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
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 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
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
BELLA'S POV.Today is the day.I smiled at my reflection in the mirror, my graduation cap hung up on my head. The smile was a reflection of everything I've been through for the past years, my strength and vitality. I sniffed in as tears started to burn in the back of my head, forming in my large black orbs.I took some steps back, pushing back all the bad thoughts away from my head to focus on myself. It was me today. Everything was all about me. I was the Bella that survived all the thick and hard times, and I am now the Bella that needs to start living.I stared at the blue gown I was wearing inside my graduation gown, one that my mother, or adoptive mother has given to me. Another set of fresh hot tears pooled my eyes as I thought about it. I would give anything for her to see me in it, for her to witness that everything she has poured in me and I have in her was now here to see, that I performed well and fulfilled everything.My name is Bella Montagu, adoptive daughter of Alpha Gr
Bella 'S POV.I gulped down, shaking my head in denial as I clutched my bag hard to my chest. No. None of it can be real. Max would not say something like that about me. He loved me. We loved each other. I've spent days on that bed, telling him how much I want to have sex with him but I just needed the timing to be right.I love him. I was going to tell him everything. Tell him I have a wolf and we were fated mates, let him see the mate bond. I was going to give him the whole of me tonight. To let him connect with my wolf and every part of me.My thoughts were cut short as a giggle that I knew too well could not belong to Max came out of the room, causing my heart to clutter more in pain. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, my lips trembling as their words entered my ear.“So why don't you leave her? Why don't you break up with her if she's useless?”I bit down on my lower lips, my heart gnawing in pain already as I waited for his response. Smooching sound came out first before h
Bella's POVMy eyes locked onto his, my heart pounding against my rib cage. And just like I had predicted, his left hand collided with my right cheek, the sound resonating through the spacious room.My eyes fluttered shut involuntarily and I let out a shriek, not daring to utter anything more, silencing the cries that were at the tip of my tongue. I knew better than to show any signs of weakness.Five years later and everything was still the same, just how I remembered it.I opened my eyes, slowly meeting his gaze this time. His dark grey eyes blared in fury and I knew this slap was only the start of it.“Who on earth do you think you are?” He asked, bobbing his head to the side, his brows drawn together in rage.The answer to the question was really simple. In Moonlight Pack, I was a nobody. It hurt to even think it, but it was true.“You seem to forget that you're nobody here, Bella.” He took a step towards me and I took one back.“You seem to have forgotten that I took pity on you,
Bella's POVIn the dark of the night, the stars shimmered in the sky but my hope dimmed.My fists clenched as the echoes of the phone call lingered in my mind. Fury simmered just below my calm exterior, a familiar flame that kept me on edge. I didn't trust the voice on the other end of the line—yet I knew I couldn't turn down any chance to grow stronger.Weakness and pretending to be weak had always been my strong suit. Hide everything to be safe, to be protected, I learned the hard way. I hated it so much but I had no choice. I never chose.The betrayal, the feeling of being unwanted seeped into my bones from my old pack, my old family. My lips curled up in disdain. Where is my family? Now why would I trust someone I had never met. I inhaled and exhaled slowly.The possibility that these people might help me save my Luna, my mother, was too precious to ignore, even if it meant aligning with strangers. With each step closer to their realm, my pulse quickened. I was wary, but I also fe
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