Elena’s pov“Elena,” he finally said, his voice low and gravelly, “I truly am sorry. I never meant to cause a rift between you and Oliver the other day.”I gave him a small smile. I didn’t want to bring back the guilt I felt for almost breaking their bond. They’ve known each other all their lives and I didn’t want to be an obstacle.“It’s… fine, Lucas,” I managed, the word feeling hollow even to my own ears. “I should’ve followed his out that day and not stayed back. I knew he didn’t trust me anymore after that other night..”“Lucas stop..” I interrupted, “Oliver is over it now. He knows we’re just friends.” Even as I said it, doubt gnawed at me. My mind drifted back, unbidden, to the bond. The brief, electrifying surge of connection that had coursed through me the night we were in the garden.. A single, shimmering thread of recognition that had flared between us briefly, I was yet to understand what exactly it meant. But it had vanished as quickly as it came, leaving me wondering i
Elena’s povThe shapeshifter looked around the shelter frantically. My heart pounded as I stood frozen. The thought of a shapeshifter in the pack scared me to the bones.Before he could make a break for it, Lucas was already holding him up. One moment he was right beside me and the next he was in front of me. He grabbed the imposter by the scruff of his neck, yanking him backwards. The guard stumbled, fear blooming in his eyes as Lucas pressed a silver dagger against his throat."Think carefully about your next move," Lucas growled, his voice dangerously low. "One wrong twitch, and you're done for."The guard trembled, a pathetic whimper escaping his lips. "Please," he begged, his voice cracking. "Don't. I… I didn't mean any harm."I rolled my eyes. That’s what they all said yet a few minutes ago he was throwing words at me.Lucas's eyes narrowed, his gaze flicking to me. "Is he the only one?" he asked, the question sharp and probing.I racked my brain, trying to know if I’ll get tha
Elena’s pov “I swear that’s all.” The imposter begged. “I was approached by a blonde woman that told me all I had to do was inform her about the plans of the soldiers at the border.”“What pack are you from?” Oliver asked.“Blue Moon Pack.”Of course it was Blue Moon pack. I wondered what Chloe had planned working with them. Did she want to rule the Full Moon pack or ruin the pack?The spy, a wiry man with shifty eyes, sweated under the dim light of the interrogation room. Oliver stood to my right, his jaw tight, the very air around him crackling with contained fury. I knew that Oliver would have already snapped the spy in half easily if he wanted but he was restraining himself.“So all she had you do was stay at the borders?” Oliver spat and the man nodded.“That’s all she told me to do.”“How am I sure you’re not lying?”“Please. She… she told me to do it,” the spy stammered, wiping his brow with a trembling hand. “A woman. Blonde hair… cold eyes.”My heart clenched. Blonde hair.
Oliver’s povElena looked at me with exhaustion in her eyes. She gives me a small smile before turning to leave the interrogation room.I turned back to the spy who was now almost unconscious. With a growl of annoyance, I grabbed the spy by the scruff of his neck and dragged him to one of the holding cells. The metal bars clanged shut with finality as I locked him in. He whimpered, shrinking away from me. “You’ll be lucky to survive the night.”I turned back to the main room, intending to talk with Lucas on our lack of progress, but stopped short. Lucas was standing by the window, his back to me. He was usually filled with energy and passion for catching the enemy but now he was motionless, radiating a strange, almost painful stillness.Something was wrong."Lucas?" I asked, my voice laced with concern. "What is it?"He didn't respond immediately. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating. Finally, he turned, his face pale in the dim light filtering through the barred window. His
Elena’s povThe courtyard, usually a place of quiet reflection, buzzed with an unsettling energy. Chloe, dressed in a deceptively innocent top and leather pants, was holding a conversation with a group of guards.Laughter, light and airy, drifted towards me, sharp and cold as shards of glass. It felt deliberately staged, Chloe wasn’t that friendly with the guards. The guards looked in awe as they spoke with her. Chloe was charismatic, of course she would hold their attention.Something about it felt off. Not like before, not like the shapeshifter I detected earlier. These guards seemed…normal. Too normal, perhaps. The air around them was clear, no scent of the wild, no fierce look in their eyes. Still, I couldn't shake the unease.Chloe noticed me, her perfectly sculpted eyebrows arching in mock surprise. She disentangled herself from the guards' eager attentions and glided towards me, her movements as fluid and predatory as a serpent. “Elena! How are you holding up? Such a shame abo
Elena’s povThe air in the prison reeked of mildew and fear, a scent I was quickly growing accustomed to. I watched, stomach churning, as two guards dragged the lifeless body of the captured spy from his cell. His limbs flopped awkwardly, like a discarded puppet. Yesterday, he’d been sneering defiance; now, he was just another body being carried out.Oliver, his jaw tight with controlled fury, stood beside me. "He bit his own tongue," he said, his voice low and gravelly. "Preferable to facing our justice."I studied Oliver's face, the sharp angles of his cheekbones, the controlled flicker in his usually warm brown eyes. The spy’s demise was too convenient, too neatly packaged. It was clear Oliver had taken matters into his own hands. I couldn't blame him. The unexpected fact that the spies were hiding in the midst of his people using magical powers to stay hidden was enough to create that surge of anger in him.He caught my gaze, and a flicker of guilt crossed his features. "Come on,"
Beauty’s povThe rose bushes, usually a source of comfort, felt suffocating. Their sweet fragrance, once a medicine to my troubled soul, now seemed to mock me with its beauty. I wandered through the garden, each step heavy with the weight of my betrayal. My fingers brushed against the petals, but I felt nothing but a hollow ache in my chest. I finally sat on the stone bench in the garden, close to the flowing lake.Elena. My best friend. The only person that ever noticed me in the entire pack. A stranger that turned to my sister. And I had betrayed her. The memories clawed at me, sharp and relentless. Elena’s face when she first saw the custom white wedding dress, her eyes sparkling with a joy that only Oliver could ignite. She and Oliver had their ups and downs but they still found each other. They were perfect, a love story whispered in the wind. And I, driven by fear and desperation, had shattered their happiness.Not only did I ruin her dress but I had also tattled about her lo
Elena’s povI walked to the garden with a goal in mind. After the last meeting with Oliver and Lucas, I decided to test Beauty one last time. Something in me still wished that it was all a coincidence.I saw her sitting on a stone bench by the lake. I pretended not to see her, choosing a wrought-iron bench at the far end of the garden. The cool metal bit into my skin through the thin fabric of my dress. I inhaled deeply, the fragrant lavender momentarily calming the storm inside me. It didn't last."Elena?" Her voice was a fragile tremor. I didn't turn."Elena, please." The desperation was more pronounced this time. I finally relented, slowly turning to face her. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her face pale. Guilt, or a clever imitation of it, shone in her gaze."What is it, Beauty?" My voice was flat, devoid of any warmth.She rushed forward, her hands clasped together, pleading. "I... I need to talk to you. Please, just... just let me explain."I raised an eyebrow, a silent invitation to
Lucas’s povHe looked up at me and held up a jelly jar to me.“Mummy can’t open it. Can you do it for me?” His small voice asked. I looked at him, at the innocence in his eyes.I took the jar from him and opened it easily. I smiled a little at the awe in his face.“You’re so strong.” He said taking the jar from me and stuffing his face with the sugar.“Easy there. Your teeth will go bad.” Helen cautioned him playfully.He grinned at her before looking at me. “I want to be tall like you.”“Then don’t eat so much jelly.” Helen said.Something in my heart warmed a little at the interaction. Something I would’ve experienced. I decided to just leave before I got more emotional.As I was about to leave, Helen, my father’s wife and Nate’s mother, stepped out, her face etched with worry. "Lucas, could I have a word? In private?"I nodded, stepping back inside. She led me away from the doorway, her hand trembling as she closed the door. "It's… it's about the pack," she began, her voice barely
Lucas’s povThe cottage was small, barely bigger than the closet room at the Full Moon Pack. A fire crackled merrily in the hearth, casting dancing shadows on the rough-hewn walls. The air was thick with the scent of woodsmoke and something else, something floral and faintly sweet. It was a strangely comforting smell, a stark contrast to the turmoil churning within me.Helen, the woman who’d opened the door, the woman who knew my father, married him even, offered me tea. I shook my head curtly. Tea was for civilized conversations, for pleasantries and polite chit-chat. I wasn’t feeling particularly civilized.She sat down opposite me anyway, her eyes, a shade of brown, fixed on my face. Beside her, the little boy, Nate, fidgeted, his gaze darting between me and his mother. He was a miniature version of myself, down to the stubborn set of his jaw and the way his dark hair refused to stay neatly combed. It was unsettling, this uncanny resemblance."After your father was captured," Helen
Lucas’s povThe man looked at them both with something akin to love. I watched them, frozen in the shadows, my mind reeling. This wasn't what I expected. It wasn't what I had been preparing myself for. What was going on? Who was this man?They were…happy. Living a normal life, oblivious to the turmoil I had carried for so long. I felt a wave of emotions wash over me – confusion, relief, but most of all… betrayal.I wanted to burst through the door, demand answers. But something held me back. A flicker of doubt, a whisper of hope that perhaps… perhaps I had been wrong all along. I was sure I was at the right house. This was the same woman and boy I had seen in the picture but where was my father?I turned and fled from the cottage, my mind spinning, questions swirling within me like a storm. My father wasn’t here? Then where was he? After lurking around the village for a while, I found myself back at the cottage. I didn’t come all the way here for nothing. I didn’t risk my life just t
Daniel’s povThe smell of cheap beer and filthy people filled the tavern's air. Situated in a shadowy corner, I sipped a diluted beverage and attempted to listen in on any discussion that appeared significant. The room was crowded with hunters, gruff-looking guards, and low-level pack members, all boasting, complaining, and making vulgar jokes in a tangled mass of voices. I was searching for any shred of information that may point me in the direction of Beauty's sister Sam.I wondered how the poor girl was. If she was still alive. If anyone has touched her or done any harm to her."Heard they're holding a duel in the arena tonight," a burly guard bellowed, nearly knocking over my table with his enthusiasm. "Biggest one in a while! Everyone's gotta be there. Supposed to be some real blood and guts. A couple of warrior slaves are fighting it out."My ears perked up. A duel meant a crowd, a distraction. Maybe, just maybe, it could offer an opportunity. But before I could consider the co
Lucas’s pov"Does Beauty know what you're planning?" Oliver pressed, his voice softer now.Daniel shook his head. "No. She was desperate to find her sister and I left before she said anything else."Oliver sighed, running a hand through his silver-streaked hair. "Alright. I can't stop you. But you listen to me, Daniel. You be careful. This isn't some love play. The Blue Moon pack is brutal. They won't hesitate to kill you if they suspect anything." He turned to me. "Lucas, I wish you all the best. I hope you find what you’re looking for.""I hope so too," I said. Part of me doubted my decision. I wondered if I was doing the right thing by going to search for a man perceived to be alive.The next morning, we left before dawn, cloaked in ordinary brown shirts and trousers. We looked like any other pair of traveling merchants. We carried a cart filled with old and cheap building materials, all purchased from the villages near our territory. It was a pathetic disguise, but hopefully, it w
Third person povThe dungeon felt tense and morbid as Jax crept his way down the stairs. Shadows danced in the flickering torchlight, He found her huddled in the corner, a fragile figure swallowed by the gloom. Beauty. Her name was a cruel irony in this place.She was sobbing, quiet, desperate gasps that barely disturbed the stillness. Jax paused, examining his surroundings. He needed to be careful to avoid getting caught.Carelessness was a weakness he couldn't afford.He stepped fully into the cell, the scrape of his boots against the stone echoing unnaturally loud. Beauty's head snapped up, her eyes wide with terror. She flinched back, pressing herself further into the corner, a small, trapped animal facing a predator."Shhh," Jax hissed, raising a hand. "Don't make a sound."She froze, obeying instantly. Her fear was all time high, an almost tangible thing that filled the small space. Good. Fear was a tool.He stalked closer, his shadow looming over her. "You're basically useless
Chloe’s povMy room felt too small, the air too thick. Anger simmered beneath my skin, prickling like a thousand tiny needles. It has been ages since Jax went off on his mission to finally eliminate Elena. Beauty had given him the intel again and when I saw the Royal guards escort them earlier today it seemed real.I paced, a caged wolf trapped in human form, the need to shift, to get answers, almost overwhelming. I was yet to get any news.Was she dead yet?A shadow flickered in the doorway. Jax. He moved with his usual lazy arrogance, a smirk playing on his lips that only fueled my fury. I lunged, faster than thought, snatching him by the front of his tunic, the rough fabric bunching in my fist. My wolf snarled in my throat, pushing its way to the surface. My fangs flared, pressing against my lower lip."Where is she?" I growled, my voice a dangerous rasp. "Where is Elena's body?"Jax's eyes widened for a fleeting moment, surprise warring with his usual nonchalance. "Chloe, calm dow
Elena’s povThe cold, damp air of the dungeon clung to my skin, a stark contrast to the anger and fear boiling within me. Oliver, his face grim, stood beside me, his large frame radiating a controlled anger. Lucas was a step behind, his eyes scanning the shadows. Before us, curled into a miserable ball on the cold stone floor, was Beauty.When she saw me, her head snapped up. Her eyes, usually sparkling with mischief, were red-rimmed and swollen. A pathetic sob escaped her lips. "Elena... I'm so sorry. I... I messed everything up."My fists clenched. Sorry wasn't going to cut it. Not this time. Not after everything. The pain of her betrayal, fresh and raw, surged through me. Even though I suspected her initially, something in me partially hoped she proved me wrong.I had prayed that I would come back from the elves’ town and hear that nothing happened but my heart sunk when Oliver had broken the news to me. That Beauty had indeed leaked the secret I told her. "Sorry?" I spat the word
Elena’s povMy thoughts were all over the place as I stepped out of the inner chamber where the statue of Willow was. Answers were what I sought, but confusion was all I found.Lucas was still standing at the spot where I left him, his brow furrowed with concern. "Elena?" he asked, his voice soft. "Did you… did you get any answers?"I shook my head, the motion causing a fresh wave of dizziness. "Worse," I admitted. "I'm even more confused than before."His eyes, usually clouded, were shadowed with worry. "We should head back to the Full Moon Pack," he said, placing a comforting hand on my arm. "Rest. Maybe things will be clearer in the morning."“Where’s the little girl?” I suddenly realized she wasn’t there anymore.“She gave me an earful about the goddess and ran off to catch up with her friends.” Lucas said jokingly.The thought of it brought a smile to my face. The face that Lucas was stuck didn’t leave him with a choice to make a run for it when the little girl began her lectur