Karl POV The green smoke wrapped around me like a serpent, tightening its grip as the memories flooded back. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. My father, chained to a post, his face bloodied and broken, his eyes hollow with despair. “You’re no son of mine,” he had spat, even as the pack’s enforcers dragged him to his death. “Father—!” my younger self had cried, reaching for him, but the guards held me back. Then my mother, frail and trembling, shielding me with her body when the Alpha decreed that we were traitors. Her screams, her blood pooling beneath her as they tore her apart, haunted me. “You’ll be strong, Kael,” she had whispered with her last breath. “Stronger than all of them.” And my sister, sweet, innocent Maya. The fever had consumed her, but no one came to help. They left us to rot in the shadows, cast out like garbage. I had held her in my arms, her tiny body growing colder as she whispered my name. “Don’t leave me,” I had begged her, my tears soaking h
KAEL "Damien knows he gets what he wants," he says smoothly, stepping forward. His voice is calm, yet every syllable drips with arrogance. His sharp gaze sweeps across the courtyard before settling on me. "And speaking of what I want," he continues, lips curving into a smirk, "I’m here for Tesla." Henry lets out a low growl, his entire body tensing like a predator ready to strike. "I’ve had enough of these so-called fools stepping onto my territory and claiming they’re here to take Tesla," he snaps, stepping protectively in front of her. The air crackles with tension, thick with unspoken threats. Damien doesn’t even flinch. If anything, his smirk deepens, amusement flickering in his icy blue eyes. "Easy there, Henry," he says lazily. "I didn’t come here to fight—not yet, at least." I take a step forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Henry. "Did the elders send you?" I ask, my voice sharp with suspicion. Damien lets out a low chuckle. "You know me, Kael," he replies, ro
**TESLA** The night stretched endlessly, pressing down on me like a weight I couldn’t shake. The moon hung low in the sky, its glow casting long shadows across the courtyard. I pulled my cloak tighter around me as I stepped forward, away from the place that had become both my refuge and my prison. No rest. No peace. Always running. Always hunted. I thought leaving the elders behind would free me, but it only made them chase harder. Every step I took was followed by the whisper of pursuit. Every safe place was temporary, every moment of calm a fleeting illusion. Kael and Henry fought so hard to keep me safe, but at what cost? How many more battles before they realized it was a war they couldn’t win? They thought faking my death would work. That the elders would believe I was gone and move on. But I knew better. They wouldn’t stop looking. Not until they had me. I exhaled shakily, my breath visible in the cold air. My fingers curled into fists at my sides. I could end th
**HENRY** The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of damp earth and the lingering cold of the night before. I rubbed the sleep from my eyes as I pushed myself up from the chair in my room. My muscles ached—probably from the tension I’d been holding for weeks. My first thought, as always, was Lina. I didn’t trust Tesla’s decision to stay. Not yet. She had spent too many years running. Fear was a habit for her now, one I wasn’t sure she could break overnight. I moved quickly through the hallway, my bare feet silent against the wooden floors as I made my way to Lina’s room. I knocked once. No answer. A sense of unease crept over me. I pushed the door open. The bed was empty. The blankets slightly crumpled, but no sign of Lina. My heart kicked up a beat. Was she gone? No. No, Tesla wouldn’t— I turned sharply, scanning the house. My pulse pounded as I checked the main room, the kitchen, the small study where she sometimes sat staring at old books she never rea
**KAEL** The wind carried the scent of damp earth and rotting wood as I walked away from the only people I had ever trusted. My footsteps were slow, deliberate, but my mind raced. I couldn’t believe I was heading back there. Back to the place that had once been my home. Back to the place that had burned everything I loved to the ground. The memories clawed at me as I moved farther from the territory, each step taking me closer to a past I had spent years trying to forget. The night my family died. The screams. The flames. The silence that followed. I clenched my fists, forcing the thoughts away. Now wasn’t the time to drown in ghosts. This was the only way. No more running. No more hiding. If I had to end this with my own blood, then so be it. It took hours before I reached the city. By then, the sun was dipping behind the horizon, casting long shadows through the alleyways. The streets were quieter than I remembered, but the scent of danger still lingere
**HENRY** The morning air was crisp, but it did nothing to cool the heat rising in my chest. I stood at the edge of the courtyard, my hands resting on the stone railing as I stared at the warriors before me. They were tense, their shoulders stiff, their eyes burning with something I had never seen before—not just doubt, but betrayal. This wasn’t a simple disagreement. This was a declaration. "The packs have ceased all alliances," one of the elders said, his voice hollow but firm. "They no longer recognize your leadership." A muscle in my jaw twitched. "And why is that?" Another elder—Mathias, an old wolf with a permanent scowl—stepped forward. "Because you have forsaken the laws of the Union." His gaze sharpened. "Because you have lain with a rogue." The murmurs among the gathered wolves grew louder. I exhaled slowly, forcing my face to remain unreadable. "That law was never written." "You know the consequences, Henry," Mathias snapped. "It does not need to be writ
KAELThe air inside the chamber was thick, suffocating, filled with the scent of burning herbs and old parchment. The elders stood before me, their robes draping over the stone altar, their faces shadowed by flickering torches lining the walls. Their presence alone carried the weight of centuries, their judgment absolute. I had barely finished speaking when their answer came. **"No!"** The word thundered through the chamber, shaking the very foundation beneath my feet. I held my ground, refusing to flinch. One of the elders, the eldest among them, stepped forward. His silver eyes burned with conviction as he spoke. **"We will not stop."** Another stepped forward, her voice just as firm. **"She is a threat. Not just to us. Not just to the packs. But to everyone with free will."** I clenched my jaw. "You don’t even know that for sure." The eldest elder narrowed his eyes. "Do you?" Silence stretched between us. I knew Tesla. I had fought beside her. Stood beside
KAELThe scent of smoke hit me first. Thick. Sharp. It burned my throat, mixing with the metallic tang of blood. Then I saw it. The devastation. The territory was in ruins. Buildings had collapsed, their skeletal remains barely holding together. Flames licked at what was left, casting eerie shadows over the wreckage. The streets were covered in debris—broken stones, shattered glass, bodies. The aftermath of war. I slowed my pace, shifting back to human form as my boots crunched over the destruction. No. This wasn’t supposed to happen. This wasn’t supposed to happen. I turned sharply, my voice raw. **"Lina! Tesla!"** Silence. My chest tightened. I turned again, scanning, searching. But there was nothing. No answer. No movement. Just smoke and death. I clenched my fists. **"Lina!"** Still nothing. I sucked in a sharp breath, trying to focus, trying to pick up any scent—any sign of them. Then I heard it. A low, pained groan. I spun around.
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