Aella The air is thick with anticipation as we gather in the clearing just outside our territory. A symphony of crickets and rustling leaves forms the background noise to this palpable moment. The moon hasn’t crested yet, but the sky is clear, assuring us that its light will soon guide our path. The weight of leadership sits heavy on my shoulders, but it’s a weight I’ve been trained for for years, a mantle I take on willingly. Standing at the edge of the clearing, I can feel the cool night air on my skin and see the sea of faces before me—some human, some wolfish, depending on who has already shifted. I can’t help but feel a deep sense of pride as my gaze sweeps over them. To my far left, the warrior division stands tall, a group of robust and formidable wolves whose main role in the pack is defense and strategy. Leading them is Eleanor, our Gamma, her eyes like flint and posture rigid with military discipline. Her role tonight will be to safeguard the pack’s flanks as we delve
RomanThe sterile walls of the hospital wing feel like they’re closing in on me, their whiteness too harsh, too glaring against my turbulent thoughts. I can’t enter the room—not yet. Not when every fiber of my being is a cocktail of fury, self-loathing, and a kind of visceral fear that shakes me to my core.I glance through the glass door, catching sight of Aella lying in the hospital bed. Machines beep softly, echoing the frail rhythm of her life now hanging by a thread. It gnashes at me, this helplessness, this inadequacy.Damn it, Roman. You should’ve been here.When I arrived back, I sensed it—an off note in the otherwise harmonious chorus of scents that make up my pack. Alarm bells immediately rang in my mind. The moment Aella signaled to go in a different direction, I knew instinctively what she was doing. It’s her duty, just as it’s mine, to protect our pack. I should’ve realized the danger, anticipated the threat that would nearly take the life of someone I hold dear.I was t
AellaAs I slowly come to, my eyes struggle to adjust to the soft, dim lighting of the hospital room. A dull ache throbs in my neck, pulling me back into the harsh reality of last night’s events. My fingers twitch, and I’m vaguely aware of a warm presence holding my hand. Confused, I glance down and my eyes lock onto Roman’s head resting on my thigh. Even in sleep, he looks like a man carrying the weight of a world full of expectations and responsibilities. His grip on my hand is gentle but firm, as if he’s afraid to let go.The memories of the night come flooding back—the full moon hunt, the scent of an intruder, and the gray wolf. My fingers instinctively move to touch my bandaged neck, the sensations of fangs and fur still hauntingly fresh.I find myself staring at Roman’s face, taking in the details I’ve known but never truly looked at—the strong lines of his jaw, the ruggedness of his cheek, and the shapely curve of his lips. His cheek is already showing signs of stubble; how lo
RomanHer eyes lock onto mine, and in that gaze, I see a flicker of relief. And it guts me. The sensation is akin to someone ripping my chest open, laying my heart bare—like I’ve done for her just now.“Aella,” my voice shakes, surprising me. “I’m not going to sit here and spit pretty lies at you. What I told you is the twisted, complex truth of who I am, who we’ve become. I’ve been both your captor and your admirer, your deceiver and your confidant. And if there were a way to undo all the lies, I’d tear my damn world apart for it.”She reaches for my hand, and her touch ignites something raw, something painfully human inside me. For a moment, I let go of my Alpha instincts to snarl, to declare dominion, and instead, I just feel—feel like I’m teetering on the edge of a cliff, about to fall into an emotional abyss.“I feel the same way,” she says, her voice barely above a whisper, yet it’s as if she’s shouted it into every hidden corner of my soul. “I’m so relieved you finally told me
AellaThe sterile scent of antiseptic fills the air as a nurse wheels in a wheelchair, an apparent prison for my mobility. I look at it with disgust because I am pretty capable of walking and don’t need itRoman’s hand goes up before I can voice a protest. “Hospital rules, baby. No exceptions,” he says.“But I’m perfectly–”“Get in the fucking wheelchair, Aella,” he says, but not with any hostility. There’s a playful smirk on his face so I have to relent.Rolling my eyes, I give in and lower myself into the wheelchair, wincing as I feel the soreness that still permeates my muscles and joints. A primal part of Roman flares up; I can see it in the way his eyes darken, in the way his posture changes. He’s in full Alpha mode just because I sucked in a breath through my teeth.“I should’ve been the one to wheel you,” he mutters, so low only I can hear, and I nearly burst out laughing at his overprotectiveness as the nurse begins to push me through the maze of hospital hallways.“You’d prob
RomanThe first rays of sunlight filter through the curtains, casting a soft glow over the room. Aella lies nestled in my arms, her head on my chest. Her rhythmic breathing lulls me into a serene trance. I never thought I could feel this way—so utterly content, my normally restless mind at ease. I knew the moment I admitted my feelings to her that things would change, but I hadn’t expected this blissful calm. It’s different from every other morning we’ve spent together, it’s more... real.My fingers lightly brush over her hair, and I feel a tranquility I didn’t know existed. I’ve admitted my feelings, laid bare my soul’s craving for her, and the weightlessness I feel now is a stark contrast to the walls I had built around myself. How did I go so long without knowing this peace? This is more than two bodies sharing a bed; this is souls intertwining, a new definition of home.I glance at Aella’s peaceful face, her eyes still closed in sleep, and I’m gripped by a protective intensity t
RomanThe weight of pack leadership has always been a double-edged sword—necessary but heavy. Sitting at my large oak desk, I sift through a pile of reports, budgets, and minor grievances when my eyes stray over to Aella. Leaning back in my leather chair, I watch Aella’s eyes scan the pages of ancient texts. She’s engrossed, and I can almost see the gears turning in her mind. I’m caught between the temptation to just admire her from across the room and the desire to engage her, to be a part of whatever is captivating her so much.“Back to work,” she says softly to herself, refocusing on the next grimoire in her stack, but what she doesn’t know is that she’s become an essential part of my ‘work,’ an aspect of my life that I didn’t even realize was missing until she filled it.Fuck it, I can’t sit quietly when she’s right here.“You know, you could just ask me if you want to know about my deep, dark pack secrets,” I tease, setting aside the papers.She looks up with a playful grin, her
AellaI can still feel the pulsing vibration of the jet’s engines as Roman and I disembark, the plane’s hushed whir still lodged in my ears. The Northern Territory is brutal, with winds that slice through your clothes, rattling your very bones. Tall pines and firs stretch skywards like an army of ancient warriors standing sentinel. Despite the frigid beauty, a sense of foreboding tightens the air—something is terribly wrong here.Roman looks tense. Even from my peripheral vision, I can see the cords of his neck straining, and his jaw clenched in an almost animalistic way. He’s been on the phone the entire flight—speaking in Russian and what sounded like Romanian, conversations laced with urgency and dark premonitions.The playful, flirty Alpha from hours ago has morphed into someone more somber, more distant.We take a black SUV from the airstrip, driving through a web of unmarked roads until we reach the first crime scene. As Roman steps out, I follow suit, bracing myself against th