AUTHOR'S POV
25 YEARS AGOA vision would come today, Myra thought as the pain of labor zigzagged through her abdomen. Her insides felt like they were about to explode into bits and pieces from the intense pain she was going through. It was only by some miracle that her groans hadn't turned into full-blown screams of torment.As expected, after the incident with Jordan nine months ago, Myra had immediately been taken to see the Council of Elders: those pulling the strings behind everything that happened at Oceanpearl.Left, right and center, they threw questions at her, trying to understand why the son of the Alpha had been found battered and bruised. Each and every question they threw at her were met with a simple answer: Jordan attacked her.It turned out to be a good idea to allow Jordan to leave, because if he hadn't, then things would have been even worse.The Pack Elders were more concerned about the welfare of the Alpha'sRayne's POVThe narration came to an end, leaving us all silent with surprise. The quiet stretched on for minutes, only interrupted by the sound of our collective breathing.I stared at the Priestess before us, and other information she didn't give started to come to light before my eyes. Her white-blond hair has more white strands than yellow. Her bright blue eyes. Even the way she carried herself. She didn't simply speak about Myra—my mother—like a mere ordinary friend. She spoke like a sister; one carrying years of guilt of untold stories on her shoulders.“You're Libra,” I said, “you're the closest friend she had while she was alive. And you abandoned her.”Libra shook her head. “No. I would never abandon her. She was family to me. I was just hurt that she didn't listen to me when I warned her about the dangers of being with your father.”“Why would you think that she would give up the chance of being with her fated mate? It's the one thing that binds us all. Some people live out
Rayne's POVAfter everything that Libra said, she spent a little more time discussing other things with us, before she decided to leave. “My work here is done,” she said, rising to her feet at last. “I've told you all that you need to know regarding your mother. I just hope that it's enough.”“It is, thank you,” I said, shaking hands with her. She looked at me up and down, although I couldn't tell why. She adjusted her clothes and gave her parting wishes to Kaiden and my son.“Wait, is there some way we can reach you?” I asked. “Your knowledge would be greatly appreciated in some very important situations. I need to know that it's okay to reach out to you then.”“I always know when I am needed,” she replied. Without explaining further, she waved at us one last time, and left.I sagged into Kaiden's embrace, shutting my eyes once his lips touched my head. “I know it's a lot to take in, but there's not much you can do about it anymore. You know the truth now, but the only way you can
Rayne's POV“Hunted?” I asked Kaiden much later, in the confines of our own bedroom. The children were asleep, even baby Kairen had slept off not too long ago. I could already see that she would be a quiet child.Kaiden's arm went around me like usual, and pulled me flush against him. I couldn't tell if it was because he thought that it would keep me safe from the things he wanted to say, or because he just wanted me close to him—he could be clingy when he wanted to be. “Yes. Hunted,” he replied. “For a while now, there have been reports of our kind being chased down and killed. We're only just finding out how bad it has really been. No one from Mysticrock has been identified as a victim yet, but we can't be too sure. It's better to just let everyone know that the world isn't safe for us anymore.”“How did they even learn how to kill our kind?” “That, we still don't know, either someone betrayed us and sold our secrets to humans, or they have been observing us for so long that they
Rayne's POVLike a true leader, Kaiden led the meeting without breaking any sweat. I didn't expect any less from him, things like this came so easily to him. Maybe he was actually born with the mark of a Lycan King on his head and destiny. He pushed across his views in a straightforward manner, but still gave them room to return feedback if they so desired.Many of the Alphas expressed their fears concerning the attacks, like Alpha Theo, an old Alpha with graying hair and a face with so many lines that as he sat in the midst of the other Alphas, he looked like their grandfather. Many said that he was one of the oldest Alphas till date, the reason for this being that even though he had heirs, none of them were willing to carry on the mantle from him, and the pack members hadn't brought forth a worthy challenger for the title in the last two decades. “What happens to our people out there? You can't suppose we just abandon them to those . . . hunters,” he said. His chin wobbled as he sp
Rayne's POVFor some reason, seeing the email from the college felt surreal. It didn't actually sink in that I'd been accepted until I saw the mail, sitting pretty in my digital mailbox. I opened the letter and read it over and over again, and with each and every moment I did, my earlier inhibitions slipped away inch by inch. Eventually, I couldn't even remember why it was so important for me to not go.I placed a sleeping Kairen in her cot. The little thing looked perfectly content with her morning meal. With an enamored chuckle, I wiped off a string of milk off the corner of her pouty mouth. It startled me just how much like her father she looked, but her behavior was so similar to mine. With Roman, the case was reversed: he looked like me, but acted so much like his father, especially when it came to his joy at seemingly trivial things. He had reached that age where he liked to play around on his own, and only came to meet me when he lifted his head out of the haze of childish play
Rayne's POVJust like I thought, moving to the city felt like something out of my vivid dreams. The cars, the buildings, and even the people carried a certain aura that was so different from that of the people living in the less urbanized areas. Here, they walked with a purpose, dressed with a purpose, and spoke with a purpose.Kaiden helped me move into the apartment that he told me apart. It turned out that the place had been in his name for a long while, but he never really had any reason to live there except for days he had business in town. We spent half of the day setting and cleaning up, and he didn't forget to keep telling me about our agreement for me to return home the moment things got strange or out of order.Depending on my schedule, I decided that I still had to be going home frequently, because even though Kairen and Roman were in safe hands with their father and Sal, who had offered to watch them also, I couldn't stand being distant from my family for too long.“Everyt
Rayne's POVThe time for registration started, and while the sun shone brightly in the sky, I set out to experience the new world of adult education. I dressed up in a simple pair of skinny jeans, a gray tank top—which I had specifically bought because it looked the exact shade of Kaiden's eyes—and a cropped denim jacket. The weather was exceptionally hot, and too many layers would have just made me all sweaty and sticky before I even reached my destination.I assessed the world with a gaze full of awe—or so I believed—and wonder. The city was a far cry from the quiet outskirts where Mysticrock Pack was located. Over there, you could walk for a long time in a forest with no house in sight because all members of a pack lived in just a single location, leaving the remaining landmass to grow and thrive undisturbed. Many preferred it that way because they felt closer to their roots in such a place, than in a crowded place like the city. It wasn't like I hadn't been there before, but as
Rayne's POVThere's a certain way a person would look at you, and somehow, you'd be able to tell that they had experienced quite a number of things in their however big or small lifetime. Their eyes would be like windows into their minds and hearts, showing you just how careful you should be around them.This man had such eyes. He didn't look much older than I did—he was maybe around Kaiden's age or so. A faint stubble lined his chin, underneath full lips stretched into a straight, serious line. He had a nose that reminded me of those sculptures that usually sat in art galleries. As for his hair, well, it could have been done with a little bit of more dedicated brushing, but given the number of men that walked the halls with a similar hairstyle, I couldn't necessarily fault it.I didn't know that I had been staring blatantly at him until he gently shook me and leaned in closer. “Are you okay?”Embarrassed at my lack of courtesy, I nodded. “Yes.” I pulled away from him and started pick
Author’s POVYears had passed since the great war that signaled the end of an era for the Mysticrock pack and its allies. That singular moment that had seemed miniscule in the eyes of many ended up being a memorable turning point in the treaty between humans and werewolves all over the world. The scars of the terrible times had healed, though the memories of struggle and loss remained etched in the hearts of those who survived. Life, however, had a way of moving forward, and in the years since Dr. Cedric’s imprisonment, the werewolf community had continued to thrive. Mysticrock pack had expanded even further since Rayne’s rescue of the imprisoned werewolves. Many of them chose to remain in service to her, preferring to stay within reach of the Lycan Queen, than even in their own home packs. The pack now stretched across more miles of dense forest, now basking in the warmth of the afternoon sun. The land had increased in vibrancy, and anyone who saw it wouldn’t have been able to tell
Rayne's POVKaiden.I smiled at the thought of him, my heart swelling with warmth. He had been there all along, quietly watching, waiting, and never pushing. Even when I had been mated to an Alpha, our fates intertwined in ways I hadn’t understood. Kaiden had been my constant, my true north, even when I didn’t realize it. And now, here we were, fated to be together, just as it was always meant to be. Even the years apart did nothing to dampen the flames of our passion. Many times, thinking about him was what kept me moving during the most terrible of days—the hope that eventually, once I got free, I would be back by his side, where I was truly meant to be. The place where I truly belonged.A soft rustle of leaves pulled me from my thoughts, and I opened my eyes to see Sal approaching. Her twin daughters, Ivy and Isla, followed closely behind, their identical faces full of curiosity and energy. Seeing them filled me with a burst of joy, because I could still vividly remember when she a
RAYNE'S POVIt’s strange when I look back at everything now. All that chaos, the pain, the heartbreak—it all seems like a lifetime ago, though it’s only been months since my world changed for the better once again. I sat at the edge of the pack grounds, watching the late afternoon sun stretch its golden light across the treetops. A soft breeze played with the locks of my hair, pushing the strands against my face in a tickling manner. The wind carried the familiar scent of pine and earth, but it also brought memories, tugging at my mind until I could no longer push them aside.Eighteen years. That’s how long I had been trapped, held captive by Dr. Cedric, who cared for nothing else but his own twisted ideals—only what my blood could do for him. I used to wonder how I survived all those years, locked away, forgotten by the world I had once known, and separated from my family. The nights that I had screamed myself to sleep because I couldn’t stand the silence of those human-sized pods o
Kairen's POVI couldn’t help but let out a little surprised laugh as he took my hand and led me away from the crowd. Roman, who was talking to a group of his classmates, momentarily paised to give us a knowing look as we passed, but he didn’t say anything. He simply gave a small wave before turning back to the group of friends he was with. Todd didn’t say much as we walked, his hand warm and steady in mine as we made our way through the campus and out into the surrounding woods. It wasn’t until we reached the all too familiar clearing—the place where we had first crossed paths—that I realized where he was taking me.The memories flooded back the moment we stepped into the familiar space. The trees were just as tall, their branches swaying gently in the wind, and the soft sound of the nearby stream filled the air. It was peaceful here, just like it had been that day so long ago, when our lives had first intertwined. Who would have ever thought that I would have fallen in love with a g
Kairen's POVMonths had passed since the chaos surrounding Dr. Cedric had finally come to a fruitful demise. Life had slowly begun to find its beat once again, though the scars of what we’d been through still lingered in small, subtle ways. The pack had recovered from most of the damage done in those crucial 18 years, the tension, fear and anxiety giving way to a renewed sense of strength and hope. But more than anything, the peace allowed us to move forward—each of us in our own way.Today, we were gathered for something far different than the clashing of claws and roaring. The university campus buzzed with excitement and celebration as students in their robes moved through the courtyard, their faces lit up with the glow of glorious achievement. They were celebrating the years they had gone through the halls of this school, studying to become people of influence in the nearest future. Todd and Roman were among them, their final year completed, and now they were finally graduating. T
Kairen's POVI stood next to Todd, the silence between us heavy with everything left unsaid. His face was drawn, shadows clinging beneath his eyes, and I wondered how much longer he could keep this up—this weight he carried, the war within him.“Todd...” I began, unsure of what to say. What could I say? His father was a monster, and though I had known Dr. Cedric’s cruelty, I couldn’t pretend to understand what it meant to Todd. It wasn’t just about stopping a villain; it was personal, wrapped in all the twisted layers of family, duty, and a lot of shame.He probably didn't feel like he was supposed to be by my side.Todd shook his head, as if to stop me from saying whatever was on my mind. “Don’t, Kairen,” he said softly, his voice hoarse. “Don’t say anything. You don't have to try to make me feel better about this.”I hesitated, but I couldn’t let it go. “It’s not your fault,” I said, my words firmer than I felt. “It's not your fault at all.”His lips twitched, but it was far from a
Kairen's POVThe air I breathed in that evening remained thick with dampness, and the stench of blood and fear still lingered, though the fighting had long since ended. Even though the manor was now pristine and devoid of any evidence of the terrible fight that occurred, the memories still lingered in my brain, and I didn't think that anything would have been able to change that anytime soon. Todd had been quiet for most of the evening, focused on freeing the last of the prisoners trapped in the underground cells beneath the manor. Mom had said that even though she had managed to rescue some of them, she had the feeling that there were more of our kind still stuck in the manor—but she couldn't find out where for some reason.Todd had volunteered to go in search of the other prisoners and I had decided to go along with him for two reasons. One, I actually wanted to get some alone time with him and iron out some loose ends concerning his father's imprisonment. I could tell that he wasn
Kairen's POV“Your mother's healing capabilities is probably the major reason she was kept here,” said Dad. “I suspected that one of you might have inherited her abilities, but I didn't know who would.”By this time, Roman's wound had already healed halfway, and color had started to seep back into his face. He hadn't spoken yet, but the look on his face was one of pure relief.I didn't even know what to feel at that point. I had gone from shocked, to grieved, and back to shocked. All I could do was watch him, knowing fully well that I was completely dumbfounded to say or do anything else until I was sure of what was happening.“I guess Roman took my healing, and you,” Mom turned to me, smiling for the first time since she saw her son's supposedly dead body, “and you took my gift of sight.”“Sight?” I asked quietly, pressing a shaking hand to my chest. “What do you mean by sight?”“It's what we call being able to see beyond the physical. I discovered mine late, but my mom was supposedl
Kairen's POVTo my surprise, Dad only walked over to me and ran his hand through my hair. “My daughter has found a mate. Which I find to be a very wonderful thing. She is an excellent judge of character, so I have no doubt that she wouldn't have picked this young man if she didn't see him as worthy.”The man who had spoken up earlier frowned, his face showing disgust. “You would allow your child to be with the son of the one who had tormented your kind? The one who even kept your own mate away from you?” The man's eyes trembled as he stared at Dad. As long as Dad remained the Lycan King, no one actually had the guts to be disrespectful towards him.“I would allow my child the freedom to choose.”The man sneered. “And that is why we all decided that you weren't the best choice to lead us as a society any longer. The years must have changed you . . . Made you more of a spineless diplomat than the warrior you showed us years ago when you were going after this position.”Dad didn't respo