Kyra’s POV

I slowed down on the staircase as I saw Alpha Kieran at the end of the stairs, his golden wolf eyes locked onto me like a predator watching its prey. My wolf, Sylvia, bristled inside my mind, her instincts screaming at me to either fight or flee. I clenched my jaw and forced my expression into something cold before continuing down.

"Kyra..." His deep voice carried the weight of an Alpha’s command, but I refused to acknowledge it.

I walked past him, my shoulder deliberately brushing against his arm—a small act of defiance, a reminder that I wasn’t his to control.

In the kitchen, Amanda sat at the table, scrolling through her phone with a smirk. The moment she sensed my presence, her lips curled in distaste. "Ugh. Morning breath already ruining my appetite," she muttered, pushing her plate away dramatically before strutting out.

I scoffed. "Still acting like she owns the place after everything? Goddess, she’s shameless."

Sylvia growled low in my mind. "She reeks of deceit. I don’t trust her."

Before I could respond, Kieran’s scent—cedar and musk, the scent of an Alpha who thought he could command my attention—filled the space behind me.

"Kyra, we need to talk." His voice was softer now, almost pleading.

I ignored him, pouring myself a glass of milk. Last night, I’d made sure my bedroom door was locked, forcing him to retreat to his own room—a small victory, but one that mattered.

When he tried to cage me between his body and the refrigerator, I shoved him back with more force than necessary. "Back off, Kieran."

He exhaled sharply but didn’t push further. Good. He knew better than to challenge me physically—not when my wolf was already on edge.

"Kyra, please—"

I whirled on him, my patience snapping. "Can’t you take a hint? I don’t want to talk to you. Or has being Alpha made you forget basic respect?"

His eyes softened, that damn Alpha dominance flickering into something more vulnerable. "We need to fix this."

I laughed, the sound bitter. "Fix what? There’s nothing between us, Kieran. It was all a lie."

Sylvia snarled. "Lies wrapped in pretty words. He doesn’t deserve forgiveness."

His jaw tightened. "I told you—I fell in love with you."

"Too late for that," I shot back. "You betrayed me. That’s all I see now. No amount of apologies can erase it."

He looked away, guilt flashing across his face. "Can’t you just... forgive me?"

I tilted my head, feigning thoughtfulness. "Oh, I don’t know, Kieran. Are you willing to undo everything? Cut ties with Amanda? Give up whatever sick game you’re playing?"

His silence was answer enough.

I smirked. "Yeah. That’s what I thought."

I didn’t wait for another empty excuse. Storming past him, I ignored Luna Amanda’s smug expression as she lounged on the couch like some self-proclaimed queen.

The thought of them together—of Kieran touching her the way he’d touched me—made my stomach churn. Disgusting. Absolutely disgusting.

Upstairs, I forced myself to calm down before entering my father’s room.

"Dad..." I smiled, sitting beside him.

He watched me, his tired eyes filled with unspoken questions.

I took his hand. "I need to tell you something."

"We will leave this pack territory once you’ve recovered," I said firmly, my fingers tightening around my father’s. My wolf, Sylvia, paced restlessly in my mind, her instincts screaming at the injustice of our situation.

His eyes widened in shock, his Alpha aura flickering weakly as he tried to speak. Only strained groans escaped his lips.

"I know everything now, Dad." My anger surged. "I know what Kieran and Amanda have been doing behind our backs—how they’ve been stealing your power, your legacy."

Tears pooled in my father’s amber wolf eyes as he nodded weakly, squeezing my hand in silent understanding.

"You don’t need to worry about me... or your grandpup," I added softly, cradling my growing bump where my unborn pup kicked in response to my distress. I’d already told him everything—my pregnancy, my failed mate bond with Nathan, all of it.

Sylvia growled low in my mind. "We should tear their throats out for this betrayal."

After leaving my father’s room, I immediately started searching for pack lawyers who specialized in Alpha succession disputes. The connection kept cutting out—probably Kieran’s doing, the bastard.

A soft knock at my door made my hackles rise.

"Who’s there?" I snarled, my wolf senses already telling me what my human side didn’t want to accept.

Silence.

Of course. Only one person in this pack would dare ignore a direct question from me.

"I know what you’re planning, Kyra," Kieran’s voice slithered through the door, dark and dripping with Alpha command. "Don’t even try."

Every hair on my body stood on end. This wasn’t the conflicted Kieran from this morning—this was an Alpha asserting dominance, and my wolf recognized the threat immediately.

Sylvia bared her teeth. "He reeks of deception. Let me at him."

Steeling myself, I yanked the door open. "What do you want?" My voice was ice-cold.

Kieran looked haggard, his normally perfect dark hair disheveled, his Alpha aura pulsing erratically. "You have to stay here, Kyra," he commanded, his voice dropping to that dangerous, gravelly tone that made lesser wolves whimper.

"You think you can stop me?" I spat, refusing to let my submissive wolf instincts take over. "I see you clearly now, Kieran."

He moved with unnatural speed, slamming the door open wider and crowding me against the wall, his mint and cedar scent overwhelming my senses.

He moved his face closer to mine as he stared into my eyes like a madman. His eyes felt like they were showing me the real definition of hell. It was scary and dangerous.

"You have yet to see my true colors, little wolf," he whispered, his blue eyes flashing bright with barely restrained fury. "Defy me again, and I’ll make sure your father suffers in ways you can’t imagine. Don’t try me. I love you too much to hurt you... I loathe your father to the depths of hell, but him?" A vicious, fanged smile. "That’s a different story."

Sylvia howled in outrage as Kieran’s Alpha energy pressed down on us, but I stood my ground—because I wasn’t just Kyra anymore. I was a mother, and I would protect what was mine.