Daniel's POV"Serafine, nooo!” Damien exclaimed.We knew she was taken back to Silas.The moment the tension breaks, I slip away. I felt like there was something poking me, maybe a doubt. I just can't seem to get it out of my mind. The pregnancy. The more I actually think about it, the more it just doesn't feel quite right. Serafine hasn't been with Silas long enough for her to carry his child. I need to know the truth.I ran back to the packhouse as my mind started racing. Searching for answers, digging through the records, medical files, anything that would actually help. I spend hours but find nothing. It frustrates me, really. The only thing I know is, this timeline just doesn't add up. The baby. It has to be ours.Finally, I round my brothers up. "There's something wrong," I tell them, pacing the room. "The pregnancy. It doesn't add up. She hasn't been with Silas long enough."David looks up, his face white. "You're certain?" he asks."I checked everything. This baby's ours," I
Serafine's POV“But she looks very devilish” the nurses said, and they weren't wrong."She's stable, For now. But she needs to deliver the babies," David says, his face tight with worry.I could barely hear him. It's all a blur. Pain, darkness, then the harsh brightness of the hospital lights. I fight to stay conscious, but my body feels so heavy as if it's sinking into the ground.I hear the voices around me, hurried and desperate. Machines beep. Hands on my stomach push down, soft but firmly. The pressure makes me gasp. Everything hurts."Hang in there, Serafine," David says, his voice calm, yet firm. I know he's doing everything in his power to keep me alive.The more pain, the more the babies kick inside me. My heart is racing and slow at the same time. I'm losing so much blood. I want to focus on voices, faces, but everything is dull.Then, a sharp pain, and I heard David's voice. "We have to deliver now."I scream as my body tightens and the nurses work on me. I know the babies
Damien's POV "We have a problem," I said."What's happening?" Serafine asked, an edge of concern etched on her face. I went to the window, peering outside. Chaos erupted as pack members rushed through the yard, panic in their eyes. "It's Silas!" I shouted, realization hitting me like a wave. "He's attacking!" "Protect the kids!" Serafine yelled, her voice fierce. I turned, but she grabbed my arm. "Damien, please!"I nodded, my heart racing. "We have to get them to safety."The sounds of battle grew louder as we ran down the hall. It sounded as if the walls were closing in as I guided Serafine and the children toward the hidden cellar."In!" I yelled, motioning them inside."Where are you going?" Serafine asked, fear in her voice."My dear, I will be right back," I promised, though I felt uncertain about that. I ran toward the main room. My heart was really beating fast. Outside, the chaos grew worse. Voices yelled down the hallways, and I felt the walls shudder with a loud cras
Susan's POV"Serafine!" I screamed, my desperation clawing its way out of my throat.The cries of battle rise to a crescendo, but my heart races for one reason: my daughter. Every step weighs heavier, yet I forge on. I have to reach her before it's too late.Memories crash, a tsunami of hurt and sacrifice. I remember now, leaving Serafine as a baby, leaving her in the pack's care as I fought for our home. I was strong then, I had been the strongest witch in the Fiery Fang Pack. And I sacrificed it all for my family. At what cost?I round the bend, and anarchy erupts before me: Freedom Pack and Silas's warriors are interlocked in a dance oozing both rage and desperation. My breath hung in my throat as my eyes scanned the battlefield for the face of my daughter.And suddenly, I see him—Damien, Serafine's mate, in the thick of it. He's fighting hard, but his shirt is stained with blood. "No!" I gasped, as he was staggering backwards.I can feel the power bubbling in my core, the years
Serafine's POV"Get ready!" my mother yelled, her tone filled with anxiety. I feel the storm cease for an instant, but I know that is far from over. It is now time for the real fight to begin.I grip her arm tightly at the weighted feeling of what's to come. We've pushed Silas's men back, but something doesn't feel right. It's too quiet. Too still. My heart pounds in my chest as I scan the field, searching out why this bad feeling has landed in the middle of my gut.And then, I saw him. Silas, standing on the edge of the clearing, his face twisted into a wicked smile. There's something different about him now. His confidence. It unnerves me."You thought this was the end?" he taunts, his voice going across the field. "You're wrong.In that instant, the atmosphere around us changes. Thick, heavy darkness swirls in the sky, and my stomach sinks as I realize Silas is much more powerful than we thought. His eyes gleam with something I can't place, and I know this isn't just him anymore.
Serafine's POV"Who am I? What am I?" My voice barely escaped my lips while making my way out of the room. With my mother's revelation, it felt like it weighed down on me.It's cool night air that hits my skin, but it does little for the storm inside of me. Damn, all the things I thought I knew about myself, my past was all one big fat lie. My mother, the one person I trusted most in this world, had kept the truth from me all these years.I started walking through the woods and honestly had no idea where I was going. It all becomes a blur before me, the trees, nothing at all. The power in me is surging, the wolf and witch pulling me in different directions. I was no longer Serafine. I was the daughter of Lucian, Alpha of the Fiery Fang Pack. A product of a forbidden love.I feel so lost, confused-my body shaking with the weight of it all.Before I realize where I am going, I am at Damien's cabin. My heart speeds up as I want comfort, not fear. Him. I just can't face this one on my
Damien’s POV“It’s Lucian. He’s here.”The words left my mouth like a curse, the weight of them heavy in the air. Serafine stood beside me and her breath was quite catching . The night is thick with tension that can make you fear.She barely has time to react before the ground shakes beneath us. Lucian’s warriors, shadows in the moonlight, begin to close in on the Freedom Pack."Damien," Serafine whispers, her voice trembling. “What does he want?”"He wants you,” I said, barely able to suppress the growl in my throat. “And he’ll stop at nothing.”Serafine’s face hardens, her fear slipping behind a wall of resolve. “Oh God, I can’t let him take me.”I instantly felt proud of her for her courage, though I was a little bit scared. I pulled her close, making sure my forehead touched hers for some moments. “We’ll stop him together.”Before either of us can say more, a deafening crack splits the air. The ground beneath our feet trembles as dark, twisted roots shoot up from the earth, coili
Serafine's POV"This is far from over, Serafine," Lucian's voice echoes in my brain as he vanishes into the night.It was long after he was gone that the weight of his words stood in the balance.I felt my heartbeat racing and caught my breath in short spurts, while doing nothing other than standing and staring at the place where he had vanished.A cold shiver ran down my spine. Deep inside, I knew he meant each word, and that terrified me.I looked at Damien, who was furiously hot. The bleeding around his arm doesn't let up yet, but he acts like it's not even there.
"You are free to choose your path, Abigail. You are stronger than his lies."The voice of Serafine sounded in my head-a small beacon of light tearing through the darkness that had consumed my mind for far too long. I felt the magic of Lucian clutching at my throat, seeking to snuff out the light, but something buried deep within me had started to stir-a truth hidden even from myself.The visions that had wracked my mind finally dissipated, and I saw Lucian's face, twisted in anticipation. He thought he had me, that he'd won, but he had no idea yet.I drew a deep breath and let the tumult of what was happening around us fade to a silent hush. Now or never. "You're right, Lucian," I said, willing my tone to stay even. "I do know what I must do."His face twisted in a triumphing leer. "Then fulfill your destiny," he hissed, reptilian.I met his stare, eyes slitting. "I already have."Before Lucian could even react, I harnessed a surge of magic deep within me and let it explode, shatteri
As we entered deep into the tunnel , the walls seemed to close in on us. Every step that we took resounded against the blackness.With every minute, the air grew heavier as we re-approached the stronghold of Lucian, taut with tension, as every step weighed upon me. I wasn't sure if I was ready to face him; there was just no more time left for doubts. The course of events that would ensue would seal my family's fate. and maybe even my own.As we emerged from the final tunnel, the entrance to Lucian's lair loomed ahead: a dark fortress built into the side of the cavern wall. Shadows seemed to gather around it, twisting and curling like smoke. A shiver crawled down my spine as we approached, but I forced myself to stay calm. We had a plan, even if it was full of risks.We burst through the main entrance, our magic flaring to life as we fought our way inside. The clash of spells and clash of swords was heavy in the air as Lucian's forces swarmed us. I fought beside Damien, my heart r
"We have to go after them!"Still, the last words of Damien were echoing in my ears when I finally found a moment to slip from the crowd. I pounded inside my chest, not just from the fight, but from the turmoil inside me-from Owen's betrayal-but something clanged furiously in my head. The storm at my center tore me asunder.Down a catwalk, I came to a small alcove where the darkness just about ate up any light. The cool stone walls bit into my back as I leaned against them trying to calm my breathing and the thoughts that raced through my mind. Just as I closed my eyes, a voice whispered from behind me in the dark."You look troubled, Abigail."My eyes flew open, and in that instant, my pulse shot up as finally the man stepped out of the shadows. The air seemed to have grown cold with his presence, his eyes shining with both mirth and something darker."What do you want?" I asked, trying not to let my voice show the shaking inside me.He leaned his head, lips curling into a thin s
"Make your choice."The lieutenant's voice continued to ring in my mind, even as I ran wildly through the tunnels, my breathing rough. My heart pounded in my chest, and for one wild moment, the dark temptation of his offer pressed upon me. Betray Serafine and the pack… save myself. It was a coward's choice, a traitor's path. But a small part of me, the part of me that had doubted whether I was strong enough to protect them-whispered that maybe it could be our chance. No, I told myself sharply. I couldn't let my mind go there. I pushed it away and refocused on finding the others. I would never betray my family no matter how bad things got.Rounding a corner, I nearly collided with Damien. Relief danced across his face to see me, yet was speckled with urgency. "Daniel, thank the Moon you're here. We need to regroup—Lucian's forces are closing in fast."I nodded and fell into step beside him as we sprinted down the tunnel. The sounds of far-off fighting got louder with every step.
The earth around me opened with so much fierceness, a low rumbling that seemed to tear the very earth asunder.Before I could even turn, the ground had split, and I was tumbling into chaos. I landed on hard earth, the impact knocking the air from my lungs. It was all chaos, dust, falling rocks, the sound of distant shouting echoing off cavern walls. As I struggled to my feet, the dust began to settle and my eyes adjusted to the dim light filtering down from above.I froze, the image around me blurring as my mind tried to wrap itself around what was happening. We fell into some sort of large underground chamber, ancient and hauntingly beautiful. Strange symbols carved into the stone walls glowed with a silvery tint of light, unlike anything I had ever seen before. It was a relic left behind by some lost, magical civilization, long forgotten by the world above.But it was what was at the center of the room that took my breath away, there was some sort of pedestal, and on top of th
"Mom!"My own voice is returned in the darkness and the storm pounds until I feel the edge of exhaustion. The darkness courses through my body, shaking me to the core, threatening to swallow me whole in its depths. I pulled myself together, trying until I was suddenly aware that the air had shifted. The temperature drops, a coldness running down my spine. I sense him before I see him-Lucian.Lucian emerges from whirling shadows, stepping forward. Something authoritative in his figure, something coldly calm about the manner in which he advances through the chaos erupting in the air around us, draws my gaze irresistibly his way. Gleaming dark eyes fasten on me, a cold dread rising up in my chest. He raises a hand, and in but a gesture, the whirling storm around me begins to settle, as if even magic I struggle to grasp bends to his will."Enough of this, Abigail," he says smoothly, tone laced with a command. "Stop struggling with the man. You waste your breath on one not even worth
"This is my fight now."I can feel the weight of those words as I unleash the magic inside me, channeling everything I have into this strange man who surprisingly was as strong or perhaps stronger than I am. The air crackles and hums, vibrating with energy that seems to move with time to my heartbeat. I watch as his expression changes, his eyes widening in surprise. Then I feel something else, a shift deep inside, a change that isn't altogether my own.I feel some strength gathering within me, and in an instant, it runs hard through my veins. The energy suddenly surges and explodes inside me like a continuing storm ready to tear me apart. With each surge, it becomes so much stronger than the one before and I am fighting hard to keep it inside me. My hands are shaking terribly, and my breathing is reduced. With a sense of anticipation, I realize that I could be losing this battle not to this man in front of me but to myself.Stay back!" I scream, but it sounds more like I'm plea
"Do you feel that? What is this?"The words echo in my mind as I step into the clearing,the chaotic power, like a hurricane, surrounds me. I followed my mother for quite a long time when the air changed, it tugged at me begging me to follow her to this place before it was too late.Now, from behind the scenes, I finally see before me the scene of Serafine standing in front of the mysterious man who had set into action so much pain and manipulation, The air is really crackling with tension, and the dark magic wraps them like a cover."Let her go!" I scream, my voice carrying across the clearing. The weight of my power surges forward inside me, tightening against the reins of my control. I don't think, I act.They both turn to me then, surprised across the man's face. "You!" he exclaims, his composure cracking for a moment. "What are you doing here?"I move forward, my veins coursing with determination and fear. "I felt your presence," I say, locking eyes with him. "I knew you we
"We have to keep running until there's no other choice but to fight."With every step, it beats in my chest, fighting my way through the thick underbrush of the forest, placing distance between myself and chaos at the stronghold. The darkness wraps around me. My mind races with thoughts of all that has brought me to this moment in life. The weight of the world is held on my shoulders and with it, the balance of my family's fate.Before me, I see the bush he told me to meet him at, with every step my pulse quickens. The thought of his wicked grin seems to flash before my mind a chilling reminder of my bargain struck. A deep breath is taken and in it, I steady myself for what is about to be. Strong, though frightened, I must be.Finally reaching the place, it is bathed in moonlight, the tall grass gently swaying with the wind of the night. There he was, waiting to see me with that annoying smirk, arms folded at his chest, as if the world belongs to him. "Serafine," he calls, with