The steam has barely cleared from the mirror when I step out of the shower, wrapping the white towel around myself as I take a deep breath, feeling at ease after the shower. The fresh scent of soap clings to me, washing away the dirt and sweat, but I know the relief is temporary. In the end, a clean face won’t change the fact that I’m still trapped here, a rogue at the mercy of the Raven Moon Pack...I step into the small room I had been secluded in and glance down at the pile of clothes Miss Anne left for me—a basic top and black sweatpants, simple and practical, with a pair of underwear and a free-sized bra. At least they'll be able to fit my d-cup, usually that could be a problem but I'm glad Miss Anne was considerate enough to bring something that would fit me... I sigh to myself and slip into the clothes, being struck by how strange it feels to be… comfortable. This isn't usually my style. After so long on the run, I’ve grown used to discomfort. I’ve learned to ignore the ache of
I blink at him a few times, letting his words reiterate in my mind. And once they do, I can’t help the reaction I give him. I burst out into laughter, the sound sharp and unrestrained in the otherwise heavy silence of the room. But as I look back at him, I meet his cold, furious glare, immediately making my smile slowly die down.“Wait, you’re serious...” I ask, still chuckling but less humourlessly now, and as my eyes meet his, I realize he is serious. His expression remains the same—unflinching, carved in cold stone.“In the few years I’ve been Alpha... I have not come across a single female capable of angering me yet intriguing me at the same time,” Alpha Octavius explains, his voice low and measured, each word like a calculated strike as he tilts his head at me.The amusement drains from my face as his icy gaze stays locked on mine. My body tenses, bracing for the impact of whatever else he has to say. His presence is oppressive, like a storm closing in, and I can feel every nerve
I'm running.The wind rushes against my face, cool and sharp as I sprint through the woods, my bare feet barely skimming the ground. My wolf stirs, not fully awake but lingering just beneath the surface, her restlessness pushing me forward. The afternoon light filters through the trees, its warm glow dancing and twisting through the leaves and branches, but I don't stop. I can't.He let me go.I can't believe it. It makes no sense. But as the scent of pine and earth fills my lungs, I force myself to focus. I don't care why Octavius let me leave. I don't care if it was some twisted mind game, some strange test of will. All I care about is putting as much distance as possible between me and that packhouse…Branches snag at my clothes, scraping against my arms, but I ignore the sting, my eyes scanning the forest for an opening, a path, anything. I push myself harder, faster, letting my instincts guide me.But then, something shifts.It's subtle at first—a faint tug, a pull in the pit of
I’m hauled back into the pack house, my wrists aching from the grip of the three men dragging me like a sack of meat. Their laughter grates on my nerves, smug and full of condescension, as if they’ve won some great battle. I thrash, jerking my arms in an attempt to break free, but their grip only tightens.“Let go of me!” I snap, my voice echoing in the hallways of the house.Akande doesn’t even flinch. “Keep fighting, rogue, you're only tiring yourself out.” he says, his voice dripping with sarcasm.Lucas chuckles. “Yeah, do yourself a favour and save your energy. You’re not going anywhere.”I snarl at him, baring my teeth like the wild animal they seem to think I am. “You’d better hope these hands don’t heal too fast, or I’ll show you exactly where you went wrong...”“Oh, I’m terrified,” Lucas shoots back, smirking as they finally stop in front of a heavy wooden door. “You’re all bark, rogue.”I thrash harder, planting my feet as best I can, but Rafe seemingly tired of all my fighti
The night air hits me like a slap as Miyuki leads me out of the pack house and toward the gathering grounds. The moon hangs heavy in the sky, its silvery light illuminating the crowd assembled ahead. I can hear the low murmur of voices, the restless shuffling of feet, and the occasional growl cutting through the stillness.They’re waiting for me.Miyuki walks a step ahead, her movements stiff as she walks with her back straightened. She doesn’t say a word, but the occasional side-eye she throws my way says enough. She hates this as much as I do, though for entirely different reasons.As we walk through the ground, I notice how people bow their heads out of respect for her, acknowledging that she is the Gamma. She has authority, I'll give her that, and though I'm starting to hate her, she somehow reminds me of my sister, and what she could've been when she became an Alpha, what I could've been as well if I was ever in a position of authority...I shake the thoughts of her away, not wan
…A few years ago…The ground beneath me is cold, damp, and unforgiving. The leaves overhead shift with the wind, whispering secrets through the forest that I can't bear to hear. I pull my knees closer to my chest, the thin blanket wrapped around me doing little to keep the chill away. My stomach aches, empty and hollow, but I ignore it. Hunger is a constant companion now, one I've learned to live with.The remnants of my old life cling to me like ghosts. The screams of my pack members still echo through my mind, everything is still so vivid, so painfully clear and no matter what I do I can’t seem to shake the feeling. I remember the warmth of the fire in our packhouse, the laughter that used to echo through the halls. I remember my father's strong hands, my mother's kind eyes, the way my sister would steal my hairbrush and laugh when I chased her down to get it back…But those memories feel like another lifetime now.Because that life is gone—burned and buried beneath the ashes of my
The early morning sun gleams softly overhead as Miyuki leads me down a dirt path that opens onto the Raven Moon training grounds. My first impression? Sweat, grunts, and tension hanging through the cool morning air.Rows of pack members are locked in intense drills, their bodies moving in sharp, coordinated bursts. Some spar hand-to-hand, their strikes fast and brutal, while others shift mid-movement, their wolves snarling as they tear into padded dummies designed to withstand claws and teeth.It's all so... rigorous. Precise. As if every move is rehearsed down to the last detail.And yet, I chuckle to myself."Something funny?" Miyuki snaps, her sharp tone breaking through my thoughts.I shrug, a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. "It's cute, watching them try so hard. Almost like they think this is life or death…”She stiffens beside me, her jaw tightening as her eyes dart toward me. "They're warriors, rogue. Something you wouldn't understand…”"Warriors?" I repeat, my smirk
The air shifts as we step into another section of the training grounds. It's quieter here—not silent, but there's a distinct lack of the grunts and growls from the larger groups I saw earlier. Instead, it's all focus. Precision. Deadly intent.These aren't the typical pack warriors.No, these are their strongest.I stop a few paces behind Miyuki, my arms crossed as I take in the scene. I notice Octavius walk right by, greeting the people around him as he walks off to a completely different area. A handful of wolves—mostly male, though a couple of women stand out—are sparring in the centre of the space. Each move is deliberate, powerful, and brutal, the kind of training that leaves bones broken and pride shattered.I smirk. This should be fun."Stay close and keep your mouth shut," Miyuki snaps, her voice sharp as she glances over her shoulder.I raise an eyebrow, but I don't respond. Her irritation is almost as amusing as watching her try to assert dominance over me.We step closer, a
Miyuki watches him as he paces, his golden eyes clouded with turmoil, and her chest tightens. She’s seen wolves fall apart before; under pressure, under grief... but there’s something about seeing Cole like this, someone who has carried himself with such confidence when they first met, that makes it hit harder. Her instincts scream at her to step in, to do something, anything, to help him. But what could she possibly say to a man whose entire world has just been turned upside down?“Cole, try to calm down,” she says softly, her voice much more stable than she feels. She takes a small step toward him, unsure if she’s even doing the right thing, and it makes him react almost immediately.“How?” he snaps, whirling to face her, his voice cracking with emotion. “How am I supposed to calm down, Miyuki? I worked for the man who killed my family. Who slaughtered my entire pack!” He raises his arm up, pointing it to nothing in particular, as if to signify Lucien is out there, exhaling sharply
For a moment, the world seems to stop.Cole’s eyes snap to hers, wide and unblinking, and for the first time, she sees the cracks in his cocky façade. The smirk is gone, replaced by something raw and vulnerable, something that cuts deeper than she expected. She finds her heart thumping in her chest, anxiety and guilt filling her body... she didn't expect to feel this bad after telling him the truth...“What?” he says, his voice barely audible, bringing her attention back to the present. A small frown slowly forms on his face and his gaze focuses on her.Miyuki hesitates, her chest tightening as she tries to find the right words to say, the best way to say them...“I’m sorry,” Is the first thing she can muster, her voice quiet and steady despite the storm brewing inside her, taking a few careful steps toward Cole. “But it was him. He ordered it...”Cole doesn’t move, doesn’t speak. He just stares at her, his golden eyes searching hers for any hint of a lie. When he finds none, his sho
Miyuki doesn’t trust Cole.She’s not entirely sure if it’s because of his overly casual demeanour, the sly way he talks, or the fact that his golden eyes seem to linger on her longer than necessary. The way they analyse her, taking in every one of her features... It sends warning bells in her mind, and leaves her unable to think clearly. The question is why, especially for someone she just met... an enemy for that matter. Whatever it is, it irritates her to no end.She remains alone in the room with Cole after everyone has left, her heart suddenly racing as she keeps her eyes on him. She keeps her arms forward as she stares back at him, watching as he takes a few curious steps towards her.The faintest smirk plays on his lips when he notices her walking toward him, and Miyuki feels her irritation spike. She squares her shoulders, forcing her steps to remain steady and controlled, though she can feel her wolf stirring in the back of her mind.Cole watches her approach, his golden eyes
“Lucien has your sister, Korra,” Cole finally says, and for some reason, a weird sense of relief washes over me. It's the moment I realise he has actually been truthful in everything he's been explaining.I remain still as I look back at him, keeping my arms crossed as I frown at him, taking in his words. Those around the room who had not yet heard the news, all turn to look at me, their expressions filled with shock and surprise.As I remain silent, Cole steps forward cautiously, his golden eyes locking with mine. “It’s not just that,” he continues. “The reason your pack was massacred… it wasn’t random. Lucien believed your pack was hiding Lycans. He believed that you, your parents, and your sister were Lycans...” He explains further and the room falls into an eerie silence as everyone’s eyes shift between Cole and me. Finally, I am able to break my gaze from him and instead turn to the person standing next to me.Octavius’s gaze meets mine, his expression hard yet somehow gentle at
I can’t keep still. Every second feels like torture as I try to get a grip on reality, my racing mind. Thoughts and scenarios collapse over each other. Thoughts of my sister, she has been all this time, how she's been living, how she's being kept, what has Lucien been doing to her...The idea that she is even still alive churns inside me, a volatile mix of hope and dread, causing my heart to thump at an abnormal rate as I struggle to contain my anxiety. Victor’s words haunt me, playing on repeat in my mind, and the necklace he pointed out feels like it’s burning against my chest...Is she really alive? Could he be telling the truth?My fingers twitch at my sides as we walk through the hallways of the packhouse. Octavius strides ahead of me, his steps purposeful and focused as he leads us forward. Samson and Miyuki flank him, their faces calm but focused as they both remain silent. Lucas is behind us, ever the carefree one, though even he seems more serious now.I follow, my gaze shift
“As much as I want justice, and revenge for how they destroyed my family, I want things to be done the right way... I don’t want any lives unnecessarily lost. We have to be careful. We don’t have to play the way they do, where countless innocents die. And that’s what will happen if we rush into this.” He answers me quietly, opening his eyes to finally look at me, his voice calm again as he stares back at me.His words hit me like a wave, and for a moment, the fight drains out of me. I look at him, really look at him, and I see the weight he’s been carrying—the same weight I feel crushing my own chest...“Please,” he says, his voice soft as he looks at me, and listening to him ask me, makes my heart flip, creating a softness in my that I never even knew existed... “I’m asking you to trust me on this. And I promise you, Victor and Lucien will get what they deserve...”I stare at him, my mind racing. His words make sense, but my emotions are too raw, too overwhelming to process it all ri
Octavius tugs me out of there with such speed, I barely have time to react. In a matter of moments, we are out of Victor's cells, our footsteps echoing down the hallway as he continues to pull me forward.“Octavius, wait,” I protest, trying to tug my arm free, but his grip doesn’t falter and instead he continues to move forward with a quickness I can't keep up with.“Not here,” he snaps, his tone brooking no debate as he continues leading me down the dimly lit corridor.My mind races, Victor’s words still swirling like a toxic fog in my head. But all I can do now is follow Octavius, his presence both grounding and unnerving as we leave the cells, and Victor’s taunts, behind us.I barely wait until we’re out of the cells before yanking my arm free from Octavius’s grip. My blood is boiling, my mind spinning with Victor’s words, and my frustration with Octavius hits its breaking point.“Octavius, stop!” I snap, my voice sharp enough to echo down the hallway. He freezes for only a moment,
The words sink in as I stare at him. Victor’s smirk twists something deep inside me as I finally convince myself that what is he is saying is actually true.My sister is alive.The necklace... He’s telling the truth. He has to be. My knees feel weak, and for a moment, I think I might collapse at the weight of this revelation.“Korra…” I whisper her name like a prayer, a plea, a desperate hope that this isn’t some cruel game Victor’s playing.Victor leans back against the wall, his satisfaction practically radiating off him. “Now you’re starting to see it, little Luna,” he drawls, his tone mocking but sharper, more dangerous. “But I can’t tell you everything all at once. Where’s the fun in that?” He ends up laughing and once again, I'm sent over the edge.“Stop playing games!” My voice cracks as I step closer to him, threatening to pick him off the ground just like Octavius did. “Where is she? What have you done with her?” I yell at him, my voice echoing through the hallways of the ce
I feel like at any point now, my feet may no longer be able to support my support. As if the things Victor is telling me couldn't have any more shock factor, he drops the final bomb.My sister...He claims she's alive... and he has her..."Another lie... y-you're lying..." I find my voice cracking as I fail completely at keeping myself together. That seems to give him some sort of satisfaction as his eyes glint with excitement."Am I?" He cocks his head slightly as he maintains his gaze on me."Tell me, Kaida... do you ever remember seeing her body... or did you just assume she was gone like the rest of your family...?" He asks and I fail to answer him. The more I think about that day, the more I remember that I didn't see her die... instead, I did as she told me and ran. I saw my parents, Jace, the rest of my friends and family get slaughtered, but before I could see what happened to Korra, I was out of there..."Octavius, you seem to believe me, don't you, cousin?" Victor asks. My e