Jackson's POV As I gazed out into the darkness beyond the packhouse, the night seemed to be like a thick fog, everything weighing down on me. This felt different, even though I had always been the one bearing the weight of leadership, family protection, pack obligation. It went beyond simply defending what was rightfully hers now. It has to do with survival.The surge from the past still pulsed under my skin, blending with the frustration and helplessness that had been my regular friend. Though the Raven had vanished once more, we had saved Caleb. She always kept ahead of us, always playing her next move before we could even expect it, no matter how near we got.Ava had come to see the kids once more, her face pallid and drawn from tiredness. She was, if not more, as worn out as I was. Both of us had suffered from our anxiety of losing Lily and Caleb. We afford to rest, though. Not when the Raven was still prowling the shadows, waiting for her next opportunity to attack.Now the pack
Ava’s POVInside the packhouse, the air seemed thick, as though it were smothering me from all directions. Ever since Jackson and I finished reading the Raven's message, I had not been able to get rid of the uneasy sensation that hung about. This is just the start. Her comments had buried themselves deep into my psyche, a continual reminder that we were nowhere near the end of this struggle.At last Lily and Caleb were sleeping soundly in their chambers, but the weight of all that had happened kept me from finding any kind of solace. They had already gone through so much; every time I felt we were headed toward some sort of closure, the Raven found a way to trip us off course. Her games were moving toward more personal and dangerous.Waiting for her next action, I could not keep living in continual anxiety of her striking once more. We had to launch an attack, and that meant determining the one thing—who was assisting her—that had escaped us all this year.Lost in contemplation, I was
Ava's POVThe weight of the Raven's most recent message hovered over us like a black cloud. The traitor is nearer than you would believe. Trust none. Her words had stirred something deep inside the pack, setting off a subtle fear—the kind that roots in the mind and spreads. Everywhere I turned, I found faces full of mistrust and warriors who had battled side by side suddenly questioning one another.It was precisely what she yearned for. And I refused to let her triumph.Surrounded by maps and strewn reports, Jackson and I stood in the middle of the packhouse and felt as though we were lacking something really vital, something that would lead us straight to the traitor. Who, though? We had been cautious, holding our misgivings inside a small circle. Still, every face I encountered begged questions about eyes. It was tiring.Jackson said, " Whoever this is," his voice a low snarl, "they've been in our ranks for a long time." They are attacking us using our habits, secrets, which they
Jackson's POVMoving across the packhouse, the wind felt colder than usual while my mind ran through all that had come to light during the past several days. It was wearing on all of us the Raven's insults, the defection among our ranks, and the continuous sense of surveillance. Though Ava and I had a strategy, the Raven seemed to know exactly what we were doing with each move.Alone in the war room, I discovered myself standing in front of shadows across the map on the table from the one lamp. With my hands down on its margins, my mind was assembling our next action. But since the last note was discovered pinned to the tree, I had a persistent sense that kept invading me.The traitor was not merely near. Right here in the thick of everything, observing, listening. I was barely controlling the tempest that realization was building within me.I was startled out of my reverie by a gentle rap at the entrance, then looked up as Leo entered, his face marked with concern."Alpha," he whispe
Ava's POVAs I walked around the packhouse, its silence seemed unnatural. Like the peace before a storm, the evening air was still. The pack's discomfort had intensified since Carter's treachery became known, but there also was an odd, residual hope. We had discovered the traitor, and with Carter's influence cut off, the Raven suffered—at least, that is what we had hoped for.Deep down though, I knew she wasn't finished.Jackson had spent hours in council with the pack's leaders, and although they had made progress to protect our borders and build confidence, there was a mounting conflict that we all sensed but could not exactly label. Though much we wanted to think that Carter's capture marked the end of the Raven's reach, a part of me questioned it. She had let us see her range of willingness.And tonight that understanding felt to me like a stone.Pacing in front of the map room, where Jackson and Leo were in yet another conference, I found myself Jackson steppin out as the door cr
Ava's POVAs I saw the Raven vanish, sliding back into the shadows with a practiced ease that further stoked my wrath, the night air remained keen in my lungs. She had fled once more, disappearing as though she were nothing more than a ghost tormenting us. I gritted my teeth, fury boiling as I went back to the clearing our pack members were gathering following the fight.Warriors were reorganizing, tending to their injuries, compiling damage reports. Faces I had seen powerful and relentless now showed tiredness, doubt written on every line. With his eyes ablaze with the same fire I sensed inside, Jackson was in the middle guiding the patrols and tending to the injured.He caught my eye as I got closer, his own face reflecting my irritation. He replied, a sour tinge to his voice, "She got away."Tight in my chest, I nodded. "She has been guiding us into traps and bassing us all along. She wants us to pursue her, to squander our resources while she schemes her next action.Jackson rele
Ava’s POVThough it had an edge, as if the storm hadn't completely left, the air felt oddly still—that kind of stillness that follows. Although we had caught the Raven, quieted her warnings, the weight of what she had left behind persisted strongly. Though remnants of her remarks tormented me and suggested that her influence would not be readily reversible, I knew we had won the war.Moving across the packhouse, I felt relief mixed with an uneasiness I couldn't ignore. While council members chatted in low accents, debating the next steps in rebuilding, warriors showed muted triumphs and tired faces. Underneath it all, though, I sensed the residual uncertainty—the seeds she had sought to sow.Jackson was standing on the balcony, gazing far as though he were seeing beyond the forest. Though his lines of duty were clearly marked on his face, he seemed tired. Still, his stance gave me comfort. He turned, a little, weary smile crossing his face as he sensed me walking toward.Not able to f
Jackson's POVBefore the day really started, the packhouse was still, a rare quiet time. As I went over the remaining loose ends we had to tie off, the weight of the recent evenings pressed down on me. Though the Raven might be gone, the seeds of mistrust and revolt she had sown still entwine themselves through the pack. And Lyra's treachery cut more than most of the pack was ready to acknowledge.My thoughts were cut off by a gentle knock, then Leo came in with a solemn look."Alpha," he started, stopping as though looking for the proper words. "More disturbance has resulted from this. Another one of our scouts discovered Raven's insignia etched into a southern boundary tree.I tightened my mouth to help me control my annoyance. "We've removed her, but her presence still shadows us."Leo nodded with a wrinkled brow. She seemed to have scheduled this. Her last weapon of choice was doubt.I ran a hand over my face, the exhaustion starting to show. "Any directions on Lyra's whereabouts?
Turning to watch Jackson barreling into the clearing, his wolf form was magnificent and horrible. He wasted no time flinging himself at the closest renegade with a passion that astounded me.Though brief, relief washed over me. The shadows moved once again, as a fresh person entered the area.He was towering and intimidating, with nasty glistening eyes. "Well, isn't this touching?," he said in a sarcastic voice. The courageous Luna and her warriors.Marcus, I spat, venomous in my voice.He grinned and looked over the devastation. Ava, I cautioned you. One cannot run from the past. And you most definitely cannot run from me.He lifted his hand before I could reply, and a flash of black energy rushed at me. I tuned myself, but it never hit.Riley launched himself in front of me with full assault might."No!." As he sank to the ground, his wolf shape flickering before he turned back into his human nature, I shouted.Jackson hissed, blazingly angry eyes guiding him toward Marcus. Marcus w
I'm locked in. No one knows how to get out. I detect it. Panic claws at the margins of my thoughts, my pulse thuds in my ears. Here's how we got here. How rapidly did things spiral?My fingers shake at my sides, and my brain runs for any answer. But not at all. Only me, powerless here. Levi... God, Levi's blood is staining the concrete and I am unable to stop it."Please, Marcus," I say, my voice breaking with need. "Please, please do not do this. I will do anything, I promise to God. Anything your wish is for. Just try not to damage him. kindly.He tilts his head as if he is thinking about what I said, and he smiles sickeningly. His firm hold on the pistol narrows. "Everything? You believe you still have something worth offering me?Though I'm not sure what I anticipate, Marcus fires before I could respond.The gunshot had an unbearable sound.But it's not me.My heart rushing, blood hammering in my ears, I automatically lower to the ground. Turning, eyes wide, I see something that s
I cannot lose you once more, Evie. Not like this. Not once again.Levi's voice is a harsh whisper on my skin; his words pierce the shroud of uncertainty and anxiety clouding my head. His hands quiver as they draw me in, his warmth sustaining me in this whirl of anarchy.In my chest, my heart beats wild and chaologically. Though everything seems to be disintegrating, I find it difficult to distance myself from him. His words and his touch really felt so authentic and honest. The pain I went through upon believing I lost him may easily overwhelm me once more. But the danger—that of Marcus—that is all too real. Too perilous.My voice quivering, I say, "I'm not going anywhere." "But we have to—”I swivel around, heart jumping into my throat, the sharp sound of cracking glass cutting me short. Under the low light of the alley, the figure's shadow blocks the passage. Breath freezes in my throat.He's it. Marcus?"You thought you could escape me, didn't you?," said Given the circumstances, h
Though I can't concentrate on anything except the heat of Levi's fingers clutching mine, the planet is disintegrating all around me. Knowing we have limited time, my heart is racing not only from anxiety but also from the intense feeling that this may be the final time I spend with him."Levi, we have to go—now, my voice quakes with panic."With his clenched jaw, he draws me in and I can see the weight of what we have gone through in his eyes. Though he is staring at something I cannot yet see, his dark and strong eyes convey everything I need to know: danger is near. overly near."I am not leaving you," he adds, his voice a hoarse growl of will. "Not again.."I wonder whether he is speaking to himself or to me. Still, I feel it. The truth was found in his comments. Everything we have endured weighs less now than this. Marcus, the falling stone walls—the improbable chances—we have come so far; now, everything depends on this one instant.Hearing the sound of feet behind us—faint at fi
The man slanted his head slightly, as though entertained by my query. "I am the one dragging the threads straight from the darkness. The one waiting for this turning point. And about what I wish for... The person fixed cold, objective eyes on me. "You have to decide something. a decision meant to either rescue or ruin everything.With fast, shallow breaths, Evie's hand tightened in mine. "Levi," she said, her voice breaking with terror. "please. You really have to trust me. Choose not to pay attention to him."The person advanced still another step, their gaze narrowing. " Trust her?" They laughed dimly. "How can you believe someone who hardly knows her? Someone who from the beginning has been lying to you?Turning to Evie, the weight of her words etched in my chest. "Is that true? Evie... I asked, hardly sure I could keep my voice steady. "What then is happening? Not what are you not telling me?"The voice of the stranger came out once again, louder now before she could respond. Levi
Varian's smile grew wider, his eyes shining with a terrible, nasty pleasure. "To release a power outside your comprehension. She belongs to a lineage of entities designed to transform our planet. And her blood? It is the essence of everything.My heart came to a standstill. Blood, please. What was he referring to?"Don't listen to him, Levi," Evie urged, her voice cracking and desperation leaking through the gaps. "He's lying. He is controlling you. He usually has.But Varian turned her aside, staring just at me. His tone caustic, he spat, "You don't get it, do you, Levi?" She is not any ordinary person. She is the one who may bring either the birth of a new world or the end of this one. And you, he added, his eyes narrowing, "you're standing in my way."I knew nothing about what to do. What Varian was saying eluded me in terms of logic. All I knew, all I believed was real, was disintegrating.Once more I looked at Evie, but she was shaking her head and tears were running down her che
"Levi, please, just trust me!" Now she was trembling, her voice a combination of terror and something more—a plea, a warning. " This thing... it's after me."My ears could hear my pulse pound. Her comments have weight like those of a goods train. "Once you?" I asked, voice just a whisper. "Evie, you are hunting this thing?"The beast howled before she could reply, the sound splintering the air. I halted momentarily, not sure what was happening; it was like the roar of a beast and the wail of a dying man.I turned back to Evie, but her gaze had altered. Now, there was something icy about it—a resolution that froze me right down. "Levi, you have to go." At now. Before it becomes too late.I shook my head, shoved her behind me. "Not a probability. I am not bidding you farewell here.She grasped my arm, her hold overly strong. You must have. Should we not, it will wipe us both. Ask kindly.She kept me steady as I attempted to back off. Her eyes softened, only a little, as though she were
A terrible, all-consuming terror seized my chest as the world darkened. My senses went wild and I could feel everything falling down right away. My sole anchor was the firm hold on my shoulder; my breath came in short spurts. Desperate for anything, anything to grip, I reached out.Levi... Evie's voice sounded far-off, a faint whisper that accentuated the terror chewing at me. "Levi, what's happening?"I had no retort for her. The gloom seemed overly weighty, too oppressive. Something cold pushed, metallic, and sharp pressed on my flesh; I automatically withdrew attempting to get away.Riley, the woman, leaned forward grinning wickedly from her lips. "You really thought you had control, didn't you?" Her voice sent chills up my spine like ice."Let him run!" Stronger now, Evie yelled, her voice tinged with an underlying horror I couldn't ignore.Riley's hold tightened, dragging me even nearer. Though it was pointless, I battled her grasp. Her strength felt surreal, as though she drew f
The planet appeared to spin at that instant. A huge crack sounded far away, then a deep, rumbling sound shook the earth underneath. The very ground seemed to be complaining, straying under the weight of something far more potent than I could understand.The shadows moved suddenly, then the unmistakable sound of shackles rattling. From the distance, a weak glow flickering revealed a shadowy figure rising from the gloom.Her face was hidden yet her shape was silhouetted against the low light. Her motions frenetic as she twisted and tugged, I could see her trying against the chains but she was nowhere."Evie!," My heart was hammering in my chest, I yelled. "Don't—,"The man's grasp tightened on my arm, pressing till it seemed as though the bones in my wrist were about to break before I could finish. "Don't waste your breath," he remarked frigantly. She had already left.Fury blazing in my chest, I turned to confront him. "You are lying!"But another crack louder this time rang in the dis