Sophia I have never known my mother, nor do I have any idea how she looked apart from the knowledge that she had beautiful long hair. But when I was around five years old, I had a dream. In that dream, I heard a woman's voice whose face I couldn't see. She told me something... something that has stayed with me since then. "True power lies in being connected to your roots." I don't know who that voice was, but my heart tells me that it was my mother. I always felt a pull towards our rituals, which were performed by our ancestors, the rituals that are vanishing with time. It hurts me to think that soon a day will come when no one will be aware of our roots, our traditions. These are not mere rituals; they are our connection with our past. So when Mikhail ordered me to attend the warriors' burial, I knew I had to give them the respect they deserved. They died while protecting their people, and they deserve the burial of a true warrior. When everyone was at the clearing, I prep
MikhailThe pack members settle into their seats, utensils clinking against plates and low murmurs filling the dining hall. I can't see their faces, but I can feel the change in their feeling as the grief is slightly lessened by the comfort of knowing their brothers are in the company of the Moon Goddess. Also, somewhere, it is due to that knowledge that I have found my mate.It should not be big news because most of them are aware of my arrangement with Layla and how she is an unofficial Luna of the pack. But maybe because, like other packs, they also believe that my finding a true mate will result in a blessing for the pack; that's why they seem content.I can sense Sophia's shock as well, but she should know I haven't denied her of being my wolf's mate, nor am I going to hide this fact from my pack. No matter how I feel about this mate bond, it is true that she is my true mate... more like my wolf's true mate.The scent of Sophia's meal wafts through the air, and I can feel my pack
SophiaLast night, I couldn't sleep because my heart was heavy with the weight of Mikhail's words. He had already been very clear about what I am to him, but somewhere, there was a hope that maybe once he started looking at me more than someone who is his destined mate, things would change.The hope is not entirely lost because if I lose this hope, then I will not have anything to hold on to. Still, sometimes I wish things were not so complicated, and I would have been mated to someone who would just accept me and love me.Why does he insist on keeping this distance between us? Does he not want a mate? Or is it that even he thinks that I am not worthy enough to be his mate?The last thought breaks something inside me. I push these thoughts aside and focus on the task at hand.Last night at the packhouse, one of the pack members, Sheena, asked me if I could make a beef casserole for her. It is her son's tenth birthday, and since the pack won't be having any celebration, she wants to
MikhailI could feel Sophia's joy when Alexei was here.And I don't like it, especially my wolf.I don't want her as my mate, but until she is, I don't like whatever is brewing between her and Alexei,So, will it be okay for her to be with him after I reject her?This thought doesn't sit right with me."What are you trying to do, Alexei?" I go straight for the question that is on my mind. "Do I have to remind you that I haven't rejected Sophia?"I have never been known to beat around the bushes, so why would I do that now?"Yet," Alexei adds, making me growl lowly."Alexei, if I were you, I would be very careful of whatever next words come out of my mouth," I warn him."You can't stop me from saying the truth, Mikhail." Alexei scoffs, "You don't want her, so don't have the right to act like a jealous mate when someone else talks to her. You don't have the right to be jealous when you are still with Layla, even after you have found your mate.""I am not jealous!" Another growl rumbles
SophiaEven the slightest doubts are removed when I see Layla standing in Mikhail's bedroom window.Surprisingly, there is no ache in my heart.Perhaps acceptance has a comfort in it; it makes the pain go away.I have accepted my fate of always being unwanted and unloved.Maybe that's why it doesn't hurt anymore.I stare up at the window for a few more moments, watching Layla’s silhouette. She looks so confident, so sure of her place in Mikhail’s life.The reality is sinking in, and with it comes a strange sense of peace. I am unwanted and unloved, and there is a certain clarity in knowing where I stand.There’s no point in lingering, no point in hoping for something that will never be. However, there is a part of me that wants to see where all this will take me. How much more do I have in me to endure? I want to push myself to the point that I finally break. I want to free myself from everything... every bond... even from myself.Call me insane... but I will continue to be the mat
MikhailWith each moment passing, I feel like being trapped in this web of conflicting emotions.I don't know what to do or how to suppress these urges which are rising in me.Earlier, I used to consider these emotions to be just because of my wolf, but today, I realized they are not.When today I couldn't find Sophia, the restlessness... the fear... the feeling of being lost was not just my wolf's; it was mine as well.The thought of her being gone, of her not being here, sent me into a panic that I couldn’t control. My heart raced, my thoughts spiraled, and for a moment, I felt like I was drowning.At that moment, I realized I needed her, not just because of our bond, but because she’s gradually become something more to me.I don't have a name for my feelings for her, but now I am certain I do feel something for her—something powerful and deep.I might not want this mate bond, but still, I want her in my life. And that's what I am certain about.I had almost lost my shit until I was
Sophia“Sophia, are you cold?” He asks, tightening his hold on my hand that he is holding.The concern in his voice sounds so genuine that anyone can be fooled by his concern."No, I am fine." I shake my head, though he can’t see it.I continue to stare idly ahead without acknowledging the view before my eyes."Come here." Pulling my hand that he is holding, he tugs me slightly.Standing up from my chair, I move near to him.He tugs my hand once again, makes me sit in his lap, and wraps his arms around me."Your hands are freezing, girl." he chuckles lightly and grabs both of my hands in his hands.His big hands swallow mine, and the warmth radiating from his palms instantly warms my cold hands.I stare at our hands.The hands that destiny locked together. I didn't pray for him to be my mate; all I asked destiny to bring that person into my life who is meant for me. Then why am I being bonded to someone who doesn't want me?For him, this mate bond is nothing but a forced relationship
SophiaI wake up feeling off. My body is warmer than usual, and there's a faint ache deep inside me that I can't ignore. Groaning, I push myself up and swing my legs over the side of the bed, rubbing my temples to try and clear my head.It’s too early for this.As I stand up, a wave of dizziness hits me, and I clutch the edge of the nightstand for support. The heat is spreading through my body, making my skin feel flushed and sensitive.I know these signs all too well.Every werewolf who comes to an age knows these signs. I'm starting to go into my first heat.With everything that is happening, it just slipped out of my mind that soon I would be getting into heat as I have found my mate.The realization sends a shiver of panic through me. This is the worst possible time for this to happen. With everything already so strained between Mikhail and me, the last thing I need is to deal with the overwhelming urges that come with being in heat.I nearly doubled over in pain when an excrucia
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,
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
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 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
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