"You drugged me?" His growl cut through her words like a blade. He looked at her as if suddenly realizing why he had felt something for her last night.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop instantly, bringing a chilling coldness, as cold as his frigid expression.

"It wasn't me!" she pleaded desperately. "My father and Emily, they were trying to use you to pay off his debts! I don't even know how we ended up in the same-"

"Enough!"

The word slammed into her like a physical force. His eyes were dark, so dark she could feel his rage radiating in the air she breathed.

Those eyes that had gazed at her so sweetly, so gently last night were now filled with something she had never wanted directed at her.

Disgust.

"You disgust me." He growled menacingly, disappointment laced in his tone.

Sarina froze, her chest tightened painfully.

He stood up grabbing his clothes and pulling them on with sharp, efficient movements.

Each second felt like a lifetime.

"Alpha Kane..." she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks.

He didn't hesitate.

"I don't ever want to see your face again," he said coldly. "God help you if I do."

Then he walked out.

Just like that he was gone, taking that strange, fragile connection she had felt last night with him.

"Alpha, please don't take your anger out on us!" Beta Simon hurried after him. "This daughter of mine is a disgrace, she is no longer part of my family!"

The words echoed in Sarina's ears, ringing repeatedly.

How could her own father hate her this much? How could her own father betray her and abandon her as if she was nothing, absolutely nothing.

The door slammed shut again and a cold silence settled in Sarina's heart. A sharp emptiness until a loud mocking laughter erupted in the room.

"It seems you're no longer a member of the Dawson family," Emily said with a mocking smile. "And poor thing..." She tilted her head. "The Alpha doesn't want you either."

Sarina's vision blurred with tears.

"What have I ever done to you?" she whispered, her voice breaking. "Why do you hate me so much?"

For a moment, Emily's smile faltered, then it twisted into something darker.

"Blame that face of yours," she snapped. "The one that makes every man choose you over me."

Sarina was confused by Emily's words.

"Remember Derek?" Emily continued bitterly. "He was supposed to like me. But then you showed up, smiling like you always do, and suddenly he couldn't see anyone else."

Sarina's memories flickered back to the past, she remembered the boy who had tried to woo her once before.

"I never liked Derek," she said softly. "I rejected him..."

"Who cares?!" Emily cut her off sharply. "He wanted you anyway!"

The words hit her harder than expected.

"And now?" Emily smirked. "You have nothing." She reached into her bag and pulled out a wad of cash.

"Take this as your severance pay. Don't ever think of showing your face here again!"

The notes scattered across Sarina as Emily threw them in her face. Her laughter sinking into Sarina's heart, causing it to break a thousand times faster. The tears that poured down her face burned hot, and she wished she could disappear from existence just so she could stop feeling this pain.

"Goodbye." Emily turned, waving sweetly over her shoulder as she walked out.

Her laughter echoed long after she was gone.

The silence that suddenly fell over the room felt heavy and empty.

Sarina sat there, unmoving, alone, completely alone. Slowly, she looked down at the money scattered around her.

Everything she had, her home, her family, her dignity were gone in a single night.

Her hands trembled and the tears streamed down in heavy torrents. In a single night, everything had fallen apart. She'd lost her home... though it never once treated her kindly she had masochistically held onto her small family, now she realized giving everything for her father and step-sister hadn't earned their love at all. They didn't care about her, they never did.

And the alpha...he didn't know her before this, but he certainly hated her now.

"I didn't do anything..." she whispered brokenly.

But no one was there to hear her. And for the first time in her life...

Sarina had nowhere left to go.

.....

Weeks had passed since that night, yet nothing had changed.

If anything, it had gotten worse.

Alpha Leonard Kane woke with a sharp inhale, his chest rising and falling unevenly as that same, relentless ache pulsed through him.

It wasn't a physical type of pain, not entirely, but it hurt, badly.

"Why..." he muttered, dragging a hand down his face before pressing it against the left side of his chest. "Why have I been feeling this way since that night?"

His brows furrowed, the emptiness was there again. It was gnawing and constant, so unforgiving.

Her face flashed through his mind again, like it did every single day after that night.

Soft green eyes filled with tears looking up at him.

The ache intensified instantly. Leo stiffened, his jaw tightening.

"Damn it," he hissed under his breath.

Why her?

Why now?

Why couldn't he get her out of his head?

She haunted him at the worst possible times. In meetings, during patrol reports, even in his sleep.

That night replayed itself over and over again, no matter how hard he tried to suppress it.

And what angered him most was that he didn't understand why.

'Is she our mate Revan?' he asked his wolf. He could have sworn that the spark he felt from her that night had been the mate bond, but what if it was nothing but the effects of the drug she used on him?

'I don't know, she smells different, she doesn't have a wolf, I can't tell if she is our mate or not.' Revan replied. It was obvious his wolf was also slightly bewildered about the whole thing.

'But she is different...' Revan added, 'Different from Everly, different from any other she-wolf we've ever met before. When you were with her I felt...'

A low, frustrated growl built in his chest.

'Enough Revan, we can't feel things for any female ever again.'

Revan went silent in his head after that, it was evident his wolf agreed with him, even if they both had been feeling this strange and heavy longing for the past week.

'Alpha, the pack elders have arrived.'

Timothy, his beta's voice echoed through the mind link.

Leo exhaled sharply, forcing his emotions down.

"On my way."

The Moon Tower's conference room was already filled when he entered. Conversation died instantly and every head lowered in respect.

"Alpha." The pack elders echoed, standing up on their feet as he entered.

Leo gave a brief nod, taking his seat at the head of the long table.

"Let's get this over with." He announced, his eyes skimming over everyone present. He never liked to spend too much time in the presence of these people, if they weren't discussing pack matters, they would be on his neck about their next Luna, and that was a conversation he didn't like to have at all.

As if on cue with his thoughts, immediately after Elder Freya finished discussing the pack's healthcare system, she switched the topic.

From her expression, he already knew what was coming.

"Alpha," Elder Freya began carefully, her aged voice steady. "It has been three years since Luna Everly passed."

The room grew heavier immediately the previous Luna was mentioned.

Leo's expression hardened.

"We believe it is time..." the elder continued, "...time for the pack to crown a new Luna."

They had never spoken of a new Luna this directly before, usually they mentioned it stealthily, carefully even. It seemed they had grown desperate, this time speaking about it upfront without any indirect hints.

Another elder nodded in agreement, it seemed they had all planned beforehand to bring up this conversation, determined to coerce him into heeding their advice.

"Elder Freya is right, Alpha. A pack is incomplete without a Luna to stand beside its Alpha." Elder Gilbert said and they all murmured their agreements.

Luna.

The word echoed in his mind, and with it came that image again.

Her. That woman who had been in his suite that night...

On the bed, her long blonde hair scattered all around her, clothes disheveled from how he'd rumpled them, impatiently entering her because he was unable to continue controlling himself.

She was breathless, those same green eyes staring up at him.

Leo's hands clenched into fists.

Not again.

Not now.

A sharp crack echoed through the room as his fist slammed against the table.

The elders all flinched at once, though they had decided collectively to bring up this topic and push it to the alpha further, they had never expected him to have such a fierce reaction to it.

"Since when?" he said coldly, his voice dropping dangerously low, "Since when have you all taken it upon yourselves to manage my personal life?"

Silence, a thick, oppressive silence stretched. No one could dare to say a word, not with the alpha radiating this amount of rage. He never got this angry even when Luna Everly's name was mentioned in the past, why was he so furious now when they were only suggesting he crown another Luna for their pack?

"Blue Moon Pack is the strongest pack in the world," he continued, his alpha aura beginning to seep out. "We lack nothing."

The pressure in the room intensified.

Several elders lowered their heads immediately, unable to withstand it.

"If anyone dares bring up the topic of a Luna to me again..." His eyes darkened. "You won't like the consequences."

"Forgive us, Alpha," they quickly said in unison. "We have overstepped."

Having no choice, all the elders quietly retreated from the conversation.

The tension lingered for a moment longer before Leo stood abruptly.

"Meeting dismissed."

He didn't wait for a response as he stalked out of the room.

Timothy stared at his back, bewildered by his reaction.

'He has never gotten angry before when the elders talk about a new Luna, why is he so furious now?'

He stormed out of the conference room, irritation still simmering beneath the surface.

"Alpha Leo."

He stopped, Tim approached carefully. It seemed like there was a ticking time bomb around the alpha, he had to be careful if he didn't want that bomb to explode on him too.

"Grand Luna is waiting for you in your office."

Leo closed his eyes briefly, rubbing his temple.

His grandmother?

"Did she say why?" he asked flatly.

Tim hesitated. "No, Alpha."

Leo exhaled slowly. Somehow he already knew what the old woman wanted to talk to him about. Who else would be behind the elders constantly reminding him to crown a new Luna?

---

The moment he stepped into his office, she stood up from the sofa.

"Why were you so harsh to the elders today? They were just thinking about what's best for the pack." Grand Luna Yolanda began to scold immediately her grandson arrived.

Her gaze was sharp and assessing, calculating even but there was no warmth there.

Grand Luna Yolanda might be considered a sweet old woman by some, but to her grandson she was strict and harsh, always determined to get him married to some alpha's daughter she was trying to arrange for him. It was no surprise she already heard what happened at the meeting with the elders even though it had just happened, the woman had eyes and ears that would report everything to her live as it happened.

"I don't plan on taking another Luna, Grandma. The sooner you accept that, the easier things will be for us all."

Ever since he lost Everly, Leo had sworn to himself that he would never have another woman by his side ever again, and he had never desired anyone until...

He immediately shut down the thought before he could remember that woman from that night again.

"A week ago," Grand Luna Yolanda began without preamble, "you had a woman in your suite."

Leo's expression didn't change but his shoulders stiffened slightly. He wasn't surprised she came to know about that, his grandmother knew absolutely everything that happened within the pack.

"Are you finally deciding to remarry?" She asked excitedly, like a child who was hoping to be given a truckload of ice cream.

He suppressed the urge to sigh.

"Who told you?" he asked instead, his tone cool even though he already knew how she must have come about the information.

Her lips curved faintly. "I have my ways."

Of course she did.

Leo shot a brief glance toward the door.

Tim was definitely going to hear about this later, from what he knew, his beta might be among one of his grandmother's sources.

"I'm not getting married," he said flatly, dashing the old woman's hopes even before she could begin to cook up weird plans.

Her eyes narrowed. "Then who was she?"

Leo stiffened, the question lingered in the air but he said no words to answer.

Who was she?

Her face surfaced again like a dream that refused to end, her tears, the fear he'd clearly seen on that gorgeous face.

And something else...

Something that twisted that strange ache in his chest even tighter.

"I don't know," he said finally, his voice quieter than before.

That wasn't entirely a lie, he didn't know her name. Didn't know where she came from even though his late father's beta had called her his daughter. He'd never even seen her before that night, though he didn't pay attention to every single member of his pack, a face that beautiful, that charming it stuck to his mind, if he'd seen her, he would never forget.

He didn't even know why she affected him the way she did, but he knew one thing...

He hadn't been able to forget her, not for a single day.

His grandmother watched him closely, studying every expression as it flickered on his face.

"Find her Leo, clearly she has occupied your mind."

Leo's gaze snapped back to hers.

"What?" he didn't think his emotions showed on his face. He was so accustomed to binding every feeling behind an indifferent expression and no one would see it.

"If a woman can linger in your mind this long," his grandmother said sharply, "then she is not ordinary. Have you thought that she might just be your fated mate?"

His jaw tightened.

"She is not," he replied coldly. "She is just a mistake that will never happen again."

But even as he said it, that ache in his chest flared again, stronger and sharper this time, like his heart was rejecting the lie he was trying to tell himself.

His grandmother didn't miss that expression which fleeted past his silver orbs. Her eyes gleamed faintly.

"You can lie to me, Leo" she said calmly. "But you cannot lie to your wolf."

Those words hit him hard and his hands tightened into strong fists.

'No Leo, she is not your mate...she can't be...' he told himself repeatedly so it wouldn't become a fact that would settle deep into his heart yet at the thought of her, something in his wolf melted and warmed up.

Two Years Later

The soft patter of tiny feet echoed across the small apartment.

"That's it, baby... good job!" Sarina laughed softly, her arms stretched out in encouragement.

A little boy wobbled toward her, his steps unsteady but determined. His grey eyes sparkled with excitement, his tiny hands reaching for her but before he could fully get to her, he fell forward into her embrace.

Sarina caught him instantly, pulling him close as her heart melted.

"My big boy," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his soft hair.

Asher giggled, his tiny fingers clutching her sweater.

She held him tighter than necessary, because every time she looked at him...

She always remembered.

'You disgust me. I never want to see your face again.'

Her smile faltered slightly, those words echoed in her mind as if they had been said to her just yesterday. But she quickly retrained her expression smiling down at Asher who was now looking up at her face with his head tilted as if he was trying to decipher why she had such a look in her eyes.

He was just a year and two months old but he was already very smart for his age. He would read her eyes and decipher her mood. Whenever she was happy, he would smile and laugh happily with her, but if he sensed her sadness, tears would well up in his eyes too. It almost felt like he could smell every emotion on her even from afar, which made her very careful how she reacted in front of him. She never wanted him disheartened in any way.

But then he was the offspring of an alpha, and they had extremely sharpened senses, it was no surprise Asher was like that. Looking at the small but adorable face of her son which looked exactly like every feature of Alpha Kane, a sharp pain tightened Sarina's heart.

"Don't worry, baby," she murmured softly, brushing her fingers across his cheek.

"I'll never let your father's anger touch you." His anger and hatred was only for her, she would never let him release that hatred on her son.

And if he ever came to know that the single night he considered a disgusting scheme made up by her ended up getting her pregnant...she couldn't imagine what he would do to her...or to her son.

"Mama..." Asher muttered the word incoherently, reaching a tiny chubby hand to touch her face which made her giggle. She playfully dropped kisses all over his face.

"Mama loves you so much Asher." He gave her a toothless grin as if he understood what she said.

In the past, she had a father and a sister whom she'd loved despite how harshly the latter treated her, she'd had a home and what she considered a family, and yet she had always felt alone.

Now however, it was just the two of them. Her and Asher and a few friends she'd made along the way and that felt like everything. Everything she'd ever needed and more...

"Asher is such a beautiful boy. I don't think I've ever seen a baby as cute as he is."

Sarina looked up as Hailey dropped down beside her on the floor, smiling warmly as she stared at Asher with stars in her eyes.

"He gets more handsome every day," Hailey added, gently tapping Asher's nose. "Honestly, he looks like someone famous, I just can't remember who but he definitely looks like someone I've seen on TV."

Sarina's heart skipped. Many human girls idolized the werewolf alphas like celebrity crushes. Werewolves weren't just supernatural, they were hot and wealthy too so the human communities definitely hyped them up a lot and they were very often showed online and on TV. Hailey must have seen alpha Kane once before.

Though she didn't want Hailey or anyone else finding out about her son's father, Sarina kept her face calm.

"You're overthinking it," she said lightly. "Asher looks a lot like me."

Hailey raised a brow.

"No offense girl, but he really doesn't. He doesn't have your green eyes, blonde hair or even your nose. I think he looks a lot more like his father,"

Hailey continued before suddenly freezing in realization when Sarina's expression stiffened. "Oh...I'm sorry,"

Hailey said quickly, guilt flashing across her face. "I know you don't like talking about him. I didn't mean to pry."

Hailey and Sarina had known each other for two years now as roommates having moved into a shared apartment to lower costs. They'd become really good friends, when Sarina had started falling sick just a few weeks after moving into this small apartment, Hailey had suggested she tried a pregnancy test, and lo and behold it had come out positive.

Hailey was very curious about Sarina's past, as a friend she wanted to know more about who Sarina was, but when they first met Sarina had been closed off, almost broken to the point of hardly opening up to someone else... Hailey had never tried to pry into a life that Sarina didn't willingly want to share.

Sarina exhaled softly.

"It's okay," she said after a moment, her voice gentler now. "The past is... the past. You didn't do anything wrong by bringing it up."

She looked down at her son, her gaze softening instantly.

"All that matters is giving my little angel a better future."

Hailey smiled.

"And you will," she said confidently. "Especially now that you're starting your new job today."

Sarina's eyes widened slightly.

Right.

Her job.

"You don't want to be late on your first day," Hailey added, already grabbing her bag as she stood. "I have to run too-if I'm late again, Dante will actually kill me."

Sarina laughed softly.

"Remember," Hailey called as she reached the door, "tell the daycare I recommended you! You'll get a discount."

"I will. Thank you, Hailey."

"Bye!"

The door shut behind her and silence returned to the warm apartment.

Sarina let out a small breath.

"Alright, Ash," she said, standing up with renewed determination. "Let's get you ready for daycare... and me ready for a fresh start."

---

The streets of South Rivers were already alive by the time she arrived.

Cars passed and people hurried along sidewalks.

It was normal, peaceful.

No whispers, no judgment. No one was looking at her like a freak, no one treated her like an outcast just because she never awakened a wolf like everyone else.

Sarina had never felt like she belonged anywhere, until here. Back at the pack, they used to tell her that she was no better than a human, having no wolf and no powers. Perhaps she was always meant to be human after all.

After quickly getting Asher dressed, she carried him into the daycare.

A cheerful sign at the entrance read:

'Little Angels House'

Inside, everything felt warm and safe, somewhat making Sarina feel reassured to leave Asher here for a whole day while she was at work.

Bright colors filled the space, along with soft laughter and gentle voices.

The owner was a woman who seemed to be in her early forties, she greeted Sarina kindly, guiding her through the registration process.

Sarina signed and filled up several forms and confirmed every detail.

When she was done...the reluctance and a slight ache in her chest made her hesitate to leave her son.

Sarina knelt down, holding Asher close.

"Be a good boy, okay?" she whispered, kissing his forehead. "Mommy will be back soon."

Asher blinked at her, then smiled. That beautiful type of smile she'd never seen on his father's face.

She hesitated for just a second before handing him over to the owner, Avery.

Her chest tightened but she forced herself to let go, handing him over to the woman she knew would take care of him.

Asher seemed to sense she might leave, he grabbed onto her hand tightly, looking up at her with questions in his silver orbs.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to reassure her son to be good and she would only be gone a few hours, a sudden announcement on TV caught her attention.

"...Billionaire Alpha of Blue Moon Pack will be visiting South Rivers soon-"

Sarina froze the moment she heard those words. The television had been playing in the background but she hadn't paid attention to what was being said until she heard the familiar name.

"...his search for a wife seems to have extended into human territory...women have been lining up at Moon Villa since last night and a reward of ten million dollars has been announced for any woman who can give the Alpha an heir..."

Her heart began to pound.

Alpha Kane...

Dread slowly crept into her heart. Why was alpha Kane here in the human territory? Though the fear of seeing him again made her momentarily panic, she assured herself by the reminder that there was no way she would ever see him again if she didn't go looking for him and no matter what, he should never come to know that she'd had his son.

Asher's voice broke through her thoughts in that moment, as he said one single word that made her blood run cold.

"Papa?"