I’m in the hospital room, but my mind is racing, overwhelmed by everything that’s happened. I’ve been trying to keep it together, but the weight of the world feels like it’s crashing down on me. My father’s condition, the fear, the chaos—it's all too much. I’ve never felt so helpless, so lost. I look at Luke, sitting beside me, his face etched with concern, but right now, it feels like he’s a world away.The room is quiet, but it’s suffocating. I can’t bear to see the pain in his eyes, knowing that he’s been by my side through everything. I’m the one who’s been torn apart by this whirlwind of violence and uncertainty, and now, it feels like I’m standing on the edge of a precipice, unable to hold on any longer.“Luke,” I begin, my voice trembling despite my efforts to remain calm. “I need to talk to you.”He looks at me, his eyes full of worry. “What’s wrong, Cheryl? Are you in pain?”“No, it’s not that,” I say, trying to steady my breathing. “It’s just—everything that’s happened, it’s
The hospital room feels like my world now. It’s a small, sterile space with its white walls and beeping machines, but to me, it’s a sanctuary—one where I can focus solely on my parents and block out everything else.I sit by my dad’s bed, holding his hand as he sleeps. His face is pale, and the IV drip attached to his arm makes me ache with worry. The surgery went well, but it doesn’t feel like enough. I’m desperate for him to wake up, for him to tell me everything will be okay. My mom is in a chair beside me, her eyes red and tired, but she’s trying to stay strong for my dad. I see her looking at me occasionally, her gaze filled with concern and something else—something that makes my heart heavy.The doctors and nurses come in and out, but their words are a blur. I nod and smile, but I’m not really listening. I’m too focused on the slow rise and fall of my dad’s chest, the steady rhythm of the heart monitor. Every beep feels like a lifeline, a reminder that he’s still here with us.I
I’m still reeling from the doctor’s update when my mom’s shaky voice breaks the silence. We’re back in the waiting room, the oppressive weight of the situation hanging over us like a thick fog. She’s been holding it together remarkably well, but the strain of everything—Dad’s condition, the danger we’ve faced, the ongoing threats—seems to have finally taken its toll on her.“Cheryl,” she begins, her voice soft but filled with a deep, heartfelt sincerity. “I need to tell you something.”I look up from where I’ve been sitting, my hands gripping the armrests tightly. I’ve been trying to keep my emotions in check, but it’s getting harder by the minute. “What is it, Mom?”She takes a deep breath, her eyes welling up with tears. “I’ve been thinking a lot about everything that’s happened. About what I said to you before about leaving.”My heart skips a beat. “Mom, you don’t need to—”“No, I do,” she interrupts, shaking her head. “I was wrong. I was so overwhelmed and frightened that I made y
The room’s door swings open again, and this time it’s a group of police officers and security personnel. Their serious expressions make my stomach drop. They begin to question us, asking for details about recent events and whether there have been any unusual occurrences.My mom’s face pales even further as she answers their questions, her voice barely audible. I feel a knot forming in my stomach, the brief moment of joy we had feeling increasingly fragile.As the officers begin to leave, I notice something strange—a man in a dark coat, standing just outside the door, watching us intently. His gaze meets mine, and there’s something cold and unsettling in his eyes. I feel a shiver run down my spine.“Mom,” I whisper urgently, “who is that man?”She turns, following my gaze, but the man is already slipping away down the corridor. Her face pales even more, and she grasps my arm tightly.“I don’t know,” she says, her voice trembling. “But I think we need to be careful. Something doesn’t fe
I hold Cheryl close, trying to offer comfort as best as I can after the ordeal she's faced. Her parents are stable now, but the threat still looms large, and the blood on my hands is a stark reminder of how perilous our situation has become. As Cheryl pulls away slightly, her eyes searching mine with a mix of relief and apprehension, I know I have to tell her about Raina.I take a deep breath, bracing myself for the weight of the words I’m about to deliver. "Cheryl, there’s something you need to know about Raina."Her gaze sharpens, her expression shifting from worried to puzzled. "What happened? Is she...?" Her voice trails off, clearly dreading the answer.I struggle to find the right words, feeling the weight of the situation pressing heavily on my shoulders. "Raina couldn’t take it anymore. After everything that happened, she sought forgiveness from Callum. But... It's different for a wolf when their mate betrays them. It’s not just the loss—it’s a deep, personal hurt that’s almos
The day is draped in an ominous gray as I prepare for the departure. The sky, a heavy blanket of clouds, reflects the turmoil churning inside me. My heart feels like it’s been squeezed tight, and the lump in my throat makes it hard to speak. The safe house Cillian arranged for my parents is supposed to offer them protection, but it’s hard to shake the fear that clings to me. I feel like I’m being torn in two directions—between the desperate need to keep my family safe and the overwhelming desire to stay by Luke’s side.Luke stands beside me, his presence a small comfort amidst the chaos. He’s been a rock through everything, his determination and strength unwavering. But even his support can’t fully alleviate the anguish I feel as I watch my parents prepare for their departure.The pack members, including two of Cillian’s most trusted wolves, are ready to escort my parents to the safe house. They are to stay in the neighboring pack’s territory, shielded from any threats that might come
I’m still processing the sight of the figure in front of me when the shadowy figure steps into the light, and the world tilts on its axis. The recognition hits me hard—it’s an old acquaintance, someone I thought was lost to us. Their presence here is both unexpected and troubling. I take a deep breath, forcing my mind to focus despite the racing thoughts. “What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice steady but edged with tension. “You shouldn’t be here.”The figure’s eyes, sharp and calculating, narrow slightly as they take in my reaction. “I’m here because I need to talk to you about the hunters,” they say, their tone serious. “I have information that could change everything.”I tense up, my mind whirling with questions. “Why should I trust you?” I demand. “Last time we met, things didn’t end well.”A flicker of pain crosses their face, but they quickly mask it with a determined expression. “I know I’ve made mistakes,” they admit. “But the situation has changed. The hunters are planni
The night is eerily quiet, but my mind is anything but. I pace the length of the room, the message on my phone gnawing at the edges of my thoughts. The threat is direct and menacing, promising consequences I can’t ignore. I need to stay focused, but the weight of responsibility is suffocating. I need to make sure the pack is fully prepared, but before I can even think of starting on that, another buzzing interrupts my anxious pacing. I glance at my phone and freeze. It’s from Cheryl. The message is brief but packed with urgency:You need to come quickly. Something terrible has happenedMy heart pounds as I sprint toward the pack house. The urgency in Cheryl’s message is palpable. What could have happened now? As I burst through the front door, I see her standing in the hallway, her face pale and eyes wide with fear.“What’s wrong?” I demand, my voice strained with worry.Cheryl doesn’t immediately answer. Instead, she leads me to the living room, where the pack members are gathered,
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