AUTHOR'S POVThe forest enveloped Xavier and his companions like a shroud, the dense foliage casting shifting patterns of light and shadow as they raced through the underbrush. The damp earth squelched beneath their paws, the rhythm of their footfalls echoing through the silent woods. Cameron, Devon, and the other warriors moved with primal grace, their wolf forms sleek and powerful as they followed their Alpha, through the labyrinthine maze of trees in their wolf forms. As they approached the familiar cabin where they had discovered Panton's lifeless body, Xavier's senses heightened, every nerve tingling with anticipation and dread. The air crackled with tension, heavy with the scent of impending danger. Cyrus's taunting words echoed in Xavier's mind, a grim reminder of the threat that loomed over them.Ignoring the cabin, they pressed onward, their instincts guiding them along the trail of paw prints left by Cyrus. But as they delved deeper into the heart of the forest, the tracks
XAVIER'S POVMy heart raced as we thundered back to the pack, Cameron right behind me with Devon and our warriors flanking us. The urgency in our strides mirrored the gravity of the situation. I should've been more careful. I should've known that this all could have been a trap. And I fuckign walked straight into it. Fuck! I just hoped Athena was fine. But the moment we stepped foot in our territory, the sight that greeted us was of chaos and despair. Bodies lay strewn across the ground, some motionless, others writhing in pain. The scent of blood hung thick in the air, mingling with the acrid tang of fear. My instincts screamed to protect my pack, to hunt down those responsible and make them pay.Cameron’s voice cut through the turmoil. “Oneka!” his concern was palpable as he rushed to Oneka’s side. I followed suit, my heart sinking as I beheld the sight of his mate, injured and vulnerable. Blood trickled from a gash on her forehead, her breaths ragged with exertion.“What happened?
ATHENA'S POVMy breath hitched as I saw Cyrus enter the room. His footsteps echoed as he closed the distance between us with an arrogant smirk on his vile lips. Behind him, followed the woman I despised. “Good to see you again, Athena,” her lips curled into an evil smile. “How unfortunate, I don't feel the same,” I spat, struggling against the chains, wanting nothing more than to pounce on that bitch. She stormed towards me, getting a grip on my hair, she yanked me forward by it earning a yelp from my mouth. “You dare open your mouth in front of me, you low life! Who do you think you are, hm? Don't forget you are here at our mercy. I can finish you off in seconds.”“Now, now, Scarlet. Keep it friendly. That's not how we treat our guests,” Cyrus scoffed. She dug her nails into my scalp before finally jerking my head away with a rough push and backed off to stand with her brother. “What the fuck do you want from me?” I snarled. “Feisty,” Cyrus chuckled. “I wanted something from you
XAVIER'S POV It has been one day, fourteen hours and twenty four minutes, and no sign of Athena. I stood and watched as Cameron tended to Oneka's injured arm, changing the bandage. She was giving me the details of everything that happened since the moment we left. “I'm sorry, Alpha. I tried. I really did. But they had outnumbered us. There were just too many of them. I couldn't get to her in time. Something pierced her neck and then she collapsed while trying to fight off a wolf,” she explained as Cameron continued tightening the bandage on her arm. The dullness in her voice spoke enough for how much she felt the loss of not being able to get to her in time. I didn't blame her. Fuck, I don't blame anyone but myself. I had to be more cautious, knowing that our enemy was strong. Why the fuck did I not realize that it all could have been just a trap. I should have been more careful. But it was too late now. They took her away. My love, my Athena. And we tried to search everywhere we co
MAGGIE'S POVShe is your daughter. She loves you. She never meant any of that. I woke up, startled from the voices in my head. They just wouldn't leave me alone. No matter how angry I wanted to stay at Oneka for what she did, somewhere in my heart I knew it couldn't be possible. She was after all my daughter. She was my only family. She had every right to a happy life. I wouldn't want anything less for anyways. But something about this whole situation puts me off. Getting up from the couch, I ran a hand through my hair and sighed. I should probably go out for a walk. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the forest floor as I wandered deeper into the woods. Each step brought me further away from the familiar sights and sounds of home, enveloping me in a serene solitude that invited introspection.Lost in the labyrinth of my own thoughts, I scarcely noticed the subtle shift in scenery until the trees around me became unfamiliar, their branches weaving a canopy of s
ONEKA'S POVWe stand silent, my mind running over the possible excuses I could come up with. Why did mum have to come here in the first place? Athena. Right. She was missing. But now, how are we going to get out of this mess? Now I understood what Athena might have gone through when I sneaked into the pack and Xavier caught us. Well, what could I say….like mother like daughter. “I didn't know we were having a guest over..” Cameron trailed, not knowing what else to say. Obviously, he was looking at me to explain what a woman was doing in our bedroom. “Oh yes umm…Cameron. She is—”“Your mother? Right?” I frowned. How did he know that? “I'm sorry I didn't mean to eavesdrop but while I was coming in, I might have heard you call her your mom.” Oh. Well. We are surely busted now. “Is everything alright though? You never talked about your mom before, and now that she is here, I think it might be something important.” “Yes. Everything is alright. I..didn't know actually. That she was comi
MAGGIE'S POV“Wasn't making my mother miserable enough for you that you had the audacity to show your face in my pack again?” Xavier growled ferociously and I'm sure everyone could hear the commotion now if they couldn't before. “Dad made a mistake. Now I'll make sure to clean it up for him. From scratch,” his voice was threatening low as his hands encircled my neck, lifting me off my feet. “How dare you! How dare you show me your face after doing that to my mom? My family! You ruined our peace! You made my mom miserable,” fuck. This was bad. I didn't expect him to go as far as strangling. “Stop..pl..please,” I struggled to breathe as the words left my lips. I couldn't breathe. The air felt like it was being squeezed out of my lungs, and darkness clouded my vision. Xavier's grip tightened around my throat, his fingers digging into my skin. Panic surged through me, but I couldn't make a sound. All I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my ears, drowning out the ch
ATHENA’S POVThe chains bit into my wrists, their cold metal links a constant reminder of my captivity. I could feel the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me, every muscle strained from the endless struggle against the restraints. How long had it been since I last roamed freely? Days blurred into nights, merging into an unending cycle of captivity.Through the small opening in the ceiling, a sliver of light teased my senses, a cruel reminder of the world beyond these damp walls. Day and night danced in an eternal waltz, but for me, time had become an abstract concept, lost in the depths of my confinement.Footsteps echoed in the darkness, the sound reverberating through the cold, dank basement. Scarlet's silhouette materialized, her presence a mix of dread and fleeting hope. She was the one I loved, yet the one who held the key to my suffering."Athena," her voice cut through the oppressive silence, carrying with it the weight of inevitability.I turned my gaze towards her, the ch
ATHENA'S POV“Is everything ready?” I asked Oneka as I fixed my hair. Honestly, I curse the day I decided to take the matters of planning this whole event myself. Xavier was right, I should have just hired an event planner. “Relax, Athena. You seriously worry too much. Everything is under control.” “I hope so,” I sighed, giving a little twist to the lock of my hair that was framing my forehead before finally giving myself an overview in the mirror. “Here, fix your lipstick a bit.” Oneka handed me the shade I was wearing and I blushed remembering why it needed to be fixed. Of course, Xavier barged in a few minutes ago, as soon as I got my makeup done and kissed the living shit out of me because he said, and I quote ‘You don't expect me to behave when you deprive me of yourself for too long.’ I didn't even take that long to get ready, to be honest. But who can get anything into the thick head of the big bad Alpha. “Are the kids ready?” I sat on the bed to put on my heels. “Yeah. I
ATHENA'S POV“Are you sure you want to do this?” I held Oneka's hand into mine, giving it a gentle squeeze. She had gone through a lot. Suffered a lot. Cameron betrayed each and everyone of us in the worst way. But the impact it left on Oneka, was compared to no one else. The heartbreak, the pain she felt was unlike any other person who was connected to him from the pack. She sighed, her hands shaking ever so slightly that if I wasn't holding them, I would have missed the action. “I'll…” her voice cracked before taking a deep breath. “I'll be fine, Athena. I've known Pi for way longer than I've known Cameron. I think with Cameron, it was just never meant to be. Being with Pi, I think, just comes naturally. It's like I'd never had to try to be myself with him. Looks like I was just in denial or a fool to realize it, when everyone around us literally teased us about being a couple.” She smiled sadly, her eyes holding gratitude for the guy who supported her throughout her life, nonethe
ATHENA'S POV The rain drummed relentlessly against the window pane, each droplet echoing the emptiness within me. I sat perched on the edge of my bed, my gaze fixed on the somber scene outside, where the world seemed to blur into shades of gray under the heavy downpour. It was as if the heavens themselves were mourning alongside me, shedding tears that mirrored the desolation in my heart."Athena?"Oneka's voice pierced through the silence, pulling me back from the abyss of my thoughts. I turned my head slightly, acknowledging her presence without uttering a word. She entered my room with a tenderness that only she possessed, wrapping her arms around me in a sideways embrace."It's time," she whispered, her voice barely audible above the sound of the rain. I felt the weight of her words, the gravity of the moment pressing down on me like an anchor dragging me beneath the surface of an unfathomable sea.Tears traced silent paths down my cheeks, betraying the numbness that had engulfed
AUTHOR'S POVThe witch's heart raced as she sprinted and burst into the clearing where Alpha Xavier stood, a primal fear gripped her soul, her words stumbling over the weight of their significance.Behind her, the haunting echoes of the coven's chants faded, drowned out by the urgency of her mission."Alpha Xavier! Athena. She..." The witch faltered, her voice trembling with the weight of unspoken dread.Xavier's eyes narrowed, his posture tense with a primal instinct to protect his mate at all costs. "What? What happened to Athena?" His voice crackled with raw emotion, the air thick with the palpable fear of impending loss.Her voice of reason, interjected, words laced with desperation. "Your pup is giving Athena a hard time. We need to operate... like right now."Xavier's mind raced with the cruel reality of the situation, his thoughts a whirlwind of despair and determination. "But that's not possible. We don't have any doctors with us, and she is in no condition to be moved. It wil
XAVIER'S POVMy hurt twisted, not being able to fathom the fact that I was so close to losing everything in my life. Let me rephrase that. I was close to losing my life. That's what I felt currently knowing that my mate and my pup were fighting for their damn lives in that closed coven. And all I could do was wait. And stand like a fool, be of absolute no help. “She'll be alright,” A voice broke me out of my thoughts. I turned around to see it was Maggie. “She’s a fighter. I know she will get through this.” I felt a pang in my heart seeing her like this. In one flesh. Unlike my mother. “No one gave you the right to speak to me. Just because you are not dead right now, doesn't mean you can talk to me. I'm the Alpha of my pack.” Instead of getting scared like she was earlier in my choke hold, she had the audacity to smile. It was a sad one. But nonetheless. It was a smile. A one I hated seeing. She doesn't deserve to smile after putting my mother in misery. “You're just like him. You
Author's PovIn a dimly lit chamber illuminated by flickering candlelight, the witch stood over her cauldron, the air heavy with the scent of herbs and incense. The atmosphere was tense, fraught with the weight of impending fate. The witch's gnarled fingers danced with precision as she added ingredients to the bubbling liquid, her movements both fluid and deliberate.Glancing towards the couch where Athena lay, pallid and still, the witch's heart clenched with sympathy and regret. The last Arctic Wolf on earth lay motionless, her breath shallow and pulse weakening with each passing moment. The witch knew the gravity of the situation; if the potion failed, there would be no hope left to preserve this majestic creature, nor to propagate her species for generations to come.With a resolve born of desperation, the witch quickened her pace, the liquid in the cauldron simmering with an otherworldly intensity. Each ingredient added was a whispered plea to the forces of nature, a plea for Ath
XAVIER'S POVShe did it again. The light blinded us all as the wind gushed past our figures, slicing the silence with a heavy rustle forcing us to close our eyes to prevent them from catching dust that was suspended around us. It took a few seconds, maybe even minutes for everything to settle down and return back to normal when I was finally able to see again. My warriors who were not killed by the beasts, stood alive with some scratches and gashes. Oneka was held by the vampire guy who intervened. Scarlet stood out of the picture, sheltering Maggie behind a cover of bushes. She was here all this time? Why didn't she take part in the fight alongside her brother? Cameron lay dead on the ground. Cameron….My heart ached at the thought that he out of all people went against my back.My eyes fell on Cyrus, his body split into two like his other beast army. And then my heart technically bursted out of its ribcage when I saw Athena's wolf passed out on the ground. Not moving an inch. “Fuck
AUTHOR’S POVAs the dust settled and the echoes of Athena's radiant display faded into the ether, Cyrus rose from the ground, his form shrouded in a veil of malevolent fury. Dusting himself off with a disdainful flick of his hand, he surveyed the battlefield with a cold, calculating gaze. Anger churned within him at the sight of his decimated beast army, their once formidable ranks now reduced to a pitiful few, whimpering on the ground in the throes of death. The rest of them, already split into two.The remnants of Xavier's werewolf army, though shaken by the onslaught, stood resolute, their spirits undaunted by the chaos that surrounded them. With steely determination, they rallied to their leader's side, their resolve unbroken by the specter of defeat.Everyone was shaken by the recent events but none had the idea of what it was. Or how it happened. "Enough!" Cyrus's voice thundered across the battlefield, a declaration of defiance amidst the chaos of war. With a swift motion, he
Author's PovThe battlefield seethed with chaos, a maelstrom of clashing, roars of defiance, and the acrid scent of blood and sweat. Athena and Nate surged into the heart of the conflict. Nate, his primal instincts awakening, transformed into his lup wolf, a magnificent and formidable wolf, his muscles rippling with the promise of ferocity.As they charged forward, the clash of armies reached its crescendo. Cyrus directed his gaze toward Athena. With a swift motion, he unleashed a bunch of silver bullets aiming to blind the very hope that rallied her allies. Not before putting a few into Xavier's wolf which lay limp before his feet. He immobilized him, each silver bullet piercing through flesh and bone, shackling Xavier in a web of agony. With a final shot, Cyrus aimed directly at Athena, his malevolent intent a venomous whisper in the tumult of battle. “Let's get this over with.”Time slowed to a languid crawl as Nate, attuned to the impending danger, watched with a primal urgency. W