Rayne's POVMy traitorous stomach growled as soon as I stepped into the dining hall and the smell of freshly cooked food wafted into my nose.Reynolds turned to look at me, his brows creased in irritation.I averted my gaze, and they landed on the Lycan king who was already seated on the dining table. His eyes went to my stomach, which meant he heard my stomach growl. I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks out of embarrassment.Reynolds and I both made our way to the dining table where the Lycan King was seated alongside his Beta. "I'd prefer for my guests to be right beside me today," the Lycan King said, as I made to settle down in the seat farthest from him. My mind went blank as his eyes bore into mine as he spoke."Of course your Majesty," Reynolds said, and slid his arms around my waist. "Isn't our guest so kind?" He asked me, a fake smile plastered on his lips.I gave a tight-lipped smile in return, not trusting my voice to betray how I was truly feeling.As we got to the
Rayne's POV"Can she please keep quiet for a minute? Jeez! She talks too much," Lisa complained in my mind, as the blonde girl who introduced herself as Savannah wouldn't stop talking as she gave us a tour."I guess that's her own way of being nice," I responded."You never learn, do you?" Lisa queried, I could feel her shaking her head. "Remember Reynolds?" She said. "Nice at first, and now…" she trailed off. She didn't need to complete her statement for me to know what she was talking about. Even though she has every reason to be weary because we're really good at trusting the wrong people, I can't just dislike someone I just met a few seconds ago."You know deep in your guts that we shouldn't trust her," Lisa warned."But we can't just write her off as bad, simply because our GUTS tells us so," I told her. "I feel it doesn't seem rational to judge without actually knowing her.""Do you," Lisa said. "As for me, there's something about her that doesn't seem right, no matter how I lo
Rayne's POVSpending time with Savannah went better than expected. Apart from her excessive chattiness and affinity for going on extended monologues about herself and her aspirations, I enjoyed spending time with her. Hopefully, the extended periods of isolation I'd spent while in Oceanpearl hadn't broken something in my head. It would have been very disappointing to accept that my receptiveness to Savannah was because somehow, I'd been conditioned to hold on to the first person that treated me with a semblance of kindness.We both had much together in her room, and I stayed there till evening. I was really full, so there wasn't any need for dinner.I didn't want to return to the guest room that had been given to Reynolds' and me so quickly, especially when he could have been there already, waiting to pounce on me the first moment he got.Wandering around may have been more dangerous, but at least, Mysticrock pack didn't appear to be a place where I'd get hit or abused simply for wal
Kaiden's POVI needed her desperately. Terribly. Madly.Bailing out of the dinner that I had basically planned for myself wasn't something I wanted to do, but things took a turn for the worse when I realized my wolf had started to go crazy.I'd heard about the heat before, but I never imagined that it could be so terrible. All I could think about since morning was Rayne, about her lips, her face . . . Among other things that I didn't want my mind to dwell too much on.In all of this, I had to keep myself sane. Even if there was definitely no doubt about it now that we were mates, I still had to consider what she wanted. I'd seen the look in her eyes that morning. She craved my touch no more than how much I wanted to grant it to her. Her eyes were filled with so much turmoil, and that had been enough to convince me of the fact that I couldn't just think about myself in all of this.We were mates, but she wasn't an object. I could claim her whenever I wanted, but, from the little I'd s
Rayne's POVMy eyes fluttered thanks to the ray of light that shone directly on my face, bringing me out of a sleepy haze. I felt something pressed against me, not suffocating but foreign. Warm breath caressed the back of my neck in measured waves, and it only meant one thing; someone was sleeping beside me!My eyes flew open and my body went stiff. Memories of the night before rushed through me ferociously, with every arc more heated than the last. By the time I fully recalled how I had gotten into this position, heavy guilt and disgust had made a home in my heart.After I'd passed out in that garden from the strain of going through my heat, Lisa must have taken control. It explained why I didn't resist Kaiden, and why I ended up in his bed.My eyes welled up with tears. What could I have done? I had been holding on to my self-respect so that I wouldn't stoop to Reynolds' level and so that at least, no matter what happened, I could never be accused of something as despicable as infi
Kaiden's POVOn waking up, I realized that the other side of the bed still oozed her warmth.Obviously, I'd noticed when she tried to sneak away from me, but I had the feeling that she didn't want me to know. Also, pretending to be asleep gave me the opportunity to bask in her scent a little bit longer.The night had been something I considered unforgettable. A once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience. So many times, I had to stop myself from marking her as mine, even though my wolf wanted it more than anything else. Every part of her had been so soft and delicate, but fit perfectly with my hardness. I never wanted to be separated from her, but apparently, she didn't feel the same way.There was no way I could go back to living like nothing had happened after this. Especially when I knew that I'd been the one to take her maidenhead. If I had known, maybe I would have fought harder to keep myself in check. Maybe I wouldn't have been so quick to lose myself in her beauty scent and liveli
Rayne's POV“So what's it like, being a Luna?” Savannah asked, carefully painting her toenails at the edge of her bed. “I’ve always thought that being a Luna was tough, but you make it look so easy.”We sat in her room. Warm air seeped through the windows and pressed uncomfortably against my skin. Summer had begun, and with it, the last whispers of spring had faded.It was the afternoon after my choking incident, and after the harrowing event, Savannah had invited me over to her room once again. Not wanting to refuse a kind gesture from one who had not only been kind to me, but had also saved my life, I had accepted.“Well, it's not easy, if that's what you think. There are a lot of things involved. First off, you'd have to understand that it's not just you or your family anymore that you have to take care of. You now have to also consider the families that depend on your judgment,” I said, tracing an invisible circle on the bed. “And then, there's the issue of never really being able
Kaiden's POVWhy did everything I ever truly desire have to be so hard to attain? Why couldn't things have been so easy for me since I was born? Did I anger the goddess? Did I scorn someone in a previous lifetime?“Bradford, this isn't funny.”He looked up from his glass of cranberry juice and cleared his throat. “I told you that a hasty approach wasn't going to make things easy for you. But like you always do, you act like you are so perfect and make no mistakes when in fact, you do.”My thumb and forefinger pinched the bridge of my nose. “Look, I know that you warned me against being too forward, but I haven't done anything . . .” I trailed off when the memory of us tangled in bed together flashed against my mind like a white-hot reminder. Bradford paused. “What's that look on your face, Kaiden?”I whistled. Telling him would further give him more reasons to scold me like I was a little child that needed guidance. He would lose his head if he knew that I'd already jumped the gun.B
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