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
Rayne's POVBack in my apartment, I took off my jacket and mentally noted the things I had to do before night fell. Although I had fully arranged my things, I still didn't have any groceries to help me prepare a proper meal. Kaiden would have helped me get them, but the thought of calling him because of that made me feel guilty. Besides, it had been a while since I stepped inside a store all on my own, so how could it hurt?Tired of my wild hair, I picked up a hairband off my bed and pulled up the thick locks into a single messy bun. The sweat building up around my neck became cold against my skin when finally exposed to fresh air. The tank top I wore had been coated in a fine layer of sweat, so I took it off. As I did that, something told me that it was better to just take off all my clothes and take a quick shower. I agreed, and slipped into the bathroom for a quick clean up.Done with that, I slipped into a set of fresh clothes. This time I picked a light shirt and some knee-high
Rayne's POVThe morning that came after started like any other day: darkness turning into morning, the sun shooting across the sky and rising to coat the world in its bright white light, and the quiet hours changing to accommodate the hustle and bustle of the now awake humans.Right from the moment I opened my eyes, it was as if I could just feel something coming. I had no way of knowing if it was going to be good or bad. “Something is going to happen today,” I said out loud. The bed creaked as I pushed myself into a sitting position. The night before, after my return home, I prepared a meal and settled into a couch to glance through social media. The Paranormal Watch had been silent for a little while, and Kaiden explained that somehow their information had been leaked to outsiders. It happened around the time that werewolf hunters became public knowledge. Before they went silent, they were the ones giving us information about the current happenings concerning werewolves and where
Rayne's POVThe agonizingly slow class eventually came to an end. Throughout, I kept trying to avoid Jacob's eyes, but he didn't do so well in keeping the surprise off his face. More than once, he was caught lost in thought until a student called his attention.As I picked up my things and got ready to leave the hall, Celine stopped me. I had almost forgotten that she was even by my side. I still couldn't make sense of our rapid acquaintance, and as much as I appreciated her kindness, I didn't know if I had it in me to make new friends.As the thought of friends crossed my mind, I remembered Savannah and how nice she had been to me at first. With everything she put me through, it would have been foolish to simply trust anyone right off the bat, no matter how kind they seemed.“Where are you rushing off too?” asked Celine. Even then, she still had a small smile on her face. No one could keep their face in such a position for so long without having her cheeks hurt. “To my next lecture,
Rayne's POVWe all kept quiet for most of the car ride. I humbly took the backseat for two reasons: to give Celine the proximity she craved with Jacob, and to also avoid his direct attention. Killing two birds with one stone.Celine didn't even try to hide her staring. She ogled him, making faces similar to the ones maidens wore in all those tragically romantic paintings.All too soon, though, we got to Celine's dormitory, and dropped her off. “See you later!” She waved with an enormous smile before leaving. I could only imagine how happy she must have been. Getting a ride from her crush must have sent her over the moon.But her absence created a gaping hole that had to be filled. I didn't actually want to speak to Jacob, so I turned my head and looked out the window, hoping that time would pass quickly and he'd drop me off at home.He turned on the radio. Static scratched the air for a split second before a man's clear voice replaced it. “It's a new day in the city of New Jersey, an
Rayne's POVThe day dissolved into the weekend, and I left the city to go to Mysticrock to see my family. Sal had been gracious enough to take up looking after Roman and Kairen. I had been planning on just simply hiring a nanny, but she had shot down the idea and volunteered to do it. Kairen was old enough to not need breastfeeding anymore, which made my choice to move even easier. But that day, I missed them all, and wanted to see their faces.The first person I saw at the pack house was none other than Sal, who carried Kairen inside a kangaroo baby holder in front of her chest. “Rayne!” She said my name enthusiastically. “How have you been? I was just about to call you.”I hugged her. “It was a really nice first week, but I needed to come home and recharge.” I stroked Kaiden's cheek, and immediately stretched her arms out to me, making cute garbling sounds.Sal unlatched her from the baby holder and carefully handed her over to me. “How long are you around for?”“Just the weekend
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