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MikhailAtlas and Artemis are the first ones to come, even though I have called them for the meeting in the last.Their hands carry a couple of bags, and the excitement in their eyes says that these are for Rose. Another people add to the ever-growing list of people to spoil my pup with love. Artemis surprises me when she comes and gives me a side hug before she goes inside the house.I watch Artemis disappear inside the house, a smile tugging at her lips as she calls out to Sophia. The sound of their voices mingling reaches my ears, light and carefree. My eyebrows slightly raise at her welcoming behavior."She is in a good mood today." Atlas looks at me and shrugs. "She did go a little overboard with the shopping, but if that makes my mate happy, then I don't mind."This is the point of commonality between me and him. We both desire to keep our mates happy, and the rest of things don't matter to us. “So,” Atlas continues, shifting his stance, “What’s this meeting about?"“We need
SophiaI watch from the doorway as Mom gently tucks Rose under her blanket, smoothing the wisps of hair away from her little face. Rose stirs slightly, murmuring something incoherent before settling back into sleep.The tenderness in Mom's expression stirs something deep inside me—a longing I didn’t even know I was carrying.It’s strange how the past still holds me in its grasp despite everything I’ve gained.I was afraid that she might overlook me because of how she was getting attached to Rose. It is so embarrassing that the years of doubts and feelings of being unwanted made me feel insecure of my own daughter.When Mom turns and sees me, she smiles. It’s warm and genuine, the kind of smile that cradles you in comfort. For a moment, I hesitate, but then she opens her arms, and I step into her embrace without thinking. Her touch is steady and reassuring, and it makes me feel like a child again, safe and loved."Mom, " I breathe out while tightening my hold on her. Just like that, al
Sophia"Your suspicion was right."Elder Merope slowly nods her head as she looks at Mikhail."What suspicion?" I look between Merope and him.Mikhail's body begins to tremble, and his eyes turn darker. He emits low growls while the grip on my hand becomes painfully tight."Somebody tell me what is going on?" Placing my hand on his arm, I look at Elder Merope for answers."Alpha found out why Gregor wants you back." The grave expression on Elder Merope's face only adds more to my anxiety.The growl emitting from Mikhail becomes louder as fur begins to sprout on his skin. Grabbing me with my waist, he picks me up and forces me to sit on his lap while he places his nose against my neck."Let him hold you." Mom glances at Mikhail and then looks at me. "Our touch and our scents calm our mates."Mikhail’s grip tightens around my waist as he pulls me close. I can feel the roughness of fur brushing against my skin, the barely contained wildness radiating from him.His breaths are harsh, ragg
SophiaSometimes, even when you know everything, your mind tells you that there is something that is still missing.That's how I am feeling.Maybe I am wrong, but what if I am right?I don't know; everything seems so confusing.Placing my hand over my mark, I feel it pulsating beneath my fingertips.Warm and comforting.Has Moon Goddess truly blessed me, or is it something just from the stories written thousands of years ago?Another question whose answer I don't know, but what I do know is that this mark definitely means something.I trace the mark while looking at it through the mirror. It is beautiful, and every time I see it, a hint of pride swells inside me. It has given me an identity and helped me reunite with the strength that was buried inside me.Special or not, this mark is always going to be a blessing for me.The door of the bathroom opens, and Mikhail steps inside.His dark hair is tousled, and his blue eyes searched mine before they traveled down and stopped on my mark.
SophiaThe air is sharp with the bite of morning as I stretch my limbs, the first traces of light spilling through the trees. My skin tingles, and I feel the familiar pull deep in my bones—my wolf, restless and eager to be free. She’s there, waiting, urging me to give her the control that she wants.I give in.With a sharp exhale, I shift, the bones in my body cracking and realigning, my senses flooding with the sharp clarity of the wolf's world. The air smells richer, the sounds crisper. Every rustle in the leaves, every twitch in the branches, is amplified in a way that feels like everything is coaxing me to let every thought go and focus on this moment.I take off, running through the forest, the ground soft beneath my paws, the wind a steady rush in my fur. My wolf howls with joy, pushing us faster and farther, losing ourselves in the freedom of the run; from a distance, I can hear Mikhail's chuckle as if he is sharing my wolf's joy.The restlessness that’s been gnawing at me begi
SophiaAfter breakfast, I decided to visit Elder Merope with the hope that she could help me find answers. Since I had never visited her before, I asked for her address from Mikhail.Initially, Mikhail was not happy that I wanted to visit her place because she lives a little away from the main pack and near the pack's territory, but when I assured him that I would inform him instantly if I found anything unusual then, he agreed to let me go without him.As I make my way down the trail, the scent of pine and damp earth wraps around me. A few pack members pass by, offering respectful nods and smiles.One of the older she-wolves waves at me."Good Morning, Luna." She bows her head and smiles at me."Morning." Smiling at her, I walk to her."Would you like to try some of my freshly baked cookies?" She looks at me, hopefully."Of course, I can smell your cookies from quite far away." Momentarily, closing my eyes, I inhale and smile at her. "They smell delicious."She beams at me, eyes crin
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
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
Lucas I can’t see a damn thing. It’s pitch black, like someone just snuffed out the sun, and I’m stumbling through this nothingness with only this weird pull to guide me. It’s like a tug at my chest, faint but steady. It’s all I’ve got to hold onto. But man, this feels like a twisted game, something designed to mess with my head. Every now and then, the pull shifts. Sometimes, it splits, like it’s coming from every direction all at once, trying to yank me one way and then the other. It’s overwhelming, and I can feel the frustration bubbling under my skin. My wolf stirs uneasily, and I grit my teeth to keep from losing it. But I know better. The strongest pulls, the ones that hit me like a punch in the gut, those aren’t her. They can’t be. It’s too obvious, too easy. Somewhere deep down, I just know the faintest pull, the one that feels like a whisper instead of a scream, that’s the one that’ll lead me to her. So I focus. I block out everything else. Every strong tug trying
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,