Savannah's POVHer life, as they said, had been predestined right from the moment she was formed in her mother's womb. Everything had been in place to receive her once she was brought into the world. Her parents were Gammas, a long-standing generation of werewolves that usually produced advisors to the Alphas of a pack.Indeed, once she was born, everyone knew that she would be trained by the best scholars, until she became one herself. Next, she would be officiated as an Advisor versed in the art of war and peace negotiations, and together with the Alpha, they would bring prosperity upon the pack.Maybe that was why she had been drawn to a certain Alpha right from the moment she met him. Maybe because it was fate that she be tied to an Alpha for most of her lifetime. Maybe it was what was written in the stars for her, and nothing and no one could have changed it, no matter what happened.Unfortunately, on the night of her twelfth birthday, Mysticrock suffered one of the worst rogue a
Rayne's POVKaiden didn't take the news of Savannah's return lightly. He had been on the phone for hours, cursing out his human contacts he had trusted to keep an eye on Savannah during her exile. No matter how deeply he probed, all of them kept saying that they didn't know how she broke free of her surveillance. The person that had been assigned to her was nowhere to be found, and was presumed to be either dead or missing.I took a seat beside Bradford, putting my head inside my hands. “Goddess, this is all so messed up.” I took a look at my bloody nails, and internally cringed. I had to take a hot, warm shower.His first cup of coffee had long since finished, and he had brewed himself another. This one was steaming hot as well, but he drank it as though it meant nothing. “How's Sal?” I asked him. It was difficult to look at him and not remember my friend back in Mysticrock, especially since she was the one helping me babysit my children. A frank nod. “She's fine. Keep asking about
Rayne's POVWe could only stare, shocked right down to our bones after Jacob's announcement. A raid? For werewolves? How exactly did they plan on carrying it out? And why did they choose a course of action so drastic? “What? Why?” I asked, stepping forward to stand by Kaiden's side. Doing so gave me a little bit more strength because he didn't seem too shocked by the news.He glanced at me and took my hand, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles. ‘Everything will be alright,’ he told me through our mental bond.“Apparently things have heated up in some parts of the city. Not too long ago another dead human was found in an alleyway beside a bar,” said Jacob, running a hand through his hair. The dark strands fell back into place, like he hadn't just run a hand through them. “How long ago?” Bradford joined in the conversation, still seated. Once again, he had finished his cup of coffee. There was no telling if he would go and make another.“Last night. This one was even more gruesome than
Rayne's POVEven looking outside now took a lot of energy and boldness. Two days went past, and we were still unable to find a solution to the problem at hand. Savannah was still out there, and the violence between humans and werewolves kept getting stronger every minute. It had gotten to the point where people had started to protest against werewolves, carrying about big signs with ‘Down with the beasts’ written on them. It was difficult to watch, even on the news. Whenever the newscaster showed his face, he always looked like it took him all the energy in the world to even sit down and speak. I could imagine the mental stress it took to literally be a bearer of bad news, measuring the numbers of the unsatisfied citizens on the street, getting injured for the cause they held dear.Frustrated, I finally turned off the television and threw the remote to a far corner of the room. Kaiden looked at me with an eyebrow raised, but said nothing.“If they only knew the mistake they're making
Rayne's POVThe raid was today. The day that we had been waiting for had finally come. Kaiden had already sent out notices to families in the city to take their loved ones away before it was too late. Many obeyed, leaving during the night or at day, although they had to leave in batches, or it would be too suspicious that people were moving out of the city all at once.On the most recent call I had with Sal, she said that Mysticrock was swamped with new faces that she hadn't seen in a long time, and that they were trying to find suitable accommodation for some families.Kaiden wanted me to leave as well, but I refused. This had become my fight as a Luna, and I wasn't going to run with my tail between my legs. War had come to us, and we had to do everything we could to fight it.We had been delayed for a while, waiting for any news we could get on Savannah’s whereabouts. Some reports stated that she had been seen in different locations, but whenever we went to search, she was nowhere
Rayne's POV“I can't seriously believe you talked me into this,” Jacob said on the drive down to the city main square. His stiff fingers on the steering wheel fully communicated his disdain for being in this situation. It didn't take much to convince him to take me to where Kaiden was going. All I had to do was threaten him that I would simply leave without him, and then he would have a lot to explain to Kaiden later. Or, he could simply help me get to Kaiden. Either way, he would be protecting me as he should have.The sidewalks were crowded with protesters, many who decided that the best place to air their grievances was by stepping on the road and blocking the advancement of cars. Jacob was a skillful driver, and managed to slip past many of the checkpoints without drawing too much attention, but the closer we got to the main square, the thicker the crowds got. It soon became obvious that reaching there by car wouldn't be possible. So once we reached a certain point, I suggested
Rayne's POVKaiden . . .The worst thing that could have happened, happened. All I could do was watch as he disappeared behind those wooden doors, into a building that was completely shielded by gun-wielding AA agents.I tried to go after him, but Jacob wouldn't let me. His fingers were firm against my skin, giving me no room to escape. “Rayne, be rational,” he said calmly. “If you rush down there, you're definitely going to be discovered.”“But we can't just leave Kaiden to those people. Who knows what they're going to do with him?” My panic was rising higher and higher like waves of an ocean. Soon it would sweep away every other rational thought. My wolf begged to be freed to retrieve her mate, but I held her down . . . for now.“Rayne, I'm sure even you understand that going now isn't wise. You can't help him if you're also captured.”Jacob was right, but I wasn't ready to listen yet. “Kaiden,” I whispered, somehow hoping that he would know that I was near, even if it was probabl
Kaiden's POVGetting captured was the only way to set his plan in motion. He only hoped that things would go as planned. One of the AA agents pressed his gun into Kaiden's back and shoved him forward. “Move faster.”If he wanted to, he could have ripped the unfortunate agent in half already, but he could always do that later. For now, he simply had to watch and wait for Savannah to turn up. Even if there was a chance that she wouldn't, he had to believe that for all the years he'd known her, something about her was actually true. In fact, maybe her obsession with him was the only thing that she had been honest about.He continued walking forward down the hall, paying attention to every route taken in case he needed to follow the way out. The agents probably thought he wasn't going to make it back out and so weren't bothered about keeping him unaware of the location.He could smell wolfsbane nearby, and it nauseated him. Even without making contact with the plant, he had now develope
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