Xander’s POV"You really think you can just… what? Nearly die and then brush it off like it’s nothing?"The words tear out of me before I can stop them, bouncing off the walls with more force than I intended. I don’t care.Alison’s lying in bed, her skin pale against the dark sheets, shadows clinging beneath her eyes. She looks fragile… too fragile. But even now, with barely enough strength to sit up, she’s staring at me like I’m the one being unreasonable.“Xander, please…” Her voice is soft, strained, but it still digs under my skin.I can’t sit. I can’t even stand still.Instead, I pace the room, each step heavy, the frustration clawing at me like wildfire. My hands are fists at my sides, knuckles white, the air thick with everything I want to say but can’t figure out how to.“Don’t please me, Alison,” I snap, stopping short of the bed. My heart’s racing too fast, chest tight like it’s about to crack open. “You almost died. Do you get that? Do you even realize what the hell you did
Alison’s POV The cold night air bit into my skin as I stepped outside, the faint scent of pine lingering in the breeze. Each step felt heavier than the last, my body still drained, my muscles aching from the transformation. But none of that compared to the hollow ache in my chest. Xander stood a few feet away, his broad shoulders tense, the moonlight painting silver streaks across his dark hair. He didn’t move. Didn’t turn. Just stood there, staring at the sky as though it held all the answers he couldn’t find. I wanted to say something…anything but the words twisted in my throat. “Xander,” I finally managed, my voice soft and strained. No response. My heart thudded painfully. I took another shaky step forward, my bare feet brushing over the cool grass, and before I could overthink it, I slipped my arms around his waist from behind. His body stiffened under my touch, hard lines of tension locking into place. I laid my cheek against his back, my pulse thudding in my ears.
Alison’s POVThe soft morning light filtered through the sheer curtains, wrapping the room in a golden haze. I stirred, warmth still lingering in my chest from the night before. My body ached in the best possible way… a sweet, heavy soreness that made me want to stay tangled in these sheets forever.I shifted slightly, my bare skin brushing against his, and I smiled. Xander’s arm was draped lazily over my waist, his breathing deep and even, his chest rising and falling against my back. I tried to ease away, careful not to wake him, but his grip tightened like steel.“Where do you think you’re sneaking off to?” His voice was husky, low, that perfect mix of groggy and dangerous.I laughed softly, feeling the vibrations of his words against my spine. “I wasn’t sneaking. I was just… ”“Don’t lie to me my love,” he cut in, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. “You were absolutely sneaking.”I tilted my head back, still caught in his hold. “Maybe I was. But someone has to be productive ar
Xander’s POVThe letter burned in my hands…figuratively, but the weight of it felt heavy enough to leave scorch marks. Kendrick’s insignia glared up at me like a personal challenge, the sharp, black ink practically taunting me to make the first move.“No.”The word cut through the thick silence in the room. Alison stood near the window, sunlight painting golden streaks across her dark hair, but even the soft morning glow couldn’t soften the sharp edge in her eyes.“Xander…” she started, her voice calm but laced with determination.“I said no.” I crumpled the letter in my fist, jaw tight, the rage bubbling just beneath my skin. “It’s a damn trap, Alison. You know it, I know it… hell, Simone knows it.”Simone didn’t argue any further. She sat cross-legged on the armrest of the couch, but her gaze flicked between us, calculating.Alison pushed off the windowsill and stepped toward me, her bare feet nearly silent against the hardwood floor. “It’s not a trap. He wouldn’t have sent a letter
Alison’s POVThe morning air was thick with tension, an invisible force pressing down on my chest as I packed the last of my things. My fingers tremble slightly as I folded a shirt and placed it into my bag. Today was the day. The day we’d finally meet Kendrick.I glanced over at Xander, who stood by the closet, shifting through his few clothes with an unusual level of focus. Normally, he didn’t give a damn about what he wore, but today, even he seemed unsettled. Maybe it was the weight of uncertainty pressing down on both of us. Kendrick was not the type to surrender to diplomacy, not after everything that had happened between us. What had changed?As I shoved a pair of boots into my bag unsure when we would be back, I couldn’t ignore the gnawing fear that had been clawing at my insides ever since this meeting was set. My wolf, Maya, had been eerily silent ever since my transformation. It was as if she had vanished into the void, leaving me alone when I needed her the most. If someth
Xander’s POV"This is terrible!" Simone’s voice sliced through the tense silence like a blade, her eyes wide with an emotion, I could see fear, and anxietyAlison had just finished explaining the trance she’d fallen into, her voice shaky but steady enough to get the words out. The second she was done, Simone gasped, the sound rattling enough to make my wolf stir in unease.I turned to her, my jaw tightening. "What does this mean?"Alison’s mother, sitting beside her daughter, stiffened. She looked like she wanted to say something, but she was holding back.Simone exhaled sharply before speaking. "This trance means that even after removing the spell placed on Priya’s body and returning her to her grave, there's a witch working through her and she isn’t going to disappear that easily. She’s still out there. And she’s going to make us her enemy."A heavy silence followed.Alison’s face lost what little color remained. I could practically see the fear wrapping around her, constricting her
Alison’s POVThe scent of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the air as we sat around the long dining table. Alpha Cranswell had gone out of his way to prepare a feast, but despite the generous spread before us, I found my appetite lacking. My mind was too tangled in thoughts of the curse, Kendrick’s sudden change of heart, and the foreboding feeling that curled in my stomach like a warning.I picked at my food absentmindedly, watching as Kendrick sat at the far end of the table, quiet, almost distant. He looked thinner, his features drawn, as if something unseen was slowly siphoning the life out of him. He barely touched his food either, but I wasn’t about to waste my energy feeling sympathy for a man who had spent years hunting us down.Still, something felt… off.Breaking the silence, I turned to Alpha Cranswell, my voice steady but laced with curiosity. "Alpha, how is it that your pack hasn't been attacked by the curse yet?"Across the table, Simone stilled, her eyes snapping to
Alison’s POV"You won't leave here alive."Priya’s voice was like ice, sharp and merciless, sending a shiver down my spine. I struggled, clawing at the withered fingers wrapped around my throat, suffocating me with a grip that felt like steel. My lungs burned, every breath slipping further and further from my grasp.Darkness danced at the edges of my vision, my body thrashing as I tried to break free. Priya's eyes gleamed with wicked satisfaction, her lips curling into a sneer as she pressed down harder. My fingers dug into her wrists, desperate to pry her off, but she was too strong, too determined to crush the life out of me.Just as my body began to falter, a brilliant flash of light burst through the darkness, searing through the suffocating grip like fire. A bloodcurdling scream filled the air as Priya was violently thrown back, her body crashing against the cold, hard floor.I gasped, greedily pulling in air as my vision cleared. My head snapped to the side, and there was Simone
Xander's POVThe training grounds came clearly into view as I stood by the edge of the gates. I watched Alison move with an eerie grace, her body a blur as she dodged and countered, each motion precise, calculated. But I knew she was pushing herself too hard. The Alison I had brought to Night Fang was calm, quiet and could barely defend herself. Not to sound horrible but I love that she could stand for herself but this burden? It was too much on her and my heart bled looking at her pushing herself beyond limits. Then I saw her lose grip and stumble back. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay still. My wolf raged within me, demanding that I intervene, that I catch her before she hit the ground again. It felt the pain I felt at the sight before meWhen she hit the ground I growled inwardly. The impact sent a tremor through the earth, but Alison was up before the dust settled, her breathing ragged yet determined. She was relentless. The prophecy had made sure of that. The fate o
Alison’s POV"We can't afford to waste time," Simone’s voice crackled through the conference call. "The Blood Moon is coming, and if the prophecy is true, we're already running out of time."I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to suppress the tension building in my chest. "I know," I admitted. "But we can’t go in blind. There has to be a way to stop the witch before she gains full power."Xander sat beside me, his arms crossed, his sharp gaze fixed on the laptop screen where Simone’s worried face stared back at us. His presence was a grounding force, but even he couldn’t deny the heavy uncertainty hanging over us.Simone exhaled deeply. "I've been digging through every ancient text I could find. If she’s trying to sever mate bonds permanently, then she needs a ritual of unprecedented power, something connected to the Blood Moon itself."I felt a chill run down my spine. "You think she plans to tap into the Moon Goddess’s energy?"Simone nodded gravely. "It's the only thing strong
Simone’s POVA shiver traced down my spine before I even opened my eyes.Something was wrong. I felt an unwanted presence.The air felt thick, heavy with something unseen, something ancient. My heart pounded as I forced myself to sit up, my breath coming in short, panicked gasps. I wasn’t in my room anymore. I wasn’t anywhere real.The world around me was shifting violently.. black mist rolling like storm clouds, the sky bleeding into deep, unnatural shades of red. The ground beneath me cracked, jagged like something had torn through it.Then, I saw her.The same cloaked figure Alison had described to me few days ago, standing beneath the looming Blood Moon.The witch lifted her arms, her voice ringing out in a chant that I couldn’t understand, but somehow, felt in my bones. It was dark magic, something twisted and unnatural, seeping into the air like poison.I tried to move. Tried to speak. But my body refused to obey.And then the pain hit the Wolves lurking around under the red moo
Alison’s POVThe dream started like a whisper, a fleeting sensation of something pulling me into a realm between sleep and wakefulness.Then, the darkness gave way to a vision.Mother Eliza stood in her glory before me, her aged figure framed by an eerie silver glow. The old witch had always been mighty to behold… FoFor now she was ither an enemy nor an ally, just a powerful figure that had a hand in my existence in the shadows of fate. But tonight, there was something different in her stance, when I had seen her in her abode she looked calm, calculated and without a fear. But now she looked… in a hurry, like what she had to say was something urgent yet hot to voice out.Her deep-sitted eyes locked onto mine, and when she spoke, her voice was like wind rustling through dead leaves."Alison! This fight isn’t over! You are resting while she plots more evil.!"I felt my stomach drop."The balance between wolves and witches is at stake."The words wrapped around me, suffocating, their wei
Xander’s POVThe first thing I noticed when we stepped back into Crimson Pack territory was the air.It was different. Lighter. Cleaner. Gone was the heavy, suffocating pressure that had lingered like a noose around this place. The sickness, the darkness, the rot.. it was gone.The second thing I noticed was the people.Wolves rushed from their homes, from the infirmaries where they had been bedridden, from the training grounds where they had once been too weak to fight. Their faces, drawn and gaunt from weeks of suffering, now glowed with something I hadn’t seen in a long time. Hope.A murmur rippled through the crowd, then a roar."It’s over!""The curse is broken!""We’re free!"The entire pack erupted. Some fell to their knees in exhausted relief. Others clung to their loved ones, sobbing openly. Warriors lifted their heads to the sky and howled—a deep, guttural sound that echoed through the land.Alison’s fingers tightened around mine, her nails digging into my palm. I turned to
Alison’s POV The ruins of SilverMoon were eerily silent, except for the ragged breaths of the three of us as we staggered toward Kendrick’s crumpled form. The air was thick with the scent of blood, dust, and death. My heart pounded in my chest as I pushed past the shock, my legs carrying me forward on instinct alone. Kendrick lay there, his body broken, his breathing shallow. But his eyes… those piercing green eyes… still held life. Just barely. “No, no, no,” I whispered, my voice cracking as I dropped to my knees beside him. Simone knelt next to me, her hands trembling. Xander, breathless and still staggering from the fight, crouched beside Kendrick, his jaw clenched so tightly I thought it might snap. Kendrick’s lips curved into a weak smile. “We did it,” he rasped, his voice barely a whisper. Tears burned in my eyes. “Don’t do this, Kendrick. You’re going to be fine. We… we can find you a good healer in Xander's pack. There has to be someone who can help.” My voice was franti
Alison’s POVPain. It was sharp, searing, and all-consuming.I barely registered the sound of my own scream as my wolf form collapsed onto the cold, hard ground, my leg pulsing with agony from where Priya’s blade had torn into me. My body trembled violently, the silver of my fur now stained with crimson.“Alison!” Xander’s desperate voice echoed through the ruins, panic laced in every syllable.I forced myself to lift my head, but my vision blurred. Through the haze of pain, I saw Priya, her twisted smile sending a chill down my spine.She wasn’t done.Her lips moved swiftly, chanting, her voice dripping with venom as she sent a surge of dark magic toward me.A force so powerful rushed at me that my breath hitched, this was meant to end me.But before it could, Simone stepped forward.“No, you don’t!” she hissed, raising her hands.A surge of bright light erupted from her fingertips, colliding with Priya’s dark spell mid-air. The impact sent a wave of force rippling through the ruins,
Alison’s POV A deadly silence filled the ruins. For a split second, I had seen something in Priya’s eyes… fear. But just as quickly as it appeared, it was gone, replaced by something much darker. She sneered. “You think I’m afraid of you four?” A low, guttural laugh spilled from her lips, growing louder, more unhinged, until it echoed through the ruins like a chorus of the damned. The sound slithered under my skin, cold and unsettling. “You actually think your measly powers are enough to stop me? That you can prevent me from wiping out the entire werewolf pack as revenge for what I went through in their hands?” She tilted her head, black eyes gleaming with malice. “How stupid and naive.” Her gaze snapped to Simone, and a cruel smile curled her lips. “You,” she hissed, “a witch, siding with the very creatures that slaughtered your ancestors? You should be ashamed of yourself.” Simone’s jaw clenched, but she didn’t speak. She stood tall, her fingers twitching at her sides, magic
Alison’s POVKendrick took a step forward, fists clenched, but I grabbed his wrist, stopping him before he could do something reckless. His muscles tensed under my grip, his body trembling with barely contained fury."Don’t," I whispered, barely able to get the word out.Priya’s gaze snapped onto Kendrick like a predator spotting its prey, her twisted smile vanishing in an instant. Her face darkened, her brows pulling together in a deep scowl, something between rage and... heartbreak?“How dare you bring him here?” Her voice cracked, laced with venom and something deeper... something raw.A slow, heavy breath escaped her lips before she tilted her head, black eyes narrowing.“You think,” she hissed, stepping forward, “that because I once loved him, I would back down?”Her voice sent a shiver racing down my spine.Priya let out a shaky breath, as if she was barely keeping herself together, and then before I could react her lips moved, forming words in a language I didn’t understand.Th