K A I D ABy the time we make it back to the packhouse, my head is spinning.Everything that’s happened—the attack, Victor and Lilith’s escape, finding Jace alive—it’s all too much to process. My body moves on autopilot as we step through the doors, my boots heavy against the wooden floors. The warmth of the packhouse should be comforting, but instead, it feels suffocating.Miyuki and Lucas are waiting for us in the common room, their faces lighting up the second they see us. But their relief fades quickly as they take in our expressions.Miyuki is the first to speak. “You’re back.” Her eyes scan my face, then Octavius’s. “What happened?”I hesitate, feeling the pressure of their gazes, and I know there’s no point in delaying the inevitable. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to steady my thoughts before speaking.“My pack isn’t gone,” I say finally, my voice quieter than I mean for it to be. “Some of them survived.”Lucas straightens, his brows furrowing. “Wait, what?”Miyuki’s shar
I stare at the ceiling of Miyuki’s room, lying on my back on the bed with my feet dangling off it. I needed just a few seconds from Octavius, from his intensity... and I felt like I needed to talk to someone else that isn't him. Surprisingly, the first person that came to mind was, Miyuki. My mind races, still replaying everything that happened today as I finish telling her everything that went down.Jace.Alive.I still can’t wrap my head around it.Miyuki sits across from me on her bed, one leg folded under the other, her sharp eyes studying me like she’s waiting for me to crack. She’s always had this way about her... observant, reserved. It used to piss me off. Now, I just find it oddly comforting.“So, wait… you and Jace,” Miyuki starts, making me look over at her as soon as she starts talking. “You guys wanted to be mates when you were younger?” She questions, tilting her head slightly.I let out a slow breath, still processing it myself. “Yeah. But obviously, we weren’t allowed
K A I D A I make my way to Octavius with determination written on my face, with purpose in my step as I walk forward. It’s late, the packhouse, and the pack house is quiet as it usually would be at this hour. My heart pounds a steady rhythm against my ribs, and I know it’s not just from exhaustion. I don’t know why I suddenly feel nervous. Octavius is my mate. There’s nothing for me to feel nervous about. Yet, there are butterflies in my stomach, and my heart seems to beat just a little faster every time I think about him. But besides all those mushy feelings, I know he’s not completely okay.. I shouldn’t feel hesitant to talk to him, but something about this moment feels heavier than usual. Maybe it’s because of everything that’s happened today… finding my people alive, seeing Jace again, and the possible war we’re about to step into. Octavius is my mate. There’s nothing for me to feel nervous about. Yet, there are butterflies in my stomach, and my heart seems to beat just a litt
K A I D AMy hands remain at the back of his neck as I continue to kiss him, every kiss becoming increasinly more heated that the last. His hands grip onto my waist possessively, matching the energy of my kisses as he fights for dominance, and eventually wins. His bare skin feels hot against mine, and all I want is feel more of him... all of him...I feel him bite my bottom lip slowly, forcing a low, sensual moan out of mouth, and he takes that as an opportunity to slide his tongue into my mouth. I listen as he grows deeply in satisfiedly as his tongue plays with mine, and suddenly, he reaches down and grabs my thighs, lifting me off the floor with ease as my legs immediately wrap around his waist. I gasp at how swift he is, pulling away from him for a moment to stare at him, meeting his piercing blue eyes that burn with desire. They lock onto mine, searching for something—hesitation, doubt, anything that might make him stop. But there’s nothing. Only certainty.My heart pounds as I ta
My heart thumps harshly as I watch him pull away from me. His dark eyes glint with something wild, something untamed, and it sends a delicious shiver down my spine. My body is already aching, trembling, as I struggle to catch my breath. The heat between us is overwhelming, suffocating in the best possible way. I watch as he slips off his trousers, revealing the monster between his legs. It stares back at me, hard and throbbing, all for me... He moves closer to me, pressing the tip against my soaked entrance, forcing a desperate moan out of my lips, making me bit my lip slowly right before looking up at him."Just relax... let me take care of you..." He whispers to me, lowering himself to me and kissing me delicately as he presses his body against mine. Soon, I feel him push himself inside me, causing my entire body to tense at the foreign feeling. A frown forms on my face as I grip onto his face, my pussy stretching to accommodate his length."Oh s-shit... Octavius..." I gasp, my fin
K A I D AWarmth. That’s the first thing I feel as I slowly drift into consciousness, my body tangled in the softest sheets, completely at peace. A firm, solid weight presses against my back, heat radiating from it in comforting waves. My muscles ache slightly, a deep, pleasant soreness that makes me shiver as memories of last night crash over me.Oh.My face heats instantly, but I don’t move just yet. I let myself soak in the moment, the slow rise and fall of his breathing, the way his arm drapes lazily over my waist, anchoring me to him. His grip is loose, but protective, as if even in his sleep, he refuses to let me go.I take a slow breath, inhaling his scent, deep, woodsy, and intoxicatingly masculine. The events of the night before are still so fresh, so vivid in my mind. The way he touched me, the way we moved together, the way he whispered my name like it was the only thing that mattered in the world. My body flushes at the memory, and I bite my lip, squeezing my eyes shut.I
K A I D AStepping out of Octavius' room feels like the most difficult thing I've had to do in my life. I shouldn't be this nervous, right? I mean, people mate all the time. Back at my pack, there seemed to even be celebrations when two people finally completed the mating process. Everyone could actually tell when two people have finally mated.Great... just great... Meaning everyone in the house is gonna know I had my guts rearranged the night before."Just relax..." I hear Octavius voice snap me out of my thoughts, and that's when I remember that he is standing right next to me, and has been walking beside me this whole time as we make our way downstairs. I know my thoughts are probably too loud, and he can properly hear them..."Yeah, exactly..." He answers outloud and I sigh out of frustrattion and embarrasment as I look over at him."How are you so calm about this... Everyone is gonna know what we were doing last night..." I whisper to him, holding onto his hand for support as w
K A I D AThe cool morning air settles over Raven Moon’s territory as I stand beside Octavius, my heartbeat steady but alert. The presence of Jace and his people is unexpected, and though I trust him to an extent, I can’t ignore the tension that crackles in the air like a brewing storm.Around us, several high-ranking Raven Moon wolves stand at attention, their eyes sharp, their postures rigid. Lucas, Miyuki, and Samson flank Octavius and me, their gazes trained on the group in front of us. Though they don’t outwardly bare their fangs or emit threatening growls, I can sense the barely restrained aggression simmering beneath the surface. After all, Jace isn’t just anyone... he's risen to be the leader of the Xarano pack. Though he is not outright calling himself an Alpha, I know he's stepped up where people needed him, where my sister nor I couldn't. He helped rebuild my pack when we weren't there, and for that, I owe him the utmost respect. However, his sudden arrival leaves me feelin
K A I D A“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 find—old records, pack stories, bloodline traits. Physical markers. Based on our features,
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.