Nicola’s heart still pounded from the battle as she, the triplets, and Cedric made their way to the Alpha’s residence. The adrenaline coursing through her veins refused to settle, her mind racing with strategies and concerns.The moonlight bathed the pack house in a ghostly glow, the night's stillness a stark contrast to the chaos they had just endured. As they approached the Alpha’s door, Nicola’s resolve hardened. Tonight was a warning; tomorrow, it could be war.Alpha Marcus was already awake when they arrived, his imposing frame silhouetted against the dim light of his office. He stood at the large window, his arms crossed as he surveyed the forest beyond. The tension in the room was palpable, his usual calm replaced with a grim determination.“Alpha,” Cedric began, stepping forward, “we’ve taken care of the immediate threat, but there’s more to this.”Marcus turned to face them, his piercing gaze sweeping over the group. “What happened?”Nicola stepped forward, her voice steady.
The creature emerged from the darkness like a nightmare given form. Its hulking frame glistened with rain and sweat, its blood-red eyes glowing with malevolent intelligence. It was no ordinary rogue; it was something far more dangerous. Nicola could feel its energy, dark and consuming, spreading through the clearing like poison.Everyone hold your positions, she commanded through the mind-link, her voice sharp and steady despite the storm of fear swirling inside her.The triplets flanked her, their own wolves snarling in readiness. Cedric and his people arrived moments later, their forms shifting into powerful wolves as they joined the growing line of defenders.“What is that thing?” Lucas’s voice cut through the mental link, his wolf pacing just behind Nicola.“I don’t know,” Nicola admitted, her golden eyes locked on the beast. “But it’s not just a rogue.”The creature let out a deafening roar that shook the ground beneath them. With terrifying speed, it charged.Nicola leapt first,
Nicola leaned into the spray of the shower, the warm water soothing her sore muscles and washing away the grime of the day’s battles. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself exist in the heat and mist. The faint shuffle of feet behind her made her turn, and she caught Damien’s eyes first. The intensity in his golden gaze made her breath catch.“You’ve done enough for tonight,” he said softly, his voice filled with a blend of authority and tenderness.Before she could respond, his fingers brushed over her cheek, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “Let us take care of you, Nicola. You’ve carried too much for too long.”Her lips parted, but the words didn’t come. Instead, she nodded, her breath hitching as he leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.Dean and Dylan stepped into the shower next, their movements fluid and instinctive as they joined Damien in surrounding her. Dylan’s hands rested lightly on her shoulders, his thumbs kneading the tense muscles
Dylan lifted her in his strong arms and walked with her to the master bedroom. He lay her carefully on a center of bed. Dean got closer to bed, reached to the hem of covering her material, griped it and took off the towel from her body and with one swift move throw it somewhere behind. She saw pure desire in his darkened eyes. That was sexy. Next she looked on Damien. He was already putting his hands on her knees and spreading her legs apart.Damien’s hands traced the insides of Nicola’s thighs with an aching slowness, his fingertips igniting sparks of heat with every touch. She trembled under his touch, anticipation coiling tightly within her as his head dipped lower. His warm breath sent shivers coursing through her before his tongue met her, drawing a sharp gasp from her lips. The intensity of his attention made her toes curl, her fingers threading through his dark hair as she gripped him tightly, needing something to hold onto as wave after wave of sensation crashed over her.Abo
The morning sun cast a warm glow over the pack’s estate, the light filtering through window. She stretched lazily, her body still tingling from the night before. The faint sound of bustling activity outside reminded her that today wasn’t about her, though - it was her mother and Cedric’s mating ceremony.After a leisurely breakfast with the triplets, Nicola excused herself, leaving them to handle some last-minute pack business. With a bounce in her step, she made her way to her mother’s home.As she entered, the room was already alive with energy. Chloe, her high school friend, was busy organizing a variety of makeup palettes and brushes. Theo, with his sharp eye for style, was laying out a selection of sparkling jewelry on the vanity.“There she is!” Chloe exclaimed, turning toward Nicola with a wide grin. “The daughter of the bride!”Nicola chuckled, shaking her head as she took in the scene. “You’re all working so hard. Where’s my mom?”“Trying on the dress for the millionth time,”
The ceremonial grounds were breathtaking, transformed into a scene that could rival the most enchanting of dreams. Lanterns hung from the branches of old trees, their golden glow casting warm light over the gathered pack members. Flowers adorned every surface, their delicate fragrance blending with the crisp, fresh air. A circular altar stood at the heart of the grounds, adorned with ivy and white roses, symbolizing unity and renewal.Nicola stood near the edge of the clearing, her mother at her side. Clara looked radiant in her gown, her nerves masked by the soft smile she wore. Cedric waited near the altar, his expression a mix of reverence and anticipation, his suit tailored perfectly to his broad frame.Nicola leaned closer, her voice low but full of affection. “You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen, Mom. Cedric won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”Clara chuckled softly, her nervous energy melting into a smile. “It feels strange, starting over like this. But... right.
The bonfire dwindled to glowing embers, its warmth slowly giving way to the cool embrace of the night. Nicola stood near the edge of the clearing, watching the remaining guests linger in soft laughter and fading conversation. The ceremony had been perfect, the celebration a jubilant crescendo, and now everything seemed to settle into a peaceful lull. She let out a soft sigh, feeling both full and light.“Don’t think you’re done yet,” Dylan’s teasing voice cut through her reverie.She turned, raising an eyebrow at the mischievous grin he wore. Dean and Damien stood behind him, both smirking in silent agreement.“What now?” she asked, the corners of her mouth twitching with amusement.Dean stepped closer, hands in his pockets, his eyes gleaming in the firelight. “The night’s young, and so are we. The party’s winding down, sure, but we’re just getting started.”Damien crossed his arms, tilting his head toward the forest. “We’ve got plans.”Nicola raised an eyebrow. “Plans? Should I be wo
The dawn came slowly, its golden light filtering through the forest canopy and casting long shadows over the pack’s sprawling territory. Nicola stretched lazily, the events of the night before lingering in her mind like a pleasant dream. The triplets were still asleep beside her, their breaths slow and steady, their presence a comforting warmth. For a moment, she let herself enjoy the serenity of the morning.But the peace was short-lived.A sharp knock at the door jolted her fully awake. Before she could answer, the door creaked open, revealing Chloe’s wide-eyed face.“Nicola, you need to come,” she said urgently. “Something’s happened.”Nicola shot up, instantly alert. “What is it?”“It’s one of the prisoners,” Chloe said, her voice tight. “He’s... well, you need to see for yourself.”The triplets stirred as she slipped out of bed, quickly pulling on clothes. Damien was the first to sit up, his sharp eyes narrowing. “What’s going on?”“I’ll find out,” Nicola replied, pressing a hand
The ruins of the Order’s stronghold still smoldered, filling the air with the acrid scent of burnt stone, ash, and old magic. Nicola stood at the edge of the destruction, staring into the wreckage with a sinking feeling in her stomach. The once-imposing fortress was reduced to jagged remains, blackened by fire and laced with deep cracks from the violent collapse.The triplets flanked her, their expressions grim as they surveyed the devastation."Do you think anyone made it out?" Dylan asked, his voice low."Unlikely," Damien muttered, kicking a loose stone from his path as they moved closer. "We barely made it out.Dean exhaled sharply, scanning the ruins with wary eyes. "We should check anyway. Someone might have survived."Nicola nodded, though she wasn’t sure what she was hoping to find. The Order had been both an enemy and an ally in the past weeks. She still hadn’t fully decided whether they could be trusted. Now, it seemed that choice had been made for her.The group carefully s
The ruins still smoldered behind them, the scent of burned stone and magic thick in the air. Nicola’s pulse pounded as she faced Elias, his golden eyes reflecting the flickering embers of the destruction they had barely escaped." This didn’t start with me. " His words echoed in her mind, unraveling everything she thought she knew.She tightened her grip on the worn leather of her father’s book. The triplets stood close, their presence grounding her, but nothing could prepare her for the weight of the truth she was about to hear.Elias took a slow step forward, his movements deliberate. “You’ve been asking the wrong questions, Nicola. This isn’t just about the Order, or Marla, or the altars.”His gaze pinned her in place.“It’s about you.”The air felt too thin.Nicola forced herself to speak. “What do you mean?”Elias exhaled, his eyes flickering to the triplets before settling back on her. “This didn’t begin with me, my son or grandson.”Dean’s jaw tightened. “Then where does it be
The dust still lingered in the air, thick and suffocating, as Nicola stood on the uneven ground outside the collapsed tomb. The night was eerily quiet, as if the world itself was holding its breath.Elias was free.And he wasn’t running. He waited.Nicola’s heart pounded in her chest, the weight of everything they had just uncovered pressing against her ribs. The triplets flanked her, their postures tense, their eyes locked on the man who had once been nothing more than a name in a forgotten book.Now, he was standing in front of them - alive, breathing, and entirely too calm.Dylan was the first to break the silence.“You should be dead,” he growled, his voice edged with restrained fury. “You were supposed to be...”Elias tilted his head slightly, studying him with an almost amused expression. “Supposed to be what?” he murmured. “A ghost? A warning? A lesson in a book?”His golden eyes flicked to Nicola.“No,” he said, as if answering a question she hadn’t even asked. “I was suppose
The first chain snapped.The sound ripped through the underground chamber, deep and unnatural, like the snarl of a beast awakening after centuries of restless sleep.Nicola's breath hitched as the vibrations from the broken links rippled through the stone floor, unsettling the dust that had settled over the tomb for generations. The triplets reacted instantly - Dean and Damien stepping in front of her, Dylan pulling her back by instinct.But it was too late.Another snap.And another.The chains, thick as an iron-forged prison, began to unravel, each link breaking apart as if an unseen force was unbinding them.The inscriptions on the sarcophagus pulsed, the word "Condemned" flickering between visibility and something far darker.Then the whispers began.Low at first. Crawling through the cavern like a rising tide, seeping into the cracks between the stones, the edges of Nicola's mind.Words she couldn't understand.But felt.Felt like a storm gathering on the horizon.Like a prophecy
The silence was suffocating.Dust still hung in the air, swirling in the dim torchlight like restless spirits. The collapse above had sealed them inside the hidden chamber, trapping them in a tomb of ancient stone.But it wasn’t the darkness that unsettled Nicola.It was the altar.Half-buried beneath rubble, carved from black obsidian, and marked with a name that shouldn’t have existed anymore.Elias.The name whispered through the chamber, even though no one had spoken it aloud. A name that carried weight, history, power - the root of everything that had led them here.Nicola swallowed, taking a slow step forward. The triplets stood close behind her, their eyes scanning the ruins, their bodies tense.“This place…” Dylan’s voice was low, cautious. “It wasn’t on the Order’s maps.”“No,” Nicola murmured, her fingers brushing against the rough surface of the altar. The stone was cold - not in the way stone should be, but in a way that made her fingers feel numb as soon as they touched i
The darkness didn’t disappear.Even as the necklace shattered in Nicola’s hands, even as Marla’s scream echoed through the Archives, the shadows remained.And then - they moved.Like something alive.A suffocating force pressed against Nicola’s chest as she stumbled back, her breath coming in sharp, uneven gasps. The triplets were near, but she barely registered them. The room felt smaller, the air thicker, as if the very walls were closing in.But Marla wasn’t fleeing.She was laughing.A sound that sent a deep, primal unease skittering up Nicola’s spine."You think this was a victory?” Marla’s voice was sharp, raw, filled with something unhinged. “You think breaking the link would stop me?"Nicola’s pulse thundered. The shattered remains of the necklace lay at her feet, but instead of diminishing, the shadows were growing.Something wasn’t right.She severed the link. She cut off Marla’s hold.Then why did it feel like they had just made everything worse?The shadows surged.Not tow
The hallway outside the council chamber felt colder than before, as if the very walls carried the weight of her decision. The torches flickered against the dark stone, but they did nothing to push away the looming dread curling in Nicola’s chest.She had time until sunrise.Until then, she had to decide:Bind herself to the Order to sever the link with Marla… or walk away and risk staying in her enemy’s grasp.But as much as she hated the idea of becoming part of the very institution that had manipulated her bloodline, she knew one thing:Marla wasn’t going to wait for her decision.The triplets walked in tense silence beside her. Their bond was full of unspoken words, emotions tangled in frustration, protectiveness, and something dangerously close to fear.Nicola barely noticed when they reached the room the Order had given them for the night. The door slammed shut behind them, and the moment it did, Dean turned on her.“You can’t do this,” he said, his voice sharp, eyes blazing.Dyl
The ride to the Order’s stronghold was silent. Tension coiled in Nicola’s chest, pressing against her ribs like an iron vice. She sat in the backseat between Damien and Dean, their bodies warm at her sides, but it did nothing to stop the cold weight of uncertainty pressing down on her.Dylan drove, his hands gripping the wheel tighter than necessary. No one spoke. Not even through the mate bond.Marcus had refused to accompany them. "This is your battle to fight," he had said. But Nicola had seen it in his eyes - the weight of the past, the knowledge that returning to the Order meant stepping into a world of secrets, manipulations, and carefully spun webs of power.Nicola exhaled sharply, her fingers grazing the necklace resting against her collarbone. The very object that had linked her to Marla. The very thing that might be her downfall.When the Order’s fortress finally came into view, her stomach twisted.It looked exactly how she remembered - cold, imposing, filled with ghosts of
Marcus’s office was heavy with silence, the air thick with unspoken thoughts. Nicola sat at his desk, her fingers pressed against the worn cover of her father’s book. The triplets stood close, their presence grounding her, yet doing little to ease the storm brewing inside her mind.Marla had orchestrated this from the very beginning. Every step they had taken, every discovery they had made - it had all been within her plans."You were never in control."Her last message burned in Nicola’s mind. A challenge. A taunt.Or worse - a truth.Marcus paced behind his desk, his sharp gaze fixed on the rune that Nicola had traced in her father’s book.“If this was just a threat,” Damien began, arms crossed tightly over his chest, “she wouldn’t have needed the rune. A threat is a statement. This - this was something more.”“She’s been watching us,” Dylan said, his voice grim. “That rune wasn’t just a warning - it was a tracker.”Nicola clenched her jaw. “But why? If she was already playing us, w