The forest was cloaked in darkness, the only illumination coming from the dim headlights of the car. The air was thick with anticipation, and even though the night was still, there was a tension that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. The howl we heard was not just any howl—it was a powerful, commanding sound that reverberated through the trees. It was a howl that demanded respect and attention, one that seemed to signal the arrival of something, or someone, important.Kate and I stood frozen, our eyes darting around, trying to catch a glimpse of the wolves that we knew were out there. The howl was soon followed by others, each one slightly softer, as if in deference to the first. It felt like the entire forest had come alive with the sound of these wolves, and it wasn’t long before I could sense them all around us, hidden by the shadows, their presence undeniable.My heart pounded in my chest, and I instinctively reached out to grab Kate’s hand. To my surprise, her h
The car hummed softly as we drove deeper into the Ancient Woods Pack territory. The once imposing presence of Alpha Alex had faded into the distance, allowing a momentary reprieve from the tension that had filled the air. As soon as Alex was out of earshot, I turned to Kate, my curiosity getting the better of me."What happened to you just now?" I asked, my voice filled with concern. "You've been out of your mind since we left the car."Kate’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly that her knuckles turned white. They were trembling slightly, and I could see the fear in her eyes. It was unsettling. Kate, who was always so strong, so composed, was now teetering on the edge of losing control."I..." she started, her voice barely a whisper. But then she fell silent, her lips pressed together in a thin line as if she were struggling to find the right words.The soft glow of the pack's houses became visible through the trees, signaling that we were nearing our destination. Alpha Alex
I struggled to find the right words, my mind racing as I tried to piece together an explanation. "It was an emergency at the time. No one had the chance to react or even think about it," I said, my voice faltering under Aunt Carol's piercing gaze.But Aunt Carol wasn't convinced. She shook her head, wagging her finger at me. "No, no, no, that doesn’t make sense. Even if no one reacted immediately, what about afterward? Robert could have forced his mark on you. He wouldn’t have given up so easily. And during the week you were locked up, he didn’t cause you any trouble. So why didn’t your parents do something about it?"Her questions left me speechless. I had no answers that could satisfy her sharp intuition."The only possibility," Aunt Carol continued, "is that they couldn’t do anything. Or that your second mate prevented them from intervening. What kind of identity would make an Alpha’s successor in a powerful pack this afraid? What kind of power would make your parents unable to pro
Kate and I carried our luggage upstairs, our footsteps echoing softly in Aunt Carol's warm, wooden home. The house had a comforting feel, with its rustic wooden interior and charming cloth decorations. It was a reflection of Aunt Carol herself—welcoming and kind.We chose two rooms next to each other, and after briefly unpacking, I decided to check in on Kate. Just as I reached for my doorknob, the door to Kate’s room swung open from the inside. We both froze, staring at each other with matching expressions of surprise.It was a funny coincidence, and we couldn’t help but smile.I could tell that we both had things weighing on our minds, things we needed to talk about. So, still smiling, I said, "Come to my room."Kate nodded, and soon we were sitting together on the small sofa in my room’s cozy living area."What's going on with you and that Alpha?" Kate asked, her voice laced with curiosity."What exactly are you planning to do with that Lycan prince?" I asked at the same time.We b
"Can you believe he actually did that?" I said, feeling my frustration bubbling up.Kate sighed deeply, her voice tinged with sadness. "Yeah, you think so too, right? I mean, I've been with him for so long. We've had all these moments I thought were special, and now he's telling me he feels some deep connection with someone he just met. It's like everything we had was meaningless." She paused, looking down at her hands. "So I told him to delete her contact and to never speak to her again."I nodded, understanding why Kate would make such a demand. Who could stand the thought of their boyfriend having such a strong connection with another woman?"But," Kate continued, her voice wavering, "he said they’re just friends. He thinks I'm overreacting, that I don't trust him. We had this huge fight. I told him he has a week to figure it out, or we're done."I could see how hurt Kate was, curled up on the sofa like she was trying to protect herself from more pain. I reached out, rubbing her ba
I hesitated for a moment before reaching deep into the box and pulling out a small, almost empty bottle. Handing it to Kate, I said, "This is all I have left. You'll need to use it carefully."Kate's face lit up, and she gave me a big, grateful hug. "You're a lifesaver, Cecily," she said with a smile.I hugged her back, but my thoughts were elsewhere—on Michael. If he found me because of this, I knew I'd have to accept whatever he decided. I just hoped that when the time came, he’d show me a little mercy.The next morning, I woke up feeling surprisingly better. My chest wasn’t as tight as it had been, and although breathing was still a bit uncomfortable, the nausea had mostly passed. I reached out to my wolf, Mia, in my mind. She responded, though weakly, and I could tell she wasn’t as angry as she had been yesterday. She was lending me her strength, helping me cope.'Thanks, Mia,' I thought, grateful for her support.Mia gave me a half-hearted, slightly sarcastic response, but I knew
After breakfast, I offered to clear the table, wanting to keep myself busy. Aunt Carol had some errands to run in the morning, so she left us with a smile and the freedom to do as we pleased around the pack. I washed the dishes, trying to shake off the unease that had settled in my chest, but it wasn’t long before I noticed Kate was nowhere to be found.I wandered around the first floor, my mind racing with thoughts of what might have happened. When I couldn’t find her downstairs, I made my way up to the second floor and saw her door was shut. I knocked softly, and when I heard her faint response, I pushed the door open and stepped inside.Kate was sitting on the edge of her bed, fiddling absentmindedly with a Rubik’s Cube. Her face was tense, and she seemed lost in thought, her usual lively demeanor replaced by something darker and heavier.I approached her quietly, sitting down beside her. "Do you want to talk about it?" I asked gently.Kate kept her eyes on the Rubik’s Cube, her fi
I felt like something had shifted, like I had tapped into a part of myself I didn’t even know existed. It was as if I could sense Kate’s every emotion, every hesitation, and somehow, I knew exactly what to say to make her feel better.Kate’s eyes, which had been glued to the floor, slowly lifted to meet mine. I gave her a reassuring smile, hoping it would be enough to ease the tension between us. "Kate," I began softly, "you’re one of the kindest, most selfless, and most attractive people I know. You’ve always had this unique spark that makes you stand out in a crowd. I’ve always envied you for that. You think I’m brave, but honestly, I’ve just been forced into situations where I had no choice but to act tough."I paused for a moment, gathering my thoughts. "Do you know why I came here? It wasn’t because I was brave or strong. It was because I couldn’t cope with my situation anymore, so I ran away. I knew deep down that Michael would find me eventually, but I couldn’t face him or my f