POV: Darrell Williams.The more I discovered about Jeremy's past, the more mysteries emerged, ones that threatened to upend the foundation of everything I believed to be true. I felt more and more furious and frantic as it seemed like the universe was playing a cruel game of cat and mouse with me, holding the truth just out of my grasp.I had always taken great satisfaction in being a man who could steer a ship through the roughest seas with resolute determination and that I had everything under control. However, this predicament, this intricate web of falsehoods and deceit, made me question every choice I had ever made.I felt like a stranger in my own life as I sat in my study surrounded by a ton of files and documents. I was completely taken aback by the realization that Callum Wells, my reliable advisor, might have been involved. How could someone I had regarded as family, someone so close to me, betray me in this manner?"Hardin," I yelled, my voice tinged with a fatigue I had ne
POV: Jeremy Williams.As I dug more into the riddle of my origins, it felt like the universe was changing, like sand passing through my fingers. My view of reality grew further distorted with every discovery, leaving me to cling to a sense of security amid a tornado of doubt.The person in the epicenter of this tempest was Ivory Wells, a woman who had looked at me with contempt and hatred at first. But as the days stretched into weeks, a change started to occur. I saw glimmers of a softer side to her, a fragility that spoke to depths of suffering and grief I could hardly imagine.Ivory revealed a different side to me during those times when her guard was down: a side that was kind, sympathetic, and fiercely protective. Furthermore, I saw that I was pulled to her in a way that I couldn't quite put my finger on as our paths grew more and more entangled."Jeremy," she would remark in a firm yet gentle tone, "I understand that this is difficult for you." But regardless of where the truth
POV: JennaEvery inch of our once-calm pack was filled with tension, a tangible sensation of uneasiness. Dread was building as I watched Darrel get more and more engrossed in his quest to learn the truth about Jeremy's background and Ivory's exile.It was not only that he was spending endless hours reading through paperwork and questioning pack members; it was also that the thought of Ivory's name made his eyes light up. I couldn't quite pinpoint the spark that would light inside of him, but it would fill me with an incredible jealousy that felt like it would devour me alive.I was the Alpha's selected mate, the Luna, meant to rule beside him and guarantee the pack's success. But as I saw Darrel's obsession with Ivory intensify, I couldn't get rid of the sense that my authority was in jeopardy and that the groundwork for it was beginning to fall.I would say, "Darrel," a hint of desperation in my voice. "You're consumed by this fixation on Ivory and Jeremy's history. Are you not seein
POV: MiaIvory's struggle with her past demons was similar to watching a hurricane rip across the coast; it was strong, destructive, and seemed unstoppable. Being her closest friend, I had seen firsthand the fallout from the hurricane that had ripped through her life, leaving a path of emotional devastation that seemed unmanageable.All the same, our relationship held strong, a lifeline keeping us together in the middle of mayhem. The sister I never had, Ivory was the kindred spirit who knew me better than most people could.I was therefore there for her when the waves of her history crashed down on her again, prepared to ride out the storm as I had done innumerable times before."Mia," she would murmur, a tiredness in her voice that went right to my heart. I'm not sure whether I can handle much more of this.I would hug her at those times, trying to ease her pain as much as I could. Ivory was a force of nature a woman whose fortitude and resiliency had been developed in the furnace o
POV: Callum WellsMy secrets weighed like a millstone around my neck, pulling me more and more into the pit I had dug for myself. Fear that my well-woven web of falsehoods was going to come apart struck me as I watched Ivory and her companion Mia untangle the knotted strands of the past.Ivory, my half-sister, has been my shadow for a very long time. She was the preferred kid, the one the pack thought would succeed. And I, well, in the big picture, I was a footnote, an afterthought.The knowledge that I would never be able to live up to her was a painful pill to swallow. And as the years passed, that resentment turned into something deeper, more sneaky - envy that felt like it may swallow me whole.Ivory was shown the love of our father, the alpha of the pack, and I watched. Her road spread out in front of her like a golden carpet as I watched her grow into a stunning, self-assured young woman. And I raged, bitterly bemoaning the terrible hand fate had dealt me.Then, though, everythi
POV: Ivory WellsI felt more and more like Alice falling down the rabbit hole the farther into the maze of mysteries surrounding Jeremy's beginnings and my own turbulent past I dug. Every new discovery, every turn, just served to completely upend my perception of reality, leaving me clinging to straggles in a world that appeared to change and warp in front of my very eyes.It was a bewildering, dizzying trip that made me face the hard realities I had been burying for years. As the layers of dishonesty came off, I started to doubt everything I had ever believed and assumed to be true about myself.And yet, motivated by an unquenchable need for the truth that burned hotter than any flame, I continued even when the ground beneath me appeared to be collapsing. It was an unrelenting search that left no trail untrod and no opportunity untapped. It engulfed me."Ivory," Mia would reply, worry tinged in her voice. "You're overdoing it. Just before you really burn out, take a break."But I'd s
POV: Darrell WilliamsEverything I had thought about what had happened the night Ivory was taken away began to shift. I'm not sure if I did the right thing in banishing Ivory now, but I used to. Realizing that I wasn't as right as I thought is like my entire universe is collapsing. I was positive I had chosen wisely for a long time, but with every new piece of information, my perspective is changing, and it's perplexing.As I dug deeper into what happened that awful night, doubts started creeping in. Was I too proud to see the truth? The idea scared me.What if I wrongly banished an innocent person just to save face for the pack? That thought weighed heavily on me, almost overwhelming.But I couldn't ignore the unsettling truths surfacing. No matter how scary it was, I had to face our past for Ivory's sake and the pack's honor.Was I a fool, easily swayed by those with selfish agendas? The thought made me bristle with frustration. As Alpha, I was supposed to embody our pack's strength
POV: Jeremy Williams.Though I knew better, I was unable to stop listening. There are a lot of secrets being kept from me, I've felt since Dad brought me to the pack area. And I might have found something today that will completely transform everything."Alpha, are you sure it's a good idea to keep looking?" Through the study door came a harsh voice I recognized as Hardin's. "Too deep a dig could have disastrous results.""I have to know the truth, no matter how painful it may be," Dad said, his voice firm. "The events around Ivory's exile have affected too many lives."The name Ivory sent my heart thumping. The enigmatic woman who, from our first encounter in the human realm, had piqued my curiosity. There was a draw toward her that I couldn't put my finger on."What if the truth irreparably harms your relationships with people closest to you?" Hardin pressed her. It is better to bury some truths.I leaned in closer, my wolf ears straining to pick up every syllable, as an uncomfortab