NIKOLAI. I slash another guard by the throat and he falls down on the floor with a horrified expression. He looks shocked that I killed him, he didn’t see it coming. I stare at his body for a few seconds and if I wasn’t desperate to find my wife, I would be laughing at his face. When Jacob came to me and said he wanted to fight by my side, I pictured him on a horse killing men not staying in a chariot ten miles from the war front and waiting for reports every two hours. I didn’t expect too much so I’m not exactly disappointed, in fact I’m grateful. I didn’t realise how much I needed help until I was offered it. “Look out!” my right hand man yells and I turn back to see an arrow flying towards me. I throw myself out of the way and make sure that I end the life of the person that shot the arrow. “Thanks man.” I say and he gives me a small nod before returning to killing people. “I'm heading in.” I yell and I know he heard me. I need to find Winter as fast as I can. I’m starting t
JACOB “What sort of magic is this that the men are starting to kill each other? Nikolai didn’t tell me these people had black magic. Where the hell is Nikolai?!” I thunder and he starts to stutter. “You suddenly can’t talk?!” “Jethro took him.” He says and I flinch. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go at all. “Tell all the men to retreat! All the sane ones at least, I don’t need anyone going haywire and killing anyone on the road.” I tell him and I hear his footsteps as he races back to the battle field. “Hurry!” I yell after him. The fact that they’re mindless killing wolves going around is an unsettling fact for me. My blindness is not helping either. I impatiently wait for him to return as I consider taking my chances and leaving before them. If we’re going to save Nikolai, we need more men and a new plan. NIKOLAI I should have killed Donovan myself when I had the chance. How dare that bastard?! As far as I know, only my father knows how those arrows are made. Jus
HUNTER. Ever since I told Daphne about Winter and Nikolai, she’s been more paranoid than I was. She asks a lot more questions and she sleeps a lot less. We moved into the palace five days ago just like Nikolai instructed and I’m still trying to figure out how things work around here and I feel as though I’m already failing even before I’ve started. Nikolai showed me where to find all the documents I was going to need and gave me the freedom to do as I please. I know where the lands are, he made provisions of all the resources that I might need and all that is left a for me to start making him money. The pack is going to need a lot of funds soon and the good part of this business is that their meals get taken care of. As they buy, they give back to the pack and as the pack also sells to neighboring packs, they bring in money. Although, I’m not sure if we’re still going to be friends with the neighboring packs after this war that Nikolai has gone to fight and that is not even what
JACOB “All the men have been taken hostage!” A guard reports and I growl in confusion. “What is that supposed to mean?” “The men were over powered and we’re chained like slaves.” He explains like I don’t know what taken hostage means. “If all the men were taken, how are you here?” I ask suspiciously and I hear him draw his sword. “Because I promised them you.” He answers and tries to chain my hands together but he doesn’t get a chance. I grab his wrist so tight that the sword falls from the other hand. I can’t tell where the sword is but I can tell where it’s not so I drag him out of the sword's reach. Every time he tries to land a punch, he’s several seconds too late because he’s lousy. When he’s done trying, I reach for his neck and twist it until I hear his bones break. I know I should have gone without the guards. I find my way back into the carriage, giddy up the horses, get on the road and hope that I don’t get lost. I have a keen sense of direction but I’m not sure
NIKOLAI. “You're never going to find him, Nikolai. We have to leave now while we still can.” Winter says for the umpteenth time. “You don’t know that.” I yell trying to hide my shaky voice. She doesn’t have to know that I’ve shed a few tears. “Let's assume you find him, can you stand seeing his body? Will you ever be able to live it down?” She’s right. I don’t want to find his body, I keep searching but I don’t want his body to be here. I don’t want him to be dead. “We have to leave Nikolai.” Winter repeats putting her hand over my back and caressing it gently. It’s always seems to work every time. The warmth her small hands provide always make their way to my heart. “I’m sorry I had to put you through all this. I’m sorry your men died trying to save me.” She says softly. “My men died fighting for their pack. You don’t have to apologize for anything.” I reply rather sternly and walk past her. “Grab a horse.” I command before I notice that they’re all gone. All our horses
JACOB.I have no idea where this horse is taking me and I’m scared that I’m going to die out here in the middle of nowhere. There are no people around, and if there are, I certainly don’t hear them. The carriage is barely moving, I think the horses are just as confused as I am. They’re going so slow, it’s like the carriage is hardly even moving. I should stop but why if Jethro's men catch up to me?I wonder what I’m going to die of. Hunger, fatigue? You never can tell especially when you’re blind and you can’t see your surroundings.I’ve never felt so anxious in my life before. Deciding to join Nikolai in this war was a death trap I set for myself and now I can’t get out of it. What the hell was I thinking coming to a war without my eyesight?! My mum would go insane if she found out what I did. I have a child to take care of. I have a pack to lead and I foolishly come all the way out here to fight a war that has absolutely nothing to do with me. I was definitely under a spell. I c
WINTER. “It’s suffocating sitting so close to Jacob like this but there’s not much I can do about it. Nikolai is so intent on finding his men and even I can’t stop him. I can only pray for us not to get killed. Even Jacob looks so unsure but it’s either this or he keeps riding alone in the middle of nowhere until he gets lost. I guess his family is still intact, a son, a wife and an over bearing mother. I hope all the chiefs are happy about their new Luna and the next Alpha that she bore them and I wonder if his mother is still the same. Does she still have that nasty attitude that she always gave me? “So Winter, how was your stay there. Learn any new things?” Jacob asks trying to make conversation but I don’t even make a sound.“You can’t ask her things like that!” Nikolai says quickly coming to my rescue. “Well I don’t know what else to say!” Jacob retorts almost immediately.“Well then don’t say anything or better yet, you try to come up with a plan. We have to free all the s
HUNTER “Why do you look like someone predicted the day that you die?” Daphne asks and I shrug. “Ever since we came to this place , it has always been one problem or the other. I think we should go back to our home. It might be difficult to work from there but at least it will take away all the pressure.” She suggests and I don’t entirely disagree with it but I can’t leave this palace until Nikolai returns. I can’t let myself do that. Someone has to keep this place in order and aunt Hyacinth was doing a fine job but there’s somehow still so much to do.“I can’t.” I say and get up to leave because I have no desire for this conversation to turn into an argument. It’s a really sensitive topic.“Where are you going?” she asks and I could sense the determination in her voice.“I have to oversee what the workers are doing and I’m a little late too.” I lie. I don’t have to go to the workers today but I do have to leave this room before this small talk morphs into a big one and becomes one
EPILOGUE 2018 A Maybach gears up after the traffic lights turn green. There's a man in a suit in the back seat. He's looking out the window and staring at the billboard of an author and popular model. She's beautiful. He thinks, and he continues staring until his phone rings. "Hello?" "Liam, will you still make it for the meeting?" "Yes, Zach. I'm on my way. There's no traffic, so I'll be there in about five—" The car comes to an abrupt halt. He hears the sound of crash and mutters a curse under his breath. He will not be getting out of this one easily. He looks up and sees the angry driver of the other vehicle already slamming their door closed. He turns to his driver. "What happened?" "I don't know. She just stopped abruptly. I have no idea why. This woman is obviously crazy." He pinches his forehead and comes down from the car after his driver does. She is furious and crazy because the way she's already raving about her bashed car has him taking cautious steps forward.
NIKOLAI Winter's giving birth. I'm as anxious as a live wire. I'm pacing the halls of the house while the midwives and the pack physician deliver our son. Hunter is with me. He's carrying his daughters and feeding them breakfast on the dining table. The house has been gloomy for months since Tara died. This is the first thing that has brought joy to all of us. Our son. I can't wait to meet him. I wonder who he would look like. Deep down, I want him to look like his mother. I smile to myself, and Hunter calls me out. "Pull yourself together. You are embarrassing me." I clasp my sweaty palms together. "I guess this was how you felt when the twins were born." Hunter smiles genuinely. He doesn't do that anymore. There's no reason for joy in his life, and I truly feel sorry for him and for everything he's been through. He lost Daphne and lost Tara, and to think he will always have the memories lodged in his head is pure torture, even for me. "Yes. I'm pretty damn sure I felt much wors
WINTERSix Months Later...It's been six months since Daphne and her father tried to destroy us. Six months since we've heard anything about her whereabouts. Life seemed to go on in contast paranoia that they would be back, especially for Nikolai. I'm almost due. My bump is large, like someone trapped a volleyball inside there. The pack doctor examines me. He says I keep getting weaker and weaker. I've told no one about the conversation Isador and I had the night of Hunter and Tara's big escape. But I know why I'm being diagnosed as weak. I have little time left with my son and mate. It's breaking my heart.I know Elkan didn't survive his brothers wrath. Killian killed him and his triplets before Hunter could make do with his promise. It's beating him up, but he doesn't show it. The fact that he failed those innocent children. It only means one thing, though. Killian owes use all a life, and he will pay up when the time comes.The pack doctor shakes his head. "Your temperature and bl
HUNTER They had beaten me to a pulp, but they were going to need more than that to end me. I just need to know if Tara is alright. Since Daphne carried her into that separate room, I have seen nothing and heard nothing. My wolf is terribly weak. I struggle against the chains. I've been doing that for hours. Killian came and asked Daphne when she was going to kill me. She may hate me now, but I know she can never do something as horrendous as that. Daphne still loved me. I couldn't kill her as well if given the chance. There was just something holding us back. She stalled my execution date until two days from now. Meaning, Nikolai has 48 hours to rescue me successfully, or I have just that amount of time to break free before they sell her off to Ander. I need to save her, or else I won't forgive myself. I struggle against the chains bound to the ceiling above. It hung me up. I pull with all of my might, but nothing can save me from the weakness freezing my wolf out. I feel helpl
NIKOLAITheir weapons are laced with wolf's bane and poisons of various calibres. We are outnumbered, and it's also impossible for us to win this war against Ander. My wolves are perishing all around me, and I feel helpless. Ander is on his horse wrecking havoc with the mighty scythe in his hand.I run for him, growling as my fangs gleam under the afternoon sun. He's about to hit one of my closest wolves from behind. I dive on his horse and throw him to the ground, cartwheeling and dodging the scythe's blade by a narrow miss.Ander roars, getting on his feet. It's between the both of us. I'm not armed, and I know I've got to be careful while going against that blade. Winter warned me about that, and I promised myself I would make it out alive.I charge at him, and he comes for me as well. We clash, baring our teeth. Our wolves around us are still going at each other. Still, it is clear that Ander is winning. He shoves me to the ground. I bring out my leg and swipe it across, making him
DAPHNE Tears burn my throat. It didn't occur to me that he would actually find my replacement. I still loved him deeply, but I couldn't disobey my father. If he chose me now, I would have abandoned everything and saved him from this hell. But the man I love is interested in another woman. This must be my karma. I walk into the barren room where Tara has been kept inside. I know she's scared, but I'm so livid that I could pluck out her entire hair. How dare she steal what is mine? "Ander would love to hear you survived his trap. He would take your sorry ass back and punish you for life because that is what you deserve." Tara starts begging. She knows what it's like to be slaved under Alpha Ander. Not to mention being punished eternity by him. It's pure hell, and I want to laugh at the terrified look on her face. I do laugh. "What? Scared, are we? This is what you get for taking what's not yours." "I didn't know you and Hunter were an item. I met him by chance and he said nothin
HUNTER I told her not to go. I told her I had to stay put right here inside the damned pack house, but she just won't listen. One thing I've learnt about Tara is that she's as pig headed as they come and can't take no for an answer. She literally dragged me out from the house to come and pick herbs in the woods. Her argument is that it's close by and we won't be gone for more than half an hour. It takes only a second for things to go epically wrong, but I don't know why I can't resist her anymore. When she speaks, she always finds a way to get to me, and she doesn't even do much. She only just has to say the word. I don't what to make of it, but I'm trying to school myself into making this the only time such would repeat itself again. Sure, she can pick her herbs for now, but next time, I won't consent to something as careless as this, leaving the pack house unguarded. She's in front of me, skipping happily into the woods. I'm always happy to see her smile. The sight of it just m
WINTER I dread waking up to this morning because I know what it means for us. Nikolai wants us to do this. He wants us to pay Jacob a visit, but I don't think I'm ready. Jacob was the man who hurt me. Although he seems repentant, I still can't tell what his heart would be like. I'm stepping out of the bathroom when he meets me halfway. Nikolai hugs me. Last night brought us a lot closer intimately. I was so darn sure I would have his babies after that. He made sure of it. But then, would the curse of Rose find me now that I am Winter. Will I still not be able to have kids of my own? "Hey, babe." Nikolai calls me, resting his forehead against mine. "You look stressed. Don't be stressed." "You know why I'm stressed." "I'll be right there with you. You don't have to be scared because you have me protecting you always." He has a point. I know he will never abandon me. Nikolai loves me so much. He proved that last night, and I'm certain he will always have my back in everything. I do
HUNTER I walk ahead as soon as I walk towards my room in the Alpha's home. She's right behind me in the next minute. I saw her hold back her words before Nikolai was out of respect. I knew the second she was in the clear, she was going to come at me with everything she's got. Funny enough, I'm anticipating it. I'm also anticipating seeing more of her in those pretty clothes. It's new for Tara. "Ever heard of give people their flowers, Hunter?" She crosses her arms as she falls in step with me. Nikolai and Winter have occupied the main stairs, so we are going all around to get to my room. Tara is just following me without a clue about where she's going. "That's the most senseless thing I've ever heard." She blocks my path, walking with her back when I don't stop coming forward. "Take that back." Tara slaps my chest. Coming from a werewolf, her hit does justice, and I almost break a wince. "I won't take it back, Tara. Because it's my opinion." "I found you empathetic at first