Stavros’s POV Panic gripped me, and I released her. Hazel went back to her seat while I lost my appetite. I was in a strange dilemma. Should I inform Hazel about the threat of death looming over her head? “What’s wrong? Don’t you like the food?” She gave me a look of concern. “The food’s great, but I’m feeling a little uneasy.” At that point, Dyson connected with me. ‘I have to resurface. I’m bound by the curse you broke, Stavros.’ My heart sank with dread. If Dyson emerged now, he would disrupt the beautiful moment we shared. He would surely frighten Hazel off me. It was true she accepted the fact that I was a Grypwolf, but seeing one was a terrifying ordeal. “Oh, have a little dinner. Don’t sleep on an empty stomach.” I was too engrossed in curbing Dyson to listen to her.‘No, Dyson. Not tonight, please.’ If he emerged, it would be the end of my beautiful relationship with Hazel. Everything would be over even before it started. I had to stop him. ‘I helped you so much. You can’
Stavros’s POV I kissed her all over, yet I needed more. Hazel was always eager to please me. Despite the rumble in her stomach, she waited for my knot to loosen. It had been almost an hour that we had made love after dealing with Dyson. Yet my knot kept on throbbing with no sign of loosening.“I’m sorry, baby. Do you want me to crawl with you to the kitchen to get some food?” I had no idea how I would manage that, but I couldn’t wait all night and let her stay hungry. She rolled her eyes at my absurd proposal. “How? Just relax and the knot will ease out.” I tried my best, but even after two hours, we were stuck to one another. Hazel fell asleep on my chest while I watched her with guilt. I should have listened to her and let her have her dinner before having my way with her. I couldn’t settle down into a blissful sleep like her when we were tied up in this manner. With my reactions controlling my knot, I was having a tough time, anyway. Every time I have either a negative or a lu
Stavros’s POVThe next two days were a roller-coaster ride for me as I had to make all the arrangements for the Luna Ceremony. Hazel was sore, and I let her rest. She had no idea what I was planning to do after the Luna Ceremony. I didn't press her when she wanted to move in after two days. I was planning to sneak out of Lucania and it would be impossible to do so if Hazel moved in with me.She went back to her house on seeing me neck-deep in work. Although she was occupied with her school, we caught up whenever we could take time out.I didn’t consult Annabeth after Michael informed me about her sickness. Since our last connection over the phone, Annabeth had been unwell and admitted to the hospital under Alexandrios’ care.“All taken care of?” asked Zeph before packing up for the day.“Yes.” The Luna Ceremony was in the evening and we discussed the sequence of events we had planned. “Sounds good, Stav. We’ll sit down after the event to chalk out our plan for the business.”I nodded
Stavros’s POV I reached the airport of Ioannina after a day. My destination was Aramaic, Gavriil’s kingdom on Mount Aramaic, a peak near Smolikas, the second-highest mountain peak in Greece. The trek was treacherous, and I wrapped my backpack around my body and shifted into my wolf. It would help me cover the distance faster. This time, Dyson helped me seek Gavriil. Maybe he was eager to get out of my body. He led me to the stunning Drakolimni Lake, its shores showcasing reddish boulders, dirt, and gravel. The dragons had been living in this area for decades.‘I don’t see a thing here!’ I groaned, my limbs aching from the constant traveling. ‘Look in front of you. That’s Mount Aramaic. The dragons live in the caves adorning the mountain peak.’ I was dead tired and took refuge in a cave, hunting a lynx and filling my stomach. I was used to living in this way for days with Zephyrus. ‘I’ll protect you if you don’t harm my mate,’ said Dyson, feeling guilty. ‘Deal, then?’ Dyson agre
Stavros’s POVI was desperate to know the truth. How could Drako be alive? He had died right in front of my eyes. Yet the youngster was none other than Drako! I would go crazy if I didn’t get my answers. An attendant approached me with drinks.“Thanks.” I accepted the drink and considered asking him. “Was that Prince Drako?”“No, that’s Prince Damon, Prince Drako’s identical twin.”I frowned at his reply. As far as I knew, King Gavriil had no other heir. That was why he had cursed me. Then where did Prince Damon come from? Did King Gavriil lie and punish me unnecessarily?Several attendants rushed in to announce His Highness, King Gavriil, and I stood up to greet him. I had sworn to be amicable this time and appeal for justice. I wasn’t here to fight. Fighting would take a lot of time from my ten-minute ultimatum.King Gavrill appeared at the door, and I watched him approach me. He looked older than the last time I saw him, although it was just four years ago. His face didn’t at all g
Stavros’s POV I knew I looked like a ferocious monster with my sharp horns and powerful jaws. It was the first time I would fight as a Grypwolf. I wished I had checked out my powers beforehand. The guards ran amok, but I was faster. Dyson and Vyros launched three attacks simultaneously: one with Vyros’s bite and two with Dyson’s claws. It was enough to kill three of the guards. More joined us, and it looked like a lost cause. ‘Launch multi-attacks! Ten this time!’ Dyson yelled through the mind link. It made us realize a very important power we possessed as a Grypwolf. In a series of simultaneous attacks, we killed ten of them. Chaos erupted around us, and they brought more armed dragon warriors. It was a do-or-die situation as the dragon warriors took to the sky to breathe fire on me. I was losing with no avenue of escape. They had surrounded us from all sides. ‘Dyson, Vyros, do something!’ I yelled through the link as I released the breath I was holding. It caused a deafening th
Stavros’s POV Hazel wept with joy hearing my voice after days. “Why didn’t you take me with you, Stavros? I’m so worried about you,” she cried, her voice heavy and cracking.I felt heartbroken to feel her condition, but I was helpless. I was doing this only for her.“I’m fine, Hazel. This is a dangerous mission and I have to do this alone. I have to get rid of this curse. I promise to return soon to live a normal life with you.” She tried hard to control her tears and support me. “Promise me you’ll take care of yourself, Stavros. I want you back with or without the curse. I just want you back.” My throat choked with emotions, and I could feel tears pool in my eyes as well. All my life I had held them back effectively, but after reuniting with Hazel, I had no control over them whatsoever. “I promise to return in a fortnight or earlier, with or without the curse.” She smiled and relaxed a little. It was strange that I could feel everything she felt or did over the phone call. “Did g
Stavros’s POV I watched Thanos work in his studio with the utmost concentration. He knew the members of the council were watching his every move. There wasn’t any scope for mistakes. They would execute him if he sabotaged the spell. This was his only ticket to freedom. Both Sorcerers, Frankl and Fredrik stayed with us, monitoring the spell Thanos was working on. I was hopeful this time and waited patiently. It had been almost six boring days since I arrived here at their headquarters. Ever since I hadn’t stepped out or spoken to my mate over the phone. We were completely isolated from the outside world. “Stavros, tonight we will experience the Blood Moon and your first phase of the cleansing spell will start,” informed Sorcerer Fredrik. I waited the entire day, but even after dinner, there was no sign of Thanos or the council members. Did they forget about their plan to start the spell tonight? I had just closed my eyes a few minutes before midnight when Thanos came into my room
Hazel’s POVA Fortnight LaterI watched my mate in awe as he expertly tended to the twins. It had been two weeks since he returned, yet it still felt surreal. In these two weeks, Stavros has learned to take care of the pups better than me. We didn’t need my aunts at all. He has been a doting father and a caring mate to me, making up for his absence during childbirth.He explained his lineage to me, but it didn’t matter at all that he was a wind wolf. To me, he was just my mate.The treasures he brought for me were priceless, not for their worth, but because they were a blessing from his father. He told me everything about his ordeal in the Wild Wain Village. I was glad he found his closure.The doorbell rang, bringing me out of my reverie. “I’ll get it. Here, you can change Helios,” said Stavros.He walked out of the nursery while I tucked the twins into bed. I could hear the hushed whispers downstairs. Who could be here now? I was looking forward to spending some time with Stavros af
Stavros’s POVShe released my mouth and grinned at the jaw-dropped look on my face. A million questions flitted across my head as she eased off my lap and started the car.“I don’t understand, Hazel. What happened to you? Umm, I mean how do you look so thin? Your featherweight too.”She chuckled as she drove on. “Oh, come on! I was never featherweight!”I watched her, feeling even more puzzled than before. “But what about the twins? I don’t understand how you reduced so much in a few days.”She laughed as if it was obvious. “I popped the twins out, silly. That’s why my tummy has shrunk!” My mouth hung with astonishment.What does “Popped” mean? Did she deliver my pups? If so, where were they, and why was she heading to the hospital?“Popped means gave birth. The day you were captured, I delivered the twins. Today I saw my gynecologist, Dr. Sylvia, who helped me give birth. It was a routine check-up.” My heart skipped a beat and I couldn’t help but say a silent prayer to the kind godde
Stavros’s POV“That’s sorted then. I’m sure you can sort the rest by yourselves. I’ll leave for home.” In my haste, I had completely forgotten about my father’s treasure and property.“Beta, can we discuss your father’s belongings, which are rightfully yours?” asked Delta Drupal.“Oh, yes. As I had mentioned earlier, I will give away everything to the pack members. You can use the treasure and the property for the welfare of the pack. Please prepare the legal documents and send them to me in Lucania for my signature.” I wanted the entire pack to know that my father’s precious possessions belonged to them. It wasn’t the Alpha’s personal property or wealth. I wouldn’t want anyone to take undue advantage of my father’s hard earned wealth.“Yes, Beta. I appreciate your kindness. Can we transform the mansion into our packhouse to shelter the members who are homeless?” asked Delta Drupal, eliciting cheers from the pack members. I knew I had made the right decision in choosing him as the Alp
Stavros’s POVZephyrus looked relieved to see me. “Stop the battle. They’ve released Beta Stavros,” he yelled, striding towards me. Even Alpha Alexios barked orders to stop the fight and step back.I gazed all around me at the beheaded, blood-smeared bodies lying all around the snow-covered terrain. The ground was transformed into a sea of blood, and my heart sank with despair. This wasn’t what I wanted for my father’s pack.“Beta Stavros, please save our pack. Only fifty of us are alive now,” pleaded Zeta Athlon, dropping to his knees in front of me in a sea of blood. The injury across his chest looked fatal, and nothing could save him now. They should have revolted against Beta Velez and released me earlier. It would have stopped the fight.“It’s your doing, Zeta. The fight has ceased and everyone can return home. We will leave your territory right now,” said Alpha Alexios.“Please stay the night. We want to discuss an important topic tomorrow once everyone is well-rested. It’s cruc
Stavros’s POVWith the sun up all day and night, keeping track of time within the room where I was locked was difficult. It was frustrating since I couldn’t escape with the tight security all around. The wind wolves were desperate to keep me here and could do anything to have their way. I didn’t fear for myself but for my family in Lucania.By now, I was sure their Zeta had reached Lucania to abduct Hazel. Had she given birth yet?I was restless as I paced the floor. There had to be a way to reach out to Hazel. I tried to mind-link with Hazel, but I was too far away to connect to her. Neither could I connect with Zephyrus this time, although we shared a good rapport with one another. Were the wind wolves blocking me out? With their unknown powers, there was a possibility that they were preventing me from reaching out for help. Did they possess psychic powers?After the cleansing ritual, I had completely severed all ties with Dyson. So even if I tried, I couldn’t connect with him.Ther
Hazel’s POVI opened my eyes to look around me. Yes, I was still alone at the hospital waiting to be discharged. I lost my senses after hearing the news of my mate’s capture. It devastated me, totally catching me unawares. I had expected Stavros to be injured, but never captured and taken away to some unknown enemy territory.I closed my eyes, unable to imagine what he was going through there. How could Zeph allow this to happen? Wasn’t it his duty to protect his Beta? Shouldn’t he rescue Stavros? I needed my phone to get some answers from Zephyrus. Somehow, I felt let down. All his life, Stavros had unconditionally stood by Zeph and now, when he was in the enemy territory, how could the pack members sit back and relax?I eased off the hospital bed to find out what was going on. I was supposed to get discharged today and planned to follow up with my doctor, but first, I needed to check up on the twins.Walking down to the nursery, I could feel the sympathetic glances thrown my way. Ob
Stavros’s POVThe car sped along the highway that took me through the boreal forest, high Alpine, and rolling tundra until we reached a desolate village. I knew the place since I had come here before. It was the Wild Wain Village, the territory of the Wind Wolves. The place was cold, desolate, and uninhabitable, submerged in darkness because the clouds hanging low completely blocked the pale rays of the Midnight sun.Beta Velez drove on with a grim look on his face while I watched for road signs to guide me back. There was no way I would live here. After meeting their Alpha and knowing their motive, I would surely escape. I wanted to ask so many things but the gag prevented me from speaking.“Mmm!” I struggled to get it off and Beta Velez stopped the car and untied my mouth at last. I sputtered, gasping for air. My mouth felt parched but with my hands still tied up, I doubted I would get water to drink.“Why have you brought me here? I want to meet your Alpha.” He drove on in silence,
Hazel’s POVI tossed and turned all afternoon; the pain escalating every minute. After Stavros’s call, I fell asleep from exhaustion. He still hadn’t returned when I woke up, and neither did the others. Now the dull throbbing ache in my cervix turned excruciating, and I gritted my teeth to bear it.The door opened, and Aunt Carla entered my room. “Hazel, we can’t delay this anymore. We have to take you to the hospital. Your contractions have started.”I gave her a frantic look. I couldn’t deliver without Stavros! He promised he would be there with me all along. “Please call Stavros, Aunt Carla. I can’t do this alone.” Tears pooled in my eyes and streamed down my cheeks while she gave me a hesitant look.“Stavros and the others are very busy at the borders. The enemy has attacked us and they cannot return. You have us with you, Hazel. Don’t delay this. You’re risking your life and also that of your pups.” I sighed and nodded, agreeing with their wishes.“Fine, I’ll go to the hospital.”
Stavros’s POVHazel’s call disturbed me a lot as I waited for some update on the attackers. True to his promise, Orion called after forty minutes with a shocking update. I wondered how he located the enemy so fast. It only meant one thing. They hadn’t left but were lurking nearby instead.“Yes, Orion. Have you located the enemy?”“Yes, Stav. They’ve taken shelter at the foothills of Mount Richardson. I’m keeping a watch on their activities and it doesn’t look hopeful. I think they’re heading over to launch an attack on us again.”My jaws dropped with horror. I had no idea the enemy was so close. “Do you have any idea who they are and what they want?”“No, Stav, but they aren’t normal shifters like us. Their speed is the fastest I’ve ever seen. I can’t get near as they can sense anything nearby. They’ve killed two rogues trespassing nearby and five bears already.” I frowned at his description.“How do they look? Do they possess any typical physical traits?” Orion considered my question