The room closed in on Xavier, the air thick with a suffocating weight. Shadows clung to the corners, twisting and warping in a dance of mocking whispers, echoing his deepest failures and fears. The journal lay on the table before him, its presence a cold reminder of the sins that had brought him to this point. His fingers hovered over the worn leather, but he could not bear to open it. The vision of the altar—the blood, the hollow, accusing eyes of his mother—replayed in his mind like a tormenting nightmare. He had been born of violence, of rejection, forged in the darkness of his father’s cruel design. And Henry… his mate, his salvation, now stood as nothing more than a pawn in that same twisted game of shadows."You don’t get to say that, Xavier," Diego snapped, his voice raw, full of unspent anger. "You didn’t choose this. You didn’t choose him." His frustration rippled through the space, but beneath the edge of it, Xavier heard something else—something softer, more understanding.
Henry****My body trembles, my breath ragged as I strain against the restraints holding me down. My wrists are bound to this cold, unforgiving chair, the ropes digging into my skin, but it’s the pain inside my head that’s worse. The darkness has seeped into me, suffocating me from the inside, and now it’s coming for me, trying to consume everything I’ve ever been.The room around me is dim, the air thick and heavy, pressing down with each breath I take. But it’s the shadows that get to me the most. They claw at me, whispering from the corners where the light never reaches. I can feel their cold fingers creeping into my mind, wrapping around my thoughts, twisting them into grotesque shapes.Give in, Henry. There is nothing left for you but me.The words are soft at first, like a murmur in the back of my mind, but they’re getting louder, growing louder with every second. I grit my teeth, trying to shut them out, but it’s no use. They won’t stop.You’re nothing without me. You were alway
***Henry****“Where do you think you are going?” A voice is behind me as I walk through the living room of the pack house with the load of laundry in my arms. My step stopped as I knew the danger of being caught snooping around where I wasn’t supposed to be. The voice belonged to the pack warrior, Cody, who had a stern expression on his face. I quickly stuttered out an excuse about looking for the laundry room before making a hasty retreat.“Stop right where you are,” Cody, one of the pack warriors, said, putting his hand on my hip as he pointed his finger at me. “Henry.” A smile formed on Cody’s lips as he pushed my body to the ground, making the load of laundry fall to the ground with a loud thud.“What are you doing?” I shouted, trying to stand up, but Cody put his feet on my chest, pinning me down. “You’re not going anywhere,” he growled, his eyes filled with malice as the surrounding people laughed seeing me struggling.“Leave me alone, Cody,” I shouted, feeling a surge of fear a
***Henry****I shook my head, trying to get up, but the pain in my leg was too intense. But I somehow managed to stand up, gritting my teeth through the pain.I wish I could just lie down and rest and not have to do anything else for the rest of the day. The throbbing ache in my leg was a constant reminder of the pain and abuse that had happened to me earlier.A cough broke from my mouth as I leaned to pick up the dirty laundry from the ground that Cody and his friend had crushed under their boots. I winced as I straightened up, the weight of the laundry causing a sharp pain to shoot through my ribs. I knew I had to finish this chore or I might not get any dinner tonight. The thought of a warm meal waiting for me was the only thing keeping me going as I pushed through the pain and exhaustion.I somehow managed to go to the laundry room and put the clothes in the washer before collapsing onto the couch.My body is aching, and my mind is foggy, but at least the laundry is started. I’ll
****Xavier*****“Did you find the culprit behind the incident?” I asked, brushing my hair in front of the mirror. “No, not yet,” my beta replied with a worried expression.“Five years have passed since the incident, and we still have no leads,” he added, his tone filled with frustration. “Maybe you should let go of the past and focus on the present,” he suggested, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.I closed my fist, turning my head towards Dean, my eyes filled with determination. “I will rest until I catch the one responsible for what happened,” I declared, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. “Just do what you have asked to do,” I stated, wearing my shirt and heading out the door, ready to start my day.Dean bowed his head in understanding, knowing that I was not going to give up until I found the one who ruined everything in my life.As I walked out into the morning sun, staring at the horizon with a steely gaze, “What day is it?” I asked, walking towards my car.Dean opened t
***Henry****A new day, a new beginning. I thought of pushing myself out of bed even if I didn’t want to. My body is still aching from the abuse from last night, and the lack of food only increases my fatigue. But I know that I have to get up and do my work or I might get punched yet again, and I don’t think my body is strong enough to handle any more abuse. So, I take a deep breath, muster up my strength, and slowly start my day, hoping for a better tomorrow.I took a cold bath in the common bathroom that is shared by the entire floor, feeling the chill seep into my bones; it was so cold that I could barely feel my fingers. I wish I could have warm water for a change, but that luxury is far out of reach for me. Despite the discomfort, I remind myself that this is just a temporary situation and I must stay strong.I made my room, changing and wearing the same clothes that I had been wearing for days now, but I didn’t have any other options at the moment. As I look around my small, dim
****Xavier*****“Mate,” my wolf growls, recognizing the scent before I do.But my world shook as a similar face came into view—the one I thought I would never see again. My heart raced with a mix of emotions, unsure of how to react after all this time apart.“Henry...” I whispered, my voice barely above a breath. The memories flooded back, both painful and beautiful, as I struggled to process the sudden connection that had reignited between us. Henry’s eyes held a mixture of regret and longing, mirroring my own conflicted feelings.Henry is my mate. How can this be possible? I thought to myself in disbelief. The bond we once shared seemed unbreakable, yet here he was, standing before me. As our eyes locked, I could sense that he, too, was grappling with the same overwhelming emotions that threatened to consume us both.But before I could say anything, Henry ran away from me, leaving me with an overwhelming thought of our new connection and the unanswered questions that lingered in the
***Henry****“It’s you,” Xavier whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the pouring rain outside as his lips connected with mine in a soft, gentle kiss. For a moment, my mind went numb with shock and disbelief. The feeling of his touch sent shivers down my spine, making me forget about everything else at that moment. His smell fills my nostrils, making my wolf howl in approval, recognizing its mate.But the human in me knew this was wrong and dangerous. I pushed Xavier on his back, breaking the kiss abruptly, and took a step back, trying to regain my composure. “What are you doing? This... this doesn’t seem right,” I stammered, my heart racing with conflicting emotions. “We can’t do this.”Xavier rubbed his chin, a smile playing on his lips, his eyes dark with desire. “I know it’s wrong, but I can’t fight this pull between us,” he whispered, stepping closer. “I need you.”Xavier’s words made my mind race with desire and confusion. Despite knowing the consequences, I coul
Henry****My body trembles, my breath ragged as I strain against the restraints holding me down. My wrists are bound to this cold, unforgiving chair, the ropes digging into my skin, but it’s the pain inside my head that’s worse. The darkness has seeped into me, suffocating me from the inside, and now it’s coming for me, trying to consume everything I’ve ever been.The room around me is dim, the air thick and heavy, pressing down with each breath I take. But it’s the shadows that get to me the most. They claw at me, whispering from the corners where the light never reaches. I can feel their cold fingers creeping into my mind, wrapping around my thoughts, twisting them into grotesque shapes.Give in, Henry. There is nothing left for you but me.The words are soft at first, like a murmur in the back of my mind, but they’re getting louder, growing louder with every second. I grit my teeth, trying to shut them out, but it’s no use. They won’t stop.You’re nothing without me. You were alway
The room closed in on Xavier, the air thick with a suffocating weight. Shadows clung to the corners, twisting and warping in a dance of mocking whispers, echoing his deepest failures and fears. The journal lay on the table before him, its presence a cold reminder of the sins that had brought him to this point. His fingers hovered over the worn leather, but he could not bear to open it. The vision of the altar—the blood, the hollow, accusing eyes of his mother—replayed in his mind like a tormenting nightmare. He had been born of violence, of rejection, forged in the darkness of his father’s cruel design. And Henry… his mate, his salvation, now stood as nothing more than a pawn in that same twisted game of shadows."You don’t get to say that, Xavier," Diego snapped, his voice raw, full of unspent anger. "You didn’t choose this. You didn’t choose him." His frustration rippled through the space, but beneath the edge of it, Xavier heard something else—something softer, more understanding.
The journal felt heavier in Xavier’s hands, its leather cover cool and damp, as if it had absorbed the decay of time itself. The scent of aged parchment and faded ink hung thick in the air, dust swirling like a specter, choking the space between them. His fingers trembled as they hovered over the pages, each turn more agonizing than the last.Diego stood beside him, his silence more piercing than any words. A steady presence in the growing storm of revelations, his watchful gaze never leaving Xavier’s face.The ink on the brittle pages pulsed, shifting like something alive, whispering secrets long buried in the abyss. Xavier’s breath hitched, his chest tightening as he turned to the next page.“The Ritual of Darkmoon is not meant for mortals to wield. But I had no choice. Power is not given—it is taken, demanded from the abyss itself. And so, I made the sacrifice.”Xavier's hands shook violently. The words twisted inside his chest like a rusted dagger, leaving a trail of ice in their
Xavier****The words hung between us like a death sentence—heavy and unyielding. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat a painful reminder of the choice I faced. Diego stood before me, his jaw clenched, eyes burning with determination, but I could see the flicker of pain beneath his resolve. It mirrored my own, twisting in my gut, tightening my throat.Lyra’s gaze flicked between us, her expression unreadable. "One soul," she said softly, her voice almost lost in the deafening rush of blood in my ears. "Only one of you can make the sacrifice."A bitter laugh escaped before I could stop it. "So, we fight over who gets to die?" The absurdity of it all made my head spin. I had spent so long trying to save Henry, and now... now it came down to this.Diego exhaled sharply. "It won’t be you, Xavier." His voice was unwavering, the finality in it leaving no room for argument. "I won't let you."My throat tightened, words threatening to choke me. "You can’t ask me to stand by and watch you do
Xavier****The grip around my neck tightened, and panic surged through me like wildfire. Henry’s hands, once a source of warmth and protection, had become a vice, his fingers pressing into my skin with an unnatural strength. His eyes—golden and wild—held no trace of the mate I had fought for, the mate I had desperately tried to save. The demons that plagued his mind had claimed him completely, twisting him into something unrecognizable.I gasped for breath, my heart hammering against my chest as I struggled to free myself. "Henry, stop!" I croaked, my voice hoarse from the pressure in my throat. But the man in front of me—if it could even be called that—did not respond. He only smirked, his lips curling into a grotesque smile that sent an icy chill down my spine."You always think you can save everyone, Xavier," he whispered, his voice low and laced with venomous sweetness. "But you can't even save yourself."His grip tightened further, cutting off my air supply. I could feel my stren
Xavier****A week had passed since that day, yet the weight of everything that had transpired still pressed down on us like a suffocating fog. Henry remained unconscious, his body pale and still. The darkness had retreated, but it left scars deep enough to haunt us all. And I could do nothing but wait and watch, praying for a sign that he would wake up, praying that this nightmare would end.The cage was silent now, save for the occasional drip of water from the far corner. But that silence was a lie—a facade hiding the chaos that raged inside. Dean was there, shackled and bruised, his eyes vacant as he slumped against the cold bars. The light was dim in the corner of the room, but it did nothing to ease the sharp lines of agony on his face.I approached the cage slowly, the sound of my boots against the floor echoing in the stillness. His eyes flickered up at me, but there was no recognition, no defiance—just a hollow emptiness that made my blood run cold. My once-loyal beta, or so I
Xavier***The silence stretched taut, every breath dragging against the sharp edges of my pounding heart. Henry’s darkened grin wavered as I held him, my grip tightening around his neck despite myself. His body burned with unnatural heat—a sharp, unsettling contrast to the ice in his voice.“What’s wrong, Xavier?” He sneered, his tone a haunting blend of mockery and menace. “You can't hurt the man you love, can you? Can you, sweetheart?"I searched his eyes desperately, looking past the shroud of darkness that clung to him like a second skin. Somewhere beneath that void was the Henry I knew—the man who had laughed with me, fought beside me, and loved me. But that flicker of hope seemed so far away, hidden behind the abyss of black that threatened to swallow us both.“Henry,” I whispered, my voice trembling but resolute. “I know you’re in there. Fight this. Fight for us.”For a moment, something shifted. The cruel grin faltered, and a flicker of pain crossed his features. It was so fle
Xavier****The silence that followed her departure was deafening. The room seemed to exhale, the tension dissipating like smoke in the air. My wolf form shimmered, the shadows clinging to me like a second skin before retreating into nothingness. I stood there, breathing heavily, the weight of her words pressing down on me.Dean remained where he was—a broken figure slumped on the floor. His wolves had scattered, their presence now nothing more than distant echoes in the storm. For the first time, he looked small, mortal—a far cry from the ruthless predator who had tormented me for years."You think this is victory?" His voice was hoarse, his lips curling into a bitter sneer. "You’ve only delayed the inevitable, Xavier. The Dark Moon isn’t a curse you can break. It’s a prison, and you’re still trapped inside."I didn’t respond. His words held no power over me now, not after what I had just witnessed. Instead, I turned and walked past him, my steps steady despite the chaos swirling in m
Xavier***The figure before me stood like a tempest incarnate. Her presence was both fierce and commanding, and I could feel the very air around her hum with an energy I couldn’t begin to comprehend. The storm outside seemed to retreat in her wake, as if it recognized the power she commanded."Who are you?" Dean sneered, his voice full of suspicion and malice, but even he couldn't hide the flicker of fear in his eyes. He took a cautious step back, his pack of rogue wolves shifting uneasily in the shadows.The woman’s gaze swept across the room, cold and calculating, and for a moment, I felt the weight of her eyes on me, as if she could see every secret buried deep within my soul."I am the end of this," she said, her voice rich with authority, each word a hammer striking the very core of this cursed legacy. "The Dark Moon’s reign of terror ends tonight."The storm howled outside once again, but it no longer seemed to be a force of nature. It was no longer a rampaging beast—it was a wh