Georgia’s POVThe walk back to the pack house with calyx was silent, each step feeling heavier than the last. His presence beside me was both a comfort and a puzzle. I stole a glance at him, his strong jaw set.We reached the pack house, and the bustle of pack members moving through the courtyard snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. Calyx paused at the entrance, turning to me with that same concerned look he’d worn in the clearing. “You sure you’re okay, Georgia? You’ve been quiet.”His question sounded strange.He studied me for a moment, as if weighing whether to press further, then nodded. “Get some rest. I’ll check on you later.”I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders disappearing into the crowd, and the knot in my chest tightened further. Rest sounded impossible. I needed answers, not sleep. But where to start? Confront Kael about Lydia ? Demand the truth from calyx? Or dig into my own memories, the ones from my past life, to see if they held any clues about the red-h
Georgia’s POVThe air in Kael’s chamber was thick with the weight of his words, the promise of truth hanging between us like a fragile thread. I sat on the edge of a carved wooden chair, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, my eyes locked on his. Kael stood by the hearth, the firelight casting shadows across his sharp features, making him look both divine and haunted. His admission that Lydia was no longer his lover had loosened something in me, but the questions still churned, about her, about why Kael’s fear seemed to pulse with a life of its own.“Start talking,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I need to know everything.”Kael exhaled, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of centuries pressed down on him. “Lydia was my mate, long ago,” he began, his voice low, almost a whisper. “Not by choice, but by a ritual forced upon us by the old gods. It was meant to bind our power, to make us stronger against threats to the pack. But it was never love. Not for me.”I swallowed, the
Georgia’s POVThe courtyard was a battlefield, the air thick with ash and the snarls of Lydia’s allies. Their glowing eyes cut through the haze like beacons of malice, and my heart hammered as I scrambled to my feet, pain radiating from my shoulder. Kael was already up, his body coiled like a predator, his gaze darting between the encroaching figures and me. Sylvara stood at his side, her dagger glinting as she muttered words under her breath, her violet eyes blazing with focus. The wards she was weaving shimmered faintly, a fragile barrier against the onslaught.“Georgia, stay behind me,” Kael growled, his voice barely human. His claws extended, and I could feel the power radiating from him, the alpha ready to tear through anything to protect his pack and me.But my eyes were locked on the spot where Lydia had stood, her taunting smile burned into my mind. Her words echoed, sharp and venomous: “Going somewhere, Georgia?” The way she’d looked at me, like I was nothing more than an o
Georgia’s POVThe world seemed to hold its breath, the mist curling around us like a living thing, heavy with Lydia’s dark magic. Kael’s hand was still in mine, his grip so tight it hurt, but I couldn’t pull away. His eyes, stormy and tormented, held mine for a heartbeat longer before he turned to face Lydia. “Lydia,” Kael said, his voice steady despite the chaos, “I won’t marry you. I won’t bind myself to you again. Not for the pack, not for the Tear, not for anything. You need to let this go.”Lydia’s face twisted, her triumph curdling into something feral. “Let it go?” she spat, her voice rising, sharp enough to cut. “You think I can just walk away from you? From us? You were mine, Kael. Mine!” Her hands clenched, and the dark tendrils in the mist surged, snapping like whips toward Sylvara’s wards. The shimmering barrier flickered, and Sylvara grunted, her knees buckling as she fought to hold it.“Kael, we don’t have time!” Sylvara shouted, her voice strained. “The wards are faili
Georgia’s POVThe Grove lay hushed in the wake of battle. Branches shuddered where Kael’s shockwave had torn through the underbrush; moonlight sifted through torn leaves and caught on the scattered shards of Lydia’s dark wards. I pressed my hand to my chest, heart pounding, as though it still fought against every beat. Beside me, Kael knelt over the fallen Tear, its silvery glow now gentle, like a pulse beneath his fingertips.“Georgia,” he said, voice low. The single word felt charged, as if he’d been holding it back through the onslaught. He reached for my hand, brushing away the blade of grass that had cut my palm. His touch was warm, an anchor in the aftermath.I swallowed hard. My lungs ached and I tasted copper in my mouth from exertion and fear. But there, in his gaze, I found something stronger than fear: relief, wonder, something dangerously close to joy. “We did it,” I whispered, and it was both a statement of fact and a question. Did we really?Kael nodded, his dark hair fa
Kael’s POV Later that evening, I was in my chamber, sitting near the hearth with a half-empty glass of wine when Karl walked in. His expression was unreadable as usual, but the faint twitch in his jaw told me he was holding back questions.“I heard what happened,” he said without preamble. “Between you and Lydia.”I let out a breath, rubbing my temple. “It’s been handled.”“Handled?” He stepped further into the room, arms crossed. “That’s all you’re going to say?”I looked up at him. “Yes.”Karl raised a brow. “Should I be worried?”“No.” I leaned back against the chair. “She’s been kept in her place. Loud and clear.”Karl stared at me for a few seconds longer, then gave a curt nod. “Good.” He walked toward the window, staring out at the darkened woods. “There’s been some murmuring about the pack house.”“What kind of murmuring?”“Just… talk. About the damage, the part that burned during the last attack. People are beginning to ask what the plan is.”I nodded slowly. “Calyx should’ve
Georgia’s POVI made my way to the maid quarters later that evening. I pushed the door open and entered. Leah sat cross-legged on the bed, a towel wrapped around her damp hair, flipping through a magazine she probably wasn’t even reading. I shut the door behind me, feeling a strange combination of excitement and nerves tightening in my chest.She looked up immediately. “Hey. You’re back early,” she said, smiling. “You okay?”I nodded, sitting on my side of the bed and drawing in a breath. “Yeah. I just… I need to talk to you.”She closed the magazine, giving me her full attention. “That sounds serious.”“It’s not bad,” I said quickly. “Actually, it’s… kind of good.”Her eyes lit up. “Okay, tell me.”I glanced at her, my voice softer than I intended. “Kael wants me to bring the kids to him.”Her brows lifted. “Wait, what?”“He wants to see them. He… he already booked my flight.”Leah blinked, her mouth slightly open, then she broke into a huge smile. “No way! That’s amazing! Oh my God
Georgia’s POVThe plane hummed beneath us, a steady drone that should’ve lulled me to sleep but didn’t. My stomach churned with a mix of anticipation and nerves, my hands fidgeting with the edge of the tray table. Leah, sprawled in the seat next to me, had her earbuds in, bobbing her head to some upbeat tune while flipping through an in-flight magazine. She looked so relaxed.I glanced out the window, the clouds below us glowing faintly in the dawn light. Somewhere down there, thousands of miles away, Kael was waiting. Waiting for me. Waiting for Nathaniel and Nathalie. My heart squeezed at the thought of their little faces, their wobbly steps, their garbled attempts at words. They were with Ruth, their caregiver, back at the estate, probably toddling around the nursery or giggling over some toy. I hadn’t told Ruth we were coming to get the kids yet, how do you explain to one-year-olds that they’re about to see their father for a holiday? But I could already imagine their wide, curiou
Georgia’s POV The airport bustled with life, voices around us. I adjusted Nathalie in my arms while Leah balanced Nathaniel against her shoulder, his tiny hand tangled in her hair. Ruth stood in front of us, wringing her hands together, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.“I already miss you guys,” she said, her voice cracking on the last word.I smiled, swallowing the lump in my throat. “We’ll miss you too, Ruth. So much.”She reached out, brushing Nathalie’s soft hair and then Nathaniel’s. “They’re such angels. I… I wish I could go with you.”“They’ll never forget you,” I promised, shifting Nathalie carefully so I could hug Ruth with my free arm. “Neither will I.”Ruth clung to me tightly for a moment, before pulling back with a watery laugh. “Go, before I start bawling right here and cause a scene.”Leah grinned and adjusted Nathaniel’s cap. “We’ll send you tons of pictures. Videos too. You’re stuck with us, whether you like it or not.”Ruth chuckled through her tears and waved as
Georgia’s POVThe plane hummed beneath us, a steady drone that should’ve lulled me to sleep but didn’t. My stomach churned with a mix of anticipation and nerves, my hands fidgeting with the edge of the tray table. Leah, sprawled in the seat next to me, had her earbuds in, bobbing her head to some upbeat tune while flipping through an in-flight magazine. She looked so relaxed.I glanced out the window, the clouds below us glowing faintly in the dawn light. Somewhere down there, thousands of miles away, Kael was waiting. Waiting for me. Waiting for Nathaniel and Nathalie. My heart squeezed at the thought of their little faces, their wobbly steps, their garbled attempts at words. They were with Ruth, their caregiver, back at the estate, probably toddling around the nursery or giggling over some toy. I hadn’t told Ruth we were coming to get the kids yet, how do you explain to one-year-olds that they’re about to see their father for a holiday? But I could already imagine their wide, curiou
Georgia’s POVI made my way to the maid quarters later that evening. I pushed the door open and entered. Leah sat cross-legged on the bed, a towel wrapped around her damp hair, flipping through a magazine she probably wasn’t even reading. I shut the door behind me, feeling a strange combination of excitement and nerves tightening in my chest.She looked up immediately. “Hey. You’re back early,” she said, smiling. “You okay?”I nodded, sitting on my side of the bed and drawing in a breath. “Yeah. I just… I need to talk to you.”She closed the magazine, giving me her full attention. “That sounds serious.”“It’s not bad,” I said quickly. “Actually, it’s… kind of good.”Her eyes lit up. “Okay, tell me.”I glanced at her, my voice softer than I intended. “Kael wants me to bring the kids to him.”Her brows lifted. “Wait, what?”“He wants to see them. He… he already booked my flight.”Leah blinked, her mouth slightly open, then she broke into a huge smile. “No way! That’s amazing! Oh my God
Kael’s POV Later that evening, I was in my chamber, sitting near the hearth with a half-empty glass of wine when Karl walked in. His expression was unreadable as usual, but the faint twitch in his jaw told me he was holding back questions.“I heard what happened,” he said without preamble. “Between you and Lydia.”I let out a breath, rubbing my temple. “It’s been handled.”“Handled?” He stepped further into the room, arms crossed. “That’s all you’re going to say?”I looked up at him. “Yes.”Karl raised a brow. “Should I be worried?”“No.” I leaned back against the chair. “She’s been kept in her place. Loud and clear.”Karl stared at me for a few seconds longer, then gave a curt nod. “Good.” He walked toward the window, staring out at the darkened woods. “There’s been some murmuring about the pack house.”“What kind of murmuring?”“Just… talk. About the damage, the part that burned during the last attack. People are beginning to ask what the plan is.”I nodded slowly. “Calyx should’ve
Georgia’s POVThe Grove lay hushed in the wake of battle. Branches shuddered where Kael’s shockwave had torn through the underbrush; moonlight sifted through torn leaves and caught on the scattered shards of Lydia’s dark wards. I pressed my hand to my chest, heart pounding, as though it still fought against every beat. Beside me, Kael knelt over the fallen Tear, its silvery glow now gentle, like a pulse beneath his fingertips.“Georgia,” he said, voice low. The single word felt charged, as if he’d been holding it back through the onslaught. He reached for my hand, brushing away the blade of grass that had cut my palm. His touch was warm, an anchor in the aftermath.I swallowed hard. My lungs ached and I tasted copper in my mouth from exertion and fear. But there, in his gaze, I found something stronger than fear: relief, wonder, something dangerously close to joy. “We did it,” I whispered, and it was both a statement of fact and a question. Did we really?Kael nodded, his dark hair fa
Georgia’s POVThe world seemed to hold its breath, the mist curling around us like a living thing, heavy with Lydia’s dark magic. Kael’s hand was still in mine, his grip so tight it hurt, but I couldn’t pull away. His eyes, stormy and tormented, held mine for a heartbeat longer before he turned to face Lydia. “Lydia,” Kael said, his voice steady despite the chaos, “I won’t marry you. I won’t bind myself to you again. Not for the pack, not for the Tear, not for anything. You need to let this go.”Lydia’s face twisted, her triumph curdling into something feral. “Let it go?” she spat, her voice rising, sharp enough to cut. “You think I can just walk away from you? From us? You were mine, Kael. Mine!” Her hands clenched, and the dark tendrils in the mist surged, snapping like whips toward Sylvara’s wards. The shimmering barrier flickered, and Sylvara grunted, her knees buckling as she fought to hold it.“Kael, we don’t have time!” Sylvara shouted, her voice strained. “The wards are faili
Georgia’s POVThe courtyard was a battlefield, the air thick with ash and the snarls of Lydia’s allies. Their glowing eyes cut through the haze like beacons of malice, and my heart hammered as I scrambled to my feet, pain radiating from my shoulder. Kael was already up, his body coiled like a predator, his gaze darting between the encroaching figures and me. Sylvara stood at his side, her dagger glinting as she muttered words under her breath, her violet eyes blazing with focus. The wards she was weaving shimmered faintly, a fragile barrier against the onslaught.“Georgia, stay behind me,” Kael growled, his voice barely human. His claws extended, and I could feel the power radiating from him, the alpha ready to tear through anything to protect his pack and me.But my eyes were locked on the spot where Lydia had stood, her taunting smile burned into my mind. Her words echoed, sharp and venomous: “Going somewhere, Georgia?” The way she’d looked at me, like I was nothing more than an o
Georgia’s POVThe air in Kael’s chamber was thick with the weight of his words, the promise of truth hanging between us like a fragile thread. I sat on the edge of a carved wooden chair, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, my eyes locked on his. Kael stood by the hearth, the firelight casting shadows across his sharp features, making him look both divine and haunted. His admission that Lydia was no longer his lover had loosened something in me, but the questions still churned, about her, about why Kael’s fear seemed to pulse with a life of its own.“Start talking,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “I need to know everything.”Kael exhaled, his shoulders sagging as if the weight of centuries pressed down on him. “Lydia was my mate, long ago,” he began, his voice low, almost a whisper. “Not by choice, but by a ritual forced upon us by the old gods. It was meant to bind our power, to make us stronger against threats to the pack. But it was never love. Not for me.”I swallowed, the
Georgia’s POVThe walk back to the pack house with calyx was silent, each step feeling heavier than the last. His presence beside me was both a comfort and a puzzle. I stole a glance at him, his strong jaw set.We reached the pack house, and the bustle of pack members moving through the courtyard snapped me out of my spiraling thoughts. Calyx paused at the entrance, turning to me with that same concerned look he’d worn in the clearing. “You sure you’re okay, Georgia? You’ve been quiet.”His question sounded strange.He studied me for a moment, as if weighing whether to press further, then nodded. “Get some rest. I’ll check on you later.”I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders disappearing into the crowd, and the knot in my chest tightened further. Rest sounded impossible. I needed answers, not sleep. But where to start? Confront Kael about Lydia ? Demand the truth from calyx? Or dig into my own memories, the ones from my past life, to see if they held any clues about the red-h