Sophia The sun dips lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden light across the field as Rose clings to Mikhail’s neck. She is talking his ears off, but he doesn't seem to mind at all. In fact, he is soaking in all the attention that he is getting from her. Mikhail gently sets her down, but she stays close, her fingers clutching the edge of his shirt. Her eyes are wide, curious, as she gazes up at him with a seriousness that makes her look like a copy of him. I can see Mikhail is trying to fight of the smile that is threatening to appear on his face because she looks so adorable with her serious expression. "Dada," she says, her voice small but determined. Mikhail crouches down, bringing himself to her level. “Yes, Rose?” “I... I want to see it.” Her words come out in a rush, her tiny brow furrowing in concentration. “See what, pup?” Mikhail blinks, clearly not understanding. “Dada,” Rose suddenly murmurs, her voice sleepy as she climbs in my lap and rests against me. “Can I s
SophiaThe coldness that washes over me as Mikhail looks at me with a predator's gaze is like ice water over my skin. All the warmth, all the comfort that fills my heart when he’s near—gone. In that moment, he’s no longer the man I love, the father of my child. He’s a stranger, a threat. And that look in his eyes—the wild, untamed hunger—it’s like I’ve never known him at all.My breath hitches, my muscles locking in place. His growl deepens, a sound so raw and primal it sends a shiver down my spine. My heart races, but I refuse to back down. I refuse to let fear control me.I harden my gaze, every tear that had gathered moments ago drying up as something darker takes over inside me. I lock eyes with him, feeling the shift in the air, the tension, the instinct to survive. A growl rumbles from my chest, low and fierce, something I haven’t felt in years.“I don’t want to hurt you,” I growl back, my voice steady but laced with a warning. “But I won’t hesitate if you push me.”His wolf’s l
SophiaI wake up gasping, the sensation of drowning in cold water making my body jolt violently. My heart is pounding, my breath uneven as I struggle to gather my bearings. It feels like someone has poured ice water over me, the chill sinking into my bones.Disoriented, I blink rapidly, trying to make sense of my surroundings. That’s when I notice him.Mikhail.The first thing I see is Mikhail's worried gaze, his eyes filled with fear and uncertainty as he cradles me in his arms. One arm is wrapped around my back, supporting me gently as though I might break if he holds me too tightly. In his other hand, I notice he's holding an empty water bottle, drops of water sliding down his fingers."You're awake," he breathes, relief flooding his voice as his grip on me tightens for just a moment, as though he's afraid I might slip away again. His thumb brushes against my cheek, sending a spark of warmth through the icy numbness still clinging to my skin."Sophia, are you okay?"My mind is stil
MikhailI feel the exhaustion in every muscle as I finally make it back to Sophia’s house in the afternoon. My body is aching, heavy with fatigue, and as I shift back into human form, the toll of the last week hits me hard. For days now, I’ve been making this routine—running back to my pack at night, taking care of the duties that can’t wait, and then returning to Sophia and Rose.Being an Alpha isn’t something I can put on hold, even if my heart is here, with Sophia and Rose.I walk over to the car parked behind the thick trees, hidden away from everyone's eyes, my skin prickling with the leftover remnants of the shift. Digging out a fresh pair of clothes from the backseat, I catch my reflection in the window—dark circles under my eyes, the exhaustion clear in every line of my face. I can feel the strain of sleepless nights settling deeper into my bones. It’s getting harder to ignore. The pack needs me, and I can’t afford to neglect my responsibilities, but I don’t want to force Sop
MikhailI sit in my office, fingers drumming on the polished wood of my desk, eyes scanning over yet another report.Useless.It’s all useless.Every lead I've followed on the rogue attack has come up empty, and it's wearing my patience thin. I flip through the files, searching for something—anything—that could point me in the right direction, but every scrap of information is either dead ends or vague rumors that won’t get us anywhere.My jaw tightens, frustration coursing through me as I toss the file aside. Every instinct in me is screaming to find them, to tear them apart for daring to come near my family. But I can’t do that without knowing who they are and where they’re hiding.The latest breaches at the border, all from the Redwood Pack, are piling on the pressure. Gregor has already been warned—several times—but he seems to be ignoring every one of them. A low growl escapes my throat as I clench my fists, anger simmering just beneath the surface.Tensions between the packs ha
Sophia Sometimes I struggle to put into words what Mikhail and I share. Once, our relationship had a name—a bond, a title that was supposed to define us. Yet back then, it felt hollow, as if it meant nothing. Now, though, when it’s everything, when it consumes my thoughts, I don’t even know what to call it.We’re bound in ways that don’t need a label, but without one, I feel lost sometimes. Is it love? Is it fate? Or is it something far deeper, something primal that goes beyond words? I’ve never known a connection like this before, and it frightens me just as much as it comforts me.When Mikhail broke me, I was afraid to allow myself to trust anyone, especially him. But now trusting him seems as easy as breathing. No doubt or fear lingers in my heart anymore... the only thing fear that I have is losing him when I have truly found him again. I love what we have in this moment. But deep down, I know it can’t last forever. He can't keep juggling between me and his responsbility towards
Mikhail Sophia glares at me, her eyes blazing with anger. I can practically see smoke coming off her ears. Damn, I have never seen her this much angry before. And is it crazy that I find it hot? But I will keep that thought to myself because I don't think she will appreciate it. Not at least at this moment. However, at the same time, my patience is worn thin, and fury courses through my veins, hot and unrelenting. This isn’t just about us anymore... it’s about her safety. She keeps glaring like she’s daring me to challenge her, but I can’t let her win this fight. Not when their lives are at risk. Finally, she storms off, her footsteps heavy as she leaves me standing there. I turn my attention back to Jake, Caleb, and Lucas. Jake’s brows are furrowed slightly, the subtle crease between them indicating he’s deep in thought. Caleb and Lucas, on the other hand, have this strange mix of expressions on their faces. Amusement. Fear. Like they find the interaction between me a
Sophia The moon hangs high in the sky, full and luminous, bathing everything in silver light. The pull is even stronger out here, like a magnet drawing me toward him. Through the trees, over the grass, my heart pounding in time with my steps. The pull is unbearable now, and my wolf moving forward, faster, faster. Toward him. I break through the clearing, and there he is. He’s on edge, pacing, his eyes wild and searching. The moment he sees me, our eyes lock, and the intensity of his gaze hit me like a wave. It’s raw, untamed—full of the emotions we’ve both been trying to contain. And I realize... there is no fighting this. There never was. He is mine... mine second chance. Second chance at life... and second chance at happiness. I move toward him slowly, my wolf finally calming in his presence, knowing that this is where we belong... this is where our search ends. The pull that I fought so hard against now feels like a lifeline, a connection I can’t survive without. I nuzzle
AnastasiaSophia has let me borrow some of her clothes since we wear the same size. I’m relieved when I go through them and realize her style is pretty close to mine. She picks comfort over everything else, just like I do. No flashy stuff, no weirdly tight outfits that make it hard to breathe... just simple, easy clothes that feel like me.Hurriedly, I tug on the jeans and my hands move fast, my pulse a little too quick, but I ignore it. This isn’t a big deal. I’m just... curious. That’s all.Jake shifting into his wolf shouldn’t be interesting. I’ve seen it before. Plenty of times. And every single time, it meant a fight, blood, and making sure I walked away instead of them. But now? The thought of seeing him shift makes something stir inside me.I tell myself it’s just because I want to see if he’s different. That’s it. Nothing else.Taking a steady breath, I pull open the door and step out, only to freeze when I find him already there, leaning against the opposite wall like he’s be
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