LOGINAnna's POVMartha bowed. A deep, respectful bow that made every other person in the kitchen do the same."You have good kitchen skills, Luna," one of the cooks said admirably."I worked in a diner for two years. If you cannot chop fast, you do not survive.""A diner?" Another cook looked up with surprise. "You really worked in a diner? But you are an Alpha's daughter.""My father did not believe in paying for my education. So I paid for it myself. Waitressing. Dishwashing. Whatever job I could find."The cooks exchanged glances. Something shifted in their expressions. Respect. Real respect. Not the forced kind that came from fear of Hector's authority. But the kind that came from understanding. From shared experience."That is admirable, Luna," Marta said quietly. "Not many Alphas' daughters would dirty their hands with kitchen work.""I am not like most Alphas' daughters.""No," she agreed. "You are not."By late morning the rush was over, and the kitchen was finally under control. T
Anna's POVMarta forced a smile. It was polite but uncertain. "My Luna, you are too kind. But you do not have to do this. We are servants. This is our job. The Alpha depends on our cook to make something delicious for the guests. Besides, even if we allowed you to cook, the staff would not agree. You are the Luna. It is not proper for you to work in the kitchen.""I know it is your job. And you are doing wonderfully. But you are also short staffed and overwhelmed. I have two hands. I know how to chop vegetables and stir pots. Let me help."Marta stared at me. Her mouth opened and closed. She looked at Lena, as if hoping for support. Lena just smiled and shrugged."Luna, I really must insist—""And I really must insist back," I said. My voice was firm but gentle. "I am not above working in a kitchen. Before I came here, I worked as a waitress to pay for my education. I washed dishes. I scrubbed floors. I am not afraid of hard work. So please. Put me to use."The kitchen was still silen
Anna's POVThe pack mansion was alive with noise.I woke to the sound of footsteps thundering through the hallways, voices shouting orders, furniture being dragged across floors. Outside my window, I could hear cars arriving and departing, guards calling to each other, servants rushing across the gravel driveway.The gala.Tonight, every Alpha and Luna from every pack in the territory would gather under this roof. The most important political event of the year, and the Blood Moon pack was hosting it.And I had no interest in attending.I rolled out of bed slowly. My back was still sore, but the pain was manageable now. The wounds had scabbed over. The bruises had faded to yellow. I could move without wincing, which was more than I could say two days ago.The bathroom was warm and steamy when I stepped inside. I let the hot water run over my shoulders and tried not to think about the gala. About Hector. About the way he had held my chin and asked if I loved him. About the way I had lie
Annastasia Pov. Kassian studied me for a long moment. Then he sighed. "You are as stubborn as he is. Perhaps that is why you are so well matched.""We are not well matched. We are a business arrangement.""Whatever you say, my dear." He leaned back in his chair. "You may be right. Or you may be wrong. But either way, it is not my place to say." He paused. "You wanted to discuss about something else."I nodded. I was grateful for the change of subject. "The girl. Mira."Kassian stiffened. His expression shifted. The weariness was still there, but beneath it was something else. Something darker."You noticed," he said quietly."Of course I noticed. I am your student. I know when you are hiding something."Kassian was silent for a long moment. He stared up at the moon. Its light reflected in his tired eyes."The girl seems fine," he said finally. "Her wolf is healthy. Her vitals are strong. By every measure, the cure worked." He paused. "But there is something in her system. Something I
Anna pov. It was nighttime when we returned to the pack. The moon hung high and full overhead, casting silver light across the forest and the pack house and everything in between. The car pulled to a stop in front of the main entrance. Guards stood at their posts. Servants moved through the hallways. Everything looked normal. Everything looked peaceful. But nothing felt peaceful. Not to me. Hector got out first. He walked around the car and opened my door before I could do it myself. His hand reached for me. I took it, letting him help me out of the back seat. My body was still sore. My back still throbbed with every movement. But the pain was duller now. More distant. Lena and Kassian climbed out of the car behind me. They stood a few feet away, giving us space. But I could feel their eyes on us. Watching. Waiting. Hector did not let go of my hand. He looked down at me, his dark eyes intense in the moonlight. His jaw was set. His shoulders were tense. I could feel the ang
ANNASTSIA "She is alive, my Luna! She woke up this morning! Her wolf... her wolf is back! The healers checked her. The cure worked! You saved her!"I could not move. I could not speak. The words echoed in my head. The cure worked. You saved her. She is alive."But she died," I whispered, my eyes widened in shock. "I saw her. She stopped breathing. The monitors went flat. She died.""She did…die," Kassian said slowly. His face was transforming. The weariness was fading. The hope was returning. "Her heart stopped. Her wolf disappeared. By every measure, she was gone. But then..." He looked at Lena with astonishment. "When did she wake up?""Just this morning," Lena breathed heavily. "They planned to bury her and her father went to carry her dead body only to find her sitting up in bed. She asked for water. She said she felt better. Her wolf... her wolf is healthy and strong.""Impossible," Kassian breathed. "But not impossible. The prototype was designed to suppress the wolf cells t
ANASTASIA.The entire room fell into a suffocating, dead silence. The music seemed to fade into a dull hum as hundreds of eyes turned to focus entirely on us. Out on the floor, Bella and Andrei actually stumbled, nearly losing their balance mid-step as they stared at Hector standing in my shadowed
ANNASTASIAWe drove away as the first sounds of fighting began.I turned in my seat to look back. Through the rear window, I could see the courtyard of my father's pack house shrinking behind us. The crowd had scattered to the edges, forming a wide circle. In the center of that circle, two wolves f
ANASTASIAThe sharp, blinding ache behind my eyelids was the first thing that pulled me from the dark.I gasped, my eyes flying open, but the world was a distorted, dizzying blur of sterile white walls and harsh overhead fluorescent lights. The heavy scent of antiseptic and pack medicine burned my
HECTORThe rain was drumming a relentless, irritating beat against the bulletproof windows of the SUV."I still don't get it, Alpha," my Beta, Ethan, muttered from the passenger seat, staring out into the dark pines bordering the Red River territory. "Why are we wasting our time going to a minor pa







