-Aurora’s pov-We stood there for a while, and as he advanced toward me, I found myself gradually retreating while keeping a watchful eye on him. Even though we were both betas, I knew that in the event of a fight between us, the odds of my winning were quite slim."Come with me now, and I will make it easy for you," he said, confirming my suspicion.Hawthorne had indeed sent someone after me. The fact that he didn't inquire about Xavier indicated he probably wasn't informed about him or had simply forgotten. I took a step back, then abruptly halted, fixing him with a defiant glare."Why should I come with you?" I asked. He stopped in his tracks, and a sly smile slowly spread across his lips, as if he had been eagerly anticipating someone to pose that very question."Because I would hurt everyone you care about and still walk out of the manor undetected," he said with a harsh frown. "You should pray to your stars that nothing happens to my mate, or you would be…" He tr

Dressing in my suit, I meticulously adjusted my tie and retrieved my briefcase from the bed. My damp hair had been carefully combed, and although I had reservations about it, I felt compelled to investigate Vera's accusations. If Vera's claims about him weren't accurate, it would strain our friendship. However, even if her words were baseless assumptions, it was likely that my beta, Ryan, would never look at me the same way again. Alex and his associates remained imprisoned, and I was confident that, given time, one of them would break and begin to talk. They had all stuck to the same fabricated story as if rehearsed for moments like this, designed to mislead anyone who might capture them. Alex's story was a bit different, but in a situation like this, anything was possible. It was conceivable that, like the others, he had been deceiving me, or perhaps he had been truthful but omitted crucial details. Heading down the stairs, I surveyed my surroundings and observed the maids busily

For a few fleeting moments, silence enveloped the room as our gazes remained locked. I could feel a lump in my throat, and a strange, uneasy sensation settled in my stomach.I couldn't... I couldn't believe that all this time, my real father was actually alive and not deceased as my mother had told me. He sat right before me, his expression marked with regret and pain, while my eyes were undeniably blurred by the tears that had welled up.Should I call him Dad or Alpha Riel? This was the first time I had ever seen the Alpha show weakness. No, it wasn't weakness; he was emotional. I was stunned, unable to believe that I had been with my father all this time and had never once suspected it.But my mother despised my father so intensely. She told me how he had rejected her to be with another woman. She made it clear to me that she was mistreated by my father. No, she never concealed anything and had openly shared every negative thing he had done to her.I knew she was hurting, but she ha

I was left utterly stunned by her words, unable to comprehend the situation as I scrutinized her face. The single question that dominated my thoughts was "how?" How was it possible that she was the same maid I had once sent to prison?Her brown eyes bore into mine with an intensity that felt like daggers ready to strike. I struggled to believe that the beta standing before me was the same woman who had worked for me in the past. It made no sense; why would her father allow his own daughter to work as a slave in my Mansion?"Then you were aware of your father's scheme?" I inquired, and her gaze wavered slightly as she took a step back. I continued, "Have you ever considered what kind of father would exploit his own daughter to achieve his goals?" I hoped to appeal to her sense of reason.Her voice cracked as she responded, "I had a choice, and I made it. He didn't force me into it." She looked up at me, her eyes once again filled with pain. "Our plan was to let him eliminate you and be

-Alpha Hawthorne-"Leave."I heard a stern command, and though my eyes remained closed, I recognized Ryan's voice. Opening my eyes, I saw his back turned to me as he carried a tray of food. He moved quickly to a nearby table, placing the food on it, and then made his way to the window.As I lay there, memories of the previous night rushed back, and I couldn't shake my annoyance at the fact that Ryan had sided with Vera against me. Nothing could change that reality.I attempted to sit up, but the intense pain in my side was impossible to ignore, and a pained grunt escaped my lips as my brows furrowed. Ryan tilted his head in response to the sound of my voice. He gazed out the window again before lowering his gaze to the window pane."I know you hate me right now," he admitted, and he wasn't far from the truth. The pain in my side was the only thing preventing me from getting up and venting my frustrations on him."You betrayed me!" I yelled at him, and he turned to star