The morning light filtered through the gauzy curtains, casting a gentle glow across Angelina's sleeping form. For the first time in five years, her slumber had been peaceful, unaffected by fear or the anxiety that Dreams had come to her throughout the night—not the terrifying nightmares that had plagued her for years, but soft, comforting visions of her son, her mate, her pack. The family she had been torn from. In her dreams, Liam was still the young boy she remembered, with his father's dark hair and her blue eyes, laughing as he chased fireflies across the lawn of their New York mansion. But even in sleep, Angelina knew he had grown. Five years had passed. Her little wolf was a man now, with a mate of his own.As consciousness slowly returned to her, Angelina became aware of the sounds surrounding the cottage—birdsong filtering through the open window, the gentle rustle of leaves in the morning breeze, the distant babbling of a brook somewhere beyond the meadow. Sounds of freed
If anyone understood the danger of Liam's anger, it was she. Her son had inherited raw, ancient powers that set him apart even among werewolves. His connection to the primal forces of their kind ran deeper than most, giving him abilities that were both gift and curse."So that is why I couldn't face him," Maximilian said quietly, noting her reaction. "You know what he's capable of. Then how can I confess the truth to him?!""You are right," she whispered. "Even when he was small, I could sense the power in him. It's why I worked so hard to teach him control, to channel his emotions." She looked up at her mate, fear flickering in her eyes. "How bad was it after we both went hidden from his life?!"Maximilian sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair. "The first year was... difficult. I heard that he destroyed an entire wing of the mansion during one episode. The pack has stood by him, but there were times..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "Times when I wondered if his grief
The Lockwood mansion gardens stretched out before Isla as she walked past the flowers and bushes. Ancient oak trees lined the perimeter, their branches creating natural archways that filtered the morning sunlight into delicate patterns across the manicured pathways. Roses of every imaginable hue—deep crimson, soft blush, pristine white—competed for attention, their fragrance hanging in the air like a delicate perfume.Isla moved through this landscape of beauty, her fingers trailing lightly over delicate petals, her mind a whirlwind of emotions. One week. Just seven days remained until her wedding to Liam, a countdown that simultaneously thrilled and terrified her. The gardens had always been her sanctuary, a place where she could retreat from the world's complications, but today they felt different. Charged. Expectant.She wore a simple white sundress, the fabric light and flowing, catching the gentle morning breeze. Her blonde hair was pulled back in a loose braid, tendrils esca
The bedroom was lit up in night lamps, soft and silver.. Isla lay nestled against Liam, her body curved perfectly into the protective arc of his embrace. Their breathing synchronized. Her slumber began softly, peacefully. The warmth of Liam's body, the steady rise and fall of his chest, the faint scent of cedar and pine that always surrounded him—these were her anchors, her safety.And then the dream began.At first, it was pure joy. Isla found herself running—no, bounding—through a moonlit forest. But this was different. This was her wolf form. Selena. Her long-lost wolf that she thought had died years ago.Golden blonde fur gleamed under the moonlight, each muscle moving with a fluid grace she had forgotten was possible. The ground beneath her paws felt alive, vibrating with ancient energy. Moss-covered earth, fallen pine needles, the soft give of forest floor—sensations she had been denied for so long rushed back to her.Freedom. Pure, unbridled freedom.Her wolf form was magn
The silence between them faded now, less.Isla's breathing had steadied, though her mind still raced with the implications of what she had seen about Selena. It was just a dream. Pull yourself together!She looked up at Liam, her eyes searching his. "You said you'd help me forget," she whispered. "How are you planning to do that?"A slow smile spread across Liam's face, the kind that always made her heart skip a beat. It was mischievous, tender, and utterly disarming all at once."Well," he said, reaching for his phone on the nightstand, "first things first." He pressed a button, and the device lit up, illuminating his face in a soft blue glow. He scrolled through his contacts and pressed call.Isla watched, puzzled, as he waited for someone to answer. At this hour? Who could he possibly be calling?"Marcus," Liam's voice was authoritative yet casual. "I need hot chocolate sent up to the master suite. The good kind, with the whipped cream and those little marshmallows Isla likes."
The take-off was smooth, the powerful engines pushing them back into their seats as the jet climbed rapidly into the night sky. Below them, New York City spread out like a constellation of earthbound stars, a mirror to the actual stars above them."It's beautiful," Isla whispered, pressing her palm against the cool window.Liam leaned over, his breath warm against her ear. "Not as beautiful as you."She turned to him, ready to playfully accuse him of being cheesy, but the sincerity in his ocean eyes stopped her. There was something profound in his gaze, something that transcended romantic platitudes."When I saw you wake up like that," he said quietly, "terrified, haunted... it broke something in me. I would fly you to the moon for hot chocolate if it would chase away that look in your eyes."Isla's heart swelled, emotion clogging her throat. She reached out, tracing the strong line of his jaw with her fingertips. "My fierce, protective wolf," she murmured."Always," he promised.The
The Lockwood jet touched down on the private airstrip just as dawn was breaking over the horizon. Isla stirred from her dreamless sleep, her body feeling more rested than it had in weeks. Without her wolf constantly prowling beneath her skin, sleep came easier now—deeper and more peaceful. She blinked away the remnants of slumber and gazed out the window as the mansion came into view, its grand silhouette outlined against the pale morning sky."Sleep well?" Liam's voice was a warm rumble beside her.Isla turned to find him looking refreshed despite not having slept at all during their trip back from Montreal. Being a werewolf—a powerful Alpha at that—meant Liam could go days without proper rest if needed. His supernatural stamina was yet another reminder of the wolf she no longer possessed."Better than I have in a long time," she admitted, stretching her arms above her head. "I didn't even realize I'd fallen asleep until we were halfway back."Liam's fingers traced the curve of her
"Isla!" Her mother's voice cut through her thoughts, high and delighted in a way Isla had never heard directed at her before. "Darling, there you are!"All conversation at the table ceased as every head turned toward the doorway. Isla felt Liam's hand press reassuringly against her lower back, grounding her as seven pairs of eyes fixed on them."Good morning," Liam's deep voice filled the room, commanding attention without effort—the natural authority of an Alpha. "I trust everyone slept well?""Exceptionally," her father answered, rising from his seat with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Your hospitality is unmatched, Alpha Lockwood."Alpha Lockwood. Not Liam. The formality wasn't lost on Isla, nor was the respect—bordering on obsequiousness—in her father's tone. This was the same man who had once dismissed her dreams of finding her fated mate as "unrealistic given her limitations as a wolf-less.""Please, join us," her mother urged, gesturing to the two empty seats at the
The dawn broke over the private island, illuminating a landscape transformed by battle. The pristine white sands were now marked with the evidence of war—scorched earth, scattered debris, and the lingering scent of mystic energy that hung in the air like an invisible fog. Pack members moved about with purpose, tending to the wounded, accounting for their numbers, and beginning the process of rebuilding what had been broken.Isla stood at the shoreline, her toes digging into the cool sand as she watched the waves wash away traces of blood. The sea seemed determined to cleanse the beach, to restore it to its former beauty. Nature healing itself—a fitting metaphor for what was happening among the pack."Twenty-seven wounded," Miranda reported, appearing at Isla's side. Her usual playful character was subdued, but there was a glint of relief in her eyes. "Eight critical, but they'll make it.""And the fallen?" Isla asked quietly, bracing herself for the answer.Miranda's expression tight
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.