Kayla’s POVThere’s blood everywhere.It’s on the walls, on the floor, splattered on the carefully crafted ornaments my sisters gave me yesterday for my birthday. Even my hands are sticky with it.I wade through the carnage, cold horror moving through me.“Mom?” My voice breaks as I whimper out, the silence haunting me. “Mommy?”But there’s no sound.I walk through the hallway till I reach the stairs.My sisters bedrooms are up there.Maybe.“Rain? Lilly?” There are is a heavy silence in the air, a kind that I’ve never heard before and it’s terrifying. I’m trying to breathe. I’m trying to draw in some air. It’s like I‘ve walked into a nightmare.My ears are pounding as I reach Rain’s room.I hear something inside and a flicker of hope lights up within me.I open the door, “Rai-“I freeze.My oldest sister, my lovely, beautiful sister, has a knife in her side, as she struggles with the man in black clothes. She sees me and shock fills her ey
I watch the wolves dancing around the bonfire, celebrating the mating ceremony of the young couple.The smell of the barbecue wafts over and my mouth waters at the scent of the cooking meat.Before I know it, a plate is held before me and Lucas, my mate of one year, steps in front of me, smirking, “Hungry?”“No,” I stretch out the word, guiltily. “I just ahead two slices of cake.”Lucas’s smile is warm now as his eyes lower towards my stomach, “Well, considering you’re carrying our baby inside that bottomless pit of a stomach of yours, you deserve freshly grilled lamb skewers.” I take the plate from, narrowing my eyes at him, “Why do I feel like that was an insult?”He just grins, pressing a kiss on top of my head, “Eat as much as you want. You need it.”He leans against a tree watching the festivities and I settle in the circle of his arms, chewing on the seasoned meat, “Things have gotten better, haven’t they?”“With you as an Alpha, how can they not?” Luca
‘Sarah!’There is panic in the voices filling my head and I have to force myself to remain calm.My eyes drift towards the forest but I have to protect my people.‘Force them back!’ I snarl. ‘Don’t kill all of them! We need some alive!’Our attackers seem to have figured out our intentions and they’re retreating.The arrows flying towards us have decreased in number which is a relief. I see Ted knock out two of the men.Jack is to my right, fighting when an arrow comes whizzing past me. I slap it out of the way, ignoring the way my paw burns. But where there is one, there are more.I hear Jack howl just as I see brown streak move towards him.My head turns to see Linda standing in front of Jack, her smaller body pierced by three dark arrows. She stumbles down and Jack howls in agony.I rush towards the man targeting them, before ehe can throw more arrows and I slam his head into the ground, skull.I want to check on Linda but the fight isn’t over yet.
“Lucas!”My heart is ready to jump out of my chest.“How-?”The teenagers are still crying and Lucas murmurs, “Al- Call Ali-“His eyes slip shut and Hank jumps into action, “We have to carry him back.”Laura's body is cold and I know that she is no longer with us.Whatever is wrong with the arrows is clearly affecting Lucas. However, it is probably the bond between us which is holing him tethered.Lucas and I are true mates, a rare bond in the shifter world, which elevates our powers and abilities. It is something we have not told the pack, a secret we must conceal for our own safety. We are each other's greatest weakness. If one of us dies, the other descends into madness.“Let’s go,” I try to steady my voice, before summoning my wolves.A few of them who had been following us, trot over.“Aliya,” I tell them. “Get her.”Hopefully the witch will understand that she is needed and come to the den.“How can Aliya help?” Timothy asks.The fact that Lucas
The man’s eyes narrow but he doesn’t say anything. “So I was right.”“You don’t know anything!” He smirks.I walk over to him, grabbing his jaw in my hand, my voice tight, “You killed a lot of my pack members, people I loved. You took away the lives of people who still had so much to live for. Is whatever I don’t know, you’re going to tell me!”“You animals deserved to -“I release my claws and they sink into his jaw, making him scream as they pierce his flesh.“I don’t have to hurt you to make you talk,” I whisper against his ear, softly.“Hank, get me the Veritas solution.”I hear the footsteps fading away and I step back, wiping the blood of my nails.Ted’s voice is low, “Do you really think having Hank here is a good idea?”I know why Ted is concerned. Hank is grieving over his brother’s death.“He asked to be included,” I murmur. “Just keep an eye on him.”It might not be a smart idea but Hank just lost his brother and sister-in-law. He is thir
“He needs more time,” Aliya shakes her head. “The poison has spread all over his body.”She gives me a meaningful look, "It's a miracle that he's alive right now.”The first time that I met Aliya, she had had a weird personality, a mixture between childlike and wise. It wasn’t surprising because her entire coven was murdered by Lucas’s previous pack. The two of them had gotten their revenge when Lucas’s parents has also been viciously killed by his pack. Lucas dealt with his trauma in a different way but Aliya retreated into herself, unable to cope with the loss. But ever since she has started interacting with my pack, she has begun to relax. She is still strange in her mannerisms but she’s well liked. She refers Tina’s company or those of the children.“But he’ll live, right?”Aliya’s voice is low, “It’s your bond which is keeping him tethered right now. You need to be by his side. For him to recover faster.”I swallow and look around at the overflowing infirmary, “
I’ve never seen Aliya look this shaken in the entire year that I’ve known her.I clamp down on my own fear, “Has a future that you’ve seen, ever changed?”Her voice is grave, “Yes. But very rarely so.”“Alright,” I seal the bandage around her palm. “I’m going to hold on to that. Whatever this future is, we’ll change it.”“You sound confident,” Aliya gives me a wary look.I give her a hard smile, “Because a lot of lives are counting on me right now. I can’t give up.”However, when she leaves, my smile fades.I call Joseph, the pack historian, to my office and when he arrives, I close the door, “When was the last time we had contact with another shifter pack?”“Our own kind?” Jospeh asks, slowly.“Yes.”He settles into the visitor chair, “Decades. More than a century now, I would say. I am in my early hundreds now but I remember, as a boy, there was once a delegation that came from a wolf shifter pack up North. But that didn’t end well.”I frown, “What do
“Sarah!” I hear shocked cries around me as my vision grows dark.I can feel the arms supporting me and then I hear Tina’s voice.“Sarah, Lucas is-“I’m already running towards the den, not even listening. My heart is beating so wildly that for a moment it feels like it’s going to burst out of my chest. I pass by startled pack mates as I rush towards the infirmary.I burst inside and nearly fall over my own feet when I see the tall, familiar figure of my mate, leaning over the bed.“Lucas?!”Lucas looks up and then it’s as if everything within me settles within a heartbeat.“You’re awake,” I mumble, stumbling forward.He reaches me in long strides, catching me in his arms, “I’m fine. I’m sorry if I worried you.”“Worried?” My tears are hot, burning the path along my cheek. “I went through hell. I kept thinking you wouldn’t wake up and -“He holds me closer to him, “As if I could leave you by yourself.”I close my eyes, finally able to breathe easier
SarahThe days that follow are sad ones. We all have to come together as a pack to work through the loss of so many loved ones. “I really thought we were finding peace,” Dustin says, as we gather together three days later. “I hoped it would stay.”“We’ll find that now,” I tell him. “There are always going to be times of peace and times of conflict. I’ve learned we have to accept that as a way of life. That’s the downside of being in a wolf pack.“But the good days outnumber the bad. And we’re strong, we’re fierce. We’ll get through this and defeat any enemies that might come up next. We just have to trust in each other and have faith in the pack.”The words resonate with me as I say them. Despite all the hardships, I’m more devoted to this pack than I ever have been. I’ve learned to accept the ups and downs which are easier to manage now that things between Lucas and I don’t feel quite as fragile.“That’s why you’re a great leader,” Dustin says. “You inspire us all to do just
LucasAs I watch my baby in Sarah’s arms, I’m happier than I ever thought I’d be. A son and a daughter. It feels like now our family is complete. Though I’m open to more children in the future. Right now, I’m just content.Sarah and I tend to be rough sleepers though. So, as Sarah dozes off, I take Evelyn from her arms and place her in the bassinet. Then, I join Sarah on the bed.“She’s beautiful,” I say, cuddling my sleepy mate. “You’re beautiful. I’m so grateful to you for bringing our children into our life like you have. “I know it’s never easy. I won’t even pretend to understand what you go through. But you give up so much for our family. I appreciate that more than I can express.”“And I appreciate you,” she says. “You’re a wonderful father and a fantastic husband. I’m so glad to share all of this with you. I’m so grateful to be building a family with you.”I kiss her and the warmth of having my true mate in my life envelopes me. It just feels so natural and right when y
Sarah“That is an incredible offer,” I say, my eyes staring right into Azar’s. “You’ve promised so much, and I know we’d both prosper within a formed alliance. However, we can’t promise our daughter’s hand in marriage.”My words prompt a hearty response. Some are mere whispers while others are outright defiant. Many can’t believe that we would turn away from this. But we have to do what’s right for our daughter.“Now, I’m not shutting down the idea of a future marriage completely,” I clarify. “Maybe our daughter will end up with your son. Maybe they will be mates.“But we’ll have to wait and see once she’s old enough to decide. Since we’ll be allies regardless, they’ll know each other. They can spend time together.“If our daughter decides that your son is her mate and they both love each other, then they can get married. We’re going to leave that up to her though. We don’t want to make such a big decision for her before she can even consent to it.”Azar’s demeanor falls. It re
LucasSarah looks at me with an expectant look on her face, and I’m just not sure what I should say. The kiss still bothers me. It hurts me. As her mate, I have reason to be upset.The guilt still haunts me though. It reminds me of how I hurt her. It whispers that I deserve this. I know that I deserve this.“It’s nothing,” I insist.“Lucas, please open up to me,” she says. She takes my hand in hers and looks at me with those eyes I never can resist. “I saw you and Azar last night,” I confess. “I saw the kiss.”Sarah looks at me with shock and guilt written upon her face. I hate that. It’s proof that what I saw was true. They did kiss. She betrayed me.“I know I betrayed you horribly,” I continue. “So, I understand that I deserve that. But it still hurts, Sarah. “I thought we had moved past all of that. I thought we were solid. I thought we weren’t ever going to let anyone get between us again. But I guess I was wrong.”Jealous tears through me as the kiss replays in my min
LucasI’m surprised then when I wake, Sarah isn’t beside me. I panic. After everything that’s happened, I simply can’t help it. There are too many ways things can go wrong.I need her near me. I need to always know that she’s okay.After a deep breath, I realize that something feels wrong. Something seems off. I walk to Fergus’ room and see him sleeping peacefully. I tuck the baby monitor in my pocket and step outside. I won’t go far, I can’t go far without Fergus, so hopefully she’s close by.It doesn’t seem like she is at first. I look all around our home and don’t see her. Then, I go towards the back yard and I stop.Sarah is there, but the tree line, but she’s not alone. He’s with her. The anger from earlier boils within me again.I know I shouldn’t be jealous, especially not after what I did to Sarah. I have no right to worry about that after all I put her through. And nothing truly awful has happened between them. I don’t have a solid reason to be upset.Besides, I tru
Lucas“You don’t have to give an answer right now,” he rushes in to say. “I’m not expecting you to be sure of anything right now. It’s just something to think about.”I’m so taken off guard by this that I don’t know a single word to say in response. I have tried to push aside my fears that he wants to seduce Sarah and getting to know them all a little better has helped me to do so.My daughter though… I never thought he’d be after my daughter. Arranged marriage? “That’s a big topic,” Sarah says slowly. “We’d definitely need time to think about it further. We’d have to talk through this amongst ourselves.”“Of course,” Azar replies with a pleasant smile. “I’m not trying to force your hand or anything. Take as much time as you need. It is a big decision but I think it’s the right one.”We don’t stay out much longer than that. We circle back to the gathering for a little while. But everyone is tired, so we all head back home soon after.It’s only once we’re back home that every
SarahI take a moment to give Lucas a hug and another kiss before we step into the area where the feast is being hosted. I can sense that he’s still a little insecure about things, but he had no reason to worry. I’m going to be true to him always.I’ll admit though, I am intrigued by this new pack. I wonder about the kinds of magic they can do. I’m curious about all they have to offer.As we walk towards their Alpha, the pack starts to congregate together, which is a little strange. Before this, they were mingling with everyone else. There seems to be a shift though as we approach them.“We’re so grateful you’ve accepted us,” Azar says, flashing that friendly smile. Is there anything flirtatious about it? I don’t really think so.“To show our gratitude, we would like to show you something,” he continues. “A little show before dinner.”I hesitate. What if this is something malicious? I don’t know anything about this pack. Is it a trap?They’re already here though. They could tr
LucasAfter everything else that’s happened, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about this new pack joining us. It’s not like it’s uncommon for packs to approach each other, especially if they think a mutually beneficial alliance can be formed.The fact that packs are now approaching us like this shows our growth. I’m proud of Sarah for bringing this pack to greatness like this. I’m happy to welcome newcomers in.It’s just that there’s been a lot going on lately. And it still seems like a risk to allow anyone new to come into this peaceful place we created.Then, I realize that I’m sounding a bit like how Liza sounded when we brought Brandon in. It gives me more empathy towards her but also makes me realize that maybe I’m being a bit paranoid.It will be good to have another alliance. This could ultimately be beneficial to us. So, I help answer questions as the pack follows us. I remain as engaging as possible as I get to know them.“You’ve truly created something impres
SarahChills run down my spine as I listen to this prophecy about our daughter. I always knew our children would be great. But I never expected something like this.Could it be true?I assume it is considering the way this prophecy has been delivered. What does it mean though? How do we deal with something like this?Before we can ask any questions, the bubble floats off into the sky which grows lighter again. The lights turn back on. The candles are re-lit.Lucas and I look to each other as everyone looks to us for answers. Yet I’m stumped. Usually I know what to say, but not this time.“I have no idea where that came from,” I admit. I’ve found that when it comes to being Alpha, the best way to approach these sorts of things is from a place of honesty. “However, I can say that I feel blessed.“It’s clear our daughter will be special. I don’t know exactly what that means yet, but we will take care of her to the best of our ability. We’ll cherish her just as we do Fergus. We’ll