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
SophiaThe light filters softly through the curtains, warming the room and slowly nudging me awake. I stretch out a hand to the left, reaching for the familiar warmth that I expect to find there. My fingers touch only the coolness of an empty bed.Mikhail's side is cold. He's already gone.My eyes snap open, and I sit up, blinking away the sleep as I glance at the clock on my nightstand.9:30 a.m.I overslept, which isn’t like me. I try to remember the last time I slept this deeply, but it feels like a distant memory. Maybe that’s what peace does—real, settled peace, the kind that sinks into your bones.The bed feels too big and too empty without him here. I reach for the faint scent he’s left behind on his pillow—cedar and rain, the scent that usually lingers in the air long after he’s gone. I close my eyes, breathing it in, as memories of last night return, a series of touches and whispers in the dark. I brush my fingertips over the mark on my neck, where his teeth sank in last nig
MikhailI burst into a sprint, the bond's silence tearing through me like a jagged blade.Each step pounds against the earth, my wolf's restlessness and my desperation driving me faster.The world blurs around me, trees and buildings nothing more than streaks of color as I push myself harder."Sophia!" I mindlink again, hoping to get a response from her.But the void answers me. Hollow. Dead.The absence feels like a gaping wound, a suffocating emptiness that claws at my chest.My lungs burn, not from exertion but from the sheer panic constricting my breath.The mate bond is supposed to be the unbreakable connection between us, an eternal thread that binds us, no matter the distance.So why can't I feel her?I push harder, my claws digging into the earth as I leap over a low wall."Sophia! Answer me!"Nothing.I snarl, the sound ripping from my throat as I surge forward again.My wolf's fury roars in my ears, a wild, unrelenting force demanding to find her. Demanding to protect her.T
MikhailFrom the beginning, there's been nothing to hide.I've never felt shame or regret for the things I've done to claim my revenge. They were choices I made with clarity, knowing the full weight of the consequences of my actions. But telling Sophia, peeling back the layers of who I am, admitting to the blood I've spilled and the darkness I've carried... feels different. It doesn't feel like a confession. It feels like freedom.It's as if I've ripped open a part of myself I've kept locked away. And instead of flinching, she listened... and in her gaze steady, there was understanding.My kindhearted mate didn't judge me for my actions but understood me.It feels as though a veil has been lifted between us, one I hadn't realized was there until this moment. Now, we are both truly bare in front of each other.Her acceptance isn't blind; it's deliberate. She knows my flaws and my sins, and still, she chose me.I am definitely Moon Goddess's favorite; that is why she gave me Sophia.I
SophiaThe soft glow of evening filters through my window as I finish tying a delicate bow on the basket I’ve been working on. The woven basket is filled to the brim with goodies, a homemade vegetable and chicken stew to nourish the new mother, some soft blankets for the pup, and a few herbal teas to help with her recovery, along with some other baby essentials like diapers, warm clothes, and beanies. I’ve tucked in a small stuffed duck for the pup too, because I remember how much Rose loved grasping her soft toy with her tiny fingers.It feels right to do this, to bring something personal, something thoughtful. Being Luna means more than holding a title. It means being there for the pack, celebrating their joys, and comforting their sorrows. Mikhail told me that it is a tradition in their pack that Luna welcomes the newest members of the pack and is one of the first guests to visit the new mom and the pup. So, here I am prepared to welcome our new member.As I step outside, the cr
Sophia Mikhail pulls me into his arms, his grip firm yet tender, as though he’s trying to anchor himself to the present and shake off the ghosts of his past. His breath brushes against my neck, warm and steady, and I can feel his body relaxing in my embrace. Wrapping my arms tightly around him, I hold him close. My fingers find their way to his hair, threading through the soft strands as I kiss his cheek. I can feel his emotions, raw and unguarded. There’s a strange lightness in him now, as if the burden he’s carried for so long has finally begun to ease. It’s subtle, but I know him well enough to see it, to feel it. With everything that we shared—our past, our experiences, our feelings—the bond between us felt stronger and more real. Closing my eyes, I take a steady breath and let the familiar warmth of my power flow through me. I send it through the connection that ties us together. I can feel his pain, his hurt... his struggles, and I want to erase them and fill every corner
Sophia“I had just gone through my first shift. Since our healing strengthened when we found our wolves, everyone thought that maybe after my first shift, I would gain my sight or it would improve. But things weren't simple; even in my wolf form, I was blind. Not as blind as I were in my human form, but still blind." He absentmindedly continues to play with the lock of my hair as if it is the thing that's holding him to the present. "My wolf was wild, and lack of vision made him almost feral. My father's training turned even harsher because he had to help my wolf reign his energy. Even now, a part of him is still feral."A small pout forms on my lips because I don't think his wolf is feral. He has that wild energy that surrounds him, but it makes him lethal and powerful. He is magnificent.Mine. A word echoes in my mind as my wolf agrees with me."In front of you, he behaves like a lovestruck crazy beast, but he is still feral." He softly chuckles and taps my lips with his finger as
Sophia I shift slightly, propping myself up on one elbow so I can look at him. He still looks lost in his thoughts, but knowing him, I know he is alert and ready to take down any threat if it appears.His guards are never down... even while sleeping, there is alertness about him. It's like his mind is up and working even when his body is resting.The gentle sway of leaves above us fills the silence, but a question forms on my lips, one I hadn’t thought to ask until now.“Mikhail,” I begin, my voice low but steady, “tell me about yourself."He blinks as if he’s not quite sure he heard me correctly.Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he turns to face me fully. A mischievous smile curves at the corners of his lips, one I know all too well—one I’ve seen a thousand times, used to distract, to shift focus, to keep things light. But this time, it doesn’t work.I stay quiet, my expression unchanged as I wait for him to acknowledge the question that still lingers in the air between us.H
SophiaThe nagging feeling is still there, but it is not as intense as before. When I considered what I could lose instead of gain if anything went wrong, the decision wasn't that difficult for me.Despite all the threats and dangers surrounding us, I am living my dream. And to ruin to find out something that I will eventually find out one day would be foolish of me. And how would I know that I would find out the truth one day? No matter how much anyone tries, the truth always makes itself known."Still thinking about everything?" Mikhail rubs his thumbs over my knuckles and lightly tugs my hand to get my attention."Yeah." Nodding my head, I pull all my hair to my side."Where are we going?" I ask, finally noticing that this isn't the path that I took from home to Elder Merope's place."Finally, you noticed." Mikhail smirks and teases me, "And here I was, getting worried about how clueless my mate was, that anyone could kidnap her, and she wouldn't even be suspicious.""I am with you
SophiaAbruptly, there is a knock on the door, sharp and insistent.Before I can even blink, the door swings open, and there he is—Mikhail. His tall figure fills the doorway, eyes locked on me with that familiar intensity that makes my pulse race.Mikhail strides in, eyes blazing with urgency. My heart lurches at the sight of him, and the tension that gripped my body eases in an instant."Sophia," he says, his voice low, almost a growl. "Are you okay?" He doesn’t wait for me to answer, his eyes scanning me like he can see right through to whatever’s going on inside me.I don't need to speak, though. He can feel it. I know he can. His wolf is connected to me, just as mine is connected to him, and right now, I’m a storm of emotions thrashing inside. He can feel that, too. The worry, the anxiety, the anger swirling inside me like a tornado, too strong to be ignored."Your emotions," he continues, stepping closer, his gaze tightening, "they’re… they’re driving my wolf crazy with worry. It
Sophia"Sophia." Elder Merope looks at me warmly, "I am sure there was some reason why you came here to visit me today." There is a knowing glint in her gaze."Yes." Sighing, I run my hand through my hair and nod my head. "Something doesn't feel right." She silently gaze at me for a few moments, before she gestures for me to follow her to the back of the room where a wide window overlooks a small, flourishing garden. The space is filled with pots of all sizes, some spilling over with herbs and flowers that I don't recognize, their leaves brushing against one another in a soft rustle. Sunlight streams through the glass, painting everything in golden hues."These plants are special," Merope explains as she picks up a small watering can and hands it to me. "They require care and attention, but they give back much more than they take."I take the can, feeling the cool metal in my palm, and move to the nearest pot—a cluster of deep purple blooms that seem to shimmer when the light catches