Finn’s POVThe wedding bells rang loud and clear, echoing through the grand hall. My heart should have been soaring, but unease clung to me like a shadow. As the doors opened, Rose walked in, her arm linked with Benedicta’s. She looked stunning in her gown, but there was a tension in her smile that only I seemed to notice.As we exchanged vows, her voice was steady, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. The officiant’s words blurred as my wolf instincts screamed at me, warning of impending danger. Still, I pushed the unease aside. This was our moment, and I wouldn’t let anything ruin it.“You may now kiss the bride,” the officiant announced.I leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Rose’s lips. The applause erupted around us, but all I could think about was the gnawing sensation that something was about to go wrong.---The reception was a whirlwind of laughter and celebration. Guests filled the hall, the sound of clinking glasses and cheerful chatter blending with th
Rose's POVThe chaos outside was deafening. Shouts echoed through the halls, and the tension in the air was so thick it felt like I could cut it with a knife. Finn’s injury had thrown the entire pack into disarray, and the sight of Alina’s cold, accusing eyes earlier kept replaying in my mind.I forced myself to move, my feet carrying me to Benedicta, who stood near the staircase, trying to make sense of the chaos. She turned the moment she saw me, her face a mix of worry and determination.“Benedicta,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I need to talk to you. Now.”Without waiting for a response, I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward my bedroom. I shut the door behind us and locked it, leaning against it as I tried to steady my racing heart.“This is bad,” I muttered, pacing the room. “This is bad.”Benedicta watched me with a calmness I envied. “Take a breath, Rose,” she said gently. “Tell me what happened.”I stopped pacing and faced her. “Alina… she’s going to blame me. I know it.
Bianca’s POVThe tension in the air was suffocating. Every corner of the pack house buzzed with whispers of Finn’s attack, and I couldn’t move without feeling a dozen eyes boring into my back. Jenny and I had barely made it out of that hallway alive after Alina’s confrontation. I wasn’t scared of her, but her words stuck in my head.“Did we mess up?” Jenny asked nervously as we entered my room and closed the door behind us. She sat on the edge of the bed, her hands twisting anxiously in her lap.I leaned against the dresser, crossing my arms. “No,” I said firmly, though the tightness in my chest said otherwise. “We’ve been careful. We didn’t stab Finn. Someone else did. Alina’s just lashing out because she’s desperate.”“But what if she’s right?” Jenny’s voice cracked. “What if whoever stabbed Finn was aiming for Rose? What if we’re next?”I turned to her, my glare silencing her panicked rambling. “We are not next. Whoever did this has no reason to come after us unless you do somethin
Rose’s POVI glanced at Finn one last time as he lay still on the bed, his breathing shallow but steady. My heart ached to see him like this. I wanted to stay, to keep watching over him, but Alina’s accusations still lingered in my mind, making the air in the room feel suffocating.With a heavy sigh, I turned to leave. Just as I reached the door, a flicker of movement caught my eye. The curtains by the window swayed gently, though there was no breeze. My heart skipped a beat, and I froze.“Who’s there?” I called out, my voice firmer than I felt.Silence.I stepped closer, peering into the shadows near the window. “I said, who’s there?”Still no response. I waited for a few tense moments, but nothing moved again. My mind began to race with possibilities. Was it just my imagination? Or was someone there?Shaking my head, I decided not to let paranoia take over. “It’s nothing,” I muttered to myself, though the uneasy feeling didn’t quite leave me.I stepped out of the room and made my wa
Alina's POVThe piercing scream of a maid echoed through the pack house, jolting me from my thoughts. My heart leaped into my throat, and I instinctively rushed toward the source of the commotion. The hallway was alive with murmurs, tension thick in the air as I approached Finn’s room.“What’s happening?” I demanded, pushing past a group of maids clustered near the doorway.The sight before me stole the breath from my lungs. Finn lay still on his bed, his chest unmoving. The monitor that had been beeping steadily earlier now emitted a deafening flatline.“No!” I shouted, rushing to his side. My hands shook as I pressed them against his lifeless form as if my touch alone could bring him back. “Finn! Wake up!”One of the maids stepped forward hesitantly, tears streaming down her face. “H-he’s gone, Miss Alina. We... we found him like this.”I turned to her, my voice trembling with fury and disbelief. “Gone? What do you mean gone? He was stable just a few hours ago!”Another maid whisper
Bianca's POVThe air in the pack house was suffocating, laden with tension so thick it was nearly tangible. Finn’s death had cast a dark shadow over everything, and it was a matter of time before accusations and suspicions boiled over. My hands trembled as I paced my room, my mind racing.This wasn’t part of the plan.Jenny sat on the bed, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her face pale but defiant. “Bianca, this is getting out of hand. Rose knows something. She practically accused us in front of Benedicta.”I whirled on her, my voice sharp. “And what exactly do you think we should do about it? Go to the elders and confess? Because that’s what your panicking sounds like.”Jenny flinched, her composure cracking. “No, but if Alina starts digging, we’re finished. She’s furious. She’ll turn over every stone to find out who killed Finn, and when she does, we’ll be the first ones she looks at.”I clenched my jaw, staring out the window. The moonlight illuminated the pack grounds, tra
Alina’s POVThe dim glow of the moon seeped through my window, casting long, wavering shadows on the walls. The silence in the pack house was almost unnerving, a stark contrast to the turmoil in my mind. Finn’s death haunted me relentlessly—his smile, his laugh, the way he always seemed to hold the pack together. Now he was gone, and we were left scrambling in the dark to uncover who had ripped him away from us.But I wouldn’t rest until I knew.A soft knock on my door startled me. My heart raced as I got up cautiously. No one should have been awake at this hour. Opening the door, I was met with a familiar face—Russell.I pulled him inside quickly, locking the door behind him. “You shouldn’t be here,” I whispered sharply.Russell leaned against the wall, his face etched with exhaustion but his eyes burning with determination. “I couldn’t stay hidden any longer, Alina. We’re running out of time.”I nodded, knowing he was right but unwilling to admit it aloud. Russell had been staying i
Rose’s POVThe evening air was thick with tension as I made my way to meet Luca. My heart raced, both from the fear of what had happened earlier and the anticipation of finally sharing everything with someone who might be able to help. Finn’s death, the accusations, the chaos—it all weighed heavily on me, and I needed clarity, answers, and protection.The narrow path I took was shrouded in darkness, with the faint sound of rustling leaves accompanying my footsteps. A sense of unease crept over me like eyes were watching me from the shadows. I stopped in my tracks and glanced around, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary.“Get a grip, Rose,” I whispered to myself, resuming my walk.The unease didn’t leave, though. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and the cool night air seemed to grow colder. Suddenly, a hand clamped over my mouth, stifling my scream as another arm wrapped tightly around my waist, dragging me into the nearby thicket.“Shh, don’t make a sound,” a voice hissed
Rose's POVThe cold stone floor beneath me was a cruel reminder of my reality, my back pressed against the damp wall of the cellar. My body ached with exhaustion and pain; each bruise was a testament to the torment I had endured at the hands of Russell and Alina. The cell was stifling, suffocating in its silence, and I could feel my breath becoming shallow as panic bubbled just beneath the surface. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been here, but the isolation and darkness were wearing me down.The faint creak of the cellar door jolted me to attention. Footsteps echoed down the stairs, slow and deliberate. I already knew who it was, even before she stepped into view.Alina.Her presence filled the room as she approached, her polished, composed demeanor standing in stark contrast to the grim surroundings. She held something in her hand something that glinted in the dim light. A dress. A ridiculous gesture of control. She tossed it onto the floor in front of me like I was nothing more than an
Luca's POVThe weight of the past few days bore down on me like a suffocating blanket. I couldn’t shake the gnawing worry about Rose. She was out there somewhere alive, I hoped but every passing second without answers felt like a dagger twisting in my chest.My phone buzzed, pulling me from my thoughts. Jenny's voice came through the line, calm but urgent.“We’re here,” she said.I grabbed my jacket and stepped out of my car, spotting Jenny and Bianca standing near the café’s entrance. They looked anxious, their gazes darting around as if someone might overhear them.“Let’s make this quick,” I said, gesturing for them to follow me to a quieter corner of the park nearby. “What’s this about?”Jenny glanced at Bianca before speaking. “It’s about Rose... and Russell.”The mention of his name made my fists clench. “What about him?”Bianca took a deep breath, her expression conflicted. “We know where Rose is being kept.”My heart skipped a beat. “Where?”“At the pack house,” she said, her v
Jenny’s POVBianca and I exchanged a knowing glance as we drove down the main road, the morning sun casting long shadows over the car’s dashboard. Russell’s little stunt in the parking lot was laughable. The way he tried to play the enforcer, pretending to be the innocent one, was almost amusing if it weren’t so infuriating.“Can you believe him?” Bianca scoffed, leaning back in her seat with crossed arms. “Acting like we’re suspects when we already know what he’s capable of.”I smirked, gripping the steering wheel tighter. “He’s so transparent, it’s pathetic. But let him think he’s in control. The more he underestimates us, the easier it’ll be to take him down.”Bianca nodded, her expression hardening. “He thinks we’re clueless, but we’ve got him pegged. And Alina, too. They won’t see us coming.”Before I could reply, my phone buzzed on the console. Luca’s name flashed on the screen, and I quickly answered.“Where are you?” Luca’s voice was tense and low like he was barely holding hi
Luca’s POVSitting on the worn leather couch in Benedicta's living room, I stared at my phone, replaying Jenny’s words in my head. She had called earlier, her voice trembling as she insisted we meet. She claimed to have information about Rose, information that could turn everything around. My chest tightened at the thought of her name.“I don’t know if I can trust her,” I admitted, running a hand through my hair.Benedicta leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, her expression filled with concern. “What exactly did she say?”“She was vague, but she mentioned Rose and said it was urgent. She sounded scared.”Benedicta tilted her head, a thoughtful frown on her face. “Luca, you know this could be a trap. Russell has his claws in everything right now. Jenny could be working for him.”“I know,” I said, my voice sharp with frustration. “But what if she’s telling the truth? What if she knows where Rose is or what happened to her?”Benedicta sat down across from me, her dark eyes steady. “
Bianca's POVThe room was unusually quiet as I paced back and forth, my mind clouded with regret and unease. Jenny sat on the bed, her hands fiddling with her phone as if she were looking for the courage to speak. Finally, she sighed and broke the silence.“Bianca, we’ve made some terrible mistakes,” she said softly, her eyes meeting mine.I stopped pacing and turned to her, nodding slowly. “I know. What we did to Rose... it wasn’t right. I was so caught up in the moment, in everything Alina and Russell fed us, that I didn’t stop to think for myself.”Jenny gave me a small, sad smile. “Me too. But it’s not too late. We can still do something to help her.”Her words lit a spark of hope in me. “You’re right. But how? Russell and Alina have her locked up somewhere, and we both know they’ll go to any length to make sure she suffers. If we make a wrong move, they’ll know we’re on to them.”Jenny bit her lip, thinking hard. Then she grabbed her phone and opened the video she’d recorded of R
Rose's POVI woke up to darkness and the damp, musty smell of earth. My head throbbed painfully, and as I shifted, I realized I was lying on a cold, hard floor. Disoriented, I tried to sit up, but my movements were slow and unsteady. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the faint light seeping through the cracks in the door, revealing the confined space around me.A cellar.Panic surged through me as I scrambled to my feet, my heart pounding in my chest. I rushed to the heavy wooden door, banging on it with all my strength. "Hello? Is anyone there? Let me out!"My voice echoed in the small space, but there was no response. Frustration bubbled up inside me, and I pounded on the door again, my fists aching with the effort.Suddenly, I heard footsteps outside. I froze, holding my breath as the sound grew louder, stopping just on the other side of the door. The lock clicked, and the door creaked open, revealing Russell’s tall, looming figure."Keep your voice down," he said sharply,
Bianca's POVThe acrid smell of smoke hung heavy in the air as I crouched behind a charred wall, the flames casting flickering shadows around me. The chaos in the prison yard provided the perfect cover as I silently observed Russell emerging from the building, carrying an unconscious Rose over his shoulder.I couldn’t deny the small flicker of satisfaction I felt as I discreetly raised my phone, recording every step he took. The camera lens followed his every move—the way he moved quickly yet cautiously, his sharp eyes scanning the area for anyone who might witness his actions.“Perfect,” I muttered under my breath. My phone’s screen glowed faintly in the darkness, capturing every incriminating second.Jenny was stationed elsewhere, tailing Alina. We had planned this carefully. Jenny would ensure Alina’s actions were documented, while I focused on Russell. Every step of the way, we were one step closer to exposing the truth.As I watched Russell haul Rose out of the crumbling building
Bianca's POVThe night was still, save for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. I had been walking down the hall toward my room when I heard faint voices coming from Alina’s study. Curious, I paused just outside the door, careful to stay in the shadows.“Are you sure about this?” Alina’s sharp voice carried through the crack in the door.“Yes,” Russell replied confidently. “Tomorrow night, everything will go as planned. Once the fire distracts the guards, I’ll get Rose out and bring her back to the pack. She’ll be ours to deal with.”My heart skipped a beat. Fire? Rose? What were they planning?“And you’re certain the elders won’t interfere?” Alina asked her voice tight with concern.“They’ll have no idea until it’s too late,” Russell assured her. “By the time they figure it out, Rose will be back here, under our control. Trust me, Alina, everything is under control.”I pressed my hand over my mouth to keep from gasping. Russell and Alina were plotting to break Rose out of pri
Rose's POV The sound of the keys jingling outside my cell sent a chill down my spine. I sat up, staring at the bars, dreading yet another interruption to my solitude. My life was in shambles, but at least here, in this cold, damp cell, I could think—strategize.“Get up,” the warden’s gruff voice commanded as she unlocked the door.I stayed seated, narrowing my eyes. “What now?”“You have visitors,” she snapped, stepping inside.Visitors. My stomach churned. No one should be here. No one who cared about me would dare come to this place. Which left only enemies.I stood slowly, letting my chains rattle as I stretched out my aching limbs. “This should be fun,” I muttered under my breath, following her out.The warden led me through the long corridor. Every step felt heavier than the last, the chains clinking like a somber melody. As we stepped outside, the blinding sunlight stung my eyes. I blinked rapidly, trying to adjust, and then I saw them.Alina and Russell.Alina stood tall and r