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
SophiaI try not to squirm under Mikhail’s watchful eyes as he sits beside me, his presence a calming force despite the storm inside my chest. He hasn’t left my side since the others cleared the room, and now, he’s watching me like a hawk, concern etched into every hard line of his face.“Are you hungry?” he asks, his voice soft but filled with that quiet authority that never seems to waver.I shake my head quickly, my cheeks still warm from the teasing earlier. “I’m fine.”Mikhail’s eyes narrow slightly, and without another word, he goes outside and a few moment laters he bring a bowl of soup and some bread. He picks up the bowl of soup from the tray he has brought. The spoon dips into the broth, and I realize with growing horror what he’s about to do.“Mikhail, I can feed myself,” I say quickly, sitting up straighter, trying to regain some sense of control.He doesn’t even acknowledge my protest, just brings the spoon to my lips, his expression calm but determined.“I said, I’m fine
SophiaI’ve been staring at the same four walls for too long.My legs itch to move, and my body feels heavy with the kind of stiffness that comes from lying in bed for far too long. Normally, I am busy with running after Rose and doing things for her. But Rose is with Lucas and he is looking after her until I am fully recovered. I don't sit idle neither lying all day and doing nothing is not cup of my tea. I need to do something before I lose my sanity.A shower. That’s what I need—a shower, something to refresh me and clear my mind. Maybe that will help me to feel like myself again.I glance over at Mikhail, who has been sitting quietly beside me, his eyes flicking over me.Slowly, I push the blankets off and swing my legs over the edge of the bed. The cold floor bites at my bare feet, but it’s a welcome sensation. I grit my teeth and start to rise, my body protesting the movement as though it has forgotten what it’s like to stand on its own.I steady myself for a moment, testing
SophiaIt’s been a few days since the attack, and even though life is slowly returning to normal, the lingering tension is hard to shake. Everyone is still on edge, senses heightened, and every movement feels sharper, more deliberate—like we’re all waiting for the other shoe to drop.It feels anything can happen at any moment.Mikhail is in touch with Alexei, but nothing helpful has been found. I don't know whether Mikhail has told Alexei that he has found me or not, because Mikhail never talked about anything related to pack with me. However, I have sensed he seems a bit agitated whenever he talks to Alexei. I didn't ask him what is happening back at the pack because I don't know where I stand when it comes to pack matters.I sit outside on the porch, bundled in a light blanket despite the mild chill in the air, watching the others train. Jake is leading the session, his voice carrying across the field as he barks orders, pushing everyone to their limits. Who can say these people are
MikhailThe fire crackles softly, filling the room with a quiet warmth, but it does little to dissipate the tension that hangs in the air. I sit with Jake, Caleb, and Lucas, the remnants of dinner lingering in the kitchen as Sophia takes Rose upstairs to bed.Jake sits across from me, his expression as unreadable as always, though there’s a subtle edge to his demeanor tonight. Caleb is next to him, quieter than usual, but his eyes meet mine every so often—something that didn’t happen before the attack. There’s no animosity in his gaze now, just a sort of grudging acceptance, or maybe understanding.We may not be close, but after what we’ve been through, we’ve reached a kind of truce. We both care deeply about the people around us, even if we show it in different ways.I glance at Lucas, who’s sitting off to the side, his brow furrowed, lost in thought. Out of all of us, he looks the most troubled. His eyes flicker toward the stairs where Sophia and Rose disappeared moments ago, his wor
Sophia I stretch slowly under the blankets, taking a moment to savor the peacefulness of the early hours. For the first time in days, there’s no overwhelming heaviness dragging me down, no sharp ache that makes me want to curl up and stay hidden. I feel… better. Not entirely back to normal—my body is still sore, and my energy isn’t anywhere near what it should be—but the fog of exhaustion has lifted, and the familiar hum of my wolf’s presence is stronger now, steadying me in a way that’s comforting. It’s been so long since I felt her this clearly. For a while, it was like she was barely there, just a faint whisper in the back of my mind, too weak to even respond when I called. But now… I can sense her stirring, her warmth seeping through my veins, though I know she’s not ready to come to the surface yet. Shifting would be too much right now. I can feel it in the way my muscles protest even the slightest movement, the way my bones still feel fragile, as if they haven’t fully mende
Sophia When Mikhail had gone to answer his phone, the idea of picnic suddenly came to me. After everything we’ve been through, a small escape seemed like the perfect way to make new memories. When I shared this idea with him, he instantly agreed because he felt it might be good for Rose to meet his wolf in a place where she is already relaxed. The lake has always been a special place for Rose and me. I have been taking her there since she was a baby. Whenever she used to cry and I couldn't know how to comfort her, I used to take her there. And still now it’s where I’d take her when we needed a quiet moment, just the two of us. A place surrounded by tall trees and the soft shimmer of the water. I always felt connected to nature there, and I could see that same sense of connection in Rose whenever we visited. It became our little special place. Rose and I have made some beautiful memories together and are still making them, and now even Mikhail deserves to make some of his own with
SophiaMy gaze follows Rose as she chases after a fluttering butterfly, her laughter echoing through the trees. She looks so free, so full of life. My heart swells with joy as I watch her. This moment, this peace, feels like a dream I’m afraid to wake from.Beside me, Mikhail is stretched out, his eyes closed, the weight of the world seeming to ease off his shoulders for the first time in a long while. His face, which usually carries a hardened, battle-worn expression, now looks soft and peaceful, but I notice the dark circles under his eyes.I shouldn’t stare, but I can’t help it. Mikhail has been through so much, and seeing him like this—so vulnerable, yet so strong—stirs something inside me. Without even thinking, my hand reaches out, my fingers gently grazing the skin under his eyes, as if I could somehow erase the exhaustion that clings to him.Instantly, his hand shoots up, grabbing my wrist with a firm yet gentle grip. His eyes snap open, alarm flashing in them for a brief mome
AnastasiaSteam curls around me, thick and hazy, clinging to my skin like a second layer. The water rushes over my shoulders, hot enough to sting, but I barely notice. My mind is somewhere else.I drag my fingers over my ribs, tracing the faint lines where deep wounds should be. Almost like a day before, they were raw, torn open, pulsing with pain. Now? Nothing but thin, almost invisible marks. If I hadn’t seen the blood, felt the sharp bite of the injury, I’d think I imagined the whole thing.This isn’t normal. No one heals this fast.I press my palm flat against my side, half-expecting some kind of pain to remind me it’s real, that I didn’t just dream it. But there’s nothing. Just smooth skin and a lingering unease curling in my stomach.It is not just physical healing... something inside me also feels different. There’s a strange lightness inside me, like some invisible weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It’s not something I can explain, just this… feeling. Like I had been ca
AnastasiaJake rests his head against mine, his breath warm and steady. For a moment, neither of us move. I tell myself I should push him away, that I should put space between us, but my body betrays me. Instead, I find myself leaning into him, just slightly, just enough to feel the weight of him against me.I don’t know what’s happening, but something about the way he exhales, like he’s carrying something too heavy, tugs at something deep inside me. The distress in him does something to me, something I don’t want to name.Yeah, real good, Anastasia. A few minutes ago, I was ready to kill him, and now I want to comfort him? What the hell is wrong with me?Damn him for making me this confused, emotional mess. I don’t even know if confused-emotioned-person is a real word, but it sure as hell describes exactly what I feel right now.Is he sniffing me?I freeze, my whole body going still as I feel his breath near my neck. My heart stumbles in my chest, unsure whether to speed up or stop co
AnastasiaThe silence stretches, thick and heavy. I stand perfectly still, barely breathing, listening. The feeling of being watched presses against my skin, raising every hair on my arms. My pulse thuds in my ears, but I don’t let it distract me.Whoever... or whatever is out there, they’re good. No obvious movement, no careless sounds. But I know better than to trust the quiet.I let my body relax just enough to lull them into thinking I don’t sense them. My hand stays loose around the knife in my pocket, my feet shifting slightly like I might just turn around and head back inside.A trick. A test.And then—there.A flicker of something just beyond the trees, barely more than a shadow against the darker night. My eyes snap to it, and my instincts scream.I don’t hesitate.I move fast, charging toward the presence with steady, even steps. The crunch of leaves under my feet is the only sound as I close the distance, heart pounding, mind sharp.The air changes. A shift, like the forest
AnastasiaEver since I woke up here, one thought won’t leave me alone.Why hasn’t anyone come looking for me?Thankfully, I lied to Mom and Dad before I left. Told them I was heading to a music festival in the next town and wouldn’t be home for a week or so. They won’t be looking for me. Won’t be worried. Because I couldn’t tell them the truth.I couldn’t tell them I was going on a mission with the other hunters.If I had, Dad might have actually forgiven me for once, but Mom? She would have put two bullets in me before I even got out the door.Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating. But still. Mom would have almost killed me.I know if they knew, they would have found me by now. Hell, they wouldn’t have even let me go missing in the first place.But they don’t know.The people who do know, the ones who should have been looking, the ones who swore to have my back... where the hell are they?This place is the closest set of houses near the woods where we were. If my team realized I was missing,
JakeThe steady rhythm of the axe hitting the log fills the shed, the sound sharp and familiar. I lift the axe again, bringing it down with force, splitting the wood clean in half. The motion is automatic, something I have done a thousand times before, but my mind is nowhere near the task at hand.It is on her.Anastasia.I don’t know when it started, this thing where she takes up space in my head even when I am not trying to think about her. It is frustrating. Distracting. But no matter how many times I tell myself to stop, she is still there. In every damn thought.And my wolf constant nagging to go 'mate' isn't helping me either.I grab another log and place it on the block. My grip tightens around the axe, and I swing again, letting out a slow breath as the wood splits apart. It should be enough to clear my mind, but it isn't.My head is a mess.So many questions, so many pieces that don’t fit. I go over everything again and again, trying to make sense of it, but nothing adds up.
AnastasiaSurreal. That’s the only word that comes close to describing how I feel right now.Maria holds her newborn daughter, her eyes still teary but shining with something soft and overwhelming. Her fingers brush gently over the baby’s tiny cheek, and she looks up at me with so much gratitude that it steals my breath for a second."Thank you," she whispers. "I don’t know what I would’ve done without you."I blink, caught off guard. People around us nod in agreement, offering smiles and murmurs of appreciation. Someone claps me on the shoulder, another woman touches my arm, her grip warm and full of thanks.It’s strange. Not bad—just different.Back home, I’m not unappreciated, not exactly. But when I step up to help, it’s because I’m expected to. There’s no moment like this, no heartfelt thanks, because it’s just what I’m supposed to do. My responsibility. Nothing special. Nothing to be grateful for.But here? Here, they look at me like I did something that matters. Like I made a di
AnastasiaAfter finishing lunch, I decide to step outside the room. Sitting around isn’t going to give me answers. If I’m going to be stuck here, I need to know more about these people.Sophia mentioned the kitchen earlier, saying I could grab something if I needed it. That seems like a good place to start. As I make my way there, I stop in my tracks, my instincts flaring up.A huge man is sneaking up behind Sophia.She doesn’t notice him at all, completely oblivious to the fact that someone is moving toward her with silent, measured steps.Oh, hell no. Not on my watch.Before I even think about it, my body moves. I grab a knife from the sink, keeping my steps light as I approach. But before I can get close enough, he suddenly turns around. His reflexes are fast, but not fast enough to stop me.I drive my foot into his gut, making him stumble back. The moment his balance shifts, I push forward, forcing him to his knees and pressing the knife against his throat."Who are you?" My voice
JakeAnastasia.The woman I have been trying to stay away from is now staying in my sister’s house.Great. Just great.I drag a hand down my face, trying to push back the frustration clawing at me. Of all the damn places, why here? Why in Mikhail's pack’s territory, under my family’s roof?What was she even doing this far out? Dave’s land isn’t anywhere near here. She should not have been close to his pack's borders, not unless she had a reason. But what kind of reason would bring her all the way out here?And more than that, how the hell did she end up so badly hurt?The memory of her broken state slams into me. Blood. Bruises. The way she barely clung to consciousness. My wolf stirs, letting out a low growl inside me, restless and pissed.Who did that to her?She must have run into rogues. Stupid girl, wandering alone when she knows how dangerous the forest can be. She should have been more careful.But the thing is that something in me tells me that she isn't careless. And the rogue
AnastasiaThe woman steps inside, her gaze warm as she looks at me. "How are you feeling?"I open my mouth, then close it. I don’t know how to answer that. My body isn’t screaming in pain like before, but my mind… it’s a mess. I feel strange. Suspicious. Confused.I was badly injured. The kind of wounds that should take months to heal. But here I am, almost fine, only a few faint scars left behind, like my injuries are months old instead of… however long it has actually been.None of this makes sense.And yet, there is something about her, about this whole room, that makes it hard to stay on edge.I swallow, forcing out the only answer I can manage. "Better."She smiles, like she understands more than I am saying. "Good."Beside me, Rose wiggles happily, still grinning. "She took my cookie," she announces proudly, like that somehow means something important.The woman chuckles, shaking her head. "Did she now?" Her eyes flick to my hand, where I am still holding the half-eaten cookie.I