Kailey’s POVWe all returned to the hall where everyone was. I was not myself. My blood boiled, my hands clenched at my sides. My eyes found Cecilia even as she was smiling, greeting all the guests like she hadn’t just flipped my world upside down.I wanted to grab her by the throat and squeeze until she stopped breathing. I wanted to see the panic in her eyes the way she made me panic all these years. But I couldn’t. Not here. Not now. It would cause more problems than it would solve.A light touch on my back made me tense. I spun around, my body still on edge.Mage Elyra.I blinked. “Wow… you came.”She smiled, her eyes warm but knowing. “Yeah, sure I did. I wouldn’t miss this. After I was done with what I was doing in the woods, I said let me rush down here.”I nodded, my eyes flickering back to Cecilia. “That’s nice. I’m happy you’re here.”Elyra followed my gaze, her expression turning serious. “Where is Aurene?”“He’s in his room,” I said. “He’s still getting prepared to be show
Kailey’s POVAurene turned to him. “No. I’m done lying. You want me to respect you? Then tell me the truth. Tell me why you let it happen. Tell me why you never protected her. Tell me why you still stand beside her, knowing everything she’s done.”Ezekiel’s jaw clenched.Cecilia, for the first time, looked shaken. She wasn’t in control anymore. The room wasn’t following her plan.I watched it all, my heart racing. My boy. My brave, bold son.I had always wanted to shield him from this, but now, I saw it. He had his own fire. His own fight.And for the first time, Cecilia had nothing to say.Silence stretched. The whole hall held its breath.Then, Aurene took a step back. He sighed, shaking his head. “You can keep your fake words, Cecilia. I don’t need them.”And with that, he turned and walked out of the hall.Leaving everyone stunned.Leaving Cecilia open.And leaving me, his mother, feeling more pride than I had in my entire life.******After a few more hours, the feast finished, a
Kailey’s POVI wanted to go and check on Ezekiel, but I didn’t dare. I knew right now he was really angry, so ignoring him felt like the best thing to do. Auren was in his room, and I told myself I’d go meet him instead. I guessed he was just frustrated—I know how much all this must weigh on him. As I walked down the hallway, I caught sight of Cecilia coming out of one of the rooms. She looked like she’d eaten something sour, her face all twisted and angry. Seeing her like that made a smile creep onto my face. I was so happy about what happened earlier that I couldn’t help myself. Cecilia turned, her sharp look locking onto mine. She noticed the grin on my face and stopped in her tracks, her eyes sharpening. “What’s funny?” she snapped, her voice cold and sharp. I crossed my arms, leaning slightly against the wall as I tilted my head at her. “What isn’t funny?” I said with a laugh. “You, Cecilia. You are the joke of the night. A self-acclaimed Luna, made to look stupid by a fourte
Kailey’s POV“She’s not my Luna anymore!” he roared, his voice cracking with frustration. “I told you that already. I—”“Oh, really?” I interrupted, stepping closer to him. “Because it sure as hell sounded like you were defending her just now. ‘My Luna this, my Luna that.’ Which is it, Ezekiel? Is she your Luna or not?”He opened his mouth to respond but closed it again, his jaw tightening as he struggled to find the words. I shook my head, laughing bitterly.“That’s what I thought,” I said, my voice cold. “You can’t even make up your mind. And you want to come in here and yell at my son for speaking his truth? For standing up to that conniving bitch?”“Don’t call her that,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.“Why not?” I challenged, crossing my arms. “That’s exactly what she is. And you know it. You just don’t want to admit it because it’s easier to keep pretending everything is fine. Well, guess what, Ezekiel? It’s not fine. It’s never been fine. And your precious Cecilia? She
Ezekiel’s POVAs it stood right now, I was really losing it. Like, I was way too tired of everything. The feast Cecilia told me to plan? A fucking mess. Like, what the fuck? How can a fourteen-year-old boy talk back to me and Cecilia like that? Like, what the fuck?It shocked me to the highest level.You fucking caused all this for yourself.I could hear my wolf’s voice in my head, sharp and cutting, like he was enjoying my misery.“How did I?” I muttered under my breath, dragging my hands through my hair as I paced the room.You let Kailey down years ago, and you think nemesis won’t catch up with you?“You must be joking,” I growled back at him, my anger boiling over. “I have paid for my mistakes. Why the fuck is all this still happening to me?”Paid? Oh, please. You’ve barely scratched the top of what you owe, Ezekiel. And if you’re not careful, Auren is going to become something you’ll regret.“Fuck!” I snapped, striking my hand into the wall. My chest heaved as I tried to calm my
Ezekiel’s POVJames’s eyes widened slightly, but he didn’t reply. “Alpha,” he said slowly. “I… I think you need to address this head-on. Call a meeting. Confront Remus and the others. Show them you’re still in control.”I scoffed. “Oh, that’ll go well,” I said lightly. “What am I supposed to say? That my house is in shambles but they should still believe me? That my son publicly insulted me, and my Luna and ex-Luna are locked in a power struggle, but I’ve got everything under control?” “You don’t have to say all that,” he answered, his tone calm. “But you do need to remind them of who you are. Of what you’ve done for this pack and the Alliance. They’ve forgotten, Ezekiel. And if you let this continue, they’ll change the story entirely.” I rubbed a hand over my face, tiredness sinking deep in my bones. He’s right, you know, my wolf said, his tone softer this time. You’ve been so focused on keeping the peace that you’ve forgotten how to lead. Maybe it’s time to tell them. And yourse
Kailey’s POVHow fucking annoying it is to actually wake up to a text from Ezekiel.Meet me at the eating by 9 a.m. with Auren. Don’t be late! Who the hell does this fool think he’s talking to? I slid my phone onto the table and lay back down. I didn’t even know when I dozed off yesterday. I was so tired and scared that I just crashed, and now I wake up to this buzzing sound? So crazy. “Another crazy morning in this hell of a pack,” I mumbled, looking at the ceiling. I reached for my phone again to check the time. It was almost 8:30 a.m. I groaned, wondering whether I should even bother going to the diner. My wolf stirred, growling lowly, her way of nudging me to get moving. You should go. “Why? So he can piss me off even more?” I asked aloud. You know why. You care. I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, deep down, I still love Ezekiel so much. But what he did in the past? It’s always fresh in my mind. Every damn time I see him, I feel that pain. And it pisses me off so bad. Sometimes, I fe
Kailey’s POV"Nothing," I said easily, flashing another smile."Bullshit," Auren grumbled.Ezekiel leaned forward, resting his arms on the table. "Kailey, I know you. You were ready to tear this whole plan apart five seconds ago. Now you’re just… agreeing? That’s not how you work."I shrugged, tilting my head. "Maybe I had a change of heart."Auren laughed. "You don’t have a heart.""That’s rude." I smirked."That’s the truth," Ezekiel replied, his eyes still locked on me. He was studying me, trying to read me like a book with torn pages.I kept my face smooth. If they even got a hint of what I was thinking, it would ruin everything."Look," I sighed loudly, tapping my nails against the table. "We all want the same thing, don’t we? This curse broken. That’s why we’re even having this damn talk.""Yeah," Ezekiel said slowly, still wary."And this is the only way?" I asked, trying to sound hesitant."You know it is," Auren said."Then I’m in," I said with certainty.Silence. Thick. Heav
James’s POV Before I knew what was happening, a deep, sharp pain tore through my stomach. It wasn’t just a normal ache—it felt like something inside me was twisting, burning, eating me alive from the inside out. I barely managed another step before my legs gave out, my whole body suddenly weak. My hands clutched at my stomach as if I could physically hold back the pain, but it didn’t help. Nothing helped. “Shit,” I breathed, my vision swimming. Ahead of me, I saw Alpha Ezekiel and the other elders leaving the office, their voices blending together, distant, like they were underwater. I tried to call out, but my throat tightened, my voice barely more than a whisper. My head spun. The hall around me blurred, the walls shifting in and out of focus. My knees wobbled, barely keeping me upright. I was losing it. A fresh wave of pain hit me, and I nearly collapsed. I gritted my teeth, breathing hard, but even that didn’t help. My insides felt like they were being torn apart. A sharp, bu
James’s POV All I wanted to do was get back to the pack and tell Alpha Ezekiel everything I had found out. Every single detail mattered, and I knew he needed to hear it as soon as possible. My heart was pounding as I made my way back to the packhouse, my legs moving fast as if my urgency could somehow make the Alpha’s meeting end quicker. The moment I stepped inside, I didn’t waste time. I went straight for Alpha Ezekiel’s office. The guards at the door straightened the moment they saw me. “Beta James,” one of them greeted with a nod, as always. “Is Alpha Ezekiel inside?” I asked, already knowing the answer but still hoping for a miracle. “He is,” the other guard confirmed. “He’s in a meeting with some other Alphas. It’s a serious discussion, so we can’t let anyone in.” I clenched my jaw. “Shit,” I muttered under my breath. This was important, but I knew the rules. No one was allowed to interrupt Alpha Ezekiel once he was in a meeting. Not even me. “Let me know the second he’s do
Cecilia’s POV“Yeah,” I muttered. “Be careful.”James gave me a smirk. “Cecilia’s dangerous, but she’s not that dangerous.”I narrowed my eyes. “Don’t underestimate her.”James chuckled, heading toward the door. “Noted.”As he walked out, I exhaled, running a hand through my hair.Something was coming.I could feel it.I’ve been watching Cecilia for days now, tracking every move she makes. I don’t know exactly what she’s up to, but one thing is clear—she has a routine. And tonight, she’s sticking to it.Every night, around the same time, she leaves the pack house. Never too early. Never too late. Always slipping out when most of the pack is settling in for the night.Tonight, I’m gonna find out why.I move silently, keeping my distance as she makes her way through the darkened paths of the territory. She’s careful, checking her surroundings every few steps, but I’m better. Years of tracking have trained me to move like a shadow, blending into the night.She walks with purpose, never h
Cecilia’s POVI leaned back in my chair, exhaling slowly. Something felt… off. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it had been clawing at the back of my mind all day. A nagging feeling, a whisper of something wrong.I shook it off and grabbed the radio on my desk, pressing the button.“James, get to my office. Now.”A second of silence, then his steady voice came through. “On my way, Alpha.”I set the radio down, running a hand through my hair. The Moonlight Festival was coming up fast, and I should’ve been focused on finalizing the last details. Instead, my thoughts kept circling back to Auren.Auren was strong for his age—faster than the other pups, sharper. He had the instincts of a warrior, but he was still a child. My child. And I wasn’t about to take any risks, especially not now.A sharp knock on the door snapped me out of my thoughts.“Come in,” I called.James stepped inside, closing the door behind him. His expression was calm, focused, like always. That’s why I trusted him.
Cecilia’s POVBack in my pack, I knew I needed to figure out the right time to put our plan into motion. Timing was everything. If we moved too soon, we’d blow our cover. Too late, and we’d lose the advantage.The Moonlight Festival was coming up fast, and if there was one thing I knew about Ezekiel, it was that he took festival traditions seriously. That meant he’d have plans—big ones. Plans I needed to know.So, I decided to play nice.I brewed a fresh pot of tea, making sure to add just a little honey—he liked it that way. I carried the tray carefully to his office, keeping my expression soft, sweet. Like I was just a concerned old friend bringing him a warm drink.I knocked lightly.“Come in,” Ezekiel’s deep voice called out.I pushed the door open, stepping inside with a small smile. “Thought you could use a break,” I said, holding up the tray.Ezekiel raised a brow. “You? Bringing me tea?”I chuckled, setting the tray down on his desk. “Don’t sound so shocked. I can be thoughtfu
Cecilia’s POV"You owe me, Cecilia."Kyle’s voice was low, smooth, but there was something dangerous underneath it. Something sharp.I leaned back, crossing my legs as I watched him. "Of course. And you’ll get what’s yours."Kyle smirked, swirling the whiskey in his glass. "I intend to."I raised a brow. "What do you want?"He tilted his head slightly, his dark eyes studying me. "First things first—I want power. Real power. Not just being some Beta sitting on the sidelines of another pack. I want a seat in Ezekiel’s chambers."I exhaled slowly. "You want a place at his table?""I don’t want a place, Cecilia," Kyle corrected, leaning forward. "I want influence. I want a say in decisions. I want control."I tapped my nails against the glass in my hand. "And how do you expect me to make that happen?""You will," he said simply. "Once Kailey is out of the picture, once you are back in Ezekiel’s life, you’ll have the power to put me exactly where I need to be."I considered it.Kyle was sm
Cecilia’s POV"This is how you win."Kyle's voice was calm, steady, but there was something sharp underneath it. A kind of calculated danger that made my stomach tighten.I leaned forward, watching him closely. "Go on."He swirled the whiskey in his glass, smirking. "You already know Kailey's biggest weakness, Cecilia. You're just not looking at the full picture."I crossed my arms. "Auren.""Exactly." He leaned back, stretching his arms across the couch. "Her golden boy. Her pride and joy. The future Alpha." He looked me dead in the eyes. "You take him… and you take everything from her."I exhaled slowly. "It won’t be that simple."Kyle chuckled. "Oh, I never said it was simple. But it's doable. If you really want Ezekiel back, if you want Kailey gone for good, then this is how you do it."I narrowed my eyes. "How does taking Auren bring Ezekiel back to me?"Kyle tilted his head, like he was waiting for me to catch on. When I didn’t say anything, he sighed."Think about it," he said.
Cecilia’s POV"Who's there?" As I knocked, someone spoke up.It was me, Luna Cecilia. I said it in a firm voice.I had to wait for a while. The door did not open. I could hear feet shuffles and then a low laugh coming from inside. Finally, the door creaked open, and there he was—Kyle."Wow, who is living in my small abode? "This is so weird," Kyle said with a smile on his face. His dark eyes looked over at me like I was a surprise guest at his own party. His arms were crossed."Should you tell me to come in, or am I just going to stand outside the door?" I raised a brow.“Oh, my bad… I’m sorry. Come in, Luna,” he said, stepping aside.My guard shifted behind me, ready to follow, but I held up a hand. “Nah. Stay back.”Kyle smirked. “You guys and all your lap dogs…”“Watch your mouth,” I warned, narrowing my eyes at him.He just laughed. “Oh, come on. Relax.” He stepped back further, motioning for me to enter. “Get in already before you start a scandal standing outside my door.”I walk
Cecilia’s POVI was just sitting on the balcony upstairs, sipping wine. I was losing this battle. I won't lie. Like all odds were against me. I'm losing the love of my life, Ezekiel, and Kailey is stealing everything away from me. Like everything.I sighed even as I looked down from the balcony... and I saw Auren and Ezekiel coming down from the car. Fuck. They were bonding. I could see it in their eyes... that yes, they were bonding.I haven’t been able to give a child to Ezekiel. I have always had it in mind that I will soon. But as it stands, this stupid woman... Kailey has come to take all I have. I said to myself in my heart as I poured more wine for myself... in anger."Cecilia..." Loretta, my wolf, spoke in my mind.I sighed. "What, Loretta?""You're doing it again.""Doing what?" I rolled my eyes, taking a long sip."Drinking yourself into frustration. Watching them like a hawk. Getting worked up over what you can’t control."I gritted my teeth. "I should be able to control th