Kael’s POVThe morning light filtered through the cracks in the wooden shutters, nudging me awake. My eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the dim light. I sat up, rubbing my face. My legs, heavily bandaged, reminded me of yesterday’s struggles. The sharp, dull ache was still there, but it wasn’t unbearable.I looked over at the bed beside me, expecting to see Tesla. Empty. Frowning, I swung my legs over the side of the bed and stood, testing my weight. It held. My steps were slow but steady as I limped toward the window.Outside, Tesla stood talking to Jarek’s wife, her laughter light and carefree. She looked radiant, the morning sun catching her hair, making her seem...different. Peaceful. Beautiful.I sighed, shaking my head. “Get a grip,” I muttered to myself, pulling on my shirt.I headed for the door, my stomach grumbling softly. As I stepped out into the hallway, I nearly collided with Jarek, who was brushing his teeth.“Finally awake, huh?” Jarek said through a mouthful of foam. “
Tesla’s POVI paced the small living room, my arms crossed over my chest. The child sat in the middle of the floor, babbling to herself, her little hands waving in the air. Despite her cheerful demeanor, unease gnawed at me. Kael had been gone for hours now, and I had no idea where he’d gone or why.Jarek’s wife, Ana, had been her usual reassuring self. “They probably just went out for a stroll,” she had said with a wave of her hand when I’d asked. But something about Kael’s abrupt departure nagged at me. He wasn’t one to wander off without saying anything.I glanced toward the window, catching a glimpse of the sun dipping lower in the sky. “He should’ve been back by now,” I muttered under my breath.“What was that?” Ana called from the kitchen.“Nothing,” I replied quickly, forcing a smile as she peeked around the corner.Ana wiped her hands on her apron and smiled warmly. “Kael’s a grown man, Tesla. He can take care of himself. Stop worrying so much.”I nodded absently, though her w
Kael’s POVI swung the axe down hard, the sharp crack of splitting wood momentarily drowning out the noise in my head. The pile of firewood at my feet was already massive, but I didn’t stop. Sweat trickled down my face, and my arms burned with the effort, but the ache felt better than the chaos in my mind.The child.That damn tattoo.Every time I closed my eyes, I saw it—the intricate design etched into her skin, glowing faintly as if it were alive. I’d tried to convince myself it was nothing, that I was overthinking it. But no matter how much wood I chopped or how hard I worked, the questions lingered.What did it mean? Why her? And why now?The girl was just a kid, barely old enough to string a sentence together. But the way she looked at me sometimes, with those wide, knowing eyes... It was like she saw through me, straight to the parts of myself I’d rather keep buried.I brought the axe down again, splitting another log clean in half."Kael!"I looked up to see Jarek leaning agai
Tesla’s POVI helped Ana pack the last of the groceries into the kitchen, wiping the sweat from my brow as the afternoon sun beat down. The truck had been heavy with supplies, and now that the work was done, I could finally relax. Ana seemed a little more at ease today, though I could sense her usual restlessness—there was always something, some kind of tension in the air whenever we were out here. But today, she smiled as she closed the fridge door, taking a step back.“Thanks for the help,” she said, wiping her hands on her apron.I nodded, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. “Anytime. I’ll just check on my daughter.”Ana gave me a half-smile, her lips tight. “She’s in the other room, sleeping.”I let out a soft sigh of relief. Ever since we’d arrived, I’d been keeping a close eye on her. My little girl was all I had left, and I couldn’t afford to let anyone take her from me—not after everything that had happened. The thought of her being in danger made my heart race.I walk
Kael’s POVThe night had already swallowed the sun by the time Jarek and I staggered down the path, our steps heavy and uneven. The alcohol had done its work, and it was a struggle to keep us both upright. Jarek leaned on me for support, his arm slung around my shoulder, his feet dragging."You sure you’re okay, man?" I asked, keeping my voice low, not wanting to draw attention.Jarek muttered something incomprehensible, and I chuckled, though it was more a reflex than anything else. We’d been drinking for hours, trying to let off steam after a long week of dealing with shit that neither of us cared to unpack. Still, we kept moving, one step at a time, toward his home.Then we saw it.Ana.She was lying on the ground in front of the broken door, unconscious. My heart skipped a beat.I stopped dead in my tracks, Jarek bumping into me. His eyes narrowed as he saw her. “What the hell happened to her?”I didn’t need to say anything. The damage was clear—the door had been shattered, splint
I barely had time to process Jarek’s sudden appearance before he slammed his truck into one of the werewolves, sending it sprawling across the ground with a sickening crunch. The impact was enough to knock the beast off balance, but not to put it down for good. The wolf growled in fury as it staggered to its feet, but Jarek didn’t hesitate. He shifted into gear again, revving the engine as he floored the pedal, heading straight for the second wolf who had been on our tail.“Go! Get the baby!” Jarek shouted, his voice laced with urgency.I nodded, adrenaline coursing through my veins as I turned toward the small bundle of life that I was clutching in my arms. Tesla’s daughter—her small body was limp when I first grabbed her, but the moment I cradled her closer, her eyes flickered open. She let out a soft, terrified whimper, her tiny fists flailing as if instinctively searching for something familiar.“It’s okay,” I whispered, my voice low, reassuring her. “You’re safe now.”I patted he
Marcus’s POVThe air was thick with the scent of death. I knelt down, inhaling deeply, trying to catch a trace. The stench of blood, sweat, and earth filled my nose, but something else lingered—something I knew all too well. Kael.It didn’t take long to spot the bodies of the werewolves scattered across the ground, their fur matted with their own blood. I was no stranger to death, especially not the kind caused by a pack on the run. But this? This was different. These wolves hadn’t died to a rival pack. They hadn’t been taken down by hunters. They’d been killed in a way that only one kind of person—Kael—could do.I stood, running a hand through my hair, trying to steady my pulse. He was close. I could feel it in my bones. His scent was still fresh in the air, mixed in with the others. There was no denying it. He wasn’t just close—he was near. And I wasn’t going to let him slip away this time.I looked down at the fallen bodies, not surprised. They didn’t stand a chance. Whoever had ta
I pushed further into the factory, each step calculated, cautious. My eyes flicked around the room, looking for anything that might give me a clue. The place was littered with broken crates, empty wood piles, and rusted equipment. But there was one thing that caught my eye—the remnants of a struggle. Some marks on the floor, scratches in the wood—some kind of evidence.I sniffed again, honing in on the source.Kael had been here.I knelt beside the marks, tracing them with my claw. The floor had been disturbed, the wood gouged deep. Whatever had happened here was messy—too messy to ignore. Something told me I was getting closer. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as I stood again, my senses sharp, my body tense.I turned toward a set of stairs leading to an upper level. My instincts screamed at me to climb, to get higher and get a better view of what was going on. With one swift motion, I bounded up the steps, my claws scraping against the metal.The air on the upper level was t
The old man’s smirk widened at Kael’s accusation. His sharp, calculating eyes gleamed in the dim firelight, reflecting the carnage around them. His hands, still clasped behind his back, twitched slightly—just enough for Kael to notice. Tesla’s trembling grew more violent. “You…” Kael’s voice was low, almost a whisper, but filled with restrained fury. “You did this to her.” The old man inclined his head, as if entertained by Kael’s discovery. “Indeed.” Kael clenched his fists. His body ached from the battle, but rage burned through him stronger than pain. “You turned her into… *this*.” A slow, amused chuckle rumbled from the old man’s throat. “Turned her?” He shook his head. “No, no, boy. I simply *unleashed* what was already there.” Tesla snarled, her body still locked in place, trembling, fighting something unseen. Her silver eyes flickered between recognition and complete void—between her and the monster clawing for control inside her. Henry gritted his teeth. “We’re s
The battlefield was still. Only the crackling of burning trees and the heavy breaths of wounded wolves filled the night. Scar, now in his monstrous wolf form, towered over Tesla, his golden eyes gleaming with malice. He took slow, deliberate steps toward her, his massive paws sinking into the bloodstained ground. Kael and Henry stood at a distance, watching tensely, their bodies aching from battle. “This isn’t good,” Kael muttered. Henry growled lowly. “She’s strong… but Scar is something else.” Tesla’s white wolf didn’t move. Her silver eyes burned with something primal, something ancient. She stood firm, shoulders squared, her fur bristling as the wind swept through the clearing. Scar bared his fangs. “You think because you unlocked some hidden power, you can stand against me?” His voice was deep, laced with arrogance. “I am your end, little wolf.” Tesla didn’t respond. She lunged. The force of her attack sent shockwaves through the ground. She was fast—unnaturally
The air grew tense. The moment Henry and Kael heard the snapping of branches behind them, they knew—Scar had caught up. A low, guttural growl rumbled through the darkness. Kael barely had time to shift before something massive slammed into him, knocking him sideways. Henry roared, his body already shifting mid-motion. Bones snapped, muscles expanded, fur sprouted along his skin. By the time he landed on all fours, his white fur gleamed under the moonlight. Scar’s men came like a storm, their snarls ripping through the night. Shadows moved fast, fangs flashing, claws striking. Kael barely had time to dodge the first attack before another wolf lunged. He twisted, kicking off a tree trunk, launching himself into his enemy with deadly force. His jaw clamped down on the wolf’s shoulder, his claws raking down its side. A yelp. A thud. But there was no time to breathe. Another came at him—then another. Henry was already deep in battle, his powerful form tearing through en
The night stretched long and cold, the air thick with the scent of blood and damp earth. The battle had ended, but the war was far from over. Scar emerged from the shadows, his towering frame moving with deadly grace. His fur, a deep shade of charcoal, gleamed under the moonlight. Scars littered his body, marks of past battles, proof of his dominance. His golden eyes flickered with something unreadable as he stopped in front of the crumpled figure on the ground. Aldric. He was barely conscious, his breaths ragged, his body sprawled in the dirt, the wooden shard still embedded in his ribs. Blood pooled beneath him, dark and thick. He had lost. Scar tilted his head, a slow, measured movement. Then, without a word, he crouched down, gripping Aldric’s throat with one clawed hand. “Where are the others?” His voice was low, dangerous. Aldric’s lips curled into a weak snarl. He was in no condition to fight, no strength left to even lift his head. But he still had his pride. Sca
The wolves lunged. A blur of furs clashed under the moonlight, fangs bared, claws tearing at the earth as they collided with bone-crushing force. A snarl ripped through the air. Henry struck first, fast and brutal, his jaws snapping dangerously close to Aldric’s throat. But Aldric was faster. He twisted at the last second, his massive paws striking Henry’s side, sending him skidding across the dirt. Lina let out a small cry behind me, but I didn’t turn. I couldn’t. My eyes were locked on the battle unfolding before us. Henry recovered in seconds, his white fur now streaked with dirt and blood, but he didn’t hesitate. He launched himself at Aldric again, jaws snapping— Aldric dodged, but Henry was relentless. He struck again. And again. Each attack more brutal than the last, his fangs sinking into Aldric’s shoulder— Aldric snarled in pain, but it didn’t slow him down. If anything, it only made him angrier. With a vicious growl, he twisted, his claws sl
The blade came down. A sharp gasp lodged in my throat, but before I could make a sound, something clamped over my mouth. A hand. Strong. Unrelenting. I thrashed, my fingers clawing at the grip, but Aldric’s hold was ironclad. "Shh," he whispered against my ear, his breath cool, his voice eerily calm. "You don’t want to wake them just yet." The old man lay still. Unmoving. For a moment, my chest seized with fear, but then I saw it—his shallow, uneven breaths. He wasn’t dead. Not yet. Aldric must’ve realized he didn’t finish the job because his grip on me tightened, his frustration seeping through. I bit down. Hard. He let out a sharp curse, his hand jerking away just enough for me to suck in a deep breath— But I didn’t get the chance to scream. Because before I could, he yanked me backward, dragging me toward the barn doors with inhuman strength. I kicked, elbowed, fought— But he was faster. Stronger. I barely registered the doors swinging open b
The forest had a way of making you feel small. The towering trees, the endless darkness stretching beyond where the eye could see—it swallowed you whole, made you feel like you were nothing but a fleeting presence in a world that had existed long before you and would continue to exist long after. I sat with my back against the rough bark of a tree, Lina curled up beside me, her breathing deep and even as sleep finally claimed her. I wished I could rest as easily. But exhaustion was a weight on my shoulders, pressing down, dragging me toward unconsciousness, yet my mind refused to let go. I wasn’t the only one. Kael sat a few feet away, sharpening a blade absentmindedly, his eyes trained on the trees, as if daring something to step out. Henry was on the other side of the clearing, lying down but not quite asleep, his arm resting over his eyes, lost in thought. Aldric sat against another tree, silent, unmoving. He hadn’t said much since earlier, and I wasn’t sure if I preferred
TeslaOur footsteps were quiet, barely rustling the undergrowth as we moved through the forest, but the silence between us was louder than words. I kept my focus ahead, keeping close to Lina, who clung to my hand. Henry walked on my right, his jaw set in quiet determination, while Kael led the way with an unshaken confidence that made it seem like he always knew exactly where we were going. Aldric was behind me. Not too far. Not too close. Until he moved forward. I tensed. “I know you don’t trust me,” his voice was calm, even. “But you have to believe me—I didn’t do anything.” I didn’t answer. Didn’t even look at him. But he kept walking, his presence drawing closer, his voice lower now, just enough for me to hear. “I don’t expect you to trust me, Tesla,” he murmured, as if reading my mind. “But at least don’t see me as an enemy.” My fingers curled into a fist. “I never said you were my enemy.” Aldric exhaled softly. “But you think I could be.” I didn’t
TeslaScar’s growl echoed in the night as he ran off, his wounded pride as deep as the gash across his chest. His brother limped beside him, their figures disappearing into the darkness like ghosts, leaving behind only the scent of blood and bitterness. I watched them go, my breath still uneven, my muscles aching from the fight. But there was no time to dwell on it. Henry shifted back into his human form beside me, his skin still marked with the traces of battle. Without hesitation, he crouched down, lifting the blind old man onto his back. “We need to move,” Henry said, his voice firm. Aldric gave a small nod, silent as ever. We left without looking back. Kael took the lead, moving through the darkness with his usual quiet precision. Aldric walked beside me, his senses sharp, still wary of another ambush. I kept my eyes ahead, my mind a whirlwind of unanswered questions, lingering doubts, and the weight of everything that had just happened. But the moment we stepped int