My wolf stirs beneath my skin, restless and unhelpful as ever as I stand right in front of Octavius. Every logical part of me says to stay out of his way, let him focus on the mission, but I can’t. Not when Miyuki’s words are still ringing in my ears. "Octavius has chosen you.”I keep my eyes on him as I try to think of how to respond to question. He remains calm, but his eyes give him away. He’s studying me too closely, like he’s trying to figure out why I haven’t stormed off yet...“Yeah, actually,” I say, crossing my arms. “What the hell is going on? Why is everyone acting… weird around me?” I ask him. Though I pretty much already know the answer, I want to hear it from him.His brow lifts slightly, almost like he’s amused. “Weird?” “You know what I mean.” I snap. “Miyuki said something earlier about them feeling it. About you choosing me...”His lips twitch, a faint smirk breaking through the calm mask he always wears. “She’s not wrong.” “What the hell did you tell them?” I
The air smells of damp earth and blood. My boots crunch against the dirt as we move through the settlement, every step quiet and slow, every sense on high alert. Octavius insisted on each and every one of us wearing scent-masking perfumes, giving us an advantage when coming on the territory. They won't know we're coming.I keep my guard up and my footsteps light, my fingers twitching with the need to do something. Anything. To find these people, Lucien's people. My wolf stirs restlessly under my skin, and I grit my teeth, trying to focus. For all I know, these could be the very same people that attacked my pack. The only way I would be able to tell is if I saw their faces...And I never forget a face.“Stay close,” Octavius says, his voice sounding in my head instead of out loud and at this point I can't tell if he is talking to me only or the rest of the warriors with us. It leaves me to believe that he really has accepted me as a
The battlefield explodes into chaos, growls and snarls blending into the sound of wolves clashing with unmatched speed and ferocity. Some fight in their human form, some in wolf form... and I prefer to fight this way... because I know if unleash my wolf, they'll all be dead in seconds. I’m already moving, my body surging forward like a coiled spring released. Octavius' instructions were clear. No killing them unless they refuse to back down. It'll probably be safe for everyone that way, because if my Wolf goes on a killing rampage, there might be no way to stop her. My wolf howls with exhilaration, the scent of our enemies sharp and intoxicating in the air, driving my every move. It’s been too long since I’ve let this side of myself take over. Too long since I’ve fought like this—not just to survive, but to win.I lunge at the nearest wolf, slamming into him with a force that sends us both skidding across the dirt. My claws sink into his shoulder, and he yelps bef
Once I manage to get the wolf off me, my attention snaps back to Octavius and Victor, watching as they viciously battle each other.Victor is fast—faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. But Octavius matches him blow for blow, his movements powerful and relentless.“Is this all you’ve got, cousin?” Victor taunts, dodging a strike aimed for his chest. “I expected more from the great Alpha Octavius...” With that, Victor pulls out a brand new silver knife, holding it out to Octavius. My heart thumps as I watch him, everything inside me tempting me to run in and help Octavius. But part of me tells me he needs to handle this alone. The battle around us soon draws to a close and the only people left fighting are Victor and Octavius, each and every person that is still standing keeping their attention on them.Octavius doesn’t respond, his focus razor-sharp. They move quickly, so fast that there are even times when my eyes can not track them. They pause momentarily just as Octavius grunts out lo
The packhouse is in a frenzy the moment we step inside. The warriors move swiftly, their faces grim angered, wary, nervous and grim as they carry Octavius’s unconscious body down the main hall. The metallic tang of blood lingers in the air, his scent overpowering everything else and making it impossible for me to think clearly...He's going to be okay...“Get him to the infirmary now!” Samson barks, his voice sharp as he directs the group through the packhouse.I follow after them, my boots echoing against the polished floor as my heart hammers in my chest. Octavius’s head lolls to the side, his face pale, and it feels like the air has been sucked out of the room. He’s going to be fine. He has to be fine. As they make a sharp turn into a wide hallway, I am seconds after from following after them, but someone has the audacity to stop me. I feel a hand go around my arm and turn swiftly to catch Miyuki gripping me, stopping me before I can follow them any further. “Kaida. Let them do
The hall outside the infirmary feels colder than usual, the kind of cold that seeps into your bones and stays there. I’ve been leaning against the same damn wall for what feels like hours, my arms crossed tightly over my chest. Miyuki stands a few feet away, her gaze fixed on the closed doors ahead, her sharp features betraying none of the tension I know she feels.The others are here too... Samson, Lucas, Akando, Rafe, but no one says a word. The silence is oppressive and unbearable, pressing down on all of us as we wait.And wait.And wait...I try to focus on the rhythmic sound of my breathing, but it’s no use. My mind keeps spiralling back to the same thing: Octavius. His pale face. The blood. The way he collapsed in my arms like the world had suddenly pulled the floor out from under me.I press my fingers to my temples, willing the image away, but it lingers, clawing at the edges of my mind like a bad dream. My wolf stirs restlessly, a low growl of frustration rumbling in the bac
The door creaks softly as I finally push it open, his scent immediately enveloping my senses. The room is quiet, save for the faint hum of medical equipment, and the moment I step in...I see him. My heart drops shortly as my eyes land on him.Octavius is standing on the side of his bed, his shirtless chest wrapped in a single bandage, right where his wound is, his skin still pale but no longer deathly. His icy blue eyes find mine the second I step inside, and despite everything, they hold the same steady intensity they always do...“Kaida,” he says, his voice low and rough as he turns his body to face me, his face seemingly lighting up as soon as he sees me.My throat tightens, and I force myself to move closer, stopping a few feet away from him as I relive everything I felt the moment I saw he was injured, when I thought he wasn't going to make it."Octavius..." I say quietly as I keep my distance from him. My emotions are a mess as they continue to swirl inside of me, and I don't
The kiss is soft at first, slow and needy, as if we’re both testing the waters. But then it deepens, and the world around us fades away. His hands hold onto my waist tightly, his fingers tangling in my hair as he pulls me closer, making me gasp at how powerful his grip is...It’s not just a kiss—it’s everything we’ve been holding back, all the emotions we’ve tried to suppress spilling over in a single, heated moment...His lips move against mine with a hunger that matches my own, and my wolf howls in approval, urging me closer, deeper...But then reality crashes back in, and I remember where we are, what we’re supposed to be doing. With a shaky gasp, I pull back, breaking the kiss but not the connection between us.Octavius stares down at me, his eyes dark and intense, his chest heaving as he tries to catch his breath. “Kaida…” he starts, his voice low and rough, but I shake my head, taking a step back.“I—” I start to say something, anything to explain myself, but the words won’t come
I stand up fast—so fast the chair behind me scrapes across the floor with a sharp, grating sound.“What?” I ask, voice low but sharp, like the word cuts on its way out. My heartbeat stutters, then kicks into overdrive. I blink hard. Once. Twice. Like that’ll clear the static building in my head. Like maybe I misheard her. Like maybe she didn’t just say what I think she said.Korra stays calm. She doesn’t flinch, doesn’t back down. Her face is serious, grounded. No hesitation in her voice. “I know it sounds crazy… but believe me, it’s true.”I’m watching her carefully now. Reading the tension in her shoulders, the stillness in her stance. She’s not spitballing. She’s not guessing. She’s thought about this—probably over and over again, turning it around in her head until it made enough sense to say out loud.“We’ve been researching,” she continues. “Trying to figure out which of the bloodlines I came from. We came from.”That part catches in my chest.We.“We dug through what we could f
K A I D AKorra and I are sitting on the edge of the bed in the room they set up for her. She smells clean now—like herself. No more scent of blood, rusted iron, sweat. No more stink of captivity clinging to her skin like a curse. Her hair’s still damp, slicked back and tucked behind her ears. Her face is clearer too. Hollowed out, yeah, but clear. Her eyes... they’re finally awake.I’m still not used to this. Seeing her here. Alive.I glance over at her and my heart lurches in my chest, heavy and full and weirdly tight. She’s here. She’s really here.She nudges her elbow into mine, that little sister-sister thing we used to do when we were younger, before the world split open and swallowed us whole.“Tell me what happened to you now,” she says softly.I inhale, slow and deep, but it does nothing to ease the knot in my stomach. I feel like I’ve been waiting years for someone to ask me that. I also feel like I don’t want to say any of it out loud.But she deserves to know.“Well... It’
Korra sits on the edge of the bed, freshly showered, hair damp, skin free of the dirt and grime from that hellhole.She looks better.Not just physically, but in the way she carries herself now. Her shoulders are no longer hunched, her body no longer weighed down by chains—literal or otherwise.But there’s still something in her eyes.A ghost.Something Lucien left behind.I lean against the doorframe, crossing my arms over my chest. “Feeling better?”She lets out a slow breath, rolling her shoulders as if testing her body for weakness. “Yeah… a little like myself now.”That’s good.I don’t say it, though. I just nod.Silence stretches between us for a moment, but it’s not uncomfortable. It’s the kind of silence that comes with understanding, with years of missing time trying to fill itself in all at once.Korra studies me, her eyes scanning my face like she’s trying to memorize it. Like she still can’t believe I’m standing here.“I can’t believe you’re alive,” she murmurs, shaking he
K A I D AThe drive back to Xarano territory is long and heavy with silence.Though Octavius was opposed to the idea, I managed to convince him to let me head back to the Xarano Pack with my sister. They needed to see that she is alive; they needed to know that both Xarano sisters have returned and are standing strong.I sit beside at the backseat of the car, Jace being the one to drive us while Valerie sits in the front seat. I haven't been able to let go of my sister's hand. Perhaps out of fear that if I somehow do, I will lose her again. But I'll be damned if that ever happens again. Her posture is tense, her gaze locked onto the rolling landscape ahead of us. She hasn’t spoken much since we left the ruins, and I don’t blame her.She’s processing. All of it. Being free. Being alive-- truly alive --and out of captivity, and seeing us all again, and finally coming.I glance at her, my chest tightening. Does she even remember this place as home? I stare down at her tattoos, admiring t
K A I D AKorra’s growl is cold and deadly, silencing the entire forest and everything in it. Everyone is on edge… Jace, Valerie, the others… but no one moves. No one dares to.Because we all feel it.The rage rolling off of her, thick and dangerous, her silver eyes glowing with barely restrained fury.She looks ready to kill him. Fear floods its way into my body. I knew my sister had always been dangerous. What more after all these years in captivity, what more that she is now a Lycan. Who knows the horrors she has been subjected to? Who knows what she’s seen? I no longer know what she is capable of doing, and so no matter what happens, I need to try and keep her calm.“Korra,” I say, carefully, taking a few steps towards her to try and enter her line of vision. “Please calm down…”She doesn’t look at me.She only stares at Octavius, her breathing slow for now but the longer she stares at him, the more it elevates. Her hands are clenched at her sides, shaking slightly as her body vi
K A I D A Kaida walks slowly, her arm wrapped firmly around Korra’s waist, supporting her sister’s weakened frame. So she seems physically strong, Kaida can pick up the faint scent of Wolfsbane off her, it was all over the cell as well and Kaida is certain Lucien had flooded the air with it to keep her abilities suppressed."Are you okay...?" Kaida asks worriedly, being sure to keep her sister steady and maintain her balance."I'm okay... I just need fresh air..." She answers, her voice hoarse as she lets out slow breaths.Korra is strong... stronger than her. Kaida has always known that, but right now, her body trembles with every step, her muscles struggling to carry her after years in captivity. Her once-powerful stance is reduced to unsteady footing, her breathing laboured.Still, she is here. She is alive.That’s all that matters.Kaida tightens her grip, feeling Korra lean into her slightly as they make their way toward the others. Her sister is unbroken, but she is not unscath
K A I D A I don’t stop running. My breath is sharp, my pulse erratic, my mind locked onto a single thought: She’s here. The scent is pulling me forward, leading me deeper into the ruins, past the crumbling stone and the echoes of battle still raging behind me. I know Octavius and the others are fighting, I know we haven’t won yet—but none of that matters right now. Because I can feel it. My sister. Somewhere in this hell, Korra is alive. A snarl rips through the air. Two wolves leap at me from the shadows, their eyes gleaming with bloodlust. I react on instinct. The first one lunges for my throat, but I’m faster. I drop low, twisting under him before grabbing his hind leg mid-air and swinging him into the ruins. His body crashes through the stone, debris collapsing over him. The second wolf is already coming for me. Teeth bared. Claws slashing. I meet him head-on, our bodies colliding in a brutal clash of muscle and rage. He’s strong. But I’m stronger. He slashes at my
The air hums with raw energy.Kaida stands in the ruins, glowing silver, her power pulsing like wildfire through the battlefield. Every wolf, every fighter, every enemy watches her with wide, stunned eyes.Including Lucien.For the first time, he looks intrigued.Not afraid. Not angry. Just… interested.His icy blue eyes gleam as he studies her, as if calculating something. He tilts his head slightly, the faintest smirk playing at his lips. “Well… isn’t this unexpected?”Kaida clenches her fists, her breath steady, her body still vibrating with pure, unchecked power. “Come find out just how unexpected it is.”Lucien lets out a quiet chuckle. “Tempting.”Then, without warning—“Lilith.”The name is barely spoken, a command wrapped in amusement.Kaida barely has time to react before a blur of green comes at her from the side, fast and lethal.Lilith.The force of the impact sends them both crashing into the rubble, the ground splitting beneath them. Snarls and claws rip through the air
K A I D A He stands at the edge of the ruins, watching the carnage unfold with an air of amusement, as if the battle means nothing to him. His cold blue eyes lock onto her, the same piercing shade as Octavius’, but devoid of warmth. He steps forward with slow, deliberate ease, brushing the dust from his dark coat as if he has all the time in the world. Kaida stiffens, claws digging into the earth, heart pounding. She’s been waiting for this moment. For years, she’s dreamed of ripping him apart, of ending him the way he ended her people. Lucien exhales a quiet chuckle. “You’ve grown since the last time I saw you…” His voice is smooth, almost casual, as if they’re old acquaintances meeting after years apart. Kaida bares her fangs, stepping forward with lethal intent. “I’m going to kill you.” His smirk widens. “You can try, little one… This should be fun.” She lunges. Lucien is fast—too fast. Before her claws can even graze him, he twists to the side, dodging effortlessly.