*JORDYN’S POV*I quickly positioned myself in front of Brianne again, my heart racing. I couldn’t bear the thought of her in harm’s way. She peered over my shoulder, gripping the edge of the tree, her gaze filled with a fierce, determined fire, though her hands trembled slightly.I growled softly, assuring her as best I could in my wolf form.A final rogue, larger and meaner-looking than the others, lumbered into view, its eyes glinting with fury and desperation. Josh and I exchanged a glance, a shared understanding passing between us. We would end this together.Josh took the lead, circling the rogue slowly, his low growl vibrating through the air. The rogue lunged toward him, snapping wildly, but Josh darted out of the way, agile and quick. As the rogue twisted to follow him, I struck, lunging forward and sinking my teeth into its hind leg. The rogue let out a feral scream, twisting to shake me off, but Josh was there in an instant, lunging for its throat. Together, we brought it do
*BRIANNE’S POV*But then, a familiar form shot forward, knocking the rogue off course.Josh! Relief flooded me as I saw him, his wolf form a blur of fur and teeth as he clashed with the rogue. He’d found us, and he wasn’t about to let anything happen to me or Jordyn.From the ground, I watched as Jordyn, too, shifted into his wolf form, the sight both awe-inspiring and terrifying. His fur was sleek, dark, and powerful, and his eyes glowed with a fierce determination. He and Josh moved in sync, their bodies flowing together as they fought off the attackers.Jordyn took down one of the rogues in a swift, savage bite, his teeth flashing as he overpowered it. Josh pinned another rogue beneath his massive paws, snarling as he tore into it. Their movements were relentless, their loyalty to each other and to me evident in every strike.But even with Jordyn and Josh fighting as fiercely as they were, the rogues kept coming. I felt trapped, my back against the cold, hard ground, helpless as I
*BRIANNE’S POV*“Stop it! Just stop it, please!” I screamed, my voice breaking as the rogue wolves continued their relentless assault. “You’ve hurt him enough! Please!”But the wolves showed no sign of stopping. My screams, my pleas…all of it was useless against their savage determination. They were here to kill, and nothing I said would change that. The helplessness felt like a weight crushing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I was trapped in this nightmare, watching the person I cared about most being torn apart in front of me.Another wolf latched onto Jordyn’s leg, dragging him back, and he let out a strangled cry of pain. The sound tore through me, twisting my insides with a pain that felt physical. I clawed at the ground, trying to get closer to him, but my own strength was fading, my limbs weak and trembling.Jordyn turned his head toward me, his gaze filled with an agonizing mixture of pain and determination. “Brianne… run,” he choked out, even as he struggled to p
*BRIANNE’S POV*The room was thick with silence, only broken by the quiet hum of the machines and the soft scuff of my fingers tracing along the edge of Jordyn’s jacket. I pulled it closer around me, taking in the scent that clung to the fabric—a mix of pine, warmth, and something distinctly him. After everything we’d just been through, having it wrapped around me felt like the one anchor I could hold on to.Across the room, Jordyn and Josh were sitting side by side. The bruises and cuts from our battle had already disappeared, thanks to the rapid healing their wolves provided, but the memories of it all were still sharp in my mind. The sight of Jordyn lying on the ground, fighting for breath, haunted me. I could still hear the snarls, the cries, and my own desperate scream as everything within me shifted. It was the moment I found my wolf, and it had shattered everything I thought I knew about myself.My gaze drifted to Jordyn, and I found him already looking at me. His eyes, usually
*BRIANNE’S POV*The quiet settled between us, wrapping around the room like a fragile thread that neither of us wanted to break. I cleared my throat, forcing myself to look away from Jordyn’s gaze, a shyness tugging at me that felt almost foreign after everything that had happened.“I should probably head back home,” I murmured, brushing my hair behind my ear and taking a step toward the door. But just as I began to move away, I felt his hand reach for me, fingers wrapping gently around my arm. The touch was firm but cautious, sending a thrill up my spine that I tried to ignore.“Don’t,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper, but the weight of it held me in place. I turned, eyes meeting his, the tension between us thick and undeniable.“Jordyn…” I started, feeling my resolve waver as he stepped closer. His hand slid from my arm to the small of my back, his fingers pressing lightly against the fabric of his jacket that still clung around me. He was close enough that I could feel th
*JORDYN’S POV*The moment I saw her transform, my heart swelled with an emotion I couldn’t quite place. There was something so breathtaking about watching her finally shift, like witnessing a caged bird take flight for the first time. Her eyes glistened with a mixture of strength and vulnerability, and I could tell that this change meant everything to her, even if she didn’t fully understand it yet.It was heartwarming, seeing her rise to the strength I always knew she held deep within. But it was also sad—a bittersweet reminder that the hardships she had endured were the very things that had brought her to this point. Who knew that I, in all my flawed ways, would somehow be the catalyst for her transformation? She was a vision of raw power, yet there was a delicate sadness in her that made the moment feel achingly beautiful.The door to the office creaked open, and Josh stepped in, brushing a bit of dust from his sleeve as he nodded in greeting. I looked up from the documents scatter
*BRIANNE’S POV*I sat by the window, watching the morning sun rise over the treetops, casting a warm, golden glow across the room. The light felt like a small comfort, wrapping me in warmth, but it did little to ease the whirl of emotions that had tangled within me since… everything. It was strange how the world outside seemed untouched, peaceful, while mine felt as though it had been shaken to the core.A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked up to see Mary peeking in. Her face was soft with worry and something else—something that looked like relief. She stepped into the room, moving to the chair across from me and sitting down quietly.“Hey,” she murmured. “I wanted to check on you. After… well, after everything, I thought maybe you could use someone to talk to.”A half-smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, though I knew it didn’t reach my eyes. “Thanks, Mary,” I said, glancing down at my hands. “I feel like everything happened so fast, I’m still trying t
(Josh and Mary)*MARY’S POV*I stood outside Josh’s office, my heart hammering as I looked at the sturdy wooden door. I’d only been here twice before, and each time, it felt strangely hidden, tucked away from the bustle of the main pack house. Maybe he liked it that way, away from distractions. My fingers twisted around each other as I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself, reminding myself I was only here to check on him. That was it. No big deal. Just a simple, friendly visit to see if he was okay after his fight with the rogue wolves. Still, my heart wouldn’t stop pounding, and my palms felt clammy as I raised my fist to knock.“Come on, Mary,” I muttered under my breath. “You’re just talking to Josh. What’s the worst that could happen?” My words hung in the air, and Brianne’s voice echoed in my mind, reminding me of all the things I’d been too nervous to admit.I wrinkled my nose, feeling ridiculous. “How did I become the one confessing feelings? I’m supposed to be the charm