Rayne's POVMy wolf started to get antsy as we waited after the roar that nearly shook the foundation of the earth. Jacob and I waited and waited for so long that it became painful to remain pressed against the wall, seeking for an opportunity to present itself.Until finally . . . The AA agents stationed outside appeared to get a directory. They shouted orders to themselves, and then rushed into the building one after the other. I counted just about four agents running into the building like there was some kind of fire inside. Their black gear sucked in all the light and made them resemble light-eating shadows.Jacob gave a signal with his two first fingers, and I went around over the corner of the building until I reached the large set of doors. “I don't know about this place, but I do know that this place is crawling with AA agents. Anything can happen once we get inside, so you must be careful,” he said to me carefully. I almost mentioned that he was talking to me like I was a ch
Kaiden's POVA pounding started in my head the moment I came to consciousness. Throbbing and pulsating, the veins around my skull started to sing a song of ache and sorrow. Once again, I had been fooled. I had been blind. I had dropped down my guard and allowed the enemy to gain the upper hand.I couldn't dwell on the negatives for now. All that mattered was defeating Savannah, getting out of this building, and reuniting with the light of my life—my Luna. Rayne.Thinking about her brought a certain sadness to my heart. It had come so suddenly without warning, and I couldn't get rid of it. I couldn't deny the heaviness that it brought to me, but I also couldn't understand why.Warm breath fanned my nose. A door creaked somewhere. My eyes finally agreed to open. Savannah sat before me on her wooden desk. Her nose nearly brushed mine, but something else had caught her attention, and she frowned as her eyes watched whatever it was.I smacked my tongue twice, trying to get used to the fe
Kaiden's POVJacob staggered back, unsteady on his feet. His groan of pain bounced across the room, high-pitched and pitiful. Blood dripped down his face from the deep gashes across his cheek. Just like I had predicted, his humanity got in the way, and slowed him down. He pressed his hand to the large wound on his face, slowly backing away from a triumphant advancing Savannah. She was so focused on her prey that she failed to notice that I had made my escape. Jacob's face held no fear—or maybe it was all the blood that made him look like that. The gashes went from one side of his head down to his cheek—dangerously close to his mouth. If Savannah had been more accurate, or he hadn't pulled away fast enough, his mouth would have been ripped open as well.He tried to dodge once more, veering sharply to the left, but Savannah already tracked his movements, and grabbed his throat. With power that only belonged to our kind, she lifted him off the ground and into the air, despite his resi
Kaiden's POVScreams erupted from outside, but neither Jacob nor I moved an inch to see where she had fallen. Instead, it was like we both wanted to wait and allow the reality of things to wash over us first.When I was finally ready to go and see, Jacob spoke up, stopping me as I turned to the now shattered opening. “Wait. You can't check. At least not now. We're still hiding, remember? We actually aren't supposed to be anywhere.” He pointed out the window in the direction Savannah had gone. “If people see us up here . . .”I got his point already with his few words. “I understand. Let's go.” We started moving towards the exit, when I remembered something that had been nagging on me since Jacob first came into this room. “Wait . . . Where's Rayne?”A tremor passed through his body, but he said nothing and continued heading for the door.I grabbed his shoulder as he touched the metal doorknob. “Answer me!”“I was only able to get here in time because of her,” he said quietly. He pull
Kairen’s POV18 YEARS LATERBranches shaped like claws scratched my face as I ran through the forest, trying to get away from the one chasing me. I didn't dare look back, for fear that doing so would ruin my escape. So, I pushed myself further, took my legs higher, and breathed more deeply. I had to get away from the demon. I couldn't allow myself to be captured. The forest was relentless. It didn't want to let me go, and kept grabbing me with its clawed branches and bushes with leaves as sharp as fresh knives.The sound of my heart pumping blood pounded so loud in my ears, making it hard for me to hear other things. Ba-dum, Ba-dum, it kept pounding, like a desperate bird caught in a locked iron cage. Any moment more and it felt like it would escape from my ribcage and tear through my muscles and flesh.“Kairen!” The echo of my name rushed in from behind me, so swift and powerful that my feet immediately wound to a stop. At that moment, running away didn't seem like the right thing
Kairen's POVMoving in went according to plan. As Dad made it, I didn't have any roommates staying with me as a safety precaution. Initially, when I had asked why he came up with such an idea, he told me about how my mother had managed to be undetected as a werewolf for a while because she lived on her own—until someone found out and instantly betrayed her. He knew that staying alone wouldn't completely eliminate the possibility of someone finding out that I was a werewolf, but it would significantly reduce the probability of that happening. I couldn't fault that logic, even though it meant that making friends wouldn't be as easy.Because of what happened 18 years ago, with the clash between humans and werewolves, the majority of werewolves living amongst humans had to move back to their own territory—the packs situated in the outskirts. Those that remained, did so at their own risk, and had different reasons why. Even when we had been on the way to the college, we passed by a few st
Kairen's POVWhen he started to stir, I gave him some space. He probably wouldn't want to wake up and see a stranger hovering over him like some evil spirit. With a light groan, he opened his eyes and sat up. For a moment he was clearly disoriented, looking around like he was trying to remember where he was and what he was doing.I kept silent until he saw me. Mildly, he flinched, but relaxed once he realized that I wasn't a monster or beast out to get him.Growing up as a daughter of the Lycan King, even before I could walk, Alphas from other packs had been trying to matchmake me with their sons. So from early on in life, I'd gotten used to people staring at me and inspecting me.But it had never been like this. His haze drilled holes straight down to the very core of my being, and it took all I had to not squirm awkwardly.The longer he kept looking, the more boldness rose inside of me. I also knew how to stare at someone, if that was how he wanted to play things.There was someth
Kairen's POVRoman had been a little reluctant to come for the dinner, but I managed to convince him. He couldn't hide how much he had missed Dad too.Dad picked a restaurant close to the campus so that we wouldn't have issues getting back to school that evening. We ordered some food and started to eat in silence. I didn't feel the need to break it, but it felt a little awkward that no one was saying anything.The little fairy lights in the restaurant lit up the restaurant’s interior in a warm, dreamlike glow. It lit up Dad's face and hair, making it obvious just how long it had been since we last spent time together.The lines of his face had become harsher and older—but not because of time, but because of what he had been going through for the past 18 years. Mom's disappearance took so much from him, and I had grown to understand that the kind of pain he felt was one that nothing could take away. The main thing keeping him together was us. He had to be strong for his family, but in
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