Kai's POV:I could feel Vienna relaxing against me as she leaned into my arms, still trembling a little. And I felt my arms acting on their own and making a protective circle around her… as if their whole worth and existence depended on that, and there was no way they were going to take any chance to slag off.Her heart was still beating irregularly against my own chest– a fluttering pulse of fear and exhaustion– but at least she was here, safe in my grasp. And I wasn't going to let anything… anything, not even the wisps of air, hurt her. I was going to protect her with all my might, all my life.I forced myself to break the kiss, although I was hardly able to tame myself after tasting her tears on her lips. She must be so scared, so fragile… and there was no way I was going to let this go unpunished, it was my unsaid promise to her. But vengeance could wait for some time. Right now, my priority was to ensure Vienna’s safety as soon as possible. I tucked a wet strand of her hair aw
Kai's POV:Before I could stop myself, the words spilled out. “Because I really don't want to leave you here, even for a second! We could go to my house, you are my mate anyway, you don't need to worry about anyone's objections, okay? Just come with me, because no matter how thoroughly I am looking into this matter, I am not sure why you want to stay here–”“I’m not a coward, Kai.” She said, her voice steady. “I want to face Gemini. I want her to know the girl she left to die has crawled back from hell.” “Enna… You don’t have to do this.” She looked at me, and for the first time since I had found her in that cubicle, there was a spark in her eyes. “I know. But I want to.” I sighed, leaning in and unbuckling her seatbelt. “Fine. I won't stop from doing something you want to do, but you have to promise me one thing. You have to keep your phone on you at all times, and if there is the slightest hint of a problem, you let me know immediately. I don't care if it's a false alarm,
Author's POV:Thwack! A heavy slap landed on Asher’s face, impactful enough to force his head to one side, but he didn't even move a muscle. His face was set like a stone statue, his fists balled at his sides and the muscles in his face taut, even though every ounce of his self respect was broken. He was indeed capable of acting in reply for this slap, but he controlled himself, refraining his wolf from acting out while his eyes tried to pick up the shattered pieces of self respect. This is when the voice roared in his ears.“You couldn’t even get this right, you useless brat! One job!! You had only one job… I told you to make one thing right and I would have handled the rest, but you are so useless that you can't even be trusted to handle that!”Alpha Darius Blackwood was towering over his son, like a storm that was about to uproot Asher from the ground. His chest was heaving with a rage. “Only hell knows what I did to deserve a spineless sponge instead of the son I should
Vienna's POV:“I… don't think… this… is working out…”I forced out the words, panting heavily as I summoned all the strength left in my body and tapped Kai’s arm, which was pinning me against himself by using my throat as leverage. The moment I signalled my surrender, he released me promptly. While I staggered back, trying to catch my breath, Kai stepped back with a calm attitude that only infuriated me further… not that I minded the proximity to him in any way, but it was the bitter taste of defeat that was souring my mood. I knew I had always been weak in comparison to my peers, and my wolf had never retorted for the sake of my protection, or cared to act to help me in any situation… and I have never minded it either, but right now, this fact was embarrassing me in front of Kai!This was the third time that he had beaten off my weak blows and pinned me until I helplessly accepted surrender, with my arms flailing like a dying fish out of water. And this is exactly how I was feelin
Fynn's POV:There was nowhere… no place left on this earth, for me to find silence or solace from my thoughts. I was back in the cabin in the woods where I had stashed my clothes and phone; which was lying on the counter, out of battery. Nor did I have any plans for switching it on any time soon. This cabin had once been like a sanctuary to me, where I used to come once in a while to leave behind the chaos of the world. I had lied to Kai that I would be in Cape Town for a week, I knew he wouldn't bother to look for me for that period, and I could stay here… to keep myself away from all the chaos and finally find the peace that I had found in this place.But this time, it felt like nothing but a prison. I had let my wolf take over, desperately hoping to find some space from my thoughts. But had to return to the cabin four days later… exhausted and weary to the bone, but still no better. For four days, I had been running relentlessly, only stopping to hunt for sustenance, but hadn'
Vienna's POV: With every passing day, not only was I getting stronger physically, but there was something else… that was also changing within me. I might not know what exactly it is yet, but I know this was the first time I wasn't hating the change; in fact, I was loving it.It had been four days since the day the Kai told me that he had seen my wolf appear on the surface. As for me, I still don't remember how and when I had achieved this feat, but I believed him enough to believe that he would never lie to me.Today as well, I had sneaked out of my house to meet him at our usual place to practice.Even though I knew that no one in my family really cared about my whereabouts or had any concern regarding my well- being… so I could just walk in front of them with the full authority and freedom which I really deserved as a living being.But after that incident, I really didn't want to talk to anyone, or even wanted any encounter between us to happen. I knew that, after what Gemini had d
Vienna's POV: I finally managed to wipe the embarrassment off my face and stepped into reality, only to realize that we both were drenched in sweat today, and there was no way we could step inside the college, looking like this… even if I changed my clothes in his car, like I had been doing all these days.So we decided to shift to our next plan, since I needed a shower. And for that, there was only one place I could go.After Kai dropped me off at the edge of the woods behind my house, I wasted no time before heading straight to Lola’s place.She was the only person I had ever confided in about my secret, and it was comforting to know I could rely on her. Taking a quick shower at her place, I threw on the clean clothes I had stuffed into my bag earlier. By the time I got ready, Lola was waiting for me, munching on a cream-stuffed bun she had swiped from my stash, which I now carried in my bag. “Ready?” She asked, offering me a bite of the bun. I took it gratefully, nodding as we
Author's POV:Asher’s jaw was clenched so tightly, it felt like his teeth might shatter. Anger had already spread its cloak all over him to take him in its embrace, his teeth gnashing against each other as he watched Vienna step past him, leaving him standing like an idiot in the middle of the academic block. He had never been insulted like this before by anyone, or in any situation, but just because of one mistake of his past… he had been slapped by his father yesterday, kicked out of the house.Alpha Blackwood had hurled every insult in the book at him, calling him every name that came to his mind!But even then, Asher hadn’t felt this small as he did, when Vienna walked away without even looking back once. This couldn't be Vienna, his Vienna… the girl who used to consider every word of his as the reality of her life, who once believed his lies without question! She had turned into this stranger, who had dismissed him as if he was nothing! This was a new low in his life, this pu
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