Drake's POVI forced myself to go along with Yuri and Mac. There’s no way I’m leaving my mate alone with that asshole, Mac. Besides, I need some space from Opal. My new clan, under the watchful eyes of Yuri’s half-siblings, feels safe—a feeling my dragon in my head confirmed. The hybrid dragons in this clan will be secure, and I trust that instinct.“You stayed back to your clan,” Mac muttered as we stopped to grab a quick bite to eat. Yuri was far enough away, well out of earshot, but I could hear the jealousy dripping from Mac’s tone.“Worry about your pack,” I replied calmly, refusing to take the bait. “My clan members aren’t the ones getting abducted.”His frown deepened.“Why are you so persistent about Yuri?” Mac pressed, his voice sharper now. “You used to hate her. You couldn’t even stand being in the same room with her.”“I know,” I admitted, my voice even. “But I believe—no, my dragon believes—Yuri is my mate. Not Opal.” I paused, trying to put the whirlwind of emotions into
Yuri's POVThe anguished howl of a wolf tore through the silence, wrenching me out of sleep. It wasn’t just any howl—it carried grief, a warning, something terrible had happened. My chest tightened as I threw the blanket off, jumped out of bed, and hurriedly changed out of my pajamas. I stumbled out of the room and raced toward the manor’s entrance.Before I could steady myself, a powerful gust of wind barreled past me, nearly knocking me off my feet. Mac sped by, a blur of movement, but the sheer force sent me staggering back until I landed flat on my backside. I groaned in pain, feeling both frustrated and clumsy.“You’ve gone rusty,” a familiar voice quipped.I glanced up to see Drake smirking down at me, the usual spark of amusement dancing in his eyes. I shot him a glare, my cheeks flushing with humiliation.“Don’t start,” I snapped, climbing to my feet.To my surprise, he didn’t run off. He just stood there, waiting.“You can go ahead,” I muttered, brushing myself off. “Don’t bo
Mac’s POVI hated seeing Yuri hurt. Her pained expression made me realize just how insensitive I’d been toward her feelings.“Alpha, please come here.”Emery’s voice broke through my guilt-ridden thoughts, snapping me out of my reprieve. I turned and made my way to the morgue, where the forensic doctor was waiting with a report file in hand.“Alpha, may the light of the Moon Goddess be with you,” he greeted solemnly.“What’s the news?” I asked.He handed me the file, and as I scanned the contents, a chill ran down my spine. The DNA report confirmed that the deceased were members of our pack. All of them—she-wolves between the ages of 20 and 25—had been brutally attacked by male wolves. Butwhy? Could rogues be targeting the she-wolves?“Gunther,” I called, “try to find out more about these deceased she-wolves. What were they doing outside of the pack’s territory?Speak with their families, too. Emery, I want you to go along and help calm the families once Gunther delivers the bad news
Yuri's POVThe soft scent of sweet pea flowers filled the air, stirring me from my half-asleep state. My eyes squinted against the morning light, and a small smile crept onto my lips. There was a note attached to the flowers. It read simply, “Sorry.” Below it, Mac’s name on it.I shook my head in disbelief, a quiet chuckle escaping me. Mac, the brash, hotheaded guy who always seemed competitive and fiery, had never struck me as someone who cared much for gestures like this. For as long as I’d known him, he treated everyone the same—no matter their gender. What had changed?Taking the flowers in my hands, I inhaled their delicate scent.“Yuri.”The soft voice startled me out of my thoughts.“Emery,” I said, turning toward her. I smiled, but her expression stopped me. There was something in her gaze I couldn’t quite read—a mixture of caution and…was that resentment?“I hope the flowers are fresh. I picked them,” she said, her lips curving into a warm smile now.“Oh. You wrote the note t
Drake's POVI dropped onto the bench after a brutal training session, my gaze fixed on the torn punching bags scattered across the floor. My dragon, Fin, hissed inside my head, his voice sharp and insistent. “You should have killed that wolf, Alpha.”I sighed heavily, rubbing my temple. Fin was relentless, hounding me with murderous suggestions about Mac. Ever since he’d seenYuri and Mac close together, the jealousy burned us both—me and my dragon. It was like an inferno consuming every rational thought. I needed to get my shit together.My phone buzzed. I glanced at the screen. Opal. Again. She’d left fifty missed calls and a flood of texts, all begging me to come back home. She misses me, she said. But I’d told her—I’d made it clear—what we had was just a fling. Nothing more. Yet she clungto this idea of a mate bond between us. Her feelings were as intense as mine were absent. Another sigh escaped me as I set the phone down.“Drake.”Her voice made me look up. Yuri stood there, tr
Yuri’s POVDrake was in the driver’s seat, and I sat in the passenger side—shotgun—staring out the window as we drove toward Duluth. From there, we’d use the port to teleport to Alaska, cutting down the travel time. The silence stretched between us, heavy, until Drake broke it.“I’m surprised you didn’t stay with Night Pack,” he said, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the weather.“I’m worried about my family being in your clan,” I replied, keeping my voice steady.He glanced at me, his knuckles tightening on the steering wheel. “You’re part of the clan,” he reminded me firmly.I nodded, though it was still hard to wrap my mind around it. The truth? It felt foreign to acknowledge that I belonged to his clan now.“I thought there was… another reason,” he said, his voice tinged with amusement as his eyes flicked toward me.I turned to look at him, narrowing my gaze. He was in a chatty mood today—an unusual departure from his normal brooding self.And to be honest, it was st
Drake - POVYuri’s piercing scream shattered the frozen silence, wrenching me out of my daze. She clung to the lifeless bodies of her newfound family—people she’d only known for two months but had grown to love deeply. And now, they were gone. I turned to Opal, whose empty, soulless gaze pierced through me, igniting a fire in my chest. My anger roared.I lunged toward her, fire magic crackling at my fingertips, ready to burn her to ash for what she’d done—but before I could reach her, something strange happened. My legs buckled beneath me, and an unseen force flung me backward. I hit the cold ground hard asOpal collapsed to her knees, her gaze still vacant but unwavering, fixed on me.“What are you doing, Fin?” I hissed at my dragon.His voice resonated in my mind, steady and unyielding. “She’s tied to us by a mate thread.”“So what?” I spat. My anger burned brighter. “It’s not like you or I have feelings for her.”“I know where our emotions stand,” Fin replied, his voice maddeningly
Drake's POVFrustration simmered within me—I couldn’t get anywhere with Opal. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t lay a finger on her to force the answers I needed. The cold wind bit at my skin as I trudged through the snow, summoning the heat of my magic. Flames roared to life, consuming the corpses. It was the least I could do—to pay my respects, as one dragon honoring another. Even if they weren’t pure dragons, but hybrids or even just half-dragons, it didn’t matter. The fire was a rite, a farewell.The stench of burning flesh clung to the smoky air, mixing with the chill of the night. I bowed my head.“I will avenge every one of you,” I whispered into the flames. “I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you.”The blaze crackled, slowly reducing the bodies to blackened ash. Guilt pressed heavy on my chest, but there wasn’t time to linger.Yuri needed me. She was fragile right now, and I couldn’t leave her alone.I made my way back inside, pushing the door to my bedroom open quietly. Yuri w
Yuri’s POVThe explosion’s force sent me flying backward, my breath ragged as the dust began to settle. My vision swam, my body aching from the battle, but my eyes found the scene ahead—Jared stood there, a chain wrapped tight around his neck, his body slack. Blood dripped from his mouth, his lifeless eyes frozen in surprise. And then there was Drake—partially shifted, his wings trembling, his horns chipped, his body barely holding together. He still gripped the chain that had ended Jared’s life, but he looked seconds away from collapsing."Drake." My voice came out in a rush as I ran toward him, but just as his grip slipped from the chain, his form shifted back—human, fragile, falling fast.No.I pushed past my exhaustion, my magic flaring as I caught him just before he hit the ground. His weight was heavy against me, and his half-lidded eyes flickered open."Don’t push yourself," he whispered, his voice strained. "I’ll shift." His words were a lie—he was too weak to even lift a fing
Yuri’s POVI couldn’t move. I couldn’t even breathe. His grip tightened around my throat, choking the life out of me as he drained my power. I struggled, trying to break free, desperate to stop him, but it was useless. The soldiers who had rushed to my aid had fallen instantly—killed by nothing more than a glance from him. He absorbed their power effortlessly, leaving their lifeless bodies in his wake.My vision blurred. My eyes dulled to gray, speckled with black dots. My body felt weak—drained—as Jared pulled my power into himself. I couldn’t even scream. I couldn’t even cry out in pain.Is this how I die?A voice echoed in my mind."Promise me you won’t die on me."Drake’s words. The ones he had spoken only hours before.I don’t think I can keep that promise… I’m sorry, Drake. Our mate bond—Suddenly, a voice cut through the fog in my head."You’re not dying on my watch."Drake’s mind-link. Faint but firm.The crushing grip on my throat vanished, and I gasped, sucking in greedy lun
Yuri—POVDrake’s power flared like an untamed beast. His voice was nearly unrecognizable, a guttural snarl tearing through the battlefield."You dare do this to the woman who once cared for you? You don’t deserve Yuri, you selfish bastard!" His eyes burned with fury."And you had the audacity to curse her?"Jared stood his ground, his body tense. "I did everything to make Yuri mine," he said coldly.I spat, my voice laced with venom. "You don’t give a damn about me. All you’ve ever wanted is my power."A smirk curled on his lips. "You’re not as naive as before."I scoffed. "And yet, you think you can fool me with your pathetic, fake concern? I see right through you."Before he could respond, Drake lunged, a blur of fury. His claws slashed through the air, colliding with Jared’s chest. The impactsent Jared flying, his body crashing into the dirt."Enough talk. We fight." Drake’s voice was guttural, his form half-shifted into something monstrous.A roar erupted through the battlefield
Drake—POVThe night was quiet, the kind of eerie stillness that made my wolf restless. I stood watch with my team, the crackling fire casting shadows across our tense faces. Yuri was resting in the tent, and Mac had just joined me, taking a slow sip from his flask."Your wolf is back, huh?" he mused, offering me the drink.I took it, nodding. "Yeah. Feels like I’m myself again, thanks to that fight with that asshole Eric."Mac smirked, taking another swig. "So… you’re not gonna ask?"I arched a brow. "Ask what?""Yuri’s not my mate. Emery is," he clarified, his voice steady. "The moment my wolf surfaced during your fight with Zane, I knew."I shrugged. "Figured."Mac scoffed. "No wonder you look so damn smug."I rolled my eyes. "How’s Emery?"His smirk faded, replaced by a shadow of concern. "Not great. The toll of fighting, being under that bitch’s spell… it’s wearing onher." His jaw clenched."Make her go back to the Pack," I said firmly.Mac let out a dry laugh. "As if she’d liste
Yuri – POVI stood panting, my breath ragged as blood dripped from my arms onto the snow. Across from me, Lucian glared, his body battered and broken. I had done a good number on him. I smirked, letting the satisfaction simmer beneath my rage.“You look tired, Lucian,” I hissed, my voice laced with venom.His furious gaze burned into me.“You’ll scream and beg for mercy,” he sneered, his tone thick with arrogance. “Just like your father begged me to spare his children.”A violent tremor ran through me. My blood boiled.Lucian chuckled darkly, savoring my reaction. “Do you know what I did first? I killed your sister while your father watched. He screamed until his voice was raw.” His grin widened. “Then I took your brother. He was helpless, weak—just a half-blood dragon with no powers. He couldn’t save her. What a waste.”I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms.“And your father?” He tilted his head mockingly. “He called your name, praying for your safety before I—”“Ahh!”My
Yuri’s POVDrake partially shifted, his dragon wings unfurling just enough to reveal the striking mix of gold and black feathers—a sight so mesmerizing it was almost distracting. His deep voice cut through the tension.“Guys, stay back. This is personal.” His sharp side-glance told me to stay put. I hated being ordered around, but I knew better than to step between him and his revenge. Mac studied the broken window view, his eyes scanning for any sign of Hybrid soldiers.“We need to stay on guard—”Before he could finish, a deafening thud shattered the moment. Zane lunged, his fist crashing toward Drake—but he missed, hitting the ground instead. The sheer force sent shockwaves through the air, shattering the wooden home and knocking us backward. The wind howled, nearly lifting me off my feet.Drake’s golden eyes locked onto mine, and for a brief second, I saw something that made my stomach clench—worry. Time seemed to slow as Zane’s fist shot forward, aiming straight for Drake’s chest
Yuri’s POVTension crackled in the air like static electricity as we huddled in the ruined old home, waiting. Emery lay unconscious beside us, her breath shallow. Silence pressed down, thick and suffocating. Any second now, the rest of the team will arrive. Any second now, the enemy might strike.“If the Hybrids' higher-ups know we’re here…” Mac finally broke the silence, his voice edged with unease. “It means they’ll attack soon.”“No shit, Sherlock,” Drake muttered, arms crossed, frustration radiating off him.I exhaled sharply. “No clue what to do next,” I admitted in a whisper.Both Drake and Mac turned to me at the same time, their gazes sharp.“Your power… it feels different,” they said in unison.I nodded. “I got my wolf power back,” I murmured.A soldier stepped forward, nodding in admiration. “With Yuri’s power, we managed to get inside without being traced.” He said.“I see.” Drake’s voice darkened. “You dare to call my mate by her name?”I clenched my jaw. “I told them to c
Drake - POVBlood dripped from my hands as I stood among the lifeless bodies of the dungeon guards. The air was thick with the stench of iron and death.“Good job,” Mac muttered, yanking a hood off one of the guards who had just come in for the shift change. Without hesitation, we stripped them of their uniforms, disguising ourselves in the dark fabric to blend in.As we stepped outside, a blanket of snow covered the vast forest ahead. In the distance, a town loomed, its lights flickering through the cold haze. Then, I caught it—a scent. Faint but unmistakable. Hybrids. My muscles tensed.Mac slowed his pace.“What?” I asked, my voice low.“I’m thinking—” He hesitated.I exhaled sharply. “Will you just spit it out already?”“Don’t you find it strange that the guards watching us were weak?” Mac’s tone was edged with suspicion. “Either the Hybrid Alpha thinks we’re no threat… or this is a trap.”I scoffed. “Well, no shit. When you put it that way, it’s pretty obvious. Either we walked i
Yuri’s - POVThe day dragged on, and the injured soldiers sat near me, Emery among them. My voice cut through the heavy silence. “We need to move forward to the Hybrids’ base.”Emery scoffed. “And how exactly are we supposed to do that? Without hybrid powers, we can’t even get in.”I met her gaze with a sharp look. “You’re forgetting who I am.”She frowned. “Have you awakened your powers yet? Because all I sense in you is dragon energy.” Her tone carried a hint of irritation.Frustration flared in me. “And what do you expect us to do? Just sit here and pray Mac and Drake find their way back on their own? God only knows what’s happened to them.”Emery’s expression faltered. She flinched at my words, but her defiant stare remained. Still, she had no answer. Instead, she dropped her head in silence.I took a deep breath, steadying myself. “I’ve been a Beta and a senior in enough battles to know what we have to do. From now on,I’m taking charge.”The soldiers around me lowered their head