SophiaThe sharp scent of pine and earth fills my lungs as I step into the training arena. The sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows across the open space, and a cool breeze rustles through the trees surrounding the clearing. I roll my shoulders back, feeling the familiar tension settle in my muscles, the anticipation of a good fight building inside me.I love to train because it not only clears my mind, but it also like a bonding session between me and my wolf, which I have missed for so many years. She is also in front, giving me strength, and sometimes also guiding my actions while I am fighting. But I have to keep her reminding that this is just a practice and we don't have to kill our opponent because she is fiery.Somewhere, her personality has rubbed off on me as well. I walk to the center of the clearing, where Alec is already waiting for me in his wolf form. His fur is a rich, dark brown, his eyes sharp and alert. He’s one of the best fighters we have, quick and str
SophiaI stare at Mikhail, his words hanging in the air between us. His gaze is unwavering, filled with a resolve that makes my heart race for all the wrong reasons.I try to keep my face from betraying the chaos inside me, but it’s a losing battle.Why is he doing this?But the important question is, why am I being affected?All these years of hate, and he comes back into my life, and again, my heart starts to betray me?I want to be furious. I want to rip into him, to tell him exactly how much I despise him for what he’s done, for the pain he caused me, for abandoning me when I needed him the most. But standing here now, with him looking at me like that—like I’m the only thing in the world that matters—it’s hard to hold onto that anger. It’s hard to keep my walls up.I clench my fists, nails biting into my palms, the pain a welcome distraction from the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me.“You don’t get to just waltz back into my life and say things like that,” I finally manage
Mikhail The distrust in her eyes cuts deep, a painful reminder of the damage I’ve done.But I deserve it; after how I have broken her heart, I deserve worse than this. I’ve hurt her in ways I can’t even begin to make up for.But there’s a small glimmer of hope buried beneath all the pain. She didn’t completely shut me out. She let me in, just a little, and that’s more than I could have asked for. I can see the cracks in the walls she’s built around herself, and I’m determined to keep chipping away at them, no matter how long it takes.I know I’m responsible for the pain we’re both going through. I made choices that tore us apart, broke her trust, and shattered her heart. I was selfish, blind to the consequences of my actions. But standing here now, watching her, I realize that I’m not the only one suffering. Sophia is hurting too, and it’s because of me.I run a hand through my hair, frustration and regret warring inside me. I wish I could take it all back and erase the mistakes I’ve
MikhailThis was not a good idea.Getting something out of her is nearly impossible.Because she is the Alpha, while I? Well, I am her Beta.And this Alpha is cruel."Throw prison!" Scrunching her eyebrows together, Rose glares at the plastic wolf with the missing tail, "Bad Wolf.""You want me to throw the rogue into the prison?" Raising my eyebrows, I look at her, confirming if that she wants."Hmm." She nods her head curtly, "Throw in prison.""Okay, Alpha." Picking up the plastic wolf, I throw it into the small hole she dug as a prison.Being Beta is not easy, and suddenly, after playing Beta to my little Alpha, I have a newfound appreciation for my Beta. I watch Rose as she plays with the little plastic wolves, completely engrossed in her world.Her tiny hands clutch them as if they are real, and she treats them like her pack. She's only two, but there's already something commanding about her, and it shouldn't be surprising because, after all, she is my daughter.She again starts
MikhailA golden glow is spread over the grass as the sun begins to set.Rose is still sitting in my lap, her little body resting against my chest, but she is quieter now.Glancing down, I press my nose against the top of her head and inhale her sweet smell. My mind is filled with different thoughts, but still, somewhere, my heart is at peace.Making things right with Sophia isn't just about her. It's about giving Rose the family she deserves— the family where she is loved and protected. I don't know anything about being a good father, but for Rose, I will be the best dad. I will do everything that I need to be the dad that she deserves.My thoughts are interrupted by the sound of the front door opening. Sophia steps out onto the porch, her gaze immediately finding us. There's a flash of something in her eyes—maybe sadness, maybe regret—but it's gone before I can be sure. She's gotten good at hiding her emotions from me, and I can't blame her. After everything I've put her through, sh
MikhailIn the guest house kitchen, I baked a small cake for Rose; since I didn't know what flavor she would like, I made a chocolate cake. Because I recalled how much she likes chocolate cookies, so I am just guessing that my daughter loves chocolates.The warm scent of chocolate fills the small guest house kitchen as I carefully pull the cake from the oven. It's the first time I've baked anything in my life, but for Rose, I'm willing to try anything—even if it means watching endless tutorial videos and figuring things out on the go.It would have been easy if I had bought a cake from the bakery, but I could not feed my pup anything whose ingredients I don't know.People might think I am being overly possessive, but I don't care. My wolf and I are not ready to trust anyone with her. Alphas are known to be possessive over their families, and since she is my firstborn from whom I had been separated, my wolf is insatiable. I am trying to be there for her, but this can't make up for the
SophiaI don’t regret it—not for a second, I regret killing those rogues. The moment those rogues set their sights on Rose, my instincts took over, and there was no going back. I had to protect her. She’s just two, far too young to understand why her mother had to become a monster to keep her safe. But still, seeing the fear in her wide eyes, directed at me, cuts deeper than any wound I’ve ever known.My hands are still trembling as if they are still stained with the remnants of the rogue’s blood. To Rose, I’m no longer just her mother. I’m someone capable of violence, of taking a life right in front of her innocent eyes.I swallow hard, pushing down the rising ache in my chest. She’s afraid of me. The thought lingers like poison in my mind. She had always come to me for comfort, to feel safe. But now, she seeks comfort in Mikhail’s arms.I know it’s normal. She’s too young to grasp the reality of what just happened, to understand that I was protecting her. But that doesn’t make the s
SophiaHe keeps holding me while I continue to sob... it hurts...it hurts so much.It feels like my heart will explode.The low rumble of his voice comforts me as he whispers comforting words while swaying me slightly.The sudden burst of anger consumes me as I push him away and glare at him. "All my life, I was made to feel unwanted and unloved, but nothing could have broken me. Because I knew it was all temporary, there was someone whom Moon Goddess had made for me... just like I was born for him." I step closer to him, my hands trembling as I clutch the front of his shirt again, feeling the rough fabric under my fingers. My voice cracks as I speak, but I don’t care. The raw pain in my heart is too much, too overwhelming, "I was tortured, I was humiliated, I was forced to feel worthless, but still, I had hope.""I had hope that one day... one day... my mate would come and put an end to all my suffering." I harshly push him away, "And then my mate came."The words have been buried i
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
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