Authors PoVThe pack was tense, almost unbearably so. Each day dragged on, and the absence of Evelyn made gaping wounds that had been festering for years bleed again. The war had ended, but the scars still bled red.Sitting on the steps of his cottage, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed, Marcus had hardly spoken to anyone since Evelyn had left. Any conversation would end in an argument, each attempt to cheer him up reduced to silence. He was awake, barely eating. Existing was just about what he did. He was angry that Evelyn chose to leave, again but he missed her dearly. What could he do? Go against his promise?On the other hand, Luca stood at a distance, his arms crossed over his chest, looking frustrated. He had let Marcus have his grieving time, but watching him wallow in self-pity since Evelyn's choice to go? It just made his blood boil.Finally, Luca had had enough. He marched toward Marcus, boots crunching on the dirt underfoot. "Are you going to just sit here forever?"No
Evelyn PoVThe cold stone walls of my cell pressed in on me. The air was thick with dampness and a lingering scent of blood. My body ached from the last beating, bruises forming on ribs and arms, each a reminder of Odessa's power over me.I had lost track of time, but I knew it had been days since I last refused to follow her orders. Odessa wanted me to lead another raid-another senseless attack-but I held off, believing that perhaps after days of might, she would realise I would never be the killer she wanted me to be.But Odessa was patient.The cell door creaked open, and I barely raised my eyes at her entrance. Just the sight of her made my stomach turn."Well," she said in a smooth and deadly tone, "have you had enough by now?"I clamped my teeth, gazing stubbornly ahead.She crouched before me, cocking her head in a studied pose as if waiting for me to either submit or lash out."I know what you're thinking," she murmured. "That you could easily use your powers and kill me right
Evelyn’s PoVThere was this fuzzy feeling in my brain, these spiders crawling down my spine, and I decided to ignore it.After our kiss, i began keeping tabs on him. Finian had been speaking to Odessa in hushed tones, his face was tense, his body rigid. I had thought it was about the pack, another manipulative tactic of hers, another ruthless order.But it kept happening.I had seen them together, talking discreetly, Odessa's sharp eyes glued on his as if she were assessing him for weakness. Finian never mentioned those chats, and when I asked him about them, he'd simply say Odessa was giving him a little instruction on strategy.The pieces fell into place only as I eavesdropped on them.As I headed toward the training pits, their voices floated through the air into my ears. I halted at the edge of Odessa's tent, standing half-hidden in the shadows."You are doing well," she was saying; "she trusts you now."I frowned. Th
Authors PoVDraven had seen visions, omen and sights of another time and shadow of possible futures during the course of his life. But nothing could compare to this that shook his being.He sat up in his room, breath rasping out, with sweat dripping from his flesh. The room was in the dimness of dusk, redolent with old herbal incense from his previous ceremonies; however, the picture that danced across his mind initiated an involuntary shudder down his spine. Gilly.He had seen Gilly.She was supposed to be dead. For years now. And yet there she was in the vision, standing before him, her eyes swirling as if a bottomless abyss of great power and sorrow. Her lips moved-sounds came out, but he was unable to hear any. Then-Evelyn.It was no louder than a whisper but crystallised so clearly in his mind that sudden realisation crashed over him, a cold wave.Evelyn.Draven leaped up from where he was seated, flinging away the pieces of his
Authors PoVThe night was nothing short of restless. Marcus sat at the edge of the camp, gazing into the fire. His heart was filled with uncertainty about what he and the some members of the pack would discover when they reached Odessa's territory. Evelyn haunted his mind, bringing back the fading echo of her last words spoken to him, when she made him promise not to follow her.Ardan had gone through the plan with him earlier, but the weight of it pressed heavily against his chest. They would meet Ryan and the Red Blood Moon Pack at dawn, piece together whatever information they had to track Evelyn. It was a big risk to trust rogues, but they were left with no choice.Luca, sitting across from him, was sharpening a blade against a stone. Marcus knew he did not approve of this mission; still, here he was. Whether it was loyalty to the pack or a personal vendetta, Marcus did not know."You should get some sleep," Luca said without looking up.Marcus offered a dry chuckle. "Do you think
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
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 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 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
Authors PoVThe night was nothing short of restless. Marcus sat at the edge of the camp, gazing into the fire. His heart was filled with uncertainty about what he and the some members of the pack would discover when they reached Odessa's territory. Evelyn haunted his mind, bringing back the fading echo of her last words spoken to him, when she made him promise not to follow her.Ardan had gone through the plan with him earlier, but the weight of it pressed heavily against his chest. They would meet Ryan and the Red Blood Moon Pack at dawn, piece together whatever information they had to track Evelyn. It was a big risk to trust rogues, but they were left with no choice.Luca, sitting across from him, was sharpening a blade against a stone. Marcus knew he did not approve of this mission; still, here he was. Whether it was loyalty to the pack or a personal vendetta, Marcus did not know."You should get some sleep," Luca said without looking up.Marcus offered a dry chuckle. "Do you think
Authors PoVDraven had seen visions, omen and sights of another time and shadow of possible futures during the course of his life. But nothing could compare to this that shook his being.He sat up in his room, breath rasping out, with sweat dripping from his flesh. The room was in the dimness of dusk, redolent with old herbal incense from his previous ceremonies; however, the picture that danced across his mind initiated an involuntary shudder down his spine. Gilly.He had seen Gilly.She was supposed to be dead. For years now. And yet there she was in the vision, standing before him, her eyes swirling as if a bottomless abyss of great power and sorrow. Her lips moved-sounds came out, but he was unable to hear any. Then-Evelyn.It was no louder than a whisper but crystallised so clearly in his mind that sudden realisation crashed over him, a cold wave.Evelyn.Draven leaped up from where he was seated, flinging away the pieces of his
Evelyn’s PoVThere was this fuzzy feeling in my brain, these spiders crawling down my spine, and I decided to ignore it.After our kiss, i began keeping tabs on him. Finian had been speaking to Odessa in hushed tones, his face was tense, his body rigid. I had thought it was about the pack, another manipulative tactic of hers, another ruthless order.But it kept happening.I had seen them together, talking discreetly, Odessa's sharp eyes glued on his as if she were assessing him for weakness. Finian never mentioned those chats, and when I asked him about them, he'd simply say Odessa was giving him a little instruction on strategy.The pieces fell into place only as I eavesdropped on them.As I headed toward the training pits, their voices floated through the air into my ears. I halted at the edge of Odessa's tent, standing half-hidden in the shadows."You are doing well," she was saying; "she trusts you now."I frowned. Th
Evelyn PoVThe cold stone walls of my cell pressed in on me. The air was thick with dampness and a lingering scent of blood. My body ached from the last beating, bruises forming on ribs and arms, each a reminder of Odessa's power over me.I had lost track of time, but I knew it had been days since I last refused to follow her orders. Odessa wanted me to lead another raid-another senseless attack-but I held off, believing that perhaps after days of might, she would realise I would never be the killer she wanted me to be.But Odessa was patient.The cell door creaked open, and I barely raised my eyes at her entrance. Just the sight of her made my stomach turn."Well," she said in a smooth and deadly tone, "have you had enough by now?"I clamped my teeth, gazing stubbornly ahead.She crouched before me, cocking her head in a studied pose as if waiting for me to either submit or lash out."I know what you're thinking," she murmured. "That you could easily use your powers and kill me right
Authors PoVThe pack was tense, almost unbearably so. Each day dragged on, and the absence of Evelyn made gaping wounds that had been festering for years bleed again. The war had ended, but the scars still bled red.Sitting on the steps of his cottage, elbows resting on his knees, head bowed, Marcus had hardly spoken to anyone since Evelyn had left. Any conversation would end in an argument, each attempt to cheer him up reduced to silence. He was awake, barely eating. Existing was just about what he did. He was angry that Evelyn chose to leave, again but he missed her dearly. What could he do? Go against his promise?On the other hand, Luca stood at a distance, his arms crossed over his chest, looking frustrated. He had let Marcus have his grieving time, but watching him wallow in self-pity since Evelyn's choice to go? It just made his blood boil.Finally, Luca had had enough. He marched toward Marcus, boots crunching on the dirt underfoot. "Are you going to just sit here forever?"No
Evelyn’s PoVI sat on a fallen log near the edge of the camp, staring into the fire. The campfire cast crackling light against the dark sky. Weeks had passed since I left my pack, weeks since the day I chose to follow Odessa; and somehow, I still wasn’t sure if I had done the right thing.At first, everything she stood for was against me. I refused to train like her rogues, refused to eat at the same fire as them, and refused to speak unless spoken to. But time has a strange way of softening things. The longer I stayed, the less they looked at me like I was an outsider. I had no idea if that was a good thing."You’re brooding again," Finian’s voice interrupted my thoughts.I glanced up just as he dropped down beside me, stretching out his long legs and leaning back onto his elbows. His dark hair was tousled from training, his knuckles bruised from sparring. He smirked at my silence."You do that a lot," he continued. "Sit here, staring at the fire, looking all deep like you are plotti