Kai's POV:“Enna! Enna…” My voice was hoarse from calling her name over and over, but Vienna remained passed out in my arms. Her face had gone completely pale, and although she was breathing, it was really shallow. I had caught her just before she hit the ground, and now I was sitting in the driveway, cradling her against my chest. I gently tapped her cheek, trying to wake her up.“Come on, love, wake up…”But she didn’t respond, not even a flicker of her eyelids. My heart was pounding, panic clawing at my throat, while my brain had shut down. “Professor Maddox! Professor Madd– Kai!! Kai, Just bring her inside, I have called the doctor!” I looked up to find Lola standing in the doorway, holding Zeke in her arms and calling out to me. Her words jolted me into action. I carefully gathered Vienna in my arms and carried her inside. Lola hurried ahead of me, clearing the couch as it was the nearest surface. I laid Enna down, placing some pillows under her neck. Her skin was still b
Kai's POV:I killed the engine, the sudden silence pressing against my ears as I stared at the Oasis Pack checkpost a few feet ahead.The Autumn Pack was just a few miles from here… or rather, it used to be. Because after what they had done to my brother, after what they had made my mate suffer through, I had made sure there was nothing left of them. I had slaughtered every single soldier who had ambushed them in the forest that day. There was a lot of blood on my hands that day, but not enough to satisfy the blood thirst in my soul: Alpha Curzon choking on his last breath, his beta's skull crushed beneath my boot… every last bastard who was involved in the planning of that attack was sent directly to hell by my own hands. The rest of the pack members, terrified and leaderless, had scattered like roaches after that. They had fled to seek shelter in the neighboring territories, even though my men had not touched a single innocent soul.Not that it mattered, because a pack that had b
Kai's POV:The attendant bowed deeply before leading me through the winding paths of the Oasis Pack, which was tucked on the side of a jagged mountain slope. With every step, we kept getting far from the bustling center, until we reached a cottage on the outskirts. At first glance, it seemed quite lavish: built on a sprawling estate, surrounded by high walls, the kind of residence meant for high-ranking wolves. But the moment I stepped closer, I realised that calling it lavish would be misleading.There was nothing here that made it luxurious.The estate was… barren. There was barely any furniture inside from what I could see through the windows, just empty rooms with cold stone floors. The garden was nothing but dry earth, not a single flower or even a patch of grass, just dust and twisted roots where life had once been. Even the tall trees surrounding the estate looked gloomy, their branches twisted and lifeless– as if they were in mourning.THIS was where Fynn had been living?!
Kai's POV: I came here for answers. I desperately wanted to understand why Fynn was acting like this… had he lost his memory? Had someone fed him lies? My mind was getting overwhelmed with these thoughts, and that's when I saw it: there was a shadow near the doorway. A figure standing with his back turned towards us; standing tall and rigid, his silhouette achingly familiar. For a second, everything else faded. Vienna’s tear-streaked face flashed in my mind… the way she had been sobbing his name like a prayer before collapsing in my arms.I couldn’t wait any longer. With a determined stride, I stepped forward. The attendant at the door panicked, moving to stop me. “S- Supreme Alpha, you can’t—” I shoved him aside without a thought and stormed into the room before anyone could stop me. “Fynn!! You can’t keep hiding from me!” My words echoed in the dimly lit space. “Why the hell are you doing this? Have you even forgotten the fact that I’m your brother?” The figure
Author's POV: "How can you expect me to understand when you won't even tell me where he is?”Vienna stood in the kitchen, her hands clenched into fists at her sides, her chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. Across from her, Kai stood with his head hanging low, his hands gripping the counter as if it was the only thing keeping him upright.Kai exhaled slowly, rubbing his forehead before meeting her gaze. "Just trust me, Enna. I can't let you—""Really, Kai?" she cut him off, her voice rising. "I at least deserve to know what happened while you were gone! I'm not even asking why you didn’t bring him home, even after you swore you would. I know something must have gone wrong, but for god’s sake, I deserve to know what happened!"Her voice cracked, but she pushed through, stepping closer. "I’m not a fragile statue that will crack and break! I’m Vienna Maddox, the Supreme Luna, the Luna of Azuremist Pack, and I don’t need one of my mates protecting me from my other mate!" Her c
Vienna's POV: It had been fifteen minutes.Fifteen minutes of me just sitting in my car, gripping the steering wheel, trying—and failing—to get my breathing under control.Kai had explained everything to me. He had told me exactly where to go, how to recognize the cottage, what to say at the checkpoint, who to contact if I needed help. I had memorized it all. And by the way my heart ached to see Fynn, by the desperate, overwhelming urge to have him in front of me right now, I should have already been outside.I should have jumped out of the car and run to him.That was what I had been waiting for since that day. Since the moment he was taken from me.But I couldn’t move.I wasn’t a coward. I wasn’t. And yet my fingers trembled against the leather of the steering wheel, my stomach twisting with something so unfamiliar, so unlike me, that I almost didn’t recognize it.What the hell was I scared of?This was what I had been fighting for, what I had been dying for.So why were my hands s
Vienna's POV: My grip on the knife didn’t loosen as I turned toward the voice. A man stood a few feet away, dark-skinned and broad-shouldered, his arms crossed over his chest as he studied me with an unsettling, calculating gaze.His eyes swept over me like he was calculating just how much it was going to be worth to help me, and something about the way his lips quirked told me he wasn’t here to play the hero. His intentions weren't entirely pure, but right now, he was my fastest way past these guards. I clenched my jaw and snapped at them, "Can’t you hear what he said?" The guards scrambled back instantly, putting a wide berth between us as they bowed their heads. "Yes, Beta Aaron," they muttered in unison. I didn’t lower my blade. Instead, I stepped forward, meeting Aaron’s gaze head-on. "Thank you," I said, voice icy. "But I didn’t need your help. I know how to protect myself." Aaron chuckled, the sound smooth but laced with something darker. "I have no doubts about that
Vienna's POV: I repeated Aaron’s words, my voice barely above a whisper.“Someone new…?” My throat tightened. “Who… who is it?”I knew that Aaron was saying something in response, but I couldn't focus on his voice any longer. Fynn had someone new.I came here on the basis of my dream. I just realised how ridiculous it sounded, but it was true. A dream was all I needed to come to him, because for years, I had been holding on to the desperate belief that I might find him again. Maybe, the shaman’s words from the Hefternort pack, all those years ago, would mean that the separation was temporary… and so, I had let myself hope that once I found him, everything would fall back into place. But I never stopped to think, what if his life had moved forward too?I had acted on instinct, chasing him like a force of nature, without pausing to consider what I would find at the end of this road. Fynn was my mate, I knew that in my soul. That was why I had been restless to see him, and if I knew
The front door creaked open with a low groan, a gust of warm air stirring the quiet of the bedroom. I barely stirred, sprawled across the rumpled sheets, my body still humming from everything Fynn had given me.Heavy footsteps approached, and I knew before I even looked that it was Kai.I turned my head lazily, peeking at him through my lashes. He stood at the door, jacket half-off, his eyes locked on me—and the look in them made my breath catch.Kai was usually controlled, always steady. But right now?There was nothing steady about the way he devoured me with his gaze.Behind him, I caught a glimpse of Fynn slipping on his hoodie, tossing Kai a wicked wink."Zeke’s probably tackled the babysitter by now. Better rescue him."Kai chuckled low, and Fynn disappeared, the front door clicking softly behind him.Suddenly, it was just the two of us.And the air... it felt thicker.Kai’s eyes raked over me slowly, deliberately.His gaze was heat and hunger and something deeper, something tha
Vienna's POV:Fynn’s arms tightened around me, one under my thighs, the other supporting my back, lifting me and holding me tight against his chest."Come here," he murmured against my temple, his voice low and rough.He carried me through the hallway, his steps slow and deliberate, as if he was enjoying the weight of having me in his arms. I nestled closer to him, my heart pounding against his chest, feeling the strong pulse of his heartbeat against my cheek.The bedroom door creaked open under his foot and he walked us in without breaking stride.He set me down at the edge of the bed, his hands staying at my waist a second longer, his fingers brushing the hem of my tank top.I looked up at him through my lashes, my pulse a steady drumbeat in my ears.Fynn leaned down, pressing a kiss to my belly button, tickling me. His lips stamped a kiss to my forehead, then to my nose, and finally to my lips, each one slower, deeper, stripping away my defenses piece by piece."I can't get over h
Vienna's POV:The morning sun spilled like warm honey across the kitchen floor, soft and golden. I stood at the window, my fingers wrapped around a mug of coffee, watching the world come back to life outside. Fifteen days. It still amazed me how much could change in just fifteen days.We were healing. Slowly, imperfectly, but healing nonetheless.Behind me, the sound of tiny feet slapping against the wooden floor made me smile. Zeke bounded toward me, arms stretched out, his little voice chiming, "Mama, ready! I ready!"I crouched down to scoop him into my arms, inhaling the sweet scent of his shampoo. He smelled like sunshine and safety—like the future we almost lost but somehow managed to keep.Fynn walked into the room next, yawning as he scrubbed a hand through his messy hair. Kai wasn’t far behind him, slipping an arm lazily around my waist as he pressed a kiss to the side of my head."You look too good for someone who barely slept," Kai murmured, his voice still rough with sleep
Kai's POV:Vienna was boneless between us, her breathing shallow and uneven, tiny shivers running down her body even though the room was warm.I cupped her cheeks gently, tipping her face toward mine."You okay, little flame?" I asked softly, my voice barely more than a whisper.She gave the faintest nod, her lips parted, eyes glassy with exhaustion and leftover tears. "Mhm... just... floating," she mumbled.Fynn chuckled low against her ear. "You were perfect, baby."He cradled her against his chest like she was something breakable, pressing soft kisses into her hair while I slid off the bed to grab a clean cloth and a bottle of water from the nightstand.When I came back, Vienna was watching me with heavy-lidded eyes, a small, sleepy smile tugging at her mouth. She looked wrecked and beautiful."Let me take care of you," I murmured, kneeling beside the bed.I cleaned her carefully, gently wiping away the mess on her stomach, moving slow enough that she could tell she was safe. She f
Kai's POV:I stared down at her, sprawled out on the bed like some fever-dream vision. Her hair mussed, lips swollen, body trembling, tears still clinging to her lashes. Our little flame, flickering between ruin and bloom.Fynn stood frozen at the foot of the bed, his fists clenched like he was fighting himself not to just take.She arched her back slightly, needy, desperate. “Please,” she whispered, voice breaking apart into shards. “Touch me... need you both.”I let my hand trail slowly up her thigh, savoring the feel of her heated skin under my palm.Fynn moved first, stripping his shirt over his head in one rough motion. My hands shook as I followed, yanking mine off too, until we were bare-chested, the marks of battle still faint on our skin, but all I could think about was her. Only her.I leaned down, brushing my mouth against her ear. “Then let us make you forget everything else but us. Let us ruin you properly.”A shudder rolled through her, and she whimpered, nodding.I
Kai's POV: The silence settled between us once again. It wasn't just exhaustion or shock anymore. It was something deeper… something raw and untamed. Beneath the numbness, I could feel it stirring like a beast roused from a long sleep.We were alive. Broken, bloodied, battered, but alive. And we were still standing together.But Vienna’s composure cracked first.A sob tore from her throat, raw and aching. She hugged herself, tears slipping down her face faster than she could wipe them away. "I don't want to lose either of you," she choked out, her voice splintering in the stillness. "Not now, not ever. You both... you're not allowed to go anywhere I can't reach. Not across barriers of time, space, or even knowledge. Do you hear me?"Her desperation hit me like a physical blow.I moved before I could think, stepping toward her slowly, giving her the chance to pull away if she needed to. But she didn’t. She leaned into Fynn’s touch first, and then into mine when I reached out, her bo
Fynn's POV: The celebrations around us grew louder and louder, drowning out even the pounding of my heart.The Oasis pack soldiers, bloodied and broken, scattered and retreated into the forests. Their defeat was clear, and in the absence of Axel they wouldn’t dare to return. Or even turn towards the Azuremist pack again. Victory belonged to us tonight, and the air was being pierced with the sound of cheers, howls, and the chanting of Long live the Alpha! Long live the Luna! Long live the Azuremist pack!Around me, Vienna, Kai, and I kept stealing glances at each other; confused and stunned. None of us could find the right words. We tried to smile, to look strong for our people, but there was a hollow kind of disbelief in our eyes. How had we survived this? How had Zeke done what no one else had even though possible?To survive after being touched by wolfsbane… there was nothing like this in the history of our kingdom. Vienna clutched Zeke close to her chest, burying her face in
Vienna's POV:I stared at my arm in disbelief.The skin was flawless, as if there had never been a cut there at all. The deep gash, the festering wound, the unbearable burning sensation—all gone. I flexed my fingers slowly, half-expecting pain to shoot up my arm, but there was nothing. Just smooth skin and a faint lingering warmth that faded with every passing second.How…?I hadn’t even noticed the burning while I was tending to Kai. I had been so focused on him, on his blood pouring out, on the sheer terror of losing him, that I hadn’t cared about anything else. But now—now it was like the wound had never existed.Before I could even form a thought, Zeke, who was still nestled against my chest, suddenly wriggled out of my hold. He slid off my lap and crawled toward Kai, who lay frighteningly still.“Dada!” Zeke sobbed, scrambling onto Kai’s blood-soaked chest. His tiny arms wrapped around Kai’s torso as he pressed his tear-streaked face into Kai’s neck. “Dada! Dada!”Fynn and I both
Vienna's POV: My heart was about to stop.Why? Why was it always like this?Every time I thought the pain was over… every time I dared to believe that the worst was behind me, the ground slipped from beneath my feet, dragging me into a deeper darkness. I had just gotten Fynn back. Just wrapped my fingers around something whole again, was I cursed to always live a life that was only half-finished? Was this my fate… to watch everything I loved get ripped away from me piece by piece?I tried to swallow my sobs, force the tears rolling down my cheeks to turn back inside, to stop betraying me. But they wouldn’t. My body shook too hard. My chest felt like it was splitting open. My heart… my entire soul was being torn apart as I stared at Kai’s motionless form.“No, no, no, look at me…” I begged, brushing his hair back from his pale forehead. My voice cracked, seeing Kai's eyes rolling back. “You’re not leaving me like this. Not now.”I pressed both palms against his wound, trying to st