Rion's POV
“All I care about is finding her,” I snapped, my voice cracking with exhaustion and desperation. My hands were shaking, my body barely holding it together. I felt like I was unraveling, piece by piece, my sanity fraying at the edges. I couldn’t let myself rest, not when she was out there somewhere, possibly hurt, possibly worse. The thought of her suffering alone was a knife twisting in my gut. “I can’t just sit around and do nothing while she’s out there. I need to be out there, looking for her. She needs me.”
Rafayel’s eyes softened, and he stepped closer, his hand squeezing my shoulder. “I know, Alpha,” he said, his voice dropping to a soothing tone. “I know how much she means to you. But you can’t find her if you fall apart. You’re pushing yourself too hard, and it’s not helping anyone. Just rest for an hour. Please.”
I stared at him, the fight draining
Jaselyn's POVZane's words hung in the air, heavy and impossible. I stared at him, my heart hammering in my chest. Our son is alive? It couldn’t be true. It had to be another one of Zane’s twisted games, another way to manipulate me and mess with my mind.I’d held Celio's tiny, lifeless body in my arms after his birth. I remembered the weight of him, the way his little fingers were curled as if grasping for something he would never hold. My heart had shattered into a million pieces that day."You’re lying," I whispered, my voice shaking. "I don’t believe you. You’re just trying to play with me again."Zane sighed, as if he had expected this reaction. "I’m not surprised you don’t believe me," he said calmly. "It was difficult for me to believe at first, too. But I have proof."He stood up and walked over to a drawer, his movements slow and deliberate, as if he wanted me to see every s
Jaselyn's POVPanic surged through me, my heart racing in my chest. I knew if I said no outright, he’d just take what he wanted, like he did before. My body and my unborn children wouldn’t be able to handle another brutal assault. I had to find a way to protect myself, to protect my babies.I forced myself to breathe, to stay calm. “Zane,” I began softly, my voice barely above a whisper, “the doctor said I shouldn’t undergo any stress at all, including physical stress. My body is still healing. I have a tear… down there. If we do it, it will hurt me a lot. I might start bleeding again, and it won’t be pleasant for you either.”I watched his face carefully, praying he would understand. I could see the wheels turning in his head, his expression shifting from desire to consideration. He didn’t release his grip on me, but I could feel his muscles relax slightly.After a moment, he let ou
Jaselyn's POVZane leaned back, a contented sigh escaping his lips. “You did well, Jaselyn,” he said, his voice dripping with smug satisfaction. “See? It’s not so bad when you do what you’re told.”I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. My mouth felt numb, my throat raw, but I forced myself to keep it together. I couldn’t break now. I couldn’t give him the satisfaction.He zipped up his pants and lay down beside me, pulling me close to his chest. “Get some sleep,” he murmured, his voice soft and deceptively gentle. “We have a lot to plan for tomorrow.”I closed my eyes, my body going still, pretending to relax against him. I could feel his gaze on me, watching me closely, and I knew I had to play the part. I forced my breathing to slow, letting my body go limp, as if I were drifting off to sleep.Minutes ticked by, each one an eternity as I waited, listening to the
Jaselyn's POVPure, unadulterated fear gripped me as I met Zane’s eyes. I could see the murderous intent in his gaze, like a predator closing in on its prey. His eyes were dark and hungry, and I felt like a gazelle cornered by a ravenous wolf. My breath came in short, ragged gasps as my body shook uncontrollably. The gun in my hand wavered, almost slipping from my grasp. I couldn’t keep my fingers steady, no matter how hard I tried. My instincts screamed at me to flee, but there was nowhere to go.Zane’s lips curled into a smirk as he watched me tremble. He didn’t even seem to care that I had a gun in my hand. He remained seated on the bed, his eyes locked on mine, confident, knowing. He was so sure I wouldn’t pull the trigger. “Give me the gun, Jaselyn,” he commanded, his voice low and threatening. “Hand it over, or there will be consequences.”The words sent a chill down my spine. Images of my brutal
Jaselyn's POV“Nila, how close is he?” I asked frantically, my heart in my throat.“He’s almost here. You need to hide, now.”I took a deep breath, steadying myself. I screamed as loudly as I could, the sound echoing across the mountainside, before gathering the last of my strength and sprinting away from the cliff. I dove behind a grassy knoll, pressing myself flat against the ground, my heart hammering in my chest. I held my breath, listening.A few seconds later, Zane crashed through the brush, his eyes wild, his gaze darting around. He spotted my shirt at the edge of the cliff and froze, his face twisting in confusion. He moved closer, his steps cautious, as if he wasn’t sure what he was seeing.He knelt down at the edge, picking up my shirt and sniffing it, his eyes narrowing. He glanced over the edge, peering down into the darkness below. I held my breath, praying he would believe the ruse.Zan
Jaselyn's POVI jolted awake with a scream, my lungs burning as if I’d been underwater too long. My heart was racing, thundering in my chest as my eyes darted around the room, still trapped in the horrors of the nightmare. I was back in that house. Zane was there, his face twisted into a cruel smile, his eyes gleaming with malice.In the nightmare, I was bound to a chair, my arms strapped tightly to the wooden frame. Zane loomed over me, a knife glinting in his hand. I struggled, my wrists burning as I fought against the restraints, but it was no use. He came closer, the knife’s blade catching the light as he dragged it across my skin, leaving a thin line of blood in its wake. I could feel every inch of it—the cold steel biting into me, the warm blood trickling down my arms.“You think you can escape me, Jaselyn?” Zane sneered, pressing the knife to my throat. “You’re mine. You’ll always be mine.”
Jaselyn's POVSeeing my reluctance, Rion continued, filling the silence with his calm, steady voice. “After the doctor called me and gave me the address where you were being held, I rewarded her handsomely for her help and left Mother to handle the arrangements,” he explained. “You were being held in a small cottage on the mountainside of the Rock Hill Pack. It’s a small pack, just beyond Blue Solstice, one of the colony-like packs that depend on us. I felt so stupid for not realizing how close you were.”I listened quietly, absorbing his words as he recounted everything that happened after he found out where I was.“Erik, a few warriors, and I left for the Pack after I sent a message to the Alpha of Rock Hill. He was more than willing to let us search his territory. It didn’t take long before we found the cottage. But when we stormed in, it was empty.” Rion’s jaw clenched, his expression darkenin
Jaselyn's POV"Where is this coming from, Jas?" Rion asked, his voice filled with concern and confusion. He tightened his grip around me, his arms warm and comforting, but I couldn't meet his eyes.I hesitated, biting my lip as I fought to keep my emotions in check. The fear and shame clawed at my insides, making it hard to breathe. "Just answer me, Rion," I whispered, my voice trembling. "Would you leave me if I've been defiled?"His eyes softened, and he cupped my cheek with his hand, his thumb brushing away a stray tear. "Jas, I would never leave you," he said firmly. "Not for anything. You are my mate, my Luna. Nothing could ever change that."I closed my eyes, trying to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. His words were comforting, but the fear still lingered. "Rion... Zane... he..." My voice broke, and I took a shaky breath, forcing myself to continue. "He dark-bonded me. He raped me. He... he hurt me in so many ways."