Mia's Pov Julia plopped down beside me on the couch, handing me a steaming mug. "Here's your coffee!" she announced with a grin. "Thanks," I whispered, wrapping my hands around the warm ceramic. The rich aroma enveloped me, and I took a small sip, savoring the taste. "I was literally just craving this right now." Julia leaned back, a playful glint in her eyes. "Sooo," she drew out the word, clearly building up to something. "What have you planned?" I glanced at her, confused. "Planned? For what?" She rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "For Christian's birthday, of course!" The mention of his name made my heart skip a beat, but my mind drew a blank. Christian's birthday? Did I miss something? "Christian's birthday?" The genuine surprise on my face must have been apparent because Julia looked at me like I was a lost cause. "Don't tell me you don't know it's his birthday in, like, two days!" Her voice was incredulous, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach as I shook my hea
Christians Pov Ever since Kalazar resurfaced, our pack has been on edge. The once steady rhythm of our lives has been disrupted, our borders constantly threatened, and an unsettling fear has taken hold. Warriors have gone missing, vanishing without a trace, leaving us with more questions than answers. The most terrifying part is the lack of any sign—no trace of Kalazar, no hint of Balthazar. They’re like ghosts, haunting us from the shadows, striking fear into the hearts of even our strongest.Alpha Mathews’ condition wasn’t improving either. For now, I’ve decided to keep the worst of the news from Mia. She needs to focus, to hone her skills and unlock her full potential. She’s our hope, and I can’t risk distracting her with the grim reality we’re facing. But I know I’m walking a thin line. It won’t be long before things spiral completely out of control, and Mia will have to know the truth.Even Dominic, with his heightened lycan senses and unparalleled tracking abilities, has hit a
Christian’s PovJulia stumbled in, her face pale, drenched in sweat, her eyes wide with panic. Her breathing was ragged, almost desperate, as she struggled to form words. My heart lurched in my chest, a cold dread seizing me in its icy grip. Something was terribly wrong."Too late!" Julia gasped, her voice trembling, and it felt like the floor beneath me had just given way. "She's gone!"The room erupted into chaos. Chairs scraped against the floor as everyone shot up from their seats, but the sounds around me faded into a distant roar as Julia’s words echoed in my mind. *Gone.* My heart stopped, my mind blanking out everything else as I took a step toward her, my legs feeling like lead."What do you mean she's gone?" I demanded, my voice low and hollow, every word a struggle to get out as I fought against the wave of terror crashing over me. My hands clenched into fists, nails digging into my palms as I waited for her to explain, every second an eternity.Julia was panting, still cat
Mia's PovWhen I finally regained consciousness, the world around me was a blur of shadows and dim light. My head throbbed, and the air felt thick, heavy with an oppressive energy that seeped into my bones. Panic set in as I realized I couldn't move. My wrists and ankles were bound, the rough material digging into my skin as I struggled against it. The more I fought, the more it seemed to tighten, constricting my movements until I was forced to stop, gasping for breath.The room was cold, unfamiliar. The walls were made of dark stone, slick with moisture, and a single flickering torch cast eerie, dancing shadows across the floor. I felt a wave of nausea wash over me, a sickening sense of déjà vu. I'd been here before—or somewhere like this. The memories were hazy, fragmented, but they lurked just beneath the surface, taunting me with the sense that I was trapped in a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from.No, no, no, I thought, desperately trying to clear my head. I had to get out of here
Mia’s PovThe room darkened as Kalazar began his ritual, the air heavy with the scent of burning herbs and something far more sinister. I watched, helpless, as he stood before the vertical beds where the unconscious werewolves and vampires were strapped, their bodies limp and vulnerable. A cold dread washed over me as I realized what he was about to do.Kalazar lifted his hands, chanting in a language that sent chills down my spine. The torches flickered, and a dark, swirling energy began to gather in the center of the room, hovering above the helpless bodies. The energy coalesced into a black orb, pulsating with malevolent power, and I could feel its pull, a force that seemed to suck the very life out of the room.The first werewolf on the bed stirred, his face contorting in pain as the black orb descended toward him. A scream tore from his throat as the orb latched onto him, digging into his chest like a claw. I could see the light fading from his eyes, his body writhing in agony as
Christian’s PovThe weight of the past two days sat heavily on my chest as I barked out orders to the guards and warriors. My voice was hoarse from repeating the same commands over and over, but we had nothing—no clues, no leads. "Spread out further!" I shouted, frustration bleeding into my tone. "Double the patrols, check every border. I want reports on every inch of our territory!"The warriors scrambled to obey, their faces strained with the same exhaustion and fear that I felt burning inside me. But as I scanned their eyes, I could tell they were losing hope. Two days. Two long, agonizing days with no sign of Mia. No scent trail, no sightings. Nothing.It was as if she had disappeared into thin air."Still nothing," one of the warriors muttered under his breath as he approached, shaking his head. “It’s like she vanished without a trace. We’ve searched the western borders three times now. No one saw anything.”His words sent a cold shiver down my spine. The dread that had been slo
Christian’s POVIt’s been two weeks.Two weeks of nothing.No scent. No trace. No leads.Nothing.I stood on the porch of the pack house, my hand gripping the railing so tightly that I could feel the wood splinter beneath my fingers. The frustration that simmered beneath my skin was boiling over, pushing me to the brink. My chest heaved, a mixture of exhaustion and fury coiling inside me like a beast ready to break free. Everyone was doing their best. I knew that. But knowing didn’t help. Knowing didn’t stop the gnawing, biting anxiety from shredding me apart. It didn’t silence the cold whisper at the back of my mind that something had happened to Mia—something irreparable. I couldn’t rest. I couldn’t eat. I couldn’t breathe until she was back in my arms.“Christian.”I snapped out of my spiraling thoughts to see Alpha Dominic walking toward me, his face set in a deep frown. His presence was always calming—like a steady mountain in the midst of chaos—but right now, nothing could pul
Mia’s POVMy body felt like lead, weighed down by something I couldn’t shake. Every time I tried to open my eyes, the world around me seemed to spin out of control, darkness tugging at me again and again. The sharp sting in my arm where Balthazar had injected something still pulsed, a cruel reminder of how powerless I was. I tried to move, to will my limbs to obey, but it was useless—my body refused to cooperate, paralyzed by whatever poison they had pumped into me.But I wasn’t gone. Not completely.Somewhere, deep within me, my wolf stirred. Her presence was faint, buried under layers of magic and drugs, but she was there. I clung to her, desperate for any sign of strength, any hope that I wasn’t truly alone in this nightmare. My mind felt like it was underwater, but then, as if through a tunnel, I heard her voice."I’m here, Mia." Her voice was weak, but hearing her sent a rush of warmth through my freezing veins. I tried to respond, my thoughts sluggish, but she was faster."List