Well, now where is Rolan?
The door bursts open with a deafening bang, rattling the walls, and I stumble back, nearly tripping over the sterile equipment scattered on the floor. I hadn’t heard anyone coming, not a single step, but the sound of it—it’s enough to make my heart stop in my chest. My hand twitches on the surgical tool I was about to use, and I spin around, instinctively backing away from the table. My eyes snap to the entrance. And there, standing in the doorway, is Rolan. Rolan, with Zander right behind him. And... a few other warriors I don’t recognize, their heavy boots clacking against the cold floor as they march in like they own the place. My scared self let out a sigh of relief the moment I saw Rolan. Just minutes ago, I had convinced myself that he had abandoned me here, leaving me alone to face whatever dark forces were behind this twisted laboratory. We had planned this, both of us knowing the risk, using me as bait to uncover the truth. But seeing him now, walking through tha
I step out of the building, the cold night air hitting my face, as I take in the scene. The staff members, the ones who'd been part of this twisted operation, are lined up in front of us. Their hands are tied tightly, the ropes cutting into their skin, and every one of them looks like they’ve been caught in some awful game they never signed up for.But the thing that hits me hardest is the dynamite tied to the ropes. No one’s going anywhere.I glance at Rolan. His gaze is locked on them, cold and unwavering. It’s the same look he gave me earlier — the one that says he’s not here to play nice. He steps forward, his boots clicking against the floor, and hisses as he approaches the masked man. The one who had almost broken me. The one who thought he could make me do anything.Rolan's words slice through the air. "Watch your back," he spits. "I'll be coming back for you, and for this sick lab of yours."I can’t help but freeze for a moment. There’s a certain power in his voice, in the
ROLANI’ve been awake for hours, but it feels like I’ve been waiting an eternity. Everything about Mara catches my attention. The way she thinks, how she holds herself, her sharp mind that cuts through every issue with ease—it’s… refreshing. When I’m around her, I see things from angles I never considered before. Leadership isn’t just about power or influence. It’s about vision, about knowing what needs to be done before anyone else sees it. And Mara? She’s got that in spades. Tonight, as I pull her into a conversation about the slave trade issue, I try not to come across as too eager. But hell, I’m *beyond* eager to hear what she thinks. We’ve just gotten home from the mess of a day we’ve had. Showered, eaten—chicken and vegetables, basic but satisfying. But now, this. This discussion of things bigger than us, things that have plagued my people for years, and I need her input. The room is quiet except for the occasional rustle of sheets of my bed which I’m lying on.I glance o
ROLANI watch as the rogue wolves huddle in the distance, their eyes wide with fear, a tinge of panic in the air. It's obvious—my scent, the scent of the royal Lycan blood, must've hit them. The same scent they associate with the secret slave camp. But then, something changes. Mara steps forward, and it's as if the tension in the air loosens. They stop pacing, the fear recedes, and a collective sigh seems to pass through the group. The same group that had once fled, running from horrors I can’t even imagine. Now they’re staring at her, some with uncertainty, others with a light in their eyes like a long-lost friend returning."You should’ve seen the way they froze at first," Mara whispers to me, her voice low but with that knowing smile she wears when she knows she has power over the situation. "But they trust me, Rolan."I glance at her, still trying to grasp everything. It’s odd, seeing her like this, the calm amongst these wolves who were so afraid of me just moments ago.One by
BRAXTONThe room is lit by bulbs and the big chandelier in the middle of the room, the atmosphere is filled with the scent of burnt tobacco and bitter herbs which my wife cooks every evening to purify the air.Lennox stands before me, his nervous energy almost palpable as he shifts his weight from one foot to the other. I lean back in my chair, fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. His news is both expected and inconvenient, but I keep my face impassive, waiting for him to finish.“You’re sure it was them, Lennox?” I ask, my voice low, steady. He nods, his eyes shifting around the room as if looking for an escape. “Yes, Braxton. It was them. I followed Mara and Rolan to the rogue hideout. They’re planning something big, and it’s clear—they’re aiming to take down the slave trade. I’ve never seen them so... committed. She’s leading him straight to it.”I already knew this. Still, hearing it from him feels like a sharp jab to the gut. Mara, the woman who’s been at the center of my
MARALong shadows are formed over the hideout by the moon's golden light as it falls overhead. The crackling of a neighboring fire is the only sound to break the still nighttime hum outside where Rolan and I are seated. There is a slight earthy and woodsmoke fragrance in the air. This place is odd—so vibrant, yet so different from all I'm used to. It’s already late, and the refugees around us are settling in for the night. Elowen, Rolan and I are packing our belongings and getting ready for tomorrow’s journey.Elowen, the one who’s been guiding us through this strange world, has promised to take us to the place where Isolde meets with them.“She comes every Wednesday to give out provisions—food, water, anything that can help us survive another week.”“Tomorrow’s Wednesday, and the meeting is just around the corner.”Rolan and I are staying here tonight, among the rogue wolves. We don’t have much choice if we want to get to Isolde. The road ahead will be difficult, but we need to g
BRAXTONI stand at the window, my gaze focused on the dark expanse of the forest beyond the walls of the manor. Every rustle of the leaves, every distant crack of a branch snapping under the weight of the night, feels like a ticking clock counting down to the chaos I’ve just set in motion. It’s time. Time to put an end to this little game Mara and Rolan have been playing. They think they’re the saviour, that they can hide behind their naïve sense of justice. But they have no idea what’s coming.I grab the glass of whiskey on the table beside me, my fingers wrapping around the cool glass with deliberate slowness. I bring it to my lips, the amber liquid burning a path down my throat. The fire is a welcome distraction from the cold, calculating thoughts swirling in my mind.I’ve been patient. Far too patient. Now, I’m done waiting.I pick up the phone, dialing the number of my most trusted allies. The line rings once, twice, and then a voice breaks through.“Braxton,” the voice growls
ROLANIt’s been a damn 18 hours. Eighteen long, grueling hours of bone-shaking bumps, car creaks, and the endless hum of the road. The kind of silence that presses on you until you can hear your own heartbeat loud enough to feel the throb in your teeth. I shift the car’s gear to park, the engine sputtering as the wheels stop in front of Steelpaw Cave. We’ve arrived. My legs feel like they’ve forgotten how to move as I drag myself out of the car, nearly tripping over my own feet. Zander’s already at the rear of the vehicle, unloading the bags. “It’s just up ahead, Rolan,” he says, without looking up. “You’re quiet.”“Quiet’s good for now,” I mutter, shoving the bag I’m carrying over my shoulder. “We don’t need anyone knowing we’re here.”Steelpaw Cave. A place we never thought we’d have to hide in. A cave of echoes, of betrayal. Isolde was supposed to meet us here. Thinking the Rogues will be waiting for supplies, supplies that would keep them breathing another day. But now, I’m
NARRATOR TEN YEARS LATERThe great hall of Ravencrest pulsed with warmth, alive with laughter and the rich scent of roasted meats. Mara leaned against the balcony, the summer wind tugging at the silver streaking her dark hair. Ten years of peace had softened the sharp edges of her once-fierce gaze, but the fire in her soul still burned—just differently now. Not as a wildfire, but as a steady hearth. Below, the celebration unfolded—former slaves and warriors, humans and wolves, all sharing food and drink without hesitation. The sight still took her breath away sometimes. She had spent so long fighting for this moment, she’d almost forgotten how to simply live in it. Her fingers brushed the scars along her ribs, faintly silver in the torchlight. They no longer ached. They were just part of her now, like the stories etched into the walls of Ravencrest. A familiar presence stepped beside her. Zander, his once-brooding features eased by time, slid an arm around her waist. "They’re
NARRATORThe great hall of Ravencrest was alive with anticipation, and the air seemed thick with energy, like the very stones of the building were holding their breath. The banners, draped in silver and blue, hung like silent sentinels, the colors a testament to the old bond between Rolan and Mara. Rolan, gone now, but not forgotten. Silver—the shade of his strength, and blue—Mara’s scars, which had come to define her as much as her resilience. Together, they wove a tapestry that was neither entirely victory nor defeat, but a complex, ever-shifting middle ground.The hall was filled to capacity. Former slaves, who had fought and bled beside Mara, now stood shoulder to shoulder with the warriors of allied packs. The pack of Ashclaw, the remnants of Steelpaw, and the once-proud Ravencrest all united in their shared history. No longer enemies, no longer strangers, but a people bound together by the wars they’d fought and the peace they now sought.Mara stood at the front, her stance unyi
NARRATOR The night was thick with the heavy scent of rain, the wind howling through the trees like a creature on the hunt. Mara felt the storm in her bones. Her labor pains came in sharp, unpredictable waves, each one crashing into her with the force of thunder. The lightning split the sky like a jagged scar, its brilliance painting the walls of the room in a flash of white and blue. Every time the sky rumbled, Mara's body reacted, as if her very soul was syncing with the storm. It was a chaos she couldn’t escape.Elowen was beside her, her hands gripping Mara’s as if her life depended on it, the terror in her eyes barely concealed. "Mara, hold on. Just a little longer," she said, her voice tight with panic. But the truth was, there wasn’t much time left. The storm wasn’t the only threat tonight.Outside, the sound of pounding feet grew louder, the crack of distant gunfire and the howl of wolves cutting through the night air. Mara had no idea how much longer they could keep the door
NARRATORMara woke up with a cold sweat sticking to her skin, her breath shallow, her heart pounding. The night had been long, filled with dreams—visions that felt too real, too heavy. And now, as the first rays of sunlight began to seep through the cracks in the cave walls, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong. Her hand instinctively went to her stomach, the memory of last night flooding her mind. Rolan. The warmth of his touch, the soft whisper of his breath against her skin, the way he made her feel alive in a way she hadn’t been in years. It was a night she would never forget, their bodies coming together in a moment of shared pain, shared hope. But now, as the memories tugged at her, there was a gnawing sense of loss that made her chest tighten. Rolan was gone. She had to accept that. He had died, had fallen to Braxton’s men, trying to protect everything they had fought for. And yet… Something was different now. She felt something shift inside her.
NARRATORThree weeks. That’s how long Kael had been stewing in his own rage, the wound where Mara had bitten off part of his ear still throbbing under the bandages. Three weeks since that bitch had nearly killed him before collapsing, since he’d left her in that room, limp and lifeless—or so he thought. Three weeks since Rolan and his pack of strays had slipped through his fingers again. And now? Now he was done playing. Braxton stood beside him in the dim light of their makeshift war room, a map of Steelpaw’s territory spread across the table. Pins marked Rolan’s last known locations, traced by their informants. One pin, in particular, was jammed deep into the forest near the eastern border—where Rolan’s car had been found, abandoned but not hidden well enough. "They’re holed up in that cave," Braxton muttered, tapping the spot with a scarred finger. "But we can’t just storm in. Not with all of them together." Kael’s jaw clenched. He knew Braxton was right. Rolan wasn’t just
NARRATORTarice stepped into his path, arms crossed. "You go out there now, you’re walking into a trap. Or your grave. Either way, you’re no good to us dead."“We need to strategize.” Rolan’s jaw clenched. His hands balled into fists at his sides. His breath was heavy, the muscles in his neck straining as he fought against the urge to punch Tarice for stopping him."Think, you bastard! Kael wants you reckless. He wants you to charge in blind—"Mara stood up, Elara still in her arms, the baby’s tiny face pressed into the crook of her neck. She felt the heat of the fire behind her and the cold certainty of the moment ahead of her. She could feel it all—the heaviness of the room, the raw anger in Rolan’s eyes, the fear hanging over them like a storm cloud.Pressing a soft kiss to Elara’s forehead, she gently handed the baby over to Maren, her fingers lingering on the little one’s warmth. “Keep her safe, Maren,” Mara said, her voice a little shaky but strong. She could feel the weight
NARRATORMara should’ve known better than to take walks with Valdis.The man never said anything simply; instead, he spoke in riddles. It was all wrapped in layers of cryptic warnings and half-truths that wormed their way into your head and wouldn't leave.He had trapped her as if he had some sinister secret to reveal after just two days in this godforsaken cave."The bloodline of your anointed one is... impure. Cursed by the sins of those who came before him. The Moon Goddess demands balance. Some lines must end," he had muttered, his eyes far away, nearly lost in the sway of the trees surrounding them.Mara had crossed her arms and scowled. "You talking about Rolan’s family?"The only thing Valdis had said was, "The wolf does not choose the poison in its veins," with that knowing, angry smirk of his.How could that possibly imply anything?She dismissed it with a flick of her eyes. But as she paced the cave's boundaries, her heart tense, the words stuck to her like thorns, scraping
NARRATORMara moved, bringing herself gently to her feet. She moved rigidly, as if her body was still attempting to process what she was thinking.She glanced around the room, stopping at every face. Valdis, Isolde, and Rolan. Even though they were all present, her gaze remained confused. She seemed to be trying to interpret what she was seeing by blinking.Her fingers brushed the steady beat of her heart as she stroked her chest. It was authentic. It seems.... "alive" Her words was hardly audible above a whisper as she scowled. "How long was I gone?"Mara's eyes briefly lingered on Valdis and Elowen's parents before darting to the other people in the room. Even while it didn't stop the weird sensation churning inside her, something about seeing them alive grounded her somewhat because they had survived the chaos at the Blackfang hideout.The hush was broken by Valdis, whose steady voice carried the weight of unspoken words. He said, "We’ve met before," as he observed her with a knowi
NARRATORShe whispered, "The baby... it knows Mara," with an odd weight to her words. Knowing that she would also be here, that is why the Moon Goddess guided us here. Everything links together.As if responding to her prophecy, the air itself seemed to vibrate as the ground underneath them seemed to throb with her words.However, the room was suddenly shocked just as the tension peaked. Still motionless and cold, Mara's body started to shake. She appeared to be about to wake up for a moment as her eyelids twitched.And then, suddenly, her eyes opened—*black solid*All of them held their breath. Suddenly there was a heavy hush in the room.She then said, "You shouldn't have brought me back," in a voice that was not her own but rather a chorus of several whispers that echoed uncannily across the room.The words made everyone in the room shiver. And the earth itself seemed to be reacting to the evil magic at work, for the storm outside raged again.Something changed as soon as Mara's wo