Rayne's POV
The next day came in a blur, and before I knew it I was in my room, getting dressed and trying not to think too hard about Kaiden and Savannah and Victor and all the things that appeared to be going wrong in the world at the time.I combed my hair and put on a little oil on my lips, testing out the consistency by pressing my lips together.Satisfied with how I looked, I left the mirror and went back to my bed. I picked up my phone and started randomly scrolling through it. Out of necessity I had set it up a while back, but I seldom had much use for it these days with everything that had been happening.I decided to check out the Paranormal Watch to see the top news concerning werewolves. After a little while of scrolling through the headlines, one thing stood out to me: more and more sightings and run-ins of normal wolves with rogues.They were becoming bolder and unpredictable with their attacks, and it wasn't just inRayne's POV“Rayne, wait!” Sal called from behind me, following me as I ran down to my room. “I want to be alone,” I said, walking faster. My heart felt crushed in my chest, so badly that I couldn't breathe properly. I pressed my hand to my chest, feeling the sobs coming in slowly but surely.Before I even reached the door of my room my legs had started wobbling beneath me, no longer strong enough to carry my weight. Sal caught me before I completely dropped to the floor, pulling me close to her and gently wrapping her arm around me as I allowed myself to just rest on her.The sobbing started, shaking me down to my core.She took us inside the room, away from the curious stares and placed me down on my bed. “Rayne, pull yourself together,” she said. “You can't just cry and think that everything is magically going to be alright.”“What do you want me to do?” I asked. “He's made his choice, and I know it should
Rayne's POVSunlight pressed against my eyelids, bringing me to awakening. Sterile walls and bright lights up ahead. The cold of thick leather pressed against my skin, sending shivers up my spine.“Nice of you to wake up, sleeping beauty,” came Sal's voice as I sat up. At least my head no longer felt like it wanted to explode from pain.“What happened?” I asked, looking around the room. Once again, I had found myself in this clinic. The only difference this time was that it wasn't because I had gotten attacked or hurt by something or someone.“You passed out in Kaiden's room.”“Oh. Yes.” His voice as he called my name as I passed out echoed in my memory, and it gave me a little ounce of strength. He didn't hate me, after all. She took a seat beside me on the bed, holding a notepad and a pen. “So we've done some blood tests on you to find out why you're throwing up and passing out.” She tucked a stray lock of brown hair behi
Rayne's POVWith the news of my pregnancy weighing on my heart, the next course of action to take was informing the father. The problem simply lies in even having the opportunity to see him, especially since I had been moved to the South Wing because of a reason I still didn't quite understand.My new room wasn't terrible, but it wasn't the same as the other one I had been staying in. This one didn't have a lot of furniture and had a neglected feel. Like much thought hadn't been put into maintaining the place.At least it had a working bathroom and toilet. On the bright side of things, the people that had moved my things were very meticulous, putting all my stuff in one quiet corner where I could easily unpack. I got to work with a spring in my steps. I couldn't believe that I would actually become a mother soon. The baby inside me would be cherished no matter what, and I wouldn't treat them the way I had been treated by my own parents. I may not have known the perfect way to do thi
Rayne's POV“She did what?” Sal asked as I relayed the conversation I had with Savannah to her. “She assigned guards to keep you out of the Central Wing?”“She didn't even try to hide anything. I guess that now that everything is said and done, she doesn't need to keep trying to pretend. I just didn't expect things to turn out this way with her.”Sal stared off into space as she ruminated on my words. “Right from the moment I met her, she had always been a control freak. I thought that time would change her and teach her that being friends with someone didn't give you the right to dictate their lives, but apparently it hasn't. I wonder how Kaiden hasn't discovered this yet.”“You mentioned that they're childhood friends. She probably doesn't show this side to him, or he just doesn't want to see it,” I said, gently patting my belly, which was slowly becoming a favorite thing to do. After glancing at me doing that, Sal smiled. “At least you seem to be warming up to the idea of this pre
Rayne's POV“No, you can't do this to me! I didn't do anything!” I screamed as I was dragged down into the dungeons like a common criminal. No one answered me, instead I was treated like nothing but trash. It was baffling how the tables could turn so fast without any warning.They took me further and further into the dungeons until we came to the special cells with Moonblock stone. On seeing it, I started shaking my head frantically. “No. You can't do this. Where's the evidence of these accusations you're putting up against me?”Victor groaned as he shoved me inside the cell and locked the grate, staring at me with nothing but malicious intent in his eyes. “You'll find out soon enough why you're in here.”I moved over to the bars where he stood, and grabbed the cold iron with my hands. “You won't get away with this, Victor. When I get out of here I will expose all that you have been up to, and you'll regret ever crossing p
Sal’s POVThe unfortunate wedding was in a day, and Mysticrock had already become unbearable with all the noise and misplaced excitement. Seeing people have smiles on their faces because they thought they were finally getting a Luna baffled me. If only they knew that they were falling into the hands of a tyrant.Many loved Savannah, because she had essentially been acting as an unofficial Luna for a long time, and they trusted her. So knowing that she would finally be paired up with Kaiden was like a dream come true for some.If only they knew.After meeting with Rayne, I went to the clinic to check on Bradford's condition. I hadn't told anyone else apart from her about his improvement, not even Kaiden. I had my reasons. No one could be fully trusted at this time, and what if someone still wanted to finish the job they started? I couldn't risk exposing Bradford to any kind of danger.I took off my denim jacket and rolled up my sleev
Rayne's POVEven from right inside the dungeons I could hear the sounds of excitement bubbling from above. People couldn't wait to witness the wedding between Kaiden and Savannah, from what I could perceive, but I didn't want to believe it. I didn't want to think about it either. Sal had come to visit me later in the evening the day before, bringing me some food to eat. I didn't know she was getting past the guards without making a scene, but she didn't seem to be encountering any problems with them. Instead from the way she spoke, they were already starting to see that my imprisonment wasn't the right thing.She told me that she would be back in the morning before the wedding, that she and Bradford had pieced together the remaining clues, and had to put things in place before the wedding. Now, I waited, imagining the seconds and minutes ticking by and hoping in my heart that a miracle happened very soon. If truly Kaiden had somehow been brainwa
Rayne's POVThe high-pitched gasps reached Kaiden's ears before I did. He turned around, swift like a sharp breath, and ready to fight. I could tell that underneath his clothes, his muscles were taut and ready to spring free at his command.But he didn't have to be guarded, because it was just me, and I meant him no harm at all.His eyes went wide with recognition, as his betas rushed forward to keep me away from him. I stretched out a hand toward him, barely dodging a tackle made by one of the betas. “Kaiden,” was all that came out of my mouth. A plea as I hoped that whatever Savannah had been doing to his mind hadn't made significant damages.He stopped my arm before I could fully hold him, bringing all the excitement and adrenaline rushing in my veins to a cool stop. My fingers grabbed a thin bracelet around his wrist instead. There wasn't a trace of recognition in his eyes as he regarded me. A little light entered his
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