Zander’s POV.
The morning after the council’s ultimatum, I sat in my office, staring blankly at the stack of reports piled high on my desk. The words on the pages blurred together, meaningless against the storm of thoughts raging in my mind.
I was supposed to be reviewing border patrols and territory disputes, but I couldn’t focus. My head wasn’t here, not in this room, not on these papers.
My thoughts were on her.
Aria.
It had been days since I last saw her. Days since she had walked away from me at the university dinner, her back straight, her head high, and her voice cold as ice. The memory played over and over in my mind like a curse I couldn’t escape. I had stood there, frozen, as she disappeared into the crowd, her laughter with her new friends echoing in my ears. She had smiled that night-a genuine, bright smile that had cut through me like a knife.
She was thriving.
Without me.
The realization hit me harder than I wanted to admit. While I was here, drowning in guilt and regret, she was moving on. She was creating a new life for herself, one where I didn’t belong. And yet, no matter how much I told myself to let her go, to stop thinking about her, I couldn’t.
I leaned back in my chair, running a hand through my hair as my wolf stirred restlessly inside me. He growled softly, a low rumble of frustration that mirrored my own feelings. Aria wasn’t mine anymore. I had made sure of that the day I broke the bond between us. I had told myself it was the right thing to do, that it was for her own good. But now, all I could feel was the emptiness she had left behind.
Even if she hated me now, even if she never wanted to see me again, there was one thing I couldn’t ignore.
She had no pack. No one to protect her.
And no matter what had happened between us, I couldn’t let her face the world alone.
I sat up straighter, my resolve hardening as I pressed the button on the intercom. Moments later, Liam, my Beta, walked into the room. He moved with the quiet confidence of someone who had stood by my side for years, his loyalty steady and unwavering.
“You called for me, Alpha?” he asked, his tone formal as he stood at attention.
I nodded, my face set in a hard expression. “I need you to assign a team to Aria.”
Liam frowned, his confusion clear as he stepped closer. “To watch her?”
“To protect her,” I said firmly, though even as I spoke, I knew the line between the two was thin. “I want updates on her movements-where she goes, who she’s with. I want to know if anyone so much as looks at her the wrong way.” My voice grew sharper with each word, my wolf pacing in my mind at the thought of her being unprotected.
Liam hesitated, his brow furrowing deeply. “Alpha…” He paused, clearly choosing his words carefully. “Are you sure this is a good idea? She’s not part of the pack anymore. She’s…”
“I don’t care,” I snapped, cutting him off before he could finish. My hands curled into fists as I glared at him. “She may not be my Luna anymore, but she’s still… important.” The word felt inadequate, but I couldn’t bring myself to say more. “I won’t take any chances with her safety. Do you understand me?”
Liam studied me for a moment, his expression unreadable, before he finally nodded. “I’ll see to it.”
“Good,” I said. Then, just as he turned to leave, I added, “And Liam… make sure she doesn’t know.”
He glanced back at me, his eyes narrowing slightly as if he wanted to say something but thought better of it. Instead, he simply replied, “Understood.”
After he left, the silence of the room felt heavier than before. I stared at the empty space where my Beta had stood, my thoughts racing as the weight of the council’s demands settled on my shoulders once again.
The ultimatum they had given me echoed in my mind: Find a Luna by next year, or lose the title of Alpha.
I couldn’t put it off any longer.
If I wanted to keep my position, to protect my pack, I needed to find someone who could stand at my side. Someone strong. Someone powerful. Someone the council would approve of. Someone who wasn’t Aria.
The thought made my wolf snarl in protest, his anger surging through me. He didn’t want anyone else. Neither did I. But I didn’t have a choice.
I pressed the intercom again, my jaw tightening as I called for my Gamma, Evelyn. She arrived within minutes, her sharp green eyes flicking over me critically as she strode into the room. Evelyn had never been one to sugarcoat her opinions, and I could already see the questions forming behind her no-nonsense gaze.
“You look like hell,” she said bluntly, dropping into the chair across from my desk.
“Thanks for the observation,” I muttered, rubbing a hand over my face. “I need your help.”
“With what?” she asked, crossing her legs and leaning back in her seat, clearly unimpressed.
I leaned forward, resting my elbows on the desk as I looked her in the eye. “The council wants me mated by next year, or I lose the title of Alpha king.” My voice was flat, but the frustration behind it was unmistakable. “I need to start looking for a Luna.”
Evelyn raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching into a faint smirk. “And here I thought you’d finally decided to quit and take up gardening.”
“Evelyn,” I growled, but there was no real heat in it.
She shrugged, her expression turning more serious. “Alright. And you’re asking me because…?”
“Because I need someone who can help me narrow down the options,” I said, my tone clipped. “The council will want someone strong, someone who matches my power. But I won’t just mate with anyone. I need someone who can handle the role of Luna.”
“And someone who isn’t Aria,” she said quietly, her sharp green eyes studying me closely.
My jaw tightened, but I didn’t respond.
Evelyn sighed, leaning forward to rest her chin on her hand. “Alright, Alpha. I’ll help. But let me be clear-you’re making a mess of this. Don’t expect me to sit and watch you drown in it without saying ‘I told you so.'”
I nodded, ignoring the ache in my chest as her words hit home.
The clock was ticking, and I didn’t have time for mistakes.