Raina shakes her head. “Not much, but I can tell he’s worried. The pack’s been on high alert, but they’re trying not to panic anyone. If there’s something bigger going on, they’re keeping it close to the chest.”A sense of unease settles over me. I’ve seen Luke’s tension, the way he checks his phone more often, the quiet conversations he has with his father and brother when they think I’m not paying attention. And now that Raina’s confirmed what I’ve been sensing, it feels like a weight pressing down on my chest.“What should we do?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.“Stay vigilant,” Raina says, her tone firm but comforting. “And keep your eyes open. If you notice anything out of the ordinary, let someone know. We’re in this together, Cheryl.”I nod, trying to take comfort in her words, but the gnawing feeling in my gut won’t go away. “I just wish I knew more. I hate feeling like something bad is coming, and I’m powerless to stop it.”Raina reaches out, squeezing my hand. “You’r
The world outside fades away completely, and it’s just the two of us, lost in our own private paradise. The romantic setting, the candles, the necklace—it all adds to the magic of the moment, making everything feel even more intense and beautiful.As we continue to kiss and touch, the intimacy we share feels more than just physical; it’s a deep, emotional bond that makes every touch, every kiss feel like a celebration of our love. Eventually, the intensity of the moment softens, and we find ourselves lying together on the couch, wrapped in each other’s arms. The firelight dances over us, casting a warm glow that feels like it’s part of our own little world. I snuggle closer, feeling the steady rise and fall of Luke’s chest beneath me in this quiet, intimate space, surrounded by the soft light and the warmth of our love, I feel a profound sense of contentment and happiness. The night passes in a comfortable blur of warmth and closeness. We drift off to sleep on the couch, wrapped in ea
It’s been two days of relentless searching, but the woods are empty, and the warehouse offers no new leads. Every step I take feels heavier, my heart sinking with each false hope that fades away. The pack is exhausted, their faces marked by fatigue and frustration, and I can’t shake the guilt gnawing at me.Callum, and my father, the pack’s alpha, finally call us together. His expression is stern, but there’s a hint of sadness in his eyes that mirrors my own. “We’ve covered a lot of ground, but we’re not making any progress,” he says, his voice carrying the weight of authority. “We need to regroup and come up with a new plan.”The pack murmurs in agreement, their weariness evident. I know Callum is right—we’ve pushed ourselves to the limit, and continuing in this state is only going to make things worse. But it doesn’t make the decision any easier.I stand at the edge of the gathering, my gaze fixed on the ground. The weight of responsibility presses down on me. I can’t shake the feel
I’ve lost track of time, each hour blending into the next as I’m moved from one location to another. The places are dark and cold, and I’ve become accustomed to the harsh reality of being constantly on the move. My hands are bound, and the ropes chafe against my skin, but the physical discomfort is secondary to the fear and anxiety gnawing at me.The wolf hunters are relentless, questioning a barrage of demands and threats. They want information—anything they can use to their advantage. Each time they ask a question, their voices are laced with a menacing undertone that makes my skin crawl.“What’s your mate planning?” one of them demands, his voice rough and unforgiving. “We know you’re connected to him. Tell us where he is.”I can’t bring myself to answer. The bond between Luke and me is a lifeline, a thread that connects us even though we’re apart. I cling to that connection, drawing strength from it, even though it’s faint and intermittent. The thought of giving away any informati
I look up at him, my heart sinking as I try to read his intentions. “What are you talking about?” I ask, my voice steady despite the rising anxiety.He smirks, the expression almost cruel. “I’m handing you over to the hunters. They’ve been patient, but their patience is wearing thin. They’re not as... merciful as I’ve tried to be.”My stomach drops at his words. “You can’t be serious. You’re just going to hand me over to them?”Donovan’s eyes flash with something akin to vindication. “I’ve tried to reason with them, but they’re not interested in negotiating. You’re about to find out just how far they’re willing to go to get what they want.”My mind races as I process the gravity of the situation. The hunters’ reputation for cruelty is well-known, and the thought of what they might do to me is terrifying. But panic won’t help me escape; I need a plan, and I need to act quickly.Donovan steps closer, his tone almost taunting. “I’d say good luck, but I doubt you’ll get any. They’re not g
I drive Cheryl to her parents' house, my grip on the steering wheel tight as I navigate the quiet streets. The tension in the car is palpable. Cheryl’s shaken, and I can see the fear in her eyes as she stares out the window, lost in her thoughts. I want to reassure her, but words seem inadequate right now.When we pull up to her parents' house, I can see the lights on and the front door slightly open, a beacon of warmth and safety in the darkness. Cheryl’s parents are standing there, their faces a mix of worry and relief. As soon as I put the car in park, they rush out to greet us, their expressions softening as they see Cheryl.“Cheryl!” her mother exclaims, her voice trembling with emotion. “Oh, thank God, you’re safe!”Cheryl’s father wraps her in a tight embrace, his relief evident. I can see the tears in his eyes as he holds her close. Cheryl clings to him, her own tears flowing freely as she finally lets go of some of the fear she’s been holding in.“We were so worried,” her mot
The door creaks open, and Cheryl and I slip inside, our footsteps barely making a sound. The room is dimly lit by a few flickering overhead bulbs, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Raina and her accomplices are gathered around a table, engrossed in what looks like a map and some documents. The tension in the room is palpable, and I can feel Cheryl’s hand tighten around mine.Raina’s voice cuts through the silence. “We need to act quickly. The information we’ve gathered will allow us to take down the pack once and for all. The time for subtlety is over.”I exchange a glance with Cheryl. This is it—Raina is planning something catastrophic. We have to stop her before it’s too late. I nod to Cheryl, signaling that we should move in, but just as we’re about to make our move, a loud crash echoes from the back of the building. “What was that?” one of Raina’s accomplices says, his voice filled with alarm.I freeze, realizing that our presence might have been detected. The distraction buys
As the pack gathers in the main hall, the atmosphere is tense. Word has spread quickly about the betrayal within our ranks, and everyone’s on edge. I stand beside Cillian, Callum, and Cheryl, waiting for the moment when Cillian will address the pack. The weight of what’s about to happen hangs heavily in the air.Cillian steps forward, his presence commanding the room. He looks out at the assembled pack members, his face a mix of authority and empathy. “Pack members,” he begins, his voice carrying the gravity of the situation, “we’ve discovered that we have a traitor among us. This betrayal goes deeper than we initially realized, and it’s time you all know the truth.”A murmur ripples through the crowd, and I can see the confusion and concern in their faces. The revelation of a traitor is unsettling enough, but when it’s someone as close as Raina, it hits even harder.Cillian continues, his tone steady. “Raina, our trusted ally and Callum’s mate, has been working with Donovan Sullivan
As we all moved to the reception area, the atmosphere was filled with laughter and chatter. Raina and Callum were recounting their own milestones, and Cillian was engaged in a deep conversation with some of the pack members. The sense of unity and celebration was palpable, and it felt like the culmination of so many struggles and victories.I took Cheryl’s hand, pulling her gently aside from the crowd. “Can we talk for a moment?”She looked at me with a mix of curiosity and amusement. “Sure, what’s up?”We walked to a quieter corner of the airstrip, where the sound of the crowd was a distant murmur. I glanced around to ensure we had some privacy before turning back to her. “I just wanted to say how incredibly proud I am of you. This day, this achievement—everything you’ve worked for—it’s amazing.”Cheryl’s cheeks flushed with a pink hue. “It means a lot to hear you say that. I’ve worked so hard, and sometimes I wasn’t sure if it would all be worth it.”“It’s more than worth it,” I sai
We settled onto the couch, my head resting on Luke’s shoulder as he flipped through the channels. He landed on a cheesy action movie that promised endless explosions and improbable heroics. The sheer absurdity of it all was exactly what I needed to distract me from the tangled mess of emotions that had been swirling inside me.Luke grabbed the remote and turned up the volume, the sound of gunfire and dramatic music filling the room. “Prepare yourself,” he said with a grin. “This is about to get incredibly ridiculous.”I laughed, feeling the tension in my shoulders begin to ease. “I’m ready. After today, I think I can handle just about anything, including whatever this movie throws at us.”He pulled me closer, his arm wrapping around me in a protective cocoon. “I’m not sure if I should warn you that there’s going to be some serious plot twists or just let you be surprised.”“Surprise me,” I said, snuggling in against him. “I could use a good laugh.”As the movie progressed, it quickly
The evening felt like the perfect reunion. My parents sat comfortably on the couch, their familiar presence filling the room with warmth and ease. The scent of Luke’s takeout still lingered in the air, mixing with the smell of freshly brewed tea. My mother, Muna, looked more relaxed than she had in months, her dark hair tucked behind her ear as she chatted animatedly with Luke about the city. My father, Ray, though still recovering from the injury inflicted by the wolf hunters, was a quieter but solid presence, his health having visibly improved since the last time I saw him. The sight of him sitting there, looking healthy and at peace, made my heart feel full."You know, Cheryl," my dad began, breaking from his usual quiet demeanor, "there was a time I wasn't sure I'd get to see this—us sitting together like this. I owe a lot of that to you."His words hit me like a soft blow to the chest. I smiled, though there was a lump in my throat. "Dad, you don’t owe me anything. I was just doi
As I dig into the takeout, I catch Luke watching me with that soft, adoring expression that always makes my heart do a little flip. The food is good, and the company is better. After a long day of classes, this is exactly what I need—a quiet evening with Luke, no stress, no pressure, just… us.We settle into a comfortable silence as we eat, the clatter of chopsticks and the hum of the city outside filling the space. Luke’s arm rests on the back of the couch behind me, his warmth seeping into my skin. I lean back slightly, savoring the moment.“How was your day?” I ask, turning to look at him.He shrugs, his lips quirked into a half-smile. “Busy, but not too bad. Had a few meetings this morning, checked in with Callum and Raina this afternoon. Things at the pack are going well.”“Good,” I say, genuinely relieved to hear that. The pack’s been through so much, and knowing that Callum and Raina are slowly finding their footing again makes me happy. They deserve it.Luke looks at me for a
The sunlight spills through the windows, warming the small kitchen of my apartment as I stand at the counter, staring at the half-empty bag of flour. Baking was never really my thing, but after everything that’s happened, I’ve been wanting to try new things—things that make me feel normal, grounded, and more connected to life. But trying to bake cookies without knowing what I’m doing feels like an absolute disaster in progress."Cheryl?" Luke’s deep voice carries from the living room.I hear his footsteps approaching, and I turn just in time to see him leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed, with that smirk that makes my stomach flip every time. His black T-shirt clings to his chest in all the right ways, and even though I’ve spent more time with him than I can count, my heart still skips a beat."What’s going on here?" He raises an eyebrow, glancing at the mess I’ve made of the kitchen—flour on the counter, the floor, and somehow even on me. He grins wider when he sees a streak
The sun’s just beginning to rise over the horizon as I pull into the small parking lot outside Cheryl’s apartment. It’s a modest place on the outskirts of the city, not too far from her aviation college but far enough to give her some space from the chaos of the pack. I kill the engine and take a moment to sit back in the driver’s seat, letting the quiet hum of the city wake up around me.It’s been a strange few months since the war ended. We’ve all been healing, some of us faster than others. Cheryl’s been pouring herself into her studies, and I can’t say I blame her. I think we all needed something to focus on after everything that went down. As for me, I’ve been doing my best to juggle a new kind of life—a life that’s split between being the Alpha of our pack and being by Cheryl’s side.Shifting between the city and the pack’s territory hasn’t been easy. I never realized how complicated it could get, managing the responsibilities of leading the pack while also figuring out how to r
The evening air is cool as it wraps around us, the early signs of autumn bringing a chill that makes me snuggle deeper into Luke’s embrace. His arms are warm and strong, holding me close as we stand on the porch of the pack house. The house itself is almost fully rebuilt now, the scaffolding mostly gone, the fresh wood standing proudly where the old had been torn away. It feels like a symbol of our own lives—patched together, but stronger than ever.I’m still riding the high of my first day at the Aviation College. The reality of it is finally sinking in. I’m really doing this. I’m going to become a pilot, something I’ve dreamed about for as long as I can remember. It feels surreal, like a part of me still doesn’t believe it’s possible. But Luke does. He’s believed in me all along.“How does it feel?” he asks, his voice soft as he rests his chin on top of my head.“Better than I could’ve imagined,” I murmur, closing my eyes and letting myself sink into the warmth of him. “I was so ner
The air is crisp as the early autumn wind sweeps through the trees, carrying with it the scent of wood smoke and damp earth. The pack house is finally taking shape again, the framework standing strong after weeks of intense work. There’s still a lot to do—windows to install, walls to paint, but it feels like progress, real progress. More than that, it feels like a reflection of where we all are. We’re all standing on firmer ground now, even if it still feels shaky sometimes.Luke’s been my rock through all of this, and it’s not lost on me how deeply we’ve both changed. Somewhere between the battles and rebuilding, we found each other in a way I never expected. Loving him has been the one steady thing when everything else was chaos. But as strong as my feelings for Luke are, there’s something else that’s been weighing on me, something I’ve been too scared to think about.I haven’t seen my parents since this whole nightmare started.When the conflict with the wolf hunters kicked into hi
Callum and Raina’s relationship is healing, too, though it’s a slower process. They’ve been spending more time together, talking quietly when they think no one is watching. Callum’s still wary—still hurting—but I can see the way he looks at her, the way his walls are slowly coming down.Raina knows that Callum needs time. She knows she can’t undo what’s been done, can’t erase the mistakes she made when she got involved with the hunters. But the way she moves around him now, careful but committed, shows how much she’s trying to make up for it. She never pushes too hard, never demands more than he can give, but she’s always there—steady, like a rock in the middle of a river. I respect that about her, even after everything that happened.Callum, though still guarded, is beginning to soften. It’s in the small things—the way he’ll linger when she talks to him, or how his eyes follow her when she’s near. I’ve known him for most of my life, and I can see the cracks forming in the wall he’s b