Sophia Mikhail’s eyes darken, his wolf surfacing just beneath the surface as he watches me. The intensity in his gaze sends shivers down my spine. A flicker of raw emotion crosses his face as his grip tightens slightly on my waist.He leans in, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering on my skin.“Sophia...” he breathes out, his voice rough, almost pleading. I can see the struggle to restrain himself from giving in to his wolf's demand.He’s giving me an out, one final chance to back away.But there’s no hesitation in me now. I nod, my voice steady despite the rapid beat of my heart. “I’ve never been more sure.”“I want this. I need this, Mikhail. I need you.” My hand slips up to his chest, feeling the rapid beat of his heart beneath my fingers. “We’ve been through too much to be afraid now.”My wolf stirs, urging me forward, craving the connection that only Mikhail can give. I tilt my head slightly, baring my neck, exposing the place where his mark once was, n
Sophia Mikhail’s body is warm against mine, his breath steady as he rests beside me on the cool grass. I can still feel the pulsing heat of the mark he left on my neck, the bond between us glowing like an ember that refuses to burn out. My fingers absentmindedly trace the edge of the mark, a shiver coursing through me as the connection sparks again. I glance over at Mikhail, his eyes half-lidded, watching me with that intense, affectionate gaze that makes my heart skip. He shifts, propping himself up on one elbow, his hand reaching out to brush my hair away from my face. His touch is tender, yet there’s an unspoken hunger in the way his fingers linger on my skin. “Are you okay?” he asks softly, his voice a low rumble that reverberates through me. His eyes trace the mark decorating my neck, and a hint of pride glints in his eyes. I nod and sigh happily, though the intensity of everything we’ve just shared is still coursing through my veins. “I’m more than okay,” I whisper, th
SophiaWe shift back into our human forms as soon as we reach the house. As soon as my shift completes, I watch Mikhail's wolf receding as he shifts back into his human form.My eyes involuntarily travel to Mikhail's neck, and I notice how the new mark slightly differs from the previous mark when we completed the mating bond the first time before the rejection.Even when one of the mates is human, a mark appears on the other when their blood mixes, a subtle sign of the connection. At that time, we completed the mating bond by human and wolf marking. And the mark that appeared on his neck was much smaller, almost like a bruise, but still it was dark enough for other werewolves to see that he is mated. But now, what I'm looking at is far from subtle.The two puncture marks are still there, but now there's a crescent below the marks—a soft, almost ethereal halo surrounding it. My heart pounds in my chest as I step closer, unable to tear my gaze away. My hand moves without thinking, fi
MikhailThe new mark on my neck hums with energy, pulsing with her heartbeat. The Moon Goddess has made our reunion something so much more. The bond isn't just a connection anymore; it feels like our souls have woven together tighter and more complete than ever before like the universe tilted and settled into place.There is a feeling of contentment that is running inside my veins... and this feeling is not just mine, but my wolf's as well.The restlessness he had been experiencing for the last few days has diminished, replaced by this feeling of serenity. Maybe this is what he needed—a connection with his mate to settle the chaos inside him.As we walk, I catch a glimpse of her out of the corner of my eye. She's tense, her fingers unconsciously brushing the crescent on her chest. I hate seeing her like this—worry shadowing her features, her lips pressed together in that way that means she's overthinking.I pull her closer, letting our fingers intertwine, and press a kiss to her foreh
SophiaI want to be with Mikhail, but there's a knot of fear in my chest when I think about going back. A hesitancy that I can't quite name.I try to quiet my thoughts, but they keep spiraling.I should feel content, safe even, but the idea of returning to his pack stirs something inside me. It feels like standing at the edge of a cliff, knowing you have to jump but not entirely sure where you’ll land.Maybe the thought of facing his pack members, who already knew about the reality of my first-mate bond with Mikhail while I was unaware of the truth, makes me anxious.What they would think of me? How stupid I was because I was living in a fool's paradise while the reality of my mate bond was in front of me.My thoughts keep drifting back to the past, to Layla and the doubts she planted in my mind. Even though I trust Mikhail now, even though I know he loves me without the bond forcing him to... those doubts still cling to me, sharp and cutting like glass shards. I hate it. I hate how,
SophiaThe decision had been made the moment Mikhail told me that we had to return with him... and it seemed like everybody knew that it was just a matter of time before I gave in to his decision because it was the best option in the given circumstances.But that doesn’t make it any easier.My heart feels heavy at the thought of leaving the people who became more than just friends. Jake, Lucas, Caleb... they walked into my life when I was broken, when I needed someone to lean on, and without even realizing it, they became the brothers I never had. They were my strength when I felt weak, my comfort when the weight of the world threatened to crush me.And now I have to leave them.I try to steady my breathing, but the thought keeps twisting in my chest, making it hard to breathe. Leaving them feels like tearing away a part of myself, and it’s not the same as when I left my old pack—when I walked away from my so-called family without looking back. This... this is different.This time, it
SophiaShe hasn’t changed much.Same perfect posture, same cold beauty.Her eyes are on Mikhail, of course. They always were.However, when her gaze flickers at me, I see shock passing through them, which is instantly replaced by hate. Just to piss her off even more, I smile at her.I love being petty.Mikhail’s entire body is taut with fury. His hands clench the steering wheel so tightly that I can see the whites of his knuckles. I know without him saying a word that, seeing her has stirred something deep inside him... regret or maybe even guilt. But above all it is rage."Stay in the car,” he says quietly, his voice a controlled, dangerous calm. The cold fury radiating from him is unmistakable. He’s not asking me. He’s telling me.His eyes flick to mine for the briefest second, and I see it there—the protective instinct, the need to shield me from this. But that’s not how I work. Not anymore.When I decided to return, I knew she was going to be there because even though I hate he
SophiaMikhail stay close beside me as we watch Layla's retreating figure. Tension slightly releases his body once she is gone."Go back and sit in the car." He places his hand on the small of my back and gently nudges me towards the car.Nodding my head, I sit back in the car while he goes to the wolves standing near the border. It takes me a moment to realize these are not just pack members, every wolf who is standing here is a warrior.This makes Layla's presence here even more absurd because, as far as I remember, she doesn't hold any such rank in the pack.I watch Mikhail talking with his wolves before he returns to the car and drives the car through the borders.Instantly, some of the warriors shift into their wolves and start following our car."Wolves are coming with us." Rose's little voice, filled with awe, reaches our ears.Mikhail and I share a look and smile, listening to her."These are your wolves, Rose." Mikhail looks at her through the rearview mirror, "That's why the
MikhailShe’s clinging to Alexei, her face buried in his chest, but then she pulls back just enough to look up at me. Her eyes are wide, and there’s something in them that makes my stomach drop.“He killed them all,” she whispers, her voice so soft it’s like she’s afraid of the words themselves. “He killed them... and she... she killed them too.”Her whole body starts trembling like she’s remembering something too awful to even say out loud. Alexei’s arms tighten around her, his face a mix of confusion and worry, but he doesn’t interrupt. Neither do I.Emily’s gaze darts between us, and she leans closer to Alexei, like she’s trying to shrink into him. Her voice drops to barely more than a whisper.“She ate them alive,” Her lips trembling as she gets the words out.Emily keeps repeating it, her voice barely above a whisper, like she’s locked in a place of fear.“She ate them alive.” Her body is still trembling, like the words are coming from somewhere deep inside her, something she can’
MikhailI push deeper into Redwood territory, my wolf on high alert and my body still thrumming with the haze of bloodshed.The air is heavy with the scent of battle, the kind that clings to your skin and doesn’t let go.My claws are itching for another fight, my mind barely pulled back from the edge.Then I see a small girl, no older than six, crouched behind a tree.Her big eyes are wide with fear, and she’s clutching something—maybe a stuffed toy—like it’s the only thing keeping her together.I freeze for a second, my instincts warring with the sight in front of me.My wolf growls low, still riding the high of the fight, but I force it back.Slowly, I breathe, dragging myself out of the haze.It takes a few moments, longer than it should, but I manage to push down the anger.My claws retract, and I shift back into my human form. I move toward her, careful to keep my steps slow and non-threatening.The girl flinches but doesn’t run.“Hey,” I say softly, crouching a few feet away. “Y
LucasIt starts with this strange, light feeling, like something’s lifting all the weight off me. My chest, my limbs—everything just feels... free.I feel liberated.Then it hits me, this sudden, wild sensation like I’m being yanked out of my body. It’s not gentle. It’s forceful, almost violent like invisible hands are dragging me toward something huge, something endless.I try to fight it, instinct kicking in, but the pull just gets stronger... like I am drowning underwater... like someone is pulling me inside, and no matter how much I try to break free, I am spiraling downwards.My head’s spinning, my heart’s racing, and panic claws its way through me.That’s when I hear her voice.Merope.It’s faint like she’s speaking from the other side of a canyon, but it’s her. Clear enough to cut through the chaos.“Lucas, calm down,” She speaks in that steady and soothing tone of hers... like her words are laced in some kind of spell and maybe they are because often you would hear this tone f
JakeMerope’s voice sounds like it is coming from a distance, and it takes me a few moments to recognize her voice.“Keep your focus on them. Continue strengthening them. Don’t break the circle. The moment you hesitate is the moment everything could fall apart." Her eyes are focused on the flame of the candle that is lit between the circles.There's no room for doubt now. Lucas is in another realm, and I don't even know what that means. But I do know that if we stop, if we let go for even a second, we could lose him.We could lose them both.I squeeze Lucas’s hand harder, willing myself to give him all the strength I have. My wolf’s pacing inside me, growling and scratching at the walls of my control. It wants out, wants to do something, anything. But I hold it back. Now isn’t the time for losing control. Now is the time to hold steady.Caleb’s hand tightens around mine, his pulse steady.He’s focused too, locking into the bond just like Mom said.Together, we keep feeding the circle,
JakeCaleb and I walk toward the clearing where the ritual circle is formed.I swear I can feel the tension buzzing like electricity under my skin. The whole place is eerie—candles flicker, shadows twist, and the damn chanting that Merope is doing won’t stop drilling into my head. But none of that matters.My focus is locked on Lucas and Sophia lying in the center.Merope kneels beside Lucas and slices his throat in one swift motion. An involuntary growl erupts from Caleb while even my wolf comes forward, wanting to go and protect Lucas. Blood spills down his chest, bright and horrifying, and for a second, I can’t breathe. My whole body trembles in fury watching Lucas in this condition because I have never thought I would ever witness a day in my life when my brother has to go through something like this.I am almost on the verge of losing my control... as my eyes are fixed on the blood gushing out of his throat and pooling around his body. But I can’t lose it.Not now.I force mysel
LucasI make my way to the ritual circle.The closer I get, the more it feels like something’s pulling me forward, tugging at some invisible thread buried deep inside me.When I step into the clearing, the circle is right there in the middle, carved into the earth like it’s been waiting for centuries. The lines are sharp and perfect, symbols etched into the dirt that I can’t even pretend to understand. Stones sit at the edges, worn smooth by time, each one marking a point on the outer ring.The grass around it is pressed flat, like something too powerful for words pressed its weight here and left behind its mark.And there, in the center, is Elder Merope.She’s sitting cross-legged, her back straight, hands resting lightly on her knees. Her eyes are closed, and her face is calm, almost too calm. It’s like she’s a part of the circle, part of the energy that’s humming through the air. I can feel it buzzing in my chest, crawling along my skin.I stop at the edge, not wanting to step in w
LucasI step out of my room, and the air outside is cooler than I expected. I make my way to the side of the house, where I know Caleb’s been camping out. Sure enough, there he is, sitting on the steps with his elbows resting on his knees.His energy is all over the place, restless and sharp. He’s been like this since Sophia collapsed, and I know why. He hasn’t let his wolf out. That kind of restraint messes with you. I can see it in the tension in his shoulders, the way his jaw is locked, and the way his foot taps against the ground like he’s barely holding it together.“Caleb,” I call out, stepping closer.He glances up at me, his eyes narrowed. There’s something in his expression that’s hard to read, like he’s fighting himself. He doesn’t say anything, just stares at me for a second before looking away, his fingers running through his hair.“Elder Merope asked me to meet her at the ritual circle in an hour,” I say, keeping my tone steady.Caleb stiffens at that, his hand freezing
Lucas My chest feels tight, like I can’t get a deep enough breath no matter how hard I try. My thoughts are a tangled mess, looping back to one thing... one person.Sophia.She didn’t ask to be my sister, but she stepped into that role like it was the easiest thing in the world. She didn’t just show up when it was convenient; she was always there. Even when I didn’t deserve it.The day when she risked herself to save me, I swore to never take that for granted.She’s tough as hell, but right now, she’s the one who needs someone to be with her... someone who helps her break the cage and free herself. And that someone is me.I rub my hands over my face, trying to push down the weight sitting heavy on my chest. It doesn’t budge.My wolf, though? He’s steady. Unshaken. Not for a second does he think we can’t do this. He knows we can. I feel his trust in me, in us, like an anchor.If anything, he’s itching to make whoever did this to her regret it. And so am I.I stand up, pacing the room,
MikhailThe ticking of the clock is louder than it should be.Gregor’s words loop in my head, each one sinking its claws deeper into my thoughts. He said I can’t protect her, that I’ve already lost.He’s wrong.He has to be wrong. I grip the edge of my desk, the wood solid under my hands, grounding me.Losing Sophia is not an option. Whatever it takes, whatever the cost, I will find a way to save her. I’ll tear the world apart if I have to, but I will save her.Leaning back in my chair, I stare at the map on the wall as if it holds the answers I need.Every possible lead is marked in red, but none of it feels like enough. I press my fingers to my temples, trying to focus, to think of what I’m missing. There has to be a way to get ahead of Gregor and figure out what he’s planning.He is working alone. Someone is with him, but who are they?The door opens, and Alexei steps inside. His expression is serious, the set of his shoulders tense. He closes the door behind him and strides acro