MikhailI make my way towards the outskirts of the pack towards the small cottage where Elder lives. She is an old woman, but she likes to live alone. Some people even believe she is a seer, but I know that she is extremely knowledgeable, and this has given her the ability to predict things that people don't.I raise my hand to feel the cottage door before I can knock.I knock on the door twice and wait for her to answer the door.My wolf and I are both antsy. I don't know what to expect, but I do know that I need to find a solution to my problem before it is too late."Alpha." I hear her voice as soon as she opens the door, "Please come inside." I carefully follow her inside, discreetly keeping my hand extended in front of me, making sure not to stumble into anything."Dominique, I come here to get answers." "I will try my best to be any of your help.""I found my mate." I tell her while my mind fills with the blurry image of Sophia, "My wolf wants to claim her, but I don't want
SophiaI wake up feeling startled and disoriented, and look around to find myself in a strange room. It took me a moment to realize that I am no longer in my pack.I don't know calling that pack mine is the right thing to do. Because Father banished me from the pack, just before I came to Mikhail's pack. I didn't tell this to Mikhail or Alexei because somewhere I was in denial that Father could be so cruel to throw me out of his pack and life, like I was nothing.I didn't felt anything at that moment, but now all I feel is lost. I don't have anyone who I can call mine... anyone but my mate. The mate who hasn't even checked up on me to see how I am doing. I know just like to me, all this must have come to him as shock. But still a part of me feels hurt because I want him to be with me... not as mate but someone who cares about me.Alexei has shown more concern about me than my mate.Suddenly, restlessness grips my chest and I feel suffocated. Something doesn't seem right, I don't know
MikhailLast night, before Layla left my room, I told her what I found out about severing the mate bond. She wasn't happy that I have to mark this girl and claim her, but she knew she had no say in what I did and my decisions. Alexei has told me that the pack is getting curious about this new girl's presence, as they have heard about their Alpha finding a mate. They are even anxious about the pack's future, as they don't know how things will work from now onwards, as now I have found my mate.But they don't have any reason to be worried, because the girl has nothing to do with them. Yes, she is my wolf's mate, but she is not their Luna.Running my hand through my hair, I close my useless eyes and lean my head back on my chair.Letting out a deep sigh, I mindlink Alexei to bring Sophia into my office.Even before I hear the soft knock, her smell reaches me and I feel surprised how it instantly calmed me. Especially, my wolf almost settle down as soon as he felt her presence."Leave."
SophiaYou don't have any right on me or my pack; you are just here because of my wolf.Don't forget you are just someone that my wolf wants because, for some reason, fate tied us together, and stay out of my way.His words keep ringing in my ears as I walk outside his room. When Alexei told me that Mikhail wanted to see me in his office, all I thought was that he was calling to reject me and our mate bond. But he didn't.He didn't reject the bond. Instead, he told me that his wolf wanted me.The pull for the mate bond is stronger for our wolves. They don't care who the person is; if they are their mate, then that's it for them.I don't know what to think about his words. But I can't overlook that for the first time in my life, someone wants me, even if it is his wolf.I will not lie and say that his words didn't hurt me, but I never let any hurt escape through me because I wanted to focus on the positive side. There's a tiny flicker of hope blooming inside me.Mikhail's words were
MikhailI might not see, but the moment I smelled her tears, I knew in my heart that something wasn't right.She is a virgin.And I was about to take her against the wall like the animal I am because my wolf took over the control.My wolf was driving me insane, and I nearly killed Layla because I wasn't able to keep my wolf in check. He demanded Sophia, so I ordered the warrior to bring Sophia to my room.I know I can't complete the mating bond with her until she allows me to mark her. I may be cruel, but marking her without her consent is something that even I can't do.But there is another thing that doesn't sit right with me. The way fear rolled off her in waves as she cowered herself away from me when I lifted my hand seemed strange.I was like she was bracing herself for an attack.Suddenly, realization dawns on me, and I can't stop the growl that rippled through me because my wolf's furious.It is clear that she was being abused in her pack. But what I don't understand is why Gr
SophiaPain courses through me as Mikhail’s teeth sink into my neck, but there’s a strange comfort in it. It’s the pain of the bond being sealed, the pain of finally belonging somewhere. The sharp sting turns into a wave of warmth that spreads through my body.As he holds me close, his teeth retracting and his tongue soothing the wound, I feel the bond snap into place. It’s overwhelming, this rush of energy and connection, but there’s also a deep sense of something that is settling somewhere deep inside my heart.His scent envelops me, grounding me in the present moment, and I find myself leaning into his touch, seeking comfort and solace in his strength.All my life, I have hoped that there would be someone in my life who would want me. For them, I wouldn't be a burden, an unwanted relation that has been forced into their life. It seems unreal that the Moon Goddess has finally answered my prayer and brought Mikhail into my life. For now, even if it is his wolf that wants me, I still
MikhailWhether it is a mate bond or whether it is something about her, she is addicting.It was like my wolf couldn't get enough of her.I had to literally drag myself away from Sophia in the morning before my crazy wolf took her again.Even though she submitted to me, it still had some kind of dominance in it. This underlying challenge should have triggered my wolf, but instead, it made him more attracted to her.Surely, this mate bond makes our wolf do crazy things.I have heard that newly mated wolves have difficulty being away from their mates, especially for the first few days. And with my wolf being an Alpha things are even complicated, as he doesn't want to let his mate out of his sight. He just wants his mate and is being possessive about her.After completing the tasks for today, I am about to leave my office to return to my house when Layla storms inside my office."You claimed her!" She sounds furious as she closes the door behind her.Leaning back in my chair, I sigh.Thi
SophiaThe last thing I remember is finishing the preparation for dinner, making sure everything was perfect for Mikhail’s return. The effort had taken its toll on me, but I wanted to surprise him.I don't have much to offer him, so I want to do whatever I can to make him feel special.I hope he likes the dinner.Afterward, I stepped outside to get some fresh air and clear my head.I must have fainted.The lack of food and exhaustion from the last night's events must have caught up with me, causing me to faint.Before I can fully gather my thoughts, I hear a deep voice, and the scent that accompanies it is unmistakable.Mikhail.I can feel he is talking to someone else, but after a moment, I feel his hand lightly touching my body, and a low growl emits from him.Fighting the remains of unconsciousness, I open my eyes. My eyes instantly connect with Mikhail's, and it seems like they are looking through me instead of at me.His face is so close to mine, and his hands run across my body
AnastasiaJake’s arms are wrapped around me, warm and solid, his heartbeat is the only sound I care about right now. It's slow under my ear, steady like the rise and fall of his chest. The grass tickles my arm a little, and the scent of pine and damp earth fills the air, but all I can focus on is the way Jake’s fingers brush lazy circles against my back.I’ve got my arm slung over his chest, my head tucked right into that perfect spot where shoulder meets neck. It feels safe here, even though we’re lying out in the middle of the woods with nothing but leaves above us and sky peeking through.I don’t want to move. I don’t even want to blink too fast, like doing anything more than breathing might break this spell. We’ve both found a kind of peace in this stillness.Jake drops a soft kiss on top of my head, lips lingering for a second, and I feel it all the way through me. My eyes flutter closed just for a beat, soaking it in. Then I feel his chest expand with a quiet sigh, and his arm t
AnastasiaJake presses a kiss just above my collarbone, and a delicious shiver runs through me. My fingers sink into his hair without even thinking, loving the way his lips linger on that exact spot. I feel his smile, soft and warm, against my skin before he kisses the same place again, slower this time like he’s memorizing it.Then he leans back a little and locks eyes with me. There’s something in his gaze that makes my heart stutter."This is where you’ll carry my mark," he whispers, his voice rough, like gravel dipped in honey. "For the world to see that you belong to me… but not now."His eyes drop to my neck, and I see it... the tug of war playing out inside him. The desire for his mate to proudly carry his mark for everyone to see against the instinct to keep her safe."Hey…" I grab his face gently in my hands, thumbs brushing his cheekbones as I smile at him, trying to placate him. "I can’t wait for the world to see that my man is a possessive wolf who totally loses his mind if
AnastasiaJake stares at me like I’ve just dropped the moon in his lap. His mouth parts like he wants to say something, but nothing comes out. His eyes... God, his eyes, they darken so fast, it’s like watching a storm roll in. The idea of marking me has him lit up from the inside out. I can practically feel his need crash into me like a wave. But even though I’ve said yes, even though I’m right here, offering myself to him in a way that’s as vulnerable as it gets... he holds back.I see it all over his face—the war. It’s in the way his jaw clenches, the way his chest rises and falls like he can’t get enough air. His wolf is right there, just under the surface, clawing to get out. I can almost feel it, that hunger. That need. His wolf wants to claim me. To mark me. To pull me close and never let go.But Jake? Jake’s trying so damn hard to hold back. He thinks he’s doing the right thing. Thinks if he lets go, if he gives in, I’ll pay the price. That this will somehow hurt me. That he’s
AnastasiaI think my body forgot how to breathe.Like, actually forgot. My lungs feel like they just hit pause, and my heart... God, my heart... it’s thumping weird, like it’s not sure what it’s supposed to do after Jake said those words. So simple. So calm. Yeah, I do.And now I’m just... frozen.I don’t even know how those words slipped out of my mouth in the first place.But you love me.What was I thinking? I wasn’t. That’s the truth. I wasn’t thinking at all, which is rare for me. I’m usually careful, always in control, always one step ahead. But in that moment, I wasn’t any of those things. I was just... me. And he saw it.I still can’t tell if it was the best thing I’ve ever said or the worst slip-up of my life.My head’s a mess, feelings tangled like wires I don’t know how to separate. But one thing sticks out through all the noise... loving Jake doesn’t scare me. That’s the weird part. It should, right? It should terrify me. But it doesn’t. It feels like I’ve already been doin
JakeI feel like the air just got knocked outta my lungs.She says it like it’s nothing. Like it’s just some random fact. But it’s not. It’s silver. She drank silver.I stare at her, and my brain short-circuits. My ears ring, and I swear for a second I don’t even hear the rest of the room. Just her voice, echoing over and over again in my head.I was made to drink silver.My whole body is shaking. My hands ball into fists and my claws almost break through. I’m trying to breathe, trying to keep control, but it’s not working."They tried to kill you," I whisper, my voice shaking so bad I can barely get the words out.My heart's pounding so hard, I feel it in my throat. I look at Magnus and Melissa, and find the same kind of anger visible of their faces at this discovery, but mine is much worse. My vision blurs red."I’m gonna kill him." I growl it so low, so deep, it barely sounds human. I’m not even sure who I’m talking about, but if I ever find the bastard who did this, they’re dead.
AnastasiaMagnus reacts just as fast, his own shift tearing through the air like thunder.Claws clash. Teeth snap.The two of them collide like a storm, fur, and rage tangling in a blur of violence. Jake’s darker wolf is pure muscle and fury, slamming into Magnus like the thirst of his blood craves him.Magnus isn’t any less fierce—his white-gray coat stands out, but he moves with power, meeting Jake head-on without hesitation.The sound of their snarls and growls tears through the space, sharp and raw. Dust kicks up around them, and the wolves crash into trees like they’re nothing.My legs move before my brain does. I scramble to my feet, my heart slamming in my chest, and I’m halfway to them when a strong grip yanks me back.“Anastasia, no!”He pulls me against him, holding me there as I struggle.“Let me go!” I shout, pushing against Caleb’s arm again, but he doesn’t budge. “They’re going to kill each other!”I glance around, expecting someone — anyone — to jump in to stop this mad
AnastasiaWhat the hell is Jake doing here?First he says he doesn’t care. And now, just when I’ve started trying to pull myself together, trying to not let him take up space in my head, he’s back. Popping up like I somehow invited this mess. Over and over again, he keeps showing up like some test the universe is throwing at me just to laugh at me.I follow right behind Magnus as he walks toward the front of the pack house. His steps are quick, his expression unreadable. I’m not trying to make a scene, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want answers. Especially about who this other Alpha is that decided to tag along with Jake and Caleb.Is one of the other Alphas whose pack is here? If yes, then I need to use this to my advantage and gain his trust as well.I keep my head up and face calm, even though inside, I’m already planning how to make the best of this situation.Jokes on you, universe; I will use every challenge you throw at me for my own benefit.The moment I step closer, I f
AnastasiaWe’re sitting in Alpha Magnus’s office. The room is bigger than I expected, filled with heavy, dark wood furniture and a large desk at the center. Magnus leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, looking at me like he knows I am here not just to meet them but I am something important to share. Luna Melissa stands beside him, one hand resting on the back of his chair, the other idly playing with the pendant around her neck. The quiet in here is heavy, but it feels... comfortable, like something similar to when I discuss something with Mom and Dad.Without wasting any more moment, I come straight to the point, “I’m part of a mission the Hunters are planning. It’s to clear out rogues in the northern region. They’ve been growing in numbers, and it’s becoming too much of a risk. We’re supposed to neutralize them... take them out, wipe them off the map."My gaze travels to Nova, who is standing beside the window with his arms crossed.Then I meet Magnus’s eyes, and I don’t flinch. “
AnastasiaThe front door of the packhouse creaks open, and for a second, everything gets real quiet.A man steps out first. He’s tall and built like someone who doesn’t have to say much to get people moving. There’s this pull around him, like the air shifts when he walks. He starts coming down the stairs, each step calm but sure, like he’s in control of everything around him. His eyes sweep over the pack, then land on me. His expression... well, it's unreadable.Behind him, a woman follows, and she’s... well, wow. There’s grace in the way she moves, like she’s floating more than walking. Her hair’s pulled back, not a strand out of place, and even though she’s not trying to steal attention, she does. She carries herself like she knows exactly who she is, and everyone else does too. Luna. No doubt.He’s the kind of leader who doesn’t need to roar to be heard, and she’s the kind who holds a pack together without ever raising her voice.As they reach the bottom of the stairs, wolves aroun