MikhailI’m sitting on the porch steps, staring out at the dark treetops swaying in the distance. The stars above are faint, their light dim compared to the storm swirling in my chest. My fingers dig into the wood beneath me, the ache in my grip grounding me, barely.I can’t go back inside. Not yet. Not when Sophia is lying there, so still, so pale. The sight of her is a knife I can’t pull out, cutting deeper every time I imagine stepping into that room.I failed her. Again.The thought claws at my mind, and I clench my jaw to keep from growling at the empty night. She’s suffering, and I’m out here waiting—useless, powerless. This isn’t how a mate is supposed to be. I should have been faster. Stronger. Smarter. Something. Anything but this.The creak of the door behind me breaks through my spiral of self-loathing. I don’t have to look to know who it is neither I don't care who it is, because whoever they are, they are not Sophia.“Mikhail?” Artemis steps onto the porch, her footsteps
MikhailAfter Artemis has left, I spend some more time out here. But after talking to her, seeing her trust in me, the weight in my chest feels slightly lighter.Just slightly. The restlessness is still there, gnawing at me, but I know now it won’t leave until Sophia is awake, looking at me, speaking to me. Until then, I just have to bear it. Learn to deal with it.With a deep breath, I push off the steps and head back inside. The door creaks faintly as I close it behind me, and the house feels oppressively quiet. Each step I take up the stairs feels heavier than the last, the ache in my chest threatening to drown me again.I reach our bedroom door and stop, my hand resting on the frame. The air in the room beyond feels heavier, like it’s holding its breath, waiting. My pulse quickens, and for a moment, I can’t move. I can’t bring myself to walk in, to see her like that again—so still, so quiet. It’s like staring at a nightmare I can’t wake up from, and the thought alone has my han
MikhailThe soft glow of morning filters through the curtains touching her face, making her look like the angel she is. My eyes flicking back to Sophia every few seconds, as I get ready. She’s still lying there, as peaceful and as still as she was last night. My eyes shift to the rise and fall of her chest, calming me slightly as her breaths soft but steady. She is here.“Important day today,” I say quietly, my voice breaking the silence of the room. It feels strange to speak aloud, knowing she won’t respond, but I’ve been doing it anyway. Talking to her keeps me grounded, like she’s still here with me in the ways that matter. “The council’s meeting. And those bastard will try everything to break me, because they are Gregor's pigs. ""Only Goddess knows how much I want to release my wrath on them and finish each one of them once and for all." I growl as fury swirls inside me and I clench my hands into fists.My uncurling my hands, I take a deep breath before I turn to her fully. She
MikhailThe silence in the room stretches as one of the councilmen clears his throat, rising to his feet. His robes shift as he steps forward, an attempt at composure masking the unease I can smell in the air. His name is Elias Castor, a senior council member who fancies himself the voice of reason among his peers."I am Elias Castor, Senior Councilman," he begins, his voice steady but lacking the usual confidence. "And these are my colleagues: Councilmen Victor Hale, Marcus Draven, Edgar Flynn, Rowan Dorne, and Tobias Vren. Together, we form the governing body tasked with maintaining order among the packs."I heard a scoff coming from Caleb as Elias introduced themselves.As he lists their names, each councilman gives a slight nod. Some try to meet my gaze, but none hold it for long. I smirk, the corner of my mouth lifting just enough to remind them of the predator standing before them.Elias’s gaze shifts then, landing on Artemis and Atlas. His composure falters for a fraction of a
MikhailGregor’s face twists into an ugly scowl as he glances toward the councilmen, searching for support. His gaze flickers with frustration when none of them move or speak. Then he turns to me, glaring with all the defiance he can muster."How can you let him talk here like this?" he spits, his voice loud and grating as he addresses the council. "He is disrespecting you, and you are doing nothing about it!"Gregor’s lips curl into a mocking sneer. "Sophia is nothing to him," he snarls, gesturing toward me. "Not his mate, not a so-called Luna. If anyone has the right to her, it’s me. She belongs to my pack, and I am her Alpha.""You," My voice drops to an icy tone, "are nothing. You think you can stand here and claim her? You don’t even deserve to speak her name, let alone call her yours." I laugh coldly, the sound devoid of humor."She is not a bargaining chip to be traded or claimed by anyone else," My tone dripping with disdain. My eyes lock on Gregor. "And you will not speak of
MikhailElias looks momentarily stunned by the turn of events.He glances toward Gregor, and the two exchange a fleeting, charged look. I can see the silent communication between them, a mix of desperation and strategy playing out in their expressions.Elias clears his throat and straightens, quickly regaining his composure.His gaze shifts to Artemis, sharp and pointed.“The council cannot take the word of someone who has been deemed unstable,” he declares, his voice firm but carrying a slight edge of uncertainty. He tries to stand tall and project authority.Artemis doesn’t flinch. Her icy gaze is locked on Elias, unwavering, as if daring him to say more.“Enough, Elias,” Rowan interrupts, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable authority. “Nothing has been proven here, and you cannot project your personal opinions onto the council.”Elias stiffens, his lips pressing into a thin line. For a moment, I think he might argue, but Rowan’s unyielding gaze stops him. He glances around th
MikhailArtemis doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t move. She’s seen this coming and is doing nothing to stop it. One look at her face, and I know exactly what she’s planning. Her cold, composed expression is a mask, but beneath it, I see the sharp glint of strategy. Artemis is playing the long game, and Gregor just handed her the perfect opportunity.Atlas is trembling beside me, his fury barely contained. His hands clench and unclench as his entire body vibrates with the effort to hold himself back. He’s ready to snap, and I can’t blame him. But for now, he waits, his eyes locked on Artemis.Gregor crashes into her, and the impact sends her sprawling. She rolls to her side, curling protectively around her torso as blood gushes from the wounds his claws leave behind. A low growl escapes me, but I had to restrain myself from ruining the plan. But Atlas doesn't need to hold himself back as being her mate Gregor has just called for his wrath when he attacked Artemis.Like a storm breaking free,
MikhailThe rage inside me hasn’t settled. It simmers, threatening to boil over, and I feel like I’m seconds away from ripping Gregor apart for everything he’s done to Sophia. My hands clench into fists, and I grit my teeth, fighting the pull of the darkness clawing at me. I need Sophia. I need her to calm me before I lose control.I’m about to slide into the car when Artemis and Atlas walk up. Atlas steps closer, his expression unreadable, while Artemis lingers just behind him. My gaze flickers to her, and I pause.She looks fine, as if she wasn’t injured at all.We have fast healing, but she has healed even more quickly than us. The only sign of what happened is the blood staining her shirt, stark against the fabric.“How are you?” I ask, my voice low but steady, masking the storm raging inside me.She smirks, crossing her arms. “I’m not so weak that a pathetic person like Gregor could hurt me,” she says, her tone dripping with mockery.I study her for a moment, noting the confiden
SophiaLucas’s presence is a comfort I didn’t know I needed. Just having him here, seeing his face, hearing his voice—it feels like a lifeline. But there’s this small, nagging thought at the back of my mind, this awful what-if that I can’t completely shake. What if he gets stuck here with me? What if this place swallows him up the same way it’s been trying to swallow me?I push that doubt away. No, that’s not going to happen. It can’t. We’re both getting out of here. We have to. Too many people are counting on us, waiting for us. We can’t let them down.Mikhail’s face flashes in my mind, and this wave of longing hits me so hard it feels like I can’t breathe. My heart twists, like someone’s squeezing it too tight, and there’s this emptiness inside me, this awful void where the mate bond should be. It’s like a piece of me is just... missing, and no matter how much I try, I can’t fill it.I don’t even try to reach out to him. I can’t. If I do, he’ll feel everything I’m going through, and
LucasI can’t believe it. Sophia is right in front of me. My mind almost refuses to accept it, but my heart knows it’s her. A flood of emotions hits me all at once, each one fighting for control.Joy. I’ve finally found her. After everything, after searching and fighting, she’s here. Relief washes over me so strong it nearly brings me to my knees.Pain. She looks like she’s barely hanging on. Weak, tired, like the life is being drained out of her. It’s unbearable to see her like this. The glow that always surrounds us is almost dimmed to nothing. This is place is killing her, slowly, and I can feel it.And anger. Burning, searing anger. Whoever did this to her, whoever put her through this hell, will pay. I can’t stop the rage that rises in me, and I don’t even try.“Sophia.” My voice is thick with emotions that I don't try to conceal as I step closer to her.Sophia tries to push herself up, but her legs wobble. Before she can stumble, I’m at her side in a heartbeat, steadying her. Sh
SophiaEverything feels heavy like I'm sinking into a thick, black ocean. My head's a mess, thoughts slipping away the second I grab onto them.The darkness is so deep it’s almost choking me. I don’t know how long I’ve been here. Hours? Days? Weeks? Time stopped making sense a while ago.That woman’s voice echoes in my head, soft but edged, like I should know it. Familiar, like an old dream or a name on the tip of my tongue, but it’s gone.Who is she? Her voice is the only thing that constantly rings in my head... sometimes I feel like my head will explode. No matter how much I try to block her voice, it is always there. The edges of my vision pulse and blur, and my thoughts scatter like dead leaves in the wind. All I know is that this place, this nightmare, is eating me alive. I just... I just want to wake up.My body is breaking, little by little. Every breath is heavier than the last, like this place is squeezing the life out of me.I know exactly what she wants. She wants me to
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