LOGINJuneI run faster than I ever have, my lungs burning, my heart slamming against my ribs as if it is trying to break free. The world blurs past me, nothing but instinct and urgency guiding my steps. I reach them in seconds, dropping to my knees as I scoop Astrid and Kane into my arms, pulling them tight against me. Their small bodies press into my chest, warm and trusting, and for a fraction of a second, everything else disappears.Then it doesn’t.In the space of a blink, the entire back compound fills with bodies. Masked men. Too many to count at first, but my eyes sharpen, my mind catching up. Fifteen. Maybe more. They move with precision, surrounding us in a tightening circle.And I know.They are not wolves.There is something off about them, something cold and calculated that doesn’t belong to my kind. Humans.My grip tightens instinctively. I press Astrid and Kane closer, angling their faces into me so they cannot see what stands around us. My chin dips, shielding them further.
JuneToday is the final test, and everything around the Academy feels like a fucking the hunger games.Everywhere I look, people seem different. Faces that usually carry boredom or mild annoyance now look sharp, focused, tense in a way that makes it seem like something much bigger is at stake. Some of them are pacing, running through movements in their heads. Others stand still but their eyes keep shifting, like they are already inside the test, thinking ten steps ahead.No one is on the field yet. No contestants. No instructors setting things up in a rush.Just… anticipation.And honestly, I don’t get the hype.It is not like you are going to die if you lose. No one is walking into something final. You either pass or you don’t. That is it.Simple.Clear.But looking at them, you would think this decides everything.But the way people are acting, you would think their entire lives depend on this one day.I walk along the edge of the training grounds, my hands tucked loosely into the p
JuneThere is so much to take in.So much that should probably feel overwhelming, confusing, maybe even frightening. New words, new meanings, things about myself I did not know existed until now. But none of it unsettles me the way it probably should.This is how I have always lived.One moment at a time.Taking what comes, adjusting, moving forward without trying to control every outcome. Life has never given me the luxury of certainty, so I learned early how to exist without it. And somehow, all of that makes this easier.I do not fight it.I do not question it into pieces.I accept it.Caleb does not let go of my hand as we walk back toward the Academy. His fingers stay wrapped around mine, firm, like my touch is something he needs. Not in a weak way. Not in a way that asks for reassurance.More like something instinctive.Something that just is.I let him.The path is quieter now, the sounds of the forest fading behind us as the lights of the Academy come into view. I glance ahead
JuneI lift my head slightly from his chest, my hands still resting against him, still holding onto him without thinking about it. The word is still echoing in my mind, soft but persistent, like it is asking to be understood.I look at him.“What is mate?” I ask.The question feels simple when I say it, but I know it is not. Not with the way he says it. Not with the way it makes something inside me respond without permission.He looks at me for a second, his gaze still a little rough around the edges, still carrying that wildness that has not completely settled yet. But there is something else there too now. Something softer. Something that is only for me.“You,” he says.His voice is quieter this time, not as coarse, but still carrying that raw edge.“You is mate.”I blink at him.Because that does not make sense.And somehow… it does.I don’t understand how he manages to say things in the simplest way possible, and still make them feel like they carry more meaning than a long explan
June The word mate lands in my ears, and for a split second, everything else fades.I don’t react.Not on the outside.My face stays exactly the same, calm and unreadable, the way I have trained it to be for years. No widened eyes. No sharp inhale. No flicker of confusion. Nothing that gives away the way that single word echoes in my head.Mate.My eyes stay on Caleb.His entire body is rigid, muscles locked tight, anger rolling off him in waves so intense that it almost feels like something you can see. His chest rises and falls hard, each breath carrying a low, dangerous sound. His grip around Kylie’s neck is firm, lifting her off the floor like she weighs nothing. Her hands claw weakly at his wrist, her face turning red, then pale.I should feel something else.Shock. Anger. Questions.What didn’t he tell me?What else is he hiding?But none of that comes.Because the moment that word leaves his mouth, something inside me settles.Like it fits.Like it has always been there, waiti
June Everyone is enjoying the dinner. The hall is filled with voices, laughter, movement. Plates clink softly, chairs scrape, conversations overlap in a way that makes the whole place feel full in a way I am not used to. It is warm. Lively. And yet, there is no sign of Caleb. My eyes keep drifting toward the entrance without me realizing it, like I expect him to walk in at any second. Each time, it is someone else. Aurora stays with me for a while, talking easily, filling the silence without making it feel forced. Then she gets pulled into another group, offering me a quick smile before she leaves. I am alone again. Misha is not far, but she is busy, laughing with some guy from the senior group of trainees, her face bright in a way that tells me she is finally relaxing. Kylie is nowhere to be seen. I do not know if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but I decide not to waste my thoughts on it. Suddenly, a plate of snacks appears in front of me, sliding onto the table. I l
AnastasiaI frown slightly, confused by Jake’s reaction. He still looks like he’s trying to solve some complicated puzzle in his head, his brows drawn together as if what I just said doesn’t make any sense to him.“Okay… what’s wrong?” I ask, tilting my head.Jake shakes his head slowly, his gaze s
Anastasia's POVThere are two ways to live in this world. Our world. You either step up and be brave, choose to be the predator, or you cower, bow your head, and live as prey.I choose the first. Always have.Hunting is more than just instinct. It’s the rush in my veins, the fire in my chest when I
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 wo
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







