Stephanie's POV Jake and John exchanged a look before turning to me."Don't worry," Jake said. "We'll go outside and see what Marcus wants."John nodded in agreement. "You and Sarah get Reyna out of here. We’ll handle things."Sarah scoffed. "We already know what he wants me." Her voice was steady, but I could hear the edge of fear beneath it. She lifted her chin defiantly. "But he’s never getting me back. I left his hold, and I’m never going back."Her determination made me proud, but we didn’t have time to argue about it. We had to move.Without wasting another second, we slipped through the back gate, where a black car was already waiting for us.“Get in,” the driver said in a low voice, his eyes darting toward the front of the building.Sarah climbed in first, pulling me along with her. As soon as the door shut behind us, the car sped off, leaving Jake and John behind to deal with Marcus.The tension in the car was thick. Sarah sat stiffly beside me, her fingers clenched into fis
Reyna's POV I woke up to the soft glow of the bedside lamp, my head still throbbing but lighter than before. The scent of fresh linen and antiseptic filled my nose, and as my vision cleared, I saw Sarah sitting beside me."You're awake," she breathed out, her voice laced with relief.I blinked a few times, my body still sluggish. "Where…where am I?""A safe house," she answered, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "You've been unconscious for two days. We were so worried."Two days? My mind struggled to catch up. The last thing I remembered was pain,Damon, Diane, and chaos. I swallowed, my throat dry."Stephanie?" I croaked.Before Sarah could respond, the door swung open, and there she was."You're finally awake." Stephanie strode into the room with her usual confidence, but her eyes softened as she looked at me."Steph," I whispered.She crossed the room in seconds and wrapped her arms around me. Her embrace was strong, grounding me in the present. For the first time in days, I felt s
John's POV The hum of the engine filled the silence between Jake and me as I drove through the dimly lit streets. The city blurred past, a mixture of neon lights and shadows, but my focus was elsewhere. Something in my chest felt… off. Like a weight pressing down, not painful, but present. An awareness I couldn’t shake.Jake sat beside me, lost in his own thoughts, his fingers drumming against his knee. I knew what he was thinking about,Reyna. The need to get back to her, to see her safe with his own eyes. I understood that kind of devotion. Or at least, I thought I did.But something had shifted in me.I gripped the wheel tighter, staring at the road ahead. Reyna. The woman I had fought for, bled for, almost died for. The woman I had sworn to protect.Yet, something was missing.The bond, the pull I used to feel toward her, was dull, faded. Not gone, but distant—like a song played from another room, recognizable but no longer mine to claim.I inhaled sharply, forcing my mind to focu
John's POV I caught the scent of her hesitation before she even moved.Stephanie’s hand hovered over the doorknob, her shoulders tense. Her breathing was steady, controlled,but I knew better. She was about to bolt.In a flash, I moved, cutting her off before she could step inside. I wasn’t even sure why I did it,only that letting her slip away didn’t feel like an option.She gasped, her eyes widening in shock. “What the hell, John?”I crossed my arms, blocking the door with my body. “Were you planning on running away?”Her lips parted, then pressed into a thin line. “I wasn’t running.”“Then why did you freeze up when you saw me?”Stephanie huffed, crossing her arms. “I wasn’t expecting you to appear out of nowhere like a damn shadow.”I smirked. “Werewolf speed has its perks.”She rolled her eyes and tried to step around me, but I shifted, keeping her in place.She let out a frustrated sigh. “Move, John.”“No.”Her brows knitted together. “Excuse me?”I leaned against the doorframe,
Stephanie's POV The silence between us wasn’t heavy. It wasn’t awkward or tense. It simply… was.John and I sat side by side on the fallen log, the cool night air wrapping around us. The moon was high, its light filtering through the trees, casting silver threads over the clearing. I focused on the sound of the wind rustling the leaves, on the distant hoot of an owl. Anything but the way John’s presence made my chest feel tight.I wasn’t used to this.Silence, yes. I had spent years locked inside my own head, drowning in the absence of words. But this wasn’t that kind of silence. This was different. This was… safe.I stole a glance at him.John was watching me, his eyes darker than usual under the soft glow of the moon. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in the way he looked at me that made my skin prickle. Not with fear. Not with unease. But with something I wasn’t ready to name.His lips parted, and for a moment, I thought he might speak. But he didn’t. Instead,
Jake's POV The air in the dungeon was thick with the stench of damp stone and decay, the kind of smell that clung to your skin long after you left. I barely noticed it. My focus was locked on the metal door in front of me, the one separating me from Diane.The guards stepped aside as I approached, their expressions unreadable. They knew better than to question why I was here. Everyone knew what Diane had done, the pain she had caused.I pushed the door open.Diane sat in the corner, shackled to the wall. Her once-perfect appearance was in ruins,her hair tangled, her face streaked with dirt and dried blood. She looked up at me, her eyes narrowing before shifting into something unreadable.“Jake,” she murmured, voice hoarse. “Here to let me go?”I let out a dark chuckle before slamming the door shut behind me. “You think this is a rescue mission?”She smirked, though I could see the flicker of doubt in her gaze. “You’ve always been the reasonable one. The quiet one.” She tilted her hea
John's POV The night air was crisp as I stepped through the front doors of the estate, the weight of exhaustion settling deep in my bones. Steph had been right beside me just moments ago, but before I could say a word, she vanished into the shadows like she always did. She never liked lingering too long, especially after a mission.I rubbed my temples, barely suppressing a groan. The night had been long, and I wasn’t looking forward to whatever came next.A sentinel approached, his expression unreadable. “The elders request an audience with you, Alpha.”I exhaled sharply, already irritated. “Not tonight. Tell them I’ll meet them tomorrow.”The sentinel hesitated but nodded before turning on his heel and disappearing down the hall. I knew pushing off the meeting wouldn’t go over well, but I didn’t care. For once, I just needed a damn moment to breathe.I moved further inside, my steps slowing as I reached Reyna’s door. My hand hovered over the handle, but I hesitated.What was I suppo
Reyna's POV Warm sunlight streamed through the room as the sound of soft footsteps pulled me from sleep. My eyelids fluttered open just in time to see Steph yanking the curtains apart, letting the golden glow spill across the walls."Rise and shine, sleepyhead," she teased, turning to face me with a wide grin.I pushed myself up against the pillows, a slow smile spreading across my lips. "Steph," I breathed.She didn't hesitate. In a second, she was beside me, arms wrapped tight around my shoulders. I clung to her just as fiercely, letting the warmth of her presence chase away the last remnants of fear that had clung to me since my return."I'm so glad you're back," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion.I pulled back slightly, searching her eyes. "I'm glad to be back."Her gaze softened. "We were all worried about you, Reyna. I was worried about you."A lump formed in my throat. It was still hard to believe I was safe, back in familiar surroundings, surrounded by people who car
Reyna’s POVStephanie leaned against the doorframe, arms folded and a sly smile playing on her lips. “You won’t believe who’s rotting in the dungeon.”I raised a brow from where I was sitting on the edge of my bed. “Who?”“Diane.” She smirked. “Locked up like the traitor she is.”I blinked. My stomach did a little twist,not from fear, but from the overwhelming satisfaction that came with justice being served. “Seriously?”Steph nodded, eyes glinting. “Wanna go see her? Give her a piece of your mind?”I didn’t hesitate. “Hell yes.”We were out of the room and down the hallway in seconds, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet corridor. The tension that had been clinging to my chest since everything happened seemed to ease with every step. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say to Diane, but I knew one thing for sure,I needed to see her in chains.The moment we entered the dungeon, the stench of mold and rust hit me. The air was cold and damp, but I kept walking, eyes
Jake’s POVThe flames danced in the hearth across the room, casting flickers of gold on the stone walls, but I barely noticed. My mind was running wild, tangled in the mess Diane had left behind. John sat opposite me, arms folded tight across his chest, his jaw tense, frustration radiating off him like heat.“We have to be smart about this,” I said, breaking the silence. “Whatever we do with Diane… we can’t act on impulse. She’s not just some rogue wolf we can toss into the dungeons. She has friends among the elders.”John scoffed, dark eyes narrowing. “So what? We’re supposed to tiptoe around her because of that? Jake, she betrayed us. She handed over sensitive information to Damon and Marcus. If that doesn’t scream ‘traitor,’ I don’t know what does.”“I know what she did.” My tone was calm, but I felt the fire build behind it. “And I’m not saying she walks free. But if we act without council approval, it gives her allies ammunition. They’ll paint us as reckless. Unstable. We can’t a
Reyna's POV Warm sunlight streamed through the room as the sound of soft footsteps pulled me from sleep. My eyelids fluttered open just in time to see Steph yanking the curtains apart, letting the golden glow spill across the walls."Rise and shine, sleepyhead," she teased, turning to face me with a wide grin.I pushed myself up against the pillows, a slow smile spreading across my lips. "Steph," I breathed.She didn't hesitate. In a second, she was beside me, arms wrapped tight around my shoulders. I clung to her just as fiercely, letting the warmth of her presence chase away the last remnants of fear that had clung to me since my return."I'm so glad you're back," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion.I pulled back slightly, searching her eyes. "I'm glad to be back."Her gaze softened. "We were all worried about you, Reyna. I was worried about you."A lump formed in my throat. It was still hard to believe I was safe, back in familiar surroundings, surrounded by people who car
John's POV The night air was crisp as I stepped through the front doors of the estate, the weight of exhaustion settling deep in my bones. Steph had been right beside me just moments ago, but before I could say a word, she vanished into the shadows like she always did. She never liked lingering too long, especially after a mission.I rubbed my temples, barely suppressing a groan. The night had been long, and I wasn’t looking forward to whatever came next.A sentinel approached, his expression unreadable. “The elders request an audience with you, Alpha.”I exhaled sharply, already irritated. “Not tonight. Tell them I’ll meet them tomorrow.”The sentinel hesitated but nodded before turning on his heel and disappearing down the hall. I knew pushing off the meeting wouldn’t go over well, but I didn’t care. For once, I just needed a damn moment to breathe.I moved further inside, my steps slowing as I reached Reyna’s door. My hand hovered over the handle, but I hesitated.What was I suppo
Jake's POV The air in the dungeon was thick with the stench of damp stone and decay, the kind of smell that clung to your skin long after you left. I barely noticed it. My focus was locked on the metal door in front of me, the one separating me from Diane.The guards stepped aside as I approached, their expressions unreadable. They knew better than to question why I was here. Everyone knew what Diane had done, the pain she had caused.I pushed the door open.Diane sat in the corner, shackled to the wall. Her once-perfect appearance was in ruins,her hair tangled, her face streaked with dirt and dried blood. She looked up at me, her eyes narrowing before shifting into something unreadable.“Jake,” she murmured, voice hoarse. “Here to let me go?”I let out a dark chuckle before slamming the door shut behind me. “You think this is a rescue mission?”She smirked, though I could see the flicker of doubt in her gaze. “You’ve always been the reasonable one. The quiet one.” She tilted her hea
Stephanie's POV The silence between us wasn’t heavy. It wasn’t awkward or tense. It simply… was.John and I sat side by side on the fallen log, the cool night air wrapping around us. The moon was high, its light filtering through the trees, casting silver threads over the clearing. I focused on the sound of the wind rustling the leaves, on the distant hoot of an owl. Anything but the way John’s presence made my chest feel tight.I wasn’t used to this.Silence, yes. I had spent years locked inside my own head, drowning in the absence of words. But this wasn’t that kind of silence. This was different. This was… safe.I stole a glance at him.John was watching me, his eyes darker than usual under the soft glow of the moon. His expression was unreadable, but there was something in the way he looked at me that made my skin prickle. Not with fear. Not with unease. But with something I wasn’t ready to name.His lips parted, and for a moment, I thought he might speak. But he didn’t. Instead,
John's POV I caught the scent of her hesitation before she even moved.Stephanie’s hand hovered over the doorknob, her shoulders tense. Her breathing was steady, controlled,but I knew better. She was about to bolt.In a flash, I moved, cutting her off before she could step inside. I wasn’t even sure why I did it,only that letting her slip away didn’t feel like an option.She gasped, her eyes widening in shock. “What the hell, John?”I crossed my arms, blocking the door with my body. “Were you planning on running away?”Her lips parted, then pressed into a thin line. “I wasn’t running.”“Then why did you freeze up when you saw me?”Stephanie huffed, crossing her arms. “I wasn’t expecting you to appear out of nowhere like a damn shadow.”I smirked. “Werewolf speed has its perks.”She rolled her eyes and tried to step around me, but I shifted, keeping her in place.She let out a frustrated sigh. “Move, John.”“No.”Her brows knitted together. “Excuse me?”I leaned against the doorframe,
John's POV The hum of the engine filled the silence between Jake and me as I drove through the dimly lit streets. The city blurred past, a mixture of neon lights and shadows, but my focus was elsewhere. Something in my chest felt… off. Like a weight pressing down, not painful, but present. An awareness I couldn’t shake.Jake sat beside me, lost in his own thoughts, his fingers drumming against his knee. I knew what he was thinking about,Reyna. The need to get back to her, to see her safe with his own eyes. I understood that kind of devotion. Or at least, I thought I did.But something had shifted in me.I gripped the wheel tighter, staring at the road ahead. Reyna. The woman I had fought for, bled for, almost died for. The woman I had sworn to protect.Yet, something was missing.The bond, the pull I used to feel toward her, was dull, faded. Not gone, but distant—like a song played from another room, recognizable but no longer mine to claim.I inhaled sharply, forcing my mind to focu
Reyna's POV I woke up to the soft glow of the bedside lamp, my head still throbbing but lighter than before. The scent of fresh linen and antiseptic filled my nose, and as my vision cleared, I saw Sarah sitting beside me."You're awake," she breathed out, her voice laced with relief.I blinked a few times, my body still sluggish. "Where…where am I?""A safe house," she answered, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "You've been unconscious for two days. We were so worried."Two days? My mind struggled to catch up. The last thing I remembered was pain,Damon, Diane, and chaos. I swallowed, my throat dry."Stephanie?" I croaked.Before Sarah could respond, the door swung open, and there she was."You're finally awake." Stephanie strode into the room with her usual confidence, but her eyes softened as she looked at me."Steph," I whispered.She crossed the room in seconds and wrapped her arms around me. Her embrace was strong, grounding me in the present. For the first time in days, I felt s