My breath caught in my throat. I pressed myself harder against the wall, willing myself to disappear. Maybe if I stayed still enough, quiet enough, they wouldn’t find me.But Tiana’s voice grew sharper. “I know someone’s there. Show yourself!”I was trapped. My mind raced for a way out, but before I could move, a strong hand grabbed my arm, pulling me into a shadowed alcove. I was about to scream when I turned and saw Leo’s familiar face, his expression serious as he pressed a finger to his lips, signaling me to stay silent.Tiana’s footsteps were closer now, the sound of her heels clicking ominously on the stone floor. Leo quickly leaned in, his breath warm against my ear. “Stay still,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.We were so close that I could feel his heartbeat against my back, strong and steady, a stark contrast to the wild thudding of my own heart. He was holding me tightly, almost protectively, and for a moment, I forgot everything—Tiana, the man, the danger—everythin
I woke to a thick silence, the kind that pressed against my ears and made the room feel oddly empty. The safe house, though safe, had a some stillness to it that felt unnervingly calm. I sat up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes and trying to shake off the remnants of my restless night. The events of the previous evening seemed almost surreal now, like a bad dream I was struggling to remember.I wandered into the common area, hoping to find someone who could offer a semblance of normalcy. As I walked, I noticed Jess in the kitchen, busily preparing breakfast. Her face brightened when she saw me.“Hey, sleepyhead,” she called out, her voice light despite the gravity of our situation. “I thought you might sleep the whole day away. How’re you feeling?”“Still sore,” I admitted, forcing a smile as I sat at the table. “But I’m managing.”Jess set a plate in front of me and joined me at the table. “You were pretty banged up yesterday. I’m glad you’re up. I’ve been worried.”I appreciated her c
It wasn’t a date. It was a date. It wasn’t a date.I sighed as I plucked the last leaf off the rose, deciding it wasn’t a date after all. Leo had asked me to meet him at a café, and for what reason, I didn’t know. My mind was still spinning from the night before—Tiana’s hushed conversation in the alley, Leo’s urgent warning, and my own stubbornness to uncover the truth. I should probably mind my business but as usual, my curiosity gets the better of me and here I am trying to find out more about something that shouldn't be my business at all. I sighed once again as I struggled to get off the bed. We have finally left the safe house. I missed Jess in a way but being back here with Ethan and Caleb felt like home. Though I hardly see them these days due to schedules and also Caleb, he seemed distant. Regardless I have a date- I mean meeting in a way to prepare for. Time for the salon. I shuffled to the closet, scanning my outfits for something suitable for a non-date. "Why am I even
So this was her plan.So this was why she took photos. All along my thoughts was that she woikd use it to blackmail me as she did in the wedding come to think of it. Then she was just too calm. Too chill as if I had been sharing rain discussions with her fiancé and not actually kissing him. The café buzzed with hushed whispers, a rising tide of scandal and judgment. I could feel the eyes of the other customers, the pack members who had chosen this quiet place for a moment of peace, now trained on me with growing suspicion and condemnation. My stomach twisted into knots as the photo passed from one hand to another, each person drawing their own conclusions from the damning images.“She’s the other woman,” I heard someone mutter, the words striking me like a physical blow.“I can’t believe it. And with Tiana, of all people…“The nicest person in the whole world.”“Our Luna.”A woman nearby shook her head, her eyes cold as they flicked between Leo and me. “I thought she was different.
Today I don't feel like doing anything. I just want to lay in my bed.The music drifted through the room, a lazy, melancholy tune that matched the sadness in my chest. I lay there, my pillow damp with tears, my body aching from the exhaustion of crying, and my eyes burning from the lack of sleep. Everything felt wrong—broken, shattered. Tiana had succeeded in tearing my life apart, and now, all I wanted was to disappear into the silence, to let the world fade away.I was feeling surprisingly poetic today. I could hear the faint sounds of life outside my door—Caleb moving around in the kitchen, the distant hum of conversation, the muffled clatter of dishes. But it all felt so far away, like it was happening in another world, a world that no longer had a place for me. I didn’t belong anywhere now.When Caleb knocked on my door and told me that breakfast was ready, I didn’t respond. I couldn’t. The idea of facing anyone right now, of seeing the pity or anger in their eyes, was too m
Adrian’s fingers clenched into a fist as he stared down at the whimpering maid, her eyes wide with fear. His breaths came out in harsh, controlled bursts, the rage simmering just below the surface. The news had hit him like a thunderbolt—Selena had been pregnant. He had been trying to hurt her yet ..yet she had his pup.She had escaped him, carried his heir away from his grasp, with the help of this pathetic creature cowering before him.He crouched down, his voice a venomous whisper. "You helped her, didn’t you?" The maid’s head bobbed frantically, tears streaming down her face as she pleaded for mercy, but Adrian was beyond listening. His hand shot out, grabbing a fistful of her hair, and he dragged her toward the table where a sharp blade glinted under the dim light.“Please, no!” she cried, her voice choked with terror. But Adrian’s expression was cold, devoid of any trace of mercy. He yanked her head down, forcing her to face the blade.“You’ll be an example to others,” Adrian
I was floating.The darkness around me was vast, empty. I felt like I was suspended in a void, weightless, drifting with no sense of direction. My mind was struggling to catch up with what had just happened. I couldn’t feel my body, couldn’t see anything except the endless black that stretched out in every direction. The only sensation was the eerie calm that had settled over me, a calm that was at odds with the turmoil I had felt moments before.As I floated, darkness seethed around me, like a living entity. Shadows darted past, their edges wispy and indistinct, leaving trails of unease in their wake. I felt them brush against me, ethereal fingers tracing my skin, sending shivers coursing through my veins.Fragments of images flashed before my eyes: a glimpse of a face, a whispered word, a fleeting scent. They vanished as quickly as they appeared, leaving me grasping for meaning. A memory of laughter echoed through my mind, but it was someone else's, not mine. A glimpse of a room, un
“Okay, so let me get this straight. Your father was the source of all magic. Direct descendant of the Dawn Pack ancestors, and in your slumber, you met like…a god?” Caleb asked, leaning against the drawer in the room Leo had placed me in, inside his pack house. His brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to piece everything together.I hummed, “I don’t think it was a god. It kinda felt like the ancestors’ voices all in one person because it sounded hurt when it showed the images of the death of their family.”Ethan, who had been pacing back and forth, stopped mid-stride and ran a hand through his hair. “And you’re saying they were the ones who hid the orb of magic in your bloodline, waiting for someone with fire eyes to awaken it?”“Yeah, that’s what it seems like,” I replied, feeling the weight of it all pressing down on me again. It was still hard to wrap my mind around everything I had seen and learned in that strange, otherworldly place. “It’s been dormant for generations, hidden a
The world around me was hazy, the sharp pain in my chest stealing my breath. Darkness encroached, but somewhere in the distance, I could hear voices—familiar ones—calling my name. Eli, Noah... their shouts pierced through the numbness. I clung to that sound, refusing to let go.This couldn’t be the end.With a herculean effort, I forced my eyes open, my body feeling like it weighed a thousand pounds. Above me, the sky stretched endlessly, a deep and inky black, but the shadows that had once loomed so large were gone. The dark force was defeated—or at least, it should’ve been.I felt a hand on my arm, tugging me back to the present. It was Noah, his face pale, his usually calm eyes wild with fear. "Lily! Stay with me!"Eli crouched beside him, his expression a mix of fury and anguish. "Don’t you dare die on us, Lily. Don’t you dare!"My vision swam as I tried to sit up, but the pain ripped through me again. My hand went to my chest, feeling the warm slickness of blood where the final s
The pack gathered at the edge of the forest, their faces grim. The air buzzed with tension as everyone prepared for the battle that would determine their future. I stood at the front, trying to keep my nerves in check. This was it—the final stand. The moment I had trained for, fought for, bled for.Leo, my father, approached me, his expression unreadable. Despite the trials, the betrayals, and the pain we’d endured, his presence always carried the weight of leadership. But today, he wasn’t the Alpha. Today, the pack looked to me."You’re ready," Leo said, his voice steady.I looked up at him, my heart swelling with emotion. "I hope so."He placed a hand on my shoulder, the gesture more tender than I expected. "We all trust you, Lily. I trust you."Selena stepped forward, her usual sharp demeanor softened by the gravity of the moment. She didn’t say anything, but the look in her eyes spoke volumes. She trusted me too, and for the first time, I felt the full weight of my responsibility
The air in the sacred chamber was heavy with anticipation. My footsteps echoed on the stone floor as I walked toward the center of the room, my heart racing in my chest. This was it—the final Luna trial. Everything I had fought for, everything I had endured, had led me to this moment. But I wasn’t prepared for the weight of it, the crushing pressure of what was at stake."You’ve got this," Rose said quietly from beside me. Her voice was soft, free of the usual bite that accompanied our exchanges. Ever since the battle with the traitor, she had changed. Maybe it was seeing Eli hurt, or maybe it was the realization that we were all in this together. Either way, Rose was standing by me now, for the first time in years, and that meant more than I could put into words.I gave her a small nod, grateful for her presence, even though fear gripped my chest like a vise.Noah stood just behind us, his arms crossed as he surveyed the chamber. He had been distant since the battle, quieter than usu
"After them!" I shouted, my heart pounding as I sprinted forward, Noah and Selena close behind. The traitor had disappeared into the shadows of the hall, slipping away like a ghost. We rushed through the narrow corridors, the weight of betrayal pressing down on us.The traitor—a former ally, a trusted figure—had turned against us. My father, Leo, the man who had built this pack from the ground up, was now in danger. I couldn’t allow them to succeed.As we turned a corner, a loud crash echoed from up ahead, followed by the unmistakable sounds of a struggle. I picked up the pace, the urgency pulling me faster than my legs wanted to go.When we burst into the central chamber, chaos greeted us.Eli was already there, locked in a brutal fight with the traitor. Blood stained his shirt, and his movements were sluggish. My heart lurched. He was injured.Leo stood behind him, trying to defend himself with whatever strength he had left. But he wasn’t the man he once was. Age had slowed him, and
The figure reached out, fingers curling around the edge of their face, pulling the skin away as if it were a mask. I gasped, my throat tightening in shock, but no sound escaped. Where Rose had stood moments ago, a stranger now stared back at me. Dark eyes glittered with satisfaction, a sneer twisting their lips. My heart hammered in my chest, but I couldn't move, rooted in disbelief. "You’ve been deceived, bitch," the stranger spat, the familiar warmth of Rose’s voice replaced with something cold, mocking. I blinked, my mind racing. Who was this? My pulse thrummed in my ears, drowning out everything around me. "Where’s Rose?" I demanded, my voice steadier than I felt. The stranger grinned, baring teeth like a predator toying with its prey. "Closer than you think." Noah stepped forward, his presence grounding me. His eyes flickered over the figure, suspicion darkening his features. "Who are you?" The stranger chuckled, the sound hollow. "Someone who’s been watching this pack f
The early morning sky was bruised with dark clouds, heavy and foreboding. The distant rumble of thunder blended with the cacophony of preparation in the pack’s camp. The pack members scrambled to their positions, their faces etched with grim determination. I stood at the edge of the camp, watching the horizon, my heart pounding in my chest. The rogue army was almost upon us.The scent of rain mixed with the tang of adrenaline, and the air was charged with tension. I tried to focus on the task at hand, forcing myself to take deep, steady breaths. Our defenses were set, but the traitor’s sabotage had thrown our plans into disarray. We had already lost precious time repairing breaches and reinforcing weak points.“Lily!” Rose’s voice cut through the din, and I turned to see her running toward me, her eyes fierce. “The scouts reported that the rogues are just minutes away. We need to be ready.”“I know,” I replied, nodding. “Everyone’s in position. We just have to hold the line until rein
The sky was overcast, the heavy clouds pressing down as if to mirror the gravity of our situation. The atmosphere around the pack's central gathering area was tense, a low hum of worried voices mingling with the clatter of preparations. The rogue army was advancing, and time was running out. I stood on a makeshift stage at the center of the clearing, the weight of the pack’s fears pressing down on me like a physical force. I needed to rally their spirits, to inspire them to face the threat head-on.The pack members were assembled, their faces a mix of fear and determination. I took a deep breath and stepped forward, trying to push aside the doubts that gnawed at me. Rose stood beside me, her expression guarded, while Eli and Noah flanked me from either side. The tension between them was palpable, but there was no time to address it now.“Everyone, listen up!” I called out, raising my voice to be heard over the murmurs. “I know that many of you are scared. I am too. But we cannot let f
The pack’s council chamber was a vast, echoing space, its high ceilings and ancient stone walls bearing witness to countless decisions made for the safety and future of our pack. Tonight, it felt more like a labyrinth of secrets and shadows than a place of governance. The atmosphere was thick with tension as Eli and I stood before Councilor Whitman, who had agreed to meet with us under pressure.Councilor Whitman, a tall man with graying hair and a stern demeanor, sat behind his large oak desk. His eyes, though weary, held a sharpness that made me wary. Eli stood beside me, his expression serious as he prepared to question Whitman about the troubling clues we’d uncovered.“Councilor Whitman,” I began, trying to keep my voice steady, “we have reason to believe that there’s a traitor among us, and that this traitor is providing information to the Blackthorns.”Whitman’s eyes narrowed. “This is a serious accusation, Lily. I would appreciate it if you had concrete evidence before making s
The moon hung high and heavy in the sky, its pale light casting long shadows over the pack’s territory. The night was quiet, but the stillness felt oppressive, as if the very air was thick with secrets waiting to be uncovered. The betrayal I feared was not just a whisper in the dark—it was a tangible threat, and it was close.I paced the length of my bedroom, trying to sort through the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that had taken hold of me since the meeting with the Blackthorns. Noah’s words echoed in my mind, growing louder with every passing hour. Someone from within our own pack was working with Killian Blackthorn, and it wasn’t just a matter of figuring out who—it was a matter of finding them before it was too late.Rose had been insistent that I was letting paranoia cloud my judgment. She’d accused me of letting the stress of leadership consume me, and while her words were sharp, I could see the underlying jealousy and frustration. I had a purpose now—one she felt had been