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
Mikhail Hearing Rose's cries was one of the most painful things that I could have ever experienced... and trust me, I have experienced hell. I felt so helpless and angry because there was nothing I could do. Her grip on me not once loosened as if she was still scared that someone might hurt her, and it broke my heart. The face on which I have always seen a bright, mischievous smile was coated with fear.So I can't even imagine how Sophia might be feeling when Rose feared her as well, it must have devastated her. The moment I step into the living room with Rose cradled in my arms, I feel the weight of Sophia’s eyes on me. Her presence is like gravity—impossible to ignore, even from across the room. But now all I can think about is Sophia. I lower myself onto the couch as gently as I can, careful not to wake Rose. She shifts slightly in her sleep, her little head resting against me, completely unaware of the chaos that almost consumed us both. I feel the low rumble of my wolf,
SophiaI still feel the heat of his touch, the way his lips melded against mine, desperate and raw, yet it only deepened the ache inside me. Could I trust him? Could I trust a man who shattered me?What is the guarantee that he will not once again break my heart? The weight of Mikhail's kiss lingers on my lips, a confusing mix of comfort and pain. But somewhere, my heart knows that there is no turning back because the sincerity that I have felt through his actions has managed to crack the walls that I had built around my heart.I turn my gaze away from Mikhail before he can catch me staring at him as he stands near the window and looks outside.Rose shifts in her sleep, her small body curled up on the couch. The innocence on her face, untouched by the horrors we’ve faced, soothes a part of me. But my heart clenches painfully when I remember how she recoiled from me earlier—how her eyes filled with fear, the same fear I saw in the eyes of the enemies I've defeated. My own daughter was
Sophia Mikhail and Jake instantly stop talking and turn to me when I step outside the house. The bright light of the afternoon sun causes me to squint as I walk toward them.Mikhail subtly shifted in front of me, shielding my eyes from the sun's glare. When I glance at Jake, he has a teasing look in his eyes as he raises his eyebrows at me questioningly. Embarrassment coats my face, and I try my best to hide the blush because everything feels so awkward. But I guess I failed because now even Mikhail has a hint of a playful smile on his lips.Jake, sensing my awkwardness, clears his throat and turns serious before he speaks."Sophia, I feel it is time that you should tell Rose about Mikhail. She should know that he is her father. We all can see she already loves him, and somewhere, she recognizes him as someone who is strongly connected to her. We can see the connection between them from the moment they have met, earlier, we couldn't understand why, but now we know the reason." Jake gl
SophiaSince the moment Rose was born, I promised myself to protect her from every pain and harm. That even included keeping her away from her father because I didn't trust him to accept her. I was afraid of her sharing the same fate as mine.But Mikhail proved me wrong.He loves Rose, and there is no doubt about it. The way he looks at her, the bond they already share—it’s undeniable. And it fills me with an emotion I can’t quite explain.There’s a part of me- the selfish part-that still wants to keep Rose all to myself, that protective instinct that tells me she’s mine and only mine. But I know that’s not fair.Not to her and certainly not to Mikhail.They belong to each other too, and it’s time I fully accept that.Rose is just waking up, and momentarily, fear grips my heart as her sleepy eyes look at me. I still can't entirely shake away the image of her fearful eyes looking at me. Picking her up, I hold her while slightly rocking her.But when her eyes meet mine, all I see is tru
SophiaSince that moment when Rose called Mikhail "Dada," the weight that I had carried on my heart for so long has lifted, but only partially.Seeing the two of them bond so easily, so naturally, brings me happiness I didn't expect. Rose needs him, and as much as I feared this moment, I know that their relationship is important. Mikhail has a right to be a part of her life, and she has a right to know him as her father.But me?I find myself pulling back.It's not something obvious—at least, I don't think it is. I still smile, laugh, and share in their little moments together. When Rose reaches for him with those tiny arms, her bright eyes full of joy, I can't help but feel relief. I want this for her, for them. But when it's just Mikhail and me, a distance settles between us, unspoken but heavy. I'm careful not to let it show too much, yet the space is there. I know he senses it, but he hasn't said anything. Not yet.How could I not put distance between us? I still remember the pain
SophiaI can’t find my voice, the words tangled in my throat. I want to ask him what he means, why he’s saying this now, but the look in his eyes stops me. It’s raw, unguarded, and it holds something I haven’t seen in him for a long time—vulnerability.I glance at Rose, her tiny body curled up on the couch, breathing softly, completely unaware of the chaos swirling inside me. This tension between Mikhail and me isn’t just about us anymore. Rose is in the middle of it, and that thought burns more than anything else.I stand up, needing to move, needing space to think, but Mikhail steps in front of me before I can make it to the door. His expression is unreadable, his eyes searching mine for something I’m not sure I can give.“Sophia, we need to talk. Really talk. This—what we’re doing—it’s not working. We can't avoid our past forever.” He’s right. We can’t keep avoiding the conversation, skirting around the things that need to be said. It’s not just our lives hanging in the balance any
MikhailThe moment I have Sophia in my arms, it feels like my heart is finally able to beat again, like my lungs can take in air properly.I didn’t realize how much I was suffocating until now. Until she was here, pressed against me, where she belongs.Having her back in my arms feels like I’ve gotten my life back, like I’m whole again.But then, she shifts slightly, trying to take a step back.A growl rips from my chest before I can stop it, deep and primal. My arms tighten around her instinctively, refusing to let her move away.My wolf is losing it, clawing at me, desperate to keep her close. Possessiveness surges through me, raw and unrelenting. I don’t want her to go—I can’t let her go. Not even for a second.Sophia laughs softly, the sound light but a little tired. Her arms tighten around me, and for a second, it feels like she’s holding on just as much as I am.“I’m dirty,” she murmurs, tilting her head back just enough to meet my eyes. There’s something teasing there, but also
MikhailShe’s drenched in blood, but it’s not hers. It drips from her fingers, streaks down her arms, soaks into the floor beneath her feet.She’s trying so damn hard to keep it together, to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. But the second I tighten my arms around her, she breaks.A shudder runs through her body, and then she’s shaking, her walls crashing down as she buries herself against me.“I was so afraid I’d lose you…” Her voice cracks, barely more than a whisper. “I’ve lost myself, but I can’t bear to lose you.”She presses her face into my chest, her sobs muffled against me. I hold her tighter, one hand cradling the back of her head, the other gripping her waist like I can somehow keep her from falling apart.“I’m right here,” I murmur against her hair. “I’m not going anywhere.”Her fingers dig into my back, clutching me like I’m the only thing keeping her together. And maybe, in this moment, I am."This darkness is suffocating," she whispers, her voice barely hol
MikhailSophia doesn’t even glance at Artemis. It’s like she’s not even there. But her eyes? They stay locked on mine, unblinking and intense. There’s no sense of recognition in them, no softness, no warmth. Just something cold and distant.Still, I feel her.Our mate bond doesn’t hum with the warmth it once had, but it’s there, faint and pulsing like a thread stretched too thin but refusing to snap completely. She doesn’t say a word, doesn’t make a move. Just keeps staring at me, her gaze drilling into mine like she’s waiting. Then I realize... she’s waiting for me to see her, to really see her. All of her. The darkness she carries, the evil she’s let in, it’s twisted and terrifying, but beneath all that, she’s still my mate. She’s still Sophia.And she needs me to accept that. She’s not looking for judgment or fear. She wants reassurance, a promise that I’m not going anywhere, no matter how deep her shadows run. She needs to know I’m still with her, that I won’t turn my back on he
MikhailSophia's smile falters just enough for me to notice. There’s a flicker in her gaze—unsure, almost fragile—and it hits me like a punch to the gut. My heart clenches as I watch her wrestle with whatever storm is brewing in her mind.“You don’t hate me,” she says, her voice so quiet it feels like a secret.The vulnerable side that wonders if she deserves to be loved.... that her darkness would make me not love her.Anger floods through me, hot and fierce, almost too much to hold back.Because this uncertainty I see flickering in Sophia’s eyes, that doubt gnawing at her, it didn’t just come out of nowhere.It’s him. Gregor. That worthless piece of filth lying broken on the ground. He’s the reason she even questions her worth. He’s the one who planted this poison in her head, making her feel like she can’t be loved, like she’s undeserving of it. Every insult, every cut he threw her way was meant to chip away at her, to leave her feeling unloved and worthless. I take a deep breath,
MikhailGregor’s cries fill the air, raw and broken, as he tries to get away from Sophia. He’s crawling like a beaten dog, dragging himself through his own blood. It smears across the ground, a trail of his pathetic attempt to escape.His hand clamps over the empty socket, but it doesn’t stop the blood. It pours down his face, dripping onto the ground, staining everything in his path. His body shakes like a leaf in a storm, and all the while, Sophia watches him with that same cold, detached look.He’s finally tasting his own medicine, and damn if it doesn’t feel satisfying to watch.All that fake power, that smug confidence he wore like armor, has crumbled. What’s left is the real Gregor: a coward who can’t handle the pain he’s dealt out to others for so long. It’s poetic, really.Sophia stands up slowly, her movements are steady, almost graceful, as she straightens herself. The blood on her claws glistens under the dim light, dark and sticky.Without a flicker of emotion, she wipes t
MikhailSophia somehow lifts Gregor even higher, her claws tearing the tendons of his neck even more.The raw strength in her is unreal. He’s gasping, his hands clawing at her wrist, but she doesn’t flinch. If anything, her expression hardens even more, her jaw set in cold determination.Gregor’s no small guy. He’s built like a damn boulder, broad shoulders, thick arms... he is Alpha even if he is illegitimate; he still has blood in him. Sophia, though? She’s barely half his size, slender and petite compared to him. Normally, anyone would assume she wouldn’t stand a chance against someone like him.But right now, none of that matters. Her strength is something else entirely, something that shouldn’t even be possible. She’s got him off the ground like he weighs nothing, her hand gripping him with ease. Gregor struggles, his muscles flexing as he tries to fight back, but it’s useless. He looks like a child in her grasp, completely powerless.And then, with a sudden force, she hurls him
MikhailSophia’s gaze shifts to me, and for a moment, the cold mask she’s been wearing cracks. Her eyes soften, and a flash of pain crosses her face. It’s so quick that I almost think I imagine it, but then she whispers, her voice trembling with something I can’t quite place."Leave."There’s regret in her tone, maybe even a hint of helplessness. Her eyes shine with unshed tears, and for a second, I forget the darkness radiating from her, the raw power she’s been wielding like a weapon."I am not going anywhere," I hold her gaze steadily.Her lips part, and there’s this flicker of vulnerability in her expression."You wouldn’t want to witness this," Her voice breaking slightly.Something about the way she says it makes my chest tighten. It’s not just the words—it’s the regret laced in them, the quiet plea for me to walk away.The tears glistening in her eyes are such a stark contrast to the ruthless strength she’s been showing. If it weren’t for Gregor dangling helplessly from her cla
MikhailGregor laughs, and then his eyes land on me. There’s a smugness in his gaze, a sick kind of satisfaction that makes my blood boil."It’s been so long since I’ve been with you," he says, his voice dripping with mockery as he shifts his attention back to Sophia. But I know his words are aimed at me. He’s trying to get a rise out of me to prove that he won."So long since I’ve properly held you," Gregor continues, his tone turning low and possessive like he has some kind of claim on her. "But now, my longing will finally end."My wolf growls inside me, but I give him a sharp warning to stay in control. However, it’s taking everything to hold him back because he is on the verge of taking control.This bastard is so twisted he doesn’t even care that the woman he’s drooling over is someone who used to call him father. It churns my stomach just thinking about it. The way he looks at her now, like she’s some prize he’s been waiting to claim, makes me want to rip him apart all over ag
MikhailColdness settles deep in my chest as the silence stretches after her words. I lock away every emotion clawing at me, burying them under a layer of ice. My eyes stay on her face, maybe searching for the glimpse of Sophia that I know.But I find none.Have I really lost her? No, it can't be because a part of me refuses to believe this, even when everything screams that she is gone.“I’ll take you to Gregor.” My voice is flat, my tone sharp as I curtly nod.“What the hell are you saying?” Caleb’s voice cuts through the tension like a whip, his outrage spilling into the air. “You’re gonna take her to that bastard? Are you out of your mind?”Out of the corner of my eye, I see Caleb step forward, his hands balled into fists, but I don’t move. I keep my gaze on Sophia.A small smirk lifts the corner of her lips as she raises an eyebrow like she’s enjoying the chaos her words have created. It’s not a smile I recognize. It’s taunting and cold.“Yes,” I say firmly, ignoring the way Cale