(Naomi)I stood up after my father stopped breathing. The room was still, the weight of the moment pressing down on me like a physical force. His eyes, once so full of life and secrets, were now closed forever. I took a deep breath, my mind a blank canvas void of emotions, painted only with numbness. Keeling beside his body, I reached for a cloth and gently wiped the blood from his face. It was surreal, this task of cleaning up after death. The blood had already begun to dry, a stark contrast to the lifeless pallor of his skin. As I worked, I couldn’t help but remember the times he had cared for me, the way his hands had comforted me in my darkest moments. Now, it was my turn to provide this final act of care. I folded his hands on his chest, positioning them as if he were simply at rest. The stillness of his form was unsettling. The man who had shaped so much of my life was now just a body, an empty vessel devoid of the spirit that had once animated him. The silence was oppressi
(Iris)Caden was coming back tonight. Leila had told us earlier today, her voice filled with an urgency that only heightened our anxiety. Since then, the hours seemed to stretch endlessly, each minute a test of our patience. Jasper had been restless all day, pacing back and forth in the confines of our prison. I was not much better, my nerves frayed and my thoughts spiraling into endless what-ifs. Leila’s words still echoed in my mind. We had been huddled together in the early morning light, the air thick with tension. Her face was unreadable, her eyes flickering between Jasper and me as she relayed the news. “Caden is coming back tonight,” she had said, her voice low. “Be prepared.” Prepared for what? The question had hung in the air, unspoken but heavy with dread. Caden’s return meant answers, but it also meant facing the full weight of whatever truths had been hidden from us. Jasper couldn’t sit still. He prowled the room like a caged animal, full of a nervous energy that
(Elias)When Caden asked to go home yesterday, I didn’t think too much about it. As the Alpha, he is needed there. But to my surprise, Naomi asked if she could go with him out of the blue. I suspected she was trying to run, but she suddenly mind-linked me. “I’m not running, Elias. I just want to be useful,” her voice echoed in my mind, carrying a sincerity I couldn’t ignore. I consented to it reluctantly. The pack house feels empty without familiar faces. Seraphina is uncharacteristically cold, her usually warm demeanor replaced by a frosty distance. Xander is cold, his icy demeanor a constant cloud. I found myself drawn to my father’s study, a place I had avoided for so long. The room was full of history, a history I preferred to ignore. The scent of old books and leather filled the air. I closed the door behind me, the sound echoing in the silence. I stood there for a moment, letting the memories wash over me. “Father,” I whispered to the empty room, my voice barely aud
(Iris)We were ordered to leave at midnight. The hours ticked by slowly, each one marked by the oppressive silence of pack house. Despite the agreement we’d reached, the door remained locked, a constant reminder that we were still their prisoners. The thought gnawed at me, but neither Jasper nor I had any desire to explore this creepy place. Jasper was still on his bed, staring out the window with a hurt look in his eyes. His expression was distant, lost in some interval struggle that he refused to share. I watched him for a moment, feeling a mix of frustration and concern. What was the matter with him this time? I approached him cautiously. “Jasper, what’s wrong?” Without warning, he grabbed my forearm and dragged me down to the floor with him. We both landed in a tangled heap. “What is wrong with you?” I yelled, pushing against his chest to gain some distance. His response was to put his other hand behind my neck and kiss me, hard. This was very much our old routine, a p
(Iris)The guards opened the door for us at midnight. The air was thick with anticipation and tension as we stepped into the hallway, leaving the room behind in silence. My thoughts were a chaotic storm, clashing with the quiet determination in my steps. He was on a mission to kill my mate, and I was his accomplice. The weight of our actions hung heavy in the air. Was a solution so out of reach? Why was war all they ever thought about? I thought about my parents and the consequences of the last uprising. A part of myself died with them. Their loss was a constant ache, a reminder of the devastation that conflict brings. I wondered if anyone ever truly won in these fights or if we all just lost pieces of ourselves along the way. Outside the room, strange symbols adorned the walls, made from blood or perhaps red paint. The sight was unnerving, sending shivers down my spine. It was creepy nonetheless, a stark reminder of the darkness that lurked within those ancient walls. One
(Naomi)Seeing them together still hurts. No matter how much I try to convince myself otherwise, the sight of Jasper and Iris together feels like a dagger to my heart. They moved through the dense forest with a familiarity that speaks of trust, something I once shared with them but no longer can. Jasper grabbed a thorny tree branch to clear a path for Iris, his movements gentle despite the ruggedness of the task. When he saw me, his eyes filled with sadness and guilt. But now I really couldn't care less. Those emotions belong to another time, another Naomi. I need to protect myself. I can’t rely on the men in my life anymore. Jasper, father… they’ve all betrayed me in their own ways. “I gathered that he sent you back to kill Elias, right?” I started when they were close enough. My voice was steady, betraying none of the turmoil inside. “What are you doing here!” Iris doesn’t seem to hear my question, but the look on Jasper’s face told me that I am right. He knows what’s at
(Iris) We walked in silence through the dense forest, the weight of our thoughts hanging heavily in the air. The moonlight filtered through the trees, casting eerie shadows on the ground. Jasper’s presence beside me was a comfort and a burden at the same time. We had been through so much together, but now, everything felt different. Jasper broke the silence. “I don’t even recognize her anymore,” he said, his voice tinged with sadness and frustration. “Losing your only parent really makes you grow up fast,” I replied, my own heart aching for Naomi. We had all lost so much. Too much. “That makes all four of us now,” Jasper muttered. I nodded but didn’t say anything. The silence settled between us again, heavy and suffocating. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. “What’s your plan?” I asked, needing to know what he was thinking. “Are you going to help me?” He shot back, his eyes narrowing. “No,” I admitted. “Then I’m not telling you,” he said flatly. “If you kill him, there wil
(Seraphina)The stronghold echoed with an oppressive stillness that weighed on my shoulders like a leaden cloak. It reminded me of the tension before a storm. Despite the flickering torches and bustling activity of the warriors, an unshakeable melancholy filled the air. It was a stark contrast to the freedom and simplicity of my rogue days, a life I now found myself yearning for in the moments of bleak introspection. When I was a rogue, decisions were mine alone and the burdens were lighter. Lucas, or Elias, had physically recovered from the wolfsbane’s poison, his strength and vitality restored. And yet, his spirit seemed to dwindle with each passing day. Mentally, he had not recovered. Today, his usual restraint snapped like a brittle branch in a storm, unleashing a fury that startled everyone around him. Even a young servant, nervous and fumbling, bore the brunt of his anger for a minor spill. It wasn’t like him. The poison had changed him. At least, that’s what everyone else