“Annabel!” a voice shouted from behind, sharp and panicked.I spun around, just in time to see two of Elijah’s loyalists charging toward me, eyes dark with rage. I barely had time to brace before one of them swung at me, forcing me to dodge back, his fist grazing my shoulder. The other lunged, and I caught his wrist, twisting him off balance.“Still taking orders from Elijah?” I hissed, slamming him back into his partner, who stumbled with a growl. “Look around—he’s losing his grip. Is this really the side you want to go down with?”They glared at me, breathing hard, but neither answered. I took advantage of their hesitation, narrowing my eyes as I drove the point home. “Or are you afraid he’ll turn on you next?”One of them flinched, and I knew I’d hit a nerve.“You’re a traitor,” the shorter one spat, his voice wavering. “Biting the hand that made you what you are.”I could feel the words digging in, but I pushed the doubt aside, keeping my voice hard. “What I am is someone willing
“Annabel, we have a problem.”Zane’s voice was tense, cutting through the small crowd dispersing after my confrontation with Gideon. I turned to him, catching the urgency in his eyes.“What now?” I asked, steeling myself.“It’s Elijah,” Zane said, keeping his voice low. “He’s disappeared. One of the younger wolves saw him leaving with two of his loyalists right after your standoff with Gideon. No one knows where he’s gone.”A chill ran through me, but I held Zane’s gaze steady. “You think he’s planning something?”Zane’s jaw clenched. “What do you think? He’s not the type to sit and watch his power slip away. He’ll come back, and he won’t be alone.”“He’s out of options, Zane,” I said, but even as I spoke, I felt the uneasy twist of doubt. “I’ve already given the pack a taste of freedom. They’re ready to follow someone who won’t use fear to lead them.”Zane’s eyes narrowed, as if weighing my confidence. “Maybe. But Elijah’s not going to give up quietly. He’ll make an example of anyone
“You shouldn’t have made me choose, Annabel.”Elijah’s voice rang out from the shadows, cold and biting. I tensed, instinctively scanning the darkened hallway. The others had scattered after the confrontation, leaving me alone as I made my way back to the quarters I’d claimed. Now, he’d cornered me, the space between us charged with the fury he hadn’t shown in front of the pack.“Elijah,” I said, keeping my tone steady, my gaze locked onto his shadowed form. “You lost their loyalty long before tonight.”He stepped forward, his face partially illuminated, a twisted smile hovering at the edge of his lips. “And you think their loyalty is yours to take?” He scoffed, low and mocking. “Gideon’s filled your head with nonsense, promises he has no intention of keeping. Do you honestly believe he’s on your side?”I held his gaze, feeling the simmering anger beneath my calm. “This isn’t about Gideon. It’s about you. About the way you ruled them with fear, forcing them to choose a future they nev
“Loyalty,” Elijah sneered, his voice thick with mockery, “is a fragile thing, Annabel. One wrong step, and they’ll turn on you just as they did on me.”He stood at the edge of the clearing, barely visible in the shadows, his face twisted with bitter satisfaction. Around him, a handful of his loyalists watched me, their expressions wary but unwavering. I’d come here alone, knowing he’d confront me sooner or later—but I hadn’t expected him to make it so public, so deliberate.“I’m not here to play your games, Elijah,” I said, keeping my voice steady, my gaze locked on his. “You’ve lost the pack. You can’t keep trying to pull them back through threats and lies.”He took a slow step forward, the darkness around him twisting with each movement. “And you think they’ll just fall in line behind you? That they’ll follow someone who turned her back on them before she even had their loyalty?”“They chose me because I gave them a choice,” I shot back. “Something you never did.”The loyalists murm
The door swung open without warning, slamming hard enough to make the walls shake. Zane stormed into the room, eyes blazing with anger as he confronted me, barely holding back his fury.“You made a deal with Gideon,” he hissed, his voice taut with disbelief. “I defended you, I put my own loyalty on the line for you—and all along, you were making deals with that rogue?”I stood up, bracing myself, feeling the full weight of Zane’s betrayal like a lead weight on my chest. “I didn’t make a deal. I chose an alliance that would weaken Elijah, and yes, that meant working with Gideon. You know this, Zane. You knew the stakes.”He shook his head, running a hand through his hair, his face twisted with anger. “I thought I knew you, Annabel. I thought I understood what you were fighting for. But Gideon? He’s everything we stand against.”“Gideon’s a weapon, nothing more,” I shot back. “I’ll use him to break Elijah’s grip on this pack—and then I’ll deal with Gideon. He’s no friend of mine.”Zane’
“Elijah’s issued a challenge.”The announcement hit like a lightning strike, crackling through the gathered wolves. Zane’s face was grim as he delivered the message, his voice barely masking his anger. Around us, tension coiled tighter, wolves shifting uncomfortably, eyes darting to me, waiting to see how I’d respond.I drew in a breath, meeting Zane’s gaze. “What kind of challenge?”“A fight to the death,” he said, voice taut with barely-contained fury. “For the pack’s loyalty. He’s making it clear—he’ll only accept a leader who proves themselves by blood.”A murmur rippled through the crowd, uncertainty and fear darkening their faces. Elijah was forcing my hand, and he knew it. This wasn’t just a challenge—it was a trap, a way to either kill me or paint me as the same ruthless leader he’d been.But I couldn’t back down now.“Where is he?” I asked, my voice calm, resolute. I could feel the eyes on me, wolves watching every flicker of doubt, every edge of fear.Zane hesitated, concern
“Annabel, you’re going to want to see this.” Zane’s voice broke through the noise, tense and edged with something close to dread.I turned, catching the look in his eyes, and felt the unease settle in my chest. “What’s happened?”Without a word, Zane gestured for me to follow, weaving through the gathered wolves who had watched the confrontation with Elijah unfold. They stepped aside, eyes filled with a mixture of loyalty and fear—fear of what might come next, now that Elijah was defeated but far from gone.Zane led me toward the edge of the camp, where a small group of our scouts were clustered, faces pale. As we drew closer, one of them stepped forward, holding a piece of parchment, his hands trembling.“This was nailed to one of the trees by the southern border,” he said, voice tight. “We found it just after the fight ended.”I took the parchment, feeling the weight of every eye on me, and read the words scrawled across it in thick, dark ink.To the Pack,The wolves you think you’v
The scream ripped through the quiet dawn, piercing, desperate. I jerked awake, heart racing as the sound echoed through the camp. Zane was already at my side, his face as tense as mine.“Stay here,” he whispered, but I was already up, pulling on my jacket, ignoring his order. The pack had faced too many shadows for me to sit idly by now.We burst into the clearing to find the pack gathered, eyes wide, expressions twisted in fear. In the center, a young wolf, Liam, clutched his bleeding arm, his face pale as he pointed toward the trees.“They came out of nowhere,” he stammered, eyes darting between me and Zane. “Elijah’s loyalists. They attacked and then disappeared. They wanted to send a message.”“What message?” My voice was sharper than intended, but I couldn’t help it. The threat, the lingering fear—it was spreading, unraveling the fragile trust we’d worked so hard to build.“They said…” He swallowed, glancing away. “They said we’re traitors. That if we continue following you, Anna
Damian hit the ground hard, the impact jarring every bone in his body. His wolf surged forward, dulling the pain as he rolled to his side, instinctively shielding Annabel. Dust swirled around them, choking the air.“Damian,” Annabel croaked, gripping his arm.“I’m here,” he said, helping her sit up. She was bruised but alive. Relief flooded him for a fleeting moment before the sound of footsteps—calm, deliberate—drew his attention.Elijah emerged from the shadows, his figure illuminated by a faint glow emanating from strange markings on the cavern walls. His confidence radiated like a predator circling its prey.“You’re persistent,” Elijah said, his voice low and measured. “But persistence without power is just stubbornness.”Damian rose to his feet, his claws already extending. “You talk too much.”Elijah tilted his head, unbothered. “And you’re too impulsive. That’s why you’ll lose.”Annabel struggled to stand, leaning against Damian for support. “You don’t need me to stop him,” she
The sound of Elijah’s laughter echoed through the darkness of the collapsed cave. It taunted Damian as he tried to focus on Annabel’s weak breathing. His wolf senses adjusted to the pitch-black surroundings, honing in on the faint heartbeat that kept him grounded.“Elijah!” Damian’s voice was raw, a command that ricocheted off the rocky walls. “Face me!”The only response was the steady drip of water from somewhere deeper within the cavern.“Damian,” Annabel whispered, her voice a frail thread. “Don’t—”He knelt beside her, carefully loosening the ropes that bound her wrists. “We’re getting out of here,” he said firmly. “Stay with me.”“You don’t understand.” Her eyes fluttered open, dim but focused. “This is what he wanted. He’s not here to fight. He’s here to break you.”Damian stilled, her words striking something deep within him. But before he could respond, the ground beneath them trembled, a reminder of the unstable cavern.“Then he failed,” Damian growled. “Because I’m not givi
The forest stood still in the aftermath of Elijah’s escape, the silence almost mocking. Damian stared at the empty space where Elijah had disappeared with Annabel, his breathing uneven. His claws dug into the dirt, his body trembling with the effort to hold back the wolf clawing for dominance. Kara staggered forward, clutching her injured side, but her gaze never left Damian.“Damian,” she rasped, her voice tight with pain. “We can still track him.”He didn’t answer. The pack around them waited, the weight of his next decision pressing like a storm ready to break.“Track him?” Damian’s voice was low, almost too calm. He turned to Kara, his eyes alight with fury. “Do you think he’s stupid enough to leave a trail we can follow?”“We can try,” she shot back. “Sitting here won’t help her!”Damian’s snarl silenced her, but it wasn’t just anger; it was despair. He ran a hand through his hair, pacing in circles like a predator in a cage. Finally, he turned to his second-in-command, Jacob.“S
Damian’s growl echoed through the silent room. His fists slammed against the worn oak table, splintering its edge. "You let him get inside your head?" His glare bore into Annabel, who still looked pale and shaken from fainting. Her silence, far from submissive, was deliberate—a choice to observe before reacting."I didn’t let him do anything," she replied, her voice hoarse but steady. "Elijah’s power isn’t something you simply shut out.""Don’t defend him!" Damian’s voice cracked, a mix of fury and pain. He paced the room, hands clenching and unclenching. His wolf stirred beneath his skin, desperate for release. "Do you even know what you've done? You handed him the one thing he needed—us divided."Annabel winced. She hated that he was right. Elijah’s manipulation had left fractures between her and Damian, widening a rift that already felt unbridgeable. She drew a shaky breath, steadying herself before she spoke again."I made a mistake," she admitted, her gaze meeting his. "But I did
Damian’s claws dug into the quarry floor, his stance protective as he stepped in front of Annabel. The beast roared again, its guttural sound echoing across the rock walls. The figure beside it moved with eerie calm, their smile never wavering as they studied the three.“Annabel,” the figure said smoothly, ignoring Damian and Elijah entirely. “I’ve been waiting to meet you.”Annabel’s heart slammed against her ribs. “Who are you?”The figure chuckled, tilting their head. “I have so many names, but for now, call me the one who holds the leash.” Their hand gestured lazily toward the beast, which snarled, saliva dripping from its jagged teeth.“Doesn’t look like you’ve got much control,” Elijah said, his voice cold. His eyes flicked to the beast’s hulking frame, scanning for weaknesses.The figure’s smile faltered for a moment before sharpening again. “It obeys enough. And when I’m done with it, it will obey her.”Annabel’s blood ran cold. “What do you mean?”The figure ignored her quest
The beast emerged from the shadows behind the hunters, its form larger than any wolf Annabel had ever seen. Its massive shoulders brushed tree trunks as it stalked forward, its yellow eyes glowing with an unnatural light. The hunters froze, their weapons shifting uneasily in their hands.The leader cursed under his breath. “What is that thing?”Damian didn’t respond. He stepped protectively in front of Annabel, his claws extending again. Elijah’s stance mirrored his, though his eyes never left the creature as it growled, low and rumbling, shaking the air around them.“They didn’t bring it,” Elijah said quietly, his voice calm but taut. “That’s not theirs.”The scarred leader gestured sharply to his men, who reluctantly repositioned, their crossbows trained on the beast. “Stand down!” he barked at the wolves they controlled. “Focus on the target!”The controlled wolves whimpered but obeyed, forming a wary line between their masters and the newcomers. Annabel gritted her teeth, gripping
Damian’s eyes locked with Elijah’s, the air between them charged with unspoken challenges. Annabel stood in the middle, her hand raised as though it alone could stop the inevitable.“Elijah,” she said sharply, her voice cutting through their silent exchange. “We can’t do this now. Not here.”But Elijah wasn’t looking at her. His hybrid features were sharp, predatory, and utterly focused on Damian. “He’s afraid to act,” Elijah said with a calmness that made the insult sting harder. “That’s why he hesitates. He knows if he crosses me, he won’t survive.”Damian stepped forward, his tone like steel. “You’ve underestimated me before. How did that work out for you?”Annabel’s frustration boiled over. “Enough!” She turned to Damian, her expression pleading. “This isn’t the fight we need to win right now.”Damian’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t break eye contact with Elijah. “You think he can be trusted to stay in line? Look at him.”“I’m right here,” Elijah interjected, a cold smile spreading
Damian’s shout came too late. The rogue leader’s massive jaws clamped down on empty air as Annabel twisted away at the last second, rolling to the ground. Elijah lunged, his claws slashing in an arc that forced the beast back, buying her a moment to scramble to her feet.Annabel’s breath came in short gasps. Her eyes darted to the pack, holding their line against the remaining rogues. “We can’t hold this forever,” she muttered, gripping the silver dagger she’d taken from Damian.“You don’t have to,” Elijah replied. His voice was eerily calm, but his gaze stayed locked on the rogue leader. “This ends now.”“Care to share the plan?” Damian growled, sidling up beside them. Blood streaked his face, and his sword was slick with gore.Elijah smirked, but there was no humor in it. “Keep it busy.”Damian swore under his breath. “Brilliant. Why didn’t I think of that?”Before Annabel could say anything, the rogue leader let out a guttural snarl and charged again. Damian moved instinctively, ra
Damian barely dodged the blow, the rogue’s claws swiping past his ribs. He twisted, bringing his blade upward in a brutal arc that caught his opponent beneath the jaw. Blood splattered, but there was no time to celebrate the kill. Another rogue was already charging.“Elijah!” Damian yelled, blocking the next attack with a grunt. “A little help would be great!”Elijah stood motionless, his sharp eyes fixed on Annabel. She was kneeling just behind them, her shoulders rising and falling with labored breaths. Her connection to the barrier was gone, but the remnants of her effort left her pale and trembling.“She can’t hold much longer,” Elijah muttered to himself.“Neither can I!” Damian barked, shoving the rogue back with a kick.Elijah’s expression darkened, and with a low snarl, he finally moved. He intercepted the next attacker with blinding speed, slamming the rogue into the ground with a sickening crunch. His hybrid strength was terrifying, even to Damian, but right now, it was the