anything else?¡± Raven¡¯s question pulled me back from my thoughts.


    ¡°No¡­ Only that I wasn¡¯t ready to shift, that I should focus on getting better and stronger, and that one. day everything will make sense,¡± I replied, feeling all around drained.


    ¡°Interesting.¡± King whispered, but left it at that.


    I wanted to sleep and forget what a clusterf**k my life had turned into, but even sleep didn¡¯te easily. Not when I was hunted by the nightmares that gued me. The nightmare I went through when I was in that dungeon.


    Raven must have sensed my tiredness because she asked, ¡°You want to rest?¡±


    I just nodded my head, even though I dreaded closing my eyes.


    ¡°You know I can help with that, right?¡± she asked.


    ¡°With what?¡±


    ¡°Sleep,¡± she replied. ¡°I know you don¡¯t sleep peacefully; I know that nightmares hunt you every time you try to sleep. You¡¯re barely surviving with only two or three hours of sleep every day, Sadie.¡±


    ¡°How did you know about the nightmares?¡±


    ¡°You wake up screaming, and sometimes it takes both of us to calm you down. You barely register us every time because you always look like you¡¯re in a trance. Like your mind is still trapped in the nightmare.¡±


    I turned to King, since he¡¯s the one who answered. My eyes kept shifting from him to Raven. I never wanted them to know what I was going through, but I guess I wasn¡¯t hiding it well enough. I didn¡¯t even know that I woke up screaming.


    ¡°I can cast a spell that will put you out cold. Nothing will be able to disturb your sleep.¡± Raven holds. my hand softly, and I can¡¯t help but be grateful that she found me that day.


    I don¡¯t know where I would be if it weren¡¯t for Beth and her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± I said softly, after thinking about it for a while.


    Raven is right. I couldn¡¯t go on running low on sleep. It wasn¡¯t healthy for me or my baby. I couldn¡¯t let myself wither away when my child depended on me and needed me.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    She started chanting, and sooner than I¡¯d anticipated, my eyes started dropping. I fell into a dreamless sleep, and it was peaceful. It¡¯s the best one I¡¯ve had in a long time.


    Two monthster


    I moved the vacuum slowly over the carpet. For some weird reason, the noise drowned the ones in my head. It distracted me enough that I didn¡¯t think, something for which I was thankful.


    My head is a mess and I admit that. It¡¯s not a ce I like getting lost in, but it happens more than I care to admit. More than is healthy for me. In my defense, it¡¯s hard for me not to think or get lost in my thoughts. I have nothing to do, given that King and Rave take care of everything.


    Even getting them to agree to let me vacuum the house was a chore. I know what you¡¯re thinking- that I¡¯m ungrateful and sound like a brat. I am not. I just wanted to help. I wanted to be useful. I¡¯m not used to having others cater to every one of my needs.


    Besides, keeping busy is good for me. I don¡¯t want to be drowned in the darkness. I¡¯m trying to escape the dark thoughts that filled my head and the coldness that seemed to seep slowly into my heart. I don¡¯t want to forget the old me, but slowly I feel like I¡¯m losing grip on her.

 Chapter 0039

    ¡°Would it be so bad to let go of the old Sadie?¡± Nyx asked, popping into my consciousness.


    It took a while to get used to sharing my body with her, but eventually, it got easier.


    ¡°Yes¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± She seemed genuinely curious. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t want toe off as cold and heartless, but the old you was nice. Too nice, in fact. Haven¡¯t you ever heard of the saying, Nice girls finishst? Let¡¯s face it, Sadie, you were weak and didn¡¯t have a backbone. That¡¯s why you were an easy target for whoever set you up.¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I wanted to argue with her, but I could also see the truth in her words. I was always nice, even to those who treated me like trash. I was nice to Alec, even when he treated me like I didn¡¯t exist. Even for the girls who bullied and talked trash about how I dressed, how fat I was, and how ugly I was, I still went out of my way to be nice to them.


    When anyone in the pack needed help, I would be the first to volunteer to help. I was kind to everyone, and where the hell did that get me? In the f**g dungeon, being tortured while the same f**g people I went out of my way to help turned on me.


    Thinking about it just p**s me off even more. The anger and hatred I feel feeds the darkness and coldness that are growing inside.


    ¡°You need to cast out that nice attitude if you want to survive what¡¯sing. I¡¯m not saying that you should bepletely heartless, but you can bnce being kind and having a backbone. Be strong- willed and never ever let anyone walk all over you,¡± Nyx pushes a mental image of what she means.


    I get it, and I was about to tell her the same when I felt liquid rushing down my legs.


    ¡°Did you just pee on yourself?¡± I looked up to find King looking at me in disgust.


    ¡°No, you idiot, her water just broke,¡± Raven replied while hitting him on the back of his head.


    I¡¯ve been feeling cramps since yesterday, but I kept ignoring the difort. Looking back now, I should have known it was a sign that I was about to go intobor.


    ¡°Come, let¡¯s get youfortable,¡± Raven said softly, guiding me to my bedroom.


    We¡¯ve already talked about this. We decided I wouldn¡¯t give birth in the hospital since it was too risky. Luckily, Raven knew what she was doing, having helped Beth deliver a few babies.


    She helped me lie down on the bed, and after that, things happened so quickly that my head was left. spinning.


    ¡°Come on, Sadie, give me onest push,¡± Raven pleaded, hourster.


    ¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯s too painful, and I¡¯m tired.¡± I couldn¡¯t help the tears that fell down my face.


    ¡°You can, and you will, now push, Sadie, so I can meet my pup¡­ or do you want Alec to win because our child died duringbor?¡± Nyx¡¯s frustration was evident.


    Remembering how Alec almost killed me and my baby gives me strength. I won¡¯t let my baby die, nor will I let Alec have thestugh.


    I nted my legs on the bed, rose up a little, and gave onest push. I feel as my baby slips from within me and secondster, I hear the sweet cry of my baby.


    ¡°It¡¯s a girl,¡± Raven shouted in happiness and joy.


    I slumped against the pillows just as the door opened and King walked in. He headed straight towards me.


    ¡°You did well, Mama¡± he said while kissing my sweaty forehead.


    I cried at that because if things had been different, Alec was the one who should have been here with me.


    Seeing this, King whispered, ¡°Shh, it¡¯s okay. It will be okay.¡±


    ¡°Here is your little angel.¡± Raven walked to me and handed me my crying baby girl.


    She immediately stopped crying when she was in my hand. She looked exactly like me. I ran my finger down her cheek, making her open her eyes. I gasp when she does, because she has the same intense green eyes as her father.


    ¡°What are you going to name her?¡± Raven asked.


    After thinking for a while, I said the name I¡¯d decided on, if it was a girl.


    ¡°Aspen¡­She¡¯s my Aspen.¡±


    ¡°A beautiful name for a beautiful girl,¡± King said, kissing her forehead so tenderly that it made me want to cry.


    I looked at my friends and am so d that they are here with me. That I wasn¡¯t alone as I delivered the best gift the moon goddess has ever given me.


    ¡°Now that our pup has been safely delivered, the real work begins.¡± Nyx sald, staring adoringly at our baby through my eyes. ¡°You have to start training¡­ An intense one at that. You have to be prepared for what¡¯sing.¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what herst sentence meant, but she was right. I had a daughter to protect and look after. It was time to get strong. After all, I couldn¡¯t hide forever.

 Chapter 0040

    Alec.


    ¡°You have to rest, Alec¡­ Staying up day and night isn¡¯t good for your health.¡±


    Micah¡¯s voice interrupted my concentration while I was working. I looked at the clock only to realize that it was already morning. Ten, to be exact.


    Ignoring him, I went back to my work, checking the printed papers and some of the texts that the elders had provided me with.


    ¡°Alec?¡± he called with frustration.


    His voice was starting to annoy me. I wanted to get to the bottom of things. Was that too hard to fucking understand?


    He called me again, and this time I fucking lost it.


    ¡°What?¡± I yelled, the wordsing out as a growl.


    My eyes pierced his as I raised my head, Knox close to the surface. He was usually calm and was only a beast when we needed to fight or someone crossed us. Now, with everything that had happened; losing his mate and our pack being on the brink of extinction, he was more on edge than usual.


    The situation was fucking pushing us. It frustrated me and agitated my wolf, which isn¡¯t a goodbination for an Alpha wolf, since we are usually more likely to lose control.


    Instead of leaving like I expected him to, he sighed, crossed the room, and took a seat in front of my desk.


    ¡°You¡¯re not listening, Alec. You¡¯re my Alpha, but you¡¯re also my friend, and I refuse to let you wither away because of the curse and your mate rejecting you.¡±


    ¡°Piss off, Micah.¡±


    I don¡¯t want to be reminded that L rejected me and then disappeared. She didn¡¯t even give me the chance to try and earn her forgiveness. I want to try and understand her, but I get it. I would also have reacted violently if I¡¯d found my mate in bed with another man, whether it was intentional or adrunken mistake.


    ¡°Not even on your fuckingst breath, Alec,¡± he simply replied, and then leaned back against the chair.


    We¡¯ve been best friends for years. Growing up, he and Jason were the only ones my age, so it was a given that we would be best friends. It also helped that their parents were gammas and betas,respectively, and were also my parents¡® closest friends.


    I wouldy my life down for them, and they would do the same, but right now I needed to focus on the pack and how to save my people. Work was the only thing that kept my mind from wondering how messed up things had turned out.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, though; you need to rest,¡± he said after a while. ¡°When was thest time you even slept?¡±


    I wanted him to just shut up. His nagging was getting on my nerves, and I was in no mood to be given a fucking lecture.


    ¡°My pack is deteriorating. You¡¯ve seen how weak we are getting and how tired and feeble our warriors. are getting. We haven¡¯t had a birth in fucking years, and it¡¯s all because of this stupid curse¡­ Tell me, Micah, how can I be expected to sleep peacefully when my people are suffering, knowing very fucking well that if I don¡¯t do something, then things are only going to get worse?¡±


    He doesn¡¯t answer, so I continued. ¡°I¡¯ll dly sleep if you can give me a damn solution, but until then, get off my fucking back.¡±


    With that, I ignored him and got back to work. I¡¯d just gotten my focus back when the door opened again. I released a groan of frustration and looked up.


    ¡°Good, both of you are here,¡± he hurriedly said, closing the door and crossing the room.


    ¡°I swear, if you¡¯re here to nag me, I¡¯ll throw you both out right after I¡¯ve kicked both into your asses oblivion,¡± I growled, unable to control the rising tension inside me.


    Jason looked puzzled at both of us before shaking his head. ¡°No, I came here because I found something.¡±


    He waved something in front of me, and it was only then that I realized that he was holding a book. Not a book. More like a leather¨Cbound journal.


    ¡°Is it about the curse?¡± Micah asked, turning towards him.


    Jason nodded his head. ¡°Yes¡°.


    ¡°Are you going to speak, or am I going to have to force the words out of your lips?¡± I asked after minutes of silence.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    He shakes his head as if clearing his head from a haze.


    ¡°Well, remember when your dad and the elders told us about the curse?¡± he began, and we nodded our heads. ¡°No one really knew about the origin of the curse or why someone would curse us in the first ce."

 Chapter 0041

    ?Chapter 0041


    We again nodded our heads. The only thing we knew was that we had a curse hanging over the pack; that meant not only those living in the pack but anyone that traced their origin to our pack. That includes members who left for whatever reason and any family they might have had. No one knew who cursed us or


    why they did it in the first ce, which made it difficult to break. My dad and grandad went to different witches and warlocks, and all of them said the same thing. It''s hard to break a curse if you don''t know the details.


    There are a few who tried breaking it, but it always backfired. They''d told my dad it was because whoever cursed us was really powerful, making the curse really strong and difficult to break.


    "Well, it turns out, we were cursed because of something the pack did, or more so, the leaders of the pack did." Jason''s voice pulled me back to the present.


    "You mean my great-grandparents?" I asked.


    "I''m not sure, but I think it''s all the leaders... Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and the elders at that time," he replied, opening the book.


    Micah and I just stared at him, trying to understand what he was saying. If it''s true, what did they do that was bad enough to earn them a curse?


    Jason looked up and added, "The weird thing is that the pages before and after are torn. This seems like someone''s


    journal. Someone who was alive when that shit happened.".This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "So you''re saying someone went to great lengths to hide exactly what happened by tearing out the pages?" Micah asked, standing up.


    Jason simply replied, "Yes. The only existing part is the entry saying that the pack did something that


    caused the curse. There isn''t much detail about it, except that."


    I was about to ask him to hand over the journal, when I felt a sharp pain in my lower abdomen. It''s like nothing I''ve never felt before.


    I hunched over, catching the attention of my friends.


    "Are you okay, Alec? Why do you look like you''re in pain?" Jason turned towards me, looking worried.


    "No shit, Sherlock," I answered sarcastically, right before another wave of pain hit me.


    This time, I wasn''t able to stop the groan of pain that escaped my mouth.


    "What the fuck is happening?" Micah questioned me, but I was in as much darkness as he was.


    Gritting my teeth against the pain, I stood up and slowly walked to the couch. Before I could get there, another wave hit, making me fall on my fucking knees.


    Fuck, what the hell was happening?


    Jason and Micah rushed towards me, helping me on the couch as pain traveled along my abdomen. I could feel my abs clenching as if they


    were cramping, and, fuck, did it hurt.


    "Shit, call the pack doctor," Jason told Micah urgently.


    "No," I snarled the word. "Unless it proves to be a life-or-death situation, I don''t want the doctor involved."


    They stared at me, but amand was given. They couldn''t go against it.


    Iy there, as wave after wave of pain sliced through my body. I''m not sure how long we were in the office when the pain suddenly stopped. Good thing my office was soundproof.


    "Do you think it''s L? I''ve heard this happens when your mate is fucking someone else," Jason asked, worry still written on his face.


    "No, this is something else. Besides, we hadn''t marked each other, so that''s not possible." I sat up slowly, feeling the aches and soreness in my body.


    "I don''t like this... I don''t like it at all," Micah murmured, his eyes betraying how unsettled he was.. "First, our members begin to weaken rapidly, and now this?"


    I don''t answer him. Instead, I leaned back against the sofa and closed my eyes as tiredness washed. over me. I shut everyone out, including Jason and Micah. "What the hell happened, Knox?"


    He was sleeping, his head resting on top of his paws. He''d tried taking some of the pain, so he was drained, just like I was.


    "I don''t know, and I can''t exin it, but something feels different," he answered before closing his eyes.


    Fuck. I rub my chest as something shifts and settles inside me. I don''t know what it is or what causes it, but it is there.


    Knox is right; something feels different. I just don''t know what the fuck it is or what it means.

 Chapter 0042

    Three yearster..


    I stared at my watch for Hunter. Hunter was not only one of my few friends, but he was also an alpha himself. Our packs have had an alliance since our dads discovered we were friends back when we were around ten.


    Our dads had never gotten along, but when they discovered our friendship, despite being enemy packs, they set their differences aside for our sake. Apart from Jason, Micah, and my sister, he was the only other person I trusted with my life.


    ¡°Is there anything else I can get you, Mr. Ashford?¡± The waiter asked.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    I¡¯ve been here for about ten minutes. I hated beingte and most importantly, I hated when people didn¡¯t keep the f** time.


    ¡°Yes, another ss,¡± I answered, my patience getting thin with each damn second that passed.


    ¡°Right away, Alpha, sir,¡±


    When he leaves, I gulp the remainder of my whiskey and lean back against thefortable seat.


    My head was buzzing, with my thoughts refusing to give me a break. I¡¯m not one to drink while I have a lot of things weighing me down, I needed a clear head for such situations. That being said, today I just wanted to escape my busy mind. Sure, alcohol doesn¡¯t really affect werewolves, but it does take the edge off a little bit.


    I groan again when I check my watch. Hunter was now almost fifteen minuteste and it was **g me off. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was doing this just to pi** me off since he knows I hate ta**s.


    Forget my d**n drink. I was about to stand up and leave, when the b**d finally showed up, grinning like an idiot.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, baby, did you miss me?¡± he asked, the**d grin still firmly in ce.


    I fist my hands, just so I don¡¯t swing at him. I was on edge. I was stressed. I was f**g angry. Not only because of him, but because it¡¯s been three g**n years and we¡¯re still not even close to figuring out anything about the curse.


    The condition of my pack had worsened. Jason, Micah, and I, being the highest ranks, were the only ones not severely affected. We were starting to feel the effects though and that scared me. I couldn¡¯t be a weak leader. It would spell doom for my entire pack.


    Since I was desperate, I confided in Hunter about a year ago, hoping he¡¯d help.


    ¡°**k Hunter, you know I hate it when someone is t**dy.¡± I fumed but the a**hole just smirked at me.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I did it. You need to chill and stop being serious all the time.¡±


    I groan and pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. I don¡¯t know how we¡¯ve gone this long without me snapping his neck.


    ¡°Why did you ask to meet me?¡± I sat down, just as the waiter came back with my drink.


    ¡°Because Jason and Micah wanted you out of your office. They said you needed some time to rx, and that¡¯s where Ie in,¡± he answered distractedly, his eyes firmly fixed on a brte in a tight short dress.


    ¡°Seriously? Why the f**k would they do that?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious? They are worried about you and so am I. You¡¯re killing yourself with exhaustion, stressing about it, and trying to figure out the curse that you¡¯re barely living. You¡¯re like a d**n robot, always in your office going over texts, videos, etcetera. You barely sleep or eat, and let¡¯s not forget how you seem to be on edge and on the verge of losing it.¡±


    His eyes were now back on me and I hated the intensity. It was like he was trying to search my soul and I f**g hated it.


    ¡°So what was your n? Bring me here and get me drunk?¡± I asked sarcastically. ¡°Alcohol won¡¯t do a d**n thing.¡±


    *Sure, but it will loosen you up enough for me to get you some good p**y. You need to getid. We both know that sex is a great stress reliever.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to waste my time f**g a faceless woman when should be trying to figure out how to help my pack,¡± I growled, Knox near the surface.


    *er raises his hands in surrender and bows slightly. He may be an alpha, but I was still more inant. That¡¯s the thing with our world: even alphas have ranks within themselves. Some are more dominant than others.

 Chapter 0043

    ¡°Now, if you¡¯re done wasting my time, I¡¯m going home,¡± I told him, standing up.


    ¡°Alec wait¡±


    I stopped and red at him. My lips pulled back, exposing my fangs. I didn¡¯t want to admit it, but my friends were right. I was always dancing on the edge of losing control. I f**g hated that.


    ¡°What now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about your situation, and I think you should make an alliance with the Hope Pack,¡± he said, fidgeting a bit.


    He should. He knows I don¡¯t like asking for help and I don¡¯t unless I really have to. I¡¯m usually able to handle things on my own. On most asions, other packs are usually the ones seeking help from me.


    ¡°And why the **k would I do that?¡± I bellowed, my anger rushing to the surface.


    Like I said, I trusted Hunter with my life. That was the only f**g reason why I told him what the hell was going on in my pack. It was the only reason I asked for his help. I knew he wouldn¡¯t betray me. With the other packs, it wouldn¡¯t be the same. The moment they got to know we were weak, they would pounce on us like a pack of rabid rogues.


    It has literally taken everything in me and my officials to keep appearances up. Making it seem like we were still the same strong pack we¡¯ve always been.


    ¡°Think about it Alec, Hope is a very strong and huge pack. It will be an advantage to have them as an ally. If this situation continues and you don¡¯t get a solution soon, you won¡¯t be able to hide it for long. Soon, other packs, both allies and enemies, will sense the weakness. Having a pack such as Hope backing you up will make sure that none of the others dare cross you.¡±


    I just stared at him. Hope pack is a pack that cropped up around two and a half years ago. Personally, I think Hope is a f**g st**d name to name a pack. Couldn¡¯t the leader find a great name?


    No one knows how or when, but all of a f***g sudden it was there. Rumors of how savage, fierce, and fearless they were have been circting.


    No one knows an estimate of how many members they have (but there are rumors that it might be bigger than my pack) or who the top officials are. Even during meetings, the alpha sends representatives. That has caused others to be more curious about them.


    ¡°Please consider it,¡± Hunter all but pleads. ¡°Think of the army that will be backing you up. things don¡¯t go your way.¡±


    The army he¡¯s talking about is the different species in the pack. Usually we stick to our own species, so having a pack that epts all three species is unheard of.


    ¡°Please.¡± Hunter¡¯s voice pulls me back to the present. ¡°Always have a n B; that¡¯s what my father taught me. If things fall apart, my pack alone won¡¯t be able to help you. We don¡¯t have that many members.¡±


    Hunter¡¯s pack has a few hundred wolves, while mine has thousands. I get what he¡¯s saying. If otherpacks decided to take us down, his help won¡¯t be enough.


    Instead of answering, I just nodded, then walked out of the VIP section and out of the hotel¡¯s restaurant.


    The valet had just brought my car when my phone rang. My anger rises when I see Micah¡¯s name shing.


    ¡°When I get back, you and I will have some alone time in the training arena,¡± I said, not even greeting him.


    I hated being controlled, and I hate it when others try to force their f**g decisions on me, assuming they know what¡¯s best for me.


    ¡°Alec, did L have a crescent moon mark behind her left ear?¡± he asked urgently, ignoring my threatpletely.


    I frown. It¡¯s only after he said those words that I realized that something was wrong. Really wrong.


    ¡°Alec¡­¡±


    ¡°Not that I remember, why?¡±


    Theard as air left his lung, like he¡¯d been punched in the gut. Something was fucking wrong and he wasn¡¯t talking.


    ¡°Why are you asking me this, Micah?¡±


    His next words left mepletely floored.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Because one of the elders found something in the old texts¡­ Apparently your true mate is supposed to have a crescent mark behind her ear.¡±

 Chapter 0044

    I don¡¯t think about a f**g thing when I get into my car and drive. They had to be wrong somehow. They had to have made a mistake about the whole thing.


    Maybe they hadn¡¯t read right. Those geezers were old; they might have confused some things while trying to find the truth.


    I triedforting myself, but it didn¡¯t do a **n thing. Knox was howling inside my head, and I didn¡¯t know how to get him under control. Not when my f**g head was spinning.


    Looking back, I tried to remember every single detail about L. Sure, we have never f*d s**ince she was waiting for us to mark each other first, but we did get close a couple of times. That was before she stopped things from progressing. There was always a look of guilt in her eyes every time.


    I don¡¯t remember seeing any marks. Even if I didn¡¯t notice it when she was in her human form, I would have noticed it when she was in her wolf form. Any mark, symbol, or birthmark on our human body is usually on our wolf¡¯s fur. If she had that mark, then I would have noticed it in her wolf. It wasn¡¯t once or twice that we went for a run together after shifting.


    Pressing on the elerator, my Maybach surges forward, taking me closer to where I wanted to be. I needed answers. I keep trying to push what Micah said to the back of my f**g mind. It can¡¯t be. It just can¡¯t be true.


    I break every f**g speed limit, but within minutes I¡¯m at the front of my pack house. I park my car, not really caring if I parked it right or if I was blocking anyone. Getting out, I rushed into the imposing mansion like the fiery fires of hell were after me.


    Sniffing the air, I follow the scents, and it leads me to the boardroom. This is where we have all our important meetings as higher-ranking officials.


    Opening the door, I find all the elders, Jason and Micah, seated around the tables. A few papers and books were on the table.


    What the hell is going on?¡± I asked, trying to mask my anger and frustration.


    ¡°Alpha,¡± one of the elders bowed before making eye contact. ¡°Did your mate have a crescent mark behind her left ear? I know Gamma Micah has already asked you, but this is really important.¡±


    F**k! I feel the panic rising, and I f***g hate it.


    ¡°First of all, tell me why you¡¯re asking me this,¡± I replied instead while trying to calm down. ¡°Micah didn¡¯t really tell me much.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Knox was pacing in my head, giving me a d**n migraine. He was panicking, just like I was. Sure, L left us, but in our hearts, she was still our mate. We still wanted to find her and win her back. If this information is true, then it would ruin everything. If it¡¯s true, then it meant that I couldn¡¯t be with her. That left me feeling like a dagger had been driven into my heart.


    ¡°Okay,¡± he nodded, his voice pulling me to the present. ¡°It was by chance that Elder Martin came across it in a room under the pack library. He remembered his father telling him that there was a secret room beneath the library and that most of the important prophecies that were recorded were usually hidden in the attic.¡±


    If I remember correctly, Elder Martin¡¯s father had once been in charge of the pack library. His knowledge had earned him a spot as an elder. He¡¯d transferred that same knowledge to his son, whoter took the mantle from his dad after he died.


    Elder Martin takes over from him. ¡°He told me that the reason for that was to protect them, so they wouldn¡¯t fall into the wrong hands. Also, because it was cool in the attic, which would protect the fragile papers, which were centuries old.¡±

 Chapter 0045

    He pauses, then continues, ¡°My father never mentioned the secret room again, and I forgot about it. That was until I had this dream where he was telling me to check the secret room he¡¯d told me about. At first, I wanted to ignore the dream, but the feeling of checking it out just kept nagging me until i finally relented. We¡¯ve never really seen the prophecy about your mate; we just heard it passed down from one person to another. It got me curious, and I wondered if perhaps the prophecy was locked. away down there.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    I had no idea what I was looking for. My father had never really given me its specific location. I also didn¡¯t want to say anything if it turned out to be a dead end. I almost gave up after four days of searching and still finding nothing, but the goddess was with me. I managed to find it a couple of hours ago.


    He walked to me and handed me a book, pointing to a specific page. I want to run away from it, but I can¡¯t. If this is what will save my pack, then I need to push my feelings aside.


    Taking the book, I stared at the passage he pointed at.


    [She is strong and powerful. An Alpha Female and her powers, when awakened, will shake the foundations of the world. Because she is the blessed one, their union will be blessed, and their offspring will rule both the heavens and the earth. Only she will be able to undo the curse; only she will be able to destroy the evil. In her presence, the pack will recover and flourish, bing the most powerful pack the world has ever seen. So many will want to use her, to destroy and suppress her, but she will prevail. Many will want to destroy their bond, so beware of impostors, for the blessed one will be known by a white crescent moon mark on her left ear.]


    My breathing is heavy as I read the text over and over again. This can¡¯t be. This simply can¡¯t f**g be.


    ¡°Alec,¡± Jason¡¯s voice cut through my thoughts. ¡°We need to know if L had the markings, because if she didn¡¯t¡­¡±


    He doesn¡¯t finish the sentence. He leaves it hanging, but I know what he was about to say. If she didn¡¯t have the marking, then it meant she wasn¡¯t my true mate.


    ¡°No, she didn¡¯t,¡± I growled, recing the pain in my heart.


    I doubted it before, but after reading the entry, I knew she didn¡¯t. L has a ck wolf; I wouldn¡¯t have been able to miss a white mark on her fur had she had the crescent moon, given the mark is supposed to be white.


    ¡°But it doesn¡¯t make any f**g sense.¡± I started pacing, feeling more on edge than before. ¡°If she wasn¡¯t my destined mate, how the f**k did I feel a bond with her when we met? Howe I felt it when it broke after she rejected me?¡±


    No one answered. I bet they were just as confused as I was. This whole thing was a damn mess, and it has just brought more confusion and a few answers.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Micah answered after a while. ¡°But the book did warn about impostors. It looks like L was an impostor, and you now need to find your true mate.¡±


    He was right, but I didn¡¯t want to hear it. My heart was screaming against the idea. Sure, she wasn¡¯t my mate, ording to the text, but can I really trust a book that has been hidden for years?


    I trusted my gut, and my gut told me that there was something more. She may not be my mate, but heart knows her and I know she wouldn¡¯t have done this. She wouldn¡¯t have deceived me.


    Someone must have manipted things. The question is, who?

 Chapter 0046

    It¡¯s been two days since our minds were blown away by new revtions. The more things were revealed, the moreplicated they became. It seemed like we were wrong about so many things. The only thing that we were right about was the damn curse.


    I push Knox harder as he runs through the trees, dodging branches and roots. Our minds were a total f**g mess and everything was just jumbled.


    We were still reeling from the knowledge that L wasn¡¯t our fated mate. Just like I loved L, Knox loved her wolf. The bond we felt with the two of them was too real to be faked. How can it be when we felt every damn thing with her?


    Pushing those thoughts away, Knox increases his speed. The wind blew against his ck fur as we tried our hardest to escape the phantoms of the past.


    It took about ten minutes before we skidded to a stop at a cliff. Slowly approaching the edge, he takes his time before finally stopping all together. We stare below before our eyes rise to meet the moon. It¡¯s a crescent moon, and for some reason, I feel like the moon goddess is mocking me. This is the shape my mate¡¯s mark is supposed to be, yet we had no idea.


    ¡°What are you thinking, Knox? You¡¯re quiet,¡± I asked him.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    He¡¯s blocking me. Hiding his thoughts from me.


    He doesn¡¯t say anything for some time, but when he does, I can feel the confusion and heartache in his voice.


    ¡°Do you think she deceived us?¡± I don¡¯t need to be told who he¡¯s talking about. ¡°Everything points to that being the case, but my heart wants to believe that she didn¡¯t. Maybe she was used or some **like that.¡±


    I knew one way or another, it would lead to L. For three years, we have thought about nothing but the pack and L.


    It¡¯s been three f**g years, and yet we haven¡¯t found anything that would guide us to where L could be¡­ Or what happened to her.


    No one has seen or heard from her. She had very few friends, and those friends disappeared when she did.


    Three years without a word about her or from her. It¡¯s been f**g killing us slowly, and now we find out that she wasn¡¯t even our fated mate?


    We mourned her loss. Mourned the loss of our bond. Agonized over the rejection and held hope that one day we would win her back. All that pain we¡¯ve endured only for us to be told that we weren¡¯t even meant to be. We just don¡¯t know how to f**g deal with that.


    When the elders told me that I would get a second chance mate, I didn¡¯t really have a problem with that. Mainly because, in my heart, L would always remain my first and fated mate. It¡¯s some kind of


    torture to find out that she isn¡¯t even our mate.


    ¡°We know L, Knox. She¡¯s sweet, kind and caring. She¡¯s a representation of what a good person is. I don¡¯t for one second believe that she would deceive us,¡± I finally responded.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then where is she? Howe we haven¡¯t been able to find her all these years? Why did she disappear?¡±


    That was the million-dor question. Where the f**k did she disappear? I get the need to escape your heartache, but to disappear without a trace-that is weird, to say the least.


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know.¡±


    We remained quiet after that. Both of us lost in our own thoughts. Knox drops on his belly and lies on the ground with his head on his paws. The winds continue raging outside while a different kind of storm rages inside us.


    He closes his eyes, feeling the wind brush against our fur. It was peaceful here. This is the one ce wee to when we want to think. When we want to be away from the chaos in the pack. The one ce where we can find peace, even if it¡¯s for only a few hours.


    I use this time to think about what¡¯s to be done. Hunter was right. We needed more alliances. We true needed to speak with the Alpha of the Hope pack. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t have faith in finding my fated mate, but with how everything has gone wrong, it¡¯s always good to have a backup n.

 Chapter 0047

    ?Chapter 0047Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    "We need to go back and start preparations," I said, breaking the silence after we''d been there for some time.


    Thankfully, Knox doesn''t argue. He just stood up and started the trot back home. Despite everything, we felt more at ease. I know it''s only for a while before restlessness takes over, but it was still fucking worth iting here. *How do you imagine our new mate will be?" Knox asked.


    "I haven''t really thought about it," I answered, not really in the mood to talk about a new mate.


    Deep down, I know it''s a fucking lie, though. I''ve thought about it, and I just can''t imagine it at all.


    "Honestly, I don''t think there is anyone that can match L... I don''t know if I''m ready to ept a new mate, not when my heart still beats for Ama." He whimpered, voicing the silent thoughts I''ve been struggling with since learning the truth.


    His voice breaks a little when he mentions L''s wolf. I want tofort him, but I don''t really know how. We''ve carried L and Ama in our hearts for so fucking long that we don''t know how to let go. Even after all these years, they are still imprinted on our souls.


    "We don''t have a choice, Knox. We have to ept the new she-wolf if we want to stand a chance at saving our pack."


    "I get that, but how can we be a true mate to her if we haven''t let go of our former one. It''ll be unfair to them." He was starting to give me a fucking headache. I didn''t want to think about it. I already felt like my soul had been stripped raw. This wasn''t the time to think of that when we hadn''t even found her.


    "We''ll cross that bridge when we get there," I mumbled tersely.


    Shaking his head, he scoffs. "You''re trying to evade the matter."


    "What do you want me to fucking say, Knox? That I''m afraid of hurting her, which we fucking will because someone else has already imed our heart. At this point, I know we''ll just be using her because we can''t fully love andmit to her.


    I don''t want to think about it because I know we''ll break her heart, and she doesn''t deserve that. I''m afraid that we''ll grow to resent her since she''s not who we want, and, most importantly, I''m afraid she''ll refuse to help us once she figures out that, apart from what she can do for us, we don''t really want her."


    Fuck! Why was the moon goddess messing with us? We are taught from birth to trust in her and her ways, but I''m beginning to think she abandoned us a long time ago.


    Knox is quiet as we reach the pack house. Sprinting up the stairs, we rushed to our bedroom. After shifting back to human form, I took a quick shower, put on some clothes, and then headed to my office.


    Opening the door, I found Jason and Micah already seated. I''d mind linked them to meet me at the office while I was showering.


    "So, what''s up?" Jason asked. "You seemed a little tense when you asked us to meet you."


    Sighing, I rounded the table and took my seat. "I need one of you to get ready. We are leaving for The Hope Pack in three days. We need an alliance with them."


    They look at me with their jaws dropped. I get them. I''m never one to go looking for alliances, but like I said, this was just in case things don''t go as nned... And for some damn reason, I feel like nothing will go as nned.

 Chapter 0048

    I walk through the airport with my beta and g**a by my side. Some of my warriors were apanying us. It¡¯s always wise to be careful. You may never know when trouble will arise.


    It took us almost two hours to get here, and we still had a long way to go.


    To say I¡¯m irritable would be an understatement. We were going to an unknown territory to meet an Alpha no one had ever set their eyes on. You can see why I would be on edge. This could go horribly wrong, given that we weren¡¯t able to inform them ahead of time.


    ¡°I¡¯m still f**g p**d at you,¡± I snarled at Jason, who simply showed his neck in submission.


    ¡°I already said I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, barely above a whisper.


    Micah groaned beside me in frustration. ¡°That¡¯s not going to do s**t. How could you forget to call ahead?¡±


    Jason red at Micah, his eyes shing. ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve never gotten so f**g busy that your forgot to do something.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I have, but I¡¯ve never forgotten something as important as calling to inform the Alpha of another pack that we would be visiting.¡± Micah said with a snort.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take that **n*his was all Jason¡¯s f**g fault. He was supposed to call and inform them of our arriv*al. The idiot apparently forgot, and by the time we discovered his idiocy and called, we couldn¡¯t get through.


    We couldn¡¯t postpone, so we just continued with our ns. It would be like an ambush, but I hope that the Alpha won¡¯t see it that way, or we will have a problem.


    The two started growling at each other, pulling me from my thoughts.


    ¡°Will the two of you just f**g cut it out?¡± Imanded, pinching the bridge of my nose.


    It¡¯s like sometimes they forget that they are adults and revert to bickering like kids. It gets on my d**n nerves when they start behaving like two-year-olds.


    They were about to start to argue again when one of my warriors interrupted them.


    ¡°Our rides are here, Alpha,¡± he said respectfully.


    I nod just as several SUVS pull up in front of us. Without a word, I got into one of them, and the warriors followed suit. If the two didn¡¯t stop, I was going to leave their a** here.


    Luckily, they stopped ring daggers at each other long enough to get into the car. The moment they do, we are off.


    ¡°Are you sure this is a good idea?¡± Micah asked after a while.


    I loosened my tie. F**k! This ce was hot as hell, unlike how cool the north was.


    ¡°Yes¡­ why do you ask?¡±


    He fidgets a little. Something that is so unlike Micah.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I get this feeling that something big is about to happen. We have this journey, and my gut tells me that nothing will ever be the same after this,¡± he replied, looking outside, his gaze distant.


    His words sent chills down my back. was quiet the whole time, lifted his head and nodded in agreement. Ignoring his words, I turned to face outside.


    There was nothing but boulders and shrubs. It¡¯s a very dry and scorching ce. It makes me wonder how a pack can even survive here, let alone grow to be a feared pack.


    My thoughts are interrupted when my phone rings. Fishing it out, I checked the caller¡¯s ID, smiling for the first time since Elder Martin made that discovery about my mate.


    ¡°Hello, Buttercup,¡± I greeted her with a lighter tone.


    Piper hasn¡¯t been back to the pack since she left three years ago, I miss my little sister like crazy, but I know she needed this. She¡¯s been traveling, visiting different ces. We¡¯ve kept in touch and have met up whenever I travel for business and the city I¡¯m going to coincides with the one she¡¯s currently visiting.


    ¡°Hi, Big Brother¡­ How are you? How are you holding up?¡± she asked excitedly.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Seeing her and hearing how happy she is puts my heart at ease. She left the pack heartbroken because of the death of that c**t, and that was just another thing I held against Sadie, even though she was already dead.


    I chuckle, pushing those bitter thoughts away. ¡°I¡¯m okay, Pip¡­ You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    I know she¡¯s concerned because of what happened with L, but I wish she wasn¡¯t. She¡¯s always pushing me to find a chosen to fill the void L left. I kept promising I would, even though I knew I wouldn¡¯t.


    She doesn¡¯t know what¡¯s been going on, so she has no idea that L wasn¡¯t my fated.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always worry, Alec. You¡¯re my brother and the only family I have.¡± Her voice takes a sad tone, and I hate it.


    ¡°Piper, I¡¯m okay¡­ I promise,¡± I assured her. ¡°Not that I don¡¯t love hearing from you, but is there a particr reason you¡¯re calling?¡±


    I wanted to distract her, but it was also weird. She calls at night, given that she knows I¡¯m usually busy during the day.

 Chapter 0049

    ¡°Are you going somewhere?¡± she asked instead of answering my question.


    I hate it when people answer a question with a question.


    ¡°Yeah, I have some business to discuss with The Hope pack¡¯s Alpha. I¡¯m headed there right now.¡±


    I hear her squeal loudly, and I¡¯m forced to pull the handset away from my ear so that I don¡¯t damage my ears.


    ¡°Piper, you¡¯re going to make me deaf.¡± Bringing my phone back to my ears, l¡¯tell her irritably.


    ¡°I¡¯m just so excited. You being here is perfect because I have some good news.¡±


    Sitting up right, I perk up at her words. She sounded ecstatic, which piques my curiosity.


    ¡°You¡¯re here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, not in the Hope pack, but in another pack on the east side of it. I was nning toe home, but since you¡¯re here, it¡¯ll be easier. Gosh, I¡¯m so excited about you meeting him.¡±


    Deep down, I know who she probably wants me to meet, but I ask anyway.


    ¡°Meet who, Piper?¡±


    ¡°My mate!¡± she shouted and both Knox and I groaned. ¡°You¡¯re going to love him, I swear.¡±


    ¡°I doubt that,¡± I said with a sneer.


    This is my sister, whom we are talking about. Unless he is anything short of a d**n angel, I doubt I¡¯m going to like the f**r.


    ¡°You will,¡± she gushed,pletely ignoring my words. ¡°Anyway, I have to go, but let me know when you get to the pack, that way we can arrange dinner so you can meet him.¡±


    Before I could even take a breath or reply, she hung up. It was so like her. When she gets happy or excited about something, she bes super hyper.


    ¡°She found her mate?¡± Jason asked, but it was more of a statement than a question.


    ¡°Yeah¡±


    ¡°I honestly feel sorry for the f**r for having you as a brother-inw,¡± Micah chimes in, and I just re at him.


    Choosing to remain silent, I check and answer some emails while Micah and Jason talk about what they imagine Hope pack will be like.


    I know some might think that it was idiotic to bring both my Beta and G**a with me, but for some reason, there was this nagging feeling that I should bring both of them with me. Micah was supposed. to stay behind, but my gut wouldn¡¯t allow me to make that decision, so here we are.


    I left the elders in charge, along with three of my best warriors. We were a bit weakened, but we still had the numbers, and they could put up a fight in case of an attack.


    ¡°We are here.¡± At Jason¡¯s voice, I looked up.


    I¡¯d been so lost in thought and answering pending emails that I didn¡¯t notice that the car had stopped.


    The door opens, and I step outside, with Micah and Jason following behind me.


    It looked like we were in the middle of nowhere, but that¡¯s not what stopped me.


    ¡°It looks like a f**g imprable fortress,¡± Micah whispered.


    My thoughts exactly. The wall was so f**g high, and it surrounded the ce. You couldn¡¯t see a thing inside. I started walking towards the front gate as the others followed behind me.


    ¡°State your business,¡± a man, whom I assume is a warrior, said.


    After allowing my senses to guide me, I realized that he was a vampire. This whole pack puzzled me. Sure, mypany hires all species, but it¡¯s one thing to work with them and to have a pack with all species included.


    ¡°This is my Alpha, and we are here on business. I¡¯m sorry we weren¡¯t able to call ahead, but it was an urgent matter,¡± Micah exined when I remained silent.


    He stares at the rest before his eyes swing back to me. I hated it when people stared at me directly in the air. It was a sign of a challenge.


    Releasing a bit of my aura, I made him submit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let the Alpha know,¡± he bowed his head, and showed me his neck in surrender.


    Ignore the gasps of my warriors. My father, Jason, and Micah are the only ones who know that vampires can submit to me.


    He opens the gates, and thest thing I see before walking away is him holding a phone to his ear.


    ¡°Remember what I said in the car earlier? Well, that feeling has intensified. I want nothing more than to turn back and leave,¡± Micah murmured.


    I had to grit my teeth against the same feeling. It¡¯s like something inside me was begging me to turn back and leave. It was warning me that I wouldn¡¯t like what I found.


    Not paying attention to anything except the path ahead of me, I push myself to move. I wanted to get this over and done with.


    Finally, we get to what I assume is the pack house. The door opens, and three people step out.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    My soul feels like it¡¯s encased in ice when one of the person¡¯s faces registers. I¡¯m rooted to the ground in shock while feeling like my wounds have been ripped open.


    ¡°Sadie?¡± Micah whispered, shocked.


    Her hair had grown, and she looked a bit different, but it was definitely her. It was definitely Sadie f** Evans, and she was definitely not dead.

 Chapter 0050

    Sadie


    ¡°Watch him carefully,¡± Nyx murmured, looking at John as if we were prey and we were the predators. ¡°See how he is favoring one side?¡± she asked.


    I nodded my head. ¡°Yes¡±


    ¡°His other side is the opening you need. If you cannd a strong kick to the left, then you¡¯ll take him by surprise long enough to defeat him.¡±


    I see what she means. I continue attacking his strong side, before changing sides and kicking his left. It takes him by surprise, making him release a groan of pain. Before he can recover, I jump on him and easily bring him down.


    He taps his hand on the mat, and I let him go.


    ¡°I win,¡± I beamed before standing up.


    It¡¯s only then that I hear the cheers around me. I turn and look around, only to find the training arena filled with pack members who were currently cheering me on.


    I wave to them, giving them a small smile.


    ¡°How did you do that?¡± John asked, standing up.


    I¡¯ve been steadily moving up the list of the strongest warriors in the pack. King had been my teacher, but when Nyx took over as my trainer, my fighting skills went up a notch. Sometimes I wonder if she was a warrior in her past life because she knew more ways to take opponents down than all warriorsbined.


    Her guidance has helped me get stronger and better. I don¡¯t want to brag, but I am legendary in the pack, and it¡¯s all thanks to her.


    ¡°Sadie?¡± John called.


    ¡°Sorry, I got lost in thought a little,¡± I said before shrugging and replying. ¡°I just watched you, you were favoring one side, so I attacked your other side, figuring that it was your weak side.¡±


    John is a vampire, and it¡¯s hard to take a vampire down given that they move at the speed of light


    They do have simr abilities to wolves, such as super-strength and perfect vision, but what gives them an advantage over wolves is their super speed. It makes them hard to kill.


    ¡°If you want to be safe, you¡¯ll have to learn to use both sides. Strengthen your weak side. No one in the pack has ever noticed your left side is weak, but during war, you never know who¡¯ll notice and take advantage,¡± I tell him as we get out of the arena.


    ¡°I got attacked a few years ago, and I almost died. A rogue wolf bit the left side of my abdomen. It never healedpletely,¡± I said, looking ahead as if lost in a trance.


    ¡°Have Raven check you out; I¡¯m sure she can find out what¡¯s wrong.¡± I patted his shoulder before turning to address the room. ¡°Training is postponed. We¡¯ll have it in the evening.¡±


    More cheers rang through the open space as I walked to the pack house. I wanted to spend time with Aspen before I started my duties.


    Rushing to my room, I take off my sweat covered clothes and jump into the shower. Minutester, I¡¯m done. I wrap my body in a towel before stepping out and heading to my vanity mirror. I apply some moisturizer and sunscreen.


    I stare at the scar on my cheek, feeling the familiar bitterness raise its head. Raven told me she could erase it with a spell, but I refused. I wanted it to serve as a reminder of what Alec truly is.


    I open the door and leave the bathroom, only for my body to collide with a little one.


    ¡°Mommy!¡± Aspen screamed, happiness radiating from her.


    ¡°Hi, baby.¡± I picked her up, careful not to let my towel fall.


    Despite what humans read in books, we don¡¯t strut around naked in front of kids. Werewolves shift a lot, but we are careful not to be seen by kids. It would be traumatizing for them to see not only their parents but also pack members naked.


    ¡°Let me change, baby, okay?¡± I asked her, putting her on the bed.


    ¡°Okay¡±


    Walking into my walk-in closet, I pick up a white t-shirt and a pair of jeans. Once I¡¯m done, I get out. Aspen is on the bed, with a framed picture.


    ¡°I miss grandma,¡± she says, her eyes tearing upProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Sitting down on the bed, I pull her onto myp and hug her tightly.


    ¡°I know my love, but she¡¯lle to visit, okay?¡±


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure; you know your grandmother is busy,¡± I reply. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯lle to visit and she¡¯ll bring lots of gifts.¡±

 Chapter 0051

    It was lie, but I didn¡¯t know what else to tell her. The two had bonded so fast, just like she had bonded with heraunt Rave and uncle King.


    Just like she¡¯d promised, Beth had found us after things had settled. No one knows how, and she refused to tell us. She stayed with us, but around midst year she left the pack, saying she had something important to do. She never came back and it¡¯s been a year.


    No one knows where she went or what happened. Efforts to find her have been futile. It¡¯s like she just disappeared. We believe that she isn¡¯t dead; we know the kind of power she holds, so I doubt she was dead.


    That being said, she also never told us how she managed to fool everyone into believing that I was dead. She said that it was her secret to keep for now, because none of us were ready for the truth.


    ¡°You promise?¡± Aspen asked, pulling me back to the present.


    ¡°Yes, I promise,¡± I replied, kissing her plump cheek.


    She burrows deeper into my arms while closing my eyes and inhaling my scent. This is something that we do when one of us is anxious, nervous, or just needsfort. We inhale each other¡¯s scent because it calms us.


    ¡°D a m n, we make a cute baby,¡± Aspen purred in my head, so proud of our pup.


    She was right. I don¡¯t think we are biased, but Aspen is just the cutest child I¡¯ve ever seen. Her long, curled eyshes and her green eyes sealed the dealpletely.


    A knock sounds on my door before the door opens to reveal Martha, my nanny.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Hi Sadie, Kingsley asked me toe watch Aspen, as you are needed downstairs,¡± she said, walking towards.


    I don¡¯t know why she never calls him King, despite his insistence every time.


    ¡°Martha!¡± Aspen screamed upon hearing her voice.


    Her eyes were now open and she was scrambling to get out of my hands. I let her go and she runs to Martha, her body colliding with hers.


    ¡°I missed you,¡± she whispered in an angelic voice.


    Martha chuckles. ¡°You just saw me a few minutes ago, baby girl¡­ But I missed you too.¡±


    Standing up, I smile. Aspen was a sweetheart, and you could tell just by how she¡¯s adored by the whole pack. It warms my heart to see her so happy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two,¡± I told them. ¡°Let me see what King wants.¡±


    I leave the room after saying goodbye to Aspen and head downstairs. I spot him and Raven standing near the entrance of the pack house.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I got a call from the main gate that an Alpha has arrived, and he ims it¡¯s urgent,¡± King answered.


    I groaned. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Since Mason isn¡¯t here, we will have to deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, must I be there?¡± I grumbled, whining like a child.


    ¡°Yes, nowe¡­ I think I hear them,¡± Raven said, pulling me towards the door.


    We get outside and I smell him before I see him. This is just f**g perfect. Alec was standing at the steps of the pack house.


    ¡°Sadie?¡± Micah called in a shocked whisper.


    Everyone is frozen. I recognize some of the warriors and of course I recognize that f**g *d, **Jason. My group tenses behind me since they already knew Alec is.


    Alec stares me in shock as I stand still, Nyx growling inside my head. The shock in his eyes quickly turns to hatred and anger. Pure fury radiated from him.


    His eyes turningpletely yellow is the only warning I get before he attacks. He wraps his hand around my neck, his nails digging into my skin.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how are alive and I don¡¯t care,¡± his guttural, distorted voice growled. ¡°But this time I¡¯m going to finish the job right before I end this entire f**g pack for hiding and sheltering you.¡±


    With that, his hands tighten around my neck, and I just know he¡¯s about to rip out my throat.


    He had not only threatened me, but also my pack and daughter. The fear and anger drive me, pulling something from deepest depths of my soul.


    I start feeling something inside me shift. It reminded me of snake slowly uncoiling before it struck.


    ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Nyx said inside my head, right before something inside me snapped, coloring my nothing but pain.

 Chapter 0052

    Raven.


    When I woke up this morning, I didn¡¯t think that things would go to s**t the way they were going right now. I¡¯m a witch, a special witch, as my mom used to tell me.


    I got that odd feeling first thing when I opened my eyes. That heavy weight on my chest, that premonition of something bad happening. I ignored it, thinking that maybe my instincts were wrong. After all, we were safe; what could possibly go wrong.


    Famousst f**g words! I should have trusted my gut. I should have listened to what my inner self was trying tomunicate.


    Now here we were standing face-to-face with Alpha Alec. I¡¯ll never forget the day at his office. The day when I walked out of the bathroom only to find him holding Sadie by the neck while the other had disappeared inside her chest.


    I¡¯ve tried banishing that image from my mind, but I couldn¡¯t. I couldn¡¯t unsee his cruel eyes or the evil smirk that had been stered on his lips. I couldn¡¯t erase the image of Sadie giving up, as if she had epted that she and Aspen would die at the hands of Alec.


    The famous Alpha Alec was truly a monster, and watching right now as his eyes turned color, I¡¯m taken back to that moment in time.


    He moves too fast for any of us toprehend. His hand was on her neck, just like it was that day at the office. He says something to Sadie, but I don¡¯t know what it is.


    Just like me, King is frozen. Everyone is f**g frozen.


    ¡°No!¡± I scream when I realize what he¡¯s about to do.


    His hand moves, and I just know that he¡¯s about to tear her throat out. My brain isn¡¯t working; it isn¡¯t functioning as I try to think of a spell that would stop him.


    Sadie was more than a friend. She has be my sister. My family and I would do anything for her, including going against the most feared Alpha. Besides, Aspen needed her; what would I tell her if her mother died at the hands of her father?


    I had just found the perfect spell to immobilize Alec when a chill ran down my back as the air around us suddenly changed,


    Her scream was the only warning we got right before something exploded, and a force like no other


    knocked all of us back.


    My ears were ringing when I felt someone helping me up. I knew immediately that it was King. There was just no way any of Alec¡¯s pack members would help me.


    My eyes cleared, and what I saw made me still on the spot. I looked around, wondering if anyone else. was seeing this. Maybe I had somehow hit my head hard, and I was seeing things that weren¡¯t there.


    Alec was getting up. His impact had been the hardest, given that he had been at close range to Sadie. I didn¡¯t feel sorry for him. The b**d deserved it. There was something unreadable in his eyes, but that wasn¡¯t my concern; my concern was my sister.


    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± King asked me, just as another of Sadie¡¯s screams pierced the area.


    She floated and curled into herself as her clothes fell from her body. She then switched positions, and her back arched almost painfully. I was afraid that she was going to break her spine. Her screams of pain were piercing my heart.


    ¡°Sadie?¡± I called her desperately as I approached her.


    Before I could get to her, I was forcefully pushed back by an invisible force field. It didn¡¯t matter, because Sadie didn¡¯t even seem like she heard me. It¡¯s like she was in a world of her own. A world of pain and agony.


    King was there to catch me before I could fall.


    ¡°Is she shifting?¡± I asked King as tears filled my eyes, but deep down I knew this wasn¡¯t shifting. I just didn¡¯t want to imagine anything else.


    Her screams were heartbreaking and I felt so useless. I tried again to get to her, but I couldn¡¯t because, just like before, I was pushed back. King also tried but the same thing happened.


    ¡°Is she shifting?¡± this time I screamed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± King finally answered. ¡°This isn¡¯t how it usually happens. This is different. Something isn¡¯t right.¡±


    I could feel the charged air. There was something strange. A powerful energy was coating the air. I could feel it all the way down to my bones.


    ¡°Sadie, you f**g b**h,¡± Alec growled loudly. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll spare you? Watch me as I first tear up your two friends before I finish off your f**g¡­¡±


    Alec didn¡¯t get to finish the sentence because suddenly, the clouds turned ck and the wind picked up. Right before my f**g eyes, Sadie shot up into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.


    ¡°What the hell just happened?¡± someone whispered next to me. It wasn¡¯t King because I would recognize his voice anywhere.


    No one says anything. We are all speechless, staring at the sky as it continues to darken. Just moments ago, it was bright and sunny and now it was dark and gloomy.


    By now, pack members had joined us after they¡¯d heard Sadie¡¯s screams.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Something was happening; I just didn¡¯t know what.


    ¡°Someone better start talking!¡± Alecmanded, his voice as hard as granite.


    No one said anything, because how could we? No one understood what the f**k was happening.


    Thunder boomed as lightning struck. There were shes of light, and the air temperature dropped. The wind picked up, and it was so strong that I felt like it was trying to sweep away all of us.


    My eyes shed in surprise when, all of a sudden, Alec was standing before me.


    ¡°I remember you. Since that b**h isn¡¯t here, I¡¯ll just start with you.¡± Alec¡¯s voice was menacing and dangerous.


    Before I could do a thing, his hand was on my throat, and he was lifting me up. I screamed in surprise and pain as his nails dug into my skin.


    I was just about to mutter a spell when a streak of light shot down, and then somethingnded on the ground with a deafening roar.


    Alec let me go and I fell down in a heap, staring at where the light had shot down. When the wind and soil had cleared, a woman stood there.


    I heard shocked gasps all around me as we felt the intensity of her powers and her majestic aura. All I felt was the need to bow to her.


    Her hair was long, she had a white maxi halter dress, and she was adorned with gold essories. She kind of reminded me of a Greek goddess


    What shocked me, though, were the silverish runes running from her wrists all the way to her shoulders. They seemed to be alive as they moved like snakes slithering across her skin. Her eyes were the most shocking. Her entire Iris was white. Her eyes were pure white.


    It took me while to register that this wasn¡¯t just any woman; this was Sadie.

 Chapter 0053

    ¡°What the hell is she?¡± Someone whispered next to me.


    The question brought me back to what Sadie had said the two vampires had asked her when they were feeding. Could this be what they meant? Is it possible that they sensed something in her blood, something that none of us knew about her?


    Her deadly eyes turn to Alec.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this for a long time¡­ I¡¯m going to enjoy tearing you into pieces,¡± her lips twisted in a cruel smile.


    Her voice was barely recognizable, and it sent chills down my back. It was distorted, as if caught between human and beast.


    Alec releases his Alpha aura, which was also something else. Seeing that, Sadie increased hers, and hers brought everyone to the ground. Including me.


    Alec half shifts, something that I know no werewolf has ever been able to do. He rushes towards Sadie. The man has guts; I¡¯ll give him that.


    I watch as they collide, their collision shaking the entire ground beneath our feet. I can feel the tension in the air. The anger and hatred between them.


    The wind picked up, and by the time it cleared, Sadie had Alec in the same position he had her a few minutes ago. It¡¯s shocking, not only to us but to his entire pack.


    I don¡¯t know what happened or how it happened, but something was different about her. She was powerful, and gone was the girl I met three years ago.


    A gasp escapes my mouth when, out of nowhere, a pair of majestic white wings unfold from her back. Sheunches a few feet off the ground before she drops Alec. He hits the ground hard, leaving every one of our pack members scrambling to get away from them.


    ver and over and Sadie doesn¡¯t waste any time as sheunches herself at Alec, punching him plummeting him to the ground. Each of her punches is powerful, almost like she¡¯s using extraterrestrial strength.


    ¡°S**t¡± King curses beside me, as Sadie lifts him before flinging him like he was nothing but paper.


    *


    He hits the wall hard, demolishing the entire thing to the ground.


    ¡°She¡¯s going to kill him,¡± I say, remembering what she said.


    There was a lot of bitterness for what Alec did to her, and who can me her? The b**d tortured her for months. 1 may not have been there psychically, but I could feel her pain and agony day in and day out through my dreams.


    Her pain was unimaginable, not just physically. As if that wasn¡¯t enough, even after torturing her, heProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ill didn¡¯t leave her alone in peace. He wanted to inflict as much damage bybelling her a traitor. To add to his sins, Alec had almost killed Aspen. That is the one thing I believe Sadie will never be able to forgive him.


    She feels nothing for him except pure hate. That alone is enough for her to kill him without any remorse. If you had asked me, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to take him down before. Sure, she¡¯s the best in the pack, but Alec was an Alpha. A powerful one at that. Given she couldn¡¯t shift, she wouldn¡¯t have been a match for Alec, who, word says, is a beast, both in human and wolf form.


    This new version, whatever she is, is more powerful than anyone I¡¯ve ever encountered. This new form can easily take out Alec without a sweat.


    ¡°We have to stop her,¡± King said, worry coating his voice.


    Sadie f**ps her wings, heading straight at Alec at a fast speed. He isn¡¯t able to move in time when Sadiends another blow, then follows it with a kick to the gut. He crumples to the floor, but Sadie doesn¡¯t stop there. She follows through with kick after kick and blow after blow.


    Alec


    was bloodied and he barely seemed like he was moving. She lifts his unmoving body, and right before our eyes, she breaks his spine. I wince when I hear it break.


    He roars in pain as Sadie dumps his weak body to the ground. He is a werewolf and he¡¯ll heal in a couple of days, but it¡¯s still excruciating and he¡¯ll be in a hell of pain.

 Chapter 0054

    It takes their Alpha roaring in pain to unfreeze his people. I guess they were in shock; no one has ever been able to defeat the mighty Alpha Alec until now. The fact that he was defeated by the same woman he tortured is a surprise.


    I sense a different kind of aura. It wasn¡¯t as powerful as that of Alec but it was still powerful so I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s his Beta¡¯s


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay for this, Sadie,¡± he shouted.


    Sadie turned, facing them with those piercing white eyes.


    ¡°Ah, Jason¡­ you¡¯re next. I¡¯m going to destroy all of you before finally killing your pathetic, weak Alpha,¡± she said with a cold smirk.


    She holds a hand up high and a golden staff shoots down from the sky,nding in her hand. She points it in the direction of Alec¡¯s pack.


    ¡°Be prepared to die.¡± It¡¯s the only warning she gives before she attacks.


    With the kind of force with which she was attacking them, this was going to be a massacre.


    ¡°Is Aspen safe?¡± I asked King as I watched Sadie beat the **t out of Alec¡¯s pack and, in the destroy the pack house process,


    ¡°Yeah, I told Martha to get to the safe house and stay there until wee for them,¡± he replied. ¡°I¡¯ve also told the rest of the pack to stay away and keep safe till all this is over.¡±


    I nod my head and turn to my best friend and sister.


    ¡°Sadie!¡± I shouted. ¡°Please listen to me; stop this.¡±


    She doesn¡¯t give an incline like she heard me. I am a powerful witch but given her aura, I know that I am no match for her. I doubt any of my spells would work on her.


    Alec was down, his Beta was down and now she was working her way through the warriors who were now trying to fight her. I start to panic, knowing that in a few second they¡¯ll all be down.


    ¡°On second thought, I¡¯ll kill your best friend first, Jason; that way, you can watch as he dies, just like you watched in his office as he was about to kill me.¡± Sadie said after finishing with thest warrior.


    ¡°No,¡± he tried saying, but his voice was weak.


    Sadie justughs before walking towards Alec and lifting him up by his neck.


    ¡°Do something,¡± the unknown guy says next to me. ¡°She¡¯s going to kill him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not as powerful.¡± I whisper, staring at him, wondering why the hell Sadie had not hurt him given he¡¯s also a member of Alec¡¯s pack, ¡°Just like you, I¡¯m helpless.¡±


    He doesn¡¯t wait for me to finish the words before he¡¯s rushing towards Sadie. I shake my head, thinking he¡¯s dumb. Didn¡¯t he see the rest of his pack? Did he really think he could take her on?


    ¡°Sadiel¡± he shouted his name. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill him, you¡¯ve already hurt him. Don¡¯t and him, and don¡¯t end the others.¡±


    ¡°He hurt me, Micah¡­ He should pay for what he did.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯m begging you, please¡­ spare them,¡± he slowly approached him and we slowly approached them.


    ¡°Why should I spare them? They deserve to die,¡±


    He sighs. ¡°Because you owe me, I saved your life, and I¡¯m asking you to return the favor by sparing them.¡±


    I¡¯m confused. How did he save her life? King and I stare at each other, the same question ringing in our heads, We get our answer in the next second.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said before dropping Alec. ¡°They¡¯re alive because you helped me escape the dungeon. I will spare them this once, but the next time this b**d tries to attack me or threaten my friends and pack, I¡¯ll end his pathetic life.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered, bowing down to her.


    She turns to us. ¡°Lock all of them in the dungeon, except for Micah.¡±


    Without another word, she spreads her wings and shoots into the sky. The three of us are left looking after her and the only question ringing in my head is: what or who is Sadie Evans?


    ¡°Sadiel¡± he shouted his name. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill him, you¡¯ve already hurt him. Don¡¯t end him, and don¡¯t end the others.¡±


    ¡°He hurt me, Micah¡­ He should pay for what he did.¡±


    ¡°I know, but I¡¯m begging you, please¡­ spare them,¡± he slowly approached him and we slowly approached them.


    ¡°Why should I spare them? They deserve to die.¡±


    He sighs. ¡°Because you owe me. I saved your life, and I¡¯m asking you to return the favor by sparing them.¡±


    I¡¯m confused. How did he save her life? King and I stare at each other, the same question ringing in our heads. We get our answer in the next second.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said before dropping Alec. ¡°They¡¯re alive because you helped me escape the dungeon. I will spare them this once, but the next time this b**d tries to attack me or threaten my friends and pack, I¡¯ll end his pathetic life.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he muttered, bowing down to her.


    She turns to us. ¡°Lock all of them in the dungeon, except for Micah.¡±


    Without another word, she spreads her wings and shoots into the sky. The three of us are left looking after her and the only question ringing in my head is: what or who is Sadie Evans?

 Chapter 0055

    Anonymous.


    Sighing, I lean back against my seat and just stare at spot on my mahogany desk. Like I said, everything was going ording to n, but I still didn¡¯t know how to bring himpletely back on. earth.


    So far what I¡¯ve found is that I need her. I need her powers. My mother put a kind of protective spell, one that doesn¡¯t recognize my powers. In other words, I can¡¯t use my powers to bring back my love. I have to depend on her. I have to sit and wait for her to awaken. It¡¯s the only way.


    I¡¯m getting impatient though. It¡¯s been centuries, I miss my man. I miss my love. I miss Kaden so f**g much. It¡¯s been so long and I¡¯ve been so lonely. I can still taste the chaos we unleashed and my soul is craving it more than ever. We were meant to rule after I finally got my mother¡¯s staff, but everything went to hell because of her.


    Standing up, I start pacing the room. My beast, Xena, was getting impatient too. She wanted her mate beside her. She wanted him with us and every day that passed without him, she¡¯s starting to lose control.


    My heart aches as I remember my time with Kaden. He was everything I ever wanted in a mate. I fell in love with him the first time I saw him in our pce. He¡¯d been visiting and when I saw him, I knew right then that he was the one.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    My mother had been against us though. She did everything she could to separate us, but she wasn¡¯t able to. She couldn¡¯t break what we felt for each other. He was mine and I was his. She said our union was wrong. That I should be ashamed, but I never was and neither was he. You can¡¯t stand in the way of a true bond.


    The good thing is that Kaden thought the same too. He saw me as his match. As his one and only. I was the only one who could give the things others couldn¡¯t. I was the only one who epted him for what he was and understood his dark desires. That¡¯s what made us such a powerful couple, we were both dark on the inside and we epted it.


    I smile at the memories of chaos. The destruction we brought. It was all glorious. Well that is until my mother decided to get in the way. She wanted Kaden gone and she seeded in it. Too bad I¡¯m a loyal mate and I was not going to let him stay gone. We are meant to rule both worlds and I¡¯ll make sure that we do.


    ¡°You need to hasten the n, I need him, L¡± My beast, Xena muttered with an edge to her voice.


    ¡°I know, but you know we can¡¯t do anything right now. Not until she awakens¡± I replied, looking


    outside the window.


    This was the only way and Xena knew this. We¡¯ve tried everything in the past years to bring him back, but we couldn¡¯t. She was the only one who could. The protective spell would recognize her powers, so apart from mother, she¡¯s the only one that can break the spell.


    ¡°And when will that be? I¡¯m tired of waiting¡± she growled, pacing in my head and giving me a d a m n headache.


    ¡°When it¡¯s time we will know.¡±


    Turning around and walk out of my office. I needed a breather or else my thoughts would drown me. I haven¡¯t gotten a moment of rest since I lost Kaden. It¡¯s just been nning and scheming for years. All I have done, I have done for him. I am now ready to have him back with me.


    Heading to the kitchen, I make myself a sandwich. It took a while to get used to the food here, but now it¡¯s easier.


    The hybrid warriors that were inside, bow to me in respect before leaving. They were heading back to the training grounds. We chose the worst of the worst. They kind who would revel in creating chaos because that¡¯s what I nned to do once Kaden awoke.


    Before he was taken from me, we had nned to destroy everything before rebuilding it back in our image. Everyone who stood against us would end up dead. That¡¯s how it¡¯s meant to be.


    ¡°My queen¡±


    I sensed him before he even walked to me up.


    ¡°What is it ke? Have you found my mother?¡± I asked, taking a bit of my sandwich.


    ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯ve heard rumors a woman that might fit her description¡± he answered.


    Like I said, I didn¡¯t really care whether my mother was alive or not, but I wanted her to be here as I destroyed everything she fought so hard to protect.


    ¡°Have you confirmed if there are just rumors?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯ve sent out four of our best trackers and spies to investigate¡± he said. ¡°We should get the answer soon¡±


    I was about to answer when I felt a shift in the air. There was something potent and powerful coating


    the air. The skies darkened, thunder rumbled and lightning struck.


    The wind picked up and so is the electrifying presence of power. Something told me that this wasn¡¯t just happening here alone, but everywhere. It was hard to miss the weather changing all of a sudden and the disappearance of the sun.


    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± ke whispered next to me.


    I smiled for the first time in a long time.


    Finally, her powers have awakened. It was time to bring Kaden back.

 Chapter 0056

    Sadie.


    I use the sliding doors to enter my room through the balcony. Slowly, I walk towards the full length mirror and just silently stare at myself.


    I was confused on what happened or what the hell I was. I turn to my right then to my left and check out the white pair of wings that were on my back. I always thought that angels were just fiction, which when you think about it is funny since humans believed the same thing about our goddess.


    Humans just like us, have their deities. I never paid much attention to their religion or beliefs, but now looking at my wings I can¡¯t help but to wonder if I¡¯d been wrong to brush off their beliefs in their **ds. and angels.


    I take a step back when I think of the power that had drummed through me when I was beating the hell out of Alec. Everything happened so fast and the only thing I remember before my body shot up into the clouds was pure undiluted pain and fierce anger. Those and the need to protect those I loved. I knew that Alec would go through with his threat of killing everyone if I didn¡¯t do something about it.


    It f**g terrified me and that¡¯s when something inside me snapped. Things were a bit of a blur, but ! still feel the power inside me. It¡¯s something I can¡¯t describe nor have I ever felt.


    ¡°I need an exnation, Nyx.¡± I whispered desperately.


    When she said I wasn¡¯t ready and that I¡¯d shift when it was time, this isn¡¯t what I had in mind. I thought I would transform into a wolf, not whatever this was.


    Before she could speak though, the door opened. Raven and King walked in, worry marking their faces. They both lunged at me, engulfing me in a big hug. I was happy to be in their arms, but because of therge wings, I felt a bit ufortable.


    ¡°Guys, I¡¯m okay¡± I murmured. ¡°And could you please let me go, you¡¯re crashing me.¡±


    They listened and then Raven turned to me, giving me a once over.


    ¡°You have to exin that,¡± she said, pointing to my wings.


    King interrupted. ¡°Start at the beginning. We need to understand what the hell happened, how all this is possible and what exactly you are.¡±


    Sighing, I try to sit on the bed because I was bone tired, but that¡¯s not possible given my current state.


    ¡°How do I get rid of the wings, Nyx¡± I asked.


    She waszily lying down, her head on her paws. She was feeling content while I was edgy and unsettled.


    ¡°Just imagine yourself with no wings,¡± she replied,zily ¡°That should do it.¡±


    Closing my eyes, I envisioned my back without the wings. Weirdly enough, despite how big they were they weren¡¯t heavy. It was going to take some time to get used to them, but once I do I¡¯m sure it will some time to get used to them, but once I do I¡¯m sure it will feel like an extension of my limbs.


    Minutester, I was wing free and thus able to sit down on the bed.


    ¡°Well?¡± Raven pushed, probably desperate for answers.


    Taking a deep breath, I try to calm down my beating heart. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say. Most of the things were blurry. It¡¯s like I was there, but wasn¡¯t at the same time. When Alec had his ws in my throat, Nyx told me that it was time Then the pain started and I felt like I was being ripped from inside out, when it was finally over, she told me to give her control¡±


    ¡°You were shifting,¡± Nyx told me in a singsong voice. ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve waited for this.¡±


    She seemed excited and happy. A part from when Aspen was born, this is the only other time I¡¯ve felt true happiness radiating from her.


    ¡°Yeah and you both proceeded to beat the **t out of Alpha Alec and his pack,¡± King muttered, his arms folded across his chest and his legs apart.


    ¡°They deserved it¡± I said, seething. ¡°After what they did to me, I should have f**g killed them.¡±


    King raised his hands in surrender. A small smirk ying on his lips. ¡°I¡¯m notining, it was epic watching that b**d getting pounded¡±


    The audacity of Alec to threaten me and my loved ones. The man was nothing but a narcissistic b**. He was a monster and it felt good to hurt him like he hurt me.


    ¡°I should have killed him.¡± I repeated.


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t¡± Raven stated. ¡°The G**a, Micah¡­ he stopped you and you listened, why?¡±


    Gosh, I wanted to kill him so bad. I hated him and so did Nyx. We saw him as a threat to our daughter, family, friends and pack members. We have had a bone to chew with that man since he locked me up in his dungeon and tortured me for months.


    We were filled with so much anger. So much bitterness. Seeing him brought it all back. The pain, the fear and the helplessness I felt back then. Recognizing some of his warriors brought back the memories of them hurting me, taunting me andughing every time I begged for mercy.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I wanted them gone. The world would have been a better ce without them. I doubt anyone would have missed them, I for one wouldn¡¯t.


    I still carry the scars on my back from my time in their hands. The scar on my face was a stark reminder of the kind of man Alec is. A man who should be six feet under and not strutting around in other people¡¯s packs, making threats.


    Sometimes I don¡¯t know whether to be happy or not. I¡¯m d he lost L that way he can live with the f**g pain of being rejected forever, but then again, it¡¯s because he lost his mate that he turned on me. It¡¯s an impossible situation, but either way happy that he went through that pain. It may not have been psychical like what I went through, but it is pain none the less.


    ¡°Earth to Sadie¡± Raven snaps her fingers in front of me. ¡°You haven¡¯t told us why you spared Alec¡¯s sick pack when his G**a asked you too. I¡¯m also curious why he was the only one you didn¡¯t touch.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I owe him¡± I said then sucked in a lungful or air, ¡°Micah is the one who helped me escape the dungeons.¡±

 Chapter 0057

    ¡°Come Again?¡± Raven¡¯s eyes blinks at me almostically.


    ¡°Micah helped me escape when I was in the dungeon,¡± I repeated.


    They both looked at me with shock stered on their faces. I get their reaction, though, I would be surprised if the positions had been switched.


    King releases a breath of air. ¡°You want to tell me that Alec¡¯s Gamma helped you escape? That he went behind his Alpha and best friend to help you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m telling you.¡±


    Damn I was tired. The adrenaline had receded and now I was crashing. I try to stop wants to make its way out of my mouth, but it¡¯s no use.


    ¡°Why would he help you?¡± Raven asked, puzzled.


    I just shrugged my shoulder. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. He just told me that he didn¡¯t believe that I drugged Alec. He said that he felt that something was off about the whole situation. I didn¡¯t get to question him, because we were in the middle of a prison break and we needed to hurry up.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± King murmured. ¡°Maybe he sensed the same thing I sensed when I first met you, and as you can see, I wasn¡¯t wrong given that you transformed whatever it is you changed too.¡±


    I nod my head instead of saying anything. I wanted nothing more than to just sleep and not wake up till the next morning.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want toe off as rude and I know you want answers, but can we talk tomorrow? I¡¯m kind of tired,¡± I told them, standing up to look for my pajam


    ¡°Yeah, sure, absolutely. We understand.¡± Thises from Raven.


    ¡°Is Aspen okay? I want to check up on her but I can¡¯t even master the energy.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she is. She¡¯s already asleep,¡± King answered. ¡°Get some rest, Sadie. We¡¯ll talk tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Thanks guys¡±


    I hug them and momentster they walk out and close the door softly behind them. When I changed back to my normal self, the white dress and all the jewelrydisappeared.Mytransformationkindof reminded of that of Thor or Loki. In their godly form, they had godly attire, and they could switch between the two states. After removing my casual clothes, Iputonmypajamasbeforegettingonthe bed.


    Iy down and cover myself. It was weird thinking the roles had been reversed and now Alec was in the dungeon. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I hate the man, but I don¡¯t know how to process the turn of events. I never thought something like this would happen.


    ¡°Nyx, what are we?¡± I asked, pushing the thoughts of Alec to the back of my mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should tell you yet,¡± she answeredzily. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re ready for that answer. as of yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being mysterious again,¡± I grumbled, frustrated by her answer.


    Why does she have to be like this? I¡¯m taken back to when I was supposed to shift and she told me the same mysterious bullshit. She said that I should stronger and I did that. She also said that everything will be revealed after that.


    I did all that she said and instead of finding closure and the answers I needed, I am instead left more confused than ever and yet again, she¡¯s refusing to give me the answers I need.


    ¡°I know, Sadie¡± she said seriously. ¡°But you have to get that there are things that you are not ready to hear yet. I¡¯m your wolf. I¡¯m your other half. I probab you¡¯re not ready to handle the truth.¡±


    I think of her words and am not really sure how to take them.


    ¡°What am I supposed to do with that, Nyx?¡± Jasked. ¡°I¡¯m confused about everything. When you said that I would shift when the time was right,this isn''t what I had in mind... And now there is a new me. I''ve never heard of anyone shifting into what I just did and by the shock on the faces of everyone, neither have they."


    I punch my pillow in frustration, but it does nothing to ease the chaos I feel inside. I had so many. questions and the one person who could answer me, was refusing to.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you everything but the only thing I can tell you is that you¡¯re an Alpha Female. "


    ¡°What the hell is that supposed to mean?¡± I demanded. ¡°That answers nothing. There are Lunas and Alpha¡¯s daughters all over the world, being an alpha female isn''t anything special."


    I was angry, tired and exasperated at the same time. That wasn¡¯t a very goodbination, if you ask me. Nyx was just driving me around in circles.


    Sighing, she focuses on me. ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, my dead human. A Luna is just an Alpha¡¯s mate and an Alpha¡¯s daughter is just that: a daughter. Sure, they are higher¨Cranked but nothing about them is special. They are not Alpha Females. There are only three Alpha Female¡¯s in existence and you¡¯re one of them.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    Well, talk about the rug being pulled from right under you. I always assumed that Lunas and the daughters to Alphas were alpha females. Hell, everyone how strong they were. Piper was an example with how she could easilymand others. Those two categories of women were the only ones who could stand their ground when it came to Alphas, so how are they not alpha females?


    ¡°I¡¯m now even more confused than ever,¡± I sighed, tired. ¡°And how do you know this, Better yet, who are the other two Alpha females, and what does it even mean to be an Alpha Female?"


    ¡°I¡¯ve already said too much.¡±


    I grunt in annoyance. ¡°Damn you and your secrets.¡±


    No one has more secrets than Nyx. She was driving me to the brink of madness and she didn¡¯t even care.


    Nyx just chuckled. ¡°Everything will be revealed in due time.¡±


    ¡°Just answer me this, we half angels or something?¡± I asked hopefully.


    This time sheughs, but doesn¡¯t agree with that or deny it.


    My mind was running thousands of miles per minute, trying to figure out what the hell she was hiding and why she thought it wasn¡¯t the time to reveal the


    Turning to the left side of my bed, I sigh before closing my eyes. I know Nyx, and I know she isn¡¯t going to tell me what we are. She¡¯s stubborn, and I won''t betoconvincehertorevealhermysteries.


    I was just about to fall asleep when her voice interrupted my peace.


    ¡°And, Sadie?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Be ready to shift tomorrow,¡± she said.


    What the hell?


    ¡°What the hell do you mean? Didn¡¯t we already shift?¡± I asked.


    I don¡¯t get the answer, though, because the damn, stubborn half of me has already blocked me.

 Chapter 0058

    Alec


    I groan as my eyes flutter open. The putrid smell assaults me and pain consumes me in every inch of my body.


    It takes me a while for my brain to load, but when I do, both Knox and I release a ferocious roar. That fucking little bitch. I can¡¯t believe that she broke my


    Struggling, I sat up, leaning my aching back against the wall. I didn¡¯t have to be told I was in the dungeon. The putrid smell, bars and dimly lit space told


    I release yet another growl. Not only did I have a bone to pick with Sadie, but also the Alpha. How dare he lock me up in his dungeon as if I were a fucking rogue. How dare he let me be disrespected in that way?


    ¡°I want their fucking blood!¡± Knox snarled, pacing in my head,


    ¡°I know¡± I replied in a clipped voice. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re going to make it hurt once we get out of here.¡±


    My breath wasbored not only from trying to calm myself down, but also from the pain. We are: werewolves, and we do heal fast, but that doesn¡¯t mean it still doesn¡¯t hurt like a bitch.


    I grit my teeth and take in a deep breath, while trying to take note of my injuries. I still can¡¯t fucking believe it. How in the hell was I bested by a damn weThis content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    This is the first time anyone has ever been able to take me down. Thinking about it just pisses me even more. The fact that it was Sadie that did it, pushes my fury to dangerous levels.


    have nothing against strong women. In fact, it¡¯s a turn on for me when a woman is strong and capable. That being said, I do have something against tha


    ¡°Alec?¡± Jason¡¯s voice pulls me from my murderous thoughts. ¡°You up?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡± I answered. ¡°What are you doing here? I thought I was the only one thrown into this filthy ce.¡±


    I had been so lost in my thoughts and anger that I had not sensed my Beta and friend.


    ¡°No¡­ We were all thrown in here after she beat the shit out of us¡± he pauses. ¡°Well, everyone except Micah.¡±


    I still at first, thinking that she had killed him, but I still feel my connection to him¡­ Meaning that Micah was alive.


    ¡°What do you mean except him?¡± I demanded.


    ¡°He¡¯s the only one from our pack that she didn¡¯t touch.¡±


    I frown, puzzled as to why the hell my Gamma was spared while the rest of us weren¡¯t. It didn¡¯t make any fucking sense.


    ¡°I¡¯ll link him¡°, I told him, trying to piece up the pieces of the puzzle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother, I already did¡­ He¡¯s on his way¡± Jason announced.


    ¡°What of the rest?¡±


    ¡°They aren¡¯t here, so I¡¯m guessing they were taken to a different section of the dungeon, but they¡¯re alright. Slowly healing¡±


    Sighing, I threw my head against the wall. Fuck. I should have listened to my instinct when I felt like nothing would go as nned. I should have stayed home instead ofing to this goddamned forsaken ce.


    ¡°But then we wouldn¡¯t have known that that traitor was still alive¡°, Knox corfmented. ¡°Now, we get to have our revenge.¡±


    ¡°And how do you suppose we do that when she literally wiped the floor with our faces?¡± I questioned, feeling irritated at this new version of Sadie.


    Where is the skittish, weak, fearful girl that we knew? The same woman that cried and begged when we were torturing her in the dungeon?


    Knox stared at me, his eyes burning in rage. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we¡¯ll find a way. She has to pay for her trickery three years ago. She¡¯s done so many wron


    I was about to answer, when I heard approaching footsteps. Micah¡¯s scent wafts to my nose seconds before the door at the top opens, and he ascends downthestairs.


    ¡°You both look like shit¡± hemented, sizing us up.


    It wasn¡¯t a lie. Hell, I felt like shit.


    ¡°And you look like you¡¯ve gotten your fucking beauty sleep while the rest of us rotted away in here¡± Jason snapped bitterly.


    ¡°Well, that isn¡¯t my fucking fault, is it?¡± Micah snapped back, ring at Jason.


    I don¡¯t know how these two are friends, when most of the time they¡¯re arguing and bickering. Maybe it is because of forced proximity. Like I said, we¡¯ve k were in diapers.


    ¡°Why are you not here like the rest of us?¡± I interrupted their bickering. Thest thing I wanted was to end up with a headache because of these two.

 Chapter 0059

    ?Chapter 0059


    Micah''s eyes didn''t leave Jason. "I don''t know, maybe because I wasn''t an asshole to Sadie? Or maybe it''s because, unlike the rest of you, I didn''t partake in torturing the living daylights out of her."


    I study him. Really study him. Sure, he neverid a hand on her, but something told me that it was more than that. Yes, that could be one of the reasons, but I get this feeling that he is hiding something. That he wasn''t telling the whole truth.


    *Cut the crap, Micah. We both know that can''t be the only reason", Jason snarled at him, sensing the same thing did.


    "Well, that''s the only reason I''m willing to share he retorted through gritted teeth. "Now, are you going to sit in that damn cell and continue interrogating me or should we focus on other important things, like, I don''t know, getting you and everyone the fuck out?"


    He was right. There were more important things to do. I needed first to get out of here, then I could deal with Sadie and the insolent Alpha of this damned pack.


    "Have you talked to the Alpha?" I asked, pushing my rage down.


    *Not yet, but I heard he''ll be in today, so I''m waiting for him toe in, then I can exin that there has been a misunderstanding and that you didn''t mean to attack one of his members" Micah replied calmly, all traces of irritation gone.


    Scoffing, I push myself up. "I very well-meant to attack his pack member. In fact, I meant to kill her."


    "Can you just stop?" Micah sighed. "Saying that won''t help your case. You were wrong here; you know very well you aren''t supposed to attack another Alpha''s pack member without provocation and we all know that Sadie didn''t provoke you."


    "Yes, she did. The fact that she''s alive is provoking enough."


    "I don''t get your hate for her. Sadie isn''t a bad person.... I don''t get how you could treat her so horribly."


    Was he fucking kidding me right now? Because I swear if he wasn''t, he''s going to see the end of my fists once get out of this fucking cell.


    Jason scoffs in the other cell.


    *Really? She isn''t a bad person. Do you want me to count her wrong doing? How about we start with drugging an Alpha, then taking advantage of him? If the roles were switched, I would have been called a rapist. Then let''s get to how she escaped her punishment by escaping. Then, she had the audacity to lie to me that she was fucking pregnant and, on top of that, she faked her own death... Do those things seem like good behavior to you?"


    Sadie was a conniving, lying, slut. No one can change that opinion of her.


    *There has to be an exnation and, besides, I don''t believe she drugged you," he shrugged.


    Iunch myself at him, colliding with the cell bars. He moves away before I can get my hands on him. The audacity he had to defend her when he knew how much she put me through.


    "Listen, Alec, I know you''re angry."


    *Shut the fuck-up Micah!" I yelled, balling my hands into painful fists. "The only reason she''s alive is because of whatever powers she now has, otherwise I would have ripped out her fucking throat and danced on her fucking corpse!"


    He stays quiet, his lips pressed in a thin line. His eyes, though, were shing.


    "What is she, by the way... Her aura and powers - they were something else" Jason said after a while.


    "I don''t know." I replied, backing away from the bars. "I doubt anyone does."


    Whatever she is, is something I''m having a hard time thinking about. In fact, I don''t want to fucking think about it at all. I want those thoughts buried deep inside where they''ll never see the light of day.


    *I''ll leave... It''s nine in the morning, and I''m sure the Alpha will be in his office at any moment. I''ll see what I can do to get you out of here."


    Without sparing us another look, he leaves, I can feel the tension radiating from him and I don''t care. Sadie wasn''t a good person and the fact that one of my best friends was defending her just pushes me to the edge.


    He opens the door and I freeze when a scent hits my nose.


    *Do you smell that?" Knox asked, his eyes shining with excitement.


    It''s gone before I can wrap my head around the beautiful and sweet smell, but it''s clear as day.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    "Yes" I replied, slowly.


    Knox says the word that we''ve been fearing since we learned that we could save our pack if we could find her.


    "Mate"


    Hope starts rising within us. Seems like not all is lost, and my pack''s salvation is in here after all.

 Chapter 0060

    Sadie.


    ¡°Mama, Mama, wake up¡± Aspen¡¯s sweet little voice pulls me from my sleep. That and the fact that she was using my bed as a bouncing castle.


    ¡°Wake up Mama¡± she screamed again, making me groan.


    Aspen is always loud. She could scream your ear off if she wanted to. She is also an early riser. For a kid, you¡¯d expect she¡¯ll sleep to her heart¡¯s content, but nope, she always wakes up before eight.


    The bed stops shaking, making me snap my eyes open. She¡¯s the kind of child you have to keep your eyes on. Silence, except when she¡¯s sleeping, means that she¡¯s up to something fishy.


    ¡°Morning mama¡± she said with a smile. Her face is right there on mine, our noses almost touching.


    ¡°Morning baby¡± I replied as I pulled her into my arms.


    She screams happily as I drag her to me and try to cover us with my nkets. I pepper her with kisses, unable to resist doing so. She was just too cute.


    ¡°Stop, Mama¡± she said, her cheeks rosy. ¡°We will miss fast¡±


    She didn¡¯t know how to pronounce the word breakfast, so she shortened it to ¡®fast¡¯ to make it easier for herself. This is a tradition we have. That unless there is something urgent, I will always have breakfast and dinner with her.


    ¡°Okay, my love¡­ let me take a shower, and we can leave¡± I told her. ¡°Is that okay with you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡± was her simple answer.


    Leaving her with my tablet, I rush to have my shower. I take a bit longer than I usually do, but when I¡¯m done, I feel ready to face today.


    Getting out, I wrap a towel around myself and then head to my walk-in closet. Aspen was still concentrating on whatever cartoon she was watching. I close the door behind me before putting myBelongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    clothes on. After running my fingers through my shoulder-length hair, I get out.


    ¡°Are you ready, Ash?¡± I called, using the nickname King gave to her.


    Aspen looks up, before putting down the tablet.


    ¡°Yes, mommy¡± she answered, then got down from the bed and walked towards me.


    Grabbing my phone, I then take her hand, and we walk out of my bedroom. There weren¡¯t many pack members around given it was about eight in the morning. Most were probably already at work, training or school.


    Unlike what people think, we don¡¯t usually have food together unless it¡¯s a party of some sort. We had over eight hundred members. We couldn¡¯t all fit in the dining room.


    The pack house was mainly for single members, warriors and higher up officials. Those who are mated (In the case of werewolves), blood bonded (In the case of vampires) and wedded (In the case of witches and wizards) have their own houses.


    Unlike werewolves whose mates are chosen by the moon goddess, vampires, witches and wizards choose their own spouses.


    Werewolves, as you know, mark each other and can choose to have a wedding if they want. Vampires, on the other hand, exchange blood. The blood bond is created during sex when the female and male feed from each other, exchanging blood in the process. Their bond is simr to that of werewolves¡¯ mates in that they canmunicate telepathically. When one is hurt, the other can feel it, and they know when the other is in danger.


    Witches and wizards, on the other hand, perform a simple ceremony where their magic isbined and they be one. They don¡¯t have a special bond like wolves and vampires, but their union is just as strong.


    I greet the few members I meet on the way, before we finally get to the kitchen. Raven and King were already seated and digging into their breakfast.


    ¡°Morning Auntie and Uncle,¡± Ash greeted them, cheerfully.


    ¡°Morning darling¡±, King answered.


    ¡°Good morning, honey bunny¡± this came from Raven.


    We take our seats and I serve both of us. Aspen wasn¡¯t a picky eater and she could eat anything. Well, except greens.


    The adults remain silent as Ash fills us with tales of her day, yesterday. It didn¡¯t constitute much. ying with the other kids, drawing, baking with Martha, and taking naps.


    Looking at her, I¡¯m struck by something.


    ¡°Nyx, is Aspen like us?¡± I asked as panic set in.

 Chapter 0061

    ?Chapter 0061


    I''ve been trying not to think about what happened yesterday. Trying to block it out because one, I didn''t know how to handle it and two, I didn''t have all the information.


    "Yes, in a way," she answered with one eye open.


    "What does that mean?"


    *It means that even though her powers will be a bit watered down, she''ll still be more powerful than other wolves, including alphas," she paused, then continued. "All the children we''ll have in the future will be powerful."


    Well, what am I supposed to do with that information? The good thing is that Aspen won''t be blindsided like was. I can start training her once I understand exactly what I am.


    "I doubt we will have any more children" I said. "I''ve already been burned once by love."


    "Don''t even remind me of those two bastards and what they did she snarled, referring to Alec and Knox. "I still want to rip out their fucking spine."


    I can''t argue with that. My anger and hatred for Alec and his wolf is still burning bright. I don''t think I''ll ever get over the fact that he''s tried to kill me more than twice.


    "Anyway, you may not be looking for love, but I can''t wait to find our mate" she added after cooling down. "Don''t worry, I''m sure he can change your mind about love and having more kids."


    I almost barf at the dreamy look that was stered on her face. Sure, Alec wasn''t my mate, but what he did opened my eyes. If a man you''ve known and loved all your life could tum and hurt you, what about a stranger who you just met?


    I''ve heard about mates who broke their other halves. I don''t want to ever put myself in a vulnerable position again. A position that gives a man the power to hurt and break me. I''ve suffered enough heartache tost me two life times. I don''t need any more emotional scars.


    *Mommy, can I leave?" Aspen''s voice pulls me back. "I''m done."


    *Sure baby, but give me a kiss first to get me through the day and then go find Martha."


    She nods her head then smiles wide before she grabs my head in her tiny hands and kisses my cheek.


    *I love you, my angel"


    "I love you too, mama."


    She pulls away and gives Rave and King hugs before leaving the table. I mindlink Martha to let her know that Aspen is on her way to her.


    "We have a lot to discuss, but first we have to deal with Alec and his pack" King said once Aspen left the room." Micah asked for Alec''s release. They should be on their way to the office now."


    I was already done with my breakfast. "Alright, let''s go."


    Walking the short distance, we get to the office. I was so unsettled and agitated. I couldn''t calm down knowing that I would be face to face with Alec.


    *Sadie?" Rave calls,This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "What?"


    Instead of speaking, she points to my back, and it''s then I realize that my wings were on disy. Shit, I was so anxious that I didn''t know they had slipped free.


    "I don''t think I''ll ever get used to them" King says, staring at them as if mesmerized.


    Doing what Nyx had told me, I imagine myself without them. Secondster, their weight disappears from my back.


    *Stop pacing, you''re giving me a headache" Nyx tells me in irritation.


    *I can''t help it," I snapped at her. "The thought of seeing that bastard makes me want to kill something."


    Rolling her eyes, she lies down. "Don''t tempt me. I still want his head on a silver tter."


    It was quiet for a while with King and Rave studying me, while I continued to pace the room.


    Nyx perks up all of a sudden, while I stand frozen in my spot as a delicious smell assaults my senses.


    There''s a knock and King opens the door. Alec walks in, followed by his gamma and Beta.


    The moment our eyes meet, I stumble back in shock, feeling like I''ve been sucker-punched. You''ve got to be fucking kidding me!

 Chapter 0062

    <strong>Chapter 0062</strong>


    Alec.


    ¡°Mate¡±


    Sadie and I say at the same time, both of us frozen in shock.


    F**k! You¡¯ve got to be **g me. I feel like I¡¯ve been hit by a boulder. Of all the people to be my mate, the savior of my pack, why did it have to be her?


    ¡°No¡± she snarled, pulling deep breaths into her lungs. ¡°Just f**g no¡±


    Her eyes are wild and there is a tremor in the hand as she runs it down her face. I can¡¯t move. I can¡¯t do a f**g thing except stare at her.


    How the hell was this f**g possible? Just hours ago I almost killed her, and now you¡¯re telling me that she¡¯s my f**g mate? There has to be a f**g mistake or something.


    ¡°I guess there is no need to ask what is going on¡± Micah said unhelpfully.


    Everyone in the room is as shocked as the two of us. No one saw this **ting, I meane the **k on. Fate must be ying a cruel joke on us.


    ¡°Sadie, calm down,¡± the red-headed witch tries to tell her friend, but it seems like Sadie isn¡¯t willing to listen.


    ¡°Hell no¡± she yelled. ¡°I thought that**h was done ying games with my***g life, but this is too cruel even for her cold beating heart!¡±


    ¡°Who are you talking about, Sadie¡± the man with a scar gently asked her.


    ¡°The moon goddess! That¡¯s who I¡¯m talking about Why would she y me like this, as if I didn¡¯t hate this b***d enough, and now she makes him my mate?¡±


    I growled at her insult.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m thrilled at this unfortunate turn of events¡± I said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I was talking to you¡± she snapped. ¡°So shut the f**k up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t f**g talk to me like that!¡±


    ¡°Or what?¡± she challenges, her eyes shing color. ¡°What are you going to do about it, Alec? Lock me in the dungeon and torture, huh? Kill me? I should have ripped your spine and killed you when I had the chance, then I wouldn¡¯t be stuck with you as my mate.¡±


    Her words, hate and venom drive me insane. I want nothing but to strangle her and forget that I have a mate.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m dancing in joy at having a b**h like you as a mate?¡± I asked, feeling my anger rise to the surface. ¡°I¡¯d give up my balls if I could change this d**n fate.¡±


    We were head-to-head when Micah steps in between us.


    ¡°Everyone just calm down¡± he tried, calming us. ¡°Take a deep breath, and then we can work this out. No need for. insults and bloodshed.¡±


    Sadie scoffs, but steps away. She turns and faces the desk, her shoulders rising and falling as she takes deep breaths.


    I step away too and run my hand through my already disheveled hair. D**n it! How did things end up so badly? How could one simple trip that was meant to get us an ally turn into such a major cluster **k?


    My mind was a f**g mess and I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience. It didn¡¯t help that Knox was unnaturally quiet.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± I asked him.


    He looks just as lost as I felt. ¡°I don¡¯t f**g like this, but we need her remember? She¡¯s the only one that can break the f***n*g curse.¡±


    **t! I¡¯dpletely forgotten about that d**n curse and what my mate had to do with it. Again, I ask, why her? Why couldn¡¯t it be anyone else? I wouldn¡¯t have such a big problem with it if it wasn¡¯t Sadie.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡± Jason spoke for the first time since we entered this room.


    ¡°What doesn¡¯t make sense?¡± thises from Micah.


    Jason steps forward and stand beside me. ¡°All this! If they are mates, shouldn¡¯t they have been able to sense it the moment they saw each other outside yesterday? Instead, they were both out to get each other.¡±


    Nobody says a d**n thing. I frown at that. He was right. We should have been able to scent each other like we did right now.


    Jason continued. ¡°I think Sadie had the witch do something. She has always wanted you. Maybe she got the witch to forge a fake bond. That way she can have you and have her revenge at the same time.¡±


    ¡°You really aren¡¯t the brightest cookie of the bunch, are you?¡± Sadie turned to him and asked.

 Chapter 0063

    <strong>Chapter 0063</strong>


    ¡°Why you¡­¡± he goes to attack her, but she flings her hand, sending him flying and crashing against the wall behind us.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s new¡± she murmured, looking at her hands.


    Jason gets up, and Micah stops him before he can try tounch another attack on Sadie.


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy about this and Alec is thest man on earth I would want as a mate¡± she added after a while.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Then how do you exin this? Because Jason does have a point,¡± I asked while folding my arms against my chest.


    ¡°I have a theory¡± Micah muttered before facing me. ¡°What were you feeling when you saw Sadie?¡±


    That was simple. ¡°Rage¡±


    ¡°And you, Sadie?¡±


    ¡°Fear, desperation and anger.¡±


    ¡°There you have it,¡± Micah concluded, as if that was supposed to answer all the questions.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of this?¡± Jason cut in.


    The nameless man joins in. ¡°What he is trying to say is that instead of scenting each other, Alpha d**he bag smelled her fear and desperation while Sadie smelled his anger. Those emotions overwhelmed their mate scent because they were both drowned in them. They were too clouded by them to register anything.¡±


    My hands are sifted into balls, as the a**le disrespects. Didn¡¯t he know who the f***k I am? I swear once this is sorted and my head is straight, he is going to taste the end of my fist.


    Micah nods his head in agreement. ¡°Exactly.¡±


    **. Sure, Jason¡¯s theory about the witch was farfetched, but I wanted to believe in it. Anything at this point, except epting the fact that Sadie is my mate.


    It¡¯s funny how I was desperate to find my mate because my pack was suffering under the curse, but now that I¡¯d found her, I was happy about it.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it still, there is another way of finding out¡± Micah said, staring directly at me.


    Out of all of us, he was the only one calm about this whole spectacle.


    ¡°How?¡± both Jason and I asked.


    ¡°The mark,¡± he answered.


    ¡°What mark?¡± The red head questioned with curiosity.


    I nodded and he approached Sadie.


    ¡°Is it okay with you, Sadie, if I check something?¡± Micah turned to her.


    She eyes him, as if debating whether she should let him.


    ¡°Please¡± he pushes softly and surprisingly she agrees.


    Yeah, there was definitely something Micah was hiding from me, because howe Sadie wasfortable with him while she hated the rest of us?


    Now with her permission, he approaches her before standing in front of her. He gently moves her short hair. I take a step back when he reveals a small white crescent moon mark.


    ¡°F*k!¡± is the only word I can utter.


    With the mark, there is no denying who she is to us.


    ¡°Where did you get that mark? You never had it before.¡± the d***he bag asked her.


    ¡°What mark?¡±


    Wait, what the **k? ¡°You didn¡¯t know you had a mark behind your ear? And ording to him, you¡¯ve never had it before, so does that mean you¡¯re ying us?¡±


    It was a s**d question even to my own ears. There was no way Sadie knew about the journal entries or the curse, so she couldn¡¯t have faked the mark.


    ¡°Again, I ask, what mark? Wait-¡± she holds her finger up. ¡°Let me ask my wolf¡±


    Her eyes be unfocused before resuming back to normal minutester.


    ¡°My wolf said that it appeared when I awakened. It¡¯s a symbol of what I am¡± she exined, a furrow between her eyebrows. ¡°Not like she¡¯ll tell me what exactly I am.¡±


    I remain quiet as I try to absorb all that I¡¯ve learned today. I felt like I was getting an overload of information. I don¡¯t know how, but deep down I knew she wasn¡¯t lying. That doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯ve forgiven her or forgotten. After all, she did cost me the woman I loved.


    ¡°What happens now?¡± Jason asked, clearly struggling with the turn of events.


    Sadie takes a seat and stares at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple really, I reject you.¡± she shrugs as if it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Before I can recover from the shock of her words, or do anything, she says those d m n n g words.


    ¡°I, Sadie Evans, reject you, Alec Ashford, as my mate, and hereby sever our bonds and cut all ties with you.¡±

 Chapter 0064

    <strong>Chapter 0064</strong>


    F**! I did not see thating. A sharp pain travels along my spine. I swear to the goddess, my legs almost give out.


    ¡°Did you just reject me?¡± I asked in shock.


    I can¡¯t f**g believe it. We managed to keep news of L rejecting me between me, Jason, Micah and the elders. If word ever got out and other Alpha¡¯s find out that not only have I been rejected once but twice, they would start questioning my authority.


    ¡°Yes¡± she replied, seeming bored with this whole conversation.


    ¡°Why the f**k would you do that?¡±


    The pain from her rejection had dissipated and in its ce was anger and irritation.


    ¡°Are you *d?¡± she sneered. ¡°I don¡¯t want this, so it should be simple for you to understand¡­ I don¡¯t want you as my mate.¡±


    I start to pace, feeling so agitated and out of control. F***k! What the hell was happening? Everything was getting out of my control and I f**g hated it. I hated that I couldn¡¯t control the narrative of this story. I hated it when things didn¡¯t go my way.


    I thought that things would be easy. Sure, I wasn¡¯t ecstatic about finding out that L wasn¡¯t my true mate. I didn¡¯t like that I¡¯d have to give up being with her for the sake of doing what¡¯s right for my pack. That being said, I f**g thought it would be easy to control my fate. That she would be so grateful to have a powerful alpha as a mate that she wouldn¡¯t deny me or question why I wasn¡¯t giving her my all.


    Now, though, things have been flipped. Instead of getting a submissive and naive mate, I got Sadie as a mate.


    It¡¯s easy to see that she hates my guts. Not only that, but apart from Micah, she hates the rest of my pack. This new Sadie won¡¯t be easy to bend to will. She won¡¯t bow to me, and she¡¯s no longer the na?ve and scared girl she once was. The old Sadie is dead.


    The fact that she has rejected me is proof enough that she has defintely changed. Her old self would probably have jumped at the opportunity to be my mate. She would have done anything to be by my side.


    Hindsight is a **h, isn¡¯t it? Who would have thought that the same woman I tortured would be the one to hold the key to the survival of my pack?


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t f**g work like that, Sadie¡± I growled, Knox¡¯s panic at losing our only hope sipping into me.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°Yes it f**g does¡± she growled back, standing up. ¡°The moon goddess clearly made a f*g *mistake when shepaired us. I hate you, and you hate me. This rejection is inevitable. You shouldn¡¯t have a problem with it.¡±


    ¡°Well, I f**g have a problem with it!¡± I yelled, unleashing the frustration I was feeling.


    ¡°Why would you have a problem with it? A few hours ago you were hell-bent on killing me, and now you want me to believe that you¡¯ve had a change of heart and want me as your mate? I call **it.¡±


    She was right, but I couldn¡¯t just tell her that I needed her to save my pack. With her level of hatred for us, she would dly watch us burn with a f**g smile on her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s not **t, I¡¯ve really had a change of heart. The goddess never makes any mistakes. You¡¯re my mate, there is a reason why she paired us together.¡±


    The words tasted bitter in my mouth and I hate that I even have to utter them.


    Instead of having the desired effect, Sadie just sneers. ¡°You can¡¯t lie to save your life, a*e. D*o you think I¡¯m that **d or gullible to believe those s***y words? If you had wanted me to believe you, you could have at least changed your facial expression instead of looking like someone was drilling your balls.¡±


    I was about to say something when she cuts me off before continues. ¡°Besides, did you forget that a few moments ago you told me that you weren¡¯t thrilled that I was your mate.


    D**n it. This situation was already f**d up way before I said those words. I bet the moon goddess is having augh after making our lives a spectacle.


    ¡°That was a long time ago¡± I said s**y, not really knowing how to defend myself and my actions or how to deal with this f**g situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s literally less than twenty minutes ago¡± she said, rolling her eyes.


    I remain quiet, pressing my lips shut just to stop myself from saying something that would dig my grave deeper. Everyone was quiet. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s just me and Sadie in the room.


    My mind was spinning, trying toe up with ways to control the situation. Trying toe up with ways to convince Sadie to be my mate without really having to admit the truth.¡±


    Nothing was helpful. All the strategies I have under my belt are useless when ites to dealing with the woman in front of me. She seemed the same, but different at the same time, and I¡¯m not talking about her scar or short hair.


    I still hated her, don¡¯t get me wrong, but I f**g needed her. That¡¯s what destroying me from the inside. That I need the same woman that destroyed my life three years ago.


    ¡°You know what I think?¡± She asked, breaking the awkward silence. ¡°I think you need something from me. It¡¯s in the way you are holding yourself. You seem tense and bothered. You hate me, but you¡¯re trying toe off as theopposite.¡±


    She pauses before continuing. ¡°You¡¯re also trying your best to hold yourself back fromshing out. Like I said, you hate me, and you¡¯re trying to stop that from showing. That tells me two things. One, is that you¡¯re desperate, and two, for some reason, you need me to agree to this mating.¡±


    She¡¯s good, I got to give her that, but I won¡¯t admit that she¡¯s right nor am I willing to tell her why I need her to agree to this.


    Brushing her words off, I re at her. ¡°I demand to speak to your Alpha.¡±


    Maybe I can convince him to force Sadie into agreeing to be my mate. No one is above the Alpha. She¡¯ll have to do what he tells her.


    ¡°You are speaking to her,¡± Sadie smiles, a smile so cold it could freeze this entire room. ¡°How can I help you, Alpha Alec?¡±


    It takes a while for her words to prate my fog, but when they do, I release a string of curses. Cursing the goddess all the way to the f**g moon.

 Chapter 0065

    <strong>Chapter 0065</strong>


    No one has ever managed to catch me off-guard, but Sadie has been doing it since I got here. The blows just kepting one and after another one, and it was getting hard to f*g k**eep up with all of them.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re the Alpha?¡± Jason mumbles the words in disbelief.


    Even Micah looks as shocked as we were. I guess this is just another thing that he was also left in the dark, despite whatever he had going with Sadie.


    Sadie levels Jason with a irritated and condescending look. ¡°Did I stutter? I don¡¯t like repeating myself.¡±


    I am not a weak f**r, but at this very moment I needed to sit my a**down before all the surprises I¡¯ve gotten since I came here sends me into a cardiac arrest.


    Her cold and dead eyes turn to me as she speaks. ¡°You wanted to speak to me, so speak.¡±


    How can I? I thought that I had her where I wanted her. That all I had to do was threaten the Alpha into forcing her to agree to our mating. Now though, the rug has been pulled from right under me and I have no f**g idea what to do.


    She¡¯s the Alpha. How am I now supposed to make her submit?


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget she¡¯s also the first female Alpha ever known,¡± Knox adds unhelpfully.


    That little bit of information makes me groan in frustration. No wonder no one has ever seen the Alpha of the Hope Pack. She remains hidden, sending her officials out on her behalf. We all assumed that the Alpha was a male because we¡¯ve never heard otherwise. What a f**g mistake.


    ¡°And you realize what this means, right?¡± Knox asks, pacing in my head in agitation.


    ¡°Not really¡± I answer tiredly.


    My brain wasn¡¯t functioning at the moment. It¡¯s like it had an overload and shut it shut down for a moment to prevent me from going crazy.


    ¡°It means that once word gets out that the Alpha is female, all the other males will be drawn to her like bees to al beehive.¡±


    ¡°F**k¡± I curse, feeling like my lungs were going to copse at any moment.


    He was f**g right. Sadie will be intriguing to them simply because she¡¯s a woman in power. Not only that, but they¡¯ll want her. Alphas like strong and powerful women. Sadie is all thatbined. In fact, she¡¯s unlike any woman the supernatural world has seen before.


    They¡¯ll want her even more, once they find out that not only is she an Alpha to a big pack, but also because she wields powers I¡¯ve never seen before.


    I lift my head to look at her. Her eyes seem unfocused. She was probably talking to her wolf. I don¡¯t know if she had all these powers, but something tells me that she didn¡¯t. Whatever powers she has right now, are new.


    ¡°This is going to be hard¡± Knox grumbles, staring at her through my eyes.


    When I learned that my mate was going to be our salvation, her having powers wasn¡¯t something I thought about. I don¡¯t know what I thought it would be like, but this wasn¡¯t it.


    Now things are f**g messed up. My mate is a woman I hate to the core, and she hates me back. She has rejected me, she¡¯s f**g powerful, an Alpha, and she¡¯s going to be a beacon to other alphas who will vie for her attention andpete to im her. They will go to war just for the chance to have her as a mate.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let that happen¡± Knox growls. ¡°We f**g need her.¡±Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    ¡°We won¡¯t¡± I reply with determination.


    I wasn¡¯t going to let anyone take her from me. My pack needed her help. I am not going to let her go. Not until I got what I wanted from her.


    ¡°Are you going to speak or are you just going to sit there and re at me?¡± her voice cuts through the silence, her eyes piercing mine.


    The room had been quiet the entire time. Everyone was probably still shocked and was trying to take everything in.


    ¡°Seriously, if you¡¯re not going to speak, then I¡¯ll have to ask King to escort you out of my office. In fact, I¡¯d appreciate it if you could ept the rejection and get out of my pack.¡±


    So that was the d**he¡¯s name. What kind of name is King? And why the ***k does he seem close to Sadie? So many f**g questions with no definite answer, I f**g hated that.


    ¡°Not going to happen¡± I growl, before leaning back on the sofa. ¡°In fact, I reject your f*g r**ejection¡±


    A smirk creeps to my lips when shock is stered on her face¡­ Well, that¡¯s before angers soon reces it.


    ¡°Why the f**k would you do that?¡± she fumes and her frown deepens. ¡°You know what? It doesn¡¯t f**g matter. Get the f**k out of my office before I kill you.¡±


    Standing up, I signal for Micah and Jason to follow me. We leave her office, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I am going to leave her pack. Not until I get what I want. Not until she helped my dying pack. If I had to tolerate her for that to happen, then so be it.


    Aside from the fact that I need her, I wasn¡¯t going to give her the satisfaction of rejecting me. I was not going to give her that kind of power. She was soon going to learn to submit to me.

 Chapter 0066

    <strong>Chapter 0066</strong>


    Sadie.


    I stare at Alec, and I know that something was working in his mind. It was quite clear that he didn¡¯t like the fact that I was his mate, or the fact that I rejected him. To be honest, it puzzled me.


    He couldn¡¯t hide the hate he has for me, and I hate him right back. So why the hell would he reject my rejection? It didn¡¯t make any f**g sense. I thought him of all people would be ecstatic. Or is he p**d because I rejected him first? Maybe he wanted to be the one to do it, so he could humiliate me.


    I want to believe that, but something tells me that there is more to this. There is a reason he wants me as a mate, despite the simple fact that he hates my guts.


    ¡°I hate this, Sadie¡± Nyx says in an almost agitated voice.


    ¡°I know¡± I reply. ¡°It¡¯s not like I am jumping for joy right now. Thest thing I want is to be mated to this monster.¡±


    I doubt I¡¯ll ever get over what he did to me. The scar on my face will always be a reminder of just how cruel he can be. I was innocent. I would never have done anything to hurt him despite being madly in love with him, yet he destroyed me. He nearly ended my life and Aspen¡¯s.


    How am I supposed to live with that? How am I supposed to let go of that and ept him as my mate? How am I supposed to look in the mirror and still kiss him and sleep beside him? I don¡¯t think that will ever be possible. It would take a divine miracle for that to happen.


    ¡°We need to get him to ept the rejection,¡± Nyx adds. ¡°Thest thing I want is to be tied to his wolf.¡±


    ¡°Has he tried reaching out?¡± I ask curiously.


    ¡°Yeah, but I have blocked him¡± she replies. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to him or see him. Hell, I don¡¯t want to be anywhere near him. Not after what they did to you.¡±


    I could cry right now. Nyx can be pushy, annoying and stubborn at times, but she¡¯s the best. One of the things I¡¯m grateful to the moon goddess is giving me Nyx. The fact that she supports me against her mate is amazing. I¡¯ve heard of stories of wolves pushing their humans towards reconciliation despite their mates rejecting them, or cheating on them.


    We were taught that when that happens, it causes the bond between the human and his or her wolf to break because they want different things. The wolf¡¯s insistence drives the human almost to the point of insanity.


    A lot of terrible s**it has happened to me in the past few years, but one of the blessings the goddess gave me is Nyx. ¡°Thank you, Nyx,¡± I tell her in a small voice. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d want your mate. You have no idea what this meansto me. The fact that you¡¯re on my side¡±


    ¡°Always, my lovely human¡± she says, nonchntly, but she can¡¯t hide her wolfy smile. ¡°Now, let¡¯s focus on how to get them to agree, so that we can get rid of this bond.¡±


    Alec, Micah and Jason¡¯s eyes were a bit unfocused, so I¡¯m sure that they weremunicating through their mind link.


    ¡°The first thing we need to do is find out what he¡¯s hiding,¡± I tell her, as I continue studying Alec. ¡°There is a reason why he wants me us as a mate, Nyx. I saw how besotted and in love he was with L, so I simply can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s over her. The fact that he was still p**d off, enough to kill me, tells me that he still has feelings for her and seeing me reminded him that he lost her.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Nyx looks at me with a proud smile. Or what I assume is a smile given that she has an animal¡¯s form.


    ¡°I taught you well, my darling¡± her voice radiates pride. ¡°Your observation is correct. Us being their mate changed something. They hate us, but they need us for some reason. We just need to find out why they need us, and then we can use it to our advantage.¡±


    ¡°I like that n. Like you said, if we find the reason, we¡¯ll have the upper hand and something tells me that whatever it is, they desperately need us for it.¡±

 Chapter 0067

    <strong>Chapter 0067</strong>


    My mind is trying to find out the reason behind his sudden shift. It must be something big. Something he has no control over. Something important enough to make him tolerate me as a mate. Well, that is until he gets what he wants.


    The thing, though, is that I¡¯m not the same gullible, na?ve Sadie I was before. He¡¯ll learn that soon enough. He can¡¯t use me, and I won¡¯t let him unless there is something I¡¯m benefitting. He can¡¯t intimidate me and use me. I am an Alpha, and he¡¯ll y to my tune if he wants to get whatever it is he¡¯s after.


    ¡°We can think of itter, right now, I want us to shift¡± Nyx says, her voice brimming with excitement. ¡°It¡¯s been such a long time since I shifted, and I am dying for a run.¡±


    At first, I¡¯m puzzled, but then I remember what she told me the previous night.


    Turning to the other, I clear my throat to get their attention.


    ¡°As much fun as this has been, I¡¯ve got **t to do¡± I begin. ¡°I am kindly telling you to leave my office and pack.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving, Sadie¡­ Not until we have settled things between us¡± he says through a clenched jaw.


    ¡°What is there to settle? You just have to ept the rejection, so we don¡¯t have to see each other again.¡± I say with a shrug.


    Given whatever reason he¡¯s hiding/I know he won¡¯t ept the rejection, but it feels so good to get a rise out of him.


    ¡°Not going to f**g happen¡± this time he growled, anger radiating off of him.


    ¡°Fine have it your way, but get out of my office¡­ I need to speak to my officials without your unwanted presence contaminating the air I breathe.¡±


    I watch him carefully. He was about to explode, but Micah grabs his hand and shakes his head. This seems to get through him, because he takes a deep breath and reigns in his anger.


    Yeah, there is definitely something he wants from me, and he proved that after Micah reminded him to y nice.


    After giving me a scathing look, Alec opens the door and storms out. Jason follows him out, and then Micah, after he gives me a respectful bow. Sometimes I wonder why Micah isn¡¯t the Beta. He does more than Jason, knows how to handle things better and has more brain cells than him.


    I know the position is handed down by the parents, but still, it¡¯s clear that Micah is better suited for that position. Anyway, it isn¡¯t my business.


    ¡°I must say that I did not see thating,¡± Raven says as King crosses the room and closes the door after the trio.


    ¡°Me too,¡± King adds,ing to stand before my desk. ¡°Question is, why did Alec refuse your rejection given his hate towards you?¡±


    ¡°We think it¡¯s because he wants something from us.¡± I don¡¯t need to tell them who ¡®we¡¯ is.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I then proceed to exin everything we¡¯ve discussed with Nyx and our theory on why he doesn¡¯t want the rejection.


    ¡°Yeah, that makes sense,¡± King states after I¡¯m done.


    I turn to Raven. ¡°Did you get a reading out of him??


    She nods. ¡°It was hard because he¡¯s d**n good at keeping his emotions in check, but when you rejected him, his control slipped. I sensed panic and desperation from him. He managed to quickly conceal them, but I was able to get a small glimpse.¡±


    So, I was right after all. For some reason, Alec was desperate and he needed me. The hard part will be figuring out what would make the almighty Alpha Alec desperate enough to want me as a mate.


    I push those thoughts behind to the back of my mind and stand up. Nyx is pushing me to go outside.


    ¡°Where are you going, Sadie? We have a lot to do,¡± King calls behind me..


    ¡°I going to shift, Nyx is dying to go for a run¡± I reply, my mind a bit distracted.


    ¡°What do you mean by shift?¡± thises from Raven. ¡°I thought you already shifted¡± she says, referring to yesterday.


    Sighing, I stop and face them. ¡°ording to Nyx, I have three forms. Today I¡¯m shifting into a wolf, which is my third form.¡±


    With that, I walk out, not really bothered if they follow behind or not. I could already feel the need to shift burning inside me.

 Chapter 0068

    <strong>Chapter 0068</strong>


    ¡°W¨Cwhat?¡± I could hear Raven stammer behind, but my mind was otherwise preupied.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I¡¯ve heard about shifting. We were taught about it. How it is painful because your bones are basically shifting, re- aligning themselves to those of a wolf.


    There¡¯s always been an excitement towards someone¡¯s first shift¡­ but along with that, there is always fear. Fear of the oing pain.


    I won¡¯t lie and say that I am not nervous. I am, but at the same time, I am at peace. I mean the pains of shifting can¡¯t be as bad as the ones from yesterday, right?


    ¡°Will you slow down, Sadie?¡± Raven says out of breath, as she falls into step beside me.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡± I reply while crossing the threshold of the main back door. ¡°I want to get this over and done with, and Nyx wants to run and hunt.¡±


    It¡¯s normal for wolves to hunt. It¡¯s in our nature. Whether it¡¯s big or small animals, it gives them a kind of thrill. There isn¡¯t much difference between us and normal wolves, and unlike popr beliefs about werewolves, we don¡¯t eat raw meat. It¡¯s disgusting, and it¡¯s demeaning that humans think we are into that kind of thing.


    ¡°Fuck, Sadie, can you please exin to us what¡¯s happening?¡± King demands, grabbing my hand and stopping my movement.


    I feel irritated when his skin touches mine, so I pull my hand from his. The fire inside me was rising as the seconds passes by. It was like a need that was burning inside. It felt like something was crawling from the depths of my soul, seeking a way out.


    ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know any more than you do¡± I begin while watching some of my warriors train. ¡°Nyx hasn¡¯t really been forting with information about who I am and what the hell is happening.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling us that she hasn¡¯t said a single thing?¡± Raven pushes, looking confused and in disbelief.


    ¡°That is exactly what I am saying¡± I reply, my feet tapping nervously on the grass beneath me.


    ¡°But why?¡± thises from King. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. Surely, now that you have changed into a being with literal wings, she can at least exin what or who you are.¡±


    My eyes shift from my two friends to the forest a few feet from me. When we got thisnd, it was by sheerck that it had been unimed. I didn¡¯t want anything near a city, I mostly wanted something secluded. Some ce where it was so far away from human settlement that we didn¡¯t have to worry about werewolves shifting, vampires usingtheir super speed and strength, or witches practicing their powers freely.


    ¡°Can I please just leave? We can discuss all thister,¡± I face King, directing my next sentence at him. ¡°You know how it feels when you first shift. You know the need and the pull. The fire burning inside you. You are both standing. in the way of the shifting process, and it¡¯s starting to piss Nyx off.¡±


    Normally, Nyx loves the two. She is patient with them and hardly ever has a problem with them. Right now, though, she was growling and snarling at them. They were standing in the way of her shift and it was irritating her.


    King slightly bows, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t realize what I was doing¡±


    The moment those words leave his mouth, I turn and start walking towards the forest that was calling me. Pulling me towards its green lushness. I know the perfect ce for us to shift. Nyx agrees with me because she nods with excitement.


    Rushing, I push myself to get there quickly. I dodge trees, branches and roots, anticipation drumming through every fiber of my body. I could literally feel

 Chapter 0069

    Chapter 0069


    Less than ten minutes, I get to where I want to be. It¡¯s my spot. My calming spot. The only ce in


    the pack where I can fully let go. The one ce Ie to think. It isn¡¯t much honestly. Nothing


    grand or out of this world beautiful, but there was a pond.


    Stepping into the open space, I start removing my clothes. The need to shift was riding me hard.


    Pushing me to get this over quickly. Within seconds, I had discarded my clothes and now stood


    naked in front of the pond.


    I could smell King and Raven, but they didn¡¯t matter at that moment. This time was between me and


    Nyx.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Nyx asks, her voice a bit distorted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone can ever be truly ready for their first shift¡± I reply, pacing the small area.


    My bones feel like they¡¯ve been filled with lead. Sweat covered every inch of my body and a kind of


    cramp was beginning to take over.


    ¡°I want to tell you beforehand that our wolf form is going to be different from normal wolves¡± Nyx


    says, distracting me from the cramps that were intensifying by the second.


    ¡°How different?¡±


    She was just about to answer when, all at once, pain hits me in a way that brings me to my knees.


    A scream leaves my lips as my first bone begins to break.


    I thought I was ready, but I was not. When I shifted to what I decided to call ¡®my angel form¡¯, the


    pain was intense but not like this. I felt like I was on fire. It felt like I was burning alive, with tiny


    needles pricking my skin over and over again. It was painful, so fucking painful, but so was this.


    I thought shifting today couldn¡¯t be as bad as yesterday, but I was so fucking wrong. Everything we


    were taught in school about shifting doesn¡¯t really prepare you for the actual shift. I doubt anything


    can prepare you for it.


    I once broke my hand while swinging on a branch. Piper and I had the bright idea of being like boys


    who could easily climb trees and swing from branches. I didn¡¯t know the branch I decided on was


    weak as fuck. A few minutes into it, it broke, and I fell, breaking my hand in the process. The pain


    had been terrible, but it was nothingpared to how I felt now. This was almost a hundred times


    worse, and I am not exaggerating.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    ¡°Breathe in, then out, Sadie¡± Nyxforting voice does nothing to soothe me. ¡°It will be over a few


    minutes, just hold on¡±


    Easy for her to say


    I grit my teeth as another bout of pain hits me. I fall forward and use my hands to prevent me from


    face nting. I can¡¯t stop the scream that tears from my lips as ifing from the depths of my


    soul.


    I can¡¯t keep myself up any longer, so I copse on the floor. I continue writhing in pain, praying that


    it will all be over soon. Why did the moon goddess have to make shifting painful? Why couldn¡¯t it be


    an effortless transition from one form to another? I think most werewolves would prefer that.


    I don¡¯t know how long I was on that ground, writhing in pain and tears running down my face when


    the pain suddenly stops.


    ¡°Look down, Sadie¡±es Nyx''s angelic voice, prating the fog of pain and misery.


    I do as she says and instead of my hand, I see a paw. A gasp from behind makes me turn, despite


    being sore all over.


    ¡°Goddess!¡± King was staring at me in shock as if he¡¯d seen a ghost.

 Chapter 0070

    Chapter 0070


    I didn¡¯t understand why he was so shocked. It¡¯s not like he has never seen a wolf shift before. In


    fact, he has helped some of our pack members shift when their time came.


    It felt different being in this form. Unlike the other forms where Nyx and I shared control, in our wolf


    form, Nyx was more dominant, and I was the one relegated to her consciousness.


    Using the little strength we had, Nyx pushes us up, and we stand on wobbly legs. It felt different and


    weird being on four feet, instead of two. Things were much sharper though; the smell, sight and


    hearing.


    The pain just as quickly as it came, it disappeared, only leaving behind soreness which I am sure


    will be taken care of with a hot soak.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± I ask Nyx.


    There wasn¡¯t really anything around in her mind. I really don¡¯t know how to exin it. This is the first


    time that the roles have been reversed. It¡¯s like I was part of her consciousness only without a form.


    It sounds loony when I try to exin it, but I simply exist in her mind. Like an inner voice or some


    shit like that.


    ¡°Great actually¡± she replies, her excitement drumming inside her. ¡°It¡¯s good to be free. It¡¯s been such


    a long time since I¡¯ve had my wolf form and I have missed it.¡±


    I stare confused, King and Ravenpletely forgotten.


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®such a long time¡¯? We shifted for the first time only a few minutes ago,¡± I


    question her, my suspicions at their peak.


    ¡°Opps¡± she murmurs. ¡°My tongue slipped, it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    Before I can ask any more questions, she takes off in a sprint,pletely ignoring King¡¯s calls.


    She runs past trees at a really dizzying speed, the wind rushing against her fur, while her tongue


    hangs from her mouth.


    I wanted to ask her more, but she had blocked me, which just infuriated me. I want so much to


    enjoy this run with her, but how could I when she¡¯s keeping secrets from me?


    When she said that it''d been a long time since she ran, it insinuated that she''d done this before.


    Which can¡¯t be possible because wolf spirits are given to their human counterparts from birth. We


    only shift at twenty-one because, by then, the human is strong enough both mentally and physically


    and can handle a shift.


    As much as I want to believe her. Believe that it¡¯s nothing, I can¡¯t. I then remember she said the


    same thing in the office. I had been too distracted after finding out that Alec was my mate, to realize


    what she said.


    So, if I were to go by her statement, then it means that this isn¡¯t the first time Nyx has shifted. Does


    that mean that I¡¯ve been given someone else¡¯s wolf spirit? Is Nyx a reincarnation? Am I a


    reincarnation? And if it¡¯s true, and Nyx is a reincarnated wolf spirit, how old is she? And who was


    her first human?


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much¡± Nyx interrupts my thoughts. ¡°Can''t you just put what I said to rest? I


    already told you it¡¯s nothing.¡±


    I want to believe her, but I can¡¯t.


    ¡°If you want me to put it to rest, then tell me the truth.¡±


    ¡°I already did¡± she growls distractedly, almost missing a step.


    Rolling my eyes, I sneer. ¡°And we both know you¡¯re lying.¡±


    Not having the answers was slowly killing me. Slowly driving me to the brink of insanity. Why


    couldn¡¯t she see that? It¡¯s not like giving me the answers would kill me, so why the hell was she


    withholding them?


    ¡°Give it a rest, Sadie, and let me enjoy my damn run¡± she snapped.


    If stubbornness was a being, then it would be Nyx. She and her damn secrets. What is it about


    them that she kept them close to her heart? Didn¡¯t she trust me enough? Is that it?


    Feeling overwhelmed, I try pushing those thoughts to the back of my mind. I was tired and worn out


    physically. Thest thing I needed was also to be tired mentally.


    I stand back and let her do her thing. Thest thing I see before I shut my eyes is the scenery


    shing past my eyes. I think a little rest would do me good. The past few hours have been trying


    and exhausting.


    Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    My eyes snap open when I hear Nyx groaning. I was afraid that she might have been hurt while I


    was soundly taking a nap. When my eyes focus, I am faced by a very dead deer that had its throat


    ripped open.

 Chapter 0071

    Chapter 0071


    ¡°Nyx-¡± I call, trying to avoid the deer¡¯s empty eyes, they felt like they were staring straight at me.


    Sure, I have killed a lot of rogues and hybrids since my first kill when I first met King, but this felt


    different. Maybe because it¡¯s an innocent animal.


    ¡°Oh, stop with the guilt¡±, Nyx drops the animal. ¡°I¡¯m sure our pack will appreciate that their alpha


    hunted for them.¡±


    ¡°You do realize you didn¡¯t have to do that, right?¡± I ask, still eyeing the dead animal. ¡°That¡¯s why we


    have butcheries delivering meat every week.¡±


    She scoffs before grabbing the anile. She continues to pull it towards the pack. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s


    always been a tradition. I don¡¯t know why it was wiped out, but it was a tradition for every Alpha or


    future Alpha to hunt for their pack on their first shift. I¡¯m just honoring it.¡±


    I¡¯ve never heard of that kind of tradition, which begs the question, how old is Nyx?


    ¡°How old are you?¡± I asked her desperately. ¡°If you won¡¯t tell me anything, at least tell me this one


    thing.¡±


    ¡°Old enough¡±


    I groan in annoyance. That wasn¡¯t an answer, but a deflection. Instead of saying anything, I kept


    quiet, fuming on the inside at her refusal to give me an answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m tired and spent¡± she says when we get to the clearing. ¡°Get ready to take control.¡±


    That¡¯s the only warning I get. Luckily, this transition isn¡¯t as painful as the first. Within seconds, I am


    on my hands and knees.


    I stand up only to see King and Raven rushing towards me.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡± Raven asks, worrying coating her voice.


    King hands me my clothes. ¡°We have been worried about you since Nyx sprinted away.¡±


    ¡°You could have just followed her¡± I mutter, slowly putting my clothes on, wincing at my sore bones.


    ¡°No, I couldn¡¯t¡­ I couldn¡¯t smell her. I think she masked her scent.¡±


    Now, why would she do that? I would have asked her, but she has blocked our mental link.


    ¡°We need to take this to the pack¡± I say, ignoring everything since I didn¡¯t have any answer to give


    them. ¡°Nyx went hunting¡±


    Damn. All I want right now is a deep soak in the bathtub and sleep. The nap I took while Nyx was in


    control wasn¡¯t really enough.


    ¡°Did you know?¡± King asks, staring at me intensely.


    ¡°Know what, King? You have to be a bit more specific than that. There are a lot of things I don¡¯t


    fucking know about.¡±


    I didn¡¯t mean to snap at him, but I was on edge. Alec was in my pack and was my mate. Just


    yesterday, I had transformed into something no one has ever seen before and instead of two forms


    like a normal wolf, I had three¡­ And my wolf was keeping things from me.


    Everything was starting to weigh me down. I just don¡¯t know how to handle everything that has been


    coming my way.


    ¡°That you¡¯re a white wolf¡± Raven answers, pulling me from thoughts.


    ¡°No, why?¡±


    They look at each other before facing me. Apart from my paw, I didn¡¯t get to see the rest of my wolf


    form. I didn¡¯t think much about it because there are wolves with white paws, though the rest of their


    bodies are a different color.


    And so what if I am a white wolf? There isn¡¯t anything wrong with it, so I don¡¯t get why King seems


    to be making a big deal out of it. Is this why he looked shocked when he first saw Nyx after we


    shifted?


    Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know, do you?¡± he asks, in a voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°Know what, King?¡± he was starting to get on my nerves honestly. What¡¯s with the beating around


    the bush?


    ¡°A white wolf is rare, Sadie¡­I mean really, really rare¡± he finally answers.


    ¡°What?¡± This time, I am the one that¡¯s shocked.


    He continues, shocking me even more than I already am. ¡°In fact, the moon goddess is the only one


    ever recorded to have a pure white wolf.¡±


    Fuck. As if I didn¡¯t already have enough mysteries surrounding me, now this? Was the goddess


    trying to drive me to insanity, because she was doing a he good job at it.

 Chapter 0072

    Chapter 0072


    Alec.


    ¡°That was an unexpected turn of events¡± Jason mumbles as we leave the office.


    ¡°That¡¯s the understatement of the year¡± Micah joins in. ¡°Who would have thought that the same girl


    you tortured years ago was the miraculous help you¡¯ve been looking for?¡±


    I don¡¯t answer. In fact, I don¡¯t even want to fucking think about it. The moon goddess sure had a


    way of fucking someone''s life a hundred ways to Sunday. The worst part is that I tortured Sadie


    thinking she had ruined my chances at saving my pack and having my mate.


    As it turns out, the woman who I thought was my mate and pack¡¯s salvation wasn¡¯t, and the one that


    I loathed was. Yeah, the moon goddess was definitely having a field day messing up my life.


    ¡°Have our warriors been released?¡± I ask instead, like I said, I didn¡¯t want to think about the boulder


    of information that just crashed on my head.


    ¡°Yeah, King ordered their releases around the same time I came to get you¡± Micah answers.


    ¡°Are they being taken care of?¡±


    Given how Sadie almost killed them, I have a right to be worried about my men. Her hate isn¡¯t only


    confined to me. It seems that everyone except for Micah, is on her shit list.


    ¡°Yeah, thest I talked to Caleb, they were having breakfast¡± he says, referring to one of my top


    warriors.


    We remain quiet after that, allowing Micah to guide us. I was stressed, angry, hungry and in need of


    a damn shower. Not to mention that my wounds had notpletely healed given the damage Sadie


    did.


    We stop in front of a door. Micah opens it and ushers us in.


    ¡°What the fuck is this, Micah?¡± I growl, Knox really close to the surface.


    For the first time in my life, Micah seems nervous. ¡°This is your room.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shiting us, right?¡± Jason questions, looking at the room in disgust.


    Could I even call the fucking thing a room? It was the size of a matchbox. I could barely squeeze


    my ass inside it even if I wanted to.


    ¡°No, this is the room Sadie assigned you¡± he stammers, looking everywhere except at me.


    The bloody ce was dusty, the furniture seemed to be rotting and, instead of a bed (not like it


    would even fit) there was an old, dirty and tattered mattress on the floor.


    Both me and Knox growl at the disrespect, but what did I expect? King treatment? I threw her in a


    dungeon for months, there was no fucking way she was letting that go.


    ¡°And where are you staying?¡± I turn to my gamma.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    His eyes refuse to meet me. Just by his reaction, I know it most likely isn¡¯t the same shitty ce that


    I was given.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to repeat that¡± I demand, clenching and unclenching my fists.


    ¡°I was assigned a guest suite¡± he whispers


    Fury burns inside me and I have to clench my jaw to stop myself fromshing out at my gamma. I


    know this isn¡¯t his doing, but my suspicion keeps getting strong. Why is he the only one getting this


    kind of treatment? Sure, he didn¡¯t partake in torturing Sadie, but there has to be something more to


    it. It can¡¯t simply be that.


    ¡°Seems like the three of us will be crashing in your suite¡± I seethe through gritted teeth. ¡°Isn¡¯t that


    just perfect? Like old fucking times¡±


    He doesn¡¯t say anything, except nod his head. He then turns and gestures for us to follow him.


    Minutester, he ushers us into a very fucking spacious suite. Spotting the bathroom, I start walking


    towards it. I need to get rid of the dirt and gunk from the dungeon.


    ¡°When I am done, me and you are going to talk about why Sadie seems indebted to you¡± I say,


    before closing the door.


    Taking off my clothes, I jump into the shower and turn the water on. Leaning my forehead against


    the wall tiles, I allow the hot water to flow down my back.


    Everything was fucked up. How the hell was I going to do this? How am I supposed to convince


    Sadie to help me when we hated each other to the core? Being my mate doesn¡¯t change the fact


    that she cost me the woman I loved¡­ But I also need her. She¡¯s the only one, ording to the


    prophecies, who is able to break the curse.


    I was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. There was no going around this. No way out of it. If


    there was a loophole to this damn curse, then I would take it, but there isn¡¯t one. She¡¯s our own


    hope.


    I¡¯m so fucking frustrated. I punch the wall, but it does nothing to alleviate the anger and bitterness


    swimming inside me right now.


    Finishing my shower, I grab a towel before wrapping it around my waist. I get out and immediately


    spot my luggage. Good thing Micah had the sense to bring it into the room.


    I rummage through it, before pulling out a t-shirt, jeans and a pair of boxers. I quickly put them on,


    only to start pacing once I am done.


    ¡°I asked someone to bring you two something to eat¡± Micah says standing up. ¡°You missed


    breakfast and you didn¡¯t get dinner yesterday, so I am sure you must be hungry¡±


    As much as I wanted to, I couldn¡¯t focus on his words. My head was fucking spinning as my mind


    raced a thousand thoughts per second. It felt like I was losing my mind with everything that has


    happened since I got here.


    ¡°I¡¯ll shower, before the food gets here,¡± Jason announces, but before he could leave, there was a


    soft knock on the door.


    Micah opens it, and ushers ady carrying trays of food in. She greets us, and after setting them on


    the table, leaves.


    ¡°On second thought, I¡¯ll eat first, just so I don¡¯t copse from hunger while in the shower¡± Jason


    beams, right before he starts removing the tray lids.


    I was just about to grab a te when a smell hits me. It wasn¡¯t the scent of food. Stopping, I take a


    lungful of air, trying to separate the different scents and lock in on that particr one.


    It was faint, and I only got a whiff of it, but it was calling to me.


    ¡°Do you feel that?¡± Knox whispers, his snout in the air.


    Something shifts, and settles inside me.


    Yeah, I definitely feel it. It¡¯s the same feeling I got three years ago.

 Chapter 0073

    Chapter 0073


    Fuck! I rub my chest trying to ease the ache I feel in my heart. What the fuck was going on? Why


    was I feeling like this all of a sudden? It¡¯s been three years. That feeling came and went, so why


    now?


    ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± Micah asked,ing to stand next to me.


    I don¡¯t answer. What the hell would I even say? I never told anyone about that strange feeling three


    years ago. Never breathed a fucking word, not even to the oracles. I didn¡¯t understand it, so how the


    hell was I supposed to exin it to someone else?


    ¡°Alec?¡± he called again, but instead of answering, I ignored him.


    I start to pile food on my te before sitting down to eat. I had enough to worry about with Sadie


    being my mate and the damn curse hanging over our heads.


    ¡°But really, why do you think this is happening?¡± Knox not getting the fucking hint, asked. ¡°I mean, it


    can¡¯t just be a coincidence, right? We felt that shift three years ago, and today. Do you think it has


    something to do with Sadie? We did think she was dead, but maybe we felt her that day.¡±


    It did make sense, but I honestly do not think it had anything to do with Sadie.


    ¡°Think about it¡± he goes on. ¡°That would exin why we felt that unexinable pain. It could be that


    she was hurt and unknowingly she projected that pain to us¡±


    That also did make sense, except for one thing;


    ¡°Knox, the only way we would feel her pain is if we had marked her. We weren¡¯t bonded, heck we


    didn¡¯t even know she was our mate. There is just no way we could have felt her pain.¡±


    ¡°Never say never,¡± he murmured.


    Taking a bite of my food, I say, ¡°And besides, the scent we just smelt isn¡¯t hers. It was fleeting but


    we both know it wasn¡¯t Sadie¡¯s scent, yet it affected us in the same way as three years ago. There


    is something else going on.¡±


    I never bothered to investigate what happened to us three years ago. The pain came and went and


    so did the feeling. Since nothing like that ever happened again, I never bothered to dig deeper¡­


    Well, until now.


    ¡°The only way we¡¯ll find out what is going on, and what the fuck happened is to find the owner of


    that scent. That¡¯s the only way,¡± Knox supplied; his voice filled with determination.


    I continue eating my food, knowing that he was right. That smell affected us in a way no one has


    ever been able to. We need to find out why and how they¡¯re connected to what happened three


    years ago.


    When I am done with my meal, I set aside the te before standing up.


    ¡°So, what are you going to do about Sadie?¡± Jason asked in between bites. ¡°There is no denying


    that she not only hates you, but the entire pack. She won¡¯t easily agree to be your mate or help us.¡±


    I growl at him, feeling myself losing control. He wasn¡¯t telling me something I didn¡¯t already know.


    He raises his hand in surrender. ¡°I was just saying¡­ Given how much she hates us, she¡¯d dly


    watch us burn to ashes andugh all the way home.¡±


    Micah ps him on the back of the head. Sadie was right, and I don¡¯t mean that in a cruel way,


    given he¡¯s my friend¡­ Sure, Jason is good at his job, but he wasn¡¯t really the brightest.


    ¡°What?¡± he snarled at Micah, ring at him.


    ¡°Will you shut the fuck up? Can¡¯t you see Alec is already stressed,¡± Micah fired back.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I stop pacing and sit down on the bed. Massaging my temples, I try to get my brain working.


    I am one of the best Alphas in the world. One of the best strategists the supernaturalmunity


    has ever seen. I am not bragging, it¡¯s the truth. Right now, though, I am way in over my head with


    the current situation.

 Chapter 0074

    Chapter 0074


    None of my strategies are going to help me with Sadie. None of my training prepared me for this


    cluster fuck.


    ¡°But have you guys felt it? It¡¯s been there since we got here,¡± Micah asks, as his eyes shifted from


    me to Jason.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to be more specific, Micah. I¡¯ve felt a lot of shit since we got here,¡± I grumble, feeling


    irritated and on edge.


    On top of that list was anger and bitterness. So yeah, he had to be a bit more specific.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the power drumming through my veins¡± he answers, his eyes conveying


    excitement. ¡°It¡¯s like my cells have been renewed. I feel better than I have felt in years. It almost


    feels like I¡¯ve been revived¡­ it¡¯s weird, but that¡¯s the only exnation I can give.¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    We all fall quiet. With everything that has happened, I didn¡¯t notice a damn thing¡­ But now that


    Micah said it, I feel what he was talking about. There was a change. A kind of energy that wasn¡¯t


    there before. Despite my healing wounds, I could still feel it.


    You know how you wake up feeling refreshed after getting a goodnight''s sleep? That¡¯s how it felt.


    Micah is right, it feels like I¡¯ve been renewed.


    ¡°Well, if we needed more proof that Sadie is indeed your true mate, then here it fucking is¡± Jason


    whispers, his voice tinged with amazement. I guess he felt the same thing I did.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you d that fate worked against you and Sadie is alive? Imagine the shit we would be in if


    you had killed her?¡± Micah said sarcastically, his eyes ring daggers at me.


    ¡°Fuck you! Micah,¡± I growl, firing back.


    No matter how much I wanted to deny it, I couldn¡¯t. He is right. Just like always, the fucker is right. I


    would have fucked my pack over if I had killed Sadie. We would have spent years searching for my


    true mate without realizing that I¡¯d killed her. My anger and bitterness would have doomed us. In the


    end, our pack would have faded from the wheels of time. We would have either died from weakness


    or an attack from enemy packs. Either way, we would have been dead.


    Running a hand down my face, I let out a breath of air. This was so messed up in so many ways. I


    was angry when I realized that Sadie was alive and that she had fooled me. I wanted so badly to kill


    her, and I would have if she hadn''t beaten the shit out of me¡­ And boy am I fucking d that she


    stopped me.


    ¡°The goddess really does work in mysterious ways,¡± Jasonmented.


    My phone ringing, cuts through the silence that descends on the room. Crossing the room, I pick it


    up before swiping on the screen to ept the call.


    ¡°Alec!¡± Piper¡¯s scream makes me wince. ¡°Are you okay. Word spread that you attacked the alpha of


    Hope pack. Did he provoke you? Are you hurt?¡±


    She fired the questions one after another, not even giving me the chance to answer.


    ¡°A few bruises, but I am okay,¡± I finally answer after she shuts up.


    ¡°That¡¯s not good enough¡­ my mate and I wille tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that, Buttercup.¡±


    It¡¯s like I haven¡¯t even spoken a word.


    ¡°No one hurts my brother and gets away with it¡­ me and that alpha are going to have words. He


    shouldn¡¯t have attacked you!¡± she snarled in anger before she cut the call.


    I smile at the thought of her defending me. Piper can be a bit extra. She knows I don¡¯t really need


    defending, but she¡¯s pissed right now and there is no calming her down.


    My smile slips as soon as the warm fuzzy feelings fade and reality hits me. Fuck. Piper had no idea


    that the alpha she wasing to confront wasn¡¯t a ''he'' but a ''she''. She also has no fucking idea


    that said alpha is her former best friend, who is very much alive.

 Chapter 0075

    Chapter 0075


    Sadie.


    The rest of the day goes by in a blur, but I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about what King told me. I mean


    there is just no way, right? There has to be ounts of others who had white wolves.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t,¡± Nyx said in a sleepy voice.


    She hadn¡¯t spoken since she went to sleep after hunting. The whole day, I¡¯ve been doing my job


    while being distracted. I had so many questions. Nothing made sense and everything was just


    confusing.


    ¡°So, what King said is true? The moon goddess is the only one with a white wolf,¡± I asked, just to be


    sure.


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    I realized that Nyx loved ying mind games. I had to ask an exact question, or she would find a


    way around it, leaving me confused as well.


    ¡°Remember when I told you that there were two other true female alphas? Well, one of them is the


    moon goddess. The other female alpha also has a white wolf,¡± she saidzily.


    She justy down with no care in the world, while I felt like my whole world was unraveling.


    What she says filters through my brain and then something clicks.


    ¡°So, a white wolf is associated with being an alpha female, is that what you are saying? I mean it


    does make sense if the moon goddess is a white wolf and definitely an alpha female¡­ and if both


    me and this other woman have white wolves and are alpha females, so it¡¯s safe to say that a white


    wolf is associated with being a dominant female,¡± I conclude, feeling a bit proud of myself.


    ¡°You catch on very quickly, and you¡¯re right. A white wolf is, let¡¯s say, the symbol of being a


    dominant alpha female.¡±


    Getting out of my chair, I move and stand in front of my office window. The sun was setting and


    there were some warriors who were still training. Mindlinking them, I order them to rest and get


    dinner, and they immediately leave the training arena.


    I continue watching the setting sun. My head still spinning with information overload.


    ¡°There is something I don¡¯t get though. I get why the moon goddess is an alpha female. It¡¯s obvious


    given she¡¯s the mother of all werewolves and therefore more dominant than all her children


    combined¡­ But what about me and this other female? Why are we the only female alphas? What¡¯s


    so special about us? And who is the other female?¡± The questions pour out of me like an unending


    stream.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if the three of you will remain the only alpha females. If Aspen inherits your powers


    and gets a white wolf, then she¡¯ll be a dominant female too,¡± she answered.


    Rolling my eyes, I move the window and start arranging the papers on my desk. I hate tardiness.


    ¡°Thanks for that piece of info, but that¡¯s not what I asked, Nyx.¡±


    I see what she was trying to do. She was trying to avoid the question. She thought she could


    cate me with that answer, but she couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Like I said, I can¡¯t tell you everything right now¡­ but I will, soon.¡±


    I hated that answer. Hated it to the fucking core. What was I supposed to do, meanwhile? How am I


    supposed to trust her when she¡¯s keeping important things from me?


    Pushing down the anger I feel, I finish arranging my office desk and leave for dinner. I was hungry


    and all I wanted was to have my meal, spend time with Aspen before going to sleep. Everything


    always looks better in the morning after a goodnight¡¯s sleep.


    I get to the dining area in record time. The mountain of tes in the sink told me that most had


    already had their meal. There were still some in the dining room, though.


    ¡°Where is Aspen?¡± I asked Raven, who was busy with her food.


    I couldn¡¯t mind-link Martha. She wasn¡¯t a werewolf; she was a witch hence I couldn¡¯tmunicate


    with her telepathically.

 Chapter 0076

    Chapter 0076


    ¡°Martha said she was taking her to have her bath¡­ she fell while ying with the other kids and


    waspletely covered in mud.¡±


    At Raven¡¯s answer I smile. Taking two tes, I serve one for myself and the other for my daughter. I


    sit down, waiting for her.


    A few minutester, King steps into the room with the warriors from Alec¡¯s pack. I push down the


    growl that threatened to erupt from my throat. Seeing them here, in my space and pack, brought a


    lot of very bad memories.


    It was taking all that I had not to attack them.


    ¡°Let me have them! I want their fucking hearts,¡± Nyx growled, her anger and blood thirst feeding


    mine.


    My growl must have slipped because they turned to look at me. Fear was etched on their faces


    once they realized who the growl came from.


    Raven, bless her heart, took my hand and squeezed it in an effort to calm me down. It was taking all


    I had not to let Nyx out. No matter how much I hated them or how badly I wanted to end their


    pathetic lives, I didn¡¯t want a bloodbath in my pack house.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Your eyes¡± Raven whispered in a soothing tone.


    I looked up, and saw a white pair of eyes reflected on the window opposite me. Taking a deep


    breath, I close my eyes and try to bring myself under control. Thest thing I wanted was Aspen


    coming for dinner only to find dead bodies lying around.


    Once I¡¯m calmer, I open my eyes, just as a few warriors from my pack approach me. They bow in


    respect.


    ¡°Alpha¡± one said.


    ¡°What is it, Joel?¡± I asked, as King finished settling the others.


    ¡°We were wondering if you could train with us tomorrow. You didn¡¯t attend our training session


    yesterday afternoon like you normally do, and neither this morning nor in the afternoon.¡±


    I liked training with my warriors. I usually have two training sessions with them. One in the morning


    from ten to eleven and the other in the afternoon from four thirty to five forty-five. Given all that


    happened yesterday and today, I wasn¡¯t able to attend the sessions.


    ¡°I have a lot on my te, and I¡¯m not making any promises, but I¡¯ll trying to the morning


    session.¡±


    They were satisfied with my answer because all of them broke into wide smiles.


    ¡°Thank you, Alpha,¡± they said in uniform, before leaving.


    King and Nyx taught me all I knew. Mostly Nyx. I swear, she knows a thousand ways to fight and


    kill. More than any warrior does. Which just makes me wonder how old she is. How long has she


    been alive? Her knowledge when ites to fighting is unmatched. I was already ahead of


    everyone and I still had a lot to learn.


    My thoughts are interrupted when I smell him before I can see him. His scent surrounded me,


    drowning me in it. I hated it because it made me want nothing more than to just take him in.


    He walks through the door, his eyes surveying the area beforending on me. I could feel the bond


    trying to pull me towards me. The bond that had snapped in ce when we recognized each other


    as mates. I knew it would be a problem and that¡¯s why I rejected him. Werewolves said you couldn¡¯t


    resist the bond, the pull, but I was determined to until he epted the rejection.


    For a moment, we stare at each other as if frozen in time. That is until Alec stilled, his face etched in


    shock


    ¡°Mama, I¡¯m here,¡± Aspen¡¯s voice rang through the room as she sprinted towards me.


    The bastard knew that I had a daughter, that we had a daughter. I¡¯d told him, so why the fuck was


    he shocked seeing her?

 Chapter 0077

    Chapter 0077


    Alec.


    I stumble back in shock when the little girl ran inside screaming for Sadie. Screaming for her mama.


    Her body collides with that of Sadie, and she lifts her up by her armpits. I didn¡¯t see her face


    because her back was turned to us, but I couldn¡¯t fucking deny the pull towards her.


    My heart begins to race. Blood rushing through me at the speed of light. I could feel sweat pool


    under my arms as I continue watching her.


    Through the fog, her scent hits me hard. My lungs constrict and it bes so fucking hard to


    breathe. So hard to draw air into my fucking lungs. Ice filled me,pletely freezing me on the


    spot.


    It can¡¯t be.


    I kept repeating the words in my head. I blinked, trying to erase the image. Maybe I was seeing


    things. Maybe I was hallucinating. Deep down though, I knew that I wasn¡¯t.


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    The feeling I felt three years ago and earlier, settles deep inside. Etching itself in my bones, my


    heart and my fucking soul. It¡¯s like it was tattooing itself in the very basis of who I was.


    ¡°Alec, are you okay?¡± Jason asked, but I couldn¡¯t pull my eyes from the little girl.


    No, I was definitely not fucking okay. I was far from it.


    That¡¯s what I wanted to say, but my lips weren¡¯t moving. My mouth couldn¡¯t form a single fucking


    word. I was rooted by shock. My fucking mind wasn¡¯t even working, how then could I answer him?


    ¡°Everyone out¡± Sadie¡¯s voice filled the room. ¡°Martha, please take Aspen for a little while¡±


    A woman steps forward to take the little girl from Sadie¡¯s arms.


    So that was her name, Aspen. It suited her.


    ¡°But Mama, we always eat together¡± Aspenined, trying to hold on to her mother.


    ¡°I know, my love, but I have pack work to discuss¡± Sadie ran a finger down her chubby rosy cheek


    before giving her a kiss. ¡°I promise once I¡¯m done, I¡¯lle read you a story book.¡±


    ¡°About the strong princess and the dragon?¡± she asked, hope filling her voice.


    Sadie nodded ¡°Yes, baby. I¡¯ll read you that one and any other you want.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°I pinky swear¡±


    Seeming satisfied with her mother¡¯s answer, she nods her head, before releasing Sadie¡¯s neck.


    When she turned, me and my two officials gasp in shock.


    ¡°She¡¯s ours¡± Knox whimpered, his tone registering shock.


    There was no denying it. Her green eyes, her pouty lips and her round face. She looks like my mini


    version. She looks like a girl version of the child I used to be.


    We were strangers to her, so she doesn¡¯t pay us any attention. We don¡¯t exist in her world. What


    she doesn¡¯t know is that she was starting to exist in mine.


    Her scent and her eyes were pulling me, roping me in. A familial bond was wrapping itself inside


    me. It was simr to the one I had with Piper, only that this was stronger. Stronger because she¡¯s


    mine. My daughter.


    ¡°Why are you acting so surprised?¡± came Sadie¡¯s growl. ¡°It¡¯s not like you didn¡¯t know about her¡±


    My chest tightens. My throat clogs and I¡¯m unable to speak a single fucking word.


    I now understand. I understand what I felt three years ago and just a few hours ago. Thest time I


    saw Sadie, she had told me she was pregnant. I didn¡¯t fucking believe her.


    Monthster, I felt that shift. That unexinable shift.


    ¡°The pain and that shift. That was the bond settling in. We didn¡¯t know it. We couldn¡¯t exin it, but


    that¡¯s what it was¡± Knox whispered while pacing in agitation.


    He was fucking right. It¡¯s always said that when a pup is born, the father fills the pain of a new bond


    forming. He feels pain as the bond settles in, attaching itself to his soul.


    A bond between a father and his pup is different. With the mother, it¡¯s there immediately conception


    isplete. With the father, it¡¯s formed when the baby is born.


    It all made sense now. Why at times I would feel a kind of longing that had nothing to do with L.


    Why I felt the need to search the whole fucking world for something or someone, until I found them.


    It drove me so fucking crazy, not knowing why or what I was longing for.


    ¡°You kept his child hidden¡± Micah growled. ¡°There is no deny that that girl is Alec¡¯s child. They


    fucking look alike!¡±


    Sadie turned those deadly eyes to him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fucking get into something you have no idea about¡­ and don¡¯t you, for a fucking second,


    use me.¡± She takes a deep breath in an effort to control her anger. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him,


    Micah? Ask him what he fucking did when I told him I was pregnant.¡±


    My eyes continue studying Sadie. Gone was the girl I knew. Her face used to be round, but not


    anymore. Exercise and lots of training will do that. My eyes focus on the scar on her face. The one I


    gave her.

 Chapter 0078

    Chapter 0078


    ¡°What is she talking about?¡± Micah turned to me in confusion. ¡°You knew she was pregnant, yet you


    didn¡¯t say anything? You still wanted her dead?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that¡± Jason jumped in.


    ¡°It was exactly like that!¡± Sadie snapped, fire burning in her eyes. ¡°Since he doesn¡¯t want to admit


    what he did, I¡¯ll tell you¡±


    Her friends were behind her, offering her support, just like mine were.


    She began. ¡°I came to his office a few weeks after escaping. I didn¡¯t want to. I didn¡¯t want to tell him


    of the baby. A baby that I didn¡¯t even remember how she was conceived. My friend her convinced


    me it was the right thing to do. I didn¡¯t want anything from him, just to let him know that he was


    going to be a father. You know what he did after I¡¯d told him, Micah? He plunged his hand in my


    chest. He wanted to rip out my fucking heart¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Micah stammered.


    ¡°Yes, your precious alpha is a fucking monster. He insulted me and degraded me by calling me


    names. If I remember correctly his exact words were ¡®You are a slut, and I would never let my child


    have a hoe as a mother¡¯ That¡¯s what you said isn''t it, Alec? Right before you tried ending my life


    and that of my unborn child¡±


    My hands fucking tremble as I run them through my hair. I try to banish the memory. A Memory that


    refused that refuses to be silenced. A memory that wants to prove what a bastard I am.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Jason. He was there too,¡± Sadie adds, and Micah¡¯s eyes


    turned to said man.


    ¡°Why would you refuse to believe her?¡± Micah asked.


    ¡°Why would he?¡± Jason answered with a question of his own. ¡°Sadie was obsessed with Alec.


    She¡¯d wanted him for a long time. Piper had told us that. She was on the cusp of losing everything.


    Of course, she would have done everything to stop that, including lying that she was pregnant.¡±


    The re that Micah sent his way was frightening. ¡°Sadie has never been a liar, and there was a


    fucking possibility since you slept together. You two had unprotected sex, you told me that yourself


    when you couldn¡¯t find any used condoms in the room when you were checking it for evidence¡±


    I could feel agitation rising inside me. I had a daughter. A daughter that I almost killed with my bare


    hands. She didn¡¯t even know that I existed. That she had a father.


    ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t believe her, or feel the pup, the least you could have done was take her to a


    doctor for a pregnancy test.¡± Micah added.


    ¡°What did you expect, he was bitter over his precious mate, so he almost killed me for her sake. I


    can forgive anything, but I will never forgive you for trying to kill Aspen. For trying to end her life


    before it even began¡± Sadie said.


    Her words settled inside me like lead. Dragging me down with their weight. Fuck! How could I have


    fucked up this bad? Why wasn¡¯t I able to sense her in Sadie¡¯s womb? It should have been fucking


    possible.


    The crashing weight of my actions was suffocating me. Robbing me of the very air I needed to live.


    ¡°As if that wasn¡¯t enough, he fuckingbeled me a traitor. Do you know how fucking hard it was to


    stay alive just to make sure that my baby girl had a chance to live? Do you know how many my


    friends and I had to kill so that word doesn¡¯t get back to you that I was alive? Do you know all I had


    to do to stay alive? I stayed alive for her. I built this fucking pack for her. To protect her from you!¡±


    Words have never fucking hurt me, like they did right now. She thought that I was a danger to my


    own daughter. Fuck!


    Anger was radiating from her, and her eyes kept changing color.


    Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°She is his daughter, Sadie, he would never hurt her,¡± Micah tried to calm her, but it was useless.


    I took note of the ease ofmunication between the two even though my fucking world was


    exploding around me.


    ¡°That¡¯s where you are wrong, Micah, he has already tried it once. What¡¯s to stop him from doing it


    again? And let¡¯s be clear, she¡¯s not his daughter, she¡¯s mine. He is nothing more than a sperm


    donor,¡± she turned and red at me. ¡°I hold grudges, so you¡¯re very fucking lucky, Alec. If it wasn¡¯t


    for the favor, I owed Micah for helping me escape, you would have been dead for ever daring to kill


    my daughter.¡±


    Her words about Micah ring in my ears.


    What the fuck?

 Chapter 0079

    Chapter 0079


    ¡°What did you just say?¡± I growled, feeling my anger rise.


    I must have heard wrong, right? There is just no fucking way Micah would betray me like that. Not


    after years of friendship. Not after he saw what Sadie and her scheming put me through.


    ¡°I said a lot of things¡± she growled back, her eyes spitting fire. ¡°You¡¯ll have to be a bit more specific.¡±


    I turned to her and snarled, but it didn¡¯t have any effect on her. Instead, she snarled right back at


    me.


    Fuck! I needed a damn break. It has been revtion after revtion since the moment I stepped


    into this pack. Now, on top of everything, I find out that Sadie wasn¡¯t lying three years ago, that she


    was actually pregnant with my child. Then to find out that Micah betrayed me, that was a huge


    fucking blow.


    I always wondered how the fuck Sadie had managed to escape. Always wondered what happened.


    Did a guard forget to close the door? Did someone forget to chain her up? It never made sense and


    efforts to find out how she managed to escape proved futile. Now I now why? Micah had helped her


    and he¡¯d made sure that there was no evidence. Nothing tying him to what happened.


    My eyes turned to him. ¡°How could you? How could you fucking help her escape your


    motherfucking traitor¡±


    He flinched at the extent of my alpha aura but other than that did nothing. He didn¡¯t look remorseful.


    He didn¡¯t look guilty. He didn¡¯t look like he regrated helping Sadie. That alone all but killed me,


    knowing he betrayed me and didn¡¯t even feel that he did.


    ¡°Why would you do that, Micah?¡± Jason snapped at him. ¡°Why, would you help her and betray Alec


    like that. You know what she did. You know that her scheming cost him his mate. L fucking


    rejected him for fucks sake and yet you helped Sadie, why?¡±


    Jason was yelling by the time he got to thest sentence. It didn¡¯t do anything though, because


    Micah still didn¡¯t look sorry. Hisck of remorse made me and Knox pissed. He wanted to tear him


    apart.


    ¡°Might I remind you that L isn¡¯t his fucking mate? Or have you forgotten that little fact?¡± Micah


    fired back while Sadie just scoffed, disgust marring her face as she stared at me and Jason.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the fucking point!¡± Jason yelled, stepping up to stand in Micah¡¯s face. ¡°Tell me why the


    fuck I shouldn¡¯t tear your throat for betraying your alpha?¡±


    ¡°You could try, and it¡¯ll definitely not end well for you¡± came Micah¡¯s response.


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡±


    ¡°Take it however the fuck you want Jason, but I won¡¯t let you or anyone else try to box me into a


    corner¡±


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I was shocked. This was a side of Micah that I¡¯ve never really seen before. He¡¯s never disobeyed an


    order from his beta, but right now he just did and all because of Sadie.


    Said woman pped her hand to get their attention. ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to see you beat the shit out


    of Jason, I don¡¯t want my daughtering here and witnessing any kind of violence¡±


    The emphasis on ¡®her daughter¡¯ brought a pang to my heart. One that I tried pushing away.


    ¡°I don¡¯t take orders from a fucking bitch like you¡±, Jason growled at her.


    Before any of us could react, Sadie moved and within seconds had Jason against the wall, her


    hands on his neck. Her eyes were white and were glowing, while Jason¡¯s had budged out as he


    tried to get air into his lungs.


    ¡°Watch your fucking mouth before I decide to do everyone a favor and tear out your fucking tongue


    so you will never talk back to anyone ever again¡± she spat, her voice menacing.


    ¡°Remember you owe me, Sadie. You can¡¯t hurt him,¡± Micah sighed, seemingly tired of this whole


    thing.


    Sadie lets out a frustrated breath before releasing my beta. She steps away from him and goes to


    stand next to her friends.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why you defend the idiot, Micah. We all know you¡¯re better in every way, so why are


    you taking orders from him?¡±

 Chapter 0080

    Chapter 0080


    Jason snarled at the insult from Sadie. Turning to him, I gave him a warning look to shut it. Then


    reminded him through the mind link that we still needed her help.


    With a smirk, he looked at Jason, ¡°Yes, I know that I am better, but the idiot is still a friend. A brother


    if I can go that far.¡±


    Sadie doesn¡¯t say anything, and it gets quiet for a while.


    ¡°At least give me the why, Micah. I deserve that¡± I finally said after a while.


    Sighing, he faces me. ¡°You know I always trust my gut, right? And my gut told me that Sadie was


    innocent. Even my wolf agreed that there was something about the whole thing that wasn¡¯t adding


    up. Like for example why would Sadie make her move when you were about to be mated, when she


    had countless of opportunities before that?¡±


    ¡°Maybe because she thought she was running out of time because I¡¯d found my mate¡± I responded.


    ¡°Again, at the expense of repeating myself, L wasn¡¯t your fucking mate!¡± he spat.


    Micah had never once liked L. While everyone fell in love with her and was looking forward to her


    being the luna, Micah waspletely different. His hate for her was always apparent.


    ¡°No need to try to convince him, Micah¡± Sadie chimed in with a fake ass smile. ¡°If he believes she¡¯s


    his mate, then the better. That way he can ept the rejection and leave me the hell alone.¡±


    ¡°Not going to fucking happen, Sadie!¡± I said crisply.


    Shepletely ignored me and continued. ¡°Micah told me that she went missing after she rejected


    you, I can help you find her. I have among the best trackers, so it should be easy to track her down.¡±


    ¡°Are you fucking serious right now?¡± she was pissing me off more than I already was.


    ¡°Well, yes. Anything to get you out of my life,¡± She shrugged. ¡°If finding your true love is the price I


    have to pay, then so be it. As long as you leave me alone.¡±


    I studied her. Trying to see if she was joking or bluffing. She fucking wasn¡¯t. She was damn serious


    about it, which just made me even more angry.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I was about to open my mouth, but Micah cut me off.


    ¡°Anyway, like I said, something didn¡¯t feel right about the whole thing. I felt like Sadie was being set


    up. Like someone else was pulling the strings. It also didn¡¯t help that I kept dreaming of some


    faceless woman telling me that I needed to free Sadie.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t partake in torturing her¡± Jason murmured, looking like a switch had gone off


    in his head.


    ¡°Yes. It didn¡¯t feel right. We¡¯ve known Sadie since she was a little girl. I knew she wouldn¡¯t have


    done what you were using her. I tried finding evidence during the time she was locked up, but


    when I couldn¡¯t, I knew I had to help her escape before you killed and innocent woman.¡±


    My mind takes me back to when he had informed me that Sadie had been found dead. No wonder


    he had been angry at me. I didn¡¯t understand it then, but now I do. He believed she was innocent


    and helped her escape. He was mad that even after risking everything to help her, she still ended


    up dead.


    ¡°You still had no right. You could have talked to us,¡± Jason said.


    ¡°I tried!¡± this time Micah shouted. ¡°But none of you would listen. Alec was so focused on making her


    pay and we all saw the extreme measures he took to get revenge.¡±


    ¡°So, you decided to betray me and help her?¡± I asked. I¡¯m still not able to believe that he went


    behind my back.


    ¡°YES! And you know what? I would do it all over again. It¡¯s because of my actions that Sadie is still


    alive, that your daughter is still alive. Have you thought of what would have happened if I had not


    helped her escape that day? Think about it, you would eventually have killed her and, in doing so,


    you would have killed your mate and your daughter.¡±

 Chapter 0081

    Chapter 0081


    Fuck. I fight to remain upright. As much as I didn¡¯t want to admit it, didn¡¯t want to ept it, it was the


    truth. If Sadie had died, then it means my pack would have died right along with her. More than that,


    I would have killed my own child.


    The images of her begging me in my office while I had my hand in her chest, haunted me. I was so


    close to killing. So, fucking close to ending the life of my own flesh and blood.


    ¡°Are we done here?¡± Sadie asked, her eyes pinning us to the spot. ¡°My daughter is waiting for me


    and I don¡¯t want to keep her waiting.¡±


    Looking at her, I¡¯m still puzzled. ¡°I don¡¯t get it though. I am an alpha. I should have been able to


    sense your pregnancy. I should have been able to sense my child in your womb.¡±


    No one speaks for a while, that is until Sadie¡¯s witch friend steps forward.


    ¡°I may have an answer for that¡± she began. ¡°For the longest time it puzzled me why you couldn¡¯t


    sense your pup, so I began searching for answers in case there was ever another simr situation.¡±


    ¡°You never told me this¡± Sadie cut her off.


    ¡°I know¡± she replied. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure I was doing the right thing, but I needed answers. I needed to


    know why an alpha would deny a pregnancy even though there was one. I found the answers about


    a year ago in an old text.¡±


    She took a breath before continuing. ¡°The baby, even in the womb, can feel the mother¡¯s emotions


    as if they¡¯re its own. You told me that the moment you saw Alec and felt his anger, you felt fear.


    You were so scared that you started trembling because you were afraid he¡¯d kill you. The texts said


    that when a baby feels such negative emotions, like fear, their fight or flight mode is activated. Since


    they can¡¯t flee or fight, they shield themselves, kind of like how a turtle hides in it¡¯s shell when it''s


    afraid.


    This protective case shields them from the enemy. When shield mode is activated, no one can


    sense them, not their scents or their heartbeats or bond. It¡¯s like they cease to exist. The shield


    stays on until danger passes, and they no longer feel fear from their mothers. It¡¯s a way for them to


    protect themselves if ever the mother is in danger,¡± she finished, shocking all of us in the process.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that Aspen sensed my distress and concealed herself?¡± Sadie stammered; her


    eyes wide open.


    ¡°Yes¡± the witch replied. ¡°It only happens when the fetus is still small and not fully developed. This


    response is only specific to werewolves and vampires, and it¡¯s there to ensure that the fetus has a


    chance to develop fully. This also helps in cases where the mother is stressed. The response helps


    in preventing a miscarriage because the fetus simply protects itself.¡±


    After she¡¯s done talking, everyone is quiet. It¡¯s amazing that babies can shield themselves, but it¡¯s


    also sad that my daughter had to shield herself from me because I was on the verge of killing her


    mother.


    ¡°Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter what happened¡± Sadie broke the silence and stared right at me. ¡°Fact


    remains that I don¡¯t want to be your fucking mate and neither do I want you in mine and my


    daughter¡¯s lives. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have a little girl waiting for her story time.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    With that, she stomped out of the room and her friends followed her, leaving just me and my


    officials.


    I knew Sadie was going to make this hard for me, but determination is my middle name. There is no


    way I¡¯m going to give up now, not when there is so much more at stake. I wanted to be in my


    daughter''s life, and I wasn¡¯t going to allow anyone to stand in my way.

 Chapter 0082

    Chapter 0082


    Sadie.


    Waking up this morning, I felt like I hadn¡¯t gotten any sleep the whole night. I was tired, my eyes felt


    dry, and I had a headache to end all headaches.


    Is it wrong that I wish Alec had never stepped foot in my pack? Everything that has happened


    started when he came here. Before, though I was still in hiding, my life was peaceful. Then Alec got


    here. For whatever reason, everything blew in my face.


    ¡°Do you regret the changes? The power you got?¡± Nyx asked while I was getting ready for yet


    another day where Alec was still in my pack.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± I¡¯d replied honestly. ¡°I feel like these powers will interrupt the simple life I¡¯ve built. I


    feel that with powerse with a destiny I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m ready for. Sure, it¡¯s good that I have them


    because now I can protect, my pack, friends and family better, but I just don¡¯t know.¡±


    I¡¯m not afraid to say that I was scared out of my mind. Things were changing right before my eyes,


    and I didn¡¯t like some of the changes. I¡¯d thought the goddess was done with toying with my life like


    a damn ser ball, but I was wrong.


    Why would she make Alec my mate? It would have been different three years ago before he


    shattered me. I would have been ecstatic about the news before, when I was madly in love with


    him, but not now. Not after everything he put me through.


    Pushing those thoughts to the back of my head, I finished getting ready and went to Aspen¡¯s room.


    By the time we were done yesterday with Alec, she was already asleep and I didn¡¯t want to wake


    her up.


    ¡°Morning, my Love¡± I said as I walked up to her bed.


    She sat up while rubbing her eyes to clear sleep, ¡°Good morning, mommy.¡±


    After giving her a kiss, I walked to the windows and opened the curtains to let in the morning light.


    ¡°Do you want me to pick an outfit for you?¡± I asked.


    When she nodded her head, I walked to her closet and opened it. Aspen loved to explore. Her


    curiosity about everything and anything, reminds me so much of Piper sometimes.


    Pulling a pink t-shirt with unicorns on them, ck leggings and a pair of t shoes, I helped her get


    ready. When I¡¯m done, I help her wash her face, brush her teeth and hair, before pulling her thick


    hair into pigtails.


    ¡°You didn¡¯te yesterday like you¡¯d promised¡± she said pouting as we walked to the kitchen for


    breakfast.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry baby, what I was doing took longer than expected and by the time I was done you were


    already asleep¡± I exined, feeling terrible that I didn¡¯t read her a book.


    ¡°Promise me that we¡¯ll have dinner together today and you¡¯ll read me a story before I sleep.¡±


    ¡°I promise¡±


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    I assured her.The smile that broke off on her lips, eased something inside me. Everything I¡¯ve done


    so far has been because of her. Has been to protect her and keep her safe. I would do anything for


    my little miracle (I call her that because, despite the torture I went through, she still survived),


    including going head-to-head with Alec.


    After we are done, we are done with breakfast, and she¡¯s off to start her day. I go to the training


    room.


    ¡°You need to work on your right hook, Brandon,¡± I told one of my warriors. ¡°You¡¯re left-handed and I


    get you favor that hand, but that doesn¡¯t mean you neglect your right hand. You can¡¯t always fight


    with your left hand.¡±


    King and I usually work with the werewolves and vampires, while Raven trains the witches.


    Compared to other packs, we are at an advantage since we have all supernatural species.


    When he nodded his head, Imanded him to continue. I stayed training them for a bit before I


    ended the training session.


    I asked King to join me in the office, while I sent another member to go call Raven. Minutester, I¡¯m


    seated at my office desk with King and Raven joining me.


    ¡°We have a lot to discuss¡± I simply said and they both nodded.


    When I got the idea to start our own pack. One that we would be safe in, and one that would also


    give banished wolves, witches and vampires a home to call their own, I didn¡¯t really count on being


    the alpha.


    From experience I knew that not all of the banished were horrible people. I also knew that even


    though there are those that havemitted crimes, they deserved a chance especially if they were


    remorseful. Good thing we have Raven, who is really good at reading people.


    When I was chosen as the alpha, I chose King as my beta and Raven as my gamma. After all, it


    wouldn¡¯t have been possible without the help and encouragement.


    ¡°Sadie?¡± Raven¡¯s voice pulled me back to reality.


    ¡°I want to know the status of the hybrids.¡± I cleared my throat and spoke.

 Chapter 0083

    Chapter 0083


    King wasn¡¯t wrong that first day we met. Hybrids were savages. Most of them had abandoned their


    humanity. The only difference between them and the rogues was that their human counterparts


    seemed to still be in control. Unlike Rogues who had handed control to their supernatural


    counterparts.


    ¡°Nothing so far, not after we stopped theirst attack¡± King updated me. ¡°Something tells me that


    they¡¯ve gone quiet because they are nning their next attack.¡±


    Did I mention that hybrids have gotten stronger, faster and deadlier? They were almost impossible


    to kill, which was fucking frustrating because of how more of them were popping up.


    ¡°Any luck with what kind of magic is being used to create them?¡± I turned to Raven.


    She shakes her head. ¡°No. All I can tell you is that it¡¯s powerful and ancient. I can assure you that


    not even the most powerful of witches is able to conjure the kind of power that is being used to


    create them. That¡¯s why I think it¡¯s something ancient. Something beyond our realm.¡±


    Her words sent chills down my back, and a kind of fear gripped me.


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me we are telling us that whoever is creating them is using powers that even


    coven heads can¡¯t beat?¡± I whispered, shakily.


    ¡°Exactly¡± Raven replied in a soft voice.


    ¡°Then what chance do we have against the mastermind of this whole thing? Against the hybrids he


    is creating?¡± I shot up feeling uneasy and agitated about this whole thing.


    ¡°I want to reach out to some of the covens¡± Raven said, ¡°I don¡¯t know about whoever is creating


    them, but I am sure with witches and wizards by our side, it would be easy to deal with the hybrids.¡±


    Silence descended in my office for a few minutes, before King cut in.¡°I¡¯ve been trying to think about


    why someone would create that many hybrids, and I can¡¯t help but think, what if they are creating


    an army?¡± he said, making me turn sharply to stare at him.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I eximed.


    That thought had crossed my mind but I pushed it back, not wanting to dwell on it.


    ¡°Think about it Sadie. It¡¯s unlikely that they are trying to create a whole new species, not when most


    of these hybrids are the worst of the worst. If we look at it like that, then the only option left is that


    they are creating an army. An army of inhuman, bloodthirsty warriors who don¡¯t care about right and


    wrong.¡±


    Fuck! His words rang in my head over and over again, refusing to let up. My heart started beating


    wildly at that possibility.


    ¡°But why? Why create an army?¡± Raven cut in, while pushing up into a standing position.


    I let out the breath that was clogging my throat. ¡°Whoever it is, is gearing up for war. That is the only


    reason why someone would go to so much trouble to build an army.¡±


    ¡°Could this be what Nyx meant? Does she somehow know what¡¯sing?¡± King asked.


    I replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°It could also be why your powers showed up now. Remember you told us that Nyx told you it was


    time? The coven heads might not be a match for whoever this person is, but maybe you are. I¡¯ve


    felt your powers, Sadie. I believe that none of the coven heads can match it.¡± Raven said, not


    knowing that her words just gave me more pressure.


    I reached out to Nyx to ask her if what Raven said was true, but the moment I did, she blocked our


    connection. I release a frustrated sigh. Stubborn wolf. Why is it hard for her to cooperate?


    ¡°Continue looking into it, we need more proof that someone is about to start a war¡± I told them


    before resuming my position by the window.My mind was running a hundred miles per minute.


    This whole thingbined with what has been happening with Alec scares the shit out of me.


    Maybe Nyx is right after all. Can I really say I¡¯m prepared for what seems to being?


    Shaking those thoughts away, I turned to face my family. Before I can tell them that they¡¯re


    dismissed, one of the warriors guarding the gates links me.


    ¡°Alpha¡± he called. ¡°Just wanted to let you know that there¡¯s ady en route to the pack house.¡±


    My mind immediately went to Beth, but then I remembered that all my pack members knew her. If it


    were Beth, he would have used her name.


    I frowned before asking, ¡°Who is she? And why didn¡¯t you ask for my permission to let her in?¡±


    I¡¯m very picky about other packsing onto ournd.


    ¡°She said that she¡¯s Alpha Alec¡¯s sister. I didn¡¯t see the need to stop her when her brother was


    already here.¡±


    Piper?


    Immediately cut off the mind link, so fucking angry at him for letting that backstabber in without


    asking first.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Fuck! I was so fucking pissed. What the hell was that woman doing here?

 Chapter 0084

    Chapter 0084


    My hands were fisted. My jaw tight. I was literally shaking. I was fucking pissed. So fucking pissed


    that I thought I would burst at any moment.


    ¡°What the hell is happening?¡± I could hear King¡¯s voice asking, but it sounded so far away.


    I couldn¡¯t control my anger and bitterness as my mind took me back to the days after I ended up


    sleeping with Alec. All I could see was Piper turning her back on.


    All I could feel was the shattering of my heart and our friendship when she believed that I would


    drug her brother. That my crush had turned into an obsession and in that, I¡¯d crossed the line by


    taking advantage of him. Funny how I¡¯m now his second fucking mate. Bet none of those idiots saw


    thating!


    I try to control my anger, but it¡¯s no use. Every pore of my body screamed. Something inside me


    was building, and I felt like it was about to explode out of me.


    I could believe how Alec thought that I was a scheming woman. He didn¡¯t know me that well except


    as his little sister¡¯s best friend. Piper¡¯s betray however hurt the most. She knew me. We¡¯d been


    friends since we were little girls. How could she think so little of me? That I would betray her and her


    brother?


    If the whole situation was flipped, I would have believed her. I would have looked for every possible


    scenario, every single angle. I would have gone above and beyond to prove that¡¯s she¡¯s innocent


    because I knew her. I knew her heart and the kind of woman she was. Yet she turned on me the first


    chance she got, believing what was said just like everyone else.


    ¡°Sadie!¡± Someone screamed. ¡°Snap out of it¡±


    I could hear the fear in whoever it is that was calling, but I didn¡¯t understand. All I could see was red.


    All I could feel was anger and betrayal. All I wanted was to destroy. My heart constricted as the


    memories yed over and over in my head.


    The only time Piper came to visit me in the dungeons was to ask why I¡¯d caused her brother so


    much pain. Why I¡¯d cost him his mate? The bitterness and hatred in her eyes while I was innocent,


    seared my already fragile soul. Thest thing she told was to confess instead of dragging it out.


    Whatever was building inside me was fucking intense. I couldn¡¯t breathe, and my throat was


    clogged with emotions. I could feel the release starting to happen. I could feel as it started pouring


    out of me.


    This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Nyx anger wasbined with mine. I don¡¯t know whether mine was feeding her or it was the vice


    versa. All I know is that we were one in our fury.


    Someone shakes me. Fully body, aggressive kind of shake. Nothing happens, and secondster I


    feel a hot sting to my cheek. My head swings to the side and I blink rapidly at the unexpected hit.


    My vision clears, and I snap out of whatever it is that had a hold on me.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± My head swings back, and I snap at whoever it is that had pped me.


    It was Raven.


    My eyes narrow and I re at her. ¡°What the hell was that for?¡±


    Her breathing came in fast and hard. Her eyes were wide and mouth agape. It takes me a second


    to realize that she was scared. Fear was etched in her eyes.


    ¡°You were losing control!¡± she screamed. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what else to do.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking?¡± I was so confused. I was pissed, but that was it.


    King steps forward. Fear and uncertainty lingering in his gaze. ¡°Your eyes started glowing white,


    and then it¡¯s like you went into a trance. Your wings came out and secondster, the ground began


    shaking. It was like we were having an earthquake.¡±


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t get to you or Nyx.¡± Raven, who isn¡¯t normally shaken, whispers. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what


    else to do, since King didn¡¯t want to be the one to hit you.¡±


    It¡¯s then I feel the heaviness on my back. I slightly turn around and see my white wings. Closing my


    eyes, imagine them gone and secondster they disappear. My legs weaken realizing that my


    emotions caused a fucking earthquake and I copse on my chair.


    Closing my eyes, I bury my face in my hands. What the hell was happening? How could I lose


    control like that?


    ¡°We need to start training as soon as possible¡± Nyx says, pacing in my mind. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize that


    our power would be much stronger this time.¡±

 Chapter 0085

    Chapter 0085


    She whispered thest part, more to herself than me. I don¡¯t think I was meant to hear that, but I


    did, and it has just raised more questions. What does she mean by ''this time''?


    She shakes herself seemingly to get herself together. ¡°You¡¯re already great at hand-to-handbat.


    I can fight extremely well in wolf form, so that¡¯s no worry. What¡¯s left is to train with our powers. I


    need to teach you how to use and control them.¡±


    I don¡¯t say anything, but I agree. If I could cause an earthquake while lost in my anger and


    bitterness, what else could I do when I lost control?


    ¡°Sadie?¡± Raven¡¯s voice pulls me from my thoughts. ¡°What happened? Why did you lose control?¡±


    I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down and push down my rage. Thest thing I needed


    was to be consumed again.


    ¡°One of the guards at the gates informed me that Piper was here¡± I finally say after a while. Even


    her name tasted bitter in my mouth.


    ¡°Piper? Alec¡¯s sister?¡± she asks, surprise recing the fear that was there a few minutes ago.


    ¡°The one and the same¡± I reply, feeling exhausted all of a sudden. ¡°Hearing she was here just


    brought a lot of painful memories. The way she betrayed and turned her back on me,bined with


    all the shit Alec and the rest put me through, just consumed me and I was lost in all the pain,


    bitterness and hatred I felt for them.¡±


    Sighing, I stand up again. I was now restless despite feeling exhausted just moments before. I


    wanted, no, needed a release, but first I had to deal with Alec and his pack. I didn¡¯t want any more


    of them just showing up here.


    ¡°Are you ready to face her?¡± give it to King to hit the nail straight to the head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Alec showing up here made sure that my time in hiding was


    over.¡± I mumble staring outside the window.


    I suck in a deep breath and then turn to face Raven and King. "Come on, let''s go and wee our


    guest. Hopefully, she¡¯s not here to stay. I¡¯d hate to identally hurt her.¡±


    That idea didn¡¯t sound too bad. I¡¯d probably enjoy it just like I enjoyed beating the shit out of her


    brother.


    I walk past my friends and open the door before leaving. I head straight to the living room, ignoring


    the broken vases, pictures and art frames. They must have fallen due to the ground shaking.


    It doesn¡¯t take long to find her. Her smell leads me straight to her. She was standing with Alec and


    was hugging him. Micah and Jason were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°I found my mate¡± she tells her brother in excitement when they break apart. ¡°He¡¯s just getting out


    luggage so you¡¯ll meet him in a few.¡±


    I stomp inside the room before stopping a few paces from the duo.


    ¡°What is she doing in my pack?¡± I all but yell, feeling the familiar burning of my anger.


    Piper turns sharply at my voice, and stumbles in shock at seeing me. She hadn¡¯t changed much in


    three years. The only different thing was that her hair was longer, now reaching midback.


    ¡°S-Sadie? You¡¯re not dead?¡± she asks through deep breathes, her hands pressing down on her


    chest, looking like she¡¯s seen a ghost.


    I sneer at her. ¡°Sorry to disappoint, but your brother never got the job done. Now I asked a question,


    what are you doing in my pack? As if it isn¡¯t bad enough that Alec and his merry band of tortures is


    here and have refused to leave, now I have to deal with you too?¡±


    ¡°Sadie¡± Alec growls, shooting daggers at me.


    Hees to stand in front of her, in a move to protect her. He probably remembers how I reacted


    when I first saw him, and he''s afraid I¡¯ll hurt his baby sister.


    ¡°Shut up¡± I growl back. ¡°I want you and your pack to leave. Take your sister with you. I don¡¯t want


    any of you near me or my pack.¡±


    He opens his mouth about to say something when the door opens.


    ¡°What did you carry in this thing, Babe? It weighs a fucking ton,¡± a gruff voice says, walking in.


    Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    Both Alec and I turn at the same time. Everything disappears when my eyesnd on the man.


    ¡°You!¡±

 Chapter 0086

    Chapter 0086


    Alec.


    "You!" the words slip from my lips at the same time as Sadie says them.


    My eyes stared at the man in shock. A man that I thought I''d never see again. A man that I''ve been searching for, for three fucking years.


    I could never mistake him for anyone. Well, unless he had a fucking twin that we don''t know about. I''ve studied the video footage over and over again trying to look for clues about who the fuck he was.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    I knew his face like the back of my hand. I knew his body build. His hair color and his fucking voice.


    Three fucking years. Three years of wanting, needing answers. Three years of torture, wondering why he would betray an alpha. Why he would work for an insignificant member of the pack to try and trap the alpha.


    I''ve wondered over and over again what Sadie could have given him for him to drug me. She was an orphan. Her parents were omegas. They simply had nothing, meaning Sadie didn''t have any kind of money to pay him.


    My heart started speeding up as anger begun to flood my veins. I could hardly breathe as I thought of what I''d lost because of this prick.


    With a roar, I unleashed my anger as Knox came forward, ready to tear the bastard limb from limb. Before I can make a move though, Sadie moves and strikes.


    Power unleashes from her, sending everyone in the room flying in different directions. Her aura suffocates even me. It''s nothing I''ve ever felt before and I don''t think I''ll ever get used it.


    By the time I get up, Sadie had the fucker in a choke hold, against the opposite wall. The jeans and tight t-shirt she had on moments ago were no longer on her. Instead, they were reced with white flowing dress with a golden rope around her waist and golden bands around her arms. She reminded me of those Greek goddesses that people always talked about.


    "Do you have any fucking idea what your actions caused?" she growls, her voice a bit deeper and deadlier than her normal one.


    The bastard could barely speak given that Sadie was choking the shit out of him. His eyes bulged out and his face was turning red. He was a mountain of a man, yet Sadie held him off the ground with just one hand.


    "What are you doing, Sadie?" Piper screams, but her words fall on deaf ears. Sadie lookedpletely lost in her anger.


    Wind picks up as she turns around and throws him, causing him to crash against a coffee table.


    She turns to her beta, and threatens "Make sure nobody gets inside this room, I have a bastard to teach a lesson before I kill him."


    King, as I came to know he''s called,


    nods, then steps out. Sadie turns her eyes back at the man just as he starts standing up. He has a cut on the head, and he was holding his side, wincing in pain.


    "What is your problemdy" he grits through clenched teeth. "Why the fuck would you attack me?"


    "Lady?" Sadie mocks. "Is that what you call women whose lives you ruined?"


    "I don''t even know who the fuck you are" he yells, stepping over the broken ss of the coffee table.


    Wait a fucking minute. He doesn''t know her? How could he not know the same fucking woman that paid him to drug me?


    "You almost got me killed you


    fucking bastard!" Sadieshes out as her powers intensifies, sending everyone in the room to their knees. "But since you don''t remember me, let me introduce myself. My name is Sadie Evans. You pretended to be a bartender at a party, then gave me and the alpha drinks that were roofied. Does that ring a bell?"


    He frowns for a second. I see the moment it all bes clear in his head. The moment realization hits me. He''s bravado disappears, and fear reces it.


    "What is she talking about?" Piper pulls my arm, a tremble in her voice.


    "This is the bartender that drugged me," I spat in anger and hatred.


    I couldn''t take my eyes from him. Sadie''s powers were holding us down. I couldn''t fucking get up. Nobody could.


    "It can''t be? Piper whispers beside me, the fear making me turn to look at her. "He is Calvin. My mate"


    Her words send a shock wave


    throughout my body. Was the moon


    goddess this fucking cruel? Why would she make the man that colluded in drugging me, my sister''s mate?

 Chapter 0087

    Chapter 0087


    Fuck! This was a fucking mess.


    "How the fuck did you not recognize the fucker?¡± I ground out, as my hands fist at my sides.


    "I didn''t know how he looked," Piper hisses, hysterically, almost in tears "You never showed me the fucking footage, so I had no idea who he was."


    I think back and realize that she was right. Fuck! The next day after the incident, I showed Sadie the video, but never my sister.


    A crack pulls my attention from my sister and the shit show that has be our lives. The fucker was on the floor, with Sadie standing over him. Her fist raised.


    She doesn''t stop there as she rains blow after blow. I wince. If I didn''t hate the bastard, I would have felt sorry for him. I know how fucking brutal Sadie''s hits are.


    She the raises him by his cor, before sending him flying. He hits a wall and falls down groaning. I''m finally released from her powers, so I stand up. I also wanted my pound of flesh.


    As I watch Sadie beat the shit out of him, something nags me at the back of mind. Something about this whole fucking thing doesn''t add up.


    "Please stop her, she''s going to kill him? Piper begs beside me, clutching my arm in a vice grip, her nails digging into my skin.


    "Why the fuck would I do that?" I ask, surprising her.


    This was the same guy that drugged me. I was not going to step in and save his fucking ass.


    "Please" she begs, tears running down her face.


    I turn and ignore her. Nobody fucking crosses me. Not even my sister''s fucking mate.


    "Give me one good reason why I shouldn''t end you right now?" Sadie asks, walking towards him.


    She kneels down and grips his hair, wrenching his head backwards. He couldn''t answer. Every time he tried to; blood sttered from his mouth. He was beaten ck and blue.


    Sadieughs. A menacing and coldugh. "That''s right. There is no reason for you to live. I would have spared you if the woman you called ''Babe'' was still my friend, but she''s a backstabbing bitch and seeing her in pain at losing you will bring me


    unmeasurable joy." Content belongs


    to


    I mp my jaw at the insult to Piper. Piper, on the other hand, tenses. A gasp leaving her mouth at Sadie''s cruel words.


    Sadie raises her hand, her ws out, ready to strike, but her friend stops her.


    "Don''t kill him yet, Sadie" she tells her calmly,ing to stand behind her.


    Sadie turns those glowing white eyes to her. "And why shouldn''t I?"


    "Think about it, he has answers you''ve been searching for, for years. He clearly wasn''t working alone. We need to know why he drugged you and Alec and then framed you."


    Sadie is silent a while, thinking. Minutester, she turns to him, giving him a sardonic smile I''m sure he can barely see, given his eyes are swollen shut.


    "It''s your lucky day bastard. You get


    to live another day. Then again, I


    can''t say it will be a lucky stay because n on torturing you like I''d been tortured," Sadie says


    standing up. "Call one of theore


    warriors, let them lock him in the dungeon."


    "Sadie please" Piper begs.


    "Don''t call my fucking name!" Sadie snaps, her eyes narrowed as she res at Piper. "If it''s too much for.


    you to see him locked up, you canelProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    fucking join him. Maybe then I can give you a taste of the torture your fucking brother and pack put me through. That way we can call it even."


    Piper gasps and I grip her hand in warning. I love my sister, there is no fucking way am I letting her end up in the dungeon.


    Without another word and a look of hatred thrown at us, Sadie leaves. Disappearing into thin air.


    The locked doors open. King enters with warriors, and they drag Calvin away while Piper remains at my side crying.


    She turns to me, her head on my chest as she hugs me tightly. I wrap my hands around her, and it''s then it hits me. Fuck. Fuck. What if I was wrong this whole fucking time?

 Chapter 0088

    Chapter 0088


    Sadie.


    "What the fuck are you doing here?" I growl when my eyesnd on Alec.


    It was the next day, and I can''t really say that I''d slept much at night. I was pissed and irritable.


    "You honestly didn''t think I''d allow you to interrogate him all by yourself, did you?" he asks as he pushes himself off the wall he was leaning on. ¡°I want answers as much as you do?


    It was early, and I had to miss breakfast with Aspen because I wanted to get this shit done. My mind kept going a thousand miles per second at night, making it impossible for me to get a good rest.


    Beating the shit out of that bastard hadn''t helped. It hadn''t calmed me down. It had done nothing to ease the torment of what I went through because of what he did.


    After I''d given the order for him to be taken to the dungeon, I''d materialized in the forest. I''d cried and screamed my anger and bitterness, until there was nothing left and I waspletely spent. Iter went back home, had diner with my baby girl and then went to sleep.


    I couldn''t imagine why someone would do something so despicable to someone else. Then again, people don''t always have a reason to be evil. There are some who vileness is just in their nature.


    "I doubt you can allow me to do anything," I say after remembering that Alec was still standing before me.


    Without another word, I stomp to the dungeons. The sooner I can get the answers, the sooner they can all leave.


    Stopping, I twist my head and look at Alec when realization hits me. "It''s funny, you know, that youbeled me a traitor and then boom, your sister''s mate turns out to be the biggest traitor of all."


    Raven had filled me in during dinner. Imagine my shock when I found out that that bastard was Piper''s mate. When I heard him call her babe, I didn''t pay much attention.


    Unlike what humans believe, werewolves don''t always wait for their mates. We are allowed to date as casually as we want, what we aren''t allowed is to mark someone who isn''t our mate. Well, unless your mate dies or cheats and you decide to take a chosen.


    Alec growls. It gives me pleasure to antagonize him. After what he has done, he deserves that and more.


    Not giving him a chance to say anything, I continue as I walk. "I wonder, are you going to torture him now that you''ve found him or are §Ö you going to hold back because he''s your darling sister''s mate? After all, I wasn''t given any consideration even though I''d been your sister''s best friend since we were little girls."


    I smile when I see the struggle in his eyes. It''s right fucking there. He''s caught between a rock and a hard ce. He knows what this guy did is unforgivable, especially because he targeted an alpha, but then he is his darling sister''s mate.


    "Choices, choices" I taunt, just as we get to the dungeons. "I wonder what the almighty alpha Alec is going to do. Is he going to punish the traitor or let him go for his sister''s sake?"


    "Stop it, Sadie" he demands, an edge in his voice.


    Instead, I just chuckle. "Oh, no Alec. I can''t stop. This is just the fucking start."


    With those words, I push open the door and enter.


    The guard on duty bows. "Alpha.¡±


    "Where is the prisoner?" I ask, moving forward.


    "Already in the torture room, Alpha?Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Perfect"


    I smile and start walking. Don''t you just love it when people are efficient? They already knew what I wanted. I didn''t have to tell them what I needed.


    I ignore Alec''s footsteps behind me. My focus was on Piper''s mate and how much fun we were going to have.

 Chapter 0089

    Chapter 0089


    When I push the door to the room, we find the man hanging from the ceiling. His hands tied up with silver chains.


    The room didn''t have much. Just the chains, a chair, and a table with various torture devices. It wasn''t much, but then again did you really need much when you were torturing your victims?


    "Good morning" I say cheerily.


    He lifts his head, but doesn''t say anything. I doubt he can even see me clearly given his eyes are swollen shut.


    "You have no idea how much I''ve waited for this day" I continue as I walk to the table. "It''s long overdue if you ask me, what''s your name?"


    "Calvin" he answers.


    I feel Alec''s overwhelming presence, but I just ignore him. He didn''t matter at this point. No one mattered. Just me and the bastard that ruined my life.


    "So Calvin, what would you like me to start with?" I stop and look at him. "Should we start small, and work our way up? Maybe start with a small knife?"


    "I''ll talk" he rushes to say.


    Sighing, I turn to Alec and say casually, "I''m disappointed. I love it when they fight me. It gives me more of a thrill to break them and see their spirit die within them."


    Alec looks at me like I''ve lost my damn mind. And maybe I did. He broke me in that dungeon three years ago. I doubt I''ll ever been able to mend myself back together. Yeah, take a look, bastard, this is what you turned me into.


    "Please, I''ll talk," Calvin whimpers like the little weak fucker he is. "I''ll tell you anything you need to know."


    Alec doesn''t waste time. "What did Sadie offer you to drug my drink?"


    Goddess help me. Was Alec being real right now? It''s beyond me how he still thought that I was the mastermind behind everything. "She didn''t offer me anything," Calvin answers. "She isn''t the one who paid me to drug your drink. Someone else did. A different woman." Well, at least now I know to look for a woman.


    There is a moment of silence as his words ricochet in the room. Finally, the truthes out after years.


    Alec pushes from the wall and starts towards Calvin. There was an edge to his movement. A certain danger that surrounded him.


    "That''s not right, she gave me the drink." Alec argues and I just roll my eyes. "Your eyes are swollen shut, you didn''t get a good look at her"


    I see what''s happening. What''s


    going on. The truth was out and Alec


    was grasping to what he believed. was the truth because epting what Calvin said means admitting that he was wrong and I was innocent.


    "I saw her when she attacked me just after came to the pack," Calvin says. "And even if I hadn''t seen her face, her scent and voice would be clear proof that she isn''t theOne that paid me."


    "What do you mean?" I ask as I step forward, and stand next to Alec who, by the way, looked like he was having a mini-panic attack.


    "I never saw her face. All through our dealings, when we first met and when she gave me instructions, she had her face covered with a veil. was weird honestly, but what was even weirder was her scent. You smell like summer. Floral, fresh and warm. She smelled like death. Cold, dark and absolutely terrifying."


    Werewolves can mask their scents and be untraceable. What we can''t do is alter it. Alec knows this.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "She was a rogue?" I push since Alec looks lost.


    "No" Calvin answers. "But she was something else entirely. I''m not sure what she was, but I could sense her strong power and aura?


    He tries to move, probably seeking afortable position. Too bad there isn''t. I''ve been here before, so I know that no matter what he tries he won''t find afortable position.

 Chapter 0090

    Chapter 0090


    "Did she tell you why she wanted you to drug the alpha?"


    He shakes his head. "No, but the alpha wasn''t my only target. She told me to make sure that both you and the alpha have the drinks."


    What the hell?


    "Me? What did I have to do with her ns?"


    "I don''t know. She just told me to wait until you two were together before giving you the drinks."


    All this time, I thought that Alec was the target, and I was the unfortunate victim of being in the wrong ce at the wrong time. Now, he''s telling me that I was targeted by this woman, but why?


    What was her end game? What did she benefit by paying someone to drug us? And how was she sure that Alec and I would end up seated at the bar together?


    "How did you meet her?" Alec asks, his voice distorted.


    "She''s the one that found me. I''m alone wolf. I love my life, but it isn''t easy trying to live as a human and making ends meet. So I started doing odd jobs when I almost exposed myself while working as a bartender in a human club. Trading information, spying, following cheating mates to get proof, that kind of thing. I didn''t go looking for her, she''s the one that found me."


    Even though lone wolves aren''t usually a danger, they aren''t allowed to work in werewolf establishments. Most werewolf businesses are owned by packs and, since lone wolves gave up pack life, they can''t work for them. It would beat the point.


    "And why would you agree to work for her knowing you were going against an alpha?" I just didn''t get it honestly. Everyone knows never to cross an alpha. Especially someone like Alec.


    "At first, I didn''t agree, but then she said she''d pay me really well and that she''d make sure I''m never caught."


    "How much was she offering?" thises from Alec.


    "A million dors" Calvin''s answer makes me gasp in shock.


    Fuck, that was a lot of money. I can see why he risked going against Alec.


    "I bet you didn''t count on your mate being the sister of the same alpha you betrayed," I mock and smile in satisfaction when he winces at my words.


    "No, I didn''t. It was supposed to be


    easy and it was. She didn''t give me a lot of details. Just that I had to make sure both of you drank. She''s the one that gave me the drug. She told me it doesn''t have a scent, so the alpha wouldn''t be able to smell it. All I had to do was show up at the party that was being held for his mate and do as was told. She paid me the next morning. I left and never saw her again."


    The fact that he knew the party was for Alec''s mate, and he still came, brings forth something dark inside me.


    I was grateful for the truth but, thereContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    te


    were still a lot of unanswered questions. get if it were an alpha that had approached him. A lot of the alphas would benefit if Alec lost his mate and turned feral, but a woman? A strange woman that veiled her face, what would she benefit? Unless she was a witch and was working for an alpha.


    There will be time think things throughter, when I''m alone. "Thank you" I face Calvin.


    "For what?"


    "For making this so much easy," I reply with a smile. "You''ve just proved to me how selfish you are. You epted the job because of the money, not really caring that you''d be ruining three lives that day Today is the day of your reckoning."


    It was time for my fun.

 Chapter 0091

    Chapter 0091


    Trigger Warning: The following chapter contains torture scenes.


    Alec


    Have you ever felt like you''ve been hit by a truck? That''s how I fucking felt right now when the bastard in front of me opened his mouth and spoke. I''ve always wanted the truth about that night. I have been searching for it for years. I wanted confirmation. Confirmation that Sadie was truly a bitch. That she was a conniving, backstabbing, desperate bitch. Well, I''ve finally gotten the truth, but it isn''t what I was looking for. It isn''t anything like I''d thought it would be.


    My heart and chest constrict painfully as his words ring over and over in my head like a broken fucking record. What am I supposed to do now? How the fuck am I supposed to move on from this?


    I was righteous in my anger three years ago, because I thought I was the victim. I held on to that righteousness for three fucking years thinking that I was the victim. I held on to my bitterness and anger and all for what? Only to find out that my arrogant ass was wrong the entire fucking time. "Is the Goddess punishing us?" Knox ask softly, anguish in his voice. Thest time he sounded this defeated was when L rejected us.


    "Probably," I answer, feeling like the weight of the world was on my fucking shoulders.


    And it was true. The goddess was probably punishing us. Punishing us for condemning and hurting an innocent person.


    Making Sadie our mate was the biggest ''fuck you'' I''ve ever seen. It''s like she was giving Sadie back the power I took from her when I used her of something she didn''t do.


    Fuck! How could I have messed up so fucking badly? How did I not realize that she was innocent this whole time?


    I run my hands down my face, trying to wipe away the guilt that was starting to rear its ugly head.


    I''ve always prided myself on being a fair person. A fair leader. I prided myself on serving the right judgment and giving those who deserve it punishment, yet here I was and, for the first time in my entire fucking life, I hurt an innocent person.


    My sins keep pilling up, the more I think of them and the weight of them all threatens to drown me.


    I thought I knew pain, but it''s nothingpared to what you feel when you realize that you hurt the woman who was always meant to be your mate. Calvin''s screams shatter my bubble of guilt and terror, bringing me back to reality.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    I stare numbly and coldly as Sadie twists the knife that was lodged in Calvin''s side.


    "You said you wouldn''t hurt me if I talked," Calvin whimpers through the pain.


    Sadie simply smiles and tsks. "I


    l


    never said anything of that sort. You''re the one who willingly epted to telling me what I wanted to know. I would have forgiven you; you know? If you had been forced or threatened into hurting us, I would have let it go. Instead, you were a greedy little bastard that chose to harm others because of selfish gains."


    Sadie wrenches out the silver knife, before plunging in it again.


    "While you thought of the money, did you think of what would have happened to us? Did you think of the damage leaving two drugged people alone would do? You know what happened? Alec and I ended up in bed together, and because of that, his mate rejected him, and he med me," she snarls in anger, before hitting him across his already swollen face.


    Calvin shakes his head, as his body starts to tremble, but Sadie doesn''t stop there.


    "You know what happens when an


    alpha thinks you betrayed him? You be a piranha. They thought I colluded with you to drug him. I ended up in the dungeons, and you can imagine the horrors I saw there. You''re in pain, now imagine a five-foot-two woman going through the exact same thing." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    I stumble back and use the wall to hold me up. Her words were crashing me. Tearing me at the seams. Breaking me in ways I never thought I''d break.


    "This scar on my face," Sadie asks, touching her cheek. "He gave it to me to remind me that I''m a traitor. To remind me of the torture he unleashed on me. How about I give you one so we can have matching scars?"


    That''s the only warning Calvin gets before Sadie cuts open his cheek, making him scream in agony.


    Sadie takes some pliers, and one by one, she breaks his fingers as if it were nothing.


    "Please stop? Calvin begs his voice barely above a whisper, but I know it won''t do a damn thing.


    "Why should I?" Sadie asks as she looks at the various items on the table. "I paid for your sins, Calvin. I screamed and begged, but no one gave a shit. All that and then to find out you went against an alpha because of money? Well, let''s just say it fucking pisses me off."


    I''m rooted to the floor as I watch Sadie torturing Calvin for the next hour or so. His screams fill the room, bouncing off the walls. They do nothing. They don''t give me any satisfaction, instead they just remind me of Sadie''s screams as she screamed in pain that she was innocent.


    Finally, Sadie finishes and Calvin slumps forward. If it were any other alpha, I would have handed it to them for being so fucking thorough and merciless, but it wasn''t any alpha. It was Sadie.


    She stops and lifts her face to look at me. Her eyes are ice-cold. Dead on the inside. There is no warmth, no joy, no nothing.


    I never paid attention to her when we were younger, but I remember the warm and happy girl she was. Now looking at her, there aren''t traces of her anywhere behind those eyes.


    My heart slows down, and I feel like it''s been squeezed by a fist. The girl we all knew is gone,pletely gone.

 Chapter 0092

    <strong>?Chapter 0092</strong>


    ¡°What the hell are you looking at?¡± she snaps, her cold eyes freezing me on the spot.


    Is it toote to regret? Is it toote to fix what I¡¯d stupidly broken because of my arrogance and pride?


    Her white t-shirt and jeans were covered in blood, but it was like she didn¡¯t really care. She gave off the impression that it didn¡¯t really bother her.


    I stare at her and then at her handiwork, and I don¡¯t know what to think or feel. Sure, Piper knows how to defend herself, but she doesn¡¯t know the different ways there are to torture someone. I doubt any of our women do.


    I know it¡¯s going to sound archaic, but for us, our women are meant to be protected at all costs. We won¡¯t stand in their way if they ever want to learn how to fight and such, but we also won¡¯t encourage them to do it. We are content in providing and protecting them.


    "Are you going to get your pound of flesh?" She asks as she wipes the blood from her arms. "I hear you''ve been looking for him wanting to exact your revenge."


    "No," I answer and then push off the wall.


    "I figured," she shrugs, and then throws the rag down when she''s done with it. "Anything for you baby sister, right? I wonder why I didn''t get the same consideration given I was her best friend?"


    I clench my jaw against her mockery. Now that I know the truth, I know that she''s entitled to her bitterness. After what I put her through, she''s right to hate me and everyone in my pack.


    She was about to leave, but before she could, the door bangs open and Piper rushes in beforeing to an abrupt stop.


    Her eyes widen in shock when theynd on her mate. You could barely recognize the bastard with how Sadie had first beaten him then tortured him. "What have you done to him?" She screams, the pain and anguish of seeing her mate in this condition clear in her voice.


    I want tofort her, but I can''t. Not when the bastard deserves it. His action caused a lot of cluster fuck. Ones that Piper is yet to know of. I couldn''t take part in torturing him, but it doesn''t mean that I couldn''t enjoy the end results.


    "Torture," Sadie drawls, "Isn''t it obvious?"


    I see the moment Piper loses control, but it''s toote to stop her. She lunges at Sadie, her ws out, ready to strike.


    Fuck! What the hell was wrong with Piper? After seeing what Sadie could do, why is she being stupid and trying to attack her?


    Before she can get to her, Sadie raises her fist and punches her right in the face. The crunch of bone breaking fills the room just before Pipernds hard on the floor.


    "How dare you?" Sadie yells, her anger palpable as it fills the room. "How fucking dare you?"


    Sadie starts to advance on Piper, as Piper scrambles back in fear. I try to get to my sister, but Sadie pushes out an energy pulse that stops my movement.


    I watch,pletely in fucking horror as Sadie hits my sister again, as I stand frozen unable to help her.


    "Sadie stop it," I yell, thrashing to be released from my confinement.


    Maybe I should have kept my mouth fucking shut because, it seems my voice triggers something dark inside her.


    She turns, her eyes arepletely white and glowing. Dangerous energy fills the room, sending rm bells ringing inside my head.


    "Stop it?" she asks with a sinister smile. "I''m just getting started."


    "Please stop" Piper begs. "Hurt me, but please don''t hurt Calvin."


    Theughter thates from Sadie is cold, calcted and chilling. It''s the kind ofughter that even full-ass grown men like me are afraid of.


    "It''s funny how you are willing to defend a man you haven''t known for that long, yet you never once defended the friend you knew all your life." Sadie says in that same dead voice. "What''s even funnier is that he''s actually guilty while I was not, so tell me Piper, should I have even called you a friend? Because from where I''m standing, you''re the two-faced backstabbing bitch you all used me of being."


    Piper winces in pain and I can see how Sadie''s words affected her. How they shredded her into pieces.


    As much as I wanted to deny it, Sadie is right. Piper never spoke a word to defend Sadie, yet she''s done nothing but defend her mate since we realized who he is.


    "Sadie," Piper tries to gently call her name.


    "Don''t fucking utter my name!"


    With that, she wraps her hand around Piper''s neck and lifts her clean off the ground. Without warning, she plunges her hand inside Piper''s chest, making her gasp in surprise.


    I release a roar of anger and fear, as I thrash, trying to get free. There is no use because her powers are holding me in ce, making sure I can''t move an inch.


    My heart breaks at seeing the pain in Piper''s face.


    "I remember this scene, only difference is that the one whose life was on the line was mine," Sadie states, without emotion.


    She then turns to me and gives me a smirk, before twisting her hand, which makes Piper scream in pain. "How does it feel having someone y god with the life of someone you love, Alec?"


    My breathes in fast and my hands are clenched. I swallow past the thickness that has clogged my throat in an effort to free my airway. "Those feelings right there," she began. "Fear and hopelessness, that''s what I felt when you did this to me. That''s what I felt when I thought about Aspen, so let me ask you again, how does it feel?"


    Terrible. Fucking terrible. That''s how it felt. I didn''t fully get what Sadie felt when she told me about that day, until this moment right here.


    I tried to think. Think of a way to stop this. She was pissed and rightfully so, but I couldn''t let her kill my sister.


    I breathe a sigh of relief when King steps into the room.


    "Let her go Sadie," King tells her softly, warmth and love shining in his eyes.


    Shocking enough, Sadie listens. She withdraws her hand without warning, causing Piper to hit the floor. She steps over Piper as if she was nothing but a load of trash.


    "You''re no fun," she tells him, pouting.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    King just sniggers before grabbing her hand. "Come on, Aspen is waiting for us so we can have breakfast together."


    They leave without another look back.


    Released from the hold she had on me, I slump back against the wall.


    "Are you okay?" I ask my sister in worry.


    It was a stupid question, but I didn''t know what else to do. Not when Piper looked so lost and broken.


    "Yeah" She tries wiping her tears, but they keep falling.


    As I star at her, seeing her broken nose, ck eye and the blood that stained the center of her top, it dawns on me that everything is my fucking fault. How the hell did I manage to mess up so badly?

 Chapter 0093

    Chapter 0093


    Piper.


    I''m still sitting on the floor minutes after Sadie is gone. I just can''t seem to move or do anything for that matter.


    My face hurts, my chest hurts, but most importantly, my heart hurts. My heart waspletely and utterly broken. Shattered to a billion tiny pieces.


    When I came to this pack yesterday, I didn''t expect that things would turn out so horribly. I just came to check on my brother, stay a few days to make sure he was okay and then leave with my mate.


    I never in a million years expected to find Sadie here. I never thought I''d find her alive and well. I mean, I buried her, I mourned for her and yet here she was, very much alive.


    It had been so freaking confusing seeing her standing in the hallways staring daggers at both me and Alec. Before I could evene to terms with that revtion, Calvin had walked in and everything had gone to shit.


    I''d stood helplessly as I watched Sadie beat my mate. Seeing her that fierce and powerful is something that I still can''t grasp.


    I don''t want toe off as mean, but Sadie had always been weak. Since we were little girls, I''ve had to defend her countless times. She was timid, shy and never had confidence in herself. The Sadie that was literally killing my mate, was different.


    She was everything the Sadie I knew wasn''t. If it wasn''t for the fact that she didn''t have a twin, I would have believed that the powerful woman I witnessed was her long-lost sister.


    I couldn''t sleep at night, especially after Alec refused to answer my questions. When I woke today, I was going to plead for Sadie to let my mate go. For the sake of our past friendship, I was going to beg her to spare him.


    That didn''t happen though. I started feeling Calvin''s pain. Just like yesterday, when Sadie beat him up, he tried to block me so that I couldn''t feel his pain, but there was no use. Some of it still seeped through our bond and I knew that something must be happening to him.


    I rushed to the dungeon to find Alec, and Sadie who was covered in my mate''s blood. My mate was in pain, and it was because of her. I didn''t think, I just reacted, and my action almost cost me my life at her hands.


    Which brings us to now.


    "Piper," my brother calls, and I stare up at him with tears.


    I was fighting not to cry. I was fighting not to break down. It was just too much. My mate betrayed my brother. My best friend is alive, hates me and she nearly killed me. It was all just too much.


    Alec walks over to me and gently helps me up. My eyes move past him to Calvin, who was slumped against his chains, unconscious.


    Walking around my brother, I go to my mate. I couldn''t reach him or his wolf, but I know that it''s because they''re trying to recover. I run my hand through his hair, feeling his soft locks.


    "We need to get him out of these," I whisper the words, but I''m not worried because I know Alec will hear me regardless.


    "We can''t," he says gruffly


    I turn sharply at his words and my eyes narrow. "Why can''t we? He shouldn''t be here."


    Alec''s eyes move from me to Calvin and his jaw clenches.


    "You know very damn well he should." He grits out "Sadie was right, we can''t y favoritism here. We punished Sadie when she wasn''t even to me. Calvin is the real culprit here, and he will receive his dues."


    I clench my fist. I wanted so much to argue with him, but he was right. I think about what Sadie told me and instead of fighting my brother, I kiss Calvin''s forehead before stepping back.


    I hated this. I hated seeing him like this, but what could I do?


    "You''re a fucking hypocrite," Ash, my wolf sneers at me.


    She''s never forgiven me for abandoning Sadie when she was arrested and thrown into the dungeons.


    "Not, now Ash," I tell her tiredly.


    "Why?" she pushes. "Weren''t you the one that felt righteous three years ago when you threw our best friend under the bus? Weren''t you the one that gave Alec more reasons to believe that Sadie was the culprit by telling him the many times Sadie had said she wanted him as a mate? Calvin''s actions might have dug her hole, but you buried her in it.''


    My chest aches at her viciousness. Her words tear at my already fragile heart.


    ¡°Calvin is our mate? Shouldn''t you be on his side?" I whisper, trying to push the pain away.


    "Yes and Sadie was our best friend. That didn''t stop you from handing her to the wolves. Calvin is our mate, but it doesn''t take away the fact that he ruined Alec and Sadie''s lives. It doesn''t take away from the fact that she suffered in those dungeons. He''s been here one day. What about Sadie? She was there for three fucking months, yet she was


    innocent. You were proud in your


    righteous anger because youProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    thought she betrayed Alec, so where


    is the same anger towards Calvin?"


    I didn''t want to listen to the truth of her words, I didn''t want to hear all she was saying. I try blocking her, but she doesn''t let me.


    "Sadie was right. When it was her,


    you turned your back on her. You fanned the mes and did nothing to defend her, yet Calvin is the one in the wrong, but you''re still defending him. I love his wolf, but not so much the human." She takes a deep breath before continuing. "You''re a fucking hypocrite Piper. You were never a real friend to Sadie and I hate you for that. I hate you for how you turned your back on her." Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    With that, she blocks me and I almost copse at her words. They are filled with so much pain, so much bitterness and hatred. I always knew she resented me, but I never thought that she hated me.

 Chapter 0094

    Chapter 0094


    It kills me to know that''s what she feels. It destroys my already shattered heart. How are you supposed to deal with your wolf hating you?


    "Piper" Alec calls and I turn to him with tears in my eyes.


    "Can you tell me everything? How you found Sadie." I mutter, feelingpletely drained and tired as hell.


    He nods, "Come on then, this isn''t the ce to talk."


    He gives me his hand and after taking onest look at my mate, I turn, and follow him. He leads me through the dungeon, the pack house and finally outside.


    We walk for a couple minutes, until we find a small bench at the back of the house that was facing a beautiful pond. It was a bit chilly, even though the sun was already up in the sky.


    We take a seat, with both facing forward.


    Alec sighs, before asking, "Where do you want me to start?"


    "The beginning" I reply.


    "Sadie is my mate, and we have a three-year-old daughter."


    "W-what?" I stammer, inplete astonishment.


    Before I can get over the shock of his words, he proceeds to tell me everything. I mean everything. The words pour out of him and take me by surprise each and every time.


    When he is done, I stare at him in shock, my brain unable to function. I think he might have short-circuited it because I can''t fucking think. The most shocking of all the things he told me, is Sadie being the alpha of this pack.


    That''s something I would never have predicted.


    "I can''t imagine what you''re going through, Alec" I whisper, my heart going to him. "You lost one mate, and now your second chance mate doesn''t want anything to do with you."


    Why was the goddess doing this to us? Why was she messing up our lives in this manner? Alec''s mate is the same woman that despises him, while my mate is the man that destroyed both their lives.


    Was this her way of punishing us? Was this her way of giving Sadie justice for the shit we put her through?


    "L wasn''t my mate, Piper," Alec says, pulling me back from my thoughts.


    My brows furrow and I look at him in confusion. "She was. Didn''t you tell us that she was?"


    "It''s a long story that I don''t want to dive into right now, but I made a fucking mistake. L wasn''t my mate and Sadie isn''t my second-chance mate. She''s my fated mate."


    I could do nothing but stare at my


    brother. How does one make a mistake when ites to a mate?~ It''s either she is or she isn''t. It was that simple. Period. To have him tell me that he made a mistake blows my mind. What kind of soap opera shit was going on? Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    As I continue to stare at him, it hits me. We punished Sadie thinking she caused Alec to lose his fated mate, and now it turns out that she was his fated all along.


    Fuck! How did things get this bad?


    "We messed up," I whisper in defeat. "We really messed up when ites to Sadie."


    "I know," he growls, before standing up. "I fucking know."


    Alec is my brother and I know this is eating him up. The fact that he hurt his mate is destroying him from the inside out.


    The Sadie I knew was pretty


    forgiving and if it were back then, I


    would have assured Alec that she''d forgive him. The Sadie of now though, is unpredictable. I don''t know much about her, but from the snippets I''ve gotten since I came, she doesn''t look like one to forgive easily. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    "What are we going to do?" I choke up as the reality of things crash into me.


    He releases a grunt of frustration before running a hand down his face. "I don''t know Piper. I just don''t know."


    My heart hurt at the helplessness in his voice. Alec is usually assured and confident. Right now, he looked anything but, and I hated it.

 Chapter 0095

    Chapter 0095


    "We''ll figure it out. Don''t worry, everything will be okay. Things will work themselves out."


    Even as I said those words, I knew they were a lie. Things will probably never be okay, and I doubt they''ll ever work themselves out. Alec pauses in his pacing and his eyes be unfocused for a while, before they are back to normal, and he turns to me.


    "I need to meet up with Micah and Jason. Will you be okay on your own?"


    I nod my head. "Yeah. Go and do what''s needs to be done."


    After pecking my cheek, he turns to leave, and I''m left alone with nothing but my consuming thoughts.


    I was drowning in guilt and heartache not only for what I put Sadie through, but for what Alec and Calvin were going through. If only we had the power to see the impact of our actions on our future, maybe then we would have treated Sadie differently.


    I slump against the bench in defeat. It''s hrious really. I used to scoff andugh it off when Sadie would tell me that she believes Alec was her mate. I didn''t look down on her, but I just thought it was impossible.


    Back then, her wishing true was simr to a unicorn being spotted in real life. It was simply impossible.


    The jokes on us though. Turns out that Sadie is Alec''s mate. Her dream dide true, the only problem right now is that she despises him to the


    core.


    A noise interrupts my thoughts. I twist to the left and see Sadie together with the woman that had stopped her from killing Calvin yesterday.


    Sadie wasughing at something the woman was telling her. They had their hands linked, and you could feel their strong bond they shared. She looked so carefree and happy. It reminds me of how she was before we ruined her life.


    Seeing her like this, seeing the bond between her and this woman, causes a pang inside my heart. We used to be like this. She used to be my friend, but then I turned on her, and now she hates my guts.


    Shees to an abrupt stop when she shifts from looking at her friend and her eyesnd on me. The.ughter that was there minutes ago dies. All traces of warmth disappear, and her face turns stone-cold.


    Her eyes pierce mine with nothing but anger and hatred. Those eyes that used to smile at me, now stare at me like I''m the lowest of scum.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    I push down the lump in my throat and the sob that threatens to escape my lips and stand up. I walk towards her. She moves to leave, but I grab her hand.


    "Sadie," I beg.


    She flinches as if my touch has burned her. When she tries to pull her arm from mine, I hold on tight, refusing to let go until she hears my apology.


    "You better let me go before I punch you and give you a ck eye to match the left one." she growls, through gritted teeth.


    Remembering what happened in the dungeons, I wince and let go of her hand.


    ¡°Please, Sadie, listen to me," I was desperate to make amends, not only for myself, but also for Alec.


    "I don''t have to listen to shit,¡± her


    you


    anger is palpable, "In fact, I want out of my pack and take your fucking brother with you before I''m tempted to end your pathetic lives."


    With that, she grabs her friend''s arm §× and storms away. I stand in my spot, tears streaking down my face as the weight of her hatred for me and Alec crashes me to a bloody pulp.


    "You deserve this and so much more," Ash sneers in mockery before she blocks me again.


    I try to ignore her words, but they keep ying in my head like a broken record.


    This entire thing is a clusterfuck. How the hell am I going to fix this mess?

 Chapter 0096

    Chapter 0096


    Sadie.


    It''s been a week since the truth finally came out, and I''ve been trying to keep busy just to keep my mind from thinking so much.


    When everything first happened, I thought that the main target was Alec. I was sure that some other alpha had something to do with it. That, that alpha wanted to weaken Alec and what better way than to get his mate to reject him?


    Alec is the strongest and most powerful alpha in existence. He has allies, sure, but he also has lots of enemies. Alphas who want the kind of power he has. Alphas who envy his sess. Alphas who want hisnds, pack and business. Not all the alphas who are allied with him actually like him. They''re allied to him because there isn''t any other choice. No one wants Alec as an enemy.


    Those same alphas wouldn''t blink twice if there was an opportunity to take Alec down. If there was a sure way to destroy and weaken him. They would do it in a fucking heartbeat. These are the reasons why I thought he was always the target.


    Why me though? Before my powers manifested, I was literally no one. The only power I kind of had was being best friends with the alpha''s sister. I was at the bottom of the food chain and had nothing. Why would anyone target me? Unlesss-


    "Nyx, is there any other person who knows about my powers?" I ask her as I shift in my chair.


    I was in my office, and was trying to do all I could do before we went scouting. King, Raven and I usually do this every two weeks in an effort to gain more info on the hybrids. It also gives us the chance to get rid of some of them.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.


    "Why, do you ask?" she askszily, as if she had no care in the world.


    "Because it just hit me. Why would someone want to target me and set me up? Unless they knew exactly what they were doing, and they wanted me dead."


    I mean think about it. Why would anyone want someone seemingly insignificant dead? They knew setting me up like that would lead Alec to believe that I was the culprit. This would then lead me to being imprisoned and then tried and finally killed.


    el.ne


    Why would anyone want someone seemingly weak and insignificant dead? Unless that person already knew that I wasn''t as weak as everyone thought. Unless the mastermind already knew of the power that I possessed. Power that had yet to awaken and they were trying to stop it from awakening.


    "There is one other person who knows who and what you are," her voice pulls me out of my musings.


    I


    "After what Calvin said,chet


    who it is that orchestrated this whole thing, and if she''s the one, then her actions aren''t because she wants you dead, but mostly likely because she wants revenge."


    Revenge? Revenge for what? I never did anything to hurt anyone. Ever. I didn''t like hurting other people''s feelings. It made me feel horrible. So why would anyone want to get revenge on me?


    "So are you going to tell me why they would want revenge?" I ask her even though I already know the answer.


    "Nope... Not right now, anyway."


    Nyx and her damn secrets. Sighing, I stay quiet for a while, feeling frustrated with her answers. What''s with the secrecy? Can''t she just tell me what I need to know?


    "You said that there is one other person that already knows who I am right. Well, let''s count out the moon goddess since she knows everything. That leaves the other wolf. The other Alpha Female you told me about." I tell her, realization hitting.


    "Yes. She''s the only other person that knew of your powers before they awakened,"es her reply.


    I want so much to ask her why this other woman would want to take revenge on me, but I hold myself back. Knowing Nyx, she wouldn''t tell me shit. Not until she feels the time is right.


    Standing up, I walk towards the


    corner of my office, where my coffee machine is was running low on energy, so needed a boost. I''m not one to take naps, but at this point I just might need to. I can barely sleep at night with my mind racing I was so fucking tired, given that I''m running on two to three hours of


    sleep every night. Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    I was just brewing my nectar when my office door opens. I don''t need to turn around to know who it is.


    His unique scent of alerts me to who he is. Even if I couldn''t scent him, the bonding alive between us every time he is near me, is enough to tell me who he is.

 Chapter 0097

    Chapter 0097


    "I didn''t take you for a coward, Sadie" he drawls in that deep voice that I hate so much. "You''ve been avoiding me."


    It''s true. When I couldn''t get rid of him, his pack and sister, I resorted to avoiding them. He thinks I''m a coward but I call it self-preservation.


    Being near them and seeing them brings around terrible memories that I''ve been trying my damn hardest to forget. It''s not once or twice I''ve lost control of my powers because seeing them brought a particrly painful memory to the surface.


    I couldn''t risk destroying my pack house or hurting my people, so until I could get control of my powers, I resorted to avoiding them. "What do you want, Alec? I mutter, not even turning around. "As you can see, I am very busy, and I don''t have time for your tantrums."


    "I just want to talk," there is something in his voice, but I just can''t figure out what it is.


    I finish brewing my coffee, then I add some milk and sugar. Once that is done, I take my cup and head to my seat. Once I am settled, I take a sip of my coffee, sighing in contentment.


    ¡°There is nothing to talk about. Absolutely nothing," I tell him after cing my cup down.


    On a serious note, what did he expect us to talk about? Unless he had a time machine, and he could go back and undo what he did, then there was nothing at all to talk about.


    "That''s where you are wrong. There is the subject of Aspen and our mating," he pulls the chair opposite me and sits down.


    It annoys me, that he would sit down in my chair at my office without even asking. Choosing to ignore that, I take a deep breath before speaking.


    "I''m tired of repeating myself, Alpha Alec. We have nothing to discuss when ites to Aspen because she''s my daughter, not yours. And as for our so-called mating, I already told you that I don''t want to mated to you."


    Don''t you just get irritated when you have to repeat the same thing over and over again? When someone can''t get a fucking hint?


    "I''ll go to the council if I have to, but I want to be in my daughter''s life," he growls in a threatening tone.


    He should have realized that I''m not the same Sadie I was back then. I don''t get easily fazed.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I smile. "You''ll do well not to threaten


    me, Alpha. As for the council, go ahead. Then we can tell them how you tortured me while I was pregnantz We can also add how you wanted to kill me even after I had told you that I was pregnant. For good measure, we can add the Words you said to me. I have a witness, and I''m sure yourpany has CCTV footage they can use to verify words. Let''s see whose side they''ll take."


    When I am done, I lean back in triumph as I watch his face morph fromplete shock, to anger.


    "You can''t fucking do that," he hollers, standing up before he starts pacing.


    "Sure, I can, I drawl "We can even take it up with them concerning our mating I''m sure they''ll understand why I simply can''t ept you as my mate, given the cruelty you''ve shown me in the past."


    In fact, it''s something that I''ve been thinking of thest couple of days. Nyx and I decided that if he doesn''t willingly ept the rejection then we will take it up with the council.


    "Please, Sadie," he pleads, shocking me to the core.


    I recover quickly and smirk. "The all powerful, Alpha Alec pleading. This is a sight to behold. If only I had a camera to capture this moment."


    Something shifts in his eyes, and his jaw tightens just as his hands fist. He was about to say something when his phone began to ring.


    Taking it out of his pocket, he looks at the screen before looking at me. He holds up his finger in a sign for me to hold.


    Taking my cup, I roll my eyes at him. What an arrogant bastard.


    "Hello" he says into the phone. There is a minute of silence, when, all of a sudden, the air bes charged.


    "What?" he bellows furiously, as his angry energy fills the room.

 Chapter 0098

    Chapter 0098


    Alec.


    "What do you mean?" I ask in genuine confusion.


    Have you ever been told something and for some fucking reason it just doesn''t click in your head? You can hear the words, but you simply can''t fucking grasp them? That was me right now.


    As if I didn''t already have my fucking te full, and now this?


    "Exactly what I said, Alpha," Gabriel, one of the elders'' sighs. You can hear the tiredness in his voice. "We were attackedst night, and a lot of our pack members, especially the warrior, are severely injured."


    Fuck! Why the hell was this happening? Especially right now when I am thousands of miles away from my pack.


    Despite what he told me, I was grateful to the moon goddess that no one died. He didn''t have to tell me that no one died. I would have felt it if any pack member died. Their link to me as their alpha would be cut off, and I would have felt that.


    I don''t know what I would have done if I''d felt any of them die while I wasn''t there to protect them.


    "Why wasn''t I informed yesterday, Gabriel?" I question, feeling my temper rise. "Why did you wait till now? You know I could have pushed my energy through the link. It would have fucking helped."


    "We are sorry Alpha. When we realized that the pack was under attack, we thought it was just a rogue attack as usual, only it wasn''t."


    What the fuck was he talking about? We rarely get attacked by rogues. Other alphas know to steer clear of my pack. Unless they somehow found out that we were weakening.


    "What do you mean?" I push to get the answers that were nagging at me.


    I could feel Sadie''s eyes on my back, but right now what Gabriel was telling me was more important.


    "I''ve never seen creatures like those. Their speed, their strength and their aura are like nothing I''ve ever witnessed before. It was nearly impossible to defeat them."


    Racking my head, I try to think of


    n


    anything or any creature I''ve read in the old texts while trying toe up with a solution for the curse, but there isn''t. The supernatural only consists of three creatures. There has never been mention of any new species.


    Gabriel continues, his voice hoarse. "We didn''t even make a dent in their small army. Personally I think they came to test our strength. After they literally wiped the ground with our faces, they left. The didn''t take anything, didn''t kill anyone, or demand anything. They simply left as they came. They smelled like werewolves and some like vampires. I''m not really sure, I was just too focused on keeping the pack alive."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "And you''ve never encountered such creatures, before?" I ask, feeling panic course through my body.


    "Never." He simply states.


    Running a hand through my hair, I start pacing the room. Sadie is quiet the whole time and that does nothing to ease my anxiety.


    Like I said, I feel like the goddess is punishing me for my crimes against Sadie. Otherwise, why does it seem like things started falling apart the moment I unjustly imprisoned her?


    There are those that believe that the goddess always punishes those that betray or hurt their mates. I didn''t know Sadie was my mate back then, but she was innocent. Karma was truly a fucking bitch.


    "I don''t want to bring this up and


    worry you more, Alpha Alec, but the pack needs its alpha. The wounded aren''t healing, and other members have started noticing. Your presence may not do much, but maybe it can give them the strength to fight. Especially for those who are in ICU''s." Content belongs NovelDrama.Org


    Fuck it! Can this get any worse?


    to

 Chapter 0099

    Chapter 0099


    "Send me my jet," I breathe, trying to calm myself down so I can at least think clearly. "And tell the pack their alpha is on the way."


    Being rich and having your own private jetes in handy. When I realized that Sadie was my mate and I would be staying here for some time, I told my pilot to go back home.


    "On it Alpha"


    With that, he hangs up the phone. I pull mine from my ear and just stare at it for a minute before pushing it into my pocket.


    "I need you in Sadie''s office," I briefly link Micah and Jason.


    Once that''s done, I close my eyes and reach out to the bond that tethers me to my pack. Once I find it, I push all my strength and power into it. When I''m done, I''m weak at the knees, so I have to sit in order not to embarrass myself by face nting on the carpet.


    Feeling her eyes on me, I look up and find her head tilted, staring at me in an intense way.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "What?" I ask. Staring into her eyes brings the bond to life.


    She looks away mumbling, "Nothing."


    The bond, as always when I''m around her, is trying to pull the strings. It''s pushing me to go to her and pull her into my arms.


    How cruel can life be? I messed up with my mate, way before I even had a chance with her. How the hell am I supposed to fix what I did to her? There is a knock on the door before it opens, breaking the spell that had woven itself around us. Micah and Jason walk in, their eyes searching the room before they finallynd on me.


    "What is it? You didn''t sound okay when you linked us," Micah says as he approaches me.


    Without wasting time, I dive into what the Elder told me. It doesn''t take that long to fill them in, but when I''m done, they are just as worried as I am. ¡°Fuck, and he has no idea what they are?" Jason asks as he paces the room.


    "No"


    "He said that he also smelled


    vampires. Does that mean they''ve teamed up? Micah observes, his finger tapping his chin. He always does that when he is thinking. "Could it be that there is another


    pack simr to Sadie''s? One that


    includes all species?" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "I don''t think that''s the case. He mentioned how powerful they were. Simply being in a pack doesn''t turn you into an indestructible being," I point out.


    Jason, stops pacing and faces us


    before adding, "Maybe they had magic boost. I mean witches have been known to boost other people''s strength at a certain price.


    "That might be a possibility," Micah agrees, his eyes still thoughtful.


    As we dive into whatever it is the creatures are, Sadie ispletely forgotten. I don''t know how long it was before she clears her throat, making us turn to her.


    "If you are all done running around like headless chickens with your stupid theories, maybe I can provide some help," she drawls, leaning back against her chair.


    She now had our full attention.


    "What do you mean? Do you know what they are?" Micah asks, hopefully.


    Sadie had been right. We had been going around in fucking circles. Though I''m not sure why she didn''t say anything the whole time she heard us brainstorming. Maybe she liked seeing us squirm.


    She releases a breath, before answering "As a matter of fact I do."


    "Then what the hell are they?" I ask in a taut and crisp tone, a clear evidence of my frustration.


    "They are hybrids."


    She drops the bomb that neither of us sawing.

 Chapter 0100

    Chapter 0100


    Sadie.


    I watch as they stare at me with nothing but shock on their faces. Like I said, very few people know about hybrids. We didn''t n on rming the council, but their increase and the fact that they just attacked a pack means we''ll have toe clean. There needs to be awareness about them. We can''t deal with them all by ourselves.


    "Hybrids?" Jason mumbles, his obsidian eyes wide in shock.


    I roll my eyes, "Did I stutter?"


    He along with Alec and Piper, are my least favorite people. I hold a huge grudge against them. I hate their pack, but I hate the three more. Now four, if we could include Calvin.


    When no one says anything, I continue. "The creatures you just described are hybrids. A breed between a werewolf and vampire."


    "But that''s impossible. Wolves and vampires can''t reproduce. It''s biologically impossible," Alec buts in, interrupting me before I could exin everything to them.


    ¡°I never said anything about them being born. You''re right, it''s biologically impossible for a werewolf and vampire to have kids, so these hybrids aren''t born, they are created by magic. A powerful one at that."


    I watch them and wait for the information to sink in. I know how it is. I know how unbelievable it is. If I hadn''t encountered them, then I would have a hard time believing it. Hybrids are in the realm of impossibility.


    "Are you sure?" Jason asks incredulously.


    Sighing, I stare at the ceiling, praying for the goddess to give me patience when dealing with Jason.


    "My first encounter with one was


    when I was running from Alec. She smelled like a werewolf. I''d bend previously attacked by a vampire, and he almost drained me dry, so imagine my shock when this


    she-wolf attacked me and


    vampire fangs to drink my blood. King had been hunting her when she came across me and threatened to take me back to Alec. Since then, we''ve been hunting them, but they keep popping up and increasing in number."


    "And you never thought of letting the council know?" Alec asks through gritted teeth.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    I re at him, not liking his using tone.


    "And tell them what exactly? Would they have believed me? We both know how the council works. If you don''t have any tangible evidence then that''s it. They won''t believe you. It also doesn''t help that once they''re dead they revert to their original species."


    That is something I didn''t know until King told me was all for taking one of the dead bodies as evidence to the council, but I didn''t know that they revert back to who they were before they were transformed. It''s


    the power that tethered the two


    DNAS only worked when the hybrid was alive.


    I give them all the details we''ve gathered over the years, including our theory that whoever was behind this was gearing up for war.


    By the time I''m done, the whole room is fucking quiet. No one speaks a word, as they try to internalize the information I have just handed to them.


    It''s a lot to take in. I mean I''ve known about these hybrids for three years and I still have a hard time epting that they actually do exist. "Have you found out anything about who is creating them?" Alec asks after a while.


    "None. The only thing we know is that they are really powerful. That''s the only exnation of why they are able to create a whole new species." Minutester, Alec stands up with something akin to realization. He turns to me ¡°Do you think that the woman Calvin talked about could be connected to this? He did say that he sensed her powerful aura, so could she be the one changing werewolves and vampires?"


    I fall back against my chair. Fuck, I haven''t thought about it along those lines. My mind was too over the ce to piece up what he told us.

 Chapter 0101

    Chapter 0101


    ¡°It''s possible¡± I mumble, my mind working a thousand miles per second. "We will have to interrogate Calvin to get more details about what kind of power he felt around her."


    The fact that Calvin mentioned her power and aura can''t simply be a coincidence. Question is, how am I connected to everything? The incident three years ago, and the hybrids. If this mysterious woman is the one making these hybrids, then all the more reasons to find her.


    Micah stands up andes to stand before my desk, pulling my attention to him.


    "We need you help, Sadie." He says, his eyes pleading.


    I''m confused on why they would need my help. The only thing I can help them with is information, and I''ve already told them all I need to know. "What are you doing, Micah?" Alec steps beside him, growling.


    "What you should have done when you first realized that Sadie is your mate" Micah says, before his eyes focus on me. "You heard what happened to our pack. You heard that those who were hurt aren''t healing as they are supposed to. We need your help, Sadie. You are the only one that can help.¡±


    I did hear what the Elder Gabriel told Alec, and I found it strange when he mentioned them not healing. Sure, a hybrid''s bite is disastrous, but as long as it doesn''t kill you, then healing starts immediately. Those pack members, even assuming they were bitten, should have already started healing.


    "I''m not sure how you expect me to help you" I tell him. "I don''t think my powers include healing."


    "You can," he insists before turning to Alec. "Tell her, Alec. Tell her the fucking truth, or we will lose those pack members."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    My eyes shift to Alec, and I see the debate there. He was weighing the pros and cons of telling me what it was that Micah was hinting at.


    I continue staring at him, until realization hits me. This is what Nyx and I talked about. Whatever he is debating on telling me is the reason why he


    wanted me as a mate when we first made that discovery of us being mates, even though he despised me.


    I see the moment he makes his decision. His eyes be guarded, and he releases a sigh of frustration.


    "My pack is under a curse" he begins, surprising me to the core. "We''ve been under it for years, a century to be exact."


    Staring at him, I search for any clue that he was joking, but he wasn''t. Alec never fucks around when ites to his pack. "Go on" I push, encouraging him to continue.


    He tells me everything, including


    what was


    sad about his mate being the key to breaking the curse.


    Hearing him speak, I start to understand why he was so pissed at me when he thought I''d betrayed him. He thought I''d cost him his pack''s salvation.


    That''s not an excuse for what he did to me, but some part of me understand where he wasing from.


    When he is done, I stand up and move to the window. Staring outside but seeing nothing.


    "What should we do, Nyx?" I ask.


    I was confused. This is the same


    pack that turned its back on me. Am


    I supposed to just forget all that i


    did and help them? But then again, there are innocent children.


    Choices, choices, choices. Hard to make them, but they are a part of life.


    "Help them" Nyx says in a soft voice.


    Fuck. I knew she would say that. If it


    the kids, I would


    22. she would say that. If it


    simply can''t. Content bones, but I e pack burn to ashvedet


    to


    "Say something," Alec says, an almost pleading edge to his voice.


    I turn and face him, ignoring the pull of the mate bond. "I''ll help you one condition."


    His brows furrow as he asks, "What condition?"


    This was my chance to get what I want.


    "Once this is over, you''ll ept my rejection."

 Chapter 0102

    Chapter 0102


    "What?" Alec asks, almost stammering the words.


    "I''m sure you don''t have a hearing problem, Alec? I drawl, rolling my eyes at him.


    They all looked at me like I''d lost my mind. Like I was an alien from out of space. Honestly, they are the ones who''ve lost their minds. Did they think I would easily ept Alec? Tuck my tail between my legs and bow to him as if I should count myself lucky for having him as my mate? They were dead wrong if that''s what they really thought. I don''t bow down to anyone anymore.


    "You can''t do that," Jason yells once he''s gotten over his initial shock.


    I once again, I lean back, rxing in my seat, "Says who, exactly? I can do whatever the fuck I want, Jason. The survival of your pack is in my hands."


    "Great call," Nyx gives me a wolfish grin. "This will ensure that we all get what we want."


    I simply acknowledge her words with a nod, then focus on Alec.


    "You''re an Alpha and a businessman. You know how negotiations go," I link my hands on my desk and smirk. "We both want something from each other, so let''s reach an agreement."


    Something akin to desperation passes through his eyes, but he masks it before I can get a reading of it. His normal mask of indifference slips back on, hiding anything he may have been thinking.


    "Can you reconsider?" his voice is gruff when he finally asks.


    ¡°No, that is my term." my reply is immediate. ¡°Let''s be honest, you never really wanted me as a mate to begin with. You''re interested in what I can do for your pack. I''ve agreed to help you and in return I want you to ept my rejection. After that, I can go on with my life, and you can continue your search for L."


    I ignore the pain that shes through my heart. What I said was true. Alec doesn''t want me, he needs me. I remember how he looked at L, with so much love and adoration. Even if he hadn''t done me wrong, I don''t think I can handle being in the shadow of the love he had for his first love.


    I would always wonder if he loved her more. It would forever haunt me and probably slowly kill me. That''s not the kind of mating I want. I want a man that has eyes only for me. A man whose heart beats for me. A man who is with me for me and not because of what I can do for him.


    Even if I push and ignore our history, I doubt Alec will ever be that kind of mate to me. His heart was already imed by L. His reaction when he first saw me when he came to my pack is proof enough.


    "Given the shit you and your pack have put me through, I don''t have to help. In fact, I would dly watch all of you burn," Minus the children, of course. ¡°But I am willing to help if you ept my rejection."


    ¡°Please, Sadie. He''s your mate. You might not get a second chance" Micah begs me.


    "No," I tell him firmly then stand up.


    "Even the moon goddess will


    nN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    understand why I can''t ept this mating. If she doesn''t give me a second chance mate, then wend good, I''ll take a chosen. It''s never that serious anyway."


    My eyes move back on Alec. He had his jaw clenched, but that was the only indication of what he was feeling. Mybe he was feeling anger. Or maybe it was frustration. I didn''t get why he would feel that way though, we both know that was right.


    "Do we have an agreement?" I ask after a couple of minutes of silence.


    He stares back at me with that same mask of indifference. His hands fist at his sides. At first, I thought he would decline my offer, though I saw no reason why he should. It was a damn good deal, and we would both get what we wanted.


    "Deal," he finally says, gritting the word through clenched teeth.


    We don''t shake on it. There was no need and thest thing I wanted was to strengthen the bond. It was better to keep my distance and avoid contact. "Now that that''s done, it''s time to question Calvin."


    I don''t wait for any of them. I just round my desk and cross the room before opening the door. Leaving, I don''t bother checking whether any of them followed me. I needed answers and that''s exactly what I was going to get.

 Chapter 0103

    Chapter 0103


    I walk towards the dungeon. That''s right, Calvin was still locked up. I wanted him to suffer as much as I did. I didn''t give a shit if his pain was causing Piper pain. That was my revenge on her.


    Pack members greet me along the way. My answers were short because I was on a mission. My focus was getting to Calvin.


    When I get there, I m the door open and walk in. He was still hanging in chains. I wanted to keep him that way, so he could feel what I felt all those months in the dungeon.


    Most people would say that revenge doesn''t help with anything. That it just makes you feel worse. I say that they''re fucking wrong. Getting my revenge on Calvin and Piper made me feel a tad bit better. I don''t care what it says about me, it''s my truth.


    Calvin looks up, his eyes were still swollen.


    ¡°I''m here because I need more answers," I get straight to the point.


    Taking the single chair, I sit on it backwards and face him, just as Alec, Jason and Micah arrive.


    "The woman that paid you, you said she was powerful, that you could sense her powers. Can you describe it? Can you tell me something deeper than just her being powerful? Something that can hint at just how powerful she is."


    He takes a deep breath. It looks painful to just breathe. I''ve been there so I know how it feels when your ribs are broken, and you can barely breathe because of the pain.


    "Her aura was strong." he whispers, trying to breathe through his pain.


    "That doesn''t really tell me anything, Calvin. A lot of Alphas have strong and powerful auras. Take Alpha Brian, for example."


    I smirk when I hear Alec''s growl behind me. Alpha Brian was Alec''s biggest rival. Alphas are egoistic, so I knew that Alec would react to me mentioning his rival. Antagonizing him is my new favorite thing to do.


    "Alpha Brian doesn''t evene close to what I felt from her. The power that radiated from her was on another level." he says, pulling my focus back on him.


    "What do you mean?" Micah is the one that asks.


    "Comparing their aura is likeparing a mouse to a big bad wolf. Alpha Brian has nothing on her."


    Thates as a surprise. Though I''ve never met the man, rumors have it he''s right under Alec when ites to strength and power. The two are considered to be the most powerful Alphas in the state.


    "If she''s that powerful, and she''s somehow connected to the other issue, then we are fucked." Jason says, but avoids directly talking about the hybrids.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "And if she''s as powerful as he ims, then she could be the mastermind. After all, Sadie, you did


    say that it would take someone really powerful to turn those


    werewolves," Micah adds. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "I''m not iming anything, it''s the truth" Calvin grits out. "And she isn''t the only powerful one."


    "Sadie," Alec says my name in a whisper.


    "Yes," Calvin affirms. "Her aura is


    just as strong as that of the mysterious woman. The only difference is that while Sadie''s aura is light, the mysterious woman''s is darkness. They are pr opposites."


    So, if we are right and the woman who paid him to drug us is the


    person behind the hybrids, the sapet


    Raven was right. I might be the only one capable of stopping her.


    Meaning whoever this woman is, she''s the other Alpha Female Nyx was talking about. That would exin why she was powerful.


    Fuck it! Can my life get any moreplicated?


    "I think that''s all for now," Alec says after a while.


    We had all been quiet for a couple of minutes, everyone just trying to internalize what we had just learned.


    Since there was nothing else to talk about, I stand up and leave without a word. I was just about to get out of the dungeon when Alec''s call stops me.


    "What?"


    "You need to start packing," he folds his hands across his broad chest.


    "Why?"


    "Have you forgotten we made a deal?" he asks. "You agreed to help, so we will leave as soon as my jet gets here."


    Fuck, with the discoveries that were made a few minutes ago, I''d forgotten that I had made a deal with the devil.


    ¡°Fine,¡± I mumble, feeling tired all of a sudden. ¡°Anything else?"


    When he shakes his head, I turn around and leave, still having a hard time epting that I''m going back to the pack I''d sworn never to step foot on again.

 Chapter 0104

    Chapter 0104


    "Are you sure you are ready for this?" King asks, as I shove my clothes inside my suitcase.


    Stopping, I stare at him for a minute. "No, but it''s the only way to get what I want."


    I''ve gone over my decision over and over again. I''m not one to reconsider something I''ve already decided. I make a decision and stick to it. When ites to Alec, though, I have to think things through. I have to look at all the angles. I have to exhaust all the possibilities.


    I''m doing this for his pack, in exchange for my freedom was the best possible oue. I could involve the council like I''d threatened, but deep inside I know that they are a bunch of sexist assholes. They would probably have sided with Alec. Threatening him with the council was just me calling his bluff.


    The council''s attitude is also one of the reasons why I''ve nevere out to them as the alpha of the hope pack. I didn''t want to deal with them constantly challenging me or looking down on me because I am a woman.


    The council has been there for years. It was established after the first bloody war between the three supernatural species. The deities of the individual species didn''t like that their children were fighting and killing each other. Through an oracle, theymanded them to stop their war and find a way to coexist or else the deities would send their wrath upon them.


    At first, they didn''t listen. The wolves wanted more territories, the vampires wanted more blood, and the witches and warlocks wanted more power. It was chaos with the wolves'' attacking vampires and witches for theirnds. Vampires attacking witches and humans for blood, and witches and warlocks using vampires and werewolves as blood sacrifices to strengthen their magic.


    The god and goddesses had enough and wreaked havoc on them. Diseases, death, hurricanes, storms, floods, drought, you name them. They were suffering, they were dying, and so they had to concede to what the deities wanted. With the help of the oracle, who was given instructions by the deities, they formed the first council.


    It was a great story. A great part of our history. The only thing I didn''t ever fucking like was that the council consisted of only men, even though two of their deities are females. It''s been that way for thousands of years. Only men sit on the council and let me tell you, from what I''ve heard, those men are sexists as hell.


    "Sadie?" his voice pulls me back to reality.


    "What is it?" I ask.


    Shaking my head to clear it, I continue packing. I''m already done with Aspen''s clothes, and they were currently sitting in a little pink suitcase that she chose herself.This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She was so excited when I told her that we would be travelling. We rarely left the pack, and if we did, it was at night. I was always afraid that someone would recognize me or her. A part from her hair color, she was the spitting image of her father. It wouldn''t be hard for someone to connect the dots.


    "I''m really not sure about this, Sadie," King sits down on my bed, his intense gaze burning through me. "I feel like you going to that pack will bring about something. I just don''t know what."


    "Stop worrying," I tell him, before sitting down next to him. "It will be over very quick. I''m just going to help them, get what I want and then be back before you know it. Besides, Raven will be there.¡±


    We had agreed that King would be the one staying behind while Raven travels with me.


    With how powerful I''d gotten, I don''t really need her to apany me, but I thought it would be nice to have someone I trusted with us. It would make going back to Alec''s pack a bit easier.


    "Fine, but just know that I''ll be there in a heartbeat if you need me."


    "I know" I say before zipping up my suitcase. "Now I''m done."


    I''d just finished the sentence when Raven walks in. "Are you done? Because I am, and I''m looking forward to going back and seeing my mom''s grave. It''s been years."


    When Raven had helped me that day


    in Alec''s office, she had beenbeled as a wanted person too. Just like me, she left.everything of her old life, including her mother''s grave, when we fled. Over the years, I asked her to go back and visit her mother''s grave when she talked about missing her, but she never did. She insisted that our safety was paramount and she didn''t want to risk ever getting caught.


    It''s one of the reasons why I decided she would be the one to apany me instead of King.


    "Yes, I am done," I answer standing up. "Let me just get someone to bring our luggage down."


    Minutester, a guardes in to take our luggage. We leave the room and follow behind him. I''d told one of the omegas to tell Martha to meet us at the front.


    Given Martha has been her nanny since she was around eight months, she ising with us. I trusted no one in Alec''s pack to look after my sweet baby


    Aspen''s body collides with mine the moment she sees me. She was a bubble of excitement and joy.


    "I get to fly, mommy," she gushes with happiness. "I''ve always wanted to fly in a ne."


    Everyone''s eyes were on her as she rocked back and forth on her feet. It''s like she couldn''t stand still in one spot because of her excitement. Picking her up by her armpits, I hug her close, peppering her cheeks with kisses. Her joyfulughter and giggles bring warmth to my cold heart. Her beautiful smile is everything to me. She was my whole damn world.


    Aspen was the reason why I was doing this. She''s the reason why I agreed to help Alec. She doesn''t deserve two parents who hate each other were forced into a mating. I know the goddess made a mistake pairing us, and I am going to fix her mistake.


    rand


    Aspen deserves to see me happy with a man that genuinely loves. A man whose heart beats only for me. She deserves to know what a true mating is. A mating of unconditional love. She''ll never get to see that if I don''t break the bond with Alec.


    "Are you all ready?" his deep voice asks, as he stops beside me.


    I stiffen as his scent fills my nose and the bondes to life.


    I grip and hug Aspen tightly in my arms, using her as my anchor. An anchor that will keep me intact and stop me from sumbing to the mate bond that was relentless in its pursuit of making me surrender to its will.


    "Yes," I answer softly.


    His eyes were firmly fixed on Aspen. A kind of longing was present there, but I ignore it.


    "Okay, let get going then," he finally says, after a while.


    I walk and get into the car unable to shake the feeling that this trip was going to change everything I knew and believed.

 Chapter 0105

    Chapter 0105


    Alec.


    Regret. Regret. Regret.


    That''s the one fucking emotion that no one ever wants to feel. One of the emotions that has the ability to gut you and leave you hating yourself for the shit you did.


    I look at my daughter and my heart hurts. I almost killed her. I hurt her mother. I lost three years with her. She doesn''t know who the hell I am or just how important she already is to me.


    To her, I am no one but a stranger. Someone staying in their pack. Someone who doesn''t have an impact on her life. I am a nobody to her. I doubt I even exist in her little world.


    Thesest couple of weeks, since I learned she''s mine, I''ve watched her. Watched her y. Watched herugh. Watched her smile. Watched her cry.


    I''ve been studying her. Learning about her. Her likes and dislikes. What makes her happy and sad. I''ve watched and studied her personality. She''s an amazing little girl, so full of joy. Sadie really did a great job raising her, because Aspen was an angel through and through.


    So many times, I''ve wanted to pull her into my arms and hug her. So many times, I''ve wanted to kiss her rosy cheeks. So many times, I''ve wanted to hold her and just be with her. It has gutted me over and over watching her interacting with King. Watching her run to him when she sees him. Watching her treating him like a father figure. Knowing your daughter doesn''t even recognize you is like a stab to the heart over and over again.


    I know that I don''t have anyone to me, but fuck it. That doesn''t mean it hurts any less.


    "Hey, are you okay?" Micah''s voice pulls me from my tumultuous thoughts.


    Running my hands down my face, I shake my head. "No."


    While Micah, Jason and I traveled in one car, Sadie, Aspen, Raven and the nanny were in the car in front of us.


    My jet could only carry ten people, so the rest of my warriors who hade with us and some of Sadie''s warriors would arrive the next day. Their flight was for tonight.


    I would send my jet back once we arrived to pick up Piper, who had refused to leave without Calvin. They would bothe, but Calvin would continue staying in my dungeon until Sadie and I decided on what to do with him.


    "Is this about the pack? You know you don''t have to worry since Sadie agreed to help. Everything will be okay. We won''t lose anyone," Jason says, once again pulling me back to reality.


    Fuck. How can I tell them that this is about more than just the pack? That this is about more than just being worried about the injured members? Everything is a mess and I have no idea where to start to fix shit. Itwas messing with my head. I dug a hole for myself when I treated Sadie like shit. A hole that, now, three yearster is my own undoing. It''s frustrating, to say the least.


    "Can''t you read the message on the wall?" Micah turns to Jason and asks. "What. Alec is dealing with isn''t just about the pack. Have you forgotten about Aspen, who doesn''t ever know who the fuck he is? Or


    what about Sadie, who wants


    nothing to do with him?"


    Sighing, I close my eyes and lean my head back against the leather seat. Why did life have to be soplicated? I wish every person you met woulde with a sign. Something like, hey this person fwill be important to you in the future. Tread carefully. That would have surely stopped me from making the biggest mistake of my life.


    "I''m not worried about that. They are mates," Jason turns to Micah in a rxed and casual manner. "It''s only a matter of time before Sadie gives in and forgives him."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Are you fucking serious or are just being ignorant? Sadie doesn''t seem to have a forgiving bone in her. I doubt she''ll let this go. The fact that she asked Alec to ept the rejection after she helps us should be proof enough."

 Chapter 0106

    Chapter 0106


    "Well, that''s your opinion. I believe in the mate bond. And I believe she''ll submit to it.¡±


    ¡°Sure, the same mate bond that is clear as day she''s fighting and, from the looks of it, winning," Micah growls in annoyance.


    Their argument was starting to get on my nerves. I needed to think. I needed toe up with ways to deal with this whole shit storm. I needed solutions, not theories.


    "Would the two of you just shut up?" I growl, massaging my temples. "You are giving me a headache."


    They both turn to look at me, but otherwise shut their mouths. I lean back against the chair and just close my eyes.


    Everything I did to Sadie three years ago ys on my mind like a broken record. Every punch, every insult, every p, every whip, every knife cut. EVERYTHING.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Her pleas for mercy ring in my ears. I try to block them, but it doesn''t work. Her screams and cries invade my headspace. I can''t shake them off no matter how hard I try.


    I''m jolted and my eyes open when the cares to a stop. Turning to the window, I realize that we were at the airport. I don''t wait for the others; I get out because I feel suffocated.


    "Do you need help with her?" I ask Sadie,ing to stop near her.


    I wanted so badly to hold my daughter that my hands were practically itching.


    With a cold stare and a colder voice, she says a simple No. Nodding my head, I then guide her. All through the short journey, Aspen couldn''t stop talking about how happy she was that she was going onto a ne.


    Her smile, innocence andughter warm my heart, but also brings a pang of longing. I want her to smile at me like that. I want her to hold me the way she''s holding on to Sadie. I want her sweet warmth to erase the coldness inside me. To destroy the monster that I was to her mother.


    After being cleared and all that shit, we are led to where my jet is. We get in and the moment we are settled, my pilot takes off.


    "What are you doing?" Sadie hisses, when I take the seat next to her.


    The mate bond was riding me hard. I needed to be next to her. I needed to smell her scent. I needed to touch her. To mark her. To mate her.4


    Ct do thest three things, but


    do the first two. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "Sitting, obviously."


    ¡°Then I''ll go find another seat,¡± she says through gritted teeth and then tries to stand up.


    I put a stop to that by grabbing the end of her chair, making sure she didn''t move.


    She begins to tremble, and her eyes start shing. I should have been scared because she was on the verge of losing control, but I wasn''t.


    "You lose control and this whole


    crashes, drawlzily. "You ma


    e given you have wings and all,


    but the rest of us won''t." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    That seems to stop her. She closes her eyes, takes a deep breath and then opens her eyes again. When she does, she''s calmer and more in control. "What do you want, Alec?" she asks, almost tiredly.


    What did I want? Well, I wanted a lot of things, but I doubt she is ready to hear any of them. Hell, I can bet on my parents'' graves that she isn''t ready to hear any of them.


    When I fail to say anything, she pushes my hand away, stands up and leaves. I''m left staring at her seat with unseeing eyes.


    "What are we going to do?" Knox whispers, his voice full of a kind of longing and remorse.


    I twist in my seat, before looking outside the window. "I don''t know. I just don''t fucking know, Knox"


    I was the great Alpha Alec, but right now I felt like I was nothing but a failure.


    Knox question continues to ring in my head all through the flight. It was now starting to hit me just how badly I messed things up.


    What the hell do you do when you''ve messed up so badly, she now hates your fucking guts?

 Chapter 0107

    Chapter 0107


    Sadie


    My heart starts racing the moment the pilot announces that we will be touching down in the next five minutes. I don''t think I''ve ever been this anxious in my life. Not even when my water broke duringbor.


    Closing my eyes, I breathe in, then out, but the air gets stuck, and I feel suffocated. I keep reminding myself that things are going to be okay. That I am stronger now. That I don''t have anything to fear.


    A hand grabs mine, and I turn to see Raven watching me with worried eyes.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± she asks, her shifting between mine.


    It''s been three years. Three good years, yet the fear of going back to Alec''s pack is still there.


    I shake my head and stare at myp, "No."


    This was so fucking hard. I thought that I''d gotten over my fear. I thought that I was doing okay. I thought that this would be a piece of cake. It isn''t. As much as I try to be strong, that terrified girl from three years ago is still buried inside me. She still shows her head once in a while.


    It sometimes makes me wonder if I am indeed strong. If indeed I came out at the top... Or was it all just pretend. Was I lying to myself? Faking it in front of the others, but knowing deep down I''m nothing like I''ve portrayed myself to be.


    Nyx''s warmth engulfs me. It feels like being held in a tight and fluffy hug. Despite the love I feel, it does nothing to wipe away the remnant tendrils of fear and agony.


    "It''s going to be okay, Sadie," Raven whispers, trying to assure me. "This time, things are different. This time, you are different."


    Sighing, I take a deep breath, then straighten my back. "You are right. I am different. No one can hurt me."


    "Exactly. No one will hurt you."


    Even though it doesn''t drive away the negative feelings, I feel a bit better. I feel a bit in control.


    We are jolted forward when the


    nends, and minutester ites to aplete stop. After the flight attendant tells we can leave, unbuckle my seat belt before turning to my baby girl. She had fallen asleep about two hours into the


    flight. She has yet to wake,


    up.


    Gently, I pick her up and hold her close to my chest. Her longshes fanned her cheeks, her pink lips were slightly open and small snores escaped her mouth. It was so cute. Watching her sleep, brought a sense of peace and the turmoil inside me settled.


    "Do you want me to carry her?" Alec''s voice startles me. I was so focused on Aspen that I didn''t even hear him approach.


    Hardening my tone, I give him a resounding no.


    I didn''t understand him honestly. Not that I wanted to, anyway.


    I just don''t get why he was bothering me. He has never liked me. In fact, he showed just how much he hated me when he threw me into the dungeons without a second thought. Why was he now trying to be part of my life? Part of Aspen''s life?


    Just because the goddess created a bond between us? Was that the reason why he made a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree change?


    Shaking those thoughts away, I bypass him. His change was simply because he needed my help. That was it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    I hear him sigh, but it does nothing to me. This is on him. None of what happened was my fault. If he had been a little more diligent, a little more merciful, we wouldn''t be here. He wouldn''t be missing out on his daughter''s life.


    I get outside. I spot the ck SUVs and head towards them with Martha and Raven falling in step beside me.


    "Sadie?" an elder, who, I don''t remember his name, calls in shock. "You are alive?"


    Before I was thrown into prison, I


    was


    wasn''t really known. Apart from being Piper''s friend, I was basically invisible. My parents were omegas, so I was basically no one. I insignificant. Because of my case though, I be famous in the pack and not for the right reasons, as you can guess.

 Chapter 0108

    Chapter 0108


    Pressing my lips into a thin line, I don''t say anything. It was obvious I was alive, so there was no need to confirm what he could already see. "How? How is it possible?"


    "Elder Martin, it''s good to see you," Alec''s voice interrupts from behind. "Let''s leave, we''ll exin everything once we get to the pack."N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "I don''t think the pack will be receptive to having her around given what she did. They still believe L was your mate."


    Ah, so Alec''s pack doesn''t know that L was a fraud? That''s interesting. I wonder why he hasn''t told them, given he knew the truth way before we found out we were mates.


    "I''ll exin it to them," Alec replies dismissively. "There has been a new development."


    Elder Martin looks at him questioningly before he nods his head and moves aside. Unlike before, this time I travel with Alec in the same car. An arrangement that I didn''t like at all.


    I was pissed and irritable. The fact that we were getting closer and closer to the pack that brought me so much misery raised my hackles even higher. A very small part of me wanted to run and never look back. I just didn''t know whether it''s because I wanted to escape the pain, I tried so hard to bury, or it''s because of the danger I was sensing on the horizon.


    "Sadie?"


    "What" I snap because his deep and, gravely voice just irritated me.


    I used to dream of that same voice telling me how he loved me. I imagined his voice getting even deeper when he was aroused. I used to imagine that vibration against my clit when he asked me to look at him while he did dirty things to me with his mouth.


    Now that same voice frustrated me and irritated me. It reminded me of how deep and dangerous it got right before he caused me pain while I was locked up. It reminded me of his taunts as I begged him to believe me. If I could shut him up permanently so that I didn''t have to listen to him, then I would.


    "I just wanted to ask if you are okay."


    I scoff at his statement.


    ¡°Do I look okay to you?¡± I hiss. "I''m going back to the one ce where I suffered humiliation and pain at your hands. Did you think I''d be happy? Or that I''d be excited to see the ce that holds so much pian for me?"


    Something shes in his eyes, but he conceals it before I can get a good read.


    "I don''t want to fight, Sadie. I''m just wor-"


    I cut him off before he can finish.


    "Save it, Alecam only here because I


    want to be free of you. Nothing more, nothing less. We will work together to lift whatever curse your pack under and after that you''ll ept the rejection. We''ll go separate ways. You''ll find your L, and you''ll leave me and Aspen alone. Am I clear?"


    His jaw clenches, but he doesn''t say anything.


    The bond screams against the idea of a rejection. It pushes against the idea of both of us choosing other mates, but I ignore it. Too much has already happened between us.


    There is a deep and dark past. There


    is too much pain. I''m bitter, hateful and angry doubt I can ever forgive him and let go, so how can there be hope? Besides, L was the love of his life. Even if there wasn''t such a heinous past between us, I woulde second to her.


    I may be a lot of things, but I refuse to be settled for. Ie second to none.


    The cares to a stop, and it''s then I realize that we were at the border. This is it. I was back after three years.


    Home sweet home (Note the sarcasm).

 Chapter 0109

    Chapter 0109


    I get out of the car the moment the driver parks it in front of the pack house. I stop and just stare at the huge mansion. I don''t know why, but I expected things to have changed, but it''s still the same.


    I feel Alec''s presence behind me, but I ignore him. I just focus on the house as memories upon memories invade my head.


    This had once been my dream. To be Alec''s Luna. To rule by his side. I always imagined our children running around inside, ying, while I baked and tried to avoid crashing into them.


    I imagined the pack house filled with their love,ughter and joy. Yes, we would have had our own house, but most of our days would be spent here because this is where the Alpha and Luna offices are.


    It had been hard to let go of those dreams. It had been sad to watch them die in that room underground. It had crashed me, realizing that I''d built fairy tales around Alec, not realizing what a monster he was.


    Now here I was, I had his child, and we were mates, but our life was nothing like I''d imagined it would be. Instead, I hated him, and I was only here because we both wanted something from each other.


    "Are you okay?"


    If he asks me that one more time, I swear I''m going to punch him. I wasn''t okay, and I doubt I''ll ever be.


    "Let''s just get this over and done with," I reply and start walking.


    I knew this ce like the back of my hands. Piper and I spent countless hours exploring the inside of the pack house and outside. I didn''t really need him to guide me or anything.


    I feel his heat behind. I quicken my steps so that I can put some distance between us. I didn''t like him near me. His presence affects me and not in any good way.


    When we get inside, it''s the same. The d¨¦cor, the furniture, everything is still the same. Maybe, had he mated L, she would have done a touch up and changed a few things. He didn''t get to mark and mate her, so the pack house remained the same.


    "Could you please assign a room for Aspen?" I ask once I''m done surveying the ce. "She needs to be put down."


    We had left early, so it was around eleven in the morning. Usually, there wouldn''t be a lot of pack members around, given there is school and work, but today it was emptier than I remember. Maybe it''s because many of them were wounded, and the rest were probably resting after the attack.


    He calls one of the passing omegas. Her eyes round into two huge saucers when she sees me. She''s shocked, and her mouth keeps opening and closing like a fish out of water.


    "Are the guestrooms ready?" Alec''s voice makes her turn.


    I would have taken it as disrespect for the way she stared directly into my eyes, but I wasn''t in the mood to scold her or put her in her ce.


    "Yes, Alpha. Elder Martin had us prepare them," she answers looking at her feet.


    "Will you be sharing a bedroom withThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Aspen? Ihad them prepare a bedroom for her, but she can sleep with you if that''s what you want." Alee turns and addresses me, just as the reste in.


    "I''d prefer she sleeps with me" I answer, before turning to Martha. "Please take her. Once I''m done, I''lle find you."


    Martha gently takes Aspen from me. That kid can sleep like a log. With a nod, she follows the Omega. I watch them as they climb the stairs before they disappear.


    "First thing is first, we need to fill the Elders in. I''ve already called a meeting, and they''ll be here in a couple of minutes," Alec announces. "This way." "Don''t touch me," I grind through my teeth when he goes to ce his hand on my lower back.


    Like I said, I didn''t want him anywhere near me. I didn''t want his heat, or his touch. It wasn''t because I was avoiding the mate bond, but it was because his touch left asting memory. I always wanted him to touch me, but the many times he die, he brought me nothing but pain.

 Chapter 0110

    Chapter 0110


    He clenches his jaw, but says nothing. Instead, he goes ahead of me and leads the way. Minutester, I realize that we were headed to the conference room. We get there, and the other Elders arrive soon after.


    "What is she doing here? And how is she alive?" one of them asks in shock.


    They were all surprised to see me. Surprised that I was still alive. I guess it''s not every day that someone you thought died, rises from the dead.


    There wasn''t any malice in their gaze. Not like there was three years back. All I could see now was surprise and curiosity. I guess learning that L wasn''t really Alec''s true mate dampened their hate for me.


    "I know you all remember who Sadie is,¡± Alec asks, pinning them with his intense gaze.


    They all nod their head, but don''t say anything.


    "Well, I''m just going toe out and say it, she''s my mate."


    Is it possible for a room to be even more silent than it was? It was deathly quiet as they all stared between Alec and me, their eyes conveying a number of emotions.


    "Is this what you meant by new development? And are you absolutely sure?" Elder Martin asks him.


    A muscle ticks in Alec''s jaw, but he nods. "Yes. We confirmed it. She does have the mark."


    "Can we see it?" another elder asks.


    Swiping my hair from my shoulder, I show them the mark. I just wanted this whole conversation to be over so that I can go and collect my thoughts. "This is an amazing development. Now we have hope," A tall elder, I think his name is Richard, says in pure joy.


    There were twelve Elders, and I never really bothered to know all their names. I always thought that would happenter, after Alec and I mated. They didn''t really engage in pack politics. Their work was mainly to give council. They were rarely seen, unless the Alpha or pack had need of them.


    "This is the goddess''s doing," a


    brown-haired elder says. ¡°Don''t you see, she knew that L was an impostor, What happened that night between Sadie and Alec was the


    goddess''s way of stopping A


    from making a mistake. A mistake that would have cost us had he gone through with marking and mating L."


    "Shit" Micah whispers, but because of werewolf hearing, his voice is clear. ¡°He is right. Had Alec mated L, we would have been doomed. Unknowingly, he would have forever destroyed the bond between him and Sadie."


    They were both right, but I didn''t want to think about it. If Alec had marked L like it had been nned, it would have ensured the death of our bond. Meaning, even after I turned twenty-one, I wouldn''t have been able to sense him and vice versa.


    The curse would have destroyed them, and they wouldn''t have been able to figure out why.


    "That isn''t important," I cut in,This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    shaking those thoughts away. "How


    am I supposed to help break the


    curse? Alec told me that my presence alone would be enough to help strengthen the pack and heal them, but what about permanently breaking the curse?" Content


    belongs to


    This was the reason why I was here. It wasn''t to talk about how everything happened for a reason. Or how fate did her thing and stopped Alec from making a mistake.


    They all shift ufortably and stare at each other.


    Elder Martin steps forward, looking unsure. "We don''t really know how to break the curse."


    ¡°What are you saying?" Raven asks,


    "Exactly that. We don''t know how to break the curse. All we know is what is written. That the Alpha''s mate has the power to destroy the curse, but there is no text telling us exactly how you are supposed to do it."


    "You''re kidding me, right?" I ask, trying to push down the panic.


    "I wish I were, but I am not. No one has any idea of how to break this damn curse. It''s been guing this pack for years."


    I thought it would be easy. I''de, do some ceremony or some shit like that, be done with it then be on my way backhome. I thought it would take maybe a maximum of five days. Now it seems that won''t be the case and I have to stay until it''s broken.


    Damn it! Can things get any harder?

 Chapter 0111

    Chapter 0111


    I was pissed off by this new development. In fact, I was way past pissed off. I was downright furious.


    "Did you know this?" I turn to Alec with a re. "Did you know that they had no idea about how to break the curse?"


    The thought of staying in this pack for more than a week was making my skin crawl. After everything they did to me, I just don''t see myselffortably staying here. The memories still haunt me, even now, while we were in this room.


    His jaw locks, and he stares at me with intense green eyes that were so simr to my daughter''s.


    "Did you fucking know, Alec?" I repeat the question.


    My hands fist and the overwhelming need to bang on the table washes over me. I was pissed off and I was frustrated.


    "Yes," the answer seems to be forced out of his lips.


    "And you didn''t think to tell me this before we got on your private jet toe here?"


    Maybe I would have changed my mind had I known that I would be required to stay more than a few days. Maybe we would have reached some kind ofpromise.


    There are a lot of maybes, but I know for damn sure that a little heads up would have been weed. Instead, he kept quiet and chose to blindside


    me.


    "Well, it looks like we are done here," I fume, standing up. "My family and I will be leaving on the next avable flight."


    Quicker than I can move, he grabs my hand in a tight hold. I try shaking him off, but he holds on.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Let go of me before I lose my fucking control," I snap.


    I could feel the tell-tale signs of my power rising to the surface. With everything that has happened in thest few days, I haven''t been able to train with Nyx. I did realize though, that I mainly lose control when I''m feeling pissed or scared.


    "I''m not letting you go, we had a fucking deal, Sadie," he fires back, his eyes now zing.


    Rolling my eyes, I face him. "Yes, but then you didn''t give me all the details to make an informed decision, did you? I came here thinking I wouldn''t stay more than a week, but that isn''t the case."


    It pissed me off that he stood there with that unreadable mask on his face, with an air of arrogance acting like I owed him. I didn''t. In fact, he needed me more than I needed him.


    I could get rid of the bond by


    marking someone else. I should do


    that, but then I don''t want to. My life is already messy without adding. moreplications to it. The day I mark and let a man mark me will be out of love for each other. Not


    because I was trying to get rid of my


    bond with my fated mate. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "It doesn''t matter, you promised to help and right now my pack needs your help. Your presence here will be what helps them recover. We can figure out what to do with the curseter."


    I could read between the lines. As an


    Alpha, right now, the curse didn''t matter as much as the survival of his people. As long as they were in danger of losing their lives, nothing else will take top priority.


    ¡°Were there any children hurt?" I sigh.


    Like I said, I have a soft spot for kids. Always have and probably always will.


    "Yes, it was an ambush, so we didn''t manage to get them all to safety in time." someone speaks, but my attention is on Alec.


    "I''m only doing this for them," I stare directly into his green orbs. "If it wasn''t for them, I would have let all of you crumble and watched you die for what you did to me. Now let go of my hand."


    That tick in his jaw hardens more at my words. He doesn''t say anything, but he does let go of my hand.


    With a tired breath, I take my seat once again and face the elders.


    "Have you evere across anything that might help? Anything at all," I ask, my voice pleading for a ray of light.


    "No. As you were informed, this


    curse has been there since Alec''s


    grandfather was the Alpha. We believe that a witch ced the curse on us, but we are not sure why, if that''s the case. With each year that went by, the curse kept sucking the life out of the pack and our members. It''s only recently that things have really gone downhill fast."

 Chapter 0112

    Chapter 0112


    What he says tells me nothing. Absolutely nothing.


    It could be a witch. That was the most logical answer. Witches were vindictive creatures. Mess with them, and you''ll be paying the price for your stupidity in years toe.


    It could be Alec''s grandfather messed with one, but something deep down told me that''s not the case. Too bad I couldn''t go on just feeling alone. "Have you ever thought that it might not be a witch that cursed you?" I ask, and they all look at me as if I''ve lost my marbles.


    "Then who would?" Jason fires. "It''s the only usible exnation."


    "Think about it," I begin. "It would take copious amounts of power to pull off such a curse. Sure, witches and warlocks can curse an individual person and the curse can run for years, but an entire pack? And then for that curse to run for close to a century? Yeah, I don''t think a witch cursed you."


    Raven picks up from where I left off. "Sadie is right. Witches and warlocks don''t have that kind of power, even if they practise dark magic. If you were really cursed by one of my kind, then the curse would have started to weaken by now. We age slowly, but we do age and as we age, our power starts to dwindle a bit. If you were cursed that long ago, then your pack would be getting better, not worse."


    There is pin drop silence as they absorb the food for thought we just gave them. There is fear in their eyes at this new insight. I get them. Holding on to the notion that a witch cursed them is better than epting that someone else, someone more powerful was the viin in their story.


    "My father and the elders always assumed that my granddad offended a witch. Warlocks aren''t that vindictive, but witches are, and so we all went with that. Now, to know we had been wrong the whole time is a big blow." Alec grumbles in the seat next to me.


    "It would exin why we never got a


    solution," Micah jumps in. "We were


    looking for answers in the wrong


    l


    direction with the wrong information. I don''t know why we never thought of it along those lines."


    UMS


    Elder Martin turns to me with a smile. "This is really amazing; you''ve been here less than a few hours, and you''re already helping just like the texts hinted. We would have continued to run in circles had you


    note and pointed us in a


    different direction. Now we know


    what to look for." Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    I don''t return the smile. My head was spinning, trying to find a way to deal with everything. I just wanted a breather, but I know I can''t have that until this damn meeting is over.


    "What you should be focusing on is who is strong enough to curse you in such a manner? Did your pack somehow offend the goddess or something?" I say instead.


    They gasp in shock and look at me like I killed a precious little puppy.


    ¡°No. We would never do anything to offend the goddess. We have always walked in her way and worshiped her in truth and spirit,¡± another elder says, his eyes portraying his shock that I would even ask that.


    "Look, I''m just throwing around ideas at this point, okay? All I know is that this curse needs lots of


    power. Not only to ce it button et


    maintain it. It needed someone really powerful to cast, and if not the deities, then who?" Content belongs


    to


    My hunch was on the deities. They''ve been known to curse their people as punishment for wrong doing. So yes, it could be the goddess who cursed them or one of the other deities.


    Unless... It was someone else. Someone not as powerful as the goddess, but powerful nheless.


    It couldn''t be her, could it?

 Chapter 0113

    Chapter 0113


    The realization that the mysterious woman could be behind the curse keeps guing my mind hours after the meeting concluded.


    I mean it can''t really be a coincidence, right?


    The moon goddess rarely punished her people and the elders were right. This pack was a stickler for following the rules. Of doing what the goddess required of them. They never step out of line, especially when ites to the goddess''s wishes.


    If this curse had been ced recently, then I would be of the opinion that it''s the goddess punishing them for the wrongs they did against me. But it''s not a recent curse. It''s years old.


    Shaking my head, I try to clear it.


    Like I said, it couldn''t be her, could it? But what if it is? What if she''s the one responsible for this curse? It would exin why she would want to go after Alec if she had some beef with this pack.


    But if it is her, then that would mean that she''s way older than I originally thought. After learning about her, I assumed that she was, I don''t know, in her twenties or thirties. Instead, if I am correct, and she''s responsible for this mess, then it means she''s a century old, or even more.


    Calvin never got a glimpse of her. Her face was veiled and her hands were gloved.


    Fuck! This was so confusing.


    Getting up from my bed, I give Aspen a kiss on her soft cheeks before walking out of the door. It was way past midnight and I couldn''t sleep. My mind just kept racing.


    When I got outside, I breathed in the cool air. It was chilly, but thanks to being a werewolf, which meant our bodies ran on higher body heat, I barely felt the cold.


    I just needed to clear my head. I needed to figure things out because they were driving me crazy.


    I had mysteries to solve. First there is the veiled woman that paid Calvin to drug me and Alec. Then there is the mysterious Alpha Female that Nyx told me about. Then there is whoever it is that cursed this pack, and finally, the one creating the hybrids.


    A part of me believed that they were all connected in a way. It may not be the same person, but I think those four persons of interest are somehow connected. Question is, what is it they are after? And do they have one goal?


    Reading novels and watching TV shows, has taught me that most viins want one thing. World domination. Is that what they are after? And if it is, where does Alec''s pack fall in all this? Where do I fall?


    I kick a rock in frustration. The more I thought about it, the more confused I became. Why in the hell was my life so difficult all of a sudden? Why couldn''t I just have a normal life like everyone else?


    "Maybe because you''re not normal?" Nyx sayszily, drawing my attention to her.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "I so do not need your sarcasm and attitude right now," I snap in frustration.


    I drop down on a log and start rubbing my temples. A migraine was already starting to form and that''s just thest thing I need right now.


    She scoffs at my words, searing me with a mocking look. "We need to start training immediately. We need to start preparing for what''s toe and something tells me we don''t have much time."


    "What are you talking about? What''s toe?"


    She gets a faraway look and for a moment she looks lost in thought. That is until she shakes her head minutester, as if to clear the fog.


    "Exactly what I said. We are way behind schedule and the moment she learns you are here, things will go downhill really fast. We need to start preparing."


    She was just adding to my confusion, but then, it''s not new. Nyx and her fucking mysteries. Her secrets are among the many things that are driving me crazy. Can''t she just tell me what the hell is going on?


    ¡°The moment she learns I''m here? Who? The other Alpha Female you were talking about?"


    At my question, she remains mum. Goddess, I wish she could just tell me everything. How the hell am I supposed to be prepared for whatever the fuck ising when I have no idea what it is? How am I supposed to be prepared with only a small part of the information? It will be akin to fighting blindly.


    Releasing a deep breath, I try to stop myself from Snapping at her and demanding the truth. It wouldn''t go well with her, and she''ll just end up giving me the silent treatment. Nyx can be a moody bitch when she wants to. Her silent treatment canst even a week. Content, belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "At least tell me this one thing, the Alpha Female you were talking about, do our powers originate from the same source?"


    It''s something I''ve thought about since I talked to Calvin in the dungeons.


    Once in a while, there are people who are given special powers such as sight (seeing into the future), and healing. We usually call them moon blessed because they''ve been blessed by the goddess herself.


    After speaking to Calvin, I couldn''t help but wonder if the same applies to both of us. I''ve never heard of anyone with the kind of powers I have. Or anyone with wings, for that matter. So, it made me wonder if me and the other female were both moon blessed.


    "Yes, they originate from the same source, but hers are now tainted." she thankfully answers before finally shutting me out.


    Her answer just reinforces my


    suspicion that the veiled woman who had us drugged and the Alpha Female are the same. Calvin did say that her powers had a dark aura to it. If her powers are tainted, it would exin why Calvin felt death and darkness surrounding her Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Standing back up, I start making my way back to the pack house where my daughter is.


    I don''t have all the answers, and I am so fucking confused. I am starting to doubt what I know to be the truth, but I am slowly starting to add the


    pieces together and, so far, I don''t like what picture those pieces are painting.

 Chapter 0114

    Chapter 0114


    Anonymous.


    I hold both scepters in my hand, gritting my teeth against the intense power that is currently running through my body. It was overwhelming even for my body, but I knew this had to be done.


    Using one scepter is overwhelming enough, but using two? That was pushing it too far. I didn''t care though. I didn''t care about anything other than bringing Kaden back. He is the one who matters. He''s all that matters.


    My hand shake as I continue using the scepters. They were pr opposites. One is white, while the other is red. Two contrasting colors, but both full to the brim with power.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    You see, where I am from, scepters aren''t just used as a symbol of authority, but power. Ie from a powerful lineage. Scepters are used to channel that power. To direct it. Reserve it. They carry part of the essence of whoever the owner is.


    I did have my own scepter, but these two? These two were everything, given that they belonged to two people who were more powerful than I was. And that is what I needed. More power.


    A shrill voice screams, pulling me back from my thoughts. I stare at the woman that was folded in a fatal position on the floor before me. All this power was directed into her tiny body. It must hurt.


    My hands felt like they were burning. My inside felt like it would turn to liquid. My whole body felt like it was being shocked by bolts of electricity. If I felt like that, just holding the scepter, I can only imagine what she feels, all that power being pushed into her.


    It didn''t matter and I didn''t care. This had to be done. In the grand scheme of things, she didn''t matter. She was insignificant in all this. She was a tool to getting what I wanted. Just like all of them.


    She stops thrashing and her new scent hits my nose. Finally, it was done. Her eyes were closed, and they would stay that way for the next two or three days, as her body tried to realign itself to amodate her new form.


    The transition isn''t easy, and the weak don''t survive it. If she dies during the transition, then it means she''s weak, and I don''t need weak hybrids in my army.


    "Take her to the recovery unit," Imand one of my many warriors.


    Quickly, and silently, he picks her up and walks out of my throne room.


    Once the door closes behind him, I sag against my throne. I release the two scepters feeling better now that I didn''t have them in my hold.


    My eyes move to scepters. It had been hard getting them. Taking them from their rightful owners, but it was worth it. I needed the boost in power for my little project and the red one had been key to that.


    Power still buzzes in the surrounding air. It still buzzes in my cells. I could almost taste it. Two contrasting powers, yet both of them are used for creation.


    I was tired, but it was to be expected. Using two different scepters, belonging to two different beings was draining. Their power was a lot to handle, just like their owners had been.


    This, turning werewolves and vampires into hybrids, had been Kaden''s dream. He hadn''t been able to achieve it before my mother got in our way. It was just a theory when he told me the idea, but after he was gone, I worked my ass off to make it a reality.


    I want everything to be perfect for when hees back. I want him to find his perfect army and see just how much I love him. Just how much I''ve done for him. I want him to be happy, because his happiness is my happiness.


    Getting up from my throne, I stop for a while as dizziness takes over. Channeling three powers at the same time, does that to you. It zaps your energy, leaving you drained. I didn''t mind though. It wasn''t anything a little nap couldn''t fix.


    After a minute or so, the dizziness passes and I resume my walk. I leave the throne room, closing the door behind me. Like I said, I am tired and right now, what I need is a nap.


    "We need to hurry this along; I want to be with my man" Xena says, cutting through my thoughts.


    Technically, we are both called Xena


    if you want to look at it, like we are two separate beings, but we are not. Like I said, Ie from a powerful lineage and, with us being powerful, means we are also different.


    "You know we can''t rush these things, Xena. You''ve been patient these past few years. I''m sure you can be patient for a few more months." I tell her tiredly.


    With that, I put my mental blocks up. I was tired of her nagging.


    She''s kept pushing and pushing these past few weeks. I want Kaden with us just as much as she does, but I am not about to risk messing things up because we were in a hurry.


    Walking down the corridors, my mind wanders to all that needs to be done. The preparations and all that shit.


    I was just about to enter my room when his voice stops me.


    "Your majesty?"


    "Yes, ke?" my voicees out in a harsh whisper.


    I am frustrated and all I want is to sleep. Is that too much to ask for?


    "I have news," he simply says, and I groan in frustration.


    Did I need to pry every word from his lips?


    "Is it about my mother?"


    The bitch wants to y hide and seek, well and good... but when she''s done hiding, I''ll be here waiting, and then I''ll destroy her.


    "No, it''s not about your mother," he pauses. "It''s about Sadie, she''s back."


    The tiredness I''d felt a while ago disappears. My lips twist. This is the best fucking news today.


    Dismissing ke, I enter my room with a smile on my face. Finally, it was time to put the next phase of ns into motion.


    Sadie Evans is back. She''s right where I want her. The very ce where everything began.

 Chapter 0115

    Chapter 0115


    Sadie.


    I barely slept a winkst night, and you could tell by the eye bags under my eyes. I haven''t had a moment of rest or peace since Alec walked back into my life.


    If I''d known all the shit that woulde with him walking back into my life, I would have moved to a different continent. Hell, a different pl if that were possible.


    I want my life to go back to how simple it was a few weeks ago. Sure, I had my scars, both physically, emotionally and mentally, but I was at peace. I didn''t have all these mysteries surrounding me. I didn''t have constant migraines from thinking too much. I didn''t carry the weight of lifting a fucking curse on my shoulders.


    Sometimes I wonder if things would have been better if I hadn''t fallen in love with Alec. I''ve gone over what I would have done differently more times than I could count. The end results are always the same. Despite the pain and heartache, I wouldn''t have changed a thing. Changing things and wishing they were different would mean Aspen never existed... and I would never regret her.


    There is also the matter of Beth, Raven, King and my pack. If things hadn''t happened the way they did, I wouldn''t have met any of them.


    "Will you pay attention?" Nyx''s irritated voice pulls me from my thoughts.


    "Sorry," I reply sheepishly.


    Nyx hadn''t been joking when she said we would start training. The moment we were done with breakfast, she had demanded we leave so that we could start training.


    Since I had a hard time sleeping, I woke up pretty early. After debating whether to go downstairs for breakfast, I took a shower and headed for the kitchen. You have no idea the relief I felt when I didn''t find anyone inside.


    Sure, things have changed, but that doesn''t mean I''m ready to face my previous pack. It would be overwhelming for me. I still had a hard time being around their alpha, seeing them would be too much.


    After eating some cereal, I''d gone and called Martha. After she''d settled in my room with a still sleeping Aspen, I''d gone into Raven''s room to let her know of my whereabouts so she isn''t worried. After that, I''d silently left the pack house.


    ¡°So, first of all, I want you to clear your head," she says after she calms down.


    "Nyx..."


    "No, you have too many thoughts running around your head. For this to work, you need topletely focus on our powers. You can''t serve two masters at the same time. You can''t focus on both your thoughts and powers."


    We were in a meadow that used to be my favorite ce in the pack. Piper and I yed here countless times when we were little kids. I loved the flowers and just how green and bright the whole area was. When I wanted to be alone or to just think, this is where I used toe.


    Settling cross-legged on the grass, I getfortable and close my eyes.


    "Don''t try to chase away your thoughts, just let them wander, but don''t focus on them. Don''t hold onto them. Your brain will eventually clear out."


    It''s so fucking hard. I''m the kind of person that overthinks things. I tend to overanalyze and overthink things until they drive me to the point of insanity. Trying not to dwell on my thoughts is simr to trying to squeeze water from a rock. It is hard.


    I struggle with that for what seems to be forever until finally, I just stop. I stop trying to dwell on them, and just let my mind be.


    Everything floods my mind. Alec. His


    pack. My pack. The mysterious


    woman The hybrids. My powers. The other alpha female. The curse. On and on they go. Rattling inside my head like caged wild animals.


    I don''t dwelt on them, and just let them go in whichever direction they desire. Soon enough, my body starts swaying, and I feel like I am in a trance. I''ve never meditated before, but I think this might be it.


    I''m not sure how much time had passed when I realized that my mind was quiet. Empty.


    There isn''t a single thought in my head. Opening my eyes, I''m impressed. The entire thing is


    amazing because my head has


    never been this free. It has new


    been empty. As long as I can remember, there has always been a thought I was dwelling on,


    I felt liberated.


    "Finally," Nyx drawls. "I almost fell asleep waiting for you to clear that head of yours."


    "It''s our head, in case you haven''t noticed."


    "Please, I meant you mind, which, by the way, is messier than a teenager''s room."


    "Can we just start training?"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    The goddess was just trying me when she gave me a sassy wolf. One who is theplete opposite of who I am.


    "Fine." She mumbles. "Today we are going to start off with something easy."


    "Which is?"


    "Teleportation."


    I still, and just stare into space. Teleportation? Of all things. I would ask if she was crazy, but then again, she is crazy, so there is no need to ask.


    "Are you crazy? Teleportation? That looks harder than diamonds. Can''t we start with something easier? Like controlling my powers."


    I didn''t even know I could teleport. Truth be told, I don''t really know what my powers entail. With everything that has been going on, I meant to ask Nyx, but it kept slipping my mind.

 Chapter 0116

    Chapter 0116


    She rolls her eyes at me, "In order for you to control your powers, you need to understand them, and for you to understand them, you need to use them."


    That made absolutely no fucking sense... And I do tell her that.


    "Trust me, teleportation is the easy part. You need to learn how to use your powers on your own. When they first awakened, I was partly in control, that''s why we were even able to fly. The few times you were in control, you lost control. We can''t have that."


    "In my defense, unlike you, they''re new to me."


    "They are not new to you. You''ve just forgotten how to use them... anyway, teleportation is easy aspared to the rest. You''ll need to learn how to fly. Summon our scepters. Control the elements. Create energy balls... and many more."


    I understand what she is saying, but one thing caught my attention.


    They are not new to you. You''ve just forgotten how to use them.


    What the hell did she mean? These powers are new to me... And I doubt I would have forgotten how to use these kinds of powers if I had them. Why would she say that? It takes a second to realize it must have been a slip of the tongue.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Okay, let''s begin," shemands before I can ask her to borate on what she meant. "Close your eyes, and imagine yourself somewhere else." I do as she says, but my mind keeps wandering, and I simply can''t decide on a ce to focus on.


    "Stop, just start with something simple. Think of a ce not far from here and then focus your entire being on that ce. Don''t think of how you''ll get there... Or how it will happen. Just focus on the ce. Nothing else."


    I think of all the ces on this pack that I used to love. For some reason, my mindtches on the image of the training grounds. I try thinking of anywhere else, but the image stays put.


    If I''m honest with myself, I know why my mind thought of the training grounds. It used to be one of my favorite ces because I got to see Alec training. He was a beast when he was in training mode, and sometimes he would train without a shirt on. I''d stay on the bleachers and just dreamily watch his muscles and abs contract while I imagined licking my way down his chest.


    I shake those memories away and focus. Since my brain refuses to focus on any other ce. The training arena is it.


    "Good, now push all your energy into that image. Want it, until that want vibrates through every cell of your body."


    I do as she says and just focus on that image. Slowly by slowly, I feel my body start vibrating. The power is there, so close I could almost taste it. "Now, release it along with the image." Nyx''s voice guides me.


    I release the power and open my eyes. I frown when the image of the meadow greets me. I close my eyes again and follow the instructions until I feel power coating every cell of my body.


    "This isn''t working," I grumble for the third time when nothing happens.


    "Just keep trying until it does."


    Heaving a frustrated breath, I try again. This time I make sure that the image in my head is all I see, feel and breathe.


    A weird sensation goes through my


    body. For a moment, I feel light. kike


    I am floating in air. It feels like cells are vibrating on a different level. For a moment, I feel like I am in space. Like I''m no longer on earth


    The feeling fades, and slowly I feel myself or rather my cells reattaching themselves to the physical. When I open my eyes, I''m no longer in the meadow, instead, I''m in the training arena with eyes on me.


    "Oh, my Goddess" someone screams. "A ghost!"


    Fuck me. I didn''t think there would be anyone here... and it looks like they don''t know I''m alive.


    There are some screaming, while


    others watch me with shock


    stered over their faces. They are pale, and I can imagine why. They thought I was dead, and then 10 seemed to materialize out of


    nowhere.


    S


    I turn around in circles, a smile ying on my face while I watch as they scream and scramble. If they don''t chill, they''ll end up causing a stampede. "You are enjoying this entirely too much," Nyx states.


    "Sue me!"


    For a moment, I even forget that I''d just teleported from the meadow. The feeling of tormenting them even a little, is breathtaking.


    "What the hell is going on here?" Alec''s booming andmanding voice cuts across the space, causing everyone to freeze in their spots.


    "G-ghost" one of his members stutters. "S-Sadie hase back to haunt us."


    This time I couldn''t help it. I burst outughing. This makes Alec''s head swing in my direction. On seeing this, he just shakes his head, before pinching the bridge of his nose.


    ¡°Meeting in thirty minutes, there are things I need to exin,¡± he says, his eyes never leaving me.


    And that was my cue to leave. I close my eyes and focus on the meadow. This time I knew what to do and how to tap into my powers. My body starts feeling light again.


    Thest thing I hear before disappearing are their horrified screams. Any torment I can give them for what they put me through is well worth it.

 Chapter 0117

    ?Chapter 0117


    Alec


    I pinch the bridge of my nose when, yet again, my pack screams after Sadie disappears.


    I saw it in her face. It wasn''t like she was trying to hide it or anything. She enjoyed the fact that she had scared the crap out of them. She loved that she had gotten to torment them.


    The fear in their faces is evident. They really do believe that Sadie hase back from the dead to haunt them. *Calm down," I roar above their screams and fear, hoping they would hear me.This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org.


    "Didn''t you just see that, Alpha! She''s a ghost!" someone cries, and he looks like he''s going to pee in his pants.


    *Just follow me to the meeting hall!" this time I yell in irritation because it seems like nothing I tell them is working.


    They scramble to leave the training arena. Most of them seem relieved that they are finally leaving a ce they think is ''haunted.''


    When everyone is gone, I''m left standing alone in the arena. Using the mind link, I call for a pack meeting. The sooner they know about Sadie, the better. Yesterday, when we arrived, I had warned the elders and the omega who served Sadie not to mention anything to anyone about Sadie. I''d felt that it was my job to exin to them. That they should hear everything from me.


    Now as I stand here, staring at where Sadie just disappeared, I am starting to doubt my decision. I should have done this the moment the meeting with the elders was over.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    I turn on my heels and head towards the meeting hall. The sooner I get this done, the sooner I can focus on other things.


    "You called a meeting?" Jason asks as he steps beside me on my way to the meeting room.


    "Yeah. They need to know Sadie is back, and they need to know that she''s innocent." I reply, not breaking a step as I walk towards my destination with determination.


    This is my mess to fix. I am the one that fell for the wrong one. I am the one that started this whole shit show when I decided Sadie was guilty without digging into the matter further.


    What kind of leader does that make me? I''ve always had a clear and level head, so why didn''t I push this further? Why didn''t I investigate deeper? Instead, I assumed that she was guilty just because she gave me a drink handed to her by Calvin.


    Why didn''t I see how unclear things were? How suspicious things looked? Hell, my gamma followed his intuition. An intuition that led him to believe that not everything was as it seemed.


    Micah had a hunch... and it''s because of that hunch that he helped Sadie escape. Why was I so fucking blind? Now everything is a mess and I don''t know how to fucking fix it.


    I pull myself out of my thoughts when the meeting room doores into sight.


    *And how are the injured members?"


    A smile breaks from Jason''s lips. "Three of them woke up from theira. The rest are responding well, ording to the doctors. Even those that weren''t in aa have made a significant improvement. Sadie really is your mate! This never happened when L was here."


    Ignoring the mention of L, I sigh in relief knowing that my people are getting better and not worse. Making a mental note to visit the hospital to check on them, I fully turn to my beta.


    *That''s great. Now, I want you to be there to receive Piper and Calvin at the airport, and tell Micah to be there to receive the warriors from both packs," Imand him.


    *Sure thing,"


    When he nods, I push the double doors open. The chatter of the pack members, excluding the ones in the hospital, greets me as I walk down to the front. Due to my super hearing, I could tell that they were talking about Sadie. Those who were at the arena sure didn''t waste time spreading the ridiculous news of seeing a ghost.

 Chapter 0118

    "Quiet!" Imand, once I''m at the podium.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    They all shut their mouths at my alphamand. I take a moment to think about what to tell them or how to even tell them. It''s not every day you have to tell your pack that you made a mistake.


    That the woman who you thought was your mate, isn''t... and the one they took part in torturing, is. How do you even begin to exin such shit? They were following my lead when they hurt Sadie. They felt my pain at losing L and took it out on her. Now, I have to tell them that the woman they hurt is actually their true luna. The news is going to unravel them. No one wants to hear that they hurt their luna.


    "I know some of you saw Sadie Evans at the training grounds. You also assumed that she was a ghost. I can assure you that she''s not. She''s very much alive and will be staying here in the pack." I begin, still not sure how to exin this shit.


    There is an immediate uproar of anger and disgust. The noise is deafening as their angry insults at Sadie fill in the space.


    I grit my teeth, pissed off. "Shut it!" I roar, making them quiet down.


    "With all due respect, Alpha, why would you allow that woman back here after what she did to our luna? And how is she even alive? She died three years ago. We all saw Piper bury her." One member stands and asks.


    That is a mystery I am yet to solve. I saw Sadie''s body. I got the doctors to perform a DNA test, and it turned out to be hers. How the fuck is that possible? Sure, I know Raven is powerful, but I know she doesn''t have that kind of power.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    "My trip to be Hope pack has been enlightening. We were able to find out that Sadie was innocent. She wasn''t responsible for what happened three years ago. As for L, she wasn''t my mate."


    I exin to them everything without really disclosing anything about the curse that was hanging over our heads. We had agreed to keep the knowledge of the curse from them. Thest thing we need is the information falling into the wrong hands.


    When I am done, most of them are sagged on their chairs. Looks of astonishment and surprise on their faces. "B-But we saw you with L. How can she not be your mate?" an old member asks.


    "L was an impostor, Sadie isn''t. The elders have verified that and so have I. Sadie will be staying here for a while since she''s helping the pack with something. I demand you give her the same respect you give me. We did her wrong. I did her wrong. Please don''t make her hate us more than she already has. I need her to stay."


    If I had my way, Sadie would stay here forever. I didn''t have my way though, because, like the idiot I am, I ruined things between us before they even began.


    "Yes, Alpha." They chorus the answer and I nod my head at them.


    "You are dismissed."


    I wait for them to leave. Once the room is empty, I also leave, heading outside. I had a ton shit of work waiting for me, but I couldn''t focus on anything but Sadie and Aspen.


    Everyone, including Piper, told me that Sadie had a huge crush on me. She used to follow me around like a lost puppy, but I just ignored her. One, because she wasn''t my type. Two, because she was my baby sister''s best friend. There was no way I would ever go there, even if I were attracted to her.


    To be honest, I never really noticed her. Apart from being Piper''s best friend, to me, Sadie was always the awkward and clumsy pack member. She was a in Jane. There wasn''t really anything remarkable about her. She was always in loose-fitting clothes that swallowed her entire frame, her hair was always in a messy bun, and she never did make-up. In other words, she didn''t really put any effort into how she looked.

 Chapter 0119

    ?Chapter 0119This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    There wasn''t any one time I felt any attraction to her. In fact, I always felt the opposite. I felt irritated when it came to Sadie Evans. It irritated me how I would often catch her staring at me with a dreamy look or how she would find ways to try and touch me. I just hated it, so I went to great lengths to avoid her.


    Now, though, I wonder if, at a deeper level, she had sensed we were mates. That would exin why she felt what she did for me, even though I never once felt the same.


    It''s funny how the woman I''ve spent most of my teenage and adult life looking down on turned out to be my mate. I never once imagined that my sister''s best friend would turn out to be my mate.


    L had been everything I wanted in a mate. Beautiful, sexy, intelligent and strong. While Sadie had been the opposite. I''m not saying she wasn''t any of those things back then, but she didn''t really put any effort into cultivating who she was. It''s like she was okay with just being in and unattractive.


    I must admit that I don''t know what to do with the current Sadie. She''s be everything I admire in a woman. Too bad her crush is long dead, and she hates my fucking guts.


    I take a deep breath and sigh, just as a small body collides with the back of my legs. I almost fall forward, but catch myself before I do. Turning sharply, my breath freezes when I see Aspen rubbing her chin.


    "I''m sorry Mr." she says, looking up at me with the same green eyes. "I didn''t look where I was going."


    "It''s okay sweetheart, there is no harm done," I squat to her level so that we are at almost the same level. "Are you hurt?"


    Fuck. This feels amazing. I still can''t believe that Sadie and I made this beautiful and bubbly creature in front of me.


    Before, I used to think that night was the worst night of my life. Now, though, I consider it the best, because the end result is Aspen. I may not remember sleeping with Sadie, but it doesn''t really matter because our daughter is the product of that night.


    "No, I''m not hurt, but are you okway?" She asks, her head tilted and her wide green eyes staring at me with concern.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    "Why do you ask, sweetheart?"


    "Because you look sad."


    I don''t know what made me do it, but I just found myself saying, "I did something wrong. I hurt someone and she''s very mad at me."


    Aspen raises her hand and softly ces it on my jaw. Cupping my jawline gently.


    *All you have to say is sorry," she whispers in a sweet voice, her eyes enchanting me. "Mommy always tells me that if you do something bad, then you have to apolowgwise. Have you said sorry?"


    I know it won''t be that simple when ites to Sadie, but Aspen is right. I haven''t said sorry. I haven''t even apologized for the hell I''ve put her through... But even if I did, would she ept it?

 Chapter 0120

    ?Chapter 0120


    Sadie.


    By the time I was done training, I was tired. So, freaking tired. Who knew teleporting from one ce to another would be draining? I didn''t have any energy whatsoever.


    *Today, you did well." Nyx praises in a soft voice. "I''m d that you were able to get it so quickly."


    "Well, it wasn''t easy. It zaps your energy, that''s for sure," I mumble, trying to level my breathing.


    "Next, we''ll expand the radius," she says almost in azy tone. "Maybe you can try teleporting back home."


    *Are you freaking crazy?" I yell inside my head. "That''s like hundreds of miles away."


    See what I mean when I say that Nyx is crazy? I know she has this urgency to push me to master my powers, but this is pushing it too far.


    "Nyx, I''ve only just mastered teleporting a few distances away. You can''t expect me to just go from that to being able to teleport about four hundred miles away."


    Her eyes bore into mine as she stares at me. She isn''t happy, but she also knows that we can''t push my body like that. I needed to start somewhere and build up slowly. Pushing myself too far isn''t going to help anyone. In fact, it might just push us back.


    *Fine," she grumbles before shutting me off.


    Sighing at her stubbornness, I stand up from the boulder I''d been sitting on and start to make my way back to the pack house.


    I didn''t have a lot nned for today. Maybe I''d just spend some time with Aspen before I try to re-familiarize myself with the pack. After all, I''ve been gone for three years. Some things have probably changed.


    I start speeding up when Aspen''s sweet voice hits my ears. I am just about to reach her when his voice stops me cold in my tracks.


    "Have you said sorry?"


    I catch thest sentence from Aspen, just as I get closer to the father and daughter duo.


    They were a few feet away from the back entrance of the pack house. Alec was squatting in front of Aspen.


    Even though his back was to me, I would recognize him anywhere. That''s just how deep my obsession with him had been. I would know his voice and body even in my sleep.


    "No, I haven''t," his gruff voice pulls me back to the duo.


    Alec was so lost in his conversation with Aspen that he failed to notice that someone was listening in to their conversation.


    *You have to... you say sorry when you are wrong," Aspen insists, her hand still on his face, something I didn''t like. "I made a huge mistake, sweetheart. I don''t think it can be fixed with a simple sorry."


    Something in his voice catches, but I push it away. I refuse to dwell on what it is. It doesn''t matter. Alec and whatever feelings he has isn''t any of my business.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    He is right though, what he did to me can''t be fixed with a simple apology. My wounds run deep. The internal ones are yet to heal... and the physical ones have left scars. It just isn''t easy to forgive and let go of the pain the man you fell in love with caused.


    "B-but you have to try," Aspen insists.


    She is stubborn like her father and doesn''t really know when to let things go. It''s a character I love and hate at the same time.


    Before Alec can respond, I decide to step in. I have to put a stop to whatever the hell was happening here. "Aspen," I call, "Come here."


    Two sets of the same green eyes turn to me. Aspen''s eyes transform, and her lips tum up in a smile. While Alec''s eyes shift in guilt, as if he has been caught doing something he shouldn''t.


    "Mommy!" she shrieks before running to me, her body colliding with mine.


    "What are you doing here and where is Martha?*


    She starts nibbling her lips, and I just know I won''t like what she''ll tell me. She nibbles her lips when she''s guilty.


    "I saw a butterfly," she begins. "I wanted to chase it, so when Martha wasn''t looking, I did. I crashed on Mr. when I was chasing the pretty butterfly."

 Chapter 0121

    ?Chapter 0121


    "Why didn''t you let Martha know?"


    She shrugs her shoulders. "I''m sorry."


    She gives me her puppy eyes and I cave in like the fucking weakling I am. I can never say no to her. Nor can I ever stay mad at her.


    I sigh, before bending down to kiss her cheeks, "This is a new pack, so don''t go running around alone, okay? Now go find Martha, she must be looking for you."


    "Okay mommy," she then turns to Alec. "Bye Mr."


    She sprints past me and goes inside the house. When she disappeared, I turn to Alec. "Stay the fuck away from my daughter, Alec."


    His eyes harden as he gets up. "She''s my daughter too."


    As much as I try to push it down, I feel my anger rising. Pushing forward to the surface.


    "How dare you!" I all but scream. "Daughter? You wanted to end her life! You called me a fucking whore!"


    I can''t stop the pain that washes over me when I remember that day and the words he carelessly flung at me. It hurts. It fucking hurts. My heart is aching, and I don''t know how to stop it.


    "Do you remember what you said to me? Because I do. It''s still clear in my mind, as if you said them yesterday." Tears are pouring down my face and I hate that he is witnessing me crying. "If the bastard child is mine, which I doubt, I would never allow it to live. I fucking hate you, Sadie, and I''d rather that pup die than be given birth to by the woman who destroyed my life... That''s what you said to me."


    My knees weaken and I wrap my hands around myself, just tofort and give myself strength.


    His eyes sh. Pain is etched in them, and he seems to drown in them. I don''t care though. He said things he can''t take back. He wanted to kill my baby. How can I even think of getting over that?N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "Sadie..." his voice is nothing but a hoarse whisper, full of emotions.


    "No!" I wipe my tears aggressively, pretty pissed off with myself for allowing him to see this weak side of me. "By denouncing her, you severed any ties and bonds you had with her. You lost the right to be her father because of the intent you had to kill her and the degrading name you called her."


    "I''m sorry," he whispers brokenly, but it does nothing to ease the pain that still haunts me.


    "Sorry doesn''t fix shit, Alec. It''s only applicable when you identally spilled milk or broke a ss, but not when you destroyed someone''s life. You did what you did, fully conscious of your actions and being sound of mind. There are no take backs. You can''t go back and change things."


    "I would if I fucking could!" he grits out through a clenched jaw, but his words don''t move me.


    I never thought that I would end up like this. Hating the same man that I was sure I would love forever. I used to see him and see nothing but our beautiful future together. Now I see him, and I''m reminded of nothing but the pain he put me through.


    I said everything I needed to say. I didn''t have anything else. I turn to leave, but he grabs my hand.


    Immediately, the bondes to life. Tingles race up and down my arm, and it feels like I''ve been electrocuted. I gasp, because this is new. It has never happened before.


    "Sadie, please." He pleads. His eyes move in wonder from where our skin is connected to my eyes.


    I didn''t want to feel the spark, so I rip my hand from his and leave, not once, looking back at him.


    Rubbing my arm where he touched me, I try to erase the lingering feel of the sparks. The bond seemed to get stronger and I hated it. Now more than ever, we need to find a way to break this damn curse. I needed to leave before the bond consumed us both.

 Chapter 0122

    ?Chapter 0122


    I curse the moon goddess for the hundredth time as I make my way back into the pack house. I hate this. I hate it so freaking much. I wish things were different. I wish things didn''t happen the way they did. Maybe then I wouldn''t be here.


    I wipe the tears away, getting rid of all the evidence that for a moment I had been a weak teary mess. I haven''t cried in a long time. I''ve always just tried to push everything down and focus on what had to be done. Focus on the present moment.


    I haven''t been back even a full day and already the walls I''d built to keep my emotions away were starting to crumble.


    I walk through the pack house. Every corner of the ce is haunted with memories I wish to bury and forget. All the good times I had with Piper. All the things we did together. All the happier times.


    Memories I had of Alec. They weren''t all warm. He spent most of the time ignoring me like I didn''t exist, but they were there. There were a few times caught him smiling orughing. Joking with pack members. The happier times when we didn''t carry the weight of the world.


    My childhood, teenage years and part of my adulthood are deeply engraved in this pack. There isn''t a ce I could turn and I wouldn''t find a memory to pull me back to the past.


    Those happy memories became tainted when everyone, except Micah, turned their backs on me. I bury them because they bring me nothing but pain when I remember them. I bury them because they remind me of the deep betrayal that I endured from the so-called people I loved.


    I rush through the space, intent on escaping those haunting melodies. The few pack members I pass by don''t seem shocked to see me, but they do seem remorseful. I guess Alec told them the truth.


    I ignore them. Not wanting to pass by any more of them, I focus my energy as Nyx taught me and teleport to the room that was assigned to me. I breathe a sigh of relief when I open my eyes, and I''m standing in the middle of the bedroom.


    "Things will get better. You have to trust the goddess''s n," Nyx mumbles, popping in.


    "It''s hard to trust her when all I can think about is the mess she''s made of my life."


    She sighs. "It may seem so, but it will all make sense in the future."


    Isn''t that something that people say just to make themselves feel better about how out of control their lives are? Does it really get better? Because from where I am standing. I feel that if I don''t get the hell out of this pack, things are only going to go downhill from here.


    "I don''t want to talk about it," I whisper tiredly and softly. What I want to do is to forget.


    We are quiet for a while as I take off my clothes. I need another shower. One I wish would cleanse me of my bitter past.


    "His wolf, Knox," Nyx begins just as I am heading to the bathroom. "He tried reaching out to me."


    "And?"


    To me, his wolf was just as guilty as the woman. There were times during the torture when he woulde out. Something is wrong with those two. The things they did to me and the joy that shone in their eyes as they tortured me still makes me sick to this day.


    "Nothing. I told him to fuck off and blocked him. I would have given him the middle finger if I had fingers," she says it so casually it makes meugh.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Like I said, Nyx frustrates me most of the time, but I still wouldn''t trade her for a different wolf.


    "You know I fucking love you, right? Even though you drive me crazy at times," I mumble, feeling some of the tension leave me as water cascades down my body.


    "Yeah, yeah," she mumbles dismissively, but then adds so silently I almost fail to hear it. "Right back at you, my beautiful human."


    I finish showering and wrap a towel around my body. Going to the mirror, I do what I''ve been doing for the past three years whenever I get out of the shower. I focus on my scars. Especially the one on my face.


    After reminding myself of all the reasons why Alec is nothing but a monster, I leave the bathroom, so I can get dressed.


    I''d just taken out my clothes from my suitcase when there is a knock on my door. I don''t recognize the scent, but then again, I barely recognize any of my previous pack member''s scent.


    "Can I help you?" I ask the nervous-looking brte when I open the door.


    "T-The Alpha and E-Elders are requesting your presence in the alpha''s office" she stammers the word.


    With the way she was looking at me. With fear and remorse, I''m inclined to think she''s not a new member. She was there when my life was turned upside down. I don''t remember everyone. She''s among those that I don''t remember.

 Chapter 0123

    ?Chapter 0123


    I don''t say anything. I just shut the door in her face. I don''t care if it is rude. They don''t deserve anything from me and they won''t be getting anything from me.


    I get dressed quickly, then leave my room. I''ll have to spend time with Aspenter on. The sooner I get this damn curse fixed, the sooner we can leave.


    I''d told the elders that I wanted to see the text about me. I thought I could get something from it. It was probably the reason why I''ve been summoned.


    I get to Alec''s office door and, without knocking, I push it open.


    It''s still the same. Nothing has changed. I''m taken back to thest time I was here. The day he threw the tablet at me. The day I begged them to believe me, but they didn''t. The day he ordered me to be thrown into the dungeons. *Sadie..." he calls my name and I shake myself from those memories.


    His eyes hold something akin to regret, but I am not so sure. What I am sure though, is that he was also remembering that day. It''s there in his eyes.


    I nod a greeting to Micah before turning to the elders without greeting them, "Did you bring it?"


    Mark nods and hands over the text to me. I immediately scan through it, eating up the words like they were sushi.


    [She is strong and powerful. An Alpha Female and her powers, when awakened, will shake the foundations of the world. Because she is the blessed one, their union will be blessed, and their offspring will rule both the heavens and the earth. Only she will be able to undo the curse; only she will be able to destroy the evil. In her presence, the pack will recover and flourish, bing the most powerful pack the world has ever seen. So many will want to use her, to destroy and suppress her, but she will prevail. Many will want to destroy their bond, so beware of impostors, for the blessed one will be known by a white crescent moon mark on her left ear.]


    I ce the old journal down. The words were still ringing in my head. ying in my mind like a broken record.


    Now I get why Micah asked to check behind my left ear when we first found out that I was Alec''s mate. I never had the mark before, so it must have appeared when my powers awakened. Update first at N?velDr¨¢ma. Org.


    "It did," Nyx speaks up. "You two, you and the other alpha female both have marks. It''s meant to differentiate you from the rest. Yours is a white crescent moon symbolizing renewal, growth and hope."


    Even though I know what her answer would be, I still ask. "And the other female, what is her mark?"


    *You know I can''t tell you that, Sadie, not yet anyway," she answers before slinking back into my subconscious mind.


    I sigh. I want to be mad at her for holding information, but what if she has her reasons?


    *Anything?" another elder asks when we are silent for a while.


    "My powers awakened when Alec tried to attack me in my pack" I begin. "And my wolf did tell me that I am a rare breed of wolf. An Alpha Female....


    *Your presence has also begun bringing changes. The pack is starting to recover. We have all felt it. Even those in the hospital are starting to get better," Elder Martin adds, cutting me off.


    *But," Alec begins. "The text said that some would try to destroy our bond. I wonder if that''s what the veiled woman Calvin told us about was aiming for."


    Goddess, what he was saying made sense. A lot of it, actually.


    *But that would mean that she must know something about the curse, about what has been going on," I pause as another realization hits. "Oh goddess, that means she knew that we were mates way before we did and about my powers. Why else would she go through all the trouble to destroy our bond before it even awakened?"


    I watch as the gravity of the situation hits everyone like a ton of bricks.


    If this woman knew, it would exin why she came after me and Alec. Why she targeted us. The most important question is why? Is it because of the curse, something else or both?N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "It also makes me wonder where L falls in all this?" I think out loud. "Was she in on it, or was she clueless and was used as part of the n to destroy the mate bond between us?"


    I see Alec freeze at the mention of his first love. I wonder if he still loves her? Anyway, it''s none of my business. After he rejects me, he can go looking for her, assuming she is innocent, isn''t dead, and hasn''t found her mate yet.


    *We need to begin searching for that woman," Micah voices what everyone has probably thought about. *She seems to be at the center of all this, and knows more about what''s going on."


    I couldn''t agree more on that. Something was going on, and she may be the only one with the damn answers.

 Chapter 0124

    ?Chapter 0124


    Raven.


    After Sadie left my room, I got up, showered and got dressed. I usually take a few minutes in the moming to just meditate. It helps me channel and anchor my powers. This is something that my mother taught me since I was a little girl.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Once I was done with that, I checked on Aspen. She was still asleep, with Martha curled up on the sofa opposite the bed.


    Today I didn''t n on much except visit my mother''s grave. It''s been so long, and I miss her so much. Before Sadie and I fled, I used to go and visit her at least once a week. It helped me feel closer to her even though she was no longer around.


    "Morning," a cook says when I walk into the kitchen. "What can I get you for breakfast?"


    I stare at her. A smile was stered on her face as she looked at me expectantly. She seems so warm and inviting. It''s been the same with the few pack members I''vee across since we arrived yesterday.


    I look at them, and it makes me wonder how such seemingly warm people can have such a dark side to them. The pain Sadie endured is embedded deep inside me. Her screams are still etched in my memories.


    I dreamed about her. About what she went through... But it all felt real. Like I was the one going through the torture. It''s like I had switched bodies with her.


    "Miss?" her voice calls me.


    I shudder as cold shivers rake through my body at those memories. Not wanting to think about them anymore, I push them to the recess of my mind. Shutting them in a ce where they can''t haunt me.


    *Just toast, eggs and coffee," I mumble, trying to hide my irritation and disgust.


    She serves me my breakfast in minutes, I dig in, not really wanting to be here longer than I need to. I feel angry and bitter that they went on with their perfect little lives after they ruined Sadie''s.


    She tries to hide it most of the time. Tries to pretend that she''s fine, but I see it. I know her... And I know that she''s still struggling with what they did to her. She''s struggling with putting the pieces of her shattered heart back together.


    Once I am done. I leave without even a thank-you. Back at our pack, I would have thanked our cook and probably given her a hug, but I just can''t master the energy to be kind to these people.


    I leave the pack house and head straight for the woods. When she was alive, my mother and I didn''t live all that far from Alec''s pack.


    We never ventured near the borders though. My mother always warned me to stay far away from this pack. Werewolves and witches have rtively good rtionships, and even though I was drawn to this pack for some reason, I never once disobeyed my mother.


    It''s only after I met Sadie that I realized that she might be the reason why I was so drawn. It wasn''t the pack I was drawn to like I''d thought. It was Sadie.


    It takes me about forty minutes to get to her grave. When I do, I drop on my knees, my tears falling down my face as Iy eyes on her headstone for the first time in three years.


    "Hi mom," I begin, my voice clogged with emotions. "I miss you so much."


    I''ll never forget the day she died.


    Just like always, we spent the day with her teaching me how to use my powers. When my lessons were done, she sent me to go pick some herbs that woulde in handy in making potions.


    I did get the herbs, but I decided to take a swim. It wasn''t unusual for me to do so. My mother knew that I liked to


    take a dip in the creek. She was okay with it, as long as I got back home with whatever it was she''d sent me to get.


    I didn''t know my father, and my mom refused to talk about him. For as long as I can remember, it was just her, me and our small cottage.

 Chapter 0125

    ?Chapter 0125


    When I was done swimming, I headed back home. I think I''d been gone for like only an hour.


    I remember nearing out cottage and just knowing that something wasn''t right. Something didn''t feel right. I rushed inside our home to find my mom on the floor with her chest ripped open. Her heart next to her body.


    I fell down on my knees, my legs no longer able to keep me upright. I was shaken and broken as a scream tore from my lips. I remember crawling to her and pulling her body into my arms, as I wailed for her toe back. Willing everything to be just a nightmare.


    The pain that consumed me was like nothing I''ve ever felt. I felt like my heart had been shredded into pieces. I felt lost and dead on the inside. Like I had nothing to live for. Everything became dull and lost its color.


    I cried for what felt like hours before burying her in a shallow grave I''d dug by myself. I ran after that. Trying to escape the pain I was feeling and the images of my mother''s dead body.


    I was confused and didn''t understand why someone would kill her. Was it an ident? Was she just in the right ce at the wrong time? Did someone intentionally kill?


    My mother kept to herself. She didn''t have enemies, not one I was aware of anyway, so I doubted someone would want her dead.


    It was dayster that I came across Beth. She weed me into her home andforted me. She even took me back home where we held a proper burial for my mother and gave her a proper grave.


    "How have you been?" I ask, pushing those memories back, so I could focus. "I''m sorry I haven''t visited in a while, but I guess you already know why."N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I swipe away the dry leaves that had fallen on her grave, while I fill her in on everything that has been going on.


    Being here with her after so long calms something inside me. It brings a certain peace that has beencking since we fled this state.


    *I''ll bring Sadie and Aspen the next time Ie," I promise, sitting cross-legged on the ground. "You will love them. You left me, but I believe you brought them to me. Beth, King, Sadie and Aspen. You didn''t want me all alone, so you gave them to me. Thank you, mom."


    *I wish you were here though," I continue. "Maybe you could help me figure out this curse that has been guing Alec''s pack."


    I sit quietly after saying those words. I just bask in the peacefulness for a few minutes when it hits me.


    I shoot up, staring at my mom''s headstone in wonder. "Oh, my goddess! Thank you, mom. I promise I''ll be back."


    I can''t believe that I''d missed it and that it tooking to visit her to remember what she always told me.


    Giving her headstone a kiss, I rush back to the pack. This time I get there in under thirty minutes because I was in quite a hurry.


    When I break through the forest and get on packnd, I scan my eyes around looking for a central ce. I hurry up when I spot an area near a pond. It''s a few distances away from the pack house.Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org.


    Sitting down in the middle of the field, I cross my legs and close my eyes, focusing on the surrounding energy.


    My mother always told me that every spell cast leaves a sort of remnant behind. A residue, if you must. Something that you can trace. She told me that you can use those same residues to figure out the kind of spell used. The type of magic that was used.


    Armed with that knowledge, I push my powers out. Feeling the energy around me. Separating them, trying to iste the one that I am looking for. I dig deep, feeling the air, water and earth around me.


    My eyes snap open when I get a lock on it, and feel it.


    "Oh shit!" the curse flies from my mouth.


    This isn''t good. This isn''t good at all.

 Chapter 0126

    ?Chapter 0126


    Sadie.


    *Even if we were to try and find this woman, I''m not sure where we would even start," Martin says, voicing exactly what I was thinking.


    This woman, whoever she is, went to great lengths to hide her identity. She didn''t want to be found. She didn''t want to be known... And with the kind of power Calvin said she possessed, it would be easy for her to hide herself.


    "But we have to try, right? There is a reason she wanted to destroy Sadie and Alec''s bond before it even started. We need to know what that reason is," Micah pipes in, his finger tapping his chin thoughtfully.


    "Which again, brings me back to what I asked. Where does L fit in all this?" I question again, refusing to let the matter.


    There is just something that wasn''t adding up. Something that we were all missing. I couldn''t quite put my finger


    on it, but it was there.


    Once again, Alec tenses at the mention of L''s name.


    "Don''t bring L into this," Alec hisses through gritted teeth.


    His jaw is locked, and his hands are fisted on his desk. It''s like he was trying to stop himself from reacting.


    For some reason, I wanted to push him. To push his buttons when it came to L. The woman he fell in love with. The woman he destroyed me for.


    "And why is that, Alec?" I mock, my eyes staring directly into his. "Given everything that happened, she is a person of interest."


    His eyes sh, and I can''t help but wonder. Could he still be in love with her? And if he is, why is he putting on airs about me being his mate? But then again, he does need me to save his pathetic pack. This is the one thing his dear first mate can''t do for him.


    I don''t think I''ll ever stop thinking of L as his first mate. With the way they were back then, it was obvious to see that he loved her. That he had a soft spot for. The moment L came into his life, Alec stopped his whorish ways. He became almost domesticated. L had him wrapped around her little finger. I''ve never seen Alec so pouty in a woman''s hands before.


    "She is not." His reply pulls me back to the present.


    "She is," I snap back.Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org.


    Was his love for her stopping him from seeing that L might just be involved in this?


    "I doubt she is," his words were firm, as if he actually did believe what he was saying.


    I was starting to get pissed... and not because he might still love her, but because he''s defending her while all the evidence points to the fact that she might be guilty.


    "Sadie is right, Alec," Micah always the voice of reason, cuts in.


    I throw my hands up, grateful someone was on my side. "Thank you!"


    *You never really like L, Micah," Alec res at him, but it doesn''t shake Micah.


    "Yes," he begins. "But think about it. The prophecy said that some would want to destroy your bond. What if this veiled woman isn''t the only yer in this game? We all know once you marked L, your bond with Sadie would have beenpletely destroyed. Neither of you would have sensed each other as mates even when Sadie got her wolf."N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Micah had the attention of everyone, as we all keenly listened to him.


    *There are two ways to look at this. Either L was in on this and knew the whole time what was going on, or she was clueless and someone used her. Either way, the true goal was to destroy your bond with Sadie. It could be that the veiled woman was working alone and there were two different yers who wanted the same thing, or it could be that they were working together and that Calvin drugging you two was n B. A way to make sure that you two didn''t get together. What better way to do that than to make you two hate each other?"

 Chapter 0127

    ?


    It''s crazy and a little bit scary knowing that someone yed you in this way. That someone was mechanizing things behind your back to make sure an aspect of your life failed.


    "But that would mean they know Alec and Sadie. They know them so well that they knew how they would react. They counted on them hating each other with both of them feeling betrayed by the other. You can''t know someone''s reaction to a certain situation unless you really know them." Another elder chimes in, his words rocking the boat even more.


    *Fuck!" Alec curses and I mumble the same under my breath.


    He''s right. Whoever this person is must know us, or at least studied us for a very long time to know how we tick. They probably knew that Alec is unforgiving and never thinks things through. They counted on him not digging further into the drugging incident.


    On the other hand, they knew I''m a forgiving person, but when pushed too hard and too far, I snap.


    My breath catches as I''m struck by the enormity of the situation. "They knew us well, and we yed right into their ns."


    "And they would have seeded had we not found out that L was an imposter," Micah says after a few minutes of silence.


    It all makes sense, but there are still some loopholes. Some things weren''t adding up. Like, if they had managed to imnt L as his mate, why not let it y out? Like Micah said, had Alec marked her, then he would have destroyed our band for good. Wasn''t that their goal? To destroy our bond. Then why not let things y out instead of going through the whole drugging us bit?


    Unless that wasn''t their entire goal. Unless whoever sent L and whoever drugged us had different goals in mind.


    The more I thought about it, the more confused I got. There was something that we were missing.


    Shaking my head to try and clear the migraine I could feeling, I push those thoughts back. I''ll think about them when I don''t feel like my head is about to crack open.Update first atN?velDr¨¢ma. Org.


    I take a seat and turn to the elders. I seriously needed a nap.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    *There is one thing that has been bothering me though," I begin. "My powers. I know there are blessed ones, but usually, these people have a long history of their families being blessed by the goddess. My parents were Omegas and I don''t remember them telling me anything about our lineage ever being blessed."


    My mother was attacked by rogue vampires when I was about twelve. It had been a blow to both me and my dad. They weren''t the kind of warm parents every child wishes for, but they were my parents and they provided. That was enough for me.


    My dad had been devastated. Inconsble. He withered away, refusing to eat, talk, go on runs. He simplyid on their bed every day and cried for his mate. He had given up on life when his mate died. Seven months after my mother died, I found him dead in the same bed, holding a picture of her.


    There was also a note addressed to me. He told me that it was finally time. That he was going to be with his mate. He said he couldn''t live on earth without her, so he was going to a ce he knew they could be together.


    At first, I thought he''dmitted suicide. A postmortem assured me that he didn''t. His mind, body and spirit had given up on living, so he faded away, just like that.


    The pack had a programme for orphans. I joined it, I was taken care of till Ipleted school.


    Someone clears their throat. I look up to find the elders staring at each other ufortably.


    "What is it?" I narrow my eyes, feeling like they knew something but weren''t sure about how to tell me.


    Martin steps up. "Billy and Christine weren''t your parents. You were adopted, Sadie."

 Chapter 0128

    Chapter 0128


    His words ring in my ear. I get what he is saying. I understand the words, but I can''t seem to grasp their meaning.


    Adopted. Adopted.


    How am I adopted? Of everything that has happened, not once had it ever crossed my mind that I may not be the biological child of my parents. "H-how?" I stammer the words as I try to make sense of what he just told me.


    "Billy and Christine couldn''t have children," Martin begins, his worried eye scanning my face.


    How are you supposed to react when you find out that you were adopted? That the people you thought were your parents aren''t. Should I consider this a lie? That my entire life has been a freaking lie? And why didn''t anyone tell me? Hell, my dad should have included that big fact in the letter he left me.


    "I don''t understand," I whisper in confusion, as my gazetches on to him.


    "Like I said, Billy and Christine couldn''t have kids. They had tried for years with no sess. When the doctor told them they would never be able to have a biological child, it all but shattered them. It took a while for them to recover from the devastating blow, but when they did, they decided to adopt.¡± He pauses to take a breath before continuing.


    "You know the orphan programme we have here, and you also know that couples are allowed to adopt from the orphanage if they wish to. They signed up to adopt. They wanted a small baby, since babies are a clean te. Before their request could be approved though, Christine went to the Alpha with a baby, saying she wished for her to be made part of the pack."


    I sigh and run my hand through my hair, untangling it from the messy bun on top of my head. I don''t need to be told who the baby was. I could already guess.


    ¡°We questioned her, afraid that she might have taken someone''s baby. She said that she was picking flowers like she usually did when she heard a cry. When she investigated, she found you wrapped in nkets hidden behind a tree with a note asking her to take care and protect you with everything she has."


    Even in my state of mind, I note that it was an unusual request.


    "She showed us the piece of paper that had been tapped into your nket. We convened because, after all, there were risks to just taking in an unknown baby. What if you were from an enemy pack, and they wanted to use you to stage an attack? We were to send you to one of the many orphanages when we got a call from an Oracle. She told us to ept you into the pack."


    That is even weirder, but with how things have been weird these past few weeks, I''m not all that surprised. Things just kept on unfolding in ways that I wasn''t really prepared for.


    "Billy didn''t have a problem. He would do anything his mate wanted. Christine wanted you and so they adopted you." He finishes finished with his eyes still focused on me.


    I look from Micah, then back to Alec. They both looked as shocked as I was. I guess they also didn''t know I was adopted. Meaning, I was never truly a member of this pack. It would exin why I never fit in.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Why did no one tell me?" I question the elders, ring at each one of them. "And howe no one bothered to find out who my real parents are or where I came from?"


    A blonde elder answers, "After the oracle told us to let you stay, we weren''t really bothered. We know it was the goddess''s n, and so we let it happen. As for why we didn''t tell you, we saw no need. You had settled well, you were healthy and Well taken care of, we saw no need to interrupt your life."


    I lean back against my seat. A lot of things now make sense. It would exin why.my parents weren''t all that warm towards me in the first ce, There weren''t warm hugs growing up, whispered words of affection, family times, achievement celebrations, such things,


    I never took it personally. I had Piper and that was okay with me. I just always thought that it was how they were. That it was in their nature. Now, I''m starting to wonder if it''s because I wasn''t their biological daughter.


    "So, no one knows who my biological parents are?" I ask, feeling my heart sink at the thought that my parents had given me up.


    "I''m sorry, but no," Martin answers.


    "Even if we''d wanted to find out who your parents are or where you came from, there wasn''t a way to. Whoever left you didn''t leave


    tovel.ne


    single trace. It''s almost like you just


    appeared in that field." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    I didn''t want to think about that. There has to be something. Someone must have left me.


    ¡°Nyx,¡± I call to her, wanting her presence with me. ¡°Is what they said true?"


    I just need to confirm it. Some part of me was having a hard time epting that my parents aren''t my real biological parents.


    "Yes," she answers in a soft voice.


    She pushes her warmth, trying tofort me, but doesn''t say anything else. She doesn''t expound on it. I have so many questions. I want to ask. Ask


    if she knows our real parents. I am too emotionally drained though. Today has just been too much.


    Alec begins, pulling my attention to him, "Could it be that whoever left her knew about her powers? About what was toe?"


    "Otherwise, why ask Christine to protect her?" Micah finishes for him.


    It would make sense. It does make sense, but fuck, I''m too tired to even think straight. This day has been full of nothing but revtions. I just want a freaking break to take in everything I''ve learned.


    I am about to let everyone know that I''m leaving when the door suddenly bursts open.


    "What the fuck!" Alec growls angrily as Raven rushes.


    I stop, deep down knowing that my ride is far from over.


    She looks stressed, frantic and worried... what has me freezing though, is the fear etched on her face.

 Chapter 0129

    Chapter 0129


    I''ve known Raven for three years. In those three years, I''ve witnessed a lot of emotions from her, but never fear.


    Have you evere across someone who is fearless? Someone who nothing ever shakes them? Nothing ever rattles them? Raven is that person to me. Seeing the fear on her face right now, surges a kind of panic inside me. Something terrible must have happened to cause her to be like this when she''s normally chill.


    "Raven?" I whisper, trying to hide the tremble in my voice.


    Raven raises her finger, stopping me from continuing. She bends over, one hand on her knee while the other hand is pressed on her fast-rising chest. She takes huge gulps of air, trying to calm herself down.


    Either what she has to say has rattled her, or she has run all the way here, or both. I can''t really figure out which is which.


    I continue watching my friend as she slowly calms down. Her breathing goes back to normal, and then she''s standing up straight. There is still something in her eyes. The fear is still there, but she''s trying to get it under control.


    "Don''t you know how to knock?" Alec''s irritated voice says behind me. "Given you are a gamma, I expected you would know how to respect other alphas by not barging into their offices."


    My concern for Raven disappears for a moment as anger starts to fill. I didn''t like the way he is talking to Raven, given she is here to help his pack too.


    I was just about to put him in his ce, but Raven cutting words stop me.


    She red at him with nothing but hate, "If an Alpha has earned my respect, then sure... But you, Alec, have done nothing to make me respect you. In fact, all your actions have done the opposite. I don''t even consider you worthy enough to be an Alpha."


    There were gasps all around the room at her statement. I''d forgotten that the elders were present when Raven barged in.


    "Why you..." Alec says just as he was about to lunge at Raven. Before he can, though, he falls on his knees, clutching his head as a roar of pain tears from his lips.


    Raven was chanting, her lips moving quickly as she recited a spell. I''ve seen her using this kind of spell. It''s painful and usually if she continues long enough, it makes someone''s brain explode from the inside.


    "I don''t take kindly to being threatened, Alec," she hisses, her eyes glowing from the use of her magic. "You''ll do well to remember that."


    She lets go and Alec is freed from the power of her spell. Just like Raven was a few minutes ago, he is breathing hard, his chest rising and falling with an effort to pull air into his lungs. His eyes are closed shut, and his brows furrowed in pain.


    Micah moves and helps him up, before cing him back on his chair.


    I just shake my head. Alec''s arrogance knows no bounds. In all his years alive, hasn''t he learned never to piss off a witch?


    Ignoring him, I turn back to my friend. "Rave? Is there something you wanted to tell us?"


    I know Raven. I know she would never barge in the way she did without a reason. She wouldn''t have done it unless it was urgent.


    Giving Alec onest angry stare, she focuses on me. "I went to visit my mother''s grave today."


    My brows scrunch up in confusion. I wasn''t really sure what visiting her mother''s grave had to do with her being here. "That''s good, I''m d."


    Rave then starts pacing around the room. She seems agitated, another emotion I wasn''t used to seeing from her. She is the most level-headed and calmest person I know. This is new.


    "I was just talking to her when I


    remembere something that she


    used to tell me. Something she imprinted in me since I was young." She stops to take a deep breath "She would always tell me that magic, when used, leaves traces behind. Traces that can be tracked."


    Slowly, as if my brain is just now starting to wake up, what she says starts to sink in. I start to understand where she''s going with all this.


    "You can trace the kind of magic that was used to cast the curse," I conclude as excitement slowly starts to rise inside me.


    Is it weird that I feel like celebrating? Is it weird that I feel like jumping up and down because of how happy I am?


    If she can trace the kind of magic used, then we can be sure of the kind of spell, and if we are sure, then we can undo it. We can unravel it. Last night, I epted that I would have to stay here longer than I had intended. I didn''t like it, but I''d surrendered to my fate. Now though, Raven had given me a glimpse of hope.


    Sure, it might take a little while to undo the spell that wove the curse into life. It wouldn''t be easy considering the curse has been there for decades, but at least we had a starting point. At least we now have a solution.


    "But how? None of the other witches and warlocks ever told us that magic could be traced and then undone," one of the elders speaks, pulling me from my thoughts.


    "If it was that easy, then we wouldn''t still have a curse on us," another one adds.


    Raven stops pacing and faces them, her hands on her waist. "The reason why they probably never figured it out is because they were probably busy trying to break the curse instead of undoing it. Spells can be


    l.n


    ofN?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    undone if you know the so cal


    the magic and what kind it is. It''s usually easier and less messy to undo a curse than to break it. Especially if it''s years old."


    Even as Raven continues to exin to the elders, continue watching her. Something is wrong. Like I said, Raven isn''t one to be fearful or agitated. Given she found something useful, she should be on cloud nine right now, yet she wasn''t. she did find something, but her movement and reaction told me it wasn''t good.


    "We can undo the curse, right?" I ask, my eyesser sharp on her.


    She averts her gaze and begins pacing once again. From the nce I stole, she looks disturbed.


    "Raven?" this time I say through gritted teeth, as my panic and pressure begins to rise. "Tell me you found something. Tell me we can undo the curse."


    I was basically begging at this time because I wanted some good fucking news. Since I got here, I''ve gotten nothing but revtions and none of them have been good.


    Raven winces then stops. Her hands are trembling, and I can hear her racing heartbeat.


    ¡°I did find something, but you are not gonna like it,¡± she starts before stopping, nibbling on her lip in the process.


    "What is it?" I push nervously. I already don''t like the direction this is heading in.


    "The spell used isn''t the kind used when you curse someone," she takes a breath. "It''s a confinement spell."

 Chapter 0130

    Chapter 0130


    Alec.


    I was still reeling from whatever the fuck Raven had done to me when her words prated my throbbing brain.


    Fuck, I shouldn''t have antagonized her, but in my defense, I wasn''t in the right headspace. Things haven''t gone the way I''d pictured them today. I was stressed and on edge. That wasn''t a goodbination.


    "A confinement spell. What does that mean?" Sadie asks. She couldn''t hide the tremble in her voice.


    "Exactly that," Raven exins, a certain edge coating her voice. She pulls her gaze from Sadie and fixes it on us. "You thought that it was a curse that was eating this pack, but it''s something else."


    Rubbing my temples, I try to ease the migraine that had worsened because of whatever voodoo shit Raven did to me.


    For the hundredth time, I curse this day. It keeps getting worse instead of better. It''s getting on my fucking nerves.


    As if it wasn''t enough with the confrontation I had earlier with Sadie. Then finding out that she''s adopted and now this?


    I grew up being told that our pack was cursed. A curse that''s so severe it''s draining the life force of our pack members. Since I was old enough to understand the true meaning of what that means, I''ve worked my ass off trying to find a solution. Trying to break the damn curse so that we can be free.


    No one said otherwise. My grandfather, my dad, the elders, everyone said it was a curse, now Raven is saying it''s something else. What the fuck am I supposed to do with that?


    "So, you are saying it isn''t a curse?" Elder Martin asks. He looks skeptical of what she is saying.


    I get him. I fucking do. Like I said, it was imprinted in us that it was a curse. To find out that everyone had been wrong this whole time, is a major blow. It''s akin to saying that we could have found a solution long ago had someone pointed us in the right direction. Meaning our pack would have been saved from the damage that had been inflicted.


    Raven folds her hand across her chest and starts tapping with her foot. "I''m not sure, what I know is that I did trace the spell, trying to find the remnants of the kind of magic used. The remnants I found don''t have the same markings as the ones that are usually found in curses."


    "You said that it''s a confinement spell," Sadie asks in a taut voice. "What does that mean exactly?"


    "Confinement spells are exactly what their names suggest. They are used to keep, bind or tether someone to a specific ce," She exins. I lean forward at my desk, and ce my elbows on top of it. "You are saying someone bound something in this pack?"


    Raven''s eyes turn and re at me, but she answers. "Not something, someone. Confinement spells don''t work on objects."


    "Meaning the spell that was used, was used to imprison someone here?" Sadie starts pacing much like Raven did a few minutes ago.


    "Yes," Raven answers with a sigh. ¡°It would also exin why your pack is getting weak Confinement spells need loads of power. The spell is probably draining power from thend and its people to sustain itself given it''s tethered here. You are all getting weak because the spell needs power to keep whoever it is, imprisoned."


    Fuck! I don''t know which is worse. Believing that it''s a curse guing us or this. Either way, we are fucked because the bottom line is, this spell is slowly killing us.


    "But the text said it''s a curse," Elder Gabriel argues, his voice almost whinny. "It never mentioned anything about this."


    Raven sighs, her eyes shifting to him. "Maybe it didn''t mean an actual curse, but whichever way you look at it, it is kind of like a curse because it''s killing this pack."


    "So how do we undo this?" I ask. My stress levels just went up a thousand folds.


    It was bad enough, thinking it was a curse. Knowing it''s a confinement spell and that it is draining us just made everything a thousand times worse. We need to find a way to undo it.


    "I''m not sure we can," Raven whispers, her voice barely above a whisper.


    "Why not?" I growl, my anger rising. I could barely think straight. "I want it fucking undone!"


    Micah walks towards me and ces


    a hand on my shoulder, feeling my frustration and anger. "I get what she means. Think about it, Alec, It''s a confinement spell. You only. imprison someone who hasomitted a serious crime." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "Exactly," Raven takes over from Micah. "Meaning someone went to great lengths to keep someone imprisoned. The fact that they''ve¨¨ been imprisoned for decades and the kind of power used means they don''t want that person getting out. Do you seriously want to mess around with that? Do you seriously want to undo this not knowing the kind of person you''ll be unleashing?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 0131

    Chapter 0131


    She takes a deep breath, before her ring eyes refocus on me. "If it were any other crime, they would have been imprisoned in a normal dungeon or hell, in the council''s stronghold. Instead, they were imprisoned somewhere where no one knew their location and then their prison was sealed off with magic. That should tell everything you need to know."


    "Raven is right,¡± Sadie sighs tiredly. "Whoever imprisoned this person went to great lengths to make sure they never escaped. If Raven hadn''t figured it out, then we would have continued to run in circles, meaning the spell would remain intact, ensuring no escape."


    I push myself up and walk to my window. "Meanwhile my pack continues to suffer."


    I didn''t like this. I didn''t fucking like this at all. I thought that we were finally making headway. That we were finally getting somewhere. Now, it seems like we are back to square one with no solution in sight.


    How long were my people supposed to suffer because of this bullshit?


    "Sadie is here, and her presence is making things so much better." Micah tries to reason, tries to make things better. "The text did say that Sadie is the key. We just have to figure out what that means."


    Raven then adds, "Sadie''s presence will have to be enough for now. Like Micah said, She''s the key, which means there is a way to undo this spell without releasing whoever this person is. We just have to figure out which way that is."


    I release a breath, sighing tiredly as I try to figure things out in my head. Everything is such a mess. It''s starting to drive me insane. "Does any of you have the slightest idea of who this prisoner is?" Sadie asks the elders.


    They all shake their heads. Of course, they wouldn''t know who the person is. They, just like the rest of us, believed it was a curse. One put on us because we offended a witch. How were they to know that it wasn''t an actual curse?


    "I don''t know where to begin," Martin states, "But we can start researching in the pack''s library. We can check the records of crimesmitted and whomitted them. Maybe we can find something there. Maybe a pack member whomitted a crime so bad that it would warrant that kind of imprisonment."


    But if that''s the case, wouldn''t we know about it? Especially if it''s a terrible crime. Unless someone didn''t want the pack knowing about it. Unless something like that did happen, and it was hushed.


    Sadie nods. "If that''s all, then we''ll leave."


    She doesn''t wait for anyone to speak. She just takes Raven''s hand and pulls her away. They leave, shutting the door behind them. The elders don''t wait long too; after bowing, they follow suit and leave.


    I walk back and copse on my seat. I run my hands down my face before heaving a tired sigh. My head was pounding right now as everything just crashed into me.


    Feeling Micah''s burning gaze on me, I lift my head. "What?"N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "What was that earlier?" his eyes narrow.


    "What was what?"


    "L!¡± he snaps, making me growl in warning. The sound reverberating in the room. "Why the hell did you defend her when it was clear she was a person of interest?"


    "I don''t have time for this shit."


    "No! Don''t tell me you are still in love with her" his voice hardens at thest sentence.


    It''s only because we''ve been friends since we were pups that I didn''t have him in a pulp for the disrespect.


    ¡°L is none of your business," I snarl, already feeling a crack in my tightly held self-control.


    "Fine, have it your way, but just know that you are already on thin Ice with Sadie. Protecting the so-called love of your life isn''t going to win you any favors with Sadie. If you want a life with your mate, who is Sadie by the way, then you need to get your shit figured out or else you are going to lose her for good... But if you still want that bitch L, then go ahead and trample over the mate bond the goddess has given you, but don''t start bitching when she turns out to be a fucking snake." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    With those parting words, he leaves, and I am left staring at his retreating back.


    Before I found out Sadie was alive,


    was damn sure that I was still in love with L. Now with the mate bond between Sadie and I wreaking havoc inside me, I wasn''t so sure.

 Chapter 0132

    Chapter 0132


    Sadie.


    I pull Raven into my room before shutting the door. The moment we are alone, Raven sits down on my bed while I start pacing the room anxiously.


    So far, I am not liking the way things were going. In fact, I hate how everything has turned out. Would it make me a coward if I just fled back to my pack? Things were easier there.


    We haven''t even been here for more than a day and things are gettingplicated. Things have gotten moreplicated the longer we stay here. My head is a mess. I am stressed, worried, and anxious. Which, by the way, is a fucking terriblebination.


    I stop in my tracks and turn to Raven before taking a step. I sit down beside her, sinking into the soft mattress. My shoulders slump as if I am carrying the weight of the whole world on my shoulders.


    I was worn out fromck of sleep,pletely wound up, and, on top of that, I am also scared. This is more than I''d bargained for. This whole thing with Alec''s pack. What if I fail? What if I am unable to undo this spell? I barely know what the hell I am doing. How am I supposed to help them when I am walking in the dark?


    I''m scared because the fate of a whole pack is on me. The children''s futures depend on whether I can undo this thing or not. That''s a lot of pressure, even for me.


    Thinking of it now, I reluctantly respect Alec. He''s been carrying this burden since he was old enough to understand the implications of that damned curse. He has carried it for years. I don''t know how I would have coped if I had been in his shoes. It''s already draining me, and I''ve only known about it for a couple of days.


    "Sadie?"


    I turn and face her at the sound of her voice. Just like me, she is worried. Worried about this new development.


    I couldn''t stop thinking about what she said. What can someone do that is so bad that it would force someone to confine them with a spell? Because that is the only exnation there is. You can''t really lock up someone who is good, right?


    "Yeah?" I mumble, shaking my head to try and clear it.


    My head is overloaded with information. Overloaded with thoughts. It is driving me crazy that I can''t catch a freaking break.


    "We can''t break the spell. We can''t undo it," Raven whispers. "I know you wanted to finish things quickly so we could go back home, but we can''t risk it."


    Sighing, I allow myself to fall backwards and sink into my mattress.


    "I know, Rave, and I understand." I answer, staring up at the ceiling.


    "Do you? Because it means we have to stay here longer. Trying to find a loophole could take us weeks, even months. Are you ready for that?"


    I close my eyes for a brief second. This pack holds bad memories, but I can deal with them. Hell, I can even deal with the pack members. It''s easy to ignore them and just go about my business.


    What I find challenging, though, is dealing with the ever-growing mate bond. The bond is designed to grow stronger the longer you stay around your mate. It doesn''t matter whether you are an item or not. It doesn''t matter if you love each other or not. Proximity will bring it to life and strengthen it. It is designed to bring two people together and bind them as one. It will grow stronger and stronger until it gets to a point where fighting it will be futile.


    This is why I wanted Alec to ept


    the rejection This is why I was fighting so hard to get this problem taken care of. Before, I loved Alec of my own free will, and that was okay. Now things are different, because I don''t feel the same way. If y don''t


    get this situation under control, the bond will force us together. That isn''t fair to either of us.


    "Sadie?"


    "Yes, I understand what that means, but we don''t have a choice. I can''t let children suffer because of what their Alpha and some of the adults did to me. They deserve a worry-free life."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    I push myself up into a sitting position. It was risky staying here, but what choice did I have? If I werepletely heartless, I would have left without looking back or thinking twice, but I am not. My heart won''t let me abandon these kids.


    "Good," she says, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "Because I don''t think we are dealing with just any normal supernatural being."


    I honestly didn''t think there was anything more to it, but I should have. Raven wouldn''t have revealed everything to them without first asking me. She simply told them the part they needed to know.


    "What do you mean?" I ask, perking up at her words.


    Just from the way her brows were furrowed and the way she kept nibbling her lips, I knew I was going to dislike this even more than I already did.


    She turns fully and faces me. "I know I said I traced the remnants of the spell used, and I did. It is a confinement spell, like I said."


    I nod my head, urging her to go on.


    "What I didn''t tell the rest is that I also caught remnants of something else. Something evil."


    A shiver runs down my spine as what she says reaches my ears. I can''t help trembling at her words. It''s in the way she voiced those words. It''s in the scared tone she used.


    "So the power used to cast the confinement spell is dark magic? Is that what you are saying?"


    ''Calvin said the same thing about the veiled woman''s powers,'' I think to myself.


    Is it just a coincidence, or is there a connection?


    It all made sense. From the small glimpse Raven got. If this person is as bad as Raven describes them, it would exin why someone went to great lengths to subdue and confine them.


    Even as her words y in my head, I can''t help but wonder who it is.

 Chapter 0133

    Chapter 0133


    It has been a really stressful day, to say the least, and I can''t wait to go to sleep and just forget about everything, even if it''s for a while.


    After our talk, Raven left to research more about the confinement spell. She hoped that she could ask around among the witches she knew. Hoped she could find something that could help us severe the tether between the spell and the pack without having topletely undo the spell.


    On the other hand, I had gone outside to continue practicing my teleportation. Given this new development, I know that I need to be stronger. Nyx always told me to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. In our case, that is whoever has been imprisoned getting out.


    I lean against the wall and allow the hot water to wash over me. My entire body was tense. I need to let loose and just rx. I need to stop thinking because, at this rate, I''ll end up constantly having a migraine.


    I wish I could take a long bath. Soak my body in the bathtub, but I couldn''t. I am so tired that I''d probably end up falling asleep and then drowning in the bathtub. How tragic would that be?


    I turn off the shower and get out of the cubicle. Wrapping the towel around my body, I step into the bedroom. It''s only as I am looking for something to wear that I realize I forgot my tradition tonight. I forgot to look at my scars in the mirror.


    Shrugging it off, I put on my clothes before getting under the covers. Aspen wasn''t asleep yet, so I pull her into my arms. Her warmth and her scent calm me in a way that nobody else can.


    "Which story do you want me to read for you today?" I ask as she snuggles deeper into my heat.


    I wasn''t able to spend time with her today, but I wouldn''t miss story time for anything in the world.


    When she doesn''t answer, I look down at her. Her lips were turned down, and her brows were pinched in a frown.


    "Aspen, baby, what''s wrong?" I ask worriedly, not liking that she wasn''t happy right now.


    Aspen is usually chill. She''s the kind of child who doesn''t really take anything to heart. She doesn''t stay mad or upset for long. Honestly, she just doesn''t let it bother her. She''s happy in her little world, and she rarely allows anything to upset that little bubble.


    ¡°Did something happen to you? Was someone mean to you?" I continue pushing when she doesn''t say a word.


    "No, mommy," she whispers before her curious eyes lock on to mine. "It''s the sad man."


    "What sad man?" I pretend I don''t know what she''s talking about.


    Thest thing I want and need is my three-year-old daughter asking about her father. A man she has no idea is her father.


    "The one in the field," she whispers. "He-he-he?


    She fumbles with the words, then stops. The frown between her brows deepens. It''s like she''s having a hard time formting her thoughts into words. "Baby?"


    "He was sad. I didn''t like it," she says in a soft voice, almost as if her heart was breaking at the thought of Alec being sad.


    My heart rate starts speeding up as


    the realization of what is happening starts to sink in. Fuck. I was too tired to deal with this, but I had no other option.


    "You didn''t like that he was sad?" I ask, squeezing her body into mine as if that will ward off what''s happening. "Hmm,"es her slow answer. "I wanted to hug him. Make it better, like you do for me. Hugs make everything better."Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "It feels weird in my heart, mommy," she says, rubbing her chest, probably trying to ease the ache there. Instead of answering, I sit up and lean against the headboard before pulling her on top of me. I kiss her forehead and just hold her in my arms.

 Chapter 0134

    Chapter 0134


    You are probably wondering why now. Well, Alec wasn''t there when she was born. So, even though the bond settled in him, it didn''tpletely settle in Aspen. Let''s just say that it was loose. That''s the best term I can give it.


    They have been around each other but never really interacted until today. Just like with mate bonds, familial bonds need eye contact and touch for them to fully settle. It''s even stronger if the pup''s father is an alpha.


    Today, both of those things happened. Aspen unknowingly initiated contact by cupping Alec''s jaw. That and the eye contact between them basically sealed the deal. It sealed the father-daughter bond.


    Even though a familial bond isn''t as strong as a mate bond, they are simr in some ways. Parents can feel the emotions of their children, and vice versa. Aspen is being affected by Alec''s sadness. Just like the way my emotions would affect her.


    She doesn''t understand what''s happening. She doesn''t understand why Alec''s sadness is affecting her. She doesn''t understand why her heart feels weird. She doesn''t understand that a new bond clicked into ce today.


    We''ve never had a discussion about her father. In my defense, I never thought I''de across Alec again. Plus, she''s only three. She never asked. I knew that would change when she got older, but I''d vowed not to think about it and to cross that bridge when we got there.


    We remain silent, and minutester, Aspen''s body grows heavy. I sneak a peek at her to find her soundly asleep. Gently, I pick her up and ce her on her side of the bed before covering her with the nkets.


    Since we will be staying here for a while, maybe I should ask Alec to assign her her own bedroom. She''ll be morefortable sleeping in her own bed.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    Switching off the lights, I close my eyes. It takes a while, but eventually I do fall asleep. Only, it wasn''t peaceful at all.


    ***


    It was a cold and chilly night. There was no star in sight, and the moon had turned red. Red because the moon goddess, for the first time, bled. Everywhere I looked, I saw nothing but chaos and destruction. The scent of death coated the air; it''s pungent.smell burned my nostrils, Tears coated my cheeks as I cried for all that we had lost. The pain ate at me. The lives that had been lost tore my heart into a thousand pieces. Why did she do this? Why did she choose this path?We tried everything, but even with our allies, they were still too strong. Or maybe I am just weak. She has always said that I am weak. That my goodness, made me


    vulnerable. Made me soft and spineless. Maybe that''s why we lost so badly. If only I''d been better. If only I''d been stronger, but I believed that violence didn''t solve anything. I believed love was the answer. Now, looking at the blood-drenched ground, I''m starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, she was right.


    "Please stop this." I beg her. I was kneeling on the cold, hard ground, my eyes firmly fixed on my blood-soaked hands. "You''ve won. It''s enough."


    Her hands grab my chin in a painful grip. I couldn''t see her face, but deep down, I knew her. I knew who she was.


    "Stop?" she sneers. "This is just the beginning. I want everything. I want to rule both the heavens and the earth.¡±


    She was the opposite of me. While my clothes and wings were white hers were ck. Theplete opposite, yet formed from the same cloth. Looking at her, I wonder how she has fallen so far."


    Come on, love." His cold voice sends a shiver down my spine. "We have things to do. Get rid of her."


    "Goodbye," she whispers, but I see no remorse in her eyes. The love that was once there no longer exists. "You should have joined us when you had a chance."


    With thosest words, she plunges her sword deep into my chest.

 Chapter 0135

    Chapter 0135


    A freezing, wet, and hard surface is underneath me. This isn''t like the soft mattress I slept on a couple of hours ago. I want to continue sleeping for a little while, but it''s unbearable. I try to shift, hoping I will getfortable, but it doesn''t work. Small, hard things press into my skin, increasing my difort.


    Giving up, I reluctantly open my eyes. Is a little bit more of sleep too much to ask for?


    The moment my eyes are open, I jolt upward. This isn''t my fucking bedroom? Where the hell am I?


    I scan the area in confusion. The sight of trees shrouded in fog greets me. It''s early in the morning. Maybe around six in the morning, but I couldn''t be


    sure.


    I know that I am still in packnds because I can sense the patrolling team. I just don''t know which part of the forest I am in.


    The chilly morning wind blows, making me shiver at its coldness. It''s only then that I realize I am butt naked.


    On unsteady legs, I get up, my mind swirling in confusion. I clearly remember going to sleep right next to Aspen after our talk, so what the hell am I doing here?


    I rack my brain trying to find the hidden answers, but Ie up empty. I have no memory of what happened or how I got here in the first ce.


    My heart starts racing at the possibilities. Did I sleepwalk here? But I don''t have a history of sleepwalking, and I doubt it starts suddenly out of nowhere. That also doesn''t exin why I am naked in the first ce.


    I am a bit disoriented as I try to get my bearing. I mean, it''s not every day you go to sleep and wake up naked in the forest.


    I stumble as I begin to walk while trying to get my stupid brain to function. Sniffing the air, I smell the scent of the pack and use it as my beacon. I could use my teleportation power, but I am afraid that, with how disoriented I am, I''ll end up somewhere else. It is better to avoid it.


    "Nyx?" I call her, but she doesn''t respond.


    She''s been MIA since yesterday. I tried getting in touch with her after Raven''s revtion, but she wouldn''t answer me. Even when I did more training in the afternoon, she was still not present.


    I was beginning to get worried. She does do a disappearing act once in a while, but usually she tells me when she wants time away from me. "Nyx," I call again desperately. "Come one, I really need you."


    Once again, I get no answer, which just frustrates me more. I''m confused and scared, and for some weird reason, I feel like crying.


    I feel like a failure. Like I failed someone or some people. My heart feels heavy with feelings I can''t describe. I was okay yesterday. Sure, I was stressed and worn out, but that was the extent of it. I didn''t feel like my heart was weighed down like it was right now.


    The feeling of helplessness and hopelessness engulfs me. Washing over me. Drowning me in its tight and unwanted embrace.


    What the hell is happening to me? Why the fuck do I feel this way?


    I continue stumbling through the forest, my mindpletely focused on getting to the pack house.


    I keep going, using the trees to hold myself up. My head was killing me, but that was the least of my problems. Finally, I break through the forest, stumbling into the field just behind the pack house.


    I heave a sigh of relief, knowing I wasn''t that far. Now that I am in trouble, I see the urgency Nyx had. The urgency for me to learn how to use my powers. It would have been so easy to fly back here. Hell, it would have been easy to teleport had Ipletely mastered it.


    I increase my pace. The urge to get to my room, familiar space, is riding me hard. I''m careful not to stumble and fall because that would only push me behind. Maybe Raven can help me figure out what the hell


    is wrong and what happened


    between the time I went to sleep and


    woke up.


    I bump into a brick wall. I almost fall, but a set of iron grips catches me before I do.


    "Woah! Careful," his voice startles me.


    I push my hair out of the way and look up, only to find Alec''s green eyes staring at me in confusion.


    I jump away from him when I feel the bond start to pull me in and draw me to him.


    Big mistake. I forgot I was naked.


    His eyes move from my eyes to my body. They start from my shoulders, then move down. They linger a bit on my chest before moving further down.


    I am frozen as his eyes hungrily take in my naked body. I see it in his eyes. I see the heat that is hidden there. The struggle in them as he fights for


    control. This is what the bond does. It makes you lose your senses.


    Alec is fighting it''s push. It''s craving. He is fighting to stay in control. He''s fighting to stop himself from pulling me into his arms and fucking me like the bond demands it does. The bond is designed to make him dominant while making me submissive to him as my mate. The first time between mates is usually the male dominating the female into submission by fucking her till both of them are unable to walk properly.


    His fists clench and unclench. His jaw tightens as his eyes keep shifting colors. He''s struggling, and his heated gaze is starting to affect me.


    I start walking back. Trying to put as much space between us as possible. This can''t happen between us. One, because we don''t really want each other, and two, because it would be a big mistake.


    "Sadie?" his voice calls me, stopping me in my tracks.


    He starts moving, closing the distance between us. I am just about to turn and flee when a sharp pain fills my head.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    The dream I had at night fills my head. It felt so real. So fucking real.


    I drop to my knees as a scream is torn out from me. Tears fall down my face as the weight of loss settles inside me like lead. The anguish of failing and failing everyone that depended on me shatters me.


    The pain intensifies right before everything goes ck.


    It was just a dream, a nightmare, so why did it feel so real?

 Chapter 0136

    Chapter 0136


    Alec


    Sadie''s scream has me freezing in my tracks, not sure what the fuck was going on. One minute she bumped into me, looking confused as hell, and the next she was clutching her head and screaming.


    She stops screaming her lungs out, and before she can hit the ground, I catch her.


    "Sadie?" I shake her, but I get no answer from her.


    Her eyes were closed. Her longshes fanned her rosy cheeks. This close to her, I can see tiny freckles spread across her nose. Howe I never noticed them before?


    "Sadie?" I call again. "Come one, wake up?"


    She doesn''t.


    Gently picking her up, I rush her to the pack hospital. Something is wrong. The way she clutched her head in pain a few minutes ago was a dead giveaway that something isn''t right.


    I kept my eyes forward. Doing all I can to make sure I don''t stare at her very naked and soft body. Sadie had curves. Something I didn''t realize I liked until I saw her standing in front of me.


    Usually, I''d go for the slim, with long legs and tiny boobs. Sadie is around five feet, five inches tall, meaning I tower over her. Her breasts aren''t'' tiny and aren''t big. They were perfectly in-between. Probably a C-cup, if I were to guess. She had a small waist that gave way to perfect curvy round hips... And then the juncture between her hips.


    I stop myself and push those thoughts away. Gritting my teeth against the sparks from the bond, I forge forward, busting into the hospital.


    "Alpha," a nurse rushes to me before bowing down in respect.


    "I don''t know what''s wrong with her," I grit out. "She just fainted."


    She looks at Sadie curiously before her eyes focus above mine. "Don''t worry, I''ll get the doctor to look at her."


    The moment she goes to take Sadie from me, a growl leaves my lips, surprising both of us. I''m caught off-guard by how fierce and protective I suddenly am.


    "I''ll get her to the doctor myself,¡± I hiss. "Show me the way."


    She quickly nods before scrambling to lead the way. Her steps are quick and fast, as if she''s trying to get away from my imposing aura.


    "You have to admit that having her in our arms feels amazing," Knox whispered softly.


    It does. It fucking does, but how can I admit it? Just a few weeks ago, I was still in the ''Hate Sadie'' band. A few weeks ago, I would have killed her without a second thought. A few weeks ago, I was convinced that I was still in love with L.


    Now she''s my mate. The bond is pushing and pulling us together. Making me crave her in ways I never thought possible.


    ¡°Things with her feel different,¡± Knox continues, oblivious to the tension inside me. "The mate bond between us is stronger than it was with L." "Maybe because L wasn''t our real mate," I supply sarcastically.


    We get to the room and I cut off the mind link before cing Sadie on the bed.


    "Doctor Willson will be here in a minute," she says, while covering Sadie with a sheet.


    I didn''t like that she''s in this state. I didn''t like that my mate was suffering, and I couldn''t do anything about it... which, by the way, is hypocritical of me given the suffering she went through at my hands.


    I watch her. My eyes refused to leave her face, even for a second. These past few weeks have been so confusing. I don''t know what to do with Sadie. I don''t know what the fuck to do with what''s happening to us.


    It''s driving me crazy that the bond is so much in control. Knox is right; it wasn''t this strong or hard with L I guess that''s why I fell for her. The bond wasn''t pushing me to be with her. It wasn''t riding us to the point of insanity. I fell for her without the influence of the bond. With Sadie,


    things are different. Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    The bond is pushing things between us. How the hell are we supposed to know whether what we feel is actually real or influenced by the bond? I know that as mates we are supposed to give in to the bond, and I probably would have if things weren''t a mess between us.


    My mind is torn between thinking about the pack and about Sadie and Aspen. No one else even registers. Not even Piper.


    That''s why I was out this early in the morning. I couldn''t fucking sleep. I needed to clear my head, so I went on a run.


    For as long as I can remember, everything has always been about the pack. About the curse. Piper had it easy with our parents because she had no responsibility towards the pack. For me, things were different.


    From the time I was ten, I remember my dad telling me that breaking the curse was my responsibility. That it was up to me to save the pack. Even though he knew the prophecy, he still pushed me to find another way to break the curse. He would always tell me that I didn''t have to wait for my mate toe and save the pack.


    My days were spent in the library trying to find solutions, while others my age yed and were allowed to just be kids. I had this huge weight already ced on my shoulders. My conversations with my dad were always about that fucking curse. That is all he was ever interested in.


    ¡°What do we have here?" Doctor Willson''s voice pulls me away from the troubling memories.


    It''s been so long since I''ve thought about them.


    "Could you please check her. She just fainted. I don''t know what happened," I tell him as hees to stand near Sadie''s bed.


    He nods his head and begins checking her. It takes a couple of minutes but when he is done, he turns to face me.


    ¡°So far, there is nothing wrong, I can tell." He informs me.


    "She screamed before fainting," I point out, because his diagnosis didn''t satisfy me.


    "That can be due to many causes. We will have to wait for her to wake up before we can get more information."


    "She also seemed disoriented," I add.


    I wanted to argue. I mean, I know we werewolves do go for runs. It''s normal. What is not normal is showing up dirty and confused. Sadie looked like she didn''t know what the hell had happened.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "Is she a sleepwalker?" he asks, his eyes shifting from me to Sadie''s still form.


    "Not that I know of."


    "Like I said, Alpha, we will have to wait for her to wake up. I need more information from her before I can do anything. From what I can tell right now, she just seems exhausted, and more rest will be good for her."


    I sigh before nodding my head. This is Doctor Willson. Our pack''s best doctor. If he says there is nothing he can do for now, then that''s true.


    "Clean her up and get clean clothes for her," I instruct the nurse, and she rushes to do mymand.


    I could have left; she was now safe, but for some reason I decided to take a seat on the chair next to her bed. All the while fighting the need to hold her hand.

 Chapter 0137

    Chapter 0137


    "She''s beautiful, isn''t she?" Knox pops in my head, annoying me the fuck out.


    ¡°Will you just shut the fuck up?" I growl, but it does nothing to avert his attention from Sadie.


    I''ve been here for thest forty or so minutes. My eyes barely moved from her face. It''s like, no matter what I do, I just can''t pull my focus from her.


    The need to smooth down her hair and touch her is so strong that I have to clench my fist just so I don''t give in to the strong need. One that goes beyond my understanding.


    Sure, we were taught about mate bonds, but no one ever mentioned just how strong it would be. Just how powerful it would be.


    "Mate bonds between alphas and their Lunas are usually stronger than those of average wolves," Knox informs me.


    "And you didn''t think to tell me this before?"


    "It never came up," he answerszily. "Though I should have figured it out with L when the bond didn''t feel that strong. I was so smitten by her wolf that I failed to notice that major detail.¡±N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I breathe out, trying to hide my frustration and bitterness. Had I known this before, maybe I would have questioned things with L. Had he been keener, maybe we would have avoided the mess we are in right now.


    I can''t really me him, though. Just like him, I was so smitten with L that I could barely see straight. I barely thought straight.


    "Has her wolf reached out to you?" I ask, needing something to do other than stare at Sadie like a damn creep.


    "No, I did try to, but she told me to fuck off," he murmurs, clearly not happy with the fact that his mate told him off.


    "It''s not anything the human counterpart hasn''t told us thousands of times."


    "True, but I thought her wolf would be more agreeable, since they usually are."


    Female wolves are built to submit to the mate bond and their mates. They rarely go against what the mate bond or their mates desire. The fact that Sadie''s wolf was able to deny Knox shows just how strong she is.


    "At least tell me you got her name?"


    "Nope," he says, popping the P. "She told me to piss off when I asked."


    Why am I not surprised? I should have guessed it; given how strong of a personality Sadie has, I shouldn''t have expected anything less from her wolf.


    "I like that she''s feisty," Knox says after a while. "It will make it more enjoyable to tame her and make her submit."


    I don''t say anything because, from what I''ve seen so far, I doubt anyone can ever tame Sadie. No one can make her submit. If she does ever submit, it will be because she wants to, not because she has to.


    I don''t say anything because I know Knox. He''s a stubborn fucker. He won''t easily ept that Sadie''s wolf won''t submit to him.


    The door opens and Jason pops his head in.


    "I was told I could find you here," he says, entering the room. His eye moves from me to Sadie and back again. "What happened?"


    "I don''t know," I answer. "I just bumped into her after my morning run, and she fainted."


    The nurse had washed and changed Sadie long ago. She is now clean and in a hospital gown.


    "What did the doctors say?"


    I exined everything the doctor said. When I am done, we sit in silence for a little bit.


    My eyes are drawn to her cheek. A ce I''ve been trying to avoid looking at since the day the truth came out.


    The scar is still there. Still visible. I did a wonderful job making sure that it''ll never disappear. I cut it deep enough to know that it would leave a scar. When I did that, I wanted to mark her as a traitor to her alpha. I wanted her to be reminded of what I did to her. To be reminded of my


    hatred for her.


    It worked. The scar is there, and it''s ring usingly at me. Unlike what other females would do, Sadie doesn''t try to hide it underneath heaps of makeup. She wears it like a brand.


    My heart constricts. I clench my hands against the wave of emotions. I did this to her. I did this to my mate. I may not have known the truth when I scarred her face, but now I do, and it guts me.


    It shakes my soul that I hurt my mate in the cruelest way possible. The torture, the beating, the insults. Everything crashes onto me like a big boulder. I feel crushed as the weight of what I did to my own mate shatters me.


    Fuck, I am not an emotional person, but right now I feel like curling up in a fucking ball and crying like a baby.


    ??? ????


    I continue staring at her. Knox is right; she''s damn beautiful. How the hell did I not notice it before? Why did I look down on her? Why did I always treat her like she was insignificant? Was it because she was an omega and I thought there was nothing she could offer? After all, alphas are usually mated to higher-up females. Content belongs


    to


    So many regrets. I was drowning in them. Drowning in the fact that if I had just questioned things, right now we would have been happy. We would have been a family. My mate wouldn''t hate me and my daughter would know who I am.


    "Alec?"


    I turn when Jason''s voice prates my fog. I sag against the chair, feeling the weight of my failures and regrets on my shoulder.


    "I''de to let you know that Piper has arrived," he says, but his words take a while to sink in.


    Everything is a mess and I don''t have anyone to me.


    I stand up. "Let''s go."


    Jason follows suite, and we cross


    the room. I give Sadie onest look. This is the most peaceful I have


    seen her since I found her. I knowet


    that I am partly responsible for her troubles. For her unrest. I know she hates being here and being around me. It bothers me more than I care to admit.

 Chapter 0138

    Chapter 0138


    "What about the warrior? I know I charged Micah with them, but have they arrived?" I ask Jason as we walk side by side.


    I fist my hand in an attempt to suppress the pull of the bond. Every fiber of my being was against leaving Sadie.


    "No, but it won''t be much longer. An hour or so," Jason answers before stopping.


    I halt in my steps and turn to look at him, wondering why he stopped.


    "Is something wrong?" he asks, his eyes looking at me in worry. "You seem tensed."


    I grit my teeth against the need and pull to turn around and go back to Sadie''s room. I honestly don''t understand why this is happening. Why is it bing so hard? Is it because we are in close proximity?


    The need to be around her has gotten stronger since we came back here. It feels like my entire being is being consumed by this need. The need to be near her, as if she''s the very air I breathe.


    "Nothing; let''s just go," I tell him, and I begin walking once again.


    Every step I take away from her feels heavy. Like my feet have been filled with lead. My body is screaming against me leaving, especially when my mate is in a delicate state. It''s as if the very fabric of my being is fighting against me. Against walking away from this hospital.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    We get outside, and I rush to get away from the suffocating atmosphere. I quicken my steps, hoping that the need to stay will ease if I can just put some distance between me and Sadie.


    "Will you slow down?" Jason''s pants, trying to catch up with me.


    I don''t stop, though. He can either hurry up or stay behind. Right now, it''s none of my fucking business.


    Within minutes, I am pushing the door to the pack house open. Nothing and no one register in my head as I make my way towards my office.


    I open the door to my office only to find Piper seated in one of my chairs.


    "Alec!" she breathes in a relieved tone. She jumps on me, hugging me tightly as if we''d not seen each other in years.


    I hug her back before stepping away from her. I round my desk and drop down on my chair. It wasn''t even mid-morning, and I was already exhausted.


    Is this how it''s going to be? Constantly fighting against the mate bond? It''s tiring and frustrating. I honestly don''t know how long I can keep up with it. "Hi, Piper. How was your trip?" I lean against my chair just as Jason walks in.


    The pull is still there, but it has dulled. It isn''t as strong as it was back in the hospital. The mate bond is still buzzing, though.


    Its energy is there. It''s hard to


    exin how feels, but it''s like every cell in my body is buzzing with an electric current or something. I never felt this way with L. Sure, I could feel the bond, but it wasn''t this all-consuming. I never once felt like my entire being was being lit up.


    ¡°Alec?¡± Her voice interrupts my thoughts.


    I shake my head in an attempt to bring my focus back to the present. My mind is consumed with nothing but thoughts of my mate. Damn, this is so different from what I experienced with L.


    I have alpha friends who found their mates long before I did. They used to talk about how it felt to find their fated. I once found it odd that I didn''t feel the same with L, but I was so in love with her that I pushed those doubts away.


    Looking back now, I realize that it''s because of that love that I made excuses and believed in them. Aside from being in love with L, I was in desperate need of the cure to the curse. I made myself believe that once we marked each other, the bond would grow stronger.

 Chapter 0139

    Chapter 0139


    "Alec, is there really a need for Calvin to stay in the dungeon?"


    I sigh once again as Piper''s voice pulls me from my thoughts.


    "You know I can''t," I reply, taking in a deep breath. "He plotted against me; that''s a crime that can''t go unpunished."


    "B-but what he did led you to your true mate and stopped you from taking an impostor as a mate. That has to mean something," she tries to reason, her desperation clear in her eyes.


    "It doesn''t work that way, Piper. He conspired against an Alpha and his actions led to a sequence of events that nearly destroyed Sadie''s life. Imagine if Sadie had actually died three years ago."


    Her eyes fill with tears. She''s my sister and I know her. I know her. I know that, despite the truth of my words, she''s determined to save her mate.


    "Please, Alec. You have your mate, and you know how strong the bond is. It''s stronger for me because Calvin has already marked me. I can''t see him suffer. I just can''t."


    My heart constricts at the pain in her eyes, but there is nothing I can do. Calvin connived with another to drug an alpha. That isn''t a small crime. Besides, Sadie deserves justice.


    I know it''s not enough to undo everything I did to her, and Calvin isn''t wholly to me for the torture I put her through, but at least she deserves to get some form of justice.


    "I know, Piper, but I can''t and won''t allow it." I tell her this time with authority. "Calvin has to pay for his crimes. Sadie paid for a crime she didn''tmit. Do you think it''ll be fair to her to let Calvin go scot-free?"


    She goes to say something, but I interrupt her.


    "Besides, Sadie is now an alpha, and this is as much her decision as it is mine. She has the right to decide what to do with Calvin, given that his actions had the biggest impact on her."


    She slumps in her seat in defeat. She knows what I said is the truth. Being an alpha gives Sadie the right to make decisions concerning what to do with Calvin. That is something I refuse to take from her after everything else I have taken from her.


    "What will happen to him?" she whispers.


    "I don''t know," I answer. "It''s mainly up to Sadie, but for now, he''ll stay in the dungeons until a sentence has been made."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    This time, she doesn''t stop the tears from falling. They run down her cheeks freely. I hate seeing her in pain. I hate seeing her like this, but I just can''t do anything concerning this matter.


    I can''t, and won''t take this away


    from Sadie. I know it will not absolve


    me from my own mistakes, but t won''t make things difficult for her. I


    won''t stand in the way of her getting


    justice.


    I love my sister and would do anything for her. Anything but this. Anything but releasing Calvin from the dungeons. She needs to understand that what he did didn''t just affect me.


    ¡°Is there really nothing you can do?" she asks, her words breaking as she says them.


    I sigh. I feel like we are going around in circles now, and it''s beginning to frustrate me.


    "No," I answer "And even if there


    was something I could do, I wouldn''t do it. I know he''s your mate, but you have to understand that his actions made me hurt my mate. It''s because of his actions that I am here in this mess with my mate hating my guts."


    My words make her cry harder. Running my hand down my face, I stand up, about to gofort her, when a scream stops me in my tracks. "Mommy!"


    I hear Aspen''s voice, and she sounds terrified.

 Chapter 0140

    Chapter 0140


    Never in my life have I felt the kind of fear I am feeling right now. I am Alec Ashford. The big bad alpha. Nothing terrifies me. Nothing shakes me. Well, except for the terrified scream of my daughter.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    ¡°Is that Aspen?¡± Piper asks in confusion, her eyes now dry.


    She already knew that the night Sadie and I were drugged resulted in a child. Just like me, she hasn''t interacted with Aspen. On her part, I think it''s mainly because she''s been focused on Calvin, and besides, even if she wanted to get to know her niece, I doubt Sadie would allow it.


    Without giving her or her question a second thought, I get out of my office, rushing towards where her scream came from.


    All kind of thoughts ran through my mind as fear gripped me. What if something bad happened to her? What if she is hurt? What was wrong? Why did she scream?


    My heart felt heavy. My chest felt like it had a boulder on top of it, crushing it. Making it hard for me to breathe. My legs literally carry me as I rush to get to Aspen as quickly as I can.


    "Slow down, Alec," Piper''s voice carries towards me, but it sounds drowned out over the loud beating of my heart.


    I ignore her and continue running. Soon I am out of the back door and outside. I scan the area, looking for any signs of my daughter, but there are none. Sniffing the air around me, I lock in on her scent.


    "Hurry up, she maybe in danger," Knox urges me, his fear feeding me. He is pacing in my head in agitation.


    I swear, if someone has hurt her, there will be hell to pay. I know my pack wouldn''t hurt a kid, especially my child. I didn''t tell them about Aspen, though. I didn''t think there would be a need, given that she looks just like me.


    Knox gives me his strength. Aspen''s scream came from the training arena. I speed there, probably going faster than I''ve ever gone in my entire life. I get there. My heart stops beating for a second when my eyes fall on one of my pack members, gripping Aspen''s hand tightly while shaking her. "Mommy! Help me,"


    Tears fall down her green eyes as she screams in fear. She''s trying to pull her hand away from her but she won''t let her go.


    A growl vibrates from my chest and I see red. My body starts to vibrate as both my essence and that of Knoxbine. I know what is happening. It has happened before when I was furious. Instead of shifting into Knox, we both take control and we do a half-shit, where we are not fully human and not fully wolf.


    Nobody, and I mean nobody, hurts my daughter and gets away with it.


    We were just about to attack when the sky darkened for a while, with lightning cracking. There is a gasp from some of the others who were there when Sadie appears next to Aspen, still in her hospital gown.


    I don''t really know her name, but I know her The bitch has been trying to get me in her bed since L feft me three years ago. She let''s go of Aspen and steps back. Her eyes kept shifting from Sadie to me.


    I take steps forward, walking further into the arena. Closing in on my daughter and mate. Everyone scrambles away, giving me a wide berth don''t care, though. My focus is on my daughter, who is holding tightly to her mother. Still crying.


    "What happened, Aspen?" Sadie kneels down to her level and asks while smoothing down her hair.


    "It hurts, mama," she cries, holding her upper arm.


    I approach them slowly so as not to scare her, given that I am still in my half shift.


    My eyes lock in on the bruise marks on her upper hand. The anger inside me surges to higher heights. I am literally vibrating with the need to tear out her fucking heart.


    "Where does it hurt, baby?" Sadie''s voice is gentle as her eyes scan Aspen''s body.


    "My hand an-and h-head"


    "And where is Martha?"


    "She was taking too long to make b-fast" she answers. "I got bored."


    I assume b-fast meant breakfast. I find it cute how she has shortened the word.


    ¡°Tell me what happened, Aspen," I demand softly, my voice distorted by my half-shift form.


    She turns her head and looks at me. Unlike other kids, who shake in fear whenever they see this form, Aspen doesn''t look fazed. There is no stitch of fear as her eyes collide with me.


    "I wanted to see warriors fight, like in our pack. I didn''t mean to. I bumped into her, and she got angry. I tried apolowg sing but she didn''t let me She hurt my hand. I said sowwy again, but she shake me." Her speech is distorted even more because of her crying.


    "You said sorry?" Sadie asks as if she wants her to be clear.

 Chapter 0141

    Chapter 0141


    Aspen nods her head. "She called me a bad word. She said, My mommy didn''t teach me manners, so she will do it."


    The air turns chilly as both mine and Sadie''s fury fill the air. I could almost taste it. My eyes turn to the said bitch, and she takes a step back. Before I can do anything, the air around us cracks.


    Sadie appears in front of her.


    "Close your eyes, baby," shemands Aspen, who does as her mother told her.


    Lucy must have seen something in Sadie''s eyes because she tried to run away. Before she can even turn, though, Sadie grabs her face, her hands digging into the sides of her face.


    "I''ve never really liked you, Lucy," Sadie begins. So that is her name? "You were always a bitch, but today you took it too far."


    "She was being a brat," Lucy, probably not knowing when to shut her fucking mouth, says.


    ¡°Really, let''s see how you fare when you are up against someone your own size," Sadie says, her tone more menacing than I have ever heard it. She begins to speak, but it''s not in English. Hell, it''s not in anynguage I''ve heard before.


    Lucy starts screaming, clutching Sadie''s hand and trying to pull them from her face. Sadie holds firm as power begins cracking in the atmosphere. Lucy continues screaming, her pain-filled scream echoing through the space. It sends chills down my fucking spine and shivers throughout my body. Blood begins leaking from her eyes, nose, ears and mouth. She gags from the blooding from her mouth, but Sadie doesn''t stop. She continues in that foreignnguage that almost sounds like she''s chanting.


    Finally, she stops. Lucy stills before crumbling to the floor after Sadie lets ''s her go. There is no heartbeat. Sadie killed her, but I can''t really say I me. I was about to do the same.


    "No one hurts my daughter and gets away with it," she warns, addressing those around us as they watched her with wide eye, fear etched on their faces


    I shift back. The good thing about being able to half shift is that I am not naked when I shift back to human. My clothes are torn, but they are still on.


    I step beside ?adie and address those present, Jasona and Piper were here, but this didn''t concern them. "You watched as an adult


    basically bullied a child and did


    nothing. Is this what this pack is about? Would you have stood by if she were your child, a rtive''s, or a friend''s?"


    No one says anything. They all drop their heads to look at the ground in shame.


    "Look at me!" I demand, and they lift their heads. "This shouldn''t have happened. Not just because she''s an Alpha''s child, but because she''s simply a child. You are adults; you had the chance to stop Lucy, but none of you did."


    Shock gasps fill the area as they finally learn about Aspen''s true parentage. Fear clouds their eyes as they realize they just allowed their Alpha''s daughter to be bullied.


    "Each one of you that was present is going to face me in the ring for forty minutes. That will be your punishment, and trust me when I say that I won''t go easy on any of you... You are dismissed."


    The ring is as its name suggests. It''s


    a circle in the middle of the arena. We have our matches there. A match ends when one of the opponents taps in surrender. This time, won''t be giving those twelve pack members that option, they


    won''t be able to surrender. Not until I


    am done with them Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    I watch as they swallow, because they know what this means. They scramble to leave, but soon enough, they''ll be back here to face their punishments.


    Once they are gone, I turn to Sadie, who has Aspen in her arms. She had stopped crying and was resting her head on Sadie''s shoulder with her eyes closed.


    I want so badly to touch her, and hold her, but I stop myself. I was already on Sadie''s shit list; I didn''t want to make it worse.


    "I''m sorry for what happened. I swear it won''t happen again," I promise, through gritted teeth, disappointed in those twelve pack members.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "It better not, Alec or this," she points to Lucy. "Will be a regr urrence."


    I nod my head. Without another word, she turns and leaves with our daughter. Aspen snaps her eyes open. She gives me a small smile and a wave before closing her eyes again.


    My heart swells at the action. I


    ???


    watch them walk away and it tugs something inside me. I want them in my life. I want them so badly, it hurts. so I make a promise to myself to fix things between me and Sadie. Even if she won''t ept me as a mate, at least I am hoping to be in Aspen''s life.

 Chapter 0142

    Chapter 0142


    Sadie


    Thest thing I remember was having Alec''s burning eyes on me. That and the intense pain I felt. Pain that left me feeling like my head was being split wide open. That was before everything disappeared, and I fell into a pitch-ck hole of nothingness.


    I felt nothing. I saw nothing. I was just existing in whatever dreamnd I was in. despite everything being dark, I was at peace. It was a kind of dreamless, peaceful sleep. One that I needed given that I had not been sleeping well.


    I honestly don''t know what woke me up. I just remember feeling the need to wake up. The need to protect. My eyes then snapped open, and I teleported. I was confused and disoriented, that is, until I materialized in the fighting arena and saw Lucy shaking my baby girl like a rag doll.


    I''ve always hated that bitch. It''s not like my crush on Alec was a secret. She was one of my biggest bullies and would use the fact that I loved Alec to torment me. She would rub it in my face that Alec had fucked her multiple times. She would describe detail by detail what she and he did between the sheets, enjoying the fact that she was shredding my heart into pieces.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    I hated those moments. I hated hearing her tell me how Alec was good in the sack, but I would never get to find out because he wouldn''t even look at me with a blind fold on. It hurt and tormented me because I couldn''t understand what Alec saw in her. I didn''t understand what she had that I didn''t. What made him want a bitch like her, but not someone like me.


    Of course, I wanted more from him. I didn''t want to be treated like a whore. After all, everyone knows that Lucy got around... But I just didn''t get what he saw in her. After he found L, whatever used to be between them stopped because Lucy never mentioned anything about her and Alec, but she would still rub it in my face that L was his mate and I wasn''t.


    Apart from her hurtful words, there would be the asional tripping me with her foot or bumping my shoulders too hard. There were snide remarks about my body and weight. I''d epted that I would never be model thin, and I was okay with that. I just hated it that she body-shamed me. It''s not a bad thing to be curvy.


    When I was imprisoned, she was one of my regr visitors. I hated her visits because she would onlye to taunt me. She didn''t usually hurt me physically, but I don''t know which is worse. Physical torture or emotional torture.


    Seeing her hurt my little girl made me wonder what Alec ever saw in the bitch. She was nothing but a viper. Maybe her pussy was a pot of honey, and he felt like he''d reached a kind of heaven. I don''t know, but I''ll never understand.


    I am not terrible, though, no matter how much I despise her. That''s why I asked Aspen what happened. Aspen can''t lie to save her life. Once I''d gotten my answers, it was game over.


    I don''t know what happened; something just snapped inside me. Even as I watched her die, very painfully, might I add, it was like I was there but at the same time I wasn''t. I didn''t feel bad for killing her. I needed to make an example out of her. Anyone who dared to hurt Aspen would end up the


    same.


    "Does it still hurt?" I ask Aspen as I am pulled from my thoughts by her whimpers.


    "A little," she yawns.


    "How about I apply some ointment, we get some breakfast, then we take a nap?"


    "It''s still morning, mama; naps are for noon," she says in amusement, as if I''ve said the most ridiculous thing ever.


    "You can have naps any time of the day, baby... You are yawning."


    I hold her tighter, her baby scent calming me in ways that I can''t exin. Peace washes over me as I feel her tiny body press against mine. "I''m tired," she answers with another yawn.


    Aspen rarely cries, but when she does, she usually needs a small nap afterwards. For some weird reason, it drains her, leaving her tired. "Breakfast first, then we can get a nap."


    I head to the kitchen, where we find Martha. She turns and freezes, her eyes bulging out in shock and horror.


    "Oh, Hecate, what happened to you?" She rushes over, her eyes trained on Aspen''s arms.


    I quickly exin to her what happened. When I am done, her brows are drawn down in a frown, wearing an apologetic look.


    "I''m really sorry, Sadie. I should have


    taken better care of her. I wanted to finish with breakfast first, and I forgot that we weren''t in our pack where no one would harm her. hated seeing her like this. She was ming herself for something that was out of her control.


    ¡°It''s okay. We both know how adventurous Aspen is. You can''t limit her movements; even if you want to, she can''t stay put."


    Martha nods her head, but I can still see it in her eyes. She''s still ming herself. She''s still carrying the weight of Aspen getting hurt.


    ¡°Is breakfast ready? I am starving." I ask, trying to distract her and get her mind off the topic.


    Martha serves our breakfast, and the


    three of us eat in silence. It was


    difficult to get Aspen to eat


    nov


    something since she kept dozing off. By the time she waspletely knocked off, she had taken something, though not much.


    .n


    I stand and carry her, leaving Martha to clean up after us. Climbing the stairs, I head off to our room. I was still tired fromck of sleep and whatever I''d been doing the previous night. Just like I''d said, I was


    nning to also take a nap.


    ¡°Sadie?¡± I hear her call just as I walk into our room.


    "Nyx? Where the hell have you been?"

 Chapter 0143

    Chapter 0143


    "What?"


    I put Aspen down on the bed before covering her. Then I turn and just stare at the wall, in utter shock. I can''t believe her. I honestly can''t. She''s been gone since yesterday, and that''s all she can tell me? That''s all she can utter?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "What do you ''what?""


    "Why are you in a hospital gown?" She asks her own question, dodging mine. It''s only then do I realize that I was in it.


    I didn''t even know that I was in a hospital gown until she mentioned it. What the hell? Did something happen again? Or did Alec take me to the pack hospital when I lost consciousness? After all, he was thest person I was with when the pain from hell assaulted me.


    That was the most likely possibility, but I still found it weird. I still found it impossible to believe. I mean, this is the Alec we are talking about. The same man who tortured me and almost killed me. Then again, he does need me, so of course he would take me to the hospital to make sure I was okay.


    Sighing, I shake my head to free it from thoughts of Alec.


    "That''s not important," I answer, knowing well that she was trying to deflect.


    "Where were you?"


    "You know, just around," she answers vaguely.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me, Nyx. That''s all you can say? That''s not a damn answer."


    I stand up and start pacing. Something very weird happened to mest night and Nyx was nowhere to be seen. Shees back this morning as if she didn''t just disappear on me. What the hell?


    "Well, it is and it''s all you''re going to get," she huffs and says. "Besides, I am not a child. I don''t have to tell you what I do and don''t do."


    I can''t help it. I hiss at her so pissed with her attitude. I am tired of her damn secrets. Tired of her keeping things from me and thinking it''s okay. We are supposed to be one, yet I feel like we are two different beings because she''s keeping things from me. Whatever affects her affects me; why can''t she get that?


    "Nyx," I growl


    Her hackles rise and she snarls back at me. "Why can''t you just leave it alone? I told you I''d exin things when the time is right."


    "And when is that, hmm? After another three damn years?" I spit, my hands balled into fists by my sides.


    She sneers, her eyes narrowing into slits and her lips pursed into a thin line. "You''ll know when I feel you are ready, even if you''ll have to wait a hundred years for that to happen, Sadie."


    "This isn''t funny anymore. I''ve let you get away with this for too long. You need to tell me what the hell is happening," I demand, my voice turning dangerously low.


    I am on edge. I am a mess. I am nervous. Every day that we get new revtions makes me go into a panic. I feel like I am going crazy with everything that has been revealed and now this? This sleepwalking.


    Instead of answering me, Nyx gives me a mocking smile before she brings up her mental barrier and shuts me off, blocking me from having ess to her.


    I''m about to scream in frustration when I remember that Aspen was soundly asleep.


    That stubborn wolf. What the fuck was her problem? It wouldn''t kill her to just tell what was going on, would it?


    I breathe in, then out. In, then out. I am trying my best to stay calm. To rx. I can''t lose my shit now, but it was getting hard to hold on.


    I was just beginning to calm down when there is a knock on my door. I know it''s Raven because of her scent.


    "Come in," I call out while casting an eye on Aspen to make sure she doesn''t wake up.


    The door opens and Raven walks in. She closes the door slowly before casting me a look.


    "You look like shit," she mutters, and I roll my eyes at herment.


    Twisting my lips, I reply sarcastically, "Thanks."


    "What''s with the hospital gown?"


    Sighing, I flop down on the bed and tell her everything. After all, apart from King and Nyx, she''s the only one I can talk to. The only ones I can share my troubles and worries with.


    "Let me get this straight: you went to bed with Aspen and woke up naked in the forest?" she asks, her eyes narrowing. If it were anybody else they wouldn''t have believed. For someone who doesn''t sleepwalk, it sounds so farfetched.


    "Yes," I said, releasing the breath I was holding, my shoulders sagging in the process.


    "And the previous night, you had a dream of you being killed?"


    "Yeah, it felt so fucking real. Deep down, I knew the woman and the man. I recognized their voices, though couldn''t see their faces. There is also the fact that she Kad


    wings like mine, only that hers were ck."


    UAS


    I still shiver at the reminder of that de entering my body. The pain and betrayal I felt. The cold embrace of death.


    I try to picture the woman''s face in my head, but it was still blurred. I then concentrate on her clothes and wings. That is when it hits me.


    "Shit,¡± I curse, standing up and resuming pacing. This can''t be happening. This isn''t happening.


    "What?" Raven asks, her eyes searching mine.


    "I just remembered," I begin. "Remember when I told you about the other alpha female? The one Nyx told me about?"


    "Hmm," she nods her head, her searching eyes turning curious.


    "Well, she said that the other female is myplete opposite. That her powers are tainted. What if that is


    I


    who I saw in my dream? It would exin the wings, which are simr to mine, and it would exin why they are ck. Maybe they began white just like mine, but when her powers were tainted, they turned ck."


    My heart is racing at the possibility. The exnation sounds so right. It''s like a puzzle piece fitting where it belongs.


    "Sadie?" I face Raven when she calls my name. There is panic and nervousness shadowing her eyes. "What if it wasn''t a dream you had, but a premonition?"


    Shit. Damn it, I hadn''t thought of it in that light.


    I didn''t want to think of it in those terms, but what if Raven is right? What if it''s a premonition? A premonition of what''s toe. A premonition of my death.

 Chapter 0144

    Chapter 0144


    I''ve never really thought about my death. Sure, I''ve experienced losing someone, or specifically my parents, but I have never really thought about my own death. Never thought about what dying would be like.


    Do people really think about dying? Yes, I know there are some who n everything in case something happens to them. There are those that n their burials way before their death... I guess the reason why I never thought about my death is because I can''t bear leaving those I love behind.


    My mind quickly shes to Aspen. I turn and look at her peaceful face as she sleeps. She''s so young and so full of life. I can''t imagine leaving her behind. I can''t imagine not being able to watch her grow.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    My heart grows heavy at the thought. I feel like someone has it in a tight fist, and it''s being squeezed. I can hardly breathe as I think of not being there for her. It brings me physical pain just imagining it.


    Then there is Rave, King, Beth and my pack. I''ve grown attached to them. It''s hard to imagine letting them go.


    "Sadie?" I pull my eyes from Aspen and stare at Raven. She has be more than a friend to me. She has be a sister.


    Like I said, I''ve never thought about my death, but now I have to, because if Raven is right and that wasn''t a dream but a premonition, then it means I''ll probably be dying soon.


    "I don''t like this," Raven says, shaking her head.


    "You can join the club," I say with a sigh.


    Was this how it was meant to be? Was I meant to die this early in life? There is something about knowing something like this. Knowing you might die. It puts you in a certain kind of sour mood.


    "I want to believe that it is just a dream. A bad dream," I begin. "It would make it easier to brush it off, but now..."


    I leave the words hanging as my throat clogs because the words get stuck. I just hate this so much. I wish there was another exnation to it. One that didn''t involve me dying.


    I know why Raven came to that


    conclusion, it''s normal for deities to


    communicate with us through


    dreams. They don''t always sen.


    their messages through oracles. Sometimes theymunicate directly to us through our dreams.


    Once again, I try to get through to Nyx. I am hoping that she will tell me something, anything really. Her walls are still up though. There is no way for me to get through to her when her mental blocks are up.


    Sighing, I sit down on the bed and run my hand through my hair. I feel exhausted. Both mentally and physically. I just wish that things were easier.


    "Don''t stress too much." Raven sits down beside me and takes my hand in hers. She squeezes it reassuringly. "Maybe this is a good thing?"


    I frown and look at her. "How, Raven? How is this a good thing?"


    "If it''s a premonition, then your


    goddess is trying to help you. I think that maybe she''s letting you know what will happen because she wants you to change it. Remember that destinies aren''t always written in


    stone. You can change it." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    My shoulders slump as I think about her words. A glimmer of hope begins to form deep inside my soul.


    "Maybe this is the reason why you had it, so that you can stop it from happening," she finishes.


    I just stare at the wall, thinking it over. Can you really change something like that? Can you really stop death? Where or how will you even start? It sounds easier said than done.


    I let go of Raven''s hand and begin pacing. I was so antsy that it was driving me to the brink of madness. I feel like nothing has gone my way since three years ago. Since I ended up in bed with Alec.


    I had so much going on that I didn''t know where to start or what to do. It was starting to get too much, and I am starting to hate it.

 Chapter 0145

    Chapter 0145


    I stop in my tracks as it suddenly hits me like an over-speeding train.


    "What?" Raven asks, squinting her eyes as I turn to face her.


    "Nyx told me that I need to prepare for what''s toe. That I need to get stronger and learn to use my powers. In my dream, there were dead bodies scattered around and blood soaked the ground. What if Nyx meant war? That I need to prepare for the war that ising?"


    She''s quiet for a while before her eyes widen. "Oh, my goddess. The other woman was there, meaning whatever will happen is between you and her."


    "And for there to be war between us, there must be beef. Which makes me wonder what exactly is going on. Nyx is mum about the whole thing, so I have to try and figure things out on my own." I tell her, trying to keep the panic down.


    Even as I think about things, I can''t help but wonder if something went down between me and the other female... but when I think about it, I don''t really know the woman. How can I have a problem with her or her with me when I don''t even know who she is?


    Unless, like, I''d suspected, Nyx is older than I thought she was, and whatever problem exists is between that other female and Nyx. That is the best exnation. The only one that makes more sense.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    It would also exin why Nyx is insistent on me training and knowing how to use my powers. It would also exin why she always seems to know so much. I swear, the wolf knows more ways to fight than anyone alive should know.


    Then again, if Nyx is older than I had suspected, then it means she probably had another host. What happened to that human? And how old is she exactly?


    "Do you believe in reincarnation?" I suddenly ask, Raven.


    "No, why?"


    "Just wondering about Nyx."


    "Do you think she''s reincarnated?" she asks, her curious eyes studying me.


    "Maybe. I don''t know. I''m not sure."


    I''ve never heard about wolf spirits being reincarnated once their human dies, but what if it does happen? What if Nyx was reincarnated, and was chosen as her human host? What she was reincarnated because of this other female? Because of whatever on-going beef they had, that was never resolved, and she came back to end it?


    wta


    "First, we need to figure out if the dream you had was just a dream or a premonition. If it''s a premonition then we need to figure out how stop it, not only because it showed us your death but also the death of many more."


    Damn it. I''d been so focused on myself that not considered the implication. I wasn''t the only one who died in my dream. There were hundreds. Probably thousands mean, the ground was soaked in blood. You could barely see any spot that wasn''t covered with blood.


    I nod my head.


    "Get some sleep. I''ll see what I can dig up in the pack library," she tells me while giving me a hug. "Don''t worry, we will figure things out like we always do."


    I don''t say anything because my mind is just lost in thought. After she''s gone, I get on the bed and pull Aspen into my arms. I hug her close, afraid of what the future might hold for all of us.


    If this dream is a premonition, then it needs to be stopped. I didn''t see anyone I cared about among the dead, but unfortunately, that doesn''t mean they weren''t there.


    Assuming this is a glimpse of what''s toe, Raven is right. We can change our destiny. The question is, how are you supposed to change something that has probably already been set into motion?

 Chapter 0146

    Chapter 0146


    I wake up with a start, gasping for breath as I sit up on my bed. It takes a while for my brain to start functioning and that''s when I realize that Aspen isn''t next to me where she was when I went to sleep.


    I jump off the bed in panic as I remember what happened earlier. Like I said, Aspen is a free and adventurous spirit. You''ll rarely find her in one ce.


    I start looking for her while trying to stamp down the panic surging inside me. I stop and stand still. My brain must not be working well. I am a damn werewolf; the first thing I should have done was sniff for her.


    Sighing, I finally do that and realize that her scent is faint. Meaning she hasn''t been here for a while. I move to my nightstand and pick up my phone. Checking the time, I realize that I slept for close to five hours. Despite that, I still felt a bit tired.


    I slump down on my bed and take a deep breath. Have you ever felt like you don''t have the energy to do anything? Like, all you want to do is lie down all day and do nothing? That''s how I feel right now. I don''t want to think about anything or do anything. I just want some peace and quiet.


    Despite what happened earlier, I know Alec won''t let it happen again, even if his pack doesn''t heed to my warning. That being said, I still need to know if she''s okay. If only there was a way tomunicate with Martha via mind-link. It would make things a lot easier.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "Sadie?"


    I freeze on the bed, my heart racing when I hear her voice. At first, I am confused and look around my room. Maybe I''d missed something. Maybe she was helping Aspen in the bathroom... Then again, I would have heard the water running. I would have heard something given that Aspen isn''t really a quiet kid.


    "Sadie?" her voicees again, this time making me sit up straight.


    It''s then it hits me that I just heard her voice in my head.


    "Martha?" I waspletely stunned by what was happening.


    "What the hell is going on? How are we able tomunicate like this?"


    I stare at the wall ahead of me, my eyes wide open and my jaw dropped. Her question rings over and over in my head, but I am too stunned to piece the puzzle together.


    This, whatever is happening, should be impossible. Martha is a witch, and I am a wolf. We should not be able tomunicate via mind-link even though I am her alpha.


    "Sadie, what''s going on?" she asks again, confusion filling her voice.


    My hands are shaking. There have been so many changes since Alec rolled back into my life. It''s getting very difficult to keep up with all of them. Some of them, like this current one, should be impossible.


    "Before I answer, is Aspen with you?" I ask, remembering why I wanted to talk to her in the first ce.


    "Yes. I came to your room to get the


    dirty clothes forundry. I found her awake. I didn''t want to wake you up since you looked like you needed some sleep, so I took her with me. Don''t worry, she''s with me, and she''s okay."


    UMS


    I]


    Is it still weird that even though I am literally talking to her right now, I still can''t believe that this is actually happening? It''s almost like I am having an out-of-body experience where I feel I''ve detached from


    myself and the world around me.


    I nod my head at her answer, but then I realize that she can''t see me. See, old habits die hard?


    "It''s okay. I woke up and didn''t find her next to me. I was worried a bit." I finally say, getting my brain to work like it should.

 Chapter 0147

    Chapter 0147


    "But, how is this possible?" she asks, repeating her former question.


    "Honestly, I don''t know. I am not even sure if this is real, or I am still asleep," I reply, getting off the bed and standing up. Running my hand through my hair, I start pacing. It seems I''ve been doing a lot of thattely.


    "It''s not a dream. It''s real," Martha pauses before continuing. "Did something happen before? What were you doing or thinking right before it happened?"


    I take a deep breath and calming breath. Closing my eyes for a bit, I open them before answering.


    "I still felt tired and didn''t really feel like doing anything. I wanted to know where Aspen was, but I didn''t want to leave the room, so I just thought of how easy it would be if I couldmunicate with you through mind-link like I always do with wolves. Minutester, you called my name."


    "Interesting,¡± she murmurs, her voice low and full of curiosity. "I''ve never heard of werewolves and witchesmunicating telepathically. Even among witches, it''s not possible."


    I stop pacing and look at feet. My toes and pink-colored nails stared back at me. I''ve never been a girly girl, but I''ve made some efforts these past few years. Thank the goddess for gel nail polish; otherwise, my polish would have been chipping off by now.


    Maybe what I need is a rxing break. One where I don''t have to think about anything, even if it''s for a couple of hours.


    "Sadie?"


    "Sorry, my mind wandered off for a while there," I tell her softly, getting my mind to focus on the present.


    "Have you told Raven about it?"


    Iugh a little. "I''ve just discovered it, Martha. I haven''t really even had the time to think about it, let alone discuss it with Raven."


    We are both quiet for a while.


    "Don''t tell anyone for now. I''ll reveal this to Raven, but for now no one should know about this. Not until we get more information." Imand, breaking the silence.


    "I won''t utter a single word."


    With that, assuming this works the same as the one between wolves, I cut off mind-link.


    "I see you have discovered one of our many powers." I jump in surprise, my heart racing at Nyx''s unexpected voice.


    I press down a hand on my chest, trying to ease my racing heart. "Nyx, you sacred me."


    "It''s not my fault you are lost in thought," her bright eyes stare at me calmly as if we didn''t have a fight a few hours ago.


    After my heart rate goes back to normal, I speak. ¡°You mentioned something about new powers?"


    "Yes, I''ve been waiting for you toThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    discover it. For us, mind-link


    d to just wolves. You cane even humans." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    My mouth drops open. "You are serious?"


    "Yes"


    "How is that even possible?"


    Her eyes narrow at me suspiciously. It''s not that I was trying to fish for information. I am just curious about how this works.


    "It just is,"es her vague answer.


    I roll my eyes, not surprised by herck of answers. I have to get used to the fact that Nyx won''t tell me anything about what is going on until the time is right. Or untidshe thinks I am ready. Content belongs


    toNovelDrama.Org


    I can''t really control what''s going to happen, but I can control what is happening now. I can choose to focus on what is going on now.


    "Fine," I grumble, yielding to her.


    "You can try it with others. We do


    have


    packe of the vampires from


    off and


    tells me before


    cuts off ourmunication.


    W


    I am not in a hurry, so I decide to put it off for now.

 Chapter 0148

    Chapter 0148


    I stand in the middle of the room assigned to me, not really sure what I should do. Should I sleep a little longer? Should I go to the library and try to find answers? Should I practice my powers?


    I sigh for the hundredth time, undecided about what to do. Just when I am thinking of going back to sleep, my phone rings.


    I walk to the bed where I''d left it and grab it. Seeing King''s name shing, I swipe on the green button and answer it.


    Unlike what most werewolf novels im, Mind-link doesn''t work long distance. You have to be in a certain radius or range for it to work.


    King is such a great man. Sometimes I wonder why he hasn''t yet found his mate. He would make a perfect mate, husband and father. He was tough, but sweet and caring at the same time.


    I also always wonder why the goddess didn''t make him my mate. It''s not that there is anything going on between us. I wouldn''t cross that line knowing that he has a mate out there.


    I was so in love with Alec that I failed to see what a cold bastard he was. Well, unless it came to Piper or L. The rest of the time, I barely felt any warmth from him. I was too stupid to realize that with his coldness and arrogance, he wouldn''t make a good mate for me.


    Sometimes I think I manifested this situation for myself. You know when you want something so bad that you manifest it? That''s what I think happened with Alec. That''s how he ended up being my mate. Knowing what I know now, though, I wish I could reverse it and have someone as my mate.


    "Why aren''t you searching for your mate?" I ask King, instead of a greeting.


    I flop down on the bed, my shoulders slumping as I wait for his response.


    "Hello to you too," he replies sarcastically.


    "Seriously though, King. You should be actively searching for your other half. Why aren''t you?"


    I hear movements in the background


    before he answers. "Because I


    believe in the goddess''s timing. When it''s the right time, everything will fall into ce, and I''ll find her. Until then, though, I will keep waiting and working on myself to be a great mate for her."


    You see what mean? He''s dreamy. The kind of mate any girl would like to have. It also helps that King is really good-looking. Don''t get me wrong, I don''t have a crush on him


    or anything like that. I view him as a brother, but I am just saying.


    "I still think you should look for her. Life is short. You never know," I tell him, feeling a bit mncholy thinking about the dream I had.


    Man, I was a moody bitch. One minute I am okay, and the next I feel like the world is ending.


    He pauses before asking, his voice sounding concerned, "Is something wrong?"


    "No," I jump in and answer quickly. I don''t want him to get worried.


    "Sadie," he growls softly, his tone voicing concern.


    ¡°I promise I am okay. I just feel a bit worn out with everything that''s going on,¡± I say, trying to make an excuse for my earlier behavior. "What is going on exactly?"


    I tell him everything that hasThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    happened and has been discovered since we got here. Well, except for my new power. I need toe to terms with the fact I can


    el


    communicate with anyone before I teffothers about it. Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    He listens tentatively, like he always does. He doesn''t interrupt, waiting for me to finish before he can say anything.


    "That''s a lot to unpack," he begins, sounding a bit stunned.


    He is right, though. It''s a lot to unpack, and we haven''t even been here for a full week. Just thinking about it makes me feel like my head is about to explode. Like my mind can''t take anymore.

 Chapter 0149

    Chapter 0149


    "It is," I say with a sigh.


    "Remember what I told you before you left?" he asks.


    I stay quiet as I try to rack my brain, trying to remember what he told me. After a minute, there is nothing. He said a lot of things.


    "You''ll have to be a bit more specific, King," I tell him, because no matter what I try, I just don''t remember.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "I told you," he pauses, taking in a deep breath. "I felt like some things were going to happen. That going back to Alec''s pack would bring about certain things. Certain changes. I just wasn''t sure what they were."


    It clicks in my mind, and I remember his words. I remember how worried he was on the day we were leaving. I remember how anxious he was. He continues. "That''s why I asked if you were sure about going back."


    It all starts to make sense now. His instance to know if I was ready to go back to Alec''s pack. I didn''t understand him then, but it seems like he sensed something.


    I clench the phone in my hand and then release it before I can break it. "A lot has happened these past few days that I don''t even know where to start or what to do. As much as I wish I coulde back home and bury my head in the sand concerning Alec''s pack, I can''t. Not now that I know the positive effect my presence has had on his people."


    That''s the thing. Every time I think, ''Fuck it, I am going back home,'' I''m reminded of the kids, and my heart softens. Like I have mentioned before, they are the ones keeping me here. They are the reason I am staying.


    With everything that has been revealed, my instincts keep shing red. Keeps telling me to pack my things and run. That things will only get worse and more intense, but i can''t. The young ones in this pack deserve to live a full life. They deserve to have a future.


    ¡°Sadie?¡± King calls, pulling me back to the present.


    I shake my head to rid myself of the thoughts that threaten to drown me.


    6.1.neut


    "You know what? Let''s not talk this. I don''t want to think about what''s going on. I just want to bury my head in the sand, even if it''s for a few hours."


    He is quiet for a while before saying, "I understand. It''s normal to want to escape reality for a while when things get too hard. How are things between you and Alec?"


    "There is nothing between us, and there will never be," I respond, feeling irritated at the mention of his name. "How''s the pack?" I change the topic in the hopes he''ll drop it.


    He fills me in. Not much has happened since we left, but everyone is fine and the pack is doing great even without my presence. I never worried. Not even once. After all, King is just as capable as I am.


    "I have to go. We have training in a few," he went on after filling me in. "Call youter?¡±


    "Definitely"


    ¡°Hang on tight, Sadie. Things will eventually work out." He sounds so full of hope, as if he actually believes it.


    I want to, but haven''t I learned that things don''t always go the way I want them to?


    After we say our goodbyes, I look


    l


    around. There was nothing to do, and I didn''t want to stay here because I''ll continue being depressed. I need a ride. I need to


    get out of this pack, even if it''s just for a while.

 Chapter 0150

    Chapter 0150


    After deciding on my next move, I leave my room and go downstairs. Sniffing the air, I easily locate Micah, so I head towards his direction. He was in his office. In most packs, the beta and gamma had their own offices. Alec''s pack wasn''t any different. I gently knock, and when I hear his voice telling me to enter, I do so.


    "Hi, Micah," I drop down on one of the seats next to his desk.


    He smiles at me, his shining eyes conveying that he is actually happy to see me. "How are you, Sadie?"


    Because of the risk he took in helping me escape the dungeons and the fate that awaited me, I will always respect him. I will always be grateful to him. I will always owe him because both Aspen and I are alive because of him.


    "As good as I can be, given the circumstances," I reply, sinking further into the seat.


    "Is everything okay? Is this about Alec?" he asks, genuine concern clouding his features.


    I sigh. I don''t even have the energy to get irritated at the mention of Alec''s name.


    "Why does everything circle back to Alec?" I ask, my voice a bit frosty. "The world doesn''t revolve around him, you know."


    He doesn''t say anything for a while as he stares at me, almost as if he is studying. I fight to maintain eye contact with him, something I''ve struggled with since I became an alpha.


    I was raised as an omega. That meant that I couldn''t look directly into other people''s eyes. Especially if they were higher up than I was, and that was everyone except other omegas. It was a sign of disrespect to do so, and some even viewed it as a direct challenge.


    When I was elected alpha, I had to fight against the lesson that had been ingrained in me since I was a child. I still struggle with maintaining eye contact, especially in these kinds of situations.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Fine," he concedes. "How then can I help you?"


    I breathe a sigh of relief when he drops the topic. "I need a car to go into town."


    "Done,¡± he replies immediately. ¡°Will you need someone to apany you?"


    "No, I can take care of myself. I''ll be going alone."


    He doesn''t question me about where I am going or what I am going to do. He doesn''t even ask me why I am going alone. Instead, he opens his desk drawer, rummages through it and produces a car key before handing it to me.


    "Since I am not going anywhere, you can use my car," he says, holding out the key for me to take.


    "You know I can use any other car, right? You don''t have to give me yours."


    He gives me a boyish grin, one that transforms his whole face. Among the three of them, which are him, Alec, and Jason, he''s the only one who didn''te out as cold, unfeeling, and downright arrogant.


    "I know, but apart from my friend, you are also an alpha. You deserve to ride in style while staying here."


    I couldn''t help it. I give him a small smile before taking the keys from his hands and standing up. "Thank you, Micah. I promise to return it in perfect shape."


    He waves his hand dismissively. "Even if you crush it, don''t stress. It''s just an object."


    After waving him goodbye, I head to the garage. Pressing the unlock button on the key, a ck Jeep beeps, its lights shing while its side mirrors unfold. I walk towards it, open the door and get in.


    I buckle up and turn the ignition. Before pulling away, I mind-link Martha.


    "I''m going out," I inform her, just in case shees looking for me.


    "You are not taking Aspen with you?" there is surprise in her voice. Probably because I don''t normally leave Aspen behind when I am going somewhere.


    "Yes. I just need some alone time," I reply, while slowly pulling out of the garage. "I''ll be back in a couple of hours."


    "I understand. I''ll keep her busy until youe back. Take care."


    Martha behaved like a mother to us. The way she worried about us left a certain warmth encasing my heart.


    Despite all that happened three years ago, I found people who were able to drive out some of the darkness that almost consumed me.


    "I will," I finally reply, shaking myself from those thoughts.


    Once I get out of the garage and cut off the mind-link, I peel out of the parking lot. Heading for the small city that boarded our pack. When I get to the entrance gates, one look at me, and the guard there opens the gate without a question.


    Humans that lived around us never


    questioned our settlement. They always thought that it was an exclusivemunity for the rich.munity where families were epted only after a thorough background check. They also thought that we were snobs and didn''t like interacting with others, only preferring those within ourmunity.


    Like I said, I didn''t want to think about anything or anyone, so I drive with absolutely no thought in my head. I am an overthinker, so I put all my energy into blocking out my thoughts. I usually overthink things, which usually leads to stressing about them and then finally gives way to a minor depression.


    I put some calming music on and sing along to it until I get to the city. It''s around forty minutes'' drive. I head straight to one of my favorite ice cream shops. It''s one of the ces would go to when I was stressed. I truly believed that getting a brain freeze from eating ice cream relieves stress and cures migraines.


    I park Micah''s car and turn off the ignition. After taking a deep breath, I get out of the Jeep before locking it. I walk towards the shop and enter, the bell above ringing to announce my arrival.


    Once inside, something inside me calms. This ce feels like home. I''ve probably spent more time here than I''d like to admit, and every time I did end up here, it was because of Alec.

 Chapter 0151

    Chapter 0151


    I walk inside the shop, taking in everything inside it. Nothing has changed in the past three years since I''ve been away. The walls are still the same warm yellow color they were, although it seems a fresh coat has been added. The chairs and the tables are still the same.


    I walk further in. I''vee here to forget my worries for the time being, just like I did since I was about twelve years old. The only difference this time is that I have my wolf and I can actually smell the different vors of ice cream.


    "Sadie, is that you?" a low-pitched, feeble, and scratchy voice asks, making me lift my head.


    I smile, seeing a familiar old face. "Hi, Mrs. Walter."


    She wobbles over to me before pulling me into her arms in a warm hug. I wrap my hands around her, hugging her back, feeling myself rxing as her warmth surrounds me.


    "Where have you been, dear? You disappeared without a word or a trace. I''ve been so worried about you." The concern in her voice holds my heart in a tight grip.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to worry you. I got a schrship to study abroad. I didn''t expect it, and it was so sudden that I didn''t have time toe and say goodbye. I didn''t have your contacts, so I couldn''t even call you and let you know I was fine." The lie spills out of me so easily that it shocks.


    I was never one to lie. Mostly because I could never keep a straight face. Over the years, I have learned to. I needed to know how to if I wanted to survive. We weren''t locked up in our pack, and once in a while when we did go out, one or two people would recognize me. I had to learn to lie and be really convincing, because if I couldn''t, it meant that I had to kill the person that recognized me. Unlike the first hybrid that I killed, the others were innocent. I couldn''t kill them because they recognized me, and I couldn''t let word get back to Alec that someone had seen me.


    "I didn''t know you nned to go to college," Mrs. Walter mutters, her brows drawn in confusion. "If I remember correctly, you told me you were waiting for that boy you had a crush on to reciprocate your love so you could get married and settle down.¡±


    I groan. This is the third person to mention Alec today. Why is it always like that? The more you try to avoid someone, the more their names keep popping up everywhere.


    "I know, but I gave up when he got himself a girlfriend," I answer truthfully.


    "That''s so sad; you were madly in love with him. How could he not see how pure your love was? Men are such blind fools. My husband was the same too."


    She told me about her husband on one of my visits here. They had an arranged marriage, and at first Mr. Walter treated her horribly because she wasn''t the woman he wanted to marry. Even though he hated her guts, Mrs. Walter couldn''t help but faffin love with him. Well, that is until he hired the love of his life as his secretary and started spending more time at the office.


    He rarely came home, and when he did, he was cold to her. It went on like that for months, and the other woman started taunting her and causing havoc in her marriage. Mr. Walter always took the woman''s side instead of his wife''s. His affection and care for the other woman broke her. Shattered her in ways she never thought she''d be whole again.


    Back then, times were different, and divorce was unheard of. Women had to stay in their marriages despite the despicable way their husbands treated them.


    Mrs. Walter had had enough, though. She packed up her things and went back to her parents'' house. She was their only daughter, and they would do anything for her, including agreeing to let their daughter get a divorce even though it would tarnish both hers and the family''s reputation.


    She told me that at first it was allContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    about his image; that''s why he tried to fight the divorce... Later on, he realized that he actually loved her. was a long way to recovery for the couple, and it took two years of wooing and apologizing before she agreed toe back home. Since then, they were happy, and Mr. Walter showed his remorse day in and day out, until he died.

 Chapter 0152

    Chapter 0152


    ?


    He died at fifty-nine. Mrs. Walter never remarried. She was now in herte eighties.


    "It''s okay. I got over him and I no longer want him. Not like I used to," I assure her, pulling myself from my thoughts.


    She grabs my hand in a gentle hold and leads me to my favorite table. "Sit right here, while I get you your favorite vor."


    I smile at her, and she wobbles to the counter.


    She owned this ice cream shop, which she bought after her husband died. She told me that she needed something to take her mind off the pain of losing the man she had been married to since she was eighteen.


    There wasn''t aw against it, but werewolves rarely interacted with humans. Well, except for business. Keeping human friends would be tasking given the secret we hid. You can''t always be on your toes. One way or another, you are bound to slip up, and then the secret is out.


    I hadn''t shifted, and I only came here once a week. Mrs. Walter came and sat opposite me on my fifth visit here and asked me why I was sad. That''s how I began my friendship with an eighty-something-year-old human woman. She was so kind and warm that I couldn''t ignore her.


    When I was in the dungeon, she was among the people I thought about.


    Pushing those painful memories away, I focus on everything around me. There were a few people scattered around the shop. All of them humans.


    Remembering what Nyx told me about my powers, I focus my energy on one of the girls who is reading a book while eating some chocte ice cream with sprinkles on top.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I close my eyes, breathe in, then out. Following the steps that I use whenmunicating through mind-link, I open my mind.


    "Hello."


    I open my eyes and look at her through myshes. I want to test this power, but I don''t want to risk exposing the supernatural world.


    At first nothing happens, so I try it again.


    "Hello," This time she lifts her head and looks around.


    She turns to the woman sitting beside her and asks, ¡°Did you say something?"


    The woman shakes her head and goes back to her milkshake.


    "What are you reading?" I ask, testing my power a little more.


    Her eyes bulge out in shock as she frantically looks around, probably trying to find the source of the voice.


    She turns back to the woman and says, "You said something."


    "I didn''t," the woman says, looking at her like she had lost her damn mind.


    "Yes, you did. You asked what I was reading."


    Holly shit! It fucking works.


    "I swear I didn''t say or ask anything!" the woman says before standing up to move to a different table.


    I sit there stunned that I can actuallymunicate with even humans. When Nyx told me earlier, I didn''t really take her seriously, but now I am.


    Looking at the girl who looked about


    my age and still had a look of shock on her face, I start to wonder what else I can do. I know I''ve been grumpytely andining a lot more, but maybe it''s time I start doing what Nyx is telling me.


    Mrs. Walters wonders back to my table with my ice cream. She always insisted on her being the one to serve me, even though she had employees. Her ice cream shop had a good reputation, so it was popr.


    Taking the first bite, I moan in ecstasy. Unlike most people, I don''t lick my ice cream. I find it tedious doing so over and over again. don''t mind my teeth freezing, so weirdly, I bite and chew ice cream.


    ¡°I''d forgotten just how good your ice cream tastes,¡± I murmur while looking at her.


    She opens her mouth, but before she says anything, his scent hits me.


    "Sadie?" Alec asks, hisrge forming to stand in front of me.

 Chapter 0153

    Chapter 0153


    ?


    "What are you doing here? Alec," I ask Alec, still eating my ice cream.


    "I could ask you the same thing, Sadie," he answers, his eyes focused on me. "I saw Micah''s car and wondered what he would be doing here. Only it wasn''t Micah, it was you."


    I used toe here as a safe haven. I didn''t have anywhere in the pack except the meadows, but when I wanted to get away from the pack, I woulde here.


    Like I said, most of the time I came here because of Alec. Any time he would ignore me or brush me off as if I were nothing. Any time he would treat me like I was invisible. Like I didn''t matter, I woulde here.


    I can''t even begin to count the number of times he would break my heart. So you can imagine just how many times I came here to escape my heartbreak and the pain I was feeling.


    Before he found L, I woulde here whenever he would bring his new toy to the pack house... or whenever I witnessed his current vor leaving his bedroom or his office looking thoroughly ravished. I hated it, and I hated that it hurt me.N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    I woulde running here. A ce I knew was untouched by Alec or the supernatural world. Like I said, we don''t usually interact with humans. That simply means ny-five percent of the supernatural species prefer businesses owned by supernaturals.


    I found peace here because it wasn''t marred by our species. Here, being surrounded by humans meant that I could forget all about mate bonds and just be normal.


    When he found L, I came here to escape their love. She was always around, and she had Alec wrapped around her little finger. I am not ashamed to admit that I hated seeing him so in love with her. I hated seeing them unting their love and rtionship in my face. My visits here became regr after L entered the picture. I came here to escape the pain of seeing the man I love falling in love with someone else.


    It honestly killed me. It felt like a thousand knives were being plunged into my heart. It left me shattered, reeling from the pain of losing a man I fell in love with.


    Do you honestly know how it feels?


    To see the once cold, unfeeling Alpha, so soft and mushy in her hands? This is the same man who treated me like I was the devil. This is the Same man that barely showed emotions. The same man that I thought wasn''t capable of showing emotions because of how he treated me and how he was raised. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    It all but destroyed me. Each day, seeing them so loveydovey killed me slowly. My heart was constantly bleeding, and I felt like I was drowning in my pain and heartache.


    I couldn''t tell Piper what was going on because this was her brother we were talking about. There was also the fact that she never took my feelings for Alec seriously. I didn''t have anyone I could talk to about how hard it was for me except for Mrs. Walter. That''s why I came here all the time. To talk to someone who understood and to escape my pain.


    "Is this the young man you always talked about? Mrs. Walter asks, her eyes moving between Alec and me! give her a sharp look, trying to let her know not to give anything away, but she fails to understand my look. "You are goodlooking. Just like my husband was. It''s a shame that you are as foolish as he was too."


    Alec''s brows pull down, his eyes shifting between the two of us as confusion marred his features. ¡°What are you talking about?"


    Mrs. Walter huffs, ring at him. "If I had my cane, I would have bashed your head. Maybe that would bring some sense into that stubborn, thick head of yours."


    I pray to the moon goddess that she doesn''t disclose just how pathetic I was three years ago. Thest thing I want or need is Alec finding out that I used to cry for him.


    "I have no idea what you are talking about," Alec muttered, his eyes narrowing at Mrs. Walter.


    ¡°Of course you don''t. You are clueless. Most men are!¡±¡± she fumed. ¡°You hurt my Sadie over and over again when she did nothing but love, your foolish ass."


    My eyes widen at herst sentence. I swear this is the first time I''ve heard her cursing. My surprise is short-lived after what she said finally registers. I finish thest bite of my ice cream, just as Alec''s questioning eyes turn to me.


    "Do you know how many times she cried because of the pain you caused her?¡±

 Chapter 0154

    Chapter 0154


    ?


    Alec doesn''t say anything. This is what I was afraid of. Mrs. Walter always said that when she met Alec, she would give him a piece of her mind and let him know just how his behavior towards me was despicable.


    The stubborn tilt of her lips lets me know she''s about to reveal more of my secrets.


    "That''s enough, Mrs. Walter," I tell her softly. "It no longer matters."


    "Of course it does. He hurt you."


    "It doesn''t. I''ve moved past it and moved on." Of course, it''s a total lie, but they don''t need to know that.


    "But..."


    "Please," I beg her with my eyes.


    She must have seen something in them because she shuts her mouth and huffs in annoyance. "Fine"


    I stand up and pull out some cash. "I need to leave, but I''ll being to visit for as long as I am around. Next time I''lle with someone special. Someone you''d love to meet."


    Her eyes twinkle in excitement as she nods her head. After giving her a kiss on the cheek, I leave without another word to Alec.


    I get to Micah''s car, just as I feel his presence behind me. I go to open the door, but he ms it shut, his hand against the window.


    ¡°What was that all about?¡± he asks, his voice sending shivers down my spine.


    With his body so near me, the bondes alive as his body heat envelops me.


    "Can you step back?" I snap, needing him to get as far away from me as possible.


    "Not until you answer my damn question," he snaps back. "And since when were you friends with a human?"N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "It''s none of your business; now step the fuck back!" I clench my hands into fists, trying everything I can to push down my irritation and annoyance. "I''m not letting you go until you answer me."


    "I''m warning you," I growl, feeling my powers rush to the surface.


    "Warn away. Remember we are in human territory; do you really want to expose our world?"


    I stand stock still at his words. They sober me. I can''t lose control. The consequence of exposing our world is death.


    After taking a deep calming breath, I turn and push him. He wasn''t expecting my movement, so he stumbles away from me.


    I use that chance to unlock the door. I climb in, in a hurry to get away from him. I turn the ignition on, but before I can pull out of the parking lot, the passenger door opens and he gets in.


    "Get out!" I spit, seething at his mere presence.


    ¡°Not gonna happen, Sadie," he shuts the door and turns to me.


    "Get out, Alec!"


    "Either you drive or we stay here. Either way, I am not leaving, so you decide."


    I weigh my options. The stubborn tilt of his clenched jaw lets me know that he is dead serious. I


    a taxi, but I can''t leave.ke


    car


    here after he kindly let me use it.


    I m the door angrily and pull out of the parking lot. My heart is racing, and my jaw is clenched. My hands grip the steering wheel tightly, using it as an anchor so that I don''t punch Alec imagine it''s his neck instead of the steering wheel.


    I don''t know how long we''ve been driving when he breaks the silence.


    "So, what was the old woman talking about?" he asks again, seemingly obsessed with that particr topic.


    I refuse to answer, ignoring his


    stupid ass question. Please. He


    have the right to ask me that


    destion. Content belongs to


    I roll my eyes when he grumbles next to me. It''s then that my eyes catch something in the rear view mirror.


    "I asked you a question, Sadie. I want a damn answer," he demands, as if he has all the rights in the world. "Will you shut up?" I snap in a taut, angry voice.


    My eyes once again move back to the mirror, and I notice them gaining speed on us.


    "Don''t tell me what to do!" he retorts coldly.


    The back and forth wasn''t helping anyone.


    I start fidgeting as my eyes keep shifting from the rearview mirror then back to the road.


    "What is it?" he asks. "You are nervous."


    He has probably noticed my weird behavior.


    "See the car behind us?" I ask him. He nods. "It''s been following us for a while."


    He then uses the mirror on his side to look behind us.


    "Notice something weird about the man driving and the one on the driver''s seat?"


    "They have red eyes." His voice has a hint of surprise and confusion.


    "Yes," I agreed. "Hybrids."

 Chapter 0155

    Chapter 0155


    ?


    "Why would hybrids be following us?" Alec asks, his wordsing through clenched teeth.


    I totally get him because I am currently wondering the same thing. Why would two hybrids be tailing us? In my honest opinion, I don''t think they are after Alec. Why would they be? He is simply in the wrong ce at the wrong time.


    ¡°I don''t know,¡± I mumble, ¡°Maybe they found out that I have been hunting and killing their kind.¡±


    I mean, it could be a possibility. Maybe they were finally trying to retaliate, given we''ve been showing no mercy to them. Damn it, does that mean that King and Raven could be in danger too?


    Alec looks thoughtful for a second. "Maybe, but it still doesn''t make sense. Why now? You''ve been hunting them for years. Why hunt you now?" "Maybe they want to talk?" I tell him stupidly. Don''t judge me. I am nervous and in panic mode. People say stupid shit when they''re panicking. Alec gives me a ''Seriously?'' look, but I just ignore him.


    I sneak a look through the rearview mirror and notice that they are gaining on us. Pressing my foot on the gas, I increase the speed of the car, trying to put some distance between us. It doesn''t do much. Doesn''t make much difference.


    "They are gaining on us, Sadie," he tells me unhelpfully.


    "I know that," I grit out. "I have eyes."


    Stepping on the eleration pad once again, I gain momentum, now going at a hundred kilometers per minute. My heart is racing given that I''ve never driven this fast before.


    I never drove while I was here, mostly using taxis to go to town or hitching a ride with someone who was heading in the same direction. Once I started to drive, I drove at a safe speed given I always had Aspen aboard. This is new and scary at the same time.


    I keep looking back at the ck car and its upant. It seems like no matter how fast I drive, they are only a distance away. Their eyes were burning at me even through the ss window. Those red orbs, glowing with nothing but sinister motive.


    "You are gripping the steering too tightly," Alecments in a hoarse voice. "That will make it hard to control the car."


    I focus on driving and re at him, but loosen my grip just a tiny bit. I hate to admit it, but he is right. Holding the wheel stiffly and tightly makes it difficult to control the car.


    "First time?" he asks softly.


    I give him a brief, confused look. "First time, doing what exactly, a car chase?"


    "Yes?"


    "Of course it is! And why are you asking? Have you ever been in one before?"


    "Nope," he shrugs and pops the P. "But it is not once or twice I''ve driven like a maniac."


    Knowing Alec, it''s probably true.


    I then focus on speeding and keeping the distance between the two cars. I am worried about what would happen. With the speed both cars were going at, it wouldn''t be that long before human cops caught on.


    We do have our own people in the police force, but not a lot. Like I said, we do our best to avoid humans. Getting involved with them, let alone working with them day in and day out, would only increase theThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    ve


    chances of us revealing our Secrets. There is no way you can work with them, and they fail to notice some odd things about you.


    There are heightened senses and powers such as strength and speed. Removing that from the equations, werewolves have terrible tempers. Imagine if there was an altercation, between a human and a werewolf Can you imagine what would


    take that as a challenge.


    happen? The wolf coun


    ou?


    will


    Werewolves rarely step down from a challenge, especially if they view the challenger as a weakponent. The wolf wille out, and once he or she is out, it''s hard to push them back in... So how will you exin why your eyes shone, why you growled like an animal, or why your teeth elongated?


    Despite what movies portray, humans aren''t stupid. You can''t just brush it off with a simple ''Oh, you know, it must be the lighting''. They won''t simply ept that kind of shit exnation.


    I''m thrust forward in my seat when the other car bumps us from behind, which pulls me from my thoughts.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Alec hisses next to me, his eyes straying to look behind us. ¡°Will you focus!"


    While I''d been lost in my thoughts and worrying about human cops, they had gained on us.


    I step on the gas, this time hard. The car lurches forward, pushing both Alec and me to the back of our seats. "That kind of speed will attract human cops," Alec tells me, which is something that I already knew.


    "We don''t have a choice."


    The scenery blurred in a chaotic smear of colors as I again stepped on the gas, and we sped on the road.


    Damn it, I should have taken the more used road. I was just so pissed off with Alec. I wanted to get to the pack as soon as possible so that I could be


    rid of him. That''s why I took this goddess'' forsaken road. It is shorter than the one I used when leaving the pack.


    My hands grip the wheel tightly as anxiety filled me with nervous energy. We could stop and fight, but we were still in human territory. The council had a rule about fighting or killing in human territories. Doing so had serious consequences. And besides, traffic CCTV cameras are a bitch. We can''t risk being caught on


    camera by humans. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    I shake my head in an attempt to bring my focus to the current problem. Just then, they hit us from behind, this time really hard. I''m caught off guard,


    and the surprise and jolt make me temporarily lose my grip on the steering wheel.


    They hit us once again, this time making me lose full control of the car. The car swerves and I try to grab the wheel, but it''s toote.


    "Sadie!" Alec bellows, his voice tinged with worry and fear.


    The car skids uncontrobly as I fight to regain control. The tires, already struggling to grip the pavement at high speed, screamed in protest. Something, probably a stone, punctured the rubber with brutal efficiency, and the car jolted violently, lurching to one side as the wheels shredded.


    My attempts to steer out of the impending disaster were futile. The car skids sideways, the rear end swinging out uncontrobly. In a moment of chaos, I see the world spin around me¡ªa dizzying whirl of shattered ss and the horrific crunch of metal.


    The car crashes with a thunderous impact, sending debris flying in all directions. The force of the collision is merciless, throwing both me and Alec against the safety belts as the airbags deployed. The engine sputtered and died, the once powerful roar now reduced to a haunting silence.

 Chapter 0156

    Chapter 0156


    ?


    "Sadie?" I hear a voice calling me, but it sounds muffled underwater.


    My ears are ringing, and I can barely see anything given that my sight is blurry. I feel dazed and there is this excruciating pain radiating somewhere on my body.


    "Open your eyes, Sadie. We have to get out of here."


    This time the voice is clearer. It belongs to Alec. It takes a minute or so, but my mind clears and everythinges crushing into me. The ident. The hybrids that were after us.


    I open my eyes and realize that I am upside down. Alec had gotten free from his seatbelt, but for me, it was still securely wrapped around my chest. With shaking hands, I unbuckle it and fall to the roof of the car, screaming as Ind on my hand.


    "Take it easy," Alec whispers, his voice soft, tinged with a bit of worry.


    Finally, I pinpoint the exact area the pain is radiating from. I take a deep breath, trying to breathe through the pain in my shoulder.


    "Sadie, listen to me," Alec begins and I struggle to focus on him. "I''ll get out and help you out. Once I do, we need to make a run for it. Got it?" Nodding my head, I let him know that I understood his n. Without wasting time, he gets out, rounds the car and moves to my side. Luckily, my door wasn''t damaged, and he easily opens it. He gives me his hand, and I ce my uninjured one in his. He helps me out, being mindful and gentle.


    It''s only once I am out of the car that I realize that the hybrids had stopped. We crashed by the side of the road, and they were just watching us. One of them wore a serious look while the other had a sinister smile stered on their faces.


    Alec pulls my hand, leading me towards the forest that wasn''t that far away. I look at him, then back to our joined hands. His steps are fast, and if it wasn''t for the fact that he was holding my hand, I would have been left behind.


    In the distance, I hear a car door m. I look behind me only to find that the two hybrids have gotten out of their car.


    "We have to hurry up," Alec says, not breaking a step. "We need to lure them into wolf territory; that is the only chance we have at killing them." What he was saying made sense. Like I said before, the council forbade anything that could lead to our secrets being discovered. That includes killing. Even with rogues, we can''t kill them in human territory.


    I quicken my steps despite the pain. My other hand was bleeding and hung loosely at my side. I suspected that when the ss window shattered, I was cut, and then, when the car crashed, I either broke my hand or dislocated my shoulder.


    "I''ve already contacted Jason and Micah; they are now organizing some warriors," he informs me.


    Maybe it''s because of the blood loss, but I was starting to get weak. My hand ached and so did my sides.


    Let no one lie to you. Yes, we heal faster, but we don''t have super healing powers. When I say we heal fast, I mean we heal much quicker than humanis. A wound that would take a human five days to heal would take wolves three days. That''s what healing fast means. Not the bullshit novels talk about. It''s a load of crap to think that healing for us takes a mere second, or is it minutes? Sure, small wounds can


    heal in a few hours, but not biggerContent rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    ones. Content belongs to


    I stare at Alec''s back; he doesn''t seem injured at all. Well, I hope he is not, because with one of my arms useless at my side, he''s my only defense against those two hybrids.


    "Nyx," I call my wolf, who had been


    pacing restlessly inside me. She hates feeling helpless. Shifting now with an injured hand would onlyplicate the healing process "Could you tell our warriors to join Alee''s warriors?" Content belongs to


    I feel too tired and worn out to mind-link them, but she canmunicate with their wolves.


    "On it," she answers and disappears.


    "How much further?" I ask Alec as I feel my body getting weaker. I need to deal with my wound before I pass out from blood loss.


    "Not much further," he says before looking back at me. He must have seen something because his jaw tenses right before he stops.


    Letting go of my hand, he surprises me when he swings me into his hands, bridal style. I wrap my good hand around his shoulder, afraid to fall. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I question him. With him being this close, the bondes to life.


    He resumes walking. "You look pale and like you were about to faint."


    ¡°I''m fine,¡± I argue, gritting my teeth against the sparks that had ignited due to the bond.


    "No, you are not," he argues back. "And besides, this way, we''ll be much faster."


    I don''t argue, especially when I hear growls behind us. Alec runs, with me in his hands. I hate feeling like a damn damsel in distress. I can''t do anything about it, though. Alec was right; I was about to pass out.


    Within minutes I feel the difference, the change, as Alec crosses into wolf territory. We both breathe a sigh of relief, even though it doesn''tst long. Secondster, the growls intensify. I look over Alec''s shoulder, only to be met with twin ruby eyes.

 Chapter 0157

    Chapter 0157


    ?


    "I''m going to set you down so I can deal with them, okay?" Alec whispers in my ear. "It''s only going to take a moment."


    Before I can protest, he sets me against a tree before turning to the two snarling hybrids. Alec is overconfident, thinking hybrids are easy to kill. Has he seriously forgotten all I have told him about them? All that the elders told him?"


    He snarls back, and I immediately feel Knox''s presence. I sit up, but I identally scrape my shoulder against the tree''s back. It hurts like a mother. I grit my teeth, refusing to let my whimper escape in the presence of enemies.


    "Nyx, have you informed them?" I ask her, not taking my eyes off the three men who were circling each other.Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org.


    Two against one. That doesn''t seem fair at all.


    "Yes. They are a couple of minutes away," she answers, her attention also on them.


    "How far is a couple of minutes?"


    "Around thirty or so."


    "Fuck. That''s a lot of time."


    "Both Alec and Knox are overconfident. They''ve never dealt with hybrids, yet they assume it''s as easy as taking down a rogue."


    She voices what I''d already concluded. Sure, he is an alpha, but hybrids are a different species all together. They have abination of wolf and vampire powers, and that tramps being just a wolf.


    I watch as they fight. Alec is strong, but they are stronger. I am not being mean or anything, just stating facts.


    His ws slice through the blond hybrid. He''s skinnier than his friend. He whimpers and then looks at his partner, seemingly surprised that Alec hadnded a blow. I bet he was promised that he''d be invincible when he was turned. What a fucking idiot.


    It''s then I realize something. He''s a newbie, recently turned. He probably hasn''t mastered all his abilities. The way he turned to the bulky guy shows that he''s seeking guidance on what to do.


    "You must act fast, Alec," I mind-link him. "End him now while he''s still surprised."


    Alec stiffens before twisting his head to look at me.


    "Do it now!" I scream via the link. "Cut off his head; that''s the only sure bet to kill them."


    This seems to move him. Before the blondie can recover from his shock, Alec pounces. He half shifts, and hisrge ws slice through his neck, severing tendons as if they were nothing but butter. His head falls to the ground. His body follows next. Even from a distance, I can clearly see his wide eyes staring at the sky, shock permanently etched on them.


    The bulky man releases a roar before he starts his attack on Alec. The other one was easy to kill because he was a newbie. This one, though, from his movements, I can already tell that he won''t be easy to kill because he''s been a hybrid for some time. He has mastered his abilities and knows how to use them. Luckily, I have some new powers.


    He attacks Alec with intensity, both of them refusing to yield to the other. Punch after punch, kick after kick, they attack each other with a viciousness that surprised me.


    The hybrid gains an advantage and swipes his hand, wing Alec in the abdomen. He releases a roar and stumbles back a bit.


    I struggle to stand up, leaning against the tree, using it to support my weight.


    "Nyx, take over and do something," I tell her weakly.


    She doesn''t waste time. Just when the hybrid was about to probablynd a fatal blow, Nyxshes out, sending him flying. He hits a tree.


    He recovers quickly and charges towards us.


    "Enough," her voice is full of authority and power.


    Both the hybrid and Alec freeze on their spot. Their knees buckle before they both fall to their knees.


    "Come to me."


    He tries to fight against the


    command, but he eventually


    sumbs to it. He may be a hybrid,


    but he is half wolf. His wolf


    counterpart will always submit to


    someone stronger than him.


    His jaw is locked as he stands up and walks towards me while we release Alec from our hold.


    "Who sent you?" I ask him.


    He looks at me with a look of defiance and hate. I don''t know the bastard, so I don''t know why he hates me. Maybe it''s because I''ve been killing his kind.


    "I asked who fucking sent you!" I snarl before hitting him.


    His head swivels to the side at the impact.


    "You killed my cousinst year,¡± he informs me, his red eyes ring at me.


    Huh. So he was after revenge.


    "Which cousin? You have to be more specific, since I killed a lot of your kind," I wave my hand dismissively.


    "You fucking bitch!" he tries toe at me, but my power is holding him down.


    "I''ve been called worse."


    He startsughing, the sound mocking. Hisugh grows by the second until he is now full-blownughing.


    She''sing for you," he states, a sinister smile forming on his lips "And when she does, I hope she rips you from limb to limb, slowly before she tears your fucking heart"


    He doesn''t get to finish before I rip out his throat, cutting off his voice. Blood spatters on me, but I don''t fucking care. I look at Alec and he understand my silent


    vermet


    communication. Secondster, the hybrid''s head falls next to his body.

 Chapter 0158

    Chapter 0158


    ?


    The little energy I had leaves me, and I sag against the tree. Alec catches me before I can fall down to the ground.


    The hybrid''s words keep ying in my head. Not about his cousin, but about the woman who was apparentlying for me.


    "You are bleeding," Alec''s voice cuts through my thoughts.


    I give him a weary smile. "So are you," I tell him, pointing at his midriff.


    His ck V-neck shirt was torn, and you could clearly see where the hybrid had ripped into him.


    "This is nothing. I''ve faced worse," he says so cockily that I feel like wiping his fucking smile with a p.


    So have I, especially at his hands, but I have a low tolerance for pain. I just hate it so much. Pain is pain. Whether it''s a small cut or a huge one. None of them feel good.


    "You don''t look too good," Alec murmurs, leaning down beside me.


    I scoff at his words, "Speak for yourself. I look amazing. Always have, always will."


    My words were slurred, and I could barely hold up my head. I just wanted to sleep for maybe a few days.


    When I decided I needed time alone, I never thought that my day would end this way. I was supposed to eat some ice cream, catch up with Mrs. Walter, and then go back to the pack. Now, Micah''s car was totally ruined. I was hurt, and so was Alec, and we had two dead hybrids to deal with. "What are you doing?" I snap as Alec''s hand reaches for my shoulder.


    He doesn''t answer me; he just rips off the top part of my blouse, exposing my wound. I turn from him and look at my shoulder. It was bleeding at an rming rate.


    "ss must have cut through an artery," he said while ripping off the bottom part of his own shirt.


    Anatomy is a mandatory ss to take as a werewolf. As you have guessed, we get into a lot of fights. Sure, we can''t treat diseases, we are not doctors, but ites in handy when identifying cases such as this.


    Taking the piece of cloth, Alec presses it to my wound. I scream as excruciating pain shes through me.


    "Fuck, sorry!" He takes the cloth away and looks closely at my wound. "You have a piece of ss stuck inside. I''m just not sure if pulling it out will cause you to bleed faster."


    I listen, taking in slow, shallow breaths because it hurts to breathe. I breathe through the pain, cursing myself for deciding to go to town today. I should have just stayed in the fucking pack. I wanted space, and see how that turned out.


    "Don''t pull it out," I finally tell him through ragged breaths.


    It needed a doctor to do that. Ripping it out will only cut through again, causing more damage than before.


    We are quiet for a while, with him holding the piece of cloth loosely on my shoulder. "How far is the calvary?" "Five minutes away."


    I nod my head before leaning it against the tree and closing my eyes.


    "I want to apologize." Alec''s voice interrupts my peace, making me snap my eyes open.


    "It wasn''t your fault. They were after me."


    "I''m not talking about the hybrids, Sadie," he sighs. "I''m talking about what happened three years ago and how I treated you."


    "This isn''t the right time for this. We are both wounded, and all I can think about right now is cuddling next to Aspen and taking a really long nap."


    He turns to face me fully. I don''t want to look at him, so I just face ahead, staring past the dead bodies.


    "You may not want to hear it, but I''ll apologize nheless... I should have done it the moment I realized I was wrong."


    "Alec," I warn, even though my voicees out more of a whimper than authoritative.


    retN?velDrama.Org ? content.


    "I was fucking wrong! I should have investigated the whole thing instead of jumping to conclusions just because you had a crush on me. should have dug deeper when you told me you were pregnant instead of assuming you were just lying. I should have done a lot of things and for that I am fucking sorry."


    Sighing, I re at the bulky hybrid. I didn''t want to listen to his apology. If I could, I''d run as far away from it as I could. I was already toote for him to apologize. The kind of


    damage he did isn''t something that can be undone with a simple


    apology. Content belongs to


    "I''m sorry for the hell I put you through in the dungeons. The hell I let my pack unleash on you. I know words aren''t enough to fix what I did, but it''s all I have for now," he finishes.


    I take a deep breath before slowly releasing it already agreed to help with your pack, Alec. This-" I say pointing to the space between us."-is pointless. I don''t need your apology nor do I want it. I''m here to keep my end of the bargain. That''s it


    Dizziness consumes me, but I talk through it. I seriously need the convoy to get here quickly before I pass out. I need to make sure they deal with the dead hybrids properly.


    "But that''s the thing; I don''t want you to lea-"


    He gets interrupted when Micah and Jason break through the forest to where we were.


    Thank the goddess.


    "What happened?" Jason asks, looking from us to the two dead hybrids.


    "I''ll exinter. First, I need you to take care of the bodies. Then arrange for someone to go clear out the crash on the road. Get someone who can mess up the cams on the road if there are any," Alecmands, standing up.


    I struggle to keep up with the conversation. I was feeling drowsy and my eyes were already closing on their own ord. Thest thing I heard before passing out was Micah''s word.


    "Toote for that;st we heard, cops were already at the crash site."


    Well, that just spells trouble for us.

 Chapter 0159

    Chapter 0159


    ?


    Alec.


    When I saw Micah''s car today, I never expected Sadie to be the one using it. I also never expected the day to end the way it did.


    I had some business in town with some of the neighboring Alphas. I also went to mypany to check how things were running, given that I had not been in the office for weeks. I trusted my officials, but it was also good to personally handle some things regarding my ownpany. I couldn''t just leave it in the hands of others.


    I''d told my personal bodyguard to go back to the pack when I saw Micah''s Jeep. He was also my head warrior. I found it odd that Micah would be hanging out in a little ice cream shop, but I thought that either way I would catch a ride with him back to the pack.


    It was clear that Sadie was pissed and irritated when I invaded her space. For some reason though, I couldn''t leave her, even though she insisted that I should. Maybe it was the bond warning me or some shit like that, but I couldn''t leave her. I didn''t understand why. Not until she noticed hybrids following us.


    Seeing her hurt did something to me. It twisted my heart in a painful way. I felt suffocated. Felt like I couldn''t breathe properly. I felt like I was dying just seeing her in pain. Her pain became mine, and all I could think about was how I was going to make her feel better.


    The bond pulled me to protect my mate, but I have to admit that both Knox and I wanted the same. Even without the bond between us pulling the strings. I wanted to be near her. I wanted to be surrounded by her scent. I wanted her in ways I couldn''t exin.


    Seeing what it is like with my fated mate made me realize just how things were off with L. Whatever bond existed between L and me was fake. That''s why things never felt this intense. If it weren''t for the fact that I fell for her, I doubt our rtionship would have survived.


    When the hybrids caught up to us, I thought it would be easy to get rid of them. Sadie was losing blood and bing weak by the second. My focus was on dealing with the two bastards so that I could rush Sadie to the hospital.


    I was the fearless Alpha Alec.


    Rogues trembled at my name. I have to admit that underestimated the hybrids. Fighting with them was a different experience. They were faster and stronger. I doubt any of the vampires or alphas I''ve fought couldpare. Well, except for Sadie. The way she brought him under hermand even in a weakened state amazed me and left


    me in awe of her. Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    There is still the matter of her being able to mind-link me, but that doesn''t matter right now. What matters is getting her some help.


    "Sadie?" I kneel next to her. I gently shake her and try to wake her up. "Open your eyes."


    They remain closed. I tap her cheeks, but still nothing happens. She doesn''t wake up. "Shit. I need to get her to the hospital."


    "The car is this way," Jason points me in the direction, and I begin walking towards it.


    "You are bleeding; let me carry her," Micah voiced, stopping me in my tracks.


    I snarl, both my agitation and that of Knox pushing me to the edge. "Touch her, and I''ll cut off your fucking hands."


    Fuck. I was going crazy. Batshit


    crazy. Even with L, I''ve never


    reacted this way. The thought of another man (even a friend) touching my mate while she''s hurt agitated me.


    Micah steps back with his hands raised up in surrender. He then bows slightly, a show of respect to his Alpha, and as a way to show that he had not meant any disrespect.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    I resume my walk, not really


    bothered about anything else except Sadie. My warriors knew the drift. In a few minutes, there won''t be any evidence that there had beena killing there.

 Chapter 0160

    Chapter 0160


    ?


    Living among humans and hiding our nature, we''ve learned to clean up our messes. That''s why there has never been a string of suspicious deaths, even though we kill rogues all the time.


    We soon get to the vehicles, and I get in, still cradling Sadie''s form in my arms as if she were a lifeline.


    I look down at her, staring at her angelic face. Her scar res usingly at me. Mocking me for the care I was showing her when I was the one that put that scar on her face.


    Unable to look at the evidence of my cruelty towards her, I look up just as Micah gets behind the wheel and starts the car.


    "Exin to me how the cops got to the scene before you did." I demand, trying to distract myself.


    I couldn''t look at Sadie''s face without feeling guilty, but I refused to let her go. She is going to stay in my arms until we get to the pack.


    "We honestly don''t know," Jason answers. "By the time our guy got there, the cops were already on site. They couldn''t do anything."


    "Is there any CCTV footage?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Fin said he''d get back to us if he finds something.¡± Thises from Micah. ¡°Though he did say that now that the cops are involved, if there is any footage, he can''t erase it or tamper with it. It would cause more suspicion and bring unwanted attention."


    Damn it, this is what Sadie and I were afraid of. We need to handle it before the police start to dig into our business.


    "Jason, get in touch with our contact in the station. Tell him to keep his ear to the ground and, if he hears anything, to let us know immediately."


    He nods his head before fishing out his phone to probably dial one of him. He wasn''t from our pack, but he''s is known to do favors for other packs. "You know what this means, right?" Micah asks, his tone somber.


    With the cops involved, it meant that I''ll be hearing from them soon. Sure, the Jeep was Micah''s, but it''s


    registered under my name. He has his own personal car, registered in his name, but the jeep is curtesy of the pack. Think of it as apany car. All the top officials (that is, Jason, Micah, and me) have one. The rest of the pack are given funds to buy cars.


    Right now, though, I couldn''t be bothered. My focus was on Sadie and making sure she was alright.


    It doesn''t take long to get to the


    pack. The moment Micah parks the


    car, I am out of the door and


    heading straight for the pack


    el.n


    hospital. With my speed, it only


    takes minutes. Content belongs to


    "Get me a doctor!" I shout as I walk inside the hospital.


    The nurses rush to do my bidding. Two of them grab a stretcher and rush towards me. They silently ask me to ce Sadie down.


    "Her shoulder is cut, and she may have broken her hand."


    "Lay her on her side, Alpha. I promise we''ll take good care of her," one of them says.


    I have to literally fight myself in order


    to let her go. My entire being


    screamed against it. The only


    1


    reason that I don''t rush after them is


    because I know she needs


    treatment. Content belongs to


    ¡°Alpha, you are also hurt. Let me look at it." Doctor Jacobs walks towards me.


    "No need. I''m fine and I''ll heal. Make sure she''s okay first." It''s amand, and he can''t go against my order, so he turns and follows Sadie and the two nurses.


    I watch them wheel Sadie away, my eyes focused on her. I don''t know how the hell I am going to do it, but right there and then, I vow to make things right between us.

 Chapter 0161

    Chapter 0161


    ?


    Sadie


    I woke up with a headache, ending all headaches. I squinted as my eyes tried getting used to the bright light. Why the fuck was everything so bright when I felt so dull? Don''t you just hate it when that happens? It''s simr to when you are sad and depressed, but everyone seems so jovial and happy.


    I feel like I''ve been hit by a truck, oh wait. Something close to that happened. We crashed and I ended up hurt.


    I knew I was in the hospital the moment I was conscious. The smell of antiseptic is hard to mistake and miss. My room was just like the one I woke up


    in when I fainted after the dream. in white walls, a small TV in the corner, and a bedside table with a ss of water on top of it.


    Groaning, I struggle to sit up straight. That''s when his scent registers. Alec was asleep on a chair next to my bed. He sat on one of the two chairs avable in the room.


    "What is he doing here?" Nyx asks me; I just give her a look.


    "How am I supposed to know that? We''ve been out for who knows how long."


    My hair was getting in my face; I moved to push it away when I noticed the cast on my hand. I let out a frustrated growl, which wakes Alec up.


    This was going to be a pain. Sure, I''ll be with it for probably a maximum of three days, but it means that I can''t train in those three days. For the past three years, I''ve used training as a form of release. It''s been my way of letting out the aggression that has been seated inside me since Alec locked me in the dungeon.


    People say that time heals all wounds. I call that bullshit. Three years. Three freaking years, and the scars in my heart are yet to heal. Sure, there are better days than others, but that''s all there is. Healing isn''t as easy as people say it is. Letting go isn''t a walk in the park, as they make it seem. "What is it? Are you in pain?" His throaty voice pulls my attention to him.


    I just stare at him, not really sure what to make of him being here. There was something in his green eyes. Something akin to worry and concern, but I wasn''t really sure. I brush it off. This is Alec we are talking about; he feels nothing when ites to me. He made that clear three years ago when he was torturing me.


    "No"


    "Any difort?"


    "No"


    "Can you give something more than a one-word answer?" he asks, his voice a bit taut.


    I take a deep breath. In, then out.


    "What do you want fromThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ?Alpact


    You''ve never really been interested in what I have to say before, so I just don''t get it."


    "You got hurt; I just wanted to know if you are okay. Is that so wrong?"


    I shut up. What the hell am I


    supposed to say to that? This side of him is new to me. He''s showing care, and I


    know whether to


    trust it or not. It could be doing this because if something happens to me, then his pack is doomed. It could also be because of the mate bond. It''s all just consuming.


    ¡°Look, you''ve never given a shit about me. So, showing your concern right now is a bit suspicious.¡± I mumble, pulling my eyes from his intense ones.


    It''s difficult for me to reconcile the monster he is in my head to the man he is portraying.


    He moves and leans back in his chair. I shift in the hospital bed, feeling ufortable with the way his piercing eyes are drilling into the side of my head.


    The tension is palpable. You could cut with a knife.


    Chapter 0161 3

 Chapter 0162

    Chapter 0162


    ?


    "Maybe we can teleport to our room?" Nyx suggests her anxiety feeding into mine.


    "A good idea," I begin. "But what brought that on?"


    "Knox is trying to reach out. It''s pissing me off because he won''t stop trying to knock my barriers down."


    I should have been surprised, but I wasn''t. Knox and Alec are Alphas. They are used to getting what they want. This time, though, it won''t happen. The love I had for them died in the torture room three years ago, along with my heart.


    I closed my eyes about to escape, like the coward I am, but my concentration is interrupted by the sound of the door opening.


    "Hello Luna," the cheery voice of a male doctor greets me.


    I grit my teeth against the unwanted title. "I''m not your Luna."


    He looks between me and Alec in confusion. "I thought you were our Alpha''s true mate. He said so."


    "I am not."


    "B-but"


    ¡°Doctor Jacobs, can you give us the diagnosis?" Alec asks through clenched teeth, his eyes sharp on mine.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    I don''t understand why the hell he was so angry. He shouldn''t have told his pack that I was his mate, since I didn''t n on being his mate for long. He should have also corrected the doctor when he called me Luna.


    I don''t allow his re to affect me; instead, I focus on the very confused doctor.


    "The ss cut an artery; that''s why you were bleeding a lot. We were able to stop the bleeding and sew the wound. You have two bruised ribs. You also fractured a bone. We had to set it in ce before putting it in a cast. Don''t worry though; with your healing, you''ll probably be back to normal in two days."


    I nod before sinking back on the soft pillows. That isn''t so bad. I can wait for two days before I am back to training and hitting punching bags.


    "Do you feel any pain or difort?" the doctor asks


    "Yes. My shoulder hurst a bit."


    I turn when Alec growls, his eyes switching colors. "Why the hell didn''t you tell me? Why did you lie when I asked?"


    Frowning,


    are at him, not really


    liking his tone of voice. "I didn''t: feel


    anything then. I feel it now. Is problem with


    Content


    belongs to en.swnovel there a


    We have a staring contest, both of us ring at each other, refusing to back down.


    The doctor clears his voice nervously. "I''ll send a nurse to administer some painkillers.¡±


    Alec breaks the stare first before


    ?


    looking at the ceiling and sighing it''s as if he was praying for patience,


    ch we both know he doesn''t have.


    UMS


    "She''ll be here in a minute," Doctor Jacobs says before quickly leaving the room.


    I expected Alec to follow suit and leave the room, but he doesn''t. Like I said, I don''t understand what he was doing here.


    I''d forgotten to ask the doctor how long I was supposed to stay in the hospital. I hoped it was only a couple of hours because I was dying to see my little girl and hold her in my hand.


    The silence stretches on. It fills the air with an awkwardness that makes me really ufortable.


    "Any update concerning what happened?" I am unable to take it anymore.


    "Yes," Alec answers. "But it isn''t good."


    "What is it?"


    He runs his hands down his face before answering. "The cops want us toe in for questioning."


    Damn, that is the worst news ever. Especially if word reaches the council.

 Chapter 0163

    Chapter 0163


    ?


    Sighing I lean back against the bed. Like I said, this is the worst news, and I hate it. Nothing good has happened since we got here, and I was starting to wonder if this pack was really under a real curse, because it just doesn''t make sense why I''ve only been receiving bad news since I got here.


    "Did they say anything else?" I asked, feeling the pounding of my head increase.


    Where was the damn nurse? Didn''t the doctor say she would be here in a minute or so? My hand was killing me.


    I like the way humans portray us in their novels as these invincible creatures who are only defeated by death, but let''s be real. We are not invincible, and we do feel pain. It''s a bitch.


    "Nothing," Alec answered, pulling me back to the present. "They said they were doing some investigation, and it was confidential until they heard our side of the story. I told them we couldn''te in because you were hurt, so they suggesteding to us."


    I was never afraid of human cops. They were easy to fool because most of them werezy and didn''t really want to get involved in cases. Especially if it isplex. Look at how many people go missing and they do nothing about it. They simply tell you that they must have been tired of home and wille back when they are ready. Well, that is until someone turns up dead. Everyone is shocked, but the police didn''t do anything when they went missing in the first ce.


    Like I said, I am not worried about them. What I am worried about, though, is the council. If this reaches them, then they will be breathing down on us, and with no proof of the existence of hybrids, there will be a lot of chaos.


    I know what you are thinking. I am powerful now; I don''t have to be afraid of a bunch of old men. True, but you remember what I told you about these men, right? Can you imagine what would happen if they found out that there was a woman out there more powerful than them? Yes, that''s right. I''ll be hunted, and so will everyone I love.


    They''ll want to make me bow to them, and that is something that will never happen. Why the hell do you think no one except my pack knows that the Alpha of The Hope Pack is a woman? I didn''t just hide it because of Alec. I also hid it because of the council of bastards. I didn''t want a war, and that''s exactly what would happen if they found out, and I refused to surrender to them.


    For now, my powers remain a secret. It''s what is best for everyone I care about, including my pack. You think Alec is bad? You haven''t met the twelve members of the council.


    "Sadie?"


    "Sorry. I zoned out a bit." I mumbled, shaking my head to get myself to


    focus on the current issue. "So they being here? Don''t you think that''s a bit risky?" ContentThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    He rolls his eyes at me. Can you actually believe that? Alec Ashford, a whole Alpha Male, rolled his eyes at me as if he were a child.


    "I''m not that stupid. I gave them an


    address to one of my houses in town. Which reminds me, we will need to be there tomorrow for them to take our statements."


    The quicker we take care of this, the better. "Fine," I answered. "And the bodies?"


    "You were right. They revert to the original species once they die. One was a vampire, and the other was a wolf. The bodies were brought back to the pack and cremated so they would not leave any evidence."


    ¡°Good... And Raven? I haven''t seen her since I woke up."


    "Apparently she left after you left, and no one has seen her since."


    That''s strange. She wouldn''t have disappeared like that. Maybe something is wrong. I''ll wait till evening before I begin hunting her down.

 Chapter 0164

    Chapter 0164


    ?


    I pace the room, anxiety eating at my insides. We had just arrived at Alec''s house a few minutes ago. It''s arge six-bedroom mansion set on acres ofnd among the rich and affluent. If I wasn''t so worried, I would have appreciated how good the house looked.


    It was a bit cold, but maybe because there was nothing of personal value in it. It was just a house, not a home.


    "This is where I escape too when I need to be alone and away from the pack," he said when I asked him why his house was on the opposite side of the pack.


    If I were me from before, I would have been jumping at the idea of turning this house into a home. Just the idea of bringing warmth to it would have made me all giddy. I wasn''t that girl though... and right now I can''t even imagine a life with Alec as my mate, let alone turning this cold house into an inviting warmth.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "Will you stop pacing? It''s giving me a headache," Alec demanded in a taut voice.


    "I can''t. I''m worried about Raven."


    She didn''te home yesterday. As if that wasn''t worrying enough, Raven wasn''t picking up her phone either. I tried reaching out to her through my newly discovered mind-link powers, but it didn''t work. Either it doesn''t work when someone isn''t in proximity or something terrible has happened to her.


    "She''s probably fine," Alec said, waving his hand dismissively.


    ¡°What if she''s not? Those hybrids were after me yesterday. It might be because I''ve been hunting them, and their leader sent them to capture me. What if the same thing happened to Raven, but unlike us, she wasn''t able to fight them off?"


    The more thought about it, the more worried I became. All sorts of scenarios yed in my head, and none of them were good. My breath starteding in rapidly, and I felt like I was being suffocated Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    I put my hand against my chest, trying to calm myself down, but nothing happened. I felt like something heavy was set on top of my chest. I couldn''t breathe.


    I was so lost in my worry that I didn''t see Alec move. Without warning, he grabs me and pulls me against his chest. One of his hands is wrapped around my waist while the other is holding the back of my head. Gently, he pushes me forward so that my head is on his chest. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    I try fighting him, but he doesn''t let me go. Eventually, I give up as the beat of his heart begins to calm me down. I close my eyes for a brief second and inhale his scent.


    I can feel every inch of him. Every hard ridge of his body. Alec was taller than I was, so my head just touched his chest, unlike L, who was tall enough to reach his neck.


    The need to wrap my hand around his waist and stay in his arms is riding me hard. I also can''t ignore the urge to reach up on my toes and seal our mouths together.


    The bondes to life, this close to each other. It''s needs demanding to be fulfilled.


    Alec''s hand around my waist tightens, pushing us closer together. Closer than we were a few seconds ago. He ces his chin on top of my head, and I feel him inhaling my scent.


    For a minute, forget what has


    happened between us, and I get lost in the moment. Get lost in the feel of his body against mine and his hand around my waist. I get lost in the


    ''what could have been'' as I drown in


    all that is Alec Ashford. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    I melt in his arms as I give in to the demands of the bond for the first time since we learned that we were mates.


    I close my eyes for a brief second. The moment I do, though, shes of the past enter my mind, reminding me that Alec isn''t the same man I built my dreams and hopes around.

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    Chapter 0165


    ?


    Fuck. What the hell was I doing? Why was I allowing him to hold me like this?


    I aggressively pushed him away. He wasn''t prepared for my actions, so he stumbles a little bit, but releases me. I pull away, breathing hard, trying to clear my head from the spell that had been cast on me.


    "Sadie?"


    I raise my finger, indicating to him to give me a minute. When I calm down, I pull myself together before facing him. "Don''t ever touch me like that ever again, Alec."


    "You are my mate, Sadie? How can I not touch you?" he asked, advancing on me while I took steps back.


    "Touch me? Remember how you were disgusted by my touch when you realized we slept together? And mate? You had a mate, Alec... Or have you forgotten that you told me L was the love of your life, and you wouldn''t touch me with a pole even if she wasn''t in the picture?"


    "I believed she was my mate. What the hell was I supposed to do? I believed I betrayed her with you. How would you feel if you woke up and learned you slept with someone else? Someone who wasn''t your mate, and in doing so, you hurt the one you were in love with?"


    I do get it. If things were different and Alec and I got together. It would have shattered me to realize he had slept with another woman a few days before our mating ceremony. The old me wouldn''t have retaliated in the way he did, but it would have hurt the same.


    "That''s not the point," I told him, taking more steps away from him. "The reason you want me now is because of the mate bond and what I can do for your pack. You never wanted me before. Hell, you never gave me the time of day. I am still the same woman I was back then, so it''s a bit pretentious for you to want me now, when you didn''t back then."


    He stops in his tracks. "So, you''re telling me that what I feel right now isn''t real."


    "Yes. You don''t get over the love of


    ???


    your life easily, let alone fall for the one woman that you could never stand. The one woman you were never attracted to. Whatever you are feeling is courtesy of the bond. Once you ept the rejection, it''ll fade away, and you won''t have to pretend anymore."


    Something moves in his eyes, but I ignore it, refusing to dive into what it is. I don''t want to see the truth in them.


    ¡°And what about you?" he surprises me by asking. "Are your feelings towards me also because of the mate bond?¡±


    "My feelings don''t matter, here."


    "And why the hell not?" he demanded. "You are good at telling me what I feel is courtesy of the bond, yet you don''t want me to dive into your feelings?"


    I sighed, already tired of this conversation "What do you want from me, Afec? I loved you; is that what you want to hear? I did. I loved you, and you shattered me. The love I had for you died in the dungeons three years ago. I feel nothing for you except for what the bond wants me to."


    Deep down, I know it''s a total lie, but I won''t admit it. I refuse to. This is for the best. Whatever I felt for Alec is buried deep down in the darkest depths of my soul, and I refuse to revive it.


    "I see," he breathed in a husky voice.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    We stay in silence. Well, that is until the silence is interrupted by a sharp knock on the door.

 Chapter 0166

    Chapter 0166


    ?


    Alec.


    Having Sadie in my arms was a totally new feeling. I can''t describe it because I don''t really understand it all. Feeling her next to me in that close and intimate way shifted something inside me. Something I couldn''t even begin to try to exin.


    Every cell of my body came to life. It''s like they have been electrocuted back to life after a long time. Sparks and currents zapped inside me, making me feel alive after a long time of feeling dead inside.


    I didn''t think when I hugged her. All I knew was that she was worried, and I wanted to ease her worry. Wanted to help her carry the burden she was struggling with. Never once did I think that holding her close would bring feelings to the surface. Feelings I never thought I''d feel again after L. Everything felt right. She felt right being in my arms. Like that is where she was always meant to be. I didn''t want to let her go, something that surprised me to the core. I wanted her with me. I wanted to feel her. To have her. To mate her and make her mine,pletely.


    I know that I had vowed to win her back, but having her this way felt different. I wanted her back because she''s my mate. She''s supposed to be my Luna. The feelings I got when I held her confused the living daylights out of me. At that moment, I wanted her as more than just my mate or Luna. I wanted her as my partner and the love of my life.


    When she pushed me away, the tether that had held us close broke. I felt the cold immediately, as the warmth from her body and the bond disappeared. I wanted nothing but to pull her back to me. To hold on to her and never let her go. Ever again.


    To hear her say that what she felt for me died in the dungeon three years ago, twisted a knife that was buried in my heart. I don''t think there is anything that has ever hurt me like her words did. The high I was riding suddenly came to a stop, and I crushed. The light that was beginning to shine inside me went off. I was suddenly filled with darkness and chilling coldness.


    I once had her. I had her love. Instead, I destroyed it with my bare hands. Now she hates me, and I don''t know how to fix that. I don''t know how to get back the love I carelessly threw away. It''s honestly funny. I consciously shattered her three years ago, not really knowing that I would one daye to crave her like the very air I breathed.


    Rubbing my chest, I try to ease the ache I feel there. The ache that her words caused. It does no good, because it seems like with each breath I take, the fucking ache intensifies. Maybe this is my punishment for hurting my mate.


    "Alec, aren''t you going to open the door?" Her sweet voice pulls me back to the present.


    when


    I turn and look at her. Her eyes. The eyes that used to be so expressive are now cold and unreadable. Sadie used to wear her emotions on her face. I took that away from her- I turned into her worst nightmare. Now, I can barely read what she''s feeling or thinking. I can''t even tell if our closeness affected her as much as it did me.


    Shaking my head, I try to get my head back on the game and focus. I walk to the door before opening it.


    "Mr. Ashford," one of the officers greets. "I am Nn, and this is my partner, Chris."


    I shake their hands. "Come in."


    I step aside and watch as they enter. I follow behind them into the living room. Sadie was already seated on the couch, lookingfortable, as if it were normal for her to be here.


    She stands up when she sees us. "Hello"


    ¡°Like I said earlier, this is my fianc¨¦, Sadie." I wrap my hand around her waist before drawing her to me and kissing her unmarked cheek, catching her off-guard.


    She stiffens for a bit, but it''s only noticeable to me. Her eyes sh at me in warning, but I ignore those


    daggers that she was sending myet


    way. The soft feel of her skin on my lips makes me crave more. I know I would probably get a sharp p if I tried to, but I get this urge to kiss her and taste her red lips. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "Nice to meet you, Sadie... We are here to ask you about the ident." Chris says politely, his eyes lingering a little bit longer on her scarred cheek.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Sadie notices it butpletely


    ignores it. I guess she''s used to people staring. I hate that. I hate it because am the one that put it there. hate it because I meant for it to be a reminder of her sins, but now it has turned into a reminder of my sins against her.

 Chapter 0167

    Chapter 0167


    ?


    "Yes, Alec had told me that you woulde by," she sits down. I follow suite, sitting beside her.


    I take her hand and mesh our fingers together before cing our joined hands on myp. Her hand tightens in warning, but I refuse to let her go. I am not going to miss this chance. The chance to feel her even if it''s just her hand.


    "Do you have any enemies? Anyone that would want to harm you?" Nn directs the question to me.


    "I''m a businessman, of course I have a lot of rivals and enemies. Ites with owning thergest security firm in the country."


    "Anyone that would have a personal vendetta?" Thises from Chris.


    Well, plenty of them if I am being honest, but they don''t need to know that.


    "Not that I know of, officer."


    "What about you, Sadie?" Chris directs the question to her.


    "I don''t think so. I would say the thousands of women who are infatuated with my fianc¨¦, but not a lot of people know that we are engaged."


    Who would have thought that Sadie was such a good actress? Looking at her, if I didn''t know the truth, I would have believed her.


    "How long have you been engaged, and where is your engagement ring? I doubt a man like Mr. Ashford would propose without a ring." Nn''s eyes move from Sadie''s finger back to her face.


    Fuck. I''d not thought of that. Should have bought a damn ring or told them that she was my girlfriend.


    "I think I lost it during the wreck. I woke up without it, and the nurses said I didn''te in wearing a ring on my finger." Sadie looked sad, as if the thought of her lost ring broke her heart. "We''ve only been engaged for about three months.¡±


    "Don''t worry, darling, I''ll get you another. A better one" I raise our joined hands and skim my lips on the back of her hand before kissing it.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "But I want that one. It was the perfect one," she pouts, her eyes shining with unshed tears.


    Damn, she was good.


    I turn to the officers. "Please, if you find it, let us know."


    They nod their heads. They then jot something down in their notebooks.


    "Did you get a good look at the men that were after you?" Chris asked.


    "Not really. What was important to me is Sadie. I needed to get her to safety." I didn''t lie. That part was true. My only concern then was getting Sadie some help.


    "We understand that Sadie was the one driving?" Chris looks from us to his notebook.


    "Yes, I was," Sadie answered.


    "And what happened after you crashed?" Nn questioned.


    "I got Sadie out of the car; we ran to the forest and hid. I couldn''t risk engaging them when I didn''t know if they were armed. My phone had cracked but surprisingly worked called my men. When they found us, they told me they ran when they heard them. They tried capturing them, but they escaped and couldn''t find them." I lied


    "We haven''t been able to trace them either; the car they used was stolen so we have no lead so far, but can assure you that we are doing all we can to catch those men," Chas assures us.


    Sadie and I just nodded our heads, but deep down we knew they wouldn''t be able to catch them. They were already dead.


    "That''s all for now... If you remember anything important, please give us a call." Nn hands us a car and I take it. "Thank you for your time." "Thank you foring."


    The moment they are gone, Sadie springs away from me as if I have an infectious disease.


    ¡°Don''t ever ambush me like that ever again, Alec,¡± she growled, her eyes shing and narrowing into slits.


    "I did no such thing."


    "Really? Then what was it with the damn kisses?"


    "We needed to sell the picture of a loving, affectionate couple," I shrugged, lying to her face. I can''t really tell her I kissed her because I wanted to feel her soft skin.


    Her hands are fisted, and her lips


    form a thin line. She opens her mouth about to probably spit something at me, but her phone rings. Her eyes widen after checking the caller ID before she answers.


    "Rave! Where the hell have you been?" She screamed, her tone a mix of relief and frustration.


    She quietens down as she listens to whatever Raven was telling her. A minute or soter, she hangs up.


    "What is it?" I asked, noticing the worried look on her face.


    "Raven told me to get to the pack. She found something. Something important."

 Chapter 0168

    Chapter 0168


    ?


    Sadie


    The serious tone in Rave''s voice worries me. Thest time she said she had something important, she revealed that the pack wasn''t under a curse but instead someone really powerful and potentially evil was imprisoned there.


    "She hasn''t hinted at what she wants to talk about." Alec asks, running his hands through his hair.


    "No," I answer, cing my phone back in my pocket. "She just told me to get my ass back to the pack."Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    "Let''s go then."


    He doesn''t have to tell me twice. I turn on my heels and head towards the door. We drove here together because, like Alec said, we needed to sell the idea of a couple. Besides, my right hand is in a cast, so I can''t really drive myself anywhere.


    Before I can get to the door, Alec appears in front of me, almost startling me in the process. He unlocks the car and opens the door for me. I stand there like a statue, not really sure what the hell was going on.


    "What are you doing?" I shake my head and ask, because, what the hell?


    "I''m opening the door for you," he shrugs. "You never open the door for yourself when we are together."


    "You are assuming that this ''togetherness'' will happen again," I murmur getting inside the car.


    He doesn''t reply; he just closes the door, walks to the other side and gets in. He starts the car, pulling away from the house, and all the while I''m wondering what the hell he was nning.


    I''ve already agreed to help his pack, so what is with the gentleman act? Why can''t he just leave things the way they are? Alec has never wanted me before, so why is he acting up now? Why is he pretending that he does?


    The more I thought about it, the more I got confused. He was confusing, and he was messing me up. I didn''t like that at all. Like I said, my life was perfectly normal before we discovered we were mates. I hate theplications he is bringing me now.


    Have you ever been tempted to jump out of a speeding car? I hate the awkward atmosphere that has. filled the car. Normally I would have tried to fill the awkward silence, but this time I won''t. I mean, this is Alec we are talking about. Thest thing I want us to do is have a


    W


    conversation. Content belongs to


    Instead of focusing on the unpleasantness inside the car, I instead look outside, focusing on the scenery. Alec''s wealth surprises me. He lives in an exclusive gatedmunity for the rich. It''s not that I don''t have money; I do, but still. Alec is a freaking billionaire.


    If I am being honest, I never thought


    that one day I''d be here. That I''d


    have the kind of money I do or have my own pack. Like I said, my pathetic younger self built her life around Alec. I never nned on working, even though I would have gotten a monthly stipend as a Luna. For me, that was enough. +wanted to be there to personally raise our kids. Sure, I''d do my Luna duties, but my focus was meant for my kids and Alec.


    I internally scoff thinking about my life goals. I don''t have anything against stay-at-home moms, but I can''t believe that I had built my life around aman. A man who ignored my existence because I wasn''t this type, and he found me annoying. I looked forward to being Alec''s mate, and that''s it. I didn''t have any ambitions, ns, or goals that didn''t involve him. It''s pathetic that I made him my main focus, given doing that gave me nothing but pain.


    ¡°I want us to talk about Aspen," his voice pulls me from my thoughts.


    I turn to face him, narrowing my eyes at him. "What about her?"


    "I would very much appreciate it if you''d give me the chance to get to know my daughter," he answers, in a cautious tone.


    I stare at him and just take him in. His eyes were firmly fixed on the road while his hands gripped the steering wheel. He sat up straight, which looked ufortable by the way. It''s almost like he had a ramrod instead of a spine.


    "Why would I do that, Alec?" I ask, leaning against my chair. "You didn''t want her, remember? You almost killed her. So why would I let you anywhere near my daughter?"


    He sighs, as if he already knew that I would be difficult about this: "She''s my daughter too."

 Chapter 0169

    Chapter 0169


    ?


    "You seem to have selective amnesia. You clearly told me that you wouldn''t allow your child to be born by a whore. That whore being me. So what has changed since then, hmm? Is it finding out we are mates? Is it finding out that I wasn''t in the wrong?"


    He remains quiet. His eyes briefly scanned my face before they were back on the road. Iy my good hand on myp, waiting to see what bullshit answer he''de up with. When he still doesn''t say anything, I continue.


    "Tell me, if the truth hadn''te out and you still thought I was a whore, would you have wanted her? If we were not mates, would you still be interested in being in her life?"


    His jaw clenches and so do his hands on the wheel. I didn''t want to let him go easily, though. His words from that day still haunt. Still ring in my fucking head more times than I care to admit.


    "I made a mistake, Sadie," he whispers, his voice hoarse.


    "You don''t get it. A mistake is buying the wrong cereals or cooking beef when everyone had asked for chicken-that kind of thing. Wanting to kill your child and her mother isn''t a mistake. It''s a conscious decision."


    My heart still aches thinking about that day. If Raven had been a minutete, I wouldn''t be here, and neither would Aspen. Most of my bitterness towards Alec stems from that day. I don''t care about the torture as much as I care about him almost ending Aspen''s life.


    "You had cost me who I believed was my mate. I thought you were lying to me."


    "And why would I lie?"


    ¡°Think about it, Sadie. I had just banished you. Life as a banished wolf is hard enough, but life as a banished wolf who has no training whatsoever, money, or anything for that matter is terrible. I thought you wanted back into the pack, so what better way than to lie about being pregnant with the Alpha''s pup?"


    I am starting to get angry. Livid is more like it. "After all the fucking hell you put me through in that dungeon, you seriously thought I would willinglye back to you if didn''t have a good fucking reason?"


    He slows down and lets out a breath. "Now that you put it that way, I admit that I should have thought it through. I was just so angry and bitter. I was too consumed by my hatred to think clearly."


    Is it weird that as much as I try to understand his reasons, I just can''t? Yes, Raven exined why Alec wasn''t able to sense Aspen, but that doesn''t absolve him of his crimes. The fact that he still wanted to kill me even after I told him I was pregnant-that''s what I am having a hard time letting go of.


    ???N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "When a woman you''ve slept with tells you she''s pregnant, even if you don''t trust her, you take her to the goddamn doctor and get answers before assuming that she''s lying. How do you expect me to let you. into her life when you had your hand in my chest, ready to rip out my heart even after I told you+was pregnant? Just like with the drugged drinks, you didn''t bother to find out the truth. You simply chose to believe I am a liar and a


    maniptor."


    "I''m sorry,"es his thick voice after I am done with speaking.


    His eyes give nothing away, but his rigid posture does. It''s almost like his mistakes have finally dawned on him, and he doesn''t know what to do or say.


    This time I don''t say anything. I go back to looking outside, thinking that it''s a little bit toote for an apology. It doesn''t really matter now, because the damage has been done and it can''t be reversed.


    We drive in silence, both of us lost in our own minds and thoughts. About forty minutester, we arrive at the pack. The moment he parks the car, I get out silently, not even bothering to look back at him.


    I find Raven in the meeting room pacing. Jason, Micah, and, surprisingly, Piper were there with her.


    "Raven?" I call, making her swivel around to face me.


    "I''m not one hundred percent sure," she begins. "But I think I found the person who is imprisoned in that confinement spell."

 Chapter 0170

    Chapter 0170


    ?


    Sadie.


    I am frozen as I stare at Raven. I don''t why, but I should be excited and relieved that she had somehow managed to find who the person is, but for some weird reason I am terrified of the news.


    Has that ever happened to you? Whereby you should be happy about finding out something that has been bothering you, yet you are afraid? Take, for example, when you are told your spouse is cheating on you. The news is shocking, and you want to know if it''s true or not, so you set out to find out. You get to the moment of truth, but all of a sudden, you are afraid of knowing, because you know once you know it''ll change everything.


    That''s exactly what''s happening to me right now. My heart is hammering, and I can feel sweat trickle down my back. I am terrified of the answers Raven has found out because, deep in the base of my soul, I feel like knowing it will open a can of worms that neither of us is ready for. I feel like it will open Pandora''s box, and no one will be able to shut it once everything spills out.


    "Are you sure?" stupid question, I know, but like I said, I am nervous. I tend to lose my senses when I am panicking.


    She raises her eyebrows. Her face says it all. Are you being serious right now?


    I shake myself, trying to get rid of the feeling of foreboding that had currently wrapped its cold tentacles around me. Maybe I just needed to breathe and think positively. I mean, I heard that whatever you think, you attract. I haven''t been having the best of thoughts these past few weeks.


    I cross the room and take a seat. Alec, as if he just can''t leave me the fuck alone,es and sits down right next to me.


    "Please, first tell me where you were the whole of yesterday."


    She must have seen something in my eyes because her eyes narrowed. "What happened?"


    "Hybrids"


    Alec and I take turns filling her in on everything that happened yesterday. It doesn''t really take that long.


    ¡°We did get one thing out of him though," I say after a minute or so of silence. ¡°He told me that ''she'' ising for me."


    "She? She who?" thises from Piper.


    el


    I won''t say that I am okay with her because, just like her brother, I am not. Her betrayal hurts more given that she was my best friend. She knew me, yet she chose to side with others and condemn me. I have the urge to ignore her and pretend that she isn''t in the room. One thing I realized about myself is that I am petty, and I won''t apologize for that.


    "Focus, darling,¡± says Nyx in azy voice. "We''ll have time to y with her like a little mouse."


    I like the sound of that. Really love the sound of that.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "What''s with the evil smirk?" Micah''s voice breaks through my thoughts.


    "Nothing," I pull myself together.


    "Yes, Sadie, who is the ''She''?" Rave asks


    "I don''t know, but I have two guesses. Either the one who drugged us or the one making the hybrids. It could also be one and the same person, or it could be they are working together."


    I have thought about it since yesterday. I suspected it, but with the confirmation from the hybrid, it made more sense the more I thought about it.


    "He said that he hoped she would rip


    my heart out, meaning for some reason I don''t know this woman means me harm. If webine that with the fact that the woman who paid Calvin to drug us also wanted to cause me trouble, it doesn''t take a genius to figure out that either they are the same person or they may be working together."


    "It doesn''t make sense though. Why would she send her hybrids after you now after all these years? You have been killing hybrids since you learned how to fight. Why now and not then?" Raven reasons, her eyes searching mine.

 Chapter 0171

    Chapter 0171


    ?


    "Something else is going on." Alec speaks up for the first time since we came back. "I don''t know about you, but I think something else is up. This looks like something that has been building up for years. Something that she has probably been nning while she bids her time."


    Jason, who was silent, adds. "Alec is right. Like Raven said, it doesn''t make sense that she would just attack now out of nowhere... And like Alec said, she was biding her time, waiting for something. Whatever it is she was waiting for has probably taken ce. That''s why she''s nowing after you."


    To be honest, I am not sure how to feel about that. It''s something that I have struggled with since that hybrid spoke those words.


    Sure, I am powerful, but I am not yet confident in my powers. They are still new, and I haven''t even mastered them, yet there is someone seemingly more powerful who is after me for whatever reason. I mean, she can''t be powerless if she is able to create a whole new fucking species.


    My heart rate hits the roof when I think of the possibility of facing off against this enemy. Hybrids are ruthless, so what about their creator? That is the question that keeps ringing in my head. How the hell did my life get soplicated?


    The dream I had still haunts me. A tremble passes down my spine as I think of all the ways everything could go wrong. Of all the lives that could be lost, including mine.


    Then it hits me. "Oh, my goddess, what if the dream I had was of her? Remember Raven? It was a woman that killed me. What if it''s the''she'' the hybrid was talking about?"N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Her eyes widen as my words register in her mind. I never saw the woman''s face, and we wondered who she was and why she would possibly want to kill me. What if I couldn''t see her face because I haven''t met her yet? What if she''s the woman that''s after me?


    "If it''s true, then I was right. I wasn''t a dream but a premonition," her wordse out shaky as her voice cracks.


    We both run a hand through our hair at the same time. Now more than ever, I am even more disturbed as pieces finally start to fall into ce.


    "Wait, I am lost. Dreams? Premonitions? You were killed?" Alec''s voice is tinged with confusion. The confusion is also on his face and that of the others.


    Raven takes a moment to exin what we were talking about because I simply can''t get the words past my lips. My shoulders fall as I feel the weight of the world on them feel overwhelmed and messed up.


    "Pull yourself together, Sadie" Nyx growls at me her voice hard and authoritative. "You are my human,, and you were never designed to be weak, so much so that this is


    ¨¦t


    8 ??


    stressing you. Why the hell are you feeling sorry for yourself instead of finding a fucking solution?


    "Nyx..."


    "No! You are Sadie Evans and you are more powerful than you can imagine. Stop whining and cowering like a little girl and start fixing shit."


    For some reason, I feel like she''s given me a p. A p to get my brain working. She''s right. I''ve been through hell, and I''ve survived all of it before, so why the hell was


    allowing myself to despair?


    I shake the despair I was feeling and focus on what needs my attention.


    "We cane back to thatter." I pull my shoulders back and straighten my shoulders before turning to Raven. "You said you might have found who the imprisoned person is."


    Her eyes stare at me for a while, as if searching before she finally answers. "I believe his name is Kaden."

 Chapter 0172

    Chapter 0172


    Kaden. That name keeps ying in my head over and over again like a broken record. I don''t know what it is about it, but it sends shivers down my spine.


    I frown as I try to think about why it would affect me in that way. It wasn''t a name I knew. It was just a random name, yet it has an effect on me that I can''t understand no matter how much I try.


    I try shaking myself from the thoughts, but nothing. It''s like my mind is stuck on that one name. I don''t know anyone by that name, so it doesn''t make any sense whatsoever.


    Trying to focus, I clench my fingers in an effort to keep myself grounded. To keep tethered to reality, but it doesn''t work. My heart starts racing really fast the more I think about that name. The more my brain focuses on it.


    My vision blurs as my eyes be unfocused. It''s like I am in a damn trance. A trance I can''t pull myself from no matter how much I I try. There is something about it that I just don''t get. An array of emotions assaults me all at once, and my breathing bes deep as I struggle to fully grasp what the hell is happening to me. Fear, pain, sadness, bitterness, anger and betrayal. At the top of that list were betrayal, fear, pain andplete heartbreak.


    What the hell was happening to me? Why did I feel this way towards someone I didn''t even know?


    It''s all so fucking confusing. I can''t make any sense out of it.


    "Sadie, are you alright?"


    I jump in my chair, startled when a hand on my shoulders gently shakes me. I look towards the person to find Alec watching me with concern. Not really knowing what to say, I avoid his questioning gaze and look around the room, only to find everyone staring at me.


    My thoughts are jumbled and a mess. I also can''t help the thought that that name feels really familiar. Which, when you think about it, is weird because I am sure I wouldn''t have forgotten that kind of name.


    I swallow, "Yes, yes, I am okay."


    As much as I wanted to tell them what''s bothering me, I couldn''t. I didn''t understand it myself, so how the hell was I supposed to exin it to them? How am I supposed to when I didn''t even know what it meant?


    "Raven, you were saying..." Micah picks up the conversation.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Her eyes were narrowed at me, but when Micah calls her name, she forces her focus back on what matters.


    "Like I was saying, I think I found out


    who


    Simprisoned here. I believe his


    name is Kaden," she repeats once again. Content belongs to


    swno


    Just like earlier, my heart misses a beat at the mention of that name. Yeah, something is seriously wrong with me.


    "How did you find out?" Jason asks, hisplete focus on Raven.


    Raven doesn''t miss a beat as she sits down and starts exining. "Well, it kept bothering me, especially since I didn''t find anything of use in the pack library. I got the idea of checking it out somewhere else. My mom always told me that, just like wolves, witches also have libraries, and so do vampires." Content belongs to


    el


    She takes a pause before she continues. "I decided to reach out to the nearest witch coven. Like we had established, loads of power was used to cast that spell, and if so, then a witch or warlock was probably involved. The good thing is that they granted me authorization once they learned that I was a witch. Ibed their text going back hundreds of years. That''s when I came across that name." Content


    belongs to noveldrama.org


    "Go on," Alec urges when Raven stops talking. She sends him a ring look but continues.


    "ording to the texts, Kaden is the son of the god Erebus."


    "Wait," Piper interrupts. "Erebus as in the Greek primordial god of darkness?"


    We all turn to look at her questioningly.


    "What?" she asks, her eyebrows raised.


    "How do you even know that?" Alec is the one that questions her while Micah and Jason stare at her with confusion.

 Chapter 0173

    Chapter 0173


    Piper shrugs her shoulders as if it''s not that of a big deal. "I''ve always been fascinated with deities, so I started researching them in high school just so I''d know the different kinds of gods and goddesses there are, but I didn''t know he had a son named Kaden."


    The three of them nod their heads in understanding before Raven continues. "ording to the texts, Kaden is a demi-god. Erebus kept him hidden until he came into his power. Erebus was the first god to ever sleep with a human and get her pregnant. They didn''t even know it was possible back then. When Kaden was born, the idea of demi gods and goddesses was unheard of, so Erebus kept him hidden with his mother, afraid of what would happen if the other deities found out. By the time Kaden ascended into his powers, a few other gods had gotten humans pregnant, so there was no longer a need to keep his son hidden. Since he was half god and the son of a primordial at that, Erebus took him from earth and brought him to live with him."


    The more Raven told the story of Kaden, the more ufortable I got. For some reason, unease rooted itself inside, and I couldn''t settle no matter how much I tried.


    ¡°The texts I read don''t really say what his powers are, but ording to them, he mostly kept to himself. You have to understand that deities don''t age like we do. When Kaden turned about a hundred years old, he started changing. His powers grew, and his aura became darker, like he had been corrupted or something. He started going against his father, the fates and other deities. He simply became uncontroble."


    My anxiety and panic started increasing the more I heard about him. I couldn''t ce my fear or anxiety. I couldn''t ce the reason why I felt like something heavy was weighing down on my chest. I couldn''t exin why the mention of his name was wreaking havoc inside me.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    "Kaden started talking about ruling both the heavens and the earth. He wanted dominion and power. It''s like he was drunk from it and wanted more despite it driving him crazy. He rejected the very n the fates had for him and fought against the path chosen for him. Kaden started a war and he almost won. The deities fought him. The texts said that the moon goddess had a vested interest in Kaden''s defeat, and she yed the biggest role in bringing him down. ording to the text, she wasn''t able topletely destroy or defeat him given his powers and the backup he had, so she imprisoned him in an unknown location."


    I felt as if my heart and head were going to explode. Everything wasing to me and I could barely understand what was happening or t I was feeling. My head feels


    what was


    like it''s about to explode with the weight of what was happening. Content belongs to


    My breath ising in fast and hard as I try to force myself to calm down. I feel like escaping. Like the room was suffocating me. I needed to getaway from this room and the words that wereing out of Raven''s mouth. Content belongs to noveldrama.org


    "Wow," Jason mutters, looking as if he were shocked and speechless. "I don''t know what I expected, but it wasn''t this."


    "I truly believe that it''s Kaden imprisoned here," Raven says,pletely ignoring Jason.


    "It could be," Alec mumbles thoughtfully. "You did say that whoever was imprisoned here was really powerful. If it is Kaden, it could exin the power you felt given that he''s a damn demi-god."


    Micah picks up right after Alec is done. "It could also exin why she also felt darkness and evil emanating from the imprisoned person, if Kaden''s aura really did turn dark."


    I don''t really say anything because what''s more to say? Deep down though, I am sure that it is Kaden. I don''t know how I know or why I am sure it''s him imprisoned here, but I trust my gut, and it''s telling me that Kaden, the first ever demi-god, is imprisoned here somewhere. Content belongs to

 Chapter 0174

    Chapter 0174


    "It''s all nice and good that Raven has figured out who this guy is, but have you all thought about what this could mean?" Piper leans back against her chair and asks.


    "What do you mean?" Alec''s face is etched in confusion.


    "If the person is really Kaden, then it means we will be up against a demi-god. The way I see it, we have two options. If we decide to break the spell, then it means we will be unleashing an evil and probably deranged demi-god back into the world. If we decide not to, then it means this pack slowly and painfully dies. Either way, we are royally fucked."


    Silence descends in the room as we all stare at her, knowing very well that Piper is right. We have limited options for dealing with this.


    "I believe there is a way," Micah says after a while. "The prophecy did say that Alec''s mate, who is Sadie, would be the one to break the curse. There wouldn''t be a prophecy if there wasn''t a way around this clusterfuck. We just have to find it."


    "Micah is right," Raven chimes in. "If the oracle prophesied about it, then there is a way to break the spell without releasing Kaden."


    "We have to find a loophole," Alec adds.


    "Easier said than done," I mumble, speaking for the first time since Raven dropped the bombshell.


    My eyes are on my folded hands even as I feel everyone''s gaze on me. I felt overwhelmed by everything that was happening and what I was feeling. I just didn''t understand why I felt this way about someone I didn''t know... and now on top of that, I had to figure out a way to break this damn spell without releasing Kaden from his prison. I had both the weight of this pack and the world on my shoulders.


    Fuck it. As much as Nyx told me to pull myself together, this isn''t the kind of shit I signed up for. I mean, who the hell would want this kind of burden? "Okay, if there is nothing else, I think we are done for today," Alec announces.


    I don''t wait for the rest; I simply ignore them, stand up, and leave. I had so much on my mind. So much to think about. I didn''t even know where to start.


    "Sadie!" I hear Raven call me, and I am tempted to ignore her, but I know that''s not the kind of person I am. She hasn''t done anything to deserve that kind of treatment from me.


    I stop and turn and watch as she runs to catch up with me. I tap my foot restlessly as I wait for her to get to where I am.


    "What was that?" She doesn''t beat around the bush and asks the moment she gets near. Her eyes are narrowed into slits, shifting between mine. "What was what?" I ask a bit impatiently.


    "Back there, when I mentioned Kaden, you looked as if you''d seen a ghost." Her eyes were searching mine as if she hoped to find the answer to why my reaction was out of character.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about," I mumble, avoiding her eyes.


    Like I said, I am not sure about it myself, and neither do I understand it, so how can I even begin to exin myself to her?


    I didn''t even know that I looked like I''d seen a ghost when she mentioned his name. All I know is what I felt, and what I felt is a kind of heaviness I''ve never felt before. The emotions that surged through me felt weird and foreign.


    "Seriously, Sadie, are you going to be that way?"


    Sighing I fully turn towards her. "I honestly don''t know Raven. I don''t know what you want me to tell you All I can say is that I felt out of sorts when you mentioned him. I can''t exin it, but it''s like I knew him, which is weird given I don''t know him." Content belongs to


    There it is, what I was talking about. I didn''t know what the hell was happening to me, so even my exnation came off as a mess of jumbled and confused words.


    Her stare is piercing as she leans further into my space. It''s as if she''s trying to see the truth of my words in my eyes.


    "I don''t get it," is all she says when she pulls away.


    "Join the freaking club because I don''t get it either."


    My injured hand was starting to itch;bine that with the migraine that I was currently feeling, and all I wanted to do was sleep and forget about my problems for a little while. I don''t know about you, but everything seems better after a good sleep.


    "So, you are telling that you have a feeling that you know a demi-god?" she asks skeptically.


    I look around before pulling her to a more private space. Once we are there, I let go of her hand and start pacing as my nervousness skyrockets. "Yes, that''s exactly what I am telling you," I finally answer.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "You do realize how crazy you sound right now. I mean, this guy is hundreds of years old."


    I take a deep breath, then release it as I try to calm myself down. "I know. I know. I just can''t exin it. When you mentioned him, he felt familiar, and along with that familiarity came these intense feelings that felt suffocating."


    She opens her mouth to speak and then closes it again. She tries again, but the same thing happens. It''s almost like she couldn''t really find the words to convey her thoughts.


    "What kind of feelings?" she finally manages to get the words past her lips.


    I tell her everything I felt without really holding back. When I am done, we both stake at each other, neither of us saying a word. I know without being told that I sound crazy, and maybe I am, because that''s the only reason I would think I know a person when I have never met them. Content belongs to noveldrama.org


    "Do you think..." she pauses, her teeth biting her lips nervously. "What is it?"


    "I just thought of Nyx. Remember you told me you think Nyx is way older than we think? That she knows things that are way beyond her age. You also said that, because of this, you think that Nyx could have been someone else''s wolf. Probably that person died long ago, and her wolf spirit was transferred to you for some reason." Content belongs to noveldrama.org


    The more her words spill from her mouth, the more nervous I got. I didn''t know what she was hinting at, but I feel like I have an idea.


    "Yeah," I whisper, and then her next words stop my whole world for a second.


    "So, what if you feel a familiarity with Kaden, not because you''ve ever met the man before but because Nyx has?"

 Chapter 0175

    Chapter 0175


    ?


    I''mpletely speechless. To be honest, I didn''t even for once think that might be the case.


    I stumble back and drop onto the nearest chair behind me. It''s like all the energy I had has been zapped from me, leaving me a weak mess.


    Raven''s word make sense. With everything Nyx knows and all that she has taught me, I always felt like she''s not from this modern time. I couldn''t really ce my fingers on it, but there was just something about her. Something that felt out of this world.


    Her way of thinking, reasoning and doing things gave off age-old vibes. She is like an old soul stuck in the modern and new-age world. It''s something I never understood about her. I mean, every werewolf gets their wolf spirit at the time they are born but is only able to shift into them when they reach maturity. With Nyx, it always felt different. I don''t even know how to exin it without sounding batshit crazy.


    ¡°Think about it, Sadie," Raven kneels before me and then takes my hand in hers. ¡°This is the only usible answer as to why you feel like you know Kaden."


    I know what she''s saying is true, but it''s still hard to ept it. I mean, all the thoughts I had concerning Nyx were just theories, a hunch, but now there is proof that they may not have been just assumptions. That hits differently honestly and it scares me.


    "You have to ask her, Sadie." Raven squeezes my hand, her voice soft andforting.


    My heart is racing, and I am frozen, probably because I am in shock. Shocked by what this could mean if it turns out that Nyx does really know who Kaden is.


    "I-I" I try to force words out but all I end up doing is stuttering. My brain ispletely blown away so I can barely think straight.


    I tap my foot. Something I do when I am nervous or on the edge of having a panic attack. I try breathing in and then out, but the air gets stuck. I feel like I am suffocating.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Secondster, I can barely get my lungs to function as I have a hard time breathing in. I start gasping for air as the world blurs around me.


    ¡°Breathe in, darling; breathe in,¡± Raven tells me calmly as she rubs my now cold hands. ¡°Take a deep breath, in through your nose and out through your mouth."


    She knows how to handle this and so does King. After all, this isn''t the first time I''ve had a panic attack. They started a few months after Alec tried to kill me in his office, At first, we didn''t know what they were; it especially happened whendwas really anxious and afraid. When I felt like something was out of my control, just like I''d felt in the dungeons.


    It''s after it had happened a couple of times and King forced me to see a doctor that it was diagnosed. It hasn''t happened in almost a year, so this Kaden thing was a big trigger.


    I do what she tells me. I breathe in, hold it for a few seconds before releasing the air through my mouth. The aim was to try and slow down my racing heart and calm down.


    After a couple of tries, slowly I regain my sight, and I am able to see Raven. She''s staring at me with concern and worry.


    "I-I''m okay," I stammer, grasping her hand in a tight hold, using the contact to tether me to reality. "I am okay,¡± I repeat the words, more to myself than to Raven.


    Closing my eyes, I take another deep breath. I force myself to calm down. It doesn''t matter if she knows him or not. It doesn''t matter if she''s older or that she was someone''s wolf before. None of those matters. What matters is that she''s my wolf now. Content belongs to


    I will be okay, damn it. I''ve been through worse before and I have survived. The answer won''t change anything. She''s mine. She''s my wolf, and, despite whatever happened in her past, I''ll be there for her. I''ll be there to help her deal with it, just like she helped me in my time of need. She is mine, and I am hers.


    Everything else be damned.

 Chapter 0176

    Chapter 0176


    ?


    Courage courses through me as I pull myself from the dark abyss that had threatened to swallow me whole. My back straightens and my shoulders pull back as I feel the darkness that had surrounded me slowly dissipate. My vision clears, and Raven''s image bes clearer.


    "I need to ask her," I mumble the words that she had told me a while ago.


    Taking another deep breath, I mentally prepare myself for the onught of the truth.


    "Nyx?" I call to her gently.


    I didn''t know where she was. Nowadays, it''s be amon thing for her to disappear. I don''t know where she goes, what she does, or even how she manages to just slip from my mind.


    "Yes?" I am startled by her voice. If I am being honest, I didn''t really expect her to answer me right away.


    "Honestly, Nyx, where did you disappear to, and what do you do?"


    "Training"


    She gives me the one-word answer, as if it''s enough answer to both my questions. I want to grill her, but now is not the time.


    ¡°We''ll get back to thatter... something came up. Raven found out that a demi-god named Kaden might be imprisoned here. Do you know him?"


    She freezes for a second. If I wasn''t so focused and tuned in on her, I would have missed it. Something passes in her eyes and they sh white, but it''s too fast for me to read the emotion.


    "I thought I had a little bit more time before you found out about him, but there''s nothing to be done about that now... Yes. Yes, I do know him." This time I am the one that freezes, as shock zaps through me like electric currents. That is the confirmation I was afraid of.


    "But how?" I stammer as my mind races to catch up with what she had just revealed.


    "Let''s just say that he and I have a history," she snarls in anger, revealing her fangs as a terrifying growl leaves her wolfish lips.


    Given her anger, it doesn''t take a


    genius to put two and two together. Whatever history they have isn''t a good one. In fact, it''s almost as if she hates him to the core and ispletely pissed with him.


    "What happened?"


    "I don''t want to talk about it... Not now anyway. Not until you are ready for the truth.¡±


    Before I can say anything or argue with her about not being ready, she shuts me out. I wanted to push, but thest look she gave me before she brought up her mental walls stops me. Gone was the anger, andContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    instead she looked hurt and sad. Content belongs to


    S


    I couldn''t help but wonder why she would feel that way...and then I remembered the feelings of betrayal, bitterness and hurt I felt when Kaden''s name was mentioned. I don''t know what happened, but


    something tells me that the w?


    is


    something more to their history; otherwise, why would she took hurt? Something big must have happened for her to have all these feelings towards him.


    "What did she say?" Raven''s question pulls me back from my thoughts. I turn and stare at her, bringing my focus to her face.


    ¡°She knows him, and they have a history... That''s all she told me.¡± I answer while running my hand through my hair.


    Raven is quiet for a moment before her curious eyes focus on me. "If she knows Kaden, then that leaves us with two unanswered questions. How old is Nyx? And how the hell does she know a demi-god?"


    "And most importantly," I add. "Given her powers, who is she?"

 Chapter 0177

    Chapter 0177


    ?


    I was unable to think about anything else for the rest of the day. Nyx has shut herself from me, so there is no way I can reach her. I know what I felt. I know something big happened. Probably between Nyx, her former human, and Kaden, because why else would I have felt hurt and betrayed? Kaden must have done something to hurt her and her human.


    I still in my seat as a thought strikes me. What if he killed her? He is evil, right? And that would also exin why Nyx feels hurt and betrayed on top of the anger and bitterness coursing through us. Maybe they knew each other before, and when Kaden turned dark, he killed her human. But that would mean Nyx is hundreds of years old, something we have already established. What it doesn''t answer is how the hell she even knows a demi-god.


    I clutch my spoon and shake my head. The more I thought about things, the crazier I felt. It''s like I was starting to slowly lose touch with reality because the unanswered questions were driving me to insanity.


    There was so much mystery surrounding Nyx and none of my theories came even close to answering any of them. If I am being honest, it freaking frustrates me. I don''t understand why she keeps saying I am not ready. Ready for what? How can I be ready if she doesn''t tell me what to do? How can I be ready when I am preparing blindly? How can I be ready when she''s keeping secrets from me?Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Sighing. I am one of those kinds of people who can''t eat properly when they are stressed or anxious. I have no appetite, so I put my spoon down. "Mommy, you okway?" Aspen asks in her soft and soothing voice. Her brows are pulled down a bit, and she looks a bit worried.


    "I''m okay, my love. I''m just not that hungry," I answer her. "Finish your dinner so we can go take a bath, then sleep."


    She nods her head and goes back to eating. Leaning back against my chair, I watch my sweet daughter eat. She''s making a mess, but I don''t care. I smile as my worries wash away in her presence. There is just something about Aspen. Maybe it''s the fact that she''s my baby, but she is able to bring a kind of peace by just being near her.


    Whenever I would stress about the pack or Beth or the rest of my family, hell even Alec, I would just cuddle next to her and all my worries fade away. Her scent, her presence, and her unconditional love are my strength and my tether when my mind wages war.


    "Done!" her cheerful scream pulls me from my thoughts.


    She''s staring at me with a


    triumphant smile. Like she has just


    solved the world''s toughest


    1.n


    problem. Her dish is empty, and I swear most of her food is on her clothes and not in her belly


    "Good girl," I praise and then lean forward and kiss her cheek.


    I stand up, pick up our dishes, and take them to the sink. When that''s done, Ie back, pick her up and leave the kitchen. Aspen usually eats earlier than others. That''s why we are the only ones having dinner right now. After her dinner, she bathes, I read her a story, and then she''s off to bed. I do this because like I said, she''s an early riser. I want her to have enough rest. That''s why her bedtime is early.


    ¡°Come on, baby girl" I tell her. She jumps down from her chair and takes my hand. We walk out of the kitchen and head towards my room.


    Alec arranged a room for her, but she''s still notfortable sleeping in her room like she is back at home, so until she''s morefortable, she''s still sleeping with me.


    We get to our room and I head to the


    bathroom while she strips. I fill the bathtub with water, add a lot of bubbles, some toys, and it''s ready for her I finish just as she opens the door and walks in but naked


    Swnow


    "What happened to the towel, Ash?" I ask her, holding back myugh.


    She shrugs her shoulder. "No one''s here, mommy."


    "But someone could have walked in, baby."


    I don''t care what anyone says. We are werewolves, sure, and nudity is not that big of a deal, but she''s a child. Until she''s all grown, I''m going to protect her innocence.

 Chapter 0178

    Chapter 0178


    ?


    She moves, smiles and kisses my cheek. "I close the door."


    My clever, sneet munchkin. I chuckle as I correct her. "It''s closed the door, honey."


    "Close," she repeats it wrong again.


    "Closed"


    "Close"


    I give up. I help her get inside the bathtub. It''s after she''s in that I realize that I miscalcted. How am I supposed to wash with only one hand? I''d been so focused on everything else that Ipletely forgot that one arm was in a cast.


    Sighing, I debate on whether I should call Martha, but then after a while I decide against it. It can''t be that hard.


    I start with her hair, as she tells me about her day. It takes a little bit longer than usual, but I manage. After that, I wash her body, just as slowly as I did with her hair. I drain the water before twisting the tap for more. She likes soaking and just ying with her toys so I let her sit for a while.


    "Mommy," she suddenly turns to me all serious.


    "Yes, baby?"


    "Where is daddy?"


    My heart stops for a second as I try to process what she asked me. I''m frozen as I watch her wide green eyes staring at me, waiting for an answer.


    We have never had this discussion before. She has never asked, and I''ve never bothered to with it. I knew that when she got older, she would ask questions, but I just nned to tell her that her dad and I weren''t together. I know it wasn''t the best answer, but I would have crossed that bridge when I got there.


    My movements be jerky as I help her get out of the tub and dry her. I wasn''t ready to have this conversation. I mean, what would I tell her? That her dad is here, but he didn''t want her? That he almost ended both our lives?


    My heart races and icicles fill my veins. My hands are shaking and she notices. I take a calming breath, trying to push down the fear. I don''t want her to see how her question nearly gave me a heart attack.


    Wrapped in a towel, I lead her to the bedroom and then set her on the bed. I fetch her pajamas and help her get dressed. I am silent, but my brain is scrambling toe up with a reasonable answer. I don''t want to lie to her, but I also don''t want to tell her the truth. She''s still too young. I don''t want to break her little heart. Not that it won''t break even when she''s older, and she finds out the truth, but you get the point, right? Content belongs to


    "Mommy?" I release breath knowing that she''s still waiting for an answer.


    Of course, she''s seen other children with dads in our pack, but she''s never asked where her dad is.


    "Sweetie, why are you asking?" It was a deflection and not an answer, but it''s all I had right now. My brain seems to havepletely stopped working.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "My frend asked... he say everyone has a daddy," she answers. "But I don''t," she looks down as she says thest part, and that just breaks my heart.


    Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I curse all the way


    Fuck


    to the moon and back. I guess | know why she asked. None of the children in our pack ever bothered, so it never raised her curiosity. This child though, did by telling her that everyone has a father. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    I stare at her wide green eyes, and I don''t know what to tell her. I don''t know how to answer her, or if I should even tell her that she''s already met her father and made a connection with him.


    I got lost in my mind, trying toe up with something to say. I must have taken too long because I''m brought back to the present by her light snores. Am I terrible for feeling relief that she fell asleep?


    I move her under the covers and justy by her side. I know my daughter. Now that the idea is stuck in her head, she''ll keep asking until she gets her answers, and that scares me more than having to go up against an evil demi-god.

 Chapter 0179

    Chapter 0179


    ?


    Sleep doesn''te easily, even after taking a long-needed shower. I thought that washing off the tension in my weary bones would be enough, but it wasn''t. I then decided to rx in the bathtub and not think about anything. I failed miserably.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    Two hours after a shower and a warm soak in the tub, I am still tossing and turning on the bed. Aspen is sound asleep; no care in the world. For a moment, I am jealous of my own daughter. She looks so at peace that I can''t help but crave the same thing.


    It''s been a long and tiring day, yet I can''t sleep. My mind keeps racing, thinking of all the different scenarios, every possible oue, every solution and every angle. I''m not just thinking about Alec''s pack, I''m thinking about my own; I''m thinking about Kaden; I''m thinking about Nyx; about the woman that paid Calvin to drug me; about my birth parents; about my origins; and about Aspen''s question.


    I can''t switch my brain off, no matter how hard I try. Like I said before, I am an overthinker, so it''s hard to stop myself from thinking and overanalyzing everything, especially when I am stressed and have too much on my te.


    Groaning in annoyance and tiredness, I get up from bed carefully, making sure that I don''t disturb and wake up Aspen. Slowly and silently, I tread to the window. I push the curtains open and just stare at the sky.


    It''s a clear night. The stars are out, and so is the half moon. I stare at the moon, already feeling its pull. I have roughly about fourteen or fifteen days before the full moon. I let out a breath, knowing what that meant. I can already feel its effect.


    A lot is associated with a full moon. Unlike what humans believe, we don''t only turn on the full moon, but that doesn''t mean it doesn''t have its effect on us. During the full moon, our senses are heightened, and our animal side is stronger. It''s during the full moon that packs usually go on pack runs and hunt. We also howl at the moon, in a kind of acknowledgment and prayer to our goddess for yet another cycle.


    That isn''t what I am worried about, though. During the full moon, she-wolves that have found their mates usually go into heat. We are part animals, and because of that, three days a month, we go into heat. Heat is usually at its peak during the full moon, which also happens to be the second day of our heat cycle.


    We are also most fertile during our heat.


    Just like with animals, our scent changes and attracts any male near us. I''ve heard that even human men aren''t immune to our heat. They don''t usually understand it. All they know is that there is something that pulls them to us. Attracts them on a sexual level.


    Just like with animals, only sex can ease the fire that lights up during heat. Heat is simply the need to be mated, or, in simpler words, to be fucked until you are well spent and can''t walk straight.


    The tricky thing is that, even though we are basically sex on legs during heat, only your mate can ease that ache. Another man can''t satisfy that sexual volcano that is ready to erupt if you don''t put a lid on it. I''ve heard women say that our bodies literally reject any male who is not our mate. I''ve also heard it''s nearly impossible to resist your mate and vice versa. Content belongs to


    Now you see where my concern is. This full moon will be my first heat cycle. How the fuck am I supposed to deal with it? I can''t and won''t sleep with Alec. I don''t want to. So how am I supposed to resist him? How the hell am I supposed to fight something that''s basically my nature?


    Movement catches my eye, and I momentarily forget my current concerns. Even without my heightened vision, I would recognize him anywhere. After all, I''ve been in love with him since I was ten.


    ¡°Looks like you are not the only one struggling to find sleep," Nyx pops in, almost making me jump. I didn''t think I''d hear from her anytime soon.


    I nod my head and continue to


    watch Alec. I''m unable to tear my


    nee


    gaze from him even as he begins to take off his clothes. Slowly by


    slowly, as if he''s giving a strip show, or maybe it''s just my dirty mind and the beginning effects of my heat, he takes them off until he doesn''t have a stitch of clothing on.


    ¡°He''s an asshole, but you have to admit he has a nice ass," Nyx says, our eyes still fixed on him.


    I don''t want to admit it, but it''s true.


    To be honest, have never seen Alec fully naked. Sure, I''ve seen him shirtless and in a pair of boxers, but that''s as far as I''ve gone. I know it''s weird given we are wolves, but unlike what many believe about us, we just don''t go strutting around naked for everyone to see. Yes, we aren''t bothered about being nude, but that doesn''t mean we go around shing others.

 Chapter 0180

    Chapter 0180


    ?


    Mostly we leave our clothes where we can find them or use the ones hidden in different spots. Like I said, it would be traumatizing for children to watch naked pack members every time someone shifts.


    As for us sleeping together three years ago, well, I still can''t remember the details of that night. Meaning, technically, even though we have slept together and have a kid, I''ve never seen him naked.


    "Please, turn around," she whispers almost as if it''s a prayer.


    "Seriously, Nyx?"


    "What? I want to see what he''s packing."


    "We hate him."


    "True, but that doesn''t mean we can''t look at or admire those muscles... I mean, look at him. You have to admit that he''s a fine specimen, even if he''s aplete jerk."


    I don''t say anything. I refuse to admit a single thing. It doesn''t matter anyway. Alec is a no-go zone.


    As if feeling my gaze on him, he turns. It''s dark, but with his heightened vision, I know he can clearly see me.


    I refuse to turn and hide. I refuse to pretend like I wasn''t watching him. I am not a coward.


    ¡°Come on, Sadie, just one peek," Nyx begs, her voice filled with a hint of desperation.


    She''s honestly a confusing wolf. One minute she hates his guts, and the next she wants to see his dick. I mean, who even does that? I me the effects of the moon because I refuse to ept that I have a horny and dirty-minded wolf.


    Despite her begging, my eyes remain firmly fixed on his face. I fight with everything I got, unwilling to let my eyes look down past his neck. I don''t need any temptation, especially this close to the full moon.


    I may be seeing things, but I feel like his eyes are daring me the more I continue to watch. It''s as if he''s daring me to take in all of him and not feel any bit of attraction to him.


    I feel the pull. The need to touch his skin. Feel him against me, skin to skin. Feel the heat between us. I feel the desire to be in my mate''s arms. To drown in his scent and to have him mark and mate me. I feel it all. I crave it. I clench my fist and jaw fighting against it. I fight against my very nature. I refuse to sumb to him and the mate bond.


    We stare at each other for a few minutes until he turns away and shifts into his huge ck wolf. He sprints towards the forest, and I finally heave a sigh of relief.


    I turn away from the window and just lean against it. That was intense, and I hate intense.


    "You''ve wasted a good opportunity," Nyx grumbles, making me feel irritated.


    I can still feel the caress of his eyes. His stare burned, leaving trails of molten fire on my skin. He didn''t touch me but it felt like he did. Like he was right here with me. Like he was here touching me, kissing me, driving me to the brink of insanity. Content belongs to


    I shrug off the feeling and go back to bed. I pull the covers back before getting in and closing my eyes. I will my brain to go to sleep and my body to release the desire that has


    el


    awoken in me. Finally, after a tong time, I fall asleep, but it isn''t peaceful.


    ***


    I hear the voices. Giggles of young girls. My vision is blurry and I can barely see anything. Someone is pulling me. I know it''s not Aspen because I would recognize her voice I anywhere. We are rushing


    somewhere as we both give


    There are footsteps behind us.


    Chasing us.


    "Please stop, Misses," the woman begs. "You know you two are supposed to be with your mistress, studying. Your mother will have my head."


    "You are being dramatic, Sophie," the young girl says, but she still doesn''t stop.


    I''m confused. Where am I? Who is the girl and thedy? And mother? Whose mother?


    Thedy tries to keep up. Sophie tries to keep up but she soon stops. I look behind me only for me to see nothing.


    My hand is still in the little girl''s. We run, but like I said, I can barely see anything.


    She pulls me outside. I know it''s outside because I can smell the fresh air. The green grass, flowers, and I can hear the chirping of birds.


    She pulls me into a corner, where we crouch down and hide.


    "They are going to find us, and we will be in trouble." I whisper, but instead of my normal voice, the wordse out in a kid''s voice. What the hell?


    "Don''t worry, sissy," she assures me. "Nothing will happen. I''ll make sure you aren''t in trouble. I''ll always protect you."


    "You promise?" I ask, giving her my pinky finger.


    She wraps hers around mine and smiles. "I promise... I love you."


    "I love you too, sissy," I reply, hugging her.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.

 Chapter 0181

    Chapter 0181


    ?


    Anonymous.


    I walk through the gates of my castle worn out, tired andpletely pissed off. Someone had sent word that they had spotted my mother. That they were sure it was her.


    This time I decided to go myself. After all, if it was her, I wanted to drag her here myself. I wanted to be the one to bring her here to face her punishment.


    It was aplete bust, though. No one had seen a woman of her description. Either whoever gave us that information lied or they were also fed the wrong information. Either way, someone is going to pay for wasting my fucking time.


    "Your highness," two of the guards at the gates bow to me as I pass. I don''t say anything; just give them a brief nod before heading towards my castle.


    It''s been three days since I left. I hate that I''vee back empty-handed. I hate that my so-called mother is still free somewhere out there. I want her to be here when I bring back Kaden. She will be a gift to him.


    Hearing a ruckus in themon room, I head there. Thest thing I need when I get back home from a disappointing journey is to deal with loud and rowdy hybrids.


    I get closer and then stop at the door. There is a hybrid in the middle of the room who seems to be addressing the rest. I clench my fistpletely pissed off. I want nothing but to rip his heart out, but I stop myself. First, I need to know who is supporting him before I do anything.


    ¡°Are we really going to let a weak stupid bitch treat us like her ves?" he asks, his confidence pouring out of him in waves. "She is nothing but a werewolf and we are more. So much more. I say we should take her out and take over."


    "Yeah!" a few side with him, pumping up their fists in solidarity.


    "She promised us revenge on those snotty packs, ns and covens that thought were better than us. She said we would bring them chaos and watch them burn, yet she has done nothing except sit her ass on that throne."


    He doesn''t have a lot of supporters, but isn''t that how a rebellion starts? Ask humans about their God and the rebellion one of the angels started. It began with a whisper here and there, one angel, then two, and then finally there was a war in heaven, Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    He thinks I am weak because I am a woman. He should ask those who thought the same, but he can''t because they are all dead.


    I scan the room. Most of the hybrids


    ignore him; some are watching him, and there are those who are really listening, his supporters. ke is at the far end of the room with a smirk on his face. As if feeling my gaze, he looks towards me, and his grin bes wider. He knows it. He knows the idiot can''t take me out. He''ll be dead before he even tries. Content belongs to


    NovelDrama.Org


    "I say we take her out. She is nothing without her scepters. She is


    powerless and weak." He pauses and then daughs like a maniac.


    "She''s beautiful though; it''ll be aContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    waste to end her life. Maybe if she begs nicely, I''ll keep her and let her have my cock, or I''ll just fuck and end her all the same." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Thestment brings both mine and Xena''s fury to the surface. No one, and I mean no one, disrespects me like that.


    "Say that again; I didn''t quite hear you," I growl, entering themon room.


    He turns and gives me a condescending look. He doesn''t seem afraid; instead, he is confident. He is underestimating me, and that will be his downfall.


    He gives his followers a look, and they stand up. There are about ten of them. No worries though; none of them will exist after tonight.


    "Look what we have here; it''s the boss herself," he mocks, thinking he has the upper hand.


    A different scene has probably yed out in his head. One where he manages to kill me and the other hybrids see how strong he is; and they vow their allegiance and loyalty to him, and he bes the new leader of the hybrids.


    "You messed with the wrong bitch," Xena snaps, showing through my eyes.

 Chapter 0182

    Chapter 0182


    ?


    He smirks, still oblivious to how dangerous I am. I have conquered kingdoms, yet this puny thing thinks he is stronger than I. What aplete joke. "And that''s exactly what you are, isn''t it? A bitch...and your ce is on your knees with my cock in your mouth," he sneers, grabbing his crotch, before he turns to his followers. "Take her."


    I smirk. It''s been a while since I''ve killed. This is going to be fun.


    The first one rushes to be, ws out about to strike. He doesn''t get close though, because before he can, he is on his back, his warm, beating heart in my hand.


    I turn to the so-called leader just as I drop the heart and lick the blood off my fingers. "Like I said, you messed with the wrong bitch."


    He tries to hide it, but it''s there. Fear is etched in his eyes, and it fills the room like a sweet aroma. It calls to both me and my wolf. We thrive off it. We feed off it. We bathe it.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    He takes a step back as Xenaes forward. My eyes usually turn pitch ck. I''m guessing that is what has him taking a step backwards.


    Before any of them can react, I strike. There are screams as I tear into them limb to limb. I don''t care though; the screams and fear from others feed into our bloodthirst.


    Minutester, all eleven of the traitorsy dead. Blood coats the floor, tables, chairs and my skin. I turn and address the room.


    "Does anyone have something to say?" I ask, locking eyes with them. "Anyone else think they can take me out?"


    They bow their heads and shake them.


    "Clean this mess," I say to no one in particr before leaving the room.


    I hear footsteps behind me, but I don''t have to turn to know it''s my second inmand.


    "Fill me in," Imand while I use my powers to clean the blood off my skin and clothes.


    "She killed the hybrids we sent after her," he mutters, not pleased that they are dead. "Was it a struggle for her like before?"


    "No," he replies. "She was able tomand them and even with a broken hand, she was still able to kill them."


    I had told him to send two hybrids after her and then stay back and watch what would happen.


    "That''s perfect"


    "What do you mean?"


    "It was just a test... If she''s able tomand them, then it means she''s getting stronger. I need her at full power if we are going to set Kaden free."


    We walk in silence for a while. The hybrids don''t know that they are just pawns. Only our original army knew that all this, all we are doing is to bring Kaden back and take what rightfully belongs to us.


    "And the other project?" I ask, pushing the door to my office. "Did she find the texts?"


    He gets in behind me and closes the door. "Yes, she did."


    "That''s great." I smile, feeling excited for the first time in centuries. "She''s ying right into our hands, and she doesn''t even know it."


    Iugh,pletely loving this game.


    One of the gifts I got from my mother was the ability to whisper into someone''s ear without them realizing it. They always think that it''s their consciousness or thoughts directing them, when in reality it''s little old me.


    I nted the idea in Raven''s mind and she took the bait. That text that she found was ced there by one of the many witches on my payroll. She thinks she found out the truth when, in reality, I am the one that was controlling her every move like a puppet.


    "What next?"


    "Now we wait for her to master more of her powers before we ce another piece of text shedding some light on what she needs to do to


    Pne


    undo the so-called curse," I murmur ying with the pen on my desk. Content belongs to


    UMS


    "You know she won''t agree to it, right? Given now they know who Kaden is." ke questions, looking at me dubiously. "Oh, yee of little faith." I look at him and smile. "She will. We just need a small window of opportunity, but that''s enough.¡± Sadie will free Kaden. I''ve got the right ammo to make sure she does.

 Chapter 0183

    Chapter 0183


    ?


    Alec.


    "You look deep in thought."


    Micah''s voice interrupts my musings, pulling me back to the present. It''s been three days since we found out that a demi-god was probably imprisoned here.


    I am in my office. I should be working. I had a lot of work load. Both from my pack and my securitypany, yet I couldn''t get my mind to focus on the task at hand no matter how much I tried.


    I drop the pen I was holding on my desk and push away the contracts I was supposed to be working on. After all, it''s been nearly two hours since I sat down at my desk to work, yet I haven''t done shit in those hours.


    I can''t stop my mind from thinking. I had a lot going on, yet all I could think about was Sadie and Aspen. It''s like my mind has been invaded by thoughts of them. I can''t get my head to think about anything else.


    ¡°Let me guess, you are thinking about Sadie," Micah mumbles, sitting on the other side of my desk.


    He isn''t wrong at all. That''s one of the things I hate and love about Micah. He knows me too well. Anyway, what kind of Alpha does that make me? Instead of thinking about my pack and the huge ass problem we are currently facing, all I can think about is my mate and our daughter.


    I swallow "Yeah."


    Letting out a deep breath, I sigh and lean back against my chair and stare at my desk as if it has all the answers I need.


    I''ve never really felt this way. Even when I thought that L was my mate. What I feel for Sadie is indescribable. My soul craves her. Not just her body, but everything that is her. I want her. I want it all with her.


    Sadie has never been on my radar. To me, she was my little sister''s tomboy best friend whocked any kind of fashion sense. She was a in Jane. She blended into the walls. She was always unseen.


    It''s not that she wasn''t pretty. She


    was, but you had to really try and see her beauty. While other women did everything humanly possible to get their beauty noticed, she


    everything possible to leto


    sure no one saw hers.


    She was always shy and could hardly speak to me without stuttering. Her eyes were always cast down. She hardly ever looked me in the eyes.


    I''m not being a jerk, but if I were asked years ago whether I would ever be attracted to Sadie, well, the answer would be a definite no. It''s actually hrious because now


    think of no one else apart from her. Content belongs toN?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    swne


    I haven''t even thought about L in a long time. My thoughts are consumed by the woman who I hurt, and she wants nothing to do with me.


    She used to follow me and chase me around back then. Now, the tables are turned. She wants nothing to do with me, while I want everything to do with her.


    "So, what''s your n?" Micha asks me, once again pulling me from my thoughts. "How are you nning to win her back because I can tell you that it won''t be easy?"


    Unable to sit down anymore, I stand up and head to my window. I catch sight of her and for a moment my heart fucking misses a beat. Damn it! What the hell is happening to me? I''ve never been this cheesey.


    "I don''t know. I have no fucking clue," I mumble, my eyes glued to her back.


    She has juste from inside. I don''t need to be told where she''s heading. It''s clear that she''s heading to the training arenas. We have two of them. One is outside, while the other is indoors.


    "You can''t be serious, Alec."


    I turn back to Micah once Sadie disappears out of sight. "What do you want me to say? I have no clue. She can barely tolerate me, so what the hell should I do?"


    I''m clueless about how to win back my mate.


    I can still feel her stare on my bare skin from three days ago. I couldn''t sleep, and thought that going for a run would help. Besides, it had been a few days since I changed into Knox, He needed it, and so did


    QUMS


    1.

 Chapter 0184

    Chapter 0184


    ?


    When I got out and started changing, I didn''t know that I would be giving Sadie a strip show. Not that I amining anyway.


    I turned when I felt eyes on me. That''s when my eyesnded on her form, standing by the window. She didn''t flinch or move when I turned, even though I was stark naked in front of her.


    I admit that I sometimes expect her to behave like her old self. She didn''t, though. Instead of turning around and hiding, she kept her eyes on me. I know that she wasn''t looking at me in a sexual manner, but I couldn''t help but feel like her gaze was like a smooth touch that lit a fire on me.


    "You have to do something, Alec, especially given that the full moon is in two weeks."


    Yes, the full moon. The day when my mate''s heat scent will drive me and my wolf crazy.


    "We are idiots, you know that?" Knox mumbles, his eyes staringzily at me.


    "Why do you say that?"


    "We never thought about it back then," he answers. "During the full moon, we never really felt any strong pull towards L like most people said we would when we met our mate, and she went into heat."


    It''s true. We did scent her heat, but it didn''t do much. The desire to bend her over was there, but it wasn''t all consuming like I was supposedly supposed to be.


    For Alpha''s, that need should be stronger, deeper. I shouldn''t have been able to resist her. I''ve never heard of any alpha who was able to resist his mate and Luna during their heat.


    It should have been a clue that something wasn''t right, and for a moment we did feel it, but we chose to ignore it. Otherwise, what kind of mate would I be if I doubted my mate and our bond, even though I felt the connection? Hell, everything we were taught would happen when you meet your mate, happened. I felt like I was betraying the goddess and our bond by doubting things. Instead of looking into it, I decided to ignore it and push it to the back of our minds.


    I should have listened to my gut, but I was just too happy to have found my mate and my pack''s salvation that I chose not to dwell too much into things.


    "Yeah, we wereplete fools," I mumble, raking my fingers through my hair.


    I didn''t want to believe it before, but maybe it''s time to admit that I was yed and L probably had a hand in it. Because of her, I tortured and tormented my mate, and now shepletely hates my guts.


    For the first time in a very long time, I feel defeated and dejected. I seriously have no idea what to do. Fuck, I don''t even know if I can fix things with her.


    "Alec?"


    I turn and face him at the mention of my name. I uncurl my fist. I didn''t even realize it when I folded them into a fist.


    "I know thatook; you can''t give up


    he says. You''ll win her back. You are a persistent asshole, and it''s not like you to give up on something you want." Content belongs toContent ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    I raise my brow at him; he''s right. "I''ve never screwed this royally though."


    "True," he mutters. "But the Alec I


    know takes without permission, fights for what is his, and rarely asks permission or apologizes for it. You


    usually go after what you want t


    everything and everyone, be


    el.n


    damned. Start slow, but don'' fucking give up on her. It''s time for you to fight for her like she deserves."


    I''m quiet, letting his words resonate inside me.


    I stand up, round my desk, and walk towards the door.


    "Where are you going?"


    "To fight for my mate."


    His chuckle follows me as I walk out of my office.


    Micah is right though; there''s a reason why I''m one of the best alphas in the world. I don''t know how to lose, and I''ll be damned if I lose my mate.

 Chapter 0185

    Chapter 0185


    ?


    Sadie


    Three days. It''s been three days since I had the dream, and I am still confused about it. It doesn''t make any fucking sense. Just like the first time I dreamed about being killed, I woke up in the forest, naked and alone.


    I have no idea what happened or how I ended up there. All I can remember is getting to bed after watching Alec shift, the weird ass dream and then nothing. I don''t know what the hell is going on. I don''t even have a clue. I''mpletely nk.N?velDrama.Org owns this text.


    I stare at the punching bag as if it could give me the answers I crave, but I get nothing. It''s quiet because it''s nothing but an object. It can''t give me the answers I want.


    The only thing I am grateful for is that I am now healed, and my cast is off. I can now train. For three days I haven''t been able to let off steam, but today I can. I can punch and kick all my frustrations out.


    I would have asked Nyx about it, but she''s been MIA since that night. I haven''t a peep from her. I don''t know why, but I have this nagging feeling that it may be her memories.


    The first dream, as scary as it was, I could write it off as a premonition, but with this one? It seems unlikely. The two girls looked so close, and by the term ''sissy'' I can only assume that they were sisters. I know those can''t be my memories (that is, if I am right, and it is indeed a memory) since, one, I don''t have a sister, and two, the elders said I was found as a baby. Those girls seemed to be around six or so. That being said, I can only assume that this particr one was a memory.


    I shake my head and sigh before I fold my fists andnd my first punch. I do it a second time and feel the tension start to leave me. I''ve missed this so much.


    I''m in the indoor training arena. I was a member of this pack, so I know almost all warriors prefer training outside. I was the only one here, and I liked it that way.


    Training has always been a form of outlet for me. It was a way for me to let out my aggression and bitterness, especially towards Alec. I always imagined it was him I was beating to a bloody pulp.


    "Sadie..."


    I turn sharply at his voice. My eyes make contact with his and for a minute everything else around me fades. I force myself toe back to the present. Thest thing I need is to get lost in his eyes when they stiff haunt me.


    "What do you want, Alec?" I growl before turning back and kicking the bag.


    "To talk,"


    I feel him at my back, but I don''t turn. Instead, I move forward a little, getting closer to the bag.


    "If it''s not about the issue with the


    ?


    pack, then no. I don''t want to talk tell him before pausing. "Besides, we really don''t have anything to talk about."


    "You may not have anything to tell me, but I have a lot to tell you," he says, his husky voice resonating all the way to my toes.


    My stomach churns at my reaction.


    Damn it, the closer we get to the full-moon, the harder things are getting for me. Maybe I should go


    back to my pack until the full moon


    passes. Content belongs to


    I take a step and move away from his head. Thest thing I needed was to be this close to him. To feel his heat on my body and his warm breath against the back of my neck.


    "I also don''t want to hear anything you have to say... well, unless it involves a solution to fixing the problem in your pack."

 Chapter 0186

    Chapter 0186


    ?


    I am just about to flee after having said my piece when his hand grabs my arm. I twist around and face him. His gaze is intense, as his green eyes pierce mine in a way that leaves me breathless.


    For the first time in our lives, Alec''s gaze isn''t indifferent as he stares at me. I gasp at the emotions ying in those green eyes. Guilt, remorse, desire, curiosity, determination, eptance and so many more. I pull my eyes from his, unable to stand the intensity of his emotions.


    I try to wrench my hands from his, but he doesn''t let go. Instead, he grips both my shoulders and forces me to face him.


    "I want a chance, Sadie," he states with determination.


    I blink a couple of times, trying to figure out if I heard him right or not.


    "You are kidding me, right?" I finally push the words out of my lips. "You have to be joking."


    "Do I look like I am joking?"


    I can''t help the sarcastic chuckle that leaves my mouth. Isn''t this just funny? This has to be the cruelest joke life has ever yed on me.


    I''m taken back to years ago. This was a dream for me. I would have jumped at the chance, ecstatic that Alec was finally asking me to be his. It would have been a dreame true, and I would have been over the moon... But that was years before. Years before he tore my heart out and left it shattered and bleeding on the cold, hard floor in the dungeons.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?.


    "You''ve got some balls, Alec. I have to admit that." I snap, feeling my anger and bitterness rise. "What the hell makes you think I''d give you a chance after everything you did to me?"


    His grip tightens. His eyes shifting between mine. His brows are also drawn. I know that look. He''s thinking. Trying toe up with the answer... But he really can''t. I doubt he can ever find a suitable answer.


    Lifting my hand, I point to my scar. "I have this as a reminder that loving you is a mistake. That loving you will bring me nothing but pain. I look at this every day, and I am reminded that you killed everything I ever felt for you."


    He doesn''t say anything, so I continue. "Given all that you did to me, tell me why in the world would put myself in the position to be hurt, ridiculed, and tortured? I loved you once and I paid the price. I''m not willing to go through that ever again."


    I exhale shakily, my heart wrenching painfully as I''m taken back to three years ago.


    "I''m sorry," his eyes plead with me to hear him and believe him. "I''m sorry for what put you through. Fuck, I could say that I was lied to, but that would just be an excuse. Give me


    the chance to be your mate. Give me


    the chance to fix my mistakes."


    I heave the breath I was holding. He just doesn''t get it, does he?. Forgiving him is easy. Forgetting is the hard part.


    "I doubt you can ever fix your mistakes, Alec." Talking about the past just opens up the wounds I''m trying so fucking hard to heal.


    It always feels like salt is being


    poured on my open wounds. It leaves me aching and gasping for breath a try to fix myself and put myself back together. I hate the past, and if there was a way to get rid of those memories, I would do it ina heartbeat.


    I wrench my arms from his, fighting to keep my emotions contained. Without another word to him, I turn and leave. I can go train somewhere else.


    "I''ll fix things between us," his voice follows behind me, but I don''t turn back. "I will win your love back, Sadie. Mark my words."


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