Rayne's POVThe festival got off to an exciting start.First off, the people didn't come to mess around. They dressed in beautiful clothes, wearing smiles on their faces and holding tightly to friends and family with an eagerness that had neither a beginning or an end. Fabrics or reds, blues, yellows and greens swirled all round, blessing the world with the magic of colors and celebration. Children ran about, chasing themselves while excited squeals flew out of their mouths. Overhead, the small tents had been set up perfectly, with waterproof material draped over them so that people could sit underneath, although most people preferred to sit outside them on the mats and watch the stars.At the center of it all rose a dancing fire that some people danced around. They changed a song as they all moved in sync, waving their hands and swinging their bodies in tune with the beating drums and harmonious flutes. I watched in blatant awe of their splendor, wanting nothing more than to kick o
Rayne's POVI placed my hands over my mouth, not wanting to believe the news I just heard. No. They couldn't have taken Sal. Why would they? “Rogues don't take people,” Savannah said, looking at both men. “Right? That's not what they do.”“Bradford,” Kaiden started calmly, “I need you to give me details of what happened. We're wasting time by just standing here doing nothing.”Bradford shook his head. “There's nothing to do right now, apart from tracking them down. They came upon us so quietly. I'd never known rogues to be able to do that. It's like they're evolving.” He sighed. “Sal and I were in the woods at the moment, and the next three of them came out of nowhere, attacked me, and just . . . took her.” He punched the ground. “I couldn't stop them. They were far more organized than I had anticipated.”Someone screamed again, this time much closer than the previous screams we had been hearing. Kaiden hastily pulled Bradford up and towards him until their foreheads touched. “Loo
Rayne's POVThe loud silence nearly deafened me. Save for the sounds of my foot trampling leaves underfoot, I couldn't hear much. The eerie atmosphere sent shivers up my spine, eliciting goosebumps along my skin.I hadn't noticed the light chill in the air that evening earlier, but now that there was no longer a large roaring fire to keep me warm, the chill no longer had any barriers. Nevertheless, I had a job to do, and I wouldn't leave until I at least found that boy's sister.I sniffed the air, not quite sure what to expect. Tinges of grass, wet earth, and leaves permeated my senses, and somehow they beckoned me closer, like invisible fingers pointing me to the way. I followed them, still cautious, but knowing that since I had taken the initial risk, I couldn't turn around and give up now.The path I followed took me further into the quiet woods with every step I took. Occasionally I would hear a sound afar off, like someone shouting or loud thudding, but it never came close enough
Kaiden's POVLuckily, from what I had seen so far, not a lot of people had been hurt this time around compared to rogue attacks in the past. Thankfully we had gotten to the scene before things got even more worse.From the look of things, they really had another target, because if they didn't, things would have been more terrible. Rogues were ruthless creatures, treating their kin like mere prey for feasting. When they struck, they didn't even care if you were once from the same pack as they were. While some rogues could still remember certain things about their past for a little while after becoming rogue, turning wild slowly made those memories degenerate, until they couldn't even remember who they once were before. At this point, it usually became increasingly difficult for them to transform into their human form, so they remained in wolf form.I didn't know how Rayne expected to catch one of them and test out her theories, no matter how smart she was. I just hoped that she hadn't
Rayne's POVThe most important thing to me after saving that little girl, was the fact that I had also been able to incapacitate the rogue I had also met.Most of the fight had been blurry, but I knew at one point, I managed to bite into its neck again, sinking my teeth deep until I finally punctured an artery. It had been the best course of action for me to take, because I didn't have the strength to actually fight it off, but I had the speed to dodge it long enough to deal another targeted bite to its neck. I came up with the idea soon after I realized that trying to fight it head on wouldn't have gotten me anywhere, and I couldn't save the little girl if I was dead.The only thing I didn't foresee was that the rogue wouldn't be weakened immediately. After the last bite I gave it, it threw me off it again, and slashed into my back. Before I blacked out from the pain, I had rushed to the little girl who had somehow dropped from the tree, and shielded her with my body for fear that
Rayne's POVI didn't think he would have agreed so easily to my prodding, but Kaiden took me down to his quarters and showed me the scroll-like paper that sat by his bedside desk.It looked like ages had passed since it had even been made, but the paper still had the strength of normal, modern ones. A red ribbon sat around its middle, securing it in the position that it had been found. Curiosity, like a bad influence, pushed against the corner of my mind. I wanted to open it up and know its contents, but I couldn't do that without first understanding more.Like Kaiden had said earlier, it didn't have a definite smell, which made it a peculiar object. From sniffing it, I couldn't tell where it had been or how long it had even been buried. I just knew that it was a piece of paper; which didn't give me any significant knowledge that would set me apart from a human’s own perception of it, and it greatly unsettled me.I turned the object over in my hands, inspecting it thoroughly. Nothing
Rayne's POVEven though the crisis had been averted from Mysticrock, an air of melancholy still remained, and it would probably be a while before it faded away. Although there had only been one casualty—the man that I had seen in the forest—meny other had still gotten injured by the rogues despite best efforts. The person I actually pitted the most was Bradford. Every Time I saw him, he looked completely forlorn and stressed out. I knew that he had something going on with Sal, but I didn't know how deep it ran until now. Every few hours he went out to search for anything that could lead him to Sal, anything at all. My heart went out to him because I also wanted to do something to help.Which was why I put in all my energy in the interrogation we prepared for the rogue. I just hoped that the beast still had an understanding of basic English because if it had already gotten to the point where it now fed on its own kin, it was probably too far gone.He had been kept in the lower cellars
Sal’s POVFor three days I had been blindfolded, carried around like a meat sack, and kicked every once in a while. For three days I haven't been allowed to do anything but lie on the ground, drink water, and use the restroom. For three days I have done nothing but think about the different ways that I could escape from these captors and find my way back home.It didn't take long after my capture for me to realise that everything that was planned and it wasn't just some random rogue attack like the one we had been planning. No. This one had been very well thought out, but badly executed.After the rogue had snatched me away from Bradford like I was some kind of candy bar it had been searching for, the next few moments that followed had been so blurry. I wanted to shift and escape, but before I could do that, a tree branch had whacked my head, sending me into a sweet sleep I didn't desire nor require.By the time I had emerged from my slumber, a blindfold had already been placed over m
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