NICOLE

The scream tore through the night, cutting through the stillness like a blade.

I was out of bed and halfway down the stairs before I even realized what I was doing, the sound of chaos pulling me toward the pack’s borders.

When I reached the clearing, the sight before me made my stomach churn. One of my wolves lay dead—his body broken and lifeless. A she-wolf knelt beside him, her piercing cries echoing through the darkness as two warriors tried to hold her back.

“Victor, wake up!” she sobbed, her voice raw with desperation. “Please, wake up!”

I closed my eyes, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. My heart ached for her, but I couldn’t allow myself to crumble.

Gerald appeared at my side, his face grim. Before he could speak, I exhaled sharply and gave the order. “Have him buried. I’ll address the pack at dawn.”

He nodded, and as he turned to relay the instructions, I cast another glance at the she-wolf. Her cries had softened into quiet, heartbreaking murmurs as the warriors guided her away. The scene twisted my stomach with guilt, and a voice whispered in my mind: This is your fault.

Because I had tried to reduce the number of wolves I sent out but I still needed to scout the area so his death was on me.

I forced myself to turn away, unwilling to let the pack see the cracks in my armor. By the time I returned to my quarters, sleep was impossible. I checked on Daniel, as I always did when I couldn’t rest, gently brushing a strand of his dark hair from his tiny face. He was my anchor, my reason to keep fighting.

But tonight, not even his peaceful presence could soothe me. I lay awake until dawn, staring at the ceiling, my mind racing with questions and plans.

When my phone buzzed, I sat up, a wave of relief washing over me at the sight of Ivan’s name. Finally, some progress.

“I’m sorry,” he said the moment I answered, his tone heavy with regret.

My stomach tightened. “What do you mean, sorry?”

He hesitated. “There is a law in the Kaldor faction—any alliance request must be approved by Nathan.”

I was aware of this but Nathan had never cared.

“As far as I know, he’s never disapproved an alliance,” Ivan continued, his voice cautious. “But… once he found out it was you…” His words trailed off, but he didn’t need to finish.

I gritted my teeth, struggling to keep my voice steady. “I understand. Maybe I’ll try another pack.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line before he spoke again, quieter this time. “Nicole… you won’t get anyone to help. He’s blacklisted you and no one will dare cross Nathan.”

My hand tightened around the phone as a wave of anger crashed over me. Without another word, I ended the call, the sound of my own heavy breathing filling the silence.

Even after all this time, he was still determined to make my life hell.

A knock at the door snapped me out of my thoughts. I opened it to find Gerald standing there, his expression tense.

“The wolves are waiting for you,” he said, bowing his head.

“Tell them I’ll address them later,” I replied curtly. Before he could respond, I continued, “Have the car prepared. Two warriors will accompany us—we’re going to the Kaldor faction.”

Gerald hesitated, his brow furrowing. “Nicole—”

Whatever argument he was about to make was interrupted by the sound of rapid footsteps. One of the omegas burst into view, her eyes wide with fear. She bowed deeply, her voice trembling.

“Forgive me for interrupting, Luna, but…” She faltered, tears welling in her eyes.

“Speak,” I ordered, my chest tightening with unease.

She stammered, her words coming out in broken pieces. “It was my turn to prepare Daniel for his bath. But… when I went into his room, he wasn’t there.”

The world tilted beneath me.

“I thought maybe he’d crawled out of his crib or some other Omega must have thought it was her turn,” she continued, tears streaming down her face. “But then I saw—the windows were open.”

My wolf surged forward, a low growl rumbling in my chest as I struggled to breathe.

The omega’s voice broke, her anguish cutting through me like a knife. “I’m so sorry, Luna. I’ve asked and searched everywhere. I’ve asked warriors to help.” She paused, meeting my eyes with a look of utter despair. “No one can find him. He’s not within the territory.”

The room seemed to close in around me, my wolf howling in fury and panic.

Daniel was gone. My son was gone.

And someone had taken him.

NATHAN

“He’s dying.”

The healer’s voice was barely above a whisper, yet it slammed into me like a storm, violent and unrelenting.

“We’ve tried everything, Alpha Nathan. Every possible remedy, every form of treatment. Whatever this is…” She hesitated, her hands trembling slightly, her eyes wide with something close to fear. “It’s beyond my capabilities. And from the looks of it, I’m not sure your father will survive another month.”

I clenched my jaw, pushing back the tide of emotions threatening to pull me under. “I’ll come and see him later. Make sure he has everything he needs. He is to be comfortable, no matter what.”

The healer dipped her head, acknowledging the command, and left the study without another word. The moment the door clicked shut behind her, I let my composure slip, just for a moment. My hand clenched into a fist on the desk, nails biting into my palm as my thoughts spiraled backward—to where all of this began.

It was two years ago, shortly after Nicole had walked away. My father had stormed into this very room, accusing me of driving her off. He’d declared the deal off and threatened to take the pack from me.

Except, he couldn’t.

I had abided by his terms. I had married Nicole. Her leaving was her choice, not mine. I’d done nothing wrong.

I could still hear his rage-filled voice echoing in my mind, the moment he’d collapsed mid-sentence, clutching his chest. That was the first episode. We’d learned soon after that he was sick—a sickness that had spread insidiously over the years. And despite all my efforts, all my resources, every lead I’d pursued had led to a dead end.

“A penny for your thoughts?”

I glanced up to see Nadia standing at my desk, her expression warm but tinged with concern. A smile tugged at my lips despite myself. Nadia had always been my constant, the one person in my corner. Nicole assuming that something was going on between us was part of the plan after I learned about her betrayal and since then, Nadia had taken over, playing the role of my Luna.

Not that I minded.

I knew my father would try to take the pack so I had to make Nicole leave on her own accord because if I kicked her out, it would have been my fault. That was the loophole I found.

Her voice softened, carrying the familiarity of years. “From the look on your face and the way you didn’t even notice I walked in, I’m guessing things with Uncle Darien aren’t going well.”

I exhaled sharply, my tone neutral though I didn’t bother to hide my frustration. “The healer said she isn’t sure he’ll make it through another month.”

Sadness flickered in her eyes, and she reached for my hand, giving it a squeeze. “There’s really nothing more we can do?”

Before I could answer, a knock sounded on the door. Irritation spiked, and I snapped, “Not now. Come back later.”

There was a hesitant pause before the voice on the other side replied, “I’m sorry, Alpha, but it’s a situation that requires your immediate attention.”

I growled low in my throat, rising to my feet. “Wait here,” I told Nadia before striding to the door and yanking it open. “What is it?”

The warrior flinched slightly under my glare but managed to speak. “There’s a commotion at the gates.”

Without another word, I was moving through the halls of the mansion, my wolf stirring uneasily within me. As I approached the gates, the scent hit me first—faint but unmistakable. My wolf froze, his senses sharpening, his instincts locking onto a presence that had been burned into us despite the lack of a mark.

I felt her before I saw her.

Nicole.

She stood at the gates, her disheveled appearance doing nothing to diminish the fire in her eyes. There was something raw and wild about her now. One of my men tried to hold her back, but her claws shot out, knocking his hands away as she shouted, “You f**king bastard! I’ll kill you for this. I swear I’ll kill you if you don’t give him back!”

Her words confused me just like her presence, but I forced my voice to remain cold, distant. “You’re not allowed in my territory. Leave, or I’ll have them use force to remove you.”

Her eyes flashed with rage, darkening into something dangerous. “I know you found out about him,” she hissed, her voice shaking with fury. “I know you had him kidnapped and brought to you. But let me tell you this, Nathan—he’s not your son. He’s mine. I raised him, and I swear if you don’t give him back right now, I’ll kill you right here, right now.”