The moon hung high in the sky, its pale light filtering through the trees and casting long shadows over the forest floor. A group of five men sat around a campfire, the warmth of the flames pushing back the evening chill. Laughter filled the air as they joked, drank, and tore into chunks of fried meat. The night was quiet and peaceful, with only the crackling of the fire and the occasional rustle of leaves.One of the men, a tall werewolf with sharp senses, suddenly tensed. His laughter died on his lips as he glanced into the dark woods surrounding them. “Someone’s here,” he muttered, his eyes narrowing as he tried to focus on the sounds of approaching footsteps.The others immediately became alert, standing up from their spots around the fire. They exchanged glances, the easy camaraderie of moments before replaced by the instinctive wariness of seasoned warriors. The leader of the group, a gruff man with gray streaks in his hair, took a step forward, his hand hovering over the weapon
Dawn broke, casting pale light over the quiet house. Zane had been up for a while, already feeling the weight of the day pressing down on him. He wandered into the kitchen, opening the fridge door, searching for something to eat. Grabbing a fruit, he took a moment to breathe. The events of the previous night still lingered heavily on his mind—Axel’s sudden appearance, Cana’s recovery, and the looming questions about Ivy’s true intentions.A knock on the front door interrupted his thoughts. Zane frowned; it was too early for visitors, and he wasn’t expecting anyone. He put down the fruit and slowly walked to the door, his senses on high alert. As he opened it, his surprise deepened when he saw Raquel standing on the doorstep.“Raquel?” he greeted, exchanging pleasantries. “What are you doing here so early?”Raquel, always a beacon of strength, walked inside without hesitation. “We need to talk.”Zane blinked, slightly caught off guard. “Cana isn’t really in a good shape to train right
The air in the forest was still, a dense mist hanging low between the trees as the first rays of sunlight barely broke through the thick canopy. Zane’s eyes were sharp, scanning the area as he stood over the lifeless bodies that lay before him. His heart pounded in his chest, but he forced his breathing to remain steady. The five corpses strewn across the ground weren't from his pack, but they were still werewolves, and their deaths were disturbing.The smell of blood mixed with something far more sinister lingered in the air — wolfsbane.Zane’s fists clenched at his sides as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. These wolves had been killed ruthlessly, but not by any common means. The black veins crawling across their pale skin were a clear sign that they had been poisoned. The wolfsbane had infected them from within, killing them slowly, painfully.“This is bad,” Lionel whispered beside him, his voice laced with fear. “Whoever did this... they know what they’re doing. And th
The air was cool and still as a figure cloaked in shadows moved swiftly through the forest. The moonlight barely caught glimpses of the mysterious man as he approached the estate in the distance. Axel’s estate loomed ahead, grand and imposing. The man reached the gates, slipping past the guards with practiced ease, and made his way to a side entrance. No one noticed his approach.He entered silently, navigating the hallways with the confidence of someone who had been there before. The destination was clear: Axel needed to know what had transpired, and he, the informant, was the perfect messenger.Axel was sitting in his office, deep in thought, nursing a glass of bourbon when the door creaked open. Without turning around, he already knew who it was."You’re late," Axel said, his voice calm but commanding. The unknown informant closed the door behind him and stepped into the room."I had to make sure I wasn’t followed," the man replied, his voice low. "But I’ve got news. News you’ll wa
The morning air was thick with tension as Zane stood facing Axel, the two men locked in a silent standoff just outside the front door. Zane’s eyes flickered with distrust, his jaw clenched as Axel maintained an easy smile, the kind that masked the sharp edges of something more dangerous lurking underneath.Cana stood beside Zane, her eyes shifting between the two men, immediately sensing the undercurrent of rivalry between them. She wasn’t sure what had transpired before she stepped outside, but the energy felt charged as if one wrong word could ignite a spark.“What’s going on?” Cana asked, her voice cutting through the silence.Zane turned to her, his expression softening instantly. “Just the person I was looking for,” he said, offering a reassuring smile. The edge in his voice that had been present with Axel seemed to fade, replaced with something warmer as he looked at her. He reached out, gently taking her hand, intertwining his fingers with hers in a possessive, yet tender gestu
It had been almost a week since Jeremy and Ashley had perfected their deadly creation: weapons laced with wolfbane. Jeremy had been pushing for a solution that would allow him to use the poison effectively, without risking himself or his pack. Ashley, the mastermind behind the formula, had gone further than anyone could have imagined. She didn’t just lace bullets with wolfbane; she infused it into every weaponThey had at their disposal—guns, blades, grenades. What were once harmless human-made weapons to werewolves had now become lethal tools capable of killing them like poison taking down a predator.In the dimly lit room, Jeremy leaned against a wooden table, examining the arsenal laid out before him. Knives gleamed, bullets shimmered with a faint green hue, and grenades sat in neat rows. The air was thick with aSense of impending violence, the silence occasionally broken by the clinking of metal as Ashley finalized her preparations.Ashley approached him with a cold smile, a pist
Cana sat in the living room, surrounded by Zane, Raquel, Lionel, and Mia. There was a tense silence in the air, the weight of recent events pressing down on them. Everyone in the pack had been on edge since the attack and the revelation of the wolfbane, and Zane, their Alpha, knew that something had to be done.Zane crossed his arms, his expression grim as he leaned back against the couch. "We can't be telling the pack everything right now. I suspect that someone within our pack is feeding Axel information."Lionel immediately shook his head, his expression one of disbelief. "That's not possible, Zane. Everyone in this pack is loyal. None of them would betray us like that."Zane's jaw tightened as he considered Lionel’s response. "I don’t want to believe it either, but I don’t have evidence yet. All I know is that Axel has been too informed about our movements, and we need to be cautious about what we say and who we trust moving forward."Raquel leaned forward, her gaze serious as she
The tension in the room was palpable, stretching thin like a taut wire ready to snap at any moment. After Axel’s departure, the pack remained in a state of uneasy silence. Though Zane had made the call to bring Axel into their plans, none of the others seemed convinced it was the right move.Cana stood near the window, watching the clouds roll over the horizon. The sky mirrored her conflicted emotions, heavy and brooding. Despite her trust in Zane, something about Axel’s involvement left a sour taste in her mouth. She couldn’t shake the feeling that Axel had ulterior motives, especially given his lingering glances and unsettling admiration for her powers. His words echoed in her mind, “You are truly special.” They unsettled her, making her skin crawl with unease.She turned back to the group, where Zane was locked in a quiet discussion with Raquel about the spellwork. Lionel sat to the side, his brow furrowed in deep thought, while Mia paced back and forth, her nerves getting the bett
“Do you think he knows?”Zane sat in his office, his hands clasped together tightly on the desk as he listened to Mart’s incessant pacing. The tension in the room was palpable, the soft shuffle of Mart’s shoes across the floor punctuated only by his muttered thoughts. Cana and Mia sat nearby, exchanging glances, their expressions a mixture of concern and curiosity.Mart finally stopped, turning toward Zane with wide, panicked eyes. “Do you think he knows?”Zane leaned back in his chair, his gaze calm but calculating. “Knows what?”“This morning,” Mart began, his voice trembling, “the cops called me. Apart from Axel, there were 4 other buyers for your shares; today, They were asking questions about the four clients who…died. How the hell did all four of them just end up dead.” He paused, swallowing hard. “I am sure he’s behind it; do you think Axel figured it out? That I’m a fake? That I had something to do with it?”Zane’s expression darkened slightly, though he remained composed. “It
Cana crept through the front door, the soft creak of the hinges reverberating through the quiet house. She glanced at the clock: 12:03 AM. Everyone should be asleep by now, she thought, her footsteps light as she made her way to the stairs.“Where are you coming from?”The voice, sharp and unmistakable, stopped her in her tracks. She turned, her heart sinking when she saw Zane standing in the living room, his arms crossed, his eyes cold and piercing.“I went to see a friend,” she replied, her voice barely steady.“Don’t lie to me,” Zane said, stepping toward her. His tone was controlled, but there was an edge of fury in it that Cana had never heard before.Her pulse quickened. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest, and Zane could hear it too.“You never told me you were leaving,” he continued, his eyes narrowing. “And your heart is racing. Where. Were. You?”Cana had never seen this side of him before. Zane was always calm, gentle, and understanding. But this version of him—
The air was thick with tension as Cana reluctantly made her way to Axel’s private suite as usual. But tonight was different; she didn’t leave Zane's house by 3 am his time each step she took felt heavier than the last, and the weight of Axel’s control pressed down on her. The blackmail hung over her like a dark cloud, and though she despised being summoned, she had no choice but to comply.Axel had requested her presence to “celebrate,” but Cana knew better than to trust his motivations. She clutched the straps of her bag tightly, her mind racing with strategies to deflect his probing questions and maintain her composure.When she arrived, the door was slightly ajar. She knocked gently before stepping in.“Ah, Cana,” Axel’s voice was warm and inviting, but she could see the calculating glint in his eyes. He gestured toward a table laden with expensive wine and delicacies. “Join me. Tonight, we celebrate new beginnings.”Cana forced a small smile and moved cautiously to take a seat acr
Zane sat alone on the edge of the master bed, his eyes fixed on the glow of the bedside lamp. The shadows danced on the walls as his thoughts went back to Axel. Every time he tried to bury the past, every time he tried to forget, the memory of Axel attacking Cana while he was at the diner was still fresh in his mind; well, at least, that was what he believed from Cana. That moment had made his hatred wor and cemented his plan to destroy Axel piece by piece.But patience was key. The shares he secretly held were more than just a financial asset; they were leverage. Selling them now would give him the funds he needed to launch his next move without exposing himself. Axel had no idea who the real shareholder was, and Zane intended to keep it that way.A sharp knock on the door interrupted his thoughts.“Come in,” Zane called out, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside.Mart stepped in, his face a mix of weariness and curiosity. He had been running errands for Zane all day and had th
Axel’s POVThe dim light of the early morning entered through the curtains as I laid back against the plush pillows, my eyes fixed on Cana. She moved quietly around the room, gathering her things, avoiding even the slightest glance in my direction. I could still feel the lingering warmth of her presence, and I couldn’t help but smirk at the thought of how conflicted she must feel.“Enjoyed yourself tonight?” I asked, my tone dripping with mockery.Her shoulders stiffened at the sound of my voice, but she didn’t bother to turn around. She continued dressing as if I wasn’t even there.“Don’t contact me ever again,” she muttered coldly, picking up her belongings and heading toward the door.I chuckled softly as I propped myself up on one elbow, watching her walk away.“I’ve told you this so many times; your words don’t match what you showed me tonight, Cana,” I said, more to myself than to her.She slammed the door behind her without another word, leaving me alone in the luxurious pentho
Lionel leaned back in his chair, his fingers drumming on the polished surface of the conference table. The quiet hum of the room was broken only by the occasional rustle of paper from Larz and Akam, his two closest allies. Both sat opposite him, their postures tense and their eyes expectant. Lionel exhaled slowly.“That’s the plan for now,” Lionel said, his voice low but filled with determination.Larz, the larger of the two, leaned forward, his brow furrowed. “So we just wait? Until she’s... pregnant?”Lionel’s lips twisted into a smirk. “Unfortunately, yes. That’s Axel’s focus right now.”Akam shook his head, his fingers tapping impatiently on the table. “And what about Zane? We all know Axel doesn’t care about him. He’s leaving him to rot, but Zane’s still a problem—for you”Lionel’s smirk widened. “Zane is no longer a problem. He’s a pawn. Broken, desperate, clinging to what little he has left. Axel may not care, but I do. Zane’s pack will be mine soon enough.”Larz raised an eyeb
The sunlight passed through the hospital room windows, casting a soft glow on the e walls. Cana sat on the edge of her bed, the hospital sheets tangled at her feet. She was fully healed, her supernatural abilities healing the wounds overnight. Yet, the bruises on her soul felt raw and unrelenting.Zane’s voice drifted from the hallway as he spoke to the doctor. She strained to catch their conversation, hoping to discern whether her story from the night before had been convincing.“She’s recovering well,” the doctor said. There was a pause, and Cana’s heart raced as if it sensed trouble.“What concerns me,” the doctor continued, “is that her injuries... they appear to be self-inflicted. The cuts, the angles—it’s highly unusual. You may want to speak with her about—”“That’s enough,” Zane interrupted sharply.Cana’s stomach twisted. She couldn’t see his face, but his tone betrayed his unease.Moments later, Zane entered the room, his expression guarded. “Ready to go home?” he asked, his
Zane’s absence was already gnawing at her nerves, but Cana held steady. She could handle Axel; she had faced greater dangers and come out alive. Yet, as soon as the door opened, and Axel stepped into the house, Cana felt her pulse quicken with an unease that she hadn’t anticipated. Cana tried to reach Zane telepathically, stretching her senses to find any trace of his energy. Nothing. It was as if a thick, impenetrable fog blocked her mind. Panic began to claw its way up her spine as Axel took a step closer, his presence filling the room with a predatory calm.With a deep breath, she let her claws emerge. “Axel,” she warned, her voice low and firm. “Get out.”Instead of reacting, Axel smiled, a calm, almost indulgent smile that sent chills racing down her spine. Just before she lunged at him, he let out an invisible wave of Alpha pheromones. The scent hit Cana instantly, disarming her defenses and clouding her mind. She stopped in her tracks, caught off guard by the intoxicating arom
Zane had never felt this powerless. Each day that passed, the emptiness of his bank accounts and the silence from his contacts made the reality hit harder: everything he had built was gone. The wealth, influence, and respect he had taken for granted had been stolen in an instant, leaving him with nothing but the remnants of his former life. No matter how many times he replayed it in his mind, the betrayal by Leno gnawed at him, a deep, festering wound. He knew Leno was the only one who could’ve orchestrated such a calculated attack, but without solid evidence linking him to the transfer, Zane’s hands were tied. Cana tried to offer comfort, but her efforts were bittersweet. She’d offered financial help, and while Zane appreciated her kindness, the thought of depending on her chipped away at his pride. Cana wasn’t just his partner; she was his equal, and he didn’t want her to feel burdened by his downfall. He felt a huge guilt each time she reassured him, knowing that she, too, was af