BELLAI opened my eyes, the sun peeking through the curtains assaulting my vision, banishing the reminants of sleep. The sunlight illuminated the room, and I stretched on the bed, it's plushness welcoming me. It still felt really unreal, waking up in a soft bed, in an enormous room.I sat on the bed for a few seconds, my mind reeling from last night's conversation with Grey.“Why on earth would I give you five million dollars?” I asked, disbelief tainting my tone.“Cora's expenses.” The non chain his voice was triggering but unfortunately he was on the other side of the phone. “Unless you want her to die?”My heart skipped a beat.“I don't even have that amount of money and you know it!” I raised my voice slightly, clenching and unclenching my fist.“Of course you do.” I could hear the smile in his voice. Evil, conniving. “You left here on a private jet. Did you think I wouldn't find out?”Fuck! Did he know where I was?“It isn't mine.” I replied truthfully. That feeling, that suffoca
BELLAThe day had finally come.My graduation.And I was about to deliver my speech.Backstage, my fingers twisted the thin fabric of my gown, knuckles turning white. I closed my eyes, inhaling slowly, trying to calm the fluttering in my chest.These butterflies weren't there this morning when I left, so why are they here now?The muffled voices beyond the curtain was a reminder that all eyes would be on me soon. My heartbeat pounded in my ears, and I wiped my palms against my gown. It was just a speech. But why did I suddenly feel so heavy?“Bella, you're up,” someone whispered from the side, and the knot in my stomach tightened. I nodded, barely trusting my voice, and stepped forward. The bright stage lights hit me first, momentarily blinding me. I blinked quickly, focusing on the polished wood beneath my feet as I walked to the podium. The familiar scent of fresh paper and lingering perfume from earlier speakers filled the air. I gripped the edges of the podium to steady myself.As
KAIWhen Mabel passed away, I decided to establish a foundation for heart disease research. And I invested heavily on medical studies and life sciences. It was a kind of coping mechanism for me. Anything to keep me busy, to keep me connected to the woman I loved more than anything. Anything to make myself feel better.And it did. Every time I did something for people who suffered with heart disease like she did, I felt lighter, more at peace.As I sat there and watched Bella give her speech, something stirred inside of me. We hadn't spoken a lot the other day, and she didn't come across as somebody who was in the medical field.I hadn't ever imagined that she would be a student at NYU and that too with maddening brilliance and outstanding achievements.“The moon goddess has indeed blessed me with another chance. A perfect mate,” my wolf purred, the voice echoing inside of me.“We have already decided that nothing of the sorts will happen between us.” I replied to it and it snorted, a
GREYThe rain lashed against the windowpane, a steady rhythm that matched the thrum of my thoughts. The glass of bourbon in my hand sloshed as I swirled it absentmindedly, staring out at the darkened woods surrounding the Pack House. Memories flitted through my mind like ghosts—each one a reminder of the choices I had made and the threads of deception I'd so carefully spunPlaying with people's minds has always been something I enjoyed. Leaving things to fate was a risk I couldn't afford. The thing I wanted could be snatched from me in a blink of an eye and I could not let that happen. I always had to be in control or life would control me. That was until I met her.The first time I met her—my mate—I knew fate had played a cruel joke. She was kind, delicate, everything I wasn't. Opposites attract or some bullshit. Cora was like a dove. So pure and so innocent.You would think a bond forged by the Moon Goddess herself should've been enough, but it wasn't. I found Cora so boring that it
BELLAI could feel it deep in my gut, something wasn't right. I could not put a finger on it yet, but I knew inside me.Grey. He was the most conniving person I knew. And not only conniving, he was manipulative and deceptive. What if calling me back home was just another trap?He did say he would make me pay for running away, and although he asked for five million dollars and I sent one million, he hadn't pestered me for more.There were so many loopholes and the more I pondered, the more confused I got. It was tiring.Maybe I was just overthinking it and Cora was really in trouble. Maybe she was really dying. I couldn't ignore that. She was very sick even when she helped me escape the dungeon.What if Grey was responsible for her health deteriorating? What if he beat her up despite her failing heart condition. I honestly wouldn't put it past him.These thoughts made me restless through the day, and gave me sleepless nights.I want to make sure Cora is fine but for that to happen, I h
LAYLAI walked back into the pack house, looking for Ralph. The servants had told me he was back, and I needed to talk to him or rather he asked me to come talk to him. I wanted to make some excuse but I sister or not, I couldn't just say no to an Alpha.I spotted a maid hurrying down the hall, her head down as she tried to avoid making eye contact with me. I wasn't in the mood for being avoided, so I stepped into her path and called out, “Hey, do you know where Ralph is?”She looked up, startled at first, before quickly composing herself. “Alpha Ralph is in his office ma'am,” she said, her voice a little nervous. “Alpha Kai is also here as well.”The mention of Kai hit me like a wave. I definitely hadn't expected to hear that. My stomach tightened, but I kept my face neutral.Without another word, I stepped past her, heading toward Ralph's office, the fact that Kai was here already making my thoughts swirl.Honestly, I had wanted him for years. I mean, who wouldn't. He was strong, re
BELLAKai being here with me made me feel safe. Grey had not dared to raise his voice at me, let alone his hand. It made my heart flutter, the knots in my stomach tighten. It made me happier that I would have imagined. And for the first time in forever, I didn't feel alone. That void was no longer there and it was kind of weird how he fit properly into the space.As we walked towards Cora's hospital ward, I stole glances at his profile, etched in sharp relief against the soft glow of the hospital lights. His jawline, strong and defined, moved subtly with each step, its gentle flexing a testament to the tension coiled within. The faint scruff on his chin added a rugged edge to his refined features.With each stride, his broad shoulders shifted beneath his fitted shirt, accentuating the powerful physique that commanded attention. His eyes, fixed ahead, gleamed with an intensity that bordered on ferocity, their piercing quality undeniable even in profile. The sharp lines of his nose and
KAIThe hum of the plane's engines created a steady rhythm that somehow intensified the silence between us. I leaned back in his seat, casting a glance at Bella, who sat across the aisle with her gaze firmly fixed on the sleeping figure of Cora beside her. Her eyes held a mixture of worry and exhaustion, and though I longed to reach out to her, I kept my distance, respecting the unspoken boundaries she had put up between us.In the dim light of the cabin, Bella looked more vulnerable than I had ever seen her. She wore her strength-like armor, a shield that kept everyone at arm's length. But now, after everything I had learned about her past, I saw the weight she carried—sorrow, betrayal, and the lingering scars of heartbreak. It stirred something deep within me, a fierce desire to protect her, to be the one who could finally ease her burdens.I wanted to heal all her scars and take back every word they had said to make her feel like she was nothing because, to me, Bella was everything
BELLAThe night before my wedding, my brothers kidnapped me.Not literally—though with them, anything was possible—but they barged into my room, dragged me out of my wedding preparations, and declared that it was a “sibling bonding emergency.”I barely had time to argue before Xavier threw me over his shoulder like a sack of flour, Ryan tossed a blanket over my head for “extra security,” and Hunter and Lennon led the charge down the hall, laughing like a bunch of lunatics.By the time they finally set me down, I was dizzy, breathless, and slightly concerned for my safety.“What the hell was that?” I gasped, pushing my hair out of my face as I looked around.They had brought me to one of the old gathering halls, now transformed into something unrecognizably cozy. The fire crackled in the grand hearth, a feast of steak, bread, and wine set out on a long wooden table.Lennon grinned, throwing an arm around my shoulder. “Welcome to the Official Quadruplet and Bella Pre-Wedding Party.”Rya
BELLAThe ruins still smelled of blood and magic. The battle was over, but its echoes remained in the shattered stones, in the bruises on our skin, in the exhaustion that pressed into our bones.I stood at the heart of it all, surrounded by warriors who had once been divided—now united. Alive.And yet, my gaze was fixed on only one thing.Ollie.Kai knelt beside him, his face tight with worry as he brushed the damp curls from the boy’s forehead. Ollie’s chest rose and fell in uneven breaths, his small fingers twitching slightly against the cold stone beneath him.“Come back to us, baby,” I whispered, sinking to my knees. My hands hovered over him, unsure if I was strong enough to touch him without breaking.Kai’s jaw clenched. “He’s breathing.” His voice was steady, but I could hear the fear beneath it. The same fear that had been clawing at my ribs since we found Ollie in that cursed chamber beneath the ruins.I reached out, my fingers grazing Ollie’s hand. His skin was too cold.Too
BELLAA war horn echoed through the ruins.And then, chaos.The archways burst open as warriors flooded in—my brothers leading the charge.Lennon’s blade was the first to strike, cutting down the nearest puppet. Kieran and Tobias followed, their warriors sweeping through the chamber, carving a path through Evelyn’s forces.Kai wasted no time. He lunged at Harper, their blades clashing in a furious blur of steel. Hunter tore into the puppets, his awakened power surging through him, cutting them down with terrifying efficiency.I turned to the nearest enemy, blade in hand, rage burning through me.The battle erupted in full force. The chamber rang with the clash of steel, the roar of warriors, and the shrieks of Evelyn’s puppets as they lunged with eerie precision.Lennon’s sword gleamed in the torchlight as he cut through the nearest puppet, its body jerking unnaturally before collapsing. Lennon moved with brutal efficiency, his twin daggers slicing through enemies like a shadow weavin
BELLAThe Ruins Forest was alive with whispers. Not voices, not creatures—just the wind curling through the gnarled trees, carrying an eerie hum that never faded. The deeper we ventured, the thicker the air became, pressing against my skin like unseen hands. Every step forward felt like wading through something old and rotten, as if the forest itself resisted our presence.Kai moved beside me, silent and sharp-eyed, scanning the shadows ahead. Hunter led the way, his posture rigid, his fingers twitching as though his body anticipated a fight before one had even begun.The darkness here was unnatural. It clung to the trees, seeped into the soil. The deeper we went, the heavier the feeling became, an oppressive weight that coiled around my ribs.“We’re close,” I murmured, voice low. I didn’t know how I knew. I just did.Kaibglanced at me. “You feel it too.”I nodded. It was a sickening pull, something deep beneath the ruins calling to me. Not a voice. Just a presence.Hunter inhaled dee
BELLAThe Ruins Forest was eerily silent, the dense canopy above swallowing the moonlight, casting shifting shadows across the decaying remnants of a civilization long lost. The air was thick with damp earth, the scent of moss and rotting wood mingling with something sharper—something unnatural.My breath came in slow, controlled inhales, but my pulse pounded in my ears. The ruins around us felt ancient, almost sentient, as if they had witnessed countless tragedies before this moment.And now, they would witness Layla’s end.She stood a few paces ahead, her figure outlined against the pale moonlight breaking through the trees. Dark energy crackled around her fingers, pulsing with anger, desperation. Blood streaked her face, her once-pristine clothing torn and muddied, but her eyes—her silver, stormy eyes—were still alight with the same bitterness that had festered in her heart for years.“You always take what isn’t yours,” she hissed, her voice raw with fury. “First my place, then my
BELLA.“You think you can save them?” he snarled, stepping forward. His sword gleamed in the dim light. “You couldn’t even save your own father.”A knife twisted in my chest.I refused to believe it.This wasn’t real.Kai was not my enemy.The fog was lying.I stood my ground, forcing my breath steady. “You’re not real.”A flicker of hesitation crossed his face.Good.“You’re just another trick,” I continued, voice firm. “Another lie.”The mist shuddered.The illusion of Kai faltered—his form wavered, then shattered like glass.Gone.But the fog remained.A new voice slithered through the mist.“You’ll never be enough for her.”Kai.His real voice.But laced with something wrong.I turned sharply, scanning the haze. “Kai!”A figure moved through the mist. Nathaniel, rigid, fists clenched.He didn’t turn.Didn’t answer.“She’ll leave you, just like the rest.” The voice came from the fog, its edges curling like smoke.Kai’s shoulders stiffened.I saw the tension in his jaw, the way his
BELLAThe Ruins Forest loomed before us, its canopy thick with ancient trees that swallowed the light whole. A hush settled over the land, the kind that preceded a storm. The air was damp with the scent of moss and decay, and every step felt like an intrusion into something forgotten. Kai walked beside me, silent but alert, his hand never straying far from his blade.We had barely passed the threshold when a rustling in the underbrush made me spin, dagger in hand. A shadow emerged from behind a gnarled oak, and I was ready to strike—until I saw him.Hunter.Dressed in a loose tunic, a satchel slung across his shoulder, he grinned at me like this was any other day. “Fancy seeing you two here.”I exhaled sharply, lowering my weapon. “Hunter, what the hell are you doing here?”He held up a weathered sketchbook. “Would you believe me if I said I came to draw the ruins? The landscapes here are—”“—dangerous,” I finished, stepping toward him. “This place isn’t some scenic retreat. Harper an
BELLAThe war room was dimly lit, the scent of parchment and ink thick in the air. Maps lay scattered across the table, marked with hastily drawn lines and notations—plans that had now shifted.The battle was over. The border was safe.But the war wasn’t.I ran my fingers along the edges of the old, worn notebook in front of me, my mind spinning through the words scribbled inside. Oli had left behind a trail—one that led straight to the heart of our enemy.Kai stood beside me, arms crossed, golden eyes scanning the notes as if he could pull more meaning from them just by glaring hard enough. Lennon, on the other hand, sat slouched in his chair, legs stretched out, fingers drumming absently against the table.The tension in the room was thick, pressing in on me from all sides.I exhaled. Time to begin.“We have confirmation,” I said, voice steady. “Harper’s plan failed. The border remain
BELLAThe sky churned with storm clouds, thick and low, casting the battlefield in an eerie half-light. The air was thick with the scent of burnt flesh, wet fur, and the metallic sting of blood. Screams and snarls tangled together in a chaotic symphony, the ground trembling beneath the weight of bodies clashing, breaking, and falling.I had seen war before. I had felt its weight in every wound I stitched, in every heartbeat I fought to save. But this—this was something else.The magical beasts came in waves, their forms flickering with unnatural energy, their movements sharper, faster—unnatural. I had no doubt now. Someone was controlling them. Someone was feeding them power.And I was going to find out who.But first, we had to survive.“Push forward!” Kai’s voice cut through the chaos like a blade, his massive form cutting through the oncoming beasts with raw, relentless force. Claw, metal, and flesh met in a