Rayne's POV
The 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 hisRayne's POVKaiden's roar rang through the hall as the pin made contact with my flesh, and sunk deep into my abdomen. In seconds he had pushed Savannah out of the way and grabbed me before I hit the floor.His breaths came out in labored huffs, kissing the skin of my face. It comforted me, in some ways. “No!”I wanted to speak, to tell him about the child in my womb and how I didn't want to lose it, but all I could do was moan in pain as I struggled to remain conscious.Kaiden's eyes flashed red as he turned to Savannah, unhinged, murderous intent rolled off him in waves, and now I truly understood the power that bonded mates together. “You . . .” he said to her as she started to crawl backwards on her elbows. There was a manic look in her eyes, something that absolutely contorted the way she appeared. I could barely recognise her as the woman I had once confided in.I hadn't been stabbed in the center of my stoma
Rayne's POVRight from the moment I opened my eyes in the clinic for yet another attack against me, something felt out of place. An emptiness from inside of me opened its mouth and swallowed me whole, dousing me in ice from the inside out. I touched my stomach, dragging my fingers underneath the thin gown I wore to feel nothing but warm, unbroken skin there. Unsatisfied, I pressed down on the spot between my bladder and belly button, checking to see if I would feel anything there.The past few hours were blank in my head, and I had a feeling that it was because of whatever I had gone through after they brought me here to treat my wounds.I kept touching and touching, but I couldn't feel anything. Nothing had been there before, but simply by touching it I used to feel a presence underneath. Certainty that not only I shared this body. Someone took my hand, and pulled it away from my abdomen. My gown was gently pulled down over my thi
Rayne's POVWarmth pressed against my skin comfortingly, lulling me out of my slumber. I stretched my limbs, still basking in the quiet of the early morning without opening my eyes. I didn't need to see anything to know that I wasn't alone on the bed.Kaiden's arm sat across my stomach, pinning me to the bed effortlessly. At times like these, I was reminded of the strength held, and the power it probably took to keep it all within. His eyes were still closed, with lashes brushing against his sharp, proud cheekbones. Carefully, I drew a finger down the bridge of his nose, taking the ridges into memory. Beauty that could become vicious if the situation required it. For his lips that were pursed, even as he slept, I wondered what dream he could have been having.The night before had been nothing short of exquisite, and I wanted to bubble it up and keep it in someplace special inside my heart. Scenes of his searing lips brushing over my abdomen infiltrated my mind, and heat flushed over
Author's POVWhile Mysticrock pack engaged in what could be considered as a violent pursuit of peace and progress for their pack, Oceanpearl underwent something similar. Except that this wasn't done for peace and progress, but to satisfy the bellies of those that led with power.Reynolds sat in his room, with his head in his hands. From simply looking at him one would have thought that it was just a simple matter of him wanting to be by himself so that he could think, but the closer one looked, the better the true image was painted in one's mind.He had a lot going on inside his head. His wife, Sloane stepped into the chambers, feet scampering quickly over the tiled ground faster than she'd ever done in a very, very long time. “Reynolds,” she called out to him, before taking a seat by his side and resting a slender arm over his shoulders. “What's the matter?”To that, Reynolds raised his head, now ready to take on the questions his wife and mate asked. His eyes became clearer, and th
Rayne's POVI slipped into the night, taking off my clothes underneath the cover of the moon. I hadn't shifted in a while, and Lisa was starting to get antsy. Without impending doom threatening our safety every passing day, lenience had started to set in. With my newfound status as Luna, it meant that even if I didn't desire it, someone had to be with me at all times. I could understand why it was so, but it didn't mean I had to like it.Kaiden was caught up with duties that he couldn't ignore, so I took my boredom in stride and used the opportunity to get acquainted with the moon once again. As soon as my bare feet touched cool grass, I allowed my transformation to take course, launching me from human to wolf. As usual, my small form as a wolf meant that shifting wouldn't be so much of a hassle as it was for other people with larger wolves. Bones shifted, flattening in places, and expanding in others. The ground shifted closer to
Kaiden's POVThe fear in my mate's eyes lessened the bloodlust burning in my veins. I wanted to rip Victor's head clean off his body, but I couldn't risk scaring Rayne more than I already had.I let go of the still-twitching filth, barely taking notice of him as blood continuously poured out of his gaping, foul mouth. I should have done worse to him, but this would have to be enough for now.I shook my head to get rid of the excess blood still around my mouth and fur. Truly disgusting. Wet grass flattened underneath my feet as I went to her beautiful white form. She had once mentioned to.me that her wolf wasn't large, and because of that she had been considered as weak, but looking at her now in this form, she didn't look any less beautiful.Her bright green eyes were focused on me as I approached. I would have liked to nuzzle her slender neck as a way to comfort her, but I didn't want to get blood over her fur. So I reached into her min
Rayne's POVTo Kaiden, becoming a Luna wasn't an event that could have gone by without an official sort of celebration. He didn't even tell me his plans concerning it at all, but once the day came, I couldn't ignore the rush of energy in the air and the way people kept congratulating me when they walked past.The reverence in their eyes scared and honored me at the same time. The people, even without having to, had welcomed me with open arms and treated me as one of their own even before it became obvious to them that I was mated to their king. The bond the people of Mysticrock shared was a mystery that didn't need to be solved, but instead, nurtured and admired.One old woman, who had been walking with a small child no older than six, even stopped me along the hallway. She blessed me with her words, and inserted a lily behind my ear. The precision in her hand reminded me that even the old still possessed pure life within them, even though they were n
Rayne’s POVThe muscle in my jaw started to hurt from how hard I was biting down. My fingers shook, but found solace in Kaiden's hand. I hated the way my whole system reacted whenever I saw Reynolds. The shaking. The holding of breath as I waited for evil to befall me. The worry.I thought I had been healing from it all the last time I had seen him.He looked around the hall, with hands on his waist. “What a beautiful thing you both have going on here,” he said. “I'm a little jealous.”“What would your wife think?” Kaiden asked, voice too calm for the situation. I trusted him enough to know that he had everything under control, because if he was calm, then there was no reason for me to fret.But maybe it was the way Reynolds' had suddenly appeared here, right in our midst like he owned the place, that fanned the flames of my worry. Although nothing but a coward that couldn't be straightforward about a lot of things, every action he t
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