Aurora’s P.O.VAfter dinner, Lucas ushered all of us into a room filled with toys, his voice calm but firm. "Go on, bond with each other. I'll come back when it's bedtime," he said, offering a reassuring smile before stepping out and closing the door behind him.The moment the door latched, Ashton moved toward me with quiet urgency, his gaze sharp and warning. "Be careful with what you say," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "Even the walls have ears."My breath hitched. So they were listening. I had suspected it, but hearing Ashton confirm it sent a wave of unease through me. If they were monitoring everything, how could we speak freely? How could I communicate without risking exposure? My mind raced for a solution, but nothing came fast enough.Just then, Violet stepped closer, her small fingers brushing against my hand. Her touch was feather light, but her words were heavy with meaning. "What they say is the opposite of what they mean," she whispered, her voice so soft
Aurora’s P.O.VI lay there, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. It felt like I hadn't slept in days, but every time I tried to close my eyes, my mind refused to rest. The exhaustion was pulling at me, but it was like I couldn't surrender to it. The small clock on the bedside table ticked away in the silence of the night, each second reminding me of how much I needed sleep. But the minutes stretched on, dragging me deeper into an anxious state, as if the night itself was refusing to let me go.Then, right when it seemed like the world would finally give me a break, I heard a soft knock on the door. It barely made a sound, but I froze immediately, my heart racing. I sat up, trying to rub the sleep from my eyes, when the door opened just a crack. Ashton and Maggie stepped in, their faces a mix of urgency and something else—something I couldn’t quite place.I couldn't hide the worry in my voice when I asked, “Is it really safe for you to be here at this hour?”Ashton stepped closer, his u
Aurora’s P.O.VI could feel my heartbeat faster in my chest as I looked at Ashton. I had to know the truth, and I had to know it now. The air around us felt charged, like a storm was brewing. I couldn’t hold back any longer, not after everything I’d witnessed, everything I’d been through."Why is he doing this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, trembling despite myself. "What the hell is wrong with Lucas? Is he some kind of psychopath?"Ashton shook his head, his eyes holding the same pent up fear and anger as did Maggie. “He calls himself a Wizard Scientist.” He scoffed. “He says he’s working on something big, something that will change the world. But we don’t know, Aurora. We’re in the same boat as you. We’re all his prisoners, his to do as we please.”Maggie, who had been sitting quietly beside us, finally spoke up. "It’s not just a science project, Aurora. Lucas is... he's trying to create a new breed of children, ones that will carry on his legacy. He believes these chil
Caleb’s P.O.VIt’s already morning when my father finally gets the go-ahead to enter pack territory and dig into the Lunar Coven. We waste no time. Everyone piles into the cars, and soon enough, we’re on the road, heading for Somerset, Maine. I can feel the tension in the air, the unease gnawing at me. Caroline’s with us, and to no one’s surprise, Damien is too, accompanied by a few of his guards.The two-hour ride feels like it drags on forever. I can tell everyone’s frustration, particularly with how Caroline’s managing to keep herself so calm—probably because she was trying to focus on finding Aurora. But I wasn’t so sure she could find her. Even my mating bond was silent, and it made me even more worried as the seconds ticked by.When we finally reach the Forest Dancers pack’s borders, the tension only builds. The forest surrounding the pack is dense, eerie, and there’s a strange quiet to it. I can’t shake the feeling that something’s watching us. As we get closer, my father, Alph
Caleb’s P.O.VI stepped forward, trying to make sense of it all, but all I could think about was her, the lone survivor, sitting there like a fragile shell. "What happened to the others?" My voice sounded distant, like I was asking but not sure I wanted to hear the answer.Jackson's gaze dropped to the floor before he met my eyes, and in that moment, I saw the weight of it all. "She won’t talk about it. No one’s gotten through to her yet." He let out a sigh, looking frustrated and worried. "We don’t even know if she’s gonna be of any use to us. But she’s all we’ve got now."Alpha Camden gave a low growl, pacing for a moment before his gaze hardened. "We can’t afford to have another loose end right now. Not with everything else going on."My chest tightened. I knew my father was right. We couldn’t have any more uncertainty, but looking at the girl—this child—I couldn’t just see her as another piece in the puzzle. She was just a kid. What had they done to her?I couldn’t help but feel t
Caleb’s P.O.VI looked at Silvia, her face pale as she glanced nervously between me and Alpha Jackson. My curiosity was piqued, but her unease only made me press further. "Where is the house in the woods, Silvia?" I asked, my voice steady despite the tension building in the air. “What did Harmona do there?”She hesitated, biting her lip, before finally speaking. "It's... it's an eerie house. People say you can hear screams at night, and they say it's haunted," she said in a low voice, almost like she didn't want to believe her own words. "Everyone avoids it, because it’s scary…filled with dark magic."I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up at the thought. Haunted? Screams in the night? What the hell was going on out there?Alpha Jackson shifted his weight, his eyes narrowing as he spoke up. "That used to be our previous packhouse. Earthquake destroyed half of it, and killed several of our members. We had no choice but to leave." He paused for a moment, a shadow crossin
Aurora’s P.O.V"Ashton, how can you say that?" My voice trembled, the weight of his words pressing against my chest like a slow, suffocating force. "Hope is the only thing keeping us alive." My hands clenched at my sides, my breath uneven. How could he even think of giving up now? After everything we had been through, after everything we had to survive till this day, he was just going to let despair take over? Ashton exhaled sharply, running a hand through his disheveled hair, his expression caught between frustration and exhaustion. "Aurora, hope doesn’t change reality. It doesn’t stop what’s happening." His voice was low, raw, like he was barely holding himself together. "We keep telling ourselves things will get better, that this is just another nightmare we’ll wake up from, but it’s not. This—this is real." He gestured vaguely around us, at the dimly lit walls that seemed to press closer with every passing second. "And I don’t know how much longer we can pretend we’re okay." A c
Aurora’s P.O.VI wasn't able to sleep at all last night. It was like every time I closed my eyes, Ashton's words would haunt me, creeping into my thoughts with a suffocating grip."Abandon all hope, Aurora. It's your worst enemy here," he had told me. His voice echoed in my mind, relentless, pulling me deeper into a pit of uncertainty. But deep down, I knew that wasn't something I could do. I couldn't just give up. Not when Caleb and Caroline—hell, all the people who cared about me—were still out there somewhere. I had to fight, I had to find a way out.The skeleton of my mother, sitting before me in its cold, lifeless state, was the only thing that seemed real in the chaos. Strangely, I no longer felt the weight of fear pressing against my chest as I stared at it. The fear had faded, replaced by something else, something eerily calm. It was as if her presence still lingered in the air, in the stillness of the room.I reached out, my fingers brushing against the pendant she had given
Damien’s P.O.V“Baby…” Salone leaned against my bike, her green eyes narrowed at me as she studied me from head to toe. “You’ve been very distant lately. Is something wrong?”“No.” I gave her an almost half-hearted answer as I drank from my coffee cup. Truth be told, I had been extremely distracted since last month.I had finally turned eighteen, the age at which a wolf was supposed to find their mate. And yet, I haven’t been able to find that one person who had been chosen for me by the Moon Goddess.Salone was an amazing girl and we had been dating for the past year now, but the second I had turned eighteen and found out that she wasn’t my mate, everything between us had changed in an instant. I had been trying to figure out a way to break it off with her, without looking like a complete douche, but I was failing miserably in that department. So I went ahead and started being as elusive as possible. Maybe if I’m paying less attention to her, then she would break up with me first and
Riley’s P.O.V‘Dear Big Sis…I met a girl recently…and I think she’s a witch.’“Shit!” I deleted the entire text and stared grudgingly at my screen. “Who the fuck writes ‘Dear’ in their emails anymore?”Letting out a sigh, I closed my eyes and thought about what to write to my sister or how to place the pressing issue at hand. My ginormus crush on Dixie Vaughn, the ‘goth’ girl that had stolen my heart at first sight.The first day of college had been the most uneventful day of my life; completely different from what I had imagined the day to be like. But when I had entered my first class of the day, thinking that this would be just as eventful as a middle-aged professor with glasses entered with a pile of books and began introducing the subject and himself to the class…in had come Dixie, wearing all black, her hair in braids and metal hoops and a dragon tattoo on one hand, that covered the entire length of her arm.Her crop top had grabbed just as much attention as her belly button pi
Aurora’s P.O.VThe moonlight painted a silver sheen over the restless waves, their endless dance meeting the shore with soft whispers. I walked along the damp sand, the cool grains pressing between my toes as I followed the trail of footprints ahead of me. Large wolf paws, their weight sinking deep into the earth, followed by much smaller ones—tiny, hesitant steps pressing into the sand right beside them. My heart clenched at the sight, warmth spreading through me as I lifted my gaze, scanning the dimly lit beach. And then, I saw them. Caleb emerged from the shadows of a large tree, his toned body gleaming under the faint glow of the moon, dressed only in his swim trunks. His hair was damp, clinging to his forehead, evidence of his earlier run through the waves. But it wasn’t just him—right beside him, waddling as fast as his tiny legs could manage, was Cameron. Our son. Only two years old, but already fascinated by everything his father did. His brunette curls bounced as he giggled,
Caroline’s P.O.VThe wedding reception buzzed with laughter and music, the air thick with the scent of roses and wine. I sat beside Damien, the warmth of his body just within reach, yet it felt like there was an ocean between us. Five years. Five years of love, passion, fights, and making up. Five years of knowing—deep in my soul—that this man was mine, my mate, my forever. But lately, something has shifted.The once unshakable bond between us felt... strained. I didn't know when it started, but I knew I could feel it. The way he held me less, the way he spoke in careful, measured tones, the way his eyes sometimes seemed far away even when I was right in front of him. And it was killing me. I swallowed hard, gripping my champagne flute as I turned to him. He was staring ahead, his jaw tense, his eyes unreadable. Damien had always been composed, always guarded with his emotions, but this was different. This was distance. And I couldn't stand it any longer. "Damien," I said softly, my
Aurora’s P.O.VFive years later…I stand in front of the mirror, my fingers grazing the intricate lace of my wedding dress, feeling the delicate embroidery beneath my touch. The reflection staring back at me is almost unrecognizable—the girl I once was has transformed into this woman, this bride, glowing with anticipation. My heart is steady, my breath even, a stark contrast to the usual nervous energy brides are supposed to have. But how could I be nervous when this is everything I’ve ever wanted? "Aurora, I swear you’re the calmest bride I’ve ever seen," Caroline teases, her fingers fussing over the tiny buttons at the back of my gown. "Are you sure you’re not secretly panicking?" I turn slightly, meeting her playful gaze through the mirror. "I’m sure," I say with a soft laugh. "I don’t need to be nervous when I know exactly what I want. My family is here. Caleb is waiting for me at the end of that aisle. There’s nothing to be afraid of." Caroline's expression softens, and before
The ground trembled beneath the ruins of the old house, the earth groaning as though awakening from a restless slumber. Crumbled stone and splintered wood shifted, dust rising in thick clouds. Then, with a slow, eerie movement, the debris parted, forced aside by an unseen power.From beneath the wreckage, a woman emerged—no, something that had once been a woman. Her silver hair, now dull and matted with grime and dried blood, clung to her gaunt face. Her skin, once smooth and luminous, stretched tight over her bones, her cheeks sunken, her lips cracked.She took a ragged breath, a sound more like the whisper of dead leaves scraping against stone. In her frail arms, she cradled a child, no older than twelve, her small form limp and unmoving. The girl’s face was peaceful in unconsciousness, her dark lashes resting against pale cheeks, stark against the filth and dried blood staining her skin. The skeletal woman’s hollow eyes fixated on her, but there was no warmth, no tenderness in her
Aurora’s P.O.VThe next few days were a whirlwind of events, from college applications to making sure the progress of the new house, the one that was currently being built in the land where my previous house stood, was going as smoothly as I had anticipated.Finally, after days of hard work and sending out applications, Caleb and I found some quiet time for ourselves and we couldn’t help but sneak out of the packhouse, so we could spend some quiet time together.“Phew!” Caleb sighed as we headed to the beach, our fingers intertwined and him swaying our hands lights as we walked through the thick foliage. “It’s been a rough few days.”I nodded, my smile faltering for a minute as I thought about all the applications that Caleb had rejected…all because of me.He thought that I hadn't seen them, that he had managed to hide them efficiently. But he hadn't. And even though we had both now perfected the art of hiding things from each other through the mating bond, there were still a few gli
Aurora’s P.O.VI felt my stomach tighten with surprise as I step out of the car as Caleb holds the door open for me.Of all the places in the world, why here? My eyes darted to him, searching for some kind of explanation, but he simply smirked, his hand going to the small of my back as he propels me forward.“You’ll find out soon,” he said, his voice laced with a mystery that only made my curiosity grow.I let out a small breath, shaking my head as I glanced towards the diner again. That’s when I saw them—Jade and Caroline stepping out of their cars, their faces glowing under the warm evening lights. But what truly caught my attention was Damien, standing in the distance, his posture relaxed yet unmistakably expectant as he waited for Caroline.My heart gave a strange, unsteady thump at the sight of the diner. It had been so long since I had seen them, Jeremy or any of the staff, since I had felt the warmth of their presence.As they headed inside together, Caleb reached over and plac
Aurora’s P.O.VThe auditorium buzzes with energy, a mix of hushed conversations, excited whispers, and the occasional burst of applause as another name is called. I sit between Caroline and Jade, my hands clasped together with Caroline, and Caleb sits beside Jade, his knee bouncing slightly. The four of us have spent years dreaming of this moment—of walking across the stage, receiving our certificates, and stepping into a world far beyond the walls of this school. But now that it’s here, I feel an odd heaviness in my chest, like the weight of the past pressing down on me, a reminder of everything it took to get here.The class president is giving his speech, something about perseverance and ambition, but my mind drifts. I swallow hard, fingers tightening around the fabric of my gown as I stare at the stage. Almost a year ago, I wasn’t sure I’d make it to this moment. The obstacles, the losses, the nights I thought about giving up—they all come rushing back in a blur. But I’m here. I m