Zach tore through his once humble town, now a battlefield drenched in destruction and mayhem. The acrid scent of smoke and blood hung heavy in the air as screams of panic mingled with the guttural growls of combat. Untrained pack members and those too weak to fight fled frantically towards the pack house, their terror palpable. Meanwhile, the strong and able surged forward, following the scent of blood and the sound of battle.He had hoped this attack might be manageable, but that hope withered as he approached the gates to the perimeter. Rogues—dozens of them—pressed forward with unrelenting ferocity. They came in all forms, some in their monstrous wolf shapes and others in their scarred, bloodied human skins. There was no method to their madness, only an unholy wrath that drove them to slaughter everything in their path.Ahead, Zach spotted Cole locked in combat, holding his ground against two rabid rogues while still in human form. One wolf, filthy and scarred, leapt at his throat,
"Into the packhouse! You’ll be safe there," Lucille called out to an elderly woman hobbling as quickly as her frail legs could manage, her gnarled hand tightly clutching that of a young boy no older than five. The old lady nodded gratefully at Lucille’s urging. Lucille gestured towards the open doors of the packhouse, where Nora stood in the doorway, ushering people inside to safety.As the pair hurried past her, Lucille turned her gaze back towards the town. Her sharp eyes scanned for any stragglers in need of help. Smoke billowed in thick, choking clouds from several homes now ablaze in the distance, the acrid stench mingling with the metallic tang of blood saturating the air.She was about to retreat to the packhouse when a flicker of movement caught her eye through the smoky haze. Lucille froze, muscles taut, and narrowed her eyes, hoping it was more pack members seeking refuge. But as the shapes became clearer, her heart sank. Three shadowy figures emerged, their movements predat
“Where’s Lucille?” Zach demanded, his voice sharp as he approached Bo and Nora outside his home. He had just finished securing the perimeter, ensuring the wounded were being seen to, and giving orders for the bodies of the fallen to be cleared. The exhaustion from the fight was beginning to weigh on him, but when Bo linked him to say Lucille had wandered off, a new wave of tension crashed over him.“I don’t know,” Bo admitted, his tone steady despite the Alpha’s obvious irritation. “One minute she was here—she’d just taken down one of the rogues—and the next, after I checked on Nora, I turned around and she was gone.”“That woman is my mate and the future Luna of this pack if she’d have me. And you just left her unguarded?” Zach snapped, his irritation flaring. His eyes burned with anger as he bore down on his beta.Bo didn’t flinch, but his jaw tightened. “She was safe one moment, and then she was gone. You know how unpredictable Lucille can be—”“That’s not the point!” Zach’s voice
"Lucille, stop!" Zach’s voice carried after her, harsher and angrier than she had ever heard before. Yet she didn’t slow down. Her feet propelled her forward, carrying her swiftly into the bedroom. She yanked open the wardrobe, her movements sharp and mechanical, and grabbed some clean clothes from the items provided to her—a gesture meant to make her feel at home. The irony didn’t escape her as she tossed a plain T-shirt onto the bed and swapped out her bloodstained vest for it. Shrugging it on, she rifled through for a clean pair of leggings. Casual wasn’t her style, but she needed comfort for what she was about to do."Lucille, don’t ignore me!" Zach growled as he stormed into the room. His footsteps were heavy, and his frustration rippled through the air. Before she could react, his hand shot out, gripping her arm and spinning her to face him. "You don’t get to pull some disappearing act, come back looking the way you do, and then be pissed at me because you overheard a conversati
When Lucille entered rogue pack territory, she was struck by how much her perspective had changed. It wasn’t the town that was different—it was her. She used to glance past the ragged shifter men loitering on the streets and the mated females walking with their heads bowed, doing their utmost not to draw attention. Back then, she hadn’t seen the place as a lost cause but rather as a project—something broken that could be repaired with time and effort.Now, though, she saw it for what it truly was: a prison. A vast cage veiled by the illusion of freedom and relaxed rules. The reality was that anyone who joined this pack lived under Joseph’s oppressive thumb. While the lack of traditional pack laws might have been alluring to some, it also meant Joseph held absolute power, wielding it to demand anything he desired. Defiance wasn’t just punished—it was lethal.The vulnerable members of the pack suffered the most. There were few children and elderly, but those who remained adapted quickly
The journey to the Eclipse Pack had been long, tense, and cloaked in silence. Zach gripped the wheel, his jaw set as he navigated the miles ahead. The drive spanned countless hours, broken only by a ferry ride across the shimmering waters, and then more driving until, at last, they approached the borders of Alpha Owen's territory.The Eclipse Pack's lands were vast, with sprawling terrain dotted by scattered villages. Unlike other packs, whose centres of power were often rooted in urban areas, the pack house stood proudly on a cliff overlooking the rugged coastline. The waves below crashed against the rocks, their endless rhythm a stark contrast to the turmoil roiling within Zach.Alpha Owen's reign had spanned nearly sixty years—a tenure marked by wisdom and balance. His leadership was renowned not for the strength of his warriors, though they were formidable, but for the respect he commanded both within and beyond his borders. He valued the freedom of his pack members, allowing them
“It’s been ages since I’ve visited Owen. If it were under different circumstances, I’d probably feel a little more excited,” Cole muttered, his gaze fixed on the blurred landscape passing by the window.Zach tightened his grip on the steering wheel, his jaw tensing. “I feel the same. Ever since my dad died, I’ve seen less and less of Owen.” His voice softened, a touch of melancholy bleeding through. “Things were so much simpler when we were kids.”His chest ached with a familiar longing—the yearning to return to a time when life was less complicated. Back when his parents were alive, leading the Crescent Moon Pack together as Alpha and Luna. The weight of responsibility hadn’t yet fallen on his shoulders, and the pack’s watchful eyes didn’t carry the heavy judgement they did now. Yet, as much as Zach wished for those days, the thought struck him: if he could go back, Lucille wouldn’t be there. That realisation hit harder than he expected, leaving a hollow ache in its wake.The car slo
Owen had escorted Zach, Cole, and Rita back to his office, explaining what had transpired with Tristan and Serena. The atmosphere was heavy, each step echoing the weight of the revelations. Once they were inside, Owen gestured for everyone to sit. He lowered himself into one of the chairs, his movements deliberate, while Rita and Cole followed suit. Zach, however, chose to remain standing, his posture stiff and unyielding as if rooted by an unspoken tension."So, some of the ex-rogue pack members saw Serena and Tristan and helped them get here?" Cole asked, his disbelief evident.Owen nodded, his expression sombre. "Yes," he confirmed, leaning back in his chair."Did they give much information about how Serena and Tristan escaped?" Cole pressed, though his gaze flickered nervously towards Zach. The Alpha’s face was a mask of cold detachment, his thoughts seemingly trapped in a deep, shadowed place."Well..." Owen paused, his eyes momentarily settling on Zach before continuing. "It app
"You need to shave," Nora remarked, raising an eyebrow as her brother wandered into the dining room.Zach grunted in response, sinking into a chair and helping himself to the already-served breakfast in the centre of the table. "It's fine. Bo still avoiding me?"After Zach had returned from arranging plans with the other Alphas at Owen’s, he’d had a long-overdue sit-down with Bo. The man had little to say, other than admitting that his talk of giving up on Lucille had been fuelled by anger—anger at having his own mate placed in danger. He regretted not stopping her, and Zach believed him. As punishment, Bo had been temporarily demoted to Gamma, with Cole stepping up as Beta in his place. Zach had needed someone he could trust to help enact the plan to rescue Lucille, and Cole, despite his usual grumbling, had proven himself reliable.Now that Joseph was gone, Bo had been reinstated, much to Cole's relief—he'd never enjoyed the added workload—but things still weren’t the same.It had b
“Lucille!” Zach yelled, rushing over and gathering her into his arms, ignoring the pool of blood spreading across the floor beneath her. His heart thundered as he cradled her fragile form, her skin alarmingly cold against his.Lucille looked up at him, her eyes heavy-lidded, and reached a trembling hand to cup his cheek. He leaned into her touch, her warmth—faint though it was—sending a storm of conflicting emotions through him. Relief at finally holding her again clashed with a paralysing fear as he realised something was wrong. She wasn’t healing fast enough.His gaze fell to the silver choker still clasped around her neck. A low growl rumbled in his chest as he tore the jewellery away, the clasp snapping beneath his claws. The instant it was gone, Lucille’s body sagged in his arms, a soft sigh of relief escaping her lips.“Oh, Lucy,” Cole muttered, his voice breaking as he took in the extent of her injuries.“What are you doing just standing there?” Zach barked, his panic spilling
All she could do was sit there, paralysed, as she watched flesh collide with flesh, Zach and Joseph a blur of relentless movement. Punches were thrown, claws slashed through the air, and each strike narrowly evaded the other. Neither of them had shifted—yet. They had opted to stay in their human forms, testing their endurance, trying to wear the other out.Lucille didn’t even notice Cole approaching until he was at her side, a bloodied figure emerging from the chaos. He crouched next to her, hauling her up with surprising gentleness. She gasped, her eyes widening at the blood covering him.“Relax. It’s not all mine,” Cole quipped, a dry chuckle escaping him as he steadied her. “Well, most of it isn’t. Can you walk?”Lucille nodded weakly, her gaze sliding past him back to the fight. Zach had just landed a brutal blow to Joseph, sending the man doubling over. For a moment, blood gushed from Joseph’s side, but his Alpha healing kicked in almost immediately, sealing the wound. Alphas wer
Lucille thought she would feel different. As Joseph’s summons pulled her towards the great hall—a place that had only ever been the backdrop of her despair—her heart felt heavier with every step. The first thing she noticed was his scent, the one she’d once found intoxicating. Pine and earth, steady and grounding. But now, it seemed muted, distant, like a memory that no longer belonged to her.And then she saw him.Zach stood at the centre of the hall, his back to her, surrounded by a sea of shifters. His presence was as commanding as ever, but there was an edge of desperation in the way he carried himself. Her steps faltered, uncertainty gripping her. Was she a lost cause to him now? Did she disgust him, her body now claimed by another?She couldn't blame him if he did. She wasn't fond of herself, either.Since Cacey's attack, something inside her had broken. She'd clung to Joseph's protection, knowing it was wrong, hating herself for relying on the man who had destroyed so much of h
Zach had to fight the urge to chuckle as the guards closed in around him. Their movements were swift and practised, forcing him onto his knees as they restrained his hands behind his back. He let them; their display of authority was almost amusing.The man standing in front of him—clearly the leader of the patrol—was linking back to his Alpha, the tell-tale glaze in his eyes betraying the silent telepathic exchange. Zach tilted his head slightly, watching the man’s expression shift from stern focus to something closer to unease as the link ended.“Untie him,” the commander ordered sharply.“What? But he’s an intruder!” one of the guards, a smaller man with a wiry frame, protested.“We are under strict instructions to escort Alpha Zachary Lochwood of the Crescent Moon Pack to the hall,” the commander replied, his tone leaving no room for debate.“How do we know he really is who he says he is?” the smaller man piped up again, suspicion flickering in his narrowed eyes.“That’s not for us
The sound of footsteps echoed faintly from the hall outside, these ones heavier and more clunky despite an obvious attempt at stealth. There was a brief scuffle at the door—muffled shuffling and the faint scrape of metal—before it creaked open with deliberate slowness.Lucille didn’t lift her head to greet her uninvited guest. She couldn’t. The scent that drifted into the room was enough to churn her stomach, making her glad she wasn’t facing whoever it was.Cacey.The name settled in her mind like a heavy stone. He stood above her, his lips curling into a cruel grin that stretched ear to ear, the menace behind it palpable. The way he had entered—unannounced and without caution—told her everything she needed to know. Joseph hadn’t sent him.“Look at the state of you,” Cacey sneered, his voice dripping with mockery as his tongue darted out to wet his lips. “Not so pretty now, are you?”“I suggest you leave,” Lucille said, her voice low but firm as she shifted towards the far side of th
Zach took a deep breath as he made his way back down to the medical floor. He could only hope Serena would be in a more receptive mood this time, though her resistance so far didn’t give him much confidence. Still, this was about Lucille, and whatever Serena’s feelings towards him, Zach knew she would want to hear that they had a plan.The meeting with the other alphas had dragged on for hours. Many had been reluctant to act, but after hearing testimonies from Zach, Rita, and a handful of former rogue pack members, they had finally been convinced to take action. With that step behind him, Zach’s next task loomed: returning home with Cole to prepare his pack for the battles to come. He’d also need to sit down with Bo, explain everything, and address the rift his Beta’s actions had caused. But before all that, he had one more conversation to finish here—one Lucille would have expected of him.The sterile scent of disinfectant filled his nostrils as he walked across the pristine white fl
She felt numb. How long had it been since she’d arrived? Days blurred into weeks, time losing all meaning in the suffocating fog of her existence. Back in this wretched excuse of a pack, Lucille was little more than a shadow of herself. Stripped of purpose, she was forbidden from resuming the duties she’d once taken pride in. Instead, she remained tethered to Joseph, either kept by his side or confined to their room. She wasn’t his mate—she was his possession. The collar and leash that bound her were tangible proof of that cruel reality.Yet, no matter how much she loathed him, Lucille couldn’t entirely shut out the insidious warmth of adoration seeping through the mate bond. It crawled into her mind like a disease, threading its way through her thoughts, weakening her resolve. She fought it with every ounce of strength she had, desperate not to yield, but each day the pull grew stronger. The untamed bond between them solidified, like chains tightening around her soul.Though Joseph t
The sky was a canvas of grey, thick with overcast clouds, and the waves below crashed and roared against the cliffs with relentless ferocity. The once serene view of the ocean had turned hostile, its surface churning a dirtied, turbulent brown as the harsh wind whipped the water into chaos. Zach stood by the window, his sharp blue eyes scanning the angry seascape. The scene mirrored his inner turmoil, his restlessness growing with each passing moment.The Alpha meeting was set to take place today, and Zach had remained at Alpha Owen’s home, waiting for the arrival of the other Alphas. He knew many had travelled long distances, but he hoped they were prepared to sit down and hear him out immediately. At the very least, he wanted them to listen to his side of the story before they sought rest, giving them the night to mull over his words and begin to form a plan.Zach had spent much of his stay checking on Tristan, despite Serena’s visible discomfort with his presence. Though she allowe