RENZO'S POV."Dear Wolves of Selene pack," From the center stage I shouted to the crowd who stood approximately ten feet in front. From my pipe I drew an intentional smoke while I studied my territory with a feeling of satisfaction. These were my wolves, and I own them.The pack howled back at me. They shook with fear, but their eyes showed loyalty."I love seeing fear and loyalty in your eyes," I said, laughing out loud. My laughter bounced off the trees, echoing through the woods. "Today's a special day," I said, grinning. "I'm turning 100!" The pack erupted into another chorus of howls, their voices rising and falling in celebration."You look twenty-seven!" a voice screamed from the crowd. I descended from the stage, the sea of wolves parting as I strode towards them. "Who dared to say that?" I growled, scanning the crowd with a piercing gaze.A timid girl trembled forward, her eyes wide with fear. I walked over her, my voice thundering, "That's right! I look twenty-seven!
RORY'S POV "No, no!" I shivered, kneeling before Alpha Renzo. "You can't hurt my mother!"Renzo dragged my mother by the neck. "Watch me hurt her," he sneered.My heart broke into pieces. I regretted returning to the forest for Prince Ryker. My mother winced in pain.Elara rushed forward, pushing herself through the crowd with her eyes blazing. "You're hurting our mother!"Renzo's expression turned cold. "I don't have time for family drama," he spat.I felt a surge of anger and disgust. In my heart, I knew Alpha Renzo enjoyed hurting people. He reveled in their pain and fear.The werewolves howled in the background, their voices rising and falling in a chilling chant. I saw pain and tears in my mother's eyes. She was being sacrificed for my actions."Mum, I'm sorry," I whispered.She nodded, smiling weakly.As Elijah dragged my mother away to the execution site, Alpha Renzo approached me, his fingers closing around my chin like a vice. Again, I felt that mysterious jolt, like a spar
RORY'S POV Elijah led me through the castle's grand hallway, adorned with cobweb-covered portraits, and stopped in front of a small, plain door. "This is where you'll stay,”he said, pushing the door open.The room was tiny, with stone walls and a single, narrow window. A small bed and a wooden chest were the only furniture.Elijah pointed down the hallway. "The Alpha's tea is waiting. Be quick about it,” He turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the unfamiliar room.I looked around, feeling lost. "Tea?" I whispered to myself. How was I supposed to make tea when I didn't even know where the kitchen was?I slumped onto the wooden bed, the rough texture a big difference to the pain I felt inside. Memories of my mother's screams, her body consumed by flames, still lingered in my mind like an open wound. I felt a pang in my chest, a mix of grief, anger, and helplessness."Now he's my mate?" I whispered, shocked. I longed for Elara's presence, but she'd vanished since Alpha Ren
RORY'S POV "How does it feel to have a wolf side, Elara?"I asked my sister, Elara, who seemed more confident and stronger ever since she turned. Her hair color brighter, and her eyes sparkled with a fierce inner light."This is the hundredth time you've asked Elara that, and I'm sure more of it is to come," my mum chuckled, pulling me closer to herself. The forest seemed to have had only the three of us in it, as only the birds could be heard. We were on an evening hunt, hoping to get some dinner before the day ran out."I wish I had a wolf too," I said, looking at Elara with a mix of admiration and longing.I heard Elara sigh, and I could feel her roll her eyes. My sister was probably just as frustrated as I was about my transformation taking so much time. Everyone in the pack had already turned, even before they turned twenty, but there I was, twenty-one but stuck in my human form. I felt isolated when they unleashed their wolves. My mum stopped abruptly and pulled me back to fac
RORY'S POV Elijah led me through the castle's grand hallway, adorned with cobweb-covered portraits, and stopped in front of a small, plain door. "This is where you'll stay,”he said, pushing the door open.The room was tiny, with stone walls and a single, narrow window. A small bed and a wooden chest were the only furniture.Elijah pointed down the hallway. "The Alpha's tea is waiting. Be quick about it,” He turned and walked away, leaving me alone in the unfamiliar room.I looked around, feeling lost. "Tea?" I whispered to myself. How was I supposed to make tea when I didn't even know where the kitchen was?I slumped onto the wooden bed, the rough texture a big difference to the pain I felt inside. Memories of my mother's screams, her body consumed by flames, still lingered in my mind like an open wound. I felt a pang in my chest, a mix of grief, anger, and helplessness."Now he's my mate?" I whispered, shocked. I longed for Elara's presence, but she'd vanished since Alpha Ren
RORY'S POV "No, no!" I shivered, kneeling before Alpha Renzo. "You can't hurt my mother!"Renzo dragged my mother by the neck. "Watch me hurt her," he sneered.My heart broke into pieces. I regretted returning to the forest for Prince Ryker. My mother winced in pain.Elara rushed forward, pushing herself through the crowd with her eyes blazing. "You're hurting our mother!"Renzo's expression turned cold. "I don't have time for family drama," he spat.I felt a surge of anger and disgust. In my heart, I knew Alpha Renzo enjoyed hurting people. He reveled in their pain and fear.The werewolves howled in the background, their voices rising and falling in a chilling chant. I saw pain and tears in my mother's eyes. She was being sacrificed for my actions."Mum, I'm sorry," I whispered.She nodded, smiling weakly.As Elijah dragged my mother away to the execution site, Alpha Renzo approached me, his fingers closing around my chin like a vice. Again, I felt that mysterious jolt, like a spar
RENZO'S POV."Dear Wolves of Selene pack," From the center stage I shouted to the crowd who stood approximately ten feet in front. From my pipe I drew an intentional smoke while I studied my territory with a feeling of satisfaction. These were my wolves, and I own them.The pack howled back at me. They shook with fear, but their eyes showed loyalty."I love seeing fear and loyalty in your eyes," I said, laughing out loud. My laughter bounced off the trees, echoing through the woods. "Today's a special day," I said, grinning. "I'm turning 100!" The pack erupted into another chorus of howls, their voices rising and falling in celebration."You look twenty-seven!" a voice screamed from the crowd. I descended from the stage, the sea of wolves parting as I strode towards them. "Who dared to say that?" I growled, scanning the crowd with a piercing gaze.A timid girl trembled forward, her eyes wide with fear. I walked over her, my voice thundering, "That's right! I look twenty-seven!
RORY'S POV"Elara, you could have killed him!" I shouted, slamming the wooden door shut behind me. My hunting coat fell to the floor with a soft thud.Elara spun around, her eyes blazing with a fierce intensity. "You don't dare yell at me that way, Rory," she hissed, her left finger jabbing accusingly at my face.I stood my ground, my heart still racing from the encounter with the human. "You were reckless, Elara,’"You were with a human, Rory. Are you blind to the danger? Everyone knows it's a death sentence to be seen with one."Elara's voice dropped to a whisper, barely audible over the rustling of leaves in the park. I glared back at her, my defenses rising. "That human saved me when you and Mum got lost in the wind."Before Elara could retort, the wooden door burst open, and Mum strode in, her face thunderous. Her eyes had darkened to an inky black, and her wolf claws were fully extended, gleaming in the dim light. Mum's wolf instincts always surfaced when she was angry, and
RORY'S POV "How does it feel to have a wolf side, Elara?"I asked my sister, Elara, who seemed more confident and stronger ever since she turned. Her hair color brighter, and her eyes sparkled with a fierce inner light."This is the hundredth time you've asked Elara that, and I'm sure more of it is to come," my mum chuckled, pulling me closer to herself. The forest seemed to have had only the three of us in it, as only the birds could be heard. We were on an evening hunt, hoping to get some dinner before the day ran out."I wish I had a wolf too," I said, looking at Elara with a mix of admiration and longing.I heard Elara sigh, and I could feel her roll her eyes. My sister was probably just as frustrated as I was about my transformation taking so much time. Everyone in the pack had already turned, even before they turned twenty, but there I was, twenty-one but stuck in my human form. I felt isolated when they unleashed their wolves. My mum stopped abruptly and pulled me back to fac