Caden had been in the pack for only a few days, and already, his presence was evident. He was charming, competent, and above all, respectful. Where others folded under pressure or demanded their worth be recognised, Caden offered his help with an effortless grace, winning people over with ease.
And that alone made me wary.
I watched from the balcony as he sparred with a group of young warriors in the training grounds below. He was more than a visiting Alpha lending aid; he was a man used to being in control. Our people admired him, I could see it in their faces. He gave them clear instructions, shouted encouragement, and moved among them like he’d always belonged.
“Are you planning to glower at him all morning, or do you want me to fetch you a chair?”
Ardan’s voice startled me. He leaned against the doorway to the balcony, arms crossed and a slight smirk on his face. I shot him a look, but he didn’t budge.
“I&rsq
The morning sir was cold and the cloud looked like it was going to rain soon. I sat at the head of the war table with folded arms as I listened to Ardan outline the patrol schedules for the coming week. His voice was steady and reassuring—something I needed more than I cared to admit.“The northern border patrols will overlap every two hours,” Ardan explained, marking the map with strokes. “Zone and Rachel will lead the first sweep, and we’ll keep fresh warriors rotating. If there’s anything out of place, we’ll know.”I nodded, satisfied with the plan. “It’ll hold for now. I just want our wolves to feel safe again.”Ardan leaned back in his chair, watching me carefully. “They will, Serena. We are doing the right thing.”I offered him a smile, though it felt strained. The pack had been walking a fine line between recovery and exhaustion, and despite my best efforts, the tension was still palpable. It had been days since the witches’ promises, and though the rogue attacks had quieted, p
Ardan’s PoVThe rain had started already as my mate and I were tangled in the sheets. It had been quite sometime since we both had gotten this intimate, yet as we kissed, I could tell something was bothering Serena.“What’s wrong? Is it about Caden?” I asked but she didn’t answer. Instead, she pulled me in for another kiss. We kissed for a while but I didn’t feel any rhythm. It felt forced.“Okay, what’s really going on?” I asked.Serena sighed and finally spoke. “How close are you to Caden?” She asked.“He was my childhood best friend. Why?” I asked, curious. She went silent again.“Hmm?” I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek.Serena hesitated, biting her lip, as though she were unsure of whether she should speak at all. Finally, she exhaled again. “I need to tell you something about Caden.”“What about him?” I asked calmly.She sat up and pulled the covers around herself. “I don’t want you to think I’m trying to put a rift between you two. He’s your friend, and I know
Serena’s PoVIt was the next morning already. I sat on the edge of the bed, interlocking my fingers within my laps. Ardan stood by the window with tense shoulders. His gaze was distant as he stared out at the pack grounds.I took a deep breath, bringing myself to speak. “Ardan,” I began softly.He didn’t turn around. His posture was rigid.“I wanted to say I’m sorry,” I continued. “I shouldn’t have accused Caden. I let my doubts get the better of me and now I understand how much he means to you.”Ardan had not said a word to me since he woke up this morning. I noticed he was uncomfortable. His usual demeanour was gone and replaced by something else that I couldn’t quite place.I shout him a dirty look, and getting to my feet, I moved over to where he sat and stood beside him. “What’s wrong?” I asked, studying his face.“Nothing,” he said curtly without looking me in the eyes.“Ardan,” I said more firmly, “I know something’s bothering you. Talk to me.”He closed his mouth firmly and fo
Serena’s PoVIt was pretty early in the morning and the sun rose behind the main training grounds. From where I was perched above, I could see the young wolves fighting and running around as Caden supervised them. His orders were precise but motivating and he seemed quiet but authoritative.Every day, he trained them relentlessly. I couldn’t help but wonder why he pushed them so hard. Surely, we had enough seasoned warriors to hold the borders and defend the pack. These young ones—barely teenagers, deserved a chance to enjoy their youth.Once the session ended, I made my way down the hill to where Caden was standing and wiping sweat from his brow. He spotted me approaching and gave me a nod with a grin.“Good morning, Alpha,” he said, teasing me.I folded my arms, tilting my head as I spoke to him. “Caden, I’ve been watching you train these kids every day. Why do you push them so hard? We already have capable warriors.”He shrugged, leaning on the hilt of a practice sword. “You can ne
I was in the war room checking the maps for any loophole that could be causing the attacks. I know I didn’t fully believe Caden and if he turns out to be the one behind all of this, he is damn good at playing mind games.It was then I heard the shriek. I rushed outside to see what was happening. The rogue attack came without warning, tearing through the southern sector of our territory in the dead of night. Wolves howled combined with the cries of fear and anger. By the time we reached the site, the damage had already been done—several pack members injured, and one critically wounded.The aftermath left a heavy tension hanging over the pack. Whispers began to spread, doubts began creeping into the minds of those who had once been steadfast in their loyalty.“They’re targeting us too easily,” one voice murmured.“Maybe Ardan’s not as strong as we thought,” another added.I clenched my fists as I walked
It was the third day since Ardan and I had that argument. I sat alone under a tree in silence.My thoughts were a tangled mess. I had begin to doubt Ardan’s leadership, the whole accusations against Caden, and the guilt of knowing the pack was slowly fracturing. For the first time in my life, I felt truly lost, even with Ardan by my side.“Serena?”I turned to see who was calling only to see Caden standing a few feet away. I could see worry in his face. “I thought I might find you out here,” he said, stepping closer to me.I sighed, brushing a hand through my hair. “What do you want, Caden?”“To help,” he replied simply, sitting down beside me. “You’ve been carrying a lot on your shoulders lately. Maybe you need someone to lean on for a change.”I opened my mouth to send him away, but the words refused to come. The truth was, he wasn’t wrong. All that was taking pl
ARDAN’s PoVI paced back and forth within the war room. My mind was consumed by a single name—Caden. Ever since his arrival, things had slowly begun changing. My pack doubted my abilities, his growing influence, it all just sounds sinister.“Ardan.”Draven called out, pulling me away from my thoughts. I turned to see him leaning against the doorway with his face as grim as mine.“We need to talk,” I said, gesturing for him to close the door.He complied and stepped into the room. “What is it?”“It’s Caden,” I began in a low tone. “Something doesn’t feel right. I grew up with him but now I do not know him and I don’t know whether to trust him or not.”Draven tilted his head, studying me carefully. “Why now?”I hesitated as I struggled to put my suspicions into words. “It’s not just his behaviour. It’s everything. The way the pack looks to him, the way he’s always in the right place at the right time. And then there’s Serena. He’s too close to her.”Draven narrowed his eyes. “I replayed
Serena’s PoVThe council hall was packed that it was suffocating. I could hear murmurs of discontent from the pack swirling around me, growing louder by the second. I was nervous.Caden stood at the centre of the room. His posture was commanding and his voice was calm yet firm as he spoke. “We need strong leadership now more than ever. Ardan has failed to protect this pack from rogue attacks, failed to root out the threats within. And now, with evidence against him, how can you trust him to lead you all?”A few wolves nodded in agreement. Others exchanged uncertain glances as if their loyalty to Ardan clashed with the doubts by Caden’s words.I stood between them all, caught in a storm I hadn’t anticipated. Zone and Rachel flanked me with grim expressions.“You don’t have to decide right now,” Zone whispered in a low tone. “Take a moment to think this through.”But there was no time. The pack was waiting for a decision. Their eyes were locked on me.“If we don’t act now,” Caden contin
Author PoVThe chains that bound Luca were terribly heavy, and every time he moved, they cut into his skin. Bruised and battered, he was stuck in this dank underground prison which reeked of rot and spoilage. He had lost track of time-and that felt like an eternity-or days, possibly weeks. Each moment in the dimly-lit cell felt endless; every second was a reminder of how he had failed.He had been so sure it was going to work.So sure he would finish off Evelyn and make her pay for what she had done.Yet now, as he sat in the filth of Odessa's prison, he was sure of nothing anymore.A soft chuckle traveled from the adjacent cell soon afterward, pulling him out of his thoughts.“Well, well," drawled the voice. "Looks like you're still kicking."Luca turned his head toward the voice. A girl was sitting with her back against the wall of the cell bide the one he occupied, both knees drawn to her chest. Her eyes were alive and sharp, glistening blue in the torchlight. A ragged smear of dir
Evelyn PoVThe cold steel glinted in my grip, heavy as never before. My heart sounded in my ears almost mythically, nonetheless my hands were steady. The silence stretched itself unbearably long, choking me as all eyes fixed on me.In one swift motion, I brought the knife down.A gasp went up from the crowd. A sharp wave of blood rushed into the air. I could hear Odessa approach slowly, her breath almost audibly eager against the still of the night.Yet Luca was still on his feet.Breaths ragged, around all that pain in his bones; he was alive. I had not touched him.It was my blood that trickled onto the ground and pooled at my feet, which I had crudely sliced. My fingers were stiff with pain as I raised my chin.Murmurs went through the gathered rogues. They were not expecting this. None of them were."Evelyn," Odessa cried out, calm together with a fright. "What are you trying to do?"I swallowed the burn in my throat and met her gaze head-on. "You wanted a sacrifice," I said with
Evelyn PoV“One, two, three, four…. Fifty, sixty-nine, a hundred…. No, no, no…” I breathed.I had stopped counting how many lives I had taken.At first, I would wave it off with justifications such as "they're all enemies, threats to my survival", or "I'm doing what I had to, to stay alive." But the excuses had become stale.Now, in the stark silence of my cell, their faces haunted me.There was the young warrior who had drawn his blade just as I struck him down. His eyes had been filled with terror, pleading, as though he had something to live for. I hadn't hesitated.There was the woman with that desperate look in her eyes, hands bloody and reaching for my clothes in an appeal for mercy. I had felt a flicker of hesitation that night. But Odessa had been watching, satisfaction shining in her golden eyes. I couldn't allow weakness.So, I had done what was expected of me.With each kill, I felt t
Author PoVThe night air carried with it a choking fear while Ardan led the way through a narrow, brushed-out trail in the thick forest. Their footsteps were softly swallowed by the damp earth. Fixing their gaze a little higher, they made use of the moon light, working through the thick canopy of the giants above only to find the moon sailing low in the night. Earlier that day, they had dispatched some of their own for patrol, but no word yet had come back. That alone would be enough to raise concern.“They haven’t returned yet. What do we do, Alpha?” One of the soldiers reported.“They are soldiers, they can make it on their own. Atlas it’s what we were all trained for.” Another insisted.“That is no way to talk, Elko.” Marcus cautioned.Ardan, being the cautions of the group, was the first to insist that they go after them. Marcus agreed, but his gut twisted at the thought of what they might find. W
Evelyn PoVI ought to have guessed that Odessa always had a hidden agenda.When she first took me in with her pack, she wore a smile very much like one of triumph, but I chose to believe that it stemmed from the weight of my own power that I bore. I told myself I could keep her at bay. I could stay sharp, keep control somehow, and leave at the right time.I was mistaken.The summons came at the dawn of another day. A simple message written with agonising care trailed under my door. A “Come to my chambers. Immediately.“For some reason, a heavier thump was felt in each step I took there. Odessa had a gift for making even her allies tread a fine line—the bottomless pit lying just a step away—but with me now fidgeting and uneasy, something felt amiss.Odessa sat on her desk chair with a glacial calmness about her as I entered. Last time I checked, she didn’t invite me to sit, suggesting a loss for my side in what might be an interesting debate."Evelyn," she said, softening her tone but
Serena’s PoVDraven and I had been looking for ways to communicate to Evelyn. But Odessa made sure Evelyn was gone for good. She blocked everything. My mid-link connection with my daughter didn’t seem to work. Worse of all, it began to seem as if the person I had been trying to reach was no longer in existence. It was as if she was dead.“Odessa has finally gotten all she wanted. Evelyn is probably not the Evelyn I know.” I stated sadly.“Evelyn probably doesn’t even know that she’s carrying a part of Gilly’s spirit in her.” Draven added.I sighed. “I wanna give up Draven. I’m tired. Maybe this is how it was meant to be.”“She’s your daughter. You’re not giving up. There’ll always be another way. Trust.” Draven assured me while smiling.“Do you ever need someone? I mean, since your arrival, you just helped all of us in the many ways you can. Have you ever needed someone at least to return the favour?” I asked solemnly, genuinely curious about Draven’s personal life.“I have a lot goin
Author PoVThere had been a shift in Odessa’s camp. It wasn't anything she said out loud; it was more in the atmosphere, a slight crack between the walls Odessa was building around her peoples. Evelyn sensed it the moment she stepped out of the tent, burdened with seeming countless eyes on her.Whispers had started circulating since her bungled escape, and she knew Odessa would not be oblivious to them. The woman had become closely acquainted with her, testing her in ways she did not quite yet understand.Finian.He had been her only consolation in this place, the one person who made her captivity feel a little less stifling. But she was starting to notice how Odessa looked at him whenever the two were together, how she would call him at the most random of moments just to keep him away from her. Although, she didn’t like that Finian was Odessa’s son, Finian was proving to her that he was still an ally.Odessa was getting suspicious.She confirmed the fears in Evelyn's heart during the
Author PoVWhen Marcus first saw Evelyn with Finian, something in him twisted. He felt relieved—she was alive, breathing, moving—only to be swallowed by something infinitely darker. Fury. Guilt. Confusion. He had fought every waking moment for her, searched for her, and there she was, too close to a man that was supposed to be her enemy. The conversations between them, the way she looked at him, made Marcus' stomach churn.He gripped his fists by his sides, forcing himself to turn away before emotions got the best of him. It was not the time; she had been captured against her will; she had to adapt, survive. That's what Marcus told himself. But in that split second, that minute glance shared between Evelyn and Finian had shocked a seed of relentless self-doubt that he was just not prepared to confront.Once back at the camp Ardan had set up before their departure at dawn, his anger smouldered over, but now low. Beneath a flickering flame, he spotted Luca sharpening his blade with ever
Author’s PoVArdan and the rest had decided to stand down for the moment. Ardan had begun to doubt. He didn’t want to put anybody in danger, going against what his pack wanted. Marcus of course protested but Ardan told him that they were going to be doing anything.“We will all camp here for the night and once dawn comes, we leave. Got it?” Ardan asked and all but Marcus nodded.“So what happens to us?” Ryan asked.“The deals off.” Ardan said. “Where’s Luca?” Ardan asked and everyone searched themselves but couldn’t find him.“Dammit!” Ardan cursedMeanwhile on the outskirts of Odessa’s pack, the atmosphere was charged with palpable tension.Evelyn was walking through the woods, away from Odessa’s camp, her mind still spinning from her last conversation with Finian. Odessa had granted her free will to take a walk but be back soon. The betrayal of Finian stung, but it wasn't only his dishonesty that weighed heavy on her mind. So did the trust she placed in him and the possibility that