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
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