Vienna’s POV:“Happy birthday! When are you going to cut the cake?”A cheerful voice broke through the noise, and I looked up to find a girl standing in front of me. Her face was vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t remember her name. "Thanks," I gave her a quick smile. “I’m just waiting for Asher.”“So when will he be back?”“Umm! Wait, let me look for him. He told me he'll be back by now.”“Okay, enjoy your birthday!" The girl adjusted her glasses and smiled at me. I slipped past the crowd, stepping out into the corridor.Asher was my boyfriend, the one who had organized this whole party. All thanks to him, our college cafeteria looked completely unrecognizable, and half the student body was here to celebrate my birthday. But even though everyone else seemed to be having fun, my eyes were searching for him. Where was he…?The noise of the party faded behind me as I walked past a classroom next to the cafeteria, towards the basketball ground. My feet paused when I heard Asher's laug
Kai’s POV:I started the car and checked the time on my wristwatch— 11:45 AM. I still had plenty of time; the engine vibrated softly as I turned the wheel, backing out of the driveway. A notification from the navigation app popped up on the dashboard, but I declined it with a quick swipe. I didn’t need an app to get around this city, I knew it like the back of my hand. This was my territory, even though we had been living halfway across the world, in Cape Town, until last week. My jaw clenched as I thought about our sudden move here. I would’ve stayed in Cape Town with Fynn and Mom, if it wasn’t for him… Alpha Griffin. My knuckles started to turn white as I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, trying to keep my focus on the road ahead.My father, Alpha Griffin Maddox– the world knows him as the former Alpha of the pack. But we know him as the drunkard and philanderer he really is, because he was the reason we had left our Azuremist pack in the first place. Ten years ago, whe
Vienna's POV: I finally reached the classroom and sat down in my seat with a thump. It took a few more minutes for my shaky breaths to become stable. And as the anger that had been boiling in my chest slowly started to simmer down, it left me with a horrifying realization. ‘What have I done?’I had kissed someone. Not just someone, but a complete stranger… in public! My cheeks started to burn, and I quickly laid my head down on the desk. ‘Although I have spent the last twenty one years as a werewolf, today is the first time I have behaved more like an animal than a civilized human!I was getting secondhand embarrassment from myself… I had kissed him without consent, and I didn’t even know if I had apologized to him after. “Maybe it wasn't so bad. He did kiss you back, you know?”A voice echoed in my mind, trying to console me– but I crushed it within seconds. Whether he liked it or not, it didn’t change the fact that I had crossed a line. I sighed in frustration. It was my firs
Vienna's POV:Gemini and her friends left the cafeteria like they had seen a ghost and wanted to escape the haunting desperately. Meanwhile, I remained standing there, rooted to the spot in complete disbelief. Did he just… threaten them with expulsion on my behalf? Did I hear it correctly…?My mind was still trying to catch up when he turned around, looking at me with concern in his eyes. “Are you sure you aren’t hurt anywhere?”His voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I blinked up at him, surprised.Oh, God. My heart is doing that weird flutter thing again. “No, I’m good. Thank you for stepping in to help me, though.”The words felt strange coming out of my mouth. Showing gratitude to someone wasn't something I was used to. I was five when my mom passed away, and I had been doing everything on my own since then– no matter how important, or how insignificant the task was.I had never relied on anyone, I had never felt gratitude towards anyone for taking a stand for me…I swallowed
Vienna's POV:Shock and embarrassment washed over me as I realized my mistake.By the time I could process the whole "twin" thing, the door swung open, and in walked someone else.My eyes widened.The new arrival strolled in, laughing as if he had heard the entire conversation. He glanced from me to Kai, while I blinked, completely taken aback. If it wasn’t for the fact that Kai had just told me about the existence of his brother, I would’ve thought I was losing my mind. "So, I take it you’ve met my twin already?"He said, his voice carrying that same smooth tone Kai had, though with a little more seriousness. I stared at him, trying to figure out if he was joking or not. "Fynn, meet Vienna," Kai introduced me, his lips curling into a small grin. "I think there’s been a bit of confusion.""A bit?" Fynn smirked. "She looked like she was about to interrogate you on hot coals! But I'm curious, did you seriously think we were the same person?"I blinked again, feeling the heat rise t
Vienna's POV:I stood in front of my dresser, holding the mascara wand in hand, trying to perfect my smile. I practiced again in the mirror, although it felt more like a forced rehearsal. Today was supposed to be a milestone birthday, but so far, it was turning into a day of endless embarrassment. But as much as I wanted to spend the rest of the day rotting in my bed, I couldn't skip the gala.I had to get ready for the ancient rituals that were going to be held later. As I swept the mascara across my lashes, coating them evenly, my gaze drifted to the small open box of opal earrings sitting on the dresser. My father’s customary birthday gift… I snapped the box shut, feeling a pang of annoyance as I tucked it away into a drawer filled with identical boxes. Fifteen of them to be precise, stacked neatly beside one another. Every year, without fail, he tossed the same earrings at me, probably considering that it was a thoughtful gift. He didn’t even care to remember which ones he ha
Vienna's POV:“I'm not over him? Really!!”I scoffed, taking a pause and looking dead in her eyes before continuing.“So, my dear bitch… I mean, my only dear step sister! If you're forgetting it, then let me refresh your memory. I'm the one who kissed someone just this morning, with the whole college watching. While you're the one who was sneaking kisses from my boyfriend in some hidden, shady alley… I guess you know better about who's not over whom!”I bet Gemini was not expecting me to answer her back, and this much was evident in her expressions. After all, I had always kept up the dignified act of us being sisters, even though she had never acted like one to me. But today, she had crossed all her limits; hence giving me a pass for the same.Guessing by the way she snarled at me, lunging towards my neck with her teeth bared, I didn't think she agreed with my principle of tit-for-tat. Sidestepping her at the last moment, I avoided her sharp nails which passed a hair's breadth from
Vienna's POV: Mate…The word stubbornly echoed in my mind, refusing to settle down for even a second. I felt like my world had shifted on its axis, and I was still struggling to regain my footing on this slippery floor. My wolf, who had refused to say a single word to me all these years, had somehow made an appearance? But she had left out one important bit of information: who was it? Who was my mate!? Desperately, I repeated the question in my head, hoping for any answer from my wolf. But no matter how many times I tried, I was met with nothing but absolute, radio silence from the other end.She had left me hanging, just when I needed her most. Really, really great timing!Realizing that no help was coming from her, I tried to look around to figure out who or what had triggered this announcement. And without my approval or consent, my eyes found Kai and Fynn again. The Alphas of the Azuremist pack… could one of them be–But before I could even complete that thought, I heard m
Fynn's POV:I pushed the blanket off and swung my legs over the side of the bed, feeling the cool wooden floor beneath my feet. My body no longer felt weak… and thankfully, my joints didn't betray me with every movement. I had healed. After a long struggle, I could walk without my knees buckling under me. The moment I woke up, I could feel Zella watching me. I knew when she must have come here, and also why she had been waiting expectantly in that corner.I lifted my hand to signal for her to stay seated. She sat back with a frown, but didn’t say anything. While walking towards the door, my steps steady, I gave a single glance to the cane that used to be my crutch, then moved past it without reaching for it. I think I have regained my strength by now. The chilly water that I splashed all over myself washed away the last lingering touches of sleep. It was almost fifteen minutes later that I stepped out, freshly dressed in clothes that fit me better.I felt like myself again… part
Author's POV:The village was carved into the rugged slopes of the mountain, blending completely into the landscape. A crisp wind rustled through the trees, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine, but inside one of the cottages, the morning was yet to register its presence.The girl stepped carefully through the wooden door, balancing a plate of food in her hands. She was moving absent-mindedly through the house, as if she had done this countless times before. The air inside was tinged with the scent of old wood and herbs. The cottage was simple, almost barebones. A bed occupied one side of the room, the blankets slightly disheveled, and a few pieces of basic furniture filled the remaining space: a small table, a single chair, a shelf lined with a few necessities. There was no excess, nor any personal touches inside that space. Her gaze drifted toward the bed, and the man was lying still under the covers. His breathing was slow and steady, his features softened by the presence
Kai's POV:I paced the room, my arms wrapped securely around Zeke’s tiny frame, patting his back in slow, steady movements. His soft breaths hit my collarbone as I rocked him gently, his small fingers curled into my shirt with a sleepy but tight grip. He had stopped crying once his tummy was filled with milk, and he was completely relaxed in my arms. But I kept moving around the room, unwilling to stop swinging him until I was sure he was truly asleep.I glanced down, watching his heavy eyelids flutter shut. His green eyes, which were so bright, so full of life… they belonged to Vienna. But everything else about him- every little detail, every movement, was Fynn. His small temper tantrums and that stubborn frown on his small forehead when he didn’t get his way with something... his way of scrunching his nose when he was just about to wake up. Even the way he clung to us when he was sleepy, as if he was afraid we would leave him alone and disappear.With a sharp pang, a deep ache sp
Vienna's POV:“Lola!”I exhaled in relief, my arms tightening around her shoulders as my best friend hugged me fiercely, as always, before peeling herself away. She craned her neck to look inside the house, eyes gleaming with curiosity."How is my baby... and what about her naughty son?" She asked, half laughing. I smiled in reply, she was definitely here to check in on Zeke's health after his fever. Instead of answering her again right away, I grabbed her wrist and tugged her inside, lowering my voice."Shh… the Supreme Alpha is on daddy duty, so it’s best not to disturb them right now."Lola gasped dramatically. "Oh really! That’s even better! Now we can focus on making you presentable!"I blinked at her, placing a hand on my hip as my eyebrows dipped into a frown. "Excuse me? And what exactly is wrong with my presentation?"By now, we had stepped into the kitchen. Lola gave me one long look, as if deciding what to say. Then, she quietly placed both hands on my shoulders and slo
Two and a half years later…Vienna's POV:Zeke’s cries echoed through every corner of the house, as if every cry from his mouth was bouncing off the walls and returning to my ears."Enna! Enna…!"Kai’s voice reached my ears in an overlapping symphony, which made my pulse quicken. "I’m coming!" I called back, hurriedly tilting the milk bottle over my hand to check the temperature, it was just right. Without wasting another second, I twisted the lid tighter and rushed out of the kitchen, my bare feet padding against the cool wooden floors. The sound of Zeke’s cries hadn’t lessened in the slightest, tugging at my heart with every desperate sob. I reached the living room in record time, coming to a halt at the doorway. Sunlight was bursting in the room, making it look more of a mess than usual. Scattered toys, baby blankets and colorful picture books were decorating every surface, along with a few half-folded clothes. Normally, the attendants would have taken care of all this right
Vienna's POV: I saw Fynn's fingers scraping against the jagged rock for a fraction of a second… just enough for hope to flare up in my chest, before it was ripped away.Because in the very next second, he fell… before I could move from my place, he had fallen. Without a sound, without even a struggle, my world had shattered. My life was teetering on the edge, and then it slipped away.It wasn't just Finn that had fallen from the cliff, I felt like someone had ripped my heart into two parts and thrown one of them, by tossing it away from the cliff.For a moment everything paused in my mind, the time, the heartbeat, the tears, the scream and then everything just went boom.The scream that was building up inside me, shaking my whole body, didn't even leave my mouth. My soul was being ripped apart, and I couldn't even open my mouth to tell anyone to make it stop, to make it hurt less or to bring him back anyhow. Not a single sound.My legs gave out beneath me, and I crashed onto my kn
Kai’s POV: A roar, unlike anything I had ever heard, tore from my throat, shaking the ground under my paws. I felt bloodlust seeping into my body, soaking every fibre of my being, taking over all the anger and grief, and pain. My brother.They had pushed my brother.The other half of my soul… the one part of my heart. They pushed my Fynn… my Fynn off the cliff.Curzon barely had time to react before I was on him. My wolf lunged with the full force of my fury. He tried to dodge, but he was too slow to escape from the Grim Reaper.I sank my teeth into his neck, tasting blood as his panicked growl turned into a gurgled gasp. His paws thrashed against me, claws scraping uselessly at my fur, but I didn’t let go.I didn't let go, even as his claws sank into my shoulder, right where Fynn had been injured. I twisted my jaw, and ripped his throat out.Curzon’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground, his eyes still wide with shock.His beta howled in rage and came at me next, but I was alread
Kai’s POV: Curzon.That bloody motherfucker! Fynn had been right… he shouldn't have been trusted, because he must have been planning this for a long time. And I was right too; only for one moment, when the thought crossed my mind that it wasn't possible for any Alpha to ignore the Supreme Alpha crossing the borders of their pack.It was all his plan! I didn't know how long this bloody snake had been disguised in the form of my friend, and how long I had been feeding him with the crucial information about my life… making all of us extremely vulnerable.Because of my one mistake of trusting a traitor.The realization made my blood boil, rage snapping through me like a whip.And as I burst into the woods whether they had cornered Vienna and Fynn, the sight before me had the power to shatter me completely.Fynn… my brother was fighting alone against twelve wolves, his body already bloodied but still keeping up with their attacks. Each time they lunged, he threw them back, his strength
Vienna's POV:We were badly cornered, and Kai was not here.And on top of that it was because of my stupidity… not only that I had asked him to leave alone for the pack, and assured him that I would take Fynn with me to cheer his mood up. But I had also asked the guards to keep their distance! And now, I didn't know where they actually were. And most importantly, if this man is standing here in front of us with his men, then what is the guarantee of Kai being safe and sound?My heart missed a beat out of fear.Curzon’s laughter rang out, smooth and mocking, as he shook his head, pulling me out of my thoughts.His sharp, pale features twisted into something that might have been amusement, but the malice in his eyes said otherwise. But before he could say anything, I heard Fynn’s growl. “Stay where you already are! If you dare to take a single step towards us or even dare to take my Luna’s name from this filthy mouth of yours, I won't let you be able to do anything else.”Curzon too