Asher
Watching Ally leave the Redwood Pack is the most painful thing I’ve ever had to endure.
I know I can’t make her stay, and I know deep down she doesn’t want anything to do with me.
Her eyes, filled with hatred and betrayal, haunt me every time I think about that moment.
My heart tightens painfully in my chest, the memory of her glaring at me so vivid it feels like it just happened.
That night, her emotions ran high through the mate bond.
I want to chase after her, to protect her from whatever dangers might be lurking in the woods, to tell her that I would do anything to fix this.
But Liam steps in, with his hand firm on my shoulder. “Selena is with her,” he says softly. “She’ll take care of Ally.”
I lower my head in defeat, my wolf growling in frustration as I turn back toward the packhouse.
Every instinct screams at me to go after Ally, but I know Liam is right. Selena is strong, and she’ll keep Ally safe.
As if the Goddess herself has heard my silent prayer, I feel a shift in the bond.
Ally’s emotions are suddenly calm.
This can only mean that the threat has been taken care of.
My bond with Maya has hit rock bottom.
The moment I caught the scent of another man on her, it shattered something in me.
The betrayal cuts deep, grating against my very core. I can tolerate a lot, but infidelity?
That’s something I can never accept.
She dared to pull that nonsense right under my nose, and now I can’t even look at her without my wolf, Kaidos, growling in disdain.
If Ally hadn’t been in heat that day, I know I wouldn’t have touched her, especially after the way she threatened to meet other unmated wolves.
To make matters worse, Maya is furious over the council’s decision.
The evidence of her attack on Zoe has been presented, and it was ruled against her.
She doesn’t fail to throw a bitter glance my way.
Suddenly, the door to my office swings open with a loud thud, snapping me out of my thoughts.
My eyes dart to the intruder, and Kaidos growls low in my chest. He’s been on edge these days, sensing danger around every corner.
I sigh when I realize who it is. Only Liam would dare to barge in like this and expect to walk away unscathed.
He strides in, his face unusually serious.
That seems to piqued my curiosity.
Without waiting for an invitation, he drops into the chair opposite me. His gaze locks with mine.
“You won’t believe what I’ve uncovered, Alpha.”
I raise an eyebrow, my patience wearing thin. “What is it, Liam, that couldn’t wait?”
“This can’t wait,” he insists, reaching into his pocket.
He pulls out a small device, holding it up for me to see. “I had to come straight to you once I found this.”
“What’s that?” I ask, looking up as Liam holds up the device.
“Remember you asked me to investigate Luna?”
I slowly nod, indicating for him to go on. My stomach twists at the thought of what he might have uncovered.
“I took my time, and checked all the places Luna likes to hang out.”
“Okay, I’m listening,” I reply, leaning forward slightly.
“Luckily, there were cameras installed in most of those areas. I went through the footage from the timeframe you specified.”
My eyes narrow, and my chest tightens as dread washes over me about where this is heading. “And?”
“Alpha,” Liam says, but I can tell that he’s been careful to say what he has in mind, “I found footage of her walking away with someone. The camera couldn’t capture everything, but I was able to extract their voices.”
That seems to pique my interest instantly. “Play it,” I demand, with a clipped voice.
Liam presses a button on the device, and suddenly, the room fills with the sound of voices.
We both stay quiet, straining to catch every word. The conversation isn’t clear at first, but then there’s rustling, heavy breathing, and the distinct sounds of… making out.
A low growl escapes my throat before I can stop it.
“Oh, goddess,” Maya gasps in the recording, her voice dripping with pleasure.
The scent of her arousal mixed with another scent came back into my mind.
I’d smelled it that day when Ally called her a slut.
Could Ally have seen this? Did she already know? The thought makes my blood boil.
My claws extend, scraping against the edge of my desk as I grip it tightly.
Kaidos, my wolf, growls furiously in my mind, ready to tear something apart.
“How dare she,” I snarl, my voice dangerously raging in disbelief.
“How dare she do this. She’s supposed to be Luna! A mother to this pack, to everyone here, and she-” My words stop, my chest heaving with anger.
The recording continues, and each word feels like a dagger to my chest.
“Time is running out, Maya. I’m the rightful heir to that position. Why the hell haven’t you infected him yet?” the man’s voice demanded.
Infected me with what? The thought slams into me like a brick wall.
Kaidos, my wolf, rages threatening to take control. He’s been suspicious of Maya from the start, and now his fury burns as hot as mine.
I rise to my feet, unable to sit through this any longer.
“And you aren’t fucking pregnant yet,” the man snaps, his tone dripping with anger.
Maya’s voice comes through next, soft and almost pleading. “I’m sorry, Xavier. I don’t know why he doesn’t care about me the way he did before. I’m sick of everything. I thought you came to check on me when you heard I was at the hospital.”
I turn to Liam. “Who the fuck is Xavier?”
Liam shakes his head, clearly as stunned as I am. “I’m not sure, Alpha, but this… this is bad.”
That’s an understatement. It’s a goddamn disaster. The recording continues.
Xavier’s voice is cold and impatient. “Why don’t you just let me impregnate you? That way, he’ll think the pup is his.”
My stomach churns, and Kaidos snarls viciously in my head. This must be the reason Maya has been so fixated on the idea of an heir lately.
She knows I want one, that I feel the pressure to secure my bloodline. But the idea of having a pup with her… it’s always felt wrong.
Something in me resisted the thought, and now I understand the reason.
She’s been playing me. All this time, she’s had her agenda, and it’s connected with this… Xavier. My hands grip the edge of the desk, my claws digging into the wood with rage.
This isn’t just betrayal. This is treachery.
Kaidos roars in my head, his fury boiling over as the pieces of this twisted puzzle finally fall into place.
Then it clicks. The silver dagger that pierced Ally’s side during that attack… it wasn’t meant for her. It was meant for me.
Ally must have seen it and had to run to warn me, and at that moment, she was struck down.
The image of Maya’s face flashes in my mind, the look of shock mixed with relief when she realized I was still alive.
Her attempt to end my life had failed, and somehow, the goddess spared me.
I stand abruptly, my fury radiating off me in waves. Liam follows close behind as I let out a deafening, earth-shattering growl.
The sound shakes the very foundation of the packhouse, a roar of rage and dominance that sends everyone scrambling.
Wolves bow their heads in fear, cowering under the sheer weight of my power.
Without a word, I storm out of the office, Liam on my heels. My destination is clear-I’m going to confront Maya.
The treachery, the lies, the sheer audacity of her actions… they’ve gone too far.
When I finally reach her, I freeze, taken aback by what I see.