Elena’s povThe morning sun cast long shadows across the courtyard as I made my way towards Beauty's room. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the fragile hope I still clung to. Maybe I was mistaken. Maybe it was a dirty joke. But all the excuses I tried to make up for her still didn’t add up.Last night's overheard conversation replayed in my mind, each whispered word a fresh wound. Beauty, my best friend, conspiring about my ruined wedding dress. The thought was like a poisoned knife, twisting and poisoning the bond we shared.I found her near her window, sunlight illuminating her face in a way that only emphasized her nervousness. Her fingers twisted in the fabric of her gown, and she avoided my gaze. "Beauty," I began, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to appear composed. "I need to ask you something about last night."Her eyes darted up to meet mine, wide and filled with a fear she couldn't quite hide. "Last night? What about it?""I... I overh
Elena’s povThe moon, a sliver of silver in the black sky, cast long shadows across Oliver’s bed. Oliver’s arm lay heavy across my waist, a comforting weight after we finally talked things out. Reconciliation was a fragile thing, a carefully tended bloom after a harsh winter. We lay in comfortable silence, the kind that only comes after words have been exhausted, forgiveness granted, and trust stronger than ever.."Any word on the spies?" I finally asked the question with a soft murmur in the quiet room. The phantom chill of the attack still clung to me, a constant reminder of the vulnerability of our kingdom, of Oliver's pack, of us.The thought that there were people lurking around the kingdom and they could attack at any time.His arm tightened slightly. "Still searching. They vanished into thin air. My best trackers are on it, but they're like shadows, elusive and dangerous." A frown etched itself onto his brow, a familiar sign of the burden he carried. Being Alpha was a heavy man
Elena’s povThe scent of old wood and a strange fragrance clung to the air in Lucas’s room, a stark contrast to the usual vibrancy that pulsed through our pack lands. He sat on the edge of his bed, his brow furrowed, his gaze fixed on some invisible point on the floor. I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "I'm going to see the old woman in the forest today, Lucas."He looked up, his eyes, usually bright with mischief, now clouded with a grim intensity. "The one who saved you that time?""Yes," I confirmed. "I have to. I need answers. I need to understand what I saw." The image of a bloodied Oliver, my unconscious body and Lucas in tears filled my head. I also remembered the guards killed by the spies. I shuddered. I needed answers.“Oliver asked if you could come with me. I know you both are not on the best terms now but he insisted.” He sat up straighter. "I'll go with you."Relief washed over me. Facing the unknown with Lucas felt…less scary. "Thank you," I whispered.We discuss
Chloe’s povThe scent of lavender and stale parchment, usually so comforting in my room, felt suffocating tonight. A prickle crawled down my spine the moment I stepped inside, an unsettling feeling that something was… off. My hand instinctively went to the small dagger strapped to my thigh, the familiar weight a small comfort. I scanned the room. My desk was cluttered as always with maps and reports, the half-finished plans for my upcoming plan lying scattered like fallen leaves. My bed was neatly made, the woolen blankets pulled tight. Nothing seemed amiss.Then, a flicker of movement in the corner of my eye. A shadow detached itself from the dimness behind my tapestry, and I reacted without thinking.I lunged, my hand shooting out to grip the intruder’s arm. In the same motion, I drew my dagger, the cold steel pressing against his throat. He was surprisingly fast, though. A blur of movement, a twist of his body, and suddenly the blade was between us, held by his strong hand.My bre
Elena’s pov A soft knock echoed through the room, a hesitant rhythm that I recognized immediately. "Come in," I called out, trying to inject a lightness into my voice that I didn't feel.Lucas slipped inside, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. His dark hair was neatly combed back, and his usually jovial face was etched with a seriousness that mirrored my own. "Ready?" he asked, his voice low. He knew how much this trip meant to me. How desperately I needed to understand the dreams that plagued me, the visions that painted a terrifying future for our pack.Before I could answer, another shadow fell across the doorway. Oliver.My heart clenched.He stood there, tall and imposing, his eyes dark with a mixture of worry and something else, something that always made me uneasy around him – possessiveness. He surveyed the room, his gaze lingering on Lucas for a moment before returning to me. The air in the room seemed to thicken, charged with unspoken tension."Taking off already?" h
REJECTED ELENA’S POVMy world dissolved into a blurry mess, the tears gathering in my eyes, hot and heavy. I tried to blink them back, but it was useless. The hopelessness wrapped around me, suffocating, crushing every shred of faith I had left.“You’re hurting me, Liam" I gasped, my voice barely more than a whisper.Pain throbbed in my head, but it was nothing compared to the ache that was tearing me apart inside.“When did I ever say I cared?” he growled, his tone colder than I’d ever heard it.He yanked his trousers on, his movements jerky and impatient. My breath hitched in my throat, my chest tight.“If you didn’t care about me, then why did you take away my innocence?” My voice broke as I asked the question. I needed answers, anything to make sense of this.But his face remained impassive, utterly devoid of remorse. He didn’t flinch, didn’t soften. There was nothing there…no regret, no connection. This was the man who was supposed to be my best friend. My mate. I trusted him.
THE RESCUE ELENA'S POVI made my way home to grab my things. Every step I took felt heavier as the announcement echoed in the distance."I hereby make Maria Broodwing my mate and the future Luna of this pack" Liam’s voice carried, and though I had already left, I could still hear him. I wanted to collapse, to let the pain swallow me whole. But I wouldn’t. None of them deserved my tears. Not after what they did. Grabbing my luggage, I took one last glance at the house I once called home. A surge of anger and sadness twisted inside me, but I pushed it down. Anywhere was better than here. Anywhere far from that traitor.____The sky was getting darker and darker, signifying the approaching night. Trees surrounded me in every direction, their branches twisting like skeletal hands reaching for the sky. I must’ve crossed the borders by now and would be in the rogue territory. The main thought of it made my blood run cold.I pray I don't run into one. Besides I was now a rogue too, maybe
BETRAYAL AND FEARMy eyes darted toward the window, and my heart stilled as I caught sight of a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness. The rogue wolf. It hadn’t given up its hunt.It had found me again.I gulped down hard, taking a deep breath afterwards, trying to steady myself. Just then, something sharp yanked my hair, and I was violently pulled backward. The ground rushed up to meet me, and I hit it with a painful thud. I gasped, a cry escaping my lips as I instinctively reached for my head. I twisted to see who had attacked me, and there she was—a girl with fiery eyes and an expression filled with hatred. Before I could scramble to my feet, she grabbed my hair again, yanking my head painfully backward, her fingers like claws digging into my scalp.“Who the hell are you?” She spat, her voice dripping with venom. “How dare you touch my Oliver?! You think you can have him? I’ll show you! I’ll kill you!”I flailed desperately, trying to pry her fingers from my hair, but her grip wa
Elena’s pov A soft knock echoed through the room, a hesitant rhythm that I recognized immediately. "Come in," I called out, trying to inject a lightness into my voice that I didn't feel.Lucas slipped inside, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. His dark hair was neatly combed back, and his usually jovial face was etched with a seriousness that mirrored my own. "Ready?" he asked, his voice low. He knew how much this trip meant to me. How desperately I needed to understand the dreams that plagued me, the visions that painted a terrifying future for our pack.Before I could answer, another shadow fell across the doorway. Oliver.My heart clenched.He stood there, tall and imposing, his eyes dark with a mixture of worry and something else, something that always made me uneasy around him – possessiveness. He surveyed the room, his gaze lingering on Lucas for a moment before returning to me. The air in the room seemed to thicken, charged with unspoken tension."Taking off already?" h
Chloe’s povThe scent of lavender and stale parchment, usually so comforting in my room, felt suffocating tonight. A prickle crawled down my spine the moment I stepped inside, an unsettling feeling that something was… off. My hand instinctively went to the small dagger strapped to my thigh, the familiar weight a small comfort. I scanned the room. My desk was cluttered as always with maps and reports, the half-finished plans for my upcoming plan lying scattered like fallen leaves. My bed was neatly made, the woolen blankets pulled tight. Nothing seemed amiss.Then, a flicker of movement in the corner of my eye. A shadow detached itself from the dimness behind my tapestry, and I reacted without thinking.I lunged, my hand shooting out to grip the intruder’s arm. In the same motion, I drew my dagger, the cold steel pressing against his throat. He was surprisingly fast, though. A blur of movement, a twist of his body, and suddenly the blade was between us, held by his strong hand.My bre
Elena’s povThe scent of old wood and a strange fragrance clung to the air in Lucas’s room, a stark contrast to the usual vibrancy that pulsed through our pack lands. He sat on the edge of his bed, his brow furrowed, his gaze fixed on some invisible point on the floor. I took a deep breath, steeling myself. "I'm going to see the old woman in the forest today, Lucas."He looked up, his eyes, usually bright with mischief, now clouded with a grim intensity. "The one who saved you that time?""Yes," I confirmed. "I have to. I need answers. I need to understand what I saw." The image of a bloodied Oliver, my unconscious body and Lucas in tears filled my head. I also remembered the guards killed by the spies. I shuddered. I needed answers.“Oliver asked if you could come with me. I know you both are not on the best terms now but he insisted.” He sat up straighter. "I'll go with you."Relief washed over me. Facing the unknown with Lucas felt…less scary. "Thank you," I whispered.We discuss
Elena’s povThe moon, a sliver of silver in the black sky, cast long shadows across Oliver’s bed. Oliver’s arm lay heavy across my waist, a comforting weight after we finally talked things out. Reconciliation was a fragile thing, a carefully tended bloom after a harsh winter. We lay in comfortable silence, the kind that only comes after words have been exhausted, forgiveness granted, and trust stronger than ever.."Any word on the spies?" I finally asked the question with a soft murmur in the quiet room. The phantom chill of the attack still clung to me, a constant reminder of the vulnerability of our kingdom, of Oliver's pack, of us.The thought that there were people lurking around the kingdom and they could attack at any time.His arm tightened slightly. "Still searching. They vanished into thin air. My best trackers are on it, but they're like shadows, elusive and dangerous." A frown etched itself onto his brow, a familiar sign of the burden he carried. Being Alpha was a heavy man
Elena’s povThe morning sun cast long shadows across the courtyard as I made my way towards Beauty's room. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the fragile hope I still clung to. Maybe I was mistaken. Maybe it was a dirty joke. But all the excuses I tried to make up for her still didn’t add up.Last night's overheard conversation replayed in my mind, each whispered word a fresh wound. Beauty, my best friend, conspiring about my ruined wedding dress. The thought was like a poisoned knife, twisting and poisoning the bond we shared.I found her near her window, sunlight illuminating her face in a way that only emphasized her nervousness. Her fingers twisted in the fabric of her gown, and she avoided my gaze. "Beauty," I began, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to appear composed. "I need to ask you something about last night."Her eyes darted up to meet mine, wide and filled with a fear she couldn't quite hide. "Last night? What about it?""I... I overh
Elena’s povThe silk of the ruined wedding dress still clung to the inside of my eyelids, a phantom weight pressing down on my chest. What was supposed to be the happiest day of my life had crumbled into ash. Oliver had banned Lucas from being close to me, all because of a possessive jealousy that gnawed at him. Beauty on the other hand was nowhere to be found ever since the attack on the pack. I hadn't seen either of them since.I considered going to Oliver’s room but something in me told me that he equally needed the space. After all he was the Alpha and his pack was in danger.Strange people were within our borders. Possible threats to the life of the pack members and the future of the pack. The worst part is his own sister’s involvement in the entire attack.We all needed space to digest this brewing war.I needed to breathe, to escape the suffocating confines of the pack mansion, where every whispered conversation, every sympathetic glance, felt like a fresh wound. My plan was s
Lucas’s povThe wind whipped at my face, carrying the scent of damp earth, a familiar aroma that usually brought a sense of peace. Tonight, it was just another reminder of the land I was sworn to protect, a land that was teetering on the brink of war. The air crackled with tension, thick enough to choke on. Oliver’s order echoed in my mind. How could I stay away from Elena. Easy for him to say. He was the Alpha. He had her. I was just a soldier, a silent observer of his happiness. The wedding postponement came as a relief, a temporary reprieve from the gut-wrenching reality of watching her walk down the aisle towards another man. But it also meant the threat was real, the enemy close.I shifted my weight, the gravel crunching under my boots. Spies. A looming war. All because of Elena and her bond with Oliver. Then I saw her. Chloe.She stalked towards me, a predator in human form. Her eyes, usually a cold, calculating, were burning with fury. “Lucas.” Her voice dripped with venom,
Oliver’s povThe air in the main house thrummed with suppressed rage. My rage. It crackled around me like static electricity, making the pack members uneasy. Spies. Fucking spies. They'd infiltrated our territory, slithered amongst us, and I hadn't caught a whiff of them until it was almost too late."I want every inch of pack land searched," I roared, my voice echoing off the stone walls. “Every shadow, every cave, every forgotten trail. If you find anyone suspicious, anyone who can't give a damn good reason for being here, bring them to me. Immediately."The pack warriors, their faces grim, dispersed with a flurry of murmured acknowledgements. My blood ran hot with fury and a sickening dose of self-reproach. How could I, the Alpha, have allowed this to happen? My responsibility was to protect our people, and I had failed. The door creaked open and Lucas entered. He avoided my gaze, shuffling his feet. The scent of the forest clung to him, usually a calming aroma, but today it only
Elena’s povMy fingers trembled as I tried to smooth out the imaginary wrinkles on the already ruined wedding dress, my mind racing with possible reasons as to why Beauty would betray me. Beauty, my supposed best friend, could’ve been the one that ruined the dress but why would she do that to me?I was still reeling, the betrayal a sharp, stinging wound that refused to heal. How could she? Why would she?The sounds of hurried footsteps and raised voices drifted from outside my room, a grim reminder that the ruined dress was the least of my worries. Chloe was on the attack but no one except Lucas and a few others knew for a fact that she was behind it.I had to do something. Sitting here, wallowing in my heartbreak, felt like a betrayal of its own. I pushed myself to my feet, ignoring the ache in my heart and the nagging doubt that whispered, "Something was not right." I slammed the door open and marched into the chaotic hallway."Elena, what are you doing?" Lucas intercepted me, his