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
MikhailThe corridor leading to the cells is dark, the faint scent of blood and damp stone filling the air. My steps echo as I descend into the basement.As I approach the row of cells, the dim light reveals Alexei leaning casually against the bars of one. His knuckles are smeared with blood, and a cocky grin spreads across his face when he sees me.“Ah, finally,” he says, straightening up. “I was starting to think you’d keep me waiting all night.”My eyes flick to Gregor, slumped in the corner of the cell behind Alexei. His face is battered, one eye swollen shut, and blood drips from a split lip onto his shirt. He doesn’t look so smug now, his breathing labored and his body trembling.“What happened?” I ask, my voice low and even, though the sight of Gregor like this doesn’t bother me in the slightest. If anything, it satisfies a small part of the beast inside me.Alexei shrugs, flexing his fingers as if shaking off the last remnants of tension. “He was irritating me. Something about
SophiaThe darkness surrounds me, heavy and oppressive. I don’t know where I am. The air feels cold and damp, and the silence is suffocating, broken only by the echo of my own footsteps. Each step I take feels like it leads me deeper into a place I don’t understand.I try to focus, to find some clue, but everything looks the same. Shadows stretch and shift, playing tricks on my eyes. The walls, if they are walls, ripple as if alive. I move forward, but it feels like I am going in circles. No matter where I turn, there is no end, no exit. Just endless darkness.I stop for a moment and press my hand against what feels like a cold, smooth surface. It pulses under my palm, faint and rhythmic, as if it has a heartbeat of its own. I pull back sharply, my breath hitching.This place is wrong.“Where am I?” I whisper, more to myself than to anyone.My voice echoes, sounding small and fragile against the vast emptiness. There is no response, just the faint whisper of something I can’t quite h
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
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