The following morning, I woke up with a renewed sense of resolve. The tension from last night with Harold still lingered, but Dominicâs reassurance echoed in my mind, strengthening my determination. I wasnât alone in this fight; I had an ally by my side, someone who believed in me. Today, I was ready to take the first steps toward reclaiming my freedom.As I dressed, a knock sounded on my door. I opened it to find Dominic, a solemn expression on his face."Good morning, Elisse. I have news," he began, glancing around to ensure we were alone. "My contact managed to gather some valuable information on Harold's dealings. Itâs risky, but this could be the leverage we need to challenge him.â"Really?" I whispered, excitement bubbling up despite the caution in his eyes. "What did you find?"Dominic handed me a folder. "There are records here of underground activities that Alpha Harold would never want anyone to seeâdeals that go against pack law. But before we do anything, we need to be abso
The morning air was crisp, carrying with it the faint scent of pine and dew as I made my way through the packâs training grounds. The pack was stirring, preparing for a long day of patrol and training, and I could feel the hum of their energy. Every person here meant something to me, every life was a responsibility I took to heart. So, when Dominicâs shadow stretched over the path beside me, a knot of worry twisted inside.âElisse.â His voice was low and carried that familiar edge of determination.I turned, meeting his gaze. His expression was set, brows pulled together in thought. âYouâre here early,â I remarked, trying to keep the tone light.He only nodded, studying me with an intensity that made my heart tighten. âI wanted to talk to you,â he said after a pause, his voice careful, as though he was measuring each word.I braced myself, sensing what was coming. âGo ahead,â I replied, forcing a calm that felt tenuous at best.Dominic took a step closer, his gaze unwavering. âI need
The forest was still, shadows stretching long and dark as Dominic and I made our way back toward the packhouse. Every step jarred the wound in my side, but I bit down against the pain, refusing to show weakness. Iâd managed to keep going, though I could feel the sting of Leonorâs words echoing in my head.âThis isnât over, ElisseâŠâIt was a promise of more to come, a threat hanging over my head and, by extension, the packâs. Dominic walked beside me in silence, his expression unreadable, but his gaze flickered over me, noticing my every stumble, every hiss of breath I couldnât suppress. He finally let out a frustrated sigh and stopped, turning to face me fully.âElisse,â he began, his tone exasperated, âyouâre hurt, and if you donât slow down, youâre going to make it worse. Just⊠stop for a second. Let me help.âI shook my head. âI donât have time to rest. Not with Leonor out there, planning his next move. I canât risk it.âDominicâs jaw tightened. âAnd how are you going to protect t
The packhouse was buzzing with activity the next morning, the usual routines upended by a sudden, unexpected message. I was in the middle of helping organize a patrol rotation when I noticed the change in the atmosphere. Whispers and wary glances passed between pack members, and soon Jason rushed up to me, out of breath and clearly shaken.âElisse!â he gasped, holding a white envelope in his hand. âA letter⊠it just arrived by courier.âThe weight in his tone told me this was no ordinary letter. Taking it from him, I carefully broke the seal, revealing the rich script inside. My heart skipped as I read the words, and I felt a chill run down my spine.The letter was a formal declaration from none other than the Alpha King himself, Haroldâs father. He was coming for a âcourtesy call,â and he expected both Harold and me to be present for his arrival.A sense of unease settled over me. The Alpha King was notorious for his rigid expectations and strict loyalty to tradition. His sudden desi
The following weekâs morning felt thick with an unnatural quiet, the kind that settles right before a storm. I had barely set foot in the packhouse before Jason intercepted me, his face drawn and tense.âElisse,â he said, his voice barely above a whisper, âVictor Gutcheri has arrived.âThe words hit me like a punch. The Alpha King had arrived, here, on our territory. And not just any Alpha KingâHaroldâs father, Victor Gutcheri. Known for his ironclad rule and his ruthless demand for loyalty, Victor was a man even the boldest alphas feared. The fact that he had chosen to come here unannounced could mean only one thing: he intended to investigate something, perhaps even disrupt it.I felt my stomach tighten as I nodded and took a breath. âWhere is he now?ââHeâs in the main hall. Harold is with him,â Jason replied, glancing down the corridor nervously.âRight.â I forced my voice to stay steady, though my pulse thrummed with anxiety. âIâll be right there.âBut even as I spoke, I felt the
That evening, as the entire pack house gathered in the main hall for the event Victor had called. Candles burned in sconces along the walls, their flickering light casting a warm glow that contrasted with the frigid atmosphere.I stood beside Harold, maintaining the carefully rehearsed unity weâd managed to project for Victor throughout the day. The Alpha King sat at the head of the grand dining table, his presence unmistakable as he looked around the room with a satisfaction that bordered on arrogance.Once the last of the pack members settled in their places, Victor raised his glass and gestured for silence. His sharp gaze fell on Harold and me as he began to speak.âIt is a rare honor for me to visit my sonâs pack, but I do so today with both pride and purpose,â Victor began, his deep voice carrying through the room. âHarold has shown strength and loyalty beyond measure, and I expect no less from his Luna.âI felt the weight of his words settle over me like a shroud. A respectful
FEW DAYS LATERâŠThe chill of dawn brushed over my skin as I made my way down the path, heading to the packâs warehouse for todayâs training session. The air was still, and only the faintest light hinted at the sun rising on the horizon. I kept my focus on the crunch of my boots on the gravel, steadying myself for the rigorous exercises with the pack members and other she-wolves. I relished the intensity of trainingâit was a moment where I could forget the politics, the secrets, and the careful balancing act I had to maintain in the pack house.But just as I turned the corner, the air shifted, and a hand wrapped around my waist, pulling me back into the shadows. My instincts kicked in, and I spun to confront whoever it was, but a familiar scent and a steady gaze stopped me."Dominic?" I whispered, feeling the thrill and irritation mix in my chest. My first instinct was to push him away, but his firm hold kept me in place.He leaned in, his face close enough that I could feel his breat
The low flames of Haroldâs study cast flickering shadows across the room as I entered, drawn to the grim silence hanging in the air. Harold was at his desk, fingers pressing into his temples, a brooding figure with barely contained rage simmering beneath his composed exterior. When he heard my footsteps, he looked up, his gaze cold, cutting. âSo,â he began, his voice a steely whisper, âthe Alpha King wants an heir. Our heir.âI took a steadying breath, keeping my face neutral. âYes. He was quite clear about it. He sees it as a way to solidify his power.âHarold scoffed, rising from his chair to pace the room. âAnd you really think heâll be content with a few excuses? Heâs already been watching us like a hawk, Elise. Heâll expect results. And soon.âI felt the tension gather in my shoulders, my own frustration threatening to rise. âI know that, Harold. But what would you have me do? We agreed this was a arranged marriage.ââBut I never agreed to⊠this,â he spat out, his voice laced wi
As the car roared to life, the tension between Dominic and me was thick enough to cut with a knife. He sat in the back, silent and brooding, his eyes flicking between the road ahead and the small stack of documents in my hands. I could feel his gaze on me, but I refused to acknowledge it. This wasnât the time for distractions, not when we were heading straight into enemy territory.We drove in silence for what felt like hours, the city lights blinking past in a blur. I was processing Dominicâs words, the weight of the trap we were walking into pressing down on me. But even as I tried to focus, his presence in the backseat kept nagging at me, pulling at my thoughts.Creed was driving with determination, his jaw clenched as he muttered low under his breath. "This place better be worth it."I had half a mind to reply, but instead, I found myself stealing glances at Dominic through the rearview mirror. He was staring out the window, his face shrouded in shadows, but there was a quiet inte
The sounds of gunfire and shouting echoed down the corridor, sharp and frantic. Creedâs movements were precise, each shot calculated to neutralize our pursuers, but the growing number of guards meant we couldnât stay and fight for long."Exitâs ahead," I shouted to Creed, my voice low and urgent. We had to push throughâthere was no other option.We barreled forward, ducking behind pillars and crates, our every step echoing in the cold, concrete halls. The weight of the files weâd grabbed felt like lead in my hands, but I couldnât afford to drop them. This intel was everything. It was our leverage against the Director, our ticket to shutting down whatever operation he was running.Creed fired another round, hitting a guard square in the chest, but even that wasnât enough to slow down the reinforcements pouring in from every side."Keep moving!" I yelled, taking point as we rounded another corner. We were close to the exit now. Just a few more yards and we could get out into the open. B
The next day, we were ready. The warehouse near the docks wasnât far from where we were operating, so we had the advantage of familiarity with the area. Rina had briefed us on the specifics of the meetingâAsherâs conditions, the layout of the location, and the timing. We werenât taking any chances. Every route had been mapped out, every angle covered. Dante had a few men placed on lookout, just in case. Creed had already checked the finances and made sure the Black Hand's accounts were less secure than they thought. I had prepared a few words, though I wasnât sure what would happen once we walked into that room. It all hinged on Asher.We made our way to the warehouse at dusk, the sun barely touching the horizon as we pulled up in a black SUV, the city skyline just visible in the distance. The docks were eerily quiet, the only sounds being the occasional rustle of wind against the ocean and the distant hum of machinery. The perfect place for a secret meeting. Or an ambush.I stayed f
The air in the room was thick with tension as I processed everything Rina had just told us. The Black Hand. It was as if the very mention of them had cast a shadow over the room, a foreboding sense of doom creeping in. But in the midst of that darkness, there was something elseâsomething burning deep within me. It wasnât just fear. It was anger.I couldnât let them destroy everything Iâd fought for. My life. My freedom. My family. Not after everything.âWe need to act now,â I said, my voice sharper than before. "The longer we wait, the more time they have to close in on us. We canât afford to be passive. We have to hit them first."Rina nodded, though there was a caution in her eyes. âIt wonât be easy. The Black Hand doesnât make mistakes, and they donât let their enemies live long enough to fight back.âI turned to Dante and Creed. âWeâll need to gather intelâeverything we can about them. Who their allies are, their operations, weaknesses. We have to find out how deep theyâve infiltr
The cold air hit me like a slap when I stepped outside the safehouse, but it did nothing to chill the heat still burning in my chest. I couldnât stop thinking about Rinaâs words. Thereâs someone else after you, Elise. And theyâre not going to stop.The rain had stopped, but it still felt like the storm hadnât passed inside me. The weight of it allâthe death of Callum, the betrayal, the bloodshedâwas suffocating. And now, Rina had shown up. I should have felt relief. I should have welcomed her with open arms. But all I felt was a sense of foreboding, the sense that the past wasnât done with me. That the worst was yet to come.I walked to the edge of the cabinâs porch, my boots sinking slightly into the damp earth. The night was eerily quiet, save for the rustle of leaves in the distance, whispering secrets I couldnât hear. The storm had passed, but the silence lingered like an omen.Danteâs voice broke through the stillness. âYou should come back inside.âI turned toward him, his silho
The rain hadnât stopped by the time we reached the safehouse. It clung to me, soaking through my clothes, chilling me to the bone. My fingers were numb, but it wasnât from the coldâit was from what I had done.Callum was dead.I kept replaying it over and over, the way my knife slid into his chest, the way his breath had caught in his throat. The look in his eyesâshock, then fear, then nothing. I should have felt relief, triumph even, but all I felt was an eerie silence settling inside me.Dante pushed the door open, his grip firm on my wrist. Creed entered first, gun still in hand, sweeping the room in one last precautionary check. It was a small, run-down cabin on the outskirts of the city, nestled between overgrown trees and shadows. The perfect place to disappear.âClear,â Creed muttered, shaking off the rain. He glanced at me, his sharp eyes assessing, but he said nothing. He never did unless necessary.Dante let go of me, stripping off his soaked jacket before tossing it onto th
Callum lunged at me again, his knife flashing in the stormâs light. I twisted, barely dodging his attack, feeling the rush of air as his blade sliced past my cheek. The sting came a second later, warm blood mixing with the rain. But I didnât stop. I couldnât.Dante fired another shot, taking down one of Callumâs men who had been closing in on us. Creed had disappeared into the trees, picking them off one by one, silent and efficient. But Callum was mine.I ducked under his next strike, driving my knee up into his gut. He grunted, stumbling back. I pressed forward, slashing at his arm, drawing another line of crimson. His face twisted in fury, but there was something else thereâsomething I hadnât seen before.Fear.âNot so confident now, are you?â I taunted, circling him.Callum let out a sharp, humorless laugh. âYou think youâve won?â he sneered. âYouâre still that scared little girl, Elise. And deep down, you know it.âI ignored his words. He was trying to get inside my head, to make
The storm howled in my ears, but it couldn't drown out the pounding of my heart. There was no going back now. The wind whipped around us, cold and biting, but the warmth of Danteâs presence beside me grounded me. The rifle in his hands was steady, his eyes sharp as they scanned the shadows. Creed was to the side, his every move calculated, waiting for the right moment.We were surrounded.I could hear their footsteps on the wet earth, the crunch of leaves and dirt under their boots. Six figures, maybe more, closing in with a purpose. Callum was at the center of it all, standing tall with that sickening grin on his face. It made my blood boil.I couldnât let them take me again. Not after everything I had fought for.Danteâs hand brushed against mine, a quick reassurance. "Stay behind me," he whispered, but there was no fear in his voiceâonly resolve.But I couldnât hide behind him forever."Iâm done running," I said, my voice barely audible over the storm. My grip tightened on the knif
Dante stepped closer, his dark eyes searching mine. The weight of unspoken words pressed between us, thick as the storm outside. I could feel the tension in his grip, the demand for answers."Tell me the truth, Elise," he said, voice low but firm. "Who are they? What do they want?"I exhaled, dragging a trembling hand through my damp hair. The truth was a wound I had kept stitched shut for too long, but now the stitches were unraveling."Theyâre the ones I escaped from," I admitted. "I thought I was free. I thought I could start over." I looked away, swallowing hard. "But no one ever really escapes them."Creed leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching me with an expression I couldnât decipher."They were never going to stop looking for you," he muttered. "I warned you."Danteâs jaw tightened. "You knew?""I suspected," Creed admitted. "Didnât have proof until now."Dante turned to me, his hands gripping my arms, grounding me. "Why didnât you tell me?"My throat tightened. "Beca