The days leading up to the Alpha trials were a blur, each one more intense than the last. The pack’s excitement hummed in the air, like the tension before a storm.Every corner of the camp was alive with preparation—sparring sessions, strategy meetings, and countless whispered conversations. The trials would decide not just the future of the pack, but the future of the three of us. And I couldn’t decide which one terrified me more.Harold or Dominic.Dominic, the undeniable Alpha—the protector, the one who had rebuilt this pack with his bare hands. His natural command, his strength, his unwavering focus made him the perfect leader. Then there was Harold, who had always stayed in the background, his quiet intensity making him a force to be reckoned with. But now, he was stepping into the spotlight, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that his decision to enter the trials wasn’t just about the pack. It was about something deeper. Something between him and me.The thought clung to me as
The days leading to the trials blurred into an unrelenting tide of preparations, training, and strained moments that refused to be ignored. As the pack buzzed with anticipation, I found myself standing in the thick of it—between two men whose rivalry was as fierce as the coming trials.Dominic’s presence had always been steady, a comforting strength I could lean on when the world grew too heavy. But Harold’s sudden transformation—his confidence and resolve—left me reeling. There was no denying the fire in his eyes, a fire that seemed to burn for reasons I wasn’t ready to face.Late one evening, I stood on the ridge overlooking the training grounds, the cool wind brushing against my skin as I watched Dominic work with the challengers. His movements were a symphony of precision and power, a testament to the leader he was destined to be.“Elise.”The voice startled me. I turned to find Harold standing a few feet away, his expression unreadable in the moonlight.“Couldn’t sleep either?” I
The arena erupted with cheers and howls as the trials began. Warriors from the pack stood at attention, their eyes fixed on the contenders, each step of the competition designed to test strength, strategy, and resolve.Dominic and Harold faced each other in the center, their contrasting energies creating a magnetic pull that silenced the crowd. Dominic exuded calm confidence, every motion deliberate, while Harold carried a raw intensity, his posture brimming with the determination of someone with nothing to lose.And there I stood, caught in the current of their battle, torn by emotions I couldn’t untangle.The first trial was a test of endurance, an obstacle course that spanned the dense forest. I stood with the crowd as the competitors plunged into the challenge.“Elise,” whispered Lila, one of the healers, standing beside me. “You seem more nervous than the competitors themselves.”“I’m fine,” I lied, my voice tight.She smiled knowingly but said nothing.By the time they returned
The silence in the arena was thick, each second stretching into eternity. Harold and Dominic exchanged one last glance, the air between them crackling with unspoken tension. Then, as if a silent agreement had passed, the fight resumed.Dominic struck first, his movements calculated, his footwork precise. Harold, bruised and battered, was slower, his strength waning but his resolve unbroken. He blocked Dominic’s strike and countered with a feral determination, his raw energy overpowering the technical finesse that Dominic brought to the fight.The crowd erupted in shouts, gasps, and cries of encouragement. Every blow landed like a thunderclap, every dodge a near miss that left hearts pounding. It was clear Dominic had the upper hand, his strategy and experience keeping Harold on the defensive.But then, fate intervened.As Dominic lunged for what seemed to be the finishing blow, his footing faltered—a patch of loose gravel underfoot throwing him off balance. Harold seized the moment wi
The celebration was alive around me—laughter, howls of joy, and the clinking of glasses filling the air. I stood off to the side, my heart pounding in my chest as Harold accepted the pack’s cheers. His face was bruised, his movements stiff, but there was a fire in his eyes, an energy in his stance that made him seem invincible.And yet, I couldn’t look at him without feeling a pang of confusion and something I couldn’t quite name.Dominic’s approach broke through the haze of noise. His calm precision was like a blade cutting through the revelry. The crowd seemed to hold its breath as he walked right up to Harold, his expression unreadable.I couldn’t hear my own thoughts over the pounding of my pulse when Harold’s voice rang out, steady despite his obvious exhaustion. “Dominic, I promised that if I won, I’d grant you one wish. You gave me the challenge I needed to prove myself. Name it.”My breath hitched. Dominic’s eyes flicked toward me, and a knot formed in my stomach. Why was he l
The celebration seemed to blur around me, colors and sounds melding into an indistinct haze. My heart was still pounding as I found myself retreating to a quieter corner, away from the revelry, away from Harold’s piercing gaze and Dominic’s unspoken accusations. I needed space, a moment to breathe, to make sense of the emotions storming within me.How could Harold say those things after all this time? How could he look at me with such vulnerability, such determination, after years of being so cold and unreachable? The Harold I had known before would never have made such a public declaration. He would have scoffed at the very idea of it.I ran a hand through my hair, the tremor in my fingers betraying how unsteady I felt.“Elise?”The voice, soft and tentative, made me turn sharply. It was Harold. He had followed me, of course. His eyes, normally so guarded, were open, raw with emotion. It was almost too much to bear.“Shouldn’t you be celebrating with the others?” I asked, trying to k
That evening, the packhouse was quieter than usual, as if the world around me was holding its breath in anticipation of the choices I was yet to make. I sat in my room, staring at the window where the moonlight spilled onto the wooden floor.Harold’s words from the night before echoed in my mind, intertwining with memories I’d tried so hard to bury. The cold stares, the dismissive tones—they clashed with the warmth and vulnerability he’d shown me by the lake. Could it be real? Could he truly change?A knock at the door jolted me from my thoughts.“Elise?” a familiar voice called.I hesitated before standing. When I opened the door, Dominic stood there, his expression unusually guarded.“What is it?” I asked, my voice laced with caution.“I need to talk to you,” he said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation.I frowned but didn’t stop him. “Dominic, if this is about Harold—”“It’s about you,” he interrupted, his voice low and insistent. “I can see what’s happening, Elise. H
The pain was unbearable. It tore through me like fire, radiating from my side and making every breath a struggle. I was vaguely aware of shouting, the sound distant and warped, like I was underwater. My vision blurred, the moon above me a smudged white glow against the dark canvas of the night sky.“Elise!”Harold’s voice cut through the haze, sharp and commanding. I felt strong arms lift me from the ground, the scent of him wrapping around me—a mix of earth, wood, and something uniquely Harold.I blinked up at him, my vision swimming. His face was tight with panic, his jaw clenched, and his hands trembled as they pressed against my wound to stem the bleeding.“Stay with me,” he ordered, his tone almost desperate.“Harold…” I tried to speak, but the words came out weak, barely a whisper.“Don’t,” he said sharply, his eyes meeting mine. “Save your strength. You’re going to be fine.”In the background, I could hear Dominic snarling, his voice a guttural growl as he fought off the attacke
The storm raged outside, but the tension inside was even heavier. Creed stood in the doorway, dripping water onto the wooden floor, his breath coming fast and uneven. His eyes darted between me and Dante, as if measuring how much he could say in front of him."Who’s coming?" I asked, forcing my voice to be steady.Creed wiped a hand down his soaked face, his fingers shaking slightly. "The ones who never stopped looking for you. You think you left it all behind, but they never forgot. And now they know where you are."Dante’s grip on my hand tightened. "She’s not alone," he said, his tone edged with steel. "And she’s not running."Creed let out a humorless laugh. "You think you can just stand your ground? You don’t understand who you’re up against. They don’t knock on doors. They don’t send warnings. If they know where you are, it’s already too late."A crack of thunder rattled the windows, making me flinch. I hated how much Creed’s words unsettled me. He wasn’t someone who scared easi
The days began to pass with a rhythm I hadn't known in years—quiet, steady, and filled with purpose. Each morning, I woke with a sense of anticipation, not of fear or dread but of something simple and grounding. The garden grew under our care, rows of green bursting with life. The townsfolk had started to visit, their curiosity turning into admiration as they saw what we were creating.But more than the garden, it was the connection with Dante that seemed to bloom most vividly.One afternoon, as I tied stakes for the tomato vines, I caught Dante watching me. His shirt was smudged with dirt, his hands calloused from work, but he looked more at ease than I’d ever seen him.“What?” I asked, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face.“You,” he said, with a faint smile. “You look happy.”I blinked at the honesty in his voice, caught off guard by how deeply it resonated. “I think I am,” I admitted softly, the words feeling foreign but true.He stepped closer, his gaze steady. “You deserv
The quiet that enveloped our lives in the months that followed felt earned, as if we’d clawed it from the jaws of chaos itself. The house Dante found was perched on the edge of a quiet forest, its wide windows inviting sunlight to flood every corner. It was the kind of place I’d once dreamed about when the noise and danger of Creed’s world had made peace feel like a distant fairy tale.But even here, where life had finally slowed, the past had a way of whispering in the dark.One evening, as I was unpacking a box of books I hadn’t touched in years, I came across a journal I’d kept before my life unraveled. Its leather cover was worn, the pages inside filled with scribbled dreams and plans for a future I barely recognized anymore.Flipping through, I saw the person I used to be—the one who believed in simple joys, who thought nothing was beyond reach if she worked hard enough. That person felt so far removed from who I was now. I wasn’t sure if she would recognize me.“What’s that?” Da
Dante's words echoed in my mind as I packed a small bag with essentials. The weight of what we were about to do bore down on me, but alongside it came a sense of resolve. This wasn’t just about Creed anymore—it was about reclaiming my life, my freedom.Dante stood by the door, his phone in hand as he coordinated with someone on the other end. His voice was low, authoritative, and steady. Even in the chaos, he exuded control.When he finally ended the call, he looked at me, his expression grave. “We’ll need to leave within the hour. Creed’s staying in a secured location, but Dominic’s contacts say the window to catch him vulnerable is closing.”I swallowed hard, nodding. “Do we have a plan?”“We do,” Dante said. “It’s risky, but it’s the best shot we’ve got.”The drive to Creed’s hideout was tense, every passing mile charged with anticipation. Dante’s eyes flicked between the road and the rearview mirror, his instincts on high alert.“Tell me,” I said, breaking the silence. “What happe
The moment the door closed behind Dominic and Dante, silence filled the safe house. It wasn’t comforting silence; it was heavy, suffocating, and full of unspoken fears. I paced the small living room, trying to distract myself from the growing sense of dread clawing at my chest.The events of the last twenty-four hours replayed in my mind like a broken record. Dominic’s cold, calculating demeanor. Dante’s smug confidence. The chaos at the docks. The idea that Creed had already retaliated left a bitter taste in my mouth.I glanced at the duffel bag Dominic had left on the table earlier. Curiosity gnawed at me. Maybe there was something in there that could make me feel more prepared—more useful. I hesitated for a moment before unzipping it.Inside was an assortment of items: spare clothes, ammunition, a couple of burner phones, and a sleek black handgun. My hand hovered over the weapon, unsure whether I should even touch it.“You’re not going to learn by staring at it.”I jumped at the v
The next few hours were a blur of activity. Dominic, Dante, and I worked in sync, piecing together a plan that felt both daring and borderline suicidal. The docks were Creed’s stronghold, a sprawling maze of warehouses and shipping containers guarded by his most loyal enforcers. If we were going to take him down, we had to be precise.Dominic laid out a crude map on the desk, his finger tracing potential entry points and vulnerabilities. “Creed will have men posted here, here, and here,” he said, pointing to the main gates and key vantage points. “But the real action will be in Warehouse 12. That’s where they’ll load the shipment.”“And that’s where we’ll hit him?” I asked, leaning over the map.Dominic shook his head. “Not directly. We’ll divide their attention. Dante and I will draw their focus here”—he pointed to a side entrance near the east gate—“while you create a diversion near the south docks.”I blinked, unsure if I’d heard him correctly. “You want me to create a diversion? H
Dominic moved like a force of nature, his body a blur of precise, lethal motion. Creed barely had time to react before Dominic was on him, knocking the gun from his hand with a sharp twist of his wrist. The weapon skittered across the floor, disappearing into the shadows.Creed staggered backward, his smug composure finally breaking. “You think this changes anything?” he spat, his voice tinged with panic. “You can’t outrun me, Dominic! I own this city!”Dominic didn’t respond. He grabbed Creed by the collar, slamming him against the wall with enough force to rattle the shelves lining the room. Creed let out a strangled grunt, his bravado melting into fear.I wanted to move, to help, but the adrenaline coursing through my veins left me frozen, my pulse pounding in my ears. One of Creed’s men was still conscious, clutching his injured shoulder as he reached for a gun.I acted on instinct. Grabbing a nearby bottle from a cluttered table, I hurled it with all my strength. It shattered aga
(ELISE)The room seemed to vibrate with tension as Creed’s cruel smile twisted into a smirk of amusement. Dominic was slumped in the chair, his face pale but his eyes sharp, tracking every movement in the room. I could feel the weight of his stare on me, but I didn’t dare meet his gaze. Not yet.Creed stepped closer, the gun in his hand casually dangling as though he wasn’t holding my entire world in his palm. The two men blocking the exit were armed, their broad shoulders and menacing glares making them appear like immovable statues.“You know,” Creed said, his voice almost conversational, “I have to admit, I didn’t expect you to show up this quickly. Dominic always said you were resourceful, but I assumed you’d at least hesitate. Shows how little I know.”I forced myself to hold his gaze, hiding the fear simmering beneath my surface. “If you wanted me here so badly, you’ve got me. Now let him go.”Creed chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Oh, Elise. It’s not that simple. Dominic her
I stood frozen, the phone still clutched in my hand, its cold surface pressing against my damp palm. The man's chilling voice echoed in my mind, and my heartbeat thundered in my ears. Dominic was in danger, and every instinct in my body screamed at me to do something.I paced the apartment, the walls closing in around me. The security guards stationed at the door would never let me leave alone, not after the recent threats. But waiting wasn’t an option. I had to act, and I had to act now.Taking a deep breath, I glanced at the package the deliveryman had brought earlier—the ominous note lying discarded on the coffee table. Its words felt like a taunt, a reminder that I was being watched.I couldn’t involve anyone else. Whoever this man was, he wanted me alone, and any deviation from that would only put Dominic in greater danger.I grabbed my coat and slipped on a pair of boots, trying to steady my trembling hands. Quietly, I opened the closet and retrieved the pepper spray Dominic had