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.
SophiaThe darkness is thick, endless, like I’m floating in a vast, empty void. There’s no pain here, no weight pulling me down, but there’s also no light, no warmth. Just this quiet nothingness that stretches in every direction.For a long time, I drift. My mind is foggy, thoughts slipping through my fingers like water.But something shifts—a feeling, faint at first, like the smallest flicker of a flame. It’s warm and familiar, and it tugs at me, gently pulling me toward the surface.Rose.Her name pushes through the haze, and the weight of everything I’ve done rushes back to me all at once. The pain, the fear, the desperation to save him—to save Mikhail—and then the relief to know that he must not be suffering anymore. I can still feel his wounds, still feel the deep ache in my soul.I fight against the darkness, struggling to break free.I try to reach out, but my body feels so heavy, like it’s made of stone. My limbs refuse to move.Everything is so still, so quiet.But Rose... sh
SophiaEvery part of my body feels heavy, but the ache from yesterday has dulled. I’m still weak, but there’s something about the morning that feels... peaceful.The room is filled with quiet laughter and the sound of familiar voices. I shift slightly, noticing Jake sitting in the corner, his arms crossed, his usual serious expression on his face as he watches Caleb and Lucas.“And I’m telling you,” Lucas is saying, his voice filled with mock exasperation, “there’s no way you could’ve made that jump. You’re not that fast.”Caleb grins, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Oh, really? Because I’m pretty sure I made it before you even saw me leave.”Lucas narrows his eyes at him, shaking his head. “No chance. You got lucky—”“I don’t believe in luck,” Caleb interrupts with a smug smile. “Only skill, Lil Lucas. That you lack.”“Yeah, sure,” Lucas snorts, rolling his eyes. “Next time we’ll find out.”“Find out what?” I croak, my voice raspy and weak, but the words slip out before I can stop
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.
SophiaClutching the roses tighter to my chest, I start walking towards the clearing.There is a lightness in my steps as I make my way to the clearing.Every memory tied to this place plays in my mind like a movie, scene after scene flickering across my heart. The first time I stepped into this pack, lost and uncertain. The first time I met Mikhail, the way his presence felt like a storm I wasn’t ready for. The first time he touched me, and my entire world tilted on its axis. The first time I felt betrayed, when I thought there was no hope for me, when I was sure I would always be a burden, always be unwanted.But then, the first time I felt loved. Truly, deeply loved. The first time I realized I had someone who would take care of me, who would hold me when I was breaking, who would see every shattered piece of me and decide to put me back together anyway. The first time I knew, without a doubt, that I was wanted.With each step, every moment I have shared with Mikhail rushes through
SophiaLucas suddenly stiffens, eyes glazing over for a second. Then, without a word, he takes off like someone just lit a fire under him.I blink, watching him sprint down the hall. "What the—"Before I can finish, he skids to a stop and turns around, pointing a finger at me. "Stay here. Come down in five minutes."I raise an eyebrow. "And why is that?"He shakes his head, already backing away. "Just do it, Fifi. Five minutes!" Then he’s gone.I laugh to myself, shaking my head. They are trying so hard to be all secretive, but they suck at it. I already know what’s coming, but honestly, that makes it even better. Watching them scramble, whisper, and fail miserably at hiding things just makes everything more special.I haven’t seen or heard from Mikhail since this morning, and that is weird. He is always checking up on me, finding excuses to touch me, kiss me, or at the very least, mindlink me just to say something stupid like, Are you thinking about me? or I am feeling deprived of yo
SophiaHappiness feels strange sometimes.For so long, I thought it wasn’t meant for me. That no matter how much I reached for it, it would always slip through my fingers, teasing me with something I could never hold on to.But now, standing here, wrapped in the warmth of love, I feel it. I own it. And for once, I don’t have to be afraid that it will disappear.I step out of the room, my heart still light from the moments I just shared with Mom. The soft rustle of my dress follows me as I move into the hallway. Before I can take another step, strong arms wrap around me."Happy birthday, Fifi." Lucas picks me up from the floor and twirls me once before setting me down.I let out a soft laugh, hugging him back just as tightly. "Thanks, Lucas."When he pulls away, he looks me over and lets out a low whistle. "Damn. Where is my sister? And who is this girl."I roll my eyes, but a grin tugs at my lips. "Shut up."Lucas chuckles, but something in his eyes is off. It’s subtle, the way his sm
SophiaSitting in front of the vanity, I stare at my reflection in the large mirror. My fingers rest lightly on the edge of the table, but my focus is on the girl looking back at me.There was a time when I couldn't do this. When I first stepped into this pack, I used to cover the mirrors. I couldn't stand to see myself. Because watching my reflection used to overwhelm me.Looking felt like facing every scar, every wound, every shadow I carried staring back at me. It made me feel things that I was deprived of... because every story of pain used to be etched in the depths of my eyes.Looking at myself only reminded me of the girl who had no one, who felt like she didn’t belong anywhere... the girl who was unwanted.But it isn’t the same anymore. The girl in the mirror is nothing like the one from a few years ago. This girl is happy. She is loved. She is strong. She is wanted.A small smile tugs at my lips as I reach up and touch my face, as if I need to make sure it’s real. I don’t jus