The first wave of Darius's forces crashed against the Lockwood pack's defenses like a storm surge. From her vantage point, Isla watched in awe as the beach transformed into a battlefield of supernatural fury.Liam moved like living lightning in his wolf form. His strawberry-blonde fur gleamed with an almost metallic sheen as he launched into the attack, a blur of speed and devastating power.Where other wolves might tear and rip, Liam struck with surgical precision—each movement calculated to maximum effect. Rivals fell before him like wheat before a scythe, his massive wolf form cutting through the enemy ranks with terrifying efficiency.*"This is why they call him the most powerful Alpha-to-be,"* Taylor murmured beside Isla, her voice a mixture of pride and reverence.Angelina fought with a completely different style. Where Liam was a thunderstorm, she was a silent predator. Her silver-blonde wolf moved with cat-like grace, almost dancing between opponents. Each strike was elegant,
The battle raged on the beach, a chaotic dance of supernatural violence that seemed to defy logic. Each time Liam or one of the Lockwood alphas appeared to defeat a version of Darius, another would materialize, laughing with that bone-chilling, omnipresent sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once."He's not just creating illusions," Liam's thoughts crashed into Isla's mind. "These are fully corporeal duplicates. Each can fight, each can bleed."Isla gripped the balcony edge, watching her mate and his parents fight with increasing desperation. The pack's initial advantage had evaporated, replaced by confusion and mounting exhaustion. Wolves that had been fierce and coordinated were now reactive, constantly shifting to defend against attacks that could come from any direction."We can't win like this," Isla muttered.Taylor and Miranda exchanged a look—the kind of silent communication that spoke of years of shared experience. "We need to find another way," Taylor sa
Ken intruppted Isla and said, "Stay here! I'll deliver the artifacts."Of course! Like they would let Isla to get out of the protected Beach house suit. Ken took the artifacts and tied to get out of the suit's door, but all of a sudden, he came flying back, falling on the floor. The tension was thick in the air as Ken stood trapped, the magical barriers preventing him from leaving Isla's side. The artifacts he was meant to deliver to Liam in his hands. The magic that bound him was intricate and powerful, a web of protection that kept him tethered to Isla, rendering him immobile.Isla paced the room, her mind racing. She understood now that the key to their freedom, to ending the war, lay in awakening her wolf Selena. For years, Selena had been dormant, a spirit locked away since that fateful day when Isla was 17. The wolf's absence had been more than just a physical loss; it was a spiritual wound that had haunted her for years.Miranda watched her carefully, concern etched across h
Isla could feel the missing piece of her soul slowly sliding back into place, like a puzzle finding its perfect fit after years of searching.Her wolf was back. And nothing would ever be the same again.The moment Selena fully materialized, Isla felt a surge of emotions so intense it threatened to overwhelm her. Years of absence, of feeling incomplete, of living with a gaping spiritual wound - all of it dissolved in an instant. "Selena," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "I missed you. I missed you so much. You didn't have to do that that day."The memories came flooding back - that fateful day when she was 17, battling rouge wolves in a fight that seemed impossible to survive. She had been severely injured, blood pooling around her, death's cold fingers already beginning to grip her. And then Selena had done the unthinkable.In that moment of near-death, Selena had used every ounce of her spiritual energy, every drop of her essence to keep Isla alive. "Live, Isla. Liv
"It's time," Isla said, clutching the artifacts close to her chest. Their weight seemed to increase with each passing moment, as if they recognized their impending purpose.Miranda nodded, her usually playful demeanor replaced by steely determination. "You sure you're ready for this? First transformation since..." She didn't need to finish the sentence."Since I lost her," Isla completed, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'm more than ready."Ken and Taylor moved to flank the doorway, their senses heightened for any approaching danger. Ken's muscular frame tensed as he sniffed the air. "Their numbers are growing. Liam and Maximilian are holding the eastern perimeter, but they need those artifacts now."Isla closed her eyes, feeling the familiar yet long-forgotten sensation of her wolf stirring within. For years, that space had been empty—a hollow cavern where Selena had once resided. Now, the warmth of her presence flooded Isla's veins once more."Selena," she whispered, not as a s
Liam was the first to transform back to human form, standing tall. The others followed suit, the transformation allowing them to handle the artifacts with greater precision."It's over, Darius," Liam said, his voice carrying the authority of generations of Alpha blood. "Your projections are failing. Your army is being decimated. And now we have the means to end your reign of terror once and for all."Isla stepped forward, her hand clutching the Moonstone Dagger. The transformation had left her feeling strangely invigorated rather than drained as it once had. Selena's presence within her was strong, unified with her own consciousness in a way that felt more complete than even before their separation.They moved with practiced precision, each knowing their role without needing instruction. Ken placed the Binding Stones in a circle around Darius, who found himself suddenly unable to step beyond their perimeter. Miranda held up the Verity Mirror, which shimmered with an inner light as it
Isla Hart stood in front of her bathroom mirror, frustration bubbling inside her like a pot about to boil over. “Why is it so hard to be a girl in this city?” she ranted to her reflection, her voice barely above a whisper.“And not just any girl—a wolf-less girl trying to make it in a world that doesn’t care.” She sighed, running her fingers through her tangled hair.The dark circles under her eyes were a testament to the sleepless nights she had endured, working non-stop for the last three days, posing for cameras that barely noticed her.She reached for her concealer, dabbing it under her eyes in a futile attempt to mask the exhaustion that clung to her like a shadow. “Three days of grueling shoots, and for what? A paycheck that never comes,” she muttered, her heart sinking. “Two months without a dime, and I’m still stuck in this mediocre modeling gig.”The thought of her dreams slipping away made her chest tighten. She had the looks and the drive, but without connections, privilege,
Isla felt as if she were floating, suspended in a dream as she gazed into Liam Lockwood’s striking blue eyes. They were like deep pools of mystery, drawing her in and making her forget the chaos that had just unfolded. His face was sculpted to perfection, a blend of rugged masculinity and ethereal beauty that made her heart race. She had seen him before—on magazine covers, in articles, and all over the internet. The most handsome and richest man in New York City, heir to the Lockwood Industries fortune, a billion-dollar empire.But only those within the werewolf community knew the truth behind his wealth and beauty: his supernatural powers. The Lockwood pack was the strongest in the city, and with that strength came influence, power, and an undeniable alluring beauty that left everyone else in the dust.“Are you okay?” Liam’s voice broke through her reverie, and she blinked, momentarily lost in the depths of his gaze. She opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. Instead, sh
Liam was the first to transform back to human form, standing tall. The others followed suit, the transformation allowing them to handle the artifacts with greater precision."It's over, Darius," Liam said, his voice carrying the authority of generations of Alpha blood. "Your projections are failing. Your army is being decimated. And now we have the means to end your reign of terror once and for all."Isla stepped forward, her hand clutching the Moonstone Dagger. The transformation had left her feeling strangely invigorated rather than drained as it once had. Selena's presence within her was strong, unified with her own consciousness in a way that felt more complete than even before their separation.They moved with practiced precision, each knowing their role without needing instruction. Ken placed the Binding Stones in a circle around Darius, who found himself suddenly unable to step beyond their perimeter. Miranda held up the Verity Mirror, which shimmered with an inner light as it
"It's time," Isla said, clutching the artifacts close to her chest. Their weight seemed to increase with each passing moment, as if they recognized their impending purpose.Miranda nodded, her usually playful demeanor replaced by steely determination. "You sure you're ready for this? First transformation since..." She didn't need to finish the sentence."Since I lost her," Isla completed, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'm more than ready."Ken and Taylor moved to flank the doorway, their senses heightened for any approaching danger. Ken's muscular frame tensed as he sniffed the air. "Their numbers are growing. Liam and Maximilian are holding the eastern perimeter, but they need those artifacts now."Isla closed her eyes, feeling the familiar yet long-forgotten sensation of her wolf stirring within. For years, that space had been empty—a hollow cavern where Selena had once resided. Now, the warmth of her presence flooded Isla's veins once more."Selena," she whispered, not as a s
Isla could feel the missing piece of her soul slowly sliding back into place, like a puzzle finding its perfect fit after years of searching.Her wolf was back. And nothing would ever be the same again.The moment Selena fully materialized, Isla felt a surge of emotions so intense it threatened to overwhelm her. Years of absence, of feeling incomplete, of living with a gaping spiritual wound - all of it dissolved in an instant. "Selena," she whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "I missed you. I missed you so much. You didn't have to do that that day."The memories came flooding back - that fateful day when she was 17, battling rouge wolves in a fight that seemed impossible to survive. She had been severely injured, blood pooling around her, death's cold fingers already beginning to grip her. And then Selena had done the unthinkable.In that moment of near-death, Selena had used every ounce of her spiritual energy, every drop of her essence to keep Isla alive. "Live, Isla. Liv
Ken intruppted Isla and said, "Stay here! I'll deliver the artifacts."Of course! Like they would let Isla to get out of the protected Beach house suit. Ken took the artifacts and tied to get out of the suit's door, but all of a sudden, he came flying back, falling on the floor. The tension was thick in the air as Ken stood trapped, the magical barriers preventing him from leaving Isla's side. The artifacts he was meant to deliver to Liam in his hands. The magic that bound him was intricate and powerful, a web of protection that kept him tethered to Isla, rendering him immobile.Isla paced the room, her mind racing. She understood now that the key to their freedom, to ending the war, lay in awakening her wolf Selena. For years, Selena had been dormant, a spirit locked away since that fateful day when Isla was 17. The wolf's absence had been more than just a physical loss; it was a spiritual wound that had haunted her for years.Miranda watched her carefully, concern etched across h
The battle raged on the beach, a chaotic dance of supernatural violence that seemed to defy logic. Each time Liam or one of the Lockwood alphas appeared to defeat a version of Darius, another would materialize, laughing with that bone-chilling, omnipresent sound that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once."He's not just creating illusions," Liam's thoughts crashed into Isla's mind. "These are fully corporeal duplicates. Each can fight, each can bleed."Isla gripped the balcony edge, watching her mate and his parents fight with increasing desperation. The pack's initial advantage had evaporated, replaced by confusion and mounting exhaustion. Wolves that had been fierce and coordinated were now reactive, constantly shifting to defend against attacks that could come from any direction."We can't win like this," Isla muttered.Taylor and Miranda exchanged a look—the kind of silent communication that spoke of years of shared experience. "We need to find another way," Taylor sa
The first wave of Darius's forces crashed against the Lockwood pack's defenses like a storm surge. From her vantage point, Isla watched in awe as the beach transformed into a battlefield of supernatural fury.Liam moved like living lightning in his wolf form. His strawberry-blonde fur gleamed with an almost metallic sheen as he launched into the attack, a blur of speed and devastating power.Where other wolves might tear and rip, Liam struck with surgical precision—each movement calculated to maximum effect. Rivals fell before him like wheat before a scythe, his massive wolf form cutting through the enemy ranks with terrifying efficiency.*"This is why they call him the most powerful Alpha-to-be,"* Taylor murmured beside Isla, her voice a mixture of pride and reverence.Angelina fought with a completely different style. Where Liam was a thunderstorm, she was a silent predator. Her silver-blonde wolf moved with cat-like grace, almost dancing between opponents. Each strike was elegant,
Isla leaned against the railing again, her attention drawn back to the beach below where a transformation was taking place. Pack members had begun to shift, their human forms dissolving in ripples of magic as wolf forms emerged in their place. The sight still fascinated her—the fluid transition between shapes that seemed both impossible and entirely natural.Her breath caught as she spotted Liam in the front line, his wolf form magnificent and commanding. His fur gleamed strawberry blonde in the strengthening dawn light, thick and lustrous. Even in this form, she would have recognized him anywhere. Beside him padded Maximilian, his wolf a deep, rich red that seemed to burn like living flame against the pale sand. And completing the leadership triad was Angelina, her silver-blonde fur shimmering with an almost ethereal quality.The three of them stood as a united front, facing the eastern horizon where Darius's forces would soon appear. Behind them, arranged in precise formation, were
The first hints of dawn had begun to streak the eastern sky, painting wispy clouds in delicate shades of pink and gold. Isla stood at the open-air balcony of the beach house suite, her hands resting on the silver railing as she watched the hypnotic rhythm of waves washing against the shore. The ocean stretched endlessly before her, its surface glittering with the dying moonlight, deceptively peaceful despite the approaching conflict.From this elevated vantage point, she had a perfect view of the expansive beach below, where the Lockwood pack had assembled in battle formation. The suite itself was nestled into the cliffside overlooking the bay—the pack's most defensible structure on the island and the designated safe house for those who would not participate in the coming fight.The wind carried the scent of salt and tension up to her, along with fragments of commands being issued below. Isla's senses, already heightened from the mating ceremony, seemed even more acute this morning.
The celebration that followed the binding ceremony transformed the Den from a sacred ritual space to a grand banquet hall. Pack members moved, rearranging the stone tiers into feasting tables while others brought forth platters laden with food and drink. The natural skylight above continued to channel the full moon's glow into the chamber, bathing everything in ethereal silver light that complemented the warm golden flicker of hundreds of candles.Isla's neck still tingled pleasantly where Liam's mark had been placed, a constant reminder of the profound connection they now shared. As the newly recognized Luna of the Lockwood pack, she found herself seated beside Liam at the head table positioned on the central dais—the very spot where, moments before, they had pledged their eternal bond to one another."How are you feeling?" Angelina asked, taking a seat across from them. The Alpha's wife—no, Isla corrected herself mentally, her mother-in-law now—looked radiant in her formal attire,