Henry***The storm does not relent.Wind howls through the ruined landscape, shards of earth and debris swirling in the chaos I have wrought. Shadows slither along my skin, whispering, clawing, desperate to drag me deeper into the abyss. But amidst it all—Xavier’s hand remains outstretched.I stare at it, trembling, caught between the pull of darkness and the silent plea in his eyes. He doesn’t waver. Not even as the world trembles beneath us, not even as the abyss snarls for its prize. He should run. He should turn back. But he doesn’t.Because he believes in me.His voice, steady despite the raging storm, breaks through my fractured thoughts. “You are not lost, Henry. You are still here.”I want to believe him. I want to grasp onto the sliver of hope he offers, but the weight of the shadows is crushing. My body is not my own. My mind is barely tethered. The darkness is all-consuming, a living force that binds itself to my bones, whispering lies and truths alike.You are nothing but
Henry***The storm does not yield.Lightning splits the sky, illuminating the battlefield of destruction I have created. The shadows coil tighter around my body, venomous whispers growing more insistent, more cruel. The abyss does not wish to let me go. It does not fear Xavier's words or his unwavering belief. It only craves ruin.But Xavier does not move from where he kneels, battered and bleeding, his body trembling under the force of my blows. His breath comes in ragged gasps, but his gaze remains locked onto mine. There is no hatred in his eyes, no fear. Only that same unbearable resolve."Henry," he murmurs again, voice hoarse yet firm. "I know you're still in there. I know you can fight this."The shadows recoil, thrashing at the edges of my mind, furious at his audacity. A pulse of agony surges through me, sharp and unrelenting, as the abyss fights to reclaim me.I clutch my head, stumbling backward, my breaths coming in desperate pants. "Stop—stop talking, Xavier. You don’t un
Xavier***The storm does not yield.But neither do we.The battlefield is a wasteland of shadows and ruin, the echoes of our struggle still vibrating in the air like the last notes of a funeral dirge. Rain seeps into the fractured earth, pooling in the craters left by our war. The scent of damp soil and blood lingers, thick and inescapable.I hold Henry against me, my arm wrapped around his trembling form, feeling the erratic rhythm of his breath against my chest. His body is wracked with exhaustion, his strength nearly spent, but he is here. He is free. And yet, the weight of what has been lost—what has been taken—clings to us like a specter, whispering reminders of those who will never stand beside us again.Dean stands before us, changed beyond recognition. The abyss clings to him, winding its tendrils through his soul, weaving into the fabric of his being. His presence is wrong, a distortion of something that was once human. The light in his eyes has been devoured, leaving behind
***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
Xavier***The storm does not yield.But neither do we.The battlefield is a wasteland of shadows and ruin, the echoes of our struggle still vibrating in the air like the last notes of a funeral dirge. Rain seeps into the fractured earth, pooling in the craters left by our war. The scent of damp soil and blood lingers, thick and inescapable.I hold Henry against me, my arm wrapped around his trembling form, feeling the erratic rhythm of his breath against my chest. His body is wracked with exhaustion, his strength nearly spent, but he is here. He is free. And yet, the weight of what has been lost—what has been taken—clings to us like a specter, whispering reminders of those who will never stand beside us again.Dean stands before us, changed beyond recognition. The abyss clings to him, winding its tendrils through his soul, weaving into the fabric of his being. His presence is wrong, a distortion of something that was once human. The light in his eyes has been devoured, leaving behind
Henry***The storm does not yield.Lightning splits the sky, illuminating the battlefield of destruction I have created. The shadows coil tighter around my body, venomous whispers growing more insistent, more cruel. The abyss does not wish to let me go. It does not fear Xavier's words or his unwavering belief. It only craves ruin.But Xavier does not move from where he kneels, battered and bleeding, his body trembling under the force of my blows. His breath comes in ragged gasps, but his gaze remains locked onto mine. There is no hatred in his eyes, no fear. Only that same unbearable resolve."Henry," he murmurs again, voice hoarse yet firm. "I know you're still in there. I know you can fight this."The shadows recoil, thrashing at the edges of my mind, furious at his audacity. A pulse of agony surges through me, sharp and unrelenting, as the abyss fights to reclaim me.I clutch my head, stumbling backward, my breaths coming in desperate pants. "Stop—stop talking, Xavier. You don’t un
Henry***The storm does not relent.Wind howls through the ruined landscape, shards of earth and debris swirling in the chaos I have wrought. Shadows slither along my skin, whispering, clawing, desperate to drag me deeper into the abyss. But amidst it all—Xavier’s hand remains outstretched.I stare at it, trembling, caught between the pull of darkness and the silent plea in his eyes. He doesn’t waver. Not even as the world trembles beneath us, not even as the abyss snarls for its prize. He should run. He should turn back. But he doesn’t.Because he believes in me.His voice, steady despite the raging storm, breaks through my fractured thoughts. “You are not lost, Henry. You are still here.”I want to believe him. I want to grasp onto the sliver of hope he offers, but the weight of the shadows is crushing. My body is not my own. My mind is barely tethered. The darkness is all-consuming, a living force that binds itself to my bones, whispering lies and truths alike.You are nothing but
Henry***The world shatters around me, a cacophony of destruction that echoes through my bones. Everything I’ve ever known is crumbling, slipping through my fingers like sand, and the storm inside me rages with an intensity I can’t control. I am its eye, the center of this chaos, and yet I am powerless to stop it. The darkness surrounds me, pulls at my insides, and all I can do is endure its cold, suffocating grip. The man I was… I can barely remember him. Only fragments remain, scattered like broken glass, and the creature I’ve become is all that’s left.The ground shakes beneath me, the earth cracking as if in warning, and I know, deep down, that I am no longer part of this world. I am tearing it apart, piece by piece, and I can’t stop it.But then, through the howling storm, I feel him.Xavier.His presence, like a heartbeat in the dark, cuts through the noise of the chaos. I feel him in every inch of my being—his heartbeat, his voice, his essence. Even now, as the shadows coil aro
The world trembled beneath the weight of Henry’s fury, as if the earth itself could no longer bear the oppressive darkness that swelled from within him. The very air tasted bitter, thick with a suffocating energy that wrapped around them like an invisible predator. Each breath felt like the last, each heartbeat a drum of impending doom. The shadows, alive and conscious, spiraled around Henry’s form, pulling him deeper into their grasp until there was nothing left but the void.Xavier could feel it—the overwhelming weight pressing against his chest. The pulse of their bond, once steady and strong, now flickered like a candle in a storm. His heart ached with every pulse that grew weaker. He couldn’t let go. Not like this.“Henry!” Xavier’s voice cracked, raw and desperate, clawing at the very air. He took a step forward, but the man he called out to was no longer there. Before him stood a monster, a creature born from torment and rage. The shadows writhed around Henry like serpents, twi
Henry***Pain. Cold. Silence.The darkness was absolute—an abyss without end, a chilling maw that consumed every shred of light, every trace of self. Cold seeped into my marrow, and silence pressed against my ears with suffocating weight. Yet, through that oppressive void, a voice—jagged with desperation and laced with dread—fought to reach me, trembling on the edge of oblivion, a lifeline fraying but unbroken."Henry... Don’t leave me..." Xavier’s voice cracked with anguish, each word trembling with raw fear and unbearable loss, as if his very soul bled through the plea.Xavier.His voice, raw with desperation, sliced through the suffocating shadows like a cold blade, each syllable dripping with terror and raw agony—a desperate plea clawing through the abyss. The searing agony in my chest, where Lyra’s darkness had pierced me, burned with unholy cold, a venomous chain binding me to her malevolent will. Shadows slithered through my veins, but through the torment, I felt it—a frayed, t
Henry***A fleeting memory of Xavier’s warmth—his touch, his voice—flashed through my mind, and the loss burned deeper than the cold air searing my lungs. I sprinted through the forest, every footfall muffled by the damp earth. My heart pounded a frantic rhythm against my ribs, each beat screaming one name—Xavier. Twigs snapped beneath my heels, and branches clawed at my skin, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop.Behind me, the shadows writhed and surged, Lyra's presence pressing against my back like an oncoming storm. Her voice seeped through the trees, a velvet whisper laced with venom, carrying an unsettling chill that grazed my spine. It was soft, almost intimate—too close, too knowing—both a caress and a threat. "Come back to me, Henry. You’re mine."I growled, the sound low and feral, something primal rising from deep within my chest. ““I belong to no one,” I spat, the image of Xavier flashing through my mind—his eyes, his warmth—the one who made me feel truly free." I spat, my v
Henry***The warmth of Xavier's touch lingered on my skin long after the fire's embers had turned to ash. The memory of his fingers felt like an anchor, but beneath it stirred a restlessness—a dread that gnawed at the edges of my consciousness. I shouldn't have felt this unease, not after the safety we'd carved from the chaos. And yet, the night whispered with something more, something waiting beyond the glow of the dying embers. It wasn't just a memory—it was a sensation etched into my bones, a tender ache of comfort and longing that warred with the fear stirring beneath my skin.An itch. A tremor.I stood near the window, the cool night air brushing against my overheated skin, carrying the scent of damp earth and the sharp tang of distant rain. The stars above seemed distant, their light muted. A shadow flickered across the courtyard below, too quick to be human. My instincts sharpened.A whisper rode the breeze, soft and enticing, like the brush of silk against bare skin, carrying
Henry****The fire's embers cast restless, jagged shadows across the walls, carrying the scent of smoke and the faint warmth of the crackling heat as it seeped into the room. The soft crackle blended with our unsteady breaths, the tension that had simmered between us for so long no longer restrained. It was raw, electric—a storm finally unleashed after years of suppression.Xavier's eyes, sharp and unyielding, locked onto mine with a cold, predatory intensity that pierced straight through me from across the room. Their emerald depths gleamed with a cold, predatory intensity that sent a shiver down my spine. The air thickened, the weight of his gaze pressing against my chest, making it hard to breathe. His pupils were wide, his expression fierce. I couldn't move, couldn't look away. The fire's crackling faded beneath the roaring pulse in my ears.He took a step forward. The wooden floor groaned beneath his weight. Another step. My heart slammed against my ribs with every measured, deli