“What the hell are you saying, Knox?” Kodiak scowled as he and Mrs. Hoyles turned to face him amid the noisy courtroom and the spectators began to react to his words with shock and disbelief. The Dark Edge alpha gritted his teeth warningly when he spoke to his Beta, “Do you know the punishment that will be given to you if you don't retract your statement?”“I do.” Knox calmly nodded as his steady eyes lowered to gaze at his alpha's own. He gave him a reassuring smile before he stepped forward and admitted his crimes to everyone in the courtroom. “There is also something I would like to confess to everyone in this room.”His grandmother suddenly lost her strength when she heard him speak, collapsing on her seat when he started speaking. ”I am also guilty of deceiving the alpha because I hid the truth that Giselle was my destined mate. I had just been appointed the Beta of the pack when I discovered the mating bond but she begged me not to tell anyone about it because she was in love wi
In the chilly and dimly lit corridor, Kodiak's eyes were fixed on Giselle's face with a harsh expression. His gaze gradually dropped to her stomach, and he remained silent for a few minutes, lost in contemplation. Giselle felt a pang of nervousness, wondering if he believed her or not. Just as she was about to give up hope, Kodiak lifted his hand and questioned her, "Is it true? Are you really pregnant with my child?" "O-Of course, I am!" Giselle's heart swelled with anticipation as she placed her hand on her stomach, attempting to convince him of her words. She silently thanked the moon goddess for allowing her to be with him a few days ago before he left for the Silver Fur pack to meet Anna. Otherwise, he might have never believed her. The room was filled with an eerie silence, broken only by the sound of Kodiak's deep, booming laughter that echoed through the place. When Giselle looked up at him, she was taken aback by the grin at the corner of his lips and the amusement in his ey
Anna sat next to Kodiak in the living room, her body tense and stiff as a rock. They were both watching his grandmother drink her tea with poise, waiting for her to break the silence. Anna cast a pleading look at Kodiak, silently asking for an explanation about his grandmother's sudden return to the house, but he simply squeezed her hand and remained quiet.When the old woman finished her tea, she dropped the teacup on the saucer and turned to face them. “I overheard that you plan on dueling your uncle for your mate, Kodiak. If I hadn't come into town, would you have kept this secret from me?”“Yes,” Anna tensed slightly hearing how harsh and firm his voice sounded to her ears, “It's nothing personal, Grandma. You also hid the fact that you helped my father's murderer escape from pack punishment.”The old woman smiled gently, her eyes moving to Anna to gauge her reaction. However, Anna remained determined to keep a straight face, hiding her surprise at the revelation.“I was just bein
Anna gasped at his words, looking at him wide-eyed to see if he was teasing her but the calm expression on his face told her otherwise. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest as her hands loosened around his neck, hanging loosely on his shoulders.“Anna?” Kodiak's eyes furrowed in concern, wondering if he had shocked her but the happiness in her eyes made him relax slightly and wait for her response. “Sure,” Anna finally breathed out, “Let's get married.” She didn't know what had gotten into her to be so reckless, especially since she knew that they were doing something wrong but she didn't care. She realized that she was feeling insecure about their future, especially since his grandmother had now arrived with the intent to separate them. After all they had been through, the only thing she wanted was to feel the security that came with the status of being his wife. She wanted to be bound by him in front of the Moon goddess, with the elements of nature as their witnesses. His determi
“Okay, we are done!” Hilda carefully inspected her work before she took a step back and let Anna look into the mirror. The rest of the girls also came to check on her, beaming with smiles as they admired her makeup. Hilda said to Anna, “Although the products I used are all waterproof, I still suggest you don't cry so it won't ruin the photos we are going to take.”“I'll keep that in mind,” Anna nodded slowly when she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She could hardly believe that this beautiful face belonged to her, and the sight nearly took her breath away. Her honey-brown hair was styled with flower hairpins that left two loose curls framing her face. The finishing touch on her attire was the set of diamond earrings and necklace Kodiak gave her a few seconds ago, adding to her stunning appearance. Hilda's smile faltered when she noticed the tears gathering in her eyes and quickly stirred her out of the room. Anna's mind was a whirlwind of emotions, slightly shivering due to t
Anna woke up the next morning with a blissful smile on her face after recounting last night's events. She stretched her body lazily like a cat before she opened her eyes to see her mate sleeping soundly beside her. She smiled in satisfaction watching his handsome face after buried halfway in a pillow with his eyes closed and his lips parted slightly. The more she saw him, the more her heart swelled with love knowing that he was all hers. She felt excited by the prospect of the future they would have, and she couldn't wait to build a family with him together. She raised her head from his arm and slowly approached him until they were a few inches apart. Her eyes fell on his red thin lips that were within his reach, their breaths intermingling with each other. Anna suddenly leaned to give him a feathery kiss, her lips grazing his own before she pulled back with a flushed face. A hand grabbed her when she wanted to leave, pulling her back to his hard chest. She yelped in shock as she s
As Anna sat with her grandmother-in-law at the dinner table, she was taken aback by the woman's sudden outburst of harsh words. Before she could even respond, Kodiak, her husband, slammed his hands on the table and rose from his seat in a fit of anger. His face twisted in a cold, dark fury that seemed to threaten everything in its path. The cords on his neck bulged as he glared at his grandmother, who had just insulted Anna and their son.Feeling the need to intervene, Anna quickly stepped in and thanked her grandmother-in-law for her advice. She then informed her that they had decided to get married after the duel was over, regardless of whether or not their child was of the Cardinal bloodline, but that he was indeed Kodiak's son.The pack priestess opened her mouth to speak, but Anna raised her hand to stop her. She took a deep breath to calm herself before speaking again. "I understand your concern for your grandson," she said, "but I am his mate, Arabella. I would never do anythin
As Kodiak drove his car with his grandmother sitting beside him, an uneasy silence filled the air. The tension between them was palpable, and it seemed to be brewing with each passing moment. Kodiak tried to focus on the road ahead, but his mind was clouded with negative thoughts and emotions.Meanwhile, his grandmother seemed to be lost in her world, enjoying the breeze that blew across her face as she gazed out of the window with her eyes closed. Kodiak's heart was filled with resentment and anger towards her, wondering how she could betray his mother and her father in such a cruel manner.It was hard for him to comprehend how their once-loving relationship had turned sour, especially since he and his twin brother had always cherished their memories of spending time with her. Despite his grandmother's apparent fondness for his mother and her father, Kodiak couldn't help but feel betrayed by her actions. She let the murderer of his father go unpunished and roam free, which was someth