George's POV Supporting each other, James and I scanned for an escape. Retreating back into the hotel and trying to reach the lower floors was out of the question; it was too unstable.Then, I spotted something, a large steel mass that had fallen across from the adjacent building. It looked like a twisted bridge between us and a safer path. It must have been torn off in the blast, but for now, it offered a narrow way across.“They’re focusing on the bigger structures,” I muttered, more to reassure myself than anything. James nodded, and together, we began inching across the fallen mass. Every step made it sway beneath us, my heart pounding in sync with the treacherous rhythm. Adrenaline surged through my veins, sharpening my senses. All that mattered now was survival.We were halfway across when another bomb dropped, shattering what remained of the hotel below us. The force rocked the mass, and it began to crumble, half of it plummeting to the crumbling hotel.I tightened my grip,
Lyra's POV I stayed inside, waiting anxiously Damian to return. When he finally walked in, herbs in hand, I felt a sense of relief I hadn’t realized I needed. He sat beside me, applying the mixture to my wound, the cool, earthy smell seeping into my skin and numbing the sting. We talked quietly for a while, but eventually, weariness overcame me, and I drifted into sleep.I slept deeply, far more than usual. Perhaps it was the safety I felt here, sheltered from human eyes. Or maybe it was exhaustion, the kind that clung to my bones after days of constant travel and vigilance.For the next few days, I hardly left my room. Damian came by often, bringing food and tending to my wound. By the fourth day, the wound had fully healed, a faint scar marking the place where I’d been injured.The walls began to close in on me. Restlessness stirred, and I needed to breathe fresh air, to feel life beyond my room. Damian agreed to accompany me to the garden. Stepping outside was like breaking fre
George's POV We had been confined to the underground camp for weeks. The walls seemed to press in, stifling and relentless, making every breath feel thin and every thought feel heavier. The silence here wasn’t restful, it was a constant reminder of how trapped we were, echoing in the stale, dark air.Sometimes, when night fell, James and I would sneak outside to gulp in fresh air. We’d sit there for hours under the stars, the vastness of the night sky a small comfort against the cramped reality we returned to each morning.Yet lately, something felt off, like a shadow lingering just out of sight.“What are you thinking about?” James asked, his voice soft but edged with curiosity.In the time we’d spent here, James had become more than just another person trapped in this underground prison, he became a friend. The days felt less bleak with him beside me.I glanced at him, hesitating. “Ralph mentioned there were people abducted by the Gapan soldiers, right?”James nodded slowly, his g
Lyra's POV Since discovering that my mother had quietly gone out of her way to gather the herbs I needed, I felt a faint wave of relief wash over me, a fragile thread of hope that maybe things could heal, someday. I rarely leave the castle these days. The thought of stepping outside and facing the prying eyes, the endless questions, the hushed whispers behind my back, left me drained. My baby bump had grown significantly now, so prominent that I couldn’t hide it anymore. I’d stand in front of the mirror, resting a hand over my belly, feeling an inexplicable bond with the life growing inside me. It was strange, wondrous, and yet… beneath that wonder lay an undeniable shadow.The transformation, the curse that had lingered over me like a storm cloud, unbroken. What if this curse affected my unborn child? The thought was a chilling dagger lodged deep within my heart, one I tried so hard to ignore. Yet I hadn’t told anyone in my family about it. How could I?I was ashamed, not only o
George's POV For months, we lived in that fragile peace, surviving day by day, watching as hope flickered yet never fully ignited. Thankfully, after relentless battles and pleas, other nations intervened, pushing back the horrors of a hot war. Gapan was finally free.But freedom came at a cost. The land was scarred, streets that once held life now echoed with loss, buildings lay crumbled, and the toll on people’s lives weighed heavy. Leaving the country immediately was out of the question; we were trapped amidst the remnants of what used to be, waiting as time stretched painfully slowly.Though resources were scarce, we managed to feed ourselves, rationing what little we had, just enough to keep us going. Ralph and the others made the choice to relocate to the government camps, temporary shelters set up for those like us, displaced and waiting for a return to something resembling life. But in those camps, desperation hung. The high rate of anarchy and robbery was no surprise; hun
George's POVDear George,I wish I could tell you this in person, but it wouldn’t make any difference.I’m not human, and your world is no place for a werewolf.Don’t try to find me. The feelings I had for you have faded. Just live your life.LyraMy hands trembled as I held the letter, reading and re-reading her words as if I could somehow twist their meaning into something different. Something that made sense. But each time, the ink seemed colder, more final, as though her goodbye had settled into the paper long before I even held it.I couldn’t breathe. How could any of this be real? I wanted to blame her words on the time I’d been away, but the letter itself seemed old, its edges frayed.I forced myself to stagger to her room, praying for any sign that she had meant to return, that she hadn’t left everything behind. But nothing had changed. Her clothes hung untouched, her familiar things all in place, frozen as though she'd just stepped out. The thought that she might have left
George's POV "Did you see the letter she left?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.My mother and Sarah exchanged confused glances. "What letter?" my mother asked, her gaze searching my face."Don't worry about it," I muttered, hoping to brush it off.But my mother leaned forward. "No, tell me. There was a letter?""I said forget it, Mother," I replied, a touch more sharply than I intended.Silence fell, thick and uncomfortable. Sarah and my mother went to the kitchen, preparing dinner. They made my favorite soup.While they cooked, my house help moved quietly through my room, tidying up my room.At dinner, I barely touched my food. Each spoonful felt like sand on my tongue. When we finished, they insisted on staying, offering to keep me company, but I refused."It's all just… a bad dream," I murmured, more to myself than to them, hoping, praying that any moment Lyra would walk through the door, that somehow this nightmare would end. I still didn’t understand what had gone
Lyra's POV It’s been over a week since I gave birth, and in this short time, the baby has proven to be an unexpected blessing. Each day, I find myself marvelling at his tiny fingers and the quiet strength in his bright eyes, and with every moment, my heart grows fuller. But while my love for him deepens, so does a shadow of fear I can’t quite shake.My father organised a grand ceremony to celebrate the arrival of his grandson, despite my protests. He spared no expense, filling our halls with guests, music, and celebration. Yet, even amid the joy, whispers circulated among the werewolves in attendance, questions, rumours.Some wondered about my son’s heritage, his father. The curiosity burned in their eyes, and though my family turned a deaf ear, I felt each questioning gaze like a prickling on my skin.I named him Kael, a name that means ‘mighty warrior,’ suited for a fierce and courageous werewolf. But would he live up to the strength that name implied, or would his mixed blood b
George's POV When I pulled up in front of the house, my hands clenched the leather steering wheel so tightly that my knuckles turned white. The pressure grounded me, but the churning in my gut refused to settle. I wanted to storm inside, to confront my mother, to demand the truth behind her lies. But there was something heavier weighing on me, something that demanded I prioritize my time. And Vera, if I lingered too long, I risked dragging her into something she didn’t deserve.I didn’t even realize she’d been talking until her voice cut through the fog in my head.“I said, goodnight. Please take care,” Vera repeated gently, a hint of worry in her tone.Her words pulled me out of my thoughts, and I managed a stiff nod. Without another word, she turned and disappeared inside.I exhaled slowly. Then, steeling myself, I started the car and drove toward the outskirts of the city. The sun had dipped below the horizon. Darkness crept in quickly, but I barely noticed.The journey felt end
George's POV I arrived at Vera’s school, knowing her schedule well enough to catch her before she left. Just as I parked, I spotted her getting into a car to head home.Without hesitation, I stepped on the gas, overtaking them and forcing the driver to pull over abruptly. From an outsider’s perspective, it might have looked like an attempted abduction.I approached her window and rapped on the glass. She hesitated before rolling it down, her eyes narrowing as they met mine.“Get out,” I commanded, my tone leaving no room for debate.Without a word of protest, she obeyed, stepping out of her car. I opened the passenger door to mine, gesturing for her to get in. She did, her movements stiff but compliant, and I drove off without another word.“I was planning to come see you,” she stammered after a moment, her voice faltering under the tension in the air.I ignored her, my focus fixed on the road. The silence between us was heavy, the only sound was the hum of the engine. After a while
George's POV After what happened with Sonia that day, shame and guilt weighed heavily on me, clawing at my conscience. I couldn't shake the memory of her deceit. I had thought Sonia had a boyfriend, that she'd moved on, but no, it had all been a calculated ploy to get to me. The realization left a sour taste in my mouth, and I wrestled with the uncomfortable truth of how deeply Lyra would be hurt by my actions.Strangely, Sonia hadn't reached out since that day. Not a single message or call. Her silence was deafening, yet I found myself unwilling to contact her. I pushed the turmoil aside, choosing instead to channel my energy into something more important: finding Lyra.Work had become a low priority; I showed up sparingly, my mind perpetually elsewhere. That evening, after another distracted day at the office, I returned home feeling the weight of my unspoken regrets. Needing an escape from the confines of my thoughts, I decided to sit outside for a while. There was a bench ben
Lyra's POVI gasped, stumbling away from the mirror, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst from my chest. I ran out of the room, tears streaming down my face uncontrollably.I found Damian, who was standing in the hallway, his brow furrowed with concern. “Did you have a nightmare?” he asked, his voice soft.I shook my head, my hands trembling as I clutched the fabric of my dress. “Something is happening to me,” I whispered, barely able to get the words out.Damian stepped forward, his arms reaching out as though to offer solace. “Relax,” he said. “You should rest, get some sleep.”“No,” I cried out. “You don’t understand!” The panic churned inside me, gnawing at me like a living thing. How could I explain the fear gnawing at my soul, the overwhelming dread that I had come so close to ending the life of my own child?Damian didn’t stop. He pulled me gently, leading me toward my room.“Come on, let’s go to your room, it’ll be okay.” His insistence, even though he did
Lyra's POV I woke from a disturbing dream that left me drenched in sweat, my breaths shallow and uneven. The sun’s rays seeped through the curtains, telling me it was almost noon. My hand instinctively went to my injury. A faint relief washed over me. The poisonous content seemed to have drained out, leaving the wound raw but cleaner.The veins surrounding the injury pulsed in a rhythmic throb. The black discoloration had faded slightly. I sat up slowly, careful not to jar the wound, and dragged myself to the bathroom.The cold water against my skin jolted me fully. After drying off, I slipped into clean clothes.When I stepped out, the scent of warm bread and spiced stew filled the air. In the dining room, I found my mother, her arms wrapped protectively around Kael.“Where’s Father?” I asked as I approached.“He’s gone out with Damian,” she replied. “They went to assess the damage done to the pack.”I nodded, absorbing her words as I sat down. I focused on eating instead of dwelli
Lyra's POV I attacked with every ounce of strength I had, my claws slashing through the air with ferocity. The soldiers pinning Damian to the ground quickly turned their attention to me, their faces twisted in surprise, but I didn't hesitate. With a roar that seemed to shake the very earth beneath us, I struck with the same unrelenting fury that had been building inside me. Damian rose to his feet, shaking off the last of his attackers, his eyes flashing with determination. Within moments, he joined the fray, fighting back with the same intensity that coursed through my veins. In the chaos of battle, the ground around us littered with fallen soldiers, it was only the two of us still standing, our breath ragged, but our resolve unbroken.“I told you to stay inside, right?” Damian’s voice broke through the tension, his words laced with amusement as he wiped the blood from his brow.I couldn’t answer, not in my wolf form. But deep within, a smile curled on my lips. His joking tone,
Lyra's POV I abruptly stood up, my heart racing as I dropped everything I was doing. Without a second thought, I scooped up Kael from his bed, his peaceful slumber shattered by the chaos outside. The mind link was silent, leaving me in the dark about what was unfolding.The sound of a loud bang echoed through the walls, each one closer than the last. Gunshots cracked through the air, followed by agonized screams that made my blood run cold. My pulse quickened as dread coiled tightly in my chest.Flinging the door open, I stepped into an eerily empty hallway as I sprinted to the sitting room. There, I saw my father, his face a mask of grim determination, strapping on his full armor and gripping his sword.“What is happening?” I demanded, my voice trembling despite my effort to stay calm.“Maximus,” he growled, his eyes hard and focused. “He’s attacking.”Before I could process his words, Damian emerged from another room, a sword in his hand.“Protect the castle with the soldiers,” my
Lyra's POV It’s been over a week since I gave birth, and in this short time, the baby has proven to be an unexpected blessing. Each day, I find myself marvelling at his tiny fingers and the quiet strength in his bright eyes, and with every moment, my heart grows fuller. But while my love for him deepens, so does a shadow of fear I can’t quite shake.My father organised a grand ceremony to celebrate the arrival of his grandson, despite my protests. He spared no expense, filling our halls with guests, music, and celebration. Yet, even amid the joy, whispers circulated among the werewolves in attendance, questions, rumours.Some wondered about my son’s heritage, his father. The curiosity burned in their eyes, and though my family turned a deaf ear, I felt each questioning gaze like a prickling on my skin.I named him Kael, a name that means ‘mighty warrior,’ suited for a fierce and courageous werewolf. But would he live up to the strength that name implied, or would his mixed blood b
George's POV "Did you see the letter she left?" I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.My mother and Sarah exchanged confused glances. "What letter?" my mother asked, her gaze searching my face."Don't worry about it," I muttered, hoping to brush it off.But my mother leaned forward. "No, tell me. There was a letter?""I said forget it, Mother," I replied, a touch more sharply than I intended.Silence fell, thick and uncomfortable. Sarah and my mother went to the kitchen, preparing dinner. They made my favorite soup.While they cooked, my house help moved quietly through my room, tidying up my room.At dinner, I barely touched my food. Each spoonful felt like sand on my tongue. When we finished, they insisted on staying, offering to keep me company, but I refused."It's all just… a bad dream," I murmured, more to myself than to them, hoping, praying that any moment Lyra would walk through the door, that somehow this nightmare would end. I still didn’t understand what had gone