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
Rune’s POVI stood by the side, my hands clenched into fists, watching the physicians work around Alora’s unconscious body. Every muscle in my body was tense, my mind racing with a thousand scenarios, none of them good. The air in the room was thick with tension, but I felt helpless. Absolutely fucking helpless. I hated this. Hated standing here and not being able to do anything. The physicians murmured between themselves, their faces pinched with concern as they hovered over her. One of them, the lead physician, finally turned toward me, his expression grim. “Alpha,” he began, his voice cautious as if he didn’t want to be the bearer of bad news, but I could already tell something was wrong. “Her baby… is in grave danger. It’s possible she might have an early delivery.”His words hit me like a punch to the gut. My chest tightened painfully as I glanced back at Alora, pale and still on the bed. I had seen her go through so much already, and now this? She was strong, stronger than an
Rune’s POVAlora’s grip on my hand slackened as she fought against the darkness pulling her under. Her breaths were shallow, each one coming out as a faint gasp, and her eyes, glazed over with exhaustion, fluttered, barely clinging to consciousness. “I need… to see her,” she whispered, voice so faint it barely reached my ears. There was a desperation in her tone, but also something broken. Her lips trembled as they formed the words, and her fingers curled weakly around mine, trying to hold on. “Alora, you need to rest,” I urged, leaning closer to her. “You can’t move yet. You’re too weak right now.”She shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “No, I need to see my baby. Please.”It shattered me to see her like this –so vulnerable, so desperate. She never wanted to appear weak in front of me or anyone. But now, with her child’s life on the line, she was crumbling. Her strength, her resilience, it was all slipping through her fingers. I wanted to give her what she asked for, to c
Third person’s POV The night was unnaturally quiet, the thick forest surrounding the pack territory still and dark under the pale moonlight. Only the sound of leaves rustling in the wind echoed in the air, but it wasn’t enough to mask the tension that hung heavily between the two witches standing on the outskirts of the werewolf pack. They were cloaked in shadow, their figures barely visible against the dark trees, but their eyes were fixed on the pack house in the distance, the stronghold of one of the most powerful werewolves in existence. Rune. The Alpha who had built an empire with his strength and cunning, guarded fiercely by magic and walls so thick with enchantments that it was nearly impenetrable. But not for them. The silver-haired witch, her pale locks glistening in the moonlight, glanced sideways at her companion. Her name was Eirlys, a name that echoed through centuries of witch history, known for her wisdom and mastery over healing magic. Her skin was as pale