Kailey’s POV I lay in my room, staring at the ceiling as my mind churned with endless thoughts. The events of the past two days had been overwhelming, and doubt gnawed at me. Coming back to this pack had felt like the right decision then, but now? Now, I wasn’t so sure. Auren’s anger burned brighter than ever, and Ezekiel… well, he was trying, but nothing seemed enough to bridge the gap between them.I sighed heavily, pressing the heels of my palms to my eyes. “Was this a mistake?” I murmured to myself, my voice barely audible.Elyra had gone back to the woods to fetch a few things, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My son didn’t want anything to do with his father. That was the main reason I’d returned—to give Auren the connection he deserved, the father he’d never truly known. But it seemed I’d only stirred more chaos.A sharp knock on the door startled me.“Come in,” I called out, sitting up and smoothing my dress. The door creaked open, and Anastasia stepped in, her lips curled i
Ezekiel’s POVThe packhouse was unusually quiet tonight. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples as I tried to focus on the stack of paperwork in front of me. It had been a long day—training schedules, rogue patrols, and disputes between pack members. My mind was a jumble of thoughts, but one stood out above the rest: Kailey.I smiled to myself, thinking about her. Bringing her and Auren back had been the right choice, though it had stirred more chaos than I anticipated. Still, it was worth it. I’d made my decision: Kailey was going to be my Luna. I just needed to handle things carefully, especially with Anastasia.I sighed, pushing the papers aside. What I really needed was a cup of coffee.“I could use a break,” I muttered to myself. “Maybe a strong coffee to clear my head.”“Why not?”The voice startled me. I looked up and saw Anastasia standing in the doorway, holding a steaming cup of coffee.For a moment, I was too stunned to speak. Anastasia, offering me coffee? That wasn’t jus
Ezekiel’s POVI narrowed my eyes. “Peace isn’t usually your priority, Anastasia.”She laughed softly, a sound that would have seemed pleasant if I didn’t know her better. “You’re so suspicious, Ezekiel. I brought you coffee earlier, and now I’m here to see if you’re okay. And somehow, that’s cause for concern?”“Considering the circumstances,” I said carefully, “yes. It is.”She walked closer, her hands clasped in front of her. “I know I’ve been… difficult lately. But I’ve been thinking about everything—about us, the pack, even Kailey and her son. Maybe it’s time I let go of the resentment.”Her words caught me off guard, but I kept my expression unreadable. “That’s… unexpected.”She smiled again, her gaze steady. “I’m trying, Ezekiel. Isn’t that what matters?”I studied her for a moment, searching for any sign of deception. She was calm, too calm, and it was unsettling.“Why now?” I asked finally. “Why the sudden change?”“Because I realized I was fighting a losing battle,” she said simply. “Y
Ezekiel’s POVKailey’s voice stopped me just as I reached the door."Ezekiel."I turned, my hand still on the doorknob. "Yes?"Her expression had softened, her gaze dipping to the floor before meeting mine. "Stay. Just for a little while."My pulse quickened. She wasn’t the type to ask for company unless she truly needed it. I let go of the knob, stepping back into the room and closing the door behind me. "Of course."Kailey gestured toward the chair across from her, but as I sat, she stood, pacing toward the window. Her movements were restless, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her dress."Kailey, what’s going on?" I asked, leaning forward. "You’ve been distant since you returned."She stopped mid-step, her back still to me. "Do you know what it’s like to carry so much pain that it feels like it’ll crush you? To be so full of love and yet feel like there’s no place for it?"Her words struck a chord deep within me. "I think I do," I said quietly. "I’ve felt that every day since you left."
Ezekiel’s POVI obliged, letting the urgency between us take over. My movements became more primal, driven by the overwhelming need to be closer to her, to feel every part of her. Our bodies moved in perfect sync, each thrust drawing moans and cries of pleasure from her lips. The sound of her—Kailey, mine—only fueled the fire within me.My hands gripped her hips, guiding her, meeting her rhythm. We were a blur of passion, lost in the moment, the rest of the world fading away until only she existed.“I love you, Kailey,” I panted, the words tumbling from my lips between kisses and gentle nips at her neck. “Always have, always will.”Her response wasn’t in words but in a cry that sent shivers down my spine. She tensed around me, her release washing over her, the sensation driving me to the edge. With one final, deep thrust, I followed her, my own release crashing over me like a wave, my name falling from her lips like a prayer.Together, we tumbled into the abyss, our cries filling the roo
Ceceilia’s POV“Here goes nothing,” I muttered, gripping the wheel tightly. The forest loomed ahead, its shadows twisting like dark promises. My heart raced, but not from fear. It was excitement—raw, reckless excitement. Tonight would change everything.I parked the car at the edge of the woods, the headlights slicing through the thick darkness. Turning off the engine, I grabbed my phone and a small vial from the c upholder.“Don’t mess this up, Ceceilia,” I whispered to myself as I stepped out. The forest’s cold air greeted me like an old friend, wrapping around me as I ventured deeper into the trees.Just a little farther. He’ll be waiting.I reached a clearing lit faintly by the moonlight. My eyes scanned the shadows, my heart pounding harder now. And then I saw him.A hulking figure stepped out from behind a tree, his golden eyes glowing. The rogue wolf. His presence was menacing, his massive form dwarfing mine. His voice was deep and gravelly when he spoke.“You’re late, Ceceili
Kailey’s POV “Rise and shine, my love,” Ezekiel’s warm voice broke through the remnants of my dreams. He tapped me gently on the shoulder, his touch as soft as the morning light streaming through the windows.I groaned and turned slightly, my eyes still heavy with sleep. “Just five more minutes,” I murmured.“No way,” he said, his tone playful. “You’ll sleep the whole day away. Besides, you’ll miss this.”Curiosity got the better of me, and I forced my eyes open. Ezekiel was sitting on the edge of the bed, a tray balanced on his lap. I blinked a few times to clear my vision and saw the spread he’d prepared—eggs, toast, bacon, fresh fruit, and a steaming cup of tea.“Breakfast in bed?” I said, a lazy smile spreading across my face. “You’re spoiling me.”“You deserve it,” he said, leaning down to kiss my forehead. “After last night, I thought you could use some extra TLC.”I laughed softly, memories of the night before flooding back. “Last night was… intense.”He grinned, his golden eyes spar
Kailey’s POVAs we got back from the woods, Ezekiel held my hand firmly, his warmth seeping into me. His grip was strong but comforting, like he never wanted to let go.“Where are we going?” I asked, giving him a curious side glance.“You’ll see,” he replied, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.The sun was setting, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. We walked through the pack’s main path until we reached the dining area. As soon as I stepped in, my breath hitched. The room was stunningly arranged with flowers of every color, their sweet aroma filling the air. Candlelight flickered softly, casting a romantic glow over the space.“Ezekiel,” I whispered, unable to keep the awe out of my voice. “What is all this?”He turned to me, his golden eyes shimmering with pride. “This is for you, my love. Just a little something to show how much you mean to me.”My cheeks heated up, and I couldn’t suppress the smile spreading across my face. “You really outdid yourself,” I said, biting m
James pov As I stood on my feet, eyes locked on the rogue in front of me, I had confirmed his strength already and I knew this wasn't going to be an easy fight at all. If I wanted to win this, I would have to be serious with this. “Come on” the rogue muttered, cracking his knuckles. And cracking his neck. At this point I could hear my own breathing, rough, ragged, loud in my ears. The hallway was quiet, but only for a second. Dust floated in the air. Blood stained the walls, Of Course it was clear it was from the little fight we had. Some of those blood were mine and the rest of his. He stood at the far end, chest rising and falling steadily. Right now, His claws were out, long and black, tipped with blood. He was grinning, enjoying this. I on the other hand was tired, sore, and bleeding, but I still had my sword. However, my wounds were already healing. “You don’t look so good, Beta,” he said, taking a slow step forward.“You talk too much,” I answered, lifting my blade.We
James pov. My mind was still occupied with the thought of how the rogues managed to get past the guards and into the pack house. A large frown appeared on my face as I inched deeper into the hallway. The pack soldiers had held their ground well, fending off the never ending wave of rogues, so how then were those two able to get into the pack house?.Seeing those two earlier only confirmed my fear, there were more of them inside the pack house, and these few must have not been in the sea of rogues who attacked the pack house. They must have snuck in through a secret passageway, there was no way they had done this themselves, it was clear that they had help from someone, someone inside the pack house. I gritted my teeth, my eyes sharp as I took in my surroundings. I wonder who it was, the one who had aided the rogues.Suddenly my mind went to Cecilia, I haven't heard or seen her since the beginning of the battle, where the hell has she been. Oh I just hope She has no hand in thisI
JAMES’ POV. My wounds were completely healed and free from the poison, thanks to the Antidote, I was already back to full strength.My mind was still occupied with the thought of whether Auren was alright or not, it pained me so much that he was taken right in front of me, while I wasn't looking. I felt a tug in my heart as I advanced further, I had tried so hard not to show the pain I felt in front of Lydia, assuring her that I would find Auren, I was certain he was still inside the pack house, that was the hope I was holding on to. I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped into the hallway. The air felt off, too still, too quiet.Even with the fighting outside, the whole place was still very much silent which was off. The pack house was never silent, especially not with the fighting happening outside. My boots thudded lightly on the polished wooden floor as I moved deeper inside, every sense alert at this point. Whoever took Auren must have not gone far. Suddenly, I hear
Kailey’s POV.I stood there captivated by the blood red flowers, they seemed unreal, scary and mysterious. Their red color reminded me of something.Blood. I continued walking, taking more steps and as I did, more and more flowers appeared in the groove. The scent in the air was more on this side, a sweet tang which also had a sweet taste to it, I wasn't sure how but somehow I could taste the sweetness in the air.What are these?. I couldn't help but wonder what the flowers were, the forest had shown me a lot of supernatural things which were white right now I was fully on my guard, I wouldn't let my guard down for now reason.Suddenly there was a whistle in the air, I paused, trying to figure out where the whistling was coming from but it felt like it was everywhere.My heart slowly began to pound in my chest, I took a deep breath and tried to focus on where the sound was coming from.My eyes widened as I noticed that the whistling was coming from the flowers,the blood red flowers
Kailey's pov. My closed eyelids were suddenly engulfed by a sudden brightness, I twitched, my fist clenching and then suddenly my eyelids went wide open. At first I was blinded by the early morning sun which hung high in the sky, I blinked multiple times to adjust my sight. What happened?. The hardness behind me made me realize I was lying on something. I tilted my head to the side and with my back crushing the dried leaves, I noticed I was lying on the ground.I slowly pushed myself up to a sitting position, a sharp pain radiated from my head earning a low painful groan from my lips forcing me to grab my head with both hands.I took a deep breath and decided to take in my surroundings, that was when I realized I was still in the forest. I grinded my teeth together, it was morning already, I must have passed out the previous night, from all the running escaping the mind games the first was playing. Speaking of the forest, I have lost the track of tune already, however with the s
JAMES’ POV. The energy in my bones were beginning to give out, I could feel the weakness engulfing me, taking over every ounce of my body. The poison was beginning to have a large effect on me, my bones felt weak, my vision blurry.And as I grabbed the sword of the rogue on top of me with shaky hands, my arms shaking as blood rolled down my wrist due to the blade of the rogue's sword digging deep into my palm. Saliva dripped from the rogue’s mouth onto my face as the rogue pressed on, forcing the sword down to the point that I could already feel the cold metal of the blade pressed against my throat.“This is where you die beta” No matter how hard you try to channel all my strength it just wasn't enough, the poison had weakened me so much and I knew if I don't find a way to push this rogue off me then I would be a dead man in no time. My sword had fallen off my hand a while ago and now that I had my palm wrapped around the blade of the rogue’s sword, more poison slipped into my b
CECILIA'S POV .The commotion happening outside brought a certain kind of satisfaction to me. The sound of metal clangings, where like music to my eyes, I felt satisfied, finally it was happening, the battle had begun.I smiled as the reflection in my full length mirror smiled back at me. Now Ezekiel would be shocked when he heard about this. I just couldn't wait to see the look on his face, the shocked look on his face, the smile on my face widened as I adjusted my cloak. I was distracted by a knock on the door, I smiled as my gaze shifted from the full length mirror to the door. Of Course I was expecting someone. “The door is open,” I muttered.The door slowly pushed open and Roy stepped in. I could see him observing his surroundings before stepping in, like someone who had just stolen from the market and was looking to see if anyone had seen him. I knew this cautiousness had to do with James. Roy had told me how James had confronted him in the bar, pinning him to the wall and
JAMES’ POV. My eyes felt heavy, drowsy and the images in front of me doubled, tripped and the next thing I realized was that I was falling. I dropped to the ground with a thud, supporting myself with my arm strongly planted to the ground. “Shit” I cursed, shaking my head from side to side, trying so hard to stay awake. I could feel my consciousness slipping away gradually but I wasn't going to give it a chance m, I must stay awake. I can't pass out now, not now, not when the battle is still on. I shook my head again and struggled to get to my feet, however my effort was in vain as I collapsed again.My wounds burned on my skin, they were not healing, in fact it felt like they were getting worse.I grabbed my sword tightly, gagerung all the strength I could muster, I stabbed the sword into the ground using it as a third leg while supporting myself back to my feet.“There should be an Antidote” I muttered. “There should've an Antidote somewhere, and I need to find it.” I took a st
JAMES’ POV. He grinned, his sharp eyes scanning me, assessing my movements just as I was doing to him.Then he stroked, His sword came fast, a blur of steel slicing toward my ribs. I barely parried in time, the force of the blow sending vibrations up my arm. I twisted, countering with a quick strike aimed at his side, but he dodged effortlessly, stepping back just out of reach.He was fast. Too fast, I exhaled sharply, adjusting my grip. This wasn’t going to be an easy fight.We circled each other, the ground beneath us torn from previous clashes. My breathing was steady, my heart pounding in my ears. He feinted to the left, then struck from the right. I blocked, barely, his blade scraping against mine as sparks flew.Then he kicked me square in the chest, the strike was hard, I stumbled back, gasping as pain exploded in my ribs. He didn’t waste a second. He was on me again, his sword a whirlwind of motion. I barely managed to dodge, his blade slicing through the fabric of my s