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
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
MikhailPressing my nose against Rose's hair, I take a deep breath. After Sophia, her scent is the only one that can help calm me down. My wolf's fury dulls to a low, simmering growl, the primal need to protect finally sated with my mate and pup in my arms."Shh, Rose. I've got you," I whisper hoarsely, my voice raw with emotion. My hand gently strokes her back, my touch trembling as I try to comfort her. "Dada's here. It's okay now."Her little arms tighten around my neck, her sobs hitching as she nestles closer. For a moment, the world narrows again, but this time, it’s not from rage or panic. It’s from the overwhelming need to hold on to them, to keep them safe.I glance down at Sophia, still lifeless against me. My chest aches, a dull throb that matches the fear coursing through my veins. "Sophia..." her name escapes me like a prayer, desperate and pleading."Mikhail, we need to take Sophia inside." That same man speaks, and through the haze of fury, I can finally recognize him.
MikhailI sit at the edge of the bed, elbows on my knees, fingers tangled in my hair.The clock ticks steadily in the background, each second dragging on like an eternity.It’s been over an hour since I felt that faint flicker through the bond.Now? Nothing.The silence in the mate bond is no longer empty; it feels blocked, like a wall has been built between us. My wolf paces restlessly, claws scraping against the edges of my mind, snarling at the barrier we can’t break. It wasn’t like this before. Earlier, the bond was cold and lifeless, as if she had slipped away. But now... now it’s different.Now, it feels like she’s there but out of reach, just beyond the edge of my grasp.I clench my fists, fighting the frustration surging through me. The urge to smash something, anything, grows with each passing second, but I can’t risk waking Rose. She’s still curled up beside Sophia, her little face peaceful for the first time since this nightmare began.Sophia.I shift closer to her, my hand
MikhailMerope bursts into the room, her movements quick and purposeful, with Alexei close on her heels. Instead of coming inside the room, he stands at the door and watches Sophia with a pained expression.Beneath the pain, I can sense his anger. His wolf flashes in his eyes, and he is angry that someone is hurting his Luna.Then his eyes connect with mine, and I see his gaze burning with the promise that he will be by my side when I fulfill my hunger for revenge.But right now, I can't think about that because right now I am nothing but a helpless mate who is unable to do anything for his mate.Merope eyes land on Sophia, and for a moment, her lips part in a soft gasp, pain flashing across her face. But it’s gone as quickly as it comes, replaced by a hard, calculating look.She takes a step closer, her gaze locked on Sophia as though she’s deciphering some invisible code, piecing together fragments of a puzzle only she can see."Tell me, what is happening with her? And how can I hel
MikhailSophia is still unconscious in the room we left her in. It kills me to leave her, but I had no choice. If I stay in the same room as her, I will not be able to think straight. All my attention will be on her instead of trying to find a way. I need to think like an Alpha, not just as a mate. And for that, I need to think with a rational mind.My wolf snarls inside me, restless and enraged, but I force him back. Jake is seated on the arm of a couch, his arms crossed and his jaw tight, looking like he’s two seconds away from punching a hole through the wall. Caleb, on the other hand, is practically vibrating with energy. His hand grips the wooden armrest so tightly that I’m surprised it hasn’t splintered.While Lucas is staring out into the dark as though he’s expecting answers to appear there. He doesn’t speak, but the tension in his shoulders tells me he’s just as agitated as the rest of us.They arrived an hour ago, and unlike me, they could feel Sophia trapped somewhere. T
Mikhail"When?" I ask through gritted teeth, barely managing to control my temper.My wolf growls inside me, echoing through my chest. It’s like a low rumble, a warning. He wants to tear something apart, and that something is Gregor.He is the one behind all this.And I don't know how long I can stop myself from killing him because every breath he takes reminds me of not being able to protect Sophia from him.Alexei's hands ball into fists while annoyance radiates off him in waves."Tomorrow."My hands clench into fists at my sides, nails digging into my palms as I fight the urge to shift right then and there. My wolf surges forward, a deep growl rising in my chest. The rage is like wildfire, threatening to consume me, but I force it down. Caleb doesn’t bother with restraint. “Son of a—” he starts, his voice tight and full of venom, his words dissolving into a muttered string of curses that would make anyone flinch. His fists are balled so tightly his knuckles are white, and the shee
MikhailAlexei, Caleb and Jake are out finding out anything about the council that might help us gaining an upper hand. If there’s a weak link in their ranks, they will find it.I trust them to get results, but every second they’re gone feels like a lifetime.Meanwhile, I’m in the study with Atlas and Artemis, the tension between us thick as smoke. We’re digging into every shred of information we can find about Gregor—his allies, his weaknesses, his mistakes. Anything we can exploit.Atlas is scanning some old files, his eyes sharp as he flips through the pages. His usual calm is intact, but I can feel the controlled fury simmering beneath the surface. Every now and then, he mutters something about leverage or connections, his voice low and dangerous.I stare at the screen of my laptop, sifting through the reports in front of me. My wolf just wants to sink his teeth into the threat and end it. My muscles tighten with every minute we waste staring at words and scheming when action fee
AnastasiaDad’s voice turns quiet, like he’s pulling a memory from a place he doesn’t visit often."You were just two years old," he starts, his eyes far away. "Even though we warned you not to go near the training area, you tricked your mom and the nanny and rushed in anyway."I blink, trying to imagine myself as a toddler already causing chaos. It’s not that hard."The hunters were training with weapons," he continues, his jaw tightening. "And then… a gunshot went off. It wasn’t meant to happen. It was an accident. But the bullet—" He swallows, his hands clasping together. "It hit you. Right near your heart."Mom grips my hand so tight it almost hurts. Her eyes are shining, like she’s back in that moment, helpless and terrified."I rushed you to the hospital," Dad says, his voice rough. "They removed the bullet, but even after that, you weren’t stable. You were so small, too small to survive something like that. A grown man can’t always survive a gunshot, so how could a two-year-old
AnastasiaI search his face, trying to understand everything he isn’t saying. But I can't figure it out. His expression gives nothing away, only that same warmth mixed with something deeper. Something I don’t know how to name.Then he smiles, small but real, and gestures for me to follow him. "Your mom and I need to talk to you."Those words have never felt as daunting as they do now. My stomach tightens, my mind racing with possibilities. Whatever this is, it’s serious.But then Dad drapes his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close like he used to when I was little. And just like that, the weight on my chest eases. Whatever this talk is about, as long as I have him, I know I’ll be okay.When we walk into the room, Mom is sitting on the bed, her glasses perched on her nose as she reads one of her favorite novels. The warm light from the bedside lamp casts a soft glow around her. She looks up, her eyes meeting mine, and a gentle smile spreads across her face.She closes the book and
AnastasiaBy the time I get there, the funeral is already packed. Hunters stand in neat rows, their faces grim, their expressions unreadable. The air feels thick, heavy with something more than just grief.Chief stands near the altar, his posture stiff, his hands clasped behind his back. Beside him is the casket, shut tight. I don’t need to see inside to know why. There wouldn’t be a body, just what’s left of Ralph, broken and torn apart.Chief's eyes find mine from across the space. His face doesn’t show much, but his gaze says everything. There’s anger there, buried under layers of control.Other hunters follow his gaze, their eyes flickering toward me. I meet their looks head-on, keeping my expression carefully composed. Sad, respectful. That’s what they expect. And if I want to stay in this, if I want to figure out what’s really going on, I need them to believe I’m still on Chief’s side.Mom and Dad are here too, along with others from our group. Their presence isn’t just about pa
AnastasiaThe ride back is silent. The guy who is definitely a wolf doesn't say a word, and I’m grateful for it. My head is a mess, and I wouldn’t even know what to say if he tried to talk. Too much has happened, too much to process. The weight of it sits heavy on my chest, making it hard to breathe.When we reach my place, he stops, gives me a short nod, and leaves. No questions, no small talk. Just gone. I stand there for a moment, staring at nothing, then finally step inside.I sink onto the couch, rubbing my temples. Ralph’s face flashes in my mind, the way he looked at me—like I was a stranger, like I was worse than that. I had never seen that kind of hatred in his eyes before. It was like the guy I thought I knew had vanished, replaced by someone I couldn’t recognize.I think back to what he was about to do. Not in my worst nightmares could I ever imagine hurting a child, no matter who they belong to. And yet, he stood there, ready to take Rose’s life without hesitation, without
JakeEvery step I take away from her, I feel like I am leaving a piece of myself behind. It is like something is pulling at me, keeping me from walking away completely. That is what the mate bond does. It ties you to someone in a way nothing else can. No matter how much I want to shut it off, no matter how much I want to pretend it does not exist, I feel the absence of her like a dull ache inside me.But then I see it again. Ralph’s hand holding the dagger against Rose’s throat.The image burns in my mind, refuses to leave. And all I can think about is how none of this would have happened if it weren’t for Anastasia. If I had not let my own selfishness cloud my judgment. If I had not wanted to keep her close to me, wanted to believe that we could somehow make this work. I should have told Sophia. I should have told them all who Anastasia really was. But I did not. My wolf is restless, pacing inside me. He is hurt, angry, betrayed. But more than anything, he is desperate. Desperate to
AnastasiaSwallowing the pain clawing at my chest, I force it down where it can’t distract me. This isn’t the time to think about all this, I need to stop Ralph before he does something he can’t take back."Ralph, put the dagger away," I say, louder this time. "Leave the girl... you don't want to do this. You came her for me, then let's just go from here."My hands are curl into fists, my voice firm, but when I take a step forward, he moves back.Damn it.A growl rips through the air, sharp and chilling enough to freeze hell itself. Turning around, I witness another growl errupting through Sophia.She doesn’t look like the woman I met.. the one who took care of me... the one whom I have shared laughter with. There’s something terrifying in her eyes, something primal. Her entire presence darkens, and before I can even process what’s happening, she catches Ralph’s blade. With her bare hand.Smoke curls up from her palm where the silver sears her skin, but she doesn’t flinch. Doesn’t eve
AnastasiaI walk back, trying to push the sting of Jake’s words out of my chest. The sun hangs low, casting long shadows across the clearing.Suddenly, every hair on the back of my neck rises. My heart kicks up, instincts snapping into place before I even realize it. The weight in my chest fades, replaced by something sharper. I stop mid-step, heart slowing as every other thought fades into the background. My pulse beats in my ears. My hunter side kicks in... sharp, instinctive, pushing everything else down.I scan around, eyes flicking over every tree, every shadow, but there’s nothing looks out of place, but that doesn’t mean anything. I know better than to ignore a feeling like this. My body stays tense, every muscle waiting, listening. The woods press in around me, quiet in a way that makes my skin crawl.Birds still chirp, leaves rustle. To anyone else, it would seem normal.But I know better.I’ve learned to trust what I feel, even when there’s no proof. I force myself to move,
JakeI see Sophia waiting for me the second I step onto the porch.Arms crossed, weight shifted just a little to one side, like she’s been standing there long enough to settle in.But her gaze? That’s locked onto me. Like she already knows. Like she can feel it... this mess twisting up inside me. And maybe she does.She doesn’t say anything, doesn’t ask. Just steps forward and wraps her arms around me, pulling me in before I can even think to resist.That’s Sophia. Always giving... always comforting and taking their pain. Never hesitates. Never demands explanations. Just… offers.I let out a breath, slow and shaky, and close my eyes for a second. Just one. Just long enough to lean into the warmth of her.She holds on, and I let her.Neither of us says a word. And somehow, that’s better.But it doesn’t stop the guilt from creeping in, intertwining around my heart like the thick vines, like it belongs there.She’s my sister.She has never once turned her back on me, never doubted me, ne
JakeI watch her leave, and something inside me twists. Regret, maybe. Guilt. I know I hurt her. She won’t admit it, won’t let it show, but I saw the shift in her eyes, the way she went still for just a second before locking it all away.My wolf growls, restless, demanding that I go after her. He doesn’t care about the past, doesn’t care about logic. He just knows I caused her pain, and he wants to make it right. Wants to hold her, reassure her, prove to her that I didn’t mean it like that. That she matters.But it’s pointless.She won’t listen. Not now. Not when my words made it clear that I don’t fully trust her.And maybe that’s the real problem.Because I do trust her, but that doesn’t mean I trust the other hunters. I never will.She is a hunter, but she is the exception. But I still need to be vigilant when it comes to other hunters.My family has suffered at their hands. Their cruelty isn’t something I can forget. It’s not some old nightmare that fades when morning comes.It’s