Beth pov I never saw the attack coming. I was walking the garden path with Liam in his pram, enjoying the morning air while Melissa patrolled nearby. Mywolf sensed the danger a split second too late as Serena burst from the concealing foliage, already half-shifted and wielding silver-coated claws.
Caleb pov I haven't moved from Melissa's bedside in three days. My sweet little mate lay unnaturally still, silver burns marring her skin even in human form, her usually vibrant presence in our bond reduced to a faint flutter. "Fight," I whispered, pressing my forehead to her limp hand. "Please
Beth pov Every morning, I followed the same routine. After feeding Liam, I would make my way to the infirmary where Melissa lay still and silent. Caleb would be there, of course - he barely left except when an alpha ordered him to rest. But he would give me private time with my friend, understandi
Beth pov I was in the middle of my usual morning update, Liam creating his daily moonlight patterns beside Melissa's bed, when I felt it - a strengthening in our pack bond, like a radio signal finally cutting through static. "Melissa?" I whispered, gripping my friend's hand tighter. Through ou
Melissa pov Steam filled the bathroom as Caleb carefully tested the water temperature, adding more lavender oils that Sophia had provided for healing. I sat on the edge of the large tub, still weak from my long coma but insistent on being upright. "I can do this myself," I protested weakly, thou
Beth pov The trial was held in Fireside's great hall, with representatives from all allied packs present. Serena stood in chains - both silver and steel - her once-perfect appearance now haggard from weeks in custody. But her eyes still burned with hatred as they fixed on me. "The council recogn
Alexander pov As the pack dispersed after Serena's trial, I watched my mate speaking quietly with the council members. Beth's strength through the proceedings, her mercy in judgment, her grace under Serena's hatred – all of it made my wolf surge with pride and love. I also wanted to sink balls dee
Serena pov The mountain prison's silver walls gleamed coldly as my father Alpha James Blake followed the guard to his my cell. I sat huddled in the corner, my once-perfect appearance now ragged, my bound wolf making me seem smaller somehow. "Father," I whispered, pressing against the silver bars
Liam took my hands in his, his grip firm and grounding. "Listen to me. I don't care what they did or what they think. I know what's real. The woman I love, the mother of my children—that's you. Not some subject number, not some experiment. You." "But how can we trust anything?" I asked, my voice b
Grace pov I continued scrolling, finding more photographs: myself at various ages, always in clinical settings, always with that same serious expression. And then, abruptly, the images stopped. The next entry was dated 2015, when, according to the file, my memories had been "reconstructed." *Fin
Grace pov The pack house hummed with activity as preparations were underway for the coming arrangement with the Prisma Institute. In the midst of this controlled chaos, I sat alone in the small study off the main library, the flash drive Reid had given me resting on the desk before me. I had waite
Grace pov Mass panic would only strengthen the entity," Markham protested. "Spawning thousands of conspiracy theories, each one feeding it more power!" "Then I suggest you accept our terms," I replied calmly. Dr. Reid studied me for a long moment before a small, unexpected smile curved her lip
Grace pov At full strength," Markham continued, "it can reshape matter according to falsehoods. Make lies become truth, in the most literal sense. Imagine someone claiming a building doesn't exist—and then watching it fade from reality before your eyes. Or claiming someone is dead—and having them
Grace pov Blackwater Bridge Nature Preserve stretched out before them, deceptively peaceful in the midday sun. Once a thriving state park, it had been closed to the public five years earlier after funding cuts, its wooden observation platforms, and hiking trails slowly being reclaimed by nature. T
My fingers tightened around the phone. "My daughter is not for sale." "Everything has a price," Dr. Reid replied softly. "Even principles. Especially when weighed against global catastrophe. We'll see you tomorrow." The line went dead. I set down the phone, meeting the expectant gazes around me.
Grace pov The pack house's secure communications room fell silent as I placed the phone on the table. Five days had passed since my interrogation of Serena, three since I had managed to contact my old acquaintance—Eliza, another truth-seer who had escaped the Prisma Institute's clutches years befo
I pushed deeper, my mind sifting through the fragments of truth revealing themselves. A wall in my vision began to crumble, showing what lay behind. "There's something else," I said, voice strained with effort. "Something coming. Something you're afraid of." Serena began to struggle against her