CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: Near death experience.Everything seemed to slow down as I felt myself falling, my vision blurring at the edges. I saw Kane's face, his eyes wide with horror and concern, as he reached out to catch me. I saw Marcus, his expression twisted in satisfaction. And I saw a figure, standing just behind Marcus, a figure I couldn't quite make out.As I fell, I felt a sense of weightlessness, as if I was floating through the air. My mind was a jumble of thoughts and images, memories flashing through my mind like a slideshow. And then, everything went black.I was aware of nothing but the sound of my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears like a drum. I was trapped in a void, a dark and endless space where nothing existed but the sound of my own blood pumping through my veins.As I floated in the void, I began to feel a gentle tug, as if I was being pulled towards a distant light. As the sound of my heartbeat grew fainter, I found myself standing in a lush, vibrant garden, in
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: THE RETURN As Aunt Evelyn's words hung in the air, I felt a strange sensation wash over me, like a gentle tug on my soul. The world around me began to fade, and I felt myself being pulled back into my physical body. I tried to resist, to hold on to the sense of peace and comfort that I had found with Aunt Evelyn and my past memories, but it was no use.Slowly, I began to wake up, my mind foggy and my body aching. I was aware of a dull pain in my bac and a sense of disorientation that made it hard to focus.And I heard voices, distant and muffled, but growing louder with each passing moment. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy, as if they were weighted down with lead. I tried to move, but my body felt like a leaden weight, impossible to lift.As I lay there, struggling to come back to myself, I heard Kane's voice, his words indistinc, but his tone clear. He was calling my name, his voice full of worry and concern.As I slowly regained consciousness, Ka
CHAPTER ONE *Sophia’s POV* I tore through the dense woods, my legs slamming against the ground, heart pounding as if my life depended on it—because it did. Somewhere behind me, a howl sliced through the silence, echoing through the trees, then… nothing. I strained to hear any movement, any sign of what might be following me, but only an eerie, unnatural silence lingered in the air. My sprint slowed, my body hesitating, senses on high alert as I scanned my surroundings. Then, a flicker—a blur—whisked past the corner of my eye. I whipped around, but whatever it was had vanished, leaving only the unsettling notion that I might be seeing things. Swallowing hard, I took a step back, nervously twisting in every direction. A low, menacing growl rumbled behind me, and a cold wave of dread washed over me. I turned, heart racing, and found myself face-to-face with a wolf. Its piercing green eyes glared at me, hunger gleaming in its stare. My fingers fumbled in my bag for the pepper spray, h
Chapter Two: Into the Wolf’s Den The pack borders loomed before us, with eight guards pacing their posts like shadows against the dense trees. I could feel Amra’s heartbeat pounding in my chest, fierce and unrelenting. These guards weren’t amateurs—they moved with sharp, calculated precision, alert for any sign of movement. They were ready to defend. “Think you can sprint past them?” I asked her, though I already sensed her answer in the stubborn set of her mind. With a deep breath, she launched forward, her body a blur of speed and focus. She slipped between two guards, blending into the night, her movements fluid and silent. But then, a guard caught sight of her just as she darted past. “Intruder!” The shout cut through the stillness, sending a jolt of alarm down my spine. The other guards snapped into action, their footsteps heavy and relentless as they chased her. But Amra pushed herself harder, her breath coming fast, dodging left, then right, her entire being focused on o
Chapter Three: Bound to the Enemy The walls of Kane’s chambers felt suffocating. Stone pressed in on me from every side, the air thick with his presence. I could feel the pull of the bond—the way my body betrayed me with its instinctual response to him—but I would not give in. Not to him. Not to the monster who had ruined everything. Kane’s eyes locked onto mine, cold and calculating, as if he could already taste my hatred. He didn’t even try to hide the twisted amusement in his gaze. It was like a game to him. A sick one. The Alpha who had taken everything from me, now playing with the idea of claiming me, as though it was his right. “You can’t fight this, Sophia,” he said, his voice like ice. “I feel it. You feel it too.” I refused to let my emotions get the better of me, but my fists clenched, and I could feel the anger boil up inside me. “I don’t give a damn about your bond, Kane,” I spat, stepping closer. “I don’t want anything from you. Nothing at all. You can keep your cl
Chapter Four: A Taste of Fire POV: SOPHIA The brightness streaming through the window hit my eyes hard, dragging me out of sleep. I blinked, pushing against the soft bedding beneath me—a bed I hadn’t chosen, in a place I never wanted to be. The scent of his pack house clung to the air, an irritating reminder of who claimed control here. I took a long breath, letting the resentment simmer inside me. Amra stirred, reminding me she was there, and I felt her quiet acceptance of the bond pulling us toward Kane. It didn’t matter that she could sense him as her mate. I wasn’t falling for any bond—especially not one that belonged to Kane. The door creaked open, and there he was. Kane leaned against the door frame, the same arrogant confidence in his stance, like he owned everything in this room, including me. My glare only seemed to amuse him, and I hated the smirk that curled on his lips. “Comfortable?” he asked, sounding almost too pleased. “Wouldn’t call it that,” I shot bac
Chapter Five:Tension and BetrayalSOPHIA'S POVI stood by the massive wooden doors, watching Kane from the corner of my eye. He was in the middle of a tense conversation with a messenger from a neighboring pack, one that I’d never heard of before. His voice was calm, too calm for what I knew was a serious situation. "Tell him we’ll handle it," Kane said, his tone hard as stone. His eyes flickered to mine for just a second before he turned away, his expression unreadable. "I don’t take kindly to threats on my land."I had no idea what the messenger had said, but it didn’t matter. I wasn’t going to stay here and be Kane’s prisoner much longer. Every second I was with him, I could feel the walls around me closing in tighter. But today… today something was different. The way he looked at me when he thought I wasn’t paying attention—there was something in those eyes that made my skin crawl and my heart race, though I couldn’t name it. "Don’t even think about it," Kane warned suddenly, h
Chapter Six: Confrontation with the Rival Alpha“Well, well, what do we have here?” The voice was thick with arrogance, its cold timbre cutting through the darkness.My heart froze. Standing before us was a towering man, his dark eyes glinting with malice. He exuded a powerful aura, one that made the air feel thick with tension. This had to be him—the rival Alpha who Kane was so intent on handling. But here he was, already waiting for us, as if he’d anticipated our every move.Kane’s posture immediately shifted, his stance tense, every muscle coiled as he stepped slightly in front of me. He didn’t have to say it, but his stance screamed a silent warning: *Don’t make a move.*The rival Alpha’s gaze flicked from Kane to me, his smirk widening. “Ah, Kane, I expected you to come alone. But you’ve brought… company,” he said, his eyes lingering on me. “And such a delicate one at that.”Kane’s jaw clenched, his voice a growl. “Leave her out of this, Lucas.”Lucas’s grin only grew wider, as
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT: THE RETURN As Aunt Evelyn's words hung in the air, I felt a strange sensation wash over me, like a gentle tug on my soul. The world around me began to fade, and I felt myself being pulled back into my physical body. I tried to resist, to hold on to the sense of peace and comfort that I had found with Aunt Evelyn and my past memories, but it was no use.Slowly, I began to wake up, my mind foggy and my body aching. I was aware of a dull pain in my bac and a sense of disorientation that made it hard to focus.And I heard voices, distant and muffled, but growing louder with each passing moment. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt heavy, as if they were weighted down with lead. I tried to move, but my body felt like a leaden weight, impossible to lift.As I lay there, struggling to come back to myself, I heard Kane's voice, his words indistinc, but his tone clear. He was calling my name, his voice full of worry and concern.As I slowly regained consciousness, Ka
CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN: Near death experience.Everything seemed to slow down as I felt myself falling, my vision blurring at the edges. I saw Kane's face, his eyes wide with horror and concern, as he reached out to catch me. I saw Marcus, his expression twisted in satisfaction. And I saw a figure, standing just behind Marcus, a figure I couldn't quite make out.As I fell, I felt a sense of weightlessness, as if I was floating through the air. My mind was a jumble of thoughts and images, memories flashing through my mind like a slideshow. And then, everything went black.I was aware of nothing but the sound of my own heartbeat, pounding in my ears like a drum. I was trapped in a void, a dark and endless space where nothing existed but the sound of my own blood pumping through my veins.As I floated in the void, I began to feel a gentle tug, as if I was being pulled towards a distant light. As the sound of my heartbeat grew fainter, I found myself standing in a lush, vibrant garden, in
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: As I ran towards the pack, the sound of gunfire and snarling wolves filled the air. I knew I had to act fast, I had to get the moms, teenagers, kids, and elderly to safety. Rafe's words still echoed in my mind, but I knew I couldn't just leave, I had to help.Another set of footsteps run beside me, and I turn to see it's Rafe. “We said we are a team, right?” He said, and my heart warmed.We ran for the nursery first since that's where many pups are looked after while their parents worked. Their minders were aware of the present situation because they were all huddled together, the pups crying and trembling with fear. Without hesitation, we rushed towards them. “Come on, we have to get out of here!” I yelled and helped one of the minders to her feet. “Is there a place that is dedicated to hiding in situations like this?” I asked her.“Yes, there's a bunker, but the sos came late. We weren't able to lead the children out of here to safety because we were scared of
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: He made sure I could stand on my own before we started running. I was not as fast as I usually would be because of the lack of connection to Amra and the effects of the wolfsbane. As we hurried up the stairs, I could hear Soraya call after me. “Sophia, you are one lucky girl.” I ignored her and continued moving as fast as I could.“How did you get the keys?” I asked, knowing that he isn't in charge of the prisoners.“Shhh!! I'll tell you when we are in a more secure place.” He said, and I finally noticed that strapped to his back was a backpack. He positioned his hand in a wait signal and did. He peeked outside the stairs door, and when he confirmed that the ghost was clear, he signalled me to move.We moved silently through the shadows of the buildings, our footsteps quiet on the floor. Rafe led the way, scanning the surroundings with his eyes as I followed closely behind. As we ran, I could feel that we were close. Freedom was near. Even without Amra, I coul
CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: The hours following Rafe's departure, I reminisce on his words. "It's used only for the worst of the worst wolf criminals," he said, his voice low and serious. "It destabilizes and weakens them, blocking their ability to communicate with their wolves. When a wolf consumes wolfsbane, they're essentially stripped of their powers, left as vulnerable as a human.”As I continued to try reaching Amra and my efforts were futile, I felt a surge of panic as I realized the extent of my situation. I tried to reach out to Amra, but it was like hitting a brick wall. I poked my head into the mental space where Amra usually resided, but instead of finding her familiar presence, I was met with a solid, impenetrable barrier. It was as if a door had been slammed shut, separating me from her comforting presence.The only thing I could do was cry, and I did. Tears trailed down my face as I examined what it could be my new reality if Rafe couldn't get me out of here.I studied the
CHAPTER TWENTY THREE: THE ATTACK 3.I looked at Kane in betrayal as I was dragged from the office.Few pack members watched in horror and confusion as I struggled against Sean and Ken.They dragged me down a flight of stairs and with nothing but a T-shirt to protect my skin, bruises and scratches formed on my skin from the harshness of the floor.“Don't do this Kane. I didn't do anything wrong.” I screamed at the top of my voice.” When I realized that he didn't care, I started screaming at the pack members.“You all will die tomorrow. There's going to be an attack, be careful.” I screamed as I struggled against them. Soon we descended the last flight of stairs into the dungeon. It was cold and foreboding. The walls of made of grey stone that seemed impenetrable as it absorbed the faint light that managed to filter in from the high slits above. The air was heavy with the scent of mold and decay. The only reason I could place the scent was became it smelt like the restaurant I was fir
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: The attack 2.“Shit!” I exclaimed.Through Amra’s ears, I heard Marcus ask Dorian “hear what?”“That sound. Like someone is here with us?” Dorian said. Soon, I heard him move around, lost likely searching for what he heard.“Don't stress yourself son, there is nobody here. This hideout has been hidden for many years and has never been found because of how deep into the forest it is.” Marcus told Dorian. With a sigh, Dorian accepted Marcus's words and sat back down.Once the ghost was clear, Amra took off on a quiet run until we were far enough to slow down.“Phew! That was a close one.” I said.“I know. We could have taken them down if they became aware of our presence.” Amra defended, making me roll me eyes at her.“I don't think so Amra. There were lots of people there. Our strength won't have been enough to fight against all of them.” I argued.“You underestimate yourself and our strength, Sophia. But soon, you will understand.” Amra said mysteriously and I just
Chapter twenty: You can cook?“I don't have anything concrete planned, yet.”“When you do, let me know.” I got up and walked to the door, glancing back at the last second to say “won't you walk me back?” Rafe got up at my words and I waited for him to open the door before I stepped out. “This is another reason you need me in your life, who else is going to teach you gentleman manners?” I asked. I would have added since his mother couldn't teach him but I didn't think we had reached that level in our relationship yet.He escorted me to the path where he ambushed me and promptly abandoned me. Finally alone in this midst of lush nature, I could clear my head.“Amra, do you think that I'm making the right choice by aligning my allegiance with Rafe? You didn't say anything when I was conversing with him.” I asked my wolf in my head.“Honestly, no and yes.” Amra replied.“Why no and yes?” “No, because Kane is our mate and something tells me that it would be a mistake to continue this reve
CHAPTER NINETEEN: The Alliance. I took the napkins from him and wiped my tears, and continued. “One day, I had a very bad day, and to cool off, I went into the forest. I wish I had done something else instead of going into the forest because my aunt might still be alive. I wandered too deep and was attacked by a wolf. Another wolf came to save me, only to be attacked by a bigger wolf. The bigger wolf attacked me, and I passed out. The next thing I knew, I woke up in my aunt's house with a mark on my neck.Rafe stood up to get me a glass of water and some tissues to wipe my face since I had been crying since the beginning of my narration.As I was still trying to figure out what went wrong, the wolf that bit me attacked my house, and in the process of trying to protect me, my aunt was killed. I ran into the forest and shifted for the first time in my life. Once I shifted, I had a connection to my wolf and was led to this pack, where I discovered it was Kane who was behind everything.