Chapter Fifty One: She LeftZarina's POVThe house was too quiet.I sat alone in the nursery, gently rocking my baby girl in my arms.The boys slept in their cribs, gently breathing, unaware of the storm raging inside me.Asher had left early that morning.An emergency.He kissed the babies goodbye.But he hadn't kissed me.Not even a glance.He left his parents to "take care" of me.I smiled sourly to myself.Take care?If only he understood.The second he walked away, I was invisible once more.Or worse — a target.I heard feet coming toward the nursery door.I stood still, holding my baby close to me.The door creased as it opened.It was Cara and Asher's mother.Their faces were unkind.Cara snickered softly, glancing about the room like she was home."Still here?" she commented, tilting her head towards me, like I was something she had left out to be taken out.I held my head down, gently rocking my baby.I didn't answer."What a waste," Asher's mother sneered."You think being p
Chapter Fifty One : She's GoneAsher's POVThe house felt off the moment I stepped inside.Too quiet.Too still.I tossed my jacket on the chair by the door and let out a breath, running my hand through my hair.Today had been one of those days — constant meetings, pack problems piling up, one thing after another without any break.All I wanted to do was gaze at Zarina.Gaze at my babies.Maybe hold them against me for a moment, remember nothing else.A small grin tugged on the corner of my mouth as I climbed up the stairs.They were my peace.My home.My reason for all things.I headed straight for the nursery, needing just one moment of peace.But as I opened the door, what I saw halted me in place.The room was clean and neat, the curtains pulled wide so that the soft evening light seeped in, casting a golden glow over the rows of small cribs set along the walls.But the cribs.The cribs were empty.No Zarina.No babies.For a moment, I stood there, blinking as if maybe my eyes wer
Chapter Title: Felt Empty(Asher's POV)The moon was high overhead, but I wasn't even aware of it.It had been three days.Three days since my whole world imploded.I was sitting in the Alpha office, sitting behind my desk, and I looked at the pile of papers in front of me.Important stuff. Pack business. Meetings I was supposed to attend.I didn't even pick them up.I couldn't.I simply sat there, empty.Every time I blinked, I could see her face.Zarina.Cradling our babies in her chest.Her eyes full of tears.I gripped the sides of the desk tightly, my knuckles whitening.Where was she now?Was she alright?Were the babies warm enough?Were they nursing well?I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes.The quiet in the room was heavy, choking me.I should have noticed earlier.I should have seen how tired she was.How alone.But I didn't.I let her down.I let them down.A soft knock on the door.It was Caleb, one of my fighters."Alpha," he said guardedly, "there's a council wi
Chapter Fifty Four : In the Heart of the BushZarina's POVThe night was dense and heavy around me.The trees towered like dark giants, their leaves whispering secrets I could not hear.Mosquitoes buzzed in fury, biting at my arms, my neck, any flesh they could find.I squatted in the cold bush, back against a tree.I held my babies tight, one on each arm, and the third resting softly on my chest.Their small faces twisted every time a mosquito got too close.I waved my hands weakly, trying to swat the bugs away, but they were relentless.My belly moaned in misery.It had been so long since I'd eaten anything.I could feel my strength slipping away bit by bit.Yet still, I stayed.I would not leave my babies.Tears burned my eyes, yet I would not cry.I could not afford to be weak now."I'm here, my angels," I whispered, kissing each small forehead. "Mommy's here. Mommy won't leave you."But how was I going to protect them like this?I needed food.Something — anything — to keep up my
Chapter Fifty Five : The Bond That Guides MeAsher's POVI couldn't think.I was sitting at my desk, staring at the papers in front of me, but the words weren't registering.All I could see in my head was Zarina's face.All I could hear were my babies' gentle whimpering in my ears, even though the room was silent.Where are they?Are they safe?Are they cold?Are they crying for me?I pushed the chair back so hard it creaked across the floor.I couldn't remain there another minute.I strode out of the office, past the guards and the uneasy glances.I didn't care who saw me.My bond with my children, it was pulling at me — tight and sore, like a rope around my heart.Something in me was believing they were close.Somewhere out there.Waiting.Suffering.I went to the edge of the woods.My feet moved faster than my mind could keep up.I took a deep breath, filling my nostrils with the scent of trees and earth.I closed my eyes."Zarina," I whispered, as if saying her name would magicall
Chapter Fifty Six : Asher's ProtectioZarina's POVThe cold of the night air pierced me as if a thousand needles were pricking my skin, cutting through my thinly dressed clothes. My body trembled with uncontrollable convulsions, not just because of the cold but because of sheer exhaustion. I had not slept for what felt like forever. Pain in my body was becoming a torture, but I could not sleep. I could not sleep when my babies needed me.I had wrapped my arms around them close, their tiny bodies pressed against me for warmth, but it wasn't enough. The wind was too strong, too merciless. The night was too chilly. It was colder than I had ever dreamed that it would be. The bushes that circled around us, which we had taken shelter behind, didn't shield us much. The leaves were stripped from the trees, whispering in the wind like they were taunting me, reminding me that I was so alone. The moonlight fought to get through the branches, casting an unearthly light on the ground. My babies, i
Chapter Fifty Seven : Zarina Asher's POVThe next morning, the world felt different. The cold that had wrapped around me was gone, replaced by heat I didn't know I'd been missing. I woke up to the gentle light of dawn filtering through the leaves, my body still heavy with the fatigue of the night before, but my heart lighter. The babies lay next to me, and Zarina's face was peaceful with a contented sleep I had not seen in a long time. What had occurred yesterday—their disappearance, the terror, and then afterwards, that overwhelming relief—still weighed upon me. But here, nothing could come between me and what I required.I leaned cautiously over to ensure that the children were fine. They were all tucked in the blankets, their tiny breaths flat and steady. I couldn't help but grin, my heart swelling up with love and protection.Zarina was not as fortunate, though. She was fast asleep, and she seemed fragile, the shadow about her eyes depicting the load that she had been carrying so
Chapter Forty Two: The Moment We Find Ourselves AgainZarina's POVThe morning sun broke through the window, casting warm shadows on the room. I awoke to the soft sound of breathing, the comforting warmth of Asher lying beside me. It had been a long night, but the exhaustion that clutched at me was not just physical—it was the burden of all that had happened. The long walk through the woods, the cold, the not knowing… and the argument with Asher's mother and Cara that had left me feeling so small, so helpless. But Asher had been there for me, his arms embracing me, his voice strong, his words a protector.I looked at him now, his face soft in sleep, his breathing even. He was always so tough, so capable, but in the still moments like these, I could see the vulnerability in him. The way his brow furrowed ever so slightly as he slept, the way his lips parted just ever so slightly. I couldn't help but wonder what was running through his mind when he wasn't struggling to hold it all toget
Chapter 73 : The Shift Begins – Asher's POVSunlight streamed into the room, bathing the room in warm, golden hues. I rubbed my eyes against the light, the warmth on my skin. For an instant, I believed I was still dreaming, the crushing weight of the past few days still lodged in my chest. But then I knew—no, it was real. The world outside was waking up, and so was I.I turned my head to the side and saw Zarina sleeping beside me. She was serene. Her brow was not furrowed in worry as it had been for days. She appeared. unencumbered by the tension and exhaustion that had weighed over her for so long. I looked at her for a moment, attempting to grasp how such a quiet moment could feel so meaningful. She'd done it—she'd gone and gotten something, some fix to everything, although I wasn't entirely sure how. I was grateful to her beyond measure for everything she'd done for me and our pack.I wished to stay there, beside her, for only a little while longer, but the weights of all of it sti
LChapter Seventy Two: Hope in the SilenceZarina's POVIt was a cold night when I returned. My feet ached, my heart was weighed down, and my clothes reeked of the forest that I had walked through. But I did not care. I held the little bag of cloth from the old woman to my chest like it was a matter of life and death. Inside it was the powder. The book stayed in the other hand. The pages were yellowed and had the scent of time itself. I had read only one page, but it had all the answers that we were looking for.The moonlight guided the path to our home. Everything was quiet. Too quiet. Not even the wolves had howled. It was like the night itself held its breath to see what I would do. My fingers shook a little as I opened the door very slowly, not wanting to wake anyone.I went inside.The air was somber, the candles low. I first saw them — my babies. My innocent, sweet babies. Sleeping soundly, nestled up against each other. Their quiet breathing the only noise in the room. My eyes
Chapter Title: I Told Her Everything(Zarina's POV)The forest was quiet. So quiet that I could hear my heartbeat. My feet hurt. My dress was dirty. My hair was messy. But I didn't mind. I just wanted to find someone—anyone—who would be able to help me.I walked and walked until I spotted a small wooden cottage. It seemed to be very old, as if it had been around for centuries. There was a puff of smoke from the chimney. There was warm soft light in the window.My legs were shaking. I didn't know what was inside. But I didn't stop.I slowly pushed the wooden door. It made a small creaking noise.There she was.Another old woman. Sitting by a fire. Her back was a bit bent. Her skin was creased like wrinkles on old paper. She wore long grey hair in a loose braid, and her eyes—her eyes were deep, as if she had lived through many lifetimes.She stared up at me and frowned."Child," she said gently, "why are you weeping?"That was when I saw.I was sobbing. My face was moist. My lips were s
:Chapter Seventy : Zarina's Journey – The Quest for a SolutionI had my hand on the door handle, weighing the decision heavily in my mind. Asher stood but a step or two behind me, watching, waiting, but I couldn't turn around. I couldn't dawdle."Zarina…" Asher's voice was thick with concern, but I could feel the unspoken words hanging there. He didn't want me to leave, I could tell. But he had no idea of the burden of the pack and duty that lay on me at that time. I loved him, and I loved our children, but I had to do this for all of us.I couldn't allow them to take one of my children. I couldn't allow them to offer my flesh and blood for some ancient ritual."I'm doing this for us, Asher," I whispered, barely above a whisper so he could hear me. "I promise, I'll come back."I could not gaze at his face, but I felt the hurt in the silence that followed. I knew he was torn. He knew what the pack needed, but this? This was different. I opened the handle and stepped out, leaving behin
Chapter: Zarina's DecisionThere was a sound of rain in sheets accompanied by sound of drumbeats thundering overhead as rain kept pounding ruthlessly at the roof. Asher had pulled back into the darkness of his own mind, his furrowed brows and concerned expression evident as the elders' expectations remained suspended in the air around us. I could feel the burden of the world weighing on him, as though he carried the future of our entire pack on his own shoulders. The elders were unforgiving, pushing him to make a choice—one that would destroy us. They wanted to take one of our children, one of my babies.I couldn't let it happen. I couldn't let them take one of my children.But I recognized that Asher felt trapped, stuck by his position as alpha, the need to protect everyone, even if it meant sacrificing the very people he cared about most. I saw it in his eyes—the torn look of a man who wanted to protect us but didn't know how.I walked around our quarters, pacing back and forth, ide
Chapter Sixty Eight : The Feelings Asher's POVThe load of the day was a boulder on my chest. The pack, the elders, everybody was depending on me, and the pressure was suffocating. But this evening, I did not care to think about any of it. I simply wanted to spend time with my kids.I crept down the hall to the nursery, gentle sounds of my babies drifting from the doorway. Their coos, their tiny laughter, were like music.When I entered, to behold them nearly shattered my heart. They were so tiny, so innocent.Luca was lying on his belly, his small hands reaching for a teddy bear. His little legs kicked against the air as he struggled to grasp it, his face concentrated. He wasn't there yet with the words, but the way he looked at the toy, how hard he reached for it—my heart swelled to full.Freya rested in her crib, waving her small hands in the air as she looked up towards the mobile revolving over her head. Her large eyes followed each movement, and a soft little giggle formed on h
.Chapter Sixty Seven : The IdeaZarina's POVThe pressure of the situation weighed heavily upon me like a boulder weighing a hundred tons. I sat silently in our bedroom, attempting to make sense of things, but it seemed the tempest within me was way too raucous to be silenced. The elders had come, demanding a sacrifice. A child. One of Asher's own. And my heart had shattered when I saw Asher stand firm, his voice unshakeable, his face set in determination as he denied their request.But that hadn't changed the fact that the elders wouldn't let go so easily. Their ultimatum hung over us like a cloud, dense with threat and conclusion. I knew Asher would never let harm befall his children. He couldn't—he loved them with every fiber of his being. He was their protector, their father, their Alpha. But the longer things dragged on, the more I began to fear what this stubbornness would ultimately cost us all.I could hear Asher's footsteps from the other side of our room. I did not look at
Chapter: The Elders' DemandThe weight of being Alpha had never rested more heavily on me than it did today. Every step, every decision I took, came under such close inspection that the weight was suffocating. But what the elders were demanding—no, insisting upon—was something I could never possibly consent to.I stood in the center of the black hall, the air thick with the heaviness of unwritten words. The elders were seated, faces grim, eyes blazing with accusation. They had waited for me to decide, but this. this was something more than I had expected.We've waited long enough, Asher," Elder Rurik's voice was deep, but his words cut through the silence. "The pack demands a sacrifice. It's the only choice. You understand this."I clenched my fists at my sides, my heart pounding in my chest. This was the moment I'd feared. The moment when I would break or remain unbroken."I told you," I said, my tone steady even as my gut churned with queasiness, "there must be another way. The pack
Chapter Sicty FiveThe Burden of LeadershipZarina’s PovI leaned against the window, the night air stinging cold against my skin, my fingers touching the stone sill lightly. The moonlight this evening was colder than usual, casting long shadows across the woods, making the familiar landscape into one that was almost alien. The air was tense, charged, and for all I could do, I couldn't shake it away.Asher was fighting. I could see it, feel it in every line of his posture, every heavy step he took. The pack was closing in on them, their needs growing more and more desperate, their eyes full of fear, of anger. They hungered for blood. They hungered for sacrifice. And as their Alpha, Asher's responsibility was to make the decision, to lead them through this dark and dangerous time. But I could see it in his eyes—the fear, the uncertainty. It was there, lurking under his stoic facade, and it was destroying my heart.I wasn't sure how long he could hold out.The soft creak of the door warn