Rune’s POVI sat at the head of the dining table, hands folded, face calm, but my mind was swirling with everything I had learned last night. I hadn't told my parents or anyone else the full truth about the witches or Alora’s connection to them. Not yet. I kept my explanation simple, telling them that the witches had cast a spell that was slowly deteriorating our pack and that they wanted something from us, something they would only reveal when the time was right. I watched as my parents exchanged uneasy glances, clearly disturbed by the news but too seasoned to show much fear. They were Alphas after all, hardened by years of leading the pack through peace and conflict alike. But this was new territory, and the tension was thick.“I hope they say what they want before things get worse.” Mom muttered then silently prayed to the Moon Goddess. Before I could say anything more, Cielle and Dylan stormed into the dining room, their expressions sour, the air between them charged with ange
Alora’s POV The dining room feels like a battlefield dressed up in fine linens and polished silverware. The silence hangs thick, uncomfortable, a stifling blanket that none of us seem willing to lift. My fingers curl around the edge of my chair, gripping the wood so tightly that my knuckles turn white. Sienna’s presence is impossible to ignore. She’s sitting across the table, her eyes fixed on me like she’s about to set me ablaze with her stare alone. It’s not just anger; it’s something darker. She’s throwing daggers at me with every blink. My throat suddenly parched, my appetite all but gone. I don’t know what I’ve done to earn such venom from Sienna. It’s as if my very existence offends her, like I’ve committed some unforgivable sin by merely sitting at this table. I keep my eyes downcast, refusing to meet her stare for too long, because the malice in her gaze is too unsettling, too vicious to bear. “You know, it’s pathetic, really,” Cielle starts, leaning back in h
Rune’s POVI sat back in my executive chair, fingers drumming against the armrest, my eyes locked on Alora. She sat across from me, trying to put on a brave face, but I could see the cracks beneath the surface. Her body language betrayed her, she squirmed under my gaze, shifting slightly in her seat as if the weight of my stare was too much to bear. But still, she held her chin high, her jaw tight with defiance. That’s the Alora I know. Strong. Resilient. Even now, after everything, she still refuses to back down.But I know the truth. I know what she did to Cielle. They may all be clueless, wondering how it happened, whispering about coincidences and bad luck, but I’m not. I know it wasn’t an accident. I know it wasn’t just some freak occurrence. It was her. It had to be her. The darkness in her, the magic in her blood, it’s always been there, lurking beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to come out. The Queen Witch, hidden in plain sight all this time, and she doesn’
Rune’s POV We sat there, wrapped in the quiet, with her body pressed against mine as her breathing began to steady. The only sounds in the room were the soft hum of the air conditioning and the slow, rhythmic beat of her heart, still erratic from the crying. I stroked her back gently, letting my fingers trace the curves of her spine. She felt so small, so fragile in my arms, like she might shatter if I let her go. For a moment, everything else faded. The world outside of this room, the family, the pack, the war looming on the horizon, it all disappeared. It was just us. Just Alora and me, like it used to be before everything fell apart. I held onto that feeling as long as I could, unwilling to let it slip away just yet.But reality had a way of creeping back in.“I don’t know how to fix this,” she whispered after what felt like an eternity. Her voice was hoarse from the crying, a stark contrast to the defiance she’d shown earlier. Now, all I could hear was exhaustion. I should hav
Alora’s POV After the heaviness of our conversation began to settle into a more comfortable silence, I felt Rune’s grip around me loosen, though he kept me close. It was small, almost imperceptible, but something that always reminded me that, despite everything, Rune was human. There was something soft within him, even if the rest of the world only saw his dark, brutal side. I shifted slightly on his lap, pushing myself back enough to look at his face. He gave me a small, tired smile, one that didn’t quite reach his eyes, but it was there. And that was enough for now. "Remember when we used to sneak out of the packhouse during the summer?" I asked, my voice gentle as I recalled the memory. "You’d drag me to that clearing in the woods where no one could find us, just to stargaze. You always swore you could see shooting stars." Rune’s lips twitched upward, his eyes flickering with a hint of nostalgia. “That’s because I did see shooting stars. You were just too busy talking abou
Alora’s POV After the intense moments shared between us, the warmth of Rune’s arms still lingered on my skin as we made our way to the bathroom. The room was dimly lit by the soft glow of candlelight, casting gentle flickers on the cool marble walls. Steam rose from the enormous tub, already filled with warm, scented water that beckoned us closer. The scent of lavender and sandalwood enveloped the space. Rune held my hand, guiding me into the water first, and I sighed as the heat washed over me, easing the tension in my muscles. I leaned back against the smooth edge of the tub, closing my eyes briefly, letting the warmth envelop me like a comforting blanket. When I opened them again, I found Rune already watching me, his gaze tender yet still carrying that predatory edge that always sent shivers down my spine. He stepped in after me, settling behind me in the tub, and I leaned back against his chest. The heat of his skin combined with the warmth of the water made me feel comple
Alora’s POVTwo weeks passed in a hazy blur, the days bleeding into one another. Rune had taken it upon himself to be by my side constantly, never leaving me to my own devices for long. He brought me meals, bathed me, and tended to my every need with a patience I hadn’t expected from him. It was strange, this side of him, a tenderness he didn’t show to the rest of the world. In those moments, he wasn’t the cold, distant Alpha who ruled over the pack with an iron fist. He was just Rune, the man who once loved me, and perhaps still did in his own way.I didn’t leave the room. Part of me didn’t want to. There was an invisible barrier between me and the rest of the pack, one that I wasn’t quite ready to cross. I just like it like that actually. Cielle’s face, twisted in pain and shock, haunted my thoughts. I could still see the blood on her lips, the way it had poured out of her mouth so suddenly. My knife had remained in my hand, untouched, and yet she had bled.The memory made me shiv
Rune’s POVThe meeting with the elders dragged on, their droning voices mixing with my father's deep baritone as they discussed the witches. My mind, though, wasn’t fully there. And it should be because they are all getting more worried about their alpha not doing what he is supposed to. I sat in my study, at the head of the table, restless as hell. Every now and then, I'd glance out the window, unable to shake the gnawing feeling that something was wrong. Maybe something is going on with my pack? Are they casting another spell on us?They spoke of the spell cast on our lands, the potential threats, and alliances we might need to consider. But my thoughts were elsewhere. Not the pack. Not the witches. Not the elders. And certainly not the spell. Alora had been on my mind all morning, and no matter how much I tried to focus on the matter at hand, her presence weighed heavily in my chest. The silence from her, the lack of anything since the last episode, it made me uneasy. I shifted