Liliana’s POVThey say that when a person panics, they either go into fight, flight or freeze mode. And though Aden is frozen in shock by Alpha Kaden’s confession, Bella immediately switches into fight mode. She starts to speak defiantly, albeit stuttering in her delivery, “M-My Lord, there’s no way Liliana can be your mate! She slept with a rogue! The rogue even testified to it! She…she must have used the sorcery to bewitch you!”Aden breaks out of his shell of shock. “Yes! Yes! That must be it! Alpha Kaden, Liliana cheated on me with a rogue! That was the reason her father stripped her of the status of heiress to Azure! She is a master manipulator! That’s the real Liliana! A liar and a cheater!”They are trying to drag me down with them, they are trying to bring me to the pits of hell.But as I stand before Alpha Kaden, I realize I have lost the power and the will to fight. Shame engulfs me, I had betrayed him and there is nothing I can do to make up for all the pain that I caused
CHAPTER 9 Liliana’s POV I am in shock, my emotions a swirling storm. I sit silently at mom’s dressing table and stare at the woman in the mirror. She stares back at me with the same bewildered look. Kaden is my mate. I cannot believe it. Mom, on the other hand, is overjoyed by the news. She can barely contain her excitement. Neither can Cathy, she howls triumphantly in my head, happy to have finally found our mate. "You should dress up, dear, before you go to Alpha Kaden's palace. It's a special occasion! You were invited, not dragged in shackles." Mom’s voice brims with enthusiasm as rummages through her wardrobe, trying to find me something fitting to wear. She hums and talks to herself as she does so. “I had an inkling it was one of the Frost brothers but I didn’t expect your mate to be Alpha Kaden! Who would have thought!”There is so much joy in her voice, but it is a joy which I do not share. The truth is, I am scared. Very scared. But I can't just find the same enthusiasm
ALPHA KADEN FROST’s POV I eye her for a long moment, searching, before the tension leaves her body and I become the man she thinks she saw that fateful night, in the shadows of the sanctuary of the hotel room. Before the door closes, I wrap my arms around her from behind. Her breath hitches as I hold her tight, not wanting for her to turn around just yet. My right hand drops to her thigh, zipping slowly the dress she is wearing. She cannot even move if she tries. She wants to, yet remains, wanting to see where this goes from here. With my grip on her waist, I turn her around. Her dress pools to the ground and she stands before me in all her naked glory and by the Moon Goddess, she is beautiful. I lift her right off her feet and carry her towards an inner room. The lights here are warmer and the mattress is softer, almost like it is made for this event. I leave her to fall with a soft bounce and then lock eyes with her. Her breathing quickens, she is nervous. I see uncertainty in
Liliana’s POV I wake up to the rising sun with a shiver. I should be warm in the arms of my mate but a turn of my head on the pillows tells me that Kaden has been long gone. His side of the bed is cold and empty. I bite my lips, trying not to let my disappointment show. I suppose his duties to his pack often call him away before the break of dawn. After all, he is the Alpha King of the North and I…well…I am not sure what I am to him actually. He has yet to mark me. I sit up and the blanket that covered me slides down to my waist and all at once, memories of last night come dancing back to me. I do not know why I am thinking of this now, but Kaden felt different from the first night. He was wild, unbridled with passion and very, very rough unlike our first night together. I wince as my feet touch the ground. It still hurts down there. Is he always like this? I frown, wondering why he had left my question unanswered during our moment of wild intimacy last night. Perhaps I will ask h
Liliana’s POVMy scream fills the air as the massive black wolf launches itself at me. The shock of the collision reverberates throughout my whole body. I lose my balance and topple onto the ground, slamming my head against the wall and for a moment, I think I can see stars swimming around my head.‘Oh how graceful,’ Cathy snipes at me.‘Like you’re any better.’ The wolf’s snarls and growls echo all around me. Panic courses through my veins, and I mentally prepare to shift, ready to defend myself as swiftly as I can. But then, in the blink of an eye, the wolf dashes away, disappearing into the shadows of the passageway. I climb back to my feet in shock, my eyes gaze towards the dark that leads back to the secret room in search of the black wolf but there is nothing. This...this doesn't make sense.‘It went back to the room,’ I say.‘None of our bloody business. Let’s just get the hell out of here,’ Cathy urges.Before I can even answer, Cathy wheels in control. A surge of energy cou
Liliana’s POVKaden takes me for a stroll around his land, and with every step that I take, I feel more and more in awe of the Alpha King of the North.Everywhere we go, everyone’s reaction towards him is the same – all with deep respect, some even prostate, their admiration evident in the way they hold themselves, while others bow low, their heads lowered out of what seems to be fear. I sneak a peek at Kaden as we walk. His eyes, dark and stormy are trained forward, his brows furrowed as if he is deep in thought, but his stride, powerful and yet at a leisurely pace. He possesses a confidence and capability that dad never will and I know without a doubt that Kaden’s pack members follow him to the ends of the earth - no questions asked. There is just no doubting the power Kaden holds within his pack.And as we walk, the crowd parts like the Red Sea to allow us through. The hushed whispers of the crowd envelop us, and despite their efforts to keep their words hidden, a few phrases reac
Before the Attack Landon's POVI sit in the lone comfort of my chamber, a glass of untouched red wine in my hand. I stare at it, the crimson liquid a reflection of my swirling thoughts. The conversation with Kaden echoes in my mind, haunting me with his words."I found our mate," Kaden had declared, his words cutting like a double-edged sword. Anger shadowed his face when he spoke next. "But she does not want to see you. Not after what you did to her. You took her when she was drunk that night without consent. She wants nothing to do with you."Kaden’s words pierce like a poisoned dagger through my heart. This is a painful checkmark from a couple of days ago. I wish he was wrong, but I cannot deny the truth in his words, the guilt and regret gnawing at me. I took advantage of Liliana that night, and it is a mistake I cannot undo.The untouched wine in my glass mocks me, a symbol of the bitterness that fills my soul. I had hoped for a chance at redemption, a way to make amends for my
Landon’s POV My gaze travels from the wrought iron gates where Marcus has run off to the man who pops his head out of the Tesla. Evander Frost - cousin, friend, ally but most of all, the man who has been destined to also share our mate. What is he doing here? Evander hangs an elbow outside the window of his car and he tips his head at me. Unlike the thunderstorm that colours my hair, Evander’s is black as midnight, sharply groomed and neatly slicked back. Tall and slender with sharp, twinkling blue eyes, Evander looks like a graceful prince on a fun day out. The Goddess has been kind to him, he does not need to shoulder the burden of being an Alpha. “Aren’t you glad to see me?” he asks. His smile is warm, a glimmer of casualness in this otherwise strained situation. The air is heavy with tension but I manage a civil greeting for my cousin. "Yes," I say, nodding slightly. It is an honest answer. "It's been a while." His smile widens "It certainly has," he replies. His sudden appe