I know it’s way too early to like the story, but I can’t help myself... I need to know your take! What are your first impressions? Any thoughts on Jake and Anastasia so far?
AnastasiaDarkness clings to me, dense and heavy, but it starts to slip away little by little. My body feels light, like I am floating in water, but when I try to move, a dull ache spreads through me. My fingers twitch first, then my toes. My head feels too heavy to lift, but I force my eyes open.The room around me is dimly lit, unfamiliar. The air smells clean, carrying hints of pine and something faintly smoky. I blink a few times, my vision adjusting to the soft glow of a lamp on the nightstand. The bed beneath me is warm, the blankets tucked around me like I belong here. But I don’t.Panic grips my chest, snapping me into full awareness. I push myself up, ignoring the way my muscles protest.Patting my waist and then my thigh, where I strap my second dagger, I look for my weapons. But there is nothing.My heartbeat pounds against my ribs as I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. My boots are gone too. I search the room, my gaze darting to the furniture.A dresser, a small tab
MikhailI stand at the edge of the forest, the scent of pine and earth filling my senses. My blindness sharpens my other senses, making the world around me more vivid in ways most can't comprehend.Being blind hasn't made me weak. In fact, it's made me stronger, more ruthless. A cruel smirk appears on my face when I recall what happened to those who considered me weak and challenged me. I can still feel the warmth of their blood on my skin as I tore them limb from limb with my bare hands. Those bastards weren't even worthy of fighting against my wolf; even in my human form, they were no match for my strength.I haven't earned the title of Cruel Blind Alpha for nothing. Killing is my second nature. As the Alpha of the strongest pack in the northern territory, my pack and I are known for being ruthless and fierce. My father might not have been a loving father, but he was a great mentor. He taught me never to let anyone consider my sightlessness as a weakness.His methods were harsh, al
SophiaMy face turns towards the right while the skin of my cheek stings with the impact of the slap.My eyes burn with tears, which I refuse to release as my gaze is trained on the floor."Apologize to Cynthia right now!" My father bellows causing me to flinch. "How dare you disrespect my wife and your Luna by questioning her actions?!"My mother died soon after giving birth to me, and my father blamed me for her death. When I turned three, councilmen asked my father to take a second chance mate because his wolf was going crazy without his mate. Even though he didn't want to, he had to find another mate because, slowly, his wolf was going insane. Since my mother was his true mate, he never wanted to give her place to anyone else, so instead of taking Cynthia as his second chance mate, he married her. Cynthia is what you can call a true definition of an evil stepmother. She hated me from the moment she married my father and made it clear to me that I was unwanted in her house.But s
MikhailThe door to the office opens after a soft knock on the door, and I immediately recognize the scent of my Beta, Alexei. Lifting my head, I look at the blurred figure of his frame."Alpha," he says, his tone serious. "We've received an invitation.""Invitation?" I raise an eyebrow.It is strange because nobody wants to invite me into their territory because of my reputation. "Yes, for the Full Moon Ball at Redwood Pack." He places an envelope on my desk and pushes in my direction until it touches my fingertips. "It's from Alpha Gregor.""What does he want from us this time?" I reach out and run my fingers over the envelope, feeling the embossed seal of the Redwood Pack. Gregor.Alexei takes a seat in front of my desk before he speaks."From what I have gathered, he's inviting all the prominent packs. Probably to form alliances as there has been a rise in rogue attacks.""Do you plan to attend, Alpha?" Alexei asks.The idea of mingling with other Alphas doesn't appeal to me, but
SophiaThe Full Moon Ball is only a day away, and the pressure is on. Each year different pack hosts Full Moon Ball and this is year it is Redwood Pack's turn to arrange this annual ball. My father is leaving no stone upturn to make sure our pack's Full Moon Ball is one of the best balls that has been witnessed in the years. Determined to get through my day without drawing any attention, I keep my head low and busy myself with the long chores that I have been assigned. My stomach grumbles with hunger but ignoring the hunger pangs I continue sweeping the hallways floors until it is shiny enough for people to see their reflection.Standing up with a sigh, I pick up the bucket of dirty water and carry it outside to throw the water in the bushes before resuming the cleaning of the guest house where all the Alphas and their families will be staying.As I am polishing the silverware in the dining room, I overhear some of the higher-ranking wolves talking about the guests who will be arri
MikhailAlexei sits beside me as we travel to the Redwood pack. I can sense his curiosity and slight apprehension about this trip, but he knows better than to voice it.I normally don't attend such events, but for some reason, I felt intrigued to go there. It is almost like something is calling me. "How much longer?" I ask, my voice cutting through the quiet."About an hour," Alexei replies. He momentarily stops using his phone as the sound of his typing stops.Nodding, I lean back against the leather seat.The number of rogue attacks has been increasing, and while I prefer to handle things within my own territory, I cannot ignore the potential benefits of forming alliances. Maybe coming to this ball is not a bad idea, as it sounded to me earlier.Abruptly, Alexei's words about the true mate bond come to my mind. A mate, destined by the Moon Goddess, created for me alone. I shake my head, trying to dismiss the thought.Layla is enough. She will be my Luna."We're almost there," Ale
SophiaChecking my reflection in my small mirror, I tuck a few strands of hair behind my ear, which have escaped from my braid. Running my hand over my white dress, I try to smoothen it as much as I can. Honoring the Moon Goddess, all the she-wolves wear white, especially the unmated she-wolves. This is the only nice dress that I own that I have been wearing for the past few years on the Red Moon. But since tonight is Full Moon Ball, I decided to wear it even though it is not Red Moon because I want to look a bit presentable in front of others.Wiping my face with the small hand towel, I once again check my reflection before I head out towards the training ground to help others prepare the ground for the Full Moon shift. All the unmated wolves will try to find their mates during the ball. And later, when midnight strikes, everyone would come outside and shift into their wolves and go for the run. Newly mated wolves will celebrate their unions while the other will run alongside their
MikhailThe coversation dies down to almost a murmur when I step into the grand hall where Full Moon ball is taking place. I can sense the feeling of apprehension along with distrust in the air upon my arrival. Alexei guides me through the mindlink, so I effortlessly walk into the hall without bumping into anything or anyone. I could feel eyes upon me; it is no secret that my reputation precedes me. The ruthless Blind Alpha whose hands are covered with the blood of thousands of people. Despite the tension in the air, I maintained a composed demeanor, my Alpha authority radiating subtly yet unmistakably.Even though nothing seems unusual, my wolf is restless since the moment we have stepped here. He is clawing inside me, demanding to be set free. I am struggling to keep my wolf in control.As if sensing my struggle, Alexei is instantly by my side.The last time I remember him behaving like this was when rogues attacked our pack. "Out now." I manage to get these two words through b
AnastasiaDarkness clings to me, dense and heavy, but it starts to slip away little by little. My body feels light, like I am floating in water, but when I try to move, a dull ache spreads through me. My fingers twitch first, then my toes. My head feels too heavy to lift, but I force my eyes open.The room around me is dimly lit, unfamiliar. The air smells clean, carrying hints of pine and something faintly smoky. I blink a few times, my vision adjusting to the soft glow of a lamp on the nightstand. The bed beneath me is warm, the blankets tucked around me like I belong here. But I don’t.Panic grips my chest, snapping me into full awareness. I push myself up, ignoring the way my muscles protest.Patting my waist and then my thigh, where I strap my second dagger, I look for my weapons. But there is nothing.My heartbeat pounds against my ribs as I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. My boots are gone too. I search the room, my gaze darting to the furniture.A dresser, a small tab
JakeI don’t like this. Not one bit.Rogues creeping closer. Hunters sniffing around. Trouble coming at us from every damn direction.It used to be quieter. Sure, we had threats, but nothing like this. Now, almost every week, we find signs of rogues too close to our borders... scents that don’t belong, paw prints where they shouldn’t be, carcasses left behind like warnings.It’s not just a few wanderers anymore. They’re moving in groups, testing the edges of our land, and none of us are taking it lightly.But the rogues aren’t the only problem.The hunters are here too.We’ve found traces of them in the neutral land, tracks, old camps, abandoned traps. We don’t know if they came because of the rogues or if they were already here, but it doesn’t matter. Hunters are never good news.I don’t like not knowing why they’re this close. If they’re just tracking rogues, fine. We don’t need to cross paths. But if they’re here for something else, if they’re watching us… that’s a whole different
Anastasia**A few months later**Every step feels heavier than the last.My legs shake, my muscles scream, and the deep gash on my side throbs like a warning I refuse to listen to. I press a hand against it, feeling the warm, sticky blood that won’t stop.My breath comes in short gasps, and my vision blurs for a second before snapping back into focus.Keep moving. Just a little more.Stopping isn't an option.I press my hand against my side, feeling the warm, sticky blood seeping through my fingers.Damn it.Where the hell are the others?My heartbeat pounds in my ears, drowning out the rustling of the trees around me. They wouldn’t have left me. No way. Something must have happened. Maybe they got separated. Maybe they’re still fighting. Maybe they’re dead.No. No, I can't think like that.I suck in a sharp breath, trying to ignore the way my vision blurs at the edges. They wouldn’t abandon me. They couldn’t abandon me.That’s what’s ingrained in us. Never leave your own.One for all
Anastasia's POVThere are two ways to live in this world. Our world. You either step up and be brave, choose to be the predator, or you cower, bow your head, and live as prey.I choose the first. Always have.Hunting is more than just instinct. It’s the rush in my veins, the fire in my chest when I move, when I chase, when I strike. My body doesn’t hesitate. It knows what to do before my mind even catches up. Every step, every breath, every heartbeat... it all leads to one thing.The kill.That’s not something you can fake. You can’t learn it, not from a book, not from someone else. It’s something that’s just... there. Deep inside. Like a second heartbeat, pulsing through me.And it’s real damn hard to fight against something that’s carved into your bones, something that’s built into every fiber of your being. Only if my father would understand.Don’t get me wrong, I love my father. Always have, always will. He’s done everything he could for me, tried to raise me with care, to protec
The first thing he registers upon waking is the quiet.No, not the silence because nature never allows that... but the kind of quiet that settles deep... that is constant and familiar.The rustling of leaves, the soft stir of the wind, the distant sounds of life beginning to wake. Everything as it should be.His senses pick up on everything, long before his feet touch the ground.It’s instinct. Survival. Something that doesn't seem out of ordinary to him becase it is his second nature to assess, to calculate, to prepare. By the time he’s out of bed, he’s already piecing things together—last night’s events, today’s responsibilities, the things left unsaid.. the tasks that needs his attention. Everything.Mornings are the only time he has to himself, before responsiblities catches him, before people start looking to him for answers. He takes his time, moving through the routine that is more habit than thought.His mornings are not rushed, but never lingering either. A shower, the stea
Tonight is the kind of night that feels untouched by sorrow, where happiness shines in every face, unburdened and free.He stands at the edges of it all, not quite a part of it, but not apart from it either. Watching. Taking it in.Tonight, Sophia finally became the Luna.His eyes find her, and his lips curve into a soft smile as he watches her. She glows beneath the moonlight, laughter bubbling from her lips as she spins Rose in the air, their joy mirroring each other’s. She has come so far and endured so much, and now, finally, she has everything she has ever fought for. And yet, what frustrates him is how she still doubts herself.She doesn’t see it... the way people look at her, drawn in by something unnameable yet undeniable. There is a quiet strength in her, a fire that refuses to die, and an instinct to protect that rivals even the fiercest warriors. From the moment he met her, he felt it, too. There is this strange sense of ease that she carries with herself like you could un
Sophia Elder Merope places her hand gently over my arms causing me to look away from Mikhail."You both have bonded as Alpha and Luna among your pack," she looks between me and Mikhail, "Now, only the final ritual remains."I look at her questioningly.I have already bonded with the pack. What more could be needed?Merope offers me a small, knowing smile. "This tradition has been practiced in our pack for generations. It holds great significance because it creates a link between the Luna and her pack… without the Alpha."I blink, the meaning settling in slowly. A bond without Mikhail? I glance at him, but he doesn’t seem surprised. He already knows.My brows pull together in confusion a link between Luna and her pack without Alpha, it is something unheard of.Sensing my confusion she continues explaining. "This bond is to ensure that if something ever happens to the Alpha, the pack will not be left broken. They will not feel abandoned because their Luna will still be with them. And i
SophiaMikhail’s hand slips into mine, his grip warm and steady. He squeezes lightly, and that simple touch says everything. I am not alone in this. He is here, right beside me, and he is not going anywhere.I take a breath, letting the moment settle deep inside me. I am not afraid. I won’t let him down, and I won’t let this pack down either.That is what I have learned... to focus on what I can control and leave the rest to fate.Shifting my gaze from the pack, I glance at Mikhail. There’s something in his eyes that pulls me in, something deep and unshakable. Love. Pride. Maybe even reverence. I can’t name it exactly, but whatever it is, it has me locked in place, drawn to him in a way that feels like gravity itself.Without a second thought, I interlace our fingers and tug him closer. My free hand finds the side of his face, my palm meeting the rough scrape of his stubble. The contrast between the sharpness and the warmth of his skin sends a shiver down my spine. He tenses under my
SophiaThe closer I get to you, the bigger my smile grows. I can’t help it. It’s like my heart is too full, spilling over, lighting up every part of me.But you just stand there, watching me like I’m the only person in the universe that matters. Like I’m the only thing you see.You’re awestruck. I can see it, even behind that carefully blank expression.There was a time when your stoic face used to shake me, used to leave me second-guessing what you were thinking. You never let anything slip, well, except your anger sometimes. That, I always saw.But now? Now, I love this about you. I love that your emotions aren’t for the world to see. They’re for me. Just me. I love the way you let yourself be open with me, the way you give me a side of you that no one else gets to see. I love that I get to be the one who knows the truth behind that unshaken mask.Your face gives nothing away, but that has never stopped you from showing me how much you love me. You don’t need words. You never have.