Denera For the first time, we had fallen asleep on bad terms. Rockan and I hadn’t spoken a word since our disagreement last night. I was more surprised that he hadn’t tried to assert his alpha authority over me, demanding silence or obedience. It was something I expected, yet he had chosen a different path, one that left me feeling unsettled.The morning crept in slowly, the sun taking its time to rise. I shifted on the bed, turning to face my mate, but his back was turned to me, a solid wall of muscle and warmth that I longed to reach out to. My heart ached with the words I hadn’t yet spoken—I love you. It hung in the air between us, unvoiced and heavy.I couldn’t help but admire his bare back, the way the morning light played off his skin. A stray strand of rope was tied behind his head—his mask, a constant reminder of the barriers he kept in place. Rockan never took it off. It was as if he was afraid to reveal himself completely, afraid of what vulnerability might bring.With a
RockanI told her I loved her.There was no taking my words back, and it wasn’t that I regretted telling her. I told her the truth, but still, something felt off. My chest ached with an unfamiliar heaviness that lingered throughout the night, pressing down on me like an unyielding weight.Maybe it was the fear that gnawed at me, the realisation that Denera might choose her newfound family over me. She had spent so long yearning for a connection, for blood relatives who would treat her with the love and respect she deserved. I could feel that desire radiating from her, a longing that I couldn’t compete with.What if I forced her to follow me back home? The thought sent a chill down my spine. I could envision her resentment, the way her eyes might harden with disappointment. “I don’t want that,” I muttered to myself, digging my fingers into my hair, and tugging at the roots in frustration.I stood up from the bed, the rising sun casting a soft glow in the room, illuminating the shado
Denera He had to be the most hysterical person I had ever come across. Ryan had a way of finding humor in everything, his laughter infectious and brightening the mood around us. As he launched into another story, I felt my worries begin to fade into the background.“Mother never let me lead the track team after that,” he sighed dramatically, his expression a mix of mock sorrow and playful mischief. I couldn’t help but burst into laughter, the sound spilling out easily. The room around us faded as the joy of the moment took over.“You were naked!” I exclaimed, nearly doubling over as I banged my hand on my thigh, unable to contain my amusement.“So?” he shrugged, completely unfazed by my reaction. It was clear he didn’t see the wrong in his past actions, and that only made me laugh harder.“They were kids!” I added, shaking my head in disbelief, my laughter ringing out like music.“I shifted into wolf form, of course, my clothes got torn,” he defended himself, a grin stretching acros
Denera“Denera,”I turned my neck toward the sound of the voice, a distant whisper that felt both familiar and foreign. “Denera, wake up.”My eyes snapped open, responding instinctively to the urgency in her tone.“We’re almost there,” a feline-faced woman said, her excitement contagious. I could hear it in her voice, but her features remained a blur, like a painting seen through foggy glass.“I’m sure you’ll love it there; my people are very nice,” she added, her enthusiasm infectious. I nodded, my small legs dangling over the edge of the seat, eager to look out the window and see if we had arrived at our destination yet.“We’re not there yet, honey,” an overly familiar masculine voice called from the driver’s seat. My heart raced as I turned, my eyes widening as the face came into focus. “Dad,” I breathed, recognition flooding through me like sunlight breaking through clouds.“I know, I’m just really excited. It’s been so long. If not for Claire, we probably wouldn’t have had a rea
Denera“I remember. I remember everything,” I cried out, the weight of my memories crashing over me like waves, each one pulling me under.Rockan’s expression softened, concern etched deeply into his features. “What did you remember?” he asked gently, his grip tightening slightly, as if he feared I might slip away again.I took a shaky breath, the air thick with the remnants of my nightmare. “The fire… my dad… my mom… they were trying to protect me.” My voice cracked, each word laced with the rawness of my grief. “I was so scared. I lost them.” The ache in my chest felt like a deep, unhealed wound, reopening with every recollection.His eyes darkened with confusion and pain. “Shh,” he murmured, his voice a soothing balm against the chaos swirling inside me. “It's okay.”“I... I was safe. It was safe at first,” I whispered, but the comfort of that thought felt distant now, overshadowed by the stark reality of my past.Rockan shifted closer, his warmth wrapping around me like a protect
Denera Rockan and I walked briskly through the corridors of the pack house, the echo of our footsteps bouncing off the walls. A sense of urgency filled the air, and I could feel my heart racing as we navigated the familiar yet overwhelming space.“Do you think she’ll be in the kitchen?” I asked, glancing sideways at Rockan. His presence was a comforting anchor amidst the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside me.“It's a good place to start. The kitchen is always buzzing with activity. If anyone has seen her, they’ll know where to find her,” he replied, determination etched across his features.As we reached the kitchen, the sounds of laughter and conversation filled the air, mingling with the rich aromas of simmering food. I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. This was it—the moment I had been waiting for.We began asking around, approaching members of the pack who were busy chopping vegetables and stirring pots. “Excuse me, have you seen Luna Danielle?” I asked a woman
Denera“Claire,” she replied. “Her name was Claire, and she was the strong Luna of the Dark Lion’s pack.”My breath caught in my throat. “My mother?” Rockan breathed out, disbelief flaring in his eyes.I turned to Rockan, my own eyes wide with realization. “Granny Yeneva said I looked a lot like Lena that day,” I pointed out, my heart racing as the connections began to weave together.“Wait, wait, wait,” Rockan cut in, dismissively waving his hands. “You’re saying my mother, Claire, and her mother, Elena, were best friends?!”The revelation felt almost too good to be true, but Luna Danielle nodded, a knowing smile on her face. “Funny how those two kept wishing their kids would get mated to each other in the future. The Moon Goddess works in mysterious ways,” she chuckled wholeheartedly, the lightness of her tone contrasting with the weight of the revelation.“So you knew who we were because Rockan had already introduced himself as the alpha of Dark Lion—”“Yes, yes. I’ve always known
Denera “Before it all went black, my mother screamed and pleaded from afar. She called her name—Rosa.”The room fell silent, the air thickening with the weight of my revelation. Rockan’s grip tightened around my hands, a mixture of shock and disbelief flashing across his face. “Rosa?” he whispered as if trying to process the enormity of what I had just revealed. “Your mother’s sister?”I nodded, the tears I had fought so hard to hold back now spilling down my cheeks. “She was there, Rockan. I don’t know why she did it, but I heard my mother’s cries. She was desperate… and then everything went dark.”“Why would she attack her own family?” Rockan’s voice was filled with confusion and rage, the betrayal cutting deep. “I don’t know!” I cried out, my voice breaking. “But the image of that day has haunted me for years. I thought it was just a nightmare, a figment of my imagination, but now… now it all makes sense.”Luna’s expression was one of profound concern, the gravity of the situati