The Sovereign Wolf

I bit back my fear and anger as I stepped closer to Kaedrian Draven—the future Alpha of the Bloodveil Pack and my childhood best friend.

He looked at me with nothing but disgust, as though the mere sight of me made him sick.

"Please, Kael... just give me a moment of your time. I'm begging you."

He didn't even acknowledge my plea. Instead, he continued walking, his pace quickening.

I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt.

Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop.

"Kael, I need you to listen. I—"

Agonizing pain ripped through my forearm, forcing me to let go.

"Keep your filthy hands off my mate."

Elara Vale.

The woman who had stolen everything from me.

The woman who had turned my own family... and even my best friend... against me.

The woman who now stood proudly as his mate.

My wolf reacted before I could.

Claws burst from my fingertips, slashing across her face.

Three deep gashes tore through the right side of her cheek.

The instant her blood hit the floor...

My fate was sealed.

A powerful force slammed into me, knocking the air from my lungs as I crashed onto the ground.

Kaedrian stood over me, his blue-gray eyes burning with murderous rage.

"You dare raise your hand against the future Luna?" he growled.

"You are a disgrace to the Bloodveil Pack."

"You are banished."

"Never show your face here again."

His words cut deeper than any blade.

This wasn't another argument between childhood friends.

This was an Alpha protecting his mate from someone he now considered an enemy.

The commotion drew the rest of the pack outside.

They surrounded us.

Every face wore the same expression.

Disgust.

Disdain.

Even my own parents looked at me as though I were nothing.

"Please... Kael... I didn't mean to—"

A deafening growl silenced me.

He grabbed me by the collar and lifted me effortlessly off the ground.

"It's Alpha Kaedrian Draven to you, Madison."

"You are no longer a member of this pack."

"Leave."

He threw me to the ground once more.

Desperate, I searched the crowd for my parents.

For someone.

Anyone.

But they simply turned their backs on me.

That was the final nail in the coffin.

Slowly, I forced myself to my feet before running from the pack house.

I grabbed my car keys and drove away, leaving everything behind.

My belongings.

My home.

My family.

My friends.

The man I had loved since we were pups.

Tears blurred my vision as one trembling hand drifted to my stomach.

A tiny life had already begun growing inside me.

A child who would never know their father...

All because he wouldn't spare even a few moments to hear the girl he'd known his entire life.

From that day forward, I made myself a promise.

I would never look back at the people who abandoned me.

At first...

Keeping that promise was harder than I ever imagined.

I had nothing.

No money.

No food.

No home.

For weeks, I lived out of my car until I found a part-time job in the human world. The pay was barely enough, but eventually I saved enough to rent a small apartment.

It wasn't much.

Just four walls and a roof.

But after losing everything, it felt like a palace.

Although I had been severed from my pack, I never completely left the supernatural world behind.

My skills as both a strategist and a warrior eventually caught the attention of the Ironfang Pack.

They hired me as a War Envoy.

I traveled between packs, representing them during negotiations, mediating disputes, commanding warriors during battles, and creating both defensive and offensive military strategies.

By the time I was only two months pregnant, I had already begun building a reputation.

Once I had earned enough money to truly start over, I buried my old identity.

Madison Blackwood ceased to exist.

From that day on...

I became Nymeria Voss.

Despite my growing reputation among wolves, I still maintained a life in the human world.

That was where I met Catherine and her husband, Michael.

Our first meeting was completely accidental.

They had rear-ended my car.

What should have been a frustrating insurance discussion somehow turned into coffee at a nearby café.

Despite the circumstances, we got along surprisingly well.

One conversation became another.

Then another.

Before long, we had become close friends.

Eventually, the day arrived.

I had planned to give birth alone in my apartment.

Instead, Catherine and Michael happened to visit at the worst—and perhaps best—possible time.

Ignoring every protest I made, they rushed me to the hospital.

There...

I gave birth to two beautiful pups.

A daughter.

She had my crimson-red hair and sea-green eyes.

I named her Sariah.

Then came my son.

Jet-black hair.

Blue-gray eyes.

The unmistakable trademark of the Bloodveil Alpha bloodline.

I only knew one man with eyes like that.

For a brief moment, painful memories threatened to resurface.

I shoved them back down.

His name would never pass my lips.

I named my son Elliot.

Inside me, my wolf, Naomi, practically howled with joy.

Their existence became my greatest motivation.

I worked harder than ever.

Not for power.

Not for fame.

But to give my children the life they deserved.

Six Years Later

Six years changed everything.

Contract after contract.

Battle after battle.

Victory after victory.

I rose through the ranks until I became one of the youngest—and most respected—Apex Envoys in the supernatural world.

Unlike ordinary War Envoys, Apex Envoys were independent specialists hired by packs across the continent.

My responsibilities included creating military strategies, leading warriors during wartime, negotiating treaties and alliances, resolving territorial disputes, training future Alphas and military officers, and investigating threats posed by rogue wolves and rival packs.

Before long, the name Nymeria Voss spread throughout the supernatural world.

Job offers flooded in faster than I could answer them.

I only accepted contracts from packs with healthy leadership, reasonable expectations, fair pay, and no ambitions of conquering neighboring territories.

Politics meant little to me.

Everything I did...

I did for my children.

Sariah had grown into a quiet, gentle girl who preferred books over games.

Elliot, on the other hand, was a whirlwind of energy.

He made friends wherever he went and somehow convinced every child around him to play whatever game he invented.

He was already noticeably larger than most children his age.

The early signs of a developing Alpha.

One afternoon, after picking them up from school, an icy chill suddenly crawled down my spine.

Naomi's fur stood on end.

Someone was watching us.

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.

"Kids," I said calmly, "you're spending the afternoon with Aunt Cathy and Uncle Mike."

Their eyes lit up instantly.

"Can we get ice cream?" Elliot asked hopefully.

I smiled despite myself.

"Only three scoops."

They immediately began whispering together in the back seat, undoubtedly planning how to convince Catherine to buy them even more.

Watching two six-year-olds manipulate grown humans with innocent smiles never stopped being entertaining.

Thankfully, they never used those talents for anything malicious.

After dropping them off, I drove home.

The unease only intensified.

As soon as I stepped out of the car, I grabbed a silver dagger coated in liquid wolfsbane.

Someone had been here.

I could smell another wolf lingering on my property.

Slowly, I entered the house.

Silently.

Carefully.

Following the scent, I eventually reached my study.

Waiting on my desk sat a single envelope sealed with the crest of a high-ranking wolf pack.

I hesitated before breaking the wax seal.

Inside was a neatly folded letter.

Dear Nymeria Voss,

We have heard of your strength, strategic brilliance, and remarkable success throughout the supernatural world.

The Bloodveil Pack wishes to employ your services.

We seek assistance in strengthening alliances, resolving territorial conflicts, and addressing growing threats surrounding our lands.

We are prepared to offer generous compensation, including advance payment, should you accept this contract.

We hope to discuss the remaining details with you in person.

—Bloodveil Pack

My blood ran cold.

I stared at the signature.

Six years.

Six years without a single letter.

Six years without anyone wondering if I was alive.

And now...

They wanted my help.

Naomi growled deep inside me.

She hated them.

Yet somewhere beneath all that anger...

The instinct to protect the pack that had once been our home still lingered.

"This is just another contract," I whispered into the empty room.

"I'm not going back as Madison Blackwood."

My eyes settled on the signature one final time.

"I'm going back as Nymeria Voss."

They won't recognize me.

They won't know Elliot and Sariah are Kaedrian's children.

And when this contract is over...

I'll leave Bloodveil behind forever.

...Or so I thought.