Rayne's POV“How did you manage to do it?” Sloane asked once we were out of earshot of most people. “I should have known you weren't so innocent after all. The Lycan King? How ambitious of you.”“Is that what you called me here to tell me? I'm afraid that's not enough substance for a worthwhile use of my time,” I said, already turning around to leave.“Why did you come here, Rayne? You should have just stayed back in whatever little hole you wound up,” she said. “At least that way we could have all allowed ourselves to bask in your absence.”“And how fulfilling would that have been? Living things have to show proof,” I retorted, watching my fingernails. I should have taken the chance to get them touched up for this event. Even though they were short and smooth, they lacked the intensity for the statement I was trying to make.“I didn't call you here to waste time. I'm here to give you just a little piece of friendly advice. Watch where yo
Sal’s POV“Please remind me why we are moving through these bushes like some kind of animals?” I asked a crouching Bradford, who moved through the shrubbery like he was some WW2 soldier hiding away from snipers.“We are animals,” he responded monotonously. “Higher animals, Brad.”“Even so.”I shook my head, not willing to get into an argument with such a debater as Bradford. I would only end up wasting time and getting frustrated.“Let's just focus on the task at hand,” I said. “Is this the closest route you could find to Grog’s place?”He just nodded. Back to business, I could see. Since he had probably pushed himself to his limits of self-expression by proclaiming his intentions towards our relationship as mates, he had reverted to the status quo. Nods and one-liners only.When people saw him and Kaiden together, it wasn't surprising why while they gushed and cooed over the Lycan King, they were usually stunned to silence when they focused on his Beta. And I couldn't blame them. Ka
Kaiden's POV The darkness wasn't very welcoming, but luckily for me, I could see pretty well in the dark. Rayne, on the other hand, was either partially blind or simply wanted to touch me any chance she got. Either way, she didn't seem very keen on leaving my personal space anytime soon. Not that I was complaining.“You didn't mention that we'd be walking blindly over here,” I said, running my hand against the wall for better balance. “It's been a while since I've been here. I didn't really think that part through, sorry.” She lifted her phone and put on the torch. Let there be light.“Hm.” I looked at the phone in her hand. “You got a new phone?”“Oh, you mean this? Yeah. Savannah gave it to me a little while back. It was really thoughtful of her.”“She did?” It eluded me how close Savannah had gotten to Rayne. But then again, I could understand that Rayne was someone that you just couldn't help but like. “Uh-huh,” she responded, flashing the light at an angle that illuminated
Rayne's POV“You bitch!” Reynolds' bellowed, already raising his arm to smack me across the face. But this time I was ready for him. I caught his hand and twisted it, using a strength I didn't even know I had. “Yes. I am a bitch. And I bite.” I shoved him away hard enough for him to lose his footing. He stared at me with shock in his eyes, probably not able to believe that I had the audacity to do such to him.“You didn't see me as attractive enough to sleep with before, what's changed? Because I came here with a man at my side? Because it finally occurred to you that I wasn't just some girl with a prophecy hanging over my head? Or because you're just a brute with no manners?” I continued.Reynolds' cradled his crown jewels, nearly whimpering like a girl.The only way I had known to draw him out of his room was by offering him something that he never had access to when we were together. My body. Somehow, he had deemed me too repulsive to
Rayne's POVThe next few days passed with us internally lamenting the fact that we had been flung practically back to square one. We had no leads except the initials of the person that had received the cargo from Oceanpearl.News of my appearance at the wedding had been a hot topic on the Paranormal Watch, and multiple times I had to keep myself from posting something I would regret later. Kaiden was very supportive throughout the whole ordeal, dealing with it using his influence as the Lycan King. It worried me a little, because I didn't want a case whereby he was affected as well because he was trying to defend me.“Right now, those in charge of the Paranormal Watch focus too much on controversy rather than things of social importance. They need to be checked,” he said, tracing a finger over the smooth skin of my belly under my shirt. The simple act made my insides shiver with desire. I wasn't even sure anymore if it was the mate bond resp
Rayne's POVI used to love storms as a child. Oftentimes, I would go outside just to bask in it, forgetting that it was just as dangerous as it was exhilarating. Once, I had been so carried away by the intensity of the storm that I didn't see it bend a tree over until it snapped with a great crack and almost squashed me.After that experience, although I loved them, I preferred to stay indoors in order to avoid a repeat of that event. Near-death experiences did that to you. They made you see things in an entirely different light, and understand that death lurked everywhere in as much density as life itself.Indeed, no light could exist without darkness.Although it was a rarity, rain could sometimes fall during summer. Like it did today.I watched it fall from inside my room. Water droplets raced down the window pane, like tears from the sky. The longer I watched the rain fall, the greater the old need to feel it on my skin grew
Rayne's POVJust like I had predicted, Kaiden didn't take kindly to the news that I had been in the rain. “What?” he exclaimed, and slapped a large hand over his face. “You were doing what?” Still in disbelief, he shook his head and sunk into his seat like his legs couldn't keep him upright anymore.“I mean . . . I just wanted to have a little fun, okay? I didn't actually plan on getting hurt or anything,” I weakly defended, unable to look him in the eyes. If after this, he no longer allowed me to even step foot outside the compound, I wouldn't have been surprised in the slightest bit. Most times, Kaiden acted like a man with rebellious children. This time was no different.Underneath the blanket I had been given, another tremor shook through my body, a testament to the length of time I spent outdoors. It didn't matter that werewolves were known to emit heat and have high body temperatures. For most of my life, the only thing
Kaiden’s POVIt wasn't a rejection, but oddly, it felt like one. I had been shot down so violently by her words that I had been stunned into silence, and could do nothing but watch as she left. Besides, what were the odds that she would have even allowed me to stop her? She already mentioned how she felt like I was holding her down and restraining her.Was it a crime to care about someone's safety? To not want to lose someone dear to you? Since she came to Mysticrock, it had been from one near death experience to another, and I couldn't help but worry.Everytime I heard that something almost happened to her, I would immediately be transported into the past, where my parents were brutally slaughtered by rogue wolves. On some nights, I still woke up in cold sweat, feeling the warmth of their blood on my face.If the former Lycan King hadn't been there at that time, I would have most likely met the same fate, but in a few swift blows, the rogues
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