Alison’s POV Darkness wasn’t just the absence of light; it was an endless void. It felt like being submerged in a deep, inky ocean, weightless but suffocating. I had no sense of time, no idea if hours or days had passed. Sometimes, I thought I could hear faint echoes of voices, distorted like sounds traveling through water. They were fragments, disjointed and fleeting, but enough to make me desperate to respond. My mind screamed for my body to move, for my lips to part, but nothing happened. I was trapped in this abyss, locked within myself. But today, something changed. A voice cut through the darkness, clear and firm, tethering me to the world I could no longer touch. “Alison,” it said, soft but laced with pain. It was familiar... Katherine, Xander’s mother. Her voice trembled as she continued, her words striking deep into my consciousness. “If you’re still alive in there, wake up. Please, wake up. Xander needs you… or let go. Let him move on. He’s a shadow of himself because of
Alison's POV The room was quiet except for the steady hum of the air conditioning and the faint chirping of birds outside the window. The atmosphere was warm, cozy even, but the tension in my chest was suffocating. Everything felt surreal, as though I was still caught in a strange dream. After I woke up from my short rest, my mind began to race trying to piece together the fragments of memories and the shocking revelations that Katherine had just been sharing with me. "You’ve missed so much," Katherine said, her voice soft but tinged with concern as she sat on the chair beside my bed. She folded her hands in her lap and tilted her head slightly, studying me. "You’ve been out for a month, Alison. Xander has... he’s not been himself." I shifted, propping myself up against the pillows. My muscles screamed in protest, reminding me just how frail I still was. "Not himself?" I managed to croak out, my voice hoarse from disuse. Katherine's lips twitched into a sad smile. "He’s bee
Alison's POVThe room was unusually quiet, except for the faint ticking of the ornate grandfather clock tucked into the corner. Its rhythmic beat was almost hypnotic, pulling me deeper into my thoughts as Darius performed his routine checks. I studied his meticulous movements, his gloved hands cool and precise against my wrist. Xander sat at the edge of the bed, his elbows on his knees, his sharp eyes never leaving me. His presence, so commanding yet gentle, always made my heart race. But tonight, there was an air of tension between us, subtle yet impossible to ignore.“All done,” Darius said with a reassuring smile, snapping his gloves off. “You’re healing remarkably well, Alison. And the DNA results should be ready by tomorrow.” He looked between Xander and me. “With that done, I’ll see myself out. Rest well.”The door clicked shut behind him, leaving us alone. I could feel Xander’s gaze burning into me before he even spoke.“You’re really overthinking this, my love” he said softly,
Alison's POVThe first thing I noticed was the ache... a deep, throbbing soreness in my private area, I hadn’t known it could ache. My body felt heavier, lazier, as if it had finally surrendered to a profound exhaustion. I stretched carefully, the cool sheets brushing against my bare skin, and turned my head to the side. There he was, Xander, the Alpha of Alphas, lying on his stomach with one arm draped over his pillow, his breathing steady, his face softened in sleep.For a moment, I just watched him, unable to help the smile tugging at my lips. His dark lashes fanned against his cheeks, a stark contrast to the sharp angles of his face. He looked so unguarded, so unlike the commanding figure who could make even the bravest tremble.Careful not to disturb him, I began to slide out of bed, pulling the sheet with me to wrap around my body. But before I could make it far, a hand shot out and grabbed my wrist, tugging me back with enough force to send me sprawling onto the mattress.“Wher
Alison's POV I felt the tension before I even opened my eyes. It hung in the air, heavy and undeniable, like a storm threatening to break loose. The events of the last few days weighed on my chest like a boulder, and yet, I found myself craving resolution, clarity, and closure. I didn’t realize how much until the words tumbled out of my mouth at breakfast: "I need to see Kendrick." Xander's fork paused mid-air. His jaw tightened, and I caught the flicker of displeasure in his eyes before he even uttered a word. “Absolutely not.” His tone left no room for argument or so he thought. I squared my shoulders and met his gaze head-on. “You can’t forbid me from this, Xander. I need answers.” His chair scraped against the hardwood floor as he leaned forward, his palms flat on the table. “That man led you to the danger you were in for months, Alison. He doesn’t deserve your presence, let alone your forgiveness.” “It’s not about forgiveness,” I shot back, my voice trembling slightly, thoug
Alison's POVMy consciousness was laced with a sudden lump in my stomach, I opened my eyes taking in xander's room, ever since I got better I have been sleeping in his room, it felt like heaven, turning to see him still asleep and his chest heaving, I began to wonder how he would cope with me far away from him."What if Caitlyn warms her way back with my absence" I thought but my wolf surged forward "Alison, you worry too much, Xander loves you, you have felt it, he's marked you what other confirmation do you need?" Maya asks making me smile sheepishly at the memories of our sexual encounters, then the smile faded as something else occurred to me"But I'm still sceptical, what if my parents don't like me? What if the pack doesn't accept me?" I thought "You can't seriously be thinking this way? Your parents have been looking for you, of course they love you, stop thinking about it, in two days you will be with them and you will be accepted regardless of who you are" Maya assured me m
Alison's POVThe car's engine hummed softly, a rhythmic sound that only seemed to amplify the whirlwind of emotions storming inside me. I sat in the back seat, my fingers tightly gripping the leather armrest. The sight of the winding forest road stretching endlessly ahead did little to calm me. My chest tightened with each mile we traveled, and the looming uncertainty of how I would be received at the Crimson Pack weighed heavily on me.The Crimson Pack. My pack. My family.Or at least, I believed it was my familyI swallowed hard, feeling the car hit a small bump on the road. Was I really ready for this? What if they rejected me? What if I’d been away for so long that the bonds that should be between pack members had withered into nothingness? What if my parents don't see me as the child they had yearned for hears to find?"You have been so quiet, Miss Alison," Beta Luke said from the driver’s seat, his sharp gaze flicking to me through the rearview mirror. “Nervous?”I let out a hal
Alison's POVThe sunlight filtered through the thick Crimson curtains of my new bedroom, casting streaks of gold and red on the floor. I stirred, half-lost in dreams of simpler times, but the muted hum of activity beyond the door reminded me I wasn’t at home at least, not the one I’d come to know with Xander months ago.A quiet knock startled me fully awake. The sound was gentle yet deliberate, signaling the start of another unfamiliar and unpredictable day in a place that was supposed to be my own.Slipping out of bed, I threw on a cozy sweater over my pajamas and tied my hair into a loose ponytail. Despite the grandeur of my surroundings, I craved simplicity, something grounding in the midst of everything swirling around me. As I stepped into the hallway, I was greeted by the soft murmurs of the staff bustling about.“Good morning, Miss Maureen,” one of the maids said, offering a warm smile as she passed by with an armful of fresh linens heading for my room.“Good morning,” I replie
Alison’s POVThe garden had always been my little sanctuary.I sat beneath the shade of the old flowering tree, its blossoms heavy with color, the sweet fragrance dancing lazily in the evening breeze. The sun hung low in the sky, painting streaks of orange and gold across the heavens, while the soft rustle of leaves filled the silence.I let out a gentle sigh, one hand absently cradling my now-round stomach, the other bringing a snack to my lips. Little sweet biscuits.. my latest craving. The soft crunch was comforting, the simple pleasure grounding in a world that had been nothing but chaos and blood not too long ago.For a while, I just sat there, watching the blooms sway and the little insects that busied themselves among them. These were flowers I had nurtured myself… tiny, fragile things that somehow clung to life and bloomed despite the odds. A little like me, I thought with a small smile.But then…That feeling again.The prickling on the back of my neck.The weight of invisibl
Xander’s Point of ViewThe moment Alison’s body collapsed into my arms, my heart lurched violently inside my chest. “Alison!!” I shouted, the sound more a guttural, desperate growl than a word. I scooped her up without hesitation, her head lolling against my shoulder, her skin pale and cold.Panic gripped me like a vice.“Get the physician! Now!” I barked at one of the nearby omegas, my voice rough and sharp.I didn’t wait. I carried her up the stairs, my steps uneven thanks to my injured leg, but there was no force in this world that could keep me from her side. I laid her gently on our bed, brushing hair away from her face, my fingers trembling.“Alison, come on baby… open your eyes for me.” I spoke in a broken whisper.Within moments, the physician arrived, his scent familiar, his face lined with age and wisdom. Before he could even get close, I rounded on him.“What’s wrong with her? What's happening he suddenly collasped?!”“Xander,” my mother’s voice cut through the haze of my p
Alison's POVThe sky was blushing with shades of amber and gold as we reached the Nightfang border. The forest smelled different, cleaner, sweeter somehow. The war was over, and for the first time in what felt like forever, peace hung thick in the air. I felt Simone’s arms squeeze me in a final hug as we approached the edge of Crimson Pack territory.“I’ll be fine from here,” Simone promised, forcing a smile, though her eyes glistened. “You saved us, Ali… go home you need to rest.”I swallowed hard, nodding, my throat tight. “I’ll come see you soon.”“Promise?”“Promise. Tell my father I'd come by later”And with that, she turned and disappeared into the trees.By the time Xander and I made it to the Nightfang courtyard, dusk had started creeping in. The warm orange glow settled over the stone walls and the scent of the pack filled my lungs. Familiar… comforting… mine.Elders, pack members, and Xander’s mother, Katherine, were already gathered, their faces breaking into joy the second
Alison POV“Xander?”The name left my lips in a whisper, barely carried by the cold night air. I stood there, my white fur matted with blood and earth, my chest heaving after the final clash beneath the cursed red moon. The sky was clearing now… the eerie crimson glow fading back to its rightful silver. I should have felt victorious. I should have felt alive.But all I felt was dread.The world around me was too quiet. The earth no longer trembled, the cries of the damned had faded into suffocating silence. I lifted my head, my ears twitching, desperately searching for the familiar voices for them. For Xander. For Simone. But the forest was empty, and the only thing that brushed against me was the cold wind.Where are they?Mother Eliza had promised. Victory will spare them. That was her exact fucking promise. She said the evil witch’s curse would break with the witch’s fall. I had shattered the monster's heart with my own claws, I felt the magic unravel. So why… why wasn’t I hearing
Alison’s POV "I refuse to die like this… not today, not like this.” I thought it was the end. I braced myself, teeth clenched, heart hammering so loud I could hear it echo in my ears. The witch’s spell, an ominous swirl of darkness and crackling green light, shot toward me like a bullet from hell itself. I shut my eyes so tight they hurt, waiting for the searing pain to tear through me. But it never came. Everything around me… froze. I mean literally… frozen. The howling wind stopped mid-scream, the leaves hung motionless in the air like trapped confetti, and the cursed magic hovered right in front of me, suspended like some twisted work of art. My pulse thundered in my ears as I cracked open one eye, then the other, slowly taking in this eerie, impossible sight. “What the…?” I gasped, my voice trembling and shaky. A sudden warmth, gentle but firm, filled the air around me. Then came a voice I hadn’t heard in what felt like forever… soft, familiar… maternal. “Alison, use your
Alison’s POV"I don’t have a goddamn choice, do I?"The words slipped from my lips like a broken prayer, hanging in the cold, cursed air around me. I stood at the ragged edge of that dark, twisted forest a place that reeked of death and old magic, where even the moonlight was too afraid to fall.Behind me, the world I knew was unraveling.I turned, my throat burning, and let my eyes fall on them. Xander, lying there, so pale it hurt to look at him. His chest barely rose, his lips bluish. And beside him, Simone… barely alive, a wisp of breath between her lips, her skin almost translucent in the fading light. My heart shattered, a million jagged pieces tearing at my insides.“I’m sorry Xander! Simone!,” I whispered, the words trembling as they left me. “I swear to you both… I’ll fix this. I’ll make it right… or I’ll die trying.”My chest heaved, but I forced my feet forward, into the cursed forest.Every step I took felt like walking deeper into a grave. The air grew thick, heavy with s
Alison’s POVAs time passed minute by minute I couldn’t hear anything anymore. Not the ticking of time, not Simone’s footsteps circling endlessly, not even my own heartbeat.All I could hear was silence… and the weight of failure.Xander’s head lay on my lap, his face pale, body limp, chest rising and falling in irregular shudders. His once steady heartbeat now thumped like a fading drum. I gently brushed the hair from his forehead, my hands trembling. How could he have done this for me? For all of us?I bowed over him, a tear splashing onto his cheek. “Please,” I whispered. “You can’t die, not now. Not like this.”I looked up, only to see Simone pacing like a trapped animal. Her eyes were wide, frantic, as she pressed her palms against the invisible barrier again and again, trying to push through. Nothing worked. The ancient spellbook… our only hope was lying just inches beyond the boundary. So close. Yet unreachable.Her voice cracked. “Dammit!” she screamed, slamming her fists agai
Alison's POV"No!"It was all I could scream. Just one word. One desperate, gut-wrenching, soul-tearing scream that tore from the deepest part of me. Because right in front of me, Xander had done the unthinkable. The unimaginable.He had thrown himself in front of the witch’s curse.One second, I was standing there, trying to gather my wits, watching the cursed energy coil around her fingers like smoke from hell and the next, Xander had shoved me back and taken the hit meant for me.The sound that came out of him wasn’t human. His body convulsed violently, jerking like a puppet with its strings slashed. The blast hit him dead in the chest, and he fell with a sickening thud onto the dirt-covered ground.“XANDER!” I screamed, dropping to my knees beside him. My voice cracked from the sheer agony tearing at my insides.His eyes were wide open, but they were... blank. Hollow. Like the spark of him had been pulled from his soul. His body trembled, every inch of it twitching in jerks that m
Xander’s POV“She’s breathing… right? Tell me she’s breathing.”I could barely move, my limbs were trembling, my chest tight with exhaustion and panic, but I didn’t care. I dragged myself forward, forcing every muscle in my body to function as if my very existence depended on it, because it did. Alison lay there, still as death, her chest unmoving, her skin pale, and it felt like my world was being ripped apart right in front of me.“Alison,” I whispered, crawling to her. “Baby… come on, wake up. Please.”Her head was tilted to the side, her lips parted slightly, her face bruised from the force of her fall. My heart cracked open. My voice cracked harder.I didn't even realize I was crying until a tear slid down her cheek… no, my tear… my agony transferred onto her skin.Simone appeared at my side, blood dripping from her nose and the edges of her mouth. She looked just as wrecked as I felt, maybe even more. Her hands trembled as she rummaged through her pack. She pulled out a small gr