Mikhail"Alexei, what is the situation of the pack?Different thoughts are running inside my mind, but I need to focus on finding Sophia, and then later, everything can be taken care of."Thankfully, the quantity of the wolfsbane found in the food was less, but still most of the pack members are still recovering from the effects. Elder Merope is helping the members, but first, she helped the warriors so that the pack is secured." Alexei runs his hand through his hair and lets out a frustrated sigh, "I have enforced more patrols on the border, and I have personally made sure that our pack is secured.""I will come with you to the border and check myself if there is any sign that can lead us to the hunters," I remember them ambushing us from the western side of the border, that border is near the neutral territory. "Maybe we can send a search team in the neutral territory to check if they have seen Sophia or hunters there.""Mikhail, you have not recovered. You need to rest." Layla plac
MikhailStaring at the floor, I wait for the answers to all the questions that are swirling inside my mind. Elder Merope sits on the front couch while she looks in some deep thoughts.Alexei's presence beside me is comforting because it carries a hint of familiarity that I have been used to throughout my life. "Mates are known to heal each other." Elder Merope finally looks up, her gaze holding amazement and awe, "But to see something like this is nothing short of a miracle.""But if it was because of mate bond, then his vision should have been restored when he first marked her." Alexei frowns, looking confused, "But why now?"Elder Merope even seems confused because Alexei's question is valid."Maybe it wasn't because we haven't completed the mate bond." Looking up, I glance at them.It still feels surreal to see the faces whose voices and presence have been ingrained in my mind. "What do you mean?" Merope asks, her eyebrows scrunching together in confusion. "Mating and marking wer
Sophia Groaning, I turn on my side as pain shoots up in my body. I don't know how much time has passed... Maybe it has been hours, maybe days, or maybe even months. The small cell in which I have been kept has no window, and it is always dark. There is a small wooden bucket placed in the corner that they told me to use if I need to answer nature's call, as they are not going to allow anyone to leave the cells. This place smells so horrible that I ended up puking a few times when I was first brought here. That ended up in more beating, and that is the only constant thing here. These stupid people think that they can weaken a wolf by beating them. But it is almost the opposite, as their beating will only fuel the revenge that the wolf is planning, and once it gets a chance, it will make sure that these people will regret their every action. However, unfortunately, I don't have a wolf. Grunting, I push myself up and lean against the wall for support as the sound of screams echoes
SophiaThe hours crawl by, each minute stretching into eternity.In the course of time, I have realized they not only make you go through physical torture, these hunters makes you suffer mentally as well.They force you to listen to the agonizing screams for your cell mates, the cries of pain and the sounds of torture that they put these wolves through. Each time when exhaustion takes over me, I drift into the darkness hearing these torturous sounds.I curl up, trying to find some comfort even though I am aware that nothing can safe me from whatever fate is awaiting for me.I don't even know how it is possible, but I find myself drifting off to sleep. Maybe it is a coping mechanism, because once I am asleep then I will no longer be confined in this cell. Sometimes, I wish when I sleep don't ever wake up again, but then when does what I wish for ever comes true?The cell door creaks open again, and I startled awake by a harsh kick on my side.Instinctually, I tense, bracing for another
SophiaI can feel my entire body trembling like a leaf when I slowly start to gain consciousness. Every single bone of my body hurts like they have been broken a thousand times. I can hear the sound of faint voices coming from somewhere around me. My hand flexes and the feel of something sticky and wet makes me internally frown.Forcing my eyes to open, I blink a few times to adjust my vision.My eyes widen at the amount of blood in which I am covered. But what actually shocks me is the brutally ripped bodies of the hunters lying across the room. It seems like some feral animal has attacked them, leaving nothing but the shreds of flesh of them."Oh, this is nothing." My eyes snap to the voice, and now I notice I am not alone, but there are a few guys standing in front of me. "You should see that bastard." He grins, pointing at something to his right.I can sense these all are werewolves, so I relax a bit. Silently, I look in the direction that the guy has pointed, and suddenly, eve
Sophia"Cousin?" I narrow my eyes at them with suspicion. "I don't know you guys, and I definitely am not your cousin. And what if you give me this mark."It is possible they all are lying, even though my heart is telling me to believe them.Caleb steps forward, his expression turning serious. "We didn't give you that mark, Sophia. It's something you're born with. A mark of our lineage.""Our lineage?" I echo, still trying to wrap my mind around everything.Jake, who has been quiet up until now, finally speaks. "Yes, our lineage. We come from a long line of werewolves, and those marks signify our heritage. They appear when we first shift.""But, it wasn't there when I shifted for the first time... and that was the only time I shifted until now," I protest weakly. "I thought my wolf was... gone.""She was never gone," Lucas says gently. "Just dormant. Something must have triggered her awakening.""Triggered her awakening?" I mutter, thinking back to the intense anger and the voice that
MikhailEach moment that goes by increases my restlessness.We have searched every possible looking for the signs of hunters, but still, we are unsuccessful. Losing Sophia has devastated my wolf to the point that he has completely shut me off. He only reacts when he hears anything related to Sophia; other than that, he remains silent.I am practically functioning on zero sleep because whenever I close my eyes, my thoughts are only focused on Sophia. Even though the smell on my sheets has started to fade, I can still feel her presence in my room.It is like she has imprinted her touch on each and everything.Being in this room, which is filled with her presence, is nothing but torture. It reminds me of all the moments that I have shared with her while deepening the hollowness that has been left in her wake.Sighing, I run my hand over my face, exhaustion and helplessness weighing down on me."Alpha," a voice interrupts my thoughts. I look up to see Victor, one of my most trusted pack me
MikhailMy wolf howls in anguish, the sound echoing through the dark chamber. My mind is consumed by Sophia, imagining the pain and suffering she must have endured in this place. The scent of her blood is overwhelming, like a slap on my face for failing to protect the one person whom I was destined to protect.Unconsciously, I find myself trying to reach out to Sophia through our bond... trying to feel any sign of her presence that might reignite the hope that has died within me. But there is just nothing. All it feels like I am banging myself on the wall because of the warmth... the presence that I used to feel earlier whenever I thought about her is gone.What an irony. The person who is the reason for my vision is the person whose face I have never seen.,, and now I probably might never see.I must be really unfortunate because I have been too late to realize that she was the one whom I wanted and needed the most. I was too blind to see there was a reason why Moon Goddess had paire
SophiaThe soft glow of evening filters through my window as I finish tying a delicate bow on the basket I’ve been working on. The woven basket is filled to the brim with goodies, a homemade vegetable and chicken stew to nourish the new mother, some soft blankets for the pup, and a few herbal teas to help with her recovery, along with some other baby essentials like diapers, warm clothes, and beanies. I’ve tucked in a small stuffed duck for the pup too, because I remember how much Rose loved grasping her soft toy with her tiny fingers.It feels right to do this, to bring something personal, something thoughtful. Being Luna means more than holding a title. It means being there for the pack, celebrating their joys, and comforting their sorrows. Mikhail told me that it is a tradition in their pack that Luna welcomes the newest members of the pack and is one of the first guests to visit the new mom and the pup. So, here I am prepared to welcome our new member.As I step outside, the cr
Sophia Mikhail pulls me into his arms, his grip firm yet tender, as though he’s trying to anchor himself to the present and shake off the ghosts of his past. His breath brushes against my neck, warm and steady, and I can feel his body relaxing in my embrace. Wrapping my arms tightly around him, I hold him close. My fingers find their way to his hair, threading through the soft strands as I kiss his cheek. I can feel his emotions, raw and unguarded. There’s a strange lightness in him now, as if the burden he’s carried for so long has finally begun to ease. It’s subtle, but I know him well enough to see it, to feel it. With everything that we shared—our past, our experiences, our feelings—the bond between us felt stronger and more real. Closing my eyes, I take a steady breath and let the familiar warmth of my power flow through me. I send it through the connection that ties us together. I can feel his pain, his hurt... his struggles, and I want to erase them and fill every corner
Sophia“I had just gone through my first shift. Since our healing strengthened when we found our wolves, everyone thought that maybe after my first shift, I would gain my sight or it would improve. But things weren't simple; even in my wolf form, I was blind. Not as blind as I were in my human form, but still blind." He absentmindedly continues to play with the lock of my hair as if it is the thing that's holding him to the present. "My wolf was wild, and lack of vision made him almost feral. My father's training turned even harsher because he had to help my wolf reign his energy. Even now, a part of him is still feral."A small pout forms on my lips because I don't think his wolf is feral. He has that wild energy that surrounds him, but it makes him lethal and powerful. He is magnificent.Mine. A word echoes in my mind as my wolf agrees with me."In front of you, he behaves like a lovestruck crazy beast, but he is still feral." He softly chuckles and taps my lips with his finger as
Sophia I shift slightly, propping myself up on one elbow so I can look at him. He still looks lost in his thoughts, but knowing him, I know he is alert and ready to take down any threat if it appears.His guards are never down... even while sleeping, there is alertness about him. It's like his mind is up and working even when his body is resting.The gentle sway of leaves above us fills the silence, but a question forms on my lips, one I hadn’t thought to ask until now.“Mikhail,” I begin, my voice low but steady, “tell me about yourself."He blinks as if he’s not quite sure he heard me correctly.Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he turns to face me fully. A mischievous smile curves at the corners of his lips, one I know all too well—one I’ve seen a thousand times, used to distract, to shift focus, to keep things light. But this time, it doesn’t work.I stay quiet, my expression unchanged as I wait for him to acknowledge the question that still lingers in the air between us.H
SophiaThe nagging feeling is still there, but it is not as intense as before. When I considered what I could lose instead of gain if anything went wrong, the decision wasn't that difficult for me.Despite all the threats and dangers surrounding us, I am living my dream. And to ruin to find out something that I will eventually find out one day would be foolish of me. And how would I know that I would find out the truth one day? No matter how much anyone tries, the truth always makes itself known."Still thinking about everything?" Mikhail rubs his thumbs over my knuckles and lightly tugs my hand to get my attention."Yeah." Nodding my head, I pull all my hair to my side."Where are we going?" I ask, finally noticing that this isn't the path that I took from home to Elder Merope's place."Finally, you noticed." Mikhail smirks and teases me, "And here I was, getting worried about how clueless my mate was, that anyone could kidnap her, and she wouldn't even be suspicious.""I am with you
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
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
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
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