NATHAN'S POVIt was almost time for me to meet the others at the agreed-upon spot. Everything was set. We had the element of surprise. We were sure Malachi wouldn't be expecting us so soon. We were trained, and we were ready.The only thing left was the silver around their territory.It kept bugging me how Malachi had been able to hold the knife even though it had been coated with silver. My chest seemed to throb from the ghost of the injury. I flexed it absentmindedly, deep in thought.“How had he held the knife?” I said out loud as I paced the forest. I was alone and close to the edge of the territory, my feet having taken me there of their own accord.But that's not the question I should be asking now.How did they get silver around their pack? They had formed a barrier around there with it.“I bet it was Malachi who did it,” I thought to myself. But how…I snapped myself out of it, deciding instead to focus on how to break it. I had promised that I would solve it, and it was up to
NATHAN'S POVThe air hung heavy with the metallic tang of blood and the acrid bite of ozone, a grim testament to the ferocious battle just waged. A storm had started brewing in the distance, lightning decorating the skies. My lungs burned with each ragged breath, but the adrenaline still coursed through me—a potent cocktail of fear and relief. Victoria, pale and trembling, was finally safe in the arms of the pack, her eyes wide with terror and disbelief.But the victory felt hollow. Malachi, the eccentric figure who had orchestrated this entire ordeal, had vanished into the night, leaving behind a trail of unanswered questions and a chilling sense of dread."He's gone," I growled, my voice hoarse. "Just like that." But it confirmed what I had always thought about him. He was never a true leader. This one act of fleeing the battle and abandoning his pack members had seen to that.Theon, who had gone after him, his skin matted with blood and his eyes blazing with fury, nodded grimly. "H
SOPHIA'S POVLast night with Lucas was incredible. It had been such a long time since I had enjoyed myself to that extent, and it was honestly freeing.I thought about the events as I poured hot water into my coffee maker. It was one of the few human pleasures I had allowed myself to enjoy over the last couple of years. At first, I did not enjoy the taste, but I soon realized it was a constant staple in the lives of humans, particularly New Yorkers. And I must admit, it does have a certain taste to it that grows on you in a way other beverages do not.After pressing and separating the liquid, I poured it into a cup, taking a whiff of it.Hmmm, the smell is just divine.Taking a sip, I savored the flavor while savoring a flavor of a different kind – the one from the memories of yesterday. Unfortunately, we had to leave immediately after the storm passed, with Lucas leaving to see his sister in the hospital and me taking a cab home.It had been sweet how much he had apologized for not b
SOPHIA'S POVThey raced to the kitchen, energy fueling each step. They were starting to become more energetic. With each new age, brought new surprises.I remember when Alexia was three years old, and while Alex hadn't shown any signs, she had looked like she was five years old already. They didn't look like twins for almost three months until Alex caught up to her, and now he's starting to look like the other one. Which is only fair. Male wolves tend to grow faster than female ones as they grow older.And now, he's the one showing more advanced growth changes. And soon, Alexia will too…My mind flashed back to when they were three. We were still in Italy then, and they had just started to talk properly a bit. Alexia's hair had grown past her shoulders by this point, and Alex's hair was almost the same length. They had looked almost unidentifiable like they were the same person. The only difference was Alex had grey eyes, and Alexia had blue eyes. Back then, my hardest problem was hav
NATHAN'S POVThe scent of smoke and blood still clung to my skin, a grim reminder of the battle we had just endured. My muscles ached, a dull throb echoing with every labored breath. But the victory over Malachi, coupled with the rescue of Victoria, outweighed any physical pain. I had promised to bring her home, and I had.As soon as we crossed the pack borders, a wave of relief washed over me. The familiar scent of pine needles and damp earth filled my senses, a comforting balm to my weary soul. I could almost hear the rhythmic thumping of pack gongs, a welcome sign that we were not alone and that all was well.The sight that greeted us was a mixture of relief and apprehension. My warriors, battered but unbroken, were tending to the wounded. The air was thick with the scent of healing herbs and the low growls of concern.I saw someone rush towards me, and for a moment, it looked like Sophia. My heart leaped to my throat, and I slowed down. My arms seemed to move of their own accord a
NATHAN'S POVVictoria got up and ran out of the clearing.“Wait!” The word had barely gotten out of my mouth when I could no longer see her again. I knew what I had said that was wrong, but I still didn't understand why she took it so personally every time.She stormed off, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I had many questions, and none of them had been answered. Victoria's reaction was only partly valid, seeing as I didn't outrightly accuse her of anything.Or was it the timing? Was her ordeal with Malachi too much for her to revisit?I don't like fighting with Victoria, and knowing what happened last time we spoke, and she had ended up kidnapped, I made up my mind to resolve this as soon as possible. I didn't want this to go on for quite a time.I stayed out late, gazing at the stars. The moon was beautiful today. I could still see as it shone clearly, illuminating the clearing. Nature was one of my best parts of being a werewolf. There was just something about being out in the op
NATHAN'S POVI stopped in my tracks, listening. Something was off.I stayed like that for moments before brushing the nagging feeling off. I began to move now, but lightly, my feet padding along the grass, not making any unnecessary movements.But the joy of the hunt, the thrill of the chase, felt muted. A nagging unease gnawed at me, a discordant note in the symphony of the night. "Why?" I growl, the sound echoing through my mind.A voice, raw and guttural, responds from the depths of my soul, "She's gone.""I know." I acknowledged him, the word tasting like ash in my mouth."You banished her," the voice snarls, "Your Luna, our mate.""She betrayed me," I defended, my voice tight. "She slept with another."The voice is silent for a long moment, then, "You have no proof.""I saw them," I insist, the memory of the fleeting but long-lasting image, the scent of another wolf clinging to her, still fresh in my mind. I had gone to the room with Victoria, intent on proving her wrong.Instead
SOPHIA'S POVThe aroma of melting butter filled the kitchen, a comforting scent that always brought a smile to my face. Rain lashed against the windows, a perfect excuse for an indoor adventure. Today, my two little pumpkins, Alex and Alexia, were celebrating having turned five, and although that was months ago, I still wanted to make it extra special for them."Okay, my little chefs," I announced, gathering them around the counter."Today, we're making the most delicious banana pancakes you've ever tasted."Alex, with his bright gray eyes sparkling, clapped his hands. "Pancakes! With bananas?""Well, that is what you guys ordered, is it not?" I said with a playful grin on my face.Alexia, ever the serious one, furrowed her brow. "But Mommy, how do we make them stick together?""That's where the magic happens, Alexia," I chuckled, handing her a bowl. "We're going to whisk flour, sugar, and milk together.""That's right, Alexia, that's where the magic happens!" He stuck his tongue out
LUCAS' POVThe office felt colder than usual.Or maybe that was just me.I’d been back since morning, but it was already past noon and I hadn’t done much besides flip through reports and sip on lukewarm coffee that had long since lost its appeal. Numbers blurred together on the screen. Charts and forecasts passed without registering. My team had kept their distance, offering polite nods and updates without pushing for conversation.I couldn't blame them. I wasn’t in the mood for it either.Every time I looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows, all I saw was her face. Sophia. That soft, stunned expression she wore when I got down on one knee. The kind eyes that didn’t sparkle with joy, only guilt. The gentle way she let me down. There was no cruelty in it – she never had that in her – but it still hit like a punch to the gut.I thought I had prepared myself. I thought… maybe I’d stand a chance. But there was no mistaking it now. Her heart belonged to someone else.The knock on my door b
LUCAS' POVThe silence hung between us long after she’d spoken.“I wanted to give you the answer you deserve.” She had said, voice soft but steady. “But if I said yes, it wouldn’t be fair.”Not fair.The words rang in my head like a bell I couldn’t unhear.I didn’t say anything then. Just nodded. I don’t even remember standing up or placing the ring box back in my pocket. It all felt mechanical, like watching myself from outside my own body.Now I was outside, on the cabin porch, the cold air biting through the warmth of the fire still burning inside. I kept my hands shoved deep in my coat pockets as I stared into the dark woods. The lake glimmered faintly beyond the trees, silver and glassy beneath the full moon.She hadn’t come after me.I didn’t blame her.What could she possibly say?The thing was… I’d known. Somewhere deep down, I’d known her heart wasn’t mine. I’d seen it in the way her smile never quite reached her eyes when I brought her flowers. In how she always hesitated be
SOPHIA'S POVIt started with a note on the counter.Just one line. “Don’t make plans tonight. Dress warm. Trust me.”Lucas.The handwriting was unmistakably his – clean, a little slanted, written with the same kind of confidence he carried into boardrooms and kitchens alike. I stared at it for a moment, a faint smile pulling at my lips. He knew how much I hated surprises. And he was doing it anyway.By the time I dropped the twins off at Mrs. Jackson’s for their overnight stay, the sky had deepened into a dusky pink. Lucas was waiting for me in his car, door already open, wearing that charcoal coat I secretly loved. He stood up straighter when he saw me – like he was nervous, but trying not to show it.“You look beautiful.” He said, eyes lingering just long enough to warm my skin.“You don’t look too bad yourself.” I slid into the passenger seat. “What are we doing?”“You’ll see.”I gave him a look.“Okay, fine. I’ll give you a hint.” He glanced at me with a grin. “You’ve been there b
LUCAS' POV The drive to my mother’s house from the airport was shorter than I remembered. Maybe it was the lack of traffic or the way the late afternoon sunlight stretched across the road, golden and slow. Or maybe I just hadn’t realized how long it had been since I made this trip. I used to visit once a month. Then once every two. Now… Well, I hadn’t been home since I came with Sophia. Pulling into the driveway, I killed the engine and sat there for a moment, staring at the modest house. White siding, blue shutters, flowerbeds brimming with tulips and wild lavender. Everything was exactly how I remembered it, like time hadn’t touched it – even though it clearly had. I grabbed the wine I’d picked up on the way and headed for the front door. Before I could knock, it swung open. “There’s my boy!” My mother stood there, arms wide, her smile brighter than the sun behind her. She didn’t wait for me to answer – just pulled me in and squeezed me like she hadn’t seen me in years.
LUCAS' POVI never liked small talk. I didn’t have the patience for it. Business was business, and I preferred things to stay efficient, direct, no fluff. But then she came into the office.Victoria.She’d been introduced as a new consultant for the company’s expansion project, and from the moment I saw her, I could tell she was different. She had this way about her – so composed, so polished. She moved through the office like she owned it, like she was in control, and it wasn’t long before I found myself paying attention to her more than I cared to admit.At first, it was just little things. She’d smile at me across the room, but it wasn’t one of those “polite office smiles”. No. It was more like she was sizing me up. I wasn’t used to being looked at like that, especially not in a room full of busy people, but there it was.I didn’t think much of it at first. That is, until she knocked on my office door one Wednesday morning.“Good morning, Luca.” She greeted me, stepping inside, a c
SOPHIA'S POVI sat in the living room, fingers tightly curled into fists in my lap, my eyes fixed on the coffee table in front of me. The weight of everything that had happened today pressed down on me. The note, the disappearance, the fear that had gripped my chest when I found the twins’ beds empty – everything felt like it was spiraling out of control.Daniel sat across from me, leaning forward, his face creased in concern. He had tried to get me to talk about it since he arrived, but I kept finding ways to sidestep the darker details. It felt too heavy to say aloud, too impossible to believe, but I had no choice.“I don't get it, Sophia.” He said, his voice calm but laced with disbelief. “How did they just... disappear like that? You said you left them in bed.”I nodded, rubbing the back of my neck as if that would ease the tension building there. “Yeah, I did. I left them sleeping. Nothing unusual. But then... I found the note. It said, 'I'm here for you, Sophia. Miss me?'” I swa
MALACHI’S POV The night was thick with shadows, but I was no stranger to darkness. I was, in fact, its most loyal companion. It embraced me, welcomed me, as it had since the day I was driven from the pack, from everything I once had. And now, from my place just outside Sophia’s house, I could feel the tension tightening around me, wrapping like a knot. I stayed hidden, cloaked in the deep darkness of the alleyway, the dim glow of the porch lights casting long, skeletal shadows across the yard. The sound of the wind moved through the trees, but my attention never moved from the house. The world beyond was irrelevant. Unimportant. All that mattered now was her. Sophia. I couldn’t stop myself from watching her, even if every part of me screamed that I should’ve been closer, taking what was rightfully mine. Sophia, with her delicate beauty, the curve of her neck, the soft flicker of light catching the strands of her dark hair. She was standing in the doorway, her expression a mixt
SOPHIA'S POVI stepped inside, the familiar scent of home greeting me, but something was... wrong. The door clicked softly behind me, and the silence that followed was almost suffocating. I hadn’t expected the house to feel so still, so quiet. But it was more than that. It felt empty in a way that twisted something deep inside me.I hesitated, standing in the entryway. The house was usually alive with noise – Alex and Alexia’s laughter, their endless chatter, the thumping of their footsteps as they ran through the halls. But now… nothing.I swallowed hard, the unease crawling up my spine as my fingers curled around my bag. I’d seen the note at the door, my heart already racing before I even touched it.“I'm here for you Sophia. Miss me?” The words had burned into my mind, and now, with the house so eerily silent, my stomach twisted painfully.“Alex? Alexia?” I called, my voice too small in the empty air. It felt like I was shouting into a void. No answer. Just that thick, pressing sil
SOPHIA'S POVLola was quiet for a moment, her hand loosely wrapped around her mug. Then, with a glance that was far too knowing for my liking, she said gently, “So… how do you really feel about him?”Her words settled like mist in the cozy room, quiet and unassuming, but thick enough that I couldn’t ignore them.I stared into my tea like it might offer a better answer than I could. It didn’t. “I don’t know.” I said, which was technically true, if you just didn't count all the parts of me screaming otherwise.Lola’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh, please. That’s the most suspicious ‘I don’t know’ I’ve heard all week – and I’ve had three customer complaints and a guy who claimed his espresso was ‘emotionally cold.’”I laughed despite myself. “Emotionally cold?”“He said it lacked soul. I gave him a biscotti and told him to take it up with his therapist.”I nearly spit my tea. “God, I’ve missed this.”“What, sarcasm and caffeine-fueled delusions?”“Exactly that.” I smiled, then let it slip. “And…