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
SophiaThe silence between us lingers, but it's no longer as suffocating as it was before. Mikhail's confession—raw, vulnerable, and painfully honest—left me reeling, but also… lighter. It's not forgiveness, not yet, but maybe it's the start of something.A new beginning? I don’t know.He stays quiet beside me as we walk back through the woods, the tension that once hung heavy between us, easing into something softer.Not quite peace, but not war either.The wind has settled, leaving a soft, cool breeze that dances through the trees, rustling the leaves in a way that almost feels like the world is finally exhaling along with me.I glance at him, catching his eyes for just a second before looking away, pretending to focus on the path ahead. I feel his gaze on me, the intensity of it. There’s something different in his expression now—determination, maybe? Or is it hope?Stopping, I bend down to pick up one of the wildflowers I often take whenever I take this path.I look up just in time
MikhailThe scent of them is like a poison cloud, thick and heavy in the air. Hunters, their presence a constant threat, a shadow that lingers in the corners of our world. I crouch lower, my muscles tense, my wolf snarling inside me, a caged beast eager to be unleashed.Jake and Caleb are beside me, their breaths coming in ragged gasps, the weight of the situation pressing down on us. We're outnumbered, but that won't stop me.I can hear their voices now, faint but clear, a chorus of low growls and hushed whispers. They're circling, closing in, their intentions as clear as the moonlit sky above.I raise my head, my eyes scanning the darkness. I can see their shapes, shadowy figures moving through the trees, their weapons glinting in the moonlight. They're hunters, but they're not like the hunters we've faced before. These are different, their eyes filled with a feral hunger, a thirst for blood.They charge, their screams echoing through the forest, a chilling sound that sends a shiver
SophiaMy heart pounds in my chest, adrenaline surging through my veins as I stand over Mikhail. His body lies on the ground, shifting between wolf and human form, his wounds gushing blood with each ragged breath.The pain in my own body is nothing compared to the agony I feel at the sight of him. My fur still bristles with the remnants of battle, but all my focus is on him. I shift back into my human form, my muscles aching and trembling from exhaustion. I kneel beside Mikhail, my hands shaking as I gently move him into a more comfortable position. His body is warm, but his skin is pale, and the blood seeping from his wounds is a dark, ominous pool on the forest floor."Stay with me, Mikhail," I murmur, my voice choked with emotion. My hands work quickly but carefully, applying pressure to the worst of his wounds, trying to stem the flow of blood. The metallic tang of it fills the air, mingling with the earthy scent of the forest.His eyes are closed, his breathing shallow and uneve
MikhailMy body feels heavy, like I’m sinking, my limbs stiff and weighted as though they’re made of lead. I try to open my eyes, but even that feels like an impossible task.A slow, ragged breath escapes my lips, and with it comes the realization that I’m alive. But there’s something wrong. Something off.I can feel the faintest trace of warmth lingering in my chest, the remnants of something that once filled me, but now there’s only a void, an emptiness I can’t quite explain. It gnaws at me, like a hole that’s been ripped wide open, leaving me hollow. It’s an indescribable feeling, one that tightens around my ribs and pulls at my heart.Forcing my eyes open, the world blurs into focus. The light in the room is dim, casting long shadows across the walls. The scent of the place hits me first—familiar, yet distant. My heart tightens at the faint traces of something comforting, something that clings to the air, providing slight relief from the suffocation that I am experiencing.Sophia.
Anastasia I knew I wouldn’t be the same when I came back, but I didn’t think it would feel like this. It’s not just sadness. It’s something deeper. There’s this hollow space inside me, like something important is missing and nothing fits right anymore. Like I left a part of myself behind and now I’m walking around trying to function without it. And maybe that’s exactly what happened. Maybe I did leave a part of me behind. With him. With Jake. The distance between us is eating at me. Four days. Just four damn days, but it feels like I’ve been stuck in this weird stretch of time where everything moves in slow motion and nothing feels real. It’s like my body’s here, going through the motions, but my heart’s somewhere else, still wrapped up in the way his voice sounds when he says my name or how his eyes lock on mine like they know me better than I know myself. Every second drags like it’s meant to remind me I’m not where I’m supposed to be. It punishes me for leaving, and no matter
AnastasiaJake’s arms are wrapped around me, warm and solid, his heartbeat is the only sound I care about right now. It's slow under my ear, steady like the rise and fall of his chest. The grass tickles my arm a little, and the scent of pine and damp earth fills the air, but all I can focus on is the way Jake’s fingers brush lazy circles against my back.I’ve got my arm slung over his chest, my head tucked right into that perfect spot where shoulder meets neck. It feels safe here, even though we’re lying out in the middle of the woods with nothing but leaves above us and sky peeking through.I don’t want to move. I don’t even want to blink too fast, like doing anything more than breathing might break this spell. We’ve both found a kind of peace in this stillness.Jake drops a soft kiss on top of my head, lips lingering for a second, and I feel it all the way through me. My eyes flutter closed just for a beat, soaking it in. Then I feel his chest expand with a quiet sigh, and his arm t
AnastasiaJake presses a kiss just above my collarbone, and a delicious shiver runs through me. My fingers sink into his hair without even thinking, loving the way his lips linger on that exact spot. I feel his smile, soft and warm, against my skin before he kisses the same place again, slower this time like he’s memorizing it.Then he leans back a little and locks eyes with me. There’s something in his gaze that makes my heart stutter."This is where you’ll carry my mark," he whispers, his voice rough, like gravel dipped in honey. "For the world to see that you belong to me… but not now."His eyes drop to my neck, and I see it... the tug of war playing out inside him. The desire for his mate to proudly carry his mark for everyone to see against the instinct to keep her safe."Hey…" I grab his face gently in my hands, thumbs brushing his cheekbones as I smile at him, trying to placate him. "I can’t wait for the world to see that my man is a possessive wolf who totally loses his mind if
AnastasiaJake stares at me like I’ve just dropped the moon in his lap. His mouth parts like he wants to say something, but nothing comes out. His eyes... God, his eyes, they darken so fast, it’s like watching a storm roll in. The idea of marking me has him lit up from the inside out. I can practically feel his need crash into me like a wave. But even though I’ve said yes, even though I’m right here, offering myself to him in a way that’s as vulnerable as it gets... he holds back.I see it all over his face—the war. It’s in the way his jaw clenches, the way his chest rises and falls like he can’t get enough air. His wolf is right there, just under the surface, clawing to get out. I can almost feel it, that hunger. That need. His wolf wants to claim me. To mark me. To pull me close and never let go.But Jake? Jake’s trying so damn hard to hold back. He thinks he’s doing the right thing. Thinks if he lets go, if he gives in, I’ll pay the price. That this will somehow hurt me. That he’s
AnastasiaI think my body forgot how to breathe.Like, actually forgot. My lungs feel like they just hit pause, and my heart... God, my heart... it’s thumping weird, like it’s not sure what it’s supposed to do after Jake said those words. So simple. So calm. Yeah, I do.And now I’m just... frozen.I don’t even know how those words slipped out of my mouth in the first place.But you love me.What was I thinking? I wasn’t. That’s the truth. I wasn’t thinking at all, which is rare for me. I’m usually careful, always in control, always one step ahead. But in that moment, I wasn’t any of those things. I was just... me. And he saw it.I still can’t tell if it was the best thing I’ve ever said or the worst slip-up of my life.My head’s a mess, feelings tangled like wires I don’t know how to separate. But one thing sticks out through all the noise... loving Jake doesn’t scare me. That’s the weird part. It should, right? It should terrify me. But it doesn’t. It feels like I’ve already been doin
JakeI feel like the air just got knocked outta my lungs.She says it like it’s nothing. Like it’s just some random fact. But it’s not. It’s silver. She drank silver.I stare at her, and my brain short-circuits. My ears ring, and I swear for a second I don’t even hear the rest of the room. Just her voice, echoing over and over again in my head.I was made to drink silver.My whole body is shaking. My hands ball into fists and my claws almost break through. I’m trying to breathe, trying to keep control, but it’s not working."They tried to kill you," I whisper, my voice shaking so bad I can barely get the words out.My heart's pounding so hard, I feel it in my throat. I look at Magnus and Melissa, and find the same kind of anger visible of their faces at this discovery, but mine is much worse. My vision blurs red."I’m gonna kill him." I growl it so low, so deep, it barely sounds human. I’m not even sure who I’m talking about, but if I ever find the bastard who did this, they’re dead.
AnastasiaMagnus reacts just as fast, his own shift tearing through the air like thunder.Claws clash. Teeth snap.The two of them collide like a storm, fur, and rage tangling in a blur of violence. Jake’s darker wolf is pure muscle and fury, slamming into Magnus like the thirst of his blood craves him.Magnus isn’t any less fierce—his white-gray coat stands out, but he moves with power, meeting Jake head-on without hesitation.The sound of their snarls and growls tears through the space, sharp and raw. Dust kicks up around them, and the wolves crash into trees like they’re nothing.My legs move before my brain does. I scramble to my feet, my heart slamming in my chest, and I’m halfway to them when a strong grip yanks me back.“Anastasia, no!”He pulls me against him, holding me there as I struggle.“Let me go!” I shout, pushing against Caleb’s arm again, but he doesn’t budge. “They’re going to kill each other!”I glance around, expecting someone — anyone — to jump in to stop this mad
AnastasiaWhat the hell is Jake doing here?First he says he doesn’t care. And now, just when I’ve started trying to pull myself together, trying to not let him take up space in my head, he’s back. Popping up like I somehow invited this mess. Over and over again, he keeps showing up like some test the universe is throwing at me just to laugh at me.I follow right behind Magnus as he walks toward the front of the pack house. His steps are quick, his expression unreadable. I’m not trying to make a scene, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want answers. Especially about who this other Alpha is that decided to tag along with Jake and Caleb.Is one of the other Alphas whose pack is here? If yes, then I need to use this to my advantage and gain his trust as well.I keep my head up and face calm, even though inside, I’m already planning how to make the best of this situation.Jokes on you, universe; I will use every challenge you throw at me for my own benefit.The moment I step closer, I f
AnastasiaWe’re sitting in Alpha Magnus’s office. The room is bigger than I expected, filled with heavy, dark wood furniture and a large desk at the center. Magnus leaned back in his chair, arms crossed, looking at me like he knows I am here not just to meet them but I am something important to share. Luna Melissa stands beside him, one hand resting on the back of his chair, the other idly playing with the pendant around her neck. The quiet in here is heavy, but it feels... comfortable, like something similar to when I discuss something with Mom and Dad.Without wasting any more moment, I come straight to the point, “I’m part of a mission the Hunters are planning. It’s to clear out rogues in the northern region. They’ve been growing in numbers, and it’s becoming too much of a risk. We’re supposed to neutralize them... take them out, wipe them off the map."My gaze travels to Nova, who is standing beside the window with his arms crossed.Then I meet Magnus’s eyes, and I don’t flinch. “