SophiaThere was a time when I used to wait for the moment that my father would notice me... he would call even if it were to be punished. Because in that moment, I existed for him... But gradually, a realization settled in me that even though I was his daughter, I was nothing to him. I might exist, but for him, I was nothing more than a useless creature living in his pack.Yeah, a creature... not even a person, because the way I was treated, no person would have.But all those things seem like something from a different lifetime because now anything that was a part of my past doesn't matter to me, not even the person who is my father.Holding my hand, Mikhail gently pulls me back, and his eyes roam over my face as if he is searching for something."You don't have to come with me." His eyes settle on mine, his voice laced with a protectiveness that makes me smile, "I will go and see what he wants.""He doesn't affect me... honestly, he never did. If I do not come with you, it will m
Sophia"No, she is not! Because she is my daughter."My heart races while a shiver runs down my body, my head snaps in the direction of the voice, and my eyes connect with the familiar pair of eyes.I see these eyes every day... every day when I see myself in the mirror. I freeze at the spot when I see the woman standing before my eyes. Beside her, there is a man whose murderous glare is fixed on someone behind me.However, when his gaze momentarily flickers in my direction, I notice how subtly they soften before turning impassive again. There is a struggle behind his gaze... an emotional turmoil that somehow I can feel."She is my daughter." She growls again; this time louder than before.Somewhere, her voice sounds so familiar that it makes me frown. Her long hair cascaded down her back in waves, and her hands curled in tight fists, her body slightly trembling with fury.My eyes widen in recognition when I realize this is the same voice that I heard in my dream.The woman, who I b
SophiaThe darkness that held me begins to recede, bit by bit, though I’m not ready to face the world just yet. I’m caught between two realms: the overwhelming truth and the warm embrace of the woman who was supposed to be a ghost in my life.How do I know who's holding me? Her scent surrounds me, comforting yet unfamiliar, filling the hollow space in my chest.I never thought I’d feel this.I’m caught between two realms: the overwhelming truth and the warm embrace of the woman who was supposed to be a ghost in my life.Her soft whispers reach my ears, barely audible, yet laced with the weight of years of loss. She hums a melody—a lullaby maybe—one I don’t remember, but my heart seems to recognize.I want to hold onto this moment, but the pain of everything comes rushing back, suffocating me again. Gregor.The lies.The stolen years. Every single revelation crushes me, and I feel like I’m drowning all over again. I try to push it down, but it claws at my insides, demanding to be ackn
MikhailIt has not been even a few hours since she met Atlas and Artemis, but if you look at her you can't say that, because it seems like she has always know them.Sophia's laugh pulls my attention back to her. The sound is light, genuinely joyful like she's finally at peace. The faint shadow that's lingered in her eyes since we met, the one that always made me feel like she was holding a part of herself back, is finally gone. And it's all because of the family she's found, the one that should have been there for her all along.I can't ignore how Artemis glares at me when Sophia is not watching, and honestly, it is amusing. Because I can tell her wolf is still on edge because she thinks that I wanted to keep her daughter away from her. But does she realize that her daughter is my mate, and there is no way she can get rid of me?I meet her glare head-on, suppressing the urge to smirk. She can stare daggers all she wants; she'll have to get used to me being here.Just to ruffle her feat
SophiaSeeing the love in Mom's and Dad's eyes, it feels like a part of me I didn't even realize was hollow is finally full.The grief I've held onto for so long is still there, but it's quieter, softened by the love that only parents can give to their children.The love I feel for my pup is something that is beyond this world... words might not be enough to explain this kind of love. And now I realize there is someone who feels the same for me... my own parents. This thought begins to heal the scars that years of abandonment and the feeling of being unloved caused. There are so many unanswered questions, but at this moment, they all seem unimportant. I am just basking in this happiness of finally living something that I couldn't even dream of.Mom's eyes are a little red, and I can tell she's been trying to keep her emotions in check. But the softness in her gaze, the way she looks at Rose, tells me everything she doesn't say out loud. I know she's been hurt too. She's missed so muc
MikhailHolding back is never my strength.Especially when it comes to protecting my family.Atlas and Artemis are Sophia's parents, but there is nothing we know about them other than this.They weren't part of most of Jake's life, so there is so much about them that he is even unaware.As of now, they haven't done anything that might raise any doubts, but I am still responsible for the safety of my family and my pack. And I need to know what kind of trouble they might bring to us.Sophia's parents or not, my priority is my family and my pack.Artemis has put Rose down to sleep, and her eyes never leave her face, even for a moment. And there is no doubt that she doesn't love her. She holds our daughter in a way that’s filled with all the love she couldn’t give Sophia as a child. It's beautiful, and it's painful, but I need to know the truth: how did Sophia end up in Redwood pack? Why did Gregor keep her away from them? Even I want to know why they left Jake.All the answers to these q
MikhailSophia's head dips, her jaw tight. I reach over, running my thumb over her knuckles, trying to comfort her as her grip on my arm loosens.Her eyes lift to meet mine, and in that one look, I know her pain is just as raw as it was when she first found out she had been kept from her parents, forced to endure a life built on lies.Rubbing her eyes and face, Artemis lifts her face toward the sky as if she is still pleading for some miracle that heals her pain."I didn't get to hold her properly; my heart was craving to feel her heartbeat against me... but my pup was gone. She took away my baby from me. The person whom I trusted my daughter with me took her away from me. I was protecting that place with my life, there was no chance that I would have let anyone near that place. But she stole my pup from me." Her voice is nothing more than a whisper, but her pain echoes loudly in her words, "My mate didn't even get a chance to see his daughter's face... the same daughter for whom he wa
Mikhail"Motherfucker!" I whistle through my teeth as my eyebrows slightly raise while something clicks in my mind.Gregor, even if he’s one of the people I’d most enjoy tearing apart slowly, yet I have to give to him for the way his mind works.For years, his command over Sophia’s life was ruthless, controlling, abusive… but it had a dark, twisted logic to it.I understand now why he never let her shift, though it doesn’t make me hate him any less; if anything, my hate for him increased.As I put the pieces together, I feel a low growl rumbling in my chest. Gregor knew exactly what he was doing. He knew that if Sophia shifted, she wouldn’t be able to stay hidden. Atlas and Artemis would sense her because they must be trying to reach out to her. So, he kept her caged in her human form, never allowing her to embrace the wolf inside her.It’s clever.Cruel but clever."What happened?" Sophia places her hand on my arm lightly and tries to get my attention.Blinking, I look at her. Sudde
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