Chapter SixteenJack's POV“We're ready whenever you are, Alpha.” Sav says this, hands clasped obediently in front of him. Jordan is present as well, and beside him is Violet, who wears a look of hurt that she tries unsuccessfully to mask. I am a little surprised that she is here. I hadn't expected her to want to join. Her presence fills me with nothing but unease. There are a few other pack members who've volunteered to join in the search, including the young lady who had reported Jenna's disappearance. Her face is red and blotched, and she looks like she's about to break down in a fit of tears. Her expression fills me with more discomfort and guilt, and I try to brush my feelings aside and address the crowd. “Thank you all for coming out this morning. By now, I'm sure you all have heard the sad news about the sudden disappearance of one of us.”I look at everyone's faces, meeting Violet's pained expression without flinching.“I know that it is out of the norm to go after anyone
Chapter Seventeen Jenna's POVThe chambers that the alpha had informed me of is unlike anything I have seen before. The bedding is made of the softest linen, and the walls are decorated with more paintings that draw my attention.This painting is of a really gorgeous woman with blue eyes and dark hair. The painting depicts her in a wheat field, her hair billowing against the wind and her perfect lips slightly parted as she gazes into the distance.I wonder what she was looking at and who she was to the alpha. She didn't share any physical qualities with him, which ruled out the possibility of her being a sister.“Is everything to your liking?” The question interrupts my thoughts.“Everything looks okay.* I answer with a polite smile. The maid nods politely in return. “Very well. I will be in the west wing should you need anything.”“What's your name?”“You can call me Veronica.” She smiles again. “Veronica, my name is Jenna.” I reply, my gaze shifting back to the strange woman's p
Chapter EighteenJenna's POV“Tell me more. Tell me everything.” I urge Veronica, eager to hear the rest of the story. “I will.” Veronica assures. Now more comfortable in my presence, she goes to lean against the wall but encourages me to take the bed. I sit gingerly at the edge of the bed, marvelling at its softness. “When humans first started living here, everything was perfect. In order for them to be accepting of us, we had to be accepting of them…”“They tried to understand our ways, and we tried to understand theirs. But when they drew a line on how we fed, everything changed. They began to see us as higher animals who fed off of animals and sometimes human blood.”Veronica looks down at her hands, and her expression morphs into that of anger. “They began to take recordings of everything we did, and and sold them for large sums of money.”“What?” I splutter. “They began to make money of you like you all were some sort of circus animal?”Veronica nodded. “And they invited more
Chapter NineteenJenna's POV“What do you mean by it's your turn to feed him? Do you do so against your wishes?”Veronica shakes her head sadly but does not say anything after that. “You don't have to give your blood to someone if you do not want to. That's completely wrong, and barbaric. I am a wolve too, and where we come from, my alpha—I mean, the head of the pack—does not drink the blood of anyone, not even that of an animal. I didn't even knew that it was common practice.”“The alpha just likes it. And it makes him stronger, more formidable. Everyone believes that it is the reason he's lived beyond natural years.”“I do not hate to feed our alpha. Veronica looks up at me earnestly.” You have to believe that. “I just hate the uncertainty about one's fate that comes with doing so.”“What do you mean by the uncertainty of one's fate?” I ask, my brows furrowed in confusion.I remember how I had found him this morning, after I had been tended to by the maids. Zephyr had his lips clam
Chapter TwentyJack's POV “We will do everything we can to bring her back.”“Thank you, Alpha.” The woman utters gratefully. “I am so glad that you have decided to do this for her. Like you, I am also certain that she didn't know what she was doing.”I don't say anything to that, as we both begin the journey again, trying to catch up with the others who have waited at the borders so everyone could cross together. As I make my way towards the bone totems and ashes, the memories of the first time Papa had brought me here flood me. ‘This is the pack border, son. You're never to cross it, except when there's war and you need to lead your people out or when there's a collective hunt. Within these borders lay security and safety, but outside of them, nothing is really guaranteed.’‘Papa, are you saying it's not safe out there? Even though I'm the son of an alpha?’‘Even more unsafe for you because you're the son of the Alpha. You might not know your enemies because you're too young, but
Chapter Twenty OneJenna's POV“What do you think she did?” I counter. I would no longer cower in the face of intimidation or perceived danger.Zephyr chuckles and gets up, moving languidly towards me. I watch him, trying not to let my fear show. Had I ratted out Veronica as a result of what I'd said? “Certain affairs within my pack should remain confidential. I cannot remember telling you about…” Zephyr's voice peters out as he searches for the best word to describe his bloodsucking habit. “....my feeding habit.”I begin to shake my head at the alpha. “Veronica would never tell me something that I had seen with my own eyes when I had gotten here. Don't you remember the first night when I was brought here? When I had found you feeding off of that port woman? Veronica hadn't needed to tell anything; you'd let out your own secret through your own actions of your own accord.”Zephyr smiles, looking impressed and irritated at the same time. “You are a smart one. But I am way older an
Chapter Twenty-twoJenna's POVI run blindly through the narrow passageway, with no idea where I'm headed, the loud thuds of footsteps alerting me of the dangers behind me. I need to make it out of here alive. I cannot watch Zephyr kill Veronica. I will never be a witness to that. My heartbeat thrums as I continue to run, Zephyr's men hot on my heels, reminding me of the night in the forest, when I had first been chased by my abductors. Wasn't it somehow ironical that the very man who had saved me now poised a danger to my life? Could I really trust anyone out here? “Hey girl! Stop, we won't harm you.” The men scream. But I pay them no mind, continuing to run until the light that spills through a large door causes hope to bloom.I could make it out alive. I am going to. But as soon as the thought creeps in, large hands grip my shoulders and drag me back with enormous force so that I land flat on my butt with a groan. As I rub my sore derriere, I look up to find Zephyr looking dow
Chapter Twenty-ThreeVeronica's POV“We should let her go. She has done nothing wrong.”“We are not holding her captive.”“We both know she will never make it out of the labyrinth on her own.”Zephyr turns to regard me, eyes filled with curiosity and something akin to jealousy.“What are you proposing, Vee?”“We have to help her. You did so when she was in the forest. It won't hurt to do it again.”Zephyr moves away from the window where he's been standing for the last hour, entertained by Jenna's futile efforts to make it out of the labyrinth.“I don't want her to leave... At least not yet.”“Why? Why would you want her to stay here? You understand that she is a guest, and she has to remain here of her own choosing?”“That's why we have to give her reasons to stay.” Zephyr responds with a smile, looking utterly pleased with himself.I shake my head disapprovingly at him.“I'm not voting for deception any more. She doesn't even trust us anymore... Let's not do that.”“Then, find a bet
Jenna’s POVThe smoke clings to my lungs as I crouch by the edge of the forest, my pulse thundering in my ears. The flames consuming the inn crackle and roar, lighting up the dark night like a funeral pyre. My claws ache from the fight, my body trembling from exhaustion, but I can’t stop moving. Not yet. Greta and Mia are safe, but the council won’t let us have this small victory for long. My wolf growls low in my chest, restless and furious. She wants to chase after the hunters to finish what we started. But I force her back, knowing the cost of giving in to that instinct. The council’s hunters are trained for this—calculated, ruthless, and relentless. Tonight was just a warning. I glance around the clearing. Raina stands a few feet away, her usually playful smirk replaced by a hardened glare. She wipes blood from her knuckles, muttering something under her breath. Eleanor is near Caleb, examining the gash across his cheek with her practiced precision. Despite the chaos, her hands
Jack's POV The morning breaks sharp and cool, the kind that gets under your skin and wakes you up fast. I step outside the house, the crunch of frost under my boots the only sound for a moment. The younger ones are already stirring, their faces alight with a mix of excitement and nerves. They hover near the clearing we’ve set up, glancing at the knives laid out on a rough wooden table.And it reminds me of the first turn that they'd learnt to fight, but not without weapons, how they'd learnt to use the forest to their advantage and protect themselves. Eldris stands at the edge of the group, calm and composed, as usual. He’s giving quiet instructions to one of the older wolves, gesturing toward the targets we’ve rigged up from logs and rope. His efficiency never ceases to amaze me.I draw in a deep breath, feeling the weight of the day settle on my shoulders. It’s my job to guide them, to make sure they understand this isn’t about picking fights or proving dominance. It’s about survi
Jack's POV The house is too quiet, even with the faint hum of activity outside. The younger ones explore the space, their laughter and chatter muffled by the walls. It feels wrong—unnatural—to hear those sounds without the rustling of leaves or the distant howls of the pack in the background. Eldris stands in the doorway, his arms crossed and that familiar, calculating look on his face. He doesn’t say anything right away, but I can feel the weight of whatever’s on his mind. “What is it?” I ask, leaning back against the worn chair. “The younger ones,” he starts, stepping into the room and sitting across from me. “They’re restless. Eager to learn. I’ve been teaching them what I can, but it’s not enough. Jack, we need to consider sending them to school.” The words hit me like a blow. “School?” I repeat, leaning forward. “You’re talking about sending our kids into human schools? Among them?” “Yes,” he says, his tone calm and resolute. My fingers tighten around the armrests. “Y
Jack’s POVThe days pass in a blur of unease and fascination. Each morning, we wake to a world that feels alien—smooth floors beneath our feet, no damp earth or leaves clinging to our skin. The house itself is strange, with its glowing orbs that light up the night and its doors that shut with a tightness that keeps the wind and cold completely at bay. On the first day, Eldris shows us how to use the objects around us. He calls them “appliances.” A box that keeps food cold without ice, a stove that heats without fire, and strange fixtures in the walls that bring water at the twist of a handle. It’s all overwhelming, but there’s no denying how useful these things are. For the pack, adapting to human ways is harder than I expected. Eating from plates with knives and forks feels unnatural, but Eldris insists we must. “If you want to pass as human, you must live like them,” he tells us. “They eat with tools, not their hands. They use furniture, not the ground.” At first, the pack res
Jenna's POV The sharp crack of wood splintering jolts me awake, the sound echoing through the inn like a gunshot. My wolf growls deep inside me, her instincts flaring to life. Something is wrong. I’m out of bed in an instant, yanking open my door just as Eleanor appears in the hallway, her expression grim and focused. “They’re here,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper. “Humans?” I ask, already knowing the answer. She nods, her gaze darting toward the stairs. “Armed. Council dogs."My blood runs cold. The council wasn’t wasting time—they’d sent their human hunters to flush us out. “Wake Caleb and Mia,” I say, my voice hard. “I’ll find Greta." Eleanor nods and disappears down the hall as I race toward Greta’s room. The old wolf is already awake, her sharp eyes scanning the darkness. She doesn’t ask questions—she doesn’t need to. “We’re under attack,” I tell her. “You need to take Mia and run. Get her out of here." Greta frowns, her jaw tightening. “And leave you behind?
Jenna’s POVThe soft knock at my door jolts me awake, my wolf stirring restlessly at the disturbance. The inn is usually quiet at this hour, but the urgency in the sound puts me on edge. I swing my legs off the bed and pad to the door, opening it to find Eleanor. She stands with her arms crossed, her eyes holding a strange mix of calm and tension. “Come with me,” she says softly, gesturing for me to follow. I don’t question her. Something in her tone tells me this isn’t about the spy we’d uncovered earlier—it’s something else. I throw on a sweater and trail her down the creaky stairs, out the back door, and into the crisp night air. Eleanor leads me toward the cluster of trees at the edge of the inn’s property. There, in the faint moonlight, two figures emerge—a young man and a woman, their clothes worn and their faces etched with fatigue. “They showed up tonight,” Eleanor says, stopping a few steps away from them. “They need help." I glance between the strangers and Eleanor, my
Jack's POV The forest opens before us, the dense canopy giving way to the edges of human civilization. For days, we’ve trudged through the wilderness, the ground uneven and slick with fallen leaves, but now the terrain changes. The air smells different—cleaner yet tinged with the faint aroma of smoke and something else I can’t place. Ahead, Eldris halts and raises his hand, signalling us to stop. His sharp eyes scan the horizon, and I follow his gaze. Just beyond the treeline, the human settlement comes into view. It’s nothing like I expected. “Is that... brick?” Violet whispers, her voice unsteady. She steps forward, her amber eyes wide with disbelief, her usual guarded demeanour replaced with genuine curiosity. I nod slowly, though I can hardly believe it myself. The structure ahead is a small house, built from smooth red bricks that seem unnaturally uniform. The roof is sloped, its tiles perfectly aligned, and a strange reflective material covers the windows. The whole thing lo
Jack's POV The forest breathes with life as dawn breaks, the air crisp and laden with the earthy scent of dew-soaked leaves. I rise before the others, my senses attuned to every sound. The pack sleeps in scattered clusters, their forms wrapped in blankets and cloaks against the chill. Last night’s feast brought a rare sense of calm, but it won’t last. It never does. I stretch, my muscles tight from days of travel, and take a moment to survey the clearing. Eldris is awake too, perched on a fallen log near the edge of the camp. His eyes are distant, his posture stiff, as though he’s wrestling with thoughts; he doesn’t dare voice. It’s not unusual for him to keep to himself, but something about his demeanour today feels different. I approach him quietly, my footsteps deliberately light to avoid waking the others. He doesn’t flinch or startle as I sit beside him, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “Couldn’t sleep?” I ask, breaking the silence. He shakes his head. “Not much use in it thes
Jack's POV The scent of the buck is sharp in the air, cutting through the familiar tang of the forest. My senses sharpen, every sound and movement amplified. Days of empty bellies and restless nights have made the pack restless, but this kill will change that. It has to. I raise a hand, signalling the pack to halt. “Quiet,” I whisper, my voice low and firm. They freeze behind me, their eagerness palpable, their breaths hushed. Eldris, as always, stays a step behind the group, watching with his usual calm detachment. His presence still stirs unease, though I’ve made it clear that he’s staying. His knowledge of the forest and Nightspire’s plans is too valuable. The buck comes into view—a magnificent creature, its antlers spreading wide, its body taut with strength. It grazes in a small clearing, blissfully unaware of the predators lurking just beyond the trees. My heart quickens, but my movements remain deliberate and precise. I glance back, meeting Violet’s eyes briefly. For a mome