Serena POV I never expected this to happen to me. The kiss from Baird had caught me off guard, leaving me in a whirlwind of emotions. It was the first time I had ever been kissed, and I was struggling to comprehend the significance of it all. Part of me wanted to confront Baird and demand an explanation, while another part of me was elated by the unexpected intimacy. Did Baird's kiss signify that he might have feelings for me as well, even if just a little bit? The lingering warmth of his lips on my forehead stayed with me as I mustered the courage to confront him, my voice trembling. "Baird, what did that kiss mean?" He gazed at me, his expression a mix of seriousness and tenderness. "Serena, I..." Before he could finish his sentence, Kevin suddenly appeared at the gate, his face showing signs of urgency. "Baird, we need to talk. It's important." As Baird glanced back at me, I could see the regret evident in his eyes. "We'll talk later," he promised, then turned to follo
Serena’s PovThe village was unusually silent as the sun began its descent, casting long shadows over the thatched roofs and cobblestone paths. The tranquility was deceptive, masking the storm brewing by the riverbank. Alexia's screams were punctuated by desperate splashes as she tried to swim to shore. Her movements were frantic, her strength waning. One of the younger villagers, a young man, took a hesitant step forward, his face filled with concern.“Maybe we should help her,” he said, glancing nervously at Cervine. “She might drown.”Cervine's hand shot out, stopping Thom in his tracks. “No,” she said firmly.“She brought this on herself. She needs to understand the consequences of her actions.”After a light chuckle, she added, "Besides the water isn't that deep.”Some of the villagers laughed at that. I didn't. I just wanted all this to be over soon before things got out of hand.“But Cervine, what if—” the young man's voice was worried.“No buts,” Cer
Serena’s POV I stood at the edge of the stronghold, the heavy iron gate looming above us like a silent sentinel guarding our uncertain fate. The villagers clustered around me, their faces a mixture of fear and hope. The chill of the evening air only added to the tension, making each breath feel labored. Baird had gone inside to speak with Marcus, and the waiting was agony. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat echoing the dread and confusion that swirled within me. Moments later, Baird announced to the villagers, his expression stern but resolute. “Everyone,” he announced, “you are free to go. You have done nothing wrong, and you do not deserve to be punished.” His voice carried the weight of authority. A collective sigh of relief swept through the villagers. Some villagers even began to weep openly, clutching their loved ones. One by one, they began to disperse, heading back to their homes and loved ones. A
Serena POV He didn’t answer, instead he looked down at his feet. After a long silence, I decided to ask him something else. I made a mental note to circle back to the question later."I need to know, Baird," I began, my voice trembling slightly but gaining strength as I continued. "What will you do if Alpha Grayson finds out who I am and commands you to kill me? You're a warrior of the Storm Pack, bound by duty. Will you follow his orders?" He sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. "Serena, as long as I'm on the patrol team, I will do anything to protect this pack and the people I love, including you." "But that's not an answer!" I shot back, frustration bubbling up inside me. "What if the Storm Pack insists on fighting the Pack Alliance? Will you invade my homeland and attack my people?" Baird's jaw clenched, and he took a step closer to me. "You're worrying about things that will never happen." "How can you be so sure?" I pressed. "I've met Alexia. She doesn't see
SerenaWhat was Nathan doing here? Had he come to find me? I had to practically pick my jaw up from the ground. He was nearly the last person I expected to see. If he really was here for me, how did he know I had been arrested as a spy from Pack Alliance? They were pretty secretive about their inner pack details.I had so many questions and I knew the only person who could answer them was locked in the dungeon, doomed to be sent to military court, just as I had been before. I shuddered at the memory. I had to find a way to get to Nathan. If he had been arrested like me, he was likely doomed, just as I had been. I had to find a way to save him.Nathan was my personal aid, and we’d been working together for the past five years. In many ways, he was my best friend. I couldn’t watch him get an unjust trial from the military court. And I really couldn’t watch him trudge into the execution grounds and hang. I rubbed my neck. I knew all too well how horrible that was, and I wasn’t go
Serena“Serena!” Nathan cried, threading his fingers through mine. The bars were in the way, but we did the best we could to join together. “I’ve never been so happy to see someone in my whole life.”“I saw you earlier, and I knew I had to get to you.” I glanced over my shoulder. How long did we have before Cervine couldn’t keep the guard from his post any longer?“I looked for you all along the border.” Nathan shook his head. “When you were nowhere to be found, I was worried that you might have broken past the transition zone on accident.”“Nathan…” I stared into his eyes. “Did you break into the transition zone looking for me?” A lump formed in my throat.He nodded. “I did.”The tears slid down my cheeks. “You shouldn’t have.”“I know,” Nathan agreed. “But Serena, you’re not just my boss. You’re my best friend.”I squeezed his fingers between mine. “You would have done the same for me.”I wiped my cheek on my shoulder. I didn’t want to let go of his hands. He was right. I
SerenaWhen I woke up, my mind was fresh and clear. The moment I realized I was on the floor and Nathan was in the bed in the next room, I remembered everything that had happened the day before. My decision was still unclear. I’d hoped that a good night of sleep would help, but I had an idea.Nathan rolled over in the bed and sat up. “Serena?” he called.“Right here.” I sat up as well and waved at him.“Sleep okay?”Baird’s scent had worked wonders. “Very well, you?” I asked.“This bed was much better than a dungeon floor, I’ll tell you that much.”I laughed. “Don’t I know it.” I stood up and stretched my arms over my head. “The food here isn’t quite what you’re used to.”“Is that so?” Nathan tilted his head.“I’m afraid it’s bland and rather strange, but if you’re hungry, it’ll do.”“Oh I’m hungry.” Nathan smiled at me.I did my best repeating the steps I’d seen Baird take and made breakfast for us. When we sat down at the table, Nathan picked up the hard bread and turned i
SerenaI knew the moment the SUV spun around that we were heading back to the dungeon. It was almost the last place I wanted to go. The last being the execution grounds, of course. At least in the dungeon, I had plenty of air to breathe, no matter how dusty and dingy it might be.Once Marcus tossed me into the cell that had held Nathan the day before, I almost felt a sense of relief. I didn’t have to fear going back to the dungeon now. I was already there. Nathan and Cervine were safe. That was all that mattered.I rubbed my wrists. It still felt like the cuffs were on, though Marcus had gruffly removed them before slamming the cell door. My mind moved to Baird as I sank to the ground. The last time I saw him, we had quite a fight. If I had only known what would become of me, that I would likely never see him again, I never would have argued with him in the first place.I closed my eyes and pictured his handsome face. I removed the fight from my mind and put into its place an alter
Serena’s POVThe night was quiet, a stillness in the air that felt like the world holding its breath, waiting. Baird and I sat in the dimly lit living room. His gaze was passionate, as he rubbed his fingers over my hand, and it filled with such a comfort I had never felt before.“I know you’ve been thinking about going back to the Pack Alliance,” Baird began, his voice steady but soothing. “And I want you to know that I will help you do that. If that's what you truly want.” He kissed the back of my hand lightly. Electricity surged throughout my whole body, and my pulse quickened. I blinked away my surprise. This wasn’t what I had expected. How had he known that was what had been on my mind? Moreover, he said he'd be willing to send me back.“You’d really let me go?” My voice wavered as I spoke. I searched his eyes for any sign of uncertainty, but all I found was sincerity.He nodded. “Yes. On our wedding day. It’s the perfect time. The guards will be too focused on guar
Serena’s POVAlpha Hayes was the last person I expected here now, as I thought we left him at the courthouse. Had he followed us back to the mansion? My questions would go unanswered because he was already here standing with an unyielding presence. The man I had always viewed as the embodiment of tyranny, the root of all evils that had plagued my thoughts and the Pack Alliance for so long. Yet, now, as I looked at him closely for the first time, I couldn’t help but acknowledge the undeniable aura of kindliness that surrounded him. His posture was commanding, his eyes sharp as a hawk’s, scanning both me and Baird with an intensity that made us seem insignificant in comparison. No matter how many times I went over it in my head, it still didn't make sense. If this man, who was as feared and revered as he was across the country, was capable of raising someone like Baird, was there more to him than the tyrant’s mask? Could there be a hidden depth behind those steely eyes?
Serena’s POVMy mind was a whirlwind, trying to grasp what had just happened. For a moment I thought my ears were not working, I couldn't have heard that correctly. Did Baird just call Alpha Grayson Father? The word echoed in my ears like a distant, disorienting sound, one I couldn’t quite believe was real. This had to be some sort of mistake, a cruel joke. Yet, as I glanced around the room, taking in the unperplexed faces of all the others, I knew it wasn’t a mistake. It was the truth—a truth that sent a shiver down my spine.Baird was the son of Alpha Grayson, a man who many regarded as 'The tyrant'. That also made him the heir of the Storm pack. He would also inherit his father's unsavory title, he would become the next tyrant. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless. How could this be happening? The man who had saved my life, the one who had shown me kindness and warmth, was destined to become the very monster I had feared all my life.Alpha
SerenaWas I dreaming? Had I been slammed to the floor harder than I thought? Was it really Baird standing before me? His handsome features came into focus as he held both hands out in a sign of peace.What was he doing? Why did he come anywhere near me instead of just letting me go? Now he could be implicated, too. He might be labeled a traitor and sent to the execution grounds without a second thought. I had never been so glad to see his face, and yet I was also resolved, worried, and panicked at the sight of him.With his hands raised slightly before him, he slowly walked toward me. He wasn’t a wolf. He wasn’t a threat. He was trying to convey that message so no one would take him down. His goal was obvious. He wanted to be by my side.When he was no more than five feet from me, he glanced at the guard on either side of me and flicked his fingers toward him. They let go of my arms, and I was able to rise to my knees. Baird offered his hand to me and I took it. He pulled
SerenaStorm Pack’s jail wasn’t the worst place I’d ever been. No one was torturing me, so that was the upside of the cell. It was much more agreeable in that way. But at the same time, I knew the situation was a lot more dangerous. Alpha Grayson had me. No one was going to get past him to save me. He would interrogate me himself, and he would believe whatever he wanted to believe—no matter what I said.I was having trouble keeping my hands from shaking. Yes, the cell was cold, but it wasn’t the damp chill in the air that caused my tremble. I was nervous. I was worried about my own well-being, but more than that, what about Baird? Did he go to the stronghold? Would he be at all implicated because of me?Perhaps no news was good news. I nodded and drew my knees up to my chest, encircling them with my arms. Yes. That’s what I had to believe for now. No news was good news. The less I heard about, or even saw Baird, the better off he was. As much as I wanted to be near him, I was
BairdMarcus’ face reddened. Everyone could hear the commander’s voice ringing through the phone well enough to know Marcus was getting reprimanded. The commander was covering for me. Would Marcus suspect that there was more to my relationship with the commander? Why else would he stand up for me without having been here himself?Marcus lowered the phone and his eyes. “You are free to go.” His voice was light and disappointed. I certainly wasn’t going to explain myself. He was letting me go and that was all I needed. I nodded to Marcus and raised my wrists in front of me. One of the guards unlocked them, and they fell to the ground. I gave Marcus a half-smile and sidled around him. I was out of there.I wanted to go back home more than anything. I had the walk to think about Serena. I couldn’t wait to see her. I wanted to apologize about our argument. I never should have fought with her in the first place. When the rogues surrounded my group in the forest, she was the firs
BairdThe rogues were fierce, but battles were something I was used to. What I wasn’t used to was losing. And this was not a battle I would lose. The moment I saw the rogues coming for us, I knew I had to find the leader of the pack. If I could take him out, and I would, the battle would be over before it began.I jumped around the rogue that came for me and searched the group. The leader was fighting off one of my warriors, looking around the area, searching for me. His thought was the same as mine. I narrowed my eyes as I bolted in his direction. This is the same rogue that kidnapped Serena. He would not get through this battle unscathed.I leapt toward him at the same time he leapt at me, and we clashed midair, our paws intersecting and our teeth snapping. The last time we met, this particular rogue escaped his fate when we had the upper hand. The patrol team looked for him all night, but they never found any clues as to where he had gone. The forest was searched top to bot
SerenaI knew the moment the SUV spun around that we were heading back to the dungeon. It was almost the last place I wanted to go. The last being the execution grounds, of course. At least in the dungeon, I had plenty of air to breathe, no matter how dusty and dingy it might be.Once Marcus tossed me into the cell that had held Nathan the day before, I almost felt a sense of relief. I didn’t have to fear going back to the dungeon now. I was already there. Nathan and Cervine were safe. That was all that mattered.I rubbed my wrists. It still felt like the cuffs were on, though Marcus had gruffly removed them before slamming the cell door. My mind moved to Baird as I sank to the ground. The last time I saw him, we had quite a fight. If I had only known what would become of me, that I would likely never see him again, I never would have argued with him in the first place.I closed my eyes and pictured his handsome face. I removed the fight from my mind and put into its place an alter
SerenaWhen I woke up, my mind was fresh and clear. The moment I realized I was on the floor and Nathan was in the bed in the next room, I remembered everything that had happened the day before. My decision was still unclear. I’d hoped that a good night of sleep would help, but I had an idea.Nathan rolled over in the bed and sat up. “Serena?” he called.“Right here.” I sat up as well and waved at him.“Sleep okay?”Baird’s scent had worked wonders. “Very well, you?” I asked.“This bed was much better than a dungeon floor, I’ll tell you that much.”I laughed. “Don’t I know it.” I stood up and stretched my arms over my head. “The food here isn’t quite what you’re used to.”“Is that so?” Nathan tilted his head.“I’m afraid it’s bland and rather strange, but if you’re hungry, it’ll do.”“Oh I’m hungry.” Nathan smiled at me.I did my best repeating the steps I’d seen Baird take and made breakfast for us. When we sat down at the table, Nathan picked up the hard bread and turned i