Evelyn’s povThe room was buried in silence, heavy and suffocating. Gaius’s words lingered in the air, his promise to protect me from losing more piercing through the grief that took over my mind.But it wasn’t enough. Nothing about this felt enough.I stood abruptly, the blanket falling from my shoulders. “I can’t do this,” I said, my voice shaking with barely contained rage.“Evelyn,” Gaius started, rising to meet me, his tone cautious.“No,” I cut him off, walking towards the window, the frustration in my chest itching to be let out. “Sitting here, mourning, letting them walk away with everything they’ve taken from us—it’s not enough. It’s not me.”“You’re grieving,” he said softly, moving closer.I turned to face him, my wolf stirring beneath my skin. “And I’ll grieve later. But not now. Not while Clara’s standing there beside Roman like she’s untouchable. Not while the Council of Elders protects them and refuses to see the truth. They think they’ve won, Gaius. They think I’ll fa
“Evelyn, I need you to listen to me,” Gaius said, his voice low but steady, cutting through the anger consuming me. His green eyes fixed on mine, unwavering, even as my wolf bared her teeth and snarled in warning.“I can’t,” I gasped, my voice broken, almost unrecognizable. The primal force inside me surged, raw and uncontrollable, drowning out reason. My claws flexed, slicing the air as I took an instinctive step back.“You can,” Gaius cut in, stepping closer, his movements deliberate, calm. “You’re stronger than this, Evelyn. Look at me. I’m right here.”A guttural growl erupted from my throat, and before I could stop myself, I lunged. My wolf moved with blind fury, her grief a palpable force driving her.Gaius was ready. He stepped to his sides swiftly, catching my wrists mid way. His grip was strong but not harsh, a steady counter to the wildness consuming me.“Evelyn, stop!” he barked, his Alpha tone cutting through the haze like a sharp blade.But my wolf wasn’t ready to stop. S
“Gaius, look at this,” I whispered, my hands trembling as I held the red envelope out to himMy voice felt too loud in the silence of our room, my heart pounding uneasily.He took it from me, his green eyes stretching as he read the words scrawled across the paper. “Watch your back,” he murmured, the tension in his jaw evident as he set the note down.“Who would send this?” I asked, struggling to keep the fear hidden from my voice.“I don’t know,” he said, his voice tight. He reached for my hand, squeezing it gently. “But I will find out. No one dares threatens you, Evelyn.”“I can’t ignore this,” I said, pulling away to walk around the room. My wolf stirred uneasily underneath my skin, her instincts on high alert. “What if it’s connected to the orphanage? To the children?”Gaius frowned, his gaze following me. “You think this has something to do with the children?”“It has to,” I said, turning to face him. “The letters were from the kids. Someone made them write them—someone who wan
“Is that him?” I whispered, my breath heavy as I pointed to the lean figure on the screen. My pulse raced as the image of a tall man with a beard came into view.Zack leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he studied the footage. “Wait a second…” He paused the video, freezing the frame on the man’s face as he roamed outside the orphanage gates.Gaius, who had entered silently moments before, crossed his arms and looked over the laptop. “Zoom in,” he ordered, his voice tense.“It’ll lose clarity,” Zack replied, though he did as instructed.The graphics blurred slightly, but the man’s features remained recognisable enough—sharp cheekbones, a scruffy beard, and eyes that seemed to move nervously around him.“I know him,” Gaius said suddenly, his voice sharp.My stomach twisted. “Who is he?”“He worked at one of the factories,” Gaius explained, his expression dark. “The one that Cyrus had blown up. He survived the blast but disappeared shortly after. We assumed he fled.”My heart sank as
Evelyn's pov.“They’re working with the Shadow.” The words came out from Victor's cracked lips, his voice trembling as though he could barely speak them out loud. His eyes scanned around the dim room, his shoulders slumping in defeat, but Gaius's presence, standing tall in front of him, seemed to suffocate any hope he might have had left. It's obvious that the man was nothing more than a pawn, but he had information we needed.Gaius’s gaze never shifted from him, it kept lingering, his green eyes sharp and unforgiving. "The Shadow?" he repeated, his voice low, filled with a dangerous tone. "Explain yourself."I stood off to the side, my arms folded tightly across my chest, anger still boiling inside of me. I couldn’t let it show—I needed to remain focused. But everything in me wanted to scream, to hit something, to make this man tell us everything we needed to know right this moment. The image of Clara's smug face from the television screen still ached in my mind, the fury rising onc
Gauis “This is a waste of time,” I muttered under my breath, adjusting the cuffs of my suit jacket as I stepped into the grand ballroom. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes and the faint smell of power—a heady mix that set my wolf on edge.“It’s necessary,” Zack replied quietly at my side, his gaze scanning the crowd. “You know that.”Necessary didn’t mean I had to like it. The Iris Ball was nothing more than a display of wealth and self-importance for the Council of Elders, a thinly veiled excuse for them to flaunt their power and connections. But tonight, I had a purpose.The room was grand, its high ceilings adorned with glittering chandeliers and decors that screamed excess. Council members, pack leaders, and influential figures from across the territories mingled in groups, their laughter and conversations a low hum beneath the orchestral music.My wolf growled softly, uneasy with the crowd. I rolled my shoulders, forcing myself to relax as I moved deeper into
Gauis“We’ll need to move quickly,” Adam said, his voice cutting through the tense air. He stood across from me, his brow furrowed, the map of the safe house spread across the table between us. “If this intel is accurate, they’ll be expecting someone—maybe not us, but someone.”“They’ll be ready,” Lisa added, her arms crossed as she leaned against the wall. Her sharp eyes scanned the room, lingering on me for a moment. “And if this ledger is as important as Raven claimed, they won’t hesitate to kill anyone who gets too close.”“I don’t plan on giving them the chance,” I said firmly, my tone leaving no room for argument.The room fell silent for a moment, the weight of the mission settling over all of us. The safe house wasn’t just any location—it was a stronghold, heavily fortified and swarming with Cyrus’s men. The risk was high, but the reward was greater. The ledger held the key to unraveling his operations, a chance to expose his alliances and cut off his power at the roots.Adam
Evelyn.“Help me,” my father cried, his voice barely audible.I froze in the doorway, my breath catching in my throat. James Knight—Alpha of the Silverpine Pack, my father—looked nothing like the man I remembered. His once-commanding presence had been reduced to a gaunt, trembling figure slumped against the cold, damp wall.“Gaius,” I whispered, my voice shaking as I turned toward him.Gaius stood at my side, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight before us. “Evelyn, stay back,” he warned, his tone low and edged with caution.I ignored him, my feet carrying me forward as though drawn by some invisible force. My father lifted his head slightly, his dull, unfocused eyes meeting mine.“Evelyn?” he croaked, a flicker of recognition passing over his face.“What happened to you?” I asked, my voice trembling.“Get him up,” Gaius ordered, motioning to one of the soldiers who had followed us in. “But be careful. The last time he was in my pack, he tried to kill me.”The soldier hesitated,
EvelynThe news of Cyrus’s latest attack had spread like wildfire, leaving fear and uncertainty in the minds of everyone.I stood near the large window in our study, staring out at the pack grounds. People were gathered in small groups, their hushed voices and wary glances betraying their fear. I could feel their doubts, their growing mistrust, and it stung more than I wanted to admit.Gaius sat at the desk behind me, his head resting in his hands. His normally strong, and commanding presence seemed dimmed, burden by the pack’s safety.“They’re scared,” I said quietly, not turning to face him. “I can feel it. Their fear is everywhere.”Gaius lifted his head, his green eyes meeting mine. “And they’re turning that fear into blame,” he said, his voice heavy. “They don’t think we can protect them anymore.”I sighed, crossing my arms over my chest. “We’ve faced worse before, Gaius. They know what Cyrus is capable of, but we’ve always fought back.”“This time feels different,” he mu
CyrusThe photograph of my father lay on the desk before me. It's edge was worn and the image slightly faded, but his eyes still seemed to pierce through me as they always had.“You doubted me, didn’t you?” I muttered, leaning back in my chair.“You thought I’d never amount to anything more than a disappointment.”I picked up the photo, running my gloved fingers along the frayed edges. His expression was as cold and unforgiving even in death as it had been in life. My lips twisted into a sharp smile.“But look at me now,” I said softly, my tone almost mocking. “I’ve surpassed even your wildest dreams. A world where the strong rule unchallenged, where no council, no laws, no Alphas can stand in the way—that’s what you always wanted. And I’ve made it a reality.”The smile faded as my wolfs growl rumbled low in my chest, the sound filling the silence of the room. “All that’s left are the two thorns in my side. Gaius and Evelyn.”Their names rolled off my tongue like a curse. They h
EvelynGauis sat across from me in silence, his eyes distant, fixed on something far beyond the room we were in.“You’ve barely said a word since you got back,” I said softly, my voice low. “What’s wrong?”He turned to meet my gaze, his jaw tightening before he spoke. “At the amphitheater,” he began, his voice low, as though speaking too loudly might shatter the moment, “I saw someone.”I tilted my head, frowning. “who?”“A woman,” he said, shifting slightly. “She was backstage, standing near the edge of the crowd.” He paused, asif searching for the right words. “She looked like you, Evelyn.”The room seemed to spin, his words throwing me off balance. “Like me?” I whispered.Gaius nodded, his gaze intense. “Not just in appearance. The way she moved, the way she stood—it was so familiar. And her face... It wasn’t completely clear, but...” He hesitated, the lines on his face deepening. “I think it was your mother.”I felt air leave my lungs in a rush, and I gripped the edge of
GaiusThe forest grew quieter the farther we ran, the shadows swallowing the sounds of pursuit until it felt like we were alone with the whispers of the trees. The boy clung tightly to me, his small hands gripping my shirt as though letting go would mean the end of his fragile safety. Raven loped beside me in her wolf form, her breathing ragged but steady, her injured shoulder leaving a faint trail of blood on the forest floor.The hideout was less than a mile away, an old hunting cabin reinforced to serve as a temporary safe house for situations exactly like this. The closer we got, the more I allowed myself to hope we might make it without further incident.Raven reached the clearing first, shifting back into her human form with a sharp grunt of pain as she clutched her injured shoulder. She didn’t look at me as she opened the cabin door, but I could feel her frustration radiating like heat.Inside, Adam and Lisa were waiting, their tense postures relaxing only slightly when the
GaiusCyrus stood tall on the stage, his voice booming with twisted conviction as he flaunted his power. The sight of the boy, trembling and locked in that cage, burned in my mind, and I knew there was no time to hesitate.Raven, beside me, moved with practiced stealth as we crept along the perimeter of the massive gathering. Her hood had concealed most of her face, but the tension radiating from her was unmistakable. “Gaius,” she murmured under her breath, her sharp eyes scanning the crowd, “this is madness. Even if we get the boy, we’ll have every rogue in this forest on our heels.”“I know the risks,” I replied, my voice low. “But leaving him here isn’t an option.”Her jaw tightened, and for a moment, she said nothing. Then she exhaled sharply. “Fine. But if we’re doing this, we’ll need to create a distraction. Something big enough to scatter them.”“Leave that to me,” I said, my mind racing with possibilities.We moved quietly through the group of rogues, careful not to draw
GaiusEvery step Raven and I took was deliberate. We moved in silence as we approached the secluded location of the Shadow’s grand gathering.The intel we got was just enough to confirm Cyrus’s presence and the purpose of the meeting. The rogues were gathering to swear loyalty to their new “Supreme Alpha” and witness the unveiling of his latest weapon.Raven walked ahead of me, her features covered by the hood of her cloak. “This isn’t just a meeting,” Raven whispered as we neared the clearing. “It’s a show of power. Cyrus wants to remind them why they follow him.”I nodded, adjusting the mask covering my face. “Then we’ll make sure we see everything,” I said, my voice low.The clearing came into view suddenly. The rogues had gathered in a makeshift amphitheater carved into the earth, a steep circle of jagged rocks surrounding a central stage. We slipped into the crowd unnoticed, our disguises blending with the rogues around us. The sounds of murmured conversations and the occ
EvelynThe house was quiet.It was the kind of calm that should have been soothing but instead made me uneasy.I sat at the dining table, stirring my tea until the liquid had cooled to the point I felt it was undrinkable no more.My mind churned with the thoughts of Gaius’s mission preparations, Raven’s lead, and the decisions we had to make. Just knowing that Cyrus was still out there, regrouping, left a constant ache in my chest. My wolf stirred uneasily.A knock came at the front door, the sound startled me enough as the spoon from my hand jolted. Grace appeared moments later, holding a pale envelope. She had an unreadable expression written on her face.“This just arrived for you, My Lady,” she said, handing it to me.I frowned, taking the envelope cautiously. There was no name or address on it, just the words Luna Evelyn written in elegant, handwriting. The paper felt rough beneath my fingers. It smelt like herbs.“Who delivered this?” I asked.Grace shook her head. “A cou
GaiusI sat in my office, staring at the map laid out before me, my thoughts a storm of frustration and helplessness. The fractured bond between Evelyn and me lingered in my chest like a physical ache, but there was no time to dwell on it. Not when Cyrus remained a threat, regrouping in the shadows like the viper he was.A soft knock on the door broke my reverie.“Come in,” I called, my voice heavier than I intended.The door opened to reveal Raven, her expression unreadable as she stepped inside. She no longer carried the air of detached confidence that once defined her. Living among the pack, isolated and distrusted, had stripped away some of her bravado.“What is it?” I asked, my tone guarded.“I have a lead,” she said, her voice steady despite the tension in the room.I raised an eyebrow, leaning back in my chair. “A lead on Cyrus?”She nodded. “He’s moving to regroup with the Shadow’s leadership. There’s an old abandoned stronghold in the eastern mountains. It’s isolated, for
EvelynCyrus’s laughter echoed through the cave, each note grating against my nerves like nails on a chalkboard. His smirk widened as he turned his attention to me, his predatory eyes gleaming with amusement.“And you, dear Evelyn,” he drawled, his tone dripping with condescension, “how the mighty have fallen. Tell me, does it ever get tiring, hiding behind stronger men?”My chest tightened, his words hitting a tender spot I hated to acknowledge. My wolf growled beneath my skin, restless and furious, but I held her back. This was not the time to lose control.“I hate you,” I spat, my voice trembling with fury.Cyrus’s smirk deepened. “Oh, I’m counting on that.”His taunts cut deep, stoking a fire that had been burning since the moment he destroyed everything I held dear. He turned to Roman, his shadow, who stood still and silent, his gaze locked on me. Something flickered in Roman’s expression—something cold and unreadable—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.“You’re a coward,