Dominic’s grip on my arm tightened as Caleb’s voice continued to echo, growing louder and more menacing with every passing second. The sound of his laughter twisted the air around us, a haunting reminder that he wasn’t just a threat but a predator, circling his prey.“We need to move. Now,” Dominic said, his voice firm but calm. He was bleeding, his shirt stained crimson, but his focus was razor-sharp. He turned us toward a narrower passage on the other side of the cavern.“Do you think he’s following us?” I whispered, my voice trembling.Dominic’s jaw clenched. “No doubt about it. Caleb doesn’t back down—not until he gets what he wants.”The weight of his words settled over me like a lead blanket. Caleb wasn’t just chasing us; he was hunting us. And he was enjoying it.We pressed on, the narrow tunnel forcing us to move single file. Dominic led the way, his flashlight cutting through the darkness. The air grew colder, the dampness seeping into my skin. The sound of water grew louder,
I bit back a sob, my mind racing. I couldn’t let him find me. I scanned the chamber, searching for anything that could be a weapon or an escape route. My eyes landed on a narrow fissure in the rock, barely wide enough for me to squeeze through.Without thinking, I scrambled toward it, wedging myself into the tight space. The rock scraped against my skin, and for a moment, I thought I might get stuck. But sheer desperation gave me the strength to push through, emerging on the other side into another dark tunnel.I didn’t stop to catch my breath. I kept moving, the oppressive silence around me broken only by the distant sound of Caleb’s pursuit.And then, suddenly, the ground beneath me gave way.I screamed as I fell, the world spinning around me. I hit the ground hard, pain shooting through my body. My flashlight skittered across the floor, its beam illuminating the cavern I had fallen into.This space was larger, with towering stalagmites and a shallow pool of water reflecting the lig
The darkness was suffocating. My body felt heavy, as if I were sinking into a deep abyss. Distant echoes of voices and the faint rustle of movement seeped into the void, pulling me toward consciousness. My head throbbed, and when I finally opened my eyes, blurry shapes swam before me.I was in a dimly lit room, the walls rough-hewn stone. A single flickering lantern hung from the ceiling, casting long, eerie shadows. My hands were bound tightly behind my back, the rope biting into my skin. Panic surged through me as I tried to wriggle free, but the bindings wouldn’t budge.“Dominic?” My voice came out as a hoarse whisper. I turned my head, searching desperately for him.My eyes landed on him across the room, slumped against the wall. Blood stained his shirt where Caleb had stabbed him. His chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths, and his face was pale, almost ghostly. He was alive—but barely.“Dominic!” I called again, louder this time.His eyelids fluttered, and he let out a l
The man—whoever he was—was already moving toward the door. His actions were swift and purposeful, like he knew exactly what to do. He turned to us briefly.“Stay low, stay quiet. Follow me,” he ordered, his voice steady. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty in his tone.I glanced at Dominic, who was struggling to steady himself, but I knew he couldn’t do this alone.“Dominic, we can make it,” I said, stepping closer to him, my voice thick with emotion. I wanted to believe it. More than anything, I wanted us to make it out of this alive. But the weight of the situation pressed heavily on my chest.He reached out, gripping my hand tightly, and for a moment, his touch felt like the only thing keeping me grounded. "We will," he murmured, his voice rough but filled with the kind of certainty I desperately needed. "I won't leave you."I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat, and followed the mysterious man. We moved as quickly as we could through the narrow hallways, the sound of our
“Happy Birthday, my dearest Harold,” I whispered to myself, practicing the line I would say as I clutched the gift tighter. A luxury watch, engraved with my hubby’s name. Today was the birthday of my husband, Harold Gutcheri, the alpha of the Clawstone pack, a famous pack here in Nebraska. I remembered the time when I was told by my beta father that I would become the next Luna of the pack once Harold ascends the position of the Alpha.It was a quick wedding that took off between our families, and even our mating ceremony happened not before long. It was just that, every single time we make love, nothing passionate ever comes out of it. Harold always ends up reaching his climax quickly before I could even cum. There are moments when I question myself if I was even good enough for my husband, which was why right now, I want to try and persuade him to make love with me again after I give him his birthday gift.Elation came within me as I returned to our house with the small box in my
A day after I walked out of that house, leaving Harold and his bitch mistress in their elicit affair. The sting of Harold’s rejection still lingered within me, but the weight that had lifted from my chest was undeniable. I realized that I was finally free despite how the pain from his rejection still simmered just below the surface. And it was that kind of hurt that led me straight to my bestfriend’s place, Wella, with a bottle of vodka in my hand and I was all ready to drown my sorrows with the only person in the world who would certainly understand what I was going through.“He did fucking what?” Wella practically screeched as her eyes grew exaggeratingly wide. I could see the disbelief in her expression as I told her all about what I saw earlier. “I can’t believe that motherfucker was using you this whole time for his own gain?”I quickly nodded while I felt the burn of embarrassment crept up my cheek. "Yep, I was too naive to realize that earlier, Harold had just used me like a
As Wella went to take a morning shower, I was left at the living area having some headache on what I should do. My phone rested in my trembling hand, its screen black, as I paced the room while my heart kept pounding in my chest. The weight of Dominic’s last message hung over me like a dark cloud. ‘The lingerie looks good. Even more good if I show it to Alpha Harold.’My breath hitched at the memory of the message. I just made a terrible and most dumbest mistake—a drunken, foolish mistake to be exact—and now I was at the mercy of a beta who clearly knew how to exploit my fear with just one respond. Panic quickly clawed my throat, and the gnawing dread that my husband learn of what I did, of how I sent those pictures to Dominic by mistake made me scared to the bones. My thoughts raced, scrambling for a way out, but every option seemed to collapse under the weight of Dominic’s simple but dreadful threat.While I was deep in my thought, my phone suddenly rang, snapping me back to the r
The weight of the moment hung heavily in the air, as I was surprised to see him already standing before me when I turned around around.“I want an answer, Elisse. You can’t leave this room without agreeing with me.” Dominic replied.I tried to back away from him but he quickly curled his arms around my waist and blocking my attempt to keep some distance between us.“Why are you doing this? Huh? Why are you hitting on me, Dominic?” I pushed him away, feeling a mix of anger and confusion. “You know I’m Harold’s mate. Your alpha! What kind of loyalty is that?” I had to lie despite the fact that Harold had already rejected me.His lips twisted into a smirk, and I could see a challenge flicker in his eyes. “Loyalty? Is that what you call it? You think he deserves you?”I folded my arms, frustrated. “Harold has his flaws, but he’s still my mate.” I lied again.“Flaws? The Alpha’s a complete idiot to make you feel like you’re not wanted and compelled you to do such things,” Dominic shot back
The man—whoever he was—was already moving toward the door. His actions were swift and purposeful, like he knew exactly what to do. He turned to us briefly.“Stay low, stay quiet. Follow me,” he ordered, his voice steady. There was no hesitation, no uncertainty in his tone.I glanced at Dominic, who was struggling to steady himself, but I knew he couldn’t do this alone.“Dominic, we can make it,” I said, stepping closer to him, my voice thick with emotion. I wanted to believe it. More than anything, I wanted us to make it out of this alive. But the weight of the situation pressed heavily on my chest.He reached out, gripping my hand tightly, and for a moment, his touch felt like the only thing keeping me grounded. "We will," he murmured, his voice rough but filled with the kind of certainty I desperately needed. "I won't leave you."I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat, and followed the mysterious man. We moved as quickly as we could through the narrow hallways, the sound of our
The darkness was suffocating. My body felt heavy, as if I were sinking into a deep abyss. Distant echoes of voices and the faint rustle of movement seeped into the void, pulling me toward consciousness. My head throbbed, and when I finally opened my eyes, blurry shapes swam before me.I was in a dimly lit room, the walls rough-hewn stone. A single flickering lantern hung from the ceiling, casting long, eerie shadows. My hands were bound tightly behind my back, the rope biting into my skin. Panic surged through me as I tried to wriggle free, but the bindings wouldn’t budge.“Dominic?” My voice came out as a hoarse whisper. I turned my head, searching desperately for him.My eyes landed on him across the room, slumped against the wall. Blood stained his shirt where Caleb had stabbed him. His chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths, and his face was pale, almost ghostly. He was alive—but barely.“Dominic!” I called again, louder this time.His eyelids fluttered, and he let out a l
I bit back a sob, my mind racing. I couldn’t let him find me. I scanned the chamber, searching for anything that could be a weapon or an escape route. My eyes landed on a narrow fissure in the rock, barely wide enough for me to squeeze through.Without thinking, I scrambled toward it, wedging myself into the tight space. The rock scraped against my skin, and for a moment, I thought I might get stuck. But sheer desperation gave me the strength to push through, emerging on the other side into another dark tunnel.I didn’t stop to catch my breath. I kept moving, the oppressive silence around me broken only by the distant sound of Caleb’s pursuit.And then, suddenly, the ground beneath me gave way.I screamed as I fell, the world spinning around me. I hit the ground hard, pain shooting through my body. My flashlight skittered across the floor, its beam illuminating the cavern I had fallen into.This space was larger, with towering stalagmites and a shallow pool of water reflecting the lig
Dominic’s grip on my arm tightened as Caleb’s voice continued to echo, growing louder and more menacing with every passing second. The sound of his laughter twisted the air around us, a haunting reminder that he wasn’t just a threat but a predator, circling his prey.“We need to move. Now,” Dominic said, his voice firm but calm. He was bleeding, his shirt stained crimson, but his focus was razor-sharp. He turned us toward a narrower passage on the other side of the cavern.“Do you think he’s following us?” I whispered, my voice trembling.Dominic’s jaw clenched. “No doubt about it. Caleb doesn’t back down—not until he gets what he wants.”The weight of his words settled over me like a lead blanket. Caleb wasn’t just chasing us; he was hunting us. And he was enjoying it.We pressed on, the narrow tunnel forcing us to move single file. Dominic led the way, his flashlight cutting through the darkness. The air grew colder, the dampness seeping into my skin. The sound of water grew louder,
He stopped abruptly, turning to face me. The dim light of his flashlight illuminated the sharp angles of his face, his expression fierce and unyielding. “This is not your fault, Elise. Whatever happened to Caleb, whatever choices he made, they’re his responsibility. Don’t let him make you think otherwise.”I swallowed hard, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over. “But I—”“No,” Dominic interrupted, stepping closer. His free hand cupped my face, his thumb brushing away the tear that escaped. “You are not to blame for this. Do you hear me?”I nodded, unable to speak, and he leaned in, his forehead resting against mine. For a brief moment, the chaos around us seemed to fade, leaving only the sound of our breaths mingling in the confined space.“You’re not alone in this,” Dominic murmured, his voice softer now. “We’ll get through it together. I promise.”The moment lingered, his words settling over me like a warm blanket against the cold fear gnawing at my insides. But th
The air in the cave grew impossibly heavy, every breath I took scraping like sandpaper against my lungs. The voice, low and chilling, reverberated in my ears. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the stranger who had stepped from the shadows.It was Caleb.He was supposed to be dead.Dominic’s flashlight beam fixed on him, the light reflecting off his pale, angular features. His once-kind eyes now glinted with something cruel and unfathomable. He wasn’t just alive—he was thriving in the darkness, as though the years had forged him into something colder, harder.“Caleb?” I whispered, barely able to believe it. “How—?”His lips curved into a thin smile. “Surprised to see me, Elise? I’d imagine you would be, considering you left me for dead.”“That’s not true!” I shot back, my voice breaking with shock and confusion. “We thought you were gone. We searched for you—”“Save your lies,” Caleb interrupted, his tone dripping with disdain. “You moved on. Just like that. And now, here you are, wrap
The respite didn’t last long. The faint light of dawn began to filter through the canopy of trees, and with it came the weight of what lay ahead. Dominic and I stood side by side, our gazes fixed on the horizon where the enemy's stronghold awaited.He adjusted the bandage on his arm, wincing slightly. “We need to move before they regroup. If they track us here, we’ll lose our advantage.”I nodded, though my mind lingered on the fleeting tenderness we had just shared. It felt fragile, like something that might shatter under the weight of our mission. Still, the memory of his kiss was a flame I carried with me, warming the cold edges of my resolve.As we made our way through the dense forest, the silence between us was heavy but not uncomfortable. Dominic’s presence beside m
The air hung thick with tension, the portal’s residual energy crackling like static around us. Dominic’s chest rose and fell in rapid breaths, his blade still glowing faintly as he scanned the shadows for any sign of further danger.“Who was that?” I whispered, my voice trembling.He turned to me, his jaw clenched, and hesitated before responding. “A harbinger. They’re messengers of the order, and their appearance means we’re out of time.”“Out of time for what?” I pressed, the weight of his words settling uncomfortably in my chest. “You need to stop keeping things from me, Dominic. I need to know what’s happening.”Dominic sheathed his blade with a frustrated sigh and ran a hand through his hair, his usual calm facade cracking. “There’s a prophecy,” he admitted reluctantly. “One that speaks of a being with the power to tear down the veil between worlds—or strengthen it forever. That being... is you.”The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet. “Me?” I echoed, my voice barely audible. “
The tremors grew stronger, the rumbling sound deepening into a deafening roar. Dominic’s hand found mine, his grip firm and steady, but his face betrayed the turmoil beneath his calm exterior.“Elise, stay close to me,” he commanded, his voice sharp, cutting through the chaos. “No matter what happens, don’t let go.”Before I could respond, the ground beneath us cracked, a jagged fissure snaking its way toward us with unnatural speed. A gust of cold wind erupted from the rupture, carrying with it an eerie, otherworldly chill that made the hairs on my arms stand on end.Out of the shadows, figures began to emerge—tall, cloaked beings with glowing eyes that seemed to pierce straight through me. They moved silently, their presence heavy and suffocating, as though the air itself recoiled from their existence.“Dominic...” My voice was barely above a whisper, my chest tight with fear.“I see them,” he replied, his tone grim. He stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body. “This is wh